Traditionally, the IWF's Boxing Day Warfare specials are momentous affairs, and 2007's was no different.
In the much awaited special challenge bout, Paul "The Phenomenon" Wardle turned back the challenge of Callum Best, DESPITE the interference attempted by the returning Phil "The Graduate" Jackson. Prior to Jackson's injury, the long-running Wardle/Jackson saga had seen them as something approaching team-mates, but Jackson's time on the sideline has seen Wardle explode towards the top-line scene and it seems as if Jackson has some issues that need to be resolved.
The big fall-out from Breaking Point was of course the chaos that surrounded the world title match between Triple H and Matthew Mercy and IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts was quick to deliver his decision. Telling the world that he was sick of the "lack of respect" shown to the IWF officials and fans by the wrestlers he shocked the world by announcing that the World Title was now officially vacant and that, for the first time in International Wrestling Federation history the title would be up for grabs at the January PPV Corporal Punishment in the Robo Rumble match.
Neither Triple H nor Mercy were thrilled with that decision but as they clashed head-to-head at the end of the show, their battle was overshadowed by the unexpected collapse of Dean Roberts at ringside. Although Dean had regained conciousness before the show went off the air, it seems as if the start of 2008 will neccessitate the IWF Board of Directors choosing a new Commissioner.
The night also saw Lil' Louis paying his respects to Oscar Peterson.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Breaking Point Report
1) Finlay Vs Jazz Hands Gee ( Steel Cage, * * * 1/2 )
We started off with the ultimate grudge match, with the promise that this was the "winner takes all" match of the feud. Not that there was anything to "win" other than the pride of vanquishing their hated opponent. The two went at it with a fury that suggested they were welcome of the chance to do this without resorting to the usual Hornswoggle/Lil Louis nonsense which has been funny, but has also totally overshadowed the two men's efforts in the ring in recent months. The two put it right here with a brutal stunner, featuring plenty of claret from both men. The crowd loved it as well and they loved the ending as Jazz Hands Gee got the win via pinfall.
2) Mistico Vs Hennigan Vs Castagnoli Vs Scorpio ( * * 3/4 )
As talented as those four men are, they had a tough act to follow and given less than ten minutes to build the tempo they couldn't quite manage it. Having all four men in there at once hurt the flow of the match ( I don't know about you but the pinfall attempt - break up routine that these kind of matches always contain got boring about 10 years ago) but there were some choice moments and the home stretch was very exciting. After numerous close falls, Mistico finally got the pinfall on Castagnoli to wrap up the match and retain the UK Title.
3) Chris Jericho Vs Elijah Burke ( * * * * )
If Jericho's return to the IWF had been a slightly disappointing prior to tonight, from an in-ring perspective at least, tonight was the night he put it right alongside the increasingly impressive Elijah Burke. The "former friends and tag team partners" routine can always work well given the right two people and this was one of those occasions. The two were in sync with each other from start to finish and there was very little wasted motion in the entire match. Which meant that eventual winner Elijah Burke looked like a true superstar throughout and he got the clean win with the Elijah Express. The fans gave both men a good ovation at the end and Jericho proved that if you lose the right way, it needn't hurt you in the slightest.
4) Abyss, Jahbuhlun & Reso Vs Morgan, Anderson & Umaga ( * * )
Well many of us suspected that IWF management weren't exactly hot on Charles Anderson's in-ring expertise and this six-man was set up to ease him into action on his official in-ring TV debut (having of course wrestled numerous times on the house show circuit). Jay Reso might well wonder what he'd done to draw this assignment too. This was a decent, but distinctly lacking in heat, encounter which at least zipped along at a fair pace. In the end, Reso pinned Umaga, but Morgan, Anderson and the rest of the Anderson Family made it their business after the decision to attack Abyss & Jahbuhlun...again. A promising looking feud is quickly becoming too one-dimensional.
5) Paul Wardle Vs John Cena ( * 1/2 )
All you really need to know about this one is that rather amazingly Paul Wardle is still over as a babyface and he ended up even more over, despite the fact that John Cena pinned him and won the European Title (and yes, that might be one of the lowest points in the European Title's history). The reason? Because Callum Best stuck his nose into business again, in the lead up to the Wardle/Best Boxing Day encounter. You can question the point of Cena with the belt and you can question the usefulness of Best's "celebrity" status as a tie-in, but if Wardle can keep the fans on his side, the sky might be the limit.
6) Matt & Lizzy Vs Brian & Alexis ( * * 1/4 )
Not many expected much from this, but this was a relatively entertaining battle which was a hell of a lot of fun. Matt Sydal and Lizzy Valentine make a great couple/double act and Brian Kendrick and Alexis Laree seemed to be having the time of their life as well. The crowd were surprisingly hot on this one as well, and they absolutely loved it when Alexis pinned Lizzy to wrap up the match.
7) CM Punk Vs Randy Orton ( * * * 1/2 )
CM Punk's time at the very top of the tree will come again, but this was a very respectful way of killing time (let's face it, this was little more than a high-profile opponent for Punk to keep busy with for a month) as the two men put forward great performances and told a great story too. Of course no-one ever really doubted that Punk would win but both men made it look like Orton may sneak it. A Pepsi Plunge put pay to that.
8) America's Most Wanted Vs Mystery Opponents ( * * * 1/4 )
The longer the card went without this match the more we thought that the often disappointing Mystery Opponent stipulation would for once pay dividends. Conversely when we realised it was going to be in the penultimate position there were worries that it might not be so good after all. We needn't have worried. IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts promised the surprise would be worth the wait and it was, as Matt & Jeff Hardy made their way to the ring. The crowd reaction was warm and both men looked thankful for the applause. The two teams shook hands and then proceeded to have quite the good little match. It never really quite hit top-gear but it was an enjoyable old-school style tag match. The Hardy's couldn't quite manage to make the perfect comeback as Jeff Hardy fell victim to the pinfall from Chris Harris. The two teams shook hands at the end of the match as well, to a respectful applause.
9) Triple H Vs Matthew Mercy ( * * * 1/2)
The alert amongst you may have noticed that whilst the IWF dropped subtle hints that this would be the final meeting of these two in their epic feud they stopped well short of explicitly enforcing that feeling. And we found out why in this main event. Firstly it has to be said that the first 15 minutes or so of this 20 minute match were really rather good (as you might expect) but the schmazz ending did it's level best to destroy all that good work. A ref bump, a second referee counting a pinfall on Mercy which the first referee said didn't count. HHH getting a pinfall back on Mercy which the second referee refused to acknowledge...not even Commissioner Dean Roberts coming out could talk sense into anybody as the referee's battled, Mercy & HHH continues their brawl and everybody was completely non-plussed. The show ended with Mercy & HHH still fighting as Dean held the World Title in his hands whilst shaking his head in despair.
One of the better IWF shows of the year could have been THE best if it hadn't been for the bizarre and completely uneccessary final five minutes or so. Still we can only assumed that needs must in that case. It was a great night for the likes of Elijah Burke, CM Punk, The Hardy Boys and even John Cena! In the ultimate standings, most people will have more than enjoyed this energetic event, but will despair at the lack of a clean finish in the main event.
We started off with the ultimate grudge match, with the promise that this was the "winner takes all" match of the feud. Not that there was anything to "win" other than the pride of vanquishing their hated opponent. The two went at it with a fury that suggested they were welcome of the chance to do this without resorting to the usual Hornswoggle/Lil Louis nonsense which has been funny, but has also totally overshadowed the two men's efforts in the ring in recent months. The two put it right here with a brutal stunner, featuring plenty of claret from both men. The crowd loved it as well and they loved the ending as Jazz Hands Gee got the win via pinfall.
2) Mistico Vs Hennigan Vs Castagnoli Vs Scorpio ( * * 3/4 )
As talented as those four men are, they had a tough act to follow and given less than ten minutes to build the tempo they couldn't quite manage it. Having all four men in there at once hurt the flow of the match ( I don't know about you but the pinfall attempt - break up routine that these kind of matches always contain got boring about 10 years ago) but there were some choice moments and the home stretch was very exciting. After numerous close falls, Mistico finally got the pinfall on Castagnoli to wrap up the match and retain the UK Title.
3) Chris Jericho Vs Elijah Burke ( * * * * )
If Jericho's return to the IWF had been a slightly disappointing prior to tonight, from an in-ring perspective at least, tonight was the night he put it right alongside the increasingly impressive Elijah Burke. The "former friends and tag team partners" routine can always work well given the right two people and this was one of those occasions. The two were in sync with each other from start to finish and there was very little wasted motion in the entire match. Which meant that eventual winner Elijah Burke looked like a true superstar throughout and he got the clean win with the Elijah Express. The fans gave both men a good ovation at the end and Jericho proved that if you lose the right way, it needn't hurt you in the slightest.
4) Abyss, Jahbuhlun & Reso Vs Morgan, Anderson & Umaga ( * * )
Well many of us suspected that IWF management weren't exactly hot on Charles Anderson's in-ring expertise and this six-man was set up to ease him into action on his official in-ring TV debut (having of course wrestled numerous times on the house show circuit). Jay Reso might well wonder what he'd done to draw this assignment too. This was a decent, but distinctly lacking in heat, encounter which at least zipped along at a fair pace. In the end, Reso pinned Umaga, but Morgan, Anderson and the rest of the Anderson Family made it their business after the decision to attack Abyss & Jahbuhlun...again. A promising looking feud is quickly becoming too one-dimensional.
5) Paul Wardle Vs John Cena ( * 1/2 )
All you really need to know about this one is that rather amazingly Paul Wardle is still over as a babyface and he ended up even more over, despite the fact that John Cena pinned him and won the European Title (and yes, that might be one of the lowest points in the European Title's history). The reason? Because Callum Best stuck his nose into business again, in the lead up to the Wardle/Best Boxing Day encounter. You can question the point of Cena with the belt and you can question the usefulness of Best's "celebrity" status as a tie-in, but if Wardle can keep the fans on his side, the sky might be the limit.
6) Matt & Lizzy Vs Brian & Alexis ( * * 1/4 )
Not many expected much from this, but this was a relatively entertaining battle which was a hell of a lot of fun. Matt Sydal and Lizzy Valentine make a great couple/double act and Brian Kendrick and Alexis Laree seemed to be having the time of their life as well. The crowd were surprisingly hot on this one as well, and they absolutely loved it when Alexis pinned Lizzy to wrap up the match.
7) CM Punk Vs Randy Orton ( * * * 1/2 )
CM Punk's time at the very top of the tree will come again, but this was a very respectful way of killing time (let's face it, this was little more than a high-profile opponent for Punk to keep busy with for a month) as the two men put forward great performances and told a great story too. Of course no-one ever really doubted that Punk would win but both men made it look like Orton may sneak it. A Pepsi Plunge put pay to that.
