Post by fifthhorseman on Aug 24, 2019 11:02:33 GMT -5
MLW FRIDAY NIGHT HEAT
EPISODE 38
EPISODE 38
60-second video montage recapping the events of last week’s show, followed by title graphics and explosive pyro.
Styles: “Good evening, wrestling fans, and welcome to MLW Friday Night Heat! My name is Joey Styles, and I’m joined on color commentary by one of the men who will be contending for the MLW World Heavyweight championship at Beach Blast, the ‘Hot Rod’, Roddy Piper! As the night goes on, we’ll dive deeper into this big card, but right now, we have to get to the ring for the first of four outstanding matches… so take it away, Howard Finkel!”
The ACADIAN EXPRESS vs. BADD COMPANY (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink):
vs.
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Both teams were still trying to establish themselves in Major League Wrestling. They had impressive resumes, to be sure, but they were far removed from AGPW or the AWA. It was a see-saw battle; Diamond and Tanaka were quicker and utilized flashier double-team offense, while Petitpas and Burke were stronger and better on the mat. Good opener that ended when Humperdink reached under the bottom rope intending to trip Burke, but the wily vet reversed Tanaka’s Irish whip, and the heel manager slowed his own man down. Tanaka was off-balance, and Burke nailed him with a DDT, tagged in his partner, and the big Maritimer finished it off with a shining wizard at 10:33.
After the Express left, Humperdink tried to console his team, but Badd Company were livid. They left the burly manager in the ring, and when they got the top of the ramp, they were met by an MLW newcomer, but someone very familiar to them: Diamond Dallas Page. The WCW stalwart put an arm around each man’s shoulders, and escorted them backstage.
Suddenly, Tazz walked through the curtain and walked with purpose to the announcers’ table. He and Piper stared each other down for several seconds before the former ECW champ picked up a microphone and shouted, “Steve Williams! I’m comin’ for you! You think that you can just sucker-punch me, make a fool outta me, and leave me lying in the middle of the ring? Thanks to you, I get to start the Elimination Chamber match… and if that’s what I have to do to kick your ass sometime that night and win the MLW World championship, then that’s what I’ll do!”
COMMERCIAL
A 30-second vignette for Dominic Dijakovic was shown, highlighting the big man’s uncanny combination of size and speed. Then, another highlight clip was shown to promote the MLW World Tag-Team championship dream match at Beach Blast: the Road Warriors versus the reigning champions, Edge and Christian.
DANNY DORING and ROADKILL vs. the U.S. EXPRESS:
vs.
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The last-ever ECW tag champs entered the ring first, followed by the new/old combination of Windham and Rotundo. The sneaky heels jumped them before the bell started, but the Express battled back. The former WWF champs looked angry, and they wrestled like it as well. Doring and Roadkill did their best, but they were no match for the highly motivated duo that battled them tonight; Windham’s power and Rotundo’s mat grappling were too much to overcome, and the big Texan finished Doring off with a bulldog headlock at 6:18.
Afterwards, Rotundo grabbed the house microphone – apparently, this was the night for people to get things off their chest. “Doc, I used to consider you a friend. We made a darn good team – heck, the Varsity Club used to be World champions! But now, you won’t return my calls, you won’t answer my texts, and it makes me sick that you’ve aligned yourself with another former partner of mine, Ted DiBiase. Barry, here, I know that I can trust him. And he can trust me. But let me tell you sometime, Steve-“
Suddenly, the big screens around the USF Sun Dome came to life, and the Conglomerate were somewhere off-site, presumably a five-star hotel suite surrounded by catered goods. The “Million Dollar Man” was staring into the camera, the rest of his crew in various states of relaxation around him. “No, let me tell you something, ‘Irwin’. You were kicked out of the Conglomerate for a reason – you couldn’t cut it! When the news broke that Steve Williams was coming to MLW, we set out to recruit him, because unlike you, ‘Dr. Death’ is the real deal. We made sure that you revealed everything you knew about the Conglomerate to him, and he relayed it all back to us… we’ll be making some changes, trust me on that. Then, we had a meeting and agreed that we wanted him to move on in the War-Nament – after all, JBL and EC3 are going after tag-team gold – so John threw the match. Good thing Doc made it t the arena just in time!”
They all laughed, and then Williams took over. “And now, in the Elimination Chamber, I can make sure that I have your back, Ted! Me and you go way back – hell, I knew Ted DiBiase even before he was rich! We used to run Mid-South back in the day, and now, we’re gonna take over Major League Wrestling! So, Rotundo and Windham, Tazz, and everybody else out there – stop crying and if you got a problem with me or the Conglomerate, come say it to my face.”
The camera shot ended, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
3 Count were walking through the backstage area, still upset over their house show match earlier in the week. What started as a handicap match against Bray Wyatt and Waylon Mercy turned into a three-on-three beatdown when Dexter Lumis joined the attack.
Karagias: “We should have known something was up! No one can beat us two-on-three!”
