GSR

An NWA Canadian Junior Heavyweight title match (Disco Fury is the champion by the way), featuring some standard Junior fare wrestling to get us underway. Torch drops to his back to avoid the running crossbody only to then start celebrating to the fans like he’s won or something. After turning back around he rushes at Disco who gives him a helping hand, turfing him through the ropes and to the outside. He comes off the apron with a double axe handle however Torch gets in first with a punch to the gut. Torch eats a superkick on the floor before Disco slingshots him back into the ring. Crossbody off the top. Torch avoids the charge and Disco straddles himself across the middle turnbuckle. Slingshot blockbuster. Spinning heel kick but they’re too close to the ropes. Slingshot elbow drop, a slack cover allowing Disco to kick out. As payback for earlier Torch throws Disco through the ropes to the floor and then takes him out with a pescado. He’s once again playing to the fans, forgetting about his opponent who clubs him from behind before sprinting off around the building. Back inside Disco with a drop toe hold, Torch landing throat first onto the middle rope. The champion takes his time heading upstairs and Torch dropkicks him in the knee causing him to lose his balance. Viagra Driver (think Assault Driver) for a near fall. Something that starts out looking like it’s going to be a reverse DDT, but is then turned into a cutter. Torch not only screams Indy with his gear, with his offense too. He overshoots the Lionsault however the commentators, who aren’t bad at all, cover for him, calling it a moonsault headbutt. Disco gets a shoulder up following a diving headbutt when out, for the second time tonight, comes Rockstar 2000. Amusingly the fans start chanting “Go away” at him! As Torch is distracted Disco hooks him with a sunset flip for the win. In turn we then get Weed, Tony Kozina, Average Joe and the rest of the participants of the Pacific Cup showing up and going at it in the ring. Acting Commissioner Chance Beckett manages to restore some order, but it’s not long before he and Torch come to blows. Two final big dives, one by each, onto the rest of the competitors who are now at ringside as they continue to hype the upcoming Pacific Cup. Torch needs some new ring gear as he screams “backyarder” by the way he looks; he’s also pretty bad in the ring, no transitions and just goes from one spot to the next. Things were better when Disco was controlling but this is primarily a primer for the Pacific Cup. Props to the commentary team here who I thought were much better than the match they were calling, even if I did think the one was going to be annoying with his heel anti-Torch shtick.

The Briscoe Brothers cheering squad have remained for the rest of the show, making some noise for Ty Street and the Cheetah Master who milk it for the entire duration of ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. Also worth noting that Street is wearing an eye patch to cover an injured/damaged eye. No idea who J.J. the Ring Crew Guy is, well apart from a member of the ring crew I assume, but he’s modelled his look on Zandig with the stonewash jeans, long dark hair and doo rag. With six men in the cage at the same time there is a lot going on all at once so I’ll just give some choice highlights. Street with a shiranui on Russ Haas, running up the cage wall as opposed to the turnbuckles. He sadly has that annoying RVD tendency to pose to the crowd after a big move though. Cheetah and Inferno duke it out on the top of the cage, although the camera then misses Inferno’s backwards bump to the mat. Stereo powerbombs by J.J. and Charlie. Street is about to leave through the cage door when Kevin Kelly (manager of the Haas brothers) slams it into his face. Inferno then rips off his eye patch and goes after that eye, bloodying it up. Despite everyone seemingly being rammed into the cage on multiple occasions, that was the only blood in the match, therefore making it far more effective than if everyone had juiced. Kelly is getting some nice heat on the outside, motioning at the fans to “bring it on!” Cheetah with a crossbody from the top of the cage onto everyone. The brothers and Street all start climbing the cage in unison and as I’m thinking they’re going to touch the floor at the same time, Street leaps from the top of the cage at Kelly, hitting the concrete first and winning the match for his team. Great finish! All on his own on the outside, Street is jumped by the Haas’ and Kelly until the Briscoe brothers come to his rescue. After things have calmed down, inside the cage J.J. attacks Cheetah (his own partner), however I have no idea as to why and with no commentary track either there is no-one to explain the back-story. Enjoyable stuff here.

Interesting match up here, one that pits a WWF (developmental) guy against an ECW guy... against an Indie dude. Simon is out last and he gets the biggest response of the three, the decibel levels rising even more when the fans see that he has got Dawn Marie seconding him. The three-way lock up just looks so strange, although to be fair, starting a fight with a “lock-up” is hardly conventional! Another lock-up morphs its way into a three-way headlock before each man with an armdrag as they bust out those tropes early. Bradley and Inferno with a double hiptoss, Simon kicks them off and then Bradley accidentally clotheslines Inferno. The two have heated words on the floor but it looks like they make an agreement to work together. Inferno climbs to the apron, he grabs Simon and Bradley rushes him from behind. ‘Superbad’ at least has some fire in his shots. A hi five cements the pact, one that doesn’t even last fifteen seconds with Inferno breaking up a pinfall attempt. Double DDT by Simon after Bradley and Inferno telegraph the double backdrop. Incidentally that is the exact same spot that Bradley does in the MCW three-way in a few weeks time. Simon is soon back on the receiving end of things though as he runs into a big boot. Bradley and Inferno continue to work together, but any time one of them goes for a pin the other breaks it up. This happens a lot. Eventually, as in all three-ways, Bradley and Inferno fall out and start going at it. Double face jam by Simon. Inferno with a superkick to Simon and as he makes the cover Dawn Marie, from the floor, pulls him off her man. Inferno grabs Dawn by the hair and drags her up to the apron and into the ring. Note Dawn has her shoes off so she’s getting involved here. He puts her on his shoulders but then just lets her go; I think she was meant to have “freed herself”. A piss poor dropkick by Dawn to the back, like worst dropkick you’re likely to see all year levels of bad, and Simon with a reverse DDT. Simon rolls out the way leaving the coast clear for Bradley to land a moonsault on Inferno “stealing” the win. Bar a stacked up superplex I think they hit every three-way trope going in this one. The constant breaking up of pins got tired fast, and then they went on... and on... and on... doing it again and again. Just so boring. I liked Bradley stealing the win at the end with the moonsault but the execution left a lot to be desired, especially the way Simon rolled out the way after the DDT so not to get in the way. Disappointing and Bradley has far more enjoyable matches on Memphis TV than this.

The peroxide goatee on the dark haired, thinning, Miguel Perez is not a good look. He’s got some words for the fans which sounds like it gets him some heat, however my Spanish is still non-existent so I’m at a loss as to what was said. Chicky grabs a chair as he’s making his entrance and tosses that into the ring. Everyone pairs off, Feinstein choosing to follow Tajiri and Corino as the match quickly spills out onto the gym floor. Corino takes a ridiculous OTT bump when he’s clobbered in the head with a trash can lid. Yet more shots with it and I’m surprised he hasn’t bladed. Oh yeah, non-ECW show! He gets hold of a cord which he uses to choke Tajiri with before denting a baking sheet over the Buzzsaw’s head. All four return to the ring and this is primarily nothing but weapon shots. Now Corino is audibly calling spots, loudly telling Tajiri “Tarantula”. Corino is bleeding and, just as I’m trying to work out where he possibly bladed, you hear him say “I’m bleeding hardway”. The cut appears to be on the top of his head as opposed to his forehead. Tajiri uses a plunger, Chicky continues to hit Miguel with whatever he can get his hands on. When Perez finally gets in a bit of offense, it’s a similar story, hitting his opponents with trash cans, trash can lids and baking trays. This is repetitive and not particularly good. Tajiri with a brainbuster to Corino on one of the lids, Miguel breaking up the cover. In typical Feinstein style he almost misses the finish, turning the camera away after Corino had superkicked a chair into Tajiri’s face, to see what Chicky and Perez are up to, only just turning back in time. Bad match with four guys who spent nigh on the duration hitting each other with garbage cans and baking trays; weapons the sound impactful but don’t hurt. Repetitive beyond belief.

