The Independent Mid-Card 01.15.08: Quackenbush vs. Abercrombie
Posted by Samuel Berman on 01.15.2008
A bit of cross-promotion from a column you know has 'The Right Stuff'.
Hello everyone and welcome to The Independent Mid-Card. Recently, I (along with fellow Cool Kids Brad Garoon & Jacob Ziegler) had the opportunity to interview one of Independent wrestling's true rising stars over at The Cool Kids' Table. During the course of the conversation, he mentioned to us one of his favorite matches, and with that show sitting in front of me, it seemed only fitting to take a look at it for this week's IMC. Please consider the fact that we've looked at Ted Petty Invitational Semifinal matches each of the last two weeks to be a coincidence and join me in a special IMC meant to showcase a wrestler who truly has all ‘The Right Stuff'.
The Wrestlers:
Mike Quackenbush – The respected veteran had been able to upset IWA Mid-South World Heavyweight Champion Chuck Taylor for his World Light Heavyweight Title mere weeks before the 2007 Ted Petty Invitational, but "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush entered the tournament with bigger things on his mind. After Quackenbush had lost a second-round matchup to Claudio Castagnoli in the 2006 TPI, IWA Mid-South booker Ian Rotten gave a speech putting the CHIKARA trainer over as one of the major players in American Independent wrestling and said he hoped Quackenbush would appear more often for the company. As a result, Quackenbush was viewed by many fans as the odds-on favorite to win the 2007 tournament. Though he would dispatch with Billy Roc in the opening round, tragedy would strike in Quackenbush's second round matchup with Pro Wrestling Guerrilla star Joey Ryan, as a dive to ringside would go wrong and Quackenbush would end up hitting his head on the concrete floor. Despite an assumed concussion, "The Master of a Thousand Holds" would emerge victorious, but at what cost?
Josh Abercrombie – By 2007, Josh Abercrombie was already a longstanding veteran in IWA Mid-South, despite his relatively young age. Having held the company's World Light Heavyweight Title on two separate occasions, including an unprecedented 15-month reign, Abercrombie has more than once been dubbed the ‘king of the light heavyweight division' for IWA Mid-South. A hybrid talent with a rich amateur background, Abercrombie is regarded as one of the most well-rounded entertainers on the Independent scene, able to hold his own in virtually any environment against any opponent. Having been a part of the Trailer Park Boys in the ill-fated Wrestling Society X promotion for MTV, Abercrombie had gotten some much-deserved national exposure while teaming with fellow IWA Mid-South Talent "Spyder" Nate Webb. Other than his appearances for WSX, casual fans would most likely know of Abercrombie from his storied series of matches with current ROH World Tag Team Champion Tyler Black when the two feuded over the IWA Mid-South World Light Heavyweight Title in 2005 and 2006. Abercrombie had previously competed in the 2005 TPI, defeating James Gibson in the first round before falling to fellow Michigan talent Chris Sabin. So far in the 2007 TPI, Abercrombie had defeated Ricochet and Devon Moore to advance to the tournament semifinals.
The Match: You've Got It (The Right Stuff) hits and Josh Abercrombie somberly marches to the ring on the heels of the referee. The ring announcer begins to announce a forfeit on the part of "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush, a result of his concussion earlier in the night, when Break It Down Again begins to play and Quackenbush heads out to the ring. Bryce Remsburg tries to hold Quack back, but to no avail. The match is announced as being a TPI Semifinal as well as being for Quackenbush's IWA Mid-South World Light Heavyweight Title. A 45-minute time limit is in effect for those keeping track of such things. Josh is announced as hailing from Kalamazoo, Michigan and he strokes his signature mustache much to the delight of the crowd. Quack is introduced second as the reigning and defending champion and fights out of West Lawn, Pennsylvania. He looks almost in constant pain as he stands in the corner and poses for the crowd. The audience, it should be noted, is very vocally behind Quackenbush, not that it should come as any surprise. Commentator Ben Jordan notes that this match is somewhat unexpected, and he has even had to scramble to find a partner, though interestingly the man he came up with was Quackenbush's earlier opponent, former PWG World Champion Joey Ryan. The referee calls for the bell to start things off.
