WrestlingHeat.com presents
Review of ICW’s “Tag Team Mayhem”
By James Wilson
Attendance: 2,411
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date: November 25, 2012
Announcers: Don Callis & Todd Grisham
Howdy folks! This is James Wilson, here to deliver an Indy wrestling money shot as I review ICW’s latest show, “Tag Team Mayhem”. Rather misleading title considering that there are only two tags matches on the show. Still, with the main event being a preview of next show’s ICW Championship match, this should be a solid show. LET’S GET TO IT!
- Instead of the usual pre-taped promo, it looks like we’re going straight to the action with the grudge match between
Cliff Compton and
Franky the Mobster. For those of you that don’t remember, Franky cheap shotted Compton last week after both men competed in a 4-way dance. Franky claims that the reason for his attack was that Compton cost him the match. TAFKA as Domino is looking for revenge tonight.
Franky is out first, stomping his way to the ring and looking like he has snorted more than a few lines of coke. Despite receiving mainly boos from the crowd, he appears to have gained his fair share of fans as they let their voices be heard. Their cheers only get louder when Franky grabs a mic from a ringside attendant and proceeds to cut an unscheduled promo.
“AHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! CLIFF COMPTON! YOU CHEAP, LEATHER JACKET WEARING PUSSY! I HAD MY HEART SET ON WINNING THAT 4-WAY DANCE LAST WEEK AND USING THE PURSE MONEY TO CELEBRATE IN TIJUANA! DO YOU KNOW HOW CHEAP COKE IS IN TIJUANA?!?! YOU CAN BUY MOUNTAINS OF IT THERE FOR THE COST OF A BIG MAC AT MCDONALD’S! BECAUSE OF YOU, I HAD TO SNORT THAT INFEIROR AMERICAN MADE CRAP LIKE A GODDAMN ANIMAL! YOU SHATTERED MY HOPES AND DREAMS! SO TONIGHT, I’M GONNA SHATTER YOUR DREAMS! WITH A BIG BOOT TO THE FUCKING FACE!!!!” After that…colorful promo, Franky throws the mic down and awaits his opponent’s entrance as his cult following chants “FRANKY! FRANKY!” Franky responds to his fans by shouting, “SHUT THE FUCK UP, I’M GETTING READY TO DESTROY SOMEONE’S FACE!”
My thoughts: As always, Franky brings the goods on the mic. Truly, an amazing human being.
[67%]Match #1
Cliff Compton V. Franky The Mobster
Franky doesn’t have to wait long for his opponent as Cliff “Domino” Compton forgoes his usual “too cool for school” entrance and rushes down the ring, dropping his leather jacket on the ramp. As soon as he enters the ring, both men begin trading blows, neither one willing to give an inch! The match that follows isn’t pretty in the least but is a fun back-and-forth brawl. The story of the match appears to be that Franky tries to hit his signature Big Boot on Compton several times but every time, Compton is able to move out of the way. Frustrated, Franky yells out, “STAND STILL AND LET ME KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!”
Compton, wisely, ignores Franky’s advice and continues to dodge the Big Boot, choosing instead to take advantage of Franky’s stubbornness and pick his spots. This strategy works out well for Compton has is able to put Franky on the back foot and control a good part of this match. Unfortunately for Compton, he makes the mistake of going for the Cliff Hanger (Springboard Tornado DDT) a bit too early, which allows Franky to toss him to the outside! The former WWE star lands hard on the outside but is able to slowly get his feet and crawl back into the ring. He is welcomed by a MASSIVE Big Boot from Franky! Despite having basically won the match, Franky decides to drag Compton to his feet and send crashing back down onto the mat with the Credibility Statement (Chokebomb)! To the surprise of no one, this leads a victory for the crazy Canadian!
After the match, the ref tries to raise the hand of Franky but Franky pushes him away screaming, “WHY ARE YOU GRABBING MY HAND?! YOU TRYING TO DATE ME?! HUH?!?! YOU TRYING TO GET IN MY PANTS?!?!?! WELL, I DON’T SWING THAT WAY CREEP!” The ref tries to explain to Franky that it was customary for the ref to raise the victor’s hand but Franky will hear none of it as he grabs the zebra by the throat and nails him with the Credibility Statement! As he storms his way to the back, Franky looks in the camera and says, “REMEMBER KIDS, NO MEANS NO!” Franky the Mobster. An upstanding gentleman of the highest order.
My thoughts: By no means was this a technical masterpiece but it was an enjoyable match for fans of give-and-take brawling. Franky continues to be amazing and came off like even more of a lunatic (if that’s even possible) with his post-match actions. Overall, I give this segment thumbs up and a cheesy Mick Foley smile.
