Pre-Valentine’s Day Massacre

It was one week before Valentine's Day, and I have to say, no matter how many strange things you've lived through, nothing can quite prepare you for the sight of your girlfriend being handcuffed to a professional wrestler. 

That's my Valentine, Melanie Larch on the right, handcuffed to IWA East Coast Mega-star, Crowza at last week's "A Need To Bleed" event in South Charleston.  Mel's a noted area singer (She'll be featured in the West Virginia Symphony Orhcestra's  production of "Carmen" in May, and you can see her singing "Ave Maria" on episode 11 of Radio Free Charleston, and at this link).  She has no previous professional wrestling experience, at least not as a participant.  One of the things I enjoy most about IWA East Coast shows is the surreal nature that they tend to take on.   Thanks to IWA East Coast and Nick Gatens for the photos. 



As I mentioned last week, IWA East Coast was raffling off the chance to be handcuffed either to Crowza, or his fellow IWA EC Mega-star, Woody Numbers, during a match between Ashland Kentucky's Juggulator and the legendary, masked Midnight Rider.  Mel, who has insanely good luck with this sort of thing, won the chance to be handcuffed to Crowza.   Nobody expected her to grab the microphone and cut a promo on him, but she did.  You just don't let Mel near a live mic.

Mel and Chris, who was handcuffed to Woody Numbers, did their job and kept the two from interfering in the match, which saw the Midnight Rider emerge victorious, thus allowing hardcore legend Ian Rotten to return to IWA East Coast. 

Other matches on the card saw Zac Vincent defeat Vortex.  Flamboyant grappler Danshoku Dino defeated "Omega" Aaron Draven in a match for the ages.  The Hane Brothers defeated 6 Feet Under.  In the first of two "match of the year" candidates of the evening,  KUDO defeated former IWA EC Champ Chris Hero.  The second "MOTY" candidate saw Jerry Lynn defeat Mike Quackenbush to retain the IWA EC Heavyweight Championship.   The blood flowed freely as Drake Younger defeated Man Man Pondo for the Fighting  Ultimate Crazy Kings Heavyweight Championship. 

In the main event, a barbed-wire cage "War Games" match,  The Hane Brothers, Juggulator & Warpig defeated Baka Gaijin, Mickie Knuckles & Gypsy Joe.  Afterwards, Ian Rotten returned to make the save, as the heels prepared to dole out a beatdown on the handcuffed IWA favorites. 

 It was the kind of wild, surreal evening that I've come to expect from IWA East Coast.  Expect the unexpected.  I just hope Mel doesn't let this go to her head and bodyslam anybody during the opera.