Commentators: Alfred Pressley & James Westerfield
Attendance: 4,183
-A video montage, showing highlights from Beth Phoenix’s time in PCW, is played as the show comes on the air. At the end, a picture is shown of Beth with the words “thank you” underneath. When the video ends, Rex Butler comes out to the ring, carrying the Women’s Title over his shoulder. Butler thanks Beth for all that she did in helping solidify the Women’s Division in PCW. He wishes her a great retirement. And, like Beth, who is entering a new chapter in her life, the PCW’s Women’s Division will be doing the same. Butler announces that an six-woman tournament will be held to determine who will become the next Women’s Champion. Butler says that he and Peter Bradshaw have signed three women – some who may be recognized, and some who might not – to bring new life to the Division. Butler says that tournament will begin tonight, and a new champion will be crowned Saturday night, at British Beatdown.
Commercial Break
Women’s Title Tournament – Round One
Natalya pinned Erica after a wheelbarrow faceslam in 6:07.
Rating: ***
Natalya returned to the ring tonight, months after taking time off from her role as manager for Tyson Kidd in the HWL. Natalya is currently the longest-reigning Women’s Champion of all-time in the HWL, and it would appear that she is wanting to remake a name for herself in PCW. Tonight, she squared off with Erica, a relative unknown out of Tokyo. Even though she came up short, after her showing tonight, there might ba lot of people that want to get to know more about Erica.
Commercial Break
No-Time-Limit Match
Jack Swagger pinned David Hart Smith after the Discus Punch in 10:03.
Rating: ** ¼
(The Great Khali no-showed.)
David Hart Smith has not been in action since late September, when he was unable to become number one contender for the Television Title heading into Hollywood Hatred. Tonight, Smith was hoping to get back on track with a victory over Jack Swagger. Swagger, who had been expecting The Great Khali, didn’t seem too phased when Smith came out as Khali’s replacement. Swagger wasn’t too worried about the no time limit rule, connecting with a Discus Punch for the victory.
-Brooke Barlow asks Nikki Bella about the addition of her sister Brie to the Women’s roster and the possibility of facing her in the quarterfinals at British Beatdown. Nikki says that she and Brie are not on the greatest terms right now, so her addition to the roster really doesn’t mean anything more than there being another woman standing in Nikki’s way of becoming Women’s Champion. She says if Brie is able to advance tonight, than she looks forward to facing her inside the ring on Saturday night.
Commercial Break
-Brooke Barlow is with Rex Butler, who says that he has an announcement concerning the Tag Team Titles. Butler says since the titles were defended last week, Martin Kirby and Wade Barrett are awaiting new challengers. They will find out who those challengers are going to be, Saturday night, as Kaz and Luke Gallows will team up to take on The Bravado Brothers in a Number One Contenders Match at British Beatdown.
Lance Bravado defeated Luke Gallows via pinfall in 12:41.
Rating: *
Having just been announced that they would be fighting each other in four days at British Beatdown, both men were looking to give their respective teams the advantage. Gallows was certainly trying to turn things around, as the last time he was in the ring, he and Kazarian were on the losing side of another Number One Contenders’ Match. The last time we saw Bravado, he was knocked out by Television Champion Chris Hero back in September. Tonight, however, against the bigger opponent, Bravado resorted to using the ringside area to get the better of Gallows. Bravado, at one point, even brought a table out to use, but after having used the announce table and ring steps, the table was not needed. Bravado rolled Gallows into the ring and made the cover.
Commercial Break
-Bayley is backstage with Brooke Barlow as we return from commercials. Bayley is asked about Beth Phoenix’s retirement last week and her chances at becoming two-time champion. Bayley says that it’s difficult knowing that the only other person that believed in her is not in the locker room anymore; but that it was that belief that helped Bayley win her first Women’s Title. Now, having that confidence of being a past champion behind her, she has new competition to face, and she’ll need every ounce of that confidence because the path to getting to that Women’s Title isn’t going to be easy; but it will be worth it with when she gets to raise that title in the air for a second time.
Women’s Title Tournament – Round One
Brie Bella pinned Bayley after a back elbow in 6:04.
Rating: DUD
Bayley spoke about having the confidence of a champion and needing that as a tool to get past Brie Bella tonight. It would also be a good tool to overcome the loss to Kelly Kelly that Bayley suffered the last time she was in the ring, two weeks ago. Brie Bella comes into this match as a multiple-time Women’s Champion on the main HWL roster, adding a “change” to the PCW roster, joining her multi-time title winning twin sister Nikki, whom Brie will not be facing after beating Bayley in a match that was pretty well dominated by the newcomer. A Bella Twin Showdown will take place this Saturday night in London!
Commercial Break
-Backstage, Brooke Barlow asks Rhett Titus about his former partner, Kenny King’s threat from last week. Titus says that he truly thinks the only reason King said any of that is because Titus walked out to the ring two weeks after having his throat crushed and wasn’t backing down. Titus says that King has already tried to end his career and didn’t get the job down. Now he has no other option than getting into the ring with Titus on Saturday night and putting those words to the test. Titus says he doesn’t want to end King’s career… he just wants to shut his mouth.
The Big Show & Bobby Roode defeated Chris Hero & James Storm when Roode pinned J. Storm by pinfall in 16:41.
Rating: *** ½
You could say that last week was a major disappointment in terms of how things were going for the top two men on the roster. Both Chris Hero and James Storm came up short in their matches a week ago, but with the possibility of them teaming up tonight, things seemed on track for them to right the ship. However, they were stepping into the ring with two men who know them very well. The same two men who will be getting respective title matches against Hero and Storm in just four days at British Beatdown. Though, no strangers to each other, having fought over the Heavyweight Title just a couple months ago, Roode and Show put their differences aside for the common good of getting one over on their opponents this weekend. Show, still limping ever-so-slightly on that injured knee, was able to inflict enough damage on the Heavyweight Champion, that after a short tag, Roode put him away for the 1-2-3.
Card rating: ** 1/2
