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Post by gentlemanjeff on Jan 5, 2011 18:09:40 GMT -5
Sure, nothing wrong with it. Just thought it was an interesting diversion. Looking forward to a Dory Funk & Eddie Graham vs. Terry Funk & Billy Graham match.
Yeah, I dig Snuka. Crazy people who live their characters are fun to write for--Macho, Warrior, etc.
Oh, nothing wrong with Dusty-Koloff, looking forward to things getting bloody and dirty in that affair. I mean Albano-Koloff. The Maivia-Koloff "Hey man, why you being such a jerk lately?" was really cool. Now Koloff is a tweener/heel and the explanation is still up in the air.
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Post by snabbit888 on Jan 6, 2011 15:44:20 GMT -5
Ah. Yeah. I'll hit it up again eventually. Or won't. Either way.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 13, 2011 17:39:38 GMT -5
November 14, 1976 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Hiro Matsuda made Tony Garea submit to the Japanese Sleeper in 0:09:45. Rating: **** 1/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Tony Garea.]
1976 is winding to a close, but GCW still has four big stops to go, including tonight at our homebase, Madison Square Garden. The opening contest featured Bobby Heenan's mercenary from the Orient, Hiro Matsuda, taking on Tony Garea. Matsuda has had his struggles since returning to GCW, but a win here could serve to propell him in the right career direction. Tony Garea is another man who has struggled, but he is always game for a fight. Garea couldn't overcome the distraction of Heenan at ringside, falling prey to Matsuda's Japanese Sleeper.
Mike Graham pinned Johnny Rodz after a bodyslam in 0:05:49. Rating: ***
Mike Graham was hoping that his second match in GCW would go much better than his first, and he got that wish as he took on "The Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz, whose unpredictable act tonight was wearing a mask. …Who knows? The mask couldn't help him escape defeat as Mike Graham showed his technical prowess and got the pin after a hard bodyslam. Graham now heads to the back to watch his dad fight his uncle later in the night.
Mr. Wrestling I pinned Billy Robinson after a sunset flip in 0:07:21. Rating: ***
Mr. Wrestling I keeps showing that there is no level he won't stoop to in order to get a win. Ask Billy Robinson tonight. It looked like the pride of Mr. Wrestling I might overcome his new attitude as he wanted to show he could outwrestle Robinson, but when Wrestling I took the victory after a sunset flip and putting his feet on the ropes, we saw that wasn't the case. Robinson was so upset that after the match, he nearly knocked Wrestling I out with a huge right hand that sent the masked man sprawling from the ring. These two will go at one more time on December 1 from the Cobo Arena in Detroit, MI.
The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikolai Volkoff) defeated Dusty Rhodes and Peter Maivia when I. Koloff pinned Dusty Rhodes with the Russian Sickle in 0:19:49. Rating: ** 1/2
Peter Maivia is the #1 contender for the World Title, but tonight he was on the side of Dusty Rhodes as Rhodes continued his feud with Ivan Koloff and the Russians. Rhodes has become almost obsessed with getting a pinfall victory over Koloff, but to this point, it hasn't happened for him. Tonight it looked like it would finally happen as Rhodes caught Koloff with the Bionic Elbowdrop and had him pinned for a 3 count, but referee Terry Taranova was distracted trying to get Maivia & Volkoff out of the ring. Captain Lou Albano used this window to get in the ring and drill Rhodes in the back of the skull with his cane. Koloff then hit the Russian Sickle and once again, Rhodes has fallen to the former World champion. After the match, Maivia tried to console Rhodes, but Dusty would have none of it, swatting the High Chief's hand away and walking to the back dejected. These constant losses are really taking their toll on the psyche of Dusty Rhodes.
Pedro Morales made Johnny Rodz submit to the Boston Crab in 0:02:36. Rating: ** 3/4 (Dick Murdoch no-showed.)
Poor Johnny Rodz didn't expect two beatings tonight, but that's what he got when he was told he would be taking the place of Dick Murdoch, who was not in the Garden tonight for undisclosed reasons. Rodz prize was getting to wrestle Pedro Morales, who didn't appear to be in a good mood. It didn't take long for Morales to lock on the Boston Crab and hand Rodz his second loss of the night.
Harley Race pinned Dean Ho after a diving headbutt in 0:06:02. Rating: ***
As Harley Race prepares for his next challenger, "High Chief" Peter Maivia, he was in non-title action against Dean Ho. Though he couldn't win the title tonight, if Ho could somehow pull off a win and end the undefeated streak of Handsome Harley, it would be a huge boost to his career. Ho's mind was willing, but his body wasn't able. Race survived the early onslaught of Ho to put him away with a diving headbutt.
Interview: Harley Race runs down Peter Maivia.
Harley Race wasn't done though, as he announced that Peter Maivia's shot at the title would take place on December 1 at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Race then spent the next few minutes running Maivia down, saying that he was a nothing and wasn't worthy of a shot at the championship. The insults got worse and worse, but they didn't get any more foul than when Race said the only thing worthwhile that Maivia has ever done in end the career of Bobo Brazil. This brought out Maivia who stormed the ring a house of fire and pounded away at the champion! Officials ran down to stop the fight, but there was no pulling Maivia off of Race. Race eventually got away from Maivia and to his car, where he drove away in a flash. Race may have taken his mind games too far, and could possibly live to regret it on December 1.
Stan Hansen defeated Killer Kowalski by countout in 0:05:00. Rating: ** 3/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Stan Hansen.]
This match came about after a few weeks ago, Killer Kowalski took the place of Dick Murdoch in a tag team match. However, Hansen & Kowalski didn't get along, to say the least. This match was bowling shoe ugly, but Hansen showed why he is one of the toughest young wrestlers in GCW today, getting the better of the legend Kowalski and getting the win by countout.
Billy Graham defeated Eddie Graham by referee stoppage in 0:16:43. Rating: **
You have to give Eddie Graham for wanting to come to the aid of his son, but his better days are behind him. Not only that, but he was taking on his own brother Billy Graham, who may be the most ruthless and heartless man in all of wrestling today. Despite the surprising amount of heart that Eddie showed early, he was soon overwhelmed by the Superstar. Billy could have finished his brother off at any time he wanted, but he chose to keep pounding on him until Eddie was a beaten bloody mess. The beating got to be so brutal that referee Danny Bartfield eventually stopped the match to protect the safety of Eddie. "Superstar" Billy Graham is a sick, sick man.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Jumbo Tsuruta and Dino Bravo when Lanza pinned Bravo after a short lariat in 0:18:34. Rating: *** 3/4 (The Blackjacks won the GCW World Tag Team Titles.) [Bobby Heenan interfered against Jumbo Tsuruta.]
Billy Graham wasn't done with his path of destruction tonight, as he played a huge part in our next match, which was for the World Tag Team Titles. The Blackjacks were getting their final shot at Jumbo Tsuruta & Dino Bravo and the titles, but Bobby Heenan had a plan ready to hatch. As the champions were being introduced for the match, Billy Graham (who had stayed at ringside) brutally assaulted Dino Bravo! Jumbo tried to intervene, but he was cut off by the Blackjacks. Eventually officials got Graham to the back, but the damage clearly had been done. Tsuruta had to wrestle most of this match by himself, and though he did a tremendous job, eventually he got worn out as well. Bravo tried to do what he could, but he was in no condition to compete. Bravo shouldn't have been in the ring at the end as he was caught by a vicious short lariat from Blackjack Lanza which put this one in the books. The Blackjacks are once again the World Tag Team champions.
[TORNADO RULES]: No-Countout-No-DQ-Match: Bobby Duncum and Dory Funk Jr. defeated Don Muraco and Terry Funk when Duncum pinned T. Funk with the Full Nelson Slam in 0:15:16. Rating: ****
Bobby Duncum made his long-awaited return from injury, and his unlikely partnership with Dory Funk Jr. against common enemies Terry Funk & Don Muraco is the reason for it. Bobby Duncum has made it clear that he wants the Intercontinental Title back, and this match went a long way to making that happen. I don't know if they were actually on the same page or if their mutual hatred for the champion and Muraco was that strong, but Duncum & Dory were not going to be detoured from a victory. After Dory had clotheslined Muraco out of the ring, Duncum caught Terry Funk with the Full Nelson Slam to get the emphatic victory. Duncum is back, and in a huge way!
