IWA Mid-South Ted Petty Invitational 2004 - Night #2 - Highland, IN - 09/18/04
by Scott Christ

Mo Independence. Wind Superstar.

We raced a girl in a Diamante until we had to get off of 94. We ALSO went in a Jeep Grand Cherokee tonight because (1) we're total douches and (2) the other car might blow up anytime now. GITERDUN.

The ride in was real easy today after the difficulty of figuring out the insanely ridiculous detours yesterday and the time before. First time was horrible, second time just confusing, today easy. Third time's a charm. Apparently detours from the other way are no better.

Oh, and since one person wondered if I did, indeed, have the chicken fingers basket at the Steer on night #1 - yes, I did. (Although I already TOLD him.)

Let's giterdun.

CJ MCMANUS v. THUNDERBOLT v. BILLY MCNEIL

McNeil has a SAVE FERRIS tattoo on his stomach and acts all WACKY. McManus comes to the ring in a tuxedo t-shirt (wrestles in it, too) carrying a James Brown singing/dancing statue bobblehead doll thing and, get this, acts all WACKY. Thunderbolt is a big untalented guy. No offense to these guys but this was not the show for them. I'm all about giving dudes a chance but this show was going to be damn long to begin with. The James Brown doll did help to lighten the mood immediately. Match was pretty pedestrian, can't remember if it was really BAD or not, but I wasn't expecting it to be any good, so it wasn't like I was disappointed. Thunderbolt looked a good 6'4" while the other two were little guys - WHO ACT ALL WACKY! McManus ended up winning by stealing McNeil's pin on Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt got his revenge afterward. No one cared.

IWA MID-SOUTH LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
SALVATORE RINAURO v. JIMMY JACOBS (champion)

These two met in the first round of the TPI last year and Jacobs won. Sal again impresses me more than any of the other Wildside guys from this weekend and I think I remember this match being okay, and I know I remember it being enjoyable to watch. This would've served as a fine opener. They got the crowd moving after everyone spent the first match going, "Who the fuck are these guys?" Rinauro controlled most of the match. Honestly, that guy can wrestle a good fast-paced, cruiser-style match, they should bring him in as a regular addition to the division. Jacobs was all beaten up from the ladder match the night before and Rinauro took advantage of it, working his back mostly. He went for the pumphandle Michinoku Driver, and got it once I think, but Jacobs kicked out. Jacobs makes the comeback and wins with two cannonball sentons off the top rope to retain. I really don't remember a ton about this, it happened about 10 hours ago.

NON-SANCTIONED, ANYTHING GOES MATCH
STEVE STONE (w/Jim Fannin) v. IAN ROTTEN

Expected a good fight. Didn't get it. But that's only because they didn't actually do the match. A short brawling segment on the floor, and Fannin hits Ian from behind. Ian, of course, gives chase. Fannin runs through a door on the side into a hallway. They come back. All of a sudden, Chris Candido is beating up Ian Rotten. Hey Candido, wash those boots, bro. Candido looks old and a little bloated and real, real, real orange, but I was a big ass Candido fan from his ECW days and, retroactively, his Smoky Mountain days, so all in all it's nice to see him. Stone and Candido deliver a big two-on-one beatdown and just destroy Ian's shoulder, which was injured a couple nights ago by Arik Cannon and his cronies. Candido hits three flying headbutts to the bad shoulder (all looked good, and he was moving well for whatever that's worth) and gets a "Fuck you Skip" chant. Fannin shit-talks on the mic for a while until Ian's wife, Patti, comes in with a chair. Fannin backs away and calls the dogs off, but Patti is but a woman with a chair and the dogs are called back on until she goes to the back and returns with the 600-pound Iceberg. How odd that Ian had no friends to come and help him. Later in the night (since I don't remember when it happened), Ian did a Foley-esque promo in the ring about Candido, and even let out some shoot comments about Tammy fucking everyone and Shawn Michaels calling and wanting him to ask Candido what his dick tasted like. Just a foul message. Stone & Candido are Fannin's Dream Team, so Ian got a partner for himself - "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. Rotten & Rhodes v. Candido & Stone on 10/23 at the 8th Anniversary Show. Uh...neat? I guess, dog. Bionic elbow. Pay windah. It's a personal dream of Ian's so I'm glad he's going to do it.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL QUARTERFINALS
RAINMAN v. DANNY DANIELS

