By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

RADICAN’S CZW “ANSWERING THE CHALLENGE” iPPV REPORT
JANUARY 11, 2013
VOORHEES, N.J.
AIRED LIVE ON CZWiPPV.com

(1) Shane Strickland beat Azrieal (w/Chrissy Rivera) and Pepper Parks. Parks bailed to the outside at the start and Azrieal and Strickland had some nice exchanges. Parks continually took short cuts during the match and began working over Strickland after Azrieal nailed him with a big inning dropkick against the guardrail. Strickland got busted open and Azrieal went right after his cut. The action got really good down the stretch with all three men going at it. With Azrieal down, Strickland hit a big DDT and the swerve stomp on Parks for the win (**3/4)

(2) Masada (w/Christina Von Eerie) beat Alexander James (The Gulak Campaign). Before the match James was presented with CZW Jr. Heavyweight Title and declared honorary champion. Big chants for Masada when he made his entrance. James got his shirt stapled to his head and torn off by Von Eerie. Masada then drove skewers into his forehead and refused to pin him. The ref ended up calling for the bell when Masada wouldn't stop cutting James with a sickle. This match wasn't pleasant to watch. (N/A)

The announcers said they were scared about what Masada was going to do to Drew Gulak when he finally got his hands on him.

Excellent ate junk food on his way down to the ring, which upset Cherry Bomb. Excellent made Cherry give him a kiss on the cheek before getting on the mic. Excellent said he had been training Cherry on how to eat. He said every time he chopped Gacy, she would have to eat junk food.

(3) Joe Gacy beat Greg Excellent (w/Cherry Bomb). The announcers mentioned both men had won at Cage of Death XV last month. Excellent hit a bunch of chops early, which was funny. Cherry got in the way when Excellent went after Gacy on the outside. Gacy finally got the upper hand with a big slam on the floor. Excellent mounted a comeback with chops to Gacy's chest. He then did Kobashi chops in the corner on Gacy. Gacy finally fired back with a neck breaker for a 2 count.

Excellent cut off Gacy up top and hit a T-bone suplex that left BOTB men down on the mat. Gacy popped up out of the corner and nailed Excellent with a big clothesline for a 2 count. He went for a springboard, but Excellent nailed him with a boot to the head for a 2 count. Cherry interfered again. Excellent accidentally chopped Cherry and hit a stunner on Gacy. Parks tried to take Cherry away, but Excellent cut him off. Excellent got back in the ring and took a Saito suplex from Gacy for the win. This was fine for what they were going for here. (**)

After the match, Excellent made Cherry drink Mountain Dew in front of Parks. Cherry walked to the back with Excellent and was very upset.

(4) Devon Moore beat CZW Wired Champion Alex Colon to become the new CZW Wired Champion. They had some nice exchanges in the ring before the action spilled outside. Rivera distracted Moore allowing Colon to nail him with a pair of sliding dropkicks on the apron. Moore mounted a comeback, but the fans weren't hot for the action. Moore finally hit a big spine buster and both men were slow
to get up. Moore hit an ace crusher and a big elbow off the top, but only got a 2 count each time. Moore eventually caught Colon going for a basement dropkick through the ropes and he turned it into a swinging neck breaker off the apron to the floor.

Moore went up top, but Rivera grabbed his leg. Moore shoved Colon to the mat, but missed a SSP off the top. Colon jawed with the fans, which allowed Moore to roll him up for the 3 count. The action was solid, but the crowd was dead for the most part. The crowd did pop for Moore winning the Wired Title. (**1/2)

The announcers mentioned Moore is now a grand slam champion in CZW. Matt Tremont came down to ringside after the match ended. Tremont smiled and then walked to the back.

(5) OI4K (Dave & Jake Crist w/Neveah) beat Juicy Product (J.T. Dunn & David Starr). Both teams shook hands before the opening bell. Dunn cut off Dave and tagged in Starr. Starr got cut off quickly and OI4K began working him over. Starr landed on his feet taking a German and hit a German on Jake. Dunn got the hot tag and ran wild on OI4K. Dunn set up Dave over the guardrail and nailed him with a running leg drop off the apron. Starr and Jake had a big exchange in the ring that ended with Jake hit a double underhook suplex.

