Post by "IcePic" Rick Cobos on Jan 14, 2007 0:17:08 GMT -5
IWA MID-SOUTH IN MIDLOTHIAN, ILLINOIS LIVE REPORT: LOW KI VS. RODERICK STRONG, IAN ROTTEN, JIMMY JACOBS, MICKIE KNUCKLES & MORE
by Jacob Burnett @ 5:14:00 PM on 1/13/2007
Despite a late venue change, Friday night rush-hour traffic, and a freaking fire to their ring truck, IWA Mid South managed to overcome the odds and pull off a great start to the year on Jan. 5 with “Hurt 2007” in Midlothian, IL. The same 150-75 people who go to every show at the Don Preston Rec Center were present for the evening’s get-together.
I got to the show and saw the PCW flyer for their next show in the building. They had a lot of information on the flyer, including ticket prices, website address, sponsors, and pictures, What they didn’t have was a show date. No joke. This got a few laughs in the lobby.
Ring announcer Joey Eastman was trying to convince people to buy a Darrin Corbin shirt, saying that it would help with the ladies. I got into a debate with Joey about whose shirt got more babes--Corbin or Larry Sweeney. The bell rang at 7:56 PM, four minutes before the scheduled bell time. This must have been a first in IWA’s 10--plus-year history. I’m surprised the fans didn’t have a collective coronary.
1) Jack Thrilla d. Jeff Brooks: This was a dark match, so it was basic stuff. Brooks got an early leg lariat for 2. Thrilla got a lariat for 2. Brooks hit a bulldog for near fall, but missed a backslide attempt. Thrilla hit the piledriver for 3. Both men walked off, with the commentary team of Ben Jordan and Corbin making references to Giant Baba. Don’t ask me how the hell that name got brought up during this match. I like Thrilla. He seems like a solid dude that can only get better.
Promoter Ian Rotten took to the mic to welcome the crowd, mentioned the truck fire, and alluded to the upcoming events throughout the year. He stated that he needs more money. No kidding. 200 people per show paying $10-15 per head isn’t enough to pay for plane tickets for Low-Ki AND Roderick Strong. So Ian announced a raffle where the winner would get into each show in Midlothian for free in 2007 and get a DVD of those shows. Also, IWA doesn’t accept AMEX. Anybody know a wrestling fan with a AMEX card?
2) Billy Roc d. Vortex: Two cruisers start the main card. OK standing wrestling to start. Roc got a crucifix for 2. Vortex’s spin kick also got 2. Vortex avoided a baseball slide, and hit a moonsault from the second rope to the floor. That got a near fall. Vortex took control, rocking Roc with kicks. He went for another moonsault, but Rock cut him off with a dropkick. Nice. Vortex hit the enziguri and a TKO for 2. Vortex went for a suplex, but Roc kneed him in the head. Roc hit the standing Sliced Bread #2 (aka The Chronic aka the flip neck breaker Sonjay Dutt does on TNA when they actually let him wrestle) for the duke. Decent. I could watch this again. #
3) Iron Saints (Vito & Sal Thomaselli) d. IWA World Heavyweight Champion Chuck Taylor & Ricochet to earn a spot in the IWA Tag Team tournament: Nice to see Ricochet come out to something besides Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,“ which is probably the longest entrance in the biz. They did Coolio instead. Vito and Taylor started off. Rico got a stomp on Sal for the early near fall. Sal tried a splash from the ropes, but missed. Rico turned it into a arm drag. Taylor hit a dropkick on Vito. The Saints went outside, and Rico hit a summersault dive onto Sal. Back in the ring, Vito hit a hard neck breaker on Rico. Heat on Rico, with Sal pulling the hair. The Saints nailed Rico with kicks. Hot tag to Chuck. Both men hit double enziguris and a double-team jaw-jacker. Taylor got a back suplex on Vito for 2. Ricochet went up top, but Sal pulled him off. The Saints nailed a double-team DDT on Ricochet for 3.
