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Full disclosure: This DVD was sent to me to review.

International Wrestling Cartel returned to its home in Elizabeth, Penn., for a doubleheader in early December. This is a review of "A Call to Arms 4: Controlled Chaos" which was night 2, on Dec. 8, 2007. This venue is a large gym, so height restrictions aren't a problem.

I am a big fan of IWC. I've said this in prior reviews, but promoter Norm Connors tells good stories in his angles, and he seems to know where he wants to go, and he rewards viewers for paying attention to subtleties. The commentary crew tonight are Joe Dombrowski and heelish manager Chris Maverick. (I much prefer J. Worthington Farnsworth, who was the heel colorman on night 1.) I am a big fan of how Dombrowski calls matches and fills in backgrounds and helps get across storylines.

IWC has always done a good job with taping its shows. Like the night before, they've brought in lights for the ring, and turned down the lights on the crowd, giving this a more "big event vibe" than other shows. They also have added guardrails and an entrance ramp. I can't see the crowd to estimate how many fans are here, but like the night before, it is clearly a big crowd! Later in the show, Shane Douglas said the crowd was 850.

To the ring!

(1) Ricky Reyes defeats Davey Richards at 9:21. Solid match. This was a rematch from a night earlier, but I thought the first match was better. They opened by avoiding each other’s signature moves. Richards hit a headbutt. Reyes hit some forearms on the floor. In the ring, Reyes hit a gutwrench suplex for a nearfall. Richards hit a headbutt and some forearms. Reyes applied a headscissorslock at 3:00. Richards hit a running kick, and they were both down. Richards hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, and Reyes bailed. Richards hit a tope con helo dive through the ropes. In the ring, Richards hit a nice missile dropkick and a uranage for a nearfall at 6:00.

Reyes fired back with an enziguri and a running knee, then a butterfly suplex into a cross-armbreaker, but Richards made it to the ropes. Reyes hit a nice Saito Suplex, and he again applied the cross-armbreaker. Richards applied a Texas Cloverleaf, but Reyes got to the ropes. Richards hit his spin kicks to the chest, then his handspring-back-enziguri. However, Reyes hopped up, hit a clothesline, and they were both down at 8:30. Richards hit some open-hand paintbrush slaps and a German Suplex. However, Reyes applied a keylock out of nowhere, and Richards tapped out. Solid, above-average match, but certainly nothing memorable.

* A redhead woman interviewed Sexual Harassment (Eric Xtasy & Justin Idol) on a stage. Xtasy said they’ve been kicking butt in recent matches. They joked that Idol had been drinking shots of Southern Comfort (the drink!) in preparation for their match against the tag team of Southern Comfort. Xtasy’s character is homosexual.

(2) Eric Xtasy & Justin Idol defeat Tracy Smothers & Chris Hamrick at 13:23. Basic match. Smothers gut is really growing, and he patted it, as if he was Kamala. Ugh. Hamrick and Idol started and they traded standing switches, rollups and armdrags, and they had a standoff. The commentators pointed out that Idol’s arm was taped. Smothers tagged in at 2:30 to face Xtasy. Smothers immediately claimed that Xtasy had hooked his trunks. Smothers challenged Xtasy to a ‘dance-off,’ and Smothers began to dance. Ugh, that was painful to watch. Xtasy danced, and he kissed Smothers! Smothers hit a clothesline on Xtasy and some chops. Xtasy hit a T-bone suplex.

Smothers hit a DDT. Hamrick hit an enziguri on Xtasy. Idol hit a top-rope double clothesline, and he launched off of Xtasy’s back to dive on the heels on the floor at 7:30. However, Southern Comfort took control on the floor. Smothers choked Xtasy with a cord. In the ring, Hamrick hit some chops on Xtasy. Southern Comfort hit a double Russian Legsweep and a double elbowdrop for a nearfall. However, Xtasy and Smothers’ heads collided, and they were both down. Hamrick and Idol got in, but they both managed to crotch themselves, and they hit double low blows. Xtasy and Smothers hit clotheslines at 11:00, and all four men were down.

