WCW Underground 2.01

- The show begins with a video package that recaps everything from Starrcade. It's the usual great stuff from the production team.

- Standard video opening.

- Lenny Leonard and JML are now stationed at an announce booth on the stage behind the ring. Leonard talks about the huge year that was 2011 and the huge show that was Starrcade. He says that tonight there will be a new segment on Underground called "The Event Center" which will be hosted by Jim Ross who has a huge announcement regarding the next iPPV. JML talks about how a new year means new faces and over the next few weeks we'll be introduced to some new stars in WCW. Leonard also promises an interview with the new WCW Champion, Chris Jericho, during the hour as well as a huge main event with Eddie Edwards defending the United States Championship for the first time against CM Punk.

Match #1: Sal Rinauro vs. Richie Steamboat
Richie is, of course, Ricky Steamboat's son. JML really plays up the second-generation heritage. Richie displays some swift chain-wrestling and submission-grappling to start. He's wearing trunks with a dragon them that looks almost exactly like the Dragon Gate-logo. The action picks up and they trade a bunch of counters before Steamboat finally hits a step-up enzuiguri to assume control. From there it's pretty much just exhibition for Steamboat. A couple of suplexes and similar moves. Rinauro ends up outside and Steamboat flies over the ropes onto him to pop the crowd. Steamboat finishes with a Dragon Suplex to win.

Result: Richie Steamboat wins via pin w/ The Dragon Suplex
Time: 4:22


- Surprisingly, Steamboat doesn't cut a promo. Instead, CM Punk comes out with Drew Gallows. Punk says now the business with the homeless man is behind him, it's time to move on to the reason for the sport: competition. He says he hopes the mannequin doesn't get too attached to carrying gold, because it won't last long.

- A commercial plays for WCWwrestling.com.

- A commercial plays for the replay of Starrcade on iPPV.

- Fastball Special are at ringside. London is in "Ultimate Warrior"-mode. "The bridges of fire have been reduced to smoldering ash in the palms of my hand. The Cross have been eliminated with sheer frenziticity (!). As we gaze into the stars we see only two constellations: Takeshi Morishima and Keith Walker. When next we convene, in the hour of the moon and the time of the culling, we will meet these giants in epic combat with the greatest of glories in consideration. DOOMSDAY approaches, but now how you would suggesticate (!)." And then they stroll off. First, watching Generico do everything in his power to not break character and then bust out laughing is gold. Second, Paul London making up random words is the greatest thing ever. Third, Leonard's dead-pan follow up is amazing: "They're wrestling DOOMSDAY next week for the belts."

Match #2: Drew Adler/Ace Rockwell vs. The Bravados Brothers
Oh wow. The Bravados are two students from the ROH Academy. Kind of surprised to see them here, honestly. Their characters are that they are Grandmama Boys. Lance starts out with Drew and before the action can even get under way, here comes Steve Corino and Adam Pearce~! Corino and Pearce beat up both teams, which kills the match. Harlem and Lance both end up on the receiving end of some vicious looking spike piledrivers~! Referees finally manage to get Corino and Pearce out of the ring and backstage.

Result: No-contest
Time: 0:12


- Leonard is kind of taken aback by what just happened. Not to be outdone by crazy promos, here comes James Jacobs with the WCW Tag Team Champions, DOOMSDAY. Jacobs: "Behind the facade of two young men who fear what approaches, are two young men who could be one of the most defining tag teams of a generation. We give the utmost respect to El Generico and Paul London. It would be folly (!) to think that a challenge doesn't present itself to us next week. That said, when the fate of the world stands on the edge of a knife - when darkness absorbs the light - when the minds of the madness of the Gods brings forth a maelstrom of carnage, there will be only one idea, one concept, one generalization left standing: DOOMSDAY. And DOOMSDAY beckons." I LOVE IT. I could watch Jacobs and London go back and forth on these crazy promos.

- Another commercial for WCWwrestling.com plays.

- Another commercial for Starrcade on iPPV plays.

The Event Center with Jim Ross
So Jim Ross is in a television production area, I guess. It's pretty much exactly the same as how WWE used to do it for home video, with people working in the background and various monitors showing various footage. Ross says that WCW is the only place to get pro-wrestling for the 21st century and that they'll return to iPPV on February 25, 2012 with a huge show entitled: The Bunkhouse Stampede. He says the Bunkhouse Stampede will be a huge, 25-man over-the-top-rope elimination-style battle royal, with new people entering every 2 minutes. So essentially, the Royal Rumble. He says the winner of the Stampede will win the Bruiser Brody Cup - which will allow the winner to receive a title-shot at any point within the calendar year. They can have their title-shot on any show, at any time, whenever they want. So it's the Royal Rumble and the winners get the Money in the Bank briefcase. Makes sense. Jim Ross then announces the first five participants: Davey Richards, Claudio Castagnoli, Ares, Chris Hero, and Richie Steamboat. He says next week he'll sit down and talk with Alberto Dos Caras about when and where his champion's re-match will occur, as well as reveal five additional names for the Bunkhouse Stampede match.


