The notion of attending an independent pro wrestling event often conjures thoughts of small venues and aspiring talents. But Awesome Championship Wrestling (ACW) challenged these assumptions last Saturday in Poughkeepsie, New York. ACW Reckoning hosted a packed audience at the MJN Center and aired on Triller, presenting numerous matches with top-tier production, champions, and a dramatic steel cage match.
ACW Tag Team Championship Drama
The evening’s headline bout was a contentious and chaotic showdown. The Now, represented by Vik Dalishus and Hale Collins, defended their ACW Tag Team Championship against Sent 2 Slaughter, featuring Shawn Donovan and Danny Maff. The match intended to conclude a long-standing rivalry that included Donovan and Maff disrupting significant personal milestones for Dalishus and Collins.
In the climactic cage encounter, Collins and Maff ended at the point of victory with the cage door ajar. In a twist, both reached the floor at the same time, leading to a controversial ruling. The referees couldn’t agree on the winner, resulting in a tie. This sparked anger from Sent 2 Slaughter, who then targeted ACW officials.
The Righteous, wrestlers named Vincent and Dutch, joined the fray but instead of assisting Collins, they restrained him and seized the tag belts. This left Dalishus vulnerable to a brutal attack, culminating in multiple chair strikes and a severe piledriver.
Post-Match Consequences
Dalishus’ wife desperately intervened by banging on the cage for help as officials finally unlocked it. She shielded Dalishus from further harm as Sent 2 Slaughter retreated under a barrage of water bottles thrown by stunned fans.
Dalishus later disclosed his injuries via Instagram, showing photos of his condition. He expressed gratitude for the support received and indicated he is still undergoing medical evaluations.
Other Matches and Highlights
- Leo Sparrow successfully defended the ACW Cruiserweight Championship against GKM and Liamo.
- Vincent and Dutch triumphed over Wrecking Ball Lagursky and Yoscifer.
- Flip Gordon bested multiple opponents to claim the No. 1 contender spot for the ACW National Championship.
- Vicious Vicki and Lady Frost, aided by J Rod’s interference, overcame Steph De Lander and Indi Hartwell.
- Crowbar defeated Vargas in a Poughkeepsie Street Fight.
- Zack Clayton retained the ACW National Championship against Dante Casanova.
- Ben Bishop secured victory over Foxx Vinyer.
- Andrade El Idolo maintained hold of the Wrestling Knockout Chile Championship against Richard Holliday.
Hall of Fame Induction
The night also marked the induction of Randy Savage and Mike Bell into the MJN Center Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. Additionally, Killer Kross and Shotzi vowed to appear at ACW’s next event, Indypendence Day, on July 18.
Sami Zayn’s Introspection
Parallel to ACW, Sami Zayn of WWE has been reflecting on his turbulent career. Recently dethroned from the United States Championship by Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42, Zayn expressed dissatisfaction with evolving wrestling dynamics. He reminisced about a time when passion and talent guaranteed fan support and career advancement.
Zayn’s introspective comments resonated, highlighting his journey since debuting on WWE NXT over 15 years ago. Alongside reflecting on lost titles, he observed transitions in wrestling, including John Cena and A.J. Styles’ recent retirements and Kevin Owens’ injury.
Super Viernes and Supercard of Honor
Ring of Honor’s Supercard of Honor showcased Athena maintaining her championship in a grueling six-way match against formidable contenders.
- Sammy Guevara emerged victorious against Action Andretti.
- Rush overcame LSG.
- Mina Shirakawa and Queen Aminata won over Janai Kai and Lacey Lane.
- Dezmond Xaver and Myron Reed defeated Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese.
- Nigel McGuiness bested Josh Woods.
- Red Velvet retained her title against Viva Van.
- AR Fox successfully defended his championship against Lio Rush.
- Deonna Purrazzo remained the Women’s Pure Champion by defeating Diamante.
- Lee Moriarty upheld his Pure Championship against Ace Austin.
- The six-man tag titles went to Dalton Castle, Truth Magnum, and Turbo Floyd over Carlie Bravo, Shane Taylor, and Shawn Dean.
- Mark Davis retained the AEW National Championship against Xelhua.
- Bandido held onto the World Heavyweight Championship after facing Blake Christian.
Notable Developments
Further notable wrestling updates include:
- Dominik Mysterio’s Mega Championship defense on “Monday Night Raw.”
- Gunther earning a title shot against Cody Rhodes at Clash in Italy.
- Chelsea Green returning after a health hiatus.
- Darby Allin’s title defense streak continuing.
- Cedric Alexander’s new X Division championship victory.
- Major League Wrestling’s collaboration with Stardom for talent exchanges.