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Post by rey619 on Feb 1, 2012 13:13:40 GMT -5
Nah, I just felt that the EW Connection ventured into tweener status alongside Graham - they didn't seem to cheat or interfere as much for a while. Now though, it seems clear that EW Connection is back on the heel track while Graham is face (unless he swerves).
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 3, 2012 18:10:59 GMT -5
NEW CONTROVERSY!!!! on the NWF Wiki.
They are one of my favorite thing of Ryan's to read. He needs more turmoil in GCW. NWF seems full of it.
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Post by LillaThrilla on Feb 3, 2012 22:05:33 GMT -5
NEW CONTROVERSY!!!! on the NWF Wiki. Nice. They are one of my favorite thing of Ryan's to read. He needs more turmoil in GCW. NWF seems full of it. That's because NWF was essentially started by Harley Race, king of GCWverse backstage turmoil.
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 6, 2012 1:20:06 GMT -5
Results of NWF - Houston, TX - 11/21/81:
INTERVIEW:
“The Great” Greg Gagne was the first face from the NWF roster that the Houston audience would see tonight, and they were not happy about it. Gagne said he had been fielding questions all last month about why he left Jim Brunzell in the steel cage in their match against Canadian Air. He thought the answer was simple enough for even the stupid masses of Texas to understand, but he’d explain it anyways. Gagne said he had done enough to win the match, he had escaped the cage, and it was not his fault that Brunzell couldn’t get his part done. At this point, “Jumping” Jim Brunzell joined Gagne in the ring. Brunzell was not happy that Gagne was blaming him for the loss, and he let him know it with a shove. Brunzell told Greg that he had gone off the deep end ever since his father got involved in their business. He wanted Gagne to get his head straight so they could win back the Tag Team Titles or consider their team over. Gagne changed his tune as he tried to placate Brunzell, and even apologized to Brunzell for his actions. Brunzell accepted the apology and went to leave the ring, but was nailed from behind by Gagne! Gagne ripped Brunzell to his feet before nailing him with the Brain Buster! Gagne shouted for him to never get in “The Great” Gagne’s face ever again! The High Flyers, perhaps the best team in NWF history, appear to be no more!
Randy Savage pinned Kevin Von Erich with the Flying Elbowdrop in 0:09:18. Rating: ** ½
Randy Savage was furious after Kevin Von Erich interfered in his match last month against Ron Garvin. Savage wanted to impress not just Tommy Rich but also the NWF Championship Committee with a win over a name like Garvin. Kevin grew tired of watching his antics, however, and made sure that Garvin won the matchup and got the right to face Rich later on tonight. Savage and Kevin decided to settle their score in a one-on-one encounter. While Kevin Von Erich tried to wrestle Savage to the mat early on in the bout, Savage’s intensity was just too much for him to handle for very long. Savage walked away with an impressive victory over Kevin after the Flying Elbowdrop. Savage looked like he wanted to do some more damage to Von Erich, but David Von Erich was there to break it up. We’ll see if David can do a better job against Savage next month in a place we haven’t been back to since the third show in NWF history, Des Moines, Iowa!
The New Wave (Bobby Eaton and Sweet Brown Sugar) defeated Dirty Cowboys (Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater) when Eaton pinned Orton via pinfall in 0:10:12. Rating: ****
The New Wave recently made a run at the World Tag Team Titles currently held by the East-West Connection. They were ultimately unsuccessful, but they were close numerous times to winning the gold. They are determined to get right back into the number one contendership spot, but to do that they need to consistently pick up wins. They were able to do that here against the Dirty Cowboys. Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater wrestled a rough style that had them dominating most of the matchup, but the quickness of Bobby Eaton and Sweet Brown Sugar would be the deciding factor. Orton had lifted Eaton up for some sort of slam, but Sugar dropkicked his own partner to cause Eaton to land on top of Orton. Slater was unable to break up the count, and the New Wave were back in the winner’s circle.
Jack Brisco defeated Jerry Estrada by disqualification in 0:04:13. Rating: ** ¾ (Buzz Sawyer no-showed.)
No offense to Jerry Estrada, but Jack Brisco was looking forward to an easy night as he faced him in singles action. Brisco was going to have no such luck, however, as just a few minutes into the match, Harley Race stormed his way to the ring where he clobbered Brisco upside the head with a running forearm. Brisco tried to fight his way free, but Race put an end to that by dropping him with the Piledriver. Race was getting revenge on Brisco for his interference in his match with Roddy Piper from last month, and he wasn’t going to let Brisco escape until he had finished. Race got on a microphone and demanded that Roddy Piper come to the ring, but Piper was nowhere to be seen. Race delivered another Piledriver to Brisco before once again demanding that Piper come to the ring. This time Race’s attention was on the ring aisle, and he didn’t see Piper jump the guardrail, grab Brisco, and pull him out of the ring. Race stood in the ring, exchanging words with Piper on the ring floor. Race called Piper a coward, but Piper laughed it off by saying he had outsmarted Race once again. Race challenged Piper to meet him in the ring one more time, but before Piper could respond, a freshly awake Brisco tore the mic out of Piper’s hands. Brisco told Race to find himself a partner because he and Piper were going to end his career, once and for all. Race had a smile a mile wide as he was going to get another shot at Piper. Piper, meanwhile, did not appear to be happy with Brisco.
And it has been signed – “Rowdy” Roddy Piper will team with Jack Brisco to face Harley Race and a partner, and here’s the kicker: it’s going to take place in Los Angeles, California, on a supercard being promoted by the best wrestling organizations in the world. The National Wrestling Federation is going to be able to show to the world that they have the best wrestlers in the sport, and there are no better three wrestlers to highlight. The question is who will Race choose to be his partner?
Mr. Saito pinned Billy Graham after an enzuigiri in 0:09:29. Rating: ** 3/4
“Superstar” Billy Graham has been one of the best professional wrestlers over the past decade. However, tonight he looked a little off his game in trying to deal with Mr. Saito. Part of that had to do with Saito’s ability to just put his head down and batter his opponent without any fear for his own safety. But Graham also seemed to have his mind on other matters, specifically Paul Orndorff’s US Title defense later on against Jesse Ventura. Due to this, Graham never seemed to get out of the gate, and it wasn’t long before Saito pulled out what has to be called an upset after an enzuguiri. Graham’s going to have to make a decision soon on which side he wants to take between the East-West Connection and Orndorff.
Tommy Rich and Ron Garvin battled to a double countout in 0:10:08. Rating: **
This match was supposed to settle the feud between Tommy Rich and Ron Garvin, but it did nothing of the sort as both men brawled to the outside and stayed out there just long enough to get themselves both counted out. Both men kept going after one another even after the bell rang, but they were broken up by officials. There will be one more match between the two to try and end this before one of these men end up permanently injured.
Big John Studd pinned Crusher Blackwell with the Backbreaker in 0:09:50. Rating: 1/4*
Not many men can stand toe to toe with the likes of Crusher Blackwell. In fact, most men try to avoid that situation. Not Big John Studd. Studd went right after Blackwell with his manager, Jimmy Hart, shouting instructions from ringside with his megaphone. Studd kept shouting “Is this the biggest and baddest there is?” as he manhandled Blackwell. This did raise the ire of Crusher who was able to finally get some offense in. Blackwell started to look like his normal self, but he made the mistake of going for the Big Splash a bit too early. Studd was able to avoid it, and seconds later lifted Blackwell up in position for a slam before dropping him right across his knee with the Backbreaker. It’s one thing to slam Blackwell, but to hit a move like that on Blackwell is unheard of. Blackwell wasn’t kicking out, and it would be Studd getting his hand raised tonight.
After the match, Jimmy Hart entered the ring as Studd circled around Blackwell like he was fallen prey. Studd went to lift Blackwell up, but Hart told him that he wanted Blackwell to suffer more before Studd finally put him out of his misery. Hart thought that would be what Skandor Akbar, his uncle, would want. Hart told Blackwell to enjoy these last few days of pain and misery because that’s what his future had in store.
Canadian Air (Lanny Poffo and Raymond Rougeau) defeated Terrible Tandem (Bruiser Brody and Butch Reed) when R. Rougeau pinned Brody after a flying bulldog in 0:08:46. Rating: *** ½
Canadian Air finally put to rest their feud with the High Flyers last month when they defeated them in a cage match. Canadian Air looked to use that momentum to get right back in the Tag Team Title hunt, but first they were going to be up against a couple of men under the control of Jimmy Hart, the Terrible Tandem. Bruiser Brody and Butch Reed combine an out of control style with brute strength, and when you combine that with Jimmy Hart being the brain behind the operation, Canadian Air was in for a long night. Poffo and Rougeau were being tossed around like ragdolls for the majority of the match with the occasional hope spot here and there. Things did turn in their favor, however, when Ole Anderson, a man who has had his problems with the way Hart has tried to attack Crusher Blackwell, came down the aisle. Ole was able to get the attention of Brody and Hart, and this allowed Rougeau to drill Brody with a bulldog out of nowhere. Reed was caught off-guard and he was unable to break up the count before Canadian Air stole a victory. Canadian Air got out of Dodge while Ole Anderson laughed at the Terrible Tandem’s expense. Things are only going to get more heated between these men next month when the Terrible Tandem teams up with Big John Studd to face Ole Anderson, Crusher Blackwell, and a mystery partner.
