Showtime Allstar Wrestling TV Review - Episode 66

Courtesy of Larry Goodman:

Airing October 18, 2008 in Nashville on Comcast 74
Taped September 12 and September 19, 2008 in Millersville, Tn at the SAW Mill

LAST WEEK AT THE SAW MILL…The babyface wrestlers were in the dressing room congratulating Jerry Lynn on winning the SAW International Championship. Lynn said he never doubted he could beat Kid Kash and thanked the fans for believing in him. The wrestlers anointed Lynn with bottle water. “Hey guys, where’s the champagne?” Lynn asked.

Michael St. John and Reno Riggins were at ringside with the fans barely visible through a thick haze. Somebody got majorly carried away with the fog machine this week. Reno said it was another sell out crowd and he was JACKED. This week: Raven would make his SAW debut. They announced Chase Stevens vs. Dillinger for this week, giving Reno a chance to cut loose with his “main event anywhere in the country” line.

TJ Harley hit the ring and proceeded to wear out his right fist on the heads of Chrisjen Hayme and Shawn Shultz. The announce team didn’t know what was going on. Harley ducked an ambush by Shultz. Harley continued to unleash his fury, one against two. Hayme took one for the team and powdered out. Kurt Herron called for the bell.

1 – SHAWN SHULTZ (with Chrisjen Hayme) vs. TJ HARLEY

They brawled with Shultz dominating the action. Ms. Worthington was conspicuous by her absence. Reno said she was scheduled to be there. Shultz used a back elbow for a two count and grounded Harley with a long rear chinlock/sleeper. MSJ said it was a form of the Corsican sleeper made famous by Jean and Joe. Shultz lit Harley up in the corner. Harley no sold a barrage of Kobashi style chops, made the fiery comeback and hit his fisherman neckbreaker across the knee. Harley paused to celebrate and got kicked in the head by Hayme, while Herron was checking on Shultz (why would he do that?). Shultz DDTed Harley for the pin.

WINNER: Shultz in 4:28. At least Harley got to play Superman in the beginning, since was going to look like a chump at the end. I guess he was focused on hurting Shultz rather than pinning him. Hayme’s kick was bad the first time, so why draw attention to it with a replay?

2 – KID KASH vs. DREW HASKINS

The bell rang three times for some reason. The rookie had his back turned to the irate and slightly irrational former champion. Kash started beating on the Haskins. Haskins surprised Kash with a sunset flip and mustered up a flurry of offense. Kash escaped a bodyslam, pounded Haskins from the mount and basically mauled the poor kid. Kash used a face stretcher and crossface forearms. Haskins caught Kash with a roll up and a small package. Kash took Haskins down into a cross armbreaker. Haskins quickly tapped. Herron had to pry Kash off of Haskins.

WINNER: Kash via submission in 3 minutes. The vicious beating it should have been with coming off of Kash losing the title. Haskins got more offense than I expected, and probably more than he should have.

Biggs conducted a postmatch interview. An enraged Kash went on a profane tirade when Biggs referred to him as the former champion.

Jerry, you go to the office and suck BLEEP all you want, but it’s never gonna save you…mark my word, Jerry. I swear to God. Do you hear me? I swear to God, I’m taking MY TITLE back.

3 -- RAVEN vs. TRAVIS SAWYER (with Tony Locasio)

Fans were chanting for Raven from the start. Riggins said Travis was the son of Buzz Sawyer. MSJ said Sawyer’s manager was Tony Lothario and wonder if he was kin to Jose. The guy was about as Latino looking at MSJ. Raven wanted to fight on the floor. Sawyer kept jumping back in the ring. Meanwhile, the announce team was putting Raven over like deity. Sawyer caught Raven with a knee as he was coming back through the ropes and started beating him up on the floor. Sawyer took over. He gave Sawyer’s shoulder repeated shots into the post. Back inside the ring, Sawyer used a low blow. Sawyer sold the shoulder before going on a crazed attack, looking more like a Sheepherder than Buzz. Sawyer knocked himself silly by missing two middle rope headbutts. Raven made the comeback and used a discus lariat along the way. Raven won it with the Evenflow DDT.

Winner: Raven in 5:45 with the Evenflow DDT. Neither guy looked good. Raven moved like he was hurting. Lots of bad low-intensity brawling. It did come across as something out of the ordinary for SAW due to the style.

A sweet preview segment aired with clips of Dillinger and Chase Stevens. Dillinger looked like a psychotic hillbilly version of Shawn Michaels in his straw cowboy hat.

