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Age of the Fall in full force, but cannot take gold from YRR:
At Dangerous Intentions, Tyler Black announced that he was tired of the actions of the YRR and he was going bring in the leader of the Age of the Fall, Jimmy Jacobs to take the FIP Tag Team Titles. Unfortunately, despite the addition of a new follower of the Age of the Fall, the YRR were able to defend their titles thanks to interference by the other members of the YRR. After the match, Tyler Black demanded another shot at the titles but without any outside interference. The Age of the Fall will get another chance at the YRR and the tag team titles when FIP returns to the Crystal River Armory on Saturday, July 19th; but this time, it will be in a Two-Out-of-Three Falls Match.
Roderick Strong retains FIP World Heavyweight Title and has his next challenger
It seemed fitting that Roderick Strong would defend his FIP World Heavyweight Title in a match that was a mainstay of ECW, the Three Way Dance when one of his opponents was former ECW World Champion Jerry Lynn who was making his return to FIP (working for the company prior to the Emergence show in 2004). Joining Strong and Lynn in this match was Strong’s former Generation Next partner, Austin Aries. After eliminating Aries with a cradle piledriver, Lynn had a number of chances to pin Strong, but Roderick was able to defeat Lynn with a Gibson Driver.
After the match, Roderick Strong cut a room declaring that he has beaten the best once again and added Jerry Lynn to the list. This brought out Erick Stevens who chased Strong from the ring. Stevens made a challenge to Strong, pointing out that he beat Strong two times already. He told Strong that he would not be able to run away because they will meet in a Dog Collar Match on July 19th in Crystal River. Stevens has already wrestled in a Dog Collar Match, defeating Steve Madison at Unfinished Business 2007. Will Stevens be able to take the title in a match that gives him a distinct advantage? Find out on Saturday, July 19th at the National Guard Armory in Crystal River.
Heartbreak Enterprises announces search for new member
Before Damien Wayne’s victory over Kyle O’Reilly, Sean Davis of Heartbreak Enterprises announced that Phase Two of Heartbreak Enterprises’ takeover of FIP will begin on July 19th when he presents his ‘Pearl of the Orient’ to join Damien Wayne, Rex Sterling, Baby Doll, head of security Phil Davis, and himself. With the past influx of Japanese talent into FIP, will we see the return of the likes of Shingo, Cyber Kong, BxB Hulk, or Yamato? Will this ‘Pearl of the Orient’ be someone else who has not been seen in the United States? With the clue being dropped that it is a ‘pearl’ could we be seeing one of the top female talents in Japan on July 19th?
The WORM Invades FIP
The list of former WWE wrestlers to appear in front of an FIP crowds increased on Friday night as Scotty Too Hotty appeared at In Full Force. Early in the show, he thanked the fans for coming out to the show and mentioned that he might have grown up in New England, he is now a Floridian. The YRR confronted Scotty and attacked him in the ring. Scotty was saved by Delirious who then said something to the YRR and apparently Scotty had the Delirious-to-English decoder because we were getting a tag match with the ‘Worm’ and the ‘Man with the Lizard Face’ teaming to face the YRR.
This match was not your typical FIP match, but it saw a lot of what you would expect from Delirious and the YRR. In the end, Sal Rinauro felt the fury of the WORM from not only Scotty, but Delirious connected with his own version of the WORM after the match.
Here are the results from the show:
Match Number One: Chris Jones defeats Dingo
The early part of the match was even between these two wrestlers as Jones worked on the arm while Dingo connected with a series of kicks to work on Jones’s back. Jones hits a number of high impact maneuvers, but Dingo is able to fight off Jones and he gets a few near falls, but when it appears that he has things under control, he misses a splash into the corner and Jones hits a moonsault for the three count.
The head of security for Heartbreak Enterprises, Phil Davis comes out to make sure that everything is secure for Heartbreak Enterprises as he frisks Jonathan Gold. Sean Davis gets on the mic and he says that if anyone disrespects his Perfect 10, Baby Doll he will kick their butts. Sean says that he has an important announcement to make. On July 19th, Phase Two of Heartbreak Enterprises’s takeover of FIP will happen. Sean is going to the Land of the Rising Sun to bring his ‘Pearl of the Orient’.
Match Number Two: Damien Wayne with Baby Doll, Sean Davis, and Phil Davis defeats Kyle O’Reilly
The match starts off with a series of reversals as both men try to take control. Wayne claims that O’Reilly pulled his hair despite the fact that Wayne is bald. Phil gives Damien some advice to deal with O’Reilly. O’Reilly is sent to the floor and while Baby Doll talks to the referee, Sean and Phil check on O’Reilly. Wayne works on the arm with slams and suplexes while he has O’Reilly in a hammer lock. Wayne misses a leg drop that allows O’Reilly to get back into the match. O’Reilly gets a number of near falls after working over Wayne. Sean gets on the apron to distract the referee and that allows Wayne to defeat O’Reilly by submission.
