DIW 2024: Waging War Weekly

[HiPlus]

Great to see the tag-team bout eventuate in a good match and Edwards continues to impress and still keeps him in the Main Event picture without needing to fight for the title which is perfectly done. Saddened that Lorenzo and D.O.A didn't get the win, but it makes complete sense. Brutal fork in thigh spot by Milton and Bryant. 

 

Seth Wish continues to be the greatest ally to Con, but more on that later. Good victory for McReady.

 

Poor Rigsby doesn't Hack know he has a wife to look after. Rigsby just wants to start a family. 

 

The main event seemed perfect the desperation between McReady and Wish to both try and help each other at the end of the match only to result in a worse beat down after it was touching. A true tag-team.

 

Really want to see how Kobra rationalised his sudden defection considering the Kobra Khant couldn't get the job done on Dex. I guess if you can't beat them join them, but not sure why Dex would let such a waste join "The Pros". Lots of fall out from this show going forward. 

[John Lions]

I was expecting Kobra Khan to be the difference maker for Seth Wish, but I wasn't expecting him to join the Pros. It would have been the smart pick to go with The Benchmark + Mattell, but I thought there might some on-screen consequences for the champ for his backstage maneuvering.

Wrecker and Edwards losing is just as interesting as them winning - does Edwards continue partnering with Wrecker despite the loss, and does he finally learn how to make a friend he wouldn't turn on for a title? 

On Kobra Khan, I can't see him being an actual "Pro". Mattell already used Seth Wish as a meat shield against Edwards, and now it feels like Kobra Khan is just Mattell's meat shield against Seth Wish.

I wonder what Mattell and The Pro's plan is regarding the Ares Death Cult. Bryant Hall seems to be the biggest threat to his title reign right now, and The Barbarians seem to have their eyes on the tag titles. Is Hack The Hunter about to be gas lit into joining the "Pros" too, so the champ has the biggest guy on the roster watching his back?

[DinoKea]

Don't worry about prizes, I got the one I want most (bragging rights). Surprised I did so well though as I only felt confident in 1 (Hack beating Rigby).

Kobra Khan has been a favourite of mine (I have a bad habit of loving the forever midcard guy), so both happy to see him in the main story and unsure how I feel seeing him as a heel.

[619]

Thanks @HiPlus, @John Lions and @DinoKea. Hopefully Kobra Khan's actions will make sense in time, but it may be a tough sell to legitimise a career babyface as a villain. Regarding Rob Edwards and Wrecker, The Benchmark stipulated that if they let them cut the line for a Tag Title shot, they had to win or that was it for them as a team so, as it stands, their alliance won't continue (at least not as in-ring partners).

Part 70: Full house

I’d been critical of some of the build, and I stood by the belief that it was untidy and rushed in places, but there was no faulting the numbers Lori shared with me the day after Massacre.

The headline news was that DIW had somehow sold out their new 1,000-seater DIW House for the show, something Lori and The Comedian certainly weren’t anticipating this soon, if at all. They’d gone bigger than they needed in the hope of growth, and seemed to have overestimated that potential when only 142 people turned up for the first To The Extreme taping. Before this year, the company’s record crowd had been 408, so this really was a rapid rise.

A nice bit of symmetry* was that the first sellout DIW celebrated at the 300-seat Marv’s Sports Central was for Massacre 2022. That card was headlined by Chopper Rourke v Gyula Lakatos for the DIW Title, which felt like another sign of the progress made in the 24 months since.

The company’s WrestleWorld Australia viewership hadn’t increased as dramatically but was trending in the right direction, with Massacre drawing a record 16,620 viewers, up from 15,838 for Havoc two months earlier. DIW’s first WrestleWorld Australia broadcast was Extreme Life in September 2023 (my first show), and 11,396 tuned in on that occasion. That was a 46% jump.

I hadn’t seen the Massacre ending coming, with Kobra Khan aligning with The Pros to help Dexter Mattell retain the DIW Title, instead expecting Con McReady to double cross Seth Wish. However, it created intrigue for To The Extreme episode 25, as well as refreshing The Pros’ story.

As expected, Rob Edwards and Wrecker v The Benchmark had been match of the night, though Wish v Mattell pushed it fairly close and the Milton Hittlespitz v Bryant Hall cage match had also been a highlight.

There was probably more storyline development at Massacre than Havoc, but I’d struggle to separate the shows in terms of quality, with both probably DIW’s joint-best yet. Hardcore Hallelujah, often a highlight of the DIW calendar, was next up in August and it would be a tough challenge for the company to sustain that level across three successive major shows.

*Speaking of symmetry, I now realised why Lori had been annoyed at The Comedian and I at Havoc for not following her direction in referencing on commentary that Seth Wish had got the better of Kobra Khan at Havoc 2022 only to end up losing the war. She was foreshadowing this Massacre finish. Still, even if we had forced that reference in, I doubted any of our fans would’ve recalled it two months later, so I remain unconvinced that we had done anything wrong there.

[AboardTheArk]

Haha I was so wrong! 

 

McReady and Wish vs The Benchmark could be a huge program in terms of business. So I understand how pivoting to that is both very interesting and helps make a bigger star of Con who arguably has been outshined by Wish despite more recently winning gold. 

 

Feels like this booking also takes advantage of the product (at least when the save starts) not having defined faces and heels. For example, I wouldn't have Hall as a candidate to beat Dex but he might be a great one. 

 

Slightly surprised we didn't get an AE mystery debut, but doing something with one of your guys in Kobra Khan is just the better booking. 

 

Justice for the Stallion!

[619]

Thanks @AboardTheArk. You picking Kobra Khan to break out in 2024 at the end of 2023 inspired this development as it got me thinking of how to make him more relevant. You're definitely right that the lack of face-heel divide is helpful, both for opening more match possibilities with a small roster and being able to try things like Kobra Khan as a villain.

Part 71: The revival

DIW weren’t the only New South Wales-based promotion thriving at the halfway point of 2024.

Given my near-14-year association with the company and the fact my protégé David Peterson now had the book, you won’t be surprised that I continued to keep a close eye on Australian Pro Wrestling. I was as supportive as possible during that transition in 2020 and continued to provide regular counsel in those first few years after he took over from me. Understandably, he was less eager to consult me on confidential matters now I worked for a competitor.

However, there was no doubt that Peterson inherited a difficult situation with Athletic Empire and Cutting Edge Wrestling bypassing APW and James J McMinister responding by demanding a dramatic shift from the established sports entertainment presentation to a work-rate-based product. Falling behind DIW in the pecking order had to be the ultimate insult for my old boss. The Comedian taking Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills off him would once have been unthinkable.

It looked like the tide was finally turning though. They’d put together three top-quality shows in a row – and by that I mean even better than DIW’s own formidable recent Hardcore Heatwave-Havoc-Massacre triple header. Part of that was developing a fanbase and roster in line with the new direction, part of it was Peterson getting more comfortable in the role but, more than anything, I’d attribute the improvement to getting the Commonwealth Title on George Wolfe.

