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By Chris Vetter

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

International Wrestling Cartel returned to its home in Elizabeth, Penn., for a doubleheader in early December. This is a review of "A Call to Arms 4," which was night 1, on Dec. 7, 2007. This venue is a large gym, so height restrictions aren't a problem.

I am a big fan of IWC. I've said this in prior reviews, but promoter Norm Connors tells good stories in his angles, and he seems to know where he wants to go, and he rewards viewers for paying attention to subtleties. The commentary crew of Joe Dombrowski and J. Worthington Farnsworth may be the best team in the business. (They also call the action live, unlike Prazak/Leonard for ROH/FIP). I am a big fan of how Dombrowski calls matches and fills in backgrounds and helps get across storylines.

IWC has always done a good job with taping its shows. With this event, they've brought in lights for the ring, and turned down the lights on the crowd, giving this a more "big event vibe" than other shows. I can't see the crowd to estimate how many fans are here, but they are hot and ready for the action!

(1) Larry Sweeney defeats Delirious (w/Daizee Haze) at 13:01. Delirious went crazy at the bell. Sweeney got on the mic, and he wanted a strut-off. Sweeney did his hilarious strut, but Delirious refused to participate. So, Haze got in the ring and she strutted! Delirious attacked from behind at 3:30, and he hit some chops. They traded offense in a knucklelock. Sweeney hit a stomp on Delirious' right hand, and he hit Delirious' hand on the top turnbuckle. Sweeney hit a Dibiase Fistdrop onto the hand at 7:00. Sweeney went for a move off the ropes, but Delirious caught him with a leaping headbutt. Delirious hit some chops, but he kept hurting his own hand! Delirious hit a senton for a nearfall, and he applied a sleeper. The crowd rallied for Sweeney.

Sweeney hit a back suplex to escape the sleeper, and they were both down at 10:00. Sweeney hit some bionic elbows and a Samoan Drop, then a Spinebuster for a nearfall. Sweeney tried to hit a piledriver, but Delirious bit Sweeney's leg to block it. Delirious hit his never-ending clotheslines in the corner and a bulldog. The crowd was hot! Sweeney hit a neckbreaker & DDT combo. Haze hopped on the ring apron to distract Sweeney. However, Sweeney was able to get a Schoolboy rollup for the pin. Very good opener, and it got the crowd going!

(2) Davey Richards defeats Rickey Reyes at 9:55. Sharp, hard-hitting match. Tracy Smothers joined commentary. The match began, and they traded mat reversals and had a standoff, then Richards nailed a spinning back kick to the head! Richards hit a shoulder tackle and a headscissors takedown, and a dropkick, and Reyes bailed. Back in the ring, Richards hit some spin kicks to the chest at 3:00. Smothers compared Richards to Chris Benoit (breaking the now-unwritten code that you can't invoke Benoit's name. Good for Tracy!) Reyes hit some shoulder thrusts to the gut in the corner. On the floor, Reyes slammed Richards' back on the guardrail, and Reyes peppered him with forearms.

In the ring, Reyes hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall, and he applied a bodyscissors lock. Richards tied him in the Rowboat position. Reyes hit a bodyslam. Richards hit a nice hurricanrana! Reyes hit a Spinebuster for a nearfall at 5:30, then a flying forearm in the corner. Richards airballed a spin kick, and they were both down. Richards got up and hit some especially stiff spin kicks to the chest (perhaps upset that Reyes fell backward before that prior spin kick connected?). Richards applied a Fujiward Armbar with a nice bridge. Reyes couldn't get a Dragon Sleeper locked on.

Reyes hit a nice enziguri, then a back suplex for a nearfall, and they were both down at 9:00. The crowd was HOT! Richards hit his handspring-back-enziguri and a flying forearm, then an enziguri. Richards hit a German Suplex with a bridge, then he applied the Kimera Lock, and Richards tapped out! Sharp match, and these two had really good chemistry. This was intense and believable, and the announcers did a great job of putting over both men.

* The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) were interviewed by Jimmy Demarco on a stage. Demarco kept trying to put his arm around Shelley, and Shelley was annoyed. Shelley said they are one of the top tag teams in the world.

