Winner Takes All on December 14th, 2013
Opening Match: IWC Tag Team Titles: Elimination: Jimmy Nutts and Joseph Brooks © vs. Colin Delaney and Keith Haught vs. Chest Flexor and Brian McDowell vs. Marshall Gambino and Bronco McBride
Haught outsmarts Brooks early on and frustrates him. McBride hits a belly-to-belly suplex on Haught while Marshall follows with a mere punch to the face. Marshall blocks a kick from Delaney and sends him flipping back onto his face. Delaney is isolated until he takes advantage of some miscommunication between the STDs and makes the tag. Nutts cleans house, even taking out Corey Futuristic at ringside. Everyone dives onto each other and there’s a huge pileup in the ring. Marshall breaks up the pile with a big splash onto Futuristic. Everyone trades moves. Nutts connects with a forearm smash on McBride to eliminate Marshall and McBride. Team Big League connects with stereo baseball slides on the STDs. Delaney lands a dive to the floor onto the group. Haught even adds a splash from the top rope. In the ring, Flexor hits a neckbreaker on Delaney to eliminate Haught and Cute. Brooks hits a back suplex on Flexor and Team Big League work him over. Nutts and Flexor collide after both attempting clotheslines at the same time. Brooks and McDowell square off with their signature weapons. McDowell’s bowling ball beats Brooks’ confetti cannon. Brooks accidentally hits Nutts with the bowling ball. Flexor hits a pumphandle driver on Nutts. The STDs become the new IWC Tag Team Champions at 13:40. These four-way tag team matches were prevalent in IWC back in the day and always a fun time. This was no different, as all four teams brought something to the table and delivered some entertaining exchanges. Still, remember in October when Shane Taylor single-handedly ran through Flexor’s entire group in four minutes? Apparently the booking forgot as well. **¾
John McChesney comes out and scolds Nutts and Brooks. He claims that tonight was supposed to be the night of Team Big League. Tonight will still be special for Team Big League…just without Nutts. Brooks attacks Nutts from behind and McChesney shows his approval. McChesney formally banishes Nutts from Team Big League.
Match #2: Asylum vs. Jay Flash
Asylum asserts his power advantage early on. Flash creates an opening with a series of kicks and hits a crucifix bomb. He snaps off a satellite headscissors and connects with a shining wizard. Asylum violently yanks him off the middle rope and takes control. Asylum hits a delayed vertical superplex for a nearfall. Flash connects with a missile dropkick and hits a senton. Asylum avoids a flying double stomp but slips on a springboard attempt. Asylum hits a gutwrench powerbomb for the win at 4:20. Both men played their roles perfectly. Asylum is an incredibly believable monster and Flash has a ton of potential. Though this match was clearly structured to highlight Asylum, Flash looked great as well. Hopefully these two will be permanent fixtures in IWC in 2014. **
Match #3: Johnny Gargano vs. Facade vs. Colt Cabana
The winner will become the #1 contender for the Super Indy Title. Gargano and Facade stare each other down, referencing their history as tag team champions in IWC. Everyone tries quick pin attempts and they have some fun at the referee’s expense. A fan calls Cabana a “wuss” and he takes a moment to regroup from that comment. They tease locking up but keep pulling each other to the floor. Cabana connects with a double axe handle from the apron but misses a flying crossbody in the ring. Facade synchs in the Dreadlock on Cabana. While the hold is still locked in, Gargano traps Facade in a boston crab. Gargano enzuigiris Cabana and the fun comes to a close. Gargano hits a slingshot spear on Facade and lands a dive to the floor onto Cabana. He reenters the ring with a slingshot DDT on Facade for a nearfall. Facade lands a double-jump dive to the floor onto Cabana. In the ring, Cabana avoids a slingshot spear from Gargano and lays in a series of punches and elbows. Facade connects with a spin kick on Cabana but walks into a superkick from Gargano. All three men are down. Cabana locks in the Billygoat’s Curse on Gargano. Facade breaks up the hold with a springboard enzuigiri and connects with a double springboard dropkick. Facade lands a springboard moonsault onto Cabana. Gargano superkicks Facade in the corner and lawn darts him into the turnbuckles for a two count. Facade escapes the Hurts Donut and hits the Arashikage Driver for the victory at 12:56. It was nice to see Gargano and Facade incorporate their history in IWC together and Cabana certainly adds to every match that showcases him. This actually came off much better on DVD than live, as Joe Dombrowski and Matt Striker were an excellent team on commentary. Overall, a fun showcase on the biggest show of the year. ***
Match #4: No Holds Barred: Logan Shulo vs. Shane Taylor
This will be both men’s last match in IWC, as Shulo is on his way to WWE Developmental and Taylor is moving to Texas. Shulo charges at the opening bell and lays in some forearms. He tries to lift Taylor for a slam but can’t handle the weight. Shulo knees Taylor to the floor and connects with a dropkick through the ropes. He follows with a dive from the top rope. Taylor trips Shulo on the apron and takes control with a brutal chair shot. In the ring, Shulo comes back with a huge powerslam. Taylor quickly responds with a powerslam of his own. Shulo ducks a lariat and hits a saito suplex for a nearfall. Taylor connects with a lariat on his second attempt. He misses a middle-rope splash and Shulo connects with a lariat for the win at 9:19. Both men did an excellent job of playing their roles and the crowd was by far more invested into this match than any other contest thus far. When Shulo was finally able to lift Taylor for the powerslam, the place exploded. They kept it simple and what resulted was a unique match that you don’t see very often and a great sendoff for both Shulo and Taylor. ***
After the match, Chuck Roberts thanks Shulo for his time and IWC and Shulo gives a farewell speech.
