Cleveland, OH – 4.13.2012
Commentary is provided by Aaron Bauer, The Duke, Paul Rogers, and Matt Wadsworth.
Pre-Show Match
Eric Ryan vs. Ethan Page
Ryan delivers a shoulder block and armdrag. He snapmares Page. Page roll him up for two. Ryan sends him out and suicide dives after him. Ryan hits a missile dropkick back in the ring for two. He goes for the Package Piledriver. Page blocks it and ends up giving him a suplex. Page puts on a chinlock while locking Ryan’s arms. Ryan escapes with a chinbreaker. Page chokes him on the middle rope. Ryan boots Page to block a corner attack. He hits a flying Blockbuster for two. Page cuts off Ryan’s attack with a big boot. Page can’t believe that didn’t get him the pin. Ryan blocks a boot and knees Page in the face. He gets two with a German suplex. Page enzuigiri’s Ryan on the ring apron. He slingshots Ryan into a backbreaker. He comes in from the apron with an Ace Crusher for two. Ryan boots Page in the corner. Page does the same in the opposite corner. Page delivers a reverse DDT for two. Ryan gets the win with a Package Piledriver at 6:36. For a pre-show match that was very good. Page delivered some cool stuff and Ryan got to look strong in going over. **1/2
The show proper starts with Aaron Bauer catching up with Allysin Kay. He was curious as to why she wasn’t in Flexor Industries limo earlier today. She blows off the question because all she is concentrating on is her match with Mia Yim in the main event. Vic Travillgante asks Hailey Hatred her thoughts on facing Jenny Rose tonight. Hatred’s only faced her one time before, in a tag match in Japan, but she’s studied up and is looking forward to facing her again. Annie Social is with her trainer Sammy Geodollno. Social plans to make an impact tonight. Geodollno hyper her up and says nobody is going to take Social down tonight. Travillgante then asks Mia Yim about her thoughts about busting Allysin Kay’s nose at Girls Night Out 5. Yim chalks it up to karma. She plans to break her spirit and bring home the Women’s title tonight. Vic then asks Leva Bates to talk about herself to the camera. She actually got her spot in the show via Twitter petition. She’s very excited to show AIW what she’s all about. Vic wishes her luck. He’s then standing with Veda Scott, who is facing Sara Del Rey tonight. She can’t believe Sara calls herself a Queen of Wrestling. She plans to overthrow her tonight. Vic tells Flexor Industries that Allysin Kay is here tonight. Flexor doesn’t want to see her in a bad mood tonight. Stephie claims she’s going to beat Cherry Bomb tonight and become #1 Contender to her title. Kay then walks in and tells Flexor Industries to stay out of her match tonight. She plans to win the belt on her own.
Absolute Owner Matt Wadsworth makes his way out to the ring. He thanks the fans who over the past few days have given a ton of support to AIW. He even thanks some fans who traveled from overseas to see tonight’s show. He tells the fans that the JT Lightning Memorial tournament will have some adjustments to the line-up due to some bigger companies pulling talent, but the show will go on as will Absolution VII in July. He once again thanks the fans and says they will show their thanks by putting on a great show.
KC vs. Miss Heidi
Heidi baits KC into a forearm shot. KC puts on a side headlock. Heidi escapes and applies a wristlock. Heidi throws her to the mat by her hair. Heidi chokes KC on the middle rope. KC throws forearms in the corner. Heidi takes her down. KC trips her face first into the second turnbuckle. Heidi rakes the eyes and hairmares KC to the mat. Heidi skullf*cks her. Heidi steps on her hair and stretches the arms out. Heidi drops an elbow and goes right back to her hair. She misses a second elbow. KC throws her around by her hair. Heidi givers her a chinbreaker and an enzuigiri. KC gets the ropes. KC grabs her hair for a sit-out powerbomb and gets the pin at 5:02. Heidi’s attitude and style change makes her a lot more engaging. This was definitely a better showing for her this time around. I like KC quite a bit as well and I think these two certainly deserve to be brought back. **
Leva Bates come to the ring in a red Star Trek outfit and tribble in hand. She says because her opponent Gabriella Vanderpool is not here tonight, she’s going to conduct Star Trek trivia instead. This brings out Hailey Hatred. She’s going to replace Vanderpool.
