TCW Wrestling Review – Episode 13-45

First, where to find it on your local TV:

http://www.tcwwrestling.com/tvinfo.shtml

Now, the Youtube link to this week’s episode, if you feel like playing along:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FFtRrht2RM

From the Frank Cochran Center in Meridian, MS.

Your hosts, Matt Rhodes and Brian Thompson, are standing in the ring to kick off the show, and hype this week’s matches. Vordell Walker finally gets his hands on Sigmon. Last week, we witnessed the return of King Shane Williams, and this week he teams up with Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender Lance Hoyt as they face The Empire’s Greg Anthony and TCW Heavyweight Champion Tim Storm. Also, TCW Junior Heavyweight Champion Kincaid has a title defense against Americos. The cool thing about being a small company with a TV show is that you can set up angles one week, and pay them off the next.

Roll the opening video!

Match #1 – Americos vs. Kincaid (c) (with Boyd Bradford) – TCW Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Americos is under a mask and wearing the red, white and blue. He’s billed from Parts Unknown, but I’m sure we can at least peg the country. Kincaid starts off with an armdrag takedown and a kip up to show off. A lock up, and an armdrag takedown for Americos this time, and he does a march and salute to show up Kincaid. The two trade cartwheel counters to the other’s wristlock. Lock up, to the ropes, and the whip by Americos is stopped by a cartwheel from Kincaid, who takes a second to gloat, and then Americos promptly dropkicks the knee to take him down. La Majistral from Americos for 1. The two trade off with wristlock counters, then counter each other’s neck takedowns, with Americos then getting a roll up for 1. Kincaid expresses frustration. Leg takedown for Kincaid, but Americos continues to counter the wristlock, and gets one of his own, until Kincaid gets the ropes for the break. Kincaid with a knee to the gut, then a whip, Americos ducks under and comes back with a wristlock takedown, and Kincaid hits the ropes for the break again. The two lock up and the counters continue until Americos holds Kincaid down with an armbar. Kincaid drops Americos throat first on the top rope to break that up. Kincaid whips Americos, and Americos hits a tilt-a-while takedown, but Kincaid comes back by wrapping his legs around the head of Americos, climbing the corner buckles with his hands, and then dumping Americos with a headscissors takedown. Whip to the corner, Americos goes up and over, and dumps Kincaid with his own headscissors, and Kincaid is out to the floor. Kincaid slides in under an Americos dive attempt, Americos with a sunset flip, rolled through by Kincaid, and he whiffs on a dropkick, and lands on the floor knees first. Americos brings Kincaid to the apron by the dreadlocks, then hits a suplex. Boyd Bradford distracts Americos, who nails Bradford with a crossbody on the floor! Kincaid botches a move to the outside, but hits a double axehandle off the apron to put Americos down. Then we hit a break.

When we come back, we’re still on the floor. Kincaid hits Americos with a slingshot into the STEEL guardrail. Kincaid drives him to the guardrail back first. Back in the ring now, Kincaid hits a springboard spinkick. That gets 2. Kincaid with the Gory Special now. Americos with an armdrag counter, but meets the buckle on a back elbow attempt. That gets 2 for Kincaid. Kincaid with a whip to the counter, and hits a forearm smash, then follows up with a shortarm clothesline. Springboard dropkick while Americos is seated. That gets 2. Kincaid now with what I can only call an upside down version of the Gory Special. Americos counters into a Victory Roll! 1…2..kick out! Americos gets tossed to the floor. Americos to the steps. Back in the ring, Kincaid covers…1…2…kick out! Gut wrench suplex for Kincaid. Cover….2! A series of reversals leads to a double clothesline. Both men get back ther feet. Americos hits a leg lariat off the ropes. Another cover…2! Corner clothesline for Americos, but a bulldog attempt is reversed into a backbreaker for Kincaid! Kincaid to the top, misses the double stomp, and Americos hits a Wheelbarrow Faceplant! Americos to the top now, and he hits the Swanton Bomb! Cover…1…2…kick out! Referee James Beard receives an eye poke on the kick out attempt, and he is down. Low blow by Kincaid blocked by Americos, and Americos hits a suplex/neckbreaker combo. But now Boyd Bradford is in the ring, with the title belt in hand, and he nails Americos with the BELT. The referee recovers, sees Kincaid with the cover. 1…2…3! Kincaid retains! He and Bradford make their way to the back, hands and title held high. (13:18)

WINNER: and STILL your TCW Junior Heavyweight Champion…Kincaid. ***1/2 – Pretty good match between these two. A lot of counters early on, and some close 3 counts late. The screwjob ending takes a little away from it, as these appear to be two guys you would like to see a clean match from.

