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The Best And Worst Around: Kove & Thorne’s Last Stand

Posted: Aug 16th 2018 By: Chris Prichard

Jannetty and Michaels, Zuckerberg and Saverin, and even Edison and Tesla are all examples of the best of friends becoming sworn enemies. Johnny Kove and Tristan Thorne were two names I never expected to add to that list. Even as Rob Cabella and Shawn Shields were announced as the new ASP Oklahoma Tag Team Champions, fans still didn’t expect to see this pointless and ruthless aggression displayed by Tristan Thorne towards a man who, just earlier that night, he had called a brother. All of these issues stem back to their first of three encounters with the team of Cabella and Shields known as Something Special.

All-Star Pro: Victory was the first meeting of these four. They faced off in a triple threat against current BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champions Space Age (Paul Puertorico and Aeronaut). Truly nothing seemed wrong as this match started. Kove and Thorne hit their signature prop up on the ropes and struck their pose seemingly a well-oiled machine going into their first title defense. Thorne allowed his pandering at the start of the match to allow Aeronaut and Space Age to take the upper hand but quickly regained control. As soon as Shawn Shields was tagged in, he went straight for Aeronaut, showing no interest in the reigning champs. Something Special kept a solid hold on the match. Something Special showed their prowess again as Shields slipped in right on time to stop a pinning attempt on Cabella by Paul Puertorico. A kick to the head from Shields and a pulling of the tights by Cabella sent Space Age packing, leaving the two teams that would go on to have two more incredible matches. Kove quickly slipped in to attack Cabella, showing the champions were serious about keeping their titles. Quick tags and keeping Rob Cabella in their corner told the fans that these two were a functioning unit that knew exactly what it took to remain on top of the All-Star Pro tag team division. But after Thorne quickly slid out of the ring after a dazed Kove barely kicked out at two allowed Something Special to take control once again. Shields began dividing the ring, proving these two teams are the best of the best when it comes to tag team wrestling. Perhaps this was the first sign as Thorne began to rather unenthusiastically get the crowd behind Kove by chanting “Johnny”. Kove managed to score a cross body on Cabella before tagging in Thorne, who was fired up for his moment in the spotlight to do what Kove had not. Thorne tagged Johnny back in to land a series of kicks that put the Suave Savior and Handsome one away.

Their next meeting was at All-Star Pro: Checkmate. Again all seemed well a little friendship and a little posing and all the world seemed right. Tristan starts the match off once again against Shields. Though Shawn seemed to out wrestle Thorne, this was soon stopped with a blatant rake to the eyes right in front of referee Brent Wall. Things soon began to go according to Something Special’s plan hitting a barrage of moves on Kove just like they had done the month prior. It seemed like Cabella and the Storm Wrestling Academy graduate had a firm clasp on this match and the ASP Oklahoma Tag Team Championships before Kove was able to catch one of Rob’s kicks and turn it into a pinning situation. Before he was able to make the tag the Handsome one knocked Tristan Thorne off the apron. When Thorne climbed back on the apron, he seemed much more behind Johnny starting a chant once again. Tristan’s aggression got the best of him again, attempting to enter the ring after being pushed by Shawn Shields. With the ref distracted by Thorne, Cabella and Shields choked Kove on the ropes. A double clothesline laid both men out. Cabella and Kove were able to tag in their respective partners. A fired up Thorne again began laying waste to everyone in his path. His plan was almost thwarted by Shields but he pushed Shawn into his partner before tagging in Johnny to hit a dropkick/spinebuster combination and picking up their second win against Something Special. After the match, Thorne stopped to pose with both belts before Johnny had to forcefully remove one of the titles from him. Thorne seemed to have a firm grasp he was not willing to let go even after not just looking, but staring down his so-called friend. This disagreement was seemingly solved with a hug but Thorne still stared a hole through Kove, a now obvious sign of things to come.

