RADICAN’S AIW “Battle of the Sexes” 8/14 DVD Review

RADICAN’S AIW REVIEW SERIES
“BATTLE OF THE SEXES 2”
AUG. 14, 2015
CLEVELAND, OHIO

– The show is available on DVD format at Shop.AIWrestling.com or via Digital Download HERE.

“Battle of the Sexes” opened with a promo reel:

Gregory Iron cut a promo backstage with Ben Boone. He said he had main-evented the first BOTS in 2014. He said it was AIW’s best-selling event of 2014, but they didn’t give him and the Iron Curtain. Iron said he instead of he and Annie Social having a fight tonight, he wanted to work it out with her because he’s a lover and not a fighter.

Ethan Page cut a promo backstage on Allysin Kay. He said he had been scouting her and was ready for her discus lariat!

To Infinity and Beyond cut a promo backstage. Cheech said they ought to beat some women tonight. Delaney corrected him and said they don’t beat women, they pin their shoulders to the mat. He said they would beat Sugar & Spice tonight by pinning them and not beating them.

Mad Man Pondo said BOTS was a big orgy. Mary Dobson, his real life girlfriend, came into the picture and said she can’t him out of her head. She asked him who he wanted to have an orgy with and was upset he was excited. Pondo said he wanted to have an orgy with her. Dobson said she knew he was excited when he tried to deny he wanted an orgy, so Pondo got upset and walked off.

Eddie Kingston cut a promo and said it was time to move on from Ethan Page. Kingston said people thought he would let Mia Yim win. Kingston said he’s been doing this for 13 years and she was on TV, she thinks she is hot stuff. He said he would put out her flame and after if she’s a good girl they can have a good time. Kingston didn’t come out and say it directly, but Yim is his real life girlfriend.

Allysin Kay cut a promo on Page. She said she couldn’t wait to get Page’s sweet ass in the ring. She said he had just gotten married, but tonight she would make him a man.

AIW Absolute Champion Rickey Shane Page cut a promo on Veda Scott. He said he had taken the title away from her boy, Josh Alexander, fair and square. He said Scott has no idea what it means to lose everything, but the key to his success is that he doesn’t stop. He said Scott would find out what it means to lose everything tonight.

Yim cut a promo and chastised Kingston for saying she didn’t earn everything she’s got. Yim said tonight she will show him why she’s earned everything she’s gotten in her career.

Iron cut a promo in the ring after Social made her entrance. He said he had gone from the main event of BOTS last year to opening the show this year. He said he’s a lover and not a fighter. He said Social looked like a healthy young lady. He said one thing she lacks. He said she needs a healthy dose of Iron. Social punched Iron in the face and Lovelace took care of Boone.

(1) Gregory Iron (w/Ben Boone) vs. Annie Social (w/Heidi Lovelace). The match started and Social hit a split-legged face buster, but Boone tripped her from the floor to give Iron the upper hand. Aaron Bauer and a tired Dick Justice were in on commentary. Iron teased a 619, but kicked the ropes into Social’s head instead. Iron used a ton of cheap tactics to get heat. Social finally mounted a comeback and got a couple of 2 counts on Iron. Iron went up top a short time later. Lovelace distracted him, but he shook her off. Iron came off the top, but Social got out of the way and hit a split-legged stunner for the win.

Winner: Annie Social – This was a fun opening match with Social beating the Iron the lowly heel.

(2) AIW Tag Team Champions To Infinity & Beyond (Colin Delaney & Cheech) vs. Sugar & Spice (Mary Elizabeth Monroe & Taeler Hendrix). It was hilarious watching Justice go nuts for Delaney making his entrance. Whitmer joined the commentary booth. Monroe got the upper hand and worked over Cheech’s shoulder. They went back and forth trading pin attempts a short time later before coming to a stalemate. Cheech and Monroe went face-to-face before shaking hands. Delaney and Hendrix tagged into the match. Hendrix tried to flirt with Delaney and grinded on him from the waist lock position, but Delaney managed to resist her. Hendrix continued to try to seduce Delaney. She grabbed him and planted a kiss on him. Delaney collapsed and Cheech had to make the save and tag himself into the match. Delaney appeared to be under a trance and he kept trying to get back into the ring before going to the outside and collapsing. Hendrix surprised Cheech with a dropkick and went on the attack. Monroe and Hendrix began tagged in and out to work over Cheech. Cheech mounted a comeback and set up for a sling shot dive, but Delaney jumped on top of Hendrix to protect her. Cheech yelled at Delaney before Hendrix began working him over once again. Hendrix hit Monroe with a head scissors off the top to send her flying onto Cheech for a near fall.

