LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Pariah, Bookerbill and Crimson. Yes indeed Power Surge are the creation of our own Crimson Cross and I couldn't be happier to have them as new talent in Kings Road United. There are no plans for a rematch just yet and, this being Japan where tag team matches often feature interesting pairings, you will actually see Power Surge and Matt Riddle team up for six-man tag action on the final night of the tour. Up next is night two of the tour, I hope that you enjoy the action...

LOW Kings Road United - Kobe World Hall - Kobe, Japan (Card #993)

1) Power Surge defeated Arik Cannon & Erick Stevens by DQ:
The promising new team of Power Surge (William Forve & Paul Pope) took on “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon & Erick Stevens in the opener. Power Surge dominated the early action on Cannon preventing him from tagging out. They hit the Power Surge Dropkick and Pop blasted him with the Pope Pummeling. Cannon countered back and caught Pope with an Exploder Suplex leading to the tag. Stevens performed well striking with the “Choo Choo!” corner splash before Forve caught him with the Home Run. It looked to be over there but then Cannon dove off of the top rope striking Forve to prevent a three count. The referee then called for the bell awarding a disqualification win to Power Surge as top rope pin saves are illegal in tag team matches according to LOW rules.

2) Michael Bennett defeated Matt Riddle:
Recent KRU Dojo graduate Matt Riddle, a former MMA competitor, took on Michael Bennett who was accompanied by the beautiful Maria Kanellis. The Japanese press at ringside went crazy over Maria as they snapped many photos of the beautiful fiancé of Bennett. It was nearly over quickly as Bennett caught Riddle with the Photo Finish, a fireman’s carry cutter, for a near fall. Riddle struck back with the Cross Armbreaker going for the submission. Bennett escaped and wound up hitting the devastating Ring Apron Piledriver but somehow Riddle kicked out before the three count. Maria protested the count but the referee insisted Riddle kicked out. Bennett then locked on the Go Back To Japan, his version of the Anaconda Vise, for a submission chance. Riddle showed great fight in this one but Bennett ultimately got the win when he executed the Piledriver to score the pin. Maria kissed Bennett post-match and happily posed for the ringside photographers.

3) Young Bucks & Voodoo Kaos defeated The Addiction & Tiger Mask:
The Addiction (“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels & Kazarian) recruited legendary KRU star Tiger Mask for this grudge match against the Bullet Club trio of the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) and Voodoo Kaos. The Bullet Club members showed their colors as they jumped The Addiction and Tiger Mask at ringside before the bell. That gave them the early advantage and they would ride it on to a quick victory. It wound up with the Bucks hitting More Bang For Your Buck on Daniels with Nick covering him to score the pin. The battle continued post-match with the Bucks and Voodoo Kaos assaulting all three men until KRU officials were able to clear the ring. An angry Daniels grabbed the mic afterward and said that there was only one night left on the tour and he would be “damned” if he and Kazarian were going to leave Japan without getting another shot at the Bucks. The Bucks returned to ringside and Matt grabbed the mic accepting the match saying that he and Nick were going to send The Addiction back home courtesy of a “Superkick Party”!

4) Will Ospreay defeated Shynron:
A highly anticipated battle of high flyers saw recent KRU Dojo graduate Shynron take on free agent star Will Ospreay, also known as the “Aerial Assassin”. Shynron was on fire early and twice nearly pinned Ospreay with the standing shooting star press and the Spirit Bomb. Ospreay finally made a counter and caught Shynron with the Essex Destroyer for a big near fall. A great spot saw Shynron going for the Kamehamea but Ospreay countered it into a one arm swinging neckbreaker and then hit the spectacular handspring rebound enzuigiri. The crowd was going crazy by this point as the two junior heavyweight stars were putting on a clinic. The finish saw Ospreay stave off a strong challenge from Shynron and connect with his own Standing Shooting Star Press to score the pin. The crowd cheered the efforts of both men afterward and they shook hands in a show of mutual respect.

5) Big John Studd defeated Masked Superstar:
Two former tag team partners squared off as the Masked Superstar took on the man that turned on him – Big John Studd. The early action saw Studd dominating as he hit a double arm suplex followed by a falling elbowdrop. The Superstar bounced back after countering a backdrop attempt and then executed the Spinning Neckbreaker for a big near fall. He followed up with a flying bodypress on Studd for a two count and then trapped him in the Cobra Hold. Studd nearly went under but managed to break out of the hold. The Superstar followed up with an impressive bodyslam on the 364-pound Studd and then busted him open following a headbutt. Studd was in a bad way but he managed to make a comeback out on the floor. He sent the Superstar crashing back first into the ring post and charged in splashing him against the steel. Back inside, a bloody Studd hoisted the Superstar up into the Backbreaker and got the victory via submission.

