MUSCLEMANIA XV REPORT

The show kicked off with Girls Aloud doing the honours of singing God Save The Queen much to the delight of the fans in attendance. We then were treated to the full collection of the insane/inspired (depends on your point of view) “musical” adverts for MuscleMania. For those of you who’ve been living under a box for the past six weeks, various IWF superstars have done musical parodies of some famous artists. Some have been funny (PJW hamming it up as Jimmy Somerville), some have been tragic ( ) whilst others have been downright outstanding (Xavier doing his best Freddie Mercury impression). No one has any real idea why the IWF put together these adverts, but I dare say it’s helped with mainstream publicity. The reel ended with Matthew Mercy’s Johnny Cash (given his lead role in Walk The Lane, what else could we end with?) before leading into the traditional “this is our superbowl”, “this is the biggest night of the year” spiel that always gets aired prior to MM.

Warfare World Title Shot Battle Royale ( * * ) – Well card filler this may have been (and/or a way to get those unfortunate enough not to have a real reason for being on the card…well…on the card). Up for grabs was a Unified World Title shot on Wednesday Night Warfare (May 3rd). Still, as it was the opening match the crowd were well up for it, and everybody, and we mean everybody, had a theory as to who was going to win!
ORDER OF ELIMINATION:
1) Ray Gordy (JBL)
2) Chuck Palumbo (Burchill)
3) Edge (Chris Jericho)
4) Monty Brown (Finlay)
5) Colt Cabana (JBL)
6) Matt Hardy (Booker T)
7) Rob Van Dam (CM Punk)
8) Rick Shaw (Simon Starshot)
9) Chris Benoit (Finlay)
10) Finlay (Chris Jericho)
11) Rhino (CM Punk)
12) Burchill (Shelton Benjamin)
13) Booker T (Simon Starshot)
14) Shelton Benjamin (Simon Starshot)
15) CM Punk (JBL)
16) Jeff Jarrett (Chris Jericho)
17) JBL (Simon Starshot)
18) Chris Jericho (Kane)
19) Kane (Simon Starshot)
WINNER = SIMON STARSHOT
In the end it was Simon Starshot who defied all the odds to take the victory and get the opportunity to take on the World Champion, whomever that might turn out to be, on Warfare. The crowd did pop for Starshot’s victory, and his post-match interview with Maria was right on the button too as he talked about being in the IWF for 10 years but never getting an opportunity like this before. In other talking points from the match, Finlay looked surprisingly awesome and both CM Punk and Shelton Benjamin seemed to get good reactions from the crowd. The likes of RVD, Edge, Rhino and Matt Hardy on the other hand may well have spent the rest of the evening reminiscing about the time when they would have been vital selling points on a MuscleMania card…

Alias Storm & Haas Vs America’s Most Wanted ( * * * ) – AMW shocked the world when they turned their back on a contract with the up-start promotion TWA to sign with the IWF, but their decision soon paid off when they defeated Lance Storm & Charles Haas at Breaking Point. However, shenanigans at Corporal Punishment relieved them of the belts and led to Eric Bischoff stating that they had to earn their way back into contention. That they did, but Eric had another twist in the tale, announcing that whichever team lost this match would have to split up for good. A way of heightening the tension or a way of signposting the result of this match? Take your pick.
For what it’s worth the crowd really bought into this match and both teams looked in the mood. The basic story was that Storm and Haas were attempting to use their superior technical abilities to overcome the power and, some would say, agility advantage that (James) Storm and Harris had. And that’s pretty much how it went. S&H managed to isolate James Storm from his partner and go to work on him. Eventually he made the BIG tag and Harris cleaned house. Some nefarious tactics from the tag champs briefly allowed them back into the thick of it, but the challengers rallied and finished (Lance) Storm off with the Death Sentence for the 1-2-3, and their second reign as World Tag Team Champions. The crowd went wild, AMW celebrated and Storm and Haas looked on nonplussed.
A good match, which did what it set out to do. Although given the fact that AMW have only been in the IWF for about 5 months and have already lifted the tag team titles twice, the IWF is going to have to unearth some more serious competition for them from hereon in. Storm and Haas, on the other hand are presumably heading off into singles competition, but it could be a trying time for them over the course of the next few months.

