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New Year’s Knockout XII
December 31, 2015
Card #456: Civic Coliseum in Knoxville
1) The biggest USWA supercard of the year kicked off with a debut and a win by Tommy Rogers, who scored a pinfall on “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz. Rogers received a big reaction from the Knoxville fans. He used his Tomikaze to score the pinfall in just a few minutes. ½*
2) David Taylor scored a big victory over “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. Valiant had the early advantage and hit a neckbreaker for a two-count. The British grappler took control and executed the British suplex to score the pinfall after just a few minutes of action. ¾*
3) “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, subbing for his injured ally Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy, defeated Ox Baker via disqualification. This was a physical battle between these two brutes. “The Fabulous” Ox had control for quite a while, hitting a backbreaker and a shoulder breaker for near falls. With the crowd chanting “USA,” Duggan fought back. He came off the second turnbuckle with a shoulder tackle. He then got down in the three-point stance and blasted Baker with the flying spear. He went for a cover but Sir Oliver Humperdink came into the ring and smacked Duggan on the back with his cane right in front of Paul Morton. Morton was left with no choice but to call for the bell and disqualify Baker. After the bell, Baker recovered and picked up Duggan. Humperdink went to whack “Hacksaw” again with the cane but Duggan moved and Humperdink hit his own man! Duggan grabbed his 2X4 and went after his foes but the evil duo retreated before Duggan could connect! **¼
4) Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito remained undefeated and defeated Brian Kendrick and Paul London. Zbyszko and Saito were originally scheduled to face the Vachons but the Algerians and Double X got suspended for injuring Terry Gordy. Sir Oliver Humperdink did not initially come out with his team but joined them later. (Perhaps he was hiding from “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and his 2X4!) The rulebreakers cut the ring in half on Kendrick in the first part of the match, with Zbyszko hitting a shoulder breaker for a two-count. Kendrick surprised Saito with a rolling front cradle out of nowhere for a two-count and then made a diving tag to London. Saito cut London off and tried to put him out with a sleeper but London made the ropes. Zbyszko came back in and hit a backbreaker for a near fall. Kendrick tagged back in a few minutes later and hit the Sliced Bread #2. He covered Zbyszko but Zbyszko got a foot under the bottom rope for a break. The House of Humperdink team rallied back. Zbyszko came off the second ropes with a knee drop to Kendrick which busted him open. Zbyszko hit the piledriver but took his time in making a cover, so Kendrick kicked out at 2¾. Saito tagged in and worked on Kendrick’s leg. He clamped on the Scorpion Leglock close to his and Zbyszko’s corner. London jumped in for a save but Zbyszko cut him off with a knee to the midsection and then tossed him out of the ring. Kendrick was trapped and forced to tap, giving Zbyszko and Saito their eighth win as a team. You can bet that Humperdink’s team will be in the tournament in 2016 to crown new World Tag Team champions! ***¼
5) Doctor X gave “Superstar” Bill Dundee his first loss in the USWA. These two combatants had a competitive bout but the masked grappler had the edge. He tried to put Dundee out with the X-cellent sleeper but the Aussie made the ropes. X blasted Dundee with forearms, which drew blood. He then worked on Dundee’s leg and went for the figure-four leglock. Dundee was in the hold for nearly three minutes and somehow managed to pull himself to the ropes for a break. As Dundee tried to get to his feet, X swarmed in first and hit a back suplex. He bridged into a pin and hooked the “Superstar’s” tights to score the pinfall. The Knoxville fans were not happy about this outcome and let Doctor X know about it! **½
