Written by: Bob Colling
IWA-MS presents Meeting Of The Minds
Date: 5/8/2004
From: Highland, IN
Ian Rotten opens the show and runs down some of the matches that will be seen this time around. It’s a loaded card that he lets us know about. Bobby Heenan is in the building, as well. The Havana Pitbulls were unable to make the show. Rotten notes they said that he didn’t buy them a plane ticket, which he says he did. The Ring Crew Express make their way out and want to talk to Rotten. Rotten jokes with them that the ring is already up. Marcos says that they know that there is a spot open for a tag team and they are here to accept the spot. Marcos says they normally travel far distances for shows they aren’t booked on. Rotten reminds them that they would be wrestling Ryan Box and Brad Bradley. They aren’t intimidated of them and accept the match for later on. Rotten hopes the Pitbulls will be here on May 29th. Rotten announces Colt Cabana and CM Punk will be an at-large team on May 29th. Rotten announces that this year will be the last year of the King of the Death Matches tournament (that was not true).
Rotten says they are going to change the direction of the company. They can’t seem to shake the blood and guts image of the company. They are going to start applying some rules to the company. Rotten says that starting next Saturday night they are going the National Wrestling Alliance. Rotten is given a lot of leeway to do things and introduces Ed Sherman of NWA Midwest. Rotten says that the outside of the floor wrestling will have a twenty count instead of ten count. Rotten note the fans wanted another championship and says they will be in charge of the NWA Indiana State Championship. The person holding the title will be the number one contender to the NWA World Championship. Ian says that in two weeks there will be a NWA World Championship match. AJ Styles will defend the title against Chris Sabin in Salem, IN. There will be a NWA Midwest Women’s Championship. Rotten believes this is the right move for IWA longterm. Sherman welcomes Ian to the company for a long run and puts over the shows that IWA has. Rotten promises to open up Illinois and get some shows in that area. Rotten wants the fans to give them a shot with this.
Opening Contest: Trik Davis vs. Murat Bosporus: Bosporus takes Davis down to the mat early on and keeps arm control. Davis gets a backslide for a two count. Bosporus gets out of arm control with a cartwheel and keeps some mat wrestling on Davis leading to a near fall. Davis arm drags Bosporus a few times and knee strikes Bosporus in the corner. Bosporus tosses Davis with an overhead suplex. Bosporus decks Davis with a running clothesline. Bosporus slams Davis and goes to the top rope. Bosporus leaps off to hit a frog splash for a two count. Davis elbows free and tries for the Un-Prettier, but gets sent to the corner. Davis counters a Samoan Drop and gets the pin with a rollup. (**. I was quite impressed by Murat Bosporus in such a quick match. Bosporus showed some great power and his suplex style was fun. That frog splash off the top was nicely done, too. I’d like to see more of Murat in the future.)
Second Contest: Angel Williams vs. ODB: ODB takes Williams down to the mat early on to keep control of the contest. Williams They trade hammerlocks briefly until Williams snapmares ODB over. ODB kicks Williams away and also gets kicked away. They both hit arm drags and quick pin attempts lead to a standoff. ODB shoulder blocks Williams but Williams head scissors ODB followed by an arm drag. Williams leg drops ODB’s arm. ODB keeps arm control on the canvas. Williams arm drags ODB a few times followed by a dropkick for a two count. Williams shoulder rams ODB in the corner and ODB counters with rams of her own. Williams kicks ODB in the corner and tries for a crossbody, but is caught. ODB connects with a fallaway slam. ODB continues with a short arm clothesline for a near fall. ODB tries for a piledriver, but Williams counters and gets a rollup for a two count. ODB tries a sloppy rollup for a near fall. Williams with an inside cradle for a near fall. ODB almost wins with a backslide. They collide on stereo clotheslines. ODB forearms Williams followed by chops. Williams nails ODB with a spinning heel kick. Williams heads to the top rope and hits a crossbody, but ODB rolls through for a near fall. ODB has Williams in the Gory Special, but Williams breaks free to hit the Flatliner and wins the match. (**. I thought they did a fine job in maintaining interest in the match and they kept a good pace. They hit some fun moves and they made the best out of the time they were given, which was quite a bit more than I feel like is usually the case.)