(3) Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley defeat "M-Dogg 20" Matt Cross & Josh Prohibition (the Burning River Brigade) at 13:27. Excellent tag action with non-stop action. Dombrowski said the BRB are an underrated tag team. Sabin and Josh immediately traded forearms, as Cross dove onto Shelley, and those two fought on the floor. Cross hit a top-rope moonsault on Sabin for a nearfall. Josh hit a butterfly suplex on Sabin for a nearfall. cross hit a nice dropkick for a nearfall at 1:30. Dombrowski talked about the history of these four wrestlers in IWC. Larry Sweeney now joined commentary, so we have four people in the booth, which is a bit much.

Sabin hit a legsweep, causing Josh to fall on Cross, in a gay spot. Shelley got in the ring and he chopped Cross, then he hit a Lionsault for a nearfall. The Guns hit a team suplex, and they each hit a running guillotine legdrop for a nearfall at 4:30. Sabin hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. Smothers wondered which team was the face and which team was the heel; the other announcers were hilarious in pretending they didn't understand Smothers question. Sabin hit a stunner. the Guns applied a team submission spot. Cool! Sabin applied an abdominal stretch on Josh, and he dumped Prohibition to the floor. Shelley hit a northern clothesline on Josh, but he then accidentally hit a clothesline on Sabin.

Josh snapped Sabin's neck on the second rope at 8:00, then he put Shelley in an STF, but Sabin made the save. Sabin couldn't hit the Cradle Shock. Cross faked a dive to the floor. The Guns hit double planchas to the floor. In the ring, the Guns worked over Josh. Cross got in and chopped Sabin. Sabin hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on cross, then an enziguri, and Shelley immediately hit a Shellshock/swinging faceplant. The Guns hit a sunset flip powerbomb on Josh. Sabin hit a Mafia Kick. Shelley hit a brainbuster and a DDT for a nearfall at 11:30, and fans chanted, "This is awesome!"

Cross hit a neckbreaker over his knee on Shelley. Josh hit a hard clothesline on Shelley for a nearfall. Sabin hit an enziguri on Prohibition, as Cross hit a doublestomp on Shelley's back. Josh hit a butterfly piledriver on Shelley for a believable nearfall, and the fans popped. Josh hit a Death Valley Driver on Shelley for another believable nearfall. Cross missed a top-rope Shooting Star Press. The Guns hit simultaneous enziguris on Cross, and Shelley pinned Cross. WOW. Dombrowski called it a "show-stealing match." Farnsworth praised the "rapid-fire offense."

(4) Hentai defeats Troy Lords at 12:34. Dombrowski called this a “teacher-student story gone wrong.” They opened with an intense lockup, and Hentai hit a headscissors takedown. Lords nailed a basement dropkick to the head, then he hit a European Uppercut. The crowd was a bit quiet, as neither man is really a heel right now. Lords hit a nice backbreaker over his knee, then some rolling snap suplexes for a nearfall at 2:00. Tracy Smothers praised Lords for his improvement in the ring. Lords hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Hentai hit a top-rope headscissors takedown. Lords fired back with a spinebuster, then a slingshot into the ropes, and he applied a Cobra Clutch on the mat.

Lords hit an inverted DDT for a nearfall at 5:00. They traded forearm shots. Lords hit an overhead powerslam. They fought on the ring apron, and Hentai hit a Russian Legsweep, sending them both crashing to the floor! OUCH! The crowd rallied for both men, as they both crawled back into the ring before the 10-count. They traded more blows in the ring, with Hentai hitting a straight right punch and a hard clothesline at 8:00. Hentai nailed a running double kneeshot in the corner. Lords fired back with a crossbody block and an Alarm Clock/flip-up in the air & kick to the gut. The announcers weren’t sure if Lords hit a low blow (I don’t think it was.)

Hentai hit a Northern Lights Suplex. Lords hit a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 10:30. Lords hit a stiff kick to the head. The crowd was definitely split. They fought on the ropes in the corner, with each man appearing like he was ready to hit a big move. Finally, Hentai hit a top-rope superplex for the pin. This was intense. They ‘kind of’ shook hands after the match, making it clear there are still some issues between them.

* A commentator tried to interview John McChesney. The crowd taunted McChesney, who has morphed into an AWESOME heel in the past year.

