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[2001-02-03-IPW] Barry Horowitz vs Rastaman


GSR

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I was expecting something closer to Rasta the Voodoo Mon with Rastaman, but it’s a ‘Rastafarian’ gimmick that he’s working. I think this is probably the same Rastaman who worked IWA-PR, which means its former WCW jobber Leroy Howard. ‘Mr Technical’ Barry Horowitz gets a nice ovation, with some fans standing up and patting themselves on the back in tribute to him. For some reason Rasta points and starts laughing at Horowitz, not sure why considering he’s a far bigger star than he has ever been. When he turns around to mockingly pat himself on the back too, Horowitz nails him with a dropkick. A pair of forearms followed by an uppercut and Barry tells him “that’s what you guess when you mess with me!” Jawbreaker. Rasta reverses the Irish whip, hip toss, a couple of arm drags and finally a dropkick, which sends Horowitz tumbling through the ropes to the outside. He walks around ringside rubbing his back and as someone tells him to “get in the ring” his response is “shut your fat face!” They go for a lock up but Horowitz pulls out, still having a bit of trouble with that back. This is brilliant. He’s really not happy with the stick he’s getting from the fans, informing them that while he’s wrestling to “shut your stinking mouths”. ‘Magistral cradle’ by Rasta, but Horowitz ends up in the ropes and the ref has to stop his count. Rasta focuses his attack on the arm, but after whipping Barry into the corner, he avoids the charge and Rasta goes shoulder first into the ring post. “Now it’s time to go to school!” and a pat on the back for good measure. He methodically goes about working over Rasta’s arm as payback, not forgetting to sell his own while doing so. When someone in the crowd starts getting on his case, he instructs the referee to get them out of here, the moment he turns his back though, a cheap shot poke to the eyes. Big “Rasta, Rasta” chant. Horowitz never fails to get the crowd to turn on him and react the way he wants. As it looks like their cheers are paying off, he complains of a non-existent hair pull and drags Rasta back to the mat. An ‘Americana’ submission and he’s smirking at the fans whilst applying the hold. Horowitz drops a knee to the elbow and wonders “how is it punk?” Standing Kimura, but Rasta summons the strength to pick Barry up and drop him chest first across his own knee. Headbutt by Horowitz, however that hurts him more than it does Rasta. He goes for it a second time and the outcome is the same. I can’t believe they’re doing the black man/hard head stereotype in 2001. Rasta unloads, firing back and Barry reaches into his trunks for something. He’s got some brass knux, and cold clocks him, although Rasta is able to get a foot over the rope on the cover. Horowitz goes to slug him again, but Rasta ducks the punch and a double shoulder tackle sees both men go down. Rasta snatches the knux off his hand and now Horowitz is telling the ref to check him for them. As he’s about to, Rasta shouts “look, Bob Marley” and when the official turns he KO’s Barry. The ref counts the fall and Rasta hops out of there sharpish before he gets a chance to find them on him.

 

I do enjoy a random Barry Horowitz house show match, he’s just a complete professional; always working, always busy, always doing something so you daren’t take your eyes off the action. The regular interactions with the crowd keeps them invested, making them feel like they’re a part of things. He did it last year and did it here too, getting them to react the way he wants and while they may come in cheering him, before too long they’re booing and fully behind his opponent. I also dig the way how he concentrates on a body part, he never strays. If he goes for the arm, every offensive move is designed to weaken and soften it, he doesn’t deviate from the plan and change tact. The headbutt spot was an unwelcome throwback to the 80s, but that aside, this was a fun match and highly entertaining performance by Horowitz.

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  • GSR changed the title to [2001-02-03-IPW] Barry Horowitz vs Rastaman
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