Leva Bates vs. Hailey Hatred
Bates throws the tribble at Hatred and rolls her up for two. Hatred throws the tribble after using it to block a boot. Bates runs out to the crowd to grab it. Pedro Deluca will now tend to the tribble timekeeper’s table. Hatred amrwhips her across the ring. Bates headscissors Hatred and dropkicks her to the corner. Hatred comes off the second rope with an armdrag. Bates sunset flips her way out of a powerbomb. Hatred gives her a tilt-a-whirl slam. Hatred knee strikes Bates in the corner and puts on a Dragon sleeper. Hatred then stretches Bates out across her shoulder. She hangs up Bates in the corner and delivers a hip attack. Bates locks Hatred’s arms behind her head. Hatred escapes and delivers a dropkick for two. Bates turns a powerbomb into a facebuster. Bates throws some kicks to the stomach and the side of Hatred’s head. Bates stops mid Shiranui to hit a dropkick. What? She goes for it again after delivering double knees. She hits it this time around and gets two. Hatred nails her with a lariat for two. Hatred gives her a wheelbarrow suplex. Hatred’s running Liger Bomb gets her the pin at 9:16. This was so weird. Bates just threw the vibe of the match off and Hatred seemingly had no idea what to make of her. It made for an awkward nine minutes. *
Taylor Made vs. Melanie Cruise
Cruise throws Made to the mat. She clobbers her in the back with forearms. Cruise doesn’t move when made hits her with clotheslines. Made kicks out her legs instead. Cruise trips when Made tries whipping her across the ring. Cruise side steps Made’s corner attack. Cruise gives her a spinning side slam. Cruise pulls her out of the corner. When she only gets a two count she chokes Made in frustration. She stretches Made’s back out across her boots. Cruise then chokes her with her boot. When the referee makes Cruise release the choke Made schoolgirls her for two. Cruise takes control again with a legdrop. Made ducks a clothesline and nails a crossbody. Made kicks out her knee. She monkey flips Cruise across the ring. Made misses a splash in the corner. Cruise gives her a facebuster off the shoulders for the pin at 8:53. Cruise’s size and domination really made her stand out amongst the pack. Made looked fine too but since her and Cruise know each other really well I’m curious how both of them (especially Made) would do outside of their comfort soon. I’d like to see Cruise take on Sara Del Rey at a future GNO show. **1/4
Mad Man Pondo is introduced. He lets the fans know he and John Thorne are going to have a Hardcore match on Night Two of the JT Lightning Invitational weekend. He wants to know if the fans want to see a women’s No DQ match tonight. The fans are all about it. So, this next match will be under those rules.
No Disqualification
“Crazy” Mary Dobson vs. Trash Cassidy
Both women come prepared. Dobson has a staple gun and Cassidy has a water jug taped to a stick. Dobson headbutts Cassidy in a collar and elbow tie-up. Dobson throws some punches to the mid-section. Cassidy sneaks in a bulldog. Dobson kicks her down in the corner. Dobson introduces the staple gun into the ring. Cassidy kicks her before she can use it. Cassidy ends up stapling a dollar to Dobson’s forehead. Dobson doesn’t show much ill effect. She snapmares Cassidy and uses the gun on Cassidy’s lower region. While Cassidy is writhing in pain, Dobson grabs some light tubes. She also gets some chairs from under the ring. She put a light tube structure that was already ringside on four set up chairs. Dobson goes to smash Cassidy’s face into the light tubes from the back. Cassidy reverses it, then smashes the light tube over Dobson’s head. Cassidy then hip tosses her through the light tube structure. Cassidy rubs some of Dobson’s blood on her face. She hits Dobson in the side of the head with the water jug. She hits her with it four more times. Dobson somehow kicks out of Cassidy’s pin attempt. Dobson blocks a hip toss. She rolls Cassidy into cradle for the pin at 6:38. If you like two women senselessly beating each other, this is for you. This didn’t even build very well. Dobson I guess just wanted to bleed, or both women were so unconfident in their abilities that they knew straight wrestling wouldn’t get over. Well this didn’t either. Not to me anyways. *
Cherry Bomb vs. Sassy Stephanie
Chest Flexor and “The Chad” Williams are in Stephanie’s corner. Stephanie puts on a headlock. Bomb shoves her off and both women criss cross off the ropes. Bomb cuts Stephanie off and slaps her in the face. They run the ropes again. Stephanie tries to slap Bomb but Bomb is too smart and slaps her first. Bomb splashes her in the corner. She misses a second splash. Stephanie kicks her in the back of the head and stomps her into the mat. She chokes Bomb on the middle rope. Flexor chokes her behind referee Jake Clemons’ back. Stephanie turns a front facelock into a Muta Lock. Bomb escapes and chops Stephanie against the ropes. Stephanie uses Bomb’s hair to bring her back to the apron. Stephanie skullf*cks her for two. Bomb sunset flips her for two. Stephanie nails a clothesline. Bomb gives Stephanie a facebuster. Bomb delivers a corner dropkick and knee strike. Bomb dropkicks Stephanie’s head into the second turnbuckle. Flexor pulls Bomb out of the ring to break the count. Bomb then dropkicks Flexor into Stephanie. “The Chad” Williams throws her back in the ring. Stephanie gets two with a neckbreaker. Bomb responds with a superkick for the pin at 8:35. Bomb has impressed in every AIW showing she has had. She would be my candidate to win the Women’s title next. Stephanie played a good foil and has a good role in Flexor Industries. The match itself was solid but it gave you a good idea on who both women are as characters. **1/2
Taeler Hendrix vs. Annie Social
