Interview

If I heard Jacobs correctly, this was filmed the day of his no rope barbed wire match with BJ Whitmer in IWA-Mid South (April 12, 2008). Jacobs discusses how he was drawn to colorful characters such as Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, and Bret Hart as a kid and how his brother was his gateway into wrestling. He and his brother both trained together, and his in-ring debut came thanks to somebody else on the card no-showing. He started off as “Jumpin’” Jimmy Jacobs with a pogo stick. Jacobs tells a couple funny stories from his early days before talking about breaking into IWA-MS. I also did not realize Jacobs was part of the same Dave Taylor camp that Chris Hero often talks about going to with CM Punk back in the day. He goes into the barbarian gimmick and his relationship with Alex Shelley, as it is Jacobs’ matches with Shelley that are given credit for helping him to break out. Shelley also helped get him to CZW, although Jacobs admits his sole reason for wanting to go to CZW was to visit Becky Bayless. He then goes into debuting for ROH in 2003, which was fortuitous as Gabe had just seen him and Shelley wrestle on tape. Jacobs is very complimentary towards Delirious as an opponent, although he is critical that their feud in IWA-MS llacked a more personal element that he felt would have made it more meaningful. He also does not think his IWA-MS championship run was very noteworthy. This led to Jacobs debuting for AAW and throwing the IWA-MS championship in a garbage can, which he was hesitant to do even though Ian had previously canceled a bunch of dates on him. Jacobs and Rotten reconciled quickly, but it didn’t end his general gripes against IWA-MS. Back to ROH, Jacobs tells the story of how the “Ballad of Lacey” video saved his ROH career and finally gave him something to sink his teeth into. After saying what he believes is the best attribute of a wrestler (making money) and talking about who he wants to wrestle, the interview ends with name association. When you take into consideration how dated this interview is, and that Jacobs’ answers are not very in-depth at all, this was a miss. I like listening to Jacobs, but this is probably one of the weaker interviews I’ve heard from him. Fortunately, this was the time when the interviews in the Best on the Indies series were secondary to the matches, and this set is loaded with them.

Matches

2 out of 3 Falls
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Alex Shelley
IWA Mid-South “Quote The Raven” – Clarksville, IN – 3.28.2003

This is a threematch, with Jacobs having pinned Shelley with a super senton at “Ultra Styles Clash Night 1” and Shelley defeating Jacobs with the Shellshock on the unnamed 3.21.2003 IWA-Mid South event. Shelley shoves Jacobs, baiting Jacobs into aggressively coming after him. Shelley traps Jacobs in the Mousetrap pin, briskly picking up the first fall at 0:39. Jacobs calms himself down on the floor. He and Shelley trade control back in the ring, with Jacobs taking down Shelley in a half crab. Shelley maneuvers Jacobs into a Fujiwara armbar. Shelley switches into a knee hold, then a sharpshooter stretch. He then puts Jacobs in the Cerebro Lock. They pick up the pace on their feet, with Jacobs bailing to the floor after giving Shelley an armdrag. Shelley gets Jacobs in a short-arm scissors when he comes back into the ring. When Jacobs escapes, Shelley takes him down with a Slingblade and a backbreaker before applying a Bow and Arrow stretch. Jacobs comes back with a neckbreaker across his own knee. Jacobs goes to the top turnbuckle, and Shelley knocks him to the floor with a single footed dropkick. He follows Jacobs to the floor with a springboard twisting press. In the ring, Shelley gives Jacobs a back suplex. When he attempts it again, Jacobs counters into the Contra Code to pick up the second fall with a pin at 12:17. Jacobs tries a quick jackknife pin but is unsuccessful. Shelley blocks his huracanrana and sends him face first into the top turnbuckle. After a German suplex and a press slam, Jacobs gives Shelley a brainbuster for two. Jacobs scores big with a running boot dodging one another. He goes for the super senton but Shelley gets his knees up. Shelley O’Connor rolls Jacobs for two, then drills him with the Shellshock to pick up the third and final fall at 15:53. The first two matches they had were pretty good, but this was a huge improvement over both of those, with much more fluid action, a tighter story, and a whole lot more personality. Truthfully, this was a match where Shelley’s star shined bright, but Jacobs did his part in assisting with the breakthrough. I’ve seen these guys wrestle countless times and even I feel like I saw some stuff I had never seen before. This was a really strong match that helped them both win over the crowd and still holds up all these years later. ***½

Ted Petty Invitational Quarterfinal Round Match
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Ian Rotten
IWA-Mid South “Ted Petty Invitational 2003, Night 2” – Salem, IN – 11.8.2003

Becky Bayless is in Jacobs’ corner. Rotten gives Jacobs a snapmare, hip toss, and slam. Jacobs gives them back to Rotten but is too weak for a slam, so he goes to Becky for consolation. Jacobs gets mad when Rotten escapes his headscissors and knocks him down with a running shoulder tackle. After trading holds and pins on the mat, Jacobs decides to start a headbutt war. Jacobs fires up from a forearm from Rotten, delivering a series of his own to Rotten before going back to headbutts. Rotten however powerbombs Jacobs out of the corner. Jacobs evades a corner dropkick from Rotten and lands a super back senton for two. Rotten ducks a clothesline and O’Connor rolls Jacobs for the pin at 7:30. This is probably my favorite Ian Rotten match I’ve seen. They kept it so simple, with Rotten out there trying to prove he can actually wrestle and is more than just a hardcore guy, and Jacobs wanting to outwrestle him so badly that he can’t control his frustrations when it didn’t work in his favor. It made it simple for Rotten to catch Jacobs off guard and eliminate him from the tournament. This surpassed my low expectations. ***

CZW Junior Heavyweight Championship
Sonjay Dutt vs. Jimmy Jacobs
CZW “Street Fight 2K4” – Philadelphia, PA – 1.17.2004