Moore: “I hate to say it, guys, but we might need a little more muscle in the band. We’re the fastest team on six feet, and ruggedly handsome as well, but there’s some real monsters here in MLW.”
Helms, after a few seconds of thought: “You might be right, Shannon. And luckily, I know a big guy that’d be a perfect fit for us.”
The scene switched back to Styles and Piper, and the voice of MLW was excited – even moreso than usual. “Fans, I’ve just been informed that Commissioner Norris is making sure that the Conglomerate is plenty busy at Beach Blast. The One Percent – Ethan Carter the Third, and John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield – will take on the Addiction… and Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith… in a triple-threat match!”
JEFF HARDY (w/Matt Hardy) vs. RICK RUDE (w/JJ Dillon):
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After Rude performed his customary gyrations and antagonized the crowd, Dillon took the microphone from him and said, “Chuck Norris, you and I are going to have a long chat after this match. The last time I checked the card for Beach Blast, none of the Horsemen were on it. Why isn’t even one of my men in the Elimination Chamber? Why aren’t either of my teams facing Edge and Christian for the World Tag-Team titles? Why weren’t we in last week’s match to even qualify to battle the Real Main Event? In fact, unless you throw us a bone, there isn’t even a single Horseman in tonight’s battle royale! Norris, I don’t know who you think you are, but you’re forgetting who the people are paying to see night after night. Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Tully Blanchard, and Arn Anderson – they're the engine that makes MLW go. So treat them accordingly – or else.”
Once the match finally got underway, the two fought tooth and nail. The “Ravishing One” was a powerhouse, but he was also too cocky, and that gave Hardy several opportunities to kick out of pins and go on the offense himself. When he did, it was with unorthodox high-flying moves that Rude was unable to counter. Back and forth it went, until it spilled out to the floor at the 13-minute mark. Both men were determined to show the MLW championship committee that their team deserved the next World Tag-Team shot – but they were so busy trading right hands that they ignored the referee’s count. The match ended at 13:21 in a double-countout, and the two had to be separated by other MLW officials as the show went to
COMMERCIAL
A highlight clip from last week’s show ran, focusing on the main event and Roddy Piper’s declaration that he would be entering the Elimination Chamber.
Styles: “Roddy, I have to ask – why call your shot for Beach Blast? Why not wait until after such a grueling, punishing match to claim your MLW World Heavyweight title shot?”
Piper looked at the play-by-play man like he had two heads. “Are you kidding? Who do you think is going to make the Elimination Chamber so grueling, and so punishing? I am! I’m the man that they all need to fear. I’m the man that thrives in matches like that! Do you think I’m gonna get in there, seal myself in a little plastic pod, see all that steel and then go, ‘Gee, this was a bad idea! What was I thinking?’ Of course not! I’m gonna bide my time, plan it all out, and then I’m gonna be let loose to hurt people. If there’s still six of them when I get out, so be it – I'll beat ‘em all! But you realize this, Mr. Styles… you’re looking at the next MLW World champion.”
15-MAN BATTLE ROYALE
WINNER GETS AN MLW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AT BEACH BLAST:
WINNER GETS AN MLW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AT BEACH BLAST:
3 Count, the Destruction Crew, the Revival, TnT, War Machine, Terry Funk, Jason Jordan, Keith Lee, and Jim Neidhart entered the ring, one by one and two by two, until it was full. Before the bell could ring, a sixteenth man emerged from behind the curtain: the champion himself, Dave Batista. He joined Styles and Piper at the broadcast table – Piper didn’t seem to enjoy losing some of his spotlight – but the two, thankfully, conducted themselves like professionals. Arrogant, braggadocious professionals, but still...
It was a typical battle royale, but amped up considerably; after all, the stakes were high, and several of the competitors were accustomed to wearing championship gold. The ring contained big men and smaller ones, and strategy was as important as size. War Machine was tossed early, for example, as the other wrestlers ganged up on the muscular team. 3 Count didn’t fare much better, and as the last of the three (Helms) walked back up the ramp, he again stated out loud that he would find a big man to “watch his back”.
And so it went, body after body propelled over the top rope, until just four men remained: Trent Barreta, Terry Funk, Keith Lee, and Jim Neidhart. The two bulls squared off, and immediately – shockingly – got entangled and went over the top strand simultaneously. The crowd roared, and the two remaining men backed into opposite corners, psyching themselves up.
The next five full minutes were fought as if it was a regular match, and to the audience’s delight, Barreta went move for move with the NWA legend. Even the three men calling/watching the match were enthralled. Alas, the high-energy athlete went for a flying head-scissors on Funk too close to the ropes, and the tough Texan muscled him over and out of the ring, winning the battle royale at 16:48. As the referee raised his hand, Funk turned to stare back up the ramp towards Batista, who now stood and slowly mock-clapped his newly proclaimed challenger's efforts. He stopped to pat the title belt over his massive shoulder, and the camera alternated between both men as the show faded to black.