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Post by rebelins313 on May 11, 2011 15:32:12 GMT -5
As you get into the early 80s I hope you do the Slaughter/Sheik feud. Even watching those matches those two had now it's amazing the heat and "feel" their matches had. Brutal brawls and maybe the best rivalry of the early 80s.
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Post by phudjie on May 12, 2011 2:07:07 GMT -5
1) What do you like about GCW? not overly wordy, I can blow through 3 or 4 cards in a reasonable amount of time, even is I miss a few and have to catch up, I don't have to invest a great deal of time 2) What don't you like about GCW? too many of the same gimmicks, you have alot of cowboys running around 3) What wrestlers would you like to see me bring in (keeping in mind this is 1978 )? When did Big John Studd start? Ric Flair (wasn't his plane crash in '77), Greg Valentine, Andre the Giant, Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon, Nick Bockwinkle, Roddy Piper, Jerry Blackwell, Larry Hennig, Abdullah the Butcher, Ken Patera, Bad News (Alan) Brown debuted in 1977, Paul Orndorff, Ole Anderson, Jesse Ventura, Chavo, Hector and Mando Guerrero, Col. DeBeers, Greg Gagne, Iron Sheik, Koko B. Ware and JYD both debuted in '78, alot of these guys may not be seasoned enough to be in GCW yet, but in a couple of years...
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Post by allpowerfulgarth on May 12, 2011 8:15:23 GMT -5
Oh, I certainly agree the repetitive "won't be seen for a long time" is a largely unimportant detail; it's not like it ruins my enjoyment of GCW-OS or anything. And repetitiveness has to be expected with a league like GCW; because cards are monthly, not weekly, it doesn't take as long for the Seven Year Rule to go into effect. But you asked for criticisms, and I didn't have any that were more significant. It's a "praise by faint damnation" kind of thing.
Granted, I didn't get into wrestling until the 1990s, so I don't know how 1970s-era bookers wrote out people who were leaving the league. But still, the Internet wasn't much of a factor for the first few years I was a fan, and it seemed then that the standard practice was to just stop mentioning them. I don't know if that's a feasible approach for you -- you want us, the readers, to have some idea of just what the hell happened to, say, Harley Race -- it's just what I'm conditioned to expect.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 12, 2011 12:13:15 GMT -5
Have you seen wrestling in the 70s? It's all f'n cowboys.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 14, 2011 12:31:32 GMT -5
January 7, 1978 - Nassau Coliseum - Uniondale, NY
[FIRST ROUND]: Dusty Rhodes pinned Johnny Rodz with the Bionic Elbowdrop in 0:07:03. Rating: *** 1/2
President Hisashi Shinma wants to shake things up in GCW a bit and keep the company moving forward, and in his first official card president, he ordered a 16-man single elimination tournament to determine the new #1 contender for the World champion. A huge opportunity for 16 men to get a chance at the biggest prize in all of wrestling. The first match of the tourney saw "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes take on the hapless "Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz, whose unpredictable act tonight was not losing in under 3 minutes. However, he did lose as expected, eating the Bionic Elbowdrop. Rhodes is the first man to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals.
[FIRST ROUND]: Great Kabuki made Peter Maivia submit to a spinning toe hold in 0:08:32. Rating: *** 3/4 [Freddie Blassie interfered against Peter Maivia.]
Rhodes watched the next match closely, as he would be taking on either Peter Maivia or "Classy" Freddie Blassie's first protege', Great Kabuki. If this match showed anything, it showed that Blassie is committed to doing anything in his power to help his man win. During this match, Kabuki appeared to get poked in the eye and referee Tommy Young checked on him. While Young was doing that, Blassie jumped in the ring and clipped Maivia's knee from behind. Kabuki was suddenly feeling much better as he put a spinning toe hold on the High Chief, who had to submit from the pain. Kabuki meets Dusty Rhodes in the quarters.
[FIRST ROUND]: Pat Patterson defeated Dory Funk Jr. by disqualification in 0:04:30. Rating: ** 1/2
To say that the fans have completely turned against Dory Funk Jr. would be an understatement. Dory has united with brother Terry Funk & Intercontinental champion Stan Hansen to form the Gunslingers, and if this first round match with Pat Patterson is any indication of how they're going to conduct business, it is going to be rough on their opposition. This match was served to send a message to GCW what they were all about as Dory deliberately got himself DQ'ed by using the ring bell on Patterson. Patterson was busted wide open, but he is officially in the quarterfinals. Dory has let the wrestling world know that the Gunslingers mean business.
[FIRST ROUND]: Bruiser Brody pinned Bobby Duncum with the Bombs Away in 0:13:29. Rating: ***
As far as first round matches go, perhaps the most interesting matches was Bobby Duncum vs. Bruiser Brody. Brody is back on his own, and the wildman seems to operate better like that. If there's anyone who loves a good fight though, it's Bobby Duncum. The fans in Uniondale got to see a world class fight between two of the best. During the match, Brody had removed the turnbuckle pad from one of the top turnbuckles, and it was instrumental in deciding this match. Duncum had Brody reeling as he tried to whip him into that corner, Brody reversed it and Duncum went back first into the exposed steel. Duncum stumbled out right into a big boot to the face. The Bombs Away came next, and Brody had made his way into the quarters. If I know Bobby Duncum, he's not going to take this lying down.
[FIRST ROUND]: Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Terry Funk after a German suplex in 0:08:19. Rating: ***
The lower half of the bracket is highly competitive in that it has two former World champions in it, including this match between Jumbo Tsuruta & Terry Funk. Jumbo has committed himself to the basics that helped him win the World Title in the first place, and he showed that against the wild Gunslinger. Funk was as hard to figure out as ever, but Jumbo didn't let the unorthodox crazy style of Funk throw him for a loop. Jumbo took some lumps, but he showed how resourceful he is by ducking a big lariat attempt and hitting a picture perfect German suplex for the 1-2-3.
[FIRST ROUND]: Don Muraco pinned Mike Graham after a powerslam in 0:00:24. Mike Graham suffered an elbow injury. He will be out for approximately 3 months. Rating: *
Well, many people have been waiting for that fire to be lit under Don Muraco, and it looks like it's finally happened. Don Muraco not only won his first round match against Mike Graham, but he won it in a dominating 24 second effort (injuring Graham's elbow in the process). Muraco wasn't done with Graham as he wanted to hit him with the Tombstone for good measure, but CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW & BILLY WHITE WOLF came out to make sure that didn't happen.
[FIRST ROUND]: Stan Hansen pinned Ivan Koloff after a short lariat in 0:14:56. Rating: ***
The second of two World champions in this bracket was up next as "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff took on the reigning Intercontinental champion Stan Hansen. This was a unique opportunity for Hansen as no reigning IC champion has ever gotten a chance to wrestle for the World Title as well, but if the Lariat could win this tournament, he'd get that very chance. Koloff has his confidence back thanks to his good friend Dusty Rhodes helping to free him from the managerial trap of Captain Lou Albano. It still remains if he has what it takes to get himself back to the top of the mountain like he was when he was champion back in 1974. Koloff showed a lot of that dominance that he had a few years back, and it took Hansen off guard as the Lariat is accustomed to being the one pushing people around. This match was so tightly contested that we almost didn't see a winner. The first round matches all had 15 minute time limits, and it took until 14:56 to see a decision. We all thought Koloff would be the one to win as he had all the momentum in the final minute, but when he went for the Russian Sickle, Hansen ducked and rocked the Russian Bear's jaw with a short lariat to get the 1-2-3, barely beating the bell. Hansen moves on to the quarters, but Koloff showed he can still go toe-to-toe with the toughest men in the sport. I for one would love to see Koloff/Hansen wrestle again very soon.
