The Rap Sheet - from the Crimefighter
Video Review
Gravediggers: Driven by Rage
Decapitated Cat Productions

A rare video review of an indy DVD from me...

This is a complication video featuring the tag team known as the Gravediggers, who recently came down from Chicago to wrestle a match in New Midwest Wrestling.  I decided to buy their complication video and review the thing since I don't get to see much of any wrestling out of Chicago.  Best I can tell, all of these matches were held under the Pro Championship Wrestling of Illinois banner.

A few notes before I go into the review, Lollipop is now known as Ami Zane.  Machine of the Gravediggers has recently announced that he will retire once the remaining matches he has signed for are fulfilled, citing a number of factors, some personal, some physical, and some crititism levied at him from a tryout session that did not go well.

First thing I notice, there's no DVD menu with this so jumping from where I left off is a bit more difficult.  Also there's no label on the DVD, it's just handwritten with a marker.  Why?  First segment is the looping entrance video for Botch, so we'll move on.

Botch vs. Azrael - This is from a PCW show in Summit, IL.  And guess what, the commentary is played over the loudspeakers.  There's some sort of arguement in the ring then the lights go out and Botch jumps in the ring.  Gravediggers double chokeslam Azrael.  Azrael does some armdrags, into the ropes, Botch whip flying forearm Azrael.  Azrael whip, he slugs away, dropkick in the corner.  Flatliner Azrael, armbar, he goes to rope walk but gets bodydropped off.  Botch whip clothesline corner, throwdown.  Machine jumps in, Juvy driver Botch, senton Machine.  Ref appears to be completely deaf to the PA system.  Botch whip side slam gets two.  Camel clutch Botch, lets him go, whip belly to belly suplex gets two.  Botch gets cranky, puts Azrael on top, Azrael kicks him, bulldog off the top.  Azrael goes up, Botch back drop, Machine in, double team facebuster, the referee is outside arguing and not hearing anything from the PA, SPEAR MACHINE.  Ref is thrown in, Botch powerbomb and that's it.  So RETARDED and STUPID that all this interference goes on, the ref sees none, doesn't get a cue from the commentary team over the loudspeakers that cheating's going on.  Insult my intelligence some more.  Was flagged as a sign you were attending a bad indy show.

WINNER:  Botch pin -> 5:30 mins. ½*

The Gravediggers - Botch & Machine vs. Safari Stu Early & Egotistico Fantastico - Double whip double flying headscissors by Stu & Ego, though the camera was out of position.  Oh the commentator's are over the PA system again.  Stu suicide dive, Ego suicide dive and everyone's in a heap on the floor.  Ego & Stu slug away, whip reverse double powerbombs.  Ego gets dumped, Machine works on Stu.  Machine noggin-knock, clothesline on Stu gets two.  Machine chokes away, Botch knocks Ego, rolling fisherman suplexes Machine, forward Russian legsweep.  Double team Boston Crab.  Botch whip clothesline, whip clothesline, belly to belly suplex gets two.  Tag Machine, Juvy Driver Botch, running senton Machine gets two.  Rear chinlock Machine, pounds on the back of the head.  Machine torture rack, then drops him in a reverse DVD for two.  Machine whip tombstone position but Ego with the missile dropkick gets two.  Tag Ego, whip Stu flying headscissors drop on Machine gets two.  Ego works on the knee, tag Stu, they work the knee.  Stu goes up, flying back elbow gets two.  Tag Ego, double suplex, catapult legdrop double team gets two.  They chant "crotch", Ego springboard moonsault gets two.  Ego whip powerslam Machine.  Tag Botch, he pounds on Ego, tree of woe, he STANDS ON THE GROIN!  Tag Machine, double whip double chokeslam.  Double teaming on Ego, Machine whip Ego tries a flying headscissors but Machine blocks it, Ego reverse DDT.  Tag Stu, clotheslines are ineffective.  Stu and Ego are put against each other, double clothesline misses and they collide.  Stu and Ego hang on top of the Gravediggers.  Ego snap sunset gets two.  Stu flying DDT like move that looked messed up.  Double whip, double clothesline Botch, Stu is dumped.  Botch puts Ego on his shoulders, drops him on his back, wheelbarrow facebuster combo.  Machine dumps Stu again, someone throw Stu back in.  Botch whip Machine spear.  Double powerbomb, Gravediggers go up, someone yanks them down, another tag team jumps in the ring and does a double jawbreaker.  Ego death valley driver gets three.  Referee once again is completely deaf to the commentary team over the very loud public address system when they were saying stuff was going on in the ring.  Yeeeeaaaahhhh.  Botch admits he is oblivious to the commentators though.  

