Just a quick history lesson before we get into this. The XWF was the second attempt at a national promotion after WCW closed it's doors. MECW was the first but it only lasted one show as the promoter ran off with all of the money. The plan behind the XWF was to get it syndicated on Hulk Hogan's star power alone. That never came about as the WWF raided the roster shortly after the first shows were taped. So let's see how this turned out.

Brian Knobbs and Jimmy Hart start the disc off by explaining some of the history behind the XWF and why they started it.

Mean Gene Okerland starts the show off be welcoming us to the XWF. Fairly good production values.

Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Jerry Lawler.

Rena Mero is introduced as the I guess owner. Might I add that she's looking very old here making it even sadder that the WWF rehired here and even had her do another Playboy shoot. She says the XWF will be an even playing field with no more prima donnas or politics. Everyone will have a chance to reach the top. She introduces the new commissioner Rowdy Roddy Piper. He basically says the same thing as Mero. So let's move on shall we?

Gene Simmons is with the Demon. He hypes up the Demon.

Big Vito vs. Buff Bagwell

I notice that both guys have their old WCW music. I think Jimmy Hart actually owns a lot of it so most of the wrestlers should have their themes from there. Vito starts it off with a stomp and levels Bagwell with some punches. Vito chokes Bagwell. Back and forth until Bagwell hits a hip toss followed by a couple of clothesline. Bagwell hits a dropkick and plays to the crowd. Bagwell charges into an elbow and gets the Mafia Kick from Vito. Vito stomps Bagwell and follows it up with a side suplex for two. Bagwell gets a sunset flip for two. Bagwell hits a backbody drop and follows it up with a swinging neckbreaker for two. Bagwell heads to the top but Vito trips him up and hits a superplex for two. Vito charges into a boot and Bagwell finishes him with the Buff Blockbuster. 3/4*, not awful for what you'd get on a 1 hour show. I could imagine seeing this on Nitro or the main event of Worldwide.

WINNER: Buff Bagwell

The cruiserweights walk to Rowdy Roddy Piper's office. They want to know if he was serious. He says he is and sets up a cruiserweight battle royal tonight for the XWF Cruiserweight Championship.

Marty Jannetty vs. Hail w/ Jimmy Hart

Hail I think just died recently. Hail's your typical bald big guy in case you were wondering. Hail throws Jannetty around a bit to start off. Backbreaker, followed by a shoulderbreaker and then a leg drop finish off Jannetty. Dud, total squash.

WINNER: Hail

Maximum Force does a brief promo. The team is Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger with Dawn Marie as the manager.

Brief video for Drezden.

Horace Hogan vs. Ian Harrison

Maybe it was Harrison that just died recently. Horace Hogan doesn't even get an entrance so that is a bad omen for his chances here. Harrison is another roid freak like Hail was. Hogan attacks before the bell. Back and forth and Harrison hits a powerslam and then tosses Hogan to the outside. Harrison suplexes Hogan back into the ring and pummels him on the ground. Hogan briefly fights back but Harrison hits a suplex. Bodyslam followed by a submission hold (wrapped his legs around Hogan's neck) finishes it off. 1/4*, another total squash. Harrison seems to be in the Scott Steiner mold of suplexing.

WINNER: Ian Harrison

Johnny B. Badd promo.

Norman Smiley promo.

Cruiserweight Battle Royal - XWF Cruiserweight Title Match

Entrants are Psicosis, AJ Styles, Low Ki, Christopher Daniels, Prince Iukea, Juventud Guerrera, Billy Five and Kid Kash. I hate recapping battle royals so you're just getting the order of elimination. Psicosis gets eliminated by AJ Styles first. Josh Matthews is watching from the crowd. If I remember correctly he was slated for a big push in the XWF. Juvy and Billy Fives eliminate each other. Styles comes flying out right after. Low Ki has already managed to get over with the crowd in a matter of about 5 minutes. Amazing isn't it? Iukea and Low Ki get eliminated next. Daniels goes last to make Kid Kash the winner. I don't rate battle royals. This started off pretty bad but once it got down to the last 4 guys it got a lot better. I'd say this was match of the night so far. Surprising result as I figured Juvy would've been a shoe in to win the belt here.

WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION: Kid Kash

Alice Cooper hypes up the XWF.

X-Girls promo. It looks like a few of the old Nitro Girls.

The Nasty Boys vs. Shane Twins

This should be totally awful. The Shane Twins didn't get an intro so they're probably getting destroyed here. Saggs pummels one of the twins to start. The Pitstop from Knobbs. Saggs ducks a clothesline bit gets hit with a shoulderblock. I must say I've never seen Saggs move so quickly. Now that I think about it he looks to be about 30 lbs. lighter than he was during his prime years. Northern lights suplex on Saggs followed by a belly to belly on Knobbs. The other twin tags in and hits a bodyslam on Saggs. Knobbs in. Twin ducks a clothesline and tosses Knobbs to the mat. Other twin tags in and hit a double flapjack on Knobbs. This is actually kind of interesting. I always took Knobbs for the better worker during their big runs in the 90s but Saggs actually looks a lot better here. Big brawl breaks out. Saggs abuses one of the twins on the outside while Knobbs pummels the other in the ring. Knobbs charges but gets leveled by a clothesline and the Twin gets the 3 count. Wow color me surprised by that result. The Nasty Boys beatdown the Shane Twins afterwards but the Road Warriors come out for the save. 3/4*, bad but not as bad as I was expecting.

WINNERS: Shane Twins

Road Warriors cut a promo on the Nasty Boys.

Willie Nelson hypes up the XWF with Hacksaw Jim Duggan.

Vampiro promo.

Main Event
Curt Hennig w/ Bobby Heenan vs. Vampiro

Heenan talks a bit and you can hear his voice starting to go. I don't totally recall when he got cancer but I think it was shortly after this. Thankfully Hennig doesn't look like walking death like he did in TNA. Vampiro hits a kick to start and then a clothesline in the corner. A headbutt and then another clothesline that sends Hennig to the outside. Vampiro tries to pull him back in but Hennig gives him a jawbreaker on the ropes. Punch to the gut followed by a knee from Hennig. Chop in the cornered followed by a snapmare that of course leads to the Hennig necksnap. Hennig goes for a headlock but Vampiro suplexes him and covers for two. Spinning heel kick off the top rope for two. Heenan pulls out a pair of brass knuckles but Piper runs out and takes them away. Hennig gets involved and Piper KOs him with the knuckles. Nail In The Coffin from Vampiro finishes things. *1/2. Argh! This was actuallty getting good when that happened. With a few more minutes and a better ending this could've easily gone over 2 stars.

WINNER: Vampiro

Overall:

Honestly, if this was on tv for free every Saturday afternoon I'd probably watch it. As far as this show went nothing was that great. Production values were pretty good and I admit that they had a talented cruiserweight divison. The results were pretty surprising to me as it was almost all newcomers going over older guys. The "In Your Face" catchphrase was the worst part of the show. It was everywhere and it really made you want to punch someone. So we'll have to see where episode 2 takes us. Hopefully I'll review that show tomorrow or during the weekend.

What year was this?

This was shot in November of 2001.

Where are you getting these from?

They released the first 3 episode in a DVD set last year. I ordered this off of Amazon.com.

I've seen it at Wal-Mart a couple of times, but I passed.

For many good reasons.

It was Hail that died, not Ian Harrison. Harrison, blindingly, popped up on an early TNA show