DIW 2024: Waging War Weekly

[John Lions]

Seth Wish's rise has been great to see. I originally called him unseating Dex at the last big show (I weighed by decision partly on backstage concerns with Dex), and I could see him doing it at Hardcore Hallelujah. I could see it going either way, though - Wish has been a sneaky little backstabber his whole career with DIW (to my knowledge), and it might be too soon to give him a cathartic good guy win when he hasn't really established himself AS a good guy.

Just like with HiPlus's SZW, I'm impressed with how quickly you were both able to revitalize your struggling tag divisions. The storytelling behind Milton and Rob's first match back together being against the Ares Death Cult was an excellent wrinkle to it, and while I expect them to win I don't expect it to be as simple as that.

I'm starting up the countdown for when we see Rob Edwards vs Bryant Hall, that's a match I'm really looking forward to in the future.

[Tiberious]

Good shows, I've been enjoying the build to your next big show and I think over the last couple months in game you've done a really nice job re-building your tag team division and strengthening your midcard. I like the rebranding of Kobra as a way to establish his new heel persona; though it's a bit interesting that it was Dexter Mattell renaming him rather than him doing it for himself. I suppose if he ever leaves the Benchmark/the group splits up down the road he might re-name himself again; perhaps King Kobra given that species primarily feeds on other snakes and poor Brown Snake keeps getting brought in just to get hit with the ripcord knee.

I'm probably a bit biased, but I do enjoy that Rick Horn is so chill about Milton teaming with Rob instead of him. It's kind of nice that in a locker room that is full of drama (in storyline...mostly) he's just pretty chill and is willing to go head to head with anyone. Given Hack is challenging Bryant Hall I can't see Horn winning, but at least it should be a fun heavyweight slugfest.

The stipulation for Seth Wish vs Dexter Mattell is interesting, as it's enough to give doubt to Mattell just retaining again, but not so heavy as to make it feel like there's no way you could go through with enforcing it. I'm also very interested to see how the pairing of Milton and Edwards goes since they are both great talents, but they're both so valuable as singles stars that it's hard to imagine them being together long term; especially given how their last teamup ended.

[HiPlus]

I have thought more about the Hack v Horn match because it is so enthralling. You have Hack who is in a big match on a PPV and then you have Horn who has been mixing it up with the Main Event talent it genuinely can go either way. I am all for this match, but I think a Dusty finish with Bryant Hall taking out both men will set up a potential feud with Horn down the line and build the current feud. 

 

 

[619]

@John Lions Agree about Rob Edwards v Bryant Hall being our most attractive untapped match: they're our top two for popularity too. In terms of Seth Wish, he was a fan favourite for his first five years in DIW, lost his way when he lost the Australian Title to Kobra for the second time, brought in Con McReady soon after, then went after Milton Hittlespitz before all The Pros stuff. But it's a valid point that he hasn't necessarily redeemed himself yet.

@Tiberious Ah, King Kobra would've been a much better name: it feels like a far more natural progression of Kobra Khan, whereas Kobra The Conqueror is too long. I like your idea of keeping it in reserve for any future character shifts. Appreciate the comment on the DIW Title match: it felt like Wish had to put something up to get another shot, but redoing the Kobra stipulation seemed too repetitive, so Canberra felt timely.

@HiPlus Really appreciate your enthusiasm for Hack v Horn, especially as I think booking interesting TV matches is one of my biggest weaknesses. Your suggested finish is better than the actual one unfortunately as I was too tight to fly Hall in for this episode. But there are future plans for both the winner and the loser.

Part 83: To The Extreme #30

The show started with a video package recapping Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards’ history as a team, beginning in 2021 when they aligned to defeat Blitz Simpson and Chopper Rourke at the height of The Barracudas’ powers. Then their brief reunion at Devil May Care 2022 when, even at the peak of their rivalry, they coexisted to overcome the unbeaten team of Wrecker and Mr. Pink (the part where Edwards tagged in without Hittlespitz’s consent wasn’t shown). The video ended on the statement that DIW’s Dream Team would be reunited tonight.

Carl Paris v Dexter Mattell
The Comedian explained on commentary that because Mattell hadn’t wrestled since Massacre, he’d forced him to compete tonight, with Raw Sex saying that if he was being made to face an amateur, it might as well be the biggest amateur on the roster. Seth Wish appeared at ringside, returning the favour after Mattell scouted him against Vaughan last week. Inevitably, it wasn’t the closest contest, but it gave the DIW Champion a chance to be at his showboating best, tying Paris in knots before forcing him to cave in to the STF.

Dexter Mattell made a hasty retreat when Seth Wish entered the ring after the match. He taunted the DIW Champion as he headed up the ramp, referencing Rob Edwards’ past claim that The Benchmark were The Pros’ power brokers. He said Mattell was becoming an afterthought, as proven by the fact he was in the opening match while a bout just to decide a contender to face The Benchmark was a main event everyone was talking about. He finished by vowing to make him even more of an irrelevance when he takes the DIW Title at Hardcore Hallelujah. Mattell sold his irritation at the remarks but for once didn’t snap back, instead continuing his exit.

Hack The Hunter v Rick Horn
Competing against another well-liked wrestler proved an ideal showcase for Hack The Hunter, showing that he was relaxed, respectful but capable of hitting hard against any opponent who took the fight to him. Horn was presented as a worthy opponent, but he was ultimately outfought, with Hack forcing his way out of the John Deere Destroyer and following up with a Hack Attack for the win. This was a rare DIW match to end with a post-match handshake.