6) 8MW Offer Match – Triple Threat Top Contenders Match: Jet Set Strutter defeated Lazer and Ace Arcadium:
Three of the top stars of the sports entertainment oriented 80’s Mania Wrestling federation – Lazer, Ace Arcadium and Jet Set Strutter – squared off in a Triple Threat match to determine which man would challenge Arizona Chance for the 8MW World Heavyweight title at the Tokyo Dome (Card #1001). The action was off the charts in this match which saw all three men come close to victory. The arrogant Strutter, hailing from Kitty Hawk, NC, was very impressive hitting a wide array of moves on both opponents leading to a number of near falls. Arcadium used the Power Glove, a huge windmill punch, on Strutter and went for the pin but Lazer broke that up. The very popular Lazer showed off some of his explosive offense and had the crowd rocking at various moments of the match. Arcadium bounced back hitting the Cheat Code, a powerslam from the top rope, on Lazer for what looked to be a sure pin but Strutter broke it up. Lazer caught a bad break near the finish when a whip to the ropes by Arcadium saw him go crashing over the top rope to the floor. Strutter took over and went up top but Arcadium picked him off with a bodyslam. He followed up with the Game Over, a running powerslam, but Strutter got his foot over the bottom rope to break up the pin. With Lazer still out on the floor, Strutter managed to make a comeback against Arcadium and trapped him in the Six Figure Leg Lock to get the victory via submission. Strutter celebrated his huge victory by belting out his signature phrase “Whoooooo!” a number of times and strutting around the ring while gesturing towards his waist that he will be the next 8MW World champion.

7) Ted Dibiase defeated Harley Race:
A battle of very accomplished veterans saw Harley Race, a key member of the KRU roster, take on now former GWA star “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase. The GWA has been absorbed into the new Capitol Wrestling Alliance so Dibiase is pretty much a free agent in LOW at this point. It is a strange situation for the “Million $ Man” to be in and very telling is that he was without his bodyguard Kurrgan so perhaps that association has ended now that the GWA is a part of LOW history. Dibiase looked real strong in the early going as he got back-to-back near falls with a vertical suplex and a powerslam. Race battled back hitting the vertical suplex and diving headbutt and had Dibiase in trouble. It was a turnbuckle whip reversal by Dibiase that changed the momentum as both men went down from a double clothesline. Dibiase recovered first and caught Race in the Million Dollar Sleeper but it was broken up in the ropes. A battle out on the floor saw Race busted open after Dibiase ran him head first into the guard rail. A short time later he locked on the Million Dollar Sleeper again forcing Race to expend a great deal of energy trying to escape. Race fought hard but the hold was cinched on by Dibiase who got the victory via submission.

8) AJ Styles & Adam Cole defeated Antonio Inoki & The Destroyer:
The main event saw Antonio Inoki & The Destroyer representing KRU against Bullet Club members AJ Styles & Adam Cole. The rivalry between the two sides was on full display here as both teams went all out to attain victory. The KRU team got the heat on Styles early and Inoki trapped him in a cobra twist going for the submission. Both men also used the bow and arrow hold to stretch Styles. The Bullet Club came back when Styles countered The Destroyer and nailed him with the Pele Kick. Cole tagged in looked to be in great form using the superkick to the back of the head and scoring a two count on Inoki with a diving crossbody. Styles nearly won it when he planted Inoki with the Styles Clash but The Destroyer ran in to break up the pin. The Destroyer would get the tag and have a great exchange with Cole taking him down with an airplane spin and battering him with handstand knee drops. The match built to a dramatic finish which saw Inoki send Cole into the corner but he bounced out with a huge counter running lariat. Styles then ran in and knocked The Destroyer off of the ring apron as Cole executed the Florida Key, a Bridging X-Plex, on Inoki to score the pin. The crowd was shocked to see Inoki go down and Cole now holds direct wins over both Inoki and Rikidozan, via count out, in KRU. The rest of the Bullet Club (Young Bucks, Terex and Voodoo Kaos) hit the ring post-match helping Styles and Cole celebrate while a disgusted Inoki and The Destroyer looked on from the floor.

[Pariah]

Monumental night for the Bullet Club, as they scored two big wins over some very impressive opposition... Which has me wondering... How long before they decide to initiate a hostile takeover of KRU? Or maybe some other promotion? Is anything truly off-limits for this irreverent band?

The 8MW Triple Threat was very exciting and Strutter earns his shot at Arizona Chance and the title... Riding momentum like this could be just what the arrogant superstar needs to claim that prize...

