IWA-MS KOTDM vs. Southern Sickness Cup (2021)

For the historians: It is November 5th, 2021, roughly 7 months before Jake Crist will burn the World and Junior Heavyweight titles and kick off a mass exodus from IWA-MS.

John Wayne Murdoch, Danny Demanto, The Carver, Tommy Vendetta, Tank, Neil Diamond Cutter and HoodFoot withdrew from IWA-MS KOTDM 2022, announced they will not work for Ian Rotten anymore, and were joined by even more IWA-MS regulars. Ian's son, JC Rotten, who is/was/might still be the promoter of Pro Wrestling Trainwreck, home of the Southern Sickness Cup, held out slightly longer. The last activity I could find is the announcement for a show in Feb '23 and its cancellation. Cagematch still lists PWT as 'active, 2018 – today', but I very much doubt that is really the case. The name rights to IWA-MS's flagship events, KOTDM and TPI, have been sold to Circle 6 ever since. As fas as deathmatch tournaments go, this show is the last hooray of both IWA-MS and PWT.

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Non-Tournament Matches

ROUND 1

Match 1 – The Ritual 2 - Akira vs. Orin Veidt

Match 2 – Rope Roulette – The Carver vs. Tank

Match 3 – Iced Out/Thumbtack Madness – Amazing Maria vs. Insane Lane

Match 4 – Fans Bring The Weapons – Rebecca Payne vs. Satu Jinn

Match 5 – Shattered – Eric Dillinger vs. Aeroboy

Match 6 – The Bigger, The Better – Dale Patricks vs. Kevin Giza

Match 7 – Panes from Hell Loose Tubes – Eric Ryan vs. Reed Bentley

Match 8 – World Series of Glass/Pain – John Wayne Murdoch vs. JC Rotten

Recap Day 1

ROUND 2

SEMI FINALS

Non-Tournament Match

FINAL

Final Thoughts

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Non-Tournament Match

IWA-MS World Title Match: Jake Crist (C) vs. Eric Wayne

Crist has both titles. He held both for over 250 days by the time he set them ablaze. The match ends with a no contest almost immediately due to interference from Crist's protege and 'wrestling son' Corey Storm. They proceed to give Wayne a double beatdown, then the theme of Brad Cash sounds and he shows up to make the save.

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Impromptu Tag Team Match

Jake Crist & Corey Storm vs. Eric Wayne & Brad Cash

Much of it is a brawl, at first on the outside, then it gets a bit more technical in the ring. It's a bit strange to see the biggest guy by far, Brad Cash, play Ricky Morton. Maybe the Suicide King is trying to out-do Born to Die at playing dead? In the end, Crist and Storm win clean, and I'm not really sure what this match was supposed to achieve. The double beating of Wayne continues while Cash is still down. We're just back at square 1, but it took a total of 15 minutes to get there.

It can't go unsaid that Crist initially rejected the tag team match because 'he only got paid for one match'. Interesting angle to run when there's a good chance Crist was actually the one paying others to be on the show at this point.

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ROUND 1

Match 1 – The Ritual 2 - Akira vs. Orin Veidt

Fashion victory for Akira (shirtless, orange sports shorts) over Orin Veidt (black shirt, tan shorts). The stipulation appears to mean 'lighttube pentagrams', but there's also a board and a gusset plate crucifix. I'm not sure who represents Southern Sickness and who KOTDM. My guess would be Akira is the former, Veidt the latter.

As can be expected from these two, the match starts out with proper wrestling, submissions, and a good buildup to the first big bang into a lighttube contraption. It stays fairly technical when the weapons get involved. This is the kind of match deathmatch critics never talk about because it defies the stereotype of 'all just garbage and smashing stuff'. Orin Veidt – who indeed represents IWA-MS – wins, but both get standing ovations.

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Match 2 – Rope Roulette – The Carver vs. Tank

My spirit animal Carver easily wins the fashion duel. No black vs. all black from Tank – whose manager, The Rev, could possibly score some points with facepaint and robes, but he's not in the running. Otherwise, I don't think Tank needs such an elaborate introduction. The ultra gimmicky 'spiritual adviser' even feels a bit silly next to a no nonsense guy like him. It's a combo I just never understood.

