Florida Championship Wrestling Results
April 8, 2011
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone and welcome to the return of the FCW recap. After a 2-3 week hiatus because of the future of FCW being up in the air due to numerous wrestling media reports, it is back for the time being. So, if you all are ready to take the latest trek to the land of the Sunshine State, then let’s get on with the show!
Announcers are Chris Russo & William Regal.
Russo & Regal hype up tonight’s main event for the FCW 15 title as champion Richie Steamboat defends once again against Antonio Cesaro, but this time with a 20 minute time limit. We then go to the opening contest, where we see video of how the match came about.
Byron Saxton vs. “The Ascension” Kenneth Cameron w/Conor O’Brian
Cameron is pacing like a madman in the corner as Saxton slowly makes his way into the ring before the bell sounds. Saxton tries to calm down Cameron, but as the bell sounds, Cameron charges at Saxton and takes him down with a spear, followed by a series of right hands. Cameron drives Saxton’s head into the mat multiple times, followed by a series of right hands. Cameron with a knee to the ribs of Saxton, followed by some more right hands. Saxton tries to shove Cameron back, but Cameron then charges and clotheslines Saxton, sending him over the ropes and to the outside. Saxton gets to his feet on the outside and is spooked by O’Brian, who is staring at him. Cameron goes to the outside and then proceeds to bring Saxton back into the ring. Saxton begins to back away, but then nails Cameron with a gut shot. Saxton then tries to crawl away, but Cameron grabs a hold of his foot and pulls him back to gain a nearfall. Cameron goes back after Saxton, but as the referee is fixing the ring skirt that Saxton pulled while trying to get away from Cameron, Saxton nails Cameron with a low blow. Saxton then throws Cameron through the ropes and onto the apron. Cameron tries to get back in the ring, but Saxton nails him with a boot to the head, knocking him off the apron and to the outside. Cameron gets back in the ring, but then Saxton locks in what appears to be a Cobra Clutch.
All of a sudden, O’Brian does one of those primal yells that the Ascension has been known for and the lights go out in the arena as the Ascension’s music plays. We hear something going on in the ring, but don’t know what happened as we go to commercial.
Winner: No Contest
Commercial
Mixed Tag Team Match: Rick Victor & Paige w/Sofia Cortez vs. Aiden English & Audrey Marie
The girls will start this match for their respective teams. Lock-up and Marie with a side headlock takedown. Paige counters out with a head scissors, but Marie kicks out. Marie then with a leg sweep for a nearfall. Marie goes for another side headlock takedown, but Paige counters that into a pinning predicament, but gets no count as Marie flips back into the side headlock. Paige breaks out with an elbow to the gut, then goes to her own side headlock. Marie stomps on the foot on Paige, followed by an Irish whip, but Paige knocks her down with a shoulder tackle. Paige goes off the ropes, but as Marie drops down, Paige puts on the brakes and drags Marie to her side of the ring. Victor gets the tag and that also brings in English as the guys only face the guys and the girls only face the girls.
English blocks a right hand from Victor and knocks him down with one of his own. English with a clothesline, followed by a dropkick. English then goes for a slam, but as the referee is having words with Marie, Paige comes in and kicks English in the leg, allowing Victor to fall on top of English for a nearfall. Victor stomps away at English and gets another nearfall. Victor with an uppercut, followed by a chop. Victor then with a series of chops and uppercuts to English in the corner, followed by a snap suplex for another nearfall. Victor locks in a chinlock as Marie tries to will on her partner. English gets to his feet and tries to break out with elbows to the gut, but Victor knocks him back down with a club to the back. Victor with a boot to the side of the head, followed by a leaping knee drop for yet another nearfall. Victor goes back to the chinlock as Marie tries to get the crowd behind English. English tries to fight out again, but Victor comes right back with a knee to the gut. Victor then knocks English back down again with another uppercut. Victor with a stare towards Marie, then goes for another leaping knee drop, but English moves out of the way.
The girls get the tag in and Paige ducks a clothesline from Marie and kicks her in the gut. Paige then with a snap suplex for a nearfall. Paige with a swinging neckbreaker for another nearfall. Paige then with a basement DDT for yet another nearfall. Paige with a club to the back and then chokes Marie in the ropes. The referee moves Paige away, but then Cortez comes in and hotshots Marie across the middle rope. Paige goes for another suplex, but Marie with a right hand to prevent it, then crawls under Paige’s legs and goes for an O’Connor Roll, but Paige tags in Victor in the process. Paige then sends Marie through the ropes and to the outside as the guys get in the ring now.
