Written by: Bob Colling
IWA-MS presents Spring Heat 2005
Date: 4/8/2005
From: Midlothian, IL
Opening Contest: Trik Davis vs. Jonny Storm: Davis takes Storm over with a head scissors, but Storm quickly comes back with one of his own. They have another standoff after they both attempted dropkicks. Storm knocks Davis to the floor and takes Trik out with a twisting dive on the floor. Storm delivers a bulldog over his knee and kicks Davis on the side of his head. Davis tries for a few rollups, but Storm kicks out. Davis avoids Storm in the corner and goes to the middle rope, but Storm hits a Spanish Fly for a two count. Storm plants Davis with a Michinoku Driver and hits a middle rope springboard moonsault for a two count. Storm plants Davis with a cutter for a two count. Storm puts a modified abdominal stretch on Davis. They proceed to trade several rollups. Davis plants Storm with a Flatliner. Davis elbows and heel kicks Storm. Davis hits a snapmare driver for a two count. Storm hits a Codebreaker and a Backstabber for a two count. Davis almost wins with a rollup but Storm hits a half nelson pump handle driver for the win. (**1/4. A solid start to the show as Storm looked pretty good in there. Davis was holding his own and they were able to put together a quality opening match.) After the match, they embrace and show respect for each other.
Jim Fannin tells Chandler McClure that he has a big match tomorrow night where McClure can win Fannin Mickie Knuckles for thirty days. If McClure doesn’t win the match tomorrow night, he is out of the family.
Second Contest: Emil Sitoci vs. Chandler McClure: Early on, McClure controls the match with a backdrop. McClure clotheslines Sitoci, but Sitoci comes back with a few arm drags. Sitoci head scissors McClure and clotheslines McClure over the top to the floor. Sitoci fakes out a dive to the floor. Sitoci nearly pins McClure with a rollup and continues with an arm drag out of the corner. McClure drops Sitoci over the top rope throat first. McClure tosses Sitoci with an overhead belly to belly suplex. McClure takes Sitoci down with a suplex but Sitoci nearly wins with a rollup. McClure plants Sitoci with a sit down powerbomb for a near fall. McClure comes off the ropes to hit a swinging neckbreaker. Sitoci nails McClure with a running yakuza kick. Sitoci fights back with a few clotheslines and a monkey flip out of the corner. Sitoci hits a standing hurricanrana and takes McClure out with a dive to the floor! Fannin distracts Sitoci allowing McClure to hit a suplex turned into a cutter for a near fall. Sitoci takes McClure off the top rope with a hurricanrana for a near fall. McClure drives Sitoci face first into the corner and plants Sitoci with the Touchdown (elevated DDT) for the win. (**1/2. A rather solid undercard match with Sitoci displaying some fun offense and looks like he could be a top lightweight wrestler over time. McClure did a fine job, too. I didn’t have high expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by the action.)
Third Contest: Larry Sweeney vs. Colt Cabana: They start off with some comedy as they debate who can strut better. Sweeney tries to attack Cabana, but it leads to Cabana strutting for Sweeney as they continue the comedy. Sweeney is dropkicked to the floor and Colt dances with the referee. Cabana atomic drops Sweeney and teases a low blow. Cabana uppercuts Sweeney several times in the corner followed by chops. Sweeney drops Cabana throat first over the top rope and stomps on Colt several times. Sweeney strikes Colt on the apron and delivers a few more blows. Cabana staggers after a few elbow strikes but nearly pins Sweeney with a rollup. Cabana clotheslines Sweeney followed by an elbow drop for a two count. Colt chops Sweeney a few times but Sweeney gets control choking Cabana with wrist tape. Cabana shoves Sweeney off the middle rope and hit a missile dropkick. Colt hits a leaping butt splash in the corner and gets a two count. Sweeney has a rollup and almost pins Cabana. Sweeney thinks it was a three count and is acting like he won. Cabana gets distracted by Jade Chung and Sweeney returns to win with a rollup. That makes me think that the finish was messed up. (*1/4. Mostly a comedy match and nothing aside from that, really.) After the match, CM Punk gets in the ring and sings happy birthday to Colt Cabana with the fans.