Third Contest: Chad Collyer vs. Frankie The Face: They start off with trading some holds leading to Collyer breaking away as Frankie got to the ropes. Collyer shoves Frankie down to the mat as Frankie is getting frustrated. Frankie forearms Collyer a few times and takes Collyer over with a headlock. Frankie misses a clothesline and walks into a dropkick. Collyer continues with a hip toss and chops against the ropes. Collyer tries for a backslide and hits a flying forearm off the ropes. Collyer keeps a headlock on Frankie but doesn’t get a submission. Frankie cheap shots Collyer in the corner to not give a clean break and chops Collyer. Collyer fights back with chops of his own and runs into a boot in the corner. Frankie rams Collyer into his knee and connects with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Frankie uppercuts Collyer, but Collyer nearly wins with a backslide. Frankie elbows Collyer to the mat to keep the advantage. Frankie takes Collyer over with a snap suplex for a near fall. Frankie presses his foot into Collyer’s upper back while pulling his arm back, but doesn’t get a submission. Frankie misses a boot and gets clotheslined. Collyer chops Frankie followed by a heel kick and a delayed brainbuster for a near fall. Collyer counters a backdrop with a rollup for a two count. Collyer chops Frankie and runs into a snap powerslam leading to a near fall for Frankie. Collyer hits a dragon screw leg whip and locks in the Texas Cloverleaf causing Frankie to submit. (*1/2. That was a a little boring and probably didn’t need to go nearly as long as it did.)
The next match is a qualifying match for a tag team title tournament taking place in May. The first two teams eliminated are out and the final two will qualify.
Fourth Contest: Wild Cards (Eddie Kingston & Jack Marciano) vs. Ian Rotten & Steve Stone vs. Eddie Venom & Nate Webb vs. Icarus & Jigsaw in an elimination match: Kingston and Rotten start off the match with Kingston begging off Rotten already. Kingston tags out to Icarus instead. Rotten takes Icarus over with a suplex and Stone comes off the ropes with a leg drop. Stone continues with snap suplex and a delayed brainbuster leading to a near fall. Stone chops Icarus and drop toe holds Icarus to allow a splash by Rotten. Rotten beats on Icarus with headbutts. Rotten locks in a Boston Crab, but Icarus reaches the ropes quickly. Venom enters the match and forearms Icarus followed by chops against the ropes. The crowd is loving the chops in this match. Webb tags into the match and sends Icarus into the corner to allow Kingston to tag in. Kingston wants a piece of Venom and Venom tags in. Kingston wants to trade chops with Venom. Kingston doesn’t sell the chop and Venom doesn’t sell the chop either. Venom kind of sells the second chop. Venom kicks Kingston in the gut and Rotten tags into the match.
Rotten works over Kingston’s arm, but they counter each other. Webb comes off the top to knee drop Kingston’s arm. Webb snapmares Kingston followed by a kick to the back. Kingston kicks Webb several times on the back and gets a two count with a cocky cover. Marciano enters and elbow strikes Webb followed by a double elbow drop for a two count. Webb hits a wheelbarrow face buster and a spinning kick to the face for a near fall. Jigsaw tags in and works over Marciano with strikes, but Marciano comes back with chops. Jigsaw arm drags Marciano a few times. Jigsaw dropkicks Marciano to the floor. Stone and Kingston are tagged into the match. Kingston decides against it and tags in Icarus. Icarus head scissors Stone, but Stone murders Icarus with a clothesline for a near fall. Rotten uppercuts Icarus followed by a chop. Icarus takes Rotten over with a hurricanrana. Rotten stops Icarus with headbutts after a rollup by Icarus. Rotten drops Icarus with a spinning bomb for a two count. Kingston enters the match to finally face Rotten in the match. Kingston bites Rotten’s chest and spits on Rotten.
