Flashback Reviews FIP Fallout Night 1

Crowing your first champion is just first step now you have make that tile mean something. FIP would get started on that with it's Fallout weekend. Homicide was set make his first two title defenses. Meanwhile the new as whole would start to take shape talent from the Emergence shows were gone and new talent was brought in. Also with out the hook of a tournament could FIP do two interesting shows making a double shot weekend worth it? Truth is double shots can be tricky especially with a DVD sale approach ROH and FIP took. Sometimes you wind up loading one one night leaving the over night lacking? Plus as I said in my first FIP review it was meant to be different ROH so could Gabe do a good show that would win over ROH fans but make it truly different from the company he is most known for? Now unlike Emergence witch was sold as double set this weekend was sold as two separate events so means they had to put out two shows worth spending money on. The show is being held in Tampa Florida

Already we get an improvement over the first show as instead of booking a big arena FIP was running in a night club. I think attendance was about the same but since most of the place isn't empty it just looks better. Also we get more lighting since they don't' have to black out the empty spots. And another improvement instead of Gabe it's Dave Prazak joining Mark Nultey. Nultey mentions that Dave is a former manger in IWA Mid South. Dave says he has a big announcement for tonight. 

Sal Rinauro vs Vordell Walker- Nultey claims Walker is going to future FIP if not all of indy wrestling. Well to be fair its only been ten years he might still make that come true. Sal would go onto work for ROH and hold the tag belt. Walker tosses Sal into the corner. Sal claims it was a hair pull. Rinauro works a head lock but Walker powers out. I just noticed that Walker only  has one of his MMA gloves maybe he lost it during the match but if not if you can't find both gloves don't wear just one. Rinauro is playing the heel and overtime he starts to take over he taunts the fans and Walker makes him pay. Nice looking Arm Drag into a slam by Walker.  Great looking standing moonsault by Walker and he's not a small guy like a Matt Sydal/Evan Bourne or Amazing Red. Enzigure by Walker for win. Short match seemed like Sal never got a big spot and a Enzigure as a finish? I mean logically yes its a big kick to the head but its a common move. Its kind of like a lariat when Homicide uses that as finish he makes it look great Walker didn't make his kick look that good.

Mikey Batts vs Roderick Strong- Batts worker for TNA as a jobber and well Strong you should know if you ready reviews. Funny moment as Lenny Lenard is introducing Strong Gabe Sapolsky steps out from behind a curtain and is seen on camera and from what I have heard that is the kind of thing that if anyone else did Gabe would freak out about. Nultey tells us Strong is a Tampa native.Wrist lock by Strong by Batts flips out and take Strong wrist. Strong reverses back into the advantage. Batts goes for a shoulder block through the ropes but Strong catches him with a kick. Strong lays Batts out in the middle ropes and than double stomps him to the back and that actually looked really brutal. I think Prazak just claimed Strong has won matches with just chops dear lord I hope he didn't actually use a chop as a finish. Camel clutch by Strong. Batts with a greco knuckle luck into a rana. Flying twisting cross body by Batts gets two. Strong sends Batts to the outside. Strong picks Batts up and tosses him into the post corner back first. Implant DDT by Batts that or a bad suplex. Strong actually waits over five minutes before hitting a back breaker that might be  recored for him. Strong with another back breaker gets the win. Decent match actually I think Strong showed more moves off here than he does in most of the FIP or TNA work I have seen him do. 

Lenny Leonard introduces BJ Whitmer who will challenge for the FIP title later in the night. Now I like Whitmer and felt for years he was an under rated talent in ROH. And I get the logic of not wanting anyone who was in the tournament to challenge Homicide. But him main eventing the first title match just seems strange. Maybe don't have Homicide defend on night 1 put him in a tag match. BJ heels it up and insults Tampa and the state of Florida. BJ Says his exploder will win the match. BJ invites some guy in the ring show how he hooks it and of course BJ hits the guy with the move. Suddenly Antonio Banks came out and stood up for the south and challenged BJ to a match. Since FIP was supposed to be old school the logic was "Just insults the people for cheap heat." Banks promo was hard to hear and it's clear he wasn't an MVP on the microphone at this time. And for those that don't know Banks would go onto to become MVP. 

