EXW Adrenaline Rush 05.10.2011 — Val Venis, Derick Neikirk, The Freak Squad

Houseshows, Reviews, Shows

EXW Adrenaline Rush – May 10th

One person I’m becoming increasingly fond of, Steve Osborn, made his way out to the ring once the show began. This called for an outcry of chants, including the ever-classy “BALLS!” He had a ref shirt hung around his neck, and addressed the fans he loathed so much. He called for the fan-favorite, Ryan Castellucci, and informed him that he would be taking a break from commentary to referee some matches. The fans cried out in approval, thrilled to see the gone-too-long star enter the ring, even just to referee.

He went on to congratulate Dom Vitalli for his capture of the Heavyweight belt, but went on to break some bad news—Dom could not hold both the Elite and Heavyweight title, and would have to forfeit the latter. It was then that Dom, along with Gallo, entered, dressed awfully dapper, entered only to refuse that request. It took no time at all for Derick Neikirk and Val Venis to bolt out and attack both me, forcing the locker room to empty, attempting to pull the four off of each other. Stars to assist: Shadow Fox, Ray Basura, Moshpit Mike, Willie Mack, Miracle Mike James, Kyle Hawk, along with others.

Soon it was just Neikirk and Venis, as Neikirk’s outrage was evident. His voice was laced with all of the aggression he had been keeping in his pocket until that moment, and I still think he’s best when he’s bellowing. Both promised the demise of Dom Vitalli, and the show was off to an amazing start.

Match #1
Clutch Williams
vs
Johnny Hogan/Hulk Manson/Hulk Hogan/Johnny Manson

Last week, he was “Matt Hardy”. This week, he’s “Hulk Hogan”. I’m sensing a very entertaining gimmick…anyway. This match was quick, and Manson/Hogan was given a great chance to shine. Sure, it was more theatrics than action, but overall an enjoyable experience.
Winner: Johnny Manson/Hogan

Immediately after the match, Manson/Hogan was not done. He started shouting all over the referee, Ryan Castellucci, about being a Marine. From there, he lifts Ryan’s arm and the two milk the spotlight for a few moments. And the crowd? Yeah, they ate it up.

Match #2
Lucha Star
vs
Shadow Fox

Expectations were ridiculously high for this match. Lucha Star has been immensely impressive since his EXW debut, and Shadow Fox is easily one of my favorites to watch. I was a little perplexed at first, when the first part of the match consisted of the usual combination of moves, but built up nicely, as I was completely involved in what I was watching. The pace was quick and flowed together surprisingly well. The rollup to win was an intriguing twist on a basic maneuver, and I was ecstatic that Shadow picked up the win.
Winner: Shadow Fox

Match #3
Craven
vs
Cedric the Hitman

I stared at the blinking cursor on my screen for a very, very long time, and I’m still not sure what to take away from this match. I haven’t figured Cedric out yet. He was near-flawless on one night, and since then has been just okay. And Craven…one moment he looks fantastic, the next I’m shaking my head. Both men had the right idea, but had trouble keeping my attention.
Winner: Cedric the Hitman

Match #4
Ray Basura
vs
Kyle Hawk

Well, Kyle Hawk is back and with a vengeance. Their chemistry was so strong, I considered hitting my fork on my glass. Don’t get me wrong, this match was a bit slower, but both men had a way of sucking you in to what was happening. Hawk has an in-your-face style that makes you not want to blink, for fear of missing something. And Bazooka Basura has the personality that makes you unsure of whether to root for him or laugh at him. I like these two together, but still think they mesh best with others.
Winner: Kyle Hawk

Match #5
Miracle Mike James
vs
Willie Mack

Definitely an odd pairing, for these two. Not one I pictured ever happening, but it did, and I was converted. Miracle Mike spent a good chunk of the beginning getting crushed by Mack, hard hitting as always. But then he rallied like a pro. They were a great combination…so enthralling that I forgot to write down notes about the match. An excellent showing between the two.
Winner: Willie Mack

To everyone’s shock, Rexx Reed ran out to attack Miracle Mike in the ring, beating him down and finally hitting his finisher. He grabbed the mic and explained his actions. He promises to take over EXW, and retreats, leaving Mike a broken mess in the ring.

