Florida Championship Wrestling TV Report
August 16, 2009
Aired on the Bright House Sports Network
Report by Cody Endres, PWTorch contributor

-Footage aired from the August 9 episode of Justin Angel & Kris Logan defeating Trent Beretta & Caylen Croft to capture the FCW Tag Team Championships. The show opened with a brand new opening montage ending with clips of the current champions.

1 – GABRIEL vs. YOSHI TATSU

Dusty Rhodes asked for "a couple of Yoshi Tatsus with mustard" on commentary. Gabriel reverses a hiptoss attempt for a nearfall. Gabriel hoists Yoshi up in a suplex and then drops him face down on the mat. Gabriel goes for this maneuver a second time, but Yoshi lands on his feet. Yoshi connects with a series of kicks. Yoshi with the Mutoh elbow drop for a nearfall. Gabriel battles back with a gut wrench suplex. Gabriel catches Yoshi's kick, but Yoshi follows up with an enziguiri. Yoshi goes for the pinfall, but Gabriel is too close to the ropes. Yoshi leaps off the top rope and delivers a spinning heel kick for a nearfall. Moments later, Yoshi executes a Northern Lights suplex for the win.

WINNER: Yoshi Tatsu in 4:42. Solid action.

-After the match, the ring announcer interviewed Gabriel. Gabriel said he's been an underdog his whole life. Since he was a little boy, he had aspirations of leaving England and coming to the United States to pursue a near-impossible dream. Gabriel said hard work pays off and offers Yoshi Tatsu as an example of this. Gabriel said it was his goal to get back to WWE. Yoshi bowed in respect and offered his hand. Gabriel brushed off the handshake and left the ringside area. Gabriel continues to impress on the microphone. His new heelish persona fighting to get back to the big dance has promise.

-The camera shifted over to Dusty Rhodes & Byron Saxton at the announce table. Dusty compared Gabriel's actions to the LeBron James situation from the NBA Eastern Conference Finals this year when LeBron left the court without shaking hands with the Orlando Magic players (specifically his buddy Dwight Howard). Dusty explained that athletes sometimes get frustrated, but they owe it to the audience and their opponent to show respect. Dusty hoped that this wouldn't continue to be a part of Gabriel's new persona. Perhaps the best storyline analysis I've seen on a wrestling program in years.

[Commercial Break]

2 – DYLAN KLEIN & VANCE ARCHER vs. BRETT DIBIASE & HEATH SLATER

This is Slater's first match back on TV since recovering from a hand injury. Dusty compared Slater's injury to Matt Hardy wrestling with a cast earlier this year. Slater dominates Klein early with a flying shoulder tackle and a dropkick. DiBiase tags in and works over Klein's left arm. Archer makes the tag and dumps DiBiase to the mat with a variation of a tilt-a-whirl bodyslam for a nearfall. Unlike TNA, Archer (Lance Hoyt) doesn't stand out in size on this roster. Klein tags back in and works over DiBiase's ribs that Klein injured several weeks ago. Klein with a gut buster for a nearfall. Klein hoists DiBiase up on his shoulders, but DiBiase turns it into a DDT. DiBiase slowly crawls to his corner to make the tag, but Slater pulls his hand away. DiBiase looks up to question his parter and receives a punch in the face from Slater with the use of his new cast. Klein drags an unconscious DiBiase to the middle of the ring and covers him for the win.

WINNERS: Dylan Klein & Vance Archer in 3:42. This is the new persona that Slater hinted about in a promo during his time off due to injury. The Klein-DiBiase feud rolls on as the highlight of FCW television of late.

[Commercial Break]

-FCW General Manager Abraham Washington, Fletcher Chase, and Troy Jackman made their way to the ring. Washington said he was loving life since he had the baddest chick in sports entertainment with him (Rosa Mendes) and he just bought a new Cadillac. He brought out the new FCW Tag Team Champions – Justin Angel & Kris Logan. While Washington questioned the champs about going to DisneyWorld, Trent Beretta & Caylen Croft interrupted the festivities. Before Washington could even speak the Rotunda Brothers (Bo & Duke) also entered the ring. Washington booked a number one contenders match pitting Trent Beretta & Caylen Croft against the Rotunda Brothers on next week's show. The winners will get a shot against FCW Tag Team Champions Justin Angel & Kris Logan later that same evening. All of the teams brawled to end the segment.

