Full Impact Pro

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9 ball
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Full Impact Pro

Post by 9 ball »

With being a fan of ROH & knowing in the past that FIP had a working relationship with them would it be worth my while checking them out & if so could people familiar with the promotion give me any event DVD Recommendations.
Big Red Machine
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by Big Red Machine »

I started trying to do this by picking up t entire year of 2005, and much to my surprise found it to be very different (and vastly inferior). Even with Gabe booking it was still a very Southern style promotion with lots of stalling and cheap finishes and crap like that. I've gotten through the first half of the year and most of it is miserable to sit through (even with most shows clocking in at under two and a half hours). I might give it another chance soon because 1) I bought the damn things so I might as well watch them, and 2) Nigel McGuinness is about to come in.

From what I understand, FIP doesn't really start to mesh with ROH until the Redefined show in February 2008 (which was a huge pain in the ass to get my hands on), and from them until October when Gabe is fired by both, they do work decently well in tandem with each other.
DBSommer
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by DBSommer »

The show with Gibson's ROH title defense against Roddy, probably Gibson's best was worth it. One of the 'International' shows that had both Shingo and YAMATO on it was good.

Really, there were more like 'a handful of good matches' rather 'good shows' though

EDIT:

It was Big Year Bash Night 1 with Roddy vs. Gibson. It also had Nigel vs Homicide as well.
Last edited by DBSommer on Sat Nov 19, 2016 7:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
maxx_powerz
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by maxx_powerz »

2004 / 2005 FIP shows are mostly a chore to get through. They are barely 2 hours, they feature subpar undercard talent (at least if you are used to ROH, PWG and EVOLVE like I am), the booking is geared towards kids and the crowds are pretty small / quiet. Most of these problems get better through the years, although none of them exactly go away.

Getting back to 2004 / 2005, Dangerous Intentions is a half decent show. Triple main event of Homicide versus Rocky Romero for the FIP belt, Austin Aries versus Vordell Walker for the ROH belt and CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson. There is also a solid fourway match beween Azrieal, Jerrelle Clark, Fast Eddie and Puma (TJ Perkins).

I also liked Heatstroke Night 1. No single match jumps out at you, but unlike most FIP shows there is solid depth to the card. Homicide versus Steve Madison, a decent local. CM Punk versus Ace Steel. Samoa Joe versus Brian Kendrick. Sal Rinauro versus Adam Pearce. Tony Mamaluke versus James Gibson. Roderick Strong versus Jerrelle Clark versus Jay Fury versus Azrieal.

2006 isn't a whole lot better than 2005, but it slowly improves over the course of the year. By the end of 2006, Roderick Strong is a fighting babyface FIP champion (tbf, Homicide was a decent champion in 2005 but Bryan Danielson sadly works mega chicken shit during his 2006 reign). After over a year of irrelevance, the Briscoes comes in and take the FIP tag titles. Erick Stevens is a fixture in the midcard, and Chikara talent (Hallowicked, Jigsaw, Gran Akuma, Larry Sweeney) has bolstered the first half of cards.

Chasing the Dragon is a good show. Survival of the Fittest style elimination match main events between Austin Aries, Colt Cabana, Canadian Cougar (Tony Kazina), Davey Richards, Roderick Strong and Steve Madison. Bryan Danielson versus Sal Rinauro for the FIP belt. Bit of a top heavy show with those two matches, but there is also Shingo versus Erick Stevens and a tag with Jerrelle Clark & Jay Fury (who have a really good match against Aries & Strong for the ROH tag titles the next night at Impact of Honor) against Seth Delay & Chasyn Rance.

I'll add more when I have the time.
maxx_powerz
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by maxx_powerz »

The last show of 2006, the Florida Rumble, is probably the best of the year. No Briscoes and no really good matches, but another show with an atypically deep card. Fun enough 11 person Royal Rumble style match to start the show which sets up five fun matches for later in the night - Roderick Strong versus Hallowicked, Erick Stevens versus Bryan Danielson, Gran Akuma versus Davey Richards, Colt Cabana versus Larry Sweeney, Delirious versus Austin Aries.

The first few months of 2007 pick up where 2006 left off. Unfininished Business has a really good dog collar match between Erick Stevens and Steve Madison, a good TLC match between Seth Delay and Sal Rinauro, Roderick Strong versus Brent Albright, Jimmy Jacobs versus Jimmy Rave, Gran Akuma versus Jack Evans and Claudio Castagnoli versus Larry Sweeney.

Battle of the Belts features a single elimination eight man tournament with Roderick Strong versus Jimmy Rave, Erick Stevens versus Shingo and Jay Briscoe versus Larry Sweeney being noteworthy quarter final matches, Roderick Strong versus Jay Briscoe in the semi finals and Erick Stevens breakthrough performance in the best match to date in FIP history versus Roderick Strong in the finals.

International Impact Phase Two has the Briscoes versus Necro Butcher & Man Man Pondo in a crazy brawl for the tag team titles, Roderick Strong versus Sal Rinauro for the FIP belt, Shingo versus YAMATO, Erick Stevens versus Nigel McGuiness, Delirious versus Jigaw and Claudio Castagnoli versus Jerrelle Clark. Probably on the short list for best FIP show ever.