WINNERS:  Safari Stu Early & Egotistico Fantastico pin -> 15:05 mins. **¼

Grin & The Gravediggers - Botch & Machine vs. John Burke & Chicago Connection - Chris Styles & Jarod Priest - There's rather a large number of managers for each team around the ring.  A woman wearing a mask is the referee.  The diggers charge Burke and flop to the ground.  Burke drops an elbow, armbar tag Priest, elbow off the second on machine.  Jarod kicks away, elbow gets two.  Tag Styles, double team kick and trip gets one.  Tag Priest and he chokes away, slam, tag Styles, Priest does a crappy rolling thunder (which the PA commentators WRONGLY call a Samoan Drop), Styles slingshows onto Machine for one.  Styles whip double shot to the chest by Machine.  Tag Botch, Juvy Driver, running senton Machine gets two.  Botch puts Styles in his corner and taunts the other team.  Botch sits on Styles, tag Machine, powerbomb neckbreaker combo, one foot cover gets two.  Machine with rolling fisherman suplexes, tag Botch, Boston Crab double armbar combo submission hold.  Tag Grin, everyone gets in the ring to pose for a photo.  Cute.  Grin snap mare, legdrop, taunts the other team, Grin slugs away, tag Botch, tag Machine, whip drop toe hold drop kick combo.  Machine suplex, sitdown clothesline gets two.  Grin in, whip rolling slam, vader bomb gets two.  Grin suplex, northern lights, side powerbomb gets one.  Grin whip eats an elbow, Styles springboard crossbody from the corner.  Tag Priest, tag Machine, neckbreaker Priest, he cleans house and ditches Botch and Grin.  Pedigree on Machine, tag Burke, double jawbreaker, BIG SPLASH Burke wins it.  Sloppy as heck.

WINNERS:  John Burke & Chicago Connection - Chris Styles & Jarod Priest pin -> 8:55 mins. *¼

The losers jump back in the ring and slug everyone out of the ring, Burke is stuck by himself in the ring as there's a fight on the floor.  Machine goes up top and splashes him off the top, Botch senton bomb.

The Gravediggers - Machine & Botch vs. The Chicago Connection - Jarod Priest & Chris Styles - Botch attacks Priest in the corner, shoulderblock Botch, clothesline Priest, he kicks away.  Powerslam Priest, does some sort of handspring move and throws Botch out.  Styles throws him back in, too many bodies in the way.  Weak slugfest, trip, elbow Botch.  Botch whip clothesline corner, whip reverse bulldog Priest.  CC choke away, Priest with a kick to the gut.  Headlock takedown Priest, whip knee, whip knee, whip knee, Russian leg sweep, forward Russian leg sweep gets two.  Priest throws Botch in a corner, double team sunset flip.  Tag Styles, neck snap on the rope, slingshot senton gets two.  Styles reverse DDT gets two.  Styles whip punches, dance, Machine with a superkick, belly to belly suplex Botch.  Machine fireman's carry spin slam gets two.  Machine whip clothesline gets two.  Botch nails Priest then works on Styles.  Botch tree of woe then STANDS on his GROIN!  Tag Machine, Juvy Driver Botch, Machine rolling senton, kick one foot cover gets two.  Machine neckbreaker, double team chokeslam on Styles gets two.  Machine slugs away in the corner, chops, double slap to the chest.  Whip Machine catches Styles, Styles escapes, legdrop over the top sends Machine to the mat.  Tag Priest, drops the knees, whip gutshot, facebreaker gets one.  Machine with a neckbreaker move that is done like a jawbreaker, he kicks him.  Tag Botch, double whip double boot.  Rope burn Botch, choke on the rope, he keeps nailing Styles off.  Botch whip side slam gets two.  Tag Machine, shot to the side, whip flying knee, choke.  Machine whip reverse spinebuster Priest, tags.  Styles nails the GDs, double whip double flapjack.  CCs double jawbreaker on Machine gets two.  CCs pounds on the GDs, double whip do-se-do, double snakeeyes, GDs double powerbombs win it.

