DIW 2024: Waging War Weekly

[619]

@AboardTheArk It's funny you mentioned that as The Pros adopt this theme at the next show to downplay the defeat. You're right too that we're kind of killing The Comedian's gimmick on commentary: two years of keeping it short and scathing on and off camera, and now he's talking for hours at a time, and somehow he's still better than almost everyone else in Australia at it.

@John Lions Haha, thanks. It's certainly better than their opponents' name. Feel free to steal it.

@HiPlus Sure, I'll post Horn's profile below. He was a brawler but adopted a hardcore style very soon after joining without being asked. I know this isn't the most visual dynasty and focuses more on angles and backstory than ratings and other game data, but any time anyone wants to see/know more about that side of it, let me know and I'll provide as much information as I can.

Part 39: Letting The Pros open the shows

To The Extreme had undergone an undramatic but noticeable shift since Hardcore Heatwave. Whereas six of the first eight episodes got straight into a match, all five since had opened with new DIW Champion Dexter Mattell, either with or without his fellow Pros, three times in the ring and twice in the locker room. The Pros featured just as prominently at the close, contesting three of the main events while the other two were used to crown DIW Title contenders.

From sitting next to The Comedian, I was fairly certain he preferred it when a show started with a match. However, the recent formula had probably achieved what it had set out to in establishing The Pros as DIW’s new top group and offering some insight into the various dynamics and motivations at play.

This was presumably what Lori had in mind at the start of the year when she told me one of her main objectives for To The Extreme was establishing stars more and building up the big fights.

Perhaps she’d gone a bit heavier on The Pros in these formative weeks to cement their threat. The crowd reaction to their first significant setback in the last main event indicated this process had been somewhat successful. Still, getting the balance right was important to not overexpose them and to avoid creating too much distance between her vision for DIW and The Comedian’s.

That might be why she changed things up a bit for episode 14, a show headlined by Dexter Mattell and Seth Wish teaming up against Milton Hittlespitz and Rick Horn. Though there were still two talking segments for The Pros, they were shorter and in the middle of the show, with the start instead being used to throw a spotlight on the launch of Hendrix Hughes’ solo run.

But, as I usually did with the second show from each taping, I’d watch it back on WrestleWorld Australia before writing a report on it, just to be accurate to the version that aired.

[Tiberious]

I liked the attention to continuity with Milton not being willing to partner up Rob Edwards after getting screwed by him twice before. Says a lot that he'd turn down a former champion to instead team up with a brand new signing who he's seen wrestle all of one time.

It's cool to see your new signings getting involved in prominent roles so quickly with Horn getting a main event in his second match and Psych Ward joining up with Lloyd Banks as a tag team partner. I'm not sure what exactly to make of the new Ares Death Cult lineup, but it'll be interesting to see how that all plays out over the nest few shows.

Edited August 30, 2023 by Tiberious

[619]

Thanks @Tiberious. I'm wary that conversations like that Milton-Edwards one might seem a bit melodramatic for a hardcore company, but it felt like a natural reaction given their history. Like you say, it hopefully achieved continuity, vindicated Dexter Mattell's belief that his biggest threats are incapable of uniting against him and created an unexpected main event opening for Rick Horn. I think your reservations over whether Ares Death Cult can work without either of its founding members are justified. It might feel too forced and thrown together, but we'll see. This is the episode where you heavily inspired one of the angles, so many thanks for that.

Part 40: To The Extreme #14

Hendrix Hughes v Pat Rigsby
It wasn’t clarified whether Hughes was given this match in keeping with his prediction that he’d be made to start at the bottom, or if Rigsby asked for it to avenge being used as a punchline by the Badass MFer last week. There was no doubt over the intent though: to give Hughes a convincing first win on his own to legitimise him as a solo performer in Seb Shaw’s absence. He got that courtesy of a Fireman’s Carry Bulldog after 10 minutes, his longest in-ring stretch to date given that Shaw used to hit the majority of the moves in their tag matches.

Hendrix Hughes didn’t get to celebrate his first singles win as he was jumped by a returning D.O.A. who took shots at the former Tag Team champion with a crowbar. I speculated that he too was looking to launch a singles career, and what a brilliant way this was to push past the competition on his way up.

Markus Rush had found The Benchmark, who applied a positive spin to last week’s setback, saying that the reaction to a tag team wrestler losing to a former DIW Champion showed how powerful The Pros had become in such a short amount of time. Not only would they show The Barracudas who ran the DIW tag division at Havoc, they’d even the score next week with Rusty Mills taking on Vaughan.

Australian Champion Con McReady was out on his own next. I said that Seth Wish must be preparing for his main event tag match alongside Dexter Mattell later, though The Comedian pointed out that he’d always backed up his partner in the past even if he was also fighting, hinting that the DIW Champion might be putting some distance between The Wild Things without directly saying it. Anyway, McReady isn’t the most assured speaker so he got straight to the point: he’d heard all the buzz that everyone thought the snake bloke deserved a title shot, so he was making it happen right here, right now. The crowd popped for unexpectedly getting to see Kobra Khan get his Australian Title match, but it was a ruse as an independent wrestler introduced as Brown Snake emerged from behind the curtain instead.

Australian Title: Brown Snake v Con McReady (c)
Lori had given me some notes on Brown Snake so I could do a good heel commentator spot of pretending Brown Snake was a household name and this was an act of courage from McReady: reeling off athletic accomplishments and the names of people he’d beaten that I knew most viewers wouldn’t recognise. Brown Snake was given a reasonable amount of offence to sell the idea that the smug heel might live to regret his bogus challenge, but he got caught with an Iron Fist when attempting a Crossbody and that left him out for the count.

Con McReady planned to have further fun at Brown Snake’s expense by grabbing his cane after the bell, but that brought out the other snake bloke, Kobra Khan, who caught the Australian Champion flush with a Ripcord Knee. He followed up by striking McReady with his own title and then posing with it as The Comedian reminded viewers of his three prior Australian Title reigns.

