UWF Live 5/11/2007

UWF Wrestling
Date: 5/11/2007
From: Mooresville, NC

Interesting note before the match, but this is before Jake Manning used the ‘Man Scout’ gimmick.

Opening Contest: Jake Manning vs. Damien Wayne vs. Bobby Houston: Houston and Manning kickoff the match as Wayne stays on the apron to let them wrestle. Manning gets a wrist lock on Houston, but Houston quickly counters. Manning elbows Houston, but runs into an arm drag. Houston keeps arm control on the mat. Houston hits a crossbody for a two count and dropkicks Wayne. Houston keeps Manning on the mat with a headlock. Wayne is backdropped by Houston while Houston keeps a headlock on Manning. Houston head scissors Wayne and kept the headlock on Manning. Manning plants Houston with a back suplex. Wayne sends Manning to the floor and goes to the top hitting an elbow drop for a near fall. Manning forearms Wayne against the ropes. Manning dumps Wayne to the apron, but Houston rams Manning into Wayne leading to a near fall on Manning. Houston misses a crossbody and Manning hammers away against the ropes. Houston gets a victory roll on Manning to win the match. (*1/4. It never really got going and there wasn’t much shine for the guys to showcase their skillset. I wish they had gotten more time because it seemed like they were all talented enough to put forth a better match with more time to do so.)

Second Contest: Team Macktion (Kirby & TJ) vs. Extreme Horsemen (Corino & CW): Corino and CW deliver cheap shots to start the match. Kirby trips Corino and hits a springboard leg drop to the back of the head for a near fall. Corino elbows Kirby to the mat, but Kirby delivers a jawbreaker and a kick to the head. TJ tags into the match and avoids CW before hitting a forearm and a somersault facebuster for a near fall. CW knee lifts TJ and delivers a forearm in the corner. Corino and CW catch a crossbody attempt, but Kirby dropkicks TJ on top for a near fall. CW kicks TJ and is met with a dropkick to the knee. Kirby tags in and hits a senton splash. TJ delivers a slingshot dropkick leading to a near fall for Kirby. CW hammers away on TJ in the corner. TJ nails CW with a back elbow for a near fall. Kirby returns to the match and keeps a front face lock on CW. CW chops Kirby several times, but Kirby fights out of the corner with strikes. CW sends Kirby into Corino on the apron to get control of the contest. CW press slams Kirby to the mat for a near fall. CW and Corino plant Kirby to the mat with a spinebuster. They lock in a double submission, but Kirby doesn’t give in. Kirby hammers away on Corino, but a boot to the midsection stops him.

Corino snap mares Kirby to the mat and is met with a few kicks to the chest. Kirby gets to his feet and fights back with strikes. Corino kicks Kirby and delivers a running boot in the corner as does CW, but Kirby kicks out at two. Kirby dropkicks Corino after avoiding CW in the corner. TJ cleans house with forearm strikes. TJ kicks CW for a near fall. Corino tags into the match and hammers away on TJ. Corino high knee strikes TJ coming off the ropes. Corino elbows TJ in the corner and delivers an STO for a near fall. TJ plants Corino with a facebuster and tags in Kirby. Kirby leaps off the top hitting a missile dropkick for a near fall. Kirby kicks Corino and delivers a spin kick for a near fall. Corino elbows away from Kirby, but Kirby hits the Overdose for a near fall. Corino low blows Kirby and tags in CW, but Kirby almost wins with a rollup. Kirby backslides CW, but CW gets up and decks Kirby with a left hook strike. TJ makes the save on the cover. TJ and Kirby pummel the Horsemen in the corner. CW dumps TJ to the floor. Corino catapults Kirby into a superkick by CW for a near fall. CW and Kirby rade right hands. Kirby runs into a double superkick, but kicks out at two! Kirby drops CW over the middle rope. Mackiton hit stereo 619 for a near fall on CW. Corino shoves Kirby off the top and nails TJ with a running forearm strike. Kirby runs into a spinebuster by CW and that’s good for the three count. (***. Both teams played to their styles well and the action was pretty much non-stop. I really enjoyed this one.)

Third Contest: Chris Harris & Gail Kim vs. Jackie Moore & James Storm: Harris and Storm kickoff the mixed tag match. Storm bails to the floor to regroup as Harris wanted to lockup. Kim and Moore tag into the match with Kim controlling with a hammerlock, but Moore counters with a headlock on the mat. Kim counters with a head scissor on the mat, but Moore pops free and gets a headlock again on Kim. Kim counters with a wrist lock, but Moore yanks on Kim’s arm for the advantage. Storm stands on Kim’s hair and Harris tries to get involved. Kim is stopped by an eye rake from Storm. Storm misses a clothesline and Kim hits a tilt a whirl head scissors. Storm tags out to Moore, but Harris isn’t interested. Moore slaps Harris and is grabbed by the throat. Storm makes the save with strikes, but is met with a blow to the back by Harris. Harris chokes Storm with his shirt. Harris clotheslines Storm with the shirt. Harris tags in Kim and Kim runs the ropes to arm drag Moore across the ring. Kim rams Moore into Storm’s groin on the apron. Storm pulls Kim down by her hair on the apron. Moore drops an elbow on Kim and taunts Harris. Moore knocks Kim to the mat with an uppercut. Storm slams Kim on the floor while the referee was distracted by Harris and Moore. Moore tries for a cover, but the referee is out of position. Moore chokes Kim over the middle rope to keep control and Storm gets a cheap shot in as the referee is distracted.