[FIRST ROUND]: Bob Backlund made Rene Goulet submit to a hammerlock in 0:10:13. Rating: ** 1/2
We only had one more first round match, and it featured the man who many people considered the favorite to win the whole thing, the undefeated Bob Backlund. Rene Goulet continues to fume over the lack of respect he's getting in GCW, but if you want respect here, you better win matches and Goulet just hasn't done that. He'd again walk out of a night fuming, losing in this one by submission. Backlund expertly worked over Goulet's arm after Goulet missed a charge in the corner causing his shoulder to smack into the ringpost. From there, Backlund meticulously worked over the arm before making Goulet submit to a hammerlock. A good win, but the competition for Backlund will be a lot stiffer in the quarters against the IC champ.
Interview: Larry Zbyszko explains turning his back on Dino Bravo.
Before our tournament continued, we had an interview segment with the recently returned Larry Zbyszko, who had a lot of explaining to do. Zbyszko said he knew everyone wanted to know why he turned his back on Dino Bravo, but he said he isn't the one who needed to give an explanation, but rather Bravo himself! Zbyszko said that when he left GCW last year, Bravo was originally supposed to come with him to wrestle in Europe. But at the last minute, Bravo backed out and took more money to stay in GCW. Zbyszko continued to slander Bravo, saying he is selfish and in it for himself, so Zbyszko was going to expose him to the world for the jerk that he really is. Zbyszko is convinced he is the good guy here, but the crowd reaction when BRAVO came out and attacked Zbyszko told a different story! Zbyszko got out of Dodge without taking much of a pounding from Bravo, but he's not going to be able to run forever. Bravo is desperate to get his hands on his former partner, but first on February 2 in Baltimore, he will team with his current partner in their rematch against the Briscos for the World Tag Team Titles.
[QUARTERFINALS]: Dusty Rhodes defeated Great Kabuki by disqualification in 0:05:49. Rating: *
Eight men left competing for the World Title shot, starting with Dusty Rhodes & Great Kabuki. Blassie had another underhanded plan ready to unhatch, but it backfired on him this time. Rhodes was fired up and had everything going exactly the way he wanted it to when Blassie launched plan B. Rhodes whipped Kabuki into the ropes and looked to charge in after him, but when he did, Kabuki blew a blue mist right into Rhodes' eyes! Blassie was hoping referee John Stanley didn't see this, but it was hard to miss and Kabuki was disqualified! Rhodes advances, but he didn't look like a winner as he was having a lot of trouble seeing. Doctors recommended to the Dream that he withdraw from the tournament, but being only two matches away, Rhodes insisted on continuing. Kabuki, even in a losing effort, is proving to be a dangerous competitor.
[QUARTERFINALS]: Bruiser Brody pinned Pat Patterson with the Bombs Away in 0:10:03. Rating: ** 3/4
Pat Patterson was bandaged up after getting hit by the ring bell in the first round match against Dory Funk Jr., and Bruiser Brody went right after it (as he should have). Patterson wrestled like a wounded animal though, knowing that he was in trouble and using that to fuel him, catching Brody by surprise. But the bandage wasn't enough to keep Brody from re-opening that cut, and again, Patterson was a bloody mess. Despite never giving up the fight, the loss of blood became too much as he ate the Bombs Away kneedrop. Brody will get a match against Rhodes in semi-finals.
[QUARTERFINALS]: Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Don Muraco with the Jumbo Knee in 0:12:41. Rating: ***
Bottom half of the bracket was next, and the first match of the quarters was Jumbo Tsuruta against Don Muraco. Muraco had an extremely easy time in the first round and he was exceptionally fresh against Jumbo, who was still a little sore after a tough match with Terry Funk. Muraco didn't look intimidated against the former champion and took the fight right to Jumbo. Muraco even had Jumbo pinned after hitting the Tombstone, but Jumbo got his foot over the bottom rope just in time. Muraco completely lost his cool after this, almost attacking referee Mario Savoldi out of frustration. This let Jumbo regained his composure and when Muraco went back toward Tsuruta, he ate a face full of the Jumbo Knee. One…two…three. Jumbo Tsuruta is in the final four! Though he came out on the losing end of the match, Don Muraco showed a ton in this match. This might be the breakout performance he needed.
[QUARTERFINALS]: Bob Backlund and Stan Hansen battled to a draw in 0:20:00. Rating: *** 1/2
A lot of credit has to be given to Stan Hansen. He wrestled the toughest match of the first round by narrowly defeating Ivan Koloff, and now he had the task of wrestling undefeated Bob Backlund in the quarters. On paper, Backlund should have won this match due to his conditioning and easier first round match, but Hansen is just too tough and too stubborn to go out without a fight. He showed a surprising amount of mat skills here as he didn't let Backlund completely control him on the mat and he did something most haven't done against Backlund - he made him wrestle his match. The match kept going back and forth until the bell rang, signaling the time limit had expired - a draw. Because of the draw, both men were eliminated from the tournament. After the match, an obviously impressed Backlund offered Hansen a handshake. Hansen thought about shaking it, but instead grabbed his Intercontinental Title and left.
[SEMI-FINALS]: Bruiser Brody pinned Dusty Rhodes with the Bombs Away in 0:07:41. Rating: ** 1/4
This should have been a huge opportunity for Dusty Rhodes, but for the Dream, it turned into a nightmare as he wrestled in the semi-finals against Bruiser Brody. It was only an hour previous that Great Kabuki had spewed mist into Rhodes' eyes and it was obvious that he was still suffering the ill effects. Brody is a guy few want to wrestle when they're 100%, let alone when their vision is impaired. Rhodes got very little offense in as Brody wisely kept away from him and would hit and run before putting the Dream away. Under other circumstances, this match may have ended differently, but as it stood, Brody is now in the finals.
[SEMI-FINALS]: Jumbo Tsuruta won via default.
Based on the time limit draw in the semi-finals, Jumbo Tsuruta received a bye to the finals.
[FINALS]: Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Bruiser Brody after a German suplex in 0:15:04. Rating: **** 1/4
Brody didn't get much of a rest period before the finals started against a fresh Jumbo Tsuruta, but he wrestled like the maniac that he is regardless. Jumbo was fresher, sure, but he by no means had an easy time in this final match. Brody is an unpredictable, unorthodox warrior and with that alone, he can put anyone away at any time. Jumbo had to be cautious, but he was almost TOO cautious as he was on the defensive for a lot of this match. Brody got too wild though and the complexion changed when Brody missed a big boot and crotched himself on the top rope. From there, Jumbo took control en route to hitting a German suplex and with that, the former champ gets one more shot at dethroning "Superstar" Billy Graham and regaining the title.
Card rating: ** 3/4
Match observations:
A great way to start 1978, and it doesn't slow down at all when we return to the Civic Center in Baltimore on February 2!