Along with CEW, APW capitalised on the Canadian’s surprise move to Australia last winter, and he’d delivered big time since being trusted with the top title in January. People on the inside whose opinions I trusted claimed his trilogy with Lothar Prellinger and other 2024 victories over The Fixer, Dizzy G and Eraser were the company’s best matches since my departure.

I know what you’re thinking as it’s the same thing I thought at first: any upswing built around one bloke was fragile because, if you lose someone after putting them over your whole roster, you’re not left with much. Indeed, I suspect Lori agreed with me and this was the reason why Rob Edwards, while still presented as a big deal, wasn’t running through her entire roster as much in 2024 as he did in 2023.

But two recent events had convinced me that this wasn’t a false start, and the APW revival was for real. Firstly, they picked up another potential headliner who was a perfect fit for their new style in Fuyuhiko Wakabayashi around the time of AE’s demise, someone who could be plugged in if Wolfe did leave or to excel alongside him. Then, two days after Massacre, they announced a deal to broadcast their monthly events on WrestleWorld Australia, which would assist their efforts to build more stars to Wolfe and Wakabayashi’s level.

I wouldn’t say it to The Comedian, but I thought a resurgent APW could represent a significant threat to DIW, starting with The Benchmark. I knew from my contacts on both sides that APW had tried to bring them back on several occasions since they made the jump around 18 months ago. They hadn’t been interested previously, but that might change now that APW could match DIW’s WrestleWorld Australia exposure.

Anyway, Lori might not welcome me dedicating hundreds of words to my former employers when she’s paying me to chronicle her booking of DIW, so I’ll end this part by previewing To The Extreme episode 25. While there were two matches announced – Wrecker v Carl Paris and Hack The Hunter v Cueball – it was the promise of Kobra Khan opening the show that generated the most intrigue.

[619]

Part 72: To The Extreme #25

The Pros entered the ring at the beginning of the show, complete with their newest member. Kobra Khan started by addressing the crowd reaction, asking why they were booing a snake for being a snake? He’d had a lot of time for thinking recently and it became obvious Dexter Mattell was right: his old attitude and look saw him bypassed by people he was better than, and he needed a Pro makeover to fix that. But he wasn’t as naïve as the people who used to cheer him. He wasn’t linking up with The Pros to carry their bags like Seth Wish did. He’d made the best decision for his career: he was disqualified from challenging for any title held by a Pro, but now there was one not held by a Pro and he would take it from Con McReady tonight if he dared to show up. And just like McReady had brought what would happen tonight on himself, the same was true of Wish at Massacre. He could’ve helped Kobra win the title when he returned three weeks ago, but instead waited until after he’d been beaten by The Pros’ numbers to attack Mattell, when it was too late to benefit him. Now The Wild Things were finally finding out what it was like when the numbers were against you, and he was going to love every second of it.

Hack The Hunter v Cueball
DIW’s newest star kicked off the in-ring action, with The Comedian implying on commentary that Hack The Hunter had specifically requested another sizable opponent to test himself against. It was a test that never seemed to trouble him too greatly, and he continued his unbeaten start with another Epic Side Suplex, which I tried rebranding as the Hack Attack.

We cut to a post-Massacre interview where Markus Rush spoke to a beaten-up Milton Hittlespitz, pointing out he’d come close to beating Bryant Hall. Crazy Blue said he’d received messages about what a great match it was, and what a fight he’d put up, but it wasn’t enough for him. Two years ago, he was the man in DIW. This year, he’d lost every big match he’d competed in. He knew he’d built up a lot of goodwill, and he appreciated that, but he was at the stage of his career where he didn’t want to just put on a good show. He needed to heal up and figure out how to get back on top…if he could get back on top…or if it was time to bow out.

Big Tex and Goon #2 v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)
The idea was clearly to build up The Barbarians following Death Ref’s hint at Massacre that they would be on the Hardcore Hallelujah card. However, the inexplicable pairing (indeed we had no explanation on commentary except the suggestion their desperation to win DIW roster spots had united them) of a 49-year-old fake American cowboy and an obese 22-year-old masked loser overshadowed that. Banks tried his best to salvage the match, as in fairness did Goon #2 in agreeing to be Piledriven off the top rope through a table for the finish, but it was hard to watch.

Markus Rush was on hand as Seth Wish approached Hendrix Hughes in the back. Wish wanted to apologise: he didn’t feel good about getting in Hughes’ business at Massacre. He owed it to Con McReady to have his back, but Hughes was entitled to want to put a beating on him for it, so he was offering him that opportunity next week, promising it would be one-on-one with no McReady at ringside. Hughes said Wish was right that he owed him a beating, so he appreciated the opportunity, but he’d believe it was really one-on-one when he saw it.

Wrecker v Carl Paris
You probably don’t need me to tell you that this first-time match ended with Wrecker hitting a Bulldozer Elbow for the three count. They were given slightly longer than expected though in the hope that the well-trained Paris would teach Wrecker a few things about pacing and Wrecker could show Paris how to adapt his ring smarts to a more weapon-heavy contest. The results were reasonably encouraging.

Markus Rush’s final appearance was with Tag Team Champions The Benchmark. Donovan Boon said that Rob Edwards tried his tag team wrestler cosplay at Massacre and gave it his best shot, but sadly he’d found out it wasn’t quite as easy as The Benchmark made it look. Rusty Mills told Edwards to go heal his head like that other idiot who thought he could hang with them, Seb Shaw, and leave them to keep setting a new standard for tag team wrestling. Despite this being your typical heel promo, “go heal your head” got a pop from the crowd and some social media buzz, so no doubt he’d find a way to force it into every promo he cut for the next few months.

Australian Title: Con McReady (c) v Kobra Khan
Unlike The Barbarians bout earlier, we were spoilt for storytelling opportunities commentating on this match. It was the first ever Australian Title main event. Seth Wish and Dexter Mattell were in the respective corners five days after their Massacre collision. McReady had won both previous meetings but Kobra was far fresher after sitting out Massacre, where The Wild One had been badly beaten. The story reflected the circumstances: Kobra had two-thirds of the offence, but McReady showed plenty of guts. Mattell’s attempt to strike the Australian Champion with the DIW Title was intercepted by Wish hitting his nemesis with Dust In The Wind. McReady caught Kobra with the Iron Fist only for Rusty Mills to disrupt Tatum Richards’ count while Donovan Boon hit Wish with a Tag Title outside. The Benchmark combined for a Double Down on McReady and Kobra followed up with both the Small Package Driver and a Ripcord Knee, taking nothing for granted and celebrating his biggest win of the WrestleWorld Australia era.

The Pros got a few more shots in on The Wild Things after the match while I sold Kobra Khan’s victory as proving me wrong. He’d bounced back from a career low point unbelievably quickly and delivered with the whole locker room watching to become a four-time Australian Champion and show he was a Pro. The episode ended on a visual we’d seen many times, just with a green mask added to the aesthetic. The Pros raised all the DIW titles above their heads to signal their dominance while their enemies, now former Pros Seth Wish and Con McReady, were grounded.

