Post by fifthhorseman on Jan 16, 2021 22:02:31 GMT -5
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA
EPISODE 41
EPISODE 41
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 and Rick Rude locked up in the center of the ring.
The show started with the Blassie Family – Brock Lesnar, the Blond Bombers, and the CWF Southern champion, Muhammad Hassan - in the ring. Blassie did all of the talking, of course, and he said that they were heading to California. He insulted the fans, claiming that his stable was too good for the fans in Florida, and that Hassan was taking the Southern title with him.
That statement brought Bobby Heenan out onto the stage, and he said that he was going to miss Blassie and his group, and wished him all the best in CWH. However, Hassan was not taking the belt with him. He could either forfeit it, or defend it later in the night against Drew McIntyre – and if Hassan won, Heenan would make sure that he received preferential treatment when CWH head honcho Buddy Rogers put his title assignments together.
Hassan grabbed the microphone from Blassie and agreed to fight the Scotsman. Satisfied with the answer, Heenan handed a piece of paper to Lance Russell at the broadcast table before leaving.
As the Blassie Family departed, Russell looked at his partner, Mauro Ranallo. “Looks like we have some breaking news for you all. According to this, Rick Rude has filed an injunction against CWF about the results of last week's match. I'm paraphrasing here, but he claims that no wrestler has the power to determine where he works, and Jack Brisco's decision last week to 'keep' Rude in Florida was illegal. So until that matter is cleared up, in any such matches where those decisions are made, Heenan has declared that the winner can only declare where he is going to work, Florida or Hollywood – but he can't decide where the loser goes.”
Ranallo: “Quite the development there. That injunction sounds suspicious to me, Lance... by all accounts, Rick Rude is perfectly happy here in Florida, the CWF Florida Heavyweight championship notwithstanding. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say he didn't like being embarrassed by Brisco, and resents the suggestion that the new champ doesn't consider him to be a threat.”
Russell: “Who knows what goes on in Rude's head, but we do know this. We have two such matches with those stakes tonight, plus two title matches! So let's get down to Howard Finkel in the ring!”
The BAD STREET BOYS vs. the TAMPA TOWERS:
vs.
vs.
It went exactly as you think it did. Spivey and his new partner, Mike Awesome, were a devastating combination. The 300-pounders were dominant, mean and tough; they barely broke a sweat, and the former ECW champion squashed Matthews with his self-named Awesome bomb for the win.
After cutting a short post-match promo in the ring, the Towers strode up the ramp and posed on the stage. But before they left, they were attacked from behind by a chair-swinging Nick Nemeth. He nailed both of them over their backs, payback for the table he was put through the week before. The shots stung them, but before they could retaliate, Nemeth retreated backstage.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, the Towers were still searching for Nemeth or any other Gulf Coast Varsity Club member, and Spivey dared Nemeth to get in the ring next week and face him like a man.
BRIAN BLAIR vs. TRIPLE H:
vs.
vs.
This was one of the two matches with “stay or go” stakes. Blair was a proven winner in the Florida territory, but “the Game” was a multi-time World champion. This was Triple H's first TV contest, and he was especially motivated to impress; from bell to bell, it only went about four minutes, ending with a Pedigree.
After the match, the leader of NeXT Evolution addressed the crowd and arrogantly declared that he was staying “right here”. He noted that since debuting at Survivor Series, not a single one of his crew had been defeated. They were the best faction in CWF history, and in 2021, they'd make some more history of their own.
Triple H walked up the ramp, and before he exited, the East-West Connection appeared on the stage. They nodded toward each other, with caution and respect, and when HHH was gone Ventura addressed the crowd. “Adios, suckers. It's time for the East-West Connection to go where they belong – and that sure ain't here in this swamp. Me and Adrian are going to Hollywood, where only the brightest stars shine. Bobby, thanks for letting us go, we're gonna miss you. Buddy, what can I say – you're getting the greatest tag-team in the world, just ask those chumps in WCW! So for any other team that thinks that going to California is in their best interests, think again... because 'the Body' and the 'Golden Boy' are out there waiting for you.”
Adonis mock-bowed to the booing crowd, and Ventura gave them one last double-bicep pose as the show went to
COMMERCIAL
“Mean” Gene Okerlund was backstage with the three members of the New Day, and before the interview began, a video package showing the group's recent issues aired. Kingston admitted that it was difficult starting all over in a new territory, and the level of competition was higher than they had ever encountered before. Big E agreed, and explained that his actions against Windham was that of a frustrated man, but he was better than that. Woods wrapped things up by saying they had overcome a lot of adversity in the past, and this was no different; they were united in their goal of earning a shot at the CWF Florida Tag-Team gold, as well as singles gold.
LARRY CAMERON (w/Monty Brown) vs. SCOTT HALL:
vs.
vs.
Humperdink was getting Luger ready for his title match, so the Stronghold came out together instead. The revitalized Hall was good with that, though – he was ready to fight anybody. “Lethal Larry” was a stern test for Hall, and the two men both put their strength and explosiveness on display. After about ten minutes of back-and-forth action, Hall ran Cameron into his partner on the apron, then rolled him up for the flash pin.
