Showtime Allstar Wrestling – Episode 49
Airing June 14, 2008 on ION Network affiliate WNPX 28 in Nashville
For a comprehensive review of Nashville’s weekly wrestling TV shows, SAW and NWA Main Event, check out [url=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TVD]Jerkin’ the Curtain radio[/url] with Trent Van Drisse and Tommy Stewart.
Michael St. John and Reno Riggins opened the show. One thing for sure, it was going to be BIG. MSJ used that adjective no less than five times to describe the upcoming events, which included the return of the Naturals and a BIG six man tag: Tribal Nation & Drew Haskins vs. the A-Team.
(1) The Naturals (Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas) beat the Missouri Bad Boys (Missouri Renegade & Mark Southern with Cash McCoy) in 4:26. MSJ said the fans in the SAW mill were going out their minds. Naturals looked invincible early with a double lariat by Stevens, a big combo move and high knee by Douglas. MOBB put heat on Douglas. McCoy got involved and the announcers ripped on his gaudy money sports coat. St. John said his friend, Larry Matysik told him MOBB were a team to be reckoned with. Douglas turned thing around with a hangman neckbreaker on Southern. Steven took the hot tag and sent Renegade over the top with a wicked full speed lariat. Natural Disaster on Southern for the pin by Stevens.
MSJ did a quickie generic interview with the Naturals. Stevens said they were back in SAW to stay. Douglas said they were there to make an impact.
Commissioner Freddie Morton addressed the controversy surrounding the SAW Television Title. Morton said two top contenders, Rob Roy McCoy and Rick Santel, had complained about the “luck of the draw” system for determining title shots, and a third, Kid Kash had attacked champion Damian Adams resulting in a role reversal wherein the champion challenged the challenger. Bottom line: the luck of the draw was history. The SAW BOD had determined that Kash would get the next title shot in today’s main event. Morton explained that SAW had grown from cable access to a local network affiliate and international syndication. Therefore, at SAW’s first anniversary show in three weeks, the title would be renamed the SAW International Championship and the champion would be presented with a new belt. At that point, a new system would be put into effect for determining title challengers. Each week, the BOD would post a list of the top ten challengers at www.sawonline.tv. A fan vote would then determine the top three challengers. The BOD would select one of those three for the next title shot.
(2) Sean Casey (with the Freak Squad) beat Cassidy Riley in 3:20. Casey had “Sexy Lexi” Pillman, Tian and two clueless hotties in his corner for a grand total of four women in various states of undress. The announce team referenced an incident reflecting dissension between Sean and Lexi that the viewers did not see. Riley nailed his handstand back elbow, a high backdrop and pair of lariats. Casey bailed for a little loving from Lexi. Riley brought Casey back in the hard way, but Casey hooked the ropes to block Riley’s DDT finisher. Casey was all about the shortcuts. He missed with a ridiculous razzle dazzle fist drop, but connected with a serious spinebuster. Lexi went over to make goo-goo eyes at Riley, and Casey told her to get back where she belonged. Riley rolled an unsuspecting Casey up for the three count. Casey lectured Pillman on their way out.
UP NEXT…the bumper showed Bruno Davis twitching like he had a seriously bad case of Tourette’s. Davis said he was being well paid to take out TJ Harley, but the money was irrelevant because he was savoring the chance to break Harley’s limbs.
(3) TJ Harley beat Bruno Davis in 3:20. Harley met Davis on the ramp and it was on. Davis’ barking and maniacal intensity prompted the announce team to conjure up the names of Mad Dog Vachon, Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer, Bruiser Brody and The Sheik. Davis went right to work on Harley’s heavily bandage arm, the one he injured last week with his hickory stick. MSJ said this feud was a carryover from Calgary Stampede. With Harley laying on the apron, Davis delivered a pair of double stomps to the gut. Davis then continued the beatdown inside the ring. Davis tried to use the hickory stick, but Harley ducked and smashed the stick into Davis’ head with a forearm shot for the 1-2-3.
MSJ got a word with Harley, who was selling the arm injury huge. Harley said Davis didn't have the brains to be doing this stuff on his own (I guess TJ didn’t see the bumper). “Somebody’s got the cheese in front of Bruno Davis, and I’m going to find out who it is.”
Riggins was on location at Centennial Park with the Dream Team. Riggins said he had gotten a lot of nasty emails since he fired of Boogie and Andrews. Riggins said it was the toughest thing he ever had in 20 years in the business. Riggins said they were doing the interview at a neutral site since Dream Team was banned from the SAW mill. Boogie said his first reaction was to want to sock Reno in the jaw, but he respected Reno, and recognized that Riggins had a company to run, even though he disagreed with his decision. Boogie laid the blame on Paul Adams and A-Team because they knew what they were doing.
