Cleveland, OH – 5.12.2012

Commentary is provided by Aaron Bauer, Veronica Ticklefeather, Willie Mack, Tim Donst, Paul Aaron Rodgers, The Duke, and Rickey Shane Page.

Promos start off the show. Chest Flexor is upset that Shiima Xion got stripped of the title, but still holds hope that his two Flexor Industries, Louis Lyndon and Bobby Beverly, can get the job done. Eric Ryan is thrilled beyond belief that Xion got stripped of the title. He again pledges to take the tournament. ACH has his pants up high around his waist as a metaphor for how high he holds his standards. He will hold nothing back against Willie Mack in the first round. Ophidian hisses at the camera. Louis Lyndon says Brian Kendrick’s accolades don’t mean anything tonight. He plans to do damage to his arm just like he did to Mat Fitchett last night. Willie Mack heard what ACH said and he will have him leaving their match with a fat lip.

JLIT 2012 Quarter-Final Round
ACH vs. Willie Mack

ACH breaks a lock-up cleanly and does a little bit of dancing. Mack throws ACH to the apron to break a waistlock. ACH’s shoulder block attempts backfire. He dropkicks Mack’s left leg out and twists it up on the apron. Mack kicks ACH in the shoulder. ACH throws more kicks to Mack’s leg. Mack pops ACH up into a hard forearm. He gets two with a delayed vertical suplex. ACH sweeps his leg. ACH hits a low clothesline through the ropes. Mack catches ACH with a Samoan Drop. He follows with a standing moonsault for two. An elbow drop has the same effect. ACH chops his leg. Even with that, he can’t lift Mack up. ACH headbutts him in the stomach from the canvas. ACH his a spear for two. Mack seems angry and ACH looks scared. ACH hits his leg some more. Mack turns him from a guillotine position into an Ace Crusher. Mack lifts him up for the Chocolate Thunder Bomb. ACH fights out of it and hits an enzuigiri. He finally lifts him up for a Death Valley Driver. ACH hits a frogsplash for the pin at 11:22. Not a bad way to kick the night off. Mack and ACH didn’t go as crazy and I was hoping or expected, but the sound psychology makes up for the lack of flash. That being said, I’d love to see them mix it up again. **3/4

JLIT 2012 Quarter-Final Round
Marion Fontaine vs. Colin Delaney

This is a rematch from “Gauntlet For The Gold 7.” Delaney and Fontaine also had issues in a three way match at “Straight Outta Compton.” A brawl breaks out at the bell and spills out to the floor. They have to re-enter the ring twice to break the count, then head out. Delaney gives Fontaine a backbreaker on the ring apron. As Delaney comes off the top for a crossbody, the bell rings to end the first round. Fontaine walks to the corner for his water and spittoon, causing Delaney to crash into the canvas. Fontaine brings his suspenders down. He trips Delaney into a back senton. He misses a knee strike in the corner. Delaney clobbers him in the chest. He misses a corner attack himself. Fontaine drives his knees into his back. Delaney pulls Fontaine’s pants so he can clothesline him in the back of the head. He throws Delaney to the floor and throws many punches at his chest. They notice the count is about to be up. Instead of both going back in the ring like usual, Delaney shoves Fontaine down and gets into the ring in time. Thus, Delaney wins via count-out at 6:59. This has actually been a pretty solid feud overall and I anticipate the blow off. Delaney winning in such a manner adds fuel to the fire, and it was still early in the tournament so I didn’t feel cheated by it. It was good while it lasted. **