Dutt has been champion since 12.13.2003 and this is his second defense. Becky Bayless is in Jacobs’ corner. After exchanging leg holds on the mat, Dutt lands a standing moonsault onto the back of Jacobs’ legs. Armdrags are traded until they go Huss for sprinkler. What’s weird is a lot of you will understand what that means. Dutt takes down Jacobs with a leg lariat for two. He dropkicks Jacobs to the floor and follows with a tope con hilo. In the ring, Jacobs weaves under a clothesline and gives Dutt a neckbreaker onto his knee, punctuating it with a clothesline. After absorbing some shots, Dutt ducks a clothesline and drops Jacobs with a belly-to-back suplex. Jacobs drops Dutt with a reverse pedigree after blocking a Frankensteiner. He tries a superplex but Dutt flips out of it. He pulls down Jacobs who blocks the Indian Summer with a victory roll. Dutt blocks a sunset flip with a Jig N’ Tonic for two. Jacobs stops a dive from Dutt mid-air with a big boot. Jacobs super senton is blocked by Dutt’s knees. Jacobs tries the Contra Code. Dutt stops him with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Dutt hits a Phoenix Splash for the pin at 9:42. Jacobs felt like an outsider and thus the CZW faithful were strongly behind Dutt, who was also the more exciting of the two competitors and thus easier to get behind. The ending was very strong as well. Some horrific commentary aside this was a fun little bop (™ Brad Garoon). ***

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Roderick Strong
IWA-Mid South “April Bloodshowers 2004” – Ooltic, IN – 4.9.2004

Becky Bayless is in Jacobs’ corner. Jacobs tries to psych out Strong, but Jacobs gets a slap in his face for his trouble. Strong then chops Jacobs, who decides to poke Strong in the eyes and bring him down in a side headlock. Jacobs would keep bringing Strong down in a side headlock whenever Strong would escape. Jacobs stomps on Strong’s hand to get him “hussing.” Strong stops Jacobs’ nonsense with a gutbuster. Strong pops Jacobs in the air, and Jacobs dropkicks Strong in the chest. He takes down Strong with a diving lariat for two. Strong strings a backbreaker, gutbuster, and an exploder suplex together, sending Jacobs neck first into the mat. Strong repeatedly drives his knee into Jacobs’ back and kidneys. Jacobs is able to drive the back of Strong’s head into the canvas. Jacobs further continues the headhunting with a diving DDT. He goes for the Contra Code, which Strong counters into a backbreaker. Jacobs attempts multiple different pinning combos. He takes a big gut buster and the Sick Kick from Strong for two. Jacobs slips off of Strong’s shoulders and hits the Contra Code for the pin at 11:28. They told a simple, yet engaging story where Strong targeted Jacobs neck and back, and Jacobs targeted Strong’s neck and top of his head. They built the action and strung the crowd along, who went nuts for some of their bigger offenses. The victory felt like a big deal for Jacobs and proved that he was capable of toughing out some immense levels of pain (which would be taken to extremes down the line.) A nice gem of a match between two guys who would grow into Indie powerhourses. ***¼

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Claudio Castagnoli
IWA-Mid South “Winter Wars 2004” – Noblesville, IN – 12.17.2004

Jacobs freaks out Castagnoli to where he hits the floor twice. Castagnoli gains confidence by out-wrestling Jacobs, but is forced back to the floor to recoup when Jacobs nails him with a dropkick. When Castagnoli comes back in, Jacobs holds onto a courting hold no matter what offense Castagnoli attempts. Jacobs sends Castagnoli back to the floor with a headscissors and then suicide dives after him. In the ring, Castagnoli side steps a sunset flip, sending Jacobs crashing back first into the canvas. Castagnoli follows up with a backbreaker for two. Castagnoli attacks Jacobs back and chest. Jacobs rolls out of the way of three consecutive elbow drop attempts and comes off the middle rope with a flying forearm. After a super tomahawk chop Jacobs calls for the Contra Code, which Castagnoli counters with a backbreaker. A falling Ricola Bomb gets Castagnoli a two count. Castagnoli pummels Jacobs back and goes for another Ricola Bomb. Jacobs slides through Castagnoli’s legs and kicks him in the stomach, hitting the Contra Code for the pin at 12:42. The very small crowd made very little noise, to the point where commentary even made a joke about it. However, much like Claudio did with Shelley a few months earlier, he and Jacobs didn’t shirk their duties whatsoever and still put on a fun, interesting match that didn’t delve into tropes about their size difference. They built the Contra Code up just enough at the end for it to be believable and satisfying as the conclusion. The effort was most certainly there, but there is no denying the sparse, quiet crowd took away any additional ambiance. **¾

2 out of 3 Falls
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Brandon Thomaselli
IWA Mid-South “Rumble in Rensselaer” – Rensselaer, IN – 12.18.2004