6) Jimmy Jacobs’ disciples Luke Harper and the Necro Butcher scored a huge win over the two-time former USWA World Tag Team champions the New Age Outlaws. “The Road Dogg” Jesse James took control on Necro Butcher at the start of the bout, hitting a fist drop off the second rope for a near fall. He tagged o Billy Gunn who ran wild on Butcher. Butcher rolled out of the ring and Gunn followed. Necro tossed Gunn into the guard railing and then threw him back in the ring. He hit the Tiger Driver (his finisher) and went for a pin but Gunn kicked out. Butcher tagged to the big Harper, who made Gunn look small. Harper pounded away on Gunn. He delivered three big boots, picking Gunn up off the mat and whipping him into the ropes after each boot. James jumped in the ring but Necro cut him off and the top brawled to the floor. Necro choked “The Road Dogg” on the guard railing while Harper covered Gunn and scored the pinfall about five minutes into the match. Harper and Necro shocked the wrestling world with their strong victory over the Outlaws! *
7) “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert scored an impressive pinfall on Red Bastien. Bastien was supposed to put his famous handlebar moustache on the line against the mask of Double X tonight but the suspension of Double X and the Vachons changed that plan. Bastien looked like he might pick up the win over the three-time former Southern Heavyweight champion. He blasted Gilbert with a series of flying dropkicks. He covered Gilbert but only got a two-count. Bastien sent Gilbert into the ropes and went for a clothesline but “Hot Stuff” ducked and rebounded with a neckbreaker clothesline. He made a quick cover on the flying redhead but only got a two-count. Gilbert maintained control and executed the Hot Shot a few minutes later to score the pinfall. Sir Oliver Humperdink was very pleased with his man’s win and Gilbert ended 2015 on a positive note! *¾
8) The Midnight Express defeated the PYT Express in a No-Disqualification Match. The action between these two teams was very aggressive and quick-paced from the opening bell, as they used the no-disqualification stipulation to their advantages, especially when it came to double teaming. The Midnights hit Sweet Brown Sugar with a Double Goozle a few minutes into the bout and then followed it up with the Flapjack a few minutes later. Sugar took over on “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and then tagged to D’Lo Brown. Brown got Eaton down on the mat and came off the top with the Lo Down. He made a cover but Eaton kicked out. Brown maintained control and hit a beautiful moonsault. He covered Eaton but “Sweet” Stan Lane jumped in and blasted Brown with a kick to the back of the head to break up the pin attempt. Eaton took advantage of the save and tagged to Lane, who blasted Brown with the superkick. He made a cover but Brown kicked out at 2¾. Lane whipped Brown into the buckle but D’Lo reversed it and sent Lane upside down into the corner. Brown tagged to Sugar and the PYTs hit a double slingshot suplex. Sugar covered his three-time former co-holder of the USWA Tag Team titles but “The Gangster of Love” kicked out. The PYTs double teamed Lane for several minutes but Lane made a hot tag to “The Sultan of Swing.” Eaton jumped in the ring but D’Lo tackled him and the two brawled to the floor. Eaton took control and slammed Brown hard with a big bulldog on the Civic Coliseum floor. Eaton tossed Brown back into the ring. Brown was hurting but managed to tag to Sugar. Eaton cut off Sugar and tagged back to Lane. The Midnights hit the Veg-o-Matic. Eaton’s Alabama Jam landed right across Sugar’s face and busted him open. Lane went for the cover but Sugar kicked out at 2¾. Eaton grabbed a steel chair from ringside and tossed it inside the ring. Lane tagged him in and hit the Flapjack on the chair. Lane then picked up the chair and smacked Brown in the face with it, knocking him off the ring apron and taking him out of the match. Lane returned to the Midnights’ corner but not for long as he and Eaton tagged in-and-out, double teaming the Chicago native. Eaton finally tagged “Sweet” Stan one more time and the Midnights hit a Veg-o-Matic on Brown and scored the winning pinfall. ****
