Booking 102: Tim's NWF

[TDalton]

Here's the current NWF lineup as of January 1, 2008:

Steve Williams (NWF Champion)
Ted DiBiase
Jim Duggan

Nick Bockwinkel (NWF Tag-Team Champion)
Ray Stevens (NWF Tag-Team Champion)
Curt Hennig
Manager - Bobby Heenan

Harley Race
Larry Hennig
Larry Zbyszko

This is the top 3-way feud. Williams holds the main title. Curt Hennig recently turned on his father and joined the Heenan Family. Zbyszko was a member of the Heenan Family and quit. He now has a loose affiliation with Race & Larry Hennig.

Diamond Dallas Page

Bobby Eaton
Dennis Condrey
Manager - Jim Cornette

Condrey was DDP's tag partner, but turned on him at the end of 2007 to reform the Midnight Express. DDP is a loner who is well liked by the fans, but isn't the most popular guy in the locker room.

Red Bastien
Billy "Red" Lyons

Al Costello
Roy Heffernan
Manager - Wild Red Berry

The Fabulous Kangaroos avoided the Flying Redheads since their debut, but were finally forced into a confrontation by NWF officials. The teams have signed for a series of bouts in 2008. The Kangaroos have not lost (7-0) since they arrived in the area.

Bob Armstrong
Brad Armstrong

Ivan Koloff
Greg Valentine
Manager - Lou Albano

Both teams are transitioning into this new feud. Armstrongs are coming off a big win over the Riviera Playboys at SUPERBOWL OF WRESTLING 5, while Albano's duo just wrapped up a feud with Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant.

Mad Dog Vachon
Jimmy Valiant

Rick Rude
King Kong Bundy

This feud may be delayed in getting started, as Vachon & Valiant are after the tag titles held by Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens.

S.D. Jones
Cousin Luke

Danny Doring
Pretty Boy Larry Sharpe

Undercard feud with George South sometimes showing up as well to help Jones & Luke.

Playboy Buddy Rose
Koko B. Ware
Manager - Sherri Martel
The dreaded Riviera Playboys are without a direct feuding opponent, but will still cause some chaos.

The Sheik (North American Champion)
Manager - Abdullah Farouk
Sheik has won Wrestler of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007, and is the most dominant wrestler in NWF history, having only been pinned once in singles competition since entering the fed in November 2005.

[TDalton]

Card #261 – 01/04/2008
Erie County Fieldhouse – Erie, PA

We open 2008 in Erie, PA after an incredible and surprising SUPERBOWL OF WRESTLING last week! Nick Bockwinkel (boo!) has been cleared to wrestle after his bloody battle with The Sheik had him in the hospital overnight. We’ve got a lot of other great matches including a USA/Russia confrontation along with a big tag-team main event featuring Harley Race & Larry Zbyszko taking on the Heenan Family! Let’s get to the action…

1. Danny Doring b George South
Doring has stated that 2008 will be his year of greatness, but South surprised him with a quick roll up off a suplex. Luckily, Dastardly Dan’s tag partner Larry Sharpe was ringside to break up the pin. Doring rallied and got the pin with Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am to notch his first victory of 2008.

2. Midnight Express b S.D. Jones & Cousin Luke
What was supposed to be an easy debut for Eaton & Condrey turned into a nightmare, as S.D. and Luke took Cornette’s duo to the limit. If not for some timely interference by the Louisville Slugger, the outcome may have been different. The Midnights never got their act together, but managed a win when Condrey pinned Luke with a Rocket Launcher in this nail biter.

3. Greg Valentine b Brad Armstrong
Valentine was unhappy that 2007 ended on a sour note for him, and was looking to take his frustrations out on popular youngster Brad Armstrong. Armstrong showed the fire that had him in the Top 10 rankings last year. Valentine and Albano used some dirty tricks to get the edge, but Bullet Bob came to ringside swinging a baseball bat around! Referee Izzy Moidel sent Bob back to the locker room, but the display distracted Valentine momentarily, and Brad took over from there. After three straight Russian Legsweeps, Valentine was done and Brad went for the cover. Lou Albano waffled Brad, who was near the ropes, with some type of object. Moidel was out of position and didn’t see it. A groggy Valentine draped an arm over Armstrong for the controversial win.

4. King Kong Bundy dq Mad Dog Vachon
Mad Dog faced big Larry Hennig at SUPERBOWL 5 and decided to go even bigger this week, facing Bundy. The size difference was staggering, but Vachon’s viciousness can offset a lot of power and weight. They were going toe to toe until Vachon got a near fall that was broken up by Rick Rude. Jimmy Valiant ran to ringside to support Mad Dog. When Bundy used some questionable tactics to get a pin attempt, Valiant was much less subtle than Rude. He jumped in the ring and hammered the big man, causing referee Paddy Grimes to call for the bell. It cost Vachon a win, but sent a message not only to Bundy & Rude, but to tag champs Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens who Mad Dog & Boogie face next week for the tag belts.

