[2001-02-18-USA Pro] Little Guido vs Low Ki vs Mikey Whipwreck

[Migs]

USA Pro always had this habit of taking what could have been an interesting singles match and making it a much lamer three way. This starts as Guido v. Ki, picking up nicely where their JCW match left off, until Mikey enters for no clear reason and adds himself to the match. Good action, though. Ki gets a dive in despite the ceiling being really low. A typical three way mess, but an enjoyable one. Fred the Elephant Boy is on commentary, because, uh, I dunno. Boogie Knights interfere to take out Guido, and he gets pinned by Ki. But apparently the match goes on, which renders the pin breakups earlier in the match nonsensical. Xavier interferes, leading to Mikey pinning Ki off camera (despite there being two cameras). Watchable but far from essential.

[GSR]

You get more than your fair share of nothing managers on the Independent scene and we’re introduced to another here, Carmine Narducci, who is managing Little Guido.  It sounds like one of the commentators is mentally challenged or something?  The start of this is very reminiscent of Ki and Guido’s match from ‘Rugged Valentine’ as they again both look for the cross armbar.  About a minute in Mikey Whipwreck joins the fray, although it’s never explained if this was a three way all along or whether he just interjected himself.  It wouldn’t be a three way without a combination German suplex/sunset flip and they make sure to get that one out the way early.  Handspring kick to the head of Mikey which brings the randomest of comments from one of commentators who’d like to see Chyna try that.  Ki goes for it on Guido, however he’s met with a firm knee to the mid-section.  Guido ties Ki in the ‘tree of woe’ before Mikey and he end up on the outside.  Plancha from the top turnbuckle to the floor by Ki (who has to duck whilst up there due to the low ceiling!).  Narducci is in Ki’s face and although he pulls out of kicking him, he’s dropped by a finger poke of doom.  I’m guessing that was supposed to be funny but it got zero reaction from the fans or me.  A dropkick to the knee takes the legs out from Guido and Ki goes to town with kicks to the chest and finally one to the side of the head.  The two trade hard open hand slaps before Guido gets a two count after a ‘Rocker dropper’.  DDT on Guido by Mikey and Ki breaks up the pin, just like Mikey had done previously after that ‘Rocker dropper’.  Double ‘Sicilian slice’.  Each man looks for their finisher, however every attempted is either blocked or countered, culminating with a Ki reverse DDT to escape out of ‘the Whippersnapper’.  Quesadora into a Fujiwara armbar, when out strolls some valet and Guido lets go of the armbar to see what she’s playing at.  Back turned, he’s then jumped by one of the ‘Boogie Knights’ (in full view of the referee).  ‘X-Factor’ on Guido and Ki makes the cover for the win.  The Knights attack Narducci as the commentators make mention of this being a ‘Survival’ match so there’s still another fall (nice if they’d actually mentioned that previously!).  The camera work is all over the place and the decisive fall is missed completely, although apparently Xavier’s interference cost Ki the ultimate victory.  Xavier looks for a high five from Mikey post-match but gets a ‘Whippersnapper’ instead.

The interactions between Ki and Guido are okay, but there’s nothing that you haven’t seen before if you’ve watched their JCW stuff.  The finish is a giant cluster with run ins, interference, abysmal camera work, pinfalls missed etc. and why the fuck were they breaking pin attempts up if this was elimination rules?  Boy do I hate that in an elimination match, it just makes the wrestlers look foolish.  The less said about the unintelligible commentator the better.