Josh literally shakes his head, clearly questioning Quack's decision to wrestle. The two men shake hands as a show of sportsmanship and then begin to circle, each one prompting the crowd to chant. They lock up and Josh grabs a waistlock, only to have Quack reverse quickly into a wristlock. Josh transitions back into a waistlock and then grabs a full nelson, which Quackenbush breaks before going back into a wristlock. Josh ducks down and gets a drop toehold into a chinlock. Noteworthy commentary moment: Jordan has a notion that Josh wrestling when he wasn't expecting to is a disadvantage, but Ryan counters that by saying that it can't be as big a disadvantage as wrestling with a possible concussion. Josh transitions the chinlock into a surfboard stretch, but Quack gets to his feet and breaks the hold, going right back to the wristlock in the process. Quack takes Josh over with a modified snapmare out of a hammerlock, but Josh quickly gets back to his feet and takes Quack down to the mat in a waistlock. Quack rolls out and nips up with a knucklelock, going right back to the wristlock from that position. Josh drops down and gets a single leg takedown, with Quack holding his head on the impact in a nice touch. Josh transitions right into a Japanese stranglehold and smirks at the crowd as if to say ‘hey, it's an injury, I'd be crazy NOT to go after it…'.
Quackenbush reverses out of the hold and whips Josh cross-corner, but runs into a back elbow on the blind charge. Noteworthy commentary moment: Jordan and Ryan discuss whether Claudio Castagnoli (who had already qualified for the TPI Finals) would be able to win the World Light Heavyweight Title even though he was clearly above the weight limit. As it turns out, he would be able to win the strap, but would then have to make weight to defend it or else be stripped of the title. Josh takes Quack over with a snapmare cradle for two and then works him back to his feet with a wristlock before hitting an elbow to the back of the neck. Josh follows up with a straight right to the head as the crowd begins to boo, but Ryan notes that going after the head is just sound strategy. Josh seems upset that the crowd would chastise him and strokes his mustache to try and regain some support. Josh hits another straight right and then a kick to the gut before coming off the ropes with his running whiplash neckbreaker for two.
Josh measures Quack as he works his way to his feet and then hits a clubbing forearm to the back of the neck. Abercrombie goes off the ropes, but Quackenbush catches him with a dropkick to the knee on the rebound that Josh sells with a front flip. Quackenbush then gets a twisting leg crush which he transitions into a modified Stretch Muffler-Boston Crab submission. Josh is able to work his way to the ropes and then hit a pair of elbows to the head after the break. Josh gets an armdrag into a cover for a one count when Quackenbush bridges up. Josh responds by striking him in the chest and then dropping a knee on his face. Josh goes back to the chinlock and hits a pair of forearms to the face while the hold is locked in. He picks Quack up and sets up with a standing headscissors, but takes too long stroking his mustache and Quackenbush is able to bicycle kick his way out of a piledriver attempt.
Josh comes off the ropes, but gets caught with a high-angle spinebuster and Quack transitions right into a modified heel hook to continue the punishment on Josh's right knee. Josh makes the ropes but the damage is clearly starting to have an effect. A straight right and a forearm drop put Quack down again and Josh goes back to work with the chinlock. Josh hits another forearm to the face and then uses his knee to drive Quack's head into the mat. Josh gets another elbow strike in from a camel clutch position and continues to just stalk Quack on the mat. Josh takes a moment to appease a crowd member with a mustache stroke, but then covers Quack for another one-count when the champion bridges out.
Josh hits another straight right and then forces Quack into the corner. Quackenbush stumbles back out to the middle of the ring and Josh hops up to the second rope, but Quack turns around and knocks Abercrombie all the way to ringside with a palm strike. Quackenbush sets up for a dive as the crowd begs him to reconsider, but against all common sense he comes running with a tope con hilo over the top that lands perfectly. Quackenbush then rushes right back up to the ring apron to show everyone that he's alright while Josh writhes in pain on the floor. Quack hops back down and rolls Abercrombie back into the ring as the referee's count reaches two.
