[2000-09-09-IWA-MS-Sweet Science 16: Night Two] CM Punk vs Suicide Kid

[soup23]

Much like the Hero/Kickboxer match, this was another good showcase match to display the up and coming talent in the promotion in a face vs face manner. Punk is vocal with the crowd and this did have more indie riffic spots that prevent it from moving as fluidly as the Hero match. I thought Punk added a good bit of texture to what he was doing within the ring by making sure he was remaining vocal and selling damage when appropriate. **3/4

[AstroBoy]

This spread out and became really good. The pacing of the opening matwork leading to the body of the match was gradual and nice though Kid's offense is kinda cringeworthy. Punk's tiltawhirl slam was a great cutoff and then they get a hot finish too.

 

***1/4

[Migs]

I haven't watched all the IWA stuff, so maybe people have commented on this elsewhere - but holy hell is that ref in the sparkly shirt distracting.

 

Suicide Kid looks like he rode up to the show on an ATV.

 

Match starts in an exceptionally basic way with the focus on the headscissors. The transition to the bigger spots feels a little clunky because of how slow the start is, but it works well enough. Kid's offense is definitional early 2000 indy stuff. The botch on the tombstone reversal is pretty ugly, but they cover it reasonably well and move forward. Punk doesn't do a ton but looks solid here.

[GSR]

A handshake between Punk and Kid here, either a show of respect between the two or intimating that we’re in for a clean contest.  A real slow opening to the match as they work everything around a side headlock for the opening moments, Kid seemingly having Punk’s number on the wrestling front.  There’s a cool moment where Punk goes for it again, but Kid knows its coming, so moves his head out the way just before he grabs it and Punk falls to the mat.  It definitely gives the idea that these two have ‘scouted’ each other out or done their homework in the lead up to the tournament.  Kid misses a senton and Punk with a delayed elbow drop after Kid had initially rolled out the way (giving more credence to what I just said).  He snap mares his way out of the rear chinlock and gets a two following a huracanrana.  When he goes for a second, Punk counters with a powerbomb.  STF, although he doesn’t really lock it in tight and eventually gives up on the hold.  Tajiri style handspring elbow from Kid as they start to move through the gears.  Punk kicks out of the frog splash and then rolls through on the top rope rana.  Spinning slam followed by a spinebuster.  Kid reverses the tombstone piledriver, but loses Punk whilst trying to lift him up so just slams him to the mat instead rather than struggle.  He ties him in the ‘Tree of Woe’, which I assume is what he was meant to do, and baseball slide dropkicks him in the face.  Double jump split legged moonsault that Punk gets his knees up on.  ‘Death Valley Driver’ however a lazy cover sees Kid reverse it and almost get the three.  Punk misses a split legged moonsault of his own, a shiranui and the number two seeds goes on to the semis.

I liked this a lot as the match built well and by keeping Punk grounded and working a slower pace it removes his sloppier tendencies that tend to show up when he’s working quicker.  Certainly my favourite singles outing from him so far.