Does everyone know how this works by now? Each and every week without a major wrestling PPV, Joe and Adam from the At Odds with Wrestling podcast alternate homework assignments. Sometimes a classic, sometimes trash, or like this week – a brand new event that can be watched on IWTV. Let’s see what the wrestlers of AIW have in store for us during their first Cibernetico event. 

To Infinity and Beyond vs Members Only. 

Are TIAB the bigger team here? To Infinity are the measuring stick for the AIW tag team division. If you can hang with them you can hang with anyone there. TIAB could work anywhere in any era, one of the best and most underrated teams in the world. Cheech takes an elevated DDT and I noticed Colin didn’t attempt to come into the ring to break up the hold. Now, he didn’t have to, but for a moment I was torn in my suspension of disbelief. I’ll go with a team that’s been together that long knows when their partner might be down for three versus when they’ll be fine after two. Members Only has some timing issues which is a shame because their elevated Ace Crusher thing looks devastating. Go to Cheech! I love that move name. TIAB hits a lung blower and powerbomb combination that allows them to pin both members of Members Only for the pin. 

“The Babushka Baron” Jeffery John comes out and says he has no opponent because he’s such a threat. This is answered by another man with no opponent, Isaiah Broner. Isaiah who is not only “The Problem” but who also has an amazing Friday inspired shirt on. The fans chant “that’s my grandma” at John because of his headwear. I start watching the ring move thanks to stories I’ve heard on the Card Subject to Change podcast. This match is all Isaiah and he finishes John with a nasty lariat. Broner then calls out Eddie Kingston for the next AIW show. Well, time to add that show to my calendar. 

Money Shot vs the Von Engelands. 

Money Shot, not just a comic from Vault. For a team with a name like Money Shot, they lack a certain amount of cockiness, especially as heels. I do like the move where Money Shot will whip Eden in and out of the corner so she’s so close to making a hot tag and then wham, back in the heel corner. Eden continues to take the beating for her team and I don’t think the Von Engelands are coming back from this one. Money Shot hits a spike piledriver on Sid for the pin. The Von Engelands definitely have a passion but I think they’re overthinking things in the ring and need to loosen up a bit. 

Johnny Patch vs Riley Rose. 

Best match of the night so far. Patch with a great magistral cradle and then a nasty spike suplex. Riley with a crisp destroyer. Why does Patch have my shoot name on his trunks? These two have so many counters and evasions and back up plans galore. Riley gets Patch into a high elevation cloverleaf and Patch taps out. Really fast, fun, great match. I would love to see these two fight again. 

9 to 5 vs the Bang Bros. 

Bang Bros and Money Shot need to have a feud. I want to roll my eyes over the name and gimmick, but the Bros teamwork is great. They’re like MSK but without abuse allegations. Likewise, 9 to 5 has come together so well since their AIW debut. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad 9 to 5 match. One member of the Bang Bros (I’m terrible at telling tag team members apart) drinks a Bang energy drink and he’s a house of fire. Takes out 9 to 5, almost takes out the referee, and then picks up his own partner for a powerbomb who turns this into a flying stunner. 9 to 5 hit a seesaw piledriver that was too cool to only get a two count out of it. The Bang Bros hit the Bang Bus, and again that was only for a two count. They should get three more members of their team and see if F Team Five can keep them down. 9 to 5 locks on a deep dragon sleeper and gets the tap out victory. 

Katie Arquette vs Joseline Navarro. 

The announcers could not have been more right when discussing the improvements both women have made over the last few years. Katie evades Joseline sliding into the corner and thus Navarro crashes hard. Katie takes control after this. There’s discussion over “trusting the ropes” and now I realize that no one has gone off the top rope tonight. Which, I know, is because of this ring. Tune in to the AIW podcast to learn more. Meanwhile, Joseline comes off the ropes with a leg drop but only gets a two. These two women seem to have a good familiarity to them and I think the match is flowing very well. Katie uses the ropes as a way to distract the referee and unloads a straight punch to Joseline’s throat. Katie uses this dastardly tactic to show Joseline, rolling her up, and also hooking the tights. Katie pins Joseline?! Oh this rematch is going to be money. 

Now it’s time for the Cibernetico! I have spent all week explaining the rules of this to friends. Even fellow wrestling fans. Once you get it, these are tons of fun. 

