Assault Wrestling Alliance held its latest show, “March Madhouse 2” from the Assault Asylum inside Unique Sports Academy in Waldorf, Maryland on March 25, 2023. Here’s what happened:
MATCH #1
VLADIMIR KOLOFF (c) vs. VAZIRI HASSAN vs. EVEREST vs. TY AWESOME vs. CODENAME FLX
AWA OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH
A week before this event, new Assault Wrestling Alliance commissioner, Bill Alfonso (of ECW fame), announced that this match, which was to be a triple threat match, would be changed to a fatal five way ladder match. In addition, Alfonso announced that every match on this card would be a no-disqualification match.
The only names announced for this match in advance were champion Vladimir Koloff and Codename FLX. Added to the mix were up-and-comer Ty Awesome, Everest, and newcomer Vaziri Hassan. Hassan, whose arrival in AWA had been announced for some time, entered from the side door, accompanied by Mr. Salazar wearing a keffiyah and giving off Ayatollah Blassie vibes.
Before the bell rang, Everest set his sights on Vladimir Koloff and chased the champion to the dressing room. They would re-appear moments later, brawling all over the arena. As the others battled around ringside, Koloff was the first to grab a ladder and go for the belt. Everest quickly caught up with Koloff and knocked him and the ladder down.
Hassan found himself in trouble when Codename FLX locked him in an airplane spin. Hassan was so wobbly afterward, that a light poke to the chest from FLX was enough to knock him over. Vaziri would regroup and use a spike to punish FLX, then threw him out and looked to climb the ladder. Hassan kept everyone from entering the ring, until Ty Awesome sprang in from the apron to catch Hassan at the last second.
Hassan rolled outside with all of the other competitors and was flattened by a Ty Awesome springboard plancha. Ty did not get all of the plancha like he hoped, but it was enough to flatten Hassan, FLX, and Everest. Awesome set up the ladder but was caught by Codename FLX. As they rolled outside, Vaziri Hassan appeared to be alone in the ring. He did not see Everest, who charged from the corner and leveled him with a spear. The massive Everest did not need a ladder. He stepped on the fallen Hassan, reached up, and grabbed the title belt anyway.
WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION: EVEREST
MATCH #2
BLOOD BROTHERS (c) vs. GOLDEN GLOVERS vs. TONY MACKO & WARWULF
AWA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
Before this match got started, Bill Alfonso had some comments for the AWA Tag Team Champions, Max Mercy and Raze, the Blood Brothers. Alfonso said big things could be in store for the tag champs if they were to impress him in this title defense. Their opponents for this match were The Golden Glovers, Landon Hernandez and Cesar Bambino, as well as Tony Macko & Warwulf Kreed.
In the opening moments of the match, Kreed, Macko, Hernandez and Bambino all tried to get Raze off of his feet, using a four way dropkick to finally send the big man crashing to the outside. From there, Hernandez hit a running dropkick to Warwulf Kreed and Cesar Bambino hit a cannonball to all parties from the apron to get the crowd on its feet.
Macko re-entered and faced off with Landon Hernandez. However, when Macko tried to come off the ropes, Raze pulled the ropes down from the outside, sending Macko crashing to the floor. The Golden Glovers tried to double team Raze in the ring with back-to-back spears and dropkicks. Warwulf returned and dropkicked Bambino out of a Raze body slam. Hernandez followed with a frog splash, but managed just a two count.
Max Mercy returned to the ring and helped Raze right the ship against Landon Hernandez. Raze threw Hernandez from the top rope down to the mat. After a quick double team beatdown, Raze stood guard to keep everyone else from getting back into the ring as Max Mercy put one foot on top of Landon Hernandez for the win. After the match, the Blood Brothers’ manager, OTP, took to the microphone and said that, from now on, the Blood Brothers would do what they can to make the new commissioner proud.
WINNERS: BLOOD BROTHERS
MATCH #3
IRVIN LEGEND vs. ZION HART
As usual, Irvin Legend started the match playing mind games with his former protégé, the Mat Monster, Zion Hart. Legend refused to get in the ring at first, then slapped Hart across the face. The two men brawled until Legend gained the upper hand and continued insulting Hart by rubbing Hart’s face in the mat.
