OJuly 14, 2019 – Card #41 – Galt Arena Gardens, Cambridge, Ontario
Dave Taylor pinned Ron Hutchison. Hutchison had the fans solidly behind him from the opening bell and he came to complete showing his could counter the mat attack of the debuting competitor from other side of the pond. Hutchison thrilled the fans with a big near fall after countering a deathjump smash but Taylor was able to stop his opponent cold with a running lariat. Taylor controlled the balance of the action which lead to three straight vertical suplexes followed by a British Suplex for the three count.
Lou Albano defeated Sam Houston by disqualification. This one is back and forth early before both men have stretches in control of the match. The pace picks up and Houston catches Albano with a clothesline rebounding out of the corner. A dropkick sends the brawl to the floor and Albano grabs a chair. Houston scores with a will placed gut kick, grabs the chair and clocks Albano with it. The fans love it but Morgan Dollar does not calling for the disqualification (snake eyes!). Houston protests the decision which gives Albano just enough time to stagger to the back, dazed but victorious.
Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai & Judy Martin) downed Nora Greenwald & Rockin Robin by count-out. Despite have no experience tagging up, Robin and Greenwald drew on the support of the fans and took the fight to their more experience opponents in the early going. Robin got herself into some trouble mid way through the contest but Greenwald was able to get a hot tag and turn the match around leading up to a flipping seated senton for a huge near fall while Robin blocked save attempt. Greenwald then found herself cut off from her corner for a stretch but managed to reverse a whip on the floor sending Kai into the ring post shoulder first. The action went back and forth. The Glamour Girls were able to cut off Robin once again and the action ended up going to the floor where Martin slammed a chair into the midsection of Robin while Kai, the legal wrestler, distracted the referee. Robin could not recover and was counted out of the ring.
The Destroyer bested Brad Armstrong. Armstrong battled Destroyer hold for hold early on and managed to avoid a charge into the corner leading to a roll up for two. Armstrong immediately followed with a running lariat for two and then hit his finisher, the Russian leg sweep. The fans thought it was over but Destroyer got his shoulder up at the last second before Morgan Dollar reached three. Armstrong followed with a second running lariat and again Destroyer kicked out of the cover. A third lariat was ducked and Destroyer came back with forearms. Armstrong and Destroyer battled back and forth. Armstrong was able to counter a leg scissors and trapped Destroyer in a sleeper. Destroyer rolled outside but Armstrong kept the hold locked in until Destroyer backed Armstrong into the ring post. Back inside, Destroyer landed bombs away onto a dazed Armstrong and took comeback victory.
Island Flyers beat Greg Valentine & Johnny Valentine. The Valentines were able to cut off first Jimmy Snuka and later “Jumping” Jim Brunzell for long stretches. Valentine was able to land a deathjump smash to the knee and then applied a figure four leglock. It took everything Brunzell had to make the ropes. A hot tag to the Superfly turned things around but only briefly. Johnny Valentine came off the top in an effort to finish Snuka off but Snuka rolled clear sending Valentine crashing to the mat for a near fall. Greg Valentine was able to reverse a whip at ringside and sent Snuka head first into the ring post busting him wide open. Minutes later, Snuka returned the favour and “The Hammer” was also a bloody mess. Johnny Valentine was forced to carry the load for his team and the Flyers took full advantage. Brunzell nearly ended it with a high flying dropkick but Greg Valentine made the save. Snuka then connected with a Superfly Leap but again Valentine was saved by his son. Snuka then mounted the ropes again and hit is finisher back to back for the three count.
Bob Armstrong dominated Lenny Lane. “The Bullet” had the fans behind him from the opening bell and he responded by thrashing Lane in and out of the ring. The fans cheered each blow, knee lift and chop along the way. Lane proved difficult to put away however as he managed to kick out after a Georgia Jawjacker midway through the match and later just beat the ten count a thrashing on the floor. Armstrong continues to dominate and eventually hits a second Georgia Jawjacker, this time at ringside and Lane is counted out of the ring by Morgan Dollar.
Northern Lights Title Tournament: Joe Blanchard pinned Gorgeous George w/Cherie Dupré. Blanchard uses his strength to control early but George pulls out all the tricks including face rakes and Georgie Pins. George almost gets the three count off a rolling hiplock but Blanchard gets his shoulder up before Morgan Dollar reaches three. Blanchard gets the best of the brawl on the floor and control the action back in the ring including a lengthy Boston Crab that leaves little in George’s tank. Blanchard is able to catch George in an airplane spin and slams him down to the mat to advance into the semi-finals.
