2CW presents Hot Action On A Cold December Night
Date: 12/29/2007
From: Syracuse, NY
The Olsen Twins are introduced as being the tag team in action, but Colin is not there. Instead, it is Jimmy Olsen and Hellcat. Colin is working for WWE in North Carolina. Brodie Lee insults the fans and briefly shows them the NWA Upstate Heavyweight Championship via Jimmy Olsen’s suitcase. Hellcat is introduced as Jimmy’s partner and he’s the owner of NWA Upstate. Hellcat can’t even speak before the Wyld Stallyns cut him off to join the match.
MATCH #1: THE WYLD STALLYNS (OMEN & TEZZ) VS. HELLCAT & JIMMY OLSEN
FINISH: Hellcat whacks Tezz with the NWA Upstate Championship to win the match.
Bob’s Take: They start off hot with quick action in the ring and they quickly go to the floor. Brodie has been ejected from ringside quickly into the match. Jimmy is worked over by the Stallyns for a bit. Olsen turns the advantage into his favor and kept arm control on Tezz (maybe) for some time. Hellcat and Olsen keep Tezz in the ring away from Omen to do their formula tag work. Tezz stops Olsen with a sit out suplex to counter a head scissors attempt. Omen gets the tag to hit a crossbody off the top and cleans house on the heels. Olsen brought the title into the match and slid it to Hellcat to steal the victory. There wasn’t much to this one for the most part. Olsen will be involved with stronger talent and I’m looking forward to those bouts.
Match Rating: *1/2
Nikki Roxx cuts a promo about how she’s kicked ass since arriving in 2CW. Roxx recalls beating various women in 2CW. Roxx has beaten all the women she’s met. Roxx demands to be treated as a superstar. A fan tries a VKM chant, but it seems like nobody knows she’s on that program. Roxx says she’s going to beat Portia Perez again and move onto better things.
MATCH #2: NIKKI ROXX VS. PORTIA PEREZ
FINISH: Perez counters a rollup attempt and pins Roxxi. After the match, Roxxi attacks Perez. Roxxi tries to use a chair, but Perez fights back and Roxxi bails. Perez challenges Roxxi to a no disqualification match the next time they square off.
Bob’s Take: Roxx attacked Perez as soon as Perez entered the ring delivering a backbreaker turned into a gut buster after a series of strikes. Roxx keeps the advantage with a clothesline and snap suplex. Nikki has been rather impressive in this showing as her offense continued with an overhead suplex. Perez fought back with a kick and a crossbody. Perez bulldogs Roxxi from the middle rope for a two count. This may be the best women’s match in 2CW to this point from simply an action aspect. Roxxi showed some great in-ring action and losing to Perez is only going to give Perez credit for being able to prevail over her. I liked the match.
Match Rating: **1/2
MATCH #3: JOHN WALTERS VS. BRODIE LEE
FINISH: Walters ducks a clothesline to take Lee down with a backslide for the win. After the match, Lee stops Walters with a big boot.
Bob’s Take: A slower start to the match compared to the matches before it. Walters focusing his attack with arm drags and arm control. Lee gets frustrated with the arm drags and tucks his arms into his singlet, but that allowed for a chop. Lee cuts off Walters by dropping Walters over the top rope throat first. Lee backdrops Walters to continue his momentum followed by an overhead suplex. Walters hits a top rope flying clothesline to stop Lee. Fans are chanting ‘All Day’, which commentary isn’t aware of knowing what that means. Lee battled back with a big boot in the corner. Walters responded with a springboard sunset powerbomb off the middle rope and a missile dropkick. This has turned into a good back and forth battle with strong moves. Lee can’t put Walters away with the Falcon Arrow or a sit down powerbomb. The finish is fine and it’s a good win for Walters along with a strong showing for Lee in a singles capacity.
Match Rating: ***1/4
MATCH #4: THE KILLER STEVES (KRUZ & MCKENZIE) VS. ANTONIO THOMAS & ISYS EPHEX
FINISH: The Wyld Stallyns come out to cause a distraction and allows Ephex to rollup Kruz for the win. After the match, Eddie Edwards storms the ring attempting to attack Ephex but is held down by security. Matt Patterson comes out and asks if the fans want to see Edwards vs. Ephex. Ephex can’t wrestle twice due to his contract. So, Patterson can give Edwards a favor since it’s the holiday season. Patterson announces Edwards in the title match main event and make it an elimination three way dance. The fans accept that change and Edwards accepts the match, too.
Bob’s Take: Neither team gets an extended amount of control in the early moments of the match. Steves get the first bit of offense with hip tosses on their opponents, but Thomas cuts off Kruz to prevent an extended beatdown. Thomas tossed McKenzie to the floor and allowed Ephex to attack McKenzie behind the referees back. Thomas hits a sit down powerbomb, but McKenzie refuses to stay down. Ephex and Thomas hit a monkey flip/middle rope forearm drop combo. Ephex spikes McKenzie with a brainbuster, but McKenzie continues to fight. McKenzie continues to be worked over with a double clothesline with a shirt across his throat. Thomas and Ephex are working far better as a team than I expected them to be. McKenzie countered a second double clothesline sending Ephex and Thomas into each other leading to Kruz getting a hot tag. Kruz has good fire on his heat segment. The finish is a bit dumb to me, but it continues a rivalry between Stallyns and Steves. It’s a formula tag match for the most part, and decent enough.
