Cory's USWA

[Cory Olson]

May 9, 2008
Card #167: Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga

1) The Killer B’s got a win in the opener over George South and Larry Sharpe. The Chattanooga crowd popped big time for South, after his victory over “Playboy” Buddy Rose on the last card in Evansville. Sharpe took a beating early on from The B’s, but was able to tag out. The crowd got behind South, who took several double teaming beatings from The B’s. Buff Bagwell hit South with two Buff Blockbusters, but Sharpe broke up both pin attempts. “Buff Daddy” hit a nice flying body press off the top rope to pick up the three-count. **¾

2) “Ravishing” Rick Rude pinned Yukon Eric. These two wrestlers don’t have much in common, but one thing they share is their mutual problems with Killer Kowalski. Eric’s feud is well-known, while Rude got hit with a chair in challenging for Kowlaski’s Southern Heavyweight title on the last card. Eric started off showcasing his strength, bouncing Rude off the ropes. But the “Ravishing One’s” finesse paid off. He attempted two Rude Awakenings, but Eric broke free. Rude focused on the neck with swinging neckbreakers and short piledrivers. Rude finally hit the Rude Awakening to put Eric down and score the pinfall. Bobby Heenan (who wore a ring jacket and his singlet for his later match) was a happy man. *½

3) Southern Heavyweight champion Killer Kowalski pulled out a hard fought victory against S.D. Jones. “Special Delivery” fought hard against the big man, trying to get him down and score the huge upset. He managed to pick up Kowalski with a suplex. Jones went for a cover, but only got two. Jones came off the top with a flying body press, but Kowalski caught him and gave him a backbreaker. Kowalski hit the Bombs Away, and then applied a stomach claw a few minutes later to gain the submission victory. ***

4) “Playboy” Buddy Rose defeated rival Cousin Luke. The hillbilly went wild early on, hitting a Hillbilly Drop, but only getting a two-count. Luke got worn out and Rose took over, hitting the Bombs Away, but not going for the pinfall, just to rub it in. Rose hit a DDT on Luke, but only got a two-count. Luke came up bleeding from the DDT. Rose took him down then went up to the top rope again. Rather than hitting the Bombs Away, the “Playboy” hit a nice splash off the top and covered Luke to score the three-count. Rose and “Sensational” Sherri Martel fled to the locker room, before Luke could recover and come after Sherri. ***½

5) The Heenan Family duo of The Masked Superstar and King Kong Bundy defeated The Killer Bees in a very hard fought and exciting match. The last time these teams met was on March 14 in Memphis, in a bout that saw The Bees come out the winners over the then-USWA World Tag Team champions by DQ in a non-title bout. The Bees were in need of a win to get back on track and were determined to do so. It looked like Superstar and Bundy would get the win early, as Bundy tagged in and with an assisted whip from his partner blasted “Jumping” Jim Brunzell with the Avalanche after just a few minutes. Brunzell collapsed, but was wisely able to roll out of the ring and recover. After getting hit with both Superstar’s dreaded spinning neckbreaker and getting locked in his Cobra Hold, Brunzell was busted open by a big knee drop from the 446 lbs. Bundy. B. Brian Blair tagged in, but took a beating too. He capitalized on a mistake by Bundy and locked in his sleeper, but the big man made the ropes. The Bees hit the Bee Sting, followed by one of Brunzell’s famous dropkicks, but couldn’t keep Bundy down. The Bees were tagging in and out trying to wear down The Heenan Family team. Late in the match, both teams tried some sneaky tactics. Superstar was seen receiving a foreign object from Bobby “The Brain” Heenan in the corner and loaded up his mask. In the other corner, Blair and Brunzell donned their own masks. Superstar went to head butt Blair in The Bees’ corner, but Blair dodged it. Frank Morrell was trying to get Bundy out of the ring and didn’t see the masked “Jumping” Jim leap into the ring and switch with his partner. Brunzell blasted Superstar with a stiff dropkick and went for a cover, but got 2¾. Both combatants were tired out by this point. Superstar ducked a crossbody block from Brunzell, who went sailing over the top rope and hit the arena floor, landing on his back. Bundy tagged in and Superstar threw Brunzell back into the ring. Bundy picked up Brunzell and dropped him with a falling body slam. He made the cover and got the three-count. As The Heenan Family made their way to the locker room, blood could be seen coming from Superstar’s mask, probably from Brunzell’s dropkick. But Heenan looked very relieved that his team pulled out the victory. *****

