[2000-05-06-MPPW-TV] Wolfie D vs Ali

[GSR]

Ali joins Dave Brown and Randy Hales at the start of the show and says that Wolfie D’s thirty days are up and he wants his belt back. Randy says that they had the match scheduled for the end of the show, but “why not!” and let’s get it going now! Wolfie makes his way out but is in no hurry to join Ali in the ring. As he continues to walk around ringside, ‘The Cartel’ rush from the dressing room and jump Ali from behind. Perry James holds a hub cap against his ribs while Wolfie kicks it, and the group continues to attack the ribs until the face locker-room empties for the save.

 

Prior to the match commencing, security are seen ushering ‘The Cartel’ out of the building as per Randy Hales’ instructions earlier in the show. Ali’s ribs are all taped up from the attack and he hobbles out and into the ring. Wolfie is on him straightaway, however Ali blocks the hiptoss attempts and counters with a nice swinging neckbreaker. Huge press slam followed by a clothesline which sends Wolfie over the top rope to the floor. Pescado and Dave Brown notes how, despite his hurt ribs, Ali is going all out to get the Power Pro title back from Wolfie. He pulls the announcer’s desk off the platform where Dave and Randy are sat and rams Wolfie’s head into it. After lying him on the desk he goes for a second pescado, but Wolfie moves and he crashes into it himself (and there is no give like with the tables). Wolfie dumps the desk onto Ali and throws him back inside. Double foot stomp as he focuses his attack on those already injured ribs. Modified ‘Ace Crusher’ with Wolfie grapevining the leg at the same time. Big kneedrop across the chest for two before he charges at Ali who backdrops him into the official. Wolfie grabs a chair and jabs it into Ali’s ribs a couple of times. Pin, but he’s able to get the shoulder up at the last second. Wolfie then places the chair across his chest, comes off the middle with a kneedrop, however Ali moves and he hits only chair. Clothesline by Ali followed by three ‘Ali Drivers’, when the lights in the arena go out. When they come back on, Koko B. Ware is in the ring and waffles Ali repeatedly with the steel chair. He clobbers the referee with it too and the pair of them continue to beat on Ali as the show goes off the air while the announcers wonder where Koko came from.

 

I should really hate the non-finish, but Koko’s intensity and attack wants me to watch next week and find out what lead him to this. Ali sold those ribs for the entire match, and even when on the offense, Dave Brown did a great job in explaining that it was the adrenaline taking over, or that he was going all out to try and defeat Wolfie for the title. Solid stuff here.

[Tim Evans]

This was going fine until the finish. I get that back then, it was ok to break stipulation's and all but this really left a sour taste to the whole thing. Koko ware returns and beats up Ali to start is General Koko gimmick. Ali really should have won clean. The crowd was dead for the end. Randy Hales comes off as a goof like he always does and Dave Brown in jeans tries his best.

[Moonsault Marvin]

The Cartel attacks before the match, so all the wrestlers are supposedly locked out of the building. Ali has injured ribs, but he goes on the attack in the beginning. He took a long time to set up the desk spot, so it was good that Wolfie D moved and didn't end up looking stupid lying there. Wolfie D effectively used a variety of attacks to work over Ali's ribs. Ali made a comeback and was on the verge of winning when the lights went out and Koko B. Ware jumped him. I knew the interference was coming because of the stipulation, but the match was good, so I was hoping it wasn't going to happen.

 

**3/4