The Furious Flashbacks – Universal Uproar

The Furious Flashbacks – Universal Uproar

Kobashi’s world tour of awesomeness hits the UK

Technology continues to march on in the Furious household. Now I have the DVD playing on my PC right above where I’m typing. For those who missed it Universal Uproar was a big UK Supershow filmed at the Coventry Skydome. It’s Alex Shane’s attempt to follow up on the huge success of International Showdown in early 2005 where such luminaries as Mitsuhara Misawa, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels and others thrilled the crowd. This show suffered quite badly from the old “card subject to change” though. Originally Matt Hardy was supposedly in a cast iron contract to do this show despite re-signing with the WWE. Shane even fancied he could sue Vince McMahon and win but thought it wasn’t worth it. Whether that’s bullshit or not is anyone’s guess. To make matters worse TNA promptly pulled all their talent off the show at the last minute leaving the likes of Rhino and AJ Styles absent. Some last minute changes were thrown together to make the card passable but the reason I showed up to the event was the presence of one Kenta Kobashi in the main event wrestling in England for the very first time.

Ring announcer is John Atkins. Your DVD hosts are rubbish. I think it’s Tony Giles & Nick London but don’t quote me on that. Where’s the Irish guy that did the Showdown DVD? He was great.

Jody Fleisch/James Tighe/Aviv Mayaan v Jonny Storm/Amazing Red/Spud

X-Dream was meant to be on Team Fleich but missed his flight. Tool. One of the commentators claim this is Red’s European wrestling debut. LIES! He worked a match the night before. I know because I was there. Tighe is a late replacement for X-Dream so he seems a little out of place here. Team Storm hit stereo dropkicks and stereo dives. Spud whirls around on Tighe and armdrags him around. Jody gets the tag and he’s making his first major appearance since his leg injury (although he’s been around wrestling various places since coming back in the summer of ’05). Storm v Fleisch and as per usual that’s fucking awesome because they know each other so well. Red gets to work with Mayaan. Armdrags, drink! They go hold for hold into duelling dropkicks. Tighe holds Red up for Fleisch and Mayaan to missile dropkick him into a Frozion for 2. Red gets isolated direct from that and Fleisch hits a split legged moonsault for 2. Tighe holds Red up for a stalling suplex. That gets 2. Red busts out some good stuff and hits an Ace Crusher on Fleisch. They keep charging him but he kicks them off and tags Storm in. Double springboard diving rana on Fleisch. Mayaan trips him up though and Spud is up to wipe out the guys on the floor. Mayaan adds in a dive. Tighe nearly screws up an Asai Moonsault. Storm has the chance to dive again and does with a corkscrew plancha. Jody goes up for the Springboard SSP but hits the ropes and nearly lands on his head. INFRA-RED to the floor follows. The moron on commentary shouts “code red” over it. I don’t know who this guy is but I absolutely hate him. Back in Spud hits a satellite DDT on Tighe for 2. It goes entirely spotfest from there. Everyone lies around until it’s their time to hit a spot. Fleisch hits a Super Rana for 2 and the fucking moron on commentary claims he won’t see action like that in any other promotion. Of course not. That’s the first rana off the top rope I’ve ever seen. You fucking idiot. Do you have a brain? Is it switched on? Fleisch jumps in the ring looking for a rana but Storm shoves Spud out of the way and hits a sitout powerbomb for 2. Mayaan breaks it and hits a tornado DDT for 2. Red drives his face into the mat with a half rana DDT. Tighe in – TIGHETANIC! That gets 2. Paul London jobbed to that. Amazing Red kicked out. Red ties Tighe up in the ropes and that ends up as one of those clusterfuck multiple submission things until Storm goes up top and sentons clean through it. You sick fuck! Storm Japanese armdrags Mayaan fof the top and Red adds in a Red Star Press for 2. Tighe made the save. Storm misses with a moonsault as Mayaan has decided selling isn’t key for this match. Everyone misses off the top one after another. Tighe gets caught in the Wonderwhirl at the end of it. **1/4. Absolute spotfest for the most part. I remember it being a lot better than that. But then that’s what a bunch of spots are for! Liven up the crowd. And they certainly did that. Jobs a good ‘un.

