WCW Underground 2.23

- Opening video.

- Lenny Leonard and JML are at ring-side. Lenny talks about tonight's big double main event which will feature Tyler Black vs. El Generico and Roderick Strong vs. Brian Kendrick. Lenny says there's a lot of personal animosity in both matches that he hopes will be settled this evening. JML isn't so certain that will happen. The talk of the two tag team feuds segues to talk about the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Lenny talks about how on 6/30, two undefeated tag teams will collide for the gold in DOOMSDAY and the Old School Wrecking Crew.

- A hype video plays for the DOOMSDAY/Old School Wrecking Crew match at the Great American Bash. It has clips of either team beating up jobbers, intermixed with footage from the various promos they've given since the last iPPV.

Match #1: Mike Black/Jay Hurley vs. DOOMSDAY w/ Jimmy Jacobs [c] - Non-title Match
The story of this match should come as a surprise to no one, for the most part. However, toward the end of the match, Steve Corino and Adam Pearce make their way to ring-side. DOOMSDAY quickly finishes Hurley off with the Omega Driver to get the victory, sending a very specific message to the spectating Old School Wrecking Crew.

Result: DOOMSDAY win via pin w/ the Omega Driver
Time: 3:41


- Adam Pearce ends up drawing both members of DOOMSDAY out the ring. He mouths off at both members, creating a distraction as in the ring Corino DRILLS Jimmy Jacobs with a steel chair from behind! DOOMSDAY storm the ring, but Corino escapes through the crowd as Pearce disappears into the back! DOOMSDAY look over Jimmy Jacobs as we cut to commercial.

- Commercials.

- As we return, DOOMSDAY are accompanying Jimmy Jacobs who is being stretchered out. Lenny Leonard says that what the Wrecking Crew did was a despicable act. JML compliments the move, saying it was a great strategy to get DOOMSDAY out of their normal mindset. They soon find themselves interrupted by Austin Aries and Naomichi Marufuji. Aries cuts another of his promos:

"Lenny Leonard, no one cares about that little midget Jimmy Jacobs. What you should be talking about is the number one force is pro wrestling today: Aries Unlimited. Somewhere in the back, that meat-head Davey Richards has his beady little eyes glued to the monitor. He's picked a fight with the "Asiatic Nightmare" Naomichi Marufuji and that's a decision he's going to regret. Naomichi here has beaten all of the best that Japan has to offer. He's gone toe-to-toe with guys like Mr. Kasai and Misutero and made them all cry uncle! This man pinned, I kid you not Lenny Leonard, this man PINNED - one, two, three Lenny! - he PINNED the legendary YOSHIHIKO! Do you know how many people have done that? Do you know? Not a whole lot that's how many, Lenny. And now Davey Richards wants to get in the ring with this man? Maybe you didn't get the memo Richards, when we blinded you a couple of weeks back, but you sure as heck better have gotten it last week: when you're in Aries Unlimited, you're the absolute best - and anyone who stands in our way gets packed up and shipped out to pasture, which is right where you'll belong."

Match #2: Anthony Andrews vs. Naomichi Marufuji w/ Austin Aries
Another squash, of course. The idea here is, of course, to train the audience on just exactly what Marfuji is. I find it really interesting that he's not using the Shiranui as a finish, but he delivers such a fantastic superkick that I don't care. Throughout the match he does introduce some new moves to the WCW audience, but my favorite would be the tornado guillotine, which he has shamelessly stolen from KENTA. The Superkick finishes the jobber off. Afterward, just to be a dick, Marufuji blows the BLACK MIST~! in the jobber's face.

Result: Naomichi Marufuji wins via pin w/ the Superkick
Time: 5:11


- Windham Rotunda shows up with his bull-rope at the interview table. Lenny says the days are counting down to when Rotunda will get to square off against Chris Masterson. Windham goes off into one of his, as usual, strong promos.

