By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
ASE Wrestling “Black August”
August 1, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at Piedmont Middle School
Streamed live on YouTube.com
The lights were on, so it’s easy to see. Sadly, the crowd is maybe 150, and they are pretty spread out in this gym, so it looked pretty empty. Big Swole and Chris Lea provided commentary.
* ASE (pronounced ‘Ah Shay‘) Wrestling is a celebration of Black wrestlers. I really enjoyed their last show, so I decided to check this one out.
1. Diego Hill and Azrael Kyyam vs. “Top Shootas” Maurice Moss and Trey Da’Rula. Diego being on this show is one of the reasons I tuned in; he has looked so good in MLW this year. I just saw the Top Shootas on a nearby Apple City Championship Wrestling show. I don’t think I’ve seen Kyyam before. Kyyam and Trey opened and traded basic offense. Diego entered at 1:30 to face Moss. Diego hit a pop-up dropkick. Lea said it’s been a year since Diego was last here.
The Shootas whipped Diego into the ring steps, and they began working over Kyyam in the ring and kept him in their corner. Diego finally got a hot tag, and he hit a top-rope huracanrana, then a spinning heel kick. He hit a Flatliner in a corner and a 619, then a top-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall. Kyyam hit a top-rope jumping knee. Diego and Kyyam hit a team powerbomb move for a nearfall at 7:00. The Shootas hit some team offense on Diego. One of the Shootas hit a springboard fadeaway stunner on Diego, then a Doomsday Device clothesline to pin Diego. Good action to open the show.
“Top Shootas” Maurice Moss and Trey Da’Rula defeated Diego Hill and Azrael Kyyam at 8:42.
* This is the first match of the ‘main show,’ and the crowd was now closer to 300. The stands in the gym were much fuller than the pre-show tag match.
2. Janai Kai vs. Jordan Blade. Jordan’s hair is really long today and in braids. (Is that all her hair? I won’t ask.) Chris Lea said this will feel like an MMA match, and he noted they have fought each other before. They immediately traded standing switches. Kai landed a few kicks. Blade hit a running knee to the chest for a nearfall at 1:30. Lea noted that Jordan was ranked No. 45 on a top 50 Black wrestlers recently. (He noted this on last month’s show as well, as there were several wrestlers present on that list.) Blade hit a fisherman’s suplex at 3:30. Janai landed some roundhouse kicks in the corner and a running kick to the jaw. Blade tied up Janai’s legs, rolled her up with a high bridge, and got a pin out of nowhere!
Jordan Blade defeated Janai Kai at 4:41.
* Jordan whispered something to Kai. They left the ring, put an arm around each other, and headed to the back. Chris and Swole really wanted to know what was said!
* Backstage, Ian Maxwell was in the locker room, but he’s not booked tonight, and he’s frustrated. Someone came up and taunted him about his losing streak, so Ian attacked him. Bojack tried to separate them.
* Black history “fun facts” appeared on the screen between matches. Well done.
3. Cedric Alexander (w/Dante Khalifa) vs. Manny Lo. Cedric carried his TNA X Division Title belt with him. Manny had a really strong run in Deadlock Pro before that promotion shuttered. Cedric immediately grabbed the left wrist, and they traded reversals. Manny hit a huracanrana at 1:30, then a dropkick, and he was fired up. Cedric rolled to the floor to regroup. He got back in and hit a loud chop! They traded chops. Manny hit a baseball slide dropkick at 3:30, sending Cedric to the floor, then he leapt onto Cedric. They brawled at ringside.
Manny went to leap off the guardrail, but Cedric kicked the guardrail, and Manny landed chest-first across the metal barricade at 5:00! Ouch! Cedric dropped him on the apron and was in charge. Big Swole (Cedric’s wife) was pretty biased on commentary in this one, and it’s rather amusing. In the ring, Cedric hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall at 6:30. Cedric dropped Manny chest-first across the top rope and got another nearfall. Manny got a rollup for a nearfall, so Cedric immediately hit a Michinoku Driver, and they were both down at 8:30.
Manny got another rollup for a believable nearfall! He landed some kicks, and the crowd was really getting behind him. (Cedric has been aggressive but he has not cheated.) Manny hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 10:30. They got up and traded punches. Cedric hit a knee lift, then a spear to those damaged ribs, then a brainbuster for a believable nearfall, and they were both down at 12:30. This has been really good. Cedric dropped Manny with a hard chop.
Manny hit a Buckle Bomb, then he slammed Cedric to the mat for a believable nearfall, and they were both down at 14:30, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Cedric hit three consecutive Lumbar Checks, and the commentators were aghast he hadn’t gone for the win. “Please pin this man!” Swole shouted. Cedric finally made the cover on the prone Manny.
Cedric Alexander defeated Manny Lo at 16:17.
