Post by fifthhorseman on Sept 6, 2020 20:34:41 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA
EPISODE 25
EPISODE 25
A 60-second still photo montage showcasing the action from Bash at the Beach, ending with a still shot of Dusty Rhodes and Jack Brisco standing on the middle ropes, in parallel corners, acknowledging the crowd after their victory over the Gulf Coast Varsity Club.
After the montage ended, the show opened with a shot of a visibly shaken Lance Russell. “Hello fans, and welcome to Championship Wrestling from Florida. I'm joined on commentary tonight by a dear friend of mine, Jerry Lawler, because – well, it'd probably be easier to show you.”
On cue, security footage showed the parking lot outside Amalie Arena. The timestamp indicated that it was taken about three hours earlier. A car casually pulled into an empty stall, and Stu Bennett got out of the driver's side. As soon as he closed the door, he was surrounded by a trio of darkly-clad men, and after they pinned his arms to his sides, one of them put a white rag over his mouth and nose, and he seemed to lose consciousness. On the other side of the car, a fourth man pointed at the passenger – Russell – warning him not to move. He stood guard until the other three dragged Bennett away,then ran off after them.
Back to the broadcast desk. “Unfortunately, we don't know where Stu is, and we haven't seen or heard anything from anyone about this rotten group of thugs. However, the show must go on, and as soon as we find out anything, we will let you know.”
Lawler nodded solemnly. “That's right, Lance, and if those punks show up here again, they won't have to sneak up on me – I'm getting sick of it, and I know that the rest of the locker room is, too!”
Russell: “It's time to get to the ring, where we'll finish off the first round of the CWF Television championship tournament. Coin tosses were held in Bobby Heenan's office earlier today to determine the rules for each, and tonight's first match is a doozy! 'Mean' Gene Okerlund, take it away!”
CWF TV TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH – NO HOLDS BARRED
LEX LUGER (w/Sir Oliver Humperdunk) vs. DUSTY RHODES:
vs.
vs.
The “Total Package” was confident, as usual; he assumed these rules fit him to a T. However, Rhodes had fought under these conditions dozens, if not hundreds, of times before, and he came to the ring with his fists taped for a fight. They were familiar foes, and brawled from the opening bell. Luger was obviously stronger, but the “American Dream” was just too battle-tested in this environment – it took almost the full ten-minute time limit, but Rhodes eked out the win after two bionic elbowdrops.
COMMERCIAL
After highlights of the Rude/Styles match for the MUW title were played, a VTR was aired. In it, the CWF Florida champion, Rick Rude, was relaxing at home with his manager, Percy Pringle III, and the Destruction Crew. It was fairly short but on-point: the “Ravishing One” insisted that he was robbed in his match against Styles, and wanted a rematch; until he got one, he'd continue to be the most dominant champion in CWF history; and the rest of the territory consisted on a bunch of fat, out-of-shape losers that couldn't shine his belt.
CWF TV TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH – PURE RULES
ADRIAN ADONIS vs. BARRY WINDHAM:
vs.
ADRIAN ADONIS vs. BARRY WINDHAM:
vs.
Although both men were well-known for their brawling skills, they could chain-wrestle with the best of them. This bout was filled with mat wrestling and various reversals, as the shrewd veterans traded control for most of the match. They knew every pro maneuver in the book, and more than a few that weren't. It took just over eight minutes, but Windham prevailed with a backslide.
COMMERCIAL
Hot open in the backstage area, as Monty Brown and Terry Funk were assaulted by no less than five masked men, all unidentifiable but obviously also all tough and trained to fight. The numbers advantage was too great, and they used their fists and other assorted weapons lying about to assail both men, who were scheduled to meet in the TV title tournament later in the evening. However, they scattered when Dory Funk and Brian Blair arrived, and the cameras stayed with Funk and Brown as they winced in pain.
The scene shifted, and the ever-professional “Mean” Gene Okerlund stood on the stage. After clips of the CWF Southern Heavyweight title match from the Bash were shown, the legendary voice introduced the new champion, Muhammad Hassan. The jeers rained down as he strode through the curtain with his manager, “Classy” Freddie Blassie. A small percentage of the boos were solely based on his appearance, which was regrettable, but inevitable; “luckily”, the majority of the crowd despised him because of the way he won the title, and because Blassie was a natural heat magnet. The interview was a typical heel piece of dialogue, and Hassan didn't consider the former champ, Brian Pillman, worthy of a rematch.