Quackenbush follows up with a running clothesline in the corner and then brings Josh out with a running facebuster onto the knee. Josh, however, is able to avoid a running clothesline and gets the elusive piledriver he had looked to hit earlier, spiking Quackenbush into the mat and covering for two. Josh is incredulous that he didn't get the victory there and almost seems at a loss to come up with a follow up. He comes running with a back elbow, but Quack blocks it and goes right into the Black Tornado Slam (swinging double-underhook back-to-back slam), rolling Josh right into a crucifix pin for two.
Josh gets back to his feet first in the corner and is able to block a Quackenbush blind charge with a swinging kick to the face. He then hops right up to the second rope before jumping off and planting Quack with the Taliban Backpack (jumping lungblower) for two. This time, Josh transitions right into the chicken wing chinlock submission that earned him his first two tournament victories and looks to be on the verge of winning the match. The referee checks Quack's arm, and it drops twice, but on the third attempt he is able to keep it aloft. Noteworthy commentary moment: Ryan asserts that Quackenbush is simply running on instinct at this point, given the injury. Quack is able to bridge back into a pinning combination for two, but Josh segues right into a crucifix pin, also for two. Josh hits a European uppercut to stagger the champion, but gets caught coming off the ropes with a body slam into an inverted powerbomb and Quackenbush segues into an inverted cloverleaf-anklelock combination and Josh, after a gallant fight, is forced to tap out, allowing Quackenbush to retain the title and advance to the TPI Finals at 9:43.
The crowd and announcers go nuts for the decision as Josh rolls around in pain on the mat. Josh pounds the mat in frustration over losing as Quackenbush slowly makes his way to his feet. The crowd notes that the match was awesome as Ian Rotten comes out to inform everyone that Quackenbush wrestling cost the company its National Wrestling Alliance contract. Rotten seems remarkably pleased with that result. Quackenbush looks more than a little queasy after the match, but offers a handshake to Abercrombie, who has pulled down his kneepad to further sell the injury. Josh hobbles over to Quack and shakes his hand before raising it in support and putting over the veteran. Josh shakes his hand again and hops gingerly down to ringside as the crowd chants ‘one more win!' at Quackenbush. Quack responds by saying ‘three down, one to go!' before hopping out of the ring and heading to the back.
The Analysis:
A really good matchup between two elite professionals, this match played heavily off of Quackenbush's injury, and wisely so. To build the match around anything else would have been foolish and Quackenbush and Abercrombie did a good job of building a good story not only during the bell-to-bell action, but from the moment they came through the curtain. Though not the best match of the tournament, this was one contest where all of the little things were done to near perfection. From Abercrombie's subdued walk to the ring at the outset, to his recognition that he had to go after the neck while not doing so maliciously, to Quackenbush doing a suicide dive to prove he was fit to wrestle, to Abercrombie selling his knee all the way to the back, this match was filled with excellent attention to detail, a true testament to both men's skill.
One spot in particular really caught my attention: Abercrombie's use of a simple piledriver and his shock that it didn't earn him a victory. Though simple, the standard piledriver is a move that has become rare in wrestling over the last decade, which has consequently caused the move to take on a reputation of extreme danger. By using the move, simple as it was, Abercrombie pulled out one of the tried-and-true ways to capitalize on a head injury. His reaction made the use of the move all the more logical, as he had used it intent on having it be a finishing blow. Great selling, both of the move and of the result, from all involved.
I should also note how great Jordan and Ryan were on commentary, really adding to the storyline with their insights as well as helping to assess the contest's place within the rest of the tournament. Josh's previous reigns with the World Light Heavyweight Title were discussed, as were Quackenbush's reactions to his injury, and as with so many other topics, were analyzed intelligently rather than in a compulsory fashion. I usually find IWA Mid-South commentary to be amongst the best around, but this time really stuck out as being particularly well executed.
I think the most telling thing about this match is that when Abercrombie was recently interviewed on The Cool Kids' Table, he noted how pleased he was with the match. After noting that he was his own toughest critic, Abercrombie expressed that this match was a great example of what he could do in the ring in a variety of styles. I must say that his own endorsement mirrors mine in that respect.