After messing around with fans’ coats and sweatshirts, Jacobs goes after Thomaselli’s left arm. As Thomaselli fought back, Jacobs got more aggressive with his attack and began also targeting Thomaselli’s head. Jacobs would also go to the floor to break Thomaselli’s momentum. He smacked Thomaselli in the face, firing up Thomaselli who splashed Jacobs after laying Jacobs across a top turnbuckle. Jacobs drives Thomaselli into the canvas with a neckbreaker after avoiding a suplex. He gives Thomaselli another neckbreaker. Thomaselli takes Jacobs to the corner, but Jacobs catches him underneath the chin with a kick that almost knocks Thomaselli out cold. When Thomaselli kicks out, Jacobs hooks him for a reverse pedigree. Thomaselli counters by chicken winging Jacobs’ arms and rolling him onto his shoulders to score the first pinfall at 17:05. Jacobs keeps the intensity going, even getting in the face of the referee on occasion. He takes down Thomaselli with a suicide dive, and is frustrated when Thomaselli does not get counted out. He’s also frustrated when his lackadaisical cover on Thomaselli after a curb stomp does not get the pin. Thomaselli comes back with a kick off the ropes and a reverse DDT. Jacobs escapes the Air Raid Crash but fails to secure a schoolboy pin. Thomaselli superplexes Jacobs and Jacobs hooks Thomaselli’s leg upon landing, but Thomaselli still kicks out. Jacobs follows Thomaselli to the top turnbuckle, hoping for a super reverse Pedigree. Thomaselli tosses Jacobs down to the canvas. Jacobs evades a 450 splash and turns Thomaselli inside out with a lariat. He lands a super senton splash and Thomaselli kicks out. Thomaselli counters the Contra Code. After some re-positioning and with the help of the ropes, Thomaselli finally nails the Air Raid Crash which picks up the second and final fall for him at 27:20. This is definitely a match I feel like would’ve been better with a larger/noiser audience and context of their previous matches. Despite that, they told a really good self-contained story, where Jacobs’ desperation made the victory feel important, especially when Thomaselli did so in two straight falls. It went nearly thirty minutes but didn’t feel that long at all. This was a very strong match that may even be better for those who have knowledge of their previous history. ***½

IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship; Steel Cage Match
Delirious vs. Jimmy Jacobs
IWA Mid-South “Indiana State Title Tournament” – Valparaiso, IN – 2.4.2005

This is the fifth match between these two individuals, who have engaged in aggressive and in one case, bloody combat since August. Jacobs is undefeated in cage matches in IWA-MS. Jacobs scores big with a chop after dodging Delirious’ attacks. Jacobs also evades an attack which sends Delirious crashing into the cage wall. He throws Delirious into the cage a few more times after that. Jacobs pulls out his spike, but Delirious hits a top rope dropkick which sends Jacobs face first into the cage. Delirious uses the spike on Jacobs forehead busting him open. He then rakes Jacobs’ forehead across the cage wall, continuing to dig the spike into his flesh after the fact. Jacobs and Delirious fight up to the top turnbuckle. Jacobs knocks the spike out of Delirious’ hands and onto the floor outside the cage, then comes off the top turnbuckle with a diving clothesline. Jacobs dropkicks Delirious’ face into the cage for a two count. When he throws Delirious into the cage again, Delirious lands with his legs stuck on the bottom rope, so Jacobs double stomps him twice. After getting sent back first into the cage, Delirious fires up, sending Jacobs into the cage and hitting the Panic Attack for two. Delirious climbs to the top of the cage. Jacobs follows after him. They headbutt each other while straddling the cage, and both men fall to the floor! As escape is not a manner in which to win this cage match, they have to get back in the ring, but first Jacobs whips Delirious through several rows of chairs. Jacobs also tosses a table into the ring. Delirious however hip tosses Jacobs into the cage once they’re back inside. He drives Jacobs into the cage twice before dropping him down and kicking him in the ribs. Delirious sets up the table by one of the corners. Jacobs ends up moving the table out of the way but still ends up falling victim to a belly-to-back superplex. Delirious hits In Vitro Fertilization for two. Delirious stops a Contra Code attempt. Jacobs hits it on the second try but can’t get a pin. He places Delirious on the table. He goes for a senton off the cage, but Delirious moves off the table and Jacobs crashes through it! The crowd goes wild as Delirious gets to his feet. He hits Shadows Over Hell off the top of the cage for the pin at 22:05. There was too much down time between them getting back into the cage and the end, but otherwise this was fantastic. Lots of callbacks to their previous matches and an astonishing ending make for a very memorable performance. The crowd was fired up and into the action and also very happy Delirious was able to get the victory. This was a very strong way to end the rivalry. ****

NWA Iowa Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Abyss
IWA Mid-South/NWA No Limits “February Fury” – Muscatine, IA – 2.5.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 1.8.2005 and this is his first defense. When Abyss’ size becomes too much for Jacobs, he spits water in Abyss’ eyes. This makes Abyss mad and he gives chase to Jacobs, who is able to catch him coming back into the ring with a forearm smash to the back. Abyss tries to reciprocate the “mist” but his mask doesn’t allow for that to work. Jacobs also escapes a seated press and lands a basement dropkick. Abyss pops up Jacobs and smashes him face and mid-section first into the canvas. Abyss absorbs Jacobs’ barrage of overhead chops and drops him with the Shock Treatment. Between that and the Delirious match from the night before, that’s a lot of damage to the back! Abyss crotches himself on the middle turnbuckle when Jacobs moves out of the way of a corner attack. Jacobs lands a dive onto Abyss outside of the ring, then rides a trashcan to gain momentum for a mid-section headbutt. He also comes off of a scaffold with a crossbody. In the ring, Abyss almost squishes Jacobs into a corner where a chair is propped up. Instead, Jacobs moves and schoolboys Abyss for two. He also gets two with a super back senton. Abyss escapes the Contra Code and hits the Black Hole Slam for the pin and the title at 11:18. Jacobs’ stick and move approach was a lot of fun to watch, and Abyss made him seem like a very capable opponent in spite of the difference in size. The crowd was very much into the action too which helped a lot, and Abyss was moving at a very good pace. This seemed like a pairing that could either work well or be not compatible at all, and fortunately it was very much the former. ***¼

MPW Universal Championship
Joey Envy vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Josh Abercrombie
IWA Mid-South “Givin’ Em The Business” – Highland, IN – 2.12.2005

