Death by Midwest: IWA Mid-South Point Proven
Posted by John Goozie on 09.09.2007
IWA M-S returns to Philadelphia.
IWA Mid-South presents
Point Proven
June 30th, 2007
The ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA
CHAMPIONS ROLL CALL
-World Heavyweight: Chuck Taylor (1st reign-defeated Toby Klein on 9/30/06 in Midlothian, IL)
-World Light Heavyweight: Brandon Thomaselli (1st reign-defeated Josh Abercrombie on 4/14/07 in Shelbyville, IN)
-Tag Team: The Iron Saints (3rd reign-defeated Up in Smoke in Candido Cup finals to win vacant titles on 5/26/07 in Midlothian, IL)
-Women’s: Mickie Knuckles (2nd reign-defeated Hailey Hatred on 2/8/06 in Charleston, WV
-Deathmatch: Corporal Robinson (1st reign-defeated Dysfunction on 6/23/07 in Plainfield, IN)
This is IWA’s second show at the old bingo hall. They previously came there in June of 05 on One Night Stand weekend for “Something to Prove”. This show features a big card despite lots of shifts and cancellations.
E-mail all feedback, requests, etc. to johnngregory@sbcglobal.net!
#2: CJ OTIS and FUKIMOTO w/Joey Eastman vs. AKIRA RAIJIN and BRUTE ISSEI
I know Issei has been in All Japan and Fukimoto is from the FUCK promotion. Crowd chants “asshole” at Joey Eastman. “I promise to buy the next round of beers for all of you, that way you’ll get drunk, drive home, and fucking die!” HAHAHAHAHA. I love you Eastman. Apparently both Akira and Issei are from All Japan. Akira and CJ start off. Josh Abercrombie informs me that these two are students from All Japan. He also says Brute is only allowed to wear kneepads because his knees are injured. That’s harsh stuff. They trade armdrags and nearfalls and then Brute and Fukimoto come in and Brute tackles him down and hits a legdrop for 2. Akira back in and he beats on Fukimoto. Fukimoto hits a second rope missile dropkick and tags CJ in who covers Akira for 2. He gets a back elbow for 2, then drags Akira to the corner and tags in Fukimoto. Dropkick from Fukimoto gets 2. CJ and Fukimoto isolate Akira until Akira hits some forearms on CJ. They trade belly-to-belly suplexes. CJ cuts off the hot tag to Issei and gets a snap suplex for 2. German suplex by Fukimoto gets 2 on Akira. Philly fans get on them with “boring” chants. See, this is why I hate the smarky crowds in Philly. They’re disrespectful and bitchy. Akira hits an STO on Fukimoto and Brute gets tagged in to clean house on everyone. Akira and Issei hit a double team elbow drop but CJ breaks up the pin. CJ gets a basement clothesline for Akira which gets 2. Double team suplex by CJ and Fukimoto on Brute. Lifting Flatliner by Akira on CJ. Then a Saito Suplex on Fukimoto. Akira goes up top but Eastman holds his leg. Akira fights CJ off until Fukimoto gets the Green mist. CJ hooks him for the BURNING HAMMER for the win at 9:07. *. Nothing wrong with it but it never got out of second gear. Then again, these were students and both looked good, just green. It’s this kind of crap that makes me hate Philly fans. Maybe John Zandig had a point about them.