Team Carrington: 

Casey Carrington, Brian Carson, Eric Taylor, Mickey Montgomery, the Duke, Philly Collins, Marino Tenaglia, and Derek Dillinger (with the ever amazing Ziggy Haim)

vs

Team Garrini:

The Weirdster Evan Ambrose, Wes Barkley, Joshua Bishop, Arthur McArthur, Chuck Stone, Dominic Garrini, Chase Oliver, and Kaplan. 

Chikara veteran Colin Delaney joins for commentary during this initial AIW Cibernetico match. 

The Weird ball confuses all of Team Carrington. Duke is the one to finally break the ball. After all of Team Carrington has been in the ring and just stared at Evan, Duke is in for the second time and drops a leg to crack open the ball. The announcers make an excellent call, the heels have been in twice now but only Evan has wrestled for the faces. Is this going to cause Team Carrington to become tired sooner than Team Garrini? Carson finally pins Weird. Wes is in and surprises Carson with a quick roll up for the pin. All 16 wrestlers in this match, plus Ziggy, fight in the ring. The ring holds with all of them in there?! Who’s a good ring? You are. Yes you are. The referees get control of the action. Chase Oliver dives onto everyone but to his disadvantage, because in a Cibernetico rules match he has now left the ring and his feet have touched the floor, which counts as a tag out. This move sets up a clash between Derek and Kaplan. Ziggy is truly the 9th member of this team. 

There is a great spot with Arthur’s dumbbell. He asks for it to be brought into the ring and it takes nearly every member of his team to lift it. Arthur helps Mikey lift the dumbbell, and then Arthur lets it drop. Mikey falls down and almost gets pinned because his hands are stuck under the dumbbell. PME got the double team and hit Sunset Dreams allowing Marino to pin Arthur. Chuck Stone seeks vengeance for his fallen tag team partner and starts tossing around everyone. Philly trips Stone from the outside which allows Marino to pin Stone. Derek and Dom trade chops. Derek walks away from the chops and out of the ring, forcing a tag. The referee catches Carrington getting Dom with a thumb to the eye and I think a nut shot too. Carrington is eliminated by DQ. The Duke pulls an armband out of nowhere and he is now the new team captain. We’re now at 6 on 5. The heel team goes through their entire batting order, all the while beating Dom down in their corner. Chase is the first wrestler off the top rope. He splashes Derek but Ziggy distracts the referee. Duke comes in with the boot and Duke pins Chase. The heels make quick tags to beat up Kaplan. Derek rocks Kaplan, one more time, and Dillinger pins Kaplan. Wes now takes the long beat down. Wes hits the Mazaratti Driver on Mikey for the pin. The referee doesn’t see the hot tag and Wes has yet to roll out of the ring. Wes finally tags in Joshua. Bishop with a choke-plex on Derek. Holy shit that’s an awesome move. Josh with a black hole slam on Eric Taylor and that’s for the pin. Josh with a high knee and a Bishop bomb on Philly for another pin. The teams are now 3-3.

Derek hangs Bishop over the top, which also counts as a tag out. Duke hits a Duke Driver and then pins Bishop. 3-2. 

Wes with the K-Dog! Marino has Wes down but wants to hit Radio Silence to get the pin. He misses the Ruff Ryder. Wes doesn’t miss and hits the Stroke on Marino for the pin. 2-2. 

Derek with a sunset flip bomb intot he corner, he follows it up with running knees and Derek pins Wes. 2-1. Derek and Duke vs Dom. 

Derek looks for a moonsault but Duke tags himself in. Duke goes for the Duke bomb but Dom moves and traps Duke’s arm for the submission. It’s now one on one Dom vs Derek. 

These two men have a chop fest. Dom stuffs a sunset bomb attempt. Derek hits a sunset bomb and the knees. Dom counters with a triangle. Derek gets a rope break. Dom with a rear naked choke. Derek falls back to escape and crushes Dom. Dom with a stump piledriver and Derek barely kicks out. Dom locks on Bryan Danielson’s submission, including the flex, and Derek is out. 

Dom wins the Cibernetico. 

The surprise announcement has been made, Dom is now the new number one contender. 

Dom cuts a great promo after the longest match in AIW history. She’s great and I’m a fan but I have to point out he sounded a lot less winded than Britt Baker did during her recent post match promo. 

What an amazing show. The Cibernetico flowed so well. Lots of potential matchups for the show in a couple weeks and beyond. Thank you AIW for having a plan. It rewards your fans and makes us want to come back for more.