Match Number Three: Daizee Haze defeats Rain of the Age of the Fall
Rain and Haze go back and forth and try to get the advantage but neither are able to take control. Haze misses a cross body and that allows Rain to take control of the match. Rain ties Haze in the ropes and hits a drop kick. Haze with a slam and gets a two count. Haze misses the heart punch and Rain hits a gutbuster for a two count. Haze hits the heart punch and gets the win after the Mind Trip.
Davey Richards comes out and he says that it is beneath him to have to wrestle in front of the people of Crystal River. He says that he makes more in one month from wrestling than the rednecks make in a year. He is here to help his friend Roderick Strong deal with Roderick’s problem, Erick Stevens. Davey reminds everyone that he broke Erick’s arm in Ring of Honor and he will do the same here in Crystal River.
Erick Stevens comes out and he asks if Davey wants to take his whooping for his boyfriend Roderick. He wants to give Davey a message to his boss when his chest is bruised. Stevens says that he is never going to stop until he wins the title.
Match Number Four: Erick Stevens defeats Davey Richards
Stevens works on Richards’s chest with a number of chops as the action goes to the floor. Richards drops Stevens on the apron and works on Stevens’s arm. Richards misses a diving head butt and Stevens takes control of the match with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Stevens continues with the high impact maneuvers and gets a near fall. Richards returns to the arm but Stevens is able to withstand the pain and he hits a TKO followed by a Doctor Bomb for the three count.
Match Number Five: Dark City Fight Club (Kory Chavis and Jon Davis) defeat Black Market (Joey Machete and Shawn Murphy)
As the Dark City Fight Club enters the ring, Black Market attack them and Murphy and Davis square off while Machete battles with Chavis. The action quickly moves into the crowd and chairs are used by each team. Machete returns to the ring and he is bleeding. Davis eventually gets the victory with Three Seconds Around the World.
After the match, Kory Chavis gets on the mic and says that they do not need the people of Crystal River to cheer them because they do not like anyone. He says that he wishes they would have burned Black Market and all of their fans. They are the most violent and baddest mothers in FIP. He wonders if Black Market is the best that FIP has to offer to them.
Scotty Too Hotty is introduced and he thanks FIP for bringing in the Worm. He mentions that he grew up in New England, but he is proud to call Florida home.
The YRR come out and Sal Rinauro gets on the mic. He wonders why anyone would be proud to call the people of Crystal River ‘his people’. Kenny King calls Scotty washed up and a has been.
Scotty gets the mic back and he compares the YRR to the Village People and he says that you can call him washed up and a has been but at least it is better than being a never was.
The YRR attack Scotty but Delirious comes out to help Scotty. Delirious gets on the mic and he addresses the YRR (at least I think he was addressing them). Scotty introduces himself to Delirious and says that it sounded like Delirious wants to be part of a tag match.
It was time for intermission.
The Age of the Fall comes out and Tyler Black says that he told everyone that he was going to bring Jimmy Jacobs, the leader of the Age of the Fall, to face the YRR and win the FIP Tag Team Titles. A woman comes out and says that she wants to join the Age of the Fall and they accept her into the group.
Match Number Six: The YRR of Jason Blade and Kenny King defeat the Age of the Fall of Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs to retain the FIP Tag Team Champions
The challengers control things at the start of the match as they work over Blade and King. King and Blade are able to regain control of the match and work over Jacobs. Black works over Blade and Jacobs is able to recover from the earlier part of the match. The women at ringside trip Jacobs and King as each team tries to use whatever method is necessary to win the match. They go outside to the floor and Jacobs gets dropped on the guardrails. The action returns to the ring and the YRR work over Jacobs and isolate him from Black, but Black eventually makes the tag and he is able to work over Blade and King, including working over King in the Tree of Woe. While Black and Blade fight outside and Jacobs and King are down in the ring; the women who accompanied both teams battle in the ring in a major catfight. Mister Milo Beasley, who joined Age of the Fall after the end of DP Associates, grabs Portia Perez and goes to the back with her. In the ring, Blade and King grab Rain and Leva, who are with the Age of the Fall. Meanwhile, Black and Jacobs each get rollups for near falls. Sal Rinauro and Chasyn Rance come out to interfere and allow Blade and King to retain after a double team maneuver.
Match Number Seven: Roderick Strong defeats Austin Aries and Jerry Lynn to retain the FIP World Heavyweight Title
Aries and Strong start thing off with some pushing and Strong goes outside the ring. Strong tries to attack Lynn and Aries, but they see him coming and take care of him. Strong connects with a series of chops on Lynn and Aries. Lynn and Aries strut and then Strong does the same, but Strong is also chopped by Lynn and Aries. Lynn hits a leg drop on Strong on the apron but Aries hits the tope. Strong tries for a Gibson Driver but Aries counters with a rana. Lynn hits a sunset flip on Strong at the same time that Strong hits a German suplex on Aries. Lynn is able to eliminate Aries with a cradle piledriver.