6) Frank Gotch defeated Greg Valentine by submission in a brief, but hard-hitting match. “The Hammer” went right to work on Gotch’s legs, and attempted the figure-four leglock early, but Gotch made the ropes. While on the floor, Gotch decked Valentine with a stiff punch. He continued to showcase his boxing training in the ring, trying to knock Valentine out. Gotch hit an Iowa backdrop and floated into a cover, but only got two. Gotch applied the Gotch Toehold in the center of the ring and got the tap out. The match was only a few minutes, but the Chattanooga crowd was behind the fast-paced, physical action. ***

7) One-half of the World Tag Team champions “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton got some revenge on the self-proclaimed “Uncrowned World Tag Team champion” Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Heenan stalled for time early on and kept accusing Jim Cornette of planning to interfere for his man. Once the two started wrestling, Heenan actually had the advantage at times. He attempted a pin after Eaton missed a dive in the corner, and put his feet on the ropes for leverage, but Cornette ran around and knocked them off the ropes, which also broke up the pin attempt. Eaton came back and started wailing away on “The Weasel”. Heenan attempted to get himself deliberately counted out, by leaving the ring, but Cornette met him half-way up the aisle and chased him back to the ring with the tennis racket. “Beautiful” Bobby did what he does best and hit a big elbow drop off the top rope to get the pinfall. Cornette took a cheap shot at Heenan afterwards. The Heenan Family members came down to help their manager to the locker room. **¼

8) The Sheik emerged victorious over Dan “The Beast” Severn in a First Blood Match. These two fierce rivals brawled from the get-go. Severn hit two fireman’s carry slams and applied the wakigatame, adding extra force by pushing back and rubbing Sheik’s face into the mat in an attempt to bust him open. Sheik looked like he was going to try and burn Severn with a fireball, but Team RPW coach Dick Hutton jumped on the apron. Sheik nailed him with a thrust to the throat, then went back on the attack. Sheik went to his other weapon—the sharp object. He used it freely in front of Jerry Calhoun, since there were no disqualifications. Sheik locked on the Camel Clutch and drove the object into Severn’s forehead, drawing blood on “The Beast”. Calhoun called for the bell and awarded the match to The Sheik. ***¼

9) In a special attraction from the WWF, Randy “Macho Man” Savage retained the Intercontinental championship in controversial fashion over Hulk Hogan. Savage had the early advantage, pouncing on the challenger and trying to wear him down. But even for his first appearance in a USWA ring, Hogan was immensely cheered and fought back, blasting Savage with an atomic drop. Hogan hit a big boot to the face and appeared ready to hit his famous leg drop, but the “Macho Man” rolled out of the ring before the “Hulkster” could deliver. Savage fought back and landed his flying elbow drop off the top rope, which has brought him many victories. He went for the cover, but Hogan just kicked out. Savage came off the top again, but this time with a flying body press, but again got two. Hogan rolled to the floor to try and recover. Paul Neighbors was momentarily distracted by Miss Elizabeth, warning her to keep away from Hogan. (Although it didn’t appear she was going to attack Hogan.) Savage jumped out of the ring and grabbed the Intercontinental championship belt from the announcers’ table and blasted Hogan in the head with it, while Neighbors still had his back turned. Savage threw Hogan back in the ring, went up to the top again, and came off with another flying elbow drop. He went for a cover and got the three-count, although it appeared that Hogan kicked out right after the three. Hogan had a small cut on his head from the belt smash. He protested to Neighbors, but to no avail. Savage grabbed the belt and Elizabeth and high tailed it out of the Memorial Auditorium. ***½