Crowd doesn't really get into this match. This could be because we had THREE MATCHES before the tournament got underway. I can't say as though I remember a single thing about this match. I was a little prepared for the Rainman upset, though, so when I got it it didn't surprise me too much. Also cool of them to put Rainman over the defending TPI champ because they appear to be ready to make him a regular. I do remember Daniels hitting a couple nasty head-dropping suplexes toward the end, but Rainman got a flash pin. Daniels was shocked and it did seem to surprise most people quite a bit. Pretty good stuff but I'm a bigger Daniels fan than most. Danny receives a nice ovation and acknowledges us for once.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL QUARTERFINALS
NIGEL MCGUINNESS v. SAMOA JOE

I wasn't really sure what to expect here. Nigel isn't a big hitter, but his style, kayfabe-wise, could be one that gives a guy like Joe fits. I also take to rooting big for Nigel as I do for anyone Joe wrestles. And again, Joe brings it. Nigel brings it too, and this is the best singles I've seen him in. Joe does all the striking and big hits and asskicking and punking-out you've come to know and love, but Nigel hangs in there, early by trying to ground Joe and later by attempting, with all he has in him, to stand with Joe. Obviously this was a mistake and Joe picks up the win to advance. Good stuff here. I freaking love Samoa Joe lately after always finding him to be hit-and-miss. He's a real pleasure to watch wrestle.

CHIKARA SPECIAL ATTRACTION
HALLOWICKED, JIGSAW & LARRY SWEENEY v. ICARUS, GRAN AKUMA & TRIK DAVIS

Know what else would've made a fine opener? This match. Standard touring Chikara six-man, lots of flying, lots of neat matwork, and Trik Davis isn't even out of place with these guys and does a nice job in this match, including a really awesome rana from the top rope to the floor on Jigsaw. Larry Sweeney is some kind of totally freaking awesome. I saw him hocking t-shirts at intermission and honest to God without his ring-gear he just looked like some dude hanging out in a Chikara shirt. Can't remember much specific here except it had a funny start when Sweeney noted the match was going old school - SHIRTS v. SKINS. The faces were skins. Davis ate the pin, I think from Hallowicked. Nice stuff but felt unnecessary in the middle of the quarterfinal matches. Would've been better placed first or as a buffer later.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL QUARTERFINALS
MATT SYDAL v. AJ STYLES

Just like their 4/10 match and (reportedly) their match from a couple nights ago in Evansville, this was outstanding. Sydal and Styles have a great chemistry and when you see them together, it's easier to note the "Sydal as young Styles" idea. Really awesome matwork at the start which was like their 4/10 match, as they appear to actually be struggling for position and trying to not let the other take advantage, rather than hold-to-hold stuff. Styles ends up just drilling him with some forearms and Sydal takes to the air to attempt to get the advantage back, with a great dive to the floor. Sydal has the crowd behind him big here as I think most of us sensed this was finally the night that Matt Sydal would get the duke on AJ Styles. Styles is such a different wrestler on the indies than he is in TNA. I can't say enough about that, because people that never watched TNA or indies before TNA got onto Fox Sports tended to be disappointed in everyone saying how great he is. All I can say is find his best indy work, from ROH and this weekend, in particular, and if you don't get it then, I don't know what to tell you. Sydal looks great here and really seems to be putting it all together the last few shows. First really strong match of the night and kind of got the ball rolling downhill for the rest of the evening. Sydal misses the shooting star and Styles ends up hitting him with a brutal Styles Clash from the second rope for the win, making him 3-0 against Sydal now. Sydal was a little shaken up after the finish, he squished his face pretty good. He puked a little. Oh well, happens to the best of us.

Intermission was here. I go get some air. Some lovely, smoke-filled air, then return and someone says hi to me. I'm like, "What?" And then oh, it's Cubs. What a nice surprise. He said he got in about an hour late and wanted to know if he'd missed anything before Candido. I think maybe this show was divinely booked as Cubs' lucky night since, no, he didn't.