Sammy Geodollno is in Social’s corner. Hendrix puts on a side headlock. Social turns that into a hammerlock. Hendrix switches back. Social shoulder blocks her to the mat. Social slams Hendrix face first into the mat for two. Geodollno chokes Hendrix on the middle rope behind the referee’s back. Social clotheslines her in the corner. Social kicks her in the vagina. Or at least very close to it. Social gets two with a suplex. Hendrix throws a couple headbutts. Hendrix kicks her in the stomach and delivers a dropkick for two. Social ducks a roundhouse kick and hits a rolling forearm. Geodollno wants Social to use a chair. Social gets in an argument with her. That allows Hendrix to roll up Social for the pin at 5:08. What the hell was that? I mean it would have been one thing if there was a history between Geodollno and Social that the crowd knew of so they could get behind the tension and mistake, but as a standalone moment it was strange and unsatisfying. The good news is Hendrix, the stand out of the two, got to go over. *
Jennifer Blake vs. Kimber Lee
A wristlock exchange kicks this one off. Lee brings Blake to the mat in a headlock. Lee sends her to the floor with a satellite headscissors. Blake comes back in and drop toe holds Blake into the corner. Blake delivers a face wash kick after a modified X-Factor. Blake throws Lee to the corner by her hair. Lee rolls up Blake after a boot from the corner. Blake kicks out the inside of Lee’s leg. Blake does some more damage to Lee’s leg out on the floor. Lee throws some chops but Blake gives them back even harder. Blake gives her a spin-out slam for two. Blake throws some back elbows at Lee’s face before stretching out her back across her knee. Lee fights out of it. She delivers an enzuigiri for two. Blake suplexes Lee on the back of her head. Lee valiantly kicks out. Blake ducks a kick to the head and delivers a Bizarro Driver for the pin at 8:12. Finally, a match with good wrestling and storytelling. I know she’s busy in Mexico, but I would bring in Jennifer Blake for every GNO show possible. She outshined everybody on the card so far. To her credit, Kimber Lee is an awesome babyface. I only see her as a heel in CZW and other places and to see her play her role tonight so well makes me question why. I feel like I owe both of these girls a huge thank you for giving this show something truly worthwhile to watch. ***
Sara Del Rey vs. Veda Scott
Scott goes for the arm, but Sara twists up her leg. When Scott throws a kick, Sara turns her over and pulls her hair. Scott crawls to the ropes to break the hold. Sara gives her a sort of one legged monkey flip while locking Scott’s knuckles. She turns that into a straight jacket choke. Scott flips her over and grabs hold of the arm. Sara arm whips her to the mat. She kicks Scott’s arm while it’s wrapped up in the ropes. Sara kneels onto and stretches the arm out. Sara blocks a sunset flip by knee dropping Scott’s arm. Sara Divorce Courts the arm for two. Scott unleashes some strikes and shoulder blocks in the corner. Sara dropkicks Scott in the midsection and legdrops the arm. Sara puts on a crossface. Scott gets the ropes to break it. Scott catches Sara with a DDT. Scott bulldogs Sara after a clothesline. She puts on a Muta Lock. Sara breaks it and hits the Koppu Kick. Sara puts on another arm capture crossface. Scott taps out 9:10. Again, more good wrestling with a solid story. I loved Scott playing the severe underdog. That roll suited her perfectly and Sara played the veteran role very well. I’d actually like to see Sara take Scott under her wing because much like Lee, I see a lot of potential in her. Scott blows off Sara’s handshake though so I don’t foresee that coming to fruition. **3/4
Hailey Hatred vs. Jenny Rose
Rose delivers a dropkick right at the start. Hatred catches her with an overhead suplex. She snapmares Rose into a Dragon Kick. Rose schoolgirls her and delivers three low dropkicks. They blast each other with forearms. Hatred ends the exchange with a big boot. She chops us Rose’s chest in the corner. Hatred gets two with a suplex. Rose responds with a neckbreaker. Rose gives her a single arm DDT. Hatred kicks out her legs. Rose gets fired up and goes right back to damaging up Hatred’s arm. Hatred blocks a Magistral cradle. Rose puts on a modified armbar. Hatred gets the ropes to break it. Hatred gets two with a Northern Lights suplex. Hatred delivers a running chop in the corner. Hatred knee strikes Rose on the ring apron. Rose sunset flips Hatred from the ring apron. She only gets a two, so she goes for a crucifix pin and gets the same result. A Magistral cradle doesn’t work either. Rose drops Hatred with a reverse DDT. She then gets two with a high crossbody. Hatred catches her with a clothesline. Hatred lifts her up into a German suplex. Rose spears Hatred for two. Hatred forearms Rose in the face as she comes off the ropes. More forearms are thrown. Rose blocks a boot and delivers a fisherwoman’s suplex for two. Rose also gets two with a flying clothesline. Hatred crotches her on the top rope. She superplexes Rose for two. Hatred then gives her a Dragon suplex for the pin at 11:42. A few awkward moments aside, this was really excellent. This was the kind of hard hitting, engaging wrestling the fans had wanted to see all along and responded in kind. Hatred still is at the pedestal of top female talent in AIW but Rose put in a heck of a showing herself. ***
AIW Women’s Championship – Unsanctioned, Fans Bring the Weapons Match
Mia Yim vs. Allysin Kay
Mickie Knuckles recently vacated the title, so this match will determine a brand new champion. This is of course a rematch from the last Girls Night Out show here Yim broke Kay’s nose in the middle of the match. It was a gruesome sight and Kay is out for revenge. Yim carries two light tubes out of the ring.
