MuscleMania XVI PREVIEW

MUSCLEMANIA XVI

Sunday 29th April 2007

MEN ARENA - MANCHESTER

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UNIFIED HEAVYWEIGHT TRIPLE CROWN MATCH;
Vs
JAY RESO Vs MATT MORGAN
Since Breaking Point and the legendary Satan’s Cage match Matt Morgan has had one thing on his mind; winning back the Unified Triple Crown. After overcoming Samoa Joe he came within inches of winning the Robo Rumble, only for Matthew Mercy to take the glory. However in the main event of Shoot Out, Morgan pinned Mercy to earn his main event slot at MuscleMania. Jay Reso, who won the title in the Satan’s Cage match, has held onto the belt since then with some classic defences, including PPV wins over Randy Orton and CM Punk. He also scored what could be a vital psychological blow over Morgan by pinning him at Survival Ground. Both men have admitted their intense hatred for each other and they’ve traded blows in the build up to MM with no clear advantage being claimed. Morgan has experience of the MuscleMania main event whilst this marks Reso’s first time as “the man” at MM. The two men meet in the battle for it all; there can only be one winner. It’s a match you simply cannot miss.

NON-SANCTIONED MATCH;
Vs
DEAN ROBERTS Vs EDGE
Last June, at Heat Wave, Dean Roberts wrestled Matthew Mercy is a “Loser Retires” match. When he lost, that was his wrestling career over. And it might have stayed that way if events hadn’t taken a surreal turn on the Boxing Day 2006 episode of Warfare. Dean and his wife Annalise were special guests of IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff but as Dean soaked in the adulation of the crowd, Annalise had a bombshell announcement…she was filing for divorce. Dean was devastated but things were soon to get worse. At a charity event at Bolton Casino, Dean saw his soon to be ex-wife Annalise cavorting with the Rated-R superstar Edge and then the whole truth came out. Annalise and Edge were lovers! Edge taunted Dean, seemingly sure that Dean could never wrestle again after the Heat Wave stipulation but Eric Bischoff saw the loophole. The IWF Board Of Directors wouldn’t sanction Dean Roberts for a match, so we would have a Non-Sanctioned battle. The two signed the contract at Shoot Out, but Edge left Dean in a bloody mess. Dean got a modicum of revenge at Survival Ground when his interference led to Edge being eliminated from his Super Series match. Now at MuscleMania XVI, for the one and only time, Dean Roberts & Edge meet one-on-one to settle this grudge. With Annalise Anderson at ringside who knows what will happen?

Vs
FINLAY Vs MATTHEW MERCY
If there’s one match at MuscleMania that is likely to leave both men in a bloody mess, then it’s this one. Finlay has been on Mercy’s case for a couple of months, telling the big man that he’s lost his passion for the business and is no longer the tough superstar he once was. Mercy’s attitude seemed to suggest that Finlay was right, given his apparent lack of interest in his team-mates for Survival Ground. Finlay threatened to “knock some sense” into Mercy but Mercy proved again that his actions speak louder than words by turning on Finlay at Survival Ground, leaving him easy prey to be eliminated, before counting himself out. Once he’d recovered Finlay demanded this one-on-one match and Mercy was all too happy to oblige. The scene is set for what is sure to be one of the most brutal MuscleMania matches of all-time.

Vs
THE BIG GEE Vs RANDY ORTON
Ever since Randy Orton attempted to “bed” The Big Gee’s girlfriend Riley Mason this has been a match that has just been waiting to explode. Orton has insisted that Riley can’t keep her hands off him but most suspect that he’s merely playing psychological games to distract the Gee from the matter in hand, a plan which bore fruit at Shoot Out when Orton’s attack on Riley was enough to leave Gee prey for a pinfall loss. For his part the Gee says he trusts Riley implicitly and that it’s about time someone taught Orton some manners. The two have traded barbs but now is the time for action. Can The Big Gee overcome the cocky and arrogant Orton, or will Orton take both the match and the girl? This is a grudge that will be settled the old-fashioned way, with fists!

Vs
TRIPLE H Vs BARABUS LASHLEY
Triple H has fought virtually every superstar you’d care to name from the past decade but he’s never faced a challenge quite like Barabus Lashley. Lashley may be softly spoken but he sure is hard-hitting, a fact HHH found out to his cost when he thought he would be easy pickings. HHH exudes confidence and tells the world that he will set the matter straight when the two meet at MuscleMania XVI but there is no doubting the fact that Lashley has rattled the Cerebral Assassin. Can Lashley get the biggest win of his career or will HHH’s experience prevail? There’s only one way to find out….

Vs
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES;
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED Vs PAUL WARDLE & PHIL JACKSON
AMW have been the dominant tag-team in the IWF since their arrival over a year ago, holding onto the World Tag Team Titles for the majority of that time. They’ve seen off some of the best teams around but now at MuscleMania XVI they face a unique challenge, against two men who don’t even like each other. After a huge arena-wide brawl at Survival Ground, Paul Wardle challenged Phil Jackson to another “Dream” tag-team match to bring back memories of MuscleMania XV when Jackson teamed with Mick Foley to take on Wardle and Raven. IWF Commissioner had a better idea though; he informed Wardle & Jackson that they must team up WITH each other to take on AMW. Since that announcement Wardle and Jackson have had a very uneasy truce and have hardly had a good word for each other. At one stage Wardle cost Jackson a match with Chris Harris and in response, Jackson’s interference led to Wardle dropping a match to James Storm. However amongst the in-fighting there have been some displays of unity, with Jackson coming to the aid of Wardle when he was attacked backstage by AMW. The champs are ultra-confident that they’ve got the win in the bag, but if Wardle & Jackson can stay on the same page, they might just pull off the “impossible task.”

WORLD WOMEN’S TITLE;
Vs
REBECCA KNOX Vs CHRISTY HEMME
Krissy Vaine’s suspension led to a huge window of opportunity for the stars of the Women’s division at Survival Ground with 10 women battling in a gauntlet match to decide the new champion. Christy Hemme was the undoubted star of the match wining 4 matches (against Trinity, Alexis Laree, Carina and Melina) before Melina’s post-match attack left her easy-prey for final entrant Rebecca Knox who grabbed the easy win. As a virtue of her brilliant display, Hemme was installed as the number one-contender and the two meet at MuscleMania XVI with the title on the line. Knox says that she’ll beat Hemme as easily as she did at Survival Ground but Hemme insists that tonight will be her night. This is sure to be an intriguing battle, but which woman will prevail?

