Post by fifthhorseman on Apr 20, 2020 0:07:31 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING from FLORIDA
EPISODE 9
EPISODE 9
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 Fabulous Freebirds – Florida tag champs Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin, along with Ray Gordy – standing alongside one of their most hated enemies, David Von Erich.
Lance Russell: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Championship Wrestling from Florida. Please welcome my guests right now – David Von Erich, and the Fabulous Freebirds.”
The four men strolled through the curtain without a care in the world. Hayes had one of the tag straps over his left shoulder, and as usual, he did the talking. “Even when Jimmy Jam and I aren't in the ring, we're stealing the show and jacking ratings! For instance, everybody's talking about what happened last week. First of all, our blue-chip prospect, our aerial assassin, Ray Gordy – the son of a bonafide badass, Terry 'Bamm Bamm' Gordy – beat the so-called 'Texas Tornado' from one end of the arena to the other. And after we all agreed that he learned his lesson challenging a Freebird – because when you challenge one of us, boy, you challenge all of us – we saved a little bit of him for his big brother.”
David Von Erich laughed and took over. “You weren't with me when I fought for the Florida championship, little brother, so that means you're against me. These guys – Jimmy Jam and Ray and 'P.S.' Hayes – they're a family! They know how to take care of each other, and watch each other's backs, and that's something that I can appreciate. And now, with me on the team, we are the most powerful group in Florida. Hayes and Garvin – tag champs. Bamm Bamm Junior – high-flier. And the 'Yellow Rose of Texas', yours truly, is the muscle that they were missing – till now. So this is your wake-up call, Kerry, and that goes for the rest of you. The Fabulous Freebirds want all the gold!”
The quartet were practically booed off the stage, and the CWF's legendary play-by-play man directed the scene change to the ring.
LARRY CAMERON and UHAA NATION (w/Oliver Humperdink) vs. INK INC.:
vs.
vs.
Pure squash, times two. Nation started the match against Shannon Moore, dominating him with his unparalleled blend of power and agility. He pinned him more than once, but picked him up every time the ref got to two. This went on for a couple of minutes, until he threw Moore to his partner Jesse Neal, and tagged out to Cameron. The tough guy from Chicago was just as relentless, and he did the same with Neal for a few more minutes. At Humperdink's direction, he let Neal out, and Moore came in. One spinebuster later, Cameron tagged Nation in, who pinned Moore after a running shooting star press at 6:06.
Humperdink seized the microphone and shouted, “We just wanted to prove to the world that the House of Humperdink is the most dominant stable in Florida! Uhaa Nation – could have ended that match anytime he wanted to. Larry Cameron – could have ended that match anytime he wanted to! They toyed with those two fools, individually and as a team! So, I ask you, Mr. Heenan... why weren't we involved in last week's fatal four-way tag-team match? I can only assume that it's because you've already decided who the top contenders for the Freebirds' titles are, and you didn't want to waste our time!”
Before he could get another word out, the winners of that particular match walked out onto the stage. The Upperclassmen were as cocky as ever, and Alex Riley addressed the crowd. “Let me educate you - you weren't in the match because you weren't good enough, and you certainly aren't good enough to get in the ring with us. Maybe in a year or so, when you've developed some chemistry as a team...”
Cameron and Nation stomped up the ramp, but they were intercepted by a bevy of backstage officials. There was a lot of trash-talking, but no physical contact, as the show went into
COMMERCIAL
Russell: “Fans, one of our cameramen captured this earlier this evening, as the wrestlers were arriving at the arena. Take a look.”
The scene shifted to a car's arrival, and los Gringos Renacido – Marco Corleone, Louie Spicolli, and Art Barr – exited the vehicle. Barr and Corleone entered the building through a back door, but as Spicolli grabbed his bag, he was jumped by Sean O'Haire. As the 270-pounder laid into the grungy wrestler, another man – his identity obscured by a mask and glasses – wedged the door shut so that his partners couldn't make the save. Then, the two men slammed the driver's door repeatedly onto Spicolli's left arm before another car screeched to a halt just a few feet from them. Terry Taylor and Richie Steamboat jumped out, and O'Haire and his accomplice departed.
The CWF announcer continued. “I've been told that Spicolli is adamant about competing tonight, but our medical team is monitoring the situation.”
JACK BRISCO vs. HADE VANSEN (w/the Ascension):
vs.
vs.
Back to in-ring activity. Vansen presented a unique challenge for Brisco; he stalled, he struck from all angles (including from the air), and perhaps most importantly, he had two henchmen on the outside. Nonetheless, the NWA icon battled through it, and after the referee ejected Konnor and Viktor after catching them in the proverbial act, the tide shifted in Brisco's favor. Vansen didn't go down easily, but he did eventually go down, and submitted to a Brisco figure-four leglock at 10:12.