Envy has been champion since 11.27.2004 and this is his first defense. MPW is a Minnesota promotion, and the only thing I knew about them before this match was that Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz (then called Version 2.0) represented them in CHIKARA’s 2005 Tag World Grand Prix. Jacobs bided his time outside the ring as Abercrombie and Envy traded offense. Jacobs sends Envy outside where with an unintentional assist by Abercrombie with a dropkick he lands a headscissors. Abercrombie then tope con hilos onto both of his opponents. The match carries on with no one getting sustained momentum. Abercrombie gamengiri’s Envy trying to enzuigiri Jacobs. Jacobs immediately goes for the Contra Code on Abercrombie who counters mid-move with a backbreaker. All three men fight on the top turnbuckle moments later. Ency gets elbowed down. Abercrombie lands a Phoenix Splash on him. Jacobs follows that with a back senton since Abercrombie is unable to go for a pin right away, and Jacobs himself pins Envy to win the match and the title at 7:02. They kept a good clip and the match was fun to watch, with the final minute being especially exciting. Any title win I think deserves inclusion on a compilation, but the match on its own is nothing special. **¾

NWA Midwest X-Division Championship
Matt Sydal vs. Jimmy Jacobs
IWA Mid-South “Blood Is Thicker Than Water” – Highland, IN – 3.19.2005

Sydal has been champion since 7.30.2004 and this is his thirteenth defense. Jacobs is very pleased with his snapmare he earns early on. He becomes frustrated when Sydal armdrags him multiple times and dropkicks him to the floor. Sydal hits a super leg drop, but Jacobs gets his knees up to block his standing moonsault. Jacobs keeps on top of Sydal but can’t manage to get a pin. In a moment of ingenuity, he uses the ring apron to assist with a bulldog onto several audience members chairs. Sydal back in the ring reverses a corner whip and gives Jacobs a dropkick. The intensity picks up as they trade punches, and Jacobs bites Sydal’s forehead when he gets him grounded. After trading positions, Jacobs clobbers Sydal with a flying forearm. Jacobs stomps on Sydal’s midsection repeatedly. Sydal gets a boot up to stop Jacobs’ charge and comes off the top with a spinwheel kick. Sydal nails Jacobs with his own running forearm strike. After dropkicking Jacobs back to the floor, Sydal comes off the top turnbuckle with a stage dive. In the ring, Sydal lands a moonsault back splash for two. Jacobs is able to bring Sydal off the top turnbuckle with an Iconoclasm for two. Jacobs’ reverse Pedigree yields the same result. Sydal blasts Jacobs with a rolling gamengiri. Jacobs blocks Cyclorama by shoving Sydal crotch first onto the top rope, and Sydal then falls to the outside. Jacobs lands a dive onto Sydal who is now sitting on a chair. Jacobs goes for a high crossbody inside the ring, but Sydal dropkicks him out of mid-air. Jacobs ducks a standing leg drop and tries to Contra Code. Sydal cuts him off and brings him down with Cyclorama for the pin at 19:21. This was definitely longer than it needed to be, but Jacobs injected a lot of personality into this bout and the crowd was very much into the story he and Sydal told. ***

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Danny Daniels vs. Jimmy Jacobs
IWA Mid-South “April Bloodshowers 2005” – Herrin, IL – 4.1.2005

Daniels has been champion since 2.4.2005 and this is his fourth defense. Friend of the blog Jake Ziegler is your referee for the bout. Jacobs is hyper focused on a side headlock in the opening portion of the contest. Daniels is able to send him to the ropes, resisting Jacobs’ shoulder block attempts. Jacobs cheap shots Daniels but they reach a stalemate after trading armdrags and pin attempts. The tempers flare as they circle one another. Jacobs gets the ropes to escape a Boston Crab attempt. Daniels wallops Jacobs with a chop. Jacobs dropkicks Daniels after a Frankensteiner and pins him for two after a tomahawk chop. Daniels drops his knee into Jacobs back multiple times. He does more damage to Jacobs’ back. Jacobs leaps over Daniels and comes off the second turnbuckle with a flying clothesline. Jacobs keeps control until Daniels halts Jacobs as he comes off the ropes with a backbreaker. Daniels follows up with a German suplex for two. Jacobs takes down Daniels with a tornado DDT. Jacobs attempts a super Frankenteiner, but Daniels slips underneath and drops Jacobs head first onto the ring post! Jacobs is now busted open, and the audience is fully behind him. Daniels tries to make Jacobs pass out with a side headlock. Jacobs’ arm only drops twice when it looks like he may have passed out. Daniels belly-to-back suplexes Jacobs when Jacobs gets to his feet, pinning him for only a two count. Daniels clotheslines Jacobs to end a strike exchange, with both men ending up outside the ring. Daniels wants a piledriver on the wood stage, but Jacobs counters with a backdrop! Jacobs places Daniels on a chair and suicide dives onto him. Back in the ring Jacobs drops Daniels with a reverse Pedigree for two. Daniels halts the Contra Code. He powerbombs Jacobs into the corner and catches him on the rebound with a lariat. Daniels is dissatisfied when Jacobs kicks out. He hoists up Jacobs for a piledriver but Jacobs slips off his shoulders and drop toe holds Daniels into the turnbuckle. They end up fighting to the top turnbuckle when Daniels lands a belly-to-back superplex. When Jacobs gets his shoulder up from Daniels’ pin, Daniels gives him a piledriver and powerbomb before turning him over in a Boston Crab. Jacobs uses the ropes to escape, but he is clearly anguished. Daniels looks for another top rope maneuver. Jacobs counters, crotching Daniels onto the top turnbuckle. Jacobs delivers the Contra Code for two. Three back sentons and a jackknife pin where he puts his feet on the ropes is enough to get Jacobs the pin and the title at 28:18. This definitely felt like Jacobs’ night to take home the big prize, and he fought like hell to do so. I got to see three of Daniels’ four title defenses over these SMV comps and it never seemed like the crowd got into him as champion, which makes the crowd’s very favorable reaction to Jacobs all the more reason to have made the switch here. The feet on the ropes seemed superfluous, especially after four finishes in front of a crowd who loved Jacobs and wanted to see him win the title. Like the Delirious match, this absolutely could have lost a good chunk of time, but the result was definitely a net positive. Jacobs would win the ROH Tag Team titles the next night, making this quite the big weekend for him. ***¼