Match Rating: **
MATCH #5: AJAX 820 VS. ZACHARY SPRINGATE III — TABLES, LADDERS & CHAIRS MATCH
FINISH: Ajax tips over a ladder causing Springate to somersault over the ropes to the floor through a table leading to the pin.
Bob’s Take: Springate is wearing jeans and not his normal attire making this feel like it’s going to be a fight. Ajax starts off with a backdrop and spinning heel kick before introducing a ladder to the match, but Springate baseball slid the ladder into Ajax. Springate slams Ajax onto the bridged ladder and hit a leg drop off the apron as the match is breaking down into spots with the weapons it looks like. Ajax sends Springate over the ladder. In the ring, Springate continues to be sent into the ladder, but Springate sends Ajax shoulder first into the ladder and slams the ladder onto Ajax. Springate hits a middle rope powerbomb to put Ajax through a table. Hey, the table actually broke first try! Ajax followed up with a chair shot over the head. Springate low blows Ajax in the corner and Ajax is stuck in a tree of woe on a ladder in the corner with a chair in front of his face. Springate hit a Coast to Coast dropkick on Ajax’s face. Ajax tips over the ladder and Springate somersaults over the top through a table, which is a crazy finish. This is easily the best Ajax match I’ve ever seen. I think they did well with the TLC stipulation. Again, that’s a strong finish to put away Springate.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Max Bauer comes out and introduces himself to the 2CW crowd as he’s the Mohawk Enforcer Max Bauer. Bauer wants a fight, and is answered by Brian Fury and Frankie Arion for a handicap match.
MATCH #6: BRIAN FURY & FRANKIE ARION VS. MAX BAUER — HANDICAP MATCH
FINISH: Arion hits a tornado DDT, Fury big splashes and Arion frog splashes Bauer for the win.
Bob’s Take: I love how Bauer said he was 6’4’’, but commentary decides to still promote him at being 6’7’’ or taller. I’m 6’4’’, and I don’t feel like a giant. But, when you’re wrestling Fury and Arion, he certainly looks like a giant. In fact, Bauer isn’t the tallest guy on the show. Arion and Fury work well together to send Bauer to the floor following a dropkick. Fury almost wins following a top rope crossbody. Bauer shows off his strength tossing Arion with a fallaway slam. Bauer looks good when he’s dominating the action. Bauer missed a middle rope splash attempt. Fury gets the hot tag and cleans house on Bauer hitting a backdrop and running forearm smash. Fury almost wins with a leaping neckbreaker and a superkick. Moments later, Fury and Arion finished off Bauer. I was not expecting Bauer to actually lose here, at all. I figured it would be a showcase for a new monster character, but instead Fury and Arion looked great in their offense and honestly they’d be great additions to the 2CW roster on a regular basis.
Match Rating: **1/2
Prior to the match, Jason Axe announces that he’s not competing in a first blood match because he’s not going to bleed. Axe is going to have a replacement and it’s the man that has a contract with him and it is Spike Dudley.
MATCH #7: ALL MONEY IS LEGAL (MURDA & PUSHA) VS. GORDY WALLACE & SPIKE DUDLEY — FIRST BLOOD MATCH
NOTE: Both members of the tag team must bleed in order for the match to end.
FINISH: Spike misses a chair shot on Pusha and whacked Wallace with a chair shot causing Wallace to bleed and as a result they lose the match. After the match, AMIL drive Spike face first into a ladder to add insult to injury. Spike is also powerbombed onto the ladder. After the match, Axe enters the ring and demands to know what happened. Axe blames Spike for losing the match. Axe says Spike is nothing and blames Spike for him losing his winning streak. Axe has had enough and fires Spike. Spike sits on a chair and talks about losing a loser leaves town match to Axe. Spike says the stipulation meant something. Spike insults Axe and then rambles to the fans about doing these shows to make a living. Spike is sick of Axe and Gordy leading to Spike fighting them and smashing Wallace with a chair, but is beaten down by Axe. Wallace whacks Spike with a chair and the beating isn’t done. Spike tries to hit the Acid Drop on Wallace, but Axe powerbombs Spike onto a chair instead to leave Spike laying.
Bob’s Take: AMIL go right after Gordy with a fork, but Gordy somehow doesn’t bleed from that, apparently. As expected, this match is heavily driven with brawling and weapons. Spike is sent hard head first into a wedged chair in the corner. That causes Spike to be busted open. Wallace uses a chair on Pusha and tries to make him bleed, but Murda tossed a ladder at Wallace. Jason Axe assists on beating up Murda and Pusha throughout the match, and the referee can’t do much about it. For the most part, this was just focused on making the guys bleed, and as a result the action felt a little limited. The finish is a bit predictable and the aftermath is effective. Spike is best served in a face role for 2CW.