Hendrix made a blind tag and Monroe got upset. Monroe ended up suplexing Hendrix right into Delaney who was trying to save her. Monroe nailed Delaney with a suplex, but she wasn’t the legal person in the ring and Hendrix only got a 2 count on Delaney. Cheech had enough and slapped Delaney, who nailed Hendrix with a big kick. Cheech followed up with a big suplex, but Monroe broke up the pin. Monroe ran wild on Cheech and Delaney and nailed them with a combination of moves. Monroe went for a superplex on Delaney, but Hendrix stopped her. They began arguing. Cheech finally ran in and tossed Monroe to the floor. Cheech nailed Hendrix with a powerbomb and Delaney followed up with an elbow off the top for the win.

Winners: Colin Delaney & Cheech to retain the AIW Tag Team Titles

Star rating: (***1/4) – This was a fun match with Hendrix doing a good job in her role as seductress. Delaney was hilarious when he was put under Hendrix’s spell only for Cheech to slap him back into the moment later in the match before they eventually one. I liked how this match was put together. It was creative and engaging.

Particle Don rapped Ethan Page’s entrance theme, which the crowd seemed to enjoy. Allysin Kay was out next to Gangster’s Paradise, which is an interesting choice for entrance music.

(3) Ethan Page vs. Allysin Kay. Whitmer and Bauer were still in on commentary for this match. Kay grabbed Page’s trunks and looked down. She said he looked decent. Page got upset and said he came to wrestle. Kay tripped Page and slapped him on the behind. She said she liked it. Page got the mic and told Kay what she just did set men back 30 years. He called Kay sexist and misogynistic. He said whatever a woman can do a man can do. Kay said all she wants to know is what his mouth does. Page looked very offended and went for a slap. Kay blocked it and went for a slap of her own, but Page blocked it and they came to an awkward stalemate. Page finally picked up Kay and hit a big slam. Page set up for the ho train on Kay and the fans gasped. Page changed it to the bro train, but Kay got out of the way. Kay went for a splash, but Page caught her and hit a backdrop for a 2 count. Page set up for the spinning Dwayne, but hurt himself because of the spikes on her top. Kay mounted Page in the corner and kissed him. Page fired back with an atomic drop and she told Page that she likes it rough. Page then fired with a huge right to deck her and the fans applauded. Kay tried to fire back, but Page nailed her with a modified suplex for a 2 count. Kay surprised Page with a triangle. Page ended up lifting her up and he went for a suplex, but Kay popped out of it and got an arm bar. Page finally lifted Kay and hit a huge buckle bomb to escape the hold.

They got up and began trading blows. Kay went to bounce off the ropes, but Page nailed her with an enzuguri. Kay fired back with a roundhouse kick. They began trading kicks until Kay hit a Samoan drop for a 2 count. Kay took her spiked braw off and Page nailed her with a slingshot ace crusher. Page got her bra and the fans wanted him to put it on. Page put it on and Bauer said he looked like the Legion of Dumb. Page hit a splash in the corner and then the world’s strongest slam for a 2 count. That was funny. Page tossed Kay’s top into the crowd and apparently a youngster caught it. It looked like Emil Jay got it back, but that kid probably could have made at least $500 from some creepy fan that wanted to buy a ring worn item from Kay. They went back and forth and Kay blocked the spinning Dwayne several times and hit a stunner, but Page fired back and hit the spinning Dwayne to counter a discus forearm for the win.