Cage Match: Jimmy Snuka pinned Luke Graham with the Superfly Splash in 0:25:01. Rating: *** 1/2
We had already seen a fantastic night of wrestling, but nothing compared to the main event, which saw Jimmy Snuka & Luke Graham settle their feud once and for all in a steel cage match! Snuka has pulled off what many have called a series of upsets over the former World champion and one of the most dominant men in wrestling history, but there would be no upsets here. If the Superfly could beat Crazy Luke in the cage, he will have officially arrived. Problem is, to do that, he had to beat Luke Graham in a cage. This match went on like many of us predicted it would, with Graham having his way with Snuka. At about the 10 minute mark, the Superfly was busted wide open, and it looked like this would be the beginning of the end. But one thing you can't ever underestimate is a man's heart, and Snuka has heart in spades. Snuka wouldn't stay down for anything, and kept fighting back with flurries of offense, but it seemed like it was going to be too little too late. But then Snuka caught his big break when Graham charged him for a running Thumb to the Throat, but Snuka sidestepped and sent Graham head first into the steel! Graham was knocked loopy and crashed to the mat allowing Snuka to climb up the cage. He started to climb down the outside, but hesitated as the crowd cheered him on wildly. Snuka thought about it and then climbed back to the top, perching himself up there as the crowd rose to their feet. Snuka looked out to the masses and then soared through the air, crashing down on Graham with the Superfly Splash from the top of the cage! That was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen, and as you would expect, the pinfall was academic as Snuka was victorious. Snuka's dive off the top of the cage will be a moment we are talking about for years to come.
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
We are heading into December, and our next show will come from the Cobo Arena in Detroit on December 1!
WORLD TITLE - Harley Race (c) vs. Peter Maivia Billy Robinson vs. Mr. Wrestling I Dino Bravo vs. Billy Graham Pedro Morales vs. Stan Hansen
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 13, 2011 17:40:16 GMT -5
December 1, 1976 - Cobo Arena - Detroit, MI
Bobby Duncum pinned Don Muraco with the Full Nelson Slam in 0:14:15. Rating: *** 1/2
Bobby Duncum wants his shot at regaining the Intercontinental Title from Terry Funk, but Funk has tried to avoid letting this happen at all costs, sending his lackey Don Muraco to wrestle Duncum instead. Duncum was not pleased with this, and in the early going on the match looked to be overlooking Muraco. That was not a good idea, as Muraco has gotten bigger and stronger and has become a real handful to contend with. Duncum put on his game face though, and in a tough seesaw encounter, caught Muraco off guard by the Full Nelson Slam and took the win. Terry Funk won't have any other recourse now - he is being forced to defend the IC Title against Duncum on December 30 at MSG in our year-end show!
Jimmy Snuka defeated Killer Kowalski by countout in 0:09:27. Rating: * 3/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Jimmy Snuka.]
Jimmy Snuka is one show removed from the biggest win of his career, and the news had reached Detroit full throttle. The Superfly was over huge in the Cobo Arena, and that didn't bode well for veteran Killer Kowalski. Snuka is highly fueled by the reaction of the fans, and Snuka wasn't going to be slowed down by anybody. Snuka caught Kowalski with a huge headbutt that knocked him from the ring. Killer was unable to get himself back into the ring, and Snuka was victorious once again.
Mr. Wrestling I pinned Billy Robinson after a headbutt in 0:07:05. Rating: *** 1/4
Mr. Wrestling I's attitude has gotten out of control, and tonight, he finally got what was coming to him. During his match with Billy Robinson, Wrestling I was ended up using a move to win that we have seen him do before. He slipped a small metal plate inside of his mask and caught Robinson with a vicious headbutt, knocking him out cold to get the 1-2-3. This didn't sit well with a lot of people, most notably JACK BRISCO, who jumped out of the ring and attacked Mr. Wrestling I! During the onslaught, Brisco removed the mask, revealing the steel plate inside. Mr. Wrestling covered up his face and retreated to the back, but he has been had. GCW officials have decided to reinstate Brisco, who had been forced out of GCW thanks to that very steel plate some months ago. Brisco will get his chance for revenge on December 30 at MSG!
Mike Graham pinned Hiro Matsuda after a small package in 0:04:03. Rating: ** 1/2
Mike Graham showed his continued improvement by getting another win tonight, this time getting the better of Hiro Matsuda. Matsuda underestimated the rookie and found himself caught in a small package to put this one in the books. Based on his recent string of losses, Bobby Heenan has ended his contract with Matsuda, who is now a free agent.
Terry Funk made Tony Garea submit to the Spinning Toe Hold in 0:06:45. Rating: *** (Terry Funk retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
Terry Funk has a clash with Bobby Duncum on the horizon at the year-end show, but he had to be careful not to overlook Tony Garea, his opponent tonight. Funk was clearly the favorite, but when the Intercontinental Title is on the line, you can never be too careful. Despite a little resistance early on, Funk would get the win to keep the gold.
Stan Hansen pinned Pedro Morales with the Lariat in 0:11:32. Rating: *** 1/4
Stan Hansen has ditched his tag team partner and is ready to take the singles division by storm, and he made an emphatic statement here in Detroit. Hansen had a huge test in the form of GCW legend, Pedro Morales. Early on, Morales was easily frustrating Hansen, but this very much got the big burly Texan riled up. Even Morales seemed surprised by the return onslaught that followed, but even he didn't expect the brute force behind the Lariat that Hansen drilled him with. Hansen caught him high and Morales spun awkwardly, landing on his head and neck. As Morales lay motionless, Hansen made a quick cover and had pinned the former World champion! But the real news was that Morales wasn't moving. Medical personel hurried down to ringside and put Morales on a stretcher to take to the hospital. We later found out that Morales suffered a broken neck, and may never return to the ring again. We wish Morales a speedy recovery, and hopefully will see him in the ring again one day.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Sgt. Slaughter when Lanza pinned Monsoon after a lariat in 0:10:40. Rating: ** 1/4 (The Blackjacks retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
The crowd was a bit somber after what just happened with Pedro Morales, but the show must go on, and we had a World Tag Team Title match with the Blackjacks defending the gold against Gorilla Monsoon & Sgt. Slaughter. Monsoon & Slaughter looked like a mess tonight, their teamwork going ou the window pretty early on in the match. The young Slaughter is desperately trying to get respect wherever he can find it, and it's making him a poor teammate for Monsoon. This left Monsoon prone in the ring who took the brunt of a Blackjack Lanza lariat that finished this match off. One has to wonder how much longer Monsoon is going to put up with this.
Dory Funk Jr. pinned Nikolai Volkoff after a waistlock suplex in 0:12:00. Rating: ** 1/4
Dory Funk Jr. & Nikolai Volkoff rekindled their rivalry tonight, and the match was as hard-hitting as in the heyday of their battles. He took a lot of punishment from the big Russian, but the wrestling accumen of Dory Jr. allowed him to catch Volkoff with a waistlock suplex and narrowly escape with a victory.
Billy Graham defeated Dino Bravo when Dino Bravo passed out in the Bearhug in 0:09:34. Rating: * [Bobby Heenan interfered against Dino Bravo.]
Dino Bravo shouldn't have been wrestling tonight, that much is clear. After the beating he took from Billy Graham last month, the doctors recommended he didn't compet tonight. However, Bravo wanted a shot at redemption and insisted he take on the Superstar here at the Cobo Arena. You have to admire Bravo's heart, but his heart was much bigger than his brains here. Graham had his way with the injured French Canadian, putting him in the Bearhug. Bravo refused to give up, to his credit, but the writing was on the wall. Graham takes a dominant and decisive victory. However, he wanted to send a message to Bravo and refused to release the hold, trying to seriously injure him! It looked dire until JUMBO TSURUTA ran out and broke it up, sending the Superstar sprawling from the ring. Jumbo has demanded that he get his hands on Billy Graham, and we have learned he will get that opportunity at the year-end show!
Interview: Ivan Koloff proclaims his dominance over Dusty Rhodes, but gets a passionate response.
"The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff was out to do an interview before our main event, and as you would expect, he had less than friendly remarks about Dusty Rhodes. Koloff said that his pure domination of Rhodes was proof of how superior Russia is to the United States, and just like Dusty Rhodes, Russia will continue to dominate the US. This brought out an enraged Rhodes, who wasn't short on words for Koloff. Rhodes said to insult him was one thing - his win-loss record against the Russian Bear currently gave him the right to do so. But Rhodes said when you drag America into it, you're going too far. Rhodes said that he will not stand for that, and he will beat Koloff if it kills him, saying that he is the American Dream and that will turn into a nightmare for Koloff. Rhodes said he wanted one more match with Koloff at the year-end show, and to show how serious he was, he wanted it to be a Flag Match! Whoever wins the match gets to waive the flag of his country proudly. Koloff gladly accepted for the opportunity to humble Rhodes once and for all.
Harley Race pinned Peter Maivia with the Piledriver in 0:33:07. Rating: *** 1/2 (Harley Race retained the GCW World Title.)
