IWC COMBINES THE BEST OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE IN ONE UNFORGETTABLE WEEKEND
By Joe Dombrowski, IWC Play-by-play commentator, iwcmc_dombrowski@yahoo.com
NIGHT ONE – THE ROAD TO SUPER INDY VI
IWC kicked off it’s most action-packed weekend in well over a year on Friday night, March 23rd at our famed home base of the Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth, Pa as the journey to May 11’s Super Indy VI inched ever-so-closer.
The main event saw IWC Heavyweight Champion Ricky Reyes overcome another all-too-familiar name from his past: Current co-holder of the NWA World Tag Team Title “The Notorious 187” Homicide of the Latin American Xchange. Despite suffering a severely bloodied nose in the course of the match, Reyes did something few if anyone has been able to do: he applied the lethal Dragon Sleeper/bodyscissors combination and made Homicide tap out. Reyes may be the only man on Earth who can lay claim to tapping out BOTH Homicide and Low-ki in recent times. Reyes’ championship reign of dominance continues to grow more impressive as the weeks pass.
IWC Super Indy Champion Troy Lords continued his winning ways, putting life and limb on the line again to somehow survive “Fabulous” John McChesney. McChesney’s record against Lords has dropped to 0-3-1, as it seems Lords may be the only opponent Fab has wrestled that he just can’t figure out, and just can’t beat. As a frustrated McChesney took a few moments to collect his thoughts post-match, sound technician Chest Flexor decided to play a little joke on the former 3-time champ by playing “Everybody Hurts Sometime” over the sound system. A dejected McChesney didn’t see the humor in things, and responded with a hard slap to Flexor’s face. Promoter Norm Connors, enraged over Fab’s treatment of an IWC employee, withdrew McChesney from the upcoming Super Indy VI Title Tournament, an announcement that shocked and angered McChesney even further.
Mickey & Marshall Gambino issued an open challenge to tag team champions Jason Gory & Shiima Xion, no doubt capitalizing on the fact Gory & Xion had already competed in Super Indy VI Qualifying Matches earlier in the night. To counter-act the Gambinos’ extra muscle of Vendetta & Jimmy DeMarco, the team of Sexual Harassment, Eric Xtasy & Justin Idol, volunteered to watch the champs’ backs. However, Idol & Xtasy and everyone else in attendance as well, were not prepared for the debut of Chris Maverick’s newest tag team: Romeo Roselli & Antonio Thomas, The Heartbreakers (Formerly the Heart Throbs in WWE). Romeo & Antonio blasted Xtasy & Idol from behind with chairs, leaving Jimmy DeMarco the opening to involve himself in the match, and help return the tag straps back to the Gambino Family for the third time.
Shiima Xion’s night was not all bad news however, as he became the latest star to qualify for Super Indy VI on May 11, joining the likes of Jerry Lynn, Azrieal, Jay Lethal, and Larry Sweeney. Shiima scored the victory over a returning and very competitive Jimmy Jacobs, however Jacobs’ night wasn’t over there. “Sweet & Sour” Larry Sweeney made a surprise appearance and challenge to Jacobs, seemingly jealous over Jacobs’ flamboyant attire, rivaled only by Sweeney himself. Sweeney insinuated Jacobs wasn’t the same competitor he once was, and with that Jacobs had to reach into a dark place. When Jacobs meets Sweeney on April 14th, it won’t be the emotional and eccentric Jacobs many fans have come to know over the past 2 years. The Jimmy Jacobs of old, the maniacal, sadistic, spike-wielding, HUSSing Barbaric Berzerker will return for one night only to extract revenge on Larry Sweeney.
HENTAI also qualified for the Super Indy Tournament, defeating then co-holder of the IWC Tag Title Jason Gory. HENTAI continues his mission to reclaim the Super Indy Title, which he has not held since early-2003. HENTAI wants nothing more in this world than to see his former protégé Troy Lords forced to surrender his Super Indy Title over to HENTAI, for
HENTAI to reclaim that dominance and superiority he held over Lords for so many years until Lords defeated HENTAI in the Last Man Standing Match last November. The field of Super Indy VI is up to six, with two more slots to be filled in the very near future.
In a match of the two top heavyweight title contenders, Sterling James Keenan was able to defeat Dennis Gregory to continue his Road to the Title. With Super Indy VI now May 11,
SJK will have an extra roadblock to burst through next month, but SJK’s momentum continues to build. The true intrigue came in the way Sterling was victorious, as HENTAI’s involvement cost Gregory the match. It didn’t appear SJK knew about HENTAI’s involvement so what are HENTAI’s motives? Is bad blood still boiling from the Unholy Alliance/Coalition of the Willing battles of 2006? Does this tie in at all to Gregory’s confrontation with HENTAI’s former co-horts Sebastian Dark & Steven Colter last month where Dark promised IWC would pay for firing the both of them late last year? We hope to discover answers to these at some point in the very near future.