After the match, Page said let’s give it up for equal rights!

Winner: Ethan Page

Star rating: (***1/2) – Again, this was a fun match with Kay and Page going out there with a plan to tell a fun story and have an entertaining match. Page standing up for male rights was hilarious with Kay playing it up as the woman who likes it rough.

(4) Johnny Gargano vs. Candice LeRae. Gargano and LeRae are another real life couple facing each other on the show. They weren’t featured on the opening commentary reel. This show was held on Gargano’s birthday, so he got a happy birthday chant. LeRae went for a ball-plex during the early going, but Gargano managed to escape. They went back and forth exchanging counters as the pace picked up. Candice blocked a butt-plex and ran wild on Gargano. She went for a charge in the corner, but Gargano called for a timeout because it was his birthday. Gargano wanted a huge and LeRae accepted, but then drove him into the corner and went to town on him with forearms. They ended up on the apron and Gargano superkicked LeRae to the floor. Justice said he think they share the same dental plan. Gargano followed up with a dive through the ropes and they both crashed into the guardrail. Gargano hit a delayed vertical suplex and wished himself a happy birthday, which was funny. He mounted LeRae in the corner and went for a punch, but LeRae got out of the way and crotched him before hitting a back cracker off the turnbuckles and they were both down on the mat. LeRae got the Gargano escape a short time later, but Gargano fought out of it only for LeRae to slam him down into the mat and apply the hold again. Gargano got to the ropes and went to the floor. LeRae went for a slingshot spear a short time later and went for a draping DDT, but LeRae escaped and rolled him up. She sent Gargano to the floor a short time later and hit a diving DDT through the ropes.

LeRae hit a ball-plex into the turnbuckles, but Gargano fired back and caught her with a slingshot spear a short time later for a 2 count. The fans fired up as they both regrouped. Gargano hit some big chops and LeRae fired back with some huge forearms. Gargano then fired back with a straight right to deck LeRae. LeRae countered the lawn dart and planted Gargano on the mat. Gargano and LeRae battled up top again a short time later. LeRae ended up hitting a big swinging neck breaker off the top for a near fall. Gargano blocked another DDT attempt and hit a lawn dart. He followed up with a butt-plex, but LeRae kicked out at 2. LeRae countered the hurts don’t it into a crucifix. LeRae went for a reverse hurricanrana, but Gargano blocked it. They continued to exchange counters. LeRae ate a buckle bomb, but popped up and hit a reverse hurricanrana for a near fall. Wow! LeRae went up top, but missed a moonsault. Gargano hit a roundhouse kick and went for the hurts don’t it, but LeRae blocked. They went back and forth until Gargano caught LeRae with a leverage pin for the win.

After the match, LeRae gave Gargano a kiss on the head.

Winner: Johnny Gargano

Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a fun back and forth match. LeRae and Gargano have great chemistry in the ring together and watching them wrestle you would even suspect they train together from time to time. They really got the crowd into the second half of the match with some great back and forth counter wrestling leading into the finish.

Athena was out next to take on a mystery opponent. She got a big pop from the crowd. Her opponent turned out to be LuFisto.

(5) AIW Women’s Champion Athena vs. LuFisto. LuFisto got the upper hand quickly and lifted Athena up into a big suplex. The announcers mentioned that Athena wasn’t appeared for LuFisto because she’s not part of the GNO division in AIW. Athena fired back and hit a springboard cross-body for a 2 count. LuFisto fired back and hit a cannonball in the corner for a 2 count. The fans tried to rally behind Athena as she continued to take a beating from LuFisto. Athena fired back with se3veral kicks and hit a big underhook suplex. She then slid out of the ring and taunted LuFisto before nailing her with a kick to the head from the floor. Athena got cattle mutilation, but LuFisto managed to get to the ropes. LuFisto finally fired back and drove Athena head-first into the turnbuckles. They exchanged bombs on the floor, but LuFisto decked Athena with a big kick to the gut. LuFisto set Athena up on the guardrail, but LuFisto grabbed her with an arm bar. LuFisto escaped and charged at Athena, but ran shoulder-first into the guardrail. Athena then followed up with a cannonball of the apron and the fans applauded.