5. Ivan Koloff b Jim Duggan
Koloff had challenged Duggan earlier in the week, and said he was sick of hearing the “U.S.A.” chants at all the different venues. Quick match as Koloff got a distraction from Albano right off the bat and laid into Duggan before the “USA” chants could get going. Hacksaw never recovered and was pinned with a leg drop. He kicked out hard right after the three count, grabbed his 2x4 and stormed the ring, chasing Koloff and Albano to the dressing room.

6. Fabulous Kangaroos b Flying Redheads
With the NWF Board coming down hard on the Kangaroos and Red Berry for intentionally avoiding the Redheads in 2007, the two teams are scheduled for several encounters in early 2008. This one was close for a while, but the trickery of the Kangaroos and their eloquent, yet devious, manager was the difference. The continuous “bending of the rules” by the Aussie team made the Redheads lose their composure. It wound up with Heffernan pinning Lyons after a Boomerang to keep the ‘Roos record a perfect 8-0 in the NWF.

7. Ted DiBiase b Larry Hennig
This one was a war! Very long match extended due to a nasty bump taken by ref Bucky Palermo during the action. DiBiase was in control early and it looked like he would chalk up another win, but Harley Race tripped him up from ringside to turn things around. Just when it looked like the Axe might get the win, Ray Stevens ran out of the dressing and broke up a pin to save DiBiase. The heat between the Race/Hennig and Bockwinkel/Stevens teams goes back a long time. Back in the ring there was a long period where Palermo was knocked out, leading to some great no holds barred action. By the time the ref recovered, Hennig was a bloody mess. He still kept going forward, which is the only direction he knows. The finish saw DiBiase hit a second rope elbow on the big man for the hard fought victory. DiBiase has still not been pinned since his return to the NWF in June 2007.

8. Jimmy Valiant dq Nick Bockwinkel
Bockwinkel looked a step slower than usual at the start of the match, most likely due to some residual damage from SUPERBOWL. Valiant was able to do some damage and scored a couple of near falls right away. Bockwinkel survived and made a comeback (with a little help from Bobby Heenan) and looked like he was on his way to victory. Mad Dog Vachon made a save for his partner, and it wound up with Ray Stevens putting the boots to Valiant during an out of ring exchange that caused ref Mark Curtis to call for the DQ. After a horrible start in 2007, Valiant has now won 5 of his last 6 bouts and cracked the Top 10 rankings. This was Bockwinkel's 100th singles match, which is the most of any NWF wrestler.

9. Curt Hennig & Ray Stevens b Harley Race & Larry Zbyszko
Race and former Heenan Family member Zbyszko against Stevens and Heenan’s newest recruit Curt Hennig. Good match with a lot of action between all four competitors. Race & Zbyszko were off to a fast start, beating on Curt, who is now among the most hated men in the NWF. The action was fast-paced and the bout could have gone either way, but the Heenan Family pulled it out when Hennig used the Hennig-Plex to put Zbyszko down for the count.

The new year is upon us, and so far it’s looking good! We’ll move the NWF caravan to Utica, NY for next week’s show at the Memorial Auditorium! Here’s the lineup so far:

* DDP may have given up on finding a regular tag-team partner after Dennis Condrey stabbed him in the back at SUPERBOWL 5. He’ll need to find other allies against the returning Jim Cornette, which shouldn’t be too difficult as Cornette offended pretty much everyone in his previous go around in the area. DDP will take on former partner Dennis Condrey in singles action in Utica!

* In a rematch from SUPERBOWL 5, you’ll have Larry Zbyszko in one corner and Curt Hennig in the other! Zbyszko is upset about his DQ loss in their first meeting, and is looking to seal the deal in Utica!

* The Flying Redheads and Fabulous Kangaroos will meet in two singles matches! The pairings have yet to be decided, but that won’t make much of a difference since the animosity between these two teams is off the charts!

* Lou Albano’s crafty duo of Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff will face youngster Brad Armstrong and Hacksaw Jim Duggan in a tag-team attraction! Both of Albano’s men got controversial wins this week, but how will they fare when their opponents team up?

* Your big main event will see a return match as Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens defend the NWF Tag-Team Titles against challengers Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant, who scratched out a DQ win in their last encounter!

All this and much more is only seven days away in Utica!

[TDalton]

Card #262 – 01/11/2008
Memorial Auditorium – Utica, NY

We’re back in Utica, NY – the only city on the NWF tour to never witness a title change at a live event. That could all change tonight with Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant challenging tag champs Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens! We’ve also got Harley Race and Ted DiBiase renewing an old rivalry, Jim Cornette’s Midnight Express in singles contests and much more! Let’s get to the action…

1. Bobby Eaton b Cousin Luke
After struggling against Luke in last week’s tag encounter, Beautiful Bobby used his agility and some interference from manager Jim Cornette to get the win here. Luke survived the Alabama Jam, but fell victim to another of Bobby’s high flying moves, the top rope elbow.