I'm also not sure what makes this match a rope roulette. There are wooden bars with gussets on two sides of the ropes, and some lighttubes and a barbed wire frame in the ring. According to commentary, there are also popper bars, and loose gusset plates see early use. Other than that, it's a slow brawl and, to stray farther from the already only loosely rope-related stipulation, also soon goes to the outside. Back inside, the popper board does absolutely nothing, twice. The pace picks up a bit, there's even a suplex, but then the match ends very suddenly via knockout when Tank stomps Carver – reigning POTDM – and the ref calls for the bell.

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Match 3 – Iced Out/Thumbtack Madness – Amazing Maria vs. Insane Lane

Maria, although all in black, gets a decent score for her outfit due to a good sports wear ratio and high skin exposure. She has tough competition though; Lane is typically one of the better dressers. Today, he wears a black shirt to dark-red shorts; no mask, no cape, no wild patterns. Bad day to slack – Maria takes this one.

I can't guess who is PWT or IWA-MS. According to commentary, Lane is on Team IWA-MS. The stipulation consists of thumbtack bats and a pool with (presumably) dry ice. Or maybe not? Cagematch says Iced Out, Nick Maniwa says Thumbtack Madness. Since more thumbtack weapons turn up and the pool is filled with tacks, I think the latter applies.

This is mostly a brawl, but Lane gets three different two counts out of three different wrestling moves, so there's variety. All in all, I don't like that the match isn't very balanced. It's mostly Lane beating up Maria – who is at her best when she has same-size opponents she can overpower. I can't really complain too much in the end though as Maria gets a surprise three count out of Lane with a quick thumbtack-pool-supported roll up. Hopefully, next round she gets a more suited opponent.

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Match 4 – Fans Bring The Weapons – Rebecca Payne vs. Satu Jinn

Payne wears jeans shorts to a black shirt, proper boots and kickpads. This could go either way, but in terms of exposure, Jinn may have an advantage. Not barefoot, but tabi to grey shorts. It's a close call, but his sports wear ration is slightly higher, so the victory is his. The fans haven't brought many weapons. Most of what I see is leftovers from the previous matches. Jinn also finds a badminton racket with a gusset plate, but soon resorts to his own blade. Lots of brawling, lots of carving, but honestly, what else is supposed to happen here? The size difference is even bigger than between Lane and Maria, and Payne isn't Giza. She's got nothing to balance out the fact that Jinn is twice her size. As a result, the match is as one-sided as the previous one. Jinn unsurprisingly wins, after an Uranage through a lighttube contraption.

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Match 5 – Shattered – Eric Dillinger vs. Aeroboy

Dillinger, while possessing the combined charisma of 2 buckets of water, makes a good fashion showing all in white. Other than the boots, it's not really sports wear though. Will it be enough to touch the reigning Best Dressed champion of my review series? If so, it will be on color alone. Aeroboy wears his iridescent mask, red pleather, and a white shirt under a black jacket. The jacket comes off. Good effort, Mr. Dillinger, but Aeroboy simply looks far more like a wrestler and he has white.

The stipulation involves mirrors, lighttubes, and a pool of broken glass. Finally, Akira and Veidt get competition. A fast and furious, but still technical start that results in two early broken mirrors. They keep up the pace and flashy moves – but although both are wearing white and there's broken glass, there's little blood. Still, we're in MOTN contender territory here. Aeroboy takes the victory and I am pleased.

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Match 6 – The Bigger, The Better – Dale Patricks vs. Kevin Giza

The question who represents which promotion gets ever more confusing with the reigning IWA-MS Tag Team champions facing off against each other. The fashion question looks easier to answer though. Patricks not only wears all black, long jeans at that, but also a leather coat. His shirt says IWA, so that answers that, but I doubt the outfit will beat Giza. It doesn't. Giza wears blue jeans and a black crop top. It's not a huge advantage, but both color and exposure are better here. Wait. What is that? Brown belt to black shoes? That makes it a tie – I can't put the victory on all black or mismatched belt/shoes.