While not on the same level as these three shows, Dangerous Intentions 2007, In Full Force 2007, International Impact Phase One, Melbourne Meltdown and Stronger Than Ever all take place during this time frame and are all better than most 2005 / 2006 show. Early 2007 was pretty great by FIP standards. The rest of the year is not quite as good, but most shows have three or four decent matches and the "average" show quality is still better than 2005 / 2006. The third anniversary weekend features BxB Hulk & YAMATO, first with them tagging against Roderick Strong & Jay Briscoe, then they team with Jack Evans against Delirious, Hallowicked & Jigsaw. Both matches are really good.

2008 FIP is mostly good. Not nearly as many shows. 2007 FIP ran about twenty shows, I don't think 2008 made it to ten. Most of them are good though. Redefined is another show on the short list of best FIP shows, with Roderick Strong versus Erick Stevens for the FIP title, Sal Rinauro versus Tyler Black, Nigel McGuiness in a fun brawl with Necro Butcher and Austin Aries versus Davey Richards (in case you haven't already seen that match two dozen times).

The Strong versus Stevens feud carries FIP for a bit, with a Last Man Standing match at Dangerous Intentions and a dog collar match (ending the fued) at Hot Summer Nights making average shows overall something worth checking out.

In Full Force 2008 is an under the radar pick, with a strange main event (Scotty 2 Hotty & Delirious versus Sal Rinauro & Chasyn Rance) but a really strong card overall that features Roderick Strong versus Austin Aries versus Jerry Lynn, Jason Blade & Kenny King versus Tyler Black & Jimmy Jacobs and Erick Stevens versus Davey Richards.

Heatstroke 2008 is probably the last great FIP show released on DVD. Erick Stevens versus Go Shiozaki for the FIP title, Tyler Black versus Necro Butcher, Roderick Strong versus Kenny King, Austin Aries versus Jason Blade.

The last few shows of 2008 are okay and feature some cool stuff but aren't quite up to the same overall level. And that is pretty much it. I think there are some random 2009 and maybe 2010 FIP matches that ended up as extras on DGUSA and / or EVOLVE DVD releases (I am pretty sure I saw Roderick Strong versus Jon Moxley for the FIP belt at some point), but Unstoppable in December of 2008 was the last show to be released on traditional DVD. Unstoppable isn't a particularly good overall show, but ends on a strong note with Go Shiozaki versus Tyler Black, with Black taking the FIP title.

The promotion didn't run any 2012 shows and then did a re-boot in 2013. I haven't checked out any of the on demand stuff on WWN Live that has been uploaded the past few years. The cards on paper don't do much for me, but maybe someone out there can vouch for them.
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DXvsNWO1994
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by DXvsNWO1994 »

For those who missed the news, Gabe Sapolsky is taking over as the booker of FIP. Here's the press release:
Ybor City, FL- Gabe Sapolsky, WWN VP Of Talent Relations & Head Of Creative, will take over booking duties of Full Impact Pro Wrestling effective immediately. FIP "Everything Burns 2016" on January 8th at The Orpheum in Ybor City, FL will be the start of a new era. All FIP events will be exclusively live streamed at FloSlam.tv.

"Our partnership with FloSlam has already raised the profile of FIP," WWN President Sal Hamaoui said. "We are now looking to deliver an exciting, dynamic and unique type of brand to the FloSlam audience every month. FIP is going to go a long way in giving the fans the most value for their dollar with FloSlam."

Sapolsky will take FIP in a completely different direction than the other brands in The WWN Family. FIP will have its own identity complete with exclusive talent and storylines.

"FIP is going to be the Wild West," Sapolsky said. "When people think of me now, they think of EVOLVE. This is not going to EVOLVE 2.0 at all. It's going to add something totally new to The WWN Family."

The FIP talent roster will undergo changes. There will be several returning FIP favorites and lots of new debuts. Already set for January 8th are:

-FIP World Heavyweight Champion Fred Yehi
-FIP Florida Heritage Champion Martin Stone
-AR Fox
-Sami Callihan
-Shane Strickland
-Dezmond Xavier
-Jon Davis
-Dave Crist
-Darby Allin
-Sammy Guevara
-Jason Cade
-Austin Theory
-Anthony Heny
-Plus more will be added!!!
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maxx_powerz
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by maxx_powerz »

Huh. I never realized that Gabe had given up the book. Wonder if it was when they did the 2013 re-start or earlier.
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supersonic
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by supersonic »

HIghest recommendation to avoid if the personas and programs are as poorly acted as during his first run as booker.
Mr. Mojo Risin
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by Mr. Mojo Risin »

So it begins. Gabe's Burnout: The Sequel.
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DXvsNWO1994
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Re: Full Impact Pro

Post by DXvsNWO1994 »

Update on the FIP "reboot":
We want to issue a warning now that the new Full Impact Pro will not be suitable for all audiences. Already signed for the FIP "Everything Burns" on January 8th is FIP World Heavyweight Champion Fred Yehi, FIP Tag Team Champions The Hooligans, FIP Florida Heritage Champion Martin Stone, Sami Callihan, AR Fox, Jon Davis, Dave Crist, Jason Cade, Darby Allin, Dezmond Xavier, Austin Theory, Sammy Guevara, Anthony Henry and more to be added!!!
We are happy to announce that Billy Barboza with Weevil Whittaker are coming to FIP on January 8th! These two were noticed by WWN officials at Seminar/Tryouts. They are one of the most unique acts anywhere in wrestling. We look forward to seeing how they do in FIP.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Style Battle On January 7th and the new FIP on January 8th will now take place at The Ivy Astoria Event Center on 1920 E 7th Ave in Tampa, FL. This building is directly across the street from The Orpheum, so it is not a big venue change. Tickets will be available at www.TicketFly.com soon.
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