Smothers hit a Flatliner on Xtasy for a believable nearfall. Idol & Xtasy hit a double elbowdrop on Smothers for a nearfall. Smothers hit a double Flatliner on the faces. Hamrick hit a top-rope guillotine legdrop for a believable nearfall. However, Hamrick accidentally gave Smothers a Superkick! Hamrick went to spear Idol, but Idol moved, and Hamrick fell through the ropes to the floor. Meanwhile, Xtasy hit a chokeslam to pin Smothers. Fairly basic; not bad, but nothing exciting either.

* Dennis Gregory came to the ring. Ring announcer Chuck Roberts said, “Le me introduce the champion, and if there was one in the ring, I would.” OUCH! Roberts ducked out of the ring as the crowd POPPED! Funny! Gregory was momentarily stunned, but he declared that the crowd will see he’s the greatest champion. Too Cold Scorpio came out and said he has signed an IWC contract and will be around for a while. This is Scorpio’s IWC debut.

(3) Brent Albright defeats Claudio Castagnoli at 13:14. Good match. Albright bailed at the bell and he stalled. Castagnoli got the crowd going with all the “Heyyyyy!” chants. Albright finally hit a hiptoss and he celebrated. Albright hit a bodyslam, and he was annoyed that the crowd was booing all his moves while shouting “Heyyyy” when Claudio did anything. Claudio hit some armdrags, a bodyslam, and a European Uppercut, and Albright bailed at 3:00. They fought on the floor. In the ring, Albright hit some blows to the back. Claudio hit some European Uppercuts, a backbody drop, and a diving European Uppercut to the back for a nearfall.

They went back to the floor, where Albright slammed Claudio’s back into the ring apron. In the ring, Albright hit a snap suplex for a nearfall, then he applied a chinlock to ground Castagnoli. Albright hit a nice dropkick at 6:00, and the crowd loudly booed him. Albright hit some knee shots to the back. Claudio hit some chops. Smothers briefly joined commentary here. Albright hit a Field Goal Kick to the chest as he ran along the floor. In the ring, Claudio hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Albright hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall, and he again applied a chinlock, but Claudio powered out. Claudio nailed a bicycle kick at 9:30, and they were both down.

Claudio hit a European Uppercut, a Giant Swing for a nearfall, and a second-rope elbowdrop for a nearfall. Albright hit a backbreaker over his knee and a Dragon Suplex for a believable nearfall. Claudio hit some European Uppercuts. Albright fired back with a powerslam for a nearfall, but he couldn’t get the half-nelson suplex. Claudio spun Brent around his back into a faceplant, then Castagnoli hit the Waterslide for a believable nearfall at 12:30. Albright hit his wrap-around kneestrike in the ropes. Albright hooked Claudio’s arms, and Brent hit several kneestrikes to Claudio’s unprotected head! Claudio tapped out! Nice innovative finish.

* Eric Young cut a promo, saying he was excited to be there, and he was going to the home of Sidney Crosby later.

(4) Delirious (w/Daizee Haze) defeats Eric Young at 13:19, with special referee Glenn Spectre. Spectre hasn’t wrestled in more than a year, but he used to be the over-the-top babyface gay character in IWC. The crowd chanted, “Welcome back!” at Spectre, and Spectre got on the mic and thanked the fans. Young came to the ring to “Epic” by Faith No More. Dombrowski talked about Young’s recent penchant for drinking alcohol in TNA. The bell rang, and Delirious, as usual, went crazy; Young bailed to the floor, clearly TERRIFIED of Delirious’ antics. Young bailed, and he ran laps around the ring as Delirious gave chase. Young even hid under the ring. After lots of silly games, they finally tied up at 4:00.