The Aftermath:
"Lightning" Mike Quackenbush would defy all odds in the Ted Petty Invitational Finals, besting Claudio Castagnoli and then-IWA Mid-South World Heavyweight Champion Chuck Taylor to earn both the title and the tournament crown. Though his injuries would ultimately cost him time in the ring in a variety of companies, Quackenbush would return to IWA Mid-South in December of 2007 to make his first title defense. That match would not have the same storybook ending as the Ted Petty Invitational did, with Quackenbush being the first man eliminated, and as a result losing the IWA Mid-South World Light Heavyweight Title back to Chuck Taylor. In the end, "The King of Diamonds" Eddie Kingston would walk out of the Four Way Elimination match as IWA Mid-South World Heavyweight Champion, last eliminating longtime rival Chris Hero.
Josh Abercrombie would have mixed results in the wake of his TPI Semifinal loss. He would lose a decision to Dysfunction & Silas Young, collectively known as Milwaukee's Best, while teaming with Mickie Knuckles, but would defeat Jason Hades in November to get back on a winning pace. Though he is not currently announced for IWA Mid-South's first 2008 event on March 1, it seems only a matter of time before the man with "The Right Stuff" returns to competition for the company that helped thrust him into the national spotlight.
The Final Word:
I want to say how fun it was for me to get the opportunity to interview Josh Abercrombie for The Cool Kids' Table. I found him to be both insightful and charismatic, and was really willing to answer any question posed to him. It seems almost remarkable to me that he has yet to get a look from Ring of Honor, a company that seems starved for true entertainers in the wake of Colt Cabana's exit from the company and Delirious' more serious turn as of late. Hopefully 2008 will see nothing but an increased profile from Abercrombie, who may be the most underrated talent on the North American Independent scene.
To see this week's matchup, the 2007 Ted Petty Invitational is available at smartmarkvideo.com or directly from IWA Mid-South. Night 2 alone features the TPI Finals as well as the much-talked-about Last Man Standing match between Chris Hero and Eddie Kingston. Add in contests like Chuck Taylor vs. Human Tornado, Chris Hero vs. Too Cold Scorpio, and Nate Webb vs. Drake Younger, and the 2007 TPI is essentially a must-own for Independent wrestling fans. This tournament has my highest recommendation.
While you're here at 411, be sure to check out some of our other great columns and reviews. Ari's on hiatus, but Jerome Cusson tackles Column of Honor (complete with a bonus rant) in his absence. Bayani, as always, brings the goods in Truth B Told, and there's the double-dose of puro with Adamson's Destiny and Short's Navigation Log for you to check out. The most recent Buy or Sell has Larry & Lansdell covering some ROH and PWG news, while there's also last week's ROH Roundtable to read through. In terms of reviews, be sure to read Brad's thoughts on PWG European Vacation – England and Campbell's look at AJPW October Giant Series 1999. Hey, Brad, how many more in the queue exactly?
Buy or Sell this week will have J.D. Dunn & Mike Campbell doing some general discussion, and there won't be an ROH Roundtable because there aren't any ROH shows to preview.
Weekly iTunes fly-by reads as follows:
1. "Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol – from Eyes Open
2. "This Time" by Graham Colton – from Graham Colton
3. "Kill Caustic" by A.F.I. – from decemberunderground
4. "Make This Go On Forever" by Snow Patrol – from Eyes Open
5. "Stand Up" by Freshwater Collins – from These Days Lately
As I have said repeatedly throughout this column, The Cool Kids' Table has an EXCLUSIVE interview with Josh Abercrombie up right now. I mean, how on earth can you justify not swinging by and giving that one a listen? Josh discusses everything from his entrance music to his rivalry with Tyler Black to his favorite matches to his views on deathmatch wrestling in this one. A guaranteed great listen and a fantastic use of forty-five minutes, so download it and check it out on your commute to work! Viva la rebel podcast!
I know someone who used to have ‘Februarys'. Perhaps I'm just having one of those a month early. Meanwhile, as the countdown to four stars is in full effect, the Packers are headed to the NFC Championship and there's some HUGE news upcoming that you should all be keeping an eye out for. I suppose we can file all of this in the ‘get started' category…
