OVW

[Guest DeputyHawk]

Don't know if this is wanted or not, but I'll use this thread to post reports of the weekly OVW TV show from their official site. This show's as good a point to start as any, with a new champion crowned - although why they'd hotshot the thing off Chris Cage after such a brief reign is beyond me.

 

12/04/2004 - DAVIS ARENA

 

KEN DOANE VS. DEUCE SHADE

REF:  Ray Ramsey

 

OVW fans get their second good look at the newcomer Deuce Shade as he takes on Ken Doane in the opening bout.  Both competitors are mat-based wrestlers by and large, but Doane does have some aerial techniques in his arsenal which work to his advantage close to the end of the match.  But in the beginning, turnbuckles come into play as both men jockey for position early on.  At one point, Doane Irish whips Shade into a corner, but Shade smoothly slips through the ropes to the outside to avoid Doane's momentum.  Doane catches him before he has a chance to get away and bashes his head into the turnbuckle.  As Shade gets his wits about him from the floor, he grabs Doane's arm and yanks him to the turnbuckle causing all manner of pain on the left shoulder of OVW's newest discovery.  The next several minutes, Shade puts an arm-bar submission on Doane to wear him down, but with minimal results.  He can't make a pin stick, and when he goes to ram Doane into a turnbuckle for more punishment, Doane dodges the move, and Shade ends up ramming the corner himself.  That allows his opponent to put on the Doane-nation and get the 1-2-3 victory.  Your winner is Ken Doane in just under five minutes.

 

----------

 

INTERVIEW WITH ELIJAH BURKE

 

OVW Matchmaker Jim Cornette steps inside the squared-circle with a man gaining a lot of ground in Ohio Valley Wrestling, Elijah Burke.  Fresh off his defeat of Matt Morgan last week and now the number one contender for the OVW Heavyweight belt, Burke told the story of his discovery of Ohio Valley Wrestling when he was a law-enforcement officer and his desire to become a professional wrestler.  This charismatic young man told of the path he took to enter the OVW training seminar and train under Danny Davis to get to where he is today.  He said the path wasn't easy what with an assured career in law enforcement and the recent purchase of a $250,000 home, but he says with the support of his father who recently passed away and his mother, he knew he could achieve his dreams.  The dream of becoming OVW champion comes next week for this newest star shining bright in the OVW sky when he takes on the winner of tonight's bout between OVW Champion Chris Cage and Chad.  Win, lose, or draw, Elijah Burke looks to be somebody fans will be talking about for a long time to come.

 

----------

 

OVW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

CHAD TOLAND VS. CHRIS CAGE

REF:  Robert Brisko

 

Next comes the contest to determine who Elijah Burke will face next week.  First to be introduced is Chad Toland pushing his cousin Tank to ringside in a wheelchair, still recuperating after the lockerroom attack a few weeks ago by Chris Cage in an attempt to get his belt back.  Then Cage himself comes to the ring, but mere steps behind him comes Matt Morgan who attacks him from behind!  Morgan bashes him across the back with a forearm sending the champion to the floor.  Morgan then shoves a production assistant out of a steel chair and places Cage's arm in the folded seat as he lays prone on the floor.  Morgan then comes down with a hard boot on the seat looking to break Cage's arm!  Several OVW officials come from the back to put some distance between the former champion and the man who took his title as the show goes to commercial break to determine the extent of Cage's injuries.

 

After the commercial break, medics determine Cage suffered a hard injury to the elbow, but not a fracture.  Cage is determined to compete, so OVW officials decide to postpone the match until later in the program to give Cage time to recoup from Morgan's Pearl Harbor style attack.

 

----------

 

WRESTLING EXHIBITION

 

For the last few weeks, whenever Kenny "Starmaker" Bolin would get near a mic, he would talk about his newest discovery for OVW and how he would annihilate all the competition OVW has to offer.  Tonight, fans would get their first look to see if Bolin puts his food coupons where his mouth is.

 

Bobby "Blaster" Lasheley, a Kansas high school wrestling champion, a three-time national wrestling champion, and a four-time All-American from Missouri Valley College, parts the curtains to KISS' God of Thunder and the screams of OVW arena fans.  He's escorted by Mike Mondo wearing military fatigues, a helmet, and blowing a whistle.  The man whom Bolin calls "Brock Lesner Times Ten" is set to face three opponents right in a row.  But he doesn't have to face them long as the first man from the trainee division comes up and is easily decimated by a suplex and then a powerslam.  One hand is all Lasheley needs to pin this man to get set for the next opponent.  This one needs a suplex followed by a powerbomb, but again, one hand is all it takes for a victory.  The third amateur trainee looks to be more challenging as he manages to slip behind Lasheley and get a waist lock that takes Lasheley off his feet if only for a few inches in the air.  But Lasheley takes him off his feet easily with two overhead suplexes right in a row.  The running powerbomb at this point is merely for show as the third opponent doesn't put up much offense and is easily pinned.  Bolin may have found the real deal in Blaster Lasheley, and if nothing else, Lasheley will be a force to be reckoned with, of that you can be sure.

