Post by fifthhorseman on Aug 3, 2020 17:44:13 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA
EPISODE 22
EPISODE 22
A 60-second video montage showcasing some of the greatest stars that competed in the classic CWF, as well as FCW and NXT, opened the telecast, ending with a still shot of “Flyin'” Brian Pillman soaring through the air off the turnbuckle towards Niko Bogojevic.
Cold open with the Gulf Coast Varsity Club in the middle of the ring. Their leader, Nick Nemeth, gestured for the crowd to settle down, then said, “We don't want to take up too much of your time – that's not what we do. We're here to wrestle. However, we're only a couple of weeks away from Bash at the Beach, and the Varsity Club isn't on the card yet. Maybe it's because no one wants to ask Bobby Heenan if we're available that night. So if no one wants to challenge us, then I guess we have to do the challenging. And believe me, we have a couple of people in particular in mind, especially the way they've gotten in our business the last few weeks.”
He continued. “Jack Brisco, and Dusty Rhodes. I'm calling you out. The Gulf Coast Varsity Club – all four of us – against you two, and any two wrestlers of your choice. It doesn't matter to us. We're the best athletes on the roster, and as a unit, we're unbeatable. But let us know soon – otherwise, we'll find someone else.” Nemeth smiled disingenuously, then handed the microphone to Mike Rotunda, who had a statement of his own.
“Barry Windham, I know you're wrestling later on tonight, and I just wanted to say, good luck against Brian Pillman at Bash at the Beach. You're a great wrestler, and even though we both know I did most of the heavy lifting when we were together as the U.S. Express, you certainly did some good work, too. And if you want some pointers going into that gauntlet match, well, just let me know, alright?”
The GCVC left, and as they passed the announce table, Lance Russell did the show intro, setting up the first of five matches on the night.
The DESTRUCTION CREW w/Percy Pringle III) vs. the SAMOA FIGHT CLUB:
vs.
vs.
As much as Heenan liked Rick Rude and his entourage, he also wanted to put on a great show every week, and pitting two of the toughest teams in his territory against each other was good television. The “Samoan Bulldozer” was the star of the match; his combination of strength, agility, and viciousness was practically unparalleled in the entire MUW network. So instead, Enos and Bloom tried to isolate Siaki instead, and with the “help” of their sneaky manager, they were able to hit the young wrestler with the Wrecking Ball. Enos dove across the ring to hold off Umaga just long enough for Bloom to make the pin, giving them some momentum heading into their tag-team title challenge against Kerry Von Erich and Billy Jack Haynes in just a few weeks.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, Razor Ramon was cutting a promo to a cameraman; he said that he might not be the number one contender for the CWF Florida championship anymore, but he just needed a couple of wins to put himself back in that spot. He was interrupted by the Devil's Advocates, and the leader of that sinister clan, Sean O'Haire, who informed the “Bag Guy” that his time was over. In his opinion, Ramon was very easy to beat in tag-team competition (conveniently ignoring the fact that both of their partners left their match last week), and if he wanted to see if he was still worthy of being a top contender, he could get in the ring with O'Haire, one-on-one. Ramon stepped up, inches from O'Haire face, and said, “You're on.”
LARRY CAMERON (w/Oliver Humperdink) vs. BARRY WINDHAM:
vs.
vs.
Earlier in the week, both men had gone separately to Heenan's office, asking for some “tough” competition – and the CWF matchmaker decided to put them together, expecting a good fight. And it was. Cameron, as usual, was all power and explosiveness, and he wanted to end it early with high-impact offense. But Windham was tough enough to withstand it, and had better conditioning, and after about 15 minutes, hit “Lethal Larry” with a top-rope bulldog. As he walked up the ramp, the second-generation star said something to Russell and Bennett on the way out.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR, taped earlier in the week from Rusev's home, aired on the monitors. He was not in a good mood, and he wanted a rematch with Ryback – and soon. Bash at the Beach wasn't soon enough, though... either Ryback would face him in the ring next week, or he'd face him in a parking lot, or a dressing room, or an alley.
Russell: "Fans, just so you know, Barry Windham told us that he wanted to accept Mike Rotunda's 'offer' - and I've just been told that that maych will take place, right nere, next week!"
Bennett: "The grass doesn't grow under anyone's feet here in Florida, Lance - Rotunda made the challenge, Windham took him up on it, and Bobby Heenan signed the match during the commercial break!"
The USOS vs. the FABULOUS FREEBIRDS:
vs.
vs.
The two teams couldn't have been more different, but they had two things in common – they were very confident in themselves, and they had championship pedigrees. When Hayes and Garvin were in control, they slowed things down and cut the ring in half; the Usos fought at a much faster pace, and used the five-count to their double-teaming advantage. The brothers took over in the latter part of the match, but it ended in a schmozz when the other Freebirds, David Von Erich and Ray Gordy, interfered. The Samoa Fight Club charged down as well, evening things up until CWF officials could separate them all.