Paige then with a hard slap to English, but then English goes for a Sunset flip. Paige tries to keep Victor on his feet, but then Marie comes back in and sends Paige through the ropes to the outside as English completes the Sunset flip for a 1 count. English then with a roll-up for a nearfall. All of a sudden, we see FCW Divas Champion Raquel Diaz come out and knock Marie off the apron. The referee is not paying attention to Diaz attacking Marie as we see in the ring, English scores with a suplex for a nearfall. Marie and Diaz brawl around ringside with Cortez trying to help Diaz out. English is distracted by what is transpiring as Victor is set to charge at him.
Diaz and Marie brawl to the backstage area as we then see that back in the ring, Victor hits English in the corner with a running Canadian Lifter (European Uppercut), followed by going off the ropes and hitting a 2nd Canadian Lifter for the victory.
Winners: Rick Victor & Paige by pinfall (Running Canadian Lifter)
FCW Champion Seth Rollins comes out to the interview area and talks about how he fought through a high ankle sprain to defeat Leo Kruger last week in his 1st tile defense. Rollins then talks about Mike Dalton and how he still deserves a title match. Rollins also mentions that the winner of the match between Richie Steamboat and Antonio Cesaro also could warrant consideration for a title match. Rollins closes by saying it doesn’t matter who or where, because he is the champion and he is ready to take on the world.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go backstage where FCW General Manager Summer Rae is with James Bronson in her office and she talks about his match next week against Dean Ambrose in the 1st ever Tapout match. Bronson says he will make Ambrose tap out, but won’t stop there and then leaves. William Regal then enters the office as Summer asks him when the re-match between Regal & Dean Ambrose is going to happen, but Ambrose is following closely behind Regal. Regal sees Ambrose and says that the best things come to those who wait. Regal leaves singing “Fly me to the Moon” as Ambrose is in a state of confusion.
We go to the interview area as Kassius Ohno talks about the FCW 15 Title. Ohno also talks about how it is good if you can wrestle for 15 minutes, but he can knock someone out with one shot in under a minute. Ohno says that if you look at 30 seconds of footage, you will see that Kassius bashes and leaves his opponents in gashes. Ohno closes by saying that while whoever his opponents will be might say, “Oh No”, he is gonna say “Oh Yes”.
We then go to a promo as Husky Harris, in new attire along with Eli Cottonwood, talks about how is father was rotten to him as a child, but then somehow one day, his boat caught on fire as Harris opens up a lighter. Harris then says he went away and learned a lot of things by reading, but what he learned most is how the world likes to throw away a little white trash peon like himself. Harris says he isn’t white trash or a peon, he is better than everyone. Harris says he wouldn’t want be the 1st guy who has to face him because he will watch them burn, just like his father. Harris closes by saying come with me and finally sings “Time is on my Side”.
Commercial
Back from commercial as ring announcer Caylee Turner introduces Jim Ross, who comes out and joins William Regal at the announce table for the main event.
Main Event for the FCW 15 Title with a 20-minute time limit: Richie Steamboat (c) vs. Antonio Cesaro
Lock-up and then a quick break. Another lock-up and as Cesaro tries to back Steamboat in the corner, Steamboat breaks. Both men then go for a knucklelock and go into a test of strength. Cesaro gains the advantage, then kicks Steamboat in the gut, followed by a back heel trip to take Steamboat down. Cesaro gets a 1 count as Steamboat lifts his shoulders while in the knucklelock. Cesaro gets another 1 count as Steamboat bridges to try and get out of the hold. Cesaro then places his knees on top of Steamboat to bring him back down for another 1 count. Steamboat then bridges while Cesaro is on him, but Cesaro drops back down on Steamboat. Cesaro tries to drop back down again, but this time Steamboat gets up and connects with a monkey flip. Steamboat then floats over as the knucklelock is still applied and gets a 1 count on Cesaro. Steamboat gets another 1 count as its Cesaro now who has to get his shoulders up off the mat. Cesaro kips up to his feet and then spins around, followed by lifting him overhead while still in the knucklelock. Steamboat finally kicks out of the knucklelock and hooks Cesaro in an inside cradle for a nearfall. Cesaro comes back with a gut shot, followed by an Irish whip. However, Steamboat goes up and over and then hooks Cesaro in a Sunset flip for a 1 count. Cesaro goes for a boot, but Steamboat ducks and then rolls up Cesaro for another 1 count. Steamboat then with an arm wrench into an armbar. Cesaro with an Irish whip, but Steamboat slides under his legs and hits an armdrag back into the armbar. Steamboat then drives Cesaro’s arm into the mat after breaking the hold. Steamboat scores with a suplex for a nearfall. Steamboat goes to almost a version of a Kimura, but Cesaro gets to his feet and hits a forearm to the kidneys. However, Steamboat comes back with another arm wrench into this time a hammerlock. Steamboat then drives Cesaro shoulder first into the turnbuckle with Cesaro’s arm still behind his back from the hammerlock position. Steamboat tries to go back to the arm, but Cesaro shoves him off. Both men try for a knucklelock again, but