The action spilled outside where Legend maintained the advantage by crotching Hart on the guardrail and slamming his arm into the apron as Mr. Salazar’s taunted the crowd with Legend’s success. Legend returned to the ring first, and snapped Hart’s neck on the middle rope when Hart tried to join him. When Hart climbed back up, Legend knocked him off again and distracted the referee so Mr. Salazar could do more damage.
Hart mounted a comeback with a flurry of strikes and a tightrope arm drag from the middle of the ropes. Legend powdered to regroup, but Hart followed him. Zion pummeled Legend on the outside, then held his arms so fans around ringside could take shots at Legend’s chest. Legend countered with a shot that stunned Hart and threw Zion back inside.
Legend used a modified back breaker and second rope double axe handle to maintain control and chuckled as he hit a slow Garvin stomp while taunting Hart and the fans. Legend held a rear choke momentarily, but Hart punched his way out and back up to his feet. Hart hit two running clotheslines and a drop kick, then pulled down the straps on his singlet and hulked up.
Legend remained composed and withstood the storm, then dropped an elbow on Hart from a reverse face lock and trapped him in an old school figure four leg lock. Hart refused to quit, so Legend started choking him at that same time. That forced Hart to submit, but the bell did not force Legend to release the hold or end Hart’s suffering.
WINNER: IRVIN LEGEND
MATCH #4
ANTHONY ATHENS vs. O’SHAY EDWARDS
MERCILESS CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDERS MATCH
These two competitors looked to be evenly matched as they stood in the ring, nose-to-nose, before the bell rang in this Merciless Title number one contender match. Little changed once the match started. Athens slammed Edwards, Edwards slammed Athens, then they did it again. An Athens double axe handle to the chest sent Edwards outside to regroup.
Athens tried to prevent Edwards from getting back into the ring, but Edwards snapped his neck on the middle rope and did a sunset flip from the apron. This time, Athens rolled out of the ring but Edwards followed. The two men took turns punishing one another around ringside until Edwards tossed Athens into the steel ring steps and rolled back inside.
Athens followed moments later and regained the upper hand with a spear in one corner, a splash in the opposite corner, and a fall away slam for a two count. Athens whipped Edwards into the corner again, but Edwards got an elbow up as Athens charged. From there, O’Shay hit a splash in the corner, a Razor’s Edge into the turnbuckle, and an exploder suplex and nearly got the pin.
Edwards hit a snap mare and lined up Athens for a running kick, but Athens moved at the last second and countered with a spinebuster for a near fall. Athens fell into one corner and started tuning up the band as Edwards slowly made it to his feet. Athens charged, but missed the bicycle kick. Edwards ducked, then sent Athens into the ropes.
The result was simultaneous cross body attempts that left both men down on the mat. Just as Edwards and Athens made it to their feet and re-engaged, the bell rang and the match was determined to be a time limit draw. No one in the arena was satisfied with the result. Edwards and Athens brawled until officials ran in from the back as the fans chanted, “Let them fight! Let them fight!” As Edwards returned to the dressing room, he challenged Athens to a rematch. On Twitter the next day, Anthony Athens made it known that he’s game.
WINNER: TIME LIMIT DRAW
MATCH #5
MOTHER ENDLESS (c) vs. OLIVIA DEVINE
AWA ROSE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SUBMISSION MATCH
In the same announcement video were Bill Alfonso changed the opening match to a ladder match, the AWA commissioner decided that the Rose Division Championship match would be a submissions-only match. Challenger Olivia Devine forgot about the stipulation early and attempted a pinfall after a basement dropkick and a DDT.
As the referee reminded Devine that pinfalls were not allowed, Mother Endless raked her eyes and shoved the challenger into one corner. The champion pummeled Devine with kicks, then whipped her into the opposite corner so hard that Devine collapsed. Endless hit a cannonball in one corner, then used a boot choke to keep Devine down.