Delirious hit a shoulder tackle, but neither man budged. Delirious hit some armdrags, and he quickly outwrestled Young. Young hit a clothesline. “Could this segment get any weirder?” Dombrowski wondered, as the antics in the ring continued. Young rolled to the floor and danced with Haze. Delirious went to the floor, and he hugged Haze at 7:00. In the ring, Young missed a top-rope moonsault. Delirious applied a claw to the stomach on the mat. Delirious hit some kicks to the gut and he applied an abdominal stretch, and he was in charge. Delirious hit a back suplex at 10:30, but he missed a top-rope guillotine legdrop.

Young hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall and a second-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. They traded rollups, and Delirous yelled at Spectre and shoved him. Delirious got a backslide on Spectre – for a nearfall – as Young acted like the referee and made the count. Spectre was now part of the action. Delirious got an O’Connor Roll on Young for the pin. Dombrowski called this a “matchup of the most eccentric personalities to grace an IWC ring.” All three men hugged. Lots of silliness here.

(5) Samoa Joe defeats Too Cold Scorpio at 14:14. Good match. Dombrowski talked about Samoa Joe’s recent comments about Scott Hall on the TNA PPV, then he shifted to talking about how Scorpio has been a star in the NOAH promotion in Japan. The match began, and they traded armbars, with a ‘feeling-out’ process. Scorpio applied a hammerlock, and Joe bailed. Joe went for an anklelock, but Scorpio avoided it, and he bailed to the floor at 3:00. This had a nice “big match” vibe. Scorpio slowed Joe with a headlock. Scorpio nailed a nice dropkick to the chin, then he hit a Superkick, and Joe bailed. Joe hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 6:00.

Joe hit some jabs to the jaw, then an enziguri in the corner for a nearfall, then a flying leg lariat for a nearfall. Scorpio hit an enziguri, and they were both down. Scorpio hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 9:00. Scorpio hit an axe kick and a flipping guillotine legdrop for a nearfall. They traded forearms, but Joe was getting the better of the exchange, and Joe hit a nice enziguri, and they were both down. Scorpio fired back with a modified Pele Kick. Joe hit a powerslam for a nearfall.

They traded more forearm shots, and Joe hit a running boot and a senton for a nearfall at 12:00, and the crowd was solidly behind Joe. Joe hit a running kneestrike in the corner, then a second-rope flying headbutt for a nearfall. Scorpio fired back with a Stinger Splash and some kneeshots to the head and an enziguri! Scorpio climbed the ropes, setting up for a 450 Splash, but Dennis Gregory appeared at ringside, shook the ropes, and he caused Scorpio to get crotched. Joe didn’t see Gregory’s interference, and he hit the Musclebuster on Scorpio for the pin. They shook hands, bowed, and hugged. Good match.

(6) Hentai & Dean Radford & Shirley Doe & Troy Lords & Michael Façade defeat Vegas & Jimmy Demarco & Sebastian Dark & Teddy Fine & CJ Sensation at 22:48. Solid, basic match. This is Fine’s IWC debut (he did NOT impress fans when he debuted in Chicago for IWA-MS; I haven’t seen him since.) Dombrowski talked about how Sensation turned his back on IWC management when he decided to return to wrestling. Maverick pointed out that Radford & Doe & Hentai were members in the heel faction, “The Unholy Alliance,” last year, but now are cheered babyfaces. The match began with Façade and Demarco, as they traded armdrags. The heels were quickly all over Façade. Doe entered at 4:00, and he faced Fine. Fine danced around the ring and flexed.

They had a 10-man ‘go-behind’ spot that was just silly. The heels then began to work over Doe. Doe hit a back suplex on Demarco at 6:00. Radford hit a second-rope guillotine legdrop on Demarco. Hentai hit several hiptosses. This was slow. This is my first time seeing Vegas; he is quite muscular, and he wore a red singlet, and he hit a nice sideslam on Façade, then a delayed vertical suplex. Demarco hit a snap suplex for a nearfall on Façade at 9:00. Sensation hit a leg lariat, a spine kick and a basement dropkick for a nearfall. Dark hit some backbreakers over his knee on Façade for a nearfall. Fine hit a butterfly suplex, as the heels hit some illegal moves on Façade. Doe entered and gave Dark a clothesline to the floor.

