SAS Could Well Be ’The Elite’

Courtesy of Oliver Newman:

Company: SAS
Date: Saturday 16th February 2008
Time: 6:30pm
Attendance: 131
Price: £8
Location: Collingwood Centre, Collingwood Drive, Great Barr, Birmingham, B43 7NF

Ben is your Ring Announcer for the evening. He welcomes the fans before saying the Dreamtown Boys couldn’t make the show so their opponents the Kartel receive a bye into SAS Tag Team Title Tournament Final vs. either Hubba Bubba Lucha (El Ligero/Bubblegum) or The Brotherhood (Constantine/‘Holier than thou’Ashton Brown).

‘Real Man’s Man’ Jules Lambrini  vs. Red Haired Loon

“Get that horrible thing away from me! I came here to fight” shouts Lambrini. Lambrini attempts a lockup but Loon ducks away, Lambrini undeterred follows and puts Loon’s bandana down his tights. With Loon distracted Lambrini assaults him from behind with forearms and punches, Lambrini continues the offence by choking Loon in the ropes. Lambrini stamps on Loon’s cape which just makes Loon mad! He fires off with a clothesline and forearm combination, before catching Lambrini with a back elbow (the fans go crazy) Loon attempts a pump handle but Lambrini reverses out into one of his own! Loon flies into the buckle where Lambrini low blows him. Loon is able to fight out once more and locks in a submission involving Lambrini’s hair which Lambrini taps too.

Match Time: 5 minutes
Winner: Red Haired Loon

My Thoughts:
Well that was a good fun comedy match. I had never seen the Red Haired Loon before but he and Lambrini but on a fun entertaining contest for the SAS fans. 5 minutes in this case seemed to be a good time limit as it wasn’t too short or overly long for the crowd. Lambrini’s character is one that I can see a lot of promotions using in the coming year, he’s just so damn entertaining.

Story of ‘Playboy’ Phil Bedwell

In a welcome addition (considering this was my first ever SAS show) Ben took time out to explain a storyline that has been progressing between Tag team partners ‘Playboy’ Phil Bedwell and ‘Hollywood’ Matt Damien. Bedwell unhappy at losing matches with his partner has become an alcoholic and Damien has been the voice of reason in the last few months.

Spud interrupts………

“I have been in SAS since the very beginning, but still I have had NO Title shot! Nobody thinks of little Spud…..I’m NOT leaving this ring until I get MY title shot”. The referees come out from the back and with lots of persuasion manage to get Spud out of the ring and backstage.

Bedwell challenges Damien!

Bedwell calls Damien to the ring, Damien is hesitant at first and looks disgusted at Bedwell, but finally enters. “I’m sick and tired! I’ve had enough of you Phil, you need help” Damien states. Bedwell replies in gibberish and tries to goad Damien into taking a shot at him! “Do it! Do It! Be a MAN” Bedwell shouts. Damien thinks about it, hesitates and walks away (disgusted). Ben announces a match between Damien and Bedwell for later tonight, Bedwell leaves to boos. Ben then announces that SAS will be back in the Collingwood Centre on April 19th 2008.

My Thoughts:
That was a great segment! I have never known a Ring Announcer to explain a storyline, so that was a great addition. Spud’s interruption was well worked and left the fans in two minds (some loved Spud, whilst others were bemused at his attitude). The Hollywood Playboys storyline is one which I would love to watch the entire back story to at a later date. So from that perspective on the back of one segment SAS has me and the SAS fans emotionally involved in at least two of their storylines. So a great job all around.

Jake vs. ‘Human Hate Machine’ Moralez

Jake’s shoulder is taped up (that would be a key factor later on). The fans clap and stomp, Moralez retorts with “Keep it down”, a lockup follows which Jake gets the better of by pushing Moralez back. Moralez is still able to push Jake off though, a few more intense lockups follow but every time Jake gets pushed off but to his credit he gets right back up and fights again. Jake connects with an arm drag but Moralez fires right back with a shoulder knock down, Jake responds with a series of vicious kicks before a mid-ring collision occurs. The two men trade offence, before Jake lays Moralez out with a trip into a DDT. Moralez returns to his feet and hits with a vicious German suplex followed by a picture perfect Tiger driver but that only manages a 2! Moralez unhappy at the count shouts 3 to which the crowd respond with 2. Moralez viciously attacks Jake’s shoulder with elbows and punches before the referee steps in, Moralez pushes the ref out of the way, with all control lost he calls for the DQ.

