OVW TV
Date: 5/18/2002
From: Louisville, KY
Matches:
1.) Redd Dogg & Shelton Benjamin defeated Johnny Jeter & Mark Magnus
2.) Nova defeated OVW Heavyweight Champion Prototype to win the title
3.) Trailer Park Trash defeated Rob Conway
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Dogg and Magnus kickoff the match with Dogg hitting a shoulder block and clothesline in the opening moments of the match. Benjamin tags into the match, but Jeter tags in and misses a clothesline. Benjamin hits a crossbody on both men. Jeter boots Benjamin in the corner, but Benjamin walks the ropes to hit a clothesline for a near fall due to Magnus breaking the cover. Dogg press slams Jeter into a powerslam for a near fall as Magnus makes the save. Dogg decks Magnus off the apron and tries for a splash, but Jeter gets his knees up. Magnus enters the match and beats on Dogg with right hands. Jeter returns to the match, but Dogg connects with a leaping double clothesline. Benjamin gets the hot tag and cleans house with strikes and slams Magnus. Benjamin slams Jeter. Magnus accidentally backdrops Jeter and is backdropped by Benjamin. Magnus and Jeter are sent into each other. Benjamin takes Magnus down to hit a side Russian leg sweep for the win. (*. It’s basically an extended squash for Dogg and Benjamin, which wasn’t bad by any means. I’ve been liking the Dogg/Benjamin tag team lately.)
2.) We see footage from an OVW live event where OVW Heavyweight Champion Prototype defended against Leviathan. Prototype was getting beaten up, but Kenny Bolin pulled the referee out to save the title. Synn sprayed mace into Bolin eyes on the floor. There was a referee bump and Sean O’Haire came out to hold Leviathan on the apron. Prototype hits O’Haire on accident and Leviathan is ready for the Demon Bomb. Synn gets in the ring and tossed a fireball missing Prototype and hits Leviathan on accident. Prototype covers Leviathan and wins the match. This is Leviathan’s third loss in his career.
3.) Backstage footage of Leviathan beating up the locker room at the live event is shown. Leviathan chased after the cameraman and caught him causing him to scream. Jim Cornette announces that Payne suffered a potential career ending neck injury in the attack.
4.) In the ring, Jim Cornette is with Synn for an interview. Cornette goes over all the stuff that Synn caused at the live event. Cornette is blaming Synn for injuries. Synn denies it’s her fault and says it’s Leviathan’s fault. If he had listen to her then none of this would have happened. Synn reveals that she has sold Leviathan’s contract to Rev. D-Von on Smackdown. Cornette says that Leviathan is serving Rev. D-Von against his will. Cornette is sure that Leviathan will have an issue with Synn. Leviathan ends up coming into the ring to confront Synn. Leviathan grabs Synn, but Damien enters the ring and Leviathan nails Damien with a clothesline. Synn uses mace on Leviathan. Another man enters the ring and attacks Leviathan. This man is Seven (Kevin Thorn). Seven drops Leviathan with an arm trapped jawbreaker. Seven kicks Leviathan in the ribs and Damien stomps Leviathan. Leviathan is left laid out.
5.) Jim Cornette introduces the next big thing in WWE, Nova. Nova makes his way out and the crowd greets him with complete silence. Cornette puts over Nova’s ten year career and is excited to have Nova in the company. Nova tells Cornette that OVW has some of the biggest stars in the business. Nova mentions Rob Conway, Nick Dinsmore, Doug Basham and Damaja. Cornette says that he’s sure Nova wants a piece of Prototype. Nova reveals he’s wrestled Prototype three times in California, and he beat him three times. Nova knows that Prototype is better than he was, but so is he. Prototype enters the ring along with Kenny Bolin. Prototype says everyone is talking about the next big thing, which is Brock Lesnar. Prototype says this is his house and he demands respect. Nova calls Prototype a “mop top” and wants Prototype to put the title on the line right now. Prototype tells Nova who he is and brags about trading chops with Ric Flair recently. Nova wants to wrestle and eventually the match is made.
