Bad Boy's Career Over! Outlaw Triumphant In Battle Of Former Partners
As MSWA Oklahoma Champion Outlaw mentioned on several occassions, he and Bad Boy were former MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions. If you didn't know that, it might be unbelievable, considering the vile accusations and outright hatred the two men showed each other in the weeks building up to their final meeting. With Outlaw proclaiming the supremacy of Texas and Bad Boy standing up for the citizens of Oklahoma, the fans knew exactly which side they wanted to be on. But this was no Cinderella story. And after the match was over, fans sat in stunned silence, as they saw their hero, and the owner of the federation, laying in the ring, beaten and forced to retire.
Ever since losing the Mid-South Tag Team Championship, Outlaw had focused his attention on Bad Boy almost to the exclusion of anyone else. And Bad Boy wasn't much different. They got their first chance to face off against each other on January 20 in a 6-man tag and certainly seemed determined to get at each other, whether it be physically or mentally. Later, they met 1-on-1 in a title defence, which was ruled a Double DQ due to Outlaw's abuse of 2 referees and Bad Boy's use of Outlaw's loaded glove. And even when they weren't in the ring against each other, they stillk found way's to make their presence known. Bad Boy served as a referee during one of Outlaw's title defences against Xavior. And Outlaw sat at ringside during a match between Bad Boy and Se7en. But after all the chicanery, MSWA commissioner had no choice but to put the 2 of them in the ring together and set up the stipulation that the loser had to retire. That way, there would be no more games, no more interference and no more continued bad feelings.
That match was set for March 2, but when it came time to see them get it on, Outlaw was nowhere to be found. Bad Boy came to the ring and Jesse Storm announced Outlaw, but he didn't arrive. Storm tried again and still, no Outlaw. Ringmaster Randy came from the back and said that Outlaw had disappeared. Special referee Aaron Neil started to count Outlaw out, but Bad Boy said he didn't want that, because he couldn't win the Oklahoma Title that way. He demanded a match and Halo put one together against Outlaw's former Brotherhood of Pain patner, GCPW Champion Slash, which Bad Boy won by using Slash's own chain against him while Neil covered his eyes, so as to "not see" the transgression. But getting Slash wasn't the same as getting Outlaw. And Bad Boy had two weeks to allow the anticipation to grow.
When it came time for the main event on March 16, Outlaw came to the ring and claimed that he had received an emergency phone call at the previous show, which caused him to drive back to Texas. But upon arriving there, there was no emergency and his assertion was that the phone call came from Bad Boy because he didn't want to face Outlaw. This story didn't sit with the fans well and cries of "Chicken!" rang through the arena. After Bad Boy's arrival, referee Aaron Neil did the preliminary checks and found Outlaw's glove in a pocket. After removing that and giving it to Halo at ringside, the match was on. Not a technical masterpiece, Outlaw and Bad Boy slugged it out, with Bad Boy geting the upper hand. Frustrated by not being able to put his enemy away, Outlaw used a chain he had as a backup weapon, then took advantage of Neil checking on Bad Boy to go and retrieve the glove. But he never got to use it, as Bad Boy ducked and got the glove from Outlaw, then used it himself. But that only resulted in a 2-count and Neil again removed the glove from play.
Outlaw left the ring and grabbed his title belt, saying that he knew Bad Boy couldn't win the match on a countout. But Bad Boy wouldn't allow that to happen and stormed after him, carrying the fight up the entrance aisle and ramming Outlaw's head into the wall near the dressing room door. Carrying Outlaw back to the ring area, it appeared that Bad Boy had the match almost wrapped up. Sensing the end might be near, Outlaw grabbed his branding iron and went to use it, but Aaron Neil stood in between the combatants and ordered Outlaw to put the iron down. Outlaw yelled at Neil, telling him to stay out of his business and when Aaron didn't step aside, Outlaw spit in Aaron's face. Neil, who had taken the iron from Outlaw prior to the spitting, lost his cool and went to hit Outlaw, but Outlaw ducked and the iron ended up colliding with the forehead of Bad Boy, knocking him out as both men looked on stunned. Cautiously, Outlaw looked at Neil, then Bad Boy, then slowly moved in to make the cover, afraid that he might not get the win due to the use of the foreign object. But Neil apparently decided that, since the iron wasn't used by either of the combatants, the match could continue and somewhat reluctantly, got down and made the 3-count.
And thus the career of Mike Crawford, formerly known as The Oklahoma Kid 2nd and then as Bad Boy, ended. Although the stipulations said nothing about Crawford having to give up ownership of MSWA, it still seems odd to imagine the Alliance going on without Bad Boy leading the charge for the good guys. And with his most determined foe now vanquished, Outlaw stands poised for a long title reign as MSWA Oklahoma Champion.