SIX-WOMAN ELIMINATION NON-TITLE MATCH
RAIN v. MICKIE KNUCKLES v. MSCHIF v. DAIZEE HAZE v. LACEY v. MERCEDES MARTINEZ (Women's Champion)

Yo. Yo. Seriously. No more non-tournament. NO MAS. Mickie has switched from Xtina's "Fighter" to Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman". That's kind of a real poseur-y, bunk ass song, but I dig the message. Rain was out first, and hairy chested/backed man (complete with back zit judo chop action!) extends his hand to her. She, quite legitimately surprised, looks at him and goes, "YOU NEED A SHAVE! HOLY *SHIT*!" Mercedes wants to start with Lacey, but backs herself into Rain's corner and Rain tags herself in to wrestle Lacey. This pleases both of them as they are friends. They wrestle a bit and do some nice stuff, Rain looks good tonight (physically and...physically?) and Lacey is wonderful as always. Eventually we get all the slapping/biting/punching tags in and out. Rain goes out first on a big super brainbuster from Mercedes which shakes Rain up pretty bad. Daizee's out second, if I remember right. Third fall is on Lacey, who looks to tweak her knee in the process. Crowd kind of starts turning on the match a bit, but that goes away pretty quickly. Mickie gets eliminated. Down to MsChif and Mercedes, and MsChif scores the win, which is good booking because she's maybe their most over woman and doesn't win as much as she probably should. Pretty decent stuff but we all just wanted to see the tournament.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL QUARTERFINALS
IWA MID-SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
ARIK CANNON v. PETEY WILLIAMS (champion)

Petey is repping the Team Canada jacket tonight. Pretty good match, I'm not the biggest Petey fan but he really showed up with his A-game for the tournament, so big props for that. His title reign has stunk, it just wasn't focused enough even though his matches are largely at least okay and he's really over. Williams ends up holding his own with Cannon, but Cannon is coming off as the superior wrestler. The great thing they've done with Cannon is a subtle build through the series of Highland matches, where the first win over Hero on 6/19 was a real shocker, but ever since then, he's progressively controlled more of the matches and just come off as being the better man that night than continual flukiness. Amazingly, clean wins get people over. Amazingly, clean wins and clean matches with decisive, clean finishes keep fans interested. I mean, who'da thunk it? Just who'da? Hootie hoo. Petey goes for the Canadian Destroyer, Cannon backdrops him, and Petey lands funny and rolls to the outside as Bryce holds Cannon back. Cannon tells him to put the count on, so Bryce does. Cannon turns his back and gives us all a thrill as we count along with him as Petey has been playing possum. Williams convinces Bryce to continue his count and be real quiet - schoolboy gets a two-count, but shortly after Cannon nails the glimmering warlock, and just like that, Arik Cannon is the NEW IWA Mid-South champion. Quite a three months for Arik Cannon.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL QUARTERFINALS
MIKE QUACKENBUSH v. NATE WEBB

Quackenbush got a great reaction from the crowd all weekend, really treated with appreciation and respect. He also seems like just about the most humble guy in the world. Nate brings the fun and they're glad to be wrestling each other so they shake hands. Nice match with Quackenbush stretching Webb all over the place and Webb looking for flurries of offense, but Quackenbush is just a step ahead a little better every time. Quackenbush really has some bomb ass submissions and is probably the most underrated guy out there, he can go with anyone. Can't remember much about the match, but I was into it. Finish came when Nate tapped to an octopus that ripped part of his clothing. Webb was really upset he didn't win, but they hugged and both got a good ovation.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL QUARTERFINALS
BRYAN DANIELSON v. CM PUNK

