OUR BUDDY STEVIE J FROM ANGRYMARKS.COM REVIEWS...

Many of you may know FIP as the sister promotion of Ring of Honor, with the top titleholder of the promotion often appearing to defend his title at ROH shows. (Until last weekend that man was Erick Stevens; the current FIP World Heavyweight Champion is Roderick Strong.) The FIP crew as a whole doesn't tour nationally though, preferring to make Florida their stomping grounds for regular shows. Anyway today's DVD features Homicide, Antonio Banks (MVP), Nigel McGuinness and more so there's no reason to wait any more - let's get this shit started!

Depending on your point of view "BYOB" is either FIP Episode 21, the "Big One Year Bash" or the card they ran from September 2nd-September 3rd, 2005 - the first night in Arcadia, Florida and the second night in Bushnell. The box art mentions the first two items but no dates so the only way to determine if this is a one night DVD or the best matches from the whole weekend is to pop it in and press play.

* Jay Lethal v. Chasyn Rance

We open with the FIP logo followed followed by Lethal and Rance in the ring. I could swear I used to see Chasyn Rance in TNA as the name seems very familiar. The bell rings and our announcer indicates this is BYOB Night Two, so we're watching the September 3rd show in what he describes as the 'Cow Palace' of Bushnell. I imagine the legendary venue in San Francisco of the same name holds a LOT more people as the crowd here seems to be a hundred fans scattered throughout a small set of bleachers. That's not a knock at all - any promoter who can get a hundred people to show up for indie wrestling is having a good day (unless he paid Jake Roberts to appear in advance). This is Lethal in his pre-Black Machismo days, so don't expect to see a top rope elbow or the Lethal Combo. Another thing that will surprise TNA fans is that Lethal is working heel, as he is a member of the faction DP Associates (Dave Prazak) and tries to get pins with his feet on the rope and other such DASTARDLY moves. In fact a DP faction member named Milo who is pretending to be wheelchair bound makes a run-in to shove Rance, who then crotches himself on the top rope and falls down in pain. Lethal quickly takes advantage with a dragon suplex and it's all over. WINNER: JAY LETHAL. A solid opening match with both men exhibiting good wrestling fundamentals, taking each other to a series of believable near falls.

Challenging TNA for the uncoveted role of who can cut away faster after a victory we go IMMEDIATELY to a promo from two men in sparkly purple shirts. Since both men are holding FIP Tag Team belts in their paws this has to be the Heartbreak Express, Sean & Phil Davis. After poking around and finding their personal website I can now tell you 'Superstar' Sean is the chunky one and 'Fabulous' Phil is his skinny partner in crime. Sean looks vaguely like Dusty Rhodes and intentionally or not seems to sound like him at times while cutting his promo, a heel promo about how all the women line up to have relations with them. Former tag champ Sal Rinauro interrupts, they mock him saying he doesn't have a partner, and Rinauro runs to the back to get a partner. Sean mocks him again basically says you can't get a title shot because you found some jabroni in the back, you two have to run THE GAUNTLET.

* Sal Rinauro & Seth Delay v. Bruce Steele & LaDuke Jakes

The heels cackle maniacally as they announce the opening match, saying Steele & Jakes are the biggest tag team in FIP. Steele is muscular and well tanned while his partner appears to be a younger version of Abdullah the Butcher. Heartbreak Express look on from the stage (what in WWE would be the hard camera shot except no fans are seated there) as Delay and Rinauro take a huge beating, with the ref offering no enforcement of the rules early with all four men in the ring. When it breaks down to one-on-one Jakes stays outside while his muscular compatriot does all the work. Steel scoops up Delay with the idea being he can do anything to him that he wants, stalling forever, until Rinauro jumps off the ropes and dropkicks his own partner in the back, which puts him on top for three. JAKES & STEELE ELIMINATED.