Steamboat with a kick to the gut and then does another arm wrench to Cesaro, followed by wringing the arm out. Steamboat wrings the arm out a 2nd time and then takes Cesaro down back into the armbar, but this time reverse style. Cesaro tries to maneuver out, but Steamboat switches into a keylock. Cesaro gets to his feet, but now Steamboat switches back into a hammerlock to take him back down. Cesaro tries to roll out again, but Steamboat then covers him for a 1 count. Steamboat then with another armdrag right back into the armbar. Cesaro counters with an Irish whip, but Steamboat again goes up and over and this time takes Cesaro down with a hiptoss. Steamboat follows up with a dropkick for a nearfall. Steamboat then with yet another armdrag right back into the armbar. Steamboat drives his weight across the arm of Cesaro, but Cesaro comes back with a gut shot. Steamboat with a forearm, but Cesaro comes back with a pair of knees to the gut as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cesaro has Steamboat in a step over neck vise while pulling at Steamboat’s facial features. We see that during the commercial break, Cesaro got on the board to go up 1-0 by pinning Steamboat after hitting the Gotch Neutralizer (Front Face Piledriver).
Antonio Cesaro is up 1-0 on Richie Steamboat with 12:45 left in the time limit.
Back to live action as Steamboat is trying to break out of Cesaro’s submission hold as the crowd is chanting his name. However, Cesaro comes back with an elbow to the side of Steamboat’s neck and then goes back to the neck vise. Cesaro then with another elbow before locking back in the neck vise. Steamboat gets to his feet, but Cesaro throws him through the ropes to the outside. Steamboat gets back on the apron, but then Cesaro proceeds to bring him back in the hard way with a suplex for a nearfall. Cesaro talks trash to Steamboat and then throws him back out to the outside. Steamboat clutches his ankle as the referee begins his 10 count. Steamboat gets back on the apron by the 6 count as Cesaro goes after him. Cesaro with a forearm, then goes for another suplex, but Steamboat lands on his feet and hooks Cesaro with an O’Connor Roll for a nearfall. Cesaro’s kickout sends Steamboat sailing onto the apron, but Steamboat fires back with a pair of forearms. Steamboat heads up top, but Cesaro nails him with a forearm that sends Steamboat off the ropes and crashing hard to the outside. The referee once again begins his 10 count as Steamboat is not moving. Steamboat starts to stir and gets on the apron before the count of 9. Steamboat fires back with a forearm, then slides under Cesaro’s legs and goes to take Cesaro down with a roll-up. Cesaro tries to hang on by holding the ropes, but misses a right hand and Steamboat rolls him up for a 1 count. Steamboat hits a series of gut shots, but Cesaro throws him face first into the middle turnbuckle. Cesaro then hits a Hangmans style neckbreaker for a close nearfall. Cesaro taunts the fans as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cesaro has Steamboat in a double chickenwing, but Steamboat is getting to his feet. Steamboat tries to fight back with gut shots, but Cesaro Irish whips him to the corner as there are 6:30 left in the time limit. Cesaro charges, but as Steamboat tries to get his boot up, Cesaro catches it. Steamboat comes back with a back elbow, then moves out of the way on Cesaro’s charge back in and nails him with a chop. Cesaro comes back with a forearm, but Steamboat fires back with an overhand chop. Cesaro then misses a forearm and Steamboat hits him with another chop. Steamboat hits some more chops, followed by an Irish whip. Cesaro comes out of the corner and Steamboat nails him coming in with a flying chop. Steamboat then with the Slingblade, made famous by Hiroshi Tanashashi, for a nearfall. Steamboat heads up top and hits a flying chop for another nearfall. Steamboat fires up and charges at Cesaro, hitting a back elbow in the corner. Steamboat starts to go off the ropes, but Cesaro pulls him back in and nails him with a forearm to the kidneys. Cesaro then with a back suplex and both men are down. Referee starts his count as there are 5 minutes remaining in the time limit. Cesaro gets to his feet first and then gains a nearfall. Cesaro with a big slam and then heads up to the middle rope. Cesaro with a yell and then leaps off, hitting a knee drop across the chest of Steamboat for a close nearfall. Cesaro can’t believe it as he then nails Steamboat with another forearm to the kidneys. Cesaro then scores with a reverse suplex for another close nearfall. Cesaro heads back up top and goes for another knee drop, but this time Steamboat moves out of the way. Cesaro is hobbling on his leg as he gets back up. Steamboat goes for the superkick, but Cesaro blocks it and spins Steamboat around. Cesaro then throws Steamboat back out to the outside. Steamboat then quickly gets back in as Cesaro is catching his breath and nails him with another chop. Steamboat with another chop, but Cesaro comes back with a knee to the gut. Cesaro then once again throws Steamboat out to the outside. Steamboat quickly gets back in and nails Cesaro with another chop. Steamboat with another chop and a club to the back, but again Cesaro with a knee to the gut. Cesaro talks trash to Steamboat and goes to throw him over the ropes yet again, but this time Steamboat hangs on to the ropes and skins the cat back in the ring. Cesaro grabs onto Steamboat’s feet as he gets back in, but Steamboat counters into a roll-up to time things up with 2 minutes remaining.
