Post by fifthhorseman on Apr 15, 2019 23:24:29 GMT -5
MLW FRIDAY NIGHT HEAT
EPISODE 26
EPISODE 26
60-second video montage recapping the events of last week’s show, followed by title graphics and explosive pyro, and a 15-second rapid-fire vignette of the various MUW wrestlers making their way to new homes courtesy of the Wrestlemania weekend dispersal draft.
Joey Styles: “Hello, wrestling fans, and welcome to MLW Friday Night Heat! My name is Joey Styles, and this week I’m joined on color commentary by the brand new Intercontinental Tag-Team champions, the ‘Fallen Angel’ Christopher Daniels and the ‘Heavy Metal Rebel’ Frankie Kazarian… collectively known as the Addiction! Congratulations, gentlemen, and thanks for joining me tonight. We have four incredible matches on tap for you tonight, and little time to tell you about them – let’s go down to the ring and the legendary Howard Finkel!”
BRODUS CLAY and ALEX RILEY vs. the REVIVAL:
vs.
Styles noted that the MLW roster was still in a state of flux, and Riley and Clay signed PTO contracts hoping to get signed on a permanent basis. They had the proverbial chip on their collective shoulders, angry over not being drafted in the recent MUW dispersal draft.
Their anger fueled them early on, and the two newcomers swarmed the Revival early on. However, their advantage was short-lived, and Dawson and Wilder went to work. They cut Riley off from his partner, and deployed a dazzling mix of old- and new-school double-team maneuvers to weaken their foe. The Shatter Machine finished it off at 7:11.
After the contest, the Revival held up four fingers before turning their hands over in a thumbs down gesture, much to the crowd’s approval. Without saying a word, they nonetheless signaled that they were coming for Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson.
Styles: “Somewhere down the road, the Revival will tangle with the Horsemen, and I for one can’t wait to see it. And I’m sure that you’d agree, Christopher and Frankie, then either team would be formidable challengers for your newly-won Intercontinental Tag-Team championships.”
Daniels: “No doubt at all. They’re both tough, rugged, experienced teams, and-“
He suddenly stood up, as did Kaz, when the Heroes of the Republic parted the curtain and began marching toward the announce table. The Addiction didn’t back down, but before anything could happen, several officials ran out and got between the two teams. A few seconds later, Commissioner Norris came out and warned both duos that this wasn’t the place for it, and after a tense standoff, the Russians slowly walked away.
COMMERCIAL
LUMBERJACK MATCH
ELI DRAKE (w/Nick Aldis) vs. PAUL ORNDORFF (w/Roddy Piper and Bob Orton):
vs.
ELI DRAKE (w/Nick Aldis) vs. PAUL ORNDORFF (w/Roddy Piper and Bob Orton):
vs.
Several grapplers were surrounding the ring before the competitors came out – Drake first, with his partner who stayed as a lumberjack, followed by the trio calling themselves the Real Main Event. Orndorff looked as smug as ever, as did his entourage. When the bell rang, the two bitter foes charged at each other, locking up in the center of the ring. The lockup lasted several seconds, as they each took turns powering each other around the ropes.
The fight was intense, befitting two of the most intense men in MLW. The lumberjacks around the ring were busy, as Drake and Orndorff both launched each other over the top and through the middle ropes often. As the match progressed, “Mr. Wonderful” became more frustrated, and he signaled to his friends to make their presence known. However, Aldis cut them off, wielding his recently-won MUW Money in the Bank briefcase as a weapon. When the referee and the various wrestlers tried to separate them, Drake hit the Gravy Train on Orndorff and pinned him… for three seconds, then five, and then the ref finally turned around to make the count about ten seconds later.
Just in time for Orndorff to reverse the pin with a crucifix, using every bit of his muscular frame to hold Drake down for the three-count at 12:20.
Aldis and Drake glared at the three heelish veterans as they backed up the ramp. Pausing before they left, Piper looked into the camera and said, “Well, that was easy enough! Let’s be honest – when you’re the Real Main Event everywhere you go – whether it’s the first Wrestlemania or Friday Night Heat – you get to call the shots. Eli Drake, you talked tough, but ‘Mr. Wonderful’ just showed you who the real tough guy is. So it’s time to call one of our shots.”
Then he turned to the broadcast table. “Addiction, we want you in two weeks. And by we, I mean 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff and ‘the Ace’, Bob Orton – so boys, shine those straps up, and enjoy them while you can. But two weeks from now, we’ll be taking them from you.”
COMMERCIAL
ULTIMATE X DOUBLE JACKPOT MATCH
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED vs. BADD COMPANY vs. LAX vs. OWEN HART and DAVEY BOY SMITH:
vs. vs.
vs.
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED vs. BADD COMPANY vs. LAX vs. OWEN HART and DAVEY BOY SMITH:
vs. vs.
vs.
