Cleveland, OH – 12.23.2011

Commentary is provided by Pedro Deluca, Aaron Wadsworth, Matt Wadsworth and Rickey Shane Page.

A string of promos starts the show. Pedro Deluca is backstage when Johnny Gargano walks into the building. Gargano is very happy to get a match with Dave Dawson tonight. He says the good news for Dawson is that tonight will be his last Nightmare, since you can’t have nightmares in a coma. We cut to The Duke who doesn’t understand Jock Samson’s grudge with him, but will have no problem beating him in an old school manner. Colt Cabana says he’s going to successfully defend his RLL Absolute Championship against AERO! and bring the belt back to South America. Colin Delaney interviews some fans, asking who’s going to win in his match with Jimmy Olsen tonight. The fans say he will; cowards. Colin says Jimmy is only in professional wrestling because of him and promises to put Jimmy out to pasture tonight. Aeroform is outside with their AIW tag belts. Lyndon and Kendrick says they’re going to party after they defeat both the Irish Airborne and The Batiri tonight.

The Duke vs. Jock Samson

Samson punches and elbows Duke as soon as Duke gets in the ring. Duke responds with a clothesline. He backdrops Samson out of the corner. Samson rolls to the floor to take a break. The fans give him crap for looking kind of like Zack Galifianakis Duke comes after him. Samson whips Duke into the guardrail. Samson drops an elbow back in the ring. Duke ducks a clothesline but eats a dropkick. Samson twists Duke’s nose and chops him against the ropes. Samson misses a second rope double axe handle. Duke tries to take control but gets poked in the eyes. Duke catches Samson with a spinebuster. Duke clotheslines Samson to the floor. Samson thinks because he was thrown over the top rope that he won the match. His celebration causes him to be counted out at 5:46. That was solid enough stuff, and I kind of enjoy Samson’s old school Southern shtick. I think this feud has potential. *1/2

Samson attacks Duke from behind with his cowbell. He spouts off about old school stuff like how coming off the top rope is illegal and Bill Watts. He calls the fans virgins and a gay slur before heading to the back.

St. Louis Anarchy Showcase
ACH & The Sex Bomb-omb’s (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett) vs. The Submission Squad (Evan Gelestico, Pierre Abernathy & Gary Jay)

Gelestico boots ACH as ACH takes a bow. ACH backflip kicks him and delivers a crossbody. Vega and Jay tag in. Vega takes Jay over with a step-up huracanrana. He arm whips Jay into a dragon kick. Fitchett and Abernathy tag in. Abernathy’s arrogance is thrown off by Fitchett’s gamengiri and running knee strike. Gelestico comes in to help Abernathy throw kicks at Fitchett. The Submission Squad beat down Fitchett until he catches Jay with Water For Elephants (a Falcon Arrow backbreaker). Fitchett tags in ACH who takes out all three Squad guys with clothesline. He sends Gelestico out with a leg lariat and corner clotheslines Abernathy. Jay tope con hilo’s onto ACH. Vega suicide dives into a DDT on Gelestico. Vega and ACH drag Abernathy to the floor and Fitchett Fosbury flops onto the lot of them. In the ring, Fitchett Pele kicks Abernathy. Vega yakuza kicks him. Fitchett misses a dive to the floor. Gelestico kicks Vega in the head. Jay double stomps Vega into Abernathy’s feet. ACH breaks the pin and scissor kicks Jay in the ropes. ACH traps Gelestico in the ropes. He hits an enzuigiri and Mortal Kombat. He brings him out of the ropes with a Roll the Dice for two. Vega gives ACH a Michinoku Driver for two. Jay and Gelestico give Fitchett a Doomsday Device, but with a Flatliner instead of a clothesline. Vega valiantly fights off the Squad by himself. He sets up Jay for a shooting star press from Fitchett. ACH hits a frogsplash right after for the pin at 10:03. Now this is a how you do a showcase match. It was a true popcorn match with a lot of flash and excitement, showcasing what all six men could do. I’d like to see these six in AIW more often, especially ACH and the Bomb-omb’s. ***

Pinkie Sanchez, who is not scheduled for the show, makes his way to the ring. He swears up a storm while putting down a fan in the crowd and saying how he doesn’t care what people think of him. He challenges anybody in the back, prompting Eric Ryan to make his way to the ring. They begin to trade blows and this impromptu match begins.

Eric Ryan vs. Pinkie Sanchez

Sanchez dropkicks Ryan to the floor. He follows out with a suicide dive. Sanchez and Ryan brawl backstage. When they re-emerge, Ryan tosses Sanchez into the crowd. Sanchez slams a garbage can lid on Ryan’s head. Sanchez superkicks Ryan while Ryan is sitting in a chair. Sanchez comes off a table, dropkick Ryan in his knees. Sanchez whips Ryan into some fans’ chairs. Ryan takes control as they come back to ringside.That doesn’t last long as Sanchez throws Ryan against the AIW staff table. Sanchez then takes him to the concession stand where he hops over the stand with a beautiful dropkick to Ryan. So impressive in fact that Dolph Ziggler and Derrick Bateman stand nearby looking impressed. Back in the ring Sanchez gets two with bootiez4breakfast. Sanchez tornado DDT’s Ryan for another two count. Ryan superkicks Sanchez and German suplexes him for two. Ryan misses a top rope legdrop, allowing Sanchez to hit the Shiney Hiney for two. He hits it a second time but Ryan’s shoulders are under the bottom rope. Sanchez and Ryan fight up top. Ryan puts Sanchez in a tree of woe and double stomps him. Sanchez recovers and trade strikes with Ryan. He exploder suplexes Ryan into the corner, causing Ryan to land in a tree of woe. Sanchez hits bootiez4breakfast for two. Sanchez puts Ryan on his shoulders. Ryan slides out and delivers the Package Piledriver for the pin at 8:43. I’m really enjoying watching Ryan’s progression in AIW. He’s a guy who I can see being Absolute Champion by Absolution VII. He and Sanchez had a very fun brawl that was engaging from bell to bell. Not much more to ask than that. **3/4

RLL Absolute Championship
Colt Cabana vs. AERO!

Cabana shoves AERO to the mat two times, then poses to the fans while claiming he is on steroifs. AERO rolls to evade Cabana’s lock-up attempts, so Cabana enjoys him in the tumbling. Cabana kicks AERO’s legs apart and shoves him to the mat. He spanks AERO, and AERO angrily throws kicks at Cabana’s leg. Cabana pushes him to the mat again. AERO catches Cabana with a running boot. Cabana respond with the Flying Asshole and Bionic Elbow. He turns AERO into the Billy Goat’s Cure for the submission at 2:35. That was fun while it lasted. ½*

Intense Division Championship
Bobby Beverly (Champion) vs. Facade

Chest Flexor and The Chad accompany Beverly to the ring. Beverly also brings Sassy Stephie into the fold. Façade catches Beverly with a missle dropkick to start the match. Façade disposes of Flexor and suicide dives onto Beverly. Façade comes back into the ring with a springboard spin kick. He then hits a split-legged moonsault for two. As Flexor Industries re-groups, Façade decides to dive onto The Chad. Beverly gives Façade a bicycle kick in response. Beverly throws Façade into a few ring posts. Façade whips Beverly into the guardrails. Beverly backdrops him intot he crowd. Façade tries to springboard off the guardrail but Beverly shoves him back into the crowd. Beverly gets in some kicks before throwing Façade back into the ring for a two count. Beverly clotheslines Façade for two. Façade back suplexes Beverly to turn the tide. They each snapmare each other into a chest kick. Beverly enzuigiri’s Façade, but Façade comes right back with a springboard enzuigiri. A running chest kick gets Façade two. Façade palm strikes Beverly on the top rope. Flexor shakes the ropes to crotch Façade. Beverly gives Façade a dangling Ace Crusher for two. Beverly dropkicks Façade in the corner for two once again. Façade rolls to the ring apron to avoid a low superkick. He walks the top rope and dives onto Flexor and The Chad. Façade hops back into the ring. Beverly catches him on his shoulders and gives him a Death Valley Driver for the pin at 10:18. Beverly, who I’ve liked since I first watched him, continues to grow on me. He and Façade work very well together and made many of the nearfalls count. I truly see Beverly as the golden child of Flexor Industries and I hope his star continues to rise. ***

Marion Fontaine vs. Chuck Taylor

Each guy breaks a lock-up in the corner. They stand off after Fontaine ducks a spin kick. They each block the others’ hip toss so many times that they end up tiring themselves out. Taylor finally successfully hip tosses Fontaine. They lazily armdrag and leg sweep each other, showing just how tired they are. Fontaine escapes a moonsault. Taylor baits Fontaine into a small package for two. Fontaine delivers a series of punches before hitting the Tea Bag for two. Taylor overhead suplexes Fontaine to the corner. Taylor chokes Fontaine against the ropes. Taylor snapmares him into a chinlock. Fontaine rubs his mustache, giving himself the power to break out of the hold. He punches Taylor to the ropes, then whips him off the ropes into a clothesline. He sends Taylor to the floor with a Flying Mustache. Taylor comes back into the ring with a fake mustache on! He fires up, taking down Fontaine with a flying forearm. Taylor falls short of hitting a crossbody. Fontaine rips off Taylor’s mustache and rolls him up for two. Fontaine connects with a leg lariat. Taylor blocks an Irish whip with the Sole Food. He uranage slams Fontaine for two. Fontaine drops Taylor with a Rydeen Bomb for two. Fontaine and Taylor fight on the ropes. Fontaine sends Taylor to the mat and missile dropkick Taylor to the corner. Taylor delivers a running boot but misses a quebrada. Fontaine hits a quebrada successfully for the pin at 10:32. The goofiness kind of lost the crowd there for a moment, but once they incorporated more wrestling into it this picked up. Not the best either man has offered, but it accomplished what it set out to do. **

Gregory Iron & Colt Cabana vs. Youthanazia (Josh Prohibition & Matt Cross)

Iron and Prohibition each got to pick a mystery partner for this match. Who better for Iron to pick than the guy who helped jump start Iron’s newfound success? Prohibition chose Cross as they are career long friends, rivals and partners.

Prohibition teases locking up with Iron, but tags out to Cross instead. Cross elbows Iron to the mat and stomps on him. Iron clotheslines Cross three times. He armdrags Cross and holds onto the arm. Cabana tags in and helps Iron take Cross off his feet. Cross catches Cabana with an enzuigiri from the apron. Cabana slams Cross after spinning him. Prohibition tags in and suffers the same fate. Iron and Cabana volley Prohibition between them with punches. Prohibition goes to the floor and Iron follows with a suicide dive. Cross fakes a dive. He turns around and eats Cabana’s bionic elbow. Cabana spins Iron so he can Gimp Slap both Cross and Prohibition. Cross kicks the ropes as Iron tries a springboard move. This allows Youthanzia to take control by isolating Iron in their corner. Finally, Iron evades a double team maneuver and tags in Cabana. Cabana double chops and punches Prohibition into Cross. He gives Cross the Flying Asshole. A A hip attack on Prohibition gets him a two count. Cabana gives Cross the Bionic Elbow. Iron helps Cabana take Prohibition out. He gives Prohibition a reverse side Russian leg sweep for two. Prohibition kicks Cabana to the floor. Prohibition catches Iron on his shoulders. Cross hops off of Iron’s shoulders into a flubbed huracanrana onto Cabana. Prohibition drops Iron out of a Death Valley Driver onto Cabana for two. Iron sends Prohibition to the floor. Cabana drops Cross stomach first across the top rope. Iron delivers a flying elbow to Cross. Prohibition pulls referee Jake Clemons out of the ring. Cabana pulls Prohibition to the apron. Prohibition snaps Cabana’s neck across the top rope. Prohibition kicks Iron in the crotch as Cross is distracting Clemons. Prohibition hits the Drunken Driver, and Cross follows with Death From Above for the pin at 13:54. I’m surprised by the result, as I figured this would be Iron’s big victory to put his feud with Prohibition to rest. I thought both partners were perfect choices for both men. Everyone worked really hard, and if this leads to another Iron vs. Prohibition No DQ match (like the one at Absolution VI) than I will be pleased. ***

Jimmy Olsen vs. Colin Delaney

Dr. Col. Nolan Angus is in Olsen’s corner. Delaney distracts Olsen by saying that Arik Cannon would be in his corner, then attacks Olsen from behind. Delaney boots Olsen in the head a few times. Olsen clotheslines Delaney to block a bodyslam. Olsen gives chase to Delaney on the floor. In the ring, Olsen chops Delaney with Delaney’s pants down. Olsen pitches Delaney to the floor, then hip tosses him back into the ring from the ring apron. He takes Delaney back out to the floor again. Olse delivers some chops and a hard right punch. The fight spills into the crowd. Olsen hurls a chair into Delaney’s face. Olsen throws him into a table, and Delaney throws a trash can into Jimmy’s mid-section. By the concession and merchandise area, Delaney knees Olsen in the head. Delaney smashes a sods can into Olsen’s head. Delaney drop toe holds Olsen into a milk crate. Delaney smashes a trash can lid over and over again onto him. Olsen takes that same lid and dropkicks it into Delaney’s face. Delaney pulls shoves a chair ino Olsen’s knees and smashes a microphone into Olsen’s head. Olsen superkicks Delaney as Delaney is seated. Delaney throws a trash can onto Olsen, eating some chips inside. Olsen traps Delaney’s head in the back and applies a headlock. He releases and throws Delaney back to ringside. Somewhere, Olsen got a cut on his forearm. Olsen goes for a tornado DDT, but Delaney turns it into a dangling DDT onto the arena floor. Delaney takes a swig of bourbon while Olsen bleeds from his forehead. Delaney chops and digs his fingers into Olsen’s open wound. Delaney bites the wound when it looks like Olsen is about to mount a comeback. Olsen manages to get Delaney to the floor and suicide dives onto him. Jimmy suicide dives onto him from the opposite side of the ring as well. Back in the ring Olsen missile dropkicks Delaney for two. Olsen slingshots in from the apron, only to be caught in a DDT from Delaney. Delaney DDT’s him a second time. He arrogantly pins Olsen, only getting two. They trade headbutts on their knees, then forearms on their feet. Olsen enzuigiri’s Delaney. Delaney Saito suplexes Olsen. Olsen gets up and superkicks Delaney, causing both men to crumble. Olsen goes for the Overbomb. Nolan hits Olsen in the head with his boot! Angus walks around, which is miraculous considering we have only seen Angus in a wheelchair in his time at AIW. Delaney gives Olsen a dangling lung blower. Delaney hits the 12 Large Elbow for the pin at 17:08. This was a turning point for Colin in AIW. For awhile, Colin and Jimmy were just the goofy tag team who usually had very good matches with little substance behind them. Now, with Colin beating the piss out of and bloodying his brother, he has positioned himself to possibly become the top heel in AIW (outside of Flexor Industries). Jimmy did a tremendous job playing the victim and he deserves credit for Colin’s ascension too. After the match Jimmy says he’s retiring from professional wrestling. As someone who has watched all of Jimmy’s matches in CHIKARA and AIW, he will be missed. ***1/4

AIW Tag Team Championship
Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon) (Champions) vs. The Batiri (Obariyon & Kodama) vs. Irish Airborne (Jake & Dave Crist)

Lucha rules are in effect, meaning no tags are necessary. One member from each team is in the ring at all times. Flexor Industries is in Aeroform’s corner. The Batiri dive onto Aeroform as they circle the ring (before the bell). Irish Airborne follow suit. The Airborne double team Kendrick back in the ring. They do the same to Lyndon, Kodama and Obariyon in that order. Aeroform attack the Aiborne from behind. They send Dave to the floor and hit an enzuigiri/gamengiri combo in the corner. Dave breaks a pin after a reverse huracanrana/German suplex combo. Kodama trips Dave into a knee strike from Obariyon. They double knee strike Dave for two. They follow with a wheelbarrow neckbreaker. Lyndon talks Obariyon into double teaming Dave. Lyndon takes out Jake and Kendrick helps Obariyon attack Dave behind referee Jake Clemons’ back. Obariyon and Lyndon continue to team up on Dave until Dave takes them both out with simultaneous reverse DDT’s. Jake tags in. He knocks down Kendrick and gives Kodama a neckbreaker. He slams Kendrick in the corner. Lyndon throws him to the floor. Jake throws Lyndon into a clothesline from Kodama. Jake crossbody’s Kodama for two. Lyndon holds Jake for Obariyon. Obariyon accidentally gives Lyndon the Flying DDT. He goes for the pin anyway but Jake breaks it up. The Airborne double team Obariyon in the corner. Kodama gives Jake the flying Blockbuster. Kendrick breaks the pin. Lyndon dropkicks Kodama off of Kendrick’s shoulders. Obariyon breaks the pin. Obariyon hits a reverse Go 2 Sleep. The Airborne give Obariyon the Irish Coffee. Lyndon kicks Jake away and pins Obariyon for the win at 9:04. With more time this could have been just as epic as some of the other recent AIW thee team matches, but for what we got it was just slightly above average. **3/4

BJ Whitmer vs. Rickey Shane Page

They each break a lock-up in the corner. Whitmer wins an exchange on the mat. Whitmer breaks Page’s headlock by taking him to the corner. Things heat up as both men exchange chops. Whitmer gets two with a leg lariat. Whitmer then gets two with a backbreaker. He also gets two with a back elbow. Page responds with a neckbreaker, a kick to the stomach and an elbow drop for two. Page knee strikes Whitmer in the corner for two. He puts Whitmer in a cloverleaf after a back elbow. Page gives him a hard headbutt once Whitmer escapes the hold. Whitmer suplexes Page to stop Page’s onslaught of strikes. Whitmer forearms him to the mat. A corner knee strike and two suplexes get Whitmer a two count. Page fights out of an O’Conner Roll, but still gets taken over with a huracanrana for two. Page backdrops Whitmer, kicking him in the back on the way down. Page Saito suplexes Whitmer, then German suplexes him for two. Whitmer recovers, hitting a leg-capture neckbreaker and fisherman’s suplex for two. Whitmer puts Page on the top rope. Page shoves Whitmer to the mat and connects with a Swanton Bomb. Page gets two after a Death Valley Driver. A powerbomb can’t keep Whitmer down either. Page keeps trying to have a violence party in the corner, but Whitmer throws his own strikes right back at him. Whitmer catches Page on the top rope. He brings him down with an exploder suplex for two. Whitmer boots Page for two. Whitmer drops Page with an STO, transitionginto the Peruvian Necktie. Page taps out at 15:18. This was very pedestrian for the first part of the match, only picking up slightly towards the end. I’m actually annoyed that the fans who made no noise during this match chanted “that was awesome” at the end. Really? It was so awesome that you didn’t react whatsoever? Regardless of all that, these two have done much better the past few shows. Whitmer puts over Page in a big way after the match. **1/2

No Disqualification
Johnny Gargano vs. Dave Dawson
Special Guest Referee: Tim Donst

In case you forgot, Dawson is Flexor Industries referee who’s been screwing with Gargano the past few months. Last month, Flexor made it seem like Donst had joined Flexor Industries, which Gargano didn’t know whether to take as being legitimate or more mind games. He is the special referee for this match, so we presumably will find out where his loyalty lies in this match. Surprisingly, Dawson comes to the ring alone.

Dawson is apprehensive to attack. He slaps Gargano, then makes Gargano chase him around the ring and to the back. Gargano comes back with Dawson. The Chad runs out and attacks Gargano. Donst chases him off. This process repeats with Louis Lyndon and Flip Kendrick. Gargano accidentally superkicks Donst, bringing out Aeroform, The Chad and Bobby Beverly to beat down Gargano. Chest Flexor and Sassy Stephie join in. Stephie ties Gargano’s hands behind his back. Façade runs out to stop Dawson from hitting Gargano with a chair. Eric Ryan, Jake Crist, BJ Whitmer and Rickey Shane Page all run out to even the odds. Dave Crist climbs up to a basketball hoop and moonsaults onto everyone! That is, everyone but Gargano and Dawson. Gargano got his hands untied, but puts them behind his back to trick. Dawson. Gargano stops Dawson’s chair shot. He superkicks Dawson after trapping his arms in the ropes three times. Gargano lawn darts Dawson into a steel chair in the corner. Per the fans request, Gargano does it a second time. Gargano nails Dawson over and over with a chair. Donst makes his way out and counts Gargano’s pin at 10:14. That was a fine ass kicking that Gargano dished out and a great way to build to Flexor Industries being kept under control. Dave’s basketball hoop moonsault was pretty awesome as well. This was a feel good way to end AIW’s final show of 2011. ***

Donst immediately attacks Gargano after counting the pin. Flexor Inudstries pull Donst out of the ring before a skirmish can commence. Donst heads to the back while the rest of Flexor Industries carries Dawson to the back. Matt Wadsworth comes to the ring. He says he promised that Flexor Industries were on their way out and it seems he now has the crew to make that happen.

We end the show with some backstage promos. Josh Prohibition calls Greg Iron a joke and can’t believe he thinks he should be in the Royal Rumble. BJ Whitmer says he came back to wrestling because he had some unfinished business and something to prove. He requests that AIW management keep bringing him big names so he can prove himself. Tim Donst is ready to cut a promo stating where he stands, but the camera guy tells Donst he’s out of tape and the DVD ends.

Pre-Show Matches

Luis Diamante vs. Jason Gory

K. Fernandez and Joey “The Snake” are in Diamante’s corner. Gory takes Diamante over with a few armdrag variants. Diamante full nelson slams Gory across his knee. Diamante distracts the referee so that Fernandez can choke Gory behind his back. Diamante slams Gory and drops an elbow for two. Gory counters a slam with a chinbreaker. Gory clotheslines Diamante in the corner, then splashes Diamante’s back as he lay on the ropes. Gory gets two with a springboard dropkick. Gory hits the QAS (a Yoshi Tonic) for two. Gory misses a 450 splash. Diamante hits a running knee strike and holds Gory’s tights for the pin at 3:50. That was perfectly acceptable pre-show stuff. Gory and Façade teaming in AIW though would make my day. *

Beyond Wrestling Showcase
Jarek 1:20 (-6) vs. Maserati Rick (-3)

Jarek tries to play a card trick with Rick, but Rick instead puts on a side headlock. Jarek slips his way free and throws the playing cards into Rick’s face. Jarek takes Rick to the mat in a side headlock. Rick brings the match back to a vertical base and back elbows Jarek in the corner. Jarek sends Rick to the floor. Jarek puts the boots to Rick before bringing him back in the ring. Jarek knee strikes Rick in the corner for two. After Jarek gets in a couple strikes, Rick Irish whips Jarek upside down into the corner. Rick delivers two backbreakers and a powerslam for another two count. Jarek avoids a quebrada. Rick blocks his superkick and hits a modified Michinoku Driver for two. Jarek uses magic to “freeze” Rick on the rope. He unfreezes Rick and catches him with a superkick as he comes off the ropes. That gets Jarek the pin at 5:28. Jarek’s stick lends itself to a lot of creativity and uniqueness, as the finish showed. He and Rick had a good exhibition without doing anything really crazy (which they shouldn’t have). **

Cleveland, OH – 11.26.2011

Commentary is provided by a rotating cast consisting of Aaron Bauer (permanent) Pedro Deluca, Rickey Shane Page, Gregory Iron and Matt Wadsworth.

Earlier in the evening, Pedro Deluca catches BJ Whitmer on his way into the building to get some thoughts on his title match with Shiima Xion. Whitmer promises to win the belt. We then see Chest Flexor talking to Mia Yim, who is challenging Mickie Knuckles for the AIW Women’s Championship tonight. It seems as if Flexor has struck a deal with Mia Yim to have her take out Mickie Knuckles for good.

Ring announcer Pedro Deluca announces the new owner of AIW, Matt Wadsworth. Wadsworth was a ring announcer in AIW not too long ago and now he has purchased the company. He said he had been in AIW since Day 1 and knows just how much Chandler Biggins and John Thorne had poured their hearts and souls into the company. Wadsworth said he got a chance to talk to them at the JT Lightning Memorial Show and the state of AIW. Wadsworth was informed about the Flexor Industries situation and that Biggins and Thorne had no idea how to control it. Wadsworth said he has bought Thorne and Biggins out, although they will stay on as consultants. He says Flexor Industries will no longer be running the show like they own the place and plans to send Chest Flexor out the door when all is said and done. Wadsworth puts over the fans, calling them the heart and soul of AIW. He then announces that he’s signed a few people for AIW’s Nightmare Before X-Mas 5 show on 12/23: Chuck Taylor and The Batiri (Obariyon & Kodama). Wadsworth plans to make AIW the best wrestling company possible

Eric Ryan vs. Façade

Rickey Shane Page announces on commentary that the winner of this match will take his place in the four way later tonight since Page’s ankle is hurt. An waistlock exchange starts the contest. Façade kicks out Ryan’s leg to escape a wristlock. Ryan delivers a pair of armdrags. Façade side steps his attack and flips out of the corner. Façade pops off the ropes into an armdrag. Façade esvades a clothesline and O’Conner rolls Ryan for two. Façade boots Ryan through the ropes and to the floor. Façade runs up the ropes but gets crotched on the top by Eric Ryan. Ryan puts him in a tree of woe. He misses a double stomp. Façade comes out of the corner with an Ace crusher. This sends Ryan out by the entrance. He and Façade fight to the back. Like we’ve seen in the past few shows, a third wrestler re-emerges from the back. This time it’s Samuray Del Sol who looks like a total bad ass.