[619]

Part 73: Sink or swim

It was over nine months since I’d debuted at the DIW commentary desk and I think the finish to the Con McReady v Kobra Khan main event of To The Extreme episode 25 was my favourite piece of booking in that time.

Firstly, it established that titles could change hands on the weekly programme. I’m sure the majority of defences would continue to be formalities building the champions up for tougher challenges at the major events, but at least now there was a seed of doubt, a chance to say “remember that night when Kobra beat McReady for the Australian Title?”

Secondly, it justified Kobra Khan’s decision to align with The Pros, and silenced the criticism of him never winning when it mattered. In five days, he’d gone from not being able to challenge for any title to being a four-time Australian Champion, showing it was a smart career move rather than an act of desperation. He was still the group’s fourth most esteemed member behind Dexter Mattell, Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills but, as Lori generally booked champions fairly strongly, the danger of him becoming their lackey was reduced.

But I was most intrigued by the possibilities this ending opened up for McReady. Kobra Khan had swiftly been rewarded for the decision he made at Massacre in aligning with The Pros, while The Wild One paid an immediate price for staying loyal to Seth Wish.

Was it a continuation of a theme we’d seen Lori adopt with Rob Edwards and Wish: that McReady had to pay penance for his heel run on the road to becoming a firm fan favourite? Or was it setting him up to second guess his decision and go crawling back to The Pros?

This post-Massacre taping was also a chance to sink or swim for the potential next set of DIW stars. At the start of 2024, I would’ve firmly categorised McReady, Kobra, Wish and Hendrix Hughes as midcarders – the latter boasted no singles experience at that time.

However, they were now being trusted with the main events of successive episodes and the task of continuing the momentum the company had coming out of Massacre, with no Edwards, Milton Hittlespitz, Barracudas or Mattell to help them through it.

It was open to interpretation whether McReady and Kobra had seized their main event spotlight. Their match wasn’t quite as good as what they’d done together at Havoc in April, even with the added spectacle of Wish, Mattell, Boon and Mills all being at ringside. Perhaps this was due to nerves and inexperience, or maybe it was because they were both adjusting to new roles given Kobra had always been a fan favourite previously in DIW and McReady a villain.

Even if it wasn’t their absolute best work, it was an upgrade on what Wish and Chopper Rourke produced a week earlier, so they were worthy of their spot on the card by this metric at least. Additionally, the crowd ate up all the associated angles on this episode – Kobra’s explanation, Wish challenging Hughes, The Benchmark dismissing Edwards and The Pros posing with all the gold at the end – so I’d say the combination of that and the hot finish rendered it a success.

It was trickier to predict whether Wish and Hughes would thrive in their main event because it was a first time match. Neither man was a ring general, though they were both very charismatic and capable with the right opponents. Could they bring the best out of one another?

[619]

Part 74: The best and worst of Lori

Unless it was an extraordinary coincidence, someone must’ve tipped Lori off about Rick Horn’s Dexter Mattell-provoked wariness of Rob Edwards. I happened to time my visit to the DIW House dining area perfectly to get a glimpse of how she dealt with such dilemmas.

As mentioned previously, I preferred not to interfere with locker room disputes unless absolutely necessary in my booking days. Lori was seemingly a bit more hands-on, but there was a thoughtfulness and calculation to her approach that caught me off-guard.

She wasn’t playing mum by lecturing Edwards and Horn or demanding a rundown of who had said what. Instead, the premise of the chat between the three of them wasn’t about the apparent tension, it was to talk them through her decision to put them in a match together and her confidence that they were about to bring the best out of one another.

In what I thought at the time was some carny nonsense but, having since watched it back, now knew was genuine, she told them that she’d got permission from WrestleWorld Australia for To The Extreme episode 26 to run five minutes longer. She said she negotiated that extension specifically to give their match more time to breathe, certain that it would be huge for Horn’s development and that he’d make Edwards look great too.

The two men went to the locker room to discuss their match with road agent Classy Paul Massey, so I never heard the conversation between them that followed, but I did see them embrace after the show, so Lori’s meddling appeared to have the intended effect.

I commented before leaving that night that I’d seen how she got them both on the same page, and she joked that she’d have to get Bryant Hall and I in a room together next. At least I assumed it was a joke.

But while this was a genuinely impressive intervention from Lori, I have to balance that praise with a little criticism, as she was also directly responsible for the worst match I’d seen since joining DIW between The Barbarians and Big Tex and Goon #2.

From what I could gather, there were two other teams she was looking to try out across the two episodes of this taping, but one team didn’t get back to her in time for the show, and another member of The Goon Squad was asked too late to sort transport to DIW House.

So the result was one Goon teaming up with the retirement-ready Big Tex, which was never going to be pretty as he’d shown a few weeks earlier on what was meant to be his only DIW appearance. Forever Evil had also been brought back to face The Barracudas on To The Extreme episode 26 at greater expense than the team she wanted to use in that spot.

Seeing as I’ve ended up discussing it at such length, I might as well give you the full card for that episode, which I’ll recap in the next part: Seth Wish v Hendrix Hughes, Rob Edwards v Rick Horn, The Barracudas v Forever Evil and Demarcus Lee v D.O.A.

[Tiberious]

Haven't posted in a bit, but I've been reading and enjoying what you're doing. I didn't see the Kobra Khan turn coming at all; I actually thought he might end up helping Seth rather than screwing him. I did really like the explanation you gave for his betrayal as it makes a ton of sense, and with how manipulative Dexter Mattell is I could see him playing off Kobra's dislike of Seth Wish (and Con McReady) to sort of convince him to join their side.

Kobra is an odd fit for a group who pride themselves on being professionals and look down upon hardcore wrestlers, but heels being hypocritical is a staple of wrestling. Maybe Dexter Mattell and The Benchmark just have a really high opinion of Desert Trios and figured once he signed there that he was Pros material. To be honest the guy he's replacing also kind of stood out since sure McReady shared a locker room with Mattell and the Benchmark for a few years in APW, but he never had their technical skills (or overall talent tbh) and was cut by APW before he joined DIW.

Kobra winning a title immediately certainly gives him a big boost to shake off his reputation as a choker, and while he's held the title before it definitely feels like he's got more to work with character and storyline wise now so I'm hoping we can see more of how that evolves. It does feel like Kobra's reign as champ is a chance to establish the Australian Title as a home for the more violent hardcore matches that DIW built it's reputation off of as a sort of contrast to the more conventional excellence put on by the likes of Rob Edwards, Dexter Mattell, and the Benchmark.

Seth Wish vs Hendrix Hughes is a very interesting matchup since both guys are fan favorites and mutual dislike of the pros, but Hughes at least might dislikes Seth even more after he cost him a title match. I really don't know who wins it, but it'll be interesting to see whether they end up settling their differences or if Wish has found yet another long term rival after his previous one cost him his chance to win the DIW title.

The other matches seem easier to call bar a massive upset, but Edwards vs Horn sounds like a great slobberknocker. Rick Horn's win-loss record isn't amazing, but I feel like the fans gotta respect a guy who's not afraid to go head to head with the toughest guys in DIW and I think one day he'll get his due and score that big upset win.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Tiberious

[HiPlus]

I am loving the feedback side of the diary appraising it's own booking in a sense, and Lori being so tactful at handling the Horn/Edwards incident. 