We got a glimpse of Hendrix Hughes sat in the back on his phone, with Markus Rush behind the door listening in. Presumably he was speaking to Seb Shaw as he appeared to be checking that his long-term partner had no objection to him teaming up with Wrecker to take on The Street Stallions. The Comedian suggested it could be another addition to the Hardcore Hallelujah card.

Con McReady v Pat Rigsby
There was no greater indicator that DIW were inviting fans to cheer McReady nowadays than putting him opposite Rigsby. The company’s chief provocateur took The Wild One’s cane from ringside during the match and vilely simulated rubbing it between his cheeks. He wasn’t sneering for long though as McReady knocked him down, regained possession of the cane, asked a fan at ringside for some sanitiser in a lighthearted crowd engagement spot to reinforce his new direction before setting about savaging Rigsby with it. The troll begged off, rather pathetically pointing to his wedding ring, but when McReady did eventually drop the cane, it was to take him out with the Iron Fist instead for the three count.

Australian Champion Kobra The Conqueror appeared in the entranceway as Con McReady celebrated. Everyone in DIW was so predictable that he knew what they were saying: Dexter Mattell had prioritised his needs over Kobra’s and trapped him into giving The Wild One an Australian Title rematch. They were wrong. In fact, he wanted that rematch more than McReady did. The former champion had beaten him twice earlier this year, but he knew he was better than McReady so, now he had his head screwed on, he looked forward to a chance to definitively prove it, and to show how much The Pros upgraded when he took McReady’s place and his gold.

Markus Rush wanted The Barracudas’ thoughts on the teams competing in the upcoming main event, and they weren’t positive. Vaughan said Ares Death Cult had screwed around with them more than anyone in the last few years, and Rob Edwards and Milton Hittlespitz were out there trying to take credit for ending their dominance. If The Barracudas had their way, they’d both lose tonight but, if they could only get their hands on one team, they’d be waiting at Hardcore Hallelujah for whichever team didn’t advance to face The Benchmark.

The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)
Hittlespitz and Edwards being billed as The Dream Team probably removed what little doubt existed over the outcome: unless you’re going for a crazy swerve, you don’t give a team that build and branding and then have them looking up at the lights. The Barbarians did enjoy a sustained spell on top until Crazy Blue got a hot tag to Edwards, who was on top form. After kicking Ward off the apron, he connected with a Roundhouse Kick on Banks, tagging in Hittlespitz to follow up with a Flying Knee Drop and take the pinfall. This presumably was meant to be symbolic: The Human Weapon demonstrating he was a team player contrary to that match in 2022 when he stole the victory Crazy Blue had earned.

The Benchmark greeted Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards’ victory with mocking applause at the entranceway. Rusty Mills told them to enjoy tonight because this was as good as it was going to get for their alliance, and if either of them didn’t realise that they needed to go heal their heads. Donovan Boon said Mills had already beaten Edwards in singles action, so next week he wanted the opportunity to do the same thing to Hittlespitz to expose that this Dream Team was a fraud. Crazy Blue told him to bring it on.

[willr0ck]

This has been really entertaining so far as I've just now had some time to spend catching up. I like how concise your show writeups are ans how easy it is to read through. I wish I could do something similar but I seem to struggle with that. Well done. 

[619]

Thanks a lot @willr0ck. I definitely don't think you need to do anything differently though: it's really impressive how you're able to produce something so visually spectacular and then combine it with real depth and interesting storytelling.

Part 84: Dream Team, dream viewership

The question of whether DIW fans would buy into Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards uniting as a team after so long as enemies appeared to have passed the maths test at least.

The first taping after their realignment in Canberra had been attended by 448 fans, DIW’s best crowd yet for To The Extreme. That figure in isolation wasn’t too revealing as attendance was tending to increase show by show generally, and the Canberra trip meant this was the first show at DIW House in a month, which could also have factored into an upswing in ticket sales.

More telling was the WrestleWorld Australia data. Not just for the fact that 16,022 viewers was the second-highest audience DIW had pulled in for any show, a few hundred behind what they delivered for Massacre in June, but because it was the first time ever that a taped episode had outperformed the prior live episode. That could be seen as an endorsement of the overall DIW direction, but was far more likely to be the advertised Hittlespitz and Edwards main event.

One company whose numbers weren’t so satisfactory in early August 2024 were Luxe, the bikini-company-ran women’s wrestling promotion that was now Australia’s third biggest behind RAW and CEW. They had been rumoured to be facing financial difficulties throughout 2024, and it had escalated to such an extent that they had just sold off Luxe Studios and Luxe Headquarters and severely downgraded production values for their August Extravaganza to try to balance the books.

Back to DIW and the Hittlespitz-Edwards duo being promoted as The Dream Team, I harboured some criticism over how the angle had played out so far. It was good that they had been forced to earn their shot at The Benchmark at a major show, unlike Edwards and Wrecker being granted one for Massacre without proving themselves.

However, for all the video packages and main event matches, I felt like we hadn’t heard enough from them since agreeing to team up, not showing us enough of the story behind how they both agreed to swallow their pride. The silence of Edwards was most disappointing: he’d been the one who pushed Hittlespitz to team with him only to get snubbed three times and declare defeat in the venture. Had he jumped at the opportunity or had it been a tough sell?