Kingston works over Rotten with strikes to the arm and locks in an arm bar in the middle of the ring. Rotten does a headstand and takes Kingston down to the mat to deliver several headbutts. Kingston puts the Claw on Kingston’s groin and tags in Stone to deliver a dropkick to a seated Kingston for a two count. Kingston forearms Stone and they begin to trade strikes. Stone takes Kingston over with a snap powerslam and tags in Rotten again. Rotten avoids Kingston in the corner and along with Webb they put a submission on Rotten. Everyone is coming over and creating a chain of submission holds. Jigsaw nails Kingston with a springboard dropkick. Jigsaw superkicks Kingston to the floor and hits a somersault dive to take Kingston out. Venom backdrops Webb over the top onto everyone, but lands in the third row. Venom takes everyone out with a dive over the top. Rotten climbs the ropes, but Kingston stops Rotten with a right hand. Kingston suplexs Rotten from the ring over the top to the floor onto everyone. Jigsaw beats on Kingston with strikes and a knee strike. Jigsaw comes off the top hitting a twisting splash for a two count on Kingston. Kingston tosses Jigsaw with a tiger suplex. Webb moonsaults Kingston to break the pin. Webb Shell Shocks Kingston and Rotten drops Webb on his head for a two count.
Marciano plants Webb with an inverted powerslam for a two count and Venom clotheslines Marciano. Venom plants Marciano with a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Stone nearly wins with a White Out on Venom. Stone plants Icarus with a modified White Out and goes to the top looking for a moonsault. Jigsaw cuts Stone off on the middle rope. Stone hits a top rope White Out on Jigsaw for the first elimination.
Rotten works over Venom in the corner followed by a clothesline. Venom avoids Rotten in the corner, but Rotten grabs Venom off the middle rope to hit a Burning Hammer but Marciano breaks the cover. Rotten eventually pins Venom with an inside cradle, but I’m not sure why they made this a complicated finish. (*1/2. They went seemingly forever and they got some good spots in towards the end when the action finally picked up. However, the finish seemed to be completely messed up and not done well whatsoever.) After match, it’s announced that Wild Cards will wrestle Stone and Rotten in the first round. Stone is beating on Kingston and tosses Kingston into a trash can.
Bobby Heenan makes his way out to be interviewed by Ian Rotten in the ring. Rotten tells Heenan that he’s been a fan since he was four. Rotten tells Heenan that he cried during Heenan’s HOF speech when he said he wished that Gorilla was there. Rotten notes that Heenan shouldn’t ever be in a ring where duct tape is holding it together. Heenan hears a fan calling him a weasel and wants the fan to enter the ring, but the fan doesn’t. Heenan appreciates the fans because without them they wouldn’t be here. Ian asks Heenan to do a little bit of commentary with Dave Prazak and Heenan accepts. Heenan explains that he’s here because this is the beginning where everyone starts. Heenan loves the grassroots and is thankful for places like this for people to learn how to work.
Fifth Contest: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Danny Daniels: Daniels gets into the ropes to avoid Jacobs early on. Jacobs gets out of a wrist lock, but Daniels works over Jacobs in the corner until Jacobs rams his own head onto the turnbuckle. Daniels misses a few strikes in the corner and Jacobs mocks Daniels with a huzz sound as Daniels was selling a hand injury. Jacobs takes Daniels down to the mat with a headlock for the early advantage. Jacobs uses his legs to send Daniels to the mat and nearly wins with a backslide. Jacobs keeps control with a headlock on the mat. Daniels connects with a backbreaker and sends Jacobs back first into the corner. The referee is distracted as Jim Fannin gets a cheap shot in over the bottom rope. Jacobs tries for a head scissors, but Daniels counters only for Jacobs to deliver a few elbows and hits a head scissors. Jacobs comes off the ropes with a lariat to send Daniels to the floor. Jacobs again locks in a headlock on the mat after being lifted into the air by Daniels. Daniels drives Jacobs down with a back suplex. Daniels delivers another backbreaker, but doesn’t get a submission after keeping Jacobs over his knee. Daniels had a half Boston Crab on Jacobs for a moment and tried for a suplex, but Jacobs dangerously countered and almost won the match. Daniels nearly blew his knee out there. Daniels comes off the ropes to dropkick Jacobs. Daniels takes Jacobs over with a snap suplex for a two count.
