Post by fifthhorseman on Nov 4, 2020 1:00:44 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA
EPISODE 33
EPISODE 33
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, ending with a still shot of Jack Brisco celebrating his win over Dusty Rhodes.
Lance Russell: “Hello, wrestling fans around the world! Last week, you saw Jack Brisco earn his way into the Survivor Series main event, where he'll face CWF Florida Heavyweight champion Rick Rude for the title. And before the night is over, we're going to find out who will be challenging for both the CWF Southern Heavyweight title, and the CWF Florida Tag-Team titles, as well. Isn't that right, Mauro?”
Mauro Ranallo: “Indeed it is, Lance, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. All in all, we have five outstanding matches scheduled tonight, so let's get right to it – take it away, 'Mean' Gene!”
TOP CONTENDERS MATCH
DORY and TERRY FUNK vs. the NEW DAY:
vs.
vs.
As soon as the match began, the Florida Tag-Team champions, Sean O'Haire and Starship Coyote sauntered down one of the aisles and sat down in a pair of ringside seats, tickets visibly in hand. Thankfully, they didn't take away from the action inside the ring. Stylistically, the two duos were miles apart – the New Day were more dynamic than their foes and used flashy double-team moves, while the Funk brothers were methodical and kept it on the mat. Langston was particularly tough to handle, and Kingston was tough to catch... but the brothers from the Double Cross ranch were just too tough, period. It went close to the 20-minute time limit, but after Terry took Big E to the floor, Dory reversed Kingston's cross-body attempt and held him down for the pin. After they won, the Advocates stood up, and the two teams stared each other down.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR was shown to the crowd, featuring the Destruction Crew, Percy Pringle III, and the champion himself, “Ravishing” Rick Rude. It was typical bluster from the heel side, and predictably, Rude insisted that his match against Jack Brisco would end like every other victory he notched since arriving in CWF – with a Rude Awakening.
SONNY SIAKI (w/Umaga Fatu) vs. WADE BARRETT (w/Ryback):
vs.
vs.
The leader of the Nexus dominated most of the match, but Siaki also had his moments. The Samoan star was faster and quicker than Barrett, but his foe was just meaner. On the outside, Fatu and Ryback barked at each other, and as the match went on, the two behemoths got closer and closer. Despite a late surge from Siaki, Barrett ended it with a vicious Bull Hammer forearm smash. As soon as the bell rang, Ryback and Umaga went at it, Barrett joined in, and then Siaki recovered to even the odds as they fought all the way up the ramp.
COMMERCIAL
A cameraman was backstage with Barrett and the rest of his cronies. “Another week, another win for the Nexus – and we're still waiting for someone to step up and accept our challenge at Survivor Series! I was too busy knocking Sonny Siaki around on his thick skull to hear anything he might have said, but I'm quite sure that he didn't say yes. So, what are you waiting for, boys? Does -”
He was interrupted by the arrival of two young newcomers – collectively known as Future Shock - who wisely kept their distance. They were smart, and apparently very brave. Adam Cole did the talking for his team. “We do. And I'm pretty sure we can find five other guys willing to face you, too.”
And then they left as quietly as they arrived.
Before the next highly-anticipated match began, Jerry Lawler came out and headed straight for the broadcast table. He grabbed a microphone and shouted, “Tom Carter! Listen up! For some reason, you seem to have a big problem with me, and I don't know why. But if you want to settle it man-to-man, I'm standing right here – and I know that you're somewhere back there with the rest of your Nexus buddies. So why don't you come on out, right now?”
He put the mike back down, and waited. And waited some more. After about 30 seconds, “the King” shook his head in frustration, and went back through the curtain. His challenge was not going to be met this night.
RICHIE STEAMBOAT vs. PAUL ORNDORFF:
vs.
vs.
“Mr. Wonderful's” CWF debut attracted a lot of attention. Backstage, several men were watching the one-sided match on a monitor, and they were all interested in recruiting him: Oliver Humperdink, Freddie Blassie, Nick Nemeth, and Dexter Lumis all took mental notes. Even Bobby Heenan dropped by to watch for a few seconds, proud of his former client and current investment.