Vs
XAVIER Vs ELIJAH BURKE
Elijah Burke has rattled up an impressive winning streak since making his IWF debut at Corporal Punishment (defeating Carlito and Chris Benoit on PPV alone) and pinned Xavier to win his Survival Ground match, after a masked man distracted Xavier. Burke, who some are saying is the most promising rookie to hit the IWF since Xavier himself, denies knowing who is behind the mask, but in recent weeks on Warfare and Impact Xavier has complained that he feels someone is following/watching him. Even without these distractions though, Burke is still a strong competitor and he feels that this will be just another win for himself on the big stage. Xavier, who has seen a lot of superstars come and go during his career, on the other hand sees this as his chance to make a big statement on the grandest stage of them all.

Vs
STING Vs RHINO
Sting shocked the world by returning to the IWF in December of last year and his performances have undoubtedly proved that his passion for the business still rages within. Rhino on the other hand has had his critics over the past 12 months but has vowed to prove that he is not wrestling’s forgotten man. Sting managed to defeat Rhino at Survival Ground but a pair of Gore’s on a recent Warfare made it clear that The Man Beast wanted his one-on-one opportunity with the former PWF World Champion; Sting was happy to oblige. It’s the Scorpion Deathlock Vs The Gore, but which man will come out on top?

HARDCORE MATCH:
EUROPEAN TITLE;
Vs Vs
KANE Vs UMAGA Vs SAMOA JOE
A ring has proved unable to contain these three men as they have brawled in the weeks leading up to MuscleMania XVI so IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff has done the only thing he could do...make this a no-holds-barred, falls-count-anywhere Hardcore match, with first pinfall wins rules. Kane had an impressive victory over Barabus Lashley at Shoot Out to win the title, but he faces his toughest challenge yet against the wrecking machine Umaga and shoot-style favourite Samoa Joe. Only one man can take the title and only one man can survive the carnage.

UNITED KINGDOM TITLE;
Vs
CM PUNK Vs ABYSS
Two of the hottest up and coming stars in the IWF clash in this intriguing battle for the United Kingdom Championship. Even turning on Colt Cabana (and stealing his girlfriend Maria) couldn’t turn the fans against Punk for long and now that he’s got the monster Abyss on his tail, the fans are firmly behind Punk. Abyss absolutely destroyed Punk at Survival Ground, getting himself disqualified in the process, but Punk offered to put his title on the line to secure this one-on-one fight. Abyss, through his handler James Mitchell, accepted and the contracts were signed. Can Punk douse the fire of the monster Abyss or will Abyss “punk-out” his opponent? Either way it’s sure to be a match to remember.

PLUS:

The IWF Hall Of Fame class of 2007 make special appearances

and, singing the National Anthem...


GIRLS ALOUD

SURVIVAL GROUND RESULTS

STING et al Vs ABYSS et al ( * * * ¼ )

This was a hot way to kick things off at this first ever Survival Ground pay-per-view. And wouldn’t you know, Eric Bischoff was right; Dean Roberts did make his presence known, turning up mid-match to smash Edge with a steel chair. Abyss went mental, his attack on CM Punk giving the referee no-other choice than to disqualify him – Edge, ever the opportunist, did manage to pin Punk after this, and also pinned John Cena before Dean ended his night. It came down to Sting and Rob Van Dam against Rhino & Gregory Helms, and in the end it was Sting who prevailed, last eliminating Rhino to become the sole survivor. Rhino was not best pleased and seemed to intimate that this wasn’t the last of their battles.

Order Of Elimination;

I) William Regal pinned Ray Gordy
II) Edge pinned John Cena
III) Abyss disqualified
IV) Edge pinned CM Punk
V) Sting pinned William Regal
VI) Sting pinned Edge after interference from Dean Roberts
VII) Rob Van Dam pinned Gregory Helms
VIII) Rhino pinned Rob Van Dam
IX) Sting pinned Rhino
SOLE SURVIVOR – STING.

PJW et al Vs BANG GANG ( * * )

Ok so no-one was expecting a classic, but this was entertaining and, most importantly, kept brief, even if it did somewhat cut the Bang Gang off at the knees. And hell, even Nash managed a match without an injury!

Order of Elimination;
I) Baron Heap pinned Mantorras Figuierdo
II) Loco Delgado pinned Baron Alker
III) Michael PS Hayes pinned Titi Buengo
IV) Flavio Love pinned Baron Heap
V) Kevin Nash pinned Loco Delgado
VI) Mario Lama pinned Michael PS Hayes
VII) PJW pinned Flavio Love
VIII) Kevin Nash pinned Mario Lama
SURVIVORS - Kevin Nash & PJW

XAVIER et al Vs ELIJAH BURKE et. al (* * * 1/4 )

This was an absolute barnstormer in terms of crowd heat. Xavier's mob started off well with Joe getting rid of the mighty Russian Oleg Prudius but the next few decisions went back and forth until Xavier was cut open by some brutality from his opponents meaning he had to be taken to medical facilities in the locker room area. By the time Elijah Burke pinned Chris Benoit this left Kane alone against not only Burke but Sly Terkay and Umaga as well. The odds looked unsurmountable but Xavier, much to the delight of the crowd, made his way back to the ring, all bandaged and bloodied and the twist distracted Terkay enought to fall prey to the pinfall from Kane. Still the mighty Samoan Umaga dispatched Kane leaving Xavier facing two-to-one odds. Xavier rose to the challenge though, pinning Umaga and it looked as if he would defeat Burke too until a masked man ran out from the crowd and had an altercation with Xavier, which distracted him allowing Burke to get the roll-up and the 1-2-3 to become the sole survivor.