They begin to trade strikes in the middle of the ring with Daniels dropping Jacobs with a chop. Daniels mocks the fans taunting Jacobs. Daniels has Jacobs over his shoulder with a Gory Special and taunts the camera. Jacobs counters with a rollup for a two count. Jacobs drops Daniels over his knee with a neckbreaker and both men are down. Jacobs comes off the ropes with a forearm smash and clothesline. Jacobs hits a hurricanrana to keep Daniels down. Jacobs heads to the top rope hitting an overhand chop for a two count. Daniels avoids the Contra Code and Daniels plants Jacobs with another backbreaker. Daniels nearly wins following a suplex. Daniels catches Jacobs on his shoulders in the corner, but Jacobs counters with a modified Un-Prettier for a two count. Jacobs heads to the top rope hitting a senton splash for a near fall. Jacobs waits in the corner but Fannin grabs Jacobs foot. Daniels dropkicks Jacobs into the corner. Jacobs stops Daniels on the middle rope with strikes and chops. Daniels counters a top rope hurricanrana managing to drop Jacobs face first over the turnbuckle and almost wins the match. Jacobs drops Daniels with a big boot and gets a two count. Fannin argues with the referee on the floor. Daniels gets a chain from Fannin and misses a shot. Jacobs plants Daniels with the Contra Code, but the referee is distracted and that allows Daniels to kick out at two. Jacobs has Daniels on the middle rope but gets decked by Daniels with the chain. Daniels spikes Jacobs with the tombstone and wins the match. (**1/2. I was not expecting these guys to get so much time, but they made good use of it this time around. I liked the story they told with Daniels managing to win the match with a chain shot. I had kind of forgotten about it when he hadn’t used it when he originally had it in his possession. A solid match between these two but they could have trimmed the early portion a little bit so it didn’t feel like it was dragging.)
Carmine Despirito makes his way out with Ryan Boz and Brad Bradley to cut a promo. He’s focusing on Bobby Heenan, who had done commentary for the previous match. Carmine invites Heenan to enter the ring and Heenan enters the ring a little weary of what Carmine is up to. Carmine puts over Heenan for being a legend in the area. Carmine thinks they should be honest with all the people and claims he’s a student of Heenan and has learned everything from Heenan. Carmine laughs at Ian Rotten for thinking that he could be outsmarted. Carmine thinks that Rotten wanted to put them against each other. Carmine asks if Heenan would like to go to dinner with him. Heenan puts over Ryan Boz and Brad Bradley as a future top tag team and Carmine wants to go to dinner. Carmine is trying to avoid Heenan teaming with Ring Crew Express, it would appear. Heenan says he wouldn’t pickup the check to not insult Carmine. Ian Rotten is confused that Heenan is going to leave with Carmine. Rotten supports the idea of Heenan having dinner with Carmine so that he’s not there for the tag match where if his guys lose they have to split up. Carmine doesn’t think they need him anyway.
