Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
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…Roxy Rossi sprayed Ryan Genesis in the face to give Jesse Emerson a cheap win…Ryan Mitchell scored his first SAW victory with a finisher that looked suspiciously similar to the one used by Arrick Andrews…Despite being tied to a chair in the back, Johnny Bandanna managed to hop to ringside, causing a flabbergasted Derrick King Enterprises to lose their title rematch.
We went directly from the opening montage to Dominique leading her man, Jeff Daniels to the ring for the opening match. Announcer Michael Graham said that the core of the problem between Hammerjack and Daniels was a family issue, because the guy that allegedly took the fall for Hammerjack in this convoluted storyline was Dominique’s brother.
1 – JEFF “The Crippler†DANIELS (with Dominique) vs. HAMMERJACK
Hammerjack set the tone by hitting the ring firing right hands. It was your basic back and forth gutter brawl, much of it taking place outside the ring. Every time Hammerjack got the upper hand, Dominique would interfere to turn the tide in Daniels’ favor. At one point, Hammer was choking Daniels out and daring Dominique to get involved. Daniels used a low blow to get out of that predicament. The battle spilled into the lobby of the Stadium Inn. Hammerjack tossed Daniels inside the elevator. As the door shut behind them, Graham threw to a commercial break.
WINNER: A no contest at 5:30 when the battle moved inside the elevator in the lobby.
[Commercial break]
The cameraman panned the stairwell inside the Stadium Inn in search of Hammerjack and Daniels. He emerged on one of the floors to find them fighting in the hallway.
[Commercial break]
As Chris Michaels entered for the next match, they cut to Hammerjack and Daniels brawling in the stairwell. They spilled into what looked like the bowels of the building with nasty spare furniture strewn about. The cameraman got some nice close ups, as they continued to beat the living crap out of each other, then it was back into a waiting elevator.
2 – VORDELL WALKER vs. “The Headliner†CHRIS MICHAELS
Opening with chain wrestling dominated by Walker. Michaels tried a sucker punch on the break, but Walker ducked and made him pay. Michaels took two huge bumps before bailing for a time out. The wily veteran made Walker pay for venturing too close to the ropes. Back inside the ring, Michaels stomped a mudhole in Walker. Michaels measured Walker and nailed him with a straight right hand for a two count.
[commercial break]
Walker fought up from the bottom. They traded blows in the corner. Michaels ate an elbow charging into the corner, and Walker connected with a missile dropkick. Crawling cover for two. Michaels leveled Walker with southpaw clothesline. Michaels used a powerdrive side suplex for a near fall. Michaels took Walker to the house of pain. Walker with a full-fledged comeback and a modified Samoan drop for a near fall. Walker howled in frustration. Michaels got his knees up on Walker’s corner moonsault and tried for a superkick, but Walker caught it and rolled him for the three count.
WINNER: Walker in 7:10.
[Commercial break]
Graham pitched to the roving cameraman. Hammer and Michaels were still battling in and out of the hotel rooms and into the stairwell. Dominique was running around willy nilly. Graham compared it to a Three Stooges episode.
3 – ARRICK “The Dragon†ANDREWS vs. DAVID ATKINS
Graham said Atkins was a local favorite (?). Andrews turned his back and got jumped at the bell. Chubby chum got a moment of offense before Andrews took him to the woodshed. Andrews busted out a cool dropdown armbreaker to set up a Fujiwara armbar. Atkins made it to the ropes and slid to the outside. Atkins used a hotshot to start the heat, same as Michaels did in the first match. Atkins got Andrews into a fireman’s carry position for something or other. Andrews elbowed out of it and hit the Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am.
WINNER: Andrews in 2:55.