There was time for a bit more Markus Rush before the main event. He’d been accosted by Death Ref, who wanted Wrecker to know that Ares Death Cult were bringing Havoc forward, making him fight Psych Ward and Lloyd Banks over the next two weeks. Death Ref claimed it wasn’t too late for Wrecker to surrender from his scheduled Havoc battle with The Final Boss Bryant Hall.

Milton Hittlespitz and Rick Horn v Dexter Mattell and Seth Wish (The Pros)
Hittlespitz’s unlikely choice of partner, DIW newcomer Horn, got the early shine in this match, including a late two count on DIW Champion Mattell that the crowd ate up. However, The Pros eventually wore him down and, once he’d finally tagged in Crazy Blue, they brutalised Farm Tough outside with a vicious STF and cane lash combo seen a few weeks ago against Hendrix Hughes, which left Hittlespitz in a borderline handicap scenario. Wish was so hot when he was tagged in that the man advantage wasn’t even much of a factor, taking down his long-time rival with Dust In The Wind and charging to the corner for the Suicide Senton. The Comedian said this might finally be it: a victory for Wish over Hittlespitz with no asterisk, but he hadn’t noticed Mattell tag himself in as Wish launched into the Suicide Senton, entering to steal the pinfall.

Seth Wish appeared bemused as he and Dexter Mattell had their arms raised, questioning what had just happened to suggest it wasn’t an agreed strategy. Before it could escalate further, the sound of Rob Edwards’ music brought them back on the same page, sliding out of the ring a second before The Human Weapon entered and retreating into the crowd. I tried to claim it as a great night for The Pros, with victories for Con McReady, Wish and Mattell and a blow to Milton Hittlespitz’s Havoc chances, but The Comedian noted the frustrated expression on Wish’s face, asking if he looked like a man who was having a great night.

[HiPlus]

You mention the concerns re. Ares Death Cult without its founders but now to me Ares Death Cult feels like a Death Ref & Lori stable than a tag-team that developed into a group. They feel like the actual leaders. 

 

Also I am a Rick Horn Stan, I love the render, I love the theme. The fact he became Hardcore as soon as he joined the roster. Rick Horn vs Rigsby feud when!?

 

D.O.A is back and is still a heel, I hope he got cheered and if he won't get the astronomical push after his friends death ala Rey Mysterio then the fact he is going to provide a good foil for a midcard feud can serve him well.

 

Brown Snake.. and Cobra Khan... Snake Pit Tag-Team! 

 

Wish needs to know his place and shut his face. He has no gold and The Pros still allow him in the club. Should be glad to be there and share the ring with Raw Sex Dex!

[AboardTheArk]

Ah, Brown Snake is a lovely little wrestler I think, though no clue how he might have developed if at all. 

 

I do think you shouldn't be worried about whether your segments or some story beats are suitable to the hardcore company, ECW was melodramatic as hell even if masked in more edginess, and fans always need something to chew into if you don't just give them extra, Onita-esque violence. You've been inventing Aussie hardcore, blokecore even, this whole time.

[619]

@HiPlus I like your outlook on Ares Death Cult: that long-term DIW fans almost needed Lakatos and Sionis gone to buy Lori and Death Ref as leaders. As for D.O.A., it will be fleshed out a bit more in future, but the idea is that as he's Gloomy and 100% Heel in this mod, he was uneasy with getting second-hand sympathy support and asked to stick to the role he was more comfortable with, and Lori wasn't forceful enough to insist on leaning into his goodwill. But I'm a hypocrite as I use DIW's no face-heel alignment to work around Chopper, Vaughan and Wrecker being 100% Heels, though my justification is that Chopper and Vaughan have won fans through familiarity and loyalty from being there so long ("they're pricks but they're our pricks"), and Wrecker's status as a born fighter who doesn't back down from anyone endears him to a hardcore crowd.

@AboardTheArk That's reassuring as there's definitely more melodrama ahead. You make a valid point about ECW too. I love the idea of blokecore 😆

Part 41: History in the making

They said it couldn’t be done, but Lori Cooper had booked not one, but two shows without her overworked jobbers Tank and Cueball, Saracens. By nudging the door open slightly to outside talents, she’d managed to book seven matches across the latest two-hour taping without anyone having to wrestle twice, with a few blokes still in reserve.

What I gathered from talking to her was that she didn’t plan on cutting Saracens, though I got the impression she might have done if not for losing Cesar Sionis (CEW), Seb Shaw (concussion) and Switchblade (RIP) already this year. But she was pleased to be in a position where she was less reliant on them being the ones to take all the pinfalls, and using them on almost every show.

It looked like there were three confirmed additions to take the place of the three people she had lost. “The Final Boss” Bryant Hall was replacing Sionis at the head of Ares Death Cult and near the top of the card. He was set to have his first match against Wrecker at Havoc, with the expectation that he’d appear less frequently than most of the roster given he lived in New Zealand and commanded a lot more money than everyone else.

“Farm Tough” Rick Horn had been the first wrestler to successfully take up The Comedian’s offer that if you showed up and won a match, you could stay, and had been given a big spotlight in his second appearance as Milton Hittlespitz’s tag partner against Dexter Mattell and Seth Wish. He didn’t look overwhelmed by the occasion, though the likelihood was that he’d settle lower down the card given he was far less established than most of the roster.

Psych Ward had bled to earn his place at the second attempt, losing to Lloyd Banks but impressing his opponent enough to be invited to join Ares Death Cult and partner with The Barbed Wire Messiah. Ward wasn’t as good a worker as the other two, yet had a look that fitted the DIW and Ares Death Cult aesthetic, so seemed a sensible enough pickup.

Lori indicated to me that she still preferred a compact roster to an open door, eager to provide everybody already in DIW with the airtime and opportunities they deserved. So I sensed that she might still use the angle of The Comedian inviting people to try to earn a job to utilise the occasional jobber or test the crowd reaction to people she was on the fence about hiring, but that we wouldn’t see outsiders beat DIW regulars as often as we had in the last few weeks.

One other thing these additions alerted me to was that of the 24 wrestlers currently listed on the DIW website, 22 worked exclusively at DIW House right now. The exceptions were the two biggest names, with Bryant Hall still employed by ZEN and Rob Edwards appearing for NEW. I knew NEW frustrated the hell out of Lori because, while she presented The Human Weapon as almost unbeatable, the smaller Victoria-based company had him on a four-match losing streak.