Match Time: 16 minutes
Winner by Disqualification: Jake

Aftermath:
Moralez is absolutely seething! He leaves the ring and picks up a Steel chair, and begins to lay into Jake’s shoulder with chair shot, after chair shot! The SAS referees run to Jake’s aid but are powerless to stop Moralez’s assault. Moralez throws the chair down and leaves (snarling at Jake and the fans). The fans start a “Loser, loser” chant which makes Moralez even madder, attention is back on the ring as after a lengthy process Jake returns to his feet (to rapturous cheers from the SAS crowd).

My Thoughts:
That was a great back and forth match. Jake who was a complete unknown to me going into the match showed a great deal of tenacity and courage against the much larger man Moralez. With his never say die attitude the fans were fully behind him, and from the response at the end it would seem he earned a great deal of respect from the crowd on this night. Moralez was fantastic as the evil brute, so much so that you couldn’t help but sympathise with Jake especially when the steel chair shots were raining down on him. This match was worth the £8 price of admission alone!

INTERMISSION

SAS UK Tag Titles Semi Final Match
Hubba Bubba Lucha (El Ligero/Bubblegum) vs. The Brotherhood (‘Holier than thou’ Ashton Brown/Constantine) w/Kris Godsize

Pre-Match:
The Kartel (Sha Samuels/Terry Frazier) decide to take seats on the entrance way in order to watch their two perspective opponents for the SAS UK Tag Titles. “You two are mugs and when it’s all said and done we are gonna be WINNERS”.

Match:
Ligero and Brown start the match with a lock up, the action becomes fast and furious with knock downs and leapfrogs before Ligero pulls off his trademark hurracanrana, Brown executes a kick in return, before Ligero finishes the sequence with a dropkick before tagging in Bubblegum. HBL execute a double hip-toss and leg drop combination before Bubblegum pushes Ligero into the air to connect with his standing moonsault. “He’s finished” Brown boasts before attempting a Swanton bomb (which he misses), Ligero is able to tag Bubblegum back in, Brown makes the tag to Constantine also. Bubblegum connects with an Enzuguri before Constantine fires back with a forearm and a spinning neck twist, Constantine continues the offence with a choke bomb but Bubblegum is able to tag Ligero back in. Brown orders Constantine to tag him back in also, Brown attempts a neck twist of his own but Ligero skilfully reverses out and rolls him up for the 3 count.

Match Time: 9 minutes
Winners and advancing to the SAS UK Tag Titles Final: Hubba Bubba Lucha

Aftermath:
The Kartel roll around laughing at HBL, whilst Constantine and Brown argue in the ring. Brown slaps Constantine which brings out Kris Travis and Martin Kirby who drag Brown away.

My Thoughts:
That was a short but effective tag team match. It was good to see Bubblegum back in the ring after the injury he sustained whilst wrestling for 1PW in December. HBL work well as a tag team and could become ‘the’ team on the scene in the months to come. The Brotherhood seem to be heading their separate ways (due to post match differences) but they were competitive in losing. The Kartel vs. HBL should be a cracking match when it takes place, one which I’d love to see live myself.

Radik Annenko vs. ‘Jamaica’s #1 Bobsledder’ Derice Coffie

The match starts with a dance-off of sorts (Coffie’s Jamaican wave vs. Annenko’s Russian dance). Coffie ducks under Annenko’s attempted lockup to Jamaican wave once more. A stamp-off ensues as Coffie states “I like it”. Coffie once again ducks Annenko’s attack and makes Annenko do the Jamaican wave (much to Annenko’s disgust and the crowd’s delight). “Da rastas” Coffie shouts allowing Annenko to eye rake him, but as Annenko attempts a power bomb, Coffie reverses out and connects with a cross body off of the 2nd rope. Annenko is able to use his strength to power bomb Coffie but can only manage a close near fall! Annenko tries to use the ropes as leverage, but Coffie uses that to roll up Annenko for the quick pinfall.

Match Time: 7 minutes
Winner: ‘Jamaica’s #1 Bobsledder’ Derice Coffie

My Thoughts:
That was a fun comedy match. Annenko like others on this card, is a wrestler I have not seen before. The dance-off and stamp-offs were a fun way for the contest to start, this match was defined by Annenko’s power and Coffie’s speed and agility. Coffie won this time around but with the way the match ended, could a rematch be in the future?