Really wanted this to be better than their (very good, mind you) 4/23 ROH match from St. Paul. It was. Punk is awesome here coming out, hitting the turnbuckle, and pointing to Danielson: "YOU! FUCKIN' BREAK YOU IN HALF!" Punk also jaws with a little kid at one point: "I hope your parents die." He also said it, somehow, in the nicest way possible. Punk wins that battle. Really good match, really good story, really good everything except I wish Punk had sold the knee damage from the night before. But I'll be honest with you - didn't ruin my night. Didn't ruin my five minutes really. I mean, oh well. What can you do, have a good match and I won't care. They did and I really don't. Danielson is truly like the freaking Mozart of pro wrestling. Or, like, Einstein, or Ty Cobb or something. This match's airplane spin occurs...OUTSIDE THE RING. Outside the ring, I said. There's this real old guy that goes to all the Highland shows, walks with a cane. Real small old guy. Really nice guy that seems to truly enjoy the wrestling. Every time they get on the floor near him, it's worrisome because what if he gets hit with an errant boot or something? The airplane spin gets a little reckless and I step in with a couple other people to block him off. I'd just much rather have Punk's spinning boot hit ME in the face than HIM is all. I'm pretty sure I'd be okay. What is the etiquette there, exactly? Do you go, "No, no, I'm cool"? Because then that makes a ref look like a douche if he has to take a ref bump later which is essentially the same deal most of the time. Or do you sell, and run the risk of them freaking out over nothing? Does it make you a total retard to "sell" when you're just a fan? It's all a very confusing thing and I've probably thought about it 100 times. Just what if, you know? What if. Anyway, as I'm helping guard old guy and feeling very good about myself as a human being in the process, Punk's free hand nails me right in the nuts. That'll teach me, I suppose. It's a cruel world and even when you're trying to do something really humanitarian-like, someone's gonna smack you in the nuts. Wasn't a good direct hit, thank God, but enough to notice. I didn't sell, for what it's worth. The airplane spin ends up going all the way around the ring, which is remarkable. How on earth do you make an airplane spin interesting in every match? They both pass out on the floor from the dizziness, and barely make it back in at 19 (IWA has a 20-count on the floor), which is a real nice false finish as at 17, they aren't moving much and you're going, "Oh shit, they're going to count both these guys out - NO. NO!" They don't, though. Finish comes when Punk finally taps out to the cattle mutilation. Damn good match and Punk gets a great ovation in the loss. Punk BROUGHT IT this weekend, too.

Short intermission, I discuss with Cubs the man with the zit on his back and Punk hitting me in the groin.

IWA MID-SOUTH TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
THE WILDCARDS v. TANK & ICEBERG v. BRAD BRADLEY & RYAN BOZ (champions)

Tank and Iceberg - fucking huge. Tank's a good four hundred and Iceberg is about 600. I was quite worried about the ring with them in it. Bradley and Boz are real big guys but the staredowns they have with Tank and Iceberg here are classic because it's not usual anyone stands with them and gets ready to throw down, and might WIN THE FIGHT. Wildcards do a great job as the chickenshits who want nothing to do with any of them, and the other four seem to just want at each other. Exactly what I was expecting, and of course the sneakiness factor just had to come into play eventually. Really scary spot when Eddie Kingston goes to moonsault to the floor, and just does a straight dive down onto his forehead. Sickening thud. I thought he was fucking dead. This weekend had more really scary near-death injuries than in all the shows I've been to combined before these. Here's the thing about this match: it's goddamn good and a lot of fun. Bradley and Boz don't back down from Tank and Iceberg, but they also can't just beat the shit out of them like they're used to. And you know what? Tank and Iceberg can go. They can giterdun. Kingston eventually throws powder in Bradley's face, but it doesn't get the win. Boz, Bradley and Iceberg end up fighting outside, and the Wildcards take advantage and double-team Tank, leading to the Marciano pinfall for the victory and the belts, just as I'd predicted and wanted. And the Wildcards now will teach us ALL how to stunt. And Eddie Kingston is a tough son of a bitch getting up from that with that lump on his head, and finishing the match. Really shockingly good stuff, Tank and Iceberg get a standing O and please come back chants.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL SEMIFINALS
RAINMAN v. SAMOA JOE

Okay, it's about...midnight central time, 1am my time. We've got three semifinal matches, a scramble and the three-way finals left to go. This match is brilliant booking. Just absolutely genius. Introducing first from the Dark City, Rainman! And his opponent - oh, nevermind, Rainman is JUMPING IN SAMOA JOE'S GRILL and forearming the fuck out of him. Rainman hits some wicked running boots to the face and floors Joe, getting a near-fall. Right now, Rainman is my favorite wrestler in the world for about thirty seconds. Then, Joe gets pissed off. WHAM BAM - LARIAT MOTHERFUCKER! 1, 2, 3 and we'll see you later in about a minute. This is about the best use of a one-minute match possible. Rainman shows big balls and a desperation to win that comes from those that know they don't stand a chance, and it plays into the crowd assuming he has no chance. Some people didn't like it, but whatever. I thought it was really, really smart and a nice way to shave some time off the rest of the card.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL SEMIFINALS
ARIK CANNON (IWA Mid-South Champion) v. AJ STYLES