Ospreay vs Shynron was probably the highlight for me, as I really enjoy that explosive aerial style... Pleased that the victory went to Os-preaayyy... Ospreay-Ospreay-Ospreaayyy... Os-preaayyy... Os-preaayyy!

Lots of great in-ring action and I enjoyed the continued build towards the coming of the Capital Wrestling Alliance... Should be interesting to see how some of the old school talent adapts to this colossal change...

Awesome work!

[Crimson Cross]

That is a big time victory for Styles and Cole over Antonio Inoki and The Destroyer, plus that Top Rope Pin Save ending in favor of Power Surge was very interesting stuff, so will we see a future rematch...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Pariah and Crimson. I was shocked when Styles & Cole defeated Inoki & Destroyer. The Bullet Club has been a real force in KRU and beating those guys was a huge feather in their cap. The Bullet Club also have designs on the IWA, they still haven't forgotten about their lack of success against the House of Truth, so for now they will be a big part of both promotions.

The win by Jet Set Strutter was pretty amazing. I really marked when Ace Arcadium picked him off of the top rope Flair-style but Strutter came back to get that huge win. The title match with Arizona Chance at the Tokyo Dome will be the last 8MW match to be featured on a card from another promotion. 8MW gets their own show in the new year so it will be interesting to see whether it is Chance or Strutter that reigns when that first official 8MW show takes place.

I have been very happy using Will Ospreay for the first time. Expect him to land in one of the feds in my new year. As for Power Surge they are really looking good. Not sure if there will be rematch yet but I do plan for those teams to be on opposite sides of a big eight-man tag at the Tokyo Dome. The Tokyo Dome card should be finalized after I roll out the tour ending show. I hope to have that show posted sometime this weekend.

Thanks for noting the CWA, Pariah. It is going to be difficult for me to set that roster with all of the great cards we have so there is a question of whether Ted Dibiase will be a part of it. Perhaps he will join KRU if he doesn't make the CWA roster? I'm not sure what direction I will be going in with all of these decisions to be made but it will be fun. Thanks for reading and commenting guys, I really appreciate it.

[cruefan68]

LOW Kings Road United - Budokan Hall - Tokyo, Japan (Card #994)

1) William Forve, Paul Pope, & Matt Riddle defeated C.W. Anderson, Arik Cannon, & Erick Stevens:
The opening contest saw Power Surge (William Forve & Paul Pope) team with Matt Riddle to battle C.W. Anderson, “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon, & Erick Stevens. It was a nice mix of styles in this bout and one that saw Riddle perform exceptionally well including using the Heel Hook on both Anderson and Cannon for submission chances. Stevens put in a strong effort for his team and nearly pinned Riddle with the overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Power Surge had some dominant moments too and Pope nearly put Anderson away with the Wristshotlock. Another near finish saw Cannon naile Forve with the Glimmering Warlock for a two count. The finish saw Pope save Riddle from a pin by Cannon and a short time later Riddle nailed “The Anarchist” with the Gotch Style Power Bomb to score the pin.

2) Jushin Liger & Will Ospreay defeated Tiger Mask & Shynron:
Exciting junior heavyweight tag team action saw Tiger Mask & Shynron team up to take on Jushin “Thunder” Liger & Will Ospreay. The legendary friendly rivalry between Tiger Mask and Liger was on full display in the early going as they traded a dizzying array of moves. Liger eventually gained the upper hand and connected with the Liger Dive followed by the Fisherman’s Buster for a two count. Ospreay tagged in and looked great against Tiger Mask including hitting the springboard cutter and and handspring rebound enzuigiri. Shynron tagged in and found himself quickly on the defensive against Ospreay. Liger tagged back in and caught Shynron with the Fisherman’s Buster for a big near fall. He then trapped him in a hanging surfboard for a submission chance but Tiger broke it up. Shynron was in a bad way by that point and Ospreay, after scoring a two count with a Standing Shooting Star Press, connected with the spectacular 630 Senton to score the pin. The crowd cheered the big victory by Liger and Ospreay who shook hands with both Tiger Mask and Shynron following the match.

3) Michael Bennett defeated Bolo Mongol:
The 295-pound Bolo Mongol, one-third of The Mongols along with Bepo & Geeto, took on free agent star Michael Bennett who had Maria Kanellis in his corner. Like the shows in Honolulu and Kobe, the press corps made sure to document the appearance of Maria who was a big hit on the tour. Bennett was impressive early until Bolo countered a spinebuster attempt. Bolo battered Bennett with his power moves causing Maria to worry at ringside. The turning point came when Bolo went for a jumping knee in the corner but Bennett moved out of the way. Bennett followed with the Box Office Smash, a wristlock sit-out side slam, for a near fall and then connected with his devastating Piledriver to score the pin. The win gave Bennett an undefeated KRU tour and he and Maria celebrated with a kiss. They met the press backstage and Maria promised that you would hear more from “wrestling’s greatest power couple” in the new year.

