Indie wrestlers electrify their audience

Published January 13, 2019 - Aiken Standard

BY LAUREN A. HALEY

lhaley@aikenstandard.com

With back-to-back shows, two independent wrestling promotions’ stars aligned in Augusta on Jan. 5. Livewire Wrestling presented Recharged 3, with a card featuring six matches, started at 4:30 in the afternoon. The King of BUSHIDO 8 tournament followed at 7 p.m., featuring the eight participants of the tournament itself, as well as a grudge match between two previous BUSHIDO tourney winners, and a fun tag-team that featured Thomson, Georgia’s Charlie Anarchy and the highly entertaining “Boozer- weight” Matt Sells.

The audience filtered in, getting more involved as the night progressed. By the fourth bout, the spectators were all in on the fight, booing the tag-team of Cali Cannon and Bastion Savage, as well as chanting “U-S-A” in response to that team waving the Canadian flag. Cheers rang out as their opponents, Darkness and Kevin Kurgan, known as the tag team Dementia 13, prowled to the ring.

Both men are from the Midland Valley area. The crowd was furious when Bastion and Savage isolated Darkness for much of the match, work- ing the tall man over with some underhanded tactics, but when Kurgan got the tag and exploded into the ring, the crowd cheered. Dementia 13 went on to defeat the devious duo and claim the victory.

Livewire’s show featured a good mix of locally trained talent, including Augusta natives Hunter Young and Jeremy Cruz, as well as regional in- die wrestlers such as Kid Riot, Zuka King and Danny Only.

“We had an absolute blast,” said Ashley McGee, of Thomson, Ga.

Augustan Jessica Freeman said that it was an “Amazing show – lots of passion from the wrestlers and energy from the crowd.”

BUSHIDO 8 had a stacked card featuring many of the hottest up-and-coming indie wrestlers; from the eventual winner Lucky Ali, to the only female combatant, Savannah Evans, to EVOLVE Wrestling’s BSHP King.

Cauliflower Brown, a man who’s been in two BUSHIDO tournaments previously, has also been seen on NXT. Suge D’s grudge match against BSHP King was his first stateside match since returning from a lengthy U.K. wrestling tour.

“Pro Wrestling BUSHIDO just set a mighty high bar for all wrestling in 2019,” said Alan Luke of Grovetown, Ga. “If this was the opening to the year, I can’t wait for the climax.”

The BUSHIDO show also featured some local talent, with Augustan Sean Legacy taking on “The Southern Savior” John Skyler. Skyler is well- known on the indie wrestling circuit, having been in Ring of Honor’s Top Prospect Tournament, as well as featured in some NXT and RAW fights with the WWE. Legacy had the crowd behind him, and got in some high-octane offense, but the crafty veteran Skyler proved to be too much, scoring the win.

Skyler went on to the second bracket, taking on the founder of Top Tier Nutrition, the supplement-selling Drew Adler. (Adler defeated Cody Vance in the first bracket.) Early in the match, Adler went down with a knee injury, and while several referees were helping him exit the ring, Skyler attacked with a vicious drop kick to the injured joint. The vicious Skyler was determined to get a pinfall victory over Adler, not satisfied for with a forfeit due to injury.

Despite Adler trying to rally, and even with the crowd firmly against Skyler, “The Southern Savior” went on to achieve that victory, much to the displeasure of the booing and jeering audience.

“Adler versus Skyler was so good it made my kid cheer for Adler which I never thought was possible,” said F. Simon Grant, of Aiken. Grant and his son travel to Columbia to see Palmetto Championship Wrestling events, wherein Drew Adler is a despicable heel.

This is the power of a well- told story in independent wrestling; a place where vil- lains can become heroes.

The next show for both of these promotions will be March 30.

Check out www.livewireaugusta.tk for information about upcoming shows in Augusta by both Livewire and King of BUSHIDO, and follow @PW- BUSHIDO on Facebook.

Independent wrestling is growing by leaps and bounds, and no where is that more evident than Georgia and the Carolinas.

Another promotion in Augusta, UCW (United Championship Wrestling) will have a show at the American Legion Post #60 in Augusta on Jan. 26. For more information, follow @UCWHQ on Facebook.

Viral Pro Wrestling (@ ViralProWrestling on Facebook) performs bi-monthly in Thomson, Ga. Their next show is Rise of the Revolution on Feb. 9.

And last but not least, IWE Pro-Wrestling returns to Aiken County with the kick-off of Zero Hour on Feb. 16 at Midland Valley High School, which will also serve as a fundraiser for the MVHS wrestling team. Check out IWE Pro-Wrestling on Facebook.

Lauren a. Haley covers independent professional wrestling for the Aiken Standard.

#indiewrestling, #indywrestling, #independentwrestling, #localprowrestling