Eric Ryan vs. Façade vs. Samuray Del Sol

He slams Façade’s face into a steel chair and Arabian Presses onto Ryan. Façade hits a springboard 450 onto Sol and Ryan on the floor. Sol ends up back in the ring with Façade. He comes off the top into an armdrag. Ryan attacks Sol from behind. Sol armdrags Ryan to the corner and hits a dropkick. Ryan superkicks Sol as he comes running to the corner. Façade walks the top rope and comes off with a huracanrana to Sol. Ryan boots Façade and cradles him for two. Ryan blocks an enzuigiri and knee strikes Façade’s face. Façade responds with a springboard enzuigiri. He delivers his own running knee strike. Sol breaks the pin. Sol pops him up for a powerbomb. Façade blocks so Sol drops him with a Steenalizer on the mat. Ryan double stomps Sol to break the pin. Ryan hits Sol with a running Liger Bomb for the pin at 8:18. Like I’ve speculated the past few shows, these random three ways are leading to something somewhere down the line. Sol was an awesome last entrant, especially with his bad ass new entrance gear and mask. This wasn’t the best I’ve seen out of these three but still a pretty entertaining and fun opening match. **1/2

The Olsen Twins (Colin & Jimmy Olsen) vs. Da Latin Crime Syndicate (Joey “The Snake” Diamante & K. Fernandez)

The LCS attack the Olsens before the match. Fernandez and Colin end up fighting in the crowd. Colin throws a chair into his face. Jimmy sends Joey into the crowd. Jimmy dives onto him. Fernandez whips Colin into the guardrail and throws him throat first (with a chair) into the ring post. Colin takes control again. Jimmy throws Joey into a barrel. Colin throws a garbage can at Fernandez’s head. DLCS members Luis Diamante and Isaac Montana come out and also attack The Olsens. Fernandez and Jimmy end up back in the ring where the bell officially rings. Fernandez and Joey isolate Jimmy. Colin enters into the ring to interject when the sides seem very uneven. Jimmy is able to huracanrana Joey into the nuts of Fernandez and tag in Colin. Colin takes Joey out with a few kicks. He dropkicks Fernandez to the floor. He goes for a dive but gets caught by Joey. Jimmy gives Joey a neckbreaker/DDT combo. Colin comes off the top with a 12 Large elbow but Fernandez breaks the pin. Isaac and Luis try to interfere but Colin and Jimmy take them out quickly. They stack up DLCS with some ball and bass to trout positioning. Colin suicide dives onto Luis and Montana when they go back to the floor. Jimmy dropkicks Joey and heads up top. Fernandez crotches him. Fernandez back crackers Jimmy into a jackknife powerbomb from Luis for the pin at 7:42. This was pretty hard to follow with just a lot going on at any given time. Granted it was all for a purpose (we’ll get to that shortly) but it was strange seeing DLCS who haven’t been around in months defeating the former tag champions with ease. **1/4

Colin asks for two beers so he and Jimmy can recover from their loss. He’s about to toast Jimmy but then decks him with a hard right hand. He takes Jimmy’s beer and heads to the back.

Gregory Iron vs. Josh Prohibition

This is a rematch from “Absolution VI” where these two had quite the battle. Prohibition attacks Iron while referee Jake Clemons is checking Iron for foreign objects. Iron is able to clothesline Prohibition to the floor and suicide dives onto him. Prohibition rakes Iron’s eyes. Prohibition rakes Iron’s face against the guardrail. Iron slides off of Prohibition’s shoulders and sends him face first into the ring post. Iron brings Prohibition back into the ring. He ducks a clothesline and hits an elbow strike. Prohibition ducks the Gimp Slap but takes a forearm strike. Prohibition crotches Iron on the middle rope. He dropkicks Iron square in the back for two. Prohibition chokes Iron on the middle rope. He hits a rolling neck snap ala Mr. Perfect for a two count. Iron sunset flips him for two. Prohibition knocks Iron to the mat with a back elbow. Prohibition slams Iron and scrapes his boots on Iron’s face. We’re told a man named Jock Samson is looming around the commentary booth. Prohibition gets two with a delayed suplex. Prohibition whips Iron into the corner. Iron blocks an attack and comes out of the corner with a huracanrana. He hits a tornado DDT, leaving both men down on the mat. Iron elbows his way off Prohibition’s shoulders. He delivers a stunner for two. Prohibition catches Iron with a TKO for two. He hooks Iron for the Drunken Driver. Iron kicks out and hits Handicap Parking. Prohibition gets his foot on the rope to break the count. Iron goes for Handicap Parking again. Prohibition escapes. As Jake Clemons is distracted, Prohibition kicks Iron in the groin and pins him at 9:02. The moments Iron had on offense may have been the best I have ever seen from him. He and Prohibition have great chemistry together, whether it be in a straight up wrestling match or a hardcore bout. I thought it was weird to have this rematch seemingly out of nowhere but it’s apparent that we have not seen the conclusion of this feud. I am looking forward to the next chapter. **3/4

The Duke vs. “The Chad” Williams

Chest Flexor is in Williams’ corner. Williams attacks Duke while he’s posing. Duke splashes Williams twice in the corner. He slams Williams and delivers a fist drop. He gets two after a legdrop and senton splash. Duke snapmares Williams and also gives him a rolling neck snap. Duke clotheslines Williams to the floor. Duke gets in some strikes on Williams until Jock Samson jumps the barricade with a cowbell and attacks Duke. Referee Drew Taylor throws the match out at 2:53. That was actually a pretty fun encounter with Duke in control. He looks like he’s trimmed down and was moving a lot better. Hopefully his match with this Samson dude will be good. N/R

Izaeh Bonds comes out to run Samson off. Intense Division champion Bobby Beverly runs out and clobbers Bonds in the back of the head with his title belt. Williams runs back out to attack Duke as well.

Intense Division Championship
Bobby Beverly (Champion) vs. “Mr. RBI” Izaeh Bonds

Sugar Dunkerton was supposed to face Beverly for his title tonight. Dunkerton could not make the show, so he chose another athlete to take his spot. Bonds throws Beverly into the barricade. Beverly superkicks Bonds in response. He chops Bonds around ringside and kicks him in the face. Beverly brings him back in the ring for two. Bonds and Beverly exchange forearm strikes. Bonds nails a clothesline and back elbow. Bonds sends Beverly to the floor. Bonds dives out onto Beverly, Chad Williams and Chest Flexor. In the ring Beverly catches Bonds with a running boot for two. Beverly gets two after a running forearm in the corner. Bonds come back with a wind up double sledge to the chest. He then delivers a spinebuster for two. Beverly Saito suplexes Bonds for two. Bonds falls to the floor as Beverly tries to put him on the top rope. Beverly superkicks Bonds and brings him in with a dangling Ace crusher. Beverly goes for a superkick. Bonds instead sweeps Beverly’s legs and hits a standing moonsault for two. Bonds misses a top rope moonsault. Beverly superkicks him for the pin at 9:02. Bonds has been improving but clearly is not ready enough to be in title matches. I give him kudos for being a late fill in but he and Beverly just didn’t click together. However, I do hope to see Dunkerton vs. Beverly one day. **

AIW Tag Team Championship
Irish Airbone (Jake & Dave Crist) (Champions) vs. Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon)

Chest Flexor, Chad Williams and Bobby Beverly are in Aeroform’s corner. Jake and Lyndon vie for control on the mat. Jake catches Lyndon with a leg lariat for two. Dave and Kendrick tag in. They too jockey for control. Dave flips his way to armdrag Kendrick to the apron. Dave enzuigiri’s him to the floor and Jake follows with a suicide dive. Lyndon cuts off Dave’s dive attempt with a leg lariat. Lyndon accidentally moonsaults onto Kendrick. Jake holds Aeroform so that Dave can land on them with a Fozberry flop. Dave brings in Lyndon for a two count. Dave sentons Lyndon to the mat for two. The Airborne level him with some tandem kicks. Kendrick breaks Jake’s pin attempt. Jake suplexes Kendrick for two. Jake kicks Kendrick into a springboard moonsault from Dave. Lyndon knee strikes Dave from the apron, allowing Kendrick to take him over with a huracanrana for two. Aeroform control the match until Dave snaps Lyndon’s neck on the middle rope and kicks him in the face. Dave slingshot clotheslines Kendrick and tags in Jake. Jake takes both men down. Lyndon catches him with a boot. Jake flips to the top rope with a boot, then crossbody’s Lyndon for two. Kendrick headscissors Jake into the corner. He spikes him with a reverse huracanrana. Lyndon German suplexes Jake and Dave breaks the pin. Dave misses a Pele kick. Kendrick sends Dave to the floor. Jake clotheslines Lyndon to the floor. Kendrick trips Jake on the middle rope. Lyndon kicks Jake and Kendrick hits a twisting lionsault for two. Kendrick goes for a pescado on Dave but takes a knee on his way down. The Airborne hit the Irish Air Raid for two. Flexor crotches Dave on the top rope. Williams distracts referee Jake Clemons. Lyndon rolls up Jake and holds his tights for the pin at 14:11. We already know that putting these two teams together is a recipe for a great match, but now we know that even with Aeroform as Rudos that’s still the case. Although they weren’t as crazy as usual, it lended more to their characters and made for a better story even with the cheap finish. ***1/4

The Airborne are pissed at the cheap finish and ask for a tag title rematch right away. Aeroform says they will get it once they work their way back up the ranks. Matt Wadsworth comes to the ring. He admits that the Airborne were screwed and says that Aeroform only signed a deal for one match tonight. Wadsworth says he has no control what happens outside of the ring however, and the Airborne chase Aeroform to the back.

Uhaa Nation vs. AR Fox

This is a rematch from “They Live” where these two had quite the spectacle of a match. This is also just a few days before Nation flies to Dragon Gate in Japan for his first tour. Nation and Fox reach a stalemate after some exchanges on the mat. Fox sole butts Nation after his shoulder block fails. Fox trips Nation, flips over him and dropkicks him to the floor. Fox goes for a flying shooting star pres. Nation moves out of the way and powerbombs Fox onto the ring apron. Nation brings him back in the ring for two. Nation shrugs off an O’Conner Roll. He ducks two of Fox’s kicks and German suplexes Fox across the ring. Nation misses a bicycle kick, getting himself tied up in the ropes. Fox enzuigiri’s Nation to the floor and suicide dives out as a follow up. Fox whips Nation into the guardrail. Fox brings Nation back into the ring. He hits a slingshot legdrop for one. Fox gets two after a knee drop. Fox clotheslines Nation, then skins the cat back into the ring for a dropkick. Fox hits an enzuigiri from the apron. Nation catches Fox coming off the top rope with a dropkick. After a pair of clotheslines from Nation, Fox rolls him up for two. Nation kicks him in the side of the head. Nation gets two with a German suplex. Fox goes to the apron. Fox springs off the ring post and back into the ring with an Ace crusher for two. Fox pokes Nation in the eyes to try and put him on his shoulders. Fox trips him on the middle rope when Nation goes for a Tiger Driver. A superkick and lariat lead to Fox dropping Nation with a Death Valley Driver. Nation puts his knees up to block a frog splash. Nation drops him with a Hero’s Welcome for two. Fox enzuigiri’s Nation to the floor. Fox follows with a springboard 450 splash. Fox takes too much time to showboat, allowing Nation to recover and bicycle kick him. In the ring Fox crotches Nation on the top rope. Nation shrugs off the Lo Mein Pain. He powerbombs Fox into the corner. He hits a tombstone piledriver and a standing shooting star press for the pin at 10:41. Just like at “They Live”, these two managed to steal the show while building on their previous match. This is a lot of sizzle with the steak included. I’m convinced these two can’t have a bad match together. ***1/2

Elimination Match for the #1 Contendership to the Absolute Championship
Tim Donst vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Marion Fontaine vs. Rickey Shane Page

Flexor Industries official Dave Dawson is the referee for the bout. Eric Ryan does come out to take Page’s place, but Page changes his mind and fills in his spot as originally scheduled.

Fontaine and Gargano do some serious back and forth at the beginning. Fontaine throws in some of his usual silliness, but it actually lets him take control. Gargano sole butts Fontaine. He ducks Fontaine’s superkick. Fontaine delivers three kicks in a row. Gargano sends him into the second turnckle before hitting a knee strike and dropping him with a neckbreaker. Gargano tags Donst in. Donst controls Fontaine by his arms. Fontaine positions himself into some dance positions with Donst. Donst clubs him in the chest to end that nonsense. Fontaine tags in Page. They trade control in a test of strength. Donst grabs Page’s ankle and Page immediately grabs the bottom rope. Donst chokes Page with his arm. Page brings Donst to the mat in a cravate. He crucifixes pins Donst for two. Donst rolls Page and goes for his bad ankle again. Page goes for Donst’s ankle instead. Donst escapes and forearms Page in the face multiple times. Page snapmares Donst. Donst elbows Page until Fontaine and Gargano come in to fight as well. Fontaine and Page send Gargano and Donst to the floor. Fontaine gives Page the Rocker Dropper. He headscissors Page into the ropes. Page powerbombs Fontaine. Fontaine rolls to the floor to avoid being pinned. Gargano trips Page and superkicks him. Fontaine senton dives onto Gargano on the floor. Donst throws Fontaine to the floor. Donst hops over the ropes and armdrags Fontaine into the front row. In the ring Page goes for a suplex on Donst. Gargano helps Donst out and sets up for a double suplex. Fontaine crossbody’s all three of his opponents. Donst gutwrench suplexes Fontaine which accidentally clips Gargano. Donst bulldogs Page. Page suplexes Donst and heads up top. Gargano crotches Page on the top rope. Page puts Gargano in a tree of woe. Dons comes up as well. Gargano suplexes Donst who suplexes Page, and then Fontaine gives Gargano a coast-to-coast dropkick. Page rocks Fontaine with a right hand and drives Fontaine to the mat with a boot. Page catches Gargano coming off the middle rope. He slams Gargano and powerbombs Fontaine at the same time. Fontaine and Gargano suplex Page into a German suplex from Donst. A series of kicks knocks all four guys down. Page sets up a bunch of chairs on the floor. Gargano dives out but Page catches him. Donst dives out and sends both men into the chairs. Fontaine flies onto them with a springboard elbow. Page puts all three guys on the re-set up chairs. All three of them move, causing Page to hit a somersault senton onto the chairs. Donst suplexes Fontaine into the ring from the apron. He hits a reverse STO for two. Donst O’Conner rolls Fontaine. Fontaine shoves him off into a slingshot spear from Gargano. Fontaine Angle slams Gargano for two. Fontaine misses a quebrada and eats the IED from Gargano. Gargano lawn darts Fontaine and hits the Hurts Donut for the pin at 18:13.

Flexor Industries make their way ringside to applaud Gargano. Donst questions what’s going on and shoves Gargano, who seems puzzled by Flexor Industries’ applause as well. Page kicks Gargano from the apron and hits a top rope somersault senton. Donst then locks Page in From Dusk Til Donst. Page submits at 19:30. Donst and Gargano exchange words before throwing forearms at each other. They each escape each others’ finishers. Gargano superkicks Donst and hits the Hurts Donut. Dawson stops the count at two purposefully. Gargano gets in Dawson’s face. This allows Donst to roll Gargano up for the pin at 21:01. The match itself was pretty good for the most part, though it took forever to get to the first elimination. From there on out though it was a very good, entertaining match. The ending with Flexor Industries playing mind games with Gargano and Donst is certainly an interesting direction and we’ll just have to see where it leads. ***

Dawson tries to pose with Donst but Donst shoves him away. Donst and Gargano argue until Donst decides to bail.

AIW Women’s Championship
Mickie Knuckles (Champion) vs. Mia Yim
Special Guest Referee: Gail Kim

As teased earlier, Chest Flexor comes out with Mia. He also insinuates that Gail may call the match in Mia’s favor since they’re both of Asian descent. Well that’s just flat-out racist. Yim gives Knuckles the middle finger instead of shaking her hand. Yim kicks the inside of Knuckles’ leg and takes her over with a side headlock. Knuckles escapes into a waistlock. He throws Yim into a front chancery. Yim switches into a waistlock which Knuckles rolls out of. A few kicks and strikes are thrown but none connect. Yim asks for a test of strength, teasing Knuckles by switching her hands. Knuckles thinks it means a dance off is about to happen, but unfortunately to her it just means her jumping around like a goof. Knuckles monkey flips Yim and floats into a straightjacket choke. Knuckles boots Yim in the back. Yim angrily snapmares Knuckles into a dragon kick for two. Knuckles dropkicks Yim in the corner before unloading with strikes. Flexor grabs Knuckles’ leg, allowing Yim to kick Knuckles in the side of the head. She kicks Knuckles in the small of her back for two. Flexor chokes Knuckles on the bottom rope as Yim distracts Kim. Yim tries for a cross armbreaker. Knuckles rolls up Yim for a two count. Yim pitches Knuckles to the floor and distracts Kim while Flexor steps on Knuckles’ face. Yim boots Knuckles from the ring apron. Yim gets two back in the ring. Knuckles rolls up Yim for two. Yim chokes Knuckles’ with her boot. She drives her knees into Knuckles’ face. She brings her back mid-ring and kneels into a frog press for two. Knuckles catches Yim’s crossbody attempt. She spins Yim out into a uranage slam. Yim puts on a guillotine. Knuckles turns I into a Northern Lights suplex for two. A strike exchange ends with Knuckles backfisting Yim and blasting her with multiple knee strikes. Knuckles hits a running senton but Yim rolls to the ropes before a pin attempt can occur. Yim puts Knuckles in a half crab. Knuckles crawls her way to the ropes to break it. Yim German suplexes Knuckles. Knuckles gets right up and delivers a German of her own. She rocks Yim with a kick to the face. Knuckles goes for a pin but Flexor puts Yim’s wrist on the ropes. Knuckles pulls Flexor to the apron. He snaps Knuckles’ neck on the top rope. Yim kicks and knees Knuckles in the temple for two. Yim misses a twisting senton off the top rope. Knuckles ducks her kicks and delivers a pump-handle slam for the pin at 15:10. I am very impressed with Mia Yim, both here in AIW and elsewhere. It’s nice to see her getting some semblance of recognition from the crowd and the companies that book her. Knuckles and her were a great pairing as Yim was able to take and match any and all of Knuckles’ strikes. Kim did a fine job as the special referee and looked like she was genuinely enjoying herself. Her involvement did not detract at all from Yim or Knuckles and the focus was kept entirely on them. Good stuff all around. ***1/4

Yim gets in Kim’s face afterwards. Kim tries to keep cool but eventually takes her down with a running clothesline. Flexor also gets in Kim’s face, so Kim gives him the Eat Defeat. The fans applaud Kim as she makes her way backstage.

Absolute Championship
Shiima Xion (Champion) vs. BJ Whitmer

Of course, Chest Flexor is in Xion’s corner. Whitmer aggressively brings Xion to the mat in a waistlock. Xion gets the ropes to break. Whitmer brings Xion to the mat again. Xion turns it into a hammerlock. Whitmer switches back into a waistlock. Xion pushes on Whitmer’s knee while locking his leg. Whitmer transitions into a front facelock. Xion grabs the ropes when Whitmer goes for a choke. Whitmer and Xion trade chops in the corner. Whitmer wins that exchange and hits a leg lariat for one. Whitmer suplexes Xion for two. Whitmer trips Xion and puts him in a Romero Special. Xion rolls out to the floor to chat with Flexor and Chad Williams. Whitmer grabs Xion and chops him around ringside. Whitmer throws Xion over the guardrail and into the crowd. He brings Xion back into the ring. As he tries to come in, Flexor grabs Whitmer’s foot. Xion takes advantage by giving Whitmer a reverse DDT on the ring apron. Xion sits Whitmer down in a chair. Xion charges but gets met with a boot. He whips Xion into the barricade. Whitmer runs at him but gets back suplexed into a pile of chairs. Back in the ring Xion hits a missile dropkick for two. Whitmer breaks an overhead wristlock. Xion knocks him back to the mat with a back elbow for two. Xion chokes Whitmer on the middle rope. He Russian leg sweeps Whitmer into a crossface. Whitmer puts his foot on the ropes to escape. Xion talks trash while giving Whitmer some forearm strikes. This causes Whitmer to fire up and chop Xion against the ropes. He delivers a big time spinebuster and fires up again. Whitmer knee strikes Xion in the corner. He suplexes Xion and then Northern Lights suplexes him for two. Xion drops him with a neckbreaker and follows up with a springboard moonsault. Whitmer kicks out so Xion immediately puts the crossface on again. Whitmer rolls over for a two count. Xion superkicks Whitmer thrice for a two count. Whitmer drops Xion with an STO. He drives his knee into Xion’s head multiple times before putting on the Peruvian neck tie. Chad Williams pulls out referee Jake Clemons and beats him down with Flexor. Whitmet dropkicks Chad into the guardrail and tosses him into the crowd. Xion blocks a boot with a DDT. Dave Dawson runs out and only counts two, even with a fast count. Whitmer throws Xion off the top with an exploder suplex. Dawson ties his shoe instead of counting the cover. Whitmer powerbombs Dawson into the turnbuckle in response. He then powerbombs Xion into the turnbuckle as referee Drew Taylor comes out. A running big boot gets him two as Xion puts his foot on the ropes. Xion prawn holds Whitmer for two. Whitmer boots him two more times. Flexor grabs Whitmer’s boot. Xion O’Conner rolls Whitmer and holds his tights for the pin at 18:39. The build to Whitmer’s title match could not be better, and if you were to ask me I would tell you that he is the guy who should be the next Absolute champion. However, since this wasn’t the time for him to do so, him losing in a cheap fashion was the best way to go. People on the show put over Whitmer for making such a tremendous comeback and I echo their sentiments. He’s been the MVP of AIW since his return back in May. Xion too has been putting on excellent matches as champion and has been overlooked since winning the title. This was another great defense for him and I hope we see a rematch down the line. ***1/2

Matt Wadsworth comes to the ring after the match. Gargano gives Wadsworth an idea we can’t hear over the microphone. Wadsworth says next month at Nightmare Before X-Mas 5, Gargano will go one on one with Dave Dawson!

”Hell on Earth” Rules
Masada vs. Mad Man Pondo

This is a Fans Brings the Weapons match with much of the plunder already in the ring. Each guy tries to throw the other on a barbed wire bat. They fail initially, but Masada then gets a belly to belly suplex onto it for two. He hits Pondo in the arm with that bat and digs it into Pondo’s head. Pondo gives Masada a Death Valley Driver onto the bat. Pondo DDT’s Masada on some Christmas ornaments. Pondo crotches Masada on the middle rope and kicks a light tube into his groin. Pondo digs a broken light tube into Masada’s arm. He places Masada on the chair with a choke, then headbutts a light tube into his forehead. Pondo sets up for the Silencer and hits it for a two count. Masada enzuigiri’s Pondo on the top rope. He puts a pile of weapons on the mat and heads up top as well. Masada ultra huracanrana’s Pondo on the pile of weapons. Masada smashes some Battleship boards against Pondo’s head. Those pegs probably hurt like hell. Masada puts a light tube and wooden spike into his head. Pondo comes back with a swinging DDT. He smashes some sort of plaque over Masada’s head. Pondo brings a sledgehammer and cement block into the ring. Pondo he puts the block on Masada’s groin and hammers the damn thing. He uses a staple gun to staple a dollar bill to Masada’s head and arm. He even staples Masada’s groin. Pondo sets up a table ringside. Masada avoids being put through the table by suplexing Pondo back in the ring. Masada asks for some fans to throw their chairs in the ring, which some do. Masada places one chair flat onto two propped up chairs. Masada places Pondo on the chairs and moonsaults onto him for two. Masada smashes a light tube across Pondo’s neck and carves it into Pondo’s forehead. Pondo suplexes Masada into some chairs in the crowd. Pondo places Masada on the previously set up table. Masada gets up and looks to throw Pondo off the ring apron. Pondo fights back and comes to the floor with Masada. Masada places Pondo on the table and comes back into the ring. Masada hits a slingshot senton and the table does not budge. So, Masada comes off the middle rope with an elbow drop which does break the table. Masada digs some wooden skewers into Pondo’s forehead. He applies a Camel Clutch while digging another skewer into Pondo’s mouth. Masada hits a chair into the skewers in his skull for the pin at 21:10. This was absolutely barbaric, bloody ultraviolence. Really there’s no two better guys in North America doing this kind of wrestling together. If you’re a deathmatch fan, this a must see match (you will probably enjoy it even more than I did). Otherwise, proceed at your own risk. ***1/2

The show ends with a string of promos. Jock Samson says The Duke will have hell to pay next month. Johnny Gargano tells Dave Dawson that he’s dead. AR Fox and Nation congratulate each other on another great match. They agree they need to settle the score since they have each beaten the other one time in AIW. It seems a third match will happen another time around. Gregory Iron challenges Josh Prohibition to a tag team match. He says they can each pick whichever partners they want. Iron promises to prove to Prohibition that all of his nicknames are true. Aaron Bauer tries to thank Tim Donst who is busy drinking water and can’t say anything back. Before Donst can stay anything, Gargano attacks him. The show fades to black afterwards.

