IWA Mid-South Title: CM Punk © vs. Chris Hero – 2/3 Falls, 90 Minute Time Limit
IWA Mid-South ‘When Hero Met Punk’
This is my first and most probably only single match review. The reason why I am doing the one match is because I don’t own the full show and have no desire to own it. The reason I m reviewing this match is because I got a lot of emails after my Backlash review asking “Why don’t you review something you enjoy?” Well obviously they haven’t read my ROH reviews, but I digress. I was thinking, perhaps Misawa/Kawada 94 review would do it, as it’s the best match I’ve seen of all time, but there are many reviews of that match. I got to thinking, why not Hero vs. Punk? There is like one review of it on the net and not many have seen it.
As was said in the teaser, this is the best US match of all time that I’ve seen, and I’ve seen the Flair/Steamboat matches, the Eddie/Mysterio match and whatever has had that accolade thrown at it. Right now I can see the narrow-minded fans sitting there thinking “Well how can a match in front of like 100 people inside a warehouse be the greatest match of all time?”. Well read on my friends.
Some may call this, myself included, the Americanized version of Misawa vs. Kawada and the history of it may live up to the name. They started out allies, but slowly fell away from each other. Punk became the heel of the feud and Hero became the face, but by this time it was about respect.
This match is an acquired taste. The first fall is around 40-50 minutes and it is all mat work. This just isn’t mat work for the sake of “Well we’re working a 90 minute match, we gotta kill time” though, this is mat work and telling a story. Hero has been cut-off so many times by Punk and this may very well be his last shot at the title, he doesn’t want to lose the first fall, which would perhaps lose him the match altogether. One way Hero is able to win his matches is he always has advantage on the mat and is able to use it whenever he’s in trouble to take back over. Punk on the other hand, is great on the mat but doesn’t quite have the skill of Hero. One advantage he does have is he has wrestled Hero many times and has to pull out something a little extra. He knows Hero can beat you on the mat, so he has his own little strategy. Hero can escape simple holds quite easy like your side headlocks and your leg scissors, so Punk decides to hold him in several holds at a time and test Hero. The effect of this can go one of two ways, one is that if Hero escapes, Punk has to come up with something else and he’s also learnt a little more about Hero, or he can wear Hero down, either it be by being in the hold too long or escaping the hold takes a toll on him. Simple yet effective strategy.
Hero on the other hand, also has a simple strategy, but perhaps not as effective. He too will take Punk down with holds but you can tell he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Wrestle aggressively and maybe get beat in the first fall, perhaps costing him the match, or wrestling defensively and wait for Punk to make a mistake. Problem with the second one is what if Punk doesn’t make a mistake or makes one too late for Hero to capitalize? This does have a 90 minute time limit and Hero has to remember, you have got to beat Punk twice. A true test since he’s had trouble beating Punk once over 2 years. Punk takes the next step in his strategy, let Hero work the holds, but whenever he can get it, unload with stiff strikes, making Hero hurt even more. Punk also unleashes a suicide dive, as if saying to Hero that he’s not tired yet. One advantage of working the mat so long is that other offence will seem more brutal, but the selling has to be there. Well Hero brings the great selling. He’s just not selling the strike, bump or hold, his face tells the story of whether it could be his last time or not. Punk’s selling is up there too, but not on Hero’s level. Punk winning the first fall is something Hero didn’t want because now he’s behind. It also hurts him because it shows Punk is a step ahead because he’s able to improvise. Nobody saw the finish coming either, but it added so much more unpredictability to the match.
Come the second fall, Hero has to throw everything out the window and has to go for the second fall victory. Not only must he beat Punk twice in a row now, he has to do it with only half of the match left. Hero comes out in the second fall and puts on the performance of his life. It is a 2/3 falls match and many think “They have to go to 3 falls”, well Hero makes you believe the second fall can end with his selling. Every time he’s struck, every time his body slams the mat and every time he’s held in a hold, you can sense his pain and wonder if he can pull it out or not. Punk takes the heel role of the second fall, which is pretty much a necessity. The respect that has been gained from the feud means no dick heelish tactics, but more the dominant heel. Any other way the match wouldn’t work.
