NWA: Intensity
Cleveland, Ohio
July 7, 2015
In-Ring Interview: the Beaver BoysNWA: Intensity's first show kicked off with a bang--and a huge surprise--as the fans were awaiting the arrival of the ring announcer, and a familiar voice erupted from the loudspeakers.
GERTNER: "Well, well, well..."
The crowd exploded as an ECW legend made his way to the ring.
GERTNER: "Yes, it's me, it's me. The quintessential stud muffin--and a good God, damn handsome man. Joel...the surge in her libido, and the meat in her burrito..."
CROWD: "Gertner! Gertner! Gertner!"
GERTNER: "Gertner. And I'm here to introduce two men who know a little something about my area of expertise. Please welcome John Silver. Alex Reynolds. The Beaver Boys!"
Silver and Reynolds made their way down the aisle, high-fiving the fans, and after making their way into the ring, they shook hands with Gertner.
REYNOLDS: "Thanks, Joel. Now, let me tell you, there's a lot of wrestlers back there who would come out here, run their mouths, and talk all sorts of trash..."
SILVER: "And we're two of them!"
REYNOLDS: "That's right, John! And speaking of trash, we understand that bottom-feeding tramp So Cal Val has followed us here to
Intensity, and we just want to say--"
VAL: "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
So Cal Val angrily made her way down the aisle, followed closely by Michael Kai Rayne.
VAL: "I am
not going to stand here and let you talk about the most beautiful manager in the NWA like that!"
SILVER: "Which part did you object to? The bottom-feeding, or the tramp?"
VAL: "Oh! You think you're
so smug! If you're feeling so good about yourselves, why don't you accept a match, right here, right now against
my team, the Chosen?"
SILVER: "Val, Val, Val...I know higher numbers are a little hard for you, but the way I see it, there's two of us, and only one--"
Before he could finish his thought,
Mark Sterling hopped over the ringside barricade, slid into the ring, and attacked Silver from behind. Rayne quickly charged down the aisle, and referee Shane Sewell rushed out to turn the brawl into a match.
The Beaver Boys vs. The Chosen (with So Cal Val)It took a minute or so for Shane Sewell to restore order, and by that time, Alex Reynolds was in pretty bad shape. A crescent kick from Rayne almost put him away, and a quick tag saw him locked in the MARKSHOOTER, though John Silver was able to make he save. Sterling made a mistake in going to the top rope and coming off with a flying knee, which missed, and Reynolds covered him for a two-count before finally making the hot tag to Silver. Sterling ate a SPIN DOCTOR and barely kicked out, then he tagged Reynolds back in, and they set Sterling up for DOUBLE PENETRATION. They had their backs to their opponents' corner, however, and Rayne was able to dive into the ring, taking out Reynolds' knee with a chop block. With Reynolds writhing in agony, Sterling slapped on the MARKSHOOTER one more time, and Rayne cut Silver off, forcing Reynolds to submit.
WINNERS: The Chosen via submission (13:48)
Robert Anthony vs. Gregory IronNothing to see, here. Anthony completely dismantled Gregory Iron, planting him with a Vertebreaker and an Ace Crusher before going up to the top rope and coming off with a flying cross body block for a three-count.
WINNER: Robert Anthony via pinfall (2:27)
Post-Match DramaAs Anthony celebrated his squash victory and made his way to the back,
Veda Scott came running down the aisle. She rolled into the ring to check on Iron, talking with him quietly and ultimately assisting him in walking to the back.
Matt Cross vs. Jon DavisMatt Cross never made it out of the gates, as Davis jumped him before the bell and simply pounded him into the mat. Dragging Cross to the floor, Davis slammed him into the ring post, off the barricade, and--in a particularly nasty spot--body slammed him through the announce table. Focused on demolishing his smaller opponent, Davis did not pay attention to the referee's count, and he rolled Cross back into the ring just as the referee counted to ten, giving Cross the victory despite having no offense in the match.
WINNER: Matt Cross via count out (3:14)
Eddie Kingston (with Sabian) vs. Danny HavocThis was nothing short of a war, with both men exchanging chops to start the match and quickly taking the fight to the outside. They bounced one another off tables, ring posts, and chairs, with Kingston getting the better of the exchange and rolling Havoc back into the ring, where a SLIDING D nearly put him away. With Sabian urging him on, Kingston bounced off the ropes and hit one more SLIDING D, which finally finished Havoc off.
WINNER: Eddie Kingston via pinfall (8:45)
Post-Match DramaAs Sabian and Kingston were celebrating a hard-fought victory, the crowd erupted into cheers as
Joker made his way to the ring, sliding under the bottom rope and embracing both members of BLKOUT. Sabina requested the house microphone, and once it was given to him, he welcomed Joker back to the ring.
SABIAN: "Yo, what's up man? How you doing?"
JOKER: "Good, man. I’ve been good. Good to see you too, King."
KINGSTON: "Brother, it's great to see you! Why didn't you tell me you was gonna be here?"
JOKER: "Y'know, that's the question. If you wanted BLKOUT back, why didn't you ever call me?"
KINGSTON: "Because, man. You was retired, kickin' it at home. I didn't think--"
JOKER: "No. No, you sure didn't."
Just like that, Joker kicked Kingston in the stomach and began raining down clubbing forearms on his back. Sabian quickly intervened, pushing Joker aside...only to turn around and kick Kingston in the head. The reunited tag team pummeled Kingston relentlessly before Sabian once again lifted the microphone.
SABIAN: "Let that be a lesson, mo
bleeeeeeep! There is no BLKOUT! BLKOUT is dead! We are, we always have been, and we always will be
Philly's Most Wanted!"
