Inferno Pit Match

The Inferno Pit Match is a specialty gimmick match used in the Lock Wrestling Federation.

During an Inferno Pit Match, a pit of fire is located in the ringside area. To win the match, you must knock your opponent into the pit.

=Inferno Pit Matches=

==Maul 2001

The first Inferno Pit Match was held at the very first LWF Pay-Per-View, Maul. This match saw Phoenix defend the Cross-Hemisphere Title against Therion. Phoenix had become the first holder of the championship ten days prior and this was his first title defense, against the muscle of The Regime.

The match ended when Therion chokeslammed Phoenix into the pit of fire and Therion became the new Cross-Hemisphere Champion. As Therion walked up the ramp after the match, Phoenix's music hit and he rose back to the stage, again through flames, created an image that echoed his namesake.

==Vengeance 2001

The second Inferno Pit Match saw LWF Champion Xecutioner defend the title against Phoenix. This match was the climax of the feud beteen Phoenix and Xecutioner, considered by many to be the most memorable feud of the year. Xecutioner and his faction, The Fallen, had been targeting Phoenix for some time, in a series of events that saw Phoenix's manager, Lexus, betray him, and Xecutioner hung Phoenix from his symbol above the ring. When Phoenix brought back Therion, who had been both his nemesis and his tag team partner, Therion too betrayed Phoenix to the group. This match represented Phoenix's final chance at vengeance against Xecutioner.

During the match, the members of the Fallen rushed to the ring to aid their leader, but Therion turned on the group and revealed his true loyalty to be to Phoenix all along. The match ended when Phoenix superkicked Xecutioner and knocked him into the pit.

==Maximum Carnage 2003

This match was held while The Following were ruling LWF and saw LWF Champion Phoenix defend the title against Alan Fernandez. The Following had targeted Freak Show Central and the previous month at Massive Melee Fire and Ice defeated FSC in a tag team match where by pinning Fernandez, Phoenix won the LWF Title from him.

During this match ladders and tables were used for the first time, and the two competitors used them to construct a bridge over the pit. Phoenix and Fernandez battled on top of the bridge until both fell into the pit. The referees conferred and declared that Phoenix fell into the pit first and that Alan Fernandez had therefore won the match, and with it the LWF Title.

The following night Phoenix challenged the results of the match, stating that he had knocked Fernandez in as well and that the match should be ruled a draw with the title being returned to him. Lock supported the decision of the referees and upheld the result of the match, however he agreed that Phoenix deserved an opportunity to win the title back and added him to the main event of Lockmania.

Revolution 2004
The fourth Inferno Pit match was also the first to be fought without a championship on the line and saw Phoenix take on Psiko. Psiko had been feuding with Phoenix since he won the LWF Title at Lockmania and had been somewhat successful in eluding him to this point due to his fear of the legend, impressive considering the two had been pitted against each other in various forms at Maul, Resurrection, and Lord of the Ring, and all these matches ended with the fans left wondering who was truly the better man between the two. This match did little to help, as after Phoenix dominated much of the match, Psiko managed to accidentally trip him up, sending Phoenix falling into the pit, and Psiko once again escaped with a questionable victory.

=Notable Information=


 * Every champion to defend his title in an Inferno Pit Match has lost it.


 * Phoenix has been a participant in every Inferno Pit Match. Despite this experience and his being so strongly associated with the match, his record in them is only 2-2.