This is non-title. I know that right away because only Petey agreed to defend the belt, not Cannon. Really good stuff and again, I just can't say enough about AJ Styles during these two nights. Out of this world great wrestling from him. If it's possible to bring MORE than your A-game, like if you can really bring your A+ game, he did so. Cannon looks good and I'm sitting there thinking this is going to be another big name notch in Cannon's belt, and that's why Styles is booked into this spot more than anything, and the reason he beat Sydal in the last round more than anything too. We've got Hero, Danielson, Homicide, Super Dragon and Petey, and now we'll get to add former NWA champion AJ Styles to that list. Strong back-and-forth wrestling, Cannon would throw some nice forearms and Styles would get mad and rock him. I don't recall a lot of the match because the finish shocked me and sort of erased it all from my memory, as AJ Styles hit Cannon with a big lariat and scored the pinfall. Styles took the belt, but Cannon grabbed it back and said he wasn't defending. It's true! Cannon v. Styles for the IWA title was booked for the 10/23 anniversary show. Good match, great booking.

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL SEMIFINALS
MIKE QUACKENBUSH v. BRYAN DANIELSON

Absolutely loved this match. I mean, just loved it. To me, Danielson the person seemed to be exhibiting a real sense of respect, as the match shows Quackenbush as the better wrestler of the two for much of it, and that's real rare for a Danielson match. Danielson the character shows arrogance and no respect for Quackenbush, and as such gets outwrestled and outmaneuvered at several points. For once, it's not Danielson outwrestling and frustrating his opponent into cheating and being a prick, it's Danielson being outwrestled and frustrated, with his opponent forcing HIM down to that level. Really neat stuff and a goddamn great match, probably my favorite of the weekend. Quackenbush and Danielson trade tough-looking submissions and Danielson rocks Quack with some strikes. In his first two matches in the tournament, Quackenbush outfoxed Hero with a faster-paced style as the match progressed, and then just outwrestled Webb in the second round and went to the submissions, which Webb had no counter for. Here, Quackenbush is managing to outwrestle the great Danielson, and it seems almost movie-like, as the old pro pulls out tricks even the big hotshot with all his fancy technology isn't aware of. Danielson dares Quackenbush to try to escape a hold, Quackenbush does. Danielson makes the same mistake three times and gets caught in a toehold, getting to the point where he actually tells Quack to stop it. Quackenbush even gets Danielson's cattle mutilation locked on Danielson. But it's with the strikes, which is where Quackenbush is weakest, that Danielson gains control of the match. Quackenbush can't trade with Danielson, and Danielson then goes to the high-impact offense, another area where Quackenbush can't hang with Danielson. Keep it on the mat, and Quackenbush might have won this match. Pick it up and start throwing the bombs, and Danielson is going to simply overwhelm him. That is what should be expected of a match between the two judging by their past work, and that's what they gave us. Just a really great, logical match. Anyone that was looking forward to this one should be thrilled with the end result. Danielson picks up the duke with a dragon suplex -> cattle mutilation -> backslide pin. Quackenbush gets a more-than-deserved, extended standing ovation and please come back chants before quieting us down. He speaks with no mic, and says he's been in many tournaments over the years, and he was just very happy to have entertained us for two nights. What a serious class act. Quackenbush is a freaking role model. He got "thank you" chants after that, and deserved those too. Great match, great tournament for Quack.

SCRAMBLE MATCH
JIMMY RAVE v. TODD SEXTON v. BJ WHITMER (w/Jim Fannin) v. ALEX SHELLEY v. AUSTIN ARIES v. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI v. CHRIS SABIN

Quickfire eliminations for most of it, a basic scramble match and fun but not interesting, really, and at this point in the night I'm done with wanting fun and just want to see the finals and get out of there. This did its job though, by keeping the crowd up and awake. Sexton is out first, followed by (I think) Sabin, Aries, Castagnoli and Shelley, leaving BJ Whitmer v. Jimmy Rave, the match no one wants to see. Right away, though, Rave SMASHES Whitmer's face with a shining wizard and BJ's busted open hardway. Rave is caught off-guard but, lo and behold, makes the best of it and goes in for the kill. This ends up really being the best possible Rave v. Whitmer match and turns out to be worth the time after all, so good on that, though I awish BJ hadn't had his head kicked in inadvertantly. But what they pulled out of that was some real good stuff. Whitmer gets the win with the exploder, then afterward there's a big, drawn-out, near-catastrophe with a fan in our row and BJ, then Fannin. Steve Stone and Candido try to get Whitmer and Fannin to let it go. Ian comes in to diffuse it, words stuff a little wrong maybe, gets challenged by another fan on what he's saying, nearly gets in a fight of his own with that guy, and then AJ Styles comes out and tells Ian to let it go and let's get this thing goin'. Thank God for AJ Styles and the security guys that got between Fannin (who came off poorly here as an instigator) and the fan, who really didn't do anything and I think just caught BJ and Jim at the wrong time, as BJ was pissed off about his head bleeding and Fannin's temper has been hot for two nights anyway. All in all, nothing major happened, thankfully, and we were all able to move on. The best part, though, was the guy's friend coming back from the concession stand and going, "I LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR FIVE FUCKIN' MINUTES..."