A Texas Death cage match between Texas Heavyweight champion, Al Jackson, and his brother Action Jackson. Escape the cage rules are in operation and there is no referee inside the cage, just on the outside, his only job being to see which man’s feet hit the floor first. There’s one final stipulation, should Action win, then he gets five minutes in the ring with Al’s manager, Steve Moody. The commentator notes that Action is very serious as he makes his way out, there’s no strutting or dancing with the fans like he would be normally doing. Al resorts to raking Action across the eyes as he’s been choked in the corner, before removing his own T-shirt and using that to choke Action with. Moody tosses a chain to his charge, something that infuriates the commentators, however as they reiterate, Texas Death rules means anything goes. Al slams Action head first into the cage, who then makes a real poor attempt at concealing the fact that he’s blading forehead. Our commentary duo are shocked to find out he’s been busted open; they need to keep a closer eye on things! There’s a puddle of Action’s blood on the canvas already as Al repeatedly launches him into the cage. Moody throws a second chain to his charge which he uses to choke Action with. Considering there are no rules why does he just stop choking his brother, surely you’d just choke him out? Action, covered in blood but feeding off the cheers of the fans gets a second wind, firing back and staggering his opponent. Irish whip is reversed and he sends Al flying into the cage. Moody hurls a chair into the cage, Al getting in one fairly weak shot before Action swipes it away and floors Al with a shot of his own. I’ve no problem with the soft looking chair shots, or the wrestlers getting their hands up (like Al did), just makes a change after seeing the likes of Ian Rotten doing his best to cave people’s skulls in. Someone called Mac Daddy is out and he attacks referee Rick Manning, I think to get the cage door keys off him. The Gravedigger then shows up, followed by the Blackbird Posse, the Beast and Luscious Larry, all fighting amongst each other at ringside. In the ring Action lays out Al with a uranage. Moody is now in the cage, but his shots have zero effect and he gets thrown into the steel. As Action goes to leave, Baboose slams the cage door into his head and then pulls All out. Manning sees Al on the floor and awards him the win, Action’s NWA Southwest career apparently now over with the loss. I’m pretty certain that has not been mentioned once up to this point. Al and Baboose are not done, double teaming Action until Hotstuff Hernandez makes the save. The footage closes with Baboose singing “Na na na na” at Action. I think I sit somewhere in the middle of the two commentators on this one. The match consisted primarily of a lot of punching, choking and throwing into the cage, something that I think played out better due to Action’s blade job. Finish was overbooked and then some with all the run ins. Would’ve been nice if the commentators had bothered to mention that Action would be out of NWA Southwest at some point before he’d eaten the loss!

I can’t remember if we’ve seen this Joey Abs music video before or not. We’ve definitely seen one set to ‘Bawitdaba’ so it very well may be a repeat. The Southern Heavyweight champion is shown getting a massage from Victoria in the dressing room, so it comes as a bit of a surprise to Kevin Kelly and David Jett when she doesn’t accompany him out for the match. Abs doesn’t bother waiting for the bell, sprinting to the ring and quickly clearing it of both. Bradley and Vick have a chat on the floor and it looks as though they’re going to work together, forming an alliance of sorts. Scotty climbs up onto the apron, in a way sacrificing himself, as when Abs goes over to unload on him he’s open for the sneak attack from behind by Bradley. Abs gets a brief respite after backdropping Bradley over the top rope to the outside, but the champion gets back in the ring in time to break up the lateral press, following a suplex, as he and Vick go back to working together. Double suplex on Abs. Wow, Bradley makes the cover and Scotty just lets him. Considering the tired out trope of the third man breaking up the pin, which we have seen in every three-way match this year, that was unexpected. Combination inverted atomic drop/clothesline. The commentators speculate that Victoria has possibly been having backstage negotiations with Scott Vick and that’s why he’s letting Bradley go for the win. Middle rope moonsault for a two. An attempted double backdrop is telegraphed and Abs with a double DDT. He gets a second wind, unloading forearms on both. Michinoku Driver on Vick. Bradley heads up top but he’s caught and Abs lands a suicideplex. Scotty goes to drop an elbow as Abs makes the cover, however he moves and he accidentally hits Bradley instead. After the official gets sandwiched in the corner Bradley shoves Vick, wondering what he’s playing at. It looks like he’s about to apologise, sticking out his hand, when he picks Bradley up for a ‘Kryptonite Krunch’. Victoria rushes out from the back and wallops Scotty over the head with a trash can lid. She puts Bradley on top, then goes over to wake up the referee, ‘Whose Your Daddy?’ retaining the Southern Heavyweight title. I enjoyed this, probably more due to the face that it didn’t go as I expected with Vick, happy to let Bradley have the glory, until the, I supposed, inevitable miscommunications. I was surprised we didn’t get a title switch here due to the pre-match music video, hyping Abs and the fact that he came out last, even after the champion. Bradley continues to look one of the most impressive of prospects in developmental.

The ‘Iron Man’ opens up strong, not even bothering to remove his shades. After getting the better of a shoulder tackle he starts posing to the fans, unaware that Damaja is right back to his feet with a nip up. Conway reverses the Irish whip, however Damaja counters the side suplex with a headscissors. Standing huracanrana. Inverted atomic drop followed by a dropkick and Conway rolls under the bottom rope to the floor. Damaja takes off after him, throwing him back inside, but as he goes to get back in himself Kenny Bolin grabs an ankle, to prevent him from doing so, and Conway clobbers him from behind. Cornette is proper unbearable, yet again, on commentary. As it looks like the ‘Iron Man’ has got this under control Damaja ducks under a clothesline and he runs into the turnbuckles. Snap neckbreaker by the Damaja. Face first suplex for a near fall. Conway blocks the ‘Brain Damage’ and we get an accidental clash of heads knocking both men down. Bad timing on my part watching this match straight after Dinsmore/Damaja from last month where they did this exact same spot. Bolin is on the apron distracting the official and, while he does, Conway roots around in his trunks looking to load his glove for the ‘Iron Fist’. That brings out Mr Black who grabs a hold of Conway’s arm to prevent him from so. ‘Brain Damage’ on the ‘Iron Man’ and Bolin is in, practically falling on top of referee Robert Brisco to put a stop to the count. He may have not been pinned but it’s still a loss, Conway DQ’d for the ‘Star Maker’s’ interference, Kenny getting a post-match slugging from the Damaja too for good measure. The work was solid , which was to be expected considering these are two of the best in OVW, although the match was really just to add fire to the Conway/Mr Black feud which will culminate at Christmas Chaos where the loser will be forced to leave Bolin Services. I shan’t miss Cornette’s commentary that is for sure!

