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Post by snabbit888 on Dec 31, 2011 10:35:15 GMT -5
I've really liked that Valentine's face turn has been a reluctant one. It leaves you with a lot of opportunities for him. He could end up attacking a face and it's totally justified, as would be if he helped out a face against a heel. His character is really strong right now. I think Savage with Rich is a good pairing. Both are sneaky heels, and it's really a simple and effective storyline that Rich helped Savage get into NWF. Savage clearly has the higher ceiling and this is a great next step (or first, really) to getting up that ladder. Like murphy said though, there's the fear of Rich getting lost in the shuffle a bit, but for now, it's all good. Strong win for Saito. The build for him continues to move on nicely. Brisco has become a really good heel. I still find the Briscos to be a little dull (real life biased, not anything of your doing), but this is honestly the most interesting I can ever say I've felt Jack Brisco to be. His career is starting to wind down, and a feud with Orndorff could really help give Mr. Wonderful the rub. Don't see Orndorff winning the US Title on his first go, but it's a huge match for him. Ugh. Okay, I'm sorry I have to say it, but I just hate the Thunderbolt/Garvin team. I don't know what it is. I think this loss hurts the Dirty Cowboys a lot more than it helps Thunderbolt and Garvin. Hopefully the face team goes singles after this. I just feel Orton and Slater have a ton more upside. I like the quick turnaround in Ole trying to get back at Savage. I also really enjoyed Rich doing absolutely nothing to help out his new partner. He's such a delightful pussy. Great angle with the tag team titles, and like I said awhile back, Canadian Air are the next tag team champions! Everything about this was great. The use of Verne Gagne, the match, the story.... just a really well done angle through and through. I have to disagree with murphy, though. Sure, this Canadian Air title reign may end up being a short one, but it's really looking like Poffo and Rougeau have some real staying power as a team. It may be too early to call, but I can see these two still teaming for years to come. Blackwell wasn't going to win the title. But more progression for the feud with Valentine is a good thing, and besides, we all want to see Race/Lawler 3, and no way you were going to deprive us of that.
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Post by murphy42782 on Dec 31, 2011 11:08:51 GMT -5
Oh I wasn't saying Canadian Air didn't have sticking power as a team, I was merely saying they aren't quite at the point where a lengthy reign makes sense this go around. The tag division has had such a strong build that there are too many legitimate contenders for a goody two shoes face squad to have a lengthy reign. I also feel like they NEEDED Verne to defeat the High Flyers, so their next reign could be a ways down the road. The Flyers are just sooo good, Saito/Fuji might have a run in em, The Von Erichs, The Cowboys, its just tough to see the Air keep the straps. I do dig them as a team.
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Post by JoshiQ on Dec 31, 2011 14:46:06 GMT -5
Garvin and Patterson were never meant to be a long term team, but they will probably remain the go-to partner if either of them needs help. I remember some feedback (I think it was Ryan) that said Garvin and Thunderbolt would be a fun, hard-hitting team, but I agree that they never quite made their mark.
Truthfully, the main reason Garvin and Thunderbolt went over in this last match against the Dirty Cowboys had to do with Orton no-showing his match a couple of shows ago.
I've never been a big fan of either Brisco from the stuff I've seen, but they have made a name for themselves through GCW and, somewhat, the NWF. I'm happy that I can give Jack a nice run before his time is up.
I have a soft spot for Canadian Air. How long they can keep the tag titles is anyone's guess, however. I never would have thought the EW Connection wouldn't have one reign nearly two years in, and never would have predicted that the High Flyers would be a franchise team.
Thanks for the comments, guys.
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Post by rey619 on Jan 2, 2012 2:53:55 GMT -5
Agree with Ryan, Valentine's face turn has been handled extremely well.
So Rich pulls some strings and brings Savage into NWF? Gotta like Rich even more for that. Guess Ole have two enemies to battle now.
I think Brisco's singles title run is coming to an end in St. Louis. The title should be perfect for Orndorrfs next step on the ladder.
I didn't realize Garvin had a punch-finisher as well. Imagine a combo finisher move with the Thunderbolt Right and the Hands of Stone Punch. Yikes.
New tag champs! High Flyers' reign has been tremendous, but it's time to pass on the torch to the Canadians. Verne playing such an instrumental part in the match was a great touch and proved that the heels couldn't win without resorting to cheating.
Nice use of the trophy angle. Blackwell will never be world champ, but he needs to be a threat to anyone.
Good show, but I think the St. Louis show will be even better. I'm especially looking forward to the Lawler vs Race showdown.
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 6, 2012 1:18:57 GMT -5
Results of NWF - St. Louis, MO - 6/13/81:
Ron Garvin pinned Buzz Sawyer with the Hands of Stone Punch in 0:06:39. Rating: 1/2*
The opening contest in NWF’s hometown of St. Louis pitted Ron Garvin against “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer. Garvin came to the NWF to help Thunderbolt Patterson out in his feud with the Dirty Cowboys, but now that that feud is over, he has let it be known he is going to focus on his singles career once again. It didn’t take long for him to show that he has what it takes to go far here as he laid Sawyer out with the Hands of Stone Punch.
The Von Erich Brothers (David Von Erich and Kevin Von Erich) and The New Wave (Bobby Eaton and Sweet Brown Sugar) defeated Jesse Ventura, Billy Graham, Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito when D. Von Erich made Fuji submit to the Iron Claw in 0:16:07. Rating: *** 1/2 (Adrian Adonis no-showed.)
This eight-man tag was able to showcase several tag teams that are at the top of the ladder here in the NWF. Well, that was the plan until it was revealed that Adrian Adonis had issues getting back to the United States after making what was supposed to be a brief trip to Japan. Luckily for Jesse Ventura, “Superstar” Billy Graham had no qualms about taking Adonis’ place. This did throw off Skandor Akbar’s game plan, however, as Graham was far less likely to take orders from him. Due to some miscommunication on the side of the rulebreakers, the team of the Von Erich Brothers and the New Wave were able to eke out a victory when David Von Erich caught Mr. Fuji in the Iron Claw.
After the match, Akbar browbeat Fuji over the loss. Akbar told Fuji that he did not need any weak links in Devastation, Inc., and that was what he was becoming. Before things could get too escalated, Mr. Saito stepped in to calm things down. They will need to get their issues settled before our next show as the Von Erich Brothers hope to settle their feud with Fuji and Saito once and for all in Columbia, MO. The feud between the East-West Connection and the New Wave will also hopefully end in Columbia, but their match will have another aspect to it as the winners will become the number one contenders for the Tag Team Titles, currently held by Canadian Air.