Façade hit a springboard dive to the floor. Fine hit a dive over the top rope at 12:30. Sensation hit a flip dive. Lords launched himself off of Radford’s shoulders, from the top turnbuckle, to the ground, onto several wrestlers. Radford hit a top-rope crossbody block to the floor on everyone. Hentai gave Sensation a Flair Toss onto everyone, then Hentai gave Demarco a suplex to the floor onto everyone at 15:30. IWC used some instant replay spots, even though the commentary was done live! Well done! In the ring, Vegas hit a fallaway slam on Facade. Fine hit a dropkick and a guillotine legdrop on Façade. Façade hit a DDT on Fine, and he was able to tag in Hentai at 18:00.

Hentai hit some punches on all the heels, then a Bulldog Powerslam on Vegas. However, Vegas slammed Hentai to the mat for a nearfall. Radford hit a slam on Vegas. Lords hit a hooked-leg Michinoku Driver. Façade hit a Shining Wizard/running knee, then a standing moonsault on Fine. Doe hit an Air Raid Crash on Dark. Demarco hit several chairshots on Doe, but they had no effect. Hentai hit a dropkick on a chair, sending it into Dark. Doe & Hentai hit a team suplex on Vegas. They faces piled all five heels on top of each other. Radford hit a Spinebuster, and the faces made a cover on all five heels, but the heels powered out! Hentai immediately grabbed Vegas, got a Schoolboy rollup, and scored the pin. The multiple dive spots in the middle of the match were fun, but much of this match dragged.

* Shane Douglas came to the ring, wearing a Hines Ward (Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver) jersey. Fans chanted, “Welcome back!” Douglas said he did his career ‘My Way,’ just like Sinatra. He ripped on the current televised wrestling product, and of course, he ripped on Ric Flair. Douglas then said he heard that Bubba the Bulldog had said some things about him, so Douglas called Bubba to the ring.

Bubba got in the ring, and just when it appeared he was going to rip into Douglas, he swerved Shane and said, “Thank you, for everything you’ve done in this business.” Bubba was quite sincere, as this was clearly a surprise celebration for Douglas, who looked quite taken back and astonished. All the wrestlers from the back came and stood around ringside to honor Douglas. Neat visual. “You are the franchise of wrestling,” Bubba said. The wrestlers pounded on the mat, as the mic was handed to Shane. “That has warmed my heart tremendously this Christmas season,” Douglas said. He was quite surprised, and he even admitted that the wrestlers “sprung it on me.” He thanked the fans, and he encouraged them to bring their fans next time.

* To the interview area, where Larry Sweeney talked about finally getting John McChesney in a cage.

(7) John McChesney defeats Larry Sweeney at 12:30 in a steel cage to retain the Super Indy Title. Good match. McChesney initially refused to get in the ring. Sweeney attacked him on the floor with some punches and chops and elbow shots to the head. McChesney climbed in the cage and the match ‘officially’ started at 1:30. Sweeney wore bluejeans and a white T-shirt; this is a street fight, not a wrestling match! Sweeney didn’t do any strutting or any of signature silliness; instead, he focused on throwing punches. McChesney tossed Sweeney into the cage walls several times. McChesney rubbed Sweeney’s head against the cage, like a cheese grater, and Sweeney was bloody at 4:00.

McChesney took Sweeney’s belt, and he wrapped it around his fist and punched Sweeney with it. McChesney choked him with the belt, then he hit a Northern Lights suplex for a nearfall. McChesney went for a spear, but Sweeney moved, and McChesney slammed into the cage at 7:00. Sweeney whipped McChesney into the cage a few times, and he got a hold of the belt, and he whipped John on his back! Sweeney hit a Gordbuster. They fought on the top rope, with their heads visible above the top of the cage. McChesney got crotched on the top rope, while Sweeney fell over backward onto the mat. Sweeney coldn’t hit the piledriver.

