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Almost all the matches that will air over the course of Underground TV have been previously reviewed from the home videos so these will be short recaps. You can find those reviews here…
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MLW Underground TV 2003-04-07 (matches taped Genesis 2002-06-16 from Viking Hall in Philadelphia, PA)
Champions
World: Satoshi Kojima
Joey Styles welcomes us to our first episode of Underground TV. Joey explains MLW as “Hybrid Wrestling” a place where all styles come together. Joey brings us to our first match.
In our opening contest Jerry Lynn beat La Parka with a tornado DDT in 7.03. This was the first ever contest in MLW history. We see clips from Kojima’s interview after winning the world title at Reload.
In an exclusive interview Fuego Guerrero talks about his finishing move zero gravity. We get the Taiyo interview from Genesis. They do not put up either of these guys names so if you are a first time watcher you don’t learn who these guys are. Joey hypes a show coming up May 9th.
We go to a highlight package of the Extreme Horsemen forming by beating down Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk at King of Kings. Joey lets us know that coming on Underground TV in the coming weeks we will be crowning a MLW Global Tag Team Crown Champions. The SATs are backstage trying to plan out their promo then they realize they recording. They talk about how Mikey Whipwreck taught them honor, respect and discipline but in MLW the only thing that matters is pride. They finish and ask if that was any good.
Taiyo Kea defeated Malice with a northern lights suplex.
Steve Corino talks about his two heroes growing up. Corino talks about defeating his two heroes Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes at King of Kings. He talks about the differences between himself and Terry Funk. Corino challenges Funk one on one. Joey lets us know that in two weeks the tag team tournament starts.
At Genesis Vampiro defeated “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels with a urinage.
Raven is sitting backstage in the dark and he lights a picture of Vampiro on fire.
My thoughts on the show…
Thumbs down for the show as I really didn’t like the Genesis show. Also the fact that they don’t put the wrestlers name on the screen when they are doing a backstage promo is just bad production and flat out stupid. If someone is watching the show for the first time they will have no way of knowing who some of these guys are. Poor debut show.
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Underground TV 2003-04-14 (matches taped Reload 2002-09-26 from Manhattan Center in New York, NY)
Champions
World: Satoshi Kojima
Almost all the matches that will air over the course of Underground TV have been previously reviewed from the home videos so these will be short recaps.
We open up with the Extreme Horsemen video package from last week and then go to an interview. The leader of the Horsemen Steve Corino says that people said the legend of Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk could never be stopped but they did it to both of them in the same night. Simon Diamond says all the old timers need to step aside.
Opening video.
Joey Styles welcomes us to the show and talks about how the show last week ended with Raven. Joey wonders what the Extreme Horsemen have planned for MLW and lets us know that tonight we find out some match ups for the Tag Team Title Tournament which begins to air next week.
“Dr. Death” Steve Williams & PJ Friedman (w/ Joel Gertner) vs. Afterburn & Eric Adams
Our match is joined in progress but we appear to be just after the opening bell and it doesn’t look like we missed any of the action. PJ and Afterburn start off with some mat wrestling. PJ hits a clothesline but then has a superkick ducked. Corner whip and then PJ hits a superkick and tags out as we head to a commercial break. Back from break Williams is in with Adams and he hits a clothesline for 2. The Dr bomb is broken up by Afterburn. PJ hits a nasty german on Afterburn and Williams hits the back drop driver on Adams for the win. 2.05 of the match is shown.
Back to Joey and we get the brackets for the tournament which we saw back at King of Kings.
Paul London makes he MLW debut May 9th against Jerry Lynn. Fuego Guerrero tells everyone that he is going to make change in MLW. Back to Joey and he lets us know that May 9th Masato Tanaka makes his debut to take on Mike Awesome.
We get a highlight package hyping Sabu and La Parka part 2. Bill Alfonso is walking around right after the match from King of Kings and La Parka shows up and attacks him with garbage cans. Parka cuts a promo in Spanish. Joey lets us know that Alfonso was taken to the hospital. The rematch is a Mexican Massacre Challenge Match. Joey is not even sure what that means but he knows it will be a blood bath.
Joey lets us know that next week’s main event is The Extreme Horsemen vs. SATs.
Next up we see a very bloody Terry Funk defeat Chris Candido with a small package.
Joey tells us one of the great things about MLW will be the rising of new stars in the wrestling world. He mentions Fuego Guerrero and tells us that CM Punk has signed with MLW. Joey is not happy about this as he thinks Punk is obnoxious.
Steve Corino says that everything Terry Funk has ton he has done even faster. Corino is no longer chasing Funk but Funk is chasing Corino. Corino says he will end Funk’s 38 year career.
Joey lets us know that Bill Alfonso does not have any major injuries. Sabu went to the hospital to check on Alfonso but before leaving let MLW officials know that he accepts the challenge from La Parka.
In tonight’s main event we see Satoshi Kojima defeat Jerry Lynn to win the vacant MLW Title.
We go backstage to Raven. Raven talks about his group that he had with Vampiro in WCW, The Dead Pool. Raven says that since that group disbanded Vampiro has been talking about Raven. Raven is in MLW to find out why.
My thoughts on the show…
Thumbs in the middle. Funk/Candido was boring but the main event was pretty good. I’m interested in seeing what happens between Raven and Vampiro.
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Underground TV 2003-04-21 (matches taped King of Kings 2002-12-20 from War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla)
Champion
World: Satoshi Kojima
Almost all the matches that will air over the course of Underground TV have been previously reviewed from the home videos so these will be short recaps.
Earlier today “King of Old School” Stevie Corino pulls up to the building in his car. Corino again compares himself to Terry Funk. The Extreme Horsemen are about class while Funk is white trash. Corino talks about cars and money. Corino says he has no respect for Funk. Corino says he is taking the torch from Funk and retiring with it. Corino says coming in May he needs to prepare for violence.
