Showtime Allstar Wrestling - Episode 63

Courtesy of Larry Goodman:

Showtime Allstar Wrestling
Airing September 27, 2008 on Comcast 74 in Nashville
Taped September 5, 2008 in Millersville, Tn at the SAW Mill

Michael St. John and Reno Riggins had questions. How would Chase Steven react after being knocked cold with brass knuck by Chris Michaels? With Shawn Shultz still sidelined by that nervous disorder, how well was Chrisjen Hayme filling the void with Rachael Worthington? Who was behind M3, the company that paid for the damages caused by Marc Anthony? They hyped the main event, a battle of former partners between Ric Santel and “Livewire” Nikki Vaughn.

1 – TRIBAL NATION (Lennox Lightfoot & Indian Outlaw) vs. THE SCARBONI BROTHERS (Sonny & Vinnie)

Sonny did a fine job of pissing off Lightfoot. The Indians turned it into a chopfest with Outlaw delivering some beauties. Outlaw hit his basement leg lariat, but Vinnie was in to break up the pin attempt. Sonny dropped Lightfoot’s head on the turnbuckle to start the heat. Chicanery and double teams ensued. Vinnie ate the buckle on a corner splash, and it was Outlaw cleaning house with tomahawk chops. Outlaw took both Scarbonis down with a lariat/bulldog combo. Finish was a downward spiral by Outlaw followed by Lightfoot’s front flip neckbreaker.

Winner: Tribal Nation in 5:06. This was a vibrant, energized Tribal Nation. Outlaw was very good here. He’s way more effective with chops and pure power offense. Scarbonis were fine in their role. Match had good heat.

2 – MARC ANTHONY vs. ANTONIO GARZA

Anthony tossed his army helmet to the mat. Let the mauling begin. MSJ said he had seen Garza wrestle before (as El Mexicano for Wrestle Birmingham), but Garza had never seen the likes of this sociopath. Anthony shrugged off a dropkick and backdropped a charging Garza to the concrete floor. Riggins brought up the series of vignettes that aired prior to Anthony’s arrival in SAW and explained that Anthony had a habit of talking to the deceased manager, Ronnie P. Gossett. Anthony hit a double underhook suplex. “Marc Anthony is clearly out of his mind, but when he steps into that ring, he’s wrestling machine,” said Reno. Garza wasn’t getting up. Anthony finished him with a massive top rope elbow drop.

We did it, Uncle Ronnie. We’re beating them all.”

Anthony took offense to Hot Rod Biggs’ attempt to interview him and attacked the personnel tending to Garza. Anthony dragged one guy (wrestler Steven Green) over to Biggs and played ventriloquist with him. He was opening and closing the poor schmuck’s jaws like he was a puppet. Anthony then hurled the guy into the wall head first. A brutal looking shot. Anthony set a table up in the ring, talking to Ronnie P all the while. Anthony cracked the guy in the head with his army helmet, chopped him, bit him, and put him through a table with a top rope elbow drop. As Anthony surveyed the carnage, Riggins said somebody in the locker room was going to have to man up.

Winner: Anthony at 2:42 with the Maniac Melee. Great stuff. The postmatch was the kind of annihilation I envisioned for Anthony’s first appearance in SAW. The presence of Green on the receiving end ensured a fired up crowd for a change. Garza is a talented flier, although he had no chance to show it.

TJ Harley was in the ring awaiting Chrisjen Hayme. Biggs called Harley to ringside for an interview. Harley was ancy to get on with the ass kicking. Worthington made her way to ringside. She said Hayme was helping her take care of Shultz. Harley was furious. “The problem is your nothing but a dirty, ugly, maniacal, manipulative BLEEP.” Biggs’ eyes got big. Worthington slapped Harley. Hayme and Shultz (in his bathrobe) jumped Harley. They tossed Harley into the ring and Hayme assisted Shultz with a spike DDT into a chair.

We saw Michaels backstage with Fallon preparing to go out for their match. Michaels was verbally abusing her. He hid a set of brass knucks in the sling on Fallon’s arm. She wimpered in pain. Michaels left. Enter Chase Stevens. He put his hand over the camera lens and told Fallon Michaels wasn’t her boss. He said everybody knew what was going on with the bruises. Stevens advised Fallon to do the opposite of whatever Michaels said to do.

3 – CHRIS MICHAELS (with Fallon) vs. WAYNE ADKINS

Michaels started pounding away as soon as the bell rang. Riggins made a joke about Adkins being the inventor the diet because he was 50 pounds light in the match. Adkins used his speed and aerial game to get the upper hand, hitting a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Michaels caught Adkins’ crossbody attempt and set the distance record for a fallaway slam. Michaels gave Adkins a beating. Michaels was none too pleased when Adkins kicked out of a series of big power moves. Michaels signaled to Fallon for the knucks. She refused to give up the goods. Adkins surprised Michaels with a roll up for a close near fall. Michaels thwarted a flying move by Adkins. Superkick. 1-2-3. Fallon and Michaels were arguing on their way out.

