On July 29th AWS held their 7th Summer Heat show in the promotion’s history, and it was another really good show from the promotion. They have had a really strong 2017 so far, after coming back from nearly a year’s hiatus late last year. They’ve really managed to put together a string of really good shows. From top to bottom the show was really strong, but will most likely be most remembered for probably the best non-WWE women’s match in Southern California in several years.
With UFC and Metallica in the area, and a ton of recent big shows in Southern California, it seemed like attendance was down a little, but there was still a decent sized crowd in the building. With UEW’s show getting canceled (along with their shows for the rest of the year) there was nice sized contingent of UEW fans that really added some nice heat to a few of the matches.
Pizza Cat over Human Tornado [6’21]
This was announced as a special pre-show match, but it started about 2 minutes before the announced bell time. Pizza Cat came out with a box of pizza and was throwing slices to the audience. Tornado wasn’t given a slice however, causing him to attack Pizza Cat. This was a quick, entertaining opener. Human Tornado asked the crowd if they remember Super Dragon, then called out a Psycho Driver, but Pizza Cat was able to turn it into a roll up to get the pin.
Rating: ** 1/2
B-Boy over Jake Atlas [11’37]
Over the last couple years B-Boy has really gone all out working with up and coming wrestlers helping to elevate them. This was really good. Jake Atlas may be the most athletic wrestler currently based in Southern California. At times during this, there were some parts that seemed like they were a little rushed on Jake Atlas’ part, but there was nothing too sloppy that really took away from the match. Atlas is going to be a star if he keeps improving, and B-Boy might be having one of the best runs of his career as far as match quality goes. I watched some old early 2000s stuff recently and I think he’s better right now. This was really good. B-Boy won with his chicken wing piledriver.
Rating: *** 3/4
Buggy Nova, Crystal White, & Hudson Envy over Shotzi Blackheart, Delilah Doom, & Amale Winchester [11’28]
This was my first time seeing Crystal White and Amale Winchester wrestle. Amale really took the lion’s share of the punishment in this, with Buggy Nova working her over especially good. If nothing else Amale can take a beating. SCU’s own JR may have fallen in love with Crystal White and ran off with her afterwards. Hudson and Delilah matched up really well. A singles match between them could be really good. This was fun and did a good job showcasing everyone. Buggy pinned Amale to get her team the win.
Rating: ** 3/4
Hernandez over Che Cabrera [7’31]
Che Cabrera has really gotten into good shape. He is looking like a beast. This was pretty solid, but like a lot of H.A.T.E matches I thought it suffered from too much outside interference. Hernandez hit a splash to get the pin.
Rating: ** 1/2
SoCal Crazy over Peter Avalon to retain the AWS Lightweight title [12’56]
This was originally supposed to be Douglas James challenging for the title, but with him going exclusive with PCW Peter Avalon was the replacement. I think this was the first time these guys met up in awhile, but they seemed to work really well together. Avalon did a great job as the dickish heel getting Crazy over. This was good. SoCal Crazy won with a roll up.
Rating: ***
Bestia 666 over Lil’ Cholo [11’27]
This was another good match. Bestia 666 seems to just constantly have good matches every time I see him wrestle, no matter who he’s facing. By putting him with Cholo who is really solid as well there was really no way this was going to be bad. This was pretty even with both wrestlers getting in a lot of offense. Damian 666 came to ringside, which distracted Cholo enough for Bestia to get him into a modified Muscle Buster to get the win.
Rating: ***
Timothy Thatcher over Tristan Archer via submission [13’28]
These two worked a completely different style than anyone else on the show by doing a more grappling based match with lots of stiff looking strikes. Thatcher was going crazy with uppercuts in this. When Tristan Archer was on offense he looked fantastic. Everything he did was so crisp. There was a few anti-French catcalls from the crowd. I’m not sure what brought on the Francophobia, but Archer played it up arguing with the ref that the count was trois not deux. This was really good. Thatcher won with an armbar. There were please come back chants after the match, I’m not sure they were directed at but hopefully both.
Rating: *** 3/4
Nicole Savoy over Sage Sin Supreme to retain the AWS Women’s title [9’05]
It’s hard to believe but this was actually Nicole Savoy’s first title defense, having won the title last September, but she’s just coming back from injury. The UEW fans in the crowd were very vocal in their support for Sage. Early on Nicole was taken out of the ring, and wasn’t able to get back in without being attacked by Sage, so she took Sage’s pumpkin, causing Sage to come out to rescue it. I think Sage does an excellent job at selling in her matches and really does a great job showing emotion. Nicole also has such a great ring presence too. Everything she does comes across so believable. This was good. Nicole won with an armbar.
Rating: ***
Super Beast, Brody King, & Tyler Bateman vs. H.A.T.E (Ray Rosas, Tito Escondido, & Rico Dynamite) goes to a no contest [15’00]
Justin Borden, who is a member of H.A.T.E was the referee for this. The match started with Mondo Vega making fun of UEW closing down. H.A.T.E actually started in UEW and the UEW fans were pretty vocal in their dislike for the group. When Mondo turned his attention to the other team, before he could start bashing them Brody King just destroyed him and the match started with an all out brawl. Everyone looked solid in this, but Brody King really stood out. He showed a ton of aggression and his offense comes across so powerful. Eventually they took H.A.T.E out but Justin Borden wouldn’t count the pin. Bordy knocked Borden out, which lead to the rest of H.A.T.E doing a run in and taking the faces out. H.A.T.E cut a promo declaring that they were “the best in the world”, even though they didn’t actually win a match that night. This lead the promoter Bart to come out and setup a cage match between Tito Escondido and Tyler Bateman for the title at August’s show, so that H.A.T.E can’t interfere.
Rating: *** 1/4
Ruby Raze over Taya Valkyrie in a no DQ match [16’58]
This was a rematch from March when Taya was DQ’d against Raze. This time it was set to be a no-DQ, falls count anywhere match. They pretty quickly got out of the ring and were brawling through the crowd. This was played out much more like a street fight than a wrestling match. There were lots of chairs being used as weapons. Raze bladed and was bleeding like crazy. Taya started rubbing Raze’s blood on her face like it was war paint. Raze was wearing white gear so the blood really stood out too. Taya came across really savage. There were actually children crying and people having to leave the room at the sight of the beating Raze was taking. Last year a lot of people were raving about the Sexy Star and Mariposa match in lucha Underground, but I thought this was better. Raze selling in this was phenomenal too. Finally Raze hits her Soul Eater on Taya and got the win. This was fantastic all around. Like I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I thought this was the best non-WWE women’s match to take place in Southern California in awhile. Maybe since the 2015 match between Hudson Envy and Melissa that won match of the year.
Rating: ****
Overall I thought this was another really good AWS. There were no bad matches and every match was above average or better. The DVD is worth picking up for the main event alone, especially if you are a women’s wrestling fan. I think once it comes out on video there’s going to be a lot of buzz about it.
AWS will be running three shows in August, two as part of a hot sauce festival on the 19th and 20th, then their big show on the 26th featuring Bateman versus Escondido for the AWS title in a steel cage.