* Sal Rinauro & Seth Delay v. Jerrelle Clark & Jay Fury

What do you know it's 'Mr. 630' Jerrelle Clark - now there's a man I KNOW I've seen in TNA before. Fury has done a few jobs in ROH but would be better known to fans of NWA Wildside or FIP. Rinauro takes a beating while Delay begs Rinauro to fight through the pain and make the hot tag. He finally crawls through the legs of Fury and makes said tag, and Fury is briefly in trouble as the babyfaces cut off the ring and work him over. Rinauro tries to dive on Clark on the outside and gets wiped out, which enables Fury to hold up Seth Delay in the corner and let Clark flip onto him off the top rope. The announcers argue about whether it was a 450 or a 630 but either way it's the end for the scrappy babyfaces. SAL RINAURO & SETH DELAY ELIMINATED. Heartbreak Express mock them on the way out as Sean says we don't like these guys any more than Sal Rinauro, so let's get a fresh team out here to beat them up too.

* Jerrelle Clark & Jay Fury v. Steve Madison & Erick Stevens

I can't exactly say I'm bored with the gauntlet, but neither have I been overwhelmed with excitement. The arrival of Stevens and his mohawk is thus a good sign, while Madison could be mistaken for Lance Storm from a distance with his buzzcut and physique (but certainly not in technical wrestling acumen). Madison plays the overconfident heel, standing on Jay Fury for a pinfall instead of hooking the leg for a cover, helping babyface Clark & Fury in the process. When the match goes clusterfuck Stevens blocks a moonsault by Clark with his knees up, then Madison whips Fury to the corner for an Ace Crusher. Clark misses by a mile on a pele kick but Fury hits Stevens perfectly with an enzuguiri. Stevens wobbles on his feet, Clark schoolboys him and gets the pin! ERICK STEVENS & STEVE MADISON ELIMINATED.

* Jerrelle Clark & Jay Fury v. Jaison Moore & Even Starsmore

With a name like Even Starsmore, jobbing is surely in your future. The Heartbreak Express are equally dismissive, saying these two guys have to be from the ring crew. They are so skinny and pale the two of them together can't be the size of Jay Fury put together. Clark hits the Jerrelle Driver on Jaison Moore but before he can make the pin Heartbreak Express run down to distract the ref, which brings Stevens & Madison back to the ring to BEAT THE HOLY CRAP out of Clark & Fury. The heels hit the bricks as the ref turns around and makes a three count which could apply to either Moore or Starsmore since they're both in position and I have no fucking clue which one's the lega man anyway. JERRELLE CLARK & JAY FURY ELIMINATED. Since this is the last team EVEN STARSMORE & JAISON MOORE WIN THE GAUNTLET.

Clark cuts a promo vowing war on the Davis boys but should probably be more concerned with the lack of blood flow to his legs (a seriously ugly case of male cameltoe). Somebody comes out to issue a challenge to DP Associates. Dave Prazak responds that if he wants to face DP Associates he has to go through a hired gun. The hired gun is Nigel McGuinness, who cuts a heel promo that would get way more heat in an ROH ring today. His heat remarks include that he's wrestling tonight in front of a sweatbox full of pigs, he's only doing this because he's getting paid, and that all the best wrestlers in the world come from England.

* Azrieal v. Nigel McGuinness

Well well Azrieal. Every time I see this guy on a card his name is spelled a little differently, but I still think of The Smurfs every time - in fact I'm shocked he doesn't have a manager named Gargamel calling shots for him. I suppose that's why his OWW profile lists his nickname as 'The Good Guy' Azrieal. The size disparity doesn't help Azrieal here as McGuinness clearly has a half foot and fifty pounds on him. He not only LOOKS like a guy that should beat the crap out of Azrieal he DOES beat the crap out of him. Even though McGuinness is supposed to be working heel it's very hard to overcome my own personal bias, as every European uppercut and clothesline is a thing of beauty to me. Therefore instead of enjoying the finish I'm actually kind of pissed when Azrieal gets a fluke win off a boot to the face, a flying top rope double stomp and a quick cover - all I can think is BULL-SHIT. WINNER: AZRIEAL.