Ole Anderson pinned Randy Savage with the Spinebuster Slam in 0:13:42. Rating: *** 1/4
It all came out last month that it was “Wildfire” Tommy Rich that got “Macho Man” Randy Savage hired here in the NWF. Rich called in this favor when he and Savage left Ole Anderson laid out in Norman, OK. Anderson was out for revenge against Savage tonight, but he would have his hands full as Rich accompanied Savage to the ring. Rich tried to interject himself as often as he could to give Savage the advantage, and it was working. Savage was able to maintain control of the match for the most part, but he made one fatal mistake when he climbed to the top turnbuckle. It looked like he wanted to impress Rich as he told him to watch closely as he went to deliver a top rope double axehandle. He sailed off, but right into the waiting arms of Ole, who drilled him into the mat with the Spinebuster Slam. Savage had to have been knocked unconscious as the back of his head hit the mat. The three count was academic. After the bell, Ole held the ropes open to invite Rich into the ring, but “Wildfire” was having none of it as he scampered to the back. Ole grabbed a microphone and told the groggy Savage that he better learn to pick better friends. He reminded Savage that the last person who thought Tommy Rich was his friend is still on the shelf.
Thunderbolt Patterson pinned Jerry Estrada with the Thunderbolt Right in 0:02:34. Thunderbolt Patterson tore his right biceps. He will be out for approximately 6 months. Rating: * ¾
Thunderbolt Patterson had told the guys in the back that he was anxious to get back into singles competition so he could work his way towards a World Title shot. He had no problems with Estrada as he got an easy win with the Thunderbolt Right. There was some concern after he delivered the blow as he was favoring his arm after the match. Later on it was revealed that he had torn his right bicep. Thunderbolt will be unable to wrestle for around 6 months as he tries to recover from the injury. Thunderbolt was furious with himself, but accidents do happen. This will put a damper on his quest to get a shot at the World Title, and one also has to wonder how effective his Thunderbolt Right will be when he returns to the ring.
Canadian Air (Lanny Poffo and Raymond Rougeau) defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) when R. Rougeau pinned G. Gagne with the Rougeau Bomb in 0:14:39. Rating: *** 1/4 (Canadian Air retained the NWF World Tag Team Titles.)
The High Flyers have been complaining that if it weren’t for Verne Gagne that they would never have lost their titles to Canadian Air. Verne disagreed, but to prove a point he agreed not to get involved in tonight’s match. Verne still wants to show his son, Greg, the error of his ways, but he was going to let Canadian Air show that they are deserving champions. It didn’t look like it was going to turn out that way, however, as the High Flyers were determined to win back the titles. They kept control of the match, turning to cheating whenever they needed to, and used constant double teaming. It got to a point where it looked like Greg Gagne could put away Lanny Poffo with the Brain Buster, but he kept trying to get the submission off of the Gagne Sleeper, a move that his father, Verne, made famous. Poffo was somehow able to avoid it, and it made Greg so frustrated that he didn’t see Poffo make a blind tag to Raymond Rougeau. Greg finally got Poffo locked in securely with the Gagne Sleeper when Rougeau flew off the top rope with the Rougeau Bomb! Brunzell was unable to get into the ring to break it up before referee Isaac Madilla counted to three. Canadian Air, once again, defeated the High Flyers and walked out with the tag titles. Greg Gagne threw a fit in the ring while Brunzell was stunned by the developments.
INTERVIEW:
Greg Valentine was out for an interview next. He had Crusher Blackwell’s Valentine’s Day trophy with him, only this time the trophy had been broken in two. Valentine requested that Blackwell join him in the ring which Crusher immediately did. He was accompanied by Skandor Akbar which was probably a good thing or Crusher might have torn right into Valentine. Valentine said that he could see the pain in Blackwell’s eyes every time something happened to the trophy, and his goal was not to cause Blackwell pain. Valentine said there was only one thing he wanted from Crusher Blackwell and that was a match. Blackwell was nodding his head that he accepted, but Valentine told him to hold on one second. Valentine said he wanted a match with Blackwell and if he wins that Blackwell could have his trophy back, but if Valentine won then Skandor Akbar had to leave the National Wrestling Federation for good! Blackwell was already agreeing to the match while Akbar stood there, stunned. He finally realized what was happening and refused to put his career on the line. Blackwell was not happy with his manager, questioning if he didn’t believe that he could beat Valentine. Akbar tried to make Crusher see the dangers of accepting the match, but Blackwell began to wonder why Akbar would stand in the way of him being reunited with his trophy. Akbar finally had no choice but to accept the match, but he demanded that the match be held with no disqualifcations allowed. Valentine was quick to accept. Valentine has blamed Akbar for costing him his World Title shot against Harley Race back in December, and it looks like he is finally going to get his shot at some payback next month.
Paul Orndorff defeated Jack Brisco by disqualification in 0:09:25. Rating: ** 1/4 (Jack Brisco retained the NWF United States Title.)
Jack Brisco may have been the one to issue the open challenge last month, but he sure didn’t look pleased about having to face Paul Orndorff here tonight. In fact, it looked like he wanted to make sure that this was the last shot Orndorff would ever get. Orndorff had him on the ropes when Brisco punched him in the throat. Referee Barney Sullivan looked like he was going to let it go with a warning, but Brisco followed up with a stomp to Orndorff’s Adam’s apple. Sullivan called for the disqualification at this point as Orndorff rolled around the ring in agony. It looked like Brisco was going to try and further injure Orndorff when “Superstar” Billy Graham ran down to the ring. Graham cleared Brisco of the ring with a series of punches which sent the US Champion packing. Graham helped Orndorff up, but Orndorff seemed very leery of the help he was receiving. Orndorff is going to get one more shot at the gold in Columbia, much to the chagrin of Jack Brisco.
Jerry Lawler pinned Harley Race after a flying fistdrop in 0:15:54. Rating: **** (Jerry Lawler won the NWF World Title.)
We have a new World Champion, but it was not without a massive amount of controversy. Jerry Lawler and Harley Race have a hatred for one another that is hard to match, and it showed by the brutality of this match. Within minutes of the bell, Race had bloodied Lawler’s nose. Lawler returned in kind by bloodying Race above his eye. That was the force of the punches at play. It didn’t take long to realize that, despite both men being known as marathon workers, they were not going to be able to take much of this. Despite Lawler’s promise that Race would not walk out of St. Louis with the title, Race slowly started to gain control of the match. It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before Race was able to use his Piledriver to get the victory. A Hail Mary attempt by Lawler threw all of that out the window. Lawler went to the top rope for a flying crossbody, something he is not known for, and it threw everyone for a loop including referee Alfred Neely. Lawler flew off and into Race, but Race’s momentum caused him to fall backwards and hit the ref. Neely went down hard, but so did the two competitors. Race and Lawler slowly got back to their feet, but Race regained control by drilling Lawler with a knee to the midsection. Race set Lawler up for the Piledriver when a man jumped over the guardrail, chair in hand. Race never saw him enter the ring and so was unable to protect himself from getting plastered upside the head with the steel chair. The man stood over Race and we all got a clear look at him – “ROWDY” RODDY PIPER!
