In the past Memorial Mayhem as been a major event on the RPW schedule, held in honor of Gene Gayton, the father of RPW owner Dr. Johnny Gayton, who was not present. The 2013 version was a lot closer to a regular television taping.

For a variety of reasons, RPW is a wrestling promotion in decline, a shadow of its former self. In the past year the company has sustained a plethora of damaging blows -- the dismissal of booker Jimmy Rave was coupled with budget cutbacks resulting in talent losses, production cutbacks and lower quality advertising. RPW's television program continues to air Saturday morning on the FOX affiliate in Macon, but is now being shot with one camera.

The greatest bookers on the planet would be hard pressed to overcome those obstacles.They've added quality talent from Florida, but not enough to make up for the subtraction of folks like Cru Jones, Shaun Banks, Corey Hollis, Chip Day and Rob Adonis. Booker Murder One can be a idea guy, but he needs a collaborator or two to help him hone those ideas into a compelling presentation. Some will read that as lobbying for RPW to rehire Bill Behrens. I can think of worse ideas but that is not my point.

Attendance was 85. There is some heat stemming from the 50/50 split between Blacklist fans and Rampage Nation fans. The factions sort of cancel each other out such that there are no true babyfaces nor any true heels.

Lead commentator Nigel Sherrod missed the show. Commentary duties were handled by by Miguel Rivera and RPW Commissioner Ben Masters.

Mayhem kicked of the Memorial Cup competition, a team (no less than three and not more than five members per team) tournament modeled after the AWA's Team Challenge Series. The competition runs until RPW's next major event. There's a formula by which points are accumulated and subtracted. For the life of me, I can't figure out why anyone would give a crap about this cup. It would help if the Doc put in an appearance to explain the significance of it. The Doc obviously had other plans. For the first time, Commissioner Masters mentioned money as a motivation for winning the tournament without divulging any details.

In the other main events, RPW Heavyweight Champion Micah Taylor defeated former champion AJ Steele 2 out of three falls and Murder One beat JRod in a brutal falls count anywhere encounter.

(1) Mike Cruz (with Miss Allie) (Allie's Angels) defeated Kyle Matthews (Rampage Nation) and Drew Adler (Legion of Justice) and Michael Stevens (Legion of Justice) and Kory Chavis (Blacklist) in a five way elimination match at 13 minutes. It didn't seem very justice-like for Justice League to have two representatives and have them both eliminated before anyone else. Stevens was the first to go. Stevens hit a standing moonsault that had Cruz in the deep stuff. Cruz ducked out of the ring, and Chavis crushed Stevens with killer kick to the face at 7:05. Mattthews eliminated Adler at 8:30. It looked like Adler was setting up for the Drew Drop when Matthews reversed it with a huracanrana. Matthews and Cruz went at it while Chavis resting on the outside. Tremendous action as usual between these two. Matthews spilled Cruz to the outside, ducked two clotheslines and obliterated Cruz with a tope. Matthews superkicked Chavis for two and tried for the Hidaka Lock. Chavis countered with a backpack stunner. Cruz followed with a swanton bomb, hurting his knee in the process, and Chavis scored the pin at 11:35. When Cruz flew from the top, Chavis turned it into a massive Spinesplitta for a great near fall. A Blacklist chant ensued from the heel section. On Spinesplitta attempt #2, Cruz pinned Chavis using the ropes and assist from Miss Allie. This was RPW at its finest and the best match of the show. Cruz earned 10 cup points for Allie's Angels with the win.

Miguel Rivera did a New York minute segment with Murder One. Murder admitted that Cruz outdirtied his best friend. Murder said JRod was in for payback and predicted with supreme confidence that Blacklist would end up be with the points lead for The Cup.

(2) Zac Edwards defeated Steven Stiles (with Miss Allie) in 6:19. Chris Jacobs, Edwards' partners in American Mayhem, joined Rivera on commentary. Allie interfered liberally on Stiles' behalf. Edwards busted his ass off jumping off the middle rope and Stiles' vaunted dropkick spilled Edwards out of the ring. Allie wanted to get involved but Jacobs chased her away, and Edwards shocked Stiles with a roll up.

Afterward, Allie accused Jacobs of cheating. Jacobs had a good laugh about that. Allie berated Stiles for losing while the her other Angels (Cruz and Bobby Moore) entered the ring to watch. Try as she might, Allie is not naturally suited for the role. Stiles looked stressed when it was over.

Commissioner Ben Masters said RPW would be back in action at Johnny G's on May 19.

(3) Murder One defeated J Rod in a falls count anywhere match at 15:38. Murder jumped the bell to gain a very short lived advantage. JRod swiftly responded with a bulldog and Murder rolled out to the floor. Murder planted JRod with a classic DDT and took time to tape his fist. Three taped fist shots dropped JRod in the corner. Murder was frothing at the mouth. Murder raked JRod's back. Outside the ring, JRod "refreshed" Murder with a soft drink and waffled his back with a chair. Murder cut off a chairshot to the head, wedged the chair in the corner, and whipped Jrod into it, much to the delight of the Blacklist fans. Murder innovated a wickedly violent shot to throat using the chair. JRod whipped Murder with a belt given to him by one of the fans. Murder hit The Ether (RKO) on the floor. Murder thought he had him but not so. Murder tried for the Blazing Lariat, and JRod backdropped him onto the floor. They battled their way into the announcer's booth. JRod rang the bell with Murder's head. They obliterated part of the seating area, scattering fans as they went. JRod was going nuts with the chairs. JRod hit a running knee on the apron for a two count on the floor. As they piled back into the ring, Murder delivered a shot to the nuts and pinned JRod using the ropes. They brought the brutality this type of match deserves. The finish was tame by comparison.