* Rainman v. Antonio 'MVP' Banks (No DQ Anything Goes)

In what has to be one of the most surreal moments I've ever had watching an indie wrestling DVD, the man we all know as MVP comes out and cuts a babyface promo on Rainman. It would seem these men were friends and partners at one time, but Rainman turned on him and now all MVP wants to do is whip that ass. As you might expect from the stip this one is almost all brawl. It's been said many times MVP wears the Power Rangers jumpsuit because WWE thinks he has a gut, but Banks works the whole match with no shirt on and looks muscular and fit to me. His opponent appears to be an Onyx fan because he's shaved bald and has the "madface" logo on his ring attire. Banks dumps coffee on Rainman. Rainman responds by using a steel chair in the ring, which causes Prazak to scream "DANGEROUUUUUS" on commentary. Banks drags him up on the stage for a scoop slam and kicks, then drags him back to the ring where Rainman begs for mercy. Banks falls for it and Rainman is all over him. He goes top rope for a splash and gets a near fall. Rainman tries to go up again and gets crotched. Banks fails one attempt at a superplex but gets a two count off the second. Rainman hits a low blow and pulls a plastic bag out of his trunks (ewww) and wraps it around Banks head (disgusting). Banks should be suffocated but he still gets an arm up before the ref can drop it three times. Rainman decides to give him two unprotected chair shots to the head and that's finally enough to finish off the resilient MVP. WINNER: RAINMAN. I really liked this match right up to the chair shots at the end - chair shots I probably would have felt differently about in 2005 but which seem REALLY FUCKING STUPID in 2008.

* Kahagas v. Benny Blanco

In what had to be the piss break match of FIP BYOB Night Two, two indie wrestlers I've never seen before and never care to see again have a boring match punctuated by the fans who DIDN'T go for popcorn loudly chanting "U-S-A" at the facepainted Kahagas, which is all for naught as he gets the pin. WINNER: KAHAGAS. At least this one was mercifully short.

* Sean & Phil Davis {C} (The Heartbreak Express) v. Even Starsmore & Jaison Moore (FIP Tag Title Match)

In what may be an even shorter match than the one preceding it, The Heartbreak Express quickly and easily defeat their handpicked challengers for the FIP Tag Team Titles. WINNERS: THE HEARTBREAK EXPRESS. It's basically a set-up for Rinauro & Delay to make the save when the champs beat down their challengers with the tag belts after the match, with Sal Rinauro swinging more lumber than Hacksaw Jim Duggan as the heels mock him with lines like "you've got the board but WE'VE GOT THE BELTS," laughing at their bad jokes all the way to the back. The announcers lay out and let the angle speak for itself, and nobody cuts "to the back" too quickly, so I have to give the whole thing a thumb's up.

* Roderick Strong v. Tony Mamaluke (2 out of 3 Falls)

I really have to give it up to the announce team yet again as they explain the storyline here for those of us who haven't been regularly watching FIP. The deal is that Mamaluke has beaten Strong in their last two encounters, Strong is getting fed up, and he specifically requested two out of three falls so he could prove he is the superior wrestler of the two. Mamaluke works an arm throughout the first fall, which Strong counters at one point by picking Mamaluke up while he still has the arm trapped and dropping him on his head. Rolling near falls lead to Strong bridging out of a schoolboy to pin Mamaluke and go up 1-0. Strong wastes no time going for suplex and boots to the back of Mamaluke, trying to take the second fall quickly. The announcers warn that Strong shouldn't get too cocky even though he appears to be stomping a mudhole in Mamaluke and walking it dry. Mamaluke gets the occasional hope spot with a few blows and Strong will nail him with aanother suplex. Strong expects the match to be over after a long delayed vertical but Mamaluke kicks out repeatedly and finally gets some sustained offense. Back and forth dragon screws to the leg before Mamaluke finally locks in a fujiwara armbar and taps Strong to tie it 1-all.

An enraged Strong decides to beat up Mamaluke on the outside, throwing him into a steel post and chopping him hard before grabbing a handful of hair to throw him back in the ring. Strong hits knees to the back as the announce team put over his deadly backbreaker, saying he can hit it at any time to get the win. Back and forth camel clutch attempts before Strong hits a drop down torture rack for a near fall. Mamaluke tries to do the cocky cover we saw from Steve Madison earlier but Mamaluke dumps him through the ropes for his trouble. Shortly after Mamaluke hits a frogsplash that leaves both men on the canvas, but Mamaluke gets the advantage with a muay thai knee clinch and repeated knee strikes. Mamaluke tries to come off the ropes but Strong gets a sidewalk slam into a backbreaker that's NEARLY three. Mamaluke tries to counter out of a suplex into an armbar but it backfires as he's countered into a fireman's carry with a gutbuster and a kick to the head. Half-nelson backbreaker is hit but it STILL doesn't put Mamaluke away. Strong screams at Mamaluke to get up and the attack continues. Mamaluke blocks a Stronghold attempt, kicks Strong in the head when he goes out to the floor, tries to follow up and gets DDT'd into the concrete. In theory Strong is the heel but the crowd seems to be solidly behind him, not really popping at all when Mamaluke hits a series of German suplexes. Mamaluke goes to the top and Strong knocks him down before a scoop slam and climbing to the top. Mamaluke kicks the knee to crotch him and goes up to the top but once again his offense backfires as Strong hits a gutbuster off the top rope. Mamaluke tries to roll to the floor to buy time but Strong is quick to bring him back in.