"A great man once said there's only two guarantees in life: death and taxes, Lenny. Well I'm the son of a 'Tax Man,' and let me tell ya, one of those guarantees just might come true on June 30 - and if ya need a hint, tax season's over! For weeks now, that little 'Prissy Boy' has come out here and made fun of me because I'm fat, Lenny. Well, yeah, I like to eat. Who the hell doesn't? And yeah, I ain't exactly got a Davey Richards-physique either. But let me tell ya something, Lenny. This ain't news to me. Hell, what do ya think those idiots down in Florida and up in Connecticut used to tell me every week? 'Well Windham, you just don't have the look we're looking for.' 'Well Windham, if you could just cut some weight here or there.' Well I tell ya what, Lenny, Dusty Rhodes didn't need 24-inch pythons to hog-tie and whip someone with a bullrope, I sure as hell don't either. And that, boys, is what it's all about. 13 feet of the damndest, roughest, toughest, and deadliest rope this side of the Mississippi. 'Prissy Boy,' I'm gonna hog-tie your ass and drag you through streets of Atlanta - and then, I might just touch those four corners if I feel ya've had enough. The time's a comin' Chris Masterson!"

- Commercials.

- Chris Hero and Alberto Dos Caras are at ring-side. Lenny wants to know who the final two members of Dos Caras' team will be for the Captain's Challenge Match at the Great American Bash. Hero interjects, saying that's not of Lenny's damn business. He says that people have been telling him for weeks now that he's scared of that idiot Richie Steamboat and he's sick and damn tired of it. Hero says that next week, in the main event of Underground, the whole world will get a preview of just how badly the Patriot's team is going to get beaten when he knocks Richie Steamboat out with the Deathblow.

Match #3: The Cross vs. Shane Curtis/Steven Styles
While the Cross squash the jobbers, the commentary team spends time discussing the heated issue between them and Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team - which is set to culminate in a Tables match at the Great American Bash. Anyway, the match goes as expected. Claudio hits all of his big moves: the pop-up European, the Iron Boot, the UFO. Curtis ends up the recipient of Blitzkreig to give the Cross the victory.

Result: The Cross win via pin w/ Blitzkreig
Time: 4:11


- The Cross head over to the interview table for their interview. Lenny wants to know how they feel about their upcoming match with WGTT. Ares start a promo in German, but then Claudio cuts him off to cut a pretty decent promo himself:

"No, friend, let there be no misconception about our intentions. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, listen closely. We have broken you. We understand that you are, as you would say, unhappy with how things have turned out. You did not expect that we would be your betters. It is understandable that you would think that. You are, as you say, 'Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team,' no? So when it turned out that you were not even our equals, that must have been quite the shock. And now you have us in a Tables match for the Great American Bash? That is laughable at best. The Cross has greater expectations for our future. When this is over, we will wrestle for the championships and accolades we are so deserving of. What will you do? You will rest in a hospital, that is what."

- Commercials.

Match #4: Derrick Driver vs. Brodie Lee
Before the match can even start, Brodie is blindsided by the Necro Butcher! The brawl into the ring, lighting into each other with vicious punches! Driver tries to separate them and pays the price of a huge knockout punch from Necro. A large contingent of security forces, referees, and jobbers storm the ring to separate them and end the pandemonium. Lenny begs that we cut to the Event Center, instead.

Result: No Contest
Time: 0:00


The Event Center
Mike Hogewood runs down the card for the Great American Bash, giving details on each of the major matches. He then segues into talking about a training session with Eddie Edwards, Davey Richards, and their coach: KURT ANGLE~! They show tons of clips of Angle working with them. Angle is wearing a full-body jumpsuit, so as to hide his upper-body I expect. We get clips of dialogue from all three men. Eddie says that it takes a lot of stamina to compete in what could essentially be three matches in a row. Eddie says he doesn't expect it to go that far and that he's planning on putting Albright down in two straight. Angle says that Eddie is slowly becoming one of the best technicians to ever grace the sport of pro wrestling. He says when he looks at Eddie Edwards, he sees Bret Hart in his prime - only better. He says Eddie's got a hell of a future in this industry and is future World champ, let alone United States champ. Davey says he's sick and tired of all these idiots goading him into personal issues and getting him off track from his goal, but he's going to make an exception for Marufuji. He says Marufuji has a great track record in Japan, but this is America, and he's going to kick his head off. Richards says if that pipsqueak Austin Aries interferes, he'll kick his head off too. Angle says that Davey Richards is the consummate professional wrestler. He says that Richards has more intensity than he (Angle) ever did. Angle says he feels bad for Naomichi Marufuji having gotten caught up in this mess, because he's never seen Richards angrier. Finally, Angle is asked about the Patriot and he responds, "I don't know who he is, but I hope makes that asshole Dos Caras tap out." Great segment, this week.