8) America's Most Wanted Vs Mystery Opponents ( * * * 1/4 )
The longer the card went without this match the more we thought that the often disappointing Mystery Opponent stipulation would for once pay dividends. Conversely when we realised it was going to be in the penultimate position there were worries that it might not be so good after all. We needn't have worried. IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts promised the surprise would be worth the wait and it was, as Matt & Jeff Hardy made their way to the ring. The crowd reaction was warm and both men looked thankful for the applause. The two teams shook hands and then proceeded to have quite the good little match. It never really quite hit top-gear but it was an enjoyable old-school style tag match. The Hardy's couldn't quite manage to make the perfect comeback as Jeff Hardy fell victim to the pinfall from Chris Harris. The two teams shook hands at the end of the match as well, to a respectful applause.
9) Triple H Vs Matthew Mercy ( * * * 1/2)
The alert amongst you may have noticed that whilst the IWF dropped subtle hints that this would be the final meeting of these two in their epic feud they stopped well short of explicitly enforcing that feeling. And we found out why in this main event. Firstly it has to be said that the first 15 minutes or so of this 20 minute match were really rather good (as you might expect) but the schmazz ending did it's level best to destroy all that good work. A ref bump, a second referee counting a pinfall on Mercy which the first referee said didn't count. HHH getting a pinfall back on Mercy which the second referee refused to acknowledge...not even Commissioner Dean Roberts coming out could talk sense into anybody as the referee's battled, Mercy & HHH continues their brawl and everybody was completely non-plussed. The show ended with Mercy & HHH still fighting as Dean held the World Title in his hands whilst shaking his head in despair.
One of the better IWF shows of the year could have been THE best if it hadn't been for the bizarre and completely uneccessary final five minutes or so. Still we can only assumed that needs must in that case. It was a great night for the likes of Elijah Burke, CM Punk, The Hardy Boys and even John Cena! In the ultimate standings, most people will have more than enjoyed this energetic event, but will despair at the lack of a clean finish in the main event.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Prime Time
IWF PRIME TIME - MELTDOWN
Saturday 1st December 2007
Bolton Arena
Matthew Mercy, CM Punk & Jazz Hands Gee
Vs
Triple H, Randy Orton & Finlay
LAST MAN STANDING MATCH:
Matt Morgan Vs Jahbuhlun
Lil' Louis Vs Hornswoggle
WORLD WOMEN'S TITLE:
Alexis Laree Vs Lizzy Valentine
Quentin Kous Vs Harry Smith
----------------------------------------------------
1)Morgan Vs Jahbuhlun (Last Man Standing, * * * 1/4) - What a thrilling way to kick off the final Prime Time of 2007. Both men put forward a sterling effort, which was only spoiled by the relative brevity of the match and the, anticipated, extra-curricular activity from Abyss and The Anderson family. And as you would expect, those run-in's directly influenced the finish, although the Anderson Family's intentions backfired as an errant chair shot from Acid knocked Morgan cold, enabling Jahbuhlun to get the win.
2)Lil' Louis V Hornswoggle (DUD) - From the sublime to the ridiculous. Only those completely bereft of a sense of humour wouldn't have laughed at some of this, but it was still an awful spectacle. Lil' Louis won after his own version of the Jazz Hands Knee.
3)Laree Vs Valentine (* * 3/4) - The two managed to pick the crowd up after the previous debacle and had quite the little tussle. Matt Sydal attempted to get his woman the victory, but Brian Kendrick evened up the odds enabling Laree to get the pinfall victory that retained her title.
4)Kous Vs Harry Smith (*) - Thanks to the terrible injury that Tarquin Kous suffered in the last Prime Time it looked as if Quentin Kous wouldn't have much of a future in the IWF. But seemingly he does as he got the victory here as a result of the interference of the previously unheard of third Kous, Eustace.
5)Mercy, Punk & Gee Vs HHH, Orton & Finlay (* * * 3/4) - Well at least the event was bookended by two superb encounters. This was a full-on battle which had the crowd at fever pitch throughout. And as it's December, and Christmas is a-coming, we got the happy ending as Punk pinned Finlay to wrap it all up.
Saturday 1st December 2007
Bolton Arena
Matthew Mercy, CM Punk & Jazz Hands Gee
Vs
Triple H, Randy Orton & Finlay
LAST MAN STANDING MATCH:
Matt Morgan Vs Jahbuhlun
Lil' Louis Vs Hornswoggle
WORLD WOMEN'S TITLE:
Alexis Laree Vs Lizzy Valentine
Quentin Kous Vs Harry Smith
----------------------------------------------------
1)Morgan Vs Jahbuhlun (Last Man Standing, * * * 1/4) - What a thrilling way to kick off the final Prime Time of 2007. Both men put forward a sterling effort, which was only spoiled by the relative brevity of the match and the, anticipated, extra-curricular activity from Abyss and The Anderson family. And as you would expect, those run-in's directly influenced the finish, although the Anderson Family's intentions backfired as an errant chair shot from Acid knocked Morgan cold, enabling Jahbuhlun to get the win.
2)Lil' Louis V Hornswoggle (DUD) - From the sublime to the ridiculous. Only those completely bereft of a sense of humour wouldn't have laughed at some of this, but it was still an awful spectacle. Lil' Louis won after his own version of the Jazz Hands Knee.
3)Laree Vs Valentine (* * 3/4) - The two managed to pick the crowd up after the previous debacle and had quite the little tussle. Matt Sydal attempted to get his woman the victory, but Brian Kendrick evened up the odds enabling Laree to get the pinfall victory that retained her title.
4)Kous Vs Harry Smith (*) - Thanks to the terrible injury that Tarquin Kous suffered in the last Prime Time it looked as if Quentin Kous wouldn't have much of a future in the IWF. But seemingly he does as he got the victory here as a result of the interference of the previously unheard of third Kous, Eustace.
5)Mercy, Punk & Gee Vs HHH, Orton & Finlay (* * * 3/4) - Well at least the event was bookended by two superb encounters. This was a full-on battle which had the crowd at fever pitch throughout. And as it's December, and Christmas is a-coming, we got the happy ending as Punk pinned Finlay to wrap it all up.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Breaking Point 2007 Card
Sunday 23rd December 2007
NIA, Birmingham
Unified Triple Crown World Heavyweight Title;
Triple H Vs Matthew Mercy
The feud between these two men has raged on since August and has shown no signs of abating in the months since then. The men have traded victories, and the World Title, but neither man has been able to prove any on-going supremacy in this brutal war. The two men meet in what is sure to be a thrilling and suspenseful encounter, both eager to prove that they are the better man. Neither man will leave any effort in the locker room as both seek to gain the decisive victory for the record books.
CM Punk Vs Randy Orton
Punk's World title dream lasted a little over three weeks, and Randy Orton has made it his business over the past few weeks to remind Punk of that fact. Punk says that it's the reaction to a set-back that makes the man and that whilst he will regain the World Title down the line, he has no problem with teaching Randy Orton a lesson in the mean-time. Orton says his RKO will reign supreme, Punk says he will finish off Orton with the Pepsi Plunge. This is a match with personal pride at stake and the clear hatred each man has for each other suggests it could be a wild ride indeed.
Chris Jericho Vs Elijah Burke
These two former friends and tag team partners had contrasting nights at No Remorse. Whilst Jericho took a loss to Too Cold Scorpio, Elijah Burke defeated IWF Hall Of Fame legend Ric Flair. Burke arrogantly told Jericho that he was wasting his career and that he needed to buck his ideas up. Jericho disagreed and said that what was holding him back was being associated with a jack-ass like Burke. Burke viciously attacked Jericho and the stage was set for this one-on-one match at Breaking Point. Friendship has been tossed aside; now it's a personal war.
World Tag Team Titles;
America's Most Wanted Vs MYSTERY OPPONENTS
AMW have been the dominant tag-team in the IWF for the past two years but they face a unique challenge at Breaking Point...in that they will not find out until "bell-time" who their opponents are. IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts has been constantly quizzed by AMW for idea's on who it may be, but all Roberts has gone on record as saying is that their opponents are "former World Champions." The IWF fans are abuzz with who the men may be, but the only way to find out is to watch the pay-per-view.
STEEL CAGE MATCH:
Finlay Vs Jazz Hands Gee
Both men expressed a wish to "get serious" and settle the on-going issue once and for all. IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts was only too happy to let them do exactly that by setting up a Winner Takes All Steel Cage match at Breaking Point, where Lil Louis and Hornswoggle are completely banned from the building.
SIX-MAN FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE STREETFIGHT
Abyss, Jahbuhlun & Jay Reso
Vs
Matt Morgan, Charles Anderson & Umaga
Abyss and Jahbuhlun have been waging a war with The Anderson Family and things seemed to take a turn for the worse for the brothers when Charles Anderson recruited the Samoan monster Umaga onto their side and he left both of them bloodied and bruised in a memorable attack. The Anderson family may well have miscalculated however by sending Umaga after former World Champion Jay Reso after Reso spurned the advances of Shelley Martinez. Now, Charles Anderson makes his in-ring debut in this special six man streetfight where pinfalls count anywhere in Birmingham. It's sure to be a spectacle to behold.
European Title;
The Phenomenon Paul Wardle Vs John Cena
Wardle has had other things on his mind since the announcement that Callum Best will step into the ring on the Boxing Day Warfare special for a non-title match with his Neon Blue tormentor Wardle but that doesn't mean that the "day-job" of defending his European Title can be neglected. John Cena has been quietly racking up the victories since his momentous tussle with Dean Roberts at Neon Blue and Roberts has shown professionalism by naming Cena as the number one contender to the title. Can Cena finally take the next step up the ladder or will Wardle continue his impressive reign?
United Kingdom Title;
FOUR CORNERS MATCH
Mistico
Vs
John Hennigan
Vs
Claudio Castagnoli
Vs
Too Cold Scorpio
Mistico has thrilled IWF fans since his debut earlier in 2007, wowing the fans by winning the UK title but at Breaking Point he faces arguably his toughest task yet as a champion as he must turn back the challenge of three opponents. John Hennigan has been nipping at the Champion's heels for months, Scorpio is looking to signal his return to the IWF with some Gold to put around his waste and newcomer Claudio Castagnoli has a big chance to make an immediate impact in the IWF. One of the most intriguing matches on the card, this really is a match where anyone could walk away the winner.