 

Wish vs Hendrix - It will be an interesting match up between two guys I could see teaming more than actually matching up. The nice wrinkle of them pushing singles careers, although I could see Wish head back with McReady. Still I want Wish to win.

 

Barracudes vs Forever Evil - A match I can see ending in shenanigans which would be a great idea if Forever Evil who are a big get back to the struggling tag-team division were to return. 

 

Demarcus Lee vs D.O.A - D.O.A about to murder someone.

 

Rob Edwards vs Rick Horn - This will be a big match and the fact extra time is hinted to I hope we see Farm Tough, Country Boy Rick Horn really impress, even if he loses. I want a hotly contested match. 

[619]

Thanks @Tiberious and @HiPlus.

Interesting thoughts about using Kobra to give the Australian Title a more hardcore edge. I've started it more the other way with Dexter Mattell wanting to reinvent Kobra in his image, but your direction is intriguing as you're right that the Australian Title could benefit from more of a hook.

You're both right about Rick Horn. He was initially brought in for roster depth (thanks to your recommendation @Tiberious) but the aim's to try to establish him as being a step above the others towards the bottom of the card ready for when there is an opportunity to try to elevate him.

Part 75: To The Extreme #26

Before The Comedian and I introduced the show, we saw a video from Dexter Mattell and Kobra Khan. Mattell congratulated Kobra on his triumph last week. The Pros once again held all the gold and all was right with the world. He said Kobra’s Pros makeover was almost complete. He had a new mask, a new look, a new mentality and a new title, but one thing was left: a new name. Mattell declared that after proving his Australian Title dominance for a fourth time, he’d now be known as Kobra The Conqueror. He added that The Pros were heading to Canberra a week early to remind DIW of their value and what a wasteland it was with just amateurs on the card, which Kobra followed by scoffing at the idea of a Seth Wish v Hendrix Hughes main event.

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v Forever Evil (Creeper and Writhe)
As mentioned elsewhere, Forever Evil weren’t intended for this spot, getting the invite because another team didn’t respond in time. Still, on paper this should’ve been a decent match but for some reason it just fell flat, even though nobody put in an awful performance, and the crowd weren’t complaining when it ended in under six minutes with Vaughan taking Creeper down with the Choke Sleeper.

Markus Rush caught up with Death Ref, hoping to learn more about his plans for Ares Death Cult at Hardcore Hallelujah next month. Death Ref rather cryptically said that while he already had the vision, he trusted the rest of Ares Death Cult to work it out and find their own way there.

Rob Edwards v Rick Horn
This was the match that Lori negotiated an extra five minutes with WrestleWorld Australia for, though even that only bought them 11 minutes on account of this being a four-match episode. That was enough to tell the story of Horn catching Edwards off-guard, none more so than when he hit a John Deere Destroyer 50 seconds in, going within a split second of an unthinkable one-minute win over The Human Weapon. Edwards gradually took charge after that initial shock without ever dominating and, in a mark of respect usually reserved for established main eventers, he hit two Roundhouse Kicks before covering for the win to make sure, leaving the ring to his less decorated opponent after the bell to allow him a small ovation from the crowd.

Markus Rush was waiting behind the entranceway to ask Rob Edwards about The Benchmark’s recent comments. He said it was true that he’d entered their world and come up a little short, but he dared Rusty Mills to repay him the courtesy by stepping inside his world by facing him one-on-one next week in Canberra, warning that his head might be in need of healing after that.

Demarcus Lee v D.O.A.
This was a professional but forgettable shorter match in between the two meatier bouts. The objective was presumably to rebuild The Street Stallions’ momentum after losing to The Barracudas at Massacre and this was achieved by Lorenzo Oliverio catching Lee in the back of the head with brass knuckles as he ran the ropes, and D.O.A. capitalising with his Dark Deed.

We threw to the back before the main event to hear from Hack The Hunter. Instead, Markus Rush had caught part of a conversation in which Wrecker offered to have Hendrix Hughes’ back, with Hughes thanking him but saying he was happy to go it alone, like his opponent Seth Wish claimed he would. Wrecker said he’d be on standby if The Wild Things stepped out of line.

There was still time to hear from Hack The Hunter, who apparently had been challenged to a fight by Tank on social media since defeating Cueball last week. Hack said he was happy taking on opponents of all sizes, even fellow heavyweights, so he’d see Tank in Canberra.

Seth Wish v Hendrix Hughes
You could tell this match had been produced to be a real crowd-pleaser: two rising stars whose fan backing had risen recently going all out in their first one-on-one clash to show they belonged in the main event. Unfortunately, Wish wasn’t at his best and instead exposed a few holes that remained in his game: a lack of consistency, slight stamina shortcomings and not suiting the wild brawl style established by main event staples Rob Edwards and Milton Hittlespitz. Still, it was a decent showdown with a few highlights. Hughes showed the vicious streak he was known for early in his career at one point in threatening to drive a chair into Wish’s injured hand, only for him to evade the attack. Wish was the eventual winner, fighting out of the Triple H and following up with Dust In The Wind, before making sure of the victory with a Suicide Senton.

As Seth Wish promised, Con McReady didn’t get involved in the main event, but he did appear after it to congratulate his partner. Taking a microphone, he told Wish that their plan to head to Canberra as champions hadn’t worked out too well, but perhaps they could become champions there instead by challenging The Benchmark for the Tag Titles. Wish and the crowd approved.

[619]

Part 76: The Canberra connection

It had been a bit of a mystery to me during my years booking APW why, once a year, the DIW crew travelled several hundred kilometres from their home venue to the capital city. Both myself and fellow Carnage In Canberra virgin Classy Paul Massey got a bit more insight by virtue of the invitation to travel there with Lori Cooper and her husband Shawn Berringer (Death Ref).

Two key factors seemed to help the event deliver a competitive crowd each year. By always arriving in the second half of July, DIW had a loyal set of hardcore wrestling fans in the surrounding area that made attending the show an annual tradition. An even more dedicated group of DIW House regulars made the same road trip as the roster each year. Apparently, Milton Hittlespitz always made a point of inviting those travelling fans on a night out in the city with him each time the company were there as a reward for their loyalty and added incentive.

There were two further reasons to be optimistic for the 2024 edition. Firstly, the WrestleWorld Australia deal made it easier for the fans around Canberra to follow the product during the 11 months of the year DIW were further north, not to mention introduce it to their friends. Perhaps even more significantly, this year’s trip coincided with the emergence of Canberra’s own Seth Wish as one of DIW’s biggest fan favourites, more popular than at any prior point in his career.

However, there was one notable difference from previous years. The switch to the bimonthly event model meant that Carnage In Canberra 2024 wouldn’t be a standalone show but a double helping of To The Extreme. That might make it harder to top 2023’s turnout of 408 fans, though it was also a novelty factor: a first opportunity for the Canberra crowd to be part of a broadcast.

