The fans are on their feet to open the show when former NPW Heavyweight champion Sam Holiday runs to the ring. He is wearing a black GPW t-shirt, blue jeans, and snake skin boots. He slides under the bottom rope, rolls to the middle of the ring, and then on his knees lifts his arms in salute to the fans who cheer him on. After a good 30 seconds of applause he finally grabs the mic and jumps to his feet.

Holiday] Good gosh, it's great to be back in the heart of America!

The fans eat it up.

Holiday] I've been invited back tonight by my good ol' pal from Canada, Jack Larkin to usher in a new era in GPW. Y'all look like your ready for some Holiday!

 

<<< cue "Rest in Peace" Extreme >>>

The fans give "Sinister" Stan Baker a mixed reaction as he comes down to the ring. He snatches the mic out of Holiday's hand.

Baker] Your not the only one invited back Holiday. But as usual your the only one who can't stay out of the limelight past the opening montague. I have a lot to say about you Holiday, and even more about those punk Great Canadians, Scott and Regliatti. But, as of right now there is something more pressing. That is Jack Larkin is not here tonight.

The fans boo, and Holiday gives him a puzzled shrug of his shoulders.

Baker] That's right, I just got word from one of his henchmen that after last week's run in with Manny Silva, Larkin will not be back until he can get proper security in place.

 

<<< cue "Won't Be Fooled Again" by The Who>>>

From the back appears Vice-President Dale Kuentz.

Kuentz] Gentlemen. It's true that Mr. Larkin couldn't make it tonight. And yes its true that it's due to a lack of security. However, the actual specifics are that he is right now interviewing candidates for a head security job. Also, I do have the pleasure tonight of leading a very special mass contract signing right there in that ring tonight. You two guys, Raymond Bingham, The Patriot, Lash LeRoux, and Allen Funk will all be signing on the bottom line tonight.

The fans cheer.

Bingham's presence though will be a formality as he has already signed his contract and will wrestle tonight before the contract signing. Gentlemen, we will adjorn until later tonight.

 

Chrome outpowers Lord Valmont right off the start. Valmont manages to sneak in an eye gouge but when he goes for a second Chrome blocks it with a wristlock takedown. Valmont bails out early and Chrome goes right after him. Valmont's wife and valet Sherry Valmont gets squashed between the two wrestlers. Chrome re-enters the ring but Valmont bails, to the backstage area with his wife.

 

Post -Match:

Chrome looks disgusted at the behaviour of Lord Valmont as he walks up the ramp after the match. Suddenly he is attacked by a charging "Vicious" Manny Silva from the back. Silva knocks Chrome down and then puts a noose around his neck and starts to drag him down to the ring. He sits Chrome on the ring apron and then goes into the ring. Once inside he loops the rope over the top rope and then kicks Chrome off the apron. Yanking on the rope draped over the top rope Silva is pulling Chrome up so the noose is choking him. He's trying to hang him. GPW officials though swarm the ring and after a few intense seconds manage to get him to release the rope.

 

 

 

Bingham comes down to the ring with his 2001 PWI Rookie of the Year Trophy. He gets on the mic and starts to insult the fans, establishing himself firmly as the villan tonight.

HMR pours on the offense but makes a mistake going for a moonsault which Bingham rolls away from. He then rolls up the deadman from Mexico, holding onto a handful of tights.

 

 

The 8 competitors for the Eight-Ball scramble at Alive to crown the GPW Heavyweight championship are now set;

Raymond Bingham, Chrome, Boss Strickland, Dr John Manfried, Manny Silva, Menele, Vendetta, Steve Riley.

 

 

Eric Scott/Vincent Regliatti

Will Damon/Shane Madison

Joe Blum/Al Collins

Greg Pawluk/Johnny Devine

 

The next match was to shake the participants up a little by having them cross over in a tag match between teams.

 

This match was filled with confusion and explosion of egos. In the end it took a mistake by Johnny Devine to walk into a double "rock bottom" by Scott & Damon to end the match.

 

Post-Match:

During the match Derek St. Holmes, Esq had come down to do commentary on the match. However, all he could talk about was his mystery team, claiming they were former World Tag Champions. He promised that they would be at Alive to make their mark.

 

 

Gardner did quite well against Strickland as would be expected on the ground and in the middle of the ring. But like in his match against Cael Sanderson, Strickland used the corners, ropes, and outside the ring to his advantage (and often illegally) as a seasoned pro wrestler. Still not enough though to get the win Strickland tried to take advantage of a ref bump by bringing a steel chair into the ring. However, Sanderson charged into the ring and grabbed the chair away from Strickland. Referee Jurgen Hermann gained consciousness long enough to see Sanderson standing there with the chair. Strickland did a face flop, to feign being hit and Hermann called for the bell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before the match can start Graves has a microphone. He asks UJ why his county is playing lap dog to the U.S. over the Iraq situation. He accuses England of selling out to the Imperialistic views of the U.S. Graves says it only means they will invade you last. UJ does his best to just ignore Graves. But by the time the match starts it begins immediately with fisticuffs. Striking is not UJ's forte, and Graves presses his proficiency in such tactics. Once he has the advantage he slows the match down looking for a submission. UJ though floats out of an armbar attempt and locks Graves in a full-nelson. He nails him with a full-nelson slam and then follows up with a double underhook suplex for the win. This was a great match, and almost 17 minutes long.

