By Chris Vetter, Torch Contributor

IWA-Mid South returned to Midlothian, Ill., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006, for “No Retreat, No Surrender.” The crowd here in suburban Chicago is about 150, and they are into the action.

Smart Mark Video taped the show with two cameras, and lighting & sound are good. The ring looked particular terrible tonight. Ben Jordan handles play-by-play on commentary, and he is joined by Eddie Kingston, the Iron Saints, then ref Bryce Remsburg on color during the show.

As with virtually all IWA-Mid South shows, there are no backstage segments tonight; everything is done in front of the fans.

(1) Darin Corbin defeats Trik Davis at 7:28. Solid opener. Darin is the goofy red-head from Minnesota, and the announcers acknowledge he is a trainee of Arik Cannon’s. Darin danced around the ring, shaking his rear, and drawing some good heel heat. Trik is the undersized popular babyface here. The referee is Bryce Remsburg, and he is selling some injuries from the night before. They traded basic armdrags, and Trik hit a shouldertackle and a dropkick. Darin came back by slingshotting Trik’s throat over the top rope, then Darin hit a Russian Legsweep.

Darin hit some blows to the back and he choked Trik. Darin hit a nice senton at 4:00, and he posed for the crowd, drawing a chorus of boos. Darin missed his Face Eraser/running basement dropkick. Trik dove through the ropes onto Darin, and they crashed into the chairs on the floor. In the ring, Trik hit a Flatliner/reverse Russian Legsweep. Chris Hero sauntered to ringside at 5:30. The wrestlers traded numerous rollup attempts, and Bryce was exhausted, as he sold his injuries, and he bowed out of the match! A new ref replaced Remsburg! Trik hit his double knees to the chest for a nearfall. Trik was distracted by Hero at ringside, and Darin nailed the Shin City/flying double shins to the face for the pin. Wow, what an upset!

After the match, Chris Hero tried to shake Darin’s hand, but Darin pushed it away. Very good story told here, as we know that Hero hates both Arik Cannon and Trik Davis, and the announcers stressed that Darin is a Cannon trainee. Well done.

(2) Corporal Robinson defeats Marco “Stylz” Cordova at 4:11. Good short match. Corp. Robinson wore a red shirt. They traded blows, and Robinson hit a sloppy plancha to the floor, as he got tied in the ropes. In the ring, Marco hit a snap suplex and some spine kicks. Robinson hit some big punches. Marco hit a nice belly-to-belly suplex, and the crowd got behind Robinson. Corp. Robinson hit a nice running forearm and a Tornado DDT. Cordova hit a nice T-Bone Suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Robinson hit a second-rope Russian Legsweep for the pin. Solid match, and although it was short, Cordova wasn’t squashed, either.

(3) Claudio Castognoli defeats Marek Brave at 12:37. Very good match. Marek came out limping, selling injuries from the night before. They tied up, and Claudio kicked at Marek’s injured left knee immediately! Marek came back with a nice headscissors takedown and an armdrag, but Claudio again kicked at the injured knee, and the crowd booed! Claudio slammed the injured leg around the ring post, and he ripped off the kneepad. He applied a half-crab on the leg, then he hit a cool Giant Swing, spinning Marek by the leg, for a nearfall at 5:30.

Marek was doing a great job of selling the knee here. He hit an enziguri, and both men went down. Marek fired back with some punches and a clothesline, then a Victory Roll and a spear. Claudio applied a Horse Collar, wrapping Marek’s leg behind Claudio’s neck, and Marek screamed in pain, but he reached the ropes at 10:30. Marek fired back with a nice satellite headscissors takedown, and an awesome Reverse Rana! Marek hit a frogsplash, but he couldn’t push off on his injured left leg. Claudio again applied the Horse Collar, in the center of the ring, and this time, Marek tapped out. “An impressive victory for Double C,” Jordan said. Good match.

(4) B.J. Whitmer defeats C.J. Otis at 12:26. Good strong-style match that exceeded my expectations. Bryce Remsburg joined Jordan on commentary. B.J. stalled early and complained about Otis pulling his hair. They opened with some basic standing switches, and Whitmer pulled Otis down by the hair! Otis hit a nice belly-to-belly suplex, and Whitmer bailed to the floor at 4:00. Whitmer hit some forearms to the back, and Otis hit some punches. Whitmer hit a nice running basement dropkick in the corner, then a standing neckbreaker and a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 6:00.

They brawled on the floor, where Otis fired up. In the ring, Otis hit an enziguri, hitting the shoulder, then a baseball slide dropkick. They traded some STIFF forearms. Whitmer hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 10:00. Otis fired right back with a Saito Suplex, and both men were down. They traded chops and Whitmer hit an Exploder for a nearfall. Otis went for the Burning Hammer, but Whitmer escaped, and Whitmer immediately hit the Wrist-Clutch Exploder for the pin. Good match.