I amuse myself by checking the TWO forums for what people wanted to see on this show and a bunch of them wanted Jeff Hardy. Obviously not aware that homo musicians covered in body paint just don’t cut it as wrestlers. Luckily for them there’s still Shannon “the Prince of Punk” Moore to masturbate over on this show.

D’Lo Brown v Joe Legend

And to think I’ve paid to see this. Twice. Actual heat from the crowd when the match is announced although that could be for the mention of ITV’s “Celebrity Wrestling”. Joe Legand is more fake tan than man. Crowd likes D’Lo. The FWA ring looks ridiculously small with these guys in it. They go for the odd bit of light comedy because an actual match wouldn’t be up to much. They end up striking instead. Well, I guess if you can’t wrestle a match you might as well just beat the shit out of each other. D’Lo hits a leg lariat, which is considered the win in that particular stand off. D’Lo boots Joe in the face in the corner. That gets 2. D’Lo hits a stalling suplex for 2. “Match of the year” chant some wiseass fans. D’Lo goes for the Joe Legend style piss taking, which gets him superkicked. D’Lo avoids a powerbomb and drops an elbow. He tried the old Rock style showboating but it just looked stupid. D’Lo springboards into a moonsault for 2. That was tasty. If he could work that strongly all the time I’d have no problems. Legend pops off a version of the DVD but D’Lo doesn’t want to sell that for long enough for Joe to come off the top. They switch and Legend hits a rope running superplex. They both no sell and both hit Shining Wizards. They’re going all puro on our asses there. Hopefully Kobashi will come out and chop the shit out of both of them. No? Damn it. D’Lo jumps so high on a back suplex it looks totally unbelieveable. Legend hits a spinebuster and the Oh My God elbow gets 2. Oh My God, Joe sucks. D’Lo suplexes him. Legend tries to run the ropes again but gets thrown off. D’Lo ends up hitting knees on the frogsplash. Legend pulls out the Hospital Drop for the pin. BOOO! ¾*. It was a nothing match but they tried hard. I just can’t stand Legend and can’t get into anything he does.

POST MATCH D’Lo rags on Celebrity Wrestling to try and apologise for his part in reality TV. Anyone who gets involved in reality TV shows deserves all the abuse they get. My MSN name is “Chantelle Houghton must die” for example and I feel much the same way about Preston and the Ordinary Boys.

BACKSTAGE We get a word with Colt Cabana. He goofs around but gets serious and tells us Nigel McGuinness trained as a wrestler in the United States but they’re even because they’re both trained in the US and both love the UK style.

