Post by fifthhorseman on Feb 22, 2021 22:08:32 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM HOLLYWOOD
EPISODE 1
EPISODE 1
A 60-second video montage showcasing some of the greatest stars that competed in the classic CWH, as well as Big Time Wrestling in San Francisco and other California territories, opens the telecast, ending with a black and white shot of CWH Executive President Buddy Rogers, smiling, standing in a ring.
The live shot focused on a gorgeous championship belt looped around a hook 15 feet above the ring at the Hollywood Auditorium. Mauro Ranallo was at the broadcast table solo, and he welcomed the audience. In his usual bombastic tones, he said, “Fans, President Rogers wanted to make sure that we didn't run up against any TV timing issues for this match, and mamma mia, what a way to start tonight's show – let's get down to Howard Finkel !”
LADDER MATCH FOR THE CWH WEST COAST HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
DARBY ALLIN vs. EC3 vs. MUHAMMAD HASSAN vs. BIG E LANGSTON vs. RUSEV vs. TIMOTHY THATCHER:
vs. vs.
vs.
vs. vs.
As with all great ladder matches, this featured a group of talent that had a little bit of everything. Rusev and Langston were the musclemen that help anchor the bout, literally and figuratively. Hassan, Thatcher, and EC3 were creative on the mat and with the weapons, and Allin took most of the crazy bumps. Not that the other guys didn't put their bodies on the line... but the young skateboarder was the big risk-taker.
Though it seemed very chaotic – and it was – certain wrestlers matched off against each other throughout. Langston and Rusev tried to overpower each other, and used the ladders like baseball bats. Thatcher seemed to resent EC3's chiseled features, so the local shooter focused on him. Hassan simply wanted to bully the smallest man in there, and that meant going after Allin whenever he had the chance.
At the 20-minute mark, everyone was battered and exhausted. Bodies were strewn everywhere. Slowly, Allin got up and placed a heavy-duty ladder under the belt, and started to climb. But suddenly, Thatcher went up the other side of the ladder and they met at the top. They traded punches, swiping at the belt, until a third man noticed them both. Langston hit Thatcher with an uppercutting low blow, and it stopped him in his tracks. Then he went up the other side and brought Allin down with the Big Ending, ten feet above the ring. Finally, after making sure the other three competitors were still down, Langston grabbed Allin by the ankles, swung him around twice for momentum, and launched him at Thatcher! Both men fell on the far side of the ring, and only then did the former New Day member climb the ladder. A few seconds later – just as EC3 and Rusev got to each side of the ladder – Langston had the strap in his hands, and he was declared the inaugural West Coast Heavyweight champ.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, Langston had a cameraman with him, and he was justifiably bragging about his win. “It's only the beginning! I'm gonna wear this belt for a long, long, long time – and if anyone in the back thinks otherwise, well, you better keep this in mind... it's a new day for the new champ, Big E Langston.”
BRUTUS BEEFCAKE vs. UMAGA FATU:
vs.
vs.
The crowd needed a breather after the chaotic match that just took place, and this fit the bill. It was an extended squash, a showcase for the 350-pounder. He ran roughshod over the young Beefcake, who showed potential along with a mix of power and agility. However, he was no match for Umaga, who finished him off with a top-rope splash in about four minutes.
A VTR aired, featuring the Dream Team of Dusty Rhodes and “Superstar” Billy Graham. The inimitable legends both declared their love of the West Coast, Hollywood, and everything in between, and after giving the Blond Bombers due credit for winning the CWH California Tag-Team titles, they promised the audience that Patterson and Stevens were on borrowed time.
Ranallo: “And now it's time for the first of our three beat the clock qualifiers for the CWF California Heavyweight Championship title! Next week, we will crown our first champ in a three-man gauntlet match – meaning that the man with the fastest time tonight will, in essence, get a bye to the finals, as the two other men face off first to determine who gets to meet him. Who will be the first man to get through? We're about to find out!”
BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH
JEFF COBB vs. RICK RUDE (w/Percy Pringle III):
vs.
JEFF COBB vs. RICK RUDE (w/Percy Pringle III):
vs.