BJ Whitmer vs Antonio Banks- As Banks slides in the ring BJ stomps on him. Cross cross and leaps frogs by Banks. Prazak and Nultey pointed out Banks wasn't some small kid like the poor kid BJ had just picked on. Greco Roman knuckle lock by Banks and he powers BJ down and than stomps on his hands. Big chops exchange but Whitmer goes to the eyes. Banks goes for the cross face. Twisting neck breaker than the wrist clutch exploder for the win by Whitmer. Ok strange booking here first the match is really to short witch is to bad because both guys are talented. From a logic stand point why does BJ take the match since he has a title shot? Plus because it was so short it doesn't make BJ look like a strong contender and it also make Banks look bad. Instead of the he's clearly going to hit the Exploder on this "kid" stuff just advertise a Banks vs Whitmer match give them ten minutes and have BJ cheat to win. Hell you want to add to it have BJ put the boots to Banks and have Homicide run it to make the same and have BJ hit the Exploder on him. 

Azrieal who is replacing Joshua Masters in the New Dawn comes out with CM Punk. Punk cuts a promo rem ding us the New Dawn takes anyone that was shunned. He says FIP told him had to stay away from Homicide but says he will beat Homicide's childhood friend Dan Maff instead. He tells Azrieal has one chance to prove himself. Punk leaves to get ready for his match.

Azrieal with CM Punk vs Rainman- Nultey goes into the history of Rainman and the New Dawn from the Emergence shows. Azrieal takes out Rainman's legs and works a head lock. Azreial heads to outside and Rainman gives chase allowing Azrieal to stomp him when they get back in. Rainman takes over with a sit down power slam. Prazak puts over Punk's accomplishments on the indy scene as why people would be willing to follow him. Azrieal with a slingshot senton gets two. Rainman sets up for his finishers but Azrieals gets a DDT. CM Punk comes out to distract Rainman. Punk trips Rainman and holds his leg let tin Azreial get the win. Decent match kind of usual to see Azrieal who was a jobber in ROH get so much in. But it also keeps pushing the New Dawn and Rainman story.

Fast Eddie Vegas vs Jimmy Rave- Fast Eddie is a guy that popped up in ROH from time to time. He was also trained by Rudy Boy Gonzales the guy that helped HBK run his wrestling school. Rave had early control with a top wrist lock. Exchange waste locks with Rave going into an arm bar. Vegas with a kick to the back Nultey points out that's usually a Jimmy Rave move. Vegas follows up with a back breaker. Rave with a big clothesline to the back of Vegas' head. Rave with the Move that Rocked the world gets two.  Leg sweep by Vegas plants Rave on the back of head. Osi Moonsault by Vegas. The two fight on the outside and wind up getting counted out. Bland match never really felt like it going going. Also given the angle we got next I think both guys held back. 

Rave, Vegas, and one fan ask for five more minutes witch I find funny since it was a count out not a time limit draw. Dave Prazak makes his way out and put over how excellent the match was. Prazak says he is here to for his stable of wrestlers and offers Jimmy and Eddie to be the first members of DP Associates. Both guys turn him down but Prazak shows them some lucrative contracts if they join. Finally Rave and Vegas agree. They did a good job of building up to this by talking about Prazak's past as a manager earlier and he had put over both Rave and Vegas a few times. Just the final moment didn't come off that well.

Insane Dragon vs Jerrelle Clark- Dragon was a guy out of New Jersey who was wither Izzy or Dixie in the ROH Stable Special K. Exchange of holds to start with both guys fighting for position. Dragon with a standing moonsault but Clark gets his feet up. Dragon with a reverse Rana gets two. Dragon with knee that clearly misses by a mile. Clark with a pump handle hangs Dragon on the ropes and than Clark plants him with kind of looks like EC 3's 1% move. Clark with a hand stand splash. Clark goes for a springboard tornado DDT but is way to low I think he slipped. Exchange of punches but it looks awful as hits clear the they are hitting with the wrist not a fist.  Moonsault  by Clark and he looks like he kneed Dragon right in the head. Clark hits some move I think it meant to be a power bomb but not a sure it could have been DDT or pile driver for the win. Very sloppy match and not that entertaining. 

Prazak comes out again and offers Clark and Dragon spots in his stable. Dragon is really selling the finish or he's legit hurt after the match I would accept either answers. Again DP hands the two men papers with his offer but they tear them up. Prazak says they will rue the day follow by Rave and Vegas jumping the two men. Clark challenges Rave and Vegas to a tag match for tomorrow night Segment kind of took forever as it was just obvious what was going to happen. 

