411's Independent Draft Spectacular 7.03.07: FIP Presents Changing of the Guard Posted by Michael Bauer on 07.03.2007
The "new" FIP hits the scene!
Welcome to first ever Full Impact Pro Live Report! As an attendee of every Full Impact Show, I will be giving you a breakdown of each show with as much detail as humanly possible. For the matches, I will give a summary with some detail as there are no replays to help me here. There is a great card on this lineup, but Full Impact Pro actually surprised the card with a dark match to get us started.
Dark Match – Bobby Dempsey vs. Rhett Titus
FIP brought in the old Ring of Honor students for a Dark Match. I won't go into full details for this match. Mitch Franklin came out with Rhett and was named the special guest referee for this match. This match ws set for a fifteen minute time limit. All in all, it was a good back and forth match with Bobby Dempsey looking like he really learned something here. Especially loved his somersault splash with Rhett down in the corner. Match ends around the seven minute mark with Bobby Dempsey scoring with a huge powerslam/splash combo.
Winner: Bobby Dempsey
The lights go down now and we get ready for the main show.
Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel
Before the ring announcer even welcomes us to the show, we get some rock music, which ends up being "Enemy" by Chris Jericho's band Fozzy. The crowd goes nuts once they realize it and Chris Jericho comes out to the stage, using his old style entrance, from the start to the end in the ring. Chris Jericho grabs the microphone as we do see two stools in the ring now. As the crowd finally calms down, Chris Jericho speaks:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to Full Impact Jericho!!!! (HUGE POP) Now, we may not have the Jeri-tron 5000 or any fancy carpeting here, but what is more important is what we do have. And that is the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla… the one and only Chris Jericho!! (Another pop.) And of course… The High-Light Reel!! (One more pop.) Now as much of an honor as it is to start off the new era of Full Impact Pro with yours truly, I would actually like to get down to business with my guest for this evening and it is an honor indeed to be able to have this man join me tonight. As I have kicked off tonight, this man truly kicked off the new era as he was the Number One Draft Pick in the latest Independent Pro Wrestling Draft. (Fans start to cheer.) Ladies and Gentlemen, my guest tonight, one of the two men to compete for the FIP Heavyweight Title tonight, Nigel McGuiness!!!"
The fans get riled up again as Nigel McGuiness comes out and heads to the ring. He shakes hands with Jericho. Nigel grabs a second microphone and holds up his hands for both the crowd to silence and to hold off Jericho from speaking.
"Chris, Chris, Chris, I know what you are going to ask, so allow me to just answer it for you. Tonight, I will be taking on Morishima for the FIP Heavyweight Title. Now, we must remember than only one man here in America has been able to pin the big man ever since he came over from Japan. And that man is me! So Morishima, you listen to me real good. Tonight, I will pin you again and become the FIP…"
Nigel is stopped as some more music plays and Lacey comes out to a mixed reaction from the crowd. She is in her ring gear as the Special Attraction Shimmer match is set to take place tonight. Jericho holds the rope for Lacey and tries to welcome her, but she just ignores him and grabs the microphone from his hand.
"For those of you who don't know how to recognize beauty, allow me to introduce you to the hottest woman in wrestling today... me, Lacey. (Crowd starts to give her the business as she turns to Nigel.) Now Nigel, I know you think your title match is important, but it is not as important as my big announcement for the night. I have found myself a new client, who unlike some love sick puppy I used to be with, is fully interested in just one thing and that is going to the top of Full Impact Pro. So Nigel, you can have that little match of yours tonight, because my man will be coming right after you when… or if… you win that title tonight. (Crowd boos more now.) Now, if you two men don't mind, I have two bitches that I need to kick out of my doghouse right now."
Jericho and Nigel look at each other and shrug as they leave the ring. The whole segment took about fifteen minutes. The announcer then got on the microphone and welcomed us. He informed the crowd that all the matches tonigth had a forty five minute time limit, but come on, only three matches had a chnace of going that far.