 

Post-Match:

Vice-President Dale Kuentz has to come down to the ring where Union Jack and Den Graves have been joined by Gabriel Argos. All 3 men appear to be arguing over who won the bracket. Kuentz though declares it a 3-way tie as all men are 1-1. He sets a special Triple Threat match next Wednesday Rage to decide who gets to go to Alive.

 

So basically Mr. Wrestling with a win would set up a tie between him and Vic Gate for the win in Bracket B. Kitnitsov is mathematically eliminated.

Earlier in the night we saw what appeared to be a friendly talk between Mr. Wrestling and Gregor Kitntisov. They were laughing and Kitnitsov was pretending to get hurt and get pinned.

In response to those fears, head of officials, Buddy Lane has designated a special guest referee to keep this match in-hand.

 

The match started with Mr. Wrestling and Kitnitsov going through the motions, and Kitnitsov trying to take the fall. Gate though would have nothing of it and refused to do the count. He then went on to demonstrate the proper way to apply a German suplex on Gregor Kitntisov instead of the "fake" one being done by Mr. Wrestling. He then repeated the move on Mr. Wrestling. When both men got to their feet Gate tried to have them lock-up again but they attacked Gate instead. They double teamed Gate until he was saved by Union Jack and Gabriel Argos. After he recovered Vic Gate called for a no-contest decision.

 

Post-Match:

Vic Gate wins Bracket B with a record of 1-1, while Mr. Wrestling finishes at 0-0-2, and Kitnitsov finishes at 0-1-1.

 

In the ring with Vice-Presidents Dale Kuentz and Selita Segal are;

Sam Holiday, Stan Baker, The Patriot, Raymond Bingham, Lash LeRoux, and Allen Funk.

Much to everyone's surprise President Jack Larkin joins the festivities via JumboTron. On his command Kuentz puts out contracts on a table for LeRoux, Funk, and Bingham to sign. They all do so, and are now contracted wrestlers in GPW.

Then contracts are put out for the 3 veterans who are about to sign them when Holiday suddenly turns the table over and throws his pen to the mat. He picks up his contract and looks at it, and then does the same to one of the others. Baker and Patriot look on bewildered. Finally when Holiday speaks he asks Larkin what the hell is going on, as these are all contracts to be road agents.

Baker and Patriot look shocked until Holiday shows them the contracts and then they begin to boil over as well.

Larkin says that the 3 of them are over the hill, that wrestling has passed them by. However, tradition is important to GPW and he wants all 3 of them around to help with the company and the new stars.

Holiday says he's far from done, and if he can't wrestle here in GPW he'll wrestle somewhere else.

Larkin gets mad at the ungrateful attitudes of Holiday, Baker, and Patriot as all 3 appear ready to walk. So, he tells them that he will prove they are past their best before date. At Alive the 3 of them will team up against the 3 youngsters they see in the ring in a Six-Man tag. If they can win then they will get proper wrestler contracts, but if they lose then they will have to sign the road agent contracts. They agree. Bingham and Funk have a good laugh at the 3 veterans before departing, but LeRoux looks apologetic as he shakes hands with all 3 in turn.

 

 

This was one of those matches filled with too much intensity and hatred to be retained by the squared circle. These two fought all over ringside, and head referee Buddy Lane gave both men a lot of leeway in using the ringsteps, guardrail, chairs, and tables. This was the most vicious match in the short life so far of GPW. Both men were bloodied when they squared off in the middle of the ring, exhausted, at the 12 minute mark. Vendetta took over with a clothesline, and then a springboard back elbow. He tried for a piledriver but was flipped over by Riley. Steve Riley then poured it on with a bodyslam, kneedrop, and then a series of mounted punches. Vendetta tried to fight back after Riley grabbed him by the dreadlocks, but Riley's hair is cut too short to get a hold. Riley nailed a belly-to-back suplex. He waited for Vendetta to get to his feet and then charged with a spear. Vendetta though managed to leap/somersault over top of a charging Riley. The villian bounced head first off the second turnbuckle and stumbled backward. Vendetta was waiting and locked in a modified STF. Riley's arm reached out for the ropes, trying to grab them as they were only inches away. After several attempts he appeared to tap out.

 

Post-Match:

Steve Riley complained vigourously to Buddy Lane that he hadn't tapped out, that he had just been reaching for the ropes. Lane would hear none of it and left his decision to stand.