----SAW TV Report by Larry Goodman.
Airing on August 7, 2010 in Nashville on CW58
Taped July 24, 2010 at the Gallatin Civic Center
LAST WEEK…The human buzz saw known as Vordell Walker chewed up Derrick King Enterprises. Walker had Drew Haskins pinned with the STO when he was attacked by DKE, but Walker fought them off 1 against 3…Marc Anthony crushed some jabroni. In true maniac fashion, Anthony then smashed a glass-framed photo of Hammerjack’s daughter against his forehead.
With Reno Riggins and Dan Masters on the call, Vordell Walker made his way through the crowd at the Gallatin Civic Center . Meanwhile, DKE engaged in prematch tomfoolery with Haskins’ workout gizmo.
1 – VORDELL WALKER vs. DERRICK KING (with Drew Haskins & Johnny Bandana & Sista O’Feelyah & Half Dolla)
Masters said Walker turned down an invitation to join DKE on his first night in SAW, and it’s been hell on wheels ever since. It was a full two minutes before they locked up. King broke cleanly the first time, then tried a cheap shot on the second one, but Walker was ready for him with a pair of sky high Biel throws. We returned from commercial break just in time to see Walker spill King over the top with a clothesline. As King took a TO, Security guy “BMIC” Chris Garrett had to create some space between a female fan and O’Feelyah. The crowd didn’t wait for Kurt Herron. They counted King out. King was selling his back as if he was a broken down 70 year old wrestler. Blatant interference by Haskins momentarily backfired, but King was able to dump Walker out so the rest of DKE could have their way with him. Back inside, King’s tactics were pure filth. Haskins used the gizmo on Walker . Masters wanted to know the whereabouts of Wolfie D and Commissioner Freddie Morton. King took a flying crotch bump on the middle turnbuckle. Made his eye balls bulge. Walker on fire. Walker with the overhead belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Walker blocked a high boot from King and played to the crowd for like 30 seconds before converting it into a capture suplex. King kicked out again. Walker hit the Savannah Slam and King was done. Haskins and Bandana piled on for the DQ.
WINNER: Walker via DQ in 14 minutes. Entertaining as a house show match. King and Walker have worked each other enough to where they’re in a comfortable groove. However, for a TV opener it was painfully slow in developing.
It was three on one. “Just appalling,” Reno said disgustedly. Unbeknown to DKE, Wolfie D was climbing to the top rope. All three walked into a flying bodypress like they had blinders on. Wolfie cleared the ring and raised Walker ’s hand.
Showtime Rewind – Wolfie kicking ass during the break.
Wolfie said he hadn’t been Gallatin since 1997 and thanked the fans for supporting SAW. They cut to Bandana and Haskins nursing King to the back. Wolfie asked the fans if they wanted to see Wolfie & Walker vs. DKE for the title next week. They did. Wolfie said they (as if JC Ice didn’t exist) lost the tag titles on an uneven playing field. Walker added that WWE and TNA were looking at two of the best wrestlers on the independent scene.
Tommy Mercer video. A shirtless Mercer walking through what appeared to be the remnants of a bombed out building. “I am a trained killer. When I arrive in Showtime All-Star Wrestling, there will be no mercy.”
It was all jeers and no cheers from the crowd in Gallatin as a glowering Mercer made his way towards the ring. “This man is jacked, Reno ,” said Masters.
2 – “No Mercy” TOMMY MERCER vs. JESSE EMERSON
Mercer slapped Emerson’s face to set the tone. Masters was calling him “Merciless” Mercer. Emerson returned the favor. Mercer responded with a lightning quick series of strikes. Riggins said Mercer reminded him of Rick Rude. Emerson went up & over Mercer to hit a dragon screw leg whip. Emerson was all over Mercer’s leg, but a second up and over came up empty. Mercer flattened Emerson with a high boot in the mush, then delivered another as Emerson tried to get up. (Commercial break) Mercer cut Emerson off with an eye rake and got two with a Russian legsweep. Mercer attacked Emerson’s back. Mercer made a slithering cover after a knockdown Irish whip. Mercer used a cravate spinning neckbreaker for another near fall. Mercer’s momentum carried him to the post when Emerson stepped aside. Emerson mounted a comeback Mercer sold but stayed on his feet until a missile dropkick put him down for a close near fall. Mercer looked out if it, but some possum was being played. Mercer ducked a clothesline and hit the Mercy Kill, although it wasn’t named as such by the announce team.
WINNER: Mercer in 5:35. A solid debut for Mercer. He got a 100% heel reaction and gave Emerson the right amount of offense. It worked in Mercer’s favor to beat a credible opponent rather than some ham ‘n egger.
