Austin and Nicki worked us all.

Austin deserves it. He’s The Best Of The Best, a storied independent wrestler, with excellent title pedigree and brilliant wrestling psychology. He’s been a Memphis Wrestling hero since it returned, just like Nicki, the first Memphis Wrestling women’s champ, but not any more.

It was a shock when Austin took badly to less experienced opponents giving him a run for his money in the Best Of The Best challenge and he certainly didn’t enjoy losing to Internet champ Tim Bosby.

And so an attitude adjustment was required. Austin held onto the choke just too long, started to get waspish in his talk, and was only held back by his wife Nicki, who involved his mentor Jerry Lynn. Who then attacked him. With Nicki’s help.

When she turned on Lynn and supported Austin, even a jaded old curmudgeon like me was shocked. And since then, they’ve been pristine on their Twitter, sorry, X game and haven’t been seen too much on Memphis Wrestling programming – that’s smart booking.

They’ve been targeting Memphis Wrestling Tim Internet champ Tim Bosby but not constantly, just a constant threat. Of course, Bosby didn’t seem too bothered, he felt he had the beating of Austin. And so more was needed.

No, not more, smarts. This is why Austin turned up in his street clothes, after the Memphis Wrestling main event this week, head honcho Dustin Starr was sure they didn’t have much time. What a move – who wrestles a title match in jeans and shiny shoes? Who wrestles a rushed match for the belt? It seemed unreal, not really a title match and so Bosby was pulled in. No problem, surely?

And it wasn’t, for a while. Although Austin went for his choke early, Bos fought out and landed his excellent suplexes, including a suplex throw, he then landed a clothesline on the apron.

But Nicki knows how to change a match and Austin knows how to capitalise; a simple trip from the outside, a knee to the face and Austin had the choke on. And he sold it so well, pulling down on the neck, his face a mix of anger and concentration. Bosby faded.

Bosby went to his knees. His arm dropped. His gumshield fell to the mat. And that’s when the ref knew he was really out.

Austin Lane was the new Memphis Wrestling Internet champ; his social media game has been superb since he won the belt, he doesn’t get much chance to celebrate on the show but he’s making up for it now.

So he should, it was expertly done, by the promotion and the Lanes.

A Strong Opening

When you start a show with Mike Anthony and K-Toomer as a tag team, you’re onto a winner. Here they made short work of the LA Hustlers, an Anthony German suplex, Death Valley Driver and a new Toomer finisher which looks like an F5 and it was academic.

Mike took the mic around the Memphis Wrestling crowd afterwards. Quite rightly.

Brooklyn Debuts Big

And I didn’t expect it. After all, she was facing McKenzie Morgan, the No. 1 contender to the Memphis Wrestling women’s title. I liked the way she casually stood on Morgan’s throat, then choked her and topped it off with a neckbreaker.

Even when her opponent hit a belly-to-belly suplex, Brooklyn returned with a Spear before, of course, falling to an X Factor.

It was rather good and Brooklyn is one to watch.

Ray Collins Gets A New Nickname

He got the rub from Pope recently against Ash Taylor’s Righteous Path, given the name ‘All The Way Ray’. I bet he’ll be popular on some websites…But his standing Sliced Bread against Ryan Rembrandt for the pin is lovely.

Krule Is Here

And he’s dragging his casket. Needs a coat of varnish, that thing. He interrupted the match between Matt Whathisname with helper Gaston and Biiiiiig John Dalton, which came from Matt refusing to let the excellently shot footage (by FiveStarrFanCam) of the Dirty Bird Brawl be shown.

There was a lovely moment when they all squared up to Krule until he stepped into the ring, Matt and Gaston bailing to ensure Big John took the chokeslam.

Krule is here for Lance Archer, which reminds me…

Guests Go Well In Memphis Wrestling

Hoooooooo…Hacksaw Jim Duggan is coming! And so is the Murderhawk Monster, making a return. And Masters. We’ve had The Franchise, Lynn, and Dreamer. They get good guests, who come to do their bit and don’t affect the action.

As they say on their X feed;

‘What forbidden door? #MemphisWrestling is a who’s who of pro wrestling!’

Memphis Wrestling has it going on. And it has for at least a year; get on board.