IWC Summer Sizzler II 8/26/2005

Written by: Bob Colling

International Wrestling Cartel presents Summer Sizzler II
Date: 8/26/2005
From: McKeesport, PA

Opening Contest: The Deviant vs. Jake Garrett: Well, the Deviant is a really young Ethan Carter III. Garrett has the early advantage attacking before the bell hitting a side slam and back breaker. Deviant gets out of a back breaker to hit a clothesline managing a near fall. Deviant hits a springboard twisting cross body from the top for a near fall. Garrett wins following a forearm shot to the face. (DUD. Deviant is very, very green at this point. The match was basic and sucked.)

Second Contest: Jason Cage vs. Ricky Landell: Cage had the early advantage working over Landell with kicks in the corner and a backdrop. Landell gets a cheap shot and works over Cage with chops and a rolling neck snap for a near fall. Ricky hits a delayed vertical suplex but only manages a near fall. Ricky gets out of a rollup and nearly pins Cage following a quick clothesline. Cage runs into Landell on the apron and hits a leg drop over the middle rope, though that was horribly setup by Ricky. Cage has an arm bar on Ricky and gets the submission. (*1/4. There was at least some decent energy to the match, but it’s evident that both men have a long way to go in the ring.)

Third Contest: Chad Collyer vs. Glenn Spectre: A flamboyant character like Spectre taking on Collyer who is a traditional wrestler is an interesting matchup. Collyer works over Sepctre with several forearm shots. Spectre knee lifts Collyer but Chad stops Spectre with a dropkick to the knee. Chad focuses his offense on the left knee of Spectre. Collyer slams the left knee of Spectre over the apron several times. Collyer scoop slams Spectre and follows up by hitting a knee drop for a near fall. Collyer takes Spectre down with a knee breaker and locks in a figure four leg lock. Spectre manages to turn the hold over but Collyer reaches the ropes. Spectre drops Collyer following a kick to the head. Spectre drops Collyer with several shots followed by an exploder suplex but Chad kicks out at two. Spectre hits a high knee in the corner and hits an elbow drop for a two count. Collyer spins Spectre down to the canvas by his leg and locks in the Texas Cloverleaf but Spectre reaches the bottom rope. Spectre nearly wins with a cradle to counter the figure four and soon rolls Collyer up to get the win anyway. (**. Spectre is really over with the crowd, apparently. It’s a fine match and I actually found myself enjoying Collyer.)

Fourth Contest: Jason Gory vs. KUDO: Neither man can get the advantage in the early moments of the match as they trade holds on the canvas. Gory sends Kudo to the floor but misses a slingshot dive to the floor crashing to the floor. Kudo kicks Gory in the crowd and they return to ringside. Kudo kicks Gory against the ring post but Gory returns to the ring hitting a springboard cross body for a two count. Gory continues his offense with a clothesline. Gory hits a Gory Bomb and has a submission hold that looks like an elevated Boston Crab but doesn’t get a submission. Gory hits a double knee buster to the chest of Kudo and a spear in the corner. Kudo stops Gory with a kick and has a body scissors submission in the ropes leading to a rollup but Gory kicks out at two. Kudo hits a double knee in the corner followed by a face buster for a two count. Gory hits a reverse hurricanrana after avoiding a double knee strike. Gory hits the QAS but can’t get a three on the cover attempt. Gory continues with a fisherman suplex getting a near fall once again. Kudo hits a running knee strike but Gory powers out before three. Kudo continues his offense with a DDT. Kudo delivers a kick to the head and heads to the top rope hitting a double knee splash and gets the win. (**1/4. Not a bad match, and the fans appeared to be into both men. Gory is a little sloppy but he seems to be an exciting performer who can grow into something big for IWC sometime.)

Fifth Contest: J-Rocc & Troy Lords vs. Marshall & Mickey Gambino in a no disqualification loser wears a dress match: They don’t waste any time as all four men go to the floor to brawl. Gambino’s control Rocc in the ring briefly and the match apparently has standard tag rules despite being no disqualification. Mickey manages to lock Lords legs around the leg of Rocc and Rocc is accidentally preforming an indian death lock. The Gambino’s have a dragon sleeper and camel clutch on their opponents. Rocc provides a distraction to allow Lords to kick Mickey to the floor where Rocc sends Mickey into the ring post back first. Lords sends Mickey into the corner with a German suplex for a near fall. Rocc hits a slingshot suplex on Mickey but still can’t him down long enough on the cover. Mickey has continued to been worked over for several moments. Mickey gets out of a suplex attempt by Rocc and knocks him down with a clothesline. Mickey plants Rocc with a quick DDT to finally tag in Marshall. Marshal cleans house with clotheslines and power bombs Lords for a two count. Lords and Marshall brawl on the floor while Mickey and Rocc trade shots in the ring. Rocc plants Mickey with a fisherman buster suplex. Marshall drives Rocc down with a spine buster and attempted another power bomb on Lords but Lords countered with a tornado DDT. Lords misses a twisting dive off the top as Marshall rolled out of the way. Rocc hits Marshall with a chair and the same for Mickey. Jimmy DeMarco gets in the ring and hits an ace crusher on Lords. Gambino’s hit the Curse of the Gambino and Lords is pinned. (*1/4. They didn’t really use the NO DQ stipulation and I was hoping for a more violent kind of match. The stipulation was only needed for the chair spot but that could have happened with a referee bump. I didn’t enjoy this.)