Magnum T.A. beat Mad Dog Vachon. Allen was on fire early on connecting with dropkicks for a near fall and then using a scorpion death lock to force Vachon to the ropes to avoid defeat. Vachon brawled back with a mouth ripper and punches but the advantage was short lived as Allen came off the top twice with deathjumps leading to a belly to belly suplex that should have ended it but Butcher Vachon jumped into the action breaking up the cover. Allen sent him back to the floor with dropkicks and then planted Vachon with an atomic drop for the wildly popular victory.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Express over Midnight Express w/Jim Cornette by disqualification. Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton have to go it alone when Morgan Dollar sends Cornette packing before the bell much to the delight of the fans. The match has a quick start with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Expressing hitting a double dropkick to Condrey for a big near fall in the opening minutes. The action goes back and forth from the outset with both sides showing the crowd what tag team wrestling is all about. Things start to get bloody when Robert Gibson gets out of some trouble by reversing a whip on the floor that sends Eaton into the ring post. Eaton is a bloody mess and Condrey carries the baulk of the action for the balance of the match for his team. The Express manage to connect with a double goozle to Ricky Morton for a near fall but Morton and Gibson press the attack late into the contest. They go to the floor and Condrey uses a steel chair to assault Gibson leaving Morgan Dollar no choice but to call for the disqualification.
Canadian Open Tag Team Champions Valiant Brothers defeated Marty Jannetty & Diamond Dallas Page. Page and Jannetty came through the fans to reach the ring and the Arena Gardens was on fire and ready to witness a title change. Page and Jannetty carried that momentum into the ring with them and dominated the early action. Jannetty hit Johnny Valiant with a Rocker Dropper but could only get a two and half count from Morgan Dollar. The challengers continued to keep the champions on the defensive pressing the attack and making key tags. Late in the match, “Luscious” Johnny reverses a whip and send Page into the ring post. With blood pouring down his face, Page somehow managed to toss Johnny Valiant off the top of the corner allowing for a tag into Jannetty. Jannetty knew his partner was in trouble and took it upon himself to carry the match. He did well but soon the champions were able to seize real control of the bout for the first time. Back to back double buckle whips took a lot out of Jannetty and lead to a Super Elbow from the Valiants. Page was able to make the save but Johnny Valiant followed up immediately with one his own finishers, a spinning neckbreaker, and completed the comeback win.
News and Views: There was plenty of heat for the Canadian Open Tag Team Champions Valiant Brothers has they left the ring tonight with the Titles still around their waste . . . Lenny Lane will need to pick up the pieces after the beating he took at the hands of the Bullet tonight . . . Brad Armstrong looked very impressive tonight coming up just short against The Destroyer . . . Statement victory for Magnum T.A. over Mad Dog Vachon tonight as Allen continues ot impress and move up the rankings . . . Sam Houston will no doubt be looking for another opportunity to face Lou Albano in the not to distant future . . . Midnight Express and Rock ‘n’ Roll Express continue to exchange victories will no end in sight and the fans have loved every minute of their conflict in Maple Leaf Wrestling . . . Hard fought debut for the Brit David Taylor . . . Joe Blanchard joins Chaz Taylor, Sam Houston and Petey Williams in the semi-finals of the Northern Lights Title Tournament . . . The Island Flyers made a return to tag team action in a big way going to war with the Valentine family. The fans are hoping for more action between these two sides in the upcoming weeks . . . Maple Leaf Wrestling has announced it will be part of the Canadian National Exhibition this year with a show at the Exhibition Stadium. The main event has been announced below. Come out and enjoy the fair and stick around for night of wrestling action with the Canadian Heavyweight Title on the line in the main event . . .
Up next, Maple Leaf Wrestling returns to Hamilton for a show at the North Wentworth Community Arena with a steel cage encounter topping the card.
• Magnum T.A. was fired up after his impressive victor over Mad Dog Vachon tonight but it was not the victory he was focused on. It was the interference of Butcher Vachon in the match. Allen says if Butcher Vachon wants to get into the ring with him, all he had to do was sign on the dotted line. They will meet one on one in Hamilton.
• Lenny Lane took an embarrassing loss tonight against “The Bullet” Bob Armstrong and will be looking to get not only his win back but also some of his pride when he faces Armstrong in a rematch
• Coming off a heartbreaking loss in tonight’s main event, Diamond Dallas Page make a return to singles action and faces David Taylor
• The several weeks of intensity between Greg Valentine and Jimmy Snuka will continue in Hamilton as they have signed to battle one on one once again
• The Northern Lights Title Tournament will continue with Sam Houston taking on Chaz Taylor in a semi-final that should be fast paced from start to finish
• In a rematch from Maple Leaf Gardens, “Jumping” Jim Brunzell will once again battle Johnny Valentine in a Texas Death Match
• The next encounter in the feud between Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and Midnight Express will unfold before the fans next week as both teams position for the next shot at the Canadian Open Tag Team Champions
• Commonwealth Champion Buddy Rogers will have to ignore his upcoming Canadian Heavyweight Title opportunity and focus on the task at hand as he steps into a steel cage against The Destroyer with the title on the line.
Maple Leaf Wrestling – Showdown at the Ex
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Doors at 6:30 pm
Bell Time: 8:00 pm
Exhibition Stadium, Toronto, ON
Canadian Heavyweight Title Match
Lou Thesz (ch) v. Buddy Rogers