[2001-02-23-ICW-Hostile Intentions] Low Ki vs Xavier

[Migs]

This is the main event. These guys teamed earlier in the evening but are once again matched up, because ICW's booking at this point is full Russo. Joel Gertner is on commentary, which is not normally optimal, but by indy standards he's fucking Gordon Solie.

 

They start fast with some loud chops. I don't like Ki hitting Tidal Crush this early in a match - requires his opponent to stand their for a while having not taken much damage. Xavier blows a complicated dive. Ki takes Xavier off the top rope with a big kick which sends Xavier into the barricade. These guys are working very fast tonight. They're usually a little better, even this early on in their careers, at pacing. It's not like this is a short match, either, around 13 minutes. The Ki Krusher draws a "holy shit" chant. Jac Sabboth interferes and a belt shot draws a DQ. I love both guys, but they had much better matches against each other.

 

This supposedly sets up a cage match between the two, but it doesn't seem that ever happened.

[GSR]

Xavier jumps Ki before the bell and the two exchange hard slaps.  Ki reverses the whip to the corner, however Xavier ducks out to the floor before he can hit the handspring kick.  He rolls back into the ring to avoid the pescado, but Ki is able to think on (off?) his feet, changing plans mid-air and landing on the apron.  Slingshot head scissors back inside and this time Ki connects on the handspring head kick.  Xavier catches him on the attempted leap frog, walks to the ropes and dumps Ki over the top to the outside with a belly to belly.  Space flying Tiger Drop out of Xavier!  He comes up slightly short on the dive, but fuck, I wasn’t expecting that out of him at all!  Running forearm smash in the corner followed by a butterfly suplex for a two.  Ki escapes the side headlock but then runs into a spinning chest kick.  Nice variation of the cattle mutilation by Xavier with Ki in a seated position.  He heads up stairs, however a Ki jumping kick to the head sending him flying into the guard rail.  Elbow suicida.  A basement dropkick takes the legs out from under Xavier and Ki follows that up with a trio of kicks, the final one around the side of his head.  Xavier blocks the ‘Ki Krusher’ and gorilla presses Ki.  When he goes to drop him to the mat though, Ki lands on his feet and nails Xavier with a Pele kick.  Ki looks for a huracanrana but Xavier hot shots him across the top rope.  He goes upstairs again, having as little success this time as he did last, jumping right into a rolling koppu kick.  A couple of forearms by Ki who then sits Xavier on the top turnbuckles.  He grabs Xavier in a ‘Dragon sleeper’ and then leans back, stretching him out (smartly called a ‘Ki-Rantula’ by one of the commentators).  With them tied in the ropes though he can’t get the submission, so let’s go of the hold before the official reaches the count of five.  Ki looks for it a second time, but that’s going to the well once too often as a couple of back headbutts from Xavier puts a stop to it.  Rolling German suplex for a near fall.  Ki blocks the ‘Rude Awakening’ and locks on a ‘Dragon sleeper’.  Nowhere near the ropes and the champion’s belt in jeopardy, out to ringside comes promoter Jac Sabboth which distracts Ki.  Ki signals for the ‘Ki Krusher 2000’ and Sabboth is leaning into the ring grabbing his ankle to prevent him from getting Xavier up.  Cutthroat neckbreaker by Xavier and Ki manages to get a leg over the bottom rope (although the camera would rather show us this Sabboth at ringside as opposed to the wrestlers).   Ki counters a second cutthroat neckbreaker and hits the ‘Ki Krusher’.  At the count of two Sabboth is up on the apron and the ref just stops his count to go over and have a word with him.  Ki’s had enough and kicks Sabboth in the head, but when he turns back around Xavier clocks him with the belt for the title saving DQ.  Plenty of “bullshit, bullshit” chants from the crowd for that ending.  After the match Ki calls for the Commissioner to come out and it’s someone decked up like Mick Foley, complete with cut off plaid lumberjack shirt.  He says that after having fought Xavier twice, and on both occasions been screwed out of the match, he wants him where he can’t run and where there will be no interference, leading to the Commissioner announcing a cage match for the next show.

I was enjoying this right up until the finish.  We’re not even fully two months into the year and there have been so many unsatisfactory, no downright shit finishes already and here’s another.  The only positive I can say about that weak DQ is that at least it seems to be building towards something for the next show.  A very proto ROH feel to the match and I can’t ever recall seeing Xavier do a Space Flying Tiger Drop before here.  You expect the Indies to be littered with Mr McMahon rip offs and heel owners, you don’t expect to see Mick Foley Commissioner rip offs though!

[Migs]

I believe the commissioner here is Harry Slash, of ECW music fame.