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Review of JCW Show, Sunday, February 22, 2004, Garfield, New Jersey
by Lawrence Kleber
It had been a while since your kinder and gentler journalist has reviewed
a show, but I am so happy to report on the JCW show held at the Boys and
Girls Club (I mean the JCW Arena) in Garfield on Sunday, February 22.
I
have been attending JCW events for the last year and a half; I must say
this was the best all around show I have seen from this organization.
It
has been a while since JCW last ran a show and I believe the time off
helped the promotion do some rethinking. Congratulations, Ricky O. Bell
time was slated for 3:30 pm and by 3:15 the place was sold out! There
were 650 paid fans in attendance. Besides great promoting, the match
making was almost perfect.
The show began at 3:35 with a promo for Ricky Steamboat’s upcoming
wrestling clinic in the New Jersey area. Mike Berkowitz then introduced
Ricky O. who thanked local merchants for their help in selling tickets.
It’s nice to see Ricky doing a baby face role. This was interrupted
by
Prince Nana, accompanied by K-Browlik and Fred Sampson. Nana went after
the crowd with, “You should be standing on your feet for me!”
I’ve
always told Sampson that he would make a good heel and he did a fine job
here. The last time I saw Nana, he had some trouble getting over with
the fans, but during this show, his promos were pure gold.
Match 1 Browlik, with Nana and Sampson, took on Scotty Charisma.
Following a scientific opening with good drop kicks and monkey flips,
Nana and Fred had to interfere and distract the ref. Sampson put an
unconscious Browlik on top of an unconscious Scotty for the pin.
Match 2 In a middling six man contest, the Wild Cards and Captain
Jigsaw were defeated by Icarus, Gran Hakuma and Lightening Mike
Quackenbush. The match had some funny spots, but did not really arouse
the fans.
Match 3 With my favorite ref, Referee Mike, officiating, Mo Sexy went
up against Red Hot Russ with Dana Dameson. I have seen these two in some
breathtaking matches. This was basically old school with Russ pinning
Mo
by holding the tights. There was a nice spot with Mo confronting Mike,
the funniest ref in the business. There was a ridiculous sport with Dana
trying to choke out Mo Sexy. Come on! The fans really got into this
match chanting “Ice Cold Russ”!
Match 4 In a great face-face contest beginning with an ROH handshake,
Dave Greco faced Damian Adams. The two guys are always solid workers.
In the scientific match, Greco broke out of an excellent surf board by
Adams and Adams executed three suplexes in a row. There was a missed
moonsault by Adams and a short superkick. Damian make Dave submit with
a
sharpshooter. Towards the end of the match, Kevin Matthews interfered.
Following the match, he attacked Damian. Kevin, who introduced himself
as the SSCW TV champ took the stick and had some nasty words for SSCW
promoter Carmine Sabia. Kevin, you may be a goofball, but I always enjoy
your antics!
Match 5 In a match-up I have seen many times and never tire of, Ryan
Wing pinned Tiger Mulligan.
Match 6 In a ladies match, April Hunter pinned JCW Champ Miss Kara.
As always, April is one of the top ladies in the independent business.
Her matches are always excellent.
Match 7 After a 25 minute intermission featuring a Karate
demonstration, Slyk Wagner Brown with April Hunter, faced Johnny Thundar,
with Dana Dameson, in a face-face match for the JCW strap. They traded
hammer locks and pin attempts which received a big pop for the fans.
Thundar’s chin lock was broken by a kick by Slyk Johnny Thundar
superkicked Ref Gary by mistake and Slyk was able to execute the
appreciation bomb, but Gary was out of it. Prince Nana and Browlik
interfered on Slyk’s behalf. Slyk was able to pin Johnny. Nana asked
Slyk to join his group, The Consulate, but when Slyk declined with “What
did the hand say to the face” and slapped Nana, Nana attacked Slyk
and
Browlik attacked April! What a gimmick! The only point that puzzled me
was the role of Dana. She had been a heel manager in her first
appearance with Red Hot Russ and now she was a face manager! I am hard
on Dana because she basically has a good look and a good gimmick but
needs to solidify her persona.
Match 8 With Ref Mike once again officiating, the Clown Prince of
Wrestling, Shawn Sheridan faced Damian Dragon with Foxxy Dreams for the
JCW light heavyweight championship. This match featured four of my
favorite workers and they did not let me down. Sheridan and I had to do
some of our normal shtick before the match! Sheridan asked to keep it
in
the ring, but Damian had other ideas. Following an excellent fisherman
suplex by Shawn, Damian brought a padded chair into the ring and knocked
Shawn’s head into the chair. After some more antic with the chair,
Damian spit red mist into ref Mike’s eyes. With Mike out on the floor,
two wrestlers who I have never seen before going by the names of Hate
and
Undead ran in and executed a pile driver on Sheridan. Dave Greco came
in
to assist his old friend Sheridan, but then kicked Shawn, doing a heel
turn. (Dave later told me that he wants to do something different and
is
tired of playing a face.) Ref Mike declared the match a no contest.
Match 9 For the tag straps, Matt Stryker and Ace Darling defeated
Inferno and Brian Wenzel. Inferno has recently been signed by Ohio
Valley and Ricky O and company gave him a nice send off. Best of luck,
Danny!
Gino Moore, of NWS, appeared to promote a show on March 6 in Totowa,
New
Jersey which will be a joint production between NWS, Ricky’s JCW,
Richie
Rotten’s BWO, Kevin Knight’s IWF and Carmine Sabia’s SSCW.
I cannot
wait!
Match 10 In a battle royal for the TV championship, which was
stripped from the departed Jay Lethal, Brian Wenzel picked up the victory
after having to face his partner, Inferno. Combatants in the battle
royal included the Off Brothers, the Great Suzuki, Alere Little Feather,
the returning Danny Demento and Alicia.
Match 11 The main event pitted Prince Nana and Kamala against Bam Bam
Bigalow and Chris Candido. What should have been a great match turned
into a very fast and weak contest. Candido pinned Kamala.
Ricky O’s shows have gotten better and better over the past year
and a
half. Gone are the days when Ricky and I would spar about running shows
and I would be disgusted by seeing a certain large male manager, who will
remain nameless, in a thong! Ricky has become one of the promoters I
respect most and I am glad to be counted among his confidants. By the
way, Ricky has reserved Fridays on Route 17 in Wood-Ridge for
Wrestlermania and you are all invited to attend. See you there!