Main events for both episodes had been announced in advance, with The Benchmark taking a starring role. The first hour would be headlined by Rob Edwards v Rusty Mills, a match that would be worthy of leading any DIW major show if Mills was more established in singles action, as they were probably the two most over ever-present roster members at this point. Then the second hour would see The Wild Things challenge their former stablemates for the Tag Titles.

I felt a few decades too old to join Hittlespitz’s night out, which I heard was also attended by Hendrix Hughes and, more curiously, former APW and AE tag team Chuck Everlasting and Kasey Kneuve (Positive Energy). I participated in another enjoyable event that night, a Q&A with The Comedian primarily to promote Carnage In Canberra, but where a few older fans had us digging deeper into our anecdote archives with some questions about our Aussie Rules Wrestling days.

The Comedian responded with expletives whenever anyone asked about another promotion. This became such a highlight that people started deliberately feeding him just for the reactions. “RAW fan here: what’s your favourite Luke Steele match?” “Don’t you think Gerard Knights is a misunderstood genius?” or the final question of the night: “Is hating every wrestling personality outside of DIW just a gimmick?”

He nailed that answer by pointing out he hates everyone inside DIW too, but his most attention-grabbing comment was what he said to me moments later after we’d received a farewell ovation and were away from the microphones and fans. I haven’t had a chance to speak to him since to know if it was beer-fuelled bravado, a joke I’d misunderstood or a genuine comment, so I’ll need to follow it up before including it here, given it was said in confidence.

[HiPlus]

I love all the backstage information regarding the trip to Canberra, like The Comedian actually showing up and doing Q&A for the fans which surprises me as he doesn't seem like the type of guy to do that, adn the fact the fans stick it to him with their questions. I want to know what The Comedian said privately. Meanwhile the fact Hittlespitz is out partying with some former APW  and AE talent is really cool to see as well makes the whole place feel a lot more alive. Those two in particular would do great at being guys who aren't hardcore for DIW and get beat down brutally because of it. 

 

 

[619]

Thanks for the kind words @HiPlus. I probably didn't do a good enough job of explaining that The Comedian's appearance at that Q&A was motivated more by trying to sell Carnage In Canberra tickets than any sense of fan service.

Part 77: To The Extreme #27 (Carnage In Canberra)

As The Comedian and I welcomed WrestleWorld Australia viewers to the capital, the crowd got an immediate chance to greet their hometown hero as The Wild Things entered. Con McReady joked about finally finding out what it was like to be cheered before handing over to the one they wanted to hear from. Seth Wish reiterated that The Wild Things had hoped to hit Canberra as DIW Champion and Australian Champion but, if everything went to plan, they’d be leaving as Tag Team Champions. He said that while this wasn’t quite a world exclusive because he’d given that to a woman he met at Transit Bar last night (what would Pat Rigsby think?), he was excited to let everyone know that his fingers were now fully functioning again. To celebrate, The Wild Things had asked The Comedian if they could have a match right now, rather than waiting until their clash with The Benchmark on the next episode to step inside the ring, and he’d agreed.

The Wild Things (Con McReady and Seth Wish) v Brains and Brawn (Carl Paris and Demarcus Lee)
This was chiefly a showcase for Wish to show off his full arsenal of moves, having been limited by his inability to fully use his hands over the last month, as well as reminding everyone of the threat they posed The Benchmark, with this their first tag outing in over four months. It was striking how much better Wish performed than in last week’s main event with Hendrix Hughes, whether due to the home advantage, tag setting, earlier card placement or just being in top form. The ending saw Wish and McReady trap Lee in a cane shot sandwich, with Wish getting the crowd-pleasing pin.

Death Ref complained to Markus Rush that because his team The Barbarians had beaten everyone they’d faced except the champions, they were struggling to find anyone brave enough to take them on. He was interrupted by two men who had never appeared in DIW before: Chuck Everlasting and Kasey Kneuve, Positive Energy. Everlasting said they’d turned up in Canberra for the party, but also wanted an opportunity to show DIW what they can do, and it looked like they had found one against Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward on the next To The Extreme episode.

Hack The Hunter v Tank
DIW’s newest roster member continued his unbeaten start/tour of the undercard against Tank. This was the least interesting of his three matches so far, but was mercifully under five minutes, with Hack hitting the Hack Attack on his fellow heavyweight.

I was in the middle of pointing out that beating Tank was impressive, but there were tougher tests ahead of Hack The Hunter when he was felled by a leg takedown. Bryant Hall was back and had seemingly identified his biggest victim yet, following up with the S.T.O. before bringing the steps into the ring to send flying onto Hack’s face. He shouted “Hardcore Hallelujah” at the fallen heavyweight, and it looked like the first match for August’s major show had been confirmed.

Dexter Mattell was out next, introducing Australian Champion Kobra The Conqueror for his own entrance. The DIW Champion said it was time for Kobra’s first title defence and he’d identified the perfect opponent. Someone who would remind Kobra of his former self and help him work through his frustrations about his past failings. Someone else with a snake name but no snake mentality, who had potential but lacked a killer instinct. Someone who Kobra could make an example out of to prove how much his Pros makeover had transformed his career. It was Brown Snake, who curiously had made two DIW appearances, challenging for this title both times.

Australian Title: Brown Snake v Kobra The Conqueror (c)
This violent match showed Kobra’s new ruthless streak, not least the finish when, having already done enough to secure the win by connecting with a Small Package Driver and a Ripcord Knee, he proceeded to whip his beaten opponent with a snakeskin belt. Dexter Mattell approved of such tactics at ringside though, and counted along when Kobra finally covered him for three.

Markus Rush had spotted Wrecker and Hendrix Hughes in conversation. Hughes appeared frustrated by his recent defeats to Con McReady and Seth Wish, and Wrecker was reassuring him. He advised the Badass MFer that the best thing he could do to show everyone he deserved to be taken seriously was enter the ring as soon as the next episode of To The Extreme started and dare anyone in the locker room to come out and fight him.

Rob Edwards v Rusty Mills
Having failed to get the better of The Benchmark in tag action, this was The Human Weapon’s attempt to bring them into his world for some retribution, with arguably nobody better in solo combat than the four-time DIW Champion. Edwards’ problem was that Mills wasn’t alone so, when he finally landed his Roundhouse Kick after 10 minutes of back-and-forth battling, Donovan Boon pulled him out of the ring before he could make a cover. Edwards pursued and took down Boon, but was whacked by a Tag Title on his return to the ring. Mills quickly followed up with a Northern Lights Suplex for a win we sold as a upset on commentary, with only Milton Hittlespitz and Dexter Mattell having bested Edwards in singles action since February 2022.

Rob Edwards was back to his feet fairly quickly after the bell, highlighting the fact that Rusty Mills had only just kept him down for the count, but he was knocked back down by Donovan Boon as The Benchmark sought to do further damage to their rival. The Wild Things had other ideas though, pacing to the ring with their canes to force the Tag Team Champions to retreat, a slightly surreal sight given they were attacking Edwards together not that long ago. This was our cue to promote the episode 28 main event, with The Comedian noting that The Benchmark might be running now, but they would have to face The Wild Things before they left Canberra.

