Dark Pegasus Video Review: Full Impact Pro — With Malice

Posted by J.D. Dunn on 12.29.2009

CM Punk returns with his stolen title belt and defends against the Redneck Messiah.

Full Impact Pro — With Malice

by J.D. Dunn
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At Dangerous Intentions, CM Punk attacked Homicide and tried to steal his belt. Bryan Danielson made the save but laid out Homicide too. Also at that show, Antonio Banks won the right to face Homicide at Ring of Honor's Do or Die IV show. At that show, Punk jumped Homicide again. This time, Punk was successful in stealing the title.

March 25, 2005

From Lakeland, Fla.

Your hosts are Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard.

We see clips of CM Punk stealing the title from Homicide at Ring of Honor's Do or Die IV. Punk comes out to explain that he's just defending the weak and downtrodden against bullies. He also notes that possession is 9/10 of the law, so "neener, neener, neee-ner!" He offers to defend the title just like he was the real champion. "The Redneck Messiah" James Gibson comes out to challenge him, but Punk cheapshots him and runs away. Way to defend the downtrodden.

Opening Match: The Heartbreak Express vs. "Explosive" Erick Stevens & Evan Starsmore.
Stevens was just a green power guy from Florida at this point. Starsmore is from the ROH wrestling academy. Stevens belly-to-bellies Phil but tags out to Starsmore, and it's all HBX after that. Starsmore plays face-in-peril, and Stevens gets impatient like a good babyface and distracts the ref. The HBX get all cocky, and Starsmore sunset flips Sean. Sean blocks with the power of the girth, but Stevens adds a lariat and knocks him over for the pin at 6:20. Not very good, but the Heartbreak Express' gimmick is fun. *

After the match, Superstar Sean offers to bring out a lucky lady from the crowd to party with. He spots a nice redhead in a hot red dress. Wait a minute, that's So Cal Val. Sean offers to take her home, but Don Juan comes out and lays claim to her. Sean asks Juan to teach him some of his secrets, but Don Juan says the Florida ladies aren't worth it.

"The Texas Treat" Don Juan (w/So Cal Val) vs. "Tornado" Tony Kozina.
Kozina hits a huracanrana and a couple of dropkicks early, but it's all Juan after that. Val approves. Juan stays on offense, stopping to play to the crowd or Val or just cheat for no real reason. See, Juan may not have the look, but he acts like a good wrestler. Kozina makes a mini-comeback, but Juan catches him with an Ace Crusher and a backbreaker for two. Kozina knees out of a brainbuster and finishes the upset with a Dragon Dust at 6:33. This felt just like a match from World Championship Wrestling TV. It's kind of odd seeing Juan lose right after he added So Cal Val, but then it reinforces the whole overconfident aspect. **

ROH Champion Austin Aries comes out to say the fans will have to wait and drive to see him defend his title. Dave Prazak leaves the announce position (**cough**) and challenges Aries on behalf of Insane Dragon. Aries doesn't think Izzy deserves a shot and tells Aries that the title has dropped in prestige ever since Aries won the title. Oh snap! Aries agrees to defend the title, but he wants Insane Dragon tonight. Prazak says Izzy needs time to prepare, so Austin says they can have long enough for him to get ready.

ROH World Title: "The Wrestling Machine" Austin Aries vs. Insane Dragon (w/Dave Prazak).
Prazak thinks they'll go on last, so he takes Dragon to the back. Instead, Aries, already dressed, chases them back to the ring. Izzy puts the boots to Aries, but he headscissors Aries. YOU CAN'T HEADSCISSOR AUSTIN ARIES! Izzy snaps Aries' arm on the top rope and smashes it into the post. Back in, Insane Dragon hits the tilt-o-whirl to the reverse armlock. Izzy is surprisingly adept at working the arm. He even hits a hammerlock slam. Aries tries to get away, but Dragon clubs his shoulder. Aries gets a desperation small package and kicks his way back. Prazak even gets in on the act, wrenching Aries' arm and grabbing on to Izzy to keep Aries from hitting him. Cool finish as Aries hits a sliding dropkick on Prazak and slingshots back in with a twisting splash. That gets two, but the quebrada finishes Izzy at 11:50. Shady happenings here as it looked like Izzy's foot was on the ropes and he might have kicked out. Hey, Izzy looked pretty damned good with his flippity moves all being centered on working Aries' arm. **1/4

