Post by fifthhorseman on Mar 13, 2017 22:17:24 GMT -5
MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME – NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
DARK MATCH
WESTERN STATES HERITAGE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
D’LO BROWN vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c):
WESTERN STATES HERITAGE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
D’LO BROWN vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c):
vs.
Tenay reminded the audience that the title was truly on the line: if Windham lost, then neither man would get it. The big Texan extended his hand to Brown when the bell rang, but D’Lo slapped it away and clotheslined him to the canvas. He kept at his foe with kicks and elbowdrops, but a missed senton gave Windham his chance to retaliate. The second-generation star wrestled a clean match, save for the occasional hard right hand, and kept Brown off-balance with a smooth, tactical offense. Despite a big rally by D’Lo at the end, Windham took the win after a flying lariat laid his challenger out. He triumphantly held the belt overhead as he walked to the back, and all of the sudden, there was one more championship to chase in the UWF.
As the cages came down for the first War Games match, a video package was shown highlighting the long and fierce rivalry between Hot Stuff International and America’s Least Wanted. It ended with a brief interview with Kevin Kelly and CM Punk, taped earlier in the day from inside the double rings. Punk said, “I get where ALW is coming from, feeling like you always have to stand up for yourself. Like you’re always the underdog. Like you don’t belong. Well, inside this ring, this is where I belong. And I told them that I’d join their team, their cause, on one condition – that I get to start the match. So, here’s a spoiler alert, New Orleans… CM Punk is going to be the first man to ever enter a War Games match in the UWF.”
WAR GAMES
AMERICA’S LEAST WANTED, CM PUNK, and JACK GALLAGHER
vs.
HOT STUFF INTERNATIONAL (EDDIE GILBERT, CHRIS CANDIDO, and the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS) w/Jim Cornette, Missy Hyatt, and Matt Morgan:
AMERICA’S LEAST WANTED, CM PUNK, and JACK GALLAGHER
vs.
HOT STUFF INTERNATIONAL (EDDIE GILBERT, CHRIS CANDIDO, and the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS) w/Jim Cornette, Missy Hyatt, and Matt Morgan:
vs.
Before the match started, Cornette went over to the referee and showed him a piece of paper. Confused, the official went to the timekeeper’s table and called Commissioner Watts backstage. A few moments later, he nodded, and spoke with Christy Hemme, who made an announcement to the crowd:
“Due to an upper respiratory infection, Chris Candido cannot participate in tonight’s War Games match. He will be replaced… by ‘the Blueprint’, Matt Morgan.”
HSI won the coin toss, and then the bell rang.
Order of entry: Punk/Eaton; Condrey; Jannetty; Lane; Harris; Morgan; Neidhart; Gilbert; Gallagher.
As promised, Punk started for his side, while the reliable veteran Eaton drew the assignment for his squad. One minor rule change for this and the other War Games match: there would only be four minutes in between “rounds”, not five, to help accommodate the time constraints of having two such matches on the same night.
ALW and Punk fought as hard as they could, undermanned throughout the match. Morgan gave his squad an unexpected, and decided, size and power advantage that Neidhart tried his damndest to neutralize. Blood was spilled by several, and when “the Gentleman” finally entered the ring, the real task was underway: make someone submit, or knock someone out.
There were plenty of tense moments over the next couple of minutes, but eventually, Harris and Punk were able to isolate Condrey. After a quick conversation, the “Straight Edge Superstar” animatedly gestured at Harris, and he stood guard while “the Wildcat” locked in the Anaconda Vice on Condrey. Despite Cornette’s manic encouragement, his man had no choice in the matter… and at long last, America’s Least Wanted (along with their partners) earned the decisive win over Hot Stuff International.
As the cages were lifted back up, a video package was shown highlighting Roderick Strong’s run through the inaugural Junior Heavyweight championship tournament, followed by his loss and subsequent rivalry with the dual-threat current champion, Danny Hodge.
MID-SOUTH JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
DANNY HODGE (c) vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Armando Alejando Estrada):
DANNY HODGE (c) vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Armando Alejando Estrada):
vs.
The stakes were high for this one: the loser would not receive another Junior Heavyweight title shot for six months – regardless of who the champion was. Thus, for the first few minutes, caution was key, and both men wrestled very defensively. Strong tried several times to sneak in a dirty move, but his opponent was too savvy to let anything past his guard.
However, the “Messiah of the Backbreaker” did finally break through on Hodge, and he attacked his rival’s back relentlessly with a non-stop barrage of knees and suplexes. The champion would not stay down, though, and he muscled his way back to his feet. He found a fifth gear, and used a combination of boxing and amateur wrestling to confound Strong. It took just over 23 minutes, but a gutwrench powerbomb by Hodge earned him the tough victory. He left the ring in triumph, the belt over his right shoulder, as the beaten challenger sulked in the ring.
THE BRITISH BULLDOGS vs. the DUDLEY BOYZ/SPIKE DUDLEY:
vs.
Two of the most influential teams of all-time were ready to go. This was the Dudleyz’ first official UWF Trios match, but with Spike on board, there was instant chemistry. Likewise with the Bulldogs, and it showed; the tags on both sides were fluid, and this bout was a blend of old-school and fast-paced action.