[***]
Match #2
High Flying Showcase!
Kenny Omega V. ACH
The in-ring action continues as the second match of the night looks to be an incredibly fast-paced one as international star Kenny Omega looks to do battle with the young rookie out of Texas, ACH. From the get-go, it’s obvious that this match will live up to its title of being a high-flying showcase as both men move with blinding speed, trying to outdo the other. At one point, Omega goes for his signature Hadouken palm strike but it is blocked by ACH going for a Kamehameha Wave palm strike at the same time! With each spectacular aerial move, the cheers from the crowd become higher and higher. By the time the high flying action reaches a crescendo, the cheers from the crowd is nearly deafening. Despite the incredible effort put in by both men, it was Omega’s experience that was the deciding factor as he was able to catch ACH with an enzugri as he was heading to the top rope. The DDT regular quickly peeled ACH off the ground and nailed him with Croyt’s Wrath! A 3 count by the ref soon follows and Omega picks up the victory in his debut match in ICW!
After the match, the crowd gives both men a standing ovation for the incredible match they just put on. After ACH had slowly dragged himself to his feet, he was offered a handshake by the former PWG World Champion! After briefly polling the crowd, ACH accepted Omega’s handshake and hugged him! After giving each other a quick promise that they would wrestle each other again soon, ACH left the ring and allowed Omega to celebrate his victory to the delight of the crowd.
My thoughts: Really fun match. While some of the work was sloppy and the crowd was dead for parts of it, they were completely into it by the end of the match. ACH continues to be wrestling’s best kept secret.
[**3/4] - We now cut to the first pretaped promo of the DVD, this one featuring
“The Bulldozer” Matt Tremont. Tremont cuts a short but sweet promo talking about over the past couple of months, all he can think about is his loss to Jun Kasai. More specifically, all he can think about is how Kasai disrespected him after the match. “When I wake up in the morning, I think about it. When I go to sleep, I think about it. When I’m going out to eat, when I’m at the gym, when I’m walking down the street…it’s all I can fucking think about!” Tremont then says that he’s tired of dwelling on the past and claims that it’s time for him to get that experience out of his mind once and for all. “Kasai, I’m challenging you to a rematch next month. After that match, you WILL respect me! If you don’t want to give me respect, I’m gonna get my fork, sharpen it up real nice, and try to carve your fucking eyes out until you do! You’re gonna get the Bulldozer full force next month! It’s like I always say, to be the best…you gotta stomp the rest!”
Tremont then goes to walk off-screen…but instead bumps into
Kevin Fertig. Dressed in a sinister looking black and red suit (complete with a cane with a skull on top), Fertig sneers at Tremont before saying that “The Bulldozer” is everything wrong with society today. “A barbaric imbecile that throws a temper tantrum like a petulant child every time he doesn’t get his way. You obviously don’t have the intelligence to achieve your goals so you use brute force to get what you want, completely disregarding the wants of others.” Tremont, not surprisingly, takes exception to Fertig’s comments and says that if the former WWE star has such a problem with him, they can “go” right now. After a tense stare down between the two, Fertig just laughs off Tremont’s threat and declines the offer to “go”. “Don’t worry, Matthew. You should be proud. You are a cornerstone of my plans of making society pay. We WILL cross paths in that ring soon. It just won’t be tonight. Until then, ta-ta.” With that, Fertig walks off-screen, leaving Tremont pondering what exactly Fertig meant by his comments.
My thoughts: Solid segment that builds to a possible feud between Tremont and Fertig. Tremont, despite being very vulgar, has great delivery and passion while Fertig was on point as usual. These two could do some great work together, especially promo wise.
[62%]Match #3
The BLKOUT V. Up in Smoke
The third match of the evening is also the first tag team match of the night (which is weird, considering that the show is called “Tag Team Mayhem”). This match pits CZW regulars, The BLKOUT, against Up in Smoke, who stumble their way into the ring with their eyes blood red. Honestly, it looks like they just got back from a Bob Marley concert. Neither team has picked up a win in ICW yet so a victory here is crucial. The BLKOUT seem to realize this as they jump the stoners as they enter the ring! This cheap tactic, combined with Up in Smoke seemingly not even knowing where they are, allows the former CZW champs to dominate much of the match. Much like in their match last month against Da Hit Squad, however, Cheech & Cloudy begin to make a comeback after being on the defensive for most of the match. Unfortunately for them, much like last month, the impressive comeback that they manage to muster is simply not enough. Eventually, after a tag team maneuver from the BLKOUT puts Cheech out of commission, Cloudy eats a 450 Splash from Ruckus followed by a Double Foot Stomp from the top rope by Blk Jeez, which gives BLKOUT the victory! Once the bell has rung signifying their victory, Ruckus & Jeez celebrate said victory by flipping off the fans and telling anybody that will listen that it’s “their time to shine”. Meanwhile, Cheech helps his partner to the back, wondering when they will pick up that big victory that continues to elude them.
