The main event was the 12th annual Gauntlet for the Gold match in which 30 wrestlers participate and the winner is the last man standing after the 29 competitors are thrown over the top rope.
The show started with AIW Absolute Champion Josh Prohibition speaking to the fans about co-owner Chandler Biggins who is going through a medical emergency. He said Biggins is doing better and asked for everyone's prayers.
The opening match was scheduled to be Swoggle with Dedication Personified (Dr. Daniel C. Rockingham and Brian Carson) vs. Eddie Kingston. Swoggle began taunting Kingston calling him a has-been deathmatch wrestler and challenged him to make the match No Disqualification. Kingston agreed and ring announcer Steve Guy received confirmation from AIW President Matt Wadsworth which led to ....
- Eddie Kingston pinned Swoggle when Britt Baker spit beer at Swoggle allowing Kingston to hit the back fist of the future and pick up the win.
- "All Ego" Ethan Page defeated Colt Cabana after hitting the Spinning Dwayne
- AIW Intense Champion Alex Daniels (with Gregory Iron) beat Shawn Shultz with a rollup.
- "The Bone Collector" Dominic Garrini defeated B.J. Whitmer (with The Duke) in a Submit Or Surrender match when Whitmer submitted while trapped in a Triangle Choke. As a result of a pre-match stipulation, BJ Whitmer has to leave AIW. Afterward, Whitmer thanked the fans and thanked the AIW promoters for giving him another shot six years ago to start his wrestling comeback.
INTERMISSION
- To Infinity And Beyond (Colin Delaney & Cheech) defeated AIW Tag Team Champions Crazy Pain (Steve Pain and Gringo Loko) to win the titles when Delaney shocked Loko's heart with a taser leading to both Delaney and Cheech to score the pinfall in a fatal four-way match also including DJZ & Laredo Kid and the Ninja Elite Squad (Facade and Flip Kendrick).
AIW Tag Team Champions
1 Q+A (Virus & Unknown) 2/26/2006 Night of Mystery 2 The Cut Throat Crew
(Morty Rackem & Rufio Rapier)5/28/2006 #ABSO1 3 The Virgin Slayers
(Shiima Xion & Shawn Blaze)10/13/2006 Friday the 13th 4 Revelation 13
(John Thorne & Christian Faith)12/17/2006 Gauntlet for the Gold 2 5 The Cut Throat Crew
(Morty Rackem & Rufio Rapier)1/26/2007 Extreme Is Dead 6 Revelation 13 (John Thorne & Matthew Justice) 4/28/2007 The Oncoming Storm 7 Alpha Beta Duke (The Duke & Nick Belushi) 5/20/2007 #ABSO2 8 The Switchblade Saints (Matt Riot & Sami Callihan) 3/21/2008 Destroy Everything! 9 Alpha Beta Duke (The Duke, Nick Belushi, & Carlton Kaz) 5/25/2008 Absolution 3: Guerrilla Warfare 10 The Young Studs (Eric Ryan & TJ Dynamite) 9/21/2008 Die Another Day 11 Faith In Nothing (Christian Faith & Vincent Nothing) 6/21/2009 #ABSO4 12 The Young Studs (Bobby Beverly & Eric Ryan) 8/28/2009 Honor and Vengeance 13 Faith In Nothing (Christian Faith & Vincent Nothing) 12/21/2009 Nightmare Before X-Mas 3: 50th Show Celebration 14 The Young Studs (Bobby Beverly & Eric Ryan) 2/19/2010 Gauntlet for the Gold 5 15 Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon) 6/27/2010 #ABSO5 16 The Olsen Twins (Colin Delaney & Jimmy Olsen) 12/17/2010 Nightmare Before X-Mas 4 17 Irish Airborne (Jake & Dave Crist) 6/26/2011 #ABSO6 18 Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon) 11/25/2011 #HOE7 19 Youthanazia (Josh Prohibition & M-Dogg20 Matt Cross) 3/2/2012 #GFTG7 20 The Batiri (Kodama & Obariyon) 7/1/2012 #ABSO7 21 Hope & Change (Gregory Iron & Veda Scott) 11/23/2012 #HOE8 22 The Batiri (Kodama & Obariyon) 6/30/2013 #ABSO8 23 The Jollyville F***-Its (T-Money & Nasty Russ Myers) 11/29/2013 #HOE9 24 The Forgotten (BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs) 6/29/2014 #ABSO9 25 To Infinity And Beyond (Colin Delaney & Cheech) 3/20/2015 #GFTG10 26 Hot Sauce Entertainment ("Hot Sauce" Tracy Williams and Tyson Dux) 12/18/2015 Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal 27 To Infinity And Beyond (Colin Delaney & Cheech) 3/18/2016 #GFTG11 28 Hot Sauce Entertainment ("Hot Sauce" Tracy Williams and Tyson Dux) 4/8/2016 Forgot About Dre 29 Crazy Pain (Steve Pain and Gringo Loko) 11/5/2016 Double Dare 2016 30 To Infinity And Beyond (Colin Delaney & Cheech) 3/18/2017 #GFTG12
To Infinity And Beyond become three-time AIW Tag Team Champions. Colin Delaney was also a tag team champion with Jimmy Olsen.
