Post by fifthhorseman on Jun 26, 2019 23:10:23 GMT -5
MLW FRIDAY NIGHT HEAT
EPISODE 32
EPISODE 32
60-second video montage recapping the events of last week’s show, followed by title graphics and explosive pyro.
Joey Styles: “Hello wrestling fans around the world – this is Friday Night Heat! My name is Joey Styles, and this week I’m joined on commentary by the manager of the Horsemen, JJ Dillon. JJ, you are one of the shrewdest men in the business when it comes to identifying talent, and let me tell you, only the most talented wrestlers in the world ply their trade in MLW. We have four outstanding matches scheduled tonight, including a World Tag-Team championship bout… so let’s get right to the ring where Howard Finkel is standing by!”
Before the legendary ring announcer could say anything, Sid Vicious grabbed the microphone out of his hand and shouted, “You’re looking at the biggest, baddest, meanest team in the world! We’re unstoppable! Invincible! And tonight we’re gonna show you what that means!”
His partner, MLW Intercontinental champion Dave Batista, took the microphone. “Schyster, Rotundo, whoever you are this week... I hope you're listening. We’re going to enjoy this. You’re going to be the example we set for the rest of the locker room. So let’s do this – bring out your partner, but remember, you brought this on yourself, and we’re not in the mood to end this quickly.”
A couple of seconds later, Rotundo walked through the curtain, accompanied by Barry Windham. However, the tall Texan was in street clothes, and as he approached the ring, he told Leviathan that he was simply a cornerman, not a competitor. After a suitably lengthy pause, the curtain parted again.
It was “Dr. Death”, Steve Williams.
LEVIATHAN vs. DEATH AND TAXES:
vs.
Rotundo and Williams worked very well together, befitting their NWA Varsity Club days. Nonetheless, Leviathan was comprised of a pair of monsters, and they eventually isolated the Syracuse native. But he battled back and tagged the other All-American in, who went to town on Batista and Vicious. After a brutal sequence of punches, slams, and clotheslines, Williams was ambushed by “Psycho Sid”, who hoisted him up and powerbombed him.
But “Dr. Death” no-sold it.
He bounced right back up and returned the favor on Vicious, powerbombing the 320-pounder with ease. It was a shocking move, and Batista didn’t have enough time to break the count; Williams made the pin at 11:07. Leviathan was paralyzed with anger, and Windham held up Rotundo and Williams’ arms on the ramp as the show went to
COMMERCIAL
An “earlier in the day” segment was shown, with Waylon Mercy and Bray Wyatt sipping lemonade on the porch of a dilapidated house. Though they spoke with charm and grace, there was also menace in their tone, and their message was clear – Southern Comfort was a team that would kill you with kindness, and they were after the Major League Wrestling World Tag-Team titles.
BRET HART (w/Jim Neidhart) vs. RUSEV (w/Nikita Koloff and Lana):
vs.
vs.
The crowd was looking forward to seeing “the Hitman” in solo competition for the first time in MLW, and he did not disappoint. Nor, though, did the massive Rusev, and the match was an instant epic, reminiscent of Hart/Bigelow at King of the Ring. Furthermore, even with Neidhart keeping Koloff at bay on the outside, it still gave Lana opportunity to interfere several times. It went just over 15 minutes, but in the end, Hart locked in the Sharpshooter on “the Brute”, forcing him to submit at 15:12.
After the match, the “Russian Nightmare” went after Hart, but Neidhart was right behind him, and it turned into a brawl. However, Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith ran down the ramp, and the Heroes of the Republic fled.
COMMERCIAL
Styles introduced the inaugural MLW Florida Tag-Team champions, American Alpha, to the audience, and they were greeted very fondly. Gable and Jordan came out in casual sportswear, with the belts over their shoulders, and they waved to the fans. It was a standard babyface interview; they were humble, appreciative of their opportunities, and eager to face any challenger.
DANNY DORING and ROADKILL vs. the ACADIAN EXPRESS:
vs.
