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Jersey All Pro is quietly producing some of the best non-ROH indy DVDs out there. The promotion does an excellent job with lighting, editing, and they top everyone else with some great highlight packages after matches. Obviously, I'm a fan.

This is a review of "Spring Massacre" from Rahway, N.J., on April 21, 2007. This venue is a large high-school sized gym, and the crowd is 600 or more, with plenty of fans sitting in the bleachers across from the hard camera. I bought this DVD for one match -- Samoa Joe vs. Low Ki. On the strength of that match alone, this show deserves to get noticed.

On commentary here are the team of Mark Clemson and Steve "Monsta" Mack. These two, quite simply, have FUN on commentary. The play-calling is a bit light-hearted, but enjoyable.

(1) Kevin Matthews defeats Wes Draven at 2:06. A solid squash. Draven is a black man with long dreadlocks, and I don't think I've seen him before. Matthews attacked Draven from behind, and he hit a bodyslam into the corner, then a splash, and he made a cocky one-foot cover. The commentary was a bit too quiet on this first match. Matthews hit a uranage and he posed. Matthews then nailed a fisherman's buster for the pin. Solid.

* In a backstage promo, Matthews cut a humorous, crazy promo. "It was total domination from the get-go!" Matthews said.

* Daizee Haze cut a heel promo, saying she was "gracing us with her presence" tonight. Her promo was filled with lots of drug-related references.

(2) Daizee Haze defeats Sara Del Rey at 9:04. Good match, although these two have certainly had better. Haze tried on Del Rey's "Death Rey" T-shirt, and she mocked Sara. Del Rey hit a "Vader Bomb" chest-bump. Haze hit a chop and a headscissors takedown at 3:00, and Del Rey bailed at 3:00. Del Rey hit a backbreaker in the ring, then a gutbuster over her knee. Del Rey hit an Earthquake buttsplash, and she put her in a Camel Clutch. Clemson noted that Bryan Danielson and Donovan Morgan trained Del Rey. Del Rey hit a basement dropkick at 5:30, and she choked Daizee. "These girls show they are more than just T & A," Mack said, obviously impressed.

The women traded forearms and chops, and Haze hit a faceplant for a nearfall. Del Rey applied the Royal Butterfly Lock, and she turned it into a Gory Stretch on her back. Haze got a sunset flip for a nearfall. Del Rey hit three consecutive Mafia Kicks for a nearfall, but Haze reached the ropes. They traded rollups. Haze hit a Heartpunch and her Snapmare Driver for the pin. Good match, and they won over a tough crowd.

(3) Slyk Wagner Brown defeats Archadia at 9:12. Brown is a thick black man, and he's much bigger than the high-flying Archadia. SWB hit some blows to the back. Archadia hit a nice dropkick, a quick Russian Legsweep, and some guillotine legdrops, then a headscissors takedown to the floor. Archadia went for a plancha, but SWB caught him and hit a windup uranage onto the floor! OUCH! The lighting in this match got a bit weird, as it was really dark from the hard camera. In the ring, Brown hit a backbreaker over his knee, and he stretched Archadia.

The announcers talked about Archadia's recent health problems (which include a heart problem scare). Brown applied a Japanese Stranglehold at 3:30. The lights came on entirely now. There was a smattering of "boring" chants. Brown hit a delayed vertical suplex into a faceplant for a nearfall. Archadia hit a top-rope superplex, and they were both down. One announcer said Archadia is a "white Shelton Benjamin," which is a good description!

Archadia hit a leaping lariat and a running kneestrike at 6:00. Archadia hit a springboard dropkick to the back of the head for a nearfall, a guillotine legdrop for a nearfall, and a top-rope senton for a nearfall. Archadia hit a NICE Reverse Rana for a nearfall! However, Brown hit a second-rope "Drop of Extasy"/Splash Mountain powerbomb for the pin. The middle of this match was just a bit too slow, but it finished well.

* Monsta Mack ran into the ring to save Archadia from a further beatdown.

(4) Buff E. & Mase (the Christopher Street Connection) defeat Alicia & Cha Cha (w/Johnny D & Rebecca Bayless) at 10:57. This was ALL comedy. The CSC are gay characters, and they usually use this to play "mindgames" with their male opponents. But here, against two females, the CSC guys didn't know what to do! The CSC spent a lot of time talking to the crowd. Johnny D got on the mic and said he wanted "a straight match." Johnny D urged the CSC to put away their hijinx. "There are children in the crowd," Johnny D said. Buff E and Cha Cha finally tied up, and they did a standing switch, but Buff E bailed, as he apparently didn't like touching a woman!

