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August 9, 2005
Proving
Ground
Your soundtrack for this column: Fozzy's first self-titled album, with the awesome cover of Maiden's "The Prisoner"
When I was informed by the offices of IWC that a Proving Ground Match was added to this weekend's loaded Utown 3 show, I thought to myself "That's awesome. Cage and Rowe are great talents and I'm glad they're getting a shot for IWC." Usually, me thinking is a bad thing. But in this case, it led to some other thoughts about Saturday's card...
The entire show is a proving ground for the participants. Not just Cage and Rowe, but the roster itself.
Sterling James Keenan takes on "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles. The last time IWC was in Uniontown, the Rock Star from Hell successfully defended the IWC Super Indy Title, but with a little help from Styles' rival "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. This is Keenan's chance to prove that he doesn't need the title and he doesn't need the "Fallen Angel" to defeat a superstar the calibur of Styles.
Uniontown's own star John Bolen has accepted the challenge of self-proclaimed Pittsburgh legend Bubba the Bulldog for a match in Bolen's hometown. Bubba claims Bolen's win was a fluke and he's gotten himself back to the "old Bubba". But Bolen is set to prove that his win was no fluke and that he will prove himself again by defeating the 10-year veteran.
One of my personal favorite tag teams is Dunn & Marcos, the Ring Crew Express. When I first found out they'd be wrestling for IWC almost 2 years ago, I was excited to see them live in a match that wasn't just a squash (see: Special K vs RCX & Outkast Killaz, ROH Revenge On the Prophecy from CCAC). Sadly, they fell short several times of capturing the brass ring, as Tag Champs Devil's Advocates defeated them. After then-newcomers the Wildcards defeated RCX at Hell Hath No Fury last summer, Dunn & Marcos weren't around IWC as much. But now, this is their chance to prove that they can do the one thing that has eluded them in their 2 years in IWC: win the Tag Team Championship.
The Gothic God of Glamour has a shot at the IWC World Champ Shirley Doe. I know many IWC fans have stated their disapproval and confusion as to why Shiima Xion gets an IWC Title shot despite his loss to Jason Gory at No Excuses. Shiima has taken these comments and is fired up and wants to prove that he not only deserves a shot at the title, but that he deserves to win the title. Shiima is taking his oppertunity very seriously, and wants nothing more than to prove his naysayers wrong.
Jason Gory recently defeated the aforementioned Xion to become the sole Rookie of the Year for 2004. However, he was passed over for a title shot in favor of the more traveled male supermodel. Now, Gory is out to prove that he can hang with international talent as well as Shiima can, like the recent Japanese import, KUDO.
Speaking of "DeeeLicious" Jimmy D, he was taken out by the Ohio Players, J-Rocc & "Balls Hot" Troy Lords. When they slammed that chair down on his arm, they may have signed their own death warrant. They played with matches, and now they'll have to deal with the Gambino Brothers' fire. Mickey and Marshall told them not to mess with the familia, but the Players took out their frustrations out on the cousin of the Moving Company. Frustrated that they've been stuck in a feud with the Gambinos for months, Lords & J-Rocc are out to prove that they deserve a shot at the IWC Tag Team Titles. But the Gambinos are out for blood. In this Fans Bring the Weapons match, they want to prove to the Ohio Players that if you mess with familia, you pay the price.
And, of course, the focus of all this Proving Ground is the match itself: Jason Cage challenging Raymond Rowe. I've seen both men wrestle in their formative years in the sport. I was there when Cage made his debut in a Pittsburgh ring and took brutal chops from some Pittsburgh veterans that left his chest bruised, bloody, and welted. I was there when Raymond Rowe lifted a 450+ pound man over his head with an exploder suplex. Now both men want to move on to IWC and prove themselves worthy of national recognition. In this webguy's mind, both do. I think both men will prove to the fans, the IWC officials, the wrestlers in the locker room, and, most importantly, to themselves that they are worthy.
I'll see you all Saturday.