Even though Mamaluke goes for a couple of armbars at the end and even adds a triangle choke for good measure Strong reverses it into a Boston crab and Mamaluke immediately taps out, which causes a large contingent of the Florida fans to scream and applaud Strong's performance. WINNER OF 2 OUT OF 3 FALLS: RODERICK STRONG. If I had to give you a reason to buy this DVD other than to see MVP in a pre-WWE street fight this match is definitely it. Unfortunately two things keep this from being higher than a 3 & 1/2 * match. First the commentary tries like hell to put Mamaluke over as a babyface but the crowd reaction is completely contrary to their script. Secondly if this match had been in front of an ROH crowd the heat on the third fall would have been tremendous, but the FIP crowd really doesn't seem to care about the close calls and near falls going back and forth one bit. For some reason when the crowd doesn't buzz constantly during a match it's a lot easier to notice guys purposefully setting up spots. It's not even that you're hearing them call them out, it's just that if the crowd doesn't emotionally invest it's like the match is taking place in a vacumn There's just no way Strong was the heel on this night and if that was their plan they epic failed on a TNA level. Putting all that aside it's time for our BYOB Night Two main event!

* Homicide {C} v. Jimmy Rave (FIP Heavyweight Title Match)

It honestly blows my mind to think that Homicide has been FIP World Champion, ROH World Champion and a TNA Tag Team Champion yet LAX can't even seem to buy a dark match between Impact tapings these days. On the plus side Homicide is a full-fledged babyface here, and to make sure he stays that way Dave Prazak and his cronies are at ringside to provide Rave all the assistance he needs, prompting all of the children in the crowd to energetically chant that Rave sucks! After about ten minutes of a match which goes in and outside of the ring (with the ref apparently granting plenty of latitude in this title match) Rave takes Homicide up for a superplex but Homicide throws him off and leaptfrogs over him before hitting a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Both men are down and Homicide is on offense with punches and a high back bodydrop when they get up. Butterfly suplex for two. 'Cide goes top rope, Rave cuts him off, superplex attempt blocked, flying headbutt by 'Cide connects for 2.9. 'Cide pulls him up by the hair as the crowd pops, Rave misses off the top rope and gets a mid-air armdrag, Homicide ends ups with a schoolboy for two. Prazak tries to grab Homicide and gets knocked out, then wipes Rave out with a lariat and gets the three count. WINNER AND STILL FIP WORLD CHAMPION: HOMICIDE.

Jay Lethal, Milo and Rainman all hit the ring in succession after the match, and 'Cide successfully fends off the first two before Rainman wipes him out and demands a title match. Rainman yells at the children heckling him and vows he'll smack a kid if he has to! With two strong battles to end the show, a good opener at the beginning and one or two interesting things in between (particularly Banks v. Rainman) I can recommend FIP's "BYOB: The Hangover" but must qualify that statement by noting that FIP probably draws a lot stronger crowds in 2008 and a decided lack of heat during parts of this show kept it from reaching another level. Wrestling peaks when it's an exchange of energy between the crowd and the wrestlers. While I can't say this crowd didn't care, they were definitely not as passionate as one might expect from a promotion so closely tied with ROH. Thumbs in the middle pointing slightly up.

Full Impact Pro's Big Year One Bash DVD is available nationwide from Big Vision Entertainment for only $9.98!. For more information or to order your own copy, head on over to www.bvdvd.com, and check out our buddy Stevie J's other reviews at AngryMarks.com