McChesney hit his TKO stunner and a Superkick, but he didn’t make a cover. Sweeney hit a Russian Legsweep off the top rope, and they both fell to the mat at 11:00. Sweeney then hit a piledriver! Sweeney hit a top-rope elbowdrop for a nearfall. However, McChesney tied Sweeney in the ropes, and he climbed out of the cage and touched the floor to win. He hit the floor moments before Sweeney escaped through the door. Good match, but I HATE “escape the cage” rules.

(8) Dennis Gregory defeats Ray Rowe (w/ J-Rocc) at 12:01 in a steel cage to retain the IWC Heavyweight Title. Good match. Dombrowski said this was Rowe’s first-ever cage match, then he talked about how J-Rocc had been “screwing up” lately, costing his team wins. The match began, and Gregory hit some stiff forearm shots at the bell. J-Rocc joined commentary, and he ardently cheered for Rowe. Gregory managed to avoid all of Rowe’s suplexes early, and he tossed Rowe into the cage. Rowe went for a belly-to-belly suplex, but Gregory bit Rowe’s nose to escape. Gregory choked Rowe at 3:00 with his shirt. Gregory hit two Stinger Splashes.

Rowe hit a belly-to-belly suplex and a hard clothesline. Gregory tried to escape the cage. Rowe hit a powerbomb off the second rope for a nearfall. Gregory hit a top-rope back suplex at 6:00, and they were both down. Rowe hit a German Suplex. They both tried to escape through the cage door. Rowe hit a T-Bone suplex and a running double boot into the corner, and he was in charge. Rowe climbed over the cage and was headed to the floor! However, Brent Albright & Sebastian Dark came to ringside, and they caught Rowe before his feet hit the floor, and they threw Rowe back into the cage! J-Rocc ran to ringside at 9:00, and he chased off the heels. J-Rocc guarded the cage door, making sure no one else tried to interfere.

Rowe hit four consecutive German Suplexes, then a Chaos Theory/rolling German Suplex, and he went to the cage door to escape (and win the title!). However, J-Rocc slammed the cage door onto Rowe’s head! Gregory quickly covered Rowe for the tainted pin. Dombrowski on commentary was shocked. “J-Rocc just stabbed his best friend in the back, but why?” Dombrowski shouted. Gregory got on the mic and proclaimed, “I’m still, still, still, still the champion. I’m unstoppable!”

* Promoter Norm Connors came to ringside, and he informed Gregory that he had put out an “open contract,” and Connors said he filled it! Gregory would have to fight again, RIGHT NOW! The lights went out, and the crowd POPPED when they heard Metallica’s “Enter Sandman!” Sandman came through the crowd, drinking beers, and made his way to the cage for the impromptu title match.

(9) Sandman defeats Dennis Gregory at 5:51 to win the IWC Heavyweight title. Standard match you expect from Sandman. Sandman came to the ring holding a cane, but he set it done before the match started. The commentators agreed that Gregory is less than 100 percent after the match he just had. The match began with a ‘collar & elbow tieup,” and Dombrowski was stunned that they did wrestling holds at first. However, Sandman grabbed the cane, whacked Gregory with it, and drew a huge pop! Gregory hit some punches, stomps, and he choked Sandman. Sandman hit another cane shot to the back at 3:00.

Sandman applied a bodyscissorslock on the mat, then he applied a modified STF on the mat, and he turned it into a Crippler Crossface, but Gregory reached the ropes. Gregory hit some punches. He grabbed the cane, swung it, but missed. Sandman immediately hit the White Russian Legsweep for the pin! New champion! Short, but enjoyable, and the crowd was pleased with how this played out.

* The lights went out AGAIN. When they came back on Daivari was in the ring! He shouted something at Sandman in Farsi. Daivari & Gregory attacked Sandman. However, Too Cold Scorpio ran to the ring and saved Sandman, and they chased off the heels. Scorpio and Sandman hugged. Dombrowski was perplexed at what just happened. “Why would a war hero (Gregory) align himself with Daivari?” Dombrowski wondered.