Brock Lesnar Vs The Big Gee ( * * ) – So it was time for the battle of the big men, and although this was hardly the most exciting match ever, it was quite entertaining and packed a lot of high impact moves into the seven minutes it was allotted. The fans haven’t quite taken to Brock since his return at the Robo Rumble, perhaps letting him know his whining and moaning upon leaving the IWF last time hadn’t gone unnoticed, so for once Gee was a clear crowd favourite, with at least 70% of the Wembley Arena crowd behind him.
The build up to this had been steady, if a little unspectacular. Indeed the only burning “issue” was the fact that the two didn’t really like each other and that Gee was sick of Lesnar’s whinging (and highlighting that fact probably lead to the fan’s enmity towards Lesnar rearing its head).
Lesnar won the early power exchanges, but was soon shaken out of his stride by some booming suplexes from Gee. Gee continued to work over Lesnar’s leg with some stiff shots and was able to quickly cut off any attempted comebacks. Finally though Lesnar managed to burst into life and overpower the Gee with some heavy-duty suplexes of his own (including a simply beautiful T-Bone suplex) and put him down with a brutal powerslam. Lesnar circled his prey and waited for Gee to get to his feet in order to hit the F-5 but when he did hit it, it was only enough for a 2 count. Lesnar was shocked and once again circled his prey, but this time when he went for the F-5, Gee blocked the attempt and managed to hit back with a Gee-Bomb of his own. This only garnered a 2 count, but Gee was in the zone, and he hit a second to get the pinfall victory, much to the delight of the crowd.
Gee seemed to get a new lease of life with the fan reaction but whether he would get the same reaction against more favoured wrestlers is open to question. As for Lesnar, his “come-back” has seemingly stalled, but given the acrimonious nature of his previous departure surely no-one can be that surprised.

Shawn Michaels Vs Carlito ( * * * ) – If HBK is seemingly warming down his career at this juncture, Carlito is someone who is said to have a very bright future with the IWF. Some nice vignettes leading up to this match had focussed on this point and it is a testament to both men that the build up to this one has been very entertaining indeed.
Of course, whilst some of you may have thought Carlito had a chance of winning, you would have been in the distinct minority and as such the match didn’t perhaps have the dramatic touch it would otherwise have had. Michaels did a good job of making Carlito look competitive though and Carlito did enjoy his fair share of offence before inevitably falling prey to some Sweet Chin Music for the 1-2-3.
Decent match, and perhaps one day Carlito will look back on this with fondness as the start of his run to the top. As for Michaels…who knows? Rumours are he’s going to phase down his in-ring commitments and this may be a wise thing. After all, what else can the man do?

Phil Jackson & Mick Foley Vs Paul Wardle & Raven (No Holds Barred, * * * * ) – Jackson and Wardle may indeed have been wrestling each other for YEARS, but some handy booking has kept the issues fresh. Raven’s return to the IWF was shocking, but it was even more shocking when The Graduate looked through his address book to call up Mick Foley as his tag team partner for this big MM match. Foley has seen better days of course (as has Raven for that matter) but he did look to have put effort into getting into “fighting shape” for this one and the promise of no holds barred brutality had everyone on the edge of their seats.
The great thing about this was that the obvious chemistry between Raven/Foley and Jackson/Wardle transferred well to this tag team match, and all four men took some brutal punishment in this No Holds Barred encounter. This match had everything you would have expected from an “Insane” style encounter. Stiff chair shots, tables, ladders…and even Barbed Wire!
Highlights of the match included Foley wrapping said Barbed Wire around one of the top ropes and doing his old hangman routine with Raven, and Jackson hit an amazing leg-drop from the top-rope to the arena floor onto Wardle…and oh, yeah, Wardle was out on a table at the time!
You really do have to credit all four men for this one. All “put their bodies on the line” to put together an intense showdown and it was fitting that the two former world champions made sure that their less-established partners were allowed to come across as the stars of the match. In the end, Jackson pinned Wardle after hitting him with an Arabian Face Buster…albeit one delivered from the top of a ladder. The crowd gave all the men a standing ovation, and it was a well-deserved one to say the least.