Sixth Contest: ROH World Champion Samoa Joe vs. Arik Cannon: Cannon leg sweeps Joe to the mat and Joe keeps a hammerlock on Cannon. Joe headbutts Cannon’s left hand a few times and Cannon bails to the floor. Joe pie faces Cannon in the corner. Joe chops Cannon and Cannon tries to fight back with chops, but Joe isn’t bothered by them. Cannon eye rakes Joe and delivers a few elbow strikes. Joe kicks Cannon on the mat several times. Joe forearms Cannon in the corner followed by more chops. Cannon stops Joe with a knee lift to the midsection. Cannon continues with forearm strikes and chops against the ropes. Joe forearms Cannon several times against the ropes. Joe strikes Cannon several times and a kick to the back. Cannon fights back with strikes and takes Joe down to focus on the left arm. Cannon dropkicks Joe on the knee to maintain the advantage. Joe uppercuts Cannon against the ropes but an eye rake stops him. Joe leg sweeps Cannon to drop Cannon to the mat. Joe takes Cannon out on the floor with a suicide dive forearm strike. Joe chops Cannon into a chair and nails Cannon with a running boot strike to knock Cannon out of a chair. Joe kicks Cannon out of a chair again. Joe hits a powerbomb and switches to the STF in the middle of the ring. Cannon bites Joe’s arm to break free. Joe delivers a few knee strikes, but Cannon hits a shining wizard for a two count. Cannon hits a side suplex, but Joe kicks out at two. Joe chops Cannon and hits a half nelson suplex for a two count. Joe slaps Cannon followed by knee strikes and a jumping kick for the three count. (**1/2. The match was solid and it had a lot to do with what Joe was giving Cannon. There was some good stuff in the closing moments as Cannon tried to pull off an upset. Cannon is usually not entertaining to me, but this time around he was sold enough to make it not a complete bore.)
The next match is the final of a trilogy of matches between Nigel and Petey in the company. They both have one victory.
Seventh Contest: Nigel McGuiness vs. Petey Williams: Early on, Nigel keeps wrist control on Petey for the early advantage. They have a standoff after Nigel fought out of a head scissors. Nigel does a handstand in the corner and fakes a boot to Petey a couple of times. Nigel drops down and nearly wins with a handstand rollup leading to another standoff. Nigel elbows free of a wrist lock and uppercuts Williams in the corner. They trade several counters until Williams locks in the Sharpshooter and Nigel reaches the ropes to break the hold. William drives Nigel down with a backbreaker. Williams dropkicks a seated Nigel for a two count. Petey keeps Nigel on the mat with an arm submission, but doesn’t get a submission. Williams takes Nigel over with a snap suplex. Nigel gets to the ropes to avoid a Sharpshooter. Nigel nearly wins with a rollup. Williams locks in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Nigel counters with a rollup and nearly gets a three count. Williams boots Nigel in the corner and tries for a tornado DDT, but Nigel connects with a hammerlock DDT. Nigel tries for a submission, but Williams quickly gets to the ropes. Nigel drops Williams over his knee and goes for a Crossface, but Williams reaches the ropes to prevent the hold from being locked in.
Nigel yanks Williams down by his arm leading to a near fall. Williams takes Nigel down with a tilt a whirl side Russian leg sweep. Williams takes Nigel down to the mat and goes for the Sharpshooter, but Nigel counters and locks in his own submission. Nigel gets a rollup, but Williams gets out again and locks in the Sharpshooter. Nigel manages to reach the ropes. Williams is going for the Canadian Destroyer. Nigel avoids it and nearly wins with a rollup. Nigel kicks Williams away and plants Williams with a spinebuster for a two count. Williams tries for a head scissors and manages to hit the Canadian Destroyer to win the match. (**. They focused a lot on mat wrestling and counters, which is fine. The action was rather slow paced and I liked the finish as the Destroyer is always a great thing to see from the original source.)
Brad Bradley cuts a promo saying there’s no way they are going to close the match and split since they are wrestling Dunn and Marcos.
