WCW Underground 2.25

- Opening video.

- We. Are. LIVE~!

- Lenny Leonard and JML are ring-side for this special live edition of Underground and we're only one day away from the biggest event of the summer: The Great American Bash! Lenny says that everyone is in attendance tonight, possibly even some surprise guests. Lenny starts talking about how volatile things have been in Center Stage as of late. JML suggests that Lenny hide behind him if anything goes down tonight, which it's likely to since it's the eve of the biggest event of the summer. Really hammering that point home, aren't they? Lenny runs down the card which is filled with huge matches compared to the norm, with the main event being the Patriot vs. Alberto Dos Caras in a Lumberjack Match. As they're talking they're interrupted by Claudio Castagnoli and Ares, collectively known as the Cross. Ares starts talking in German, but Claudio cuts him off again.

"There is no need for that, friend. Instead, let us speak their language. Let us speak the language that they love so dear. Let us speak the language of pain. A language of violence. A language of broken bones. The imbeciles in the crowd, they chant: "We Want Tables." Tomorrow, we shall give them what they wish. They will regret it. They will see their heroes strewn across the canvas, beaten and broken. It is a language that you Americans know oh so very well. Violence, and of course, failure. That is enough."

Great little promo, that. Claudio and Ares scamper off and we segue into our opening contest.

Match #1: The A-List (w/ Austin Aries) vs. Eddie Edwards/Davey Richards
A-List is made up of Karl Anderson and Roderick Strong, of course. Eddie and Roddy start up with some fine chain-wrestling. These two had a pretty nice rivalry in ROH last year, so they're familiar with one another. They go back and forth and then Davey tags in. More chain-wrestling. Again, these two have had a great rivalry in ROH as well, so they know what they're doing. They even used to be stable-mates. Roddy gets outclassed by Davey, so he tags in Karl. Karl's got size on everyone in the match, so he of course works a power-game, automatically taking Davey down with a shoulder-tackle. Davey tries a couple of things to outmaneuver Karl, but ends up getting DRILLED with a vicious spinebuster. Eddie tags in and makes a go at Karl, facing similar results. They cut Eddie off from Davey and work him over with quick tags. They focus on Eddie's arm, which Leonard acknowledges as setting Eddie up for tomorrow's match against Albright. Eddie takes a lengthy beating, but hits double dropkick on both men to make his hot tag. Davey comes in and clears house. Karl and Roddy end up on the outside on opposing ends of the ring, so Eddie and Davey dive out onto them. They brawl around ring-side and back into the ring finally. Eddie and Davey nail Roddy with a tag version of the Alarm Clock, but Karl makes the save. The match breaks down with all kinds of craziness going on. Eddie ends up planting Roddy into the mat with the Angle Slam and then flies over the ropes onto Aries and Karl. The ref tries to gets Aries out of there while in the ring, Davey DRILLS Roddy with the DR Driver. Naomichi Marufuji sneaks into the ring though and blows the BLACK MIST~! in Davey's eyes and then MURDERS Davey with a superkick! Naomichi puts Roddy over Davey and escapes. With Karl holding Eddie down, Roddy makes the unconscious pin.

Result: The A-List win via pin w/ the Superkick (Naomichi Marufuji interfered)
Time: 13:1


- The A-List continue their assault, with Naomichi Marufuji joining in, on Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards. Finally the crowd pops as Brian Kendrick and Joey Ryan, the Hollywood Kings, storm the ring with chairs to fend off Aries Unlimited. Lenny says this is just tip of the iceberg for the insanity he sees going down tonight.

- Commercials.