Brisco: “Three on one, all you'll do is slow me down. One against one, I'm unbeatable. Heenan, I know you're here and watching – I want a shot at some gold.”
The popular Oklahoman waved to the crowd as he left, and once he was gone, another vignette for the infamous Nasty Boys aired – and they would be in action next week.
COMMERCIAL
A 30-second vignette for the second-generation superstar Richie Steamboat aired, and he came out onto the stage to speak with Russell. He said, “I just want to thank the fans for all of their support so far, and even though I haven't won all of my matches, I know that you have to walk before you can run. So I'm telling you the same thing I told Bobby Heenan just a little while ago – I want competition. You can put me in the ring every night against whoever you want. I can't get better without facing the best, and -”
The handsome youngster was interrupted by Sonny Siaki, who asked for his microphone. “Well, Steamboat, I'd be more than happy to educate you. You can learn a lot in defeat, so next week, why don't we step in the ring and do this -”
But then Siaki was also cut off. Buddy Murphy showed up and said, “Boys, boys. If Steamboat wants a match, then 'the Juggernaut' should be the one giving it to him. Besides, I need to get back on the winning track, even if that match against that greasy Razor Ramon was a total fluke.”
Finally, and angrily, the CWF President himself appeared. Bobby Heenan came out without a microphone, and pointed at all three men before leaving... and a couple of seconds later, the wrestlers also left, one by one, as Russell simply watched.
LOS GRINGOS RENACIDO vs. BLITZKRIEG, DON MURACO, and BOB ORTON, Jr.:
vs.
The veteran heels, Orton and Muraco, came out first, followed by Blitzkrieg – who truth be known, was no fan or friend of either man. However, Heenan wanted to put him in this match, and the high-flying hero needed every on-air opportunity he could get.
Corleone and Barr followed – but not Spicolli. Russell told the TV audience that he wasn't cleared for action, and in fact, was on his way to a hospital to get his injuries mended. Thus, it was a handicap match, and it was obvious that LGR's heads weren't in the bout early on. The massive Hawaiian controlled Barr, and he and Orton double-teamed him mercilessly. So much so, in fact, that they refused to tag Blitzkrieg. Infuriated, the masked aerialist jumped down from the apron, and walked over to his foes' corner to cheer them on.
Eventually, Barr made the hot tag to Corleone, who cleared house. Dropkicks, backdrops, and big left hands for both villains, and after launching the “Magnificent One” over the top rope, he crushed “the Cowboy” with a wicked flying clothesline from the top turnbuckle. But before they could do the post-match interview, the two men left to check on Spicolli. Blitzkrieg took the microphone, but didn't get the chance to say anything – he was chased off by his angry “teammates”.
COMMERCIAL
As the steel cage came down from the ceiling, Heenan reemerged to take his seat at the broadcast table. He looked at the mesh with a smile, eagerly anticipating the violence that would begin in mere minutes... especially when it involved one of his least favorite people, Brian Pillman. And his opponent was no fan of the “Loose Cannon” either.
STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
BRIAN PILLMAN (c) vs. KEVIN SULLIVAN (w/Hade Vansen and the Ascension):
vs.
BRIAN PILLMAN (c) vs. KEVIN SULLIVAN (w/Hade Vansen and the Ascension):
vs.
“The Taskmaster” had his full entourage backing him up, though they were kept out by the cage. Regardless, this type of sadistic match – pinfall or submission only, no escaping this one – was right up his alley. It was far from scientific, and there was plenty of trash talk coming from both men; Pillman even broke out his infamous “Bookerman” line.
It was a southern-styled brawl, and Sullivan was right at home. He was deceptively strong, and when he took his foe to the mat, he was tough enough to keep him there. But the champion was powerful in his own right, and the former nose tackle ran Sullivan into the cage, drawing first blood. That just made him angry, and he turned the tables on Pillman, throwing him head-first into the mesh as well.
They were both cut open, but far from done. With his troops cheering him on, Sullivan scored several near-falls. He set “Flyin' Brian” for his patented Tree of Woe, and charged at him from the opposite corner. However, Pillman got loose and avoided the high knee, and Sullivan crashed to the canvas, holding his left knee in agony. Pillman didn't go for the pin, though... he pulled himself up to the top turnbuckle.
And then, he kept climbing, all the way to the top of the cage.
Viktor and Vansen looked at each other, and started climbing the cage from the outside – but it was too late. Before they could interfere, Sullivan was back on his feet, and Pillman took flight with a missile dropkick from 15 feet above the floor. He crashed to the mat hard, but rolled onto his nearly unconscious opponent with the cover. At an even 19 minutes, the “Loose Cannon” took the win – much to the frustration of Heenan, who threw down his headset and stormed back to his office. Pillman retrieved his belt and left before the Army of Darkness could exact any revenge. The show ended with the reigning Southern Heavyweight champion standing on Russell's table.