Written by: Bob Colling
International Wrestling Cartel presents A Call To Arms II
Date: 12/11/2004
From: Wilmerding, PA
Jimmy DeMarco is attacked by Jake Garrett during his ring entrance. Garrett hit a back breaker on the floor. The Gambino Brothers come out with steel chairs and back Garrett off into the crowd. The Brothers aren’t hitting Garrett and they just walk to the backstage area, apparently.
Opening Contest: Brad Thomas vs. Sterling James Keenan: Keenan offered Thomas the chance to leave the ring, but Thomas declined the offer and the bout is still on. Thomas is slapped but decks Keenan followed by an arm drag and left hands in the corner. Keenan hits an atomic drop and swinging neck breaker. Keenan fakes a vertical suplex attempt and pokes Thomas in the eyes. Keenan destroys Thomas with a lariat, but Thomas pops out at two. Thomas nearly wins with a rollup and goes back to work with a dropkick and scoop slam. Brad misses a top rope moonsault and Keenan wins with the MK Ultra. (**. Not a bad start to the show with Thomas being a good bump guy and his little offense was effective and didn’t lose my interest. Keenan has a solid finisher, too.)
Second Contest: Shima Xion vs. Jason Gory: Gory runs into the ring and hammers away on Xion hitting a heel kick as well. Xion stops Gory with a forearm on the apron but is knocked off by a handspring kick by Gory. Xion plants Gory with a neck breaker and hits a snap suplex. Xion locks in a leg lock and taunts the crowd briefly. They trade some rollups but neither man can get a pin fall. Gory has Xion locked in with a body scissors on the canvas. Xion jumps on the back on Gory’s back and hits a leg drop on the way down for a near fall but he pulled Gory up. Xion hits a double under hook suplex. Xion pulls Gory out of the corner and Gory lands across the knee of Xion for a two count. Gory nearly wins with a rollup and hits an STO/back breaker for a two count. Gory attempts a handspring back elbow but is met with a knee to the head.
Xion covers but Gory kicks out at two. Xion has a head scissors on Gory but can’t get a submission. Gory plants Xion with a jumping DDT causing both men to be down. Mavrick accidentally super kicks Xion and is planted to the canvas by Gory. Gory focuses on Mavrick where he hits a 450 splash! Xion hits a running reverse DDT only managing to get a near fall. Gory hits a standing Spanish Fly and that’s good enough for the three count. (**1/2. Gory is an enjoyable high flier and Xion has some quality moves, so they work well together. Xion showed some promising heel work early into his career before he made it to TNA. Mavrick is just awful, though.) After the match, Sebastian Dark comes out and attacks everyone in the ring. He is pissed that he didn’t win the fan voting to wrestle Petey Williams tonight. Dark brags about taking Super Hentai out and has his mask to gloat to the crowd.
Third Contest: Dennis Gregory vs. Jimmy Vegas: Gregory cheap shots Vegas early into the match and works over the left arm with a few strikes. It appears the match has been clipped as we see Gregory putting Vegas into a Boston Crab. Vegas rams Gregory into the corner and hits a belly to belly suplex. Gregory has a cobra clutch on Vegas but isn’t able to submit Vegas. Vegas breaks the hold with a side slam. They fall to the floor as Gregory had put the cobra clutch on yet again. Gregory dives over the top rope and takes Vegas out on the floor! Gregory hits a slingshot leg drop from the apron back into the ring but Vegas kicks out at two. Vegas plants Gregory with a spinning slam for a two count. Gregory super kicks Vegas but only gets a near fall. Vegas hits an Angle Slam but Gregory kicks out at two. Gregory stops Vegas with a jaw breaker. Gregory drops Vegas over the top rope throat first and hits a top rope elbow drop. Gregory hits a big splash from the top rope but Vegas kicks out two. Vegas hits an F5 and Angle Slam which gets him the win. (*3/4. It felt a little clunky at times. Vegas using moves from Lesnar and Angle makes him look second-rate, especially the final sequence of the match. Gregory had a few entertaining moments, but the match wasn’t overly exciting or entertaining.) After the match, Gregory is given a standing ovation since this appears to be his final match. Gregory is going to be deployed to protect America. Much respect to him for doing that.
Fourth Contest: Eric Xtasy, J-Rocc & Troy Lords vs. Dean Radford & Glenn Spectre: All five men are brawling on the floor. Radford fights off Rocc and Lords. Spectre is busy chopping Xtasy while fans held him. Spectre sends Xtasy into chairs in the crowd. Rocc is sent into Xtasy hitting his partner with a spear. Spectre takes everyone out with a suicide dive to the floor. Radford power bombs Lords over the top to the floor where Lords twists and hits a moonsault on everyone on the floor. Radford heads to the top and takes everyone out with a cross body to the floor. Spectre hits a running butt splash on Lords in the corner and Radford does the same. After a fast start full of action the match slows down as order is restores. Spectre kisses Radford while double teaming Lords. Lords puts Spectre on the top rope to allow Xtasy to deck Spectre.
