Although it’s interesting to see what a wrestling company does on their biggest show of the year, one could argue the follow up show is equally, if not more important. How do you follow up from such a large event? If you attracted any new audience members, will you be able to hold their interest? Coming off of their first iPPV, “Absolution VIII”, which was a loaded show with a lot of storyline implications, I was curious to see just how AIW was going to follow up.
Tim Donst, typically in the main event spot, opened the card with Cleveland luminary Josh Prohibition. Although Donst had some pretty vicious battles lately, he and Prohibition took things back to wrestling. Donst used his suplexes and clotheslines while Prohibition utilized more of a mat based game. However, when Donst sent him into the guardrail with a forearm, he had no issues busting out a suicide dive to return the favor. Prohibition tried wearing down the neck for the Drunken Driver, but obviously he didn’t wear it down enough, as Donst was able to bridge him back in a suplex to get the win. Donst beating a Cleveland legend like Prohibition was the perfect way to rehab him after losing to Michael Hutter at Absolution.
Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews are two names that have popped up over the past few months. Coming from across the pond, both men came over for a little over two months to make a name for themselves in the States. While Dunne offers a more technical repertoire, Andrews’ arsenal is that of a high-flier. Let me tell you something; both of these guys are pretty spectacular. Dunne is one of the few guys I’ve seen pull off the Japanese Ocean Cyclone suplex with ease, and Andrews’ standing shooting star senton is a sight to behold. The AIW crowd can sometimes be a bit quiet, especially for relative unknowns, but they fell in love with this match quickly. Their transitions are so smooth and a lot of their offense really innovative. It’s hard to pontificate on a showcase match without going into detail on moves and such, but these two left me wanting to see more from both of them and I would hope a return to the States would be in store.
Originally “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti was going to make his AIW debut against Biff Busick. Busick, unable to make it, was replaced by Josh Alexander. Alexander already has a big match coming up in the main event so him taking this match was a bit risky. If you’re familiar with Touchdown, you know he’s somewhat of a bully, so it was fun to see the tables turned and have Alexander give him a wedgie and embarrass him by placing him on the top turnbuckle with ease. Angelosetti turned the tables when Alexander went to the top rope and he dropkicked him out to the floor. I don’t know what the deal with this match was, but this just wasn’t clicking with the crowd. I don’t know if it was an unfamiliarity with Touchdown (who admittedly was going through the motions it would seem), or perhaps Alexander reeling it in given it was the first of two matches for him, or something else entirely. They liked Touchdown kicking out of the Implant and a lengthy strike exchange. I thought it was good but I feel the match has potential to be a lot better.
Four of AIW’s top teams had a crazy fun match: The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy & Evan Gelestico, The Hooligans (Devin Cutter & Mason Cutter), The Sex Bob-Ombs (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett), and the Jollyville Fuck-It’s (“Nasty” Russ Myers & T-Money) all put in their best efforts to entertain the crowd. With the first ever “Double Dare” tag team tournament looming, it was important to each team to make their mark in the hopes of earning a spot. The Hooligans were making their AIW debut and the only thing I remembered about them was how they stole the Beyond Wrestling/St. Louis Anarchy show in June in the same building the year before. I will be darned if they didn’t do it again here. The crowd absolutely ate up their offense and super fun sequence of moves. The Bob-Ombs and F-It’s also really captivated the crowd. The Submission Squad ended up stealing the win which may have been the unpopular choice but was most effective in building them as a strong Rudo group. Even in just under ten minutes these four teams stole the show. It’s no wonder why all of them got entry into the “Double Dare” tournament after this.
Speaking of the Submission Squad, Gary Jay’s open challenge turned into a tag team open challenge when Briley Pierce joined him. Tracy Smothers and Isabella Smothers answered the challenge, as it was at “Absolution VIII” where Gary pinned Smothers. After a lengthy exchange of the microphones, we got a fairly mundane tag match. Smothers and the Submission Squad are entertaining acts but at times their in ring leaves something to be desired. It doesn’t help that the match came after such a crazy, impressive four team fracas. People seemed to enjoy making jokes and chanting silly things moreso than getting invested to the work being put in. I will admit that it’s always fun to watch Tracy work, but this went entirely too long and was an exercise in patience most of the time. Tracy ended up pinning Jay, which hopefully puts a definitive end to this feud.
Just as I say that, the next match happens. Jock Samson is another man who has had his issues with the Submission Squad, so it’s no surprise they would show up during Samson’s match with Sugar Dunkerton. The majority of the match was comedy (dancing and such) with Tracy Smothers and his daughters coming out to join the party. That’s when the Submission Squad attacked them. Samson and Dunkerton then moved into the crowd where they fought by the snack bar and consumed alcohol as they traded strikes. Back in the ring Dunkerton got control and set up for the Tony Stark lariat. However, he got nervous, because it was in this same building in which Dunkerton suffered the arm injury which caused him to get surgery. That hesitation cost him the match, as Samson gave him a hip toss and splash to pick up the win. This was what it was. I could give or take it.
The Batiri are now defending their AIW Tag Titles under “Demon’s Rules.” It’s like the old Freebird Rule, but y’know, with demons. On this night it was the combination of Obariyon & Kobald who defended the belts. Although you would think their opponents #NIXON (Rickey Shane Page & Bobby Beverly) would have the leg up being the more prolific of the two teams, the Batiri was able to squeak out a win. Things started hot with a dive to the floor and the action was consistent from there. There was an awkward moment here and there but nothing too bad. The Duke interfered but was thwarted by Chest Flexor who attacked him from the crowd. With the distraction, the Batiri hit a powerbomb/Demon’s Toiler combo on Beverly to seal the deal. Not a bad first defense for the Batiri, but it’s a shame their win was merely background noise to the #NIXON/Flexor angle. Right after this, Eric Ryan attacked Flexor with a chair and the rest of #NIXON bloodied him and laid him out.