 

-----------

 

OVW SOUTHERN TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH

MAC JOHNSON & SETH SKYFIRE VS. JOEY MATTHEWS & JOHNNY NITRO

REF:  Chris Kay

 

In a rematch that has Melina barred from Davis Arena, Johnny Nitro and Joey Matthews must defend their newly-won titles against former champions Mac Johnson and Seth Skyfire.  As the match gets underway, Skyfire takes on Nitro as it's one reversal after another between the two competitors.  A quick tag to Matthews has more of the same, but Matthews decides to up the ante by slapping Skyfire across the face hard!  Skyfire beats him down to the mat with one fist to the face after another.  Johnson and Nitro come in, and Johnson beats Nitro down as well so that we have a stereo beating going on in the ring as Chris Kay tries to restore order.  The tag champions roll to the outside of the ring to regroup as the match continues.  Back inside, Matthews again has his hands full with Skyfire, but when Johnson tags in, Matthews is able to back Johnson into the M-N-M corner where some doubleteaming turns the match to the champions' advantage.  Johnson tries to build some momentum later and regain control of the match, but a missed cross body off the turnbuckle onto Nitro comes up short.  That opens the door for Matthews and Nitro to doubleteam on Johnson for several minutes and put him through a world of hurt.  Whenever Johnson would get close to making a tag, one of the opponents would come over and shove Skyfire off the ring apron thwarting the tag attempt leaving Johnson at the continue mercy of his opponents.  After about two instances of this move, Johnson decides he's had enough and escapes the clutches of Matthews in a neutral corner and rolls to his partner for a desperate tag.  Skyfire comes in with dropkicks and spinning heel kicks to put Matthews and Nitro off balance for a few seconds.  Johnson comes back in as he sets Matthews up for the Veg-O-Matic finisher.  Skyfire ascends to the top turnbuckle, but Nitro comes across the ring apron and shoves Skyfire hard to the concrete floor!  Skyfire is still the legal man, so he has to spend several minutes taking the brunt of M-N-M's offensive as Johnson did earlier.  Johnson and Skyfire try to regain some offense on the champions, and it looks to be working for only a moment.  But when all four competitors are down and out does Matthews go for the most underhanded tactic of all... he goes over to a person in the crowd who's wearing a Frosty-The-Snowman costume who's been handing candy out to the kids in the arena all evening and gets a set of brass knuckles!  As Johnson leans over the top rope to get to Matthews, Matthews clocks him good with the knucks, and down in the middle of the ring he goes.  Nitro, who just put Skyfire out on the other side, hooks Johnson's leg as the referee draws his attention to the middle of the squared circle.  The referee counts one-two-three, and Nitro and Matthews are still the tag team champions!  But Skyfire, not satisfied with the ending, comes around and jerks the head off the Frosty costume to reveal Melina!!!  Matthews knocks Skyfire off to the side as he and Nitro grab Melina over the security railing and high-tail it out of the building along with their tag team belts.

 

-----------

 

OVW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

CHAD TOLAND VS. CHRIS CAGE

REF:  Robert Brisko

 

In a second attempt at the match this evening, Chris Cage looks to defend his belt against the cousin of his former partner Tank Toland and comes to the ring sporting a bandage on the arm injured in the attack earlier from Matt Morgan.  The TV main event gets started with Cage chasing Chad Toland around the ring and around the announcers' desk while Tank sits in his wheelchair at ringside.  Chad scurries into the ring and is waiting on Cage as the bell rings, and tries to open up with fists on the OVW Champion.  But even with one arm, Cage is more than a match for Chad as he comes back with his good right arm and fires off a series of shots to his opponent.  But Chad evidently has been picking up pointers from his cousin and soon sees an opportunity to work on the injured left arm of Cage.  Chad puts on a strenuous wristlock and hits the elbow a couple of time with his own forearm sending waves of pain through Cage.  Chad then follows up with a thumb to the eye that blinds Cage while Chad looks to take the legs out from under him.  For a rookie, Chad shows some promise as a wrestler but of course does not rely solely on technical moves to win his match.  He spend a few minutes continuing to work on the left arm of Cage, but Cage finally comes back with his good arm and put a few right fists to Chad's head.  Cage sees an opportunity of his own and ventures to ringside where he clotheslines Tank right out of his wheelchair!  The fans are delighted with the move as Cage climbs back up into the ring.  Cage steps back in where he fires another right hand to Chad.  Chad then shoves him from behind into the turnbuckle.  Cage pushes back and rolls up Chad practically sitting on him for a two count.  But Chad kicks out of the pin attempt shoving Cage right back into the turnbuckle with all his might.  Cage hits right on that injured arm of his, and Chad slips up and rolls him into a schoolboy.  Just out of the referee's viewpoint, Chad grabs a handful of tights and he works to hold Cage down to the mat.  Cage can't get up as the referee counts one-two-three!!!  We have a new Ohio Valley Wrestling Champion, and it is Chad Toland, of all people!!!

[Dark Age 0]

Nice to see a mention of O-V-Dub.

 

I'm quite a bit behind on it right now, at the end of 2003. Maybe we could turn this thread into an OVW discussion thread, talking about past matches, best matches, etc. So, anyone who watches OVW fairly regularly?

[Guest JJW]

I follow ovw tv in F4W and I'm probably gonna order some tapes cause the stuff they've been doing with Nitro/Matthews/Melina and Chad/Tank sounds very entertaining.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Nice to see a mention of O-V-Dub.

 

I'm quite a bit behind on it right now, at the end of 2003. Maybe we could turn this thread into an OVW discussion thread, talking about past matches, best matches, etc. So, anyone who watches OVW fairly regularly?

I'm a fair bit behind on OVW, but I've watched their TV up until around April of this year.