- Returning from the break, Eddie Edwards, Davey Richards, and the Hollywood Kings are at ring-side. Eddie is pouring water on Davey's face and wiping it off with a towel. Joey Ryan says that he's sick and tired of all the crap that keeps coming from Aries Unlimited. He says when he came to WCW, he got shoved into a situation with Aries that he didn't want to be in and he's glad he got out of it because Aries is a douchebag. Kendrick says that tomorrow night they're going to knock the A-List down a notch to the D-List, and when they're done Davey Richards is going to kick Naomichi Marufuji's head off and Eddie Edwards is going to take back the United States Championship. Eddie chimes in and says that's right. He says his arm is hurting and it's pretty damn clear that the A-List had a mission going into the match, to hurt his arm. Eddie says all that does is prove that Albright's scared. He says tomorrow night, there will be no controversy and no questions when it's all said and done because there's no way in the world that Albright can beat him twice in one night. Davey talks last, saying only: "Tomorrow, Marufuji dies." Well this certainly wasn't the best set of promos from any involved, but it did what it was supposed to I guess.

- A video package hypes the entirety of the Necro Butcher/Brodie Lee-feud.

- Brodie Lee comes out to talk and cut a promo.

"A lot of people say I've asked for this. That I've had it comin' ever since the Stampede, Lenny. Those people are right. Hell, I ain't shied away from it. I know what I did and I'm damn proud of it. Now that boy Necro Butcher, he wants ta fight me tomorrow night. I'm tellin' him right now he best bring it, bring whatever he has, bring Hell with him if he has ta. Nothin' short of it will stop me from giving him exactly what he wants. For weeks he's been out here yellin' about an eye for an eye, ain't that Lenny? Well I'm goin' to give him an eye for an eye. I'm goin' to rip out his good eye so he can have a matchin' pair. And if ya think I'm playin', watch what I do this feller right here."

Match #2: Patrick Bentley vs. Brodie Lee
Big boot. Big boot x2. Boss Man Slam.

Result: Brodie Lee wins via pin w/ the Boss Man Slam
Time: 0:42

- It doesn't take long for the Necro Butcher to storm the ring, eliciting one HUGE reaction from the crowd. Necro and Brodie light into each other, trading stiff punches as only they can. A squadron of referees storm the ring to separate them, but in the end Brodie and Necro take them out! Before you know it, the referees are strewn across the ring and Necro and Brodie are beating each other senseless again. Jim Ross shows up at ring-side, calling to the back. The jobbers, security, etc. empty into the ring with a sizable force having to hold back each man. Ross gets in the ring and asks for a microphone. Ross says he's had enough of this and from here on out, if either man lays a finger on the other, if either man provokes the other, he'll fire both of them and they won't get their fight tomorrow night. He tells them to get their crap and get out of the arena. Necro howls that he's going to murder Brodie tomorrow night, as the group of 15 or so men holding Brodie back escort him backstage. Lenny wants to know what other insanity will go down tonight, while JML says Ross and Heyman need to hire someone to take care of this kind of crap.


- Commercials.

- Lenny and JML talk about how things have gotten crazy twice tonight already, and we haven't even gotten to the Chris Jericho/CM Punk confrontation in the Event Center or the Lumberjack Match in the main event. As he's talking, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team makes their way out to ring-side for a promo. Charlie does the talking, as usual.

"Lenny, we hard what those idiots said earlier. Let me tell you something, Lenny, about motivation. Shelton and I are the best tag team in the world, bar none. But we can't prove that, Lenny. You know why? We can't prove that because we don't have gold around our waist. And we don't have gold around our waist because of the Cross. And not just that, Lenny, not only do we not have gold around our waist - we can't even compete for gold until January One, 2013. Do you know how much that pisses me off? How much that pisses Shelton off? Well let me tell you something, Lenny, that's motivation. That's motivation to take that little pimple on the ass of pro wrestling by the name of Ares, to take him and toss him through a table. That's motivation to take "Mr. Clean" Claudio Cannolli and break him in half putting him through a table. That's motivation to let of some of this pent up rage we have inside because we can't do what we do best. This started with those two idiots trying to make a statement. Tomorrow night, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team is going to make a statement: you don't screw with us. And we'll make that statement by leaving those two broken likes the tables we'll put 'em through!"

It truly is best to let Charlie do the talking for this team. Excellent promo.

- A video hypes up the Bull-rope Match between Chris Masterson and Windham Rotunda.