After the match, Taylor helped up Ricochet, but decked him with a lariat. Taylor got the stick and berated Ricochet, telling Rico that he was tired of carrying him. Taylor got him up and absolutely NAILED him with a piledriver. This got over huge. They needed to turn Taylor heel, because there was no way the fans are going to cheer him when Taylor works Low-Ki. The positive reaction to beating up Ricochet is also a sign that the fans are getting tired of Rico’s regular spot-blowing at IWA shows. #
4) C.J. Otis d. Drake Younger in a finishers match: The match could only end when one guy hit his finisher on the other and pinned him. Otis tried for an early burning hammer and Younger answered with a Vertabreaker attempt. They then tried to use each other’s finishers on each other. Yay for psychology. That pretty much ended when Younger brought out the chairs. Chair duel took place. Both men sat down on in the ring in both chairs and traded some slaps and shots. Otis leaned forward and smacked Drake with a HARD head butt that got the crowd rocking. Eastman jumped out of his seat. Younger clotheslined CJ outside. Fight on the floor. CJ threw a chair at Drake, and hit a belly-to-belly throw on the outside onto a chair. Younger juiced. Back in, Otis hit a should breaker and roaring forearms. Drake came back with a SPINEBUSTA! He tried a Vertabreaker, but Otis reversed it into a German suplex. Otis went to the top, but got caught. Drake teased a Vertabreaker off the ropes. Fortunately, they listened to reason. CJ fought out, caught Drake and hit the burning hammer on the open chair for 3. Great spot to end it. Very good match, although it drug at times. Otis got some claps. Younger got even more claps. #
5) Josh Abercrombie d. Jimmy Jacobs to retain the IWA Light Heavyweight title: Both men met in the ring and the battle went outside quickly. Abercrombie stuffed a trash can over Jimmy’s head and hit it. Ow. Jacobs choked Josh with one of Abercrombie’s own T-shirts. HATRED! They got back in, and Jacobs stomped Josh. He hit a superplex that didn’t look good. Abercrombie worked the left knee. Josh hit the dragon screw leg whip on a chair. Jacobs hit the enziguri. Jimmy nailed a spear for 2. Jacobs went to the top, but Jim Fannin tripped Jimmy, crotching him. Abercrombie capitalized with a Taliban Backpack for the win. Another good one. Fannin ordered Abercrombie to cripple Jacobs, but Josh took a pass. Fannin was mad and spit venom (metaphorically, of course) at Jimmy. Jimmy got on the mic and said that despite the past, he was back in IWA. #
Intermission came. I showed Eastman the dateless PCW flyer. He lit up like he saw Santa Claus. He didn’t say anything negative, but he did show it to Ian. I don’t know what’s going on with PCW, but not putting the date on the flyer makes them look totally bush league. I also heard the Bulls lost. I was bummed, but not as bummed until I saw the news at home. How can you blow an 18-0 lead to the NETS?
6) Ian Rotten & Mickie Knuckles d. NorthStar Express (“Delicious” Darrin Corbin & “Robust” Ryan Cruz) to retain the IWA Deep South tag titles: According to Eastman, Corbin refused to put his belt on the line because he said Mickie is too fat to wear it and Ian is too stupid to wear it. Wow. I don’t give a spit about the online fans who dissed IWA and Corbin when they put the belt on Corbin last year. Despite his look, Corbin brings a lot to the table with his charisma and comedy. He’s also a decent worker and getting better. Ian and Mickie’s gear has a lot of holes.
Corbin faced off with Ian to start. Corbin got a hip toss and a slam on Ian. Ian got a slam on Corbin. Some posing took place. Mickie tagged in and worked over Corbin’s arm. Ian hit a splash, of all things, on Corbin. Mickie got a armbar and head butts. The champs hit a double face-wash on Corbin. Cruz finally tagged in and hit a lousy dropkick on Mickie. Cruz got a chin lock on Mickie, and Mick countered with a chin breaker and a boot. Mickie got the hot tag to Ian and chaos broke out. Ian hit an elbow on Cruz for 2. Mickie hit a German suplex on Cruz. Ian followed that with a double-arm DDT on Cruz to get the three.