WINNERS:  The Gravediggers pin -> 14:05 mins. ***

PCW Tag Team Championship - Triple Threat
(c)Chicanos in Action - Damian & Diablo w/ Jim Jesus vs. The Gravediggers - Machine & Botch w/ The Ringmaster & Lollipop vs. The Legion of Doom - Hawk & Animal w/ Precious Paul Ellering - Finally we're in a bigger building and have a wider shot. Alas, too wide.  This match took place in June of 2003, Hawk passed away in November the same year.  Well the fight is going on outside as the LOD stands in the ring watching.  Ringmaster gets in the ring to get away from Ellering and the LOD chokeslam him then toss him out, breaking his collarbone.  Lollipop was dragged away by Jillian.  Botch and the guy with the 03 jersey that being Damian are in first.  Diablo is wearing a silver mask but it's hard to tell cause it's a wide shot.  He slugs away, tag, double team legdrop side slam gets one.  Diablo whip clothesline, DDT gets two.  Tag Damian, double whip double flapjack, double legdrop on the legs and legdrop on the head gets two.  Slam Damian, Diablo with the whatsup drop gets two.  Diablo whip reverse kick Machine, stun gun Botch, teases a tag to Hawk and Animal gets in his face.  Gravediggers sitdown slam, rolling senton Machine, Machine slugs away, whip spinebuster gets two.  Big LOD chant, Hawk makes Damian move away, tag Botch, powerbomb neckbreaker double team gets two.  Someone is setting up a table outside, tag Machine, he chokes away, Animal comes in and slugs him.  Machine teases a tag and gives him the finger, Hawk tags himself in, CIA whips Hawk but gets double clotheslined.  Botch gets slammed by Animal, Hawk drops the fist, Animal powerbomb, Hawk drops another fist, someone gets thrown thru a table from hitting CIA's manager.  Hawk knocks Machine off, Doomsday Drive for Botch for the pin and the titles.

WINNERS and NEW CHAMPS:  Legion of Doom pin -> 6:20 mins. *½

Chaotic match, not helped by the fact that the show this came was running way late.  The CIA set up another double table held up by milk crates, then throw Machine through both of them.  A week later the LOD was stripped of the belts cause the wrong person was pinned, which was a LIE looking at this tape.  Why the heck did they bother to put the tag straps on them in the first place?

Botch vs. Safari Stu Early - Botch lies in wait for Stu to come out to attack, and Stu is waving something through the curtain, well it doesn't work cause Botch attacks him outside and chokes him on the floor.  Botch pounds away, tries a powerbomb, Stu escapes and hits a jawbreaker.  Armdrag Stu, dropkick, clotheslines have no effect.  A third does take him down for two.  Legdrop Stu gets two.  Rear chinlock Stu, drop kick to the back.  Bulldog Stu, he goes up, flying elbowdrop.  Botch goes to the ropes, Stu slides out and nails him.  Stu sunset flip gets two.  Stu goes up to the top, but gets tripped.  Botch suplexes him off the top from the mat, choke with the knee.  Botch knees him in the corner, tree of woe and he stands on the crotch.  Botch whip side slam gets two.  Full nelson Botch, then a half camel clutch, Botch grabs the other arm and taps for him...haha.  Botch tries another powerbomb, but it's a hurraconranna for Stu.  LOW BLOW Botch, fireman's carry slam gets two.  Leg choke Botch, whip foreman shot Stu.  Stu sits on the top rope, does a flying knee to the head and gets three.

WINNER:  Safari Stu Early pin -> 6:45 mins. *½

PCW Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Elimination
(c)Benton Bros. PJ & Weston vs. The Gravediggers - Machine & Botch w/ Lollipop & Whiplash vs. Chicago Connection - Jay Phoenix & Jarod Priest w/ Michelle Morgan & Samantha Hart - PJ is wearing the shirt on the Benton team.  We're back to PA system commentary again.  Well there's a big brawl to start, the 'Diggers and the Bentons gang up on the Connection and beat the crap out of them.  Priest gets his back sat on by Weston, PJ kicks Phoenix from the top.  Now Botch and Phoenix are in the ring alone, Machine off the ropes with a punch.  Machine whip spinebuster gets two.  Machine pounds away, legdrop, tag PJ.  Snap mare PJ, drop kick.  Michelle Morgan gets into it with Lollipop.  Tag Weston, whip elbow, PJ runs in to slug Priest.  Diggers and Bentons gang up on Jay, Botch gets two.  Botch whip neckbreaker by Phoenix, tag Priest.  Priest whip DDT gets one, he chokes away.  Priest slams Botch's face to the mat.  Botch slugs away in the corner, but gets inverted atomic dropped.  Priest side suplex gets two.  Priest whip spinebuster gets two.  LOW BLOW Botch, Priest is tossed out, fight on the floor, Whiplash and security come over, Machine dives on them, then PJ dives on them, then Weston goes up and dives on the pile.  Lollipop gets in a fight with Samantha Hart in the ring.  Bentons and Botch have Priest in the ring, PJ neckbreaker on Priest, Botch pulls him off and gets two.  PJ kicks Botch, Weston with a neckbreaker, PJ implant DDT on Priest and Chicago Connection is eliminated.

Jay Phoenix & Jarod Priest, you ARE the weakest links...goodbye at 9:35 mins.