Paul Orndorff pinned Jesse Ventura with the Piledriver in 0:14:21. Rating: *** 3/4 (Paul Orndorff retained the NWF United States Title.)
We knew that these two men didn’t like one another, but it came right to the forefront from the minute the bell rang as Orndorff tackled Ventura and started pounding away. Orndorff was laid out by the East-West Connection last month, and he was looking for his revenge here tonight. Orndorff delivered a vicious beating to Ventura for most of the match, but Ventura is known for using every advantage he can try and get the upper hand. Ventura almost pulled off the upset at one point by nailing Orndorff with a low blow while the referee was not looking. Orndorff somehow kicked out to the surprise of Ventura. Orndorff started making his comeback, and it looked like he would be walking away the winner when Adrian Adonis came to ringside. Adonis had one thing in mind and that was to make sure Orndorff did not walk away with the US Title. Adonis started sticking his nose into the match as much as possible to try and give Ventura the advantage. It looked like Adonis was going to take it one step further when he pulled out a foreign object to toss to Ventura. He wouldn’t get the chance, however, as “Superstar” Billy Graham ran down the aisle and whipped Adonis around! Graham nailed Adonis right between the eyes as the crowd roared its approval. Orndorff caught the stunned Ventura with a kick to the midsection and finished him off with the Piledriver as Graham chased Adonis to the back. It seemed pretty clear which side Graham had taken.
The East-West Connection was furious with Graham after the show, calling him a traitor. They said they were done carrying his gnarled, old carcass around like they had for the past few years, and they were thrilled to be done with the dead weight. We’ll see about that as they will have to defend their Tag Team Titles against Graham and Orndorff on next month’s show.
INTERVIEW:
Jerry “The King” Lawler came to the ring with the kneepad of Greg Valentine that he stole last month in San Antonio. Lawler reminded everyone how many matches Valentine had won using this kneepad that he wore to the ring. He knew that it was loaded with some sort of metal, and that’s how he was knocking people out and stealing victories. Lawler planned on revealing that Valentine was just a cheat, and was most definitely not deserving of any sort of World Title match. Everyone began to murmur because Valentine had used that kneepad for the last few years, but now that he was a fan favorite they had grown to enjoy the use of the kneepad. Lawler pulled out a pair of large shears that he used to cut into the kneepad. Lawler cut the thing nearly in half only to reveal the normal padding that one would expect. It looked like Lawler was confused as he continued to pull at the padding, trying to find that hidden illegal object. At this point, Valentine slid into the ring and drilled Lawler right in the jaw with a kneelift. Lawler hit the mat like a sack of bricks while Valentine soaked in the cheers. Valentine told Lawler that he was a fool. He reminded him that they don’t call him “The Hammer” for nothing. He had never used a loaded kneepad, it was just something he put on due to an old football injury. Valentine looked forward to hitting Lawler square in the jaw one more time with his knee next month when he gets his World Title shot!
And to top the night off, Harley Race told several reporters after the show that he had talked it over with the man, and he had found his partner for his match against Jack Brisco and Roddy Piper. Harley Race’s tag team partner will be none other than PAUL ORNDORFF! What an amazing pairing that is going to be, Race and Orndorff teaming up for one night only against the likes of Piper and Brisco. The NWF is definitely going to be putting their best foot forward in Los Angeles!
December 26, 1981 – Des Moines, Iowa: WORLD TITLE – Jerry Lawler © vs. Greg Valentine WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES – East-West Connection © vs. Paul Orndorff and Billy Graham Ole Anderson, Crusher Blackwell, and a mystery partner vs. The Terrible Tandem and Big John Studd Jim Brunzell vs. Greg Gagne Tommy Rich vs. Ron Garvin Randy Savage vs. David Von Erich
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Post by rey619 on Feb 6, 2012 2:42:16 GMT -5
The break up of the High Flyers came naturally to me after seeing Greg's heat sky rocket. Did anything TNM-wise prompt the controversy with Verne, or was it simply a "thing" you invented?
Brisco/Piper vs Race/ and a mystery partner on the Supercard? Looking forward to it. Watch out though, I think Mr. Niemiller is going to try and steal Race back from you.
Blackwell is in real trouble now it seems. I wonder if he can turn things around and best Studd.
The slow face turn of Billy Graham has been masterfully executed in my opinion. I don't think Graham and Orndorrf will win the tag belts, but I really hope this isn't a swerve where Graham turns on Orndorrf. Or the other way around, which is also a possibility.
Hah! Loved the fact that the kneepad wasn't loaded. Oh jeez, you guys are nearly done with another year. That means PWI duty for me, then :-)
Good show, looking forward to your supercard and the year-end shows now !
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 6, 2012 14:03:32 GMT -5
Verne was only going to be around for a few appearances. I knew that I wanted to push Greg Gagne, but I liked the idea that Verne turned down pushing Brunzell to give his son the heat. I didn't know if I was going to write it up as a controversy or not, but then when Ryan and I decided to mention the AWA a little bit more and with Verne being the owner, it kind of made sense. It didn't make sense for Verne to come in and help the NWF if he's a direct rival of the NWF.
I'm keeping Race away from Niemiller. But that's just because I'm afraid Race might knock him out again.
All bets are off with the Graham/Orndorff angle. I make sure it all fits, but I rewrite it daily.
Can't wait for the PWI, Rey!
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Post by mamushi on Feb 6, 2012 20:50:30 GMT -5
Tension! And the blow off with the brain buster. It had to come. Sorry Jim.
Savage on the road to being known as the Von Erich Killer if he can defeat David next month.
Nice spot to end the match with New Wave and the Dirty Cowboys
Piper saves Brisco, well, after two piledrivers, but it's the thought that counts, right? REALLY interested to see who Race picks for his partner.
Upset indeed. Surprised that Saito went over.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained with Rich and Garvin. Until another time.
And Studd with a big win. Bet Blackwell is going to wish it was over tonight
Stole a victory is definitely the correct terminology
I think Orndorff probably had that match regardless of Adonis, but it was good seeing which side Graham decided to fall on. It'll make for an interesting tag team match
Valentine/Lawler has me excited
And the partner is Orndorff! Didn't see that one coming. I like it though.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 7, 2012 22:28:24 GMT -5
And the Gagne turn is complete, and his heat is molten. Who saw this coming? Now release Brunzell some time soonish so I can have some Killer Bees! MASKED CONFUSION! Atta boy, Savage, getting back on the right track. A win over Kevin Von Erich is a good win. Let's see if he can duplicate it against Kevin's brother. Liked the way the New Wave came out on top. Clever finish. Don't know if I like the Dirty Cowboys losing. They've become your Moondogs. Geez, Piper... wait long enough to save Brisco? Well, they aren't friends, so eh. Great way to set up the tag match for the supershow though. Distracted or not, that's a huge win for Saito. Sure, Graham is on the decline in his career (is he going to become a karate master soon? , but he's a former 2-time World champ. Not a win to scoff at. Just a match to extend the feud for another card for Rich and Garvin. No biggie. That's a damn good debut for Studd. Hitting Blackwell with a Backbreaker would be a sight to see for sure. Hart's making a big impact right away. It's amazing how Canadian Air can be former tag team champions, but them beating Brody/Reed still feels like a big upset. No clue on who the mystery partner will be for Ole/Blackwell. Nothing is sticking out right now for the guess. Graham has taken his side, and it's with Orndorff. Unless he turns on him next show, which I could totally see. Dammit... this story still has intrigue! The swerve of there being nothing in the kneepad the whole time? BRILLIANT. A great story that puts over Valentine huge. I'm pulling for him big time to win the title in Des Moines! If he doesn't win, you're out of the Universe!
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 7, 2012 22:37:32 GMT -5
I did double check that no result could ever be the result of the kneepad being loaded. Valentine just has an extremely lethal knee.
Oh, and Brunzell will hopefully be more important than Jannetty.
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Post by LillaThrilla on Feb 8, 2012 22:04:02 GMT -5
Of all the old timey guys I'm only loosely familiar with that have appeared in GCW or NWF thus far, the one that I am most surprised to really get over with me (as a face or heel) is Greg Valentine.