Edited August 31, 2023 by 619

[619]

As well as covering the latest developments, this part summarises the history between DIW and CEW for anyone unfamiliar with the Alternative CornellVerse 2022 Mod.

Part 42: Wrecker the rejecter

CEW continued to show more interest in DIW than most Aussie wrestling fans did. Perhaps that was unsurprising given their owner Gerard Knights initially wanted to buy the company in 2016. When The Comedian told him to rack off, Knights launched CEW instead, swiping DIW’s entire top heel group Pinn Enterprises (Dumfrey Pinn, Mace Mueller, Angus McMiller and Wez Dobberly) and the owner’s protégé East Coast Panther.

As this occurred in the immediate aftermath of RAW snatching DIW Champion Tombstone and Tag Title holders The Bad Truckers, it posed an existential threat to the company. To The Extreme 2017 was cancelled (hopefully not a bad omen for the current weekly show with the same name) as The Comedian and Big Jim Teasdale scrambled to rebuild their roster.

DIW’s recovery from that position was pretty impressive. Seven years later, they were bigger than they’d ever been, running weekly shows at their own venue to a modest national audience on WrestleWorld Australia. Lori had even apparently been hassled by WrestleWorld about upgrading production to match viewers’ growing perception of the company’s stature.

But the company had never outgrown CEW and Knights’ ability to mess with their plans. They came back later in 2017 for Bob Shrunkle, taking The Void in 2020. In 2022, they reportedly approached Lori less than a year into her run with the DIW book about a role supporting Dumfrey Pinn with their creative. In late 2023, they signed Blitz Simpson and Gyula Lakatos, two former DIW Champions, returning in early 2024 for Lakatos’ tag partner Cesar Sionis.

It seemed that 11 DIW alumni (they had Asylum too, though he didn’t move directly from one roster to the other) still wasn’t enough as CEW had made more moves in recent months. They called for Con McReady around the time they swooped for Sionis, right before The Wild One won the Australian Title, but he bucked the trend by instead agreeing new terms with DIW.

It had now reached the dirtsheets that they had approached another DIW rising star, Wrecker, around the time he scored the victory that wrote off Sionis and got him the first shot at DIW Champion Dexter Mattell. The former Australian Champion reportedly resisted two CEW offers in favour of a DIW pay bump.

I found the whole thing highly curious. Firstly, why were CEW prioritising these prospects with a few noticeable holes in their game rather than ready-made stars like Rob Edwards, Rusty Mills and Donovan Boon? Whether their main objective was enhancing their own roster or weakening DIW’s, that was the most effective way to do it, whereas this felt like toying with The Comedian and Lori.

Likewise, there was no doubt in my mind that, if CEW truly wanted McReady and Wrecker, they had the financial might to outbid whatever The Comedian was willing to offer. So for them to push up the prices without pulling the trigger would make me question whether this was a malicious strategy, sensing that DIW were stretching themselves with the new weekly model and goading them into overpaying for blokes they didn’t truly see much value in.

Or perhaps six months sat next to The Comedian on the announce desk had rubbed off on me and I was becoming as cynical and paranoid as him? My next appearance alongside him was on To The Extreme episode 15, nine days shy of Havoc, and there were two matches announced in advance: Wrecker facing Ares Death Cult’s newest recruit Psych Ward, and Vaughan taking on Rusty Mills.

[AboardTheArk]

CEW is such a wholly unlikeable existence that at multiple points I've flirted with starting a diary with them. 

 

Like just do a bunch of shows where freaking, idk, Brodie Lachlan is like "we are the toughest Australian wrestling has to offer. We came from nothing and took the world by storm despite people wanting to end us at every step of the way, and we're coming for RAW's spot" just because AE swooped a TV deal from them worse than the one they took in the end.

 

Good to see some loyalty on the roster and nice rationalization of the AI being random.

[John Lions]

Vaughan vs Rusty Mills sounds like a great match, I'm always disappointed when I remember the fate Vaughan has in the regular Cverse.

 

Could you post a bio like you did for Rick Horn on Carl Paris? He's been with you for so long in DIW but I just can't form an image of him in my head at all.

[619]

@AboardTheArk I'm intrigued by your consideration of a CEW diary. Speaking of Brodie Lachlan and the AI being random, in this save RAW got rid of Echo and then brought back Brodie days later. I guess HR must've found further evidence of misconduct.

@John Lions Sure, Carl Paris profile below. Psychology way beyond his years though, as you can see here, he hasn't been treated too well so far.

Part 43: To The Extreme #15

Before getting into a full introduction, The Comedian and I handed over to Markus Rush who had done it again, with his cameraman catching a conversation earlier tonight between DIW Champion Dexter Mattell and Seth Wish. Mattell was apologising for what happened last week when he stole the pinfall in their tag match with Milton Hittlespitz and Rick Horn. He’d never had the experience of pinning Hittlespitz before like Wish had, and the excitement overwhelmed him in that moment. If he understood how much it meant to Wish, he’d have stayed on that apron and watched the Milton-mangling master do his magic (yes, he really used those words, which felt rather rehearsed for a candid chat). Wish already seemed to be softening but, to seal the deal, Mattell proposed that they both blow tonight’s show off to get a few drinks instead, and promised that next week they’d team again and he’d give Wish the spotlight he deserved.

Carl Paris v D.O.A.
D.O.A. didn’t have the same level of fan support for his second DIW singles match as his first. It was somehow two months already since Switchblade’s passing and, by going away for over a month and returning to attack Hendrix Hughes, the crowd understood that D.O.A. was no longer seeking their approval. Paris had his moments, and we highlighted D.O.A’s ring rust and singles inexperience as equalising factors, but the rookie had no answer to the veteran’s Dark Deed.

Speaking of having no answer, D.O.A. wasn’t prepared for Hendrix Hughes to charge through the crowd, take him down with a Clothesline and follow up with his Fireman’s Carry Bulldog.

Markus Rush caught up with Rob Edwards who, in reference to his DIW Title dethroner Dexter Mattell and upcoming opponent Seth Wish escaping him last week and apparently not sticking around this week, said that The Pros would run out of road to run from him on at Havoc.