4) Young Bucks defeated The Addiction:
The Addiction (“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels & Kazarian) took on Bullet Club members the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) in this rematch from the opening night of the tour. From the opening blow, a flurry of punches delivered by Daniels, to the final move this was a tag team match for the ages. The Addiction were on fire early including a fired up Daniels hitting a Death Valley Driver followed by Best Moonsault Ever on Matt for a near fall. The Bucks battled back with both men participating in a “Superkick Party” before hitting More Bang For Your Buck on Kazarian for a big near fall. Kazraian took some punishment but got his shots in including blasting Matt with a Shining Wizard. That set up Daniels hitting the Angel’s Wings on Matt but Nick made the save and reversed the pinning positions giving the Bucks a near fall. The Bucks then took out Daniels and hit More Bang For Your Buck but Kazarian made the save. The Bucks quickly followed up with the Meltzer Driver on Daniels with Nick going for the pin but somehow the “Fallen Angel” kicked out just before the three count. A wide eyed Nick complained to the referee as the crowd went crazy cheering on The Addiction. The finishing sequence of the match saw Kazarian roughed up on the outside of the ring before the Bucks connected with the Indytaker on him with Matt scoring the pin. The Bucks evened the score from their opening night loss in what was an outstanding effort from both teams.

5) Masked Superstar vs. Ted Dibiase was a Draw:
The Masked Superstar, a KRU contracted performer out of Atlanta, GA, took on current free agent star “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase in a feature match. Both men are practitioners of similar holds, Superstar with the Cobra Hold and Dibiase with the Million Dollar Sleeper, so that made for an interesting battle. Early action saw the Superstar in control as he rattled Dibiase with a headbutt and then trapped him in the Cobra Hold but it was broken up in the ropes. Dibiase came back strong and locked on the Million Dollar Sleeper but that was also broken up in the ropes. A missed corner charge by Dibiase saw the Superstar execute a counter roll-up for a two count. The Superstar again locked on the Cobra Hold but Dibiase lunged for the ropes sending both men out of the ring. Dibiase battered the Superstar at ringside and again locked on the Million Dollar Sleeper but the masked man got to the ropes. Dibiase also applied a figure four leglock going for the submission but the Superstar was able to reverse out of the hold. This was a really evenly fought battle and it ended up going to a time limit draw.

6) Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito defeated Steve Williams & Terry Gordy by DQ:
The Miracle Violence Connection (Steve “Dr. Death” Williams & Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy) were out for revenge as they took on Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito. It is no secret that Fuji and Saito are bitter over being passed over for the tag team Battle Royal for an LOW World tag team title shot at WrestleCade X and they took that out on the MVC on the opening night of the tour. Gordy suffered a minor back injury that night in Honolulu but there was no way he was going to miss this match. The early action saw the MVC dominating as they got the heat on Fuji. Williams blasted him with a football tackle while Gordy dropped him with a Bamm Bamm Slam. It was some salt in the eyes of Gordy by the “Devious One” that allowed Fuji to make a much needed tag. Saito, who is nicknamed “Mr. Torture”, went toe-to-toe with both members of the MVC attempting to turn the tide of battle. Gordy fought back and trapped Saito in the Oriental Spike which nearly resulted in a submission. The action then spilled out to the floor where Saito dropped Gordy throat first on the guard rail. He and Fuji then took over and Fuji once again went to the salt this time blinding “Dr. Death”. The MVC had no choice but to fight fire with fire and this one was decided out on the floor where The Mongols (Bepo, Geeto, & Bolo) ran down to ringside and assaulted both Fuji and Saito. The referee disqualified the MVC connection for the attack but they understood as Geeto was making his long awaited return after he was injured by Fuji and Saito. It was four-on-two against Fuji and Saito until Big John Studd showed up and helped them escape from the ring.