Many feel that Harley Race crossed the line last month when he got on Peter Maivia about his accidental injuring of Bobo Brazil a few years back which ended the career of the former World champion and left him paralyzed from the waist down. Race thought he was completely in the High Chief's head until Maivia came out for this match… with BOBO BRAZIL! Brazil received a standing ovation from the fans in Detroit as Race looked shocked that Brazil was there to support Maivia in his quest to become the champion of the world. Maivia had everyone on his side to dethrone Race as champion, but though Brazil was there for support, his presence would ultimately cost Maivia the match. After thirty minutes of back and forth action, Race had the advantage and was on the floor. He decided to jawjack with Brazil, but something Brazil said really set him off, and he hauled off and slapped Brazil across the face! Maivia jumped out to Brazil's aid, throwing Race back in the ring and then checking on the former champ. When Maivia got back in the ring, Race caught him with a hard boot to the face and drove him into the canvas with the Piledriver, getting the 1-2-3. Maivia did everything he could, but he came up just short in winning the World Title.
Card rating: ** 1/2
Match observations:
The year-end show is shaping up to be huge, but before that, we will be in Japan at the Tokyo Dome for a gigantic card! The full card hasn't been announced, but we do know the main event will be Harley Race defending the World Title against Antonio Inoki!
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Post by rey619 on Feb 14, 2011 9:17:47 GMT -5
Good to see GCW back with another pair of great shows!
It's obvious that you're using some of the older legends to put the younger guys over (Luke Graham and Pedro Morales come to mind). Speaking of Morales, kayfabe injury or real?
The year-end show is shaping up real nice and good, but I don't think Inoki will win the belt from Race.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 14, 2011 21:39:08 GMT -5
Good to see GCW back with another pair of great shows! It's obvious that you're using some of the older legends to put the younger guys over (Luke Graham and Pedro Morales come to mind). Speaking of Morales, kayfabe injury or real? The year-end show is shaping up real nice and good, but I don't think Inoki will win the belt from Race. Luke Graham I used planning to elevate Snuka, and I think it worked. Morales is a kayfabe injury to explain that he didn't re-sign with me.
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Post by LillaThrilla on Feb 16, 2011 18:35:38 GMT -5
Was Mick Foley in the audience for Snuka's dive off the cage? SNUKA~!~!~!
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Post by gentlemanjeff on Feb 17, 2011 11:47:16 GMT -5
Hehe.
Man, ungrateful Pedro. Won't people be suspicious when he pops up in the GCW Universe's AWA or NWA, though?
"He lied to us! It's still real to me!"
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 17, 2011 13:08:41 GMT -5
Hehe. Man, ungrateful Pedro. Won't people be suspicious when he pops up in the GCW Universe's AWA or NWA, though? "He lied to us! It's still real to me!" Yeah, I'm not happy about it. I was hoping to keep Morales around for the entirety of his career. Now this means the only GCW original I have left is Gorilla Monsoon.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 22, 2011 15:30:13 GMT -5
December 23, 1976 - Tokyo Dome - Tokyo, Japan
Stan Hansen pinned Osamu Kido with the Lariat in 0:14:04. Rating: **** 1/4
Global Championship Wrestling was honored and excited to return to Japan for this huge supercard. The first match featured one of the young lions of GCW, Stan Hansen, taking on Osamu Kido. If this match was any indication of how this day of wrestling was going to go, we were in for an epic event. Hansen is fresh off of breaking the neck of Pedro Morales, and as sick as it sounds, his confidence was at an all-time high. Kido had home-field advantage, so to speak, and he wasn't going to let a young, loud, burly Texan simply have his way. Despite Kido's efforts, he couldn't avoid Hansen's huge Lariat. Fortunately Kido's neck wasn't broken, but he did lose the match as Hansen got another win.
Dory Funk Jr. defeated The Destroyer when The Destroyer passed out in the Texas Cloverleaf in 0:13:03. Rating: *** 1/4
This match was one a lot of fans were looking forward to as Dory Funk Jr. took on a wrestling legend, the masked Destroyer. Dory did not have an easy go of things as The Destroyer is one of the most notorious cheaters in wrestling history, and he certainly lived up to that reputation here. Funk knows how to get down and dirty with this best of them, which appeared to catch Destroyer off-guard. The Destroyer didn't know how to contend with this and got himself captured in the Texas Cloverleaf, a move he passed out in to lose the fall.
Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson defeated Dusty Rhodes and Peter Maivia when G. Anderson pinned Maivia with the Piledriver in 0:14:48. Rating: *** 1/4
We had a nice treat for long time GCW fans as we got to see Gene & Ole Anderson in action. The Minnesota Wrecking Crew are former 2-time World Tag Team champions, and it looks like during their time away from GCW, they have only gotten better. They took on the game team of Dusty Rhodes & Peter Maivia, who are as tough as nails, but as a team, you aren't going to find much better in the world than the Andersons, who picked up a win in a great contest.
Billy Graham made Mitsuo Momota submit to the Bearhug in 0:06:24. Rating: * 1/2 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Mitsuo Momota.]
We got to see Mitsuo Momota, the son of the legendary Rikidozan, who many consider to be the father of professional wrestling in Japan. "Superstar" Billy Graham wasn't even remotely impressed with who Momota's father was, as he pummeled Momota from bell-to-bell en route to taking a win in Tokyo.
Terry Funk made Kintaro Ohki submit to the Spinning Toe Hold in 0:11:33. Rating: *** 1/4 (Terry Funk retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
Terry Funk put his Intercontinental Title on the line against a legend in Japan and a former GCW talent, Kintaro Ohki. Ohki never held a title while in GCW, and wanted nothing more than to bring that championship back to the Land of the Rising Sun. Funk has a lot of experience wrestling in Japan and thus wasn't intimidated. Ohki looked great, but he couldn't find the move to get over the top to find the win. A missed kneedrop allowed Funk to lock on the Spinning Toe Hold to keep the title around his waist.
Riki Chosyu pinned Mr. Wrestling I after a fisherman suplex in 0:09:56. Rating: *** 1/2
Mr. Wrestling I came into Japan thinking he was going to easily beat whoever he wanted, but then he ran into Riki Chosyu. Chosyu isn't exactly popular in Japan either, but got the benefit of the doubt for being the "hometown" guy. Chosyu grabbed a big win by hooking a fisherman suplex to garner a 1-2-3.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka when Mulligan defeated Tanaka when Tanaka passed out in the Blackjack Claw in 0:13:28. Rating: ** 1/2 (The Blackjacks retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
We had our second of of three scheduled title matches next with The Blackjacks defending the World Tag Team Titles against another team who have held the titles in the past, Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka. The Blackjacks definitely had their hands full, and Bobby Heenan was sweating bullets as Fuji & Tanaka took it to Lanza & Mulligan. The match was tightly contested, but the champions showed just how much of an equalizer their dreaded Blackjack Claw is. Mulligan caught Tanaka out of nowhere with the Claw, and he cinched it in tight enough that the pain caused the Professor to pass out, giving the Blackjacks a close title defense.
No-Countout-No-DQ-Match: Abdullah the Butcher pinned Luke Graham with the Sudanese Elbowdrop in 0:11:31. Rating: 1/2*
Before we got to our much anticipated main event, we all beared witness to a tremendous, bloody brawl pitting Luke Graham against Abdullah the Butcher. Many people call Graham "Crazy," and anyone who is willing to take on the Madman From Sudan with no disqualifications has to be a little off his rocker. The match didn't take long to become a bloodbath, and as sinister as Luke Graham has shown us he can be over the years, Abby is the sickest man in all of wrestling. After a lot of bloodshed from both men, Abdullah gets the win after a fork-aided Sudanese Elbowdrop.
Harley Race and Antonio Inoki battled to a draw in 1:00:00. Rating: *** 3/4 (Harley Race retained the GCW World Title.)
No man is unbeatable, but if anyone is close, it is our World champion Harley Race. Harley has been the reigning champion for over two years now, and he has gotten by challenge after challenge after challenge. Tonight, he had one of his toughest to date against a former World champion, Antonio Inoki, in Inoki's backyard. If there was ever a time where a wrestler could find lightning in a bottle, it was Inoki here. Inoki looked to wrestle a conversative match with Race, knowing that Race specializes in capitalizing on his opponents' mistakes. Inoki's strategy worked almost to perfection. I saw almost, because if anything, he was TOO conservative. It was a great mat wrestling affair, but Race has tremendous stamina, and he rode Inoki out all the way to a well fought one hour time limit draw. Race seemed content with taking this non-finish, but he would later be distraught to find out that the GCW Championship Committee has determined that Antonio Inoki deserves a rematch, and he will get it at the year-end show on December 30! Now only that, but it will be 2-out-of-3 falls!