The action continued at a rapid pace. Dave nailed Dunn with a huge powerbomb inside the ring. They battled on the apron a short time later. Starr was nowhere to be found as Jake got involved. Dunn took a double stomp/tombstone combination through the table and Dave covered him for the win. Holy crap! This was a good match from bell to bell with an incredible finish. (***1/4)

Several staff members came out to check on J.T. Dunn after the match. Starr and Dave helped Dunn to his feet and the fans chanted for Dunn. Dave urged the crowd to chant for Juicy Product after the match.

(6) Danny Havoc beat Aero Boy in an Ultraviolent Death match. The ring was lined with all sorts of plunder and there were two boards set up on opposite sides of the ring covered in barbed wire. Havoc ended up on the apron and Aero Boy nailed him with a running dropkick to send him through the barbed wire board set up on the outside. Aero Boy followed up with a dive that he turned into a swinging DDT on the floor. The announcers mentioned that Aero Boy had travelled internationally and had done Death matches in Japan. Aero Boy and Havoc went back and forth on the outside and Havoc ended up taking a chair shot right to the head. Havoc controlled the action a short time later inside the ring, as he whipped Aero Boy into the side of the ring lined with barbed wire and then the side of the ring lined with carpet strips. Aero Boy mounted a comeback and went up top, but Havoc got up and nailed him with a carpet strip. Havoc and Aero Boy battled up top and Havoc ended up hitting a suplex off the turnbuckles that sent Aero Boy through the barbed wire board that was set up in between the ring and the apron. The fans fired up briefly for that big spot. Aero Boy got up and his back was all cut up. Havoc rolled him inside the ring after several staff members cut Aero Boy out of the barbed wire, but he only got a 2 count.

Aero Boy attempted to mount a comeback. Havoc tried to surprise him with a running charge off the ropes, but Aero Boy turned around and nailed him with a huge clothesline. Aero Boy nailed Havoc with a pair of shots to the head with a stop sign, but he only got a 2 count. Havoc tried to hit a tornado DDT, but Aero Boy countered it and suplexed him into the carpet strips set up on the ropes. Aero Boy followed up with a big swanton for a 2 count. Havoc tried to mount a comeback once again, but Aero Boy turned it into a nice cross-arm breaker. Havoc got the ropes and Aero Boy had to break the hold. Aero Boy no-sold a suplex into a caution sign, but walked right into another suplex for a 2 count. Havoc brought a barbed wire table into the ring. He set up Aero Boy on the top turnbuckle and nailed him with the barbed wire bat. Aero Boy ended up in the tree of woe as Havoc set up the barbed wire table. Havoc went for a dragon suplex off the top, but Aero Boy blocked it. Havoc got Aero Boy up on his shoulders and hit a DVD through the table for the win. This was a crazy match. If they cut down on the unprotected head shots, matches like this would be easier to watch. Given what is known about the dangers of blunt force trauma to the head, I’m surprised wrestlers don’t get their hands up when taking chair shots to the head. The crowd was into the match at times, but the match didn’t have great heat even for the big spots, as it seemed the crowd was just waiting for both men to go to another high risk maneuver. (N/A)

Both men shook hands after the match. The fans chanted “please come back” at Aero Boy. Havoc cut a promo after the match and welcomed Aero Boy to America. He told him to come back to CZW. Aero Boy then got on the mic and thanked the fans. Devon Moore came down to join Havoc after the match. Matt Tremont came out once again as the announcers said he was stalking the NOI. They said Cage of Death had settled nothing between Tremont and the NOI. Tremont smiled once again and walked away.

