TEAM EPICENTER: Dupree Cup Week 2 Recap

[TH]

[Fade into Tom Holzerman, standing in front of the big screen at the TEAM Studios in West Chester, PA. On said big screen, a quad split screen among Jason Payne, Lloyd Rees, Hida Yakamo and HAL.]

TH: After two weeks, the playoff picture got a lot clearer in some groups. Two teams have punched their tickets already. In others, well, it's still wide open. Who came out on top? Well, EPICENTER's next!

[Cue up "Down" by Stone Temple Pilots.
Cut to BEAST thumping JOE AVERAGE with a powerbomb.
Cut to MR. AMAZING! assaulting D! with the Championship of Champions Belt.
Cut to KARINA WOLFENDEN delivering the Dual Halo to ADAM BENJAMIN.
Cut to ULYSIS SOLIAN staring down DANNY BOY VEGAS.

Cut to KARL BROWN hoisting the Merrit Trophy, then flash cut to D! with the Championship of Champions Belt across his waist.

Cut to: The Epicenter logo once more, fading into Tom Holzerman and Steve Murray at the Epicenter desk.]

TH: Hello again, wrestling fans! I'm Tom Holzerman, here's Steve Murray. Welcome to Epicenter, folks.

[Cut to Steve Murray in front of an EPW/NAPW inset.]

SM: It was a meet that NAPW had to win. It was a meet EPW couldn't afford to lose. Despite cruising over WZW last week, EPW knows that with a showdown with NEW next week, they had to win this week. But could they get past the cornered animal that was NAPW?

[Cut to the Phillips Arena, Dan Ryan and Patrick Bickle.]

SM V/O: We start off with Dan Ryan and Patrick Bickle. Bickle had a tall order here, and I mean literally. Here we see him trying to chop the chest of Dan Ryan, but the Ego Buster just grabs his hand with his giant soup bones and huge short arm clothesline from the chairman of EPW.

[Cut to Ryan with Bickle in a bear hug.]

SM V/O: Here he is, just sapping the life out of the smaller Bickle. Dan Ryan was able to use his size early on, grinding down the smaller Bickle.

[Cut to Ryan with Bickle in the military press position.]

SM V/O: And here, Ryan shows off some of his wrestling flair dropping Bickle from the gorilla press position down into that gutbuster. He may be a big guy, but he can wrestle too.

[Cut to Bickle running the ropes.]

SM V/O: Of course, you can't keep speed down forever, and here Bickle comes back. Ryan with the Irish whip here, and he goes for the flapjack, but look at this move from Bickle. Mid-air, he adjusts, flips around and lands feet first right into Ryan's face. If you can't lift 'em, strike 'em.

[Cut to Bickle running the ropes again.]

SM V/O: Bickle again with the attack... Dan Ryan needs to FEAR THE SPEAR... or not. Bickle bounces off of Ryan's abs, but he's not deterred. A kick to the gut later, and Bickle buys enough time to get to the corner and launch a diving spear from the top rope. This one has the momentum to knock the big man down.

[Cut to Bickle on the top, again.]

SM V/O: Bickle once again to the top rope, his best offense came from here all night. This time, he launches a missile dropkick right to Ryan's grill.

[Cut to Bickle on the top...AGAIN!]

SM V/O: But with the highest reward moves carry the highest risk, and the risk here wasn't equal to the reward. Bickle leaps for a hurricane rana, but Ryan catches him and, SPLAT! Humility Bomb, almost through the canvas. Ryan pins and EPW is up, one match to none.

[Cut to Steven Shane with Lloyd Rees in a sleeper hold.]

SM V/O: The next match was the "I Quit" match, and it was intense. It had to be, especially for Lloyd Rees who was subbing for team captain Ravager. Started out a little slow, Steven Shane with the sleeperhold on Lloyd Rees, but the Newfie had an answer for it. Before even being asked about wanting to quit, Rees plants elbow, elbow, elbow right in Shane's side. The Sensational One relinquishes the hold, and Rees comes off the ropes with a knee lift right to Shane's chest.

[Cut to Rees with Shane in the wishbone position on the mat.]

SM V/O: Now Rees on the offensive, and he's going for the figure four leglock, but as he's turned back towards Shane, Shane takes the opportunity to kick Rees right in the rear end. Rees stumbles forward here, and Shane pops right up with the bulldog.