9) Claudio Castagnoli gained revenge for his injury by defeating Mid-America Heavyweight champion Fit Finlay in a non-title grudge bout. “The Belfast Bruiser” attacked “The Swiss Superman” right away. He hit a fireman’s carry Hot Shot and scored a two-count. He used the Tombstone on Castagnoli just a few minutes into the bout, the same move used in a spike version on a chair that injured Castagnoli. Finlay took his time in making a cover, so Castagnoli kicked out, which drew a big pop from the Knoxville fans who supported Castagnoli tonight. Castagnoli fought back and dazed the Irish brawler by trapping his arms and delivering multiple head butts. Castagnoli set up Finlay for the Neutralizer but before he could deliver the move, David Taylor ran down to the ringside area and jumped up on the ring apron. Castagnoli saw him and nailed him with a European uppercut sending him flying off the apron. Finlay recovered and attacked his opponent from behind. He attempted to whip Castagnoli into the ropes, but he reversed it, and sent Finlay in instead. On the rebound, he tossed Finlay up into the air and then delivered a Very European uppercut. Finlay crumpled to the mat and Castagnoli covered him and hooked the leg to score the big pinfall. Castagnoli was very ecstatic about his win and signaled that he wants a title shot in 2016! ***
10) Nick Bockwinkel concluded his nearly 18-month feud with Larry “The Axe” Hennig with a quick win in a Stretcher Match. The bout was a brawl from the opening bell and the two rivals spent much of the match on the arena floor. Hennig took control and looked ready to deliver a piledriver on Bockwinkel on the floor. The four-time USWA champion stopped the move and backed Hennig back-first into the ring post. He then delivered a boot to the gut and delivered his own piledriver on the big “Axe” on the floor! This was a scene similar to this same supercard in 2010 when the Crusher and Diamond Dallas Page did a spike piledriver to Hennig. Hennig was out and Bockwinkel placed him onto the stretcher. Despite pleas from “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart through his megaphone, Hennig was carted out of the Civic Coliseum and Bockwinkel was declared the winner in about four minutes! The match wasn’t pretty but the fans were happy with the result! neg*
11) In the first of two huge title matches, “Classy” Freddie Blassie became the new USWA Southern Heavyweight champion by defeating seven-time champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams. The champion looked like he might retain and give Blassie his first loss in the USWA, as he started off very strong against Blassie. He hit a football tackle and later an impressive press slam to get two-counts. Williams hit the backdrop driver as well and set up Blassie for the Oklahoma Stampede but the challenger raked Williams’ eyes, causing him to break up the slam attempt. “The Vampire” turned to his famed biting, chomping on Williams’ forehead three separate times throughout the bout. Williams battled back, blasting Blassie in the face with a dropkick and busting him open. He knocked “The King of Men” down with a football tackle and made a cover but Blassie kicked out. Blassie rolled out of the ring for a breather but the champion followed. Blassie cut “Dr. Death” off and threw him into the ring post. He tossed Williams back into the ring and then hit the Southern neckbreaker to score the pinfall. Blassie became the new Southern Heavyweight champion and is now 15-0! ***¾
12) The main event was a huge match-up. Current and two-time USWA World Heavyweight champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude, accompanied by his manager “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart, put the title on the line against “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos, accompanied by six-time former USWA champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis. Londos was undefeated going into tonight’s bout, since debuting at Independence Day Bash at Engel Stadium, amassing a 13-0 record. Rude had been the champion since New Year’s Knockout XI last year, winning the title from Lou Thesz at Roberts Stadium in Evansville. The “Ravishing One” had surprised many wrestling experts with his long reign and his ability to hold on to the title. The champion had used his physical gifts and athleticism, along with Hart’s sneaky tactics and the involvement of his fellow First Family of Wrestling members to retain the gold. Tonight, he would celebrate one year exactly with the belt and achieve 13 defenses, tying Lou Thesz’s first reign, for the third-highest number of defenses. Londos and Lewis had agreed to work together to try and get Londos the title, after “Strangler” was unable to unseat Rude after four title bouts this year. While Rude, of course, had “The Mouth of The South” at his side tonight, he would not have the rest of the First Family, as Larry “The Axe” Hennig was stretchered out earlier in the evening and Ray “The Crippler” Stevens, Big John Studd, and King Kong Bundy were all serving a suspension.