Colt Cabana v Nigel McGuinness

This series may have begun in Ring of Honor but it’s a next generation World of Sport match. Cabana has actually wrestled more matches in England than McGuinness in recent years. We’re under a round system. Nigel gets a wristlock but Cabana rolls out of it. They repeat the spot the other way where Nigel gets out with a snapmare. Nigel breaks out the Johnny Saint tribute and Cabana kicks his hands away. Oh, that’s nice. Nigel headstands and Cabana has a think about it. Cabana gets rolled up in his first attempt at countering it. Cabana fakes him out and gets rolled up again. Cabana does a great spot where he works Nigel’s legs apart to use it as leverage to go after Nigel’s shoulder. The “easy” chant kicks in. Damn you Soccer AM! Cabana does the Regal tribute by waving. Handshake. The fucking moron on commentary calls ROH “Ring of Hardcore”. Yeah, Foley called it that in a promo but he’s calling it as if it’s the actual name of the company. He’s a moron. Get him away from the mic! First round is over. I notice at this point that there are no judges at ringside. What the hell happens if it’s a draw? Cabana slides out of a headlock using British style. Nigel makes the mistake of watching Cabana’s feet after a fake and gets armdragged. For me Cabana is ahead on points and style. Cabana controls on the arm and armdrags with it while the crowd gets a duelling chant going. Who said this wasn’t over? Nigel tries various tricks but can’t get out of the armbar. He finally gets out and they counter standing but Cabana never lets go of the arm and ends up back on the armbar. Nigel uses the ref for leverage and gets out for good. Cabana goes for the British style to out do Nigel but gets a backslid for 2. Cabana ends up walking on his hands and knees with Nigel the opposite way round on his back. They respect the British rules by not attacking each other on the mat. Nigel hooks up the full nelson and the crowd chants “masterlock”. I hate wrestling fans, so much. That’s the end of round two. Cabana hurts Nigel’s arm while trying to help him up. Heh, sneak. Cabana hears a few WHOOO’s from the crowd so he busts out the Flair appreciation and fakes a handshake to strut. Cabana invites Nigel to shoulderblock him but Nigel jumps over the trip. Cabana avoids a sneaky pin into a near falls. Nigel bridges out of sunset flip pin leaving his crotch in Cabana’s face. Cabana’s facial reactions are priceless. I called him on that and he said “well, whatcha gonna do when a guys crotch is in your face like that”. Cabana kicks the the arms away but Nigel uses his head to bridge so Cabana hits him in the groin. Well, whatcha gonna do? That’s a public warning and Nigel looks PISSED OFF. He headbutts Cabana and arm rakes him. Running European Uppercut scores. Cabana gets tied in the tree of woe and Nigel kicks him in the spine, which isn’t too sporting. He’s acting like a jackass basically. Cabana hits a crossbody for 1. Another one gets 2. Quebrada press gets 2. Nigel pulls out the Divorce Court leaving Cabana struggling with one arm. Nigel headstands again but Cabana chops him across and the chest because he’s learned from last time and adds in a brutal looking Missile Dropkick for the pin. ***1/2. That was a great match. It was different and innovative. Whether the Manhatten Mayhem match is better or not I don’t know because I’ve not seen it but that was really good. The commentators blame Nigel’s loss of focus when he lost his temper for the loss.

Low Ki v Homicide

Now we’re fucking talking. I’m REALLY not used to babyface Homicide. The commentators mention both guys working here in England last night and how Ki worked a tag match. Mention the company. No. Bastards. It’s 3CW and it’s on this DVD because it was a great match. Homicide gets pissy with the fans so Ki tries to break his arm over the ropes. To the mat where Ki looks astounding. He does the headstand kick to get Homicide away from him. Ki puts his weight on Homicide and kicks at the legs to break up a bridge but Homicide adjusts into a pin for 2. Homicide looks sharp and he chops Ki in the corner. That leads to a chop duel. Homicide wins with a poke in the eye. Ki bails and Homicide goes for a dive but Ki kicks him in the head in mid dive. I love that shit. Back inside Ki connects with a Muta Elbow for 2 before going to a triangle hold. Homicide gets out and they do a chop duel again. Ki wins with kicks and pins for 2. Ki runs into a belly to belly and ends up on the floor. Homicide works at the neck and drops a knee across the back of it for 2. Ki makes a note of that. He’ll get revenge for that. Homicide ties Ki up with a stretch that hooks up a lot of limbs but Ki rolls into a pin for 2. Homicide with a neckbreaker for 2. Homicide pulls out the running knee in the corner for 2. Less effective with such a small ring. Homicide guillotines the neck again for 2. Duelling chants and Homicide encourages his while flipping off Ki’s fans. Ace Crusher is blocked, sunset flip is blocked and Ki just double stomps on Homicide’s stomach. Ki is fired up and he throws a bunch of chops and the Mongolian chops. Butterfly suplex with bridge gets 2. Ki throws Homicide face first into the mat for 2. Ki looks for the Ki Krusher but Homicide gets the ropes. They battle there where Homicide hits the Yakuza Kick. Ki outside – TOPE CON HILO! Back inside Homicide is well in control and he spikes Ki with a tornado DDT for 2. Back to that neck then. Bridging Exploder gets 2. Homicide goes up top but misses the Flying Wolverine. Ki misses a Shining Wizard but gets it back the other way for 2. Tidal Krush misses and the Cop Killer is avoided. Homicide falls onto the ropes and Ki goes up top – DOUBLE STOMP OFF THE TOP! Ouch! Shame the camera guy at ringside didn’t get a great shot of the impact but Ki airbourne was quite a sight. That gets 2. Ki continues to club away but he gets caught in the Ace Crusher. LARIATOOOOOO…for 2. Homicide knows what he has to do but takes too much time. Ki gets out of the Cop Killer into a standing Dragon Clutch. Homicide has the ropes but Ki drags him off – KI KRUSHAAAAAA for 2. Homicide looks to be dead and the kickout was just instinct. Ki goes up top and Homicide pushes the ref into the ropes. He looks for the Ace Crusher off the top, blocked into the Super Ki Krusher and we’re looking at something sick. They continue to battle up there until Homicide loses his balance and gets hung up. Ki, like the sick motherfucker he is, hits the double stomp into Homicide’s face as he hangs upside down and you’d better believe that’s the end of this one. ****1/4. Great match with both guys going completely full tilt at each other. No half assing it here. I love wrestling.

