Written by: Bob Colling
Pro Wrestling Xplosion presents Lighting The Fuse
Date: 9/13/2006
From: Philadelphia, PA
Apparently, attendance for this show was in the 300 range. Yes, it took place at the ECW Arena and featured several top names from TNA (at the time).
Opening Contest: Jay Lethal vs. Christopher Daniels: Daniels shoulder blocks Lethal at the start of the match to gain the advantage. Lethal counters with a head scissors on the canvas. They trade snapmares and is a rather slow start to the match. Lethal hits a springboard cross body and botches a slingshot monkey flip before hitting a suicide dive to the floor. Daniels stops Lethal with a spinning heel kick. Daniels scoop slams Lethal followed by an elbow drop. Daniels gets a near fall following a gut wrench suplex. Daniels plants Lethal with an STO and tries to get a submission on but Lethal reaches the ropes quickly. Lethal hits a back breaker and dropkicks Daniels to the canvas. Lethal works over Daniels with chops and sends him hard into the corner. Jay lays Daniels across his knee but isn’t able to get a submission. Lethal stops Daniels with a forearm strike to the lower back. Lethal continues with a slingshot senton from the apron for a near fall. Lethal locks in a half Boston Crab but Daniels refuses to give in. Lethal controls Daniels with a dropkick and puts Daniels back across his knee. Daniels stops Jay with an atomic drop followed by a clothesline/leg sweep combo. Daniels drops Lethal with a series of clotheslines and a backdrop. Daniels drops Lethal with a step up kick but Lethal kicks out at two. Lethal avoids Daniels in the corner and hits a super kick but only gets a near fall. Lethal scoop slams Daniels and goes to the top rope. Daniels counters Lethal offense with a slam. Lethal avoids the Best Moonsault Ever with a rollup and they trade a series of pin attempts. Lethal attempted a dragon suplex but Daniels plants Lethal with Angels Wings for the win. (**1/2. A decent match to start the show. The fans were into everything Daniels was doing for them tonight. This didn’t light the house on fire, but the action was fine minus a few botches and a clean finish is always appreciated.)
Second Contest: Ruckus, Sonjay Dutt & CA Elliot vs. Altar Boy Luke & The SAT: Elliot and Dutt kick off the match, which is a student vs. teacher moment according to the announcers. Dutt takes Elliot over with a head scissors and arm drags. Dutt also hit a standing moonsault for a two count. Joel and Ruckus tag into the match with Ruckus controlling Joel on the canvas but they have a standoff. Jose tries his luck as does Luke. Luke nails Jose with a standing spin kick. Luke gets caught on the floor the SAT hit a Doomsday Device/suicide dive on the floor! Ruckus takes everyone out with a handspring twisting dive to the floor. Luke hammers away on Elliot in the ring and hit a head scissors takedown. Luke continues with a standing dropkick before tagging in Ruckus. Ruckus hits a standing shooting star press and taunts the SAT before getting a two count. Dutt tags in and drops an elbow onto Elliot. Elliot catches Luke on a springboard to hit a swinging back breaker. Joel tags in and continues to work over Luke in the corner. SAT hit Luke with kicks in the corner but Luke powers out on the cover attempt. Everyone gets in the ring and there is a triple suplex by the good guys (SAT & Elliot).
Luke hammers away on Joel with strikes and a running boot. Jose and Dutt tag in with Sonjay hitting a head scissors and tornado DDT on Elliot. Dutt hit a springboard moonsualt on Jose for another two count. Ruckus goes to the floor with Joel where Ruckus eventually this a handspring moonsault on the floor. Elliot runs over Ruckus with a clothesline. Ruckus fights back with handspring back elbow and a rolling Fame-Asser on Elliot for a two count. Jose takes Ruckus over with a series of snap suplexs. Joel climbs the ladder to hit a frog splash onto Ruckus but there is no cover. Dutt nails Jose with a kick and neck breaker. Dutt is knocked out with a super kick. Luke plants Jose with a Flatliner. Elliot power bombs Luke and sends Luke over the top with a clothesline. Joel kicks Dutt in the corner and the SAT look for the Spanish Fly but Dutt fights them off hitting a hurricanrana nearly pinning Jose. Dutt hit a 450 splash but Jose gets saved. Luke kicks Elliot to prevent a power bomb attempt. Luke takes Elliot out with somersault dive to the floor. Dutt gets kicked on the top rope and the SAT proceed to hit the Spanish Fly for the win. (***. Constant action and plenty of high spots to keep interest. This was a breeze of a match and I always enjoy the Spanish Fly.)