The emphasis seemed to be on the matches at this time, with Hittlespitz v Donovan Boon promoted for the next To The Extreme episode, so there was no guarantee of a clear answer.

[619]

Part 85: Card close to completion

In addition to the WrestleWorld Australia viewership spike, To The Extreme episode 30’s Dream Team v Barbarians main event appeared to have finished filling the card for Hardcore Hallelujah with two episodes to spare.

Matches confirmed included Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell for the DIW Title and Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror for the Australian Title – with the winners due to clash in next month’s DIW Title ladder match. Then there was Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards v The Benchmark for the Tag Titles, The Barracudas v The Barbarians, long-term allies Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker v The Street Stallions and the first match announced: Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall.

In some ways this was preferable to the build to Massacre, where some parts felt incomplete and rushed, but it also presented the challenge of how to keep viewership rising for August's final two episodes when the audience knew what was on the horizon.

That was especially true of Wish and Mattell: their story had been told for six months at this point, so would it be possible to keep the issue as hot heading into Hardcore Hallelujah as it had been at Massacre? The answer to that question might also determine whether they held onto the main event spot or whether Hittlespitz and Edwards v The Benchmark closed the show.

The second rivalry was headlining To The Extreme episode 31, with Hittlespitz and Donovan Boon having their first ever one-on-one showdown. There were three other first-time matches taking place on the show, with Vaughan taking on Psych Ward, Saracens fighting The Street Stallions and Rick Horn again providing the opposition to the latest outsider trying to earn a spot on the DIW roster.

[619]

Part 86: To The Extreme #31

The Comedian and I started the show by reflecting on Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards earning a Tag Title match against The Benchmark at Hardcore Hallelujah, and the fact we’d get a teaser of that in tonight’s main event when Crazy Blue faced Donovan Boon.

Saracens (Cueball and Tank) v The Street Stallions (D.O.A. and Lorenzo Oliverio)
This match was clearly designed to heat The Street Stallions up for their upcoming Hardcore Hallelujah clash with Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker. Unfortunately, the most memorable moment was Oliverio’s awkward landing from Tank’s Gorilla Press Slam, which seemed to leave him protecting his shoulder. However, The Italian Stallion did tag back in towards the end of the bout and secure the win with a Back Stabber on Cueball, so it was difficult to assess the severity.

Lorenzo Oliverio spoke after The Street Stallions’ victory, something Lori should probably let him do more often as he was a better talker than most of the roster. He claimed Hendrix Hughes made a mistake agreeing to be Wrecker’s tag team partner of the month. Hughes’ previous team broke down because his partner’s body gave up, Wrecker’s previous team were forced to split because they weren’t successful enough and The Street Stallions would show them at Hardcore Hallelujah that this latest team were doomed too.

Vaughan v Psych Ward
He might not have the popularity or stamina of his prime, but this match proved that Vaughan was still one of the best hardcore fighters in Australia, and he helped Ward put in one of his best singles performances to date. Chopper Rourke thwarted Lloyd Banks’ attempt to interfere, but it looked like Ares Death Cult’s numbers would win out when Death Ref disrupted Vaughan’s rhythm and helped Ward set up a Psycho Slam, only for Hack The Hunter to appear in pursuit of the cult leader. Ward lost focus and Vaughan capitalised, pushing him into the ropes and then locking in the Choke Sleeper for the submission win.

Markus Rush wanted Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker’s reaction to The Street Stallions’ comments about their suitability as a team. Hughes laughed them off, saying Wrecker and him might not have competed as a two before, but they were no strangers to being teammates, so D.O.A. and his new friend must be smoking the wrong stuff if they think they’re facing some thrown-together team at Hardcore Hallelujah. He even promised them a preview of what Two Badass Bulldogs looked like as they’d team together next week. Wrecker approved, saying the only thing he needed in a partner was someone who loved fighting as much as him.

Before handing back, Markus Rush flagged a conversation in the background between Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards, noting that he’d tried to get a microphone close to the discussion. Sure enough, we heard Crazy Blue ask Edwards to stay back for the main event: he’d never faced Donovan Boon before so wanted to see how they measured up. The Human Weapon reluctantly agreed, but warned that if the other Pros got involved, he would too.

Rick Horn v Deceiver
I’m sure this thought had been expressed more eloquently by others in the past but, witnessing Deceiver’s spooky entrance, I was struck by how well he’d fit into Ares Death Cult. I wondered if he might get the same opportunity to step up with them that Psych Ward took in early April if this match went well. His prospects were probably damaged by the reception he received from a resistant DIW crowd. Horn, who previously secured his DIW roster spot by beating an active fighter, blocked the path for another hopeful courtesy of his John Deere Destroyer.

Pat Rigsby wasn’t impressed by what he’d seen, approaching The Comedian to complain. While not only he but his wife and future child politely awaited his opportunities, Hendrix Hughes was issuing an open challenge recently and Rick Horn had positioned himself as the measuring stick for people trying out for jobs. Rigsby concluded that maybe he needed to call his own shots and put himself up for an open challenge next week. The Comedian engaged as little as possible until the married 36-year-old departed, pleased at himself for forcing his way onto next week’s card.

Markus Rush spoke to The Wild Things before the main event. Seth Wish picked up his recent theme of Dexter Mattell becoming an afterthought with everyone’s attention on The Benchmark again tonight. Con McReady claimed they had a way to restore Raw Sex to relevancy on the next episode: The Wild Things taking on the DIW Champion and Australian Champion Kobra The Conqueror days before coming for their titles at Hardcore Hallelujah. It sounded like an upgrade on Massacre’s Wish v Chopper Rourke go-home main event, albeit a potential risk to have all four of your singles title match competitors in the ring together so close to the major show.