Order Of Elimination;
I) Samoa Joe pinned Oleg Prudius
II) Umaga pinned Steve Lewington
III) Chris Benoit pinned Shinya Makaybe
IV) Sly Terkay pinned Samoa Joe
V) Elijah Burke pinned Chris Benoit
VI) Kane pinned Sly Terkay
VII) Umaga pinned Kane
VIII) Xavier pinned Umaga
IX) Elijah Burke pinned Xavier
SOLE SURVIVOR: Elijah Burke

THE BIG GEE et.al Vs RANDY ORTON et.al. ( * * * ½ )

One of the most hotly anticipated elimination matches, this lived up to all expectations. In the end though it was Triple H and Randy Orton who took most of the glory and ended up as the survivors, with both eliminating two men during the match (Paul London & The Big Gee and Rick Shaw & Barabus Lashley respectively). Barabus Lashley was the only other an to get a pinfall as an almighty fight between Paul Wardle & Phil Jackson led to both men being counted out – not that they cared as they continued their fight into the crowd.

Order of elimination;

I) Barabus Lashley pinned James Storm
II) Triple H pinned Paul London
III) Randy Orton pinned Rick Shaw
IV) Paul Wardle & Phil Jackson counted out
V) The Big Gee pinned Chris Harris
VI) Randy Orton pinned Barabus Lashley
VII) Triple H pinned The Big Gee
SURVIVORS – Randy Orton & Triple H

GAUNTLET FOR WOMEN’S TITLE ( * * )
Well thanks to Krissy Vaine being a naughty girl and getting a suspension we were treated to this 10-woman gauntlet to decide the new women’s champion, a match which George Minister told us was the first ever of its kind in the IWF. Which doesn’t make it a good idea does it? As ever with the gauntlet scenario you don’t really get given much time for each elimination…but for once, with some of the “talent” on display that may not have been a bad thing. Here, for the records are the “matches” as they happened; as an aside, all matches were of course refereed by the IWF’s only female referee, Shantelle Taylor.
Maria Vs Riley Mason – obviously someone’s idea of a joke. “Hey let’s start the match with the two worst “workers” of the lot”. As bad as you might expect although if we’re being fair it was a spirited effort from both, as far as it went, and Mason won with a positively amateurish roll-up.
Riley Mason Vs Trinity – The fans actually went mental for Trinity, officially the “bad-ass” of the woman’s division, seemingly for no other reason than they suspected Mason was about the get snotted. And she was. Trinity won with ease.
Trinity Vs Michelle McCool – McCool looked positively riddled with fear, as well she might. Trinity made quick and easy work of her too.
Trinity Vs Jenny Taylor – At last something resembling a proper match. Having had two matches on the run hadn’t had much effect on Trinity as they’d been so easy but Taylor wasn’t about to let Trinity have it all her own way and actually looked on the verge of an upset, but it wasn’t to be as Trinity pulled out her moonsault for the win.
Trinity Vs Christy Hemme – Christy has shown more aptitude than any newcomer to the women’s division in quite some time. She’s also very charismatic which led to this being a segment that was very well received indeed. It looked as if Trinity’s domination would continue but Christy pulled this one out of the bag to get the 1-2-3.
Christy Hemme Vs Alexis Laree – This was another closely contested fall, and both women looked good out there. It came perhaps as a bit of a surprise to see Laree lose this one, but lose it she did. Hemme was certainly on a roll at this point.
Christy Hemme Vs Carina– Carina really has come one leap and bounds since her debut in the IWF (although quite why she couldn’t have done this learning before her debut is not something they’re telling us) and she showed it in this good, albeit losing, effort. Hemme was just too strong for her.
Christy Hemme Vs Melina – Well Hemme was starting to show signs of tiredness by now and Melina looked as if she was really confident that she would be winning this one. In fact she handed out quite a beating; but she was too confident and didn’t finish Christy off when she had the chance on a couple of occasions. And that error came back to haunt her as Christy took advantage of a lack of concentration to get the pinfall. Melina was not best pleased…
Christy Hemme Vs Rebecca Knox – …a fact that was evidenced by the fact that Melina battered Hemme as Knox was making her way to the ring. As Melina was dragged away by a number of officials, Knox sauntered in, made the cover and became the new Women’s Champion as the fans booed mercilessly and George Minister put over the Herculean effort by Hemme. And as daft as some of it sounds, it would make a brilliant “issue” for MuscleMania wouldn’t it?

JAY RESO et al Vs MATT MORGAN et al
( * * * 1/4 )
Main event time and both sides of the MuscleMania XVI main event led their teams into battle, with Jay Reso getting those vital psychological points leading up to the big show with his victory here – no matter that he had to smack Morgan with the title belt to get it. The match was also memorable for team-mates Matthew Mercy & Finlay getting it on; Mercy refused to tag in during the early going and when Finlay finally tagged him in himself, Mercy immediately turned on the Irish Bruiser before walking off (being counted out in the process) all of which left Finlay easy prey for being pinned by Morgan. Still, Reso’s nefarious tactics ensured that he had the last laugh.

Order of elimination;

I) Matt Morgan pinned Bobby Roode
II) Brian Kendrick pinned Eric Young
III) Finlay pinned Joey Mercury
IV) Jay Reso pinned Brian Kendrick
V) Finlay pinned Shelton Benjamin
VI) Jay Reso pinned Lance Hoyt
VII) Matthew Mercy was counted out
VIII) Matt Morgan pinned Finlay
IX) Jay Reso pinned Matt Morgan
SOLE SURVIVOR – Jay Reso

In some ways this was a strange pay-per-view but there is no doubt that for the most part it was an entertaining one. Yes it lacked the absolutely killer match that sets the great cards apart from the mere good ones, but as a stop on the Road to MuscleMania this did everything you could ask of it.

SURVIVAL GROUND Card

SURVIVAL GROUND
Sunday 25th March 2007
Ricoh Arena, Coventry

For the first time ever, the International Wrestling Federation presents SURVIVAL GROUND, featuring 5 classic Super Series style 5-on-5 elimination matches as well as a 10 Woman Gauntlet match to decide who takes the currently vacant Women's Championship.

JAY RESO, MATTHEW MERCY , FINLAY, BOBBY ROODE & ERIC YOUNG
Vs
MATT MORGAN, JOEY MERCURY, SHELTON BENJAMIN, BRIAN KENDRICK & LANCE HOYT
The opposite sides of the MuscleMania XVI main event collide as Jay Reso & Matt Morgan lead their teams into battle. Reso teams up with Hollywood Superstar Matthew Mercy, Irish Legend Finaly and Team Canada's Bobby Roode & Eric Young. However early signs are that all is not well in the Reso camp. Matthew Mercy has made it clear he's a very reluctant member of the team and Finlay, in particular, doesn't appreciate his attitude. Morgan had gone for tag team experience in MNM and current European Tag Team Champions Brian Kendrick & Lance Hoyt but Johnny Nitro's injury means that he's drafted in Shelton Benjamin. With the World Champion in action any of the opposing team could make a name for themselves by defeating him; similarly any victory over Morgan or Mercy would also be a big boost for the young talent. This is a match sure to go down to the wire.

