----Larry Goodman reporting.
Showtime All-Star Wrestling – Episode 169
Airing May 6, 2011 on the America One Network
Taped March 26, 2011 at the Stadium Inn in Nashville, TN
Airing May 6, 2011 on the America One Network
Taped March 26, 2011 at the Stadium Inn in Nashville, TN
SAW airs on America One at 10pm Fridays with a replay at 3pm Sunday with an internet stream at wvvh.com.
Last Week on SAW…David Young scored a fair and square win over Matt Riviera with his signature spinpebuster…”King” Shane Williams said Arrick Andrews would get his match after his was done with Michael Cole at Wrestlemania…Andrews said he was coming for Williams…Derrick King defeated a concussed Cody Melton.
Michael Graham gave the rundown for the upcoming hour…AND SAW STARTS NOW!
1 – DAVID YOUNG (with Paul Adams) vs. NICK IGGY
Iggy was a walking advertisement with his very own “Iggy” sign. At the opening bell, Young overwhelmed Iggy with punches and went right to a fierce spinebuster for the pin.
WINNER: Young in 18 seconds.
Dr. John Darden updated the injury situation regarding Melton. Darden said Melton suffered a shoulder separation and a severe concussion. “Mr. Melton does not remember anything about the match.” Darden said Melton was on the DL and he would reevaluate his condition in three weeks.
Next up was the return of The Drew Tube with “Teen Excitement” Drew Haskins answering fan mail. Cindy wanted to know if Drew attended the 24th Annual Nickolodeon Kiss Choice Awards. Haskins claimed that he won five awards but could not appear on TV due to his contract with Derrick King Enterprises. Haskins gave a shout out to Big Time Rush for their electrifying performance on the show.
Drew had another agenda – ranting at length about Melton. Haskins said Melton got the beating he deserved. Haskins said that after taking “the hand from God” from King, Melton looked like one of Drew’s star-struck fans. Haskins said Melton’s career was over, just like what happened to Taylor Swift after he got the restraining order against her.
Grumpy’s Bail Bonds Bail Jumper of the Week was Paul Adams again. Leah Hulan was standing in front of LP Field this week, looking scrumptious in her leopard print dress. Hulan advised Adams to turn himself in because she was this close to taking him down.
[commercial break]
Graham said he was still reeling from the Drew Tube episode. He marveled at the heart shown by Melton and was appalled by Haskins’ lack of class. Graham referenced Kid Kash’s poignant words about Chris Michaels a few weeks back (Huh? Kash basically said he was washed up) and pitched to words from Michaels.
Michaels was seated in the stairwell at the Stadium Inn. Michaels admitted he hadn’t been on track in SAW lately, causing him to reevaluate his career. Michaels said he had been chasing the dream for over 20 years, and there had many nights at the Stadium Inn that he wrestled his heart out to give maybe 30 or 40 people some Wrestlemania moments. Michaels said he recognized the reality that at this stage of the game a WWE contract wasn’t in the cards, and he could accept it, but his career wasn’t a failure and refused to focus on the negative. Michaels said he had a 14 year old son that idolized him and one day wanted to be a wrestler, and like a good parent, he didn’t want to let his son down. Therefore, he had decided to carry on. Michaels said SAW wasn’t WWE, but it was a highly respected promotion and he felt privileged to wrestle for them. Michaels said he was setting a goal of becoming the SAW International Champion.
If I do achieve that goal, I can look at my son and say, ‘Son, I did it.’ My son can go around to his peers, and all the family, and everybody else that’s doubted Chris Michaels, and he can say, ‘Look, my dad did it…He is somebody.
[commercial break]
Michaels was in the ring. Graham said Michaels showed surprising heart for a guy that hasn’t shown much of one in SAW. Quest’s intro featuring Xtacy’s boobs aired in it’s entirety. His hairstyle would send Vince through the roof.
2 – CHRIS MICHAELS vs. JT QUEST (with Xtacy)
Michaels scored with a knockdown shoulder block on Quest, whose size makes him no pushover. Quest worked the arm. Fans were calling for him to break it off when Michaels just unleashed a barrage of right hands. Quest hiptossed Michaels and clothesllined him over the top.
[commercial break]
Quest fell into to Michaels’ trap and had his throat snapped off the ropes. Back inside, Michaels beat him down in the corner. Michaels raised his hands. Left short lariat by Michaels for two. Graham was talking about the heartfelt interview, Michaels was trying to disfigure Quest’s face. Michaels pressed the advantage with an uppercut followed by a knockdown whip. Quest sold the back before firing back to the gut. Michaels raked the eyes to set up a powerdrive side suplex and kept on clubberin. Michaels took a flying clotch bump onto the middle turnbuckle. Quest made a stiff if not all that swift looking comeback. BIG powerslam for a near fall. Quest missed with the home run bicycle kick and ate a superkick for three.