Milton Hittlespitz v Donovan Boon
Multi-time DIW Champion versus career tag team wrestler, you know how this one ends, right? Perhaps not. Hittlespitz had Boon down and was lining up his Flying Knee Drop when footage appeared on the screen by the entranceway of Dexter Mattell forcing Markus Rush and his cameraman to follow him down a corridor where Rusty Mills and Kobra The Conqueror were attacking Rob Edwards. By the time Crazy Blue took his eyes off the screen to act on what he’d seen, Boon had joined him on the top rope to catch him with a Belly-to-Belly Superplex, quickly following up with a Donovan Driver for a three count that seemed to catch the crowd off guard.

Once Milton Hittlespitz had recovered, he paced up the ramp to try to find Rob Edwards, only to be hit between the eyes by a Tag Title held by Rusty Mills, who was heading in his direction alongside Dexter Mattell and Kobra The Conqueror. The trio dragged Crazy Blue back into the ring, where Boon was still positioned, and commenced a further beatdown until The Wild Things ran down with their canes to cause The Pros to vacate the ring. I expressed my shock at the sight of The Wild Things riding to the rescue of their former nemesis Hittlespitz, before downplaying it by saying The Pros had shown they were a step ahead regardless. Hittlespitz had been beaten, Edwards had taken a beating and The Wild Things didn’t land a single cane shot, in what was no doubt a sign of things to come at Hardcore Hallelujah.

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 Part 87: Hunting the Hack to a repetitive booking issue

One of the trickiest obstacles for Lori to navigate in 2024 was the fact she needed Bryant Hall’s star power at every major event, but tended to have him over from New Zealand once a month, meaning he’d often only be available for one appearance across each eight-episode build.

This made it easy to get trapped in a cycle of Hall attacking someone, disappearing, having his opponent work through the rest of Ares Death Cult before he returned to face them at the big show. She fiddled with the formula for Massacre by having Milton Hittlespitz initiate the fight, but it still strayed into the same territory of Crazy Blue tangling with the rest of the Death Cult.

What was happening with Hack The Hunter felt slightly fresher, perhaps partly as a happy accident because Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward finally had their own story to advance, rather than being stuck as secondary pieces in Hall’s.

It started with Hack taking The Final Boss’ attack on him in his stride, treating the hassle of having to promote the match single-handedly as more of an inconvenience than the beating he took. Naturally, I wasn’t too keen on that part, even if it was different, as it was a bit too cute and inside, but I quite liked the direction it had taken on the latest To The Extreme episode.

It was presented as though the heavyweight had calculated that if Hall wasn’t showing up until Hardcore Hallelujah, and The Barbarians had issues with The Barracudas, the group that usually outnumbered opponents could be placed at a rare numerical disadvantage. He demonstrated that by costing Ward his match against Vaughan, and might get another chance to make a nuisance of himself on To The Extreme episode 32 when Banks opposed Chopper Rourke.

That was one of four matches promoted for the Hardcore Hallelujah go-home episode, which would also see Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker’s first pairing as Two Badass Bulldogs opposite Carl Paris and Demarcus Lee and Pat Rigsby’s open challenge. The main event combined the four men battling for singles gold on the final Friday of the month: Con McReady and Seth Wish against DIW Champion Dexter Mattell and Australian Champion Kobra The Conqueror.

You’ll have noticed that meant no in-ring action for Milton Hittlespitz, Rob Edwards, Donovan Boon or Rusty Mills following on from Boon’s win over Crazy Blue (the fourth time this year one of The Benchmark had beaten a former DIW singles champion one-on-one, for those keeping count). That was because yours truly, Sean Quartermainne, was conducting interviews with both teams ahead of their much-hyped Hardcore Hallelujah Tag Title showdown.

[John Lions]

Excited for Hardcore Hallelujah. The Pros have been great, but they have been on top for so long and it finally feels like there some real threats to the stranglehold they've held on DIW.

[HiPlus]

God that poster looks amazing. 

I am holding a lot of my thoughts back for the Hardcore Hallelujah match card after the go-home show incase there are any twists. 

[619]

Ah wow, I love the poster @John Lions. Is it okay if I use it when I post the show? Thanks @HiPlus. Not too many twists, but a few oversized promos 😅

Part 88: To The Extreme #32

The Comedian and I had only just started introducing the episode when Death Ref grabbed the cameraman shooting us, directing him behind the curtain and down a corridor where Hack The Hunter was grounded, bleeding and gripping his ankle. Lloyd Banks, who alongside Psych Ward stood over the heavyweight, proceeded to strike that ankle with a barbed-wire-covered chair.

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v Brains and Brawn (Demarcus Lee and Carl Paris)
It was tricky to transition from the graphic violence to open the show to the feelgood factor of Hughes and Wrecker teaming up, but The Comedian and I gave it our best shot on commentary. I recorded a voice note a few days after the episode was filmed at Lori’s request referencing Lorenzo Oliverio’s shoulder injury and D.O.A. lining up a replacement in case he didn’t make it to Hardcore Hallelujah, which was clunkily added early in the match so we couldn’t be accused of false advertising. Hughes and Wrecker worked well, supporting their confidence that their six-man experience would carry over, with Wrecker winning with a Bulldozer Elbow on Lee.