TED PETTY INVITATIONAL FINALS
BRYAN DANIELSON v. SAMOA JOE v. AJ STYLES

Excellent finals. Worked with fire, passion, determination and the will to win from all three of these guys, and all of them proved this weekend that they're among the best in the game, no doubt about it. The CW.com crew was behind us, and shouted for people to stand up right when the match was about to start, and we did our best to join the cause. It worked, and nobody sat for the entire match, giving it an even more electric atmosphere then it was going to have anyway. Really a special match to see live as all three guys, tired as hell, bust their ass and leave it all in the ring. The match goes to the floor early right in front of us, with big dives, and Joe sets up the ole kick on Styles, and gets it. Danielson gets pissed, grabs Joe, and ole dropkicks him. Styles gets pissed, grabs Danielson, and ole forearms the shit out of him, breaking the chair he uses in the process. Don't really recall specifics other than this match, and this entire weekend, needs to be seen by you and your kin. Lots of good false finishes back in the ring, our section's chair structure is destroyed and we don't bother putting it back in order, instead inching as close to the ring as we can be to soak it all in as much as possible. The match just builds and builds and builds, nobody taking a real distinct advantage, until Joe swoops in on a prone Danielson and taps him, leaving Joe v. Styles as your final two. Styles and Joe fight over finishes, reminiscent of the Punk/Aries match from the night before, as they're to that point of desperation where the one big move is going to be it either way. Styles goes for the Styles Clash on Joe, but is so worn out he can't quite get him up. Joe tries a top-rope muscle buster designed to be a counter into a Styles Clash to help give AJ more leverage, but again he can't get it. While it is easily understandable if this hurts the match, all it did in some sense is make it seem like Joe was beaten, but AJ couldn't hit the one move he knew was going to put it away. After a little more brawling to transition into the finish, Styles musters every single ounce of energy and strength he has left to get the 6'3", 270-pound Joe up into the Styles Clash, and hits it - 1, 2, 3, and AJ Styles wins the 2004 Ted Petty Invitational. A remarkable conclusion to a fantastic tournament. All the guys from the tournament (minus the absent Chris Hero) get into the ring to congratulate Styles, Joe and Danielson, who watched the remainder of the match from a front row seat in exhaustion after he was eliminated. After the finish, we get to make our way right up to ringside and pound on the apron to make some noise and hopefully attempt to show our appreciation as much as we want to.

Suddenly, the only two people in the ring are AJ Styles and Petey Williams. I see it coming a mile away - CANADIAN DESTROYER. Joe wants to go after Petey but Nate Webb holds him back for some reason. Williams heads out and I say, "FUCK YOU PETEY!" I think he said it back. He did not challenge me to a duel.

Ian gets on the mic and says if there's one person Ted Petty could look down on and smile at in the business, it's AJ Styles, and that he's truly phenomenal. I think part of this was Ian thanking AJ for diffusing the situation from earlier after everyone else's tempers had run too hot, and he was the voice of reason, which was the sort of thing Ian described about Ted Petty the night before. AJ takes the mic and addresses Petey, but he was so tired I couldn't quite make out what he said there. He thanked Jimmy Rave, Matt Sydal, not Arik Cannon, Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, IWA and us, the fans. We thanked him.

And as a fan, I thank Ian Rotten and IWA Mid-South for this weekend of wrestling, which was truly excellent.

I recommend most of these shows, but if you don't get the TPI, you're just silly, and there's something wrong with you. Highest recommendation possible.

(Yes I had the chicken fingers)

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