Burning Hammer DVD Review #17

CellJr300 On

WG: Wrestling's Future Stars
Compilation Tape

--All of these matches are from OVW, Ohio Valley Wrestling, during the time period of 2000-2001. OVW is an independent wrestling promotion run by Danny Davis & Jim Cornette, but it's also training grounds that WWF/E has sent and continues to send a lot of it stars to for further training.

--Taped from mostly Louisville, KY

--Your hosts on the original version are Jim Cornette and another guy whose name escapes me, and on the insider commentary it's once again Jim Cornette & Dave Meltzer

--OVW Hardcore Championship Tournament, Semifinal Round, Hardcore Match: BJ Payne V. Flash. I'm not too familiar with Payne's past, but Flash is a very talented wrestler who's bounced around the southern indies for years, wrestling most of that time as Flash Flanagan. Payne goes on offense right away, clamping jumper cables to Flash's nuts and then nailing him with a stop sign to bust Flash open. Jim Cornette goes off on a rant against CZW and IWA: MS, basically condemning them as garbage federations that have no good workers and nothing good to offer as a whole. I'm a big fan of Cornette's but in this case he's talking out of his ass, for as much stupid stuff as those promotions do, they also put on good matches with great workers like Chris Hero, CM Punk, Messiah, Justice Pain and many others, so this is one time that Cornette needs to get off his soapbox because he's wrong. Back to the match as Flash sends Payne through a door in the corner of the ring with a Hip Toss. Payne breaks up a Flash Sunset Flip attempt with a vicious shot to Flash's head with a broken piece of the door. Flash gets the pin at 6:26 to advance in the tournament with a Buff Blockbuster off the middle of a ladder. **1/4 Nice little hardcore match, worked at a very fast pace.

--Rico Constantino V. Nick Dinsmore. Most WWE fans should know Rico as everyone's favorite androgynous hair dresser. Dinsmore is another very talented wrestler who was trained by Danny Davis and is under a WWE contract. This is Rico's first match back after being on the sidelines for a year after blowing out his knee. Rolling Verticals by Dinsmore, stopping at three, get a 2 count. Crossface by Dinsmore, but Rico counters out of it into a Cobra Clutch, but Dinsmore counters out of that and back into a Crossface. Rico makes the ropes to escape the hold. Rico pulls down his kneepad, exposing his knee brace, and gets a Legdrop on Dinsmore for 2. Gourdbuster by Rico and he goes for the Cobra Clutch, but Dinsmore blocks it with a Backdrop Driver. Missile Dropkick by Dinsmore takes out both Rico and the ref. Mr. Black & Kenny Bolin come out and attack Dinsmore giving him the disqualification win at 5:10. ** Short, but nice little match that most likely led to a longer and better match that I'd love to see.

--OVW Southern Tag Team Championship Match: Minnesota Stretching Crew V. Disciples Of Synn (W/Synn). The Crew are a great tag team consisting of Brock Lesnar & Shelton Benjamin. The Disciples are another talented team consisting of BJ Payne & Damian. Benjamin nails Damian with a Superkick that sets up an H-Bomb (Double Team Powerbomb) by the Crew that kills Damian. Payne hits his SWEET~ Inverted Gutwrench Suplex on Benjamin. Damian hits a big Spinebuster on Benjamin. Benjamin jumps off the top-rope with an insane somersault, clearing both Disciples and landing on his feet all the way across the ring in the opposite corner to finally make the tag to Lesnar. Lesnar immediately starts Suplexing the shit out of the Disciples, hitting a pair of Overhead Belly-To-Belly Suplexes, and then hitting a Fisherman's Suplex on Payne, but Damian breaks up the count at 2. Crew gets the disqualification win at 4:44 after Synn interferes spraying Benjamin in the face with her hair spray. **1/2 Nice little tag match, with the Crew pulling out all sorts of freakish athletic moves. Post-match Lesnar kills Synn with a Powerbomb, but Leviathan, the soon to be Batista, comes out to make the save.

--OVW Hardcore Championship Match: Randy Orton V. Mr. Black (W/Bolin Services). In this match Bolin Services consists of Thurston Throckmorton & Jerome Croney. Orton gets the pin and the title at 4:40 with an Uncle Slam (Full-Nelson Slam.) * Way too short to actually mean anything.

--Randy Orton V. Rico Constantino (W/Kenny Bolin). Some nice back and forth mat wrestling to start things out. Crossbody by Orton gets 2. A pair of Backdrop Drivers by Rico get a 2 count. Criss-cross sequence sees Rico take out Orton with a Roundhouse Kick. Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker by Orton gets 2. Orton hits a SWANK~ Spinning Capture Suplex for a 2 count. Uncle Slam by Orton, but Bolin puts Rico's foot on the ropes to break up the count at 2. Rico hits the Painthriller (think combination Angle Slam & Northern Lights Suplex) for the pin at 4:57. **1/2 Another nice little match, with Orton showing more in this match than he has in his entire WWE run.