Cut to postmatch comments from Andrews. He asked the production truck show the footage of Shane Williams throwing a fireball in his face and putting him out of action with a piledriver. Both incidents were shown with awesome slow-motion replays. Andrews said the Stadium was the least glamorous venue SAW wrestled in, and certainly not the largest, but he promised the fans in attendance on March 12 the most violent beating they had ever seen. “Shane, I told you before and I’m going to tell you again, you’re going to see an animal you have never seen before.â€
[commercial break]
Graham interviewed Rudy Charles, Jesse Emerson and Rick Santel. Graham suggested Charles was in cahoots with A-Team. Santel shushed him. The A-Team acted like choir boys denying any collusion. Charles said he did not partake in the delicious rolls at O’Charley’s, the bonus wings at Hooters, nor a #5 at McDonald’s with A-Team. Santel was outraged that Charles was suspended for just doing his job. Emerson informed Charles that he had filed a defamation of character lawsuit on his behalf, and he wasn’t charging the normal 50%. “This is gift, absolutely free, 33%.†Charles said that when society has no rules, it quickly breaks down into anarchy. He compared SAW to the situation in Egypt “because they are living in the land of denial….you’re right E-gypt us.†Santel presented Charles with a gift as a reward for his by-the-bookness. It was a new bow tie in Rudy’s favorite color – black.. Charles got emotional about because it reminded him of his father giving him a new bow tie before he reffed his first match at the age of 5.
Cut to Hammerjack and Daniels exiting the elevator and brawling their way through the lobby, where they encountered some old dude in a peacock vest singing and dancing.
4 – RYAN GENESIS vs. JESSE EMERSON (with Rick Santel & Roxy Rossi)
Graham said Charles was back from suspension for this match. Charles shook hands with Emerson and got a kiss on the cheek from Roxy. Emerson used two sneaky hair pulls to take Genesis off his feet. Genesis was pissed. Charles called for sportsmanship from both men. Genesis blatantly threw Emerson down by the hair. Charles immediately DQed Genesis, raised Emerson’s hand and departed with A-Team.
WINNER: Genesis via DQ in 2:20.
[Commercial break]
Back to Hammerjack and Daniels still going at it in the stairwell, then back into the hallway. A guest opened the door of his room to say something that was bleeped out. They battled there way into one of the room. My, what lovely décor and look at that view of dowtown. Daniels fired a lamp base at Hammerjack. It missed and shattered against the wall. Hammerjack took Daniels downon the bed. Dominique ran in and smashed a vase over Hammer’s head, and it was lights out for Hammer. “She told you. Somebody’s gonna get hurt,†Daniels said.
Afterthoughts: Clearly, this episode was going to rise or fall on the Daniels/Hammerjack saga and their tour of the Stadium Inn, and for the most part it succeeded. It was semi-original (USWO did a TV episode with a similar theme, hence the clip in SAW’s opening montage with Stevens and Michaels fighting on the roof the Stadium Inn). The camera work did a good job of capturing the action while maintaining the feeling of spontaneous chaos. The brawling looked stiff enough, and it came to a memorable conclusion. Maybe not the best idea to include the comedy elements in what is being portrayed as a serious blood feud though… That Dominique is one tough broad. After suffering through the rank amateurs that passed for valets or whatever on the DGUSA shows last weekend, it was refreshing to see a woman that knows how to handle herself at ringside. The A-Team interview was highly entertaining. The heel ref deal is obviously nothing new, but Charles brings his own unique spin to the role…Andrews cut another great promo. Whatever got into that guy, keep it coming. His mic work during the feud with Shane Wiliams has been the best of his SAW career…The other matche on this show were overshadowed by the Daniels/Hammerjack stuff. Walker and Michaels had a decent match. It had been a while since a babyface scored a clean win over a name heel on SAW TV…The matchmaker did Andrews no favors. For enhancement talent, Atkins isn’t very good at enhancing, plus Andrews gave him too much offense…Genesis/Emerson was OK for advancing the story, but ridiculous as a main event. All in all, the Daniels/Hammerjack stuff and the talking segments were strong enough to outweigh some pretty mediocre action in the ring.