Match #3: Richard King vs. Chris Masterson
Masterson tosses King around a bit. His big display is stalling vertical suplex, which he holds for about 30 seconds before dropping King. The jobber tries to get in some offense, but no dice here. Masterson finishes him off with the Torture Lock for the submission win.

Result: Chris Masterson wins via submission w/ the Torture Lock
Time: 4:45


- Chris Masterson heads over the commentary table for an interview. Lenny asks if he feels any remorse for what he did to Windham Rotunda last week, and Masterson goes into a full-on promo.

"No, Lenny, I don't feel a single bit of remorse for that fat slob. Hey, is he even going to be here tomorrow night? Last I heard he was on a gurney in St. Joseph's. Not for what happened last week, mind you, but for some good old liposuction. Hey, he could use it! You know what, I have to say overall I just feel a tinge of disappointment. I was really looking to beating him senseless that bull-rope of his tomorrow night. I'll just have to take the count-out, I guess!"

Masterson walks off, posing the entire time. Lenny says the match is still for tomorrow night, but right now it's still up in the air if Windham Rotunda will be in condition to compete.

- Commercials.

The Event Center
Mike Hogewood is in the ring for a LIVE~! edition of the Event Center. Heck, I forgot that it was live for a bit. Great stream, tonight! Hogewood runs down the entire GAB-card, ending with the main event: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho for the WCW World Championship. With that said, he calls out both men for an opportunity to air their grievances with each other, face-to-face. Both men come out to mixed reactions, as has been the case the entire time leading up to their big match. Jericho goes for the mic, but Punk grabs it first.

CM Punk: "Yeah, you'd like to go first but that's not going to happen tonight. You and I? This issue between us? It's escalated these past few weeks, hasn't it? Now, a lot of things have been said. I've said some things. You've said some things. All in the past, frankly, for me. I've heard every slanderous thing you've said and I'm going to turn that into me beating the Hell out of you tomorrow night for that belt. And that's all I need to say.
Jericho casually takes the mic."

 Chris Jericho: "That's all you need to say? Are you serious? Is the outspoken CM Punk finally at a loss for words? Why is that Punk? No, no - I'll tell you why. It's realization. It's comprehension. It's the understanding that tomorrow night after all that you had to say, you know you won't back it up. You tossed out a lot of accusations, Punk, but all of sudden you're getting quiet on me? Did I touch a nerve? Was it the sleeping pills, "Mr. Straight Edge?" Coming to terms with your own hypocrisy?"
Punks nods and asks for the mic.

CM Punk: To be honest, Jericho, I'm done talking - I'm ready to get with the fighting. But since you want to do this so bad, since you want to bring up the sleeping pills. Hey, you know what? It's no big deal. I take sleeping pills to, gasp and shock, sleep. You know what else I take? Tylenol when I get a headache. Straight-edge isn't about not taking medicine, idiot, Hell - it's not even about not doing drugs. Straight-edge is about being real with yourself and making choices to not do things you don't agree with. But you see that's what really irks you, about me. Because I'm real. I am who I say I am. I don't come out here, smile for the masses, and pretend to be something I'm not. You see you come out here and say you fight for the little man, right? Well let's put it all out there. Where's Davey Richards' title-shot? For six months, Lenny Leonard over there has been asking you about Davey Richards' title-shot and you've been playing every game in the book to keep from giving him it. You snuck into WCW by replacing Kurt Angle and playing besties with Davey and Eddie Edwards, when in fact you were just using them to get that belt which you couldn't get the first time around. You were just using them to get the spot you always wanted in WWE, but Triple H wouldn't ever give you. That's the only reason you're here. You don't care about the fans, you don't care about the boys in the back, and you don't care about this company. All you care about is you, your spot, your money, and that belt.

Jericho yanks the mic away from Punk.

Chris Jericho: It eats away at you, doesn't it Punk? It eats away at you that after, what, 10 years on the independent scene you come to WWE and then couldn't accomplish near the amount of things I did in a time when it was more important to accomplish them. You're a bitter man who wasted the best of his years wrestling in front of 50 guys a pop for Ring of Honor and then got held down by the politics when you finally made it to the big leagues. You can say what you want about me Punk, but I faced those same problems and between us, I'm the only one who's been Undisputed World Champion aren't I? I beat the Rock and Steve Austin in one night, what the Hell have you done? And best of all, Punk, you say I don't fight for the little man? Really? Jesus, Punk, what the Hell do you call this? What do you think tomorrow night is? That's me, giving you - the "Little Man," - a shot.