One great thing they do here is not use many big falls, but not as much mat work. They slowly transition away, with every little thing meaning something. The underdog story might be used a lot, but it takes a true wrestler to take that story and make it into a classic. Punk and Hero are indeed that, true wrestlers and are able to make the story become a classic, unlike a match like Orton vs. HHH. When Hero gets on offence, the crowd is right behind him, wanting him to pull it out. As I said above, one great thing they do is slowly transition from mat work to near falls and it is done perfectly. When Hero hits a move, the fans think it can finish the match, as with Punk. Punk has Hero’s offence scouted, but Hero realises this and thinks “Well if he has my finishers scouted, I’ll steal his”. Hero busting out the Pepsi Plunge is not only a good strategic move, but fitting for the match. Hero could’ve gotten selfish and said “I want this done with my own finisher” but he knew what had to be done and if it got the job done, it’s good enough.
The crowd has slowly become fully behind Hero in this match, but they can only get him so far. Time is against Hero, he’s only got 20-25 minutes left and so is history. Him beating Punk has been scarce, but twice in one match seems impossible. Hero needs the win here, not only to win the title and prove something to the fans, but to himself. He needs to prove to himself that he can beat Punk. Sure, the belt is nice and the fans knowing you beat him is all well and good, but Hero needs to pull this out. Punk has nothing to prove to the fans really, he’s beat Hero many times over the last couple years, but he, much like Hero, has something to prove to himself. He needs to prove he’s that good that he can beat Hero again. He needs to finally put an end to Hero challenging him and prove he is the top dog.
Hero tries for the Hangman’s Clutch many times, but Punk, even though they’ve been wrestling for around 70 mins, isn’t weakened enough and the setup takes a while, he can sense it coming. Punk resorts to a move that is not as effective, but doesn’t take much setup, the sleeper hold. The crowd buys this as Hero’s death, adding so much more to the match. One amazing thing here is the sleeper is worked for a couple minutes, but Hero’s selling is that perfect that you are sitting there on the edge of your seat, wondering if he can pull it out. His selling is much like Kawada’s, he has you believing everything. The crowd stays hot through it as well. Hell, I’ve watched this match about 20 times and still get into it. Upon Hero’s escape, the crowd lets loose a huge sigh of relief that the competitor that they’re backing is able to continue. It’s not that they hate Punk, they love him, but Hero’s come so far, they have no choice but to get behind him. Punk can still survive when having offence thrown at him as well, surviving two Hero’s Welcomes.
We continue and Punk thinks to himself and if Hero used his finisher to beat him, maybe Hero’s finisher can get the job done but it can’t. Back and forth the match continues, time winding down, the match slipping away from Hero due to the time limit, but drawing closer to Punk due to him being the champion. The end to the third fall is something I hated but grew to love. It is only fitting that they fight up top with Punk looking for his Pepsi Plunge and Hero for his trump card, the Avalanche Style Reverse Liger Bomb. Both men fight, but it is Chris Hero that is able to get off his move, but not win the third fall with it. When covering Punk, he’s so tired that he accidentally puts himself in a double pin position. He’s come too far and Ian Rotten decides to give him another chance in a sudden death overtime period. We get an epic three minutes, with insane crowd heat and insane near falls. In the end, Hero’s quest is complete, he locks Punk in the Hangman’s Clutch, a move he had been looking for all match. Punk hasn’t got it in him to escape or make it to the ropes, so has no choice but to submit. In the end, Hero’s quest to the title has ended in victory, but he sure did fight for it. I can’t give this a rating; if you’ve read this review you know what the match is about and hopefully understand why it is the best US match in history.