Sixth Contest: IWC Tag Team Champions Hentai & Sebastian Dark vs. Chris Hamrick & Tracy Smothers in a ladder match: They are starting this off with traditional tag rules, as well. Dark attacks Smothers from behind but Smothers hits a running cross body and dropkick. Tracy goes to grab the ladder but Hentai stops him on the floor. Smothers hits a jumping kick to drop Dark in the ring again. Dark fights back with a big boot and tags in Hentai. Hentai leaps off the top to hit a missile dropkick. Smothers has Hentai on his shoulders to allow Hamrick to hit a top rope flipping neck breaker! All four men are brawling on the floor and into the crowd they go. Smothers smashes a chair over the head of Dark and Hamrick rams Hentai’s face into a piano. Hamrick has a submission on Hentai but that is useless in this match. Dark clotheslines the challengers from behind back in the ring. Hamrick takes Dark and Hentai out with a springboard moonsault as the champions had the ladder in hand.

Dark avoids being hit with a ladder while up against the ring post. Hamrick hits a delayed superplex on Hentai. Smothers slams Dark onto the ladder and delivers a big splash. Dark works over Smothers in the corner and soon drops a ladder over the back of Smothers. Hamrick clotheslines Hentai in the corner on the other side of the ring. Dark hits Tracy right in the face with the ladder in the corner as Hentai is holding Hamrick in the corner with a sleeper hold. Hentai heads to the top but is crotched by Hamrick. Hamrick hits a top rope fallaway slam on Hentai! Hamrick hits the Dixie Drop on Hentai, as well. Dark has his head stuck in the ladder as he is rammed into the corner by Hamrick. Hamrick stands on the ladder in the corner and hits a leg drop on Hentai but only manages a near fall on the cover. Dark and Hentai dropkick the ladder into Hamrick and soon hit a double team bulldog out of the corner.

Sebastian brings a table to ringside as the challengers are laid out in the ring. Hamrick is placed on the table while Hentai climbs the ladder. Smothers stops Hentai with a low blow and Dark gets a chair shot. Dark is placed on the table and Hamrick eventually, after a struggle, hits a piledriver off the ladder onto Dark through the table. Hamrick and Smothers pin Hentai to win the titles. (***1/4. I enjoyed the match despite it not being a traditional ladder match with pin falls being the only way to win. Despite that, credit has to go to Chris Hamrick for his performances that I’ve seen in IWC to this point. The guy is pushing 50 years old, I think, and is pulling off some of the most insane spots I’ve seen. Southern Comfort is an enjoyable tag team that I didn’t expect to be interested in seeing on each show.)

Seventh Contest: Shima Xion vs. Nigel McGuinness: Nigel has the early advantage taking Xion down to the canvas with control of his arm. Nigel kicks Xion across the back as well to keep control of the bout in the early moments. Xion wants a test of strength but Xion isn’t tall enough to reach Nigel’s hand. Nigel yanks Xion off the middle rope and works over Shima with uppercuts. Xion takes Nigel down with a drop toe hold and puts a leg lock on Nigel. Xion’s manager enters the ring and Shima is taking the moment for a photo opportunity. On the floor, Chris Mavrick sprays something into Nigel’s face. Nigel takes Xion over with a snap suplex. Xion gets some brief offense in but Nigel keeps Xion down on the canvas. Nigel wrenches on Xion’s arm and gets a two count. Xion drops Nigel with a neck breaker for a two count. Xion accidentally takes his manager out with a suicide dive on the floor. Nigel decks Xion with a lariat and wins the match. (**. Average at best match here as their styles didn’t mesh very well, I’d say. It’s good that Xion is working with bigger names, I suppose, but he needs people more his style and size to really show him off properly.)

