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Night one of the Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament is in the books. AAW put on a great show that once again demonstrated why it is the premier independent wrestling company in the Midwest.
The opening round of the 16 person tournament was essentially one first-rate match after another from a mind boggling array of talent.
Advancing in the tournament: 2019 tournament winner Josh Alexander, YAMATO, Masha Slamovitch, Hakim Zane, Fred Yehi, AAW Heritage Champion Davey Vega, Gnarls Garvin and Ace Austin.
The Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago was packed to the gills with a standing room only crowd of 275, which gave the show tremendous atmosphere.
The tournament was name for AAW co-owner Jim Lynam who passed away in 2015.
The show streamed live on Highspots.TV with Joe Dombrowski and Tyler Volz on commentary. AAW left FITE and signed a streaming deal with Highspots in August.
The quarterfinals, semifinals and tournament final will take place tonight at Logan Square and streaming live on Highspots.TV. Also on the card: Jake Something's AAW Open Challenge Scramble and Jah-C & ? defending the AAW Tag Team Championship vs. Joe Alonzo & Solomon Tupu.
The show opened with backstage promos from Ran Jones wanting a match and Ace Perry saying he was going to get in the tournament one way or another.
(1) Open Challenge: Jake Something defeated Ren Jones to retain the AAW Championship in 7:46. Before the match, Something offered to put his title on the line. Jones drove Something over the barricade with a tope, then did a suicide dive that cleared the barricade. Something picked up the win Into the Void (spinning side slam). A solid, hard hitting opener.
Something said whoever wins the tournament would have to face him and it would be their worst nightmare. Something carried himself like a champion.
Josh Alexander video promo -- Alexander (a late replacement in the tournament for 2020 winner Matt Fitchett) talked about returning to AAW because of the fans and Lynam, who he knew because he had been part of AAW for 10 years. This was a fantastic promo.
(2) Masha Slamovich defeated Dante Leon to advance in the tournament (9:05). Huge pop for Masha's entrance. Slamovitch was as over with this crowd as anyone in the tournament. The new hairstyle makes her look like a star. Leon did a good job of bumping and selling for Masha's offense. Great finish -- Leon trying for a tiger bomb and Slamovich going for a piledriver. Slamovich hit a Canadian Destroyer then the piledriver for the pin.
(3) Conan Lycan (with Chuck Smooth & Joe Alonzo & Solomon Tupu) defeated Jah-C in a non-tournament match (4:40). Jah-C came out with both of the tag title belts. The ref ejected the rest of Smooth Operations. Smooth said he wasn't leaving because he was personal friends with Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot. Alonzo and Tupu started back to ringside. Jah-C met them with a dive in the aisle. Jah-C was worse for wear. Back inside, Lycan struggled with his finisher. Whatever it was supposed to be, he ended up dropping Jah-C on his head.
Smooth said this was just a taste. Smooth Operations was taking the tag titles tomorrow night.
Mike Bennett video promo -- Said it had been a long week and he was tired but AAW renewed his love for pro wrestling and he was MOTIVATED.
(4) Hakim Zane defeated Schaff in 8:38. Zane was subbing for Davey Richards. Schaff was giving Zane fits with his power game. Zane posted Schaff's arm and worked the body part. Schaff was making a one-armed comeback when Smooth Operation appeared in the aisle. Schaff waded in one against three. While the entire ref crew was dealing with Smooth Operation, Zane gave Schaff a low blow and hit a running knee to score the pinfall. The crowd booed the finish which I was not a fan of -- with three other refs out there, having the ref officiating the match ignore the ring looked dumb.
Postmatch -- Smooth Operation put the boots to Schaff. Heather Reckless (less than 5 feet tall) tried to make the save. Alonzo punched her in the gut. This was AAW storyline stuff. It got heat but not as much as Smooth invoking the names of Pritzker and Lightfoot.
(5) Fred Yehi defeated Calvin Tankman via referee stoppage in 12:00. My favorite match of the night. The crowd was into it 100%. Tankman is over huge with the AAW fans. They respect Yehi but love Tankman. A killer spot popped the crowd early – Tankman missed a running splash and Yehi immediately applied the Koji clutch. Tankman got to the ropes in short order. Tankman first powerbombed Yehi on the ring frame and then into the barricades. The chops in this match were hellacious. Tankman chopped Yehi with such force that it sent him over the barricade. Back inside, Yehi clipped Tankman’s ankle and got the big man on the mat. Tankman’s sell of Yehi’s dragon screw was off the charts. Yehi locked in the Koji clutch. Tankman’s struggle to get to the ropes was a dramatic cliffhanger. Tankman had Yehi in dire straits after a pop up backfist and a powerbomb. Tankman went for the kill with a spinning backfist. Yehi ducked and got the Koji Clutch in the middle of the ring. There was no escape for Tankman but he refused to submit. Yehi stomped Tankman in the head until he was out and reapplied the hold. The ref called for the bell. They built the match around key spots and gave them time to register. Just a fantastic match.
