OVW TV review
September 3, 2005
Taped August 31 in Louisville, Ky.
Exclusive report by Killian, PWTorch.com correspondent

If you want to see an old fashioned storyline of an injured but courageous babyface chasing a fresh heel champion, with the crowd just eating it up, then by all means check out this week's OVW TV show. This is a show where Brent Albright's soft spoken tough guy wrestler persona was on display, Ken Doane's real heel potential came out, a simple angle lead to an impromptu TV Title match, and Paul Heyman's booking strengths were clearly on display.

The television show opened differently than most any other wrestling show you'll see, with an incident already in progress. Elijah Burke was on the house mic, backed up by Deuce Shade (who won a battle royal last week to earn a shot at Johnny Jeter, but Jeter beat him in a title match), and former OVW Champion Brent Albright. Elijah was preaching to OVW Champion Johnny Jeter (whose show ending parking lot brawl last week was highlighted by the injured Matt Cappotelli, cast on his leg and all, jumping off a parked car to get to Jeter), Mr. Ken Kennedy (the current Smackdown star) and WWE Million Dollar Tough Enough Champion Daniel Puder. The six got into a pier six brawl, and Elijah, Albright, and Deuce knocked Jeter, Kennedy, and Puder out of the ring. Puder, the UFC fighter, wanted more, and jumped on the ring apron, willing to fight all 3 babyfaces. It's moments like this that Heyman breaks from traditional babyface-heel fare and defines characters that makes this show so good. Albright took a poke at Puder, who was pulled back by Kennedy and Puder's new cornermen, who fashionably wear Daniel Puder t-shirts.

"Let The Bodies Hit The Floor" OVW Music Video aired.

Dean Hill, now one of the most popular characters in OVW after the angles that have run the past two weeks, is at the desk with Al Snow, and they welcome the audience to the show. The first match is up immediately.

(1) Aaron "The Idol" Stevens  (w/L.A. Shelly and Beth Phoenix) pinned Robert Fury. Believe it or not, Fury was pretty good on the mic before the match, saying if either Shelly or Beth get involved in this match, "I'd never hit a woman, but I would smack a bitch." Fury chased Shelly and Beth, and ran right into a Stevens clothesline off the apron to the floor. Stevens rolled Fury back into the ring and pinned him with The Idolizer. As we're about to go to the first commercial of the night, we're told Johnny Jeter has something to say, and we'll hear from the controversial OVW Champion next.

(Commercial break)

Maria Kannelis is in the locker room hallway, where she says she was supposed to go down to Jeter's locker room, but there's this horrible screaming going on down another hallway. You hear this crazy screaming in the background, and the camera takes off running down the hallway to find the uber-muscular Dean "The Cooler" Visk at the coffee table throwing a major fit. It seems the newest Head of Security for Bolin Services needs his coffee, and he's wigging out that someone drank it all. Visk is hitting the big coffee pots, trying to get a drop. This fit is something to be seen. Visk is huge, and his veins are popping out of his head. Ken Doane and Soaze run in, so does Bobby Lashley. Doane gets Soaze to take Visk to see Kenny Bolin for some coffee. Visk is screaming "I need my caffeine!" and then screams, "it keeps me sharp!" Lashley is now standing there next to Doane, who turns to Lashley and suggests Lashley get Visk a cup of coffee. Lashley is infuriated by this, so Doane starts to back away, and says, "hey, I AM the TV Champion, and you're not." Lashley says, "what he needs is an ass kicking. And maybe one day I'll bring him one." Lashley then turns to Doane and says, "and when I do, maybe I'll bring enough for two." This is the moment where Doane and Lashley are gonna go, but Mr. Kennedy grabs the cameraman and says "come on, you're supposed to interview the champ!" So the camera now leaves Lashley and Doane and runs down the hallway with Kennedy, who intros Johnny Jeter, who is in a room with Puder, Nigel McGuiness, The Paul Birchall, Da Beast, and Mike Mondo. Puder's cornermen are there too. Jeter says that if either Nigel, Birchall, or Beast win their singles' matches tonight against Elijah, Deuce, and Albright, then immediately Jeter will defend the title against the first heel who scores a victory. Keeping the main feud in focus, Jeter then finishes his promo with a rundown of former partner Matt Cappotelli.

(Commercial break)

(2) Elijah Burke pinned OVW Pure Champion Nigel McGuinness. This was a mercifully short match, a total style clash. Nigel tried some European wrestling at first, but once Elijah took over, Nigel was either out of breath or just froze. Elijah with the X-Perience, done on the move, which looked cool.

As Puder shadowboxes in the background, Mr. Kennedy and OVW Champ Johnny Jeter are watching the monitor. The Paul Birchall looks over and says about Nigel , "Actually, we're not even from the same part of England." Birchall promises to dispose of Deuce Shade, and then warns Jeter that he plans on taking the title tonight.

