MUSCLEMANIA XVII CARD

MuscleMania XVII
Sunday 27th April 2008
Millenium Stadium, Cardiff

WORLD UNIFIED TRIPLE CROWN HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE;
CM Punk Vs Elijah Burke
WITH SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: DEAN ROBERTS
Ever since Elijah Burke defeated CM Punk to lift the Man Of Steel Title in September 2007, some have felt that it was destiny that these two would clash for the Unified Triple Crown; that moment comes at MuscleMania XVII. Despite the fact the Punk is into his second World Title Reign (having won the belt in the 40 Man Robo Rumble at January's Corporal Punishment) the form-book in battles between the two is firmly behind Burke, who followed up his Man Of Steel victory over Punk by pinning him to win a classic Super Series match at the recent Survival Ground ppv. The two men's hatred for each other is such that Interim IWF Commissioner Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat has added a special guest referee to the proceedings...his predecessor as Commisioner, The Icon Dean Roberts! That adds yet another layer of intrigue to what was already a blistering proposition.

Matthew Mercy Vs Kurt Angle
The wrestling world was shocked when Kurt Angle returned to the IWF at Corporal Punishment and almost immediately his intense rivalry with long term opponent Matthew Mercy. The two had one of the most famous matches in IWF history at Xtreme Overload 2002 and ever since that day they've itched for another match on the grandest stage of them all to prove once and for all who is the greater wrestler of them all. They captained opposite teams at the recent Survival Ground PPV, but the matter was not solved. Angle threw out the challenge on Warfare, Mercy accepted and the scene is set for what many are calling the "biggest rematch in professional wreslting history." Both men have the utmost respect for each other, but both are determined to do anything they have to to get the win.

Triple H Vs Paul "The Phenomenon" Wardle
The latest breakout superstar in the IWF, Paul Wardle has been on an amazing roll since winning fan support for slapping Callum Best. He faces, however, his toughest task to date at MuscleMania in the form of The Cerebral Assassin Triple H. A former PWF and IWF World Champion, HHH is the last man willing to allow himself to be used as a stepping stone by a hungry superstar with headlining ambitions. Whilst Wardle will doubtless have the fans 100% behind him, will his momentum be enough to get the biggest victory of his career?

Xavier Vs Matt Morgan
The last 18 months have been an hellacious time for Xavier, given the time he spent away from the IWF in Japan and the horrific injury that curtailed him just as he was hitting top-form in his comeback. The man responsible for that injury, the monster Matt Morgan, has been telling the world that if Xavier ever chose to come back he would finish the job once and for all and he will get that opportunity at MuscleMania.

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE:
AMW Vs Matt & Jeff Hardy Vs Rhino & Shelton Benjamin
The three greatest tag teams of the current era meet in this unpredictable Three Way Dance, where only one team can walk away as World Tag Team Champions. AMW are the current Champions and have been on an undoubted roll as of late. However, Matt & Jeff Hardy, recent returnee's to the promotion, are eager to once again prove their credentials by lifting the belts again, seven years after their first title reign. The dark horses may well prove to be Shelton Benjamin & Rhino, the current European Tag Team Champions, who are in a "no-lose" situation as their title belts are not on the line.

Randy Orton Vs Abyss
One of the most eagerly anticipated matches at MuscleMania may well be this intriguing battle, pitting former IWF Triple Crown champion Orton against his worst nightmare come true in the form of the monster, Abyss. In recent weeks the cocky demeanour of Orton has slowly unravalled as Abyss has turned back every cheap-shot and every sneak attack. Fans believe that Abyss has Orton's number, but the former World Champion is bound to have one last trick up his sleeve. Will it be enough to put down Abyss? We'll find out at MuscleMania

Jazz Hands Gee & Hulk Hogan
Vs
Mohammed Fakjir & Justice Porter
When Mohammed Fakjir and Justice Porter made their vicious attack on Jazz Hands Gee at Survival Ground they must have though that they had rid themselevs of JHG for good. Even when Gee challenged them to a match at MuscleMania, and Fakjir cockily told Gee to pick any partner that he wanted, they could not have possibly forseen the man that JHG would choose. He shocked the world when he enlisted the help of his former nWo buddy Hulk Hogan and the legend will be hoping to make his mark in this special tag team encounter.

CHAMPION Vs CHAMPION:

Matt Sydal Vs Mistico

Two men who signed for the International Wrestling Federation on the same summer day in 2007 certainly proved two of the brightest newcomers in 2007, Sydal rising to the position of World Cruiserweight Champion and Mistico grabbing the United Kingdom title. In this special non-title challenge, the two champions face off one-on-one in a battle where personal pride is laid on the line.

