BG Says: FIP Heatstroke '05 Night One
Posted by Brad Garoon on 07.10.2006
Celebrate one year of FIP reviews by Brad Garoon by reading this one!
August 5, 2005 - Crystal River, Florida
When we last left FIP
Colt Cabana defeated CM Punk in Punk's supposed last match in FIP. Punk is listed on this show so I guess plans changed. Steve Madison continued to antagonize Florida fans and James Gibson on his way to an FIP Championship match. Antonio Banks continued his feud with the Heartbreak Express and got a measure of revenge on Don Juan. DP Associates defended their titles for the first time, and anticipation grew for FIP Champion Homicide's big return.
Your hosts are Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard, the best team in the business.
There's a big crowd on hand tonight and we start things off with DP Associates. Dave Prazak informs the fans before the opening contest that Jimmy Rave and Fast Eddie will not be defending their belts, but they will wrestle against any team in the company. Notable here is Milo Beasley wearing a knee brace despite trying to hide his ability to use his legs. Dunn and Marcos answer Prazak's challenge.
VS.
Dunn and Marcos attack before the forcing Rave and Eddie to bail. Rave and Marcos start off the match proper. Marcos hits an armdrag into an armbar. Rave comes back with a headlock but gets caught back in the armbar. Marcos hits two more armdrags and a dropkick and Rave bails again. Back in the ring Eddie makes the tag but walks into a drop toehold. Dunn tags in and they play some air guitar. They do the same to Rave and toss him into Eddie in the corner. Dunn gets a sunset flip on Eddie for 2. Rave low bridges Dunn, dropping him on the floor. Back in the ring Eddie gets 2. He hits a vertical suplex and tags to Rave. They hit a double back bodydrop and Rave puts on a chinlock. Dunn fights out but gets slammed to the floor for 2. Rave hits a bodyslam and tags to Eddie. Eddie hits a second rope elbowdrop for 2. He hits a stiff kick to the back and tags to Rave. Rave puts on a surfboard stretch but Dunn fights out. The top rope breaks on an Irish whip and Dunn falls to the floor. Back in the ring Rave gets 2. Eddie tags in and hits a fisherman buster over his knee. He misses a moonsault from the second rope allowing Dunn to tag out. Rave tags in but Marcos is cleaning house. Dunn hits a superkick and then launches Marcos into the Stacker Senton on Rave for the win at 10:35. The broken rope actually didn't seem to hurt the match at all, and it served its purpose in getting the crowd fired up. It was still your usual Dunn and Marcos match, however.
Rating: *¾
CM Punk comes out for the microphone time. He talks about reaching the heights of Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels when he goes to WWE. He's only in FIP tonight because he wants to wrestle his teacher Ace Steel. Adam Pearce appears with Dave Prazak, apparently now aligned with the group. Pearce reveals that the promo is just to kill time while they repair the ring. They starts jawing with the fans and the entire thing goes on too long to hold my attention. They didn't even bother to explain why Pearce joined up with DP Associates.
VS. VS. VS.
This is Four Way Fray rules. Everyone goes to knuckle up to start but Azrieal and Strong decide to attack. Fury knocks Azrieal to the floor and Clark follows him out. Fury hits a head scissors takedown and a hurricanrana on Strong. He hits a dropkick and Clark follows it up with a springboard crossbody. Strong hits a spinebuster on Clark for 2. He hits a delayed vertical suplex for 2. Clark comes back with a springboard swinging DDT and Strong bails. Azrieal comes in and gets hit with a Japanese armdrag and a hurricanrana. Clark hits him with a dropkick for 2. Azrieal comes back with a dropkick but Fury catches him with a dropkick from the top. Azrieal hits him with a cobra clutch backbreaker for 2. He hits a basement thrust kick for 2 when Strong saves. That was stupid of him. He sets Azrieal up top but Azrieal crotches him and hits a double stomp. He dives out onto Fury on the floor but gets eliminated by Strong in the ring after a half nelson backbreaker at 6:08. Fury and Clark hit a double enziguiri on Strong. Clark hits a bodyslam and holds Strong for a basement dropkick from Fury. They hit a double vertical suplex for 2. Clark hits a crossbody on Strong as Fury pulls him down with a sunset flip for the elimination at 7:22. Fury hits the Jaytrix Enzifury and Clark bails. Back in the ring Fury gets 2. Clark comes back with an exploder suplex for 2. Fury hits a brainbuster for 2. Clark hits a great spinebuster out of nowhere for 2. Fury comes back with his mini-kicks and an enziguiri. Clark blocks a powerbomb and hits a jumping enziguiri. He hits a handspring moonsault for 2. I just now notice that there is no bottom rope, and I wouldn't have noticed had the commentators not said anything. Clark follows up the moonsault with a hanging over the shoulder piledriver for the win at 11:08. I didn't like the finish, but this was still a fun series of spots and it also served to give Clark a win while keeping Strong looking strong.
Rating: ***
After the match Clark once again talks about how much he respects Fury and asks him to be his tag team partner.
