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SHOWTIME ALL-STAR WRESTLING TV REPORT

Showtime All-Star Wrestling – Episode 104
Airing August 29, 2009 in Nashville, Tn on CW 58
Taped at the SAW Mill in Millersville, Tn

Prime time on CW 58 opened with the camera panning across a full house at the SAW Mill. At ringside, a sky high Michael Graham and Reno Riggins ran down the upcoming 90 minute debut special. Graham teased a huge announcement about a live SAW show coming soon to Nashville.

Cut to an awesome new opening with footage of Nashville landmarks and SAW’s most well known stars. There was an ever so brief clip of Chase Stevens and Chris Michaels fighting on the roof of the Stadium Inn from the most recent USWO TV show. Hmm…

Cut to Vordell Walker coming down the ramp with the announce team putting him over like a deity.

1 – VORDELL WALKER vs. SHANE “The Brain” SMALLS

The formerly shaggy Smalls exposing his brain more these days with a buzz cut. Walker overpowered Smalls, so he poked the eyes to set up an enzuigiri and a climbing knees strike. Walker right back at him with a snap slam for two. Walker looking for the STO, rocked with a forearm, but recovering nicely with an overhead suplex. Walker hit a spinning uranage slam- a killer finisher called the Savannah Slam.

WINNER: Walker in a minute flat. What better way to start than by showcasing one of SAW’s best athletes. Smalls made the perfect opponent, but his beatnik gimmick sure died quietly.

Walker did a ringside promo. The crowd popped when Walker said he was glad to be back. Walker said Derrick King Enterprises had done everything possible to put him out, and even though he might not be 100%, he was going to make them eat it next time.

Note: Walker’s match and promo were not on the syndicated version.

Sean Casey was accompanied to ringside by five of his freaks. Despite the presence of Lexi Pillman and Fallon in his intro video (those were the days), Tiana was the only recognizable face/body among them.

2 – “Sexy” SEAN CASEY (with Freak Squad) vs. TJ HARLEY

Graham notes this match pitted a former SAW tag team champion against a former SAW singles champion. Harley stayed on Casey’s left arm with dogged determination in the early going. Casey backed Harley onto the turnbuckles, pulled his leg out from under him, and Harley crash landed on the back of his neck. Casey brawled. Casey hit a slingshot suplex. Instead of covering, Casey put his knee across Harley’s throat and did a double biceps pose. Casey grounded Harley with a rear chinlock. Harley powered up, but Casey cut him off with a spinebuster for a near fall. Harley fired back. Harley with the forearm brace to the jaw. Harley ate one charging in, and Casey hit his second rope diamond cutter. Cover and Harley put a foot on the bottom rope. Casey came off the ropes taking Harley’s elevated boot right on the chin. Casey fed Harley for a powerslam and rolled a shoulder at two. Casey sold an atomic drop like Rick Rude. Harley released on a back suplex and hit a neckbreaker. Cool move. Casey kicked out again. Harley went for the fisherman shoulder breaker. No. Superkick from Casey? Yes. 1..2..3.

WINNER: Casey in 6:12. Competitive match with good near falls down the stretch. Casey appears to be completely recovered from the knee injury.

Casey at ringside. Tiana joined in on his catch phrase. He noted that he didn’t discriminate against race or size when it came to Freak Squad. Casey said he was in SAW with one goal in mind, the SAW title belt.

Reno made the huge announcement. SAW brings professional wrestling “not Sports Entertainment” back to the Nashville Fairgrounds on October 10. Stay tuned to future broadcasts and www.sawonline.tv for further details. They went to some terrific clips of the feud between Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas.

The first of many commercial aired for SAW: The Next Level on October 10 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena (former TNA Asylum).

3 – CHASE STEVENS vs. ANDY DOUGLAS (with Paul Adams)

This match originally aired on August 8 and was not included in the one hour syndicated version. It was a great double juice brawl that ended with both men knocked out and unable to beat the 10 count.For the recap, see the review of Episode 101.

The announce team was joined at ringside by Paul Adams and “Nature’s Greatest Miracle” Rick Santel. Adams said SAW couldn’t have a premier party without Santel. Adams ordered the trucky to cue up “a thing of beauty” from last week – three different angles of Andy Douglas powerbombing Chase Stevens through a table in artsy black and white. Cassidy Riley came to ringside. Riley said it was good to be back, but he wished it was under better circumstances. Riley said what A-Team had done to Stevens was a travesty that would not go unanswered. Riley said Stevens might need back surgery and his career might even be over. Riley told Santel to man up. Adams got all high and mighty. Said Riley was acting ignorant.

You need to walk back down that ramp and excuse yourself, Cassidy Riley; this ain’t got nothin’ to do with you.

Riley did no such thing. He called “Nature’s Greatest Mistake” out again. Santel said he needed a minute to respond, then sucker punched Riley, who then jumped on Santel. Adams kicked Riley in the head. Riley collared Adams. Santel sucked punched Riley again. They traded until the refs ran down and broke it up. Fan were chanting “let them fight.” From the ramp, Santel accepted the challenge. Hot stuff.