Here’s the part where I say a big “fuck you” to those that use the abominable “F” word about wrestling. It became clear after moments that Mike James sustained a legitimate injury to his neck. His condition is still unknown at this time, and we here at Pulse wish him a very speedy recovery.

Match #6
Thunder
vs
Woodrow Santanelli

I’ll keep it simple. Woodrow showed substantial improvement, but the whole match was still lackluster. I think Woodrow could thrive in a match, if he were to be thrown into the deep end and face a bigger name. It was a good enough for where it was placed on the card, but it still isn’t sitting right with me. I’ve been impressed by him before; I would like to be, again.
Winner: Woodrow Santanelli

Match #7
Rexx Reed and Moshpit Mike
vs
Tyson Tyler and Johnny Stamboli

Some back story first. Before the Freak Squad was named the inaugural tag team champions, there was a tag tournament going on. Many wrestlers joined forces, hungry for gold. Moshpit and Miracle Mike teamed up for a long time, for that reason. So when Rexx Reed attacked Miracle Mike earlier in the evening, it became personal. Needless to say, this match was going to be spiked with tension.

So, back to the actual match. Given the fact that most challengers that Tyler and Stamboli face are squashed into a puddle within seconds, it was nice to see this match given real time. Reed and Mosh attacked early, before the bell rang, and the pace didn’t falter after that. The friction between the enemies was finger-licking delicious, as the two would rather fight with each other than their designated opponents.
Winner(s): Tyson Tyler and Johnny Stamboli

After the match, Steve was taunting the Tyler and Stamboli just long enough for Santanelli to run in from behind and deliver a low blow to Stamboli. From there, he restrained Tyler long enough for Steve to assault him and use the term “GFY” against him. He had decided that he enjoy his new moniker of “Steve Balls”, and left the men in the ring.

Match #8
Frenchy Riviera
vs
Cutler Wright

Much like Miracle Mike taking on Willie Mack, this match didn’t quite make sense to me. But I was very pleased by what these two put on. Wright seemed to still feel scorned by the loss of his title, and I must say that an angry Cutler Wright is the best Cutler Wright. At this particular venue, I love when the fight moves outside the ring, because it’s so threatening. Every move echoes with a force that should repulse you, and the action is damn near in your face. Everything was very traditional, with a modern and personal twist on each move. I would honestly deem this the match of the night.
Winner: Cutler Wright

Match #9
Dom Vitalli and Gabriel Gallo
vs
Derick Neikirk and Val Venis

I wasn’t sure if this was a wrestling match, or an intense game of cat-and-mouse at first. But before I knew it, it had started. All four were going at it, beating the hell out of each other with all the anger they’d been holding in all night. I have to take a moment to point out that my attention was indiscriminately pulled towards Neikirk, who looked incredible. I’m a die-hard Freak Squad fan, through and through, so for my attention to be drawn to one of their opponents, is saying something. Not sure what he did differently that night, but everything was sharp and purposeful. I hope it continues in the future. The end was a flurry of movement, all four putting on a hell of a show for everyone watching.
Winner(s): Derick Neikirk and Val Venis

All four men surround the belt, staring intently, before Gallo scoops it out. This leads to a brawl, of course, before it’s declared to be over.

 

Did anything spectacular or mind-blowing happen? No. Was it an immensely entertaining show that did its part to further some interesting storylines? Hell yes. This show stripped down, went back to basics, and made me remember why I fell in love with pro-wrestling all over again. Some men were so shockingly impressive, that I was forced to take notice; Cutler Wright, Derick Neikirk, and Shadow Fox to name a few. I look forward to their next show, and am counting down the days.

Don’t believe me when I tell you how great this show was? Still hopelessly following the WWE like a good little mark? Well, dedicate a simple amount of time to watch the video of this show.

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May 29th…the day of the big event. The usual suspects, as well as Tommy Dreamer, and an appearance from Bill DeMott. Celebrity Theater. Phoenix, AZ. Locals should definitely give it a chance. There’s still some tickets available; watch the trailer here:

 

Kelly has been with Inside Pulse since 6/2010, beginning with just her 10 Thoughts on WWE Superstars column. Now she brings you her 10 Thoughts on Smackdown weekly, and constructs the Rasslin' Roundtables for PPV's. In her spare time, she works with indy fed, Future Stars of Wrestling - AZ, wrangles children for her day job, and is generally and exceptionally awesome.