WORLD TITLE - Billy Graham (c) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE - Stan Hansen (c) vs. Bob Backlund WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Brisco Brothers (c) vs. Dino Bravo/Dominic DeNucci Bobby Duncum vs. Bruiser Brody Dusty Rhodes vs. Great Kabuki
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Post by LillaThrilla on May 15, 2011 10:09:52 GMT -5
Surprised to see Jumbo win the tournament for another title shot. When Bruiser got the finals I was hoping he might pull off the win.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 15, 2011 17:38:47 GMT -5
February 2, 1978 - Civic Center - Baltimore, MD
Larry Zbyszko pinned Johnny Rodz with the Shoulderbreaker in 0:04:04. Rating: *** 1/4
This night in Baltimore show would prove to be a historical one, and we kicked off the night with Larry Zbyszko in a winning effort against Johnny Rodz. During the match, officials made sure that Dino Bravo stayed in the back and didn't get involved. Those two are on a collision course, and when the two former partners collide, it's going to be ugly.
Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf defeated Tim Woods and Mr. Wrestling II when White Wolf defeated Wrestling II when Wrestling II passed out in the Indian Deathlock in 0:09:17. Rating: *** 3/4
This was our first time seeing Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf teaming back up since Wolf returned at the Garden, taking on Tim Woods & Mr. Wrestling II. Woods & Wrestling II are said to be upset with how 1977 ended for them and want to make 1978 a year where they return to the top of the mountain. If that's the case, they better get on it, because tonight they didn't impress. Strongbow & Wolf get the win.
Pat Patterson pinned Rene Goulet with the Atomic Drop in 0:06:20. Rating: ** 3/4
Another match, another losing effort for Rene Goulet. Tonight it was Pat Patterson who got the better of him, winning in just over 6 minutes. It was announced after the show that Patterson is being granted the Intercontinental Title match he never received after losing the championship last October. He will meet the winner of tonight's Stan Hansen/Bob Backlund match on March 1 in New York.
Dominic DeNucci and Dino Bravo defeated The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) when Bravo defeated Jerry Brisco by disqualification in 0:07:01. Rating: ** 1/2 (The Brisco Brothers retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.) [Larry Zbyszko interfered against Dino Bravo.]
Officials did a great job of keeping Dino Bravo at bay during Larry Zbyszko's match earlier, but they dropped the ball in keeping Zbyszko away from the World Tag Team Title match. Bravo & Dominic DeNucci got their rematch against the Brisco Brothers, a match Jack & Jerry were glad to give them since it was an unwanted assist from Zbyszko that helped them win the titles. They wanted to prove they could defeat Bravo & DeNucci on their own. They wouldn't get that tonight because once again, Zbyszko got involved. Bravo had his his Side Suplex on Jerry Brisco and it looked like that could have been it, but we will never know for sure as Zbyszko jumped in the ring and broke it up, causing the disqualification! Zbyszko was pounding on Bravo with lefts and rights, but he was pulled off by DeNucci and tossed over the top rope to the floor! Zbyszko was taken aback by this, and yelled to DeNucci that he had made the biggest mistake of his life.
While this confrontation was going on, Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco were jumped from behind by DORY FUNK JR. & TERRY FUNK, who had come out from the crowd! The hatred between the Briscos & the Funks goes back over ten years, and it looks like it's about to be rekindled. The Briscos & the Funks went at it before officials (they were busy tonight) finally broke it up.
Great Kabuki pinned Dusty Rhodes after spewing blue mist in his face in 0:09:30. Rating: * 1/2 [Freddie Blassie interfered against Dusty Rhodes.]
"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes was looking to take a piece out of Great Kabuki, who he blames for costing him his opportunity to win the tournament last month. Rhodes had his vision back and he had his sights on kicking Kabuki's ass. Problem was that Rhodes was so focused on Kabuki that he forgot that "Classy" Freddie Blassie was at ringside. Blassie jumped up on the ring apron when it looked like Rhodes had victory in his clutches, taking the attention of referee Willie Webber. This let Kabuki once again spew the blue mist into the Dream's eyes. Kabuki rolled up Rhodes and stole the 1-2-3. After Rhodes regained his bearings following the show, he issued a challenge to Kabuki for a Texas Death match at Madison Square Garden, a match that Blassie has accepted on behalf of his Japanese charge.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Peter Maivia when Mulligan defeated Monsoon when Monsoon passed out in the Blackjack Claw in 0:05:40. Rating: *** 1/2
With Mike Graham on the shelf with an elbow injury, Gorilla Monsoon teamed up with Peter Maivia to take on the Blackjacks. Monsoon & Maivia are good friends, but as a team they just didn't mesh. It also didn't help that Blackjack Lanza clocked Monsoon in the back of the head with his boot while the referee wasn't looking. This let Mulligan put on the Blackjack Claw and "make Monsoon submit." I doubt we'll be seeing Monsoon & Maivia as a team in the future.
Ivan Koloff and Don Muraco battled to a double countout in 0:09:14. Rating: * 1/2
A match that began innocently enough but ended in quite the brawl between Ivan Koloff & Don Muraco. As this match wore on, tempers flared to the point where when the wrestlers spilled to the floor, they stopped caring about the referee's count and were just looking to tear each other apart! A double countout was the result, but neither man was happy with that. A rematch has been signed for MSG.
Bob Backlund defeated Stan Hansen by countout in 0:13:30. Rating: *** (Stan Hansen retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
The tournament match was big last month, but for Stan Hansen, this time was even bigger as against Bob Backlund, his Intercontinental Title was now on the line. Backlund, of course, has yet to be defeated in singles action, and if Hansen couldn't beat him in Baltimore, he was going to lose the IC Title. Unlike last month, Backlund worked a lot faster and looked primed to put Hansen away and grab his first championship gold, but Hansen had other plans. He caught Backlund with a thumb to the eye and instead of trying to finish Backlund off, he bailed to the floor and walked to the back for the countout. Not the most valiant of actions, but it's hard to argue with the result as Hansen is still the Intercontinental champion. He might not be so lucky next month against Pat Patterson.
Bobby Duncum pinned Bruiser Brody with the Full Nelson Slam in 0:11:31. Rating: ** 3/4
Bobby Duncum was not happy with the way that Bruiser Brody beat him in the tournament last month and so he wanted a chance at retribution in Baltimore. Another strong style brawl between two of the best at it. Brody once again took the turnbuckle pad off one of the corners, trying a repeat performance of last match. Duncum was ready for it this time though. He reversed Brody's irish whip, causing Brody to crash back first into the exposed steel! Brody stumbled out right into the Full Nelson Slam of Duncum, and three seconds later this one was over.
Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Billy Graham after a power bomb in 0:20:20. Rating: *** 1/2 (Jumbo Tsuruta won the GCW World Title.) [Bobby Heenan interfered against Jumbo Tsuruta.]
Through some contractual backflips, Bobby "the Brain" Heenan managed to add a stipulation to our main event. Jumbo Tsuruta got to challenge for the World Title, but this would be his last chance at the gold for as long as Billy Graham was champion. Jumbo knew how much was at stake here and he didn't want to let it go to waste. These two are so familiar with each other, spending much of 1977 going at it tooth and nail. Often in these matches, Heenan has been instrumental in causing distractions which helped Graham get a win, but it backfired on the Brain in this one. Early in the match, Heenan tripped Jumbo up from the floor right in front of referee Dick Kroll, clearly trying to get the Superstar disqualified! However, instead of calling for a DQ, Kroll sent Heenan to the locker room! Graham was now out there all alone, and for awhile, he looked lost. But Heenan isn't the World champion, Graham is, and he wrestled like it. Jumbo had control early, but Graham controlled the middle portion of the match. The Superstar made his big mistake at the end though when instead of looking to finish Jumbo off after a powerslam, he chose to gloat. The braggadocious Graham took it a step too far and got up on the second turnbuckle, taunting the fans and spewing venom about how much of a bum Jumbo was. What he didn't notice was that Tsuruta was back on his feet. Tsuruta came up behind Graham and drilled him with a power bomb! Graham got folded like an accordion and 3 seconds later, we had a brand spanking new World champion! Jumbo Tsuruta has climbed the mountain for the second time!
