Event: Infamy
Original Air Date: June 4th, 2005
"The Buzz" Cal Roberts vs. Ali Amore
In the aftermath of Confrontation, a card that certainly lived up to its billing and generated as many new questions as the issues it resolved, it was back to the bread-and-butter weekly schedule of television for the stars of No Brand Wrestling.
Well, most of them.
For one man, some may argue he’s still a boy; the potentially hectic life of a Professional Wrestler was not something he was used to. Sure, he’d had brief stints in The Asylum and Mexican-based company, hWo, but that’s all they were – brief. And, painfully brief at best.
Nonetheless, Ali Amore, a Bogota-born junior heavyweight blessed with the punch of a super-heavyweight Boxer, appeared to be ready for active competition. Just as he had two years ago in his trial run with Asylum, the cocky Colombian cruiser had entered the arena brimming with confidence in his own abilities. He may have only won 1 contest as a professional in the industry but the manner in which he carried himself conveyed the mark of a man who looked like he’d won nearer a hundred than a solitary scalp, which was assisted.
Cal Roberts could define a dream or disastrous debut for Amore, depending on which way the upcoming encounter went of course. Unbeknownst to Amore, Roberts certainly has the credentials to severely dent the youngster’s claim for a positive result in his opening outing with the organization.
Roberts was becoming a legend in the sport, and had been a blue-chipper much like Ali at one point in his career.. The well-rounded athlete, versed in Boxing and Wrestling, just like this evening’s opposite number, took Primetime Championship Wrestling, one of the industry’s outstanding outfits to put it mildly, captured the company’s most prestigious prize, the World Title, within two months. Some say he was destined for a second spell with the big one until PCW closed its doors for good.
From there, things went from bad to worse for Cal as, following an uneventful association with PRIME; the Detroit native was involved in a car crash, which led to a fractured fibula. Two promotions and just five
contests later saw ‘The Buzz’ sign with nbW after returning to the ring in
February.
‘Low Down’ by Black Label Society signaled Roberts’ imminent entrance and once the 30-year-old emerged from behind the curtain, he was greeted with numerous boos but as usual they didn’t seem to bother him at all. This man was all business, possessed a game face and appeared to be determined to stake a claim for a higher position on the nbW ladder than the first step opposite an undeveloped debutante. Simply put, the former PCW Champion was overwhelming favorite to dismantle Ali with ease and use this exhibition as an example to the rest of the roster as well as management.‘The Buzz’ methodically made his journey to the squared circle and stepped through the ropes, unfazed and unaffected of how the audience perceived him, as he retreated to a neutral corner where he inspected his hands, seemingly checking if they were okay to utilize to great degree in sparring with a former fellow student of Boxing.
Speaking of which…
Dean Martin’s ‘That’s Amore’ is a relatively famous yet unusual entrance theme for a Wrestler to have, but Ali didn’t consider himself to be ordinary and it was certainly fitting to give him credit. The South American starlet may not have warranted a response, considering a small proportion of the onlookers actually knew who he was, but he did garner a substantial amount of inquisitive glances due to his colorful attire. Clad in predominantly yellow tights with a hint of red and blue, the contributing colors to the Colombian flag, with a gorgeous gold chain and yellow feather boa, circa Hulk Hogan, the superstar in waiting strutted down the aisle way, soaking up the atmosphere and attention along the way.
Soon enough, the South American, already tagging the hands on those who sat adjacent to the aisle, found himself near the steel steps but rather than ascending them to enter his new workplace, he jumped up onto the apron and somersaulted over the top rope to warm applause, a la Naseem Hamed, where he exerted another distinctive smile prior to removing his chain and handing the boa to a bemused official. Cal Roberts was unassuming, apparently focused on the task ahead and failing to be deterred or bothered in the slightest by the starlet’s stunning bow. The bell sounded shortly after and we were officially underway.