--Disciples Of Synn, Leviathan (W/Synn) V. Nick Dinsmore, Damaja, Trailer Park Trash. Damaja is current WWE Wrestler Danny Basham. The Disciples are still the BJ Payne & Damian version here. Damaja tries a Hurricanrana on Leviathan, but he nails Damaja with a Powerbomb. Leviathan takes out Trash with a Chokeslam. Leviathan gets the pin on Dinsmore at 5:22 with a DDT after Flash interfered and knocked Dinsmore off the top-rope. ** More quality wrestling, with lots of quick tags and nice double team moves. Post-match the Minnesota Stretching Crew come out to stop a heel beatdown and hit Leviathan with a nice Double Team Rock Bottom, but Leviathan no-sells it and does the dead man sit up.

--Flash V. Rico Constantino (W/Kenny Bolin). Gourdbuster by Rico followed up by a High Knee. Rico ducks a Flash Clothesline and hits a Roundhouse Kick. Rico misses a Senton Bomb and Flash takes advantage nailing Rico with a Superkick. Flash gets the pin at 3:52 after giving Rico a Superkick while he was holding Bolin's briefcase in front of his face. ** More good wrestling, but once again, as appears to be the theme for this DVD, way too short.

--Handicap Match: Chris Michaels, Sean Casey V. Leviathan (W/Synn). Leviathan takes out Casey with a wicked Spinebuster, and then takes out Michaels with a Powerslam. Leviathan pins both men at 1:43 after a Double Chokeslam. DUD Basic squash match.

--Rico Constantino V. Randy Orton. Bolin Services is banned from ringside for this match. Orton gets a 2 count off of a Dropsault. Crossbody by Orton gets another 2. They fight in the corner & Rico Hip Tosses Orton over the top-rope and to the outside on the floor in sick fashion. Vertical Suplex by Rico gets 2 as Rico goes to work on Orton's back. Boston Crab by Rico, but Orton makes the ropes to break the hold. Backdrop Driver by Rico gets 2. Rico hits a nice Press Powerslam, but he misses a Swanton Bomb, giving Orton time to recover. Tilt-A-Whirl Slam by Orton gets 2. Legdrop by Orton gets another 2. Rollup attempt by Orton sees a ref bump, which allows Kenny Bolin, dressed in drag, to hit Orton with a loaded purse and Rico gets the pin at 6:27 with a Lateral Press. *** Good match, everything flowed real nice, it was fast paced, and had solid psychology.

--Machine V. Rob Conway. Machine is Doug Basham under an S&M mask. Conway gets 2 off a SWEET~ Nightmare On Helms Street Neckbreaker. Snap Suplex by Machine gets 2. Pump Elbowdrop by Machine. Machine misses a Kamikaze Headbutt and both men are out. Machine rolls through a Conway Crossbody off the top-rope for the pin at 4:58 aired. **1/4 Another fast paced and good match. Post-match Conway suffers a beatdown from Machine's group, Revolution, which includes Sylvester Terkay, a former NCAA amateur wrestling champion who is currently wrestling in Japan as the Predator.

--Nick Dinsmore, Randy Orton V. Flash, Rico Constantino (W/Kenny Bolin). This match was set up during an interview the previous week. It was announced that whoever was the OVW Heavyweight Champion in two weeks time would defend the belt against Chris Jericho. Flash being the current champion decided not to defend the belt against any of the three #1 contenders- Orton, Dinsmore, & Rico- and it was during the interview that all four men got into a fight, and this match pitting the two friendly rivals, Orton & Dinsmore, against the two guys who hate each other, Rico & Flash, was signed. Orton hits a beautiful Dropsault on Rico for 2. Dinsmore reverses a Flash Armdrag into a Bulldog in mid-air for a 2 count. Flash & Rico isolate Orton and work over his back with lots of unwanted tags exchanged between both men. Springboard Legdrop by Flash on Orton gets 2. Flash misses a Buff Blockbuster, which allows Orton to make the tag to Dinsmore. German Suplex Hold by Dinsmore on Flash gets 2 after Rico takes out the ref. Flash hits a Buff Blockbuster on Orton, but he nails the ref before Rico can get the pinfall. Rico does get the pin on Dinsmore following a Flash Superkick at 6:35, which Flash allows because he hates Dinsmore more than Rico. **1/2 Decent tag match that became too convoluted near the end.

