[2000-10-25-FNW-Return of the Monster] Mike Quackenbush vs Reckless Youth vs Don Montoya

[soup23]

Jeff Gorman is on commentary. This is a 3 way but Reckless can’t join the match until after five minutes. Opening between Quack and Don was well done with some chain wrestling and escalating into more strikes before Reckless enters. Reckless enters around 10 minutes in instead of five and then the match results in more of a indie 3 way but everything was hit cleanly and there was some innovation. The crowd isn't really into it which hurts and there is some inconsistency in as much as the match is an elimination match but pins keep getting broken up. Valentine and Adam Flash come out and interfere in the end along with a woman that low blows Reckless. Montoya hits the pyramid bomb and it looks like he is in cohoots with the heels instead of his friends on the Black T-Shirt Squad. A good three way that showed all three of these guys had more polish than your run of the mill indie worker in 2000. *** (6.2)

 

 

[Tim Evans]

A three way title is so 2000s wrestling. Not a bad match as all three guys have chemistry. A little on the long side and it seemed all three guys were babyfaces so the crowd didn't have anyone to hate. I guess Montoya turned heel at the end.

[GSR]

The main event of ‘Return of the Monster’ and it’s to crown the first ever Pittsburgh Freeweight champion.  We’re reminded that Quack excels in three way dances and is in fact the three way World champion, something I do vaguely remember being mentioned earlier in the year.  A pre-match coin toss means Reckless sits out the first five minutes and while the wrestling between Quack and Montoya is strong, it’s clear that we’re just treading water waiting for his arrival.  Well five minutes have passed and still no sign of Reckless.  A satellite headscissors by Quack sends Montoya to the floor and finally, after eight minutes, comes Reckless Youth who’s first offensive move is a great springboard arm drag.  The pace has taken a noticeable upsurge and after a series of arm drags we get something called ‘the Mitch kick’, a Steel City tradition apparently, but something that I remember from the early Chikara shows and looks hokey as anything.  Quack and Reckless show some good teamwork although after a pair of somersault sentons on the Don, Reckless breaks up a Quack cover.  AAARGH, I’ll never get used to or not complain about that trope.  Combination Boston crab/camel clutch, Quack letting go of the crab to dropkick Montoya in the face.  Don takes to the outside again as Reckless and Quack are forced to go at it with each other.  After a reverse neck snap Montoya is back, nailing Reckless as he plays to the fans.  Corkscrew leg drop by Don and the only thing worse than a pinfall attempt being broken up is when the person doing the breaking up then makes the cover on the person who was already being covered!  Yup, that happened here and is foolish beyond words.  The third man breaking up the pin is a constant theme for the next few minutes although Reckless does kick out of a Quack fisherman suplex.  Three way sleeper when out to ringside walk Adam Flash and Romeo Valentino, the commentators wondering whose side they’re on.  A double jawbreaker puts a stop to the sleeper(s) before the action really ramps up; Sicilian slice by Reckless, Quack with a Falcon Arrow, exploder from the Don and an inverted tornado DDT by Quack.  ‘Lightning’ Mike then sits Reckless on the top turnbuckle but Reckless is able to fight back and hits a huge reverse atomic drop off the top.  Thunderfire powerbomb and, continuing the story of the match, Montoya breaks that up.  They do know it’s not first pinfall right?  Don teases chokeslamming Reckless from the apron, however Reckless blocks and counters with an apron DDT.  The action spills to the floor where a Quack springboard plancha wipes both out.  As the referee checks on Montoya and Reckless, Flash and Valentino sneak into the ring and plant Quack with a double chokeslam.  Gut wrench powerbomb by Don and we have our first elimination.  Flash and Valentino turn their attention to Reckless, but a Montoya double clothesline clears them from the ring, something that surprises everyone as the impression was that they were on his side.  Maybe him not theirs though.  More interference, this time in the form of a woman who looks very much like a young Beth Phoenix.  The useless official sees her enter the ring and then quickly turns away as he orders Flash and Valentino to the back.  The female low blows Reckless before spiking him with a DDT.  Pyramid bomb by Montoya and there’s your first Pittsburgh Freeweight champion.  Post-match Quack and Reckless want nothing to do with Montoya, believing that he was in cahoots with Flash and Valentino, the commentator is not convinced mind and thinks the third person they hinted at was this woman, not the Don, and were just out there to cause trouble and break up the Black T-shirt squad.

The way this was worked would’ve been better had it been first pinfall as opposed to elimination rules.  In addtion I likely would’ve gone higher on it then too as the work between the three was generally very good, picking up substantially with Reckless’ arrival, almost as if that was the signal to turn things up several notches.  My major issue, and it’s been a constant theme and will continue to be so, is the third man breaking up pinfalls in an elimination rules match.  The finish was a bit messy and probably something that looked better on paper than in practice (Flash and Valentino’s plan to cause dissension in the BTS), not helped by a clueless ref.  In regards to the female, the first match cagematch has for Beth Phoenix isn’t until August 2001 although, according to wiki, she did work some FNW a couple of years later.  I’m going on a limb and saying this is her.