- Scott "Flash" Norton beat "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela after hitting powerbomb,
- The match between AIW Absolute Champion Josh Prohibition vs. "Hot Sauce" Tracy Williams vs. Tim Donst was ruled a no contest when substitute referee Jake Clemons ruled Donst submitted to Williams's crossface and original referee Tom Dunn ruled Prohibition the winner due to Donst tapping out while also in a sharpshooter. After discussion, the match was re-started which led to ....
Tim Donst was ruled the winner to become the new AIW Absolute Champion when referee Jake Clemons ruled "Hot Sauce" Tracy Williams passed out while in the 'From Dusk till Donst' crossface submission while former champion Josh Prohibition was handcuffed to the bottom rope.
AIW Absolute Champions
1 The Thrillbilly 7/21/2005 It's On Again! 2 Lou Marconi 11/13/2005 #HOE1 3 Vincent Nothing 2/26/2006 Night of Mystery 4 "The Deviant" Michael Hutter 5/28/2006 #ABSO1 5 Raymond Rowe 12/17/2006 GFTG2 6 Steve Corino 5/20/2007 #ABSO2 7 Sterling James Keenan 2/24/2008 GFTG3 8 Drake Younger 2/26/2009 March for the Gold 2 9 Jimmy DeMarco 6/12/2009 #ABSO4 10 Johnny Gargano 6/27/2010 #ABSO5 11 Shiima Xion 6/26/2011 #ABSO6 12 Eric Ryan 5/12/2012 The JT Lightning Invitational Tournament 13 Tim Donst 7/1/2012 #ABSO7 14 Eric Ryan 12/21/2012 The End of the World 15 Colin Delaney 6/30/2013 #ABSO8 16 Ethan Page 6/30/2013 #ABSO8 17 Ultramantis Black 11/1/2013 Double Dare Tag Team Tournament 18 Ethan Page 12/27/2013 Dead Presidents 19 Michael Elgin 12/27/2013 Dead Presidents 20 Tim Donst 9/7/2014 WrestleRager 2014 - Night 3 21 Josh Alexander 2/20/2015 I Choo-Choo-Choose You 22 Rickey Shane Page 7/10/2015 #ABSO10 23 Ethan Page 11/27/2015 #HOE11 24 Josh Prohibition 7/22/2016 #ABSO11 25 Tim Donst 3/24/2017 GFTG12
Tim Donst becomes the 2nd three-time AIW Absolute Champion joining Ethan Page.
- Louis Lyndon won the 30 Man "Gauntlet For The Gold 12" Main Event and securing a title shot against the AIW Absolute Champion in the main event of Absolution 12. Lyndon was the 24th entrant in the match last eliminating Shawn Shultz.
