Here it is; the aftermath of Bad Intentions, and the last bit of EXW action we’ll get to see for two weeks. We were spoiled on shows, receiving three in six days. How were they going to ensure we’d survive the next two weeks without an event? A few stories ended, and many more began. Barely three weeks into the new year, and they were already setting the bar high.
EXW Xtreme Tuesday – January 18th, 2011
After a quick opening segment, Derick Neikirk entered, and barely had time to grunt before Val Venis followed. Venis had his boots in hand, once more pondering whether it was time to let go or not. It was then that he erupted, claiming that the notion of retirement was out of the question. They both decided they wanted one more shot at each other. It was determined that they would select a partner, and face each other in tag team action, and both retreated without incident.
Sal and Ray Basura
vs
Manimal and Shane Stratmore
Right off the bat, I loved the team of Basura and Sal. They fit very well together and just made sense. Manimal was on fire for most of this match, working on his opponents. I loved the pace of this match and the entertainment value. The finish was brilliant, as Stratmore and Manimal put them away simultaneously. Overall, I enjoyed it and thought it was a solid opener.
Winner(s): Shane Stratmore and Manimal
Miracle Mike James
vs
Chuey Martinez
This was littered with submission holds, and had a perfect balance of quickness and slowness. Each move was delivered to the best of their ability, and it showed. Everything was high impact, and the kicks were so solid, they made my stomach jump. Despite both of these men being totally over (the proof in this statement is in the “Chuey, Mike, Chuey, Mike†chants that echoed), they made it entertaining. What was even better, was that Chuey seemed to have his serious pants on, with his spots dripping with venom and animosity.
Winner: Chuey Martinez
Slowing it back down for a moment, there was a video package concerning Gabriel Gallo and his departure from EXW. This, of course, led to the Freak Squad’s entrance. Dom Vitalli immediately called for the fan he assaulted at Bad Intentions—Toom E Guci—and asked for him to get into the ring. Apologies were made, hands were shook, and Toom was given some free swag. His focus was on Dom, who was again expressing his apologies when Frenchy appeared out of nowhere to attack, and the pair proceeded to taunt the “markâ€. Dom dropped an elbow not once, but twice, and the poor fan was taken away on a stretcher.
Frenchy Riviera
vs
Moshpit Mike
This was definitely an odd match up, but I found that it worked. Frenchy is a very obvious favorite of mine, but Moshpit was immensely impressive. It was a bit surprising, considering my previous feelings about Moshpit, but these two put on a hell of a show. Â And that was thanks, in part, to the interference of the fellow Freaks. The magnificent Terra Calaway attacked to a blind ref by striking Moshpit with a foreign object, which Frenchy also utilized in order to pick up the victory. This match had a lot going on, but in a very good way.
Winner: Frenchy Riviera
Rexx Reed
vs
Dom Vitalli
As if the fans weren’t sick of the Freak Squad yet, we were ready for yet another match from them. These two epitomized everything you would want from a professional wrestling match, and this was most definitely the match of the night. I remember being too caught up in watching what was transpiring, my eyes wide and alert, to focus on writing everything down. The “Wrestler of the Year†proved he was worthy of the moniker, and Rexx’s hard work was blatant. The end was such a blur of reversals that I barely knew that the ref had counted to three.
Winner: Dom Vitalli
Tyson Tyler and Val Venis
vs
Derick Neikirk and Lawrence Tyler
The tension ran high in this match, as all the aggression between Derick and Val, as well as between Tyson and Lawrence, was strong. Neikirk showed his disdain for his opponents with cheap shots, but refused to tag in. The spotlight fell on Neikirk and Tyson for a period of time, playing out all the grudges that had accrued over the months. Tyson was thrown into Val’s corner, and the big Valbowski tagged in to charge Derick, only for the two to link arms, reverse, and send Val crashing into Tyson. All hell broke loose as the realization sunk in…Val and Derick assaulted the Tylers, shocking the fans into a total silence.
Winner: N/A
At this moment, the two took a moment to explain their actions. Val said that if he couldn’t beat him, he was going to join him, in a heel turn that rocked the EXW fans into a mute state. They claimed it was the very beginning of their reign, and left.
Cutler Wright
vs
Andrew Hellman
Hellman was barely in the ring when Wright pounced. I could do nothing more than kick my feet up, and enjoy this match. Hellman is the first person who stuck out to me and really made me say “wow†at the first show I went to, so watching him defend his title in the main event was incredible to me. And he was on his game tonight, fighting against the Vegas-born star in one of the better matches I’ve seen from the pair. I was kept guessing, as the near falls got closer and closer, until finally, Hellman picked up the victory.
Winner: Andrew Hellman
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These men wow me every week, as they continue to blow my mind with top-notch matches and plot twists that seem to come from nowhere. I’m not sure what I’m going to do without EXW action for the next two weeks, but I have a lot to reflect on in that time.
Be sure to tune in when EXW goes live again on February 1st, by going to the website. I guarantee, you’re missing out if you haven’t tuned in yet.