10) The main event was the big rematch for the USWA World Heavyweight title as champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis put the title on the line against his rival The “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer. The two grapplers traded mat holds early, but there was more aggression tonight, as when one wrestler would have a submission hold applied, he would also sneak in a forearm shot or a slap. Both men utilized a single leg Boston Crab, but the masked man was able to use it more and he focused on Lewis’ previously injured knee. Lewis got trapped in Destroyer’s figure-four leglock, but the champ rolled into the ropes. Lewis was busted open, after Destroyer attacked from behind with a knee smash on the arena floor and Lewis was knocked into the ringpost. Despite the blood loss and hurt knee, Lewis came back and started to work the headlock, but couldn’t keep the challenger down. The bout surprisingly went to the floor, with both competitors throwing stiff punches and forearm shots. Destroyer took the action back to the ring and had Lewis in the corner, stretching his knee over the ropes and stomping away on it. Destroyer back up and went for a jumping stomp to Lewis’ knee, but the champ broke free and Destroyer crashed head-first into the turnbuckle. Destroyer’s mask soon sported blood. Lewis locked Destroyer in a cradle, but only got a two-count. Lewis took the masked man down to the canvas again in the Strangler’s Headlock. He kept grinding away on Destroyer’s head. With both men bleeding, Lewis was able to force Destroyer’s shoulders to the mat and Jerry Calhoun counted them down for three-count. The Chattanooga crowd erupted at the “Strangler’s” amazing guts and fortitude in coming back to retain the title. *****

[Cory Olson]

Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on May 10:
• As a result of huge ratings for the May 3 edition of Championship Wrestling, featuring the bout from Budokan Hall with Giant Baba against Abdullah the Butcher, it was announced that another bout from Japan will air on the May 31 episode. The bout will actually take place on May 27, as part of a huge supercard at the famous Tokyo Egg Dome. This card is being put on by Weekly Gong magazine and will feature match-ups from several Japanese promotions. The bout to be featured on USWA Championship Wrestling will be an interpromotional tag team match featuring three former USWA stars. Giant Baba (from All Japan Pro Wrestling) will team up with former USWA World Heavyweight champion Antonio Inoki (currently competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling). The two will take on the devious duo of Abdullah the Butcher (AJPW) and Bruiser Brody (NJPW). Baba and Inoki were allies in the USWA and had great success. Brody, while popular during his time in the USWA, has become very hated in the Land of the Rising Sun against native superstar Inoki. This bout will be a historical one and one that USWA fans won’t want to miss!
• Yukon Eric was interviewed by Lance Russell and announced that “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka will return to action from internal injuries on May 23 in Lexington. A bout has already been signed that will feature Snuka and Eric taking on Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and manager Capt. Lou Albano. Eric said that he has spoken with Snuka and he is fired up to come after Albano and his men, namely Southern Heavyweight champ Killer Kowalski who put him out with his stomach claw. (Kowalski will be defending his title that same night in the main event against The Sheik.) Russell later interviewed Albano and his men. The Captain revealed that the returning “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant will be making his return appearance on the same card and will accompany him and Valentine to ringside for the bout.
• USWA Committee Chairman Jerry Jarrett announced that a huge supercard will be held on July 4. The card will be called the Independence Day Bash and will be held at Texas Stadium in Irving. Texas Stadium hosted New Year’s Knockout II back in 2005. Jarrett said that big matches will be signed in the coming weeks.

