Post by fifthhorseman on Jan 12, 2019 1:09:30 GMT -5
MLW FRIDAY NIGHT HEAT
EPISODE 19
EPISODE 19
60-second video montage recapping last week’s show, followed by title graphics and explosive pyro.
Lance Russell: “Hello, wrestling fans – this is MLW Friday Night Heat! My name is Lance Russell, and joining me at the broadcast table is the irascible Mark Briscoe. This is the final show before our next major event, Battlebowl, and tonight’s action is very important in determining who will be on the card. Case in point – our first match this evening will determine the challenger for your brother’s MLW Wild Card championship –“
Briscoe: “Ain’t no one takin' that strap off Jay!”
Russell: “-And in our main event, the Heroes of the Republic defend their Intercontinental Tag-Team titles against Jeff Jarrett and Elias, and the winner of that match will go onto Battlebowl to defend that gold against a team that will be revealed later tonight. But let’s get straight to the ring for the battle royale!”
16-MAN BATTLE ROYALE
WINNER GETS MLW WILD CARD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AT BATTLEBOWL:
The roll call for the battle royale: the Addiction, WBSK, los Conquistadores, Beauty and the Beast, Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart, the Street Profits, the Latin American Exchange, Keith Lee, and Irwin R. Schyster.
It was pandemonium, as these things usually are – and with a title shot on the line at Battlebowl, the grapplers were both aggressive and cautious. Whenever possible, the teams tried to work together to eliminate the rest of the horde. Gradually, one by one, bodies flew over the top rope until four men were left: Lee, the British Bulldog, Batista, and Hernandez. They formed their own de facto alliances for the next few minutes until finally, “the Animal” hurled Smith from the ring at 13:32. The match was set – Batista versus Jay Briscoe at Battlebowl.
COMMERCIAL
A pre-taped duologue was shown with the newly-designated top contenders for the MLW World Tag-Team titles. Barry Windham and Bray Wyatt were somewhere in the swamps of Florida - certainly not the USF Sun Dome. The “Eater of Worlds” dominated the conversation, and spoke in eerie, intimidating, and confident tones. The original “Widowmaker” wrapped it up, assuring the audience that despite past affiliations with both Pillman and Hennig, he was coming to Battlebowl to beat them both.
3 COUNT vs. CACTUS JACK and TERRY FUNK:
vs.
Helms and Moore were game opponents, but the size and savagery that Jack and Funk displayed was overwhelming. The boy banders had a few hope spots in the five minutes the match lasted, but the hardcore icon from Texas laid out Moore with a piledriver to end it.
But that was far from the end of it. The two brawlers double-teamed Helms with well-aimed fists and boots, taking him to the canvas along with Moore. Funk picked “Sugar Shane” back up, but only long enough for the madman from Truth or Consequences to put him back down with a vicious double-underhook DDT. Before any further damage could be done, America’s Most Wanted swarmed the ring, running the heels off.
COMMERCIAL
During the break, Commissioner Chuck Norris made a rare appearance, standing at the top of the ramp with a number of other MLW officials. He told the crowd that Cactus Jack and Terry Dunk were barred from the building for the rest of the night; if they interfered with the next match, or any other match tonight, they’d be barred from participating at Battlebowl as well.
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED vs. the MAIN EVENT MACHINE:
vs.
vs.
Despite the commissioner’s warning, AMW were cautious as they walked down the ramp. The arrogant duo of Drake and Orndorff sauntered down next, eager to go into Battlebowl on a high note. “Mr. Wonderful” locked up with Harris to start it off. They traded a variety of maneuvers before tagging out to their partners, who were familiar foes in their own right.
This was a very even contest, the momentum shifting back and forth over the course of nearly 16 minutes. Eventually, all four men went toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring. Storm took Orndorff over the top rope with a clothesline, then immediately followed him out. Inside, Drake and Harris chain-wrestled through a series of near-falls and reversals, before “the Wildcat” rolled Drake up from behind at 15:57 in a match that could have easily went the other way. The MEM sulked angrily in the ring as the winners walked back up the ramp.
COMMERCIAL
A video recap of the brief -but intense - rivalry that played out between the teams about to enter the ring was shown to the crowd. But before Howard Finkel could announce the night's main event, Jim Cornette and the Dynamic 2uo walked through the curtain and headed straight for the broadcast table. Hijacking one of the microphones that so happened to be conveniently located there, the “Louisville Slugger” unloaded.
Cornette: “Does anyone here tonight think that it’s a tad unusual that just after a few weeks our CIO, Jeff Jarrett, announces his return to competition, he’s getting a title match? It can’t be just me! Thank goodness that Gino and Austin brought this to my attention, you know, on one of those many sunny days where they weren’t getting a title match. Listen up – there’s only so many times and so many towns in which the Dynamic 2uo can beat up the Midnight Express! And what’s that gotten us? Nothing! Meanwhile, old ‘Double J’ saunters in with his new best pal, Elias, and suddenly they’re in line for a shot at the Intercontintental Tag-Team championship? Grade-A malarkey in my book, and I don’t care if you tell me that everything else he does is impartial, and that the MLW championship committee, Chuck Norris, or even Mr. Steinbrenner himself signed off on the match tonight! It’s unfair, and I’m gonna have my lawyers look into this situation very, very closely. Come on, boys – we’re outta here.”
MLW INTERCONTINENTAL TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
HEROES OF THE REPUBLIC (c) vs. JEFF JARRETT and ELIAS SAMSON:
vs.
vs.
And for the first couple of minutes, it seemed like Briscoe was a prophet. Rusev was a tank, battering Samson from pillar to post, barely giving him a chance to catch his breath. He avoided a corner change long enough to tag out, but that gave “the Brute” a chance to tag in his fresh partner as well, and the pace slowed to a cautious crawl.
Jarrett’s experience and quickness helped, but the “Russian Nightmare” gradually began to take control with his freakish strength. Focusing on the back, Koloff used slams, suplexes, and bearhugs to wear the “King of the Mountain” down. However, he didn’t quit, and after a long face-in-peril sequence, dove toward his corner and tagged Elias in. “The Drifter” was on fire, and took it to both men before all hell broke loose. The referee could barely contain the action, and it was costly to the challengers; while the official was distracted, Rusev threw Jarrett shoulder-first into the ringpost, and then locked on the Accolade. Jarrett fought through the pain for several seconds, but finally submitted at 11:05. It was dominating win for the Heroes, who held the championship straps high overhead on the ramp, wondering aloud who would challenge them at Battlebowl.
They were met on the stage a few seconds later by "Precious" Paul Ellering and the mighty Road Warriors, and the cameras faded to black.