Airing April 26, 2008 in Nashville on ION Network affiliate WNPX 28
Michael St. John and Reno Riggins were at ringside to open the show. They informed us that today’s main event would be a tag team grudge match with the Tennessee Violence Authority making their first title defense against the Dream Team.
(1) Rick Santel (with Paul Adams) beat Chris Eckos in 5:06. Santel immediately double Eckos over with a knee to the gut and shared a chuckle with Paul. Eckos showed had something for Santel, but ended up with a real tummy ache after a crash-and-burn quebrada. Paul shed mock tears and used his towel to wipe them dry. As Santel was having fun beating up on Eckos, Riggins theorized that Santel turned to the dark side because he was jealous of Boogie Woogie Boy’s popularity and then Paul got in his head. MSJ and Reno put Paul over as one of the greatest managerial masterminds of all time. St. John put him above Saul Weingeroff, Sir Clement and Lou Albano when it came to giving his man the advantage in a match. Eckos escaped from a back suplex and decked Santel with a discus forearm. The comeback was short-lived as Santel put Eckos away with the Santel Slam.
Postmatch, Santel tied up Eckos so Adams could slap the defenseless kid across the face. It made Reno sick at his stomach.
Video highlights of “Best of the Best” Chrisjen Hayme aired next.
(2) Shane Eden defeated Lawrence Lane in 10:58. Lane was pissed about Shane’s stylin’ and attacked from behind. Eden came right back with a pair of spinwheel kicks. It was all Eden in the opening minutes with the crowd completely behind him. Riggins said Eden had rededicated himself and was in the best shape he had seen him in 4 or 5 years. Lane used a mule kick to the nutsack to turn the match around. Lane ripped at Eden’s eyes, choked him with his necktie and locked in a sleeper. Reno said Lane was doing a good job of cutting off the oxygen supply. Lane distracted the ref and leg-dropped Eden’s groin. Lane started working the knee. MSJ mentioned that Eden was coming off of knee surgery. Eden broke free and tried to nip up, but the knee gave way. Lane applied a single leg crab. Eden made the ropes. Lane chop blocked him to continue the torture. Enzuigiri from nowhere and Lane went down in a heap, but Eden was very slow to cover. Eden baited Lane with the crane pose and dropkicked him for a near fall. Lariats on one leg. Lane begged off. Eden pulled the straps down. Eden did the 10 punches. Lane down face first. Eden went for a monkey flip, but Lane blocked and covered with his feet on the ropes. Eden kicked out at two and a half. As Lane griped at the ref, Eden caught him with an O’Connor roll for the three count.
Next up was a personality profile on SAW Television Champion Damien Adams conducted by Riggins. Damien said Ricky Steamboat and Bret Hart were the wrestlers that had the most influence on his style. Damien said his family was supportive of his career in pro wrestling, and although being the champion had him on the road constantly, he was only able to make it back to New York once or twice a week. Damien said he was more than glad to defend the title against Rob Roy McCoy. Damien said he had the opportunity to work for WWE and TNA on several occasion.
Back from commercial, Rob Roy McCoy was with MSJ and wanted to know what was up his title shot. McCoy said he had proved his dominance and Damien had already agreed to the match. That brought Commissioner Freddie Morton out. Morton said he didn’t know how they did things in Scotland but in the good old USA, challengers had to work their way up from the bottom, and furthermore, Neither Damien or McCoy had decision making power. McCoy said it was typical American red tape, and Morton was scared he would take the title for good. McCoy said the blood would be on Morton’s hands, because he was going to run through SAW talent until he got his title shot.
(3) Sucio vs. Dave Leveque ended in a no contest at 1:42 when Rob Roy McCoy attacked the both of them. As two smallish competitors from Derby City Wrestling traded holds, McCoy joined MSJ on commentary.
Everything! I’m entitled to the world and everything in it, because of my bloodline, my superiority, and the fact that you heathens and cretins fail to realize this. Look at these two guys. This disgusts me. These two guys are buddies, keeping it clean, nobody breaking the rules, pandering to the fans. It’s everything I stand against.