Pre-Show Matches

AERO! vs. Jay Bly vs. Stitch Sypher vs. Matt Atrayou

Atrayou and Bly attack AERO and Sypher, sending them to the floor. Atrayou and Bly exchange forearms and kicks. Bly cannonball sentons Atrayou in the corner. AERO chops and boots Blu before pitching him to the floor. Sypher attacks AERO from behind. AERO and Sypher also exchange strikes. Sypher mule kicks AERO after a fake out. Sypher suplexes him and Atrayou breaks the pin. Atrayou sends Sypher out with an STO. Atrayou side steps and kick from Bly. He gets in a few kicks before sending Bly out with a clothesline. AERO puts Atrayou in a guillotine choke. Atrayou flips forward into a pin attempt for two. Bly kicks Atrayou to the floor. Sypher and Atrayou fight on the floor while AERO keeps control in the ring. Bly gives him a back cracker. He fakes out a dive to Atrayou but Sypher enzuigiri’s him to the floor. AERO suicide dives onto Atrayou and Bly. Sypher dives onto all of them with a twisting tope con hilo. In the ring Bly catches Sypher with a tornado kick. Sypher hops off Bly’s back and hits an enzuigiri from the apron. He comes back in with a modified Canadian Destroyer. Atrayou breaks the pin and spins Sypher from a Cobra Clutch into a tornado DDT. AERO breaks the pin. AERO yakuza kicks Atrayou in the corner. He follows with a DDT only for Bly to break the count. Sypher German suplexes Atrayou onto Bly. He goes for a quesadora, but AERO turns it into a backbreaker. AERO then hits Sypher with a running boot for the pin at 6:55. That was a lot of flippy stuff which while entertaining didn’t let anyone in the match stand out. Aside from Sypher’s impressive springboard Canadian Destroyer nothing was truly memorable. Still, everyone showed potential and could possibly make the most out of an absolute opportunity. **

Beyond Wrestling Showcase Match
Dany Only vs. Nick Talent

Only backs Talent to the corner to break an overhead wristlock. He has himself a violence party in the corner. He nails a clothesline which takes Talent to the ring apron. Talent snaps Only’s neck on the top rope. Talent ducks a big boot and sweeps out Only’s leg. He kicks the inside of the leg and hits a kneeDT. Talent misses a splash in the corner but comes off the middle rope with a knee strike to the back of Only’s neck for two. Only back elbows Talent. He picks Talent up and Talent turns it into a DDT for two. Talent goes for a figure four leg lock. Only turns it into a cradle for two. Only goes for a kick and Talent catches his leg. He rolls up Only and holds his tights for the pin at 4:54. Only never got a chance to really show off, which is a shame considering the crowd was behind him and Talent’s offense would have ended up meaning more if Only had a chance to recover and fight back. The leg work also never lead to much of anything. Essentially, this was half a match. *1/2

Cleveland, OH – 10.2.2011

Commentary is provided by Pedro Deluca, Aaron Bauer. Gregory Iron joins in for the second half.

BJ Whitmer vs. Davey Richards

Whitmer cleanly breaks a lock-up against the ropes. Richards grabs the ropes as Whitmer takes him down. Richards reverses a heel hook causing Whitmer to very quickly grab the ropes. An exchange of wristlocks ends with Richards forearming Whitmer against the ropes. Whitmer knocks him down with a forearm of his own. Richards kicks Whitmer in the arm from the mat to break a wristlock. Richards dropkicks Whitmer after failing to knock him down with shoulder blocks. Richards ties up Whitmer in a modified surfboard, rolling him into a Gedo Clutch for two. Whitmer drops Richards with a spinebuster. Richards whips Whitmer into the guardrail. Whitmer gets his boot up to block Richards’ follow up attack. Richards however whips Whitmer into the guardrail again and yakuza kicks Whitmer into the audience. Richards jumps into the crowd with a flying forearm. Richards brings him back in the ring after some kicks to the chest. Richards nails a spinwheel kick for two. Whitmer counters a suplex with a brainbuster. Whitmer facewashes Richards and gives him a backbreaker. Richards fires up from Whitmer’s strikes. They exchange forearms, with Whitmer winning the exchange and getting a two count from it. Richards sends Whitmer to the floor. He punts Whitmer in the chest from the apron. Richards dropkicks Whitmer in the side of the head back in the ring for two. Richards delivers a belly-to-belly suplex for two. He transitions right into the ankle lock, but Whitmer grabs the ropes right away. Whitmer knee strikes Richards into the corner. He suplexes Richards twice for two. Richards and Whitmer go back to throwing forearms at each other. Richards lights him up with chest kicks and a sole butt. Whitmer and Richards suplex each other over and over. Richards counters a wrist-clutch exploder suplex, rolling into the ankle lock. Whitmer reverses into one of his own. Richards counters his counter. Whitmer escapes and hits a Sick Kick. The wrist-clutch exploder gets him two. After driving his knee into Richards’ neck, he puts on the Peruvian Necktie. Richards passes out at 14:08. Whitmer just keeps putting on great matches in AIW, this one being no exception. Going over Richards is huge and I couldn’t be happier for him. Some of the usual no-selling silliness hurt the match in the middle, but I can’t deny that this had a great aura around it and the fans dug it. Both guys speak highly of one another afterwards. ***1/4

Archibald Peck vs. John Kermon vs. Tony Kozina vs. AERO! vs. Façade vs. Izeah Bonds

Kozina and Façade reach a stalemate. Kermon and AERO tag in. Kermon eats a dropkick after back elbowing AERO to the mat. AERO sends Kermon out with a wheelbarrow armdrag. Peck sends AERO to the floor and celebrates. Bonds tags in and questions Peck’s tactics. Peck fails to slam the larger Bonds. Bonds drops a cartwheel elbow for two. Peck boots Bonds but gets sent to the corner. Bonds hits a wind-up clothesline. Peck gets chased around the ring. He catches Bonds with a boot. AERO and Façade come in as Bonds suplexes Peck on the floor. Kermon sends Façade out. Façade hits a springboard double clothesline on Kermon and AERO. He then hits a double moonsault DDT onto both of them as well. Peck drop toe holds Bonds into the ring steps. Kozina knocks down Façade and goes up top. Façade dropkicks Kozina onto AERO and Kermon on the floor. Peck knocks Façade down with a leg lariat and suicide dives onto the three men on the floor. Bonds then slingshot senton’s onto them. Façade finally walks the ropes into a springboard cannonball senton onto everyone, causing him to hit the guardrail by accident as well. In the ring, Façade drops Peck with a springboard bulldog. Kermon crotches Façade on the top rope. The ol’ tower of doom combo (which Peck wisely stays out of) sees Façade take the worse beating. Peck pins everybody individually but fails to get a three count. Peck sees the opportunity to hit the Cranial Crescendo on five people at once. Of course, he misses everybody. Kozina pins Peck for two. Peck gives Façade a spin-out gutbuster for two. Kermon hits an inside out suplex on Peck for two. AERO drops Kermon with a wrist-capture reverse STO for two. Bonds delivers a spinebuster to AERO. The Pop Fly gets him two as Peck and Kozina break the pin. Façade German suplexes Peck for two. Façade puts Peck into a modified Cattle Mutilation. Peck taps out at 10:39. Crazy, fun stuff all around. Everyone who needed to stand out did and it was certainly a better showing for Façade than the last AIW show. **3/4

Eric Ryan vs. Josh Prohibition

Prohibition gets into the ropes to break a cravate. Ryan armdrags Prohibition to the corner. He hits two running forearms before Prohibition rolls to the floor. Ryan quickly follows out with a suicide dive. Prohibition gives Ryan a neckbreaker on the second rope for two. Prohibition hits a Perfect neck snap. Ryan small packages Prohibition to counter a suplex for two. Prohibition chops Ryan around ringside. Prohibition accidentally chops the ring post. Prohibition kicks Ryan in the groin while distracting the referee to not lose any of his momentum. Ryan and Prohibition exchange forearms back in the ring. Ryan drives Prohibition’s face into the mat to prevent a slingshot maneuver. Prohibition crotches Ryan on the top rope and crucifix bombs him into the corner. Prohibition follows up with a lariat for two. Ryan counters the Drunken Driver with a huracanrana. He hits a leg-cross suplex. He goes for the Drunker Driver himself. Prohibition counters it with a brainbuster. Prohibition sets up for the Drunken Driver but gets distracted by Gregory Iron in the crowd. This allows Ryan to roll-up Prohibition for the pin 7:30. Ryan seems to be all business these days, and this match really proved just how much better he’s gotten. All of his moves and transitions looks so much more crisp than even a month or so ago. Prohibition was a good foil for him, and I think with a little more time this would have been even better. **1/2

Intense Division Championship
Marion Fontaine (Champion) vs. Bobby Beverly

Flexor Industries referee Dave Dawson is officiating this match. This is not good for Fontaine, since Beverly is a Flexor Industries member. Chest Flexor and “The Chad” Williams accompany Beverly to the ring. These two counter each others’ holds from awhile. After sweeping each others’ legs for a pin, they reach a stalemate. Beverly gets tripped after doing a hip swivel. Fontaine log rolls his legs out. Fontaine stomps on his back to block a second attempt. Fontaine explains how he countered a corner attack. He does it a second time and slingshots into a lateral press. Beverly kicks Fontaine from the floor to counter a dive. Fontaine sweeps Beverly’s legs and hits a So Rude elbow drop for two. Fontaine butt bumps the back of Beverly’s neck and applies a Boston Crab. Flexor distracts Dawson. Fontaine gets distracted and eats an enzuigiri for two. Beverly pitches Fontaine to the floor so Flexor and Chad can get in some cheap shots. Fontaine elbows his way out of a headlock. Beverly clotheslines him down for two. Beverly gets two with a brainbuster. Fontaine rolls to the floor to avoid a superkick. He gets caught with a running boot when he reenters the ring. Fontaine gives him rapid fire headbutts and a rump attack in the corner. Beverly clotheslines him out of the corner for two. He then hits a Falcon Arrow for two. Fontaine delivers a rolling Death Valley Driver. Beverly gets his knees up to avoid a quebrada and superkicks Fontaine for two. A side powerslam gets him another two count. Fontaine side steps a top rope dropkick and puts Beverly into a Boston Crab. Flexor calls Dawson on the phone so he can ignore the submission. Fontaine releases the hold and gets in Dave’s face. He goes to reapply the Boston Crab but Beverly small packages him for the pin and the title at 11:02. Very good back and forth action with a cheap finish that worked. Beverly seemed to never get the recognition he is worthy of, so him being the one to take the title off of Fontaine to me is very appropriate. Hopefully his reign will continue to provide good, entertaining matches. **3/4

Flexor says he doesn’t want to wait to see who “The Chad’s” mystery opponent is going to be tonight, so he asks for whoever wants to answer to come out. The Duke answers the challenge.

”The Chad” Williams vs. The Duke

The Duke takes Williams down with a hammer throw and chokes him in the corner. He avalanches Williams and powerslams him. He goes for the Duke (Vader) Bomb. Beverly crotches Duke and kicks him as Flexor distracts referee Dawson. Williams hits the Mercy Kill for the pin at 1:21. Flexor Industries beats The Duke down until Tommy Mercer, better known now as Crimson in TNA hits the ring. Mercer says he’s heard Williams talk smack and seen him steal his finishing move. Mercer says he’s answering the open challenge and demands Williams get in the ring.

Tommy Mercer vs. “The Chad” Williams

Dawson is the referee for this match as well. Williams forearms Mercer in the shoulder blades before suplexing him for two. Mercer knocks him down with a pair of clotheslines. Mercer brings Williams in from the apron with a Falcon Arrow for two. Flexor grabs Mercer’s leg. Mercer chases Flexor around the ring. He gets met with a clothesline from Williams. Williams throws Mercer’s leg into the guardrail and stomps on his knee. Mercer whips Williams into the crowd. Mercer suplexes Williams in front of the merch tables. Back in the ring, Mercer clotheslines Williams in the corner. Williams hits a big boot for two. Williams slams his forearm into Mercer’s face while applying a headlock. A backbreaker gets him a very fast two count. Mercer counters a clothesline with a suplex. He delivers a Michinoku Driver which Dawson purposely slow counts and stops after a two count. Mercer splashes Dawson and Williams in the corner. Duke takes Dawson out of the ring. Mercer drops Williams with the Mercy Kill. Duke makes the count for the pin at 7:11. Mercer was a nice surprise and was a total crowd pleaser. He and Williams had a solid big guy match and pleased the fans. For these two, there’s not much more you can ask. **

#1 Contender – Intense Division Championship
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Sonjay Dutt

O’Reilly and Dutt aggressively trade holds. They stand-off after escaping each others’ front facelocks. O’Reilly hip tosses Dutt into a cross armbreaker which Dutt breaks with a roll-up. They hit stereo dropkicks and stand-off once again. Dutt sends O’Reilly to the floor with a huracanrana. He slides out and gets caught with a kick to the shoulder. O’Reilly places Dutt on a chair in the corner. O’Reilly dropkicks Dutt head first into the guardrail. Dutt catches O’Reilly with a dragonscrew legwhip in the ropes. Dutt then comes in with a springboard quebrada for two. Dutt targets his attack on O’Reilly’s leg. O’Reilly sweeps Dutt’s leg and delivers his signature butterfly suplexes into a cross armbreaker. Dutt gets the ropes to break the hold. On the floor, Dutt whips O’Reilly into the guardrail and kicks him into the front row. Dutt gets a running start to dive onto him. The fight ends up backstage. Sugar Dunkerton emerges from the back with Dutt and lays him down in the ring. O’Reilly follows and looks confused. Dunkerton gets on the microphone and says Dutt ruined his high score on his Gameboy game. Dunkerton says since they were so rude in getting his business, he wants to get into there’s and earn a title shot. The referee agrees and this is now a three way.

#1 Contender – Intense Division Championship
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Sugar Dunkerton

O’Reilly sends Dutt to the floor. Dunkerton knocks O’Reilly down with some punches and sends Dutt to the floor again. Dunkerton hits a senton on O’Reilly. He drop toe holds Dutt onto O’Reilly and dribbles his face into O’Reilly’s groin area. Dutt kicks Dunkerton in the corner and legdrops him on the second rope. Dutt slingshots into a crossbody on O’Reilly for two. O’Reilly enzuigiri’s Dutt and hits a tornado DDT. He gets two with a brainbuster. He transitions into the cross armbreaker. Dunkerton breaks it with a flying elbow on O’Reilly for two. O’Reilly rolls Dunkerton into a chest kick. Dunkerton fires up and slaps O’Reilly silly. He hits the Slam Dunk but Dutt breaks his pin. O’Reilly nails both Dutt and Dunkerton with rolling forearms. Dunkerton and O’Reilly trade punches. O’Reilly lands a sole butt. Dunkerton fireman drops him onto his boot. He follows up with a discuss lariat for the pin at 13:55. This makes three shows in a row where a singles match turned into a three way, so one has to figure this will lead to something eventually. The match(es) themselves were really good, lots of solid action and back and forth from everyone. O’Reilly and Dunkerton made for a great pair and I’d like to see a singles match with them sometime. Dutt did a great job too and seems to have his groove back for good. ***

AR Fox vs. Uhaa Nation

Nation snapmares his way out of a hammerlock. Fox reverses his headlock with one his own. Nation dropkicks Fox to the corner. He misses a splash, allowing Fox to take him down with a neck-tie headscissors. Nation overhead suplexes Fox and hit a standing moonsault for two. Nation suplexes Fox for two. Fox superkixks Nation’s leg out and delivers an enzuigiri. Fox hits a twisting forearm in the corner. He follows with a split-legged senton for two. Fox clotheslines him in the corner. Nation counters a crossbody with a powerslam. Nation German suplexes Fox twice. Fox evades the third time. Nation however powers him into a Samoan Drop. He hits a standing shooting star press for two. Fox avoids an O’Conner roll by springboarding into an ace crusher. He then hits a top rope somersault senton for two. Fox hits a diving Code Breaker which sends Nation to the floor. Fox flies out with a diving crossbody. Fox moonsaults off the ring post to the floor. In the ring, Nation catches Fox with three powerbombs, two deadlift style, for a two count. Fox snapmares Nation. He hits a delayed boot to the face. He misses a top rope Vader Bomb. Nation hits the Hero’s Welcome and Fox puts his foot on the bottom rope. Nation German suplexes Fox off the top rope. He follows with a tombstone piledriver for two. Fox manages to recover and hit the Lo Mein Pain for the pin at 8:58. It seems like it’s typical for Nation and Fox to steal the show whenever they face one another in a singles match. This match was no different. They won over every fan in the crowd on their company debut which is no small feat. Watch this match. ***1/4

Chest Flexor comes out to introduce his mystery team. He first asks for Johnny Gargano and Tim Donst, his mystery teams opponents, to come out first so he can see the looks on their faces. Dave Dawson is the referee for this match, by the way. Once they’re in the ring, Flexor tells them that this team e-mailed Flexor asking to join Flexor Industries if it meant facing Gargano and Donst. That teams turns out to be Aeroform, who run out and attack Gargano and Donst.

Johnny Gargano & Tim Donst vs. Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon)

Gargano and Lyndon fight on the floor right away. Donst clotheslines Kendrick to the floor and chops him against the guardrail. Lyndon whips Gargano into the guardrail. Gargano shoves Lyndon into some chairs. Donst also brings Kendrick into the crowd where he bashes him with forearms. Lyndon whips Gargano into some chairs while Donst throws Kendrick face first into the announcer’s table and a wall. Donst clobbers Lyndon with foearms across his face. Lyndon and Kendrick whip Gargano and Donst back first into a wall. Kendrick misses a backflip and gets sent into a wall. Gargano superkicks Lyndon and brings him back into the ring. Donst and Gargano double team Lyndon while Kendrick recovers in the crowd. Flexor distracts Gargano on the floor, allowing Lyndon to somersault dive onto him. Dawson blocks Donst from helping him out. This allows Aeroform to bring Gargano to their corner and beat him down. Gargano manages to catch Kendrick with a slingshot spear, allowing him to tag Donst in. Lyndon however distracts Dawson from seeing the tag. Gargano shoves Kendrick into the Lyndon and drops them both with a reverse STO/DDT combo. Dawson sees Gargano’s second tag out, letting Donst to clean house. He suplexes Lyndon and moves so that Kendrick frogsplashes Lyndon. He gut wrench suplexes Kendrick twice, then Aeroform simultaneously. Gargano suicide dives onto Lyndon and then Kendrick. Donst drops Kendrick with the Gator Roll. Dawson slow counts, giving Lyndon time to break up the pin. Lyndon sends Donst to the floor. Gargano rolls Lyndon into a low enzuigiri. Lyndon pump kicks Gargano in the corner. He moonsaults into a Dragon sleeper. Donst breaks the hold. Donst bulldogs Lyndon. Lyndon responds with an enzuigiri. He looks for a moonsault but Gargano catches him mid-air with a dropkick. Gargano lawn darts him into the corner and nails a running knee strike. Kendrick moonsaults onto him to break the pin. Kendrick hurancanrana’s Donst in the corner. Donst delivers the Donst Cap and German suplexes him out of the corner for two. Kendrick hits a Pele kick. Donst suplexes him into the corner for two. Kendrick huracanrana’s Donst off of Lyndon’s shoulders for two. Kendrick accidentally enzuigiri’s Lyndon. Gargano superkicks both members of Aeroform. Gargano hits Lyndon with the IED. Donst drops Kendrick with an STO. He brings Lyndon off with a super Donstitution. Donst then transitions into the CHIKARA Special. Gargano drops Kendrick with the Hurts Donut into the Gargano Escape. Both Aeroform members are tapping out while Flexor distracts Dawson. Donst gets poweder thrown in his eyes, allowing him to accidentally attack Gargano. Lyndon pins Gargano at 18:50. That was a very good tag match up until the cheap finish. It stinks to get that invested in a match that long only for it to end that way, even if I do understand why it was done. It made more sense in the Beverly match then it did here. Donst and Gargano did a good job as a team and I continue to wonder where this angle is going. ***1/4

Hailey Hatred vs. Cherry Bomb

Hatred and Bomb exchange holds. Things heat up with them throwing kicks at each other’s legs and then trading chops. Hatred wins that exchange and back elbows Bomb for two. Hatred throws her down for two. Hatred puts on a half crab. Bomb gets the ropes to break it. Bomb ducks a kick and hits one of her own. She wheelbarrows into an armdrag. She headscissors Hatred to the corner. She drop toe holds Hatred into the corner and dropkicks her posterior. Bomb hits a running dropkick from the floor to Hatred’s temple. Hatred rolls to the floor. Bomb follows with a crossbody from the second turnbuckle. Bomb kicks Hatred multiple times in the chest. Hatred catches Bomb’s crossbody attempt and slams her for two. Bomb grabs the ropes to break a cross armbreaker. Hatred throws Bomb out of a gordbuster then kicks her in the side of the head for two. Bomb recovers and hits a top rope dropkick for two. She wheelbarrows Hatred into a prawn hold for two. She also gets two with a Magistral cradle. Hatred suplexes Bomb onto her head for two. Bomb dropkicks Hatred to the corner. A running knee strike in the corner leads to Bomb putting Hatred in the Cattle Mutilation. Hatred puts her foot on the ropes to escape. Hatred boots Bomb for two. Bomb kicks Hatred from the floor. She drops Hatred with a sit-out Death Valley Driver for two. Hatred shrugs off two superkicks. She gets up after a German suplex and lariats Bomb for two. Hatred deadlifts Bomb into another German suplex for two. Hatred punts Bomb in the temple. She hits a running Liger bomb for the pin at 11:09. This is better action than you will see out of the women’s divisions in WWE or TNA, but I honestly expected more from Hatred in her return. She didn’t do a bad job at all, but really didn’t live up to the hype that a long absence and runs in Japan and Mexico would make you think. Bomb really has become the new women’s star to watch in AIW and I hope she gets a shot for the title soon. **3/4

AIW Tag Team Championship
Irish Airborne (Jake & Dave Crist) (Champions) vs. The Olsen Twins (Colin & Jimmy Olsen)

Some shenanigans delay the opening bell. Colin and Jake lock-up and break in the corner. They exchange a few quick pin attempts and then tag out to their partners. Jimmy and Jake fight over a headlock around the ring, causing them to spill to the floor, but not after both their partners blind tagged themselves in. Jake keeps his headlock on Jimmy as they walk around the building. Jake and Colin trade waistlocks. They stop their action once they realize what is going on with their partners. Jake throws Jimmy on the floor with a headlock takeover. Jake suplexes Colin and Dave comes in with a top rope senton for two. Colin armdrags him twice and hairmares him thrice. Colin and Jimmy take turns twisting Jake’s Mohawk. Jake escapes their grasp by giving Jimmy a neckbreaker in the tree of woe position. He tags out to Jake who nails Colin with a spinwheel kick. He and Jake get a kick in on Jimmy. Jake pins him for two after a quebrada press. The Airborne double team Jimmy in the corner. Jake frogsplashes his back but Colin breaks the pin. Colin gives Dave the Golden Gate swing. Both Olsens hit Jake with a missile dropkick. Colin Gory Bombs him onto his knees, followed by Jimmy delivering a low huracanrana for two. The Olsens give Jake a double stomp/tombstone piledriver, and Jake kicks out at one! Jake throws some weak shots that don’t connect and falls on his face from the pain. He thwarts the Olsens offense and takes out Jimmy with superkicks. Colin victory rolls Jake for two. Dave dives onto Jimmy and Aeroform, who made their way out to watch the match. Jake superplexes Colin and follows up with a brainbuster. Jake gets the pin after a running knee strike at 16:27. No matter what combination of teams you put together, the three teams mentioned in this match can do no wrong with each other. This wasn’t as crazy as their previous bouts but really exciting and hard hitting. It’s worth mentioning again just how much better these teams are now, and if you have not seen them lately, give them another shot. ***1/4

Absolute Championship
Shiima Xion (Champion) vs. Rickey Shane Page

Chest Flexor is in Xion’s corner. Page removes Xion’s Impact Wrestling shirt and wipes his ass with it. Page controls Xion on the mat and manages to get a two count. Xion also gets a two count to shove it in Page’s face. Xion rolls Page into the Filipino Facelock. Page reverses into a cloverleaf. Xion grabs the ropes to break it very quickly. Page has himself a violence party after a double clutch armdrag. Xion rakes his eyes and comes out of the corner with a twisting crossbody. Page rams Xion’s face into the turnbuckle. He back elbows Xion to the floor. Xion evades a senton and connects with a baseball slide. Page has another violence party against the ring post. Xion whips Page into the guardrail. Page pops Xion over the guardrail and into the AIW merch table. Page applies the cloverleaf on top of the merch table. Xion passes out but it means nothing since it’s not in the ring. Xion throws Page into some chairs and hits him with an action figure. Ringside, Page manages to hit a tope con hilo while Xion is sitting on a folding chair. Flexor distracts Page, allowing Xion to knock Page off the ring apron and into the guardrails. Xion rams his knees into Page’s back and punts him in the side of the head. Page backdrops Xion and kicks him in the back on the way down. Page Saito suplexes him and then German suplexes him for two. Page boots Xion into a stomp for two. Xion crotches Page on the top rope. Page manages to recover and deliver a super Death Valley Driver for two. Page misses a twisting senton. Xion superkicks him and hits a cruxifix bomb. Page gets up and delivers a rolling elbow for two. Xion hot shots Page into a neckbreaker. He gets two with a second rope moonsault. Flexor accidentally throws powder in Xion’s face. Page schoolboys him, but Xion still manages to kick out at two. Xion accidentally superkicks referee Jake Clemons while blinded. He pins Clemons and Page makes the count to confuse him As Xion is celebrating, Xion hits the rolling elbow. Another referee runs out to count, but Flexor pulls him out and knocks him down. Referee Dave Dawson then makes his way out to officiate. Page gets in his face. Xion jumps in with a tornado DDT for two. Xion hits a 450 splash for two, then transitions right into the Filipino Facelock. Page rolls him into a pin to break it. Xion then puts on an armbreaker. Page submits at 20:03. Page has earned his spot atop the AIW roster and I’m thrilled to see him have a good contest with the champion. I really like that the Flexor Industries stuff has yet to reach the point of annoyance and actually adds to the match. Kudos to AIW for wisely working the story, and for both wrestlers working hard. ***1/2

BJ Whitmer runs out to clean house. Whitmer challenges Xion to a title match at “Hell On Earth 7” next month. Xion says Whitmer doesn’t have what it takes to get the title. Whitmer lays out a challenge for a title match right now. Xion pretends like he’s going to accept but instead bails. Whitmer would end up getting his title shot at “Hell On Earth 7”.