COMMERCIAL
A 30-second “coming soon” vignette aired for the “Alpha Male”, Monty Brown.
DUSTY RHODES vs. JESSE VENTURA (w/Adrian Adonis):
vs.
Two of the newer – and more flamboyant – additions to the CWF roster were up next. “The Body” was seconded, as usual, by his partner, but Rhodes was confident enough to take them both on if necessary. The “American Dream” had the crowd totally on his side, and whenever Ventura put him down, Rhodes found the strength to fight back. After repelling Adonis from the ring apron, Rhodes bounced off the ropes and hit Ventura with his patented bionic elbow to earn the victory.
After the match, Rhodes asked for the microphone. “Varsity Club! I heard what you said, and let me tell you something, the 'American Dream' don't back down to nobody! So even before I came out here tonight, I went to Jack Brisco, and I said, Jack, are you in? And he said, 'Dream, you know I am.'”
“And then we found two other guys who would love to take those college accolades you walk around with and stick 'em where the sun don't shine! Nemeth, mark my words - it didn't take too long to find people that didn't like you. These two men, well, they're not NCAA All-American wrestlers like you are – 'cause we got Jack Brisco for that, baby – but they're a couple of tough, ornery Texans, just like me. You wanna meet 'em?”
The crowd certainly did, and a few seconds later, Brisco emerged from behind the large curtain – and he was joined by Dory and Terry Funk, who looked fully recovered from the knee injury he sustained a month ago. Rhodes rumbled up the ramp, and the four men – all former NWA World champions – raised their hands to acknowledge the audience, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
It was main event time, so Bobby Heenan made his customary entrance. However, he had a clipboard in his hand – and he was joined by the self-proclaimed “Professor of Pain”, Timothy Thatcher. Heenan took the mike and said, “Never let it be said that Bobby 'the Brain' Heenan doesn't adapt with the times. This isn't the good old days, when you could slap on a headlock for half an hour and the crowd would go wild. But – and this is a big, important but – Championship Wrestling from Florida also isn't the place where you can just fly around the ring like a maniac and expect to get over without having a lick of common wrestling sense in your head.”
He nodded toward Thatcher. “So next week, we're going to have the first-ever CWF 'pure rules' match. If you fans like it, then maybe we'll have a few more! I'm certainly very curious to see how it goes... so what are the rules, you ask? Imagine a regular CWF wrestling match, but with four differences. You want to tell them what they are?”
Thatcher nodded, and he counted them off with his fingers. “No closed fist punches to the head or face. No kicks with the toe of the boot. No throwing your opponent from the ring, or launching yourself from the ring to the floor. And finally, a one-count is a pin.”
“So all we need now is an opponent for Mr. Thatcher,” Heenan said. “Now, I don't expect anyone to just -”
He was interrupted by a focused Nigel McGuinness, who walked through the curtain and straight towards the two men. “I'll do it. You just make sure that the contract has my name on it. See you next week, Tim.”
“The Brain” was momentarily stunned, but Thatcher was very happy, and after he waited for McGuinness to leave, he walked off the stage as well.
NON-TITLE MATCH
JUSTIN GABRIEL vs. RICK RUDE (c, w/Percy Pringle III):
vs.
JUSTIN GABRIEL vs. RICK RUDE (c, w/Percy Pringle III):
vs.
Russell noted that the “Ravishing One” wanted to get in a couple of tune-up matches against men that he thought would be similar to his opponent at Bash at the Beach, MUW World champion AJ Styles. The South African aerialist certainly fit the bill – he might not have been a champion, but he was a high-flying veteran with vastly underrated skills.
Rude dominated the early moments, and preened for the crowd at every opportunity. He went for his finisher early, as if to prove he could win any time he wanted to, but Gabriel escaped it with a backslide, and nearly got the three-count. After that, the “Darewolf” used his speed to baffle Rude for a while, and he hit him with several dives and dropkicks. He put up a good fight, but one carefully-timed referee distraction, courtesy of Pringle, let the Florida Heavyweight champ take back over and eventually nail Gabriel with the Rude Awakening after about 12 solid minutes of action.
The graphic for Bash at the Beach appeared on all of the monitors, and as Pringle handed the Florida title to his champion, Rude pointed at the image and then walked up to the nearest cameraman. He was only slightly out of breath, and he shouted, “Styles! You're looking at the next MUW World champion! You're coming to my house, boy! I don't lose in Florida – but you will!”
As Heenan stood up to applaud Rude's efforts, he was tapped on the shoulder by the imposing Ryback, who looked down at the CWF owner's clipboard and said, "Some of us aren't pure wrestlers, Bobby. Do you mind if I have a word with you in your office?"
Roll credits, fade to black.