2015 Scenic City Invitational

[Loss]

I picked this up today based on the hype and thought I'd start a thread to capture my thoughts. Other than Jimmy Rave and Moose, this is the first time I have seen any of these guys work.

 

Corey Hollis vs Joey Lynch

Well, this show certainly started off with a bang. Joey Lynch was fine and his selling was very good, but I was more focused on Corey Hollis here because of how the match was laid out. In fact, I was worried he was going to lose since he was taking so much of the match, which would have been disappointing since he's definitely a guy I want to see work more matches. Hollis works a lot like a young and slightly modernized Arn Anderson. He will probably be a great worker in a year or two, and he's already bordering on it. As mean as he already is, the meaner he wrestles in the future, the better he'll be. Anyway, he seems like a guy who is on the verge of finding himself.

 

The pacing of this match was really good. When I complain about the WWE working style, it's this type of pacing I wish there was more of there -- giving everything a little more time to breathe and adding a sense of importance to everything. That reverse top rope Michinoku Driver thing was an awfully big move to just be used for a nearfall, and that was the most glaring flaw of this match, but other than that, this was really good. At first, I thought they were doing too much in an opening match of a tournament, but I'll reserve judgment on that until I see how it's followed. I loved the finish with Hollis positioning the referee to his advantage (another lost art) and throwing in an eye poke to help secure the win. Hollis seems like a guy whose career will be fun to follow as he really sinks his teeth into his character, and I'm looking forward to seeing him work again. They packed a lot of good stuff into a relatively short match. ***1/2

[Loss]

Ace Rockwell vs Mark Vandy

I like the booking of this following the more action-packed opener. I don't mean this as an insult in any way, but it's a good "cooling off" match. The goal of the opener was to give a really good match and get people excited for what's to come. This seemed more like a showcase to tell new viewers like me that they showcase a variety of styles. Not much of a match I'll remember and I wouldn't call it anything better than decent, but it was the right match for the spot it's in. I also feel like I'm underselling what they're doing. This is a solid, hard-hitting match. Kinda feels like a miniature version of that Hero-Cannon match from IWA Mid South years ago in how it's paced. So far, the guys I've wanted to see more of have both advanced to Round 2!

[Dylan Waco]

Obviously I was there live and I loved the shows. I published my immediate, live experience, takeaway from the shows at Voices of Wrestling here: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/08/10/the-scenic-city-invitational-an-appreciation/

 

That said, I also bought the VOD and will be watching the show again over the course of the next few days. I am really interested to see how the production is. I have full faith in the commentary as Dan Wilson and Al Getz did great with the Styles v. Rave match that Whoo put out earlier this year, and Dan is in my view the best in business period.

 

Quick notes on Hollis and Lynch.

 

Hollis is a guy who has been on the cusp of breaking out for years. He has worked a lot of the "name" indies, including ROH many times as an opening match and/or enhancement type. At the last two ROH shows in Atlanta he's put in performances that got rave reviews from those who attended live, he was a finalist in this years Super Eight, a star of note in PWX which is the South's answer to a "super indie" (so is AWE arguably), and seems willing to travel. I think two things hurt him, his size which he can't help, and the fact that his size and look make him seem like a face, when I think he's much better as a heel. In Empire where the SCI is hosted Hollis, Ryan Vega and Chip Day make up the White Rose heel faction, and he is hated there. He plays it up and I think it adds a ton of depth to him. I think all of his best work (including as a "Jimmy Rave Approved" team member during the era where that unit was huge all over the region) has been as a heel and I hope his work in this tournament will push him over the edge into "indie star" territory.

 

Lynch on the other hand is an Empire guy primarily, and is still green. He and his brothers area all pretty good prospects (Matt Fortune and Bane are his siblings), but I think Joey is probably the most complete package of the three if you count look. He got some bookings in AWE recently, and it wouldn't shock me if it was partially due to his work on these shows as he was being raved about by a lot of people as one of the two big surprises of the tournament (the other being Jason Collins). I can see how Hollis would stand out more, but this was arguably the biggest match of Lynch's career and I think he acquitted himself well in it. I'll comment more on rewatch, but wanted to note that I think he is a guy I could see being a really big deal in a few years if he continues on his current path.

[shoe]

I'm looking forward to digging into this.

[Loss]

KT Hamill vs Moose

They had what some may call a handicap by having an undersized heel against a big, dominant babyface, but Hamill's stalling and comedy made this work where Moose could dominate Hamill without garnering sympathy for Hamill. This is the most Southern style match so far. I'm liking the diverse approaches to the matches. Hamill ends up targeting Moose's leg. The announcers foreshadow that his cockiness will be his downfall when he keeps stopping when he's in control to taunt the crowd. This was fun in how they made it competitive without undermining Moose's dominance, which is his calling card. Hamill made Moose look like a million bucks. There's a real shortage of enhancement guys who can do that so convincingly in wrestling now. ***

[Loss]

Kongo Kong vs Tank

Old style big man vs big man match. If only I hadn't watched Andre-Khan from New Japan so recently, I might have been able to clear my mind of that comparison. It's not fair but this match can't hold up to that. Kong sells exactly the way someone with that gimmick should sell, though. They built and built to Tank's superplex as the highspot of the match, and it got maybe the biggest reaction of any move so far on the show. So these guys have a good grasp of psychology. Kong's splash looked great. This was an okay spectacle that didn't really grab me, but I can't complain about all the variety we're seeing on this card.

