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| 19/10/06 - INSIDER's
Look at the End of Year Awards Part III |
You would think that I, THE INSIDER, would have had quite
enough of this examining awards caper. But there must be two
more examinations.
This year is a special one for Explosive Pro Wrestling.
RE-AWAKENING
V will mark the fifth anniversary of EPW’s
existence. And as such, there will be awards for the Match &
Wrestler of the Past Five Years. In this article, I, THE
INSIDER, will take a look at some of the classic matches
that EPW has produced over the years.
BEST MATCH FROM 2001 - 2006
Let’s first take a look at some of the Best Matches from
2001 – 2006.
2002
The first winner of the Match of the Year (2002) was the
Last Man Standing Match between Jimmy Payne & Mikey. It was
a brutal match and a first in EPW
Jimmy Payne’s two duels with Davis Storm were stand out
matches in 2002 that both had amazing crowd participation
but would probably not quite hold up over time as true
classics.
As with all matches from this era, it will be tough as the
standard of wrestling has improved so much in the past few
years.
2003
Now this year started with a cracker that should have won
Match of the Year (but did not). Jag & Havok made their
first trip to Perth to face Jimmy Payne & Davis Storm. This
is an incredible match and again the crowd noise and support
during this match is amazing.
The match that did win match of the year was Damien Kross
versus Davis Storm. This was an incredibly emotional bout
with Storm promising to retire if he lost to Kross. He got
over the line only for Kross to retire immediately after the
match. The 5 minute standing ovation that Kross received
just highlighted the class of the fans who had been booing
him moments earlier.
The finals of the tag team title tournament pitted Davis
Storm & Jimmy Payne against the Brat Pack of FN Carnage &
Jamie Jurah. It was a tremendous back and forth match with
the action rarely slowing down for a moment.
RE-AWAKENING provided some fantastic matches in 2003. FN
Carnage & Brad West provided one of the greatest
Invitational finals that we have ever witnessed. The
softcore match between Devlin Reeves & Psychofett was one of
the strangest spectacles we have ever seen in EPW.
But, the main event was something else. This was the
culmination of a two year feud that had consumed EPW. The
result was a 6 man Street Fight for all the marbles. This
was a car wreck with human bodies used as the vehicles.
There seemed to be no end to this match and the fans almost
didn’t want it to end. If wrestling is about emotion, take a
look at the crowd at the end of this one. 500 people
standing and giving the type of ovation that we may never
hear again.
2004
It was again an interstate visit from Jag that got us
started. Now tag team partners, Davis Storm and Jag
contested a true EPW classic at Black Friday. A fantastic
battle that saw the superior interstate wrestler overcome
the relentless hometown underdog.
And classic was the only way that you could describe the
brutal Taped Fist Street Fight between FN Carnage & Lobo.
This match epitomised will to win as both men tried
everything they could to leave with the EPW championship
around their waist. Lobo may have lost the match but his
effort here has never been forgotten.
The Match of the Year saw Mikey & Azazal take their feud to
another level with the very first chain match in EPW. As
superb a brawl as we have ever seen in this country as they
punished each other until the final bell. Mikey left with
his hand raised but Azazal was far from disgraced
2005
Notice a pattern here. 2005 kicked off with Jag and Davis
Storm attempting the impossible. A one hour Iron Man Match.
There were critics before the match but after the match
their silence could not be heard over the sound of the 300
people in attendance giving this match the standing ovation
it deserved.
A 4 way title match at Evolution pitted four of the finest
wrestlers in the country against each other. And the results
were spectacular. Mikey, Jag, Jimmy Payne & Havok held
nothing back as they all went for gold. Mikey left the
building with the belt after outlasting his three opponents.
2005’s Match of the Year as seen by the fans was the Street
Fight at Hell or Highwater between Richter & Mikey. We have
never witnessed brutality on this level & my stomach hopes
we never see it again. Mikey bled buckets and took to
Richter’s head with a fork and a cricket bat before taking
home the EPW title for a second time.
One of the most memorable sights of the past five years was
the appearance of the steel cage at last year’s
RE-AWAKENING. And the two men in that match certainly didn’t
let anyone down. This was a hard as tacks brawl with two
sickening falls off the cage. Azazal superplexing FN Carnage
off of the top of the cage was the single highest fall we
have ever seen in EPW. A fantastic match.
2006
Jimmy Payne & Havok fought tooth and nail at Evolution in a
Lumberjack match. This match had plenty of drama and even
saw Anella receive a DVD off the apron through a table from
Jag. This was the match that sent Jimmy Payne back to the
top of EPW.
Street Fights tend to be stand out matches here in EPW and
this year’s was no exception. Chris J Lazareth & Jimmy Payne
destroyed a whole array of weapons over each others heads.
CJL even smashed a crutch over Jimmy’s leg. A tough bout
between two tough men.
Well that is where we sit. After five years, those are the
matches that stand out more than any other in each year.
Which was is the best? A very tough question. And one that
I, THE INSIDER, don’t feel ready to answer at this time. We
will all know the answer on November 4th 2006. |
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