David Jett jokes that the ‘Kliq 2000’ will be outdated in a few weeks and they’ll have to change their name to ‘Kliq 2001’. The Fabulous Rocker is seconding Tracey, no doubt he’ll be playing a part in this at some point. There’s a nice spot early where Smothers holds onto the ropes after being whipped into them, looks out to the crowd pointing at his head as if he’s outsmarted Shooter, who, seeing his opponent not paying attention, then darts up the pole attempting to retrieve the chair, Tracey getting to him just in time before he can do so. Some of Smothers efforts to climb the pole leave a lot to be desired, going painfully slow as he ‘waits’ for Shooter to pull him back down. Butterfly suplex by Schultz. Tracey uses Shooter’s own momentum to propel him through the ropes to the floor, following him outside. Smothers ends up punching the ringpost before they fight their way over towards the curtain. Schultz gets shoved into the steel as Tracey then threatens some kids in the front row who’re on his case. He throws a one of the commentator’s drinks into Shooter’s face before another laboured attempt at collecting the chair a top that pole. Kevin Kelly has a great line how that drink smelled 80 per cent proof and wondered if Jett was doing a Gordon Solie tribute. Shooter with a scoop powerslam but he can’t capitalise. After a snap suplex he goes to climb the pole when he’s yanked down by the Fabulous Rocker. Eventually Smothers does get hold of the chair and, according to the rules of the match, can now use it legally. He doesn’t get the chance though, Schultz ducking the chair shot and T-Boning Tracey. Shooter with a chair shot to the head of Smothers, one for the Rocker and that’s all she wrote. Not particularly good due to the half-assed attempts at climbing the pole. If you’re going to do a pole match, at least make your efforts to climb look believable, not as if you’re waiting for your opponent to get to you/pull you down etc. Some nice suplexes from Shooter and the commentators were on form with some funny lines (including one about how if Shooter got hit in the head with a chair it could end his career, whereas Tracey has been hit in the head sixty or seventy times so he doesn’t care).

It’s been a long time since I’ve watched any OVW in the project as that, along with Memphis, was one of the things I ploughed through early. I missed a few matches here and there along the way and now it’s time to plug those gaps. The optimism of hoping Corny has mellowed over the months diminishes almost instantly as he’s talking hundred miles an hour on the hard sell for Christmas Chaos. A pretty physical lock up from the two, one that you wouldn’t normally expect to see in the Davis Arena. They exchange wristlocks and I like Damaja headbutting the hand of Dinsmore at one point to get him to release his grasp. Hip tosses are blocked before Dinsmore lands a double arm suplex followed by a flying forearm and finally a superkick as he looks to open up. Cornette claims that could’ve split his nose or knocked some teeth out. It did neither. Dinsmore tries to wheelbarrow Damaja which he counters with a bulldog. He clotheslines Dinsmore over the top rope to the floor, although unlike most, doesn’t follow him to the outside. Back inside Dinsmore grabs a waistlock, Damaja backs him into the corner and drills him in the jaw with an elbow. Dragon screw leg whip into a Scorpion Deathlock. Dinsmore crawls his way over to the ropes and a reluctant Damaja is forced to release the hold. The champion avoids a dropkick and then locks in a version of the ‘Regal Stretch’. They’re too close to the ropes though so Dinsmore pulls him back into the centre of the ring. Damaja fires off some elbows and with Dinsmore still having hold of his leg, connects with an enzuigiri. He gets a flurry of two counts before an accidental clash of heads after Dinsmore had blocked the ‘Brain Damage’. I don’t think Corny has taken a breath yet. Double crossbody as Cornette has the gall to say that the action was too fast to call. If that’s the case Jim then maybe you should shut up for a bit as even though they were working a very quick pace you were keeping up just fine! Russ McCullough is out and he throws referee Robert Brisco from the ring and then powerbombs the two combatants, as we’re told about this change of attitude he’s adopted recently. The match just ends there with both men laid out as we go to a video from last week where McCullough turned on Randy Orton. One of the powerbombs he gave him looks real sloppy as he’s close to losing him on lifting him up. We rejoin today’s show with Dean Hill in the ring looking to get a few words from Big Russ. Cornette, not one to shy away from the limelight, interrupts them after barely a sentence and wants to know what McCullough’s problem is? Russ grabs him and tells him that he’s fed up of being treated like a dumb jock; he’s faster than the “Big Slow”, stronger than Nick Dinsmore and smarter than Bolin Services. He doesn’t get any main events and Cornette books him like a trained monkey while the “fudge packers” get the title shots and the “yes men” the TV time. He closes by saying that the only way it looks like he’ll get a little respect around here is by knocking out ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. A good TV match killed by a non-finish as they look to try and get something out of Russ McCullough. He was real lucky he didn’t lose Randy on the powerbomb, while he showed nothing in his interview, no intensity there at all, like he’d been given the lines that he was saying. I imagine Corny was out there, nothing to do with my limelight hogging remark, but to walk him through it. You can see why he didn’t get a shot on the main roster, even with the size that they usually fawn over.

“Making his way down to ringside hailing from...oh, I don’t know where he’s hailing from!” Great start there from your ring announcer, gives off a real professional vibe to things! Bizarrely it seems like the Iron Sheik is on commentary. It is. And now the commentators are talking about crack dealer and other such nonsense, like how Xavier must think he’s going to be on Star Trek because he’s wearing space age tights! The opening lock up is right out of the Homicide/Low Ki playbook from earlier in the year. It’s something else hearing an unintelligible Sheik trying to do play by play here. Both men are evenly matched, it pointed out that they have wrestled each other many times already in their careers. Ki reverses a whip to the corner but as he comes rushing in Xavier launches him over the top rope to the floor. Tope con hilo by Xavier. Back inside Ki avoids the running lariat and boxes Xavier around the side of the head with a kick. He follows that up with a handspring kick which lead to Xavier taking refuge out at ringside. Orihara moonsault, at which point Sheik references “his cousin Sabu”. WTF? Is he trying to claim that he’s the original Sheik? Ki unloads with a series of kicks, the last one to the temple dropping his opponent. Xavier ducks a kick and then crotches Ki on the top rope before nailing him with a springboard dropkick. He teases a tope suicida, however stops, expecting the Ki kick from the floor, which came. That was an incredibly smart callback. What was not smart though was Xavier putting his head through the ropes saying “I got him”, at which point Ki connects at the second time of asking. One of the best matches the Iron Sheik has ever seen is this! Ki goes for a Phoenix splash but is kicked in stomach as he comes down. Running bucklebomb by Xavier, which may very well be a first for that. Release overhead pumphandle slam. Ki counters the powerbomb with a huracanrana as they run through a Guerrero/Malenko series of near falls. A nasty looking cut throat neckbreaker, although for some reason Xavier gets off his opponent at the count of two rather than continuing the cover. He goes for it again, this time mind Ki blocks and reverses into a ‘Ki Krusher’. That one reminds Sheiky of a young Sheik and Bob Backlund! Three members of the roster are out to watch on from ringside, something that distracts Ki as he heads upstairs. Xavier slams him backwards to the mat and hits a 450 splash to become the first UCW Heavyweight champion of the world. Post-match Xavier attacks Kid with the belt, putting the boots to him along with the other three unnamed wrestlers who had come out moments earlier. The commentary is all kinds of abysmal and adds nothing to what is going on in the ring. Do your best to switch that off in your mind to avoid the distractions, or alternatively mute the audio, as it took me a few minutes at the start to get fully into this. Surprisingly short match and not the twenty plus minute epic I was half imagining going in. I was really impressed by Xavier here and that bucklebomb must be a first. Really nice callback to the JAPW match from a fortnight ago too, this time Xavier expecting the kick on the tope, stopping, but then has he brags that he’s outsmarted his opponent, gets caught with it. Finish isn’t ideal with the distraction, although that doesn’t take too much away from what is a fun, progressive match.