They battled up top a short time later and LuFisto hit a superplex. Both women were slow to get up after that exchange. The fans fired up and clapped as both women tried to get to their feet. Both women got up and traded bombs. LuFisto caught Athena with a big running kick in the corner. Athena fired back and hit soul food, but LuFisto fired back with a spinning back fist. LuFisto went for a burning hammer, but Athena slipped out and hit an enzuguri for a 2 count. LuFisto hit a double underhook powerbomb for a near fall a short time later. She went up top, but Athena moved out of the way. The fans fired up as Athena crawled to the apron and went up top. Athena came off the top and connected with the O face and the fans applauded.

Winner: Athena to retain the AIW Women’s Title

Star rating: (***1/4) – This was a good match that picked up nicely down the stretch with some really good back and forth exchanges leading into the finish. LuFisto was a nice surprise as a mystery challenger to Athena.

(6) Heidi Lovelace (w/Annie Social) vs. Louis Lyndon. They went back and forth during the early going. Lovelace eventually sent Lyndon into the crowd with a head scissors takedown off the apron. She tried to charge at Lyndon a short time later, but he lifted her up and dropped her neck-first over the guardrail. Lyndon went to work on Lovelace inside the ring. Lyndon taunted Lovelace and Social, who was on the outside. Lovelace finally floated over Lyndon and used her knees to drive him face-first into the second turnbuckle. Lyndon fired right back and continued to work over Lovelace. Lovelace mounted a comeback and nailed Lyndon with several running boots in the corner followed by a nifty DDT for a 2 count.

They continued to go back and forth and Lyndon hit a wheelbarrow German for a near fall. The crowd tried to rally behind Lovelace. Social tripped Lyndon from the floor. Lovelace then hit a big Saito suplex a short time later. She followed up with a big hurricanrana for a near fall. Lovelace went up top a short time later for a frog splash, but Lyndon got his knees up. Lovelace got a crucifix pin, but Lyndon stood up and dropped her down into a dragon sleeper for the submission win.

Winner: Louis Lyndon

Star rating: (**3/4) – This was a solid match. It dragged at first, but picked up during the second half with the crowd getting behind Lovelace, who battled from behind the entire match.

Eddie Kingston got on the mic before facing Mia Yim and ran down a fan. He said he was going to beat this little Korean’s ass. He then did his own ring introduction. Kingston told Yim this wasn’t going to be some three minute TNA match when she was introduced. Kingston went to the floor and got a chair. He said he was going to sit in it and go to sleep like he does every Wednesday night when she’s on TV. The fans chanted for Yim to kick his butt.

(7) Eddie Kingston (w/The Duke) vs. Mia Yim. Yim and Kingston are a real life couple. Yim slapped Kingston across the face and went for a rollup. Kingston quickly escaped, but Yim nailed him with several chops and took him down with a hurricanrana. Kingston then rolled to the floor and Yim went for a dive, but ended up wiping out The Duke when Kingston got out of the way. Yim then nailed Kingston with a running kick to the chest from the apron for a 2 count. Kingston finally caught a kick from Yim and dumped her to the mat with a big suplex. The Duke then choke her from the outside while Kingston distracted the ref. Bauer kept making up lies about things PWTorch reported about Kingston and Yim’s relationship. He said the Torch is like the Observer only better. Yim fired back with some big slaps and she nailed him with several and then Kingston grounded her with a short slap. Kingston distracted the ref and The Duke went to work on Yim on the floor. He then went to the outside and said, “Welcome to the independents where we don’t give a s—t!” Bauer wondered if Yim hadn’t done Kingston’s laundry. Oh boy. Justice told him it’s 2015 on commentary. Kingston hit some big chops on the outside and the fans booed. Yim broke out of a submission, but Kingston got right up and nailed her with a powerbomb. Kingston tossed a chair into the ring, but the ref stopped him. Justice said Kingston was going have to make up for this with chocolates and a bubble bath when they got home.

