[2000-07-01-IWA-MS-Heroes, Hurt & Hot Wax] Chris Hero vs Harry Palmer

[soup23]

We have arrived at the debut of Chris Hero in IWA-MS. He is coming out to “My Hero” by Foo Fighters here. Much like Dragon, Spanky and Styles, I think it was easy to see the spark of what would become very early on with his work just within this match. His takeovers look good, he has a fundamentally sound base and he moves around the ring with prescence and speed. Palmer is a workman grinder for IWA that they really pushed around this time as their workrate guy that could wrestle and have some character but Hero was better than him in this match IMO. The highlight comes with a powerbomb on the outside through two chairs and the IWA faithful are already taking a keenness to the newcomer. Hero had his Hero’s Welcome finisher already too and he hits it here. The finish is botched as Palmer hits a good looking can opener suplex, the referee counts to four and then says it was only two. Palmer just walks out and after 30 seconds, Jim Fannin just announces him as the winner. This is only the beginning for Hero. *** (6.0)

[Tim Evans]

Palmer's anti fatman fat man gimmick is so indie but funny. Hero looked ok in this. Kinda reminded me of Dreamer in early ECW as the crowd was against him early on but once he hit the powerbomb on the chairs on the outside, they were behind him. Not a great match but better than the other IWA matches I've seen in 2000 so far.

[GSR]

It sounds like Palmer has something against fat people and he doesn’t want them cheering for him, while this is the IWA-MS debut for Hero.  The wrestling in the opening moments is fundamentally sound but looks pretty loose.  The referee’s outfit is really bothering me with the oversized, untucked shirt, shorts and trainers.  I can’t remember if it is the same guy who officiated Kickboxer/X or not, but he just looks completely out of place here.  A cool little Irish whip from the apron and into the ring post by Hero as Palmer is jawing with the fans.  He lays in a couple of snug looking European uppercuts on the floor before throwing Palmer back inside.  ‘The Babe Magnet’ manages to get the jump on him though and starts working Hero over.  The crowd try to rally the debutant with a “kick his ass” chant, although Palmer has some choice words for them on hearing that.  The backdrop is telegraphed and Hero with a neckbreaker.  Elbow smash in the corner.  He signals for it again in the opposite one, however Palmer reverses the Irish whip and Hero goes flying over the top rope and to the outside.  Palmer goes to whip him into a couple of chairs that he’d set up, but Hero leaps over them and nails Palmer with a clothesline as he takes a flat back bump on the concrete.  Powerbomb onto the chairs from Hero draws a “holy shit” chant and they, clearly like me, weren’t expecting that.  Frog splash elbow drop off the top for a two as Palmer unexpectedly kicks out.  He avoids the moonsault and then heads upstairs himself.  ‘Blockbuster’ looks to have won it for him but he’d rather dish out some more punishment instead.  Hero with Reno’s ‘Roll the Dice’ for a near fall, but when he goes for it a second time, Palmer counters with an inverted suplex.  The ref botches the finish; clearly counting three on the cover only to then gesture to everyone that it was just a two (this after initially getting in the wrong position to count!).  Palmer just walks out and after some uncertainty Jim Fannin announces that he’s gotten word from the official that the winner is the ‘Babe Magnet’ Harry Palmer. 

I suppose its par for the course to see where I would put Hero amongst the other Indy workers of the era, and on first looking below all of them bar Punk, although he is some way ahead of him.  Sound fundamentals, some cool offense, but there’s nothing really there to give you any indication that he would end up how he did (unlike Dragon, Styles, Ki, Spanky and Cabana) and his ring wear does him no favours.  Palmer looks to be a solid hand, but someone who relies more on his mouth and fan interactions than his actual work.  The finish was a mess and obligatory “it’ll be interesting to chart Hero’s progress over the course of the project” line.