Rick Horn v Demarcus Lee
As a former booker, I sensed that Lori had scheduled this match primarily to signal that Horn hadn’t been forgotten about after his unexpected main event appearance last week, and position him a rung above other recent additions like Lee, rather than set up a major story. I concluded that because nothing too consequential happened, just a high-energy (on Horn’s part at least) seven-minute scrap that the Farm Tough newcomer won with his John Deere Destroyer.

Milton Hittlespitz headed to the ring, congratulating Horn on his victory as they crossed paths. Crazy Blue said some nasty men had been DIW Champion, name-checking Dumfrey Pinn, Scottie Hamstead and Tombstone for a chorus of easy boos. But at least they were men. DIW had never had a coward as champion before, a scumbag who ducked fights and took shortcuts, and who either wasn’t brave enough or didn’t care enough to come out and correct him. He called Dexter Mattell a disgrace to the prize he’d fought his whole career for. Hittlespitz said he knew how much pressure was on him to end this embarrassing chapter in DIW history for every fan in the crowd, every viewer at home and every legitimate fighter in the locker room who deserved better than to be represented by this fraud. Even Rob Edwards and Seth Wish, he added, making a point to include his biggest enemies to create a distinction between them and Mattell. He pointed out that he had beaten seven of DIW’s baddest blokes to earn this shot, and he knew he could beat Mattell in a fair fight because he’d done it before, he just didn’t know if he would get a fair fight. But he promised to fight with all his heart for the soul of DIW at Havoc.

Wrecker v Psych Ward
Constructive criticism time. I got the logic of making Wrecker go through Ward and Lloyd Banks before getting to Bryant Hall at Havoc: it stacked the deck, kept things moving while saving Hall’s in-ring debut and fitted the “Final Boss” branding they were giving him well. However, after what happened with Seb Shaw getting wiped out wrestling on the Hardcore Heatwave go-home show, writing off one of the event’s top attractions, having one of your hottest acts do double duty at the final taping before his spotlight match felt like playing with fire. Thankfully, they didn’t literally play with fire, though it was seemingly one of the only weapons off limits in a violent contest that Wrecker won courtesy of a Mighty Bulldog onto a trash can.

Lori stepped out after the match to invite Wrecker to watch some training footage of Bryant Hall as he completed his Ares Death Cult conversion before his initiation against him at Havoc. This was a sensible piece of business to navigate the issue that it had been a month since Hall’s first appearance, and he presumably wasn’t making another before Havoc, keeping him front of mind and building anticipation for his debut match. After the package, Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward were waiting behind the distracted Wrecker to pounce, taking him down with a Spike Piledriver.

We went back to Markus Rush one more time before the main event as he introduced the man challenging Con McReady for the Australian Title at Havoc, Kobra Khan. Rush asked about the wider threat of The Pros, the chokehold they seemed to have DIW in and the possible need to work with others to bring them down, but Kobra was fairly laidback in his response, noting that he wasn’t looking for drama, he was just looking to win the Australian Title.

Vaughan v Rusty Mills
I reminded viewers why this main event was taking place: two weeks ago Chopper Rourke had defeated Donovan Boon, with Vaughan choking out Mills to help create that opening, so Mills demanded this match to even the score before The Barracudas challenged The Benchmark for the Tag Titles at Havoc. The Comedian suggested Mills might be at a disadvantage with Dexter Mattell, Seth Wish and potentially Con McReady not in the building, but it transpired that The Benchmark had the perfect strategy. Boon pre-emptively struck Rourke with a Tag Title before he could counteract any attempt to interfere. Vaughan called Boon into the ring and ducked his attempt to smash him with the title, locking in the Choke Sleeper. Mills broke the hold by blasting Vaughan with the other title, following up with a Northern Lights Suplex for the three. I put over that Mills, a tag team wrestler, had defeated a five-time DIW Champion and how, even when competing in singles action, The Benchmark proved they are by far the best team in DIW.

[619]

Part 44: Go hard on the go-home

To The Extreme episode 15 had been fairly effective in setting the stage for Havoc. Rusty Mills had probably the best match with Vaughan this decade of anyone bar Rob Edwards to increase interest in The Benchmark’s Tag Title defence against The Barracudas, while I could look past my personal dislike to admit there had been some productive hype for Bryant Hall’s debut.

I felt Milton Hittlespitz had succeeded in outlining the stakes of his DIW Title match with Dexter Mattell as he saw them and vocalising what it was the crowd hated about the champion. I was less keen on Mattell and Seth Wish only appearing for a few minutes at the start given how vital they had been to recent episodes and how important a spot both were in on the Havoc card. That would change on the go-home show.

Undeterred by February’s pre-Hardcore Heatwave disaster when Seb Shaw suffered a horrendous injury, six of the company’s biggest stars were in action on the episode airing two days before Havoc. Saracens (who I’m not counting among the six of course) were back after a four-show absence to take on Dexter Mattell and Seth Wish, Rob Edwards was facing Mr. Blitz one-on-one for the first time and Wrecker was being confronted by long-term rival Lloyd Banks.

Meanwhile, the main event would see DIW Title contender Milton Hittlespitz’s apparent wish to get his hands on one of The Pros before Havoc answered by Australian Champion Con McReady.

[TheSmoothLefty]

On 9/1/2023 at 9:22 PM, AboardTheArk said:

CEW is such a wholly unlikeable existence that at multiple points I've flirted with starting a diary with them. 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by TheSmoothLefty

[619]

Part 45: To The Extreme #16

Saracens v Dexter Mattell and Seth Wish (The Pros)
This was one of the hottest openers of To The Extreme’s 16-episode run, not because there was much excitement for the return of Saracens, but rather the novelty of the DIW Champion and his unlikely ally opening the show. Mattell put in an obnoxiously selfless performance, doing a lot of the early work then tagging Wish in to finish the job, overenthusiastically cheering him on from the apron as he struck Cueball with Dust In The Wind, counting along with the pinfall and rushing in to raise his hand. I told The Comedian maybe he’d misjudged the DIW Champion, but he replied that Mattell may have been happy letting Wish get the glory in a low-stakes opening match, but we saw the real Mattell when it was a main event against his top contender. It was clear he agreed with Milton Hittlespitz’s character assassination of Raw Sex last week.