If that wasn't monumental enough, as Tsuruta was celebrating with the World Title, who would come into the ring but none other than HARLEY RACE! No one had any idea that Race was in the building! Race caught Jumbo's eye and the two engaged in a long staredown before Race indicated he was coming for the World Title. This is absolutely gigantic news, and we had learned that in Madison Square Garden, it will be Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race for the World Title!
Card rating: ** 3/4
Match observations:
Absolutely shocking news coming out of Baltimore as Harley Race is back in GCW! Not only that, but he will be wrestling for the World Title on March 1 against new champion Jumbo Tsuruta, the man who took the title from him in the first place! And what other place could hold such a monumental card than Madison Square Garden?
WORLD TITLE 2/3 FALLS - Jumbo Tsuruta (c) vs. Harley Race INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE - Stan Hansen (c) vs. Pat Patterson WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Brisco Brothers (c) vs. The Funk Brothers Bob Backlund vs. Billy Graham TEXAS DEATH MATCH - Dusty Rhodes vs. Great Kabuki Ivan Koloff vs. Don Muraco Bobby Duncum vs. Bruiser Brody Dominic DeNucci vs. Larry Zbyszko
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Post by jacklarkin on May 15, 2011 21:35:07 GMT -5
Very entertaining. Reminds me of being a kid and getting the Inside Wrestling or Sports Review wrestling mags, and wondering who would beat who from the best stars of the 3 big feds. The tag team division is incredible, Briscos v Funks is great, and enjoying seeing Bobby Duncum get a decent push. Not crazy about Jumbo Tsuruta being on top but still lots of great people like Hansen, Backlund, and Graham to watch.
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Crpls
Midcarder
Posts: 140
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Post by Crpls on May 17, 2011 0:04:44 GMT -5
Do what real promotions did with Andre: bring him in for a battle royal, he wins and then leaves for a while.
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Post by JoshiQ on May 17, 2011 20:33:00 GMT -5
Wow. I didn't expect Jumbo to win the tournament, and I really didn't expect him to regain the GCW Title. That really shocked me as I figured Jumbo was pretty much on his way out.
Definitely a shocking turn having Harley Race show up again as well. It's nice to see him back as some people fall into the trap of once a main eventer quits their circuit they never bring him back. It's great to have Race back in GCW, and hopefully he picks up where he left off. I don't know if you will give him the title right off the bat, but he should be wearing it soon.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 17, 2011 21:03:56 GMT -5
Wow. I didn't expect Jumbo to win the tournament, and I really didn't expect him to regain the GCW Title. That really shocked me as I figured Jumbo was pretty much on his way out. Definitely a shocking turn having Harley Race show up again as well. It's nice to see him back as some people fall into the trap of once a main eventer quits their circuit they never bring him back. It's great to have Race back in GCW, and hopefully he picks up where he left off. I don't know if you will give him the title right off the bat, but he should be wearing it soon. I didn't want to get rid of Race to begin with. I want him to serve as my bridge between the 1970s and 1980s. And no, I'm hoping to keep Jumbo around as long as possible. He's become one of my favorite puro guys through watching old matches with him (I bought an 8-disc set of Stan Hansen from highspots that has a few matches with Jumbo on it) and like his work. He's one of the best from the 80s so if I can keep him around and relevant, I will.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 18, 2011 13:29:09 GMT -5
Gorilla Monsoon defeated Rene Goulet via pinfall in 0:03:50. Rating: *
The show here in Madison Square Garden is going to be one for the record books, the first match being Gorilla Monsoon taking on the hapless Rene Goulet. Monsoon is getting up there in years, but he still can get it done in the ring by blasting Goulet so hard with a shoulderblock that it knocked him hard into the turnbuckle. This gave Monsoon the chance to pick up the win.
Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf defeated The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) when Strongbow defeated Mulligan by countout in 0:08:49. Rating: *
Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf have had some speed bumps since their return to GCW, but if any match was going to get their confidence up, it was this one against the former 2-time World Tag Team champions, The Blackjacks. Strongbow & Wolf didn't get the pinfall or submission victory they would have liked, but they did get the W by countout. Bobby Heenan didn't even seem to care after the match, seeming way off his game since Billy Graham lost the World Title last month. Lanza & Mulligan didn't look happy about that development.
Don Muraco pinned Ivan Koloff with the Tombstone in 0:13:59. Rating: ** 3/4
This has to be considered the biggest win of Ivan Koloff's career! Not only did he beat a former World champion, but he did it cleanly in the middle of the ring. Koloff is not the wrestler he was when he was terrozing the league in 1974, but he is still a tough opponent as Muraco found out here. Muraco took what he learned in the double countout last month and got the better of Koloff, dropping him with the Tombstone. We are all witnessing Don Muraco's coming out party.
Peter Maivia defeated Johnny Rodz by disqualification in 0:06:17. Rating: ** 3/4
Johnny Rodz wanted to make a statement against Peter Maivia that he is ready to be taken seriously. He was still being outclassed early in the match, so Rodz unpredictable act was to put Maivia in a chokehold and refuse to let go. This rare sign of ruthlessness from Rodz actually was unpredictable, but he still lost the match by DQ. However, this loss was different as for once, Rodz left with a loss but not with his back on the mat.
Dominic DeNucci defeated Larry Zbyszko by disqualification in 0:03:24. Rating: ***
Larry Zbyszko is a punk, plain and simple. Dino Bravo wants to get his hands on him in the worst way, but Dominic DeNucci jumped at it first, still furious that Zbyszko has cost him the tag titles not once, but twice. Zbyszko welcomed DeNucci's challenge and used this match to send a message to Bravo. It didn't take long into the match for Zbyszko to go under the ring and grab a lead pipe. Zbyszko had sinister intentions as he got in the ring and blasted DeNucci in the back of the head with the pipe, Sure, Zbyszko was DQ'ed immediately, but he was trying to hurt DeNucci. With DeNucci knocked out, Zbyszko lifted him up and dropped him with the Shoulderbreaker. That wasn't enough though as he hit a second Shoulderbreaker. Zbyszko then went to the top and jumped off with a kneedrop on that arm, shattering it in the process. We were surprised that Bravo didn't come down to help, but we later found out why - Zbyszko had chained the door of Bravo's locker room shut! DeNucci had to be rushed to the hospital for his badly broken arm. Zbyszko has done everything possible to infuriate Bravo, but he may come to regret this one.
Stan Hansen defeated Pat Patterson by countout in 0:10:39. Rating: ** 3/4 (Stan Hansen retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
Pat Patterson lost the Intercontinental Title to Stan Hansen last October, but he never received a rematch because he wanted to get his hands on the man who cost him the title, Terry Funk. Patterson finally got his chance to win back the gold against Hansen, a match he was more than ready for. Hansen is used to bullying people around, but Patterson is a stubborn veteran who doesn't let anyone dictate the pace. Hansen had to think of a backup plan, and he did so when he lured Patterson to the floor. Patterson was beating on him and had him up against the ring post. Patterson charged at him, but the Lariat sidestepped and Patterson cracked his skull on the steel. Hansen rolled back in the ring as Patterson was counted out. Hansen keeps the gold, but the unconvincing way he did it might mean he is going to have to tangle with Patterson again in the future.