Punk's face turns to anger as he rips the mic away.

CM Punk: "How very noble of you, Jericho. Fighting for the so-called "Little Man." Hey, let me ask you something: where do you get dressed? Because you say you're the champion of those who don't get a fair shake, but where are you getting dressed at? When I get dressed? When I get dressed, to the right of me there's a Briscoe and to the left there's Roderick Strong. Everyone in the back gets dressed in the same locker room. Everyone except you. You get your own locker room because you demanded it when Jim Ross called you up begging to come in. How do you get here to Center Stage, Jericho? I drive. I load up into a car with Drew Gallows, Joey Ryan, Brian Kendrick, and Paul London and I drive here. How do you get here, you fly? Yeah? Do you fly coach like Generico or Davey? Oh, no, that's right. You fly in on Scott Coker's personal airplane don't you? You're a joke, Jericho. You think anyone in the back respects you? You think you're a Champion for the Little Guy? Newsflash, you've become your own worst enemy. You're WCW's Triple H."

Jericho smacks the microphone out of Punk's hand, having heard enough apparently. They go face-to-face, while Hogewood interjects himself to split them up. Hogewood manages to push them, and Jericho slaps Punk! Punk doesn't retaliate, he only smiles and then hocks a huge wad of spit on Jericho's face! They almost come to blows again, but the referees storm the ring to keep them apart. Finally, we cut to commercial.


- Commercials.

- Returning from the break, Lenny and JML talk about the chaotic theme for the evening. Aries Unlimited invade so that Aries can cut a promo.

"I love it out here right now, Leonard. You never know what's going to happen next, except we do. We know that tomorrow night, my soldiers Roderick Strong and Karl Anderson are going to tie up those loose ends with the Hollywood Kings. I brought those two losers to WCW, tomorrow night I'm taking out. We know that "The Asiatic Nightmare" is going to do what he does best, kick Davey Richards' head off. Hell, he's going to kick Davey so hard, Davey might just learn how to read! And best of all, we know that Brent Albright is going to put an end to all the controversy and speculation when he makes Eddie Edwards tap out, not just once - but twice! We're Aries Unlimited baby, you can and you won't stop us!"

Main Event: Alberto Dos Caras vs. The Patriot - Lumberjack Match
Your heel lumberjacks are Tyler Black, Chris Hero, and Jon Moxley. Your face lumberjacks are El Generico, Paul London, and Richie Steamboat. There's not a whole lot to this match, honestly. You get one guess on how it ends. It starts with Caras and Patriot exchanging punches, the Patriot ends up thrown out to the faces. They help him up and back into the ring. More punch/kick-stuff, and the Patriot ends up tossed out to the heels who, of course, beat him up and send him back in. Caras ends up tossed out, but he lands with the heels who help him back in. More punch/kick-stuff, and the Patriot is sent out to the heels for another beat down. In the ring, the Patriot turns the momentum in his favor following some arm drags and few bodyslams and tosses Caras out to the faces, who finally beat him up and send him back in. Patriot continues pounding on him and he gets sent over again, this time to the heels, who console him before it becomes a huge fracas of course. I know, shocker. The teams start brawling and eventually it invades the ring, drawing the no contest.

Result: No Contest
Time: 14:14


- The two teams brawl everywhere, basically. Hero and Steamboat pair off in the ring, while the Patriot and Caras end up in the crowd. The Guns and Fastball end up on the stage, sending JML and Leonard off into the back. They brawl with chairs and cameras and ring-bells and everything else you can image. It's a truly chaotic scene, befitting the show. As the chaos peaks, familiar music plays over the sound system in Center Stage.

RIC FLAIR  arrives on the scene! He shakes his head at the chaos surrounding Center Stage as the show fades to black!