Foul Play Recap
May 13, 2007
Hello again everybody and welcome once again to everyone's favorite column and mine, The Cash Flow. I'm your host of course, Peter Cash, and today, we are going to look at Foul Play and analyze what went on at the event.
Also, we will take a look at some questions I felt needed to be answered at Foul Play, and see if they were indeed answered. So, without further adieu, lets get this ball rolling, so to speak.
The show started out with a video package, reminding everybody as to the fact that seven years ago, Vince McMahon took the TWF Title from Travis Wakeman, and as the video said, would lightning strike twice in Memphis?
The shot then takes to The Pyramid, in Memphis, Tennessee, where the crowd was rocking as usual and the set resembled that of a crime scene with the white outline of a body. And there was no better way to set the pace for the night then the battle inside a 15 foot high steel cage!
Steel Cage Match
Kevin Thorn w/Ariel vs. Taz
Well I'll admit I previously had Thorn selected to win this Wrestlemania rematch, and I knew he would be out for blood in this one, no pun intended. But this match definitely set the tone for the night which was one ofgreat action and intense competition. Thorn took somewhat of a beating early on, even getting caught in between the ring ropes and the cage wall, but he showed some resilience in getting himself back into this one. There were at least two opportunities I recall for him to escape the cage, but he just didn't do enough damage to keep the man known as the "Human Suplex Machine" down. Thorn did all he could, but when it came down to it, he got locked in the Tazmission. Ariel could be heard yelling on the outside, but that wouldn't be of any assistance as Thorn had actually been choked out by the New York native. Taz then tried to go through the cage door, but Ariel tried to block his path, so he simply climbed up and over the cage wall.
I will say I wasn't surprised that Taz won, even though I had Thorn on my scorecard. I was surprised however, by the way he did win, simply choking Thorn out and him not putting up much of a fight, and if you're Thorn you've got to think to yourself... "I've been going at it with this guy for a few months now, I should find a way to break that Tazmission." Well I guess Thorn is beyond reasonable logic, let's see where this takes both of these men from here.
Backstage now and we see an amusing encounter between both of the McMahon men. Seems Vince was looking for some encouragement from his son, but Shane wasn't having any of it.
The Tag Team Match to follow will go down as a historical one for both teams involved, and the amazing video package shown beforehand explained it all. It was the legendary team of Bahamut and Strife, versus the two men that could very well carry the Tag Team Division for years into the future, Dustin Kash and Sean O'Haire, The Blood Brothers.
TWF Tag Team Championship Match
Bahamut and Strife vs. The Blood Brothers (C)
The Blood Brothers were in a put up or shut up predicament here, and Bah and Strife were more than willing to take the Tag Team Gold away from them. But I was pulling for Kash and O'Haire in this one, and suffice to say, this match didn't disappoint, and lived up to everything everyone thought it was going to be. After more than ten minutes of non stop back and forth tag team action, things seemed to break down a bitand O'Haire eventually got Strife locked in a single leg Boston crab on his bad knee. And when Bahamut tried to get in to make the save, Kash had the presence of mind to knock him right through the ropes and to the arena floor. Strife was already feeling the pain, but Kash just made it unbearable and applied an STF as well, giving him no choice but to give up and give the Blood Brothers a successful title defense.
The fans were not happy, as could be told from the boos the champs recieved upon their hobbling back up the entrance ramp, but I honestly do not think the Blood Brothers give a lick, as they retained their gold, and beat one of the all time great teams in TWF history in the process.
Once again backstage, and we see a conflict between James Mitchell, Vlad The Impaler, and the man who would later compete in a Lights Out Match, Chaos Wolf. Wolf once again let it be known that he wanted no assistance later in his match against Johnny Hazard. Ask and you shall receive!
Following that was an interview with the reigning TWF World Champion, Travis Wakeman. Wakeman showed his confidence and his readiness to be in the ring with the Chairman, pretty much letting us know that Vince doesn't have a chance. We would find out later what would come of that situation. But up next, General Manager versus General Manager with the highest of stakes!