Post-match, the NSE jumped Ian and Mickie, duct taping them to the ropes like the Iron Saints usually do. The Saints made the unlikely save. Afterwards, Mickie asked Ian who his girl was. Ian said “You.” That was creepy. Mickie wanted a match against Steve Corino, mostly due to Corino’s insane promo at the last show that featured him calling Mickie a “whore” and “Sugar t**s.” Ian didn’t make the match.#
7) Erick Stevens d. Arik Cannon: Call it a meeting of the Mohawks. I tried extending my hand to Cannon and he gave me a gesture. Plenty of strikes to start. Stevens got a back suplex for 2. Stevens hit a belly-to-belly throw for 2. Stevens got a Russian leg sweep and submission, but Cannon got the ropes. Cannon locked on a submission and attacked the left leg. Crowd was split here. Stevens hit a splash, a neck breaker, and a senton for 2. Cannon hit his swinging neck breaker with Stevens draped on the top rope. Near fall. Cannon NAILED a saito suplex and a brain buster for 2. Cannon went for a Glimmering Warlock, but Stevens ducked it and came back with a lariat. Ensuing power bomb by Stevens led to the pin. Decent match, but the crowd was a little surprised with the booking. Why the out-of-towner went over on the local is beyond me, unless they bring Stevens back for another match.#
Jim Fannin drew the winning raffle ticket. The fan that won kissed Fannin on the cheek. No joke. Fannin went on this intense promo after that, dissing Jimmy Jacobs for turning his back on IWA, especially after Fannin sunk all of his money into the promotion for nine years. Fannin must not have sunk all of his money, because he offered a $1,000 bounty for any person to cripple Jacobs. Fannin wanted to see some wrestler drag Jimmy into the street and curb stomp him. He suggested Eastman could use the money to run another TTW show. I told Joey to “take the money.” He declined. Bounty angles are usually good, so we’ll see how this goes. Maybe somebody will jump Jimmy at the next AAW after party.
8) Low-Ki d. Roderick Strong: Ki was over, as usual. Rod used the same music he does in ROH. THERE WAS A FIREFIGHT!!! The crowd was expecting some violence, and they got it. They started the feeling-out process, but it was rather intense. Ki got an early leg kick in. Strong got an early near fall after Ki tried a bridge on the mat. Both men nailed hard chops. Fight on.
Ki locked on the body scissors, but Roddy got the rope break. Roddy got a side slam for 2. Strong tried a chin lock, but got a lariat. Hard kicks by Ki. Strong focused his attack on Ki’s back. A backbreaker on Ki got 2. Strong hit a slingshot suplex for 2. Ki answered with a énziguri. Ki fired off some Kawada kicks and a Tidal wave for 2. Ki choked Roddy on the ropes and hit a clothesline off the top. Near fall. Ki went for the Ki Krusher, but Roddy turned it into another backbreaker for 2. Ki hit a back suplex and Roddy staggered into the ropes. That gave Ki an opening, so he jumped to the top and hit a double stomp on Roddy’s back. Ouch. They fought into the corner, and Ki locked on the Dragon sleeper.
Ki went for another kick, but Roddy caught him, put him up in the power bomb position, and dropped Ki on his knee for a back breaker. That was great, but a two count. Roddy tried for the Stronghold, but Ki reversed it. Ki followed it up with a springboard double stomp that popped the crowd. Ki tried to follow up, but Roddy hit the double-knee gut buster and a kick. Strong tried another charge, but Ki hit another kick. Ki jumped to the top and nailed a third double stomp on Roddy for the three. Tremendous match. At least 4 stars on the Meltzer scale.
Post-match: Roddy gave Ki his props and challenged him to a rematch after Ki wins the title. This brought Taylor out to the ring. After Roddy scooted off, Taylor dissed Ki, telling him he was keeping the belt. He pie-faced Ki, then scooted out of the ring. What gall. Ki said he was bringing the title back to Brooklyn. The promotion is IWA MID-SOUTH, but I digress. Crowd gave Ki an ovation to end the show.
