IWC THROWDOWN/STAY DOWN
REYES SURVIVES AGAIN AS THE QUESTION OF LOYALTY BECOMES THE FOCUS OF THE NIGHT
by Joe Dombrowski, IWC Play-by-play commentator, iwcmc_dombrowski@yahoo.com
IWC presented the final stop on the road to the Super Indy VI this past Saturday night, April 14 at the Court Time Sports Center with “Throwdown/Stay Down” and a match that could have solidified one man’s legacy, but instead may serve to tarnish it forever.
IWC Heavyweight Champion Ricky Reyes answered the challenge of perhaps the gutsiest Super Indy Champion we’ve seen as Troy Lords attempted to become, for at least the time being, a dual champion. Lords scouted his opponent perfectly, concentrating on weakening the arm of Ricky Reyes responsible for the champion’s application of his lethal Dragon Sleeper/bodyscissors combination. As a result of the damage to the arm, Reyes was unable to capture Lords long or tight enough to make Balls Hot tap out, and even if he had, based on past events, it’s questionable whether even Ricky Reyes himself would be able to make Troy Lords tap out before he pushed his body too far and passed out from the pain. However, Reyes proved he’s more than just a one-trick pony, as he was able to compensate for the injury and pin Lords following an overhead suplex and bridge to retain the championship once again.
Sterling James Keenan’s past 6 months of hard work were about to come to fruition here, as SJK entered his final obstacle on the road to his IWC Title shot at Super Indy VI by facing the dangerous “Shooter“ Brent Albright. However, SJK’s past caught up to him in more ways than one. After referee Bobby Williams had been knocked down, Dennis Gregory involved himself in the match, clearly upset over how he had lost his match with Sterling last month at the hands of HENTAI’s mysterious interference. After SJK gained the advantage and attempted to pin Albright, promoter Norm Connors entered the ring, not to officiate the match, but to flip the double bird to SJK and make it clear that Connors wanted nothing to do with the idea of SJK as IWC Champion. After a verbal and physical assault, Sterling was placed underneath a groggy Albright, as Connors counted the fall, shattering Sterling’s ambitions of an IWC Title shot he had set his sights on back last fall.
Connors was quick to explain and defend his actions. Earlier in the night, Connors spoke of men like Dean Radford who had remained loyal to him for over a decade, never parting ways with the company regardless of what personal or professional matters may arise. However,
Sterling James Keenan chose to leave the IWC for a four-month stretch back in 2006, and clearly SJK’s departure left Connors feeling betrayed. Connors did what he felt he had to, what he thought he must do to protect his promotion and the integrity of the IWC Heavyweight Title, as unpopular, controversial, and perhaps overboard his actions may have been. Would Norm do the popular thing and let Sterling progress to his company’s top prize, all the while, in his mind, risking having a champion that could desert him at a moment’s notice? Connors certainly made his controversial decision, not only ending Sterling’s championship dreams, but FIRING him in the process, stating “Last year you quit on me, now I quit on you.” While its highly debatable that Norm made the right decision, and if he perhaps went too far, but he did what he felt he had to. And now, unfortunately, Sterling James Keenan’s IWC career has come to an end.
On the subject of loyalty, perhaps the most loyal IWC employee in recent memory, Dean Radford competed in his final IWC match, and made it a successful final chapter to his career. Radford defeated his opponent who, appropriately enough, was “Snapshot” CJ Sensation, one of Radford’s best friends over the years and a man who, alongside Radford, entered the wrestling business and worked their way up the proverbial ladder together starting at age 14. After the match, the locker room emptied to show their appreciation to Radford who for 5 years has been one of IWC’s hardest working and most dedicated in-ring competitors. It was an emotional and fitting send-off to a great in-ring career. All of us here in the IWC wish Dean Radford nothing but the best as he moves forward to the next chapter of his life.
The Gambino Family, tag champions Mickey & Marshall, cousin Jimmy, and their extra muscle Vendetta, stepped into eight-man elimination-style tag team action against arguably the two top contenders for their tag titles: Babyface Fire (Jason Gory & Shiima Xion), as well as the Cleveland Mafia consisting of J-Rocc and the emotionless assassin Ray Rowe. The Family’s strategy was clear, to eliminate Xion, Gory, and J-Rocc first, leaving them to deal with the most intimidating force in the company today, Ray Rowe, in a 4-on-1 situation. However, even the extensive numbers advantage was not enough to slow down the suplex machine Rowe. Rowe unleashed his fury on DeMarco, Vendetta, and Mickey before being left with Marshall “The Bull”. Just when it seemed the entire Gambino Family was not enough to stop Ray Rowe…the Gambinos add to the Family. Out from the crowd, a mysterious woman, holding what appeared to be a can of Shiima’s hairspray entered the ring, and blinded Rowe to lead to a Gambino Family pinfall and victory. The woman was revealed to be another relative, Viki Gambino, and was clearly more than influential in her first IWC appearance.
“Fabulous” John McChesney had his opportunity to regain his spot in the Super Indy Tournament that he had lost last month due to unprofessional conduct. His opponent was the “Suburban Terrorist” Michael “The Bomber” Façade, but it seemed McChesney was more concerned with sending a message than he did with his opposition. McChesney continually refused to pin Façade when he had the attempt, instead punishing Façade. However McChesney’s momentary lack of focus was his downfall, as Façade was able to counter a submission hold by walking up the ropes and reversing the momentum to where Façade was on top of his foe, and scored a stunning pinfall upset over the former 3-time Super Indy Champion, eerily similar to the way McChesney pinned Low-ki to win Super Indy 4. The very same lack of focus McChesney was able to capitalize on to win Super Indy 4 ended up as his downfall on the road to Super Indy 6.
Jimmy Jacobs shed the emo-like persona we’ve seen from him in recent times and reverted back to the “Barbaric Berzerker” state of mind in order to battle “Sweet & Sour” Larry Sweeney in a battle of two of most unique and flamboyant men in the IWC. Jacobs brought back the furry boots, the metal spike, and the trademark “HUSS”ing to gain the psychological edge on Sweeney, and finished him off with the Contra Code for the win. Following the match, Jacobs acknowledged the IWC crowd, thanking them for their support both in the past and over the upcoming months as Jacobs enters knee surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
Chris Maverick’s new tag team, the former WWE Heart Throbs, Romeo Roselli & Antonio “The Promise” Thomas, now known as The Heartbreakers, stepped into the ring with Maverick’s prior tag team Eric Xtasy & Justin Idol, Sexual Harassment. While Maverick’s integrity and loyalty has been questioned in the past by prior tag teams he’s represented, certainly his presence came in handy here, as his presence lended enough of a distraction to make the Heartbreaker’s IWC tag team debut a successful one.
Dennis Gregory was able to defeat HENTAI’s hired hitman, “King of Diamonds” Eddie Kingston, making his IWC return for the first time in a year and a half. While the bad blood continues to exist between Gregory & HENTAI, it’s still unclear how personal this situation has become in recent times, and its also unknown when Gregory and HENTAI will finally meet in-ring one-on-one once again.