[Tim Cooke]

Anthony Henry vs. Jimmy Rave had a super slick small package (going to gif it tonight), a great bail out by Rave that lead to a lower rope tope (for lack of a better description - think Austin Aries). Also liked how they constructed the opening, though execution wasn't always in sync. Nice match, around *** for me.

[concrete1992]

From the ratings I have seen I can confirm that I am lower on Hollis vs. Lynch than most but higher on Tank/Kong and Moose/Hamill. Those two matches made me want to eat several buckets of popcorn and scream for joy. If nothing else you can't say these shows don't have variety as I am only through half a card and everything feels fresh.

[shoe]

I thought how Hamill worked with Moose was borderline genius. Easily one of Moose's top 3 singles matches hes had. Hate to see Hamill go bye because I think he's the best worker in the tourny.

[shoe]

Obviously I was there live and I loved the shows. I published my immediate, live experience, takeaway from the shows at Voices of Wrestling here: http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/08/10/the-scenic-city-invitational-an-appreciation/

 

That said, I also bought the VOD and will be watching the show again over the course of the next few days. I am really interested to see how the production is. I have full faith in the commentary as Dan Wilson and Al Getz did great with the Styles v. Rave match that Whoo put out earlier this year, and Dan is in my view the best in business period.

 

Quick notes on Hollis and Lynch.

 

Hollis is a guy who has been on the cusp of breaking out for years. He has worked a lot of the "name" indies, including ROH many times as an opening match and/or enhancement type. At the last two ROH shows in Atlanta he's put in performances that got rave reviews from those who attended live, he was a finalist in this years Super Eight, a star of note in PWX which is the South's answer to a "super indie" (so is AWE arguably), and seems willing to travel. I think two things hurt him, his size which he can't help, and the fact that his size and look make him seem like a face, when I think he's much better as a heel. In Empire where the SCI is hosted Hollis, Ryan Vega and Chip Day make up the White Rose heel faction, and he is hated there. He plays it up and I think it adds a ton of depth to him. I think all of his best work (including as a "Jimmy Rave Approved" team member during the era where that unit was huge all over the region) has been as a heel and I hope his work in this tournament will push him over the edge into "indie star" territory.

 

Lynch on the other hand is an Empire guy primarily, and is still green. He and his brothers area all pretty good prospects (Matt Fortune and Bane are his siblings), but I think Joey is probably the most complete package of the three if you count look. He got some bookings in AWE recently, and it wouldn't shock me if it was partially due to his work on these shows as he was being raved about by a lot of people as one of the two big surprises of the tournament (the other being Jason Collins). I can see how Hollis would stand out more, but this was arguably the biggest match of Lynch's career and I think he acquitted himself well in it. I'll comment more on rewatch, but wanted to note that I think he is a guy I could see being a really big deal in a few years if he continues on his current path.

 

 

I just watched the Collins/Coleman match and by the end of the match I need to see more Collins.

[Loss]

Jason Collins vs Caprice Coleman

Probably the best match so far. Mostly worked on the mat and no real signs of excess, which was cool. Both guys impressed me. I think based on what I saw and how the announcers talked up his credibility, Collins winning was the right call, but Coleman strikes me as someone who could be a star because his very unique ring style, so he's someone I want to follow. This was closest in style to the first match, but the biggest difference was watching two guys who look like they're just about to put all the pieces together and here, I felt like I was watching two guys who had already solved the puzzle. Collins and Coleman worked with a lot of confidence. Part of me wishes they'd built a little bit bigger of a finishing stretch, but part of me likes that they didn't because they produced something different. Very good. ***1/2

[shoe]

I finished night one . I thought it was a very good show. Nothing was bad. A couple of mediocre matches. Most of the matches were good. My favorite was Caprice Coleman vs Jason Collins which I had at 3 1/2*. The show was cool because for the most part each match was worked differently . I bet they'll be a lot of different favorite match of the night.

[Loss]

Chip Day vs Gunner Miller

While they have showcased a variety of styles, one common theme in all the matches is that one wrestler is mostly dominant. I'm told this was really the first time Gunner had been on the defensive or looked vulnerable in any way, but he did that very well for someone not accustomed to it. Fun match, and between Hamill and Chip Day, I guess all the guys best at making others look good work at Empire.

[Dylan Waco]

Shoe you are the second person to say they had Coleman v. Collins as the MOTN on night one. Live I don't think anyone would have picked anything other than Rave v. Henry, which makes me really interested to see both of those matches on the VOD.