My interview with The Benchmark centred on DIW’s branding of their Hardcore Hallelujah opponents Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards as The Dream Team. Rusty Mills said DIW management needed to heal their heads if they couldn’t see how disrespectful this was when they were lucky enough to have an actual dream team on their roster. Donovan Boon pointed out that they’ve been tag champions seven times already and they were only just entering their prime. Mills noted that they had to deal with all the hype for Edwards entering the tag division a few months ago, only to go out and beat him and Wrecker like they beat everyone else. Boon said Hittlespitz and Edwards were supposed to be The Dream Team as it was a partnership of DIW’s top two singles superstars, but they’d beaten them both in singles competition too. Mills added to this that DIW fans had seen both Hittlespitz and Edwards lose in the last few weeks alone, but nobody had ever seen him pinned or submitted in a DIW ring. Boon used this point to reiterate they were the true dream team, with Mills vowing to prove it at Hardcore Hallelujah. It stood out to me that this was all about The Benchmark and not the wider Pros group, but I’m not sure if this was deliberate or just the nature of building a high-stakes tag match.

Pat Rigsby’s Open Challenge
I’ve got bad news if you’re one of those few Rigsby maniacs I’ve been told have made themselves heard online: he never got to complete his open challenge. Instead, as he headed to the ring, he was jumped by Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward under Death Ref’s direction and savagely beaten, culminating in a Spike Piledriver onto seemingly the same barbed-wire-covered chair used on Hack The Hunter earlier, judging by the preexisting blood stains. I scrambled around in search of a motive for why Ares Death Cult would target Rigsby in this way whereas The Comedian, in what felt like a rare reversal of traditional face-heel dynamics for continuity purposes given the gravity of the attack, asked if anyone needed a justification for wanting to destroy that idiot.

I’m not too proud to admit that on an episode where I sat down with both The Benchmark and The Dream Team, Markus Rush’s interview with Dexter Mattell was the best received promo of the night. Not because Rush is better in the role than me of course, just the DIW Champion really delivered. Asked about Seth Wish’s criticism that he was becoming irrelevant, Mattell accused Wish of projection. He said to forget any revisionist history: nobody cared about Wish until he put a spotlight on him when he formed The Pros. He became more popular and successful than he had ever been before by mere association with Mattell. Wish didn’t realise it yet as he was blinded by the second successive major show title match Raw Sex had gifted him, but he’d already been sinking back down again from the moment he threw all of Mattell’s selfless mentoring back in his face and hit him with that cane. He’d had his fingers broken, he’d lost a DIW Title match and he’d lost a Tag Title match on his last ever appearance in Canberra. When Mattell won at Hardcore Hallelujah like he always did – he took the opportunity to point out he hadn’t been pinned or submitted in over a year – Wish’s six months in the spotlight would be over. He’d have nothing left to look forward to: no Pros propping him up, no more Canberra homecomings, just fiddling with his cane haunted by regret for the night he hit Mattell with it.

Chopper Rourke v Lloyd Banks
The fans were behind Rourke more than usual in their enthusiasm to see Ares Death Cult put in their place after their dominant night to date. They were left disappointed though as Psych Ward snuck in from the crowd to strike an onlooking Vaughan in the back with the same bloodied barbed wire chair, getting several more digs in while he was grounded. Rourke brought Ward into the ring and lifted him for a Spinebuster, only for Banks to hit him between the legs with a block of wood wrapped in barbed wire. Banks then nailed Rourke with a Piledriver on the overused chair for a win that probably would’ve seemed like a considerable upset at the start of the show, before the theme of Ares Death Cult domination was established.

I was more provocative in my interview with Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards, highlighting how the recent video showing their brief history as a team only told half the story. Crazy Blue only teamed up with Edwards against The Barracudas in 2021 in exchange for a DIW Title shot, just as he only partnered him now to slow his fall down the card. Before giving him the right of reply, I reminded both them and the audience that a month after they beat The Barracudas, Hittlespitz beat Edwards for the DIW Title and, a month later, Edwards screwed him out of it. Then their brief reunion against The Wrecking Crew ended with Edwards stealing the victory and Hittlespitz taking him out. I said maybe what happened between the bells was a dream, but wasn’t the ultimate outcome always a nightmare? Edwards cut in, saying everything I said was true, but their priority was the present, not the future. They had an unbeaten record to defend, a chance to win a title neither of them had held before and to break The Pros’ hold over DIW, just as they did to The Barracudas three years ago. What came after that wasn’t important right now.

Hittlespitz said he still saw himself as a singles wrestler, and he was sure Edwards did too but, even when he hated him, he could never deny their strange chemistry as partners, so why not take something positive out of everything they’d been through together? When I pressed him on what happened after Hardcore Hallelujah, he pulled no punches, saying he expected Edwards to screw him again in future just like he had three times in the past. I asked Edwards if it was true. He said that characterisation that he screwed Hittlespitz three times in the past didn’t quite tell the full story. He didn’t plan to screw him, but he agreed with Crazy Blue that they were singles wrestlers and he was sure there was still another chapter to their rivalry: how could there not be when they were tied at 2-2? Last year at Hardcore Hallelujah, they had the best match in DIW history, and he just about pulled the victory out. This year’s might be even better, and this time they’d both be celebrating. Hittlespitz said that was one thing they could agree on.