My thoughts: The life story of Up in Smoke:
We were gonna win a match…but then we got high
We were gonna be stars…but then we got high
Now we’re 0-2 and we know why (Why?)
Because we got high, because we got high, because we got high!
LA DA DA DA DA
…They don’t pay me enough to be funny. Or creative for that matter.
[***1/4]- In another break from the in-ring action, the DVD cuts to a darkly lit street. Walking down the street, you can make out a figure dressed in dark clothing slowly approaching the camera. As the figure gets closer, it is revealed to be
Michael Knight. Knight talks about how he’s sick and tired of underdog stories. Specifically, he talks about movies highlighting underdog stories. “You know what I’m talking about. Movies that paint the little guy as this great hero that can overcome any odds and can somehow, someway, defeat their larger adversary. All of that…is bullshit.” Knight claims that his loss to Red two months ago was a fluke. Nothing more. Knight says that he will continue to remind people and, more importantly, Red that this isn’t a movie. This isn’t a fairy tale. This is reality. “Yes, Red might be the tiny underdog. And yes, I’m the big, mean, scary looking bully. And yes, the underdog did manage to get a miracle of a victory. But it won’t happen again. You aren’t going to squeak by with any more wins. You aren’t going to surprise me again. Make no mistake about it. If you and I face off in the ring again… I WILL kill you. In fact, I think I’m going to keep attacking you. Why? Because I can. Simple as that. That’s life for you. The big bully always comes out on top and does what he wants, when he wants. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
My thoughts: Knight has never been known as a good talker but he has such an intimidating presence that it still drove home the point of this promo well. Knight is an asshole bully that does what he wants.
[59%]Match #4
Special Challenge Match
Alex Kozlov V. Max Boyer
The penultimate match of the night is one that was made last month when Max Boyer challenged Alex Kozlov. Kozlov is out to prove that Russia truly is the best country in the world while Boyer is looking curb Kozlov’s arrogance and force him to show a little humility. The opening minutes of the match are very even as both men are well versed technicians and seemingly can’t get an advantage over the other as they trade holds. This struggle for control is broken when Kozlov pulls the ref in the way of an attempted clothesline into the corner by Boyer. “Canadian Dynamite” is forced to back off in fear of hitting the ref but this leaves him open to an attack by Kozlov!
“The Russian Hooligan” takes control of the match, tenderizing Boyer with several strikes and submissions. Boyer manages to fight through the pain, however, and keep himself in the match. He is able to turn the tide by ducking under a Discus Elbow attempt form Kozlov and dropping him on his head with a German Suplex! Boyer follows this up with several offensive maneuvers, including a sick looking Folding Powerbomb! None of them get him the 3 count but all of them succeed in wearing down Kozlov. Unfortunalty, Boyer tries to go for the Life Style (Wrist-Clutch Fisherman Brainbuster) a bit too early, which allows Kozlov to slip out of it. The former AAA star then hits a Russian Leg Sweep on Boyer and immediately transitions it into the Red Scare (Bridging Cobra Clutch)! Willed on by the fan’s support, Boyer holds on as long as he could but, after failing to reach the ropes, is forced to submit to the deadly submission hold! Kozlov wins this hard fought contest!
The Russia native is obviously pleased at his victory as he poses to the boos of the crowd and once again proclaims Russia to be superior to all countries. After pulling himself to his feet, Boyer offers Kozlov a handshake as a sign of respect for the clean victory. Kozlov isn’t impressed, however, and simply sticks his nose up at Boyer and brushes him off, disrespectfully bumping into him as he exits the ring and heads up the ramp. The Canadian can do nothing but shake his head in disappointment at the superiority complex of Kozlov.
My thoughts: A very well wrestled match with the main flaw being that the crowd was dead for most of it. Still, most of the crowd seemed like they legitimately could not stand Kozlov after the match was over so it appears that the “Russian Hooligan” is starting to catch fire as a heel.