Jay Reso Vs John Hennigan

Ever since jettisoning his MNM partners Joey Mercury and Melina, John Henningan has quietly been making a name for himself on IWF cards. MuscleMania brings forth his most challenging task yet as he takes on former Triple Crown Champion Jay Reso in what is sure to be an exciting match-up.

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PRE-GAME:

20 MAN BATTLE ROYALE
Winner gets Triple Crown Title shot at the 30/04 Warfare

PARTICIPANTS:

Chris Jericho, Finlay, Claudio Castagnoli, Barabus Lashley,

Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Sherlock Burchill, Dr Lewington,

Too Cold Scorpio, Crunch, Flavio Love, Harry Smith,

Eustace Kous, Sheridan Kous, Phil Jackson, Bobby Roode,

Charles Anderson, Milano Collection AT, Kane, Brian Kendrick

Survival Ground Report

1) Kous Kous Vs Hart & Smith ( * * )
Well at least the involvement of the "Swiss" Sheridan Kous meant that the fans were really into this opener. Which is a good thing because you suspect that this wouldn't even get onto a UK based ppv. In other good news, the third coming of Kous Kous managed to get through their first match without either of them going down with an horrific injury. The end came when months of inner conflict, in the words of George Minister anyway, came to a climactic head. Yes, this was the night that Harry Smith finally did the dirty on Teddy Hart and left him to the mercy of the Kous boys. Sheridan pinned Hart to wrap things up. In terms of introducing yet another version of the Kous Kous team this just about did it's job; if we were Hart & Smith however we wouldn't be holding our breaths that their feud is heading towards MuscleMania.

2) Women's Super Series Match ( * * 1/4 )
The fans at least kept hot for this one (as they did for most of the night) even if the action in the early going was mediocre at best. Still once the dead weight was sent packing, this was a relatively entertaining affair.
ORDER OF ELIMINATION:
i) Riley Mason (pinned by Shelly Martinez)
ii) Maria Kanellis (pinned by Melina)
iii) Michelle Cena (pinned by Alexis Laree)
iv) Christy Hemme (pinned by Lizzy Valentine)
v) Lizzy Valentine (pinned by Trinity)
vi) Melina (pinned by Trinity)
vii) Shelly Martinez (pinned by Alexis Laree)
viii) Rebecca Knox (pinned by Alexis Laree)
SURVIVORS: Alexis Laree and Trinity

3) Crunch Vs Phil Jackson ( * * )
This was an interesting bout, pitting as it did the new British hope against a man who has seemingly been seen as the next big British thing for what seems like years. The two will probably be disappointed with their efforts as it wasn't the stand out bout that the two would probably have like to benefit their careers. It was decent, but nothing more. Of more interest to insiders was the result, as it may have given clues as to where both men are headed. As it turned out Crunch got the win, which is good for him, but bodes ill for Jackson.

4) Too Cold Scorpio Vs Flavio Love ( * * 3/4 )
Drug suspensions and injuries have torn the Bang Gang apart, which is a good thing on many levels (come on, the team had been treading water for months) and not least for Flavio Love, who may finally get the opportunity to strut his stuff as a serious singles wrestler. He might have to wait a little bit longer to get a breakthrough though as he was the one who put his shoulders to the floor for the three. Still it was a tight little match and Scorpio did his best to make Flavio look good.

5) Team Angle Vs Team Mercy ( * * * * 1/4 )
The fans were really up for this traditional Super Series match (even if they were slightly deflated when Kurt Angle got himself disqualified) and it just about shaded the match of the night honours.
ORDER OF ELIMINATION:
i) Chris Jericho (pinned by Matthew Mercy)
ii) Matt Hardy (pinned by Kurt Angle)
iii) Jay Reso (pinned by Randy Orton)
iv) Finlay (pinned by Abyss)
v) Abyss (pinned by Kurt Angle)
vi) Kurt Angle (eliminated by disqualification)
vii) Jeff Hardy (pinned by Randy Orton)
viii) John Hennigan (pinned by Matthew Mercy)
ix) Randy Orton (pinned by Matthew Mercy)
SOLE SURVIVOR: Matthew Mercy

6) Mohammed Fakjir Vs Jazz Hands Gee ( * * 3/4 )
These two have had a pretty riotous verbal feud in the past few weeks and whilst it was perhaps inevitable that the match itself wouldn't live up to that this was still a match which most of the crowd seemed to enjoy. They didn't enjoy the result though as the interference of Fakjir's head of security Justice Porter stuck his nose in and Fakjir got the pinfall. After the result Fakjir and Porter carried on the beating until a cache of officials broke it up.