- Commercials.

Main Event #1: Brian Kendrick w/ Joey Ryan vs. Roderick Strong w/ Karl Anderson & Austin Aries
This should be some good stuff. They start out with some good, ole-fashioned, chain-wrasslin'! They go back and forth, with Roddy getting the upper-hand thanks to being stronger and stuff. Kendrick tries some quick stuff out, but Roddy uses heel-stuff like yanking him down by the air to take the advantage. Roddy, of course, works the back over like a madman using all types of backbreakers and what not. Brian mounts a few comebacks here and there, but each time he does Roddy stops him quickly either with a backbreaker (half-nelson being my fave) or a few chops. Kendrick ends up counter a powerbomb backbreaker with a sunset flip for a near-fall. He immediately ducks a chop and flies over the ropes onto Aries and Anderson. Roddy tries to outside, but Brian meets him on the apron with a shoulder to the midsection, and then slingshots in with another sunset flip that they roll through allowing Kendrick to DRILL Roddy with a dropkick to the face. Roddy fights back with a huge tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, though. Roddy then hits Brian with the Death by Roderick (fireman's carry into double knees) and follows up with a Sick Kick, but Joey Ryan distracts the ref reminding fans that he's not exactly an angel. Aries gives Roddy some powder while Anderson distracts Kendrick on the apron. Roddy throws the powder, but of course Brian ducks and he ends up blinding Anderson! Aries gets on the apron next but Brian ducks a Sick Kick from Roddy, which ends up nailing Aries. Kendrick then rolls Roddy up tight with a cradle to get the quick pin!

Result: Brian Kendrick wins a via pin w/ a cradle
Time: 14:09


- Brian Kendrick and Joey Ryan escape to the locker rooms while Aries, Strong, and Anderson bicker in the ring.

- Commercials.

Main Event #2: Tyler Black w/ Jon Moxley vs. El Generico w/ Paul London
Oh wow, this should be quite the match! These two were part of the very, very, very good tag match main event from a few weeks ago. Moxley distracts Generico to start and Black assaults him from behind. No chain-wrestling here~! Black beats up on Generico in the corner and then whips him across the ring. Black charges in and eats a HUGE boot from Generico, which draws a MASSIVE pop from the crowd! They square off in the middle of the ring trading punches and then Generico knocks Black OUT of the ring with a spinning heel kick. Generico then DIVES onto Black on the outside. They brawl around ring-side, but Black ends up spearing Generico in the guardrail. Black draws the ref's attention, while Moxley beats up on Generico. London comes for the save, but it's too late. Generico ends up back in the ring and Black works him over for the duration of the match, focusing on the ribs. Black does a great job of it and Generico, of course, does a fantastic job of selling it. There's a great moment where Black drops Generico on the ropes with a front suplex and Generico sells it magnificently. Black tries a lot of stuff to put Generico down, but Generico kicks out. The biggest movie is a huge gutbuster on the top turnbuckle. Generico finally manages to turn the tide by catching Black out of nowhere with a tornado DDT. From there it becomes a back-and-forth contest with tons of near-falls. Generico lifts Black up for the Brainbuster, but his ribs are hurt and he doubles over. Black then PUNTS Generico in the head, but it only gets two. Black goes up for a flying double-stomp, but Generico crotches him on the turnbuckle. Generico goes up for the dreaded turnbuckle brainbuster, but Moxley distracts the referee which allows CHRIS HERO~! to knock Generico off the ropes while London yanks Moxley off the apron. Black then hits the flying double-stomp on the ribs of Generico to get the win.

Result: Tyler Black wins via pin w/ the flying double-stomp
Time: 14:11


- While London checks on Generico, Chris Hero announces that the Midnight Guns will be the final two members of Dos Caras' team at the Great American Bash. This ends the show.