(5) Lotus & Crazy J defeat Brandon Thomaselli & Eddie Kingston at 12:32. I loved this action! Lotus & Crazy J are dubbed “Irish Airborne,” and they wear black & green trunks. Brandon wore an ugly singlet, and he’s starting to look like a young Taz. Kingston and Lotus started and they traded some good mat wrestling, followed by Crazy J trading armbars with Brandon. Lotus hit a doublestomp on Brandon’s head for a nearfall at 4:30, and Irish Airborne hit some good tag moves, kicking at Brandon. They hit a team Alabama Slam, and Lotus hit a nice Lionsault.

However, the heels began to work over Lotus, as Kingston hit some heavy chops and forearms. Brandon hit a nice Brainbuster for a nearfall. There is an awkward spot at 7:00, when Lotus headed to his corner, realized he shouldn’t be making the hot tag yet … and he froze. Jordan tried to play it on commentary that Lotus’ knee gave out. The heels hit consecutive Mafia Kicks in the corner on Lotus, and Kingston hit some rolling suplexes. The heels are both laying in some stiff forearms! Lotus nailed a snapmare driver and made the hot tag to Crazy J at 9:30.

Crazy J hit a dropkick and a nice standing neckbreaker. The faces hit a cool sequence where they hit a doublestomp on the head, then a Death Valley Driver, onto one of their partner’s knees! Kingston fired back with a belly-to-belly suplex on Lotus for a nearfall. Lotus hit a Shining Wizard, then a plancha to the floor on Kingston. While those two fought on the floor, Brandon hit a fisherman’s buster on Crazy J. They brawled on the top rope, where Crazy J hit a flip/pedigree (think like a Canadian Destroyer) off the ropes on Brandon, and the crowd went NUTS, chanting “Holy sh—!” Lotus then hit a modified Angle Slam, almost a Jimmy Rave Ghana-Rea, and Lotus pinned Kingston. The crowd gave them all a well-deserved standing ovation. Excellent tag match.

After the match, the Iron Saints (Sal & Vito Thomaselli) confronted Eddie Kingston and were upset that Kingston lost the match. Trouble amongst the heels?

(6) Tony Scarpone & Robert Anthony (The Midwest Mafia) defeat Chandler McClure & Trik Davis at 6:31. Solid match. Anthony has a great physique, and he had a tremendous match with Frankie Kazarian a couple months ago. Scarpone is muscular with a bit of a gut. Chandler came out first, and he said that his usual tag partner, Eric Priest, hasn’t arrived yet. Trik came out and offered to be Priest’s partner for one night only. McClure started against Scarpone, and McClure hit a headscissors takedown. Trik hit a doublestomp on Scarpone’s back.

Trik hit an armdrag and a one-legged dropkick on Anthony, then he hit a headscissors off the ring apron to the floor on Anthony. Scarpone hit some chops and a guillotine legdrop on McClure, then he hit a delayed vertical suplex. Anthony hit some stiff forearms and a hard clothesline, as the heels worked over McClure. McClure fired back with a German Suplex off the ropes on Anthony at 6:00, and he went to make the hot tag. However, Chris Hero ran out, attacked Trik, and crotched him around a ringpost! McClure was getting beat up in the ring, and Anthony hit a Spike Piledriver, with Scarpone covering McClure for the pin.

(7) Josh Abercrombie defeats Tyler Black at 13:22 to win the light-heavyweight title. Good match, but not as good as some of their prior matchups. The stipulations here are: this is their last matchup for at least six months, and the pin can only come after someone hits the Phoenix Splash. Black charged the ring and hit a dropkick and a flying forearm. Black missed a flip to the floor (playing off what happened in their last match nine days earlier!), but this time, he landed on his feet, and he hit Abercrombie with a clothesline on the floor.

In the ring, Black hit a senton, a hurricanrana, and a Northern Lights Suplex. Abercrombie tied Black in the Tree of Woe, and he attacked Black and worked the left leg. Abercrombie hit a nice Dragonscrew legwhip at 3:30, and he applied a single-leg crab. Abercrombie applied a Figure Four Leglock, and the ref didn’t force Abercrombie to break the hold when Black reached the ropes, because this is no DQ. The crowd rallied behind Black, and he was able to reverse the Figure Four. Abercrombie stayed on top with a cool cartwheel splash on the injured leg at 9:00.