4 – SAW Tag Team Title Match: Champions DERRICK KING ENTERPRISES (Derrick King & JT Stahr with Sista O’Feelyah) vs. SCARBONI BROTHERS (Handsome Vinnie & Southpaw Sonny)

Reno said O’Feelyah was a very poisonous individual. King was bumping huge for Scarbonis. They did the Irish whip sequence, where one Scarboni acted as a cushion for the other, but when DKE tried it, Vinnie reversed the whip and Sonny punted King’s midsection. Vinnie gave King a drop toe hold into Stahr’s groin. Match did a 180 when Stahr propelled Sonny’s head into the bottom turnbuckle with this cool trip move. Graham called it back leg sweep. DKE got heat on Sonny. O’Feelyah dug her freshly painted nails into Sonny’s throat. Reno claimed “Memphis mogul” King made the cover of Ebony, the who’s who section of the Robb Report, and was tight with Quincy Jones. Hey, might as well go all out. Meanwhile, Sonny was writhing in agony after a DKE double team backbreaker. King collided with Sonny to set up double tags. Vinnie gave King an airplane spin and dumped him on top of Stahr. Elbow drop and a cover but King saved. It went four way. King pulled the ropes down on Sonny and blocked Vinnie’s suplex attempt on Stahr. DKE hit Exit 1-A on Vinnie and Stahr made the pin.

WINNERS: Derrick King Enterprises in 7:11 with the Exit 1-A. Spirited tag match. Strong heat. DKE made Scarbonis look like world beaters early, but when push came to shove, it was King’s mental prowess that saved the day. Well done.

Reno threw it to Graham at ringside for comments from the champions. King said they made it look easy.

It don’t get no better than Derrick King Enterprises. It don’t get no better. Or maybe it does.

King introduced “Teen Excitement” Drew Haskins as the newest member of DKE. Haskins, wearing a brassy dress shirt and tie, said he was so excited to finally be where he belonged. He was done carrying LT Falk and had moved on to bigger and better things. Haskins said O’Feelyah made him excited. “All my fans out there by the way, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, hit me up. Check my updates. Michael Graham, I’m so excited.” King said the teen heartthrob would be bigger than the Jonas Brothers.

Note: The above match and promo appeared only on the 90 minute Nashville special. The syndicated version featured the rematch between DKE and Falk & Haskins. Drew was nowhere to be found. Walker made a surprise return (ribs still taped from injuries suffered at the hands of DKE) to take the hot tag. It broke down four way. Falk was poised to come off the top rope when Haskins ran to ringside to shove him off. DKE pinned Falk with the Exit 1-A. 

5 – HAMMERJACK vs. TAT2 Tat2 couldn’t cope with Hammer’s power game. Hammer unleashed a flying clothesline, a modified Falcon Arrow and a backbreaker on the little guy. Tat2 fired back. He hit a beautiful spinning back kick and a backflip kick to the chin. But Tat2 got too flashy for his own good with a springboard huracanrana, and Hammer planted with a powerbomb. Tat2 was dead meat. Hammer scraped him up and hit his reverse DDT position elbow drop for the pin.

WINNER: Hammerjack in 2:50. Fun while it lasted. As impressive as Hammerjack has looked in a while. Tat2 was the right man to for the job.

6 – CASSIDY RILEY vs. RICK SANTEL (with Paul Adams)

It broke into a brawl as soon as Riley hit the ring. Riley quickly assumed control, beating on Santel inside and outside the ring. Santel offered a handshake. Riley stomped Santel’s foot. But Adams grabbed Riley’s foot and Santel clubbed him from behind. Santel took over with a back suplex for two. Santel worked on Riley’s lower back. Riley made a punching comeback, but Santel got a boot up into Riley’s face and zeroed in on the back. Graham mentioned Riley being out with an ankle injury suffered while doing motion capture for a video game. When Santel used a rear chinlock variation, Reno brought up the night in the Louisville Gardens when Dutch Mantel almost choked him out with the same maneuver. Riley hit the handspring back elbow out of nowhere, then the split moonsault for a close near fall. Santel avoided a cartwheel back elbow and swept Riley’s leg for a two count. Santel tried for the Santel Slam. Riley countered with an O’Connor Roll and Adams jumped up on the apron. Santel’s kick out shot Riley towards Adams. Riley clocked Adams with a forearm. Adams went flying off the apron. DDT by Riley for the three with Adams laid out on the floor in the foreground.

WINNER: Riley in 7:40. A straightforward story match to get Riley over as Stevens’ avenger. Riley looked OK. Crowd wasn’t as hot for this one.

CLOSING THOUGHTS: SAW got off to a strong start in prime time. They had the task of establishing the characters for new viewers provided by being on a much better station in prime time. They also had to update the regular viewers, since SAW were off Nashville for the summer. This episode succeeded on both fronts. It set up the main feud and gave fans a great match right off the bat with the replay of Douglas/Stevens. Walker looked like a star. Casey, DKE, Hammer and Riley all recorded solid wins. On the production end, they added some glitz and polish to give the product a fresh, vibrant look. Overall, it would have been a home run with a stronger closing segment. Not that it was bad, but it didn't leave me with a burning desire for more…The Nashville specific opening was an exceptionally well done…The announce team was jacked to the max for 90 minutes. This was a big deal, so it worked fine. They obviously can’t do that every week, or it will be like TNA where nothing stands out…Riley was booked like he was taking over the spot formerly occupied by Flash Flanagan. Flanagan, who returned two weeks ago to get screwed out a match by Adams, was never mentioned. They really need to explain what became of him for the folks watching in syndication. A few clips would have helped to explain Haskins joining DKE…Tat2 has talent. SAW has guys like Falk, Haskins, Smalls and Hayme (?) on the roster to where they can throw in the occasional fast-paced cruiserweight style match. It would be nice to see Tat2 brought into that mix.