Eighth Contest: IWC Super Indy Champion Sterling James Keenan vs. John McChesney: Two of the biggest local stars for IWC do battle here. John takes Sterling down with a head scissors and dropkick sending Keenan to the floor. John baseball slides Keenan on the floor and hits a top rope cross body to the floor! Keenan and McChesney trade shots in the corner with chops and strikes. Keenan drives McChesney down to the canvas with a back suplex. John misses a splash in the corner and Keenan hits a spine buster for a two count. Keenan runs over McChesney with a clothesline to maintain his advantage. Keenan springboards off the ropes but is met with a dropkick in midair by McChesney. McChesney backdrops Keenan and hits a missile dropkick. McChesney leaps off the top to hit a back elbow but only gets a near fall on the cover. Keenan hits a back breaker but again only gets a two count. Keenan with a suplex into the corner but McChesney kicks out at two. McChesney hits the TKO but Keenan powers out at two. McChesney continues his offense with a flapjack but Keenan counters a head scissors with a face buster for a two count. Keenan power bombs McChesney two times but John kicks out at two on the cover attempt. John rolls Keenan up to of the corner and regains the title. (**. It felt like a quick match and there was some decent action throughout. I was expecting something longer and more memorable.)

Ninth Contest: AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe: They traded some mat wrestling to start with Joe seemingly getting the better of the exchange. Joe has a sleeper on Styles briefly as Styles countered with a rollup and sends Joe to the floor with a dropkick. AJ takes Joe out with a slingshot cross body to the floor. Styles scoop slams Joe for a two count. Styles works over Joe in the corner with forearms and knee strikes in the corner. AJ takes Joe over with a snap suplex but again only manages a two count. Joe stops Styles with an atomic drop and a running big boot. Joe delivers a running high knee in the corner and kicks Styles in the midsection. Joe hits a knee drop after a couple of kicks. Joe shoulder blocks a charging Styles. Joe works over AJ with a series of strikes in the corner and a running boot in the corner. Joe splashes Styles in the corner causing AJ to bail to the floor. Joe pummels Styles with jabs in the corner. Styles fights off a face wash and drops Joe with a Pele Kick! AJ fights back with a spin kick and chops before hitting a springboard reverse DDT for a two count. Styles hits a springboard forearm shot but runs into an STO by Joe in the corner.

Joe power bombs Styles but only gets a near fall and switches into an STF but AJ reaches the ropes rather quickly. Joe goes for the Muscle Buster but Styles fights off and goes for the Styles Clash but Joe avoids it and Styles hits a discus clothesline for a two count. AJ signals for the Styles Clash again but Joe is blocking it. Joe counters a rollup and has his choke hold locked in and Styles has to give up. (**3/4. They’ve worked together quite a bit and it’s enjoyable but they have done a lot better in other companies, that’s for sure.)

Main Event: IWC Heavyweight Champion Shirley Doe vs. AWA World Champion Steve Corino: They keep it on the mat for a mat wrestling start which is not a strong style for Doe to be competing in. Doe shoulder blocks Corino sending the challenger to the floor. Jake Garrett is watching the match from the aisle way. Corino works over Doe with chops in the corner but Doe isn’t hurt by them causing Corino to bail to the floor. Doe works over Corino in the corner with several strikes and Corino is checked on by his protege Ricky Landell. Corino gets up and works over Doe in the corner with several strikes. Doe fights back with a series of strikes to drop Corino. They go back to a mat wrestling oriented match. Corino gets Doe into the corner and delivers an elbow strike to drop the champion. Doe takes Corino over with a snap suplex but misses a clothesline and goes over the top to the floor. Steve sends Doe head first into the ring post. Corino sends Doe into the wall as they brawl on the floor some more.

Corino presses Doe’s face into the ring post before they return to the ring. Corino sends Doe to the floor and Ricky Landell uses the camera cord to choke the champion while the referee is distracted. Corino big boots Doe off the apron to the floor and taunts the fans. Corino keeps an abdominal stretch on Doe and has extra leverage with the help from Landell. The referee sees that and Doe hip tosses his way out of the hold. Corino goes for a sleeper hold but Doe counters with a slow back suplex. Doe backdrops Corino and Steve is starting to beg off in the corner. Corino hits an STO to drop Doe to the canvas. They trade some forearms with neither man budging. Corino hits a jumping kick to drop Doe, but Doe gets up rather quickly to hit a sloppy shining wizard. Corino blocks a shining wizard to hit a back suplex and locks in a cross face. Doe hits a stunner but Corino comes back with a clothesline. Corino plants Doe with a northern lights bomb but Doe kicks out at two. Doe takes a few kicks but hits a backpack driver of sorts and wins the match. (*1/2. A prime example of a main event underperforming due to what had just happened with Joe/Styles and the ladder match earlier. I wasn’t expecting much here, to be honest. Doe should stick with garbage brawling and using weapons because being a wrestler is just not good look for him.) After the match, Sterling James Keenan attacks Doe with a steel chair. Keenan makes his intentions clear that he wants the IWC Heavyweight Championship and the fans are certainly in favor of that idea, it appears.

Final Thoughts:
Kind of a disappointing show considering the lineup that was provided here this time around for IWC. Joe/Styles was solid but the ladder match was the match of the night and Chris Hamrick should be praised for his efforts. He may be one of the more underrated wrestlers, ever. As a whole show, I can’t recommend this to view.

Thanks for reading.