#3: JAY LETHAL vs. TRACY SMOTHERS w/ Z-BARR
Smothers and Barr have formed an alliance based on being the most hated men in IWA. Z-Barr’s hated because he sucks. It’s a joke, really. Ian publicly said DVD sales and concessions sell great during Z-Barr matches. Jay Lethal is full Macho mode here, including “Pomp and Circumstance”. Z-Barr gets the mic and tells the crowd to shut up. He really should leave Tracy to be the voice of the goofy heels. He says Lethal isn’t unique like Tracy or himself. Tracy takes the mic and says ECW sucks. Ummm…ok, Tracy. He says he’s wrestled Randy Savage and he’s here to see if Lethal is a real Macho Man. Lethal gets a punch on Tracy and Z-Barr says Tracy needs him. Lethal knocks Smothers down with a big clothesline. Smothers takes a powder and then throws Z-Barr into the ring and tells him to wrestle Lethal. Chuck Taylor on commentary says he’s beaten every person in this match, including kicking the ref in the balls. Z-Barr gets an atomic drop. Lethal does a dos-e-doh with the ref and gets a Black Hole Slam from Z-Barr. Tracy comes in and decks Z-Barr as both men try to cover Lethal. Is this a 3-way? Double noggin knocker by Lethal and he gives Smothers the Savage hotshot. Double axehandle by Lethal to both men. He gets a 2 on Smothers. He goes off the top again but gets hit by Smothers and Barr. They hit a tandem elbow drop. Barr decks Smothers but then resume beating on Lethal. Lethal hits a double clothesline and the heels go outside. Lethal hits an axehandle for the floor on Tracy and sends Barr into the ring steps. Back inside, Lethal hits the Elbow Drop for the win at 5:32. ¼*. For Lethal’s effort. Z-Barr is terrible to watch, and Tracy is only good for comedy at this point, and he wasn’t that funny in this.
#4:THE KINGS OF WRESTLING & UP IN SMOKE vs. RUCKUS, SABIAN, RICKY REYES, and B-BOY
Lots of talent in this 8-man tag match. B-Boy wasn’t announced for this match so the crowd is very happy to see him here. Reyes gets really close to beating up a fan before the match. Claudio and B-Boy start off with matwork. And fine matwork at that. Claudio goes for a half crab but B-Boy makes it out. Cheech comes in and B-Boy spits in his face. Sabian gets tagged in. They go with armlockery and Sabian gets a rollup for 2. Cheech backs Sabian in the corner and taunts him. He gets his arm wrung but reverses into a sort of Arabian Press into a headscissors. Cheech gets a rollup for 2. Ruckus gets tagged in and crowd wants Hero in and they get it. Ruckus gets an arm but Hero knips up about 5 times to get out of it. Rolling Japanese armdrag by Ruckus. He misses with a handspring back elbow. They run reversals and counters to their own crazy flip maneuvers until Ruckus gets him with the handspring spinning heel kick that knocks Hero the floor. Ruckus fakes a dive and tags in Ricky Reyes. Hero chickens out and tags in Cloudy. Cloudy gets a dropkick and an armdrag. Then he hits a nice missile dropkick on Reyes. Reyes gets mad and hits a belly-to-belly for 2. He holds Cloudy down by the hair and tags in Sabian. They double team him for a basement dropkick. Sabian gets a spine kick for 2. B-Boy comes in and distracts the ref while his team wails on Cloudy. Then he boots and chops Cloudy. Reyes clotheslines him on the outside. That wasn’t pretty. Ruckus his the shooting star off the apron to Cloudy. That didn’t look it’s best either. Double flapjack to Cloudy. Obviously Cloudy is the force of their attack. Reyes hits a gutwrench suplex and some kicks to the chest. Rolling Fisherman’s Suplex by Ruckus gets 2 as Hero and Cheech break it up. Cloudy gets a Tornado DDT on B-Boy and makes the hot tag to Claudio. He goes after B-Boy with a Euro Uppercut. Sabian gets a headscissors, but Claudio repays him with a Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Huge Yoshitonic by Sabian gets 2. Hero in for a running senton for 2. Headstand senton follows that and the Kings and Up in Smoke focus on Sabian’s midsection. Knee drop by Cheech and Up in Smoke double team him ending with a Eddie Guerrero senton by Cheech for 2. Armdrag by Sabian on Hero but Hero knocks him down with a big boot. The Kings boot down all the opponents as well. The ref isn’t there to make the pin, though. Full Nelson Swing by Claudio gets 2. Stronghold applied by Cheech. The Kings in for a double team but Sabian outsmarts them a hits a Tornado DDT on Hero and tags in Reyes. Enziguri by Reyes on Claudio. Claudio