‘Hollywood’ Matt Damien vs. ‘Playboy’ Phil Bedwell

Bedwell slaps Damien, who FINALLY hits back knocking Bedwell down. Damien walks out once again, Bedwell sits dejected in the ring with microphone in hand “I’m sorry Matt, I’m sorry” the fans shout “Get some help Phil”. Damien returns to the ring (to thunderous applause). Bedwell admits “I’m an alcoholic” Damien replies “We are going to get you some help Phil” the fans clap and cheer as the Hollywood Playboys leave the ringside area.

Match Time: 1 minute
Winner: NO Contest

My Thoughts:
Well that was a feel good moment. This wasn’t a match but a continuation of a storyline, and one that I will be following closely in the coming months.

SAS UK Championship
Martin Stone vs. ‘Sadistic’ Jack Storm ©

“Stone’s gonna kill ya” chant starts up but Ben announces that Stone isn’t here (the referee begrudgingly raises Storm’s hand) he continues SAS management have found a suitable replacement………SPUD! (the fans go insane at that announcement).

SAS UK Championship
Spud vs. ‘Sadistic’ Jack Storm ©

Spud runs into the ring and ducks under Storm’s attempted elbow, before they both trade punches mid-ring. Spud shoulder blocks the larger Storm down, following up with an elbow and leg lariat causing Storm to leave the ring hastily. Storm rolls back in and immediately grabs a hold of Spud’s hair, Spud tries to punch out but it is blocked as Storm returns with one of his own. Spud knocks Storm over the top rope with a dropkick and the two proceed to fight around ringside (with Storm slamming Spud off of the announce table before throwing him into a door) the fans rally behind Spud by chanting his name. An inadvertent 2nd rope slingshot elbow by Spud takes out the referee, Storm grabs his SAS UK Championship and clocks Spud with it! The fans shout “nooooooooooo” 1, 2 Spud manages to get his shoulder up (much to the relief of the crowd) Storm berates the referee (unhappy at the count). Storm pushes the ref in the way as he and Spud trade punches, the ref is knocked down courtesy of Storm, but even with the ref down the battle continues causing the DQ.

Match Time: 18 minutes
Winner by Disqualification: Spud

Aftermath:
Moralez attacks Spud before the returning Jake evens up the odds. HBL help Jake and Spud run off Team Charming (Jack Storm/Moralez). Spud isn’t done though and launches himself on to Team Charming! “Stop this now! Or you will be fined and suspended” states an SAS Official. A re-match is made between Spud and Jack Storm but this time it will be inside a 15ft high steel cage! Spud brushes off both HBL and Jake and stands alone on the entrance ramp as the show ends.

My Thoughts:
That was a cracking way to end the show. The loss of Martin Stone should have been a big blow but Spud was a great alternative. The match itself was a highly contested back and forth affair that the fans were immersed in from start to finish, fully behind Spud as he battled the larger Storm. There were some incredibly close near falls (Storm clocking Spud with the SAS UK Championship comes to mind) which left the fans on the edge of the seat. The DQ finish might seem like a cheap way to go, but with the resulting steel cage match I think it was the right decision.

Overall Thoughts:
Lambrini vs. Loon was a fun short comedy match. The Spud/Hollywood Playboys segment was really good. Jake vs. Moralez was a great back and forth match, and my match of the night. HBL vs. The Brotherhood was a short but effective tag match and HBL vs. The Kartel looks promising in SAS UK Tag Titles final. Coffie vs. Annenko was another good comedy match. Bedwell vs. Damien was storyline continuation rather than a match. Spud vs. Storm was a cracking way to end the show.

Match of the Night:
Jake vs. ‘Human Hate Machine’ Moralez

Next Show:

Date: Saturday April 19th

Location:
Collingwood Centre,
Collingwood Drive
Great Barr, Birmingham
B43 7NF

Access To Facility: 6pm
Battle Commences: 6.30pm

Card thus far:

Main Event Engagement:
STEEL CAGE MATCH for the SAS United Kingdom Wrestling Championship: "Sadistic" Jack Storm © vs. Spud

Inaugural SAS United Kingdom Tag Team Tournament Final:
Hubba Bubba Lucha (Bubblegum & El Ligero) vs. The Kartel (Sha Samuels & Terry Frazier)

For more information on SAS check out their website: http://www.saswrestling.com or http://www.myspace.com/saswrestling

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the report. If you could take the time to give some feedback it would be greatly appreciated, I will always listen to constructive criticism.

If you are a wrestling promoter who would like your show reported on and publicised for the world to see, you can read samples of my previous work and contact me through (my) myspace. It is: www.myspace.com/brummieol