Eighth Contest: Brad Bradley & Ryan Boz vs. Ring Crew Express (Dunn & Marcos): Dunn and Marcos jump on their opponents and are quickly dropped to the mat. They try for sunset flips, but avoid right hands instead. Express hit stereo missile dropkicks to send Bradley and Boz to the floor. Express hit Stage Dive to the floor. Boz sends Marcos into the ring post while Bradley beats on Dunn in the ring. Boz forearms Dunn and Boz hits a running knee. Bradley delivers a running boot wash in the corner, too. Bradley chops Marcos in the corner followed by a dragon screw leg whip. Boz tags into the match and keeps beating on the left leg of Marcos. Bradley kicks Marcos a few times and locks in a Boston Crab. Bradley sits down and it looks painful. Boz tags in as Marcos doesn’t give in. Boz keeps a spinning toe hold on Marcos, but again can’t get a submission. Bradley chops Marcos a few times, but Marcos fires back with right hands. Bradley decks Marcos with a forearm strike and delivers a few stomps. Bradley lifts Marcos into the air with a Stretch Muffler. Bradley has the hold locked in right in the middle of the ring, but Marcos doesn’t submit. Bradley hits a leg snapmare to maintain control. Boz returns to the match and Marcos delivers a kick allowing a tag to Dunn. Dunn nails Boz with a yakuza kick and Bradley is met with combo kicks. Marcos splashes Bradley from Dunn’s shoulders for a two count. Boz hits Dunn with a sit down piledriver for a two count. Marcos plants Boz with the Slice Bread and is decked by Bradley with a clothesline. Bradley and Boz hit Dunn with a swinging Stretch Muffler and win the match. (**. I enjoyed the action as Bradley and Boz looked strong against the smaller team of Dunn and Marcos. I find Dunn and Marcos to be a lot of fun in the ring and this was fine undercard tag match.)
Ninth Contest: IWA-MS Light Heavyweight Champion Matt Sydal vs. Amazing Red: Red controls Sydal early on with a headlock on the mat until Sydal gets a head scissors on the mat. Red keeps an arm bar on Sydal, but doesn’t get a submission. Red gets a rollup on Sydal for a two count. Sydal shoulder blocks Red and they trade arm drags. Sydal gets a rollup on Red and they have a standoff after stereo dropkick attempts. Red dropkicks Sydal but misses a clothesline. Sydal forearms Red and runs into a spinning heel kick. Sydal dropkicks Red on the leg to avoid a dive to the floor. Sydal drives Red’s leg down to the mat and tries to lock in a submission but drives Red’s leg down to the mat. Sydal bridges Red’s leg to keep the advantage. Sydal presses his foot into Red’s knee. Sydal locks in a modified cloverleaf, but Red reaches the ropes quickly. Sydal sends Red into the corner and runs into a boot. Red tries for a German suplex, but Sydal lands on his feet and kicks Red’s leg. Sydal controls Red with a standing leg lock, but Red kicks Sydal. Sydal wraps Red’s leg around the middle rope. Red forearms Sydal in the corner and is stopped on the top. Sydal puts Red in the tree of woe and misses a baseball slide dropkick. Sydal manages to dropkick Red in the tree of woe followed by another dropkick. Red drops to the mat holding his left leg in pain.
Sydal forearms Red a few times against the ropes. Red plants Sydal with a tornado DDT. Red tries for a cover, but Sydal kicks out at two. Red forearms Sydal followed by a back elbow for a two count. Red forearms Sydal in the corner and takes Sydal to the mat followed by a kick to the back. Red delivers another kick to the back. Red comes off the ropes to dropkick Sydal managing a two count. Sydal staggers Red with a kick to the head and delivers more strikes. Red drops Sydal with a swinging neckbreaker. Red leaps off the apron to take Sydal out with a hurricanrana on the floor. Red kicks Sydal out of a chair. Red delivers another kick to the face in the crowd. Red nails Sydal with a running forearm strike to knock Sydal out of the chair. Red rolls Sydal into the ring and manages a two count on the cover. Red staggers Sydal with another right hand and Sydal gets a few shots in. Sydal hits a kick and slams Red. Sydal hits a twisting senton for a two count. Sydal gets a leg lock on Red, but doesn’t get a submission. Red drops Sydal with a kick to the head. Red and Sydal trade strikes with Sydal nearly winning with a rollup. They trade a series of rollups. Red nails Sydal with a spinning kick for a near fall. Red tried for a powerbomb, but his knee gave out. Sydal kicks the leg and drops Red with a suplex for a near fall. Sydal heads to the top rope missing a shooting star leg drop. Red hits a messed up Code Red, or Sydal countered it. The announcers don’t know what happened there. Red goes for a cover and gets a two count. Red kicks Sydal and hits the Red Star Press managing a two count. Red goes to the top rope missing a swanton. Sydal drops Red with a reverse piledriver to counter the Code Red out of the corner and wins the match. (***1/2. Despite a couple of sloppy moments, this match was a fun one and had plenty of action. They went just over fifteen minutes and I would have been fine with them going on for a little longer. Sign me up for more Sydal vs. Red.)
