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9/2 CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM ATLANTA DEBUT TV TAPING SPOILERS

With David Marquez at the helm, United Wrestling Network taped the first four episodes of the new Championship Wrestling from Atlanta TV show at the Center Stage Theater.

The show debuts Saturday, September 18 on Peachtree TV -- Channel 17 in Atlanta (the old Ted Turner TBS Superstation now owned by Meredith Corporation)  -- in a 10 pm time slot.

Attendance was around 250 with a majority of the tickets being freebies. According to Marquez, CWFA is primarily a television show. Ticket sales do not figure into the business model. Car Shield is a major sponsor. The Car Shield emblem was displayed on all four corner of the mat.

The show should look and sound great on TV. Centerstage makes beautiful looking television. The crowd was wildly enthusiastic for almost every match, thanks in no small part to a contingent of trainees from the Nightmare Factory on the hard camera side. The vibe was reminiscent of the NWA tapings at Georgia Public Broadcasting studio with creative chants, babyfaces cheered and heels roundly booed. 

The match to crown the first UWN Champion did not take place due to travel issues encountered by Chris Dickinson.    

ROH Pure Champion Jonathan Gresham stepped in to replace Dickinson in a non-title match vs. Mike Bennett and they tore the house down in a fantastic 23 minute match. It's worth going out of your way to see this match when it airs. 

The talent roster included, but was not limited to the cream of the crop from Georgia indys, OVW wrestlers and talent from other United Wrestling Network programs. Matches were not necessarily taped in the order they will air due to travel issues. A plethora of pretaped segments were shot for insertion into the episodes'

The commentary team was Jonny Loquasto, Gilbert Corsey and Alyssa Morino. Corsey was formerly the announcer for OVW. Loquasto and Morino recently had stints with WWE. I'm a fan of Loquasto's past work  for Championship Wrestling from Hollywood.

 SPOILERS BELOW:

Dark: Aleksandr Koloff pinned Jarred Diaz with a short arm clothesline in 3:06.

They shot the open for the debut episode with Marquez and Dustin Starr (United's Memphis show and a backstage interviewer here). Zicky Dice interrupted with balloons and party hat saying this his birthday and the show was his surprise party.

 --"Uptown" Andy Brown defeated Manny Lemons in 4:07. After Manny's lemon-infused rally, Brown pinned him with a package piledriver.

 -- Reka Tehaka defeated Heather Monroe with a claw STO in 3:44. Tehaka was impressive and popular with the crowd. 

 -- "The New Era Savage" Juicy Finau pinned Landon Hale with a Fire Thunder Driver in 2:02. The mammoth-sized Finau brings the uniqueness factor with his look. He wasn't much phased by anything Hale tried to do to him.

- OVW Tag Team Champions The Tate Twins (Brandon & Brent) defeated The Recusants (Tom Coffey & Brandon Espinosa ) in 4:48. The Tates are way more muscular than they were in ROH as Dalton Castle's boys. Espinosa was pinned after a double team facebuster. 

--  "The Drama King" Matt Rehwoldt defeated Ashton Star in 11:44. The crowd was chanting for Star (rather than Starr per his IWTV persona) when he came the ring. Star cut a great promo to turn heel. Good match with Star getting plenty of offense. In the end, Rehwoldt pinned Star with a modified DDT.

-- Violence of Action (Roman Rozell & Tom Coffey) defeated Richard King & Jay Sky in 3:20 when Rozell pinned Jay after an assisted power bomb. 

-- "The Savior" David Ali pinned Sal Rinauro in 4:26 with a top rope elbow drop. They got a lot done in a short time. Smoothest match of the show thus far and best match outside the first hour main. The crowd chanted "not my savior" at Ali after the match.

-- Dani Jordyn submitted Gemma Jewels in 3:24 with an armbar. Jewels towered over Jordyn. The mean girl had her burn book.

Marti Belle interviewed Jordyn at ringside. Jordyn was uber arrogant. She insulted Marti and claimed she could beat anybody including Belle. Them's fighting words.

-- Logan Creed squashed Ryan Rembrandt in 1:26, securing the pin with Scorched Earth.

Marti Belle's interview with Suge D was interrupted by Kaleb Konley. who derisively referred to Suge as Pineapple Pete. They set up a match for the week three main event. I did not catch much of this because as it was going on, Dave Wills informed me that Steve "The Brawler" Lawler had passed away. 