Death Ref was with Markus Rush, who called back to when the Ares Death Cult leader told him last month he had a vision for who they would fight at Hardcore Hallelujah but, given they first tried to get a Tag Title shot, he said The Barracudas can’t have been that original vision. Death Ref was furious, threatening that Rush must have a death wish to get smart with him on a night when they had annihilated Hack The Hunter, Chopper Rourke, Vaughan and Pat Rigsby. He said The Barracudas were always his vision: they wouldn’t have been able to execute what they did tonight without complete clarity. A more cautious Rush followed up by saying he understood the attacks on Hack, Rourke and Vaughan, but why Rigsby? Death Ref expressed surprise at the question, asking how Rush couldn’t see that every time Rigsby opened his mouth about the miracle of working for DIW and having a successful marriage, he was calling out him and his wife? He accused Rigsby of openly challenging him. Tonight he answered that open challenge.

The Wild Things (Con McReady and Seth Wish) v Dexter Mattell and Kobra The Conqueror (The Pros)
This main event gave us an opportunity to not only hype the DIW Title and Australian Title matches taking place at Hardcore Hallelujah but also the fact that the winners – two of the men competing in this match – were scheduled to face off in a DIW Title ladder match next month. I provided an exclusive during The Pros’ entrance that, as a reward for Kobra’s progress, Mattell was planning to waive the stipulation that he couldn’t challenge a Pro for a title by facing his stablemate in that annual spectacle after they both retained. The DIW Champion’s teamwork in the ring didn’t quite match to those in his words though as he tagged out after struggling to answer a minute of offence from Wish. Wish tagged McReady in so he could continue fighting Mattell outside, only for the champion to misguidedly seek distance in the crowd. Kobra tried to subdue Wish in his pursuit of Mattell, but got cracked in the back of the head by McReady’s cane, with the former Australian Champion landing his Iron Fist to pin the man who dethroned him. The Comedian drew attention to the fact this was The Pros’ first defeat in their new form. I countered that it was unthinkable that lightning could strike twice at Hardcore Hallelujah.

[619]

Part 89: The D.O.A. curse

It was still too raw to joke about really, but it was hard to escape the thought that the most dangerous place to be in Australia in 2024 was next to D.O.A. on the card for a major DIW show.

His long-term partner Switchblade tragically passed away four days before they were due to face The Barracudas at Hardcore Heatwave. The veteran was then scheduled to return to the tag division alongside Mr. Blitz at Massacre, only for CEW to take the masked competitor hostage for a series of undercard defeats. Now Lorenzo Oliverio, the man brought in to be his new long-term partner, had separated his shoulder just over a week before Hardcore Hallelujah.

Lori seemed to take this latest development in her stride, greeting it more as a minor what-were-the-chances inconvenience rather than a show-sabotaging setback. One option was to put D.O.A. against either Hendrix Hughes or Wrecker in singles action. However, because she had ran both matches fairly recently, and she felt the novelty of Hughes and Wrecker teaming was a significant part of the attraction, she decided to run with a replacement partner instead.

How did I know so much about this? Because she had a name in mind immediately and asked for my insight into his availability and suitability. It was someone she’d considered bringing in for Switchblade’s tribute match at Hardcore Heatwave, resisting on that occasion because they were still employed by APW and agreeing a deal at short notice was too complicated. Even a tragedy that united the two companies wasn’t capable of cooling off a wrestling war.

That wrestler had since left APW, hadn’t shown up anywhere else and wasn’t looking for Bryant Hall money so, provided he could get himself to DIW House, he was well suited to standing in for Oliverio alongside D.O.A. Indeed, I would’ve had the same thought as Lori if I was in her role.

[HiPlus]

God got me hyped for his newest partner. I didn't see D.O.A and Oliverio winning their match up. Someone from APW with a little more stature potentially changes that. 

[John Lions]

Very promo heavy show, and unfortunate for D.O.A. and especially Lorenzo. I honestly have no clue what the results of the "marquee" matches of Hardcore Hallelujah will look like - The Pros could get sweeped, they could sweep again, or it could meet somewhere in the middle.

Do we have a final card for the event, or is that the next post? I want to get at least some form of predictions in before the event gets posted.

[HiPlus]

Agreed I am hoping for a match card to come out first. 

[619]

Thanks @HiPlus @John Lions. There's one more short pre-Hardcore Hallelujah part tomorrow just breaking down the card and speculating on match order, but the card itself is locked in so I can post that now, especially as it's another chance to post the glorious @John Lions poster.

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

[619]

Part 90: Who headlines Hardcore Hallelujah?

So who should main event Hardcore Hallelujah 2024: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell for the DIW Title or Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards v The Benchmark for the Tag Titles? I’m from the generation who were raised to believe that your top singles title always closed the show, but I’d never booked a Tag Title match where two multi-time APW Commonwealth Champions teamed up, so I didn’t have a direct comparison.

Like I wrote in my To The Extreme episode 32 summary, Mattell outperformed The Benchmark and The Dream Team’s speaking segments on the go-home show, and him and Wish held the main event spot on that episode. However, between the ropes, Hittlespitz and Donovan Boon’s match a week earlier had been a step above Wish and Con McReady v Mattell and Kobra The Conqueror, so it was a tough call.

Momentum-wise, I’d perhaps give the slight edge to the DIW Title match, as both competitors had got some shine on the go-home: Mattell on the microphone and Wish in the ring. I felt the DIW Champion had been a bit too peripheral in recent episodes, perhaps deliberately to fuel Wish’s afterthought line of attack, but that was corrected in the final hour.

