Post by fifthhorseman on Mar 25, 2020 12:41:40 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING from FLORIDA
EPISODE 5
EPISODE 5
A 60-second video montage showcasing some of the greatest stars that competed in the classic CWF, as well as FCW and NXT, opens the telecast. The clip ended with a still shot of the new CWF Florida Heavyweight champion, Rick Rude, walking up the ramp with the belt over his shoulder.
Cold open in the ring, where Drake Maverick stood, and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, accompanied to the ring by his manager, Percy Pringle III, the new CWF Florida Heavyweight champion... 'Ravishing' Rick Rude!”
The familiar music blared through the arena as Rude and Pringle entered the ring. The champion wore a three-piece suit, and he smirked at the jeering crowd. “What I'd like to have right now... is for all you fat, out of shape, Tampa tubs of lard... sit down, shut up, and listen to the Florida Heavyweight champion. That's right, I'm the man! The man that rules the CWF, and eventually, the entire MUW Network. You know, when Bobby Heenan found out that I was a free agent and offered me a deal that, quite frankly, a man of my stature deserves, I was happy to go into business with him. And then, when Percy and I heard who the six men were that he put in the scramble match for this title – my title – we knew that we had to get down here right away.”
He readjusted the belt on his right shoulder and continued. “And would you look at that. No offense to those other six losers, but they couldn't polish my boots. How long did it take me to win the Florida Heavyweight championship, Percy – three minutes? Four? And judging from the level of competition down here, I'm gonna hold for it for a long, long time.”
“Until they figure out who my first title defense is against, I'm going to relax and enjoy myself. But don't forget who your champion is. Now, hit my music.” Rude tossed the microphone back to Maverick, and he and Pringle left, not to be seen for the rest of the night.
The FABULOUS FREEBIRDS (c, w/Ray Gordy) vs. the FASHION POLICE:
vs.
vs.
This was a non-title bout, but Heenan wanted to spotlight his tag champs to start the show. Garvin and Hayes were overconfident, as usual, and took the Police lightly – and it nearly cost them. Breeze and Curtis were very underrated athletes, and they were back in Florida to prove that they were more than just a gimmick. However, the Freebirds came out on top when Hayes nailed Curtis with a DDT at 9:50.
After the match, the champs, and Gordy, seized the opportunity to talk. Hayes: “If you got a problem with us not defending the straps this week, well... what difference would it have made? Those two clowns couldn't beat us on their best day, and when I look around and survey the landscape of the tag scene here in Florida... I ain't impressed. There might be a couple of good teams down here, but daddy, you're looking at the best, and we are head and shoulders above the rest!”
COMMERCIAL
Lance Russell: “Hello, wrestling fans, and welcome back to Championship Wrestling from Florida. Before we get back to the squared circle for another tag-team battle, I want to take you to this interview I conducted earlier today, with the 'Modern Day Warrior', Kerry Von Erich. Kerry is not here tonight – he was banned from the arena by Bobby Heenan, for, and I quote, 'his own safety'.”
The view went split-screen, and Von Erich was back home in Texas. He was polite and deferential to the veteran commentator, but his voice went cold when it came to his brother. “David, when you decided to put the CWF Florida championship belt ahead of your family, you made a big, big mistake. Even if you wrestled me clean, even if you beat me fair and square, one, two, three, I would have shook your hand and wished you good luck. Heck, I would have walked you down to the ring myself last week! But you snapped, and you cheated. So now, I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson. One of these days, we'll lock up in the ring again, and maybe after that, just maybe, we'll be able to look at each other as brothers. But I still owe you, and until then, you're not.”
TEXAS TORNADO RULES
The NATURAL BORN THRILLERS vs. the UPPERCLASSMEN:
vs.
The NATURAL BORN THRILLERS vs. the UPPERCLASSMEN:
vs.
Originally scheduled to occur two weeks earlier, the extra stipulation was added in after the two teams demanded it. From the opening bell, it was chaos, as these were four big, fast, hungry athletes eager to move up the ladder. However, Jindrak was leveled by a wicked (and unseen) chair shot by Riley, and it turned into a handicap match. O'Haire took the Upperclassmen on by himself as his partner bled on the floor, and nearly scored the win with a Seanton bomb on Riley. But the Harvard grad broke the count and nailed O'Haire with the Honor Roll, taking the decision at 11:15.
