AAW Point Of No Return 2014
Berwyn, Illinois 4/11/14
1.) OI4K (Dave Crist & Jake Crist) vs. Los Ben Dejos: ***1/2
These two teams had a very good match at Path Of Redemption a few months prior. In this case, OI4K waste no time and go after Los Ben Dejos, but they are quick to respond themselves. This was about as good as their previous match. It's clear that both teams work very well together. OI4K scores the win in this very competitive tag team match.
Up next we have Eddie Kingston coming out with Jordynne Grace. He trashes the crowd and talks about Silas Young and their upcoming Steel Cage Match. Kingston then calls out anyone in the locker room to face him right now. Surprisingly, Dan Lawrence responds. He praises Kingston a little bit in an entertaining promo before bringing out Kingston real opponent, who he convinced to face Kingston earlier, Ty Colton (looks like Lawrence set this up as a way for Colton to get destroyed by Kingston).
2.) Eddie Kingston (with Jordynne Grace) vs. Ty Colton: **1/2
This was a very short match (under 4 minutes), but it was actually quite competitive. Colton got quite a bit of offense in and actually looked pretty good. Unfortunately for Colton, he would come out on the losing end, as Kingston won the match.
Afterwords, Kingston cuts a promo where he basically says he's going to destroy Silas Young in their Steel Cage Match.
3.) Killer Death Machines (Jessicka Havok & Nevaeh) vs. Heidi Lovelace & Athena: ***
Nice to see a women's match on this show! I've heard a ton about Jessicka Havok but I don't think I've actually seen any of her work. This was actually a really good women's tag team match. Just really good action from all four girls in this one. Lovelace & Athena (who's finisher, The O-Face, is seriously awesome) eventually score the win over the Killer Death Machines.
4.) ACH vs. Silas Young: ***1/2
As Young is making his entrance, ACH & the rest of the crowd sing Young's theme song ("Don't Stop Believing" by Journey). Silas takes the mic and says ACH likes to be a funny guy, but tonight he's in for a serious fight. This was a pretty good match. Both guys are very capable competitors so it's no surprise that this was good. They did do a pretty entertaining spot where they played off Hogan/Ultimate Warrior with ACH missing the Atomic Leg Drop and Young hitting Warrior's Big Splash (Warrior had passed away a few days prior). At the same time, I thought this could have been a bit better, but didn't get to that next level. They would go on to have a match in ROH a few months later that was better. Eddie Kingston & Jordynne Grace come out to distract Silas and Kingston spits beer in Young's face, which leads to ACH getting the win.
5.) Kyle O'Reilly vs. Alex Shelley: ****1/4
Shelley made his return to AAW the previous month in a loss to Silas Young. This was a great match. They told a really good story with O'Reilly constantly working over Shelley's arm in several different ways. It started slow, but really picked up. The second half of the match was especially good with a series of great exchanges. O'Reilly gets the win with a backslide in one of the best matches in AAW this year.
6.) AAW Heritage Title - Six Man Scramble - Matt Cage vs. Knight Wagner (with Justice Jones) vs. Juntai Miller vs. Christian Faith vs. CJ Esparza vs. Louis Lyndon: ***1/4
Matt Cage has been put into an interesting situation as he has to defend the title against five other guys. This was a pretty entertaining match. These types of matches always turn out to be fun contests, and this was no different. This didn't reach that next level like some other Six Man Scrambles I've seen, but it was still pretty good. Cage somehow scores the win and escapes Berwyn with his title intact.
Next we have the AAW Commentary Team, Phil Colvin & Derrick St. Holmes, in the ring to hype up the rest of the show. They are interrupted by Saraya Knight (mother of WWE Diva Paige). She runs down the Berwyn crowd, but she herself is interrupted by Arik Cannon, who of course has beer with him. Cannon insists he's here just to watch Knight jar with the fans, but Knight instigates Cannon, and predictably, a brawl breaks out.
7.) Anything Goes Match - Saraya Knight vs. Arik Cannon: **1/2
I'm guessing this is anything goes since they used weapons right from the start. It was fine for what it was. The brawled a bunch around ringside. Cannon got busted open pretty early. This served more as a set up for what happened next. Gregory Iron & his Iron Curtain (which consists of two guys from his AIW version of the stable plus Christian Faith) come out and attack both Knight & Cannon. Iron recently returned to AAW and made a statement by attacking Colt Cabana. Iron says he's here to while up the muck in AAW. Faith then powerbombs Cannon onto a pile of thumbtacks!! The Iron Curtain then drag Knight on top of Cannon, who scores the pinball win.
8.) AAW Tag Team Titles - Men Of The Year ("Unbreakable" Michael Elgin & #ALLEGO) vs. Lince Dorado & Rich Swann: ****
I think this is the first time Swann & Dorado have teamed together in any fashion. This was a great Tag Team Title Match. Men Of The Year were good as usual while at the same time continuing to tease tension between #ALLEGO and Michael Elgin. Swann & Dorado looked really good in here also. They worked pretty well as a team. There were a lot of entertaining spots in this match, including Elgin doing the WORM!! Men Of The Year eventually score the win in what was an exciting Tag Team Title Match.
9.) Markus Crane vs. Ryan Boz: 1/2*
According to Markus Crane in a pre-match promo, this match is being held under "Markus Crane Rules". Whatever. The match lasts about a minute or so. Crane gets a little bit of stuff in, but Boz just destroys Crane and makes quick work of him.
After the match, We Are Here (Kevin Harvey, Keith Walker & Nikki Mayday...sans Tweek Phoenix) come out, and tease getting into a brawl with Boz, but AAW Owner Jim Lynam comes out and threatens suspensions & firings if they make contact with each other, in order to calm things down. Both sides back down.
10.) AAW Heavyweight Title - Shane Hollister (with Scarlett Bordeaux) vs. Jimmy Jacobs: ****1/4
Jacobs lost to Hollister at The Chaos Theory, but pinned Hollister in a Tag Team Match at Epic: The 10th Anniversary to get another chance. This looks to be held under relaxed rules, as the brawled to the outside right at the start. They did some cool spots to the outside before getting back in. This was a lot better than their match at The Chaos Theory. You can just feel like the crowd was more emotionally invested in this one. Lots of great back & forth action from both guys. Jacobs also gets busted open, like in their previous match. Eventually a guardrail gets involved and Scarlett Bordeaux ends up taking a spear from Jacobs! Hollister is shortly thereafter able to put Jacobs away and retain his title.
Overall: 8.5/10
This was a really great show from AAW. Aside from one skippable match, the entire show was pretty solid. O'Reilly/Shelley and Hollister/Jacobs for the AAW Heavyweight Title were both awesome matches and were definitely the standouts of the night. Men Of The Year continue to impress as AAW Tag Team Champions, putting on a great match with Rich Swann & Lince Dorado. The undercard also had a lot of solid stuff on it, from two entertaining tag team matches (one of them being a women's tag team match), to a fine encounter between ACH & Silas Young, and a fun Six Man Scramble for AAW Heritage Title. Definitely one of the best shows AAW has put together in 2014, and one I can easily recommend.
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