Airdate January 19, 2008 on Comcast 74 in Nashville
Taped on December 14, 2007 at the SAW Arena in Millersville, Tn
LAST WEEK…Hammerjack demonstrated what he was going to do to Gary Valiant inside the steel cage by shredding a head of lettuce through a cyclone fence…Homicidal Tendencies denied Indian Nations a title match at “New Year’s Brawl 2000 & Hate” and left them laying…A blinded Sean Casey hit Arrick Andrews with his cane, causing him to lose the SAW Television Title to Nore Havoc…Casey lifted his sunglasses and smirked at the camera. “I guess the hairspray wore off…he should be ashamed of himself.”
Jack Johnson and Hot Rod Biggs opened the show “just a few hours removed from New Year’s Brawl 2000 & Hate.” Well, that was the plan. They gave several plugs throughout the hour for the NWA Top Rope in Lebanon which took place two weeks earlier.
(1) Nore Havoc (with Paul Adams) escaped with the SAW TV Title via time limit draw against Damian Adams. Biggs assured Johnson that he was OK in the aftermath of the heinous attack by Hammerjack, and explained that Commissioner Freddie Morton had drawn Damian’s name as Havoc’s random challenger for this week. As Damian and Havoc traded holds, Johnson voiced his suspicions that Casey’s blindness was a ruse. At one point, Johnson said Casey and Samantha were a strange couple. Biggs was back to favoring the heels by calling Johnson a conspiracy theorist. Damian broke out an offensive flurry ending with a dropkick for a two count. Havoc took the wind out Damian’s sails with a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Havoc worked the back with Damian selling it large. Meanwhile, Paul lounged on the apron smoking a cigar. Johnson said he was posing for Cigar Aficionado. Havoc pulled the top rope down to spill Damian over the top. Paul then choked Damian with his towel and blew smoke in his face. Biggs said Paul and Havoc had been living it up with limousines, hot tubs, cognac and cigars. SAW must pay way better than other indies. Paul blew smoke in the ref’s face. Cut to Havoc ramming Damian’s back into the post. Back inside, Havoc dropped an elbow and made a nonchalant cover. Havoc shook off a pair of chops and applied a rear chinlock. Damian regained his vertical base but Havoc put him on the canvas with a back elbow. Biggs said Damian was going to have to go home to Puerto Rico and tell all 19 people in his house that he lost. Johnson played dumb. “Is he having a party? Did everybody stay over from New Years?” Damian stepped aside and Havoc shoulder blocked the ringpost. Backdrop by Damian to set up the bicycle kick. Havoc ducked and went for the Chopping Block but Damian blocked it. Damian connected with the bicycle kick and covered. The bell rang just before the three count. Referee Jim Kleckner raised Damian’s hand. Mike Sircy came to ringside for a talk with Kleckner. The fans were chanting “that was three.” Kleckner handed the belt to Havoc, who was laying on the floor in a daze.
(2) Arrick Andrews beat Jason James via submission in 2:39. Andrews was still adjusting his trunks with his back turned to James after the bell rang. James clubbed Andrews in the back and beat him down. Andrews had to grab the ropes to avoid being pinned. Andrews used an up and over headscissors to send James in for a mouthful of turnbuckle. Andrews on fire. Lariat for two. Desperation dirty tactics by James went for naught. Andrews locked in the dragon sleeper. James tried to make the ropes. Andrews grounded James and added a body scissors to get the tap out.
Jack Johnson interviewed Homicidal Tendencies (“Hot Chocolate” Kory Williams & Vic the Bruiser) in an empty arena. Tendencies explained how they first met when they started training with USWA. Williams said Eddie Marlin (Jeff Jarret’s grandfather) broke him in and Eron Hatchett (Nore Havoc) was one of his first trainers. Vic moved on to train with Danny Davis and became the first OVW champion. Williams said promoter Dale Mann put them together because he wanted a “brother tag team.” Williams gave a shout out to Ashley Hudson, his former partner in New South. Johnson brought up Williams’ encounter with Goldberg on NITRO. “He speared me and broke his shoulder,” said Williams. Vic talked about how his mother used to get worked up watching Tojo Yamamoto and how seeing Randy Savage sparked his interest in becoming a pro wrestler. Vic said Rip Rogers was his most memorable partner and the man that made him the wrestler he is today. He called the Naturals pretty boys.
We’re from the streets. Wrestling flows through us. Boys, you can a have a million dollar body. Doesn’t mean nothing in this business…We’re not out here for pretty things. We’re out here to maim people.