Alicia tagged in at 3:00 to face Mase. Mase was disgusted at her curves. Alicia hit a drop-toe-hold, and she spanked Mase, and Mase bailed. Monsta Mack said the CSC were "taken out of their games." Buff hit a hard chop on Alicia! OUCH! Buff hit a backbreaker on her across Mase's knees. Buff slapped her in the face, and Alicia bailed at 6:30.

Mase finally tied up with Johnny D for some LEWD stuff. The sound in this match was going in and out. The women hit double buttbumps. Alicia hit some loud chops on Buff E, and Buff fainted! The girls worked over Buff E. Mase chopped Cha Cha, and he hit a top-rope splash, and Buff pinned Cha Cha. Decent humor, but not much for actual "wrestling."

* Alicia and Cha Cha cut a backstage promo. Alicia said they gave the Christopher Street Connection a good beating, and she made an open challenge to anyone, men or women.

(5) EC Negro & Bandido Jr. (w/KC Blade) vs. Oman Tortuga & Diablo Santiago ended in a no contest at 8:51. Blah. These are four heels, all part of the same "La Familia" faction. Clemson said they stole the tag titles from Azrieal & Jay Lethal, and that La Familia are NOT the tag champions. Promoter Fat Frank came out and ordered the two teams to fight. Oman tried to order Bandido to lie down to be pinned, but Bandido refused. Negro and Diablo squared off, but they had friendly reversals.

Oman hit a clothesline on Blade on the floor! Bandido hit an enziguri. The crowd was REALLY quiet, as, they obviously don't like either team. Diablo Santiago hit a German Suplex, and he stomped on EC Negro, and this was basic. Bandido hit a DDT at 5:30 on Santiago, and he hit a catapult guillotine legdrop for a nearfall.

Santiago hit a uranage on Bandido. Oman hit a hard clothesline on the diminutive Bandido, then a nice back suplex. Santiago hit a Spinebuster on Bandido. Suddenly, Azrieal hit the ring and hit chairshots on ALL the La Familia members, causing the DQ. What a blah match. Azrieal left with his tag titles. Utterly skippable.

* End of DVD 1.

* In a backstage interview, Reefer made numerous homophobic comments about his opponent. He said that Azrieal was in for a rude awakening tonight.

(6) Grim Reefer vs. Azrieal ends in a draw at 13:55. Good match until the non-finish. The bell rang, and Azrieal immediately rolled to the floor and stalled, and he jawed at the crowd. In the ring, they traded armholds, and this was slow early. Reefer hit a chop at 4:30 and a monkeyflip. Azrieal bailed again, got the mic, and jawed at the crowd. Reefer hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor to cut Azrieal off! They fought on the floor, then into the crowd. Back in the ring, Azrieal hit a basement dropkick to the back at 8:00, and the crowd chanted for Reefer.

Azrieal hit a catapult senton, and he was in charge. The announcers talked about Jay Lethal developing a "big head" because of being on TNA TV. Azrieal hit a splash in the corner. Reefer fired back with a clothesline, a spin heel kick, and a springboard flip senton for a nearfall at 12:00. Reefer applied a "Chronic Crossface" on the mat. Azrieal hit a faceplant and a top-rope frogsplash for a nearfall. Suddenly, La Familia hit the ring and attacked both guys, leading to (another!) draw. What a lame finish.

* This was a 5-on-2 beatdown, as La Familia hit a chairshot on Azrieal's head. Reefer hit a suplex on EC Negro on the bleachers. La Familia eventually headed to the back, and Reefer and Azrieal shook hands! However, Azrieal then attacked Reefer from behind (making it clear he's still a heel.)

* Samoa Joe cut a backstage promo, saying he and Low Ki have similar styles, and Joe predicted he would walk out tonight as champion.

(7) Low Ki defeats Samoa Joe at 20:05 to retain the JAPW Heavyweight Title. Excellent, excellent match. These two have always clicked in the ring, and this was no different. Monsta Mack said this was only the fourth-ever singles match between these two, and he called it a "Dream Match" and a "historic event." Ki hit some right and left blows, and they had some intense lockups. The crowd was HOT and split. Ki hit some chops. They traded slaps to the face at 5:00, then they hit some chops. Joe hit his back chop & front kick & kneedrop combo.

Ki hit a dropkick that dropped Joe, and Ki hit some spin kicks to the chest, but he couldn't get Joe up for a bodyslam. Joe nailed a European Uppercut, then a headbutt to the ribs, and he stretched Ki on the mat. Joe hit a Kawada Kick for a nearfall at 8:30. Ki applied a hammerlock on the mat, and he turned it into a cross-armbreaker, but Joe reached the ropes. Ki hit more spin kicks to the chest. Joe hit an STO uranage and a spinning enziguri for a nearfall. Joe nailed a running knees to the chest at 12:00.