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Post by mattharms on Feb 13, 2012 18:31:44 GMT -5
Catching up, catching up, catching up. Feedbackery
9/12/81
Well Akbar got his, but obviously there is something brewing.
Randy Savage is awesome, but the madness can sometimes be a downfall as it was here.
Brunzell ramins relevant.
Piper is a master that game of mental chess, as Buzz Sawyer found out the hard way.
Tag Team action is rather hot and furious, and the New Wave puts in a good performance for the future tag title shot.
A hard fight that served both Valentine and Saito rather well.
East West Connection continued to show their awesomeness as a team.
Never thought in my life I would be interested in Greg Gagne, but I am. Canadian Air against the High Flyers would be a great tag team match.
Well that match didn't go as well as intended. Hands of Stone get the win and that six man will be great.
Another good tag team match.
The score seems to be settled with Ole and Jerry Lawler has an open challenge ready.
10/3/81
An important opening match, with Buzz Sawyer getting a good win and hopefully that will bode well for him.
An amazing six man tag team match, and those dastardly rulebreakers get the win. Savage/Garvin, good and hopefully Rich and Garvin will hit the right notes better next time.
Ole Anderson seems to be skidding down the roster at an alarming rate. And Jimmy Hart shows up, with Butch Reed and more important BRUISER FREAKING BRODY. Ole Anderson saves and the plot thickens.
Tag team match worked and naturally the right team wins.
And another good tag team match, with Orndroff and Slater set up well.
Piper and Brisco should be an amazing alliance. And Race is here and its on.
Harley Race gets the win but it looks like Piper has managed to outmaneuver.
Tag match wasn't much from a match standpoint but what it set up in a steel cage match worked out well.
Valentine wins and he really shows the win. The neck injury of death strikes the champion. As someone who has been there, I sympathsize.
10/28/81
Even Saito knows that Savage has a few screw loose.
So far so good for Garvin.
Tag champions get another great win. Adonis and Ventura continue to show that they are at the top of the tag team mountain but getting to the top is the easiest part. Getting knocked off is the hard part.
Race's revenge on Piper didn't go exactly as planned.
One on one, Orndorff appears to be a few stpes ahead of Orton, thus getting a solid victory.
Lawler is obviously hurt, and Orton is good, but no replacement for a King. Lawler proves that he still has a trick or two up his kingly sleeve.
Brody and Reed are a dangerous, dangerous duo, and a nasty finish. Yet the Crusher is not done but there is one more surprise, with Big John Studd showing up and that's a great addition to Hart's stable of wrestlers.
Cage match is an amazing ending to the show.
11/21/81
The show opens on a rather tense note, as the High Flyers bust apart and Greg Gagne continues to rule it.
Randy Savage gets a good win and is back on track.
Amazing tag team match, and it keeps the New Wave strong after their tag team title aspirations fell short.
Good set up for Race and his partner against Piper and Brisco
Saito scores a key victory. Looks good.
The set up for the bigger match between Rich and Garvin was done well.
Studd looks impressive in his in ring debut.
Well that kind of took me off guard to see Canadian Air get a win, but a good win over them. And another mystery partner. I'm intrigued.
Orndorff keeps the belt and the tag team title match should be one to rather watch.
Lawler's plan to discredit Valentine didn't turn out well and Hammer busts him.
Race and Orndorff a sweet tag team for sure.
Good shows all around.
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 14, 2012 21:28:34 GMT -5
December 10, 1981 - Los Angeles Supershow - Los Angeles, CA The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was sold out as one of the biggest wrestling supercards in history was all set to take place! The top wrestling talent from all over the world was involved, featuring bouts from the United States, Japan, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, as well as wrestlers representing several other countries. This is definitely a night that will go down in history!
Dynamite Kid and Tiger Mask battled to a draw in 0:20:00. Tiger Mask suffered a back injury. He will be out for approximately 2 months. Rating: **** 1/4
The first match of the evening set the bar extremely high, as it was something we have rarely seen in the United States. The bout featured Tiger Mask and Dynamite Kid, two of the most highly acclaimed junior heavyweights in the world. The juniors aren't as popular in United States yet, but a match like this could go a long way. It was our opener, but experts are saying that it very well could be match of the night. The pace that these two cut for 20 minutes was just insane, filled with phenomenal chain wrestling and some of the most breath-taking high-flying I have ever seen. The crowd was dead at the start due to not being familiar with the two combatants, but by the end of it, the entire arena was on their feet cheering wildly. These two were so evenly matched, that it was no surprise that it ended in a 20-minute time limit draw. The fans wanted 5 more minutes, but unfortunately for them, they didn't get it (which is probably for the best, considering Tiger Mask seemed to tweak his back). However, Tiger Mask & Dynamite Kid received a standing ovation for the match they just put on. What a way to kick off the show!
Canek pinned Dos Caras with the Canek Press in 0:09:44. Rating: *** 1/4
We got a great match from our friends from south of the border with two of the top stars in Canek & Dos Caras locked horns. This was the first exposure for a lot of people of the lucha libre, and Canek & Caras didn't disappoint. Canek & Caras are fan favorites in Mexico, but they went at it for almost 10 minutes showcasing the lucha libre style. This one could have went either way as both of the masked competitors were looking to impress, but tonight, that distinction would go to Canek, who hit the Canek Press to win a spirited contest. After the match, the two luchadors exchanged a handshake to a nice ovation from the crowd.
15-Man Battle Royal:
Entrants: Ivan Koloff, Dory Funk Jr., Rocky Johnson, Mil Mascaras, Austin Idol, Pat Patterson, Tony Garea, Bob Armstrong, Jose Lothario, Ron Bass, Les Thornton, Baron Mikel Scicluna, Riki Chosyu, Jacques Rougeau, Andre the Giant
Andre the Giant simply towered over the other competitors in this battle royal, and that’s probably why all of them immediately charged at him. Most of the men in here were veterans of quite some time, and they knew that Andre the Giant had a history of dominating this style of match. With nearly ten other wrestlers trying to dump him up and over, it looked bleak for the Giant, but that all changed when Jacques Rougeau decided to make a daredevil dive on top of the heap. Andre simply moved to the side and Jacques went toppling up and out.
x Andre threw out J. Rougeau after a side step in 0:00:55
Andre the Giant used his amazing strength to power the entire group of wrestlers away from him, and things started to calm down from there. There really weren’t many friends in this thing, but an unlikely duo emerged when Dory Funk Jr. and Ivan Koloff started teaming up to attack other entrants. These were two of the more experienced wrestlers in the battle royal, and together they were a force. Nowhere was that more obvious than when Koloff and Funk double clotheslined out Riki Chosyu.
x I. Koloff threw out Chosyu in 0:01:55
Les Thornton and Jose Lothario made another odd pairing, but they decided to use their skills to try and eliminate Andre. Andre, surprisingly, had a tough time trying to fight them off. Two very big names in their respected regions of the world were Mil Mascaras and “Bullet” Bob Armstrong. They looked like they were having the time of their lives getting to duke it out with big names from other parts of the world. Baron Mikel Scicluna, on the other hand, did not appear to be too happy being stuck in such a chaotic brawl. His apparent reluctance cost him when Mascaras dropped him with an inverted atomic drop that sent him flying into the air and over the top rope.
x Mascaras threw out Scicluna after an inverted atomic drop in 0:02:07
Dory Funk Jr. and Ivan Koloff continued to terrorize the other entrance in the battle royal as they cornered off Bob Armstrong. Armstrong is tough, but there is only so much you can do against two men like that. Funk will wrestle you into submission and Koloff will just beat your head in. Meanwhile, Thornton and Lothario almost seemed ready to try and eliminate Andre, but Andre fired back with a series of headbutts. One sent Thornton right into the hands of Austin Idol, who sent him packing with a big kneelift.
x A. Idol threw out Thornton after a kneelift in 0:03:32
Rocky Johnson was probably one of the biggest fan favorites in the match, and he was getting his money worth. He went on a rampage, dropkicking nearly every wrestler in the ring. Bodies went flopping and flying, and one specific dropkick sent “Outlaw” Ron Bass to the showers for an early evening.
x R. Johnson threw out Ron Bass in 0:04:12
Rocky Johnson immediately went over to help Bob Armstrong deal with Dory Funk Jr. and Ivan Koloff. In the meantime, Austin Idol tried his best to make a name out of himself by eliminating Mil Mascaras. Pat Patterson and Tony Garea had done a pretty good job of staying out of the way of the heavy hitters, and decided to focus on one another. It looked like Patterson would be sent packing by Garea, but a poke to the eye by Pat stopped that attempt. And on the other side of the ring, without Thornton helping him out, there was nowhere for Lothario to go. Andre simply charged at him and his impact sent Lothario out of the ring.