Overall: For the purposes of quality matches and storyline advancement, “They Live” gets an easy recommendation. There’s not a single bad match on the show and the diversity of the matches makes the show fly by. Of course, if Davey Richards is the main draw for you buying the show, not only will you enjoy his match but others on the show equally if not more. You can pick this show up at AIW’s store or at Smart Mark Video.

New York, NY – 9.17.2011

Commentary is provided by Kevin Kelly and Dave Prazak.

Homicide & Jay Lethal vs. The Embassy (Tommaso Ciampa & Rhino)

Lethal and Homicide send The Embasy to the floor before the bell. Ciampa knocks down Lethal with a shoulder block. Lethal hip tosses Ciampa into a low dropkick. Ciampa tags in Rhino. Lethal hits a back handspring elbow for two. Homicide tags in and Rhino backs away. Rhino press slams Homicide and delivers a shoulder block. Rhino shoves off a tornado DDT but takes a neckbreaker for two. Ciampa lays in a flurry of strikes to Homicide in the corner. Homicide fights off the rest of the Embassy and clotheslines Ciampa. Lethal tags in. Homicide knocks Ciampa down with a back elbow allowing Lethal to get a two count. Lethal gets dropkicked into the barricade. Rhino and Ciampa isolate Lethal in their corner. Lethal side steps The Gore and superkicks Rhino to sneak in a tag to Homicide. He gives Ciampa the Three Amigos after some punches. Rhino breaks up the pin. Homicide sends him out with a headscissors. He ducks Ciampa’s clothesline and suicide dives onto Rhino. Ciampa Northern Lights suplexes Homicide for two. Ciampa clobbers Homicide with three running knee strikes in the corner. Homicide blocks the Project Ciampa with an ace crusher. Rhino breaks the pin. Lethal takes himself and Rhino to the floor with a huracanrana. Homicide goes for the Cop Killa on Ciampa. Ciampa turns it into Project Ciampa for the pin at 11:17. ROH has a ton of fantastic young talent, but I really do not think Ciampa gets the credit he deserves. He always does a very good job and is a great fit for the new Embassy. The other three did a great job too and put together a fun opener. ***

Shelton Benjamin vs. Mike Bennett

Bennett goes between to the ropes to break an aggressive lock-up in the corner. Benjamin stomps on Bennett’s hand. Bennett knees Benjamin and punches him in the face. Benjamin fights back causing Bennett to bail to the floor. He comes back in, only to get sent back out with a hip toss. Benjamin chases Bennett around the ring. Brutal Bob grabs Benjamin’s leg and throws him off the apron into the guardrail. Bennett drops Benjamin back first on the ring frame. Bennett clobbers Benjamin with multiple right hands back in the ring. He suplexes Benjamin for two. The fans get more hostile with their chants as Bennett continues to stay on offense. Benjamin small packages him for two. Benjamin counters a suplex with a neck breaker. Both men trade punches mid-ring. Benjamin backdrops Bennett and delivers a Samoan drop for two. Benjamin hits a Rydeen Bomb for two. Bennett blocks the Pay Dirt with a backbreaker for two. Bennett missile dropkicks him for two. Benjamin rolls him up for two. He drops Bennett nearly on his neck with a German suplex. Evans puts Bennett foot on the bottom rope. Evans accidentally throws Benjamin’s foot into a roundhouse kick on Bennett. He superkicks Evans and drops Bennett with the Pay Dirt for the pin at 10:53. Nothing was bad per se, but this was very basic and not all that exciting. The hostility against Bennett really should send a message to Ring of Honor. In case you don’t get it by now, people dislike Bennett in all the wrong ways. **1/2

Elimination Match
Future Shock (Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly) vs. The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. The Bravado Bros. (Harlem & Lancelot Bravado)

Harlem and Lance jump Future Shock after shaking their hands. They send the Young Bucks to the floor and stomp on Future Shock some more. Cole and O’Reilly send the Bravado’s out. Cole pescado’s onto Lance. The Bucks take Cole and Lance out with the Crazy Dive. Harlem dropkicks the Bucks to the floor and moonsaults onto Lance and Nick. Matt superkicks Harlem and O’Reilly dives off the apron to dropkick him into the guardrail. Lance throws shots at O’Reilly and Nick. O’Reilly lights him up with kicks. Nick and O’Reilly double elbow Lance. Cole tags in and takes out Lance with some tandem offense. Nick hits a springboard splash and Harlem breaks the pin. Nick superkicks Harlem to the floor. Nick tags in and drop Lance with a wheelbarrow facebuster/ace crusher combo. Harlem attacks Cole from behind just as Cole and Matt are about to battle. Harlem back elbows Cole for two. Harlem suplexes Cole for two. Cole crucifix pins Harlem for two. Harlem enzuigiri’s Cole into a German suplex from Lance. O’Reilly breaks the pin. Matt drops Harlem with an Asai DDT. Harlem pump kicks him. Nick comes in from the apron with a slingshot X-Factor. O’Reilly puts Nick on his shoulders on the floor. Cole suicide dives onto Nick. Matt suplexes Lance off the apron onto the floor. Cole crossbody’s onto Harlem for two. Harlem rolls him up for two. Cole superkicks Harlem into the Ride The Lightning from O’Reilly and Cole for the elimination. The Bucks and Future Shock trade forearms. Nick dropkicks O’Reilly off the apron. Matt powerbombs Cole twice. He hits a Buckle Bomb. The Bucks drop Cole with a tandem tombstone piledriver and O’Reilly makes the save. O’Reilly takes the Bucks out with a double dragonscrew leg whip. O’Reilly suplexes Matt and baits Nick into a triangle choke with elbow strikes. Cole puts Matt in a Guillotine choke. Matt falls onto Nick and O’Reilly to break both holds. O’Reilly enzuigiri’s Matt. Nick superkicks Cole to block Ride The Lightning. A sequence of superkicks and a lariat knock all four men down. The Bucks hit Cole with More Bang For Your Buck for the victory at 10:50. This match to me is what Ring of Honor should be about: old school psychology with a new, fresh style of wrestling. The Bravados left the flash and panache to the other two teams since they’re heels. When it comes to the flash, the other two teams delivered in spades. I really like all three teams and see just how awesome ROH’s tag division has become. The Bucks refuse to shake hands afterward. ***1/2

El Generico vs. Jimmy Jacobs

It should be noted that Kevin Steen is sitting in the crowd for this match. Even though Cornette banned him, he purchased a ticket and claims to be there as just a fan. Both men break two separate lock-ups cleanly in the corner. They feel each other out both on their feet and on the mat. Jacobs gives Generico a cute “huss” after an armdrag. Jacobs takes Generico over with a headscissors. Generico catches him with a backbreaker for two. Generico gets two again with a standing moonsault. Jacobs gets fired up from Generico’s strikes. He spears Generico and gives him a neckbreaker. Jacobs sends Generico to the floor, avoiding a yakuza kick. Jacobs follows with a suicide dive. In the ring Jacobs gets two with a swinging DDT. Jacobs blocks a yakuza kick. Generico blocks the Contra Code with a spin-out slam for two. Generico hits the Michinoku Driver for two. Generico sends him to the corner with a half-nelson suplex. Jacobs puts Generico in the End Time to block the yakuza kick. Jacobs sunset flips Generico for two. Jacobs jumps off the second rope and delivers an ace crusher for two. Generico catches Jacobs with the yakuza kick and sets him up for the super brainbuster. Jacobs fights Generico to the ring apron and spears him back first onto it for two. Generico yakuza kicks Jacobs as Jacobs goes to the top rope. Jacobs rights off the super brainbuster with a super tornado DDT. Steen jumps the guardrail. He says he’s never going away and gets the fans to chant ROH. Steen’s mic gets cut off as he trash talks Jacobs. A bunch of staff and security come out to take Steen away, including Jim Cornette. The match is ruled a No Contest at 11:50. This match was going along really well until the finish and looked like it was about to get good. While that is a tad irksome, for Kevin Steen, this finish is completely worth it. **3/4

Jimmy Jacobs and Steen start fighting. Steen powerbombs him on the ring apron. Generico tope con hilo’s into the crowd, except Steen who manages to slide into the ring. Steen fights off everyone in the ring until Ring of Honor president Cary Silken comes into the ring and tries to calm Steen down. Steen sets up Cary for the Package Piledriver but security manages to get him to the corner. Others are restraining Generico and Cornette. Steen gets sent through the crowd and Generico has to be stopped from chasing after him. This angle is by far the most interesting thing ROH is doing right now. Steen is a white hot star between his work here and PWG and I can’t wait to see him back on the roster in ROH.

Charlie Haas vs. Michael Elgin

Elgin is accompanied by Truth Martini. Haas takes Elgin to the mat in a side headlock. Elgin escapes but gets taken down again with a pair of armdrags. Haas inflicts damage to Elgin’s arm before applying a modified armbar. Elgin gets the ropes to break. Haas shoulder tackles him in the corner and butterfly suplexes him for two. Elgin pitches Haas to the ring apron. Haas goes for a slingshot maneuver. Martini grabs Haas’ leg to block it, allowing Elgin to knock Haas to the floor. Haas chases Martini, baiting him to take a flying shoulder block from Elgin off the apron. Elgin then hits one off the top rope back in the ring for two. Elgin digs his knee into Haas’ back and pulls back on his arms. Haas goes for an Angle Slam. Elgin blocks it. He and Haas collide with stereo clotheslines two times. They knock each other down the third time. Haas and Elgin trade punches and forearms. Haas wins the exchange and back elbows Elgin in the corner. He German suplexes him four times for a two count. Haas powerslams Elgin for two. Elgin drops him with a wrist-clutch piledriver for two. Haas dropkicks Elgin to the floor. Elgin whips Haas into the guardrail. Haas slides off Elgin’s back and drops him back first on the guardrail. Elgin superplexes Haas back in the ring for two. Haas German superplexes Elgin to prevent him from coming off the ropes. Haas big boots Elgin for two. Haas nails him with a lariat for the pin at 12:42. You know for all that concentration on the back, a lariat for the win is really deflating for a crowd that already wasn’t responsive. This was rather disappointing. Elgin’s power was not utilized to its full effect and Haas did nothing to make this a stand-out bout. Technically fine, but not all that interesting. **1/2

”Ringmaster’s Challenge” – 2 out of 3 Falls Match
Eddie Edwards vs. Roderick Strong

The first fall is pinfalls only, the second fall is submissions only and the third fall (if necessary) is a 15-minute Iron Man match. In the initial exchange, Strong does a small bit of damage to Edwards’ arm. Each guy tries a quick pin attempt to no avail. Edwards takes a forearm in most every corner. Edwards huracanrana’s and suplexes him for two. Strong rolls Edwards into a low superkick for two. Strong back suplexes him for two. Strong pitches Edwards to the floor. Strong follows out and barrages Edwards with strikes against the guardrails. Strong gives him a backbreaker in the ring for two. They exchange forearm strikes. Edwards throws him with a release German suplex. Edwards suplexes Strong and hits a super dropkick for two. Edwards goes for the Chin Checker. Strong instead slams him for two. Edwards delivers a flying Code Breaker. Strong counters with the End of Heartbreak for the pin at 12:00. Strong keeps control at the start of the second fall. He goes for a crossface, transitioning into an armbar. Edwards puts his foot on the rope to break it. Edwards gets the ropes to block the Stronghold, so Strong slingshots him throat first into the bottom rope. Edwards drops him face first and applies an STF. Edwards kicks Strong off the ring apron. He misses a pescado and eats Strong’s knee strike. Strong suplexes Edwards onto a folding chair. Strong puts on the Strong Hold. Edwards gets the ropes to break it. Edwards delivers a gut buster. Edwards escapes a uranage and rolls Strong into the Achilles Lock. Strong taps out at 20:24

Edwards dives onto Strong on the floor to start the third fall. Edwards suplexes Strong on the floor. He dragon kicks Strong back in the ring for two. He suplexes Strong into a facebuster for two. Truth Martini distracts Edwards when he goes to the top rope. Strong drops Edwards back first on the top turnbuckle. Strong gives him a regular backbreaker for two. The match spills to the floor where Strong gives Edwards the Tiger Driver on the entrance ramp. The fans are so enraptured in the action that they chant Twinkies at Todd Sinclair. Edwards makes it back in the ring in time and even has the strength to block another Stronghold. Edwards enuzigiri’s Strong thrice and hits the Chin Checker for two. Edwards Saito suplexes him but Strong puts his foot on the ropes. Strong rams Edwards’ back into the ring frame. Edwards superplexes Strong for two. Strong blocks Die Hard with a crucifix pin. Both men desperately go for a pinfall but to no avail. Martini holds Edwards’ leg to allow Strong to get a pin with a backslide. Martini goes to hit Strong with the Book of Truth. Edwards superkicks Martini and drops Strong with Die Hard for a pin, tying the match up at one fall a piece. Neither guy scores another fall when the 15 minute time limit expires. Jim Cornette comes out. He says the match will go to Sudden Death, meaning whomever scores the next fall is the victor. They trade strikes for awhile. Edwards gets two with a Dragon suplex. Strong comes back with the Sick Kick for two. Strong then hits the Tiger Suplex for two. Strong goes for the Death By Roderick off the second rope. Edwards counters with a huracanrana. He hits the Gut Buster and Strong hits the Sick Kick knocking them both down. Edwards blocks a super Tiger Driver and kicks Strong to the apron. Edwards double stomps Strong on the apron. Edwards double stomps him on the back for two. Edwards powerbombs Strong twice for two. Edwards drops him with Die Hard for the pin at 44:13.

I don’t know what happened here, but that was really boring. Maybe because it went nearly 45 minutes and was two out of three falls for absolutely no reason. Both these guys had awesome matches at Manhattan Mayhem IV and Supercard of Honor VI, so I was expecting something really great here. Instead we got the usual stuff over and over again. It wasn’t even bad, but just not interesting in any way possible. I give them credit for keeping things physical and in motion for the entire time, but I never need to see this again. With Davey vs Edwards, I felt angry. This match I just never cared and kept checking my watch. That to me is much worse. **3/4

Ladder War III
The All Night Express (Kenny King & Rhett Titus) vs. The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe)

The winner of this match is the first team to grab the contract hanging above the wing. The contract is for a shot at the ROH Tag Team Championship on November 19th in Chicago, IL at “Glory By Honor X”. The Briscoes attack the ANX from behind. Mark pitches Titus to the floor and helps team up on King. Mark dropkicks Titus and bring a ladder into the ring. Titus brings Jay to the floor and King sends Mark out as well. Jay hits Titus in the back with a chair. King sends Jay into the barricade with shotgun knees, but then gets backdropped through a table by Mark. Jay sets a ladder between the ring and barricade. Jay and Mark team up on Titus back in the ring. Jay throws Titus face first into a chair in the corner. Titus avoids being backdropped on the ladder and instead suplexes Mark onto it. Titus then tope’s onto both King and Jay on the floor. King and Titus dropkick a ladder into Jay’s crotch. Titus splashes Jay on the ladder. King kicks Mark off the ring apron. They put the ladder on Jay’s neck and shove the ladder into the corner. King slingshot dives onto Mark who has a piece of table in his hands. Mark throws a chair at Titus whose face is covered in blood. Mark throws a chair at King’s shoulder. Jay tosses King shoulder first into the barricade while Titus shoves a ladder into Mark’s head in the ring. King moonsaults onto Jay from the barricade. Off screen Jay suplexes Titus on the entrance ramp. Mark somersault sentons off the apron onto King. Jay sets Titus on a ladder on top of two chairs and sentons off the apron onto him. Jay hits King with a chair from the floor and Mark suplexes him. The Briscoes double hip toss King onto a ladder in the corner. Jay then throws a chair right into King’s head. Jay dropkicks the chair into his head as Titus brings a broken piece of table into the ring. Titus pushes Mark off the top rope and through a table to block a Spike Jay Driller to King. King slams the chair into Jay’s head. The ANX put Jay through a table with the One Night Stand. Titus begins to climb the ladder. Mark dropkicks it out from under him. The Briscoes pull out an even taller ladder. They beat down Titus and place him on a table in the entrance way. Mark splashes off the ladder onto Titus through the table. King and Jay fight in the ring while their partners recover. King hits a shooting star press. King and Jay fight atop of the ladder. King grabs the contract for the victory at 27:54. I think this was an awesome capper to what I believe to be ROH’s best feud this year. The fact that nobody even attempted to climb the ladder for about twenty minutes I really dug, as no team was close to giving up that early on. Titus and Mark were taken out in a way that didn’t seem contrived and King’s grabbing of the contract cemented himself and Titus as one of the top teams in ROH. This may not have been the craziest Ladder War, but I could argue that it was the best “worked” of the bunch. ****

Overall: The Ringmaster’s Challenge and the Haas/Benjamin singles matches fell flat and to me did not live up to expectations. However, I was very pleased with the rest of the card. The opening tag match was much better than I figured it would be, the three team elimination bout was better than the Bucks/Future Shock match from the last iPPV and the Briscoes/ANX did a great job culminating their feud. Steen’s appearance was another highlight that deserves mentioning, as he always is a blast when he comes in. For a card that came after the Kings of Wrestling left and Davey Richards was in Japan, they did a good job putting together an entertaining card. Like Richards from Edwards from the last PPV, I’m sure many of you probably enjoyed the Ringmaster’s Challenge more than I did. Mildly recommended.

Lakewood, OH – 7.29.2011

Commentary is provided by Pedro Deluca and Aaron Bauer.

We open Guys Night Out 2 with Flexor Industries arriving in a limousine, greeted by Aaron Bauer. Johnny Gargano runs out to attack them but is held back by a myriad of staff and security. Once Flexor Industries is inside the building, Flexor asks Aaron Bauer to ask Gargano a litany of humbling, embarrassing questions. Gargano has no time for Bauer and tells him that Flexor is dead tonight.

”Guys Night Out 2” Pre-Show

Kobald vs. Eric Ryan

Ryan puts on a fan’s (Winston!) Kobald mask. Kobald slaps it off Ryan’s face. Kobald takes him down to the mat and applies a side headlock. Ryan reverses and brings Kobald to the mat. Ryan escapes a headscissors. Kobald berates a fan and gets schoolboyed by Ryan. He lights up Ryan’s chest with strikes. Ryan comes back with a Death Valley Driver. Kobald rolls to the floor. Ryan follows out with a spear but goes face first into a guardrail! Kobald stalks Ryan as he limps around ringside. They trade strikes until Kobald suplexes Ryan onto the entrance ramp. They fight to the backstage area. Façade of all people throws Kobald out from the back. He insists on making this match a three way.

Kobald vs. Eric Ryan vs. Façade

Kobald chops Façade back in the ring. Some back and forth sees Façade O’Conner roll Kobald for two. He then hits a springboard dropkick to a seated Kobald. Façade backflips out of the corner and hits a matrix leg lariat. Ryan re-enters the match with a missile dropkick to Façade. Façade pitches Ryan to the floor. Façade hits a springboard splash. Back in the ring he walks the top rope but misses a crossbody. Ryan drops him with an inside out driver for two. Façade legdrops Ryan on the middle rope then springboards into a bulldog. He misses a split-legged moonsault and puts Façade in the Koji Clutch. Façade passes out at 8:18 (total). Ryan going over was the right call, but this was really disjointed. Façade’s offense looked reckless and there was never any interaction with all three opponents at once. *1/2

Rickey Shane Page vs. Mad Man Pondo

Pondo brought back Miss Natalie, the hot chick from the TPI. He of course asks Page for a No Disqualification match. He agrees in a roundabout way. Page does a little wrestling to screw with Pondo. Pondo trips him into a leg lock and Page grabs the bottom rope. Pondo grabs his SOTP sign and Page bails to the floor. Page comes back in and bails when Pondo grabs the sign again. In the ring, Page ducks a sign smash and goes for a sunset flip. Of course, Pondo throws the chair at Page’s face to stop his attempt. Pondo busts out the light tubes. He kicks a tube into Page’s groin and it explodes. Pondo throws him face first into a chair and smashes a beer can on his head. He then slides a chair into Page’s groin. Page throws Pondo into a scaffold and kicks him. He hits Pondo with a trashcan. Pondo uses a fan in a wheelchair and places his wheel on Page’s throat. Page responds by choking Pondo with an electric cable. Pondo suplexes Page on the floor. Pondo brings Page to the outside of the building and throws a cigarette disposal at him. Pondo then tosses Page into some bushes. Page uses the tree for a dropkick for two. Pondo snapmares Page in the road and hits a senton for two. Pondo brings Page back to the ringside area. Pondo puts a lighttube in Page’s mouth and shoves him into the ring post. The blow gets Pondo a two count. In the ring Page hits an enzuigiri. He puts a light tube down Pondo’s shirt and kicks it into the side of his head for two. Page misses a senton. Natalie hands Pondo a chair. He sets up Page for the Silencer. He hits it on the chair for two. Page ducks a STOP sign smash. Page sends the sign into Pondo’s face with a rolling forearm for the pin at 12:35. This was quite the brawl and showed once again just how crazy and tough Page is. I appreciate them doing more than the usual stuff you see in these matches. ***

Page thanks Pondo as a hardcore legend. They embrace, and then Pondo puts him over as well. He promises to bring back Miss Natalie every time if the fans ask the AIW brass to keep bringing him back.

Gregory Iron makes his way to the ring. He tells the crowd the tale of how this past Saturday, Colt Cabana and CM Punk gave him praise at AAW’s Scars & Stripes 2011 show. He sees things are supposed to be bigger and better than him from now on, so he’s curious to find out who his opponent is. CM Punk’s entrance music hit, only to be cut off by Bobby Beverly’s music. Beverly is dressed like CM Punk circa 2002 and is accompanied by Chest Flexor, “The Chad” Williams and Flexor Industries referee Dave Dawson. Beverly tells Iron that he makes him sick because he works harder than Iron and yet doesn’t get admiration from someone like CM Punk. He promises to end Iron’s career tonight. Dawson is the official for the match.

Gregory Iron vs. Bobby Beverly

Iron attacks Beverly from behind. Beverly goes to the floor and Iron follows out with a suicide dive. Iron clotheslines Beverly from the ring apron and comes back with a springboard senton. Dawson slow counts him for two. Iron back elbows Beverly and Dawson of course slow counts again. Beverly kicks Iron to avoid a corner attack. Iron catches Beverly coming off the ropes. He hits the Gimp Slap and delivers ten punches in the corner. Iron crossbody’s Beverly and Dawson slow counts. Iron gets in Dawson’s face. Beverly nails him with a pump kick for two. Beverly suplexes him for two. Iron sunset flips him for one. Beverly hits a single leg dropkick and pitches Iron to the floor. Flexor and Williams attack Iron on the floor. Williams throws him into the guardrails twice. Beverly ducks a clothesline and hits an enzuigiri for two. Beverly applies a rear chinlock. Iron backs Beverly to the corner and comes out with a bulldog. Dawson purposefully distracts himself to avoid counting Iron’s pin. Iron drops him with a reverse DDT for slow two count. Williams grabs Iron to avoid him from going to the top rope. Beverly and Iron fight on the turnbuckles. Iron knocks him off and hits a flying elbow. Dawson slow counts two. Iron gets in Dawson’s face. Beverly low blows Iron and rolls him up for the pin at 8:15. This was a really solid encounter to solidify just how stacked Flexor has put the cards in his favor. I would like an explanation as to how Flexor is able to get Dawson to serve as the referee for matches involving his guys. I mean, AIW wouldn’t purposefully put him in there right? **3/4

Flexor Industries attacks Iron after the match. Johnny Gargano runs out to make the save. He dives onto Williams and Beverly, then chases Flexor around the building. Williams catches him with a boot. Gargano and Iron are beaten down and thrown into the guardrails. Williams throws Gargano back in the ring and Dawson quickly calls for the bell.