--Machine V. Nick Dinsmore. These two were in the middle of a feud over who was the best technical wrestler in OVW and this was the match that was supposed to prove once and for all who really was the best. Dinsmore gets 2 with a Springboard Sunset Flip. Pinning reversal sequence leads to Machine SWANKLY~ transitioning to a Texas Cloverleaf, but Dinsmore makes the ropes. Another reversal sequence leads to a Dinsmore Crossface, but Machine makes the ropes. SWEET~ Knucklelock Backdrop Suplex Hold by Machine gets 2. Dinsmore reverses a Machine Hip Toss into a Victory Roll for a 2 count. Machine gets 2 off of a SWEET~ Flying Legdrop. Dinsmore begins to outwrestle Machine, so he resorts to using brass knuckles and at 4:58 Machine uses a Lateral Press to get the pin. Rob Conway comes out and exposes Machine's use of the brass knuckles so the ref reverses his decision to a Dinsmore disqualification win. ***1/4 Excellent match, with a crapload of really good counter wrestling, the only downfall being that once again the match was too short.

--OVW Southern Tag Team Championship Tournament, Final Round Match: Prototype, Rico Constantino (W/Bolin Services) V. Disciples Of Synn (W/Connie Swail & Synn). Prototype is the future John Cena doing the gimmick of what the perfect man should be if they follow the teachings of Rico. Bolin Services is represented in this match by Kenny Bolin & Jerome Croney. Disciples are still the BJ Payne & Damian version in this match. I have no idea who Swail is or where she came from. Prototype starts off the match and is easily controlled by both Disciples, but anytime he tries to make a tag Rico tells him no. Eventually Prototype tags in Rico when he's not looking. Rico gets beat down easily as well, but in a funny twist, this time Prototype refuses to tag Rico. Bolin & Synn get involved, the Disciples hold back Synn, while Rico holds Bolin back by the cuff of his collar in a funny visual. Rico & Prototype take over controlling Payne with quick tags and some good European Uppercuts by Prototype. Payne blocks a Rico Roundhouse Kick and hits him with a Miracle Ecstasy Bomb. Disciples hit Purgatory (combination Facefirst Wheelbarrow Bomb/Cross-Factor) on Rico for 2. Gourdbuster by Payne on Rico gets a close 2 count. Disciples pull a page out of the Heavenly Bodies book when Payne lifts up Damian for an Atomic Drop, but instead as he comes down Damian hits Rico with a Legdrop for a 2 count. Rico hits a SWEET~ Swinging DDT on Damian and finally tags in Prototype. Frog Splash by Prototype on Payne, but Damian breaks up the count at 2. All hell breaks loose with both Bolin & Synn getting involved along with Croney & Swail. Sleeper by Damian on Rico, but Prototype nails Damian in the back with Bolin's briefcase and Rico falls back on top of Damian for the pin to win the tournament and the titles at 14:46 aired. ****1/4 Awesome southern tag wrestling with the Disciples playing the roles of heels so well and laying such a beating on Rico that they actually got the crowd to chant for the much hated Rico. There really wasn't that much interference in the match, and all the outside action with the valets and managers helped to add to the drama of the match.

--Damaja, Rob Conway V. Prototype, Rico Constantino (W/Kenny Bolin). Thesz Press by Damaja on Prototype, but Prototype reverses out of it for a Rollup for 2. Backdrop Driver by Prototype on Conway gets 2. Rico & Prototype work a nice heat segment on Conway. Frog Splash by Prototype misses and Conway is finally able to make the tag to Damaja. Flapjack by Damaja on Prototype. Enzuguri by Damaja on Rico. All four men are brawling when Conway grabs Bolin's briefcase and nails Rico in the head with it to get the pin at 7:41. *** Real fast paced energetic match. More good southern tag wrestling.

--Disciples Of Synn, Leviathan (W/Connie Swail & Synn) V. Prototype, Rico Constantino, Mr. Black (W/Bolin Services). Disciples are still the BJ Payne & Damian version for this match. Bolin Services consists of Kenny Bolin & Jerome Croney for this match. Rico & Damian start, and Rico's mocking of the voices Damian hears in his head is pretty funny. Leviathan comes in and hits a DDT on Rico, but Prototype breaks up the count at two. Leviathan hits a Catatonic (Bodyslam into a Rock Bottom) on Rico. Rico finally gets the hot tag to Prototype and he busts out a Russian Legsweep into an Octopus Stretch on Damian. Rico sneaks in and hits Payne with the Painthriller, but Prototype only gets 2 off of it. Leviathan gets in and hits a Double Chokeslam on Prototype & Rico, and then a very impressive Backdrop Driver on Black for a 2 count. Leviathan gets the pin on Black at 9:16 aired with a Spear. ***3/4 More primo southern tag wrestling, and it also featured Leviathan & Prototype busting out moves that I've never seen them use since.

--Final Flash: Jim Cornette has never been accused of being a bad booker and this DVD shows that his booking in OVW is no exception. There wasn't one match on here that was bad, every match was either decent or good with the last batch of matches being especially good. If for nothing else give this DVD a look for some great commentary and some great performances by all kinds of guys who are currently wallowing in WWE.

Highly Recommended

Back to homepage