Match Rating: **
Prior to the next match, JD Love takes time to find someone in the crowd to give a lap dance. Love ends up giving a lap dance to a female fan.
MATCH #8: JD LOVE VS. LOCA VIDA — MASK VS. HAIR MATCH
FINISH: Vida counters a running Razors Edge attempt with the Code Red and pins Love to win the match. After the match, JD and Vida show respect for each other. However, NWA Upstate consisting of Brodie Lee, Hellcat and Jimmy Olsen come out. Lee nails Vida with a big boot and JD tries to help, but is beaten down. Brodie big boots Love to the mat to leave them both laying. Love gets his hair cut by NWA Upstate. John Walters runs into the ring to make the save with a chair, but damage is done. Hellcat insults the fans and dares any of the fans to show up to the January Upstate show.
Bob’s Take: These guys have had many battles in 2CW’s brief history. There’s a bit of a slower start, though Vida hits the 315 (619) early in the match. Love responded with a sit down powerbomb. Love stops Vida’s momentum with a side slam. Vida battled back with a springboard back elbow and a springboard arm drag. Love kicked Vida on the knee on the middle rope and delivered a back suplex to gain the advantage. Love continues with a backbreaker, but can’t put Vida away. Love avoids a springboard attempt by decking Vida with a clothesline. Love spikes Vida with a dangerous reverse piledriver, but Vida refuses to stay down. Love also delivers a spinning tombstone. Love tries for a powerbomb on the apron, but Vida countered with a hurricanrana to the floor! Love battled back with an elevated DDT over the top rope into the ring. Love delivered a running cutter for another near fall. Vida finds energy to hit a wheelbarrow bulldog. Love avoids the 315 to hit the Michinoku Driver. Vida tries to leap off the top, but is caught with a powerbomb in midair. Love almost wins following a top rope splash. Vida’s ability to keep kicking out made for a good story, and his reversal of the Razors Edge was a good finish. When comparing this to the pooh on a pole match, it’s drastic difference. Love is a good power worker and the dynamic worked very well with Vida when they decided to have a quality match. I thought this was really good stuff. The aftermath is the beginning of a true 2CW vs. Upstate feud. The aftermath is good business.
Match Rating: ***1/2
MAIN EVENT: 2CW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION DIZZIE VS. EDDIE EDWARDS VS. SLYCK WAGNER BROWN — ELIMINATION MATCH
FINISH: Due to Dizzie and Isys Ephex getting involved in the match, the match is thrown out and thus ends in a no contest. Matt Patterson comes out and announces that the title is now vacant since Dizzie had lost already. In February, there’s going to be a tag team match where Slyck and Eddie will team up against Dizzie and Isys Ephex. The person to score a pin in that match will become the new champion. Fans do not like that announcement.
Bob’s Take: Early on, Slyck and Edwards focus on double teaming Dizzie, but Dizzie bailed to the floor quickly. The challengers trap Dizzie to get back into the ring and beat on him some more with chops. Brown delivered a codebreaker and Edwards kicks Dizzie square on the chest as Dizzie is taking a beating from Slyck and Eddie. Dizzie clotheslines Slyck, who then DDTs Edwards. The pacing of this match has been good and I like that Dizzie was able to show skill to overcome the beating instead of cheating his way through it. Dizzie hits a few sit out slams on Brown, but can’t put him away. Dizzie hit a sit out fisherman buster slam onto Edwards at one point. Slyck locks in the Texas Cloverleaf on Dizzie in the middle of the ring and Edwards put a Crossface on Dizzie at the same time. Dizzie taps, and that means there will be a new champion! That’s a strong way to make Dizzie submit. Edwards and Slyck go right at it trading strikes and keeping a great pace as Edwards took Brown out with a suicide dive. Edwards nearly wins following a missile dropkick and a springboard moonsault. Brown continues to pop out just in time on pin attempts by Edwards. Brown catches Edwards coming off the top to deliver a slam and a top rope moonsault. The crowd is very much invested into this match, and it’s feeling a big-time battle. Edwards almost wins following a backpack stunner. Late in the match, Edwards hits a missile dropkick as Brown seemingly hit a superkick on Edwards. Brown delivers a kick to Edwards and hit the Appreciation Bomb, but Dizzie pulled the referee out and attacked Slyck. Slyck hits the Appreciation Bomb on Dizzie. Isys Ephex gets in the ring, but Edwards takes care of him with a brainbuster. Edwards and Slyck hit suicide dives to the floor onto their respective rivals. This is a great match and even with the cheap finish, I thought it was fantastic. Dizzie is coming across well as a heel and the battle between Edwards and Brown feels like a teaser to see them battle in a singles match down the road and they could have a great match in their own right. The tag team announcement is a bit underwhelming and feels like a stipulation that WCW would do in their dying days. I’d rather just a four way battle for the strap.
Match Rating: ****
Final Thoughts:
This is a great show for 2CW to end 2007. A ton of quality action throughout the show. Upstate vs. 2CW is starting off hot and is going to be a major feud for 2008. The show runs just over three hours, but it’s worth it.
Thanks for reading.