Post by fifthhorseman on Sept 2, 2019 20:31:07 GMT -5
PRE-SHOW MATCH
3 COUNT vs. the JERSEY TRIAD:
vs.
3 COUNT vs. the JERSEY TRIAD:
vs.
The match itself was relatively one-sided. The boy-banders were able to infuriate the Triad with their quickness at the beginning, but once Bigelow slowed the pace down, it was game over. From start to finish, it lasted five minutes, with DDP hitting the Diamond Cutter on Karagias for the win.
After they finished celebrating in front of a surprisingly receptive crowd, they headed up the ramp… until the lights went out. About ten seconds later, they came back up… and when Page, Bigelow, and Kanyon got their bearings, they saw the Wyatt family standing in front of the curtain. The Triad were startled, but only for a moment, and willing to fight a second time. They started walking back up the ramp.
And then the lights went out a second time.
When they came back up, Wyatt, Mercy, and Lumis were still there. DDP and his crew were still there. But the Briscoe Brothers were also there – and they jumped the Triad from behind. In a flash, it was a five-on-three beatdown, and the crowd was in shock. As tough as the Northeasterners were, they were outnumbered and outweighed, and they were left lying as the quintet of lunatics slowly left the scene.
A 90-second video package began the show, focused on the various title defenses taking place on the card. Pyro and fireworks followed, and it was time to go live.
Joey Styles: “Hello, wrestling fans, and welcome to MLW Beach Blast from the sold-out USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida! I hope you were here for the pre-show, because things got crazy – and we’re just warming up! We have four championship matches in store for you tonight, seven matches in total, and tonight’s main event is taking place in the most dangerous, violent setting imaginable – the Elimination Chamber! I’m Joey Styles, and I’m joined on commentary by Jim Cornette. So let’s get straight to the ring for tonight’s first match – take it away, Howard Finkel!”
MLW INTERCONTINENTAL TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED vs. the REAL MAIN EVENT (c, w/Roddy Piper):
vs.
The WrestleMania villains were as arrogant as ever, and right before the bell rang, Piper rallied the troops before heading to the back to prepare for his title match later on. AMW was outwardly calm, ready to try to win their first titles in MLW.
It wasn’t particularly flashy, but it was probably the most evenly-contested battle of the night. It was a ground-based match for the most part; Harris and Storm went to the top rope on occasion, but Orndorff and “the Ace” did what they did best on the mat. 20 minutes in, after a injurious “tower of doom” spot that wiped out all four competitors, “Mr. Wonderful” staggered to his feet first. He set Storm for a piledriver, but the Tennessean launched him over the ropes with a backdrop. Not missing a beat, he grabbed Orton as Harris went up to the top turnbuckle. “The Wildcat” flew, hitting the Death Sentence legdrop, and at an even 21:00, America’s Most Wanted was declared the new Intercontinental Tag-Team champions.
A World’s Greatest Tag-Team vignette was shown, capped off by a “Coming Soon” graphic. Afterwards, a camera shot showed Shannon Moore and Evan Karagias getting into their rental car, still in their wrestling gear. Helms was pleading with them to say, but Moore said, “We’re not sticking around here anymore! Are you with us or not?” Helms paused for several seconds, and then he turned and slowly walked back to the Sun Dome.
WINNER GETS AN MLW FLORIDA TAG-TEAM TILE SHOT;
IF JORDAN WINS, ALL THREE TEAMS CANNOT CHALLENGE HIM FOR 90 DAYS
FATAL FOUR-WAY MATCH
SCOTT DAWSON vs. MONTEZ FORD vs. JASON JORDAN (c) vs. TYSON KIDD:
vs. vs. vs.
IF JORDAN WINS, ALL THREE TEAMS CANNOT CHALLENGE HIM FOR 90 DAYS
FATAL FOUR-WAY MATCH
SCOTT DAWSON vs. MONTEZ FORD vs. JASON JORDAN (c) vs. TYSON KIDD:
vs. vs. vs.
Trent Barreta, Angelo Dawkins, Chad Gable, and Dash Wilder seconded their respective teammates to the ring, but the official sent them back to the locker room area before he signalled for the bell. This was a one-fall contest with high stakes, and Jordan insisted on starting the match.
Ford lined up against him first, and the NXT alumni went hold for hold to start things off. After that, it was non-stop action. All four competitors were young, versatile, and hungry, and it kept the crowd on their feet. The match might have set a record for most two-counts per minute – if such a statistic existed – and they all hit their signature spots. But the last man to hit his spot was Kidd, who wrapped up Ford in a Hart Lock while Jordan and Dawson battled on the outside. The Profit fought for as long as he could, but he finally tapped out at 9:33, thus giving TnT the title shot at American Alpha on the next MLW Friday Night Heat.
