Post by fifthhorseman on May 14, 2017 17:51:20 GMT -5
UWF FRIDAY NIGHT’S MAIN EVENT
EPISODE 25
EPISODE 25
Mauro Ranallo: Good evening, wrestling fans – we are live from the Von Braun Arena in Huntsville, Alabama, for this week’s presentation of UWF Friday Night’s Main Event! I’m joined tonight by Jim Cornette, and we’ll be calling the action for four tremendous matches. Our main event will be a number one contender’s match between the Authority and America’s Least Wanted! Also in tag action, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley battle Roderick Strong and Umaga. The Mighty Don’t Kneel make their UWF debut tonight, and they’ll be sternly tested by the British Bulldogs. But leading things off, we have a championship title defense, as we begin to set the stage for the Crockett Cup – let’s take it down to Christy Hemme in the ring!
MID-SOUTH JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
DANNY HODGE (c) vs. KUSHIDA:
DANNY HODGE (c) vs. KUSHIDA:
vs.
The two competitors represented radically different styles, but they respected each other’s skill and briefly shook hands in the middle of the ring. As the match began at a whirlwind pace, Ranallo announced that the champion – ostensibly Hodge, but Kushida could certainly be that man - would defend his title against Kenny Omega at the Crockett Cup next month. Hodge was dominant, using his amateur wrestling acumen and his Golden Glove-trained fists to keep Kushida at bay, but the former IWGP junior heavyweight champion was no stranger to rough combat, either. He put together a lengthy offensive series that overwhelmed Hodge, but after 12 energetic minutes, the grappler pinned Kushida with a jarring straightjacket suplex.
After the match, Omega ran halfway down the ramp, but stopped suddenly. Not out of fear – he was just taunting Hodge, and he walked away pointing to his waist, as all cocky challengers do.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, Kevin Kelly did a quick interview with Ricky Steamboat. A short video clip was shown of his time-limit draw with Western States Heritage Champion Barry Windham, a draw that the Texan manipulated by altering the length of the match without Steamboat’s knowledge. Nonetheless, “the Dragon” vowed that he would wear gold in 2017. “There is some great competition here in the UWF, and the talent here is second to none. But I will climb to the top of that ladder, and whether it’s Barry Windham, or Nick Bockwinkel, or even Bret Hart, I will give it everything I have to stand on top of that mountain.”
THE BRITISH BULLDOGS vs. THE MIGHTY DON’T KNEEL:
vs.
As the Dynamite Kid and the Smiths parted the curtains, they were jumped immediately by TMDK. Miller, Thorne, and Dunne were relentless, kicking them when they were down. They then tried to throw them from the ramp, but the Bulldogs fought back. The six men brawled all the way down and into the ring. The referee finally rang the bell, but both trios continued at it; no “legal man” started the match for either side. So it went for another couple of exciting, brutal minutes, and the official had no choice but to call for a no-contest.
Backstage, Kevin Kelly stood with all five members of the Authority. Triple H did most of the talking, hyping the inevitability of Omega’s win at the Crockett Cup. Then he said, “You’re looking at an entire stable of future champions. I associate with greatness, and standing at my side are the greatest wrestler, fighters, and friends a man could ever have. Let me break it down for you. Mr. Omega, here – future Mid-South Junior Heavyweight champion. Orton, O’Haire, and Saturn – they’re gonna lay a beatdown on America’s Least Wanted in just a few minutes, and then go on to win the UWF World Trios gold. And then, don’t be surprised if after a rousing game of rock-paper-scissors, one of them beats Nick Bockwinkel for the North American Heavyweight championship, too. Last, and most certainly not least, is yours truly. I just need one shot – one shot – at Bret Hart, and the UWF World Heavyweight championship – and all of the championships there are to own – are right here with the Authority.”
COMMERCIAL
THE MOTOR CITY TIMESPLITTERS vs. RODERICK STRONG/UMAGA (w/Armando Alejandro Estrada):
vs.
A short video montage was shown of Umaga’s debut against Alex Shelley – a devious trick, as the Timesplitter expected to be fighting Strong instead. So the challenge was made, and a rare UWF two-on-two match was underway. Sabin and Shelley wanted to isolate their smaller opponent, and they controlled the early part of the bout. However, whenever the gigantic Samoan got in, the tide would turn. He used his mass and surprising quickness to hurt both men, to the delight of his manager. It took about ten minutes after a flurry that saw all four men hit a finishing-type maneuver, but in the end, it was Umaga’s Samoan spike on Chris Sabin that won the match.
As the ring cleared, Ranallo and Cornette set up another video package that highlighting all 24 teams that were battling in the Crockett Cup. They were all coming, from every corner of the planet, to try to win the greatest tag trophy in the business.
COMMERCIAL
Before the main event started, Cornette bragged about Hot Stuff International’s newest acquisition, Rusev. The “Louisville Lip” claimed that he was unbeatable, unstoppable, and indestructible, and made an open challenge for next week to any man in the back. That challenge was met mere moments later, as the Junkyard Dog parted the backstage curtain and walked over to the broadcast table to accept in person.
NUMBER ONE CONTENDER'S MATCH
AMERICA’S LEAST WANTED vs. THE AUTHORITY:
AMERICA’S LEAST WANTED vs. THE AUTHORITY:
vs.
Though this match was not for a title, it had a big, main-event feel, and the announcers wondered aloud if the attack on Marty Jannetty the week before would affect the proceedings. Orton, his team’s leader, started the match for the Authority, while Harris did the same for ALW. The two, roughly the same height and weight, battled to a mini-draw for the first couple of minutes before a flash dropkick gave “the Viper” the advantage, and he tagged O’Haire in. But “the Wildcat” snuck away and tagged Neidhart in.
For the next few minutes, it was a real back-and-forth battle. ALW was not intimidated in the least, having proven over the last several weeks that they truly were as good as anybody. However, it was also evident by the tag patterns that Harris and Neidhart were carrying the action – it was practically a handicap match. A missed corner-charge by “the Anvil” gave the opposing trio a target to focus on, and they attacked his shoulder, getting several two-counts in the process.
Saturn used every submission hold in his arsenal to get Neidhart to quit, but the tough ex-Raider refused. With the last bit of strength left in his frame, he picked “the Eliminator” up with one arm and power-bombed him before rolling into his corner. Unable to watch from the sidelines any longer, Jannetty tagged himself in, and he went after everybody. Punches and dropkicks, chops and back bodydrops, and a Rocker Dropper on Saturn nearly got him the three-count. Jannetty got up limping, though, as the adrenaline began to wear off. Saturn lashed out, punching the heavily taped leg. Jannetty stumbled, and from out of nowhere, Orton hit a vicious RKO. While he and O’Haire fended off Harris and Neidhart, the Authority’s enforcer slowly pulled himself over to his fallen foe and draped an arm over him, making the pin for his team. It wasn’t the cleanest victory ever recorded in the UWF, but it didn’t matter… the Authority vs. the Fabulous Freebirds was going to happen.