Black nailed a nice Taliban Backpack/leaping lungblower (Josh’ move!), and both men were down. Black hit a Pele Kick, a backbody drop and some stiff forearms and Kawada Kicks. Abercrombie applied a Konnan Tequila Sunrise/modified crab, and Black appeared to be passed out on the mat. Abercrombie went for a Phoenix Splash, but Black got his knees up to block it. Black then hit a Small Package Driver. But, in the end, Abercrombie hit two consecutive Phoenix Splashes and scored the pin to win the title back. Good match.

Ian Rotten came to the ring, and he announced that Abercrombie would defend his title next month against his teammate, Brandon Thomaselli!

(8) Necro Butcher (w/Trik Davis) defeats Chris Hero (w/Claudio Castognoli) at 20:25. Good match that told a unique story. “Only in IWA-Mid South will you see Necro Butcher in a European Rounds match,” Bryce Remsburg said on commentary. So, this is a Euro Rounds match for five 3-minute rounds. After that, if Necro is still in the match, it becomes a sit-down bar fight. It may sound confusing, but it played out well, and the crowd here loves Necro Butcher and hates Hero, so the crowd dug this. Hero got on the mic and explained the rules of a Euro Rounds match. Even though Remsburg is injured, Hero demands that Remsburg be the referee for this match. (One important stipulation here – if Hero wins, Trik Davis will NEVER be allowed to wrestle in the annual Ted Petty Invitational tournament!)

Round 1: Hero stalled. Necro through Hero through the ropes to the floor, and Hero is a bit loopy early on. Necro hit an armdrag, showing he can mat wrestle, and Hero stalled a bit more. Round 2: Hero hit some illegal closed-fist punches when the ref was out of position. On commentary, Ben Jordan acknowledged the feud of Claudio & Hero vs. Necro & Toby Klein in CZW right now. I like it. Necro hit a hard punch, and Bryce gave Necro a yellow card at 6:30. Round 3: Necro hit a nice takedown move and worked Hero’s left leg. Hero hit some blows to the back. Bryce gave Hero a yellow card warning, and Hero beat up Necro when Bryce’s back was turned.

Round 4: Hero ran at Necro as sound as the round began, and he got a schoolboy rollup with a handful of pants to score the first pin of the match at 11:30. The round automatically ends with a pin. Round 5: Hero hit some kicks to the thigh and he applied a one-legged crab, and he taunted Ian Rotten. Bryce gave Hero a second yellow card warning. Suddenly, Arik Cannon was on the ring apron, distracting Hero, so Bryce gave Necro a second yellow card because of Cannon’s interference. Meanwhile, Trik Davis ran in the ring, gave Hero a low blow, then a hard headbutt, and Necro pinned Hero to tie the match at 15:32!

Because Necro survived the Euro Rounds, two chairs were brought in the ring, and they had to sit down across from each other and duke it out. Hero wouldn’t sit down at first, and the crowd booed him. They traded punches, with Necro clearly throwing stiffer blows. Necro applied a cravate (Hero’s move!), then he hit a knockout punch to the jaw, and he applied an Asiatic Spike to Hero’s shoulder to score the win!

Claudio Castognoli jumped in the ring after the match to attack Necro, but Necro applied the Asiatic Spike on him too. However, Claudio & Hero hit a team back suplex on Necro on an open chair in the ring. Good match with some unique rules and the crowd was hot.

(9) Sal & Vito Thomaselli (the Iron Saints) (w/Eddie Kingston) defeat Delirious & Matt Sydal at 13:51 to retain the tag titles. Good match. As usual, Delirious went crazy as the bell sounded, and he hit a flurry of clotheslines in the corner on Sal. Sydal entered, and he hit a top-rope moonsault on the heels on the floor. Delirious nailed Sal with some chops. In the ring, Sydal hit some weak kicks to Sal’s stomach (they showed some light). Vito tagged in, and he hit a powerbomb on Sydal. The heels began to work Sydal over, with a nice clothesline/legsweep combo for a nearfall at 4:30.

Vito hit a senton for a nearfall. Sal hit a powerslam for a nearfall, then he applied a bodyscissorslock around Sydal’s waist. The heels made numerous illegal switches. Sydal fired back with a jump-up hurricanrana off the ropes, and he made the hot tag to Delirious at 10:30. Delirious nailed a German Suplex on Vito, then he powerbombed Vito onto Sal in the corner for a nearfall. Delirious hit a Shadows over Hell backsplash on Sal for a believable nearfall at 12:00.

Vito hit a brainbuster on Delirious. Eddie Kingston ran in the ring, but he accidentally kicked Vito!! Sydal hit a Shooting Star Press for a nearfall, but Kingston pulled the ref out of the ring! Sydal chased Kingston to the back, leaving Delirious against the Thomasellis. Sal pinned Delirious with a rollup, as Vito used his legs to push on Sal, adding leverage to the pin. Good tag match.

