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January 20, 2019 – Card #16 – Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, Kitchener, Ontario
Ivan Kolkoff beat Blue Meanie. The always popular Meanie has the fans behind him against the hated Russian. Meanie scores with an early avalanche but cannot maintain his momentum against Kolkoff’s power attack. Koloff pounds away but Meanie catches a break when Koloff hesitates on the top of the corner to jaw with the fans which allows Meanie to slam him to the mat. Back to back People’s Leg Drop rocks the fans but only gets a two count. Meanie controls with a short arm clothesline and later a moonsault that has the fans roaring again. Kolkoff come back with a choke on the ropes before rebounding Meanie into a back elbow. A Russian Hammer is enough to down Meanie for the three count much to the displeasure of the fans.
Brad Armstrong dominated Wild Bill White. After getting pushed to the limit last card by White, Armstrong starts strong with his agility and speed connecting with dropkicks and a running lariat. Armstrong slows it down with a sleeper that does damage and leads to a Russian Leg Sweep but White kicks out of the cover. Armstrong mounts the corner for a perfect deathjump cross body block that lights up ringside and downs White for the three count.
Lou Albano downed Brutus Beefcake. Morgan Dollar makes his first appearance of the evening to officiate this match. Albano gets the immediate advantage including a lengthy abdominal stretch and series of knee lifts and throat chops. The fans get behind Beefcake and he responds taking over with a suplex and knee lifts of his own. Clothesline topples Albano outside and Beefcake comes out after him. Albano gets tossed into the ring steps and can just beat Dollar’s ten count to keep the action going. Back inside, both men miss a series of moves leading to Albano countering a running elbow to corner with an abdominal stretch. Beefcake bails and Albano comes out for an exchange on the floor. Knee drops from Albano followed by a deathjump knee drop and a Sicilian Slam for a near fall. More knee drops force Albano to the floor for another exchange. This time Beefcake goes into the steps and can barely regain the ring. Beefcake thrills the fans when he kicks out after a Sicilian Slam. The go to the floor and Beefcake slams Albano onto the ringside table smashes it to pieces. Dollar lets the action continue and Beefcake mounts the corner for a match ending deathjump knee drop but Albano rolls clear sending Beefcake crashing to the mat. Albano covers for a huge near fall. Sicilian Slam follows and Albano has the win. Koloff grabs a chunk of the broke table and is going to bash Beefcake with it but Blue Meanie returns to the ring to make the save.
Shawn Daivari over Marty Jannetty. The pace is quick from the opening bell with Jannetty pushing most of the offense. Daivari bails after a dropkick to the face but trips over Dr. Mike Lano is spot that gets some laughs. Back in the ring, Rocker Dropper connects but cannot get the three count. Jannetty continues to control with knee lifts, top rope fist drop and suplexes. Daivari goes hard into the corner but manages to rebound and match Janetty’s clothesline sending both men to the mat. Jannetty is up first and Daivari stumbles into an atomic drop – superkick combo for a huge near fall. Another superkick connects but Daivari manages to counter a running knee lift and lands a series of rights and then ties up an arm. It is all Daivari for a stretch as he attacks and then goes back to a simple arm bar, attacks an goes back to the arm. Jannetty battles back and a dropkick connects. Running knee lift downs Daivari and Jannetty sends him into the ropes. Daivari rebounds with a tackle but Jannetty counters a choke and connects with another dropkick that sends Daivari to the floor. Back to back top rope fist drops and Daivari needs to regroup on the floor. Back inside, Jannetty back to the top for a third top rope fist drop. He goes for a fourth but Daivari shakes the ropes sending Jannetty crashing to the mat. WMD. 1, 2, Kick out. Daivari to the top. Perfect cross body block for the three count.
Tommy Rogers w/Bobby Fulton downed Randy Rose w/Dennis Condrey & Jim Cornette. Morgan Dollar has strict instructions for both men before the bell. Rose impresses early with a pair of monkey flips but Rogers reverses out of a front facelock to hit a cobra clutch suplex. Rose reverses a whip to the corner and charges in causing the competitors to crash together and end up in a heap. Rose is up first and connects with a Rose Bomb for a near fall. Rose tosses Rogers outside and the Fantastic member crawls back into the ropes. Rose goes to the top but is caught and Rogers executes a crowd popping superplex. To the floor we go and there is a wild brawl. Rose eats a chair shot while Bobby Fulton takes a racket shot from Dennis Condrey. Back in the ring, Rogers with an atomic drop and then drops Rose onto his skull with a cobra clutch suplex. Rose needs to hug it out with Condrey and Cornette but when the action returns to the ring Rogers is ready with a deathjump cross body block that gets the three count.