The heels worked over the junior Smith for several minutes, until a desperation tag to the Dynamite Kid changed the tide of the match. He bowled them all down, and he snap-suplexed all three Dudleys. It was chaotic, and it ended a couple of minutes later with a ferocious Davey Boy powerslam on Spike.
After the match, Bully Ray and D-Von were furious. They picked up their “little brother” and put him right back down again with a 3D. The two left the ring, blaming Spike for the loss, vowing to find the right partner for their trio.
Another highlight package was shown, spotlighting the men who all wanted the illustrious North American title, and how they arrived at this moment in the Superdome.
UWF NORTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MANNY FERNANDEZ (w/Gary Hart) vs. JAY LETHAL (c):
MANNY FERNANDEZ (w/Gary Hart) vs. JAY LETHAL (c):
vs.
NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP WILD-CARD MATCH
NICK BOCKWINKEL vs. JAKE ROBERTS:
NICK BOCKWINKEL vs. JAKE ROBERTS:
vs.
As the two referees assigned to this unique match made their way to the dual rings, Schiavone briefly explained the rules: both matches were, essentially, no-countout, no-DQ free-for-alls. If the Bockwinkel/Roberts match ended first, though, the winner could join the Fernandez/Lethal match under triple-threat rules for the championship.
The two “non-title” contenders entered their ring first, followed by the “Raging Bull”, who wore his thick bullrope around his equally thick neck as he hit the “second” ring. Finally, the champion slowly walked the ramp to the loudest ovation of all. As expected, once the bell rang, it was controlled chaos. Lethal and Fernandez brawled in and out of the ring; on the other side, “the Snake” and Bockwinkel wrestled a more mat-based, methodical style. More than once, the action would spill from one ring to another, and all four men would fight until the referees pushed them back in their correct rings.
The fans watched on for 13 minutes, until the first fall was recorded. Roberts had Bockwinkel front-facelocked near the ropes, milliseconds from striking with the DDT. But Fernandez launched Lethal over the top rope out of their ring with such force that he landed in the other, and he crashed into Roberts’ knee. Roberts collapsed in agony; the unexpected collision was indefensible. Bockwinkel didn’t waste a second, and he rolled up his opponent with a small package for the three-count.
As Roberts was tended to, Lethal went back on the offense against the man who wanted the North American title as badly as anybody. He laid into Fernandez with kicks and right hands, but missed his Hail to the King elbow-drop. Fernandez got to his feet, and arrogantly took to the top rope himself, waiting for Lethal to stand. But his pride was his downfall – literally – as he was thrown to the floor by the sneaky Bockwinkel. The AWA legend quickly entered the ring with Fernandez’s bullrope - and metal cowbell - wrapped around his fist, and he nailed Lethal in the forehead. The champion was rocked, and bloodied… and three seconds later, there was a new UWF North American heavyweight champion.
A highlight package promoting the next UWF pay-per-view was shown, featuring the fierce competition that took place three years ago in the defunct AWA, as well as vintage NWA action from almost 30 years ago. Coming in June… the UWF Crockett Cup: Trios.
UWF WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
DALTON CASTLE/THE BOYS vs. the FABULOUS FREEBIRDS (c):
DALTON CASTLE/THE BOYS vs. the FABULOUS FREEBIRDS (c):
vs.
The oddsmakers weren’t kind to the challengers, but the fans were, and they were eager to see this clash of personalities take place. Castle and his cohorts entered the ring first. The Freebirds made their entrance a moment later, but before they could even step foot on the ramp, they were all attacked from behind by Bully Ray and D-Von! The Dudleyz blasted them with repeated chair shots – Gordy and Hayes taking the worst of it – until a swarm of officials, backed by the Bulldogs, cleared them off.
Despite the attack, the champions insisted on continuing, and they limped to one of the rings. Exhibiting unusual sportsmanship, Castle went to their corner and also asked if they should postpone the match. He was answered via a stiff left hand by Roberts, and the bout was on. The Freebirds were as popular as any trio in the UWF, but they didn’t mean they were “faces” in the strictest sense of the word. They fought for fame, fortune, and gold, against all challengers, and if they were applauded one night and jeered the next, so be it.
Castle struck back, and he used his amateur skills to throw “Buddy Jack” from post to post. “The Peacock” had decided to carry the weight for his squad, and even when Hayes and Gordy recovered enough to tag in, Castle, in turn, made sure that Brendan and Bret were only in the fight for very brief periods of time. It was an entertaining eight minutes, but the plan fell through. “Bamm Bamm” powered up and hoisted both Boys over his shoulders for a dual Samoan drop. After getting squashed, Hayes picked up Brendan and laid him out with a running bulldog for the win.
Schiavone began to speak, but Tenay interrupted him. Outside the arena, a cameraman spotted the Dudleys speaking with someone as they threw their gear into their rental car. Bully Ray was handed a small canvas bag, and he reached inside it, pulling out a stack of cash. D-Von was very pleased by what he saw, and he shook the hand of the man that gave it to them: Lucha Underground’s Bobby Heenan.