Richie Steamboat ties it up 1-1 with 2:07 left in the 20-minute time limit.
Cesaro can’t believe what happened and then nails Steamboat with a clothesline in the corner, followed by dragging him to the center of the ring, but only gains a nearfall. Cesaro then lifts Steamboat up in a deadlift and hits a side salto for another nearfall. Cesaro is frustrated and hits a hat trick of side saltos for yet another nearfall with 40 seconds left. Cesaro again can’t believe it, but Steamboat then hooks him in an inside cradle for a nearfall with 20 seconds left. Cesaro with a forearm, followed by an Irish whip. Cesaro then catches Steamboat and drills him with Swiss Death (Alley-Oop European Uppercut), but Steamboat falls out to the outside with 10 seconds left. Cesaro tries to bring him back in, but its too late as the time limit expires.
No Winner: 1-1 Draw (Richie Steamboat retains the FCW 15 Title)
Steamboat celebrates his win, though obviously exhausted, but then Cesaro nails him with a dropkick to knock Steamboat down and out. Cesaro grabs the FCW 15 medal and drops it down on Steamboat, then puts his foot on Steamboat and taunts the crowd as we go to credits.
My Thoughts
Solid show this week.
Opening match was OK for what it was, but the ending was kinda weird with the lights going out and then no one knowing what happened as they went to commercial.
Mixed tag was solid as Paige and Victor were good in their roles. Marie was decent on FIP, but English didn’t really do anything for me with his work. Kinda bland to me. The stuff with Diaz attacking Marie and then brawling to the back was fine as it continues that feud. Overall, solid effort by all 4.
Promos with Rollins & Hero were decent, with Hero cutting the better promo of the two. Still like how Ohno is tying in his “KO Kid” stuff while using the Kassius Ohno name, least he is trying to make that horrible name work. Rollins still needs work with his promos, but at least they are short & sweet and not long-winded, so that is a plus there.
The backstage bit with Bronson, Regal & Ambrose was good to continue the Regal & Ambrose stuff, while also tying in Bronson in reverting back to bring the MMA bully. However, Summer Rae is a horrible actress and needs to go immediately.
The Harris promo was very weird as it seems they are shifting him to almost a Cape Fear or Max Cady from the Executioners kinda character. Also weird to see an alignment with Eli Cottonwood of all people. But, if they want to go this route, what better creepy looking guy they can use than Cottonwood. Giving it a wait and see right now, but I am highly intrigued by it.
The main event was solid, but it started off very slow. Sometimes the British style works and sometimes it doesn’t and this time out, it did not. However, after they took the first commercial, they picked up the pace and Cesaro did good in putting some sympathy on Steamboat. The crowd got behind and then Steamboat fed off them and was good on his comeback. Cesaro bumped good for him, but also had nice timing on the cut-offs. Well worked match between the two and the draw will obviously lead to another match. Just wish the beginning wasn’t so slow or this could have been much better, but all in all, good main event.
My Grade: C+
Well, that will do it for me this week. I want to thank you all for reading and I will be back next week, but remember…
If you are a non-VIP, every Thursday, myself and Nicholas “OneManX” Gray bring you The Wrestleview Independent Roundtable, looking at the world of Indy wrestling, whether it be from Ring of Honor, FCW, SHIMMER, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, CHIKARA, CZW, Dragon Gate USA, EVOLVE, and many more independents from around the world with weekly recaps of the ROH & FCW TV shows and DVD reviews. For more visit vip.wrestleview.com.
So with that, I’ll see ya next week, hopefully, for the next trek to the Land of the Sunshine State with more F-C-W!