Larry Hennig & Harley Race beat Valiant Brothers. Both sides are able to make key tags early on with all four men seeing action. The back and forth action continues for several minutes until Race and Hennig are finally able to overpower Johnny Valiant. Race catches him with a backdrop and then a running lariat at scores a one count. Race works the back with a backbreaker and tags in Hennig who attacks with a double forearm hammer and then applies a bear hug to “Luscious” Johnny. Valiant has nowhere to go and submits in a shocking finish.
Jerry Lynn crushed Lenny Lane. Lynn comes out fired up and looking for some payback. He dominates the action early leading to a slingshot dive for a two count. Tombstone piledriver nearly kills Lane and sets up a sunset flip powerbomb that bounces Lane off the mat again. Lynn covers for a near fall. They brawl on the floor before Lynn hits two more slingshot dives. Back to the floor and Lynn cracks Lane across the back with a chair shot. Another sunset flip powerbomb but Lane kicks out at the last second. Lynn just keeps on coming including a guillotine leg drop and bulldog. Lane manages to counter a clothesline with one of his own and both men go down. Lynn is up first and unleashes a flurry including a springboard dropkick and a corba clutch suplex that plants Lane onto his head and neck. Lynn hooks the leg and has his win back.
Dennis Condrey w/Jim Cornette & Randy Rose over Bobby Fulton w/Tommy Rogers by disqualification. Morgan Dollar has strict instructions for both sides. Condrey connects with an immediate running lariat at the bell for a two count. He takes the action outside and all four men brawl. Back in the ring, Condrey connects with a backbreaker but Fulton counters a charge backdropping Condrey to the floor. Condrey trips over Dr. Mike Lano and the fans love it. Fulton bounces his head off the ringside table. Back in the ring and Fulton connects with a pair of dropkicks and then mounts the corner for a deathjump. A momentary distraction by Cornette allows Condrey to knocks the ropes and send Fulton crashing to the mat. Condrey works the back with a backbreaker and atomic drop. Face first leg sweep gets a two count. Condrey hits his finisher again but Fulton kicks out. They go back to the floor for another wild brawl and Dollar lets them go despite his pre-match warnings. Back in the ring, Fulton comes off the top with an elbow to the had and then comes off a second time with a elbow smash. Fantastic Cradle roll up gets a two count. Another brawl on the floor and we go back inside where Fulton connects with dropkicks and a cross body block. Fulton goes for a Fantastic Cradle but Cornette tosses in his tennis racket. Fulton grabs it an smashes Condrey. Dollar calls for the disqualification. The action carries on after the bell with the Fantastics clearing the ring.
Masked Superstar outlasted Diamond Dallas Page in a best of three falls match two falls to one. Page nearly steals the early pin after countering a reverse chinlock and connecting with a Russian Leg Sweep. Superstar comes back with a flying cross chop and forearms. Page is back with a whip into the corner and kick. Another whip into the corner and Page charges in but no one is home. Superstar rolls Page up for a near fall of his own. Superstar comes off the top with a forearm to the top of the head and follows with a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. It is all Superstar for several minutes including attacks from the top rope and punishing forearms and chops. They go to the floor and Page gets tangled up with Dr. Mike Lano. Superstar gets the action back to the ring and applies a Cobra Hold but Page makes the ropes. Page blocks a kick and connects with discuss clothesline that drops Superstar. Diamond Cutter connects and give Page the first fall. Page presses the attack early in the second fall including a face first piledriver. They brawl on the floor and back into the ring. Another discuss clothesline connects and so does a Russian Leg Sweep. Face first piledriver gets a two count. Page dominates with a Diamond Dream and another face first piledriver. More brawling on the floor. Page mounts the corner but Superstar catches him and Page gets crotched on the buckles. Superplex follows. Outside, Supestar smashes Page with a chair shot busting him open. Cobra Hold ends the second fall and we are knotted at one fall each. Superstar slows an already battered Page with a sleeper. Page is sent to the floor after a flying cross chop. Page goes face first into the ringside table. Back in the ring, Page makes the ropes to escape a Cobra Hold. Superstar Clothesline spills Page back to the floor where the two men exchanged exhausted blows. Superstar maintains the advantage as they go into the ring. Swinging neckbreaker downs Page and allows Superstar to get the pinfall.