x Andre threw out Lothario after a football tackle in 0:5:05
Armstrong had been pretty impressive in handling Koloff and Funk by himself, and things looked better for him when Rocky Johnson tried to save him. However, the damage had mostly already been done, and Armstrong was unable to stop Koloff from using his massive strength to lift him up and dump him over the top.
x I. Koloff threw out B. Armstrong after a bodyslam in 0:06:00
Tony Garea finally gave up on eliminating Patterson and went after Andre the Giant for some reason. Johnson avoided being teamed up on by Funk and Koloff by pulling Patterson into a brawl. Idol’s attempt at eliminating Mascaras failed, and was all of a sudden being met with a flurry of chops. One final blow almost sent Idol flying over the top rope, but he was able to catch himself just before. Mascaras thought he had completed the deed, and so he decided to ambush Koloff. Not an overly smart idea since Funk was there watching his back. Back on the other side of the ring, Andre had gained control in his brief scuffle with Garea and sent him packing with a clothesline.
x Andre threw out Garea after a clothesline in 0:06:14
Andre propped himself up in the corner to get some air, but resting was the last thing on Patterson’s and Johnson’s mind. They had turned their skirmish into a full out fight which was only escalated when Patterson kicked Johnson below the belt. Patterson thought this would give him the advantage, and it did for a few seconds, but Johnson got fired up eventually. Patterson didn’t know what to do with Johnson firing away at him rapidly. One powerful dropkick to the jaw was all that was needed to send Patterson flying over and out.
x R. Johnson threw out Patterson after a dropkick in 0:07:58
Almost immediately after the elimination, Idol went for the upset elimination of the night as he clobbered Johnson from behind. Idol drilled him with several rights and lefts, but Johnson still had all of that adrenaline going through him. Johnson took control over Austin, and it wasn’t long before Johnson dropped Idol with an atomic drop that used Idol’s own momentum to send him over the top rope and to the floor.
x R. Johnson threw out A. Idol after an atomic drop in 0:08:22
Andre the Giant and Rocky Johnson stared each other down, and the crowd grew excited at the thought of those two men going at it. Mascaras’ error of going after Koloff, however, had led to him being pummeled by Funk and Koloff. Those two veterans had really dominated the match, and this was no different. Mascaras did his best to fight them off, but Funk was able to break Mascaras’ grip on the top rope and dump him out.
x D. Funk Jr. threw out Mascaras in 0:09:19
There were now only four men left in the ring: Andre the Giant, Rocky Johnson, Ivan Koloff, and Dory Funk Jr. Johnson and Andre quickly realized that they would need to delay any actions towards one another until after they’d dealt with Koloff and Funk. Koloff tried to outmuscle Andre, but that didn’t go very far. Same can be said for Dory’s attempt at taking a leg out from under Andre. Johnson put a stop to that by pulling Dory into the corner. Out of nowhere, however, Koloff drilled Andre with the Russian Sickle! Andre simply fell back, and got his arms stuck in the ropes. He wasn’t out, but he was woozy, and there was no way for him to escape! Koloff and Funk laughed it up as they were able to single out Rocky. Johnson tried his best to fight them off, but even with the crowd’s support, there wasn’t much he could do as they muscled him over the top rope.
x I. Koloff threw out R. Johnson in 0:10:57
With Andre caught in the ropes, Funk and Koloff almost started to celebrate. They each took turns hammering away at the Giant, and there was no way for him to retaliate. People at ringside were growing crazy, but it looked like it would only be a matter of time until Andre was beaten into submission. That all changed, however, when Rocky Johnson reentered the ring! Johnson drilled both men with dropkicks and clotheslines. He then went to work on the ropes and broke Andre free! Andre grabbed Funk by the throat just as he was getting to his feet and eliminated him with one hand!
x Andre threw out D. Funk Jr. after a chokehold in 0:12:47
Johnson left the ring to brawl with Funk all the way to the back while Koloff realized he was alone in the ring with Andre. You have to hand it to Koloff though. He didn’t back down. Andre went after him, but Koloff snuck in a thumb to the eye. While Andre tried to regain his sight, Koloff bounced off the ropes to try for another Russian Sickle. Andre was apparently playing a little bit of opossum this time, however, as he caught Koloff in a big bearhug. Andre walked Koloff to the ropes and simply dumped him to the outside with Ivan not being able to do a thing about it.
x Andre threw out I. Koloff in 0:14:40
Andre the Giant won a 15-man Battle Royal: Rating: ***
Andre the Giant slouched in the corner after his hard fought victory. The fans went nuts for their fan favorite being able to outlast fourteen other men. He was awarded a six foot trophy to commemorate his win at the Los Angeles supercard which he hoisted above his head. Andre the Giant proved once again that he is the master of the battle royal.
Genichiro Tenryu, Animal Hamaguchi and The Destroyer defeated Akio Sato, Giant Baba and Takashi Ishikawa when Tenryu made Ishikawa submit to a bow-and-arrow submission in 0:08:21. Rating: ** 1/2
A great hodge-podge of talent from Japan made up our next match, a 6-man tag spearheaded by Giant Baba. The teams involved a combination of Japanese veterans, famous gaijins, and young lions, honoring the past, present, and future of puroresu. Baba was captaining one team, bringing along Akio Sato & Takashi Ishikawa. The opposing captain was The Destroyer, a masked legend who has been a staple in Japan for decades and a frequent enemy of Baba. His teammates were Animal Hamaguchi and a man considered one of the top young prospects in all of Japan, Genichiro Tenryu. Though the match was short by normal 6-man tag standards, everybody involved got a chance to shine. It was fast moving and everyone got an opportunity to show exactly what they are bringing to the table. It would be Tenryu's star that shined brightest as he got one of the biggest wins of his young career by making Ishikawa submit to a bow-and-arrow submission.
Nick Bockwinkel defeated Hulk Hogan by disqualification in 0:14:47. Rating: ** 1/2 (Nick Bockwinkel retained the AWA World Title.)
Hulk Hogan has been making waves in the AWA, chasing reigning champion Nick Bockwinkel for months now to try to get the World Title away from him. To this point, Bockwinkel has been away to escape by the skin of his teeth every time, but with the magnitude of this show and the raucous crowd, it looked like things would change. When this match was a wrestling contest, Bockwinkel had the clear advantage. Hogan is not going to win any awards for most technically savvy competitor by any stretch. But what he does have is a tremendous amount of power, and is developing the type of connection with the crowd that has rarely been seen in this sport. As the match wore on, it was looking like we were going to witness a big piece of AWA history. Hogan had the crowd rocking as he fought back from all of Bockwinkel's offense. We looked to be just moments away from a new champion being crowned when Hogan catch the arrogant Bockwinkel with an atomic drop. Unfortunately for Hogan though, the impact of the move propelled Bockwinkel over to the top rope and onto the floor. That was unfortunate because in the AWA, throwing someone over the top is a disqualification. Hogan tried to plead that it was accidental, but the referee made the call and awarded the match to the defending champion. The crowd exploded into boos as Hogan about flipped his lid, but the decision was final. A bad break for Hogan here in the City of Angels.
Harley Race and Paul Orndorff defeated Roddy Piper and Jack Brisco when Race pinned Jack Brisco after a diving headbutt in 0:14:05. Rating: ***
This match combined two of the biggest names in the sport in Jack Brisco and Harley Race with two men that are on verge of hitting that level themselves in Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Orndorff really wanted to prove himself in such a big setting as he wanted into the ring at every opportunity. This would eventually work against him, however, as Piper and Brisco would take control of the match as they took turns cheap shotting him. Orndorff was in for a world of hurt as Piper and Brisco continued to work him over in their corner and refused to allow him to tag Race. Race was going nuts on the ring apron, pacing back and forth, and begging Orndorff to break free so he could get in there. Race has had some major problems with both Brisco and Piper, and all he wanted was to get his hands on one of them but especially Piper. Piper got the crowd riled up by taunting Race several times which sent Race storming into the ring, but the referee cut him off before he could do any damage. This led to Brisco and Piper having free reign to double team Orndorff as much as they wanted. Things began to look like they were headed to the end when Piper locked Orndorff into the Sleeper, but Orndorff still had one last surge of energy as he ran backwards and smashed Piper’s back into the buckles. Piper released the hold, and this allowed Orndorff to make a diving tag to Race. Race came in a house of fire just as Piper tagged in Brisco. Brisco and Race went right at it, but Race had waited for far too long as he wasn’t about to let Brisco regain control. Race pounded Brisco with fists and uppercuts that sent him bouncing around the ring. Just when it looked like Race had him where he wanted him, though, he appeared to be letting Brisco make the tag to Piper. Brisco crawled over, but Piper was having none of that as he hopped off the apron, refusing to tag himself in. Brisco looked confused for a second, but that didn’t last long as Race blasted him with a clothesline before climbing to the top and diving off with a headbutt. It connected squarely, and there was no chance of Brisco kicking out.