Order of Appearance:
- Marion Fontaine at 0:00 - Fontaine has participated in all 12 Gauntlet for the Gold matches
- Matt Classic at 0:00
- The Duke at 2:14
- Dr. Daniel C. Rockingham at 4:28
- "The Bone Collector" Dominic Garrini at 6:35
- Mike Tolar at 8:44
- Kaplan at 11:03
- Eddie Kingston at 13:16
- Brian Carson at 15:36
- Britt Baker at 17:52
- Matthew Justice at 20:09
- Nasty Russ Myers at 22:35
- PB Smooth at 24:56
- T-Money at 25:15
- "World Wide" Alex Kellar at 29:39
- Ethan Page at 31:57
- "Weird Body" Evan Adams at 34:16
- Colin Delaney at 36:34
- Dick Justice at 39:01
- Cheech at 41:15
- Eric Ryan at 43:27
- Bobby Beverly at 45:33
- Steve Pain at 47:49
- Louis Lyndon at 50:12
- Façade at 52:26
- DJZ at 54:36
- Shawn Shultz at 56:45
- Laredo Kid at 58:58
- "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela at 61:25
- Alex Daniels (with Gregory Iron) at 63:26
Josh Prohibition addresses the AIW crowd before the event
The Duke takes a table bump … again
Scott Norton delivers a right hand to Joey Janela
New AIW Absolute Champion Tim Donst
The first two entrants of Gauntlet for the Gold:
Marion Fontaine and Matt Classic
Your Gauntlet for the Gold 12 winner Louis Lyndon
Images courtesy of @LuchaMax @aiwrestling
@tdonst
Order of Elimination:- Garrini by Tolar at 9:14
- Classic by Kaplan at 12:6
- Carson by Baker at 18:22
- Rockingham by Baker at 18:31
- Kaplan by M. Justice at 20:57
- Duke by PB Smooth at 25:32
- Tolar by PB Smooth at 25:32
- Kingston by PB Smooth at 25:37
- Myers by PB Smooth at 25:51
- M. Justice by PB Smooth at 26:4
- Baker by Swoggle at 29:3
- Kellar by To Infinity And Beyond (Cheech & Delaney) at 42:13
- Adams by Delaney at 42:50
- Delaney by Steve Pain at 48:23
- Cheech by Steve Pain at 48:39
- D. Justice by Page at 51:50
- Pain by Young Studs (Ryan & Beverly) at 55:14
- Façade by DJZ at 57:36
- DJZ by Fontaine at 57:53
- Fontaine by Page at 60:17
- Laredo Kid by PB Smooth at 61:59
- Beverly by T-Money at 62:25
- Ryan by T-Money at 62:25
- Daniels by Janela at 64:55
- Page by Shultz at 66:57
- Smooth by T-Money, Janela, Shultz and Lyndon at 68:13
- Janela by Daniels at 69:38
- T-Money by Shultz and Lyndon at 69:59
- Shultz by Lyndon
- 12/11/2005 Michael Hutter aka Ethan Carter III
- 12/17/2006 Raymond Rowe
- 2/24/2008 Sterling James Keenan aka Corey Graves
- 2/28/2009 Jimmy DeMarco
- 2/19/2010 Facade, Johnny Gargano, Sterling James Keenan, and Tommy Mercer
- 2/18/2011 Tim Donst
- 3/02/2012 Johnny Gargano
- 3/29/2013 Colin Delaney
- 3/14/2014 Tim Donst
- 3/20/2015 Rickey Shane Page
- 3/18/2016 Josh Prohibition
- 3/24/2017 Louis Lyndon
HITS
Josh Prohibition The AIW Absolute Champion started the show with a promo and an update on AIW co-owner Chandler Biggins. He was the right guy for this spot. It was genuine, heartfelt and set the tone for the rest of evening. There is no question Prohibition is the leader of the locker room.
Kingston vs. Swoggle The opening bout was a comedy match. Normally I can't suspend disbelief when you have probably a legit tough guy vs. a vertically challenged wrestler but this worked. The No DQ stipulation helped and gave DCR and Brian Carson opportunity to bump for Kingston. Britt Baker and Swoggle have feuded for a couple of shows so the outside interference made sense. All good fun.
Page vs. Cabana Another comedy match with two guys having fun in the ring. Cabana hit Page a couple of times in the man zone. Right when you thought Page was going to get some revenge, it was referee Jake Clemons who was hit in the man zone. The unsympathetic crowd chanted "You Deserve It". Absolutely Priceless.
BJ Whitmer Whitmer signed an exclusive contract with Ring of Honor so this was his last AIW appearance. On his way out, he put over Mike Tolar at last month's show and then did the honors for Dominic Garrini at this show. Afterward, he thanked the fans and the promoters. Props to guys like Whitmer and Kingston who work with AIW students like Frankie Flynn and Garrini, help the young guys and give back to the sport.