Card rating: ** 1/2
Match observations:
It's time for Global Championship Wrestling's biggest show of the year, the huge show to close out the year from Madison Square Garden! Look at the lineup we have announced so far:
WORLD TITLE REMATCH 2/3 FALLS - Harley Race (c) vs. Antonio Inoki INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE - Terry Funk (c) vs. Bobby Duncum FLAG MATCH - Dusty Rhodes vs. Ivan Koloff Jack Brisco vs. Mr. Wrestling I Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Graham Dory Funk Jr. vs. Don Muraco Mike Graham vs. Hiro Matsuda
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 22, 2011 15:30:45 GMT -5
December 30, 1976 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Jimmy Snuka, Peter Maivia and Billy Robinson defeated Killer Kowalski, Nikolai Volkoff and Stan Hansen when Robinson pinned Kowalski with the Double-Arm Suplex in 0:12:24. Rating: ** 3/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Peter Maivia.]
The year end show at Madison Square Garden is always one of the best shows of the year in all of wrestling. This one would be no exception, and it started off with a great 6-man tag team affair. There were no issues between the teams, other than Killer Kowalski & Stan Hansen begrudingly having to team up after the issues they've had. As you would expect, they didn't get along very well at all, making the whole team easy pickings for Billy Robinson, Peter Maivia, & Jimmy Snuka. Robinson finished the match off with the Double-Arm Suplex on Kowalski.
Hiro Matsuda pinned Mike Graham after a backslide in 0:09:03. Rating: **** 1/4
This was a rematch from the Cobo Arena where Mike Graham scored what many felt to be an upset over Hiro Matsuda, causing Matsuda to lose the services of manager Bobby Heenan. Matsuda wanted to show Heenan that he made a mistake by getting a win in the return bout. Graham showed some impressive moves, but the crafty nature of Matsuda allowed him to catch the young Graham in a backslide. With the help of his feet on the ropes, Matsuda captured the victory. On January 13, these two will wrestle in the rubber match to see who the better man truly is.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Dean Ho and Tony Garea when Lanza made Garea submit to the Blackjack Claw in 0:06:51. Rating: **** (The Blackjacks retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.) [Bobby Heenan interfered against Tony Garea.]
The Blackjacks are currently Bobby Heenan's top dogs, and as reigning 2-time World Tag Team champions, they wanted to go into 1977 still holding the gold. They would get a challenge from Dean Ho & Tony Garea here. Garea is a former tag team champion himself, and has tried for years to regain the titles, but has always fallen just short. Tonight would be more of the same as he & Ho couldn't get past Lanza & Mulligan. Maybe 1977 will bring better luck for Garea.
Gorilla Monsoon made Sgt. Slaughter submit to a bearhug in 0:06:20. Rating: ** 1/4
Sgt. Slaughter has grown increasingly vocal about his career frustrations, and he seems to be blaming a lot of it on his mentor and tag team partner, Gorilla Monsoon. Monsoon gave Slaughter the opportunity tonight to show he could do it on his own as the two had a match. Slaughter was confident he would be able to best the veteran, but Monsoon showed he still had some gas in the tank, getting the win over his protege' with a crushing bearhug. After the ring, Monsoon more or less demanded that Slaughter shake his hand, which he did after some trepidation. Hopefully this will put all of their problems in the past once and for all and they can focus on getting the tag team titles in 1977.
Mr. Wrestling I made Jack Brisco submit to the Sleeperhold in 0:15:17. Rating: *** 1/2
Jack Brisco returned and exposed Mr. Wrestling I for the cheating ways he has perpetrated over the last several months, getting himself reinstated in the process. Brisco's first match back was against Mr. Wrestling, and he was fired up to say the very least. Brisco kept himself in great shape during his time away, but he was neutralized by the persistant cheating of Mr. Wrestling I. Near the end of the match, Wrestling I again slid something into his mask, looking to headbutt Brisco once again. He never got the chance though as we saw the return of JERRY BRISCO, Jack's brother! Mr. Wrestling was distracted by the the younger Brisco, allowing Jack to lock him in the Sleeperhold! Mr. Wrestling I was put to sleep, and that was all she wrote. The Briscos weren't done though, as they got their ultimate revenge by ripping the mask off the unconscious Mr. Wrestling I, revealing TIM WOODS! Woods was underneath the mask the whole time! Maybe from this experience, he will learn his lesson once and for all.
Dory Funk Jr. pinned Don Muraco after a waistlock suplex in 0:08:03. Rating: ****
Don Muraco has tried and tried to get a win over his former mentor, Dory Funk Jr., but he has been unable to do so thus far. He knew doing so at this show would be huge, but he still seems to be missing that extra something to get him over the hump. Funk Jr. ends the year on a good note when a waistlock suplex put Muraco on his back for the 1-2-3.
Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Billy Graham with the Jumbo Knee in 0:13:29. Rating: *** 3/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Jumbo Tsuruta.]
Many feel that "Superstar" Billy Graham has went too far in recent months in his efforts to try to injure Dino Bravo. Graham blames Bravo for forcing he and his brother Luke to have to break up when they were considered by many to be one of the best tag teams in the world. Bravo's new partner, Jumbo Tsuruta, took offense to Graham's attacks and came to the defense of his partner, setting up this match. The Superstar is used to intimidating his opponents, but Jumbo is not easily intimidated, taking it right to Graham. This took the Superstar aback, but he neutralized that with some huge power moves, trying to soften up the back of Jumbo for the Bearhug. The plan of Graham & Bobby Heenan was put into play. Heenan removed one of the turnbuckle pads from a corner of the ring so Graham could send Jumbo crashing into it, but when the time came, Jumbo reversed it and it was the Superstar who met the cold steel! Jumbo quickly followed up with the Jumbo Knee, and 3 seconds later, this win was in the books.
Bruiser Brody pinned Luke Graham with the Bombs Away in 0:03:12. Rating: *** 1/4
Luke Graham never thought his night was going to pan out the way it did. Graham is still licking his wounds after the losses to Jimmy Snuka, and so he issued an open challenge for this show. The last person he expected to answer it was THE GRAND WIZARD, his former manager! The Wizard showed he wasn't there for a happy reunion as he took Graham to task for attacking him after they lost their match earlier this year to cause the Graham Brothers to break up. The Grand Wizard said he was back, and he brought his new client with him - BRUISER BRODY! Brody is famous the world over for being the best brawler in wrestling, and Graham learned that first hand. Graham has made his GCW career beating people up in dominant fashion, but he was completely manhandled by Brody here. It only took Brody three minutes to put this away with the Bombs Away kneedrop. From what The Grand Wizard said after the match, it looks like this is only the beginning for Luke Graham.
Terry Funk defeated Bobby Duncum by countout in 0:26:02. Rating: **** (Terry Funk retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
At long last, Bobby Duncum got a chance to regain his Intercontinental Title from the man who put him on the shelf to take the title from him, Terry Funk. Duncum came out like a house of fire, months of aggression pent up that he finally got to unleash here in the Garden. Despite how you feel about Funk personally, there is no denying that he is tough as nails, and he maliciously went after Duncum's neck from the opening bell. A normal man would have called it quits with the amount of punishment his neck took, but Duncum is not a normal man. He was too motivated by hate and revenge for that to happen, continually fighting back time and time again. The fight spilled to the floor later on in the contest, and Funk showed how ferocious he can be by slamming Duncum's neck into the ring post. Funk got the win after rolling back into the ring as Duncum got counted out. Funk wasn't finished though as he rolled Duncum back in the ring and grabbed a branding iron, wanting to put Duncum out of commission once and for all! Funk was ready to nail Duncum in the neck with it, but Duncum caught Funk with a desperation low blow to buy him some time. Funk took another swing, but Duncum blocked it and wrestled the branding iron away from him, reared back, and clocked the IC champ between the eyes! To put the icing on the cake, Duncum hoisted Funk up and drove him into the mat with a piledriver, a final nail in this feud.
[FLAG MATCH]: Dusty Rhodes pinned Ivan Koloff with the Bionic Elbowdrop in 0:11:08. Dusty Rhodes tore his right rotator cuff. He will be out for approximately 5 months. Rating: ** 1/2 [Lou Albano interfered against Dusty Rhodes.]