There's a door, several lighttube bundles, and on the outside is a barbed wire table that looks like it was specifically designed to get tangled up in Giza's hair. Going by the fan reaction – by far the loudest and most enthusiastic so far – this should be good. Just based on the setup and background, I smell a MOTN contender myself.

Promising start; after a handshake and an apparent agreement, Patricks lies down to let Giza pin him, but tries to roll him up for a surprise pin as soon as Giza gets close. It's on now, and immediately lives up to expectations with great speed and intensity; not surprising, seeing these two are regulars on the MVP podium. After a first holy shit spot – Patricks dives onto Giza on the barbed wire table – Patricks has to tape up a hand injury, which only briefly slows the match down. Back in the ring, they are right back at it, and a second spectacular spot follows.

Another barbed wire table finds its way to the ring, and Patricks gains the upper hand after Giza dominated for a good while and even got a near fall out of him. After Patricks got one of his own with a top rope choke slam through the barbed wire table, he goes for the remaining big lighttube bundle and a piledriver. When Giza kicks out again, Patricks attempts his package piledriver, Giza counters, rolls him up, and gets the victory. Patricks has a tantrum, I'm happy to see Giza advance for once, and we have the preliminary MOTN.

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Match 7 – Panes from Hell Loose Tubes – Eric Ryan vs. Reed Bentley

Stipulation names are not what they used to be. Eric Ryan wears all black with some neon-green. It's similar to the black-yellow outfit I praised in a previous review, but this is not quite there. Less accessorized, less attention to detail. Reed Bentley has a black singlet, a red flannel shirt, long black pants – but, and this shall serve as a warning to the 'who cares about belts' faction, I will give him the victory for black belt/black boots. (Ryan has a white belt which I would accept in a black/white theme.)

What makes these panes panes from hell? There are 4 of them, and they are placed above pools. I assume the loose tubes are in them because none are visible. One pane immediately becomes un-hellish because Bentley removes it from its pool and... OH NO. There are no tubes in the pools. It's broken glass, salt, lemon juice, a bed of forks, and... It's a goddamn pool of rubbing alcohol. My old enemy!

The match begins (or maybe not) with Bentley chasing Ryan around the ring. Once they actually get started, it is with a bang when Ryan puts Bentley through the pane in the corner. The momentum is immediately lost to fork carving, followed by a sleeper hold against Bentley. This sets the tone. It's a slow match, both spend much time on the mat, but thankfully the big spots look and sound great. Unfortunately, Ryan prevents one – leaving the pane unshattered – when he rolls Bentley up and gets a three count.

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Match 8 – World Series of Glass/Pain – John Wayne Murdoch vs. JC Rotten

So close and yet so far. Once again, Murdoch ruins an otherwise decent outfit with the inclusion of yellow. At this rate, the ginger prince will never usurp the ginger king, Shane Mercer, who rules with a ruthless eye for color. Black shirt, tan shorts, white boots, and... ffs is that a mustard-yellow sleeve?! JC Rotten, who really didn't have to do much to score an easy victory, still manages to fuck it up. Black shirt – ok, even ground here. Long blue jeans? Borderline. Red basketball shoes? One step too far toward 'gas station clerk who strolled in straight from his shift'. As far as outfits go, this is a trainwreck.

Fittingly, the ring looks like a trainwreck in the making. 3 lighttube log cabins, the gusset crosses, the leftover pane of glass, a box of lighttubes, a carpet strip contraption, and a blue bucket of unknown content.

Before the match begins, a wild Ian Rotten appears. He has a mic, so I skip. Apparently, a wild Billy The P also appeared and now pulled the ref out of the ring at Murdoch's first pin attempt. The bucket contains gusset plates, as it turns out when Rotten starts hammering some into Murdoch's arm. For World Series rules, the early match is extremely gusset-heavy. Only when the action goes outside does Murdoch bring some lighttubes, but the gussets are still the dominant theme.