 

One of the most underrated matches all year in 2002 was a Kanyon v Damaja TV match in the summer. This match was ****1/2 easy, and blew away almost everything in WWE that year. It was excellent stuff, with great near falls, the crowd going crazy, top-notch commentary; it had the whole ball of wax.

 

For 2003, the best episodes were the ones with the Dinsmore v Machine 2/3 falls match, that is one of the best matches of the year, and the episode built around the Damaja v Doug Basham Loser Leaves Town match. If you watch those matches, or any of their matches or mic work in OVW, you'll see just how neutered the WWE versions of both guys are. The same can be said of Nick Dinsmore. His talents are being wasted with the Eugene gimmick, and while not as good on the mic as Damaja or Basham, he's better wrestler.

[Guest Loss]

I'm going to feel stupid asking this, but who is Damaja in WWE?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I'm going to feel stupid asking this, but who is Damaja in WWE?

Danny Basham.

[Guest Fook_Theta]

I find it strange that it seems OVM tv has better matches full of a more diverse moveset than WWE tv.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I find it strange that it seems OVM tv has better matches full of a more diverse moveset than WWE tv.

That's what happens when you let guys wrestle balls to the wall.

[Alro 0]

I watch when I can/when I remember. Elijah Burke won the OVW title this past week from Chad Toland. He seems to be pretty popular at the Davis Arena.

 

I did three reviews of OVW TV from this summer. Go here, here,and here for them.

[Guest Desperate Housewife]

Man that title gets around

[Zack Malibu 0]

Not usually it doesn't.

 

I follow OVW through the tapes I get (I get each months volume) so it's nice to see some discussion around these parts.

[Guest DeathBecomesYou]

Hopefully this becomes an OVW discussion thread, like the Gateway one. Just a question or two for those who watch the show often. First, how good is Johnny Jeter now? I remember seeing him have some blinding matches in 2003 (especially the Jericho match from Six Flags in July) but how has improved since? Second, is Chris Cage actually a proper main event guy now, or is he still booked as a tag guy who's only starting to do singles?

[Guest DeputyHawk]

Also, where the hell did Chad Toland come from and what's he done to justify getting the belt. Was the intention to punt it from Cage to Tank to Burke and Chad just filled the gap when Tank got injured? Seems odd - as mentioned, OVW usually has fairly lengthy title reigns.

[Guest DeathBecomesYou]

I guess they figured if Tank was out, they'd still try and keep the feud hot using Chad as a substitute. I have no problem with Chad Toland winning the OVW belt, the little bit of pre OVW stuff I saw was very impressive, there's worse guys they could use.

[Kardo 0]

Batista vs. Val Venis is the match I pimp to everyone. I love it, good psychology and selling.

[Guest Desperate Housewife]

Ifit helps, Chad is Chad Wicks, who did a New Japan tour a while back, and even did the Best Of The Super J, as far as I know.

 

Or maybe the Young Lions Tourney, I'm not sure

[thuganomics 0]

Batista vs Val Venis was f'n amazing...

 

I also remember a Leviathan/Disciples vs Venis/Lesnar/Benjamin match that was just completely insane.

[Dark Age 0]

Nice to see a mention of O-V-Dub.

 

I'm quite a bit behind on it right now, at the end of 2003. Maybe we could turn this thread into an OVW discussion thread, talking about past matches, best matches, etc. So, anyone who watches OVW fairly regularly?

I'm a fair bit behind on OVW, but I've watched their TV up until around April of this year.

 

One of the most underrated matches all year in 2002 was a Kanyon v Damaja TV match in the summer. This match was ****1/2 easy, and blew away almost everything in WWE that year. It was excellent stuff, with great near falls, the crowd going crazy, top-notch commentary; it had the whole ball of wax.

 

For 2003, the best episodes were the ones with the Dinsmore v Machine 2/3 falls match, that is one of the best matches of the year, and the episode built around the Damaja v Doug Basham Loser Leaves Town match. If you watch those matches, or any of their matches or mic work in OVW, you'll see just how neutered the WWE versions of both guys are. The same can be said of Nick Dinsmore. His talents are being wasted with the Eugene gimmick, and while not as good on the mic as Damaja or Basham, he's better wrestler.

Damn right.

 

I watched the Kanyon/Damaja match just recently, and while I wouldn't go as high as ****1/2, it was still a very, very good ***1/2-***3/4 match for me.

 

If you liked that match, I'd expect you also like the very first Kanyon/Jeter match? Really good match, IMO, with a great underdog story.

 

The 2/3 Falls match is fantastic and one of my favourite OVW matches ever. No doubt you've seen the Iron Man tag match, which is possibly the quickest 30 minutes you can experience. Fantastic stuff, which I'd recommend to anyone.

 

Recently watched the Christmas Chaos 2001 show which is OUTSTANDING, and is a great show to start on for O-V-Dubya. It's before the entire 'Revolution' angle starts so it's pretty much perfect timing (Conway is still a heel, Damaja a face, Dinsmore is champ). There's a great **** Benoit/Dinsmore match, a ***1/2 Hardys and Lita/DOS match (think T and A/Hardys and Lita at FL00), as well as a lot of other fun, solid matches with Orton/Robbie D, MSC/Spade and Scraper, Flash and Trash/Rico and Mr Black.

