PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

DEEP SOUTH WRESTLING TV TAPING SPOILERS

Here’s what went down at the Deep South Wrestling television taping Thursday night at the Deep South Arena in McDonough, Georgia.

It was an OK show in my book. The vignettes and interviews propelling the storylines at the top the card were often more interesting than the action in the ring. There was Déjà vu quality to the matches, as so many of these guys work a similar style. The mostly dead crowd didn’t help.

Attendance was 160 and most of the energy came from a section of kids near the entrance ramp. The fan base at the DSW Arena has changed over the last year. In the early days, DSW consistently drew a percentage of their fans from a middle class 18-35 demographic. For whatever reasons, they seem to have gradually drifted away from the product. Now, it’s mostly kids and hardcore fans, and almost no young women.

Ted Guinness announced that tonight’s event marked the one year anniversary for Deep South television tapings (the show ran on a station LaGrange, Georgia prior to getting on CSS in April 2006).

Nigel Sherrod and Troy Beasley (former DSW ring announcer) handled commentary for the dark matches.

(A) Ray Geezy beat Shamus McCarthy in 6:19. McCarthy looks a lot more like a pro wrestler than he did a few months ago. Back and forth match. Geezy applied a Boston crab and McCarthy was in for a tough struggle to make the ropes. Good stuff. Geezy got rough with McCarthy on the break. McCarthy hit a back suplex and went aerial, but there was no water in the pool for his top rope splash. Geezy got the pin with his spinning fireman’s carry slam. Geezy is so much more effective working guys his own size. Problem is that guys his size are few and far between in WWE. A Geezy/Seth Skyfire match could be really fun.

(B) Ryan O’Reilly pinned Big Bully Douglas with the Roughshot at 4:29. There’s been an unmistakable change in O’Reilly’s physique. He doesn’t looks bad, he just looks less than super human. Match had some heat. The kids haterized Douglas and chanted for O’Reilly. O’Reilly wanted to wrestle. Douglas wanted to brawl. They got into a wicked exchange of chops and foreams. The crowd really got into it. Douglas came out on the losing end. O’Reilly went for the Rough Shot (full nelson drop). Douglas blocked it the first time, but O’Reilly got it on the second time around.

Ron Simmons was introduced at the guest commentator for the next two matches. Damn.

(C) Jake Hager and “The Big Deal” Daniel Rodimer went to a 10 minute time limit draw. As pure physical specimen, Rodimer blows away anybody else WWE has in developmental, and most everybody on the major league roster. Rodimer was reluctant to stay locked up with Hager. The All-American from Oklahoma was repeatedly able to take Rodimer down with his superior wrestling skills. Rodimer attacked with shoulder blocks to the gut and a double ax blows to the back. Rodimer went to an abdominal stretch but ref John Cone caught him cheating. Both men down on a double lariat. The last half of the match was all Hager, as he used all kinds of pinning combinations to score one near fall after another on Rodimer. I enjoyed the story they were telling, but the match didn’t seem to get over all that well. Hager is still relatively clueless when it comes to connecting with the crowd as the babyface.

(D) Mike Taylor (with Tracy Taylor) pinned DSW Heavyweight Champion Bradley Jay in a non-title match (5:44). Mike got on the arm and the kids were yelling for him to break it. Jay answered with a cool rabbit lariat for a near fall. Jay went after Mike’s neck. Mike caught Jay with a jawbreaker to start the comeback. Jay was bouncing up and down like a yo-yo. Mike hit a leg lariat for a near fall. Mike got all geeked up playing to the crowd. Mike tried an up-and-over. Jay caught him in position for the Second City Slam, but Mike escaped. Jay blistered Mike with a chop. Jay whipped Mike into corner and charged. Mike moved. Jay ate the turnbuckle. Mike rolled Jay up for the victory. Good match while it lasted.

Bil DeMott joined Sherrod on commentary for the television taping.

Rebecca DiPietro from ECW and Brooke Adams, a new and sizzling hot Deep South Diva, came out for the merchandise giveaway. They were giving away hugs as well. DeMott decided he needed to get in on that action.

(1) Heath Miller beat Francisco Ciatso in 5:24. Miller is looking more confident in the ring. Getting a contract will do that. Miller was on top early. Ciatso used his usual brawling style to take control. Some chants for Miller here. Ciatso cut off Miller’s comeback attempts. Miller rolled away from Ciatso’s leap off the ropes. Ciatso tried to toss Miller out, but he skinned the cat. Ciatso tried it again, but Miller hooked the ropes and landed on the apron. From there, Miller used a springboard crossbody to pin Ciatso. Finish looked ehh.

