[2000-12-20-UPW-Proving Ground] Prototype vs Chase Tatum

[GSR]

Chase Tatum is seconded by Nathan Jones for this, both men being members of Rick Bassman’s ‘Ultimate Power’ group.  The ring announcer makes a right howler as he’s doing the introductions, calling Jones “the new Prototype” when he should have in fact said that about Tatum.  I’m sure someone was in his ear as moments later he corrected himself, although not before the commentators had a laugh at his expense.  I was thinking how jacked Chase looks and then Cena walks through the curtain and you immediately forget about him!  Whoa, a T-Bone suplex out of Tatum.  He gets a two count following a big powerslam and then levels the Prototype with a short clothesline as he’s not giving his opponent an inch.  Prototype runs under an attempted clothesline and comes back with a flying shoulderblock.  DDT and now both men are down, Cena taking the chance to get his breath back after that early onslaught he faced.  Nice standing vertical dropkick before planting Chase with a delayed side slam, holding him there and making him think about what’s coming next.  Tatum ducks the swinging arm and lands a great release German suplex, dumping Cena on his head.  He whips Prototype into the corner, however he avoids the charge, Tatum crashing into the turnbuckles, and then hits his ‘Protobomb’ for the three.  As he celebrates his win he’s attacked from behind by Smelly.  Nathan Jones involves himself too and the pair of them leave the Prototype laying after Smelly’s full nelson slam, the commentators speculating that the ‘Ultimate Power’ group has just got itself a new member.

An improvement over Prototype’s match with Bad Boy Basil and that’s all you can hope for at this stage of his career, even though there was an over reliance on Irish whips and clotheslines.  Tatum impressed me way more that I expected with his array of different suplexes and that release German was quality.