Post by fifthhorseman on Nov 17, 2020 2:01:23 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA
EPISODE 35
EPISODE 35
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 wide shot of Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes, and Billy Graham fighting Rick Rude and the Destruction Crew.
Lance Russell: “Hello, wrestling fans! This is Championship Wrestling from Florida, and alongside Mauro Ranallo... I'm Lance Russell. We're just two weeks away from the first-ever CWF Survivor Series, and as that night approaches, the competition just keeps getting more and more fierce! We have six matches on top for you tonight, and our main event is a doozy, featuring CWF Florida Heavyweight champion Rick Rude and his partners, the Destruction Crew, against the number one contender for that title, Jack Brisco, along with Dusty Rhodes and “Superstar” Billy Graham!”
Ranallo: “So let's get right down to the ring, for tonight's first outstanding contest!”
CWF TELEVISION TITLE MATCH
ERIC BUGENHAGEN (w/Nick Nemeth) vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c):
vs.
ERIC BUGENHAGEN (w/Nick Nemeth) vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c):
vs.
The spin of the dial came up “Champion's Choice”, and Windham chose to go with a no holds barred match. That wasn't Bugenhagen's preference, but the 260-pound powerlifter wasn't afraid to trade hands, either. For the most part, though, it was fought as a regular match, albeit with a lot of punches and kicks. Windham's pro experience was the deciding factor, and it took him about eight minutes to pin the Wisconsin heavyweight with a middle-rope brainbuster.
Windham took a moment after the match to check on Bugenhagen, then departed with the TV belt. As Nemeth and Bugenhagen got to their feet, Christian Cage came out onto the stage, microphone in hand, to accept the Gulf Coast Varsity Club's challenge at Survivor Series. “Your team might be the best group of collegiate wrestlers in CWF. Your teammates might have the most in common with each other... but my team has something in common, too. The four of us are all former World champions.”
On cue, he was joined by Nigel McGuinness (ROH), Dusty Rhodes (NWA), and “Superstar” Billy Graham (WWWF). Nemeth stared them all down, and shouted back that they'd find out that the GCVC would win because they were a real team.
As the four men on stage slowly departed, and the Club left the ring, the scene shifted to one of the locker rooms. The Hart Dynasty, Richie Steamboat, and Ted DiBiase, Jr. were all standing by, eager to make an announcement. DiBiase did most of the talking, and he declared that the four of them were the new Legacy. He also stated that the quartet had met with CWF President Bobby Heenan earlier in the week and signed a contract to face a group called “the King's Court” at Survivor Series; it didn't matter who they were, but Legacy was going to make a statement, starting with them.
COMMERCIAL
A nosy cameraman caught up to Cage, who was very confident about his team's chances. However, he was suddenly interrupted by EC3, who wondered why he – as a former (and fellow TNA) World champion himself – was not recruited or even mentioned. Cage heard the bass in Carter's voice, and said, “Look. I know you're good, but around here, good isn't good enough. But I'll tell you what, Mr. 'One-Percent'... if you think you're better than any one of us, if you think you have what it takes to stand with a group of champions... then why don't you get in the ring with me next week. If you win, I'll give you my spot.”
EC3 wondered if it might be a trick – but he didn't wonder long. He accepted the match, saying, “You're not giving me anything – I'm taking it.”
BIG E LANGSTON (w/Xavier Woods) vs. LEX LUGER (w/Oliver Humperdink):
vs.
vs.
During the two titans' introductions, Ranallo reminded the audience about the upcoming six-man tag-team match at Survivor Series: the House of Humperdink (Luger and the Stronghold) versus the New Day.
This match went as expected. Lots of tests of strength, lot of power moves. Despite the height and reach advantage, the “Total Package” wasn't able to use it against his opponent, who was just as strong and more agile. It wasn't a high-flying affair, but it was ruggedly entertaining. The contest lasted almost 14 minutes, and both men were on fumes; Luger went for the torture rack, Big E slipped around him for a waistlock, and a couple of switches later, the former WCW champ rolled Langston up for the pin, using his foe's singlet for leverage.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR aired, recorded minutes after last week's show went off the air. It was Brisco, Rhodes, and Graham, back in a locker room after the brawl. They were angry, and even though they fought (and fought hard) each other in the past, they were an united front, and they would do whatever it took to take down Rick Rude and his cronies, whenever they could do it.