Rampage GM/Muhammad Hassan vs. Primetime GM/Shane McMahon
*Winner selects a superstar from losing GM's brand to join theirs!
Now if you look at this match on paper, Shane definitely would seem like somewhat of an underdog. But, as he has proven in the past, it isn't always the way it seems. But the reason I say this is because Hassan has had more wrestling experience, but Shane definitely hung around with him in this one taking everything Hassan could dish out, and then trading his best right back at him. The match wasn't too long, but after about 5 minutes, Shane was able to come out of it victorious with an amazing athletic maneuver. He was sent to the buckle, but leaped over an oncoming Hassan and connected with a roll up and held the bridge for the victory!
It was great momentum for Primetime with Shane picking up this win on a PT Pay Per View. What's even bigger is that now Shane can get ANYONE on the Rampage roster to come over to PT, and it will be a huge win for the show. Major props to Shane O'Mac!
Next up is a match that Chaos Wolf asked for, and you have to wonder if he would regret it afterwards.
Lights Out Match
Chaos Wolf w/James Mitchell vs. Johnny Hazard w/The Harem
Well this feud all started around a week after Wrestlemania, when Johnny was hosting his victory celebration on Primetime. What caused Chaos Wolf to come out I'm not quite sure, but it is what would lead to this match. It was wild for sure, and Hazard didn't come unprepared, as you know he can get as hardcore as anybody, just ask Randy Orton. Anyway it seemed to be going back and forth, until Chaos Wolf had a close personal encounter with brass knucks. It didn't take too long after that for Hazard to put out Chaos' lights, as a few brass knuckle shots did him in after a brutal encounter.
You have to wonder who this must affect more confidence wise. Will it make Chaos Wolf's go down, or will it just inflate Johnny Hazards already large ego? We'll have to see if this continues in the coming weeks on Primetime.
And next on the show was the featured UFC Fight, between BJ Penn and Matt Serra
UFC Fight (Scheduled for 3 rounds)
BJ Penn vs. Matt Serra
I had Serra picked from the very beginning, and he definitely came through here. I thought it would last the entire three rounds possibly, but it only took one! After getting in a few shots early, Penn didn't last much longer and he submitted throughout the duration of round one.
Gabriel Cross was then shown applauding the two men's efforts.
Now this is what the entire TWF had to have their eyes on, as Travis Wakeman defended the TWF Championship of the World against the chairman of the board, Vincent Kennedy McMahon!
TWF World Championship Match
Vince McMahon vs. Travis Wakeman (C) w/ Melina
I had no doubt in my mind that Wakeman would come out prepared. Never doubt Vince though, as you can see the family has those fighting genes as Shane evidenced earlier in the night, but Daddy Dearest didn't have the same luck on this night. Wakeman took it to him, and was out to show that what happened seven years ago was a fluke and nothing more. The Technical Magician did just that, and put Vince away with the submission victory in relatively easy fashion.
It's what happened after the match that was shocking, as Chris Masters came out unprovoked and attacked Wakeman! After all of the speculation of whether or not Masters would cash in his Wrestlemania Jackpot in the Universal Championship match to make it a four way, he comes out and does this. Was this Vince's motive for challenging Wakeman all along? We'll have to see what the Champ has to say about this on the coming Rampage.
The Iron Man Match... one of the most physically demanding matches in the history of wrestling. Two men... HBK, The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels versus The Franchise, Jordan Rockwell. It was indeed "Showtime".
Both men got huge ovations on their way to the ring, and I don't think I have ever witnessed an atmosphere quite like the one here. Throughout the night Rockwell was shown training, and you've got to believe he is out to avenge his Wrestlemania loss against HBK.