JLIT 2012 Quarter-Final Round
Brian “Spanky” Kendrick vs. Louis Lyndon

Chest Flexor is in Lyndon’s corner. Kendrick must have heard Lyndon’s promo, because he goes after Lyndon’s arm at the onset. Kendrick avoids a bicycle kick and goes back to the arm. Lyndon throws some knees as he applies a front facelock. He rolls Kendrick into an armbar and Kendrick grabs the ropes. Lyndon knee strikes him in the face. He drives Kendrick arm first into the mat. A dropkick sends Kendrick to the floor. Lyndon Asai moonsaults onto him. He puts on an arm submission using his legs back in the ring. Kendrick elbows out of it. An arm capture backbreaker gets Lyndon a two count. Kendrick shoves Lyndon off the top rope and leaps down to hit a tornado DDT. Kendrick throws a leg lariat, boot and superkick. He sets up for Sliced Bread #2. Lyndon counters into a cross armbreaker. Kendrick gets his foot on the ropes to break it. Lyndon twists his arm in the ropes. Lyndon O’Connor rolls Kendrick into a Dragon suplex for two. Kendrick escapes a second one. He hits a superkick and the Sliced Bread #2 for the pin at 10:32. I really liked the counters these two had and how Lyndon was persistent in his game plan. Kendrick still delivers in the ring and Lyndon has come into his own over the past few months. **3/4

JLIT 2012 Quarter-Final Round
BJ Whitmer vs. Bobby Beverly

Whitmer and Beverly have been at each others’ throats in the AIW Frontline/Flexor Industries feud, so much so that Beverly broke a beer bottle over his head at “Straight Outta Compton.” Chest Flexor is in Beverly’s corner, and Beverly’s Intense Division title is not on the line. Whitmer chases Beverly around the ring. Flexor tries to attack him from behind. Beverly rakes Whitmer’s eyes and throws him into the apron. They trade chops in the ring. Beverly rakes the eyes again to stop an Irish whip. Flexor grabs Whitmer’s leg as he hits the ropes. Beverly gives him a Saito suplex. Beverly throws Whitmer to the floor and distracts the referee so Flexor can get in some shots on him. Beverly hits a back elbow when Whitmer comes back in. Whitmer throws some punches when Beverly throws kicks at his leg. He drops Beverly with a spinebuster. Whitmer enzuigiri’s him in the corner, then strings a snap suplex and Northern Lights suplex together. Beverly enzuigiri’s Whitmer as he comes off the ropes. Beverly ducks a clothesline and drops Whitmer skull first on the top turnbuckle. A running bicycle kick gets him two. Flexor gets on the apron with a beer bottle. Whitmer shoves Beverly into him. Whitmer gets the pin with an Exploder suplex at 6:50. This was just getting going when it ended. Obviously they will have a blow off soon for the title. All of Flexor Industries has now been ousted from the tournament. **1/4

JLIT 2012 Quarter-Final Round
Josh Prohibition vs. Ophidian

Veronica Ticklefeather is out to scout this match. Ophidian goes for a few different quick pins but can’t get three. He thrusts Prohibition in the throat. Prohibition counters the Duat Driver with a wheelbarrow suplex. Prohibition boots Ophidian from the corner. He puts on a headscissors in the ropes. He butterfly suplexes Ophidian into a butterfly lock. Ophidian fights out and gets knocked back down. Ophidian Skins the Snake so he can headscissor Prohibition to the corner. He drives his knees into Prohibition’s head for two. Ophidian comes off the top with double knees for another two count. He tries to put on the Ophidian Death Grip. Prohibition gives him a brainbuster instead. Ophidian counters the Drunken Driver with a roll-up. He only gets two, so he sends Prohibition to the floor with an enzuigiri. He dives onto Prohibition with a twisting plancha. Ophidian misses a 450 splash. Prohibition hits the Drunken Driver for the pin at 5:08. I give them credit, for five minutes this packed a big punch. I wasn’t sure how these two would work together but it turned out pretty darn good. **1/2

