The Wrestling Society Xperience - WSXtra Episode Two (2/6/07)
A Freakin' Classic episode.
WSXtra - Episode Two
Good day!
Fabian Kaelin and Lacey welcome us to another episode of WSXtra and recap Vampiro’s title win. They hope for an update on 6-Pac’s medical condition soon, and we’ll hear from Vampiro NEXT WEEK!
We go back to the introductory vignette for the Trailer Park Boyz. “White Trash” Johnny Webb takes issue with how his guys were portrayed. He doesn’t like that the cameras caught them after a few drinks and acting foolish, as that can cause rednecks to be portrayed in a negative light. White Trash hopes the match on WSXtra can repair their image.
Trailer Park Boyz (Josh “Jug” Raymond & Nate Webb) vs. D.I.F.H. (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black)
D.I.F.H. (Do It For Her) is an emo tag team, consisting of the soft, sensitive Jacobs and the angry, INTENSE Black. Both guys wrestled primarily in the Midwest United States at this point, and Jacobs was a fixture in Ring of Honor.
The 20-year-old Black, though, was more of an unknown entity, mostly working smaller promotions, notably IWA: Mid-South. He’d later show up in Ring of Honor to team with Jacobs, end up with the ROH World title, sign with WWE, and would evolve into the fashionably-challenged multi-time World champion, Seth “Freakin’” Rollins. Of all the guys who weren’t established before Wrestling Society X, Black would end up as the biggest success story. This was actually the first company that gave him national exposure.
The Trailer Park Boyz come to us from “Any Trailer Park They Damn Well Please”, while the emos come from “The Dark Side of a Broken Heart”. Incredible. The D.I.F.H. theme kinda slaps, too. Between Raymond’s tattoos and D.I.F.H.’s gear, there’s a lot of beveled stars in there.
Jacobs and Jug start us off, but Jacobs waves at the fans instead of grappling. A pissed-off Black tags in and clobbers the Boyz, but Raymond comes back with some sweet armdrags. Nate Webb flies in out of nowhere with a springboard clothesline for two, then hits a spinning kick on Black for another near-fall. The Boyz hit a series of double-teams in the corner, but Jacobs breaks up the pin. Seconds later, Raymond hits a somersault suicide dive onto Jacobs. Nate climbs up for a presumptive moonsault dive, but Black stops him and hits a Fosbury Flop onto all three Trailer Park Boyz!
Back in, Black pounds away at Raymond while Jacobs tells him to take it easy. There’s no place for violence in professional wrestling! Jimmy tags in and applies a camel clutch (and waves to the ladies). Black comes in for a dropkick onto the vulnerable Raymond, but Jacobs (and his nipple rings) protest!
Jacobs locks in a Cattle Mutilation, and Black hits a standing shooting star press onto the prone Raymond, prompting more disagreement from Jacobs. Black angrily tags in (looking for an “emotional explosion” per Kris Kloss on commentary), hitting Jug with a Pele kick for two. Jacobs tags in and Black tosses him into a spear on Raymond for two. Jug comes back with a rebound kick for two, then it’s HOT TAG NATE WEBB! He runs wild on the emos, hitting a twisting flatliner and SOYLENT GREEN (THE MOVE IS PEOPLE!), a gutwrench into a DDT, for three!
The Take: This is probably the best example so far of an actual good wrestling match. Because MTV had less of a hand in the editing, we got a fleshed-out match with an honest-to-God defined structure and everything! The Trailer Park Boyz had some great indie-riffic offense, especially Raymond. Black impressed with his offense and looked like a potential future star, and Jacobs’ character work was customarily excellent. These guys all worked in the American Midwest together, so there was definite chemistry.
The D.I.F.H. gimmick is great, but the only issue is that Kaos and Aaron Aguilera are also doing a similar “tag team that doesn’t fully get along because one partner is ridiculously aloof” storyline, but that’s a fault with the writing.
The Vibes: Very strong.
Matt Sydal vs. MATT CLASSIC
Colt Cabana is famously under the hood as Classic, a wonderfully anachronistic character. In a sea of explosions, electrocutions, and spotfests, Classic is a prototypical 1950’s style wrestler. Hell, Colt even has the physique for it. It’s a brilliant gimmick for this kind of product. Nowadays, he could be a decent heavy for someone like “Timeless” Toni Storm.
Interestingly enough, according to that Paste Magazine interview with Kevin Kleinrock, there were plans for Cabana to come in during the show’s second season as Matt Sydal’s fraternity brother. However, Colt asked Kleinrock to have him wrestle under a mask during this first season so he can get some of that sweet, sweet MTV payola. Turned out to be a wise decision because 1) the character became quite popular, and 2) the second season didn’t end up happening due to the show getting axed.
Classic warms up with some pelvic thrusts and Hindu squats, then takes Sydal down with some shoulderblocks. Sydal staggers Classic with an enzuigiri, but runs into a rear elbow. Sydal hits a spinning heel kick, but Classic comes back with the STOMACH CLAW!
Classic goes to toss Sydal off the ropes, but Sydal catches him with a headscissors and lands a slingshot corner dropkick. He goes for the cover, but Classic escapes with a TRAPEZIOUS CLAW! Sydal shockingly escapes and hits a victory roll for two. Classic shoves Lizzy Valentine into Sydal and clobbers him after the distraction. Back in, Classic hits a Polish Hammer and a release vertical suplex, but Sydal dodges another Polish Hammer and hits a poison rana! Shooting Star Press finishes for Sydal!
The Take: Classic is a great idea for a jobber gimmick. Have him do his old-timey offense before putting over one of the featured workers. Cabana had the comedy chops and knowledge of that style in order to pull it off, and it was a very fun match to put Sydal back on the winning track. He was a pretty effective base for Sydal’s high-flying, and Sydal did his part in bumping for Classic’s offense.
The Vibes: Also very strong.
We recap the aftermath of Luke Hawx vs. Human Tornado, and all the madness that ensued with Hawx, Alkatrazz, Kaos, and Aaron Aguilera. We catch up with Kaos chewing out Aguilera backstage for not having his back, focusing only on the mamacitas and cervezas. Aguilera offers a peace cerveza, but Kaos impolitely declines.
Aguilera pitches a match between the two teams for next week. A T.L.C. match: Tables, Ladders, and CERVEZAS! Kaos seems to be into it.
After Kaelin and Lacey wrap things up, we get a bizarre backstage interaction between Three 6 Mafia and the Trailer Park Boyz.
That was actually a great little webisode this week, with a couple of really fun matches, notable debuts, amusing gimmicks, and storyline advancement for next week’s television episode.
NEXT TIME: Tables, Ladders, and CERVEZAS! Plus, The Filth & The Fury make their debut against the Trailer Park Boyz, we’ll hear from Vampiro, and musical guest SPARTA shows up in the Bunker!