[2000-05-27-IWO-Rumble in the River] Da Hit Squad vs K.C. Thunder & Metal Maniac

[soup23]

Straight Memphis stuff to start in this Jersey indy as Hit Squad act like they are leaving the ring for the count out loss and they also get shoved down by the referee. Metal Maniac and KC Thunder are about the most generic looking New Jersey indy guys you can imagine. Each looks to be middle aged and they work for the Newark Airport for their day job fueling the airplanes. The match follows a traditional southern template. Much like the Bad Crew vs Backseat Boys feud, I don’t know if I want to see a show full of this type of stuff but as a one off going through a multitude of footage, this is a nice change of pace. This shows some depth for Da Hit Squad as they hit their beefy moves still looking like bad asses while still clowning around. The heat was done effectively off of a stun gun and then some double team moves. I also though the finish with the huge swantom showed they were vicious in the end. Effective overall. ***

[Migs]

Sort of a clash of the old school northeast indy guys against the new wave.

 

Interesting that Da Hit Squad are totally willing to stooge and do the Memphis style heel thing, even here. I feel like I've seen them show a willingness to do this in other matches, too, which is interesting given their size and style. Thunder and Maniac do hilariously slow babyface tag team work. The heat segment is mostly great, though, with Da Hit Squad playing like an updated Demolition.

 

Love that the announcer literally calls it a hot tag when it gets no reaction. Like the finish, though.

[Tim Evans]

Southern States wrestling legend KC Thunder invades the northeast. When i saw the listing of this match, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't expecting Da Hit Squad to go all Eddie gilbert/Tommy Rich heel bumping route. They made this enjoyable working two older fat guys. I'm guessing Goodman was the promoter for this as he looks like a stereotypical promoter doing a painted babyface gimmick. Interesting match to watch for sure.

[GSR]

Maniac has got a glorious mullet along with an almighty gut. Da Hit Squad isn’t happy with all the noise the crowd are making, so leave the ring and head back towards the dressing room. The official calls for the bell to get the contest underway and immediately starts counting them out of the ring. DHS sprint back, only just beating the ten, but then slide straight out to the floor again. Lots of stalling here. They complain to the referee about something, and we get the 2000 favourite spot of the official shoving the wrestlers and DHS BUMPING FOR HIM! Maniac gets the better of a shoulder tackle and Monsta Mack tags out to give Mafia a shot. He fares no better, and after Thunder takes them both down with hip tosses, DHS are back on the outside trying to regroup. Plenty of quick tags by Thunder and the Maniac as they go to work on Mafia’s left arm, although there’s not much variety as they primarily stick to arm wringers. Mafia’s able to back Thunder into his own corner, where after distracting the official, Mack chokes him behind his back. Double team stun gun across the top rope. Spinebuster by Mack for two, followed by a huge double gorilla press slam where they drop Thunder face first to the canvas. Mafia with a front chancery, and as Thunder slowly starts to drive him backwards, Mack distracts the referee and he doesn’t see the tag. Maniac argues his case, but that just gives DHS the opportunity to do some more double teaming while the official is side-tracked. A pair of real light lariats for another two count. Thunder ducks the double clothesline and comes back with one of his own (resulting in some rather OTT selling from Mafia). Hot-ish tag as DHS then bump and feed for the Maniac. All four men are in the ring, when DHS reverse the double Irish whip and Maniac and Thunder crash into one another. Big slam on the Metal Maniac, stereo top rope headbutts off opposite turnbuckles and DHS get the win.

 

I almost feel as though you have to watch this one in a vacuum, go in completely open minded and you’ll enjoy the ride. If you’re expecting the stiff, bomb throwing, ass kicking JAPW Da Hit Squad, you’re going to be in for a surprise. They stall, they stooge and they bump (even for the referee) which considering the opposition (who are both old and out of shape) is the best way to work this. I’d never seen DHS work this way before, so this is a huge plus in showing their versatility. Much better and more fun than I expected when I first laid eyes on Thunder and Maniac.

[Edwin]

This is the most un-Hit Squad Hit Squad match ever. Instead of potato throwing and chest bruising, they work like they're invading 1980's territory heels and its awesome. This really showed their versatility from working and stiffing Low Ki and the other crew of Nuyoricans to working with some fat old school old men.

 

***

[Robert S]

The structure is fine and very un-Hit Squad, but the execution is really lacking. Even simple standard southern tag team spots like the hot-tag-that-the-referee-missed spots are blown (in this case partly by the referee and partly by the wrestlers themselves).

I did not find a birthdate for the Metal Maniac, but KC Thunder was born in September 1965, so he was 34 here. If you would have asked me I would have guessed him to be 45 and the Metal Maniac being 50. Considering that the Metal Maniac started wrestling in 1991 and is still wrestling today he probably was in his early to mid 30ies as well.