Memphis Wrestling’s Excellent Grind
101. Not the room. The episode. This is eminently more enjoyable. Why?
It’s The Griiiiiiiiiìiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind City Rumble
As Memphis Wrestling mainman Dustin Starr would have it.
It’s the centrepiece of the Memphis Wrestling year and resets for the coming action and angles.
Over the top rope until the last 2 are in, when it reverts to a pinfalls and submissions deal, the winner gets a chance of a title fight down the line. Last year Austin Lane won and came up short against then Memphis champ (and now champ again) Brett ‘Every Rose Has It’s Thorn’ Michaels.
Last year’s was good. This was even better.
The Action
Main Event Bradley Skimahorn and Memphis Wrestling Internet champ Tim Bosby were out first and showed some wrestling intelligence, deciding to wait for the next arrival.
And when that person was Kid Wrestling, I feared for him, but it didn’t go down that way, he took it to them both, even hitting a modified Powerslam.
First Big Man
Big Jack, who of course took them all out – not for ice cream, down to the mat – then hit a Basement Lariat. Jason Genesis looked happy to enter this maelstrom and even went after Big Jack, then landed a Springboard Shoulderblock to Brad; no wonder he then cowered in the corner. Good job too when Jennifer Justice put herself about the ring, she hit Roughshod Lamont from the LA Hustlers with a big forearm then choked him for good measure.
Second Big Man
Big Swole. And he had such an effect, Ash and Genesis out, Ryan Rembrandt too, but he wasn’t finished, Lamont was picked up and thrown onto the other eliminateds (is that a word? Or is it eliminatees?)
Then Swole got serious. He put out the other big man, Jack. No wonder Brad was hiding on the outside.
Credit; Five Starr Fan Cam/@fredstyle88
The Hot Shots arrived as Swole threw Kid Wrestling out, so he just double clotheslined them out too.
Swole was on fire. And then out. As Swole refused to engage with Justice and she chopped him as persuasion, sneaky Brad approached from behind him and dumped him out.
Got to keep your head on a swivel.
And how come the Posse got to enter the Griiiiiind City Rumble at the same time? They started with Ray Ray Sanders but his friend Derrick The King got them both over the top and to the floor – that’s impressive. Ray Ray got so excited, he went up top and landed a very high Swanton, but seemed to forget that it would eliminate him…
And here’s the man who Jimmy Blaylock doesn’t think will win the Memphis Wrestling Rumble, Colton Cage. He took so long getting into the ring, Best Of The Best Austin Lane threw him in, then worked with Uncle Mikey to double backdrop him – Cage still had his sunglasses on!
Third Big Man
Adamus Vain, who pauses to wait for the man after him, Van Viscioussssssssss, Jimmy Blaylock’s pick to win the whole thing – how did Jimmy get all his Hollywood Clique entries bunched together, Dustin asked. How indeed…
Didn’t help though, Cage made a big mistake, he Clotheslined Van Viscioussssssssss over the top – that will surely have repercussions for him. And then Vain was put out by a cracking knee to the jaw from Lane.
Brad meanwhile was claiming some big scalps and this one surely must have felt sweet – Uncle Mikey.
Fourth Big Man
Sho ‘Nuff, K-Toomer.
Fifth Big Man
Aaron Roberts.
This was going to be interesting. Toomer was so focused, he didn’t even react when Tim Bosby was Suplexed right next to him, he locked onto Roberts. Aaron was busy with Nyxx though, as she jumped on his back and was Alabama Slammed.
One one of the best moments in the Griiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind City Rumble? Austin Lane’s amazed face, open mouthed with shock, after being dumped out by Bosby – fantastic wrestling storytelling.
And talking of stories, Prince Gaston was hit with his own Storybook, Mackenzie Morgan swinging it, and back on the floor.
Sixth Big Man
Bradley Diggs, the other half of the LA Hustlers, out as Mackenzie took a shot at Roberts; hang on, Mikey’s back.
Ah, he’s here to right a wrong, or was he just sore at being tossed out by Brad? Whichever, he uncovered Brad hiding under the ring skirt – isn’t that allowed? Isn’t it just smart thinking?
Seventh Big Man
Remember the Oddities? With the Insane Clown Posse? They were popular for a moment in the late 90’s.
And Memphis Wrestling must remember them, because here they are again, sort of. There’s a Ringmaster character, Barnabus, who introduced Maurice The Strong, who looked very like DNA, who previously worked Memphis Wrestling rings with Brandon Espinosa; I could have been wrong, but it did look like him…
Credit; Five Starr Fan Cam/@fredstyle88
And Maurice does get Toomer down to one leg, which not many could.
Eighth Big Man
Bruce, who knew what he was there for, going after all the big guys. Which couldn’t be said by Matt Whathisname who eliminated Morgan whilst Toomer uncorked a lovely Cutter, then took a lap of victory and posed as if he’d won the thing, until Moose entered.
Ninth And Final Big Man
Good guest for Memphis Wrestling, this and as he smiled at Matt Whathisname, his intention was clear. He got rid of Big Man Bruce and then hit Bosby with a huge Spear, he wasn’t in there much longer either.
Credit; Five Starr Fan Cam/@fredstyle88
Brad was taken out – he interfered in Toomer and Moose’s staredown, Toomer hit an Inzegueri, but tasted a Moose big boot.
Credit; Five Starr Fan Cam/@fredstyle88
They’d forgotten about Aaron Roberts, who Clotheslined them both down; Moose succeeded in putting Roberts out, but there was that sneaky Bradley to tip Moose out – his Rumble wasn’t half good.
Sadly for him, a Derrick Superkick and Toomer help ended his night.
The Final Two
Toomer and Derrick. Derrick tried his best, 2 Superkicks landed, but a 3rd was caught by Toomer who immediately hit the Big Bang Slam for the pin.
Toomer’s Time Has Come?
He told me my podcast that he could wait fof titles; that wait might be over, who would bet against him for good? He’s a future Memphis Wrestling champ, Sho ‘Nuff.
Credit; Five Starr Fan Cam/@fredstyle88
And this Memphis Wrestling Griiiiiind City Rumble was fantastic. Beautifully sequenced. Great stories told well. No big angles to overbalabce it. The right way to do it.
Memphis Wrestling does that. Regularly.
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