Taking matters into his own hands, McCoy dumped Sucio out of the ring and slapped the crossface chickenwing on Leveque. The refs couldn’t pry McCoy off. It took Deputy Commissioner Mike Sircy reading him the riot act to compel McCoy to break the hold.
The SAW cameras were there as the A Team continued to gallivant around Nashville in their limo. This week, Hammerjack allegedly had an image of Lindsay Lohan on his cell phone. Ultimate chick magnet, Rick Santel said he never dated her.
I’m Rick Santel, daddy, I have standards.
Adams tried to focus his crew on the task at hand: TVA’s title defense against Dream Team. Hammerjack said he knew what it was like to be walked on in life, and now it was diamond rings and limousines. He vowed that the gold would stay with TVA. Santel said he would have their backs. Matt Dillinger was completely out of his skull during the entire segment. He was screaming and babbling at nobody in particular. Paul said he had been reading “How to Make Friends and Influence People.” Dillinger wanted to read it. He asked if it had pictures. Hammerjack offered to read it for him. Paul said the book’s message was set goal and achieve them, just like A team had done. The goals for this week were to retain the titles and eliminate the Dream Team.
I love it! I love it! I love it when a plan comes together.
(4) Tennessee Violence Authority (Hammerjack & Matt Dillinger with Paul Adams) beat Dream Team (Boogie Woogie Boy & Arrick Andrews with Miss Boogie) to retain the SAW tag team titles in 7:58. Boogie was a vision in silver with a dorag to match the tights, as TVD would say, you have to love a man that knows how to accessorize. Boogie kissed Reno and used ref Kurt Herron as a coat rack for his ring garb. Andrews displayed his wrestling skills. Boogie just used his fists. The TVA was in disarray. Dream Team dropped a razzle dazzle double elbow on Dillinger, and Andrews laid in some nasty knee strikes. When Andrews mounted the ropes for the 10 punches, Dillinger countered with an inverted atomic drop to start the heat. TVA worked on Andrews’ knee. Reno said that was good strategy against a high flier. Hammerjack hit a sidewalk slam, and Boogie had to make a save. TVA switched without tagging. Andrews connected with a standing dropkick on Dillinger to set up the hot tag. TVA was getting bounced around by Boogie, so Paul antagonized Miss Boogie to distract ref Kurt Herron. Hammerjack nailed Boogie with the sledgehammer and Dillinger covered for the pin. The closing shot was Paul triumphantly raising TVA’s hands on the ramp.
Closing Thoughts: The chaotic segment on the limo was again, one of the highlights of the show. Dillinger is certifiable. McCoy is gold. The deal attacking the jobbers further amplified his heat. His promo, although delivered as a bitching, arrogant heel, had the ring-of-truth of a babyface – the promotion was screwing him and he was calling them on their BS. The “luck of the draw” gimmick to determine title challengers is a problem. They’re building up McCoy and to a less extent, Hayme, as legit challengers because they win matches, but there’s no way to earn a title shot based on merit, which doesn’t do much for the credibility of your title. I didn’t think the personality profile did much for Damien. Riggins talked about him growing up in Puerto Rico, but his accent is pure New York/New Jersey, and he mentioned returning there to visit family. The idea of portraying it like Damien had a busy road schedule defending the title was ridiculous. Anyone watching knows the only shows the promotion advertises outside the SAW Arena are in Columbia and Lebanon, and Damien usually isn’t even booked. The Santel match was what it needed to be. He needed a decisive win after last week. I love MSJ’s 70s and 80s references, but how many viewers had any idea who Sir Clement or Saul Weingeroff were? Eden vs. Lane was a pleasant surprise. They were sent out to kill time because some of the talent had not arrived due to travel problems and had a very good match. Crowd was really into Eden. His selling made the match. Good heat for the main. No surprise in that one. TVA went over in the first meeting, just as they should have – with distraction and a weapon shot – to build for bigger things down the road. TVA worked like a well-oiled machine. Overall, a good show.
