With DarkClaw doing the Insiders reviews now, I can start reviewing FWA Carolinas videos in my familiar rant style exclusively for this site. This is the June 1st show, dubbed Defiance.

Dave Greco vs. Seymour Snott opens things up. Greco is one of the two JAPW guys on this show, who will be back July 20th by the way. Snott drop toeholds early but Greco takes the advantage, not counting a Snott sunset flip that gets cut off by a clothesline. Side Russian legsweep into a submission hold from Greco. Big side suplex gets two but an inverted DDT turns the tide. Snott with a back elbow and crossbody until a jawbreaker (or Bareback, or Franchiser, or whatever) cuts him off. That only gets two and Greco jaws with the ref, giving Snott the opportunity to hit the Snott Drop for the three count. Pretty quick, but not bad by any means. *1/2

Brandi Alexander has got GeeStar at her side and challenges Amber Holly for the FWA World Women's Title. Brandi wrestles Amber to the mat quickly but ends up on the floor. Amber with a cross-armbreaker that Brandi finally escapes, trip from Gee changes the momentum and Brandi takes over. Choking and then Brandi works on the injured knee with a half Boston. Charge into the corner misses and leads to a rollup and nearfall, but Alexander takes the advantage right back. Figure four on the knee of Holly with an assist from Gee. It gets reversed but Alexander quickly makes the ropes and goes right back to the knee. Brandi goes up top but takes a Flair slam and then a spear. Weak looking clotheslines from Holly; a backdrop attempt is countered with a neckbreaker but Alexander celebrates too long and gets inside cradled for three. Nothing spectacular, but decent psychology, match made sense. *1/2

Kenny James, Ethan Cage & Otto Schwanz vs. Malaki, Johnny Blaze & Madd Maxx. New FOX Network special: When Overbooking Attacks! For some reason, all the babyfaces have chairs, but they don't actually come into play. Blaze and Cage start, with the first minute or so already looking crisper than their Spring Showdown match. Good elevation from Blaze on a leapfrog and dropkick, clothesline gets blocked and he gets slammed. Kenny James tags in, works a side headlock but eventually eats a clothesline and ends up in the baby corner. Tag in to Malaki and he and Maxx hit their double-team finisher on James. Nice dropkick from Malaki, tag into Maxx. Tilt-a-whirl slam that was mostly Maxx. Otto excitedly tags in and the ass-picking commences. Blaze and Ethan end up in again and Blaze hits a nice wrap-around sunset flip followed by a crucifix in the same style. Powerbomb from Cage and James tags in. Quick tag to Otto and then back to Ethan, who hits a T-bone suplex. Lukewarm tag to Maxx who gets funky like a monkey on Ethan and James. Tag to Malaki who powerslams, legdrops, and tags Blaze back in. Clotheslines abound until Malaki and James tag in, pier-six breaks out and Malaki HITS the superkick on James but walks into a brain scrambler from Schwanz for the pin. Considering the thrown-together nature of the match, this was very acceptable. **1/4

Main Attraction vs Amazing Sideshow & L.A. Stephens vs Tag Champions $outh$ide Playas. Chris Steele and Sideshow #2 (that's the doll, by the way) have a brief dance-off before the match. Money and Steele start with Money getting the upperhand. Tags to Cash and Powers, who takes a great big bump into the corner and then an axe kick. Double back-elbows and a flapjack from the Playas, but Sideshow tags in. Back elbow and a standing dropkick. Steele tags in and gets a flying mare before Stephens tags himself in. The veteran takes a kick and clothesline and spin kick before Cash tags in and takes some double-team moves from Main Attraction. Powers drops a forearm off the top and a couple of backbreakers. Missile dropkick from Steele misses and the Cash drop connects before tagging in to Money. Rear chinlock from Stephens makes Steele think about giving it up but Powers saves. Money tags in and Russian legsweeps. Springboard elbow from Steele, followed by a full nelson-kick-face bulldog combo. Powers misses the big elbow and Stephens tags in. Knee to the sternum on Cash and an abdominal stretch. Powers with a nice top-rope elbow that missed. Room temperature tag to Money and Steele. Falcon arrow gets two and it's pandemonium. Stephens gets hits with a double face bulldog from the Playas and they retain. Clustered, but wasn't really bad or anything, call it *1/2-ish, maybe a little higher. Playas and MA cut promos on each other to set up their title match for Hostile Intentions.

Corey Edsel w/ annoying manager and GeeStar vs. Gemini Kid. Gemini takes out the leg early and pounds on it some but eventually gets caught and slammed. Big right hands and elbows from Corey and a scoop slam. Top-rope elbowdrop misses and I dare you to find me another 330-pounder who can get up that high. Gemini figure fours the leg, but Corey eventually makes the ropes. Powder to the floor where HYP regroups. Avalanche splash in the corner and GeeStar chokes against the ropes. Edsel goes for the avalanche brainbuster but gets kneed in the head. That'll get you seeing stars. Shinnnningggg wizzzarrrd from Gemini, and another one, that gets two. Gemini ducks the clothesline and dropkicks the knee. STF follows but annoying manager interrupts and Edsel crushed Kid. Shining enziguri gets ducked and Gemini hits the STF again. Gee slides in and distracts but Edsel regroups, hits a vertical splash and then a Vader splash out of the corner for the three count. Good. Difficult for me to be objective on some of these, but I'd go at least **1/2. Commish carrying a chair hits the ring, Edsel takes his head off with a clothesline, Hyridaz save.

Billy "Human Highlight" Reil vs Mikael Yamaha. Dubbed a "northeast versus southeast" cruiserweight challenge. Reil cuts a promo ripping on, well, everything before the match. They trade wristlocks and hammerlocks to start, Yam gets some offense in with shoulderblocks and takedowns, both go for dropkicks at the same time and it's a faceoff. Headscissors and Japanese armdrag from Yam, who gets some good offense in but gets cut off after a headscissors attempt and inverted powerbombed. Heel tactics galore from Reil, who takes a backslide and la magistral cradle but gets a moderately-super kick and back elbow to turn the tide. Springboard bulldog from Yam gets blocked with a belly-to-back for two. Floatover suplex gets two and Yam gets a big cross body off the top for two. Nice spinning DDT that takes both men down. They slug it out and Reil gets a powerbomb for two. Slam in the corner and a springboard second-rope moonsault from Reil, who goes up top but gets crotched and Yamaha nails a top-rope Northern Lights Bomb but Reil is in the ropes. Northern Lights Bomb is blocked, and Reil gets a fireman's carry-into-a-Michinoku Driver II for two. Reil goes for a powerbomb but it gets blocked by a Yamikaze Driver for the three count. Good match, **3/4.

Final analysis: Yamaha suffers the infamous back injury at the finish and we call the scheduled main event of Ric Converse vs Sexton Tyler off. Still, an easily recommended show from top to bottom.

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