Credit: Cory Strode & PWInsider
The Jerry Lynn retirement show was held in the Minneapolis Convention Center ballroom, and I heard from people in the crowd that they had over 1000 people, which is a damn good turnout for Indy Wrestling in this area! The place was almost full, even though I made my way to an area where there were about 15 or so empty seats…I have had a cold this week and didn’t want to infect others. And yes, I had hand sanitizer, which I used before shaking people’s hands.
There were a few vendors tables, (one of which was Tommy Dreamer, selling the House of Hardcore gear, which I happily turned over cashmoney for), and they looked pretty lively as well.
Still, it was a nice set up, lots of room and a LOT of people, a nice mix of ages as well, although in the area I was sitting in, it was all guys who were around my age (and probably Jerry Lynn’s age).
Luke Hawx & Scott Summers & Perry Saturn vs. Ariya Daivari & John Johnson & Aaron Corbin
Hawx and Summers had a punk gimmick while Johnson and Corbin were heel Scotsmen. OK, I guess they were Scotsmen, since they had kilts. Decent opening match, with Saturn getting a decent pop, and staying on the apron for most of the match. Hawx and Summers use the Total Elimination and Saturn gets the pin. Nice way to get the crowd into the show.
Winners: Luke Hawx & Scott Summers & Perry Saturn
Rhino vs. Black Stallion
I was looking forward to this. I have seen Stallion on a LOT of local cards, and he’s great at getting heat. I had heat with him since he didn’t come to the ring wearing his Yellow or Red Lantern trunks….
He came to the ring with a manager who had hair like Doc Brown in the Back to the Future movies. Rhino gets a big pop as he enters. They have a few feats of strength bits where they come out even, which the crowd was simply not buying. They have a good back and forth match, with neither getting the upper hand. When Stallion’s manager interferes, Rhino leaves the ring to chase him around the ring…he takes too long and is counted out.
Rhino lines up to gore Stallion, who gets out of the ring, leaving his manager to take the GORE! GORE! GORE!
Winner: Black Stallion by DQ
Blue Meanie & Al Snow vs. Craven Knight & Renny D.
LONG start to the match as Snow comes out without Head, then goes into the back and takes his time coming out. I was near the ramp, so I heard him arguing with Head, but it was lost on the crowd who couldn’t tell what was going on. When he came out with Head, got a much bigger pop.
The first half of the match was pure comedy bits, almost like a Harlem Globetrotters show. The heel demanded a dance off, danced terribly, then attacked Meanie and Snow after they had danced for a bit.
Snow took most of the beating through the match and finally got the pin.
Winners: Blue Meanie & Al Snow
Sabu vs. Arik Cannon – No DQ
Cannon gets a pop as big (if not bigger) than Sabu, as was very over as he is the hometown boy. Great match by both guys here. Lots of plunder and lots of near falls. Cannon gets busted open and Sabu does a great job with him. I LOVED this match, even if there wasn’t a need for Cannon to get busted open. Sabu gets the win, and the crowd cheers for both of them at the end.
Winner: Sabu
At this point was intermission, where I ran into some old friends, picked up House of Hardcore’s first show on DVD, thanked Tommy Dreamer for the years of entertainment he’s given me and saw that Tommy “Spiderbaby” Saturday and Mick Karch were there.
Darrin Corbin vs. Tommy Dreamer
Corbin came to the ring in Tiger pattern trunks, which caused a drunk guy behind me to shout “Let’s go Zubaz” for most of the match. It was a chant that was funny for about a minute or so and quickly transitioned to annoying.
The match started with Corbin insulting Tommy, saying he was coasting on his time in ECW, his wife was a whore and his kids should be ashamed….and Tommy answered the insults by making it a Hardcore/Extreme Rules match!
This led to my section chanting with the first few wrestling holds,such as “Hardcore wristlock” and “Hardcore rope break.” It didn’t take long for it to turn into a hardcore match with a LOT of plunder, all of Tommy’s signature movies, and a great series of near falls.
Finally, Corbin is able to pin Tommy for the win. Tommy was over big time with the crowd, to the point where people were upset when he was only able to get two counts.
Winner: Darrin Corbin
Heavy on Wrestling Championship Match: Champion Ben Sailer vs. Adam Pearce
For the beginning of the match, Pearce was channeling his inner Larry Zbyszko with a lot of stalling and leaving the ring after every attempted hookup. It didn’t get the kind of heat they wanted, I think as the crowd simply wasn’t into this match.
The match itself was OK, and both guys did good work, but the crowd just simply didn’t seem to care. A pretty “paint by the numbers” Heel challenger vs Face champion match. I think at least a third of the people in my section went to get a final beer during the match and I think it should have been placed sooner in the card.
Winner: Champion Ben Sailer
Finally: Jerry Lynn vs. Horace the Pyschopath vs. JB Trask vs. Sean Waltman
It said on the website that it would be a tag team match, but instead it was a fatal four way. Horace got a HUGE pop when he came down, which surprised me. I know him from local cards, but the crowd didn’t seem to know the local guys that well for the most part. Waltman got a pop as well, and of course, Jerry Lynn got a standing ovation when he came out.
The match itself was hardcore, with a LOT of chairs, a few tables and a small (probably 5 foot) ladder. Lots of good action, and everyone got a big spot.
While two guys would brawl in the ring, the other two would brawl around the ring, so there was very little of the “Two guys fight while the other two rest” moments that always bugs me about four ways.
Horace was busted open early, but he was the only one to do so. Lots of chair shots, Trask went through a table in the ring and Jerry was able to work in all of the moves he’s known for. Finally, however, Jerry pinned Horace to end the match.
Winner: (of course) Jerry Lynn
Afterward, everyone from the back came into the ring, JB Trask, Sean Waltman and Arik Cannon all gave nice speeches about Jerry’s career.
Jerry was given a “Heavy on Wrestling” Hall of Fame trophy (which was NOT busted over someone’s head, a rarity in wrestling as Jerry Lynn noted) Jerry thanked the crowd, thanked the people he’d worked with in the ring over the years and the show was over.