Masters welcomed "King of Florida" Francisco Ciatso to the ring. The crowd response was pathetic. Ciatso noted that Rampage Nation was facing stiff competition in the Cup. He said RPW was all about respect. However, Ciatso said he had one thing on his mind since coming to RPW -- winning the RPW Title (currently held by his DSW buddy Micah Taylor). Ciatso said he had rematch with Moore on next week's TV show and was looking for revenge re: Moore's interference in his match with Chavis the previous week.

Rivera and Masters did an inring opening for hour number two of television (episode 245 airing on May 18). Rivera said Blacklist was leading the Cup standings with 10 points to a goose egg for Allie's Angels, -10 for Justice League and -20 for Rampage Nation. It makes my head hurt to think about how Rivera came up with those number.

(4) Steve Stiles (with Miss Allie) defeated "Adorable" Anthony Andrews in 6:03. You know the roster is thin when Stiles wrestles singles matches on two consecutive weeks of TV. Andrews hit with a Rocker Dropper and went for the A Bomb. Stiles fought out of it and connected with his self-proclaimed Best Dropkick Ever for the win. Crowd was pretty dead. The match was OK.

Former RPW Heavyweight Champion AJ Steele was interviewed at ringside by Rivera regarding his title rematch vs. Taylor. The two out of three stipulation came about because Steele's foot was under the ropes when he lost the title but that fact was never mentioned. Steele said losing the title had done wonders for his focus. Steele said Taylor was talented but it would take more than talent. Steele said he would outwrestle him, then simply beat him up and Blacklist Pro Wrestling have a new champion.

(5) Bobby Moore (with Miss Allie) defeated Francisco Ciatso in 11:17. Ciatso was on fire early. They brawled outside the ring. Ciatso gallantly lifted Allie out of the way, and Moore slugged him from behind. Moore dominated the body of the match with the help of distraction and physical involvement by Allie. Ciatso finally chased after Allie and got blasted from behind by Moore. Moore delivered a middle rope shoulder block for a two count and tried to submit Ciatso with a cross armbreaker. That didn't work so Moore threatened to kick Ciatso's teeth down his throat. Ciatso countered with a back suplex. It was comeback time and here's Allie on the apron. Ciatso blocked Allie's slap but Moore leveled him with a loaded elbow pad for the three count. Nothing wrong with the match except length. Ciatso has come a long way from his DSW days as Frankie Coverdale.

Masters conducted an inring interview with The Justice League consisting of Drew Adler, the BFFs' (Anthony Andrews & Michael Stevens -- Best Friends Forever or Bully Fighting Friends?) and American Mayhem (Zac Edwards & Chris Jacobs). Masters asked why they had joined forces for the Cup. It was a great question. Jacobs had nothing of substance for an answer. Stevens said nobody wanted to team with BFFs so they begged and they weren't going to win anyway. Now there's a babyface I can get behind! Edwards said he was going to lead Justice League into battle and failure was not part of his vocabulary. With a partner like Stevens, he's going to need that word. BFFs walked out on their partners. A very strange segment indeed.

(6) Micah Taylor defeated AJ Steele two out of three falls to retain the RPW Heavyweight Championship in 12:26. Blacklist chant at the get go. Taylor took two early shots at the crossface he used to defeat Steele for the title. Steele used a sucker punch to take over. Steele worked on Taylor's back with body slams. Out of nowhere, Taylor reversed a bodyslam with a pinning combination. The finish was called in the ring, and it looked like Steele kicked before the three count. Steele went back to work on Micah's back. Taylor clotheslined Steele over the top and posted his shoulder on the outside. Taylor got the crossface on in the middle of the ring. There were dueling chants as Steele fought his way free and hit the Blacklist Slam to win the second fall. Taylor put AJ down with a big right fist for two count. Taylor tried for the package piledriver, the new finisher he debuted two weeks ago on TV, but Steele had it scouted. Steele hit another Blacklist Slam, but had sustained too much damage for a quick cover and Taylor kicked out. Taylor went the package piledriver again and hit it for a clean win. These guys aren't likely to have a bad match. With that said, the match where Taylor won the title (TV episode 242) was better owing to its simple but stellar psychology. I wish they had been give more time here and Moore/Ciatso had been given less.

Afterward, Taylor gave Steele his due, stating that AJ always gave him a hard fought match and he hated having to face him. Taylor close by saying that it felt good to beat Blacklist and remain RPW Champion.

NOTES: Lead commentator Nigel Sherrod missed the show. Commentary duties were handled by by Miguel Rivera and RPW Commissioner Ben Masters...Senior Referee Dustin Robinson was sick as a dog, possibly with food poisoning. He gave it a go but gave up the ghost after the falls count anywhere match...Rampage returns to action at Johnny G's on May 19 and June 2.

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