Throw Some Ds On That

CM Punk/Colt Cabana VS Ace Steel/Danny Dominion - Beloit WI 3/4/2001

CJD: Well you definitely limited my options this week but I think this match will do just fine. Fascinating glimpse at the early days of the Second City Saints in this students VS teachers match up. It's funny to me that Punk is the worst wrestler in this match but obviously went on to have the most success. Clearly the fans gravitate to him even then, and the writing is on the wall as to the direction indy wrestling, and eventually all of pro wrestling, are heading in the years to come. Dominion & Steel haven't lost a step since the match we just watched 7 years prior, and deliver a masterful heel tag team performance here. I had never heard of Danny Dominion three weeks ago, but I have to say I've become a fan. I'm sad we never got to see him in the Embassy. He had to have been in at least one TPI, right? Danny Dominion, where have you gone??

JJZ: Ace Steel like I've never seen him before. Wow, this is super Indy. Really reminds me of when I was going to a lot of shows in the early 2000s. CM and CC looking like some little babies over here. I'm loving that the last two matches have some of the biggest Indy stars ever but when they just broke in. Colt is flying all over the place. Looking like he belongs in the J-Cup. I'll be honest, if I was judging off this match alone I'd predict that Cabana would become the bigger star. I'm enjoying Punk, but he's got backyarder written all over him. Steel and Dominion are playing the old salty veteran heel role to a tee. Colt's getting the nice babyface pops while Ace and Danny are pulling great heat from the crowd. I'm totally marking out over this 2001 move set. Bring on all the tornado DDTs you got! Wheel barrel bulldog?? Hell yeah! I think you undersold this match a little bit baby. I got a real kick out of it.

There Must Be A Fallen Angel (Playing With My Heart)

Christopher Daniels (c) VS Danny Dominion - WCW Light Heavyweight Championship Lumberjack Match 5/7/1994

JJZ: When I saw that this match took place in '94 it blew my mind that Daniels has been wrestling for 25 years. I had a lot to consider before I decided to play this forward. First, CD and Jeremy Borash are doing an audio recap over the original commentary. Which means you can't hear the crowd at all. Second, I didn't want to leave you with limited options playing Danny Dominion forward. However. I enjoyed everything about this match so much and knew this is what we are all about over here at PIF. This was from Windy City Wrestling and what I'm guessing was their biggest show of the year, that was a huge venue for an Indy promotion in '94. It was a lumberjack match and unless I missed it they do not mention that at all. Dominion was a really solid heel who worked very well with this PUB (Plucky Underdog Babyface) as you like to say. Hope you enjoy baby cakes.

CJD: This match made me giddy just at the sight of it. I have a Best of Christopher Daniels VHS buried in my parents' basement somewhere that very well may have this match on it. It definitely has one of his ECW matches and other stuff from very early on. But I kind of doubt it has this with just how early in his career it is. That's not to say I'm the biggest Daniels mark in the world but this just speaks to the spirit of discovering the unknown that got us so hooked on this silly hobby in the first place. And that still carries on to PIF decades and decades later! Danny Dominion is a fantastic heel, his stable plays their role perfectly too, although I have to say, Daniels could have been a bit pluckier for my tastes. For what indy wrestling was in 1994 this match was really something. Way ahead of its time while still sticking to strong fundamentals. Now to deep dive into some DD for next week!