Dean Roberts Vs Triple H ( * * * ¾ ) – This “MuscleMania rematch” has been slowly building up since Breaking Point, and credit where credit is due, the slow burn tactics have worked. Their previous MM match has been subtly woven into the storyline with HHH claiming he’s improved since then whilst Dean claimed that he’d beaten Triple H then when he wasn’t in the peak condition he is now. Throw in just a few…ok, a hell of a lot of barbed comments and you had yet another match that was eagerly anticipated.
Although both men got huge reactions for their entrances, a somewhat cool crowd marred the opening moments of the match, but that’s understandable given what these two were following. The two kept at it though and slowly built up the tension and the excitement and really drew the crowd in.
In fact, psychologically this may have been the best of the night, it really was that masterful. Dean played the ageing and wounded veteran to perfection and HHH had a blast as the evil opponent hungry to really make a name for himself. Indeed, slowly but surely the fans really rallied behind Dean as HHH took the game to him. He opened up a cut on Dean’s face, which only added to the drama. It really looked as if Dean was down and out but even when Triple H hit a pedigree Dean managed to kick out for the closest of close falls. Dean rallied but he still looked down and out but a low-blow (out of sight of the referee of course) gave him the advantage and after a struggle he hit the scholarship. HHH kicked out of that, but he couldn’t escape after another one and Dean got the hugely popular 1-2-3.
You’d expect something good from these two, and they delivered in spades. An old-school wrestling match with some great psychology that went down very well which in it’s own way made for a nice contrast from the previous match.

Melina Vs Alexis Laree Vs Annalise Roberts ( * * ) – Well they were never going to really follow that, especially given that this was one of the few matches of the evening with no real back-story. Basically Melina and Alexis hate each other, and…well we have no real idea as to why Annalise was added to the mix other than the fact that she probably just about remains the best wrestler in the women’s division.
This was decent enough fair, but was never anything other than card filler. The home straight was impressive though as all three women traded high-impact moves and counters, and in the end, Laree pinned Melina to lift the belt.
All this really proved is that whilst these may be three of the finest women wrestlers ever seen in the IWF, without a back story of any significance they are never likely to be able to ignite the crowd.

Chris Kanyon Vs Jay Reso ( * * * * ) – If ever there was a night that both men had to put on a performance , this was it. Kanyon’s homosexuality has finally become public knowledge, and although it has to be said that Kanyon divulged his sexual preferences willingly it is clear that some fans don’t know what to think of him anymore. Which is a shame (and will probably lead to a heel turn before too long). Reso, on the other hand, had been growing in popularity (in a heel sense, if you catch our drift) for a good while and finally had the chance to prove he could be a genuine headline talent. Thankfully, on both scores, this match delivered…and then some!
Kanyon started off like a house on fire and really took the battle to Reso but some underhanded tactics by Jay led to him gaining control of the match. Reso kept control and the fans (well the majority of them anyways) were egging Kanyon on hoping that he could get back in the match. It looked like he had done when he hit the Kanyon Kutter from out of nowhere, but in the process the referee also took a tumble and so wasn’t there to count the subsequent pinfall attempt. From out of nowhere however Reso hit a low blow and then managed to hit the Unprettier on Kanyon. The referee slowly made his way over but by the time he made the count, Kanyon managed to kick out. However Reso hit the move again and got the pinfall victory, much to the amazement of the crowd.
A great match which saw great performances from both men AND the right result. Who could really ask for more?

Matthew Mercy & PJ Love Vs MNM ( * * * ) – Well despite some ugly rumours there was no sign of the Spice Girls at ringside. There was an absolutely priceless “confrontation” between PJ & Mercy and Dean Roberts & The Big Gee backstage as Mercy & PJ were making their way to the Gorilla position. Although this was never likely to be anymore than comedy, it was still an important night for all concerned. PJW may only have come back in the short-term, but he had a few things to prove in respect of his status in the business. Mercy may be back part-time, he may have only done this as a one-off but he surely needed to prove he could still go in the ring. MNM also had a big opportunity to cement themselves as upper-card heels (come on, surely no-one seriously sees top-line singles runs in their future) and prove that their entertaining act could move up a level.
But surely the most surprising outcome of all was that for the second match running it was the “underdogs” that won the match. That’s right…the end came when Johnny Nitro pinned PJ Love, 1-2-3, clean in the middle of the ring. So ok, it wasn’t Mercy who took the fall (come on, seriously, did anyone think THAT would happen?) but the result will do MNM the world of good.
So all in all this was a very entertaining match-up which can surely have left no one unfulfilled. And given that it appears like PJ’s run has come to an end with this match and that Mercy is rumoured to be not wresting any more dates in 2006 we got the right result too.