7) Antonio Inoki, Harley Race, The Destroyer, & Brent Albright defeated AJ Styles, Adam Cole, Terex, & Voodoo Kaos:
This huge eight-man tag team battle saw the KRU team of Antonio Inoki, Harley Race, The Destroyer and “The Shooter” Brent Albright take on Bullet Club members AJ Styles, Adam Cole, Terex and Voodoo Kaos. The Bullet Club entered already having had a very impressive tour and a win here would have really put it over the top for the controversial faction. Inoki, still bitter over the tag team loss in Kobe, pounced on Styles early and trapped him in the cobra twist. Styles escaped only to then be caught by Race with a swinging neckbreaker. The veteran Race, a member of the KRU Roster and a former LOW World Heavyweight champion, was facing the Bullet Club for the first time and gave them a taste of why he is so feared and respected. The Destroyer tagged in and worked over Cole hitting handstand knee drops before he managed to tag out. The “Under Boss” Terek, a big 400-pounder out of Boston, MA, made his presence felt even going toe-to-toe with Inoki at one point. Albright then shocked everyone with a big half nelson suplex on Terex. The strange Voodoo Kaos, the newest member of the Bullet Club, looked to impress but was taken out with a punching combination by Albright. That set up a tag to Race who nailed Voodoo Kaos with a Diving Headbutt to score a snake eyes pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as the KRU stars earned a hard fought win over the Bullet Club but unfortunately things went chaotic post-match.

The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) ran down to the ring and assisted the rest of the Bullet Club in a six-on four attack on the KRU stars. After Inoki, Albright and The Destroyer were tossed out of the ring they were nailed with a double dive by the Bucks. That left Race all alone in the ring and one by one the Bullet Club took turns assaulting him. Cole executed the Panama Sunrise and Terex followed with The Definition of Pain. If that weren’t enough Voodoo Kaos followed up with the Gonzo Bomb and then Race was handed over to Styles who symbolically laid him out with the Styles Clash. The Bucks returned to join the rest of Bullet Club before they bailed out as Inoki, The Destroyer and Albright ran in backed by KRU officials. Race had to be stretchered out of the ring and is said to be suffering from several injuries meaning he will be out of action indefinitely. Inoki was furious during a post-match press conference and said that he was dropping out of his scheduled match at the Tokyo Dome, which was to be a six-man tag team match featuring some legendary stars in LOW, and that he wanted it to be one-on-one, a battle of Strong Style against the leader of Bullet Club, Inoki against AJ Styles. When word was sent back to Styles he accepted the match and said that Inoki will be the next to go out on a stretcher courtesy of the Bullet Club.

8) Rikidozan defeated Giant Baba:
The main event was one that had major ramifications on the Tokyo Dome card as Rikidozan took on Shohei “Giant” Baba to determine who would challenge for the LOW International Heavyweight title held by Ilio DiPaolo. After a puro ceremony to open things, including women presenting bouquets of flowers to the participants, it was DiPaolo making a special appearance to formally accept the challenge of the winner. DiPaolo held up the title belt to applause from the crowd and then shook hands with both Rikidozan and Baba wishing them luck in the match. Once the bell rang it was all friendship being tossed aside as the two men looked to earn that all important championship opportunity. Rikidozan went for a quick victory hitting a slap to the chest and rolling up Baba for a one count. Baba was surprised by that and Rikidozan wisely followed up with the Hiplock for a two count. Baba knew that he was in for a tough battle against his mentor and he came back with his own strong attack. The crowd was on the edge of their seats for much of this one as the two legendary KRU stars put on a clinic. It was a much needed diversion from the antics of the Bullet Club earlier. A great sequence saw Rikidozan execute a counter cradle off of the ropes for a two count and execute another Hiplock for a big near fall. Baba had a hard time keeping Rikidozan on the defensive and the end came when the former Sumo star delivered the Thunderous Chops to score the pin. The crowed cheered the victory by Rikidozan but also cheered on Baba as well. The two men shook hands post-match and Baba left the ring as DiPaolo entered. Rikidozan and DiPaolo also shook hands and the title belt was held up in the air by the referee as the press corps took photos. It was a fitting end to the night and now all eyes in Japan will look forward to the Tokyo Dome event which will kick off the new year in LOW following WrestleCade X weekend.

******

The day following the Budokan Hall card KRU officials released the finalized lineup for the Tokyo Dome card:

LOW Kings Road United - Battle Formation in Tokyo Dome - Tokyo Dome - Tokyo, Japan (Card #1001)

New Year Special Opening Fight: C.W. Anderson, Brent Albright, Arik Cannon, & Erick Stevens vs. Matt Riddle, Shynron, William Forve, & Paul Pope
HATEFUL Revenge: The Mongols vs. Mr. Fuji, Mr. Saito, & Big John Studd
Wild Beast Battle: The French Angel vs. Pampero Firpo
Golden Angel Crowned - 16-Woman Battle Royal for Ring Angels Title:
8-Bit Warfare - 8MW World Heavyweight title: Arizona Chance© vs. Jet Set Strutter
Fantastic Aerial Showcase: Tiger Mask vs. Will Ospreay
Incredible Tag War: The Destroyer & Jushin Liger vs. The Sheik & Sabu
Strong Style vs. Bullet Club: Antonio Inoki vs. AJ Styles
Six Legends Special Battle: Giant Baba, Masked Superstar, & William Muldoon vs. Nick Bockwinkel, Buddy Rogers, George Hackenschmidt
Kings Golden Road - LOW International Heavyweight title: Rikidozan vs. Ilio DiPaolo©

[Kamala]

Very good card like the Main Event

[Pariah]

The Bullet Club might have lost in the eight-man match, but I'm guessing they were quite pleased with the end result... Taking no prisoners! Have we seen the last of the legendary Harley Race? Could we have just witnessed the assault that puts him on the shelf permanently?