Jindrak staggered into the ring with a chair, only semi-aware of what just happened, and the varsity villains retreated before Maverick could even conduct their post-match interview. The NBT both got to their feet, consoling each other over the loss – and suddenly, O'Haire clobbered his partner with a clothesline. Blood flew at the impact, and O'Haire followed him to the canvas with a series of big left hands. Jindrak was nearly unconscious, and O'Haire went airborne with another Seanton bomb before walking up to the ramp in apparent disgust.
Before he departed, Russell urged him to stop at the broadcast table to explain himself – so he did. “I haven't won a damn match since I got to CWF, and there's only one reason why! We were one of the last three teams left in the championship battle royale last month – and my so-called partner dropkicked me out of the ring! We had that match won – those belts were within our reach! - and he screwed it up! You think I had car trouble a couple of weeks ago? Hell no – I was still trying to figure out if I wanted to keep you around, Mark! Well, I decided I'd be the better man and give you one more chance – and wouldn't you know, we lost again. Never again, Mark, never again – but I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know.”
COMMERCIAL
The scene: Bobby Heenan's office. He was sorting through paperwork when someone knocked on his door. “The Brain” shouted, “I'm busy!”, but that didn't stop Sonny Siaki from barging in – not a good start.
Nonetheless, the Samoan superstar carefully chose his words to the boss. “Bobby, I took Brian Pillman to the limit in our fatal four-way match, and I was this close to winning the Southern Heavyweight championship. But last week, you put Crews and Cameron in a match to determine a top contender, and you gave Steve Keirn a title shot tonight! Why aren't I the number one contender for that title?”
Heenan rolled his eyes. “Because I'm not sure that you are the number one contender, kid. Yes, you were the last guy in the ring with Pillman before he won, but that just tells me that Pillman can beat you. At least with Cameron and Crews, I don't know how they would do in an one-on-one with him! And as for Keirn -”
Before he could continue, Terry Taylor burst in. “Hey, I thought I asked you to set up a tag-team match for me this week! Me and Richie Steamboat owe Muraco and Orton a beating!”
Heenan slowly stood up and pointed his index finger at his former protege. “No, you tried to tell me to set up a match – and I got news for you, pal – I don't work for you, you work for me! And the next time you publicly call me out like that like you think you'rein charge, you'll find yourself in the unemployment line! But because you've both managed to irritate me, and I'm working on next week's show anyways, here's what I'll do. You'll fight each other – Siaki versus Taylor – and the winner of that match can have any non-title match he wants. Got it?”
The two wrestlers stared at each other and nodded. Heenan: “Outstanding. Glad you're so agreeable. Now, get the hell out of my office.”
Back to the broadcast table, and as Russell relayed the news that Jindrak was on his way to the hospital, several wrestlers walked down the ramp and surrounded the ring. Russell said, “Wait a minute, fans – I'm being told that out next match is a lumberjack match! Seems like Bobby Heenan just added a last-minute stipulation to this one – and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that it features our Southern Heavyweight champ, the 'Loose Cannon' himself, Brian Pillman.”
LUMBERJACK MATCH
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
STEVE KEIRN (w/MIKE GRAHAM) vs. BRIAN PILLMAN (c)
vs.
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
STEVE KEIRN (w/MIKE GRAHAM) vs. BRIAN PILLMAN (c)
vs.
Suspiciously, the lumberjacks were almost all heels – the West Texas Rednecks were there, as were the Army of Darkness, Apollo Crews, Larry Cameron, and Leo Kruger. As Maverick made the introductions, Oliver Humperdink joined Russell at the broadcast table, and addressed his interruption of the Cameron/Crews match the week earlier. “Well, that's real simple, Lance. I'm back in the CWF to make money and win championships. I've been doing this for a long, long time, and I know talent when I see it – and Larry Cameron and Uhaa Nation – don't you dare call him by his NXT name! - are two of the strongest, fastest, and unappreciated wrestlers on any roster today! They shouldn't be fighting each other – they should be taking on the world! They just need some guidance – and Sir Oliver Humperdink shall serve as their guiding light!”
As he spoke, Keirn and Pillman grappled, and they quickly realized that they'd be best served to keep in the ring. However, the Southern champion was the first man to (accidentally) tumble between the middle and top rope, and he was immediately attacked by the lumberjacks. Graham waded into the mob and threw him back in, but took several shots in the process.
And so it went for the next several minutes, but the tide gradually shifted in Pillman's favor. He was faster and better-conditioned than the challenger, and he surprised Keirn by sliding out of a bodyslam attempt and into a crucifix pin, winning the contest at 11:48.
