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Showtime Allstar Wrestling – Episode 45
Airing May 17, 2008 on ION Network affiliate WNPX 28 in Nashville
Showtime Allstar Wrestling TV is available at www.sawonline.tv along with other exclusive video content.
Michael St. John and Reno Riggins did the opening at ringside. This week: the return of a rededicated T. J. Harley, Sean Casey and the lovely Tiana, bad attitude - great eye candy, and Drew Haskins vs. Rick Santel. St. John mentioned that Riggins had a hand in training Haskins. Riggins said he strongly advised Haskins against taking the match. And SAW start NOW!
(1) Sean Casey (with Tiana) beat Larry Cooter in 4:06. Casey was clowning early. Tiana was in no hurry getting out of the ring after Kurt Herron called for the bell. The better to give male viewers a chance to ogle that sweet ass. Casey went out to get some TLC from Tiana, and Cooter brought Casey back in the hard way. Cooter did less than zero, until Casey reversed with a swinging neckbreaker. Judging by the colors of Cooter’s ring attire, Reno wondered if Cooter’s sponsor was John Deere. Casey hit a spinebuster, and Cooter rolled a shoulder out of Casey’s lazy back cover. Cooter’s big chance came when Casey ate the buckles charging in - corner lariat and a bulldog for a two count, then a backslide. Game over as Casey ended it with a superkick.
Casey gave MSJ a hard time in the interview area. Kind of an incoherent promo with the gist being the same stuff we’ve heard before. Casey said he was a Chippendale model, a Playgirl model, and the sexiest thing ever in SAW.
A clip of T. J. Harley being choked out by Rob Roy McCoy aired led into a pre-recorded interview with Harley. Harley indicated that he was in mental anguish after that loss and admitted there was truth in the things the announcers were saying about his lack of focus. Harley said the fans had not seen the true fire inside him. Harley said he held the gold before (clip of Harley winning the title. Wow-hardly looks like the same guy) and his goal was to be the SAW champion again.
(2) T. J. Harley pinned Sigmon at 4:26. Reno said Harley was never the same after losing the SAW TV Title, as if it was too much, too soon. Sigmon bailed after absorbing a lariat. Harley stayed aggressive, with a really nice slingshot elbow for a near fall. Harley did a little dance step for the fans and got caught flush upside the head with an enzuigiri. Harley never saw it coming and sold it like a knockout, but kicked out at two. Reno speculated that Harley’s problem was his emotions took over. Dropkick by Sigmon. Sunset flip by Harley but cut off with a lariat. Multiple pin attempts but Sigmon couldn’t make them stick. Harley got a comeback and went for his finisher, which Sigmon reversed into German suplex. That was sweet. But Sigmon made THE BIG MISTAKE going for a top rope diving headbutt. Harley went right to his shoulderbreaker finisher for the win.
MSJ conducted a postmatch interview with Harley, who reiterated his drive and dedication to regain the title.
SAW Summary: Rob Roy McCoy. Highlight clips aired showing McCoy’s vicious, sadistic rise through the ranks of SAW, his mounting frustration with not getting a title shot, and the attack on Jeff Jamison’s deformed limb which lead to his suspension by the SAW BOD. They played a phone conversation with McCoy direct from Scotland. McCoy said we hadn’t seen the last of him. He had his lawyers working on getting him back in the good old USA.
And in the meantime, you can bet your bottom dollar, I am training more vicious and determined to inflict pain, spill blood, and take the SAW Championship back to the highlands of Scotland.
(3) Tennessee Violence Authority (Hammerjack & Matt Dillinger with Paul Adams) beat Shane Eden & Chris Bomb to retain the SAW Tag Titles in 5:10. Eden and Bomb got off to a fast start using quick tags and double teams to press their advantage. But Hammerjack stepped aside on Eden’s cartwheel back elbow, and TVA soon had Eden in a bad way. The highlight of the heat was Dillinger busting out a Falcon Arrow~! Reno said he hated wrestling crazy guys because you couldn’t hurt them. Eden slipped out of Dillenger’s bodyslam attempt and connected with a dropkick. TVA briefly fed Bomb, and then it was sunset flips in stereo by Bomb and Eden. Dillinger tossed Eden out, and while Ricky Bell was checking him, Dillinger cracked Bomb with his pool cue. TVA hit a guillotine legdrop/sideslam combo on Bomb and Hammerjack made the pin.