Moore shoulder rams Kim in the corner and delivers a strike the back. Moore covers Kim for a two count. Moore keeps Kim on the mat with a chin lock, but can’t get a submission or a pin. Storm tags into the match and yanks Kim to the mat by her hair. Storm misses a clothesline, but catches Kim on a crossbody to hit a swinging Air Raid Crash. Kim manages to tag in Harris as Storm was taunting Harris. Moore doesn’t want to tag in and Harris drops Storm with a few strikes. Harris clotheslines Storm followed by a bulldog off the ropes. Harris hooks Storm for a suplex and drives Storm to the mat, but Moore breaks the cover. Kim sends Moore to the floor and Storm is double teamed. Storm kicks Kim, but Kim is tripped and pulled to the floor. Harris tosses Storm, but Storm pulls back into the ring. Storm kicks Harris and hits an elevated DDT over the middle rope for a two count. Storm shoulder rams Harris in the corner and looks for a swinging reverse neckbreaker, but Harris counters with a middle rope cutter for a two count. Harris tries for Catatonic, but Storm breaks free and hits a spinning slam for a near fall. Kim gets a hurricanrana on Storm and hangs on for the three count to win the match. (*1/2. Not a bad match, but it was just too long for me to get through and feel entertained. I did like the finish of Kim pinning Storm as that wasn’t expected. They probably could have just cut a few minutes from the match.)

Fourth Contest: Raven vs. Jerry Lynn: Raven sends Lynn through the ropes to the floor, but Lynn gets back in the ring to avoid anything on the floor. Raven sends Lynn to the floor again after a knee lift, but Lynn rolls back into the ring. Lynn leg drops Raven on the arm and Raven sends Lynn to the floor. Lynn gets back in again and dropkicks Raven off the apron. Lynn takes Raven out with a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Lynn sends Raven into the railing a few times. Lynn rams Raven face first onto the apron. They brawl on the aisle with Lynn rolling Raven back into the ring. Raven kicks the middle rope to stop Lynn. Raven stomps on Lynn and delivers a back rake. Lynn tries to fight back, but a knee strike stops him again. Raven splashes down onto Lynn’s back. Raven wraps Lynn’s leg around the ring post. Raven keeps a chin lock on Lynn, but rolls Lynn back into the ring. Raven chokes Lynn over the middle rope and gouges Lynn’s mouth. Raven tries for a slam, but Lynn gets an inside cradle for a two count. Lynn gets another two count with a rollup, but Raven decks Lynn to regain control of the match. Raven tries for a submission with a half Boston Crab, but Lynn reached the ropes. Raven goes for an ankle lock, but Lynn doesn’t give in. Lynn knocks Raven to the mat with a kick to the head. Lynn fights back with strikes and a dropkick. Lynn pulls Raven to the mat and hits a leg drop over the middle rope. Lynn continues with a neckbreaker over the middle rope. Lynn connects with a slingshot splash for a two count as Raven got his boot on the bottom rope. Raven tries for a DDT, but Lynn counters and gets a rollup out of the corner for a near fall. Raven knee lifts Lynn again and tries for a piledriver, but Lynn breaks free. Raven backdrops Lynn and sneaks a low blow allowing for a DDT. Raven covers and pins Lynn. (*1/2. Lynn tried to get some high pace action in there, but it was clear that Raven was at one speed for this one and kept his offense rather simple. The match wasn’t bad, but it was just bland action aside from a few spots by Lynn.)

There is some context for the next match. Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair were on a radio show with Hermie Sadler and apparently things got out of hand. That lead to a no disqualification match between David Flair and Dustin Rhodes.

