It’s been a busy weekend of shows – we’re doing to dip into AIW’s first show back as the promotion made their first appearance in Indiana in over a decade.
This match was part of AIW’s first show in over six months, coming as part of a joint effort with GCW at the Celebration Plaza Amphitheatre in Indianapolis…
Quick Result
Dominic Garrini submitted Calvin Tankman in 7:45 (***½)
Calvin Tankman vs. Dominic Garrini
This match could happen under the MLW banner when they restart, since both men are supposedly contracted there. Tankman was the hometown hero here, although Garrini got a bit of a chuckle from some for his Kazushi Sakuraba-inspired mask.
We get going with the pair of them going nose-to-nose, trading elbows at the bell. Tankman upgrades those to elbows, while Garrino changes it up to uppercuts as the pair were looking to hit hard from the off. Garrini switches it up by kicking at Tankman’s legs, before he was caught with a big dropkick after evading a tiltawhirl. Tankman squishes him in the corner before a swinging backbreaker sent Garrini to the apron. He’s back in as he caught Tankman with knees before he sat him up for some kicks to the chest.
Tankman invited more of those kicks as he got to his feet, switching it back up to chops and elbows as the pair lit each other up. Garrini catches a chop and returns back with some Kawada kicks, only for Tankman to catch him out with some misdirection ahead of a POUNCE. Period. A Hidden Blade-like elbow to the back of the head gets a near-fall, before Garrini went for a rear naked choke that turned into a RINGKAMPF German suplex.
A diving forearm has Tankman down, but Garrini can’t turn him over quickly, and only gets a two count from it. Tankman gets back up and unloads with another series of shots, setting up for a powerbomb… but Garrini switches out into a guillotine, only for Tankman to counter out as he powered it up into a powerbomb for a near-fall.
Garrini tries to make another comeback with elbows, but Tankman just hoists him up for a sit-out tombstone… which almost ends it! Tankman called for another move, but Garrini kicks his way free, before some knees wore him down ahead of a brainbuster… floating into a triangle armbar for the eventual submission. A little short at under eight minutes, but this was a delightful little scrap – one that showcased both men effectively. ***½