As Piper was leaving the ring, Lawler came to his senses and didn’t appear to know what had happened. He wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth as he climbed up to the middle turnbuckle so that he could nail Race with a flying fistdrop. Race was already out before that shot, but it couldn’t have helped any. Referee Neely finally came to long enough to deliver the three count and send the fans into an uproar. Regardless, Lawler walked out of St. Louis just as he promised, World Title around his waist. But just what was Roddy Piper doing in a NWF ring and why did he cost Race the World Title?
July 11, 1981 – Columbia, MO: US TITLE – Jack Brisco © vs. Paul Orndorff NO DQ, TROPHY VS. AKBAR’S CAREER – Crusher Blackwell vs. Greg Valentine #1 CONTENDER’S MATCH – The East-West Connection vs. The New Wave Ole Anderson vs. Tommy Rich The Von Erich Brothers vs. Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito
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Post by snabbit888 on Jan 6, 2012 1:49:31 GMT -5
See, already like Garvin a whole lot more now that he's in singles. It's strange how something as simple as getting out of a tag team can make a guy so much more likable. We'll see what he can do in singles. It seems like members of E-W Connection no-show a lot. That being said, the 8-man was what it was and that was a setup for the tag matches at the Columbia show. Tension with Akbar and Fuji is intriguing. It looks like Akbar may be losing control of the ship. Great match with Ole/Savage, and a great finish to boot. Doesn't really hurt Savage at all, and I loved Ole planting the seeds in Savage's mind that Rich can't be trusted. A whole other layer to this that I really enjoy. Not that I am a fan of Thunderbolt, but that's a rough injury. Anything more than 5 can really throw plans out of whack. I'm honestly thinking this injury could signal the end of his career (of being relevant, anyway). Great first title defense for Canadian Air. Gagne trying to show up his father is not a good idea. Brunzell might have to slap some sense into Greg here soon. The best team in the world is losing some steam, and I don't like it! See, I was right. Akbar is losing control of his men. Now his career is on the line in Columbia over that damn trophy. I just wanna give Crusher Blackwell a big ol' hug. Poor guy. That being said, I think Akbar is out of here after that show. That was a vicious way to get disqualified. Stomping on a dude's throat is pretty hardcore. Orndorff's lucky Billy Graham was around to make the save, but I can't imagine Graham can be trusted. That Graham family is crazy, you know. Holy shit, that was a hot ending to this show. I knew that you had Piper coming in, but I kind of forgot that the debut hadn't happened yet (or was still pending... you know what I mean). His coming in a heel completely took me off-guard too. He has a history with Race though, and it looks like he's gone with the against rather than for side of that coin. It doesn't appear that he's aligned with Lawler though, which is interesting. What's Lawler going to have to say about this? Either way, another World Title change. I'm a fan of long reigns, but sometimes some hot-shotting of the strap is good for business, especially when the changes have been this well done. I would have never guessed Lawler would be a 2-time World champion at this point. Excellent work, friend machine!
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Post by rey619 on Jan 6, 2012 6:19:12 GMT -5
Holy shit, Thunderbolt punched so hard he tore his biceps! Almost sounds like a Chuck Norris joke. I don't know what plans you had for Patterson, but this could lead to a good angle, people kicking out of the Thunderbolt Right because it isn't as hard as it used to. Maybe it's time to bring back the Thunderbolt Left! I love heel logic that dictates that since Verne prevented them from cheating, they would never have been champs. It's a paradox, for it's essentially true Good to see they retained on their own though. Valentine Trophy angle rocks. I wonder if this is a way to get Skandor out of NWF. Maybe Crusher too? I think Brisco's days are numbered and that Orndorrf will win the belt in Columbia. Piper!! I wondered where'd he gone in GCW. Putting the belt back on Lawler was a good move, and now Race'll be occupied with Piper for a while I think. Neither Race nor Backlund as champs? It's a new day in the GCW Universe.. Note: I think it's cool that when wrestlers switches side, you play on the history between them, but how much effect does this have on the live crowd back in 81 really? Without TV or Internet, do they know this? I must admit I'm not paying all that much attention to where the shows are held, so I don't know if you have that much common markets.
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Post by LillaThrilla on Jan 6, 2012 13:06:14 GMT -5
PIPER~! Got a good laugh at the unintentional humor of D VON Erich in the match results. "Kevin, get the tables!"
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 6, 2012 13:37:35 GMT -5
Ryan:
I actually thought that too about the East-West Connection and Graham. Turns out that Adonis has no-shown twice and Ventura once in two years. Not the best record for them. Graham has never no-shown a match. Adonis and Ventura are on a very short leash at this point.
I normally don't do one-two show title reigns, but because of that I thought it was time I did one. Plus, I liked that it was the same two trading the title back and forth. I also don't know how long Race will be away from the World Title, and I wanted to make sure I could call him my first two time NWF World Champion.
Rey:
I use mostly Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and some of the surrounding states. I'm not sure how well the fans would be able to keep up with storylines, but I'm going with the thought that PWI reviews every show.
Liller:
I actually thought that too when I saw D Von. Just 15 years away from the Dudleys!
Thanks for the comments, guys.
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Post by murphy42782 on Jan 6, 2012 17:17:36 GMT -5
few comments:
Really loving Roddy Piper in NWF. Him debuting here to cost Race the title was gold. The Jump really helps establish him as a main event caliber talent. Race/Piper should be gold.
Jerry Lawler is a good choice to defend title in Race's (hopefully) prolonged absence from that scene. Lawler could have a ready made feud with a face Greg Valentine stemming from their earlier feud.
Love Orndorff going over Brisco for the title at your next show...
I hope this is the end of Akbar and company. I was behind them at first, but now with heel Lawler. Rich, Savage, etc. You can afford to lose them as they are growing a bit stale. Outside of Valentine/Crusher they are boring. Valentine should vanquish them.
Like the Flyers losing on the merit of Canadian Air, far more then when Air won the titles due to Verne
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Post by murphy42782 on Jan 6, 2012 17:31:06 GMT -5
Oh I also love the build of face Ole too.
Also where are the Dirty Cowboys? Hopefully they didn't quit
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 6, 2012 23:12:23 GMT -5
Dirty Cowboys are still around. Just a night off. I have a weird amount of wrestlers that usually 2-4 get nights off every show.
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 9, 2012 14:10:19 GMT -5
Results of NWF - Columbia, MO - 7/11/81:
The Von Erich Brothers (David Von Erich and Kevin Von Erich) defeated Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito when D. Von Erich made Fuji submit to the Iron Claw in 0:06:50. Rating: ***
Tonight’s show started off with a tag team contest to hopefully settle the feud between these two teams. Kevin and David Von Erich have had their hiccups as of late, but they came out as strong as ever from the minute the bell rang. Mr. Saito was able to hold his own, but Mr. Fuji has slowed down quite a bit with age. He was unable to avoid the Iron Claw by David, and Saito could not get past Kevin to break it up. Fuji was forced to submit and give this match and the rivalry to the Von Erich Brothers.
