Championship Wrestling #1

Year 1, Week 5
WMC-TV Studios, Memphis TN

* * * * *

Footage of Randy Savage pinning Kurt Angle in the finals of the Tennessee Heritage Title Tournament plays and fades into a pan of the packed studio crowd as we head to the announce desk and the welcome voice of Lance Russell...

"Hello everybody! Lance Russell and Dave Brown here with you for a great week of Championship Wrestling.  We'll hear from the Heritage Champion Randy Savage this week and we have so much more, Dave."

"We do at that, Lance. We'll see The Fabulous Ones, Stan Lane and Steve Keirn, in tag team action.  Dutch Mantell's in singles competition.  Our main event will see Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle hook it up with "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant.  And our expiration of time match will be Candi Divine against Allison Danger.  A big week, Lance."

"Boy howdy, indeed, Dave, so let's get to it.  Corey Maclin's got our opening match."

Tag Team Match with a 10-Min Time Limit

The Fabulous Ones defeat Ron Hutchison & Bill White when Stan Lane pins Hutchison after a karate kick in 4:47

SQUASH

We go to the announce desk as Lance Russell walks around and calls for the Heritage Champion Randy Savage.  "War Machine" by KISS plays and out walks the Champion with the title belt in hand and an intense look on his face.

"Lance Russell, I don't understand.  I don't understand how ANY-one could start this television program but the Tennesse Heritage Champion.  Because only one man, only one man has the strength, the speed, and the courage to beat three men in one night for this... and that's me!  So, whoever Eddie Marlin lines up, it makes no difference, yeah, no difference at all. Because I'm the Heritage Champ... and their not.  Dig it!"

As Savage leaves Lance Russell tosses us to commercial break.

Matchmaker Eddie Marlin is standing with Lance Russell at the announce desk when we come back, a velvet bag in hand.  Russell mentions that Marlin mentioned a big announcement during the break.

"That's right, Lance.  This last week, we crowned our Tennessee Heritage Champion.  Now, it's time to crown the Tennessee Tag Team Champions.  This Monday night in the Mid-South Coliseum, we are gonna have a one-night tournament for these."

Marlin opens the bag and unveils the Tag Title belts to the approval of the crowd.  "These belts will go to the winners of the tournament with The Fabulous Ones, Bob & Jesse James Armstrong, Sputnik Monroe & Tommy Gilbert, and Bobby Eaton & Koko Ware all competing.  May the best team win and represent us well as the Tennessee Tag Team Champions."

Eddie Marlin leaves with the Tag belts in hand as Russell makes his way back around the desk, "Golly gee, that's big news for Monday night at the Coliseum, but right now let's go back up to Corey Maclin."

Singles Match with a 15-Min Time Limit

"Dirty" Dutch Mantell defeats Mister X by countout after an atomic drop catapults X out of the ring in 12:49

✮✮ 1/2

We go to commercial as Dutch gets his hand raised.

MAIN EVENT

Singles Match with a 20-Min Time Limit

Kurt Angle pins Jimmy Valiant with a German Suplex in 6:04

✮✮ 1/2

Kurt Angle heads to the announce desk after his big win.  Lance Russell congratulates Angle on the win and mentions his impressive showing in the Heritage Title tournament this past Monday in Morristown.

"Thank you, Mr. Russell.  One thing I've always prided myself on is my ability to bounce back from a loss.  I have my personal camera at every one of my matches.  I study the tape, analyze it, and work hard to not make the same mistake twice.  But, I was a little upset when I watched this tape and I'd like to show why."

We see the tape of the final moments of the match from Angle's camera.  The perspective from this camera clearly shows Angle's foot under the bottom rope during the pin.

"Now, please understand, I'm not blaming Jerry Calhoun.  He's an impeccable official and he was in the right position.  But, the way I see it, Randy Savage owes me a rematch."

Savage comes out, belt in hand, "I owe you nothing, punk!  You got beat, fair and square, uh huh.  Now, if you want me to beat to red, white, black, and blue, name the place, yeah.  But, uh... you earn a title shot, dig it?  Those don't get handed out."

Angle looks Savage in the eye, no back step, "Earn my shot?  Like you earned that title?  If I was shown footage that proved I didn't win what I thought I won, I'd want that settled.  Like a man.  Are you a man, Savage?"

"Am I... am I a man?"  Shocked and incensed, Savage lunges at Angle and the locker room clears as Russell exclaims, "Can we get Eddie out here?!"

Eddie Marlin comes out and gets between the men, "Look here!  Kurt, a referee's decision is final, you know that.  And Randy is right.  We don't just hand out title matches.  But the way I see it, you beat beat Savage in the Mid-South Coliseum this Monday night?  You got a shot."

Savage is pointing and threatening Angle and Angle is all smiles and nodding as Marlin restores order and we go to break.

We come back to the announce desk where Russell and Brown are sitting and Lance starts to speak.

"Dave, we got a big ol' night at the Coliseum Monday night.  Lots of Championship implications."

"We sure do, Lance," Dave responds.  Graphics come on screen for each match as Dave Brown runs down the card.  "Sherri Martel will take on Penny Banner in our opener.  The Fabulous Ones face off with Bobby Eaton and Koko Ware in our first Tag Team Title Semifinal, followed by Sputnik Monroe and Tommy Gilbert against The Armstrongs, Bob and Jesse James.  Kurt Angle faces Heritage Champion Randy "Macho Man" Savage in non-title action.  And our main event, the finals of the Tennessee Tag Team Title Tournament."

"That's gonna a terrific night of action at the Coliseum, Dave.  I can't wait and, fans, you don't wanna miss it.  But right now, we've got the ladies in our expiration of time match, so let's go to Corey Maclin."

Expiration of Time Match

Candi Divine defeats Allison Danger by disqualification when Danger uses the piledriver to at 8:03.  Time expires at the 11 minute mark and Divine wins 1-0.

✮✮ 1/2