|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 22, 2009 2:35:05 GMT -5
Previous cards can be found here: cripplethreat.wikidot.comJanuary 12, 1972 - Paul Sauvé Arena - Montreal, QB, CA Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) defeated Arnold Skaaland and Jimmy Snuka when Bruiser pinned Skaaland after hitting him with the chain in 0:06:01. Rating: ** 1/2 [Lou Albano interfered against Jimmy Snuka.] [Lou Albano interfered against Arnold Skaaland.] 1972 kicked off with the brand new World Tag Team champions Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher wrestling… in a non-title match, at the advice of Lou Albano surely. Their opponents were Arnold Skaaland & GCW newcomer Jimmy Snuka, who would love to make a name for himself with a win over the 6-time tag team champs. Snuka made a good showing for himself, but the team just couldn't match up with Bruiser & Crusher who just love to hurt people. Bruiser gets the pin on Skaaland by hitting him with his steel chain (thanks to a distraction from Albano). Bruiser & Crusher looked to inflict more punishment on Snuka, wanting to "welcome" him to Global Championship Wrestling as the Crusher was yelling. Luckily for young Snuka, GORILLA MONSOON chased them away with a steel chair. Monsoon's old partner Haystacks Calhoun was forced to leave GCW because of injuries sustained at the hands of Bruiser & Crusher, and he is out for revenge in the worst way. He's going to get that chance as he will partner with Jimmy Snuka and Arnold Skaaland to challenge Bruiser, Crusher, & Lou Albano in a 6-man tag team war! This match will take place at The Spectrum in Philly on February 22. Wahoo McDaniel pinned Tony Garea after an inside cradle in 0:07:04. Rating: ** (Wahoo McDaniel retained the GCW United States Title.) Wahoo McDaniel was disturbingly proud of himself after he, as he claims, ran Karl Gotch not only out of GCW, but out of the United States as well. The United States champion couldn't rest on his laurels though as he had a tough title defense here against Tony Garea. Garea is a native of New Zealand but currently resides in the United States, but if you ask Wahoo, Garea is a foreigner and deserves no respect. Garea almost shocked Wahoo early with a small package, but Wahoo narrowly escaped. McDaniel was a bit embarrassed that he was getting outclassed, and had to resort to pulling the tights in an inside cradle to keep the gold around his waist. What a proud champion. Interview: Ernie Ladd puts his "King" title on the line. "King" Ernie Ladd was fuming over missing the year-end show because of a back injury suffered on December 1, and he wanted to put a beatdown on somebody. The Grand Wizard was so confident that Ladd couldn't possibly lose tonight, he even put Ladd's title of "King" on the line. Of course that is not an officially recognized title here in Global Championship Wrestling, but that's an argument for a different time. Ladd's challenge was answered by another GCW newbie, JERRY LAWLER. Jerry Lawler pinned Ernie Ladd after a small package in 0:05:08. Rating: ** 3/4 What a huge upset! It looks like we have a new king in GCW, and his name is Jerry Lawler. Ladd completely underestimated the unproven rookie and it cost him in a huge way. Ladd had the match well in hand and could have pinned Lawler several times, but he elected to pull his shoulder off the mat instead to inflict more punishment. This let Lawler surprise Ladd with a small package to get the win. Lawler wisely got out of the ring before an angry Ladd could get a hold of him. The Grand Wizard is claiming that it was a fast count, and wants a rematch for Ladd against Lawler on February 22 in Philadelphia. The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson) defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) when G. Anderson pinned G. Gagne with the Piledriver in 0:13:54. Rating: *** 1/2 We had our third and final debut of the night in tag team action, as "Jumping" Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne, collectively known as the High Flyers, took on The Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Greg Gagne is the son of wrestling legend Verne Gagne, but he has decided to apply his trade here in GCW to not rely on only the family name. Brunzell & Gagne looked great in their debut, using some high flying offense we haven't seen in quite some. They have the potential to be an explosive team. What they are missing right now is the experience, something that the Andersons have. The MWC picks up the win, but The High Flyers impressed the Canadian crowd with their debut performance. Chief Jay Strongbow made Bill Watts submit to the Indian Deathlock in 0:07:33. Rating: Not a lot to say about this one, other than it was a great hard-hitting match for as short as it was. Chief Jay Strongbow goes to the winner's circle when he locked Bill Watts in the Indian Deathlock. The Cowboy is going to need to find the edge he once had when he was World champion if he wants to recapture success in GCW rings. Billy Graham pinned Eddie Graham after hitting him with the cane in 0:11:43. Rating: ** 1/4 [Lou Albano interfered against Eddie Graham.] We still don't know what has gotten into "Superstar" Billy Graham, but it didn't look right seeing him with "Captain" Lou Albano. It looked even stranger seeing Billy wrestle his own brother, Eddie Graham. Because of Luke Graham's promises to take a piece out of Billy, the former World champion was banned from the building. Billy had an edge to him that we hadn't seen before, clearly the work of Albano who has a tendency to bring out the worst in all of his cilents. Billy wrestled Eddie like he was his most hated enemy, not his own brother. Albano's constant interference also made it so Eddie couldn't establish much offense and was beat down by the powerhouse Billy. Billy would pick up the win when he took Albano's cane and jacked Eddie in the throat with it. Billy continued the attack post-match, targetting Eddie's throat with the cane before dropping him with the Thumb to the Throat, a direct slap in the face to brother Luke as that is his finishing move. Eddie had to be taken to the back on a stretcher. Interview: The Cripplers announce Bobby Heenan as their new manager. Before their match, The Cripplers demanded some interview time and it didn't take long for us to find out why. Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel introduced us all to their brand new manager, BOBBY HEENAN. Heenan said he was brought onboard because The Cripplers had been mistreated in GCW. They should be the ones getting World Tag Team Title shots, being that they held the gold for nearly a year, but instead they've been getting passed over. Heenan said that things will change with him in charge. Stevens & Bockwinkel won't have to worry about booking flights and hotels or renting cars. The only thing they will have to focus on is wrestling, and that is going to make them as dangerous as ever. Dominic DeNucci and Johnny Weaver defeated The Cripplers (Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel) when DeNucci defeated R. Stevens by disqualification in 0:06:48. Rating: ** 1/2 [Bobby Heenan interfered against Dominic DeNucci.] Bobby Heenan promised that The Cripplers would be better than ever, and after watching the brutality they inflicted on Dominic DeNucci & Johnny Weaver, I'd say he was right. Sure, Stevens & Bockwinkel didn't walk out with a victory, getting disqualified when they tossed the referee out of the ring to keep pounding on DeNucci & Weaver, but they were the duo left standing. After the match had been thrown out, CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW & BILLY WHITE WOLF came out to chase The Cripplers away before permanent damage could be done. A match between the two teams has been signed for The Spectrum. Gorilla Monsoon pinned Stan Stasiak after a splash in 0:12:35. Rating: 1/2* Our main event saw a still fired up Gorilla Monsoon take on and defeat Stan "The Man" Stasiak in a hard-hitting affair. Stasiak was trying for his feared Heart Punch throughout, but the burly Monsoon would have none of it, taking it to Stasiak before ultimately finishing him off with a splash. DICK THE BRUISER, THE CRUSHER, & LOU ALBANO tried to get into the ring to attack Monsoon, but JIMMY SNUKA & ARNOLD SKAALAND ran down to keep them at bay. Interview: Pedro Morales wants a rematch against Bruno Sammartino. The end of our show came with Pedro Morales speaking in the ring, mostly saying it was outrageous that he wasn't wrestling Bruno Sammartino for the World Title tonight. Pedro made mention of the fact that although he didn't defeat Bruno, Bruno also didn't defeat him as they went through a one hour war and couldn't determine who the better man was. Morales said he was confident he was the better man and challenged Bruno to a rematch. Sammartino came out and being the man of few words that he is, only said, "I accept!" before sending Morales sprawling from the ring with a right hand. Officials held Morales back, but these two are going to tear each other apart when they get the chance. The next time they will meet will be at the Spectrum with the World Title once again on the line! Card rating: ** 1/4 Match observations: Before we get to the big Philadelphia show, however, Global Championship Wrestling is heading back to the Land of the Rising Sun! That's right, we will be in Tokyo for two huge shows, February 5 and February 8. Two matches have been announced so far for the February 5 show: WORLD TITLE - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Giant Baba Antonio Inoki vs. Pedro Morales More matches will take place though, featuring both the stars of GCW as well as the top talent in Japan! |
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 22, 2009 2:37:05 GMT -5
February 5, 1972 - Korakuen Hall - Tokyo, Japan
Billy Graham made Tatsumi Fujinami submit to the Bearhug in 0:15:41.
Rating: 1/4
Korakuen Hall was filled to the rafters as Global Championship Wrestling returned to Japan for the first time in 2 years! The opening contest was the Japanese debut of "Superstar" Billy Graham took on rookie Tatsumi Fujinami. Fujinami is very impressive and thought to be the future of wrestling in Japan, but he still is inexperienced and couldn't figure out Graham's massive power. In a great match, Graham would locked on the Bearhug and squeeze the life Fujinami to pick up his first win overseas.
Osamu Kido made Wahoo McDaniel submit to the Wakigatame in 0:14:54.
Rating:
Wahoo McDaniel was going around the past couple weeks complaining that he had to come to Japan to wrestle. Wahoo has such a close-minded view when it comes to anyone not from the United States, and it got even worse as he flat out refused to put his title on the line while in Tokyo. That didn't much mind to Osamu Kido, who would settle for shutting Wahoo up. That would be exactly what happened as Wahoo had no answers for Kido's unique style. Wahoo seemingly forgot to prepare properly for this match since the US Title wasn't on the line and it cost him, submitting to the Wakigatame and suffering a loss. The two will meet in a rematch on the 8th, but again, thanks to some clever contract work, the United States Title will not be on the line.
Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka defeated Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf when Tanaka made Strongbow submit to the Japanese Sleeper in 0:25:54.
Rating: ** 1/2
The Japanese wrestlers picked up another victory, this in our first tag team contest. Mr. Fuji & "Professor" Toru Tanaka have been tearing it up in Japan and Australia for the past couple years, and they showed they could hang with anyone by beating Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf when Tanaka put Strongbow to sleep with his Japanese Sleeper. This impressive performance has earned Fuji & Tanaka a tag team title shot on February 8.
Tiger Jeet Singh pinned Tony Garea after a back suplex in 0:05:19.
Rating: ** 3/4
Tony Garea's first trip to Japan was not a pleasant one, as he had to take on the madman that is Tiger Jeet Singh. Garea did what he could, but Singh more or less had his way with him before finishing him off with a back suplex.
Pedro Morales pinned Antonio Inoki after a backslide in 0:19:45.
Rating: *** 3/4
Pedro Morales was hoping to challenge Bruno Sammartino for the World Title on this tour of the Orient, but he got the next best thing as he wrestled the former World champion, Antonio Inoki. Morales wanted to send a statement to the whole world by getting a win over one of the world's best. That's easier said than done when you're in there with Antonio Inoki. The match went back and forth for almost 20 minutes as two men in their prime showed everything they had. Morales wanted to get a decisive win, and in his mind he did. Morales got a great counter in when he caught Inoki with a backslide, and felt that the only way he could win was to put his feet on the ropes for extra leverage. What a proud trip to the winner's circle for Pedro Morales.
Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) defeated Dominic DeNucci and Johnny Weaver when Bruiser made DeNucci submit to the Stomach Claw in 0:18:07.
Rating:
(Crusher & Bruiser retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
Dominic DeNucci & Johnny Weaver had the chance of a lifetime as they were granted a shot at the World Tag Team Titles against the 6-time reigning champions Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher. On paper, DeNucci & Weaver are outmatched, but matches aren't wrestled on paper. DeNucci & Weaver have more heart than probably any other team in GCW, and they took Bruiser & Crusher to the limit and then some. Lou Albano was sweating as he wanted to return back across the Pacific with the tag titles still in his camp. He'd get his wish, but just barely. DeNucci missed a splash, hurting his stomach which allowed Bruiser to put on the Stomach Claw to get the submission win. Bruiser & Crusher retain the World Tag Team Titles, but they left knowing they were in a fight. It doesn't get any easier as they defend against Mr. Fuji & Toru Tanaka in 3 days time.
Giant Baba and Bruno Sammartino battled to a draw in 0:30:00.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
The main event was a tough test for World champion Bruno Sammartino as he enters the second half of his second year as the champion, taking on Giant Baba. Baba has turned into a menace in Japan and is the current Japanese champion, but he would love to add the GCW World Heavyweight Title to his collection. Baba also had the homefield advantage, which can't be stated enough how important that is. Bruno had the stamina advantage over the much larger Baba, and the champ's strategy was to hit and move to tire the giant out. That's easier said than done when your opponent is over 7 feet tall and weighs over 300 pounds. Sammartino took an epic beating throughout this match, but he somehow managed to avoid getting pinned at all costs. Bruno did just enough to wrestle Baba to a 30-minute time limit draw. Bruno knows the rules as much as anyone and he used them to the fullest to ensure he walked away still the World champion.
Card rating: *** 1/2
Match observations:
The first night of our Japanese tour was a huge success, and night two on February 8 should be just as exciting!
MAIN EVENT - Bruno Sammartino/Antonio Inoki vs. Pedro Morales/Giant Baba
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher (c) vs. Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka
NON-TITLE MATCH - Wahoo McDaniel (United States champion) vs. Osamu Kido
Dominic DeNucci vs. Hiro Matsuda
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 23, 2009 15:29:58 GMT -5
February 8, 1972 - Korakuen Hall - Tokyo, Japan
Tiger Jeet Singh defeated Johnny Weaver when Johnny Weaver passed out in the Tiger Claw in 0:08:03.
Rating: *** 3/4
Our final night in Japan was kicked off with Tiger Jeet Singh showing that crazy streak he is known for against Johnny Weaver. Weaver was game, but Singh was too much for him and got the win with the Tiger Claw. Simply winning wasn't enough for Singh as he then grabbed his signature sword looking to inflict further damage, but was sent sprawling from the ring by DOMINIC DENUCCI who hit a dropkick to save his partner.
Chief Jay Strongbow made Rusher Kimura submit to the Indian Deathlock in 0:12:27.
Rating: * 3/4
The GCW stars picked up their first win of the night as Chief Jay Strongbow showed his veteran in-ring prowess by outlasting Rusher Kimura with his painful Indian Deathlock finishing hold. Strongbow is dedicated to his team with Billy White Wolf, but this match showed that he still has what it takes to compete as a singles star as well.
Hiro Matsuda pinned Dominic DeNucci after a small package in 0:11:26.
Rating: ***
Our next match saw Dominic DeNucci taking on a familiar face as he went one-on-one with Hiro Matsuda. Matsuda had a previous run with GCW back in the States as a hired henchman for Lou Albano, and he still had that vicious nature he had back then. DeNucci tried to outwrestle Matsuda and to an extent it worked, but Matsuda's martial arts background and affinity for cheating allowed him to escape with a win.
Osamu Kido defeated Wahoo McDaniel by countout in 0:24:46.
Rating: ** 1/2
Wahoo McDaniel said he was embarrassed by the fact that he was defeated by Osamu Kido on the 5th, so Wahoo demanded that he get a rematch here (non-title, of course). McDaniel, to his credit, took the match far more seriously than he did first time around, but again Kido always seemed to be one step ahead of the US champion. No matter what Wahoo did, Kido seemed to have a counter for it. The frustration became too much for Wahoo to handle as he simply walked away and got himself counted out. Wahoo may have thought that was the end of it, but he received some bad news as he found out he would wrestle Osamu Kido one more time on February 21 in Philadephia, and this time the United States Title WILL be on the line!
Billy Graham defeated Tatsumi Fujinami via pinfall in 0:18:57.
Rating: *** 1/4
[Lou Albano interfered against Tatsumi Fujinami.]