Styles and his crew weren't the only members of the 'new generation' to stand in the spotlight... Michael Bennett and Maria seemed poised to take the wrestling world by storm... Perhaps they're bidding their time to find out exactly what the CWA will have to offer...

Very impressive performances by Riddle and Ospreay in their respective matches... Hoping for really big things from these two in the upcoming year...

A spectacular display of talent that sets a very nice stage for the dawn of a new year and the next monumental show to take place at the Tokyo Dome... Excellent work!

[Crimson Cross]

Gotta say seeing Power Surge and Matt Riddle with that opening victory is cool stuff, then Jushin Liger & Will Ospreay over Tiger Mask & Shynron read like a exciting wrestling clinic of junior weights and the hand shakes at the end is always fun stuff. Now you know I'm amp'd for your 1,000 card, but 1,001 with Rikidozan vs. Ilio DiPaolo really has that BIG TIME feel to it, solid stuff my friend...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Kamala, Pariah and Crimson. Harley Race may be down but he won't be out for good. One can imagine that the Bullet Club may have added an enemy they will regret making when Race is able to return to action. They did, however, knock him off of the Tokyo Dome card where he has been replaced by the Masked Superstar in that six-man tag match.

The tag match with Liger & Ospreay beating Tiger & Shynron was just outstanding. That was so much fun to roll out and I was really impressed by how Ospreay fared during the tour. I am looking forward to rolling out that Tiger Mask vs. Ospreay match at the Tokyo Dome. Shynron along with Matt Riddle and Power Surge were all impressive on this tour and make fine additions to the KRU roster.

I have plans to use Michael Bennett and Maria in the new year but just not sure where they will wind up yet. As you can tell the press in Japan really loves Maria so I am sure they will be back for another KRU tour. We are so close to WrestleCade weekend and the Tokyo Dome that I can taste it but there are the final SWA and AWE shows to come first. Thanks as always for reading and commenting.

[cruefan68]

Ok this is the final SWA show and it includes a new match added to WrestleCade X. Next up will be the final AWE show. Not sure how much dice rolling I will get in over the next couple of days but I will try my best to get that show done. After that will be the start of WrestleCade X weekend which I imagine could take a couple of weeks to roll out and type up so patience is required lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the action as we move one step closer to the start of WrestleCade X weekend...

LOW Southern Wrestling Alliance - SWA Final Show - Mid-South Coliseum - Memphis, TN (Card #995)

● Ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta welcomed the capacity crowd for what would be the final show for the Southern Wrestling Alliance. There were some jeers from the crowd as Cappetta continued introducing a special guest in LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox. After thanking Cappetta for his introduction Cox went on to say that the final night of the SWA is just the start of a new era with the formation of the Capitol Wrestling Alliance and he vowed that the CWA would bring the fans the same action and excitement that they have come known to expect from LOW. He said that he expected a great night of action on this final night of the SWA and that in the best interests of all that he was forcing manager Sir Oliver Humperdink to participate in the eight-man Steel Cage Match pitting the House of Humperdink against the team led by Blackjack Mulligan. The crowd cheered that announcement and Cox said that Humperdink did all that he could to legally avoid participating but that he was overruled by the LOW Board of Directors. Cox concluded by thanking the fans for their past support of the SWA and told them to enjoy the matches.

1) Bobby Fulton defeated Dennis Condrey:
With The Fantastics set to face the Midnight Express in one of the feature matches at WrestleCade X the two teams were split up into singles action starting with Bobby Fulton taking on “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey. Manager Jim Cornette was at ringside for Condrey and distracted Fulton during the ring introductions allowing for a sneak attack. Condrey used that to hold the upper hand early including hitting both an atomic drop and gutwrench suplex. Fulton got back into it and dropped Condrey with a running knee lift for a two count. Cornette interfered after that providing a distraction when Fulton had Condrey pinned with the Fantastic Cradle. After a battle on the floor it was Fulton regaining control, thwarting interference by Cornette and executing a second Fantastic Cradle to score the pin.