[Cut to Shane with Rees in a Dragon Sleeper.]

SM V/O: From there, the Sensational One got in control of the match. Dragon sleeper, and referee Brian Puter goes in with the microphone. The Lemondrop Kid though refuses to quit.

[Shane with a leg lace on Rees.]

SM V/O: From one end of the body to the other, Shane with a leglock here. Rees in the ropes before the ref can get to him.

[Cut to Rees with Shane in a Boston crab.]

SM V/O: Rees would come back. Here he's got Shane in the St. John's Crab, a far superior hold to the Boston crab according to his manager, Old Salty. Go fig. Shane got into the ropes before any action.

[Cut to Rees with an Indian Death Lock applied.]

SM V/O: And there, a Labradorian Death Lock, once again, deadlier than the Indian version. I don't know how Old Salty figures this stuff out, but hey, I guess he knows. Shane would use some strong language in the mic that I can't repeat here on the air, but he's certainly not quitting.

[Cut to Rees with Shane in a rear facelock.]

SM V/O: Now we're getting towards the end here. Rees going for his Conception Bay Chinlock, but Shane fights out of it, elbowing. Shane's up bounces off the ropes, lariat! Rees to the canvas, and Shane's going for the California Clutch. He's got one leg, but Rees boots him in the face with the other one. Shane staggers back off the ropes, Rees is up. Dropkick on Shane and now he locks in the Lance Cove Leglock, according to Old Salty, 33 percent more effective than a regular Texas Cloverleaf. Shane tries to get to the ropes, he's there, he's there, no! He falls just short before Rees pulls him back to the middle of the ring. Shane reaches, but he has no choice. He swallows his pride and says...

SHANE: "I... quit... dammit!"

SM V/O: Rees is victorious and NAPW knots it up at one apiece.

[Cut to Bruce Richards and Kyle Roberts, standing side by side, facing off against Joey Melton and Frankie Scott.]

SM V/O: The tag match would be the one to settle it all. This one got out of hand early. Richards just lays into Scott while Melton reacts by jumping on "The Beast," causing Richards to react by jumping on Melton. It's an all-out brawl. Referee Roland Priest has a tough time regaining control, but he does.

[Cut to Richards with Melton running the ropes.]

SM V/O: It was the New and Improved D-X that took control early in the match. Richards here has Melton running the ropes, only to be stopped by Richards and his big boot. BWAM!

[Cut to Roberts with Melton in a front facelock.]

SM V/O: It's Roberts' turn to layeth the smacketh down on Melton, and he does so Eddy-style with these three vertical suplexes chained together.

[Cut to Melton running the ropes again.]

SM V/O: Melton finally wrangles control of the match and here he is running the ropes with the clothesline, hanging Kyle Roberts out to dry. Roberts gets right up and Melton is absolutely ready for him, grabbing him and dropping his throat back across the top rope with a stungun.

[Cut to Frankie Scott with Roberts in a rear waistlock.]

SM V/O: Frankie Scott gets in on the action finally, and here he is with the German suplex on Roberts with the bridge. It would only be a two count.

[Cut to Roberts staggered, Scott running the ropes.]

SM V/O: Scott would slip up a bit though, and as he comes in, he lets his guard down and Roberts nails him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Big move there.

[Cut to Richards behind Scott in an abdominal stretch.]

SM V/O: And now, we see Richards back in the ring, and he's got the pumphandle suplex going... WITH AUTHORITAH~!

[Cut to Scott on Richards' shoulders.]

SM V/O: Just when you think that it's safe to count out The Phenomenal One, it's not. Chart Attack attempt blocked! Scott off the back and behind Richards, taking him out with a chop block. With that leg dinged, Scott grabs it, one Dragon screw, two Dragon screws, a third Dragon screw. Richards writhing in pain.

[Cut to Melton with Richards in his grasps.]

SM V/O: And here, Melton back in the ring and he's attacking "The Beast"'s leg further, here with the shinbreaker. He then goes for the Figure Four, but before he can lock it in, Kyle Roberts rushes in to make the save. Frankie Scott follows in right after, and it's anarchy. Priest has to regain control again.

[Cut to Roberts and Scott in the ring.]