Skandor Akbar was not a happy man after the match. He told Saito to put Fuji out of his misery. Saito hesitated for just a second before lifting Fuji up and dropping him with the Saito Suplex. Akbar then publicly fired Fuji from Devastation, Inc. Akbar was not in a good mood with his career on the line later on tonight, and Fuji felt the full brunt of it here.
Billy Graham pinned Buzz Sawyer after a backbreaker in 0:05:55. Rating: * ¾
“Superstar” Billy Graham has had most of his focus on Paul Orndorff as of late. His singles career might have suffered because of it, but if tonight’s match had anything to say about it, he was right back on track. The former NWF World Champion put Buzz Sawyer away with ease after delivering a brutal backbreaker. This would not the last we would see of Graham here in Columbia.
Jerry Lawler pinned Ron Garvin with the Piledriver in 0:09:11. Rating: ** 3/4 (Jerry Lawler retained the NWF World Title.)
You would think Jerry Lawler would be happy. He is the newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion and defeated his arch-rival, Harley Race, to claim that honor. But no, he felt disrespected by not headlining tonight’s show in his first title defense. This slight distraction almost cost him several times in his match against Ron Garvin. Garvin is not someone you can take lightly, and with Lawler jawing with the crowd about how great he was, Garvin almost upset “the King” and took his title. Lawler was eventually able to catch Garvin with the Piledriver and get the three count, but he better get his mind on his title defenses if he wants to hold onto that title very long.
INTERVIEW:
Greg Gagne came out next to address the recent situation with his father, Verne Gagne. Greg said it was just like his father to try and steal the limelight. He reminded everyone that the High Flyers had been the best tag team in the world over the past year, and if it weren’t for his father, they’d still be the World Tag Team Champions. Greg said that his father was not around for his childhood and has now decided to ruin his adult life. Verne could only take so much before he came to the ring. Verne told Greg that he had it all wrong, that he was away from home to make Greg’s life better, and he had accomplished that. Greg refused to hear it, saying that he was ready to get out from under Verne’s shadow. Greg demanded that Verne face him in the ring so the whole world could see who the better Gagne was. Verne tried to persuade him that this was not a good decision. Verne said he had only come to the NWF to try and show him that he was headed down the wrong path. Greg insisted that he face his father in the ring, but Verne kept refusing. Greg finally had enough as he slapped his father across the face. Verne did not retaliate. Instead, he told Greg that he would get his wish, and he would punish Greg like he should have done when he was a child. After this altercation, father and son signed a contract that will pit them against one another in Independence, Missouri, next month. What a tragic turn of events.
Number-One-Contenders-Match: East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura) defeated The New Wave (Bobby Eaton and Sweet Brown Sugar) when Adonis made Sugar submit to the Goodnight Irene in 0:13:21. Rating: ***
The East-West Connection has not quite met expectations when it comes to the tag team division. They were projected to be champions since the NWF was formed, but they have not been able to accomplish that goal. The New Wave, a team that debuted just this year, has also had high hopes bestowed upon them after they defeated then World Tag Team Champions, the High Flyers, in a non-title match in their debut. Both teams knew that this was a chance to finally get another crack at the titles. That alone would make this match heated, but when you add in the fact that both teams hate one another, there were going to be fireworks. This was about as evenly a contest as you can have, both teams firing on all cylinders. It could have gone either way, but this time it was the East-West Connection coming out on top after Adrian Adonis caught Sweet Brown Sugar in the Goodnight Irene sleeper. Ventura and Adonis may not admit it, but they were taken to the limit tonight. Their experience helped them come through with a victory, but next time, it might just be Eaton and Sugar with their hands raised. The East-West Connection are going on to face the Tag Team Champions next month. The question is, will it be Canadian Air or will the Dirty Cowboys take the titles later tonight?
Ole Anderson defeated Tommy Rich when Tommy Rich passed out in a bearhug in 0:16:59. Rating: ***
Ole Anderson has made it his mission to get revenge on Tommy Rich for putting Tony Atlas on the shelf with a broken arm. Rich has tried to avoid him as much as possible, even joining forces with Randy Savage to let Savage do some of the heavy lifting in this feud. Rich couldn’t avoid him any longer, however, as he faced off against Ole here in singles action. Savage accompanied Rich to the ring, but just a few minutes in he was ejected from ringside after he was caught tripping Ole from the outside. This left Ole alone with Rich. People forget that Rich is a formidable wrestler on his own and that he doesn’t need to use cheap tactics to win his matches. He gave Ole all he could handle and then some. Rich even looked like he was going to put Ole away with the Piledriver, but Anderson somehow countered it into the Spinebuster Slam. Ole could have probably picked up the win there, but instead he decided to pick Rich up and apply a bearhug. Ole was making a statement about what happens when you injure one of his friends. Rich was already loopy from the Spinebuster, and there was no way he was escaping the bearhug with the grip Ole had locked on. Ole let Rich collapse to the mat after the bell was rung. This was a huge victory for Ole, and in fact, it was enough to get him a World Title shot at our next show.
Canadian Air (Lanny Poffo and Raymond Rougeau) defeated Dirty Cowboys (Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater) when L. Poffo pinned Slater with the Crucifix in 0:13:02. Rating: ** 3/4 (Canadian Air retained the NWF World Tag Team Titles.)
Some people thought that Canadian Air was going to be flash in the pan champions. They went a long way in proving those people wrong last month when they defeated the High Flyers in a rematch. Tonight they took another step in showing that they may be in it for the long haul when they successfully defended against the Dirty Cowboys. Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater were just a little too cocky with the way they were handling Lanny Poffo and Raymond Rougeau and it ended up costing them in the end. Poffo pulled Slater down with the Crucifix almost out of nowhere, and Orton was too busy bragging to the fans about being new tag team champions to notice that he needed to break up the pinfall. Canadian Air now have the East-West Connection up next which will be just as difficult of a challenge.
[TROPHY VS. AKBAR'S CAREER] No-DQ-Match: Greg Valentine pinned Crusher Blackwell after a kneelift in 0:13:48. Rating: * ¾
It has been awhile since we’ve seen Crusher Blackwell as determined as he was here. Skandor Akbar might have thought it was because his career was on the line, but most people seem to realize that it was mostly due to Crusher wanting his Valentine’s Day trophy back. The trophy has seen better days, currently in two pieces with numerous other parts already having been broken off, but Crusher still loves that thing like a newborn baby. Greg Valentine had something else he wanted, and that was to end Akbar’s career as a manager. With both men desperately wanting to win, we ended up getting a brutal war that went back and forth. About ten minutes in Akbar started getting nervous despite Blackwell continuing to hold his own against Valentine. Akbar had requested that this match be without disqualifications, and we figured out why as he called for the back to get help from Mr. Saito. Saito joined in on the attack and turn things in Crusher’s favor. Referee Isaac Madilla wanted to do something about it, but he was powerless as these were the rules agreed upon by both men. This continued on until the New Wave ran down the aisle! The New Wave quickly cleared Saito from the ring and brawled with him all the way to the back. This was obviously payback for Valentine teaming with the New Wave back in May. We thought that was an odd pairing at the time, but it all started to make sense here. During all of this confusion, Valentine was able to drill Crusher with a kneelift using the loaded kneepad. Blackwell fell like a sack of bricks, and Valentine hopped on top of him for the cover. Akbar tried to get in the ring, but he was simply too slow as Madilla awarded the match to Greg Valentine!