Rob Edwards v Mr. Blitz
Not only did Dexter Mattell run in the ring to raise Seth Wish’s hand, he quickly ushered him out of there, realising that Rob Edwards was due out next. This was a really special match, the best I’d seen since joining DIW and almost as good as Edwards’ bout last year with the real Blitz Simpson, so Lori had to be kicking herself for giving it away in the middle of a weekly episode. Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a huge surprise as The Human Weapon didn’t have bad matches, but Mr. Blitz showed he’s the most underrated in-ring bloke on the roster, probably deserving of a bigger spotlight. There were no weapons here and the finish saw Blitz’s legs buckle while trying to execute a Black Thunder Bomb having been targeted by Edwards earlier in the match, and the former DIW Champion capitalising with a Roundhouse Kick for the three count.

Seth Wish had evaded Rob Edwards around 10 minutes earlier, but he sensed his opening here, leaping out of the crowd as The Human Weapon exited the ring and ambushing him with a sudden Dust In The Wind that really lived up to the name. I pointed out on commentary that he continued to get the better of the four-time DIW Champion, while The Comedian predicted a different outcome when Edwards had the ability to see him coming.

We handed over to Markus Rush, who was with Hendrix Hughes. Hughes pointed out that he and D.O.A. had plenty in common: they both lost their tag partners in February, they were both making the breakthrough as solo fighters and, hell, they were both partial to lightning the occasional ciggie. But D.O.A. tried to crowbar his way past Hughes in the queue for singles success in DIW, and that was some stupid stuff to try to pull, so at Havoc he’d have to smoke him for that, with everybody putting their ciggies in the air for Australia’s next singles superstar.

Wrecker v Lloyd Banks
The Comedian highlighted how unfair it was that Wrecker was running this Ares Death Cult gauntlet while his Havoc opponent Bryant Hall rested up wherever the Cult called home. This forced me into the position of having to defend The Final Boss, saying he was clearly not only a star but smart enough to save himself for the big occasions. Wrecker was busted open with barbed wire in this one, but got the win with a Mighty Bulldog onto a barbed wire board, a callback to how he took the Australian Title from Banks last August.

Psych Ward tried to jump Wrecker after the bell, but the former Australian Champion was ready for him, turning to catch him with his Bulldozer Elbow, and following up with a Mighty Bulldog on top of Lloyd Banks on the barbed wire board. Wrecker eyeballed an irate Death Ref at ringside, telling him he was ready to face his Final Boss at Havoc.

Markus Rush was in the right place at the right time again as Seth Wish approached Con McReady before the main event, though this time there was the added wrinkle of Wish glancing around for cameras but not seeing any. McReady asked his partner what was going on: why was he so invested in teaming with Dexter Mattell right now, and prioritising that over being in his corner? Wish answered with surprising sincerity that he was just trying to build a bond with his friend’s friends. As for being in McReady’s corner, he’d be there any time Con asked, he just didn’t want to step on the Australian Champion’s toes while he was on the run of his career. McReady told his fellow Wild Thing that he never needed an invite, and a receptive Wish enthusiastically vowed to be in his corner against Milton Hittlespitz. Perhaps it wasn’t intentional, or it was done to set up a swerve, but this felt unusually wholesome both for DIW and for a team presented as villains throughout their run, and now part of the top heel group.

With a minute or so to fill before the main event, The Comedian and I went over the Havoc card: Hendrix Hughes v D.O.A., Kobra Khan v Con McReady for the Australian Title, The Barracudas v The Benchmark for the Tag Titles, Rob Edwards v Seth Wish, Wrecker v Ares Death Cult’s new Final Boss Bryant Hall, and Milton Hittlespitz challenging DIW Champion Dexter Mattell. I considered joking on air about that card being subject to both competitors surviving tonight’s main event, before concluding The Comedian might actually hit me if I made that callback.

Milton Hittlespitz v Con McReady
This was a mighty main event, with both competitors going all out ahead of their Havoc title matches. The finish saw Rob Edwards return to ringside for some retribution on Seth Wish for laying him out earlier in the night. The momentary distraction left McReady prone to a dropkick in the back of the neck and a Flying Knee Drop from Hittlespitz for the win. This invited The Comedian to sow dissent between The Pros and specifically The Wild Things by arguing that having Wish at ringside had cost McReady the match, which I tried to shout down by instead highlighting how surreal it was to see Edwards help Hittlespitz, and how Crazy Blue surely wouldn’t be able to rely on support like this at Havoc.

Rob Edwards continuing to get in shots on Seth Wish brought Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills to ringside, but Chopper Rourke and Vaughan weren’t too far behind to even things up. With Con McReady, Wish, Boon and Mills being outfought by Milton Hittlespitz, Edwards, Rourke and Vaughan, DIW Champion Dexter Mattell was forced to belatedly head down to help his fellow Pros. This brought out the similarly reluctant Kobra Khan, who recently said he just wanted the Australian Title back rather than being caught up in the drama, giving us some five-on-five fist-throwing between The Pros and their upcoming opponents. As we went off air, The Comedian commented that if you think this is Havoc, just wait and see what we have in store on Friday, causing me to wonder how hard Lori had to fight to convince the owner to sign off with that line.

Edited September 8, 2023 by 619

[619]

Part 46: High hopes for Havoc

What a difference two months made. Whereas everything went wrong on the Hardcore Heatwave go-home show, if anything the pre-Havoc episode of To The Extreme had been too good, maybe the best all-round episode yet, raising expectations to a level the show itself might struggle to match.

Milton Hittlespitz v Dexter Mattell was likely to main event as the DIW Title match, but Rob Edwards v Seth Wish, The Barracudas v The Benchmark for the Tag Titles and Wrecker v Bryant Hall all probably had the star power to headline.

This seemed to be Lori’s ambition for these now bimonthly shows, to try to make them feel more like supercards rather than draw a crowd and WrestleWorld Australia audience from one or two big matches. That had all fallen apart at Hardcore Heatwave when the much-anticipated first Two Badass MFers v The Benchmark match had to be cancelled, but she had a chance here.