(Commercial break)

(3) Deuce Shade pinned The Paul Birchall in an excellent match. Al Show and Dean Hill talked about Birchall's rugby days, and Birchall was very impressive in this match. A good solid encounter that went over 8:00, with Deuce hitting The Deuces Wild for the pin.

Mr. Kennedy and Jeter are watching the monitor, and Beast is standing there with Mike Mondo. I think Heyman put Beast with Mondo because Mondo isn't that tall, and Beast is probably 6'5'' or 6'6'', but looks like a giant standing next to Mondo. Beast promises he's taking out Brent Albright, and then going after the title. Beast says, "I live to fight, and I fight to live."

(Commercial break)

(4) Brent Albright made Da Beast TAP OUT to the Crowbar Arm Lock, but Mike Mondo attacked Albright and caused Albright an eye injury. Beast tried to attack Albright before the match, and they started to brawl. Beast dominated, and looked good. Best match I've ever seen Beast involved in. Beast went for the press slam, Albright hooked the arm in the air, and they crashed to the canvas in the Crowbar. Awesome finish. Beast tried to reach the ropes, and finally tapped.

But then Mike Mondo jumped on Albright, and dug his fingers in one of Albright's eyes. This looked vicious on television. The referee finally pulled Mondo off Albright as the medics ran to Albright's aid. Strong angle.

(Commercial break)

Al Snow interviewed Albright, who had an ice pack on his eye. When he pulled back the ice pack, his eye was all red and swollen. Albright said this was obviously something Jeter was behind, but nothing would stop Albright from chasing after Jeter. Albright wants back the OVW Title, and said it was the most important title in all of OVW.

Cue Ken Doane's music.

The OVW TV Champion came out with Lashley, Visk, Soaze, and Kenny Bolin. Doane said he couldn't believe his own ears, that Albright just disrespected the OVW TV Title. Doane said listening to Albright, he ought to just take the OVW TV Title and throw it in the trash. Albright said he was carried away about Jeter, and in a surprising moment, Albright said he's sorry for disrespecting the title. Albright apologized to the title. Doane said "I want you to apologize to me," and demanded the apology right then and there. Albright slapped Doane. When this happened, Bobby Lashley laughed. Doane said, "What the hell are you doing?" Albright slapped Doane again. Doane said, "I like my fights promoted and advertised," and Albright slapped Doane a third time. This made Doane change his whole demeanor, and Doane got right up in Albright's face. Doane said, "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. Well, this isn't the land of the blind, it's the land of the Doane." The TV Champ then promised to show Albright why, at 19 years old, he is already better than Albright will ever be. Doane rolled in the ring and dared Albright to follow. Albright put down the ice pack. Al Snow said "you can't wrestle, you have one eye!" Brent said, "If I can feel him, I can make him tap!"

(5) In another great Heyman cliffhanger, OVW TV Champion Ken Doane and Brent Albright wrestled for the OVW Television Championship. Great match with a ton of crowd heat. Simple psychology. Doane worked on Albright's injured eye. Albright would feel Doane, and then take Doane down to the mat. Doane would then punch, kick, or rake at the eye. Doane would then work on the eye, and Albright would eventually grab him. This went two segments. During the match, there was a three way collision with the referee. This brought in Dean Visk, who had been drinking coffee out of a big coffee pot at ringside. Visk grabbed Albright, and screamed for Lashley to hit him. Lashley came in the ring, and then looked down as saw the coffee pot. Lashley picked up the coffee pot, and went to hit Albright, who moved. In an important moment in his babyface turn, Bobby Lashley laid out Dean Visk with Visk's coffee pot and the crowd exploded. Lashley just shrugged his shoulders, and left the ring. Albright started to get to his feet. Doane went for the RKO, but Albright turned it into the Crowbar. The crowd was jumping up and down. Doane was in the ropes. Referee Chris Kay saw Doane's feet in the ropes and started counting to 5. After 4, but before 5, Doane tapped out. Kay called for the bell. Who won the match? Who is the TV Champion? Al Snow and Dean Hill debated as to whether a tap counts during a rope break. As both Doane and Albright argue with Chris Kay, OVW Champion Johnny Jeter attacked Albright from behind with the OVW Heavyweight Title belt, and the show went off the air.

My thoughts are this. This show was dynamite. Total change of pace from the past few shows, which is great because Heyman always keeps you guessing. The cliffhanger is fantastic.

For those who want to see the last two weeks of Cornette's booking and the summer of Heyman's booking,  tapes for both July and August are now available on www.ovwrestling.com. I highly recommend the tapes.

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