Post by fifthhorseman on Sept 3, 2017 20:28:51 GMT -5
UWF FRIDAY NIGHT’S MAIN EVENT
EPISODE 32
EPISODE 32
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Mauro Ranallo: Hello, wrestling fans around the world – this is a special two-hour edition of UWF Friday Night’s Main Event! And what a main event we have in store, from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego… the first-ever UWF Elimination Chamber match! UWF World LightHeavyweight champion Danny Hodge will defend his title against not one, but five men, in the grueling structure known as the Elimination Chamber.
But that’s not all. Rusev gets one more chance to win the UWF North American Heavyweight championship against Nick Bockwinkel. In a decided contrast of styles, Dalton Castle will battle Mike Awesome. And starting us off tonight, a “Last Man Standing Open Battle Royale” – another first for the UWF. I’m joined at the table tonight by Zack Ryder, and the man who put this match together, Eddie Gilbert… and Eddie, why don’t you explain this one for us?
Gilbert: Well, it’s real simple. When the Midnight Express left town, it left Hot Stuff International a little short-handed. Me, Rusev, and Keith Lee, we’re all awesome, but it’s time to expand the corporation. So, I invited 15 of the toughest, roughest wrestlers in the business to enter my battle royale – but I want to make sure they’re extra-tough. If you’re tossed over the top rope, you have a ten-count to get back in. So if you want to win this thing, and join Hot Stuff International, you have to beat the living tar out of your opponent so bad they can’t get back in – or don’t want to! And when it gets to the final two men, it’ll be a regular wrestling match! I can’t wait!
HOT STUFF INTERNATIONAL LAST MAN STANDING OPEN BATTLE ROYALE
DANNY BASHAM, DOUG BASHAM, BRIAN CAGE, DONOVAN DIJAK, AIDEN ENGLISH, HENRY GODWINN, PHINEAS GODWINN, CHARLIE HAAS, KING CUERNO, AL PEREZ, ALEX RILEY, MIKE ROTUNDA, MASON RYAN, SHARK BOY, and DAN SPIVEY:
DANNY BASHAM, DOUG BASHAM, BRIAN CAGE, DONOVAN DIJAK, AIDEN ENGLISH, HENRY GODWINN, PHINEAS GODWINN, CHARLIE HAAS, KING CUERNO, AL PEREZ, ALEX RILEY, MIKE ROTUNDA, MASON RYAN, SHARK BOY, and DAN SPIVEY:
Christy Hemme introduced the wrestlers one by one as they came down the ramp, eager to prove that they belonged in the UWF. It was an eclectic group to say the least, ranging from the smaller Shark Boy to the massive Cage and imposing Dan Spivey. With the added “ten-count” stipulation, everyone realized it would be a much sterner test than simply tossing a foe over the top rope.
Once the bell rang, it was as chaotic as one might imagine. The Bashams and the Godwinns had the initial advantage, using teamwork to work over whatever man they focused on. The big men like Ryan and Dijak had targets on their back, but they had also had the mass and strength to defend themselves more than adequately.
It was an interesting sight, watching a man get tossed over the top rope, and then, just as often as not, he be followed by the wrestler who threw him out and be beaten on some more. Every referee in the UWF was at ringside, aided by other officials who acted as “spotters”, helping with ten-counts. Bodies flew everywhere, more than one grappler was bloodied, and throughout it all, “Hot Stuff” called the match with glee.
16 minutes later, it came down to the unlikely duo of Mike Rotunda and Charlie Haas, who worked together to eliminate both Cage and King Cuerno. The two backed into opposite corners, exhausted, as head referee Tommy Young rolled into the ring to start the last leg of this arduous contest.
And then, it got interesting.
Gilbert got up and walked halfway down the ramp, but he looked over his shoulder and pointed at the curtain at the top of the stage. A few seconds later, two men joined him on the ramp, and walked with him to ringside.
They were Rick and Scott Steiner, and they were not merely spectators. They slid underneath the bottom rope and attacked Haas and Rotunda, hitting them with a variety of their signature singles and tag-team maneuvers. It was a mercifully short beating, though, and the Steiners threw their “opponents” over the top rope with ease. As a perplexed Young – and Ranallo, and the crowd – stood by, Gilbert raised Rick and Scott’s hands high in the air.
COMMERCIAL
Ranallo and Ryder set up a video recap of last week’s Bret Hart-Randy Orton thriller, marred by the post-match attack by Triple H, and that led into a pre-taped interview conducted by Kevin Kelly. He was with “the Game” and “the Viper”, and the leader of the Authority wasted little time getting to the point. “Hitman, you barely defeated my friend Randy Orton last week, and he hasn’t been wrestling singles matches in months – what are you gonna do when you face me? Look, I would have been thrilled if Randy took your belt and brought it home to the Authority where it belongs, but that’s OK… if the UWF championship committee knows what’s best for business, they’ll make the match between you and me official. Until then, keep looking over your shoulder, and hold onto that gold really tight… because mark my words, your days are numbered.”