SPECIAL MIXED TAG-TEAM ENCOUNTER
Matt Sydal & Lizzy Valentine Vs Brian Kendrick & Alexis Laree
In this special attraction the World Cruiserweight champion and the World Women's Title are on opposite sides of the ring. Sydal and Kendrick have been battling over the Cruiserweight Title and after Valentine got involved, Kendrick enlisted the aid of Laree to even up the odds.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
No Remorse Report
1) America's Most Wanted Vs Trevor Murdoch & Lance Cade (* *)
Murdoch & Cade may well be a surprisingly entertaining double act, and their "fair sportsmanship" act has been a revelation, but there's no way that as it stands they are ready to be the World Tag Team champions. Which meant that whilst this was a reasonable opener, with AMW showing their form was as good as ever, there was little suspense as there was little doubt over the winners. More notable for Murdoch & Cade coming good on their promise to fight clean rather than any great in-ring action, it was all wrapped up when James Storm pinned Lance Cade and then all four men shook hands.
2) Mohammed Fakjir Vs Jay Reso (* * 1/4)
We have to say it; Fakjir doesn't look half the prospect he did when Justice Porter was by his side (but Porter will be back, grapple fans). And the main problem was that with no "Head of Security" by his side, there weren't many fans in the arena who thought that Fakjir had any chance of upsetting the odds. And so it proved. Another decent, if not great, match which Reso cleaned up with the Unprettier to get the 1-2-3 for the victory.
3) Jazz Hands Gee & Lil Louis Vs Finlay & Horsnwoggle (*)
Things hit a bizarre note at this point. Was this entertaining? Possibly. Was this "wrestling"? Probably not. This was a one joke affair and that one joke wasn't even particularly funny. At least the man who lost the pinfall in this one, Finlay, can be thankful that it was at least Jazz Hands who pinned him and not the vertically challenged Lil' Louis.
4) Chris Jericho Vs Too Cold Scorpio (* * * 3/4)
Well the card was in need of a pick-up at this point and thankfully it well and truly got one. These two men had a classic rivalry in Insane Championship Wrestling and they almost picked off where they had left off in this one. Ok, so it might not have been quite up to the level of their famous ICW battles, but we are 10 years down the line. Both men looked as if they were having a whale of a time and this was a very entertaining battle. Scorpio took the win with the Drop the Bomb (his ever impressive Moonsault Leg Drop) and both men got a rousing ovation from the fans.
5) The Phenomenon Paul Wardle Vs Randy Orton (* * 1/2)
It's not going to last (mainly because Wardle is 100 times more effective as a heel than he is as a face) but the IWF are doing their level best to capitalise on the short-term boost to Wardle's popularity that slapping Calum Best in the face resulted in. To wit, they put him in the ring with the least likeable person on the roster in the form of Randy Orton. The result was a good match, but perhaps one that lacked the spark that both men (and the management) would have been hoping for. Wardle won clean, which is good for him but Orton might be getting a little worried about what the short-term future holds for his position within the company.
6) "Nature Boy" Ric Flair Vs Elijah Burke (* *)
This was never going to be a five-star classic (most observers would agree that Flair is, for all intents and purposes, not even up to a special attraction role at this stage in his life) but what we got was entertaining enough and there is no doubting that Flair was extremely over. Which rubbed off on Burke, who rose to the occasion with aplomb it must be added, and Burke's hard fought win here should do much to raise his profile. Flair got a nice reaction as he walked off.
7) Abyss & Jahbuhlun Vs Matt Morgan & Acid (* * 1/2)
Well this was a chaotic one to say the least. This was the kind of reckless tornado style match that you would have expected on an old ICW pay-per-view, full of Anderson Family interference. In the end however it was Jahbuhlun who got the pinfall victory over Acid in a match where all four men bled the claret. It was different anyway.
8) CM Punk Vs Matthew Mercy Vs Triple H (* * * * 1/4)
Main event time and as we'd had a pretty average under-card (on the whole) what the card needed was a dynamic, exciting and thrilling main event. And that's exactly what we got. All three men were super-over, including Punk (which was a very good sign for him and the company as a whole), and all three men put forward excellent performances. Whilst HHH was the clear crowd villain, there was a fascinating vocal battle between the crowd to proclaim Punk or Mercy as their favourites. In the end though the majority of the crowd were well and truly disappointed as Triple H pinned Matthew Mercy, after all kinds of false finishes to lift the world title once again.
This wasn't the greatest event the IWF have put on in recent history, but it had just about enough to keep everyone entertained. The main event was scintillating, and Scorpio & Jericho were the pick of the under-card. The IWF will do better in the months to come, but this just about passed the mustard.
Murdoch & Cade may well be a surprisingly entertaining double act, and their "fair sportsmanship" act has been a revelation, but there's no way that as it stands they are ready to be the World Tag Team champions. Which meant that whilst this was a reasonable opener, with AMW showing their form was as good as ever, there was little suspense as there was little doubt over the winners. More notable for Murdoch & Cade coming good on their promise to fight clean rather than any great in-ring action, it was all wrapped up when James Storm pinned Lance Cade and then all four men shook hands.
2) Mohammed Fakjir Vs Jay Reso (* * 1/4)
We have to say it; Fakjir doesn't look half the prospect he did when Justice Porter was by his side (but Porter will be back, grapple fans). And the main problem was that with no "Head of Security" by his side, there weren't many fans in the arena who thought that Fakjir had any chance of upsetting the odds. And so it proved. Another decent, if not great, match which Reso cleaned up with the Unprettier to get the 1-2-3 for the victory.
3) Jazz Hands Gee & Lil Louis Vs Finlay & Horsnwoggle (*)
Things hit a bizarre note at this point. Was this entertaining? Possibly. Was this "wrestling"? Probably not. This was a one joke affair and that one joke wasn't even particularly funny. At least the man who lost the pinfall in this one, Finlay, can be thankful that it was at least Jazz Hands who pinned him and not the vertically challenged Lil' Louis.
4) Chris Jericho Vs Too Cold Scorpio (* * * 3/4)
Well the card was in need of a pick-up at this point and thankfully it well and truly got one. These two men had a classic rivalry in Insane Championship Wrestling and they almost picked off where they had left off in this one. Ok, so it might not have been quite up to the level of their famous ICW battles, but we are 10 years down the line. Both men looked as if they were having a whale of a time and this was a very entertaining battle. Scorpio took the win with the Drop the Bomb (his ever impressive Moonsault Leg Drop) and both men got a rousing ovation from the fans.
5) The Phenomenon Paul Wardle Vs Randy Orton (* * 1/2)
It's not going to last (mainly because Wardle is 100 times more effective as a heel than he is as a face) but the IWF are doing their level best to capitalise on the short-term boost to Wardle's popularity that slapping Calum Best in the face resulted in. To wit, they put him in the ring with the least likeable person on the roster in the form of Randy Orton. The result was a good match, but perhaps one that lacked the spark that both men (and the management) would have been hoping for. Wardle won clean, which is good for him but Orton might be getting a little worried about what the short-term future holds for his position within the company.
6) "Nature Boy" Ric Flair Vs Elijah Burke (* *)
This was never going to be a five-star classic (most observers would agree that Flair is, for all intents and purposes, not even up to a special attraction role at this stage in his life) but what we got was entertaining enough and there is no doubting that Flair was extremely over. Which rubbed off on Burke, who rose to the occasion with aplomb it must be added, and Burke's hard fought win here should do much to raise his profile. Flair got a nice reaction as he walked off.
7) Abyss & Jahbuhlun Vs Matt Morgan & Acid (* * 1/2)
Well this was a chaotic one to say the least. This was the kind of reckless tornado style match that you would have expected on an old ICW pay-per-view, full of Anderson Family interference. In the end however it was Jahbuhlun who got the pinfall victory over Acid in a match where all four men bled the claret. It was different anyway.
8) CM Punk Vs Matthew Mercy Vs Triple H (* * * * 1/4)
Main event time and as we'd had a pretty average under-card (on the whole) what the card needed was a dynamic, exciting and thrilling main event. And that's exactly what we got. All three men were super-over, including Punk (which was a very good sign for him and the company as a whole), and all three men put forward excellent performances. Whilst HHH was the clear crowd villain, there was a fascinating vocal battle between the crowd to proclaim Punk or Mercy as their favourites. In the end though the majority of the crowd were well and truly disappointed as Triple H pinned Matthew Mercy, after all kinds of false finishes to lift the world title once again.
This wasn't the greatest event the IWF have put on in recent history, but it had just about enough to keep everyone entertained. The main event was scintillating, and Scorpio & Jericho were the pick of the under-card. The IWF will do better in the months to come, but this just about passed the mustard.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
No Remorse Card.
Sunday 18th November 2007
US Bank Arena, Cincinnati OH
UNIFIED WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:
CM Punk Vs Matthew Mercy Vs Triple H
US Bank Arena, Cincinnati OH
UNIFIED WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:
CM Punk Vs Matthew Mercy Vs Triple H
CM Punk shocked the world by defeating Triple H at the recent Prime Time Special, cashing in his Gold Rush ticket to lift the Unified World Title for the very first time. However those with a keen mind will remember Neon Blue when special guest referee Punk cost Mercy the title, or so Mercy said. Now all three men come together in one of the biggest title matches of the decade . Only one of these colossal superstars can walk away from the US Bank Arena as the Champion of the world.
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
America's Most Wanted Vs Trevor Murdoch & Lance Cade
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
America's Most Wanted Vs Trevor Murdoch & Lance Cade
AMW have been labelled the best tag team in all of Professional Wrestling by many critics and Murdoch and Cade...agree! They say that they wanted the opportunity to test themselves against the best and AMW were only too happy to oblige. Can Murdoch & Cade be trusted when they say that this match is about the spirit of competition or do they have ulterior motives in mind?
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair Vs Elijah Burke
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair Vs Elijah Burke
When Elijah Burke issued an open challenge to ANY wrestler he would never have expected IWF Hall Of Fame legend Ric Flair to accept the offer. Burke insists that he has no worries and that the young lion will devour the "relic". Flair however is the dirtiest player in the game and is sure to have some tricks up his sleeve at No Remorse.
Mohammed Fakjir Vs Jay Reso
Mohammed Fakjir Vs Jay Reso
The Egyptian Playa has been suffering since the mysterious disappearance of his Head Of Security Justice Porter but he was in no mood to back down when he caught Jay Reso chatting up some of his ladies. Reso says that Fakjir has bitten off more than he can chew, but can the impressive youngster upset the odds and defeat the former World Champion?
EUROPEAN TITLE:
The Phenomenon Paul Wardle Vs Randy Orton
EUROPEAN TITLE:
The Phenomenon Paul Wardle Vs Randy Orton
Since slapping the piss out of Callum Best at Neon Blue, The Phenomenon has undergone a career renaissnace as the fans have actually rallied to his side. Randy Orton accused Wardle of losing his focus, but Wardle said that if Orton had a problem he should step into the ring. And the two men will do just that at No Remorse.
Abyss & Jahbuhlun Vs Matt Morgan & Acid
Abyss & Jahbuhlun Vs Matt Morgan & Acid
Abyss' brother Jahbuhlun made a timely return into his family's life when he saved him from a hellish attack by the Anderson Family at Neon Blue. As the issue has raged on, the brothers team up in a wrestling ring for the first ever time to take on Anderson Family representatives Matt Morgan & Acid. All hell is sure to break loose.