WINNER: Michaels in 7:20.
[commercial break]
Grumpy’s Bail Jumper of the Week – Part Two. Shot in downtown Nashville with the Tennessee River was in the background. The reward is still on for that drug dealing rascal Levar Five Daily. He gets around via his better half Courtney White.
Levar, if you’re out there watching tonight, I’m begging you, and I don’t beg often, please turn yourself in…I know you have it in you, but if you don’t, our wrestling fans are watching closely. They’re going to take you down. Wrestling fans please call 877-GRUMPYS. Reward, BIG Reward, leading to capture.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge”
- Paul Gaugin
We revisited the promos explaining the bad blood between Jeff Daniels and Hammerjack. As the story goes, they were in the same biker gang back in Houston. Daniels is seeking revenge for Hammer’s alleged betrayal of a fellow gang member who just so happened to be Dominique’s brother. Hammer denies the accusations flat out but whatever, he isn’t backing down. This culminated in a brawl that went all over the Stadium Inn. They ended up in a hotel room where Dominique cracked the back of Hammerjack’s skull with a glass vase.
One good act of vengeance deserves another”
- John Jefferson
[commercial break]
3 – Falls Count Anywhere in Davidson County – JEFF “The Crippler” DANIELS vs. HAMMERJACK
Graham noted Dominique’s absence from ringside. He speculated that Daniels iced her due to safety concerns. Hammerjack hit the ring and immediately started taking damage. Hammerjack’s comeback got off to a shaky start, but they got it in gear. Daniels used an elbow to the cranium for a long two count. Small chant for Hammer here. Daniels dumped him, but Hammer did a number on Daniels’ shoulder with the ringpost. Hammerjack tried to disable Daniels’ left arm (his strong side). Graham said it was more like a regular wrestling match than what he expected. Hammerjack upped the aggressiveness factor,slaming Daniels head into a chair at ringside. From his back, Daniels jabbed Hammer with the chair and kicked him in the face. Daniels covered for the first pin attempt outside the ring.
[commercial break]
Leah plugged Grumpy’s Bail Bonds/MTSU Blue Raider Battalion Golf Fundraiser with Reno Riggins and Chase Stevens participating.
Daniels ran Hammer into the wall of the Stadium Inn and rolled him over for two. When Hammer started his comeback, Daniels kicked him right up the ying yang. Daniels dropped an elbow on the concrete floor for a long two count. Daniels made a cover with Hammer halfway inside the ring. Daniels ate it on a leap off the middle rope and tumbled to the floor. Daniels kicked out of two pin attempts in the aisle. The battle moved onto to a landing outside the back door. Pretty dim lighting out there. Back inside, they continued beating each other senseless, and eventually fought their way through the curtain. Graham said they would get a camera back there.
[commercial break]
Back in the interview area, a severely stressed Michael Graham was trying to piece the situation together. A referee and a cameraman were both down backstage and Hammerjack was badly injured. Check sawonline.tv for new information as it becomes available.
WINNER: ????????
Afterthoughts: I had mixed reactions to this show. The swift follow up on the legit serious injury Melton suffered last week was well handled. Graham presented it so it didn’t come across just like another worked wrestling deal, and Haskins came across like the kind of callous ass hole where you really want to see him get his face pounded by the time he’s finished talking. Even Dr. Darden was easier to take this week…Young’s win made it three consecutive clean victories for A-Team, which has been a much needed change of pace. The outside interference was getting way too predictable. Still, it’s hard to take Young seriously as a badass when he’s wearing that suit…Hammerjack/Daniels had a surrealistic feel. It was the type of match that needs a hot crowd to make it work, and this crowd was anything but. It feels weird to me when fans have a ho-hum response to an intense brawl. It was like either they didn’t know the storyline behind it or they didn’t care. It was also weird that they started out with wrestling. The cliffhanger ending was a nice swerve. They led viewers to believe they were going to see a conclusion, and then failed to deliver, which is device that only works when used sparingly…Daniels is so great with the little things, in this case making a cover with Hammer under the ropes to highlight the unique stipulation…Framing the promos with the quotes was a unexpected touch of class…The Michaels interview was gold. It was the making of a babyface people can get behind. The content had that undeniable ring of truth. Then he wrestled the match doing his usual heel schtick. Very confusing. The match itself was fine. Quest was the lone talent from their ill-fated collaboration with RTW who deserves to be on TV…Leah is getting warm in her manhunt for Adams. Her “most wanted’ segment was shot within spitting distance of the Stadium Inn, so it’s a state sad of affairs if she doesn’t end up capturing him…On balance, the good things about this show outweigh the bad. It’s worth checking out.
Feedback welcomed – larry@georgiawrestlinghistory.com
