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ACTION WRESTLING 'NEXT UP' EPISODE 2 REPORT

ACTION WRESTLING “Next Up: Episode 2”

From Tyrone, GA
Taped 5/14/21
Now Available on IWTV.live

ACTION Wrestling recently debuted a new semi-regular series on IWTV called “Next Up”. This second episode was taped just before the 5/14 doubleheader of “Boogie Nights” and “To The Moon!” (My write up on that one is here: https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=146856 ). In a Venn diagram of “training show”, “tryout show’ and “thanks for helping out”, this series seems to aim right in the center of all this, utilizing a lot of upcoming talent from AR Fox’s nearby wrestling school as well as other workers who were in town but not on the main show. Carmen Childers is your announcer.  Alex Kane & Robert Martyr are your referees. Usual ACTION announcer Scott Hensley is your commentator. This show is presented without a crowd but with the wrestlers surrounding the ring to give some ambience to the action. 

Match 1: Kavron Kanyon vs Carson Dilbeck vs Jay Lucas vs Spector vs Pete Youngblood vs Tyler Foshie

This is just gonna be a big wild scramble.  Carson Dilbeck is coming off a win last episode and wants to keep his undefeated “streak” intact. Lucas and Spector catch a smiling Foshie in a cradle and they dump him on his back before getting into a scrap. Youngblood into wipe out Lucas with a rolling DVD for two. Foshie blasts Youngblood with a PK before Dilbeck is in to pick the bones. Foshie and Dilbeck dive to the group on the outside. DIlbeck with kick to Spector but gets hit with a ripcord stunner for two. Kanyon charges in to hit a pump handle gut buster and backbreaker to Spector….then using Foshie as a weapon on Spector for a close two. Kanyon tries a package piledriver but Dilbeck with a knee. Youngblood and Dilbeck team up to take out Kanyon but they can’t agree on the cover. Lucas in to take advantage and hit a blue blue thunder bomb on Youngblood for two. Spector with a powerbomb backbreaker to Foshie but Kavron Kanyon springs off the top with an elbow drop to get the three on Spector before anyone can stop him. Lot of fun!

Winner: Kavron Kanyon

Match 2: Dy-Lan vs Jack Kujo vs “Sir Knight” Merrik Donovan 

Donovan slugs Kujo and drops him. Dy-Lan feels the same and he’s forced to team with Kujo to take down Donovan with superkicks. Dy-Lan gets into Kujo’s head with some taunting dodges. Kujo with a head scissors and whips him into the buckles…before Donovan pops back in with a huge lariat. KO just responds with a head kick that flattens Merrick briefly. Dy-Lan with a black hole slam but Donovan cuts off the pin. Donovan unloading with strikes and a flying clothesline…swinging neckbreaker but Kujo breaks up the pin. Kujo in but eats a back fist and full Nelson snap suplex owwwwwwwwww. Dy-Lan with a spinebuster to Donovan for two. Kujo with a superkick to Dy-Lan clears him from the ring. Kujo with a sliced bread into a knee and the powerful Donovan takes the L here. The really cool story out of this match was that Kujo & Donovan impressed ACTION Management so much that they got a spot on the first show “Boogie Nights” later that evening.  Well deserved, this match left it all out there. 

Winner: Jack Kujo

Match 3: Nino Cruz vs ZZ Zamir vs Larry Lazard vs Erron Wade

This breaks into a slugfest early. Lazard and Wade have a pretty athletic back and forth. Cruz and Zamir trading some kicks. ZZ almost gets burning hammered to the outside but he catches himself into a moonsault to Cruz. ZZ with a tope of his own and Wade isn’t gonna be left out of the dive party. Cruz with some wild swings and the baby dragon takes him down. ZZ slams Lazard face first to the knee. ZZ wants to superplex but Wade powerbombs ZZ down for two. Cruz starting to hold his own and hits a blockbuster assist DDT to Lazard and ZZ. He can’t get the over and Wade flips him into an armbar. Lazard with a senton off the top to break it up. Everyone starts hitting the big stuff to try and finish before Erron Wade catches a frustrated Cruz with a rollup for the pin. 

Winner: Erron Wade

Match 4: Southern Strong Style (Jay 2 Strong & Proc Johnston) vs Nawfside Heroes (Jose Manuel & Shoota Gabe)

Nawfside Heroes are back after a good win last episode. Jose tries to outwork Jay early but he is 2 strong. Jose speeds up with a head scissor, trip and head kick to bring his partner in for some big tandem shots that only get a two count. Shoota trying to tie up Jay’s arms, who opts to rake the eyes and lands a huge flying knee. Proc tags in and start dropping some big shots and bigger shouts onto Gabe. Big tandem delay vertical suplex but Gabe kicks out. Proc whips Gabe right into a 2 strong big boot for another near fall. Big Proc with a big spinebuster and Gabe has to beat the count again. Gabe rolls out of danger to get the tag. The Nawfside Heroes drop their opponents, Jose clears Proc from the ring and hits a frog splash for the one to three.

Winner: Nawfside Heros 

Main Event: Noah Hossman vs Ash Bennett

OH S*** IT’S HOSSMAN! I liked him last episode and I also just like the name HOSSMAN. Ash Bennet is not being announced as the “Ash Hole” this time out. Hossman is fired up early and quickly taking Ash down and yelling at him to give more. Ash tricks him into a test of strength and takes him down at the knee. Hossman rages through Ash’s tricks and roll up attempts but he’s eating a lot of offense. Bennet with a “made ya look” nose poke and he’s clearly in Noah’s head with this school yard pranks. Hossman decides he’s not waiting when Ash tells him to stop anymore, hits a belly to belly, snake eyes and a big lariat. Hossman with a gator roll, Ash escapes and gets caught trying to cross body into a slam. Hossman wrenching at the arm and Ash resorts to a pair of purple nurples to make way for a flying forearm to drop the big man. Ash runs in for a code breaker but Hossman catches him and slams him down into a single leg crab. Ash barely makes the rope but gets back up to trade slaps and forearms with Hossman. Bennet fires up with a leg lariat. Hossman with a bridging northern lights for two. Hossman trying a gutwrench powerbomb….Ash slips it and traps Noah into a butterfly lock…Hossman taps! I loved the David vs Goliath stuff happening here as the crowd was firmly behind the underdog.

Winner: Ash Bennet

And that’s it for this episode of “Next Up”! 5 quick matches over a 40 min runtime. These shows are A. In their infancy and B. Getting taped based on who shows up to help out on ACTION’s main card shows, this will definitely have a different show-by-show feel for anyone familiar with the normal ACTION product. I like this as a window into…WHAT’S NEXT….for ACTION and the southern indie scene in general. I’m curious how the next episode will go as this show is looking to be a regular THING for ACTION events going forward so who knows who might show up next time? Until then!

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