Though their build hadn’t been quite as substantial, Kobra Khan v Con McReady for the Australian Title and Hendrix Hughes v D.O.A. in a fight to launch a new solo star were decent undercard attractions to round off the six-match line-up.

Adding to the sense of positive momentum, DIW made an announcement the day before Havoc. This time it wasn’t a death or a career-threatening injury, it was confirmation of another eight weekly To The Extreme episodes airing on WrestleWorld Australia ahead of Massacre in June.

While it was another short-term deal, it was speculated that this was DIW’s choice to retain the flexibility to observe the numbers and switch back to the monthly model, renegotiate terms or (most optimistically) switch broadcaster as circumstances dictated. WrestleWorld Australia were reportedly sufficiently happy with DIW’s performance to agree to a slight increase in their revenue share in the latest agreement.

[John Lions]

Hendrix Hughes vs D.O.A.

I could see this match going either way, but with how heel-heavy I see the rest of the matches going, I think Hughes takes this one.

AUSTRALIAN: Kobra Khan vs Con McReady (c)

All three title matches have a very similar theme, so I'll keep my reasoning here. I think it's too early to have The Pros drop any titles - from my look at it, they are held together by they're relative successes and I don't think they start losing until they start fracturing apart. All three are defending against former holders of the respective belts in their first major defenses, guys you know can hold the titles well, so this feels like a proving ground for The Pros. I think they all retain this time, though I doubt it's cleanly.

Rob Edwards vs Seth Wish

Edwards is on the road to personal redemption and his first stop is splattering Seth Wish (who will likely get some heat for being the only Pro to lose)

Bryant Hall vs Wrecker

I think Hall has to be the most hyped signing and debut in DIW history at this point? No shot he loses.

TAG: The Barracudas vs The Benchmark (c)

DIW: Milton Hittlespitz vs Dexter Mattell (c)

[HiPlus]

Hendrix Hughes vs D.O.A 

Look, I know this match will go the other way but I don't want it to. I want D.O.A to hit new heights, he has lost the most. 

 

Australian: Kobra Khan vs Con McReady 

I don't think any of The Pros lose titles here too much story to tell and just not the time for any of them. Need to continue to build them up as threats for the community. 

 

Rob Edwards vs Seth Wish

Rob is just a rung above Seth and doesn't make sense for him to lose in a big event, and keeps him ready to challenge any of The Pros.

 

Bryant Hall vs Wrecker

Hall is a monster and glad to see him debut in a high profile match.

The Barracudas vs The Benchmark

See above.

Milton Hittlespitz vs Dexter Mattell

[Tiberious]

Hendrix Hughes vs D.O.A.
Hughes has the higher upside and would be a solid Australian, or maybe even DIW title challenger. I like D.O.A., and given what happened with Switchblade I'd love to see him do well but I'm not sure he really has the skills to be much more then a decent hand in the undercard as a singles guy. Feels like he would be best off as a supporting player in a team or stable, but then again it's not like everyone on a roster needs to be a star. For ever Rob Edwards or Benchmark you need a Pat Rigsby or Saracens, and at least he's a step above those guys on the totem pole.

AUSTRALIAN: Kobra Khan vs Con McReady (c)
I like Kobra and I think this title has the highest odds of changing hands, but at the same time I think Jonn Lions is right about this being the night the Pros stand tall. I think Seth Wish is the difference maker and gets involved here.

Rob Edwards vs Seth Wish
It seems like we're slow building a Seth Wish-Pros split, so I think after Seth Wish helps them in the prior match they fail to do the same for him here. Not to mention Rob Edwards is Rob Edwards.

Bryant Hall vs Wrecker
Part of me thinks it would be an interesting way to build up Wrecker as the big homegrown hero to have a big name outsider come in, tease that they'll be a big part of your company, only to have Wrecker flatten him and send him packing before transitioning back to dealing with another oursider group in the form of The Pros. Of course that would only work if you had no long term plans for Hall, and since you've made him the crown jewel of the new Ares Death Cult it would basically make the group DOA for him not to win here.

TAG: The Barracudas vs The Benchmark (c)

I think individually either one of the Benchmark could be solid DIW champions, but their even better as a team. I expect some shenanigans here because the Barracudas are undoubtedly going to challenge again before too long given the depth of the tag division, but ultimately I think the Benchmark are in for a long reign. Right now the only team I see beating them for the titles is Two Badass MFers once Shaw is healthy again and that's quite a ways away.

DIW: Milton Hittlespitz vs Dexter Mattell (c)

Crazy Blue winning would be a cool swerve to send the crowd home happy, and there's perhaps some justification in taking the belt off of Dex given the reservations about whether he's able to deliver at the highest level. That being said I've really enjoyed Dex's weaselly manipulator character, and I don't see his title reign ending this soon.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Tiberious

[KyTeran]

Hendrix Hughes vs D.O.A.

AUSTRALIAN: Kobra Khan vs Con McReady (c)

Rob Edwards vs Seth Wish

Bryant Hall vs Wrecker

TAG: The Barracudas vs The Benchmark (c)

DIW: Milton Hittlespitz vs Dexter Mattell (c)

[AboardTheArk]

Hendrix Hughes vs D.O.A.

AUSTRALIAN: Kobra Khan vs Con McReady (c)

Rob Edwards vs Seth Wish

Bryant Hall vs Wrecker

TAG: The Barracudas vs The Benchmark (c)

DIW: Milton Hittlespitz vs Dexter Mattell (c)

 

There is face run potential for Seth Wish if he gets his ass kicked enough to get back to his senses. 

Also, as counter to storyline as it would be, I am not disregarding the possibility of Milton getting the title back.