Xavier Vs Hulk Hogan ( * * * ½ ) – Out of all the matches on the card this has universally been seen as the one with the best build up. Be it Xavier dismantling Lance “Hulk Hogan” Cade, or Xavier’s stalking of Hulk’s daughter Brooke or the absolutely off the chart reaction when Hogan finally returned to Warfare to accept Xavier’s challenge, this has been outstanding. The only real question was what the match itself would turn out to be…and to a lot of people’s surprise it turned out to be something pretty damn special, and very shocking.
It all started off straight enough. Xavier made his entrance and was booed out of the building, and the reaction to Hulk Hogan was off the charts. The building boomed and reverberated to chants of “Hogan, Hogan”.
However as the match continued the damndest thing started to happen. Every time Xavier went on the offensive he started to get more and more cheers and when he trash-talked about Brooke Hogan and what he’d like to do to Hogan’s wife, the fans were going wild. Hogan looked completely shocked and although the match continued on a professional level you could see that both men were shocked at what was happening. Thankfully as both were pro’s the managed to adapt the match as such, and such was their efforts that by the time Xavier was busted wide open, the fans were baying for Hogan’s blood. Indeed the place almost erupted when Xavier hit the Xav-Attack, and nearly rioted when Hogan kicked out. And indeed they were at near fever pitch when Hogan actually slapped Xavier's valet Vicky right in the face after she'd attempted to get at Hogan!
In the end though it was Hogan who took the win after he hulked-up, much to the disgust of the crowd we might add, and hit the big-boot and the legdrop combination. Hogan really revelled in being a heel again, and after he had gone the crowd gave Xavier a standing ovation.
A strange turn of events, but what an atmosphere. The only drawback is the rumours that neither man will be making any appearances for the IWF any time soon, although only time will tell on that story.

Matt Morgan Vs Randy Orton Vs Kurt Angle ( * * * * ) – So it was main event time. And it was a main event with genuine confusion as to who would walk out the winner. Which can only be a good thing. Fought under “first pinfall” wins rules, this was slightly hampered by the usual breaking up of pinfalls that you constantly get in these matches but the supreme effort put forward by all three men more than made up for it. We also got a special treat before the match, as Christy Hemme was introduced (in her IWF debut) as the Special guest ring announcer. What point that had is debatable, but you have to say she looked HOT, and displayed more charisma than any number of bimbo's we've seen in the past.
As for the match itself, Angle was his usual superb self but Morgan and Orton did more than enough to keep up their end of the bargain with superb performances themselves.
Morgan’s power took the advantage early on, but Angle soon got back into the thick of things by using his superior technical skills. However Orton hung in their as well and it really did seem like a case of any one of the three being able to win the thing.
The fans were 100% behind Angle in his quest to once again lift the Unified World Triple Crown title, but ultimately they were to be disappointed. In a hot closing sequence it looked like Angle would take it as he knocked Orton out with an Angle Slam and then turned his attention to Morgan. As he had Morgan in the Angle Lock however, Orton rallied and just managed to break up the hold before Morgan looked like he was about to tap. Orton threw Angle over the top rope and then circled around Morgan. Morgan got gingerly to his feet, with his ankle still in great pain, and an RKO later made the pinfall attempt, which just reached three before Angle could get back in the ring and break it up. The fans were stunned, and Orton revelled in his ascension to the top of the IWF. The show faded to black as Orton lifted the World title high in the air.

This may not have been the greatest MuscleMania of all time, but it certainly was a very good one. There was no out and out stinkers on show and there was a great deal of quality entertainment on display. Perhaps the only thing that kept it from being a real Grade A show was the lack of an absolute show-stopping match, but when you get matches of the quality of Angle/Orton/Morgan, Reso/Kanyon and Dean/HHH (not to mention the extremely entertaining Xav/Hogan match and the brutal Wardle & Raven/Jackson & Foley encounter) who could complain?

CHRISTY HEMME SIGNS DEAL

Today the IWF are pleased to announce that Christy Hemme has signed a deal with the promotion and will be on hand at MuscleMania XV tonight!

"I'm so pleased to be able to be a part of the IWF" said Christy this morning, "and it's a dream come true to be able to make my debut as part of the MuscleMania XV festivities."

Hall Of Fame Report

The International Wrestling Federation would like to thank all of its fans who attended the second annual Hall Of Fame banquet at the Wembley Conference Centre last night.

The show kicked off with a video package featuring all last year's entrants (Hulk Hogan, Arn Anderson, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, The Dynamite Kid, PJW, The Honky Tonk Man and The Barons ) before your host for the evening George Minister took the stage.

First to be inducted was Chris Candido, and the award was accepted on his behalf by his former fiancee Tammy "Sunny" Sytch. Candido was inducted by his former tag team partner Dean Roberts who lamented the fact that Candido had fought through so many battles, only to have life snatched from him in such a tragic instance. Sytch, with tears in her eyes, said that Chris would be looking down on us all tonight with a smile.