This was without question the most important match in the career of Dusty Rhodes. He has given himself the moniker, "The American Dream," and he put the pride of American on his back for this final contest with Ivan Koloff. This was all about country pride - whoever won the match would get to wave the flag of his country proudly in the ring, and that was something Rhodes just could not let happen. You have to give it to Rhodes. He hasn't been able to put a win on the board against Koloff, but not once has he been discouraged, pulling himself up by the boot straps time and time again and taking the fight to the Russian Bear. Rhodes took heart to a completely new level tonight, as in the early minutes of this match, he appeared to injure his shoulder, but he fought on. We found out after the fact that Rhodes suffered a torn rotator cuff, but he not only finished the match, but he won! Koloff and Captain Lou Albano tried everything in their bag of tricks, but nothing on God's green earth was going to keep Rhodes from the winner's circle. The Bionic Elbowdrop proved to be the difference as Rhodes got to win and wave Old Glory high in the air.
Two-out-of-three-Falls Match: Harley Race beat Antonio Inoki 2 falls to 1: x Race beat Inoki via the Piledriver in 0:18:31 x Inoki beat Race via a small package in 0:28:58 x Race beat Inoki via a flying headbutt in 0:40:37 Rating: **** 1/4 (Harley Race retained the GCW World Title.)
After a gutsy one hour draw in Tokyo, Harley Race & Antonio Inoki went at it one more time in the world's most famous arena, but this time it was best two out of three falls. We knew this one had the chance to be an all-time classic, and though it fell just short of that, it still was a great main event. It's always interesting to see what strategy the competitors are going to employ in a 2/3 falls match, but it's always a constant that the first fall is crucial. You don't want to fall into a 1-0 hole, but unfortunately for Inoki, that is exactly what happened. Inoki outwrestled Race in the opening stages of the match, but couldn't get Race to submit as he was wanting to do. Inoki seemed obsessed with getting a submission fall, which let Race find an opportunity to hit the Piledriver and take the first fall, a distinct advantage. After this, it became Race who made a mistake in strategy, thinking he had Inoki ripe for the picking because of the Piledriver. He took Inoki too lightly and got caught by surprise with a small package, tying the score at 1-1! Race was completely flustered as he now knew he was only 3 seconds away from no longer being World champion, and it didn't help his confidence in the least. Inoki had all the momentum and the buzz in the arena indicated that we were on the brink of a brand new champion. Race tried desperately to cut off the momentum of Inoki, but the former champion was a step ahead of him at every move. Inoki and Race both ended up on the top rope, which allowed Race to turn this around. He hit a headbutt which sent Inoki crashing to the mat. A diving headbutt followed and somehow, Handsome Harley once again found a way to escape with the World Heavyweight Title around his waist.
Card rating: *** 1/2
Match observations:
1976 was a good year for Global Championship Wrestling, and we're hoping 1977 will be even better! This first show of the year is in Philadelphia on January 13!
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Blackjacks (c) vs. Gorilla Monsoon/Sgt. Slaughter Luke Graham vs. Bruiser Brody Billy Robinson vs. Stan Hansen Mike Graham vs. Hiro Matsuda
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 22, 2011 15:51:16 GMT -5
WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Harley Race TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR: The Blackjacks MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Bobby Heenan MATCH OF THE YEAR: World Tag Team Title Match - Larry Zbyszko/Dino Bravo (c) vs. The Graham Brothers, Chicago, IL - 1/29/76 FEUD OF THE YEAR: Dusty Rhodes vs. Ivan Koloff MOST POPULAR: Jimmy Snuka MOST HATED: Harley Race NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jumbo Tsuruta
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 24, 2011 19:20:03 GMT -5
January 13, 1977 - The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA
Bob Backlund pinned Johnny Rodz with the Atomic Drop in 0:05:15. Rating: *** 3/4
1977 began with a debut. Johnny Rodz got the task of taking on the much-heralded Bob Backlund, a find of the returning Arnold Skaaland. Backlund is a great amateur standout and wants to apply his craft in Global Championship Wrestling. Rodz unpredictable act this show was only punching with his left hand… I can't make this stuff up. Despite this, well, "innovative" strategy, Rodz wasn't in the same league as Backlund, who looked fantastic in his debut, hitting the Atomic Drop to get the victory. Backlund has the makings of being a game changer here in GCW. Quite a find by Skaaland.
Killer Kowalski pinned Tony Garea after a back suplex in 0:08:42. Rating: *** 1/4 (Dino Bravo no-showed.)
This match was scheduled to be Dino Bravo vs. Killer Kowalski, but Bravo is still nursing injuries he suffered at the hands of Billy Graham. Therefore, Tony Garea took Bravo's place, a decision he may end up regretting. Kowalski was extra vicious tonight, wanting to put a hurting on somebody. Garea couldn't keep the monster down, and a big back suplex sealed his fate.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Sgt. Slaughter when Lanza defeated Monsoon when Monsoon passed out in the Blackjack Claw in 0:12:55. Rating: ** 1/4 (The Blackjacks retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
What an ungrateful punk Sgr. Slaughter is! Gorilla Monsoon has gone above and beyond to mentor the young Marine, and Slaughter has been nothing but a crybaby jerk. But tonight, he went too far. Monsoon & Slaughter had a huge opportunity, challenging the Blackjacks for the World Tag Team Titles. For most of this match, it looked like Monsoon & Slaughter had settled their differences - that is, until the end. Monsoon had been in the ring for awhile taking a lot of abuse, but he got some separation when he ducked a clothesline from Blackjack Mulligan and hit one of his own. Monsoon crawled over to make the cover, but when he got there, Slaughter dropped to the floor and headed for the back, leaving Monsoon high and dry! The look on Monsoon's face said it all, but he didn't get much of a chance to stew as Lanza locked on the Blackjack Claw, zapping the last of Monsoon's energy to retain the gold. When Monsoon came to, he stomped to the back in search of Slaughter. He'll get his hands on him on February 6 at the Boston Garden.
Mike Graham and Hiro Matsuda battled to a double countout in 0:10:24. Rating: ***
This match between Mike Graham and Hiro Matsuda was supposed to serve as the rubber match, as each man had previously scored a victory over the other. However, we'll have to wait at least one more show for that, as the two battled to the floor and didn't beat the count, resulting in a double countout. A rematch has been signed for the Boston Garden.
Interview: Jimmy Snuka wants a shot at the Intercontinental Title.
Before our next contest pitting Terry Funk defending the Intercontinental Title against Peter Maivia, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka came out and grabbed the microphone. Snuka had a banner year in in 1976, and he wants 1977 to be even better. Snuka said he didn't care who won this match - he wanted to challenge the winner to a match for the gold. Maivia gladly accepted and said he would be happy to give Snuka a shot, but Funk looked a bit more tentative, giving a non-committal answer. Either way, this match had a lot more intrigue to it.
Peter Maivia defeated Terry Funk by disqualification in 0:14:41. Rating: ** 1/2 (Terry Funk retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
Terry Funk has held the Intercontinental Title for several months now, and whether you like him or not, he has been a great champion. Peter Maivia has never held championship gold in GCW, but this was a prime opportunity for him to change that. Jimmy Snuka stayed at ringside to observe the match, and this seemed to rattle Funk, who would take time to jaw with the Superfly any chance he had. This almost led to him losing the title on many occasions as the High Chief was focused on nothing but winning the match. Funk got desperate and grabbed the Intercontinental Title from the timekeeper's table, brought it in the ring, and blasted Maivia in the face with it - a blatant disqualification if there ever was one. Funk looked to hit a piledriver on Maivia as well, but Snuka jumped in the ring and broke that up by dropkicking Funk, sending him flying to the outside. Maivia is going to get one more shot at the gold in Boston, while Funk has told his lackey Don Muraco to take Snuka out.
Bobby Duncum pinned Tim Woods after a belly-to-belly suplex in 0:08:12. Rating: **** 1/4
Mr. Wrestling had his mask removed by the Brisco Brothers at our last show in MSG, revealing his identity to be Tim Woods. Woods has been completely rattled since losing the mask, and he looked to regain his focus here against Bobby Duncum. Woods appeared to be trying way too hard, and that's something you can't do against Duncum. Duncum took complete advantage of this, drilling Woods with a belly-to-belly suplex for the 1-2-3.
The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) defeated The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikolai Volkoff) when Jack Brisco pinned I. Koloff after hitting him with the cane in 0:13:00. Rating: ** 1/4 [Lou Albano interfered against Jerry Brisco.] [Lou Albano interfered against Jack Brisco.]
Speaking of the Brisco Brothers, they were reunited for the first time in years and they have made it known that their only focus now is to win the World Tag Team Titles. A win here against the Russians would go a long way into getting them into title contention, but you know Captain Lou Albano would have his men prepared. The Russians haven't teamed up a lot recently due to Ivan Koloff's battles with Dusty Rhodes. Even though Jack & Jerry hadn't teamed up in even longer, they are brothers, and they looked like they hadn't missed a beat. Albano tried to play equalizer by jumping up on the apron and distracting referee Terry Taranova so he could throw the cane into Koloff. Jack Brisco blocked the blow though, grabbed the cane, and smashed it over the Russian Bear's head! The pinfall was academic at that point.