Sabian gave Kingston one more kick for good measure, then he and Joker left the ring, allowing referees, security personnel, and ringside officials to tend to the fallen War King.
Rob Van Dam vs. Ethan Page (with Seleziya Sparx)This was a fast-paced match that nearly saw RVD win it early after a roundhouse kick practically knocked Page out. Van Dam quickly ascended to the top rope, thinking FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH, but Seleziya Sparx grabbed Page by the ankle and dragged him to the floor. Page picked up a chair, intending to level the playing field, but he walked right into a Van Daminator that bloodied his nose. Fleeing to the relative safety of the ring, Page jumped RVD as he rolled under the bottom rope, scooping him up for a Spinning Dwayne that earned him a two-count. Complaining to the referee, he didn't see RVD shaking off the cobwebs, and turned around right into a European forearm to his already damaged nose. RVD sent Page sprawling to the mat, connected with the Rolling Thunder, and finally made his way to the top rope for a FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH to end the match.
WINNER: Rob Van Dam via pinfall (9:37)
The Nation of Intoxication vs. The Irish Airborne (with Nevaeh)It was clear from the outset that this match wasn't going to go long, as the four hated enemies tore into one another with reckless abandon. Devon Moore got tossed over the top rope and hit the floor hard, while the Crist brothers made quick tags, keeping Lucky 13 on the defensive. A spinning heel kick from Dave Crist led to a quick tag, then Dave wiped out Moore with a suicide dive while Jake planted Lucky 13 with a HEAD-AND-ARM TRAP DDT for two. Another HEAD-AND-ARM TRAP DDT earned another two-count, then Jake went to the top rope and flew, hitting a frog splash and finally putting Lucky 13 away.
WINNERS: The Irish Airborne via pinfall (5:40)
Four-Way Elimination Street Fight: Masada vs. Necro Butcher vs. Drake Younger vs. "Sick" Nick MondoThis was a war, an absolute war, right from the get-go, as Masada and Drake Younger paired up on the floor and Mondo and Necro Butcher squared off in the ring (though they didn't stay there for long). Within moments, Necro Butcher had found a chain under the ring and began choking out Mondo, while Masada and Younger fought into the crowd, throwing chairs at one another until Masada connected with a low blow. He turned around and walked into a LIFE CUTTER by Mondo, who dragged him back to ringside and rolled him under the bottom rope, where Necro Butcher was waiting with a NECRO BOMB. Masada kicked out at two, and reversed a whip into the turnbuckle, taking out Necro Butcher with a huge clothesline. With Butcher out of it, a MASADAMIZER nearly spelled the end of Mondo, but Masada had forgotten about Drake Younger. He spun Masada around, set him up for the DRAKE'S LANDING, and put him away to take the first fall at 14:09.
Almost immediately, Mondo connected with a light tube across Younger's back, sending him rolling to the floor nursing several small cuts. Mondo followed, only to get taken down from behind by a chair shot by Necro Butcher. All three men brawled on the floor, with Mondo and Younger teaming up to take out Necro Butcher with a stiff double clothesline, right before turning on one another. Mondo scored with a DDT, then set up a ladder between the ring apron and the barricade, suplexing Younger through the ladder to the delight of the fans.
CROWD: "You've still got it! (clap clap, clap clap clap)
Necro Butcher charged with a clothesline, but Mondo ducked and dropkicked him face-first into the ring post, opening up a cut on Butcher's forehead. Butcher retaliated with a low blow, but took a bit too long setting up a table he pulled from under the ring. When he attempted to power bomb Mondo through it, Mondo reversed it into a back body drop, and Butcher crashed through the table. Younger swooped in to prey on the remains, picking Butcher up and hitting DRAKE'S LANDING on the floor. He took out Mondo with a chair to the face that opened "Sick" Nick up rather badly, then rolled Butcher into the ring where he earned his second straight pinfall at 23:22.
Despite bleeding buckets, Mondo rolled into the ring and attacked Younger, breaking another light tube across his back, then planting him with a fisherman driver onto the shattered remnants for a long two count. The two men pulled themselves up by the ropes and began trading punches--slowly at first, but gradually picking up speed and ferocity until they were simply hammering one another, and Mondo opened up a cut above Younger's eye. Temporarily blinded, Younger rolled to the floor for relief, which cost him dearly when Mondo nailed him with a suicide dive, then a chair shot, then one more light tube for good measure. Mondo posed for the crowd while Younger struggled to his feet, ducking under a chair shot and sending Mondo's head cracking into the ring post with a standing dropkick. Mondo was clearly hurt, and his face and chest were covered with blood (most, but not all, of it his own) as Younger rolled him into the ring and hit a Fire Thunder Driver, then a DRAKE'S LANDING that left Mondo crumpled and limp. Younger pawed at his bloody face and collapsed on top of Mondo for the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Drake Younger via pinfall (34:47)
Post-Match DramaAfter the match was over, Younger helped Mondo to his feet and raised his fallen opponent’s hand in victory. The two men exchanged a bloody hug, then Mondo rolled out of the ring to give Younger his moment in the spotlight. The crowd was on its feet, applauding the match and the man who won it with three consecutive pinfalls.
CROWD: “Thank you Drake! Thank you Drake! Thank you Drake!”
Younger acknowledged the cheers of the fans, and was clearly emotional as he traced a series of vertical stripes on his chest, leaving the crowd wondering about the strange ritual as the victor made his way to the back.
Match of the Night: Drake Younger d. Masada, Necro Butcher, and Nick Mondo
Wrestler Observer Rating: 5 stars