Steve Madison gets on the microphone and talks about his upcoming title shot. He rips on James Gibson for running out on FIP after losing to himself and resigning with WWE. Gibson makes his big return, scaring Madison away and warning him that he's keeping an eye on him.
VS.
Mamaluke has what I'd call negative charisma, in that he sucks the personality out of those watching him walk to the ring. Both men look for holds early on. Gibson grabs a front facelock and then trips Mamaluke up for 1. Mamaluke looks for a leglock but Gibson blocks. Gibson gets a headlock takedown but Mamaluke reverses to a head scissors hold. They do some really smooth chain wrestling that Mamaluke comes out of with a cross armbreaker. Gibson gets to the ropes. They knuckle up and then trade roll ups. Mamaluke tries to turn it into a striking contest but Gibson won't go for it. Mamaluke grabs a headlock and hits a hiptoss into the cross armbreaker. Gibson powers out but Mamaluke catches him with a sunset flip for 2. Gibson gets a roll up for 2 but Mamaluke locks in a triangle choke. Gibson gets to the ropes. How was I not previously aware of this awesome match? Gibson gets frustrated and sends Mamaluke to the floor by his tights and then follows him out with a crossbody. Back in the ring Mamaluke hits a tornado hammerlock DDT. He keeps the hammerlock on and uses the middle rope for leverage. The referee catches him and breaks it up. Mamaluke hits a hammerlock suplex for 2. He goes back to the cross armbreaker but Gibson reverses to a cloverleaf. Mamaluke drags himself to the ropes by using the referee and gets a break. Gibson goes for the cloverleaf again but Mamaluke reverses to a roll up for 2. Gibson hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and Mamaluke bails. Gibson brings him back in and hits a bodyslam. He hits a legdrop for 2. He stretches out Mamaluke's arms but walks into a back elbow. Mamaluke hits an uppercut and a head scissors takedown into the turnbuckle. He puts on a guillotine choke but Gibson rams him into the turnbuckle. Mamaluke holds on and hits a German suplex for 2. They trade forearms and Mamaluke puts on a hammerlock. He kicks away at Gibson's arm but Gibson comes back with a spinebuster. Gibson hits a running knee and a brainbuster for 2. He goes for the tiger driver but Mamaluke blocks and puts on the triangle choke. Gibson tries to power out because that worked for him before but now his arm is beyond messed up and Mamaluke is able to grab the Fujiwara armbar for the win at 18:12. Gibson's selling here was tremendous. The finish was tremendous. This is probably my favorite FIP match so far and I have no idea why this hasn't gotten the kind of praise that other, less awesome and more hyped FIP matches have gotten. Mamaluke now looks like an undefeated killer going into title match and Gibson still looks like a tough guy who just got pulled into a technical match that he couldn't keep up with. Mamaluke's FIP run is making his ROH run look like garbage.
Rating: ****
VS.
Rinauro can't move Pearce with shoulder blocks to start so he goes to the eyes. Pearce bails and stalls forever. Back in the ring he puts on a wristlock but Sal reverses to one of his own. Pearce comes back with a spinebuster and chokes Sal on the middle, or rather bottom rope. He slams Sal to the mat by his hair and then puts on a leglock. He slams Sal's leg on the post and puts on a figure 4 leglock. Dave Prazak pulls on Pearce's arms for leverage behind the referees back but gets caught and shooed away. Sal comes back with an enziguiri but his knee is too messed up for him to capitalize. He hits a clothesline and a back elbow. He hits some mounted punches and blocks a blind charge. He climbs the ropes and goes for a sunset flip but Pearce rolls through. Sal will not be denied and gets a roll up for the win at 10:10. Sal's selling was great, but this was too short be become anything really worthwhile.
Rating: **¼
After the match Samoa Joe runs out and helps Pearce beat on Sal. Spanky makes the save and challenges Joe to a match. Joe's finally back to wearing his normal trunks, and not his "I'm injured" pants, so hopefully we'll get Joe's first good non-Roderick match in FIP.
VS.
Joe overpowers Spanky to start. Spanky comes back with armdrags and Joe bails. Back in the ring Spanky hits a series of dropkicks. Joe doesn't go down and hits a big shoulder block. Spanky tries the dropkicks again but Joe catches him and hangs him up on the top rope. He hits a butt butt and the Big Joe Combo for 2 with a one-fingered cover. He bites Spanky's head and then stretches his arms. Spanky fights away but runs into a back elbow. Joe hits a bodyslam and an elbowdrop for 2. He tosses Spanky to the floor where Milo and Prazak take liberties with him. Back in the ring Joe hits the Jericho drop for 2. Spanky comes back with a superkick and a tornado DDT. Joe hits a powerslam for 2. He hits a clothesline for 2. He hits a bodyslam but misses a senton. Spanky hits a leaping forearm and a back elbow. He hits a leg lariat and Joe finally goes down. He climbs the ropes and hits a frog splash for 2. He goes for Sliced Bread #2 but Prazak gets involved. Spanky goes after Prazak, which is enough of a distraction for Joe to lock on the choke for the win at 11:41. This was a very solid big man/little man match. I especially dig Joe going most of the way without getting knocked off his feet. It's good to see him back to form.
