The Vigilante Match is a specialty gimmick match first used in the Lock Wrestling Federation.
Vigilante Rules means a match in which there are no disqualifications and falls count anywhere.
Vigilante Matches[]
What follows is some of the most significant Vigilante Matches to be held in LWF history.
Betrayal 2003[]
The first Vigilante Match was a triple threat match between Arelas, CoolJ, and Lock, with the winner becoming the #1 Contender to the LWF World Championship.
The match began abruptly backstage when Lock arrived in his limo and began yelling at the driver as he exited the vehicle, only to have Arelas leap out of the driver's seat and spear him down. CoolJ soon arrived as chaos ensued backstage. This match saw an early use by CoolJ of Gold Bond powder as a weapon as he used it to temporarily blind Arelas, and later again on Ruff Ryder, who interfered on Lock's behalf until CoolJ laid him out with a Shader.
The match eventually found its way out into the arena onto the stage. CoolJ drove a golf cart onto the stage and rigged it to run on its own, and the cart drove off the stage with Lock in it. Arelas then superkicked CoolJ off the stage, and he landed on Lock for the pin.
Massive Melee 2004[]
Fear had been the reigning Cross-Hemisphere Champion for six months until he came up against Commissioner Arelas in the Vigilante Match at the Massive Melee.
This match began in the ring, a rare occurance for a Vigilante Match. It would not stay there long, however, as the two battled into the crowd and through the concessions area. At one point Arelas again blinded temporarily when Fear splashed a cup of liquid in his face. They ended up in the second deck of the arena, and Arelas knocked Fear down the steps to the barricade. Fear tried to push Arelas over the barricade, but Arelas countered into the Eternal Slam, sending Fear plummeting over the barricade and through a stack of tables. Arelas jumped himself and hit the Angel Wings from the second deck of the arena to win the match and the championship.
Maximum Carnage 2004[]
Arelas defended the Cross-Hemisphere Title against Robert Ooley.
This match went on backstage throughout the entire night, with the cameras cutting backstage between other matches. Eventually the participants drove a forklift carrying a crate out to the stage, and battled on top of it. Lock got in the forklift and dropped the crate off the side of the stage, and Ooley landed on top of Arelas for the incidental pin, winning the championship.
Maximum Carnage 2008[]
Arelas defended the LWF World Championship against Metalhead Matt Marauder. Triple M earned the right to this match by winning Vigilante Month.
Arelas tried to attack Triple M early in the evening, but Lock stopped him and insisted the match begin in the arena at its scheduled time, angering Arelas. Once the match officially started in the ring as the main event for the night, Arelas wasted little time in dragging Triple M backstage and taking advantage of Vigilante Rules. Lock and Lone Wolf attacked Arelas, but Psiko and Ruff Rabbi came to his aid. The match found its way back to the ring, with Lock repeatedly interfering on Triple M's behalf, until Triple M finally was able to hit the Fallen Angel 450 Splash and win the match and the championship.
Lockmania IV[]
This match was a Triple Threat Match featuring Arelas, Donovan Hastings, and Fear. Like other Vigilante Matches, it went on backstage through much of the night. The finish saw Hastings throw Fear off the stage, giving Arelas the opportunity to hit the Eternal Slam on Hastings on the stage and pin him for the victory.
Maximum Carnage 2009[]
Diablo defended the LWF World Championship against Arelas. Arelas earned the right to this match by winning Vigilante Month.
The two battled backstage for most of the night, with Arelas at one point refusing to accept help from Lock and later losing an opportunity for a potential pin when his emerging alter-ego took temporary control. The match found its way to the ring, where Diablo managed to hit the Morning Star for the victory.
Vigilante Month[]
An annual event held in LWF every February leading up to Maximum Carnage, beginning in 2008.
All members of the roster begin the month considered "eligible" unless a special exception or exclusion is made. At any time, an eligible participant may eliminate any other eligible participant by pinfall or submission. You may not eliminate a person you are currently in an official match with, however others may interfere and do so.
2008[]
The winner of the first Vigilante Month was Metalhead Matt Marauder. He went on to challenge Arelas for the LWF World Championship at Maximum Carnage.
January 28[]
- Diablo eliminated Colby Colt after a match in the ring
- Jake White attacked Travis Pierce backstage, but Pierce managed to pin White
- Baal eliminated Red Fusion by pinning him immediately after the referee stopped their match
February 4[]
- During a Havok Rules Match between Psiko and Colby Colt, the Metal Militia interfered. Psiko pinned Lone Wolf and Triple M subsequently pinned Psiko.
- CoolJ was eliminated when a referee saw him napping backstage with the Can of Gold Bond on his chest.
- Lock used a forklift backstage to roll a sleeping Pat Prouder onto his back and Triple M pinned Prouder.
- After a match between Jake White and Travis Pierce, White helped JJ Massacre eliminate Pierce.
- Red Fusion assaulted Reckless Jack backstage and dumped him at the feet of the Regime. Lock pinned Jack to eliminate him.
- The Lords of Pain intefered in a tag team match between the Holy Dragons and the Unholy Hierarchy, and Ruff Rabbi eliminated both Baal and Donovan Hastings.
February 11[]
- While Fear and Ruff Rabbi brawled backstage, Diablo attacked them and Fear managed to pin Diablo.
- CoolJ attacked JJ Massacre with the Can of Gold Bond and the Can eliminated Massacre.
- The Regime attacked CoolJ and Triple M pinned the Can of Gold Bond.
- Ruff Rabbi pinned Fear backstage, and was then himself pinned by Triple M.
- Triple M chased Lock to the ring on golf carts, and Triple M pinned Lock with a Fingerpoke of Doom.
2009[]
The winner of the second annual Vigilante Month was Arelas. He went on to challenge Diablo for the LWF World Championship at Maximum Carnage.
Notable Information[]
- Every champion to defend his title in a Vigilante Match had lost it, until Diablo successfully defended the World Championship against Arelas at Maximum Carnage 2009.
- Arelas has been a participant in every major Vigilante Match. Despite this experience and his being so strongly associated with the match, his record in them is only 2-4.
UGWC[]
The Vigilante Match appeared in the Unified Global Wrestling Coalition at Horizons in 2010 in a match that spanned the entire event and saw Declan Prescott defeat Travis Roberts.
The second appearance of the Vigilante Match in UGWC came at No Holds Barred in 2013 and saw Donovan Hastings defeat Ezekiel Pax.