Styles explained the rules: there would be two brass rings (one red, one blue) suspended side-by-side above the ring, at the intersection of the criss-crossed cables. Each ring represented a MLW championship title shot against either the World champion Ted DiBiase, or the World Tag-Team champions Perfectly Ravishing. A wrestler could take either ring if able to do so… but he had to touch back down on the mat first to be eligible to go up and grab the second ring.
The former AWA tag champs Badd Company walked down the ramp first; they had signed with MLW weeks earlier, before the draft, but this was their televised debut in the territory. They were followed out, two by two, by the three other teams, who were, by now, very familiar with each other in Major League Wrestling. Once the bell rang, it was total non-stop action. Every grappler got their chance for a highlight reel moment. They were ready and willing to hang high above the canvas for a title opportunity, even the big men in the match, Hernandez and Smith.
The first ring was seized eleven minutes in. While half the contingent slugged it out on the floor, the other four men – Homicide, Tanaka, Harris, and Hart – all hung overhead, working their way across separate cables to the middle. Arriving at the same time, they kicked at each other, desperately trying to clear space and time for themselves. Finally, only one man remaining in the middle… and with a triumphant yell, Homicide had the red ring in his hand.
He dropped to the mat, threw the ring to the official, and the second stage of the contest was on. Once again, the action produced a wave of high-impact moves, and strange alliances were formed to keep other wrestlers from climbing up. They battled inside and outside, flying and fighting for their shot. Exhaustion set in on all the competitors, and after another grueling ten minutes, Storm and Diamond escaped from the others and scrambled up and across for the blue ring. Maybe it was “the Cowboy’s” experience in such a match – he had one under his belt - but he was able to pry his foe’s fingers off the cable, and Diamond crashed to the mat. Storm grabbed the ring, ending the match at 21:47.
The bell sounded, and after a few seconds, the big screen came to life. It showed a picture of each ring, and underneath a picture of each championship they represented. Then, the icons scrolled past each other like a slot machine, randomly whirling past each other until they began to slow down. When they finally stopped, the matches were set: James Storm would be facing Ted DiBiase for his coveted title, and LAX and Perfectly Ravishing would soon be locking up for the Tag-Team gold.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, a camera focused in on two newcomers to Major League Wresting, who had set up a makeshift office space in the bowels of the USF Sun Dome. A desk, two chairs, and support beams that didn’t support anything, serving only to frame the space. “Inside”, Ron Simmons and John Layfield were drinking, smoking cigars, and looking at a small stack of documents. Simmons seemed wary about something, and Layfield said, “Ron, it's all for the best, trust me. You'll see, you're-“
He spotted the cameraman and shouted, “Hey! This is a private meeting, dammit! Turn that thing off and get out of here!”
Then he slammed the non-existent door, and the feed picked back up at the broadcast table, where Styles and the Addiction offered their predictions for the final match of the night.
FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE
MLW INTERCONTINENTAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
JAY BRISCOE (c) vs. CACTUS JACK:
vs.
MLW INTERCONTINENTAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
JAY BRISCOE (c) vs. CACTUS JACK:
vs.
Commissioner Chuck Norris banned Terry Funk and Mark Briscoe from ringside: he wanted to insure that this big match was fought one-on-one, and if anyone interfered, they would be fired on the spot. Daniels wondered if Norris deliberately booked this contest after Ultimate X to make their match even more dangerous; after all, they would be starting in the ring, with the poles and cables still securely in place.
Big-time ring intros and then it was on. For the first few minutes, the two brawlers kept the action in and near the ring. They attacked each other with reckless abandon, using every inch of the ring to their advantage. As expected, the X-structure came into play, with Cactus Jack leaping down with a vicious elbowdrop on the champ, but he only got a two-count.
Eventually, the chaos spilled outside and up the ramp. Briscoe gave Cactus a sunset flip powerbomb through a nearby table, but could not finish his foe off. They traded punches and headbutts on the floor, launching each other at the steel guardrails. The brutality ramped up even more when the hardcore legend found a folding chair and nailed Briscoe across the back with it; he wasn’t nearly as happy when the Intercontinental champion took it from him and returned the favor.
15 minutes in, and they were spent. Blood trickled from various cuts, and each punch landed with less force than the one before. The trail of destruction led back to the ring, and after Cactus missed an elbowdrop from the ring apron to the floor, Briscoe took charge. He tossed him back inside, and after a series of kicks, and with the last bit of strength left in him, he picked the massive challenger up for the Jay Driller. Slamming him down, Briscoe threw his arm over Cactus.
But before the referee could finish his count, he was interrupted by the ad hoc duo of Brodus Clay and Alex Riley! Defying the Commissioner’s edict, they attacked both men, and they tossed Jack to the outside. They continued the beatdown on Briscoe, and then picked him up and draped him over the top rope, facing the ramp. A few seconds later, Batista emerged from the curtain with a microphone and yelled, “I told you I deserve that title! And I’m not going to stop until I get another match with you! Now listen up, Norris – give me what I want!”
Fade to black.