Chris Jericho Vs Too Cold Scorpio
Chris Jericho Vs Too Cold Scorpio
For the first time in nearly 10 years, Too Cold Scorpio returns to an IWF ring and he will be facing a familiar foe in the shape of Chris Jericho. The two had some classic battles in Insane Championship Wrestling and the rivalry is still a hot one.
SPECIAL LITTLE & LARGE TAG TEAM MATCH:
Jazz Hands Gee & Lil Louis Vs Finlay & Horsnwoggle
SPECIAL LITTLE & LARGE TAG TEAM MATCH:
Jazz Hands Gee & Lil Louis Vs Finlay & Horsnwoggle
It had to come to this. After Louis & Hornswoggle's friendly rivalry went just a little too far the big men have been dragged back into the war and for the first time ever the IWF will see a Little & Large tag team encounter. It's bound to be a wild one.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Too Cold Scorpio Inks A Deal
Scorpio wrestled with the IWF in the late 90's under the "Mr. Scorpio" gimmick and in recent years has made a name for himself in the Japanese promotions.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Prime Time
PRIME TIME - GOLD RUSH
Saturday 3rd November 2007
All-State Arena, Chicago IL
IWF Unified World Heavyweight Title;
Triple H Vs CM Punk
Jahbuhlun Vs Acid
Tag Team Debut;
Kous Kous Vs Sherlock Burchill & Dr Lewington
World Cruiserweight Title;
Matt Sydal Vs Teddy Hart
European Tag Team Titles;
Flavio Love & Loco Delgado Vs Rhino & Shelton Benjamin
REVIEW:
1) Love & Delgado Vs Rhino & Benjamin ( * * * 1/4) - This was a good way to kick off the event. Rhino & Benjamin might be the odd couple (and have only been teaming up officially for about four weeks) but they are riotously entertaining. And lets face it, its about time someone different held the European Tag Titles. Benjamin pinned Delgado in what was an entertaining opener.
2) Sydal Vs Hart ( * 1/2 ) - Teddy Hart first wrestled for the IWF in 1999; and by this showing, he's yet to evolve from being an inconsistent spot monkey. Sydal tried his best, but Hart had another of his frequent off-nights. Sydal won the match, precious few cared.
3) Jahbuhlun Vs Acid ( * * * ) - Jahbuhlun may be one of the best characters introduced to the IWF in quite some time; indeed the difference between him and Charles Anderson (who seems to have misplaced his fire in recent weeks) is astonishing. It was only befitting that he took the win over the out-muscled Acid, in amongst all the ususal shenanigans with The Anderson Family and Abyss.
4) Kous Kous Vs Burchill & Lewington ( * ) - The vignettes that have heralded the immanent debut of Quentin & Tarquin Kous have been amazing. Sadly it all fell apart here. Not because of something trivial, but because poor old Tarquin Kous suffered an horrific leg injury in this match (early indications suggest he could be sidelined for up to a year) and in amongst that Lewington pinned Quentin to wrap this up. Where the whole Kous Kous thing goes from here is unknown.
5) Triple H Vs CM Punk ( * * * * 1/2 ) - Well if you're going to have a, for all intents and purposes, one match card at least make sure the match is a good one. And hell, this was a great one. The atmosphere was spellbinding as home state boy CM Punk went for the title, and Commissioner Dean Roberts' decree that Matthew Mercy had to stay away if he wanted to challenge for the title at the upcoming No Remorse PPV meant that this was an interference-free zone. And the two men put on a minor classic. And in the ending that everyone wanted, Punk pinned Triple H CLEAN to lift his first Unified World Title!
A one-match card, but the main event was worth the price of admission on it's own. The day that Punk became a World Champion for the first time will long be remembered.
Saturday 3rd November 2007
All-State Arena, Chicago IL
IWF Unified World Heavyweight Title;
Triple H Vs CM Punk
Jahbuhlun Vs Acid
Tag Team Debut;
Kous Kous Vs Sherlock Burchill & Dr Lewington
World Cruiserweight Title;
Matt Sydal Vs Teddy Hart
European Tag Team Titles;
Flavio Love & Loco Delgado Vs Rhino & Shelton Benjamin
REVIEW:
1) Love & Delgado Vs Rhino & Benjamin ( * * * 1/4) - This was a good way to kick off the event. Rhino & Benjamin might be the odd couple (and have only been teaming up officially for about four weeks) but they are riotously entertaining. And lets face it, its about time someone different held the European Tag Titles. Benjamin pinned Delgado in what was an entertaining opener.
2) Sydal Vs Hart ( * 1/2 ) - Teddy Hart first wrestled for the IWF in 1999; and by this showing, he's yet to evolve from being an inconsistent spot monkey. Sydal tried his best, but Hart had another of his frequent off-nights. Sydal won the match, precious few cared.
3) Jahbuhlun Vs Acid ( * * * ) - Jahbuhlun may be one of the best characters introduced to the IWF in quite some time; indeed the difference between him and Charles Anderson (who seems to have misplaced his fire in recent weeks) is astonishing. It was only befitting that he took the win over the out-muscled Acid, in amongst all the ususal shenanigans with The Anderson Family and Abyss.
4) Kous Kous Vs Burchill & Lewington ( * ) - The vignettes that have heralded the immanent debut of Quentin & Tarquin Kous have been amazing. Sadly it all fell apart here. Not because of something trivial, but because poor old Tarquin Kous suffered an horrific leg injury in this match (early indications suggest he could be sidelined for up to a year) and in amongst that Lewington pinned Quentin to wrap this up. Where the whole Kous Kous thing goes from here is unknown.
5) Triple H Vs CM Punk ( * * * * 1/2 ) - Well if you're going to have a, for all intents and purposes, one match card at least make sure the match is a good one. And hell, this was a great one. The atmosphere was spellbinding as home state boy CM Punk went for the title, and Commissioner Dean Roberts' decree that Matthew Mercy had to stay away if he wanted to challenge for the title at the upcoming No Remorse PPV meant that this was an interference-free zone. And the two men put on a minor classic. And in the ending that everyone wanted, Punk pinned Triple H CLEAN to lift his first Unified World Title!
A one-match card, but the main event was worth the price of admission on it's own. The day that Punk became a World Champion for the first time will long be remembered.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Justice Porter Suspended
The International Wrestling Federation today announced that Justice Porter has been handed a three month suspension over issues pertaining to the the IWF Wellness and Welfare policy.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Xavier Injury Update
It was confirmed tonight on Warfare that the injuries that Xavier sustained at the hands of Matt Morgan were indeed serious and that it is not expected that Xavier will be back in action for at least six months.
We pass on our hopes for a speedy recovery to Xavier.
We pass on our hopes for a speedy recovery to Xavier.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Jahbuhlun
For our IWF fans, here is a quick look at Jahbuhlun, the brother of Abyss who made his first appearence last night at Neon Blue.
The brothers are sure to be on a collision course with The Anderson Family in the weeks to come.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Neon Blue Report
1) Mistico Vs John Hennigan ( * * * ½ )
What a way to kick off Neon Blue 2007, with this hugely entertaining battle for the United Kingdom Championship. Mistico has come from out of nowhere to really make an impact on the IWF (as great as the notices where from Mexico, did you really envision him catching on as quickly as he has done?) and Hennigan has taken the split from MNM, and the name change, more than in his stride to really kick start his solo career. It wasn’t to mean, however, that he was to make the leap to UK Champion quite so quickly. The two had a very evenly matched contest and Hennigan came close on a number of occasions, but in the end Mistico finished off Hennigan with the first IWF outing for La MÃstica (spinning headscissors into armbar takedown and from that into Fujiwara armbar) for the win via tap-out. The fans approved.
2) Jazz Hands Gee Vs Finlay ( * * ¾ )
From the sublime to the ridiculous maybe? Ok, so it’s not saying much for two former world champions but against all the odds, the Lil’ Louis / Hornswoggle dynamic has gotten this feud far more over than a regular battle would have done…and that’s before we’ve taken into account Jazz Hands Gee’s amnesia fuelled personality. Indeed the reworking of Christina Aguilera’s Candyman into “Jazz Hands Gee” still makes us chuckle two and a half months down the line. We had high hopes for the match as well, given we feel Finlay is the perfect opponent for Gee (witness Gee’s independent battles with the likes of Bruce Hart & Dory Funk Jnr to see how well Gee can brawl). As you might expect though, the comedy midgets did distract from proceedings, although we would have to admit to the entertainment value. In the end, the midgets fought, Jazz Hands Gee got a shelaghly to the cobblers and Finlay got the pinfall victory.
3) Chris Jericho & Elijah Burke Vs AMW ( * * * * )
Wow. That’s all we can really say about this one. They were given the time, and the backing, to put on a show, and put on a show they did! AMW have been the best regular tag team in the IWF since their defection from TWA-T and once again put in a superb performance here. Jericho and Burke may be a makeshift team but they have a certain dynamism that keeps them apart from the chasing pack. This was a great back and forth encounter with great performances from all four men. Burke was the star of the show and showed that his Man Of Steel tournament victory could be the start of something beautiful indeed. Alas tonight he was on the losing side as a miscalculation by Jericho meant that he was easy prey for the Death Sentence which meant that AMW got the victory and became the first team to win the IWF World Tag Team titles four times! Burke did not look very happy at all as a result.
4) Xavier Vs Dick Stratus ( * * * ¼ )
Kidnap, torture, extra marital sex…this hasn’t been a feud for the kiddies my friends. Still it has been an interesting one and it did lead to an important night for lady of the moment Trish Stratus. Would she choose to remain by her husband’s side or would she “defect” to her lover Xavier once and for all. The match itself was fine; it had that hard-edge to it that you expect from such a heated storyline and although it did seem clear that the rumour that Xavier was carrying an injury going into this match was true as he was a slight level below his best here. In the end all the build up to Trish’s big moment was worth it as the crowd erupted as she finally made her choice…and it was indeed to go to the arms of Xavier. She slapped her brutish husband across the face and then Xav nipped in for the Xav-Attack to get the pinfall victory. The fans went wild as Xav and Trish shared a kiss. But the happiness was not to last for long. As they were making their way back to the locker rooms, the Anderson Family music kicked off and Charles Anderson walked out with Matt Morgan. Anderson cut an impassioned speech against adultery and then Morgan kicked the crap out of Xavier, causing him some internal bleeding. As a multitude of officials made the save, Trish was in tears, tending to the limp body of her man. Morgan on the other hand just made his way to the ring for his match,
5) Matt Morgan Vs Abyss ( * * ¾ )
The Anderson Family (consisting of leader Charles, Acid, Shelly and the random swastika wearing girls singing their haunting hymns) have finally began to pick up some steam after “abducting” Matt Morgan and indoctrinating him into their ways. Indeed he is now their “muscle” and was sent in the direction of Abyss, who had the temerity to refuse to join the Anderson family. This was a bloody and brutal match between the two giants with both men swinging hard in an intense fight. Morgan looked to have the upper hand, especially when Acid and Shelley made their presence known but if they thought they had the numbers game won, they reckoned without a surprise guest. A man, who we now know as Jahbuhlun, jumped from out of the crowd to aid the monster Abyss and we have subsequently found out that this man is Abyss’ brother. A no-contest was declared as Jahbuhlun and Abyss joined forces to clear the ring of the Anderson Family members. This was actually a very entertaining hard-hitting battle, which only loses marks for the non-finish. Although we have to admit that the debut if Jahbuhlun was one of those “wow” moments as well.