Devine started a rally when she caught a Mother Endless boot and countered with a sit out power bomb. Devine grabbed a single leg momentarily, but the champion reversed it into a leg scissors around Devine’s mid-section. Devine managed to kick her way out, briefly, but quickly found herself locked back in the submission hold.
Finally, Devine made it back to her feet and hit a bicycle kick that sent Mother Endless out to the floor. Devine chased, but Endless slid in and out of the ring to avoid her. Eventually, though, Devine caught up with Mother Endless on the near side of the ring, but it was a trap. The champion jumped on Devine’s back with a sleeper hold that slowly turned the lights out for the challenger.
WINNER: MOTHER ENDLESS
MATCH #6
VLADIMIR KOLOFF (c) vs. TIM STORM
AWA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
The former NWA World Champion, Tim Storm, looked to be in great shape for this world title contest against the evil Russian, Vladimir Koloff. The champ thought he could play mind games to start the match, but Storm was not impressed. Storm brought the crowd to its feet with Dusty Rhodes-inspired offense, including a Bionic Elbow, then hit a swinging neck breaker for a two count. Storm stood on the second rope and hammered Koloff with punches as the crowd counted along.
Koloff withstood the barrage from Storm and used a low blow to gain the upper hand and choked Storm on the middle rope. Koloff went back outside and grabbed a chair from ringside and slammed it into Storm’s back repeatedly. From there, Koloff used the chair to choke Storm even more. Koloff laid the chair across Storm’s chest and crashed down hard onto it twice. The third time, however, Storm turned the chair sideways, causing a painful moment for the champion.
Instead of capitalizing, Storm decided to try to unmask Koloff. The champion countered with a suplex onto the steel chair and went for another. Storm reversed the second attempt into one of his own and sent the champion crashing into the steel chair. Storm went for another chair attack, but Koloff grabbed the chair and blocked it. In response, Storm threw the chair at Koloff and kicked it into his face when the champion caught it.
Later, Koloff set the chair up in the middle of the ring and slammed Storm’s head into it. Koloff charged, but Storm used a Raven-style drop toe hold to send Koloff’s face crashing into the steel. Storm tried to position the chair between two ropes in one corner, but the chair fell. Still, Storm whipped Koloff into that corner, then set up the chair in another corner. When Koloff slumped into the corner near the chair, Storm got in a football stance and charged. Koloff sidestepped Storm and threw him head-first into the chair.
Koloff hammered Storm with several more chair shots and signaled for the end. As Koloff came off the ropes, Storm reversed him into a spinning urunage that seemed certain to end the match. For some reason, Bill Alfonso ran in and stopped the referee’s count at two. As Storm came over to figure out what Alfonso was doing, Koloff snuck up and hit a DDT onto the chair and made the easy cover.
After the match, it was clear a new alliance had been formed as Alfonso and Koloff shook hands and celebrated together in the ring. The new AWA Open Champion, Everest ran in from the back to assist Storm and chase off the bad guys, but not before the damage had been done.
WINNER: VLADIMIR KOLOFF
I remember thinking last year’s crowd for March Madhouse was hotter than usual. Maybe there’s just something about this event or this time of year because this crowd might have been hotter than last year’s. The excitement for the main event and the chants of “USA! USA!” for Tim Storm against the evil Russian heel gave off NWA Saturdays at 6:05 in the studio vibes. It really brought the whole show to life.
Some notes about the main AWA performers:
- Zion Hart improves every single show. He is going to be something special if he keeps at it.
- I think we are going to see a lot more, and some good things, from Landon Hernandez & Cesar Bambino, even if they support the wrong NL East baseball team (Go Braves).
- Vladimir Koloff is a great heel champion. Every person at every show is dying to see him get what’s coming to him, but he never does. Great stuff.
- Anthony Athens looks bigger and more menacing every time I see him in person. The match with O’Shay Edwards was a war that has to have a sequel.
Assault Wrestling Alliance’s next event is coming up on May 27, 2023. Keep an eye on the AWA Facebook page for ticket information. Also, stay tuned to AWA’s Youtube channel for full matches from this show to appear in the very near future.
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