MIKE AWESOME (w/Gary Hart) vs. DALTON CASTLE (w/the Boys):
vs.
The flamboyant Castle looked forward to stepping outside the LightHeavyweight division and battling a bigger man, but the former ECW champ welcomed the challenge. For the first few minutes, it was a relatively competitive battle, but the sheer size and ferocity of Awesome were factors that could only be held in check for so long. Vicious clotheslines, throws, and slams by the 300-pounder weakened his foe, and they all set up his patented Awesome Splash from the top rope.
But he was not done. As the Boys went to check on Castle, Awesome press-slammed Bret and threw him out of the ring, and then Awesome Bombed Brendan. Laughing at his manager’s side, the big man picked up Castle to inflict even more damage, but a charging Bam Bam Bigelow put an end to that. The two behemoths threw heavy right hands at each other, but “the Beast from the East” clotheslined Awesome over the top rope, and despite the loud challenge, Awesome retreated to safety with Hart.
After everything settled down, Ranallo threw it backstage to Kevin Kelly, who stood with the former UWF Western States Heritage champion, Barry Windham. If the lanky Texan was upset, though, it did not show, and he was smiling and giving full credit to Drew McIntyre… well, partial credit, at least. Windham: “We wrestled a heck of a match, Drew, and you got me. But next time, thanks to my rematch clause, I hope that I come out on top, and as soon as we can get that rematch signed, I’m looking forward to settling the score in a clean, hard-fought battle. See you soon, Drew.”
COMMERCIAL
As the show returned to air, UWF World Heavyweight champion Bret Hart was walking down the ramp, and he headed straight to the ring. He borrowed Christy Hemme’s microphone and soaked in the applause before making a short, but forceful, speech. “Triple H and the Authority think that they can just call the shots around here. Well, listen up – my name is Bret Hart, and I’m the man here in the Universal Wrestling Federation! You want a match against me, Hunter? Or do you want me to hang another loss on you, Orton? Get in the ring with me, and it’ll happen either way. But all my fans know I let my actions speak for themselves, so here’s how we’ll do it. Next week, I’m going to get a partner and take both of you on. You wanted to fight – we’ll fight.”
Ranallo and Ryder were incredulous, and after hyping “the Hitman’s” challenge, they recapped the Bockwinkel/Rusev match from two weeks ago. The champion was disqualified for blatantly using a roll of quarters, so Bill Watts set up a no-disqualification rematch.
UWF NORTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION MATCH – NO-DISQUALIFICATION
NICK BOCKWINKEL vs. RUSEV (w/Lana and Eddle Gilbert):
NICK BOCKWINKEL vs. RUSEV (w/Lana and Eddle Gilbert):
vs.
Big-match intros by Hemme, as the referee warned Gilbert to mind his own business – seemingly a moot point, given the stipulation. Despite the heel/heel dynamic, the crowd seemed to favor the Bulgarian a bit more – after all, the champion’s arrogance was like a sidekick.
The bell rang, and Bockwinkel immediately went into stall mode, doing everything he could to avoid locking up with Rusev. Dodging his advances, using the ropes, rolling outside… the first three minutes were agonizing to watch. Finally, his first offensive maneuver was a thumb to Rusev’s eye, and he followed up with several punches. Whipping Rusev into the ropes, he went for a clothesline, but the challenger was quicker, and he hit him with a spinning back-kick.
“The Brute” took charge, and he overpowered his foe with ease. The next several minutes belonged to Rusev, but the champion was not only smart, but old-school tough, and he survived the onslaught. It wasn’t the prettiest match, but the crowd loved it. However, once the two men landed outside the ring, it got out of control. Bockwinkel and Rusev brawled, using the ringsteps, tables, and chairs – everything that they could get their hands on. After a big chairshot on Rusev, Gilbert stepped in and cocked his fist at Bockwinkel. The referee instinctively stepped in between them.
…and in doing so, never saw one of the ringside cameramen smash Rusev over the head with his camera.
The challenger was practically unconscious, and Bockwinkel rolled him into the ring. It might not have been necessary, but he picked him up and put him back down with a wicked piledriver. Three seconds later, it was a successful title defense for “the smartest man in the room”, and he motioned for the cameraman to enter the ring. Throughout the contest, the technician never let the equipment leave his shoulder, but now he did, revealing his identity. It was Eli Drake, and he and Bockwinkel shook hands and laughed at Lana and Gilbert before leaving.
COMMERCIAL
As the monstrous steel structure descended from the ceiling, a video package was shown, highlighting both the six competitors in the match and how they got to this point. After the video, Ranallo announced that another Elimination Chamber match would be taking place at WWE Battleground – and this one was for the MUW World championship!
UWF WORLD LIGHTHEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
ELIMINATION CHAMBER
DANIEL BRYAN vs. the DYNAMITE KID vs. DANNY HODGE (c) vs. KENNY OMEGA (w/Sean O’Haire) vs.