The next match is a rematch from the King of the Death weekend.
Tenth Contest: Homicide vs. Chris Hero: They focus on some mat wrestling to start the match and they have a standoff. Homicide arm drags Hero and goes for an arm bar, but Hero quickly gets out of the hold. Homicide goes to the floor and looks under the ring out of frustration. Homicide shoulder blocks Hero and Hero hip tosses Homicide followed by arm drags. Hero monkey flips Homicide, but Homicide lands on his feet to arm drag Hero a few times for a one count. Hero keeps a neck vice on Homicide, but doesn’t get a submission. Homicide gets out of the hold, but Hero quickly gets control of the arm again. Hero counters Homicide to maintain arm control and the pace of the match continues to be rather slow. Hero misses a dropkick and Homicide misses an elbow drop. Hero dropkicks Homicide to the floor. Hero fakes a dive as Homicide went under the ring. Homicide comes back from behind and Hero tosses Homicide overhead followed by a double stomp for a two count. Hero works over Homicide with forearm shots. Hero clotheslines Homicide in the corner. Homicide headbutts Hero in the corner, but Hero continues to beat on Homicide. Homicide drops Hero face first over the middle turnbuckle.
Homicide gets a two count after kicking Hero’s back. Homicide continues to chop Hero against the ropes. Homicide continues to stomp on Hero in the corner followed by right hands. Homicide nails Hero with a running knee strike in the corner. Homicide delivers another one to leave Hero on the mat. Hero sends Homicide into the corner and runs into a boot. Homicide drives his knee into Hero’s head and down to the mat. Homicide drives Hero down with a neckbreaker for a two count. Homicide connects with another neckbreaker for a near fall. Homicide keeps a chinlock on Hero. Hero forearms Homicide and is met with a knee to the midsection. Homicide double stomps Hero and gets a two count. Homicide spikes Hero with a piledriver for a near fall. Hero backdrops Homicide and Homicide comes back with a low blow. Hero plants Homicide with a double leg slam. Hero delivers a few forearms followed by a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Hero drops Homicide with a right hand to the face. Homicide dumps Hero through the ropes to the floor. Homicide takes Hero out with a somersault suicide dive.
Homicide takes Hero down with a dragon screw leg whip. Hero drops Hero with a forearm strike after sending Homicide into the corner. Hero takes Homicide over with a suplex and nearly wins the match. Homicide stops Hero on the top rope with right hands. Homicide plants Hero with a middle rope cutter for a near fall. Homicide climbs to the top rope and Hero stops Homicide with a right hand. Hero hits a middle rope neckbreaker for a near fall. Hero locks in the Hangman’s Clutch. Homicide manages to reach the ropes to break the hold. Hero climbs the ropes missing a springboard moonsault. Hero counters the Cop Killa, but Homicide almost wins with a rollup. Hero counters a slam and tries for Hero’s Welcome, but Homicide held the ropes. Homicide gets a two count after a clothesline. Homicide clotheslines Hero and this time hits the Cop Killa to pin Hero. (***. They had a few sloppy moments towards the end of the match, but the action was solid once it picked up from the slow countered pace attack. It’s also interesting booking to promote Hero facing Joe soon and to have Hero lose a match leading into that. I would think Hero would want to have the absolute best momentum heading into that showdown.) After the match, Hero is helped backstage to sell the Cop Killa move.