 

Another good place to start is with the 'Run For The Rumble' which features a lot of very good matches (Dinsmore vs Conway (***1/2) Damaja vs Machine (***) Dinsmore vs Damaja (***1/2)). It also spawned two other very good matches (Eddie/Nova and Angle/Damaja, both at about ***1/2 - ***3/4). It's a great place to start as it's when the splits of Conway/Dinsmore and Damaja/Machine really begin to shape up.

 

A few other enjoyable matches round the time of the 2/3 Falls: Dinsmore vs Basham at the start of March (the DQ finish) is very good. The Dinsmore/Damaja/Machine match is good (though slightly disappointing) and features on the same show as a match with Sevin and Travis Bane vs Rob Conway and Johnny Jeter which is WAY better than it has any right to be at about ***-***1/4. For those wondering, Seven and Bane are Mordecai and Tomko. Also a good viewing is the Damaja/Dinsmore match in February (another DQ finish) which looked to be heading towards MOTY level stuff before the ending.

 

For those who know Conway, Dinsmore and the Bashams simply from their WWE personas, trust me, you need to check out OVW. It's shocking just how different these guys are to their WWE states, particularly the Bashams.

[Fro 0]

Probably the best OVW match from this year was the four corners elimination match with:

 

Nova/Idol/Danny Inferno (Jersey Shore Crew) v.s. Seth Skyfire/Mac Johnson v.s. Cage/Tank Toland v.s. Chris Masters/Brent Albright. Just a fantastic tag match that goes a good half hour. IMHO, this smokes any tag match WWE has done this year. An insane brawl between the Jersey Shore Crew and the Disciples of Synn (Mordecai/Tomko) was also really good.

 

The rest of the TV show is super hot (with Mark Magnus's redebut as Muhammed Hassan and a Nitro v.s. Donne match, I think). Can't give you a date, I know they replayed the show in November over Thanksgiving so if you get the Nov. tape you'll get it.

 

Also, the Dinsmore/Jeter title feud is definitely worth checking out too. Think that's from late 2003/early 2004. There's a brutal match where Dinsmore just kills Jeter with a bunch of German suplexes (which are actually sold as instant death) which led to Dinsmore turning heel.

 

Cage is definitely a proper main eventer in OVW now... he's bulked up a bit. Of course, the tag guys have been booked as the main eventers (plus Morgan and Jeter), since the OVW Originals (Dinsmore, Conway, Bashams) left for WWE.

 

Lots of great stuff... I wish Cornette could get creative control in WWE or TNA without anyone to meddle with him because he's been on a real hot streak the past three years or so.

[Dark Age 0]

I really need to get up to date. After Christmas I'm gonna get a shitload of stuff in.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Off the Run for the Rumble deal was an awesome angle where Damaja attacked Rocky Johson, leading to Jim Ross doing an interview over the phone with Cornette, where JR suspends Damaja. Damaja was meant to be in the Rumble, but when he got taken out, they had to explain why he wasn't going to be in it after winning the RftR. After the JR interview, Damaja and Jackie come out, bags in hand, and Damaja cuts a blistering promo, where he runs down everyone under the sun, before quitting OVW, and he and Jackie storm out of the side door, and into the night.

 

Also recommended is the October 2003 episode with Jim Cornette confronting John Laurinitus.

[Guest DeathBecomesYou]

I loved the Run For The Rumble tournament, but my favourite ever OVW feud came a little later. The Damaja vs Doug Basham feud, where Doug had "forged" Damaja's contract with WWE so he'd have to be "Danny Basham" on Smackdown was brilliant. I think it was a really clever way for OVW to cover for WWE's fuck up. This of course, led to my fave ever OVW match, the loser leaves town between Doug and Damaja, just a superb match, great action, plenty of nearfalls and the crowd was insane for everything. Plus the aftermath, when the rest of the Revolution turned on Doug, leading to Damaja and Danny Davis making the save, it was just a perfect way to end the feud.

[Guest DeputyHawk]

12/11/2004 - DAVIS ARENA

 

DANNY INFERNO W/TRUDI DENUCCI VS. CHRIS CAGE

REF:  Chris Kay

 

Trying to build some momentum back from his loss to Chad Toland, Chris Cage takes on Danny Inferno as he looks to make his way back to the title picture.  And this will be an uphill match from the get-go as Inferno wastes no time in intimidating Cage with a toothpick toss at the opening bell.  Cage and Inferno lock up with the collar and elbow as both jockey for position early on in the match with neither man gaining a clear advantage.  For the next few minutes, each man tries to make his opponent submit via an armbar.  Cage, of course, is still suffering with that elbow injury from last week's attack by Matt Morgan with the chair, so he's clearly at a disadvantage.  But he keeps the pressure on Inferno so much, he is almost able to even things out.  Cage then gets a head of steam and starts clotheslining Inferno and then dropkicks him out of the ring to the tender mercies of Trudi Denucci.  Cage gets tired of waiting on Inferno to come back in the ring, so he comes out and hauls him back in.  Cage then goes to the top rope for a high risk move, but Denucci grabs at his ankle to keep him on the turnbuckle.  Cage kicks her to the floor, but Denucci bought Inferno enough time to yank Cage down and bring his injured elbow across the top rope hard!  Cage rolls to the outside where Denucci puts a boot to his elbow.  Inferno follows suit and puts some boots to the injury as well before dragging him back in the ring.  Cage tries to come back by firing him to the ropes and pulling a sunset flip, but Inferno stops just short and knee-drops the bad left arm and then opens up with a series of right hands on Cage.  Again Cage tries to come back with some momentum with more clotheslines with the good right arm followed up by a chin buster, but the subsequent pin only gets a count of two.  Cage goes to whip Inferno into the ropes, but Inferno reverses it and grabs Cage by the bad left arm and slams him hard face-first into the canvas.  Inferno's pin only goes to two.  Cage comes back one more time and plants Inferno into the mat with a face-first DDT that is enough to drive the wind out of Inferno and allow Cage to hold his shoulder's to the mat for a count of three!