goes for the Waterslide by Reyes reverses into the Dragon Sleeper! Hero stomps his head to break it. Swinging X-Factor by Claudio. Cheech comes in and Ruckus and Cheech kick each other hard. B-Boy takes Cheech down in the corner…FACELIFT dropkick! SHINING WIZARD…for 2. Cloudy sends B-Boy outside…SPINNING TOPE by Cloudy! That’s a new one. Sabian…NO HANDS PLANCHA. Hero goes to dive and everyone moves but he just flips over the top and catches himself. Ruckus goes up top but Claudio catches him with a Super Step Up Enziguri! Then he gets a Mafia Kick…for 2! The Kings goes for a double team but it gets broken up. Up in Smoke hit a cool double team Code Red/clothesline for 2 on Ruckus. Reyes catches Cloudy….GIANT SWING DROPKICK by Reyes and Sabian! Ruckus and Sabian catch Hero in the DREAM SEQUENCE. Rolling Thunder gets 2 on Hero. Claudio breaks it up. Sabian goes off the top but Hero catches him in a CRAVAT! CRAVAT SWING FACEBUSTER! The Kings pick up Sabian…KRS ONE! That gets the win for the Kings and Up in Smoke at 24:17. ***1/4. Good match that could have great. It was a little too long. The last few minutes were predictably good spot action, but the stuff leading up to it was disappointing, especially considering the talent in the match. They did the formula tag stuff but it had very little intensity and the crowd never got into it until the end.
#5: FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE: Mickie Knuckles vs. Rachel Summerlyn
Summerlyn used to be Rachel Putski. She has to have the biggest boobs on the indies, I swear. For whatever reason, this isn’t for Mickie’s Women’s title. Mickie shoves Rachel to the floor. “That was a boob push. Rachel’s got a lot of boobies.”-Ian Rotten on commentary. Kawada Kicks by Mickie followed by a HARD palm strike. They try a spot in the guardrail that doesn’t look to go right. They trade strikes including a hard forearm by Rachel. Rachel grabs Mickie for a Russian Leg Sweep on the floor. That gets 2. Back inside, Mickie slaps Rachel hard. Mickie is on the top rope and Rachel gives a brainbuster/DDT type thing from there for 2. Wasn’t very pretty. Crossface punches by Rachel. Rachel goes up top but Mickie catches him with a belly-to-belly off the second rope. They trade forearms on their knees and go to the HEADBUTTS. Mickie gets a 2 count on that. Back outside Rachel goes into the guardrail. Mickie gets a suplex onto the ringsteps for 2. That didn’t go quite right. They fight over to the rampway as they both fight for position….RELEASE GERMAN by Mickie ON THE RAMP! OWWW. That gets 3 at 8:50. **. Good but short brawl. Rachel looks a little green and unsure of herself, but she gave good strikes. And that finish was quite brutal.
#7: 2/3 FALLS: Matt Sydal vs. Human Tornado
Biggest reaction of the night for Human Tornado. These two had a match about 2 weeks prior to this in Joliet. Sydal's basically the de facto heel here. Tornado gets funky out of an arm wringer and that ticks off Sydal. He does it again and Sydal doesn't like that. Tornado tries to do a split but Sydal stops him. Monkey flip by Tornado, Sydal goes for the Pounce but Sydal stops himself and hits a heel kick. He goes after the shoulders of Tornado. Elbow drop gets 2 for Sydal. Sydal does a cool dropkick in the corner coming in from the apron for 2. Sydal charges the corner but Tornado boots and hits a nice Missile Dropkick from the second rope. Bad-looking standing corkscrew gets 2 on Sydal. He redeems himself with a beautiful twisting tornado DDT...for 2. Sydal ducks the Pimp Slap and then moves out of the way of a dropkick and hits a Standing moonsault to win the first fall at 6:19.
Sydal goes for a water break as Brandon Thomaselli says everyone steals everything from him, especially Tracy Smothers. Tornado signals for some music and starts dancing until Sydal attacks him. Headscisssors takedown by Tornado. Someone in the crowd yells at them to "hurry up and get to the third fall". I HATE THIS CROWD. Facelock legdrop thingy by Sydal gets 2. Sunset flip by Sydal gets 2 but Sydal keeps him his legs over the arms and pulls on Tornado's head. Imagine like a Guillotine Choke on the head. Back up, Tornado hits a Dragon Whip then a Mafia Kick in the corner. He goes for the Charleston kicks in the corner and the crowd claps along. He goes for a low blow split but Sydal catches his leg and goes for a Standing Moonsault but that gets knees! Low blow split kick by Tornado gets 3 at 10:20.