Backstage, Jason Jones is with Sigmon, who meets Vordell Walker coming up. Sigmon states that Walker is a fraud, and he HATES frauds. Sigmon says the IWC LOVES Vordell, but he’s really a loser.

Match #2 – Vordell Walker vs. Sigmon.

Your referee is Rashard Devon. Walker starts the match proper with a big takedown for a quick 1 count. A chain wrestling attempt by Walker has Sigmon getting to the ropes for a break. Waistlock for Walker, and another takedown, and Sigmon to the ropes again. Walker with some trash talking. Sigmon with some forearms, and he’s off the ropes and meets a huge armdrag from Walker, then two more huge armdrags, and Sigmon bolts to the floor. Sigmon pulls Walker to the floor, and Walker meets the stairs, but Walker no sells it and introduces Sigmon’s head to the stairs. Sigmon does his own no selling, and now the two trade forearms on the floor. Walker wins that battle and Sigmon is back in the ring. Sigmon tries to go for his submission called the Winner’s Circle, but Walker hits a knee to the jaw to counter. Walker goes for the Stretch Muffler, but Sigmon kicks out of the hold, then puts Walker down with a sledge. The two trade headbutts, but Sigmon beats Walker down in the corner, and that takes us to the break.

When we come back, Sigmon is in control with a side headlock takedown. Walker attempts a comeback with elbows to the gut, and he is off the ropes, but Sigmon cuts him off with a back elbow. He’s slow to get the cover, and Walker kicks out at 2. Sigmon with a kick to the gut, then a chop, but a suplex attempt is countered with a small package for 1…2…kick out! Running clothesline puts Walker back down. Another cover for Sigmon, and another 2. Rear chinlock from Sigmon. To the corner, chop from Sigmon, then he hits a suplex. That gets 2. A whip and Sigmon hits a thrust to the throat to put Walker down. Sigmon acting cocky with a snot rocket. A whip from Sigmon leads to a series of up-and-overs from Walker, until Walker finally hits Sigmon with a BEAUTIFUL overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Walker hits an enziguri! Walker with a spinning clothesline. Cover…1…2..kick out! Sigmon stops a corner whip and comes back with a big clothesline that 360’s Walker! Cover…1…2..kick out! Sigmon to the top, but Walker crotches him. Walker follows him up, but Sigmon knocks him down with headbutts. Walker comes back with a big forearm to Sigmon who is still on top. Walker then goes ALL THE WAY up and hits a BIG top rope SUPERPLEX! Walker hooks the legs…1…2….KICK OUT! The announcers sell the superplex as death, which is awesome, because the superplex IS awesome. Anyway, the two trade headbutts now. Sigmon hits repeated headbutts and is woozy. Walker hits his own series of headbutts, and he’s teetering now. Sigmon sneaks behind him with a GERMAN SUPLEX! Sigmon holds on, the ref counts 1…2…3! But wait…the referee states that both men’s shoulders were down, and he’s calling this match a DRAW! (9:20) The old fashioned double pin. Motherf…..Sigmon argues the call to no avail.

WINNER: DRAW. *** – This was a fine wrestling match, marred by a double pin ending. Whereas, a screwjob finish took away from the first match, a cop out ending where neither guy goes over is even worse. But it was a solid mat based affair here, and I would dig a rematch between these two….with an ending!

Backstage, Jason Jones is with King Shane Williams and Lance Hoyt, who meet The Empire in tag team action coming up. Williams has been waiting for his shot at The Empire and proclaims that vengeance will be had by “The King”. We find out that Lance Hoyt previously had a working relationship with The Empire, but he was, or course, screwed over. Now a killer and a king are going to leave a lot of bodies battered, bruised and bloodied. ALLITERATION ALERT!

Match #3 – Lance Hoyt & “King” Shane Williams vs. The Empire (TCW Heavyweight Champion Tim Storm & Greg Anthony).