My criticism of the Tag Title build was that we didn’t get to see enough of Hittlespitz and Edwards interacting since they came together in Canberra. That too was addressed on the go-home with a lengthy back and forth, but the problem with leaving it so late was that they only had time to talk about one another, rather than their formidable opponents, who surely deserved more attention after recently beating both of them.

The downside to moving Hittlespitz alongside Edwards to create something as enticing as their match with The Benchmark was that it left the card without a clear number three attraction like Crazy Blue’s cage match with Bryant Hall had been at Massacre.

None of the other Hardcore Hallelujah matches were quite on that level. McReady had an Australian Title rematch against Kobra The Conqueror, who dethroned him last month. Unbeaten newcomers Hack The Hunter (4-0) and Hall (3-0) were going head-to-head. The Barracudas were facing The Barbarians of their long-term rivals Ares Death Cult, and Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker were uniting as Two Badass Bulldogs to face D.O.A. and whoever he could find to stand in for the injured Lorenzo Oliverio.

I was reliably informed that last year’s Hardcore Hallelujah, headlined by Hittlespitz v Edwards, was DIW’s best show of 2023. It was almost time to find out whether Hardcore Hallelujah 2024 could prove as memorable.

[HiPlus]

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

Dexter Mattell to win, closing out the night with all The Pros intact. I don't think Seth is there yet, he is a good piece to fight in the Main Event but not there to carry the company. Dex can work the microphone well and is better in the ring than his latest matches and opponents get him credit for.

At this stage there is only two right choices to dethrone Dexter and it's either Rob Edwards. Which is unlikely as he hasn't been able to form that super star 4 DIW team to face them. Everytime there are 4 guys against The Pros it feels like one or two major names arent involved and instead you get lesser guys slotting in like The Barracudas, giving an easy cop out until the eventual super team comes together. Something like Shaw returning, Hughes, Edwards and Milton or a big DIW name returning to store order. 

An eventual collision with Ares Death Cult who have been building up quite the amount of results mainly Bryant Hall. Maybe a one time team up with Rob Edwards as a forth member joins them eventually. Like a beaten down Hack the Hunter. That would require a big push for their guys, but could be done. 

The only other option is The Pros imploding but with every man having a title it just seems so damn unlikely to happen. No matter how often they hint at it, they just added a new member to the team. 

______________________

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

This feud has legs, it is still developing and The Pros need to establish themselves while they have their newest edition.  A match showcasing Milton and Edwards not working together so smoothly still trying to get the kinks out between them makes sense. It also keeps this money match from being just a one off, especially considering we know all the guys can deliver in the ring. The Dream Team are really the only tag-team built to take on The Benchmark, so stretching out the feud a little longer to build others up or work towards the eventual collapse of The Pros feels like a smart option.

______________________

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

As much as I love Con. I can't see Kobra dropping the title right back to him right away. Too many tag-teams and I know there is a story to be told between Con and Wish facing each other down. As much as ai love that idea, I sadly don't see Wish winning his match. I think if one of Con/Wish win, than so will the others. 

_____________________

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

Hack has been built incredibly strong up until this point being undefeated. The fact is that Bryant is a beast. They are both undefeated, but the quality of opponent is definitely on the side. I mentioned above lightly but this could also be a turn for Hack and he joins the Ares Death Cult. I see Hack and Horn both as the same guys essentially. Their your young upstart faces with a lot of value and potential. That and while there isn't an official divide.

There is a lot more Face guys rolling, shown by the fact you have Rick Horn not getting a match. While on the Heels you have Mattell, Bryant Hall, Kobra, Rigsby and then the rest of the guys are all tag teams. Comparing that to the faces of Edwards, Hittlespitz, Horn and potentially the duo of Wrecker and Hughes as well. 

Horn could also be the one to turn after being handed a recent loss. Either way give me Horn v Hack or Horn & Hack everyday. 

_________________________

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

The Barbarians have so much more to gain out of this, it's not even close. Them losing here would ruin a lot of the momentum that Ares Death Cult have. There are so many underhanded ways between they can win and Barracudas still look like menaces. Lori and Death Ref involving themselves is a very simple way to steal the match. 

The Barracudas have done enough and been around enough the win doesn't give them momentum. They just need a few wins in a row and they can be in the Main Event, or at least Vaughan can. No need to waste Ares Death Cult for The Barracudas. 

_____________________________

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

To say this match excites me is an understatement. I just want to see who ends up being bought into the fold so to speak. D.O.A. with a new mystery partner actually leads me to believe they could win.  Hughes & Wrecker have been guys who are in that Australian Title/Upper Mid Card area where a strong push could see them in the DIW Title chase. The fact they have a team name on-top of it, gives them value as a tag-team than a random pairing. A win here establishes them more as a tag-team which is a place I think they could stay in for awhile, at least until Shaw eventually comes back on the scene. Still, this is a match I am more than ready for with a decent amount of intrigue to make it an interesting match. 

Edited October 27, 2023 by HiPlus

[KyTeran]

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

Edited October 27, 2023 by KyTeran

[DinoKea]

DIW Harcore Hallelujah 2024 Predictions

DIW Title: Seth Wish def. Dexter Mattell (c)

Wish has too much on the line to lose this one. Not to mention I can't see Mattell v Kobra being the right direction to go for the ladder match.

