Showtime All Star Wrestling Review - Episode 39

Courtesy of Larry Goodman:

I’m playing catch up with the Showtime All-star Wrestling reports. They ran two “best of” shows as they were gearing up for their move from cable access to ION. I didn’t see episode 37, but I know it had the full length interview with Tommy Rich from which they showed clips a few weeks back. Episode 38 is worth going out of your way to see. It had the never before shown Boogie Woogie Boy vs. Hammerjack cage match from “New Year’s 2000 & Hate,” an awesome localized promo (what a lost art that is) by Paul Adams for his match in Columbia against Miss Boogie, and a 20 minute interview with Doug Gilbert.

Episode 39 was the first episode to air on WNPX in Nashville, which is the ION network affiliate in Nashville. SAW is now available in 950,000 homes and to 2.5 million viewers across Middle Tennessee.

Showtime All-star Wrestling
Air date April 5, 2008 in Nashville on ION

LAST WEEK ON SAW: The bicycle kick from the SAW Television Champion Damian Adams sent Big Rig Bully into convulsions…Rob Roy McCoy debuted with the best Scottish accent in pro wrestling…Matt Dillinger cued up Lennox Lightfoot resulting in a DQ win for Indian Nation over Tennessee Violence Authority.

Michael St. John and Jack Johnson open the show. MSJ says this hour is loaded for bear with a TV Title match in the main event. He lied.

“It’s Showtime! And SAW starts now~!”

The opening montage rolls…

We see McCoy at the top of the ramp.

(1) Rob Roy McCoy beat Chris Eckos via submission in 5:45. McCoy came out with guns blazing, but within the first minute thirty, Eckos had two near falls on him and McCoy was bailing. Eckos ventured too close to the ropes, and McCoy caught him with hotshot. He hit a swinging neckbreaker and pulled the scrawny Eckos (or Echols as St. John called him) up at two. McCoy’s attack was ruthless aggression personified. Eckos proved to be resilient little bugger. He wasn’t getting any more offense, but he did get another near fall with a backslide and a small package where McCoy kicked out before the count started. McCoy made him pay for it. Eckos made a strong comeback. He staggered McCoy with a Stinger Splash but couldn’t put him down. McCoy leapfrogged Eckos and gave him a mule kick low blow. That was nice. McCoy used a hangman neckbreaker to incapacitate Eckos for the chickenwing crossface. Eckos tapped straight away.

McCoy cut a promo on the SAW Television Champion.

“If that’s the best the United States has to offer, no wonder the real McCoy is cutting through the competition here. Damian Adams, I’m coming for your belt, boy. And you better be worried.”

(2) Damian Adams beat T. J. Harley to retain the SAW Television Title in 5:49. They cut to McCoy observing from the top of the ramp, as the match opened with a sportsmanlike feeling out process. St. John brought up Harley’s concentration problems. They broke into a quick exchange of pinning combinations. Harley hung Damian out to dry on a dropkick. Harley started working the back, using an inverted DDT backbreaker and a high impact Irish whip for two counts. Harley grounded the champion with a rear chinlock. The crowd chanted for Damian, who came back with a flurry. Harley ducked Damian’s bicycle kick finisher and went for a reverse roll up. Damian blocked by grabbing the ropes and pinned Harley with a jackknife.

Adams and Harley did the postmatch show of respect. McCoy turned his back and walked away in disgust.

Cut to Paul Adams backstage with the A Team consisting of Rick Santel, Hammerjack and Matt Dillinger. Hammerjack was showing a photo on his cell phone. Adams recoiled in horror. “How did she get those ping pong balls up there anyway?” Santel said he used to date that girl. Adams said he wasn’t surprised. Adams admitted that things had not been going smoothly for the A Team. Santel complained about taking two Boogie Blasters. Dillinger complained about losing last week via DQ because Adams didn’t distract the referee. Adams admitted he was at fault, but there were extenuating circumstances.

I can’t help it if some 49 year-old woman with saddlebags comes out and attack me. Things haven’t been going very well around here for me either.

Adams said they were on each other last nerve, so they were all going to take the week off to regroup. “Domination! Domination!” screamed Dillinger.

Smooth seas don’t make for skillful captains. They’ve been against us in SAW since we’ve been here. We’re going to come back stronger than ever.

Dillinger offered Adams a special gift – a Cadbury Crème Egg. Adams was touched. Dillinger spoiled the moment by disgusting Adams with a kiss.