Bobby Duncum pinned Tim Woods with the Full Nelson Slam in 0:10:40. Rating: *** 1/4 (Bruiser Brody no-showed.)
Bobby Duncum and Bruiser Brody were meant to lock horns again, a brutal match I personally was looking forward to. But Brody never came to the building tonight for undisclosed reasons, leaving Duncum to wrestle Tim Woods, a past rival. Woods tried to keep this match on the mat, his best bet to avoid the Full Nelson Slam. For awhile, it worked. Woods is a great mat wrestler and as technically sound as they come. But Duncum is becoming a superstar all his own, and he's a hard man to keep down. Once he got the advantage, he didn't let up and drilled Woods with the Full Nelson Slam for the win.
Texas Death Match: Great Kabuki made Dusty Rhodes submit to a chokehold in 0:18:41. Rating: ** 1/2 [Don Muraco and Freddie Blassie interfered against Dusty Rhodes.]
Freddie Blassie has selected Dusty Rhodes as the first man to go after as a manager, looking to make a huge statement to the rest of GCW. He may have bit off more than he could chew by having Great Kabuki take on Rhodes in his specialty match, the Texas Death Match. Kabuki is a vicious competitor from Japan, but this is Rhodes' element. You had to wonder why Blassie would agree to put his man in this match, but then he hatched a plan. Rhodes had all the momentum going his way, rocking Kabuki with a flurry of elbows after dodging the blue mist. What he didn't dodge though was DON MURACO hitting him in the back with a wooden chair! Rhodes was out cold, letting Kabuki choke Rhodes until referee Willie Webber called the fall. As you would expect, Rhodes couldn't answer the ten count and again, Kabuki was declared the winner in shady fashion. Muraco and Blassie shook hands after the match as Muraco is now Blassie's second client. If Rhodes was mad before, he is downright PISSED now. He'll have Ivan Koloff with him next month when they take on Kabuki & Muraco on March 31 in Chicago.
The Gunslingers (Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk) defeated The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) when D. Funk Jr. pinned Jerry Brisco after a backslide in 0:22:49. Rating: *** 1/2 (The Gunslingers won the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
The Funk Brothers are reunited, and along with Stan Hansen, the Gunslingers have put GCW on notice. They want to be taken seriously again, as Dory Funk Jr. especially feels that his inability to win the big one has made him a laughing stock amongst the fans. Dory has been around this game long enough to know that gold is power, so his brother Terry and he have went after the Brisco Brothers, the reigning World Tag Team champions. The feud between the Briscos & the Funks is legendary, spanning the globe and being a major part of GCW back in the late 1960s. Once the bell rang, it was like no time had passed at all as the hatred between the two families came to the surface. It's still strange seeing the Funks back together, but even after years of fighting each other, they hadn't missed a beat as a team. But the Briscos are the best in the world and the tag team champions and don't care about the Funks quest for respect. If you want to do tag team wrestling, you should watch these teams wrestle. Such an even match from two teams that know each other so well. The difference would be the Funks' willingness to cheat as Dory caught Jerry Brisco in a backslide. Dory got his feet up on the middle rope while he had Jerry pinned, adding extra leverage to get the 1-2-3. For the first time in ten years, Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk are the champions of the world. The Briscos pleaded their case with the ref after the match, but Mario Savoldi simply didn't see it - the decision stands. The Funks are the luckiest men in the world right now, but fact remains, they're the tag team champs.
Bob Backlund pinned Billy Graham with the Atomic Drop in 0:18:04. Rating: **** 1/4 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Bob Backlund.]
Our semi-main event featured an extremely frustrated "Superstar" Billy Graham taking on the undefeated Bob Backlund. Graham is only 4 weeks removed from losing the World Title, and that hasn't sit well with him or manager Bobby Heenan. Heenan was more focused for this match than he was the Blackjacks' match earlier, and we found out that Heenan had been lobbying to get Graham his rematch tonight instead of Harley Race getting the title shot. He obviously didn't make that happen, and he wanted the Superstar to take it all out on Bob Backlund. Backlund hasn't tasted a singles defeat yet, but for much of this match, it looked like it was a serious possibility. This was by far the most trouble Backlund has been in as Graham was on point with all of his offense. Backlund usually controls the pace of his matches, but tonight, he had to play a lot of defense and survive power move after power move. If this match proved anything though, it's that Backlund is a survivor. There were times when I was certain he was done for, but he found a way to get his shoulder up or get himself out of a submission hold. Graham was sure he had the pin after a powerslam, and when he didn't get it, he nearly snapped and got in referee Tommy Young's face instead of continuing to work over Backlund. This gave Backlund some crucial time to regain his bearings. Backlund got back on the offensive and went on to hit the Atomic Drop to get the win.
After the match, Heenan got in Graham's face for losing the match, a match for all intents and purposes he should have won. Graham tried to block Heenan out, but once Heenan slapped him, all bets were off! Heenan immediately realized what a mistake he had made as he jumped out of the ring and ran to the back before an enraged Superstar could get a hold of him. Graham instead took out this pent up anger on Tommy Young, dropping him with a powerslam before putting him in the Bearhug! Because of these actions, Billy Graham has been suspended from GCW indefinitely! Not a good 4 weeks for the Superstar.
Two-out-of-three-Falls Match: Harley Race beat Jumbo Tsuruta 2 falls to 1: x Tsuruta beat Race via the Jumbo Knee in 0:10:47 x Race beat Tsuruta via the Piledriver in 0:19:31 x Race beat Tsuruta via brass knuckles in 0:29:32 Rating: *** (Harley Race won the GCW World Title.)
It was time for the big one - Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race for the World Title. Race made his shocking return to GCW in Baltimore and challenged the new champion Jumbo to a match, which was made a 2 out of 3 falls match by President Hisashi Shinma. To date, Tsuruta is the only man to ever beat Harley Race, being the man who ended his 2 year plus World Title reign and sending him packing from GCW in the first place. Jumbo had a lot of that magic going for him in this match as the first fall was more or less dominated by him, hitting the Jumbo Knee around the 10 minute mark to go up 1-0. Thoughts that Race had lost a step during his absence were quickly put to rest, as the notorious slow starter picked it up and picked up the second fall with the Piledriver at 20 minutes in, knotting it all up.
The intensity level kicked up hard for the final fall, Jumbo not wanting to lose the title he had fought so hard to win back in the first place. It wouldn't be long before we learned that Harley Race didn't return to GCW alone - he had reinforcements. When it looked like Jumbo had gotten the upperhand for the final time, prepping to hit the Jumbo Knee, when RIC FLAIR jumped up on the ring apron to distract him! Jumbo went over and nailed Flair with a right hand to knock him off the apron. During this distraction, RODDY PIPER was out from the crowd and slid Race a pair of brass knuckles. Race slid them on his hand and when Jumbo came back to him, Race jacked him in the jaw before stashing the evidence in his trunks. Race made the pin and in his return match to GCW, he was the World champion. The show ended with Race, Flair, and Piper all celebrating with the World Title.
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
The landscape of GCW has completely changed as we have not only new World Tag Team champs, but a new World champ as well! We go to Chicago next at the end of the month with these matches already signed:
WORLD TITLE - Harley Race (c) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta The Brisco Brothers/Pat Patterson vs. The Gunslingers Dusty Rhodes/Ivan Koloff vs. Great Kabuki/Don Muraco CHICAGO STREETFIGHT - Dino Bravo vs. Larry Zbyszko Bobby Duncum vs. Bruiser Brody Chief Jay Strongbow/Billy White Wolf vs. The Blackjacks
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Post by jacklarkin on May 18, 2011 15:53:41 GMT -5
The amount of star power in this fed is impressive. It's pretty much a wet dream. Back in those days they never had such loaded cards with so many matches. Just incredible.