JLIT 2012 Quarter-Final Round
Eric Ryan vs. Rickey Shane Page

Ryan missile dropkicks Page to the floor and suicide dives him into the crowd. Ryan somersault sentons from the top rope onto him! Ringside we get a chop exchange. Page suplexes Ryan on the floor. Page has control when they get back in the ring. Ryan gives Page a neckbreaker from the apron. Ryan slingshots him onto his shoulders and into a Death Valley Driver. Page puts on the cloverleaf. Ryan crawls to the ropes to escape. Ryan kicks out his knee and hits a superkick. Ryan comes off the top with a double stomp for two. Page kicks Ryan in the stomach and drops an elbow. He goes back to the cloverleaf after hitting the Sliding D. Ryan gets the ropes. Ryan boots Page in the corner. He comes in with a springboard, only to be lariated mid-air. Page reapplies the cloverleaf. Ryan again grabs the ropes. Page counters a huracanrana with a buckle bomb. He hits a tornado kick for two. Page backdrops Ryan, kicking him in the back on the way down. When Ryan fights out of a powerbomb, Page turns it into a Saito suplex. Page blocks a kick and hits a rolling elbow. Page brings Ryan to the top rope. Ryan wants a Package Piledriver from the second rope. Instead, Page gives him an avalanche double underhook powerbomb. Ryan kicks out! Ryan ducks a rolling elbow. A step-up enzuigiri, multiple chest kicks and two superkicks take Page down at 9:10. I’m so happy these two had a great match, because they are the two I see being on top of this company sooner rather than later. Ryan has a tendency though to get up quickly after bigger moves which is a bit frustrating. They worked together great as a tag team and now as singles competitors too. Page puts over Ryan HUGE after the match. He says tonight is his night. ***1/4

JLIT 2012 Semi-Final Round
ACH vs. Colin Delaney

Delaney attacks ACH as he comes down the aisle. He beats on him around ringside and even spits beer in his face. The bell finally rings when Delaney throws ACH into the ring to continue his beatdown. He boots ACH in the side of the head. ACH spits on Delaney when Delaney goes to the top rope. Delaney angrily comes down and throws a flurry of forearms to ACH on the canvas. Delaney slaps ACH in the face a few times. Delaney mockingly chants ACH on the floor. That gives ACH time to recover and hit a suicide dive. ACH blasts him with a big running forearm in the corner. Delaney hits an enzuigiri. ACH hits one as well. Delaney gets two with a lariat. Delaney dangles ACH from the top rope and drops him across his knee. Delaney misses a diving elbow. ACH gives him a cradle DDT for the pin at 8:03. This was moreso Delaney beating the crap out of ACH rather than a match, but I did like the suddenness of ACH’s win. He gave Delaney a much more devastating move than Delaney gave him, showing that you can pull out the win at any time with the right move. That story I liked, but watching Delaney beat down ACH forever wasn’t the most exciting use of either guy. **1/4

JLIT 2012 Semi-Final Round
BJ Whitmer vs. Brian “Spanky” Kendrick

I’m going to point out that I love for every one of his matches, Kendrick used a different song from his career. “So What’cha Want”, “Danger! High Voltage” and “Quality Control” were all used this weekend. A brutal forearm battle kicks off the bout. Whitmer boots Kendrick to the floor. Whitmer gets in a few punches in the corner. Kendrick reverses and gets in some shots of his own. Whitmer knees Kendrick in the stomach. He puts on a grounded headlock. Whitmer nails a dropkick when Kendrick escapes. He bodyslams Kendrick for two. Another forearm battle breaks out. Kendrick hits a leg lariat and a jump-up enzuigiri. He gets two with a superkick. A tornado DDT has the same effect. Whitmer goes to attack Kendrick. Kendrick moves, sending Whitmer to the floor. Kendrick then suicide dives onto him. Whitmer gets his knees up to block a frog splash. Whitmer’s snap suplex and Northern Lights suplex combo gets a two count. Kendrick reverses a powerbomb attempt into a reverse huracanrana. Whitmer kicks out. Kendrick hits Sliced Bread #2. Whitmer smartly rolls to the floor so he can’t be covered right away. When Kendrick brings him back in, Whitmer cradles him for a two count. Kendrick superkicks him and hits Sliced Bread #2 again. Whitmer kicks out! Whitmer crotches Kendrick on the top rope. He brings him down with a superplex. The Sick Kick gets Whitmer the pin at 10:34. It was cool seeing two tenured independent wrestlers go at it like that. Just another great match Whitmer has had since making his return. Since this is Kendrick’s last match of the weekend, I want to point out that he worked really hard in his matches and had a more subtle career revival than most expected. Whitmer rightfully puts him over. Kendrick tells Whitmer to go win the title. ***