SM V/O: Fast forward. Both these guys staggering, needing a tag, but neither man will let either one get to their corner. They trade punches. Scott! Roberts! Scott! Roberts! Roberts! Roberts! Scott is reeling, and Roberts scoops him up. Emerald Fusion? No, because Melton rushes into the ring, knocking Roberts down. That triggers Richard coming into the ring, and for the third time, anarchy reigns. Richards and Melton brawl, tipping themselves over the top ropes. Richards sees the opportunity, scoops up Scott... EMERALD FUSION! Scott's out cold, Richards covers... one, two, three, and NAPW scores the HUGE upset win, two matches to one.

[Cut to HAL and Ice Cold in the ring.]

TH V/O: With that result, Team EPW's best hope would be for Team NEW to lose so everyone's on the same page. Would WZW be game for that? Well, it's not looking good so far in this one. HAL repeatedly nailing Ice Cold with elbows to the face.

[Cut to Ice Cold with HAL reeling back.]

TH V/O: Ice Cold would mount a comeback though, here he is chopping at HAL.

[Cut to Ice Cold with HAL in a front facelock.]

TH V/O: And here he is with the beautiful snap suplex.

[Cut to Ice Cold with HAL in the full nelson.]

TH V/O: But Ice Cold would go to the well once too often. Full nelson is broken by HAL and the computer geek turns around and just levels Ice Cold with the lariat.

[Cut to Ice Cold doubled over.]

TH V/O: And here, it looks like HAL is setting up for the Control-Alt-Delete, but instead opts for the Tiger Bomb, floating seamlessly into an STF. The pressure becomes too much and Ice Cold has to tap.

[Cut to Mr. Entertainment and Chaos in the ring.]

TH V/O: Mr. E and Chaos waiting for their opponents to come out, but Wolf and Hunter McKay come in through the back with the sneak attack. Not a very effective sneak attack, because both superstars shrug it off and attack back. Wolf gets frustrated and grabs something out of his pants, looks like a blackjack. He cracks it right over Chaos' head in plain sight of referee Michael Ryan. Instant DQ, and not even an effective one. Chaos is almost unaffected by it. The ensuing rage after the bell sees Chaos and Mr. E nailing Wolf and Hunter respectively with Emerald Fusions in stereo. Unlike last week's debacle with Jason Payne and Derecho, neither NEW member was fined because the attacks were deemed in self-defense from an attack with a weapon. NEW clinches two to nothing, but now they go for the sweep.

[Cut to MWG and Titan atop the scaffold.]

TH V/O: Titan fought with everything in his body to try and stay on top of the scaffold. His pride was strong, as here, he's wailing away at MWG with those right hands. MWG almost falls, but he grabs onto one of the beams and swings back on.

[Cut to Titan with MWG near the edge of the scaffolding.]

TH V/O: Titan scoops up MWG and tries to throw him off the scaffolding here, but once again, the steel is his friend. MWG latches on, but TItan rips him off and completes the powerslam on top of the scaffold. Look at it shake.

[Cut to MWG staggering a bit.]

TH V/O: But just in the blink of an eye, things change and they can change in a big way. Titan comes in, going for a haymaker but MWG blocks it, swift kick to the gut and... Disappear Here DDT! Titan's head spikes off the scaffolding and the momentum throws him off the scaffold onto the ring below. MWG wins, and NEW sweeps.

[Cut to a standings graphic:

W L D (Sweep) Pts
NEW 2 0 0 (1) 5
EPW 1 1 0 (1) 3
NAPW 1 1 0 (0) 2
WZW 0 2 0 (0) 0]

TH V/O: With one week left to play, What does this mean for Group B? Well, the NEW/EPW match next week looms VERY LARGE for both feds. NEW can clinch the group with a win, and if that happens, then EPW has to hope for WZW to upset NAPW to create a logjam. Then, they'd need tiebreakers to go their way. If EPW and NAPW both win, then there's a three way logjam at the top. The only way WZW can make it to the playoffs is if they win, NEW wins, and all the tiebreakers go their way. They can't win the division.

[Cue up Led Zeppelin, "No Quarter." Cut to a scene of Joe McManus kicking Turk while he's down.]

SM V/O: Coming up, RDJW was finally able to win a match. But could they beat LoC in a meet? Stay tuned to find out.

[Cut to a commercial for Colon Blow. Yes, Colon Blow.]