-- Owen Knight defeated Chip Day in 3:57 with a reversal of heel hook. The Georgia wrestlers were shining. Like Rinauro/Ali, it was smooth and they packed a lot into little time. 

--  Baron Black pinned "The Bare Knuckle Berzerker" Lord Crewe in 10:50 with La Magistral cradle. Black was ridiculously over thanks to the Nightmare Factory contingent and the fact that his mother was in the crowd. It didn't hurt that he made a greats showing in the match.

Crewe beat Black up after the match and threatened to use a chair on him. This did not endear Crewe to the crowd.

 -- The Bodega (Danny Limelight & Sliced Boogie) defeated The Awakening fka The Ascension (Vic the Space Lord & Big Khan) to retain the UWN Tag Team Championship in 8:26. Papa Esco had a family emergency but Sliced Boogie has slid in as a Bodega member on other shows under Freebird rules. Ring announcer Bryce Boudreaux screwed up the names of Awakening, who were not pleased. They fixed it with a redo of the intro. Khan looked absolutely massive. Boogie posted Khan's groin to take him out, while Limelight threw powder in Vic's eyes.

They took a brief respite here, understandable after going almost three hours but the show losg some steam. Johnny Loquasto thanked the crowd for their enthusiasm. Marquez coaxed fans to fill in the on camera seats and promised something special for the main event. He wasn't blowing smoke. Marquez had earlier announced that the Dickinson/Bennett title match would not take place.

-- Suge D defeated Kaleb Konley in 7:15. Good match with some substance. Konley took a selfie while applying a Rings of Saturn. Suge nailed Konley with a running headbutt for the win.

-- Carlie Bravo submitted Scotty Beach with a cross armbreaker at 3:45. Bravo came out as a flag waving babyface but turned after the match, attacking Beach with the US flag. Looks like Georgia's rising heel faction, The Overkill (Bravo, Jordyn, Star, Ali and Dice) may be coming to Championship Wrestling from Georgia. 

-- Tate Twins defeated The Skimahorns (Brad Man Pondo & Briar) in 3:32. Briar was pinned by the same double facebuster the Tates used in the earlier match.

-- Violence of Action (hate that name) defeated Jonah Turk & Cliff Hendrix in 2 minutes. Turk got dumped and never officially entered the match. VOA used a Hart Attack off the ropes to pin Hendrix.

-- Darian Bengston defeated Alex Chamberlain in 4:12. Bengston is talented and was one of many on this show that have received AEW Dark shots. Chamberlain appeared to have his smaller opponent beaten but pulled him before the three count. Bengsten surprised Chamberlain with a jackknife pin.

-- ROH Pure Champion Jonathan Gresham defeated Mike Bennett via submission in 23:00. This was a fantastic match that felt like a real contest and was worked on an entirely much higher plane than the rest of the taping. Classic storytelling in the ring -- Gresham was relentless on Bennett's knee. Bennett targeted Gresham's arm. Both men sold like crazy. At one point, an awesome exchange of strikes left both men on the deck. Gresham repeatedly went to the figure four leglock. Gresham and Bennett rolled under the ropes and onto the floor with the figure four still intact. Bennett was almost counted out. Back inside, they got into rolling inside cradle that resulted in both men's shoulder being pinned. A restart was ordered. The intensity was getting out of the control to the point referee Scott Johnson was losing his cool. Gresham almost gave up to Bennett's armlock before Bennett finally tapped to the figure four. 

Dice attacked and destroyed Lariato Man after the main to close out the taping. 

Dark: Austin Towers defeated Zane Riley and Shoot Taylor. Towers pinned Taylor in with a choke slam. 

NOTES:

The next Center Stage taping is October 7 with lower ticket prices...Wrestling personalities on hand included PWX promoter Brian Kanabroski who was far more than a casual observer...Also in the house: Jimmy and Jazzy Yang, Impact star Jordynne Grace, Simon Inoki, promoter Ron Gossett, former Championship Wrestling from Hollywood ring announcer Dan Masters, Dave Wills, ring announcer Jeffrey Taylor (thanks for the help with names), Tyreke Robinson and The Renegades (Charlette & Robyn)...The referees were Scott Johnson (Championship Wrestling from Arizona), Kevin Pierce (PWX), Yolanda Wright and Paul Espinal....The Nightmare Factory provided the ring.

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