TCW VI: Come Out and Play

Pre-Match: "Come Out and Play" by The Offspring blared over the arena's speakers as play-by-play man Lance Catamaran welcomed the viewers at home to TCW VI. The music faded out, and then "I Walk Alone" popped the crowd as Big Dave walked out flanked by the rest of the studio crew: Mojo Rawley, Satnam Singh, and Stephanie Vaquer. Batista hit his pose to fireworks at the top of the ramp, startling Satnam, and then ran down to the ring, soaking up the fans' adulation.

"The Final Countdown" played next as Danielson appeared at the top of the ramp to a huge pop. Commissioner Dragon counted the four members of the studio crew in and around the ring and shook his finger disapprovingly. He then waved to the back, and was flanked by Penelope Ford, Leva Bates, and Andre the Giant to even up the odds before heading down to the ring.

"The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson vs. "Big Dave" Batista
Bryan Danielson defeated Batista via submission (LABELL LOCK) at 6:13. *1/2

In the most expected possible outcome, Danielson looked like the best wrestler in the world and Big Dave looked like he worked on a studios show. Batista got gassed a minute in, then played his greatest hits by tapping out to the LABELL LOCK.

Post-Match: Danielson offered Batista his hand, trying to adhere to the venerable Code of Honor, but Dave slapped it away. The studio crew thought about starting a ruckus, but Andre's presence at ringside cut it off and they left the ring without incident.

Sam Houston vs. Ron Hutchison
Sam Houston defeated Ron Hutchison via pinfall (dropkick) at 5:55. 3/4*

Houston won a quick, back and forth match after catching Hutchison with a picture-perfect dropkick.

Wild Bill White vs. Randy Rose
Randy Rose defeated Wild Bill White via pinfall (clothesline) at 4:42. 1/4*

In another quick match, Rose won after flipping to his feet after a monkey flip, hitting the ropes, and then nailing a big clothesline.

Backstage: Billie Piper approached Ricky Morton backstage, flirting with him and teasing a few buttons. Before Ricky - or people watching at home, for that matter - could get what they wanted, Dave Taylor launched into action, spinning Ricky around into a Manhattan drop. He and Piper walked off laughing as Ricky writhed in pain on the floor.

TCW World Tag Team Championship Match

The Road Warriors (C) vs. The Machines (#2)
Hawk defeated Brutus Beefcake via pinfall (DOOMSDAY DEVICE) at 44:47. *****
Wasteland scored two points.

Beefcake and Valentine took the Road Warriors to the limit, spending more time in the ring with them tonight than in every other Road Warriors match combined. It looked like they might get the win a couple of times, but Animal survived Beefcake's SLEEPER HOLD twice. The match ended as many Road Warriors matches do when the DOOMSDAY DEVICE knocked Beefcake unconscious, but with this performance, the Machines proved both that they belong in the top echelon of tag teams and that the Road Warriors are, in fact, mortal.

The Valiant Brothers vs. Angelo Poffo and Lenny Lane
Jimmy Valiant defeated Angelo Poffo via pinfall (knee lift) at 5:05. 3/4*

It was a quick night for the Valiants, which was a little bit of a statement after the Road Warriors went three-fourths of the way to Broadway. A DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE almost got Poffo, who kicked out, then Boogie Woogie promptly nailed him with a big knee lift to get the win.

Backstage: "Ooooh, yeeaaaahhh ..." Macho Man growled as he emptied out a bottle of baby oil on his chest and throwing it onto the pile - now four in number - on the table next to him. Before he could start on number five, the Bolsheviks cornered him, clearly intending to jump him. Before anything could happen, though, Ivan Koloff ran up in a panic and whispered something to Volkoff. The big Russian nodded and dragged his confused partner away.

Macho Man watched them walk away, then shouted, "Dig it!" before opening and emptying the fifth bottle of baby oil onto his arms.

Tully Blanchard vs. "The Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
Buddy Rogers defeated Tully Blanchard via submission (FIGURE-FOUR GRAPEVINE) at 5:53. **1/2

Blanchard looked good in his return to the ring, getting good offense against Rogers and a nearfall after a SLINGSHOT SUPLEX. The little rust he showed was all the opening that Rogers needed, though, and he showed once again why he's considered one of TCW's best.

Pre-Match: As the Midnight Express came to the ring, Bobby Eaton was walking stiffly and wearing a thick neck brace. Stan Lane helped him up the ring steps and gave him a gentle hug on the apron, which Eaton "winced" from.

The Taylors (Chaz, Scott, and Tug) vs. The Midnight Express and "Ball Buster" Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor defeated Tugboat Taylor via submission (dragon sleeper) at 25:44. ***

There was good tag team action from both teams in this match, although Eaton's participation was largely limited to running in to break up pins. The one time he got cornered by Tug, he ducked a big clothesline and scampered to the corner to tag in Eaton. For the finish, the Midnights held off Scott and Chaz as Taylor locked Tug into a dragon sleeper and got the tap out after a grueling match.

"The Raging Bull of the Pampas" Pampero Firpo vs. "The Whole F'n Show" Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam defeated Pampero Firpo via pinfall (FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH) at 4:24. 3/4*

RVD's speed was just too much for Firpo tonight. He hit him with multiple big moves, driving him out of the ring. He followed up with an Asai Moonsault and then rolled him back in for the FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH and a quick victory.

TCW US Heavyweight Championship Match

"The King" Harley Race (C) vs. Bobo Brazil (#10)
Bobo Brazil defeated Harley Race via pinfall (COCO BUTT) at 7:32. *
Bobo Brazil won the TCW US Heavyweight Championship.
Wasteland scored two points.

The match spilled to the outside almost immediately, with both men trading punches outside. Brazil ducked a big right hand from Race and popped back up with a COCO BUTT that knocked Race into the ringpost, knocking him silly. With Race obviously concussed, the match was academic from there, with three more COCO BUTTS eventually putting The King down as the US title continues to be TCW's hot potato.

Magnum T.A. vs. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Magnum T.A. defeated Jim Duggan via ref stoppage (running forearm) at 27:49. ****1/2

Magnum and Duggan gave the fans a crowd-pleasing brawl for almost thirty minutes, with Duggan getting the lion's share of the offense. Magnum took over after a brawl on the outside, though, then peppered Duggan with jabs and dropkicks before landing a huge forearm that knocked Duggan cold. The referee called the match with Duggan unconscious, giving Magnum the big win.

The Original Midnight Express vs. Koloff and Bundy
Ivan Koloff defeated Dennis Condrey via pinfall (RUSSIAN SICKLE) at 12:54. ***3/4

It was a tag clinic in this match, with both teams protecting themselves and using good tag team offense. In the end, Koloff caught Condrey with a punch to the gut off of an attempted top-rope double axehandle, then nailed two RUSSIAN SICKLES to get the win.

Pre-Match: The Doctor of Style, Slick brought out the Bolsheviks, and demanded that the crowd stand for the singing of the national anthem of the now-defunct Soviet Union. The crowd was less than respectful, but that didn't deter Volkoff's full-throated rendition. He then turned to Hennig, who was starting the match for the Rednecks, and offered a no-shenanigans handshake, which Hennig accepted. Zhukov was even more confused than he was earlier and started berating Volkoff in Russian, but Volkoff just waved him to the apron so the match could start.

The Bolsheviks vs. The West Texas Rednecks
Curt Hennig defeated Nikolai Volkoff via pinfall (HENNIG PLEX) at 3:02. 3/4*

Hennig and Windham dominated in their tag team debut, dismantling Volkoff quickly en route to an easy win.

TCW US Tag Team Championship Match

The Rock and Roll Express (C) vs. Vanity (#3)
Robert Gibson defeated Exotic Adrian Street via countout (missile dropkick) at 4:38. 3/4*
Order of the British Empire scored one point.

With Ricky still recovering from the backstage attack earlier, Robert did the heavy lifting in this match, and in the short match time, neither man tagged out. Robert kept Street cut off from a tag, and when he went outside for a breather, Gibson went up top and hit a missile dropkick that knocked Street into the barricade and kept him from getting back into the ring for the ref's count.

Post-Match: As the Rock and Roll Express celebrated, the West Texas Rednecks appeared at the top of the ramp. The two teams stared one another down, and as Ricky and Robert defiantly held their belts in the air, Windham gestured to his waist and Hennig said, "Keep 'em warm, boys!"

James Snuka vs. The Destroyer
The Destroyer defeated James Snuka via pinfall (airplane spin) at 8:20. *1/2

It was a good, back and forth match with a stunning finish. Snuka hit a headbutt on The Destroyer, which had absolutely no affect, and the the Intelligent Sensation picked him up for a forty-revolution airplane spin and collapsed on him for the cover and win.

BACKSTAGE: In the medical area, Dr. Britt Baker, DMD gave a report on Harley Race and Jim Duggan. She said, "Race has a minor concussion and should probably sit out next month's show. Duggan has a concussion, too, and a broken nose, so he's probably going to be out an additional month."

TCW World Heavyweight Championship Match

"The God of Wrestling" Lou Thesz (C) vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage (#4)
Lou Thesz defeated Randy Savage via pinfall (GRECO-ROMAN BACKDROP) at 13:12. **3/4
Order of the British Empire scored two points.

Thesz was completely incapable of locking up with Savage early on thanks to the excessive baby oil, but as the match continued, the advantage passed to Thesz, as well, as the oil rubbed off on him. Savage might have gotten the pin after a FLYING ELBOW DROP, but the momentum of the oil saw him slide off of Thesz and nearly out of the ring, leaving him out of position for the pin. The oil's effect wore off with time, and Thesz was eventually able to hold a GRECO-ROMAN BACKDROP to get the pinfall.

Pre-Match: Andre the Giant and Commissioner Dragon came down to ringside before introductions for the first Trial by Combat match of the evening. Dragon took up a chair at ringside while Andre stood by to serve as an enforcer for the match, making sure there would be no shenanigans.

Trial by Combat

"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams vs. Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy
Steve Williams defeated Terry Gordy via pinfall (finger poke of doom) at :23.
Steve Williams defeated Ted DiBiase via pinfall (lariat) at 41:57. *****
Ted DiBiase has been suspended for two months.
The Million Dollar Team lost three points.

As the match began, Gordy and Williams circled briefly, then Williams lunged in poked Gordy in the chest. The big man sold it like he'd been shot and thundered to the ground. Danielson was apoplectic on the outside as Williams covered Gordy and the confused referee counted three. DiBiase cackled and patted Gordy on the back as he left the ring.

An irate Danielson met Gordy at the exit of the cage and screamed at him, demanding an explanation. Gordy's face started to contort with anger and he looked to be on the verge of getting physical, but Andre interposed himself between the two. After a brief staredown, Gordy just shrugged and walked to the back as Danielson moved back to his chair to seethe as DiBiase continued to cackle at ringside.

DiBiase turned back to Doc and barked that it was his turn now, pointing down to the mat. Doc nodded, then burst forward with a massive lariat that dropped DiBiase. Danielson shouted in excitement as DiBiase's sham was broken up by Doc's violence, and for the next nearly forty minutes, the two men brutalized one another in the ring. With both men bleeding profusely, DiBiase went for a swinging neckbreaker, but Doc slipped out and hit another three lariats before DiBiase finally stopped getting up, then Williams took the pin.

Post-Match: Williams got up from the match and spit a glob of bloody phlegm on DiBiase, then walked to the door of the cage. Gordy ran down to the ring with a small bag and tossed it in to Williams. Andre moved to intervene, but Doc opened the bag and emptied it contents - hundred dollar bills - on top of DiBiase. Danielson laughed and led YES chants as the Miracle Violence Connection high-fived outside the ring and left up the ramp.

Trial by Combat

Bruiser Brody and Blackjack Mulligan vs. Johnny Valentine and Diamond Dallas Page
Bruiser Brody defeated Diamond Dallas Page via pinfall (head into cage) at 35:19.
Natural Selection scored six points.
Diamond Dallas page defeated Blackjack Mulligan via pinfall (DIAMOND CUTTER) at 42:34.
Macho Machines scored four points.
Blackjack Mulligan defeated Johnny Valentine via pinfall (BLACKJACK CLAW) at 50:54. *****
Wasteland scored two points.

The crowd was treated to a brutal, bloody brawl before the first fall even happened. All four men were bleeding when Brody threw Page into the cage and then rolled him up to earn his way out of the cage. With Mulligan now at a disadvantage, Page and Valentine worked him over a little bit, then Page hit the DIAMOND CUTTER ... and Mulligan kicked out! Page went right back to the well and hit the DIAMOND CUTTER a second straight time, though, and got his victory. With it down to Valentine and Mulligan, the two exhausted men brawled for a few more minutes, then Mulligan took Valentine down with a big lariat. With Valentine down, Mulligan locked in the BLACKJACK CLAW and ground it in for almost a minute before Valentine passed out and the ref counted three.