(10) Jason Gory & Shiima Xion (Baby Face Fire) defeat Mickey & Marshall Gambino (w/Vicki Gambino) at 11:22 in the steel cage to win the IWC tag titles. Good match, but the other announced cage matches were better. BOTH team members have to escape the cage for this match to end. Dombrowski filled in viewers about the long-standing rivalry between these teams. All four immediately fought at the bell, and the faces hit double dropkicks. Gory hit an enziguri, and they hit a team Spinebuster on Marshall. The faces tried to escape the cage. (Huh? Ugh; faces shouldn’t be trying to run from heels. They want to get their hands on the hated heels, not run away from them! Ugh!) Xion hit a moonsault off the top rope onto the heels, and a replay of the move aired.

However, Marshall kicked Gory off the cage wall, and Gory fell to the floor! SO, this meant the heel Gambinos had a two-on-one advantage in the ring at 2:00, as they beat up Xion! The heels were in charge, as Gory tried to climb the cage from the floor, in an attempt to get back in the ring. Each time he tried to scale the cage, the Gambinos would dislodge him by shoving the cage. Marshall seemed dazed, and possibly legit injured. Xion hit a missile dropkick on Mickey. Marshall hit a clothesline on Xion. Marshall hit some stomps, then a nice brainbuster on Xion. Xion came back with a DDT. Gory climbed the cage, and he hit a top-rope flipping dive onto all three wrestlers at 6:00!

The faces hit double clotheslines. Gory hit the QAS/Code Red on Mickey. Marshall slammed Gory into the cage wall. The Gambinos then swung Xion into the cage, and they tried to climb out. However, Xion hit a 630 Splash on them! Xion poured a bag of thumbtacks on the mat. Gory & Xion hit a top-rope team superplex on Marshall, dropping him on the thumbtacks! OUCH! Xion fell to the floor, outside the cage. Marshall gave Gory a powerbomb into the cage wall at 10:00. The Gambinos beat up Gory, but Gory hit a double noggin knocker on the heels, and he was able to climb out of the cage, giving his team the victory.

* The show ended with Gory & Xion climbing the cage, showing off their tag titles, and celebrating the moment with the fans. A fun, neat visual, to end this impressive show.

Final thoughts:

This was a good show, but I thought that “night 1” was far superior. This is not a bad show at all, though – it just falls short of an incredible first night of action!

The top few matches on the show are fairly close, and I wouldn’t argue with anyone arranging them differently. In my eyes, best match goes to Scorpio vs. Samoa Joe. It had an intensity and believability and ‘big match’ vibe that I really enjoyed. Second-best goes to the Rowe-Gregory cage match. Rowe has been such a beast for the past year, and the fans have fully been behind him. Gregory has perfectly played his part as the chickensh!t heel who would do anything he could to keep that title. The J-Rocc turn wasn’t a huge shock, but it played out well.

I’ll give third-best match to the Castagnoli-Albright match, and that was an interesting finish, with Albright repeatedly ramming kneeshots into Claudio’s skull. McChesney-Sweeney earned fourth-best match, even though I really hated the finish, with McChesney escaping the cage to retain the title.

What didn’t work: I am not a fan of six-, eight-, or 10-man tags. I’m just not. Invariably, there are a few faces (in this case, Lords, Radford) who barely get in the match. Lords is one of the better wrestlers in that 10-man match, and he barely got any ringtime. I also just fail to find Smothers, at his age and current weight, to be entertaining. But, the crowd seems to like his act.

IWC does all the little things right. The commentary is very good. The storylines work. They had some intriguing surprises, like the appearance of Daivari, and Sandman coming out of nowhere to win the title. And Connors wisely ended the show with the beloved faces of Xion & Gory holding up their newly-won tag titles and celebrating with the crowd.

If you only get one IWC show from this weekend, get night 1. But I recommend picking up both. Learn more about this promotion at www.iwcwrestling.com.

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