[619]

Part 47: Havoc 2024

Australian Title: Kobra Khan v Con McReady (c)
The champion had Seth Wish in his corner, suggesting no fallout after his presence at ringside contributed to McReady’s downfall against Milton Hittlespitz on the latest To The Extreme episode. Our notes from Lori highlighted that Wish had beaten Kobra Khan in an Australian Title match in the opener of Havoc 2022, going on to lose the war on that occasion due to proposing a best-of-three series. She was unusually critical of The Comedian and I for failing to shoehorn that insight into our commentary, which was partly because it was such an energetic and eventful match. The finish saw Kobra Khan spot Wish readying his cane and taking him out with a Suicide Dive, only to get caught by McReady’s Iron Fist as he tried to re-enter the ring and then dragged under the ropes for another to score the three count. The Comedian was crowing about Kobra having The Wild Things’ number when he’d floored Wish moments earlier, so I retaliated by revisiting my recent theme of how the masked man kept falling short when it mattered most.

Hendrix Hughes got the fans hyped before his match with D.O.A. firstly by telling them this was the start of something special, and then pointing out a Badass MFer watching on in the front row. Yes, Seb Shaw was in attendance. I suspect Lori’s main intention here was to show that Hughes’ solo adventure had his partner’s blessing, and perhaps to keep Shaw’s spirits up during his long recovery by letting him soak in the pop as Hughes invited the crowd to put their ciggies in the air for the greatest tag team in DIW history… and DIW’s future.

Hendrix Hughes v D.O.A.
D.O.A. took the time early in this match to taunt the onlooking Seb Shaw, goading that he could end his career with a single punch, his not-too-subtle way of inviting the crowd to boo him guilt-free. Given his career’s work, it didn’t surprise me that the 38-year-old was more comfortable being a nasty heel than a fan favourite out of sympathy. Rightly, the action didn’t focus on Shaw after that as this was Hughes’ showcase, and he got the win he needed by powering out of a Dark Deed attempt and hitting his Fireman’s Carry Bulldog. He lit up with Shaw afterwards, something I doubt WrestleWorld Australia were too thrilled to have aired on their service.

We introduced Markus Rush, who was somewhere in the vicinity of DIW’s most camera-blind wrestlers Seth Wish and Con McReady. Wish started by congratulating McReady, saying he never had any doubt that he’d retain. He said he had a favour to ask though, which the Australian Champion anticipated by asking which part of Rob Edwards’ body he wanted him to cane first. But instead Wish was asking to go it alone, in the nicest way possible by claiming it would be too easy with McReady in his corner. But after beating Milton Hittlespitz and Kobra Khan at Hardcore Heatwave and getting the better of Crazy Blue again since then, he felt he had what it took to defuse The Human Weapon. McReady seemed a little disappointed, but gave Wish his blessing and told him to break a leg, clarifying that he meant one of Edwards’.

Tag Titles: The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)
Rourke and Vaughan’s power hadn’t been compromised too badly by age, with Boon and Mills really selling their struggle to solve their size disadvantage. A pipe was one option, but it was Rourke who introduced it to the crowd’s approval. As he wound up to use it on Mills in the ring, Boon snatched it out of his outstretched hand from behind and drove it into the midriff of Vaughan at ringside, following up with a headshot. Boon then rolled into the ring to help his partner hit the Double Down on Rourke and complete surely their biggest win in DIW (so far, I made sure to add on commentary).

Markus Rush’s habit of working his way into the best positions behind the curtain misfired the next time we cut to him as Death Ref pretty much dragged the broadcast coordinator to some tiny, barely lit room where Lori was talking Bryant Hall through short clips of his upcoming opponent Wrecker, highlighting the damage he’d inflicted on Ares Death Cult to remind The Final Boss why he had to take him out. We saw Wrecker beating Lloyd Banks for the Australian Title last August, costing Cesar Sionis his DIW career last month by debuting his Bulldozer Elbow and taking out Banks and Psych Ward on the most recent To The Extreme episode.

Rob Edwards v Seth Wish
It looked like this was going to be a very short match as Edwards unloaded on Wish with a flurry of arm and leg strikes in the early minutes. The daredevil kept forcing his shoulders up at two though and took advantage of a few rare Edwards miscues – I claimed he had underestimated Wish on commentary – to put The Human Weapon on the backfoot. The decisive moment came when Wish caught Edwards with Dust In The Wind. Instead of trying to cover or staying on top of his opponent, he went for a Suicide Senton that justified the name. Edwards swung a leg from his grounded position that connected with his flying opponent and, when Wish got back on his feet, he was met by a Roundhouse Kick that secured the three count.

The Pros had honoured Seth Wish’s request not to intervene in his match with Rob Edwards, but they jumped the victor shortly after it was over. Con McReady started the assault with his cane and Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills joined in, culminating in them hitting the Double Down on Edwards and driving his face into one of the Tag Titles, before helping Wish to the back. Only Dexter Mattell of The Pros didn’t get involved. The Comedian speculated that the attack was motivated by trying to ensure Edwards couldn’t interfere in the main event, to which I scoffed that there was more chance of me helping Milton Hittlespitz out than The Human Weapon.

Wrecker v Bryant Hall
Hall’s unrivalled power was the emphasis of the opening exchanges of his debut match as he brushed away any attempted offence by Wrecker, continually driving him down on the mat. Wrecker responded the way DIW fans liked best – with weapons – though, even with this strategy proving somewhat of an equaliser, Hall was still up on one the one time he attempted a cover. As you’d expect of someone billed as The Final Boss, the newcomer shook off everything that was thrown at him, sometimes literally, and was decisive once he turned the momentum in his favour, finishing with an S.T.O. onto the concrete slab Wrecker had unwisely introduced.

We handed over to Markus Rush behind the curtain ahead of the main event entrances. Mr. Blitz was talking to D.O.A. in the background, and we overheard him consoling D.O.A. on his defeat, suggesting it may be time to go back to being one of the best tag team wrestlers in the business.