Winner: Michaels via superkick at 4:27. A methodical destruction. Michaels was great as the big badass getting frustrated about not being able to kill off the little guy. A close up of Fallon refusing to give up the knucks would have helped.

Biggs conducted a ringside interview the SAW International Champion, Kid Kash. Tons of stuff bleeped out here. Kash said he was the victim of a conspiracy between Jerry Lynn “Big Fat Freddie” Morton and “Nothing Happening Has Been” Reno Riggins. Kash claimed to have defended the title all over Europe. Kash asked how many more times he had to beat Lynn. Biggs said there were a lot of doubters and showed a clip of the count finish last week. Kash said the BLEEPS in the crowd and the degenerate rookies in the back that couldn’t talk on a microphone could say what they wanted. “You’re all a bunch of punks, and you’re all jealous of the Notorious K.I.D. Kid Kash, because I am a true champion…Jerry Lynn, anytime, any place, any way that you want it. You got it. But you better make it good pal, because one more chance is all you’re getting.”

4 – RIC SANTEL (with Paul Adams) vs. “Livewire” NIKKI VAUGHN

Santel was ecstatic as he took advantage of his ex-partner’s good will. Vaughn ripped off his tie dye shirt and came out fighting. Santel bailed but Vaughn pressed the action. Back inside, Vaughn planted Santel’s face in the mat with a rolling neck snap for a two count. They traded side headlock takeovers. Vaughn bridged up and got two with a backslide. Vaughn took Santel over the top with a crossbody block. Santel posted Vaughn from a seated position on the floor. Santel did a number on Vaughn on the outside, then covered him inside the ring for a two count. Vaughn fired back with a spinning heel kick. Santel went to a blatant eye rake and hit a back suplex [Commercial break] Santel was still in control, but he had this huge egg under his left eye. Reno said the ref might have to stop the match if that eye swelled shut. Vaughn started a comeback with the key spot being an up and over inverted DDT. Multiple knockdowns with bionic elbows, then a European uppercut, then a flapjack. Vaughn got distracted by the presence of Adams on the apron. Santel hit a fireman’s carry neckbreaker across his knee, but Vaughn kicked out of it. Vaughn blocked the Santel Slam. Santel ate a back elbow charging in. Vaughn boosted himself into position for a Victory Roll, but Adams grabbed Santel’s legs and Santel ended up on top for the three count.

Winner: Santel in 8:05 with an assist from Adams. Action match. It won’t go down as one of SAW’s artistic highpoints in the ring. It had its share of sloppy moments, as they were working fast, but the rapid shifts made it atypical for a SAW match and gave it more of a competitive fight feel.

Vaughn started throwing punches at Santel. Hammerjack and Matt Dillinger attacked Vaughn. Tribal Nation evened things up. Santel whipped Vaughn over the counter into the concession stand. Santel and Vaughn were fighting in the concession stand with some poor woman trapped inside the cramped quarters with them. Vaughn tossed Santel back over the counter and got clubbed from behind by Adams. Vaughn grabbed a bottle of ketchup with fire in his eyes. Adams tried to escape through the window, but Vaughn pulled him back inside by his belt. Vaughn gave Adams a face full of ketchup. “Talk about relishing the moment,” said St. John. Back inside the arena, all six men continued to brawl. They cut to the handheld camera (badly out of focus) that showed Arrick Andrews dousing Adams with mustard. The A-Team retreated up the ramp.

Closing Thoughts: It felt like all of the segments in this episode produced the desired results…Anthony’s extreme destruction of Green was pure gold. It was the first time since Anthony arrival that the crowd truly reacted with the proper outrage and horror to be congruent with the announcers. Great job of setting up his first true challenge…The concession stand brawl was classic stuff. Some great slapstick there. from Adams. I had mixed feeling about airing the part with Andrews. The shot of Adams with the mustard beard was hilarious, but Andrews being out there gave the faces the numerical advantage, and the camera being out of focus made it look second rate…The Worthington/Harley deal was fun because of the way Hayme is being lead around by his dick and of course, there was Shultz attacking Harley in his bathrobe. Harley isn’t being booked like the sharpest knife in the drawer. Worthington has now gotten over on him three times in a row…Kash set a SAW record for most bleeped out words in an interview. It was the same act we've been seeing from the Notorious One throughout this run, but it worked as far as setting up the alleged final shot for Lynn…There were no bad matches on this show, and it sure didn't hurt that the heat was better across the board during this episode.. Michaels/Adkins told a nice little five minute story. Now if Fallon could just be more emotionally expressive on camera…Reno used the phrase “man up” several times during this show. Well, Santel manned up. That nasty swelling on his face was the result of a fractured cheekbone, but you would have never known it from the way he performed…A strong show across the board. SAW continues to satisfy with coherent storytelling.