WCW Underground 1.06

- A detailed video package recaps last week's episode starting with the Career vs. Title match between Kurt Angle and Alberto Dos Caras, Angle losing, and Chris Jericho saving Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards from a beat-down by Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team.

- Normal video package opens the show.

- Lenny Leonard and JML talk about the craziness of last week's episode. This brings out Jericho, Richards, and Edwards. Jericho talks about how wrestling has always been about insecure people not wanting to lose their spot. Jericho goes on to say guys like Caras and Triple H have done legitimate harm to this business with their selfish antics. Richards says that WGTT have made some callous mistakes and at Halloween Havoc, the hunt is on. Good, standard babyface promo. I like that Jericho is playing a character similar to his heel role in WWE, except as a good guy. Even-tempered and methodical.

- A commercial for Halloween Havoc on iPPV plays.

Match #1: Drew Adler/Shane Rockwell vs. Three Kings - 1st Round WCW Tag Team Champion Tournament Match
This week it is Austin Aries and Joey Ryan. Not surprisingly, this is a squash. Leonard talks about the brimming tag team division in WCW. JML says the Briscoes are his favorites to win. Leonard likes Fastball Special, but doesn't really see anyone but DOOMSDAY walking away with the belts. The Kings beat up Adler for a bit then switch out with Rockwell. Regicide (flapjack/DDT combo) finishes off Rockwell so that the Three Kings can advance.

Result: Threes King win via pin w/ Regicide (flapjack/DDT combo)
Time: 6:12


- The trio hit the commentary table for a promo. Brian Kendrick insults JML and Leonard has to get between JML and the Kings. Aries says that they are future tag team champions and no one is getting in their way, especially a bunch of inbred hillbillies like the Briscoes.

- A commercial plays hyping up WCWShop.com, which is now selling t-shirts and posters.

- A commercial plays advertising The Lou Thesz Memorial Tournament DVD. I got mine in the mail and it is well worth it. The retrospective on WCW on the DVD is top-notch stuff and pretty blunt. None of that revisionist history stuff you get from WWE.

- Chris Hero approaches the commentary table to cut a promo. Hero says he's the most dangerous man alive right now, because no one gets up from his Deathblow.

Match #2: Chris Hero vs. Sal Rinauro
Hero messes around briefly and then out of nowhere connects with the roaring elbow for the pin. Quick, quick squash.

Result: Chris Hero wins via pin w/ the roaring elbow
Time: 0:45


- Hero re-approaches the commentary table and says he's disappointed in that. Hero says that knows he's a deadly man, but certainly WCW's "executive director" can find SOMEONE for him to fight. Hero then gets back in the ring and asks for someone else to come face him. This brings out a pretty muscular guy that JML calls "Cru Jones."

Match #3: Chris Hero vs. Cru Jones
Leonard comments that Cru Jones is a territorial star from middle Georgia. Cru overpowers Hero at first, but Hero quickly takes the offense with a series of strikes. If you were expecting anything else, shame on you, because this is just another squash. Hero basically spends the duration of the match beating the hell out of Jones. Locks of kicks, elbows, etc. Hero finally hits the Deathblow (roaring elbow to the back of the head) to win.

Result: Chris Hero wins via pin w/ the Deathblow (roaring elbow to the back of the head)
Time: 5:21


- Hero again takes to the commentary table and brags about how no one can take him down. Leonard asks why Hero refuses to shake hands with people who beat him and Hero says he doesn't respect a single person in the locker room. Brent Albright makes his way out and wants to know if no one can beat him, why he was able to get Hero to tap out a few weeks ago. Hero calls Albright's win a fluke and says there is absolutely no way Albright could beat him twice in one night. A blind man could see where this is going. Albright then lays down the challenge for a 2/3 falls match to settle the score once and for all at Halloween Havoc. Hero says Albright is going to get knocked out, but Albright says that Hero is going to tap out. They go nose-to-nose before the commercial.

- Another commercial hyping WCWShop.com.

- Another commercial hyping Halloween Havoc.

- A video recaps the Necro Butcher/CM Punk war.

Match #4: Necro Butcher vs. Caleb Konley
Oh dear. Butcher attacks before the bell and it becomes, ultimately, a mauling. Not even a squash. In fact, about three minutes in the match results in a double-count out because Butcher is too busy beating poor little Konley to a mess outside. JML says that all Butcher is seeing is that "Straight-edge Jackass." Butcher drags Konley into the ring for the Deathdrop (reverse DDT) and goes for a pin but the ref won't count. Butcher almost attacks the referee but doesn't.

Result: Double-count out
Time: 2:14 (segment lasted closer to seven minutes)


- Butcher takes a microphone from Leonard and goes into an AWESOME tirade against Punk. He starts off softly and as the promo continues he increases the volume and rage. He says that Punk is nothing but a piece of shit and that he wants to fight Punk in the ring and in the alleyway and in the streets and in the locker room and in the crowd. He says he wants to make Punk bleed buckets and he wants to, quote, "rip every single last god damn tattoo off your pale, sanctimonious pile of shit body." ~! Butcher's voice continues to rise, "I'm going to break your damn legs, break your damn arms, break your damn neck. I'll put staples in your forehead and blind you with barbed wire and then I'll rip your damn hair out your head." JML's facial expressions are the coup de grace, here. Butcher finishes, "CM Punk, if you got the balls, let's fight everywhere we can so that some stupid asshole in stripes doesn't end the fight. Falls. Count. Anywhere." Great, great promo and I didn't think Butcher could do that.

- A video package recaps the feud between The Cross and Fastball Special.

Main Event: Claudio Castagnoli vs. El Generico
This should be excellent. Ares is with Castagnoli and Paul London is with El Generico. Leonard calls this a preview of next week's main event, which will see both teams square off in the tournament to crown the WCW Tag Team Champions. Back-and-forth to start, but Ares causes a momentary distraction and it's all Castagnoli from there. That's the best way to play it since Generico is probably the best babyface worker in the world today. Castagnoli uses his size to beat up Generico with tons of slams and suplexes. It becomes a situation where Castagnoli is working over the back. The best part is the reaction of the crowd each time Generico kicks out. Castagnoli throws all these big-time moves at Generico, but he continues to kick out. Alpamare Waterslide - kick out. Press-slam - kick out. And the crowd pops bigger each time. And then, in what has to be the single most amazing thing I have ever seen, Castagnoli picks Generico up for the UFO (I wouldn't know how to describe it - just YouTube "Claudio Castagnoli UFO"), and Generico in a way that must defy physics, counters with a rana. It was brilliant and the crowd went fucking nuts for it. Generico then dives out on to the outside on the Castagnoli. Ares tries to interfere but London fights him off. Generico does his through-the-turnbuckle-tornado DDT on Castagnoli (again - just YouTube it). Back in the ring and Generico attempts a Brainbuster, but his back is hurt. Castagnoli tries to a Ricola Bomb but Generico counters with a roll-up for two. Ares tries to interfere again but Generico sends him crashing off the apron with a Yakuza Kick. The distraction allows Castagnoli to hit the bicycle kick but it only gets two. Ricola Bomb follows up and that puts Generico away for three.

Result: Claudio Castagnoli wins via pin w/ The Ricola Bomb (straight-jacket powerbomb)
Time: 16:11


- The Cross flee the scene. London pulls a hurt Generico to the commentary table. London goes into one his nonsensical rants that nobody understands. JML comes back again with the awesome facial expressions. After his tirade, London ends with, quote, "The Gods and Titans and Sirens and X-Men cannot save you now. Fastball Special is going to destroy your moon." I shit you not. Anyway, that's the end of the show this week.