(5) Low Ki defeats John McChesney at 14:21. Very good match. Dombrowski talked about Ki’s history in IWC. McChesney stalled on the floor as the crowd chanted, “Low Ki’s gonna kill you.” This is the FIFTH match in IWC between these wrestlers (each has won one, and there were two draws.) They finally tied up, but McChesney bailed, and Ki was just getting angry. Back in the ring, Ki hit a quick spin kick to the arm, and McChesney bailed at 3:30. In the ring, Ki landed a LOUD chop, getting a huge pop. Ki hit a dropkick and a running elbowdrop for a nearfall. McChesney bailed again, and briefly vanished to the back. In the ring, Ki hit some more chops, some kicks to the thigh, and McChesney bailed again, but this time, Ki followed him to the floor.

McChesney slammed Low Ki’s back into the ring apron. They traded chops on the floor. In the ring, McChesney hit a backbreaker over his knee at 7:00. McChesney hit some elbow drops on the lower back, and he applied a Boston Crab. McChesney stayed in charge, as he applied a modified Camel Clutch, hit some chops, and he planted his knee in Ki’s lower back. Ki came back with some spin kicks to the thigh, then his “Tidal Crush”/springboard spin kick at 10:30, then he hit some more chops.

Ki hit some hard spine kicks, then a stiff kick to the mouth! McChesney fired back with a TKO stunner for a nearfall. In a nice sequence, McChesney hit a top-rope hurricanrana, but Ki rolled through it and went for a doublestomp on the chest, but John rolled away, hopped up, and hit a Superkick! Cool spot. Ki hit a stiff kick to the face at 13:30. Ki couldn’t get McChesney up for the Ki Krusher. However, Ki hit a doublestomp to the chest, then two consecutive Warriors Way/top-rope doublestomp to the chest for the pin. Good, intense match.

* A recognition ceremony of former IWC stars was held in the ring. Joe Dombrowski hopped in the ring, and he introduced former IWC wrestlers Powerhouse Hughes, Jimmy Vegas and Dean Radford. Radford got an especially big pop. I believe he moved to Arizona, or somewhere in the Southwest, a year ago. Dennis Gregory, the current IWC champion, came out, wearing a nice suit, and the crowd loudly booed him. Gregory said he’s held the best as many times as the other three men combined, and he was cocky. Promoter Norm Connors said that Gregory would not leave the cage on Saturday with the title belt.

(6) Justin Idol & Eric Xtasy (Sexual Harassment) defeat J-Rocc & Ray Rowe (the Cleveland Mafia) and Shiima Xion & Jason Gory (Baby Face Fire) and Mickey & Marshall Gambino and Johnny Gargano & Michael Façade at 24:31. Good match, but a bit long. This was going to be a four-team elimination scramble, but Gargano & Façade came to the ring and demanded to be included. Ray Rowe hopped in the ring, but no one wanted to start against the big man! Gargano and Xion finally tied up with some good standing switches at 5:00. Xtasy & Idol briefly joined commentary, because there “are our only four corners, not five.” Gory hit a top-rope crossbody block. The Cleveland Mafia both hit chops on Façade, then they hit a team Spinebuster at 8:00.

The Gambinos stomped on Façade, and they slammed Gargano onto Façade. The Mafia brawled with the Gambinos. Idol & Xtasy returned to the ring, and they brawled with several wrestlers on the floor. Façade hit a flip dive onto several wrestlers. Façade & Gargano hit simultaneous missile dropkicks. Gargano hit a spinning faceplant on Idol for a nearfall. Gargano hit a nice enziguri and a Lungblower on Idol for a nearfall at 11:30. Gargano hit a neckbreaker over his knee. Façade hit a Buff Blockbuster for a nearfall. Dombrowski incorrectly said this was one-fall-to-a-finish. Rowe hit a backbreaker on Gargano across J-Rocc’s knee; J-Rocc immediately hit a backbreaker across Rowe’s knee, and Rowe pinned Gargano at 12:58.

Dombrowski was a bit confused, and he (correctly) questioned why some wrestlers had broken up pins with this being an elimination match. They did a spot with a seven-man Russian Legsweep, and that drew a pop. Mickey hit a plancha to the floor onto several wrestlers. Gory hit a nice flip dive onto several wrestlers. Idol hit a top-rope flip dive to the floor, but he was barely caught, and he crashed hard. Xion hit a top-rope corkscrew press to the floor, and everyone was down. J-Rocc slammed onto everyone; the camera missed it. Marshall Gambino then hit a top-rope crossbody block onto everyone, and the fans chanted, “Holy sh!t!” at this fun sequence of dives.