[AboardTheArk]

Holy... tag guy beats the singles guy!

Love the new Kobra gimmick and I was dumb to only now realize that the conqueror is super fitting as an evolution of his last name. Hall vs Hunter will be one of the meatiest matchups in company history! 

Enjoyed all the Canberra guys popping by. 

[John Lions]

Love the classic "hometown" show, and I love Hack mixing it up with one of your top guys for his first test.

[619]

@AboardTheArk It's definitely risky business messing with the golden rule (good tag teams beat good singles wrestlers 2 v 2, good singles wrestlers beat good tag wrestlers 1 v 1). I'm hoping Edwards and The Benchmark are exceptional enough to just about get away with it.

@John Lions Thanks. I feel like that's been lacking since switching to the bimonthly shows, having some weekly episodes with their own unique flavour in between. Luckily, the calendar at this time of year is quite helpful with that, with DIW always in Canberra in July and the September DIW Champion v Australian Champion ladder match tradition.

Part 78: Raising The Benchmark

It felt significant that, though he rarely competed in singles matches, Rusty Mills had amassed solo victories over former DIW Champions Vaughan and Rob Edwards recently, given that was the kind of build Dexter Mattell received prior to winning the DIW Title and forming The Pros.

I wasn’t sure whether Lori was establishing one or both of them as potential future DIW Champions – Donovan Boon had an impressive victory behind him too against Wrecker – or if it was to tell the story Edwards had touched on before that The Benchmark were The Pros’ true powerbrokers, whether Mattell realised it or not.

The match was great: you couldn’t really put two performers as talented as Edwards and Mills in the ring together without an entertaining outcome. However, they were both so good, the two best in the company right now arguably, that I thought they might put on the best match in DIW history, making Lori regret not saving it for a bigger stage. They didn’t quite pull that off. I’d say the Edwards and Wrecker v The Benchmark match at Massacre was slightly better even.

One thing that this first Canberra episode of To The Extreme had pulled off was presenting The Wild Things as a big deal. Wish’s hometown crowd would have gone a huge way to legitimising him and Con McReady as fan favourites for those watching from afar on WrestleWorld Australia.

That mission was only halfway to completion because, like Mills, The Wild Things were performing double duty in the capital by challenging The Benchmark for the Tag Titles. Indeed, Carnage In Canberra part one had set up quite a lot for part two, as we also knew that Positive Energy were stepping up to The Barbarians and Hendrix Hughes was issuing an open challenge.

[CobheadJake]

I've just spent the last few days reading through the three DIW diaries and I love it. It's introduced me to a bunch of new characters and has created a deep lore within your world. I'm always impressed by your callbacks and ability to stay focused on long-term storytelling. You're very consistent and I look forward to more! I'm still trying to decide the one who will take down Mattell will be, as you've set up multiple options really.

[619]

Wow @CobheadJake, that's a hell of an undertaking to go through all 178 parts in a few days, especially as I know this isn't a very visually appealing dynasty, so I really appreciate the effort and the kind words.

Part 79: To The Extreme #28 (Carnage In Canberra)

Part two of Carnage In Canberra 2024 started with another crowd pleaser as Hendrix Hughes opened the show. I thought the payoff to Wrecker advising Hughes to issue an open challenge might be him being the one to answer it, but it was nothing as exciting as that as Pat Rigsby entered. Hughes didn’t seem too daunted by the challenge, instead getting a microphone to mock that not a lot of people know this, but Rigsby is married. He offered him a word of advice: don’t ever bring your wife to a DIW show because, if she found out what a wrestler was supposed to look like, the party would be over for him. Rigsby looked angry – the troll becoming the trolled – and hit Hughes midway through his “ciggies in the air” line to get the match started.

Hendrix Hughes v Pat Rigsby
Ironically, after alluding to being better looking than his opponent, Hughes ended up fracturing his cheekbone in this match. That was the most interesting thing to happen before Hughes hit the Triple H for the win in just under six minutes as the Badass MFer beat the same opponent he’d secured his first singles win after Seb Shaw’s injury against almost four months earlier.

Hendrix Hughes’ celebrations were abruptly stopped by a brass knuckles shot from behind by Lorenzo Oliverio. D.O.A. joined his fellow Street Stallion in putting a beating on the former Tag Team Champion until Wrecker rushed to the ring and forced them to retreat, before checking on his ally.

Rick Horn v Cueball
Horn followed his loss to Rob Edwards in the best match of his career so far by beating his more experienced opponent in a little over six minutes with the John Deere Destroyer. There was no noticeable story development, so the primary purpose seemed to be to position Horn as someone who, though towards the bottom of the card, carried a bigger threat than the likes of Saracens and Pat Rigsby.

Markus Rush was with Seth Wish, who said it was a career highlight to be main eventing a show in his city, challenging for the Tag Titles alongside his best friend. The Barracudas interrupted Wish, with Vaughan reminding him that DIW wasn’t a place for fairytales, and he should know that already after Massacre. Even if him and Con McReady do win tonight, there won’t be a happily ever after because The Barracudas will be waiting to take that gold off their hands. Wish wasn’t intimidated, saying he was ready for the challenge any time, with or without McReady.

Positive Energy (Chuck Everlasting and Kasey Kneuve) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)
This match, a secondary tag bout on a show with a Tag Title main event, added to the sense that a tag division was slowly reemerging in DIW, especially as it came straight after The Barracudas had shown interest in the gold, on a show where The Street Stallions had also looked strong. Positive Energy’s chances of securing a full-time spot on the roster probably weren’t helped though by the fact they were even outworked by the not yet entirely comfortable Ward. It was Banks who kept the night’s most violent contest flowing, but Ward who scored a rare pinfall, taking Kneuve down with the Psycho Slam having already cut him open with barbed wire.

Death Ref grabbed a microphone while The Barbarians celebrated to deliver a quick message to Hack The Hunter, who apparently wasn’t in the building. He told him not to feel angry or persecuted that The Final Boss Bryant Hall attacked him, and to instead take it as a compliment that he was deemed worthy of such an enlightening experience so early in his career. Last week, he was stepped on. At Hardcore Hallelujah, Hall would give him the opportunity to step up.

Tag Titles: The Wild Things (Con McReady and Seth Wish) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)
So you know how I thought the previous main event between Rob Edwards and Rusty Mills might be DIW’s best ever, only to fall a little short of such standards. This was better than that, and a shade better than The Benchmark’s Massacre match with Edwards and Wrecker for that matter. It had a lot of additional factors in its favour like Wish’s partisan hometown crowd and the novelty of being the first multi-man match between former Pros allies. Still, Lori had linked me to their match at Havoc 2023, which she’d had uploaded to WrestleWorld Australia as part of the promotion, and it was remarkable how much all four had improved in 15 months. The biggest difference this time was The Wild Things competing as equals, partly as a show of their growth since then and also the reversed face-heel dynamics. The challengers had this match won: Boon covered McReady after a Double Down, only for Wish to break it with a Suicide Senton. He hit Mills with Dust In The Wind and McReady connected with the Iron Fist on Boon. That was when Dexter Mattell and Kobra The Conqueror arrived though, with Wish and Mattell fighting outside and Kobra choking out McReady over the ropes with his new snakeskin belt, only releasing him when he saw Boon and Mills had recovered to deliver another Double Down. Wish took down Mattell outside but got into the ring a second too late to obstruct the pinfall.