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. CM Punk
IWA Mid-South “Spring Heat 2005” – Midlothian, IL – 4.8.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his second defense. Punk takes a page out of Jacobs book from Jacobs title win, keeping Jacobs in a side headlock at all costs. Jacobs takes a powder after being smothered by shoulder tackles and pin attempts. Jacobs backs Punk to the corner to escape and headlock and delivers multiple chops instead of breaking cleanly. Punk responds by backdropping Jacobs almost onto his head. Jacobs lights up Punk with strikes but Punk shuts him down with a backbreaker. Punk holds onto Jacobs’ arms while digging his knee into Jacobs’ back. Jacobs sends Punk chest first into the ropes, but Punk then takes Jacobs outside the ring where he pummels Jacobs around the building. He humiliates Jacobs by throwing him into a basketball backboard and allowing a fan to throw a dodgeball at him. He then puts all of Jacobs through the basketball hoop! Jacobs is able to turn things around as they fight into the crowd, even though an elderly woman gives him lip. Punk punts Jacobs after putting a rubbermaid garbage can on him and kicking him in the head. Jacobs kicks the ropes into Punk’s groin as Punk tries to re-enter the ring, then sends him into chairs via suicide dive. Jacobs stomps on Punk’s mid-section repeatedly. He puts on a fan’s Rey Mysterio mask and feigns a 619 before choking Punk on the ropes. Punk avoids an O’Connor Roll and nails Jacobs with a Shining Wizard. Jacobs is placed on the top turnbuckle. He fights off Punk, coming off the top with a flying Frankensteiner, then planting Punk with a tornado DDT for two. Punk crotches Jacobs on the top turnbuckle to halt the Contra Code, then drops Jacobs with a neckbreaker for two. Punk scores with a superplex, but Jacobs kicks out of that as well. Jacobs ducks the Pepsi Twist and hits the Contra Code for two. A super back senton can’t keep Punk down, and one more plus his feet on the ropes fails to get the pin thanks to Bryce Remsburg’s keen eye. Jacobs ends up shoving Punk into Bryce, and Punk inadvertently whips Jacobs into Bryce. With Bryce down, Jacobs low blows Punk without penalty and grabs his title belt. He wraps the title around his upper body and lands a super senton onto Punk. A new referee enters the ring and counts three, giving Jacobs the win at 28:57. The basketball hoop moment is one that got some online love back in the day and is definitely the most memorable part of the match. The match was actually quite good, albeit a little long, but it was nice for Jacobs to get a win over an IWA-MS stalwart in his first title defense in the company. I have a bad feeling these cheap wins will wear thin fast. ***¼

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Chris Hero
IWA Mid-South “Simply The Best VI” – Highland, IL – 4.9.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his third defense. At this point, Hero is falling victim to the “Highland Curse” – he’s never worn a match in the town. This curse looms a large shadow over this title match. Hero’s plan is to out-wrestle Jacobs, and he even thinks less of Jacobs when he chooses the ropes to escape something like a meager wristlock. Jacobs pokes him in the eye and takes him down with a clothesline, almost in defiance. Jacobs struts around before giving Hero multiple fist drops. Jacobs also drops Hero with a neckbreaker driver for two. Hero weaves under an Irish whip and sends Jacobs into the corner. Jacobs evades an armdrag and dropkicks Hero in the side of the head for two. Hero is able to fire up when Jacobs spits in his face, lighting the champ up before giving him a big backdrop. Hero powerbombs Jacobs and goes for the Hangman’s Clutch. Jacobs fights it off well enough that Hero settles for a rolling elbow that sends Jacobs to the floor. Hero tries a suicide dive but wipes out into chairs instead. Hero makes his way back inside the ring right before the twenty count. Jacobs lands a super senton and Hero kicks out at one! Jacobs charges at Hero and Hero drops him with an Alabama Slam. Hero blocks a Contra Code with an elevated Hero’s Welcome. Hero and the crowd are stunned when Jacobs kicks out. Jacobs hits the Contra Code successfully for two. Bryce Remsburg is struck down seemingly by accident. Jacobs pulls out a chain. Hero intercepts Jacobs’ punch and kicks him. Hero decides to try and use the chain himself. Jacobs blocks, lands the Contra Code, then pulls out a rag from under the ring. He sprays it with a substance, but Hero avoids contact and pulls Jacobs down into the Hangman’s Clutch! Jacobs is tapping but Bryce is still recovering. Jacobs grabs the rag and shoves it into Hero’s face. He has the rag hidden and buried in Hero’s face while applying the cravate. Hero’s arm drops three times and Bryce calls for the bell at 23:28. The cheap wins weren’t totally stale YET, but it helps that this crowd was way behind Hero and wanted to see him break the Curse. The story they told was effective in giving the crowd hope for Hero as well. Bryce was down for an unbelievable amount of time, but other than that this was pretty great. ***¾