Bruiser Brody no-shows, proving that art can also immitate life.
Stan Hansen v Pat Patterson would really have been something else to see. Patterson is underated as a brawler ~ but you know that.
The talent involved in the Main event, and by involved I mean the run-in's too, was amazing. This had the feel of a NWO-WCW show where you never knew which icon was going to come out next ~ except that in the GCW they are still in their primes!
I'm not sure, but is this fed booked or unbooked finishes?
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Post by LillaThrilla on May 18, 2011 16:05:44 GMT -5
Piper and Flair come to the aid of Harley Race?! Wow. That should be an interesting stable.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 18, 2011 17:49:25 GMT -5
The amount of star power in this fed is impressive. It's pretty much a wet dream. Back in those days they never had such loaded cards with so many matches. Just incredible. Bruiser Brody no-shows, proving that art can also immitate life. Stan Hansen v Pat Patterson would really have been something else to see. Patterson is underated as a brawler ~ but you know that. The talent involved in the Main event, and by involved I mean the run-in's too, was amazing. This had the feel of a NWO-WCW show where you never knew which icon was going to come out next ~ except that in the GCW they are still in their primes! I'm not sure, but is this fed booked or unbooked finishes? My justification for the cards being so loaded is that I only do 14-16 cards a calendar year instead of the 150-250 shows that were done in some cases. Thus, if I put 10 or 11 matches on a card instead of 6, it works for me. Basically right now, every card is a "supercard" so yes, big stars, big matches. Yeah, stupid Brody. The roster seems a bit more star-studded than it really is also because we have the benefit now of knowing what guys like Flair and Piper accomplished in their careers. But back in 1978, he's a young pup really starting to come into his own. So my roster is filled with main eventers, but not with all of them being main eventers. If that makes any sense. Even I lost track. The circuit is 100% booked. However, I do honor all no-shows, injuries, wrestlers quitting, not re-signing, etc.
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Post by JoshiQ on May 19, 2011 8:47:13 GMT -5
I am shocked that Race is already the World Champion. I figured there would be some sort of buildup to the title switching hands.
I also can't believe that Ric Flair has finally made his debut, not to mention Roddy Piper. It's exciting to see some guys that I've actually seen wrestle showing up. I have no idea what you are going to do with them since you already have the Gunslingers group and Blassie's entourage.
And this really hurts Bob Backlund's chances of winning the title anytime soon. I thought he was next in line, but now that Race has the strap it looks like he will either be a sacrificial lamb or won't be going after the title for quite awhile.
Can't wait to see where you go from here. 1978 is already becoming one of my favorite years due to the tournament and the utter chaos going on with the roster. Good stuff.
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Post by rey619 on May 20, 2011 5:41:00 GMT -5
1) What do you like about GCW? The consistency and the fact that you are building your own version of the wrestling history. It's really awesome to see how much time and effort you have put into this. It's also well written and not too long. I can learn a thing or three from your write-ups, as I tend to write a few sentences about specific move segments during the match. It takes time and creativity to do that for every match in every show. Sometimes you just want to say a few words about the competitors and then who won. 2) What don't you like about GCW? Not much. I really want to comment each card though, but as Joshi has already mentioned, it's hard to do with three or four cards coming at the same time. I know you're a busy man though As for Garth's comments about repetitive farewells, you could maybe do a Circuit information note or something, but either way is fine. 3) What wrestlers would you like to see me bring in (keeping in mind this is 1978 )? I don't know if you'll use GCW to re-live Hulkamania, but it is modelled after WWF, so I think you should do it. If you want to be real crazy, you could try to do the feat with someone else. Maybe you'll give us the answer to the question Mc Mahon and Hogan feuded over, was it the booker or was it the wrestler? I also second Ric Flair and Iron Sheik. Oh, and Vader eventually. And bring back Race if you can. I agree with you on Andre the Giant. Big, slow-moving wrestlers were never my favorites. 4) Who on my current roster would you like to see pushed more? I dunno. I really want Johnny Rodz to win a match in 1978. That would really be unpredictable. I dig the new trio of Funks and Hansen as well, wouldn't mind some title runs. 5) Who on my current roster would you like to see pushed less? I'm not crazy about the Indians, Tony Garea or Bobby Duncum, actually. 6) What is something you'd like to see me do in GCW? Not something I necessarily want you to do, but it'll be interesting to see if you'll eventually move from "cowboys" to more colorful gimmicks, clowns, repo men, bird people, etc. I wouldn't mind seeing a more serious version of 80's TV wrestling. 7) Any other general comments? I think you're doing a terrific job covering 15 years of wrestling. Keep it up!
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Post by rey619 on May 20, 2011 5:42:08 GMT -5
I meant Native Americans.. not Indians.. and never mind my comment about Race, I hadn't read further than 1977 when I wrote my post, and was spoiled by Josh
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Post by snabbit888 on May 22, 2011 14:03:15 GMT -5
March 31, 1978 - Chicago Arena - Chicago, IL
Gorilla Monsoon and Mike Graham defeated Tim Woods and Mr. Wrestling II when Monsoon pinned T. Woods after a splash in 0:07:29. Rating: *** 1/4
Mike Graham returned from his elbow injury and was back teaming with Gorilla Monsoon to take on Tim Woods & Mr. Wrestling II. The tag division in GCW is as good as it has been in quite some time and this match showcased that. Monsoon knows that he's closer to the end of his career than the beginning and wants to make one more serious run at a championship. This is a good first step as he and Graham defeated the former World Tag Team champions in impressive fashion.
Peter Maivia pinned Johnny Rodz after a Thesz press in 0:06:55. Rating: *** 1/4
Johnny Rodz showed a meanstreak last show that we hadn't seen out of him in quite some time, but all it did was raise the ire of "High Chief" Peter Maivia. Rodz still had that aggression, but not as much as Maivia who takes the win in Chicago.
[CHICAGO STREETFIGHT]: No-Countout-No-DQ-Match: Dino Bravo pinned Larry Zbyszko with the Side Suplex in 0:12:30. Rating: ***
This situation between Dino Bravo & Larry Zbyszko has been brewing for months, and it finally came to a head in violent fashion in this Chicago Streetfight. The rules were simple - come dressed as you are and everything goes. And needless to say, everything did go. Months of pent up frustration on the part of Bravo bubbled to the surface as he finally got a chance to get his hands on Zbyszko, no questions asked. Bravo dominated Zbyszko early on, and it wasn't long into the match before a huge cut was opened up over Zbyszko's eye. It looked like this was going to be a squash but Zbyszko turned the tide with a low blow. The ruthless nature of Zbyszko came out as he saw his opportunity to take out his former partner for good, and that's what he tried to do. Zbyszko was looking to break Bravo's arm just as he had broken Dominic DeNucci's arm. He looked possessed as he brought the onslaught, but Bravo refused to stay down. Zbyszko had grabbed a chair to use on Bravo's arm, but Bravo got the chair away from him and nailed Zbyszko right between the eyes! Zbyszko was down but Bravo kept obliterating him with the chair, his eyes glazed over with rage. Bravo picked Zbyszko up and planted him with the Side Suplex as the final nail in the coffin, getting the 3 count and his redemption.
Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf and The Heenan Family (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) battled to a double countout in 0:09:31. Rating: * 1/2
Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf and the Blackjacks went at it again, and it again showcased the competitive nature of the tag division. We didn't get to see who was the better team here as the match spilled into the crowd and ended in a double countout. When the fight was separated, the Blackjacks ended up back in the ring with their manager Bobby Heenan, who looked highly distracted. Lanza & Mulligan questioned Heenan and complained that he has been lacking as their manager for the past several weeks and wanted a change. Heenan eventually snapped and called the Blackjacks a couple of bums before publically quitting! The Blackjacks seemed taken aback and watched Heenan walk to the back.
Bob Backlund pinned Rene Goulet after a powerslam in 0:07:51. Rating: ** 1/2
Bob Backlund's quest to win the World Title seems to have hit a major hurdle with Harley Race winning the championship. Backlund had Billy Graham in his sights, but with Graham suspended, word has it that Race wants nothing to do with Backlund. This has only made Backlund more determined, and he took it out on Rene Goulet. Backlund wrestled a different style of match tonight, more aggressive and power based than we are used to. He capped it off by hitting a powerslam to get the 3. Backlund grabbed the microphone after and the normally soft spoken Backlund said he was coming after the World Title, whether Race likes it or not.
Don Muraco and Great Kabuki defeated Dusty Rhodes and Ivan Koloff when Muraco pinned Dusty Rhodes with the Tombstone in 0:09:28. Rating: **
"Classy" Freddie Blassie is compiling talent in a hurry. He started with Great Kabuki from Japan, and at our last show, he added Don Muraco. We found out in this tag team match that he wasn't done with his signings. Blassie's primary target thus far in his managerial career Dusty Rhodes, but Rhodes had himself some backup in his friend "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff. The friendship that has built between Rhodes & Koloff has been a wonderful story, something we rarely get to see in a business that is so filled with treachery. Which makes what happened in this match all the more disturbing to see. Rhodes was in the match for the entirity as he got jumped before the bell rang and was constantly fighting just to survive. So when Rhodes got Kabuki down with a huge Bionic Elbow and crawled over to tag Koloff, he thought he would find sanctuary in a close friend. Instead, he found a turncoat as Koloff jumped down to the floor, leaving the Dream high and dry! The look of hurt on Rhodes' face said it all before he got scooped up and dropped with the Tombstone by Don Muraco. To make this even worse for Rhodes, he got to watch as Koloff hugged Blassie. It was a setup all along!
Bobby Duncum pinned Bruiser Brody with the Full Nelson Slam in 0:10:27. Rating: **
We thought the Bobby Duncum/Bruiser Brody issue was going to come to an end last month, but Brody didn't show up for undisclosed reasons. This match started off innocently enough (as innocent as a match between Duncum & Brody can, that is) but it became clear this was highly personal. It looked like Brody was taking cheap shots at Duncum, who returned the shots in kind. The match was getting carried away as Duncum & Brody were just tearing into each other. Eventually Duncum got the pin with the Full Nelson Slam. Afterward, Brody got up right after the bell and simply stormed to the back. This was a highly unusual situation indeed.
The Gunslingers (Dory Funk Jr., Stan Hansen and Terry Funk) defeated The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) and Pat Patterson when Hansen pinned Jerry Brisco after a gutwrench suplex in 0:15:22. Rating: ***
Whether we like it or not, the Gunslingers are a force to be reckoned with. They control two of the three championships in GCW, and they are three highly motivated wrestlers. All three feel like they're not getting any respect and have banded together to get that respect. Three men who don't care much for this quest for respect are the Brisco Brothers & Pat Patterson. These three want their titles back and getting a win in this six man tag would go a long way in making that happen. Unfortunately they weren't all on the same page as they let their personal issues with the Gunslingers get in the way of trying to win the match. While Stan Hansen was in the ring with Jerry Brisco, Jerry was inching over to get the tag from one of his partners. Problem was, Jack Brisco & Pat Patterson were arguing over who would get in the ring, mostly because Patterson wants to get his hands on the IC champion in the worst way. Unfortunately for their team, this left Jerry to fend for himself where he ate a hard gutwrench suplex and a loss. If the Briscos & Patterson want to get their titles back, they're going to need to get on the same page.
Harley Race pinned Jumbo Tsuruta with the Piledriver in 0:16:34. Rating: **** (Harley Race retained the GCW World Title.)
Jumbo Tsuruta wanted to become the second man to hold the World Title three times, but to do so, he was going to have to overcome Harley Race. Not only Race, but he'd have to contend with Race's new entourage of Ric Flair & Roddy Piper. Jumbo had a great gameplan in mind, but that went out the window when Flair & Piper came down to ringside. They weren't getting directly involved, but their presence was clearly distracting the challenger. Still, Jumbo had victory in his grasp after a power bomb and was all set to hit the Jumbo Knee. But before he could, Piper reached in and grabbed his foot! Jumbo kicked him away, but this momentary distraction let Race club Jumbo from behind and hit him with the Piledriver. It went from bad to worse for Tsuruta as Flair & Piper jumped in the ring to beat down Jumbo. With 3-on-1 odds, it looked bleak for Jumbo before BOB BACKLUND came down to turn the tide! Backlund and a rejuvenated Jumbo sent the rulebreakers sprawling from the ring and stood tall to end the show.
Card rating: ** 3/4
Match observations:
It'll be a great night in Detroit for our next show, taking place on April 15 from the Cobo Arena!
MAIN EVENT - Harley Race/Ric Flair/Roddy Piper vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Bob Backlund/MYSTERY PARTNER WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Funk Brothers (c) vs. The Brisco Brothers INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE - Stan Hansen (c) vs. Pat Patterson Dusty Rhodes/Chief Jay Strongbow/Billy White Wolf vs. Great Kabuki/Don Muraco/Ivan Koloff
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Post by JoshiQ on May 22, 2011 18:45:58 GMT -5
- I couldn't tell from the last card if you were going to start pushing Rodz or not. I'm guessing not after this card.
- Bravo/Zbyszko sounded like a helluva brawl. It would have been a good way to write out Zbyszko, but I doubt you are done with him yet. Looking forward to where Dino goes from here since Dominic is on the shelf and his feud with Larry is over.
- Heenan is having a rough time lately. Hopefully he isn't gone from the GCW. Maybe he'll take over the Race/Flair/Piper group.
- Koloff is such scum. I knew we should have deported him when we could. I'm surprised to see him turn back heel so quickly after turning face.
- You've got a lot of guys storming to the back without a lot of reasoning tonight. Maybe Brody and Heenan went out for a drink?
- Glad to see Race retain, and his feud with Backlund should be a classic.
I like the new road GCW seems to be taking. Keep it up.
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Post by JoshiQ on May 22, 2011 20:26:07 GMT -5
You know, you need to remind me to read cripplethreat.wikidot.com/ a little more often. I had looked at it before, but not for a few years in GCW time. I learned quite a bit about some of the more recent controversies, especially the one with Brody that happened on this show. I love things like that, really makes the fed more enjoyable than it already is.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 22, 2011 20:42:14 GMT -5
You know, you need to remind me to read cripplethreat.wikidot.com/ a little more often. I had looked at it before, but not for a few years in GCW time. I learned quite a bit about some of the more recent controversies, especially the one with Brody that happened on this show. I love things like that, really makes the fed more enjoyable than it already is. Ah, yes. Read cripplethreat.wikidot.com/ a little more often, Josh! I like adding the extra little bit of realism. I don't want to spend too much time on an elaborate backstage history of who doesn't get along with who or whatever, but there are very distinct things that have worked out that I honor to keep it interesting for me. Bruno getting screwed out of the title, Pedro Morales and Mil Mascaras hating each other, pretty much no one trusting Marvin Niemiller, etc.