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) def. The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

I've already predicted a Pros collapse starting so I may as well go all in on it.

Australian Title: Kobra The Conqueror (c) def. Con McReady

Not sure it'd be the best idea to have Kobra rebrand and win the title just to lose it in his first defence to the same person he won it off.

Bryant Hall def. Hack The Hunter

Hack is still building

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) def. The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

Just not convinced The Barbarians are on the same level as The Barracudas

D.O.A. and ??? def. Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker)

Seems like you have someone big planned and it is always hard not to back ???

[Tiberious]

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

Like many effective heels, I think there was a lot of truth in what Dexter Mattell said about having brought Seth Wish to relevance. Don't get me wrong, Seth was always a guy who seemed to have potential, but his feud with Mattell is what has really gotten fans to see that he's not just "a guy" but that maybe he could be "the guy." Seth's shown he can be a great challenger, but the issue is that ideally you want a champion who can not only shine against better opponents, but go in there and get the best out of less developed guys as well. I'm just not sure Seth can do that yet.

Based on my last paragraph I have the wrong name bolded, but there's other factors here. Having a babyface lose twice in a row is tough, especially when they're putting a big stipulation on the line. There's a real chance that losing like that cements them as an also ran in the eyes of the fans. With Kobra he could get away with losing in a stipulation match because he immediately turned heel, adopted a new name and persona, and won championship gold. Seth Wish isn't the best guy on your roster, but with how this storyline has played out I think you have the chance to have a great cathartic moment here. 

Putting the belt on a fan favorite like Seth Wish also gives a beautiful opportunity for Bryant Hall and the Ares Death Cult to jump back to the forefront of DIW. Sure they could feud with the Pros, but there's definitely an odd dynamic there and while Dexter Mattell vs Bryant Hall would no doubt be a great match, I feel like the Final Boss going after the plucky underdog babyface right after his career making title would be a strong direction coming out of this. Mattell losing his title, while his stablemates kept theres,  would also be an interesting shakeup in their power dynamic. That being said I'm pretty sure I'm dead wrong here and just talked myself into picking a guy who I know really shouldn't be champion win it.

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

Another really tough decision. In a way the Benchmarks recent singles wins makes me think that could be setting them up to lose here, but leave them credibility as singles wrestlers. The Dream Team angle also feels like it has legs so them winning would ensure it continues. That being said I talked myself into the idea of Dexter being the only pro without a title belt so I have to pick the Benchmark to retain here.

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

This is the easiest title match to predict since Kobra just won the title from Con and losing it back so quickly would kind of undo the work you've put into trying to rebuild him. I think Con has more of a future in his tag team with Seth moving forward than as a primarily singles guy to be honest. (Which kind of makes me question why I have Seth winning again, but I made my decision.)

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

I like Hack, but I just can't see him winning here. In a way this kind of just feels like a tune up match for Bryant Hall to stay busy as he bides his time before going after the DIW championship.

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

The Barracudas deserve a spot in the DIW Hall of Fame, but their best days are behind them and if nothing else the Barbarians association with Bryant Hall means that they really should be kept strong as well.

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

It's hard to pick against a mystery man, but D.O.A. has real midcard for life energy while Hughes and Wrecker are guys who're on that border of being able to hand with the big names.

[John Lions]

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

I'm lumping these three matches together because the results all reflect on the others. I don't think The Pros lock in another clean sweep, but I also don't think they keep all of their belts. I could see the main event going either way, but I am leaning towards the kingpin of the bad guys being the last one to fall, and I don't see Con beating Kobra. (Also, I know this came up before, but I actually really like Kobra Khan -> Kobra the Conqueror. It reminds me of QT Marshall emphasizing the MarSHALL when he turned heel, it feels like such a petty heel name "correction").

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

Hack's not ready to be beating Hall yet - hopefully DIW's finances pick up soon so we can start seeing Hall full-time.

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

I will say I'm definitely more "hot" on The Barbarians than The Barracudas at this point in time, but Vaughan and Chopper winning here gives them a path straight at The Dream Team, which would be a fun feud with a ton of call backs.

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

I'm picking against the mystery man here, Wrecker I feel like could have been higher on the card than he has been, but Wish and Con's "face" turn moved him down a couple rungs on the ladder.

[Scottie]

I am just catching up with this diary - I haven't gone through it all, but I love the presentation. It's quite unique and I really enjoy the insights to your booking and some of the challenges you've faced.

My predictions below (less well thought out than others!):

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

[AboardTheArk]

DIW Title: Seth Wish v Dexter Mattell (c)

IDK if Mattell is worth sacrificing another over babyface to. 

Tag Titles: The Dream Team (Milton Hittlespitz and Rob Edwards) v The Benchmark (Donovan Boon and Rusty Mills) (c)

Dream Team need to learn a lesson about tag team wrestling excellence.

Australian Title: Con McReady v Kobra The Conqueror (c)

They won't get to realize their 18th consecutive dream, sad.

Hack The Hunter v Bryant Hall

No way you can convince Hall to lose this one I think.

The Barracudas (Chopper Rourke and Vaughan) v The Barbarians (Lloyd Banks and Psych Ward)

The Barracudas are still more over and I got it wrong in the last show with the stallions but I think TEW-brain means the time decline will lead you towards this choice.

Two Badass Bulldogs (Hendrix Hughes and Wrecker) v D.O.A. and ?

Just too good of a team to lose to a mystery man that isn't a real needle mover (which, he might be).