The two announcers tried to make sense of the bizarre scene outside, and then thanked the audience for welcoming them into their homes. This would be their last UWF telecast, as both Tenay and Schiavone was amicably leaving the Universal Wrestling Federation to pursue other endeavors.
WILL OSPREAY vs. YOSHIHIRO TAJIRI (w/Gary Hart):
vs.
This was a battle between two of the most unique aerialists in the entire MUW Network. Ospreay wanted to avenge an earlier loss to the “Japanese Buzzsaw”, in which he was blinded by his mist. Tajiri needed the win to keep climbing the Mid-South Junior Heavyweight ranks, and in the early stages of the match, he was in complete control. With Hart distracting the referee at just the right times, it looked like a clear-cut victory.
However, the “Aerial Assassin” would not stay down. He battled back with an assortment of kicks, springboard moves, and crazy mid-air attacks. Unfortunately, the wily manager on the outside tripped up Ospreay as he hit the ropes, and that was the opening Tajiji needed to hit a flash Shining Wizard at the 12-minute mark. It was sudden, and it was cheapened by interference, but it was a win for Hart and his World Class stable.
Footage was shown of previous War Games matches over the years, illustrating how violent and brutal these matches truly were. “Highlights” were also shown of the Authority’s formation, as well as short clips from both Hart and Lesnar title defenses.
WAR GAMES
THE AUTHORITY (TRIPLE H, KENNY OMEGA, RANDY ORTON, SEAN O’HAIRE, and PERRY SATURN)
vs.
BRET HART, THE NEWER AGE OUTLAWS, and BROCK LESNAR (w/Paul Heyman and Sable):
THE AUTHORITY (TRIPLE H, KENNY OMEGA, RANDY ORTON, SEAN O’HAIRE, and PERRY SATURN)
vs.
BRET HART, THE NEWER AGE OUTLAWS, and BROCK LESNAR (w/Paul Heyman and Sable):
vs.
It was main event time, and the crowd knew it. Christy Hemme made the big-match introductions as the two teams eyed each other angrily from across the rings. Predictably, the heels won the coin toss, and then the bell rang.
Order of entry: Hart/Orton; Saturn; Gunn; Omega; James; O’Haire; Palumbo; Triple H; Lesnar.
The man that held the most prestigious championship in the UWF wanted to start the main event; with his conditioning and grit, he was perfect for it. The Authority countered with “the Apex Predator”, who was eager to carry the ball for his team. The two warriors fought hard for the full four minutes, but also aware that they would need to pace themselves for at least another 30 minutes.
Hart was able to stun Orton when the door opened for Saturn, and for about a minute, “the Hitman” was able to fend both men off. But the numbers soon caught up with him. The advantage was temporarily put on hold when Gunn entered, but as in the case in War Games, you can only hold the advantage for so long.
The excitement ramped back up with the final two men. Triple H made a beeline towards the champion, his intention well-known and based on the old maxim: to be the man, you have to beat the man. The Authority did as much damage as they could, with one eye on the clock and the other on Lesnar. When “the Beast Incarnate” finally got into the match, War Games was officially underway, and he went after every single one of his opponents, eager to take them to “Suplex City”.
The war raged for another four solid minutes, and every man was feeling the effects. Blood had been spilled, and it would be revealed later on that bones were cracked as well. Everyone had matched off, and the referee was on high alert looking for the first man to give up… and as luck would have it, he found himself in the perfect place to make such a decision. “The Eliminator” had the “Road Dogg” down in his signature finisher, the Rings of Saturn, and James fought for his life. Suddenly, Lesnar threw an exhausted Orton down right in front of the official, and cinched in a Kimura Lock. The referee’s head was on a swivel, and when both Gunn and Orton submitted at the same time, he called for the bell.
Separating both teams, he called Hart and “the Game” forward. He explained his call, and then – to the fans’ shock and delight – he restarted War Games. It was sudden death, and the ten men fought again. This time, Triple H tried to tackle Lesnar, fearful he’d end the match again. Hart locked a Sharpshooter on Orton, but “the Viper” fought out of it, eager to redeem himself – and he did. The other men battled as if possessed, but it finally – finally – ended when Palumbo isolated O’Haire. The former WCW tag partners traded punches, but Palumbo nailed the “Devil’s Advocate” between the eyes with an unexpected headbutt, then locked on a rear naked choke. O’Haire fought as long as he could, but none of his teammates could save him, and he passed out. The match was finally over.
The “Cerebral Assassin” was incensed, and tried to hit Hart with a Pedigree, but Lesnar backed up between them – whether he knew what was going on, or not, no one will know. Blocked by the MUW champ, Triple H slowly backed up, and swung at Gunn. The ten weary wrestlers fought again for another minute until the locker room cleared to separate the two squads, and eventually order was restored. The cages were lifted, and the teams could finally leave. For the moment, the Authority had finally suffered their first meaningful loss, but like the Horsemen they modeled themselves after, it only meant that they would plan for another day. Hart and the Outlaws held their fists high, while Lesnar and his entourage stood to the side, another victory in hand.