Post by fifthhorseman on Feb 10, 2019 12:46:54 GMT -5
MLW FRIDAY NIGHT HEAT
EPISODE 21
EPISODE 21
60-second video montage recapping the events of last week’s show, followed by title graphics and explosive pyro.
Lance Russell: “Hello wrestling fans, and thank you for joining us tonight for Friday Night Heat. I’m Lance Russell, and I’m joined on color commentary by Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford, the Street Profits. We have four outstanding matches in store for you tonight, including the Horsemen in tonight's main event, so let’s not waste any time and get straight to the ring where Howard Finkel is standing by!”
EDGE and CHRISTIAN vs. the MAIN EVENT MACHINE:
vs.
These two teams had battled each other since the territory originated. The former MLW World tag champs worked together seamlessly, as usual, while Orndorff and Drake seemed to have worked out their differences as well. The duos battled at a very intense pace for the better part of ten minutes, both eager to vault themselves right back into championship contention. It ended when Edge speared “Mr. Wonderful” off the apron, and Christian laid out Drake with an Unprettier at 12:15.
After the match, the multi-time WWE titleholders spoke into the nearest camera, more serious than usual, making it clear that they were on a mission to get back in the ring with Curt Hennig and Brian Pillman. They walked up the ramp, leaving their foes in their wake. Drake and Orndorff pointed accusatory fingers at each other, but their anger eventually dissipated… or so the crowd thought. Lashing out with a sudden kick to the gut, “Mr. Wonderful” hit his partner with a vicious piledriver, just like he did at Battlebowl, and shouted, “No more riding my coattails, kid!”
COMMERCIAL
A camera crew caught up to Orndorff as he left the arena, and he vented in no uncertain terms about his now-former partner, who he left lying in the middle of the ring. Just as he was about to open the driver’s door, a hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder. The former college running back whirled around, fist cocked, but stopped himself when he saw who it was.
Roddy Piper: “Can you give a fella a lift, pal? I was hoping you’d have some time to reminisce and talk about the good old days. Say, remember the time we main evented Wrestlemania I?”
The two men got in the car and drove off.
MLW WILD CARD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
JAY BRISCOE (c, w/Mark Briscoe) vs. IRWIN R. SCHYSTER (w/Keith Lee):
vs.
JAY BRISCOE (c, w/Mark Briscoe) vs. IRWIN R. SCHYSTER (w/Keith Lee):
vs.
As IRS came down to the ring with his massive executive assistant, the rare 80s-style interview box appeared on the screen. “The Taxman” explained that since his partner, Ted DiBiase, was the MLW World champion, it was his turn to go out and "claim" the other major singles title in the territory.
Russell explained the unique rules for this match, as he did for every Wild Card title defense: the challenger had to pin or submit the champion twice within the 20-minute time limit, but the champion only needed to win one fall. The two grapplers locked up, and despite the dissimilarity in their styles, it was a see-saw battle. Mark and Lee eyed each other warily from opposite corners, ready to throw down if necessary. Schyster controlled the bout for a long stretch at the end, but Briscoe rallied back and pinned him after scoring with the Jay Driller at 10:48.
After the match, Lee slid in and lifted Jay up for a sit-out chokeslam, but his brother punched “Limitless” in the stomach to break it up. The Briscoes stared Lee, and IRS, out of the ring, and then the two celebrated the win.
COMMERCIAL
A pre-taped interview with the Authors of Pain was shown. It was short and to the point – they used the “coming soon” vignette last week to lull the MLW roster into a false sense of security, and when they arrived at the arena that night, they decided to go right after the so-called most dangerous team in the world – the Road Warriors. Akam: “If the LOD is smart, they’ll retire now. They’re the past, we’re the future.”
BATISTA vs. GORGEOUS GEORGE:
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Before the next match started, Russell told the audience that it would feature yet another team whose type-A, Hollywood-honed personalities just didn’t mesh anymore, and he described the post-match powerbomb Batista laid on George several days earlier. “The Animal” entered the ring first, followed by an unusually intense George, who sprayed a bottle of perfume in his former ally’s eyes before the bell rang. Seizing an early advantage, the diminutive “Human Orchid” went to work on Batista’s legs, chopping the behemoth down. He continued the assault with kicks and leglocks, but it didn’t take too long for the former WWE champion to battle back. He was just too powerful, and he powerbombed George for the victory at 8:37.