7) Team Punk Vs Team Burke ( * * * * )
Main event time and, as you would expect the crowd were mega up for this one. This was an exciting match and did it's task very well indeed...that is building up the Punk/Burke MuscleMania main event into something you MUST see.
ORDER OF ELIMINATION:
i) Rhino (pinned by CM Punk)
ii) James Storm (pinned by Triple H)
iii) Matt Sydal (pinned by Mistico)
iv) Shelton Benjamin (pinned by Paul Wardle)
v) Chris Harris (pinned by Elijah Burke)
vi) Mistico (pinned by Elijah Burke)
vii) Paul Wardle (pinned by Triple H)
viii) Triple H (pinned by CM Punk)
ix) CM Punk (pinned by Elijah Burke)
SOLE SURVIVOR: Elijah Burke

Last year's Survival Ground got a kicking from a lot of quarters, and its clear that the IWF took steps to change things this year, packing all the big names in to two Super Series matches. Both lasted over half an hour and both more than delivered the promised action. Sadly the undercard didn't really reach the same heights, but the hot Swiss crowd and the two great top matches meant that few would be disappointed with the event as a whole.

PRIME TIME

Prime Time - Lost In France
Sunday 2nd March
Zénith de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, FRANCE

Champion Vs Champion;
CM Punk Vs Matt Sydal

Matthew Mercy Vs Chris Jericho

Kurt Angle Vs Jeff Hardy

World Women's Title:
Rebecca Knox Vs Riley Mason

Eustace Kous Vs Teddy Hart

- - -

Review;
1) Angle Vs Hardy (* * *) - It wasn't perhaps the stellar "comeback" that Kurt Angle might have wished for (given this was his first singles match in nearly two years in the IWF) but it was a decent return, although Hardy may not have been too impressed to have been put in as the fall guy. The two had a good match, although given that it went less than ten minutes they couldn't really get into top gear. Angle got the win with the Olympic Slam.
2) Knox Vs Mason (DUD) - Well what else would you expect from Mason? Knox tried her best but couldn't do much with Riley. At least Knox won the match, clean, to retain her title.
3) Mercy Vs Jericho (* * * 1/4) - Jericho has been, well let's say a disappointment since his return to the IWF but he's always had a certain chemistry with Matthew Mercy and as Mercy was in a working mood tonight we got an entertaining match. Of course no-one ever expected Jericho to win, and Mercy did indeed get the pinfall victory with the Mercy-Bomb
4) Kous Vs Hart ( * * ) - Sheridan is coming at Survival Ground but for now it was Eustace holding up the Kous end of things against Teddy Hart. He won fairly easily, and Harry Smith (doing abysmal colour commentary) was very, very upset with his fellow Hart Foundation stable member.
5) Punk Vs Sydal ( * * * 1/4 ) - A pointless main event in many ways (there isn't a wrestling fan alive who thought that Punk would lay down for the Cruiserweight Champion) but this was a good competitive match which thrilled the fans. Punk won with the Pepsi Plunge.

A decent event, without ever being one that gave you must-see TV. Still with a trio of good matches, few will have had too many complaints about this card.

Deano Ginelli Is Here

The International Wrestling Federation is currently touring around mainland Europe and we are pleased to announce the signing of an Italian Superstar. But he's not just any Italian, he's the cousin of "The Icon" Dean Roberts.

Yes, Deano Ginelli is coming to the IWF!

Survival Ground Preview

SURVIVAL GROUND
Sunday 16th March 2008
Geneva Arena, Geneva SWITZERLAND

For the first time ever, the International Wrestling Federation hits Switzerland for Survival Ground, the last PPV stop on the Road to MuscleMania. Featuring three traditional 5-on-5 Super Series Matches (including a Women's elimination encounter) and other great exciting action this event could have a huge bearing on the IWF superstars as they head to MuscleMania XVII!

CM Punk, Paul Wardle, Mistico & America's Most Wanted
Vs
Elijah Burke, Triple H, Matt Sydal, Shelton Benjamin & Rhino
The opposite sides of the MuscleMania Triple Crown main event captain their respective teams into battle. Punk has enlisted the help of his good friend Paul "The Phenomenon" Wardle, the United Kingdom champion Mistico and the World Tag Team Champions America's Most Wanted. Elijah Burke has signed up Triple H, World Cruiserweight Champion Matt Sydal and European Tag Team Champions Shelton Benjamin & Rhino. With seven champions in the match this is sure to be a high octane battle with everyone looking to make a name for themselves and carry some much needed momentum into the MuscleMania home-straight.