The “Ravishing One” figured he would cruise past Cobb on his quest for the California title, but the former Olympian had different plans. Cobb used his low center of gravity to toss Rude around the ring at will, and overpowered him on the mat several times throughout the contest. Frantically, Rude fought back and shifted the tide in his favor, bending the rules several times to take over. After surviving a final flurry from Cobb, the former IC champ ended it with his patented Rude Awakening at 11:20.
COMMERCIAL
A cameraman was in front of Rogers' office door, and as if on cue, Future Shock walked out. They were asked why they were there, but before they could reply, Cole and O'Reilly were jumped from behind by the Destruction Crew. Enos and Bloom left them lying on the floor, and their manager, Percy Pringle, said, “Did you get those contracts signed? You're gonna wish you never accepted a rematch, boys!”
BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH
BUDDY MURPHY vs. NICK NEMETH (w/Eric Bugenhagen):
BUDDY MURPHY vs. NICK NEMETH (w/Eric Bugenhagen):
vs.
The two shook hands at the beginning, though the Australian had seen enough of Nemeth over the last few months to know that he wasn't always a sportsman. Both of them were eager to finish it early, so they wrestled at a blistering pace early on, but neither could score a pin. From a size and athletic perspective, they were as closely matched as any two grapplers on the CWH roster, and it was a pay-per-view quality showdown. It ended when Murphy went for a bicycle knee strike, but Nemeth caught him and flipped him over his head in what could only be described as a fisherman's suplex slam, and he pinned him at 17:55.
COMMERCIAL
The EAST-WEST CONNECTION vs. the HART DYNASTY:
vs.
Adonis and Ventura took the microphone from Finkel and cut a scathing promo about not being in the fatal four-way match at Really Fully Loaded for the California tag-team titles... and when the bell rang, they jumped the Hart Dynasty to pour out their frustrations on them. When it finally settled into an actual wrestling match, the Connection kept control, and perhaps surprisingly, it only lasted a few minutes; Adonis nailed Smith with a brainbuster for the win.
As the villainous veterans left, the scene shifted to a backstage shot, where the Usos were congratulating Umaga Fatu about his win over Beefcake. They chatted for about a minute, and the twin brothers left. A few seconds later, as the “Samoan Bulldozer” got ready to leave through one of the exit door, he was nailed from behind by a chair, and hit repeatedly while he was on the floor... but before the camerman could get his bearings, the massive assailant fled to the shadows.
COMMERCIAL
Ranallo reminded the audience about the beat the clock stakes: because Rude was faster than Nemeth, the collegiate ace would definitely be wrestling in the first leg of the gauntlet. The rest would be determined – right now!
BEAT THE CLOCK MATCH
WADE BARRETT (w/Tom Carter) vs. the ROCK:
vs.
WADE BARRETT (w/Tom Carter) vs. the ROCK:
vs.
Barrett and Carter entered the ring first, and the crowd blew the roof off the Auditorium when the Rock parted the curtain. The time to beat was Rude's 11:20, but first and foremost, both men just wanted a win, period.
The British bare-knuckle specialist wasn't intimidated in the least, and he went right at the Rock with a brawling offense. He knew that one Rock Bottom could end it, so he targeted the “Great One's” right arm, using his long frame to twist and stretch that arm. But the Rock was too strong to keep on the mat for any length of time, and when he got to his feet, he turned things around. With his eye on the clock, he hit the People's Elbow and went for the pin ten minutes in... but Carter pulled him out the ring by the ankle before the ref could count three.
The two men stared each other down on the outside, and Barrett jumped down behind the Rock – but the “People's Champion” heard him coming. He nailed him with a series of punches – and one for Carter – and threw him back inside. It was all Rock now, and he flexed his right arm before crushing Barrett with his finisher.
At 11:26.
Carter's interference was costly, and as the former Nexus members skulked off, Rude reappeared on the stage, pointing at his wrist with a big smirk on his face. A few seconds later, Nemeth walked out onto the opposite stage of the stage; he wasn't going to let Rude steal the show. The broadcast ended with the three alpha males staring holes through each other.