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Post by snabbit888 on May 26, 2011 18:02:57 GMT -5
April 15, 1978 - Cobo Arena - Detroit, MI
Stan Hansen pinned Pat Patterson with the Lariat in 0:17:01. Rating: *** 1/4 (Stan Hansen retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
We were happy to be back in Detroit at the Cobo Arena, and even though it was Tax Day, we were determined not to let that get anyone down and bring great GCW wrestling to you! The show kicked off with the Intercontinental Title on the line with Stan Hansen defending against Pat Patterson. Hansen had his hands full with Patterson the last time they wrestled and he walked out of the match for a countout loss, but he was better prepared to fight this time around. That being said, Patterson is a veteran of the ring and a former champion, and he wanted to get his hands on the IC Title for a second time. Hansen was on the ropes as Patterson is a brawler who can take it to anyone, but to Hansen's credit, he dished it right back until catching Patterson with the Lariat out of nowhere to retain the gold. A hard-hitting way to get the night started.
Dino Bravo pinned Tim Woods with the Side Suplex in 0:06:00. Rating: *** 3/4
Having had much success in the tag team division, Dino Bravo has decided to try his hand in the singles division. He officially kicked off his singles career on a good note by getting a win over Tim Woods with the Side Suplex. Bravo has a way to go before he climbs the ladder in the singles division, but he has the skill set to make it happen.
Larry Zbyszko pinned Peter Maivia with the Shoulderbreaker in 0:10:23. Rating: ***
Not to be outdone, Bravo's former partner Larry Zbyszko was looking to get back on track after Bravo defeated him in the Chicago Streetfight last month to end their bloody feud. Zbyszko took on veteran Peter Maivia, and though the High Chief had the experience edge, he had trouble handling Zbyszko's youth and conditioning. Zbyszko focused on Maivia's left shoulder, working it over enough that the Shoulderbreaker would be enough to put this one in the books.
Don Muraco, Great Kabuki and Ivan Koloff defeated Chief Jay Strongbow, Billy White Wolf and Dusty Rhodes when I. Koloff pinned Strongbow with the Russian Sickle in 0:12:48. Rating: ** 1/2
Dusty Rhodes partnered with Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf to take on Freddie Blassie's crew of Great Kabuki, Don Muraco, and the newest acquisition, Ivan Koloff. The fans are still in shock that after everything the American Dream did for him that Koloff would turn on him like he did, but it goes to show that old feelings die hard. Rhodes was almost salivating to get his hands on Koloff, and Blassie used this to his advantage as he made sure his team kept the Russian Bear out of the ring when Rhodes was. This frustration led to Rhodes not being the best of partners as ultimately Koloff would win for his team by hitting the Russian Sickle on Strongbow while Muraco & Kabuki had Rhodes & Wolf occupied. Rumor has it that at our next show on May 7 from the Spectrum in Philly, the Dream will have a challenge to issue to Koloff.
Gorilla Monsoon and Mike Graham defeated The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) when Graham pinned Mulligan after a fisherman suplex in 0:07:32. Rating: ** 1/2
The Blackjacks came out without Bobby Heenan, who apparently is taking a leave of absence from his managerial duties in GCW. This was the first match that Lanza & Mulligan were on their own, and they looked completely out of sorts against Gorilla Monsoon & Mike Graham. The Blackjacks are former 2-time tag champions, and they looked like overmatched rookies in this match. Monsoon & Graham pick up a huge win over the former champions. If the Blackjacks are going to be on their own now, they need to figure out how to stay competitive.
Bobby Duncum pinned Mr. Wrestling II after a jawbreaker in 0:05:12. Rating: ***
Bobby Duncum was sporting a black eye from his match with Bruiser Brody two weeks ago, but it didn't effect him much in his victory over Mr. Wrestling II. After the match, Duncum got on the microphone and said that he wanted gold around his waist.
The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) and The Gunslingers (Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk) battled to a no contest in 0:04:00. Rating: *** 1/2 (The Gunslingers retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
The Funks and the Briscos were at it again, this a rivalry that only seems to get more heated as time goes on. This match hardly even got a chance to get going before it degenerated into an all-out brawl. Referee John Stanley had both teams on a short leash and called for the bell when both sets of brothers stopped listening to his instructions. Stan Hansen came down to join the fray, which brought out Pat Patterson to even the score. It took a lot of officials to break this up, but once order was restored, it was announced that there will be a 6-man tag match on May 7 between these men.
Jumbo Tsuruta, Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales defeated Harley Race, Ric Flair and Roddy Piper when Backlund made Race submit to a sleeperhold in 0:30:44. Rating: **** 1/4
For our main event, Bob Backlund & Jumbo Tsuruta promised to have a mystery partner to help them in their battle against the World champion Harley Race and his two proteges, Ric Flair & Roddy Piper. Race and his boys looked so smug about this match until the mystery wrestler was announced as GCW legend PEDRO MORALES! Morales is back in GCW, and as a former World, United States, and World Tag Team champion, I can't think of any better partner that Backlund & Tsuruta could have picked. This was an interesting match to watch on several levels. For starters, we wondered how Morales would look after his absence from GCW and the answer was, he looked great, like he hadn't missed a step. Secondly, though they have very much made their presence felt, this was the first official in-ring action for both Flair & Piper. To be associated with Race, you know they had to be highly skilled, and this match proved that to be the case. They're two extremely talented individuals, and with the teachings of the World champion, I have no doubts that they will become huge stars in this sport.
If Backlund didn't have a case for a World Title match before, he most certainly has one after this match. Morales turned out to be an excellent choice for a partner, as he along with Jumbo served to neutralize Flair & Piper as Backlund caught Race in a sleeperhold. Race fought for his life to escape the hold, but Backlund prevented him from getting to the ropes. Backlund would put Race to sleep and get a huge victory over the World champ! If this doesn't put him in line for a title match, I don't know what does!
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
A press release was issued after the show announcing a huge event that's coming up this summer. On June 14, we will make our debut in Puerto Rico! That's right, for the first time ever, GCW will eminate from Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico! Not only that, but the main event has already been announced. World champion Harley Race will defend his championship against Puerto Rican legend CARLOS COLON! This is a huge main event, and with all of Puerto Rico firmly behind Race, we could see a new World champion.
But before we get there, we make a couple offer stops, starting with the Spectrum in Philly on May 7! Here's what we know is set to take place for sure:
WORLD TITLE - Harley Race (c) vs. Pedro Morales The Brisco Brothers/Pat Patterson vs. The Gunslingers Bob Backlund vs. Roddy Piper Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ric Flair Chief Jay Strongbow/Billy White Wolf vs. Great Kabuki/Don Muraco Gorilla Monsoon/Mike Graham vs. The Blackjacks
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Post by LillaThrilla on May 26, 2011 21:31:49 GMT -5
Colon wins or they riot? I mean, seriously, it's Puerto Rico!
Amused at Patterson teaming up with the Briscos. Did that happen in real life during their in-ring careers in (W)WWF or only when they were McMahon's stooges in the 90s?
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Post by rebelins313 on May 26, 2011 21:41:33 GMT -5
Although this is young lion Flair hopefully we will have many Jumbo/Flair matches. Colon may win by DQ, getting into a brawl and sticking a fork in Race's head perhaps.
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