Behind the Scenes at Over The Line 2001

By Shane Shotz

Well, Over The Line 01' was the last show for the season. We aren't really sure if we are gonna come back in the spring or not. I think it would be really sad if we didn't because we have been going strong for almost 5 years now and we are just now starting to get great. In this little commentary I will talk about the biggest spot in ETW history that took place at that event.

Ok, the main event was for the ETW World Heavyweight Championship title. The only title that matters in our fed. It was a rematch from the first two falls match at Many Main Events our August show putting Raptor vs. John Bernhart. In no particular order a little summary of the match goes something like this: There was a 450 off the top of the entrance (10 feet) through a board, but Bernhart landed knees first on Raptor and the board and clipped out his legs and rolled on the ground with a lot of force on the side of his neck. It was a really sick move, not cause the 450, which he has hit before, but because of the sick roll on his neck. There was a Pheonix Down (?) type move. All right, I've seen other people do this move before in the backyard. But never…ever like this. Raptor climbed to the top of the entrance and nailed it through the board. If your not familiar with this high flying move it's a full backflip then you rotate onto your stomach. It couldn't have been executed more perfect. The floating, the tucking, and the turning was perfect. Also in the match there was a spinning spinebuster move that is such a viscous and stiff and flat out legit move. Ive taken the move and its one of the most painful moves because Raptor just drives all his weight down on your mid section. But in this match they uped it a bit and did the move onto a barbwire board. Bernhart is a sick guy, a real sick guy. When he does hardcore he does it without a shirt. This caused the barbwire to get stuck in his skin and took a minute or two to remove from his skin. In this match there was fast paced chain wrestling in the beginning. All the punches were stiff and legit. Especially Raptor's, although they are great friends in real life it seemed like there was no love loss going into the match. Raptor punched Bernhart closed fist in the face each time they exchanged punches. A lot of the maneuvers were perfectly executed and a lot of the moves were neck bumps, which make you cringe.

There was another spot left in the match. The final spot, which was the most ultraviolent spot I have ever scene in backyard wrestling. Bernhart's favorite type of matches to watch are hardcore ultraviolent matches that CZW puts on. Bernhart goes to most of the events they hold and has every single CZW tape put out. Watching all those tapes of ultraviolent matches featuring barbwire and light tubes he gets inspired. This spot I believe is inspired from watching those matches. To be honest when I saw them preparing the spot, doing the spot, and even after the spot was done and everyone was worried I still believe Bernhart would come out okay in the end. I don't know if it was lack of compassion or if it was just flat out confidence in my friend but I wasn't actually all that worried. When I had arrived at the event they were duck taping all 18 light tubes to the board. Curious on what Bernhart had planned to do with it the whole roster asked him, but in typical fashion, he wouldn't tell us. (Makes for a better reaction) So the spot was inches from taking place, Bernhart called in his tag partner Firebird to construct the board set up while Bernhart brought his opponent to the top of the entrance. Firebird on the ground is stacking two board, one on top of the other with the light tube board on top. While the two are still brawling up top Firebird is putting the finishing touches on by setting fire to the light tubes and the bottom board. SICK. Raptor somehow reverses Bernharts move into a falcon arrow. Holding him up in that position he runs off the entrance way and dives with all his weight onto the set up. Glass breaks, huuuuge pop from the crowd, Bernhart starts crawling towards the camera in pain and on fire. His pants are on fire but that problem is shortly taken care of by Firebird. Then I notice the second problem. The vagina looking laceration on Bernhart's back which stats are something like 5 inches long, 3 inches wide, 1.5 inches deep.

After the pin is made, Bernhart isn't finished, showing true heart (maybe stupidity) he still wants to cut a promo. Probably the greatest promo in ETW history too. A trip to the emergency later, he is all stitched up and retires from BYW. I don't know if we are coming back in the spring, hopefully, but if we are I think Bernhart will be there with some sort of support if he isn't wrestling. I don't know, I think we will be able to get a 450 out of him every other show or something.