They break between falls again as Sydal holds his balls. He attacks Tornado at the bell and gets him on the apron but Tornado ranas him to the floor from the apron! Not a pop for that awesome move. I hate this crowd. Somersault plancha by Tornado! Tornado throws Sydal back in and hits a Swanton for 2. Sydal ducks over Tornado's charge, hits a clothesline and catches him in a lovely DDT. That gets 2 as Tornado was in the ropes. Tornado hits a tilt-a-whirl onto his knee. He goes up top but Sydal crotches him. Tornado fires back with the PIMP SLAP, but Sydal hits the rana from the mat to the top rope...for 2! Sydal goes for the Here It Is Driver but Tornado flips out of it. Pounce by Tornado and Sydal took that terribly. He picks up Sydal...DAT NIGGA DEAD and it's over at 13:50. **3/4. They did some cool stuff in there but it never really kicked into high gear. The 2/3 falls stipulation wasn't very good on the pace. I hate to say it, but maybe this crowd is starting to effect the quality of this show.
#8: DRAKE YOUNGER vs. HOTSTUFF HERNANDEZ
Hopefully Drake's bumping ability will keep the Philly crowd going. From the looks of it, a good portion of people are gone. You can see the big scar on Drake's chest left from where his nipple was torn off during the CZW Tournament of Death. That is Sabu type insane there. Hernandez looks like a monster. Drake goes for the legs of Hernandez, which would be a good strategy considering the size disadvantage. Drake hits a few forearms but Hernandez then tosses him aside. Drake avoids a charge and Hernandez spills to the floor and Drake dives off the top onto him. Hernandez gets back in the ring and hits a slingshot shoulder tackle. And like a sick bastard, Hernandez chops Drake’s injured chest. Then Hernandez takes off his wifebeater and throws Drake across the whole ring using it. Hernandez then insults Drake by slapping his injured chest. Drake can’t seem to get anything going due to the strength of Hernandez, who suplexes Drake overhead by his throat. That gets 2. Vertical suplex, Drake tries to knee him down, but the big man hits it anyway for 2. Drake finally hits a running forearm in the corner but Hernandez cuts out his charge with a boot, then flips himself up to the top rope. Drake tries to superplex him but Hernandez shoves him down and hits a Splash….for 2. Drake recovers with a DDT that he hits coming off the second rope. Drake ducks a clothesline and hits a Samoan Drop. Drake goes up and hits a top rope splash of his own…for 2. Drake gets clotheslined to the floor….BIG MAN DIVE BY HERNANDEZ! I love that. Drake gets caught trying to come off the top and Hernandez turns it into a sit out Powerbomb for 2. Hernandez goes for the Border Toss but Drake fights out and heads up top. Hernandez stops him and goes up top as well. Oh no…BORDER TOSS FROM THE TOP ROPE!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!! Drake is DEAD at 10:13. ***. I’m being really generous as this was a total squash, but an entertaining one. Drake looked like his injury was still very much bothering him as well. I hope to see a rematch somewhere down the line with Drake in better condition. And in front of a non-asshole crowd.