STING, CM PUNK, ROB VAN DAM, RAY GORDY & JOHN CENA
Vs
ABYSS, EDGE, RHINO, GREGORY HELMS & WILLIAM REGAL

Another intriguing match up mixing global superstar with young up and comers. Sting leads his "squadron" into battle and has perhaps the hottest new IWF superstar on his books in the shape of CM Punk. They are joined by former IWF & ICW World Champion Rob Van Dam, 2nd Generation star Ray Gordy and former PWF Intercontinental Champion John Cena. Their task won't be easy however as Abyss & Edge join forces with three of the toughest superstars on the roster in the form of former ICW World Champion Rhino, Cruiserweight competitor Gregory Helms and renowned tough guy William Regal. A mix of styles and the team that gel's the best could ultimately be the team that prevails.

THE BIG GEE, BARABUS LASHLEY, PAUL LONDON, PHIL JACKSON & RICK SHAW

Vs
RANDY ORTON, TRIPLE H, PAUL WARDLE & AMW

Arguably the most hotly-anticipated match of the night, with many issues to be resolved. The Big Gee has not only called on his good friends Phil Jackson and Rick Shaw but has enlisted the help of Cruiserweight sensation Paul London saying that speed of thought may give his team the advantage. His final team-mate was the source of much speculation but when Randy Orton & AMW decided to end their business relationship with Barabus Lashley, Gee took advantage of the situation and gave Lashley the chance at an early bit of revenge. The Team Orton trio wasted no time in bringing in some top quality team-mates though as former IWF & PWF World Champion Triple H joined up to the cause alongside the Phenomenon Paul Wardle. The history of trouble between Gee/Orton, Gee/HHH and Jackson/Wardle alongside recently brewing wars between Team Orton/Lashley and Shaw & London/AMW means that all hell is likely to break loose in this one.

XAVIER, SAMOA JOE , CHRIS BENOIT, KANE & STEVE LEWINGTON
Vs
ELIJAH BURKE, UMAGA, OLEG PRUDIUS, SLY TERKAY & SHINYA MAKAYBE

Although Xavier has undoubtedly recruited well his team may well have the most unenviable task of the evening given the sheer size of their opponents. Samoa Joe and Chris Benoit are two of the toughest and most well respected wrestlers on the roster, Kane was happy to help out his old buddy Xavier and Steve Lewington was pleased to be given the opportunity to show what he could do but even this quintet must be nervous. Cocky upstart Elijah Burker has pulled out the biggest monsters he can find. The Samoan Wrecking Machine Umaga made an impressive debut at the Robo Rumble, giant Russian Oleg Prudius holds a pinfall victory over Dean Roberts on his resume and Shinya Makaybe has garnered a reputation in the Japanese Dojo's for being a pain machine. However just when we thought Burke had finished he revealed that shoot-fighting superstar Sly Terkay would be making his debut at Survival Ground. Xavier and his team won't back down from anybody but even they might have their work cut out against these behemoths.

PJW, KEVIN NASH, MICHAEL PS HAYES & THE BARONS
Vs
THE BANG GANG

The final Super Series style match sees PJW trying to gain revenge for the Bang Gang's repeated attempts to humiliate him on Warfare and Impact over the past few weeks. The Gang, led by Loco Delgado and Flavio Love, even went as far as to suggest that PJ wouldn't be able to round up 4 friends, but he proved them wrong by assembling quite the dream team. Joining forces with PJ are former IWF World Champion Kevin Nash, the legendary "Fabulous Freebird" Michael Hayes and UK legends The Barons (Baron Heap & Baron Alker). This is sure to be one of the most entertaining matches of the night.

GAUNTLET MATCH FOR THE VACANT WOMEN'S TITLE;

ALEXIS LAREE
Vs
CARINA
Vs
CHRISTY HEMME
Vs
JENNY TAYLOR
Vs
MARIA
Vs
MELINA
Vs
MICHELLE McCOOL
Vs
REBECCA KNOX
Vs
RILEY MASON
Vs
TRINITY

Krissy Vaine's suspension under the Welfare & Wellness programme whilst she was still champion has opened up a window of opportunity. IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff declared the title vacant and has put the belt on the line in this 10 woman Gauntlet match. Each women will draw a number which will make the order of entrance. The first two women battle and when there is a winner, they battle the third woman and so on until only one Woman is left standing.

Diva Sneak Peak

It's nearly the time of year for the IWF Phaj magazine, and here's a sneak peak at CM Punk's main squeeze Maria.

The magazine hits newsstands in April.

Johnny Nitro Injured

Johnny Nitro was injured at last night's pay-per-view and early indications are that he will be on-the-shelf for a period of 6 months.

We wish Johnny all the best for his recovery.

Shoot Out Report

Elijah Burke Vs Chris Benoit ( * * * )
Burke has obviously been picked out as “future superstar” (witness the hype surrounding his arrival in the IWF and compare it to the welcome the likes of Steve Lewington, Deuce Shade and Austin Aries have been given) but even so, this was a stiff test in only his second PPV appearance. Benoit’s best days may be behind him, from a title point of view anyway, but a wrestler going up against him is still chasing a good feather in his cap and needs to keep up with the Rabid Wolverine. Burke succeeded on both accounts. It wasn’t an all-time classic, but it was a good, held-together, encounter, which made Burke look like a star (and credit to Benoit for helping with that). Burke won it clean and riled up the crowd something rotten in the process, which actually is more of a sign that Burke could be a somebody in the IWF. The push continues.