The two men shook hands after the match, and Graham slid into the ring as well, just in case any of the lumberjacks decided to impress Heenan... and it was a prescient move, as Ron Bass and Bobby Duncam, Jr. stormed the ring and started a fight. It was a five-man melee, and it continued into the
COMMERCIAL
Cold open, the fight had ended, and Kevin Sullivan and his Army of Darkness – Hade Vansen and the Ascension – were still in the ring. The maniacal leader had the microphone in his hand while his accomplices kept Maverick at bay. He peered out from underneath his hood and said, “It's obvious to me that since we've come together, CWF is ignoring us. They're scared of us. Can anyone else explain why we weren't in the big scramble match last week? Or why we weren't in the fatal four-way a couple of weeks ago? Or why my Ascension haven't gotten a tag-team title shot yet?”
“Why are we here if we're not here to fight? Why put all of us together in one place at one time – it's fate, it's destiny – if you're not gonna unleash us?”
The curtain parted, and Art Barr and Louis Spicolli went over to the broadcast table. Barr: “You think you're the only one that hasn't gotten what they've wanted? We might not have title belts around our waists, but we'll take you on. In fact, Sullivan, how about you let us find a partner, and we'll take on those three ghouls beside you next week?”
Sullivan nodded his approval, and they stalked up the ramp as if eager to fight now. However, Heenan came out and angrily told both groups to go backstage. “You got your match, now get outta here! Russell, slide over. How ya doing, pal?”
A 30-second highlight reel from the championship scramble match aired, setting up the night's main event to determine the top contender for Rude's title.
TOP CONTENDERS MATCH FOR THE CWF FLORIDA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
JACK BRISCO, NIGEL McGUINNESS, and RAZOR RAMON vs. BUDDY MURPHY, DAVEY RICHARDS, and DAVID VON ERICH:
vs.
JACK BRISCO, NIGEL McGUINNESS, and RAZOR RAMON vs. BUDDY MURPHY, DAVEY RICHARDS, and DAVID VON ERICH:
vs.
The teams reluctantly functioned as best as they could, but every single one of them wanted to monopolize their time in the ring. Heenan loved it, of course, simply because he took a perverse pleasure in watching the dissension.
Regardless, it was a hell of a match. Brisco and Von Erich were familiar foes, and they put on a clinic whenever they squared off. McGuinness and Richards were also well-acquainted, and the two technicians combined submissions and stiff strikes. Finally, Ramon and Murphy battled each other a couple of times, and despite the 60-pound difference, their respective skills kept the match going.
And so it went for over 20 minutes, as the wrestlers mixed and matched throughout the evening. The pace rarely slowed, and the tags became more frequent, as the six men realized that getting pinned was far worse than getting a breather on the apron. However, the legal wrestlers also realized that knocking the “cornermen” off the apron gave them an extra second or two to try to make the pin, so they were very aggressive in attacking the corners. The referee did his best to keep things under control, but he had his hands full.
Eventually, all six men wound up brawling in and around the ring, just like they did in the scramble match. Brisco rolled the “American Wolf” up in a small package, but Von Erich broke it up with a leaping ax-handle, and then he threw the former NCAA star outside. Brisco was waiting, though, and he locked the lanky Texan in a figure-four on the floor. Meanwhile, Ramon hoisted Murphy up for the Razor's Edge, but the Australian flipped back over in front of his foe, and to the amazement of the crowd, set the former Intercontinental champion up for Murphy's Law. Unfortunately, Ramon was just too big and tall to put his finisher on, and he was backdropped for his troubles. Richards flew off the top rope with a missile dropkick, and the impact took Ramon out.
Richards and Murphy whipped McGuinness into the ropes, and took aim with a double clothesline. But the Brit ducked underneath, bounced back off the ropes, and hit Murphy with a jawbreaker lariat of his own. Richards went for a running elbow strike on the ROH legend, but with the last bit of strength in his body, McGuinness dodged it and crushed Richards with a snap German suplex. At 23:36, the London brawler took the win, avenging the pin he took from Rick Rude seven days earlier.
He stood on the middle turnbuckle, hands raised, and Maverick handed him the microphone. “I'm back in the driver's seat! Last week, well, getting beat and taking the final fall... that was a bitter pill to swallow, and I didn't sleep at all that night. All I thought about was losing – not winning, but losing. But I refocused, put my mind straight, and I was totally prepared for this match. And now that I'm the number one contender, I want my CWF Florida championship match as soon as I can get it.”
As the end credits rolled, Heenan smiled and said, “Careful what you wish for, you might just get it.”