Johnny Gargano vs. Chest Flexor

Gargano kicks out at two. Flexor chokes Gargano on the middle rope. Beverly chokes Gargano behind Dawson’s back. Flexor gives him a gut buster for two, then slaps on a Camel Clutch. Flexor pushes Gargano to the floor where Williams gets in a couple more punches. Flexor drops him with a neckbreaker and puts his feet on the bottom rope for a two count. Gargano fights off Beverly and Williams as they try to interfere. Flexor throws powder into Gargano’s eyes and Dawson pretends not to see it. Williams and Beverly come in and take turns beating Gargano down. Tim Donst runs out with a 2×4 and takes out Beverly and Williams. He chases them (and Dawson) away, allowing Gargano to tackle and lay in a series of punches to Flexor. Gargano ties up Flexor in the ropes and batters him with superkicks. Gargano places a steel chair between the middle and top ropes in the corner. He lawn darts Flexor into the chair Gargano does it a second time. Gargano rams Flexor’s bloody head over and over in the steel guardrail. He continuously hurls chairs over and over onto Flexor. Gargano throws one last chair onto Flexor than heads backstage. Flexor, nearly dead, is helped to the back. This wasn’t really a match as it was an awesome segment to set-up the protagonists and antagonists in what I suspect will be the next long rivalry in AIW. I thought the way Gargano took out Flexor was perfect considering how he was screwed back at Absolution VI. This was an awesome next chapter in the Flexor Industries vs. AIW feud. Gargano officially won this match due to Flexor not being able to continue. N/R

Girls Night Out 4

K.C. vs. Mena Libra

Libra is wearing a medical boot, which she assures us is legal. Dave Dawson is the official for this match, which is interesting because Libra is an associate of Flexor Industries. Libra puts K.C. in a modified surfboard stretch. K.C. gets the ropes to break it. She applies a side headlock. Libra breaks it. K.C. counters a hip toss and delivers a pair of armdrags. K.C. drop toe holds her hurt foot, which Libra clutches right away. Libra throws K.C. face first into the corner after baiting her in (Libra was faking her injury). A Northern Lights suplex gets her a two count. Libra hits a Rude Awakening for two. Libra chops K.C. in the corner. She places K.C.in the ropes and comes at her with two flying hip attacks. Libra only manages a two count. K.C. rolls to avoid Libra’s stomp. K.C. delivers an atomic drop and a Manhattan drop. She splashes Libra in the corner and brings her out with a bulldog for two. Libra picks up K.C. for a Samoan Drop. K.C. fights off a schoolgirls Libra for two. Libra misses a corner splash. K.C. counters a kick and delivers a chinbreaker. Libra gets her boot up to avoid a double axe handle. It appears something bad may have happened to K.C., as Libra got the pin at 8:38. This was fine up until ending, which may have been due to a legitimate injury so there’s only so much complaining to be done. This started slow but got better once K.C. picked up on offense. **

Cherry Bomb vs. Veda Scott

Bomb takes Scott to the mat in a side headlock. Scott reverses into a headscissors. Bomb escapes and reapplies the side headlock. Scott transitions into a hammerlock. Bomb mares her into a pin for two. Scott leans back in order to bring Bomb down in an armdrag. Bomb kicks Scott to break an armhold. She kicks Scott to the mat and then chops her in the corner. Bomb evades a corner attack. She delivers a head kick from the apron then nails a missile dropkick for two. Scott drop toe holds Bomb to send her face first into the second rope. Scott chokes her on the middle rope. Scott puts Bomb in an abdominal stretch. Scott then brings her down in a vice hold. She crucifixes Bomb for a two count. Bomb does the same. Scott rams her shoulder into Bomb’s mid-section. She clothesline Bomb and delivers a bulldog for two. Bomb comes back with a diving forearm. She puts Scott in the Cattle Mutilation. Scott escapes and pitches Bomb to the floor. Bomb comes back in but quickly gets thrown out again. Bomb hits a running dropkick to Scott in the middle rope from the floor for two. Bomb lands a series of strike before dropkicking Scott from behind into the ring post. That’s enough to get Bomb the pin at 8:36. I was really impressed with both women here. This was a great back and forth match that got over Bomb huge with the Cleveland crowd while also showing off Scott’s competent in ring prowess. I’m happy knowing Bomb made a return, but I really hope Scott comes back as well. ***

Mickie Knuckles vs. Allysin Kay

Dave Dawson is the referee, because Allysin Kay is of course a member of Flexor Industries. Knuckles brings out an insanely tall women named Andrea to help counteract Jessicka Havok who is in Kay’s corner. An aggressive lock-up goes all around the ring. It spills to the mat and sends Kay to the ring apron. Kay ducks a clothesline and puts on a side headlock. Knuckles takes Kay down to the mat. They fight for control, leading up to their feet where Kay reapplies the headlock. Knuckles sends her to the floor with a hard forearm. Havok lies to Dawson and tells him that Andrea has brass knuckles, so Dawson ejects her from ringside. Meanwhile, Knuckles bodyscissors Kay and rolls her around the mat. Kay retreats to the floor to talk to Havok. Knuckles injures her knee as she goes through the ropes. This allows Kay to reapply the headlock and forearm Knuckles’ chest on the ring apron. Knuckles whips her into the guardrail. She charges after her but Kay moves just in time, causing Knuckles to hit the guardrail herself. In the ring Kay peppers Knuckles with knees to the face while wrenching on a side headlock. Kay distracts referee so Havok can get in some strikes from the floor. Kay applies a chinlock. Knuckles escapes with a chin breaker and Saito suplex. Knuckles delivers a backfist and a rolling forearm. Kay blocks a running attack but takes a belly-to-belly suplex anyways. Knuckles goes for a wristclutch suplex. Havok trips Knuckles and holds the leg, allowing Kay to get a fast count victory at 13:24. The amount of stalling from Kay got frustrating, and not in a good way. The finish didn’t do a lot for me either, but there’s a chance it could come back in the main event when Havok defends her title so I’m not opposed to it at the moment. **

Sara Del Rey vs. Sassy Stephie

Sara destroys Stephie with kicks at the start. She traps her in the ropes and kicks her in the chest for two. Sara brings her up for a leg-assisted suplex. Sara delivers an uppercut and DDT. A gutwrench suplex and a legdrop gets her a two count. Sara gives her a backbreaker for two. Sara applies a straightjacket choke and stretches Stephie back first across her knees. Stephie goes to Sara eyes to knock her down and finally deliver some strikes of her own. Stephie chokes Sara on the top rope. Stephie kicks Sara in the spine and skullf*cks her for two. Stephie puts Sara in the Last Chancery. Sara escapes and kicks Stephie in the chest. She axe kicks the back of Stephie’s head for two. Stephie applies a bodyscissors headlock. Sara rams her into the corner to break the hold. Stephie clotheslines her for two. Sara drops her with the Koppu Kick. She follows up with the Royal Butterfly for the pin at 10:40. Sara looked like a total monster against Stephie. She killed her for almost the entirety of the match and only was thwarted when Stephie cheated by raking her eyes. I feel bad for Stephie as the fans were BRUTAL towards her, and unjustly so. I don’t know what that was about. This was a great match to push Sara towards a future title shot. **3/4

Portia Perez and Roxie Cotton come out for their match. Cotton tells the live crowd that tonight is Roxie Cotton’s final match and asked for Perez because “she’s awesome”.

Roxie Cotton’s Retirement Match
Roxie Cotton vs. Portia Perez

Perez powers Cotton to the corner and breaks cleanly. Cotton does the same. Cotton fails to knock her down with a shoulder block. Cotton convinces Perez to give it a try. Cotton trips Perez as she tries to hit the ropes. Perez has a hissy fit on the floor. Perez lays in a series of forearms in the corner. Cotton and her criss-cross off the ropes. Cotton stops Perez and slaps her in the face. Perez evades a corner splash and drops Cotton’s arm across the top rope. Perez drops her with a neckbreaker for two. Perez digs her nails into Cotton’s eyes. Perez knocks her down with a back elbow for two. Cotton comes back with a boot to the side of her head. Cotton blocks an Irish whip with a slap to the face. She hits a running back elbow, a hip attack and a sliding forearm in the corner. Perez brings her out of the corner with a bulldog. A low DDT gets her two. Cotton avoids a headlock and applies a crossface. Perez gets her foot on the rope to break. Portia gets two with a jackknife pin. Cotton hits a Northern Lights suplex and goes to the middle rope. She misses a senton splash. Perez superkicks her for the pin at 10:56. I was never overly impressed with either woman and they didn’t do much here to change my mind. This was all pretty slow and basic, but I will say they played their characters very well. **

Perez raises Cotton’s arm as a sign of respect. Cotton cuts a promo I can’t understand due to the mic quality and the fans who won’t shut up, but she essentially attacks Perez after a faux retirement speech. She says she’s done being Roxie Cotton and will now go under the name Gabby Gilbert. She trash talks Perez and beats her down some more.

AIW Women’s Championship; First Blood Match
Jessicka Havok (Champion) vs. Angeldust

Dave Dawson is the referee for this match since Havok is a Flexor Industries member. Angeldust attacks Havok as Havok tries to enter the ring. Angeldust lays in kicks and strikes around ringside. Angeldust brings her back in the ring. Havok gets in a forearm and kick. Havok tree slams her in the corner. She knocks Angeldust down and chokes her. Havok pulls her out of the corner into a Boston Crab. Havok angrily rams her face into the mat multiple times. Havok pulls Angeldust up into a full body stretch. She punches Angeldust out of it. She picks up Angeldust in a modified full nelson. Angeldust ducks a clothesline and hits one of her own. Angeldust hits a lung blower. Angeldust delivers some more strikes on the floor. Havok responds with a kick to the chest. She throws her onto the entrance ramp and literally rubs the women’s championship in her face. Havok misses a back splash against the guardrail. Angeldust chokes Havok in the crowd. Havok responds by throwing a trashcan at her. Havok chokes her against the wall. They brawl back to the gimmick tables where Havok hits her elbow against a table. Angeldust pummels her on the ground and chokes Havok with her boot. Havok hurls Angeldust into a group of chairs. She goes to hit Angeldust with a chair, but Angeldust kicks it into her. Angeldust then throws the chair into Havok’s face. Havok rakes her eyes and spits beer into Angeldust’s face. Havok slams her on the steel chair back in the ring. Havok stomps the chair into Angeldust’s face repeatedly. Angeldust drop toe holds Havok into the chair and dropkicks it into her face. Angeldust drops her with an STO on the chair. Allysin Kay runs out and rubs something on Angeldust’s face. We see that Kay had rubbed blood on her face, causing her to lose at 15:23. That kind of hackneyed finish was totally expected and the action was real good up until that point. ***

Angeldust chases Kay to the back. Mickie Knuckles comes out to remind us that she had a title match with Jessicka Havok at Girls Night Out 3 scheduled, but Havok didn’t make it. Knuckles pulled out her contract from that show and it turns out she is eligible for a rematch whenever she wanted. She decides to take her rematch know, and referee Dave Dawson is replaced by Jake Clemons. Tim Donst and Johnny Gargano chase Dawson away to make sure the match is fair.

AIW Women’s Championship
Jessicka Havok (Champion) vs. Mickie Knuckles

Knuckles knocks Havok down with a clothesline and spear. She drops Havok with a pump-handle driver for the pin at 0:27. That was the great satisfying ending that all the BS earlier in the show was leading up to. That was a great way to take the sour taste out of the fans’ mouths and make it a nice, heartwarming ending. I love how Flexor Industries got screwed the same way they screwed Johnny Gargano at Absolution VI. Tim Donst and Johnny Gargano place the belt around Knuckles’ waist. N/R

Overall: It’s probably best to look at this show overall rather than match by match. This was essentially a show to set-up the main players in the AIW vs. Flexor Industries feud that will certainly encompass the majority of AIW’s cards for the distant future. In that way, they did a terrific job setting the groups apart and making their goals clear. The overall match quality suffered because of it, especially on the main card when some matches had no true backstory to the them, but I think it was a worthwhile gamble in order to set up for much bigger and better things down the road. I’d say if you’re completely focused on the in ring work to pick up the TPI or Absolution VI instead. But, if you really want to understand the fundamental storylines of a company, missing this show will lead you to missing a crucial piece in the overall puzzle.

Charlotte, North Carolina – 7.9.2011

Commentary is provided by Dave Prazak and Kevin Kelly.

Andy Ridge vs. Mike Bennett

Before the match, Bennett vows to end his losing streak tonight. Ridge immediately rolls him up for two a count. He sends Bennett to the corner with a pair of armdrags and a dropkick. Bennett evades a kick and boots Ridge to the mat. Ridge responds with a chest kick for two. Bennett rolls to the floor and Ridge follows out. Bennett ducks a flying attack and drops Ridge back first on the ring apron. Bennett delivers a trifecta of punches to Ridge’s face. Bennett hits a backbreaker in the ropes for two. Ridge responds with strikes in the corner. Bennett nails a corner clothesline. Ridge blocks a hip toss and backslides Bennett for two. A running knee strike takes Bennett down and fires Ridge up. He superkicks Bennett for two. Bennett accidentally crotches himself in the corner. Ridge kicks him in the back and nails a running boot. Ridge slingshot stunners Bennett for two. Bennett catches Ridge with a spinebuster for two. Ridge blocks a piledriver with a jackknife pin for two. Bennett ducks a spinning kick. He drops Ridge with a piledriver for the pin at 5:21. Ridge has a lot of potential, but he’s never going to go anywhere if they keep him in opening match purgatory with opponents the fans hate. **

Kenny King vs. Mark Briscoe

For this match. Jay Briscoe and Rhett Titus are handcuffed to the ring posts. King lays in some right hands before hitting a spinwheel kick. He suplexes Mark and delivers some more punches. Mark rakes King’s eyes to stop King’s stomping in the corner. King throws Mark into the corner and chops him. Jay grabs Mark’s legs so King can’t suplex him. Mark drops King stomach first on the top rope. He falls to the floor where Jay can kick him behind the referee’s back. Jay clotheslines and chops King with Mark’s aid. In the ring, Mark blasts King with a corner clothesline and brings him out with a bulldog for two. Titus grabs Mark’s foot from the floor. This allows King to send Mark to the floor with a tornado kick. King slams Mark’s head into the barricades. Titus gets in a few kicks before King slams Mark on the floor. Mark whips King into a superkick from Jay to shift the momentum again. In the ring Mark hits a shotgun dropkick for two. He pitches King back to the floor where Jay once again beats King. Mark comes to the floor as well. King whips him to Titus who backdrops him. King hits shotgun knees in the corner. He drops Mark neck first across the top rope and connects with a springboard clothesline for two. King cartwheel kicks Mark and drops him with a spinebuster for two. King misses a springboard senton. Mark hits a running knee strike and places King up top. He brings king down with an Iconoclasm for two. Mark calls for the cut-throat driver. King blocks that and a superkick. He drops Mark with the Coronation 8:36. This was a fun match with two guys who don’t get a lot of singles matches these days in ROH. The stipulation was utilized very well, as it wouldn’t have made sense for Titus and Jay to behave when their opponents were nearby. We’ll see how the stip carries over into the next match. **3/4

Rhett Titus vs. Jay Briscoe

For this match, Mark Briscoe and Kenny King are handcuffed to the ring posts. Titus and Jay slug it out right away. Titus lands a Thesz Press and continues to throw punches. A beautiful dropkick gets Titus a two count. Titus clotheslines Jay to the floor. Jay throws Titus head first into the barricades. Titus lawn darts Jay into Mark, then throws him into a big boot from King. Titus hits a sole butt and a pair of kicks to Jay’s head for two. Jay boots Titus and mows him down with a clothesline. Jay throws Titus to the floor. Mark slams Titus face first into the ring frame until Jay comes out and throws him into the barricades. Back in the ring, Jay stops Titus’ comeback with a reverse STO into the middle turnbuckle. Titus fires up from Jay’s flurry of punches. He hits a backspring elbow from the second rope. Titus delivers the Thrust Buster. Jay throws Titus to the apron. Titus kicks Jay in the side of the head. He ties Jay up in the ropes and basement dropkicks him to the floor. Titus follows with a tope con hilo. Titus misses a frog splash. Jay goes under the ring and grabs a pair of bolt cutters. Jay punches referee Paul Turner who tries to stop him. Jay cuts Mark free and enters the ring. The Briscoes beat down Titus as King tries desperately to free himself with some object. The urgency grows greater when Jay takes off his belt and whips Titus with it. Jay drops him with the Jay Driller. Referee Todd Sinclair calls for the bell at 10:02. I actually think this was a great backdrop in the bigger picture of both these teams’ feud. Having the Briscoes beat the snot out of Titus gave ANX the fire they needed to become just as violent as The Briscoes, and will truly have a better chance when the teams face off in the future. **1/2

The Briscoes prevent Todd Sinclair from cutting King free. They continue to beat on Titus until Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin run out to make the save. Finally freed, King checks on his partner.

The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly

Edwards and Cole reach a stalemate after a fun opening exchange. O’Reilly and Richards do the same but have a very different and more strike heavy encounter. O’Reilly goes toe-to-toe with Richards when exchanging kicks to the chest. O’Reilly manages to knock Richards off his feet and tags in Cole. A series of tandem kicks gets Cole a two count. A pair of back elbows gets O’Reilly two. He goes for a triangle choke, but Richards rolls into a jackknife pin for two. O’Reilly and Richards trade strikes in the corner, O’Reilly kicks him in the side of the head for two. Richards crotches O’Reilly on the top rope. Edwards kicks him into a tree of woe, and The Wolves deliver stereo dropkicks to O’Reilly’s face. The Wolves isolate O’Reilly and methodically wear him down. O’Reilly blocks a kick from Richards, just in time to sneak in an enzuigiri. He throws Richards’ leg to Edwards, allowing him to dragonscrew leg whip both Wolves simultaneously. He tags in Cole who missile dropkicks Richards to the floor. He knocks down Edwards with a dropkick. Cole blocks a suplex with an enzuigiri and sunset flips Edwards for two. Cole hits a second rope leg lariat for two. Both men trade forearm strikes and chops. Cole drops Edwards neck first across his knee for two. Edwards drops Cole with the backpack chin breaker for two. The Wolves accidentally kick each other trying to go for Cole. O’Reilly blind tags in and drops Edwards with a tornado DDT. Cole and O’Reilly hit a crossbody/suplex combo for two. Edwards fights Cole on the second rope. Cole evades a double stomp, but Edwards rolls him into the Achilles Lock. O’Reilly puts Richards in a Guillotine choke at the same time. Richards counters into the ankle lock, leaving O’Reilly and Cole trapped in submissions. A series of moves knocks everyone down. O’Reilly and Richards go back to trading kicks and strikes. A rolling lariat from Richards gets him a two count. He immediately turns into the ankle lock. Edwards stops Cole from breaking, until Cole DDT’s him on the ring apron. O’Reilly turns the hold into a sharpshooter. Richards small packages him for two. Cole enzuigiri’s Richards from the floor, and O’Reilly gives him two butterfly suplexes. O’Reilly DDT’s Richards into a German suplex from Cole. They deliver stereo kicks but Edwards breaks the pin attempt. Cole misses a pescado. Edwards dragonscrews O’Reilly in the ropes. Edwards double stomps O’Reilly in the ropes for two. Edwards lariats O’Reilly for two. O’Reilly counters a powerbomb by putting Edwards in a Guillotine choke. Edwards pops O’Reilly off. Richards suplexes O’Reilly and Cole breaks Edwards’ pin. The Wolves deliver a powerbomb/back cracker combo on O’Reilly for two. Edwards turns O’Reilly into the Achilles Lock. Cole hits an enzuigiri from the apron to break the hold. Cole then dives onto Richards. O’Reilly small packages Edwards for two. Edwards reapplies the Achilles Lock. He stomps on O’Reilly’s head. O’Reilly passes out at 21:23 giving The Wolves the win. Without a doubt, this was O’Reilly and Cole’s breakout ROH performance. The action was non-stop, the crowd made noise from bell-to-bell, it got more exciting as the match progressed, and they told a flippin’ story! Greatness all around. ****

The real story to the match was that although referee Todd Sinclair called for the match to be over, no bell was sounded. Because of this, Edwards kept on the submission and kept kicking O’Reilly in the head as he was trying to get the win. Edwards finally let go but damage was done. This pissed off Richards, because as he said prior to the match, O’Reilly is his student, roommate and training partner. While Cole checks to make sure his partner is okay, Richards gives Edwards a verbal berating. I love this because both guys have valid arguments and it teases the dissension amongst the Wolves very well. How this story will progress intrigues me. Richards and Cole help O’Reilly to the back while Edwards looks verbally pissed at the mistake he made.

Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. Michael Elgin & Chase Owens

Chase is a Tennessee native who is getting a chance with the House of Truth tonight. He had a great showing in CHIKARA so I am happy to see him get a chance here as well. Alexander and Coleman have matching gear, which makes me love them (it’s the little things folks). Elgin nails Coleman with a forearm. Coleman blocks the Oklahoma Stampede. He nails a roundhouse kick, but Elgin mows him down with a shoulder block. Owens gets taken down with some armdrags. Coleman hits a dropkick and tags in Alexander. He hits a slingshot senton for two. Alexander flips over Owens and connects with a dropkick for two. Alexander drop toe holds Owens into a legdrop from Coleman for two. Elgin tags back in. He misses a splash in the corner and gets kicked by Alexander. Elgin shoves Coleman into the corner, crotching Alexander on the top rope. He stacks them up and powerslams C&C simultaneously for two. Owens and Elgin team up on Coleman until Elgin misses a tumbleweed senton. Coleman backdrops Owens and tags in Alexander. Alexander comes in with a springboard forearm. He DDT’s Owens for two. They hit a tandem gourd buster and Elgin breaks the count. Elgin prevents Alexander from landing a DDT. Coleman and Alexander hit some kicks. C&C hit Owens with Shooty McGee and Elgin breaks the pin. Coleman sends Elgin to the floor with a knee strike. Alexander tope con hilo’s onto him. Owens goes up tope, but Coleman catches him with a leap of faith. Alexander follows up with a frog splash for the pin at 9:14. I love Alexander and Coleman as a team and am happy knowing they will be a more permanent fixture in ROH. Elgin and Owens also got their moments to shine, so I’d say this was a victory all around. **3/4

As he has with others in the past, Martini gives Owens a thumbs down as assign that he did not make the cut into the HoT. Elgin drops him with a buckle bomb and spinning powerbomb for good measure.

Colt Cabana vs. Chris Hero

A bit of chain wrestling leads to a stalemate. Hero delivers some chops and strikes, but Cabana ducks an elbow. He plays with Hero until clapping his ears with his arms. Cabana uses his cunning to outsmart Hero. Frustrated, Hero rolls to the floor. Shane Hagadorn grabs Cabana’s leg, allowing Hero to deliver a sliding boot through the ropes. Hero takes control back in the ring. Cabana looks for a gut buster on the top rope, but Hero boots him to the floor instead. Hero lays him out with a rolling elbow in the aisleway, hoping for a count out victory. Cabana makes his way back in the ring, but Hero nails him with a sliding kick right away for two. Cabana blocks a rolling elbow with a backslide for two. Cabana catches Hero with a mule kick as Hero comes off the second rope. Cabana comes off the top rope with a tomahawk chop, then hits Hero with overhand chops and the Flip, Flop and Fly. Cabana gets two with a quebrada. Hero blasts Cabana with a running elbow strike. A little back and forth sees Cabana put Hero in the Billy Goat’s Curse. Hero escapes and elbows Cabana in the neck for two. Hero drops Cabana with the Cravate-O-Clasm for two. Hero rocks Cabana with multiple boots and an elbow. Cabana comes back with a flying hip attack for two. Cabana accidentally elbows the referee. Hagadorn tries to interject but Cabana elbows him off the apron. Hero blocks the Flying Asshole with the Cyclone Kick for the pin at 15:56. That was a great ending to a very good match. I’ve seen Hero and Cabana have matches with each other in the past couple years that just were nothing special in the slightest. This was significantly better than every single one of those matches. ***

Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin vs. The Bravado Bros. (Lance & Harlem Bravado)

Harlem can’t manage to do damage to Benjamin. He boots Harlem to the corner and Lance tags in. Benjamin outwrestles Lance and tags in Haas. Benjamin drops him with a spinebuster and Haas drops a knee for two. Haas lands a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Lance shoves Haas to the Bravado corner. The Bravado’s work over Haas in their corner until Haas catches Lance with a Tenchi Crash. Benjamin tags in and takes down both Bravado’s. Benjamin drops him with a neckbreaker. Haas dispose of Harlem with an atomic drop/superkick combo. They deliver the Broken Arrow to Lance for the pin at 6:21. I don’t know what the point of this was. The WGTT were already tag team champions and didn’t need this win. The Bravado’s on the other hand did, and it stinks to see that they can only be competitive with Cole and O’Reilly. *1/2

The Briscoes come out and brawl with the WGTT. They put Haas through a table, causing Kenny King to come out to chase The Briscoes off.