Stan Hansen pinned Billy Robinson with the Lariat in 0:09:55. Rating: *** 3/4
If Stan Hansen wasn't someone to be afraid of before, he certainly is now. Specifically, the Lariat is proving to be the most dangerous move in all of wrestling. Not only did he break the neck of Pedro Morales with it, but tonight, he can add Billy Robinson's neck to his trophy case. Robinson did what he could to corale the big burly youngster, but once Hansen got free, that power was dominant. Hansen reared back and smashed Robinson hard with the Lariat, and in the same sickening way we had seen before, Robinson fell in a heap. Hansen got the victory, but the bigger story was Robinson was hurt and hurt badly. Much like Morales, Robinson suffered a broken neck and it looks like his career too is over. Something needs to be done about Hansen and his Lariat.
Luke Graham and Bruiser Brody battled to a double disqualification in 0:08:17. Rating: ** 1/2
Luke Graham was better prepared for Bruiser Brody this time around, and it was clear from the get go that neither man was necessarily trying to simply win a match. Both men were looking to maim the other, and referee Danny Bartfield lost control of this one from the opening bell. It was your ultimate slugfest, and eventually Bartfield became frustrated and tossed this match out - a double disqualification. Graham & Brody sure didn't seem to mind as the battle raged on before a slew of security personnel finally broke them up. There will be no need to break them up in Boston, as GCW officials have determined that these two are going to settle their differences in a steel cage!
Dory Funk Jr. defeated Billy Graham by disqualification in 0:09:07. Rating: *** 1/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Dory Funk Jr..]
It is surprising that in all the years of GCW, Dory Funk Jr. & Billy Graham had never locked horns in the ring. That changed tonight in The Spectrum. The match had a "big fight feel" to it based on the reputations of these two, largely considered two of the greatest in GCW history to never hold the World Title. This match was a small sampling of what these two could give us in the future, but tonight's match was cut short when the Superstar got himself disqualified by refusing to break a chokehold. Not the way anyone wanted the match to end, but fortunately for us, we will see a rematch in Boston. And to put a cherry on top, we have learned it will be to determine the #1 contender for the World Title!
Harley Race pinned Jumbo Tsuruta after a roll up in 0:25:00. Rating: *** 1/2 (Harley Race retained the GCW World Title.)
The main event of our first show of 1977 was for the World Title. Harley Race is in his third year as champion, and is quickly approaching the all-time record for longest title reign. He had a tough young gun to contend with as he put the gold against Jumbo Tsuruta. Jumbo earned this title shot by being the Newcomer of the Year for 1976, and if he won the World Title tonight, he'd make a huge step toward being Wrestler of the Year for 1977. Though Jumbo is inexperienced, he is one of those wrestlers who just gets it - a complete natural. Race had his hands full with Tsuruta, who seemed to be a step ahead of Handsome Harley at every turn. You don't often see it, but you could sense fear in Race, a fear that he felt the title slipping out of his grasp. Race had to resort to nefarious tactics to keep the gold around his waist. Jumbo had all the momentum on his side as he went for the Jumbo Knee, but Race sidestepped and rolled him up. Not only that, but he grabbed a handful of tights for added leverage to get a very tainted win. The fans were so livid about this, so thoroughly behind wanting to see Jumbo take the gold that security had to rush Harley Race out of the building. Has Race finally met his match?
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
We are going to have perhaps the best card we've ever had in the Boston Garden, and it will take place on February 6th with the following matches on deck:
WORLD TITLE REMATCH - Harley Race (c) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE REMATCH - Terry Funk (c) vs. Peter Maivia WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Blackjacks (c) vs. Tony Garea/Dean Ho #1 CONTENDERS MATCH - Dory Funk Jr. vs. Billy Graham STEEL CAGE MATCH - Luke Graham vs. Bruiser Brody Gorilla Monsoon vs. Sgt. Slaughter Jimmy Snuka vs. Don Muraco The Brisco Brothers vs. The Russians Mike Graham vs. Hiro Matsuda Bob Backlund vs. Killer Kowalski Dino Bravo vs. Tim Woods
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 24, 2011 19:24:27 GMT -5
February 6, 1977 - Boston Garden - Boston, MA
Tim Woods made Dino Bravo submit to the Sleeperhold in 0:06:59. Rating: ** 3/4
Dino Bravo made his return to the ring after the injuries he suffered at the hands of Billy Graham, taking on "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods. Bravo claims he is at 100%, but from watching him in the ring here, he looked rusty at best and still hurt at worse, and the malicious Woods took full advantage of this once he picked up on it. Woods wore Bravo down before slapping on the Sleeperhold, causing Bravo to pass out.
Mike Graham made Hiro Matsuda submit to the Sleeperhold in 0:12:11. Rating: ****
Mike Graham & Hiro Matsuda needed a fourth match to determine who was the better man, and it appears as though that man is the young Graham. Graham is showing great improvement every time he steps in the ring, and winning this feud with Matsuda goes a long way to show where he is heading. I'm interested to see what the next step is for Mike Graham.
Gorilla Monsoon defeated Sgt. Slaughter by disqualification in 0:04:23. Rating: * 1/4
Sgt. Slaughter showed just what kind of punk he is when he left Gorilla Monsoon high and dry in a World Tag Team Title match in Philly, and now Monsoon wanted to take Slaughter out behind the wood shed. For most of this match, that's exactly what he did. Slaughter had a look on his face like he knew he had bitten off more than he could chew. In an act of pure desperation, Slaughter pulled a railroad spike out of his boot and jabbed Monsoon in the forehead with it for a clear disqualification. Slaughter continued the attack with spike, bloodying the face of Monsoon before officials escorted Slaughter to the back.
Bob Backlund pinned Killer Kowalski with the Atomic Drop in 0:08:17. Rating: ***
We got our second taste of Bob Backlund in action, and this match would go a long way to showing exactly what kind of competitor Backlund really is as he took on wrestling legend and notoriously one of the toughest men in the world, Killer Kowalski. Backlund showed just what kind of wrestling technique he possesses as he proved that it doesn't matter how big you are - if he can get a hold of you, he can bring you to the canvas. Backlund took his lumps, but in the end, the Atomic Drop marked a win for Bob Backlund.
We learned after the show that Kowalski has chosen to end a legendary career, choosing to retire from the great sport of wrestling. You may not like the guy, but there is no denying what a feared competitor he has been for years.
Terry Funk defeated Peter Maivia by countout in 0:14:16. Rating: ** (Terry Funk retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
Terry Funk may have escaped in cheap fashion last month to retain his Intercontinental Title, but this time around against "High Chief" Peter Maivia, Funk kept the strap fair and square. He caught a bit of a break, but in wrestling, you have to take advantage of any breaks you can get. After a good back and forth affair, Funk caught Maivia hard with a clothesline, knocking Maivia through the ropes and to the floor. Maivia took a nasty spill on the concrete, and as a result, was unable to answer the count of referee Willie Webber, giving Funk a countout victory and a successful title defense. This, however, would not be the last we saw of the IC champ.
The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikolai Volkoff) defeated the Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) when I. Koloff pinned Jack Brisco after the Iron Curtain in 0:17:33. Rating: **
The Briscos and The Russians met in a return match, and this one was even more intense than the first one. Captain Lou Albano has announced in recent interviews that he wants Ivan Koloff & Nikolai Volkoff holding the tag titles by the end of the year, and that can't possibly happen if they keep losing matches. It seems like the vote of confidence from Albano really lit a fire underneath the Russians, as they were certainly more invested than they were last month. Still, the Briscos are a tough match no matter the circumstances, and they weren't just going to let Albano's men walk away with a win. Albano played his part in making sure it happened, tripping Jack Brisco up as he hit the ropes during a comeback. He stumbled right into the Iron Curtain from the Russians, putting this one in the books.
We are excited to announce though that on March 2 at Madison Square Garden, these teams will meet for a third time, and a shot at the World Tag Team Titles will be on the line!
Interview: Stan Hansen believes everyone is scared to wrestle him.
