Czw Cage Of Death 5

Video Review -
CZW CAGE OF DEATH 5
(December 13, 2003)
By 2Slick [Jonathan Wilson]


Welcome to CZW.... where if you like the hottest junior heavyweights in the world, some great mat wrestling; oh, and the craziest hardcore bumps around; then you'll love these guys. I'm a huge mark for CZW, not only because I've got friends who work there or have worked there; but because it has a spirit about it that reminds me of the old ECW. Cage of Death is CZW's equivalent of WWE's Wrestlemania, it's THE big show every year for them. It's the showcase.....of the ultraviolent. So let's get to the matches.

Jude & Niles Young vs. Jon Dahmer & Cory Kastle vs. Jamie Samuels & DJ Hyde -

Eric Gargiulo and John House on commentary are putting over the fact that Jon Dahmer wrestled the first match at Cage of Death 1, and is here for this match too. I personally wonder if this is a compliment or not, as it basically makes him look like opening match fodder when in my view he is a seriously underated worker who deserves more credit than he gets. Jude and Niles Young don't look bad here, Dahmer and Kastle look the stars; but the only thing I really think about the previously unknown to me Samuels and Hyde is that I want a t-shirt like Samuels is wearing. And I want one really bad! If you know how to get one, please email me!! Dahmer and Kastle get the win in this match, it's a bit of a messy match but certainly isn't bad. And your finishing move, the 'Move of a Thousand Maniacs'; is purely devastating and has a high mark-out value for the viewer. Match gets two stars, but Dahmer's finisher is a five star killer in my view.

Shun The Kabuki Kid vs. GQ vs. Rick Feinberg vs. Krystian Wolf -

To sum up the competitors - Krystian Wolf, I must admit I don't know of previous to viewing this tape. Rick Feinberg I haven't seen in ages, and am quite surprised at his look. Feinberg is someone who I've always found some entertainment in viewing. GQ is a worker I've come to appreciate a lot more as time has gone by, and Shun the Kabuki Kid has a hairstyle that I'm currently considering doing just for the hell of doing so. The main work comes down to Shun and GQ, and this isn't a bad thing. Shun seems to have the making of a good worker in time, and goes over for the win and one and a half stars from me.

For #1 Contendership of the CZW Tag Titles: Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz vs. Nick Berk & Z-Barr vs. Greg Matthews & Rockin Rebel -

At this point, please 'Shet Ep' and give the credit deserved to two of my best friends in the business - Z-Barr and Nick Berk! This originally seems to be a normal tag match, then The Barr comes out of nowhere to his music; cuts a good promo and tells everyone that the Softcore Connection are back (nut!). Hey, call me what you want; but I mark out when I watch my friends working! The Scoundrels are a team I've seen a bit of from being friends with the guys at JAPW, and I like these guys. Rebel and Matthews are also on my list of people I like professionally and personally, Rebel being killer on the microphone and a nice guy to speak to online too. Rebel's Army take the win here, and I really enjoyed this one and offer three stars. And when I eventually get my wish and run a promotion in England, Barr and Berk are top of my list to bring over and run main events around!

#1 Contendership For The CZW Jr Heavyweight Title: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Sabian vs. Derek Frazier -

For the shoot fans amongst you, Sabian grabs Becky Bayless’ (who is Jimmy Jacobs’s valet) ass; in an unscripted move that caused some serious heat between the two afterwards. I'm impressed with the way Derek Frazier has progressed with time, and this is as three ways go; respectable. I'm not a fan of three way matches, but this comes off quite well if somewhat spot based. Two and a half stars for the match.

CZW Iron Man Title- 20 Minute Iron Man Match: Trent Acid vs. Jimmy Rave -

Be still, my marking out heart. Who doesn't love to watch Trent Acid? If you don't, I'm already calling you a doctor. And Jimmy Rave, I'm just a huge fan of and this is a dream match for yours truly. They tell a great story in this one, and I'm just loving every moment of this. The fact that at one point the fans (and I use that term loosely) are chanting 'boring', is neither here nor there - this is great stuff. We're at a 1-1 pinfall draw, and if you have a watch you'll find they don't go the full twenty minutes - seventeen and a half instead. We get the questionably booked 'five more minutes' spot, and after a hectic ending; Rave takes the win and the title. Amazing match, strange booking (I just felt the five extra minutes part was unnecessary); and four and a half stars from me.

