FCW TV 8/21

Earlier today: Leo Kruger cut a promo in front of Bo Rotundo's Heavyweight Championship banner, vowing to earn his own banner tonight.

Your hosts are Matt Martlaro & S. William Regal, your ring announcer is Sonia Yung.

Calvin Raines & Big E Langston vs. Donny Marlow & C.J. Parker for the Tag Team Titles: Big episode ahead as the tag belts are on the line...Marlow has challenged for the belts with several different partners, including Brodus Clay and Roman Leakee. Parker is making his FCW debut...I had seen him in the Midwest scene under the name of Juice Robinson. Martlaro adds the names of Jimmy Uso and Derrick Bateman to Marlow's previous partners. Regal says the rookie Parker could use a few scars and might look better with a broken nose...heh. The challengers manage to double-suplex Langston in the early going...but Parker makes the mistake of trying to match power with Big E and eats clothesline as a result. The champs isolate Parker for several minutes...but a double-team backfires and Parker finally maneuvers into a tag to Marlow! The grass hut is afire and Marlow hits the Samoan Drop on Raines, but Langston breaks up the pin. Parker dropkicks Big E but gets bashed out of the ring...but Big E takes a Samoan Drop from Marlow as well. Raines recovers, but Marlow reverses into a backslide out of nowhere for the flash pin to capture the Tag Team Titles!

Briley Pierce still works here and he has his own segment, On The Box. Sounds like a standard gossip segment...he's not as easy on the eyes as Jenny Cash, I must say. He does have some interesting gossip about Heavyweight Champion Bo Rotundo getting cozy with Women's Champion Aksana Raudoniene recently, complete with footage. He teases more gossip relating to Regal and Maxine Perez, but we're outta time...

Roman Leakee vs. James Bronson(w/ Byron Saxton): Regal's cellphone rings in the middle of the matchup...hmm, wonder who that is. Regal leaves the broadcast position to take the call, leaving Martlaro to fly solo for a moment before Saxton decides to fill the vacant commentary spot. Bronson dominates and THE STRAPS COME DOWN...meanwhile, Saxton notes that Leakee teamed with Titus O'Neil not too long ago so they're getting some payback for that. Bronson hits the ropes to finish, but Leakee delivers a Flying Jalapeno out of NOWHERE and gets the pin. Leakee glares at Saxton who simply sits back down with a smug look on his face...

Briley Pierce still works here and he interviews Dean Ambrose. Ambrose says Seth doesn't deserve the championship since he didn't beat him last week...and the words are finally too much as Seth runs out to attack Ambrose! Security arrives to hold Dean back, but Seth dives off the top rope, taking out the security guards! Ambrose levels Rollins at ringside and rams him into the metal entranceway, trash-talking him while he's down...

Kevin Hackman vs. Mac Hetfield: Hackman might be better known to WWE viewers as Tough Enough winner Andy Leavine. Hetfield interrupts the introduction to trash his opposition...we've see how well that works for him. SILENT RAGE~! Hetfield makes a good showing...I believe this is the FCW TV debut for both guys. Hackman floors Hetfield with IT'S THE BIG FOOT out of nowhere to get the duke...good for him.

Bo Rotundo vs. Leo Kruger for the Heavyweight Title: Martlaro notes that we've already seen one title change tonight...will we see another? A quick shot of the backstage area shows Aksana giving Rotundo a good-luck hug...hmm. Saxton makes a good point, noting that the champion by definition has a more grueling schedule so Kruger may be the better-rested of the two. YAY WRESTLING~! to start...Martlaro notes the significance of the championship banners as one of them features Kruger's South African compatriot Justin Gabriel. Martlaro notes that Kruger defeated Gabriel WITH A BROKEN FREAKIN' NECK~!

Another glimpse backstage shows Ricardo Rodriguez hanging out with his new crew of Conor O'Brian, Tito Colon, and Raquel Diaz...Kenneth Cameron seems to be absent. Meanwhile in the ring, Kruger takes command when the battle spills out of the ring...the two fight on the apron and Kruger delivers a sick DDT onto the edge of the ring! Thankfully, Rotundo gets a commercial break to recover...

Kruger keeps his offensive focus on the head and neck of the champion, as Byron notes...I miss Byron on commentary. Admittedly, wrestling commentators fall into two categories for me these days: "Michael Cole" and "Tolerable". Bo fights out of a superplex attempt, but Kruger pops up from the mat to deliver the move anyway! Cover...gets two. Kruger pummels Bo with European uppercuts...Rotundo tries a desperation backslide but Kruger uses the ropes to block and levels Bo with a forearm. Kruger grabs a front-facelock but Rotundo backdrops his way out of it, then delivers a trio of jawbreakers...corner clothesline, Bo-Dog...two-count. Bo sets up for the spear but Leo sidesteps and Rotundo painfully sails through the ropes to the floor!

Leo pulls Rotundo back up to the apron but the champ's still got a lot of fight in him...however, Kruger grabs Bo in a sleeperhold! Kruger pulls Bo over the ropes, but Bo's feet are still hung up on the ropes and the referee calls for the disqualification at the five-count! Rotundo wins by DQ and retains the title, but Co-General Manager Norman Smiley comes out to order Kruger to release the hold. Kruger obliges...only to grab Smiley in the sleeperhold! Co-General Manager Maxine Perez enters with Regal in tow, ordering Kruger to release Smiley or be suspended. Kruger releases the hold...the referees hit the ring to check on both Rotundo and Smiley as we close the show.

Next week: Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose for the FCW 15 Title...with a twenty-minute time limit! So long from the Sunshine State!