Special Attraction Shimmer Match: Lacey vs. Allison Danger vs. Daizee Haze
Lacey of course is already in the ring as both Allison Danger and Daizee Haze make their entrances. The bell rings and the action gets under way with Daizee and Allison going after each other with Lacey just watching on the side. The ladies realize what she is doing and go after Lacey, who tries to duck out of the ring, but fails. Haze and Danger takes turns chopping Lacey, before connecting with a double dropkick that does send Lacey to the outside. Danger and Haze exchange forearms and chops until Haze goes with a boot to the gut. Haze slams Allison to the mat and gets a quick two before locking in a submission. Lacey is finally to her feet on the outside and starts to leave the match, just giving a 'forget about it' motion and screaming that these fans don't deserve to see her compete. Lacey gets cat calls and boos as she leaves, but she also cause Haze to break the hold from the distraction. Once Lacey is gone, Haze turns around into a small package, which only gets a two count. Both ladies up and Danger ducks under a clothesline, but gets caught with a headscissors as Haze comes off the ropes. The ladies then go back and forth countering each others attempts at getting the advantage, ending with Haze blocking a hurricarana attempt and connecting with a reverse electric chair drop. Haze is only able to get two there, much to everyone's shock. Daizee waits on Danger and connects with the Mind Trip, but Lacey comes back out of nowhere and pulls Haze out of the ring and throws her into the barricade. Lacey hits the ring and cover Danger, getting the three count, much to the displeasure of the fans. The match went about eight minutes long.
Winner: Lacey
It's by this point I realize giving you a full play by play will be near impossible, so I have to sum it up more now.
FIP Tag Team Titles – Irish Airborne vs. The Heartbreak Express
Honestly, it's kinda surprising to see a team not in the FIP get a title shot. But anyways, this was almost a glorified squash match as The Heartbreak Express never gave up the advantage, except for the old reversal to get the hot tag routine, but that was quickly ended with a swinging neckbreaker from Phil Davis. This match ends after about nine minutes after they Davis duo hit The Heartbreaker to become the first champions of the new FIP. Nothing really interesting to note for this match.
Winners: The Heartbreak Express
Icarus vs. Shane Hagadorn
Honestly, this match was quite a surprise as we got to see a lot out of Shane, despite not being drafted by FIP. Icarus grabbed the early advantage by using his speed to dodge danger, but his speed cost him the upper hand. He tried for a springboard dropkick but didn't wait for Shane to be in position, allowing Shane to avoid it easily. Shane then went to work for the next three minutes on the back, dropping knees to the spine and field goals kicks to the small of the back. Shane locked in a camel clutch and Icarus almost tapped out, but barely made the ropes after being in the hold for at least a minute and a half. Shane tried a top rope move, but he ran into a boot, allowing Icarus to get back into the match. Icarus grabbed the advantage and tried to end it quickly with a Pedigree, but Shane reversed into a rollup for two. Icarus ducked a clothesline and hit a standing dropkick. Shane bounced off the ropes and walked into The Pedigree for the three count at around the ten minute mark.
Winner: Icarus
Kenny King vs. Rob Conway
Kenny King was very much over with the FIP crowd, despite not being drafted with the promotion. Rob Conway came out with a mic and totally ripped on King for not being good enough to be drafted by anyone, unlike himself. Conway told King that he had some good news for him though. Well, maybe it was bad news, as King would have to pin Conway tonight in order to get a FIP contract.
Conway turned his back and Kenny King rolled him up, almost getting the three count right there. Conway charged King and Kenny almost got another three count. Conway ducked to the outside and threatened to walk out, but King went after Conway and brought him back into the ring. Conway used that to his advantage and booted King as he entered the ring. Conway then went on total control of the match, hitting Kenny with everything he had, but it wasn't enough to put the kid away. Kenny finally caught Conway after avoiding a charge in the corner and rolled him up with a school boy, getting two and half. Conway missed a clothesline and King started firing away with lefts and rights. King then connects with a dropkick to send Conway into the corner. King mounts up and hits all ten punches and follows it up with a bulldog for the second turnbuckle, netting him only a two count. King starts to argue with the ref slightly as Conway recovers and King turns into a flagrant low blow and the ref calls for the Disqualification after thirteen minutes.
Winner: Kenny King via DQ
Conway grabs the microphone again and yells at King, telling him that he will never get a contract with Full Impact Pro as long as he is around. Conway then knocks King down an out with the stick for leaving to the jeers of the crowd.