Kurt Angle, John Hennigan, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho & Finlay
Vs
Matthew Mercy, Abyss, Jay Reso, Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy
Kurt Angle's return to the IWF ring's at Corporal Punishment was not just a one-off. Acting Commissioner Ricky Steamboat offered him the captaincy of a Super Series team opposite Matthew Mercy's choice of wrestlers. The two have assembled a great line up for what should be a very intriguing match. Angle has chosen three former world champions in the form of Randy Orton, Chris Jericho and the tough Irish bastard Finlay, all three who have had their previous issues with Mercy. His, as he termed it, "wild card" pick was John Hennigan who has impressed the Olympic Gold Medalist with his displays in recent weeks. Mercy has assembled a mixture of the tough and the sublime. European Champion Abyss is joined by former World Champion Jay Reso and the high-octane tag-team of Matt & Jeff Hardy. This is a match which throws up a myriad of exciting possibilities.

Alexis Laree, Christy Hemme, Riley Mason, Maria Kanellis & Trinity
Vs
Rebecca Knox, Melina, Lizzy Valentine, Shelley Martinex & Michelle Cena
Alexis Laree threw the challenge out to the woman who took the Women's Championship from her, Rebecca Knox for this Super Series style match and Knox was only too happy to agree to it. 10 women clash in this battle which is one not to be missed.

Mohammed Fakjir Vs Jazz Hands Gee
Two men with an intense hatred for each other clash head to head as the "Egyptian Playa" Mohammed Fakjir takes on Jazz Hands Gee in this grudge match. Fakjir is sure to have the ever-threatening presence of his Head of Security Justice Porter in his corner but Gee claims to have no fear of the Fakjir organisation and says he will prove his point at Survival Ground.

Crunch Vs "The Graduate" Phil Jackson
"The Best Of British Beef" Crunch has been piling up the victories since his Corporal Punishment debut but he faces perhaps his toughest challenge to date against fellow Brit Phil Jackson. Crunch claims he will rack up another win to add to his list but Jackson insists that he's too good and experienced to fall to a "braindead bully" like Crunch. The Geneva Arena is sure to be shaking for this powerful tussle.

Kous Kous Vs Harry Smith & Teddy Hart
Yes, you read that right. Quentin and Tarquin may be gone, but that didn't leave Eustace Kous as the only member of the Kous family ready to ply his wares in the IWF. As the IWF hits Switzerland, Eustace has said that his Swiss cousin Sheridan Kous will be his partner as they take on the Hart Foundation 2.0 duo of Harry Smith & Teddy Hart. Whilst the future seems bright for the "new and improved" Kous Kous, tempers and tension is being frayed within the Hart Foundation, with Smith & Hart coming close to blows on a number of occasions recently. Can they hold it together, or will Kous Kous' Third Coming get off to the best possible start?

Too Cold Scorpio Vs Flavio Love
Having seen his Bang Gang faction dissolve virtually overnight, Flavio Love has turned his attention to singles glory, but he will have a tough first challenge as he is pitted against the veteran Too Cold Scorpio. This is sure to be an entertaining clash.

SHOOT OUT REVIEW

1)Matt & Jeff Hardy Vs Mohammed Fakjir & Justice Porter (* * *)
The rise of Porter and Fakjir continues, and credit must go both to them and to their opponents. The Hardy's were surprise returnees to the IWF at the back end of 2007, but they've shown they are here to wrestle and make an impact. Fakjir's all-round act continues to improve and Porter, back from his suspension, is showing poise that we never thought he had in him. It was the "youngsters" that won the match as well as Fakjir pinned Matt Hardy to wrap up a heated and exciting opener.

2)Crunch Vs Bobby Roode (* 1/2)
The two men in this match had a tough act to follow after the opener; indeed the crowd were flat for this one and try as they might the two couldn't quite manage to snap the fans out of it. This match was all about Crunch (as much potential as Roode has he's certainly not a priority at the moment) and as such it was much like his match at Corporal Punishment. A decent enough chance to show what he's got but nothing earth-shattering. Crunch won; end of story.

3)Abyss Vs Charles Anderson (* 3/4)
The crowd were certainly up for Abyss, he's a real favourite with the live crowds, but they were as cool as ever towards Anderson. I think we can safely say that the Anderson Family experiment has been a failure. This was little more than an extended squash match, such was the level of offence that Anderson got in, but at least the fans were happy with Abyss' victory with his match winning Black Hole Slam.

4)Paul Wardle Vs Finlay (* * *)
The Wardle, ahem, Phenomenon, continues apace. He was super-over here and Finlay was, as you would expect, a superb heel; all of which made for a thrilling atmosphere. The two couldn't quite match up to that but they had a stellar tussle which was exciting whilst it lasted. Indeed if this ten minute match had gone another five minutes or so it might have been a minor-classic. As it was, Wardle pinned Finlay, much to the delight of the crowd.

5)America's Most Wanted Vs Sherlock Burchill & Dr Lewington (* *)
This truly highlighted the dearth of talent in terms of tag-teams that can challenge AMW. Burchill & Lewington aren't terrible, but their gimmick is NOT conduicive to challenging for the World Tag Team Titles. As you would expect, AMW walked this one and won when Chris Harris pinned Lewington.