Akbar stood on the ring apron in shock while Valentine waved goodbye to Akbar. The crowd got into this as well as the arena started to wave at Akbar. Akbar threw a fit, kicking the bottom rope and arguing with the referee. Akbar was so upset that he even made the decision to enter the ring and punch Valentine square in the jaw. This went over as well as could be expected as Valentine punched Akbar in the gut and nailed him with his loaded kneelift. Akbar was out while Valentine went to the outside and retrieved the nearly destroyed trophy. He dropped it on Blackwell’s chest and told the crowd that he would not need this any longer. When Akbar finally came to he completely blamed Crusher Blackwell for what happened. He was also heard saying that this was not over and he guaranteed he would be back! I don’t know what he’s thinking because the stipulations were clear for this match, Akbar is done here in the NWF!
Paul Orndorff pinned Jack Brisco after a short clothesline in 0:19:03. Rating: **** 1/4 (Paul Orndorff won the NWF United States Title.)
The last match these two had did not end with a decisive winner due to the antics of Jack Brisco. Brisco ensured that he would get himself disqualified so that he could hold onto the US Title. Things were a bit different in this match as Brisco realized that until he beat Paul Orndorff, the Championship Committee would be granting Orndorff rematch after rematch until one man came out on top. So instead Brisco came to wrestle his way to victory, but Orndorff is one of the hottest wrestlers here in the NWF. Orndorff and Brisco went back and forth for nearly twenty minutes, both men coming extremely close to getting their hand raised but unable to land that deathblow. Brisco had worked over Orndorff’s leg for a majority of the match in an attempt for the Figure-Four Leglock, but he had so much trouble keeping Orndorff on the mat long enough to apply it that he decided to go back to his cheating ways. Brisco pulled out a foreign object that he quickly palmed. It looked like he was about to nail Orndorff in the chin with it when “Superstar” Billy Graham ran down the aisle. He told referee Alfred Neely about what Brisco was attempting to do. Neely was able to confiscate the foreign object before it was put to use, and while Neely read Brisco the riot act, Orndorff was able to regroup himself. Orndorff whipped Brisco around and nearly took his head off with a brutal short clothesline. Orndorff covered him, and a quick three seconds later, we had a new United States Champion!
Brisco lay on the mat, rubbing his jaw, while Graham joined Orndorff in the ring to celebrate. Graham even offered to put the title around Orndorff’s waist, but the new US Champ was having none of that. Orndorff grabbed his title and left ringside to a huge ovation from the crowd while Graham watched on from the ring. One man that was not happy about all of this was Jack Brisco. Brisco has demanded a match with Graham to teach him to keep his nose out of his business. It was signed for next month.
INTERVIEW:
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper entered the ring to a huge chorus of boos from the crowd. This did not bother him in the least as he had the biggest grin on his face. Piper ranted and raved about what a crummy state Missouri was. When he first got here Piper said he was confused why all the cowboys were married to cows, but it took him awhile to realize that those cows were what Missouri calls women. He continued to berate the fans until he had them riled up and ready to jump the guardrail. Piper said he was here for one reason, and it wasn’t to see the landmarks of Missouri, cow dung and toothless men. He reminded everyone that it was Harley Race who had gotten him into mainstream wrestling just a few years back, and how Race had promised him money and glory and that Race was going to make sure all of that happened if he stood by his side. Piper said he had stood by Race’s side until Race decided to skip town leaving him to deal with all of Race’s dirty work. Piper said he had no money and no glory, all he had was a bunch of scars and broken bones from fighting Race’s wars. Piper said he was only here to do one thing and that was to put an end to Race’s miserable career. Piper said it was no surprise to him that a piece of crud like Race would hide out where there’s more steaming piles of it than anywhere else, the National Wrestling Federation. Piper continued his tirade for some time until the roof nearly blew off the arena as Harley Race bulldozed his way into the ring. Race was unable to get his hands on Piper as Roddy bailed out quickly. Piper had a huge smile on his face and pointed to his head as if he had outsmarted Race. Piper headed to the back while Race simmered in the ring.
And just announced, these two will meet in the ring in Independence, MO, for the first time ever! Be sure to buy your tickets because if Race has his way, this might be the last time Piper is seen outside of a hospital.
August 22, 1981 – Independence, MO: WORLD TITLE – Jerry Lawler © vs. Ole Anderson WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES – Canadian Air © vs. The East-West Connection FATHER VS. SON – Verne Gagne vs. Greg Gagne Harley Race vs. Roddy Piper Jack Brisco vs. Billy Graham
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Post by snabbit888 on Jan 9, 2012 15:06:03 GMT -5
Geez... FINALLY. Sucks about Fuji. I know how long it took you to get Saito signed, and then Fuji up and leaves on you. I'm excited to see Saito as a single though. Good to see the Superstar get back on track with a win. Lawler has a good reason to be upset. Match #3 against Ron Garvin? C'mon - he's the champ! This struggle for respect should be a fun story. You've done a great job using Verne Gagne to help get Greg over all the more. The singles match in Independence should go a long way toward establishing Greg as a singles star. He's not quite there yet because I think the Flyers have some more mileage, but this will be good for the second generation star's career. Much needed quality win for East-West. I figure if Ventura & Adonis are ever going to take the next step, it's now. Shit or get off the pot. Not a bad loss for the New Wave either. Even in losing, it does a lot to help their credibility. That's a big win for Ole too. Especially with Savage initially being involved. I still like Rich a lot, but it feels like he's lost a step or two. It might be good for he and Savage to team regularly for awhile. Ole earns a huge chance at the World Title next show. Not going to see the title change, but a good showing cements him in the main event. I'm starting to think Canadian Air's reign may last for a bit. I guess it will depend what happens in Independence. If they win, they'll retain for awhile. Or East-West is taking the gold. Though I liked how it all went down, I'm shocked to see Akbar gone (though you did leave it open to him coming back). Valentine feels like a full-fledged face now, which is a good thing. I think he's ready to be Lawler's first major challenger. NEW UNITED STATES CHAMPION! Brisco was surprisingly good in his role and had a good title reign, but Orndorff going over is the right choice. Orndorff needs the title a lot more now than Brisco does. Looking forward to where this reign goes, especially figuring out if Graham can be trusted. Perfectly sound explanations from Piper about why he's here and why he put a target on Race. I can imagine how hot the building must have been for that segment. First chapter of this feud should be great!