Quick highlights of last week when King Shane was revealed as Lance Hoyt’s surprise for The Empire, and the big brawl to send The Empire running. Quick backstory is Williams is a former member of The Empire, dumped by the group, and Hoyt was paid by The Empire to help obtain the Heavyweight Championship, but when he earned a title shot, that relationship ended when The Empire attacked him. To the match! Four way brawl immediately to start things off. Storm and Anthony to the floor to regroup. Back to the ring, it will be Williams and Anthony to start. Williams hits the ropes and stops a few times, but then a right hand sends Anthony to the floor, and Williams follows him out. Anthony head first to the rail, then head first to the timekeeper’s table, then to the post. Back in the ring, Williams is met with a kick to the gut from Anthony. Anthony with a series of jabs, a duck under from Williams, and he hits his own jabs followed by a bionic elbow, and Anthony is down. Tag in by Hoyt, but Anthony manages to scamper to his corner and tag in the champ. Hoyt and Storm jaw at each other, and then a shoving match occurs. Both men off the ropes, and they each hit a clotheline, but neither guy moves. Storm pokes the eye, but runs into a clothesline from Hoyt, and Storm is down. To the corner, and Hoyt mounts him for the 10 punch count along. Whip to the opposite corner, and Storm hits the mat. Hoyt hits a jawbreaker and Storm falls back to his corner, where Anthony tags back in. Hoyt no sells shots from Anthony and then throws him into the corner. Hoyt with a series of strikes, takes Anthony over to the face corner and tags in Williams. Hoyt slams Anthony and then slams Williams on top of Anthony for the cover….for 2! Anthony reverses a whip to the corner, but hits boot. Williams on the middle rope is met by Storm, which causes Williams to be distracted, and falls victim to Anthony pulling him off, and the tide has changed in this match. Storm tagged in. A right hand send Williams to the apron. Back in, Williams whipped off the ropes and into a Storm clothesline. Anthony tagged back in now, as Storm holds Williams for a right hand to the body. To the corner, but Williams blocks, hits a series of elbows and rights, then whips Anthony to the corner, but a charge meets boot. BIG clotheline by Anthony gets the 360 sell by Williams. Cover by Anthony…1….2….shoulder up! And we take a break.

Back with Anthony in control with a rear headlock. Williams attempts the comeback with a series of elbows to the gut, but Anthony stops that with a knee to the body. Whip to the corner, and Williams goes up and over and gets into fisticuffs with Storm on the apron, but Anthony charges over and sledges Williams to the floor. Hoyt comes out, distracting the referee, allowing Storm to slam Williams’ head to the stairs. Storm heaves Williams back in the ring, and Storm takes over without tagging in. Storm spits on Hoyt, and Hoyt charges in, causing distraction yet again, allowing Storm to choke Williams with his foot. Storm with a gorilla press, but Williams drops out and down and hits a roll up for 2. Clothesline from Storm puts Williams down again. Dragging Williams to the heel corner, and tag to Anthony. Williams held down for a knee drop to the head from Anthony. Cover…1…2…shoulder up. Anthony keeps covering and Williams keeps kicking out at 2. Anthony choking Williams over the ropes. Anthony covers for another 2. Tag to Storm. Williams held in the corner for a series of boots and rights. Williams ducks under a whip attempt, botches the Tornado DDT, but hits it a second try! Both men down. Hoyt working up the crowd. Williams goes though Storm’s legs and Hot tag Hoyt! Shots for both Storm and Anthony. Storm off the ropes and meets the knee of Hoyt, who comes off the ropes and hits a clothesline. Hoyt with the cover…1…2…kick out! Storm with a shot to the neck, then goes up to the middle, where Hoyt hits a right hand. Hoyt gets Storm in position for a Blackout (inverted Razor’s Edge), but Anthony makes the save. Williams and Anthony brawl to the outside, while Storm hits a few kicks on Hoyt inside. Now Storm is off the ropes with a boot to the head, and Stor hits what appears to be a chokeslam/footsweep combo, but it only gets 2! Williams and Anthony continue to brawl outside. Storm looks out at them for a moment, turns around and boot to the gut for Hoyt! Hoyt hits the Scorpion Deathdrop! 1…2…3! (11:49) Hoyt pins the champ! Hoyt pins the champ! What does this mean for the TCW Heavyweight Champion and his #1 contender? WE’RE OUT OF TIME!

WINNERS: Lance Hoyt & Shane Williams. **1/2 – Nothing flashy here, but still a good solid tag team match. I’m fine with the #1 contender pinning the champ, because it sets up their future title match. The match had a good heat segment with Williams playing the role of face-in-peril very well. And we had a clean finish!

Overall, the booking of this show is very old school southern style. But the double pin in a very good wrestling match left a bad taste. But this show is WRESTLING, baby! It grows on me more every week.