Opening video.
Joey Styles welcomes us to the show. Last week La Parka attacked Bill Alfonso setting up a Mexican Massacre Match. We go to PJ Friedman showing up to Dr. Death’s Dojo. Friedman says that if the crew wants to learn about how they are preparing for the Global Tag Team Tournament Finals to come back next week and gets back in his car and drives off.
Our opening match sees “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and PJ Friedman beat Jimmy Yang and Mike Sanders in the 1st round of the tag tournament when Williams pinned Yang after a back drop driver.
Back to Joey and he talks about the tag team tournament. Tonight we learn who Williams and Friedman will face in the finals. Joey talks about CM Punk who will make his debut in May. Joey talks trash about Punk because he has such a bad attitude. The Samoan Island Tribe are in MLW to kick butt and take names. Joey talks a bit about the Mexican Massacre Match again.
Champion Satoshi Kojima has some words that we get subtitles for. Kojima talks about all the guys he has already beaten while holding the title in Japan and in the states. After his promo we get a video package on him that includes highlights from his first title defense in Japan against Misuya Nagai. Kojima retained in that match after two lariats.
Back to Joey and he talks about what is going on between Raven and Vampiro. Vampiro has had no response to what Raven has been saying. In two weeks Vampiro takes on Kojima for the title. Vampiro says he will address Raven personally when he makes his MLW debut.
CW Anderson and Simon Diamond beat the SATs to advance to the finals of the tag team tournament. They will take on Steve Williams and PJ Friedman in two weeks.
“American Dream” Dusty Rhodes backstage promo from King of Kings airs.
Joey tells us that in two weeks Fuego Gurrero will take on Ikuto Hidaka. Joey sends us outside where the SATs have been laid out.
Back from break and Joey tells us that Kojima has signed match after match to defend his title. Mike Awesome is in the locker room and he says that before he can get his shot at Kojima he was to beat Masato Tanaka to become the number 1 contender. This confuses me because he is already the number 1 contender.
Joey sends us to the main event Bunkhouse Brawl from King of Kings. Steve Corino beat Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes and we saw the formation of the Extreme Horsemen.
We again close out the show with Raven talking about how he keeps hearing that Vampiro is talking trash about him. Raven tells Vampiro to not continue on the path he is on cause he will end up in a place of mental and physical hell.
My thoughts on the show…
Thumbs down on this show. The main event was good, but I didn’t like either of the tag matches. most of the show was blah.
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Underground TV 2003-04-28 (matches taped Reload 2002-09-26 from Manhattan Center in New York, NY)
Champions
World: Satoshi Kojima
Almost all the matches that will air over the course of Underground TV have been previously reviewed from the home videos so these will be short recaps.
The show opens with the Raven promo from last week.
Opening video.
Our host Joey Styles welcomes us to the show and runs down the card which will features matches from Reload.
In the opening match Super Crazy pinned Fuego Gurrero after countering a rana into a tiger bomb. Back to Joey and he talks about the history between Masato Tanaka and Mike Awesome. Tanaka takes on Awesome in two weeks but first Awesome takes on Jerry Lynn next week to determine the #1 contender.
Back from break and Joey discusses what has been going on between Raven and Vampiro. Vampiro promises to break his silence on the situation at the show on May 9th. Last week Vampiro hurt his knee wrestling in Mexico but he will be taking on Kojima next week.
Earier this week MLW camera crew went for a car ride with “King of Old School” Steve Corino. Corino wanted to give Terry Funk a glimpse into the high life. He points out big houses and says the Extreme Horsemen live in house just like these. Corino pull up in front of a house and point to it and says that he is the king. He however never gets out of the car and goes into that house. Poor Corino having to pretend he lives in a big house.
Joey tells us the Fuego Gurrero has challenged Super Crazy to a rematch next week but MLW officials have decided to make a triple threat match with a mystery opponent.
“Last week” (really at King of Kings) “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and PJ Friedman trained in the ring before the arena opened.
Back to Joey and we still don’t know who it was that attacked the SATs last week. Joey speculates on which of the teams in MLW it could have been.
We go to our next match and see La Parka beat Shocker with a cork screw body block off the top rope.
Joey lets us know that who ever wins the #1 contenders match next week on Underground TV they will have to turn around and defend it just a few days later on May 9th. Jerry Lynn takes on Paul London and Mike Awesome takes on Masato Tanaka. Who ever comes out as the number one contender on the 9th gets their title match June 20th.
Simon Diamond and CW Anderson are backstage. Diamond talks about how PJ Friedman may be good but he is inexperienced. Friedman trained MMA under a Gracie which is great in MMA but only one name is the most identifiable in tag team wrestling and that’s Anderson. CW talks about how Williams and Johnny Rodz are great trainers for Friedman but nothing compared to training with Ole and Arn.
Terry Funk says he’s not going to just let Stevie Corino push him to the side and move on to the next guy. Funk says he wants to beat Corino on May 9th but if Corino wants to take it to the extreme he will be right there with him.
Joey talks about the Tag Team Titile Tournamnet and we go to commercials. Back from break and Joey takes us to tonight’s main event. Joey gives us an interesting bit of history in that both participants were trained by their uncles who also had many great matches. Taiyo Kea trained by Curtis Ieaka and Sabu trained by The Original Shiek. The match saw Kea beat Sabu.
Back to Raven show thinks Vampiro wants to be a martyr for Raven’s dysfunction and pain. Raven says if anyone is going to be a martyr it will be him.
My thoughts on the show…
Thumbs up for this one. This featured some of the best action from the Reload show. Good close to April.
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