(10) Arik Cannon defeats Jimmy Jacobs (w/BJ Whitmer) at 21:46 to win the IWA-Mid South Heavyweight Title. Excellent match. Kingston joined Ben Jordan on commentary. Whitmer was handcuffed in one corner before the match began. Bryce again is called on to ref the match. They traded chops, and Cannon nailed some stiff forearms. They brawled to the floor, and Cannon hit some headbutts and he began bleeding from the forehead. Jacobs punched at the cut. In the ring, Jacobs hit a Flatliner/faceplant onto a chair that was wedged in the corner at 4:30. Jacobs hit some headbutts; Cannon hit some Kawada Kicks.

They brawled back to the floor at 7:30, and Jacobs got a beer bottle he had hidden in his gear! Jacobs broke the bottle against a wall, and he used the jagged glass on Cannon’s forehead! In the ring, Jacobs hit a DDT, cranked on Cannon’s neck, and he hit some doublestomps. Cannon hit a Death Valley Driver onto a chair in the ring at 12:30. Cannon pulled off his necklace, wrapped it around his hand, and he punched Jacobs with it. Cannon nailed a roaring forearm, a low blow, some more headbutts, and some spine kicks. Cannon nailed a brainbuster for a nearfall. However, Cannon went to the floor, too close to Whitmer, and Whitmer kicked Cannon.

Jacobs took the opening to hit a Tornado DDT on a chair on the floor. However, Cannon hit the hanging neckbreaker off the ring apron to the floor for a believable nearfall at 15:30. In the ring, Jacobs kicked Bryce’s bad leg! Cannon hit a back suplex, then a Glimmering Warlock/step-up enziguri for a believable nearfall at 18:00. They continued to brawl, and Jacobs hit a Contra Code on the ring apron. Jacobs grabbed a title belt, put it across his back, and he nailed the top-rope senton splash on Cannon for a believable nearfall.

Jacobs tossed numerous chairs in the ring. Cannon blocked a Contra Code/flip bulldog. Cannon hit the Total Anarchy/swinging uranage on the pile of chairs! Suddenly, the Iron Saints ran out, attacked Ian, and got the key for the handcuffs! Whitmer got in the ring, but he accidentally hit Jacobs. Cannon then hit the Contra Code (Jacobs’ move!), then the Glimmering Warlock to score the pin! “The reign is over,” Jordan screamed on commentary. “Ding dong, the witch is dead!”

Ian Rotten came to ringside. Jacobs was bawling in the ring, his head covered in blood. Ian got on the mic, and simply said, “Jimmy Jacobs, you’re fired!” The crowd began to chant, “Na na, hey hey, goodbye.” Cannon asked Jacobs to shake his hand; Jacobs declined, and he left the ring. Before Cannon could celebrate the win, Chris Hero attacked from behind, and he hit a back suplex! Hero then beat up Bryce Resmburg! Hero took a chair, and he began to whack it against the heavyweight title belt! He slammed the belt against the ring post, and the front plate fell off.

“Chris Hero has done the unspeakable, the unthinkable,” Jordan said. The crowd loudly chanted, “F--- you Hero!” Hero ran from the ring.

Cannon got up and said that what Jacobs did (throwing the belt in the trash at an AAW show over Thanksgiving weekend) was nothing compared to what Hero just did. “Now, it’s a piece of sh--. What kind of champion am I, wearing that?” Ian Rotten promised a new belt would be made. Excellent ending to an excellent show.

Final thoughts: Tape runs 3 hours, 27 minutes. This is the best IWA-Mid South show since September. The interaction between Cannon, Trik, Hero and Bryce wove an excellent story throughout the entire night. This was just a well-booked event.

The main event was awesome. Some people will see two guys, both under 220 pounds and under 6 feet, and disregard them and their fight for a heavyweight title, and that’s too bad, because these two had an intense brawl with some stiff blows and great action. The ending – with Cannon and the crowd celebrating, and Jacobs crying – was cool. The post-match attack by Hero was shocking and a cool moment.

The undercard was strong too, with Hero-Necro putting together an intriguing match with its unique rules. The Thomaselli & Kingston vs. Irish Airborne match was cool, and Black-Abercrombie delivered another strong match. Claudio-Marek Brave was a strong undercard match, too.

What is particularly impressive about this show is that this talent roster is virtually entirely comprised of the usual IWA-Mid South roster; this show was not carried by “fly-in talent.” This is the first ‘must-see’ IWA-Mid South show in a while, and it can be ordered at www.smartmarkvideo.com for $15.

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