I do wish I’d kept track of the number of people using ‘Last Resort’ as their entrance theme as I reckon it has probably surpassed the number using ‘Bawitdaba’ by now. A rematch from the KOTDM where Mark Wolf, with a bit of assistance, got the upset win over the ‘King of Hardcore’. Ian practically walks Wolf through this one, clearly talking in his ear telling him what to do next on multiple occasions through the match. That wasn’t the only blatant thing he did here either. Although he had his back to the fans, not so the camera, which caught him at least twice gigging himself in the forehead. Good starts as Ian is stiff with his offence, slapping Wolf across the face, chopping him in the chest, firing off uppercuts and drilling Wolf with a forearm to the jaw. From here the match descends into ‘I hit you with a weapon, you hit me with a weapon’, each man’s momentum being stopped by something as simple as an eye rake or an elbow to the bread basket as they take it in turns to go on the attack. Of course Ian caves in Wolf’s skull with a chair shot in there too. I was expecting it and knew it was coming but it’s still tough to watch. He drags a barbed wire board into the ring, propping it up against the ropes, before German suplexing Wolf through it. After he kicks out of the cover Ian then pulls him to the floor, powerbombing him into a pit of Christmas decorations and thumbtacks for the win to retain his IWA-MS World title. No long show closing speech from Ian, however he does let Wolf know “that’s what happens when he pays all his (Wolf’s) buddies to get them out the building before he wrestles him”. Yeah, like Ian paid people! A decent start and a decent finish, but the middle portion of this did nothing for me with the whole ‘your turn/my turn deal’. Wolf again takes some hideous punishment with the chair shot, German and finally the powerbomb. At least Ian gave him more than he did at KOTDM.

Spike looking for payback after Rhino made him “regurgitate” (Joey Styles’ words again) at the Massacre on 34th Street PPV. Rhino rushes at the bell but Spike catches him with an armdrag. Side headlock takeover. The champ fights to his feet and backs Spike into the corner where he opens up on him. Whip to the opposite one, Spike avoids the charge and schoolboys Rhino for a two count. After a second pin attempt off a Victory Roll is fruitless, he returns to that side headlock take over, grounding his larger opponent. Like the PPV, it’s another fast opening. Rhino gets the better of a shoulderblock, running through Spike, from where he looks to slow the pace and wear the challenger down. He misses the falling headbutt and Spike with three Hangman’s neckbreakers. Rhino kicks out of the cover with authority, pressing him through the ropes to the floor. The champion goes on the offensive, trying to crush Spike’s skull against the guardrail, slamming him into the timekeeper’s table and repeatedly whipping him into metal before pressing him overhead and dumping him back into the ring. It looks like Spike is bleeding above the eye but he’s still able to kick out after being gored in the corner. Rhino gestures that he’s about to launch Spike into the front row with all four side of the building chanting “over here”. Spike frees himself, however as he looks for an Acid Drop gets caught with a gore. Only a two though as the gutsy Spike kicks out. After ducking under the clothesline Spike gets caught, pressed and launched out into the fans. A merciless Rhino follows the challenger out there, as he pauses though, Spike jabs him in the ribs with a chair before cracking it over his head, able to make the most of that initial hesitation. The fight makes its way around the building where Spike tosses Rhino off the stage, an almost maniacal look on his face in doing so. He drags Rhino back to ringside where he sets up a table on the floor. The ‘Acid Drop’ is blocked and Rhino brutally piledrives Spike through the table to the concrete. Just as I was typing “it’s academic from here” Spike gets his left shoulder up. Another piledriver, this time in the ring, and that finally puts him down for the three. A second really strong match in a row out of these two, one that I think even topped their PPV effort. The story of Spike taking a pasting but never giving up is the underlying feature of both, but again he’s competitive, dominant at times and it’s just natural, it never looks ‘wrong’ or like they’re working together. Recommended and if you’ve got the time, watch the PPV match first.

She had her own podcast (doesn't everyone?) on the MLW Network at one point. I never listened to it myself, so can't pass comment as to whether it was any good or not. No idea if it's still running either.

Just as the match is about to get underway Dawn Marie heads to the ring clutching a piece of paper. She takes the microphone from Stephen D’Angelis and says that she needs a man, leading to Joel Gertner screaming “pick me” as Joey Styles tells him to sit down. One man isn’t enough for her though as she is way too much woman. Gertner quips “Joey, we’ve been friends for a while...” but Styles cuts him off saying that he’s happily married. She has a proposition, a managerial contract for two men who can step up to the plate, who can fill all of her desires, oh and that contract includes her mind for the wrestling business too. Dawn hands the contract to York, who drops it, and as she bends down to pick it up Matthews stoops down himself to look up her skirt. That’s an offense in 2019 but these mutants find it hilarious. Not wanting to be left out of being seen as a perv, when Matthews holds the ropes open for Dawn to exit the ring, York then takes a peak up there himself. Simon & Swinger jump their more youthful opponents, sending York sprawling to the outside as they land a huge double press slam on Matthews. Joey ducks the double clothesline and York pulls Simon to the floor with him where he whips him into the guard rail. ‘Future Shock’ on Swinger followed by a double suplex on Simon. The whip to the corner is reversed, York with a tip up, but Simon catches and dumps him out onto the apron where Swinger nails him with an enzuigiri. S&S are in control as Simon hits his ‘Simon Series’ trio of suplexes. Swinger collects a chair from ringside but as he heads up top Dawn swipes it away from him. Maybe she has made her mind up already about who she wants? Clothesline off the top, however York moves and Swinger ends up taking out his own partner. Face first slam on Swinger as York makes the tag. Matthews kicks a field goal between Simon’s legs and gives Swinger a Hangman’s neckbreaker. Suicide dive by Joey which Christian betters with an almighty springboard plancha to the floor of the Hammerstein Ballroom. Back inside York heads up top, but Swinger pushes referee John Finnegan into the ropes causing him to lose his balance. ‘Simonizer’ on Matthews. S&S look for a double team superplex, however Joey is to his feet and over to help his partner. After a sunset flip into a powerbomb on Simon they give Swinger the ‘Rebel Yell’ (top rope frankensteiner/elbow drop combination) to not only pick up the win, but the services of Dawn Marie too. Gertner senses something is up with Matthews and leaves his position at the broadcast booth to go down to the ring to check on him. Dawn Marie and York embrace before she then rakes him in the eyes. ‘Problem Solver’ on York as Styles says it was a set up and that Dawn was with Simon & Swinger all along.

