The Kari Williams MMWA-SICW Recap
(February 9, 2008)
On the MMWA-SICW Feb. 9 show at South Broadway Athletic Club, the action was just as much inside the ring as outside. Nearly every match entailed a spill out of the ring, and the fans ate up every minute of it.
Junior Heavyweight Champion A.J. Williams defended his title against Kahyman, MMWA-SICW’s resident vampire in the night’s main event. Neither man gained a clear advantage early on and each competitor made a statement that demanded victory—Kahyman with a picture-perfect dropkick and Williams with a relentless attack filled with flying fists and furious punches. Only minutes into the match, the action spilled to the outside, where Williams connected with a double axe-handle from the ring apron. Although Williams appeared to be in control, Kahyman turned the match around and gained a distinct advantage at the 10-minute mark.
Moments later, both athletes ended up on the outside of the ring for a second time. At some point while on the outside, Kahyman injured his left arm. Hoping to secure a quick victory on a weakened Kahyman, Williams went for the cover, but to no avail. Going on instinct, Kahyman, with only one good arm, recooperated enough to hit a swanton bomb from the top rope. Nevertheless, fate was not on Kahyman’s side as Williams hit a superkick and the 450 splash to secure the victory and retain his title.
Shrouded in confusion, the preceding bout, as oringially billed, had Phil E. Blunt set to face Eric Brewer. However, when Brewer did not come to the ring after two consecutive announcements, Dave Vaughn, Moondog Rover and Shaft appeared at ringside. The fans were then informed that Brewer was not in the building.
As a result, officials determined that one of the three men who had come down would have the opportunity to serve as Brewer’s substitute. Shaft got the go ahead, as well as the early advantage, but Blunt quickly took over. Soon after the bout began, one of Blunt’s partners-in-crime, Jerome Cody, ventured to ringside and interfered in the match, out of sight of the referee. By the five-minute mark, Cody’s antics benefited Blunt, as he had firm control of the match. Shaft got in very little offense for the remainder of the match, securing only an ankle lock, which Blunt reversed.
The closing moments consisted of Blunt planting Shaft with a viscious power bomb at 9:57. Because Blunt could not be content only boasting of his accomplishment, he enlisted the aid of Cody to help him beat down Shaft, resulting in both Tommy Knight and Kevin X venturing to ringside. Initially, it appeared as though X would assist Shaft. However, proving his false motivations, X boasted that he would take on all comers, including Shaft.
Prior to that predicament, X defended his Heavyweight Championship against Jeremy Lightfoot. Tensions were high from bell to bell, as the two warriors held nothing back. During the contest, Shaft made his way to ringside to observe the proceedings.
In an attempt to eliminate the Lightfoot Driver from the equation, X consistently worked on Lightfoot’s arm throughout the battle. After 10 minutes had elapsed, X executed a running powerslam and journeyed to the top turnbuckle. However, Lighfoot had him scouted and blocked X with a big boot to the face. Gaining momentum, Lightfoot connected with a moonsault from the second rope, but could not capitalize as a result of X lying within arm’s reach of the ropes.
In effect, Lightfoot positioned X on the turnbuckles for a superplex, but X telegraphed it, and was able to put Lightfoot in yet another arm-wrenching submission. Although a valiant effort on Lightfoot’s part, X’s targeting of a specific body part ensured his victory, as Lightfoot tapped out.
Following his triumph, X said that Shaft, who was still ringside, could have a title shot at any time. X followed that statement by saying, “I don’t lie down, and I kick down!” Every fan in the building seemed to be on Shaft’s side of the confrontation. Even one of the Slamzone crew, who were selling merchandise, held up 8x10s of Shaft, and chanted in unison with the rest of the crowd, “Shaft! Shaft! Shaft!”
Prior to that stellar match-up, Moondog Rover tried to make puppy chow out of Lumberjack Abe. After back and forth action in the beginning moments, Abe forced Rover to the outside, where Lumberjack Gabe, who had accompanied Abe to ringside, was lying in wait. The action continued, with neither man claiming a distinct advantage. Near the final moments of the match, Gabe stole Rover’s signature bone, much to the shagrin of Rover. Gabe used Rover’s ally against him, giving the win to his partner—no bones about it.
Shaft and Jerome Cody made their initial appearances in the bout just prior to intermission. Jerome Cody appeared to be at a disadvantage in the beginning stages until Lightfoot came out to observe the goings on of the contest, distracting Shaft. Ten minutes in, Cody had a decisive advantage. However, Shaft’s ‘never-say-die’ personality would not allow him to give up easily. He had Cody tied up with an ankle lock, and it appeared as though Shaft had the match won. Cody slammed his hand to the mat once—but that did not constitute a ‘tap out’—then twice—still not an official ‘tap’—and once again he pulled the same trick, giving himself just enough time to grasp for the bottom rope.
After another back and forth encounter, the match ended in a draw, with Cody nearly tapping to the ankle lock.
All hell broke loose in the evening’s ladies’ match, where Stacy O’ Brien took on Alexis. O’ Brien controlled the opening moments of the bout until Alexis connected with a piledriver and a near fall. No clear advantage could be seen until five minutes in, where O’ Brien lead the match. After a viscious chase around the ring, both athletes found themselves back in the squared circle with O’ Brien on the receiving end of feroucious chops by Alexis. The women then found their way to the outside once again, pummeling each other with a barrage of flying fists, causing the referee to end the contest with a double count-out. The sounding of the bell did not deter these two hard-hitting individuals. It took the referee, Lightfoot and Waco to separate the two.
In the first title match of the evening, Saladin and Waco took on the Tag Team Champions Mr. Bibbs and Dave Vaughn. Saladin and Vaughn started the match for their respective teams, with Vaughn antagonizing Saladin with unrelenting chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” As the match got underway, Saladin and Waco used excellent tag team strategy by cutting the ring in half, executing quick tags and double-teaming Vaughn in the early stages.
However, Bibbs’ experience combined with Vaughn’s natural athleticism sealed the victory for the tag team champs. Bibbs ended the match with a boot to the face of Saladin, and an added spear by Vaughn for good measure, to get the three count. Following the victory, The Lumberjacks came out to challenge the champions to a match, which Bibbs and Vaughn readily accepted.
Kicking off an explosive night, Lumberjack Gabe, accompanied by Abe, took on “Hot Shot” Tommy Knight, accompanied by Blunt. In a back and forth contest, Gabe and Knight both implemented key moves from their arsenal, with Gabe utilizing his pound-and-ground attack and Knight tying up Gabe in a classic figure-four leglock. With both Blunt and Abe interfering at one point or another, Gabe essentially cost his own brother a victory by accidentally connecting with a fist to the face on Abe when Knight ducked out of the way and secured the pin.
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