Don Juan with Angel Williams vs Jared Steel- Williams would go on to become Angelina Love in TNA. Funny moment Lenny Leonard had introduced Steel first when Don Juan came out first. Juan calls for a test of strength but keep switching hands when ever Steel goes to lock up. Juan bails out to consult with Angel. Steel slides between them and Angel goes to slap him but winds up hitting her own man. Steel with a rolling Russian Leg Sweep. Juan with a nice neck breaker and a drop kick to the side of the head. Steel a over head belly to belly and it really looked impactful. Steel with a good looking spine buster. Juan with a moonsault off the second rope get two. Steel climbs to the top rope but Williams trips him. Juan with a DDT off the top rope for the win. Post match Steel got p tossed Juan to the outside and gave Williams a spanking. Decent match I wouldn't mind seeing either guy again in FIP.

No DQ No Count out  CM Punk vs Dan Maff- Punk reminded us he was getting his rematch with Homicide tomorrow night before the match. Maff was a guy out of Homicide's Dog House training who had worked for JAPW and ROH. The guys career was derailed when he and Homicide had a falling out over an issue with a young me member of Cide's family. Maff said he was going to kick Punk's ass. Nultey talked about the violent history the two had during there ROH feud. Punk bails out right at the start. Now most matches with these stipulations are just weapon massive this was more of a brawl. Punk offers his hand and uses his strength ti turn it into a giant swig like move. Instead of doing weapons the two guys would do "dirty" moves that would normally get a warning like going for the eyes or hold moves int he ropes. Maff had control un Azreial ran in and attacked Maff the announcers pointed out the NO DQ stipulation means this could happen. The referee tries to stop it but Punk takes him out. Prazak says that for Punk taking out Homicide's friend was more of a victory than a win. Punk goes to throw powder in Maff's eyes but Maff kicks the hand and it hits Punk. The "blinded" Punk takes out his own man Azrieal with a pile driver. Maff even fakes counts a pin fall and raises Punk's hand. A new referee comes out. Maff with the cannon ball into the corner. Punk takes over when he pulls the Ref in front of Maff and uses that as a chance to nail him. Fight spills to the floor and Punk hits Maff with a bowel filled with condoms. The fight spills outside the building. Maff puts Punk on the hood of a drunk and attack his groin with a traffic cone. Maff than slams Punk into the ring truck. Trashcan shot by Maff. Back in the ring Punk pleases for a time out and mercy. Flying headbutt by Maff misses. Maff with the ten punches in the corner but Punk low blows him and puts his feet on the ropes for the win. Pretty good match I give them credit for trying something different and not just making this a hardcore match with weapons 

FIP Heavyweight Championship Homicide (c) vs BJ Whitmer- Homicide with an early school boy gets two. Homicide takes Whitmer down with a shoulder tackle and than a series of arm drags. Homicide locks in a submission of some kind. Whitmer shoves off the ace crusher and hits the Exploder but his Wrist Clutch version that he uses as a finisher. See I always hated that I get using various suplexs ala Taz but when you finisher is very similar to one you need to vary it up. BJ with a surfboard. Superplex by BJ. Nultey points out this is the kind of match BJ likes he can hit a lot of high impact moves. Homicide with a tornado DDT. Homicide with an exploder fishermen's suplex for two. Whitmer with a big running knee snap suplex rolls through for a Northern light suplex. BJ sets up for the wrist clutch exploder but Homicide fights free.Whitmer with a  German into a dragon suplex rolls through again for a power bomb. Wrist cloth attempt again by BJ but Homicide fight out goes for the cop killer but BJ escapes. Ace crusher by Homicide gets a two. Pile driver followed by a STF for a submission win. Good counter wrestling match. My only issue is I feel Whitmer needed to be built into a title match. They tried to justify saying Homicide had open contracts out.  But still he needed a little build.

Post match Lenny Leonard gets in the ring to hand Homicide a microphone. The FIP champion calls out CM Punk to come start there match. Punk doesn't respond but Homicide says he will retire him tomorrow night. We close with Homicide returning to the back.

This show is ok but not excellent. It definitely suffers from two things being the first show after the tournament where still so many guys are just being worked out in terms of there spot and being night one of two. A lot of the stuff here is meant to set up for night two. Commentary was much better than the first two show because Prazak is just better at it than Gabe Sapolsky is. I even put Prazak over as at the start he was the normal guy you get in ROH but than moped into his heel manager persona after he got Rave and Vegas. I wouldn't seek out this show for any reason though it's not not that important.