Finlay Vs Samoa Joe ( * * * ¾ )
If you like your action stiff, then this was the bout for you. Admittedly the style would not be to everybody’s liking, but there can be no doubting the hell these two put each other through here. Unlike their PPV match from last summer, this match was designed to push Finlay (rather than Joe) but the two went about it by assembling a barnstorming brawl that even had those in the cheap seats wincing. The red marks were evident on both men’s chests from the stiff chops they exchanged and there were enough high-impact suplexes on show to please anyone. In the end it was Finlay who hit the Emerald Fusion to get the 1-2-3. Where Joe goes from here is open to question, and he may well have a lean spell in front of him; Finlay on the other hand seems likely to be very busy by the time MuscleMania comes around, but we’ll say no more for now.

Umaga Vs Dave Proud ( * * )
How they were supposed to follow the previous match is beyond me. They might have got away with it if it hadn’t been for the fact that Umaga’s pounding of Proud didn’t match the brutality that Finlay and Joe had served up just minutes earlier. That said, on it’s own merits it was an effective match which put Umaga over as a bulldozer and got Proud some respect for his plucky underdog attempt to fight the monster. As you might have guessed, Umaga won this fairly easily (although Proud fought to the end), finally finishing Proud off with the Samoan Spike. If the object of this match was to attempt to start a “monster” (as in Umaga is a monster rather than in the sense of a “huge” push) push for Umaga and to give Proud another pay-off then you can argue it worked. That we can neither see Umaga ever being a genuine headlining threat nor Proud making any better a fist of the “respected UK veteran” push than Peter Turner did last year though does make this whole thing seem slightly pointless.

Barabus Lashley Vs Kane ( * * )
Someone has to say it so might as well be me. Lashley has lost a fair deal of momentum in 2007 and he still hasn’t improved his microphone skills to anywhere near the required level for a superstar wrestler in the IWF. That said, Kane is hardly your ldeal after dinner speaker either but he lifted the IWF world title once (for a three days at least) so maybe there is hope for Lashley yet. This was pretty much your normal, run of the mill big man match, but they did us the service of ramping up the excitement towards the end of the match and that almost made up for the dull tests of strength that dominated the opening third of this encounter. In the end Kane got the mild upset victory (which proves someone in the “office” might have recognised Lashley’s loss of momentum as well) by finishing off Lashley with a Tombstone and lifting the European Title for the first ever time.

Abyss Vs Xavier ( * * * * )
This is a war that has waged since Xavier made his return to the IWF at last year’s Neon Blue and having been promised that this was the final encounter between the two the fans were hot at the start of this one. Not that they particularly wanted to see the back of what has been an excellent feud, but more because this has been so expertly set up that there was a real buzz to see exactly how it would all go down. And the fans were not disappointed one bit. The two went at it with a fury that underlined the fact that this war has been waged over the long haul and even in its final hour this proved that a great feud can still exist today that gets both men more over than they were when they started. Abyss has shown that he can truly hang with the best (a suggestion that fewer and fewer critics were agreeing with before this feud) and Xavier showed that he has come back to the IWF with a vengeance and that further glory is on its way.. In the end this was a seesaw battle which finally went toe way of the “good guy” as Xavier was finally able to finish off Abyss with his second Xav-Attack. The crowd gave both men a rousing ovation, one that was fully deserved.

Tag Team Turmoil ( * * ¼ )
The problem with these kind of matches is always that having to have five teams eliminated in such a short period of time means that there isn’t much time to build something up in each segment. This was no exception, although the crowd were hot for the majority of it and all the wrestlers put forward a good effort. The match and elimination order was as follows;
1) Eric Young & Bobby Roode defeated Shelton Benjamin & Paul Wardle
2) Eric Young & Bobby Roode defeated Loco Delgado & Flavio Love
3) Brian Kendrick & Lance Hoyt defeated Eric Young & Bobby Roode
4) Paul London & Rick Shaw defeated Brian Kendrick & Lance Hoyt
5) Paul London & Rick Shaw defeated Shinya Makaybe & William Regal
Having the underdog team of London & Shaw prevail in the final match against the rock-hard combo of Makaybe & Regal ensured that the fans were well behind them and they can now look forward to a shot at AMW’s World Tag Team Titles.

At this point it was time for the Dean Roberts/Edge contract signing, for the first match to be officially announced for MuscleMania XVI. As suspected Annalise Anderson took the opportunity to rub salt into the Dean’s wounds by accompanying Edge to ringside. Both men looked all business as George Minister produced the contracts. Of course this wasn’t going to just be about putting a signature on a piece of paper, both men had a little something to say before starting to sign the contract. Edge started off with his usual spiel about spending his career being held back by has-beens like Dean and that he was finally going to get to do something about it. Dean was a little more understated but carried a passion in his words, which, if we’re being honest here, screamed out “BUY-RATE INCREASE”. Dean stated that as this was a “non-sanctioned” match, he had no fat contract to lean back on if he got injured, unlike Edge, but he said he didn’t care about that. He said it wasn’t about Edge sleeping with Annalise or the break up of his marriage that made him want this match it was that Edge had tried to make a fool of him and that even at this stage of his career, Dean Robert’s doesn’t stand for that. After implying that this would be his last ever ring appearance at MM XVI (yeah, right) he said that he’d known Edge for a long time (which in storyline terms is true – credit to all involved from remembering the time when Edge –alongside Luke Todd Wood- was portrayed as Dean’s on screen buddy) but that it was only recently that he’d realised just what an “asshole” Edge really was. Dean then signed the document but Edge flew off the handle and as he spoke Dean turned his back to walk away but Edge attacked him and subjected him to a bloody and brutal beating. He then mockingly dipped his pen in the pool of blood from Dean’s injuries and signed the contract. Edge has his critics but this was an awesome angle. It’s difficult to believe that anyone who saw it wouldn’t want to place their order for MuscleMania right now!

Jay Reso Vs CM Punk ( * * * ¼ )
Ok so it wasn’t on in the main event spot (come on though, did you ever expect it to be?) but this was still a big night for both men. For Punk it was his first chance to really impress in a top-of-the-card position and whilst an indifferent showing here wouldn’t have killed off his long-term hopes for success it may have had short-term implications and have been a setback. Reso on the other hand needed to show that he’s more than just a transition champion and is actually someone that can drive feuds at this level. For the most part then, both men will be more than happy with what they delivered. It wasn’t a five-star classic, but it was a good, exciting match, which the crowd were in to in a big way. Of course it would have come to no surprise to anyone that Reso won, but the two still made the crowd feel for the false finishes, which proves what a good job both men did. In the end Reso won with the Unprettier, but this is a day, which, in the future, both men may look back upon with a rare fondness.