I’ve already watched the three-way main event of this show, I only hope this is better than that. As Pearce makes his way around the ring he goes to backhand a fan who is applauding him. The fan stands up out of his seat and it transpires he’s a good few inches taller than ‘Scrap Iron’ which I don’t think he anticipated. They’re nose to nose having words when the dickhead fan motions to headbutt Pearce which leads to him palming him in the face. That’s the end of some heated pre-match histrionics, the referee and someone else getting in between them before anything more physical happens. As the official checks Pearce prior to the match getting underway he finds all manner of foreign objects (chain, toothbrush, nail file etc.) concealed in his pants. He removes his jacket, which Punk then puts on, and this looks like it’s being played for laughs every bit as much as the three-way. Punk wants to lock up but Pearce stalls and turns his back on his opponent, putting his head through the ropes. When he does the same thing a second time, Punk kicks him in the behind and he takes a spill out to the floor. The camera work is really shaky, I hope it improves somewhat. Side headlock takedown by Punk and Pearce, forgetting he’s cropped his locks, complains of a hair pull. It must be physically impossible to grab his hair with how short it is. Each slaps the other hard across the face before another side headlock takedown. If anything the camera work has gotten worse, often focussing on an empty section of the ring for some reason. Pearce rolls through the ropes to the outside after an Irish whip and makes the most of the referee’s ten count. As he climbs up onto the apron he clotheslines Punk across the top rope. Flying elbow only gets him two so he re-covers his opponent, this time putting his feet on the ropes for additional leverage, but is caught by the official in doing so. Pearce throws him out to the gym floor and clotheslines Punk who is sat on a chair. That seems to wake Punk up as Pearce is now backing off. It appears ‘Scrap Iron’ was just luring him in, but Punk reverses the tombstone piledriver into one of his own. Split legged moonsault, hit perfectly, however they’re too close to the ropes as Pearce gets a foot over them. Punk with an Irish whip and Pearce jumps through the ropes to the outside. As the referee looks at him wondering what is going on, Colt Cabana jumps Punk from behind while Pearce keeps the official busy. Cabana spikes Punk, Pearce hops back inside and makes the cover while hooking the shorts for the win. The two double team Punk after the match until they telegraph a double backdrop and Punk catches Pearce with another neckbreaker. It looks like the fight will continue but Cabana and Pearce decide to leave it to another day. A basic but fairly entertaining match and I enjoyed Pearce going full on Memphis Eddie Gilbert at the start as the official retrieved object after object from his person. If I hadn’t already watched the main event I would’ve guessed they were holding something back for that. I’ve still got the MAW match from around a week later between these two to watch, so will be interesting to see whether that’s a carbon copy or they mix it up a bit more. My guess is the latter as not sure how this type of match would fly in front of that crowd.

No Sinister Minister with the ‘Unholy Alliance’ tonight, the FBI apparently having cut off his finger (this must be when he had that accident with the gun and blew it off). Mikey is holding his own on the grappling front and it’s nice to see that out of him. He drives Mamaluke to the mat with a tilt-a-whirl and when Guido tries to rush him he gets some of the same. Double spinebuster on Mamaluke and after stereo dropkicks to the head he tags out having had enough. Some lovely mat wrestling from Guido and Tajiri, this was real good shit and smoking anything we had seen earlier out of Whipwreck and Mamaluke. Tajiri offers Guido his hand, the Italian foolishly accepting as Tajiri then kicks him hard in the leg. The ‘Unholy Alliance’ drape Guido over the bottom rope, place a chair either side of his head and each dropkicks one of them. As Mamaluke comes over to check on his partner he’s snatched and dumped onto the guard rail. With Guido down Mikey climbs to the top turnbuckle, however doesn’t realise Mamaluke has recovered and he swipes a leg from under him. FBI swarm all over him but he fires off some elbows and hits a double Whippersnapper, although it looks like he injures his shoulder in the process. Big Sal ends up splashing his own man as he goes to break up the pin, Mikey seeing the pondersome oaf coming. He’s holding his shoulder with Cyrus speculating that he’s got a cracked collarbone. The EMT’s are out to check on him and the fans are already chanting for Super Crazy, conditioned by now as to how Heyman books things. Mikey is put in a neckbrace and taken out of there on a stretcher as Tajiri has to go it alone, at least for the time being. Guido takes him down by crowbarring the arm and the FBI with a combination camel clutch/Sicilian crab. With Tajiri trapped, right on cue comes Super Crazy, just as the fans predicted. The FBI let go of the double team to try and rush Crazy who backflips over them into the ring. He is straight at it with his trademark spots like the ten punches in the corner where the crowd count along in Spanish and the three storey moonsault. We’re informed that Crazy is a substitution for Mikey and referee Jim Molineux is allowing it. Like there was any doubt that he wouldn’t? Guido throws a chair into the ring but Tajiri uses it against him, busting him wide open. Fujiwara armbar by Guido on Tajiri. Mamaluke with a quality overhead belly to belly suplex, keeping Tajiri’s arm hammerlocked behind his own back so he lands on it upon landing. They work over his arm for all of thirty seconds. ‘Sicilian slice’ for a two count. Guido snatches Tajiri on the attempted handspring elbow, who then counters the ‘Kiss of Death’ as the two fight it out over the backslide. Tajiri wins that battle, dropping Guido with a kick to the head after he’d flipped over, but then gets cut off courtesy of a Mamaluke running lariat. Double handspring elbow. Tag to Crazy who takes it to both members of the FBI. Swinging DDT on Guido. Mamaluke ducks to the floor following a spinning leg lariat and has enough wits about him to put a stop to the Asai moonsault. Big Sal attacks Crazy from behind, throwing him into the fans with the big man following him over the guard rail. We lose the pair of them for a bit, next thing you know, moonsault off a(n announced) 15 foot balcony by Crazy (I don’t know why I’m clarifying that). Tajiri locks the Tarantula on Mamaluke, but he’s all alone in there and wide open for Guido. Double team bulldog and the FBI escape with the belts again. Post-match Crazy gets the “welcome back” chants as he and Tajiri shake hands. I’ve made my comments about the ECW tag team title pretty clear recently. The same good match that you’re guaranteed from these guys and it looks like Crazy has been inserted in there to replace Crazy, probably meaning another month’s worth of matches between them while Doring & Roadkill remain on the sidelines.