Spectre fights back against Rocc with chops but Rocc plants Spectre with a back suplex for a two count. Lords drops Spectre over his knees on a sunset flip attempt but isn’t able to put Spectre away on the cover. Spectre plants Lords with an ace crusher and tags in Radford. Rocc and Radford trade right hands with Radford winning that battle with a big boot. Radford plants Rocc with a DDT but Xtasy runs over to hit a running choke slam on Radford. Dean plants Xtasy with a spine buster. Lords spikes Radford with a vertical suplex. Spectre hits Lords with a shining wizard but only manages a two count. Xtasy and Lords hit an odd looking sunset flip/German suplex combo on Spectre for a two count. Rocc accidentally splashes Xtasy from the top. Radford plants Xtasy with a Death Valley Driver for the win. (**. The beginning moments of the match was the best part, but the match was surprisingly decent and I enjoyed what they presented for the most part.) After the match, Xtasy is attacked and kissed by Spectre.
Fifth Contest: CM Punk vs. AJ Styles: A mat wrestling start to the bout with Styles controlling Punk with a head scissors for a brief moment. Styles attempts the Styles Clash early in the match but Punk reaches the ropes to break the hold. Styles continues to control the bout with a dropkick but only gets a two count on Punk. AJ drives Punk down to the canvas with a back breaker for a two count. Styles works over Punk in the corner with right hands. AJ takes Punk over with a snap suplex. Styles decks Punk over the top to the floor with a clothesline. Styles takes Punk out with a cross body on the floor. Punk stops AJ with a swinging neck breaker over the middle rope. Punk works over Styles with a few knee strikes but only gets a near fall.
Punk hits a dropkick to a seated Styles but only gets a near fall on the cover attempt. Punk tries to get a submission with a modified abdominal stretch on the canvas. Punk sends Styles hard into the corner and continues to work over AJ. Styles stops Punk with a jaw breaker. They both come off the ropes and attempt a cross body causing both men to drop to the mat. They begin to trade forearm strikes with Styles getting the better of that exchange with a flurry of strikes. Styles plants Punk with a pump handle back suplex but Punk kicks out at two. Styles nearly pins Punk with a northern lights suplex but Punk kick out at two. Punk counters a springboard reverse DDT attempt by Styles by hitting a back breaker. They appear to both a middle rope Styles Clash, but Punk plants Styles with an arm trapped DDT for a near fall.
Styles ducks a clothesline and drops Punk with a Pele kick. Styles takes Punk over with a hurricanrana. Punk avoids a tornado DDT but tossing AJ away. Styles rolls through a hurricanrana by Punk and wins the match with a rollup. (***1/4. A fine match between two of the biggest stars in pro wrestling. They went over fifteen minutes and they didn’t rely on false finishes off of finishing moves. Heck, we didn’t even get a finisher from either man. The match of the night thus far and the match the fans were clearly looking most forward to.)
Sixth Contest: John McChesney vs. Josh Prohibition vs. Petey Williams vs. Sterling James Keenan for the vacant IWC Super Indy Championship: Prohibition and Williams kick off the match. They trade arms drags with neither man getting a long lasting offense. Williams dropkicks the back of Prohibition after a snap mare. Williams takes Prohibition down with a back suplex and McChesney gets the tag hitting a springboard dropkick to the side of Prohibition followed by a standing dropkick for a two count. McChesney gets another near fall after a backdrop. Prohibition drops McChesney across his knee and Keenan tags in. Keenan scoop slams McChesney and hits a leg drop for a two count. The graphics guy is messing around with the footage, which is kind of annoying.
Keenan and Prohibition work over McChesney for a few moments. Josh decks McChesney with a lariat but only gets a two count. Prohibition hits a sit out vertical suplex for a near fall. Keenan plants McChesney with a power bomb for a two count. McChesney plants Keenan and Prohibition with a double DDT! Williams gets the tag and cleans house hitting a neck breaker and swinging neck breaker on Prohibition. Keenan tags in and is met with a Codebreaker. Keenan plants Williams with a sit out front slam out of a head scissors position. Keenan dumps McChesney over the top to the floor but Keenan misses a twisting dive. McChesney takes Keenan out with a dive on the floor. Williams takes Prohibition over with a snap suplex and signals for the Canadian Destroyer. Williams gets out of piledriver to hit the Canadian Destroyer and pins Prohibition for the first elimination.