BACKSTAGE we hear from Shannon Moore. Great. I hate Shannon Moore. I hate him even more now he’s on the roids and going for this whole punk look. Shannon points out the British fans all want to see good wrestling. Then why are you so excited about being here? He lists some good cruiserweights and names Sonjay Dutt. He says he’s going to deliver some wrestling tonight. YOU LIAR! You filthy liar.

Shannon Moore v Sonjay Dutt

I took this advantage during the show to go and chat to Colt Cabana and generally find some other way to amuse myself. Thanks to my no fast forwarding rule on DVD releases I now have to sit through this piece of shit. The “Prince of Punk” nickname makes me hate Shannon Moore even more than I already did. At least he doesn’t look like a girl anymore. Shannon’s promise of wrestling doesn’t show up for a while. However he’s got ‘standing’ and ‘staring into the crowd’ down. DIE SHANNON DIE! Shannon does a bunch of nothing while the girls chant for him. I always think a big girly pop is just embarrassing for a wrestler. They do some flippy things. Girls cheer. Yeah, whatever. Both guys stare out into the crowd a bit more. Sonjay bails to get a microphone. “The only way I’m getting back in that damn ring is if you chant my damn name”. Crowd promptly chants “Sonjay”. I’m not. I’m talkling to Colt Cabana at the merchandise tables. Apparently Shannon is a 10 year veteran. And yet all he’s learned in 10 years is, erm, let me get back to you on that. Sonjay hits a rana off the apron. Into the crowd where Sonjay hits a dive over the rail. Back inside Dutt get hip tossed into the buckles for 2. Again the commentators talk about Shannon being a 10 year veteran. Yeah, but he’s done nothing in 10 years. A few spotfests in WCW and years of jobbing on house shows for the WWE. Sonjay throws a few spots in here to cheer up the crowd. Tornado DDT off the middle ropes gets 2. Pumphandle Olympic Slam from Moore gets 2. Dutt flips into a Moore gutbuster and a Northern Lights gets 2. Moore hooks up a half crab. I guess the psychology would be to ground Sonjay if the half crab wasn’t so incredibly shit. Dutt grabs the bottom rope. To the ropes and Dutt hits a sunset flip bomb off there for 2. Superkick and a moonsault gets 2. At least Dutt can hit all his flippy high spot stuff. Hindu Press misses and Moore catches him with the “Mooregasm” for the win. If there’s ever been a worse name for a flipping neckbreaker I’ve yet to hear it. ½*. Let’s never speak of this again. Oh and fuck you Shannon. You’re not a good cruiserweight and you probably never will be. Putting on all that muscle makes you a booking target for exactly one company, the one that just fired you.

Bill Apter segment

They did this at International Showdown and no-one was particularly thrilled by it then either. Last time he gave Mick Foley a meaningless plaque. He’s the manager of Mick Foley’s team tonight and is ready to kick Greg Lambert’s ass. You and me both, Bill. He’s going to make the Hall of Fame inductions tonight despite not being from England and therefore not really appropriate. He inducts Mick McManus (I love that man, he was such a bastard heel) and Steve Grey was inducted before. Now we bring out Nagasaki’s manager for the big induction and the one that got a shocking ovation. I was standing but I didn’t expect everyone else to be. Inducted into the TWC Hall of Fame is KENDO NAGASAKI.