(3) Hammerjack pinned Rick Santel at 5:33. It was Santel doing all the hammering, as he was to avenge the piledriver Hammerjack gave him two weeks ago. When Hammerjack bailed out, Biggs said he was backing up. Johnson said he was freaked out by what happened to Biggs. Santel continued to beat on Hammerjack outside the ring. Hammerjack stomped Santel as he slid back into the ring and went to work. The body of the match consisted of Hammerjack doling out punishment and using power moves like a side slam and a front slam to cut off Santel’s aerial comebacks. Hammerjack made lazy, half-assed covers and tried to intimidate Kleckner. Swinging neckbreaker from left field by Santel and both men down. Comeback time. Flying burrito forearm…reverse atomic drop…flying clothesline and a hook of the legs but Hammerjack kicked out. Santel with an exploder suplex for another near fall. Hammjerack struggled to his feet. Santel charged. Hammerjack backdropped him over the top, but Santel hung on to the ropes and did a sunset flip back inside. Hammerjack sat down and grabbed the ropes for leverage to get the pin.
Smart move by Hammerjack, a disturbed man who seems to come up on the sunny side of things every time.
(4) Sean Casey (with Samantha) beat Shane Eden in 11:25. Lots of over-the-top cowardly stalling by Casey to start, but it was a good opportunity to ogle Samantha’s sweet ass front and center on the hard cam. “(Eden) never has made it to the brass ring, and you know that’s got to be eatin’ away at him,” said Biggs. They went back and forth with armbars and hammerlocks. Casey went to the ropes. Eden scored with a pair of lariats and spinwheel kick. Eden did the splits, while Casey took a TO for a get well kiss from Samantha. Casey blinded Eden with an eye rake. But Eden picked Casey off the top rope with a solid powerslam for a near fall. Casey finally got the upper hand with a swinging neckbreaker. Casey mocked Eden’s dancing and missed with a fist drop. Eden rallied with high crossbody for a near fall. Casey cut him off. Kleckner caught Casey using the ropes for extra leverage. The crowd got behind Eden bigtime as he attempted to fight up from the bottom. Casey hit a spinebuster for a two count. Casey fish-hooked Eden’s mouth. Awkward transition into a middle rope diamond cutter by Casey. Eden kicked out of the back cover. Casey went to the top, but Eden rolled out from under the elbow drop. Eden made a full-fledged comeback. Close near fall with a bulldog (damn, hook his leg will ya?). Eden telegraphed a backdrop and ate a lariat to the face. Casey missed with an elbow drop. Eden wiffed on a lariat. Superkick by Casey and it’s over.
Johnson stopped Casey for a word at the desk. Casey said getting his sight back was a Christmas Miracle on 34th Street. Casey was raving about how sexy he was when Andrews came out. Samantha distracted Andrews and Casey sucker punched him. Casey all over Andrews and they're in the ring. Casey chokes with the knee while striking a double biceps pose. Andrews made his own save. Casey bailed. Andrews standing tall and we'll see you next week.
Closing Thoughts: This was the only weak episode of the half dozen I've seen. It lacked the great promos and funny lines that make SAW so entertaining. The only storyline advancement was the deal between Casey and Andrews. The surprise was Biggs not changing his tune after Hammerjack beat him to a bloody pulp. This show had more wrestling, respectable matches but nothing special. From what I’ve seen so far, Damian Adams is the best worker on the roster. WWE would have interest if not for his size. I would think they would be on the look out for quality workers that are fluent in Spanish. Havoc has the talent and the know how, but it looks like he isn’t working often enough to go all out and be really sharp. They shaved a couple of minutes of the 10 minute time limit in that one. Andrews looked stupid waiting for James to attack him. On the bright side, the dragon sleeper finish was effective. The Homicidal Tendencies interview was a nice introductory piece. The weird thing was airing it now, because it portrayed the champions so totally out of their current outrageous heel characters. Hammerjack and Santel worked a fast pace. The finish was on the sloppy side. I like Hammerjack as a brawler. Santel’s comeback was just OK. Be it accident or by design, Santel was treading water as a babyface. Eden/Casey had some good stuff and some bad stuff. The announce team did a good job of getting across Eden’s drive and resiliency, and the sheer awesomeness of Samantha as eye candy. Comcast is doing SAW absolutely no favors of late. They tried to air this show on 1/12 (a week behind schedule) but it cut off after 25 minutes. Hopefully, things will be back on track for 1/26 with footage from the New Year’s Brawl show.