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Josh Abercrombie
IWA Mid-South “Dedication” – Midlothian, IL – 5.6.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his fourth defense. Abercrombie earned this title match by winning the Simply The Best mini-tournament last month. The two of them had an in-ring meeting early in the show, and Jacobs attacked Abercrombie demanding the match happen right then and there. Jacobs is still in a vest, button up shirt, and slacks while Abercrombie is in his gear. Jacobs pummels Abercrombie to the floor after choking him with his vest. Abercrombie takes out Jacobs with an Asai moonsault. His advantage is short-lived as Jacobs chokes him with his shirt back inside the ring. Jacobs misses a corner attack and Abercrombie schoolboys him for two. Jacobs drives Abercrombie down with his neckbreaker driver for two. Abercrombie gets his knees up to block a super senton. He drops Jacobs onto his stomach and hits a running knee strike to the side of his head for two. Abercrombie’s leg-capture belly-to-back suplex also gets a two count. Abercrombie tries a lionsault but is cut off in mid-air with a spear. Abercrombie ducks a big boot. He tries the Taliban Backpack but Jacobs swipes him out of mid-air. Jacobs tries the Contra Code, and mid-move Abercrombie counters into a back cracker for two. Jacobs shoves Abercrombie off the top turnbuckle. He lands a super back senton for two. Abercrombie stomps on Jacobs toes when Jacobs takes off his shoe to try to use it as a weapon. As the referee is getting rid of the boot, Jacobs kicks Abercrombie in the groin. Jacobs follows that up with the Contra Code for the pin at 9:03. This was an instance of a good crowd saving the cheap win from being a dud, as they really got into Abercrombie’s counters and nearfalls and Jacobs once again played a perfectly detestable villain. ***

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Tyler Black
IWA Mid-South/NWA No Limits “Tearing Down The House” – Muscatine, IA – 6.3.2005

Jacobs sucker punches Black to start the match. He boots Black so that Black is folded over his own knees and then delivers a double stomps. Jacobs rolls Black onto his shoulders in a grounded abdominal stretch for two, then double stomps his lower back. Jacobs overhand chops Black after giving him several stomps to the mid-section. Black small packages Jacobs for two, and Jacobs immediately knocks Black down upon kicking out. Black and Jacobs trade shots, with Black getting a second wind after a backdrop and a big boot. Jacobs halts his corner punches with a spinebuster. Jacobs misses a diving headbutt. Black drills Jacobs with a DDT for two. Jacobs gives Black a blatant groin kick to get disqualified at 5:58, I guess because he was scared of how much ass Black was kicking or something. Ryan Boz attacks Jacobs after the bell. There is value to having the first ever singles match between these two on a compilation, but the match itself is a whole bunch of nothing. *

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Marek Brave
IWA Mid-South “Put Up or Shut Up 2005” – Midlothian, IN – 8.19.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his fifteenth defense. Brave does well to hang with the champion, so much so that Jacobs slaps him in the face to stop his momentum. Jacobs even claims a closed first when Brave gives him a pop-up forearm strike. Jacobs blocks a hip toss and throws Brave down by his hair. Brave avoids a falling splash and sends Jacobs scrambling to the floor after a pair of dropkicks. Brave sends Jacobs back out with an atomic drop, but when Brave follows, Jacobs is able to knock him down and give him a double stomp on the floor. He also kicks the middle rope into Brave’s groin as Brave is re-entering the ring, and chokes Brave on the bottom rope in a cravate. Brave fires up from Jacobs’ chops, pummeling Jacobs into a corner where he begs off. Brave takes down Jacobs with ten punches in the corner and lands a lionsault for two. Jacobs pushes PJ Drummond into the ropes to crotch Brave on the top turnbuckle and brings him down with an Iconoclasm. Brave however stops Jacobs coming off the top rope with a superkick, then follows up with a spear for two. Brave misses a shooting star press, fortunately not on his neck. Behind Drummond’s back Jacobs clobbers Brave with brass knuckles. Jacobs lands a super senton splash after, but Brave kicks out! Brave almost has Jacobs pinned with an O’Connor Roll, but Jacobs switches that into a cradle where he holds onto the bottom ropes and pins Brave at 15:42 to retain. This was a perfect cowardly champion vs. valiant challenger match. It worked exactly as intended on the crowd and Jacobs facials were especially on point. I would not have guessed a Marek Brave match would have been better than a Tyler Black match, yet here we are. ***

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Chris Sabin
IWA Mid-South “Big Ass Christmas Bash 2005” – Hammond, IN – 12.17.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his twenty second defense. New Jack defeated Jacobs earlier in the night in a non-title bout. Things are intense right from the jump, with Jacobs even throwing chairs into the ring. Jacobs trips over a chair as he runs around the ring with another chair in hand. Jacobs then looks for a handshake with an obvious mouth full of water after failing to smuggle a power drill into the ring. Sabin avoids being spit on and takes down Jacobs with a side headlock. Jacobs tries slowing down the pace with his own headlocks, but a hard chop and dropkick from Sabin sends Jacobs outside. Jacobs gets the middle rope kicked into his groin as he re-enters the ring. Sabin attacks Jacobs’ head, trying to open up a wound he had covered up with a bandage headband. It works, but Jacobs is able to take over when Sabin misses a corner dropkick and his knee awkwardly collides with the bottom turnbuckle. Jacobs drops Sabin with a Stroke before putting him in a figure four leg lock. Jacobs goes for the drill again and gets caught, so instead he just continues to attack Sabin’s leg. Sabin uses a jawbreaker to escape a sleeper, nailing an enzuigiri and powerbomb after two. Sabin successfully lands three dropkicks to Jacobs in a tree of woe. Jacobs throws Sabin across the ring to stop a tornado DDT. Jacobs also blocks a boot and spins Sabin into a spear for two. Jacobs takes down Sabin with a super Frankensteiner and delivers a super elbow drop for two. Sabin catches Jacobs Blockbuster’ in mid-air and gives him a brainbuster! He leaps before giving Jacobs a piledriver and is in disbelief when Jacobs kicks out at two. Sabin goes for the Cradle Shock and he accidentally knocks down referee Bryce Resmburg with Jacobs’ foot. Jacobs kicks Sabin in the groin and nails him with brass knuckles. When Sabin kicks out, Jacobs takes it out on Bryce. He then goes for the spike. Sabin kicks it away. Jacobs however kicks his bad knee and tries the Contra Code. Sabin counters with the Cradle Shock for the pin at 23:41! The crowd celebrates the title win, but Jacobs protests that Sabin used a foreign object. Bryce checks Sabin’s trunks and finds a chain! Bryce reverses the decision and says Jacobs retains the title. I didn’t even notice Jacobs slipping the chain into Sabin’s trunks, so that’s some good sleight of hand. They took too long of a road to get to that ending, but when Sabin was on offense the crowd was hot and begging for him to win, and were genuinely mad when the title change was reversed, so it at least achieved its goal. Still, cut this match in half and it’s a way more satisfying watch. **¾