JLIT 2012 Semi-Final Round
Eric Ryan vs. Josh Prohibition

Prohibition charges at Ryan as Ryan poses on the top rope. Ryan hops off to avoid the attack. He armdrags Prohibition into a basement dropkick. Prohibition blocks a package piledriver with a crucifix buckle bomb. He gives Ryan a brainbuster across his knee for two. He sets up for the Drunken Driver. Ryan escapes and gives him a Death Valley Driver for two. Ryan misses a double stomp. Prohibition picks him up for a reverse DDT and gets two. He hits the Drunken Driver. Ryan reverses the pin with a crucifix and gets the pin at 1:36. Talk about packing a lot of action into a short time. So many finishers in under two minutes. Ryan got to beat a Cleveland legend in a short amount of time before the Finals and will be the most rested out of the bunch, which I feel is noteworthy. *

The Sex Bob-Ombs (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett) vs. The Batiri (Obariyon & Kodama)

The Batiri jump the Bob-Ombs from behind. Veronica is out again to scout. Vega baits the Batiri into the corner. He drops Kodama with a Complete Shot. Obariyon accidentally sentons his partner when trying to attack Fitchett. Obariyon snaps Vega’s neck on the top rope and Kodama gives him a spinwheel kick. The Batiri get in a few shots before Vega leapfrogs over Obariyon and tags in Fitchett. Fitchett trips Obariyon into a dropkick from Vega. The Bob-Ombs give him a neckbreaker/elbow drop combo for two. A double spinebuster is followed up with a double gut buster and double dropkick to the sides of his head. Kodama and Obariyon pull a Killer Bees switch. Obariyon comes in from the other side with a running forearm for two. Like Vega, Fitchett falls victim to the Batiri’s tandem offense. Fitchett escapes with an enzuigiri. Vega takes down Obariyon with a clothesline and back elbow. Vega gamengiri’s him from the apron and hits a top rope dropkick for two. Kodama blind tags in, allowing the Batiri to hit Vega with Scrambled Brains. Veronica’s demeanor shows she is clearly behind the Batiri in this contest. Kodama chokes Vega on the middle rope. Vega powerbombs Kodama out of the corner. He transitions into the Rings of Saturn. Obariyon puts Fitchett in an Octopus hold. Both submissions are broken. Kodama throw some serious dropkicks to Vega in the corner. Fitchett sends Obariyon to the floor. Vega gives Kodama a lungblower. Fitchett lionsaults Kodama onto Vega’s knees and then dives onto Obariyon. Vega pins Kodama at 9:43. This was a fun match, but I really don’t feel the Bob-Ombs really got the chance to shine. The Batiri got over, which I adore, but considering the Bob-Ombs were the winners I would have liked for them to get to show off a bit more. **3/4

After the match, the Bob-Ombs lay out a challenge to the Briscoes for Absolution VII. Although Matt Wadsworth accepted this proposition, Fitchett would end up suffering an injury and the Irish Airborne would end up facing The Briscoes instead.

No Disqualification, Falls Count Anywhere
John Thorne vs. Mad Man Pondo

Crazy Mary Dobson is in Pondo’s corner (both in this match and in life) and helps him bring chairs to the ring. Rickey Shane Page is on commentary to watch what Thorne is up to. They reach a stalemate after fighting over who would be slammed on a barbed wire bat. Pondo gives Thorne a sidewalk slam. Thorne hits him in the head with the bat. Thorne takes Pondo to the crowd. Thorne throws AIW intern contestant Justin Doane onto Pondo who’s sitting on a steel chair! Thorne digs a screwdriver into his face. Pondo throws the edge of a chair into Thorne’s throat. Pondo brings in Brawlin’ Beau Barnes from the crowd to give Thorne a clothesline. Pondo throws him into some chairs. Thorne suplexes him on the floor ringside. Thorne stacks up some chairs in a pile. Thorne suplexes Pondo in from the apron and onto the pile. Dobson comes in to forearm Thorne on the top rope. She ends up giving Thorne a super huracanrana onto some chairs and a STOP sign! Dobson goes for it again and ends up being powerbombed onto the pile! Thorne rolls up Pondo for one. Pondo rakes his eyes. Pondo sets him up for the Silencer. He hits it, sending Thorne through the chair. Pondo goes for a brainbuster. Thorne superkicks him, then gets suplexed on another chair. Pondo hits the Silencer while Thorne is under three chairs and STOP sign. That gets him the pin at 11:12. This really felt like “connect the spots” and probably wasn’t as brutal as you would expect. Thorne did the best he could, but it seemed like Pondo was just off his game. Here’s hoping Thorne and Page have something a little more coordinated in their blow off. **