2. Danny Doring & Larry Sharpe dq S.D. Jones & George South
It was a little bit of retribution for South, who got beaten by Doring last week. Philadelphia’s Favorite Son took him as a partner and they looked to even the score. It was a short match as Sharpe had South covered after a Piledriver, and Jones climbed in the ring and clotheslined the Pretty Boy! Doring & Sharpe were looking to double up on Jones when Cousin Luke showed up to even the sides in the post-match standoff.

3. Al Costello cor Billy “Red” Lyons
The first Redheads/Kangaroos singles bout of the evening goes to Costello. Lyons had the upper hand, but it didn’t last long. With some help from Wild Red Berry, Costello took over and worked on Lyons’ leg. The finish saw Lyons get counted out while being taunted by Berry. Costello has now won 5 singles matches since his debut, but none by pinfall or submission.

4. Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff b Jim Duggan & Brad Armstrong
This match was based on last week’s singles bouts between the four men. Despite not having any experience as a team, Duggan & Armstrong worked well together. This was a very hard hitting bout with a dramatic ending. Koloff had Duggan in the Russian Bearhug, but couldn’t Hacksaw to submit. Koloff did a leg trip while maintaining the Bearhug, turning it into a pin move. He was awarded the pinfall despite Duggan’s far shoulder clearly being off the mat. It got worse for Hacksaw, as Valentine knocked Armstrong to the floor, then he and Koloff beat Duggan senseless, finishing with a spike piledriver on the floor. Ted DiBiase ran in with a steel chair to chase Albano’s crew from ringside, but could only watch as his bloody teammate was tended to by medical staff and carried out of the arena on a stretcher.

5. Roy Heffernan b Red Bastien
This was a marathon match with great action the whole way. Bastien was an absolute mess by the final bell. I guess the Kangaroos are looking for some payback as the Redheads bloodied them up in singles bouts late in 2007. There were multiple finishers and near falls for each grappler. Later in the match, Bastien missed a kneedrop off the second turnbuckle, and Heffernan went to work on the leg. It paid off as he finally got the win over a limping Bastien with the Stepover Toehold.

6. Dennis Condrey b Diamond Dallas Page
DDP’s neck injury was fully healed, but he had a bigger pain in the neck to worry about with Jim Cornette in Condrey’s corner. Cornette interfered multiple times, allowing Condrey to maintain an advantage for most of the bout. DDP got some big moves in, but was never able to sustain offense with Cornette’s antics at ringside. Condrey scored the upset win with a Face First Legsweep on his former tag partner.

7. Curt Hennig b Larry Zbyszko
After getting the pinfall on Zbyszko in last week’s tag headliner, this rematch from the SUPERBOWL was signed. So far the Heenan Family has turned Hennig around in singles. He’s 2-0 since joining after a horrible 0-5 slide in late 2007. The match was solid as Hennig managed to keep Zbyszko off balance with some aerial moves. Hennig won with the Sleeper, and after the bout revealed that he’s been working on that hold with Bockwinkel.

8. Harley Race b Ted DiBiase
These two are very familiar with each other, as they were teammates in 2005 that went their separate ways. Both are former NWF Champions looking to get to that level once again. DiBiase comes in with a record of 9-2 since his return with no pinfall losses. Race is 5-1 since his return, and avenged his only loss to Duggan. The match was a great mix of roughhouse style and matwork but was marred by interference on both sides. Larry Zbyszko, a new ally of Race, broke up a Figure 4 attempt by DiBiase. Curt Hennig, apparently trying to further aggravate his father, distracted referee Andy DePaul after a Race Piledriver. To the DePaul’s credit, he was finally able to restore order. It wound up with Race victorious using a vertical suplex, which sets him up for a title shot against DiBiase’s tag partner Steve Williams.

9. NWF Tag-Team Championship: Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant b Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens to win titles
This rematch was a result of Vachon & Valiant scoring a DQ win over the champs in November 2007. Heenan had dismissed the challengers, as their overall 2007 W-L record wasn’t impressive, although they had won 4 of 5 heading into this bout. This was a classic and early (really early) tag-team MOTY contender for 2008. Bock and Valiant exchanged a lot early on, and both bled right away. It wound up with Stevens and Vachon in the ring for a bulk of the match, as their respective partners were laid to waste. Heenan was all over the place, interfering whenever possible and distracting ref Mark Curtis and the wrestlers. In the melee, Stevens wound up a bloody mess as well. There were tons of near falls (20 total) with multiple finishers by each of the four. Bockwinkel and Valiant were in for the finish. Bockwinkel, wearing the crimson mask by this point, missed a top rope axehandle on Boogie, who locked the 5 time NWF in his version of the Sleeper. Bockwinkel showed incredible ring presence and somehow managed to get his foot on the bottom rope. When Bock climbed back to his feet, he threw a wild punch, but Valiant slipped it and cinched in the Sleeper one more time. Mad Dog tackled Stevens to stop him from interfering, and the two fell out of the ring onto Heenan. Mark Curtis was checking on the sleeper, and when Bockwinkel’s arm fell flopped to the mat for the third time, he signaled for the bell! After a long struggle to the top, Vachon & Valiant are your new NWF tag-team champions!