As the two villains left, Russell provided a brief post-Bash at the Beach injury update. Pillman would be out of action for at least another week with back injuries, while 2MB's Eric Bugenhagen suffered a mild concussion at the hands of the mysterious gang, and was out for an indeterminate period of time.
CWF TV TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH – NO HOLDS BARRED
JUSTIN GABRIEL vs. RYBACK:
vs.
JUSTIN GABRIEL vs. RYBACK:
vs.
The monster from Sin City looked extremely confident as he waited for his foe to get in the ring, bouncing from side to side in the corner. Gabriel entered with a wary look, and Lawler observed that these rules did not work in the high-flier's favor.
As soon as the bell rang, Ryback charged, but the South African dove to the side. The “Big Guy” hit the turnbuckles hard, and fell back – seemingly in perfect position for Gabriel's 450 splash. The “Darewolf” went to the top, raised his arms, took flight – and missed. Ryback rolled out of the way, and with more than a bit of spite, locked Rusev's finisher, the Accolade, on Gabriel. He gave up right away, and the entire match lasted less than a minute.
With the match ending surprisingly quickly, they decided to just go to
COMMERCIAL
Russell let the audience know that CWF officials had received yet another video from the Devil's Advocates. The tape was timestamped with a date preceding the Bash, so it was about two weeks old. In it, Razor Ramon was strapped to a chair, surrounded by Leo Kruger, Hade Vansen, and Dexter Lumis. Their leader, Sean O'Haire, walked into the frame, and delivered his usual confusing, morally bankrupt double-talk. He was fixated on identity, and he turned to Ramon... but he didn't call him by that name... he called him Starship Coyote.
CWF TV TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH - NO HOLDS BARRED
MONTY BROWN vs. TERRY FUNK:
vs.
Lawler said, “This match is cursed!” And he wasn't exactly wrong – the first time they faced off, Ryback attacked them both; now, the two warriors were determined to decide a winner after the backstage attack that left them both at less than 100%. Each man limped to the ring, trying to summon the energy to survive the next ten minutes.
Undaunted, they gave it everything they had. Funk must have spotted something early on, because he went to work on Brown's massive left leg. Conversely, the former Buffalo Bill attacked Funk's left arm, and wrenched it whenever he was able to stay upright. But the wily NWA legend outlasted him, and after slamming Brown's knee into the ringpost several times, applied a figure-four leglock. The CWF newcomer had no choice, and submitted. After the decision, Funk offered his foe a handshake, and Brown accepted, wishing the Texan good luck in the tournament.
Suddenly, the scene shifted to the backstage area yet again. Stu Bennett was limping down the hall, and he didn't bother knocking – he barged right into the CWF president's office. He was angry, and didn't waste words. “Bobby! Sign me to a wrestler's contract right now!”
COMMERCIAL
Okerlund and a cameraman was stationed outside Heenan's closed office. Thus far, Okerlund stated, Bennett was still inside signing the paperwork, and he would try to get a word from him as soon as he reappeared.
A 30-second vignette featured Timothy Thatcher, and he was more than confident in his chances of winning the CWF TV championship belt. He was resting up in the semi-final bracket, and he would be ready for whoever was unlucky enough to be his next opponent - and God forbid the coin toss come up Pure Rules.
CWF TV TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH – PURE RULES
NICK NEMETH (w/Mike Rotunda and Dan Spivey) vs. RUSEV:
vs.
NICK NEMETH (w/Mike Rotunda and Dan Spivey) vs. RUSEV:
vs.
Russell observed that whoever imposed his fighting style over the other would likely win, and it wasn't just a cliche. Nemeth was outweighed by at least 50 pounds, but he was far faster and had an amateur wrestling pedigree that few CWF grapplers could match. On the other hand, the “Bulgarian Brute” was proficient in both sumo and Muay Thai, and he dominated the action early on. The 280-pounder didn't need to use a closed fist to exert his power. The first five minutes were a stalemate.