Big Gee & MNM Vs Randy Orton & AMW ( * * * )
The main storyline leading up to this 6 man match was that Randy Orton had tried it on with both Melina (manager of MNM) and Riley Mason (The Gee’s latest girlfriend), Still at least it gave a reason for the Gee & MNM to gang up on old Randy meaning that this thrown together attraction at least had some point over it. AMW & MNM have a certain chemistry after their long war (which, lest we remind you, was declared over last year) and Gee & Orton seemed to be on a similar wavelength as well (so I suspect that Gee Vs Orton can be pencilled in for MuscleMania). This was a little rushed but was still an entertaining encounter, not least when Melina and Riley Mason had a little falling out. Well it was almost a not-so-little falling out if you catch my drift. In the end it was this distraction that cost Gee the match; as he attended to Riley, Orton sneaked up behind him and hit the RKO to get the pinfall victory for his team. Still I don’t think we’ve seen the end of Orton/Gee (although conversely, as well as they match up, we do hope we’ve seen the last of AMW/MNM). As an aside, Johnny Nitro looked in a bit of trouble towards the end of the match, and it didn’t look to be of a “storyline” nature. We do hope it’s nothing serious for Nitro.

Matt Morgan Vs Matthew Mercy ( * * * ¾ )
So it was main event time, with a spot opposite Jay Reso (presumably) in the MuscleMania main event on the line. Mercy won the Robo Rumble, but only after the referee missed him being eliminated by Morgan. IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff decreed that this was to be a Winner Takes All match, with no countout or disqualifications but the cynics needn’t have worried that this was an excuse for outside interference – no, it was just an excuse for the two men to let it all hang out. The crowd were psyched for this one and were firmly behind Morgan over the Hollywood superstar Mercy, but the two weren’t here for plaudits, they were here to put on a great match. The two brawled all the way across the arena as the crowd ran for cover and plenty of claret flowed from both men in this intense war. Both men kicked out of each other’s finishers, in fact both men survived two of their opponent’s finishers, but in the end a 3rd Morgasm finished off Mercy and the crowd went wild as Morgan cemented his place in the MuscleMania main event. A killer main event, which included a clean j-o-b from Mercy! Maybe time mellows the soul after all.

On the whole this was a great card, which really did set the wheels in motion for MuscleMania. But it was a more than watchable stand-alone event as well. New stars were given a chance to progress, even in defeat, and old stars did their best to help in that. It’s unclear exactly what transformation has come over the IWF since the turn of the year but on current evidence it’s been a good thing. The shows are tighter than they’ve been in quite some time and genuine consideration seems to be being shown to creating new stars. This pay-per-view also had the strongest and most exciting line up on paper that we’ve seen in quite some time as well and early indications are that it translated into a very impressive buy-rate indeed. The IWF is back on track!

Krissy Vaine suspended.

Under the terms of the IWF Wellness and Welfare programme, Women's Champion Krissy Vaine has been handed a three month suspension.

The title has been held up and details of the crowning of a new champion will be revealed shortly.

Shoot Out 2007 Card

Sunday 25th February 2007

Odeyssey Arena, Belfast

IWF UNIFIED TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP:

Vs
Jay Reso Vs CM Punk

Current UK Champion CM Punk was one of the standout wrestlers from the Robo Rumble and he rode that momentum to win a one-night tournament, against all the odds, on Warfare to become the challenger for Jay Reso’s World Title at Shoot Out. Punk says it’s his destiny to become a World Champion, Reso says he’ll be damned if Punk is going to do it as his expense. Can Punk live the dream or will Reso secure his slot in the MuscleMania main event?

WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH;
Vs
Matthew Mercy Vs Matt Morgan
Winner gets the Unified World Title Shot at MuscleMania XVI
Matt Morgan was in the Robo Rumble for the longest length of time, but it was Matthew Mercy who won the match, after the referee failed to see Morgan eliminate him and only saw the returning Matthew Mercy throwing Morgan over the top rope. IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff used his powers to set up this Winner Takes All, No Count-Out, No Disqualification match where only one man can survive...and take his place in the MuscleMania main event!

THE FINAL ENCOUNTER:
Vs
Abyss Vs Xavier
These two have waged a tumultuous war since Xavier returned to the IWF at Neon Blue back in October. Now, at the behest of Abyss' manager James Mitchell, this match has been signed with no rematch clauses and no turning back. With honours currently all even, this final one-on-one encounter will see a definitive winner of the war. It's one that you simply cannot afford to miss.


Vs

The Big Gee & MNM Vs Randy Orton & AMW
This hotly anticipated six man tag team match came about after MNM repeatedly tried to help other teams try to dislodge AMW from the World Tag Team Titles due to the stipulation from Breaking Point that MNM could not get a Title shot again whilst AMW were the champs. Orton & Gee have had their own "differences of opinion", mainly due to Orton attempting to "bed" Riley Mason, the Gee's girlfriend...just days after he attempted to do the same to MNM's manager Melina! This six man affair is sure to be wild!

EUROPEAN TITLE:
Vs
Barabus Lashley Vs Kane
These two men were both impressive at the Robo Rumble, (Lashley eliminating 4 men and Kane eliminating 3), before clashing with each other in a titanic collision. Honours were even, as their battle led to both men being eliminated, but now both men meet in this one-on-one battle for the European Title. Two behemoths collide, and there can only be one winner!

Vs

Finlay Vs Samoa Joe

Irish legend Finlay has been on a roll recently, but this may be his toughest test yet as he takes on the Submission Machine that is Samoa Joe. Finlay has the momentum, but Joe's loss to Matt Morgan at Corporal Punishment has made him more agressive than ever! Can Finlay keep his impressive winning streak alive, or will Joe bounce back from his previous disappointments? Either way this is likely to be a stiff and brutal fight to the finish.


Vs
Umaga Vs Dave Proud
The Robo Rumble saw Umaga make his IWF debut, and Dave Proud make his IWF return. At the Rumble the two men clashed but ultimately Umaga eliminated Proud. Dave was born a fighter though and he challenged the Samoan Wrecking Machine to this one-on-one match. It's not likely to be one for those of a sensitive disposition.