6)Elijah Burke Vs Phil Jackson Vs Randy Orton Vs Jay Reso (Final Four Match, * * * *)
The crowd were really up for this one, and the trick of only having the one babyface (Reso) in the match meant that there were a lot of excited fans right behind him every step of the way. Eliminations were by pinfall, submission or over-the-top-rope elimination. Order of said elimination was as follows;
i) Phil Jackson (thrown over the top-rope by Jay Reso)
ii) Randy Orton (pinned by Jay Reso)
iii) Jay Reso (pinned by Elijah Burke)
So it was clear, Elijah Burke is headed for MuscleMania; a surprising choice in some eyes but he looked great here.

7)CM Punk Vs Shelton Benjamin (* * * 1/2)
Umaga's problems meant a whole lot of problems for the IWF in terms of CM Punk's challenger at the event and given the fact that the Final Four match and Three Stages of Hell match had arguably taken away the top six contenders, this was a decent back up plan. Punk continued his supreme recent form and Benjamin really took the opportunity to show what he could do. Of course no-one really expected Benjamin to win the title, but they still managed to pack in the drama. Punk won with the Pepsi Plunge in an impressive match...even more impressive when one considers the last minute nature of the match being put together.

8) Matthew Mercy Vs Triple H (Three Stages Of Hell, * * * * 1/2)
So a feud which started back in late August finally came to its final act. It's a credit to all concerned that they've kept the fire bubbling all the way along.
The first fall was a First Blood encounter, which Mercy took. HHH was bleeding buckets as well. The second fall was a Falls Count Anywhere, which really did go all over the building, and Triple H evened up the score. The final fall was a Steel Cage match which was the best portion of the match, and the best portion of the entire night. The crowd was at fever pitch as the two went back and forth but finally Mercy finished off Triple H with a Mercy-Bomb to take the match and the feud. The fans were ecstatic.

So that was Shoot Out for another year. The 2007 event is fondly remembered and the 2008 event certainly held up the excitement and entertainment levels. The Road To MuscleMania is proving to be an eventful one indeed.

CM Punk's Shoot Out Opponent Decided

Tonight on Warfare, IWF Acting Commissioner Ricky Steamboat came up with his own unique way of coming up with an opponent for CM Punk at Shoot Out. He told the IWF superstars that any one not already with a match on the Shoot Out Card would take part in a Battle Royale, with the winning getting the "once in a lifetime opportunity" to fight for the Triple Crown at Shoot Out.

The match itself included former World Champions Kane, Jazz Hands Gee and Chris Jericho, current championship holders Mistico and Matt Sydal and other great IWF superstars from across the roster.

The winner however was one half of the current European Tag Team Champions Shelton Benjamin, who ousted current United Kingdom Champion Mistico out to grab his opportunity.

Later in the night, CM Punk had a non-title match with Rhino, which he won by disqualification after Benjamin interfered. In amongst the melee, Ricky Steamboat has confirmed that this Friday night on Impact, just two days before Shoot Out, Punk and a partner of his choice will take on Rhino & Benjamin in a special tag team challenge.

Umaga Suspended

The International Wrestling Federation today announced that Umaga has been suspended under the Wellness & Welfare programme.

As a result, Umaga will not be appearing at Shoot Out as advertised.

News on CM Punk's opponent at Shoot Out will be revealed on this week's Wednesday Night Warfare.

Prime Time

Prime Time - The Time Is Now
Sunday 3rd February 2008
Douglas Hall, Isle Of Man

FINAL FOUR TAG TEAM CHALLENGE:
Elijah Burke & Jay Reso Vs Phil Jackson & Randy Orton