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Post by rey619 on Jan 10, 2012 9:57:14 GMT -5
Ooh. I thought you brought in Saito to save Fuji's career. But I guess Saito can be a force to be reckoned with in singles action too. Easy win for Graham. Dunno why Garvin gets a title match, but it helps Lawler rack up some title defenses before going into a program where he could actually lose the belt. Wow. Greg can't let it go, can he? Father vs. son-matches intrigues me, so I'm looking forward to this next step in the Gagne civil war Might the E-W Connection make it to the top this time around? I think they might. That's a big win for Ole, and he deserves the title shot next month. I don't think he will upset Lawler though. Your tag division is as strong as its ever has been. It's so open too, I think most of the teams could have made for good champions. Right now though, Canadian Air has chased the titles for so long that they deserve to be wearing them a while. At least until next show Valentine sends Ackbar packing! I don't know what will become of Crusher now though. Maybe a face turn? I'm glad he got his trophy back though. Good call putting the US Title match on last, looked like an awesome match. Brisco's heel turn and his singles run with the title was good, but wasn't meant to last. Orndorrf needs this in his push for main event status. I'm a little unsure of Graham's status as well. Face? Heel? Tweener? He still teams up with the EW Connection from time to time though. Interesting stuff either way. Can't wait to see Race and Piper!
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Post by mattharms on Jan 10, 2012 17:45:14 GMT -5
Feedbackery~!
As I read and mostly blind feedback, although I've been lurking here and there.
Solid enough tag team opener. And Fuji gets turfed. I'm guessing this is the end of him, as Fuji as a good guy just seems...rather wrong.
Good win for the Superstar, really not much more to say than that.
Holy midcard title defense. Lawler not too pleased and really who could blame him for being shunted right down to the middle of the card. Obviously not treatment benefitting something of his stature.
Greg Gagne is out, with angsty Daddy issues about. Daddy Gagne is not happy about his disrespect. Oooh slap to the face. What better way to end a family dispute than a fight. Okay, there are better ways, but few are actually entertaining from the viewer.
Adonis and Ventura get their due and get the win. Hopefully they'll get the titles.
Ole Anderson getting a title shot...interesting, but something tells me he won't be winning.
Canadian Air for the win, a unqiue and fun looking tag team and they earned that one, as Slater and Orton are as tough as they come. Looking forward to the upcoming title match with the East West Connection.
See you later Akbar. Oh sure blame the help and I think that he will find a way to worm his way back in eventually, like the bad penny that keeps surfacing.
Orndorff...yes...good win and an amazing sounding match. The Superstar and Jack Brisco should be a good match with its own right.
And a solid way to end the show. Piper and Race never fail to entertain and based on this promo, I'm looking forward to this encounter
A great show, keep it up.
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Post by LillaThrilla on Jan 10, 2012 22:43:56 GMT -5
Serious slap in the face to Lawler by having him defend his World Title so early in the card. Is that the earliest on a card the World Title has ever been defended in either GCW or NWF?
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 10, 2012 23:23:45 GMT -5
I don't do it often, but I feel like it's fine in this house show style format. The intermission would normally be taking place around this match or the next one, and if something is going to happen later on in the show that I find will send the fans home happy or more energetic (Orndorff winning the strap, a Piper/Race showdown), I will put that on last.
But yeah, I've done it twice before.
2/6/80 - Third match on the show:
Harley Race pinned Ole Anderson with the Piledriver in 0:08:13. Rating: ** 1/4 (Harley Race retained the NWF World Title.)
1/3/81 - Third match on the show:
Harley Race pinned Greg Gagne with the Piledriver in 0:10:02. Rating: *** 1/4 (Harley Race retained the NWF World Title.)
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 10, 2012 23:25:22 GMT -5
I also couldn't find any time that GCW did it. He does have several shows where he opens with the IC Title (US Title) or the Tag Titles being defended. I don't think the NWF has done that, but I need to take a closer look.
Thanks, Rey, Ryan, Matt, and Liller for the comments.
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 11, 2012 15:46:07 GMT -5
Website is updated! No cool stuff, but you can now see how long Race has held the World Title and if Brisco came even close to holding the US Title half as long as Tommy Rich did.
Oh, and a couple more guys got moved to the alumni section. Link at the bottom.
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 17, 2012 23:54:08 GMT -5
Results of NWF - Independence, MO - 8/22/81:
Tommy Rich and Randy Savage defeated The Von Erich Brothers (David Von Erich and Kevin Von Erich) when Rich pinned Kevin Von Erich with the Piledriver in 0:11:07. Rating: *** ¼
We are now past two years that the National Wrestling Federation has been in business, and three men (Tommy Rich and the Von Erich Brothers) who have been here for the long haul met up here in tag team action. Rich’s partner is a relative newcomer in “Macho Man” Randy Savage, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by the skill level he has shown thus far. This was their first pairing in an actual match, and the wily intelligence of Rich and the over the top intensity from Savage was simply too much for the Von Erich Brothers. They put up a fight, but Rich was able to put to use enough underhanded tactics to come away with a win, somewhat in part due to his hooking of the tights after dropping Kevin with the Piledriver.
Ron Garvin pinned Jim Brunzell after a reverse neckbreaker in 0:08:45. Rating: * ½
Jim Brunzell’s tag team partner, Greg Gagne, was in for a war later on tonight with his father, Verne, and so Brunzell took it upon himself to wrestle a singles match. He ended up having a rough time of it as he faced off against Ron Garvin. Garvin came close to winning the World Title from Jerry Lawler on our last show, and he wanted to prove that it was no fluke. Garvin was able to score the victory with a reverse neckbreaker.
Mr. Saito pinned Sweet Brown Sugar with the Saito Suplex in 0:07:07. Rating: *** ¾
Mr. Saito has been on a tear as of late, but that was all before Skandor Akbar was forcibly sent packing from the NWF at the hands of Greg Valentine and his tag team partner, Mr. Fuji, was fired. It was now time to see if Saito could handle himself without Akbar’s tutelage. There were a few hiccups early on in his match with Sweet Brown Sugar, but it didn’t take long for him to get back on his game. Sugar has shown a lot of heart here in the NWF, but heart alone just wasn’t enough this time as Saito put him away with the Saito Suplex. If Mr. Saito can continue to compete at this high of a level then he should have a long and successful career ahead of him.