"The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson vs. "The Master of the Backbreaker" Roderick Strong.
These two had a damned fine MOTYC later in 2005. This is not that match. Roderick *really* matured over 2005, and a lot of it was due to how he grew into his role as "policeman" (tm Mark Nulty) for Austin Aries. At this point, he was just a baby Benoit with hard chops. He exercises one of those chops early, and it ECHOES through the nightclub. It's all Dragon after that, as he dismantles Strong in the way that Danielson can do. He even works in Strong's own Stronghold. What a jerk! Strong comes back with a dropkick and a delayed suplex. Danielson comes back and hits a jumping spin kick to Strong in the corner. Strong comes back with a SICK half-nelson backbreaker and more chops. Danielson scoops him up for the Airplane Spin (37 rotations, according to Leonard, but I think he was skipping ahead a few times). Danielson falls to the floor from the dizziness. Back in, Strong fires off a few chops, but Danielson ducks and finishes with a quick cradle suplex at 18:38. This was like a template for their later great matches with Danielson just fooling around for a while until he realized that Strong had a legit shot at beating him. After that, he hurried and finished him off. ***1/2

Post-match, CM Punk attacks Danielson, but James Gibson makes the save.

Triple Threat: "The Shooter" Vordell Walker vs. Jared Steel vs. Masada.
This is to see who the top prospect in Florida is. Masada came out and challenged both men before the match, but he's content to hang out in the corner while they go at it. Walker is like a happy-go-lucky Ken Shamrock. He and Steel trade counters for a bit until Walker hits a stiff kick. Masada jumps him and hits a rana. Masada falls to the floor, so both Steel and Walker hit dives to the floor. Back in, they do a goofy three-way submission spot. Vordell charges into a boot but comes back with a frogsplash. He picks up Steel, but Masada goes low. That allows Steel to hit the Flatliner at 9:27. Pretty bland match for three "up and comers." **

Jimmy Rave & "Fast" Eddie Vegas (w/Dave Prazak) vs. "Saved by the" Sal Rinauro & "The Axe Bomber" Steve Madison.
Madison is replacing Jerrelle Clark who met with an accident before the show. Madison and Rinauro show some nice teamwork early. Kind of weird to see Sal as a babyface. Eddie tosses Sal into the turnbuckle to take over, and Sal plays face-in-peril. Rinauro hits the elbowdrop to Vegas' sternum and gets the hot tag to Madison. Madison cleans house and hits an Ace Crusher. That sets up the Scorpion Deathlock on Rave. Vegas makes the save and hits a Yakuza Kick. Madison piledrives Eddie and tags in Rinauro. Rinauro springboards in with a clothesline, but Rave flips him into Vegas (in theory), and the heels hit Double Penetration (not at all gay) at 15:36. The assisted Pedigree is a pretty good finisher. Madison looked great in limited time in the ring. DP Associates needed better offense during the heat portion, though. **1/2

CM Punk (w/Mr. Milo Beasley) vs. "The Redneck Messiah" James Gibson.
Punk is holding the FIP Title hostage. He threatens to take a walk since he has a 2/3 falls match against Bryan Danielson coming up and doesn't want to wear himself out. Danielson comes out and tosses him back in the ring. Gibson goes right to work on the leg, wrapping it around the ring post. He slaps on the half-crab, but Punk makes the ropes. Gibson and Punk brawl out into the booth section. Back in, Punk hot shots him to turn the tide. Beasley hops out of his wheelchair and pummels Gibson. IT'S A ST. PATRICK'S DAY MIRACLE! Gibson hits a crossbody, but Punk rolls through with a handful of tights. ONE, TWO, THRE-the ref catches him using the tights. Gibby rolls through a rollup into the Dragon Sleeper, but Punk reverses to a Northern Lights for two. Nice. Gibson locks in the front choke (End Times), but Punk powers him to the corner. Gibson goes for a sunset flip, but Punk squats down on him with a handful of ropes for the win at 18:06. Damn fine main event that showcased Gibson's excellent wrestling ability and Punk's even greater ability to play heel. ***1/4

After the match, Danielson comes down to get him some of Punk, and the babyfaces chase Punk away.

The 411: Dragon vs. Strong and Punk vs. Gibson are your two big draws for this DVD, and they don't disappoint. Definitely worth a look if you want to see CM Punk at his cowardly heel best.

Thumbs up.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]