 

[TH]

[Back from break, and it's Tom Holzerman with the RDJW/LoC inset.]

TH: Last week, Rio de Janeiro Wrestling put up the feeblest effort, getting disqualified or counted out in all three of their matches. This week, things didn't seem like they'd be getting better, seeing as how they were facing Legacy of Champions.

[Cut to Ryan Billows and The Brazilian Disaster in the ring.]

TH V/O: This week, things wouldn't be looking much better for the Brazilian team as Brazilian Disaster just loses it before the match. Ref Pat Jones is giving the instructions, and Disaster just starts to maul him. Billows successfully gets the manimal off of Jones, but he gets attacked. Fortunately for Billows, he's a much better fighter than Jones is. Billows holds Disaster off til his handlers come in and taze him. Quick match, quick DQ.

[Cut to Derecho and KKK in the ring with Ronaldodinho and Jaco Patterson.]

TH V/O: Another very strange finish to a match before it even gets the chance to start. The bell rings and Patterson is ready to lock up with Derecho, but then he turns and looks into the crowd... and then he just jets. He goes into the crowd following after a guy there who looks like he has white hair. Ronaldodinho follows him out, and they get counted out. Later reports say that Patterson thought he saw wrestling legend and alleged flaming homosexual Pat Patterson, and he wanted to meet his alleged father.

[Cut to Joe McManus and Turk, circling each other.]

TH V/O: So, LoC clinches the win, but can they get the sweep? Best two out of three falls, but it wouldn't even go further than the first. Turk and McManus are brawling here and McManus pulls his fist back. He punches Turk in the face and Turk just starts gushing. Crimson mask and then some. Referee Monet Samuel calls for the bell and the match is stopped. Let's look at the replay.

[Close up to McManus' fist]

TH V/O: As you can see, McManus gives Turk the old "ginker" punch, that is, his middle finger is raised up and that causes the gush. Quite the gush indeed. Turk was taken to an area hospital where he was treated with stitches and released. He has been given medical release to compete in both LoC and TEAM events. So RDJW gets the win in the match and avoids the sweep.

[Cut to a shot of Paddy O'Shea and Kin Hiroshi, both looking quite haggard.]

SM V/O: Much like the previous meet wasn't much, neither was the AWC/NFW affair. Paddy O'Shea staggers around the ring, obviously disoriented and possibly still high on acid that he inadvertantly took at the most recent AWC event. Kin Hiroshi's face is pale white and he's holding his stomach. The bell rings and Pat Jones, recovered from his mauling, sees that neither man is fit to perform, so he calls the match a double ref stoppage. A draw, the first one in this tournament. Later, Nova, one of NFW's alternates, comes out to check on his teammate, when it looks like Paddy makes a flip comment to him. Nova takes exception and plants the possibly trippin' Caravan with No-Vacancy (implant butterfly DDT). It would later be announced that Hiroshi took leave of Team NFW and would be replaced by Nova permanently. We wish Kin the best of luck with whatever business he needs to attend to.

[Cut to Chainz grappling with Lone Wolf.]

SM V/O: Onto the tag match, and Chainz with the Irish whip. Lone Wolf knocks Anton Assault off the apron, ducks a Chainz clothesline, then nails him with a shoulder block on the rebound that sends the former convict back to the ropes. Lone Wolf follows up with a clothesline that sends Chainz out of the ring. Wolf goes back and tags in WildStar, who rushes across the ring and hits both Assault and Chainz with the no hands plancha! Everyone's wiped out. Referee Monet Samuel starts her count, at nine, WildStar is able to will himself back into the ring. Chainz and Assault aren't as lucky, and they lose.

[Cut to Jason Payne climbing the turnbuckle to grab the bat.]

SM V/O: AWC can still salvage the draw here, but it's not looking good. Jason Payne, last week's MVP, climbs the ropes and grabs the bat. He descends with it. Red Rock immediately attacks him, and Payne drops the bat. Red Rock picks it up and swings for the fences, whacking Payne in the ass. But there's a problem with that. What is it, you ask? Red Rock didn't retrieve the bat, so he's not allowed to use it. Referee Joe Hill calls for the bell, and Red Rock swings again, but Payne grabs the belt. He tosses it aside, kicks Red Rock in the gut and spikes him with a piledriver. He picks up the Aldershot native to do some more damage, but before he can, from out of the crowd speeds Derecho, who has a score to settle with Payne from last week. He quickly spins Payne around, kick to the gut and Vortex Powerbomb. Payne is out and the Legacy Champion has his revenge. And just for inquiring minds, yes, he was fined his purse. Turnabout is fair play, both in the ring and in the infractions office.