The fans tried to fire up behind Yim. Yim fired back with a pair of big roundhouse kicks that sent Kingston into the corner. She followed up with a big cannonball for a 2 count. She caught Kingston with a springboard tornado DDT a short time later for a near fall. She went for the package piledriver, but Kinston blocked it and hit a big uranagi for a 2 count. Kingston followed up with a big clothesline, but Yim kicked out again and the fans applauded. Yim fired back with some big kicks, but Kingston shook them off. Yim finally nailed Kinston with a Pele kick, but The Duke got on the apron. She went up top, but Kingston cut her off.

They battled up top and Kingston spit in her face. Yim fired back with a headbutt and made the cover, but got up when The Duke got up on the apron and decked him with a slap. Yim blocked a spinning backfist and hit a German with a bridge and Kingston kicked out at the last second and the crowd went nuts. That was a great sequence! Yim nailed Kingston with several short kicks to the head. She then kicked Kingston in the chest several times and he flipped her off. Yim hit another big kick to the head and went for the package piledriver, but she couldn’t lift him up. Kingston nailed her with a pair of spinning backfists, but Yim flipped him off. Kingston nailed her with a third spinning backfist and screamed f—k you at Yim, who sold being upset before storming to the back.

Yim staggered around and got a huge standing ovation. The fans then chanted her name.

Winner: Eddie Kingston.

Star rating: (***3/4) – This was a really strong match with Kingston disrespecting Yim throughout and Yim mounting some great comebacks. Yim comes across so well in matches like this. Her striking is believable and she carriers herself like she belongs in the ring. The finish was a mixed bag, as Kingston got completely frustrated before storming off in a work/shoot type of finish where Yim wasn’t selling his first two backfists as well as he would have liked. That aspect of it felt a bit off, but overall this was really good.

Pondo came down to the ring with his barrel of plunder. He also took several chairs from under the ring and tossed them into the ring. Pondo got on the mic and talked about the age difference between him and Dobson. Pondo said if they were going to do this in front of AIW fans that have seen everything, they should fight like they do at home and use weapons. Pondo said cops, firetrucks, and helicopters are all around their house because they like to kick the s—t out of each other. Pondo said one thing they do before they fight is play paper, rock, and scissors. Pondo won the first won and slapped Dobson across the face. They slapped each other each time they won a round. Dobson got fed up and nailed Pondo with several headbutts and a dropkick.

(7) Mad Man Pondo vs. Crazy Mary Dobson. Dobson set up a chair over Pondo and dropkicked it into him. Pondo set up a chair over Dobson and ran her into the ringpost. Dobson fired back and slammed a painting over Pondo’s head. Dobson went for a sunset flip and Pondo slammed a stop sign over her head for a 2 count. This match is dreadful so far. Pondo set up a bunch of plunder on a couple of chairs. They battled up top and Dobson mounted a comeback and hit several kicks. She then hit a super hurricanrana that sent Pondo through the chair structure, but Pondo kicked out of course. They battled up top once again and Dobson hit a code red onto a pile of chairs, but Pondo kicked out again. Pondo went to staple Dobson, but she hit a low blow and stapled a dollar to Pondo’s head. Pondo fired back and hit a DVD onto the trashcan. He then tossed the stop sign at Dobson and stapled her between the legs. Pondo got upset and realized he had done something wrong. Dobson then rolled him up for the win.

Pondo and Dobson ended up raising each other’s hands after the match.

Winner: Crazy Mary Dobson – This was uncomfortable to watch and there was nothing good about this match.

Rickey Shane Page got on the mic and said he had talked to Wadsworth and the match was No DQ with pinfalls counting anywhere in the building. Scott grabbed the mic and said no. Page told Scott he would put the title on the line. Scott then agreed to the match.