The gusset plate bucket: Like moths to a flame

The allegiances get more and more confusing. Murdoch started out as Team IWA-MS, but switched after not winning the tag team titles and is now the captain of Team PWT. In a match against PWT owner JC Rotten. Ok then. I won't try to keep up with this anymore.

It takes quite a while until Murdoch, possibly by pure chance, comes across a lighttube log cabin, and remembers this is supposed to be a World Series match. Now it's a smash fest. The true improvement is that Murdoch gets rid of the shirt, and the mustard-colored sleeve is already fairly red by now.

"What are these strange white sticks doing here anyway?"

A wild Ian Rotten appears yet again to headbutt Murdoch in the ropes, but JC's pin gets only a two. Meanwhile a stack of two log cabins and the carpet strip thing herald a spectacular finish. What happens instead is: Murdoch has Rotten on the top rope and signals a Deep South Destroyer, Rotten counters – I think? The camera briefly cuts away to show that Rotten's wife runs toward the ring. When it pans back, JC has Murdoch in his finisher. Then Rotten's wife attacks her husband with lighttubes, and Murdoch suplexes Rotten through the pillow fort for the win.

According to commentary, she did it 'for the company'. JC's company, so... did he compete for IWA-MS instead because... Murdoch switched teams? Murdoch doesn't like the interference, but shakes her hand anyway. JC Rotten orders Murdoch to win, so I guess they are on the same team? Why does it matter which of them advances then? Did someone else switch teams to even it out?

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END OF DAY 1, RECAP

What's a real delight is Bobby Olsen heeling it up on commentary. That said, it would have helped greatly if commentary had also clued me in who belongs to which team before or at least early in the matches. I gather that there was a show the previous day where some of this was set up. Other than that, I'm missing a lot context here. In several matches, I had to guess who belongs to which team – is Amazing Maria more IWA-MS than Insane Lane or vice versa? Why is one of the IWA-MS tag team champions on Team PWT? Are/were the Rejects also on different teams? Until the last match, I didn't even know the teams had captains, and I still don't know who the captain of Team IWA-MS is. At the time, it was probably easier to follow this story, but with so much roster overlap, many things aren't clear anymore. Carver, Dillinger, and Akira (by virtue of not being a IWA regular; there's still a strong tie to Murdoch and Bentley) are the only three that don't scream 'IWA-MS' to me. Everyone else, including PWT owner JC Rotten, could go either way.

The imaginary MOTN trophy goes to Kevin Giza vs. Dale Patricks, with Aeroboy vs. Eric Dillinger and Orin Veidt vs. Akira as runners-up. While all three were technically on a good level, Giza vs. Patricks was the bloodiest and that has to be considered in a deathmatch tournament.

The Best Dressed trophy is a head to head this time around – Aeroboy vs. The Carver. In many aspects, they are evenly matched: both masked, both long (but non-black) pants, both white shirts. Aeroboy wins on the sports/wrestling gear front, but Carver isn't as far behind as it looks. The jeans are ring jeans, not street wear. It's the skin exposure that makes for a small difference; Aeroboy has a sleeveless shirt that is closer to a tank top whereas Carver's has sleeves. My final call is therefore based on attention to detail, and in line with a previous judgement: I rule in favor of Carver for black boots/black suspenders.

On to the matches that didn't make the MOTN podium. Tank vs. Carver struck me as weird. First, we have a guy who hasn't competed in IWA-MS in several years representing IWA-MS. Then, we have the reigning Prince of the Deathmatches losing in a short, uneven match via knockout. It's like IWA-MS wanted to reinforce just how weak the POTDM field was that year.

Then we have the two intergender matches. I'll say it straight up: It doesn't work for me. That's not a rag on womens wrestling, but intergender matches specifically. There's a reason sports are gender-segregated and nothing about wrestling (speaking in kayfabe) negates that reason – there are worlds of strength (and often size) between men and women, and that still applies if the men are lightweights. Kevin Giza, the smallest of the men on this card, can lift and slam Dale Patricks. I'm a big fan of Amazing Maria; she can stand up to the smaller guys and have normal matches with them. But she can not do that with a big, burly Insane Lane, nor can Rebecca Payne do it with Satu Jinn. He even had to use his own weight to put the much smaller Payne through a board. Instead of at least giving them opponents somewhat close to their size, both women were given big guys that severely limit their offense. By a promotion that had a womens deathmatch tournament (even very recently before this show). Why make them look bad with one-sided beatings? I'm happy to see Maria advance for once – she's usually designated first round fodder – but the match and the finish went against her strengths.

