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Wrestling
Indy On-Site report: UWC Outrageous in the Cages
Posted by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins on Aug 26, 2002, 22:28
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Indy On-site Report: UWC "Outrageous in the Cages" (8/25/2002)
by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins
This past Sunday, yours truly was present at the NC Soccer Club in Hudson, Ohio, for the United Wrestling Council's "Outrageous in the Cages" event. The UWC is based in the Akron, Ohio, area, and is promoted with a weekly TV talk show and radio talk show (both of which I'm actually out of viewing range for) where angles are occasionally done to build up the shows. After seeing their July show, they've got me hooked, so I've taken it upon myself to keep you guys up-to-speed. Yes, there are indys not based in the Philadelphia area or involving Rob Black.
Before I begin the recap, I would like to thank the promoter, "The Champ" John Potok, for granting me backstage access for the show and his cooperation in meeting and interviewing Danny Doring. Look for that interview within the next 48 hours (i.e. whenever I actually get it transcribed). I would also like to thank the entire UWC roster. They were all very friendly and seemed to take a genuine interest in my being there.
Anyway, the UWC is unique in its presentation, as it has live commentary over the PA system, similar to what World Wrestling Allstars did for their "Inception" pay-per-view. Quite honestly, you don't really notice it when you're getting into the matches, but if the show gets boring, it's quite nice to have to keep your interest. This particular show was also unique, as the crowd was invited to see SummerSlam on closed circuit for free of charge after the show. For the record, if you don't recognize the names, 95% of them are local guys, many from the UWC's wrestling school.
The show starts at 4:09 p.m. (nine minutes after the scheduled bell time) with the introduction of our broadcast team, who run down the lineup. Then it's time to get down to business.
Return match: Tiny Tim vs. Mercedes
Tiny Tim is not a midget, but he can't stand more than about 5'5". Mercedes is a very attractive blond who is actually quite talented. At the previous show, Mercedes defeated Tim, so Tim has demanded this rematch to prove it was a fluke. Actually a solid opener, as Mercedes controlled the early portions with high cross bodys and Thesz presses. Tim gets in control by bringing the knees up on a cartwheel moonsault attempt, but eventually it's Mercedes with a 450 splash for the win in 7:34. Better than the previous month's match.
Tack is then interviewed about his upcoming cage match with Darkstar, but through the crowd come former broadcaster and new manager "Sex Symbol" Keith Young and Pumper to badmouth Tack. It's merely a setup for Darkstar to attack Tack from behind. Pumper and Darkstar double team Tack and work over his ribs.
Match #2: For the UWC World Tag Team Championship: The Insane Family (Chucky and Eddie, with Carrie Insane) vs. The Untouchables (K9 and Animal--champions, w/Bounce and Wolfman)
The Insane Family is...well, insane. The Untouchables are big black men from "The Mafia Capital of the World, Youngstown, Ohio". Bounce is the manager, who gets heel heat by telling the mostly white crowd "I smell crackers." The Insane Family comes out without Eddie, and Bounce claims Eddie won't be appearing because he had Eddie incarcerated. However, Eddie is then escorted to the ring by a security guard who has Eddie in handcuffs. Good reaction for it. The match consists mostly of the Insane Family working over Animal (not the Road Warrior, for the record) and the managers getting involved outside the ring. K9 finally gets the hot tag in and outpowers both of the Insanes, scoring the pin with an inverted bodyvice drop in 8:59. Decent, but not great.
Match #3 for the UWC Hardcore Extreme Championship: "Time Bomb" Fred Potok vs. The Phattie Daddy (champion)
The background: Fred Potok was the champion after the last show, but was in a car accident about 10 days afterwards. Since they were unsure when he would be able to compete, they ran an angle on their TV show where Potok gave the belt to hs six year old cousin or nephew. Phattie Daddy then started his quest to win the title, eventually winning it. Something to do with silly string, I'm not entirely sure what they ended up doing. Off to the match, where they used Phattie Daddy's trash can of goodies, including a kendo stick, a plastic chair, and plastic Mr. T head, and a bicycle horn. The finish came when Potok put Daddy in a figure-four, and out came the returning "Role Model" Ric Lieb and the rest of his stable, The Four Henchmen (one is called Rip Cripple, but I don't know the other two). They do a 4-on-1 beatdown of Potok and leave the ring, which enables Daddy to drop a quick elbow and get the pin at 6:20. Decent, but even Potok was unhappy with how it turned out.
Match #4: 10-Man TLC Battle Royal
This is royal rumble style, with 30 second intervals, and the only way to be eliminated is to go through a table. Sack draws #1, The Kamikaze Kid is #2. Nothing of note happens until Super Sydal, Kid's tag team partner, draws #3. They team up until the appearance of Malibu at #4. One of the broadcasters referred to Malibu as Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, just for the sake of imagery. #5 is Mr. Wrestling 2000, who is dressed more like The Destroyer than Mr. Wrestling II, and he lasts about two moves before Sack power bombs him through a table for the first elimination. Chef Meeker, who owns a restaurant in Akron, is #6, and he brings out sausage links to use as a weapon. At least it's original. Virus is #7, and he looks like your typical WCW masked luchador. Unknown is #8, and he wears a Spiderman mask and uses a gimmick that, surprise, no one knows who he is. The Akron Demolisher, making his official UWC debut, is #9. Finally, local DJ Keith Kennedy draws #10, so all but Mr. Wrestling 2000 are in. Then the eliminations hit. Next out are Meeker and Malibu, who are eliminated when Meeker misses his actual target in a charge. Virus eliminates Demolisher. Super Sydal eliminates Keith Kennedy. Then things get interesting. Sack is busted open and is due to be eliminated, but the table doesn't break. Not once, not twice, but five times. At one point, all four of the remaining wrestlers jump on at the same time, and it still doesn't break. Sack is finally (and mericfully) eliminated to a huge pop. The match dies quickly though. Sydal and Kid stack up two tables together, but Kid goes through a different table when Virus backdrops him over the top rope. Virus and Unknown quickly team up to eliminate Super Sydal, and Virus does the two table bump to give Unknown the win at 21:33. Very entertaining until the one table wouldn't break but it lost its novelty at that point.