NOTES: IWA’s next show in Midlothian will be on 1/27, with Taylor vs. Ki for the IWA title and B-Boy vs. Brandon Thomaselli. In speaking with Arik Cannon, it looks like the WSX show on MTV will be have more of a focus on the characters and their development than the collection of moves in a wrestling ring. I can only imagine how MTV fans will react to seeing Abercrombie/Nate Webb and Jacobs/Tyler Black as tag teams. The DVD is available at www.smartmarkvideo.com
by Jacob Burnett @ 5:14:00 PM on 1/13/2007
Despite a late venue change, Friday night rush-hour traffic, and a freaking fire to their ring truck, IWA Mid South managed to overcome the odds and pull off a great start to the year on Jan. 5 with “Hurt 2007” in Midlothian, IL. The same 150-75 people who go to every show at the Don Preston Rec Center were present for the evening’s get-together.
I got to the show and saw the PCW flyer for their next show in the building. They had a lot of information on the flyer, including ticket prices, website address, sponsors, and pictures, What they didn’t have was a show date. No joke. This got a few laughs in the lobby.
Ring announcer Joey Eastman was trying to convince people to buy a Darrin Corbin shirt, saying that it would help with the ladies. I got into a debate with Joey about whose shirt got more babes--Corbin or Larry Sweeney. The bell rang at 7:56 PM, four minutes before the scheduled bell time. This must have been a first in IWA’s 10--plus-year history. I’m surprised the fans didn’t have a collective coronary.
1) Jack Thrilla d. Jeff Brooks: This was a dark match, so it was basic stuff. Brooks got an early leg lariat for 2. Thrilla got a lariat for 2. Brooks hit a bulldog for near fall, but missed a backslide attempt. Thrilla hit the piledriver for 3. Both men walked off, with the commentary team of Ben Jordan and Corbin making references to Giant Baba. Don’t ask me how the hell that name got brought up during this match. I like Thrilla. He seems like a solid dude that can only get better.
Promoter Ian Rotten took to the mic to welcome the crowd, mentioned the truck fire, and alluded to the upcoming events throughout the year. He stated that he needs more money. No kidding. 200 people per show paying $10-15 per head isn’t enough to pay for plane tickets for Low-Ki AND Roderick Strong. So Ian announced a raffle where the winner would get into each show in Midlothian for free in 2007 and get a DVD of those shows. Also, IWA doesn’t accept AMEX. Anybody know a wrestling fan with a AMEX card?
2) Billy Roc d. Vortex: Two cruisers start the main card. OK standing wrestling to start. Roc got a crucifix for 2. Vortex’s spin kick also got 2. Vortex avoided a baseball slide, and hit a moonsault from the second rope to the floor. That got a near fall. Vortex took control, rocking Roc with kicks. He went for another moonsault, but Rock cut him off with a dropkick. Nice. Vortex hit the enziguri and a TKO for 2. Vortex went for a suplex, but Roc kneed him in the head. Roc hit the standing Sliced Bread #2 (aka The Chronic aka the flip neck breaker Sonjay Dutt does on TNA when they actually let him wrestle) for the duke. Decent. I could watch this again. #
3) Iron Saints (Vito & Sal Thomaselli) d. IWA World Heavyweight Champion Chuck Taylor & Ricochet to earn a spot in the IWA Tag Team tournament: Nice to see Ricochet come out to something besides Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,“ which is probably the longest entrance in the biz. They did Coolio instead. Vito and Taylor started off. Rico got a stomp on Sal for the early near fall. Sal tried a splash from the ropes, but missed. Rico turned it into a arm drag. Taylor hit a dropkick on Vito. The Saints went outside, and Rico hit a summersault dive onto Sal. Back in the ring, Vito hit a hard neck breaker on Rico. Heat on Rico, with Sal pulling the hair. The Saints nailed Rico with kicks. Hot tag to Chuck. Both men hit double enziguris and a double-team jaw-jacker. Taylor got a back suplex on Vito for 2. Ricochet went up top, but Sal pulled him off. The Saints nailed a double-team DDT on Ricochet for 3.