The first match between Tatsumi Fujinami & Billy Graham received such rave reviews that the two met in a rematch on day two. The match didn't quite reach the level that the first one did, but that doesn't mean it was a bad match. Fujinami did a great job of keeping the match on the mat against the much stronger Superstar. Fujinami did a great job of exposing Billy Graham's weaknesses - Graham can bounce you around the ring like a ball, but his defense is lacking at this point in his career. Fujinami controlled the match, but the thing with Graham is it only takes one big power move to put a match away, and that's exactly what happened when he almost lariated Fujinami out of his boots. That was just enough to hold Fujinami's shoulders to the mat for the 1-2-3, much to the delight of Lou Albano.
Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) when Tanaka made Crusher submit to the Japanese Sleeper in 0:25:08.
Rating: **
(Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji won the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Lou Albano interfered against Toru Tanaka.]
Lou Albano's men always seem to have trouble every time we go to Japan, and this was no exception as Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher defended the World Tag Team Titles against the Japanese team of Mr. Fuji & "Professor" Toru Tanaka. Bruiser & Crusher love to fight and don't care who against, but they had all kinds of trouble against the unique style of Fuji & Tanaka. The combination of martial arts, speed, and flat out cheating kept Bruiser & Crusher uncomfortable the whole match. The turning point came when Fuji threw salt into Crusher's eyes from the apron, temporarily blinding him. Tanaka locked Crusher in the Japanese Sleeper. Bruiser tried to make the save but received a savate kick for his troubles. Ladies and gentlemen… we have new World Tag Team champions. Now the question remains whether or not Fuji & Tanaka are going to bring the tag titles to the United States or keep them here in Japan. Not only that, but where do Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher go from here?
Pedro Morales and Giant Baba defeated Bruno Sammartino and Antonio Inoki when Baba pinned Inoki with the Crush Kick in 0:28:04.
Rating: 1/2
You couldn't have asked for a better match to end our stay in Japan than our main event - World champion Bruno Sammartino & former World champion Antonio Inoki taking on Pedro Morales & Giant Baba. These are four of the top main event level wrestlers in the entire world and getting a match together like this is a huge coup for GCW. There was a surprising lack of underhanded tactics from the side of Morales & Baba. They are often spoke of as being on a lower tier than Bruno & Inoki respectively, so they were looking to make a statement. That is precisely what they were able to do as after a tremendous contest, Baba caught Inoki with the Crush Kick to get the 1-2-3. Morales & Baba earned this victory, plain and simple, and it gives Morales more fire power in his quest against Sammartino. Bruno & Inoki, meanwhile, were disappointed, but shook hands after the match. Bruno even hinted about possibly giving Inoki a shot at the World Title in the future. I for one would love to see that match if it could be put together.
Card rating: ***
Match observations:
After a great two shows in the Orient, GCW returns stateside at The Spectrum in Philadelphia on February 21. The card is stacked, and will feature these matches:
WORLD TITLE - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Pedro Morales
UNITED STATES TITLE - Wahoo McDaniel (c) vs. Osamu Kido
Gorilla Monsoon/Jimmy Snuka/Arnold Skaaland vs. Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher/Lou Albano
Luke Graham vs. Billy Graham
Chief Jay Strongbow/Billy White Wolf vs. The Cripplers
Jerry Lawler vs. Ernie Ladd
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 23, 2009 15:31:35 GMT -5
February 21, 1972 - The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA
Dominic DeNucci and Johnny Weaver defeated The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson) when DeNucci pinned O. Anderson with the Airplane Spin in 0:10:06.
Rating: ** 1/2
Dominic DeNucci & Johnny Weaver looked good in Japan, but didn't leave with any victories. They looked to turn that around against the former tag team champions, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew. DeNucci & Weaver have gelled as a team and get better every time they step in the ring. The Andersons can now attest to that as DeNucci & Weaver walk out of Philly with a win.
Jerry Lawler pinned Ernie Ladd after a sunset flip in 0:07:30.
Rating: ** 3/4
Jerry Lawler shocked the wrestling world when he made his debut last month, pinning veteran Ernie Ladd in the center of the ring and taking his figurative title of "King" in the process. Ladd and his manager The Grand Wizard demanded that they get another match against Lawler, and the youngster was more than happy to oblige. Ladd again underestimated Lawler's skills, and it was hard not to as Ladd dominated the match. Well, all of the match except for the finish. Lawler withstood the onslaught of Ladd and caught him by surprise with a sunset flip to score his second pinfall victory in a row over Ladd. Lawler may have wished he hadn't won though as Ladd was soon joined by STAN STASIAK and the two men put a beating on the new King until officials broke it up. Stasiak has asked The Grand Wizard for permission to destroy Lawler, which Wizard has granted him, apparently. The match will take place on March 13 in Pittsburgh, PA!
Arnold Skaaland, Gorilla Monsoon and Jimmy Snuka defeated Stan Stasiak, Dick the Bruiser and Lou Albano when J. Snuka pinned Albano with the Superfly Splash in 0:23:55.
Rating: * 1/4
(The Crusher no-showed.)
Our 6-man tag team match had a change at the last minute. The Crusher came down with a serious stomach flu and was unable to wrestle this match, so Lou Albano brokered a deal with The Grand Wizard for Stan Stasiak to wrestle in his place. The details of the deal have not been announced yet, but we hear that Albano was so desperate to win this match that he offered The Grand Wizard a GREAT deal. Perhaps he should have just wrestled a handicap match, as Dick the Bruiser was NOT in the mood to be a team player. Bruiser felt that Albano should have worked harder to get he & The Crusher a rematch for the World Tag Team Titles tonight instead of focusing on his own match. Albano tried to keep his team together, but it was a lost cause when Bruiser & Stasiak came to blows. While Albano frantically tried to get them to stop, Gorilla Monsoon dropped him with a bodyslam, Jimmy Snuka followed with the Superfly Splash, and this match was over. There is a LOT of turmoil in Albano's camp.
Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) when Baron pinned G. Gagne after a powerslam in 0:11:10.
Rating: ** 1/2
The only two of Lou Albano's charges who don't seem to be having any issues currently are Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke, who keep on racking up victories. Albano wasn't even in their corner for this match as they took on The High Flyers. You have to hand it to Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne. They're young rookies who are very inexperienced, but they have shown already their willingness to learn against the best. The Flyers are going to take their lumps in GCW, as they did in this losing effort, but they have a bright future. Speaking of the future, with the amount of dominating wins the Barons are tallying up, it is a matter of when, not if they are going to get a crack at the World Tag Team Titles.
Wahoo McDaniel defeated Osamu Kido by countout in 0:15:00.
Rating: *** 1/2
(Wahoo McDaniel retained the GCW United States Title.)
Wahoo McDaniel had a rough time in Japan to say the least. For the man who hates all things foreign, eating two losses to Osamu Kido did not sit well with him. Fortunately for McDaniel, the matches were non-title. This third match against Kido back in the States was for the US Title, and Kido wanted to make the third time the charm. As strange as it sounds, Wahoo much better in the comfort of the USA. It could also be because he finally decided to take Kido seriously, but if you ask Wahoo, it was because of all of his American fans cheering him on. Um… yeah. Whatever you say, Wahoo. Either way, despite Kido taking him to the limits, Wahoo slammed Kido on the floor to soften him up for a countout victory and successful title defense. Kido received a nice round of applause for his efforts as he will now head back to Japan to continue his career.
Luke Graham pinned Billy Graham with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:15:26.
Rating: * 3/4
Luke Graham has been dying for his opportunity to get his hands on his younger brother Billy Graham, and he finally got that chance here. Billy has fallen under the influence of some bad people, and Luke has said the only way to get Billy back is to beat some sense into him. Luke Graham also wanted to get his hands on Lou Albano, but Albano was still nursing his wounds and was away from another one of his clients matches. Billy was out there all alone, and that is not a place you want to be with an unstable brute like Luke Graham. Luke beat some sense into Billy before pinning him with the Thumb to the Throat. After the match was over, it looked like Billy had a change of heart. Billy was almost in tears as he embraced his brother Luke, but when Billy caught Luke with a kick to the groin, it was about as clear as can be that the change of heart was a ruse. Billy has now even gone as far as to challenge Luke Graham to one more match, and he wants it inside of a steel cage! As of now, Luke Graham hasn't accepted the match as he claims this whole situation has gone too far as it is.
Tony Garea pinned Stan Stasiak with the High Cross Body in 0:04:38.
Rating: * 1/4
What an upset! Tony Garea is still a newcomer to the world of wrestling, and in theory should have been beaten by Stan "The Man" Stasiak with relative ease. Well there's a reason why matches aren't wrestled in theory but rather in the ring. In fairness to Stasiak, he had wrestled one match already, but GCW isn't about making excuses. Stasiak was too lax in his wrestling and Garea took advantage of it with the High Cross Body and a huge victory. This was not a good night for The Grand Wizard. He wants revenge on a lot of people, and he got the Lawler/Ladd match changed to a tag team match. It will now be Jerry Lawler & Tony Garea vs. Ernie Ladd & Stan Stasiak in Pittsburgh.
The Cripplers (Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel) defeated Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf when Bockwinkel pinned White Wolf with the Piledriver in 0:20:57.
Rating: *** 3/4
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Billy White Wolf.]
Bobby Heenan might end up being the best thing to ever happen to Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel. And by the same token, it could be the worst thing to happen to the tag team division of GCW. Heenan told the world that now that the Cripplers have obtained his services, they won't have to worry about anything other than wrestling. The Cripplers looked as crisp as they ever have in this match against Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf. Quite frankly, Stevens & Bockwinkel were wrestling machines in there, picking Strongbow & Wolf apart with great precision. Strongbow & Wolf are no slouches though, and took what the Cripplers had to offer and dished it right back. In the end though, Stevens' Piledriver would mark the difference as he pinned Billy White Wolf to pick up a great tag team victory.
Pedro Morales defeated Bruno Sammartino by countout in 0:30:07.
Rating: ***
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Pedro Morales.]
Our main event was the highly anticipated rematch for the World Title between champion Bruno Sammartino & challenger Pedro Morales. After their epic one hour draw at Madison Square Garden, we all had been looking forward to the rematch - nobody more than Morales himself. Morales has been telling anyone who will listen that Sammartino never beat him, and is confident that Bruno will never beat him. He claims it's not a matter of if he will become the World champion, but when. Again, we had a wrestling clinic on our hands as Bruno & Morales went hold-for-hold for over 30 minutes. Morales' strategy was to work over Bruno's knee, and he did so with sinister precision. Sammartino has no quit in him though as he wouldn't give up and kept firing back with offense of his own. Eventually the damage to his knee became too great for Bruno to take. Morales had thrown Bruno to the floor, and because of the damage to his left knee, Sammartino couldn't get back in the ring in time. Pedro Morales had defeated the World champion, but because titles cannot change hands on a countout, Bruno is still the World champion. This will just be more ammunition for Morales on his crusade to become the World champion.
Card rating: ** 1/2
Match observations:
We go back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 13 with the following matches already set to take place:
WORLD TITLE REMATCH - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Pedro Morales
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka (c) vs. Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher
Jerry Lawler/Tony Garea vs. Ernie Ladd/Stan Stasiak
Dominic DeNucci/Johnny Weaver vs. The Cripplers
Battle Royal for a United States Title shot on April 8
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 23, 2009 15:33:19 GMT -5
March 13, 1972 - Civic Auditorium - Pittsburgh, PA
The Cripplers (Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel) defeated Dominic DeNucci and Johnny Weaver when Bockwinkel pinned DeNucci with the Piledriver in 0:16:24.
Rating: *** 1/4
Another match under the tutelage of Bobby Heenan, another win for The Cripplers. Heenan has these two firing on all cylinders right now as they again picked up a victory, this month over Dominic DeNucci & Johnny Weaver. The money spent on Bobby Heenan is looking like money well spent for Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel.
Billy Graham and Stan Stasiak defeated Tony Garea and Jerry Lawler when B. Graham defeated Garea when Garea passed out in the Bearhug in 0:14:50.
Rating: ** 3/4
(Ernie Ladd no-showed.)
We found out the details of deal that Lou Albano brokered with The Grand Wizard last month. Albano gave the rights to "Superstar" Billy Graham over to The Grand Wizard, making his stable that much stronger. He also used Graham as a curveball as the Superstar took Ernie Ladd's place in this tag team match, teaming with Stan Stasiak against Jerry Lawler & Tony Garea. Lawler & Garea were not prepared for this new development, and they had no answer for Graham & Stasiak as a team. Graham caught Garea when he went for the High Cross Body and locked him in the Bearhug. Graham squeezed the life out of Garea to get his first win under the guidance of The Grand Wizard. If GCW's not careful, The Grand Wizard just might be in a position to dominate.
Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) when Tanaka pinned Crusher after throwing salt in his eyes in 0:21:44.
Rating: ** 1/2
(Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Lou Albano interfered against Mr. Fuji.]
After getting their work visa issues sorted out, the brand new World Tag Team champions made their first title defense since coming over from Japan. Mr. Fuji & "Professor" Toru Tanaka took on the former tag team champions and very surly Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher. Lou Albano has not exactly been pleased with the performances of Bruiser & Crusher recently, and as a result seemed to be trying way too hard to assist his men in becoming 7-time World Tag Team champions. Instead, Bruiser & Crusher just stopped listening to Albano's directions and made sure he knew they did. While Albano was arguing with his men, Tanaka grabbed a handful of the ceremonial salt and threw it in The Crusher's eyes. The Crusher was blinded and easy pickings for a pinfall.
Lou Albano was livid about the result, and verbally laid into Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher after the match. Captain Lou got so upset that he lost his cool and slapped both Bruiser & Crusher, which was a HUGE mistake. Bruiser & Crusher grabbed Albano and were about to put a hurting on him when BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA & BARON VON RASCHKE intervened to save their manager, leaving Bruiser & Crusher sprawled out on the canvas. It looks like Lou Albano is down two more charges, but Bruiser & Crusher are not two guys you want against you. This could be the beginning of a long battle.
[WINNER RECEIVES UNITED STATES TITLE SHOT ON 4/8/72]: 14-Man Battle Royal:
Chief Jay Strongbow won a 14-man Battle Royal:
x Monsoon threw out J. Valentine after a chop in 0:01:38
x Strongbow threw out G. Anderson in 0:03:58
x B. Graham threw out L. Graham in 0:05:02
x Strongbow threw out O. Anderson after a kick to the head in 0:06:22
x Strongbow threw out Watts in 0:07:52
x J. Snuka threw out Baron after a savate kick in 0:10:40
x Strongbow threw out Scicluna in 0:12:55
x Monsoon threw out B. Graham after a punch in 0:14:07
x G. Gagne threw out J. Snuka in 0:15:24
x G. Gagne threw out Monsoon after a flying dropkick in 0:16:11
x White Wolf threw out G. Gagne after a double-axhandle chop in
0:19:03
x Brunzell threw out White Wolf in 0:20:01
x Strongbow threw out Brunzell in 0:22:04
Rating: 1/4
We have a new #1 contender for the United States Title, and it's a former champion in Chief Jay Strongbow. Strongbow won the 14-man battle royal to earn the title shot against his former tag team partner Wahoo McDaniel. There were a lot of great stories in this battle royal. Billy Graham continues to be a thorn in the side of his brother Luke as he threw him out of the battle royal. The other big story was the performance of the High Flyers. Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell have no one on their side but each other, so they chose to work together to try to survive. They did so as they made it to the end, along with Strongbow & his partner, Billy White Wolf. We had ourself a miniature tag team match at the end, and the veteran work of Strongbow & Wolf seemed to have the advantage when Gagne was thrown out. But Brunzell kept fighting and managed to eliminate Billy White Wolf before ultimately falling to Strongbow. After the match, Strongbow & Wolf exchanged handshakes with Gagne & Brunzell, a rare show of sportsmanship.
Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino battled to a double pin in 0:35:12.
Rating: ** 3/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Pedro Morales.]