[Phil Schneider]

Man Caprice Coleman is still around? I remember him as Ice on the old Omega shows back in the 90s he has got to be getting on in years

[shoe]

Looks the same

[Dylan Waco]

Coleman is close to forty but you wouldn't know it looking at him. Given his age he is probably at the peak of where he is going to go in the business now. As a regular with ROH who isn't a complete jobber, he's really not in a bad spot given his age, especially because he usually has his run of Southeast indies to fill dates with. That said a guy with his look, charisma, and dynamism in the ring really deserved to get more chances. I just watched the Collins match on VOD, and he deserves a lot of credit for busting his ass when he was only in for one night, and losing to a relative unknown in the wrestling business. A lot of guys would have pouted, brought their C game, or coasted, but Caprice worked as hard as you'll ever see him work. Makes you wish ROH would give him a bit more of a push even if it's obvious that he's never going to be a main event player.

 

Collins has improved so much it's hard to believe it's the same guy. He used to be the absolute shits just a few years back, and now I'd argue he's one of the 10-15 best guys in that North Georgia/East TN scene, which is a way bigger compliment than it sounds like it is, as the area is talent rich. Loved the suplex variations, the stiffness of his strikes, and the way the match built and was paced. In the building this match was probably the surprise of the first night - if not the entire tournament - and it holds up well on tape.

[Loss]

I've been trying to find you, Dylan, but I'm having trouble. Where are you in the crowd?

[Dylan Waco]

Front row. Left of hardcam.

[shoe]

I thought I saw you and your dad for a few seconds. I'm glad you didn't pull a Meltzer and have a note pad with you.

[KrisZ]

Dylan is rocking a pink shirt on Night 2 and his dad gets no-sold on a high five by Jason Collins...

 

This tournament is one of the best independent tournaments I've ever seen and a tremendous two nights of action.....I implore everyone to buy this.

[shoe]

Jimmy Rave vs Gunner Miller

Rave putting over Gunner's strength early. Loving Rave begging off to the crowd. Rave is really playing NWA champion here. This is an amazing performance from Rave. Rave is doing what Flair did in the 80's and has the crowd believing that Miller is this unstoppable force. Loved the Electric Chair German Suplex by Miller. The playing possum is a call back to the night before. What a great finish to keep Miller strong.What a performance and great match. Plus we get a Rick Michaels sighting. Rave shows off his versatility here. 3 1/2*

[Loss]

Jimmy Rave vs Anthony Henry

This was a great vet vs young lion match. Rave is really good at adding these personal veteran touches to matches to make them stand out from the pack. They were doing a style very much consistent with where wrestling is now, but things like Rave spitting in Henry's face and all the rolling outside the ring gave this some extra weight. Rave was doing character work without seeming hammy. This was really well laid out with a strong beginning, middle and end. What's impressive is that they enhanced Rave's credibility as a veteran, but Henry also came out of this looking much better than I suspect he did going in because he pushed Rave to the limit. This is a guy with great athleticism that will be great one day if he keeps facing opponents of this caliber. That vet vs young guy dynamic, when done properly, is my favorite in wrestling, and this match definitely gave us that. All the jockeying for position on the apron felt like a 1995 Akira Taue match. Only one more match to go in Round 1, but I suspect that this will be match of the night. ****

[Loss]

Gunner vs Chrisjen Hayme

More guys should really douche spell their names. Such easy heat. I think this match was a little long for what they were going for, but this is a master's class in how to make a musclehead babyface look great. I tweeted that if Chrisjen Hayme, KT Hamill and Chip Day were in WWE, Roman Reigns would be by far the biggest star in the world. All three of them are just excellent at working with a bigger babyface and making him look like a million dollars. Lots of fun for that reason.

[shoe]

Jimmy Rave vs Gunner vs Corey Hollis vs Kongo Kong

Kong dominating Gunner early. Rave in, and tags Hollis in. Kong and Hollis. Hollis eating all of Kong's offense. Gunner jumps down forcing Rave to wrestle. Rave taking a beating. Hollis bumping for Kong. Now he's got to deal with Gunner. Watching Gunner and Rave on the mat. Rave looks to be going after the leg. Yet he tags in Kong. What a bump by Kong. I want to see a Hollis vs Gunner match. Rave with some nasty leg work. Hollis and Rave look to working together. Gunner is great at selling this. Wow Al Getz tells Dylan Hales bus ride story. Gunner's selling is top notch. Big fuck up by the heels. Kong is a house of fire. In typical babyface Manner Gunner hobbles into the ring for a fight. This match rules. I hated that Gunner used his bad wheel to take out Kong. I could have lived with a spear. Gunner leg gives out on a leap frog. Dragon screw into a 1/2 Boston Crab. Hollis eating all of Gunnar's offense. Hollis finisher is poison for his opponents. Now Rave can morph into a babyface. Final 2 and it's for all the marbles. These guys are selling a battle. Both guys not giving an inch. If the match ended with the crossface I'd been happy. Another guy runs in. I feel if we didn't get the 2 run ins we're looking at a MOTYC. We did though and it's still an excellent match 4*.