We’re plucking another match from IWTV, and a non-death match bout from ICW’s first show back.
As the world tentatively opens up again amid the coronavirus pandemic, indy wrestling has been trying out some different ways of putting on shows. Some are just carrying on as normal, with maybe a splash of antibacterial gel… others though, are taking it outside. One such company is ICW No Holds Barred (a delightful throwback to one of the earlier names for MMA).
Their first show back in the pandemic was a drive-in – with fans invited to view from the comfort of their cars, or through socially-distant standing and seating. We’ll not be recapping the whole show, since death matches aren’t really my kind of thing… but there is one match that absolutely leaps off the page.
Quick Result
Dominic Garrini pinned Tony Deppen in 12:40 (***½)
This one comes from Atlantic City, New Jersey – and is available on iwtv.live…
Tony Deppen vs. Dominic Garrini
ICW’s ring has no ropes – it’s chains instead – while two of the corners have platforms on the ring post. A very different setting than these guys are used to, you’d think…
The pair circle each other to start as Deppen finished off clearing the ring… then began to kick Garrini in the quad. A response from Garrini took Deppen down, before a knuckle lock led to the pair heading to the mat, where Garrini got the mount. He tries to switch into a cross armbar, but Deppen tried to block the hold as he elbowed his way free. Back to their feet, Deppen throws licks and knees to Deppen’s midsection, before a waistlock attempt from Deppen was easily broken up with more shots to the guy. Deppen responds with a double-leg takedown as he fought back with some ground and pound of his own, before the pair teed off on each other with elbow strikes.
Deppen tries to build momentum, but a double sledge from Garrini stops that as he went for a Gotch piledriver, only for Deppen to slip out and crack Garrini with a leaping knee strike. Mid kicks from Deppen follow, but Garrini catches one and sweeps the leg before his search for a half crab was kicked away. Deppen follows up with some elbows from above on Garrini, before he went up top onto a platform… and missed with a senton bomb. Garrini capitalises with a rear naked choke, but Deppen backs into the chains to force the break. Another running knee’s countered as Garrini hauls up Deppen for a German suplex, which leaves Deppen in a heap on the mat.
Garrini tries to fly in with a forearm from above, but Deppen countered with a guillotine on the mat, only for Garrini to escape with a suplex attempt. Deppen slips free and takes down Garrini for a knee bar, which Garrini clubbed his way free from before he met Deppen with a series of PK-like kicks. Deppen ducks one and rolls through Garrini for a right hand, before another knee strike left Garrini in the corner. As Garrini composed himself, Deppen goes outside for a door with his name on it, which he throws into the ring… landing it on Garrini’s knees in the process. Heading back up to the platform, Deppen lands a double stomp onto Garrini for a near-fall, before the search for the door led to Deppen dumping Garrini through it with a death valley driver.
Garrini kicks out at two from that, as Deppen ends up throwing the remnants of the door at Garrini. Dom repays the favour by sending Deppen into the chains with multiple door strikes, before a barrage of palm strikes forced Deppen to try for more knees. One of those gets countered as Garrini grabs a rear naked choke, before he dropped down and kicked out Deppen’s knees to go for the choke again, only for Deppen to roll back as he hits a quick double sotmp instead.
Deppen looks to charge back again, but he just gets caught with a sleeper… which Garrini turned into a pair of spiking sleeper suplexes before he put him to bed with a Gotch piledriver. This one took a little while to get going but once they found their groove, things got delightfully violent without resorting to too much plunder. ***½