Next up were Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas, who were inducted by current World Tag Team Champions Lance Storm & Haas. Storm & Haas said that K & F had been an inspiration to them as a team. Kroffat said he was thankful to the IWF for bringing the team of Kroffat & Furnas into the Western Hemisphere. Furnas said that his days in the IWF were some of the happiest in his career.

Next to be inducted was former IWF Commissioner Tully Blanchard, who was inducted by his good friend and former tag team championship partner Arn Anderson. Arn said that Tully was one of the unsung heroes of professional wrestling. Tully said that he was forever thankful for the reception he had received upon returning to the spotlight in the IWF and said he would cherish this evening for the rest of his life.

Next was former IWF World Champion "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. Inducted by Mick Foley, Shane said that the IWF was proof that dreams could come true. He thanked the IWF for letting talent shine through and "not being dictated to by backstage politics".

The penultimate inductee was Brian Pillman. His widow Melanie was on hand to collect the award from none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin told tales of their long friendship and said that he was sure Brian was looking down on us all tonight. Melanie thanked the wrestling world for not forgetting Brian.

Finally it was the turn of IWF superstar Triple H to induct the legendary Ric Flair into the Hall of Fame. HHH told the world that it was because of Flair that he was stood here right now. Flair came out to a wonderous ovation. He said that although he may have only spent a small fraction of his career in the IWF, he regarded it as a home from home and hinted that we hadn't seen the last of him yet!

Dean Roberts DVD Match Listing

Icon - The Dean Roberts Story comes to IWF Home Video on a special 3 disc DVD package on July 2nd, and today we can exclusively reveal the bonus match listings for the DVD.

15/09/95 Vs Owen Hart (IWF Debut Match)

23/10/95 & Steve Austin Vs The Public Enemy (Steel Cage, In Your House II)

23/06/96 Vs Chris Candido (Submission Match, Heat Wave 1996)

21/08/96 Vs Dustin Rhodes (European Title Tournament Final, Warfare)

17/11/96 Vs Matthew Mercy (Nightmare In New York)

05/02/97 Vs MMK (Ladder Match, Warfare)

22/09/97 Vs Kevin Nash (Monday Night Warfare)

18/10/98 Vs Raven (Neon Blue 1998)

31/12/98 Vs The Undertaker (Hell In A Cell, New Year's Revolution)

25/04/99 Vs Matthew Mercy (MuscleMania VIII)

28/01/01 Vs Chris Jericho (Last Man Standing, Corporal Punishment)

02/02/01 Vs The Big Gee (Impact)

21/04/02 Vs Triple H (MuscleMania XI)

11/08/02 Team IWF Vs Team nWo (Super Series)

24/11/02 & Xavier Vs Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (Nightmare In New York VII)

30/03/03 Vs Rhino Vs Kurt Angle Vs Rob Van Dam Vs The Big Gee Vs Shawn Michaels (Six Pak Match, Battle In Seattle)

25/05/03 Vs Xavier (Into The Darkness)

23/10/05 Vs Shawn Michaels (30 Minute Iron Man Match, Neon Blue)

New Tag Team Inks A Deal

Hot on the heels of three new singles signings yesterday, IWF.com today has the pleasure of announcing that internationally reknowed tag team The Bang Gang have inked a two year deal with the International Wrestling Federation. Flavio Love (below left) and Loco Delgado (below right) are both relatively young but have experience from a multitude of different wrestling promotions from around the world.


Flavio is the fun-loving playful member of the team and has released a Rap CD in his native Angola. Flavio says he is looking forward to bringing his unique outlook on life to the International Wrestling Federation. "You know something, I don't think the IWF has ever had a superstar quite like me in it's ranks before. Flavio Love is going to add some fun and excitement to the IWF, so get ready for the Love to flow."

Delgardo is the more serious and studious member of the team and although a native of Italy, he has known Flavio since his family emigrated to Angola when Loco was just 3 years old. "I've known Flavio nearly all my life, and even though I get sick of his crazy antics at times, we've got a brotherly bond that will take us all the way to the summit of the IWF"

Although it has been said that both men are polar opposites in terms of personality, the two have an almost telepathic understanding in the ring. The Bang Gang have held titles all across the world and are looking to add to their growing title resume here in the IWF.

New Mercy Film Premieres In US

Last night, IWF superstar Matthew Mercy's new film got it's world Premiere in Times Square, New York. Air Miles is a romantic comedy starring Mercy alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar and Christina Ricci.

Mercy plays Shaun Thomas, a travel guide writer who is engaged to be married to model Imelda Pizzicato (Gellar). As plans for the lavish wedding gather pace Shaun finds himself increasingly drawn to Carmella Watson (Ricci), the downtrodden PA of Imelda, and wonders whether or not Imelda is the right woman for him. Can true-love win out?