The champion was the aggressor at the start of the bout, nailing Londos with big forearm shots, chops, and elbows. He hit a suplex on the challenger a few minutes into the bout and went for a cover but Londos kicked out. Rude maintained control and executed the Rude Awakening a few minutes later. He made a cocky cover on “The Golden Greek” and not surprisingly Londos kicked out at two. Londos surprised Rude with a takedown and then became the aggressor in the bout. He picked up Rude and executed the airplane spin, which drew a big pop from the Knoxville fans. He dropped after several revolutions and then dropped down into a cover but the champion got the shoulder up at two. Londos then went to his other big weapon—the Boston Crab. He went to lock the Crab on but Rude fought hard, using his muscles to keep from turning. Londos wouldn’t give and finally turned the champion after a minute. The crowd popped big, knowing that Londos had made other wrestlers submit to this hold. Rude was in the center of the ring and Hart was screaming encouragement through the megaphone. After nearly a minute, the champion pulled himself to the ropes for a break. Londos kept control of Rude and locked on the Crab again about two minutes later. Londos positioned himself facing the ropes to try and prevent Rude from making the ropes. As Jerry Calhoun asked Rude if he was going to submit, “The Mouth of The South” snuck up on the ring apron. Hart ran over and smacked Londos from behind with the megaphone, which caused him to break the hold. Calhoun did not see this, since he was checking on the champion. Londos rolled out to the floor and Lewis came to check on him. Calhoun started the count. Londos started to come to around six. Despite help from the “Strangler,” “The Golden Greek” could not return to the ring by 10, so Calhoun called for the bell, giving Rude the win and keeping him as champion! The Knoxville fans were not happy about this outcome! Lewis yelled at Hart from outside the ring. He then threw off his suit coat and threatened to headlock either Hart or Rude! The duo retreated from the ring with the World title still intact! *¾
New Year’s Knockout XII
December 31, 2015
Card #456: Civic Coliseum in Knoxville
1) The biggest USWA supercard of the year kicked off with a debut and a win by Tommy Rogers, who scored a pinfall on “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz. Rogers received a big reaction from the Knoxville fans. He used his Tomikaze to score the pinfall in just a few minutes. ½*
2) David Taylor scored a big victory over “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. Valiant had the early advantage and hit a neckbreaker for a two-count. The British grappler took control and executed the British suplex to score the pinfall after just a few minutes of action. ¾*
3) “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, subbing for his injured ally Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy, defeated Ox Baker via disqualification. This was a physical battle between these two brutes. “The Fabulous” Ox had control for quite a while, hitting a backbreaker and a shoulder breaker for near falls. With the crowd chanting “USA,” Duggan fought back. He came off the second turnbuckle with a shoulder tackle. He then got down in the three-point stance and blasted Baker with the flying spear. He went for a cover but Sir Oliver Humperdink came into the ring and smacked Duggan on the back with his cane right in front of Paul Morton. Morton was left with no choice but to call for the bell and disqualify Baker. After the bell, Baker recovered and picked up Duggan. Humperdink went to whack “Hacksaw” again with the cane but Duggan moved and Humperdink hit his own man! Duggan grabbed his 2X4 and went after his foes but the evil duo retreated before Duggan could connect! **¼
4) Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito remained undefeated and defeated Brian Kendrick and Paul London. Zbyszko and Saito were originally scheduled to face the Vachons but the Algerians and Double X got suspended for injuring Terry Gordy. Sir Oliver Humperdink did not initially come out with his team but joined them later. (Perhaps he was hiding from “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and his 2X4!) The rulebreakers cut the ring in half on Kendrick in the first part of the match, with Zbyszko hitting a shoulder breaker for a two-count. Kendrick surprised Saito with a rolling front cradle out of nowhere for a two-count and then made a diving tag to London. Saito cut London off and tried to put him out with a sleeper but London made the ropes. Zbyszko came back in and hit a backbreaker for a near fall. Kendrick tagged back in a few minutes later and hit the Sliced Bread #2. He covered Zbyszko but Zbyszko got a foot under the bottom rope for a break. The House of Humperdink team rallied back. Zbyszko came off the second ropes with a knee drop to Kendrick which busted him open. Zbyszko hit the piledriver but took his time in making a cover, so Kendrick kicked out at 2¾. Saito tagged in and worked on Kendrick’s leg. He clamped on the Scorpion Leglock close to his and Zbyszko’s corner. London jumped in for a save but Zbyszko cut him off with a knee to the midsection and then tossed him out of the ring. Kendrick was trapped and forced to tap, giving Zbyszko and Saito their eighth win as a team. You can bet that Humperdink’s team will be in the tournament in 2016 to crown new World Tag Team champions! ***¼
5) Doctor X gave “Superstar” Bill Dundee his first loss in the USWA. These two combatants had a competitive bout but the masked grappler had the edge. He tried to put Dundee out with the X-cellent sleeper but the Aussie made the ropes. X blasted Dundee with forearms, which drew blood. He then worked on Dundee’s leg and went for the figure-four leglock. Dundee was in the hold for nearly three minutes and somehow managed to pull himself to the ropes for a break. As Dundee tried to get to his feet, X swarmed in first and hit a back suplex. He bridged into a pin and hooked the “Superstar’s” tights to score the pinfall. The Knoxville fans were not happy about this outcome and let Doctor X know about it! **½
6) Jimmy Jacobs’ disciples Luke Harper and the Necro Butcher scored a huge win over the two-time former USWA World Tag Team champions the New Age Outlaws. “The Road Dogg” Jesse James took control on Necro Butcher at the start of the bout, hitting a fist drop off the second rope for a near fall. He tagged o Billy Gunn who ran wild on Butcher. Butcher rolled out of the ring and Gunn followed. Necro tossed Gunn into the guard railing and then threw him back in the ring. He hit the Tiger Driver (his finisher) and went for a pin but Gunn kicked out. Butcher tagged to the big Harper, who made Gunn look small. Harper pounded away on Gunn. He delivered three big boots, picking Gunn up off the mat and whipping him into the ropes after each boot. James jumped in the ring but Necro cut him off and the top brawled to the floor. Necro choked “The Road Dogg” on the guard railing while Harper covered Gunn and scored the pinfall about five minutes into the match. Harper and Necro shocked the wrestling world with their strong victory over the Outlaws! *
7) “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert scored an impressive pinfall on Red Bastien. Bastien was supposed to put his famous handlebar moustache on the line against the mask of Double X tonight but the suspension of Double X and the Vachons changed that plan. Bastien looked like he might pick up the win over the three-time former Southern Heavyweight champion. He blasted Gilbert with a series of flying dropkicks. He covered Gilbert but only got a two-count. Bastien sent Gilbert into the ropes and went for a clothesline but “Hot Stuff” ducked and rebounded with a neckbreaker clothesline. He made a quick cover on the flying redhead but only got a two-count. Gilbert maintained control and executed the Hot Shot a few minutes later to score the pinfall. Sir Oliver Humperdink was very pleased with his man’s win and Gilbert ended 2015 on a positive note! *¾
8) The Midnight Express defeated the PYT Express in a No-Disqualification Match. The action between these two teams was very aggressive and quick-paced from the opening bell, as they used the no-disqualification stipulation to their advantages, especially when it came to double teaming. The Midnights hit Sweet Brown Sugar with a Double Goozle a few minutes into the bout and then followed it up with the Flapjack a few minutes later. Sugar took over on “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and then tagged to D’Lo Brown. Brown got Eaton down on the mat and came off the top with the Lo Down. He made a cover but Eaton kicked out. Brown maintained control and hit a beautiful moonsault. He covered