Falls Count Anywhere - B.J. Whitmer vs. Kevin Steen
Steen came out, but Whitmer jumped him during the entrance to get this match started. This match was a total brawl as I don't think they touched the ring for at least twenty minutes. It took no time flat for Whitmer to chuck Steen over the guardrail and into the first row. Fans cleared the way as Whitmer grabbed a chair, but Steen got up and had the same idea in mind. They went back and forth trying to connect, pretty much having a chair sword fight for a minute until Steen faked high and connected with ribs of Whitmer. Steen then went crazy with the chair, bashing Whitmer repeatedly, but only got a two count. Steen then showed off plenty of power, lifting Whitmer up and running full steam into the walls of the building, again attacking the ribs. In a funny moment, some kid held a soda up to Steen, but Steen passed and went for another kid's water, dousing himself with it. Steen took too much time though as Whitmer charged and sent both men through the barricade and back to the ringside area. Both men stayed down for some time, but got up at the same time and started trading blows, with neither man ever getting the advantage. Steen ended up going downstairs and then slammed Whitmer on the floor. Steen kept the advantage a while longer, but then tried to back Whitmer into the ring post. Some how, I still don't know how, Whitmer shifted his weight and sent Steen shoulder first into the ring post. By this point, the fans were all on their feet and totally behind both men. Whitmer got up and cleared off the ringside table, moving it slightly away from the ring apron, getting the fans even more excited. Steen rolled into the ring and Whitmer did the same, easily twenty minutes in now. Whitmer got the advantage and hit a couple power slams and shoulder breaker for a two count. Whitmer whip an irish whip, but Steen holds the ropes. Whitmer charged in, but Steen tried to toss him over the top rope and through the table, but Whitmer grabbed the rope. Steen hit a hangman, but Whitmer held on. Steen ran off the opposite ropes and attempted the shoulder charge, but Whitmer side stepped it and Steen went flying through the ropes, the table, and into the guardrail. Fans started with the HOLY SHIT chants as Whitmer collected himself and dropped an elbow off the ring apron onto Whitmer. The ref got down and counted the three and the victory for B.J. Whitmer after a brutal 27 minute bout!
Winner: B.J. Whitmer
The fans got on their feet and gave a huge ovation to both men for that match. After Whitmer left on his own power, Steen got up with some help and walked back to the locker room with minimal help.
The lights came on and they gave us a twenty five minute intermission. This came complete with a good amount of the locker room coming out to do photos and autographs as a thank you to the fans to supporting the new era of Full Impact Pro. As the intermission ended, they informed us of the next FIP date, being in the end of the month, and where we can meet more of the wrestlers later on after the show.
Andrew "Test" Martin vs. "Machine Gun" Karl Anderson
Test was well over, in the wrong way, as the fans were all over him from the start. Anderson was suprisingly under-received I think. Test got the early advantage and seemingly kept it all match. Anderson did get some offense in the very beginning and after ducking a big boot after being beat up for four minutes, but never could get anything mounted for more than thirty seconds. Test ended up with the victory after hitting an F-5 into a scrapbuster for the pin in nine minutes. Test then made the title belt motion as he left.