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Bull Pain
IWA Mid-South “Revolution Strong Style Tournament 2005” – Streamwood, IL – 12.30.2005

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his twenty-third defense. As expected, Jacobs begs off from Pain as Pain tosses him around when he can. Jim Fannin is in Pain’s corner, threatening Jacobs with a baseball bat. Jacobs is able to side step a spear. He drops Pain with a Contra Code and it doesn’t even earn him a one count. Jacobs escapes to the floor and Fannin lays him out with a forearm to the back of the head! Jacobs stands up and gets in his face, not noticing Pain approaching behind him. Pain busts open Jacobs head and back with the barbed wire bat. Jim Fannin throws Jacobs into several rows of chairs and chokes him with a chair. After dropping Jacobs with a modified piledriver, Pain bites Jacobs’ forehead. Pain misses a rope walk elbow drop. Jacobs pummels Pain, but Pain throws Jacobs to the floor to stop him. He places Jacobs on a chair ringside and comes off the apron with a diving forearm. Back in the ring, Bull Pain gets physically involved with referee PJ Drummond, to the point where he hits Drummond in the stomach with his baseball bat. Drummond calls for the bell and Jacobs retains via disqualification at 12:50. Just because this was so different from his other title matches, I was really into this match for a little bit. I hated every moment Jim Fannin was involved, and I hated the ending, but the visceral beating Jacobs took was a lot of fun to watch. Remember when Bull Pain did CHIKARA once? **½

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship – Falls Count Anywhere
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Arik Cannon
IWA Mid-South “No Retreat…No Surrender” – Midlothian, IL – 1.21.2006

Jacobs has been champion since 4.1.2005 and this is his twenty sixth defense. is handcuffed to a ring post to ensure he cannot interfere. Jacobs may still be recovering from a cage match with Bull Pain from the previous evening. Why wasn’t that match put before this bout instead? Within the first few minutes of the match, the two of them are fighting outside and Cannon is busted open by headbutts. Cannon kicks the middle rope into Jacobs’ groin and sets up a chair in the corner. Jacobs however is able to send Cannon face first into the chair with a Complete Shot. More headbutts are traded on the mat, with Cannon busting open Jacobs with a series of soccer kicks to the forehead. Jacobs breaks open a beer bottle against the wall and scrapes it across Cannon’s forehead! He puts Cannon in the Last Chancery and double stomps on him back in the ring. He also digs Cannon’s throat into the back of a steel chair and chokes him with a chain. Cannon is able to pop Jacobs onto his shoulders and drill him with a Death Valley Driver onto a chair! He then takes off his ball necklace, wraps it around his fist, and pummels Jacobs with it! Cannon takes him down with a rolling forearm for two, then kicks him in the groin. Cannon drops Jacobs with a brainbuster for two. Despite being handcuffed, Whitmer is able to kick Cannon when he goes to the floor, and Jacobs tornado DDT’s Cannon into rows of chairs. Jacobs tries for a suicide dive and Cannon stops him mid-move by throwing a chair at his head! Cannon gives Jacobs Total Anarchy onto the floor for two. In the ring, Whitmer gets in a tug of war with Cannon over a chair. From behind Jacobs kicks Cannon low. Even though Jacobs uses the ropes for a jackknife pin, Cannon kicks out. Jacobs kicks out Bryce’s leg in anger. Cannon drops Jacobs with a Backdrop Driver and hits the Glimmering Warlock for two. They fight to the apron where Jacobs gives Cannon the Contra Code onto the apron. He puts on a replica title belt to assist with a senton, the same way he defeated Punk, but this time Cannon kicks out. Jacobs hurls several chairs into the ring. Jacobs tries the Contra Code onto them. Cannon halts in mid-air and spins out Jacobs into a slam on the chairs. Vito Thomaselli frees BJ Whitmer as Sal Thomaselli distracts Bryce. Whitmer accidentally hits Jacobs with a chain. Cannon gives Jacobs a Contra Code onto the chairs, then hits the Glimmering Warlock again for the win and title at 21:47. This was really intense and the action got more cool as the match progressed. As much I didn’t love a lot of Jacobs shenanigans, at least his title loss provided a great deal of catharsis. The crowd was going banana by the end and for once commentary did it’s job in presenting the competitors the right way and keeping all focus on what a big moment this was. I had no frame of reference for this match going in, but I’m so glad it was included and I was able to have some of the context for it, because it ruled. ****

$5,000 Bounty Challenge
Jimmy Jacobs vs. The Barbarian
IWA Mid-South “April Bloodshowers 2007” – Plainfield, IN – 4.6.2007

To match the barbaric nature of his opponent, Jacobs is back to his short trunks and furry boots attire, and is “Hussing” once more. Jim Fannin is in Barbarian’s corner, and he put up the bounty in this match, because he hates Jacobs and is hoping Barbarian will end his career. Jacobs is able to score with a bulldog from the second rope. He scratches Barbarian’s eyes after taking some strikes. Barbarian is able to toss Jacobs to escape an abdominal stretch, and dumps himself and Jacobs to the floor to break a sleeper hold. Barbarian cracks Jacobs across the back with a chair while they fight amongst the crowd. He busts open Jacobs by throwing him head first into the ring post. Jacobs fires up when his head is thrown into the top turnbuckle. After a few clotheslines, Jacobs knocks down Barbarian with a pump kick for two. Barbarian boots and powerbombs Jacobs. He pins Jacobs after another release powerbomb, and is displeased when Jacobs kicks out. Barbarian blasts him with a big boot to get the pin at 7:17. This was a perfectly cromulent novelty match. Barb did a lot of walkin, kickin’, and punching, while Jacobs bumped like a pinball and bled – nothing wrong with that. **½