Another in-ring clash between Bruno Sammartino & Pedro Morales headlined this show, and to say that the World champion had the homefield advantage would be a huge understatement. Sammartino makes his home in Pittsburgh now and the packed house was solidly behind the World champ. Morales looked like a deer in headlights when he realized just how loud the fans were supporting Bruno, but he turned this into fire for his Latin temper and took it to Bruno. Back and forth these two titans went at it, trading the advantage and nearfall after nearfall. Morales used a poke to the eye to get the upperhand and it looked like he had finally dethroned Sammartino and became the World champion when he hit a bridginh back suplex. Morales did get the 3 count, but he also failed to get his own shoulder up off the canvas. The result was a double pin and thus, a draw! Morales couldn't believe it as he swore he had become the new champion. The GCW Championship Committee has declared that one more match between these two will take place to settle this question of who is the better man once and for all. On April 8 at Madison Square Garden, it will be Sammartino vs. Morales IV, and it will be 2 out of 3 falls!
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
We go back home to Madison Square Garden on April 8, and this lineup is HUGE! Let's take a look at the card so far:
WORLD TITLE 2/3 FALLS MATCH - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Pedro Morales
UNITED STATES TITLE - Wahoo McDaniel (c) vs. Chief Jay Strongbow
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka (c) vs. Dominic DeNucci/Johnny weaver
STEEL CAGE MATCH - Luke Graham vs. Billy Graham
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna/Baron Von Raschke
FOR THE TITLE OF "KING" - Jerry Lawler vs. Ernie Ladd
Tony Garea vs. Stan Stasiak
|
|
|
|
Post by rey619 on Dec 29, 2009 7:02:09 GMT -5
Wohoo! Slow work days in the holiday season has enabled me to come up to speed on this wonderful circuit.
I must really say I have enjoyed the Morales/Sammartino feud, the build-up was phenomenal. And my habit of looking up your talent on Wikipedia paid off as well, when I found out that Grand Wizard of Wrestling was the man formerly known as Abdullah Farouk!
I have a couple of questions though..
1: How much is booked? I know you prefer to book most (if not all) your matches, but GCW OS seems to have its fair share of upsets and short (sometimes extremely short matches), that I'm suspecting you sometimes book the winner(s), and then work with the result.
2: How did you find exports of all these guys?
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 29, 2009 16:04:40 GMT -5
Wohoo! Slow work days in the holiday season has enabled me to come up to speed on this wonderful circuit. I must really say I have enjoyed the Morales/Sammartino feud, the build-up was phenomenal. And my habit of looking up your talent on Wikipedia paid off as well, when I found out that Grand Wizard of Wrestling was the man formerly known as Abdullah Farouk! I have a couple of questions though.. 1: How much is booked? I know you prefer to book most (if not all) your matches, but GCW OS seems to have its fair share of upsets and short (sometimes extremely short matches), that I'm suspecting you sometimes book the winner(s), and then work with the result. 2: How did you find exports of all these guys? Thanks buddy. Sammartino/Morales has been my best feud I think. I've really enjoyed doing it. 1) It's almost all booked in terms of match results, but you're right, I generally know who I want to win and work with the result. Unless I need something very specific, I usually just restart matches until I get the result I want. I don't often book a specific ending move or anything, because a lot of times TNM gives me something better than I had originally planned. 2) As for exports, I've gotten them from 3 different places. First, I look on the official TNM site and see who is on there. Secondly, I use TNMUK and see if they're on there. Magister 369's old school export had a lot of the guys in it. I had to do some edits on a lot of them as many are still TNM 6.2 oriented, but it's a good place to start. And if all else fails, I just create the export myself. I've made a good 40 wrestlers on my own using Wikipedia and YouTube. |
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Dec 31, 2009 16:56:15 GMT -5
April 8, 1972 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Stan Stasiak pinned Tony Garea with the Heart Punch in 0:04:44.
Rating: * 1/4
Our opening match tonight saw Stan "The Man" Stasiak blitz Tony Garea and take the win with his deadly Heart Punch. Word going around is that Garea is looking to try his hand in the tag team ranks and is looking for a tag team partner.
Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji defeated Dominic DeNucci and Johnny Weaver when Fuji pinned J. Weaver with the Thrust Kick in 0:10:15.
Rating: **
(Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
We don't know a lot about Mr. Fuji & Toru Tanaka, but we do know they are ruthless and that they are the World Tag Team champions. They are both so crisp in the ring, work great as a team, and are not above cutting any corner they can to pick up a win. Dominic DeNucci & Johnny Weaver were the next to fall to ruthless champions, Fuji catching Weaver in the chin with the Thrust Kick to make this another successful title defense.
Billy White Wolf made Gene Anderson submit to the Indian Deathlock in 0:07:03.
Rating: *** 1/4
With his partner wrestling later for the United States Title, Billy White Wolf wrestled in singles action, taking on Gene Anderson of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. A solid match that saw Billy White Wolf keep Anderson grounded before putting him in the very painful Indian Deathlock to get the submission victory.
[FOR THE TITLE OF "KING"]:
Jerry Lawler pinned Ernie Ladd after a flying fistdrop in 0:08:15.
Rating: *** 1/4
Since making his debut in GCW earliest this year, Jerry Lawler has consistently gotten the better of veteran Ernie Ladd. Ladd is not one to take getting bested by a rookie lightly as seen by his quest to make Lawler's life a living hell. Ladd wanted one more shot at Lawler here in the Garden, and he demanded that the title of "King" officially be put on the line. Ladd has become so obsessed with beating Lawler that he wrestled way too aggressively in this one, even ignoring The Grand Wizard's instructions. This would cost him in a big way as Ladd would knock himself loopy when he charged Lawler in the corner, but Lawler moved out of the way. Ladd nailed his forehead on the ring post, to which Lawler followed with a flying fistdrop to get the 1-2-3. Jerry Lawler will now officially be referred to as Jerry "The King" Lawler, much to the chagrin of Ladd & The Grand Wizard.
Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) when Raschke made Crusher submit to the Claw in 0:20:54.
Rating: ** 1/2
If you go by quantity, Lou Albano's stable has taken a major hit over the past several months. What was once 5 strong has gone down to 2, but when those 2 are Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke, it's hard to be too upset with your fortunes. Albano had the Barons focused on only one nothing tonight and that was the destruction of his former charges, Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher. It has been awhile since we have heard Bruiser & Crusher receive the type of cheers that they did tonight, but they fully embraced it and used it to their advantage against the Barons. Bruiser & Crusher were amped up to say the least, but Scicluna & Von Raschke have developed into quite the dangerous duo. That, and Raschke's Claw is a very dangerous move. Just ask The Crusher who got trapped in it tonight and was forced to submit. It looks like this chapter of the book is closed, but Bruiser & Crusher will be back for sure. Next up though, they have some unsettled business with Stan Stasiak & Ernie Ladd that they nwill try to take care of on May 11 in Boston.
The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) defeated Bill Watts and Johnny Valentine when Brunzell pinned Watts with the Dropkick in 0:02:10.
Rating: ** 1/2
The High Flyers have officially gotten the first win of their careers, and what a way to do it by beating the former 3-time World Tag Team champions Bill Watts & Johnny Valentine! Watts & Valentine clearly took the rookies far too lightly, and it didn't take Jim Brunzell long to catch Watts underneath the jaw with his version of the dropkick to get a flash pin and a huge upset! Watts & Valentine have challenged the Flyers to a rematch for the Boston show.
Wahoo McDaniel and Chief Jay Strongbow battled to a double countout in 0:16:05.
Rating: 1/4*
(Wahoo McDaniel retained the GCW United States Title.)
The history between Wahoo McDaniel & Chief Jay Strongbow goes way back. The two used to be the most dominant tag team in all of wrestling before a falling out made them the worst of enemies. Strongbow is also a former United States champion and would love nothing more than to take the title back from the current champion Wahoo. The match didn't take long to break down into a fight between two fierce rivals, ending this in a double countout. I don't think Wahoo & Strongbow much cared as the fight continued long after the bell rang. The two clearly still have issues to be worked out and will get that chance in a rematch on May 11.
The Cripplers (Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel) defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Jimmy Snuka when Bockwinkel defeated J. Snuka by disqualification in 0:09:28.
Rating: ** 1/4
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Nick Bockwinkel.]
Bobby Heenan has The Cripplers firing on all cylinders, but one thing Heenan didn't account for in this match against Gorilla Monsoon & Jimmy Snuka is there would be another manager at ringside. Arnold Skaaland has taken Monsoon & Snuka under his wing and when Heenan tried to interfere by throwing a pair of brass knuckles into the ring, Skaaland got physically involved. Skaaland rolled in the ring, grabbed the knux before Bockwinkel could, and clocked Bockwinkel with them. Of course, this was right in plain sight of referee Terry Taranova who declared this match a disqualification. As a result of what happened, a 6-man tag team match has been signed to settle this, pitting Monsoon, Snuka, & Skaaland against Stevens, Bockwinkel, & Bobby Heenan!
Cage Match:
Luke Graham pinned Billy Graham with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:10:51.
Rating: ** 1/2
The volatile feud between brothers Luke & Billy Graham finally came to its apex tonight, and what better way to do it than in the most dangerous structure in wrestling, the steel cage! Luke has tried everything in his power to get his brother Billy thinking straight again, but after Superstar stretchered out their other brother Eddie, he knew this was the only recourse. Billy Graham is now also under the tutelage of The Grand Wizard, and he has Billy even more deadly than ever. This match turned into a bloodbath in short order. Billy shockingly dominated most of this match. It looks like he's learned a lot from The Grand Wizard. The image of Luke Graham wearing a crimson mask while his own brother raked his face against the unforgiving steel mesh of the cage is one that will be cemented in the minds of the fans for years to come. Billy Graham had this match won and was slowly making his way to the door, but he never made it out because EDDIE GRAHAM came out of nowhere and slammed the door in Billy's face! Luke Graham immediately capitalized with the Thumb to the Throat and got the pinfall victory to put this one to bed once and for all.
Two-out-of-three-Falls Match:
Bruno Sammartino beat Pedro Morales 2 falls to 1:
x Morales beat B. Sammartino via the Boston Crab in 0:27:36
x B. Sammartino beat Morales via a bearhug in 0:41:03
x B. Sammartino beat Morales via the Sammartino Backbreaker in 0:47:42
Rating: *** 1/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
This was it. There would be no further rematches. This was Pedro Morales' last opportunity to wrestle Bruno Sammartino for the World Heavyweight Title, and it would be best 2 out of 3 falls. The feud between these two has been burning for nearly a year and a half now, and something had to give. Both men wrestled more cautiously than they normally would - Bruno expecting Morales to come out a house of fire and Morales not wanting to make a crucial mistake to cost himself his shot. The match was a bit plodding at first with both men engaging in an extended feeling out process. The situation changed when Bruno appeared to injure his back. Morales locked Bruno in the Boston Crab and Bruno quickly submittied, knowing he would have two more falls and didn't want to risk a serious injury. After the rest period, Morales tried to lock the Boston Crab on right away, but Bruno kicked him off, sending him to the floor. In a perhaps ironic twist of fate, Morales tweaked his back when he hit the floor. Morales tried to stall as long as he could, but what has made Bruno such a great champion is his ability to smell the blood in the water. Sammartino systematically tore Morales apart before evening the score with a bearhug. Morales tried everything he could to get back into it, but his back was in too much pain as Bruno would go on to get him in the Sammartino Backbreaker to retain his title and finally put this epic feud to bed.
Card rating: ** 1/2
Match observations:
After a historic night at MSG, we go to our home away from home, the Boston Garden! We will be there on May 11 with the following matches scheduled so far:
UNITED STATES TITLE REMATCH - Wahoo McDaniel (c) vs. Chief Jay Strongbow
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. Ernie Ladd/Stan Stasiak
Gorilla Monsoon/Jimmy Snuka/Arnold Skaaland vs. The Cripplers/Bobby Heenan
The High Flyers vs. Bill Watts/Johnny Valentine
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 5, 2010 23:14:55 GMT -5
May 11, 1972 - Boston Garden - Boston, MA
The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) defeated Bill Watts and Johnny Valentine when G. Gagne made Watts submit to the Gagne Sleeper in 0:18:54.
Rating: *** 1/2
In our opener, Bill Watts & Johnny Valentine took The High Flyers far more seriously than they did last time, but the result ended up largely the same. It was a solid almost 20 minute affair that saw Watts once again end up on the losing end of an upset being caught in the Gagne Sleeper. Watts was stunned after the match, and promised that the High Flyers haven't heard the last of him.
Mr. Fuji pinned Billy White Wolf with the Thrust Kick in 0:13:55.
Rating: **
With his partner wrestling for the US Title later, Billy White Wolf wanted to go a long way toward earning he & Chief Jay Strongbow an opportunity at the World Tag Team Titles. He had a singles match against one-half of the tag champions, Mr. Fuji, but Professor Toru Tanaka was down at ringside with Fuji. Tanaka was instrumental in distracting Wolf, eventually tossing salt in his eyes which let Fuji hit the Thrust Kick to get the 1-2-3.
Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke defeated Dominic DeNucci and Johnny Weaver when Baron defeated J. Weaver when J. Weaver passed out in the Claw in 0:01:00.
Rating: **
Lou Albano is a sick man. His charges, Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke, are scary enough on their own, but Captain Lou actually instructed them to injure Johnny Weaver, and that exactly what they did. They ambushed Weaver & Dominic DeNucci before the match officially started. Once referee Danny Bartfield finally got things in order, DeNucci & Weaver were already out of it. It took only a minute for Raschke to lock on the Claw and get the win on a hapless Weaver. Raschke kept the hold on for almost 5 minutes before officials were finally able to get Albano to call off his man. Weaver had to be stretchered out and we hear we won't be seeing him for a long time. This leaves DeNucci without a tag team partner and with a big score to settle.
Tony Garea pinned Toru Tanaka after a small package in 0:04:10.
Rating: **
After that ugly scene, the show must go on, and it did with World Tag Team champion Toru Tanaka taking on Tony Garea. The tag champs had the same plan that they did earlier in Fuji's match, but it backfired in a big way. When Fuji tried to throw the salt, Garea ducked out of the way, causing the salt to blind Tanaka instead! Garea rolled Tanaka up in a small package for the 1-2-3. Tanaka went after Garea, but the New Zealander wisely got out of there. Garea may have won, but he may have made himself a couple of dangerous enemies.
Luke Graham pinned Gene Anderson with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:08:05.
Rating: *** 1/4
Since putting the final nail in his unwanted feud with his own brother, Luke Graham looks focused and ready to get back on track. That, and though his in-ring career is over, Eddie Graham is now acting as the manager of Luke. With Luke's re-found focus, and Eddie's coaching from the floor, Luke picked up the victory against Gene Anderson.
Arnold Skaaland, Gorilla Monsoon and Jimmy Snuka defeated The Cripplers (Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel) and Bobby Heenan when J. Snuka pinned Heenan with the Superfly Splash in 0:14:14.
Rating: ** 1/4
Bobby Heenan had to step into the ring for the first time ever in his GCW career, teaming with his men Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel to take on Gorilla Monsoon, Jimmy Snuka, & Arnold Skaaland. Heenan played the coward for most of this match, and I can't say I blame him. I wouldn't want to be trapped in the ring with Monsoon or Snuka either. When the Cripplers looked to have this match well in hand, Heenan demanded that he get tagged in to make the cover. It backfired on him in a big way though as Snuka was not down and out. Snuka recovered and planted Heenan with a big bodyslam before nailing him with the Superfly Splash to get the 3 count. When Heenan got back to his feet and regained his senses a bit, he grabbed the house mic and told Snuka that he would have his revenge and soon.
Billy Graham pinned Jerry Lawler after a piledriver in 0:09:53.
Rating: ***
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Jerry Lawler.]
With his win over Ernie Ladd in the Garden, Jerry Lawler has earned the right to call himself the King. The Grand Wizard sent another one of his men at Lawler this month in Boston, "Superstar" Billy Graham. Graham has been an animal, and he was particularly vicious after losing in a cage to Luke Graham last month. Superstar wanted to send a message to everyone, and he did precisely that when he dropped Lawler with a piledriver to get a convincing win. Graham's performance has garnered him a World Title shot against Bruno Sammartino on June 1 in Toronto, Canada.
Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) defeated Ernie Ladd and Stan Stasiak when Bruiser made Ernie Ladd submit to the Stomach Claw in 0:14:19.
Rating: ** 3/4
Our semi-main event had some bad blood attached to it as Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher had some bad blood stemming from a 6-man tag team match on February 21 where Stan Stasiak and Bruiser, partners that night, came to blows. Bruiser was with Crusher tonight, while Stasiak teamed with Ernie Ladd. Four large burly men beating the ever-living crap out of each other. Bruiser & Crusher have said that this year they're going to get back to what made them so successful in the first place - knocking bums' teeth down their throats. Stasiak & Ladd are anything but a couple of bums though and took the fight right back to the former 6-time tag champs. All four are going to leave the match with bruises, but only two would leave with a win - Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher.
Wahoo McDaniel and Chief Jay Strongbow battled to a double disqualification in 0:17:50.
Rating: * 1/2
(Wahoo McDaniel retained the GCW United States Title.)
The main event was for the prestigious United States Title as long-time champion Wahoo McDaniel defended against Chief Jay Strongbow in a rematch from the Garden a month ago. Much like their previous match, this was a hard-hitting bloody affair from two proud warriors who simply do not like each other. The fans in Boston loved the match as the battle got uglier and uglier, eventually causing referee Dick Kroll to throw this match out and rule it a double disqualification. The fight got even worse as Wahoo had a chair and looked to bludgeon Strongbow with it, but thankfully BILLY WHITE WOLF ran Wahoo off. We have learned there will be a tag match on June 1 where Strongbow & Wolf will take on McDaniel and a partner of his choosing.
Card rating: ** 1/4
Match observations:
The card so far for the June 1 show in Toronto stands as follows:
WORLD TITLE - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Billy Graham
Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna/Baron Von Raschke
Chief Jay Strongbow/Billy White Wolf vs. Wahoo McDaniel/TBA
Jimmy Snuka vs. Bobby Heenan
|
|
|
|
Post by rey619 on Jan 6, 2010 3:01:38 GMT -5
for the first time ever in his GCW ever, Hey, couldn't help it, proof-reading is part of my profession  Other than that, I saw this show as a kind of transition show. Your two big feuds this year ended last card (Morales/Sammartino and the Grahams), so now you have to build new ones. I don't think Sammartino'll hold the belt all the way through 1972, but I don't think Billy's the one to take it either. |
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 6, 2010 13:59:10 GMT -5
Don't judge me. I probably wrote that at 4 in the morning.  |
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 8, 2010 3:20:38 GMT -5
June 1, 1972 - Maple Leaf Gardens - Toronto, ON, CA
Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka defeated The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson) when Fuji pinned G. Anderson with the Thrust Kick in 0:15:06.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
On the power of being 2-time former World Tag Team champions, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew were granted a title shot against Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka. The Andersons haven't been able to recapture the magic they had when they first came to GCW, but they are a tremendous team and can beat anyone on any given night. The Andersons came excruciatingly close on several occasions, but the craftiness of the Japanese champions won out in the end, giving Fuji & Tanaka another successful title defense.
Nick Bockwinkel pinned The Crusher with the Piledriver in 0:13:53.
Rating: ***
I understand that Bobby Heenan makes more money if his charges win, but is making The Crusher angry in order to do so really worth it? Heenan proved he will do anything to help his men win, distracting The Crusher and eating a huge Bolo Punch for his efforts to allow Nick Bockwinkel to hit the Piledriver to get the duke. It may not have been the smartest thing with Heenan having a match against Jimmy Snuka later tonight, but he did show the loyalty to his men. Now, will he be able to handle what's coming to him from The Crusher?
Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke when Garea defeated Raschke by countout in 0:14:01.
Rating: **
[Lou Albano interfered against Tony Garea.]
It didn't take long for Dominic DeNucci to find himself a new tag team partner as he joined forces with Tony Garea to try to get revenge against Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke. Wrestling these two isn't recommended if you're a well-seasoned veteran team, let alone if it's your first time teaming ever. DeNucci & Garea took their lumps and it looked dire, but these two have a certain "never say die" attitude that can't be explained. This resulted in them putting together a comeback and getting what has to be considered a huge countout win over Lou Albano's charges. The Captain is irate, promising that the Barons will end the careers of DeNucci & Garea just like they did Johnny Weaver. Albano is going to have to wait to attempt that though, as DeNucci & Garea have been granted a shot at the World Tag Team Titles on June 27 in Charlotte.
Jerry Lawler pinned Ray Stevens after a sunset flip in 0:01:58.
Rating: **
Jerry "The King" Lawler continues to impress everyone each time he steps in the ring. One man who wasn't impressed going in was his opponent tonight, Ray Stevens. Stevens took the rookie lightly, and it bit him on the backside in a hurry. Stevens dominated the very early going, but he nonchalantly went for a backdrop, telegraphing it big time. Lawler made a veteran move by countering with a sunset flip, catching Stevens by surprise and getting the flash 1-2-3. Stevens went after Lawler as the King took a powder to the floor. This is a huge win in the young career of Jerry Lawler.
Interview:
Bill Watts offers one more challenge to the High Flyers.
An interview with Bill Watts along with his partner Johnny Valentine was next. Watts said that he was embarrassed that in subsequent matches, he has been defeated by a couple of "scrawny rookies" in Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell. Watts mentioned that he is a former World champion and deserves much better than this. Watts said it was going to end one way or another as he & Valentine wanted one more match with the High Flyers, adding that if he was beaten this time around, he would leave GCW forever! Valentine looked surprised by this but went along with it. We have since been given word that the match has been signed and will take place in Charlotte.
Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf defeated Pedro Morales and Wahoo McDaniel when Strongbow made Wahoo submit to the Indian Deathlock in 0:15:03.
Rating: ** 1/2
US champion Wahoo McDaniel said he would find a partner to take on Chief Jay Strongbow & Bilyl White Wolf, and it looked like he found himself a winner when he brought out PEDRO MORALES with him. Morales is one of the top men in the world, and came within an eyelash of being the man to end Bruno Sammartino's lengthy World Title reign. Morales also has a huge chip on his shoulder because of this, and he wasn't in the mood to work with Wahoo. Wahoo started the match and he would also end the match as Morales refused to tag in whenever Wahoo would try. Wahoo eventually got angry to the point that he shoved Morales and asked what his problem was, to which Morales simply responded with a hard slap to the face and yelled, "Don't like foreigners, do you!?" Strongbow caught a stunned Wahoo with a back suplex before locking on the Indian Deathlock to get the submission victory. Wahoo McDaniel reportedly was furious backstage, destroying a locker room in the process. McDaniel asked for a match against Pedro Morales as soon as possible (non-title of course) and the match has been signed for Charlotte.
Jimmy Snuka and Bobby Heenan battled to a no contest in 0:01:08.
Rating: 3/4*
Sometimes when you have a young wrestler who is desperate to make an impact and become a huge star, you can't fully explain why they do what they do. That was the case tonight with Jimmy Snuka. The youngster has been ultra-impressive in GCW, forming an alliance with Gorilla Monsoon & Arnold Skaaland who both agreed to take the high flier from Fiji under their wing. Snuka was scheduled to wrestler Bobby Heenan, the loud mouth manager of the Cripplers, in a singles match. It looked like Heenan had uncorked a plan when right away in the match, RAY STEVENS & NICK BOCKWINKEL jumped in the ring. The trio cornered Snuka in the ring, and it didn't look good for the youngster until GORILLA MONSOON came down to even the odds. The Cripplers & Heenan backed away… until Snuka clobbered Monsoon from behind! This was a setup from the word go! All four men put a beating on Monsoon that not even a 400-pounder could withstand. Arnold Skaaland jumped in to save Monsoon, but with it being 4 against 2, he suffered the same fate. It took a host of officials to finally break this one up. Jimmy Snuka has joined forces with Bobby Heenan, but all we can do is ask why.
Dick the Bruiser made Stan Stasiak submit to the Stomach Claw in 0:14:21.
Rating: * 1/2
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Dick the Bruiser.]
Dick the Bruiser wanted to settle his issue with Stan "The Man" Stasiak once and for all, and it looks like he did that with a hard fought but decisive win. Stasiak tried to set up Bruiser for his dreaded Heart Punch, but it would be Bruiser's Stomach Claw that would spell the end of Stasiak.
Luke Graham defeated Ernie Ladd by disqualification in 0:12:43.
Rating: * 3/4
Eddie Graham has his brother Luke firing on all cylinders and ready to make another run for a singles title. Luke would have to get by Ernie Ladd first, which is not an easy task under any circumstances. Ladd was also wrestling with a huge chip on his shoulder after losing his "King" moniker to Jerry Lawler and wanted to make an example out of the former World champion. When Luke Graham is on top of his game, there is no wrestler on the planet who can go toe to toe with him, so Ladd resorted to cutting every corner he possibly could. He would get himself disqualified though when he wasn't as smooth as he thought he was when he tried to conceal a foreign object he had punched Graham with in his tights. The fight continued after the match, and there is clearly some unfinished business here to take care of, and they will try to do that in Charlotte.
Bruno Sammartino pinned Billy Graham after a powerslam in 0:18:35.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Bruno Sammartino.]
In our main event, "Superstar" Billy Graham had the biggest match of his young career as he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the World Title. Say what you want about The Grand Wizard, but he's not stupid, and he hammered home the importance of this opportunity to Graham. After all, there's no guarantee that you'll ever get another title shot so you had better make the most of it when you get one. Billy Graham's strategy was simple - work over Bruno's back to set him up for his vicious Bearhug. There aren't many opponents of Sammartino that can outpower him, but Graham is one of those men. As a result, Sammartino trained light for this match, dropping a bit of weight to be quicker and faster in the ring. It would pay off as he overcame Graham's early offensive onslaught and wore the big man down. Sammartino lured Graham into making a mistake as the Superstar went to the second rope, a place we don't normally see him. Graham jumped off and Sammartino countered into a powerslam, driving the air out of the Tower of Power's lungs to retain his heavyweight title. Graham had a great strategy, but the veteran champion simply had a better one. I don't think this will be the last we see of Billy Graham in the main event, however.
Card rating: * 3/4
Match observations:
Charlotte, I hope you're ready, because GCW will be returning to the Charlotte Coliseum on June 27, bringing the following matches:
NON-TITLE - Wahoo McDaniel (United States champion) vs. Pedro Morales
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka (c) vs. Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. The Cripplers
Luke Graham vs. Ernie Ladd
The High Flyers vs. Bill Watts/Johnny Valentine
Jerry Lawler vs. Jimmy Snuka
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 8, 2010 3:21:50 GMT -5
June 27, 1972 - Charlotte Coliseum - Charlotte, NC
Billy White Wolf defeated Gene Anderson when Gene Anderson passed out in the Indian Deathlock in 0:09:28.
Rating: *** 1/2
In the opening match of the evening, Billy White Wolf got the better of Gene Anderson thanks to his Indian Deathlock. The fall from grace of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew continues.
Gorilla Monsoon made Ole Anderson submit to the Airplane Spin in 0:07:13.
Rating: ** 1/4
And again in this match. The Minnesota Wrecking Crew are grasping at straws to try to turn their fortunes around, but wrestling an extremely irritated Gorilla Monsoon is not the way to do that. After being double-crossed by Jimmy Snuka, Monsoon was a madman, and Ole Anderson got the brunt of it here, getting blitzed before he could even get started. Once Monsoon got on the Airplane Spin, that was that. I wouldn't want to be Jimmy Snuka or Bobby Heenan right now.
The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) defeated Bill Watts and Johnny Valentine when Brunzell pinned Watts with the Dropkick in 0:22:54.
Rating: ***
This was make or break time for Bill Watts. Th former World champion promised that if he was beaten by either Greg Gagne or Jim Brunzell in this tag match, he would leave Global Championship Wrestling forever. Johnny Valentine's career was not on the line, and he had trouble getting Watts to settle down. Watts was so amped up and wrestled a good portion of this match by himself since he had so much at stake. You could tell that Valentine was getting progressing more fed up with Watts, and the chemistry that made them 3-time former tag team champions was nowhere to be seen. The High Flyers were more than happy to take advantage of this when Brunzell plastered Watts right underneath the jaw with a picture perfect Dropkick to get the pin. As per the pre-match stipulations, Bill Watts will have to leave GCW. The fans in Charlotte were ecstatic to see that Watts will no longer be in GCW, but one man who was not as happy was Johnny Valentine. Valentine showed his displeasure by dropping Watts with a piledriver in the center of the ring! Valentine wasn't done as he cleared off the timekeeper's table and brought Watts up on it, looking to piledrive the Cowboy through it! Watts hasn't endeared himself to many people in his GCW tenure, but he certainly didn't deserve this. Luckily for Watts, he received help from an unexpected source as BRUNO SAMMARTINO ran down and attacked Valentine, sending him retreating to the back. Bruno & Watts used to be best friends, but when Watts turned his back on Bruno, they engaged in one of the bloodiest feuds we have ever seen. In a great show of respect, Bruno & Watts shook hands to a standing ovation. This was a fantastic moment, and a tremendous send-off to Watts' great GCW career.
Interview:
Bobby Heenan explains how he acquired the servies of Jimmy Snuka.
Before his match with Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Snuka and his new manager Bobby Heenan gave a brief interview. Heenan said the reason Snuka joined the Heenan Family was very simple - money. By aligning himself with Heenan, Snuka has sped up his ascent to the top by years - according to Heenan, of course.
Jimmy Snuka pinned Jerry Lawler with the Superfly Splash in 0:09:53.
Rating: *** 1/2
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Jerry Lawler.]
You may not like his methods, but so far, it's hard to argue with Bobby Heenan's results. The Heenan Family got that much stronger with the addition of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, who took on another impressive rookie, Jerry "The King" Lawler. These two could very well be the future of wrestling, and they put on a strong showing for the fans in Charlotte. It would be a trip from Heenan though that would make all the difference, allowing Snuka to hit the Superfly Splash to get the pinfall victory. So far, this partnership is paying dividends for both men. Snuka still has to face Gorilla Monsoon sooner or later though.
Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka defeated Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea when Fuji pinned Garea with the Thrust Kick in 0:18:00.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Baron Von Raschke interfered against Tony Garea.]
Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea had a huge opportunity, earning a World Tag Team Title match in only their second match as a team, and they subsequently got screwed out of it by Baron Mikel Scilcuna & Baron Von Raschke! DeNucci & Garea seem to have a natural chemistry together, and they were keeping up with the tag champs move for move until LOU ALBANO and his cronies got involved. Still fuming over their countout loss in Toronto, Albano distracted the referee which allowed Baron Von Raschke to enter the ring and lock the Claw on Garea! DeNucci tried to make the save, but Scicluna jumped on the ring apron and threw him into the ring post before any save could happen. Raschke exited the ring, leaving Garea woozy and prone to the Thrust Kick from Fuji and a successful, albeit dirty, title defense for the Japanese duo. After the match, Lou Albano tried to buddy up to the champions, but received a face full of salt in his eyes for his troubles! Fuji & Tanaka bailed before the Barons could get to them, but it looks like their help was not appreciated. The Barons will get a crack at the tag titles on July 19 in Madison Square Garden.
Chief Jay Strongbow pinned Stan Stasiak after a piledriver in 0:10:35.
Rating: -1/4*
Chief Jay Strongbow has been on a roll in singles competition as of late, and that rolled chugged along as he picked up a good win over Stan "The Man" Stasiak. With the recent success of both he and Billy White Wolf, it might only be a matter of time before one or both of them is wearing gold around their waists.
Pedro Morales defeated Wahoo McDaniel when Wahoo McDaniel passed out in the Boston Crab in 0:22:54.