Another video was shown, highlighting the legendary careers of the teams wrestling for the MLW World Tag-Team titles – the Road Warriors, and Edge and Christian.
Styles: “Jim, the Horsemen seem to be in a bit of a rut right now. As former tag champs themselves, you’d think Rude and Hennig – and Blanchard and Anderson, for that matter – would be using that video as motivation tonight.”
Cornette: “If you aren’t getting better, you’re getting worse – there’s no such thing as inertia in professional wrestling. If the Horsemen don’t make a statement tonight, then I think you’re gonna see in a strange position – people are gonna start looking them as stepping stones. And my friend JJ Dillon is not going to put up with that.”
SURVIVOR SERIES MATCH
The ACADIAN EXPRESS and the U.S. EXPRESS vs. the HORSEMEN (w/JJ Dillon):
vs.
Dillon was already angry, as was his stable; the entitled group felt like this match was beneath them. Conversely, the four men across the ring from them – especially Windham – were eager to move them even further back in the championship contender line.
Eight of the best all-around wrestlers delivered. Frequent tags, old-school mat-based wrestling, cutting the ring in half… everything you’d expect. MLW Commissioner Chuck Norris put a 30-minute time limit on the match, his logic being that in a tag environment, with so many skilled competitors, they might go all night.
It turned out to be a prescient decision. The first elimination took place at 8:56, when “Mr. Perfect” tied up Rotundo with a perfectplex. At 15:32, the sides were evened after Burke captured Blanchard in a small package. Unfortunately, the former AGPW champion was taken out almost immediately afterwards when “the Enforcer” crushed him with a spinebuster at 16:01.
The match took its toll, and the Horsemen’s manager was barking instructions to his team, exhorting them to finish it. The heels used their 3-on-2 advantage to pile on, and Dillon did all he could to make it 4-on-2. But after serving as the face in peril, Windham made the hot tag to Petitpas, who took on everybody – and after a flurry of offense, the big Acadian hit Hennig with a shining wizard, pinning him - and shocking the crowd - at 24:26.
Rude jumped in, eager to avenge his partner’s pin, and he attacked Petitpas from behind. The action only increased in intensity, but neither man could finish off the other. A series of quick tags by both teams, and after “the Widowmaker” leapfrogged over “Double-A”, who was teeing him up for another spinebuster, Rude hit Windham with a textbook dropkick. Anderson didn’t hesitate – he picked up the Texan by the hair and planted him with a DDT, pinning him at 28:30.
The next 90 seconds were fast and furious, and painful for Petitpas, but he would not stay down. The bell finally rang to end the contest, and the referee declared it a draw; despite Dillon’s argument that the Horsemen should win, the official explained that you had to eliminate all four men, not just outnumber them. Nonetheless, Anderson and Rude raised their arms in victory, while from the floor, Petitpas wearily did the same.
Another highlight video was shown, this time featuring the egotistical reign of the Intercontinental champion, Dave Batista, contrasted with the scientific brawling career of his challenger, Terry Funk.
TRIPLE-THREAT MATCH
The ADDICTION vs. OWEN HART and DAVEY BOY SMITH vs. the ONE PERCENT:
vs. vs.
The ADDICTION vs. OWEN HART and DAVEY BOY SMITH vs. the ONE PERCENT:
vs. vs.
Though it wasn’t officially stated, it was obvious that this match had championship implications, whether it was World, Intercontinental, or Florida. The action was brisk for the first several minutes, and all six men dished it out and took it in equal measure.
As EC3 and Kazarian traded punches in the middle of the ring, the flow of the bout was suddenly interrupted from the outside by Jim Neidhart. “The Anvil” ran over to his family’s corner, and he pointed behind him. The cameraman was too far away to pick up what he said, but whatever it was, it was important enough to make Smith and Hart jump off the apron and run up the ramp, followed by Neidhart. In a flash, they were gone.
Styles and Cornette were baffled, and urged the production crew to find out what was going on while the action continued in the ring. The Addiction took control, isolating Carter with seamless transitions. But the young socialite was tougher than they figured, and he eventually tagged in JBL. The crowd didn’t like it, but the big Texan took charge on his smaller foes, clubbing them with forearms and fists. Daniels felt the full brunt of the Clothesline from Hell at 11:18, and the One-Percenters basked in the jeers of the crowd.