4 – DILLINGER (with Paul Adams) vs. CHASE STEVENS

Dillinger did a warm up routine to showcase his athletic prowess – a redneck version of Chris Hero came to mind. Riggins claimed all the major wrestling companies were contacting him trying to buy Stevens’ contract. MSJ pointed out that both were former SAW tag team champions. Dillinger went to the floor for time outs and verbal abuse from the fans. When they cut to a close up of famed Nashville wrestling fan, “Chicken Hat” Charles, MSJ asked if he bought that hat from Minnie Pearl. Dillinger slapped Stevens on the break. Stevens tattooed Dillinger with right hands and hit a dropkick for two. They traded stiff chops with Stevens coming out on top. At 4:00, Dillinger got a boot up and took over with a middle rope lariat. The announce team noted that Dillinger wasn’t barefoot. Riggins said they had gotten complaints about fungus on the mat. Dillinger landed a right fist for a one count and hit a snap suplex for two. Dillinger hit a slingshot suplex to the outside and pounded Stevens. MSJ produced one of the most hilarious moment in Saw history when he said Dillinger had a tattoo of freaking AL SHARPTON on his chest. Stevens backdropped Dillinger over the top. Dillinger took a spectacular bump to the floor, but was quickly back in control. Back inside the ring, Stevens hit a shadow lariat and it was both men down. Stevens made the comeback with a flying forearm, a Chono kick and a reverse Russian legsweep for a near fall. MSJ said he hadn’t seen that move since Ivan Putski, and I doubt he saw it from Ivan. Dillinger threw Stevens down on the back of his head for a near fall. Stevens hit a fireman’s carry slam and went to the top. With Adams distracting the ref, Chris Michaels ran down to upend Stevens, who took a flip bump into the ring. Dillinger pinned Stevens after a guillotine legdrop.

WINNER: Dillinger in 9:35 after interference by Chris Michaels. Good stuff with two guys that can really go. A lot well executed big moves in this match. The finish advanced the story.

Returning from the break, Stevens was still in the ring getting his wits about him. He ran up the ramp, presumably hunting for Michaels.

The announce team threw it to Biggs at ringside with A-Team. Biggs congratulated them on Dillinger’s win. “We don’t like to ever come out and toot our own horns but TOOT TOOT.” Adams said TVA were going to get their tag team titles back from Tribal Nation in the near future. Mainly, he mainly wanted to address the situation with Nikki Vaughn. Adams started getting choked up about the injury Ric Santel suffered at the hands of Vaughn. Dillinger said the whole A-Team was there for him. Adams said friends like that only come along once or twice in a lifetime. Santel took his sunglasses off to display an ugly bruise on his left cheekbone. “Look at it! No, don’t look. He’s a hideous mess, Rod.” Santel said that cheater Nikki Vaughn broke his Zygomatic bone in three places. Santel said he was out of wrestling for 6 weeks. He bemoaned all he had done for Vaughn over the years. “Look at my face. He couldn’t have broken my leg or my arm. It had to be my face.” Santel and Adams went on and on about THE FACE. Dillinger told Santel not to let it throw him off his game, because he was still by far the best looking man in SAW. Adams said Vaughn would have to face “The madman from Dixieland” Dillinger next week. In addition, Arrick Andrews would have to face Hammerjack next week. Biggs informed Adams that Andrews had accepted his challenge. Adams said he didn’t recall issuing any challenge. “Paul, I love you, brother, but you issued the challenge. Andrews has accepted the challenge. Freddie Morton said the match is happening in four weeks,” said Biggs.

5 – MARC ANTHONY vs. JEFF JAMISON

Anthony charged down the ramp for this standby match. He offered Jamison a free shot, no sold it, and thoroughly trashed Nubbie. Anthony used a double underhook suplex. The rest was just a sadistic beating. MSJ said Anthony was inbred between the Sheik and Abdullah and got the worst of both. Anthony buried Jamison with a top rope elbow drop for the pin.

WINNER: Anthony at 2:14 with the Maniac Melee. A classic squash. Jamison takes a great beating.

Anthony stared at the ceiling while he had a talk with Uncle Ronnie P. Anthony then found a noose from under the ring (fancy that) and hung Jamison over the top rope. Jamison was flopping around in a helpless state. Palpable consternation in Reno’s voice.

His face is turning red. Next is blue, and next is you’re gone.

Gary Valiant hit the ring. “Where did he come from? It’s Boogie!” Valiant started firing punches. Anthony took a backflip bump to the floor off a Valiant haymaker. Anthony tried to climb back in the ring and was being pulled out by Riggins and security as the hour came to a close.

What a way to end SAW today. Boogie is back!

Closing Thoughts: The was an average show for the first 30 minutes, but it really picked up steam in the second half - the A-Team interview, the main event and the return of Valiant were all excellent segments. Santel’s promo work has been outstanding of late. Dillinger/Stevens was the type of match that SAW used to lack – athletic, quality workers given adequate time to show what they can do. The hanging segueing to Valiant’s return was a great way to close the show. The crowd was hot for it and St. John was very good here. Anthony and Valiant should be good stuff. Boogie was the perfect choice to be the first to step up and face Anthony. Speaking of MSJ, you just never know what’s going to come out his mouth next. Who else could work reference to “the late” Mike Tyson, The Corsicans, Len Rossi, Jose Lothario, Minnie Pearl and Al Sharpton into one hour?...The follow ups on last week’s title change were well done. It appears the Kash/Lynn program will continue, so there’s still a chance for that elusive great match…It was a shame that Worthington had to miss this taping. They had to make the best out of a bad situation with Shultz/Harley…The debut of Raven was less than stellar. After giving him the big buildup, Raven sold extensively for an unknown guy and looked completely blown up when it was over. Buzz must be rolling in his grave about Travis using the name. On the plus side, the fans did respond to Rave as a star…There were some nice production touches on the show – the Chroma key intro for the Kash match and the clips to set up Stevens/Dillinger.