Nemeth rolled to the floor for a brief conference, giving his opponent time to readjust the thick wrap around his forearm; Rusev was still not fully healed from the Ryback attack a few weeks earlier. As if on cue, the giant screen came to life, and somewhere backstage, Ryback was holding a woozy-looking Gabriel up by the hair, and he shouted into the camera. “Hey, Rusev! Good to see you back in the ring! How's that arm doing?”
Rusev was furious, and without a second thought, he jumped out of the ring and sprinted up the ramp. He was determined to find his nemesis, and despite the referee's loud count, he wasn't turning back. Even Nemeth was disappointed with the count-out; he was fine with the win, but the Kent State heavyweight wanted – no, needed - to prove to himself that he was good as anybody in Florida.
COMMERCIAL
After a short video played to set the match up, Bobby Heenan entered stage left and sat down at the broadcast table. He was not his usual smug self, and privately hoped that his security detail would resolve the chaos that had infected his show. As if to settle things down, he made an announcement. “Next week, right here on Championship Wrestling from Florida, we will determine the inaugural CWF Southern Tag-Team champions. One match: a two-ring, double gauntlet showdown, where four teams will start it off, two in each ring. As soon as one team is eliminated, the next team will take their place. When there's just one team left in each ring, they'll face off for the championship!”
Russell: “Where's Stu Bennett?”
Heenan shrugged. “I thought he was out here with you!”
EIGHT-MAN TEXAS TORNADO MATCH
The FABULOUS FREEBIRDS vs. the SAMOA FIGHT CLUB and the USOS:
vs.
The FABULOUS FREEBIRDS vs. the SAMOA FIGHT CLUB and the USOS:
vs.
It was crazy from the opening bell, as it resembled a battle royale. The rules were basic – everyone was legal, everyone could be in the ring at the same time, one fall to a finish. The referee did his best to watch everything, but his only concern was making sure that whatever happened, happened in the ring, where he could make the count or ask if someone was tapping out.
Ten minutes in, the battle raged on. With no rest breaks for any of them, they were all tired, and it was a battle of attrition. Russell and Lawler theorized that it would probably come down to some sort of numbers advantage, or maybe even who was the last man standing. Fatigue was setting in fast, and the punches and kicks began to lose their force.
Suddenly, Bennett appeared, and he stopped at the broadcast table. He grimly nodded at the surprised trio who sat there, and grabbed a microphone before slowly walking down the ramp, clad in his wrestling garb. The lanky Brit stopped about ten feet from ringside, and the eight combatants continued to wearily fight, oblivious to his presence.
“I'm afraid I've got some bad news,” Bennett said, and the crowd began to stir. “You see, I know who's behind all of these seemingly random attacks over the last few weeks. I know whose faces have been hidden behind those black masks. And I damn well know it's time for their identity to be revealed.”
He paused, and in that short time, the tension escalated a thousandfold. Even a couple of the competing teams stopped fighting, but only for a moment, as they had to keep going to defend themselves.
He vaguely pointed toward the ring... but his hand never stopped moving, and Bennett turned around and pointed at the stage. A few seconds later, Ryback marched down the ramp to stand with Bennett.
So did Heath Slater.
And Justin Gabriel.
And Darren Young.
The five men smirked, collectively took a deep breath, and jumped the Freebirds and the Samoan quartet, who by now were all bone-tired. They were like a pack of jackals, picking at their bones, and they attacked with such ferocity that even the ringside security people scattered.
The sold-out crowd was shocked, as were Heenan and Russell. Only Lawler had the presence of mind to do anything, and he got out of his seat, grabbed a steel chair, and cautiously began to walk to the ring. However, he was so focused on the threat in front of him that he didn't see the two men run down the ramp behind him. Titus O'Neil floored “the King” with a wicked clothesline to the back of the head, and the recently re-signed Reckless Youth laid in some vicious kicks once Lawler was downed. O'Neil stole the chair and joined Bennett and the others in their systematic beatdown, while Youth locked a Boston crab on the Memphis legend, using the downward slope of the ramp to his advantage.
Satisfied with their efforts – and with an eye on the stage – Bennett and his reborn Nexus celebrated in the ring, surrounded by the bruised and tangled bodies of the two quartets they just ambushed. Just then, an assorted crew of wrestlers, led by Barry Windham and Rusev. The Nexus bolted out of the opposite side of the ring, and ran through the crowd to escape. The show ended with CWF wrestlers all over ringside, and the seven villains nowhere in sight.