Rating: ***¼
VS.
Apparently if you are black in FIP you have to have a black tag team partner. Rainman and Phil start. Rainman hits a leg lariat. He hits a dropkick on Sean and then swings Phil into Sean. He hits an atomic drop on Phil and then shoves him into Sean. Banks tags in and absorbs Phil's offense. He shoulder blocks Phil and Sean down and then hits Sean with a clothesline. He hits Phil with a big boot and tags to Rainman. They hit a double hiptoss on Phil for 2. Hey, the third rope is back! Phil hits a neckbreaker and tags to Sean. Sean hits an avalanche and a butt splash in the corner. Phil tags in and a stray hair on my shoulder distracts me. My attention returns to the match as the Heartbreak Express hit a double slam on Rainman. Sean misses a splash and collides with Phil. Banks tags in and cleans house. He hits a back bodydrop on Phil but Sean goes to the eyes. Phil gets knocked to the floor and Rainman follows him out. Back in the ring Banks locks in the crossface for the win at 6:57. This started out promising but when it lost me when it broke down.
Rating: *½
During their post-match celebration Rainman inexplicably turns on Banks, hitting a discus clothesline and the Dark City Street Cutter. Banks looks confused after Rainman leaves.
VS.
Punk beats on Steel to start. Steel comes back with a hiptoss and a monkey flip. Steel grabs a headlock and hits a shoulder block. He works over Punk's arm and rakes his back. Punk puts on a headlock but runs into a pair of armdrags and a dropkick before bailing. Back in the ring Punk hits a clothesline and a backbreaker for 2. He catapults Steel into the bottom rope for 2. He blocks a blind charge and hits a side Russian legsweep for 2. He puts on a chinlock and then slams Steel to the mat by his hair for 2. Steel comes back with a forearm but gets caught in an abdominal stretch. Steel reverses the hold to one of his own but Punk hiptosses out. They knock heads and collapse to the mat. Back on their feet Steel hits a fisherman suplex for 2. He hits a dropkick in the corner and puts on the claw. Prazak distracts the referee so that Punk can hit a low blow. Steel goes for a powerslam but Prazak gets involved again. Steel goes for the powerslam again but the referee gets distracted with Prazak long enough for Samoa Joe to run out and clip Steel's knee. Punk falls on top and gets the win at 10:54. Well the finish was awful and the match was pretty dull. I know Punk is leaving and Steel is probably going to stick around, but couldn't we get a student has surpassed the teacher scenario here?
Rating: **½
Steve Madison gets on the microphone before the main event. He doesn't want James Gibson getting involved in his FIP Championship match so he's hired Erick Stevens and his new haircut to watch his back.
VS.
They hug it out around the ring to start. Not really, but that's what it looked like. Homicide grabs a wristlock but Madison uses the ropes to reverse to one of his own. Madison puts on a hammerlock but Homicide gets to the ropes. They trade armdrags and pin fall attempts. Madison hits a bodyslam and a kneedrop before putting on a chinlock. Homicide hits a back bodydrop and an overhead suplex for 2. Madison hits a clothesline and gets a crucifix pin for 2. He goes back to the chinlock but Homicide gets to the ropes. Madison puts on the Mark Nulty Special but Homicide escapes and hits an elbowdrop. Madison hits a powerslam for 2. He goes back to the chinlock but Homicide escapes and hits a thrust kick. Madison bails so Homicide dives out onto him and Stevens. He chops Stevens down and shoves Madison back into the ring. He hits a neckbreaker and climbs the ropes. He hits the diving headbutt for 2. He hits a rolling stunner for 2. Madison hits a brainbuster for 2. He misses the Axe Bomber but hits a back bodydrop. He hits the Axe Bomber for 2. Homicide hits a spinning DDT for 2. He goes for another but Madison blocks and sets Homicide up top. He hits a superplex and climbs the ropes. Homicide cuts him off and hits an Ace Crusher from the second rope. He hits the lariat but Madison stands strong. Madison goes for the Axe Bomber but Homicide blocks and puts on the Royal Octopus for the win at 11:49. Kind of strange how both men's finishers were killed in their first match against each other, but the match itself was decent if unspectacular.
Rating: **¾
James Gibson attacks Steve Madison after the match as Homicide and Erick Stevens brawl. Homicide gets the better of Stevens on the floor as Gibson hits the tiger driver on Madison in the ring. Homicide hits the lariat on Madison in front of a kid who has a wheelchair just for his foot. That's pretty much the entire blowoff for the Madison/Gibson feud, as Gibson would return to wrestle Roderick Strong for the ROH title and then leave forever. Pretty lame if you ask me.
The 411:
This is easily one of the top FIP shows so far. You get a great match between Mamaluke and Gibson, good stuff in the four way and Joe/Spanky matches, the bad matches were kept short and there were no unbearable matches that some of the past FIP shows have had. Well done FIP. You can pick this show up at ROHWrestling.com.