Steve Corino and Jack Victory are in the ring cutting a promo saying that Teddy Hart didn’t show up and he isn’t surprised. Corino has already gotten paid in cash and suggests everyone get a refund. Some music starts to play and Corino says “it better not be New Jack” but instead if is Ruckus, who just competed. Corino has no idea who Ruckus is. Ruckus doesn’t believe either man could beat Teddy Hart on his worst day. We see a split screen of a car arriving to the arena and it is Teddy Hart. Corino insults Ruckus for cursing so much and doesn’t understand his language. Ruckus reveals that Teddy Hart is here and Corino is going to get his ass whooped tonight. Corino and Victory stomp on Ruckus as Teddy Hart appears through the crowd to make the save. Teddy and Corino are held back from each other to end the segment.
Third Contest: Delirious vs. Claudio Castagnoli: Delirious is sent to the floor where Delirious runs around ringside before returning and hitting a cross body. Delirious takes Claudio over with a head scissors and chops Claudio to maintain control of the match. Claudio wrenches on Delirious arm in the ropes. Claudio cuts Delirious off with a knee lift to the midsection and taunts the crowd. Claudio drops Delirious with an uppercut Claudio tosses Delirious to the ring and continues to taunt the crowd. Delirious gets a second wind hitting Claudio with a few clotheslines managing a near fall. Claudio misses an uppercut in the corner and Delirious clotheslines Claudio several times in the corner. Delirious comes out of the corner with a running bulldog. Claudio hit a swinging sit out slam for a near fall. Delirious sends Claudio face first into the corner with a drop toe hold followed by a running knee in the corner. Delirious comes off the ropes but is caught and Claudio hit a sit out scoop slam. Claudio hit a modified Angle Slam and lifts Delirious up by his arm to get a submission. (**. This wasn’t all that great and they don’t seem to have a great amount of chemistry. Seemed like the crowd was happy the match was over to continue with the show to something else.)
Fourth Contest: Gran Akuma, Hydra & Ice Cream Jr. vs. Equinox, Mike Quackenbush & Shane Storm: It’s a CHIKARA showcase match and I’m not all that interested in the company. As I’m typing that, it’s noticeable that this is a complete comedy match, which is fine, but not something I’m wanting to sit through. So, this will get the quick treatment. Ice Cream Jr. brings out sprinkles and I believe it’s Hydra who is hip tossed off the top rope and pinned after landing on the sprinkles.
Well, the next match is supposed to be Rhino vs. Abyss, since that’s been a long-running feud in TNA and many other independent companies. However, before the action even starts Team 3D come out and get involved which eventually leads to a tag match. There is a long segment where Team 3D rips on a few people in the crowd. Bubba also calls out Daniels and Styles for not accepting their tag team challenge tonight because they have singles matches on the show.
Fifth Contest: Team 3D vs. Abyss & Rhino: Bubba and Abyss go to the floor while Rhino and D-Von battle in the ring. Bubba uses a chair on Abyss and sends him into a fans chair in the front row. Abyss whacks Bubba with a chair while Rhino and D-Von are brawling in the crowd. D-Von is sending Rhino into the walls while Bubba hammers away on Abyss. D-Von plants Rhino with a side slam onto a chair. Rhino hit a belly to belly suplex nearly pinning D-Von. D-Von comes off the ropes hitting a leaping clothesline for another two count. Abyss is nearly suplexed through a table, but Rhino moved the table out of the way. Rhino sets the table up in the corner but accidentally gores Abyss through the table. Rhino turns around and is met with the 3D to give the D-Von and Bubba the victory. (*. This was nothing more than brawling and the finish of the 3D. It felt really uninspired and wasn’t very fun.)