Winner: Andrew "Test" Martin
Ladder Match for the FIP Heritage Title – Jack Evans vs. Sean Waltman vs. Gran Akuma vs. Matt Sydal
With the Falls Count Anywhere match earlier, this match had a ton to live up to. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. All four men were super over as they came out, especially with Akuma and Waltman having more than a share of appearances in FIP prior to the draft. They were setup with three ladders at ringside, one of each side of the ring except for the entrance way. This match was so full of action, that I can really only give the main highlights. In one of the crazier spots ever, Matt Sydal drilled Akuma with a powerbomb. Evans saw it, springboarded onto a ladder outside the ring, turned around, and leaped off to connect with his 630 splash! The crowd was on fire for that move and even Sydal looked impressed as the HOLY SHIT chants rained down from the crowd. After they got a ladder inside the ring, Sydal setup a ladder in the corner and caught Waltman charging in, throwing him into the ladder. But Waltman caught himself, leaped off and dropkicked Evans who was on the apron while pulling the ladder down and letting it crash into Sydal. With the ladder set in the middle of the ring, Evans nearly grabbed the gold, but Waltman took a second ladder and set it up under Evans feet. Waltman ran up and nailed Evans in the back, got around him, and connected with the sitdown face plant, knocking Evans down, but Waltman never fully sat down and was able to stay up. Sydal then snuck up behind Waltman as he was reaching for the belt the same way Waltman did to Evans and connected with a powerbomb off the ladder. As Sydal tried to go for the belt, Gran Akuma made his way up. The two men exchanged blows, but Akuma got the advantage and lifted Sydal up. Gran Akuma then connected with the Falcon Arrow off the top rope to the mat!! HOLY SHIT chants started up again from the crowd. There were others, but these were the most amazing of the match. The match finally ended as all three ladders were up in a triangle pattern, all around the belt. Akuma was exchanging blows with Waltman on two different ladders as Sydal was climbing the third. As Sydal reached the top, Akuma grabbed his ladder and whipped his feet around nail Waltman in the head and send him crashing into Sydal's ladder, sending them both off the ladder to the floor. Jack Evans quickly then actually used his breaking dancing moves to kick over Akuma's ladder and sent him crashing into the ropes. Evans then climbed up the third ladder and grabbed the Heritage Title for the win after thirty minutes!
Winner: Jack Evans
The fans again were on their feet and giving a huge ovation for all four men. Chris Jericho then came out as Evans was leaving with the belt and appluading with the crowd. Evans stumbled in the aisleway and Jericho grabbed him and helped him to the back as referees attended to the other three men. It took about five minutes to get everyone else up and away from the carnage as they cleaned up the ring for the main event.
FIP Heavyweight Title – Nigel McGuiness vs. Morishima
Both men are incredibly over and you could tell that by the entrances and the reaction they each got. The ref holds the new FIP Title up high as both men stare at each other before the bell rings. Not much changes as the bell does ring. After what seems like forever, but was no more than ten seconds, both men unload on each other. Nigel does try an early lariat, but Morishima ducked under and scored a club to the back. From there, Morishima stayed in control for the next five minutes or so wearing down Nigel with more clubbing blows and bearhugs. Nigel finally broke free and connected with the lariat, but was so out of it that he could not take advantage. He finally rolled over into the pin as the referee hit an eight count, but Morishima kicked out. Both men go up at about the same times and traded punches. Nigel backed up Morishima and tried another lariat, but Morishima low bridged Nigel, letting him crash to the floor. Morishima followed him and again took complete control, using the barricade in ring post to work over the back of Nigel. By the time Nigel was back in the ring, we hit the fifteen minute mark of his forty five minute contest. Morishima went back to work with the bearhug. Once Nigel was able to escape, he finally was able to go on the offense, hitting Morishima with everything he had. Nigel got some near falls after a back suplex and a double axe handle off the second rope. Nigel went up top with about ten minutes left, but Morishima caught him. Morishima went to the second rope himself, but Nigel fought back and shoved the big man down. Nigel waited for Morishima to get to his feet and he connected with a lariat from the second rope! Nigel went for he pin and got it after about thirty six minutes to become to the first FIP Heavyweight Champion of this new era!
Winner: Nigel McGuiness
After Nigel gets the title and holds it up high, Test comes out of nowhere and drills Nigel in the back of the head with a boot. Test stomps away at the new champion as Lacey now comes out with a huge smile on her face. Test grabs the FIP Title and looks at it as Nigel gets back to his feet. Test backs up and charges, connecting the Title with the face of Nigel. McGuiness drops like a ton of bricks and Lacey poses with Test who holds the title up high. He drops the belt on Nigel and heads to the back with Lacey. Nigel takes his time getting up, with the help of the referee as the show ends.
On the way out, everyone was handed a paper that had some highlights for the next FIP show. This included the following:
FIP Heavyweight Title match – Test vs. Nigel McGuiness
Chris Jericho hosts The Highlight Reel with Jack Evans, the new Heritage Champion
Morishima vs. B.J. Whitmer
No DQ - Kenny King vs. Rob Conway (If King wins, he gets a FIP contract.)