After the match, Taylor helped up Ricochet, but decked him with a lariat. Taylor got the stick and berated Ricochet, telling Rico that he was tired of carrying him. Taylor got him up and absolutely NAILED him with a piledriver. This got over huge. They needed to turn Taylor heel, because there was no way the fans are going to cheer him when Taylor works Low-Ki. The positive reaction to beating up Ricochet is also a sign that the fans are getting tired of Rico’s regular spot-blowing at IWA shows. #
4) C.J. Otis d. Drake Younger in a finishers match: The match could only end when one guy hit his finisher on the other and pinned him. Otis tried for an early burning hammer and Younger answered with a Vertabreaker attempt. They then tried to use each other’s finishers on each other. Yay for psychology. That pretty much ended when Younger brought out the chairs. Chair duel took place. Both men sat down on in the ring in both chairs and traded some slaps and shots. Otis leaned forward and smacked Drake with a HARD head butt that got the crowd rocking. Eastman jumped out of his seat. Younger clotheslined CJ outside. Fight on the floor. CJ threw a chair at Drake, and hit a belly-to-belly throw on the outside onto a chair. Younger juiced. Back in, Otis hit a should breaker and roaring forearms. Drake came back with a SPINEBUSTA! He tried a Vertabreaker, but Otis reversed it into a German suplex. Otis went to the top, but got caught. Drake teased a Vertabreaker off the ropes. Fortunately, they listened to reason. CJ fought out, caught Drake and hit the burning hammer on the open chair for 3. Great spot to end it. Very good match, although it drug at times. Otis got some claps. Younger got even more claps. #
5) Josh Abercrombie d. Jimmy Jacobs to retain the IWA Light Heavyweight title: Both men met in the ring and the battle went outside quickly. Abercrombie stuffed a trash can over Jimmy’s head and hit it. Ow. Jacobs choked Josh with one of Abercrombie’s own T-shirts. HATRED! They got back in, and Jacobs stomped Josh. He hit a superplex that didn’t look good. Abercrombie worked the left knee. Josh hit the dragon screw leg whip on a chair. Jacobs hit the enziguri. Jimmy nailed a spear for 2. Jacobs went to the top, but Jim Fannin tripped Jimmy, crotching him. Abercrombie capitalized with a Taliban Backpack for the win. Another good one. Fannin ordered Abercrombie to cripple Jacobs, but Josh took a pass. Fannin was mad and spit venom (metaphorically, of course) at Jimmy. Jimmy got on the mic and said that despite the past, he was back in IWA. #
Intermission came. I showed Eastman the dateless PCW flyer. He lit up like he saw Santa Claus. He didn’t say anything negative, but he did show it to Ian. I don’t know what’s going on with PCW, but not putting the date on the flyer makes them look totally bush league. I also heard the Bulls lost. I was bummed, but not as bummed until I saw the news at home. How can you blow an 18-0 lead to the NETS?
6) Ian Rotten & Mickie Knuckles d. NorthStar Express (“Delicious” Darrin Corbin & “Robust” Ryan Cruz) to retain the IWA Deep South tag titles: According to Eastman, Corbin refused to put his belt on the line because he said Mickie is too fat to wear it and Ian is too stupid to wear it. Wow. I don’t give a spit about the online fans who dissed IWA and Corbin when they put the belt on Corbin last year. Despite his look, Corbin brings a lot to the table with his charisma and comedy. He’s also a decent worker and getting better. Ian and Mickie’s gear has a lot of holes.
Corbin faced off with Ian to start. Corbin got a hip toss and a slam on Ian. Ian got a slam on Corbin. Some posing took place. Mickie tagged in and worked over Corbin’s arm. Ian hit a splash, of all things, on Corbin. Mickie got a armbar and head butts. The champs hit a double face-wash on Corbin. Cruz finally tagged in and hit a lousy dropkick on Mickie. Cruz got a chin lock on Mickie, and Mick countered with a chin breaker and a boot. Mickie got the hot tag to Ian and chaos broke out. Ian hit an elbow on Cruz for 2. Mickie hit a German suplex on Cruz. Ian followed that with a double-arm DDT on Cruz to get the three.