Roberts and Amore, who hadn’t made eye contact at all in the pre-match shenanigans, circled the battleground before Ali attempted to shake hands with his first-ever adversary. Cal did not look remotely interested and instead continued to sass out Ali, who was slightly disappointed by the snub. The crowd also joined in with light jeering but the boy, destined to become a man, didn’t let Roberts’ refusal play on his mind as they tied up for the first time.
Cal quickly assumed an advantage by negotiating a Side Headlock. Amore, giving up approximately 40 pounds to his more experienced opposition, struggled for a few moments as Roberts sought out to apply pressure from the outset and he reiterated that strategy as he tightened the hold every so often as Ali tried to escape. After twenty seconds or so, Ali pushed Roberts into the opposing ropes but Cal came back at him with a vicious lariat and the Colombian found himself on his carcass within a minute of his maiden match. What a warm welcome, Ali was receiving.
Roberts reaches down and grabs a handful of hair and jerks Ali to his knees with his trademark smirk spread across his face. It was nothing personal, but Roberts planned to make an example out of the young man, and planned to do it quickly. He wrapped both hands around the waist of Ali, and interlocked both of his hands together before delivering an overhead belly to belly suplex that sent Ali into orbit. Seconds later, Ali came crashing down on his upper back, and a sharp pain filled his back as Roberts was back on his feet looking down at Ali menacingly.
Cal rapidly returned Ali to an upright stance, and whipped him into the ropes, but Ali then became the aggressor with a high-impact Spinning Heel Kick. There was a sense of increased tempo, imperative to Amore’s game, and that hunch was confirmed as Ali stunned Cal with a drop kick as he returned to his feet. Roberts once again returned to his feet, impressed with quick witted offense of Ali, and was met with a snapmare. where he then unleashed a sizzling Dropkick into the back of the head before running off the opposing set of ropes and executing the dropkick once again, this time in square in Cal’s jaw. The fans lapped it up and showed their appreciation.
Amore was quick to capitalize upon the advantage he’d gained over the former PCW World Champion with a single-leg Boston Crab. Before he could really get Cal trapped up, the more experienced grappler of the two crawled a few inches on the Colombian in order to extend his hand to reach the bottom rope and ultimately break the hold.
The inexperienced Amore complained to the official for three seconds at the most but, as all Wrestlers know three seconds can be crucial as it’s the difference between victory and defeat, and Cal exploited Ali’s elementary error with a big German suplex for the first pin fall attempt of the match.
1
2
Ali shot his shoulder up, but was still stunned, and almost curious as to where he was after landing hard on his neck and the back of his head. Roberts was ruthless and turned Ali onto his back and delivered a few stiff stomps to his upper back.
A few kicks later to the leg didn’t help Ali’s cause at all and a vicious elbow also caused the Colombian to exert a rather loud yelp, an indication of the agony he was in and it was about to get more grim momentarily as Cal, rather cleverly, opted to apply his body across the lower back of Ali and wrapped his hands around the Columbian’s chin. Unlike Roberts, moments earlier, Amore had no where to go.
Amore shook his head, probably trying to tell himself that this was not happening, but it had and that was reaffirmed as Roberts put more pressure on, firmly in the driving seat…
Roberts continued to apply pressure on the hold, gradually wearing down the upper and lower back of Ali Amore. One could assume Roberts wanted to use the inverse dvd, better known to wrestling fans as the Burning Hammer or “Buzzed”. Some sections of the audience attempted to spur the silky South American on with various encouraging chants but Cal was oblivious to this and Ali may as well have been too because in the present climate, he had absolutely nowhere to go.
Roberts releases the hold and a feeling of relief spread over the back of Ali, but he would not be allowed to rest for long. He was pulled to his feet, and sent back to the mat with a vicious forearm to the back. Ali, brought back to his feet once again, was thrown into nearest set of ropes. Going for a back body drop, Roberts was instead met with a stiff ddt from Ali, who then kipped up to his feet, only to drop down to one knee clenching his back in pain. Amore knew that this was his night to prove himself and pushed through the immediate pain, and delivered his fourth dropkick of the match as Roberts kneeled on the mat. Roberts, now prone on the mat, had his leg hooked by Ali for a pin fall attempt.