* LaBron Kozone (Manny’s trainer!) charged into the ring and attacked Cedric, clearly upset that Cedric hit three Lumbar Checks when he could have pinned Manny after one finisher! Dante Khalifa jumped in the ring, so Bojack got in to help Kozone. Cedric and Dante scampered off. LaBron got on the mic and said the guys in the ring (Bojack and Manny Lo) are “the future of ASE Wrestling.” LaBron made a challenge for next month.
* Caprice Coleman came to the ring; he’s not dressed to wrestle, but he did have a match last month. The ring announcer asked him what’s next for him. Caprice referred to himself as “the ageless one.” Reyhan Inteus came to the ring; he essentially turned heel last month. “The Uglee Gang” Jordan Holt and Zay Vega were with him (they reluctantly followed him out last month after his heel turn).
Caprice said he apologized for accidentally striking Inteus last month. However, Caprice said he believes Inteus knew that Caprice had been pushed onto him, and it wasn’t intentional. “So I’m asking you, what is your heart?” Inteus said there was no change of heart… Caprice just wasn’t paying attention to what’s going on! Inteus said he has been attacked from behind multiple times in recent years, “and Caprice has done nothing about it.” Inteus said Caprice has consistently gotten title shots when he did not. Inteus said he’s going to defend “my people if no one else will.” (Inteus has turned this into a babyface promo when I expected him to fully turn heel.)
Caprice said Inteus is “the student who can’t be taught anything.” Caprice said all the other young guys on this roster “came to class” but Inteus did not. (He’s not going to training.) Caprice called him a “cream pie.” (I have never heard that as an insult, but it sure sounds like an insult!) “I respect you but it’s clear to me there is nothing I can teach you,” Caprice said. Reyhan responded, “Maybe you should have checked JD Drake’s class, because I was with a trainer I respect.” Reyhan said he didn’t sit “under your learning tree” because he wanted to outgrow Caprice. They shook hands and agreed to a match next month. Reyhan called Caprice an “old dog.”
* Caprice joined the commentary booth.
4. “The Uglee Gang” Jordan Holt and Zay Vega vs. “The Wild Jamaicans” Anthony Kentish and Hayden Kentish for the ASE Tag Team Titles. I don’t think I’ve seen the Kentish brothers before. They wore green-and-gold gear and hit the ring to reggae music. Hayden (in trunks) opened against Jordan (his name is written along his pant legs). They are roughly the same height and build. Basic reversals at the bell. Anthony (wearing long pants) hit a dropkick on Zay (who wore red trunks).
Jordan hit a springboard sunset flip on Anthony Kentish, and the champs worked Anthony over in their corner. Holt hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 5:00. Hayden made a blind tag and hit a top-rope flying clothesline on Holt. The brothers backed Holt into their corner. Vega finally got a hot tag at 9:30 and he hit a spin kick to Anthony’s head, then a German Suplex on Hayden. Hayden hit a dropkick on Zay. He hit a pretty moonsault for a believable nearfall, but Holt made the save. All four brawled. The brothers hit stereo jumping knees, then superkicks. Zay hit a top-rope flying legdrop for the pin. Good action.
“The Uglee Gang” Jordan Holt and Zay Vega defeated “The Wild Jamaicans” Anthony Kentish and Hayden Kentish to retain the ASE Tag Team Titles at 12:13.
* The Top Shootahs (now in their street clothes) ran into the ring and attacked The Uglee Gang! Loud boos for this! They want a title shot! Caprice left commentary and got the Top Shootahs to leave the ring.
5. Treehouse Lee vs. Saieve Al Sabah. These brothers are now at odds. Sabah (in a black flak jacket) attacked Lee (in red) from behind and stomped on him. Lee hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 2:00. Chris Lea said when these two started training, they never told anyone they were brothers because they wanted to be “separate entities.” Sabah hit a suplex and kipped up and was booed. Sabah kept Lee grounded. He hit a Bulldog Powerslam, then a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 4:30.
Sabah tied him up on the mat. Lee hit a tornado DDT at 7:00 and they were both down. Lee hit a Code Red for a nearfall. Sabah hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 9:00. Lee hit a swinging axe kick to the back of the neck for a nearfall. Lee hit a huracanrana at 10:30 that sent Sabah to the floor. Lee hit a Fosbury Flop! (He’s pretty big! I didn’t expect a guy his size to do that!) The move earned a nice pop from the crowd. Sabah grabbed a chair; Lee pushed him into the ring. The ref confiscated the chair.
However, Sabah put on brass knuckles and slugged Lee! Lee was bleeding from the forehead. “This has taken a turn, ladies and gentlemen!” Chris Lea said. He repeatedly punched Lee in the forehead. “Why would you do this to your brother?” Lea shouted. Sabah licked his brother’s blood! He hit a modified Razor’s Edge for the pin. Okay action; they worked hard to pull the crowd in.