~JTM~
Your soundtrack for this column: Fozzy's first self-titled album, with the awesome cover of Maiden's "The Prisoner"
When I was informed by the offices of IWC that a Proving Ground Match was added to this weekend's loaded Utown 3 show, I thought to myself "That's awesome. Cage and Rowe are great talents and I'm glad they're getting a shot for IWC." Usually, me thinking is a bad thing. But in this case, it led to some other thoughts about Saturday's card...
The entire show is a proving ground for the participants. Not just Cage and Rowe, but the roster itself.
Sterling James Keenan takes on "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles. The last time IWC was in Uniontown, the Rock Star from Hell successfully defended the IWC Super Indy Title, but with a little help from Styles' rival "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. This is Keenan's chance to prove that he doesn't need the title and he doesn't need the "Fallen Angel" to defeat a superstar the calibur of Styles.
Uniontown's own star John Bolen has accepted the challenge of self-proclaimed Pittsburgh legend Bubba the Bulldog for a match in Bolen's hometown. Bubba claims Bolen's win was a fluke and he's gotten himself back to the "old Bubba". But Bolen is set to prove that his win was no fluke and that he will prove himself again by defeating the 10-year veteran.
One of my personal favorite tag teams is Dunn & Marcos, the Ring Crew Express. When I first found out they'd be wrestling for IWC almost 2 years ago, I was excited to see them live in a match that wasn't just a squash (see: Special K vs RCX & Outkast Killaz, ROH Revenge On the Prophecy from CCAC). Sadly, they fell short several times of capturing the brass ring, as Tag Champs Devil's Advocates defeated them. After then-newcomers the Wildcards defeated RCX at Hell Hath No Fury last summer, Dunn & Marcos weren't around IWC as much. But now, this is their chance to prove that they can do the one thing that has eluded them in their 2 years in IWC: win the Tag Team Championship.
The Gothic God of Glamour has a shot at the IWC World Champ Shirley Doe. I know many IWC fans have stated their disapproval and confusion as to why Shiima Xion gets an IWC Title shot despite his loss to Jason Gory at No Excuses. Shiima has taken these comments and is fired up and wants to prove that he not only deserves a shot at the title, but that he deserves to win the title. Shiima is taking his oppertunity very seriously, and wants nothing more than to prove his naysayers wrong.
Jason Gory recently defeated the aforementioned Xion to become the sole Rookie of the Year for 2004. However, he was passed over for a title shot in favor of the more traveled male supermodel. Now, Gory is out to prove that he can hang with international talent as well as Shiima can, like the recent Japanese import, KUDO.
Speaking of "DeeeLicious" Jimmy D, he was taken out by the Ohio Players, J-Rocc & "Balls Hot" Troy Lords. When they slammed that chair down on his arm, they may have signed their own death warrant. They played with matches, and now they'll have to deal with the Gambino Brothers' fire. Mickey and Marshall told them not to mess with the familia, but the Players took out their frustrations out on the cousin of the Moving Company. Frustrated that they've been stuck in a feud with the Gambinos for months, Lords & J-Rocc are out to prove that they deserve a shot at the IWC Tag Team Titles. But the Gambinos are out for blood. In this Fans Bring the Weapons match, they want to prove to the Ohio Players that if you mess with familia, you pay the price.
And, of course, the focus of all this Proving Ground is the match itself: Jason Cage challenging Raymond Rowe. I've seen both men wrestle in their formative years in the sport. I was there when Cage made his debut in a Pittsburgh ring and took brutal chops from some Pittsburgh veterans that left his chest bruised, bloody, and welted. I was there when Raymond Rowe lifted a 450+ pound man over his head with an exploder suplex. Now both men want to move on to IWC and prove themselves worthy of national recognition. In this webguy's mind, both do. I think both men will prove to the fans, the IWC officials, the wrestlers in the locker room, and, most importantly, to themselves that they are worthy.
I'll see you all Saturday.
~JTM~
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