The USWA returns to Music City, USA—Nashville, TN on May 16!
• “Playboy” Buddy Rose will take on two men that have gotten in his way lately—Cousin Luke and George South. The former World Heavyweight champion will team up with…a mystery partner! Rose announced that he has made a one-time big financial deal to get this help against Luke and South. Rumors have bounced around from former Rose allies Gorgeous George and Chris Candido, to an early return from Rose’s current tag team partner “Dastardly” Danny Doring. Who will the partner be and can he and the “Playboy” work towards a victory?
• Texas champion Danny Hodge will return to action after getting burned by The Sheik’s fireball. The Team RPW member will do battle with Sheik’s nephew the homicidal, suicidal, genocidal, death-defying Sabu! Can Hodge outwrestle the Bombay madman or will Sabu take Hodge to the extreme?
• The war between The Killer Bees and Capt. Lou Albano’s Killer B’s will continue, but this time in singles bouts. “Jumping” Jim Brunzell will do battle with former Texas champion Brutus Beefcake, while B. Brian Blair will lock up with Buff Bagwell. The B’s have had more success lately, but will the one-on-one bouts favor The Bees?
• One week before challenging for the Southern Heavyweight title, The Sheik will take on hated rival Bobo Brazil! Lance Russell asked Abdullah Farouk on Championship Wrestling if his man was taking on too much in a short period of time, in battling Dan Severn in the First Blood Match, and now Brazil. But Farouk responded that Sheik will carve up all competition that steps in his way. Will Farouk’s words come true?
• In another big tag bout, World Heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Rikidozan battle The “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer and “Ravishing” Rick Rude. What shape will Lewis and The Destroyer be in after their physical battle this past week? You can bet rivals Rikidozan and Rude will be looking to clash as well!
• The main event will be a historic six-man tag team match, as USWA World Tag Team champions The Midnight Express team up with their manager Jim Cornette to defend the titles against former champs The Masked Superstar and King Kong Bundy and their manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Remember fans, if “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton or “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey are pinned or submit, they will lose the titles and the man scoring the winning fall will get to choose his championship partner. Heenan took a beating from Eaton this past week in Chattanooga. Can he come back and prove himself to be the true World Tag Team champion?
All this plus Dan “The Beast” Severn battles Yukon Eric, and more great bouts!

[Cory Olson]

May 18, 2008
Card #168: Civic Coliseum in Nashville

1) Frank Gotch defeated Koko B. Ware in an interesting opening match-up. Gotch shot a takedown on “The Birdman” into the corner, but unfortunately didn’t realize that referee Scott Bowden was behind Ware. Bowden got knocked down. Gotch applied his toehold, then realized that Bowden had been knocked down. He went to check on the official. Ware recovered and in a surprising move attacked Gotch from behind. Tommy Gilbert soon came down to replace Bowden. Gotch came back and got a quick tapout victory with the toehold. The Team RPW member helped Koko to his feet. Koko apologized for his actions, explaining that he was hoping for an upset in his home state and that he got caught up in the moment. Ware shook hands with Gotch and Dick Hutton afterwards. Bowden was unable to officiate the rest of the evening. *

2) Southern Heavyweight champion Killer Kowalski scored a quick pinfall on Brad Armstrong. Kowalski worked over the Georgian and scored the pin in about a minute and a half after an overhead body slam. Capt. Lou Albano was pleased with the quick win. Kowalski looked vicious prior to his defense next week against The Sheik. DUD

3) Dan Severn scored an impressive submission victory over Yukon Eric. “The Beast” was fired up here, perhaps taking out his aggression over losing the First Blood Match to The Sheik last week in Chattanooga. He seemed to have a counter for every one of Eric’s moves, outwrestling him at every turn. Severn focused on the arm, applying the wakigatame several times before finally getting the tap. Eric had a slight cut on his forehead from being thrown and dropped on his head by Severn’s fireman’s carry slam. ½*