The film also stars David Mitchell (of Peep Show fame) as Shaun's slacker best-friend, Dobson.

The film goes on general release in the US tommorrow and hits UK cinema's on the 27th April.

GIRLS ALOUD AT MUSCLEMANIA!!!!

Today the IWF can confirm that the IWF's favourite band in the whole world GIRLS ALOUD will be performing the National Anthem at MuscleMania.

Girls Aloud have previously appeared on numerous IWF events in the past, including Cheryl Tweedy's historic entry in the 2004 Robo Rumble and her singles match with IWF Superstar Xavier at Shoot Out 2004.

Previous performers of the National Anthem at MuscleMania have included Liberty X, Atomic Kitten and Joss Stone.

IWF owner Matthew Roberts was thrilled to be able to announce the news. "Although we always try to get the best for MuscleMania, it's a particular thrill this year to be able to say that the act that we've got to sing the National Anthem are as big fans of us as we are of them."

NEWS - NEW IWF SIGNINGS ANNOUNCED

The IWF is pleased to announce three new signings to the company;

SHEP OAKWOOD

The fun loving, cider drinking Shep Oakwood makes his way to the IWF after a long and varied career throughout the world. "I'm pleased to be able to ply my wares in the IWF" said Shep when we spoke to him. "I'll treat all the IWF superstars to a flagon of my finest when I debut."

BARABUS LASHLEY

Barabus is from the universally reknowned Lashley Family, notorious for their fighting skills. A man of few words, but a vicious temper, Barabus is keen to inflict pain on the IWF superstars he professes to admire so much. "Pain hurts anybody, no matter who they are" was all that Barabus would say to us when we contacted him.

MARK JINDRAK

The former World Tag Team, European Tag Team and United Kingdom champion has reached a deal to return to the IWF. "I feel like I've made a great progression as a wrestler during my time away from the IWF" said Mark when we caught up with him earlier today "and I'm coming back to make an Impact!" Only time will tell exactly what kind of an Impact he makes.

MuscleMania Poll

Who Will Win The Main Event Of MuscleMania XV? Matt Morgan Kurt Angle Randy Orton Free polls from Pollhost.com

MuscleMania Theme Revealed

This year's theme for MuscleMania XV theme has been announced as the Black Eyed Peas "Pump It".



The track is available on the Black Eyed Peas album "Monkey Business" which is available from all good record stores.

IWF HALL OF FAME - 2006 Entrants

The 2006 Induction Ceremony for the IWF Hall of Fame will be held on the 29th April 2006 at the Wembley Conference Centre. Today the IWF announced the full list of 2006 inductees...


"THE NATURE BOY" RIC FLAIR

Ric Flair is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers to ever step foot in the ring. Whilst only ever spending a short time of his career in the IWF, Flair held World Titles in the PWF and BCW, as well as appearing in the RWA. He will be inducted into the hall of fame by current IWF superstar Triple H.


"THE LOOSE CANNON" BRIAN PILLMAN

Brian made his professional debut in 1986 after a short career in the NFL with the Cincinatti Bengals. He was a tag team champion in the Robo Wrestling Alliance in the Hollywood Blondes team before becoming a singles star in the IWF. He passed away in 1997. His Hall Of Fame entry will be accepted by his widow Melanie Pillman, and he will be inducted by former Hollywood Blondes partner "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.


CHRIS CANDIDO

Chris made his professional debut in 1990, and was a part of the first ever IWF card in 1995. He was a Cruiserweight Champion, a tag team champion and holds the record for the longest ever European title reign in IWF history. Chris passed away in April 2005 and his Hall Of Fame award will be accepted by his long-term partner Tammy "Sunny" Sytch. He will be inducted by his former tag team partner Dean Roberts.


TULLY BLANCHARD

The former IWF Commissioner has had a long and varied career since his professional debut in 1975. He was one of the founding members of the Four Horsemen, and held titles in promotions all over the world. He will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame by fellow Hall Of Famer and former tag team partner Arn Anderson.


DAN KROFFAT & DOUG FURNAS

The Can-Am Express were one of the great tag teams of the 1990's, enjoying success worldwide before joining the IWF where they became multiple time tag team champions. Kroffat debuted in 1982, Furnas in 1986 and upon becoming a tag team in Japan they blossomed into one of the fiercest technical teams ever seen, holding the All Asian championships on 5 seperate occasions. They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame by current IWF Tag Team Champions Lance Storm & Charles Haas.