Eaton but “Sweet” Stan Lane jumped in and blasted Brown with a kick to the back of the head to break up the pin attempt. Eaton took advantage of the save and tagged to Lane, who blasted Brown with the superkick. He made a cover but Brown kicked out at 2¾. Lane whipped Brown into the buckle but D’Lo reversed it and sent Lane upside down into the corner. Brown tagged to Sugar and the PYTs hit a double slingshot suplex. Sugar covered his three-time former co-holder of the USWA Tag Team titles but “The Gangster of Love” kicked out. The PYTs double teamed Lane for several minutes but Lane made a hot tag to “The Sultan of Swing.” Eaton jumped in the ring but D’Lo tackled him and the two brawled to the floor. Eaton took control and slammed Brown hard with a big bulldog on the Civic Coliseum floor. Eaton tossed Brown back into the ring. Brown was hurting but managed to tag to Sugar. Eaton cut off Sugar and tagged back to Lane. The Midnights hit the Veg-o-Matic. Eaton’s Alabama Jam landed right across Sugar’s face and busted him open. Lane went for the cover but Sugar kicked out at 2¾. Eaton grabbed a steel chair from ringside and tossed it inside the ring. Lane tagged him in and hit the Flapjack on the chair. Lane then picked up the chair and smacked Brown in the face with it, knocking him off the ring apron and taking him out of the match. Lane returned to the Midnights’ corner but not for long as he and Eaton tagged in-and-out, double teaming the Chicago native. Eaton finally tagged “Sweet” Stan one more time and the Midnights hit a Veg-o-Matic on Brown and scored the winning pinfall. ****
9) Claudio Castagnoli gained revenge for his injury by defeating Mid-America Heavyweight champion Fit Finlay in a non-title grudge bout. “The Belfast Bruiser” attacked “The Swiss Superman” right away. He hit a fireman’s carry Hot Shot and scored a two-count. He used the Tombstone on Castagnoli just a few minutes into the bout, the same move used in a spike version on a chair that injured Castagnoli. Finlay took his time in making a cover, so Castagnoli kicked out, which drew a big pop from the Knoxville fans who supported Castagnoli tonight. Castagnoli fought back and dazed the Irish brawler by trapping his arms and delivering multiple head butts. Castagnoli set up Finlay for the Neutralizer but before he could deliver the move, David Taylor ran down to the ringside area and jumped up on the ring apron. Castagnoli saw him and nailed him with a European uppercut sending him flying off the apron. Finlay recovered and attacked his opponent from behind. He attempted to whip Castagnoli into the ropes, but he reversed it, and sent Finlay in instead. On the rebound, he tossed Finlay up into the air and then delivered a Very European uppercut. Finlay crumpled to the mat and Castagnoli covered him and hooked the leg to score the big pinfall. Castagnoli was very ecstatic about his win and signaled that he wants a title shot in 2016! ***
10) Nick Bockwinkel concluded his nearly 18-month feud with Larry “The Axe” Hennig with a quick win in a Stretcher Match. The bout was a brawl from the opening bell and the two rivals spent much of the match on the arena floor. Hennig took control and looked ready to deliver a piledriver on Bockwinkel on the floor. The four-time USWA champion stopped the move and backed Hennig back-first into the ring post. He then delivered a boot to the gut and delivered his own piledriver on the big “Axe” on the floor! This was a scene similar to this same supercard in 2010 when the Crusher and Diamond Dallas Page did a spike piledriver to Hennig. Hennig was out and Bockwinkel placed him onto the stretcher. Despite pleas from “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart through his megaphone, Hennig was carted out of the Civic Coliseum and Bockwinkel was declared the winner in about four minutes! The match wasn’t pretty but the fans were happy with the result! neg*