DIW Title: Milton Hittlespitz v Dexter Mattell (c)
Hittlespitz had pitched this as a fight for DIW’s soul and brought that mentality into the match, entering with laser-like focus and starting at a rapid pace. Mattell took charge after asking how Mel was doing, disrupting Crazy Blue’s rhythm by making him lose his cool. This callback to the Hittlespitz sister he supposedly slept with gave us an opening to discuss their history and how this was a rubber match between two rivals who traded wins last year. The champion got the first near fall, but the brush with defeat shook Hittlespitz from his frustration and helped him reclaim control. As he lined Mattell up for a Flying Knee Drop after a flurry of big moves, The Wild Things ran down, so he changed course to Crossbody onto them both. The Benchmark had arrived too though to hit a brutal Double Down onto the floor. The challenger was rolled back in but again got up on two. Hurricanrana to Mattell. Suicide Dive on Donovan Boon. Suicide Dive on Rusty Mills. He ducked a cane shot from Wish, who he took out of the ring with a Dropkick. The numbers were too much though as he turned into an Iron Fist from Con McReady, with Mattell striking him with the DIW Title the second he got back off the mat. Hittlespitz looked out but, just to be sure, Mattell went up top to use his own Flying Knee Drop to secure the victory.

I noted that if this was a fight for the soul of DIW, it appeared to belong to The Pros, while The Comedian asked how any one man, even with the heart of Milton Hittlespitz, could be expected to fend off five others by himself?

----------

@John Lions @HiPlus @Tiberious @KyTeran @AboardTheArk I wasn't expecting to log in to so many comments so thanks so much. It's always such sharp analysis too, either picking up on things I was thinking about like the balance of face/heel wins, the dynamic of Seth Wish being the only Pro to lose or the direction things might go after Havoc, or giving me things to think about, like not squandering D.O.A.'s goodwill or that idea of bringing someone in and presenting them as a monster getting ready to dominate, only for them to be immediately conquered.

I should probably apologise for the fact it was a pretty predictable show, with everyone getting 5 of the results right, and the majority getting the other one too 😅 I was aware while writing it that the lack of turbulence probably made it less dynasty-friendly than Hardcore Heatwave's last-minute rewrites, title changes and big show-closing angle. These felt like the right results though for the reasons you outlined in your comments.

[619]

Part 48: Main event Mattell

I’d questioned whether Dexter Mattell had earned his DIW Title run but, full credit to my old APW colleague, he’d headlined both major shows in 2024 and delivered on each occasion, this time without the advantage of Rob Edwards as a dance partner.

There was something poetic in Lori conditioning fans to treat these new bimonthly shows as supercards rather than singular attractions, presumably because she feared Edwards, The Benchmark or Bryant Hall overshadowing the champion, only for the main event to overdeliver as the night’s best bout.

So what changed? He closed two shows with Milton Hittlespitz in 2023 with less impressive results, so it didn’t seem to be a Crazy Blue thing. Had the sense that he wasn’t trusted to draw the crowd on his own either eased the pressure or lit a fire under him? Had being made champion got him to raise his game? Was he just starting to click more in the DIW environment?

Or was it the combination of a slightly longer match time to tell his story without the expectation of putting on the standard DIW main event wild brawl, as Edwards and Seth Wish already served that up to DIW House on the undercard? Or was it just a standalone night where everything fell into place?

Whatever the reality, the contrast between Hardcore Heatwave and Havoc was unlike anything I could remember. Hardcore Heatwave was a night where everything changed – new champions, new top group – but it was all overshadowed by Switchblade’s death and Two Badass MFers v The Benchmark being cancelled due to Seb Shaw’s concussion.

Havoc maintained the status quo – no title changes, no shock results or moments – and yet was such a hot show. The crowd were loud for everything, match quality was higher across the card than ever before in DIW and, business-wise, it had drawn the company’s record crowd of 752 (previous high 562) and biggest WrestleWorld Australia viewership of 15,838 (previous high 13,549). Opening a new 1,000-seat venue might yet be vindicated, for major events at least.

I congratulated Lori after the show, but she said she was more worried about how to follow it at the next double taping in five days. It was delivered as a joke, but I could tell it came cloaked in truth.

----------

This dynasty won't be updated for 1-2 weeks as I'm going away in a few days and I figure it will be easier to follow if I post all the May-June 2024 stuff in one go rather than start and stop. I've got all of May and half of June booked and written though, so I plan to finish June before I go so the Pat Rigsby's Got An Angle Era can begin as soon as I'm back. Until then, shout if there's any data you're interested in, dynasty-specific or not: eg DIW's top 10 matches, Wrestler X's profile, what Wrestler Y's up to (unfortunately, I've only got Oceania loaded). Thanks again to anyone who's been reading/liking/commenting.

[HiPlus]

Again I wouldn't stress about having a predictable card. It should be for the most part to clearly define where everyone is in the pecking order. It makes those eventual 50/50 calls more meaningful.

 

I'd love to see Mr. Blitz, Kobra Khan and Hendrix, Seth Wish Bios if possible as they aren't regular cverse guys. 

As well as a full roster and top 10 or so matches if possible. 

Also this card just reminds me how stacked the roster is considering Lloyd Banks, Rigsby, Rick Horn, Mr. Blitz didn't make the card at all. 

[619]

@HiPlus Here are those profiles. I included Seb Shaw too just as his offers more of an explanation of why Two Badass MFers are fan favourites despite starting out as heels. I'll have to get better at highlighting Kobra Khan and Seth Wish's daredevil tendencies in future. The Mr. Blitz alter ego has his hair sprayed black in my mind. Not sure who to credit for the renders unfortunately, but I really like them:

I couldn't screenshot the roster as there have been a few small changes since, but this was the state of play after Havoc 2024:

And here are the top 10 matches so far. I cut out the ones that haven't taken place yet in the dynasty, just to make this post even more untidy 😆

[John Lions]

Some of those are really interesting. I always pictured Shaw and Hughes to be bigger guys based on they way they talk and act, I'm pretty shocked to find out Shaw is a Lightweight. And Kobra Khan being masked Sammy Guevara basically is not what I envisioned either...

Also, Seth Wish being Small, that one's unexpected as well.

[619]

@John Lions Funnily enough, at least one of the sizes you mentioned does become a fairly prominent talking point in something upcoming, but it does mean I haven't done a great job of writing to everyone's sizes/profiles so far (slightly excused in the MFers case maybe by them having so much bravado).

I like the masked Sammy Guevara comparison too, they match up quite well. Incidentally, Kobra Khan's had a break-up during the save, though not to someone he proposed to in a DIW ring as far as I can tell 😆

Edited September 9, 2023 by 619