Backstage, a cameraman was in the Hart Foundation’s locker room. Neidhart, Smith, and Hart stood by with a collective look of concern on their face. “The Hitman” sat on a bench with a physician at his side; Hart was wincing as he held his ribs, seemingly ignoring the deep cut above his left eye, which was nearly swollen shut. Neidhart said, “I was only gone for a minute. I went to get something out of my bag, and when I came back, he was lying on the floor. Whoever did this was long gone.”
Smith: “Who was it, Bret?”
The multi-time World champion lifted his head to answer. “I think… I think it was Sheamus?”
MLW INTERCONTINENTAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
DAVE BATISTA (c) vs. TERRY FUNK:
vs.
DAVE BATISTA (c) vs. TERRY FUNK:
vs.
The crowd had mixed feelings about this one; Funk was certainly not a fan favorite, and the I-C champion was probably the most despised solo wrestler in the territory. It started slowly, with Batista winning a variety of tests of strength before the cowboy took him down to the mat to negate his power. Funk focused on Batista’s massive left arm, but he couldn’t keep “the Animal” down for long. The champ hip-tossed Funk over the top rope with his healthy arm, and laughed about it.
The hardcore icon was embarrassed, and mad as hell. He grabbed a steel chair from the timekeeper’s table and challenged Batista to follow him outside. The self-styled movie star refused, but the crowd’s jeers goaded him into it. Thus, he rolled under the bottom rope on the opposite side, found a chair underneath the ring, and slowly began walking toward Funk.
But before the two could square off, they were interrupted by a very unlikely individual – Nick Bockwinkel. The AWA legend strode down the ramp and got in between the two men, holding his hands out as if to calm them down. They lowered their chairs, suspicious of his motive. Bockwinkel walked over to Funk, and calmly spoke in tones too quiet for the cameraman to pick up. He then approached Batista, and did the same thing; all that was heard was, “We’re too good for this”.
Then, to the surprise and disappointment of the 18,000 people in attendance, the two men dropped their chairs, and the three walked back up the ramp to a chorus of boos. The referee had no choice but to declare a double-countout at just 4:41.
While Styles and Cornette tried to figure out what just happened, backstage camera teams were following Smith and Neidhart as they searched for Sheamus. Owen was stationed outside his brother’s locker room to insure that another sneak-attack didn’t go down, and he even recruited Stampede alumnus Tyson Kidd to help him.
Before the next match began, the Jersey Triad stormed the broadcast table, and Diamond Dallas Page grabbed a microphone. “You think that was a good idea, Wyatt? You think pissing off the Jersey Triad and the Diamond Exchange is smart? Let me tell you somethin’, brother, you just made the worst mistake of your life. Commissioner Chuck, I know you’re watching this, so make a match – I don’t care how, I don’t care who, but I do care when – make it happen, next week, on Friday Night Heat!”
MLW WORLD TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
EDGE and CHRISTIAN (c) vs. the ROAD WARRIORS:
vs.
EDGE and CHRISTIAN (c) vs. the ROAD WARRIORS:
vs.
The challengers entered the ring to the blaring cries of “Iron Man”; the champions followed, and they were all business. No five-second pose on this night – they went straight to the center of the ring, held their title belts high overhead, and stared into the LOD’s corner. The Canadians knew that while this was a dream match to the audience, it would also be the most physically demanding match they could sign in Major League Wrestling.
It went exactly how one would draw it up. Hawk and Animal were pure, unrefined power, and they controlled the match in short bursts. Press-slams, shoulder-tackles, clotheslines – everything was done with ferocity. Christian and Edge, on the other hand, had to use their speed and every fraction of the five seconds they had to double-team their larger foes. Both teams were fan favorites, so just about every maneuver and two-count drew a cheer from the Sun Dome crowd.
This was a sprint, not a marathon, and once it got past the 10-minute mark, the champions had not only survived, but began to wear down the Warriors. However, the advantage was short-lived, and the LOD went to work on Christian. The “Instant Classic” did his best, but after a series of clotheslines, he was hoisted up on Animal’s shoulders as Hawk slowly stepped up onto the top turnbuckle.
But before they could connect with the infamous Doomsday Device, Christian arched backwards and nailed Animal with a reverse huracurana, driving him to the mat as Hawk took flight – and he was speared in mid-air by the “Rated-R Superstar.” With no time to lose, the champions tossed Animal over the top rope, picked up Hawk, and drove him to the canvas with a double Unprettier. One, two – and three. The crowd almost didn’t believe it, but when the champions received their belts, it drew the biggest pop of the night thus far.
Hawk and Animal regained their senses and went nose-to-nose with Edge and Christian… and then, they shook their hands, slapped them hard on the backs, and left.
One last vignette was aired for the evening, spotlighting the accomplishments of the seven men in the Elimination Chamber.