A wild finish in the first ever title change in Utica! A great win for one of the NWF’s grittiest duos! It wasn’t as good of a night for NWF champ Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase, as team member Duggan went down at the hands of Lou Albano’s stable. We’ll have more word on the extent of Duggan’s injuries by next week, when the NWF road show arrives in Rochester, NY! As always, there will be lots of great action on the card! Here’s the current lineup:

* Diamond Dallas Page will be in singles action once again, this time against the other half of Jim Cornette’s lethal Midnight Express, Beautiful Bobby Eaton!

* Brad Armstrong was knocked out and unable to help Jim Duggan during the attack by Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff this week. That’s got him fired up, and he’s going after the Russian Bear Ivan Koloff in a singles contest in Rochester!

* Once again Curt Hennig, the newest member of the Heenan Family, will square off against Larry Zbyszko! Hennig is unbeaten since taking Heenan as his manager. Will he be able to keep the streak alive against the Living Legend?

* NWF Champion Steve Williams & Ted DiBiase will have to wait a little while before going after Lou Albano and his crew. The duo will face the combination of Harley Race & Larry “the Axe” Hennig in tag-team action as a prelude to Race challenging Williams for the belt the next week!

* The Sheik will headline your big main event as he defends the North American belt against Bullet Bob Armstrong! Armstrong destroyed the Sheik in their first meeting, but had to settle for an inconclusive double DQ decision back in December. Now he looks to finish the job and make history! The Sheik started his first run as North American champ in Rochester – can Armstrong do the same?

All this and much more is only seven days away in Rochester!

[TDalton]

Card #263 – 01/18/2008
War Memorial – Rochester, NY

The NWF brings the traveling road show back to Rochester, NY and headlines with a big return match for the North American Title! There’s also a tag-team bout involving the two competitor s for next week’s NWF Championship encounter, the Flying Redheads and more! Let’s get to the action…

1. S.D. Jones & Cousin Luke b Danny Doring & Larry Sharpe
Solid opener with Jones & Luke controlling most of the action. Finish saw Cousin Luke pin “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe with a mule kick.

2. Rick Rude b Jimmy Valiant
Good match as Rude made fun of Valliant’s physique early, but a few big right hands changed his tune. Boogie won the brawling and out of ring exchanges, but missed a top rope elbow drop which led to his demise. Rude jumped on his downed opponent, and finished with a piledriver and Rude Awakening for the victory.

3. Bobby Eaton b Diamond Dallas Page
DDP was in trouble right away as both Jim Cornette and Dennis Condrey were in Eaton’s corner. But Page turned the match in his favor with a Diamond Cutter out of nowhere just minutes into the bout. It looked like he had Eaton wrapped up, but it was Jim Cornette helping Eaton block a second Diamond Cutter attempt that led to Beautiful Bobby immediately hitting the Alabama Jam for the win.

4. Brad Armstrong dq Ivan Koloff
An interesting matchup between the Russian Bear and fiery youngster Brad Armstrong. Both got their shots in, but Koloff took the shortcut and started using his chain as a weapon. The first time, referee Paddy Grimes was distracted by Albano and missed it. The second time, Albano attempted a distraction, but Grimes turned around and caught Koloff in the act! Although Brad comes out of the ring a little worse for the wear, he winds up with a DQ win.

5. Flying Redheads b Riviera Playboys
Great action that saw the Redheads barely survive an attack from the Kangaroos in mid-match. Redheads were pretty much in control until the Roos and Red Berry tripped up Lyons, who just barely got a shoulder up on a resulting pinfall attempt. Berry & the Kangaroos got tossed from ringside. It took a while for the Redheads to get back on top, but they did. Lyons locked the Sleeper on Rose to end it.

6. Ray Stevens dq Mad Dog Vachon
After the big upset last week with Vachon & Valiant winning the tag belts, Bobby Heenan was not a happy camper. He’s vowed to get the belts back at the rematch on February 1st in Johnstown. In the meantime, these two brawlers met and not many holds were exchanged. Both started swinging right away, and Mad Dog wound up being DQ’d within minutes for choking Stevens on the ropes and refusing to break the hold.