Steel Cage Match
El Generico vs. Roderick Strong

Generico attacks Strong as he makes his entrance. He whips Strong into the barricades multiple times. Generico blocks being whipped by hopping off the barricade with a double sledge. Truth Martini grabs Generico’s leg as he tries to enter the ring. Strong swings the cage door into Generico’s face. Strong drops Generico on the barricade and smacks him with the Book of Truth. Strong maintains control inside the confines of the cage. Generico throws Strong into the cage multiple times to shift the momentum. Generico delivers a tornado DDT and yakuza kicks Strong into the cage wall. The Blue Thunder Powerbomb gets him two. He tries a Michinoku Driver but ends up getting the same result. Strong rolls Generico into a superkick for two. Strong hits a knee strike and an enzuigiri for two. Generico recovers and suplexes Strong into the corner. He blasts Strong with a yakuza kick. Strong suplexes Generico into the cage to block a brainbuster. He nails the Sick Kick for two. Once they’re both back to their feet, Strong gets in a flurry of offense. Generico goes for a brainbuster but eats another jumping knee. Generico however yakuza kicks Strong and hits the brainbuster successfully for two. Strong crotches Generico as he goes to the top rope. Strong hits yet another Sick Kick for two. He hits the Death by Roderick and the Tiger Driver and once again gets two. Strong brings Generico up top for a super Death by Roderick. Generico fights free and pushes Strong to the mat. Generico checks the stability of the cage before he hops onto it. Truth Martini climbs up, so Generico grabs onto him. Strong pulls Generico down. Generico backs Strong into the cage and yakuza kicks Martini through the cage. He sends Strong into the cage and hits a yakuza kick. He drops Strong with the top rope brainbuster for the pin at 17:55. Generico is so awesome when it comes to conveying emotion and storytelling. He finally got Strong alone where Martini couldn’t do anything and picked up the win. The cage was used sparingly, but it felt like a big deal when it did come into play. This was a really great way to end the feud and this show. ***3/4

Manassas, VA – 7.8.2011

Commentary is provided by Kevin Kelly & Dave Prazak.

Jim Cornette comes out to open the show. He mentions that Chris Hero will not be here for his match tonight due to weather and travel issues. Jim Cornette brings out the new ROH champion, Davey Richards, for an interview. Cornette asks for Richards’ thoughts on his match at “Best In The World” since he took on his partner and “brother” Eddie Edwards. Richards puts over the fans and Edwards, citing Edwards as the reason he decided to stick with professional wrestling. Richards says the fans want to see The American Wolves and asks for Edwards to come out. Instead, Roderick Strong and Truth Martini make their way out to the ring. Richards sarcastically thanks Strong. Richards says he knows Strong missed the show because he was in Japan but will put the belt on the line against Richards anytime. Strong mocks Richards for crying at the end of his match with Richards. Michael Elgin runs out to back Strong, so Eddie Edwards runs out to get Richards’ back. Martini backs his men off and holds off their fight for the main event tonight. The Wolves throw some insults at the House and then claim that “the hunt is on”.

One cool thing is that now ROH is making note of the theme music during the entrances, putting the name of the song and band, as well as where online you can find the song. I think that’s awesome.

Contenders Tag Team Lottery Tournament Semi-Final Match
Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander

O’Reilly and Alexander exchange wristlocks. O’Reilly takes Alexander down by his leg. Alexander grabs the ropes to break an STF attempt. O’Reilly hip tosses Alexander into a cross armbreaker. Alexander quickly turns it into a pin for two. O’Reilly takes a couple armdrags and blocks the third. Reaching a stalemate, both men tag out. Cole and Coleman trade hammerlocks. Coleman applies a chinlock after Cole tries to escape a wristlock. They trade armdrags before Coleman reapplies the chinlock. Cole tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly and Cole deliver a flapjack/bulldog combo for two. They deliver a succession of kicks for two. O’Reilly kicks Coleman in the corner. Coleman stops O’Reilly’s butterfly suplexes by shoving him in the corner. Alexander enzuigiri’s him in the corner. Coleman hits a trifecta of suplexes for two. Coleman and Alexander take turns wearing down O’Reilly in their corner. O’Reilly comes back by dropkicking Coleman’s leg out. Both men tag out. Cole takes out Alexander with a dropkick and enzuigiri. Cole hits a second rope leg lariat for two. O’Reilly kicks Alexander from the apron and hits a swinging DDT. Cole and O’Reilly deliver a crossbody/vertical suplex combo for two. Alexander tags in Coleman. Alexander brings O’Reilly to the floor while Coleman backdrops Cole out. Coleman hits a 619 via the ring post on Cole. Alexander hits O’Reilly with a tope con hilo. In the ring, Coleman catches O’Reilly with a Leap of Faith. Alexander follows with a frog splash. Coleman pins O’Reilly for two. They drop O’Reilly with a crazy twisting German suplex and Cole breaks the pin. O’Reilly and Cole deliver stereo baseball slides to Alexander in a tree of woe. They crack Coleman with stereo enzuigiri’s. Cole superkicks Alexander into a lariat from O’Reilly for the pin at 11:59. C&C are a great tandem. They’ll really begin to gel with time, but I really liked their German suplex move even if it wasn’t executed perfectly. Of course, Cole and O’Reilly deliver the goods as per usual. **3/4

Contenders Tag Team Lottery Tournament Semi-Final Match
The Briscoe Bros. (Jay & Mark Briscoe) vs. The Bravado Bros. (Lance & Harlem Bravado)

Jay tells the Bravado’s not to take it personally, but they will whip their asses. With that, The Briscoes jump the Bravado’s. Mark beats on Lance on the floor while Jay takes care of Harlem in the ring. Jay slams Harlem and hits a legdrop for two. Harlem comes back with chops. Jay distracts the referee so that Mark can swing Harlem head first into the barricades. The Briscoes continue to beat the crap out of Harlem near their corner. Harlem manages to kick Mark so that he can deliver a shiranui to Jay. Lance tags in. He takes down Mark with a belly-to-belly suplex. Lance blocks the Jay Driller and delivers a running knee strike. Mark drops Lance with a rolling Death Valley Driver. They hit the Redneck Boogie but Harlem breaks the pin. The Briscoes hit Lance with the Doomsday Device. They get cocky and pull Lance up at the count of two. Mark beats up Lance in the corner. Jay brings in a steel chair. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin run in. Benjamin superkicks the chair into Jay’s face. As the WGTT bail, Lance covers Jay. He gets the pin at 6:23. I understand wanting to continue the Briscoes and WGTT feud, but this finish did nothing but make the Bravado’s look like they had no chance without outside help. When they’re finalists in your mini-tag team tournament, I would like to try to believe they have a chance to actually win. Harumph. **

Kenny King vs. Mike Bennett

Bennett breaks a lock-up cleanly in the corner. King grabs a front facelock. Bennett puts his foot on the ropes to break. King drop toe holds Bennett into a side headlock. Bennett escapes and delivers a Japanese armdrag. King drops Bennett and hits a standing moonsault. He applies a modified chinlock. Bennett avoids a slam and spinwheel kick, dropping King with a spinebuster. Bennett suplexes King. Bennett punches King from the floor. King blocks a corner attack with a sunset flip for two. Bennett clobbers King with a clothesline for two. King ducks a second clothesline and hits two of his own. He knocks Bennett down with a spinwheel kick. King blocks a kick with a cartwheel enzuigiri. A second enzuigiri gets him a two count. King snaps Bennett’s neck on the top rope. Bennett dropkicks King as King goes for a springboard maneuver. Bennett catches King with a backbreaker on the ring apron and a diving clothesline off the apron. Bennett pins King with his feet on the ropes, but referee Todd Sinclair catches him. King delivers a leg-cradle suplex for two. Bennett blocks the Coronation. He rolls up King and grabs his tights for the pin at 9:15. That is until Rhett Titus comes out and informs the referee of Bennett’s nefarious tactics. With the crowd’s confirmation, Sinclair reverses the call and awards the match to King. Bennett actually had his best DVD outing here. He and King actually put together a solid encounter and didn’t make Bennett seem like such an annoying clown. Most of their exchange was pretty empty and the crowd met the match with empathy for the majority of it. **1/2

Bennett angrily attacks Titus after the match. Jim Cornette comes out and says that since Bennett wants another fight, he should replace Chris Hero and face Rhett Titus later tonight. Bennett refuses. Cornette says if Bennett turns down the match, he will be suspended. Angry, Bennett ends up accepting. Titus is pleased with this call.

ROH Tag Team Championship
Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana

The Briscoes try to attack Haas and Benjamin before the bell, but students and officials stop them before they make contact. Haas takes control of Generico on the mat. Benjamin tags in and hits a suplex for two. Benjamin whips him to the corner for two. Generico delivers a pair of armdrags and a toreador. Cabana tags in. He puts some amateur head gear and mounts. Benjamin stomps on Cabana and knocks him down with a clothesline. Haas spears Cabana in the corner. A butterfly suplex gets him two. Cabana snapmares Haas for two. Generico comes in and takes down Haas for two. Cabana and Generico make a few frequent tags. Haas manages to bring Generico to his corner. Haas and Benjamin focus their attack on Generico’s neck and back. Generico manages to slide out of a suplex and tag in Cabana. Cabana delivers a flurry of haymakers to Haas and Benjamin. He gives Benjamin a bionic elbow. Benjamin O’Conner rolls Haas for two. He sends Benjamin to the floor by throwing him into the ring post. Generico grazes Benjamin with a tope con hilo. Cabana hits Haas with a flying hip attack for two. Cabana boots Haas. He sunset flips him for two. Cabana hits Haas with the Flying Asshole. Benjamin blind tags in. He drops Cabana with a spinebuster and Haas splashes him. Cabana misses a quebrada. The WGTT set Cabana up for the Broken Arrow. Generico comes in with a crossbody to cut Benjamin off. Cabana sends Haas to the floor. Generico yakuza kicks Benjamin in the corner. He walks the ropes into a tornado DDT for two. Haas catches Generico on the top rope. Generico fights him off, but Benjamin kicks him to the floor. Haas and Benjamin give Cabana the Broken Arrow. Benjamin drops him with the Pay Dirt for the pin at 14:55. I hate to say it, because I like all four guys in here, but this flat out didn’t work. There was a lot of hesitancy, the teams didn’t connect and no one at all bought Generico and Cabana as viable contenders. Some stretches were pretty solid, but overall this was a weak title defense. You expect a lot more from these guys. **3/4

Contenders Tag Team Lottery Tournament Finals
Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly vs. The Bravado Bros. (Lance & Harlem Bravado)

The Bravado’s attack Cole and O’Reilly as they come down the aisle. The Bravado’s boot them down in opposite corner, only for the tide to be turned on them. O’Reilly and Cole drop Harlem with a tandem flapjack and stereo dropkicks. Harlem saves Lance from a double kick to the head, as he suffered a concussion from that move back at “Supercard of Honor VI”. Cole suicide dives onto the Bravado’s and whips Harlem into the barricade. O’Reilly blasts him with a dropkick from the apron. Harlem shoves Cole off the top rope and into the ring. Lance stomps on him right away. The Bravados gang up on Cole in their corner. Cole eats a superkick from Lance after trying a sunset flip. Cole does finally manage to fight free and tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly boots Harlem to the floor. He lays in a flurry of strikes to Harlem, ending with a leg sweep. O’Reilly catches Lance with a chest kick when Lance comes back in. He comes off the top with a dropkick to both Bravado’s and pins Harlem for two. O’Reilly gives him two butterfly suplexes. He then pushes Harlem into a German suplex from Cole for two. Harlem connects with an elbow to Cole and crossbody’s onto him on the floor. Lance belly-to-belly suplexes O’Reilly, and Lance hits a frog splash onto him for two. Harlem kicks O’Reilly into the Chaos Theory from Lance for two. Cole tags in. O’Reilly sunset bombs Lance to prevent him from superplexing Cole. Cole hits Lance with a crossbody for two. O’Reilly drops Harlem with a tornado DDT. Cole superkicks him into a brainbuster from O’Reilly. O’Reilly locks on a guillotine choke. Harlem taps out at 9:04. The action from these two teams I thought was just as good as most of their other outings. The Bravado’s are beginning to come into their own, but I am very pleased to see O’Reilly and Cole pick up the win here. For this win, they get $5,000 and a shot at the ROH Tag Team Championship. ***

Rhett Titus vs. Mike Bennett

Just what this show needs, a second Mike Bennett match. Titus runs to the ring and attacks Bennett. Titus connects with a knee strike for two. Titus dropkicks Bennett from the ropes to the floor then dives out with a tope con hilo. Titus threatens a DDT on the concrete, but Bennett counters and drops Titus face first on the ring frame. Bennett nails Titus in the side of the head right a haymaker. In the ring, Bennett delivers a spinebuster for two. Titus rolls up Bennett and grabs his tights for two. Bennett hot shots Titus on the top rope and slams him for two. Bennett looks for a superplex, but Titus drops him face first on the top rope instead. Titus knees Bennett in the face and drops him with the Thrust Buster. He delivers a dropkick for two. A series of kicks also gets him two. Bennett pulls a chain out of his tights behind the referee’s back. Kenny King runs out to disarm him before he can use it. Titus drops Bennett with the Retribution for the pin at 10:42. This just dragged on and on with no real excitement or interest to be seen. I’m glad Titus got to be a bit more aggressive, but having Bennett be his opponent (in his second match of the night) was a poor idea. **

O’Reilly and Cole are backstage. They’re thrilled that they finally were able to prove their worth and earn a tag title shot.

The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. The House of Truth (Roderick Strong & Michael Elgin)

Elgins power allows him to easily take Edwards to the corner. Both men exchange forearm shots. Although Edwards wins that exchange, Elgi takes him down with a running shoulder block. Richards and Strong tag in. A little mat exchange ends in a stalemate. Strong breaks a lock-up and tags in Elgin. Elgin sends him to the corner with a forearm. Richards’ shoulder blocks have no effect on Elgin. He does finally knock him and Strong to the floor with dropkicks. Elgin catches Richards’ leg and trips him hard on the ring frame. Strong chops Richards around ringside while also laying in some chops. Strong and Elgin cut the ring in half for a bit. Richards escapes Strong’s grasp and tags in Edwards. He and Strong trade chops. Strong pounds Edwards down in the House of Truth corner. Elgin and Strong continue their assault. Edwards fights back with chops to Elgin. The Wolves light up Elgin with kicks and strikes before knocking him down with stereo back elbows. Elgin absorbs Richards’ kicks and powerslams him. Truth Martini and Strong attack Richards on the floor while Elgin distracts the referee. Richards comes back from Elgin’s attack with a second rope spinwheel kick. Edwards tags in. He and Elgin trade boots. Elgin slams Edwards into the corner. Edwards fights out of a powerbomb attempt. Elgin blocks a Codebreaker. Edwards delivers a superkick and a suplex for one. Edwards hits a quebrada for two. Strong catches Edwards with an enzuigiri from the apron. The House beat down Edwards while Richards looks on from the apron. Edwards superkicks Elgin twice and suplexes Strong into a facebuster. Richards tags in and connects with a top rope dropkick on both Elgin and Strong. Elgin lights up Richards with a forearms. Richards responds with the Damage Reflex for two. Richards lays in a flurry of forearms on the ropes. Richards suplexes Elgin and Strong breaks the pin. Richards rolls Elgin up and suplexes Strong at the same time, pinning both members of the House of Truth for two. Richards puts Elgin in an ankle lock.He breaks and hits a Boss Man Slam. Strong nails Richards with two forearms and a slap. Richards and Strong trade strikes mid-ring. Strong rolls Richards into a superkick for two. Strong hits a uranage backbreaker and an Angle slam for two. Strong knocks Edwards off the apron. Strong gives Richards a gut buster. Elgin lariats him. Strong covers, but Edwards breaks the pin just in time. Richards fights off the HoT to allow him to tag in Edwards. Edwards trades the advantage with Strong. He kicks Elgin off the apron and delivers a flying Codebreaker to Strong for two. Edwards suicide dives onto Elgin to avoid a clothesline from Strong. Edwards blocks a back breaker. He drops Strong with the backpack stunner for two. The Wolves hit the Alarm Clock and a superkick/German suplex combo. Elgin breaks the pin. The Wolves trade rapid fire strikes with the House of Truth. They end up knocking each other down with a series of moves. Elgin slams Richards’ back in the corners. He hits a pump-handle suplex for two. Elgin blasts Richards with a knee strike and powerbombs him. Edwards superkicks Elgin to break his pin. Edwards pitches Strong to the floor and blasts Elgin with chops and strikes. Elgin drops the Wolves with a Samoan Drop/Fallaway Slam combo. He pins Richards for two. Richards transitions in an ankle lock. Strong tries to break the hold, but Edwards puts him in an Achilles Lock. Truth Martini jumps in and grabs their hands so that they won’t tap out. The Wolves rid of him with tandem kicks. Both Wolves double stomp Elgin for two. Richards nails Elgin in the head with an enzugiri for two. He then hits a running variation for the pin at 31:28. If you had trimmed this down by 10 minutes, you could have made this match more compact and gotten rid of some of the lulls this match faced. That being said, this was a great main event. The show definitely needed it. This was a star making performance for Elgin, who looked like a complete bad ass hanging in there with Richards and Edwards. All four men really busted their asses and made this crowd come alive. The story may have been disjointed, but then again they followed the typical tag story of isolating the opponent and wearing them down and that works for me. ***3/4

Edwards holds Richards’ ROH title belt while Richards talks about being a fighting champion and raising the stock of the title. Edwards can’t help but to continue looking at the belt. I thought that was a tremendous touch, if it does end up being a subtle way to build up a rematch between these two.

Bonus Content

Video Wire: 7.7.2011

Overall: Even with a very good main event, I suggest you skip this show. The undercard had nothing worth going out of your way to see and at times will even bore you. I understand there’s only so much you can do to remedy one of your performers missing a show, but was Mike Bennett wrestling twice really the best call? You’ve seen pretty much everyone on this show do a heck of a lot better, and there’s no stand out storyline moments to make this worthy of a watch.

New York City, NY – 6.26.2011

Championship Rundown
ROH World Champion: Eddie Edwards
ROH Television Champion: Christopher Daniels
ROH World Tag Team Champions: Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin

Commentary is provided by Kevin Kelly and Dave Prazak.

Colt Cabana vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Ciampa breas a lock-up on the ropes. Cabana evades some of Ciampa’s punches. He claps Ciampa’s head between his arms. Cabana rolls up Ciampa for two. He trips Ciampa and kicks his hamstring. Ciampa kicks Cabana to the ropes. Cabana grabs his leg, but then gets booted in the side of the head. Cabana comes out of the corner with a Gedo Clutch for two. Cabana steps Prince Nana’s hand. Ciampa hot shots Cabana and dropkicks him in the face for two. Ciampa suplexes Cabana for one. Ciampa stomps on Cabana in the corner. Ciampa delivers a running knee strike for two. Cabana goes for a moonsault, but Ciampa puts his knees up to counter. Cabana snake eyes’ Ciampa and delivers the Flip, Flop and Fly. A flying hip attack gets him two. Ciampa swings Cabana into the ropes and German suplexes him for two. Cabana trips Ciampa into the Billy Goat’s Curse. Ciampa gets the ropes. Ciampa counters the Flying Asshole with a sloppy Project Ciampa 2 for the pin at 7:02. Solid match to kick off the show, though no man did anything out of their ordinary routine. **

Jay Lethal vs. Mike Bennett

Brutal Bob Evans is in Bennett’s corner. Lethal is all smiles as the fans chant “Randy Savage” at him. Bennett pats Lethal on the face and mocks his Savage shtick. Bennett forearms him in the back. Lethal avoids a leapfrong and chops Bennett. He knocks him down wih a shoulder block, and avoids another leapfrog with a chop. He hip tosses Bennett and then cartwheels into a dropkick. Bennett sends Lethal to the apron. Lethal slingshots into a huracanrana. He dropkicks Bennett to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. The fans chant “you still got it” as if Lethal had ever stopped wrestling, or like he’s not only 26 years old. Evans drops Lethal on the ring frame while Bennett distracts referee Paul Turner. Bennett jumps off the apron with a clothesline. Bennett gets a two count back in the ring. Bennett suplexes Lethal for two. Bennett stretches out Lethal’s back and arms. Lethal avoids a corner attack. He delivers a flying forearm then springboards into a back elbow. Lethal hits a leaping leg lariat for two. Evans catches Lethal on the top rope, allowing Bennett to nail him with a forearm. Bennett superplexes Lethal for two. Bennett misses a flying elbow drop. Lethal delivers a superkick. Lethal hits a flying elbow drop for the pin at 9:42. It’s amazing how much charisma Lethal possesses after his initial ROH reign. He looked excellent in his re-debut and I am happy to see him come back. Evans’ interference aside, this was another solid affair. **1/2

No Holds Barred Barrio Street Fight
Homicide vs. Rhino

Homicide lays in a flurry of punches right away. Rhino nails a shoulder tackle. Homicide sends Rhino to the floor with a headscissors. Homicide follows out with a tope suicida. He only gets a one count because of it. Rhino slams Homicide to the mat and punts him in the ribs. Rhino misses a pescado on the floor. They fight on the ring apron. Rhino backdrops him through the timekeeper’s table. Rhino throws a ladder in the ring. Homicide bits Rhino’s ear and then chases Prince Nana around the ring. Rhio whips Homicide into the barricade. In the ring, Rhino slams the ladder into Homicide’s back. Homicide suplexes Rhino onto the ladder. Rhino hip tosses Homicide into the corner. Rhino press slams Homicide stomach first onto the ladder for two. Homicide slides off Rhino’s shoulders. He drop toe holds Rhino into the corner. Homicide hits a leaping shoulder block for two. Rhino blocks a lariat. He drops Homicide with the Rhino Driver for two. Homicide gets Rhino down. He goes for a splash. Rhino gets his knees up to block. Homicide kicks Rhino to block the Gore. He delivers an ace crusher for two. Rhino brings a table into the ring. Rhino suplexes Homicide right by the table in the corner. Homicide blocks the Gore with a sunset flip for the pin at 10:17. The stipulation helped bring out both guys stronger suits. Sure, nothing crazy happened, but they still put on a solid brawl. **3/4

Nana attacks Homicide after the bell. He fails, but Homicide is distracted long enough for Rhino to Gore him through the table. Multiple students and officials check on him. As of this writing, Homicide has yet to be back in Ring of Honor and this incident is the storyline explanation as to why.

Steve Corino and Jimmy Jacobs make their way to the ring. Since the last show, ROH officials habe agreed to let Jimmy Jacobs back into ROH to help Corino. Corino has been petitioning for them to let Kevin Steen back as well. ROH said no, but Corino bought him a plane ticket anyways. Corino says he and Jacobs are trying to be become better, less evil people. Corino says somebody else who wants to make a change and earn redemption is Kevin Steen. With that, Corino introduces Kevin Steen who comes in through the crowd. The reaction Steen receives is incredible. Many officials, Cary Silken and Jim Cornette stop Kevin Steen at the guardrail. The fans are begging for them to let Steen into the ring. Steen extends his hand to Cornette. Cornette shakes it, and Steen leaves through the back with no resistance. I wonder what they shook each others hands over. Michael Elgin runs out with Truth Martini at his side. This leads into…

Steve Corino vs. Michael Elgin

Elgin hits a slingshot back elbow. He and Corino trade forearms. Corino drops him with the Colby Shock. He follows with a leg lariat and running corner chop. He hits another running chop, but it has no effect on Elgin. Elgin fires back with shoulder blocks in the corner. Corino suplexes Elgin out of the corner. Elgin stands still in response to Corino’s two clotheslines. Corino puts him in an abdominal stretch and sticks his thumb in Elgin’s bum. Corino sends Elgin to the floor. Elgin catches his suicide dive attempt. Elgin Oklahoms Stampedes Corino on the floor. In the ring, Elgin rams his shoulder into Corino’s stomach. Corino goes for an STO but Elgin rams him back first in the corner. A northern lights suplex gets him two. Corino backdrops Elgin to counter a package piledriver. Elgin puts Corino in a Boston Crab on the second rope. Elgin releases and hits two corner lariats. Corino hits one of his own. Martini trips Corino behind the referee’s back. Jimmy Jacobs catches him. Elgin pulls Jacobs by his hair. Corino rolls Elgin up for two. Corino blasts him with a running knee strike. Elgin drops Corino with a TKO. He superkicks Corino and deadlifts him into a suplex. Elgin powerbombs Corino for two. Elgin buckle bombs Corino, then delivers another powerbomb for the pin at 8:39. I feel bad for Elgin as the Steen angle completely overshadowed his performance here. Elgin makes an awesome monster and I believe he will be a top ROH star by the end of 2012. **1/2

Elgin continues to beat on Corino. Jacobs stops him until Martini blasts Jacobs from behind with the Book of Truth. Elgin powerbombs Jacobs and Corino crawls over to him. Kevin Steen runs into the ring. He and Elgin slug it out. Steen vs. Elgin is a match I’d love to see. Steen powerbombs Elgin. Martini hits Steen with the Book of Truth. Steen fires up and superkicks Martini to the floor. Jim Cornette gets to the apron. Corino says that Steen deserves to talk. Cornette allows Steen to grab the mic. Steen says all he wants is to make things right and to apologize. He says he wants to tell everyone in the building and watching at home…”Fuck Ring of Honor”. He nails Jacobs with the microphone and drops Corino with a Package Piledriver. Steen is swarmed by students and officials. Steen is pushed over the guardrail and carried out of the building, all the while flipping everyone off. Kevin Steen is amazing. Cornette promises Kevin Steen that he will never be seen in Ring of Honor again. The fans hate this decision and Cornette says he’s doesn’t care. God this was great.