[Cut to a standings graphic:

W L D (Sweep) Pts
LoC 2 0 0 (0) 4
AWC 1 1 0 (1) 3
NFW 1 1 0 (0) 2
RDJW 0 2 0 (0) 0]

SM V/O: Once again, LoC can clinch with a win against AWC next week. If it's the AWC that showed up this week, it's in the bag. If it's the AWC we're used to seeing, then it will be a tall order. If AWC wins, and so does NFW, then there's a logjam, and we go to tiebreakers. RDJW's only hope is if they beat NFW and LoC beats AWC.

[Cue up Led Zeppelin, "No Quarter." Cut to James Irish connected to The First with a bullrope.]

TH V/O: Coming up ahead... did somebody say "More cowbell?" Plus, MBE in action against EUWC. You won't wanna miss it.

[Cut to a commercial for Oops I Crapped My Pants. It was going to be Schmitt's Gay, but this is still somewhat of a family program. We think.]

 

[TH]

[Back from break, cut to Steve Murray with an A1E/UCW inset.]

SM: When Ken Cloverleaf set out to form UCW, he wanted to break away from A1E's shadow and create something that could go head to head with the behemoth promotion on the ratings front. Never did he think that he would have the chance to go against them head to head.

[Cut to James Irish and The First, tied at the wrist with a giant bullrope with a cowbell attached at the middle.]

SM V/O: Our first match in this meet was the bullrope match, and The First wasting no time, rushing right at James Irish and nailing him with the forearm to the face.

[Cut to The First with the rope wrapped around James' neck.]

SM V/O: And it's a bullrope match, so this kinda thing's legal. The First trying to give James ropeburn around his neck. Or maybe he's just trying to choke him. I don't know here.

[Cut to The First on the top.]

SM V/O: Now, standing on top of one of the turnbuckles doesn't count as touching it, but I don't think The First cares here. Leaping missile dropkick from the top, and James is reeling.

[Cut to The First running the ropes.]

SM V/O: James would pop himself right back into this match by simply yanking on the rope. The First falls back like a ton of bricks and James follows up with an elbow drop right to the head.

[Cut to James with The First in a front facelock while he's perched on the ropes.]

SM V/O: And the master of the DDT hits here with the tornado variant of that hold. My, what a nice move that is.

[Cut to the First with James in a headlock.]

SM V/O: The First would mount a comeback, here he's got the headlock and he segues right into a bulldog. With James down, The First takes the opportunity to grab the cowbell, and folks, I think The First has... a fever. James however, doesn't as The First FANS on the cowbell shot, which gives James the opportunity to hit the Air Check and touch all four corners consecutively for the win.

[Cut to Rocko Daymon in hte ring with Cameron Cruise.]

SM V/O: The tag match was up next, and Daymon is locking up with Cruise here. However, Adam Benjamin comes rushing into the ring, probably to try and get some double team action going. Referee Joe Johnson tries to prevent him from getting in there, but Benjamin will have none of htat, clocking the rookie ref right in the face. Big mistake, they're disqualified right off the bat. A1E would win the match, but would they sweep?

[Cut to Troy Douglas and The Sergeant.]

SM V/O: And the answer is yes. Troy Douglas whipping Sarge into the ropes and then following him over, clotheslining him HARD over the top. The momentum carries Sarge over and throws him into the guardrail where he hits his head. He's not able to answer the 10-count and Troy Douglas wins via countout. A1E gets the sweep.

[Cut to Classy Mike C and Hida Yakamo grappling.]

TH V/O: Now onto MBE and EUWC, and right here, Classy Mike C is giving Hida a run for his money, belly to belly suplex and a beaut.

[Cut to Mike C with Hida on the mat.]

TH V/O: Here he is with a rear chinlock. Simple hold, yet effective.

[Cut to Hida with Mike C in the full nelson.]

TH V/O: Of course, you can't keep a good Asian Wonder down too long. Hida comes back and hits this Dragon suplex, all impact, no bridge.

