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8/7 ACTION WRESTLING ACTION FUTURES SHOWCASE TOURNAMENT REPORT FROM CHATTANOOGA, TN REPORT

ACTION Wrestling - Action Futures Showcase Tournament

8/7/21 - Chattanooga, TN

Streaming on IWTV.live

A complimentary pre-show to the Scenic City Invitational, the Action Futures Showcase looks to highlight the next crop of fast-rising indie wrestlers, who are starting to make their impact on the Southeast scene. Noting that two of last year’s Action Futures participants are in the SCI this year so who knows what the Futures holds this year. Slated to participate in the tournament: Billie Starkz, The Whisper, Hoodfoot, Ron Bass Jr, Eli Knight, Chase Holliday, Landon Hale, Merrick Donovan & Robert Martyr. Plenty of other surprises are promised to be on the cards for this afternoon! Carmen Childers is your announcer. Dylan. Hales & Johnny Mosely are your commentating team. Here we go!

Match 1: Billie Starkz vs Chase Holliday vs Ron Bass Jr (Futures Tournament 3-way)

Billie and Chase go right at Bass, a sound strategy but the mountain of a man just HANDLES them and blows through their offense. Chase blasted to the mat and Bass powerbombs Billie right into his ribs. Bass tries to come off the second rope but Billie ducks out of danger. Chase takes the advantage to powerbomb Billie into Bass and follow up a knee to keep her getting the pin. Billie is just being yeeted all over this match. Chase working her over while Bass recovers. They trading chops and forearms, Chase working the legs but Bass hits a black hole slam. Billie with a swanton bomb! Bass out at 1! Chase drops him. He comes in for the kill on Starkz, she reverses, sends Holliday to the ropes, rebounds into a german with a bridge pin. Starkz advances! Super crowd pleasing opener. Billie was a weapon for much of this while Chase tried to out-hoss Bass. Don’t overlook Starkz in the finals, clearly. 

Winner: Billie Starkz

Match 2: Hoodfoot vs “Poisoned Youth” Robert Martyr vs “Sir Knight” Merrick Donovan (Futures Tournament 3-way)

I’ve got Martyr taking this but Hoodfoot could easily turn the lights out on either or both of his opponents. Donovan is a late replacement, after making a name on some recent ACTION shows and I love this dude. Donovan and Hoodfoot want to scrap but the scrappy Martyr just cuts that off and takes it to both of them in a frenzy. Donovan cuts that off with a snap dragon suplex. They battle to the outside as Hoodfoot sets up for a suicide dive to the front row. THIS MAN FLIES! Donovan and Hoodfoot get to trading lariats. STO slam to the mat on Donovan. Martyr wants that work too….and Hoodfoot gives his some chops. Martyr is starched in the corner as Donovan is back to trade forearms rapidly. Hoodfoot is just eating ALL of these shots and germans Sir Knight back onto his head. Martyr jumps into Hoodfoot grasp and grabs a wrist lock. Merrick pulls him off and falls into an ankle lock. Hoodfoot has barely been off his feet for this entire contest. Martyr tries an armbar, Hoodfoot powers it into a bully choke! Donovan cuts it off and he goes to blows with both Martyr and Donovan. He’s holding his own against both, forcing Martyr to DDT Donovan with a lariat. Hoodfoot finally gets dropped to the floor. Martyr comes in but gets twisted into a rear naked choke by Donovan. Martyr flips the position, floating over into a pin and Hoodfoot can’t get there in time. This was REALLY good. I actually missed a few big spots in this write up BECAUSE I was shouting at my TV and clapping. 100% MY S***. What a certified banger. 

Winner: Robert Martyr

Match 3: The Whisper vs Landon Hale vs Eli Knight (Futures Tournament 3-way)

If the last match was the 3-way hoss fight of the tourney, this one is going to be the speed scramble. A slow quick 3-way handshake starts this slow….and it immediately goes to 100/mph. Every one hitting the ropes. Knight with a brutal dropkick to Whisper’s face. Whisper returns fire with a tilt a whirl DDT. Whisper wants quiet (that’s his THING) and Hale with a gunshots like chop to the face. Hale using the WALL as a springboard to send his opponents to the floor. Trading dives, Knight with a picture perfect swanton over the post to the floor. Knight with a AA to Hale but Whisper is in position to stop the pin. Knight manages to mule kick Whisper out of the air while he’s being hit with a blue thunder bomb. WHAT. Tower of doom style spanish fly/poisonrana off the top. “We have transcended video game wrestling now” says Dylan Hales. Hale with a handspring stunner to Knight. Whisper with a double Olympic slam! Whisper with a AA into a knee to the back of the head. Corkscrew moonsault to Hale! Whisper has the pin! Knight comes crashing in on them both and steals the pin on Whisper before Hale can do anything to stop it. Wow! This was a lot of fun. Some crazy spots here. Knight has a hell of a test in the finals, for sure. 