But that wasn’t it. After the referee raised his hand, Batista picked up his smaller friend-turned-foe and did it again, and a third time, before a mob of MLW officials ran to the ring. George was stretchered out of the ring, and the officials escorted the smiling Batista – who was pointing at his waist, as if referring to his pin over Jay Briscoe at Battlebowl - up the ramp and through the backstage area.
Batista retreated to a dressing room, and the camera continued to roll in the hallways, eventually setting on America’s Most Wanted, and Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith. They were discussing the Intercontinental Tag-Team match that occurred the week before between the Road Warriors and the Heroes of the Republic, and in a friendly, almost comedic fashion, each team was making their case for the next title shot against the freakish Russian duo. Then, Cactus Jack and Terry Funk wandered into the scene, and soon the argument for that title shot became just a little more heated. Finally, LAX appeared, and all four teams were on the brink of battle before the officials rushed back, and
COMMERCIAL
Russell: “Well, fans, that didn’t take long to settle. I’ve just been informed that a fatal four-way to determine the number one contender for the MLW Intercontinental Tag-Team championship will take place right here next week. Cactus Jack and Terry Funk, America’s Most Wanted, Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart, and the Latin American Exchange will all battle it out for that prestigious ranking.”
Ford: “Damn. If we were back there, we might have talked our way into a title shot, too!”
Russell: “I’m sure that if anyone could have done that, it would be you, Mr. Ford. But fans, before we get to our main event, let’s show you what recently happened on the MLW circuit just a few days ago, after the Revival were unceremoniously dumped from the Horsemen.” Grainy footage was shown on the screens, taken and sliced together from both MLW cameras and cell
phone cams, of the parking lot brawl between the Revival and the Horsemen, a battle that the outnumbered young team had no chance of winning.
The HORSEMEN (w/JJ Dillon) vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS and the REVIVAL:
vs.
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As Dawson and Wilder marched down the ramp to unexpected cheers, Russell explained that they specifically sought out the Express for this match because of their NWA experience. Eaton and Lane had fought with, and against, Blanchard and Anderson many times in the past; they also faced off against Pillman in countless NWA United States tag title matches as well.
JJ Dillon led the Horsemen out with a broad smirk on his face, and the referee had his hands full from the get-go. The Revival was ready to fight, but “Beautiful Bobby” insisted that he start the match, so that the two younger men could get their emotions in check. “The Enforcer” led off for his squad, and the familiar foes locked up. They traded headlocks, shoulder-tackles, and punches before switching out for Blanchard and Lane.
And so it went. This was very much an old-school, Southern-styled match, with the heels taking advantage of an often-distracted referee, and cutting the ring in half to isolate a foe. However, as the bout wore on and neared the 15-minute mark, Russell noted that the “Loose Cannon” hadn’t been in the ring at all, despite his constant trash-talk and the occasional cheap shot thrown from the corner. Dawson was the face in peril that made the Mortonesque hot tag to his partner, and Wilder came in and cleared the ring. The crowd was on its feet and soon, almost everybody was involved.
A wild finish saw the Revival hit their patented Shatter Machine on Blanchard – and then, even on Pillman, and he rolled out of the ring in obvious pain. While the referee tried his best to separate Hennig from Eaton in one corner, “Double-A” struck, planting Wilder into the canvas with a crushing spinebuster, and then he placed Tully on top of his winded foe. The official slid over and made the three-count as Arn held Dawson back, and it was finally over at 22:55.
The Horsemen and Dillon limped up the ramp, Hennig waving both MLW World title belts over his head, as their opponents still stood in the ring. The Revival pointed back at them, indicating that their feud was far from over. In response, Anderson waved the four-finger symbol of greatness back at them and shouted, “You don’t have what it takes!”, and the show faded to black.