Fourth Contest: El Generico vs. Jigsaw: This is Generico’s debut for IWA-MS. Generico takes Jigsaw down with a few arm drags and goes for a dive, but Jigsaw avoids it on the floor. Jigsaw hits a standing hurricanrana for a two count. Generico works over Jigsaw with chops against the ropes. Generico drops Jigsaw with a heel kick for a two count. Generico hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Jigsaw avoids a big boot in the corner with a rollup for a two count. Generico takes Jigsaw down with a back suplex for a two count. Generico continues with a split legged moonsault for a two count. Jigsaw drops Generico with a step-up kick to the head. Jigsaw continues to work over Generico with strikes in the corner. Jigsaw palm strikes Generico to the floor. Jigaaw tries for a somersault suicide dive and appears to hit the move, though Generico catches Jigsaw on a few chairs. Jigsaw tries for a springboard off the top, but Generico hits a dropkick in midair. Generico backdrops Jigsaw followed by a tilt a whirl backbreaker for a two count. Generico dropkicks Jigsaw to the floor and takes Jigsaw out with a somersault dive to the floor. Generico comes off the top with a crossbody for a two count. Jigsaw blocks a tornado DDT and puts Generico on the top turnbuckle. Jigsaw palm strikes Generico and hits a leaping hurricanrana off the top for a near fall. Jigsaw hits a Torture Rack turned into a powerbomb for a near fall.
Generico spikes Jigsaw with a tornado DDT but can’t get a three count. Generico puts Jigsaw on the top turnbuckle looking for a superplex. Jigsaw fights Generico off and connects with a double stomp for a near fall. Generico nails Jigsaw with a running big boot a few times in the corner. Generico hits a half nelson suplex, but Jigsaw kicks out at two. Generico rolls through a sunset flip and spikes Jigsaw with a brainbuster for the win. (***. A solid match between these two as they didn’t waste any time and the high spots delivered. Jigsaw looked like he a promising wrestler and his offense was fun. I was glad this match delivered on the show, which has been lacking much entertainment.)
Fifth Contest: NWA Midwest Women’s Champion Daizee Haze vs. Mickie Knuckles in a finishers match: The only way to win this match is by using your finishing move. Knuckles takes Haze down to the mat and keeps wrist control, but Haze counters quickly. Knuckles controls Haze with a dragon sleeper, but Haze breaks free. Haze gets control on the mat with a crossface. Knuckles gets up and counters with a backbreaker. They are mostly just countering each other early on. Haze runs into Knuckles on a shoulder block and Mickie doesn’t go down. Naturally, they are going to go for pin attempts and the referee has to remind them that it is a finisher only match. Haze hits a wheelbarrow cutter. Knuckles tosses Haze with a German suplex. Haze blocks a shining kick and trades chops with Knuckles. They try to hit their finishers but can’t connect a few times. Knuckles ducks a yakuza kick, but Haze counters the reversal with a victory roll for a two count. Knuckles goes to the top rope, but Haze cuts her off. Haze hits a top rope DDT, which looked quite dangerous. Haze hits the running yakuza kick and wins the match. (*1/2. It looked like Knuckles got hurt for real on the DDT spot, which isn’t a surprise at all. The match was okay as the finisher stipulation restricts them from doing anything with suspense. It was more enjoyable than most women’s matches that I’ve seen in IWA-MS.)
Sixth Contest: Samoa Joe vs. Ian Rotten: Early on, Joe takes Rotten down to the mat a few times to keep control of the mat with various strikes. Rotten gets up and tries his luck again against Joe. Joe delivers a few headbutts to Rotten’s left hand. Rotten does a handstand to kick Joe away. Joe keeps Rotten on the mat working over his legs with submissions. Rotten tries for a chokehold, but Joe gets to the ropes quickly. Rotten works over Joe with knee strikes in the corner and a leg whip. Joe gets control of the match on the mat, but Rotten is able to avoid a choke. Joe is able to get a sleeper hold on Rotten but Ian bites Joe’s fingers to break the hold. Joe forearms Rotten in the corner, but Rotten battles back with a few strikes. Rotten tries for a headbutt, and that was a mistake. Joe headbutts Rotten several times in the corner. Ian is telling Joe to bring it on and they both fall to the mat. Joe nails Rotten with a kick to the head. Rotten forearms Joe several times but is met with several slaps. Rotten palm strikes Joe to send Joe to the floor. Joe drops Rotten with a kick to the head. They brawl for a few moments on the floor. Rotten and Joe brawl on the floor leading to a double count-out. The fans didn’t like that and actually chanted “we want a finish!” which, the announcer tries to play off as they are chanting for three more minutes. (**. The no-finish was a bummer and I hope it wasn’t a case of Rotten not wanting to lose to a guy like a Samoa Joe. The match was hard hitting, but was rather repetitive. If if you like stiff shots, you’d probably like this a lot more than I did. That’s all this was.) After the match, as per usual, Ian Rotten gets on the microphone and puts over Samoa Joe telling him the issues aren’t over with. Joe promises Ian Rotten that the next time he is in the IWA there will be a finish and it will be a glorious one.