BACKSTAGE we get, as DVD extras, promos from Stixx & Stone and also Paul Travell. That’s it for the first disc though.

Alex Shane/Martin Stone/Iceman/Stixx v Mick Foley/Steve Corino/The Sandman/Paul Travell

This is based on International Showdown where Foley began a rivalry with Alex Shane. Corino also has past with Shane. He has Simply Luscious out here to mock Corino in that respect. I’ve met her, she’s lovely. Shane calls the fans “sad loser geek fucking muppets”. Shane says he’s a real man and lays the liplock on her. He runs down all his opponents. He sure likes the sound of his own voice. Sandman busts himself open with a beer can on his way to the ring and spits beer on Luscious. Pumping in shitty generic music over Enter Sandman convinces no one. He walks right past me btw so I’m probably on here. Iceman was a late replacement here but I can’t remember who for. Foley uses the word “hell” because he’s not on TV, heh, and says this match is anything goes. Foley says he’s never tagged with anyone on his team but they’ve made a pact to kick a little ass right here in Coventry!

Elimination rules then. Stixx-Travell to start. Hey, that’s EXACTLY what the crowd didn’t want to see. Crowd gets mean by calling Luscious a crack whore. Hey, she’s a nice lady. Travell hits a diving rana and controls on the arm. Sandman tags in and manages a hip toss AND an armdrag. Corino in they’re all working Stixx over. That is until Stone gets a tag after Corino is backed into the corner. Corino shoulderblocks him and tags Foley in to a big reaction. Running knee leaves Stone down and he’s baseball slid outside. Team Shane protect Stone and prevent the Cactus Elbow. Travell tags in to hit a somersault plancha. Stixx & Stone double team Travell for 2. Stone with a suplex and he pounds on Travell. Shane in for the first time. Check Up From The Neck Up leaves Travell down but Shane doesn’t want him. His distraction with Foley allows Travell to fight back but he gets hit with a neckbreaker. Iceman tags in. Crowd hates him but enjoy his CANNONBALL on Travell. Commentators mention Iceman’s match with Low Ki. Yeah, Ki no sold everything and just took him apart. Iceman goes for another Cannonball but misses and LANDS ON HIS HEAD. Travell hits a spinebuster and tags in Foley. He cleans house on everyone before focusing on Shane. BANG, BANG! Running knee in the corner. Mr Socko is out! Stixx & Stone prevent the usage of the sock puppet and drag him groin first into the ring post. Everyone else brawls on the floor. Corino gets picked off and beaten by all the heels. Sandman saves with the Singapore cane for everyone. Double team DDT on Sandman boots him out though and makes Stixx & Stone look upbeatable as a team.

Meanwhile Travell and Iceman destroy the entranceway and Travell breaks out Mr Pointy. I mark for Mr Pointy. Iceman and Travell brawl into the crowd and head up to one of the balconies. Uh oh. Iceman is left under the balcony and Travell is up. He dives off the balcony and there’s nothing down there for protection. TORNADO DDT when he landed apparently although you couldn’t see it. Both guys are eliminated due to the sheer evil of the spot.

In the ring Shane nut shots Foley. Stone gets caught in the double arm DDT and Corino tags in. Stixx in too. Downward Spiral/DDT on the tag champs. Stone uses the Singapore cane but Stixx misses and nails Stone. Foley has it and cleans house breaking it. Stump piledriver on Stixx and he’s gone.

Foley gets the pin leaving it Foley/Corino v Shane/Stone. Foley and Shane brawl into the crowd, right part where I’m standing, and Shane takes a header into the wall. Up they go to the balcony and after last time I’m smart enough to not stand under this. The real fool in all this is the referee who follows them up. Shane accidentally elbows him off the balcony and onto a bunch of fans gathered underneath. Try and do that spot in the USA and smell the lawsuits! Shane is all “oops, I’ve killed the ref”. Corino & Stone are brawling on the other side of the building to keep those fans amused and we don’t get a shot of the kid who got squished by the ref. Corino blades. SHOCK! Stone doesn’t see Foley coming back though and Mr Socko takes care of him.