6) Randy Orton Vs Jay Reso ( * * * )
You’re never quite sure what you are going to get with either of these men. Whilst both are entertaining characters and good wrestlers, both are maddeningly inconsistent; tonight was a decent, but not brilliant match and thus, as ever seemingly, leaves both men in this upper-mid card limbo. This was a spirited back and forth tussle that, sadly, never really reawakened the passion of their memorable 2006 battles and in the end Reso finished off Orton with the Unprettier for the surprisingly spotless 1-2-3 pinfall victory.
7) Paul Wardle Vs Harry Smith ( * ¾ )
We didn’t know why Harry Smith was getting a shot at the European Title on a PPV, but we soon realised why Paul Wardle needed to be on the card. The match itself was a decent enough crash TV style match (albeit one you will never feel the need to watch again), which Wardle won fairly convincingly. The main story was the fact that after the match, Wardle got into an altercation with special ringside guest Callum Best. The two had a, fairly convincing, fist fight before security dragged Wardle off. If we didn’t know better we’d think this was going to lead somewhere…
8) Dean Roberts Vs John Cena ( * * * )
Once upon a time, a very big wrestling promotion called the PWF went bankrupt; the IWF signed one of their most promising performers and expected him to be a breakout star. He wasn’t. That is the sum total of the John Cena story. Why, in 2007. he is getting a big match like this is beyond us, and despite the Michelle Cena “rape” allegations and the generally entertaining, if ever so slightly over the top, storyline arch that has led us to this point no one really buys John Cena as the equal of Dean Roberts. Still Dean, as ever, has done his best to make Cena seem a genuine threat and the two did at least have a good match here. Michelle Cena was at ringside, and did at least add to the flow of the match (her expressions as the match went on were utterly believable, which is not something you can always say about Wrestling Diva’s) as was the spot where her brother John saved her from Dean’s clutches (given the storyline, Dean couldn’t very well smack her one anyway could he?). There was, sadly, little of the real drama that we would have liked, but that’s mainly because IWF fans do no take Cena seriously as a top-line wrestler. In the end, Dean won and we would imagine the interview where Michelle admits she made the whole rape allegation up can’t be far off.
9) Mercy Vs HHH (CM Punk as Ref, * * * * ¼ )
Main event time and WHAT an atmosphere there was. Fans popped huge for Punk as the referee and therein were clear signs that he’s on his way to being a genuine headliner (which is a good thing with his Gold Rush title match at November’s Prime Time coming up). Of course fans also popped huge for both challenger Triple H and champion Matthew Mercy, There have been plenty of soap-opera style storylines recently but this one has been a classic old-school feud. The two men hate each other and both want to claim the World Title as their personal property. This was main event wrestling at it's best and the two men put on great performances. Punk was good as the referee as well, although he played a direct part in the finish. Triple H tried to introduce a chair into the proceedings, but Punk grabbed it off him. HHH was infuriated and started some verbals before spitting into Punk's face. Finally, Punk lost it, swung the chair but actually took out Mercy instead. As Punk had to "call it down the middle" (under orders from Commissioner Roberts who stated that Punk would lose his Gold Rush opportunity) he had no option but to count HHH's pinfall on Mercy and we had a new World Champion once again in Triple H!!! The crowd were livid, and Punk hardly looked thrilled either; but Punk just shrugged his shoulders and walked off. HHH celebrated and as the show went off the air, Mercy was just coming around again and he looked far from pleased himself.
Neon Blue was a much anticipated show when the line up was announced, and for the most part it was one that delivered. The opener started the show on a very high note, the tag team title match was excellent and the storyline-heavy Morgan/Abyss, Dean/Cena and Xav/Stratus all delivered entertainment by the bucketload. Toss in an absolutely thrilling main event and you have one great night of action. Long may the IWF continue to deliver like this.
What a way to kick off Neon Blue 2007, with this hugely entertaining battle for the United Kingdom Championship. Mistico has come from out of nowhere to really make an impact on the IWF (as great as the notices where from Mexico, did you really envision him catching on as quickly as he has done?) and Hennigan has taken the split from MNM, and the name change, more than in his stride to really kick start his solo career. It wasn’t to mean, however, that he was to make the leap to UK Champion quite so quickly. The two had a very evenly matched contest and Hennigan came close on a number of occasions, but in the end Mistico finished off Hennigan with the first IWF outing for La MÃstica (spinning headscissors into armbar takedown and from that into Fujiwara armbar) for the win via tap-out. The fans approved.
2) Jazz Hands Gee Vs Finlay ( * * ¾ )
From the sublime to the ridiculous maybe? Ok, so it’s not saying much for two former world champions but against all the odds, the Lil’ Louis / Hornswoggle dynamic has gotten this feud far more over than a regular battle would have done…and that’s before we’ve taken into account Jazz Hands Gee’s amnesia fuelled personality. Indeed the reworking of Christina Aguilera’s Candyman into “Jazz Hands Gee” still makes us chuckle two and a half months down the line. We had high hopes for the match as well, given we feel Finlay is the perfect opponent for Gee (witness Gee’s independent battles with the likes of Bruce Hart & Dory Funk Jnr to see how well Gee can brawl). As you might expect though, the comedy midgets did distract from proceedings, although we would have to admit to the entertainment value. In the end, the midgets fought, Jazz Hands Gee got a shelaghly to the cobblers and Finlay got the pinfall victory.
3) Chris Jericho & Elijah Burke Vs AMW ( * * * * )
Wow. That’s all we can really say about this one. They were given the time, and the backing, to put on a show, and put on a show they did! AMW have been the best regular tag team in the IWF since their defection from TWA-T and once again put in a superb performance here. Jericho and Burke may be a makeshift team but they have a certain dynamism that keeps them apart from the chasing pack. This was a great back and forth encounter with great performances from all four men. Burke was the star of the show and showed that his Man Of Steel tournament victory could be the start of something beautiful indeed. Alas tonight he was on the losing side as a miscalculation by Jericho meant that he was easy prey for the Death Sentence which meant that AMW got the victory and became the first team to win the IWF World Tag Team titles four times! Burke did not look very happy at all as a result.
4) Xavier Vs Dick Stratus ( * * * ¼ )
Kidnap, torture, extra marital sex…this hasn’t been a feud for the kiddies my friends. Still it has been an interesting one and it did lead to an important night for lady of the moment Trish Stratus. Would she choose to remain by her husband’s side or would she “defect” to her lover Xavier once and for all. The match itself was fine; it had that hard-edge to it that you expect from such a heated storyline and although it did seem clear that the rumour that Xavier was carrying an injury going into this match was true as he was a slight level below his best here. In the end all the build up to Trish’s big moment was worth it as the crowd erupted as she finally made her choice…and it was indeed to go to the arms of Xavier. She slapped her brutish husband across the face and then Xav nipped in for the Xav-Attack to get the pinfall victory. The fans went wild as Xav and Trish shared a kiss. But the happiness was not to last for long. As they were making their way back to the locker rooms, the Anderson Family music kicked off and Charles Anderson walked out with Matt Morgan. Anderson cut an impassioned speech against adultery and then Morgan kicked the crap out of Xavier, causing him some internal bleeding. As a multitude of officials made the save, Trish was in tears, tending to the limp body of her man. Morgan on the other hand just made his way to the ring for his match,
5) Matt Morgan Vs Abyss ( * * ¾ )
The Anderson Family (consisting of leader Charles, Acid, Shelly and the random swastika wearing girls singing their haunting hymns) have finally began to pick up some steam after “abducting” Matt Morgan and indoctrinating him into their ways. Indeed he is now their “muscle” and was sent in the direction of Abyss, who had the temerity to refuse to join the Anderson family. This was a bloody and brutal match between the two giants with both men swinging hard in an intense fight. Morgan looked to have the upper hand, especially when Acid and Shelley made their presence known but if they thought they had the numbers game won, they reckoned without a surprise guest. A man, who we now know as Jahbuhlun, jumped from out of the crowd to aid the monster Abyss and we have subsequently found out that this man is Abyss’ brother. A no-contest was declared as Jahbuhlun and Abyss joined forces to clear the ring of the Anderson Family members. This was actually a very entertaining hard-hitting battle, which only loses marks for the non-finish. Although we have to admit that the debut if Jahbuhlun was one of those “wow” moments as well.
6) Randy Orton Vs Jay Reso ( * * * )
You’re never quite sure what you are going to get with either of these men. Whilst both are entertaining characters and good wrestlers, both are maddeningly inconsistent; tonight was a decent, but not brilliant match and thus, as ever seemingly, leaves both men in this upper-mid card limbo. This was a spirited back and forth tussle that, sadly, never really reawakened the passion of their memorable 2006 battles and in the end Reso finished off Orton with the Unprettier for the surprisingly spotless 1-2-3 pinfall victory.
7) Paul Wardle Vs Harry Smith ( * ¾ )
We didn’t know why Harry Smith was getting a shot at the European Title on a PPV, but we soon realised why Paul Wardle needed to be on the card. The match itself was a decent enough crash TV style match (albeit one you will never feel the need to watch again), which Wardle won fairly convincingly. The main story was the fact that after the match, Wardle got into an altercation with special ringside guest Callum Best. The two had a, fairly convincing, fist fight before security dragged Wardle off. If we didn’t know better we’d think this was going to lead somewhere…
8) Dean Roberts Vs John Cena ( * * * )
Once upon a time, a very big wrestling promotion called the PWF went bankrupt; the IWF signed one of their most promising performers and expected him to be a breakout star. He wasn’t. That is the sum total of the John Cena story. Why, in 2007. he is getting a big match like this is beyond us, and despite the Michelle Cena “rape” allegations and the generally entertaining, if ever so slightly over the top, storyline arch that has led us to this point no one really buys John Cena as the equal of Dean Roberts. Still Dean, as ever, has done his best to make Cena seem a genuine threat and the two did at least have a good match here. Michelle Cena was at ringside, and did at least add to the flow of the match (her expressions as the match went on were utterly believable, which is not something you can always say about Wrestling Diva’s) as was the spot where her brother John saved her from Dean’s clutches (given the storyline, Dean couldn’t very well smack her one anyway could he?). There was, sadly, little of the real drama that we would have liked, but that’s mainly because IWF fans do no take Cena seriously as a top-line wrestler. In the end, Dean won and we would imagine the interview where Michelle admits she made the whole rape allegation up can’t be far off.