Seventh Contest: IWA-MS Tag Team Champions Ryan Boz & Brad Bradley vs. Eric Priest & Silas Young vs. Iron Saints (Sal & Vito Thomaselli): All six men are going at it with the champs getting worked over. Bradley sends himself and Priest over the top to the floor with a crossbody. Vito and Sal double team Boz with a few strikes. Brad catches Sal on the floor, but Vito takes them both out to help his partner. Silas hits a somersault dive to the floor. Priest goes to leap off of Young’s back and then lands on the top rope, which is part of his gimmick. Boz takes everyone out with a suicide dive. Boz gets hit with a chair on the knee by Sal and Vito tags in. Boz has his leg get worked over by the Iron Saints until Young comes in and keeps control. Boz has his leg wrapped around the ring post by Priest. Boz refuses to give in to any submission hold. Boz has had his left leg worked over for several minutes. Boz refuses to give up. Boz fights back on Vito with strikes and hits a leg sweep/DDT combo on Vito and Young. Boz goes for the tag and gets Bradley into the match. Bradley cleans house on everyone planting Sal with a slam. Bradley is tripped running the ropes and Vito hit a top rope leg drop. Sal hit a butterfly DDT onto Young. Priest plants Vito with the Happy Ending. Bradley and Boz hit a swinging face plant on Sal for the win. (*1/2. That was a mostly boring three way tag match with there being a lot focus on the knee work of Boz. I don’t think they set the match up very well for that being the main part of the match. I would have rather the match been a wild brawl. I do like Ryan Boz and I think Eric Priest is a capable heel, though.)
Eighth Contest: IWA-MS Light Heavyweight Champion Delirious vs. Brandon Thomaselli vs. Josh Abercrombie: Delirious dropkicks Abercrombie into the corner to start the match and takes Thomselli down with an arm drag. Thomaselli dropkicks Abercrombie with a baseball slide. Delirious takes both challengers out with a suicide dive into the crowd. Abercrombie hits a springboard moonsault on Delirious for a two count. Abercrombie flapjacks Thomaselli followed by a knee strike for a two count. Delirious hits the top rope throat first and falls to the floor. Thomaselli hits a gut buster and a standing shooting star press. Delirious goes to the top, but Thomaselli cuts him off. Thomaselli drops Abercrombie with a side suplex, but Delirious comes off the top with a leg drop for a two count. Delirious dumps Abercrombie to the floor. Thomaselli superkicks Delirious in the corner and takes Delirious out with a twisting dive to the floor! Abercrombie and Thomaselli trade a few shots until Abercrombie gets crotched on the top rope. Delirious holds Thomaselli in a powerbomb position to allow Abercrombie to hit a messy looking head scissors and all three men are down.
Abercrombie comes off the middle rope to hit a backstabber on Delirious, who was playing as if he was AJ Styles. Thomaselli nails Abercrombie with a moonsault kick to knock Abercrombie off the top rope. Abercrombie comes off the ropes with a kick as Delirious goes to the top rope. Delirious hits the Shadows Over Hell onto both men and pins Thomaselli. (**1/2. A decent triple threat match between these three men. They all got some moments to shine and the match held my interest, even if it was a little short in time.)
Ninth Contest: Chris Candido vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Danny Daniels vs. Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Hero vs. Arik Cannon in a number one contenders match for the IWA-MS Heavyweight Championship: Hero and Castagnoli start the match, which is not an elimination match and only two men will be allowed in the ring at once. Hero gets wrist control and takes Castagnoli down to the mat. Hero absorbs an uppercut and arm drags Claudio a few times in the early moments of the match. Hero heel kicks Claudio to the floor. Candido and Daniels are tagged into the match with Candido working over Daniels in the corner with strikes. Daniels fights back with chops and eye rakes Candido. Daniels hip tosses Candido followed by an arm drag and dropkick. Daniels takes Candido out with a crossbody off the top to the floor. Kingston and Cannon are in the ring trading strikes in the middle of the ring. Cannon plants Kingston with a swinging neckbreaker before locking in a submission. Daniels gets a Boston Crab on Candidio and Hero puts a single leg Boston Crab on Claudio. Hero forearms Claudio followed by Daniels and Cannon. Kingston is sent into the corner and gets the same offense by the faces. Candido was going to do one as well, but gets dropkicked into Kingston’s groin. Kingston falls onto Candido’s groin.
