I am back with another indy review. This week I’m reviewing CZW’s Night of Infamy 13 which took place on 11/2/13. A comment on my last review asked to have winners announced, and I’m fine with including them. Otherwise this will be similar to my Evolve 15 review. Meaning I won’t be writing out move for move what happened, and I won’t be giving out star ratings.
I guess I should first establish that I understand that a lot of fans have this stigma about CZW being a trashy indy company that only does death matches. I thought that way for a lot of years, but the past 2-3 years or so they’ve put out solid shows every year. Also they have toned back the death matches they have.
Night of Infamy is their yearly event that is supposed to set up their huge show Cage of Death. This year’s Night of Infamy was no different. It’s main purpose (and almost only purpose) was to establish the big matches and cause hype for Cage of Death the next month.
1. Shane Strickland vs. David Starr vs. Andrew Everett vs. Caleb Konley vs. Latin Dragon
This was a match to crown a #1 contender for the Wired Championship. I’m sure you’ve heard of Andrew Everett (or his older persona Chiva Kid), but if you haven’t looked him up yet, you need to. This kid is incredible. This year he has established that he’s more than just flips (and flips and flips). He has shown that he can be a really good dickhead cocky heel, and he shows that in this match. Shane Strickland is another guy I’m very high on, and I think he should be showcased in a few more promotions than he is. Caleb Konley is a guy I talked about on the Evolve review, and he’s constantly on DGUSA shows. David Starr is a really good up and comer, who should start to really take off in a year or two. Latin Dragon is the only guy in this match I’m not fond of. He’s not terrible, but he never really does anything I care about. So I’d rather this have been a 4 way.
The match itself was a very short and sweet fun match. It’s a perfect opener with lots of flips, dives, and movez. Shane Strickland won and he’ll get a shot at the Wired Champion at Cage of Death. This was a good way to set up what should be a great match at COD.
2. Greg Excellent vs. Cherry Bomb
These two have been feuding, well more so Excellent has been feuding with Cherry Bomb’s husband Pepper Parks. Greg Excellent is a big dirty hairy guy, and wrestles very entertaining matches. He’s also established himself as a guy who can pull off really good matches with females (you should seek out his feud with Mia Yim). I wouldn’t say this was one of his great matches with females, but it was very entertaining. Another good placement of a match on the show. Greg wins when Cherry Bomb walks out on the match. This then set up Greg and his Mom vs. Cherry Bomb & Pepper Parks at COD.
3. Wired Championship: Alex Colon (c) vs. Jon Silver
Alex Colon is a part of a stable called 4Loko, and he is the center piece. He’s a very talented heel, and probably another guy who may be under appreciated by other companies. I talked about how much I enjoy Silver on the Evolve review, but he is great in this match too. There is one downside of this match, and that is Denver Colorado on commentary. He’s terrible, and I hate him. These two had a really good match with some interference from 4Loko, but it was done in smart times in the match. They told a good story of Silver trying to overcome everything, and he got in a few great false finishes. Colon finally wins, and there may have been too many kickouts towards the end (but in indy wrestling, you’re going to get that). I hope this match gives Silver more singles matches in CZW instead of teaming with Alex Reynolds.
4. Sozio vs. Dave Crist
Sozio is the former Niles Young, but he’s improved since those days. DJ Hyde has hired Sozio’s stable The Front to take out the Crist brothers. The Front was interfering in this match, but this match wasn’t that good. The finish was weird with Sozio winning, and he actually hit the finish great. It was just a weird time to end the match, and didn’t make Crist look good at all.
5. Biff Busick vs. Jake Crist
I am so high on Busick, he should be the star of the Indys in no time. The previous match led to this one, as Biff is in The Front. This match is much more hard hitting, and builds of the last match with The Front members getting what’s coming for interfering in the last match. Eventually DJ Hyde gets involved, but even that’s not enough for Biff to pick up the win. It was a very nice finish. These matches helped further the feud between DJ Hyde and OI4K.
6. Milk Chocolate vs. Chris Dickinson
Milk Chocolate sing a pop song on their way to the ring, and the crowd hates them for it. The crowd pops with Dickinson comes out to shut them up. Milk Chocolate probably got in too much offense, but eventually Dickinson murders them, and the crowd is happy. Dickinson another guy who should be the star in a lot of companies (but apparently he has an attitude problem or something).
7. Tag Team Championship: BLKOUT (Blk Jeez & Robbie Morino) (c) vs. 4Loko (Azrieal & Bandido Jr.)
Morino is BLKOUT’s manager, and Jeez normally teams with Ruckus. Ruckus was unable to make the show, and Morino was forced to defend the belts in his spot. Jeez has been around a long time, he’s formally known as Sabian. I’ve been a fan of Azrieal since he was in Special K in ROH, and I’m glad he’s still doing his thing. Bandido Jr is improving all the time. This match however was very weird. Both teams are heels, and the crowd didn’t really know what to do. With Morino in the match the two teams couldn’t just do a bunch of crazy spots to pop the crowd either. BLKOUT eventually play the faces even though an earlier promo established them still as heels. (I didn’t write about it because it wasn’t that meaningful and suffered from bad sound quality.) Jon Silver (face) comes out to distract 4Lok0, which helps BLKOUT (heels) win. So that was weird. I’m just kind of glad it’s over. Morino is actually very fired up about wrestling, and cuts a promo telling the fans how much he cares about them and the company to get in the ring and try his hardest to still deliver for them. I think the match could have worked better if he had cut this before the match, but oh well.
8. World Heavyweight Championship: Drew Gulak vs. Chuck Taylor
Gulak is another guy I love who doesn’t get enough love in other companies. He hasn’t had the greatest championship run up to this point, and he looks small to be defending a Heavyweight championship, but I think he makes it work. These two are good friends, but at the last show Chuck Taylor turned on Gulak’s stable to set up this match. This match starts off with some great quick chain wrestling. I knew that was Gulak’s specialty, but Chucky T really impressed me. The two have some really cool spots on the floor that I didn’t expect. Gulak eventually wins with a move he’s been establishing, but I still wish it had been built up more in the match. Still a very good match, and probably the best of the night.
9. Ultraviolent Scumbag Match: Drew Blood vs. Devon Moore
Ok so the rules to this match are stupid. Blood and Moore’s teammates are handcuffed outside the ring. There are 4 boxes on turnbuckles and one of them has a handcuff key. Did TNA book this? At least it started off very hot with Moore really impressing me. Oh cool staples to the face. Moore actually does a very nice SSP. Apparently Blood created the match. Oh and he had the key in his boot instead of in the 4th box. Stupid. Eventually Mat Tremont comes out for the save, and make things a little more even. Oh but then he turns on Moore. The turn was actually really cool (and I think his first of his career in CZW), but this match was just shitty. Tremont and Moore actually do cut good promos to close out the show and put over their big match at COD.