Unlike Lazz vs A.J. Styles from the NWA 52nd Anniversary Show which I initially thought was Wildside house show footage, this actually is from a Wildside house show in Athens, GA. The fans are cheering for Styles and Onyx, who don’t have Jeff G. Bailey with them here. Air Paris cuts a promo on “the inbred, peanut farmers” to establish themselves as the bad guys. Paris and Styles exchange arm wringers, Air being the one who goes to the ropes for the break claiming a non-existent hair pull. The picture all of a sudden goes funny for thirty seconds or so, like you’re watching the match through night vision goggles! Styles continues to get the better of things so Paris tags out to Mark E. Mark. The crowd are wanting to see Onyx in there and A.J. is happy to oblige. Onyx escapes the hammerlock with a belly to back suplex, dumping Mark on the back of his head. High impact powerslam. There’s no-one home on the standing moonsault but Mark E. then misses with the powerdrive elbow. Floatover facejam by Onyx, forcing Paris to break up the pin attempt. Nice dropkick from Styles. Mark reverses a whip into the turnbuckles and floors A.J. with a running lariat in the corner. Paris goads Onyx into the ring and the heels get in a bit of double teaming behind the referee’s back. Styles blocks the piledriver and counters with a spinning Kryptonite Krunch. Again though Onyx is unable to control himself and while the official deals with him, Paris is in to switch places with his partner. Styles with a tip up over the incoming Paris, however as he comes down he hooks his opponent under the armpits with his feet turning it into a real smart rolling cradle. The heel duo go to work on A.J.’s knee and as Mark keeps the referee busy Paris throws Styles over the top rope to the floor. Onyx has seen enough and barges past the ref to help his partner who is being doubled teamed on the floor. Michinoku Driver by Mark. Rear chinlock as we get lots of “A.J., A.J.” chants from the kids in attendance. Styles reverses an Irish whip and catches Paris with a frankensteiner. Hot tag to Onyx who runs amok. The finish isn’t far away, Onyx putting Mark across his knee with a backbreaker and then holding him there as Styles comes off the top with a legdrop for the win. Post-match the heels try to make peace, offering their hands to their opponents, but Onyx slugs Mark while Styles gives Paris a Death Valley Driver.

Steve Bradley has already stalled his way through a commercial break with Kevin Kelly wanting him to get on with it. Bradley tells him that he’s a seasoned veteran of the Memphis style and he’ll take his time! The bell rings and Bradley looks like he’s about to lock up but ducks to the outside as he continues to drag things out. Krush isn’t prepared to wait and goes to meet him on the floor. Leg lariat by Krush followed by a great, high impact looking axe kick. He heads to the middle turnbuckle however Bradley snatches him and hits an ‘Assault Driver’. Swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Bradley looks to slow it down again, a rear chinlock giving the fans to rally and get behind Krush. It’s noted that Bradley has been wrestling in Puerto Rico recently, presumably over in the IWA-PR developmental territory. He misses the moonsault and Krush fires away at him as Bradley backs off. A whip to the corner is reversed and referee Charlie Miller gets squashed up against the turnbuckles. Krush goes for a second axe kick, only this time Bradley catches him and drops him on Miller. ‘Krush Buster’ but there’s no-one to count as the ref is still KO’ed. After a top rope guillotine legdrop he again makes the cover which makes him look like a right fool as he can clearly see that Miller is down. The crowd count along though as he gets a visual pin. Finally realising that he can’t win the match without an official he goes over to Miller and tries to wake him up. In the mean time Bradley rolls to the floor to collect a trash can lid. As the unaware Krush climbs to the top turnbuckle, he leaps at his opponent and Bradley swings the lid into his knees, ‘knee capping’ him if you like. Reverse DDT onto the metal and Miller comes too as ‘the Baddest Mo’Fo in Mempho’ becomes the new Southern champion. I thought Bradley was great here with his pacing and control, had some cool innovation and steals the title with some classic heeling. Krush was perfectly fine in his role in what I think is probably his goodbye to Mempho as he moves full-time to the WWF. Some nice cut off spots in there and some of Krush’s offensive looked particularly effective. Good TV match.

‘Wildcat’ Chris Harris says that he was in his hotel this morning watching the NWA Worldwide television show and paid particular attention to Mike Rapada’s emotional interview about what it meant to him to be the NWA World champion. He goes onto say that it did bring tears to his eyes...tears to his eyes from laughing so hard over how ridiculous it is that Mike Rapada is the World champion. Rapada comes out to some rave tune, which after a bit of Googling turns out to be ‘Are You Ready For This’ by Jock Jams. The ‘Colorado Kid’ addresses Harris’ comments and claims he’ll be crying like a baby in only a few short minutes. Harris goes to jump him from behind but Rapada ducks the shot and immediately schoolboys him. It’s not long before the ‘Wildcat’ is re-evaluating things on the outside wondering what his next plan of action should be. That plan is cheating and hair pulling as he struggles to keep up with Rapada in the chain wrestling. He eventually throws the champion out to the concrete and then comes off the top with a Randy Savage-esque double sledge. He goes to whip him into the ringpost but Kid with the reversal as Harris goes crashing into the steel. Back inside Harris catches him with a powerslam before cranking in the chinlock. I do think some commentary would aid this. Kid gets to his feet and runs Harris into the turnbuckles. The hiptoss is blocked and ‘the Wildcat with a swinging neckbreaker. Middle rope legdrop. Enziguiri by Rapada. He can’t capitalize though and Harris is to his feet first. Flying crossbody for a near fall; that one was so close the fans were even chanting “that was three” towards the official. Harris looks for a bulldog but Rapada counters with an atomic drop. Double clothesline as both men go down. The two start trading punches in the middle of the ring until Kid drills him with one to the kidneys. Flying forearm, flying elbow and finally a flying lariat from the second rope, however Harris is able to get a shoulder up. Sunset flip off the top for another super close near fall. Rapada whips ‘the Wildcat’ into the corner but the ref is in the way and gets bumped. I was convinced we were going to have a ref bump at some point in the match, I don’t know why, maybe just because it’s been such a common theme in 2000. Anyway, we did! Spinning side slam and Kid then makes the cardinal error of covering his opponent when the official is KO’ed. Someone in a sparkly green jacket, who doesn’t look like a wrestler, runs out and drops a forearm to the back of Kid’s neck from the middle rope. Again commentary to provide us with some context would’ve been perfect here. Harris plants Kid with a uranage and, in his second tribute of the night to Randy Savage, comes off the top with a big elbow. The ref is still groggy from earlier and his slow count enables Kid to kick out of the cover. A pissed ‘Wildcat’ decks the official allowing Mr Spangly Jacket to involve himself once more. He climbs up onto the apron holding a chair, but Kid reverses the Irish whip and sends Harris careering into it. Another run in from an unknown who may well be an unmasked future Abyss. Kid sees him off, ‘Rikishi Driver’ on Harris and a second referee slides into the ring to count the three as we get another playing of ‘Are You Ready For This?’ to close out the night. Not only would a commentator have benefited this, it would’ve played better in front of a different crowd too. They did get into it at times but were quiet most of it. A bit too overbooked for my liking and they overdid the kickouts too. Mike Rapada is a strange one, he’s got a dated look, is no great shakes on the mic pre-match but actually makes a pretty strong babyface. He shouldn’t, but he does. Can kinda see why he got given the NWA World title (even if it means next to nothing now).