Daniels boots Kingston before hitting a head scissors off the middle rope. Daniels STOs Claudio onto Kingston followed by a senton for a two count. Candido powerslams Daniels for a two count. Candido hits a delayed vertical suplex on Daniels. Daniels gets worked over by the heels for several moments. Candido slams Daniels and goes to the top rope but Daniels gets up and slams Candido to the mat. Cannon forearms Candido but Claudio enters and gets backdropped. Cannon plants Kingston with an elevated swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Daniels tries for a piledriver on Cannon, but Cannon counters with an exploder suplex. Cannon and Hero get into each others face. Candido tries to cover Kingston, but Claudio enters the ring and stops Candido with a swinging neckbreaker. Daniels spikes Claudio with a piledriver but Hero breaks up the cover with a senton splash. Hero hits a swinging slam and a leg drop on Daniels and Claudio for a two count. Kingston plants Hero with a backbreaker and a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Candido and Daniels trade strikes until Candido decks Claudio on accident. Hero and Kingston trade shots in the middle of the ring. Hero pins Kingston following the Hero’s Welcome. (**. It’s another match that didn’t seem like it got a lot of time and they didn’t really get past first gear. I would’ve liked Candido to have won, but Hero is the tap guy in the area, so I guess it makes sense.)
Main Event: IWA-MS Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Jacobs vs. CM Punk: They do a basic start to the match with most of the focus being on the mat as Punk controlled the match with a headlock. Jacobs doesn’t cheap shot Punk in the corner when he had a chance to do so. Jacobs goes to the floor and regroups sitting in the crowd. Punk backdrops Jacobs and the champ goes to the floor again. Jacobs returns to the ring and they trade several strikes until Punk takes Jimmy over with a snap suplex. Punk kicks his hand away to reject a handshake. Punk works over Jacobs with several strikes in the corner. Jacobs sends Punk throat first into the top rope, but Punk sends Jacobs to the floor and they begin to brawl. Punk sends Jacobs into basketball hoop face first. Punk puts Jacobs through the hoop! Jacobs is upside down in the hoop but us let down by the referee. They continue to brawl throughout the crowd. Punk tries to get an elderly woman to hit Jacobs, but she refuses! The same woman threatens Jacobs when Jimmy gets in her face. Punk tosses Jacobs onto the recycle bins, but Jacobs comes back with a trash can. Punk puts the trash can over Jacobs head and kicks it. They return to the ring where Jacobs knocks Punk off the apron and hits a suicide dive.
Jacobs works over Punk with strikes in the corner when they return to the ring. Punk runs into a strike in the corner and Jacobs hit a twisting forearm off the middle rope. Jacobs goes to the floor and grabs a mask from the merchandise table. Jacobs puts the mask on, which is a Rey Mysterio Jr. mask, and chokes Punk over the middle rope. Jacobs almost wins following a clothesline. Punk tries for a back suplex, but Jacobs lands on his feet. Punk knocks Jacobs to the floor with a shining wizard. Punk clotheslines Jacobs and follows up with a backdrop. Punk counters a springboard wit ha spinebuster in midair. Jacobs hits a head scissors and a tornado DDT for a near fall. Punk blocks a Contra Code and plants Jacobs with an elevated neckbreaker for a two count. Punk puts Jacobs on the top rope but gets knocked away. Punk goes for a superplex, but Jacobs fights off with elbow strikes to drop Punk to the mat. Punk gets up and delivers a right hand before going for another superplex. Jacobs gains footing and tries for a tornado DDT, but Punk countered with a powerslam.
Punk takes Jacobs off the top hitting a superplex for a two count. Jacobs ducks a clothesline and hits the Contra Code for a near fall. Jacobs heads to the top rope hitting a senton splash for another near fall. Jacobs hits a second senton splash and puts his feet on the ropes, but the referee saw that. Jacobs rams Punk into the corner, which had the referee in there. Jacobs is sent into the referee again and Punk has a rollup, but the referee is knocked down. Jacobs low blows Punk as Punk was checking on the referee. Jacobs gets the championship belt and hits a top rope senton onto Punk. A second referee comes out and counts the pin for Jacobs to retain the title. (***. A good main event as the brawling early on was done well and in this instance the referee bumps actually helped the match for drama. They had to figure a way to have Jacobs win and avoid doing a non-finish. I liked the path they went down here and Jacobs is full blown heel. Though, seeing one last Punk/Hero match for the sake of IWA-MS history would have been cool, too.) After the match, Jacobs slaps Chris Hero, who had come down to the ring. Punk gets a standing ovation.
Final Thoughts:
There are a couple of entertaining matches and filled with a lot of average wrestling. I can’t give the whole an overwhelming positive recommendation, but I didn’t feel like I wasted three hours watching the show. I’ll give this an average rating overall.
Thanks for reading.