Backstage video skit involving manager John E. Bravo, Davey Vega and their crew.
(6) Yamato defeated Zachary Wentz in 9:42. We were treated to a brief Rascalz reunion as Trey Miguel made a cameo appearance with Wentz. Match started like a "both these guys" scenario but Wentz turned the crowd with his arrogance. The speed of Wentz was something to behold. The striking was really good but couldn't touch Yehi and Tankman. Great back and forth near falls down the stretch. Yamato kicked out of a swanton by Wentz and got him with Frankensteiner of the Almighty.
(7) Davey Vega (with John E. Bravo & Shawn Logan & Hartenbower & Kaia McKenna) defeated Mike Bennett and Ace Perry in 10:37. The ad of Perry got a pop. I was entertained. Match was a showcase for Bennett doing one-against-two stuff on Perry and Vega. Bennett was submitting Vega while slapping the crap out of Perry. And two crazy spots -- Perry came off the top with a blind cutter on Vega as Bennett had Vega in an electric chair position...Bennett gave Perry a superplex to the outside onto Bravo et al. Bennett got a close near fall on Vega with piledriver. Bennett got taken out thanks to distraction by Hartenbower. Vega pinned Perry with a neckbreaker. The finish provided a plausible way of beating Bennett and fodder for future storyline.
(8) Gnarls Garvin defeated Silas Young in 20:05. Massive and repeated "Beef" chants from the crowd. He's a very Chicago kind of guy. Young cut a promo saying this had been the toughest year of his life, personally and professionally. Garvin was everything a young wrestler should be, likeable, talented and hungry. But Young was starving and he was going to f'n eat Garvin alive.
I appreciated the story. Young was great in the role of the anti-hero. Young was using his veteran smarts and taking shortcuts to control the match. Garvin rallied with high impact moves but missed his first shot at the splash off the top. Young missed his first attempt at the corner headstand into the split-legged moonsault. Garvin hit the top rope splash but Young reversed the pin for a close near fall. Young implored Garvin to stay down. Two spinning backfists later, Garvin hit the top rope splash.
The match was OK. At 20 minutes long, it dragged this late into a long show. The edge came off the crowd reactions and never came all the way back.
Manders video promo-- Alexander was the man in AAW and he was coming for him.
(9) Ace Austin defeated Trey Miguel in 12:02. Miguel live was something. His athleticism was amazing. Crowd was on the quiet side until Miguel unleashed a spectacular flip dive over the turnbuckle that had people losing their minds. It was interesting to see Austin in the role of the power wrestler with the muscle he's added to his physique. The finish was a high speed blur of action, Austin winning with The Fold. A really fine match in a tough slot.
Yehi video promo -- One down and three to go but he was thinking about Manders, hoping he would advance so they could finish what they started at Bourbon Street (AAW venue in suburban Merrionette Park).
(10) Josh Alexander defeated Manders in 18:25. Yehi attacked Manders as he was on his way to the ring and beat on him with a mop wringer. Awesome choice of weapon IMO. Dr. Keith Lipinski and owner Danny Daniels were out there dealing with the situation. Manders suffered an injury to his right arm and went to the dressing room. Alexander said he didn't want a first round bye and demanded an opponent. Manders returned, nursing the arm and appearing to be in intense pain. The match was on.
Alexander totally dominated the first eight minutes of the match and didn't hesitate to go after Manders' arm. Alexander strapped on his head gear. Manders started countering Alexander's moves. Alexander was still in control but Manders was making it competitive. Manders powered out of an ankle lock and made the ropes on Alexander's Fujiwara armbar. Both men down after Manders' Oklahoma Stampede into the turnbuckles. Alexander missed huge on a moonsault. Manders came back with southpaw lariats for two near falls. In the end, Alexander blistered Manders with forearms, powerbombed him and put him away with the Tiger Driver '98. Excellent match. I loved Alexander's take no prisoners focus on his objective -- a second JLMT trophy. No shame for Manders. Whatever comes next with Yehi is going be a war.
Crowd showed appreciation for Manders fighting the good fight.
NOTES: Kevin Kellam was the backstage interviewer. The ring announcer was Jimmy D. The referees were Dan Perch, Derek Martha, Gary Neeley and Donnovan. In pre-show matches taped for AAW Alive on YouTube: Levi Everett & Heather Reckless defeated Shawn Logan & Kaia McKenna (with Hartenbower); Joe Alonzo & Solomon Tupu (with Chuck Smooth & Conan Lycan) defeated two enhancement talents and Hartenbower pinned Aiden Prince.
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