To Infinity And Beyond All of a sudden the AIW tag team scene got much more interesting. During the eight-man fatal-four way tag team championship match, Cheech used a taser on Gringo Loko leading to the pinfall. Three months ago, Loko suffered a heart attack while wrestling and it didn't take long to use that in a storyline.
Now with a heel tag team as champs, there is no shortage of contenders with former champs Crazy Pain, DJZ & Laredo Kid, The Jollyville F***-Its, the Ninja Elite Squad, Space Justice and Weird World. I should have suspected something was going to happen when Delaney and Cheech's entrance was much less enthusiastic then previous nights.
Norton vs. Janela I'm not a fan of bringing old timers to wrestle the current guys especially when the old timer goes over. This worked because the match was believable and Janela did a great job selling Norton's power moves. I'm not sure what the "Bad Boy" Janela did to become a babyface but he has great matches and the fans are behind him.
Alex Daniels has a feud Daniels has been AIW Intense Champion since the Forget About The Dre show last April. He has defended the title on every show since and wins usually with Greg Iron interference. Now he took offense to "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela eliminating him from the Gauntlet For The Gold match seconds after entering the ring. Daniels then returned to the match later on, slammed a chair across Janela's back and threw him over the top rope.
It's hard to believe Daniels has been in AIW for a couple of years but has not feuded with anyone so I'm excited for the next Intense championship match when Janela gets his shot.
Prohibition vs. Williams vs. Donst I'm not a fan triple threat title matches either but this made sense after the events at Walk the Plank. This match gets a hit for the booking. Originally the match was declared a No Contest and at first I groaned because when you have one No Contest finish, it usually leads to another No Contest finish. Give props to AIW for re-starting the match going a different route then what we are trained to see. I even liked the dastardly way Donst won the title. It sets up the continuation of the Donst/Prohibition feud. Williams will probably stay involved.
Gauntlet for the Gold Highlights include Marion Fontaine and Matt Classic aka Colt Cabana started and proceed to spend 30 seconds pulling up their pants (it was more humorous in person then in print); Mike Tolar emerges as The Duke's new protégé and appears will continue the feud with Dominic Garrini. Fontaine displays some chivalry toward Britt Baker and then work together attacking the other participants; PB Smooth entered around the 25 minute mark and then clears the ring; To Infinity And Beyond act as heels for the first time; Eric Ryan and Bobby Beverly work together in a Young Studs/#Nixon reunion; Joey Janela eliminates Alex Daniels only for Daniels to extract revenge later.
This match was almost 75 minutes long and did not drag at any point. It nicely teased future matches and angles. Most importantly tonight established PB Smooth, Janela and Shawn Shultz as new players for future events. Looking at the list of competitors and you might think this year's Gauntlet lacked star power so it's really important for AIW to establish new guys in the mid-card.
Louis Lyndon wins Gauntlet for the Gold 12 It is time for Lyndon to get a singles main event run. He has been an AIW mainstay for many years most of it in a tag team with Flip Kendrick and the last few years as a mid card heel singles wrestler. It seems Lyndon has some new found popularity after Matt Riddle criticized AIW and Lyndon during a podcast. The Absolution 12 main event appears to be Lyndon vs. Donst. It might change between now and then but a crossface vs. the Dragon Sleeper looks like a cool match-up.
Overall Show Looking at the length of this post, you can tell I liked this show. It started on time, it never dragged, there wasn't a bad match and seemed like every match had a purpose. This is one of AIW's best show in a couple of years.
Full disclosure: my favorite wrestler became the top guy tonight and a friend of mine won the Gauntlet for the Cashe.
MISSES
Tom Dunn and Jake Clemons Once again AIW referees look terrible. During Prohibition/Williams/Donst match, original substitute referee Jake Clemons ruled Williams the winner and original referee Tom Dunn ruled Prohibition the winner. However after restarting the match, they allowed Donst to handcuff Prohibition to the rope and not only allowed the match to continue but then award the match to Donst. How fair was that?
Yes, it's wrestling but come on. Do either of these guys have any sense of what it means to be a sports official? It's one thing if the referee was oblivious to Prohibition handcuffed - not the case here. There was a 2nd offical already at ringside. It just seems like a little more attention to detail could have avoided this.
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