CWF Mid-Atlantic Worldwide Episode 135

Episode 135

White Mike Jordan v. Trevor Lee

PAS: This is kind of Lee working as Flair against Mike Jackson, taking an undercard guy and making him look good before beating him. White Mike has a ton of personality and I really enjoyed how excited he was when he was able to lock on a headlock or get a two count. Lee really blistered him with chops, and I dug Mike begging off only to poke him in the eye. It did seem really heelish for Lee to do the finger break spot to Mike, he should probably save that for blood feuds, not genial comedy jobbers.

ER: This is like Masao Inoue getting a shot at Akiyama, or when Momota got that singles match against Liger. And just like those matches, I loved this! White Mike is a guy I actively look forward to now, although I'm a little insulted that he didn't take his heartfelt CWF retirement seriously. I saw it. I saw him take off his boots and leave them in the ring. And his singlet. And his overshorts. If we can't take wrestling retirements seriously, then what do we have left? Mike is a clear sitting duck for Lee in this match, which makes his moments of control so wonderful. Mike works the first half of this match almost exactly like Haruka Eigen, and I can't help but love his facial expressions as he plays coy in the ropes to avoid more of a Lee beating. He sells some corner chops like Michaels selling for Hogan, then begs off taking more only to sneak in with a perfect eyepoke. Later he runs screaming from Lee's apron punt and hides near the ringpost, only to slyly yank Lee by the trunks into the post. I love that spot, falling backwards while holding onto the front of a guys trunks, sending them face first into danger. And it's a great spot for guys like Mike and Inoue to use. Lee starts taking Mike seriously and Mike responds. I loved the moment Mike crumbled for a big boot, his legs going out from under him rather than just taking a flat back bump, and Lee yanks him up for a suplex but Mike surprises him with a Falcon Arrow for a nice nearfall. I can see both sides of the finger break spot, but I liked it here. It felt like Lee was sick of dealing with Mike's bullshit so was using it as unnecessary punishment, allowing himself a clear path to the finish. This could have been a goof around yukfest, but I really ended up loving both personalities playing off each other and dug what Mike brought.

CW Anderson vs. Mark James

PAS: James is a big barrel chested looking dude, who kind of looks like if CW stopped going to the gym and just competed in arm wrestling contests. This was a really fun southern slug fest, lots of big thumping forearms and punches. Anderson works over the arm and does a nice job of it as one might expect. James hits a great spinebuster of his own, and Damien Wayne and John Skyler come out to distract the ref (Why the fuck is Damien Wayne hanging out and not wrestling on this show? I have to see every random student who drives down in a match.  Aspyn Rose makes TV but Damien fucking Wayne's match is dark? ). One nasty superkick later it is a match. Enjoyed this a bunch

ER: This was awesome, I want this kind of CW showdown every damn week. I had never seen or heard of Mark James but he's the exact kind of guy I like to watch against CW, just a big burly bruiser (looks like and is built like a smaller Tenta) who isn't afraid to dish it out. CW works his left arm in cool ways, once even just punching him right in the arm, which you don't really see. He stomps on it and James is really great at selling it, always aware of it when he tries to throw hands with CW. The forearm exchange is really good as Anderson keeps ramping it up, landing the biggest blow and hitting a nice lefty lariat. But James fires back with his own and hits a nice running big boot in the corner, and even gets a huge spinebuster! Damien Wayne and Skyler run distraction (and yeah, Wayne is there and we get NO Wayne matches on tape out of it!?), and the superkick finish is academic. This is the kind of wrestling I can just watch on repeat, loved how they matched up and love their style. CW can just keep doing this for another 20 years.

John Skyler vs. Arik Royal vs. Tracer X vs. Chet Sterling

PAS: Chet Sterling superman fighting the odds match is not a match layout I am going to love. I just don't buy large parts of what Sterling is selling, so a whole match of him fighting off Royal and Skyler is going to fall short for me. I did like some things in this, I thought Tracer X's elimination was really cool, as he goes for a 450 lands on his feet flips out and gets pounced out of his boots by Royal. Fun way for a flipster to go down. I also liked the Royal and Skyler Demolition Decapitation and Skyler setting up for a superkick only to crack Royal tickled the old school wrestling part of my brain that loves formula. Still this was overly long and was dependent on me caring way more about Sterling then I do.

ER: Yeah this was fine, and I think I've warmed on Sterling a little more than Phil, but I'm getting a little worn with the Sterling Against All Odds situations we seem to get regularly. These kind of matches are usually worth it just for the sheer joy of an Arik Royal small show ring entrance, as it looks like he's having the time of his life just walking to the ring on these shows. But the match does have nice moments despite probably going 5 minutes too long. The Tracer X elimination was bonkers and needs to be on a CWF highlight video. Royal just upends him and flings him halfway across the ring, right after he recovered from a missed 450. It was insane. Sterling fighting back against Royal and Skyler was fine. I liked his flying back elbows, and Royal is great at stooging around for anyone, but it always just feels like Sterling takes too much damage in matches like these to still be around at the end. The Decapitation is brutal and really should be a finish, but I did gleefully laugh when Royal sat down for the pin at the end. The match went long, they could have at least not edited out a Royal post match celebration.