30 Minute Iron Man Match
Jordan Rockwell vs. Shawn Michaels
There was no doubt in anyone's mind that this would be an instant classic, but no one could have predicted the way it happened. Michaels and Rockwell went toe to toe in this one, but Michaels seized an early advantage and went up one to nothing. Rockwell tried several times throughout the match to connect with the Extreme Measures, but HBK was not having any of it. Michaels slipped away from it and drilled him with Sweet Chin Music to go up two to nothing. Rockwell was seemingly off his game, and was desperately trying to gain the upper hand, but got caught with the simplest of maneuvers, the Sunset Flip and fell into a three nothing hole. The crowd at this point was stunned, as it looked like we could have had a blowout on our hands, but that turned out to be the only falls HBK would get. Rockwell with an amazing test of will and testicular fortitude willed himself back, and Extreme Measured his way back into it, and halfway through the match Jordan Rockwell had his first fall.
Rockwell came within one and HBK had to be stunned somewhat, but with time running down on the clock it was desperation for Rockwell and exasperation for Michaels. Michaels just had to take a knee and he would win the game so to speak. He was caught with the Extreme Measures though! Rockwell makes the cover but the buzzer sounds at the count of one! What an amazing finish to a possible match of the year candidate in my mind. The Heartbreak Kid Came through once again, and it was a heartbreaking defeat, for The Franchise, Jordan Rockwell.
The Fans may very well have had it all taken out of them with that previous match up, but we still had one Championship to be decided, and it was a good one.
TWF Universal Championship Match/ Triple Threat
Edge (IC Champion) vs. Randy Orton vs. John Cena (C)
There were so many possibilities here that it seemed hard to predict, but my pick would come through when all was said and done. The match was a really good finish to a night with so much action and so many great matches. Three men going at it that wanted to be Universal Champion, and wanted it badly. Cena was in a heck of a tough spot, as he had Edge and Orton both gunning for him, forming an alliance early on. That didn't last too long though, as Orton told Edge to "forget the plan". Eventually, Orton was taken down in the ring, and Cena and Edge battled. Edge was thrown to the outside by the Doctor of Thuganomics, but he turned right around into the RKO from a poised Randy Orton! Orton made the cover and the fans jaws dropped as Randy Orton became a three time Universal Champion.
This isn't the first time Orton has used the Triple Threat Match to his advantage, as you will remember back at the Royal Rumble he won the title in the same type of situation. Cena has lost the title only a month after becoming champ, and what will this say about him as a champion? Will Orton be able to hold onto that title, what will Edge have to say about this and will he get a match in the future. Only time will tell, and it should be good.
Well, that's it for my comprehensive recap of TWF Foul Play and if I were to grade this PPV on a scale of one to ten it would most definitely be a ten. The matches were all competitive in one way or the other, and the matches that you expected to be good delivered beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Match Of The Night: Iron Man Match: Jordan Rockwell versus Shawn Michaels
Now, before the Pay Per View took place I had five questions in mind that I felt absolutely needed to be answered. Lets take a look at them now.
1. What is Mr. McMahon's agenda in facing Travis Wakeman, what happens if he were to become champion?
A: I Think now it is quite clear what Vince may have had in mind by challenging Wakeman, and will it benefit Masters may be the bigger question.
2. Who will be chosen by the general manager that wins the match at Foul Play? Will it change the course of the history of the TWF?
A: This has yet to be decided, and you've got to believe it will be ground breaking for both brands.
3. The Iron Man Match could make or break one of the two men in it. Will Rockwell go down a second time at the hands of HBK, or will Michaels crash and burn?
A: Rockwell once again suffers a loss at the hands of Michaels, what could be next for both of these guys? Will Rockwell continue to challenge him until he comes out victorious?
4. It's Chaos Wolf's streak in Lights Out matches, versus the confidence of Johnny Hazard. Which one cancels the other out?
A: Hazard's confidence wins out here, and he is not added to the list of victims in the Lights Out match.
5. It's legendary team against the team of tomorrow in the Tag Team Title match. Will Bahamut and Strife further cement their legacy? Or will The Blood Brothers remain dominant in the Primetime Tag Team division?
A: The Blood Brothers impressed everyone I would say at Foul Play. Not many teams have been able to say they have beaten Bahamut and Strife.
And that is all the time we have for now, but don't discourage, because the Cash Flow just keeps on going, and will be back next time. So as always I'm Peter Cash, and for now... that's a wrap!