Vs

Elijah Burke Vs Chris Benoit

Elijah Burke made an impressive debut at Corporal Punishment, easily dispatching Carlito. However he faces a much stiffer task in his second IWF pay-per-view appearance as he takes on the Rabid Wolverine Chris Benoit. Burke's cocky outlook has rubbed Benoit up the wrong way and he's determined to make Burke tap-out. Burke, on the other hand, is convinced this is just another step on his road to greatness. Who is right?

TAG TEAM GAUNTLET
WINNER IS CROWNED NUMBER ONE CONTENDER TO WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
Participants;
Brian Kendrick & Lance Hoyt
The Bang Gang – Loco Delgado & Flavio Love
Shelton Benjamin & Paul Wardle
Team Canada - Eric Young & Bobby Roode

Shinya Makaybe & William Regal

Paul London & Rick Shaw
Six teams will battle it out in a Gauntlet match, with starting positions drawn at random. The teams do battle in a gauntlet series until only one team is remaining. The luck of the draw certainly plays a part, but the prize on offer is grand indeed.

PLUS:
Dean Roberts & Edge Contract Signing
When Edge revealed himself as Annalise Anderson's new lover, Annalise's soon-to-be-ex-husband Dean Roberts was dragged into a sprial of torment. Edge though he had the last laugh, but Dean promised to make his life "a living hell". Edge thought he was safe from ever having to face Dean in the ring due to Dean losing a retirement match to Matthew Mercy last June, but IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff spotted a legal loopwhole and agreed that the two could meet at MuscleMania XVI in a "Non-Sanctioned" Match. The two sign on the dotted line at Shoot Out!

Corporal Punishment Results

Matt Morgan Vs Samoa Joe ( * * * 3/4)
The show kicked off with this Satan's Return Grudge Match between Matt Morgan and Samoa Joe. Morgan's claims that he would have won the Satan's Cage match at Breaking Point if it had not been for the untimely influence of Joe may be strictly true, but Joe hasn't seemed to care and only seemed intent tonight on winning the match, and thus advancing as well to the Robo Rumble. This was one of Morgan's better matches in quite some time being as he was able to go toe-to-toe with the Samoan submission machine and take most of Joe's brutal offence. Of course Morgan was also happy to dish out some brutality as well and the result was a hard hitting and realistic looking bout in which both men took some stiff blows. It looked for all the world as if Joe was going to get the victory but he couldn't quite finish Morgan off. With the crowd firmly behind Morgan he lifted up Joe and hit the "Morgasm" for the 1-2-3, which not only won him the match but booked his place in the Rumble. Mission accomplished in all senses then for Morgan, and Joe did himself no harm at all with a credible display here.

Krissy Vaine Vs Rebecca Knox Vs Trinity ( * * )
How these three were supposed to follow that is anybody's guess, but they made a fair fist of it; all the more so considering that Vaine, at this early stage of her career, is not really good enough to be in the position she is in. But that didn't mean she was going down for the count here as a falling apart between Knox and Trinity enabled Vaine to get just enough of an advantage to get a cheeky schoolgirl roll up for the 1-2-3 that retained her title. Knox and Trinity didn't look pleased; I doubt any fans who like good women's wrestling were too chuffed either.

Kendrick & Hoyt Vs Love & Delgado ( * * * 1/4)
Noises coming from the IWF bookers suggest that they intend 2007 to be a year of Tag Team renaissance and whilst a full scale revival will take time, this was an entertaining European Tag Team title match which had been backed up by, yes, a storyline. Which meant that the fans were looking forward to this; I suspect not many would have been disappointed by what they got. Love & Delgado put forward perhaps their most coherent performance yet and Kendrick and Hoyt showed that they'd put their house show matches to good use by using them as an opportunity to really gel as a team. The result was only harmed by the fact the two teams were only given around 9 minutes to wrestle (although with Joe/Morgan, Reso/Orton and the Rumble you can see why) but the ending sequence was one of the hottest of the evening, culminating with Hoyt & Kendrick finishing Delagdo off with a version of the old "Hart Attack" Hart Foundation finisher.

Elijah Burke Vs Carlito (Sq)
Well Carltio may well regret his unscheduled appearance on TWA-Today TV. As a punishment he was chosen as the victim for Elijah Burke's debut. He was squashed unceremoniously and we wouldn't be at all surprised if this is his last ever IWF appearance (incidentally many believe that after sitting out the last few months of his contract here in the IWF he will indeed "return" to the TWA). Still Burke looked competent, and his mic work was superb both before and after the match. Many high up in the IWF feel Burke has that superstar quality and whilst it may be early days yet, he certainly was able to make a good first impression.

Jay Reso Vs Randy Orton ( * * * )
Admit it, you were surprised when Jay Reso left Satan's Cage as the new IWF World Champion, but credit where credit is due; outside the ring, at least, he has carried himself well in recent weeks on Warfare & Impact. This was his first big chance to shine however and it came against former Champion Randy Orton who was telling the world that this would be the night when he would regain what was rightfully his. He didn't, but he came mightily close in this hard-fought battle. Both men exchanged the advantage in the early going until Orton's experience led to him take control. The fans had decided that Reso was the lesser of two evils (which may not be a good thing if you think about it) and, as such, were behind him in his quest and they weren't disappointed. Orton went for an RKO but it was blocked and Reso hit back with The Unprettier to get the pinfall that retained him his World Title. It was a good match, with credible heat; whether it was quite the barn-storming performance Reso needed on top is another matter.
ROBO RUMBLE 2007 (* * * 1/2)

Order Of Entry

1) Joey Mercury
2) Johnny Nitro
3) Mantorras Figueirdo
4) Steve Lewington
5) Titi Buengo
6) Barabus Lashley
7) Gregory Helms
8) Kane
9) Austin Aries
10) Paul Wardle
11) Matt Morgan
12) Paul London
13) Chris Benoit
14) CM Punk
15) William Regal
16) James Storm
17) Rhino
18) John Cena
19) Shinya Makaybe
20) PJW
21) Burchill
22) Edge
23) Abyss
24) Chris Harris
25) The Big Gee
26) Mario Lama
27) Phil Jackson
28) Triple H
29) Xavier
30) Finlay
31) Bobby Roode
32) Oleg Prudius
33) Sting
34) Dave Proud
35) Umaga
36) Matthew Mercy
37) Peter Turner
38) Eric Young
39) Shelton Benjamin
40) Deuce Shade