Stan Hansen was not scheduled for a match tonight, but he did come out for an interview. Hansen was in rare form, and in a tasteless display, bragged about breaking the necks of both Pedro Morales & Billy Robinson, ending both of their careers. Hansen bragged about how the Lariat is the most dangerous move in wrestling, and because of that move, nobody in GCW wants to wrestle him (explaining, in his eyes, why he didn't have a match tonight). One man wanted to show he wasn't afraid, and that was BOBBY DUNCUM. Duncum said he is a lot of things, but he is afraid of no man, ESPECIALLY Hansen. He puncuated that point by slapping Hansen right across the face before sending him out over the top to the floor! Hansen was completely flabbergasted and vowed to get revenge on Duncum sooner rather than later.
Jimmy Snuka pinned Don Muraco after a splash in 0:13:45. Rating: ** 3/4
Jimmy Snuka wants a shot at the Intercontinental Title, but to get one, champion Terry Funk had said that Snuka would need to defeat Funk's lackey, Don Muraco. The two wrestled in this one, and Funk made an appearance at ringside in the early minutes. Throughout the match, Funk did everything he could to distract Snuka, interfering left and right to give Muraco the edge. But no matter what he did, Snuka refused to stay down. Funk went for broke late in the match, jumping on the apron with the IC Title and instructed Muraco to whip Superfly toward him. Muraco tried, but Snuka reversed it and Funk clobbered Muraco with the title belt by mistake! Snuka followed up with a splash and got the 1-2-3, and thus, if Funk is a man of his word, will get a future shot at the gold!
After the match, Funk belittled Muraco for losing the match, blaming it all on him. Funk completely lost his cool and slapped Muraco before setting him up for a piledriver! Before he could hit the move, Snuka was back in the ring and he chased Funk to the back. In a great show of respect, Muraco & Snuka shook hands. Hopefully seeing this out of Funk will help Muraco see a new light and turn things around.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Dean Ho and Tony Garea when Mulligan made Garea submit to the Blackjack Claw in 0:08:43. Rating: *** (The Blackjacks retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
Bobby Heenan has the Blackjacks wrestling at the top of their game, which is good because they are the reigning World Tag Team champions. They put the straps on the line against Tony Garea & Dean Ho, who have been close to winning the titles before but haven't been able to get over the hump. They came as close as they ever have here, but again, Lanza & Mulligan are on the top of their game. That, and each is the master of one of the most painful submission moves in all of wrestling, the Blackjack Claw. Ask Garea how much the move hurts, as he fell victim to it here.
Number-One-Contenders-Match: Dory Funk Jr. pinned Billy Graham after a small package in 0:25:54. Rating: **** 1/2 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Dory Funk Jr..]
If you ever wanted to see just how important a shot at the World Title is, just watch this match between Dory Funk Jr. & Billy Graham. The winner was going to walk away with a future title shot at the World Title, and both men wrestled with such a fervor because they know how few and far between title matches are. Some of the best wrestlers of all time have gone their entire careers and not had a shot at the top prize in the game. This was your classic technician vs. powerhouse matchup, and both men featured long stretches where they had the upperhand with their respective styles. Funk may have had another advantage over Graham in one department, and that's in heart. Funk showed heart in spades, getting locked in the Superstar's Bearhug but refusing to submit. It took him a few minutes, but Funk managed to get out of the hold. This threw Graham entirely off his game, and he never really seemed to regain his composure. Later on, he went for the Bearhug again, but Funk caught him with a small package and just like that had secured a 3 count! With this win, Dory Funk Jr. will get a shot at the World Heavyweight Title!
Cage Match: Bruiser Brody defeated Luke Graham by escaping the cage in 0:13:40. Rating: ***
We knew this cage match was going to be brutal, but we had no idea it would reach this level of viciousness. We do know for sure now that Bruiser Brody is one of the sickest men in the world. Brody has no regards for his own well being, let alone the well being of his opponent. Top that off with The Grand Wizard's diabolical quest to hurt Luke Graham and we knew we were going to have a bloodbath. I don't want to make it sound like this was all Brody. As we've come to know over the years, Luke Graham is as sick as they come, making his career in GCW with the blood of his opponents' on his hands. The blood poured from both men as they maliciously went at each other, not so much trying to win the match as much as trying to make it so the other man couldn't stand up. It looked like the veteran savvy of Graham was going to put this one in the books when he hit the Thumb to the Throat. However, when he got to the cage door, The Grand Wizard slammed it back into his face! Graham was nailed smack in the forehead with the steel and knocked loopy. Brody got up and hit the Bombs Away which completely put Crazy Luke out. Brody crawled over to the door and was declared the victor.
Jumbo Tsuruta defeated Harley Race by countout in 0:31:44. Rating: **** 1/4 (Harley Race retained the GCW World Title.)
I was starting to think it would never happen, but Harley Race has been handed his first loss! It came tonight by the hands of Jumbo Tsuruta, who challenged Race for the World Title. Since Race's debut back in 1974, he has not suffered a loss of any kind in singles competition, but that was before he ran into the buzzsaw that is Jumbo Tsuruta. Race thought he had the match under control, but Jumbo is a fighter. Jumbo kept fighting back and fighting back, not letting anything stop him from his desire to become the champion. Jumbo held on long enough for Race to make a mistake. Race missed the diving headbutt from the top, which gave Jumbo the small opening to hit the Jumbo Knee. He cracked Race good, but possibly TOO good, knocking the champion to the floor. Handsome Harley was completely unconscious and was counted out of the ring, awarding this match to Jumbo. But since it was a countout, Tsuruta does NOT win the championship.
However, this is a major development as up until this match, no one had EVER defeated Race in one-on-one competition, an honor Jumbo now holds. This is the first major chink in Race's armor. Could this be the first sign that Race's dominant reign is in jeopardy?
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
So many heated rivalries in GCW, and they're going to boil over on March 2 as we go back to Madison Square Garden! Look at what we have on tap for you, wrestling fans!
WORLD TITLE - Harley Race (c) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta #1 CONTENDERS MATCH - The Brisco Brothers vs. The Russians Bobby Duncum vs. Stan Hansen Jimmy Snuka/Don Muraco vs. Terry Funk/Sgt. Slaughter Mike Graham vs. Bruiser Brody Bob Backlund vs. Hiro Matsuda**
And surely, more matches to be announced!
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 24, 2011 19:31:02 GMT -5
March 2, 1977 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Bob Backlund pinned Hiro Matsuda with the Atomic Drop in 0:07:46. Rating: *** 1/4
Bob Backlund made his Madison Square Garden debut, and he didn't look intimidated by the bright lights at all. He had a big test in Hiro Matsuda, and he passed the test with flying colors. Arnold Skaaland has Backlund on a training regiment designed for him to become a champion, and so far, it looks to be working perfectly. Backlund took Matsuda's best shot, weathered the storm, hit the Atomic Drop, and made his MSG debut a successful one.
Billy Graham pinned Tony Garea after a powerslam in 0:02:55. Rating: * 3/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Tony Garea.]
If we've learned anything about "Superstar" Billy Graham over the years, it's that it is best to avoid him when he is in a bad mood. He was in a HORRIBLE mood tonight, and Tony Garea did not avoid him. Graham is fuming over not being the #1 contender for the World Title, and he took it out on Garea. Superstar jumped Garea before the bell and never let up, not even letting Garea get a punch in before pinning him with a powerslam. Graham may have missed his opportunity, but Bobby Heenan has him fired up to raise hell for the superstars of GCW.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Dino Bravo and Peter Maivia when Mulligan defeated Bravo when Bravo passed out in the Blackjack Claw in 0:13:32. Rating: *** 3/4
Dino Bravo took a little time off these last couple weeks, and finally appears to be at 100%. Bravo has made it his goal to once again win the World Tag Team Titles, but he needs a new tag team partner as Jumbo Tsuruta has moved on to the singles division. Bravo teamed up with Peter Maivia to see how they would work together in this non-title match against the Blackjacks. Bravo & Maivia did okay for themselves, but that extra something was missing to become a fluid tag team. The Blackjacks get the victory. Bravo & Maivia shook hands after the match, and have agreed that their team just wasn't meant to be. Back to the drawing board for Dino Bravo.
Bruiser Brody pinned Mike Graham with the Bombs Away in 0:08:44. Rating: ***
After what happened to his uncle Luke Graham in the cage match last month, Mike Graham wanted to get a piece of Bruiser Brody in the worst way, asking for this match. Though you have to admire the loyalty to his family, but this was not a safe situation for Mike Graham. Aside from an early flurry to kick off the match, Brody systematically tore Graham apart. Brody could have put Graham away at any point, but he chose to "teach him a lesson" as the Grand Wizard put it. Brody kept beating on Graham until he mercifully finished it off with the Bombs Away.