11) In the first of two huge title matches, “Classy” Freddie Blassie became the new USWA Southern Heavyweight champion by defeating seven-time champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams. The champion looked like he might retain and give Blassie his first loss in the USWA, as he started off very strong against Blassie. He hit a football tackle and later an impressive press slam to get two-counts. Williams hit the backdrop driver as well and set up Blassie for the Oklahoma Stampede but the challenger raked Williams’ eyes, causing him to break up the slam attempt. “The Vampire” turned to his famed biting, chomping on Williams’ forehead three separate times throughout the bout. Williams battled back, blasting Blassie in the face with a dropkick and busting him open. He knocked “The King of Men” down with a football tackle and made a cover but Blassie kicked out. Blassie rolled out of the ring for a breather but the champion followed. Blassie cut “Dr. Death” off and threw him into the ring post. He tossed Williams back into the ring and then hit the Southern neckbreaker to score the pinfall. Blassie became the new Southern Heavyweight champion and is now 15-0! ***¾
12) The main event was a huge match-up. Current and two-time USWA World Heavyweight champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude, accompanied by his manager “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart, put the title on the line against “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos, accompanied by six-time former USWA champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis. Londos was undefeated going into tonight’s bout, since debuting at Independence Day Bash at Engel Stadium, amassing a 13-0 record. Rude had been the champion since New Year’s Knockout XI last year, winning the title from Lou Thesz at Roberts Stadium in Evansville. The “Ravishing One” had surprised many wrestling experts with his long reign and his ability to hold on to the title. The champion had used his physical gifts and athleticism, along with Hart’s sneaky tactics and the involvement of his fellow First Family of Wrestling members to retain the gold. Tonight, he would celebrate one year exactly with the belt and achieve 13 defenses, tying Lou Thesz’s first reign, for the third-highest number of defenses. Londos and Lewis had agreed to work together to try and get Londos the title, after “Strangler” was unable to unseat Rude after four title bouts this year. While Rude, of course, had “The Mouth of The South” at his side tonight, he would not have the rest of the First Family, as Larry “The Axe” Hennig was stretchered out earlier in the evening and Ray “The Crippler” Stevens, Big John Studd, and King Kong Bundy were all serving a suspension.
The champion was the aggressor at the start of the bout, nailing Londos with big forearm shots, chops, and elbows. He hit a suplex on the challenger a few minutes into the bout and went for a cover but Londos kicked out. Rude maintained control and executed the Rude Awakening a few minutes later. He made a cocky cover on “The Golden Greek” and not surprisingly Londos kicked out at two. Londos surprised Rude with a takedown and then became the aggressor in the bout. He picked up Rude and executed the airplane spin, which drew a big pop from the Knoxville fans. He dropped after several revolutions and then dropped down into a cover but the champion got the shoulder up at two. Londos then went to his other big weapon—the Boston Crab. He went to lock the Crab on but Rude fought hard, using his muscles to keep from turning. Londos wouldn’t give and finally turned the champion after a minute. The crowd popped big, knowing that Londos had made other wrestlers submit to this hold. Rude was in the center of the ring and Hart was screaming encouragement through the megaphone. After nearly a minute, the champion pulled himself to the ropes for a break. Londos kept control of Rude and locked on the Crab again about two minutes later. Londos positioned himself facing the ropes to try and prevent Rude from making the ropes. As Jerry Calhoun asked Rude if he was going to submit, “The Mouth of The South” snuck up on the ring apron. Hart ran over and smacked Londos from behind with the megaphone, which caused him to break the hold. Calhoun did not see this, since he was checking on the champion. Londos rolled out to the floor and Lewis came to check on him. Calhoun started the count. Londos started to come to around six. Despite help from the “Strangler,” “The Golden Greek” could not return to the ring by 10, so Calhoun called for the bell, giving Rude the win and keeping him as champion! The Knoxville fans were not happy about this outcome! Lewis yelled at Hart from outside the ring. He then threw off his suit coat and threatened to headlock either Hart or Rude! The duo retreated from the ring with the World title still intact! *¾