7. Curt Hennig dq Larry Zbyszko
Another in a recent series of bouts between these two. When Curt joined the Heenan Family, it greatly upset father Larry, who holds a grudge against Heenan from way back. Larry is still not completely recovered from this betrayal that has divided his family. Zbyszko is glad to be rid of Heenan, who he felt was holding him back and only cared about Bockwinkel & Stevens. This meeting was all Hennig, as he got an early advantage and hit Zbyszko with three straight Hennig-Plex’s and the Axe. Zbyszko survived and rolled out of the ring with Curt in close pursuit. Zbyszko, who has recently been displaying his karate skills, grabbed a pair of nunchaku and hit Hennig with them for the DQ.

8. Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams b Harley Race & Larry Hennig
Steve Williams did what was previously impossible and ended Nick Bockwinkel’s record setting title reign back in August 2007. Next week he faces former three-time NWF champion Harley Race is his toughest test since winning the belt. As far as the respective teams go, Race & Hennig come in unbeaten at 3-0 with DiBiase & Williams compiling an impressive 6-1 record. This was an intense hard hitting match where the crowd was into the Williams/Hennig meetings as the two are powerhouses, and really into Williams/Race. While DiBiase & Williams bloodied up both opponents and got the best of it, you still felt that Race & Hennig could win the bout with one big explosive move. It came down to Williams and Race, with Doc getting the hard fought pin with the Oklahoma Stampede. The big question is can he do the same thing to Race next week!

9. North American Championship: Bob Armstrong dq The Sheik
Armstrong came in having taken The Sheik to the limit back in early December 2007 in a match he completely dominated. Bullet had to settle for a double DQ decision and is looking to prove he’s a top notch singles competitor. Armstrong is highly regarded by everyone in the locker room, and is seen as a tough veteran leader of the fan favorite group. This match was over quickly. Armstrong took Sheik to the mat and was giving him a wrestling lesson. Sheik bailed out of the ring and Armstrong followed. Sheik was throwing all sorts of plunder at Armstrong to slow him down. Finally, the Syrian madman blatantly grabbed a chair and whacked Bullet in the back for the DQ and took off down the aisle to the dressing room.

The Sheik is crazy! Has he finally met his match in the Bullet? You know with two indecisive finishes, we’re headed for some type of stipulation match in the future! And how about the Champ!? Pinning Harley Race at any time is a big deal, but doing it right before his title match has to put some doubts in Harley’s mind. We’ll find out next week as we head west to Niagara Falls, NY! Here’s the current lineup:

* DDP is once again looking for a tag partner, but this time just for the night! He signed a contract to face the Midnight Express with a partner of his choosing. The problem is that despite being liked by the fans, his confident/arrogant attitude doesn’t translate well in the locker room. Will someone step up, or will DDP wind up in a handicap match?

* Brad Armstrong has had some problems with Lou Albano’s duo of Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff lately. After watching helplessly as they assaulted Jim Duggan, he was anxious for another tag match against them. He’ll have his father with him, as Bullet Bob is temporarily putting aside his problems with The Sheik to help out his son!

* Jimmy Valiant claims that Nick Bockwinkel just doesn’t know how to “Boogie Woogie.” We’re going to find out as these two meet for the second time this year in singles. Valiant got a DQ win in their first meeting and put Bockwinkel to sleep to win the tag belts!

* Once again the Fabulous Kangaroos will face the Flying Redheads! This is getting to be a nasty feud, as the Kangaroos interfered in the Redheads’ match this week. After finally getting the Australians into the ring, Bastien & Lyons have struggled and need a victory!

* Your big main event will see Steve “Dr. Death” Williams defend the NWF title against former three-time champion Harley Race! Doc has become one of only three men to hold the NWF Title for more than 20 cards! Race is one of three to wear the belt at least three times! It’s a clash of the titans you don’t want to miss!

This great NWF action in Niagara Falls is only seven days away!

[TDalton]

Card #264 – 01/25/2008
Convention Center – Niagara Falls, NY

We’re back in Niagara Falls headlining with an incredible NWF title match, along with a Redheads/Kangaroos bout and opening with a battle that will (hopefully) provide one of the grapplers their first victory! Let’s get to the action…

1. Larry Sharpe b George South
It was the battle of the winless, as these two had combined for 13 losses without a victory prior to this bout. South started out fine, but the “Pretty Boy” quickly reversed and used a Piledriver to win the match.

2. Midnight Express b Diamond Dallas Page & S.D. Jones
Once again DDP is having trouble finding a willing tag partner. S.D. Jones was drafted into service and even Cornette’s biggest detractors are reluctant to be associated with Page. It wound up with DDP taking some punishment before making the tag. Philadelphia’s Favorite Son did a great job, even getting a near fall on Condrey. The Midnights turned things around, and Eaton’s Midnight Massacre put Jones down for the count.