ROH Television Championship
Christopher Daniels vs. El Generico

Daniels attacks Generico right at the bell. He hits a leg lariat and digs his boot into Generico’s face. Daniels slams Generico’s face into two turnbuckles. Generico throws Daniels face into the corner. He delivers two armdrags and a toreador. Daniels rolls to the floor. Generico follows out with a baseball slide. Generico whips him into the barricade. Daniels headbutts Generico. Generico hits a moonsault off the barricade. Generico throws Daniels back into the ring. Daniels begs Generico off and asks for a handshake. Generico accepts, but slaps Daniels before Daniels can get in a cheap shot. Daniels rakes Generico eyes to stop his corner punches. Daniels connects with a clothesline. Daniels jumps on Generico’s neck while Generico lay on the middle rope. Daniels delivers a running knee to his throat. Daniels snaps Generico’s throat on the top rope. He teases a slingshot move, but instead lay his knee across Generico’s throat. Generico sunset flips Daniels for two. Daniels bulldogs Generico into the ropes, transitioning into a headscissors in the ropes over and over. Daniels pins Generico for two. Daniels slams Generico and hits an Arabian Press for two. Generico gets whipped to the corner. He fires up with two clotheslines. He sends Daniels to the floor. He hits a tope con hilo. In the ring Generico hits a crossbody for two. Generico drops Daniels with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Daniels drops Generico with an STO and transitions into a Koji Clutch. Generico escapes. Daniels hits a chinbreaker and calls for the Angel’s Wings. Generico backdrops him to escape. Daniels drops Generico with the Last Rites for two. Generico and Daniels trade punches mid-ring. Daniels lays in repeated headbutts. Generico goes for a brainbuster. Daniels blocks. He palm strikes Generico who responds with a yakuza kick. Daniels backs Generico to the corner to block another brainbuster. Generico yakuza kicks Daniels and hits the brainbuster for two. Generico puts Daniels in a tree of woe and connects with a somersault coast-to-coast dropkick. Generico goes for the brainbuster on the apron. Daniels rakes his eyes and shoves Generico into the barricade. Daniels suplexes him on the floor. Generico makes his way back into the ring at the count of 20. Daniels was so confident he was going to win, he put on the ROH Television title. He verbally berates Generico for not staying down. Daniels drops Generico with a uranage. He goes for the Best Moonsault Ever with the belt on. Generico gets his foot up. He delivers a yakuza kick in the corner. Generico hits the top rope brainbuster for the win and the title at 19:30. This was awesome story telling through and through. Daniels targeted Generico’s neck for the entire match to wear him down for a multitude of his finishing moves. Generico would not give up, and finally hit his guaranteed match-ender with the top rope brainbuster to vanquish Daniels and win his first ROH singles title. There are very few negatives to say here. This was Daniels last match in ROH (for now) since signing with TNA, but he can sure as heck be proud of his performance on his way out. ***3/4

ROH Tag Team Championship – Elimination Match
Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) vs. The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) vs. The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe) vs. The All Night Express (Kenny King & Rhett Titus)

Titus and Haas square off to start. Haas wins the exchange with a backbreaker. Benjamin and King tag in and receive a “THIS IS RACIST” chant. Wrestling fans are the worst sometimes. Benjamin hits a shoulder block and King delivers a dropkick. After blocking each others’ kicks, Benjamin connects with a springboard crossbody for two. Haas tags in. Claudio blind tags in as Haas hits the ropes. Claudio teases some of his beloved moves, but goes in a different direction. Claudio brings King to the corner and tags in Hero. The Kings hit a double boot. King tags in Titus. Thr ANX double team Hero, but can’t get a pinfall. Claudio tags in. Now Kevin Kelly is reading live tweets during the match. Claudio shoves Titus to the Briscoes corner. The Briscoes beat the crap out of Titus in the corner. We get a series of dives to the floor. The sequence ends with Benjamin double suplexing Claudio and King off the top rope. The Briscoes beat down Benjamin. Amongst the beat down Hero blind tags himself in. Now it’s the Kings who bully Benjamin. Mark gets even by blind tagging Claudio. Benjamin finally gets to tag in Haas. He takes out the Briscoes but then gets tagged out by Titus. Although Titus does well enough fighting both Briscoes by himself at first, he eventually gets thwarted. When King helps out however, he and Titus are able to take out Jay with a knee drop/backbreaker combo to eliminate them at 24:15.

Just when it looks like the All Nights and Kings are going to tear into each other, Hero slaps Benjamin to tag him in. The All Nights and Kings decide to team up and isolate Benjamin once more. Benjamin impressively escapes Claudio’s Camel Clutch with an electric chair drop. Hero kicks Haas off the apron to keep Benjamin in the ring. Benjamin spinwheel kicks Claudio. Hero yanks Haas to the floor right as Benjamin and Haas’ hands are about to touch. Benjamin rolls under a double clothesline and tags in King. King drops Hero with an STO and hits a standing moonsault for two. King suplexes Hero after disposing of Claudio for two. Hero elbows Titus for two. Titus escapes the Ricola Bomb. Sara Del Rey distracts the referee as the All Nights hit a blockbuster/powerbomb combo. Hero clobbers Titus with his golden elbow pad for the pin at 34:32. Haas throws the elbow pad into the crowd and punches Shane Hagadorn. Hero elbows Haas for two. Claudio boots Haas down in the corner. Hero misses an elbow. Haas drops Hero with a German suplex. Benjamin tags in. He suplexes Hero and splashes him in the corner. Benjamin delivers a bulldog and Claudio breaks the pin. Benjamin DDT’s both Kings simultaneously. Hero gets caught with the Broken Arrow. Haas drops him with the Angle Slam for two. Hero nails Haas with the Cyclone Kick. Claudio pins him for two. Claudio spins him in the UFO. Benjamin breaks the pin. The Kings deliver the Kings Swing to Haas for two. Haas fights out of the KRS-1, sending Hero into Claudio. Claudio gets sent to the floor. The WGTT drop Hero with a double Alabama Slam for the pin at 40:09. I actually liked this more than a lot of people it seems. Sure, it didn’t need to go forty minutes and the order of eliminations could have better. But I never got bored, and I thought all four teams put in a very good effort. I think I had the advantage of knowing ahead of time that this match would go long. Trim down the time of this match by 15 minutes and pace it better and this would have been a lot better. As it was, it was still an above average bout. Oh, the finish stunk too. ***1/2

The Briscoes batter Haas and Benjamin with chairs. The Kings of Wrestling look on in approval. Multiple officials and students come out, but nobody has the guts to stop The Briscoes. The All Night Express finally make their way out and chase The Briscoes and Kings away.

ROH World Championship
Eddie Edwards vs. Davey Richards

Richards converted back to panties, so he’s totally winning the title. Both men break a lock-up cleanly. Edwards blocks Richards kick attempt. They each go for each others ankles but reach a stalemate. A wristlock battle ends with Richards kicking Edwards in the spine. Edwards retaliates in kind. They trade forearms. Richards kicks Edwards in the back and chest. Richards locks Edwards in an arm-capture grapevine stretch. Edwards escapes and rolls up Richards for two. He drops Richards on his stomach and face for two. Edwards grabs Richards arm. Richards gets the ropes before any damage can be done. Edwards boots Richards for one. Edwards gets in a few strikes to the corners. Richards sends Edwards to the floor and punts him from the apron. Richards follows with a suicide dive. Richards hits a few kicks back in the ring for two. Edwards hits the backpack chinbreaker. Richards no sells and grabs a cross armbreaker. He turns into a Fujiwara armbar. A Northern Lights suplex gets him two. He puts on the 14:59 submission move. Edwards escapes, so Richards kicks him in the corner. Both guys exchange headbutts on the top rope. Richards ultimately wins the exchange and superplexes Edwards. He rolls into a Falcon Arrow, transitioning into a cross armbreaker. Edwards escapes into the Achilles Lock. Richards rolls back into the armbreaker. Edwards rolls him up for two. Edwards blocks the Damage Reflex with a suplex into a facebuster. Edwards blocks the Alarm Clock with a fisherman’s buster for two. Edwards catches Richards with a Code Breaker. Richards rolls Edwards into a cross armbreaker. Edwards stomps on Richards’ face, but Richards doesn’t sell that and slaps the armbreaker back on. Edwards stomps his way free. Edwards kicks Richards to the floor. He moonsaults onto him, hitting the guardrail in the process. Edwards connects with a top rope dropkick back in the ring. Edwards Tiger suplexes Richards for two. Richards and Edwards trade strikes. After Richards lights him up with forearms, Edwards knocks him down with a running kick to the chest. They fight on the apron. Edwards gives Richards a 2k1 Bomb on the apron. Once recovering, Edwards doublestomps Richards through the timekeeper’s table. The fans are so enraptured they still make sure to chant “Twinkies” while counting Richards and Edwards out. Edwards doublestomps Richards in the ring. Richards gives Edwards a dragonscrew in the ropes and a doublestomp. Edwards had to beg Richards to do so, because Richards is his partner. Richards applies an ankle lock. Edwards breaks with an enzuigiri. Richards headbutts Edwards on the top rope. Richards German superplexes him off the top. Richards German suplexes him for two. Richards powerbombs Edwards for two. He rolls Edwards into an ankle lock. Edwards rolls into an ankle lock of his own and legscissors him. Richards turns it over. Edwards gets the rope. Once again they fight it out on the apron. Richards kicks the ring post by accident. They fight to the top rope. Richards goes for a powerbomb but Edwards turns it into a huracanrana. Edwards powerbombs Richards and hits a lariat for two. Edwards delivers the 2k1 Bomb for two. Edwards turns Richards into the Achilles Lock. Edwards stomps Richards in the head and turns into a cloverleaf. He sits down on the move for two. They each hit a Saito suplex for no reason. They exchange strikes and kicks some more. Richards kicks Edwards in the head for two. He kicks him some more for two. Richards hits a running kick to the chest for the pin at 36:00.

To me, professional wrestling is a performance and should be judged on that level. In that sense, Richards and Edwards completely failed. Essentially, the match was hollow. I think this match can be summed up by its ending: after Richards kicks Edwards in the head multiple times and fails to get a win, a running kick to the chest does him in. To me this was a “highlight reel” match, where the moves and strikes looked cool, but what came in between didn’t matter. Then again, this is the kind of wrestling ROH has conditioned it’s fans to expect from their main event matches. I think the worst part is that Edwards’ title reign, which was going very well up until this point, because ROH booked themselves into a corner where he had to lose. Like I said, this didn’t completely lack a story, and the fans bought many of the pins and submissions throughout the match and went crazy quite often. For that, this can’t be considered a total calamity. ***1/4

After both men gain their bearings, they embrace. Richards gets the title put around his waist. He thanks his wrestling family (including some random dude I’ve never heard of). Edwards thanks Richards for all he has done for him in his wrestling career. Richards continues to celebrate as the show draws to a close.

Bonus Content

Pre-Show Match
Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly vs. The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson)

O’Reilly and Nick start off quickly. O’Reilly lands a few icks and sweeps Nick’s leg. Cole tags in. O’Reilly snapmares Nick into a back kick and Cole delivers a low dropkick. Matt tags in. He sends O’Reilly to the apron. O’Reilly sends Nick to the floor and Cole clotheslines Matt out as well. Cole suicide dives onto Matt and O’Reilly hits Nick with a missile dropkick into the barricade. In the ring, Cole catches Matt with a crossbody for two. Matt trips Cole as Cole hits the ropes, allowing Nick to hit him with a dropkick to the floor. The Bucks isolate O’Reilly in their corner. Cole ducks a double clothesline and drops Nick with a chinbreaker. He ducks Matt and tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly kicks Nick off the apron. He kicks both Bucks in the chest and delivers an enzuigiri to Matt. He sets them up for a double dragonscrew legwhip. O’Reilly dropkicks them from the top simultaneously for two. Cole blind tags in. O’Reilly gives Matt two butterfly suplexes. He DDT’s Matt into a German suplex from Cole. Nick breaks the pin. O’Reilly pitches Nick to the floor. Matt catches O’Reilly with a tumbleweed ace crusher for two. Nick superkicks Cole to the floor. Nick hits a slingshot ace crusher on O’Reilly, then back flips to the apron and delivers a moonsault to Cole. Matt hits O’Reilly with a 450 splash for two. Nick accidentally hits Matt with a knee strike. Cole sends Nick to the floor. O’Reilly drops Matt with a tornado DDT. Cole superkicks Matt into a brainbuster from O’Reilly. O’Reilly applies a guillotine choke. Cole then applies one to Nick. The Bravado Bros. hit the ring to end the bout in a no contest at 7:12. This was an incredibly fun sprint from bell to bell. Lame finish aside (though it’s obvious why it went down that way) it was maybe the best seven minute match you will see. ***

The Bucks and Cole/ O’Reilly dispose of the Bravados and shake each others hands.

Lakewood, OH – 6.26.2011

Commentary is provided by Pedro Deluca and Aaron Bauer.

The show opens with a nearly 9 minute package of promos from nearly every single person on the show tonight. After that, Flexor Industries arrives in a limousine. Chest Flexor says they will walk out of the show champions.

Six Pack Scramble
Sugar Dunkerton vs. Kobald vs. AERO! vs. Maximo Suave vs. Low Rider vs. Sabbath

Batiri members Obariyon and Kodama accompany Kobald. Dunkerton asks for a basketball toss up with Sabbath. AERO, Kobald, and Sabbath attack the other three. Sabbath gives Dunkerton a Jackhammer while the others fight to the floor. Rider hits AERO with a springboard crossbody for two. Rider hits a twisting variation for two. Kobald lights up Rider with strikes. Suave gives Kobald a toreador and armdrags him to the floor. Sabbath slams Suave. Dunkerton slaps Sabbath and drops him with an X-Factor. Dunkerton suicide dives onto Sabbath. AERO follows with a tope con hilo. Rider sky twister presses onto the pile. Kobald spears Suave in the ring for two. Suave back slaps him. Kobald goes to the floor. Sabbath cuts off Suave’s dive and slams Dunkerton. Sabbath clotheslines Rider and slams AERO. They all make a plan on the floor. Sabbath catches AERO mid-air and slams him. Dunkerton and Rider knock him down with a double clothesline. Suave delivers a senton bomb and Kobald hits a slingshot splash. Rider springboards into a doublestomp. AERO rolls up Dunkerton for two. Dunkerton responds with the Bow Chicka Wow Wow. Rider dropkicks Dunkerton and hits the Blu-Ray DVD. Suave drops him with a pump-handle driver. Sabbath breaks the pin. He chokeslams Suave. Kobald dropkicks Sabbath to the floor. AERO drops Kobald with a reverse STO. Obariyon and Kodama pull AERO to the floor and attack him. Kobald hits a springboard splash on AERO for the pin at 8:39. Sabbath is just a big immobile boring dude who contributed little. The rest worked hard, but really had no opportunity to shine. **

Eddie Kingston vs. BJ Whitmer

Kingston is limping as his leg was worked over by Hieracon on the CHIKARA show earlier in the day.Kingston breaks a lock-up in the corner. Whitmer brings Kingston to his knees in a test of strength. Kingston reverses the pressure, bringing Whitmer to his knees. Kingston gets one with a Northern Lights suplex. Whitmer uses his agility to reverse a wristlock. Kingston just forearms his way free. Whitmer trips Kingston and kicks the inside of his bad knee. Whitmer snaps Kingston’s leg against his own foot. Whitmer stomps Kingston’s knee into the mat. Whitmer clobbers him with a diving forearm for two. Whitmer continues to damage Kingston’s bad knee. Kingston boots Whitmer to the floor. He connects with a suicide dive. In the ring they exchange strikes. Kingston gets two with a headbutt. Kingston crucifix pins him for two. He chokes Whitmer on the top rope. Kingston snapmares him into a neck submission, leading to a two count. Kingston delivers a Rude Awakening for two. Whitmer catches Kingston with an exploder suplex for two. Kingston hits a uranage suplex for two. Whitmer hits a Sick Kick for two. Kingston and Whitmer trade chops. Kingston drops him with two Saito suplexes for two. Whitmer goes another exploder suplex. Kingston elbows his way free. Whitmer smacks Kingston and hits a wrist-clutch suplex for two. Kingston eats a kick to the head. Whitmer misses a second. Kingston hits a lariat and the Backfist to the Future. The Sliding D only gets him two. Whitmer blocks a Backfist and hits a stunner. Whitmer STO’s Kingston into the Peruvian Neck-Tie. Kingston taps out at 15:42. This evolved into the slugfest you hoped these two would have. Kingston is such a pro for selling his leg all night long. He and Whitmer did a great job putting on a brawl and making the crowd hotter as the match went on. ***1/4

Kingston says he’s happy Whitmer is back in wrestling as Kingston admired Whitmer when they were in IWA Mid-South. Kingston thanks him for the match. Whitmer says it was an honor to finally get a one-on-one match with Kingston and gives him a handshake and hug. Whitmer puts over the AIW owners and the fans before heading to the back.

“The Chad” Williams comes out with Chest Flexor. Williams was originally scheduled to face Tommy Mercer (Crimson from TNA) tonight, but he did not make the show. Flexor says he sent Shiima Xion to wrestle for TNA in exchange for Crimson not coming to Absolution. He says gives Williams the night off. Tim Donst comes out. He says he hasn’t forgotten about Flexor Industries costing him the TPI. He says although he can’t face Crimson tonight due to his title match, he is sending fellow BDK cohort Tursas out to take Mercer’s sport.

Tursas vs. “The Chad” Williams

A lock-up is broken in the corner. Williams forearms Tursas in the neck. Williams gets in a few punches and stomps. Williams purposefully puts himself between the ropes to avoids Tursas. Williams nails Tursas with multiple punches and rams him head first into the top turnbuckle. Williams hits a big boot. Williams turns to call out Mercer. Tursas catches him with a dropkick. They pummel each other in the corner. The referee gets shoved down as he tries to break up their fight in the corner. He calls for the bell at 3:00, declaring the match a no contest. This was a fine angle to make up for the lack of Crimson. ¼*

Tursas takes out both Williams and Flexor after the bell. The rest of Flexor Industries comes out, and Tursas throws Flexor onto them.

Dasher Hatfield, The Duke, “Mr. RBI” Izaeh Bonds & Lights Out (Corey Winters & Ben Fruith) vs. Dalton Castle & Da Latin Crime Syndicate (Luis Diamante, Joey The Snake, K. Fernandez & Isaac Montana)

A brawl between all ten men ensues on the floor. In the ring, Winters hits Joey with an enzuigiri. Winters wheelbarrow slams Fruith onto Joey for two. A running leg drop gets Fruith two. Bonds tags in. He and Joey trade wristlocks. Duke tags in and knocks Joey down with double chops. He delivers a fist drop and a big boot for two. Hatfield splashes Joey in the corner. Joey delivers a chinbreaker and tags in Castle. Hatfield smacks his bottom and hits a pair of armdrags. He slams Castle in the corner. He and Bonds run the bases and attack Castle in a tree of woe. Fruith misses a splash in the corner. Castle clotheslines Fruith from the apron and hits the White Castle of Fear (a Vader Bomb) for two. The DLCS and Castle trap Fruith in their corner. They bully the poor guy until he drops Diamante with a tornado DDT. Duke tags in and sends everyone to the floor. Hatfield and Bonds baseball slide them into the barricade. Winters and Fruith pescados onto them all. Duke comes off the top rope with a splash onto everybody. Montana goes for a dive of his own. Hatfield cuts him off. He drops him with the Suicide Squeeze. Diamante breaks the pin. Diamante boots Hatfield into a powerslam from Joey. Joey drops Winters with a reverse DDT. Bonds breaks the pin just in time. Bonds drops Joey with a spinebuster. He hits the Pop Fly (a standing moonsault). Fernandez breaks the pin. He drops Bonds for two. Fruith suplexes Fernandez. Castle breaks the pin and drops Fruith with a spin-out facebuster. Duke breaks that pin. Fernandez chop blocks Duke. Castle does an admirable job attempting a German suplex. Duke catches him with a haymaker instead. Duke drops Fernandez with a Rikishi Driver for the pin at 11:40. I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of the matches these guys had at times, but as a blow-off this was actually quite good. They kept Duke and Castle the focus which and the good guys stood tall in the end. Fine stuff. **3/4

Intense Division Championship
Marion Fontaine (Champion) vs. Shiima Xion

Xion earned this shot by winning Battle Bowl back in March. Xion attacks Fontaine right at the bell. Fontaine comes back and delivers a crotch shot while still wearing the title belt. Fontaine ducks a belt shot and sends Xion to the floor with a spinwheel kick. Fontaine suicide dives after him. Xion and Fontaine fight on the entrance ramp and to the locker room. Chuck Taylor comes back with them! He hits Xion with a springboard dropkick and pins Xion. The referee tells him he’s not in the match. Chuck Taylor says he got really bored in the back and insists on making this match a three way. The AIW brass approve, and we now have a new match!

Intense Division Championship
Marion Fontaine (Champion) vs. Shiima Xion vs. Chuck Taylor

Taylor ducks Xion’s clothesline. Taylor drops him with a uranage and kicks him in the chest for to. Fontaine “tea bags” both of them, as in he delivers a double springboard bulldog. Fontaine hits a series of leg lariats to Taylor for two. Taylor springboards into a roll-up for two. Fontaine gives Taylor a Shiranui while Xion simultaneously powerbombs him. Xion pins both Fontaine and Taylor separately, failing both times. He gives Taylor a neckbreaker. Fontaine hits a lionsault, but Xion breaks the pin. Xion back kicks Fontaine. Taylor pulls out two invisbile grenades. He drops them and elbows both Xion and Fontaine simultaneosuly. Taylor gives Fontaine the Sole Food. A running boot gets him two. A series of superkicks knocks everyone down. A chain of chops is formed. Taylor and Xion chop Fontaine as he comes off the ropes. Taylor O’Conner rolls Xion for two. Xion shoves Taylor into a small package from Fontaine, giving Fontaine the victory at 4:57. Much like the first match, all the action was good but the match was too short for anything special to really transpire. **3/4

Street Fight
Gregory Iron vs. Josh Prohibition

Prohibition spits in Iron’s face. Iron spits back. Iron pitches him to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. Prohibition slams him into the edge of the ring and chokes him with a fans cane. Iron blocks an attack and smashes the cane across Prohibition’s back. Iron whips him into the crowd. Iron throws Prohibition into a table. Iron dives off a table and delivers a huracanrana. Iron chokes him with his shirt. Iron throws him into the snack bar and a air conditioning unit. Prohibition throws Iron onto a table. Iron reverses a suplex on the floor. Prohibition rakes Iron’s eyes and drops him on the bar with a gourd buster. He boots Iron in the side of his head. Prohibition throws Iron into the wall in an Iconoclasm position. Prohibition slams a piece of luggage onto Iron’s mid-section. Iron whips Prohibition into a door. Back in the arena, Iron throws Prohibition into some chairs. Prohibition crotches Iron on the guardrails. Iron slides out of a crucifix powerbomb and backdrops Prohibition onto the ramp. Iron brings Prohibition and some chairs into the ring. Iron throws the chairs at Prohibition’s head. Prohibition chokeslams Iron onto a handicap parking sign. Prohibition buckle bombs Iron. He nails a lariat for two. Iron slips out of a Buckle Bomb. He delivers a neckbreaker and the Gimp slap. Prohibition rolls Iron into an STF. Prohibition escapes when Iron gets the ropes, forgetting he doesn’t have to in this kind of match. Iron counters the Drunken Driver with a rana. He delivers the Handicap Parking on a steel chair for two. Iron places Prohibition stomach first on three set-up chairs. He goes up top. Prohibition throws a chair at his head, knocking Iron to the mat. Prohibition drops Iron through the chairs with the Drunken Driver for the pin at 14:04. For the most part this was rather senseless weapon usage and whatnot, but both men portrayed their desire to win excellently. Iron trying to gain revenge on his trainer, only for it to backfire in the end, actually makes Iron look really strong. The finish was also pretty freaking sweet. ***

Eric Ryan vs. Bobby Beverly

Beverly attacks Ryan as he comes through the ropes. He delivers two haymakers and a suplex fr two. Ryan goes to clothesline Beverly in the corner. Beverly catches him with a uranage backbreaker. He follows with an STO and a Falcon Arrow for two. Beverly whips Ryan to the corners. Ryan reverses a whip. He hits a yakuza kick and a coast-to-coast dropkick. Beverly goes to the floor. Ryan hits him with a heat-seeking missile. He goes for a second but gets met by a boot from Beverly. Beverly dives off the apron with a forearm. He throws Ryan into the front row. He cannonball sentons towards Ryan, but hits a group of chairs instead. Ryan delivers a top rope somersault senton into the crowd. Ryan whips Beverly into the guardrail. Beverly responds with a running boot. After some struggle, Beverly drops Ryan on the ring apron with a Death Valley Driver. Ryan recovers and powerbombs Beverly onto the entrance ramp. Ryan only scores a two count. Beverly superkicks Ryan and drops him with a modified EVO for two. Ryan German suplexes him. Beverly gets right back up and hits one of his own. Ryan drops Beverly with a Death Valley Bomb for two. Beverly recovers and hits an enzuigiri. Ryan drops him with a Package Piledriver for two. Beverly counters a powerbomb with a single-leg crab. Beverly escapes. Beverly drops Ryan with a capture DDT for two. Beverly delivers rapid fire superkicks. Ryan kicks out at two. Ryan blocks a superkick and drops Beverly with the Vertebreaker for the pin at 10:13. Admittedly a lot of the no selling and kick outs was annoying at times, but the fact that the story of these match was that both guys wanted to destroy one another makes it forgivable. That said, they did do a lot of neat stuff and it’s easy to see they’re eager to work hard and put on great matches. No wonder why EVOLVE picked them up. ***1/4