In the ring, Xtasy began hitting chokeslams on all the smaller wrestlers, but he couldn’t land one on the big Ray Rowe! Rome hit a German Suplex on Xtasy, then he suplexed Idol, Xion, and Gory. Rowe nailed a T-Bone suplex on Marshall at 18:30, and everyone was down but Rowe! “Who in this company can stop Ray Rowe?” Dombrowski wondered. They did a tower spot out of the corner, with Marshall getting tossed across the ring. Gory hit his QAF/Code Red on Idol for a believable nearfall. Mickey hit a fisherman’s buster on Xion for a nearfall, but Gory made the save. Marshall hit a backbreaker on Gory. The Gambinos hit a Death Sentence/elevated guillotine legdrop, and Mickey pinned Gory at 20:42 to eliminate BFF!

However, just SECONDS later, Rowe applied a Dragon Stretch/modified Rings of Saturn, and Mickey tapped out at 21:03, leaving just two teams! Xtasy hit a German Suplex on Rowe, but Rowe immediately hopped up and dropped Xtasy. Rowe hit a running double boot on Xtasy. J-Rocc hit a frogsplash. Idol went for a Swanton Bomb, but he accidentally hit Xtasy. J-Rocc nailed a Doomsday Clothesline on Idol, for a believable nearfall at 23:00. Rowe hit an enziguri on Xtasy, then a Burning Hammer on Idol. However, J-Rocc insisted he wanted to pin Idol! But, Xtasy hit a spear on J-Rocc. Idol nailed a running kneestrike to the back of J-Rocc’s head, and Xtasy covered J-Rocc for the pin.

* J-Rocc apologized to Rowe for again costing them a tag match. He even said he wouldn’t come on Saturday, because he keeps screwing up. However, Rowe hugged J-Rocc, and the crowd popped. Intrigue.

* Promoter Norm Connors came to the ring to Evanescence’s “My Immortal.” He thanked the fans for helping IWC reach 100 shows. The fans shouted, “Thank you, Norm!” Connors said that, beginning on the show the next night, IWC will feature an improved entrance, with a ramp, and guardrails around the ring. Connors then brought out Tracy Smothers. Smothers got on the mic and put over the matches still to come.

* An interview was done with Shirley Doe, who proclaimed he was back to stay. “Tonight, I declare war,” Doe said. He vowed he would take no prisoners.

(7) Shirley Doe defeats Sebastian Dark at 11:22 in a no-DQ match. A pretty standard stand-up brawl. Joe Dombrowski talked about the violent feud these two had in 2003 and 2004. The crowd was hot, as the wrestlers IMMEDIATELY traded stiff forearms. “This is not a wrestling match,” Smothers observed. “This is just a fight.” Doe hit a clothesline that sent Dark to the floor. They fought on the floor, and up into the bleachers. A spotlight tried to follow the wrestlers as they brawled through the crowd, but it was still fairly dark and hard to see. Dark picked up Doe and bodyslammed him on the bleachers at 2:00. Dombrowski apologized to viewers for the bad view of the action. Dark hit a vertical suplex against the wall, then he dropped Doe.

Back in the ring, Dark hit some stomps, and he choked Doe with tape. He hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 5:30, then a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Doe shoved the referee into the ropes, causing Dark to be crotched in the corner. Doe hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall. They traded more forearms, and Dark hit a Superkick for a nearfall at 8:30. Doe applied a “Regal Stretch”/modified STF on the mat.

Doe hit a running basement dropkick to the face for a nearfall, and he applied a (Tajiri) Tarantula in the ropes. Dark came back with a hangman’s DDT for a nearfall, then a sunset flip for a nearfall. Doe hit an Air Raid Crash for a believable nearfall. Doe then hit an “Order 66”/modified Air Raid Crash for the pin. Basic brawl; a bit slow at times.

* A.J. Styles was interviewed, and he kept his current TNA heel gimmick going, saying he can’t wait to win this match so he can leave! Dombrowski talked about Styles’ recent transformation since he’s been TNA tag champion.