9) Mercy Vs HHH (CM Punk as Ref, * * * * ¼ )
Main event time and WHAT an atmosphere there was. Fans popped huge for Punk as the referee and therein were clear signs that he’s on his way to being a genuine headliner (which is a good thing with his Gold Rush title match at November’s Prime Time coming up). Of course fans also popped huge for both challenger Triple H and champion Matthew Mercy, There have been plenty of soap-opera style storylines recently but this one has been a classic old-school feud. The two men hate each other and both want to claim the World Title as their personal property. This was main event wrestling at it's best and the two men put on great performances. Punk was good as the referee as well, although he played a direct part in the finish. Triple H tried to introduce a chair into the proceedings, but Punk grabbed it off him. HHH was infuriated and started some verbals before spitting into Punk's face. Finally, Punk lost it, swung the chair but actually took out Mercy instead. As Punk had to "call it down the middle" (under orders from Commissioner Roberts who stated that Punk would lose his Gold Rush opportunity) he had no option but to count HHH's pinfall on Mercy and we had a new World Champion once again in Triple H!!! The crowd were livid, and Punk hardly looked thrilled either; but Punk just shrugged his shoulders and walked off. HHH celebrated and as the show went off the air, Mercy was just coming around again and he looked far from pleased himself.
Neon Blue was a much anticipated show when the line up was announced, and for the most part it was one that delivered. The opener started the show on a very high note, the tag team title match was excellent and the storyline-heavy Morgan/Abyss, Dean/Cena and Xav/Stratus all delivered entertainment by the bucketload. Toss in an absolutely thrilling main event and you have one great night of action. Long may the IWF continue to deliver like this.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Rick Shaw released
The International Wrestling Federation today announced that it had parted company with former Cruiserweight Champion Rick Shaw.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Kous Kous Are Koming...
The IWF can today announce that the internationally reknowned tag team Kous Kous have signed a deal with the company.
Tarquin and Quentin Kous have an extensive championship pedigree and are sure to be an exciting addition to the roster.
Tarquin Kous
Quentin Kous
Tarquin and Quentin Kous have an extensive championship pedigree and are sure to be an exciting addition to the roster.
Tarquin Kous
Quentin Kous
Thursday, October 04, 2007
IWF Announce Departures
The IWF today announced that they have agreed contract releases with Edge and Samoa Joe.
We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Claudio Castagnoli Inks A Deal
The IWF is pleased to announce that Switzerland-borm Wrestling Superstar Claudio Castagnoli has signed a deal with the company.
Castagnoli is thrilled to get the opportunity to wrestle in the IWF. "It is what a man who is born of my standing is destined to do" said Claudio when we spoke to him earlier today.
Castagnoli is thrilled to get the opportunity to wrestle in the IWF. "It is what a man who is born of my standing is destined to do" said Claudio when we spoke to him earlier today.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Neon Blue Preview
Sunday 21st October 2007
02 Arena, London
WORLD UNIFIED HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:
Vs 
After Matthew Mercy's historic title win over Triple H at Man Of Steel comes the time for payback as HHH battles to win the title he once called his own. IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts though threw in a curve ball when he named CM Punk as the Special Guest Referee for the match, a turn of circumstances even more intriguing as Punk has said he will be cashing in his Gold Rush title chance ticket at November's Prime Time in his home city of Chicago. Given that in recent weeks, Mercy and HHH have cost him his European and United Kingdom Titles will CM Punk be able to call it down the middle? Will Mercy make it two in a row against HHH? Or will HHH climb back to the top of the mountain? Whatever happens, this is not one you want to miss.
THE BATTLE FOR HONOUR:
Vs 
Who would have thought that the chain of events spiraling from Xavier's kidnapping would have come to this? As a result of the DNA tests that the police carried out on IWF Superstars in respect of that investigation, a shocking truth that had laid hidden for almost four years came to the fore. No-one had even been identified as the person who tried to shoot Dean Roberts in New York in March 2003, but it soon became apparent that the assailant was the relative of IWF Superstar John Cena...in fact it was his sister Michelle. She claimed that Dean Roberts had raped her in late 2002, Dean insists they had consensual sex. Whilst Michelle's obvious mental problems lean most observers towards the latter explanation, John is determined to avenge the honour of his sister. All hell could break loose at Neon Blue.
REVENGE:
Vs 
As soon as it became clear during the police investigation outlined above that it wasn't an "IWF Superstar" that had kidnapped Xavier earlier this year, suspicions were aroused everywhere. No-one, however expected the mastermind behind the evil plot to turn out to be Trish Stratus' husband Dick. Furious about his wife using her position as Xavier's masseuse as a cover for an affair with the IWF superstar, Dick hired Murdoch & Cade to carry out his fiendish plan. Eager to heap more humiliation on Xavier & Trish, Dick challenged Xav to this match, a challenge which was eagerly anticipated. Trish will be at ringside to see the carnage unfold.
Vs 
These two competitors may have shared common enemies in Finaly & Jazz Hands Gee but their mutual distrust and hatred for each other didn't take too long to reveal itself. Orton turned on Reso at Man Of Steel, hitting him with an RKO that cost Reso a pinfall loss. The war between the two has only escalated since then and the fans have put themselves firmly in Reso's camp. Two men with a pure hatred for each other meet in what is sure to be a memorable match.
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
Vs 
If Elijah Burke and Chris Jericho thought the challengers so far during their Tag Team Title reigns had been tough, they may be squaring up against their toughest challenge yet at Neon Blue in the form of former three time World Tag Team Champions America's Most Wanted. Burke has been riding the crest of a wave since his Man Of Steel tournament victory, but can he translate his solo achievements into more tag team glory? AMW say not, arguing that their superior experience as a team will give them the advantage in this high profile match-up
Vs 
Finlay and Jazz Hands Gee were brought together by the friendship of their little buddies Hornswoggle and Lil' Louis but the competitive juices couldn't stay hidden for long. A series of disagreements have led to the challenges being laid out and with the likelihood that both Hornswoggle and Louis will be at ringside this is sure to be one hellacious match.
Vs 
The Anderson family, led by the evil and maniacal Charles Anderson, "abducted" Matt Morgan at Man Of Steel and idoctrinated him into their unique stable. Morgan is now their hired muscle, but seems strangely ambivalent to his new posision. The Anderson Family attempted, through Shelley Martinez, to get Abyss on to their side as well, but Abyss relented their charms. As Charles Anderson stated "if you don't join us, we destroy you" and this is the task that Morgan is entrusted with at Neon Blue.
EUROPEAN TITLE:
Vs 
Even Harry Smith would admit that a European Title shot so early in his career is an unexpected occurrence, but new champion Paul Wardle, who defeated CM Punk recently after Punk's involvement with Matthew Mercy & HHH cost the former European Champion dear, felt slighted by Smith after a recent altercation and insisted on getting the opportunity to "teach Smith a lesson." Wardle has warned him that his dad's acheivements count for nothing towards Harry's own career, whilst for his part, Smith says that his dad never backed down from a fight...and he's not about to start doing that now. A fascinating tussle is in prospect.
UNITED KINGDOM TITLE:
Vs 
Mistico had the good fortune to be in the right place at the right time on a recent episode of Warfare as Matthew Mercy and Triple H's connections to CM Punk led to Mistico dethroning Punk as UK Champion. John Hennigan meanwhile has jettisoned his MNM past, saying that his time away from the ring due to injury gave him plenty of time to think...time enough to realise that Joey Mercury and Melina were holding him back. He gets a quick opportunity to prove himself right as he becomes the first challenger for Mistico's UK title.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Prime Time
IWF PRIME TIME - "Silver Lining"
Saturday 29th September 2007
Civic Hall, Broxbourne
CHAMPIONS MATCH:
Matthew Mercy, Mistico, Loco Delgado & Flavio Love
Vs
Paul Wardle, Matt Sydal, Elijah Burke & Chris Jericho
John Hennigan Vs Joey Mercury
Abyss Vs Acid
Umaga Vs Samoa Joe
- - - -
1) Umaga Vs Samoa Joe ( * * 3/4 ) - Nice tie in with last months Prime Time here (these being the two men who Mercy & HHH chose as each other's opponents) and this was a reasonable match as well. Both men worked stiff, but not too stiff, but it was Umaga who got the pinfall. It's amazing how fortunes can change; Joe was much heralded when he came in, but has failed to live up to the hype and now faces an uncertain future amongst tales of his backstage attitude not being appreciated. Umaga on the other hand seemed like a no-hope when he arrived but has impressed everyone and looks on the upward swing.
2) Abyss Vs Acid ( * * ) - The Anderson Family have been trying to recruit Abyss to their fold for the past month or so and despite Abyss looking like taking up their offer at times, he has so far stood resolutely against them. Thus Charles Anderson sending Acid in to do battle with Abyss. But it turned out it was all a ruse, as this was the night that Matt Morgan reappeared on IWF TV...as the newest member of the Anderson Family. A No-Contest was declared as Morgan stormed the ring and attacked Abyss.
3) John Hennigan Vs Joey Mercury ( * * * 1/4 ) - Well it didn't take John "ny Nitro" Hennigan long to dissolve himself from his MNM partnership upon his return from injury did it? And given Mercury's status as a virtual non-entity whilst his partner was out, that doesn't bode well for him. That said, he more than contributed to a great little match, albeit one that Hennigan won. Hennigan seems destined for brighter things, Mercury might be in for an almighty struggle.
4) Champions Match ( * * * * ) - Well it was a good job was it not that CM Punk lost both his titles (thanks it must be said to HHH & Mercy being involved) in recent weeks, which meant that this was a 4 on 4 match, with all eight male champions being involved. It was also quite the cracker. Fast paced non-stop action all the way. Of course Mercy got the winning pinfall, on Matt Sydal following a Mercy-Bomb, but whilst this may not have been the most important match ever seen on Prime Time, it was one hell of an entertaining one.
The hits keep a coming for Prime Time. This was another stellar effort with incidents aplenty and lots of action. Admittedly not much was seen in the way of proper build up to Neon Blue, but you can't have everything can you?