Canadian Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz defeated Blackjack Mulligan. Mulligan has some strong words for Morgan Dollar before the bell and the official looks scared out of his boots. Thesz immediately gets the action to the mat with a short arm scissors but Mulligan wisely bails to think things over. Thesz comes out after him and lays in forearms but Mulligan’s blows dominate. Back inside and Mulligan applies a Blackjack Claw but Thesz quickly makes the ropes. Mulligan tosses the champion to the floor and when Thesz regains the ring goes for a trapezius claw but Thesz counters with a Greco-Roman Backdrop for a one count. Both men regain their feet and Thesz takes Mulligan to the mat with a second Greco-Roman Backdrop for a big near fall. Thesz Press knocks Mulligan back to the mat for another two count before Thesz connects off the top with a knee drop. Mulligan takes a breather on the floor but when he regains the ring Thesz ties him up in a double wristlock but Mulligan breaks free by reaching the ropes. Thesz Press and the fans count with Dollar thinking it is over but Mulligan just gets the shoulder up. Thesz whips Mulligan into the corner and follows with kick and a double leg pick up slam. Thesz off the top with a knee to the chest. Airplane spins have the fans roaring and Mulligan wobbling. Mulligan falls to the floor. Thesz goes outside but Mulligan grabs the Canadian Heavyweight Title Belt and smashes it into Thesz. Thesz is busted open as he is tossed back into the ring. Mulligan uses his size to take over. Stomps and forearms turn Thesz into a bloody mess as the fans erupt with heat. Thesz avoids a running stomp and takes Mulligan to the mat with a takedown to head scissors. Mulligan regains his feet but is caught with a series of dropkicks that take a lot out of both men. Thesz can just barely cover Mulligan. 1, 2, ¾. Thesz uses his last ounce of energy for a Greco-Roman Backdrop draping his arm over Mulligan to retain the tile.
News and views: Impressive win tonight for Brad Armstrong . . . Harley Race & Larry Hennig finally appeared to shake off the rust and looked very good in their win tonight against the Valiant Brothers . . . For the second straight card, a competitor has gone through a table in a match between Brutus Beefcake and Lou Albano. Tonight’s encounter had a real intensity as the heat between these two appears to have ignited. Will Blue Meanie have a part to play in the conflict or was he just helping a friend in need? . . . What a war in the main event as Mulligan proves nearly impossible to put down . . . Things continue to boil between Canadian Open Tag Team Champions Original Midnight Express and the Fantastics as the two teams will meet next week with the belts on the line. The issues between these two teams started back at the very first Maple Leaf Wrestling show . . . Big win for Masked Superstar tonight in an epic showdown with Diamond Dallas Page. The match left fans wanting another bout signed between the two competitors but Superstar let it be known he was much more interested in a title shot rather than another match with Page.
Up next, Maple Leaf Wrestling returns to the Niagara Region for a show in Niagara Falls with the falling matches signed:
• In a clash of tag team contenders, The Armstrongs battle the Valiant Brothers
• Sam Houston returns to singles action and will face Lenny Lane
• Harley Race & Larry Hennig continue to look to move up the contenders list in the tag team division when they square off with Ivan Koloff and Nikolai Volkoff in a battle of powerhouse teams
• Jerry Lynn continues to impress and will step into the ring with the always dangerous Shawn Daivari
• The last two battles between Lou Albano and Brutus Beefcake have shocked some with their level of intensity and violence. Things will only get worse in Niagara Falls when they meet under Texas Death Rules!
• Marty Jannetty will be in action and will test his skills against Petey Williams
• In a battle of the big men, Blackjack Mulligan steps back into the ring with Terry Gordy with spots in the top of the contenders list on the line
• The main event will see Canadian Open Tag Team Champions Original Midnight Express once again face their most consistent challengers The Fantastics with the titles on the line once again