Rating: ** 3/4
The partnership of Wahoo McDaniel & Pedro Morales was extremely short lived, as they couldn't even make it through one match earlier this month. Morales is walking around with a chip on his shoulder from not winning the World Title and has decided to take his frustrations out on the United States champion, who has made it crystal clear that he's not too keen on foreigners. Morales, like him or not, is a proud Puerto Rican, and wanted to take a piece out of Wahoo tonight. And Wahoo, like him or not, is a tremendous competitor, and went back and forth with Morales in this non-title match. Morales had more to gain from this than Wahoo did, and that extra motivation allowed Morales to lock on the Boston Crab. McDaniel held out as best as he could, but the pain overwhelmed him and he passed out in the hold, causing referee Terry Taranova to award the match to Morales. Pedro Morales has now earned himself a shot at the US Title and that will take place at Madison Square Garden.
The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) when Bockwinkel defeated Bruiser by disqualification in 0:26:02.
Rating: ** 3/4
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Dick the Bruiser.]
Bobby Heenan is making a big stir in GCW in his short time here, managing the careers of Ray Stevens, Nick Bockwinkel, and now Jimmy Snuka. He is also making himself a lot of enemies in the process, including the Cripplers' opponents tonight, Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher. Bruiser & Crusher showed a surprising amount of restraint and tried to make this a wrestling match early on, but as the match progressed, it slowly degenerated into a pier six brawl. When Bruiser got a hold of his famous steel chain, the match officially was out of control. Bruiser got disqualified when he busted Bockwinkel open with the chain, but he and Crusher didn't seem to care too much. When it was all said and done, Stevens & Bockwinkel were both wearing the crimson mask. Due to the events of the event, GCW officials have determined that this feud needs to be settled before it gets even more out of control than it already has. To settle it, a STEEL CAGE match has been signed to take place ASAP at MSG to hopefully settle this dispute.
Luke Graham pinned Ernie Ladd with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:11:55.
Rating: ** 3/4
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Luke Graham.]
After getting himself disqualified on June 1 against Luke Graham, Ernie Ladd wanted a rematch under the guise that Graham didn't actually pin him. Graham was more than happy to rectify that situation by getting a hard fought pinfall victory after the Thumb to the Throat. Not a good night so far for the Grand Wizard, but that could all turn around in a huge way in our main event.
Bruno Sammartino defeated Billy Graham by referee stoppage when Billy Graham passed out in the Sammartino Backbreaker in 0:24:41.
Rating: 1/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Billy Graham.]
Billy Graham fell just short of winning the World Title in Toronto, but impressed officials enough that he was granted a rematch against Bruno Sammartino in our main event, and the World Heavyweight Title was on the line. The Grand Wizard had Graham well prepared for the rematch, sing what he learned from the first match and making some adjustments. As a result, Bruno had a far more difficult time than he did the first time around. Billy Graham may very well be the strongest man in wrestling, and it has been awhile since we saw anyone overpower the World champion like this. Graham systematically took Bruno apart, but if there is one thing we've learned about Bruno from all of these years is that he can take an almost superhuman amount of punishment. That is exactly what happened here as he continued to fight back before eventually locking on the Sammartino Backbreaker in a tremendous feat of strength. To the Superstar's credit, he never submitted, but when he stopped defending himself, senior referee Dick Kroll had no choice but to call for the bell. Sammartino retains his championship, but Billy Graham certainly has a case in requesting a rematch.
Card rating: ** 3/4
Match observations:
On July 19, GCW returns home to Madison Square Garden, and the card is massive!
WORLD TITLE - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Johnny Valentine
UNITED STATES TITLE - Wahoo McDaniel (c) vs. Pedro Morales
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka (c) vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna/Baron Von Raschke
STEEL CAGE MATCH - Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. The Cripplers
Gorilla Monsoon vs. Jimmy Snuka
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 8, 2010 3:25:02 GMT -5
July 19, 1972 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea defeated The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson) when Garea pinned O. Anderson with the High Cross Body in 0:00:27.
Rating: *
The once proud team of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew reached a new low in our opening bout, losing to Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea in near record time thanks to the High Cross Body from Garea. Gene & Ole Anderson announced after the show that they would be leaving GCW to go back to their roots in hopes to get their careers back on track.
Billy Graham defeated Greg Gagne when Greg Gagne passed out in the Bearhug in 0:10:39.
Rating: *** 1/2
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Greg Gagne.]
Billy Graham is going around saying he should be the World Heavyweight champion and that Bruno Sammartino himself knows that. Graham has proven himself to be a mighty foe, and Graham wanted to wrestle a "warmup match" in The Grand Wizard's words. Greg Gagne has wowwed fans since debuting with his partner "Jumping" Jim Brunzell, and he took Graham by surprise tonight with his lightning quick speed. Once the Superstar got a hold of him though, that was the end of that though as the Bearhug proved the difference, giving Graham the win. After the match, Billy Graham grabbed the microphone and challenged Bruno Sammartino to an arm wrestling match. It is still not known if Sammartino will accept or not.
Gorilla Monsoon defeated Jimmy Snuka by disqualification in 0:00:34.
Rating: DUD
[Nick Bockwinkel interfered against Gorilla Monsoon.]
Though the first match between Gorilla Monsoon & Jimmy Snuka didn't last long, that wasn't the story here. Bobby Heenan always has a plan, and the plan tonight was to injure the 400-pound and put him out of action for good. Not long after the bell rang, RAY STEVENS & NICK BOCKWINKEL ran to the ring and clipped Monsoon's knee, causing the big man to scream in pain and clutch his leg. Arnold Skaaland tried to help his friend, but he was quickly laid out as well. Monsoon's left leg was targeted and attacked, culminating with Stevens & Bockwinkel holding Monsoon prone while Snuka went to the top and came crashing down on Monsoon's leg with the Superfly Splash. The blood curtling scream silenced the packed house in the Garden. GCW officials FINALLY came down to break this up, but the damage had been done. Monsoon had to be taken to the hospital with the prognosis being a broken left leg that will keep him out of action for months. The Heenan Family has eliminated a major threat. We wish Gorilla Monsoon a speedy recovery.
Luke Graham made Stan Stasiak submit to an armbar submission in 0:13:52.
Rating: *
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Luke Graham.]
Luke Graham surprised a lot of people tonight, showing that not only can he brutalize his opponents on his way to victory, but he also showed that if he can get a submission hold on, he has enough strength to pull out a submission win as well. He did just that against Stan Stasiak. Stasiak was looking for an opening to hit his Heart Punch, but he made a huge mistake when he tried to avalanche Graham outside against the ring post, but Graham missed and Stasiak smashed his own shoulder into the steel. With the coaching of Eddie Graham, Luke threw Stasiak back in the ring and locked on an armbar submission. Stasiak was in tremendous pain after hitting the post, and had no choice but to give up or risk serious injury.
Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke defeated Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji when Raschke defeated Tanaka by disqualification in 0:01:35.
Rating: **
(Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Tony Garea interfered against Baron Von Raschke.]
Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea may be outmatched in size and strength, but never try to convince me that they're ever outmatched in heart. Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke were taking on Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka for the World Tag Team Titles, but it didn't take long for DeNucci & Garea to get even with the Barons. DeNucci & Garea attacked the Barons, causing the disqualification so that the Barons won the match, but they wouldn't be leaving New York with the tag titles. Lou Albano couldn't do anything to help because apparently, he was "blinded" by the salt of Fuji & Tanaka last month. Again like what happened in Charlotte, Fuji & Tanaka were not impressed and attacked both teams before officials broke up the 3 team brawl. There are many issues that need to be settled here, the first being between DeNucci & Garea and the Barons. The two teams will meet in a Tornado Rules match on August 15 in Lowell, Massachusetts.
Ernie Ladd pinned Jim Brunzell after a clothesline in 0:10:05.
Rating: ** 1/2
A valiant effort by "Jumping" Jim Brunzell, but Ernie Ladd was just too big, too strong, and too crafty for the rookie. A massive clothesline from 6'9", 315 pounder was enough to put the rookie down and out.
Pedro Morales pinned Wahoo McDaniel after a small package in 0:26:56.
Rating: * 3/4
(Pedro Morales won the GCW United States Title.)
Pedro Morales is by no means the most popular guy in the world, but the fans in MSG were solidly behind him as he challenged Wahoo McDaniel for the United States Title. We don't get to see these rulebreaker vs. rulebreaker matches that often, so it's always interesting to see how they will play out. Normally these two would cheat up a storm, but interestingly enough, Wahoo & Morales played a game of oneupmanship, trying to prove themselves the better man. No cheating, just wrestling. Well, that is until the end of the match when Morales reversed Wahoo's Indian Deathlock with a small package and hooked a handful of tights. Pedro Morales is the United States champion for the third time. Wahoo complained about the tights being pulled, but sometimes you reap what you sew.
Cage Match:
Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) and The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) battled to a draw in 0:30:04.
Rating: 1/4
GCW officials were right in their assessment that a cage match was all that could contain the teams of Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher and The Cripplers, but they were wrong when they said that it would ultimately settle the conflict. These four men tore into each other like ravage animals, all bleeding like stuck pigs before this one ended. The beating each man took was so brutal, that this cage match actually ended in a draw when all four men simultaneously knocked each other out and no one could get back to their feet. If that doesn't say something about how instead this was, nothing will. All four men needed medical attention after this brutal affair, but fortunately don't look like they'll miss any significant time. Scarily enough, these two teams lock horn once again in Lowell.
Johnny Valentine defeated Bruno Sammartino by disqualification in 0:16:03.
Rating: ** 1/2
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Johnny Valentine.]
World champion Bruno Sammartino made amends with his long time rival Bill Watts before Watts had to leave GCW, and one man who isn't keen on this is Watts' former tag team partner, Johnny Valentine. Valentine has been saying that he will make Bruno suffer for getting into his business. Valentine wanted to turn this into a brawl from the opening bell, but Bruno wisely kept it a wrestling match and kept Valentine grounded. Valentine persisted though, and got the advantage with a well placed low blow that Dick Kroll didn't see. Valentine went in for the kill then, dropping Bruno with a piledriver. Instead of going for the cover, however, he threw Bruno to the floor and placed him on top of a table. Valentine was looking to plant Bruno with a piledriver through the table like he planned to do to Watts, but thankfully Arnold Skaaland intervened and held onto Bruno's leg so Valentine couldn't lift him. This save lit a fire under Bruno, who more or less snapped and started beating the tar out of Valentine. Kroll tried to regain control, but Bruno shoved him out of the way, prompting the disqualification win for Valentine. That didn't matter much to Sammartino who kept pounding on Valentine until Valentine escaped through the crowd like the weasel that he is. This one is far from over.
Card rating: ** 1/2
Match observations:
Lowell, MA is ready for GCW to return, and 3 huge matches are slated thus far:
WORLD TITLE REMATCH - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Johnny Valentine
TORNADO RULES - Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna/Baron Von Raschke
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. The Cripplers
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 15, 2010 16:03:06 GMT -5
August 15, 1972 - Memorial Auditorium - Lowell, MA
Billy Graham made Jerry Lawler submit to the Bearhug in 0:03:50.
Rating: ***
"Superstar" Billy Graham is really coming into his own, and we may not like the way that he got into cahoots with The Grand Wizard, but there's no question that the tutelage of the Wizard has helped Graham's career tenfold. Jerry Lawler is no stranger to The Grand Wizard's men, engaging in a feud with Ernie Ladd earlier this year. Graham used a distraction from the Wizard to blitz Lawler and never let him get his bearings back, a sign that he is learning quickly. It didn't take long for Graham's massive Bearhug to put this one in the books.
Interview:
Bruno Sammartino accepts Billy Graham's arm wrestling challenge.
After the match, Billy Graham echoed his challenge from the Garden, wanting to take on Bruno Sammartino in an arm wrestling challenge. To Bruno's credit, he didn't have to come down as he has a big title defense against Johnny Valentine in our main event, but he did come down and answer Graham's challenge. That's just the type of man Sammartino is. A table was brought into the ring and Bruno & Graham did have their arm wrestling challenge. Graham stalled a lot early, claiming Bruno was cheating, had greased up his hand, etc. Once they finally did lock up for real, it was a good contest as they appeared to be evenly matched. Sammartino got the advantage though and was close to winning the arm wrestling challenge when Graham blindsided him with a cheap shot to the ear! If that wasn't enough, the Superstar picked up the table and smashed it on Bruno's head before officials came to break it up. Bruno had a cut open up on his forehead, but despite being told by doctors he shouldn't wrestle in the main event, he said he will take on Valentine.
The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) defeated Ernie Ladd and Stan Stasiak when G. Gagne made Stan Stasiak submit to the Gagne Sleeper in 0:11:32.
Rating: ** 1/2
The High Flyers are gaining important experience every time they wrestle, currently splitting time between GCW and AWA. They had a big challenge against the veterans Ernie Ladd & Stan Stasiak, and with The Grand Wizard at ringside, it makes it an even more difficult task. The aeriel moves of young Brunzell & Gagne have been tough for a lot of the bigger wrestlers to slow down, and a huge equalizer that the Flyers have is Greg Gagne's famous Gagne Sleeper, learned from his father, the legendary Verne Gagne. Greg showed that no matter who you are, if he gets the Sleeper on, he can put you down and out. Just ask Stan Stasiak, who ate the move tonight and lost for the team. After the match, The Grand Wizard was not happy with Stasiak, going as far as to fire him! Stasiak didn't take kindly to this and went after Wizard, only to be cut off and dropped by Ernie Ladd. The Grand Wizard has been quoted as saying he wants Stasiak out of GCW for good before he becomes a problem, and has signed Ladd into a match with him for September 11 for our big debut at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, the loser of which having to leave GCW!
Pedro Morales defeated Jimmy Snuka by disqualification in 0:14:41.
Rating: * 1/4
(Pedro Morales retained the GCW United States Title.)
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Pedro Morales.]
Pedro Morales, the new United States champion, has announced that he is willing to put his title on the line against anyone, anywhere. Morales is one of the more unpopular men in all of wrestling, so he is sure to get plenty of challengers. The first to step up was the rookie Jimmy Snuka, and you know Bobby Heenan would love to bring home his first championship in GCW. During the match, the rookie lost his cool thanks to the veteran tactics of Morales to where Snuka got frustrated. Snuka lost his cool and choked Morales out, refusing to release by the 5 count and thus getting himself disqualified.
Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka defeated Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf when Fuji pinned Strongbow with the Thrust Kick in 0:22:14.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
On the strength of their recent successes, Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf were granted a shot at the World Tag Team Titles, currently held by Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka. These are two of the best teams in all of wrestling and they showed exactly why with 22 plus minutes of hard-hitting and great tag team action. Strongbow & Wolf had all of the momentum and the crowd firmly behind them, and all signs pointed to new tag team champions. But the current champs are crafty, and Fuji's Thrust Kick can come out of nowhere and spell all the difference. Fuji threw it in desperation, but it caught Strongbow flush in the jaw, allowing him to get the pin and another successful title defense.
Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) defeated The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) when Bruiser made R. Stevens submit to the Stomach Claw in 0:23:46.
Rating: *** 1/4
The battles between Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher and The Cripplers reached a new height last month during their cage match when all four men knocked each other out. A rematch was set for tonight, and we were going to have a winner. Bruiser & Crusher were ready to brawl, and Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel played it smart and wrestled a technical match. With Bruiser & Crusher though, if you can't get a pin on them early, eventually they're going to turn the match into a pier sixer. That happened when a Heenan interference attempt backfired. From there, it got bloody again as despite their arrogant demeanor, Stevens & Bockwinkel can mix it up with the best of them. In the end though, there are no better brawlers than Bruiser & Crusher. They made this their kind of match, and as a result, walked away with the victory.
Luke Graham pinned Wahoo McDaniel with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:09:54.
Rating: **
[Eddie Graham interfered against Wahoo McDaniel.]
Wahoo McDaniel has filed an official petition with GCW over the circumstances of how Pedro Morales pinned him to become the United States champion. While that complaint is being investigated, Wahoo still has matches to wrestle, and his opponent tonight was Luke Graham. Luke Graham is one of the all-time greats in GCW and Eddie Graham has him back on top of his game. Wahoo tried to work over Graham's legs, but Luke overwhelmed him and got the pin with the Thumb to the Throat. Wahoo is claiming the loss is no big deal, saying he was distracted over the "mental anguish from being cheated out of [my] US Title." Word has it that Luke Graham didn't take too kindly to that when he heard it. I'm interested to see where this is going.