#10: TOUGH CRAZY BASTARDS vs. THE ROTTWEILERZ
Or Necro Butcher and Toby Klein vs. Homicide and Low-Ki. And the brawling begins right away as Necro and Toby rush the ring. Necro gets tied up in the ropes as Ki chops him. Lots of punching and clubberin', brutha. Hero says this may come down to Ki and Cide having to outsmart the brawlers, dictate the pace, and keep them seperated. NECRO PUNCHES on Homicide followed by headbutts. Flying cross body off the top by Toby on Low Ki for 2. Cide beats Necro with a chair. Then Homicide digs a broken soda can into Necro's skull. Baseball slide by Ki on Necro. Ki kicks the crap out of Necro. Toby and Cide are throwing each other into the rails. PILEDRIVER ON THE RAMP by Homicide on Toby. So now Necro's alone. RUNNING KICK TO THE HEAD of Necro by Ki. Toby's right back up and headbutts Homicide. More kicks by Ki on Necro. SENTON OFF THE TOP by Homicide on Toby. That gets 2. The guy that came with TCB to the ring gets punched out by Homicide. Apparently his name is "Hat Free" Billy Graham. Hero thinks it's one of the old ECW Arena guys. Toby dives onto Homicide. Ki kicks down Necro again. Toby and Ki trade chops. PILEDRIVER ON THE CHAIR by Homicide on Necro in the ring gets 2. Ki gets Toby down and perches himself on the guardrail and hits a DOUBLE STOMP off the guardrail. Necro throws a chair at Homicide. Necro sets up two chairs back to back and hits a sidewalk slam onto the upper lip! That gets 2 on Homicide. Kicks to the chest by Ki on Necro. Ki and Cide whip Toby into the corner for a DOUBLE MAFIA KICK! That gets 2. Ki and Cide spill Toby and Necro to the floor. And out comes a table. They pull out the guardrail closer to the ring and sets up the table between it and the ring. We really are getting ECW style here. Necro bodyslams Ki on a chair. Necro and Toby hit a Washing Machine on Homicide in the ring for 2. TIGER BOMB by Necro on Cide gets 2. They go for a Double DVD on Ki but he fights off Toby and gets the DRAGON CLUTCH on Necro while Homicide gets Toby in the STF. Necro's hunched over the 2nd rope....DOUBLE STOMP FROM LOW KI!! Homicide goes for a Frog Splash but Toby moves and hits a big boot then a springboard back elbow on Homicide. Ki and Necro and fighting and Necro gets hunched over the table....DOUBLE STOMP THROUGH THE TABLE!!!! "Holy shit!"-Philadelphia. Toby misses the Twisting Splash in the ring and Homicide hits an ACE CRUSHER followed by the LARIAT for the win at 15:55. ***1/2. Crazy brawl that got really insane at the end. Not on par with Necro vs. Ki, Necro vs. Joe, or Necro vs. Masada from Texas, but not much stuff is. We got what we expected-a real good fight.
#11: HARDCORE RUMBLE: Darin Childs & Massive vs. Six Feet Under vs. Devil's Rejects vs. Vulgar Display of Power
Six Feet Under is Insane Lane and Freakshow, Devil's Rejects are Tank and Iceberg, Vulgar Display of Power is Brain Damage and Deranged. Childs and Massive are from Texas, including the new IWA Texas affiliate Anarchy Championship Wrestling. Apparently 2 teams start and the others will enter later. I'm just judging that myself, since there was no rules explanation. Big brawl to start off. They all grab chairs and take turns chair shotting each other. Massive's shots look really weak. Childs dents it on Freakshow's head. Freakshow hits Massive with a thumbtack bat. He's got about 7 stuck in his head. Lane staples Childs' head. Tank and Iceberg enter next with a Cannonball by Tank on Childs. Childs gets a huge chairshot, too. Headbutts by Freakshow and Tank. Apparently these guys aren't allies tonight. Lots of brawling. DDT on a chair by Childs on Lane. Damage and Deranged enter and clean house. Deranged boots Lane's face. More brawling. Barbed wire chairshot by Iceberg on Damage. Freakshow staples Tank in the back multiple times. More stapler action. I'm not a fan of that. Hip toss looking thing by Massive on Iceberg. Tank staples Damage's tongue to the ropes! Oh, you guys are sick. More brawling. Bodyslam on the barbed wire chair for Childs. Big splash by Iceberg. Double stomp by Tank. Damage and Deranged fuck up a spike piledriver on Massive. And the botch gets the win at 13:28. -*. First time ever for me giving that to an IWA match, but that was just atrocious.
The 411: For the first time, I'm not going to recommend an IWA show. Lots of average matches, two good ones, and a few bits of crap, along with a terrible, terrible crowd and no storyline development doesn't make for a good show.
Thumbs just down for this.