1
2
Ali’s first cover wasn’t quite enough to hand him his first victory and although he was hurting, he lifted Cal back to his feet in order to dish out more punishment and he did that with a wicked whip to the buckle before a subsequent Splash in the corner squashed Cal and knocked the stuffing out him.
In spite of that, ‘The Buzz’ was still on his feet but the airborne Amore lived up to his billing by climbing to the top strand once again and connecting with a flying Bulldog on the vulnerable Roberts…
1
2
It may not have been enough for the Bogotá native to register his first win but he possessed renewed hope and was eager to extend his advantage, which he did in fabulous fashion, with a Standing Moonsault…
1
2
Nevertheless, a second trip to the well from the other side didn’t pay dividends as Cal lifted his knees up to deny the debutante any luck with the same move, and regained the lead with a series of mounted punches, followed by bringing Ali back to his feet for a stiff snap suplex that sent the pain back through the back of Ali. Roberts rolled on top for a pin fall, and smirked as he knew the Columbian wasn’t going to give up that easily. Not if he was truly passionate about becoming an all-time great.
1
2
Roberts stood and delivered a hard stomp before placing a boot, arrogantly, on his opponent but it was nowhere near enough as Ali affirmatively kicked out on at somewhere around one and a half. Cal then rattled Amore with a chop – make it two- and whipped him into the ropes, an attempted Clothesline went astray as Ali ducked, but on the rebound Roberts brought him back down to an earth with a fabulous Belly-to-Belly Suplex and hooked the leg instantaneously…
1
2
3?
No. The nearest near fall by quite a distance mind. Roberts signaled he was going to end it, and stood on his feet, moments later he hoisted Ali onto his shoulders for the Burning Hammer, ready to inflict a type of pain Ali had never experienced in career. However, Ali had scouted Robert’s when he found out about the match a week earlier and wiggled free of the move. Ali shook the cob webs free and hit the ropes. Roberts turned as Ali returned off the ropes and attempted yet-another lariat.
Attempted yet failed to deliver, and Ali waited to make his move and delivered a standing tornado ddt as Roberts turned around. The strategic breakdown of Amore’s back was catching up with him as he began to feel his back tighten in multiple areas. The muscles and tendons burned in pain as he shot toward the ropes ready to the end the match. The crowd was supportive as he climbed to the top for the frog splash. Ali showed personality as he played to the fans for a brief moment, perhaps a moment to long.
He leapt off the top, getting marvelous hang time on the way down, with a frog splash. However, Robert’s was conscious and rolled out of the way. Roberts shot to his feet and drove a knee hard into the back of Ali. From there he clenched in a half nelson sleeper and sat down on the back of Amore, pulling back in the process.
Roberts was sending a message to Blake Gray at the expense of the great young athlete, Ali Amore. He wrenched back in the hold, and Ali would not tap. Adrenaline and pride was preventing that from happening. However, the pain was building and building. Ali was doubting how much longer he could take it, and the fans while against Roberts began to cheer at the sight of the finisher theft.
“Tap or I’ll break your fucking back!”, Howled Roberts as he continued with the hold. Ali wasn’t going to give up however and held in. The referee had seen enough and called for the bell to allow the rookie to fight another day. Roberts released the hold and took a bow for the crowd who greeted him with a chorus of boos. Robert’s had shown the fans that he was not going to coast through this run and was bound and determined for gold as he had been in every promotion previous to nbW. For Ali, he’d put together an impressive debut showing, had earned respect from Cal Roberts and the fans for not tapping, and was sure to rise to the top of the mountain in the future.
“That one was for you, Gray baby.”, Roberts smirked into the camera and laughed at his remark before leaving us for what laid ahead in the night.
WINNER: "The Buzz" Cal Roberts via Pinfall