Nick Berk is out delivering awful jokes and starts singing until Arik Cannon tosses Berk to the floor where Berk sells as if he just broke his leg. Anyway, the next match is up.
Sixth Contest: Arik Cannon vs. Chris Hero: Originally, Hero was supposed to face Davey Richards, but Richards decided against the show, I guess. Hero drops Cannon with a dropkick after they ran the ropes briefly. Hero hits Cannon with a running boot in the corner following a forearm shot. Cannon runs off the ropes but is met with a right hand from Hero. Hero decks Cannon to the floor with a spinning elbow strike and they go to the floor where they brawl. Cannon drops Hero across the guard railing with a back suplex. They return to the ring where Arik delivers a knee drop. Arik sets Hero up for a vertical suplex and hits it. Cannon drops Hero with a forearm shot to keep control of the match. Cannon continues to work over Hero with strikes against the ropes including a low blow. They begin to trade shots in the middle of the ring. Cannon drops Hero with a backdrop driver, but Hero hits the same move. Cannon gets up and hits another one. Hero tosses Cannon by his head and big boots Cannon over the top to the floor. Hero takes Arik out with a suicide dive. Cannon spits water into Hero’s face but they return to the ring. Hero hit a top rope double stomp but Arik kicks out at two. Cannon kicks Hero a few times and hit an elevated twisting suplex for a near fall. Hero counters a suplex attempt and delivers a series of knee strikes. Hero plants Cannon with a middle rope swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Cannon fights back with a swinging neck breaker of his own. Cannon plants Hero with a brain buster but Hero kicks out at two. They begin to slap each other and trade head butts while on their knees. Cannon hits a few step up kicks but misses a third attempt. Hero big boots Cannon and hit a standing moonsault for the win. (**1/4. Decent, but nothing overly exciting as the crowd was silent for most of the match. The announcers are trying real hard to make it seem like the matches have been incredible, but they are not worth that kind of reaction.)
Seventh Contest: Mana & Mickie Knuckles vs. Amy Lee & Ian Rotten: This was originally supposed to be New Jack vs. Mana vs. Ian Rotten, but New Jack isn’t here so we get this gem of a match instead. As you might expect, it’s a lot of brawling and weapon shots by Rotten. Lee whacks Knuckles with the hard side of the trash can lid. Mana has a dollar bill and staples the bill to Rotten’s mouth. The DVD is acting all kinds of weird but Rotten sends Mana through a table on the floor as everyone is busted open it looks like. Rotten cannonballs Knuckles in the corner, which Mickie looks like she got knocked out from that. Mana is destroying Lee with a chair on the floor. Rotten and Knuckles are trading headbutts in the ring. Rotten hits a full nelson overhead suplex. Rotten plants Mana with a DDT onto a trash can and that gets three count. (*1/2. I mean, it’s entertaining in the sense of just how reckless these people are and just destroying each other with weapons. I wouldn’t be surprised if Knuckles had a concussion.)
Eighth Contest: Homicide vs. AJ Styles: They don’t waste anytime going at it as Styles leaps over the top to strike Homicide on the floor. Styles sends Homicide into the guard railing and continues to hammer away on Homicide. Homicide gets control sending AJ into the railing. Styles rams Homicide head first into the ring post. Styles drops Homicide throat first across the railing before they return to the ring. AJ gets a two count following a snap suplex. Styles dropkicks Homicide for another near fall. Styles drives Homicide down with a back breaker for another near fall. Homicide continues to work over Styles in the corner but misses a splash. Styles is met with a knee lift on the apron and Homicide hit a piledriver through the ropes for a two count. Homicide clotheslines Styles in the corner for a near fall. Styles lands on his feet on an attempted monkey flip, but is met with a clothesline. Homicide catapults Styles throat first across the middle rope for another two count. Homicide takes Styles over with an exploder suplex for another near fall. Homicide takes Styles over with three snap suplexs. AJ stops Homicide on the top rope but Homicide shoves AJ off only to miss a frog splash.