Match #5: Super Indy XIII Qualifier: Andrew Palace vs. Matt Striker
Striker runs down the crowd on his way to the ring and he’s hilarious. Striker is very stoic before locking up and lures Palace into some quick holds. This continues for awhile and Palace becomes frustrated. Palace starts to show some fight so Striker takes him down with a forearm smash. Striker hits a powerslam and connects with a double stomp. Palace avoids a charge and hits a neckbreaker. He follows with a hesitation dropkick and hits a bulldog. Palace plants Striker with an implant DDT for a nearfall. Then, Palace gives Striker the stunner and the pedigree. Striker finds life with a rope-assisted butterfly DDT. Palace sneaks in a crucifix out of nowhere for the victory at 10:48. Striker was absolutely phenomenal and I hope to see him on more independent wrestling shows in 2014. It was fun watching Palace fight from behind and the rollup finish made perfect sense within the context of the match. Hopefully IWC does something with Palace’s momentum because this match completely legitimized Palace in my mind. ***¼
Match #6: IWC Super Indy Title: Shiima Xion © vs. RJ City
Xion wastes no time going after City with a barrage of chops. Xion snaps off a hurricanrana and hits an atomic drop. Justin LaBar gets involved from ringside, allowing City to attack from behind. The action goes to the floor where Xion throws City over the guardrail. He follows with a dive into the crowd. City takes control after knocking Xion off the apron and into the guardrail. City humorously works over Xion’s appendix, referencing his accusation that Xion faked his recent injury. City gets a chance to showcase his offense for the first time and hits a couple of nice neckbreakers. Xion takes advantage of City’s cockiness and lands a few strikes. He springboards into Goodnight Everybody. Xion is able to power out of the hold. Xion connects with a dropkick through the ropes and hits a slingshot DDT. LaBar distracts the referee. City sneaks in a rollup for a nearfall. Xion connects with a superkick and goes up top. City rolls to the other side of the ring. He throws a drink into Xion’s face. Xion counters Goodnight Everybody into a crossface. LaBar rings the bell and Xion thinks he has the match won. City grabs another rollup while holding the tights to become the new Super Indy Champion at 13:51. City has his character down so well that the interference makes sense when you have a guy who detests what the Super Indy Title stands for and values sports entertainment. I cannot stress enough that for City to standout on shows, the shenanigans elsewhere on the card must be kept to a minimum. That was the case tonight and these two had a solid match as a result. ***
Match #7: Jon Bolen, HD Cannon, and Sam Cassidy vs. Justin Idol, Jimmy Vegas, and Dennis Gregory
Gregory is nowhere to be found. Bolen asserts his power advantage against Idol. Vegas calls out Cannon and hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Cassidy comes off the middle rope with an uppercut on Idol. Vegas interjects himself and the Founding Fathers isolate Cassidy. The match eventually breaks down when Bolen and Vegas brawl to the back. Gregory suddenly appears at ringside. Cannon attacks Cassidy from behind for some reason. Gregory covers Cassidy for the win at 9:21. That was a mess. There was no explanation or apparent reason for Gregory’s absence and Cannon’s heel turn makes little sense given he’s not aligned with the Founding Fathers. I tend to like the Founding Fathers better when they’re in singles matches. *½
Match #8: IWC World Heavyweight Title: John McChesney © vs. Dalton Castle
Norm Connors is the special guest referee. However, Chuck Roberts appoints a “backup” referee at ringside just in case Norm acts up. Castle hits a double underhook suplex. McChesney creates an opening with a chop and hangs onto a side headlock. Castle back suplexes out of the hold. McChesney takes a breather and connects with a dropkick. He misses a chop at ringside and collides with the ringpost. Joseph Brooks walks down to ringside but Jimmy Nutts comes out to make the save and take care of his former partner. McChesney connects with a dropkick through the ropes, knocking out the backup referee. He hits a northern lights suplex and regains control. Castle fights back by back dropping McChesney to the floor. Shane Taylor’s music hits and he enters the ring. McChesney attacks Castle from behind with a backcracker. Taylor shoves Norm, who starts questioning McChesney. The champion says that he can handle this match on his own. Castle snaps off a hurricanrana on the floor and dives onto Taylor. In the ring, Castle hits a sit-out slam on McChesney for a nearfall. McChesney counters another suplex into an implant DDT. Justin LaBar grabs a chair and starts yelling at Norm. Justin Plummer returns to IWC and takes out LaBar. McChesney picks up the chair but Norm stops him from using it. Castle hits a german suplex but Norm is hesitant to count. Another referee runs out to count but Norm shoves him out of the way. McChesney connects with a superkick for a nearfall. The champion follows with a TKO but misses a flying double stomp. Castle catches him with a dead-lift german suplex to become the new IWC World Heavyweight Champion at 15:11. There has been A LOT of interference in McChesney’s title matches and this finale nicely tied up the stories that have been laid out over the past year. Castle’s title win signifies a new era in IWC and he certainly has stood out from the moment he debuted in the promotion. I’m personally hoping for a long title reign with clean finishes. McChesney and Castle worked hard to deliver a quality main event and they’ve always had great chemistry together. The most important point is that McChesney dropped the title and we now have a new champion that should not have to rely on cheating and interference. Good deal. ***¼
Castle and Norm shake hands. McChesney steals the title and runs away. Chuck Roberts appears and introduces a new IWC World Heavyweight Title and presents Castle with the belt.
As always, check out the latest edition of IWC Aftershock hosted by Justin Plummer:
For more information on IWC, check out their:
Official website: iwcwrestling.com
Facebook and Twitter
You can also find a collection of IWC DVD reviews at iwcwrestling.wordpress.com
IWC is also available at Smart Mark Video On Demand