The Benchmark didn’t take time to celebrate, with Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills joining fellow Pros and champions Dexter Mattell and Kobra The Conqueror in continuing to attack Seth Wish and Con McReady. This brought out Rob Edwards to return The Wild Things’ favour in helping him out at the end of the previous episode, starting with a Roundhouse Kick to Mills, who pinned him on that show, but he was eventually overwhelmed by the numbers and, with Wish and McReady already badly beaten, The Pros centred their attack on The Human Weapon. That was when music that hadn’t been heard all month hit: Milton Hittlespitz was here. Or so The Pros thought, sending The Benchmark down the entrance to greet him, only for him to come through the crowd with his chair, taking down Kobra and Mattell and following up on Boon and Mills when they eventually got near him. Hittlespitz dropped his chair to instead pick the Tag Titles off the mat, lifting them in the air and then placing them by the side of the still grounded Edwards. The fans took it as an indication that he was ready to partner Edwards and roared their approval, though Crazy Blue didn’t wait for him to come round before surfing the Canberra crowd, in what The Comedian noted had become an annual tradition.

[HiPlus]

How dare Hughes bring another man's wife into the equation. Rigsby isnt out here talking about people's mothers, or anything obscene like that. That's straight up rude. #JusticeFoeRigsby #MarriedMan #MoreAdultThanYou. I am glad the street stallions came down and made an example of the disposable Hughes. How dare he. 

Horn is back winner, love to see it. 

 

It is so cool to see us both rebuilding our tag divisions. In my case building it for the first time. But the timing of it is crazy, and I hinted at the fact that positive energy wouldn't be upto the DIW hardcore standard, and they they weren't even able to cut it in the ring. Aside from actually being cut. 

Death Refs promo and last line were amazing. 

The finish was perfect, Wild Things looking like actual contenders now and with a chance before the deck was stacked against them and The Pros all showed up. 

 

It's a crazy wrinkle if Edwards and Milton are back together and just develops an even more stacked tag-team division. Though if they jump ahead of The Wild Things it will sort of leave the pair in limbo to a degree as I can't see them challenging each other right now. 

[619]

@HiPlus Haha, Hughes clearly lacks that enlightenment that only a ring on the finger unlocks. I like our tag division symmetry but I'm not sure DIW's is quite up to SZW standards: whatever's next for Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards, I doubt they could work a red carpet as well as The Runway.

Part 80: It’s happening

While one takeaway from the Carnage In Canberra 2024 double bill was that the shows had been used to elevate The Benchmark even more than The Wild Things, with them prevailing in the main event of both episodes, it was the closing angle that overshadowed everything else. And not just because, as Milton Hittlespitz pointed out to me, Carnage In Canberra had ended with him standing tall for the third straight year.

DIW were almost certainly running with Crazy Blue and Rob Edwards as a team. It wasn’t necessarily a surprise given that The Human Weapon had pitched the idea to Crazy Blue three times over the course of the year, directly saying two months ago that he thought the two of them might be the only ones who could take The Benchmark down. It would have been strange to tease something so often without having some form of payoff planned.

Hittlespitz had been pretty resolute in his resistance previously though, while Lori had thrown in the curveball of Wrecker being the first to stand at Edwards’ side to try to keep fans guessing, so it had taken seven months to seemingly bring them onto the same page.

Edwards and Wrecker v The Benchmark at Massacre had been great so, once you factor in The Human Weapon’s known chemistry with Hittlespitz, the expected Tag Title showdown had clear DIW match-of-the-year potential. If it was to take place at Hardcore Hallelujah, there was at the very least a debate to be had on whether it should be promoted to the main event spot.

With four hours of To The Extreme to air before August’s headline show, the card appeared less complete than Hardcore Heatwave, Havoc and Massacre did at the halfway point. The only confirmed match was Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall.

The rest might become clearer on To The Extreme episode 29, which teased responses from Hittlespitz, Seth Wish and Hack The Hunter to events in Canberra. Wish v Vaughan was also promoted in an apparent reaction to The Barracudas interrupting Wish’s interview last week.

[619]

Part 81: To The Extreme #29

Milton Hittlespitz v Demarcus Lee
We were back at DIW House for the first time in a month and Lori served up one of the blokes the crowd were most eager to see to start the show, especially after Hittlespitz’s surprise contribution in Canberra of saving former enemy Rob Edwards. The Human Weapon wasn’t with Crazy Blue, which I dubiously claimed as proof that selfish Edwards wasn’t willing to offer the same support back, when the reality was that Hittlespitz didn’t need him to beat Lee. It only took the two-time DIW Champion five minutes fought at a very fast pace to prove that, hitting a Running Knee Drop through a table for the pin.

Milton Hittlespitz acknowledged that people were looking for an explanation of why he changed his mind about teaming with Rob Edwards. He said a lot of people look for easy options or go into hiding when they face adversity, but that had never been the Crazy Blue way. That’s why he ran through Cesar Sionis and Gyula Lakatos at successive shows this time two winters ago. That’s why he responded to losing to The Pros by picking a fight with Bryant Hall. And it was why he fought off all his doubts about trusting Edwards to step outside his comfort zone and team with him again. Hittlespitz said one thing Edwards was right about was The Barracudas. They were running the company until the two of them united against them in 2021, yet they hadn’t got near the DIW Title since. That had to be the blueprint for bringing down The Pros.

At this point, Milton Hittlespitz was interrupted, not by Rob Edwards, a Pro or even The Barracudas, but by Death Ref, who said how rude it was of him to move past Ares Death Cult when their business was unfinished. Crazy Blue had lost to Bryant Hall. He’d been taken out by Lloyd Banks. If he thought he could just show back up and cut the queue to The Benchmark, he was mistaken. The Barbarians had beaten everyone they’d faced except the champions and, after beating Hittlespitz and Edwards next week, they’d put that right at Hardcore Hallelujah. I suggested on commentary that it sounded like a contender match, and The Comedian said that was good with him. Death Ref closed by telling Hittlespitz he had the wrong example. He advised him not to think about beating The Barracudas but to instead remember the last few times he’d been in the ring with Edwards and who it was that stood tall, noting that it was Ares Death Cult then and it would be again next week. With that, Death Ref left, satisfied he’d made Crazy Blue relive Edwards’ previous betrayals.

Positive Energy (Chuck Everlasting and Kasey Kneuve) v The Street Stallions (D.O.A. and Lorenzo Oliverio)
The Comedian noted on commentary that Positive Energy had asked for one last opportunity to earn spots on the DIW roster, but I’m not convinced they took it in or out of kayfabe. For whatever reason, DIW House really had it in for Kneuve, which made things slightly awkward as there were a few cheers for Oliverio when he dropped him with the Back Stabber for the win.