Joe nailed a Facewash and a running boot, but he missed a senton. Ki hit a bodyslam. Mack shouted, "Oh my God, he slammed Andre!" Funny. Ki hit some Kobashi-style rapid-fire chops, then an overhead kick to the back of the head. Ki nailed his springboard spin kick, and the crowd chanted for Low Ki! Ki hit several spin kicks to the chest as Joe was on his knees, then Ki hit an enziguri, but he couldn't hit the Ki Krusher.

Joe nailed a second-rope kneestrike for a nearfall and a standing powerbomb for a nearfall, then he applied an STF. Joe hit his own Kobashi chops at 18:00. Ki hit a second-rope doublestomp to the back, then another doublestomp to the gut, for a believable nearfall. Ki applied a Dragon Clutch, but Joe fought out. Joe nailed an Island Driver for a nearfall. Joe set up for the Musclebuster, but Ki fought out! Ki immediately got a sunset flip with a jackknife cover for the clean pin! WOW, that was some good stuff.

* Low Ki cut a backstage promo, saying he's proud of being champion.

* Homicide & B-Boy cut a backstage promo, and they talked about how much they dislike Eddie Kingston.

(8) B-Boy & Homicide (the Strong-Style Thugs) defeat Eddie Kingston & Chris Hero at 9:54. A fantastic but short main event. Kingston walked to the ring by himself, and he ripped on New Jersey. He "dared" Chris Hero to come out and be his tag partner. Hero came out, and they immediately began to shove each other! They slapped each other's faces (and these two are partners!) The match began, and Kingston & Hero turned to fighting their opponents. Homicide and Hero brawled in the ring as B-Boy and Kingston fought on the floor. B-Boy hit an enziguri on Kingston in the ring. Homicide hit a Tornado DDT on Hero.

The announcers said this was Kingston's long-awaited JAPW debut. B-Boy nailed his Facelift/running basement dropkick in the corner at 2:00. Hero whipped Homicide into the guardrail. Kingston hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex on B-Boy. Hero hit a senton on B-Boy. Kingston & Hero beat up the SST for a minute, then they turned to each other and started fighting again! Kingston hit a doublestomp on B-Boy at 4:30. B-Boy hit a top-rope legdrop on Hero. Homicide hit a tope con helo/dive to the floor on the heels. Homicide put a chair on Kingston's groin in the ring, and Homicide nailed the chair with a sledgehammer! Fans chanted, "Holy sh!t!," and Kingston sold it like he had been shot!

Homicide hit a swinging neckbreaker on Kingston and a top-rope senton. B-Boy hit a swanton for a nearfall on Kingston, but Hero made the save. This action was QUICK. Homicide and Hero hit double clotheslines. Kingston hit an Exploder on B-Boy, and they were all down at 8:30. Fans chanted, "This is awesome!" Hero and Kingston each hit a Mafia Kick on B-Boy. Kingston hit a back suplex for a nearfall on B-Boy, then Kingston hit a back suplex on (his partner!) Hero! Homicide nailed a Doomsday Ace Crusher on Kingston. B-Boy nailed a Shining Wizard for the pin. What a hot, hot, action-packed match.

* Hero hit a cravate swinging neckbreaker on Kingston after the match. Backstage, Hero said that Kingston was a "piece of sh!t."

* In his own backstage promo, Kingston said that he broke his ankle in December, and since then, his life has been a living hell. Kingston said he used to think of the Strong Style Thugs as heroes, but he now knows they are just cowards. He said this feud was not over, and he blamed the loss on Chris Hero.


Final thoughts: This is a two-match show. The fans came to see Low Ki vs. Samoa Joe, and they were not disappointed in that big, marquee match. Ki and Joe pounded each other with stiff kicks, chops, and punches. As disappointed as I was in this show, this one match made it worth it to me.

Second-best goes to the action-packed main event. Yes, it should have been longer, but it was great action. It was fun watching Hero and Kingston alternate between hitting their opponents and each other. Those two have brought their rivalry across the country (they just fought each other in IWA Mid-South!), and that's good stuff.

The rest of the show? Largely disappointing. Two non-finish matches in a row. A squash opener. A humor match with gay guys vs. women. An underwhelming Brown-Archadia match. And as much as I praised JAPW's production skills, that was lackluster on this show, with weird sound problems, and the lighting was a bit off. As a whole, this was not a strong JAPW show.

So, order this only if you haven't seen Joe vs. Low Ki before. But they do have other singles matches out there. This DVD is available at www.japw.net for $17, including shipping.

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