2) Kenny King defeated D-Lo Brown:
This rematch of former tag team partners was over quicker than a hiccup. D-Lo Brown was looking to avenge his prior defeat at the hands of Kenny King who was now accompanied by his new manager Rock Riddle. The arrogant Riddle distracted Brown during the ring introductions allowing King to jump him. King quickly stunned Brown with a running elbow and then nailed him with the Royal Flush, a fireman’s carry cutter, to score a snake eyes pin. As if the quick loss wasn’t enough Brown was then attacked by King and Riddle. A third unidentified man ran in seemingly to save Brown but he instead joined King and Riddle for a three-on-one attack. That third man was then recognized as “Addicted to Love” Rhett Titus. He and King, a team known in the past as The All Night Express, then laid out Brown with the One Night Stand, a power bomb and diving blockbuster combo. Riddle then grabbed the mic and said that his men made history on the final night of the SWA and that The All Night Express would make more even history as the newest tag team under contract to the IWA!

3) Tommy Rogers defeated Bobby Eaton:
The other half of The Fantastics vs. Midnight Express war squared off as Tommy Rogers took on “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton who had Jim Cornette in his corner. As with the Fulton-Condrey match, Cornette interjected himself in this one on several occasions including preventing some pin chances. Eaton was dominant in the early going hitting his spectacular top rope elbow and the Divorce Court. Rogers survived the punishing attack and caught Eaton with the Tomikaze but Cornette distracted the referee breaking up the pin. A follow up powerslam by Fulton had Eaton pinned but again Cornette distracted the referee. After Rogers stunned Eaton with a barrage of dropkicks he pounced on Eaton for a pin but Cornette jammed him in the head with his tennis racquet out of view of the referee. Eaton followed up hitting the Alabama Jam but somehow Rogers kicked out just before the three count. Cornette was beside himself yelling at the referee as Eaton fired Rogers out of the ring. Rogers was able to gain the upper hand outside and sent Eaton crashing into Cornette to a big pop from the crowd. With Cornette down it was Rogers capitalizing back inside as he delivered a second Tomikaze on Eaton to score the pin. The Fantastics took the singles matches 2-0 and have the momentum going into the tag bout at WrestleCade X.

4) Bobby Shane defeated Tommy Rich:
The popular “Wildfire” Tommy Rich, who will face his mentor Lou Thesz on opposite sides of a tag team match at WrestleCade X, took on the self proclaimed “King of Wrestling” Bobby Shane who was accompanied by his manager J.J. Dillon. Rich looked bound and determined to go into WrestleCade X with some momentum but he also had to take into account the presence of Dillon at ringside. Rich scored an early two count with a right uppercut and went for another pin after a piledriver but Dillon broke up the pin by placing Shane’s leg on the bottom rope. A cross bodyblock by Rich led to another two count before Shane got one of his own with a rolling reverse cradle. Shane found an opening and went on the offensive trapping Rich in a figure four leglock. Rich was fired up as he regained the offensive and wound up busting Shane open during an exchange on the floor. A bulldog then shook up Rich and as the referee checked on him it was Dillon slipping a foreign object to the bloody Shane. Moments later Shane, having slipped the object into his knee pad, nailed Rich with a Loaded Knee Smash to the Head to score the pin. It was a huge victory for Shane and a costly loss for Rich with the big match at WrestleCade X looming.

5) Magnum T.A. defeated Angelo Mosca:
Two men participating in the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament during WrestleCade X weekend squared off as Magnum T.A. took on Angelo “King Kong” Mosca. It was all Mosca early as he started with the pummel in corner and also struck with repeated stomps. Magnum fought back using the arm wringer and then connected with the running forearm scoring a two count. The two battled out to the floor several times and at one point Magnum was nearly disqualified when he sent Mosca head first into the ring post. He caught a break as the referee waived it off and allowed the match to continue. Mosca struck back with a powerful attack but he was unable to put Magnum away. The finish saw Magnum gain the upper hand and quickly nail Mosca with the Belly to Belly Suplex to score the pin. The crowd cheered the victory by Magnum who hopes to carry this momentum into further success in the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament.

