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VIP EXCLUSIVE COLUMN - Early-release from PWTorch Newsletter #994...

"McNeill Factor"
Newsletter Headline: Christian vs. A.J., Samoa Joe vs. Konnan, and other rare matches from DVD Vault
Originally published: October 10, 2007
From Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter #994

Having problems sitting through Raw? Is Smackdown bringing you down? Can't stomach two hours of TNA Impact? Fret not. There are plenty of options out there for fed-up wrestling fans, especially if you comb the increasing number of DVD offerings available from independent promotions. This week, we're looking at some of the unique matches you can find online or in your local video store, for the cost of a WWE DVD or less.   

IWC "No Excuses 2": The International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), run by Norm Connors,  is based in Pittsburgh, and puts on monthly shows in Western Pennsylvania. "No Excuses 2," which took place last summer, was one of their biggest shows ever, headlined by the first meeting between TNA stars Christian Cage and A.J. Styles.  The other featured bout, one which had been building for months, was a double cage War Games match between Team IWC, captained by IWC champion Dennis Gregory, and Shirley Doe's Unholy Alliance. Former ECW wrestler Chris Hamrick is the biggest name on Gregory's team, while Abyss from TNA supplies the hired muscle for the Alliance.

There's a lot happening on this show, and Ring of Honor wrestlers Delirious, Daizee Haze, Larry Sweeney and Ricky Reyes are all part of the event. This show takes places in front of a hot crowd of about five hundred fans who are very into the IWC wrestlers and storylines.

Joe Dombrowski and Jay Farnsworth are the announcers for the show, and they do a good job of breaking things down for new viewers. 

Why to Watch: Christian and A.J. give us a fine babyface battle that still feels special even if it isn't a five-star classic. Delirious and Daizee Haze make for a fine heel couple as the Lizard King battles local fan favorite John McChesney in a pretty good match. Sterling James Keenan now does Raven's old act better than Scott Levy does.

Why To Avoid: The video crew missed enough key shots that I was wondering if TNA director Keith Mitchell made the trip to Pittsburgh. Plus, when you have interference in four undercard matches, a heel turn, a fake injury angle, a mystery partner angle and a referee diving off the top of the cage, your indy show is officially overbooked.

What Else?: This is a two-disc DVD release which features bonus backstage promos from the wrestlers and a special pre-show press conference where fans could ask questions of Cage and Styles. The gimmick worked surprisingly well, and other indy promoters should consider giving it a shot.

The Verdict: A fun show with some good wrestling on it. Mildly recommended, especially if you can find it on sale. This release is available on the IWCwrestling.com website.

Jack Evans [photo by Wade Keller (c) PWTorch]

FIP "New Year's Classic 2007": Sal Hamaoui's Full Impact Pro (FIP) is still based on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and still providing a developmental brand and testing ground for Ring of Honor booker Gabe Sapolsky. This is the first FIP show of the year, and essentially the start of a new season. The big story here is that Jack Evans returns to the FIP after a year's absence and no longer wants to be part of Dave Prazak's DP Associates heel faction. The men of DP beat down Evans before FIP champion Roderick Strong makes the save. This sets up the former Generation Next partners to take on Jimmy Rave and Shingo in a Dragon Gate Rules tag team match in the main event, the final time that  Strong and Evans team up together before their split in Ring of Honor.

After the successful Cage of Pain show at the end of 2006, Gabe Sapolsky decided to focus more attention on the FIP regulars, the local wrestlers who don't need to be flown in. Steve Madison and the Young, Rich, and Ready crew hire Brent Albright to take on local babyface Erick Stevens in a bounty match. Plus, Jimmy Jacobs makes his Full Impact Pro debut as a fan favorite and tangles with "Sweet and Sour" Larry Sweeney, who makes the mistake of saying unkind things about Jimmy's beloved Lacey.

Why to Watch: The main event tag team match was something completely different from most FIP shows. If you've enjoyed the Strong & Evans team in Ring of Honor, they're in fine form here. This show is also the beginning of Erick Stevens' big push, which ended in Stevens getting a slot in Ring of Honor. Sweeney and Jacobs are entertaining together in a match which contained a few good comedy bits.   

Why To Avoid: The Briscoe Brothers aren't here to defend the FIP tag team belts, and their absence leaves a hole in the show. The show feels like a big ad for the following night's show, which is on a different DVD release. There's not much of a crowd here, which is probably why FIP stopped running the Citrus County Auditorium in Inverness, Florida.

What Else?: The Heartbreak Express begins their babyface turn, which is quite a feat in itself. There's more animosity between female managers Allison Danger and Daffney. The YRR continue to run roughshod over the midcard babyfaces.

The Verdict: As usual with FIP, there's a big gap between the Ring of Honor matches and everything. Plus, if all you're after is ROH starpower, there are other Full Impact shows, including the Florida Rumble, which contain more of the main Ring of Honor talent. Mildly recommended because of the main event.

"Before They Were Stars: Samoa Joe:"   Rick Bassman's UPW in Southern California was a WWE developmental territory several years ago. UPW was also the original home promotion of TNA's Samoa Joe......

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