AJ continues with a back breaker and a vertical suplex turned neck breaker for a near fall. Homicide comes off the ropes to plant Styles with a tornado DDT and is upset about not getting a three count. Styles hits a springboard reverse DDT for a near fall. Homicide plants Styles with an ace crusher but only manages a two count. Homicide goes for the Cop Killa but AJ gets out of it but Homicide still hits a discus clothesline for a near fall. Styles counters a top rope hurricanrana but Homicide breaks free. Styles rolls through a rollup and pins Homicide. (**3/4. Some solid action as expected between these two, but this isn’t a show saver. I could watch Styles wrestle all day and not get tired of it.) After the match, Daniels comes out and wants to address the comments made by Team 3D claiming that Daniels and Styles had avoided their challenge earlier in the evening. Daniels and Styles accept the challenge of Team 3D for a match in PWX. Sadly, there was only one other show for the company and it didn’t feature that match taking place.
Main Event: Teddy Hart vs. Steve Corino: Corino is shoved and promptly slaps the shit out of Hart. Teddy spits blood or red liquid into Corino’s face. Hart flips off the top and wants Corino to brawl with him on the floor. Teddy is angry as Steve gets a chair and sits in the ring instead. Teddy returns to the ring and they trade shots with Hart getting the better with an uppercut and a clothesline in the corner. Hart dropkicks Corino into the guard railing but Corino stops Teddy from going to the top rope. Corino sends Teddy into the railing and ring post. Corino has a fork out of his boot and nails Teddy in the forehead with it. Corino digs the fork into Teddy’s head causing Teddy to be busted open. Teddy works over Steve with forearm shots but Corino goes back to using the fork. Corino nails Teddy with a hight knee lift before digging his fingers into Teddy’s forehead. Hart fights back with a leaping reverse DDT. Corino takes Teddy over with a back suplex. The referee gets knocked down as Hart dropkicks Corino. Jack Victory trips Hart from the floor and enters the ring. Teddy drops down and Ruckus gets involved hitting a dropkick. Hart takes both Corino and Victory out with a moonsault off the top. Ruckus takes Corino and Victory out with a dive to the floor. Hart follows up with a top rope moonsault to the floor. Teddy sends Corino into the ring post.
Back in the ring, Hart drops Corino with a few right hands. Hart continues with a DDT and goes to the top rope to hit the Hart Attack 2.0. Victory pulled out the referee and Teddy took Victory out with a dive. Corino decks Hart with a lariat but there isn’t a referee for the cover. Ruckus breaks up the pin attempt and knocks out the referee. Hart stops Corino with a low blow. Hart attempts a moonsault but Corino got his feet up and put a cobra clutch on Hart leading to the bell sounding as if Corino won the match by submission. However, Hart didn’t give up and that’s a screw job ending to the first show. After the match, Teddy is pissed about getting screwed and wants Corino to meet him in the parking lot. Corino says it is over but Teddy is livid. (**1/2. They were going for a real life fight and there were moments where it felt like it was a legitimate fight. Of course, anything that happens inside a ring is likely a work, but the feeling for this match was different and wasn’t your normal wrestling match. I enjoyed the chaos, but the screw job finish was stupid and didn’t settle anything between the two guys who had a beef for several years leading into this match.)
Final Thoughts:
I honestly got this largely for the Corino/Teddy match since I knew they had some serious issues dating back to 2004 or so. The undercard was a disappointment with the six man tag being the highlight, which was surprising to me. There was some solid action throughout, but there isn’t anything memorable or worthwhile to seek a viewing of. I’ll give it a thumbs in the middle since it was fine for what it was.
Thanks for reading.