AIW Tag Team Championship
The Olsen Twins (Colin & Jimmy Olsen) (Champions) vs. Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon) vs. Irish Airborne (Dave & Jake Crist)

Jake and Lyndon catch the Olsens with dives as they make their entrance. Kendrick and Dave keep evading each other’s dives in the ring. They throw stereo dropkicks, reaching a stalemate. Lyndon and Jake low bridge the ropes to send Dave and Kendrick to the floor. Lyndon wheelbarrow armdrags Jake. He kicks out his legs. Jake powerslams him for one. Lyndon brings Jake down into a cross armbreaker. Jake reverses into a triangle choke. Lyndon rolls Jake up for two. Lyndo delivers a headscissors and a double chop. The Olsens get confused and begin wrestling each other. It’s actually really fun and coordinated excellently. Colin enzuigiri’s Lyndon into an STO from Jimmy. Jake crossbody’s Jimmy. Jake and Dave hit stereo boots and knees to Colin’s head. Kendrick forearms Jake and sends Dave into him. Lyndon pops up Kendrick so he can double huracanrana the Airborne. The Olsens trip Aeroform to cut off their dives. Jake catches Jimmy with a boot from the floor. Colin dropkick the Airborne to the floor. Colin accidentally dives onto Dr. Col. Nolan Angus (the Olsens manager). The Olsens and Lyndon get sent into the crowd. Jake dives onto them from the floor. Dave and Kendrick Fozberry Flop onto all of them. Kendrick and Jake deliver chops once they’re back in the ring. Kendrick hits an enzuigiri. Jake and Jimmy knock each other down with stereo crossbody’s. Lyndon knee strikes Colin. Colin drops him with a swinging DDT. All six men recover and pair off. A series of pin attempts is traded after triple superkicks. Jimmy hits Jake with a hard right punch and dropkicks Dave on the top rope. Lyndon powerbombs Jimmy while Jimmy superplexes Dave. Colin, Kendrick and Jake hit triple dives which causes all three of them to get a two count. Colin and Jake trade chops. Colin pitches Jake to the floor. Lyndon springboard planchas onto Irish Airborne. Colin and Kendrick jockey for position. Kendrick finally delivers a package side piledriver. Kendrick delivers a shooting star senton. Jimmy drops Kendrick with the Overbomb. Dave blasts Jimmy with an enzuigiri. The Airborne hit the Irish Air Raid for the pin at 11:15. This was craziness from bell to bell; the good, entertaining type of craziness. All three teams were at their paramount during this match and the fans could not have been happier for the new champions. So tell me, why aren’t all of these teams getting more opportunities elsewhere? ***3/4

ECW Rules
Sabu vs. Facade

Sabu comes out with some random dude in a suit. Façade rolls out of a single leg hold. Sabu goes for Façade’s arm. Façade uses the ropes to break. Sabu boots Façade to the corner. Façade flips over him in the corner and hits a pop-up leg lariat. Sabu pitches Façade to the floor. Sabu throws a chair right at his head for a two on the floor. Sabu applies a Camel Clutch in the ring. Façade grabs the ropes to break. Sabu delivers some strikes while his buddy sets up a table ringside. Sabu puts Façade on the table. Façade gets up and cuts off Sabu’s Asai moonsault. Façade kicks the inside of Sabu’s legs. Façade hits a leg lariat for two. A moonsault gets Façade a two count. Sabu throws Façade to the floor. Sabu grabs a chair in the ring. Façade walks the top rope and dropkicks the chair into Sabu’s face for two. Façade Arabian Presses a chair onto Sabu’s chest for two. Sabu rams a spike multiple times into Façade’s head. Façade rolls to the floor to escape. Sabu follows right after and continues to spike him. Sabu sets up a table in the ring. He hits Façade with a chair. Façade desperately low blows Sabu. He places Sabu on the table and goes to the apron with a face full of blood. He hits the table with a slingshot somersault senton, but the table doesn’t break. Sabu hits a chair assisted legdrop from the top rope through the table for the pin at 11:46. This was exactly what you would expect out of a Sabu match. He’s in shockingly good shape and moves quite well for a guy who has endured everything he has over the years. Façade was a good foil for him and must have loved wrestling his idol. **3/4

No Disqualification
Rickey Shane Page vs. Vincent Nothing

Nothing breaks a lock-up in the corner. Page does the same. They try one-up another by locking up again, this time with both of them breaking it. Nothing rolls Pahe into a leg hold which Page quickly reverses. Nothing goes for an armbar, causing Page to put his foot on the ropes right away. Nothing escapes a headlock with a headlock. They block a series of each others maneuvers. They trip each other for a quick pin attempt. Nothing delivers a series of knee strikes. Page lays in a series of strikes. They block each others kicks and go face to face. Nothing knocks him down with a back elbow. He hits double knees and a facewash in the corner. Nothing hits many more facewash kicks for a two count. Page elbows Nothing in the corner. He hits a running knee strike and drags Nothing to the middle of the ring for two. Page goes for a chokeslam. Nothing grabs Page’s arm and applies a triangle choke. Page gets to the ropes but Nothing refuses to let go. Page brings Nothing to the floor. He finally stomps his way free. Page places a ladder against the guardrail. Nothing Irish whips Page into it. Nothing slams Page’s head between the ring post and the guardrail. Page fights up with knees and punches. He batters Nothing over and over with forearms to the upper back and head. A grouping of chairs is set up. Nothing goes for a suicide dive. Page flawlessly catches Nothing and Death Valley Driver’s him into the chairs. Page re-positions the chairs and places Nothing on them. Nothing moves as Page goes for a tope con hilo, causing Page to crash into the chairs himself. Page throws a chair at Nothing’s head. Nothing chops Page and drags him by his hair to the other side of the ring. Nothing pump-handle suplexes Page onto a ladder leaning against the guardrail. Nothing sets up a table ringside. Page hits a slingshot senton back in the ring for two. Page sets up a ladder on either side of the ladder and places bundles of light tubes on the rungs so that they lie above the table. Nothing kicks Page in the balls. He kicks Page’s arm multiple times. Page reigns down with forearms and slams Nothing on the ground. Page and Nothing brawl atop a ladder near Page’s set-up of doom. Page goes for a suplex. Nothing blocks and shoves Page through the light tubes and the table. Nothing looks remorseful of the act he’s committed. He throws Page back in the ring. Page somehow kicks out at two. Page begs for Nothing’s attack. Nothing lights him up with forearms and drops Page on his head with a German suplex for two. Nothing drops the eager Page with a Death Valley Michinoku Driver for two. Nothing and Page trade angry forearms and kicks to each other. Each guy hits a clothesline, knocking one another down. Page nails his signature rolling elbow for two. Nothing blocks another one with a boot. He drops Page with the 2-1-Sick (Nothing’s finisher) for two. Page hits an enzuigiri and two rolling elbows for two. Page then drops Nothing with the 2-1-Sick for the pin at 29:57. This could arguably be the best match in AIW history. They played a long video package of these two’s AIW’s career before the match and the commentators did a tremendous job explaining why this match was so important for each man to win. Page took so much and kept on going because it was just that crucial for him to defeat Nothing and wash away the image of Christian Faith forever. The twinge of remorse Nothing showed when he threw Page through the light tube/ladder/table contraption was brilliant, and Page using Nothing’s finishing move to end the match was icing on the cake. Everyone knew this was special the moment the match ended. ****1/4

Vincent Nothing says most people probably think that Faith In Nothing are back together after that match, but that isn’t the case. Nothing however puts Page over huge, and after that match, I can’t blame him. He calls him a brother, his best friend, and asks the fans to remember Rickey Shane Page. Page thanks Nothing for giving him the best five years of his life. He puts on his Christian Faith mask so he and Nothing can give the fans one last goodbye as Faith In Nothing.

Absolute Championship
Johnny Gargano (Champion) vs. Tim Donst

Donst earned this title shot by winning the Gauntlet for the Gold in February. Donst goes after Gargano’s arm early. Gargano armdrags him to the mat. Donst applies a pump-handle stretch. Donst grabs Gargano’s leg, but Gargano kicks Donst away to the ropes. They fight for control on the mat. They reach a stalemate. They roll out to the floor where overhand chops and forearms are thrown. Donst pokes Gargano in the eyes and slams his head into the ring apron. Gargano accidentally dives onto referee Jake Clemons. Gargano this time hits Donst with the suicide dive and a cannonball senton from the apron. In the ring, Gargano knee strikes Donst in the face. He delivers a reverse neckbreaker. Referee Jon Barber takes over and counts two. Donst suplexes Gargano onto his face. He delivers two gut-wrench suplexes for two. Donst grapevines his legs and pushes Gargano’s shoulders up. He drops Gargano to the mat and pins him for two. Gargano sends Donst to the floor with an enzuigiri. Gargano tries to crossbody him on the floor. Donst catches him and tosses Gargano into the crowd where he lands on empty chairs. Donst brings Gargano back to the bar area. Gargano punts Donst from a table. Donst drops Gargano with an STO through the table. They come back to the ring area. Gargano Irish whips Donst into a group of chairs. He places a trash can on Donst and throws two chairs at him. They head to ringside where Donst slams Gargano’s face into the ring apron. Gargano spears Donst on the ring apron. Donst delivers multiple elbows. He hits the ropes only to be caught with Gargano’s slingshot spear. Gargano goes for a superkick. Donst ducks and Gargano hits Jon Barber. Gargano suicide dives to the floor, but Donst catches him with an ace crusher. Donst drops him with a Gator Roll. Donst pins him but there’s no referee. One finally comes in and counts Gargano for two. Angry, Donst disposes of the referee with an STO. Referee Dave Dawson comes out. Donst and Gargano immediately toss him to the floor and go back to trading blows. Gargano blocks Donst’s bulldog with a superkick. He puts Donst in the Gargano Escape. Donst picks Gargano up and delivers a super Donstitution. All four referees recover and count two. Donst puts Gargano in the CHIKARA Special. Gargano kicks his way free. Donst delivers another STO and Gator Roll for two. Gargano delivers the Tower of London and the Hurts Donut for two. He puts Donst back in the Gargano Escape. Donst reverses into the CHIKARA special. Gargano gets the ropes. Gargano boots Donst in the face. He hits CIMA’s Perfect Driver for two. He hits the Hurts Donut again, and Donst kicks out at one! Gargano delivers a low superkick for two. The third Hurts Donut scores him the pin at 16:40. This was another war, with both men fighting tooth and nail to pick up the win. The referee gimmick was a unique touch and added a lot of drama to the match. This is proof that these are two of the most solid guys in wrestling today. ***1/2

Gargano says that Donst has earned the crowds respect and would be honored to meet him in an AIW ring again. As Gargano and Donst are preparing to leave, Shiima Xion’s music hits. Xion and the rest of Flexor Enterprises comes to ringside. Flexor says it’s time for him to defend the title against Xion, who’s cashing in his title shot he won at theTPI right now. Gargano kicks Xion to kick the match off.

Absolute Championship
Johnny Gargano (Champion) vs. Shiima Xion

Xion shoves Gargano into the guardrail. In the ring Xion hits a missile dropkick. Gargano and Xion trade superkicks. Xion goes for a crucifix driver. Gargano counters with a Finlay Roll. Xion traps Gargano in a crossface. Gargano goes for the ropes, but Xion rolls him back. Gargano rolls Xion up for two. Xion calls for a Shiranui. Gargano shoves him away. Xion comes out of the corner with a moonsault press. Gargano catches him with a dropkick. He lawn darts Xion and delivers the Hurts Donut. Flexor pulls referee Dave Dawson out of the ring. Tim Donst attacks Flexor but gets taken down by Chad Williams and Low Rider. Gargano helps Donst fight Flexor Industries off. Gargano brings Dawson back in the ring. Dawson however throws powder into Gargano’s eyes! Xion rolls up Gargano and Dawson fast counts him for the win at 3:21. What a crazy, unpredictable way to end the show. We now end AIW’s biggest show of the year with a big turn and the dominant heel group with the top title in tow. I honestly can’t wait to see how this plays out. N/R

Flexor Industries immediately bail to their limo outside. Donst is furious and tries to break his way into the limo to attack them. Gargano isn’t far behind. The limo speeds off into the night with Gargano and Donst behind it.

Lakewood, OH – 6.14.2011

Commentary is provided by Pedro Deluca and Aaron Bauer.

Corey Winters vs. K. Fernandez

Joey The Snake is in Fernandez’s corner. Winters takes Fernandez down in an armbar. Winters snapmares Fernandez and drops him with a hip toss. He fires up with a back elbow and clothesline. Fernandez pokes Winters in the eyes. Winters forearms him and goes for a backslide. Winters instead drops Fernandez with a brainbuster for two. Winters goes to the second rope. Fernandez catches him with an enzuigiri and superkick. Fernandez kicks Winters in the ropes for a two count. Fernandez nails two knee strikes for two. Joey chokes Winters on the middle rope as Fernandez distracts the referee. Fernandez cuts off Winter’s comeback attempt with an STO for two. Winters escapes a DVD and hits a German suplex for two. Fernandez hits one of his own for two. Winters hits a release version for the pin at 5:56. Winters and Fernandez’s wrestling ability is on point, but their goofy gear makes it hard for them to break out as serious competitors. I think if they revamp their look they could really breakout. That being said, this was a fun bout to start the show. **1/4

Chest Flexor comes out to the ring with ”The Chad” Williams. Flexor said that Chad wanted to call out Tommy Mercer to face him before Absolution. Since Mercer isn’t here, he makes an open challenge on Chad’s behalf. South Side St. Clair, dressed as Sting, foolishly accepts the challenge.

”The Chad” Williams vs. South Side St. Clair

Williams boots St. Clair and lays in shots in the corner. Williams suplexes him. He drops a knee for two. St. Clair delivers a chinbreaker and calls for the Stinger Splash. Williams catches St. Clair and hits the Mercy Kill for the pin at 1:54. Exactly the squash you would hope Williams would get before a big match with a TNA roster member. ¼*

Ben Fruith vs. Joey The Snake

The AIW mascot “Green Man” high fives Fruith before the match. Fruith ducks Joey’s initial attacks. After a lot of stalling, Fruith kicks Joey in the leg. Fruith knocks Joey down in the corner and lands a leg lariat for two. Joey boots Fruith in the ribs. Fruith hits a dropkick. Joey forearms him to the mat and steps on his throat. Joey hits a clothesline for two. Fruith connects with a flying knee and a back senton for two. He knees Joey in the temple for two. Joey chops Fruith on the ropes and splashes him on the mat. Fruith avoids a corner splash. He lights up Joey with kicks and strikes. He hits a running ace crusher, but Joey gets his foot on the ropes to break the pin. Joey eyerakes Fruith and delivers multiple kicks. He drops Fruith neck first across his knee for two. Joey spikes Fruith with a reverse DDT for the pin at 7:38. This was fine in terms of building the Lights Out/Latin Crime Syndicate feud, but it’s clear these two are less interesting than their partners. *

After the match, Joey’s partners Luis Diamante and K. Fernandez attack Fruith. Joey gives Fruith a back cracker off of Diamante’s powerbomb position. The Duke and Corey Winters run out to chase DLCS off and tend to Fruith. The Duke says he’s tired of DLCS running and that he will face a member of their group tonight. By process of elimination, Diamante will be the one to face him.

Rickey Shane Page vs. Chad Futuristic

Futuristic gets the ropes to prevent Page from putting on a leg submission. Page hammerlocks Futuristic into a roll up for two. He again goes for a submission and Futuristic grabs the ropes once more. Futuristic pokes Page in the eye. He connects with a satellite headscissors and a dropkick. Page counters a huracanrana with a buckle bomb.Page pummels Futuristic in the corner. Page nails a forearm and a running knee strike in the corner. Page steps over Futuristic and stretches out his arms. Page kicks him in the back and chest. He delivers a gutbuster and back senton for two. Futuristic hits the Rough Ryder for two. Page rolls through a clothesline. He ties up Futuristic in a cloverleaf and Futuristic taps at 5:20. Page’s outward aggression and technical wrestling ability portrays just how good Page can be. Futuristic didn’t look bad at all, and I certainly think a less squashy match would allow him to showcase his ability. **1/2

Gregory Iron vs. AERO!

Some chain wrestling leads to AERO knocking Iron down with a shoulder block. Iron armdrags him over. AERO misses an elbow after another shoulder block. Iron hits a senton splash for two. Iron hits some forearms and a clothesline in the corner. AERO hits a step-up enzuigiri. Iron elbows to escape a headlock, but AERO throws him head first back to the mat. AERO suplexes him for two. He hits a Tiger variation and chokes Iron with his shin. Iron comes back with a tornado bulldog. Iron delivers a flurry of clotheslines and an inverted DDT for two. AERO hits a step-up enzuigiri and the Implant for two. Iron retaliates with the Handicap Parking for the pin at 7:12. Iron appropriately gets a win in a very good back-and-forth match before his big brawl with Josh Prohibition. This match was fun to watch and featured the best action on the card thus far. **3/4

Chest Flexor and “The Chad” Williams once again come back to the ring. Flexor says Williams is still ready to go, and asks for a TNA Knockout to challenge Williams. We don’t get an official Knockout, but Super Oprah answers the challenge.

”The Chad” Williams vs. Super Oprah

Oprah disgusts Williams in order for him to break a waistlock. She drop toe holds him into a skullfuck for two. Williams drops her with a spinebuster. Williams boots Oprah down in the corner. Williams big boots her after an Irish whip for two. He slams Oprah and goes to the second rope. She catches william with a chokeslam backbreaker. Oprah delivers some chops. She twists his nipples before giving him a kiss. Oprah splashes Williams in the corner and follow sup with a cannonball senton for two. Williams powerbombs her out of the corner for the pin at 6:01. Why in God’s name this went longer than the first match and Oprah got so much offense is baffling. As a match it was better, but this was the wrong match to have at the wrong time. ¾*

Flexor gets in the ring. He says since Jessicka Havok couldn’t be at the show tonight, he made a deal with Allysin Kay to beat up Angeldust so badly that she won’t be able to make it to Girls Night Out 4 in July.

Angeldust vs. Allysin Kay

Kay attacks Angeldust as she poses in the corner. Kay tries to powerbomb her, but Angeldust reverses into a huracanrana. She dropkicks Kay to the corner and follows up with a splash. Kay mows her down with a larit. She gets two with a back senton. Angeldust goes for a sunset flip. Kay picks her up and throws her into the corner with a two-handed choke bomb. She scrapes her boot across Angeldust’s face before applying a straight-jacket choke. Angeldust delivers a few kicks. Kay cuts her off with a slam. Angeldust schoolgirls her for two. Kay conncets with a boot and chokes Angeldust on the mat. Angeldust reverses another powerbomb with a huracanrana. Angeldust delivers an STO for two. Kay blocks a kick and puts Angeldust on her shoulders. Angeldust kicks her leg out and delivers an enzuigiri for the pin at 4:13. Both these women had good showings, especially Kay who should be more regular in AIW’s women division. With little time, they packed in a good sized punch. **1/2

Flexor is frustrated after the match. He challenges anyone to a match so he can beat his frustrations out. Façade answers the call. Façade says Flexor cost him his spot in the TPI when he was put through a table, so their match tonight is a Tables match. Façade brings out a table with “Flexor Industries” spraypainted on it.

Tables Match
Façade vs. Chest Flexor

Façade brutalizes Flexor with kicks and forearms in the corner. Flexor retreats to the crowd but Façade brings him back in. Flexor trips over a leapfrog and eats a jump-up kick. Flexor brings him to the floor and delivers some punches. Flexor props him on a table leaning against the ring. Façade side steps his attack, so Flexor brings him back in the ring. This doesn’t last long as they fight behind the entrance curtain. We here some clatter before Flexor comes out and sets up a table between a ring apron and a table at the bar. Façade walks the walls of the outside bar into a dropkick back in the ring. Flexor tries to run away, but Façade dives onto him from the wall once more. Façade suplexes Flexor from the apron into the ring. Flexor is placed on a table as Façade goes up top. Flexor brings him down with a DDT. Flexor places Façade on the table and goes up to. Façade gts up, so Flexor goes back to the floor. Façade escapes a powerbomb and delivers a few kicks. Façade spirngboards from the ring, over the wall and onto Flexor through the table for the victory at 6:57. This was just a really fun match that made use of the unique environment of the show. You got to love outside shows. I’m anxious to see what Façade and Sabu string together for “Absolution VI”. **3/4

The Duke vs. Luis Diamante

Duke knocks him down with a shoulder block. Duke clotheslines him in the corner. He snapmares Diamante forward before snapping his neck on the mat. A knee strike gets him two. Diamante twists Duke’s ankle. Diamante sits down on Duke’s ankle. He grapevines the legs and bends them forward. Diamante and Duke exchange forearms. Duke powerslams him and sets up for the Duke Bomb. Joey The Snake and K. Fernandez attack for the disqualification at 5:15. Lights Out and Izaeh Bonds run out. Referee Jake Clemons turns this into a six man tag match.

The Duke & Lights Out (Ben Fruith & Corey Winters) vs. Da Latin Crime Syndicate (Luis Diamante, Joey The Snake & K. Fernandez)

Joey attacks Fruith right at the bell and drags him back to the corner. Fruith gets beaten down by DLCS until he ducks an elbow and tags in Duke. Duke tags in Winters who faces off with Diamante. Winters delivers two kicks and a forearm for two. Joey snaps Winters’ neck on the bottom rope. DLCS now take turns beating him down. Winters drops Joey with a DDT and hits an enzuigiri to escape and tag in The Duke. Duke back elbows all three DLCS members. He clotheslines Fernandez and Diamante simultaneously. Duke drops Joey with a Rikishi Driver for the pin at 7:15. This segment as a whole was pretty useless, just further build-up to their ten men tag. I hope we get something more exciting than this bout. *

Absolute Championship
Johnny Gargano vs. Bobby Beverly

Gargano gets the best of Beverly by stomping on his hand after exchanging holds. Gargano arm whips Beverly into a crucifix pin for two. Gargano rolls through a sunset flip and hits a dropkick. Gargano throws him face first into two corners. Beverly blocks a clothesline. He kicks Gargano and clotheslines him. He applies a bodyscissors while pulling Gargano’s chin. Beverly suplexes him for one. Beverly rolls him back into the submission. Gargano rolls him back into a surfboard stretch. Beverly slams Gargano back first into the corner and applies a rear chinlock. Gargano escapes. He lays in some forearms and nails a bicycle kick. He connects with a jumping back elbow. He rolls Beverly forward, kicking him in the chest for two. Beverly delivers a chinbreaker. Gargano puts him in an Anaconda Vice in the ropes. Gargano rolls Beverly and kicks him in the shoulder. He hits a low Code Breaker for two. Beverly blocks the Hurts Donut. Gargano crucifiix pins him for two. He goes for the Gargano Escape. Beverly quickly escapes. He hits a thrust kick and an STO, transitioning into a Koji Clutch. Gargano grabs the ropes to break. They exhange forearms and hit each other with a boot. Beverly hits a chinbreaker/enzuigiri combo. He delivers a backbreaker for two. Gargano drops Beverly with a brainbuster.More forearms are thrown. Gargano hits a sole butt. Beverly kicks Gargano on the ropes. Gargano catches Beverly with the Zig-Zag and puts him in the Gargano Escape. Beverly escapes. Gargano superkicks him twice and hits the Hurts Donut. He puts Beverly in the Gargano Escape. Beverly taps out at 11:28. Gargano looks strong heading into his title defense at “Absolution VI” against Tim Donst. This was close to being as good as their “Gauntlet for the Gold” match. A fine way to end the show. ***

Green Man celebrates with Johnny Gargano. He helps Beverly up an extends his hand. Beverly shoves him. Green Man tackles Beverly and delivers aflurry of punches. Beverly retreats. Green Man reveals himself to be Beverly’s former partner Eric Ryan, who Beverly injured and shaved bald all the way back in November at “Hell On Earth 6”. Ryan said he’s happy to return to AIW, his favorite place to wrestle. Ryan says his first day of rehab on his birthday, helping making his leg stronger than ever. He tells Beverly that he is fucked come “Absolution VI”.

Overall: This show succeeded in it’s intended purpose of adding a little extra hype for “Absolution VI”. As a stand alone show, I wouldn’t recommend it as a lot of the matches don’t hold up on their own. However, if you’re uninitiated with AIW or are planning to buy “Absolution VI”, it may not be a bad idea to toss this in your shopping cart as well.