3. Mad Dog Vachon b King Kong Bundy
These two met earlier in the month with Bundy getting a DQ win when Vachon’s partner Jimmy Valiant interfered after some dirty tactics by Bundy and Rude. Referee Bucky Palermo, aware of the prior match, sent both Valiant and Rude back to the dressing room before the bell! It didn’t take long for Mad Dog to get the advantage and finish Bundy with a knee drop from the second turnbuckle.

4. Ray Stevens b Larry Hennig
These days “The Axe” is like a runaway tank. He’s both angry and disappointed at his son’s defection to the Heenan Family, and is looking to vent his rage on any of Heenan’s men he can get a hold of. Stevens was able to take advantage of Hennig’s anger, riling the big man up to the point he started making mistakes. Finish saw Stevens use Hennig’s size against him. Hennig tried a leg dive, but Stevens caught him and heaved the big man over in a double underhook suplex for the pin. This was the 6th straight loss for a distraught Hennig.

5. Bob & Brad Armstrong dq Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff
Brad has been having trouble with Albano’s stable lately, and Bullet Bob has entered the fray, even though he still has some unfinished business with The Sheik. There was no messing around here as both teams went right at it. It ended quickly, as Brad never could get in the ring. Koloff was DQ’d for choking Bob with his chains. After the bell, Bob broke away and hit Koloff with the chains to chase the Albano crew from the ring. The DQ win gives the Armstrongs a 5-0-1 record over their last 6 matches.

6. Nick Bockwinkel b Jimmy Valiant
So far in 2008, the Boogie Woogie Man has had Bockwinkel’s number. Valiant got a DQ win in singles, and scored the fall on Bockwinkel in the match where he and Vachon won the tag belts. This one was all Bockwinkel, as he was motivated to show he’s still a top contender for any singles belt in the NWF. He wore Valiant down with the Sleeper, but finished him with the Figure 4 Leglock in this one-sided bout.

7. Ted DiBiase b Curt Hennig
Hennig’s winning streak as a Heenan Family member has finally ended. Both grapplers had a good showing, but DiBiase was on fire, perhaps fueled by his first pinfall loss since returning to the area last week. Hennig fired off plenty of his trademark moves, and looked like he may have had the match won, but Larry Zbyszko interfered to save DiBiase. While DiBiase and Zbyszko are far from being friends, obviously the Living Legend has more ill will toward Hennig. DiBiase turned it around from there and wound up eventually getting the victory after a wicked right hand with that Black Glove.

8. Fabulous Kangaroos b Flying Redheads
It looks like these teams are going to be facing each other in a series of matches over the next month or two, which after tonight looks like a tough road for the Redheads! The cunning Aussie duo attacked at the bell, knocking Lyons to the floor and double-teaming Bastien. Red took an unbelievable beating, but wouldn’t stay down. By the time he finally managed to tag Lyons, he was a wreck, and just laid on the ring apron bleeding for most of the remainder of the match. Lyons had his work cut out for him, and was able to get in a few shots, but eventually was overwhelmed by the odds. Heffernan locked in his dangerous Stepover Toehold on Lyons for the win as the Kangaroos are now a remarkable 9-0 since their debut!

9. NWF Championship: Harley Race cor Steve Williams
This was a huge match as Williams defended against former three-time NWF titleholder Harley Race. It looked like a blowout during the early going as Race was able to avoid Doc’s power moves. Williams got a foot on the rope after a Piledriver and was woozy for the remainder of the match. Race could smell his fourth title, but somehow Williams made a stunning comeback, driven mainly by Race’s own mistakes. Harley missed a falling headbutt from the second turnbuckle that left him hurting. Doc took over and looked good, even planting Race with a backdrop driver. It went back and forth for some time with each man tired and knocked a little silly. Williams tried for a running bodypress, but Race ducked and pulled down the top rope. Williams went over the top to the floor and was unable to return to the ring by a 10 count. Race wasn’t in much better shape as he didn’t have any gas left in the tank either.

What a crazy ending to a big title match! You know those two will hook up again soon, and it will definitely be something to see! Meanwhile, we’re off to Johnstown, PA next week with all kinds of action already signed! Here’s the current lineup:

* Diamond Dallas Page will once again face former partner Dennis Condrey! This time, Condrey won’t have Jim Cornette in his corner as the loud mouthed manager has been barred from ringside!

* Larry Hennig is still coping with his son’s defection to the Heenan Family, and faces a tough test in Ted DiBiase! The Axe needs to be at the top of game for this one! DiBiase has suffered only one pinfall loss since returning to the area, and is trying to cement his position as the top contender for the North American belt!

* The Armstrongs will get a rematch against Lou’s Albano’s devious duo of Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff! The Armstrongs have really turned their fortunes around since adopting the “no more Mr. Nice Guy” attitudes! Bullet Bob has a big rematch coming up with The Sheik in two weeks, but he gives you 100% every time out, so this one could be a show stealer!

