[2001-01-14-JCW-Teaneck Turmoil] Steve Corino & Mikey Whipwreck vs Inferno & Reckless Youth

[Migs]

The ECW tour of the indies heats up. This is worked very basic early on. They get into the southern formula in a way that's shockingly... uh, formulaic for a 2001 indy match. Youth does nicely as a dickish heel at points, but this is otherwise really paint by numbers. Corino's in for the hot tag and is throwing dropkicks. Dumb spot where a kickout of a rollup sends Youth all the way through the ropes in a dive onto his partner and manager. There's some really tepid brawling at this point. Youth hits Whipwreck with the belt and gets the pin. Not a particularly exciting way to spend 15 minutes.

[GSR]

Steve Corino walking out to The Smiths’ ‘How Soon Is Now?’ is an early highlight of 2001 for me! This is announced as a singles match between Corino and Inferno, the latter being accompanied to the ring by Reckless Youth and their manager Tommy 2 Cutie. Cutie talks about Corino being an ECW superstar, but he thinks he’s a piece of garbage and is just an independent wrestler who caught a lucky break. He says that Reckless Youth is the best wrestler in the business and he could work circles around him. Cutie goes on to mention how Reckless busted his ass in Memphis and got nothing for it, while Corino thinks he’s this big superstar just because he cuts his forehead, before challenging the ‘superstar’ to a handicap match against Reckless and Inferno. Corino gets in some jibes about Tommy being a Scotty 2 Hotty knock off and insinuating that he’s gay, then says that while a lot of people don’t like him, he does have one friend here tonight to be his partner, Mikey Whipwreck (the whole handicap challenge has been glossed over and appears just to have been an excuse for some cheap laughs about T2C liking it ‘2 on 1’).

 

Corino peppers Inferno with jabs backing him into the corner. As Reckless rushes him, drop toe hold and he ends up head first in Inferno’s crotch. That brings in Tommy who gets behind Reckless telling him to “get off” and we get the visual of some sordid three way taking place. This is desperate! Bionic elbow to Reckless. Nice counter out of the wristlock and hopefully we get more wrestling and less ‘comedy’. Youth tries to get the crowd to clap along and give him some encouragement but that’s met with silence. It’s the polar opposite when Corino and Whipwreck try the same mind. Ankle trip by Mikey from where he transitions to an Indian deathlock. He whips Reckless into the ropes, however T2C isn’t paying attention and accidentally grabs his leg while he’s got his back turned and is mouthing off to the fans. Reckless wonders what on earth he’s playing at, but as Mikey charges he backdrops him over the top rope and although he lands on the apron, Tommy redeems himself pulling him to the floor, sending Mikey’s head smashing into the apron. Reverse neck snap by Reckless. Abdominal stretch and they’re using the most basic of distraction spots here. Mikey hip tosses his way out of it, but is immediately dropped by a clothesline. Front facelock and moments before he’s about to tag Corino, Inferno is in to divert the referee’s attention. The tag is made, although not seen, and despite his protestations the official ushers Corino out of there. A trio of leg drops to the back of the neck (the third proceeded by Reckless running around Mikey so Inferno can quip that he’s “working circles” around him) followed by a rear chinlock. Russian leg sweep for a two count. Mikey ducks the double clothesline, double DDT and he’s finally able to make that tag. Corino with a pair of dropkicks before tossing Inferno to the outside. T2C is around to check on his man, meanwhile Corino kicks out of the ‘O’Connor roll’. He must have some super human power in those legs because the kick out sends Reckless flying through the ropes to the floor, taking out Tommy and Inferno with a plancha. That looked ridiculous and as hokey as anything. Corino and Inferno go at it on the gym floor with the ‘King of Old School’ launching him into the wall and then the wooden bleachers. Action continues in the ring with T2C in the squared circle and freely interfering right in front of the referee. ‘Whippersnapper’ on Tommy. While the official finally tries to get him out of there, Reckless clocks Mikey with his JCW title belt behind his back. Lateral press and that’s the win.

 

Reckless isn’t done yet and wants to insult their credibility even more. He challenges the two of them to a pair of singles matches next month; him versus “that Great Muta wannabe” and “that old school idiot” against the Inferno Kid to decide who is best. Corino doesn’t want to wait until next month though and wants to do it right now. Reckless asks the fans if they want to see that right now, and when they reply in the affirmative, he tells them “tough” and to buy a ticket for next month because he’s done for the night!

 

One thing that 2000 taught me is that you get a completely different Steve Corino that works on an independent show compared to the one that works ECW. At times this came across as if it was being played for laughs, but I just didn’t find the stuff funny. The heeling by Youth and Inferno was rudimentary and predictable, while absolutely nothing memorable or of note took place for the duration of the match. Including all the pre and post-match antics, thirty minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. I suppose Reckless tried, but in essence it was all downhill after The Smiths...

[soup23]

I found this more engaging due to Reckless being spirited and Mikey being sympathetic FIP. Still, Inferno was shit and Corino certainly was on auto pilot which is infuriating. An up and down card for JCW overall.

[soup23]

Sounds like I’m right around where I was before although maybe slightly lower. Inferno was awful. He really drug this down for me overall. I still don’t think Corino gave that bad a performance but in waning days of ECW where he was a bright spot, he didn’t seem to be bringing that same intensity here. Big drop from the PPV to this gym I guess in a week. **1/2