 

INTERVIEW WITH MATTHEWS, NITRO, & MELINA

 

Jim Cornette joins the Southern Tag Team Champions in the ring with their valet where he questions their tactics for their win over Mac Johnson and Seth Skyfire last week having Melina disguised as Frosty The Snowman.  Johnny Nitro says Frosty was merely in attendance to spread some holiday cheer to the poor unfortunate kids of Kentuckiana (along with some brass knucks in last week's match).  Joey Matthews says he has no problem with anything given that he claims the quarter hour ratings for OVW TV are the highest thing on the WB when M-N-M are on the air.  Cornette doesn't dispute that claim, but he does say Johnson and Skyfire are demanding a rematch.  Matthews points out that Nitro's uncle is a lawyer and president of the California Bar Association, and he says M-N-M don't have to defend their title for thirty days according to their contract.  Matthews says with that in mind, they are going to take their belts to a warmer climate for the holidays, and the fans have seen their last title defense of 2004.

 

PASSION & ALEXIS LAREE VS. JILLIAN HALL & MELISSA COATES

REF:  Ray Ramsey

 

The match opens up with an exchange between Passion and Jillian Hall with Passion quickly tagging in Alexis Laree to face her old nemesis.  Hall whips Laree into the corner and follows up with a handspring elbow, but Laree has the move well scouted, jumps up on the turnbuckle and greets Hall with a headscissors and flips her over on the canvas nearly getting a three count!  A disoriented Hall quickly tags in Melissa Coates who uses her considerable size and power advantage to overpower Laree.  But Laree is joined briefly by her partner for a double-drop kick on Coates.  As Ramsey is admonishing Passion, Coates gives Laree the bums rush through the ropes to the outside where Hall gets in a few shots for good measure.  Back in the ring, Coates takes a couple more shots before tagging in Hall who puts Laree in a front face lock and flips her with the suplex.  Hall then puts her foot on Laree's back and starts pulling hard on her hair.  Laree then works her way up to a sitting position, then on her back, and from there mulekicks Hall into next week right in underneath the chin!  Hall comes back by firing Laree into the corner.  Again, Laree is ready with a head scissors that she uses to flip Hall with a spinning hurricanrana.  Passion is then tagged in where she flapjacks Hall and then she backs up into Coates' corner and delivers an elbow that sends Coates to the arena floor!  Passion follows up with the DDT to Hall, but only gets a two count because Coates comes in the ring to break up the count.  That brings in Laree who drop kicks her back to the floor.  Ramsey spends time admonishing Laree for coming in without benefit of a tag.  Meanwhile, Passion is trying to get Hall into position for a high risk move.  Passion goes to the top rope where Coates sneaks up and pushes her off onto the canvas.  Hall fires back with a handspring landing right on Passion and is able to get the 1-2-3 win.

 

INTERVIEW WITH BOLIN SERVICES

 

Kenny "Starmaker" Bolin along with Mike Mondo escort Blaster Lasheley to the ring where Bolin says this is one of his most lucrative finds that will go straight to the top.  Bolin says he has Mondo personally training Lasheley and making sure he does his 1,000 daily pushups and 1,200 crunches along with running 5.2 miles each morning with Mondo on his back!  Bolin is so confident, he is issuing an open challenge to anyone in the OVW lockerroom in the coming weeks.  Bolin will pay $100 for every minute someone can last in the ring with Lasheley.  Can anyone go the distance with Bolin Services newest find?  We'll definitely see in 2005!

 

OVW HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH

ELIJAH BURKE VS. CHAD TOLAND w/TANK TOLAND

REF:  Robert Brisko

 

Chad Toland comes out first for the introductions escorted by his wheelchair bound cousin who now seems to have both legs wrapped up as opposed to only one leg last week.  Evidently the one punch Chris Cage gave Tank Toland in the lockerroom three weeks ago has made Toland progressively worse.  He'll probably be in a body cast before it's all said and done.  But Elijah Burke comes to the ring, and the television main event for the title gets underway.  But Toland is a little slow getting into the ring which wears on Burke's patience.  Burke whips him into the ring over the ropes and the opening bell sounds.  Burke wastes no time in going for a pin.  He immediately puts Toland in a schoolboy that only gets a count of two.  Then a sunset flip for a count of two.  Then he brings Toland's legs up and over him for a pin that only gets a count of two.  Burke waist locks Toland from behind, but Toland backs him hard into the corner.  The effects of that impact don't last long as Burke fires back with about three hip tosses that eventually send Toland reeling out to the arena floor.  Toland comes back in where Burke goes for a flying cross body.  But Toland ducks, and Burke impacts with nothing but canvas.  Burke rolls to the outside where Tank Toland tries to kick at him, but his wheels are locked on his wheelchair, so he basically can't move from his position.  Chad Toland gets Burke back in the ring where he kicks and punches on him unmercifully.  Toland then Irish whips Burke into the turnbuckle twice with surprising force and agility given Toland's small stature compared with Burke.  Toland spends the next two minutes choking Burke on the ropes, hitting him with fists and forearms, and using every advantage he can muster.  But Burke comes back when Toland backs him into a corner and looks to impact with a splash.  Burke dodges the advance and then puts a surprise DDT on the OVW Heavyweight Champion.  Burke is working to build his momentum at this point and puts Toland down with forearms and fists of his own.  He then calls for his spinebuster which he puts on Toland with ease at this point.  But no one in the arena is more surprised than Burke when Toland manages to kick out of the pin at the count of two!  Toland then rolls over to his cousin while the official is speaking to Burke about something or other.  Tank hands Chad a chain which he rolls around his fist in clear view of the camera though not in clear view of the referee or Burke.  Toland comes up and clocks Burke very quickly with the object and then fires it off back to Tank before anyone is the wiser.  The pin by Chad Toland looks to be academic at this point, but somehow-someway Burke manages to kick out of the pin at the two-count!  The crowd is on their feet by this point in anticipation of a new OVW Champion.  Toland starts arguing with the official about the speed of his count.  When Toland turns around however, Burke dropkicks him right into the official who rolls out of the ring from the impact! 