Umaga Vs Colt Cabana

EUROPEAN TAG TEAM TITLES:
Rhino & Shelton Benjamin Vs Harry Smith & Teddy Hart

Jeff Hardy Vs Mohammed Fakjir

WORLD WOMENS TITLE:
Alexis Laree Vs Rebecca Knox

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1) Rhino & Benjamin Vs Smith & Hart ( * * ) - Smith & Hart came out of nowhere to grab this title shot, which said a lot about their chances of grabbing the gold in this one. This was a relatively tidy match but one without any real drama. No, not even the sense of tension between Hart & Smith meant much to the fans. The Champions retained and that was about that.
2) Hardy Vs Fakjir ( * * * 1/4 ) - Some people were surprised that the Hardy's came back to the IWF, both from the point of view of some of the crap they've had to put up with over the years and the fact that surely the IWF couldn't have any real plans for them. But they do, and its clear to see why with the superb performance that Jeff put on here. It really was a sight to behold to see him carry Fakjir to a great match. He even got the win after Matt Hardy negated the interfernce of Justice Porter.
3) Laree Vs Knox ( * * * ) - Well it is one of only three women's matches the IWF wants to show us these days, but the two have a certain chemistry. This was a title change night as Knox won the match following the interference of Melina.
4) Umaga Vs Colt Cabana ( * * 1/4 ) - Cabana resurfaces on a show people watch SHOCKER! Ok, so we're over-egging that slightly but Cabana got this match because Umaga wanted to beat up one of CM Punk's "friends" (which may be true in real life but in IWF world, Punk stole Cabana's girlfriend). Umaga brutalised poor Colt, before Punk ran in (albeit after Umaga had won) and made the save. Cabana, the poor soul, was "out cold" though.
5) Burke & Reso Vs Orton & Jackson ( * * * * ) - Well the main event certainly ended the show on a particularly high note which also bodes well for the fact that these four men will be clashing at Shoot Out for the right to challenge for the Unified Triple Crown at MuscleMania! On this occasion it was Randy Orton who got the pinfall, pinning Jay Reso, so it is he who has the momentum heading for Shoot Out.

Shoot Out PREVIEW

Sunday 17th February 2008
Douglas Hall, Isle Of Man

UNIFIED TRIPLE CROWN HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:
CM Punk Vs Umaga
CM Punk thrilled IWF fans all over the world when he won the Robo Rumble match at Corporal Punishment to lift the then vacant Triple Crown Title. However thanks to a special battle royale set up on Warfare by Acting IWF Commissioner Ricky Steamboat he faces an hellacious challenge in his first PPV defence against the Samoan Monster Umaga. Punk has the momentum, but Umaga is one Samoan Spike away from lifting the world title.

THREE STAGES OF HELL MATCH:
Matthew Mercy Vs Triple H
Their war started back in September at Man Of Steel and now, nearly six months down the line it culminates at Shoot Out in one of the most dangerous concepts known to man...THREE STAGES OF HELL!!! The two men will battle it out in up to three speciality matches and there can only be one winner.

FINAL FOUR MATCH:
WINNER FACES TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPION AT MUSCLEMANIA XVII
Elijah Burke Vs Phil Jackson Vs Jay Reso Vs Randy Orton
These four men were the last four men, apart from eventual winner CM Punk, in the Robo Rumble match and IWF Acting Commissioner Ricky Steamboat has set up this unique Final Four match where elimination occurs either by pinfall, submission or over the-top-rope elimination. The winner of this match will head to MuscleMania XVII as challenger for the World Title in the main event.

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
America's Most Wanted Vs Sherlock Burchill & Dr. Lewington
Our intrepid detective duo won the Four Team Challenge at Corporal Punishment and as a result get the opportunity at the World Tag Team titles here.

EUROPEAN TITLE:
Abyss Vs Charles Anderson
Abyss won the title at January's Prime Time and in his first PPV defence must take on his perennial nemesis, and leader of The Anderson Family, Charles Anderson.

"The Phenomenon" Paul Wardle Vs Finlay
Despite being made to be #1 in the Robo Rumble, thanks to his loss to the nefarious tactics of Phil Jackson, Wardle made an impressive display in lasting nearly an hour in the match before being eliminated. As former World Champion Finlay reminded him though, he won nothing as a result. A war of words escalated into a war of fists, and this highly anticipated match is the result.

Matt & Jeff Hardy Vs Mohammed Fakjir & Justice Porter
Mohammed Fakjir's Head Of Security Justice Porter returned to the IWF at Corporal Punishment and already Fakjir seems even more confident at ever. He may have bitten off more than he can chew however by challenging The Hardy Brothers. This could be the surprise of the night.

Crunch Vs Bobby Roode
"The Best Of British Beef" Crunch made a promising debut at Corporal Punishment and Shoot Out represents his potential next step up the ladder as he takes on the Canadian Bobby Roode in what is sure to be a powerful fist-fight.

IWF Injury/Suspension update

The IWF today confirmed that the initial prognosis from Corporal Punishment over Quentin Kous' injury is that he is expected to be out for a minimum of 12 months.

We have also been told that Acid picked up a shoulder injury during the Robo Rumble match is is expected to be out for 10-12 weeks.

In a final piece of news we have been informed today that under the Wellfare and Wellness programme, Loco Delgado has been granted a contract release from the company. We wish him the best in all his future endeavours.

Corporal Punishment REVIEW

1) Paul Wardle Vs Phil Jackson ( * * * 1/4 )
The "One or Forty" stipulation meant that there was plenty of heat and the two men certainly stepped up to the plate to a certain extent and had a good, if not great, match. Jackson took the dukes after some nefarious Steel Chair chicanery. Wardle was far from happy but the die had been cast; he was to be the number one entrant into the Rumble.