* Rivals Larry Zbyszko and Curt Hennig will meet again in singles action! Zbyszko’s animosity toward the Heenan Family continues to grow, and “the Brain” has sent his newest recruit to cut the “Living Legend” down to size!

* Your big main event will be the return match for the NWF Tag-Team Titles! New champions Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant look to send former champs Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens packing in what will certainly be a hard hitting affair!

All this and more when the NWF returns to Johnstown next week!

[TDalton]

NWF RANKINGS
As of January 31, 2008

NWF Champion: STEVE WILLIAMS (C)
North American Champion: THE SHEIK (NA)
1. Harley Race (2)
2. Bob Armstrong (3)
3. Ted DiBiase (4)
4. Ivan Koloff (1)
5. Rick Rude (5)
6. Nick Bockwinkel (6)
7. Greg Valentine (7)
8. Ray Stevens ( - )
9. Jimmy Valiant (10)
10. Red Bastien (9)

NWF Tag-Team Champions: MAD DOG VACHON & JIMMY VALIANT (1)
1. Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens (C)
2. Fabulous Kangaroos (2)
3. Bob & Brad Armstrong (3)
4. Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy ( - )
5. Flying Redheads (4)


NOTES: Williams and Sheik have been rock steady as champions, but face strong challengers in the coming weeks. Stevens climbs back onto the singles charts after a couple of January victories. Vachon & Valiant finally reach the top of the tag list after struggling as a team for much of 2007. It looks like Rude & Bundy will be the next team to challenge for the tag gold.

[TDalton]

Card #265 – 02/01/2008
War Memorial Arena – Johnstown, PA

It’s a cold February evening outside, but the action inside the War Memorial Arena is red hot! We have a return match for the tag-team belts, a rematch between the Armstrongs and Lou Albano’s cronies and best of all, a match where loud mouthed manager Jim Cornette has been barred from ringside! Fans couldn’t be happier! Let’s get to the action…

1. Al Costello b S.D. Jones
Kangaroo captain Costello gets his first victory by pinfall or submission, but it certainly wasn’t easy! Jones was struggling early, but interference from Red Bastien completely turned the match around and put S.D. in charge. If it weren’t for a missed move off the ropes, Jones might have had the win, but Costello took advantage and won with the Marble Bor Leglock.

2. Danny Doring & Larry Sharpe b Cousin Luke & George South
South has been having some problems with Doring & Sharp, and has found allies in S.D. Jones & Cousin Luke. This turned into a good match as South took a beating, but dished out some punishment to Doring as well. Both were bleeding by the end of the contest, but it was Luke and Sharpe who figured in the finish. Luke missed a running charge into the turnbuckle which allowed the “Pretty Boy” to land a jumping knee drop for the win.

3. Bobby Eaton b Playboy Buddy Rose
This is the bout where you have to put up with Cornette at ringside. The match allegedly arose from a backstage argument between Cornette and the first wrestler he ever managed – Sherri Martel! No one quite knows what the dispute was about, although both are strong personalities who are very confident about their respective teams’ abilities. Eaton won with a rollup after Cornette cracked Rose in the back with the tennis racquet. Cornette interfered freely throughout. It looks like Midnights versus Playboys next week!

4. Billy “Red” Lyons dq Roy Heffernan
Despite having to face the Flying Redheads after ducking them for months, the Fabulous Kangaroos have remained unbeaten, and have also won the two previous singles matches between the teams. This one was over quickly, as Heffernan took the action outside the ring and was DQ’d for repeatedly slamming Lyons back-first into the ring post. Bastien was quick to arrive on the scene, followed closely by Costello resulting in a standoff. Next week the teams are scheduled to square off in tag action once again.

5. Dennis Condrey b Diamond Dallas Page (Jim Cornette barred from ringside)
What was that sound from ringside? There wasn’t one? Oh, that’s because Jim Cornette is barred from the ring! Of course, he accompanied Condrey anyway, but was dragged back to the locker room by security, all the while screaming about calling his lawyers and violations of his civil rights. The loss of Cornette didn’t matter, as Condrey had enough tricks up his sleeve to get the win. He hit the Face First Legsweep, then executed a cover where his feet were braced against the bottom turnbuckle to get the well-leveraged win.

6. Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff dq Bob & Brad Armstrong
A rematch stemming from last week’s DQ win for the Armstrongs. Valentine & Koloff were better prepared this week, and were laying it in on both Bob and Brad. Koloff managed to cuff Bob with his chains while referee Mark Curtis was distracted. Once the Bullet regained his senses, he grabbed the chains and sent Koloff reeling with a big haymaker! Unfortunately, Curtis saw the whole thing and DQ’d Bob for his actions. It didn’t seem like Bob cared too much, as he waved the chains over his head, clearing the ring of everyone. It certainly seems as if he’s in the proper frame of mind for next week’s Texas Death Match against The Sheik!

