[2001-01-26-ICW-The Revolution Continues] Red vs Maximo

[GSR]

It looks like Matt Striker is on security duties, shepherding Maximo as he makes his entrance. Just like Jimmy Rave on that episode of Wildside TV, Red looks so young here. Real fast opening stretch ending with a Red satellite DDT. Standing shooting star for a two and Maximo rolls to the floor to re-evaluate his game plan. Red makes out as if he’s going for an Asai moonsault, but as Maximo tries to grab him, he vaults back into the ring, sprints off the ropes and lands an almighty flip dive instead, hitting his ankles on the guard rail in the process. “Holy shit!” chant for that one. Back inside, and as Red goes for a moonsault crossbody he’s caught with a dropkick to the chest while upside down in mid-air. Maximo presses him overhead and then launches him like a projectile missile from up high to the arena floor. Splash Mountain into a ‘dominator’, but Red kicks out of the cover. A clubbing clothesline by Red takes both over the top and to the outside. Leaping huracanrana from the top turnbuckle to the arena floor! While Maximo is still trying to recover, Red nails him with a Kushi moonsault (that’s what the commentators called it, although it’s a running backflip over the top rope to the outside). An even bigger “Holy shit!” chant for that. Red sits Maximo upstairs for a top rope frankensteiner, Maximo gives him a shove but Red with a backflip and he lands on his feet. As Maximo comes off the middle he’s met by a spinning tornado kick. Picture perfect Shooting Star press. Red makes the cover but some blonde woman is up on the apron distracting the referee. While he’s otherwise engaged with her, some other chap runs out from the dressing room and levels Red with a boot to the head. ‘Maximum Overdrive’ and Maximo picks up the win. That same guy who cost Red the match gives him a post-match powerbomb, while another unknown jumps Maximo and leaves him lying with a single armed DDT. Security get the pair of them out of there and while they’re surveying the damage, one fan, right in front of the camera, yells at the blonde “show me that clit, let me lick some pussy”. Classy, real classy! Red is then carried from the ring to a standing ovation.

 

Red before he was ‘Amazing’ and Maximo before he had a first name! A real fun high octane, innovative spotfest. Not everything they tried came off, but more did than didn’t. Even by today’s standards some of the spots looked fresh which is a testament to both, especially considering that this match is now 18 years old. I know we’ve a whole bunch more of SAT, Red stuff to watch for the remainder of 2001 and this is a cracking appetizer to whet the whistle of what’s to come.

[Migs]

Really excited to dive into the UCW / ICW stuff from this year, as this was the promotion that really started me down the indy wrestling rabbit hole in 2001.I didn't go to my first show until June, but I went back and saw these tapes pretty quickly after that.

 

Cagematch has this show as Red's first ever - while he probably worked some small indies before this, this is definitely his first show on any sort of stage, and the same for Joel Maximo. The crowd is already losing their mind for Red's highspots - the Red Star Press gets a giant reaction, and his dive gets a "holy shit" chant. Worth enduring the awful announcers just to hear the crowd reactions. Terrific star making performances for both guys, but Red especially. Hard to explain if you're seeing this stuff for the first time now how mind blowing Red was in 2001.

[soup23]

 The best and worst of these two together. There were some spectacular high spots in this match but also some terrible botches. Red of course shined as the most dynamic performer. The ICW crowd was really behind him. Joel is probably the worst of the Maximo’s and he didn’t show me Much in this match. A good starting point evaluating these guys. **