CM PUNK vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Armando Alejandro Estrada):
ELIMINATION CHAMBER
DANIEL BRYAN vs. the DYNAMITE KID vs. DANNY HODGE (c) vs. KENNY OMEGA (w/Sean O’Haire) vs.
CM PUNK vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Armando Alejandro Estrada):
The atmosphere was electric as each man was introduced. Omega entered the Chamber first, followed by the Dynamite Kid, then Strong, and then Punk. Bryan was the fifth man down the ramp, but when he paused to inspect the steel bars, he was jumped by Ricky Steamboat!
“The Dragon” materialized through the crowd, and slammed Bryan into the hardened steel chains several times before wrapping a chain around his fist and laying a couple of hard lefts. But Bryan fought back, and he tackled Steamboat on the ramp, and after throwing several short elbows at each other, officials scrambled out to break it up. However, the hatred could not be contained, and the two former friends battled all the way backstage… and in the confusion, Pete Dunne ran down the ramp and entered the pod reserved for Bryan.
Finally, Hodge appeared to a thunderous ovation, and as he strode to the ring, Bill Watts conferred with head official Tommy Young. They looked at Dunne, determined that he was challenger-caliber, and let him in. After Hodge entered his pod, and the announcements were all made, the match was underway.
The first two men in were CM Punk and Kenny Omega. They were cautious, but also aggressive, and they fought to a virtual standstill for the first five minutes. The countdown was on, and the next man in was “the Bruiserweight”, Dunne, and he formed an alliance with Omega to pound on Punk. They drove the former WWE champion into the cage repeatedly, and laughed about it. Then, inevitably, “the Cleaner” and Dunne wailed away at each other, and the minutes ticked by, all three men taking a beating.
The next pod to open belonged to the Dynamite Kid, and he was on fire, showing his opponents what made him such a revolutionary force in the lightheavyweight ranks. His power and speed was a dangerous combination, and he was fearless. The four men fought tooth and nail, and as the countdown for Strong’s pod to open began, Dynamite took Dunne out of the match with a tombstone piledriver.
The “Messiah of the Backbreaker” sought out Punk, and punished him with various strikes, while Omega and Dynamite battled. It was intense, and a couple of minutes later, it looked like Strong would finish Punk off with his Sick Kick. However, he missed – perhaps too excited and overadrenalized – and the “Voice of the Voiceless” went right after his rival’s now-injured leg. Punk cinched in a standing Indian deathlock, and with no way to break the hold, Strong tapped out.
The three remaining men eyed other warily, and then the countdown for Hodge’s entrance began. He was given a champion’s advantage for this match – as if the undefeated Oklahoman needed it. As soon as he entered the scrum, Omega pounced, and the two opposites squared off, while the Kid and Punk watched. Then, they battled, matched off, and it was now a war of attrition. Blood was spilled by more than one man, and it was five long minutes before another man was eliminated. The Dynamite Kid went to the top rope, looking to hit a flying headbutt on Hodge – but he was shoved off the ropes by Omega, and the Englander crashed hard outside on the steel. “The Cleaner” pounced, throwing the Kid back in the ring and hitting him with a running double knee strike to eliminate him from contention.
The last three men in the Chamber were the first two that entered it, and the champion. Alliances were formed and broken, and bodies were battered. A wild series commenced, with Hodge using his Golden Gloves background to throw heavy right crosses and uppercuts on both men. It was all legal, every single closed fist he threw, and his opponents were both punch-drunk. But Omega had one last punch left in him, and he hit Hodge with a low blow.
All three men were down. The cockiest man in the Authority staggered to his feet and hit Hodge with a basement lariat, and then he hit the ropes and nailed Hodge with a shining wizard. Then, CM Punk staggered over, hoisted the legend onto his shoulders, and connected with his Go To Sleep. For a second, everyone was on the canvas, and as if sharing the same thought, both Omega and Punk covered Hodge. One, two, and three… and the champion was eliminated.
The crowd was audibly stunned, and Hodge left to a rousing ovation while Punk and Omega battled on. They were fighting on guts alone, having survived the Chamber for over twenty-five minutes. They were fighting on instinct, and cheered by his stablemate O’Haire, Omega started taking charge again. Knees and suplexes drove Punk down, and “the Cleaner” went for a series of pins, but his opponent kicked out of every one of them. Fighting to his feet, Punk hit a series of kicks of his own, and then locked in the Anaconda Vice. The fans went berserk, anticipating the submission, but Omega was not done yet. He rolled and squirmed, and with the aid of the cage, slowly lifted Punk onto his shoulders. His One-Winged Angel was coming… but before he could fully set for it, Punk rolled over in a victory roll, and held on for dear life as the referee made the count.
CM Punk… the new UWF World LightHeavyweight champion. AS he was handed the belt, Omega skulked off with O’Haire, and the show faded to black.