- That was actually a really great segment.

- Leonard says the Bunkhouse Stampede will be historic and he can't wait to see it live on iPPV.

Match #3: Caleb Konley vs. Windham Rotunda
Windham is probably best known as Husky Harris from NXT. His unique look is always a plus, but even better is that he's working almost completely different than just about everyone else on the roster. No chain-wrestling to start as he overpowers Konley, tossing him around the ring. Konley goes for a leapfrog, but Rotunda counters with the Rick Steiner-powerslam~! Rotunda slams Konley's face into the turnbuckle, hits an atomic drop, and finishes with a Death Valley Driver for the win. He worked more of a southern brawling-style. Good stuff.

Result: Windham Rotunda wins via pin w/ The Death Valley Driver
Time: 4:11


- No interviews for Windham either. Instead, Adam Pearce and Steve Corino return. Pearce says that it's a new year and a new day. He says that he and Corino were missing something individually, but tonight the world got a taste of the wreckage they'll bring together. Corino says that's a fitting term to use, since from here on out they'll known as the Old School Wrecking Crew. Nice~! Pearce says that whether it's the Briscoes, Fastball Special, or DOOMSDAY - everyone had best be on the lookout because a new team is here to run roughshod over everyone.

- A commercial plays for WCW Legacy, whatever that is.

- A commercial plays for the Bunkhouse Stampede iPPV.

- Chris Jericho is at ringside with Leonard and JML. Jericho says that his big win on December 23 wasn't just for him. He says it was a win for Billy Kidman (!) and Rey Mysterio, a win for Dean Malenko and Christian Cage, and a win for Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards. He says it was a win for everyone who was ever told they were "too small" or "didn't have the right look." He says he aims to be a defending champion and has already lined up a title match against Jay Briscoe in two weeks. Leonard asks him about Caras, and Jericho says he doesn't know when Dos Caras will claim his re-match, but when he does: "Well, I've pinned Alberto twice now and if he thinks the outcome the third time will be something different? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Someone call Quincy Sharp, I'm sending him a new patient." Heh, Arkham City references.

- Another commercial plays for WCW Legacy.

Main Event: Eddie Edwards [c] vs. CM Punk - WCW United States Championship Match
Eddie won the championship at Starrcade by defeating Brent Albright. CM Punk lost at Starrcade, so I'm not sure what he's done to merit a championship match. I would imagine they just needed a heel. Chain-wrestling to start, which is kind of cool because it's been awhile since Punk has been able to display his wrestling skills. They go back and forth with Eddie continuously getting an advantage that Punk keeps nullifying by cheating (pulling hair, fish-hooking, etc.). They end up trading strikes and just as Eddie gaining momentum, Punk pokes him in the eye and grounds him with a headlock. Punk spends a good dropping knees on the back of Eddie's head and doing similar moves to work him over and soften him up for the G2S. Eddie counters a rising knee strike in the corner with a hot-shot, but gets distracted by Drew Gallows on the outside long enough for Punk to cheapshot him. Punk works him over as a heel would. Punk goes for the rising knee strike again, but this time Eddie counters by tossing him over the ropes to the outside. Eddie follows up with a suicide dive to the outside. Eddie gets tossed into the barricade by Gallows though. Punk gets Eddie back in the ring and finally nails the rising knee strike, following with the bulldog. Punk tries a bunch of moves for pins but gets nothing. Eddie catches Punk out of nowhere with the Achilles Lock, but Punk fights out of it. Punk kicks Eddie in the balls while the ref is distracted by Gallows. Punk puts Eddie on his shoulders for the G2S, but Eddie blocks the knee as he comes down and retaliates with a HUGE kick to the side of the head followed by, of all things, an Olympic Slam. Eddie locks in the Achilles Lock when Gallows storms the ring and gives Eddie a huge boot. The ref signals for the bell on that note. Punk and Gallows give Eddie a good beatdown, including a HUGE powerbomb from Gallows. This brings out Davey Richards to a monstrous pop for the save. He and Eddie send Punk and Gallows outside. They tease a double suicide dive, but Punk and Gallows narrowly escape.

Result: Eddie Edwards wins via disqualification because of interference from Drew Gallows
Time: 14:11


- Promo-time from the Wolves. Eddie goes into this huge tirade against Punk and Gallows, challenging them to a tag match. Leonard thanks the fans and mentions next we'll see the debut of a tag team called the Midnight Guns. That ends the show.