Winner: Eli Knight

Match 4: Bitcoin Boiz (Eric Taylor & Mikey Montgomery) vs Conan Lycan & Solomon Tupu

The Boiz are a seasoned tag team but the IronBeast-like vibe of Lycan and Tupu may be a little too much to handle for them. Lycan is proving this theory accurate in the early moments as there is NOTHING Mikey can do to move his opponent. Tupu in with a war chant that absolutely shook Taylor. Tupu allows Taylor to ram his head into the turnbuckle, which just makes him mad. Tupu and Lycan get to slamming both Boiz, Lycan AA’ing Mikey onto Taylor at one point. Montgomery with a scream of terror as they get chased down on the outside. Tupu gives chase and walks into the first effective offense of the match form the Bitcoin Boiz, a tilt a whirl hold into a superkick. The Boiz use the chance to start working Tupu over in their corner. It doesn’t last, as Tupu pops up Montgomery into a crashing Samoan drop. Lycan with the tag and starting bombing the Boiz to hell. They powder and Lycan moonsaults out to them. Chokeslam to Montgomery. Kick out! Tupu comes running and crashes into the ref. The Boiz try to take advantage but….well there’s no ref. Montgomery grabs a chair and they do a 4-way Guerrero fake chair shot spot. The ref recovers and is REALLY confused. The teams get to their feet, Montgomery tries a tilt a whirl DDT but gets STO’d by Lycan. Tupu wants to finish but Taylor pulls him outside. The distraction is enough that Montgomery rolls up Lycan, pulls the tights and the Bitcoin Boiz manage to pull this off! This was some fun action!

Winners: Bitcoin Boiz

Match 5: Pete Youngblood vs Brogan Finlay

Preeeeeeeetty stoked for this. I’ve seen Youngblood a couple of times on Action’s Next Up and Brogan has been having a bunch of high profile matches in his young career this year. Back and forth exchange to start this before Finlay begins to the target the knee of Youngblood. Pete is stumbling but hits a headbutt springboard lariat to drop Finlay. Youngblood with a high knee! Brogan rolls up, high cradle, kick out! Peter with a spike ddt and a sliding lariat to the back of the head. Brogan is out at two! Blue Thunder Bomb from Broagan into a stretch muffler….Youngblood gets the ropes, crawls up into a head scissors. He wants to finish this but his knee is toast and Brogan uses the opportunity to hit an air raid crash for the pin. Good match from two up-and-comers. This felt like the definition of Action FUTURES. Lot of upside in these guys. 

Winner: Brogan Finlay

Match 6: Arthur McArthur & Damion Turner vs Squatting Dragons (“The Baby Dragon” Erron Wade & Coach Kody Manhorne)

HUUUUUUUGE reaction for the Squatting Dragons. Arthur working that carney strongman power, easily overpowering Wade. Coach tags in and forces Arthur to do squats, wearing him down. It’s leg day! Turner in to take the heat from Wade and Manhorne….but the Coach is overwhelmed by Turner, who starts slamming him about the ring. Arthur and Turner start choking Manhorne on the second rope and intentionally aggravating Wade to keep the ref distracted for double teams. Squatting Dragons get the tag in, Wade uses Coach like a lawn dart into Turner and they get the pin. This was a super fun feel good match. 