SHANE DOUGLAS

"The Franchise" was the first ever IWF World Champion back in 1995 and was one of the most successful wrestlers in Insane Championship Wrestling. Douglas made his debut in 1982, and after 24 successful years in the business he retired from in-ring action in 2004. Shane will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame by fellow ICW alumini Mick Foley.

They join Hulk Hogan, Arn Anderson, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, The Dynamite Kid, PJW, The Honky Tonk Man and The Barons who were inducted at the inagural ceremony last year.

MuscleMania XV PREVIEW

MuscleMania...it's like the Superbowl of professional wrestling. It's the biggest event on the calendar, and this year it's emanating from Wembley Arena. Tickets are sold out completely but you can catch it on April 30th, live on PPV. Here is the line up, and a preview of the action.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TRIPLE CROWN:

Matt Morgan Vs Kurt Angle Vs Randy Orton

Vs Vs

Ever since winning the Triple Crown title at Neon Blue 2005, "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan has steamrollered through some of the toughest competition the IWF has to offer. The likes of Chris Kanyon, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and The Big Gee have all left title matches with Morgan as losers. But the one man he's tried to avoid since winning the title has been the very man he beat for the belt, Kurt Angle. Angle was refused a rematch by IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff, but was allowed to enter the Robo Rumble, with its traditional prize of a main event MuscleMania spot. However, on that night in January Angle came close, but not close enough as he was eliminated last by the winner Randy Orton. It seemed like the dream was over, but Commissioner Bischoff had different ideas. He set up a 20 man battle royale on Warfare with the stipulation that the winner would be added to the MuscleMania main event. Despite tough competition, Angle won, and thus set up this intriguing three way match. Morgan and Orton agreed to an uneasy truce to attempt to eliminate Angle on the road to MuscleMania, but Orton soon turned the situation to his advantage, attacking Morgan and laying him out with an RKO in a memorable Warfare moment. It's firmly every man for himself, as the biggest prize in professional wrestling goes on the line. Angle has the MM experience and the fans on his side...Orton has memories of his classic victory on the big stage against Dean Roberts at MM XIV...Morgan is on a roll that shows no signs of stopping any time soon. This one really could be too close to call.

Xavier Vs Hulk Hogan

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We don't know what lit a fire under former World Champion Xavier, but something led to him calling out the legendary "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan...and when Hogan didn't answer Xavier got more and more determined to goad him into it. He criticised Hogan Knows Best....he attacked Hogan's best friend Ed "1001 gimmicks" Leslie...he beat a Hogan impersonator to a bloody pulp...but it seemed like nothing would work. Until Xavier started "stalking" Hulk's daughter Brooke. The video that Xav aired on Warfare of Brooke stirred a hatred inside Hogan's soul and he finally came face-to-face with his tormentor and agreed to the match. Xavier's mind games have given him the advantage, but Hogan is a player for the big stage. For the first and only time, two worlds collide as Xavier and Hogan meet one-on-one.

Dean Roberts Vs Triple H

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Despite all his accomplishments in the PFW and the IWF, one thing has constantly eaten away at the psyche of Triple H...his lack of respect from the IWF fans. And Dean Roberts, the most decorated superstar in IWF history and the only man to have held the World Title on five separate occasions is the man who has felt the brunt of this anger. The start came when the two were on opposite sides of a tag match at Breaking Point and continued with a thrilling altercation during the Robo Rumble. The mind games escalated at February's Shoot Out pay-per-view, where Dean cost HHH his world title shot against Matt Morgan. Since then the two have traded both physical and mental blows. HHH claims Dean's career amounts to being lucky and being in the right place at the right time; Dean looks back to MuscleMania XII and says he's beaten Triple H before and that he can do it again. This is a match between two men who have just as much to prove to each other as they have to the wrestling world in general.

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
Alias Storm & Haas Vs America's Most Wanted

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Chris Harris and James Storm shocked the world when they traded in contracts with MMK's fledgling Total Wrestling Action Today promotion to sign with the IWF. But they made quite a splash in the IWF by winning the tag team titles at Breaking Point, in their first IWF ppv appearance. However their early success came to an abrupt end at Corporal Punishment when Alias Storm & Haas regained the belts, albeit by beating The Second City Saints in a three way match. IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff decreed that AMW would have to earn their title rematch, and earn it they did. They beat the best that Pro Wrestling Noah had to offer at Shoot Out and survived the Tag Team Gauntlet at One Night Stand to get the opportunity to take the tag team titles on the grandest scale of them all. But Eric Bischoff had one last sting in the tail...the losers of this match must spilt up from being a tag team. So it really is now or never for both teams.