Bob Orton Jr. pinned Crusher Blackwell after a roll up in 0:08:40. Rating: ** ½
You would think Crusher Blackwell would not be a happy man since his manager, Skandor Akbar, was sent packing. That was not the case, however, as Blackwell was all smiles as carried his broken trophy to the ring. He was finally back in possession of the trophy he won back at the Valentine’s Day Massacre battle royal, and that’s all he seemed to care about. It didn’t even look like he missed Akbar all that much as he controlled Bob Orton Jr. from the start with his overwhelming size advantage. The match was well on its way to its conclusion as Crusher had Orton set up for the Big Splash when Skandor Akbar came down the aisle with a sledgehammer in hand. Akbar was not supposed to be here due to the stipulation that he’d leave the NWF if Crusher Blackwell lost to Greg Valentine, but he was here regardless. Blackwell was distracted by Akbar’s arrival, but that changed to horror as Akbar crushed the Valentine’s Day trophy with the sledgehammer. Blackwell screamed at Akbar to stop, but Akbar was shouting that this is what happens when someone puts something ahead of Akbar’s career. Blackwell tried to get through the ropes, but he got his foot tangled up in them which allowed Orton to roll him up from behind and get a three count. By the time Blackwell got back to his feet, Akbar had accomplished his task of utterly destroying the trophy. Crusher was left near tears as Akbar left ringside but not before calling Blackwell a waste of time and energy.
Hopefully this is the last we’ve seen of Skandor Akbar, but this is not a definite. Crusher Blackwell was impossible to console in the back, but one thing that was heard was that Blackwell is going to call out Akbar on our next show in Dallas, Texas. And surprisingly enough, rumor has it that it might be to apologize to Skandor Akbar.
East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura) defeated Canadian Air (Lanny Poffo and Raymond Rougeau) when Ventura defeated R. Rougeau via pinfall in 0:14:46. Rating: *** 3/4 (East-West Connection won the NWF World Tag Team Titles.)
And we have new World Tag Team Champions! The East-West Connection has been a team that many thought would be champions long before now, but they were just never able to put it all together to get the gold. Meanwhile, Canadian Air surprised a lot of people with just how quickly they gelled into a formidable team, going so far as to dethrone the most dominant team the NWF has ever seen, the High Flyers. Many were expecting this to be an evenly contested affair, and that’s exactly what we got. It looked like Canadian Air would be able to pull out another victory and hold onto their titles for a while longer when Raymond Rougeau sailed off the top rope with the Rougeau Bomb. Ventura had it well scouted, however, as he was able to duck at the last moment. Rougeau hit the mat hard and clearly knocked the wind out of himself. Ventura made the cover, and Adonis nearly obliterated Lanny Poffo with a lariat to guarantee he wouldn’t be breaking up the three count. Three seconds later and we had new World Tag Team Champions! Adonis and Ventura could hardly contain their excitement as they lifted the titles above their heads to the jeers of the crowd. “Superstar” Billy Graham even came out to join in on the celebration. They better not celebrate for long as they are going to meet right back up with Canadian Air in Dallas for a rematch.
Billy Graham pinned Jack Brisco after a backbreaker in 0:06:14. Rating: ***
Billy Graham stayed in the ring for the next match as he was up against former US Champion Jack Brisco. Both men are legends of the sport and the crowd expected an epic encounter, especially considering the altercations the two men have had in the recent months. You’ll remember that it was Billy Graham who helped the East-West Connection send Jerry Brisco out of the NWF, and it was also Graham who could be held responsible for Jack Brisco losing his US Title to Paul Orndorff. So, it came as a bit of surprise when the match was just starting to heat up that Graham was able to catch Brisco in an attempt at a high crossbody, drop him with a backbreaker, and get the three count. Graham, surprisingly enough, received a decent ovation from the crowd for his victory, but Jack Brisco was not going to let himself get embarrassed like that. As Graham was in the process of being announced the winner, Brisco leveled him with a high knee. Brisco quickly hooked Graham into the Figure-Four Leglock intending to do some damage. He had it on for a few good seconds before the East-West Connection and Paul Orndorff ran down the aisle! Orndorff realized who else was out there with him and stopped himself, but Ventura and Adonis cleared the ring of Brisco. The East-West Connection made sure that Graham was okay while Orndorff turned and headed to the back. He clearly does not believe in Graham’s recent attempts at reconciliation enough to get in the ring with Graham AND the new tag champs, the East-West Connection.
Interestingly enough, a match has been signed for September in Dallas where Jack Brisco and Billy Graham will get to choose their partners in a tag team match. No word yet on who both men have picked because they will not be announced until the match itself.
Greg Gagne pinned Verne Gagne with the Brain Buster in 0:08:37. Rating: **
Tonight saw one of the most disgusting actions by a professional wrestler in the history of the sport. Verne Gagne came out of retirement for one night only to try and teach his son, Greg, a lesson in humility and respect. And he came close to doing that by taking Greg to the mat and chain wrestling him almost to the point of embarrassment. It’s important to know that Verne is one of the most accomplished wrestlers there is, and despite age being against him, he can still go with the best of them. That’s what made it all the more sad when Greg Gagne decided to take things a different route when he low blowed Verne while referee Isaac Madilla was not watching. Greg took control and beat his father from one side of the ring to the other. Verne was unable to regain his strength before Greg planted him in the center of the ring with the Brain Buster to get the victory.
The crowd was not happy with the result of the match, but Greg seemed overly pleased with himself. He swaggered around the ring with his arms raised like he had just accomplished something great. Verne slowly was getting to his knees, and that took the grin right off Greg’s face. Greg went over to his father and tossed him to the outside. Greg pulled the ring mats up that encircle the ring to try and ensure the wrestlers’ safety. Nobody was quite sure what was going on until Greg lifted Verne up and dropped him with a Brain Buster on the exposed concrete! The crowd was aghast as was everybody at ringside. Greg Gagne screamed into Verne’s face that he was going to put his old man out of his misery. Greg picked up the limp body of his father which sent referee Madilla into action, but Greg swatted him away. The time keeper tried to step in, but was thrown into the guardrail. Greg went back to his father and was about to lift him up for another Brain Buster when “Jumping” Jim Brunzell sprinted down the aisle. He tackled Greg before he could drop Verne with another Brain Buster. Brunzell grabbed a hold of Greg and dragged him up the aisle as other wrestlers and officials came down to check on Verne. Greg kept screaming out that his father was trash and that he was the one that brought greatness to the Gagne name.
Reports are that there will be repercussions for Greg Gagne due to his actions. What those might be are still unknown. Verne Gagne was still unconscious when he arrived to the hospital. He was fitted with a neck brace. The damage to his neck and skull are severe, but specifics are not known at this time.
Greg Valentine made Jerry Estrada submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:04:22. Rating: **
Greg Valentine has picked up the nickname “The Hammer” recently from the members of the locker room due to just how hard he is able to hit his elbows and chops. He acted like he wanted to showcase his new nickname by the pure brutality that he showed in his beating of Jerry Estrada here tonight. And that’s exactly what this match was, a beating. Valentine brushed off any early offense that Estrada dished out before pounding him down to the mat and locking in the Figure-Four Leglock. Valentine looked unstoppable here tonight.