During intermission, a video aired of Sir Oliver Humperdink! He’s currently finishing up his managerial commitments in Florida, but said he’s coming to the NWF and bringing with him a tag-team that will trample everyone in their path! Humperdink and his team are expected to debut at the Akron Armory show in two weeks!

7. Ted DiBiase b Larry Hennig
This was a really good match as neither grappler was shy about trading punches. An inadvertent bump on ref Bucky Palermo saw both men putting a little extra mustard on their shots, knowing they weren’t going to be DQ’d. Even when new referee Paddy Grimes took over, the two traded, with DiBiase standing toe-to-toe with the much larger Hennig. It wound up with Hennig, a bloody mess, losing his seventh straight match when DiBiase decked him with the Black Glove. Not to fault DiBiase’s performance, but Hennig clearly has not been 100% mentally since his son joined the Heenan Family.

8. Larry Zbyszko b Curt Hennig
Speaking of Curt joining the Heenan Family, here he is against former Heenan enforcer Larry Zbyszko! These two just seem to tear into one another every time they meet. This time it was Zbyszko bouncing Hennig all over the place before Hennig made a big comeback. They continued to exchange big moves until Zbyszko finally got the win with a Piledriver in a back and forth contest..

9. NWF Tag-Team Championship: Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant b Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens
Vachon & Valiant scored the big upset win to grab the titles last month and were looking to take the return match as well. Vachon & Valiant, both better known for teaming with their respective brothers, took a while to click as a team, but have been on fire recently. Still, experts didn’t give them much of a chance. Heenan’s team came out strong and put a hurtin’ on Mad Dog. That forced Valiant, who they considered the weak link on the team, to wrestle a bulk of the match. The strategy backfired, as he Boogied all over Stevens then Woogied all over Bockwinkel. Vachon was back in for short periods, but it was Valiant who did most of the damage and once again pinned Bockwinkel, this time with a bodypress off the top rope. It won’t get any easier for the champs, as either Bundy & Rude or the Fabulous Kangaroos will be next in line!

Who would’ve thought Vachon & Valiant would be the duo to take down Bockwinkel & Stevens? Not me, that’s for sure. Man, there is some crazy stuff going down in the NWF these days! Next week, we’ll head make a somewhat rare appearance in West Virginia with a stop in Fairmont! Here’s the current lineup:

* Fans at the Marion County Rec Center will get to see an unlikely matchup between Sherri Martel’s Riviera Playboys and Jim Cornette’s Midnight Express! This doesn’t look to have any long-term potential, as it grew out of two managers bragging to one another about their teams. Still, it is intriguing, and will be a fast paced bout between two top teams!

* Jimmy Valiant, fresh off scoring the pinfall in this week’s tag title match, will face Ravishing Rick Rude! Will Valiant wind up another “Fairmont Fathead” or will he give Rude a lesson in Boogie Woogie 101?

* The Flying Redheads and Fabulous Kangaroos will meet again! After ducking the Redheads for months in 2007, the Kangaroos have won each previous meeting and kept their perfect record intact! With a tag-team title shot within their grasp, the Kangaroos are looking to use the Redheads as a “stepping stone to greatness.”

* Once again NWF Champion Steve Williams and challenger Harley Race will see tag-team action with partners Ted DiBiase and Larry Hennig joining the party! Last time, Doc pinned Race with the Oklahoma Stampede, but wasn’t able to get the job done in his title defense, losing by countout. Race will be looking to do some damage to the champ before their title rematch in this wild tag-team encounter!

* Your big main event will be a battle for the North American Title under Texas Death rules! Bob Armstrong will try to best The Sheik in a match where anything goes! This match seems to play into The Sheik’s hands, but the Bullet can mix it up with anyone, and has been very close to winning the belt in the past!

All this and more when the NWF returns to Fairmont, WV!

[Cory Olson]

An awesome year so far for the NWF!

tdalton said:

7. Ted DiBiase b Larry Hennig
This was a really good match as neither grappler was shy about trading punches. An inadvertent bump on ref Bucky Palermo saw both men putting a little extra mus[censored] on their shots, knowing they weren’t going to be DQ’d.

Why was this censored?

[aquinas]

coryolson said:

An awesome year so far for the NWF!

tdalton said:

7. Ted DiBiase b Larry Hennig
This was a really good match as neither grappler was shy about trading punches. An inadvertent bump on ref Bucky Palermo saw both men putting a little extra mus[censored] on their shots, knowing they weren’t going to be DQ’d.

Why was this censored?

The filter bleeped out 't a r d'....even if it's in the middle of the word. Not perfect -- oops. I modified it with a dash the original post.

[Cory Olson]

Ahh, I wouldn't have even considered that. Thanks for the explanation, Aquinas!