[Cut to Hida with Mike C in the octopus hold.]

TH V/O: And this may look like a sexual move, but this isn't Yori we're talking about, it's Hida. The octopus lock, cinched in, and Mike C's in a world of hurt right now.

[Cut to Mike C with Hida in a fireman's carry.]

TH V/O: Mike C back in control here, and the fireman's carry into a sideslam, innovative move there by the EUWC superstar. He's going for the Texas Classyleaf here, but Hida kicks him in the chest and pops to his feet. Off the ropes, Yakuza kick right to the face and Mike C is down.

[Cut to Hida on the top.]

TH V/O: Hida looking to finish here, and Mike's standing up, a little staggered. Hida turns around and leaps. It may look like a moonsault, but he transitions into a missile dropkick. It's called the Yakamo Stomp, and he nails Mike C. right in the head with it. Hida covers and puts MBE up one match to none.

[Cut to AOD grappling with WhiteNoise.]

TH V/O: Onto the tag match, and AOD is a house on fire here. Three knees to the gut of WhiteNoise, followed up with a spike DDT.

[Cut to AOD with IrishRed grappled up.]

TH V/O: Red would get tagged in, but AOD still running roughshod. Here we see the Angel of Death leaping and nailing Red with that hurricanrana.

[Cut to Nero in the ring with Red.]

TH V/O: AOD would tag in his partner Nero, but that was a big mistake. Nero with the punch that's blocked by Red, the quintessential brawler who fires back with three shots to the head of his own. Red follows that up a knee drop right to Nero's face. Brutal!

[Cut to WhiteNoise with Nero in butterfly position.]

TH V/O: And here, WhiteNoise about to finish Nero off. Butterfly powerbomb, but AOD makes the save, which makes the match erupt into chaos.

[Cut to IrishRed with Nero in the pumphandle position.]

TH V/O: Red now going for the kill here, and he nails the Bad Company (pumphandle fallaway slam) on Nero. He goes for the pin, and AOD tries to make the save again but is intercepted by WhiteNoise. Red and White win, and MBE clinches the match. Would they get the sweep though to keep pace with A1E?

[Cut to Jay Smash whipping Spoiler into the ropes.]

TH V/O: Jay Smash was in control of this match early on, nailing Spoiler here with a knee lift as Spoiler careens toward him off the ropes.

[Cut to Smash and Spoiler in the aisle.]

TH V/O: And here, Smash uses the barricades to his advantage in this falls count anywhere match, whipping Spoiler into them.

[Cut to Spoiler with Smash in the bathroom.]

TH V/O: Of course, Spoiler isn't going to be prone forever. This match finds its way into the bathroom of all places. Why do all these kinds of matches end up there anyway? Oh well, Spoiler's turn to whip Smash and he does, right into a LOCKED bathroom stall. The force of the whip causes Smash to break through and land right on top of a guy who was just finishing up going to the bathroom. Thank God for everyone involved that he flushed.

[Cut to Spoiler and Smash in a receiving area.]

TH V/O: And now Spoiler smells blood. He grabs Jay in the standing headscissors. Spoilerbomb? Yes, but Big Naitch spots a crate. You can guess what comes next... WHAM! Right through a crate. Spoiler doesn't pin though, instead, he locks in the Spoilerhold Omega on a barely conscious Jay Smash. Smash has no choice but to feebly tap out, and with two submission wins in two weeks, Spoiler is looking nearly unstoppable.

[Cut to a standings graphic:

W L D (Sweep) Pts
A1E 2 0 0 (2) 6
MBE 2 0 0 (2) 6
UCW 0 2 0 (0) 0
EUWC 0 2 0 (0) 0]

SM V/O: To the standings now, and both A1E and MBE have clinched their spots in the playoffs. Still, that doesn't make their week 3 matchup any less huge. The Group Championship, a bye in the playoffs and of course, pride are all on the line in this matchup. EUWC and UCW? Well, they'll be playing for pride too next week.

[Cut back to the studio.]

SM: Another week of action in the books, and now things are really starting to heat up for next week.

TH: Indeed they are. Join us next week as we'll recap all the action for you from the final part of the first round. For Steve Murray, I'm Tom Holzerman. Good night everyone!

[Fade to the TEAM logo.]