Big Time Wrestling – “Return of the Dragon”
November 27th, 2022
J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, NC
Commentary: Joe Dombrowski & Shane Douglas
Pre-Show
· T.I.M. def. Ricky Smokes by pinfall at 5:48, with Broke Black Mountain
· We get comments on Ricky Steamboat from David Crockett, Ted DiBiase
· Scott Steiner wins Jimmy Valiant’s Boogie Jam Battle Royal in 3:21, last eliminating Bryan Idol
· Other participants in the battle royal include Tommy Dreamer, Tommy Rich, Shane Douglas, Stan Lee, Bryan Idol, Mason Myles, Chance Rizer, Patrick Scott, Danny Vegas, Hezekiah Hoskins, Jebediah Moss, LaBron Kozone, Rob Killjoy, Doug Delicious, Robert Allen, Steve Allen & Dirty Daddy
Bret Hart
We get a video from Bret Hart welcoming us to the show and saying how he can’t think of a better way to cap off Thanksgiving weekend than seeing Ricky Steamboat and FTR and wishes them the best in luck in their match tonight and says very few wrestlers who carried themselves with the class and dignity that Steamboat did.
Matt Hardy vs. Crowbar (w/ Percival)
Commentary talks about how Matt Hardy was speaking on his Twitter about reading about Crowbar, then known as Devon Storm, being in all the publications and always resented that. Hardy takes Crowbar down with a headlock but as the referee gets in between them Crowbar takes a cheap shot and starts choking Hardy out on the ropes followed by a leg drop to the back of the head. Percival sets up a guard rail against the ring as Hardy and Crowbar fight on the apron. Percival catches Crowbar as Hardy dives onto Percival. They start fighting around the ring before Crowbar suplexes Hardy on top of the guard rail, leaving him there and springboard from inside the ring to Hardy crashing through the guard rail. They head back inside, where Crowbar heads to the top but Hardy stops him and hits a superplex for a two-count. Hardy continues hitting a Side Effect for a two, before Crowbar hits a Northern Lights Suplex for a two as well. Crowbar puts Hardy on the top rope and hits a hurricanrana for a two before asking Percival for a chair, but the referee takes it away as Hardy hits the Twist of Fate for the pin.
Winner: Matt Hardy by pinfall at 8:37
Words For The Dragon
We hear from Nikita Koloff, Earl Hebner, Tatanka & Eric Bischoff with words of encouragement for Ricky Steamboat’s last match tonight.
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship: Kerry Morton (c) vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
Commentary brings up how their fathers wrestled a bunch in WCW. They go back and forth until Kerry Morton hits a dropkick and holds Brian Pillman Jr. down by his arm. He’s able to roll his way out, as they leapfrog and run the ropes until Pillman taunts Morton by stepping on him, before chasing each other around the ring until Pillman runs into the crowd and puts his arms around a couple of fans. They keep taunting each other doing struts until they start trading chops in the corners. Pillman takes control choking Morton with his boot in the corner before delivering a kick to the back for a one-count. Pillman puts on a rear naked choke hold, but Morton turns it into an inside cradle for a two-count followed by a swinging neckbreaker. Pillman comes back and hits a Jackhammer for two. Pillman tries it again, but Morton escapes and hits Kiss It Goodbye for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kerry Morton by pinfall at 7:15, to retain
Kerry Morton asks for a handshake after, but Pillman hits a low blow and attacks Morton.
We get a video from The Briscoes where they talk about this being advertised as The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express’ last match in the Dorton Arena, but the Briscoes say it’ll be RNR Express’ last match period.
BTW Heavyweight Championship: Danny Miles (c) vs. Façade (w/ Dani Mo)
This was an open challenge as Danny Miles asked for his opponent before guest commissioner Teddy Long came out to introduce Façade. Miles takes Façade into the corner right away as they lock up before they trade wrist locks. They start trading chops before Miles misses a senton and Façade hits a dropkick in the corner followed by a double spring dropkick. They start fighting ringside where Façade places Miles on a chair but Miles puts Dani Mo in front of him before Façade can dive. Miles starts tossing Façade all over the ring and into the post before dropping him on the barricade, tossing him back inside for a two-count. Miles stays on top of Façade while talking trash in his face, but Façade tries to mount a comeback. Miles hits a vertical suplex, before Façade hits another kick springboarding off the ropes. Façade hits a pair of atomic drops and a sidekick, but Miles rolls to the outside. Façade stays on top of him once he’s back inside, and heads to the top rope, but Miles dodges him. Façade comes back and hits a Burning Hammer but only gets a two. Miles stops a spring boarding Façade and hits a cannonball and a gut buster for a two count. Miles grabs the BTW title, but Dani Mo snatches it from him and hits him with a DDT as the referee is attending to Façade. Façade hits a Coast to Coast tightrope dropkick, but Miles gets his foot on the ropes on the pin attempt. Façade goes and grabs the title, but as the referee takes it away from him Miles hits Façade with Façade’s own spray paint can followed by a package piledriver for the pin.
Winner: Danny Miles by pinfall at 12:38, to retain
Sgt. Slaughter
Mr. TA comes out and says he’s the master of the Cobra Clutch which prompts Sgt. Slaughter comes from behind as they start shoving each other until Slaughter puts on the Cobra Clutch before officials come out to split them up.
We got a promo from The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express where they said they made history in this arena with plenty of tag teams.