[TORNADO RULES]:
Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea and Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke battled to a no contest in 0:09:07.
Rating: ** 1/2
[Lou Albano, Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji interfered against Tony Garea.]
[Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji interfered against Baron Von Raschke.]
[Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji interfered against Baron Mikel Scicluna.]
The feud between Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea and Lou Albano's Barons has heated up to the point where the first ever Tornado Rules match was scheduled to try to settle the dispute. In this match, tags were not required - all four men would be in the ring at the same time. The chaos of this led to a highly emotionally fueled contest that the fans in Lowell really enjoyed. The lax rules also allowed MR. FUJI & TORU TANAKA to get involved, laying out both teams when they were already exhausted and leading to this match being a no contest. The champs were upset with both teams interfering in their matches, and they decided to get the better of them by leaving them all in a heap. The GCW Championship Committee has announced that on September 11 at our Greensboro debut, a rematch between DeNucci & Garea and the Barons will take place, the winner of which will move on to a World Tag Team Title match later in the evening against Fuji & Tanaka.
Bruno Sammartino pinned Johnny Valentine after a powerslam in 0:14:29.
Rating: ** 3/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
Bruno Sammartino was worse for wear after Billy Graham busted a table over his head earlier, but he ignored doctor's instructions to sit out the main event and defended his World Title against Johnny Valentine. Valentine re-opened up the wound in short order, and Sammartino had to wrestle the whole match bleeding profusely from the skull. The cut got so bad that referee Dick Kroll nearly called the match, but Bruno refused to let him do so. Sammartino was bleeding like a sieve, but with his power, it only takes one big move to put a match away. He hit a desperation powerslam out of nowhere that was just enough to pin Valentine's shoulders to the mat for the 1-2-3. Sammartino was lucky to escape with the title and should probably take some time off, but he instead has demanded a match against "Superstar" Billy Graham on September 11.
Card rating: ** 1/2
Match observations:
For the first time ever, GCW hits the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC and we are pulling out all of the stops!
WORLD TITLE - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Billy Graham
Winner faces Fuji/Tanaka later in the night - Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna/Baron Von Raschke
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka (c) vs. Winners of previous match
LOSER-LEAVES-TOWN - Stan Stasiak vs. Ernie Ladd
NUMBER-ONE CONTENDERS MATCH - Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. The Cripplers
Luke Graham vs. Wahoo McDaniel
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 22, 2010 12:54:52 GMT -5
September 11, 1972 - Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, NC
Johnny Valentine pinned Jerry Lawler with the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:07:12.
Rating: ***
Global Championship Wrestling was stoked for our debut in Greensboro, and so were the fans in North Carolina as tales of GCW have worked their way down to the Mid-Atlantic. The opening contest featured Jerry "The King" Lawler taking on Johnny Valentine. Valentine is now back on his own after helping to send his former partner Bill Watts packing, and is wanting to make his mark once again as a singles competitor. Lawler is a young up-and-coming competitor, but Valentine is as griseled a veteran as they come. He lured Lawler into a false sense of security before clipping his knee and immediately locking in the Figure-Four Leglock to get the win. Lawler has asked for a rematch against Valentine, saying that he won't make a mistake like that again. The match will take place on October 2 in Baltimore, Maryland.
[WINNERS GET TITLE MATCH LATER TONIGHT]:
Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke when Garea pinned Scicluna after a small package in 0:11:41.
Rating: *** 1/4
[Lou Albano interfered against Tony Garea.]
Our next tag match would determine who would challenge Mr. Fuji & Toru Tanaka for the World Tag Team Titles later on in the evening, so whether it be Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea or the Barons, one team was in for a long night. DeNucci & Garea tried to strike early to get a flash pin, as they knew the longer the match went, the more punishment the larger Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke could inflict on them. They didn't get the win when they wanted it, and Lou Albano had his men punish them for it. The Barons perhaps could have won the match on more than one occasion, but Albano's desire to see DeNucci & Garea suffer overcame his common sense, which left Garea the opportunity to surprise Scicluna with a small package to get the 1-2-3! The Barons didn't take the loss in stride, decimating DeNucci & Garea after the match. DeNucci & Garea get the title shot later tonight, but they appear to be in no condition to compete with Fuji & Tanaka.
Jimmy Snuka pinned Billy White Wolf with the Superfly Splash in 0:09:13.
Rating: * 3/4
Jimmy Snuka's decision to hire Bobby Heenan as a manager, but the success he has already obtained is quite clear. Snuka picked up another huge win, albeit not an easy one over Billy White Wolf. After tonight's event, Wolf officially left GCW as he wants to head back to Texas for the time being to continue his career there. We wish him the best of luck in the future. Meanwhile, the young Superfly keeps finding a way to win.
Loser-Leaves-Town Match:
Ernie Ladd pinned Stan Stasiak with the Boot to the Face in 0:13:32.
Rating: -1/4*
Stan Stasiak has been ousted from the ranks of The Grand Wizard's faction due to what he called "poor performances." The Grand Wizard was so anxious to get rid of Stan the Man, that he put up the career of Ernie Ladd as well to make this a loser-leaves-town match! Due to the actions of his past, the crowd was not rabidly behind Stasiak, but the fans definitely hate Ernie Ladd. Ladd looked to be feeling the pressure early as he ate the Heart Punch in the opening minutes, but The Grand Wizard put Ladd's foot on the ropes before the 3. Ladd regained his composure and with the help of distractions from The Grand Wizard holding Stasiak's foot for Ladd to hit the Boot to the Face to get the 3 count. Thanks to this result, Stasiak will now have to leave GCW.
Wahoo McDaniel defeated Luke Graham when Luke Graham passed out in the Indian Deathlock in 0:11:40.
Rating: ** 3/4
Luke Graham was offended that Wahoo McDaniel diminished the quality of Luke's victory in Lowell, Mass., and had a rematch to beat some respect into Wahoo. McDaniel is still petitioning to get "his" United States Title back, but as of yet, no luck. Wahoo did take Luke Graham very seriously this time though, as he wanted to prove without a shadow of a doubt that he deserved the US Title by beating a former 2-time champion. This was a good match and it was clear the fans in Greensboro were solidly behind Luke Graham. Graham made a huge mistake when he rushed into the corner with a running knee, but Wahoo moved out of the way. Wahoo quickly followed up by putting Graham in the Indian Deathlock. To Luke's credit, he never gave up, but he couldn't find his way out of the Indian Deathlock and passed out from the pain, awarding the victory to Wahoo. This is a gigantic victory for Wahoo and certainly solidifies his case about getting another shot at the US Title.
Interview:
Pedro Morales issues an open challenge.
Speaking of the US Title, the reigning US champion Pedro Morales came out to offer an open challenge to "any wrestler have never wrestled before!" Morales claimed that no one in GCW deserved a shot at the title, and was opening it up to anyone in the world. The man to respond was BILLY ROBINSON, known the world over as one of the best technical wrestlers. Morales did not look happy as Robinson's reputation precedes him.
Billy Robinson pinned Pedro Morales with the Double-Arm Suplex in 0:15:09.
Rating: *** 1/2
(Billy Robinson won the GCW United States Title.)
A lot of the crowd was unfamiliar with Billy Robinson coming into this match, but after it was over, Robinson had earned their respect. Morales was far too brazen with his open challenge, and he was not prepared for someone the caliber of Robinson. Morales is a consummate professional and wasn't going to let Robinson simply take his US Title though, and we got a tremendous wrestling clinic as a result. Morales tried to lock on the Boston Crab, but Robinson's wrestling prowess allowed him to block it before ultimately hitting the Double-Arm Suplex to get the duke and become the brand-new US champion in his debut match! Morales was LIVID over what happened and vowed that Robinson has made a huge mistake. Morales will have to wait to get his rematch though as it has been announced that Wahoo McDaniel gets his rematch first on October 2 in Baltimore.
[WINNERS GET TITLE SHOT ON 10/2/72]: Number-One-Contenders-Match:
The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) when Bockwinkel pinned Bruiser with the Piledriver in 0:19:38.
Rating: ***
Who would be the tag team champions on October 2 was still in doubt, but after this match, we knew who would be challenging for them as Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher met Bobby Heenan's Cripplers - Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel. Heenan promised his men that with his services, they would be very successful, and so far, he seems to be sticking to his word. He also proved that agreeing to manage Jimmy Snuka was highly beneficial for everyone involved, as Snuka would be directly involved in the outcome of this match. It would be Snuka's attempted attack on the Bruiser that would lead to the finish of the match. Snuka ran in late, climbed to the top and jumped off at Bruiser, who saw him coming and caught him coming down in a bearhug. While Bruiser wrenched away at Superfly, Bockwinkel hit Bruiser in the back to break the hold. The Crusher cleared the ring of Snuka and brawled with him on the floor. Bruiser grabbed Bockwinkel in a clawhold, but Stevens clipped his knee to break the hold. Bockwinkel then dropped Bruiser with the Piledriver and just like that, the match was over. The Cripplers will now face the tag team champions in Baltimore, no matter who they may be. Snuka may end up regretting his decision in a big way as he now has to face The Crusher in Baltimore! Not only that, but Heenan isn't getting away scot-free either, as he will have to go one-on-one with Dick the Bruiser!
Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea defeated Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji when DeNucci pinned Tanaka with the Airplane Spin in 0:13:44.
Rating: *** 3/4
(Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea won the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
The odds were clearly against Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea. Not only did they already have to wrestle a tough match against Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke, but the Barons left them laying in the middle of the ring. DeNucci & Garea got the tar kicked out of them in this one, plain and simple. Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka toyed with DeNucci & Garea the entire match, knowing they could put this one away anytime they wanted to. If you don't finish a team off when you have the chance, however, it can come back and bite you in the backside. DeNucci was on spaghetti things when Tanaka was tagged in. He went to finish DeNucci off, but DeNucci reversed it and sent Tanaka crashing into Fuji. Fuji flew to the floor as DeNucci scooped Tanaka up in the Airplane Spin. DeNucci dumped Tanaka to the floor, made the cover on the disoriented professor, and in a gigantic upset, we had new World Tag Team champions! DeNucci & Garea defied the odds much to the delight of Greensboro, North Carolina. This is Garea's first championship reign, while this is DeNucci's third.
Bruno Sammartino pinned Billy Graham after a powerslam in 0:24:41.
Rating: 1/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Billy Graham.]
If the events of the night were any indication, the chances of Bruno Sammartino retaining the World Heavyweight Title were not good. Billy Graham has been trying to dethrone Bruno for much of 1972, and this seemed to be his best chance. With the number of times Graham has wrestled Bruno, along with The Grand Wizard's direction, Graham was primed to end Bruno's 2 year plus title reign. This was the best and most exciting match these two have had and a great main event for our Greensboro debut. In Bruno's lengthy reign, this is the closest anyone has ever come to dethroning the champ, but as Bruno has so many times before, he took a huge beating and managed to find a way to win. Bruno caught Graham with a powerslam that drove the air out of the Superstar's lungs just long enough for Sammartino to retain the championship. Graham would get the last laugh though as The Grand Wizard handed him the GCW World Title which the Superstar used to knock Bruno out cold. After that, Graham did the unthinkable as in an amazing feat of strength, Graham ripped the World Title clean in half! What a total showing of disrespect for not only Bruno Sammartino, but for the prestigue of the World Heavyweight Title! What a shocking way to close out our show.
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
We are well on our way to the huge scheduled 10-year anniversary to take place on New Year's Day from Madison Square Garden, and the first stop on the setup in October 2 from the Civic Center in Baltimore! Here are the matches signed so far:
BALTIMORE STREETFIGHT FOR THE WORLD TITLE - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Billy Graham
UNITED STATES TITLE - Billy Robinson (c) vs. Wahoo McDaniel
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea (c) vs. The Cripplers
Jerry Lawler vs. Johnny Valentine
The Crusher vs. Jimmy Snuka
Dick the Bruiser vs. Bobby Heenan
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 27, 2010 21:29:11 GMT -5
October 2, 1972 - Civic Center - Baltimore, MD
Jimmy Snuka pinned The Crusher with the Superfly Splash in 0:10:38.
Rating: * 3/4
Why Bobby Heenan and his family insist on making Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher angry is beyond me. The opening contest here in Baltimore was The Crusher taking on Heenan's newest and youngest henchman, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Snuka is a great prospect, but it's easy to forget that he's still a rookie. And if we learned one thing from this match, it's that The Crusher HATES rookies. Snuka got the tar beat out of him from the opening bell and Crusher was having his way with him. Bobby Heenan showed that he will do anything to help his clients win, jumping up on the apron right before Crusher was going to nail Superfly with the Bolo Punch. Crusher took his attention off of Snuka, went to Heenan and grabbed him by the collar. Crusher leveled Heenan with a right hand, sending him crashing to the floor, but Snuka nailed Crusher from behind and hit a bodyslam. Snuka quickly jumped up top and flew off with the Superfly Splash to get what has to be considered an upset! A stolen victory for this battle, but the war is far from over.
The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) defeated Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka when Brunzell pinned Fuji with the Dropkick in 0:12:28.
Rating: ** 3/4
Tonight is shaping up to be a night of upsets! Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka are fresh off of losing the World Tag Team Titles to Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea last month, and they wanted to send a message against the High Flyers, the young rookie team of Greg Gagne & "Jumping" Jim Brunzell. Gagne & Brunzell wrestle each match like they have nothing to lose, and frankly, they don't. As rookies, they're expected to take their lumps, so they can go all out. Fuji & Tanaka made the mistake of toying with DeNucci & Garea last month and it cost them the tag titles, and they didn't repeat it this time around. It was a solid match with Fuji & Tanaka trying to ground the Flyers while Gagne & Brunzell dazzled with their spectacular high flying moves. After struggling for dominance in the match, it looked like the former champs had things well in hand, but Brunzell hit his impressive Dropkick out of nowhere to get the surprise pin! The High Flyers bailed before Fuji & Tanaka could get at them. That's two matches in a row where the Japanese tandem has been beaten in an upset. They're going to need to turn it around soon if they want to get back into contention for the World Tag Team Titles.
Johnny Valentine made Jerry Lawler submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:16:56.
Rating: *** 1/2
Jerry Lawler lost a hard fought match to Johnny Valentine in Greensboro, but let it be known that he knows he can beat Valentine if he is given another match. Valentine laughed it off, but agreed to the rematch as he wants the kid to try to prove himself. Valentine played with the King early in the contest, putting the bad mouth on the youngster. Valentine was steady with the offense, but Lawler refused to let himself get beaten, having Valentine's Figure-Four Leglock well scouted and always finding a way to slip out just at the last possible moment. Valentine was getting more and more frustrated, especially as Lawler kept getting flurries of offense. Finally Valentine found an opening to catch Lawler with a kneebreaker and transition right into the Figure-Four Leglock. Lawler held on longer than he probably should have, but eventually the pain was too great and he was forced to submit. After the match, it looked like Valentine might continue the abuse, but instead he gave Lawler what looked like a smirk of admiration. Jerry Lawler has asked for just one more chance to prove he can beat Johnny Valentine, and it will take place at MSG on Halloween night.
Ernie Ladd pinned Chief Jay Strongbow with the Boot to the Face in 0:12:58.
Rating: **
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Chief Jay Strongbow.]
Ernie Ladd & The Grand Wizard came out gloating about running Stan Stasiak out of town, mentioning that they would be much stronger without that anchor weighing them down. This brought out CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW, who was not happy considering his long time partner Billy White Wolf recently left GCW as well. Strongbow is in the market for a new partner, but for now, he will be wrestling in the singles division. The match was a tough one with two hard-hitting veterans going at it tooth and nail. An even match, but the win would go to Ladd thanks to the Boot to the Face.
Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea and The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) battled to a double countout in 0:09:28.