(8) AIW Absolute Champion Rickey Shane Page vs. Veda Scott in a No DQ, No Count-out match. Page nailed Scott with a running kick after he was introduced and the action quickly spilled to the outside. They went back and forth on the outside. John Thorne came in on commentary. They fought around the merchandise tables set up in the room where the show was being held. Scott went for a tornado DDT off the guardrail, but Page countered it and suplexed her onto the apron. He then rolled her into the ring for a 2 count. Scott fired back after ducking a kick and hit a low blow for a 2 count. She caught Page with a tornado DDT off the turnbuckles a short time later and went for a Saito suplex. Page blocked it, but Scott hit another low blow and a Saito suplex for a 2 count.

Scott got a chair from under the ring, but Page immediately nailed her with a running kick when she got back into the ring. Page went for a suplex onto the chair, but Scot countered it into a scorpion death drop on the chair. She then hit a big bulldog on the chair for a 2 count. Page fired back and hit the TOF for a 2 count. The fans fired up as they both regrouped. Scott spit in Page’s face and slapped him, so Page nailed her with a big running kick. Page then hit a choke breaker and made the cover, but ended up rolling out of the ring to get a table. They battled up top and this time Page hit a low blow and a falcon arrow through the table for the win.

Winner: Rickey Shane Page to retain the AIW Absolute Championship

Star rating: (**1/2) – This was a solid back and forth brawl, although it was hard to take it seriously given the size difference between Page and Scott. Scott has been a thorn in Page’s side for a long time and she used a ton of cheap tactics here before Page eventually got the win.

Overall Score: (7.5) – This was a very fun show overall. I’m usually not a fan of intergender matches, but several of the matches on this show were entertaining, especially the ones where the participants had a game plan going into the match and delivered a good story. A couple of the matches on the card that were tremendously entertaining were Page-Kay and Yim-Kingston. The card limped to the finish line a bit, but overall this show had some really fun matches that are worth checking out. The crowd didn’t appear to be huge and the show was held in a ballroom at a hotel during a wrestling convention, but the crowd provided a good atmosphere for the best matches on the show.

The show began with some quality action. Iron-Social, To Infinity & Beyond vs. Sugar & Spice and Page vs. Kay all delivered during the early going. I especially enjoyed Hendrix doing a Poison Ivy gimmick and how she put Delaney under her spell during the early part of the To Infinity & Beyond vs. Sugar & Spice match. This lead to some really fun storytelling in the ring building that built to the finish of the match.

Kay vs. Page had a fun storyline as they turned the tables and Kay objectified Page, who wanted none of it. They told a funny story with Kay doing everything from checking out Page’s package to telling him she likes it rough.

The show had several matches with real life couples wrestling each other. Gargano-LeRae and Kingston-Yim both delivered some really good action. Gargano and LeRae have really good chemistry in the ring together and put together some fantastic sequences. The Kingston-Yim match was the best match of the show. Yim is really good with her striking and it’s believable that she could beat someone Kingston’s size given how hard she hits. The finish took things down a notch, but it was still one heck of a match. Athena-LuFisto was a nice surprise and they had a good female vs. female match at the midpoint of the show.

The last two matches ended the show on somewhat of a down note given the quality of the rest of the action on the card. Dobson-Pondo was a terrible garbage brawl that was uncomfortable to watch at times. The Scott-Page main event was solid, but compared to some of the other matches on the card, it paled in comparison. The size difference between Scott and Page made it hard to take the action in the ring seriously at times, although Scott did a good job of using cheap tactics to stay in the match.

Overall, this was a fun show. Some of the matches really stood out because the wrestlers went in with a plan to tell a good story and have a good match like To Infinity & Beyond vs. Sugar & Spice and Page vs. Kay. Other matches stood out for being really good in-ring encounters with Kingston-Yim and Gargano-LeRae providing the best in-ring action of the night. This show was a pleasant surprise, although I wish it had finished on a higher note than it did. Recommended.

You can purchase AIW’s “Battle of the Sexes 2” on DVD by clicking HERE or by visiting Shop.AIWrestling.com. You can also purchase this show on MP4 at SmartMarkVideo.com and on VOD at SMVOD.com. For more information on AIW, visit AIWrestling.com.

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