2) Four Way Tag Team Challenge ( * 3/4 )
This would have been average enough even if it hadn't been shot to buggery by yet another misfortune to Kous Kous. Yes, following Tarquin Kous' injury a couple of months ago, it was Quentin Kous' time to suffer a devestating injury. Indeed once his injury occurred, the referee passed the message to the wrestlers that they were forgoing the elimination stipulation in the match and it was quickly wrapped up when Lewington pinned Eustace Kous. Tragic, on many levels.

3) Alexis Laree Vs Melina (Ladder Match, * * * 1/2)
These two women can wrestle, and they showed it. They also showed that they have their fair share of balls as they unleashed some breathtaking spots off, on and around the ladder. In the end it was Laree who managed to climb the ladder and retain her title.

4) The Debut of Crunch (Vs James Gibson, Sq - but a good start)
The much hyped debut of "The Best Of British" Crunch was only hampered slightly by the fact that James Gibson was his opponent. (In fairness the criminally underused Gibson had to be drafted in as a last minute replacement after managment decided that original choice Bobby Roode was to replace the suspended John Cena in the Rumble match). Crunch won the match in fast order and got a decent reception from the London fans.

5) ROBO RUMBLE MATCH ( * * * * 1/2)
This was one of the greatest Robo Rumble matches in the history of the gimmick; the details were as follows...

Order Of Entrance;

1) Paul Wardle
2) Chris Jericho
3) Matt Sydal
4) Kane
5) Mohammed Fakjir
6) Harry Smith
7) Jeff Hardy
8) Matthew Mercy
9) Acid
10) Kurt Angle
11) Brian Kendrick
12) James Storm
13) Finlay
14) Triple H
15) Bobby Roode
16) Justice Porter
17) Rhino
18) CM Punk
19) Claudio Castagnoli
20) Matt Morgan
21) Charles Anderson
22) Umaga
23) Abyss
24) Mistico
25) Randy Orton
26) Shelton Benjamin
27) Raven
28) Mick Foley
29) Chris Harris
30) Jahbuhlun
31) Elijah Burke
32) Barabus Lashley
33) John Hennigan
34) Jay Reso
35) Too Cold Scorpio
36) Matt Hardy
37) Jazz Hands Gee
38) Milano Collection AT
39) Kevin Nash
40) Phil Jackson


ORDER OF ELIMINATION;


1) Chris Jericho (Paul Wardle)
2) Matt Sydal (Paul Wardle)
3) Harry Smith (Mohammed Fakjir)
4) Acid (Kane)
5) Kane (Matthew Mercy)
6) Brian Kendrick (Kurt Angle)
7) Jeff Hardy (HHH)
8) Bobby Roode (James Storm)
9) James Storm (Paul Wardle)
10&11) Matthew Mercy & HHH (Kurt Angle)
12) Mohammed Fakjir (Kurt Angle)
13) Justice Porter (Kurt Angle)
14) Claudio Castagnoli (CM Punk)
15) Finlay (Matt Morgan)
16) Kurt Angle (CM Punk)
17) Rhino (CM Punk)
18) Charles Anderson (Abyss)
19) Umaga (Abyss)
20) Matt Morgan (Paul Wardle, Abyss & CM Punk)
21) Abyss (CM Punk & Paul Wardle)
22) Paul Wardle (Randy Orton)
23) Raven (Mick Foley)
24) Mistico (Elijah Burke)
25) Barabus Lashley (Randy Orton)
26) Mick Foley (Randy Orton)
27) Shelton Benjamin (Chris Harris)
28) Jahbuhlun (CM Punk)
29) Chris Harris (Jay Reso)
30) Too Cold Scorpio (Elijah Burke)
31) Matt Hardy (Elijah Burke)
32) Milano Collection AT (Jazz Hands Gee)
33) Jazz Hands Gee (Kevin Nash)
34) Kevin Nash (Randy Orton)
35) John Hennigan (CM Punk)
36) Phil Jackson (Elijah Burke)
37) Jay Reso (Elijah Burke)
38) Randy Orton (CM Punk)
39) Elijah Burke (CM Punk)
WINNER = CM PUNK

Kingdom

The IWF would like to remind all it's fans that the episode of Kingdom guest-starring IWF Diva Rebecca Knox will be airing on ITV 1 tomorrow night.

Check your local listing for more details.

Welfare & Wellness

The IWF today announced that John Cena has been suspended indefinately for violation of the Welfare & Wellness programme.

Prime Time

Prime Time - LETHAL LOTTERY
Sunday 13th January 2008
Robin Park Arena, Wigan

MATCH STIPULATIONS CHOSEN AT RANDOM ON THE NIGHT!