(4) Chrisjen Hayme beat Josh Crowe in 3:42. Hayme punched Crowe on the break and started to tee off on him. Crowe reversed a hiptoss to launch flurry of offense, but Hayme got his knees up on Crowe’s split-legged moonsault. Hayme hit a double underhook suplex for two. Hed dropkicked Crowe and paused for a pose before covering, and Crowe grabbed the ropes. Hayme licked his bicep, while choking Crowe over the ropes. Hayme caught Crowe right in the face with a stiff flying front kick. Crowe managed to get a foot on the ropes. Reno said it might have been a three count if not for Hayme’s self-absorbed personality. Crowe went up and over Hayme for a reverse roll up. Crowe did a standing moonsault using Hayme’s chest as a platform. It barely made contact but Hayme sold it for a near fall. Hayme rolled through on a sunset flip, dropkicked Crowe in the face, and hit a springboard moonsault for the pin.
“Options Rental Main Event†preview. Reno explained that after A Team jerked away his interview time last week, Drew Haskins, the first graduate of the SAW wrestling academy, went to Deputy Commissioner Mike Sircy and requested a match against Rick Santel. Video footage of the incident aired. Comments from Santel. He admitted Haskins was a talented rookie, but a greenhorn still, one that didn’t belong in the ring with a SAW Hall of Famer and “nature’s greatest miracle.†Santel said the focus should be on the brutal beating A Team handed Boogie Woogie Boy and Arrick Andrews. “Drew, you’re going to be taught a lesson, just like Boogie Nation.†Haskins said he idolized Santel as a great wrestler despite his recent actions. “Somebody, even if it’s just me, Drew Haskins, somebody’s got to stand up and send a message to the A Team.â€
(5) Drew Haskins beat Rick Santel (with Paul Adams) in 4:36. Santel attacked Haskins as soon as slid under the ropes. Santel was smiling and looked completely relaxed. Too much so. Haskins reversed Santel with a spinning headscissors and signaled he was go to the top rope. Santel shoved Bell into the ropes, crotching Haskins on the top turnbuckle. The rest of the match was a total beatdown on Haskins with Santel repeatedly pulling him up to disallow the pin. MSJ called it a mockery of wrestling. Paul and Santel taunted Riggins about what they were doing to his boy. Reno came to ringside to protest. It became a battle of words. While Paul was busy jawing with Reno, Haskins caught Santel in a small package to score the flash pin.
TVA hit the ring and it was 3 on 1 on the helpless rookie. TVA hit their finisher on him. Reno went back to ringside, and Paul just shooed him away with his towel. There was great close up of Haskins with his eyes rolled up in his head, Undertaker style, as Santel had him in a camel clutch. Total humiliation. A Team stood at the bottom of the ramp admiring their work. The crowd popped.
A Team didn’t see Boogie and Andrews standing at the top of the ramp behind them. “And here we go!†The show went off the air with Dream Team cleaning house on A Team.
Closing Thoughts: This review comes on the heels of Corry Maclin’s announcement that Memphis Wrestling may be producing new shows in the near future. This was one of SAW’s weaker shows of late. With that said, when it come to the Memphis style TV wrestling, SAW is setting a standard that will be difficult for Memphis to beat. There’s a dedication to producing the best wrestling television possible with limited resources in SAW that I respect, much the same way I feel about NWA Wildside and its successor, NWA Anarchy. On to this week’s show: The only storyline advancement took place in the last 60 seconds. Crowd was lethargic, and that was the only time they really showed life. Generic win for Casey. He faces Damian for the title next week, although that was not mentioned. Cooter showed nothing, but Reno’s John Deere comment cracked me up. Casey’s promo was a waste. I guess he’s trying to be funny in a heelish way, but it was so unentertaining and had no message. I liked the sitdown with Harley because he got across the burning desire to excel. The weird thing was after all the talk about rededication; Harley made the same dumb, unfocused mistake in the match that he was making before he left. Be that as it may, Harley/Sigmon was the only good wrestling on the show. As previously noted, Sigmon has talent. Harley selling is a big plus. The segment on McCoy was an excellent summary, but it was the phone conversation that made it special. The great thing was McCoy was legit calling from Scotland, not sitting in some apartment in Nashvillle. TVA match was also a standard formula tag. They met some early resistance but a pretty easy win. Not that there’s anything wrong with that from time to time to keep the champs strong. Eden worked most of the way, which was a good thing. The Hayme match was lousy. He’s needs a good opponent to look his best. Crowe’s indietastic offense really dragged it down. The standing moonsault was pitiful, and Hayme’s finisher didn’t look all that hot either. A positive is Hayme once again showed he’s got a variety of finishers in his arsenal. Still, it feels like he’s playing at being heel -it doesn’t ring true. The comments Santel and Haskins made the match preview segment a winner. Anyone that missed last week’s show came away with a full understanding of why this match was taking place. Santel and Haskins were both good in their respective roles. I’m really enjoying Santel as a heel. It’s a good angle. I just wonder if it was done prematurely, in the sense that Haskins isn’t far enough along in the ring where the angle can be used to position him at a higher level.
