[2000-12-16-MCW-TV] Steve Bradley vs Joey Abs vs Scott Vick

[GSR]

I can’t remember if we’ve seen this Joey Abs music video before or not.  We’ve definitely seen one set to ‘Bawitdaba’ so it very well may be a repeat.

The Southern Heavyweight champion is shown getting a massage from Victoria in the dressing room, so it comes as a bit of a surprise to Kevin Kelly and David Jett when she doesn’t accompany him out for the match.  Abs doesn’t bother waiting for the bell, sprinting to the ring and quickly clearing it of both.  Bradley and Vick have a chat on the floor and it looks as though they’re going to work together, forming an alliance of sorts. Scotty climbs up onto the apron, in a way sacrificing himself, as when Abs goes over to unload on him he’s open for the sneak attack from behind by Bradley.  Abs gets a brief respite after backdropping Bradley over the top rope to the outside, but the champion gets back in the ring in time to break up the lateral press, following a suplex, as he and Vick go back to working together.  Double suplex on Abs.  Wow, Bradley makes the cover and Scotty just lets him.  Considering the tired out trope of the third man breaking up the pin, which we have seen in every three-way match this year, that was unexpected.  Combination inverted atomic drop/clothesline.  The commentators speculate that Victoria has possibly been having backstage negotiations with Scott Vick and that’s why he’s letting Bradley go for the win.  Middle rope moonsault for a two.  An attempted double backdrop is telegraphed and Abs with a double DDT.  He gets a second wind, unloading forearms on both.  Michinoku Driver on Vick.  Bradley heads up top but he’s caught and Abs lands a suicideplex.  Scotty goes to drop an elbow as Abs makes the cover, however he moves and he accidentally hits Bradley instead.  After the official gets sandwiched in the corner Bradley shoves Vick, wondering what he’s playing at.  It looks like he’s about to apologise, sticking out his hand, when he picks Bradley up for a ‘Kryptonite Krunch’.  Victoria rushes out from the back and wallops Scotty over the head with a trash can lid.  She puts Bradley on top, then goes over to wake up the referee, ‘Whose Your Daddy?’ retaining the Southern Heavyweight title.

I enjoyed this, probably more due to the face that it didn’t go as I expected with Vick, happy to let Bradley have the glory, until the, I supposed, inevitable miscommunications.  I was surprised we didn’t get a title switch here due to the pre-match music video, hyping Abs and the fact that he came out last, even after the champion.  Bradley continues to look one of the most impressive of prospects in developmental.