Main Event: IWA-MS Heavyweight Champion BJ Whitmer vs. B-Boy: Whitmer backs Boy into the corner and cleanly breaks away. Whitmer backdrops Boy to the mat and keeps arm control in the opening moments of the contest. Whitmer shoulder blocks Boy and Boy comes back with a forearm strike. Whitmer tries for an exploder suplex, but Boy arm drags Whitmer. They both attempt dropkicks and they have a standoff. Whitmer drops Boy with a forearm strike. Whitmer boots Boy in the corner but Boy nails Whitmer with a spinning heel kick. Whitmer regroups on the floor with Fannin. Whitmer fakes Boy out on an attempted test of strength. Whitmer works over Boy in the corner with stomps. Fannin chokes Boy in the corner and Whitmer delivers a few more kicks to the back. Boy kicks Whitmer over the back and Whitmer returns the kick. Boy double stomps and senton splashes Whitmer. Boy nails Whitmer with a backstabber. Boy heads to the middle rope hitting a leg drop for a two count. Whitmer ducks a clothesline and hits a backbreaker followed by an STO. Whitmer taunts the fans as Boy rolled to the floor. Whitmer forearms Boy to the mat for a two count.
Whitmer plants Boy with a DDT and gets a two count. Whitmer chops Boy against the ropes and Boy hammers away with forearm shots Boy nearly wins with a sunset flip. Boy gets another two count with a backslide. Whitmer drops Boy over his knee with a neckbreaker. Boy backdrops Whitmer to the apron and Boy avoids a few strikes. Boy kicks Whitmer on the apron and Boy goes to the apron. Boy drops Whitmer on the apron with a reverse DDT. Boy has a chair and smashes Whitmer with it. Boy hammers away on Whitmer with right hands and Whitmer has been busted wide open. Boy backs Whitmer into the corner and continues to deliver chops. Boy nails Whitmer with a boot in the corner and hits a blockbuster. Boy takes Whitmer down with a head scissors and locks in an arm submission, but Whitmer reaches the ropes. Boy slams Whitmer to the mat and goes to the top rope. Boy hits a leg drop managing a two count. Whitmer battles back with a brainbuster for a near fall. Whitmer removes his elbow pads and delivers a few forearm strikes. Whitmer knee strikes Boy and hits a German suplex followed by a dragon suplex. Whitmer powerbombs Boy leading to a near fall.
Whitmer heads to the top rope but Boy nails Whitmer with a running high knee strike to drop Whitmer to the mat. Boy goes for the cover and gets a two count. Boy spikes Whitmer with a northern lights bomb for a two count. They trade strikes from their knees. Boy drops Whitmer with a forearm strike. Whitmer avoids a knee strike and tosses Boy with an exploder suplex. Boy quickly comes back with a shining wizard. Whitmer is sitting in the corner and Boy hits a running face lift leading to a near fall. Whitmer stops Boy on the top rope with a forearm strike. Boy shoves Whitmer off the ropes. Whitmer regains his footing and tosses Boy with a top rope exploder suplex. Whitmer goes for the cover and wins the match. (***. The crowd may have been burnt out a little bit since the last few matches delivered some entertaining stuff. However, I thought these guys did a good job to get interest in their match towards the end. The beginning was a bit slow, but once they got to the closing minutes it picked up and interest in the crowd was clear. B-Boy is always a good challenger and plays the underdog role rather well, too.)
Final Thoughts:
It’s the final show before the IWA joined with the NWA and I thought this was a really good way to end that era. The action was solid and it really became a quality show during the second half. It’s a near four-hour show as they had several talking segments, but I consider this a good overall show.
Thanks for reading.