Foley turns around and Shane boots him in the face for the pin. Crowd doesn’t like that but now Shane can say he pinned Mick Foley.

Corino v Shane. That’s a slugfest with Corino doing his Zero-One no sell. Shane gives him the Check Up From The Neck Up. He calls for the Foley killing big boot but Corino ducks and hits the LARIATOOOO for 2. He pinned Shane with that last time. Simply Luscious dives in there and slaps Corino. He grabs her ECW style and shows the crowd before the piledriver. She’s no longer a factor. BIG BOOT! Corino didn’t see it coming but it’s only 2. Shane goes for another but Corino ducks and Luscious takes it. LARIATOOOO! Corino gets the pin and wins the match. **1/2. It was fun if somewhat of a mess. The two massive bumps in there for fans of that sort of thing.

POST MATCH the winning team drink some beers minus Paul Travell, who’s in several pieces. Crowd chants “ECW” in recognition of the participants. Foley politely declines to drink a beer because he’s wearing his best flannel. Foley mentions the WWE coming to Coventry in 10 days. He’ll drink the beer but as long as they don’t tell anyone. Foley offers to take a drag off Sandman’s cigarette. You can hear us chanting “smoke” although the majority of the fans don’t dig it. Pussies. Foley does some comedy smoking with a total failure to inhale. Foley is thankful this is one of these weak American beers and they music plays him out because it’s time for the main event. Stop messing the ring up you! Foley gets a “boobies” chant going before he leaves. You might want to keep the kids away from the late showing. It gets a little blue!

Kenta Kobashi/Go Shiozaki v Jun Akiyama/Doug Williams

I marked SO big for Akiyama when he came out and then Kobashi just eclipsed that. 2,000 English people chanting “KO-BASH-EE” kind of freaks Kobashi out a bit. Kobashi starts with Akiyama. Oh yeah. Kobashi demonstrates he’s stronger and is willing to chop at will inside the first few seconds. Akiyama tries to shoulderblock him but gets chopped again. Akiyama goes for a high knee but that’s blocked and Kobashi shoulderblocks him over with ease. Akiyama has had more trouble translating to the ring with his movement than Kobashi who moves around in a different fashion. Doug tags in but Kobashi chops him too but Doug blocks a second shot and throws some uppercuts but you don’t trade strikes with Kobashi. He wins but Doug catches him with a European uppercut. Ooooh. This is great already. Go comes in to work over Doug’s arm possibly with the idea of removing the Chaos Theory from Doug’s offence. Go hits a dropkick on Akiyama as well and catches him with some headlocks. That’s so smooth. I have high hopes for Shiozaki. Doug gets his arm though and Akiyama owns him on the mat at the second attempt. Go blocks a piledriver and tags Kobashi in. CHOPS~! Good God. Akiyama tries to strike back but Kobashi just chops him down. Crossface clutch from Kobashi as he looks to tear up Akiyama’s jaw. Akiyama just about survives so in comes Shiozaki to have a ‘Go’ at him. Heh. Perfect dropkick gets 2. Kneedrop gets 2. He works a camel clutch and Kobashi adds a CHOP~! OW! Kobashi throws some more chops. Akiyama goes for the high knee but Kobashi shrugs him off and hooks up the sleeper. SLEEPER SUPLEX…for 2. Akiyama bounced off the top of his head there. Akiyama bails to recover and Shiozaki dives onto him breaking the rail. Kobashi thinks this is an ideal chance to kill Akiyama some more and DDT’s him on the apron. Kobashi chops away some more for 2. “This is awesome” – crowd. Kobashi and Shiozaki take apart Akiyama for near falls. Akiyama hits a back suplex on the careless Shiozaki but Kobashi chops him to prevent the tag. I mark for Kobashi’s chops. Akiyama is staggered so Kobashi chops him some more. Into the corner. CHOPS~! Akiyama finally gets sick of that and blocks so Kobashi is all HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! CHOP, CHOP, NECK CHOP, CHOP TO THE FACE, HUUUUGE NECK CHOP. Akiyama is dead and Kobashi suplexes him for 2. Suplex and in comes Go to crossbody Akiyama for 2. Go uses the high knee on Akiyama. Oh boy. He won’t like that. Go drops the Bombs Away for 2. Doug won’t like that. Akiyama tries to fight them off in the corner and Shiozaki has the temerity to chop Akiyama. Kobashi is all THAT’S NOT HOW YOU CHOP. I SHOW YOU! CHOP~! Akiyama gets out the corner though and in comes Doug with knees for the other team. Doug scores with a running knee in the corner and he has visions of beating Kobashi who promptly chops him in the neck until he falls over. Go tags in to relieve Kobashi’s workratee and he puts on a surfboard but in comes Kobashi because Doug is exposed. CHOPS~! OH GOOD LORD! Doug gets Shiozaki in the Gory Special and runs him into the buckles. Akiyama is back up!

