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Last Week…SAW International Champion Chase Stevens pinned Johnny Bandana with the reverse DVD…Derrick King Enterprises defeated Wolfie D & Vordell Walker in a classic travesty of justice, when King bashed Walker with Wolfie’s hubcap.
Reno Riggins and Dan Masters greeted TV land from the ring at the Algood Middle School for a BIG night of action. The crowd is amped. It’s all good in Algood they say.
It’s Showtime and SAW starts NOW!
1 – ARRICK “The Dragon†ANDREWS vs. “King†SHANE WILLIAMS
Williams carried a crown to the ring. No sooner did Reno mention the capacity crowd then they caught a shot of the side with empty bleachers. They opened a lengthy feeling out process with an intense collar and elbow sequence. Andrews had the crowd right away and they just got stronger for him. Williams was such an arrogant jerk that the crowd was just fine with Andrews taking shortcuts. Tempers flared. Andrews threatened to stomp the king’s jewels, then delivered a leg drop instead. Williams used an eye rake to break up the pin attempt. Williams went on offense – mostly chokes, stomps and punches. Andrews rallied with a dropkick that sent Williams through the ropes and followed with a pescado. Back inside, Andrews mounted the ropes for the 10 punches, but Williams dropped his face on the top turnbuckle. Williams in no hurry here. Williams signaled for a vertical suplex. Andrews blocked and reversed it. Andrews made a full fledged comeback and pinned Williams with the Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am (double underhook DDT).
WINNER: Andrews in 10:09. This match painted a clear picture. Williams did a stellar job of unveiling the loathsome nature of his character
Grumpy’s Agent of the Week was a repeat of the segment with Kristy Joslyn.
Cut to Williams’ private locker room where he was flipping out about losing to Andrews “I’m a king! I’m a king! I’m a king!†Williams repeated it like a mantra. Williams said he was not going to let Andrews embarrass him in his first opportunity at SAW to show he was a king. “I was born a winner. My mom said I was special. I know I’m special. I know I am. I know I am…â€
NWA National Champion (not named as such) Phil Shatter showed up out of the blue after the Gallatin event to challenge Stevens. Shatter ripped his shirt off and said “that’s what a champion looks like.†This was the first airing of the same video clip that was repeated the next week. Reno said Shatter had not yet signed a contract with SAW. Masters hyped the Stadium Inn taping that took place the next afternoon.
2 – “Merciless†TOMMY MERCER vs. J-ROD
Mercer gave J-Rod no chance. He jumped him from behind and delivered a withering barrage of blows, including four straight corner lariats. Mercer used a hanging front suplex for a near fall. (commercial break) Mercer paused to blow off the fans and missed a kneedrop. J-Rod seized the moment. He got Mercer off his feet with a dropkick to the knee, A flash kick was good for barely a two count. J-Rod continued to soften Mercer up with strikes. He dropped Mercer with a neckbreaker. When J-Rod tried for a springboard crossbody, Mercer made the catch and finished him with the Mercy Kill.
WINNER: Mercer in 4:04. The point is being made: Mercer is a cold-blooded monster with a great finisher.
Mercer continued to beat on J-Rod, hitting a second Mercy Kill and still refusing to let up. Walker hit the ring for a staredown with Mercer, who was not happy about his fun being spoiled.
Moments ago…a replay of the Mercer’s postmatch devastation and Walker’ save.
A package of videos aired to preview the I Quit match between Marc Anthony and Hammerjack…NEXT WEEK on SAW. It was striking just how creepy the ones with Anthony stalking Hammer’s daughter really were.
3 -- VORDELL WALKER vs. CHRISTIAN JACOBS (with Jon Michael Worthington)
Worthington was walking with a cane (because of a shoulder injury). Reno said that was a lot of malarkey. They came out firing chops. Walker scored the first knockdown with a dropkick and sent Jacobs over the top with a lariat. Walker did a tope that carried him into the first row. Worthington suckered Walker into chasing him around the ring to where Jacobs was laying in wait with a lariat. Back inside the ring, Jacobs gave Walker a beating. Jacobs dropped an elbow for two and locked on a bodyscissors. Walker powered out. They traded some really lame punches. Wrong time for that close up shot. Jacobs got a near fall with a Russian legsweep. Walker answered with a missile dropkick. He covered and Jacobs grabbed the ropes. (commercial break) Masters said Walker still wasn’t right after the hubcap shot. Reno said Walker had taken two bad bumps on his head in the match. Walker blocked Jacobs’ suplex and reversed it. Both slow to rise. Jacobs was up first, but Walker grazed him with an enzuirgiri for another double down. Jacobs climbed to the top. Walker looked out of it, but he blocked Jacobs’ double ax and hit an overhead belly to belly suplex. Both down for a count of eight. Walker was on fire now. He hit a powerslam for a near fall. Jacobs kicked Walker in the throat and set up for the spear. Walker met him with a high knee. Walker hoisted Jacobs into a fireman’s carry, tossed him onto his gut, and signaled for the STO. Worthington tripped Walker with the cane. Jacobs capitalized on the distraction by spearing Walker’s ass for the pin. Worthington was limping and holding his shoulder on his way out.
WINNER: Jacobs in 8:42. Not a very cohesive match, just two powerhouse guys battering each other with random moves, but it got the job done. There were some explosive spots, and a few things that looked bad. Walker’s connection with the crowd was a huge plus. The comments about the head shots created a context for Walker’s vulnerability.
Jack Johnson interviewed a frustrated Walker in the locker room. Walker said things would be different if Wolfie D was there. He was interrupted by DKE. “You have every right to be frustrated,’ King said. “Who would team a thug like Wolfie D and a meathead like you up together?†Trash talking ensued. King brought Walker’s mother into it. Walker threw a punch that hit the locker. DKE scrammed.
The show closed with an ad for Walker & Wolfie vs. DKE at the Stadium Inn.
AFTERTHOUGHTS: Two heels were introduced as major players, and while there was little else in the way of groundbreaking content, this episode accomplished its objective, which was to set up the next two weeks of TV. The uniqueness of Shatter’s first appearance set him apart, as did Masters’ comment about him being too violent for WWE. Nevermind that this badass champion a security guy on TNA. Likewise, the presentation of Williams’ Napoleon complex was unexpected and far from ordinary. There’s an edgy intensity to Williams presence that reminds me of Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker†and “The Townâ€), which can only be a good thing….The Stadium Inn taping the next afternoon was pushed hard. Hell, Reno even mentioned Bill Deshields. Whether it made any difference, who knows, but they ended up with a full house…Walker/Jacobs is a mini-program brought about by the absence of Genesis and Wolfie. It had the side benefit of putting Walker in the ring with somebody (anybody!) but DKE. The confrontation with Mercer plants the seeds for title contention, if and when his seemiingly interminable feud with DKE ever ends…There was a nice bit of editing on the Mercer match. They ditched the conclusion of his intro (he got a pop) and the screwed up first attempt at the Mercy Kill…This show served its purpose well.