Tim Donst vs. Ethan Page vs. Flip Kendrick vs. Facade

Kendrick and Page leave the ring to avoid a four way knuckle lock. When Donst and Façade start to wrestle, they attack them from behind. Façade sends Kendrick out and armdrags Page to the corner. Donst fights Kendrick on the floor. Façade leg lariats Page after ducking a clothesline. Page gets two with a side slam. Page puts on a headscissors. Donst turns both he and Façade over in a Boston Crab. Kendrick gives Donst a huracanrana. Donst drops him with a STO. Façade flips over Donst and Page, then springboard dropkicks them to the floor. Façade springboard sentons onto everybody on the floor. Page throws him into the barricades. Donst catches Kendrick’s crossbody. Kendrick sweeps his leg and hits a twisting senton for two. Page pops him up into a backbreaker. Façade gives Page a springboard enzuigiri. Donst breaks the cover. Façade ducks the bulldog. Donst catches Façade coming off the second ropes with an Ace Crusher. The Donstitution gets a two count. Donst drops Page off the ropes while Kendrick catches Façade mid-air with a lung blower. Page hits his jumping Ace Crusher on Donst, dropkicking Kendrick simultaneously. Façade springboards in with a spinwheel kick to Page. Kendrick gives Façade a springboard DDT. He then hits a moonsault senton. Donst puts Kendrick in From Dusk Til Donst. Kendrick taps out at 8:07. There was good wrestling for the most part, but the crowd never got into any of it. Donst gets a nice solid win here, allowing him to pick up the momentum he lost in his loss to Spanky yesterday. **1/2

AIW Women’s Championship
Allysin Kay (Champion) vs. Jennifer Blake

Kay controls Blake by her arm. Blake armdrags Kay to the corner and stomps on her chest. Kay comes out of the corner with a clothesline for two. She tries to put on a straight jacket choke. Blake quickly puts her feet on the ropes. Kay catches Blake’s quesadora and rams her head into the top turnbuckle. She sits down with a facebuster for two. She also gets two with a Northern Lights suplex. Blake puts on a standing octopus. Kay rolls her up and puts on a triangle choke. Blake maneuvers her way to the ropes They forearm each other against the ropes. Blake deposits Kay to the floor. She suicide dives Kay onto the entrance ramp. Blake sets Kay on a chair. She runs down the stage and kicks Kay to the floor. Blake crossbody’s her back in the ring. Kay catches a crossbody and gives her a fallaway slam for two. Blake hits a superkick for two. Same with a tornado DDT. Kay kicks Blake and gives her a Samoan Drop. Blake lights up Kay with chops. They trade shots. Kay gives Blake a suplex while wrapping her arm around her throat for the pin at 10:31. This had a good mix of technical wrestling and brawling. Blake was an excellent candidate for Kay’s first defense and I hope to see more of her in AIW in the future. ***

JLIT 2012 Finals – Elimination Match for the Absolute Championship
ACH vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Eric Ryan

