Post by fifthhorseman on Jan 9, 2021 1:32:34 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA
EPISODE 40
EPISODE 40
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 Drew McIntyre and Brock Lesnar in a fierce staredown.
(I'm trying to make my show recaps shorter, so that I'll eventually be able to do two simultaneously. Hope that works for you guys.)
Lance Russell and Mauro Ranallo recapped recent events in CWF, and said that Bobby Heenan would say more about his “expansion franchise”, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, later in the show. But they were kicking off tonight's telecast in a big way!
BROCK LESNAR (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. DREW McINTYRE:
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Before Finkel could start the ring intros, Bobby Heenan showed up and pointed at the blue steel cage hanging over the ring. The stakes were raised... and the cage was lowered. Heenan left without saying a word, the crowd was buzzing, and when the bell rang both men made sure that they used the steel bars to their advantage. The cage had very little give, and both wrestlers wore the effects of hitting it; they were also bloodied from going into it head-first.
It went about 15 violent minutes. As McIntyre laid prone on the mat, Lesnar went to the top rope, and teased a shooting star press. Then, he went higher. But before he could set his feet, the powerful Scotsman got to his feet, ran up to the top turnbuckle, and put Lesnar on his shoulders – and brought him down from 10 feet in the air with an F-5! McIntyre fell on top of “the Beast”, and in shocking fashion, it was over three seconds later.
COMMERCIAL
A 30-second “Returning to CWF” vignette aired, featuring Buddy Murphy. When it concluded, “Mean” Gene Okerlund was backstage with the Georgia Outlaws and Billy Gunn. As usual, the “Road Dogg” did most of the talking, but all three men were unanimous in their decision to switch things up – Brad Armstrong was returning to singles competition, and the New Age Outlaws were back together.
SIX-PACK CHALLENGE
CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. UMAGA FATU vs. NIGEL McGUINNESS vs. STEVEN REGAL vs. RYBACK vs. TIMOTHY THATCHER:
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CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. UMAGA FATU vs. NIGEL McGUINNESS vs. STEVEN REGAL vs. RYBACK vs. TIMOTHY THATCHER:
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Russell noted that a lot of people wanted to get involved in this one; there were no official stakes or prize for the winner, but it definitely had rankings implications. The rules were simple – two men started in the ring, the other four were in each corner, and it was one fall for a finish. The mixture of athletes gave the audience everything they could want: brute strength, speed, and wrestling acumen. It was non-stop action for about ten minutes that eventually devolved in chaos, and in the midst of that chaos, Regal pinned his fellow Brit McGuinness after smashing him with a running knee trembler.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR was sent in by the Kings of Wrestling, Chris Hero and Antonio Cesaro. They wanted to know where they were going to be wrestling full-time – Tampa or Hollywood – but until they did, they'd dominate the competition in CWF. They specifically called out Future Shock, and challenged the young team to a match next week.
CWF FLORIDA TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
The FLOCK (DEXTER LUMIS and SEAN O'HAIRE) vs. DORY and TERRY FUNK (c):
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The FLOCK (DEXTER LUMIS and SEAN O'HAIRE) vs. DORY and TERRY FUNK (c):
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In this psuedo-rematch for the tag titles, Lumis replaced Starship Coyote, now known as Scott Hall. It wasn't the prettiest contest in the early going; the contrast in styles between the two teams was jarring. Both duos had their moments, but it was still anyone's match at the ten-minute mark, and all four men wound up brawling on the floor. Raven decided that it was the moment to intervene, and he walked down the ramp with bad intentions... but he was hit from behind by Hall! The two men traded punches all the way backstage, while back in the ring, Dory locked a spinning toe hold on Lumis. Terry kept O'Haire at bay until the sociopathic Lumis gave up, and the Texans made their first successful title defense.
As the Funk brothers departed, Paul Orndorff strutted out onto the stage. He had a microphone, and said, “For weeks, I've been waiting and waiting for two things – competition in that ring, and a business partner that will help take me to the top! Well, I'm still waiting for someone to step up and make me break a sweat. And to all those managers that tried to get me under contract – forget about it! If you want 'Mr. Wonderful', then you gotta drop everything else you're doing and focus all of your time and all of your energy on the hottest property in the Sunshine State! After all... I put the 'one' in wonderful!”
The crowd booed, but that just gave Orndorff the opportunity to drop the verbal hammer. “So let me introduce to you, a man that knows what greatness is, a man who knows the Florida territory inside and out, and the man that will be managing the next CWF Florida Heavyweight champion... Gary Hart!”