 

Burke and Toland start mixing it up again, but while Brisko is out of the picture, here comes Matt Morgan from the back with an attack on Burke from behind.  He puts a Death Valley driver on Burke, but then he gets attacked from behind himself by Chris Cage who comes out to Burke's defense.  Cage and Morgan fight to the outside as Toland comes in and hooks Burke's leg.  It looks to be all over with as Brisko crawls back and starts the count.  But again, Burke digs down deep and is able to kick out at the two-count!  Nothing seems to be able to keep Burke down!  The electricity in the arena is as intense as it has ever been.  No one is in their seats at this point.  Not even Tank Toland!  He gets up out of his wheelchair and is standing at ringside beating the ring apron cheering on his cousin.  Chad Irish whips Burke to the ropes who looks to build the momentum for a high impact, but Tank grabs his ankle and holds him there!  Chad looks to baseball slide into Burke's legs, but Burke steps out of the way at the very last possible second, and Chad ends up kicking his cousin, Tank!  Chad is taken aback by the mistake, but Burke seizes on the opportunity to put Chad into a schoolboy that he works hard to maintain.  The referee counts one-two-three, and we have a new Ohio Valley Wrestling Heavyweight Champion!!!

[Guest DeputyHawk]

Good to see Joey Matthews in the main event. A lot of people give him a hard time but I really enjoyed his run on top in 3PW. Hopefully he can use this to move up to a decent midcard run in WWE. He's certainly a hell of a lot better than a lot of the guys they've been hotshotting up from OVW in the last year.

 

01/08/2005 - DAVIS ARENA

 

A Welcome to the recap of the first television broadcast of 2005 as we're set to have another spectacular year in Ohio Valley Wrestling.  We kick off the start of the new season with another impressive look at Bolin Service's new find, Blaster Lasheley.  Romeo Roselli and Antonio "The Promise" Thomas form a new tag team called The Heartbreakers while Johnny Jeter and Matt Capotelli anoint themselves with a new moniker, The Thrill Seekers!  All that plus a match for the OVW Southern Tag Team belts gets 2005 started off right!

 

KEN DOANE VS. AARON "THE IDOL" STEVENS

REF:  Ray Ramsey

 

n the wake of the departure of Nova from The Jersey Shore Crew, Aaron "The Idol" Stevens is looking to reinvent himself for the new year and displays his new look in tonight's opening bout.  Coming out to the opening strains of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar, Stevens looks to be promoting himself as the new golden boy of wrestling with an outfit that appears to have been bought at a Randy Savage rummage sale.  But there's not much different about his wrestling technique once the match gets started save for a little more aggression.  He handily keeps Ken Doane on the defensive with knee lifts, boots to the back and head, and solid body blows.  Doane takes the punishment for about two minutes until a lucky break allows him to put a boot upside Stevens' head and then follow up with a number of clotheslines and dropkicks.  Stevens is able to hold off Doane's "Doanation", but Doane fires back with an insiguri that literally turns Stevens head over heels!  A followup pin only gets a count of two, and Doane tries once more for "Doanation".  But Stevens ducks the move and comes back with a spinning neck breaker variation that plants Doane inside out!  Stevens hooks the far leg, and it's all over for Ken Doane!

 

----------

 

INTERVIEW WITH ELIJAH BURKE

 

After a video highlight showing Elijah Burke's win over Chad Toland making him the new OVW Heavyweight Champion and a previously unseen heartfelt thanks to the fans of Kentuckiana, Jim Cornette brings Burke to the ring to ask him who he wants to face in the new year.  But before Burke can even utter one word, Matt Morgan comes to the ring.  He gets right in the face of the new champion and calls him a chump that has no business even being in the ring let alone wearing "Morgan's title belt".  Cornette steps in with the fact that Morgan couldn't even beat Chris Cage fairly.  Morgan starts to respond to that charge, but Cage parts the curtains and joins the threesome in the ring.  He gets in Morgan's face saying he should be the one to get a title shot given that it was the Toland's who cheated him out of the title.  Well, no sooner does he mention Chad and Tank than they come to the ring!  Chad is pushing Tank in his wheelchair despite the fact three weeks ago Tank was on his feet at ringside cheering his cousin on for his match against Burke.  Tank is wheeled beside the announcers' desk where he gets a microphone and says all of OVW conspired with Burke against his cousin Chad to beat him for the OVW title, and if it weren't for Cage's sneak attack weeks ago, he wouldn't be in that wheelchair.  Cage calls him on it and says he's going to really know pain this time!  Cage leaves the ring and starts chasing after Tank.  Tank sprints from his wheelchair and runs around the announcers' desk and toward the back with Cage in hot pursuit!  That only leaves Cornette, Burke, and Morgan in the ring, and Morgan takes advantage of the moment to blindside Burke and put his modified Death Valley Driver on him!  Morgan looks to follow up with a powerbomb, but Cage comes back with a steel chair and chases Morgan out of the ring and back to the back of the arena!