Chris Kanyon Vs Jay Reso

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One man is a multi-time World Champion, with nothing left to prove in this business, other than the fact that he is still one of the best in the world. The other man is a former European champion out to prove that he can shine against the world's top superstars and really make 2006 the year he makes a real name for himself. Kanyon has headlined MuscleMania in the past and has ambitions to do so again. Jay Reso believes his time has finally come to stand out in the spotlight. The two have matched each other blow-for-blow in the build up to this one, and it's no exaggeration to say that this could be one of the matches of the night.

Matthew Mercy & PJ Love Vs MNM

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Take one of the hottest new tag teams in the IWF, add in an IWF Hall Of Famer then complete the mix with a Hollywood superstar and you get one of the most intriguing matches on this year's MuscleMania card. The hottest new tag team are European Tag Team Champions Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury, aka MNM. The Hall Of Famer is the ever entertaining PJ Love and, for one night only, he is rekindling the classic tag team title winning combination with "Walk The Line" star Matthew Mercy. PJ returned to the IWF to announce this years entrants for the IWF Hall Of Fame, and was immediately taunted by the cocky MNM. He then thought he had charmed the lovely Melina in to bed, but it was all an MNM ruse and they ambushed him and left him in a bloody mess. MNM challenged PJ to a MuscleMania match but Melina then added something she may now regret..."and you can pick any partner you want!" Rumours abounded around the wrestling world as to who that man would be, but no-one expected that Hollywood superstar, and three-time former World Champion, Matthew Mercy would answer PJ's call. So for one-night only, and without the Spice Girls, the classic tag team combination of Matthew Mercy and PJ Love reform. Will the old magic carry them through to victory, or will the young upstarts pull off one of the upsets of the decade?

Shawn Michaels Vs Carlito

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Carlito has called Michaels a "has-been whose time in the spotlight is over". HBK has retaliated by suggesting Carlito "is a young kid who isn't nearly as good as he think he is". Carlito showed the ultimate disrespect by spitting his apple into Shawn's face, but Carlito soon felt the force of Sweet Chin Music. Will the Show-Stopper take the glory, or will the night be "cool" for Carlito?

WORLD WOMEN'S TITLE:
Melina Vs Alexis Laree Vs Annalise Roberts

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The three preminient women's wrestlers in the world today collide with the World Women's Championship on the line. Melina has been the champion since July 2005, when she defeated Annalise Roberts for the belt at Xtreme Overload but now she faces her toughest challenge yet as both Annalise and Alexis Laree stand in her way. Only one woman can survive and only one woman can leave MuscleMania as champion.

Raven & Paul Wardle Vs Mick Foley & Phil Jackson

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The rivalry between "The Phenomenon" Paul Wardle and Phil "The Graduate" Jackson has been one of the most intense ever seen in the IWF. The two have clashed over the UK and European Titles and have wowed IWF fans with numerous classic battles. The rivalry took on a darker edge in 2006 though as Wardle enlisted the help of former IWF World Champion Raven and this relationship has given Wardle a new demonic edge. Jackson battled on but the 2-on-1 disadvantage was too much. Wardle and Raven challenged Jackson to find himself a tag team partner, but they couldn't have expected Jackson to enlist the help of the Hardcore Legend Mick Foley (himself a former IWF World Champion himself in his Cactus Jack days). And so the scene is set for this No Holds Barred battle which given the history of the participants could be one of the most "Insane "MuscleMania matches in history.

Brock Lesnar Vs The Big Gee

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Two big men collide in the ultimate test of power and strength. Lesnar made his triumphant return to the IWF at Corporal Punishment and has been steamrollering through opponents left right and centre ever since. He may, however, have hit a brick wall in the form of former World Champion The Big Gee. Gee has done it all in the IWF and doesn't fear his opponent. It's the F-5 versus the Gee-Spot...only one man can walk out a winner.

Twenty Man Battle Royale





20 men, with one goal in mind. The winner of this battle royale will get a World Title shot, at whomever may be champion, on the Warfare directly following MuscleMania, (Wednesday 3rd May). Former IWF World Champions Kane, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit battle former PWF World Champions Booker T and former ICW Champion Rhyno amongst others, including current IWF UK Champion Shelton Benjamin and current Cruiserweight Champion Rick Shaw. New IWF signing Finlay makes his IWF debut in this match as well.