From Stephen Platinum: “Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer;” I have lamented often that just a...
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
I have lamented often that just a little “pro wrestling” put into Deathmatch would make it sing. A little promotion. Some simple, well-executed angles. Maximizing the things that make Deathmatch so mesmerizing to get the fully realized effect that they long for.
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.”
ICW presented their sixth Pit Fighter show in the pit cage at the Gulf View Event Center, a quaint black box space with a full bar and the atmosphere of the apocalypse shelter at the end of the first season of Black Summer.
The idea of having two deathmatch shows with the same cast of nihilistic warriors in the same day seemed foolhardy. How could they recover? The madness of the concept – Danny Demanto the owner, and boundless and aggressive spirit of ICW, what were you thinking?
“The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;"
It mattered not about what Danny was thinking, because it was on. After two successful trips to Florida previously, and a slate of ICW and No Peace Underground presence happening Wrestlemania week in April, this had to work. And thanks to some stellar promotion, and the hard work of guys like Ron Neimi who managed to cross the t’s and dot the i’s as they raced past, this show managed to happen.
“The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.”
It was a show without a clunker in the bunch. Every match was well-placed on the card. Tonight’s matches at the Pawn Shop for No Holds Barred were set up, and promoted. The promos were fantastic. The individual moments were stellar. I was left wanting more. I was left excited about tonight. I was left like most of the crowd, buzzing about the successful execution of this show. It was a full crowd of masked, enthusiastic fans. They could not have responsibly put more in the place, I’ll give them 100.
Tony Deppen defeated Gary Jay The right tone for the opening match. Tony Deppen is the King of the Daisy Dukes, and quickly exchanged a series of hard smacks and strikes with the always game Gary Jay. No deathmatch fuckery, but the proper tone of a hard-fought contest that didn’t go too long. Is that ring as stiff as a teenage boy on OnlyFans with his parents’ credit card? It is. Gary Jay’s look is so weird to me – the buggy whip arms, the beard, the piercing stares. But that guy can go, and Deppen was more than game. In the end, Deppen gets the win, and the show is off to a proper start.
“Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand."
Ruben Steel defeated Satu Jinn Ruben Steel and his Rasputin-of-skid-row look was over. Satu Jinn has the vibe of a young guy proving himself every time out. Both guys eagerly asked for and received gusset plates to the chest. Titties were bloody. Full swings of carpet strip covered bats and blood was everywhere. Steel scored the win, and the crowd chanted, “Please come back” and Danny Demanto concurred and Ruben Steel officially jumped himself into this gang.
“The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi”
Bruce Santee won by referee stoppage over Justin Kyle I saw these two swapping leather and exchanging cannon fire at one another at my first Deathmatch show at the 81 Bay Brewery some months ago. This match was even better. No Deathmatch, just a brutal exchange of punches between two guys that look like they can whip an ass. My friends declared that it was the best non-Deathmatch they have seen at ICW and I am inclined to agree. The thunderous punch from Santee and the crumpling sell by Kyle followed by a gorilla beatdown of double hammerfists from Santee until the ref pulled him away looked STELLAR. Lots of pro wrestlers try to do a combat sports-looking finish. Most fail. This soared.
“Troubles my sight; somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man "
Brandon Kirk with Kasey Kirk defeated Akira For fear of being cancelled, let me just get out of the way. After interviewing Brandon Kirk and Kasey Kirk on Tipping Point on Tuesday, I became an even bigger fan. Seeing Kasey with hair down and midriff exposed, I am even a bigger fan. She should never lose that look. Akira is part of the Rejects with undefeated Reed Bentley and the ace of Deathmatch wrestling, John Wayne Murdoch. It’s a lot to live up to, or live down. Akira is always up for both. Brandon Kirk gets the best color. He looks like a Memphis babyface with a shampoo job every single time. You know what the opening spot was? Akira was there. Kasey strode up with a microphone, ready to talk her talk. The crowd groaned. As she began to speak, KABONG! Sandwiched by trash can lids by Akira and the crowd lost their MIND. Then they found them it order to look at a great match. Kasey was laid out. Then she started to come to in time to try and save her man. Kasey went for a low kick on Akira from behind, and Akira trapped her foot between his thighs. Cool spot. In the end, Kasey was caught at the top of the cage by Akira, and the Deathmatch girl next door was doomed. Until her man saved her, throttled Akira and scored the win. Afterwards, Brandon issued a harsh warning to John Wayne Murdoch, his opponent for the night show.
“A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it”
Atticus Cogar defeated Nolan Edward “The Silver Teeth Satan” Atticus Cogar and Nolan Edward both showed pro wrestling cred with the most cleanly executed routines and spots of the night. But fuckery was to be had as well. A slightly disappointing skewers spot to the upper back was erased by the skewers to the forehead that stuck and how – Nolan looked like a time lapsed angry flower opened on his head, before Atticus drove him down with a headlock driver skewers first. Did reading that make your eyes widen? Imagine mine witnessing it.
“Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds
The darkness drops again; but now I know”
Reed Bentley defeated Shlack The undefeated Reed Bentley is on a collision course with the Duke of Hardcore and his fellow Reject, John Wayne Murdoch. But…Shlack No one has a more unique look. No one makes the people I know who actually know about wrestling drool at what could have been if wrestling was, you know, good. What money could be made? How great would it be to manage if the wrestling world still knew how to make money? Shlack and Bentley wasted little time destroying the tables and doors and whatever threatening implements abounded. Shlack makes gusset plates bleed. Reed Bentley bled like crazy, Shlackwith the scariest throw into his head and neck. But Shlack’s neck breaks the floor, not the other way around. A second ridiculous plex and Reed Bentley scored the win. And these guys are working TONIGHT?
“That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by rocking cradle,”
John Wayne Murdoch defeated Neil Diamond Cutter Neil Diamond Cutter made his way to the ring with the whole crowd singing
along to “Sweet Caroline.” It was great. Doesn’t someone else use that song even though they’ve been told this? All-Star Special, I’m looking at you. Neil was in rare form. Was the match a Foregone Conclusion match? Sure. But that isn’t what it was about. It was about these two breaking like waves against one another until finally Cutter relented. Murdoch did the requisite putting over of Neil on the mic, but then…surprise, wrestling showed up to the Deathmatch show! Out came the worm in the Deathmatch apple, Kasey Kirk. She spoke to John…but it twas but a ruse as Brandon Kirk attacked, Pillmanized the leg of Murdoch, then declared that he would see the ace of Deathmatch tonight in their main event. EXCELLENT! ICW has done the highly unlikely – their only competition in what they do now is…themselves. Can the night show top this one? I can’t wait to see them try. And I won’t have to wait long.
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born.”
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