Outside they head into the crowd right in front of us. Basically Akiyama wanted to go into the crowd so he could DDT Shiozaki outside. Kobashi takes offence and out he goes to kick Akiyama’s ass. We get a real close view of Kobashi and I mark SO bad. Oh look, Bernard’s shiny red shirt. Back in the ring Shiozaki is still legal. Akiyama gives him a high knee for 2. Go is left 2 on 1 for a while and the BOMB SCARE gets 2. Kobashi is in to save. Doug continues dropping knees on Shiozaki’s neck for 2. Akiyama deliberately uses chops and knocks Kobashi off the apron. OOOOOOH! The feeling is very much that Akiyama resents Shiozaki for getting a push and an overseas match that he feels he hasn’t deserved nad he’s wanting to kick his ass. Shades of Wilbur Snyder by Doug and he’s cocky about it until Kobashi walks in to CHOP~! the chest. Akiyama gives Shiozaki a piledriver for 2. Then he puts on the BITCHMASTER ABDOMINAL STRETCH! Oh, it’s so evil and pretty and STERN~! Shiozaki gets bent in half until he’s pinned for 2. Shiozaki starts throwing elbows as Kobashi plays cheerleader. Doug cuts him off and Akiyama comes in to mistreat the kid. Go blocks a suplex and uses his last energy to hit a suplex. Shiozaki heads up and hits a missile dropkick before tagging Kobashi in. He’s not happy. MOST CHOPS…EVER! GREATEST. CHOPS. EVER. He chops away for like 20 seconds. Doug runs in to save. MORE. GREATEST. CHOPS. EVER. He stops and then does some more. I MARK FOR CHOPS! More chops! Double chops for Akiyama’s shoulder. Oh, this is so awesome. Akiyama ducks the half nelson because he doesn’t want to get dumped on his head again. EXPLOIDAAAAA. NO SOLD. LARIATOOOOOOOOOO! Doug has to make the save. Kobashi is a little worn down from the Exploder and Doug hits him with the high knee. “This is awesome” – Coventry. Shiozaki protects the worn down Kobashi and trades strikes with Doug. Backslide is blocked so Shiozaki uses the Flying Forearm. Missile dropkick from Shiozaki gets 2. Doug blocks the Fisherman suplex three times and fires away with forearms but he runs into a superkick. FISHERMAN BUSTER…for 2. Doug just hangs on. Go looks for the German, which is asking for a Chaos Theory. Doug gets rid of him and Akiyama runs in with a Shining Wizard. Doug looks happy but he doesn’t see Kobashi come in – HALF NELSON HEAD DROP SUPLEX! Akiyama is still there thouggh – EXPLOIDAAAAA! Shiozaki is up and he hits a release German suplex on Akiyama. Everyone down, round of applause. Shiozaki is up first to Geerman suplex Doug for 2. MOONSAULT and Kobashi is holding Akiyama back. That only gets 2. Go exposes his knee to drop it but Doug catches him on the ropes for a butterfly superplex…that gets 2. Now Akiyama is holding Kobashi back. Go blocks Chaos Theory into a roll up for 2. Doug goes for it again, reversed, reversed back – CHAOS THEORY! And it’s over because Shiozaki just doesn’t have the experience to deal with it. That was so fucking awesome. I rated it ***** live so screw it, I’ll do with that again.