A Hi-V promo now, and they come out and say how it’s 6 on 5 tonight and they’ll win, but John Zandig interrupts them and says it’s going to be 6 on 6 and he has a wrestler lined up to complete his team. But who???

#1 Contendership for the CZW Iron Man Title: Alex Shelley vs. B-Boy vs. Chris Hero -

Elimination rules, with three great workers; including someone I mark for and speak to sometimes online - Chris Hero. Hero puts in a great performance here, but is eliminated first. Damn, it's a good thing I don't bet on wrestling! Shelley takes the win with something I didn't think I'd see - making B-Boy tap out. A really good match, very well done and downright enjoyable with a good run of near finishes. Three and a half stars on the chart for this one.

Ladder Match: Joker vs. Chris Cash -

This was originally booked last month as Cash & Deranged vs. Joker & Azrael, but Deranged and Azrael had either travel problems or were fired (you decide the truth); so this is a singles match now. Chris Cash has become a star in recent months, and deserves a lot more attention from the wrestling media. And here, Joker becomes a big player also. We're talking sick, mad bumps that normal people wouldn't consider; but writers like me love the guys who do it and so should you - because they're doing it for your entertainment. The finisher is a Joker driver off of the ladder through the table, and it manages to top off an amazing set of high spots that you MUST see. Sixteen minutes plus of great work, and four stars from me. The most underrated match on the card?

CZW Junior Heavyweight Title: Ruckus vs. Sonjay Dutt -

Two more of my friends here, and you know you're guaranteed a great match with these two in the ring. Sonjay keeps coming back even since he became known in TNA, like some of us have always known he would and have been pulling for him. Ruckus has turned heel at this point, for those keeping score; and is looking as good as ever. Sonjay and Ruckus have worked each other so much, you have some amazing counters and re-counters and moves. And you'll never get tired of watching them, that's for sure. This has more mat based wrestling in it than in previous matches, and it's noticable and is a plus point. Sonjay gets the win, and this gets four and a quarter stars.

1,000,000 Thumbtacks & Cage Of Death War Games Match: Team Ultraviolence (Zandig, Nick Gage, Wifebeater, Ian Knoxx, Lobo and Mystery Partner) vs. The Hi-V (Messiah, Trent Acid, Johnny Kashmere, B-Boy, Nate Hatred & Adam Flash) -

It's virtually a who's who of CZW here. All the names you love and some, but who is the mystery partner? We have a Hi-V fixed entrance leading to Zandig being four on one teamed, and then we find out..... it's New Jack!! Who then turns heel on Zandig..... B-Boy takes a mad bump into the million thumbtacks, and you have to cringe here. Knoxx drops an elbow into the thumbtacks, and we're rolling for sure now as Nick Gage joins the match. Another hot spot follows as Adam Flash spears Knoxx out of mid air and down into the thumbtacks in a major mark out moment. Knoxx is bumping wildly, and takes a Trent Acid Yakuza kick and falls off the cage and through a table and you have to believe Knoxx should be dead at this point. A Lobo high point is a death valley driver on both Kashmere and Hi-V manager Dewey Donovan from the top of the cage through four tables.....and damn, that looked good! Unless you're Kashmere or Donovan, or the tables that just broke and had no intention of breaking any part of the fall. A story twist is that Zandig grabs the microphone and says 'Hatred,...NOW!' and Nate Hatred turns face on the Hi-V! Gage and Hatred reunite the H8 Club, and Messiah stands no chance and is eliminated as the match ends. Just .... amazing. You'll be exhausted just watching, and whilst not a classic wrestling match it's well worth it's four and a half stars for what it is and the performances entered.

OVERALL : - Great, great tape. Lots of matches that are well worth your checking out, and I personally recommend this one strongly.