Saturday 29th September 2007
Civic Hall, Broxbourne
CHAMPIONS MATCH:
Matthew Mercy, Mistico, Loco Delgado & Flavio Love
Vs
Paul Wardle, Matt Sydal, Elijah Burke & Chris Jericho
John Hennigan Vs Joey Mercury
Abyss Vs Acid
Umaga Vs Samoa Joe
- - - -
1) Umaga Vs Samoa Joe ( * * 3/4 ) - Nice tie in with last months Prime Time here (these being the two men who Mercy & HHH chose as each other's opponents) and this was a reasonable match as well. Both men worked stiff, but not too stiff, but it was Umaga who got the pinfall. It's amazing how fortunes can change; Joe was much heralded when he came in, but has failed to live up to the hype and now faces an uncertain future amongst tales of his backstage attitude not being appreciated. Umaga on the other hand seemed like a no-hope when he arrived but has impressed everyone and looks on the upward swing.
2) Abyss Vs Acid ( * * ) - The Anderson Family have been trying to recruit Abyss to their fold for the past month or so and despite Abyss looking like taking up their offer at times, he has so far stood resolutely against them. Thus Charles Anderson sending Acid in to do battle with Abyss. But it turned out it was all a ruse, as this was the night that Matt Morgan reappeared on IWF TV...as the newest member of the Anderson Family. A No-Contest was declared as Morgan stormed the ring and attacked Abyss.
3) John Hennigan Vs Joey Mercury ( * * * 1/4 ) - Well it didn't take John "ny Nitro" Hennigan long to dissolve himself from his MNM partnership upon his return from injury did it? And given Mercury's status as a virtual non-entity whilst his partner was out, that doesn't bode well for him. That said, he more than contributed to a great little match, albeit one that Hennigan won. Hennigan seems destined for brighter things, Mercury might be in for an almighty struggle.
4) Champions Match ( * * * * ) - Well it was a good job was it not that CM Punk lost both his titles (thanks it must be said to HHH & Mercy being involved) in recent weeks, which meant that this was a 4 on 4 match, with all eight male champions being involved. It was also quite the cracker. Fast paced non-stop action all the way. Of course Mercy got the winning pinfall, on Matt Sydal following a Mercy-Bomb, but whilst this may not have been the most important match ever seen on Prime Time, it was one hell of an entertaining one.
The hits keep a coming for Prime Time. This was another stellar effort with incidents aplenty and lots of action. Admittedly not much was seen in the way of proper build up to Neon Blue, but you can't have everything can you?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Contract Releases
The IWF today announced that Lance Hoyt, Paul London & Deuce Shade have agreed contract releases with the company.
We wish them all the best for their future.
We wish them all the best for their future.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Introducing...new IWF referees
In her time in the IWF, Shantelle Taylor has become known as one of the best referees in the company; after some high intensity try-out sessions the IWF is pleased to announce today that two new female referees are joining the company.
Diana Rogers
Diana is thrilled to be a part of the IWF. "I've worked so hard towards this and I just hope that I can do justice to what is one of the toughest jobs there is in this buisness."
Eva Middleton
Eva has long held a dream to be a part of the Wrestling world. "I realise this is a tough job, but the opportunity is a great one. Neither of us are going to be pushovers".
Diana Rogers
Diana is thrilled to be a part of the IWF. "I've worked so hard towards this and I just hope that I can do justice to what is one of the toughest jobs there is in this buisness."
Eva Middleton
Eva has long held a dream to be a part of the Wrestling world. "I realise this is a tough job, but the opportunity is a great one. Neither of us are going to be pushovers".
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Rob Van Dam
Today the IWF announced that Rob Van Dam has severed ties with the company.
It is believed that Van Dam's contract has expired and that he chose not to sign a new one at this time.
We wish RVD all the best for his future endeavours.
It is believed that Van Dam's contract has expired and that he chose not to sign a new one at this time.
We wish RVD all the best for his future endeavours.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Man Of Steel Report
1) CM Punk Vs Umaga ( * * * )
So we were straight off into the Man Of Steel Semi-Finals and this was a great way to kick off the evening. Punk really has caught on with the crowds, and whilst the critics keep saying that Umaga is nothing more than your typical stereotypical Samoan savage circa 1970's, there is no denying he's an effective one. He played his part here, brutalising Punk in the early going, but Punk rallied and finally finished off Umaga with the Go2Sleep. The crowd appreciated that one.
2) Elijah Burke Vs Mistico ( * * * 1/2 )
So with Punk on his way to the final could his long-term rival Elijah Burke find his way past Mistico to join his adversary? Well of course he could, but that inevitability didn't detract one iota from a fantastic little bout. Mistico is small, even for a Cruiserweight, but, as his recent match with Triple H showed, he is a fantastic talent. He was also willing to bump like a bitch for Elijah Burke and this all added to a very believable and exciting match. In the end, Burke won with the Elijah Experience, but Mistico did get a nice ovation for his efforts.
3) Finlay & Jazz Hands Gee Vs Randy Orton & Jay Reso ( * * )
Say what you want about the stupidity of Gee's new "Jazz Hands/Amnesia" gimmick, but the fans love it and the chemistry between him and Finlay is quite something to behold (and that's even before we've got to the Hornswoggle/Lil' Louis part of things). Quite what Orton & Reso had done to deserve this wasn't clear at the start, but became clearer towards the end. Because whilst we were all waiting for the Finlay/Gee partnership to dissolve, it was the Orton/Reso alliance that proved to be short lived as Orton RKO'ed his partner, enabling Finlay to get the pinfall on Reso. We suspect that it's Reso who's supposed to have turned face as a result, although it was never really made clear.
4) Milano Collection AT Vs Matt Sydal ( * * 1/4 )
So. thanks to Lizzy Valentine giving the Dean, erm, well, some "attention", her supposed main squeeze Matt Sydal was ever so coincidentally made the number one contender to the Cruiserweight Title. The only real drawback to this match was that it was so damn short (six minutes for a Title match?!?) and thus never really had a chance of catching fire. The end came when Valentine tripped up Milano and Sydal got the pinfall as Valentine held down the champion's leg. We had a new champion and backstage Dean Roberts was, no doubt, happy indeed.
5) America's Most Wanted Vs MNM ( * * * )
Wasn't there some stipulation whereby these two teams could never meet again? Well, if there was it's been ignored, although really these are the only two "full-time" teams with any real chance of being accepted as challengers to Elijah Burke & Chris Jericho at Neon Blue. This was a good match, with the two teams finding that old chemistry fairly quickly and it gave the fans the result they wanted when Chris Harris pinned Joey Mercury to seal the win for AMW. After the match Melina and Mercury consoled each other but Nitro was having none of it, and walked off alone.
6) Matt Morgan Vs Mohammed Fakjir ( * * )
A step up for Fakjir or a distinct step down for Morgan? As ever the truth is somewhere in between. Fakjir made the mistake of "dissing" Morgan and not even Justice Porter seemed as if he wanted to back up his boss in this one. But it was to be a night to remember for Fakjir as he got a pinfall victory over the former world champion...although he did need help from The Anderson Family to do so. As Morgan was in the ascendancy, the lights went low, the wierd hymnal music kicked in and the Anderson Family walked out. The lights then went out completely and when they came back on the referee had disappeared, and Morgan was alone in the ring with Acid and Shelley. Shelley distracted him, Acid smacked him with an evil chair shot and the lights went off again. When the came back on, Morgan was still flat out, Fakjir was looking on incredulously and the referee was in the ring again seemingly with no idea what had gone on. Fakjir went for the pin, the referee counted and we had our winner. Fakjir and Porter scarpered before the namless, hooded creatures of the Anderson family returned and carried Morgan's "corpse" away. Very strange, but strangely effective at the same time.
7) CM Punk Vs Elijah Burke ( * * * 3/4 )
Man Of Steel final time, and not even the fact that this final was largely obvious (despite the booker's best efforts to add a bit of doubt) from the moment the tournament was announced could shake the fact that this was a match that everyone was looking forward to. And boy did the two step up to the plate when the pressure was on. It is perhaps a it premature to compare this to 1998's Dean Roberts/Matthew Mercy Man Of Steel final in terms of historical presence, but there was no doubting that in years to come this may be regarded in the same light. The fans were loving this one and were willing Punk onto victory, but some controverisal chicanery from Burke involving some brass knuckles meant that Burke got the shock victory and became the 2007 Man Of Steel, following in the footsteps of the likes of Abyss (2006), Matt Morgan (2005) and Matt Hardy (2004). And as that list shows, whilst the MoS tournament may be a great one to win, Burke will have to continue to step up his game in the weeks and months to come.
8) Alexis Laree Vs Jenny Tayor ( * 3/4 )
Quite how they were supposed to follow the previous match, of course, is difficult to imagine. Unless that was the point (i.e. chance for the fans to get their breath back before the main event). Throw in the fact that you had two babyfaces doing battle in a completely technical match, its a wonder people didn't fall asleep. That said, the actual wrestling was satisfactory and Laree wrapped it up with the Laree-D-T.
9) Triple H Vs Matthew Mercy ( * * * * 1/4 )
Few matches these days have that really big aura about them, despite what the IWF might try and tell you, but all through the night you could tell that this was one of those rare occasions. We know they've fought before, but it's been so long since a proper one-on-one battle that there was a genuine spine-tingling sense of anticipation for this one. The two men delivered with world-class performances too; they built up slowly and made everything count and the fans were with them every step of the way. After cleaning house in the early going Mercy looked in control, but HHH fought back and managed to subdue the attack of Double M. The two traded the advantage until the hot closing sequence kicked in. Both men managed to wriggle free of their opponent's finishing moves, but HHH couldn't escape the Mercy Bomb for a second time. He did however kick out, much to the surprise of Mercy and momentarily it looked as if HHH would do the impossible. But Mercy regrouped, hit the Mercy-Bomb again and clinched the 1-2-3 that won him his 4th World Title (and his first since 2002). The crowd most certainly approved of the title change!
Most years the Man Of Steel PPV can often be of little consequence other than the tournament finals themselves. This year, however, was a glorious exception. Maybe it was the pressure of a poor (from a buy-rate point of view) Super Series or maybe it was just an attempt to have a really solid build up for Neon Blue, but this was a show that was jam-packed with action and incident. The Man Of Steel finals were great, and whilst many may have been surprised that Elijah Burke took the ultimate glory, Punk's controversial loss took nothing away from him and his post match interview, where he hinted that he would soon reveal his the chosen date for cashing in his Gold Rush ticket hinted at a very bright future. Needless to say, the evening's events won't have done Burke any harm either! The main selling point of the evening was the cataclysmic main event between Mercy & HHH which was another fantastic affair; Mercy's title win was very warmly revceived as well and there are sure to be many more battles between the two before the end of the year as well.
The undercard was packed full of great stuff as well; be it The Anderson Family's "kidnapping" of Matt Morgan, or Randy Orton turning on Jay Reso or Matt Sydal winning the Cruiserweight Title this was a big night for a lot of people. Granted, it wasn't the best in-ring show the IWF have ever put on (and that's not to say it was by any means a bad one though) but the sheer entertainment value and the fact that this was a show that was booked to matter means that it gets a good thumbs up from us.