(8) Homicide defeats A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels at 14:24. Another very good match, and it’s obvious that these guys know each other’s moves quite well. Homicide hit a shoulder tackle on Daniels. Daniels hit a leg lariat on Homicide. Styles hit his nice dropkick on Daniels, and this pace is QUICK. Styles and Daniels brawled on the floor; Homicide wanted to do a tope con helo dive, but his opponents moved, and the crowd booed. In the ring, Homicide hit a clothesline on Daniels in the corner. Homicide hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex on Daniels at 2:00. Homicide hit a basement dropkick on Styles, then a T-Bone suplex on Styles for a nearfall. Dombrowski said this match would be a “sure-fire classic.” Homicide hit a top-rope crossbody block.

Daniels hit a bulldog on Styles for a nearfall, then a running dropkick on Styles and a leg lariat on Homicide. Homicide hit a swinging neckbreaker on Styles for a nearfall. Styles came back with an inverted DDT on Daniels and a DDT on Homicide for a nearfall at 4:30. Styles hit a backbreaker over his knee on Homicide, then a back suplex on Daniels for a nearfall. Styles went for a springboard move, but Homicide shoved AJ to the floor! Homicide hit some rolling suplexes on Daniels in the ring, as Styles was out on the floor. However, Homicide missed a frogsplash. Styles got in the ring, and he & Daniels hit a hi-low/Legsweep & clothesline combo on Homicide. However, Styles and Daniels traded stiff forearms at 7:00.

Styles stopped Daniels, and asked him to work together, to beat down Homicide. Styles hit some punches to Homicide’s face as Daniels held Homicide’s arms, and this was now a 2-on-1 beating. Styles hit a slingshot on Homicide, dropping his neck on the ropes. However, as expected, Styles and Daniels began arguing, and Styles hit an eyepoke. Homicide hit a Tornado DDT on Daniels, then an Ace Crusher on Styles, and they were all down at 10:00. The crowd was HOT! Styles and Daniels fought to the floor, and this time, Homicide hit the tope con helo dive to the floor on both of them!

In the ring, Homicide hit a second-rope Ace Crusher on Daniels for a nearfall, but Styles made the save. Styles hit a faceplant on Homicide for a nearfall. Daniels hit a uranage, then the Best Moonsault Ever on Styles for a nearfall at 12:30. Styles hit his Pele Kick on Homicide. Daniels hit an Angel’s Wings/spinning Pedigree on Homicide for a nearfall, but Styles made the save. Styles and Daniels traded forearms, and Styles hit a discus clothesline on Daniels, then he hit the Styles Clash for a nearfall, but Homicide made the save. Styles couldn’t get a hurricanrana on Homicide. Homicide hit the Copillah on Styles for the pin! Good, nonstop action.


Final thoughts: DVD runs 2 hours, 53 minutes.

This was an excellent, excellent show, and is on par with some of the good ROH releases in 2007.

The nonstop action of Shelley & Sabin vs. M-Dogg & Prohibition stole the show, and I give that best of the night. This was just fun action that kept the fans going. Some good innovative spots, and I wouldn’t mind seeing a rematch, here or in any other promotion smart enough to book it!

I’ll give Low Ki vs. McChesney second-best. It was fun to see this rematch, with McChesney now as a heel. The crowd was totally into this match and they loved booing McChesney. As always, Low Ki brings his intensity and believable style that I just really enjoy watching.

The main event was quite good, but only third best here on this stellar night of wrestling. If I had a criticism of the main event, it would be that the action almost felt too choreographed; the wrestlers really knew their spots and when to hit them. So, at times, it felt more like a performance than a fight. I don’t want that to be misconstrued as me not liking it. The action was good and quick and crisp, and fun to watch.

Lords vs. Hentai was a strong match, and that earned fourth-best. I really like how Dombrowski put so much effort into talking about the history between these two, and what it meant to this match – there is some rich context to what is going on in the ring beyond just “two guys fighting.” Reyes vs. Richards was believable, stiff, mat wrestling, and was quite good, especially for being the fifth-best match on this stacked, stacked show.

The tag scramble was really long. While I think Gargano has really improved, the match didn’t start to pick up steam until the 12-minute mark, after Gargano & Façade were eliminated. There was just too much stalling and silliness early on for my tastes. The camera work, which is normally really good in IWC, missed a few of the big bumps in this match. (Which isn’t surprising, with 10 men involved.)

This show definitely earned a thumbs up. Learn more about International Wrestling Cartel, and purchase this DVD, at www.iwcwrestling.com.

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