Harley Race defeated Roddy Piper by disqualification in 0:04:32. Rating: * ½
Before our next match could begin, the fans had to deal with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper calling them names and such. Piper got the crowd riled up so much that the crowd nearly blew the roof off the joint when Race came down to the ring to try and shut him up for good. Things would not go as the crowd and Race had hoped, though, because after the bell rang, Piper refused to get in the ring for any length of time. He’d break up the ten count and then exit again. This only made Race more irate as he paced around the ring like a caged lion. Race finally had enough as he exited the ring and chased Piper around ringside. Piper was able to grab a steel chair as Race rounded a corner and Piper drilled Race between the eyes with it. Race collapsed to the floor as Piper tossed the chair down and an easily disqualification was called for. Piper told Race that he was an idiot if he thought he was just going to face him man to man. Piper told him that he had to wait for years to finally get his hands on Harley, and so Race could wait a little longer himself. Piper walked around ringside and argued with some fans, and so he didn’t see Race get back to his feet. Race had blood running down his face, but that didn’t stop him from making a beeline towards Piper. Piper finally saw him coming and hauled it to the back with Race close behind.
Jerry Lawler pinned Ole Anderson with the Piledriver in 0:17:03. Rating: *** (Jerry Lawler retained the NWF World Title.)
Jerry “The King” Lawler was shown a bit more respect for his World Title defense here tonight as he headlined the show against Ole Anderson. Ole Anderson has been on an amazing run over the past year and a half, going from a guy that was more of a gatekeeper to the main event to actually being a credible World Title challenger. Ole put everything he had into this match to try and pull off the win and take the title, but Lawler has already lost the World Title once and he has guaranteed that it is going to be a long time before that happens again. He made good on his word as after a long and hard fought battle, Lawler was able to hit the Piledriver, a move that Ole made his focus to avoid the entire match. There was a reason why that was his strategy because that move will put even the best of them down. Lawler walks out of Independence with the World Title still around his waist, but Ole Anderson has nothing to be ashamed of.
September 12, 1981 – Dallas, TX: WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES – The East-West Connection © vs. Canadian Air Jack Brisco and ??? vs. Billy Graham and ??? The New Wave vs. The Dirty Cowboys Crusher Blackwell Will Call Out Skandor Akbar!
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Post by rey619 on Jan 18, 2012 2:30:28 GMT -5
That's a pretty big win for Rich and Savage, and a nasty loss for the von Erich brothers. I might start to think that they won't be champions again.
A nice string of singles victories for a couple of guys who need these wins to break out into semi main event-status. Beating tag team wrestlers doesn't hurt the losers either. Orton jr. defeating Blackwell, however, is pretty huge even though it was due to AKbar's apology. Turning Blackwell face hasn't been easy I think, but you have managed to turn him into a really sympathetic figure.
I think East-West Connection deserved this win. Canadian Air's story has been more or less told now, at least the rise to stardom and coming out on top in the feud against the High Flyers.
Graham and EW Connection must have a tweener-like status right now. At least Graham. I couldn't see any signs of cheating in the tag titles match either. Orndorrf being Graham's partner?
Brain Buster on the concrete is CZW-sickening, at least two a guy in his forties. Fifties? I have no idea how to gather information today, as Wikipedia is striking. 55? That's crazy... Wonder if this will lead to the break-up of the High Flyers.
Can't wait for a proper match between Race and Piper. Putting former champions in interesting angles can be really hard sometimes. Just ask Ring of Honor.
Good main event. Even though we all knew Anderson wouldn't win the title, he has earned his shot and the match deserved to be the main event. I wander if Lawler will have a real program while Race is involved with Piper, or if it will only be token title defenses.
Good show, looking forward to next show, especially to see if Orndorrf will team up with Graham, and to see what goes down betwen Blackwell and Akbar.
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Post by snabbit888 on Jan 18, 2012 16:03:04 GMT -5
Happy to see Rich & Savage get a win in the opener. I'm still a fan of the Von Erichs, but with hindsight being what it is, it's hard to look past their limited shelf life. That, and Rich really needed to get on the winning side of something.
Looks like Brunzell will be the one left in the lurch when Gagne gets his singles push, which is fine. One member of the team always suffers a bit. Still waiting to see what you do with Garvin.
I really like Saito as a singles wrestler. After how hard you worked to sign him to team with Fuji, I'm glad you're going to give him a run and see what you can do.
Poor Blackwell. He's a bit of a bumbling oaf now, but I could see him becoming very popular at this point in a George Steele way. I hope he doesn't apologize to Akbar, that rogue!
After all that work, FINALLY Adonis & Ventura are the tag champs. A nice little reign for Canadian Air that no one expected, so even if they never make it to that level again, they've already well overachieved. That being said, I'm hoping this isn't too little too late for EW.
This story with Billy Graham is intriguing. I'm honestly not sure what direction he is going to go. He's still aligned with the clearly heel E-W Connection, but it looks like Orndorff is coming around to trusting him as well. At this point, Graham could turn on either side and it would make sense. I'm guessing Orndorff is Graham's partner next month, but Brisco's is a total baffler.
The Gagne angle was sick. Thinking about how much heat the punk son would get in those times for trying to cripple his legendary father... that's riot worthy. Greg is going to be a huge star, I have no doubt about it.
Just a match to get Valentine on the card. We'll see what he gets up to now.
Like that you're holding off a true Race/Piper clash for a bit. There's a TON of mileage with this, so a long build is going to make this a great feud.
Good main event. You've made Ole a legit player, and even though he didn't have a chance of actually winning, being in this position at all makes him quite credible. Doesn't hurt Lawler either to beat a tough S.O.B.
Me next!
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Post by JoshiQ on Jan 18, 2012 16:44:35 GMT -5
Rey: The Von Erich Brothers are far from the bottom of the tag team scene. That's the problem with only having 5-6 teams on your roster. To build one up the other has to lose. The EW Connection are still definitely heels. Graham would fit more in the tweener role at this time though. Verne Gagne and Greg Gagne made sure to practice that move numerous times. Very little chance of Verne getting hurt. I'm intrigued myself on how I'm going to use Race. I don't want him to be forgotten as he's still the most famous person on my roster, but he is out of the World Title picture for a little while, and you're right that it's hard to book. Ryan: I'm trying not to look too far into the future with the Von Erichs. David still has quite a bit of time left. He has one tag team title reign under his belt already, but there might be bigger things ahead for him in the future. Garvin's tricky. I haven't quite decided what I'm going to do with him just yet. Hopefully Blackwell doesn't turn into too much of a Steele like character. I always planned for EW Connection to get the titles, but it just never made sense. And the High Flyers kind of got their title reign. So, this reign will probably determine what I do with them from here on. Thanks for the comments, guys. You are next x 2. Then me x 2. Gotta love the doubles.
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Post by snabbit888 on Jan 18, 2012 16:51:41 GMT -5
I should be next one. It's me, then you, then me twice, then you twice.
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