Just Wrestling: Tragedy and triumph in Providence

PROVIDENCE, RI – Just Wrestling’s show tonight at the “Pitz” in Providence was overshadowed by a tragic event that occurred after the conclusion of the night’s action. On his way from the arena, household-name Just tourist Jacob McKail was shot at by an obsessed fan. Although McKail was unhurt, we understand that several bystanders were injured and at least one is in a critical condition in hospital. The protagonist was shot and killed by police. Although further details have yet to emerge, we would like to issue our sincere condolences in the wake of a grievous and regrettable tragedy that puts into perspective the pale insignificance of what it is that we do in our wrestling shows. The remainder of this report should be read with this in mind.

Although the “Pitz” was far from full tonight, the fans who were in attendance drummed up a carnival atmosphere for a bumper show of seven well-contested singles matches. The focus was strictly on the wrestling, with no time for extended entrances or pre-match speeches, and Hush and Jak Nemesis set a frantic early pace that exhibited why neither of these talents will be jerking the curtain for much longer. It was Hush who came out victorious, and his impressive display was one of the highlights of the night. He was followed into the ‘W’ column by Bryan Dawkins, who made amends for a lax debut display last week. Although Juicy did give him a scare, after a time Dawkins’ far superior ring experience paid off and he electrified the arena with an immaculate execution of his signature Hawaiian Hangover to finish the match. Clark Fox was the third victor of the night, though a couple of botched spots here and there attested to the need to put the extremely young rookie in the ring with someone more focused than Skylar Montgomery, who seemed more intent on showing off his Donnie Darko mask than actually doing much wrestling.

We now came to a string of three matches with potentially significant consequences for the Just Wrestling Championship. Each of Jay Terror, Steve Harrison and “Normal” John Johnson was one victory away from the sequence of three that automatically draws a title shot in Just Wrestling, and two of them indeed went ahead and booked themselves a date with the Champion. Terror had to get through John Lexicon, and a very even match went a full twenty minutes, the longest of the night. The two were simply too evenly matched in the ring, each having to overcome a slight deficiency: Terror’s body looked very weary after his mammoth Dangerous Games win, while Lexicon was simply caked with ring-rust. This made for an enthralling contest as over the course of the match the wrestling got better, each man in turn responding to the need to incrementally raise his game in order to gain an edge on his tenacious opponent. By the end it could have gone either way, each rasping for breath and visibly wilting, Terror finally landing a devastating double-arm DDT from within the turnbuckles to put paid to Lexicon’s dogged resistance, and add his name next on the list for Championship opportunities.

Harrison had if anything an even stiffer task, having to get through Jacob McKail for his chance at the title belt. Despite the controversies that have forever cast him in shadow, McKail is a fearsome competitor respected at the highest levels, as attested by his recent entry into PRIME’s Jewel in the Crown tournament. Harrison did not shirk the challenge by any means. He did his best to take control of McKail, deploying his vast technical arsenal, but in the end just lacking the sort of high-impact move that could have knocked things up a notch. Nothing got past a two-count for him and as proceedings wore on, McKail began to recognise his opponent’s lack of a killer instinct. Now he could take the snapmares and scoop slams without too much fear, and was more free to seek out the opportunity for the big spot that would swing proceedings in his favour. He did so when a tiring Harrison couldn’t lift McKail in a suplex and fell into an unguarded neckbreaker that had medical staff scurrying to ringside. To his credit Harrison fought on, but he was clearly shaken and McKail could pick him off, securing his victory with the Fearless Freefall. McKail had denied Harrison his JWC opportunity, and now stands one win away from his own.

If Terror and Harrison had faced difficult opponents in their quest for the ‘WWW’, “Normal” John Johnson had difficulties on a different level given Max Danger’s pedigree. Yet tonight just as last week the former Just Wrestling Champion was not at his best. Perhaps his intense schedule of late has been reckless, wreaking havoc upon an ageing body. Whatever the reason, “The Maine Event” tonight was not Danger’s ability in the ring, it was his inability to channel it. Johnson found himself joyously countering grapples and reversing suplexes. It was all rather simpler than NJJ might have expected, but all the record books will remember is that “Normal” John Johnson defeated Max Danger, and so the “Normal” train rumbles on.

Johnson and Terror had qualified themselves to face the Champion. Now we had to find out who that would be: incumbent two-time JWC Aaron Nothings, or the upstart challenger who has come out of nowhere, Peyote Jones. Last time someone took the Championship out of obscurity, he rapidly lost it and faded back into it: that was Wone, who ended Nothings’ first title reign. Could Peyote Jones be the Wone of the Homecoming Tour – or, indeed, more than that? There was an uncanny resemblance between the two men as they came out for their match – not just in their unsteady gait, or their ruddy cheeks, or their scarred arms; but facially. Peyote Jones is, indeed, a lot like Aaron Nothings, and perhaps this was something that the Champion struggled with. The match was comical at times, as far a cry from Terror/Lexicon or Harrison/McKail as one could get: neither man looked in any condition to be in a wrestling ring, and if we all weren’t just so USED to the “Aaron Nothings experience” people might well have been demanding their money back. It was not a fine display of technical wrestling. It was not an absorbing back-and-forth encounter between two men who desperately wanted the JWC gold. What it was was a test of staying power. The offense was often criminally weak; the defense non-existent. There was barely a “wrestling move” to speak of.

But nonetheless it was a groundbreaking encounter for Just Wrestling fans, because after eight minutes of tortuous irrelevance, Peyote Jones landed the sort of blow to send chills through anyone associated with this promotion. He beat Aaron Nothings. With a sleeper hold. As the vanquished Champion dozed on the canvas, we witnessed a legion of converts to the church of Peyote. It certainly had been a bizarre encounter, but with Peyote Jones as Just Wrestling Champion, things will likely only get weirder.

Next week: Jacob McKail attempts to force his way into the three- (or four-)way Just Wrestling Championship match at tour’s end, but has to beat one participant who’s already booked his place in that match, Jay Terror, to get there.