The boos got even louder when the legendary manager joined Orndorff on stage, and he cut a typically scathing promo, insulting the fans and half of the CWF locker room. They left, hands raised overhead, as the show cut to
COMMERCIAL
A 30-second highlight video recapping the Gulf Coast Varsity Club's continued claim on the CWF Southern tag belts was shown (first with Mike Rotunda's win over former partner Dan Spivey, then the Club's successful defense against the Georgia Outlaws the week before). Coming out of the video, Nick Nemeth cut a solo promo where he expressed his confidence and happiness with his team's skill, but now it was time to make his move. He challenged newcomer – and fellow amateur great – Jeff Cobb to a match, but before he could finish his statement, the Kent State star was ambushed by Spivey and his new partner... Mike Awesome! They double-powerbombed him through a table, and as they left, Spivey shouted into the camera, “You made the worst mistake of your life kicking me out of the Varsity Club, Nemeth! Now you have to face the Tampa Towers!”
As the participants in the next match came down to the ring, the announcers did their best to summarize the events over the last couple of weeks that got them here.
LEX LUGER (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) and BARRY WINDHAM vs. the NEW DAY:
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Humperdink and Xavier Woods were in opposite corners, encouraging their men on while also neutralizing each other's presence. The “Total Package” was the most aggressive of the four, especially with a title shot at Windham on the line. On the other side, Kingston and Big E worked like a well-oiled machine, and as usual, the TV champ was the best all-around wrestler in the ring.
The see-saw bout went over 15 minutes, and the tide shifted to the multi-time WWE tag champions. The New Day had Luger reeling, and after a series of power moves by Langston, he tagged in his partner – but not before Windham reached in and made the blind tag as well. As Big E held Luger up, Kofi spun around with Trouble in Paradise – and missed, hitting Langston instead. Luger rolled away, and Windham nailed the massive member of the New Day with a flying lariat. He held him down just long enough to get the pin, and as he got to his feet, Windham realized that he helped his former friend “earn” a shot against him.
Luger gave him a big hug, and the New Day stood at ringside trying to sort out what happened. It was a chaotic scene, made moreso when Luger suddenly hit Windham with a clothesline of his own, and as he left with Humperdink, he gloated, “Thanks for helping me out tonight, Barry! I really appreciate it!”
COMMERCIAL
As the cage dropped a second time, Heenan came out and addressed the crowd before sitting with Ranallo and Russell. “It won't be too long before Buddy Rogers and I finalize the rosters for both companies – in fact, we're about halfway there, and by the time Mr. Rogers nails down a few more operational things out in L.A., everyone under contract will know where they stand. And by the way, Kaufman - don't you eve nthink of interfering in our operations! But because I'm such a big advocate of worker participation, over the next couple of weeks I'm going to have a few matches where the winner will not only decide where they stay – they will also get to choose where the loser goes, too! So without further ado, and just because I want to, let's raise the stakes on this match even more – whoever wins this match, Jack Brisco, or 'Ravishing' Rick Rude, will get the Florida Heavyweight title and choose where both men wrestle!”
CAGE MATCH
CWF FLORIDA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
JACK BRISCO (c) vs. RICK RUDE (w/PERCY PRINGLE III):
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CWF FLORIDA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
JACK BRISCO (c) vs. RICK RUDE (w/PERCY PRINGLE III):
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Rude paced back and forth in his corner during the introductions, eager to get started, while the new champion calmly waited. The arrogant challenger tried to jump Brisco at the bell, but he expected it, and he dropped Rude with an amateur takedown and rained a series of punches down before the “Ravishing One” escaped.
After that initial scare, it was a carefully-paced, methodical match. They made fine dance partners, as Brisco's blend of science and grit was the perfect complement to Rude's power and skill. Escape was not an option (it never is in CWF), so they went for several pins and submissions over the course of 20+ minutes. Like the impromptu cage match that started the show, blood was spilled in this one as well. But in the end, after Rude went for his self-named neckbreaker, the NWA stalwart spun his opponent around and got him with – of all things – a small package. Rude kicked out at 3.1, but that fraction of a second was too late, and Brisco got the win.
Brisco limped up to the broadcast table and wryly smiled at Heenan. “Well, I happen to like it here in Florida, and seeing how I am the Florida Heavyweight champion... well, I guess I better stay. As for the man I just beat, Rick Rude...”
He paused for effect, irritating Heenan in the process. “Rick Rude can stay right here in Florida, too. We all know he's your boy, Bobby, so keep him here, and he can keep watching me defend this championship!”
The camera panned back to a furious Rude, then back to Brisco, who saluted the crowd as the show went off the air.