In a tag team grudge match, The Cleveland Mafia avenged their loss from one month ago that was caused by Jimmy DeMarco & Vendetta, The Hollywood Balds, and more specifically the stone-faced killer and baddest man in IWC, Ray Rowe, gained revenge on Jimmy DeMarco, who had the temerity to come to the ring wearing an “I Pinned Ray Rowe” T-shirt. Rowe drilled DeMarco with a series of suplexes before finishing him with an STF.
Japanese sensation Nobutaka Moribe made his final appearance at the Court Time Sports Center a memorable one, unleashing a brutal assault on “Hot Property” Jason Cage, however Cage was able to survive and battle back in impressive fashion and pick up a victory, as Cage continues to build more momentum.
On the subject of momentum, Dean Radford continues to build plenty of it in his post-Unholy Alliance career, pinning the always-improving Suburban Terrorist Michael “The Bomber” Façade, yet it seemed both men left the match-up with a newfound mutual respect for one another.
NIGHT TWO – IWC NIGHT OF LEGENDS 3
After a two year absence, IWC returned to Franklin High School in Franklin, Pa for its third star-studded tribute to the best stars of the past, present, and future.
The night started in classy fashion with all of our legends inside the ring, the IWC roster in full outside the ring, all to pay tribute to one man… Former two time World champion and wrestling’s true Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. Bruno was presented with a special plaque as well as the key to the city courtesy of the esteemed mayor of Franklin himself. Bruno addressed the crowd, and the athletes surrounding him in a perfect way to start off a truly memorable night.
In the main event, it was a revival of one of the hottest rivalries to ever surround the then-WWF Intercontinental Title as Greg “The Hammer” Valentine battled Tito Santana in a battle of two Hall of Famers. Surprisingly, Valentine felt the need for back-up, enlisting in the services of Larry Sweeney for aid, but Santana had an answer in the form of “Polish Power” Ivan Putski, yet another Hall of Famer. When Sweeney attempted to involve himself in the action, he was on the receiving end of a brutal Polish Hammer, and it was Putski who pinned Sweeney to close out the evening in style.
Sweeney’s night was not much better when it came to him challenging IWC Champion Ricky Reyes. Based on his nose injury from the night before, Reyes knew he had to end the match quickly or else his breathing and equilibrium would become very hindered as the match went on. Reyes struck quickly and suddenly, and was able to successfully defeat Sweeney with a very Sammartino-like bearhug.
Tag team champions Mickey & Marshall Gambino successfully retained the IWC Tag Team Titles in yet another unforgettable four-way match involving top contenders Babyface Fire, Sexual Harassment, and The Cleveland Mafia. It was a battle that certainly stole the show in Franklin, but was not without consequence, as Marshall “The Bull” Gambino required assistance to the back following the match due to an apparent knee/leg injury. IWCWrestling.com will have further updates on the injury when they become available.
IWC Super Indy Champion Troy Lords was able to successfully defend the title against Nobutaka Moribe in Moribe’s final appearance here in the International Wrestling Cartel before returning home to Japan. Moribe left amidst a huge ovation of respect from fans and peers alike, and all of us here in the IWC wish Moribe the best on his return home.
Sterling James Keenan’s road to a title shot continued on this night as well, with SJK defeating the toughest opponent of his Super Indy Title reign from 2005, “Fabulous” John McChesney. SJK used an elevated backcracker to nearly bend McChesney’s spine in half, before scoring the pinfall. Much like the night before, McChesney expressed frustration but thankfully was able to keep his temper under control tonight.
Dennis Gregory was able to avenge the screw job perpetrated on him the night before at the hands of HENTAI, defeating him tonight. HENTAI attempted to use a steel chain, however Gregory was able to foil the plans before the chain was ever used.
“The Monster” Abyss was victorious over “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, in a match much different from their past encounters. The more humanistic Abyss was able to polish off the cockier Styles with the Black Hole Slam.
The 27 year rivalry between Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbyszko over who the true “Living Legend” is continued tonight as Bruno’s representative Dominic Denucci pinned Zbyszko, despite the involvement of Zbyszko’s partner-in-crime Lord Zoltan. Denucci and Sammartino celebrated as an enraged and embarrassed Zbyszko fled the scene.
The Hollywood Balds were able to squeak out a victory over the newly-formed team of Dean Radford & Michael Façade. Vendetta had dropped Façade with the Rock Bottom, when Radford hit Vendetta with the Radicator. DeMarco snuck in, placed an unconscious Vendetta on top of Façade for the win.
Legendary former tag champion Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart made short work of both Salvatore Sincere, as well as King Kaluha at ringside, as the Anvil forced Sal to submit to the Camel Clutch. Meanwhile, King Kaluha fared no better, losing in embarrassing and revealing fashion to The Patriot.
Chris Maverick’s new tag team, The Heartbreakers, saw their first official IWC action at least in a way, as “The Promise” Antonio Thomas took on one-half of the Hollywood Balds, Vendetta. The blatant interference of both Maverick, as well as Romeo Roselli, was simply too much for even someone as devious as Jimmy DeMarco to fight off, as The Heartbreakers make their first IWC appearances successful ones.
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