ORDER OF ELIMINATION

1) Steve Lewington (Joey Mercury)
2) Gregory Helms (Barabus Lashley)
3) Mantorras Figueirdo (Barabus Lashley)
4) Joey Mercury (Barabus Lashley)
5) Titi Buengo (Kane)
6) Johnny Nitro (Kane)
7) Austin Aries (Barabus Lashley)
8) Paul Wardle (Kane)
9) Paul London (Chris Benoit)
10 & 11) Barabus Lashley & Kane (CM Punk)
12) Shinya Makaybe (Matt Morgan)
13) William Regal (CM Punk)
14) Rhino (Matt Morgan)
15) Burchill (James Storm)
16) Chris Benoit (Abyss)
17) John Cena (Edge)
18) PJW (James Storm & Chris Harris)
19) James Storm (CM Punk)
20) Phil Jackson (The Big Gee)
21) Mario Lama (Matt Morgan)
22) Chris Harris (Triple H)
23 & 24) Abyss & Xavier (double elimination)
25) Oleg Prudius (Matt Morgan)
26) The Big Gee (Triple H)27) Bobby Roode (Sting)
28) Peter Turner (Umaga)
29) Edge (Umaga)
30) CM Punk (Matthew Mercy)
31) Deuce Shade (Matt Morgan)
32) Shelton Benjamin (Matt Morgan)
33) Eric Young (Triple H)
34) Dave Proud (Umaga)
35) Umaga (Matt Morgan)
36) Sting (Matthew Mercy)
37) Finlay (Matthew Mercy)
38) Triple H (Matt Morgan)
39) Matt Morgan (Matthew Mercy)
WINNER – MATTHEW MERCY

Shawn Michaels Takes Hiatus

The IWF have today learned that former World Champion Shawn Michaels has chosen to take a break from the wrestling ring.

"It's time to spend some quality time with my family again" said Shawn.

We here at the IWF wish him all the best.

Roode CONFIRMED for Celebrity Big Brother

We can today confirm that IWF superstar Bobby Roode will be entering the Celebrity Big Brother household in the new series.

"It's going to be a blast" said Roode. "I can't wait".

Carlito - The IWF Board Speaks

Contracted IWF superstar Carlito tonight made an appearance on the Total Wrestling Action - Today! show and we have received numerous emails from IWF fans asking the Board Of Control to comment.

They have released the following statement.

We have been informed that Carlito Colon, a contracted IWF superstar,
tonight appeared on the TWA - Today wrestling programme on the Bravo network
this evening. Carlito was not authorised by anyone in the IWF to appear on
this show and is in breach of his IWF contract for doing so.

We have advised the TWA that they legally cannot parade Carlito on their
show and that no further reference may be made to a contracted IWF talent.
We have suspended Carlito and, if neccessary, will be filling for compensation
against the TWA for using talent that not legally able to appear on their show
due to the terms of his contract.

More on this news as it breaks.

Helms Hammers It

Sources have led the International Wrestling Federation to believe that a sex-tape on the Internet that was purported to "star" Gregory Helms is indeed the genuine article.

Helms was unavailable for comment so we quizzed Melinda, an IWF office worker who has seen the movie. "I'd certainly like to be hit by Helms' hammer" said Melinda.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT CARD

SUNDAY 27TH JANUARY 2007
NOTTINGHAM ARENA

IWF Unified World Heavyweight Title;
Vs
Jay Reso Vs Randy Orton

Jay Reso took the Unified title at Breaking Point in the brutal and hellacious Satan's Cage match, but his first port of call as defending champion is to take on former champion Randy Orton. Orton states the odds were stacked against him at Breaking Point and now that it's one-on-one he will regain what is "rightfully" his. Reso says that Orton is old news and that this match will only reinforce that fact. Whoever is true, this is sure to be an epic battle.

Satan's Return Grudge Match;
Vs
Matt Morgan Vs Samoa Joe

Some say that Samoa Joe arguably cost Matt Morgan the opportunity to leave Satan's Cage as the Unified World Champion; Morgan says there is no "arguably" about it. He insists that without Joe's "nieve" actions, he would have won the gold. Joe, for his part, merely says he was doing what he had every right to do in a "every man for himself" match. The two are on a collision course that is set to explode at Corporal Punishment. In a unique twist, IWF Commissioner Eric Bischoff has decreed that only the winner of this match can take a spot in the 40 Man Robo Rumble match. So it really is ALL at stake in this one.

40 Man Robo Rumble;
THE WINNER GETS WORLD TITLE SHOT AT MUSCLEMANIA XVI

Participants;

Triple H, The Big Gee, Abyss, Xavier, Matthew Mercy
Sting, Burchill, Edge, CM Punk, Barabus Lashley
Chris Harris, James Storm, Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro, Eric Young
Bobby Roode, Rhino, Shinya Makaybe, Shelton Benjamin, Paul Wardle,

Phil Jackson, Finlay, Kane, Chris Benoit, Paul London,

Gregory Helms, Oleg Prudius, Mario Lama, Mantorras Figueirdo, Titi Beungo,
William Regal, Steve Lewington, Peter Turner, Austin Aries, John Cena

PLUS:

Matt Morgan OR Samoa Joe

The IWF In-Ring Returns of

Dave Proud & PJW

AND

The debut's of

Umaga & ???

World Women's Title;
Vs Vs
Krissy Vaine Vs Rebecca Knox Vs Trinity

Rebecca and Trinity were the two survivors at the Elimination match at Breaking Point, which earned both of them a shot at Women's Champion Krissy Vaine. Vaine has been a dominant champion but her reign could be under it's biggest threat here.

European Tag Team Titles;
Brian Kendrick & Lance Hoyt Vs Flavio Love & Loco Delgado

The Bang Gang go for the gold in what is sure to be a dynamite match. Kendrick and Hoyt are undefeated as a tag team here in the IWF but they are under no illusions at how tough Love and Delgado are.

PLUS:
The Debut of Elijah Burke

New signing Elijah Burke has received quite the fanfare upon his arrival here in the IWF and Corporal Punishment sees the first chance to catch him in in-ring action.