COMMERCIAL
Before the first title match of the night got underway, a VTR from the Hollywood office aired. Rogers was at his desk, where he stated that CWH was going to be the hottest new territory in the world, and he thanked Heenan for the opportunity to run it. He also said that while the rosters were still being finalized, he was given carte blanche to sign free agents as well, and the “Nature Boy” introduced the newest member of CWH as he skateboarded into the camera shot... Darby Allin.
CWF TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
LEX LUGER (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) vs. BARRY WINDHAM:
vs.
LEX LUGER (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) vs. BARRY WINDHAM:
vs.
They went nose-to-nose as the referee spun the title dial, and it landed on pure rules. Luger scowled at the result, and several times during the match Humperdink had to yell at him not to throw a closed fist. Windham, on the other hand, wanted to punch his frenemy, simply because he was fed up with the “Total Package's” antics.
With only ten minutes to work with, they both pushed a quick pace. Windham frustrated Luger throughout the contest, and when they got to the final minute, Humperdink got on the ring apron and screamed at his man, prompting a long warning from the official. And that was just the break Luger needed. He picked Windham up and dropped him throat-first over the top rope. Then, when the referee turned back around, the multi-time United States champion got a running start and hit Windham with a (steel-plate aided) forearm smash. The challenger fell on Windham, and with just a few ticks left on the clock, the ref made the count... and Luger won the Television title.
COMMERCIAL
The House of Humperdink celebrated the big win with champagne in their locker room, and with the imposing figures of Cameron and Brown in the background, Luger claimed that he won fair and square, and in the first pure rules match of his life to boot – that made him the greatest CWF Television champion of all-time!
Another Buddy Murphy vignette aired, and he would be making his return to CWF next week.
FUTURE SHOCK vs. the KINGS OF WRESTLING:
vs.
vs.
Russell noted that Future Shock accepted the Kings' challenge from last week; Ranallo added that this was the other match of the night in which the winners would decide where they were going to wrestle in 2021. This was reminiscent of an ROH match, with plenty of holds and counters and counter-counters. Cole and O'Reilly were explosive, and though the KoW were comfortable keeping up, they slowed it down when they could. Future Shock continued to show flashes of brilliance, but their foes were too tough and experienced, and the "Swiss Superman" pinned Cole after a Neutralizer.
But that wasn't the end of it. Cesaro put Cole in the giant spin, and after a dozen revolutions, locked him in the sharpshooter. Hero dropped onto O'Reilly and locked in the Kassius Klutch, and both holds were only broken up when Nigel McGuinness ran down to the ring. Fearlessly, he stared down both Kings as Future Shock slowly got to their feet behind him... and then he whirled around and hit them with a double clothesline! He gave each of them a couple of stomps before a group of CWF officials ushered him, Hero, and Cesaro away from the squared circle. When they got to the top of the ramp, Hero “borrowed” the microphone from Russell and said, “We're staying right here – all three of us!”
COMMERCIAL
A 60-second highlight reel, cut from the two brutal McIntyre/Lesnar matches, was shown ahead of Heenan's entrance. As “the Brain” sat down at the broadcast table, Ranallo suggested that the Blassie Family was leaving because Lesnar could not live down losing to McIntyre – and to an F5, of all things. Heenan angrily scoffed at the notion, and warned Ranallo that Lesnar would gladly throw the color man into the upper deck if he said that out loud again. He added that Blassie and the Bombers were legends on the West Coast, and letting them go was simply a good business decision.
LUMBERJACK MATCH
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MUHAMMAD HASSAN (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. DREW McINTYRE:
vs.
CWF SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MUHAMMAD HASSAN (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. DREW McINTYRE:
vs.
About a dozen lumberjacks circled the ring, and the last two to join the fray were Stevens and Patterson. Russell gave credit to Heenan for booking such a match; Hassan couldn't simply take a countout loss to retain the title. The match was fought in three stages, it seemed; the big Scotsman controlled the early going. Bigger and stronger, McIntyre softened the champion up for a few minutes but couldn't put him away. Eventually, Hassan launched his foe over the top rope with a backdrop, right into a pack of heels. The Blond Bombers made sure they got in a few licks before McIntyre was rolled back in, and the Arab-American grounded him, working on his back.
But the former Intercontinental champ was nothing if not resilient, and he battled back. He lined up Hassan for the Claymore kick, but Patterson grabbed his ankle from the outside. A few moments later, same spot, but Stevens tripped him up. McIntyre had enough, and leaped out of the ring to fight both of the Bombers. A wild melee ensued amongst the lumberjacks, and when McIntyre finally rolled back in, Hassan charged him – and (finally) ran straight into a Claymore. Drew hooked both legs just to make sure, and the win – and the Southern Heavyweight championship – was his. The show ended with McIntyre holding the strap high over his head, surrounded by the face lumberjacks who cheered him on.