Eric Ryan vs. Reed Bentley was slow and pretty one-sided, simple as that. I don't know which of them represents PWT either – Bentley is Murdoch's partner, Murdoch switched teams, nobody mentioned if Bentley did the same or if there's some tension between them now. Eric Ryan 'won' the last two KOTDMs and probably has the better case for being Team IWA-MS, but who knows. If there were any personal stakes, it didn't show in the match nor did commentary bring it up. The silver lining is that Ryan is the only 44OH member on the card, so hopefully his victory doesn't translate to interferences later on.

The last match was, at the same time, a smashfest and off-theme for a very long time. It's almost 14 minutes long, and for the first half, it seems like both didn't know they were supposed to break things. Like moths to the flame, they kept going back to the gusset plate bucket. Cagematch labels it a 'World Series of Pain' match, but other than glass, there were no contraptions to break and thereby score. World Series rules say X things must be broken by putting the opponent through them, and I just don't see anyone put an opponent through a gusset plate. Commentary didn't try to keep score either. So yeah, confusion everywhere. It wasn't really a World Series of anything for a long time, and like I said above, the backstory/Rejects-allegiance (to PWT and each other) is unclear as well.

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DAY 2

On commentary, we now have Nick Maniwa and JC Rotten. Maybe that will make the teams more clear. The quarter finals don't have stipulations listed on Cagematch, so I'll title them myself if I get nothing from commentary.

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ROUND 2

Match 1 - It's A Trap - Satu Jinn vs. Orin Veidt

No outfit change for Jinn, but Veidt finally takes this competition serious and has swapped the black shirt for a white one. With overall much lighter colors, I'll give this one to him.

Two carpet strip and lighttube contraptions are in the ring, and some kind of table on the outside. Both carpet strip 'traps' are broken right away, without much of a boom. An outside dive from Veidt goes wrong, the lighttubes are too sturdy, and Satu Jinn thankfully brought a gusset plate tennis racket and his blade to make up for the meh weaponry. So it's a lot of carving from him while Veidt tries to break the lighttubes with moderate success.

According to commentary, the table is a poppers table, and there's another 'trap' – a barbed wire board propped up by lighttubes – on the outside. Jinn missing Veidt and running into this contraption instead might qualify as the first big spot, but I'm really not sold on this match. Jinn finds a pane of glass and smashes it over Veidt for the biggest boom of the match, then gets a two count after a Death Valley Driver.

Things actually improve when they stop using weapons, and Jinn hits Veidt with wrestling moves instead. The finish – an alleged Assault Driver from Veidt through the popper-table – doesn't look great, but it gets a three count. The match felt firmly too long, to be frank.

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Match 2 – Lighttubes - Eric Ryan vs. Amazing Maria

Ryan wears long blue pants, black sneakers, and a black-green vest. He looks like a construction worker who just quickly hopped in to fix something. Not great. Amazing Maria wears the same outfit as before and scores an easy victory here.

Fast and furious opening from Maria, and again the tubes aren't cooperative. Thankfully, Maria brought her intensity and sees earlier success in smashing something than Veidt and Jinn. There's a pool, but apparently it's empty as Maria fills it with tubes herself, then counters Ryan's powerbomb attempt with a backdrop into the pool. When Ryan gains the upper hand, he goes after Maria's knee brace, gets it off, and keeps attacking the leg. Nice to see an actual strategy; I don't think we had that this show.

Surprisingly, the match is also more balanced than the first round match of either. Where Ryan dominated and Maria took a beating yesterday, there's much more back and forth today. Maria finally submits, and Ryan advances – which is unfortunate, but not surprising at all.