(3) Sean Casey (with Tiana) beat Tatsu in 4:03. Tiana got plenty of lascivious attention from the MSJ and Johnson. The mysterious oriental hit a spinning heel kick. Casey took a water break and pulled Tatsu out of the ring. Johnson called it Oriental takeout. Back inside, Tatsu hit a Stinger splash for a two count. Tatsu worked on the arm. Casey took over with a swinging neckbreaker and did a double biceps pose with a knee on Tatsu’s throat. St. John said Casey could have the match won if he wanted it. Casey hit his middle rope diamond cutter. Tatsu kicked out of a very lazy back cover. Tatsu caught Casey with an O’Connor roll. Not enough for the pin. After a series of back and forth reversals, Casey terminated Tatsu with a superkick.

Casey said SAW had the best competition in the business, “but not enough to keep The Sexy One down.”

(4) Chrisjen Hayme beat Jeff Jamison in 3:50. Hayme started pounding on Jamison right at the opening bell. They broke into a luchaesque aerial sequence. Hayme clocked Jamison with an apron lariat to resume control. Hayme was being blatantly heelish here. St. John brought up Jamison’s “affliction” (deformed right hand) and mentioned other wrestlers that had overcome disabilities: Solento Rodriguez (deaf) and George Weingroff (blind). They traded some wicked stiff shots. Jamison hit a quebrada for a near fall. Hayme blocked a tornado DDT and spiked Jamison’s head into the mat with a spinning headscissors for the 1-2-3.

Hayme cut an arrogant promo. He graced the announce team an autographed photo of himself, warning them not to sell it on E-bay. Johnson got excited and asked St. John if he could have it. “You’ve probably got a lot of pictures. What have I got?” Hayme signed it “Michael St. Johnson.”

Big pop for the entrance of the Boogie Woogie Boy. Miss Boogie was out with a bit of bling. Boogie made his way through the crowd doing his thing, such as it is.

(5) Boogie Woogie Boy beat Lawrence Lane in 5:03. Boogie was ready for Lane’s ambush and teed off on him. Boogie went to town on Lane’s arm. MSJ talked about Boogie being Jimmy’s protégé. Johnson commented on Boogie’s amazing recuperative powers given the hell he’s been through. After connecting with a mule kick to the man region, Lane controlled the body of the match with his trashy offense. He choked Boogie at least four different ways. The crowd kept up a pretty stout “Boogie” chant. Boogie fought his way out of the dreaded rear chinlock, then crashed and burned on a high crossbody. Boogie avoided Lane’s mad charge into the corner. MSJ pointed out that Boogie was limping from a serious knee injury. Boogie decked Lane with a Jimmied up punch. Lane begged for mercy. None forthcoming. Boogie Blaster and done.

The A Team ran out and put the boots to Boogie. Arrick Andrews had Boogie’s back, but the odds were too much. Indian Nation (Lennox Lightfoot & Indian Outlaw) hit the ring and the A Team beat a hasty retreat to the ramp.

Boogie closed the show with an in ring promo channeling Jimmy. “Michael St. John, Boogie is feeling cool, and Boogie is going to act like a fool.” Boogie planted a suffocating smooch on MSJ. He called his partnership with Andrews “The Dream Team,” and with Indians on their side, the A Team no longer had the numbers.

Boogie said this was Boogie Nation’s SAW. He was rambling all over the place, but did get the fans to chant “Boogie Nation” before it was over.

Closing Thoughts: Not as strong as I would have hoped for as their debut show on ION. The concepts for the two main stories were just fine. It was the execution that left something to be desired. McCoy was an inspired choice to lead off the first show for the expanded audience. For the life of me, I cannot fathom the way his match played out. He’s being pushed as the new top singles heel. He’s definitely got the look and the character for the spot. And then he has a struggle with a jobber in his first match. He shouldn’t have given Eckos squat. Harley and Damian had a good match. What’s up with hammering on Harley’s lack of focus? Does he have ADD or something? I liked McCoy being turned off by the show of good sportsmanship. The backstage segment depicting the unrest with the A Team was hilarious. Dillinger is in another universe. Not much to Casey’s match except a chance to ogle Tiana. I’m guessing Casey can’t do TV regularly enough to work him in a storyline. Hayme/Jamison wasn’t your typical SAW match. Really stiff and really fast-paced. At times, they were rushing through spots at the speed of light. Hayme’s promo had a solid premise. Too bad his shrill delivery ruined it. Johnson was funny marking out for the photo. I don’t think there’s much in between with Boogie. Either you love him or hate him. Boogie’s match was a well worn path – mostly Boogie selling, then a short comeback, then the Blaster. I guess Adams saying A Team was taking the week off was to swerve the audience. Good timing on the elevation of Indian Nation to the top babyface faction. Having the babyface side outnumber the heels is generally not a good thing, but it’s OK in this case since the babys have been beaten down so many times. A Boogie live promo is a dish best served short. Less is more with a Boogie promo, and this was way more than necessary. He went on so long that the heels left before he finished talking.