The Grumpy’s Bail Jumper of the Week was Antonio Keon Turrentine. Agent Hope Redden said this misguided youth had left his poor mother on the hook as his co-signer. What a lovely human being he must be.
Grumpy’s Agent of the Week was a rerun of Matt Joslyn.
3 – ARRICK “The Dragon” ANDREWS vs. “Maniac” MARC ANTHONY
Anthony lit into Andrews before the bell. Andrews ducked a clothesline and nailed him on the button with a dropkick. Andrews measured Anthony for a second dropkick that sent him through the ropes. Andrews followed with a pescado. Back inside the ring, Anthony cut Andrews off and blasted him with a headbutt. Anthony stalked his prey. He strangled Andrews over the middle rope. Anthony went to ringside and delivered the Dick Murdoch elbows with Andrews draped across the ring frame. Andrews was in a world of hurt. Anthony shouted toward the heavens, all the while ignoring a stream of reprimands from guest referee Bubba Perry. We returned from a break to find Anthony mocking the crowd’s chants as he slapped Andrews around. Andrews fired back with a kick to the face, a springy dropkick and a clothesline that spilled both men over the top. The humiliation resumed. Anthony manipulated Andrews’ slack jaw like he was a ventriloquist’s dummy. Andrews reversed a shot into the ring apron. They fought back by the announcers’ table. The crowd buzzed when Anthony picked up a chair. Anthony tossed it into the ring and rolled Andrews under the ropes. Andrews was lying motionless with the crowd chanting “Air-rick! Air-rick! Air-rick”. Anthony came off the top with a diving headbutt. Andrews moved just in time. Both men rose slowly. Anthony swung wildly at thin air. Andrews started to rock Anthony’s world. Andrews hit what was possibly the best spinning heel kick of his SAW career for a near fall. Andrews hit the spinning bulldog and Anthony rolled a shoulder at 2 and ¾. Andrews went for the Dragon’s Curse, but Anthony put Perry in front of him to take the blow. Anthony fired the chair at Andrews’ head and covered for more than a three count, but Perry was still down. Second ref Joe Williams slid in to make the count and Andrews kicked out. Anthony gave Williams a gorilla press to the floor, and it was a damn good thing Williams grabbed the rope to break his fall. Andrews picked up the chair and delivered three shots to the head of Anthony. One of them looked pretty brutal. Andrews covered but still no ref. Anthony slapped the mat four times, then dragged Perry over to count. At two, Anthony got a foot on the rope. As Andrews was checking on Perry, Anthony surprised him with a power slam. Anthony put Andrews throat on the chair edge for the same kill shot that put Hammerjack on the DL. Hammerjack hit the ring and speared Anthony. Hammerjack put Andrews on top of Anthony, grabbed Perry, and they both counted three.
WINNER: Andrews in 11:15. This match worked. On paper, it looked like a style clash, but they did a good job of adjusting to each other’s styles, and they both sold generously. Andrews did most of the accommodating. He also had a little extra zip in his offense working in front of the hometown fans. The heat, on TV at least, was spotty at best, but the crowd did pop huge for the finish.
The hour closed with Anthony and Hammerjack brawlling to the back with Reno going nuts.
AFTERTHOUGHTS: Solid southern style pro wrestling with a house show feel. A lot of SAW TV shows are heavy on pre and post taped segments. With the exception of the Mercer video, this one was live to tape. The emphasis here was wrestling. It was tons better in the ring than any of the recent series of episodes shot at Buffalo Billiards. And it was much better for crowd response as well. It wasn’t the Fairgrounds, but it beat the hell out of the Billiards or the SAW Mill. The main event was by-the- numbers booking to set up Hammerjack/Anthony I Quit showdown and they were able to do it without sacrificing Andrews’ momentum. The visual fall Andrews got before Hammerjack interfered was crucial. Hammerjack finally got sweet revenge, as it was the first time Anthony had been pinned in SAW, a span of almost two years. The match had all the bells and whistles that become meaningless when overused, but SAW is good about avoiding that pitfall. Rather than trying to hit a home run with every show, Paul Adams’ philosophy is to give the viewers just enough to bring them back for more… Walker is long overdue to gain the proper retribution against DKE. That story has been running off and on for better than a year and a half. Under the circumstances, it’s a tribute to Walker ’s resiliency that he’s still as over as he is…I hope SAW has plans for Emerson. His work merits another good storyline…Masters isn’t the play-by-play guy that Michael Graham was, but he gets the storylines over with a passion, and he and Reno are developing a nice chemistry. I always find Reno entertaining, but he could stand to freshen up his supply of metaphors. This was an hour well spent.