Kay delivers a headbutt. Both women slap each other silly. Yim throws Kawada kicks. Kay ducks one and German suplexes Yim for a one count. Kay stomps her down in the corner. Yim fires up and throws Kay across the ring by her hair. Yim puts on a Muta Lock. She grabs her t-shirt and chokes Kay with it. Kay trips Yim so she can throw forearms at her face. Kay puts on an armbar. Yim grabs a brook stick and hits Kay until she is freed. Kay throws boots at her chest. Kay gets mad when she realizes a gun a fan brought isn’t real. Yim throws Kay to the floor and smashes the toy gun with a baseball bat. Now both women stand-off with baseball bats in hand. They drop them and go to the mat. Kay smacks Yim in the head with some debris from the gun. She smacks Yim with a broom for two. Yim baits Kay to the floor and kicks her from the ring apron. Kay hits her leg with a chair when she goes for another kick. Kay then kicks the chair into Yim’s face! Yim recovers and throws Kay into the ring post. Kay chokes her with the broom. Kay whips her into some chairs in the crowd. Yim picks up a light tube after knocking Kay down by the ring. Kay responds with a fucking machete. Yim wisely backs down. Kay tries to stab her on the stage. Yim rolls out and the machete gets stuck. Yim blasts her in the head with the light tube for a two count. In the ring Yim misses a twisting senton. Flexor Industries makes their way ringside. Kay is not happy about this since she told them to stay away from the ring earlier. While Kay is dealing with Sassy Stephanie, Chest Flexor throws powder into Yim’s eyes. Kay doesn’t know this even occurred when she gives Yim a Saito suplex. That gives her the win and the title at 11:19. The machete spot was a nice, violent touch to really add on just how personal this feud is. This wasn’t as crazy as I think people would expect but it was still very well orchestrated and smartly executed. Yim has really begun to open some eyes with her Greg Excellent matches in CZW and this is another instance where she got to show that she’s the real deal. Kay is excellent too and I think she could have a nice, prosperous reign as champion. ***1/4
Kay chastises Flexor Industries after the bout. She wants Jake Clemons to restart the match but he can’t do so. Kay takes out her frustrations by giving The Chad a low blow and suplexing Flexor. Yim is also not pleased. Matt Wadsworth comes out. He clarifies that the match can’t be restarted because no rules were broken, so there’s no reason for a restart. He does however promise a rubber match between the two and promises that nobody will get involved. If we get a steel cage match between these two I would be a very happy man.
Overall: The first half of this show was a borderline debacle. So much so that I was not in good spirits for the second half. Thankfully, Blake/Lee, Scott/Sara and Yim/Kay all perked up my spirits and delivered the goods. While those 3 matches are good, I still would give the show a thumbs down. The bad heavily outweighs the good, there’s no progress in storylines outside of the GNO universe (though Yim/Kay may be bleeding onto regular AIW shows soon) and the previous two GNO shows were so much better. I’m not one for women’s wrestling, so seeing more than one of these shows a year is too many for my taste. I’d much rather have a women’s match or two on the regular shows much more than a whole show where most of the show doesn’t deliver. I understand this a niche product however, so your mileage may vary when it comes to your enjoyment. Personally, I was disappointed that this was the follow-up after the very good “Straight Outta Compton” show.
However, if you are interested, you can pick up the DVD from AIW’s store or Smart Mark Video. You can also download it as an MP4, as well as watch it On Demand at a reduced price at SMVOD.