Rating: ***
(Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Dominic DeNucci.]
Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea may be the most unlikely World Tag Team champions GCW has ever had, but they showed they would be fighting champions with their first title defense against the former champs, Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel. Bobby Heenan promised his men he would have them champions again when they hired him, and this was their chance to make his prophecy come true. DeNucci & Garea have not teamed long, but they have developed quite a chemistry that is impressive to see. However, there may be no better pure team than The Cripplers. Both teams put on a tag team clinic before the match dissolved into a brawl, ending in a double countout. This one is a long way from over as a rematch has already been signed for Madison Square Garden on the 31st.
Billy Robinson pinned Wahoo McDaniel with the Double-Arm Suplex in 0:18:43.
Rating: 3/4
(Billy Robinson retained the GCW United States Title.)
Billy Robinson shocked the world when he debuted in Greensboro to beat Pedro Morales for the US Title in his first match in GCW. Robinson is a pure wrestler and theoretically could hold the title for a very long time. He has a long list of challengers already though, starting with Wahoo McDaniel, who's petition to get a rematch was finally granted. Robinson is still establishing to the audiences in the United States, but after this match here, there's no question he's going to be a huge star. This could end up being the match of the year. Both men went back and forth for nearly 20 minutes, not once slowing down as they fought for the prestigious title. Wahoo wrestled as hard as we have ever seen him as he desperately wanted to get the US Title back, but Robinson is not quite ready to see his reign come to an end. Robinson hit the Double-Arm Suplex to pick up an absolutely scintillating win. The fans in Baltimore were giving Robinson a standing ovation for his efforts before PEDRO MORALES ruined it by cowardly assaulting him from behind, still being a sore loser over losing his title in Greensboro. When Wahoo came to, he joined in the beating until LUKE GRAHAM ran out and helped Robinson clear the ring. Robinson has plenty of challengers waiting for him, but his next match will be in the Garden when he teams with Luke Graham to take on Pedro Morales & Wahoo McDaniel in a tag team match!
Bobby Heenan defeated Dick the Bruiser when Dick the Bruiser passed out in a front facelock in 0:01:44.
Rating: **
Bobby Heenan has never wrestled a singles match in GCW, and he got matched up with a helluva opponent in Dick the Bruiser, a guy who is already pissed at him in the first place! Bruiser was in a rowdy mood and ready for a good old-fashioned fight, but he didn't see JIMMY SNUKA ambush him from behind! Snuka was a rabid animal, hitting a huge bodyslam on the floor and then slamming Bruiser's head on the concrete for good measure! Bruiser was out on his feet, but the the stubborn brawler insisted on wrestling Heenan anyway. Bruiser even had the advantage for the early moment, but Heenan moved out of the way of an avalanche that turned the tide. Bruiser hit his head and it knocked him loopy again. Heenan put on a front facelock that caused no further damage, but Bruiser was knocked out and referee Danny Bartfield had no choice but to call the match. Bobby Heenan has scored a submission victory over Dick the Bruiser. Wow. Heenan might be proud of himself tonight, but on the 31st, he will team with Jimmy Snuka to take on Bruiser & Crusher in a tag team contest.
Luke Graham pinned Pedro Morales with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:15:22.
Pedro Morales suffered a torn ligament in his right knee. He will be out for approximately 4 months.
Rating: ** 3/4
[Eddie Graham interfered against Pedro Morales.]
Pedro Morales already had Luke Graham mad at him from earlier confrontation during the US Title match and now the two had a match. Morales was looking to get the win as he didn't take too kindly to Graham getting involved in his business earlier, but unfortunately for Morales, he tweaked his knee fairly early in the contest. To his credit, he showed a ton of guts by finishing the match, but his knee limited him to the point where he became easy pickings by the end of the match to Graham's Thumb to the Throat. Morales tore a ligament in his right knee and it's projected he will miss about 4 months of action. The status of the tag team match in the Garden is now up in the air.
[BALTIMORE STREETFIGHT]: No-Countout-No-DQ-Match:
Bruno Sammartino defeated Billy Graham when Billy Graham passed out in the Sammartino Backbreaker in 0:36:20.
Rating:
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
After the shockingly disrespectful actions of "Superstar" Billy Graham last month, Bruno Sammartino wanted a match to end the feud once and for all. Graham showed an insane amount of strength by actually TEARING the World Heavyweight Title in half at our last show. A new championship belt is being made, but Bruno specifically asked to bring the torn pieces of the old title with him to remind him of the disrespect of the young superstar. The two fought in a Baltimore Streetfight, which meant that anything goes, and boy did it ever. Graham busted Bruno open early in the match with a series of hard right hands, but Bruno would return the favor later when he smashed Graham's face into the post. The faces of both men were crimson with blood, and I'm not exactly sure where they were finding the strength to keep fighting, but the battle became intense as the match charged on. Billy Graham grabbed the ring announcer's microphone with ill intentions, but a small distraction from Arnold Skaaland let Bruno catch Graham in the stomach with a headbutt. Sammartino then grabbed the microphone and with the cord, choked Graham out on the floor. Bruno threw the huge muscular Graham back into the ring and somehow mustered up the strength to get him up in the Sammartino Backbreaker to retain his title and finally put this feud to rest.
Card rating: *** 1/4
Match observations:
As we prepare to head to Madison Square Garden on October 31, we have received word that Pedro Morales will be unable to compete due to his knee injury he suffered tonight. Billy Graham has stepped up and agreed to team with Wahoo McDaniel, a blatant slap in the face to his brother Luke who will be on the opposing team. The card so far looks as follows:
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea (c) vs. The Cripplers
Billy Robinson (US champion)/Luke Graham vs. Wahoo McDaniel/Billy Graham
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. Jimmy Snuka/Bobby Heenan
Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Ernie Ladd
Jerry Lawler vs. Johnny Valentine
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 27, 2010 21:30:07 GMT -5
October 31, 1972 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) when Raschke defeated G. Gagne when G. Gagne passed out in the Claw in 0:09:03.
Rating: ** 1/2
Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke want the World Tag Team Titles, and Lou Albano has been desperately trying to get them their opportunity. They came close recently, but an unexpected loss to Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea derailed that possibility. The Barons could move up the ladder by beating the rookie team of the High Flyers, who have been on an incredible roll as of late. Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell took to the air early trying to get the much larger Scicluna & Raschke to the mat, but after the Barons grounded the high-flying arsenal of the Flyers, this one was all Barons. Von Raschke got the Claw on Gagne, and when he stopped responding, this match was over.
Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Snuka defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) when J. Snuka pinned Crusher with the Superfly Splash in 0:15:08.
Rating: **
Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher are getting the short end of the stick over Bobby Heenan and his troops, most notably with Heenan himself getting a highly controversial win over the Bruiser. Bruiser & Crusher were back teaming this show to take on Heenan & Jimmy Snuka. Bruiser & Crusher were chomping at the bit to get a hold of Heenan, causing Snuka to wrestle most of this match by himself. This seemed like bad strategy, but Heenan had a plan - a large masked man ran out late in the match while Heenan had the attention of referee Terry Taranova, knocking Crusher's block off with a huge clothesline. Bruiser tried to get into the ring, but this masked individual cut him off with a big boot right to his face, knocking him to the floor. The masked man exited the ring while Snuka hit the Superfly Splash on Crusher to steal yet another victory away from the former 6-time tag team champions. The question we are still left with though is who is this masked man? If Bruiser & Crusher find out, it is not going to be pretty.
Carlos Colon pinned Toru Tanaka with the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:13:42.
Rating:
Madison Square Garden was buzzing for the debut of a man who has already made a huge name for himself in his native Puerto Rico, Carlos Colon. Colon is known for being able to take a beating and keep coming back for more, and we saw some of that against Professor Toru Tanaka. Tanaka took on this match as his partner Mr. Fuji was granted a shot at the World Title later in the show. Colon has that same fiery temper that has helped make Pedro Morales so successful in GCW, and after taking the offense of Tanaka, Colon snapped and came back with a fury on Tanaka, getting him locked in the Figure-Four Leglock which garnered him a pinfall win. What a way to debut for Carlos Colon.
Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Ernie Ladd by disqualification in 0:00:29.
Rating: *
The match in Baltimore was so competitive that a rematch was signed between Chief Jay Strongbow & Ernie Ladd for tonight. Mr. Ladd apparently didn't think Strongbow was worthy of a rematch as it only took him 29 seconds to get disqualified for not releasing a chokehold. Ladd choked Strongbow until he started turning blue in the face before someone ran from the back and tossed Ladd out of the ring. When we got a better look at him, we saw that it was SPIROS ARION making his return! Arion is a former World Tag Team champion and showed a lot of class by not sitting idly by while Ladd inflicted perhaps permanent damage on Strongbow. Strongbow was appreciative as the two shook hands as Ladd and The Grand Wizard went to the back, vowing revenge.
The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) defeated Dominic DeNucci and Tony Garea when Bockwinkel pinned DeNucci with the Piledriver in 0:25:57.
Rating: *** 1/4
(The Cripplers won the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Dominic DeNucci.]
Our World Tag Team Title match was also a return match from Baltimore with Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea defending the gold against The Cripplers. The match ended in a double countout last time when a pier six brawl erupted, so this match was held to determine a clear winner. This was about as technical a tag team match as you would ever see, with both champions and challengers employing flawless tag team strategy. The crowd was treated to a match brimming with holds, counter holds, and nearfalls galore. Many times it looked like Bobby Heenan was going to have a heart attack on the floor when either Stevens or Bockwinkel was nearly pinned. His heart would get at least a little more time being healthy though, as the more experienced Cripplers would pull out the win after Stevens caught DeNucci in the back with a knee from the apron, leading to Bockwinkel drilling him with the Piledriver for the 1-2-3. The Cripplers are now two-time World Tag Team champions. Heenan's prophecy has come to fruition.
Interview:
Pedro Morales has an unexpected challenge to make.
Pedro Morales is out for a bit with a torn ligament in his knee, but that didn't stop him from showing up at MSG. Morales came out and went on a long list of his supposed trials and tribulations from the past couple years, from as he says being cheated out of the World Title by Bruno Sammartino to the fans turning on him all the way up to his current injury. Morales said while he has been laid up recovering from his injury, he's done a lot of thinking and he can trace all of his troubles back to one man - MIL MASCARAS. Morales told a story of Mascaras cowardly attacking him in the locker room of this very building back during the very first Grand Prix of Wrestling tournament back in 1969. Morales said his promising career has never been the same since. Some would argue this point as since then, Morales has held the US title twice and nearly dethroned Sammartino to be World champion, but it's hard to argue with a madman. Morales said he will be back in the ring by the huge 10-year anniversary show on New Year's Day, and that if Mil Mascaras is any kind of man, he will wrestle him one-on-one.
Jerry Lawler pinned Johnny Valentine after a backslide in 0:18:06.
Rating: ** 3/4
Twice Jerry Lawler has tried to beat Johnny Valentine and twice the King has come close, but no cigar. Valentine gave Lawler one more try, but said that this one would be it. Lawler was primed to take full advantage of the opportunity, having learned a lot from the previous two contests. Things Valentine had done successfully the first two times, Lawler had counters for. In the end it would be a counter by the King that would pick up the win for him, ducking a Valentine clothesline and catching him in a backslide for the 1-2-3. Lawler was beaten up, but he stood victorious. After the match Valentine went after Lawler and it looked like it was to attack him, but Valentine surprised us all (no one more than Lawler, though) and shook Lawler's hand. Valentine may not like losing, but Lawler has gained his respect.
Bruno Sammartino defeated Mr. Fuji by disqualification in 0:12:53.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Mr. Fuji.]
Bruno Sammartino had a World Title challenger tonight that he didn't know too much about, as Mr. Fuji has primarily wrestled in tag team affairs in his GCW stint. Sammartino was clearly still suffering the ill effects of his brutal streetfight with Billy Graham in Baltimore and he had to wrestle a more conservative match than he would have liked as a result. Fuji smelled blood in the water and was relentless on his attack, primarily focusing on Bruno's neck and traps. Bruno has held the title for a record amount of time now, just surpassing Lou Thesz's 840 day reign, and he wasn't about to see it come to a close tonight. Fuji got frustrated that he couldn't finish Bruno off, and opted instead to spit a blue mist into Bruno's face! The match was over in a disqualification, but the bigger story was the intense amount of pain that Bruno was in. There were worries of possible serious injury, but thankfully Bruno is eventually going to gain his eyesight back to 100%. Sammartino should take a bit of time off, but he wants a piece of Fuji in the worst way and has challenged Fuji to a blindfold match on November 15 in Philadelphia. How this match will work is that both competitors will be forced to wear blindfolds during the match and have to feel each other out to try to win the match. If that isn't bad enough for Fuji, it will also not be for the title as the Championship Committee made it clear they didn't want to reward Fuji for his heinous actions.
Billy Robinson and Luke Graham defeated Billy Graham and Wahoo McDaniel when L. Graham pinned Wahoo with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:31:01.
Rating: *** 3/4
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Billy Robinson.]
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Luke Graham.]
Our main event was tag team action featuring singles wrestlers as United States champion Billy Robinson temed with Luke Graham to take on Wahoo McDaniel and Luke's younger brother, Billy Graham. Billy was taking the place of the injured Pedro Morales, and only took this match to once again get under the skin of his brothers Luke and Eddie. Before this match even started, we learned that on November 15, Wahoo McDaniel will once again get a shot at the US Title based on how good his last match with Robinson was. This was a great tag match and an exciting way to end another fantastic MSG show. The teams matched up very well, and we got to see the next chapter in the long sibling rivalry between Luke & Billy Graham. In the end though, Billy decided he wanted no more of brother Luke, walking out on the match and leaving Wahoo to eat the Thumb to the Throat and end this match. Word has it that Wahoo McDaniel is not happy with Billy Graham or The Grand Wizard and a match may be in order between the two soon. But next, Wahoo has to worry about trying to regain the US Title.
Card rating: ** 3/4
Match observations:
After the show was over, a press conference was held in regards to the 10 year anniversary show to be held here at the Garden on New Year's Day. The big news from the press conference was the announcement of the main event for the 10th anniversary show. Provided he is still the champion by then, Bruno Sammartino will defend the World Heavyweight Title against former champion and huge international star, ANTONIO INOKI! To my knowledge, this is their first meeting, and is sure to be a classic. If that's not enough, a title match of this epic nature needs a special referee to ensure it goes off without a hitch, and that man will be wrestling legend LOU THESZ! Not only that, but we have since learned that Mil Mascaras has accepted the challenge of Pedro Morales from tonight, and that these two will try to settle their deep seated hatred for one another on January 1!
But before we get to that huge show, we still have shows in Philadelphia and Chicago! The Philly show, taking place on November 15, has the following matches signed thus far:
BLINDFOLD MATCH - Bruno Sammartino (World champion) vs. Mr. Fuji
UNITED STATES TITLE - Billy Robinson (c) vs. Wahoo McDaniel
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Cripplers (c) vs. Dominic DeNucci/Tony Garea
Chief Jay Strongbow/Spiros Arion vs. Ernie Ladd/Billy Graham
Plus… Lou Albano reveals his new protege'!
|
|
|
|
Post by LillaThrilla on Jan 28, 2010 16:16:01 GMT -5
BLINDFOLD MATCH - Bruno Sammartino (World champion) vs. Mr. Fuji Blindfold Match? Really? Did you learn anything from Jake Roberts? |
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 28, 2010 16:26:20 GMT -5
BLINDFOLD MATCH - Bruno Sammartino (World champion) vs. Mr. Fuji Blindfold Match? Really? Did you learn anything from Jake Roberts? Eh. It's a throwaway match, and it is no different than any of the silliness that actually took place back then. There's no chance in hell Mr. Fuji is going to be my World champion, so this just buys another month to get closer to Bruno/Inoki. |
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 31, 2010 0:06:09 GMT -5
November 15, 1972 - The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA
The Cripplers (Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) defeated Dominic DeNucci and Gorilla Monsoon when R. Stevens defeated Monsoon by disqualification in 0:15:22.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Tony Garea no-showed.)
