IWA Mid-South Ted Petty Invitational, Highland, IN
Well, Ian had to bring all these guys in for the weekend, might as well get a second night out of all of them. These are all guys who lost in the first round of the tournament. Frankly the night could’ve completely done without that absolute barnburner of an opening match but people brought friends.
If you’re counting along: Rave lost to AJ Styles, Sexton lost to Danny Daniels, Whitmer lost to Petey Williams, Aries lost to CM Punk, Castagnoli lost to Nigel McGuinness, and Sabin lost to Rainman.
Commentary here is Jim Fannin, Chris Candido, and Steve Stone, so it’s all heels, which can be a bit much, and frankly Fannin leading commentary is often a bit much. The lead guy can’t be doing a heel gimmick, period. I don’t care what era it is or where.
But there is fun to be had with Candido, who is back on the scene having shockingly returned earlier in the night, and doesn’t know who much of anyone is. He’s also tired and the building is hot. He’s enthusiastic, but yes, he would like to go home. So when ring announcer Joey Eastman announces that this is elimination, which suggests it may be longer than you’d hope, Candido goes, “Thank god, elimination! THANK GOD!”
He also asked if Claudio was the guy with the “cool jacket” during Claudio’s music, before he came out. Thankfully Fannin is playing it straight outside of rooting for Whitmer.
There’s a bunch of dives to start, get it going hot, no fuckin’ around. Eliminations:
- Todd Sexton is first out on a Cop Killa from Chris Sabin, a move that shocks Candido.
- Sabin is out next on a brainbuster and 450 from Austin Aries.
- Aries is out next on a la magistral from Alex Shelley. Actually, he did it, and Aries got out, but then they just rolled over again and Aries decided this wasn’t worth it and took the three count so he could get home.
- Shelley is out next when choked out by Castagnoli after they fuck up trying a more spectacular move. Starting to think there’s a pattern here and Claudio’s moments are numbered.
- Castagnoli is out next when BJ Whitmer hits him with a shining wizard.
We come down to Whitmer and Jimmy Rave. Rave immediately smashes Whitmer’s face open with an errant running knee that full on connects. BJ toughs it out and they go through a short match, Whitmer in the hardway crimson mask. Rave gets the crossface, but Whitmer gets out and hits another shining wizard for two. Candido is pissed that this won’t end.
Ultimately home promotion guy Whitmer gets the win on an exploder. Even for a scramble at the ass end of a two-night, 10-hour event, this whole thing is wildly phoned in, other than poor BJ Whitmer getting his skull cracked open by accident. But it’s fast-paced and there is the drama of BJ Whitmer getting his skull cracked open by accident.
Tape Machines Are Rolling 
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