The UWC cameraman comes out to do a promo, but he is interrupted by Justin Dreams. Apparently Dreams attacked the cameraman on their TV show for no apparent reason, so he comes prepared and introduces him to The New American Eagle. They do an OK at best impromptu match, which Dreams wins with an inverted DDT at 4:35.
Match #6 for the UWC TV Title with special referee "The Champ" John Potok: "Role Model" Ric Lieb (w/the other three Henchmen) vs. Atlantis (champion)
Each man refuses to enter first, so Potok is introduced and orders Lieb to come out first. The story here is Lieb accuses Potok of favoritism throughout the match, since Lieb is apparently leading an "FCW" invasion. I have no idea. Eventually, Potok gets distracted, and Lieb busts Atlantis open with a pair of brass knuckles. Potok turns around and reaches 2, but stops his count two question Lieb despite the lack of evidence. Fred Potok then runs out and attacks Lieb, setting up an Atlantis frog splash that gets the pin at 12:05. Entertaining match, but I still don't know why the referee would have stopped the count.
There is an intermission to set up the steel cage. At this point, we're two hours into the show, and it takes nearly half an hour to set up the cage, as when the promoter runs into it to test it, some of the bolts fall off the side. Gotta love those indy cages, don't you? Anyway, like at many indy shows, many of the wrestlers walked around to sign autographs and talk with the fans. Always a nice touch.
Steel Cage Match #1: Darkstar (w/"Sex Symbol" Keith Young) vs. Tack
Darkstar is best described as Lord Zoltan with more talent. Young is essentially in the Joel Gertner role without the limericks. The previous month, Tack cost Darkstar the TV Title, only to have Darkstar cost Tack the World Title later in the evening. That led to this match being signed and the earlier sneak attack. Anyway, the UWC president, "The Boss' Son" Bo Smirnow comes out to award Darkstar the match by forfeit, but Tack comes out with taped ribs and insists on wrestling. They brawl through the crowd for a while before finally entering the cage, which buckles with every cage spot. They do a lot of spots off of the top of the cage. Young at one point slides the broadcast table into the cage, and both men end up going through it. The finish comes when Tack tries to go out through the door, but Young slams the door into his head. Darkstar tries to climb out of the cage, but Tack wakes up and tries to slide out the door. Darkstar hits the floor about half a second before Tack for the win in 15:25. Excellent cage match, and these two might be among the best of the unknown independent workers out there.
Steel Cage Match #2 for the UWC World Title: Pumper (w/Keith Young) vs. Danny Doring (champion)
Pumper was a long time fan favorite who had held the title for 18 months before being beat by Doring for it several months ago. However, Pumper's foot was on the ropes during that pinfall, and he snapped and turned against Doring and the fans. They met as part of a Gauntlet match for the title in July, but Doring gained another controversial win. Standard cage match until the finish, where each man goes up opposite sides. Pumper actually bends the cage on his side going down, and they hit the ground about half a second apart. The referee can't tell who hit first and rules the match a draw at 7:55. BUT WAIT! The president comes out and rules a title cage match cannot end in a draw, so the match will continue, but this time the win must come by pinfall or submission. Back into the cage they go, and Doring appears to be ready to retain the title. However, Darkstar makes an appearance and enters the cage. They double team Doring until they hit a combination neckbreaker/side slam that allows Pumper to get the pin and the title (3:58 into the restart, 11:53 overall). Good match. The double team continues, but out comes Tack to make the save. Then out comes the Insane Family. Then The Untouchables. Before all is said and done, at least 80% of the roster is fighting inside and outside the cage. Guys are jumping off of the top of the cage and onto the floor. Among the highlights is Doring grabbing one of Chef Meeker's sausages off the floor and making a show out of jamming it into her mouth. The brawl finally makes it way backstage, and the show is officially over at 7:29 p.m.
The next show will be on a soon to be announced date in October and entitled "Extreme Halloween". During the SummerSlam broadcast, three matches were announced:
1. Ric Lieb vs. Fred Potok in a first blood match (should be pretty good)
2. Pumper vs. Danny Doring in a lumberjacks with straps match for the UWC World Title (should be pretty good)
3. Darkstar vs. Tack in the UWC's first ever scaffold match (two good workers, but scaffold matches usually suck, so this could go either way)
Excellent show overall. Almost 3 1/2 hours of live wrestling, then a live PPV, and all for $10 or $15 depending on where you were seated. The only thing that really sucked was the Justin Dreams match, but it was meant to get Justin Dreams over more than be a good match. It's no Ring of Honor, but it's definitely an underrated indy.
Remember, check this site over the next couple of days for the exclusive Danny Doring interview.
Check the UWC out at their home page if you want more info. Otherwise, you know the addy.
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