Williams is sent to the corner and Keenan locks in a chokehold over the top rope. Williams nearly pins Keenan with a rollup. McChesney comes out of nowhere to nearly pin Keenan with a missile dropkick. Keenan tags out to Williams who was surprised by the tag. McChesney attempts a power bomb to the floor but Petey stops John with a leg drop on the apron. McChesney dropkicks Williams on the top rope. McChesney hits a superplex but Williams kicks out at two. Williams kicks McChesney on the side of the head but can’t get a three count. McChesney drops Williams face first across the top turnbuckle but Williams comes back with the Canadian Destroyer to pin McChesney. Keenan enters the match and plants Williams with a gut buster. Keenan counters the Canadian Destroyer and holds the ropes for leverage to get the cheap win and title. (***1/2. The show had been heavily centered around Keenan so his victory isn’t all that shocking, but I like the strong booking for a heel act. This kind of match would ideally setup a match between Keenan and Williams. I thought everyone involved worked a fun match and I enjoyed the action.)
Seventh Contest: IWC Tag Team Champions Tracy Smothers & Chris Hamrick vs. Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey: Smothers and Condrey kick off the title match. Condrey leg whips Smothers to take him down to the canvas early on. Eaton gets tagged in and decks Smothers with a right hand. Smothers backs into his corner and tags in Hamrick to try his luck. Hamrick works over Condrey with a headlock. Eaton tags in and works over the arm of Hamrick. Smothers enters the match and works over Eaton in the corner with an uppercut. Eaton avoids a backdrop with a strike to drop Smothers. Condrey takes Hamrick down to the canvas but they counter each other for a moment. Eaton leg drops Hamrick for a two count. Hamrick kicks Eaton and goes to the top but loses his footing and jacks his leg up in the corner. Hamrick reveals he was faking it and decks Eaton with a super kick! Hamrick nails Eaton with a clothesline in the corner. Smothers drops Eaton throat first across the top rope. Eaton falls down before an uppercut from Smothers. Hamrick super kicks Eaton and nearly pins him. Hamrick misses a splash against the ropes and flies through the middle rope crashing to the floor. Smothers kicks Eaton and delivers a forearm drop. Hamrick hits a splash from the top rope for a near fall on Eaton.
Hamrick misses a middle rope leg drop as Eaton rolled out of the way. Condrey gets the tag and cleans house with strikes on the champs. Condrey clotheslines the champs and is left in the ring with Smothers. A double flapjack in Smothers and that’s good enough for Condrey to get the win. (*1/2. Condrey struggles considering his age, but Hamrick injury fake was incredibly well done considering the spot he took that on. Eaton did most of the bumping for his team. The title change came across as a shock to the fans, which is always a good thing. The match isn’t all that great. Though, Smothers and Hamrick tried their best to get something good out of the challengers.)
Main Event: IWC Heavyweight Champion Balls Mahoney vs. Shirley Doe in a street fight: A table is in the ring but not setup as the match starts. They start the match trading right hands with Mahoney jabbing Doe and dropping him with a right hand. Mahoney dumps Doe to the floor to start brawling on the floor. Mahoney whacks Doe over the back with a crutch. Balls works over Doe with several jabs but Doe battles back with strikes of his own. Mahoney drives Doe down to the canvas with a back suplex. Doe nearly wins with a rollup and is met with a clothesline from Balls. A chair has been setup in the corner as Balls works over Doe with headbutts. Mahoney misses a spear in the corner and hits the chair head first. It looks like Mahoney has been busted wide open.
Mahoney hits a sit out scoop slam but Doe kicks out at two. Balls places Doe onto a chair with a snap mare but misses a leg drop hitting the chair instead. Doe backdrops Mahoney and hits a clothesline for a two count. Doe drops Mahoney with a forearm strike and nearly pins Mahoney. Doe goes to the floor and slides a table into the ring. Doe hits a side Russian leg sweep before setting a table up in the corner. Mahoney decks Doe with a short arm clothesline. They both have chairs and they do dueling chair strikes. Mahoney hits Doe with a few unprotected chair shots with the third one knocking Doe down for a two count. Doe hits Mahoney with a few chair shots but can’t get a three count. Mahoney super kicks Doe as he set a table up.
Doe is placed onto a table and Mahoney heads to the top hitting a leg drop off the top to put Doe through the table! Mahoney goes for the cover but Doe kicks out at two. Balls sets up the second table and Doe is put on the table. Mahoney is crotched on the top rope and Doe hit a superplex through the table! Doe has the cover but Balls kicks out at two. Doe is stopped by a low blow from Mahoney’s manager who accidentally tosses powder into Mahoney’s face. Doe hits a jumping DT into the broken table and gets the three count to win the title. (*1/2. It’s hardly a brutal hardcore match or anything. It felt rather basic and wasn’t anything memorable whatsoever. I guess I was expecting more violence and more brutality. I was disappointed in that regard.)
Final Thoughts:
Styles/Punk and the four way elimination match were really good matches and the best matches I’ve watched in the IWC thus far (though out of order). The show was an easy watch and it felt like it had everything a show should have. We had a few good matches, title changes and a hardcore match, plus some high flying action. I’d give it a mild recommendation for viewing.
Thanks for reading.