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Match 3 – (presumably) Fans Bring The Weapons - Tank vs. John Wayne Murdoch

Tank's outfit is unchanged, but The Rev wears black-silver robes today. If it's a tie otherwise, I'll allow him as an accessory. IF he stops talking right now. ... Ok, not an accessory. Murdoch still has the mustard-yellow sleeve, but a predominantly dark-blue flannel that comes off before the bell this time, black shirt, tan shorts. Not ideal, but enough to win over an unaccessorized Tank in all black.

Tank involves his sickle for an extended carving session right out of the gate. This doesn't bode well. Neither does the fact that Murdoch also doesn't get the lighttubes to break on first try. Not even Tank reliably breaks them, ffs. Lots of carving with saws and meat forks, lots of outside brawling. Back in the ring, a headbutt duel ends with both down on the mat.

The finish comes quickly – after only 6 minutes - and it's strangely abrupt for a submission. While Murdoch has Tank in a Koji Clutch, The Rev throws the sickle to Tank, but Murdoch catches it, and Tank taps as soon as the sickle touches his already bloody forehead. Weird, but I'm not complaining. Tank gives a speech in praise of Ian Rotten. I'm not listening. I'm still busy wondering why a man who can talk perfectly fine on his own needs a death metal-themed muppet manager.

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Match 4 – Death Doors & Ladders - Aeroboy vs. Kevin Giza

No outfit change for either. Easy, this one goes to Aeroboy.

The match features lighttube and barbed wire boards and a barbed wire ladder. I have high hopes for a MOTN contender for the first time today. I won't be disappointed if the first minute is anything to go by. Giza's arm has to be taped up early on after going into a barbed wire ladder on the outside. Once that's done, they return to the ring to continue where they left off – fast-paced, plenty of wrestling and creative weapon use.

The arm injury is giving Giza some trouble, and putting insult to injury, Aeroboy removes his shirt to reveal that his belt does match his shoes. In the end, Giza takes the victory after countering a Tiger Driver into a roll up. I am pleased. I'd be pleased with either outcome, and this was by far the strongest match yet.

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SEMI FINALS

Match 1 – Eric Ryan vs. Orin Veidt

Ryan still wears the blue pants, but is shirtless instead of wearing the mismatched vest, so this is an improvement. No change for Veidt except for the blood stains on the white shirt. That's what white shirts are for. Victory for Veidt. The stipulation involves lighttube bundles, barbed wire board, gussets, silver ware. Unfortunate: The Reverend replaces JC Rotten on commentary. I've endured his commentary on a Carnage Cup and I know the growling and gimmicky occult drivel will get on my nerves in no time at all.

It takes a while for the match to start since Eric Ryan just throws forks at Veidt from the outside. When Veidt finally catches him with a forearm on the apron, he immediately hits a Total Anarchy, and Ryan immediately rolls back outside. I frankly don't see Giza and Aeroboy getting any competition here even though both Ryan and Veidt are theoretically capable of that. Instead, they move in slow motion and carve with the tiresome forks, and here and there, some tubes break. At least they break at first try, but other than that, there isn't much to get excited about.

Ryan finds a glass door, places it over Veidt, but not only does it not break when he throws a chair at it, Veidt also slides out underneath before that. He catches Ryan with a lighttube bundle, then Assault Drivers him through the barbed wire board for a clean three count. At 6:05, this match is 3 seconds longer than Murdoch vs. Tank.

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Match 2 – Pyramids of Pain - Eric Dillinger vs. John Wayne Murdoch

Dillinger is still all in white with very few blood stains. Murdoch left the flannel backstage and still wears black shirt, tan shorts. I'm defaulting to a color-based victory for Dillinger.

The stipulation involves a pane of glass and several pyramid-shaped lighttube and carpet strip contraptions. What stands out most is the presence of Eric Dillinger though. He was eliminated by Aeroboy in round 1 and apparently fills in for Kevin Giza due to injury. Why him though? Why not Aeroboy? Not that Dillinger was bad, but it doesn't seem logical to give a second chance to a first round elimination instead of the guy who eliminated him. It also makes this a PWT vs. PWT match. And all logic aside, Aeroboy vs. Murdoch would have been pretty damn sweet. Oh well. It could have been worse. As much as it feels like fodder from the get go, it will probably be one of the better matches today.