After the match, Race and Orndorff celebrated in the ring together. They both motioned for Piper to join them in the ring, but Piper pointed to his head to point out that he was far too smart for their tricks. Race will have to wait for another day to get his hands on Piper, but he and Orndorff were victorious in front of this large crowd.
No-Countout-No-DQ-Match: Carlos Colon pinned Abdullah the Butcher with the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:08:02. Rating: **
Few men have been involved in as many bloody battles as these two. They’ve shed blood all over Puerto Rico and the United States, and a lot of those have been matches against one another. This match would be for bragging rights since it was taking place on such a large show. Carlos Colon is a proud man, and he did not want to let his fellow Puerto Ricans down with a loss. Abdullah didn’t much care about pride as he simply likes taking pounds of flesh from his opponents. It didn’t take long for this match to turn bloody as Carlos and Abdullah brawled around ringside. Both Colon and Abdullah were busted open within the first couple of minutes, but it would only get worse as Abdullah pulled out a fork from his tights. Abdullah has been known for using this object, and he didn’t disappoint. For several minutes Abdullah raked at Carlos’ flesh. Things began to look bleak for Colon, but he was eventually able to rip the fork out of Abdullah's hands and drive it into the Butcher’s forehead several times. The last blow was enough to send Abdullah to the mat a bloody mess. Carlos was not done, however, as he brought a steel chair into the ring which he crashed over Abdullah’s head. Abdullah was out, and it was doubtful he even felt Carlos locking in the Figure-Four Leglock. There would be no submission, but Abdullah’s shoulders were down on the mat long to get the three count. Carlos had his hand raised, but the ovation seemed a little muted. The fans looked like they were in shock at the amount of blood loss and gruesome action put forth by the two competitors. I don’t think the casual wrestling fan in Los Angeles is quite used to this style of wrestling.
Dusty Rhodes pinned Bob Backlund with the Bionic Elbowdrop in 0:17:34. Rating: ** (Dusty Rhodes retained the GCW World Title.)
The crowd was still in a state of awe after the bloody battle they had just witnessed, but they were still geared up for what was our main event. A plethora of wrestling talent made up this card, but only one match got the honor of being the main event of this show. That distinction went to Global Championship Wrestling and their World Title match between reigning champion Dusty Rhodes and former 2-time champion Bob Backlund. This is not the first time that these two have locked up, as it was Rhodes who ended Backlund's second reign as GCW World champion to capture the title. Backlund has been unable to win the title back, but he felt there was no better way to cap off one of the biggest wrestling shows in US history than with becoming a 3-time champion. This was a good match, but after all the great wrestling that we've seen tonight, the fans in Los Angeles were a bit tired. That didn't matter to Backlund though, as he was going to be the wrestling machine that he always has been. Rhodes was getting embarrassed on the mat, and he knew to have a shot at walking out of LA with his gold in tact, he was going to have to turn this into a fight. He baited Backlund into a slugfest, and it helped the American Dream to get back into this one. Backlund has learned to fight, but it is definitely more Rhodes' element. Backlund took his lumps, but he had the crowd fired up for a title change when he avoided a Rhodes' elbow and got the Dream in the Crossface Chickenwing! Backlund had it locked on tight, but he couldn't get the hefty Rhodes down on the mat. Rhodes used his last bit of strength to push Backlund back into the turnbuckle to break the hold. Backlund was stunned and went for it again, but he was a bit too careless and got caught in a side slam from the champ. Rhodes dropped a huge elbow to follow up and retained the title. A quality match to end what was a historic night of wrestling!
Card rating: ** 1/2
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Post by LillaThrilla on Feb 14, 2012 23:40:00 GMT -5
Nice to see the NWF and GCW guys could get along for a supercard. Maybe Harley Race has gotten over some of his attitude toward GCW? Or maybe he just had a separate locker room and a good enough paycheck to accept it?
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 14, 2012 23:44:26 GMT -5
Yeah, Race made sure to stay far away from any Niemillers in the area. Of course, he's never had too many problems with the roster of GCW. Not a ton of bad blood with him and Rhodes/Backlund. You'll remember that Jack Brisco also left with Race during the mass exodus of GCW.
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 14, 2012 23:51:42 GMT -5
Yeah, Race made sure to stay far away from any Niemillers in the area. Of course, he's never had too many problems with the roster of GCW. Not a ton of bad blood with him and Rhodes/Backlund. You'll remember that Jack Brisco also left with Race during the mass exodus of GCW. That, and Race's main beef is with Marvin Niemiller. GCW has since been taken over by Mark, so that helps ease the tension somewhat.
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Post by rey619 on Feb 16, 2012 6:49:26 GMT -5
Wow, two great opening matches to the supershow! André was the right choice for this, no doubt. Was it like a free agent Battle Royal? First match for Hogan in the Universe. I wonder if someone of you wants him eventually. And if you do, if you will re-create Hulkamania or go some other direction. Piper's mind games.. poor Brisco. Ah, the dreaded "gets pinned in the figure-four" rears its ugly head again. Happens waaay too much IMO at the standard settings. Looked like a brutal match though, and maybe the kind of much that should have had another finish. I don't know what happened star-rating wise with the last match - I though Backlund and Rhodes had good chemistry? Perhaps Backlund's final attempt for the World Title right now. A good and varied card to say the least. Wonder if we'll see any of these guys again, and in what capacity
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 16, 2012 7:35:43 GMT -5
Kind of surprised the battle royal hasn't gotten more love. Feel like it was one of my better booked ones.
The pinned in the figure-four is the original TNM finish. I was able to edit it however I feel fit, but I went with it. I agree that it didn't fit the match, and I wish I had changed it now.
Not sure what was up with Backlund/Rhodes. I can't believe they didn't pull out *** at least.
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Post by mattharms on Feb 16, 2012 13:45:39 GMT -5
Super Feedbackery for the Supershow.
And we kick things off with a bang with an epic match. So epic that Tiger Mask seemed to hurt himself. Oh well, such is life.
Lucha Libre action, which I approve of. Really gives this show a feel that there is something for everyone.
If anyone but Andre won the battle royal, I would have cried blasphemy.
An intriguing match between the Japanese talent and a unique mix.
Even in an alternate reality, The Hulkster can't catch a break against Bockwinkel. That disqualification finish was so gloriously screwy that I approve.
Harley Race gets the win and Piper escapes, to continue to draw the feud along.
Well that wasn't certainly a technical classic between Abdullah and Carlos Colon but it was entertaining in a barbaric way. Even if the finish was rather...random.
Main event seemed like both men were having an off night. Backlund falls short and I'm intrigued to see where the reign of Dusty goes.
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 23, 2012 0:06:30 GMT -5
Results of NWF - Des Moines, IA - 12/26/81:
Mr. Saito pinned Kevin Von Erich with the Saito Suplex in 0:08:34. Rating: *** ½
The NWF’s last show of the year started off with a man who made his debut earlier in this year, Mr. Saito. Saito has had an odd year, first coming in to team with Mr. Fuji for Skandor Akbar only to drop Fuji at Akbar’s request. Akbar was then forced out of the NWF by Greg Valentine and this left Saito on his own. Saito didn’t get lost in the shuffle, however, even going so far as scoring a major upset against Billy Graham on our last show. Saito continued that momentum by holding his own against Kevin Von Erich, a strong fan favorite, and eventually picking up the win with his deadly finisher, the Saito Suplex. Bigger and better things look to be in the new year for Saito.
Randy Savage pinned David Von Erich with the Flying Elbowdrop in 0:12:14. Rating: ****
“Macho Man” Randy Savage defeated Kevin Von Erich last month in pretty decisive fashion. He wasn’t happy with just the victory, though, as he tried to deliver a beating to Kevin after the match was over. Luckily, David Von Erich was there to make the save for his brother. David was looking to get some revenge against Savage here, and it looked like he would have it by the way he controlled Savage in the ring. Von Erich had a plan as he went after the arm of Savage for most of the match, keeping him down with several arm drags and hiptosses. David looked like he was going to outwrestle Savage, but “The Macho Man” fired back with a finger to the eye. David seemed to have some problems with it for the rest of the match, and it led to his downfall when he missed a splash in the corner. Savage slammed David to the mat and finished him with his devastating Flying Elbowdrop.
Things were going to get worse for David when Savage threatened to climb back up to the top and deliver another Elbow. Referee Isaac Madilla ordered him to stay away from the buckles, but it didn’t look like Savage was going to listen. Kevin Von Erich wasn’t going to risk it as he ran down the aisle. All of a sudden, a man jumped over the guardrail and clobbered Kevin. It was Tommy Rich! Rich threw Kevin shoulder first into the ringpost which had Kevin exclaiming in pain. Rich wasn’t done as he threw Kevin’s shoulder directly into the steel ringsteps. Kevin was hollering about his shoulder as Savage left the ring to join Rich. Rich and Savage mocked Kevin a bit before heading to the back. David had come to by this point, and he quickly came to Kevin’s aid. Kevin apparently had to go to the hospital immediately to check on his arm, and David accompanied him. Tommy Rich might have once again put someone on the shelf.
