CWF Mid-Atlantic Worldwide Episode 93

Episode 93

1. Sandwich Squad/Snooty Foxx vs. Dawson Brothers/Aric Andrews

ER: This is my kind of trios match, just tons of big dudes splatting into each other. Everybody does something I like in this: Foxx looked probably the best I've seen him, and he looks really good when leaving his feet (nice flying back elbow and nice flying lariat); Mecha Mercenary has some nice speed, steps on Zane with one foot to show that weight sinking in, and works a killer drop down trip; Biggs has some great thump to his splashes, but my favorite was when he splashed in on a pinfall save; Andrews probably should have looked more out of place but I liked what he added to this as the lone skinny man. Imagine how bad this would have had to have been for me to dislike it. This much mass in one ring is just too inherently likeable. It was seriously just big tubs crashing into each other for 10 minutes. The best. Also, continued props to Stutts for effortlessly covering for a couple of slip ups in ways that don't make viewers eyeroll. It's a special skill for an announcer, and he's one of the best at it.

PAS: I honestly could watch some version of Sandwich Squad v. Dawson's every week, fat dudes slamming into each other. I really like the Dawson brother king of the eye poke gimmick, they are both guys who look like they have filthy fingernails, the threat of eye infection makes that move even nastier.

2. Joshua Cutshall vs. Nick Richards

ER: A couple weeks ago I said I was excited to see Richards against a non-Trip Cassidy opponent, thought he had a decent showing without much to work with, and my instincts were actually right for once. I really liked Richards here, he did some things that you just mentally fill in the blanks on, like getting his head bounced off the apron in gross fashion. When a guy gets his head smacked into the ring steps or post or apron or whatever we tend to just color in the light, understanding why a guy wouldn't want to *actually* whip his head into metal steps or a post. But Richards really looked like he got his head bounced off the apron and it's those little details that really make me notice a wrestler. But his strikes are also standing out to me in unique ways: In the Cassidy match I thought he had so-so punches to the face, but really great punches to the body; here, he would throw assorted chops and elbows, and during the wind-up I'd be thinking "well this won't look very good", and then it would land with this great thud. It's like watching Hunter Pence swing a bat, every single movement looks totally incorrect and alien, but he's consistently hit 20% better than the league for a decade now. Richards throws these weird upward angle chops, odd forearms to the chest, stuff that feels like it should be ineffective but he makes it look really good. It was harder to get a read on Cutshall but I thought he matched up well with Richards, I love the leaping legdrop lariat as a big heel cutoff spot, and I thought his selling leading into the surprise finish was really great. I didn't see it coming and I thought it was a cool ending, with Richards going for a superkick only to get blasted in the back of the dome by Cutshall.

PAS: I really liked this, hadn't been overly impressed with Richards up to this point but I thought he was great. I agree that he has weird looking strikes that look great, they kind of remind me a little of the Great Kabuki, off kilter but awesome looking. Cutshall was good too, everything he landed had sauce on it, and I thought he had nice crazy guy facials, not over done or fake looking, but just a little off. That finish was off the charts awesome, he was going for a cutter not a superkick and Cutshall caught him right as he started his jump, it was a little earlier then most pro-wrestling cut-off spots and felt really sudden, almost the way you see MMA knockouts, and Richards sold it like he was concussed. I also really liked how the commentators put over the importance of title shots, Richards won a tournament for a title opportunity last year and both announcers are discussing how he is waiting and training before cashing it in, knowing he might only get one shot at a belt. Really makes it feel like a huge deal, compare that to the WWE where they have two belts, defend them on house shows, have stupid Money in the Bank contracts ect.

ER: Smith Garrett and Xsiris have another solid showdown, and I'm getting excited for an actual match between them. I like how they've kept their blow up segments brief, really making them work nicely as teasers. Garrett comes out for an interview and Xsiris tries to sneak up on him, so Garrett blasts him with a couple of great right hands. The whole segment couldn't have been more than 90 seconds and it was time well spent. Although Garrett's lip and teeth licking was weird. Stop doing that. It's like Elaine Joyce thinking of an answer on Tattletales, just swirling that tongue around. It's a little more satisfying seeing 1975 Elaine Joyce doing it though.

3. Trevor Lee/Chet Sterling v. Brad Attitude/Lee Valiant

ER: Quality tag and another awesome Attitude performance. We play off everybody's BattleCade feuds, and something simple like that always leads to an effective match when given time. Sterling's neck is still smarting and we had that huge piledriver moment at BattleCade (come to think of it no real punishment or anything was followed up on, right?) so Valiant hitting a surprise half nelson suplex towards the end of this match was a big moment. I liked Sterling and Valiant, both seem like good scrappers and Valiant especially a guy who seems like he's going to keep getting better, and is also sporting the "Eric in 2018 hair pattern". I wish Attitude and Lee had gone at it more. If I hadn't seen the video showing the history of their feud, I wouldn't have really known they had a longterm feud. And Lee looked kind of off in general. His kicks looked clumsy and he seemed too focused on hitting specific spots. But again, this was Attitude's show. I have a feeling I'm going to be saying that a lot. He really checks a lot of my boxes, definitely one of my favorite current guys to watch. He wrestles like Barry Windham, but with quirky cruiser spots thrown in. So you'll be marveling at his great punches and then he'll pull out that trippy little ankle flip senton from the apron into the ring. My favorite spot of the match was easily Sterling going to frog splash Attitude, Attitude getting the knees up, and then smoothly rolling through into a single leg pin. It couldn't have been executed better. You can tell he doesn't get hung up on overthinking positioning, he seems like a guy who is great at improv. He couldn't have planned to catch Sterling's leg the way he did, but it was handed to him and he went with it, and it looked awesome. He's got a really cool set of skills that matches up with everyone, and really it should only be a matter of time before he's back in WWE/NXT.

PAS: I really liked this match too, what a show this was. I disagree with Eric about the Lee v. Attitude interactions, the whole point of the feud is that Attitude won't go head to head with Lee, and will only attack when he has the advantage, so it makes sense for him to pick and choose his spots, and man alive was he awesome. He is like prime Tully Blanchard hateable, and has prime Tully Blanchard execution, and Valiant makes a great pain huffer Arn Anderson. I thought the babyface team had their moments, Lee is a good house of fire, and his transition into the STF was dope, I also loved the quick Half Nelson suplex by Sterling, looked great and tied into the bad neck storyline (how often do you see a heel sell a long term injury? Neat twist on a wrestling trope), still I thought they were a little more Young Bucks then Rock and Rolls. Overall a great southern tag match with a through the roof performance by the heels. I don't think Attitude is ending up back in NXT, he is 34, been out of the system for nearly a decade,  he is a guy who had his shot and fell short, which is one of the things that is so great about his character, Crash Davis never makes the majors

ER: Really great episode of TV, with three killer matches. All killer no filler ep. We enjoyed all three matches, but decided Richards/Cutshall was good enough to land on our 2017 Ongoing MOTY List. But the whole episode deserves a watch.