Winner: Squatting Dragons

Match 7: Brandon Williams & Daniel Makabe vs Suplex Science (Damyan Tangra & Alex Kane)

Whaaaaaaaaat?!?? This is a WILDLY GOOD technical tag matchup. Makabe and Kane are still in the SCI Tournament too! Williams has faced both Tangra and Kane and he wants another shot to tangle with them both. WIlliams holds his own with Tangra. Kane locks him up, suplexes and gator rolls him. Makabe is in to tangle with the suplex assassin. Kane gets the waists and rolls him. Tangra & Kane work some quick tags to keep Makabe grounded and unsteady. Makabe finally finds his way free, tag to WIlliams and they give Tangra the same treatment. Makabe with a heel hook, transition into a Williams shoulder lock. Tangra kicks free, Kane in with a running splash for two. He tries again but eats the knees. Makabe in and decking both opponents, all body shots to take their breath. Kane sent out, Makabe locks in cattle mutilation on Tangra but Damyan uses his long legs to crawl back and get the ropes. Makabe with some stiff slaps to Tangra. Kane picks the leg into an ankle lock. Williams locks up Tangra’s ankle while Makabe & Tangra slap each other in the holds. Tangra and Makabe with dual leg locks before transitioning to lock up the opposing partners. It’s a fast paced submission stalemate. Tangra landing leg kicks in the center. Makabe with the KO punch. Kane in with a lariat and it’s time for some  suplexes. Stereo Germans to Williams and Makabe. Kane hits the X plex on Makabe! Kick out! He wants the Mark of Kane. Makabe with a chicken wing german and Tangra barely makes the break. Williams with a trio of suplexes, sending Tangra into the buckles for two. Williams tries an ankle lock, Tangra fights it off, transitions to a STF. Makabe tries to cut it off but Kane picks him up and throws him knee first to the apron. Tangra choking out Williams with both his own arms and is forced to verbally submit. My goodness, what a high energy technical showcase that was. These four are fantastic in whatever combination you can put them in. This was a great surprise to take up to the main event. Awesome. 

Winners: Tangra & Kane

Main Event: Billie Starkz vs “Poisoned Youth” Robert Martyr vs Eli Knight (Futures Tournament Finals)

The winner of today’s tournament gets a spot in the SCI Night 2 Scramble later tonight. Martyr is in both of his opponent’s faces about his desire to win this match. Starkz sent out quick as Martyr and Knight go straight to battling. Chops from Martyr. Superkick to the gut and step up leg drop to the back of the head from Knight. Starkz with a spinning back kick to Knight, and then she gory bombs Martyr into him. Martyr locks in a boston crab to Billie. Knight breaks it up but eats a bomb of a right hand. Brain buster from Martyr. Knight hits a Last Ride style powerbomb to Martyr. It’s all heavy artillery right now as everyone is looking for that kill shot. Martyr and Knight in a slugfest. Martyr tries the crab on him. Billie with a roll up. Martyr rolls through and almost steals the pin. Martyr screaming for her to get up. She ducks a lariat and hits a german. Chop battle with Knight on the apron. Code red to Knight on the apron! Martyr with a shotgun dropkick sends Billie flying. Martyr tries to choke out Knight! He want to tap! Billie breaks it up and stomps out Martyr! Starkz misses a swanton, eats  a yakuza kick from Knight. Martyr drops Knight. Big BIllie lariat drops Martyr and everyone’s down. Knight begging for chops from Starkz. She hits him with the big german, bridge? Kick out! Billie tries the swanton again. It hits! Martyr break it up. Martyr with a knee to Billie’s head sends her out. Tiger Driver to Knight and Martyr stacks him up for the three count.

Tournament Winner: Robert Martyr 

The crowd is shocked as their emotional favorite Starkz didn’t take the W. Martyr pulls her up in a show of respect. Not to be left out, Knight break it up and turns it into a three way hug as the crowd claps for everyone. This was great. 

Manders is out on the microphone to put over the 20-year old Martyr for his dedication and commitment to wrestling and fire the crowd up to cheer for him, getting past their disappointment and cheering “Martyr” for him. This was a great move. Martyr gets his tournament winner’s medal and cuts a promo about how much he’s wanted this since he was a child. It’s more than validation, it means that he is worthy of being in the ring. He put over everyone in the tournament because he’s not the only one who came up wanting this type of victory and validation. “Remember my name. Robert Martyr.”

And that’s it for the ACTION Futures Showcase Tournament! 8 matches. 2 hours. All 4 tournament matches brought their own flavor of special SOMETHING to the table. Great effort and energy from everyone, they clearly knew that this was their opportunity to show out and prove they’ve earned their spot in the show. And hot damn, did they do that. The rest of the matches were good showcases for other up and coming talent but THAT MATCH of Williams/Makabe vs Kane/Tangra. That was just great to watch.

Of course, this is the preamble to Night 2 of the Scenic City Invitational and Robert Martyr has secured a spot in the show. That kicks off at 7:30pm on IWTV. Until then!

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