Kimber Lee came out after intermission to address Christina Von Eerie’s action at “Cage of Death XV.” Lee said after she had won fair and square was uncalled for in reference to Von Eerie driving a bunch of skewers into her head. Lee called Von Eerie filth. Von Eerie made her way down to the ring with Masada. Von Eerie mocked Lee for being upset with her. Lee said Von Eerie needs to change her life. She told Von Eerie she needs God in her life. Lee said she was pretty sure Von Eerie had an alchohol and drug abuse problem. Lee said she knows Von Eerie doesn’t have any friends. She said she had been talking to Mr. Hyde and he found someone that has had her back since the beginning. Lee said she was going to bring Candice LeRae back to CZW. Von Eerie said she is friends with LeRae. Von Eerie said she didn’t want to wrestle LeRae. Lee told her if they refuse to wrestle, they will never come back to CZW. Von Eerie went into the bag Masada was holding and grabbed the sickle. Lee bailed to the outside to end the segment.

(7) Biff Busick (w/The Front) beat Chris Dickinson. The fans were hot as the opening bell rang. They exchanged holds on the mat during the early going. Dickinson grabbed a leg submission and grabbed a camel clutch at the same time. Dickinson then turned around and dove backwards while holding onto the leg submission. Dickinson remained in control as he continued to work over Busick’s leg. Dickinson clotheslined Busick to the outside and nailed him with a big kick to the chest against the guardrail. Dickinson set up Busick in a chair and nailed him with a big running kick against the guardrail. Dickinson got a huge running start in the entranceway and nailed Busick with another big boot against the guardrail and the fans applauded. Dickinson jawed with the front on the outside, which allowed Busick time to recover and he put the boots to Dickinson once he got back into the ring. Busick eventually lifted up Dickinson and dropped him stomach first over the top rope. Dickinson spilled to the floor. Busick distracted the ref while the front put the boots to Dickinson on the floor. Busick applied a Boston crab, but Dickinson managed to get the ropes. Busick then applied an abdominal stretch in the middle of the ring a short time later. The fans tried to rally behind Dickinson, who eventually hip tossed Busick to break the hold.

Dickinson mounted a clothesline with a pair of clotheslines and a big spinning kick off the ropes. They went to a big exchange of strikes in the middle of the ring. Both men went head-to-head. Busick hit a big boot to the face, but Dickinson fired back with a gorgeous spinning kick and both men were slow to get to their feet. Both men exchanged running clotheslines, but neither man would go down. Dickinson countered a running clothesline and hit a Razor’s edge for a nearfall and the fans popped big for the nearfall. Dickinson went for a top rope powerbomb, but Busick held the ropes. Busick fell to the mat, but hit a huge running forearm and Dickinson fell off the top rope to the floor. Dickinson had a big cut on his head after falling to the floor. The blood only seemed to enrage Dickinson as he got back into the ring and hit a huge clothesline and a wheelbarrow suplex for a near fall. Dickinson signaled for the finish. He went for the brain eater, but Busick fought free. Busick slapped Dickinson hard across the face. Dickinson fired back and went for a spinning kick, but Busick ducked it. Busick hit a running European uppercut and a neck breaker for a nearfall and the fans applauded. Busick fired up and yelled. The announcers mentioned they had never seen Busick show this kind of emotion.

They battled up top again, but Dickinson managed to elbow Busick to the mat. One of the members of the front held Dickinson’s leg as he went for a springboard. Dickinson fought him off, but ended up missing a springboard elbow drop. Busick hit a blockbuster, but only got a 2 count and the fans applauded. Sozio got up on the apron and distracted the ref. Another member of the Front threw powder in Dickinson’s eyes. Busick then hit a huge half and half suplex for the win. This was a heck of a match with some great hard-hitting exchanges and mat work. Dickinson firing up after getting busted open only added to the heat from the crowd. (***3/4)

The announcers said it took five men to take out Dickinson. Dickinson got on the mic after the match. Dickinson called out Busick for cheating to beat him and said he couldn’t beat him on his best day. He told Busick he was better than The Front. He said Busick hits harder than Richards, but he’s not s—t with the front. He told them all to kiss his a--. One of the members of the Front got in Dickinson’s face after everyone had left the ring and Dickinson nailed him with a huge powerbomb and then a burning hammer. The crowd roared and Dickinson called for his music.