-The old Escobar video aired where he is directing his own knee surgery.

[Commercial Break]

3 – ROSA MENDES & ALICIA FOX & THE CANDY GIRL vs. ANGELA & TIFFANY - Handicap Match

This was a match booked last week by GM Abraham Washington. Angela's mystery partner is none other than the GM of ECW – Tiffany. Tiffany and Alicia traded some moves to start. Angela tags in and The Candy Girl runs away from her. Angela connects with a crossbody off the second rope onto Rosa for a nearfall. Tiffany comes back in and suplexes Rosa. Rosa hot shots Tiffany across the top rope in a horrible looking spot. With Tiffany laying across the bottom rope, Rosa grabs her legs and prepares to slingshot Tiffany's throat into the ropes. They manage to perform perhaps the worst slingshot spot in the history of professional wrestling. Rosa with a scary looking bodyslam on Tiffany. Rosa climbs to the top rope, but Tiffany throws her off. Angela tags in and hits a series of dropkicks on Rosa. Angela rolls up Rosa with a small package, but The Candy Girl distracts the referee and draws the ire of Angela. Rosa sneaks up from behind and rolls up Angela for the victory.

WINNERS: Rosa Mendes, Alicia Fox, and The Candy Girl in 3:38. Mind numbingly awful.

[Commercial Break]

4 – TYLER REKS vs. ALEX RILEY (w/Beverly) – 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the FCW Heavyweight Championship

Riley hits a back suplex early on for a nearfall. Riley tugs Rek's hair to send him down to the mat. Dusty talks about his experiences in 2 out of 3 falls matches and stresses how important it is to obtain the first fall. Reks slips around Riley and surprises him with a quick roll up to win the first fall.

Winner of the first fall: Tyler Reks in 1:57.

There is a 30-second rest period between falls. Riley pushes Reks into the corner with a collar and elbow tie up and slaps the champion in the face. Reks runs off the ropes with a flying clothesline. Riley retreats to the floor, but Reks takes him out with a plancha. Back in the ring, Reks climbs up to the second rope. Riley recovers quickly and tugs Reks off the ropes by grabbing his dreadlocks. Riley with a suplex for a nearfall.

[Commercial Break]

Reks is recovering on the floor after having been tossed from the ring by Riley. Riley tosses Reks back in the ring and works over the same headlock he's used in every matchup between the two. Riley catches Reks running off the ropes with a hard clothesline. Riley goes back to the body scissors headlock combination. Reks battles out and hits a DDT for a nearfall. Reks climbs up to the top rope. Riley runs up the ropes and sends Reks flying with a hip toss suplex variation for the pin.

Winner of the second fall: Alex Riley in 5:32.

Riley immediately attacks Reks after the 30-second rest period. Riley with a swinging neck breaker for a nearfall. Riley follows up with a back elbow for another nearfall. Riley resorts back to the body scissors headlock submission. Reks elbows his way out rather quickly. Riley with a high dropkick for a nearfall before going back to the headlock. Reks leaps off the second rope with a cross body after an Irish whip attempt by Riley. Reks catches Riley with a small package for a nearfall. Reks hoists up Riley and drops him with a flapjack maneuver. Reks connects with the High Tide elbow drop for another nearfall. Riley executes the Rude Awakening neck breaker out of nowhere. Riley catches Reks off the ropes with a Samoan drop for another nearfall. Reks nails Riley with a jawbreaker and hits his Burning Hammer finisher for the win.

WINNER: Tyler Reks in 5:24 (12:13 combined time) to retain the FCW Heavyweight Championship. Riley really underperformed here. His repetitive use of headlocks and back elbows is uninspired and just plain boring to watch. The final fall consisted of both men trading moves with seemingly no rhyme or reason.

Next week: The Rotunda Brothers (Bo & Duke) vs. Trent Beretta & Caylen Croft with the winners challenging Justin Angel & Kris Logan for the FCW Tag Team Championships later in the evening.

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