It was basically a squash. Steamboat did his best, but the motivated and aggressive Orndorff was deadly. It only took him about five minutes to finish things off with his patented piledriver, and when Steamboat's friend, Ted DiBiase, Jr. ran down to check on him, Orndorff put him down with a vicious clothesline and set him up for the same. Only the referee's threat to reverse the decision changed the Tampa native's mind, and he shoved DiBiase to the mat in disgust.
The scene shifted back to the common room where the other men were still all sitting, and you could practically hear the gears turning in their heads.
COMMERCIAL
Okerlund welcomed Jack Brisco to the ring, where he got the ovation that he deserved before Rude stole his glory the week before. The NWA icon was justly proud of his win, and put over Dusty Rhodes as a skilled opponent and a tough hombre. But now he had his eyes on Rude, and the Florida gold, and it was only a matter of time before he got his revenge.
He departed to another round of applause, and a short highlight video of the Windham-Nemeth TV title match was shown.
CWF TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MONTY BROWN (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c):
vs.
MONTY BROWN (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c):
vs.
Windham's nose wasn't fully healed, but he was ready to fight. Brown was as well, and his eyes lit up when the referee spun the front plate of Windham's title belt. It came up on the blue wedge – challenger's choice – and the former Buffalo Bill went with no holds barred.
The lanky Texan shrugged as he came out of his corner; he could handle it. Neither man backed down, and surprisingly, the first half of the match was fought in the ring. Brown was more powerful, and his manager interfered with no fear of getting his man disqualified. But Windham was also a strong man, and he threw Brown around with hiptosses and suplexes. It eventually went to the floor, and after Brown dropped his prey to one knee, he confidently backed up, seizing him up for the Pounce. However, Windham was playing possum, and he met Brown's momentum with his own, hitting him with a vicious lariat that almost knocked him out. He rolled the “Alpha Male” back in the ring and pinned him at the nine-minute mark.
COMMERCIAL
Heenan made his customary appearance to call the main event, and he was particularly happy in anticipation of seeing a violent, brutal battle that involved his least favorite man on the CWF roster. However, he wasn't the only man through the curtain... Muhammad Hassan and his manager, “Classy” Freddie Blassie, arrived as well, to a chorus of boos. As a second table was quickly set up by the CWF crew, Heenan bragged about "his" team, the East-West Connection, beating the WCW World tag champs the Road Warriors at one of their poorly-attended, sub-standard shows a few days earlier, and he was very excited to bring those titles to CWF after Starrcade.
FIRST BLOOD, LAST MAN STANDING, TOP CONTENDERS MATCH
DREW McINTYRE vs. BRIAN PILLMAN:
vs.
DREW McINTYRE vs. BRIAN PILLMAN:
vs.
The stakes were too high for a simple handshake in the middle; the two men respected each other, but the rules of this match meant that they'd have to forgive each other sometime down the road.
During the match introductions, Okerlund explained that for either man to be able to score a pin or submission victory, they first had to make their opponent bleed. Thus, they went at each other ferociously, hitting each other with everything in their arsenal of moves. It wasn't a typical big man versus little man battle; McIntyre was quick and explosive, while Pillman was strong for his size – and they both refused to stay down. Thus, it didn't take long for both men to get cut open – the “Loose Cannon” went head-first into a ringpost, slicing open a wound on his forehead, and then, a few moments later, he used the ringbell as a weapon against the former WWE champ, opening a gash above his right eye.
If possible, it got even more intense. Hassan and Blassie loved every second of it, hoping that the winner – whoever it wound up being – would still be sore by month's end. The two men fought in the crowd, back in the ring, back out of the ring – everywhere.
They went just over 20 minutes, and McIntyre's superior size proved to be the deciding factor. Pillman barely avoided the ten-count after a Claymore kick... so McIntyre hit him with a second one. The former Southern champ was out, and at the count of eight, he got to one knee... but he fell onto his side, mind willing but body beaten. McIntyre was victorious, and Hassan decided to send a message. He ran down the ramp, but before he could strike from behind, the big Scot turned around. Begging off, the Arab-American held his hands out and retreated up the ramp, and McIntyre stalked him all the way onto the stage.
Hassan dropped to both knees and claimed it was a misunderstanding. McIntyre stood over him with a angry grin on his face – so he never saw Brock Lesnar coming. “The Beast” picked him up like he was a bag of flour, and right before the show ended, brought him crashing down with an F-5. The final shot of the night was of him, Hassan, and Blassie standing over McIntyre.