(8) The Beaver Boys (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) beat CZW Tag Team Champions BLK OUT (BLK Jeez & Ruckus w/Robbie Mireno) to become the new CZW Tag Team Champions. The announcers mentioned that The Beaver Boys had lost their first match as a team to BLK OUT, but a lot had changed since then. BLK OUT has held the tag titles for 9 months. Silver caught Jeez with a diving Forearm and then took out Ruckus when he tried to enter the ring. Reynolds got the tag and worked over Ruckus. Ruckus raked Reynolds’s eyes and began working him over. The crowd chanted for the Beaver Boys, which seemed to upset BLK OUT. Jeez continued to work over Reynolds for a long period of time. Jeez went after Silver and shoved him into the guardrail as the fans continued to get under his skin. The crowd went nuts chanting for Reynolds, but he couldn’t mount a comeback. Reynolds fought off Jeez up top, but Ruckus crotched him on the top rope. Silver ended up shoving Jeez off the top when he went after Reynolds. Reynolds ended up nailing Jeez with a moonsault body block. Silver finally got the hot tag and ran wild on Jeez. Ruckus ran into the ring, but Silver ended up tossing him across the ring. BLK OUT countered a double sliced bread attempt from Silver, but he ended up connecting with a double clothesline.

Ruckus broke up a pin on Jeez after Silver nailed him with a powerbomb. Ruckus nailed Silver with a neck breaker. Silver ended up alone in the ring with BLK OUT. Ruckus lifted up Silver on his back and Jeez connected with a knee strike off the top for a 2 count. Reynolds tagged in after dragging Silver out of the way of a charge from Jeez, who flew to the floor. Reynolds nailed Jeez with a splash off the top and everyone was down. Ruckus and Jeez exchanged blows in the middle of the ring. They began jawing with each other, but Reynolds and Silver nailed him with a combination of strikes capped by a German with a bridge on Ruckus for a nearfall. The fans heckled Mireno as The Beaver Boys had Ruckus isolated. Jeez broke up a double team maneuver on Ruckus, but Reynolds wiped out Mireno and Jeez with a dive through the ropes. Silver fired up on Ruckus and nailed him with a kick to the head as he went for a handspring. Silver hit another kick to Ruckus’s head followed by a back stabber for the win. This was a really good match with a heck of a crowd atmosphere. (***1/2)

The fans applauded as Reynolds & Silver celebrated with the titles. Silver went to the floor to celebrate with the fans. Silver let several young fans pose with his belt. Reynolds ended up hugging his biggest fan in the crowd. The fans chanted “best friend Alex.” (3:08)

Lucky 13 came out for the main event wearing something that made him look like one of the villains in “Willow.”

(9) CZW Champion Drew Gulak (w/The Gulak Campaign) beat Lucky 13. The announcers said Gulak had the technical advantage, but if things went to the air, Lucky would have the upper hand. Lucky got the upper hand and sent Gulak to the floor. He followed up with a twisting splash to the floor to wipe out Gulak. Lucky seemed to favor his leg after landing on the floor and sold his leg again a short time later after hitting a leg lariat in the ring. Gulak fired back and slammed Lucky into the ropes for a 2 count. Gulak followed up with a suplex into the turnbuckles, but Lucky kicked out again. Gulak grabbed a headscissors on the mat, as he began working over Lucky’s head. Lucky mounted a comeback and hit a back breaker over his knee, but was slow to cover Gulak as he favored his leg and he only got a 2 count. Lucky tried to land some kicks on Gulak, but Gulak hit a Regalplex for a 2 count. Lucky fired back on the apron and hit a springboard back cracker. Once again, Lucky sold his leg and only got a 2 count.

