• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

September Slam Recap

Posted: Sep 23rd 2009 By: CMBurnham

On September 13th, 2008, Impact Zone Wrestling returned home to Lawton, Oklahoma. Just over one year later, wrestling fans who have come along for the ride were awarded with an event to remember. IZW held its 5th annual September Slam on September 19th and fans were not disappointed. The months of waiting finally came to an end as belts were put on the line, enemies finally faced off, and one man shocked everyone.

After months of targeting one another, a Three Way Number One Contender?s Match for the Impact Divison Title was held. Big John O?Malley, Austin Tacious and Brandon Groom started the evening with an exciting match. Despite still having injured ribs, Groom won the match after a high impact splash onto both O?Malley and Tacious. Groom earned a future shot at the Impact Division title?will he be the next champion?

The ?Poster Boy? Blake Albright went up against Ky-ote Joe in hopes of gaining revenge for being ?embarrassed? a few weeks prior. But Joe also wanted revenge for the beatdown he consequently received from Albright. Ky-ote joe was able to take the match with a frog splash. The ?Wrecking Ball? Shane Rawls came to the ring with his manager, Bad Brad Michaels, to take on the ?Awesome One? Kevin Morgan. The two battled in a ferocious display of power. Michaels became involved at one point but this did not deter Morgan. Rawls was able to gain the upper hand and pinned Morgan for the win. After this significant victory, where will Bad Brad lead the Wrecking Ball next?

In the first of three title defenses, the Impact Division was on the line as Randy Price defended the belt against Eric Rose. The two went at it in a fierce competition, spilling to the outside numerous times. Eventually, both men continued to fight and failed to answer the referee?s ten count. Mr. Money retained his title in a double countout, but is the issue settled? Groom now holds a shot at the title, but where does this leave Rose?

The tag titles were put on the line in IZW?s first ever Three Stages of Impact match. ?High Energy? Jermaine Johnson and Montego Seeka had been waiting to get their hands on Sensational Seth Allen and the Great Dane Griffin for some time, and vice versa. BLK-OUT and Revolution engaged in an unforgettable war that had every IZW fan on their feet. The first stage was a standard tag team match, which BLK-OUT was able to win with an assisted double-stomp maneuver. The second stage was a Falls Count Anywhere match and the two teams wasted no time in taking the fight outside the ring. Johnson was able to climb the cage wall standing near the entrance ramp, jumping onto the others with a huge crossbody. Allen stood on the top turnbuckle with the others on the ground, then leapt off with a remarkable shooting star press. The teams paired off to begin fighting all over the arena, as Griffin and Seeka faced off while Johnson and Allen did the same. Johnson and Allen threw each other into the walls, their bodies leaving huge holes in the arena. Griffin and Seeka fought into the parking lot. Eventually both teams came back to the ring, where Revolution hit their Minnesota Wrecker on Johnson from the ring apron through a table. Griffin covered Johnson to gain the second stage win for their team.

The third stage was an ?I Quit? match, both teams desperate to win the final decision and walk away with the titles. Both teams fought through their fatigue to give it everything they had. None of the competitors would give up, which prompted Allen to go backstage, returning with a pair of handcuffs. He attempted to cuff Johnson to the top rope, but Johnson was too quick. He cuffed Allen to the rope instead, leaving Allen to stare in disbelief. BLK-OUT then double-teamed Griffin by locking in a painful submission, both men wrenching back. This caused Griffin to pass out while Allen tried everything he could to break up the hold, but couldn?t reach. Allen couldn?t bear anymore, and began to scream, ?I quit! I quit!? All four wrestlers had struggled to the point of exhaustion, but BLK-OUT was able to retain their titles in a marathon battle.

The main event had the ?Real Deal? Aaron Neil defending his IZW Heavyweight Championship against the founder of IZW, Johnny Z. This match had been months in the making. Earlier in the night, the members of Impact Inc gathered around backstage. Weeks earlier, Bernie had shown his allegiance to Impact Inc. In Neil and Johnny?s preview match, he looked to use a steel chair on Johnny, but smashed Neil with it instead. This night, Johnny gave Bernie D a bag, telling him to use its contents when the time was right. The crowd was left to wonder what was in the bag. Johnny came to the ring with Commissioner Steve O, hoping to win his first IZW heavyweight title. But the Real Deal wasn?t going to go down easily. Johnny went for his big boot, but Neil kicked out. Steve O got onto the apron, where Johnny almost hit him accidentally. When he turned around, he walked into a big powerslam from Neil. When he went for the cover, Steve O pulled Johnny out. Steve O then ran to the back, bringing Impact Inc member Blake Albright back with him. Albright grabbed Neil?s boot, which gave Johnny the window to hit the Final Impact. He went for the cover, but Neil kicked out. Steve O got the refereee?s attention, allowing Albright to come in and hit the Posterizer. When the referee turned around, he assumed Albright had gotten involved and ejected him.

Johnny went for the pin, but again Neil kicked out. Johnny grew increasingly frustrated, trying everything to no avail. Neil went to the top for a big lariat, but Johnny grabbed the referee who took the hit, knocking him down. Steve O got on the apron again and was grabbed by Neil, but Johnny gave him a low blow. Steve O retrieved a steel chair and held it to Neil?s face in the turnbuckle. Johnny ran in with a vicious big boot against the chair. He then hit his second Final Impact. The referee still down, Bernie D then came out, revealing what was in the bag?a referee?s shirt. In what looked to be the end of the real Deal?s title reign, Bernie began to count ? 1, 2?and then stopped and shook his head ?No.? The crowd was shocked. Johnny stood up and the two began arguing and shoving each other. Johnny went for a clothesline, but Bernie ducked, answering with a huge Sky High. Aaron Neil then stood up and gave Johnny the Real Drill. Bernie D counted the pin for the Real Deal to retain his title. The crowd celebrated with the champion. Bernie?s unexpected actions left many questions to be answered. What will happen in the fallout from September Slam?

Courtesy of izwrestling.com/news.html