Spring Showdown
5.11.02
Burlington, N.C.

Includes:

1- Johnny Blaze vs. Ethan Cage

FWA Carolinas Tag Team Title Match
2 - The $outh$ide Playas vs. "Iceman" Joe Storm (c) & Rob "The Bull" McBride

Grudge Match
3 - Madd Maxx vs. Otto Schwanz

4 - C.W. Anderson & Cham Pain vs. Corey Edsel & Kenny James (with Brad Stutts)

FWA Carolinas Cruiserweight Title Match
5- Sexton Tyler (c) vs. "The Original Freakshow" Nemesis

6-Person Mixed Match
6- Mikael Yamaha, Amber Holly & Gemini Kid
vs.
"Slick" Ric Converse, GeeStar & J.T. Sparxx
w/Special K, Brad Stutts and Corey Edsel

No Disqualification Match
7 - Don & Rocky Kernodle vs. The Main Attraction (with Brad Stutts)

CWF/FWA-Carolinas returned to the Lakeview Civitans Ballfield in Burlington, NC for the second annual "Spring Showdown" show on Saturday, May 11th for an exciting evening with wrestling's past, present, and future all on display. The successful event helped raise additional funds to help support youth athletics with the Burlington Lakeview Civitans.

The evening opened with a 10-bell salute for the recently lost legends of the sport including the greatest wrestler of all time, Lou Thesz. Don Kernodle then delivered a speech, introducing Carolina legend Johnny Weaver to a tremendous ovation.

The opening contest of the night had rookie Johnny Blaze upsetting the more experienced Ethan Cage. Blaze reversed a flying bodypress off the top rope and scored the pinfall at the 11:18 mark.

Rob "The Bull" McBride and 1/2 of the FWA-Carolinas Tag Team Champions "Iceman" Joe Storm made their way to the ring but were met with a surprise announcement from FWA-Carolinas Commissioner William L. Cross. Cross declared that since Damien Storm had not returned to FWA-Carolinas rings to defend his half of the tag team title since winning them in February, McBride would be taking his place in the championship duo, thereby making tonight's match an unexpected title defense for the champions! In addition, Cross also declared that if Joe Storm used his customary kendo stick in tonight's contest, he would find himself handed an immediate suspension.

The former champions, The $outh$ide Playas (J-Money and L.A. Cash) made their way to the ring where 9 minutes and 12 seconds later, found themselves the proud owners of a second FWA-Carolinas Tag Team Title reign. After a fast paced battle, the Playas hit their "3-P" on Rob McBride which allowed J-Money to score the pinfall for the win.

Joe Storm was distraught by the title loss and snapped. He brutally assaulted J-Money with his kendo stick at which point Commissioner Cross stepped directly in the line of fire, grabbing the stick away from Storm, and handing the "Iceman" an immediate suspension from FWA-Carolinas! The crowd cheered for the commissioner's tough stance and Storm was escorted away with no word how long the suspension will be for.

The third bout of the evening would be a grudge match that had started six months ago and was still raging strong. Otto Schwanz got the better of Madd Maxx on this occasion, scoring the pinfall in 11:42 after hitting Maxx with a foreign object that went unnoticed by the referee.

The "Indy Dream Team" of C.W. Anderson and Cham Pain returned to action teaming up to defeat the duo of Corey Edsel and Kenny James in 11:00 when Anderson pinned James with a spinebuster. Edsel and James did prove to be a worthy, if not cohesive duo, as Edsel and his manager Brad Stutts left a distraught Kenny James behind in the ring following the loss.

FWA-Carolinas Cruiserweight Champion Sexton Tyler successful defended his title against one of the Carolina's top cruiserweights, "The Original Freakshow" Nemesis. Tyler scored the pinfall in 6:48 following his "Sexplex" (vertical suplex into an Ace Crusher).

In one of the wildest 6-person tag team bouts in recent memory, HYP: the Hostile Youth Project "Slick" Ric Converse, J.T. Sparxx, and GeeStar (with Corey Edsel, Special K, and Brad Stutts in their corner) faced the first-ever pairing of the Hirydaz: Mikael Yamaha and FWA Women's World Champion Amber Holly alongside their long time rival, the Gemini Kid. The Hirydaz and Gemini actually worked together better than anyone expected going into the match, but the climax of an incredibly chaotic finish had manager Brad Stutts getting involved, knocking out Yamaha with his briefcase which allowed Converse to score the pin in 9:54.

However, that was hardly the end of the story. With brawls happening all over ringside between the competitors, Special K and Amber Holly found themselves face to face in the ring with Special K challenging Holly to a one on one contest. With the fans going nuts, Amber blocked K's punch, only to be attacked from behind by GeeStar. Gee delivered her "GVD" (Death Valley Driver) to Amber.

GeeStar and Brad Stutts then held Amber's arms and legs to the mats while calling in Corey Edsel. With Yamaha and Gemini at bay and the other HYP members screaming at a hesitant Edsel to finish her off, Corey finally gave in and delivered a crushing 350+ pound splash onto the prone body of Amber Holly. As Holly clutched her ribs in pain, the HYP began to make a retreat. An infuriated Gemini Kid made a challenge to Corey Edsel for a one on one matchup on June 1st at the Graham Recreation Center in Graham, NC. Edsel didn't want the match but manager Brad Stutts happily accepted the challenge.

In the main event, in a classic matchup of youth vs. experience, legends Don and Rocky Kernodle defeated the "best unsigned tag team in the world," Main Attraction ("Mr. Business" Scott Powers & "Mr. Pleasure" Chris Steele) in 15:17 of a highly physical no-disqualification match when Don pinned Powers and Rocky pinned Steele.