We have Josh Mathews and Taz on the commentary again so I believe Ernest Miller is thankfully gone from role.
The Big Show vs Pat Cusick/Murray Happer
Big Show hits some punches and chest slaps. He stacks both guys in the corner and beats on them some more. Big Show slams the local competitors a bit mixed in with a few clotheslines. He hands out back to back chokeslams to pick up the win in 50 seconds.
Match #2
Matt Hardy vs Joey Matthews
Matt Fact #1: Matt hates waiting in lines.
Matt Fact #2: Matt tailgates slow cars in the passing lane.
Josh tells us that both men were in the local Omega promotion where they were rivals. This match is in North Carolina and Matt is wrestling as a face and has the crowd behind him. They trade arm bars. Matt Hardy hits a hip toss and 9 mounted corner punches before a tenth super windup punch when Matthews staggers out of the corner. Hardy heads to the top but Mathews rolls out of the ring. Hardy tries to pull him back into the ring by the hair, but Mathews snaps Hardy's neck over the top rope. Mathews goes on offense with a neck breaker and a mid rope choke.
Tazz asks Josh if he is related to Joey. Josh says that his name only has one T. Tazz says that he has one T in his name too. Josh reminds him that he has two Z's in his name. Tazz says he used to have 2 Z's in a funny aside.
Hardy comes back with a decapitating clothesline, followed by a back elbow and a leg drop. Mathews pushes Hardy into the turnbuckle and locks on a desperation sleeper. Hardy escapes via side slam. Hardy then does a clothesline and a leg drop over the second rope. Mathews escapes the side effect. He comes back off the ropes but gets caught by the side effect this time. Mathews kicks out of the pinfall attempt. Mathews tosses Hardy into the turnbuckle again and follows it up with a top rope clothesline for a 2 count. Mathews tries a charge into the corner but Hardy gets the boot up. Matt hits the V1 downfall leg drop and twist of fate for the victory in 5:36
Match #3
Chuck Palumbo with Nunzio and Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli
vs. Orlando Jordan
Palumbo starts out knees to the stomach and heavy strikes to the back. The FBI jumps up on the apron and are immediately ejected. Jordan comes back with some quick punches and a back slide attempt. Palumbo leap frogs Jordan and hits a super kick to the back of the head. Jordan flies through the ropes to the outside. Jordan is dead weight and Palumbo can't get him up, goes back in to break the count and then comes back outside to throw Jordan back in. Weird sequence. He drives his shoulder into the midsection of Jordan in the corner. He floors Jordan with a belly to belly suplex. Then locks in a bear hug. When that doesn't get a submission, he brings Jordan to the corner and hangs him in the tree of woe so he can lay some boots in. The ref backs him off and frees Jordan. Palumbo charges and misses only connecting with the steel post. Jordan lands his shuffle punches from his mentor Rocky Johnson. He lands a flying forearm. "Shades of Tito Santana." Says Josh. Jordan hits a drop kick and a back body drop. "Shades of Rick Martel. Not really I just wanted to talk about an old guy too." says Tazz. Jordan goes for a cross body off the top. "It's time for some Strike Force." says Josh. Palumbo rolls through the cross body and gets a two count. Sloppy missed clothesline by Chuck and Jordan uses the momentum for a roll up for 2. Palumbo grabs Jordan and lets go for no reason. Jordan then hits the Black Ice neck breaker to get the victory in 5:37. (1/2 *)
Match #4
Billy Kidman vs Shannon Moore
Moore backs Kidman into the corner and taunts Kidman. "It's all about me!" Kidman charges Moore who runs to the opposite corner and has the ref back Kidman off. Kidman hits a tilt a whirl head scissors and follows it up with mounted punches. Moore slips out and hits a really devastating looking hip toss into the turnbuckles. Moore hangs Kidman on the middle rope and lands the leg over his back. Shannon plants Kidman with a body slam followed up with a rear chin lock. Kidman gets whipped hard into opposite corners. Shannon snap suplexes Kidman and locks in a back stretch. Kidman fights out and hits a drop kick. Kidman lands a hurricanrana, back body drop, death valley driver into a neck breaker for a 2 count. Shannon Moore gets control with a spinning leg lariat. Kidman misses a corner splash and Moore hits a turnbuckle launching spinning dive for a 2 count. Moore starts to pound the mat like he is a toddler throwing a tantrum. Kidman captilizes with a BK bomb. Kidman lands a shooting star press to gain the vicrtory in 5:31. (** 3/4).
Since it is pre Unforgiven we get Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler on commentary which if they lose tonight to Coach and Al Snow will be our new Heat commentary team.
We did get a change to the 6 man table match as Spike Dudley can't compete so it is now a handicap match according to Co GM Eric Bischoff, but Co GM Steve Austin makes it for the tag titles.
The one and only match
Stevie Richards with Victoria vs Maven
We begin with a collar and elbow tie up, that Maven turns into this barrage of offense: headlock, shoulder block, leapfrogs, clothesline, fireman's carry, drop kick. Stevie bails from the ring but Maven pursues. Victoria grabs Maven's foot on the way back in. Stevie drops an elbow to take his first advantage of the match. Stevie distracts the referee so Victoria can hit her spinning leg drop off the top rope. Stevie unleashes his own flurry of a neck breaker, rope splash, snap mare, full nelson. Maven reverses the hold into a suplex. Maven lands a barrage of fists, reverse elbows, spinning elbows, spinning heel kick, and finally a neck breaker. Maven to the top rope but Victoria grabs his foot and the delay allows Richards to move out of the way of Maven's drop kick. Stevie goes for a double arm DDT, but Maven resends him over with a back body drop. Maven heads back to the top rope and nails his float over neck breaker for the win in 5:15 (**).