Ted Petty Invitational Opening Round Match; IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship
Chuck Taylor vs. Jimmy Jacobs
IWA Mid-South “Ted Petty Invitational 2007, Night 1” – Midlothian, IL – 9.27.2007

Taylor has been champion since 9.30.2006 and this is his twenty-seventh defense. Jacobs suicide dives onto Taylor during Taylor’s entrance! Both men send one another into the guardrail. Jacobs is able to backdrop Taylor into the crowd and send him face first into a fan’s chair. Jacobs is also able to pull off a swinging headscissors. Taylor hangs off of a basketball hoop and Jacobs spears him down whilst hanging! Jacobs elbow drops Taylor ringside before bringing him into the ring to officially start the match. Jacobs continues to maintain control, doing a lot of damage to Taylor’s mid-section and scoring some nearfalls in the process. Taylor dumps Jacobs to the floor when Jacobs attempts a Contra Code, then tope con hilo’s after him. In the ring, Taylor hits a gorgeous dropkick and a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Taylor also gets two with a belly-to-back suplex. Jacobs hip tosses Taylor to the floor. Taylor however trips Jacobs from the floor. Taylor misses a moonsault. Taylor weaves under a whip and gives Jacobs Sole Food. Jacobs responds with a spear for two. Jacobs looks for a suicide dive when Tayor rolls to the floor, but Taylor moves and Jacobs crashes into the guardrails and is busted open. Taylor is happy to accept a countout victory, but Jacobs makes it back in the ring just before the twenty count. Taylor jackknife rolls Jacobs for two. Taylor pummels Jacobs to further open up his wound. Jacobs takes Sole Food and a big boot, but kicks out at one! Jacobs gets in a few strikes and goes for the Contra Code. Taylor tries converting it into the Awful Waffle, so Jacobs settles for a small package and gets two. Taylor then attacks Jacobs’ left knee, which has a brace on it, and part way through Taylor takes the brace off. Jacobs nails a desperation super senton but only for a nearfall. Taylor O’Connor rolls Jacobs to stop an O’Connor Roll. He crotches Jacobs on the top turnbuckle. Jacobs knocks down Taylor and comes off the top with a falling senton. Taylor avoids the Contra Code. He low blows Jacobs while referee Bryce Remsburg isn’t looking, then hits the Awful Waffle for the pin at 21:23. This was a very good defense for Taylor, as Jacobs was a believable challenger given he was a former champion and white hot after the ROH Man Up angle from a couple weeks earlier (he was even wearing the blood stained white tights from that night.) The one thing this match had going against it was that it was the main event of a long show which had featured some terrific matches already. The crowd was hot to start but their exhaustion eventually became palpable, and I don’t think the nearly 22 minute match time was the right call under the circumstances. All that said, it felt like a hard earned victory for Taylor, and it was fun to see Jacobs in the role of babyface after committing such a horrific act a couple of weeks prior. ***¼

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Jack Thriller
IWA Mid-South “A Rotten Farewell” – Plainfield, IN – 12.7.2007

The crowd is mostly jeering Jacobs during the feeling out process. Thriller monkey flips Jacobs while holding onto his wrists, and they trade pin attempts while connected. Jacobs turns the wrists into a straightjacket choke. Jacobs snapmares Thriller into a fist drop, pulling him down into a crucifix pin after for two. After Jacobs kicks out of a waistlock cradle, he puts Thriller in an STF, converting to a double arm stretch, then a Camel Clutch position whilst elbowing Thriller in the forehead. Thriller catches a corner boot and gives Jacobs’ braced knee a stunner across his shoulder. Thriller attacks Jacobs’ knee for a while. He makes the mistake of placing Jacobs on the top turnbuckle, as Jacobs is able to slip on a Guillotine Choke, but Thriller suplexes his way out of it and Jacobs’ foot and knee collide with the top turnbuckle. Jacobs comes back with a neckbreaker and kicks the middle rope into Thriller’s throat. Jacobs misses a super senton but does connect with a spear. The crowd is now split as Thriller picks up Jacobs onto his shoulder and rocks him with knees to the head. He hits the Thriller Driller (snapmare driver) for two. Jacobs kicks out Thriller’s own leg to block Thriller’s figure four leg lock attempt. Thriller gives Jacobs a chinbreaker, powerbomb, and superkick before dropkicking out his knee. He gets the figure four leg lock applied but Jacobs is close enough to the ropes to use them to escape. Thriller tries to use the ring post to hurt Jacobs’ knee further, but Jacobs pulls forward to send Thriller head first into the ring post, and Jacobs then suicide dives onto him! Back in the ring, Jacobs clobbers Thriller with a clothesline off the second turnbuckle. Thriller avoids the Contra Code. He tries a figure four but Jacobs small packages him for two. They fight on the top turnbuckle. Thriller dragon screw leg whips Jacobs down and rolls him into a shinbreaker. Thriller finally gets the figure four leg lock applied in the middle of the ring. After resisting for a little bit, Jacobs finally taps at 18:17. The crowd was awesome for this match, hoping that Thriller would be able to pull off the big victory. Their allegiance to Jacobs did ebb and flow as the match progressed, but that made the atmosphere even more awesome. It probably could’ve been shortened and a bit more tightened up, but this win felt like the first big step in Thriller’s IWA career. Instead of it serving as a big step, however, it was Thriller’s last IWA match for five and a half years. ***½