Dirty Cowboys (Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater) defeated Canadian Air (Lanny Poffo and Raymond Rougeau) when Slater pinned L. Poffo after a swinging neckbreaker in 0:08:57. Rating: ***
Canadian Air has had one amazing year. Not only did they win the World Tag Team Titles, but they also finally came out on top in their feud with the High Flyers. Despite all of this, they probably wish they could forget the last show of this year since they were cheated out of a win by the Dirty Cowboys. Everything was going Canadian Air’s way when Bob Orton Jr. took off his cowboy boot on the ring apron. Nobody was quite sure what he was doing, but it became clear when Poffo bounced off the ropes. Orton drilled Poffo in the back of the head with the boot, and it sent “Leaping” Lanny stumbling right into a swinging neckbreaker by Slater. Slater grabbed the pinfall while Raymond Rougeau stood on the apron, apparently having missed what happened. Dirty Cowboys needed this win to start them off hot going into the new year, but Canadian Air isn’t going to let this slide as they are already requesting a rematch.
Tommy Rich pinned Ron Garvin with the Piledriver in 0:09:25. Rating: ** ¾
“Wildfire” Tommy Rich was not the most popular man in the arena after what he had done to Kevin Von Erich just a couple of matches before. It made sense in the grand scheme of things, though, as Ron Garvin lost his two friends in the Von Erich Brothers for the night while Rich still had Savage in the arena. This would end up being the deciding factor because while Garvin pounded on Rich from one side of the ring to the other, Rich still had an ace up his sleeve. Rich continued to beg off from Garvin for most of the match, but Ron was having none of it. He wanted to see Rich receive his punishment, and he wasn’t going to give into any pleading from the former US Champion. Just as Garvin looked like he was about to deliver the Hands of Stone Punch to end the match, Randy Savage ran down the aisle and distracted referee Alfred Neely. Garvin let his attention stray from Rich for just one second, but that was all it took for “Wildfire” to drill him with a low blow. Rich capitalized quickly with the Piledriver, and before you knew it, Rich had stolen another victory.
After the show, both David Von Erich and Ron Garvin were demanding a match with Rich for our show in Sioux City. Rich, ever the strategist, decided he would give one of them that match, but only if they could defeat the other. So, in Sioux City we are going to see friend versus friend as David Von Erich faces off against Ron Garvin! I’m sure this is not what they had planned, but if they want to get their hands on Rich, they are going to have to go through one another.
INTERVIEW:
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper decided that now would be a good time to come to the ring and brag about how successful he was recently in Los Angeles. Piper told the audience that was unable to see the event that he had thoroughly embarrassed Harley Race in front of a much better looking audience than this one. Piper was obviously omitting the fact that his team lost, partly due to him abandoning Jack Brisco to be pinned by Race. Piper continued to insult the audience and Harley Race until Race charged down the aisle. Race was determined to get his hands on Piper this time, but Piper once again avoided Race by leaving the ring and jogging back up the aisle. Race simmered in the ring while Piper laughed at Race’s inability to get his hands on him. This was only until Piper turned around to exit through the curtain and was hammered with a left hand by Jack Brisco! Piper wildly fell to the floor as Brisco threw kicks and punches his way. Piper tried to cover up, but Brisco wasn’t going to be stopped. Eventually officials were able to storm the area and pull Brisco off. This allowed Piper to get back to his feet and sprint to the back. Race joined Brisco up at the entrance, but he didn’t appear to want to shake his hand. Instead Race threw a punch at Brisco! We had another brawl on our hands as Brisco and Race started to fire away at one another. The officials had to break up THIS brawl as Race and Jack Brisco swung wildly at one another. Things were finally defused, but there is so much hatred involved in this group of men that you know it is going to boil over eventually. It might be next month as despite Race’s petition to get Piper in the ring, it will be Jack Brisco versus Roddy Piper for the first time ever!
The First Family of Wrestling (Bruiser Brody, Butch Reed, and Big John Studd) defeated Crusher Blackwell, Ole Anderson and Thunderbolt Patterson when Studd pinned O. Anderson with the Backbreaker in 0:15:30. Rating: * ¼
Nobody was quite sure who Ole Anderson and Crusher Blackwell would be able to find to help them in their war with Jimmy Hart’s First Family of Wrestling. Not many men would want to enter the ring against the likes of Bruiser Brody, Butch Reed, and Big John Studd. But once we saw who it was, it was really no surprise that he’d join in the fight against Skandor Akbar’s nephew: THUNDERBOLT PATTERSON! The last time we saw him he had torn his right biceps in a match with Jerry Estrada. Patterson never backs down from a fight, however, and he was more than happy to step in to help a friend in Ole Anderson. There was quite a bit of tension between Thunderbolt and Crusher to start as they have been involved in some classic battles over the past few years, but they were eventually able to put that aside and shake hands to take on the First Family. This match was everything you could expect from these six men. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a crazy brawl that the referee never really got under control. This was a crazy melee that continued from bell to bell. In fact, there weren’t really any tags to be seen, it was mostly people just entering the ring as they see fit to do damage to their opponents. Somehow in all the chaos Big John Studd was able to drop Ole Anderson with his Backbreaker and pick up the three count. The six men continued to fight after the bell rang, and this fight went all the way to the back. This is far from over.
Greg Gagne made Jim Brunzell submit to the Gagne Sleeper in 0:13:38. Rating: *** ½
Nobody could have guessed that by the end of the year the High Flyers would be wrestling one another with such hatred, but that’s what we had here. “Jumping” Jim Brunzell had actually picked up some fans due to his recent scuffle with “The Great” Greg Gagne, but some of that might have been due to their hatred for Gagne. This was an evenly contested affair with neither man getting the advantage early. It went back and forth for some time with Brunzell going back to his old aerial skills while Gagne continued his mat based technique that broke the rules whenever he could. Brunzell made one fatal mistake when he went to the top rope a little too early and missed a flying crossbody press. Gagne took over from there and finished the match with a move we thought he had put on the shelf – the Gagne Sleeper. Once he had it locked on, Brunzell did his best to fight his way out but with no luck. Gagne takes the first match in this battle of former tag team partners. Gagne wasn’t done afterwards, however, letting Brunzell know that he was glad that he no longer had to carry him, and it would be in his best interest to leave the NWF before he embarrasses him further.
East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura) defeated Paul Orndorff and Billy Graham when Ventura pinned B. Graham after a chair shot in 0:15:40. Rating: *** 1/4 (East-West Connection retained the NWF World Tag Team Titles.)
“Superstar” Billy Graham appeared to have finally convinced Paul Orndorff that he was looking out for his best interest, especially when he chose him over his long time friends, the East-West Connection. Jesse Ventura and Adrian Adonis did not appreciate being dumped to the side by Graham, and it has resulted in these four men trying to settle their score here tonight. Graham wanted in the ring from the beginning, and he did an amazing job of manhandling Adonis and Ventura. It looked like the Graham of old as he showcased just what strength he still has left in him. Still, it was only a matter of time until Ventura and Adonis were able to use their double teaming to their advantage, and that was done when Graham had locked Ventura in the Bearhug, but Adonis broke it up by driving his knee into Graham’s kidneys. From there the Tag Team Champions took turns working over their old friend while Orndorff just waited to get into the ring. Graham was able to make the hot tag several minutes later after suffering quite a bit of abuse, and Orndorff took the match over. For the next few minutes we saw why many people consider Orndorff to be the next big thing. At this point Adonis and Ventura decided their only bet was to try and double team Orndorff as they swarmed over him in the ring. Referee Barney Sullivan tried to regain control, but Billy Graham decided to join in at this point and he was caught in the crossfire. As Sullivan lay on the mat, trying to regain his composure, Adonis and Ventura exchanged fists with Graham and Orndorff. Graham sent Adonis out of the ring, and it looked like we were about to see new Tag Team Champions. Graham and Orndorff focused in on Ventura as Adonis came back into the ring with a steel chair. He didn’t have good intentions as he swung the chair wildly at Orndorff’s head. Somehow Graham saw it coming, however, and threw Orndorff to the side and causing him to go through the ropes to the outside. Adonis may have missed Orndorff, but his chair shot did hit Graham! Graham saved Orndorff, but took the brunt of the blow instead. Ventura quickly covered Graham just as the ref came to and was able to make the three count.