What do you do? What do you tell the honest people in the world? How do you explain to them that you stand up for something. For what? To get knocked back down?
Andrews said Dream Team had helped build the company to worldwide status, and they would unable to reap the benefits. Andrews said he never had so much as a speeding ticket and now he couldn’t get a job because he had a criminal record. Riggins asked them what was next. Boogie said the future was unclear. He allowed they might be able to work for some fly-by-night promoters that had criminal records themselves. Andrews said SAW was their home, and they might file an appeal through Miss Boogie. Miss Boogie said she most definitely wanted to sit down with the SAW BOD. “These are my boys. I mean if they’re not here, I really don’t think I’m interested in being here.”
(4) The A-Team (Hammerjack & Matt Dillinger & Ric Santel with Paul Adams) defeated Tribal Nation (Lennox Lightfoot & Indian Outlaw) & Drew Haskins in 8:33. Haskins held his own with Dillinger for a couple of minutes before A-Team trapped him in their corner. A fierce beating ensued. Riggins said he agreed with A-Team’s strategy of taking advantage of the weak link. He likened the way they cut off the ring to the Andersons. Outlaw had to save after a sitout slam by Hammerjack. Haskins got planted with a DDT, and Lightfoot broke up that pin. A clash of lariat left both men down. Lightfoot on fire with dropkicks and spinwheel kicks. Tribal Nation took Hammerjack out with a double tomahawk chop. Ditto for Santel with a double dropkick. Lightfoot zeroed in on Dillinger. He pulled ref Kurt Herron into the path of Lightfoot’s springboard chop. Tribal Nation (kinda) hit the Totem Pole Splash on Dillinger, but no ref to count. Haskins ended up on the receiving end of a low blow from Dillinger. TVA hit the guillotine leg drop/side slam on Haskins. Hammerjack covered, and Dillinger swung Herron into position for the count.
(5) Damian Adams and Kid Kash went to a TV time limit draw (5:10). MSJ rung the bell as Adams slid into the ring. Kash stomped the s*** out of him. Reno found Kash’s sadistic tactics disgusting. Damian fired back with right hands and rained down the 10 punches. Kash scooted out of the ring to escape Damian’s bicycle kick. Kash lured Damian out so he could cut him off on the reentry. After eating a barrage of right hands, Kash bailed again. Kash shoved a fan legit in frustration. The security guy was smirking. Damian was all over Kash. Back inside, Kash offered a handshake. This time, Damian didn’t fall for it (thank God). Damian rocked Kash with another series of rights. Kash ate an elbow charging in, and Damian bounced Kash’s head off of all four turnbuckles. As the time limit expired, Kash sent Damian’s head into the turnbuckle with a dropkick to the shin. Damian clutched at his neck.
Kash was like a man possessed on Damian’s neck. He shoved the ref down. Riggins came to ringside to break it up, and Kash shoved him down as well. Cut to a shot of Reno down on the floor. Kash gave Damian the brainbuster. Kash had Damian mounted and continued to pound on his head, as SAW went to black.
Closing Thoughts: Another strong episode for storyline development, which is almost a given of late. There was a noticeable improvement in the intensity and quality of action in the ring. It’s no wonder when you look at the talent – Kash, Riley, Naturals – that has come on board in recent weeks. Naturals looked highly motivated in their first match back in SAW, and the fans were into them. They would be a lock to become the number on babyface team, except for the fact that Douglas appeared on the NWA Main Event television show (also on ION) stating he had split with Stevens a week before this show aired. MOBB were there to do the job. Period. The changes Morton announced regarding the SAW Championship are all for the good. I like the way they got across the idea of multiple quality challengers clamoring for a shot. I very much like that they are sticking with one singles title. It can’t hurt to try to draw some traffic to the website, though I don’t think the roster is deep enough for a top 10 list. Casey/Riley was very good for the time allotted. It will be interesting to see where they go with Lexi’s wandering eye. She projects something interesting on camera beyond the risqué outfit. The mystery of the manipulator behind Davis the maniac is decent undercard fare. Seeing what they did with Davis this week, however, only made it weirder that they did the fan thing last week. The on location interview with Dream Team was pretty f'n brilliant. What viewer can’t identify with “let no good deed go unpunished” angle? Stunningly good VQ in that segment. The stuff about not being able to get a job with a criminal record was a bit much. If it was that tough, there would be a lot more out of work wrestlers. Haskins was perfectly cast in the six man. I was surprised that Santel wasn’t the one to pin him. Kash/Damian was just right for a first meeting. The draw was telegraphed, since they never, ever do a TV time limit match. Kash sold big and acted like a conniving chickenshit. Damian was smart and aggressive. The postmatch built heat for a rematch. I found little to complain about with this week’s show.