6) No DQ Match: Eddie Gilbert defeated Bob Armstrong:
Revenge was clearly on the mind of “Bullet” Bob Armstrong as he entered the ring to take on “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert in this No DQ Match. Gilbert put Armstrong out of action for several weeks and when “The Bullet” returned to action on a recent addition of LOW All-Star Wrestling he was confronted by both Tommy and Doug Gilbert setting off an intense confrontation. Tommy and Doug were nowhere to be found at ringside and neither was Eddie’s manager Sir Oliver Humperdink likely due to his having to wrestle in the main event. The intensity was off the charts in this match from the opening bell. The two fought out to the floor a number of times and with no risk of disqualification weapon use was frequent. Armstrong wound up being busted open and was nearly pinned after being nail with the Hot Shot. Armstrong came back with a fury and hit both a knee lift and vertical suplex scoring near falls on Gilbert. Just when it looked like Armstrong was poised to gain revenge it was Doug Gilbert running down to provide a distraction. Armstrong decked him, much like the way he slapped him on ASW, but Eddie took advantage of the distraction and hit a second Hot Shot to score the pin. Eddie and Doug put the boots to Armstrong post-match and Tommy showed up seemingly to put a stop to it but he joined in as well. A bloody Armstrong was in a bad way when suddenly rushing to the ring were his sons, Brad Armstrong and B.G. James (Brian Armstrong), to make the save. That set off an intense six-way brawl between the two families until LOW officials were able to clear the ring area.

LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox assessed the situation in speaking with local reporters afterward and said that there was room on WrestleCade X for another match and he officially announced that the Armstrong family (Bob, Brad & B.G.) would face the Gilbert family (Tommy, Eddie & Doug) in six-man tag team action. He said that it would be “Family Warfare” and he expected it to be heated battle between the two sides. Bob Armstrong, who was being stitched up by a doctor, received word of the match being signed and thanked Cox for his forward thinking and said that nothing pleases him more than to be able to team with his sons against the Gilbert’s on the biggest stage in LOW.

7) Lou Thesz & Brian Blair defeated Buddy Rogers & Don Muraco:
The semi-final was a tag team rematch as Lou Thesz & Brian Blair took on “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers & “The Magnificent” Don Muraco who had manager J.J. Dillon in their corner. All four men put on a sensational match here and it really could have gone either way. Thesz and Blair showed great cooperation and were able to dominate most of the early action. Rogers finally countered planting Thesz with a jumping knee smash and then trapping him in the Figure Four Grapevine. Blair had to make the save there as Thesz was locked in the hold in center ring. Muraco tagged in and looked great especially against Thesz as he nailed him with the Asiatic Spike and also battered him out on the floor. Blair and Muraco subsequently had a fantastic technical exchange which ended with Blair getting a submission chance using the Sleeper Hold. Rogers would help turn the tide back in his and Muraco’s favor as he wore out Blair with the piledriver and leveled him with a jumping knee smash. They got the heat on Blair for a good stretch until he caught Muraco with an airplane spin and made the tag. Thesz then hit the Greco-Roman Backdrop on Muraco for what looked to be a sure pin but Dillon distracted the referee. In the end it would be Thesz leading his team to victory when he caught a bloody Muraco with a released power bomb followed up by the Thesz Press to score the pin.

8) Steel Cage Match: Blackjack Mulligan, Hillbilly Jim, Tracy Smothers, & Mike Graham defeated Kevin Sullivan, Ox Baker, Wild Bull Curry, & Sir Oliver Humperdink:
The main event of the final SWA card was presumably the end of the war between Blackjack Mulligan and the House of Humperdink. Mulligan recruited his friends Hillbilly Jim, Tracy Smothers and Mike Graham to go against Humperdink and his team of Kevin Sullivan, Ox Baker and Wild Bull Curry. Humperdink had tried to back out of participating in the match but LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox made sure that didn’t happen. Mulligan was pleased with that decision and looked to finally get one over on Humperdink and his men. This was as expected a total brawl inside the steel with the House of Humperdink members doing their best to protect their manager. Sullivan looked great early trading blows back and forth with the larger Mulligan even answering the clubbing forearms with a running forearm. Baker and Curry likewise looked strong during their time in the match. Curry has proven to be an uncontrollable and unstoppable force since his LOW debut and he had his way with the opposition during his time in. A crucial moment came when he got the upper hand on Big Jim and bludgeoned him with a foreign object. That set up a tag to Humperdink who naturally saw his first action in the match against a downed opponent. Humperdink was enjoying himself until a whip to the ropes saw Big Jim come off and flatten him with a shoulder tackle. Smothers tagged in and caught the manager with an uppercut back elbow followed by a flying shoulder block. Graham then tagged in and used the sleeper hold to wear Humperdink down and set him up for the perfect moment – a tag to Mulligan. The crowd went crazy as Mulligan took over and sent Humperdink into the cage wall several times. Humperdink was busted open and Mulligan then laid him out with a bodyslam and applied a Trapezius Claw. It was all over from there as a nearly unconscious Humperdink was ruled unable to continue by the referee as Big Jim, Smothers and Graham prevented Sullivan, Baker and Curry from making the save. Mulligan won the match for his team via submission and finally gained some just revenge on the House of Humperdink. The crowd erupted in cheers as Mulligan, Big Jim, Smothers and Graham closed out the storied history of the SWA with a monumental victory.