Both teams were making their Heat debut, and they both walked past American Alpha as they still stood on the stage. The last-ever ECW tag champs didn’t look impressed, and wondered aloud where their fanfare was. Burke and Petitpas simply nodded at the Florida champs as they strolled to the ring.
The newly-christened Express was as technically sound as any pair in MLW, but Doring and Roadkill were no pushovers, and they had huge chips on their shoulders. It was a see-saw match, and all four men dished out some heavy blows… but in the end, it ended with Doring passing out via a Leo Burke sleeper at 9:50.
Meanwhile, backstage, the Midnight Express was standing nose-to-nose against War Machine, who was being prodded on by their manager, Jim Cornette, as well as Keith Lee. A few MLW officials were there as well, desperately trying to maintain the peace. Just when it seemed as if the two squads were going to fight, they were interrupted by a third team who casually walked through the throng of people – Hawk and Animal, the mighty Road Warriors. Not a word was said, and they parted the crowd with ominous stares, and it was back to
COMMERCIAL
Styles: “Well, JJ, it looks like a lot of teams are on edge here in MLW… and I would think that your men, the former champions Perfectly Ravishing, are just as angry and ready to fight.”
Dillon: “If you’re trying to be funny, Styles, you can stop right there. It goes without saying that Curt Hennig and Rick Rude want to get their hands back on Edge and Christian, and I’m petitioning the MLW championship committee to insure that that happens. In the meantime, let me share this little scoop with you… Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson are going to get a rematch against the Revival, and it’s going to happen next week. And to guarantee that there are no shenanigans, no excuses, and no interference, it’s going to happen… in a steel cage.”
Styles: “Oh. My. God! Fans, let’s get down to the ring!”
MLW WORLD TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
EDGE and CHRISTIAN (c) vs the REAL MAIN EVENT (w/Bob Orton, Jr.):
vs.
EDGE and CHRISTIAN (c) vs the REAL MAIN EVENT (w/Bob Orton, Jr.):
vs.
As the two dream teams made their way to the ring, Styles recapped how this match came to be; Piper cashed in his tag-team championship shot, while the Conglomerate jumped Edge and Christian the previous week. “Mr. Wonderful” wore his Intercontinental Tag-Team belt proudly, while Orton was mysteriously wearing a cast around his left forearm; on this night, it’d be Orndorff and the “Hot Rod” challenging for the gold.
Big-time fight intros from Finkel, and the match was on. It was old-school at its core, and the crowd at the USF Sun Dome loved it. The RME worked as a three-man unit, with “the Ace” irritating E&C from the outside. However, the two-time MLW champions were as experienced as any team in the world, and they were smart enough not to engage him on the floor.
All four men were conditioned to fight all night, but thankfully for the television audience, it didn’t go quite that long. The endgame saw Piper trap Edge in a sleeper, but he backed the Scotsman into his corner, allowing “Captain Charisma” to make the hot tag. He bulldogged Piper, but only got a two-count, but it got Orndorff in the ring. The former running back battered Christian with hard right hands, but Edge evened the odds, and all four men were at it. Orton jumped up onto the apron, threatening to use his cast… and in a flash, the Hardy Boyz ran down to ringside to support their longtime frenemies. It was chaotic, fittingly so, and in the middle of it all, Edge soared off from one of the turnbuckles, catching Orndorff with a high-crossbody. The referee slid over to count the pin, ending the fiercely-competitive match at 19:37.
Piper was furious, and he launched the official over the top rope. Orton bashed Edge from behind with his “injured” arm, but the Hardyz threw him out before more damage could be done. The RME begrudgingly left the ring area, and before the show ended, a backstage shot showed various members of the Conglomerate, the House of Humperdink, Camp Cornette, the Briscoe Brothers, the Addiction, and others all watching the action on a giant monitor. The meaning was clear – there was strength in numbers, and in unity, and the competition was never greater in MLW than right now.