Angel Williams barged into the office of Commissioner Krissy Vaine to demand a match with Tracy Taylor. Vaine offered no resistance. Said Angel could have it tonight. Angel seemed surprised. Vaine told Williams to run along with Executive Troubleshooter O’Reilly to sign the necessary paperwork. “My, she is so distraught. Poor little thing.”

(2) David Heath pinned Johnny Curtis at 4:59 with the Impaler DDT. Curtis is from the same New England indie circuit as Brian Black aka Palmer Canon. Not a lot of bulk but a really cut, low-bodyfat physique. Curtis frustrated Heath with his quickness and grit. Heath took the wind out Curtis’ sails with a series of corner shoulder blocks. Heath gave Curtis a beating. Curtis rallied to score a series of near falls. Heath pulled Curtis off the top turnbuckle and rudely slammed him on his back. Heath then hit his implant DDT for the 1-2-3. No doubt Heath has a unique look, but I can’t see him being used on the major league roster based on what he’s shown in the ring at Deep South.

Luscious was backstage with Majors Brothers. They said Urban Assault wasn’t going to derail the Long Island Express, and the only way UA would get the tag belts was over their dead bodies.

(3) Tracy Taylor (with Shantelle) beat Angel Williams in 6:03. Williams immediately knocked Tracy out of the ring. Shantelle came out to second her. Tracy used a dragon screw legwhip and applied a single leg crab to Angel’s surgically repaired knee. Williams made the ropes. Williams leveled Tracy with a lariat. Williams did a leapfrog, gave Tracy a monkey flip, and waited for the applause. None was forthcoming. Williams hung Tracy in the tree of woe and dished out punishment. Williams stretched Tracy on the mat. Tracy scissored Angel’s head with her ankles and gave her a spin. Williams sold her ears bigtime. Tracy made the comeback with a hair mare and a back backdrop for near falls. Williams went for a piledriver. Tracy blocked it. Williams caught Tracy with a reverse roll up and grabbed the ropes for extra leverage. Shantelle intervened. Tracy turned the tables and pinned Williams using the ropes. Vaine appeared on the ramp, as if to give the finish her seal of approval.

The big screen showed Vaine back in the office. Since they were at each other’s throats, she made a tag match for next week: Derrick Niekirk & Ryan O’Reilly vs. Bradley Jay & Mike Knox. Luscious entered. Vaine gave her a fake kiss. That was funny. Vaine offered Luscious the spot as her personal assistant. Luscious said she was speechless. Vaine told her to run along. Williams entered and she was pissed. Williams demanded a match against Tracy with Shantelle banned from the building. Vaine said sure. “I’m on you side.”

Luscious was in the ring preparing to interview Urban Assault. Cocky Siaki snatched the mic out her hand. Siaki said UA was the reason the peeps came to the show and they were leaving with the tag team gold.

Gymini appeared on the big screen claming to be the best team in Deep South. They said Vaine was overlooking them. They plead guilty to being politically incorrect. “Who cares. This is pro wrestling…When you get in the ring with the Gymini, either you smoke or you get smoked.”

(4) Majors Brothers (Brett & Brian) vs. Urban Assault (Cocky Siaki & Eric Perez) ended as a double DQ when Gymini interfered (10 minutes). Majors hit the ring and it went right into heated four way action. Majors were getting the better of it until Siaki superkicked Brian through the ropes. Perez then did a number on Brian on the outside. Body of the match was all out heat on Brian, as UA continually cut off his attempts to make a tag. The Bag Lady showed up to cheer for Majors. She kept trying to get the attention of G-Rilla, but the big lug paid her no mind. At 8 minutes in, Brian turned a double team suplex into a dual neckbreaker and hot-tagged Brett. He hit a Frankensteiner on Siaki for a near fall. G-Rilla pulled Brett out and was preparing to give him a chokeslam on the concrete floor, when Gymini Jesse waffled him with a chairshot. Gymini brawled with UA at ringside. The show closed hot with fans chanting “let them fight.”

NOTES: Several prospects were signed to development deals after their Deep South tryouts. Two prospects from the Midwest, Keith Walker and Robert “Egotistico Fantastico” Anthony are scheduled to report to DSW in January…T. J. Wilson from Calgary will be assigned to either DSW or OVW…The signing of ROH star Claudio Castagnoli was also confirmed this week, but he will be going to OVW…The first 25 fans in line next week get an autographed photo with the DSW Heavyweight Champion, Bradley Jay.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet