WCW Underground 1.09

- A video package recaps DOOMSDAY winning the tag team championship. The way it's put together makes it seem like an incredibly big deal and that makes the belts that much more important.

- Standard opening video.

- Lenny Leonard and JML talk about what happened at Halloween Havoc. They remind fans you can order the replay right now. Leonard says with Halloween Havoc in the books, the focus turns to 12/22: Starrcade. He says at Starrcade they'll crown the first WCW United States Champion of the modern era. Brackets pop up with the full field of 16 men. Seems huge at first but then you realize all of the first round matches are stars vs. jobbers. JML says the very first match in the tournament will take place now.

Match #1: Caleb Konley vs. CM Punk - 1st Round Match of the United States Championship Tournament
Punk comes out with Drew Gallows, who debuted at the iPPV. Leonard calls Gallows a "Straight-edge Soldier." These two have fought before on Underground 1.03. Punk won there. JML plays up Konley as having a "Never Say Die"-attitude, since the kid continues to come back each week and take on people who have kicked his ass before. Konley puts up an effort, but it's not really noteworthy and Punk eventually wins with the G2S.

Result: CM Punk wins via pin w/ Go 2 Sleep
Time: 5:10


- CM Punk and Drew Gallows approach the commentary table for a promo. Punk says he has a few scars, a few bruises, and the dynamic feeling of success after destroying the Necro Butcher at Halloween Havoc. Punk says it's good to reunited with old friends and beat up new enemies and that it won't stop anytime soon. Punk says he'll tear through the tournament and walk away the United States champion because he is YOUR "Straight-edge Messiah" and he is "better than YOU."

- A commercial plays hyping the Halloween Havoc iPPV replay.

- A commercial plays hyping WCWwrestling.com.

- A video package plays for Davey Richards.

Match #2: Davey Richards vs. Hayden Young - 1st Round of the WCW United States Championship Tournament Match
Young is a "local star." This should be pretty good because Richards hasn't really done much in singles since the opening show classic. It's a squash, of course, but it also serves almost like an exhibition to show Richards off. He hits all of stiff kicks and what not. Richards finishes Young off with the DR Driver to advance.

Result: Davey Richards wins via pin w/ The DR Driver
Time: 4:11


- Davey's turn to cut a promo. Richards says that to him, pro wrestling is the ultimate form of competition. He says that the desire to compete is what drives him to succeed. He says that he is a force to be reckoned with and that by this time next year, he'll be wearing gold around his waist.

- A video package hypes next week's main event: The Briscoes vs. Three Kings. JML again puts over the Briscoes as "his boys" and puts down the Kings.

- A commercial plays for Batman: Arkham City.

- A commercial plays for the Lou Thesz Memorial Tournament DVD.

- A video package plays for Chris Jericho. Leonard and JML talk about Jericho scoring the pin at Halloween Havoc and whether not Jericho deserves a title-shot. This brings out that smarmy guy from a few weeks back. He says that the WCW Executive Director will announce the main event for Starrcade next week.

Match #3: Steve Corino vs. Alberto Dos Caras [c] - Non-title Match
JML mentions that it's been awhile since we've seen Steve Corino. Leonard puts Corino over as former ECW World Champion and an international star. The match isn't exactly a squash, but there was never a doubt who would win. Caras played the Ric Flair-role well enough, working the arm over extensively. Corino, being the hoss that he is, musters a few comebacks and by the end of the match has the crowd going pretty crazy for him. Corino gets a nice babyface comeback, but the Northern Lights Bomb gets countered with the Destiny Lock and Corino taps to continue his losing ways.

Result: Alberto Dos Caras wins via submission w/ The Destiny Lock
Time: 9:41


- Corino pitches a fit and leaves. Caras mocks him on the mic and then talks about the title match that will take place at Starrcade. Caras doesn't understand the shenanigans being played here and as far as he's concerned, only one man is truly worth of the #1 contender's spot: Sal Rinauro. Caras is nominating him for the title shot here and now. This is awesome. Caras says that Rinauro is better than Jericho in every single way. He says Rinauro has better facial features, better tights, and a better moonsault. Caras then pleads with the Executive Director to give the fans what they really want: Alberto Dos Caras vs. Sal Rinauro. This was the best Caras promo ever.

- Another commercial plays for the Halloween Havoc iPPV replay.

- Another commercial plays hyping next week's show.

- The video package from the beginning of the show plays.

Match #4: Drew Adler/Shane Rockwell vs. DOOMSDAY [c] - Non-title Match
James Jacobs is out with a swank pin-stripe suit. This match is pretty much over as soon as it starts. DOOMSDAY win after murdering, more or less, Adler with the Omega Driver.

Result: DOOMSDAY win via pin w/ The Omega Driver
Time: 1:23


- DOOMSDAY stand around looking menacing while Jacobs does the talking. Jacobs says that there was never any doubt about who would walk away from Halloween Havoc as the tag team champions. Jacobs says "the end game was written long ago by men wiser than you or I and that end game will always be the same: DOOMSDAY will fall on every last man and child." Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team make their way out and Haas feels that they should get a crack at the titles since they're the greatest tag team in wrestling. Jacobs says DOOMSDAY will face anyone that gets put in front of them without fail. Benjamin grabs pie-faces Jacobs and Bison shoves Benjamin to the ground HARD. WGTT back off slowly.

- Yet another commercial for the Halloween Havoc iPPV.

Main Event: Charlie Haas vs. Chris Jericho
Leonard and JML briefly discuss the possible ramifications of what took place before the break. JML says he'd love to see DOOMSDAY vs. WGTT and compares it to seeing the Steiners take on the Road Warriors. An apt comparison, I'd say. Leonard plays up Haas' amateur background while JML puts over Jericho's pro wrestling success. They do an excellent job of chain-wrestling to start. It devolves into a brawl around ringside. Haas slams Jericho into the ring-post and we get the standard formula from there. Haas works over the shoulder for the duration of the match. Jericho tries a few comebacks unsuccessfully, digging into the crowd and getting them crazy. Jericho finally hits an enzuiguri and makes his big comeback. Jericho tries a Liontamer, but Haas counters with a pin. They trade near-falls. Then they trade big moves and near-falls, with Haas using the Olympic Slam in the process. Caras comes and tries to distract Jericho, but Jericho runs Haas into Caras and gets a roll up for two. Caras on the apron again and Jericho dropkicks him off. Haas goes for a German but Jericho lands on his feet and nails Haas with the Codebreaker. Lionsault follows up for three to give Jericho the win.

Result: Chris Jericho wins via pin w/ The Lionsault
Time: 15:01


- Caras and Haas high-tail it out of there. Jericho cuts a promo and says he's proven he deserves a title match. Jericho says guys like Caras don't belong in the business and Jericho is making it his mission to weed Caras out. That ends the show this week.