POST MATCH the three more experienced wrestlers look at Shiozaki a different way. He’s earned respect. Kobashi even raises his hand.

See now that would be pretty slick by itself but some marketing genius, probably Mark Sloan, saw a really good match the night before and decided to add it to the DVD. I know he was there because I was too. I’m in the front row, again, but this time I’m really, really drunk. This is from 3CW’s Kode Red show. It was their main event.

Stevie Lynn/Low Ki v Ice XVII/Amazing Red

Hosts are Mike Groom & Steve Halfpenny. Mike starts correcting Steve after 5 seconds to my amusement before stating that Ice “looks a little bit like a satsuma”, which is apparently the martial art that Low Ki studies. Lynn-Red to start and I’m sure Stevie is marking out whilst competing. They work the mat with Red being a little too quick for Lynn. Ice comes in and poses. Lynn tags Ki in. Steve goes on a rant on commentary about how Ki should be in the WWE but all they have there is bodybuilders. Settle down there Steve! Ice hooks it up with Ki and they duck strikes. Ki kicks him in the leg. That’ll teach him. Red is in. The feeling out process should be skipped for these guys. They do that ROH opening sequence bit to start and for those people who said it was artificially sped up, it’s not. I’ve seen it in person. Red does a multiple rotation headscissors and Ki falls outside. Red goes to dive but Ki kicks him in the head. Red has clearly had enough and he tags Ice back in. Ice manages to work his arm a bit but Ki headstands and kicks Ice in the neck. They fight into the ropes where Ki locks up the arm and tries to rip it off. Ki has to break the hold but drops to his feet on the floor. Ice tags Red back in but in comes Stevie Lynn. Both of the one side are just terrified by Ki who’s been dominant so far. Armdrags! Drink! Red makes the mistake of forearming Ki while he’s on the apron and they take it in turns to chop Red. He tries a sunset flip to get out but Lynn blocks it and legdrops him for 2. Lynn boosts Red up on his shoulders but Red switches into a rana. Ice comes in with a few cheap shots. Ice batters Lynn and hits the flipping neckbreaker for 2. Red back in to chop away. Steve shills the Darkest Deeds 2 DVD. Hey, I’ve reviewed that too. Ice hooks up Lynn for the pendulum suplex. That gets 2. Ice is far more confident when facing Lynn. He runs into an SOS Drop. Suplex and a cocky pin gets 2. Red comes in and pins for 2. Red with a dropkick and Ice is back in to chop at Lynn. Russian legsweep into the buckles. Ice turns it into a slugfest, which Lynn does well with until Ice catches him with a release suplex into the buckles. Ki’s reaction to that was awesome. Ice tries for something else but Lynn gets out and hits an Enzuigiri. Hot tag to Ki who goes to town on Ice with chops. Ice dodges one but gets chopped in the back instead. CHOPS~! Ki with the Kobashi tribute. Springboard kick misses but the Capo Kick connects. Ki throws some more kicks in his own indubitable style for 2. Ice provokes Stevie in, goes low on Ki and hits the Running STO. Red gets a tag for a spinning DDT for 2. CODE RED…gets 2. Red goes up but misses. Red ducks the Shining Wizard but Red catches him going back the other way. Lynn comes in looking for the brainbuster, Red escapes but Lynn hits the Blue Thunder instead. That gets 2. 450 SPLASH…misses. Red gives him the Rana DDT for 2. Everyone piles in for a scrap. Ki knocks Ice down with the springboard kick. Lynn hits the Golden Gate Swing on Red for 2. Red is screwed though – BRAINBUSTER! It’s over! Stevie Lynn pins Amazing Red. ***3/4. Blinding match. Not as great as seeing it live but then it’s hard to follow on from Kenta Kobashi.

The 411: This is a great DVD. International Showdown was better but this is still awesome stuff. Where else can you see Kenta Kobashi, Mick Foley, Low Ki and Jody Fleisch on the same card as two balcony bumps? You can get the DVD from A-Merchandise in the UK. It’s £12, which is a bargain. Thumbs way up.
Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]