Fifth Contest: Dustin Rhodes vs. David Flair in a no disqualification match: Rhodes backs Flair into a corner, but Flair counters and cleanly backs off. Flair backs Rhodes into a corner a second time and delivers a few chops. Rhodes counters with chops and several jabs before delivering an elbow strike and Flair bails to the floor. Flair regroups with Daffney on the floor. Flair tries to leave the ringside area, but Rhodes follows and punches flair a few times. Rhodes rams Flair into the guard railing face first a couple of times. Rhodes sends Flair into the ring. Flair clubs away on Rhodes with a few right hands. Rhodes clotheslines Flair and continues with right hands. Daffney gets in the ring, but is taken down to the mat. Rhodes sets Daffney up in the corner for Shattered Dreams and delivers a kick to her groin. Rhodes kisses Daffney, but Flair chop blocks Rhodes and delivers a few elbow drops to the knee. Flair wraps Rhodes knee around the ring post a couple of times. Flair gets a trash can involved and goes back to a leg lock on the mat. Flair is kicked away, but whacks Rhodes over the head with a trash can shot. Flair puts a figure four on Rhodes in the middle of the ring. Flair keeps the hold on Rhodes for several moments and hits Rhodes with a trash can shot. Rhodes manages to reverse the hold, but Flair does’t give up. Flair decks Rhodes with a clothesline. Flair sends Rhodes into the referee against the ropes on accident. Daffney gets in the ring with a trash can lid and accidentally hits Flair as Rhodes moved. Daffney bails to the floor. Rhodes follows Flair to the floor and pummels Flair with strikes. Flair has been busted open. Daffney whacks Rhodes with a trash can lid. Daffney and Flair rub fake blood on Rhodes forehead and the referee wakes up to see the blood, which gives Flair the victory. (*. Dustin must have really not wanted to lose to Flair for them to come up with that conclusion. Admittedly, I was actually interested in seeing this match since I wasn’t even really aware that Flair was still wrestling in 2007. It’s a mostly boring match, but Flair looked better in there than he did during his WCW days, that’s for sure.)

Main Event: Diamonds In The Rough (Young & Skipper) vs. D’Lo Brown & Rikishi: Young and Brown kickoff the match. Brown controls Young with a wrist lock, but Young elbows Brown to the mat and does a few pushups. Young hip tosses Brown and plays to the crowd. They collide on shoulder block attempt, but neither budge. Brown hip tosses Young and hits a heel kick. Brown scoop slams Young and plays to the crowd before hitting a leg drop for a near fall. Brown hammers away on Young, but Young comes back with a kick and tags in Skipper. Skipper works over Brown with strikes. Rikishi tags into the match, which Skipper doesn’t know. Rikishi hammers away on Skipper and avoids a sunset flip attempt. Young enters, but backs off. Skipper tries for a go-behind, but Rikishi rubs his butt and backs Skipper into a corner. Skipper falls down and Rikishi signals for the stink face, but Skipper bails to the floor. Young and Skipper stall on the floor. Young tags into the match and tries his luck with Rikishi. Young eye rakes Rikishi followed by a headbutt. Rikishi flips off Young and delivers another strike. Young is met with a double back elbow. Brown clotheslines Young in the corner. Brown continues with a few jabs, but Young eye rakes Brown and Skipper tags into the match.

Brown backs Skipper into a corner and delivers a chop. Brown drops Skipper with another chop. Brown drops Skipper with a forearm strike and Young sneaks a tag. Brown misses a splash in the corner and Skipper hits a splash followed by a spin kick from Young for a near fall. Skipper spin kicks Brown on the mat and continues with a few stomps. Young continues with strikes against the ropes. Young kicks Brown on the back. Young keeps a chin lock on Brown, but doesn’t get a submission. Young nails Brown with a knee lift coming off the ropes. Skipper forearms Brown a few times. Young hits a leaping neckbreaker for a two count on Brown. Skipper delivers a snap suplex to Brown for a near fall. Skipper kicks Brown over the back and delivers a few more strikes. Skipper kicks Brown several times in the corner. Brown responds with right hands and boots a charging Skipper. Brown misses a moonsault off the middle rope and Skipper nails Brown with a heel kick for a near fall. Brown plants Young with a flapjack and both men are down.

Rikishi gets the tag and cleans house with strikes on Young. Skipper tries to get involved and is knocked down with strikes. Skipper and Young collide heads. Rikishi connects with a double clothesline and a savant kick. Rikishi waits in the corner and connects with a leg drop to Young. Brown leaps off the top to hit a frog splash and pins Young for the win. (*1/2. I was nervous that this match was going to go 26 minutes as that was how much time was left on the DVD when it started. Luckily, it only went about 15 minutes. The action was fine, but this was just a segment to pop the crowd with Rikishi and Brown rather than have a truly competitive match.) After the match, Rikishi and Brown predictably add some punishment to Young and Skipper including a double stink face by Rikishi.

Final Thoughts:
I checked this show out for a few reasons. Corino and CW in tag action against Kirby and TJ was interesting. As was seeing a match between Raven and Lynn, which I don’t recall happening in ECW. Lastly, seeing David Flair compete in a match in 2007 was something I had to check out. Overall, it’s not a worthwhile show to go out of your way to see, but I don’t regret watching it since it’s barely over 1.5 hours long with an edit. The Extreme Horsemen tag match is good, but everything else is skippable.

Thanks for reading.