Post-match, the NSE jumped Ian and Mickie, duct taping them to the ropes like the Iron Saints usually do. The Saints made the unlikely save. Afterwards, Mickie asked Ian who his girl was. Ian said “You.” That was creepy. Mickie wanted a match against Steve Corino, mostly due to Corino’s insane promo at the last show that featured him calling Mickie a “whore” and “Sugar t**s.” Ian didn’t make the match.#
7) Erick Stevens d. Arik Cannon: Call it a meeting of the Mohawks. I tried extending my hand to Cannon and he gave me a gesture. Plenty of strikes to start. Stevens got a back suplex for 2. Stevens hit a belly-to-belly throw for 2. Stevens got a Russian leg sweep and submission, but Cannon got the ropes. Cannon locked on a submission and attacked the left leg. Crowd was split here. Stevens hit a splash, a neck breaker, and a senton for 2. Cannon hit his swinging neck breaker with Stevens draped on the top rope. Near fall. Cannon NAILED a saito suplex and a brain buster for 2. Cannon went for a Glimmering Warlock, but Stevens ducked it and came back with a lariat. Ensuing power bomb by Stevens led to the pin. Decent match, but the crowd was a little surprised with the booking. Why the out-of-towner went over on the local is beyond me, unless they bring Stevens back for another match.#
Jim Fannin drew the winning raffle ticket. The fan that won kissed Fannin on the cheek. No joke. Fannin went on this intense promo after that, dissing Jimmy Jacobs for turning his back on IWA, especially after Fannin sunk all of his money into the promotion for nine years. Fannin must not have sunk all of his money, because he offered a $1,000 bounty for any person to cripple Jacobs. Fannin wanted to see some wrestler drag Jimmy into the street and curb stomp him. He suggested Eastman could use the money to run another TTW show. I told Joey to “take the money.” He declined. Bounty angles are usually good, so we’ll see how this goes. Maybe somebody will jump Jimmy at the next AAW after party.
8) Low-Ki d. Roderick Strong: Ki was over, as usual. Rod used the same music he does in ROH. THERE WAS A FIREFIGHT!!! The crowd was expecting some violence, and they got it. They started the feeling-out process, but it was rather intense. Ki got an early leg kick in. Strong got an early near fall after Ki tried a bridge on the mat. Both men nailed hard chops. Fight on.
Ki locked on the body scissors, but Roddy got the rope break. Roddy got a side slam for 2. Strong tried a chin lock, but got a lariat. Hard kicks by Ki. Strong focused his attack on Ki’s back. A backbreaker on Ki got 2. Strong hit a slingshot suplex for 2. Ki answered with a énziguri. Ki fired off some Kawada kicks and a Tidal wave for 2. Ki choked Roddy on the ropes and hit a clothesline off the top. Near fall. Ki went for the Ki Krusher, but Roddy turned it into another backbreaker for 2. Ki hit a back suplex and Roddy staggered into the ropes. That gave Ki an opening, so he jumped to the top and hit a double stomp on Roddy’s back. Ouch. They fought into the corner, and Ki locked on the Dragon sleeper.
Ki went for another kick, but Roddy caught him, put him up in the power bomb position, and dropped Ki on his knee for a back breaker. That was great, but a two count. Roddy tried for the Stronghold, but Ki reversed it. Ki followed it up with a springboard double stomp that popped the crowd. Ki tried to follow up, but Roddy hit the double-knee gut buster and a kick. Strong tried another charge, but Ki hit another kick. Ki jumped to the top and nailed a third double stomp on Roddy for the three. Tremendous match. At least 4 stars on the Meltzer scale.
Post-match: Roddy gave Ki his props and challenged him to a rematch after Ki wins the title. This brought Taylor out to the ring. After Roddy scooted off, Taylor dissed Ki, telling him he was keeping the belt. He pie-faced Ki, then scooted out of the ring. What gall. Ki said he was bringing the title back to Brooklyn. The promotion is IWA MID-SOUTH, but I digress. Crowd gave Ki an ovation to end the show.
NOTES: IWA’s next show in Midlothian will be on 1/27, with Taylor vs. Ki for the IWA title and B-Boy vs. Brandon Thomaselli. In speaking with Arik Cannon, it looks like the WSX show on MTV will be have more of a focus on the characters and their development than the collection of moves in a wrestling ring. I can only imagine how MTV fans will react to seeing Abercrombie/Nate Webb and Jacobs/Tyler Black as tag teams. The DVD is available at www.smartmarkvideo.com