CM Punk & Paul "The Phenomenon" Wardle
Vs
Elijah Burke & Phil "The Graduate" Jackson

EUROPEAN TITLE:
John Cena Vs Abyss

John Hennigan Vs Too Cold Scorpio

Alexis Laree & Christy Hemme Vs Melina & Lizzy Valentine

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1) John Cena Vs Abyss (No Holds Barred Streetfight, * * *) - So the fist match of the evening became a streetfight, an environment that certainly suited the challenger Abyss rather than the champion Cena. And that proved to be the order of the day. Cena looked ok in parts, but he wasn't really booked to be a force in this match. Abyss dominated him and took the European Title after some brutal offence.

2) John Hennigan Vs Too Cold Scorpio (Submission Match, * * * 1/4) - So this one became a submission match, which was always likely to be interesting as neither man is reknowned for his submission skills. Still they concentrated on setting up for submissions (pressure on the legs etc.) rather than the actual submissions which meant this was a tight little match, which was won by Scorpio after he locked Hennigan in a Qeubrada.

3) Laree & Hemme Vs Melina & Valentine (Bra & Panties, *) - Well it's been a long time since we saw one of these (and let's just be thankful that this stipulation wasn't "randomnly chosen" for any of the other matches. All you really need to know is that it was Melina and Valentine who were stripped to their smalls.

4) Punk & Wardle Vs Burke & Jackson (Steel Cage, * * * * 1/4) - The card ended on a really high note as these two clashed in a Steel Cage match which was full of excitement and high impact moves which the crowd lapped up. It was Elijah Burke, surprisingly, who got the pinfall victory over Punk to wrap up a wonderful main event.

Corporal Punishment Card

International Wrestling Federation presents

Sunday 27th January 2008
02 Arena, London

ROBO RUMBLE MATCH;
UNIFIED WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:

For the first time in IWF history, thanks to former IWF Commissioner Dean Roberts, the World Title will go to the winner of the 40 man Robo Rumble match. New IWF Commissioner Ricky Steamboat took up the mantle and has assembled the most talent-laden line up for the Rumble in wrestling history, including the return of five former IWF World Champions in Kane, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley & Raven.

PARTICIPANTS:
Matthew Mercy, Triple H, CM Punk, Elijah Burke, Chris Jericho,
Randy Orton, Jay Reso, Abyss, Jahbuhlun, Matt Morgan,
Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Chris Harris, James Storm, John Cena,
Umaga, Mistico, John Hennigan, Mistico, Too Cold Scorpio,
Finlay, Jazz Hands Gee, Claudio Castagnoli, Mohammed Fakjir, Acid,
Kane, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Raven,
Shelton Benjamin, Rhino, Matt Sydal, Brian Kendrick, Barabus Lashley,
Justice Porter, Milano Collection AT, Charles Anderson, Harry Smith,
AND
Paul Wardle OR Phil Jackson

PLUS:

1 or 40 MATCH:
Paul "The Phenomenon" Paul Wardle Vs Phil "The Graduate" Jackson

Jackson shocked the world by returning on the Boxing Day Warfare to attempt to help Callum Best defeat Wardle; his task failed, Wardle picking up the win regardless, but the fire has been lit and now these two meet in a match which could hugely influence the night and career of either man. The winner gets to be the 40th, and last, entrant into the Robo Rumble match and is handed an almost perfect chance to take the world title. The loser must enter the match first and faces and almost impossible task to win the match.

WOMEN'S WORLD TITLE;
LADDER MATCH:
Alexis Laree Vs Melina

These two women have been waging an intense war over the past few weeks and IWF Commissioner Ric Flair has decreed that the two will meet at Corporal Punishment with the Women's Title 15 foot above the ring. This is sure to be one to remember.

FOUR-WAY TAG TEAM CHALLENGE;
Trevor Murdoch & Lance Cade
Vs
Sherlock Burchill & Dr Lewington
Vs
Kous Kous (Quentin & Eustace)
Vs
Flavio Love & Loco Delgado

Four tough tag teams meet in this special four-way match. Who will prevail?

SPECIAL DEBUT CHALLENGE;

Crunch Vs Mystery Opponent

The "Best of British Beef" Crunch makes his debut at Corporal Punishment against a Mystery Opponent.

Boxing Day Warfare

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No Remorse Card.

Sunday 18th November 2007
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

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

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

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

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' 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

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

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.

Too Cold Scorpio Inks A Deal

The IWF are pleased to announced that they have reached a deal with Too Cold Scorpio to wrestle for the company.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Mística (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.

Rick Shaw released

The International Wrestling Federation today announced that it had parted company with former Cruiserweight Champion Rick Shaw.

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