OVW TV 2/23/2002

Written by: Bob Colling

OVW TV
Date: 2/23/2002
From: Louisville, KY

Matches:
1.) Nick Dinsmore & Rob Conway defeated Mr. Black & Sean O’Haire
2.) Big Bad John defeated Trailer Park Trash
3.) Redd Dogg & Shelton Benjamin defeated Chris Michaels & Sean Casey
4.) Prototype defeated OVW Heavyweight Champion Leviathan to win the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) OVW referee Ray Ramsey is sitting front row with a t-shirt that is putting down fellow referee Briscoe. The t-shirt reads “Briscoe Sucks.”

2.) Black gets control of Dinsmore in the early stages but misses a splash. Conway tags in and double teams Black with Dinsmore. O’Haire gets tagged in and works over Conway in the corner with several strikes. Conway boots O’Haire in the corner followed by a cross body off the middle rope for a two count. O’Haire kicks Conway in the midsection but can’t hit an over the shoulder back breaker. Conway hits a standing hurricanrana on O’Haire but Black allows O’Haire to hit a super kick to regain control of the match. O’Haire pummels Conway in the corner with several strikes. Black tags in and plants Conway with a swinging side slam. O’Haire tags in and double team Conway for a near fall. O’Haire ducks a spin kick and hits the over the shoulder back breaker on Conway for a near fall. Black connects with a leg drop for a two count. O’Haire continues to wrench over Conway twisting his neck. Conway plants O’Haire with a DDT and both men struggle to their feet. Dinsmore gets the tag and here comes Black. Dinsmore cleans house taking opponents out with kicks. Conway distracts the referee allowing O’Haire to hold Dinsmore but Black splashes O’Haire on accident. Dinsmore with a side Russian leg sweep and backdrops Black. O’Haire decides to ditch the match as Conway hit a neck breaker on Black for the win. (*1/2. I’m finding myself appreciating Dinsmore and Conway a lot more since they are free to wrestle their way and presented as top acts in OVW. It’s a decent match and the angle between O’Haire and Black continues. I think O’Haire needs to distance himself from Black and become a bigger singles guy in OVW.)

3.) During the match, Briscoe is distracted by Ray Ramsey’s t-shirt while Big Bad John is working over Trailer Park Trash. John nearly wins the match with a side slam. Trash avoids John in the corner and hammers away on John. Bull Buchanan is at ringside while Trash hit a DDT on John for a two count. Trash kicks Buchanan on the floor but that allows John to hit a choke slam for the win. After the match, Buchanan attacks Trash but John pulls Buchanan off. John decides to hold Trash and allow Buchanan to beat on Trash. We may have a new alliance. Trash is driven down with a double choke slam. Flash runs down with a steel chair to make the save.

4.) Redd Dogg and Shelton Benjamin compete in a squash match this week to continue their momentum. Dogg plants Michaels with a Death Valley Driver to win the match.

5.) A video promoting the debut of Nidia in OVW is aired. She’ll be in OVW soon enough.

6.) Backstage, OVW Heavyweight Champion Leviathan cuts a promo on Prototype. He says that no man can slay a demon and that Prototype’s soul belongs to him.

7.) Leviathan shoves Prototype down several times at the start of the match to showcase his power advantage. Leviathan clotheslines Prototype and stomps on Prototype. Leviathan clotheslines Prototype in the corner. Leviathan punches Prototype in the midsection causing him to flip over. Leviathan puts Prototype over the top rope before delivering a boot to the chest. Leviathan punches Prototype in the corner and the challenge crashes to the canvas. Leviathan delivers an elbow fro for a two count. Leviathan tries for a full nelson but Prototype counters with a back suplex, which he hit three times. Prototype sends Leviathan several times back first into the corner. Prototype hits a snap suplex but Leviathan kicks out at two. Prototype attempts a side Russian leg sweep but Leviathan blocks it and runs over Prototype with a few clotheslines and a big boot. Leviathan plants Prototype with a full nelson slam! Prototype avoids an elbow drop as Kenny Bolin gets on the apron and gives Prototype the briefcase. Leviathan no sells it and plants Prototype with the Demon Bomb! Crony gets in the ring and sprays something on a towel to knock out Leviathan. Synn and Kenny Bolin were going at it on the floor. Prototype rolls over and pins Leviathan to win the title! (**. The finish was kind of lame, but the match was solid. Prototype does well in his role and his selling comes across very well, too.)

8.) Jim Cornette interviews Kenny Bolin and new OVW Heavyweight Champion Prototype. Cornette talks to Jerome Crony, who is responsible for the title change. Prototype is pissed that Crony would take away his spotlight. Prototype taunts the fans saying that he told them all he’d be the champion. Prototype claims that Crony wiped the sweat out of Leviathan’s eyes. Prototype believes that nobody can beat him for the championship now. Prototype says that David Flair got lucky and says that Flair will never take the belt away from him. David Flair makes his way down to the ring to confront them. David Flair says that since he is the only man in OVW to beat Prototype he deserves some respect. Prototype thinks that Flair is a one hit wonder. Flair says since he sing going to get any respect he’ll have to earn it. Flair knocks Prototype, Bolin and Crony out with punches. Flair puts the figure four on Prototype! Crony gets up and elbow drops Flair. Sean O’Haire runs into the ring and along with the rest of Bolin Services, destroy Flair. Rob Conway and Nick Dinsmore rundown to make the save to end the program.

Final Thoughts:
The major focus on the show was the OVW Heavyweight Championship, which was the right direction. Prototype and Leviathan are two of the better characters and I believe this is close to the end of Leviathan’s run in OVW before going to WWE. It’s going to be tough for David Flair to come across like serious threat to Prototype.

Thanks for reading.