And that brings us to All-Star Pro: Last Stand. This time something seemed off. Tristan’s theme song played instead of the usual You’re The Best and Tristan came through the curtain first not side-by-side. Nothing had changed with Something Special as Rob Cabella seemed hyped and ready to go while Shawn Shields remained calm and focused. Thorne told Kove “We got this.” while pointing to himself. Even in the ring, Tristan was pointing to himself. Cabella seemed confident telling me “Take care of those ‘cause I’m getting them in a few minutes… those are mine, they’re coming with me!” while Thorne and Kove seemingly went over their game plan. This time Johnny and Rob started things off. Cabella took his time walking around stretching out his legs and making sure he was well hydrated with a bottle of water. Apparently, this wasn’t enough as Kove quickly outwrestled him and sent him scrambling to the outside to regroup. Another arm drag sent Rob out of the ring. Tristan started a “Johnny” chant more enthusiastically than ever. Cabella enjoyed chatting up the fans using almost all of the referee’s 10 count. A hip toss sent Rob into the corner tagging in the big man Shawn Shields to take on “The Best Around”. Kove was on fire quickly taking Shields down. All things seemed to be going well for the duo as the worked over Shawn’s shoulder. The first sign that something had gone awry was when Johnny was lifting Shawn up from the floor Tristain pulled him off the apron inadvertently bringing Kove’s neck across the top rope. Shields quickly regained control sending Thorne into the ring post and down to the floor in front of me at the timekeeper’s table. This seemingly accidental assist from Tristan allowed Something Special to regain control. They kept Johnny on their side of the ring making quick tags in and out and relentlessly laid into him. Thorne tried to get the crowd behind Johnny smacking the turnbuckle pad before Shawn Shields cut him off with a forearm knocking him down in front of the ring announce table again. Tristan begged and reached for Kove to make the tag while trying to get the crowd behind him. Rob Cabella egged Johnny on to make the tag then stomped his hand when he was within inches of Thorne. Kove attempted some offense but was cut off before he could make the tag. Johnny was finally able to make the tag after landing a missile dropkick on Shawn Shields. After a series of pin attempts by Thorne, something snapped inside of him and he came over to the timekeeper’s table and took one of the Oklahoma Tag Team titles belts. Johnny Kove stopped him before he could hit Cabella with the belt. As Johnny tried to tell Tristan “We don’t win like this.” Rob made the tag to Shawn and attacked Thorne from behind and sent him into Kove who went crashing to the floor with the belt. Something Special hit their finisher a Samoan drop/dropkick combination scoring the pinfall just as Johnny recovered and attempted to break up the count. As Cabella and Shields celebrated making their way around ringside you can hear Tristan say “I tried to get the win why wouldn’t you let me.” during their exchange on their knees in the middle of the ring. They seem to be over it as Thorne encourages a round of applause and shakes and raises Johnny’s hand before hugging him. This was the hug of death as he soon hit Johnny with some sort of a bridging cradle DDT. Before laying his “Kove” headband across Johny’s back before saying “This is his fault. He caused this not me.” directly to the camera. The referee’s seemingly had Tristan contained and out of the ring before he returned in to start laying the boots to a lifeless Kove before choking him and saying “See what you did!”. This lead to wrestlers from the back coming out to end this senseless attack on Johnny. After Thorne was finally stopped reigning ASP Champion O’Brien came out to ask Tristan what he was thinking and telling him to “Get back to the ******* locker room.”

The fans in attendance were left in shock as Johnny Kove was carried to the back. They had all just witnessed a friendship that transcended wrestling for years come to an end all because of a single title match. Looking back now the signs were all to clear. Who knows what was the first trigger to lead Tristan Thorne down this path of questioning their friendship. There are so many questions left unanswered. What did O'Brien have to say to Tristan in the locker room? When will we see this issue settled in the ring? Who are going to step up and challenge the new ASP Oklahoma Tag Team Champions? Hopefully, some of these questions will be answered come August 26th at the I&N Rockwell Event Center at All-Star Pro: Revolution.