Strong works on the back as he hits a number of back breakers and has Lynn in an abdominal stretch. Lynn hits an inverted DDT to stop Strong. Lynn gets a number of near falls on Strong but he cannot put him away. Strong tries for the Strong Hold but Lynn gets a two count with a rollup. Lynn gets another near fall after blocking a Gibson Driver, but Strong is able to get the three count with a Gibson Driver.
After the match, Roderick Strong gets on the mic and he says that he is the champion one more time and he took one of the best ever and pinned him. Strong says that in 2008, he will be unstoppable. Erick Stevens comes out and he chases Strong to the back.
Stevens gets on the mic and he reminds Strong that he pinned Strong two times already and he will do it again. Stevens says that he will be facing Strong one more time on July 19th when FIP returns to Crystal River. They will meet in a match that he is familiar with, a Dog Collar Match.
It is also announced by Jonathan Gold that the YRR will defend the FIP Tag Team Titles against the Age of the Fall in a Two-out-of-Three Falls Match.
Match Number Eight: Scotty Too Hotty and Delirious defeat the YRR of Chasyn Rance and Sal Rinauro
Before the match starts, Scotty gets on the mic and says that FIP should get an award for cleaning up the streets of Crystal River because with the women in the YRR’s corner, every street corner is clear.
The bell rings and Delirious even freaks out Scotty. Delirious yells at the YRR and Scotty agrees with what Delirious says. Delirious calls Sal a chicken and makes chicken noises. Rinauro claims that he is not a chicken but every time he denies it, he gestures like a chicken. Scotty tags in but the YRR use the referee to take advantage of the match. Scotty eventually gains control and sends Rance and Rinauro into the ring post in an uncomfortable way. Rance and Rinauro hug in the center of the ring and that leads to a double noggin knocker followed by Delirious gesturing to mock the pain that Rinauro and Rance feel. Portia gets on the apron and Delirious turns his attention to her and the gesturing changes. Rinauro and Rance regain their composure and regain control of the match as they work over Delirious and keep Scotty out of the ring. Delirious tries for Shadows over Hell but Rance uses Rinauro to hit a drop kick. Delirious finally hits Shadows Over Hell on Rance followed by a drop kick from Rinauro. Scotty hits a bulldog on Rinauro and then it is time for the WORM and the three count.
After the match, Scotty brings his daughter into the ring and he has her do the WORM for the fans. Then Scotty wants Delirious to do the WORM and he does something between a worm and a fish flopping around on dry land before he connects on Rinauro.
In Full Force Thoughts
Since Crystal River usually has their shows on a Saturday night, the crowd was about the same for a Friday night show.
Overall this show was a bit different than the FIP shows since Redefined. I don’t know if it was the addition of new talent that the fans were not familiar with or the fact that some of the regular wrestlers were not there.
The Heartbreak Express really appear to be having fun with the Heartbreak Enterprises situation. Phil is great as the head of security, but I don’t know why he needs to frisk Jonathan Gold every time because Gold has never done anything questionable.
The infusion of SHIMMER talent into the shows is a plus for FIP. The success of SHIMMER has been reflected in all major companies.
The Stevens/Richards match was good and it continues the feud between Stevens and the No Remorse Corps. It builds on what has happened in Ring of Honor as well. Richards and Stevens have had good matches and they build well on Stevens’s feud with Strong.
I think I would have liked the match between the Dark City Fight Club and Black Market more if they had stayed in the ringside area a little more. Once they leave the ring, the crowd seems to follow and it impairs the ability to see much of the action. With the victory, I wonder if this feud will continue much longer or maybe we will see Black Market get involved in stopping the Dark City Fight Club’s quest for the tag titles.
I don’t know how many people came to this show only to see Scotty 2 Hotty, but he definitely had the crowd behind him. I know that some people had hoped for a match between Scotty and Delirious, but the idea of a tag team of Scotty and Delirious was much better.
What better way to get the YRR over as the biggest heel group in the company than to interrupt a promo by Scotty Too Hotty and then insult him.
The Age of the Fall get a different reaction at FIP shows than they do at Ring of Honor shows. They are embraced by the fans despite the fact that they have been feuding with the biggest faces in FIP (The Briscoes) in ROH.
I thought the tag title match was good, but I did not like the interference in the match. I understand that the YRR use their numbers advantage, but I wish they wouldn’t do it in almost every title match.
I liked the heavyweight title match, but I was a bit surprised that Austin Aries got eliminated so fast. There were a few times during the match when I thought Jerry Lynn was going to win the title.
I hope Jerry Lynn is used more often if he is available.
I am not surprised that the main event was the Scotty Too Hotty match. Even in front of a crowd of about 400, he will still do the same thing that he would do at a WWE show.
Sal Rinauro has become the top heel in the company and he gets similar heel reactions to Bryan Danielson during his run as FIP Champion.
I thought the main event was an entertaining match. While it might not have been the ‘typical’ FIP match, all four men worked well together and Delirious and Scotty were a good team. If the goal of the match was to get the fans to walk out of the building satisfied with the show, it was very successful.