The Cripplers were all slated to defend the World Tag Team Titles against the former champions Dominic DeNucci & Tony Garea in their rematch, but DeNucci came out alone. When questioned about it, DeNucci said that Garea had trouble issues and couldn't make it to the show tonight. He did mention that he found another partner though who was willing to take Garea's place if Bobby Heenan was willing to accept it. Heenan consulted with his men, and the confident trio told DeNucci to bring out this partner of his. The Cripplers & Heenan were shocked when the partner turned out to be GORILLA MONSOON. Monsoon has been on the shelf for months thanks to Heenan & Jimmy Snuka, but Monsoon is back, and taking the tag titles would be a great form of revenge! The Cripplers were completely unprepared for this, and their second title reign was almost over in a flash several times. Finally Heenan tried to call an audible, but Monsoon snapped and got himself disqualified before the Heenan Family made a hasty retreat. Heenan and his boys already have their hands full with Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher, and with Monsoon back, things have gone from bad to worse!
Interview:
Lou Albano reveals his newest charge.
Before our next match, Captain Lou Albano did an interview talking about being a forgotten man in Global Championship Wrestling. He went from managing the World champion to being an after thought, but he said that was about to change. He introduced his newest client, and the man he said will end Bruno Sammartino's World Title reign, "THE RUSSIAN BEAR" IVAN KOLOFF.
Ivan Koloff pinned Jim Brunzell with the Russian Sickle in 0:04:39.
Rating: ***
Koloff is Albano's newest find, and the Russian Bear is a monster if there ever was one. At 6'2" and 250 pounds of pure muscle, Koloff is going to make life difficult for a lot of GCW's finest, and already has his eyes on World champion Bruno Sammartino. Jim Brunzell was Koloff's first opponent, and although Brunzell wrestled with a lot of heart, he was no match for Koloff's sheer power. The Russian Sickle nearly took Brunzell's head off and Koloff's first match was a victory. Sammartino better take this threat VERY seriously, because Koloff has all of the tools to be a World champion.
Johnny Valentine pinned Greg Gagne with the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:12:10.
Rating: ** 3/4
The bad night continued for the High Flyers as Greg Gagne wrestled in a losing effort to veteran Johnny Valentine and his dreaded Figure-Four Leglock.
Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke when Crusher defeated Raschke by disqualification in 0:08:04.
Rating: 3/4*
[Jimmy Snuka interfered against The Crusher.]
Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher are at their wits' end, as once again Bobby Heenan's masked man made his presence felt in one of their matches, this time attacking both Bruiser & Crusher with vicious clotheslines that knocked them loopy. Sure, Bruiser & Crusher got the win by DQ over Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke, but they didn't look at all like winners as this masked man had completely laid them out.
Jimmy Snuka and Carlos Colon battled to a draw in 0:20:00.
Rating: *** 1/4
[Bobby Heenan interfered against Carlos Colon.]
Another one of Bobby Heenan's charges was in action next as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka took on one of GCW's newest competitors, Carlos Colon. Colon was victorious in his debut match last month and wrestled another high-spirited contest here against Snuka, who improves by leaps and bounds every time we see him in the ring. The fans in Philadelphia got to see everything in this match except for a clear winner, as twenty minutes wasn't long enough for these two to settle who was the better man. A hard fought time limit draw for Colon and Snuka.
Toru Tanaka pinned Jerry Lawler after a flying karate chop in 0:11:58.
Rating: *** 3/4
It's a good thing for Jerry "The King" Lawler that his recent string of matches with Johnny Valentine earned Valentine's respect, because Lawler got a much needed assist after his match with Professor Toru Tanaka. Tanaka stole a victory from Lawler thanks to interference from Mr. Fuji, who threw salt into Lawler's eyes. Tanaka followed with a flying karate chop that put this one away. Fuji & Tanaka continued to beat on Lawler post-match, but Valentine ran out to help chase Fuji & Tanaka off. Valentine made it clear to Lawler that the two aren't friends, but Lawler has definitely earned Valentine's respect. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a tag match in the works.
Billy Graham and Ernie Ladd defeated Chief Jay Strongbow and Spiros Arion when Ernie Ladd pinned Strongbow with the Boot to the Face in 0:05:24.
Chief Jay Strongbow suffered a sprained ankle. He will be out for approximately 2 months.
Rating: ** 1/2
Spiros Arion made a surprise return last month to save Chief Jay Strongbow from an attack on him by Ernie Ladd & The Grand Wizard, and teamed with Strongbow tonight to take on the Wizard's charges of Ladd & "Superstar" Billy Graham. The Golden Greek looked as good as ever as it appeared he hadn't lost a step. He started the match and showed some impressive holds and moves before tagging Strongbow in. Strongbow was about to lock up with Ladd when Arion out of nowhere blasted him with a clothesline to the back of the head! The crowd was shocked as Strongbow stumbled into the Boot to the Face from Ladd to get the 1-2-3. When Arion embraced The Grand Wizard, we knew this was a setup from the get-go. Arion, Ladd, & Graham beat on Strongbow mercilessly before tying him up in the ropes. Arion then grabbed Strongbow's ceremonial headdress and put it on. The headdress is sacred to Strongbow & his people, and Arion was completely mocking his culture. If that wasn't enough, Arion went way too far and proceeded to DESTROY the headdress right in front of a helpless Strongbow. The Grand Wizard and his men left a completely demoralized Strongbow to pick up the pieces of his tattered headdress. If that wasn't enough, Strongbow had extra salt in his wounds as the attack caused him to sprain his ankle to which he will miss some ring time as a result.
Billy Robinson pinned Wahoo McDaniel with the Double-Arm Suplex in 0:27:49.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Billy Robinson retained the GCW United States Title.)
Because of the quality of their last match which may be the match of 1972, Wahoo McDaniel was granted one more shot at the United States Title in a match against champion Billy Robinson. Though this match wasn't quite as good as their first encounter (but in all fairness, how could it be?), this was still a high quality match that went nearly 30 minutes. Wahoo wrestled a more brawling style this time, as you're just not going to outwrestle Europe's finest technical wrestler. In the end though, the result was the same as Robinson stays undefeated and retains the United States Title. No word yet as to who is next challenger will be, but there are rumors that his friend LUKE GRAHAM is looking to get a title shot in the near future.
[BLINDFOLD MATCH]:
Mr. Fuji pinned Bruno Sammartino with the Thrust Kick in 0:14:37.
Rating: *** 1/4
[Toru Tanaka interfered against Bruno Sammartino.]
Our main event tonight was a unique match as it was the first ever blindfold match. World champion Bruno Sammartino is still suffering some ill effects from Mr. Fuji spitting blue mist into his eyes in the Garden, but his eyesight will fully recover. He wanted to get his hands on Fuji as soon as possible though, so this blindfold match was arranged. Both men were forced to where a blindfold and try to find each other around the ring. While the action itself was a bit lacking, the fans were really into the concept, trying to cheer Bruno in the right direction while he was looking for Fuji. There were a few wrestling exchanges that impressed, but it was the controversial end of this match that will be remember. While Bruno was looking for Fuji, he accidentally caught referee Dick Kroll with an errant elbow, temporarily putting him out of the match. TORU TANAKA took this opening to jump off the top with a flying karate chop on Sammartino and took Fuji's blindfold off. Fuji could see and hit Bruno with a vicious Thrust Kick that completely wiped the World champion out. Dick Kroll recovered right after Fuji put his blindfold back on and made the cover for the 1-2-3. Mr. Fuji has pinned the World champion! Fuji instantly took the blindfold off and he & Tanaka laid the boots to Bruno before unexpectedly, ANTONIO INOKI ran out to make the save! Inoki will be challenging Sammartino for the World Title at the 10th anniversary show, but no one even knew he was in the building tonight. Bruno shook Inoki's hand after Fuji & Tanaka retreated to the back. A huge tag team main event has been signed for the December 9 Chicago show that will put Bruno & Inoki against Fuji & Tanaka!
Card rating: ***
Match observations:
These matches have been signed so far for the card to take place at Chicago Stadium on December 9:
Bruno Sammartino (World champion)/Antonio Inoki vs. Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher/Gorilla Monsoon/Carlos Colin vs. The Cripplers/Jimmy Snuka/Bobby Heenan
Wahoo McDaniel vs. Billy Graham
Chief Jay Strongbow/Luke Graham vs. Ernie Ladd/Spiros Arion
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Jan 31, 2010 0:06:59 GMT -5
December 9, 1972 - Chicago Stadium - Chicago, IL
Baron Mikel Scicluna and Baron Von Raschke defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) when Scicluna pinned G. Gagne with the Fistdrop in 0:07:14.
Rating: **
Our last show of 1972 was also our last show before the gigantic 10th year anniversary show, and was our return to Chicago. Tag team action got us started with The High Flyers meeting Baron Mikel Scicluna & Baron Von Raschke. The High Flyers are in the running for Newcomers of the Year as the young rookies have overachieved big time. Despite this, their year would end on a losing note as the Barons took the win and get one step closer to getting that elusive title shot they've been after.
Johnny Valentine pinned Dominic DeNucci with the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:11:37.
Rating: ** 3/4
Our next match saw Johnny Valentine pick up a win over the game tag team specialist, Dominic DeNucci. After the match, Valentine looked to be in trouble as MR. FUJI & TORU TANAKA slowly were making their way down to the ring, looking to get some revenge on Valentine for interrupting their assault on Jerry Lawler a few weeks ago. However, it would be Lawler himself who would interrupt, jumping into the ring to prevent Fuji & Tanaka from completing their attack. Word has it that a tag team match is in the works before these four for the anniversary show.
Jerry Lawler and Luke Graham defeated Ernie Ladd and Spiros Arion when L. Graham pinned Ernie Ladd with the Thumb to the Throat in 0:15:25.
Rating: *** 1/4
[Eddie Graham interfered against Ernie Ladd.]
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Jerry Lawler.]
(Chief Jay Strongbow no-showed.)
Chief Jay Strongbow was itching to get his hands on Spiros Arion in this tag team match, but earlier in the day he was informed that doctors had not cleared him to wrestle because of his sprained ankle. Luckily for Luke Graham, Jerry Lawler stepped up to the plate to take on Arion & Ernie Ladd. Halfway through the match, Chief Jay Strongbow came out on crutches to watch from ringside, and his presence was a big distraction. Spiros Arion dropped down to the floor to get in Strongbow's face, but Strongbow clocked him with a right hand, knocking him into the ringpost! This distracted Ladd in the ring who then ate the Thumb to the Throat for the 1-2-3. We have learned that Strongbow wants Arion in the ring at the 10th anniversary show, and is willing to sign a hold harmless agreement if doctors won't clear him, and he wants it to be an Indian Strap Match! Arion and The Grand Wizard have agreed to the match, mostly as a result of the possibility of Strongbow still being injured. Injury or not, with the amount of emotion going through Strongbow right now, I wouldn't want to be Spiros Arion.
Billy Graham defeated Wahoo McDaniel when Wahoo McDaniel passed out in the Bearhug in 0:10:42.
Rating: 3/4*
This match came about as a result of Billy Graham walking out on Wahoo McDaniel during a tag team match back in the Garden. The fans were torn on who to cheer for as neither individual is particularly popular. This seemed to bother Wahoo a lot more than Graham, the latter having The Grand Wizard in his corner to keep him focus. This would pay dividends as Graham's Bearhug would squeeze the life out of McDaniel to get the win.
Ivan Koloff pinned Tony Garea with the Russian Sickle in 0:03:37.
Rating: ** 3/4
A second match for Ivan Koloff, and one perhaps even more dominating than the first as he plowed his way through Tony Garea to win in short order. Captain Lou Albano has a real find on his hands here.
Billy Robinson pinned Pedro Morales with the Double-Arm Suplex in 0:09:50.
Rating: ***
(Billy Robinson retained the GCW United States Title.)
Pedro Morales has one of the most important matches of his life ahead of him at the 10 year anniversary show against Mil Mascaras, and he wanted to go into that match as the first ever 4-time United States champion. To do so, he was going to have to find a way to beat the thus far undefeated Billy Robinson, the man who beat him for the title in the first place. Morales was far more prepared this time than he was when he was when he made the initial open challenge. Morales' ego got the better of him as he foolishly tried to outwrestle Robinson, a great strategy employed by Robinson to sucker his opponent in. Robinson is making a claim for being the finest wrestler in the world. Morales is going to have to get his head together to take on Mascaras.
The Heenan Family (Jimmy Snuka, Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens) and Bobby Heenan defeated Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser), Carlos Colon and Gorilla Monsoon when J. Snuka pinned C. Colon with the Superfly Splash in 0:20:21.
Rating: *** 1/4
Our semi-main event was the huge 8-man tag with Bobby Heenan and his family took on the team of the returning Gorilla Monsoon, Dick the Bruiser, The Crusher, & Carlos Colon. There was a ton of emotion in this match as there's a lot of personal issues involved here. The match showcased everyone well, but it would be the emergence of Heenan's mysterious masked man, who has made a habit of interfering in matches particularly Bruiser & Crusher. Bruiser & Crusher went after the masked man, which left Monsoon & Colon to fend for themselves against four men. They did their best, but it didn't end well for them as Colon ate the Superfly Splash to put this one away.
Bruno Sammartino and Antonio Inoki defeated Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka when B. Sammartino made Tanaka submit to the Sammartino Backbreaker in 0:23:24.
Rating: 1/4
Our main event featured two of the top stars of GCW's first 10 years teaming up in the former of current World champion Bruno Sammartino & former World champion Antonio Inoki joining forces before their epic clash in the Garden, taking on former World Tag Team champions Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka. Bruno has had his hands full with Fuji & Tanaka the past couple of months, and an unexpected save from Inoki in Philadelphia spared Sammartino potential serious injury. Bruno & Inoki have some experience teaming before, but not nearly to the extent that Fuji & Tanaka do. Fuji & Tanaka controlled the tempo for much of this match, cutting off the ring perfectly and making frequent tags. Unfortunately if you're a fan of Fuji & Tanaka, they did everything perfectly except for win. Sammartino got Tanaka up in his Backbreaker and that was all she wrote. After the match, Bruno & Inoki shook hands and although they are friends, they both agreed to pull out all the stops on January 1 to leave as the World champion.
Card rating: ***
Match observations:
The long wait is over, and our next show is the 10 year anniversary of GCW! It's hard to believe that is was nearly 10 years ago that this company opened its doors and has now blossomed into the power that it is. To celebrate, the GCW talent is ready to put on a tremendous show with these great matches already scheduled to take place:
WORLD TITLE W/ SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE LOU THESZ - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Antonio Inoki
UNITED STATES TITLE - Billy Robinson (c) vs. Luke Graham
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Cripplers (c) vs. Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher
Mil Mascaras vs. Pedro Morales
CAGE MATCH - Gorilla Monsoon vs. Jimmy Snuka
INDIAN STRAP MATCH - Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Spiros Arion
Johnny Valentine/Jerry Lawler vs. Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka
|
|
|
|
Post by LillaThrilla on Jan 31, 2010 22:22:54 GMT -5
Nice booking with the Blindfold Match - I retract my earlier criticism.
It's amusing back in the day how people were hitting Fistdrops and Double-Arm Suplexes for finishers.
|
|
|
|
Post by rey619 on Feb 1, 2010 6:25:57 GMT -5
I love the buildup for the 10th Anniversary show and how you use injuries to promote feuds and/or work around them. Most people would be hindered when injuries come to key players.
|
|
|
|
Post by snabbit888 on Feb 1, 2010 16:55:56 GMT -5
I love the buildup for the 10th Anniversary show and how you use injuries to promote feuds and/or work around them. Most people would be hindered when injuries come to key players. Thanks bud. With this circuit, I promised myself I wouldn't cheat on injuries, no-shows, people giving notice or quitting, etc. I think it adds to the challenge when you more or less book everything and keeps it fun. Plus, it leads to cool happenings, people being locker room cancers, etc. |
|