ELIMINATION CHAMBER
MLW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TED DiBIASE (c) vs. CHAD GABLE vs. BRET HART vs. RODDY PIPER vs. SETH ROLLINS vs. TAZZ vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
MLW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TED DiBIASE (c) vs. CHAD GABLE vs. BRET HART vs. RODDY PIPER vs. SETH ROLLINS vs. TAZZ vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
One by one, the competitors came down to ringside; the last two men to enter were Rollins, the MUW World champion, and DiBiase, the MLW champion – his was the only title on the line tonight. As they paced and flexed on the outside, Finkel took the microphone. “Earlier today, the first three competitors in the Elimination Chamber were selected at random by MLW Commissioner Chuck Norris. Those three men are… Bret ‘the Hitman’ Hart… ‘Dr. Death’, Steve Williams… and the MUW World Heavyweight champion, Seth Rollins!”
The other four men entered the corner pods, and the first three men prepared themselves for war. Hart was wincing, still feeling the effects of the earlier backstage attack; thus, he was an easy target. Williams was eager to put him out early, and Rollins was looking to take another championship belt home with him.
The first four minutes came and went with no eliminations. The lights swirled above the steel structure, setting on the pod occupied by Tazz – and he charged out of it straight at Williams. He had a score to settle, and the two brawlers viciously squared off while Rollins and Hart took a moment to catch their breath. Then it was back to business. No eliminations.
The fifth man out: the “Million Dollar Man”. He attacked Tazz from behind, aiding his longtime friend and newest member of the Conglomerate. They focused on him, while Hart and Rollins battled on the steel floor outside the ring. Eventually all five men started mixing it up, and the first elimination finally occurred when Williams powerslammed the former ECW champion through an empty pod. The referee made the count just as the light show began again.
Piper was next out, and he laughed as he entered the demonic battlefield. But in the confusion, Tazz got up and threw “Dr. Death” headfirst into one of the steel beams that supported a pod, then locked in the Tazzmission. He kept it on for several seconds, until head official Tommy Young realized what was happening and pried his massive arms off. Never one to waste an opportunity, “Hot Rod” darted over and pinned Williams, while Hart held DiBiase at bay. Three seconds later, the Oklahoman was taken out of play as well.
One last light show, and Gable entered the Chamber. He went after “the Hitman”, as if eager to continue the MLW Pure-Nament, while Rollins was mercilessly double-teamed by Piper and DiBiase. They showed absolutely no mercy, and soon, “the Kingslayer” was a bloody mess. Piper locked in a sleeper, but Rollins resisted long enough to allow Gable to break it up with a dropkick. Unfortunately, this gave DiBiase a prime opening to lock his Million Dollar Dream on the barely-conscious MUW champion. He refused to submit, but Young called for the elimination, only doing so to save Rollins from permanent damage. As he did, Hart and Piper briefly joined forces to superplex Gable from the top of a pod to the mesh floor outside it – and Young counted Hart's pin on the former Olympian as well.
The MLW World champion was in the best shape; Hart probably had broken ribs, and he couldn’t open his left eye, while Piper was also feeling the effects of an eight-foot drop to the steel floor. DiBiase kicked both men while they were down, and turned to the audience to gloat. But arrogance was his fatal flaw, and his two remaining opponents got to their feet and, even at half-strength, took the fight to him.
All three men were in agony. Familiar foes DiBiase and Hart squared off, trading punches and even headbutts in the corner, but unbeknownst to the head of the Conglomerate, Piper knelt down behind him. With the last bit of strength in him, Hart hit Dibiase with a diving European uppercut, and the two men sprawled over Piper. It was a chaotic, tandem cover – and one that ended the nearly year-long reign of the inaugural MLW World Heavyweight champion. Ted DiBiase was eliminated.
The crowd erupted, ecstatic that DiBiase was defeated and excited to see who would be the new champion. Alas, they barely had any time to enjoy the moment. Piper got up before Hart, and he picked up a piece of the steel framing that broke when Williams put Tazz through a pod. Wielding like a baseball bat, he feigned friendliness to a man he had known for years… and then he swung it at Hart with all of his might. The piping hit him squarely in the upper chest and ribs, and “the Hitman” fell to the mat in agony, barely able to breathe. Piper threw the weapon away and jumped on top of him. 32 minutes and 35 seconds from the opening bell, the winner, and new Major League Wrestling World Heavyweight champion, was crowned: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
Orton and Orndorff scampered down the ramp and ran into the ring, lifting the leader of the RME on their shoulders. Young and other medical staff were tending to Hart in the corner, but the three heels didn’t even notice. The show ended with Piper draping the gold over his shoulder, staring coldly into the camera.