 

After the commercial break, Cornette announces Burke will take on Morgan for the OVW title next week to settle the question of just what kind of uphill battle Burke is in for when he faces "The Blueprint".

 

Cornette also announced that Cage will get a chance to get his hands on the Toland's next week as well when he goes up against the both of them in a handicap match.  The real question there is, who will be the ones actually under the handicap?

 

----------

 

THE HEARTBREAKERS VS. NICK NEMETH & STEVE LEWINGTON

REF:  Chris Kay

 

As we get set for the next match, Morris comes through the curtains not wearing his typical butler's tux, but now sporting the latest in "big daddy pimp wear".  He comes over to Cornette and grabs the mic to talk about how he recently suffered an injury, found a good lawyer, and sued the pants off somebody.  Not going into specifics, Morris did make it clear he no longer has to rely on Bolin Services for his bread and butter.  With his new found wealth, he is pursuing what he's learned from Kenny Bolin and becoming a manager himself taking on the role of mentor to the new tag team of The Heartbreakers made up of Romeo Roselli and Antonio "The Promise" Thomas.

 

As the match gets started, Steve Lewington trades off with Roselli as they go back and forth with opening moves.  But as Lewington is going back and forth with leap frogs, Roselli stops him just short to show him a dance move!  They trade off more moves, and this time Roselli is going back and forth between the ropes.  Lewington then stops him just short as if he's going to demonstrate a dance move, but he ends up decking Roselli in the chops to the approval of the arena audience!  Roselli decides to let his partner in and have a chance, so Thomas tags in as Lewington tags out.  Nick Nemeth comes in for only about a minute to deliver a big hip toss to Thomas and tags Lewington back in for more.  The Heartbreakers try to doubleteam on Lewington with a big whip in the corner, but when Roselli comes in with a knee to Lewington's face, Lewington catches him with a drop toe hold and sends him face first into the turnbuckle!  Lewington then delivers a big atomic knee and finishes taking Roselli down with a drop kick.  Lewington then tries to go to the top turnbuckle, but Thomas grabs the leg to delay before being kicked off by Lewington.  That gives Roselli time enough to come and charge Lewington at the ropes sending him straight to the floor.  Thomas is there to ram Lewington's back into the edge of the ring before rolling him back in for more punishment from Roselli.  Thomas tags in and works on the back of Lewington for a minute before whipping him to a corner.  Thomas then leaps for a big splash, but Lewington dodges the attempt, and Thomas connects with nothing but turnbuckle.

 

Nemeth is tagged in as the action heats up and turns things up a notch!  He starts clotheslining both opponents left and right really getting the crowd fired up.  He's whipped into the ropes by Thomas who goes for a big back body drop, but Nemeth, with catlike agility, is able to leap about five feet into the air and drop kick Thomas with authority.  Nemeth's cover only gets a count of two when it's broken by Roselli.  That of course brings in Lewington as all four men are in the ring.  But Referee Chris Kay decides Lewington needs to head back to his corner and makes get out of the ring.  That leaves Nemeth alone with both Heartbreakers who pull a devastating double Russian leg sweep.  Thomas scrambles out of the ring as the referee is turning around, and Roselli goes for a cover.  Nemeth is too spent to offer a kickout, and Roselli gets the pin and win for his team. 

 

----------

 

BLASTER LASHELEY W/ BOLIN SERVICES VS. CLIFF COMPTON

REF: Deuce Mahoney

 

Mike Mondo and Kenny "Starmaker" Bolin escort Bolin's latest find to the ring, Blaster Lasheley for Bolin's $100-a-minute challenge.  Seems the only way Bolin can entice people to get in the ring with Lasheley is to offer them $100 for every full minute they can last with the big behemoth.  A newcomer to OVW Cliff Compton decides he'd like to try to earn some cash and answers the challenge.  The opening bell sounds and a collar and elbow tie up ensues.  Lasheley then goes with a waist lock from behind and takes Compton down to the mat easily.  Lasheley then puts on a double-arm suplex with ease and follows up with a clothesline that nearly takes Compton's head off!  Dean Hill announces that thirty seconds have gone by.  Lasheley decides he's had enough and pins Compton's shoulders to the mat with merely two hands.  The referee counts three and the match officially lasts a total of thirty-six seconds.  Bolin's money is safe, and Compton goes home no richer than when he started.