Adonis and Ventura grabbed their titles and left ringside, mocking Graham for choosing Orndorff over winners like them. Meanwhile, Orndorff checked up on Graham, apparently realizing what had happened. One thing is for sure, though, you can put to rest the questions on if Orndorff can trust Billy Graham.
Greg Valentine pinned Jerry Lawler after a kneelift in 0:23:12. Rating: **** (Greg Valentine won the NWF World Title.)
This was the match that everyone was waiting to see. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine has been climbing his way up the ladder for the past few years, and this year it looked like he finally took that leap into the cream of the crop on the NWF roster. Jerry “The King” Lawler, meanwhile, has been somewhat of a cowardly champion, but he did win the title by defeating Harley Race, and that is not an easy task. Lawler tried to prove that Valentine was unworthy of a title shot due to his use of the kneepad, but it came out that Valentine has never used a loaded kneepad on our last show. Lawler didn’t seem to care as he still thought Valentine wasn’t worthy of the shot, and he was going to prove it by totally dismantling him here. That didn’t happen. Instead these two men wowed the crowd with a back and forth encounter that could have gone either way. Valentine worked over Lawler’s left leg for a majority of the match, and when he was finally able to lock him in the Figure-Four Leglock it looked like the match would be over, but Lawler was somehow able to escape the hold. Lawler took back control of the match, and really showed just how great of a ring general he is when he side-stepped a kneelift from Valentine, kicked him low where the ref couldn’t see, and immediately dropped him with the Piledriver. As the ref counted, the crowd thought it was over, but Valentine kicked out. Lawler had taken over the match, however, and it looked bleak for Valentine. Lawler dropped Valentine with one more Piledriver and climbed to the top rope. Lawler dropped his strap from his singlet to show that it was the end before flying off with a fistdrop. Valentine had been playing a bit of opossum, however, as he rolled out of the way! Lawler’s fist crashed into the mat! Lawler hopped to his feet in immense pain, but he walked right into a massive kneelift from Valentine! Lawler’s jaw could have been broken with the impact, but “The Hammer didn’t care as he hopped on top of Lawler’s body. Referee Madilla made the cover, and despite it feeling like it took forever, he finally reached three!
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine is the new NWF World Heavyweight Champion! Valentine was handed the title, and he dropped to his knees in celebration before running around ringside with the strap. Lawler was still out cold in the center of the ring as Valentine reentered the ring to get his hand raised and to be announced as the new champion! A historical day in National Wrestling Federation history!
January 16, 1982 – Sioux City, IA: Roddy Piper vs. Jack Brisco Canadian Air vs. Dirty Cowboys David Von Erich vs. Ron Garvin
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Post by snabbit888 on Feb 23, 2012 0:45:10 GMT -5
1981 comes to a close! Here we go...
Saito is poised to have a huge 1982. You're right - after reading this match, he had a really odd 1981, but looks like he's going to be a major threat in the coming year.
Not a good night for the Von Erichs as two losses open up the show. That's big for Savage. I like how Rich has been written as a coward for the most part, but he's putting wrestlers on the shelf more than once. This team is fun.
Though I don't like seeing Canadian Air lose (they have a soft spot in my heart), the Dirty Cowboys needed a win like that to stay above water. They had a rough last half of the year. A good angle to get both teams going into the new year.
Tommy Rich is a great mastermind. Takes out the Von Erichs to make it easier to cheat over Garvin, and now making David & Garvin wrestle each other for the chance to fight him? Wonder if the faces will counter with some trickery of their own...
Hot segment with the Piper interview. I'm hoping this doesn't make Brisco a face as his heel run has been the most interesting he's been in years (in GCW or NWF). If only we could use triple threat matches this far back, this would be a perfect place for one.
I honestly forgot that Thunderbolt was hurt. Good choice of the partner in the 6-man, but the right result took place. First Family needs to keep racking up wins. Looks like Studd is going to be the breakout star of the group.
As excited as I am to see Gagne break out into singles as he's going to be big, this match against Brunzell was still bittersweet. The High Flyers were SUCH a great team, that it makes me sad to see it end. However, it was necessary, and Gagne is going to go on to huge things. Gagne's going to win this feud, but I hope Brunzell can stay relevant.
I like that you went with Graham being on the level and on Orndorff's side. I was thinking there would be a big swerve and Graham was still with EW Connection, but Graham's career is nearing a close, and an official face run is in order for the first dual World champion.
NEW WORLD CHAMPION! Did not see this one coming so soon. I thought Valentine would be a World champion, but happy to see it be now. Your title has hot potatoed a little this year, but Valentine looks like the man who can lock it down for awhile.
Valentine becomes the 18th man to hold a World Title in the universe, and the 7th to never hold the WWF/E or NWA/WCW title in real life.
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Post by rey619 on Feb 23, 2012 4:56:37 GMT -5
The Von Erich brothers don't fare so good, but it really helps build up both Saito and Savage. Tommy Rich is a dick. He hasn't had a year such as last, and maybe that is why he's acting up? And the dickishness just continues with Rich, pitting the two friends against each other. One day he's going to get what's coming to him The Brisco, Piper and Race situation sounds like a triple threat, but I guess you're still some years away from introducing that kind of matches? Wild six-man tag to cement the First Family of Wrestling as a serious group of malcontents. Wonder if Crusher'll be able to stop Studd. Gagne and Brunzell are early versions of Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty, that's kind of obvious. I'm excited to see if Greg can become a major singles player though. Wow. Surprised to see Graham take the blow for Orndorrf. The swerve is avoided and the angle is now officially one of my favorites. I didn't see Valentine take the strap, but I'm still glad he did so instead of Race getting it back. I can actually see Valentine hold on to it for quite a while, and that it can even lead to a Harley Race heel turn, which will shift the dynamics from their series of bouts when Valentine was heel. A great year-end show! Now, just send me your roster (with tag teams), title changes and the three best matches, and I'm gonna do the PWI again.
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Post by LillaThrilla on Feb 23, 2012 20:01:19 GMT -5
Valentine has been built up to really be a solid World Champion. And getting the win after hulking up off a pair of piledrivers certainly makes Valentine look really strong (or Lawler really weak).
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 24, 2012 0:02:19 GMT -5
Here you say that I am fired if Valentine doesn't win the title, and then you say you are surprised it happened so soon. You can't threaten me and expect any different. The World Title did jump around a bit this year, but I was kind of unhappy with Lawler's reign. I just didn't feel he had any good face challengers since I wanted the title on Valentine, he had already beaten Race, and Orndorff was dealing with Graham. Great to see the Graham/Orndorff stuff got over. It was nearly a year long angle, and I'm glad it wasn't overkill. Rey, I'll have you your stuff tonight, I hope. Valentine had a little time to breathe since Lawler went to the top rope. He didn't quite no-sell two Piledrivers. Thanks for the comments, guys.
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Post by mamushi on Feb 24, 2012 13:26:42 GMT -5
Not a bad way to open things up tonight even with both Von Erich brothers eating the pin.
Looking forward to Brisco/Piper
Former allies against each other! TENSION! Gagne obviously had to go over, but no a bad little match indeed.
Woo! New World Champion! What a way to end 1981!!
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Post by JoshiQ on Feb 25, 2012 2:58:35 GMT -5
Results of NWF - Sioux City, IA - 1/16/82:
Billy Graham defeated Adrian Adonis when Adrian Adonis passed out in the Bearhug in 0:09:15. Rating: ***
To begin the show, the NWF audience was introduced to our new ring announcer, Gary Michael Cappetta. He’s a welcome addition to the National Wrestling Federation family. With that out of the way, our first show in Sioux City, Iowa, was jam packed. It began with “Superstar” Billy Graham looking for revenge against Adrian Adonis. Graham chose Paul Orndorff over the East-West Connection, but there didn’t appear to be a real hatred between them until the Connection knocked Graham unconscious with a chair last month. Graham really tore into Adonis from the beginning, and looked satisfied with himself after he locked Adonis in the Bearhug and forced him to pass out. It looked like Graham may not have wanted to release the hold, but Jesse Ventura came down to ringside to guarantee that he did. Graham pointed at Ventura and promised him that he was next. This was the first time that Graham received real cheers from the crowd, and he did look like he was enjoying himself.
The New Wave (Bobby Eaton and Sweet Brown Sugar) defeated Tommy Rich and Randy Savage when Eaton pinned Savage with the Alabama Jam in 0:12:02. Rating: ****
“Wildfire” Tommy Rich and “Macho Man” Randy Savage are both wildly successful singles wrestlers, but when they try to put their friendship to the task in tag team wrestling, it doesn’t normally end in success. They were having better luck this time against the New Wave at the beginning, but that all changed when David Von Erich and Ron Garvin stepped into the aisle to get a “closer look.” Those two men will face off later on tonight, but apparently that hasn’t stopped them from pairing up to try and get their hands on Rich. They were happy just watching from the aisle, but this distracted Rich enough that he was yelling out insults at them. This led to Savage having to do most of the work, and it wasn’t long before he succumbed to the Alabama Jam from Eaton. The New Wave pick up a big win on their way to getting back into title contention while Rich will be watching later on tonight as Von Erich goes one on one with Garvin to determine who he has to face in Chicago on February 14th.