Dave Brown seems to think that Spanky is coming out here to defend his MCW Light Heavyweight title and wants to get a few more details from him. Spanky informs him that he’s not here to defend his title, he was just feeling generous today, so has come to wish him and everyone a happy holiday. A bit of ‘comedy’ with Spanky running down his itinerary for the month that was given to him by the Commissioner on official MPPW paper, the joke being that the paper is in fact toilet paper. Dave wonders where ‘the Kliq’ are and Spanky says that they’re already out celebrating the holidays. He’s going to head off and join them when they are joined by Derrick King. DK, fancying his chances without ‘the Kliq’ in the building, wonders if Spanky is so tough without his buddies and challenges him to put that Light Heavyweight title on the line against him. Spanky say that he will someday, just not today. As he is about to leave Dave gets word from the Commissioner in the back who has approved the match for right now. King with a tip up over the incoming Spanky and he then powerslams him to the mat. The opening to this is just a steady stream of two counts from both men. He sits Spanky on the top turnbuckle but the champion counters whatever he had planned, dumping him across the top rope. More near falls before it’s Spanky turn to sit ‘Mr Personalities’ up top. DK fight him off and connects with a missile dropkick, however it looks like he reinjures his leg in doing so. He’s able to continue but after a leapfrog is hobbling and clutching at his knee. Spanky takes advantage of the opportunity, kicking away at the leg and then locking in a ‘Sharpshooter’. King breaks free and as he looks to reverse the hold Spanky goes to the ropes. Referee Mike Johnson gets accidentally taken out by a King crossbody, although this was one of those instances where you could see it coming as he was stood far too close to the wrestlers. DK with a facebuster and William Gibson rushes out to replace the original official. Jeez, Gibson gets bumped next, Spanky headbutting him in the groin when caught with a drop toe hold. Sliced Bread #2. Belly to back suplex and both referees are counting the pin. At two each man lifts a shoulder, but the refs count to three. Confusion follows, Gibson claiming that King won the match while Johnson has it for Spanky. The two officials play Tug of War with the belt while the fans chant “fight, fight, fight” at them. We head to a break none the wiser on the outcome of the match. Like the Cade & Abs tag match from a fortnight ago, this was too rushed for the time they were given. I'm never a fan of multiple ref bumps in a match and both were on the weak side. I suppose it gives them reason to run Spanky/King matches into the new year if nothing else.

Steve Martin, Jeff G. Bailey and A.J. Styles are all in the back and Martin says that tonight they’re going to crown a new NWA World Heavyweight champion. Sabu is laid up with a broken jaw at the hands of Tank Abbott (I think the second part of that sentence is a lie) so they’re going to go to the ring where he’ll demand a ten count from the referee and, with Sabu not there to answer, at the count of ten dignity will then be restored to the NWA World title as A.J. Styles becomes the new champion. I should point out that they’ve already got their hands on the belt, this being treated like it’s a formality. Bailey announces that they’re going to give the first title shot to Air Paris who, if he was going to name his team after a musical act, rather than going for Suicidal Tendencies should’ve called themselves the Carpenters as they’re nothing but a bunch of bulimic little bitch boys who have no business being in the ring with a World Heavyweight champion! They decree that December 14th will be the greatest night in National wrestling history and with Styles as the champion it will mean that Wildside is the third largest promotion in the world today. A supremely confident Styles has already got the title belt strapped around his waist, like I said, a formality. Martin talks about this being the happiest day of his life and as the owner of this company orders referee Andrew Thomas to start counting Sabu out. At three the lights in the building go off and when they come back on Air Paris is stood in the centre of the ring with them. Paris says that he hates to be the bearer of bad news but Sabu has been taken to the hospital with a broken jaw. He’s a bit surprised that Styles doesn’t want to fight him, as most people would when there is someone stood in front of them, so calls him a “pussy” before slugging Jeff G. The match is on at that point and Paris hurls Styles over the rope to the outside. Martin, who has now joined Prazak at the commentary table, is not happy at all with Air Paris ruining moment. Styles crotches Paris on the barricade before rolling him back inside. The corkscrew moonsault fails to connect and then Air misses on the corkscrew senton. Burning Hammer by Paris. As he collects a table from under the ring he’s caught by a Styles baseball slide dropkick. A.J. sets the table up and lays Paris across it as Martin calls this “justice”. He climbs to the top turnbuckle when the lights go odd for a second time; this time when they come back on Sabu is stood pointing at the ceiling, his jaw all taped up. Sabu shoves Styles to the floor but then loses his balance as he goes to leap off the top rope, instead opting to slingshot himself out onto Paris putting him through the table. Triple Jump crossbody over the barricade into the front row on A.J. Steve Martin sounds like he’s in tears as his great plan is falling apart in front of him. A hard chair shot to the head of Styles. Sabu slips on the top rope rana so resets and does it again. He grabs a second table from the back of the arena and throws that into the ring, Martin thinking it will be the end of Wildside if Sabu wins. ‘Arabian legdrop’ on Styles putting him through the table and this one is over already. A post-match ‘Arabian facebuster’ as Martin continues with the waterworks. A total sprint and way shorter than I was expecting. I’m guessing Sabu’s banged up jaw led it to being that way, but in hindsight maybe a blessing in disguise as I actually thought this was the perfect way of using him. Yes, he did slip a couple of times but he came, did all his trademark spots and then they went home, no twenty minutes of furniture arranging or constant botching like we’ve seen from him in other Indy promotions. Really enjoyed Steve Martin getting more upset on commentary while Bailey’s like about maybe Paris should’ve named his team after the Carpenters was something else.

Jerry Lawler is sat next to Dave Brown ready to provide some guest commentary for the upcoming tag team bout while Jason Sensation is lurking behind them. ‘The King’ points out that Steve Bradley doesn’t seem like he’s too anxious to put that title of his on the line, as whenever he sees him he’s either in a tag team match or he’s got Victoria with him and thinks its about time that he does. Double suplex on Shooter as Jason gives us his ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. I think every time Lance Cade wrestles or is being interviewed it’s noted how he was trained by Shawn Michaels. Of course that’s a nice segue into Sensation doing his HBK. For an impressionist he doesn’t have the most extensive of mind. Snap suplex by Shooter on Cade for a two count. Schultz provides the distraction as Bradley gets in some cheap shots behind the referees back, Brown comparing their actions to the Jerry Lawler & Jim White team from the mid-70s. The heels continue to get heat on the big Texan until they telegraph the double backdrop and he drills them with a double DDT. Hot tag to Boudreaux who takes it to both men, although Sensation, sorry “the Rock” thinks he’s a jabroni. Blade has Shooter set for a reverse DDT when Schultz grabs the referee and pulls him into them, knocking him down. Flying forearm by Blade but there is no-one to count the fall. Rob Harlem, looking bigger than ever, runs out and drops an elbow onto Boudreaux before giving him a taste of his own medicine with a ‘Gator Drop’ (Blade’s own finisher). Cade and Bradley continue to go at it out at ringside and are oblivious to what’s gone on inside. Harlem ends up getting tangled up in the ropes as he exits the ring which draws some almighty laughter from those in the studio. ‘Shooter Clutch’ and, with Blade already passed out, when the official comes around it goes without saying that his hand drops the three times required to give the win to Bradley & Schultz.