 

----------

 

OVW SOUTHERN TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH

JOEY MATTHEWS & JOHNNY NITRO VS. THE THRILL SEEKERS

REF:  Robert Brisko

 

In their first title defense of 2005, Johnny Nitro and Joey Matthews give an opportunity to two crowd favorites, Matt Capotelli and Johnny Jeter to become the OVW Southern Tag Team Champions.  They come to the ring, sans Melina, who is said to be in a photo shoot in Cancun.  As the match gets started, Capotelli locks it up and jockeys for position with Nitro.  Capotelli gets in a couple of good moves, but Nitro rushes him to the corner for a tag on Matthews.  They doubleteam him for a moment before Matthews takes him to a neutral corner and fires off a chest chop that rocks the entire arena!  Matthews gets Irish whipped to the opposite corner where Capotelli returns the favor.  Nitro starts over to the corner to lend a hand, but Capotelli fires a knife-edge chest chop to him sending him to the floor!  Johnny Jeter gets tagged in where they doubleteam on Matthews for a moment before knocking Nitro back to the floor just as soon as he gets up on the ring apron.  Nitro manages to come in anyway, and it's all four men in the ring at once.  But The Thrill Seekers won't be intimidated as they keep the OVW tag champs on the defensive up to this point.  In fact, Nitro and Matthews are so disgusted with the way the match is going, they both leave the ring, head to the announcers' desk, grab their belts, and walk out hoping to be counted out!  The referee starts the count, but Jeter and Capotelli run after them and haul them back to the ring!  Jeter rolls Matthews into the squared circle and scrambles up to the top rope and comes off with a missile drop kick on Matthews that finds its mark as surely as if Matthews had a bullseye painted on his chest!  But he is somehow able to kick out after a two-count, and the match continues.

 

Jeter is rushed to the M-N-M corner, but he is able to deliver a succession of elbows to keep his opponents from pulling off any doubleteam efforts.  Matthews goes rolling out of the ring, so Jeter brings in Nitro over the top rope via a hip toss.  Jeter decides to go to the top turnbuckle again for a high risk move, but Matthews comes out of nowhere and pushes Jeter off to the floor where he almost collides with a cameraman!  The momentum of the match is clearly with the champions now as they spend the next few minutes working over Jeter who can get no help from Capotelli except when he comes in to break up a count on a pin attempt.  Jeter is put through several worlds of hurt over the next few minutes especially when both Nitro and Matthews whip him headfirst into a corner.  Jeter tries to stop the move by bending forward, but he ends up head over heels striking the turnbuckle upside down with his back!!!  Matthews takes advantage of the sore spot and works on Jeter's back with knees and fists.  He tags in Nitro who looks to add more punishment, but Jeter, in a final desperation move, jumps up on the turnbuckle and comes off with a cross body on both opponents!  He's able to roll through the move and get a much needed tag on Capotelli who comes in like a house afire!  He delivers all the elbows, kicks, and fists to the tag champs they can absorb.  He isolates Nitro in the ring and puts him hard on the mat with a flat liner leg lariat, but his pin only gets a count of two.  Capotelli takes Nitro to a corner, but Matthews comes out of nowhere and knocks Capotelli upside the head.  Matthews and Nitro decide to go for their doubleteam finisher, The Snapshot", but as they are getting set, Jeter comes from off side with a super kick that knocks out Nitro's lights!  Matthews lets go of Capotelli and rushes after Jeter to put on a swinging neck breaker.  That sends Jeter rolling out of the ring, and Matthews concentrates again on Capotelli.  Capotelli fires off a couple of shots to Matthews, but Matthews comes back to rush Capotelli at the ropes.  Capotelli steps aside and helps Matthews go sailing between the middle and top ropes to the outside.  Capotelli then grabs Nitro and rolls him up for a pin which looks to be the match ender.  Brisko gets to about two, but Matthews slips back in the ring, grabs Capotelli, and sends him flying over the top rope in full view of the referee.  Robert Brisko has no choice but to stop the match and disqualify the champions because of Matthews' illegal move!  The fighting continues among all four men, but Nitro and Matthews clearly have control of the ring.  They send Capotelli to the floor and prepare to do a Snapshot on Jeter.  But from the back comes Seth Skyfire and Mac Johnson to break up the attempt and break up the situation before it turns worse.  Of course, Capotelli and Jeter win the match, but the belts remain firmly around the waists of Nitro and Matthews for another week.

[CanadianChick 0]

Question: How are the females in OVW (Passion, Alexix Laree, Jillian Hall & Melissa Coates)? Better than WWE females, or do they suck?

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Better than WWE females, or do they suck?

You know, they could be worlds better than the WWE divas and still suck.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Alexis is, hopefully, still awesome.

[Slingshot Suplex 0]

Can anybody point me in the direction of where to pick up some older OVW tapes? Their site doesn't seem to have a very big catalogue of tapes to pick from.

[Guest DeathBecomesYou]

Question: How are the females in OVW (Passion, Alexix Laree, Jillian Hall & Melissa Coates)? Better than WWE females, or do they suck?

Good, but not great. They're at the Victoria level, so not as good as Molly. Jillian is the standout of the OVW girls, good worker, plays a good face and a better heel. Alexis is good but still kind of bland, Coates is average at best but the fact that she looks rather freakish will probably see her on TV at some point.

Probably the best of the OVW girls is Beth Phoenix, she looks good, is a pretty good worker and with her gimmick based on her amateur background, has what could be a decent character too. She's for mine, the pick of the bunch.

[Guest sek69]

It must be real disheartening for Cornette and crew to put all that effort into creating solid workers, gimmicks, and angles only to have the WWE fuck everything up.

 

Someone who doesn't follow OVW must look at the list of graduates and think what a horrible promotion it must be. Off the top of my head, the only OVW graduates that didn't get fucked with out of the box were Brock and Shelton Benjamin. Even Orton and Batista got shackled with lame gimmicks out of the box and had to work their way up hill.