ASÉ Wrestling was back at the Slingshot Social Club in Charlotte for “ASÉ 10”, live on YouTube. This was their second time in the venue, and it was lit better than the first. Still room to improve, but definitely looked better with fewer shadowy spots. Chris Lea and Big Swole were on commentary. Good team. Lea is the straight man with Swole getting in some good one-liners but making sure always to do the job of the color commentator: give background and analysis, and even some solid constructive criticism.
Keith Mack vs. Dontay Khalifah
A pair of entertaining pre-show bouts. The Dontay Khalifah defeated his mentor, Keith Mack. Khalifah isn’t just good in the ring, but he was fiery on the mic with a post-match interview with Gerard Bonner.
Ashton Starr vs. Saint Julious
Ashton Starr got a win over Saint Julious. After Starr’s win, his giant new bodyguard got into a face-off with lead security guy Dre, who had to take out Starr’s second on the last show. More to come from that situation, I’m sure.
Mia Friday vs. Tasha Steelz
Tasha Steelz of TNA’s Order 4 group defeated young prospect Mia Friday in the opener of the main show. Steelz came out and made a beeline for Swole, wife of Cedric Alexander, still upset over the Lumbar Check backbreaker Alexander gave her at TNA Slammiversary. I love wrestlers and companies remembering and using these kinds of details. Nice match. Friday looks better every time I see her. After another confrontation after the match with Swole, Steelz sends out a warning to whoever wins the ASÉ Women’s title tournament that she’s waiting.
Billy Dixon vs. Ryan Rembrandt
Pick Your Poison Match
“The Business” Billy Dixon won his Pick Your Poison match, beating “Remarkable” Ryan Rembrandt, chosen by Rembrandt’s mentor and Dixon’s years-long hated enemy and current ASÉ Men’s Champion, “The All Father” Darius Carter. Dixon gives me such strong Bad Bad Leroy Brown vibes, and I love him for it. Nice match with a simple finish as the 280lbs Dixon beat Rembrandt with a Thesz Press from the middle rope. At his size, that’s a finish. This secured a title shot for Dixon. A disappointed Carter reprimanded Rembrandt and then begrudgingly signed for the title match.
Darius Carter (c) vs. Jordan Holt
ASÉ Men’s Championship
Not reading the contract, it also triggered HIS Pick Your Poison match, which not only would be on this show, where he already has a match booked, but a title match against Jordan Holt of the Uglee Gang, who Carter replaced in the Men’s Title tournament last year, so that story came full circle. Good match to follow a good angle with Carter winning clean with the Foreclosure (Cobra Clutch into a face plant).
Frontman Jah-C vs. Jonathan Gresham
Rounds Match
Former Ring of Honor World champion “The Octopus” Jonathan Gresham brought his Modern Age of Grappling (6 5-minute rounds, winner determined by pinfall, knockout, countout, ref stoppage) concept to ASE Wrestling, defeating “Frontman” Jah-C at :55 of the 3rd round. For his first time in a rounds-style match, Jah looked good and had some smart strategy in trying to remove Gresham’s boot, which forced Gresham to spend his time between rounds fixing it instead of resting and catching his breath. Clever. I could really go for Gresham in one of these vs Suge D.
Jah, who’s lost his last 3 ASÉ matches, was furious at another loss and called out ASÉ founder “The Revolutionary” Darius Lockhart. But when Lockhart comes out, he doesn’t want to talk to him. Lockhart engages the audience, talking on his possible plans, having last his title match at Return of the King last month. Then, Jah wants to talk, complaining that Lockhart is holding him down. Lockhart tries to reason with him and eats a right hand for his trouble. Fine. Lockhart challenges Jah-C to a match at ASÉ 11 in September.
Treehouse Lee vs. Zay Vega
Returning from a brief intermission, Treehouse Lee of the Audacity, working hard to bring back the Roscoe Lee Brown look, got a win over Zay Vega of the Uglee Gang, getting first blood in this feud. Competitive bout. Great finish with Lee blocking a fisherman suplex by grabbing Vega’s arm he had worked on most of the match, winning with a spinning top rope elbow smash. Heels were eating and doing it clean–mostly.
Returning from a brief intermission, Treehouse Lee of the Audacity, working hard to bring back the Roscoe Lee Brown look, got a win over Zay Vega of the Uglee Gang, getting first blood in this feud. Competitive bout. Great finish with Lee blocking a fisherman suplex by grabbing Vega’s arm he had worked on most of the match, winning with a spinning top rope elbow smash. Heels were eating and doing it clean–mostly.
Video promo package from “Fast As Hell” Ian Maxwell, who’s taken offense to Cedric Alexander’s criticism of the North Carolina independent scene–words even Alexander’s wife has taken issue with– last month. He’ll get a chance to back it up against Alexander at ASÉ 11.
Charity King vs. Jordan Blade
ASÉ Women’s Championship Tournament Round 1 Match
Charity King beat “The Submission Sniper” Jordan Blade to advance to the 4-Way ASÉ Women’s title tournament next month at ASÉ 11. A stiff match-up of a submission expert with power and a powerhouse with improved grappling skill. Another simple finish as King overcame a determined Blade to hit her with her King’s Kiss short powerslam for the win.
Alexis Lightfoot made her ASÉ debut as an interviewer, and in pure Piper’s Pit energy, she was shady towards King and Blade. This got King talking, which brought out Savannah Evans, who is also in the 4-Way finals. They got to shoving when “The Spark” Jada Stone, who Evans BRUTALLY shoved at ASÉ 10, attacked Evans, sparking (see what I did there?) a wild melee with security working hard to keep all three women apart. Well done, Alexis.
Darius Carter vs. Yahya
Non-Title Singles Match
Carter faced “The Gifted One” Yahya in a non-title match. Yahya lost to Alexander last month at Return of the King and came determined not to lose. Carter with some unique uses of the ring barrier. He does things as a heel that aren’t necessarily illegal, just mean. Love that. Yahya was making a great comeback when Carter decided he had had enough and took the countout loss. He doesn’t get far when Dixon runs out and tosses him into the ring, delivering his Thesz Press from the middle rope, running Carter and Rembrandt to the back. You could see Dixon promising Yahya a shot if/when he wins the title. That works since this countout victory puts Yahya in the title picture.
Suge D (c) vs. Kaun
Pan-Afrikan World Diaspor Championship Match
The main event saw Bishop Kaun win the Pan-Afrikan Diaspora title from Suge D in a very competitive, hard-fought bout, ending Suge’s reign on his 20th defense and 650 days. Kaun brought the power and speed to meet D’s superior technical expertise. Suge had the advantage late, going to the top rope for a frog splash, but he hit his head on a low-hanging speaker. Kaun jumped right on him, finishing Suge with his Pedrigee style finish. Kaun closes the show with an aggressive, gloating interview with Bonner. If you’ve only seen Kaun in AEW, you’re missing the whole package. That guy is gold. One more of the awful heels in ASÉ.
Another very good show for ASÉ Wrestling. From wrestlers to the commentary/interview/ring announcing crew (Nadiah Hunter is fantastic), everyone puts forth a strong effort every time out.
The Real Uncle Dave grade: B (90 out of 100)
Follow me @therealuncdave.bsky.social
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