Ethan Page’s reign as Absolute Champion didn’t start out easy, as he had to defend his title against three former champions: Colin Delaney, Michael Hutter, and Eric Ryan. Page and his manager Seleziya Sparx sabotaged Delaney and stole his spotlight at the end of “Absolution VIII.” Delaney leapt onto Page outside the ring leading to both men brawling around the building. Interestingly enough, Delaney made it back into the ring to join Ryan and Hutter who had been wrestling in the mean time. Page made his return when Delaney was going for the 12 Large Elbow on Ryan, the same situation in which Delaney had won the Absolute title the first time. Ryan and Delaney were on the floor when Hutter had Page down for the count. Sparx pulled the referee out of the ring to save the title for her man. To get rid of her, Hutter threw Page’s foot into Sparx’s head. Hutter hit the Headlock Driver on Page for a visual pin but the referee was still down. Tim Donst of all people gave Hutter a low blow while the referee was still down! If you recall, Hutter defeated Donst at “Absolution VIII.” Delaney and Ryan were too busy slugging it out on the floor to break the count after Page gave Hutter the Spinning Dwayne. The wrestling here was really good, and the incorporation of storylines was done flawlessly. None of the interference or the referee bump felt cheap and showed some kinks in Page’s armor. It was a good way to give Page a strong first win as champion while also keeping all three challengers in contention.
Former tag team champions Hope & Change came to the ring for their respective matches. Veda Scott first took on Kimber Lee in which nothing of note took place. Scott won in about 5 minutes with the Mind Trip, giving her momentum towards Girl’s Night Out weekend where she is challenging Allysin Kay for the AIW Women’s championship. Thing is, AIW built a lot of good will in Kimber Lee during the JLIT weekend, so I don’t understand why she of all people had to be the one to lose to Scott. Iron then talked a bit about being screwed before issuing an open challenge. Angeldust, former AIW women’s champion, answered said challenge. This was so frustrating. Angeldust got some hope spots but then the pinfall nonsense really set me over the edge. First, Iron got what looked like a clear three count but the referee claimed otherwise. Then, they re-used the played out four count stipulation for Iron, which ran it’s course during the Hope & Change tag title reign. They wrestled a little more and got no recognition for an apron DDT or Handicap Parking. Veda Scott then accidentally hit Iron with the ring hammer allowing Angeldust to give Iron a back cracker for an upset win. Hey, at least it looks like Iron and Scott are breaking up. That’s something to look forward to.
Due to suffering from spinal stenosis, BJ Whitmer had to surrender his Intense Division title which he had held for 14 months. The title was put up in a five person Ladder Match featuring former tag champions Flip Kendrick, Louis Lyndon, and Matt Cross, rising AIW star Josh Alexander, and the debuting Andrew Everett (formerly Chiva Kid). It was fun, a little crazy, and had a surprise winner in Louis Lyndon. My money would have been on Alexander but given how good Lyndon has been in singles competition I have no issue with him being the champion. This was a fun way to end the show. It’s not the most insane ladder match or anything, but given these types of matches happen rarely in AIW, it was a nice treat.
Overall: This show was a mixed bag, but thankfully most items fall into the positive category. All the title matches delivered, the four way tag match stole the show, and Mark Angelosetti had a very fun debut bout. The show may not have hit home runs with each match or segment but there’s still some good stuff and kept most of my interest in what they established from the last show. The show gets a thumbs in the middle. It serves as a nice bridge between Absolution VIII and Double Dare.
You can pick up this show on DVD from AIW’s store or Smart Mark Video. For a reduced price, you can also download the show as an mp4 from Smart Mark Video or watch it On Demand from SMVOD.
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Quick Results/Match Times/Star Ratings
1. Tim Donst pins Josh Prohibition with a bridging Northern Lights suplex in 9:51. **½
2. In an International Showcase, Mark Andrews defeated “Dynamite” Pete Dunne with a top rope shooting star press in 10:20. ***
3. Josh Alexander pins “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti with a spinning tombstone piledriver in 17:20. **¾
4. The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy & Evan Gelestico) win a four way tag team match that also featured The Hooligans (Devin Cutter & Mason Cutter), The Sex Bob-Ombs (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett), and the Jollyville Fuck-It’s (“Nasty” Russ Myers & T-Money) in 9:46 when Gelestico rolls up Vega and holds onto the tights. ***¼
5. Tracy Smothers & Isabella Smothers triumphed over Gary Jay & Briley Pierce when Tracy captured Gary in a crucifix pin at 19:05. *
6. Jock Samson defeats Sugar Dunkerton with a big splash in 14:28. *¼
7. The Batiri (Obariyon & Kobald) w/Veronica Ticklefeather retain the AIW Tag Team Championships over #NIXON (Rickey Shane Page & Bobby Beverly) w/Duke Schork in 10:20, pinning Beverly with a Demon’s Toiler/powerbomb combo. **¾
8. Ethan Page w/Seleziya Sparx retained the Absolute Championship over Colin Delaney, Michael Hutter, and Eric Ryan when he pinned Hutter with the Spinning Dwayne in 13:57. ***¼
9. Veda Scott defeats Kimber Lee with the Mind Trip in 5:34. *
10. Angeldust pinned Gregory Iron after a back cracker in 10:19. ½*
11. Louis Lyndon wins the vacant Intense Division Championship in a Ladder Match in 18:38 that also featured Matt Cross, Josh Alexander, Flip Kendrick, and Andrew Everett. ***½