Saieve Al Sabah defeated Treehouse Lee at 13:49.
* The ringside announcer asked Sabah if that attack was necessary. Sabah cut a heel promo, and he referred to the fans as idiots.
* A 20-minute intermission.
6. Charity King vs. Savannah Evans for the ASE Women’s Title. It’s easy to forget that Savannah is around 6’0″, giving her a big height advantage over Charity. They immediately started brawling. Chris brought up the height advantage for Evans. Savannah mounted Charity and repeatedly punched her. She knocked Charity to the floor. They fought at ringside at 4:00.
Evans shoved her back-first into the ring frame, but Charity shoved Evans against the guardrails. They were both counted out! (The cameras weren’t focused on the ring, and I didn’t hear the ref counting.) Charity shrugged and continued to attack Evans. A disappointing finish. They fought into the bleachers, and this was a really good post-match brawl — it added several minutes of action after we had the bell. They got back into the ring, where Charity hit a Samoan Drop from the apron onto maybe 10 security guards on the floor.
Charity King vs. Savannah Evans ended in a double count-out at 5:54; King retains the ASE Women’s Title.
* Billy Dixon is set to retire — up next is his final match!
7. Billy Dixon vs. Darius Lockhart. The bald Darius (think Bad News Brown) immediately attacked the rotund Dixon (he’s the size of Shane Taylor) with some punches. Darius hit some armdrags, and Dixon rolled to the floor to regroup. Dixon got back in and clotheslined Darius to the floor at 2:00. They brawled at ringside. Big Swole said this whole event “has been very emotional,” as Dixon and Darius have been friends in the past, too. Billy hit a suplex onto a thin mat at ringside! He threw Darius back in and got a nearfall at 4:00.
Darius tied up Billy’s arms, but Dixon got a foot on the ropes at 7:30. Dixon hit an enzuigiri, then an X-Factor. He hit a modified Cradle Shock slam for a nearfall at 9:00. He hit a clothesline and they were both down. Lockhart hit a running knee to the jaw in the corner at 13:00, then another one. Dixon hit a Thesz Press off the ropes, and they were both down. Darius hit a top-rope crossbody block, but Dixon rolled through it, got a rollup, and the flash pin! Dixon gets a big win in his retirement match.
Billy Dixon defeated Darius Lockhart at 15:24.
8. Darius Carter (w/Ryan Rembrandt) vs. Yahya for the ASE Men’s Title. Yahya won a Royal Rumble at the last show to earn this match. Yahya is a big man, on par with Bojack or Calvin Tankman in size. Darius backed him into a corner, and they had a clean break. OH, Chris just said Yahya is 305 pounds. Yahya threw Darius into a corner and hit some chops, then a big hip-toss at 2:30. They brawled at ringside. In the ring, Yahya hit a huracanrana, a dropkick, a delayed vertical suplex, and a Hogan Legdrop for a nearfall at 5:00.
On the floor, heel manager Ryan tried to cheat. Yahya approached Ryan; it allowed Darius to chop block Yahya’s knee. In the ring, Darius took control. He wrapped Yahya’s leg around the ring post and slammed the knee into it. He kept Yahya grounded and worked his leg. Darius hit a Helluva Kick at 10:00, then two more! Darius hit one to the side of the head. Yahya hit a clothesline and a big belly-to-belly suplex at 11:30, and he was fired up! He hit an Exploder Suplex and a spear for a nearfall!
While the ref was checking on Darius, Ryan tripped and crotched Yahya in the corner. Darius hit a second-rope superplex at 13:00, and they were both down. Yahya tied Darius along his back and slammed him to the mat for a believable nearfall at 15:00. Yahya hit a big back-body drop and a stunner! The big man hit a Swanton Bomb for a believable nearfall! Swole went nuts for Darius’s kickout! Darius hit a piledriver at 17:30, but he only got a nearfall! Heel manager Ryan was shocked at Yahya’s kickout.
Yahya hit an enzuigiri. Carter hit a low blow. Ryan went to grab the title belt, but out of the back came Darius Lockhart and Billy Dixon. “They’re friends again!” Chris said. Lockhart and Dixon struck Ryan Rembrandt with the title belt. Lockhart and Dixon approached ringside; Carter rolled to the floor and jawed at them. Yahya dove onto all three! In the ring, Yahya slammed Carter to the mat. He hit a top-rope twisting splash and scored the pin! New champion! This crowd went NUTS for the title change.
Yahya defeated Darius Carter to win the ASE Men’s Title at 20:24.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining show. I did like Cedric-Manny for best match, but Yahya-Carter was really good for a close second place. The crowd reaction and post-match celebration for Yahya was really awesome.
I would have liked the women’s matches to be longer, but I’ll reiterate that the post-match brawl between King and Evans went several more minutes, so overall it was the length of a regular match. Janai-Jordan needed and deserved more minutes than this.
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