Paul Orndorff pinned Greg Gagne after a back suplex in 0:09:55. Rating: **** (Paul Orndorff retained the NWF United States Title.)
“The Great” Greg Gagne was so proud of himself for his victory over “Jumping” Jim Brunzell last month that he went to the Championship Committee and demanded this US Title shot against Paul Orndorff. Orndorff was happy to oblige, and he had possibly the toughest title defense of his to date. Gagne was in control of the match when his former partner, Brunzell, made his way down to the ring. Gagne yelled for referee Gil Roman to get that “sore loser” away from the ring, but this left Orndorff an opening where he picked Gagne up from behind and dropped him with a back suplex. This was just enough to pick up the win. Gagne slowly got to his feet afterwards, but was put right back down to the mat by a well-placed dropkick from Brunzell. Gagne might want to be done with Brunzell, but Brunzell is far from done with Gagne.
Dirty Cowboys (Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater) defeated Canadian Air (Raymond Rougeau and Lanny Poffo) when Slater defeated R. Rougeau by disqualification in 0:05:26. Rating: ** 1/2
Canadian Air suffered a loss at the hands of the Dirty Cowboys last month due to their underhanded ways. Canadian Air wanted this rematch to try and get a bit of revenge, but things did not exactly go that way. Midway into the match, Orton once again removed his cowboy boot while on the ring apron. Referee Isaac Madilla was in the middle of an argument with Lanny Poffo over something, and didn’t see Orton throw his boot to Slater. Anyways, that was the intended target, but Raymond Rougeau was able to intercept the footwear. Rougeau wound up and smacked Slater over the head with the boot, but unfortunately for him, the ref turned around at that exact moment. He immediately called for the disqualification while Orton dragged Slater out of the ring in a hurry. Canadian Air was once again stuck arguing with the referee, but there was no way they were going to be able to change his mind.
David Von Erich pinned Ron Garvin after a small package in 0:00:17. Rating: *
Before this match could even begin, “Wildfire” Tommy Rich made his way to ringside so that he could watch what he hoped would be a bloodbath between friends. He had promised that the winner would get a one on one match with him next month. Ron Garvin has had troubles with Rich for quite some time, and David Von Erich had just found out that his brother, Kevin Von Erich, will be on the shelf for quite some time due to Rich’s attack on him last month. You knew that both men wanted to get their hands on Rich and would do anything to have that happen. That made it all the more surprising when the two men finally did hook up that David brought Garvin over in a small package that got an easy three count. Rich threw a fit at ringside as David got his hand raised. It was obvious that Garvin and David had put one over on “Wildfire” and he was not a happy camper. Rich is going to have to live up to his word now as he’ll face off against David Von Erich in Chicago.
Roddy Piper pinned Jack Brisco after a rollup in 0:14:26. Rating: ** ¼
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Jack Brisco were once “business partners” in trying to end the career of Harley Race. That all came to an end in Los Angeles, California when Piper abandoned Brisco to get his head beat in by Race. Brisco looked to settle the score here against Piper. What a lot of people forget about is that despite Piper running away from Race on a pretty consistent basis, he is a very capable wrestler and brawler when he wants to be. Tonight he stood toe to toe with Brisco and held his own very successfully. Brisco was a bit caught off guard by the fact that Piper was standing there exchanging fists with him. Brisco quickly realized that he wasn’t going to win a straight up brawl with Piper and took it to the mat. This turned the tides rapidly, and soon Brisco had Piper in prime position for the Figure-Four Leglock. Just as he turned to properly apply the hold, Piper kicked Brisco off. Brisco went head first into the turnbuckles, and then fell backwards right into a rollup by Piper. Piper hooked the tights for good measure and stole the match away from Brisco! Piper left the ring in a hurry, pointing to his head that he had outsmarted Brisco. Brisco fumed in the ring, but he had no one to blame but himself. Brisco said after the show that there is not enough room in the NWF for both of them, and he wants another match with Piper, this time with the loser being forced out of the NWF! The Championship Committee came to agree with Brisco, but added that they needed someone to guarantee that no rules were broken in a match of this importance. Imagine the surprise on the faces of Brisco and Piper when it was announced Harley Race would be the special guest referee!
Crusher Blackwell pinned Butch Reed with the Big Splash in 0:07:29. Rating: * ¾
Crusher Blackwell has been on the losing end of his feud with Jimmy Hart and his First Family of Wrestling for some time. He wanted to put an end to that here tonight in his match with “Hacksaw” Butch Reed. Reed is one big, strong man, but no matter how strong you are, you are going to have a tough time with an overly irate five hundred pound man. Jimmy Hart was there to try and distract Blackwell as much as possible, but Blackwell was just too focused here and put Reed away at about eight minutes with the Big Splash. Blackwell even tried to get his hands on Hart after the match, but he hightailed it out of there before any damage could be done.
Mr. Saito pinned Thunderbolt Patterson after a powerslam in 0:10:18. Rating: * ¾
Thunderbolt Patterson made his return to the ring last month in a six-man tag against the First Family of Wrestling. He had torn his right biceps in a match, and it was wondered just how well he would be able to come back from such an injury. Last month didn’t seem to give him any problems, but tonight he would really be put to the task as he’d face off against a man on a roll, Mr. Saito. Neither man gave an inch during the match, continually throwing bombs at one another. Despite a little bit of ring rust, Patterson looked like he might be able to come out with the victory when he wound up for the Thunderbolt Right. He connected with it, but it didn’t seem like it had the same force. Saito was able to shake it off and a few seconds later drilled Thunderbolt with a powerslam to get the victory. Saito walks away with another huge victory while Patterson sat in the ring, confused.
Big John Studd pinned Ole Anderson with the Backbreaker in 0:09:50. Rating: *
Ever since debuting in the NWF, Big John Studd has been unstoppable. There are few men in the world the size of Studd and even fewer that have his wrestling ability. His manager, Jimmy Hart, has made it his goal to end Crusher Blackwell’s career, but tonight he’d be going at it with Ole Anderson, a man that has his own issues with the First Family. Anderson tried his best to avoid the Backbreaker for most of the match, and he did the right thing by focusing in on Studd’s legs. It would seem the only way to be victorious over Studd would be to chop him down to size. It worked for a bit, but you can only keep a man with the strength of Studd down for so long. Despite his best efforts, Anderson eventually felt the Backbreaker and was defeated. Ole’s going to have to go back to the drawing board if he wants to be victorious in his feud with the First Family.
Greg Valentine made Bruiser Brody submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:11:46. Rating: ** 3/4 (Greg Valentine retained the NWF World Title.)
New World Heavyweight Champion Greg “The Hammer” Valentine would have his first title defense here tonight against the likes of Bruiser Brody. This was not just a huge opportunity for Brody, but Jimmy Hart had the chance of adding the World Heavyweight Champion to his stable. Valentine is not normally the type of guy that would let his nerves get to him, but he almost looked nervous out there for the opening minutes. He was a bit hesitant, afraid of making a mistake that might cost him the title he fought so long to win. It took him awhile, but those nerves eventually wore off and soon we were watching the Valentine that worked his butt off to win the World Title in the first place. Jimmy Hart started to see the momentum shifting, but when he got up on the ring apron, Valentine was there to drill him with a left hand that sent him flying to the floor. The Figure-Four Leglock would be the deciding factor as once he had it locked on Brody, there was no chance of him escaping. He had to submit or risk permanent injury.
After the match, Jerry “The King” Lawler entered the ring to question Valentine. He told Valentine that as a former champion, he was ashamed at how Valentine chose to handle himself. Lawler told Valentine that a champion should be defending his title against better competition than some asylum escapee. This was proof to Lawler that Valentine did not deserve to hold something as prestigious as the NWF World Heavyweight Title. He told Valentine he would happily take the title off Valentine’s hands since it was obvious he would not be able to do it justice. Valentine replied simply that if Lawler wanted he would have to come take it. Valentine looked ready for a fight, but Lawler grinned and simply patted “The Hammer” on the shoulder. Lawler is going to get his chance to take the title as he’ll get his rematch for the strap on Valentine’s Day in Chicago, Illinois.
February 14, 1982 – Chicago, IL: WORLD TITLE - Greg Valentine (c) vs. Jerry Lawler 15 Man Valentine’s Day Massacre Battle Royal LOSER LEAVES NWF – Roddy Piper vs. Jack Brisco Billy Graham vs. Jesse Ventura David Von Erich vs. Tommy Rich
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