So we were straight off into the Man Of Steel Semi-Finals and this was a great way to kick off the evening. Punk really has caught on with the crowds, and whilst the critics keep saying that Umaga is nothing more than your typical stereotypical Samoan savage circa 1970's, there is no denying he's an effective one. He played his part here, brutalising Punk in the early going, but Punk rallied and finally finished off Umaga with the Go2Sleep. The crowd appreciated that one.
2) Elijah Burke Vs Mistico ( * * * 1/2 )
So with Punk on his way to the final could his long-term rival Elijah Burke find his way past Mistico to join his adversary? Well of course he could, but that inevitability didn't detract one iota from a fantastic little bout. Mistico is small, even for a Cruiserweight, but, as his recent match with Triple H showed, he is a fantastic talent. He was also willing to bump like a bitch for Elijah Burke and this all added to a very believable and exciting match. In the end, Burke won with the Elijah Experience, but Mistico did get a nice ovation for his efforts.
3) Finlay & Jazz Hands Gee Vs Randy Orton & Jay Reso ( * * )
Say what you want about the stupidity of Gee's new "Jazz Hands/Amnesia" gimmick, but the fans love it and the chemistry between him and Finlay is quite something to behold (and that's even before we've got to the Hornswoggle/Lil' Louis part of things). Quite what Orton & Reso had done to deserve this wasn't clear at the start, but became clearer towards the end. Because whilst we were all waiting for the Finlay/Gee partnership to dissolve, it was the Orton/Reso alliance that proved to be short lived as Orton RKO'ed his partner, enabling Finlay to get the pinfall on Reso. We suspect that it's Reso who's supposed to have turned face as a result, although it was never really made clear.
4) Milano Collection AT Vs Matt Sydal ( * * 1/4 )
So. thanks to Lizzy Valentine giving the Dean, erm, well, some "attention", her supposed main squeeze Matt Sydal was ever so coincidentally made the number one contender to the Cruiserweight Title. The only real drawback to this match was that it was so damn short (six minutes for a Title match?!?) and thus never really had a chance of catching fire. The end came when Valentine tripped up Milano and Sydal got the pinfall as Valentine held down the champion's leg. We had a new champion and backstage Dean Roberts was, no doubt, happy indeed.
5) America's Most Wanted Vs MNM ( * * * )
Wasn't there some stipulation whereby these two teams could never meet again? Well, if there was it's been ignored, although really these are the only two "full-time" teams with any real chance of being accepted as challengers to Elijah Burke & Chris Jericho at Neon Blue. This was a good match, with the two teams finding that old chemistry fairly quickly and it gave the fans the result they wanted when Chris Harris pinned Joey Mercury to seal the win for AMW. After the match Melina and Mercury consoled each other but Nitro was having none of it, and walked off alone.
6) Matt Morgan Vs Mohammed Fakjir ( * * )
A step up for Fakjir or a distinct step down for Morgan? As ever the truth is somewhere in between. Fakjir made the mistake of "dissing" Morgan and not even Justice Porter seemed as if he wanted to back up his boss in this one. But it was to be a night to remember for Fakjir as he got a pinfall victory over the former world champion...although he did need help from The Anderson Family to do so. As Morgan was in the ascendancy, the lights went low, the wierd hymnal music kicked in and the Anderson Family walked out. The lights then went out completely and when they came back on the referee had disappeared, and Morgan was alone in the ring with Acid and Shelley. Shelley distracted him, Acid smacked him with an evil chair shot and the lights went off again. When the came back on, Morgan was still flat out, Fakjir was looking on incredulously and the referee was in the ring again seemingly with no idea what had gone on. Fakjir went for the pin, the referee counted and we had our winner. Fakjir and Porter scarpered before the namless, hooded creatures of the Anderson family returned and carried Morgan's "corpse" away. Very strange, but strangely effective at the same time.
7) CM Punk Vs Elijah Burke ( * * * 3/4 )
Man Of Steel final time, and not even the fact that this final was largely obvious (despite the booker's best efforts to add a bit of doubt) from the moment the tournament was announced could shake the fact that this was a match that everyone was looking forward to. And boy did the two step up to the plate when the pressure was on. It is perhaps a it premature to compare this to 1998's Dean Roberts/Matthew Mercy Man Of Steel final in terms of historical presence, but there was no doubting that in years to come this may be regarded in the same light. The fans were loving this one and were willing Punk onto victory, but some controverisal chicanery from Burke involving some brass knuckles meant that Burke got the shock victory and became the 2007 Man Of Steel, following in the footsteps of the likes of Abyss (2006), Matt Morgan (2005) and Matt Hardy (2004). And as that list shows, whilst the MoS tournament may be a great one to win, Burke will have to continue to step up his game in the weeks and months to come.
8) Alexis Laree Vs Jenny Tayor ( * 3/4 )
Quite how they were supposed to follow the previous match, of course, is difficult to imagine. Unless that was the point (i.e. chance for the fans to get their breath back before the main event). Throw in the fact that you had two babyfaces doing battle in a completely technical match, its a wonder people didn't fall asleep. That said, the actual wrestling was satisfactory and Laree wrapped it up with the Laree-D-T.
9) Triple H Vs Matthew Mercy ( * * * * 1/4 )
Few matches these days have that really big aura about them, despite what the IWF might try and tell you, but all through the night you could tell that this was one of those rare occasions. We know they've fought before, but it's been so long since a proper one-on-one battle that there was a genuine spine-tingling sense of anticipation for this one. The two men delivered with world-class performances too; they built up slowly and made everything count and the fans were with them every step of the way. After cleaning house in the early going Mercy looked in control, but HHH fought back and managed to subdue the attack of Double M. The two traded the advantage until the hot closing sequence kicked in. Both men managed to wriggle free of their opponent's finishing moves, but HHH couldn't escape the Mercy Bomb for a second time. He did however kick out, much to the surprise of Mercy and momentarily it looked as if HHH would do the impossible. But Mercy regrouped, hit the Mercy-Bomb again and clinched the 1-2-3 that won him his 4th World Title (and his first since 2002). The crowd most certainly approved of the title change!
Most years the Man Of Steel PPV can often be of little consequence other than the tournament finals themselves. This year, however, was a glorious exception. Maybe it was the pressure of a poor (from a buy-rate point of view) Super Series or maybe it was just an attempt to have a really solid build up for Neon Blue, but this was a show that was jam-packed with action and incident. The Man Of Steel finals were great, and whilst many may have been surprised that Elijah Burke took the ultimate glory, Punk's controversial loss took nothing away from him and his post match interview, where he hinted that he would soon reveal his the chosen date for cashing in his Gold Rush ticket hinted at a very bright future. Needless to say, the evening's events won't have done Burke any harm either! The main selling point of the evening was the cataclysmic main event between Mercy & HHH which was another fantastic affair; Mercy's title win was very warmly revceived as well and there are sure to be many more battles between the two before the end of the year as well.
The undercard was packed full of great stuff as well; be it The Anderson Family's "kidnapping" of Matt Morgan, or Randy Orton turning on Jay Reso or Matt Sydal winning the Cruiserweight Title this was a big night for a lot of people. Granted, it wasn't the best in-ring show the IWF have ever put on (and that's not to say it was by any means a bad one though) but the sheer entertainment value and the fact that this was a show that was booked to matter means that it gets a good thumbs up from us.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Man Of Steel Preview
Sunday 9th September 2007
Whitley Bay Ice Rink
UNIFIED WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:
Triple H Vs Matthew Mercy
Vs 
The two top superstars in the IWF clash in a one-on-one bout for the first time in over five years with the biggest prize in the game on the line. What is clear from the last month or so is that these two do not like each other, but the whole industry is looking on with anticpation as each man attempts to prove that he is the best. HHH says he is "The Game" and that he's on the form of his life; Mercy says that it's been too long since he held gold and that he's determined to put that right at Man Of Steel.
- - - - - -
MAN OF STEEL TOURNAMENT;
SEMI-FINALS:
CM Punk Vs Umaga Vs 
Elijah Burke Vs Mistico Vs
PLUS THE FINAL;
Punk/Umaga Vs Burke/Mistico
Man Of Steel is traditionally the biggest tournament in the IWF's calendar, and this year has thrown up the usual mixture of excitement and surprise. The field has been whittled down to four superstars, but who will prevail? CM Punk has been on the roll of his life in 2007 but faces a unique and tough challenge in the form of the Samoan monster Umaga. Elijah Burke is looking to cement his reputation and one of the hottest young superstars in professional wrestling, but the high-flying wizzard Mistico offers up a unique challenge of his own.
- - - - - -
WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE:
Milano Collection AT Vs Matt Sydal
Vs 
Milano Collection AT has been a very impressive Cruiserweight Champion over the past couple of months but he faces a tough challenge at MoS in the form of Matt Sydal. Ok, so the cynical amongst you may suggest he's only been named Number One Contender thanks to Lizzy Valentine's, ahem, alleged trists with Commissioner Roberts, but no matter what the reasoning behind the making of this match it offers Sydal a big chance at gold.
#1 CONTENDERS TAG TEAM MATCH:
America's Most Wanted Vs MNM Vs 
America's Most Wanted had some spirited exchanges at Super Series, and MNM have been in-fighting ever since Johnny Nitro returned at the same event. But both have the opportunity to put aside their differences with each other as they meet in a match to decide which team will challenge Elijah Burke & Chris Jericho for the titles at Neon Blue. America's Most Wanted are former three time World Tag Team Champions but would dearly love to become the first team to ever hold the belts 4 times. MNM had a record breaking European Tag Team title reign, but have never managed to lift the big one. For both teams this could be the first step on the path to ultimate glory.
Finlay & Jazz Hands Gee Vs Randy Orton & Jay Reso Vs
Has their ever been an odder couple than Finlay & Jazz Hands Gee? Perhaps not, but if only for the sake of their companions Hornswoggle and Lil' Louis, the two are getting along...to a certain extent. Orton & Reso aren't exactly bosom buddies either, but their mutual hatred for their opponents, who have had the better of them in recent weeks, has brought them together. Who knows what to expect from this match, but we will guarantee that there will be chaos!
Mohammed Fakjir Vs Matt Morgan
Vs
Fakjir's cocky attitude is well known, but this time it may have got him into more trouble than he bargained for because annoying Matt Morgan isn't a good idea at the best of times...and given Morgan's current apparent mental state, Fakjir certainly picked the worst time!
WORLD WOMEN'S TITLE:
Alexis Laree Vs Jenny Taylor
Vs 
Laree may have finally won her hard fought war with Rebecca Knox at Super Series, but the challenges just keep on coming. Can Laree turn back this new challenge or will Taylor lift the gold?
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