[***]
- We now go to the locker room area for one final pre-taped. In the locker room,
Paul London and
Shane Douglas appear to be talking strategy for their upcoming tag match. Shane, being the glory hound that he is, instructs London to just “sit back and let a master work”. Douglas proclaims that he will handily defeat Burchill and Red by himself and that, if London’s lucky, he’ll tag the former WWE Tag Champ so that he can “get his flippy shit in for a minute or two”. London has a different strategy. “First, I’ll get Finnegan to travel forward in time and see the match. Then, he’ll tell me everything that Burchill and Red are going to do in the match so we’ll know how to counter everything! Now, we have to be careful because that little mutant Amazing Red may call on his home people on Mars to infuse him with the power of the red sun to overcome the ability of time travel. I have an alliance with them but they are quick to protect their own kin. Finnegan and I are prepared, however, and have the decrystalizing salt all ready to power him down. It’s really quite simple, Shane.”
Confused doesn’t even begin to describe the look on Shane’s face. After a full minute of him trying to comprehend what London just said, all he can muster is “…Boy, what is your malfunction? Just stay the hell out of my way and don’t screw this up for me!” Shane then pushes past London and exits the room. “Good talk, Shane!”, is London’s final words as the video ends.
My thoughts: …I want to punch London right in his goddamn throat. That said a fun little segment.
[66%]
Match #5
ICW Championship Match Preview
Shane Douglas & Paul London V. Paul Burchill & The Amazing Red
The main event of the night is a preview of sorts of the elimination 4-Way Dance next month that will be used to decide the inaugural ICW champion and sees all four of the competitors in that match in action. London and Douglas come out together with Douglas trying to walk far in front of London as if he is embarrassed to be seen with the Intrepid Traveler. Burchill and Red come out to a big pop from the crowd but Red’s ability to soak it in is hindered by the fact that his ribs are bandaged from the vicious attack by Michael Knight last month. Those bandages might as well be a huge target on Red’s ribs as they get worked for the majority of the match by two of the most hated men in ICW. Burchill tries to tag in and save his partner from the constant abuse to his most vulnerable area (aside from his testicles, of course) but London and Douglas cut the ring in half and don’t give Burchill a chance to tag in.
Fortunately for the good guys, London, after hitting a suplex on Red, decides to go the outside and talk strategy with Finnegan. As “The Franchise” is screaming at his partner to get back in the ring, Red is able to scramble over to his corner and tag in Burchill! London, finally listening to Douglas and realizing his mistake, runs back into the ring only to be met by the house of fire that is “The Ripper”! With the crowd fully behind him, Burchill lets loose with a flurry of offense on London, even managing to nail Douglas a few times! Soon enough, Burchill has London in perfect position for the Curb Stomp…but Douglas runs in and tackles The Ripper, breaking up the sure-fire match winner! Red, having gotten his second wind while resting on the apron, runs into to defend his partner and now the match has fallen into complete and utter chaos!
After a few minutes of both teams brawling, Burchill tries to nail London with a C4 off the top rope! London, however, head-butts Burchill a number of times and forces the Brit to go crashing to the ground. The “Intrepid Traveler” then hits Burchill with a 450 Splash…or he would have, had Red not nailed him in the back of the head with the kick! Immediately after the kick, Red proceeds to springboard off of the ring ropes and nail Douglas, who is on the outside, with a Moonsault! This breathtaking move got the crowd on their feet but it may have caused even more damage to Red’s ribs!
Back in the ring, Burchill has managed to get back to his feet and climbs up onto the top rope with the stunned London. He puts London into position, flips back, and nails the C4 off the top rope! The crowd is going absolutely bananas and counts along with the ref as he makes the 3-count and awards the victory to Burchill and Red! After recovering his wits, Douglas is absolutely furious to see that his team lost the match due to London’s insanity. On the other hand, Burchill and Red (still wincing and holding his ribs) are very happy that they managed to pull out the win and shake each other’s hand in celebration.
The cordial handshake quickly becomes tense, however, as both men refuse to let go and begin to stare each other down. They seem to realize that even though they are partner tonight, they’ll be opponents next month. To both men’s credit, however, they don’t let anything physical come out of the tense moment and just wish each other luck in next month’s match. Who will be ICW’s first champion?!
My thoughts: GREAT tag match to cap off the show. This is probably the new best match in ICW history. That last two or three minutes was just insane and had the crowd going nucking futs. It’ll be interesting to see who they put the belt on next month.
[***]Overall Thoughts: ICW starts heading back in the right direction as this show was every bit as good as “Insane in the Membrane”. It also built two big matches (the ICW Championship match and Tremont V. Kasai) for next month, which very well could be the company’s best show yet.
Overall Show Rating: 66%