After the bell, Brody hit one more Bombs Away. He went out and grabbed the ring bell to use as a weapon, but a worse for wear LUKE GRAHAM ran out and chased Brody and the Wizard off. The beating was bad, but it looks like Mike Graham is going to be okay. Lords knows it could have been a lot worse if it weren't for Luke Graham. We are hearing some early rumblings that the uncle and nephew are planning some sort of revenge against Brody & The Grand Wizard.
Dory Funk Jr. and Tim Woods battled to a draw in 0:20:00. Rating: ****
Dory Funk Jr. is the #1 contender for the World Title, and he awaits the winner for tonight's Harley Race/Jumbo Tsuruta main event to see who he will challenge in Baltimore. He had a match with Tim Woods to get through first, and in uncharacteristic fashion, it looked like Dory may have been overlooking Woods somewhat. Woods may have the worst attitude in GCW, but he is a serious obstacle in the ring. Woods took Funk to the limit - the time limit, as after 20 minutes, neither man could put the other way which resulted in a draw. It remains to be seen whether this non-victory will rattle Funk going into his title match, or if this will serve to rejuvenate Mr. Wrestling.
Sgt. Slaughter and Terry Funk defeated Don Muraco and Jimmy Snuka when T. Funk made J. Snuka submit to the Spinning Toe Hold in 0:15:06. Rating: **** 1/4
It was a setup the whole time! We thought that Don Muraco had perhaps seen the light and was done with being Terry Funk's lackey as he teamed with Jimmy Snuka to take on Funk & Sgt. Slaughter, and it looked like everything was on the up and up. In hindsight, we should have noticed that Funk & Muraco never locked up in the ring, but hindsight is 20/20. Late in this match, it looked bleak for Funk as Slaughter was chased to the back by GORILLA MONSOON, who was looking for retribution for the railroad spike attack in Boston. Funk was trapped alone in the ring with Funk while new referee Tommy Young was occupied with the Monsoon/Slaughter situation. This distraction let Muraco enter the ring and take Snuka's leg out with a chop block! The Superfly's knee may have been blown out, and he received no help from Funk who locked him in the Spinning Toe Hold. The pain was excruciating and Snuka had no choice but to submit.
After the event, Terry Funk offered Snuka his IC Title shot at our next show, knowing full well that Snuka's knee is in really bad shape. But in a shocker, Snuka turned him down, and said he wants a match with Don Muraco in Baltimore instead! The match has been signed and will take place on March 30.
Not only that, but on March 30, we have learned that the long-standing issues with Gorilla Monsoon & Sgt. Slaughter will come to an end. Monsoon wants to be rid of Slaughter and has challenged him to a Loser-Leaves-Town match! Slaughter agreed, but under one condition - he gets to pick the stipulation for the match. Monsoon agreed, and we now know it will be a Boot Camp Match!
Bobby Duncum pinned Stan Hansen after hitting him with a foreign object in 0:06:54. Rating: ***
Bobby Duncum goaded Stan Hansen into making a mistake tonight. Hansen is going around claiming that everyone in GCW is afraid of him and his Lariat due to him breaking the necks of Pedro Morales & Billy Robinson, and Duncum used this bravado to his advantage. Duncum showed that he wasn't afraid of the Lariat, which made the young Hansen try time after time to hit the aforementioned move. Duncum would use some nefarious tactics as well, grabbing his cowbell from ringside. When Hansen ran in for the Lariat, Duncum clocked him with the cowbell. He got rid of the evidence and made the pinfall. Hansen was outsmarted, plain and simple.
Number-One-Contenders-Match: The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) defeated The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikolai Volkoff) when Jack Brisco made Volkoff submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:16:39. Rating: ** 3/4 [Lou Albano interfered against Jerry Brisco.] [Lou Albano interfered against Jack Brisco.]
Third match was the charm, and this time whichever team won - whether it be the Brisco Brothers or the Russians - would get a shot at the World Tag Team Titles. It was a highly competitive match that could have went either way had a break went differently. However, the determination of Jack & Jerry Brisco was not to be detoured as they picked up the win, and more importantly, the next shot at the Blackjacks and the World Tag Team Titles.
Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Harley Race after a German suplex in 0:22:34. Rating: *** 1/2 (Jumbo Tsuruta won the GCW World Title.)
March 2, 1977. Mark down the date, because history has been made. In what may be considered the biggest upset in GCW history, the dominant reign of Harley Race as World champion is officially over. The man to dethrone Race? Jumbo Tsuruta. Jumbo is a highly skilled wrestler, a fact that no one will deny. But most figured he didn't have a legitimate chance at taking the title due to his relative inexperience. After all, he has only been around since early 1976, and in that time he primarily wrestled as a tag team with Dino Bravo. Race took Jumbo too lightly and it cost him his title. Race convinced himself that the countout loss in Boston was a fluke and that he had nothing to worry about, but Jumbo showed he is anything but a flash in the pan. Jumbo wrestled the perfect match, and caught Race with a German suplex. There was a lot of controversy here,as replays showed that it looked like Race MAY have gotten his shoulder up just in time, but referee Dick Kroll did not see it and counted Handsome Harley's shoulders to the mat. With a 1-2-3, Jumbo Tsuruta was crowned the 15th World champion in Global Championship Wrestling history.
Race was livid after the match, yelling to anyone who would listen that he got his shoulder up. He tried to explain his case to Dick Kroll, and when Kroll didn't give him the answer he wanted, he nailed him with a right hand and dropped him with the Piledriver! That was completely uncalled for and not how a man of Race's stature should act. As a result, Harley Race has been FIRED from GCW! What a terrible night for Race, who apparently is no longer with the company. But what's important now is that we move forward, so congratulations to Jumbo Tsuruta, the new World champion!
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
GCW has been turned on its head as we have a new World champion! But he won't get to rest on his laurels as his first title defense will be from the Civic Center in Baltimore, MD on March 30!
WORLD TITLE - Jumbo Tsuruta (c) vs. Dory Funk Jr. WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Blackjacks (c) vs. The Brisco Brothers Jimmy Snuka vs. Don Muraco BOOT CAMP MATCH - Gorilla Monsoon vs. Sgt. Slaughter
Not only that, but Luke & Mike Graham will make an announcement!
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Post by gentlemanjeff on Feb 25, 2011 12:35:48 GMT -5
Wow. No idea where this is going to go.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 25, 2011 13:05:51 GMT -5
Wow. No idea where this is going to go. Ha ha. Where what is going to go?
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Crpls
Midcarder
Posts: 140
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Post by Crpls on Feb 25, 2011 16:54:11 GMT -5
I bet Harley Race runs from GCW like a goddamn coward.
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Post by rey619 on Feb 26, 2011 15:13:30 GMT -5
Holy batshit, Harley Race quit on you. What an ungrateful cur! Wasn't a 3 year winning streak enough for him?
I also enjoy the heck out of you using Hansen's lariat as a storyline to write out any who quits. Really helps build up the move.
End of 76 / beginning of 77 contains some really nice booking/writing. Can't wait to see where you go from here.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 26, 2011 16:12:52 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm pretty furious about it. I like Jumbo, but not really as the World champion right now. I kind of got booked into a corner with it though because of timing. I tried to write it in a way where if I can rehire him, he'll have a storyline when he comes back.
Now I just have to hope Jumbo is built enough to carry the top title.
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Crpls
Midcarder
Posts: 140
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Post by Crpls on Feb 26, 2011 22:10:21 GMT -5
He blames me for Race quitting. Not sure if Jumbo was ready for the title at the beginning of the series, but you did a good job of using the first two matches to get him there.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 27, 2011 15:35:14 GMT -5
He blames me for Race quitting. Not sure if Jumbo was ready for the title at the beginning of the series, but you did a good job of using the first two matches to get him there. Because you jinxed me, Carp! You're a damn witch, WITCH I SAY!
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Crpls
Midcarder
Posts: 140
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Post by Crpls on Feb 27, 2011 23:49:14 GMT -5
To be fair to Carp, you brought up "oh wah so many guys quit on me" first.
YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELF, RYAN.
#justsaying
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Post by gentlemanjeff on Feb 28, 2011 11:28:16 GMT -5
The only explanation for Race quitting on you, in GCW Universe terms, would be a disagreement between him and the promoter ala Flair/NWA and Bret/WWF or simply a case of another promotion throwing oodles and oddles of cash at him. Have you chalked it up to anything like your Sammartino story?
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 28, 2011 13:30:58 GMT -5
The only explanation for Race quitting on you, in GCW Universe terms, would be a disagreement between him and the promoter ala Flair/NWA and Bret/WWF or simply a case of another promotion throwing oodles and oddles of cash at him. Have you chalked it up to anything like your Sammartino story? I basically wrote it off as Race wanted more money for carrying the promotion. He didn't get it, so he walked, but was at least professional enough to drop the title before leaving.
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