An exciting change of pace from the sparse shows brought my little clan to The Duce in Phoenix, Arizona for bonus edition of Adrenaline Rush. The restaurant/venue was intriguing, one I had not ventured to before. Seating and parking inconveniences aside, I enjoyed the fresh scenery as well as the show that took place. The boys of EXW were to go retro this fine evening, and put on a hell of a show in the process.
Adrenaline Rush – March 8th, 2011
Match #1
Woody Santanelli and Johnny B. Goode
vs
Dom “The Bomb†Vitalli and Frenchy Riviera with Terra Calaway
The Freak Squad
Opening the show strong, the fans were given a match between the freshly crowned tag team champs, and the returning Santanelli. I nearly fell over when Frenchy let out a blood-curdling scream, the kind usually reserved for the heroine of a horror flick. The four seemed to be all business. Woody did the impossible and stole focus from the Freaks onto him, and the crowd devoured it. At one point, Frenchy locked in the Crippler Crossface, shouting “Chris Benoit forever!†reminding the fans of their greatness. The entire match did as it was supposed to, and was a complete success.
Winner(s): The Freak Squad
Match #2
Manimal
vs
Thunder
This match felt quick to me. I’ve been chewing on it for the last few days, attempting to figure out if it was a hit or miss for me. I’m still not entirely sure; it wasn’t horrendous but nothing stuck out to me. I feel that both are pretty strong competitors, and expected something more. Or, perhaps I was just perplexed because my ass had fallen asleep from the tall benches.
Winner: Manimal
Match #3
Shadow Fox
vs
Rexx Reed
Thinking back on this match, it was probably my favorite of the night, or at least tied with the main event. It was thrilling to see Shadow Fox move from the dark matches, to facing someone like Rexx Reed. And neither man disappointed. I remember clapping my hand to my face and gasping multiple times, riveted by what was unfolding. Reed is a powerhouse, and the svelte Shadow made a valiant effort, quickly becoming one of my favorites to watch, despite the loss.
Winner: Rexx Reed
It was Tyson Tyler’s turn to come out, with Johnny Stamboli by his side. Both plug their new Twitter project (@AlwaysTrending) and explain their mission: to be “fan-friendlyâ€. They addressed the chants that have become all too normal: “Sal’s gonna die!†and called for him to come out. Once he does, Tyson informs him that they simply must do what the fans ask, and that on this night, he would die. It was then that they proceeded to take out what I can only assume is the first folding chair ever made, and attacked. But they weren’t done. Stamboli vowed the “GFYâ€, and pulled out the ladder to do so. While Sal was being taken away on the stretcher, DS Hayes, the announcer, tried to come to his aid but ended up getting attacked, himself. The two men smiled at their handiwork, posed for some pictures that would immediately be uploaded to Twitter, and left.
Match #4
Moshpit Mike and Miracle Mike James
vs
Shane Stratmore and Chuey Martinez
What seemed to be an odd team to start, has become one of my favorite teams. Moshpit Mike and Miracle Mike James appear to be unstoppable. And let’s not sell Stratmore and Martinez short. In the wake of all the tag teaming madness in the last few months, it’s refreshing to see these men still paired up with the hetero life partners. They each brought a healthy balance of chemistry, entertainment, and fluidity. All of this, paired together, made it one shell of a match.
Winner(s): Shane Stratmore and Chuey Martinez
Match #5
Kyle Hawk
vs
Cutler Wright (c)
Elite Championship Match
Now, for the main event. Cutler Wright, only a week into his championship, was defending it against Kyle Hawk. Both of which seemed to be a little more on-point than they had before. The impact was loud, and kept the fans’ attention with ease. Hawk was impressive, hitting spots that made my eyes bulge. I was surprised by the short length of this match, as I didn’t want it to end. But Wright had to ensure he kept his title for another day.
Winner: Cutler Wright
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As I’ve mentioned before, the shows are no longer being streamed live on their website. But they are posting the remastered versions a few days later, so you can see for yourself what you’ve been missing. Previous shows are archived. Look them up.