The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)
Mark Briscoe and Robert Gibson start the match with Gibson keeping Mark in the corner before they lock up and Gibson tags in Ricky Morton who comes in and hits a high knee on Mark. Jay Briscoe holds Morton on the ropes, but Mark takes out Jay by accident as The Briscoes retreat to the outside with frustration. Mark throws a chair in the ring, but the referee takes it away. Mark attacks Morton in the corner before tagging in Jay as they take turns choking and stretching Morton on the ropes. Jay takes Morton down with a headbutt before tagging in Mark who does his redneck kung fu to Morton in the corner. Jay tags in and hits the ten punches in the corner to Morton. As Jay goes to body slam Morton, the referee gets knocked out. Mark runs in and they start double-teaming both Gibson and Morton. Mark brings a chair into the ring and goes to hit Morton with it, but he dodges and the chair hits Jay. Morton takes out Mark with a Destroyer and gets the pin for the win.
Winners: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) by pinfall at 6:19
More Words For The Dragon
We hear from Sean Waltman, Tully Blanchard, Johnny B. Badd (Marc Mero) & Jake Roberts giving love and appreciation to Ricky Steamboat.
Savannah Evans vs. Amber Nova
Right away Savannah Evans uses her power to toss Amber Nova down, as Nova tries a sunset flip but keeps getting outpowered and slammed down. Evans stays in control hitting a suplex for a two-count. As Nova tries to fight her way up, she keeps getting stomped out and choked on the ropes. Nova tries a comeback, but just gets knocked down and put into a chin lock by Evans. Nova escapes out of a body slam attempt and gets on Evans’ back for a sleeper hold, but Evans slams her back into the corner. Nova comes back with a couple of clotheslines and is able to take Evans down into the corner, but Evans catches her and puts her on the top rope where Nova hits a top rope cross body for a two. Evans comes back with a powerbomb attempt, but Nova hits a hurricanrana. Evans is able to catch Nova and hit her with a Full Nelson Slam for the pin and the win.
Winner: Savannah Evans by pinfall at 5:54
Ricky Steamboat & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. Jay Lethal, Nick Aldis & Brock Anderson (w/ Arn Anderson)
This is Ricky Steamboat’s first match since June 18th, 2010 when he teamed with his son Richie in FCW. Jay Lethal comes out in his Black Machismo gimmick with the same gear that Randy Savage wore at WrestleMania III in his match against Ricky Steamboat. As Arn Anderson was about to announce their mystery partner, he teased taking off his shirt and it being him before revealing it was former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis. Jay Lethal and Dax Harwood start the match, but Lethal goes to the outside right away and goes to Arn. Harwood and Lethal eventually lock up, with Lethal taking a cheap shot before going back to the outside. They eventually go at it exchanging a quick array of offense, until Harwood holds Lethal down with a side headlock. Aldis tags in, as commentary mentions how Aldis and Harwood have recently been going back and forth on Twitter. Cash Wheeler tags in and keeps working on the arm that Harwood started on, before Aldis escapes and tags Lethal back in, and tossed Wheeler to the outside. As Lethal distracts the referee, Aldis and Lethal start attacking Wheeler, but he runs back in and tags in Ricky Steamboat as all six men come in the ring and have a face-off as the crowd chants ‘Steamboat’. Lethal teases locking up with Steamboat, before escaping to the outside. They go at it, with Steamboat hitting an arm drag to a huge pop from the crowd before tagging in Wheeler. Brock tags in as he and Wheeler fight on the apron, with Wheeler trying to fight off Lethal and Aldis before getting knocked down to the outside. The heels keep triple-teaming Wheeler, as the referee holds Harwood back. Wheeler starts fighting Lethal off with chops and tries to tag out, but Lethal chops Steamboat off the apron. Aldis and Wheeler go at it, before Wheeler is able to hop off and make the hot tag to Steamboat who comes in and chops everybody including Arn Anderson off the apron. Aldis starts attacking Steamboat in his corner, before tagging in Lethal who hits a double ax handle for a two-count on Steamboat. Lethal goes back up and hits another double-ax handle. Lethal puts on a sleeper hold, and as the referee is about to call for the bell Steamboat starts shaking his hands and gets up. Lethal knocks down FTR, as Steamboat hits a back body drop on Lethal but has nobody to tag in. Steamboat fights off Lethal and goes under his legs to tag in Harwood. As Harwood is attacking Lethal, Aldis makes a blind tag and takes out Harwood by the knee, and tries a figure four, but Harwood puts on a pinfall for a two. FTR and Steamboat all put on in stereo figure fours as they all tap out and give the baby faces the win.
Winners: Ricky Steamboat & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) by submission at 16:35
Ricky Steamboat goes and shakes Arn Anderson’s hand as Cash Wheeler grabs the mic. Wheeler talks about how he idolized guys like Steamboat and talks about getting the phone call to tag with him and saying ‘hell yeah’ and thanking the crowd for coming out. Harwood talks about having two dreams growing up to be a Power Ranger and a wrestler, and he did one of them. Harwood thanks people like Arn and Steamboat for allowing him to make a living and support his family. Steamboat gets on the mic and talks about all the arenas he wrestled in but talks about how Raleigh, North Carolina holds a special place in his heart as he wrestled Harley Race here in 1979 in a 60-minute draw. Steamboat thanks the crowd before leaving.