Gulak sold his back as Lucky continued to work him over, but the crowd didn’t add much heat to the match. Lucky went to the outside and got a chair. One of the members of The Gulak Campaign ran down to the ring to grab the chair from Lucky, but Gulak told him to leave. Gulak ended up ducking a chair to the head, but Lucky connected when Gulak tried to charge at him. Lucky went for a big dive to the outside, but ended up hurting his leg and he collided with the ropes and collapsed to the mat. Gulak set up the chair in the middle of the ring and eventually suplexed Lucky into it for a 2 count. It appeared only Lucky’s leg connected with the chair. Lucky fired back a short time later and kicked the chair into Gulak’s face. Lucky tried to capitalize, but was slow to go after Gulak because he was favoring his knee. Lucky hit a shining wizard, but Gulak kicked out at one. Lucky followed up with a big running knee strike to the head, but Gulak kicked out at two. Gulak fired back and got the Gulock on Lucky. Lucky managed to counter it and he ended up flipping over Gulak and hit a sliced bread version of the back stabber for a 2 count. Lucky struggled to climb to the top rope. He went for a dive, but ended up slipped and caught his knee in the ropes. Gulak immediately applied an Indian death lock/ankle lock combination submission for the win. This was a good main event. The crowd didn’t add a lot of heat, but they told a good story with Lucky working over Gulak’s back, but being unable to capitalize on it because of his leg injury. The only surprising thing was that Gulak never focused his attack on Lucky’s knee during the match. (***1/4)

Overall thoughts: (6.5) – There was some good action on this card, but a lot of the show dragged and the length of the show resulted in a dead crowd by the time the main event rolled around. There were a handful of good matches that pushed this show into the mild thumbs up category, but overall a tighter and more concise show would have made for a better viewing experience.

The tag team wrestling on the show

The highlight of the show was the very good Busick-Dickinson match. They did a good job of telling the story that Dickinson was drawing emotion out of the normally emotionless Busick. Busick and Dickinson went to war during the match and once Dickinson got busted open after getting tossed off the top rope to the floor, the heat really picked up from the crowd. The post-match promo from Dickinson telling Busick he didn’t need The Front to help him win matches was well done and set up some interesting possibilities for Busick’s character in 2014.

There was a pair of good tag matches on the show. OI4K vs. Juicy Product started a little slow, but once things picked up, the fans got into the action. Starr & Dunn have a lot of potential as a team and each time I see Dunn in the ring he seems to be improving. The double stomp/piledriver combination that Dunn took through a table on the outside was the most insane spot on the show.

The Beaver Boys vs. BLK OUT match for the CZW Tag Team Titles was the second best match on the show. The crowd added a lot to this match, as they were vocal throughout the entire match and got under the skin of Jeez & Ruckus. The timing is right for CZW to move in a new direction with the tag team division and it was a lot of fun to see the crowd react to Silver & Reynolds winning the match. Silver in particular is a lot of fun to watch in the ring.

I’m not a fan of hardcore wrestling and unprotected chair shots and those came into play several times throughout the night. It’s high time that all wrestlers get their hands up when taking a blow to the head whether it be a stop sign or a steel chair. It’s just not worth the long-term risks to get a brief pop or gasp from the crowd, especially when wrestling a match with a good built-in storyline will always get a bigger reaction than banging someone over the head with a chair.

The main event was good, but suffered from a lack of crowd heat. It seemed that the crowd was burned out by the time Gulak-Lucky 13 took place on this card. They had a good match that told a solid story, although it was puzzling that Gulak didn’t go after Lucky’s injured leg until the end of the match. Lucky did a good job in the underdog role in this match.

Overall, this show dragged in spots on the undercard, but CZW did a good job of setting up several storylines going into their anniversary show next month. The Tremont-NOI storyline was spotlighted several times throughout the show. The CZW Wired and Tag Team Titles switched hands, and Masada was set up as an eventual challenger to Gulak’s CZW Championship in a gruesome squash of Alexander James. With Styles, Younger, LeRae, and Ryan coming in for CZW’s big show next month, this show felt like a bit of a comedown in-between two big CZW events.

You can purchase “Answering the Challenge” on VOD by clicking HERE or by visiting CZWiPPV.com. For more information on CZW visit CZWrestling.com.

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