The BAD STREET BOYS vs. JUSTIN GABRIEL and HEATH SLATER (w/Wade Barrett):
vs.
vs.
The outcome was rarely in question, but this was the fastest-paced, highest-flying tag match on CWF television in weeks. Even Slater went to the top rope a couple of times during the seven-minute contest, and both duos used a myriad of innovative double-team maneuvers that were as flashy as they were effective. Gabriel scored the pinfall win on Matthews with his infamous 450 splash.
As the BSB left, the leader of the Nexus spoke with Okerlund in the ring. “As therapeutic as it is to utterly destroy our competition week after week here on television, it doesn't seem to be getting any of us closer to any gold. In fact, our dominance seems to be dissuading anyone from getting into the ring with us, period. The Survivor Series is taking place just a couple of weeks from now, and thus far, only two brave but foolish men, named Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole, have stepped up to our challenge. So here's the deal – if the other five men don't make themselves known by next week, the match is off. There are no surprise parties as far as the Nexus is concerned.”
COMMERCIAL
A video aired, showcasing the wins Paul Orndorff earned since arriving in CWF, and how Oliver Humperdink hunted him down after one of those victories to discuss business. When the video ended, Okerlund introduced “Mr. Wonderful” to the crowd, and he walked out onto the stage - alone. It was an intense interview, but before it could really get underway, Humperdink emerged again... and yet a few seconds later, “Classy” Freddie Blassie did as well. The two managers argued over who the best leader in Florida was, and a scowling Orndorff simply walked back through the curtain. Humperdink and Blassie trotted back there as well after they realized he left.
When it ended, Brian Pillman came out, as angry as he had ever been during his run in Florida – and that was saying something. He marched to the ring in street clothes, because he wasn't in action tonight – but Muhammad Hassan was, and he was up next. He shouted loud enough to be heard even over the crowd – he wanted the man that took his belt.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get him. A horde of CWF referees and security guards surrounded him, and after taking a couple of shots from the “Loose Cannon”, they half-dragged, half-carried him out of the ring, and as it turned out, completely out of Amalie Arena.
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MUHAMMAD HASSAN (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. RORY McALLISTER:
vs.
MUHAMMAD HASSAN (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. RORY McALLISTER:
vs.
Earlier in the week on social media, Hassan teased that he was such a fighting champion, he'd defend his title against “the big, dumb Scotsman” before Survivor Series. As it turned out, he meant the one-time Highlander, who was on a CWF try-out contract. The Arab-American controlled most of the match, and it only took him about four minutes to end it with a camel clutch. After the match, with Blassie on one side and Okerlund on the other, Hassan cut a scathing promo on McIntyre.
COMMERCIAL
Jerry Lawler had had enough. He was standing in the ring, and before Okerlund could say a thing, the Tennessee mainstay began his monologue. “I warned you, Carter, Reckless Youth - whatever you wanna call yourself! I guess you don't have the guts to face me one-on-one, so it seems like the only way to get my hands on you is at Survivor Series... so Future Shock, if you're still looking for teammates, I'm in! Because if that's what-”
“Hey, shut up!” Tom RY Carter's voice carried through the arena, and a couple of seconds later, he appeared on the stage, microphone in hand. “You still don't get it, do you? All this time, you've been calling yourself 'King'. 'The King' of Memphis. Well, so what? You're proud... of that?”
“You're damn right I am!” Lawler responded, eliciting an ovation from the crowd.
Carter looked disgusted. “That means nothing to me! The only reason these stupid fans call you that is because you hardly ever left town! You rule a hick town with no challengers to the throne – because who wants to be the king of Memphis? Meanwhile, I've been out there wrestling anybody, anytime, anywhere – and that's why they call me the 'King of the Independents!' I was the indy superstar everyone watched! I made the movement famous! And you... you're nothing.”
“So you think you're a king, do you?” Lawler laughed. “Well, I'll tell you what. How about I knock that imaginary crown right off your head right now? We don't have to wait two weeks, let's do it tonight!”
“Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you. But I get paid to wrestle. So how about I meet you in the middle – I'll take you on next week, before Survivor Series alright... but after that, I don't want to see you ever again. Do you have the guts? Do you have the guts to face me in a loser leave town match?”
Lawler was practically salivating. “You mean I get the chance to kick your butt out of the Nexus, and all the way out of Florida, and all I have to do is wait a week? Buddy, you're on.”
The two men gave each other one last cold stare, and as they left, a 30-second video aired, focusing on the CWF Florida Tag-Team champs, Sean O'Haire and Starship Coyote of the Devil's Advocates.
DORY and TERRY FUNK vs. LEO KRUGER and HADE VANSEN (w/Dexter Lumis):
vs.
vs.
Russell reminded the audience that the Funk siblings challenged any two members of the Advocates last week, and it was obvious that O'Haire and Coyote were going to wait until Survivor Series to fight that fight. In the meantime, Kruger and Vansen looked to inflict as much damage as they could for their cult.
Therefore, the referee had his work cut off for him, because the Advocates weren't in a rule-abiding mood. But that didn't faze the brothers from the Double-Cross Ranch – especially Terry, who was always ready for a brawl. It was a hard-hitting match, and just when it looked like Dory was going to make Vansen submit to a spinning toe-hold, Lumis barged in and broke it up, “earning” a disqualification for his side. It was a three-on-two fight, but the Funks toughed it out and threw all three of their enemies over the top rope. They were furious at the outcome, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
Before Heenan came out to watch the big match, another VTR aired, a counterpoint to the Graham/Rhodes/Brisco speech. It was also recorded last week, and the Pringle Family was just as angry. They didn't like Rhodes and Graham sticking their noses in their business, and it didn't matter if it was in a ring or out on the street – Rude, Enos, and Bloom would make them all pay.
ELIMINATION MATCH
JACK BRISCO, “SUPERSTAR” BILLY GRAHAM, and DUSTY RHODES vs. the DESTRUCTION CREW and RICK RUDE (c, w/Percy Pringle III):
vs.
JACK BRISCO, “SUPERSTAR” BILLY GRAHAM, and DUSTY RHODES vs. the DESTRUCTION CREW and RICK RUDE (c, w/Percy Pringle III):
vs.
It was a veritable All-Star game for a main event. The good guys were all on the same page, and each had a gripe against the Florida champion. However, the former AWA World tag champs aligned with Rude were no slouches, either, and they were there to do as much damage as possible to their foes – especially Brisco – legally or not.
The “Ravishing One” taunted the crowd and insisted on starting the match himself; however, when Brisco decided to do the same, Rude tagged out to Bloom immediately with a big smirk on his face. From there, it settled into a standard six-man, with plenty of power moves put on display by both squads. It wasn't the most technical battle, but it was methodical and stiff. And unfortunately for Pringle's side, they were down a man seven minutes in, when the “American Dream” finished Enos with a bionic elbow.
Rude and Bloom wrestled more cautiously, and they targeted Rhodes. They kept him in their corner and made him suffer, but he withstood the assault and eventually tagged in “the Superstar”. Graham pounded away at both foes, and wasted little time locking Bloom into a bearhug; despite his best effort, the Crew member had to submit.
Outnumbered three-to-one, Rude surveyed the corner across from him and made a gesture to indicate he was leaving – no sense getting hurt before a big title defense. However, Brisco told him to wait, and then he told Graham and Rhodes to depart! They did so, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and the crowd buzzed in anticipation of Brisco and Rude finally facing off. When they locked up and traded punches, they screamed in delight, and the rugged Oklahoman took charge with a couple of hiptosses and dropkicks.
He signalled for a figure-four leglock, and cinched it in... but it was broken up after just a few seconds when a man in street clothes jumped the guardrail. It was Rude's former partner, Manny Fernandez, and the “Raging Bull” laid in a bunch of kicks. Rude staggered to his feet and joined up, but luckily, Rhodes and Graham ran back down for the save before any lasting damage could be done. As the three icons stood in the ring, Rude, Fernandez, and Pringle backed up the ramp, seemingly always one step ahead of Brisco.