The crowd returned to giving The Street Stallions the desired reaction after the match when Hendrix Hughes ran in and took down Lorenzo Oliverio, still smarting from the brass-knuckle-assisted assault inflicted on him by the hothead last week. D.O.A. intervened to help his partner, which brought out Wrecker to even the numbers, prompting The Street Stallions to back off.

Hack The Hunter gave a meta response when Markus Rush asked him about Death Ref telling him to take Bryant Hall’s attack as a compliment. He said he appreciated the compliment, and it was indeed pretty cool to have a fight with Hall at Hardcore Hallelujah to look forward to. But it was also a lot of work, because you know if Hall picks a fight with you that he won’t show up again until fight night, leaving you to do all the promoting on your own. Hack asked Death Ref to help him out, saying if Hall wasn’t going to be around next week and The Barbarians were otherwise engaged, perhaps he could find him someone else to face.

Seth Wish entered the ring next and asked Dexter Mattell to join him. He said it was clear they had unfinished business, and he wanted to resolve it with one final DIW Title match at Hardcore Hallelujah, indicating that he’d take a “Kobra deal” to get it, a reference to Kobra The Conqueror not being allowed to challenge a Pro for a title ever again if he lost. Mattell said that deal didn’t work for The Pros. With Kobra, they were glad to lose him as a threat. With Wish, they didn’t see him as a threat because he’d now been beaten by Pros in matches for all three titles so, if they accepted that stipulation, they’d just be denying themselves the joy of beating up Wish more in future. The DIW Champion had something else in mind. He said that if he gave Wish another chance, it would be to make an example of him to punish his betrayal. He’d seen how much of a rush Wish got out of wrestling in his hometown last month at Carnage In Canberra.

That was what Wish had to sacrifice for a rematch: when Raw Sex nailed him at Hardcore Hallelujah, he could never wrestle in Canberra again, not even in his own backyard. Wish didn’t blink, saying he'd decided to accept any stipulation Mattell could come up with and he would…but only on the condition that The Pros agreed to give Con McReady his Australian Title rematch against Kobra The Conqueror at the show too. You see there was the September tradition of a ladder match between the DIW Champion and the Australian Champion, and it was The Wild Things’ dream to face one another in that. Mattell agreed without hesitation, but couldn’t resist getting the final word in, noting that The Wild Things’ first dream was heading to Canberra as champions – fail. Then it was winning titles in Canberra – fail. Now it was booking their places in that ladder match at Hardcore Hallelujah, and they were going to fail again, before no doubt coming up with another new dream. Mattell didn’t need to dream because he was living life at the top, and an amateur who didn’t make it as a Pro wasn't going to stop him.

Chopper Rourke v Tank
After quite a lot of talking over the first two-thirds of the show, we were treated to five minutes of fighting from two heavyweights who communicate with their fists. Well, treated might be an exaggeration as this wasn’t pretty, but at least it didn’t stick around long enough to outstay its welcome, with Rourke laying out his less capable opponent with a Spinebuster.

Markus Rush had his cameraman watching Milton Hittlespitz prepare to leave DIW House when he was approached by Rick Horn. Farm Tough said he knew Hittlespitz was expecting him to ask him why he was preparing to partner someone he didn’t trust like Rob Edwards instead of teaming up with him instead. Horn had been in the ring with Edwards recently though and he got it: them working together really was the best chance of taking down The Pros, and that would be a positive outcome for everyone. Crazy Blue asked Horn if he had any plans of his own, and Farm Tough told him to check this out as he called someone over. It was Hack The Hunter. Horn told him not to worry about getting Death Ref to find him an opponent for next week, he’d love to test himself against him. Hack said he looked forward to the challenge.

Seth Wish v Vaughan
This wasn’t match of the year or indeed close to that standard, but I was struck by the thought this contest was probably what Lori had in mind when putting Wish against Chopper Rourke in the build-up to Massacre. Maybe she used Rourke then because he’s the more over Barracuda in 2024, or because Vaughan was engaged with D.O.A. at the time, but Wish didn’t have the same chemistry issues here that he had with Rourke. Vaughan was also impressive scalp for Wish in terms of size and pedigree (five-time DIW Champion), and is able to endure a longer singles match than his partner despite being two years older. The 41-year-old was a threat throughout, and came close to choking out his 27-year-old opponent. However, with DIW Champion Dexter Mattell watching on from a safe distance, his next challenger refused to be defeated, completing his comeback with Dust In The Wind and a Suicide Senton. Even as a heel commentator, I had to acknowledge it as an impressive victory, but pointed out that he would have to beat someone who hadn’t been pinned or submitted in over a year to win the DIW Title at Hardcore Hallelujah.

[HiPlus]

The stipulation from Dexter to Wish is a big one, likewise the fact that Wish talked about it being the dream of his and Con to face off against each other in September is enough of a foil to see Wish and Con both potentially winning titles at Hardcore Hallelujah. Dexter then pointing out all of Wish's dreams have been failures is such a good come back. 

 

Farm Tough Rick Horn vs Hack the Hunter is a dream match for mine. Both guys faces, both guys big. It should be the Main Event dammit, it should be on an event. These two are the real match of the year candidate. Both have been booked strong considering their position on the card so really interested to see where they shake up. 

 

[619]

Thanks @HiPlus. It's a tricky balancing act with Dex as I like him being manipulative and quick-witted, but it probably buries the babyfaces too much at times. I'm pleased you're excited for a bit of HornHack-ery. I'm not sure about the main event though as Rigsby's on episode 30 too 😅

Part 82: Wish making it work

To The Extreme episode 29 had two lengthy talking segments led by Milton Hittlespitz and Seth Wish, and it was interesting to me that Wish’s had been the high point of the show, especially as he’d never been a particularly strong promo.

No doubt part of it was having as capable a talker as Dexter Mattell to play off, and the depth of rivalry the two now shared, but it was still striking how, whereas his initial main event ascent was carried more by storyline than performance, he was starting to feel like he belonged.

That’s not to say he was the finished article. Far from it. His main event with Hendrix Hughes a few weeks earlier showed there was still too wide a disparity between his best and worst in-ring performances, and even at top form he wasn’t on the level of Rob Edwards, The Benchmark, Mattell or Hittlespitz. That was forgivable though as he was still only 27 – at least five years younger than all those other names I mentioned – and this was his first push of this level.

Would I feel confident enough to put the DIW Title on him this month if I was in Lori’s position? That’s a tricky one given those consistency issues and the number of other proven headliners she had to call on. However, the fact he was receiving a second opportunity on a major show at Hardcore Hallelujah indicated she was seriously considering the possibility.

The Hardcore Hallelujah card was starting to take shape. In addition to Wish v Mattell for the DIW Title, we now knew that Con McReady was getting an Australian Title rematch with Kobra The Conqueror. To The Extreme 30 would confirm whether The Benchmark would be challenged by Hittlespitz and Edwards or Ares Death Cult’s Barbarians.

While Hittlespitz and Edwards teaming up for the first time in over two years was easily the top draw for that episode, three other matches were announced: Hack The Hunter v Rick Horn, which had been set up on the previous episode, McReady v Pat Rigsby and Carl Paris v Mattell.