Lightweight Dillinger shows a pretty impressive Blue Thunder Driver, before – just to keep track of this – failing to break lighttubes at first try. That's not a rag on him at all. It has just become such a common theme that it might be worth to keep the lighttube brand in mind as 'DO NOT BUY' for future tournaments.

The match turned out more balanced than expected, but Murdoch still takes the victory after a Brainbuster onto a chair. It doesn't beat Aeroboy vs. Giza, but it's close.

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Non-Tournament Match

The Carver vs. Rebecca Payne vs. Insane Lane

My favorite muppet still has the Best Dressed trophy from yesterday. Payne having changed from jeans shorts into black wrestling shorts doesn't change that. Lane, however, presents a completely different outfit than before – astrology-themed hooded cape, LED mask, tiger stripe shorts. With a non-black shirt, he might have kicked Carver off the throne, but alas. Close call though.

There are weapons in this. One door, three baseball bats, presumably with thumbtack, barbed wire bat. The world's tiniest thumbtack pinata also turns up. Lots of brawling, some of it on the outside. Not the most exciting match I've ever seen. Payne's supposed Tornado DDT is all but, and things take a turn toward the terrible. Lane mercifully ends on a high note with a beautiful Falcon Arrow against Carver through a door to put everyone out of their misery.

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FINAL

House of Horrors - John Wayne Murdoch vs. Orin Veidt

No outfit changes; the victory goes to Veidt's white shirt once again. I also finally find out that he's the captain of Team IWA-MS after being relatively sure it was Eric Ryan. A little cliche to pit the captains against each other in the final, but seeing who they are, I'm not complaining. If they get the hanging tubes out of the way quickly, this should be good.

It takes less than two minutes to clear the hanging tubes – thankfully, they aren't as obnoxiously sturdy as before. Naturally, there's still a lot of smashing. Panes of glass, long lighttubes, loose lighttubes, lighttube-fenced ropes; it's certainly on theme, but I'm not seeing a MOTN between all the broken glass. Veidt dominates for a long time, and puts Murdoch through two panes of glass for a two count. With most of the glass broken, the wrestling becomes more frequent – and after two 44OH-tainted KOTDM finals, there's a good, clean one here. When Veidt has Murdoch up for a third Assault Driver, Murdoch holds onto the X-wires, turns it into a Victory Roll, and gets a three count. Not entirely unexpected since the first round made clear this was Murdoch's story being told, but I'm glad to see a clean tournament finish in IWA-MS and would have been fine with either winner here.

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RECAP, FINAL THOUGHTS

Confusing allegiances aside, at least IWA-MS moved on from overly elaborate stipulations that more hinder than help a match. On that front, everything was fine, none of the contraptions or weapons got in the way, and nothing struck me as stupid. The one stipulation I thought wasn't ideal was unfortunately the final. While House of Horrors/Glass is a classic for finals, it's also somewhat limiting. Surrounded by so much glass, there's little choice but to smash it quickly and deliberately. Accidentally breaking it never looks great, and the hanging tubes need to go for visibility. It's not surprising that the match took a while to get going after extended smashing.

Some matches were weirdly short, just at the 6 minutes mark. The fact that most of the contestants were doing double, triple, and more duty across several shows that weekend might be to blame.

The MVP trophy is getting passed around between Kevin Giza, Aeroboy, and Eric Dillinger. Without the injury, Giza would probably have it to himself because I have no doubt that he'd have killed it with Murdoch. As it played out, each of the three had two matches that either were MOTN or runners-up, so based on performance, it seems fair to make it a trios title this time.

Do I recommend the show as a whole? Probably. There were some really good matches, but also some headscratchers and straight up duds. What speaks for the show is that there were no 44OH interferences after a long strech of that in other tournaments. The PWT vs. IWA-MS theme not only provided confusion, but also resulted in matchups that I don't think would have happened this way in a pure IWA-MS KOTDM (namely Maria, Giza, Aeroboy – usually wasted on round 1 eliminations - going to round 2).

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