The ring announcer informs the fans that Chris Hamrick has demanded that they keep it down or he won’t wrestle here tonight. Kash, clearly fancying an easy evening, encourages them to make some more noise. Hamrick gets the better of the opening salvo, stepping on the back of his downed opponent and then strutting around the ring. He bumps wonderfully for Kash, they may only be from hip tosses and the like but every one of them is picture perfect, before they run through a sequence of pinfall exchanges. The fans are back on his case, I think about his appearance, to which he quips ”there ain’t no steroids in this body”. You know, I can believe him. Hamrick wants a test of strength and Kash teases accepting only to flick him a middle finger instead. Kash lands on his feet off the monkey flip as we get another glut of near falls, a unique one seeing Kash turn a quesadora into a cradle. Hamrick takes to the floor and, taking a play out of Tracey Smothers’ book, warns them that if they don’t shut up he’s going to personally slap each and every one of them. Kash slingshots him back inside as ‘Confederate Currency’ continues being this wondrous bumping machine. ‘Cattle Mutilation’ by Kash. He whips Hamrick into the corner, but as he comes charging in runs into a back elbow which drops him. Rear chinlock as Hamrick yells “I got him now!” Optimistic me thinks. Face first suplex with Hamrick bringing Kash’s face down onto his knee. Kash with a corkscrew senton off the top after Hamrick had run into a big boot. Hamrick catches him with a superkick only to telegraph the attempted backdrop. Not learning anything, Kash then telegraphs a backdrop of his own, Hamrick spiking him with a DDT. He heads upstairs but Kash swipes a leg out from under and hits a glorious top rope rana. As he goes for the ‘Money Maker’ Hamrick kicks out a leg at the referee, felling him. With the official down a pair of jobbers run out and help Hamrick who drops a big leg from the top onto Kash. Amazingly the ref missed all this double teaming. Kash starts firing back when Hamrick ducks a shot and launches him over the top rope for the disqualification. What a horrible finish to what had been a good match up until that point. Post-match Kash gives Hamrick a ‘Money Maker’ leaving him laying. A good match with an atrocious finish; a finish which automatically knocks it down a couple of places in my rankings. It always impresses me when ECW guys actually work hard on an Indy as opposed to coasting it, something both of these do here. Nice to see Hamrick in a longer form match than he is getting in ECW too, and in a small environment like this it really makes you appreciate what a good worker he is, right down to constantly working the crowd, something that you don’t really see in ECW. But that finish though...

Triple Threat match for the FWA European Union championship. The moment the bell rings Fury rolls under the bottom rope out to the floor, presumably to leave Parker and Fleisch to it. He tells the fans that they don’t deserve to see him wrestle yet and as he’s the champion he’s going to stand outside while those two beat the hell out of each other. His delivery is appalling and there’s no conviction coming across in what he’s saying. Fleisch and Parker start off with some chain wrestling and Fury is yelling “boring, boring” at the pair over the house microphone. This is going to get tiring very quickly. More wrestling, more “boring” chants out of him. A double clothesline sees both men go down at which point Fury hops in the ring ready to take advantage. Double kip up by the two challengers and Parker and Fleisch team up against the champion including a double clothesline to the floor. As Fleisch climbs the ropes to play to the fans he doesn’t anticipate being dropkicked in the back by the future ‘Solid Gold’. Fury with some stomps and double axe handles, his ring work every bit as bad as his (in)ability on the mic. He and Parker work together against Fleisch until Fury misses a splash in the corner, Jodie having leaped up to the top rope and jumped over the incoming champion, nailing Parker with a missile dropkick in the process. Split legged moonsault on Parker but Fury pulls him off to break up the pin. The trope of the third man disrupting pinfalls continues for the next few minutes, primarily Fury stopping Parker from picking up the three. One of the valets trips Parker, and considering the valets are with he and Fury who have been working together so far, that makes little sense. The women get into a catfight and the two wrestler’s dart out to separate them. Parker and Fury get into an argument themselves, forgetting about Fleisch who takes them both out with a flying bodypress. As Parker struggles to apply an STF on Jodie, Fury with a crappy looking bulldog on him. I thought that was it for the alliance but they are soon back working together. The two whip Jodie into the ropes who, in one motion, leaps to the top one and backflips over the pair, then catches them with a double Japanese armdrag which looked lovely. Parker accidentally superkicks Fury, and as it looks like he’s going to apologise, forearms him across the face. He tosses him to the floor and comes off the top with a crossbody out onto him. Set up for Jodie’s springboard shooting star by chance? Not this time but rather a gorgeous inside/out Quebrada. Parker blocks being suplexed back inside and counters with a Falcon Arrow. After Fury breaks up the cover Fleisch levels him with a springboard dropkick. Shooting star press on Parker, hitting his knees on the top rope I may add, and Jodie Fleisch is your new FWA European Union champion. Fury was real bad here in every aspect. There was an awful lot of standing around by the spare man waiting for their next spot and while they had the story, they seemed lost on how to properly convey it, all three looking real inexperienced. Fleisch has got the incredible high spots but not much in the way of transitions at the moment. The valets added nothing to proceedings.

Main event equals Michael Buffer on ring announcing duties. The straitjacket is attached to the roof of the cage, although to win the match you have to pin your opponent or make them submit, the jacket is not essential in that regard and is only there to help incapacitate your opponent. It should also be noted that this is one of those cages that encloses the ringside area as opposed to just the ring itself. Steiner is lay in wait and jumps Booker as soon as he enters the cage, but the whip on the floor is reversed and ‘Big Poppa Pump’ crashes into the steel. He throws him into the ring steps as Tony Schiavone reminds us about his new attitude before searching for something under the ring. Whatever it was he was looking for he couldn’t find and goes back to beating on the challenger. Steiner blocks the suplex and then crotches Booker over the top rope. Belly to belly for a two. Booker catches a kick and boots Scotty in the mid-section but Steiner cuts off the axe kick with a Steinerline. Samoan drop off the middle rope. Bear hug into a reverse atomic drop as it looks like he’s trying to soften the back up in readiness for ‘the recliner’. Booker ducks the clothesline and comes back with a flying forearm. Missile dropkick for a near fall. He make his way over to the corner to retrieve the straitjacket, however Steiner is up, right behind him and then dumps him with a second Samoan drop. Scotty grabs the straitjacket although he’s really unsteady on the top turnbuckle. Booker gets him in an ‘Electric Chair’ and Steiner lets go of the jacket which falls to the floor. Harlem sidekick. Stevie Ray is screaming at his brother to forget about the straitjacket and go for the pin. He’s paying no attention though and locks Steiner in it before collecting a steel chair. Two hard chair shots from ‘the Book’ as Schiavone says how this isn’t the Booker T that they know. Stevie says that is the Booker he knows, though he just hasn’t seen him for a long time. ‘Big Poppa Pump’ rips his way out of the straitjacket and after Booker whips him into the corner an almighty Steinerline turns the champion inside out. ‘Steiner recliner’ as Mark Madden shouts “crank it big man!” He fights his way to the ropes but Steiner pulls him back into the middle of the ring. Somehow Booker gets to his feet whilst still in ‘the recliner’ and with Scotty again in an ‘Electric Chair’ position he drops him across the top rope. The challenger is back to his feet first but Booker plants him with ‘the Book End’. That takes as much out of him as it does his opponent. Steiner kicks out after a stiff clothesline with Mark Madden now thinking that he’s immortal! FFS thaty guy is so annoyting. He grabs a chair and cracks Booker in the head with it. Scotty returns once more to ‘the recliner’ and this time Booker passes out from the pain as we have a new WCW World champion. Stevie Ray isn’t happy about the result, noting that Booker didn’t tap and thinks that Charles Robinson may be on the take. Steiner continues to assault Booker after the match, even cracking referee Slick Johnson over the head with a chair in the melee, the PPV going off air with Steiner brandishing that chair.