Live from the Rose Garden in Portland, OR
You know the drill.
(We flash back to Dustin Rhodes' surprise debut last week attacking Balls Mahoney and joining Dusty's Dream Team.)
Little Spike Dudley vs. Dustin Rhodes (w/"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes)
Spike attacks immediately and goes for the Acid Drop, but Dustin blocks it. Dustin controls with solid wrestling. Dustin gets a powerslam for 2. Spike keeps fighting back drawing great pops. After a few minutes of back and forth action, Dustin hits the Curtain Call for the pin at 6:00.
LG: Here is your winner, DUSTIN RHODES!
Crowd nearly boos the Rhodes out of the building.
(Cruiserweight video package)
"The Japanese Buzzsaw" Yoshihiro Tajiri vs. TAKA Michinoku (w/Shoichi Funaki)
Brilliant, fast-paced offense to start. Tenay mentions how Tajiri pinned TAKA in last week's tag match with Tajiri and Psicosis against Kaientai Deluxe. Crowd is cheering for both guys, despite TAKA playing the heel. Tajiri gets a Brainbuster, but TAKA gets his foot on the rope. TAKA comes back, DUCKS the Buzzsaw Kick, picks up Tajiri and hits the Michinoku Driver #2 for the pin at 9:00.
LG: Here is your winner, TAKA Michinoku!
(Jazz video package)
JWL Women's Title: "The Female Fighting Phenom" Jazz © vs. Ice Cold
Jazz controls, drawing heel heat. Ice Cold keeps up, getting some offense of her own. Ice gets a dropkick and a splash for 2. Jazz comes back and controls some more. Jazz just dominates from this point on, with Ice taking a beating. Finally, Jazz hits the Brainbuster and locks on the STF for the tapout at 6:00.
LG: Here is your winner, and still JWL Women's Champion, JAZZ!
Jazz grabs the mic, yells "I'm the best!," and leaves to the boos of the fans.
(Commercials)
Norman Smiley vs. Stevie Richards
JR immediately acknowledges that these two have no real history with each other, and that the match is an odd pairing. Despite that, Smiley and Richards work very well with each other. Both guys get several two-counts. After several minutes, Stevie goes for the Steviekick which Smiley ducks, and Smiley gets a schoolboy rollup for the pin at 7:00.
Rhino attacks after the match, Goring Smiley. Heel beatdown follows, but is interrupted by an Undertaker promo, which says that he is returning at Vengeance and that he will be facing Rhino in a casket match! The word GORE appears on the JWL-Tron, but then the R disappears and is replaced with an N, spelling GONE!
(Victoria video package)
Victoria vs. Charlie Davidson (w/Thug and EZ Rider)
Strong showing for both women. Victoria controls, despite Thug and Rider's attempts at interfering. Referee Charles Robinson threatens to eject them from ringside, but Victoria dives through the ropes and knocks them to the floor! Victoria takes out Harley's Angels, but Charlie attacks her. Charlie takes control of the match, but Victoria comes back big time, finishing with the Widow's Peak at 6:00.
LG: Here is your winner, VICTORIA!
(Commercials)
Tommy Dreamer*
William Regal
Kurt Angle
2 Cold Scorpio*
Kane*
Crowbar
HHH*
Big Van Vader
D-Lo Brown*
The Rock
Christian*
Al Snow
Raven
The Sandman
Taz
Dave Batista
JWL World Heavyweight Title Tournament, Round One: "The Human Suplex Machine" Taz vs. "The Animal" Dave Batista
LG: The following is the first of our two main events and is a first-round match in the JWL World Heavyweight Championship Tournament.
(Unleashed plays)
LG: Introducing first, representing the Royals, from Washington, D.C., he is a former 3-time WWE RAW Heavyweight Champion, a former two-time WWE World Tag Team Champion and a former WWE Tag Team Champion, 'THE ANIMAL' DAVE BATISTA!
Crowd boos.
(War Machine plays)
LG: And his opponent, representing the Dangerous Alliance, from the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, NY, he is a former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, a former ECW World Tag Team Champion, a former ECW World Television Champion, a former 3-time WWE Hardcore Champion and a former WWE World Tag Team Champion, he is the Human Suplex Machine, ladies and gentlemen, this...is...TAZ!
Crowd cheers.
Lillian explains that Commissioner Mick Foley has ordered that the Dangerous Alliance and the Royals are banned from ringside for this match.
The match is an interesting contrast in styles. Taz gets a few suplexes to start, but the younger, stronger, faster Batista takes control. Taz actually does some bumping for Batista's power stuff here. Dave hits some good stuff here, drawing heel heat. Taz fights back and goes for the T-Bone Tazplex, but Batista turns it into a Spinebuster! Dave does the thumbs-up/thumbs-down sign, and hits the Batista Bomb for the surprise pin at 9:00!
LG: Here is your winner, advancing to the second round of the JWL World Heavyweight Title Tournament, 'THE ANIMAL' DAVE BATISTA!
Tommy Dreamer*
William Regal
Kurt Angle
2 Cold Scorpio*
Kane*
Crowbar
HHH*
Big Van Vader
D-Lo Brown*
The Rock
Christian*
Al Snow
Raven
The Sandman
Taz
Dave Batista*
JWL World Heavyweight Title Tournament, Round One: "The Hardcore Icon" The Sandman vs. Raven
LG: The following is our second main event and is the final first-round match in the JWL World Heavyweight Championship Tournament.
("Come Out and Play [Keep 'Em Separated]" plays, as the Nest arrive.)
LG: Introducing Raven's Nest, Stevie Richards, Tori, the Dudley Boys and Rhino. In the ring at this time, from the Bowery, he is a former two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, a former four-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, a former WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, a former WCW World Tag Team Champion, a former 27-time WWE Hardcore Champion and a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, RAVEN!
Crowd boos.
(Enter Sandman plays, as Sandman makes his way through the crowd.)
LG: And his opponent, representing the Hardcore Alliance, from Philadelphia, PA, he is a former four-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, a former ECW World Tag Team Champion and a former FMW WEW Tag Team Champion, he is the Hardcore Icon, this is THE SANDMAN!
Joey Styles joins JR and Tenay and explains about their history going back to ECW.
Match is a total brawl, of course, as Sandman and Raven fight all over the building. They use a variety of available weapons, with both guys bleeding and drawing great heat. Raven gets the Russian Legsweep for 2. Sandman comes back and just canes the hell out of Raven. After a few more minutes of action, Sandman DDT's Raven on a chair in the stands for the pin at 10:00.
LG: Here is your winner, advancing to the second round of the JWL World Heavyweight Title Tournament, THE SANDMAN!
End of show.