Machine goes after PJ, Botch has him in a choke, Machine chases off someone with a chair.  Botch whip elbow, snap mare, tag Machine.  Double whip casual BOOT gets two.  Chokeslam Machine, tag Botch, whip BOOT legdrop gets two.  Lollipop chokes PJ on the middle rope, Botch sits on him, whip belly to belly suplex gets two.  Botch whip slam, Weston was tagged, he gets an armdrag off Botch's shoulders.  Weston reverse DDT, moonsault off the second gets two.  Tag PJ, kickaway in the corner, suplex is blocked, Botch tries it but gets DDT'ed.  PJ goes up, missile dropkick, whip reverse flying headscissors gets one.  PJ with a choke, tag Weston, he goes up, double legdrop PJ, splash Weston gets two.  Weston full nelson face plant, Russian leg sweep, elbowdrop off the top gets one.  Tag PJ, Botch meets him with a boot, Botch tries a powerbomb, but his face hits the mat.  Tag Weston, hot shot Botch, tag Machine.  Machine delayed suplex, legdrops, PJ prevents a count.  Botch in, puts Weston on his shoulders and drops him backward.  Double team X-Factor gets two.  Tag Machine, headbutt off the second rope.  Machine does a cartwheel then drops back on him.  German suplex Machine, shoulderbreaker gets two.  Machine looks like he's going for the Razor's Edge but drops him in a shoulderbreaker.  Machine whip flying headscissors Weston, DDT.  Machine refuses to tag Botch, Machine KOs Weston, Machine gets dropkicked off a chokeslam.  Machine back on Weston, puts him on top, Weston pushes him off, tornado DDT Weston, he goes up, missile dropkick.  Machine gets in Weston's face and slaps him, shovedown, Weston tries another missile dropkick and gets swatted off.  Fisherman's suplex Machine, he goes up, Weston tries to knock him off but fails, Weston tries to kick him off, hurraconranna off the top by Weston.  PJ and Botch get tagged, Botch blocks a jawbreaker, PJ kick jawbreaker, powerslam Botch, PJ gets in Machine's face, everyone's brawling, Botch kick powerbomb, he goes up, Machine pulls him down and goes up instead, splash off the top gets three.  But Weston had the Texas Cloverleaf on Botch and he tapped.  Oh dear, the legal men were the ones beaten and the illegal men got the covers.  Ref didn't see the tap out.

WINNERS and NEW CHAMPS:  The Gravediggers pin -> 26:55 mins. ***½

The locker room comes out and congrats Machine only, then some spat ensues and everyone starts beating on Botch.  Machine gets a chair, Lollipop begs him not to hit him.  Machine then clocks everyone else but Botch.  Errr...what was THAT all about?

PCW Tag Team Championship
(c)The Gravediggers - Machine & Botch w/ Lollipop & Whiplash vs. Ladies Night Out - Boy Toy Bryan & Mark Madison - We have PA commentary again.  Diggers in the ring, double dropkick by LNO, they take the belts and show off. Diggers single out Boy Toy, rolling senton Machine.  Snap mare, springboard kick Machine.  Tag Botch, neckbreaker powerbomb combo gets two.  Clothesline Botch, whip belly to belly suplex gets two.  Tag Machine, fireman's carry, Botch elbow off the top gets two.  Machine whip spinebuster gets two.  Tag Botch, whip spear Machine gets two.  Botch whip elbow Bryan, springboard moonsault, tag Madison.  Double whip double armdrag gets two.  Reverse DDT Botch gets two.  Northern Lights suplex Madison, tag Bryan, whip fireman's carry spinning neckbreaker, legdrop gets two.  Bryan whip clothesline, dropkicks Machine off.  Bryan slingshots Botch out.  Machine fights Madison on the floor, Botch hurls Madison into the crowd.  Bryan on top and suicide dives on the pile of people.  Botch and Madison brawl in the crowd, Bryan slingshots himself onto Machine's neck on the apron.  Whiplash gets taken out by Botch by mistake, Machine hurls Mark in Bryan in the chairs.  Mark tries to slug Lollipop, but gets a flying headscissors on him.  Bryan with a DDT into the floor on Machine.  Bryan moonsaults onto Machine on the floor.  Botch and Mark are into another section of the crowd.  Machine splashes Bryan on the floor, Botch hits him with a belt, then handcuff him to the bottom rope.  Machine pounds on Mark, Madison gets the spinebuster.  Belly to belly suplex Mark, Botch comes in, legdrop to stop the cover.  Diggers double powerbomb, Machine goes up, splash off the top, Botch senton bomb and gets three.

WINNERS and STILL CHAMPS:  The Gravediggers pin -> 12:15 mins. **½

At the end of the DVD we get a Misfits video titled Scream, which cannibals brought in as patients suddenly attack doctors in a hospital in gorey fashion.  What that has to do with wrestling is beyond me but ick!

The Verdict:  Didn't seem to be anything real special about this tape in terms of wrestling action.  I guess it's good for familiarizing yourself with some of the Chicago talent and seeing one of LOD's final matches but I can't recommend this to everyone.