Whitmer takes ACH to the mat. They get up with no real damage done. Ryan and ACH forearm Whitmer out. Ryan chops ACH in the corner. ACH shoulder blocks him from the apron. Whitmer pulls ACH to the floor and whips him into the guardrails. Ryan suicide dives Whitmer into the guardrails. In the ring they exchange forearms and chops. Whitmer gives Ryan a spinebuster. ACH’s strikes have no effect on Whitmer. Whitmer shoulder blocks him down. They each snap off some armdrags. Ryan gives ACH a lungblower, sending him into Whitmer’s German suplex. Ryan German suplexes Whitmer for two. ACH sends Ryan into Whitmer’s exploder suplex into the turnbuckles. ACH clotheslines Ryan. Whitmer suplexes Ryan and baseball slide dropkicks ACH. Whitmer’s Golden Gate Swing and fisherman’s suplex can’t put Ryan away. Whitmer throws ACH face first into the top turnbuckle. Whitmer drops Ryan on the top rope and kicks him in the side of the head. Bobby Beverly nails Whitmer in the back with his Intense title! ACH huracanrana’s Whitmer for the first elimination at 6:34. Whitmer is pissed, and ACH is not proud of that. Whitmer chases Beverly to the back. Ryan superkicks ACH and gets two with a German suplex. The locker room and members of JT Lightning’s family begin to surround the ring. ACH stomps Ryan out of the corner. ACH throws a bunch of slaps to Ryan’s face. He knees Ryan in the face and back of his head. Ryan blocks a kick and hits the Package Piledriver. ACH kick out at one! ACH hits the cradle DDT that won him his match earlier. Ryan kicks out at one too! They trade forearms as they get to their feet. Ryan kicks ACH’s chest multiple times. A superkick leads to another Package Piledriver. That gets Ryan the pin and the title at 10:12. There’s a time, place, and purpose for when finishers are kicked out of. This was the time and place for Ryan and ACH to do it. This was a monumental win for Ryan, unquestionably a career defining moment, and he absolutely deserves it. This also built to Whitmer vs. Beverly for the Intense title, so there was even forward thinking in part of this match. It may have been short, but it was appropriate and the best possible way to end the night. ***

JT Lightning’s son and daughter present Ryan with the title. ACH says he may have never met him, but he definitely felt JT Lightning’s presence during their match. Rickey Shane Page puts the title around Ryan’s waist as he puts over everybody who competed in the tournament as well as John Thorne and Chandler Biggins. Tim Donst grabs the microphone. He’s happy that Ryan’s the champion because he feels Ryan deserves it. He reminds us that by winning Gauntlet for the Gold 7, Johnny Gargano gets the chance to fight Eric Ryan for the title at Absolution VII. Tim Donst also reminds Ryan that Donst earned an Absolute Title shot back at “Hell On Earth 7” and asks Ryan if he can join in that match. Ryan accepts immediately. Donst hands Ryan a beer and toasts his JLIT victory.

Pre-Show Match
The Duke & Da Latin Crime Syndicate (Joey The Snake & K. Fernandez) vs. The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy, Evan Gelestico & Gary Jay)

Jock Samson was supposed to be in the match, but refused to wrestle in front of a crowd he doesn’t feel are real men. Duke will accept this alteration with the stipulation being that he gets Jock Samson in the ring for five minutes if his team wins. The Submission Squad accepts this stipulation.

Joey easily wins a test of strength with Gelestico. He puts on a waistlock. Gelestico escapes but is worn out. Gelestico uses Joey’s arm to make a…jerking motion. I’m sorry that I couldn’t find a way to make that less crude. Joey gets two with a back elbow. Fernandez crossbody’s Gelestico for two. Duke throws punches at his mid-section. Duke throws some boots while Gelestico is hung up in the ropes. Duke hits a senton for two. Samson grabs Joey’s foot from the floor. Finally Gelestico gets in a forearm and tags in Abernathy. He gets in a cheap shot before choking Joey with his boot. Samson helps the Squad attack Joey on the floor. Joey clotheslines Jay and tags in Duke. Duke chokeslams Gelestico. Abernathy distracts the referee, allowing Samson to hit Duke with a cowbell. Gelestico pins him at 9:05. This was all story based, and in terms of getting the Duke/Samson and Squad/DLCS feuds moving forward, this was successful. The wrestling itself could have been better. *1/2