6.) Prototype tosses Nova to the mat in the opening moment of the match. Prototype backs Nova into a corner, but misses a strike. Nova hammers away on Prototype followed by a drop toe hold and keeps a front face lock on Prototype. Prototype gets out of a rollup and Nova hits an arm drag and a dropkick. Nova hits a standing hurricanrana for a two count. Nova keeps control on Prototype with an arm bar. Nova ducks a strike and jabs Prototype several times. Prototype shoulder blocks Nova, but Nova kicks the champ and delivers a leg sweep. Nova keeps Prototype on the mat with a headlock. Prototype punches Nova against the ropes and drives Nova down to the mat face first. Prototype stomps on Nova to maintain control of the match. Prototype stops Nova with a spinebuster and goes to the top rope. Prototype leaps off the top missing a big splash. Nova drops Prototype with several right hands. Nova backdrops Prototype to the mat. Nova tries for a leaping forearm smash, but accidentally hits the referee. Prototype hits Nova with the briefcase from behind. There’s no referee for the cover, but a second referee comes out and counts a two for the champ. Prototype argues with the referee and stomps Nova in the corner as the show goes to commercial.
Prototype clotheslines Nova to maintain the advantage. Prototype rams Nova into the corner and continues with a strike to the back. Prototype sends Nova hard into the corner and continues with stomps. Prototype nails Nova with a clothesline for a near fall. Prototype drives Nova to the mat with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Prototype uppercuts Nova into the corner and chokes Nova. Prototype elbows Nova to the mat and manages a two count. Prototype sends Nova into the ropes and hits a side slam for a near fall. Prototype uppercuts Nova, but misses a clothesline. Prototype atomic drops Nova, and Nova collides into Prototype who also knocks down the referee. Nova drops Bolin with a strike. Nova punches Prototype a few times followed by an atomic drop and a flying forearm smash. Nova spears Prototype in the corner and a kick to the back of the head for a near fall. Prototype misses a clothesline and is taken down by a leg sweep. Nova leaps off the top to hit an elbow drop for a near fall. Nova almost wins with a rollup. Nova misses a springboard crossbody and accidentally takes the referee out. Sean O’Haire attacks Nova from behind to help Prototype. Nova knocks O’Haire into Prototype and kicks O’Haire to the floor. Nova plants Prototype with the Kryptonite Krunch to win the title! (**1/2. Cornette really tried to put Nova over as the next big star and as if he’d be OVW’s version of Shawn Michaels. I’m not sure I can buy into that from Nova. Nova started off with getting very little reaction, but by the end it seems as if he won them over. It was a fine match, but probably way too much interference and referee bumps for my liking.)
7.) Prototype has remained in the ring with Bolin and Cornette. Prototype thinks Cornette screwed him over and demands a rematch. Prototype is ready to wrestle Nova at any point. Prototype thinks the referees hated him just as much as Cornette does. Cornette says that Prototype gets his rematch on May 31st at Six Flags. Cornette also announces Mick Foley will be the special referee.
8.) Conway puts a headlock on Trash before switching to a hammerlock. Trash breaks free, but Conway takes Trash down to the mat for a near fall. Trash backs Conway into a corner and delivers a right hand. Conway decks Trash out of the corner, but Trash puts a headlock on Conway to deliver a strike. Conway shoulder blocks Trash and delivers a few strikes while in a headlock. Conway punches Trash a few times in the corner. Trash shoves Conway away and drop toe holds Conway into the corner. Trash continues with a clothesline and a forearm to the lower back. Flash pie faces Conway from the floor. Trash sends Conway into the corner and hits a backdrop for a near fall. Trash takes Conway over with a suplex for a near fall. Trash sends Conway hard into the corner back first and taunts Conway. Trash sends Conway into the corner and keeps control of the match. Trash scoop slams Conway and heads to the top rope. Trash leaps off the top missing a leg drop attempt. Conway jabs Trash and hits a leaping back elbow. Conway clotheslines Trash and hits a backdrop. Flash gets on the apron, but Dinsmore yanks Flash off. Conway slams Trash and heads to the middle rope missing a fist drop. Trash decks Conway with brass knuckles and pins Conway for the win. After the match, Trash nails Dinsmore with the brass knuckles, too. (*. Trash is clearly nowhere neat the skill level of anyone else in this match. Sure, he used brass knuckles, but it still comes across poorly for Trash to be winning matches. Conway should be used better than he was here.)
9.) Jim Cornette announced during the show that Rey Mysterio would be on the show next week, by the way.
Final Thoughts:
It may very well be a new era for OVW since both Leviathan (Batista) and Prototype (John Cena) are on the way out of OVW. I’m not sure if Nova is going to replace either one of them in this OVW universe, but lets give him a shot, I guess. Luckily, OVW still has Conway, Dinsmore, Basham and Damaja to carry the main event scene. I’ll give this weeks episode a mild thumbs up.
Thanks for reading.