4) “Playboy” Buddy Rose’s mystery partner against Cousin Luke and George South turned out to be…Larry Sharpe. While this may seem like an odd choice, remember that Sharpe and South have teamed up on many occasions. Sharpe grabbed the microphone before the bout and informed South that this was nothing personal, just business. The bout started off with Rose and Luke. The hillbilly got worn down and Sharpe scored a near fall after a piledriver. Luke managed to tag out to South, who came in against Rose and tried to score another upset win on him. But the “Playboy” was focused on getting revenge. He hit a Bombs Away on South, but then pulled him up before Tommy Gilbert could count three. Rose went up the ropes again and hit a second Bombs Away. Luke was angered by Rose’s actions and jumped in the ring with his lucky horseshoe. Luke clocked Rose over the head with it as Rose was covering South. Gilbert immediately called for the bell and gave Rose and Sharpe the win by DQ. Luke stomped away on Rose after the bell. Sharpe left the ring apron and went back to the locker room. “Sensational” Sherri Martel tried to get Sharpe to help, but the New Jersey native argued that he had done the work he had been paid for in competing in the match. South and Sharpe never locked up in the bout. **¼

5) Brutus Beefcake beat “Jumping” Jim Brunzell by DQ in a very quick match. Capt. Lou Albano was seen handing Beefcake an object in the corner right before the bout. Beefcake apparently slipped it into his armband and clocked Brunzell with it. B. Brian Blair came running from the locker room to inform Paul Morton of this, but Morton hadn’t seen it. Beefcake blasted Brunzell with his flying knee smash and went for a cover. An angry Blair jumped into the ring and stomped on Beefcake, getting his partner disqualified. Capt. Lou Albano got into the ring, but was met with a dropkick by Blair. Blair revived Brunzell, then picked up Beefcake. Brunzell blasted Beefcake right smack dab in the nose with a dropkick. Buff Bagwell finally made his way to the ring, but the damage had been done. Beefcake suffered a broken nose. Although The Bees actions were very rough, the Nashville fans supported them, since Albano and Beefcake had cheated first. DUD

6) Texas champion Danny Hodge took a beating but came back to pin Sabu out of nowhere. The Bombay madman went right to work on Hodge. He brought a chair in the ring and with Abdullah Farouk distracting Tommy Gilbert, he hit two Arabian facebusters. Dick Hutton was furious at ringside, but restrained himself from interfering. Sabu applied the Camel Clutch, but Hodge made it to the ropes. Sabu came off the top rope with a moonsault, but landed more on Hodge’s face and busted him open. With the crowd behind him, Hodge made a huge comeback and pummeled Sabu. Hodge climbed to the second turnbuckle and hit a vertical body press (also known as the Thesz Press, made famous by Lou Thesz). Hodge hooked both of Sabu’s legs with his own and got the pinfall out of nowhere. **½

7) In the continuing Bees-B’s war, Buff Bagwell scored a pinfall victory over B. Brian Blair. “Buff Daddy” actually jumped Blair in the aisle before the bell, seeking revenge for Brutus Beefcake’s broken nose. He focused on Blair’s neck throughout the bout, using the Buff Blockbuster several times. With Capt. Lou Albano distracting Tommy Gilbert, Bagwell hit a double arm DDT on the floor, which brought The B’s a countout win over The Bees on April 25 in Evansville. It looked like history would repeat as Gilbert put the count on Blair. But at 7, Blair struggled to his feet and rolled back into the ring just in time to beat the count. Bagwell pulled one out of “Jumping” Jim Brunzell’s playbook and hit a dropkick for a two-count. Bagwell strutted and mocked Brunzell, saying his dropkick was superior. It did prove effective as Bagwell landed another dropkick and then made a cover, hooking Blair’s tights to score the pinfall. Brunzell made another appearance, angered at Bagwell’s cheating and probably that he used his own finisher. He nailed Albano from behind, then jumped in the ring and dropkicked Bagwell. Blair recovered and then grabbed a steel chair from ringside. Blair proceeded to smack the downed Bagwell right across the face with the chair three times. Bagwell was bleeding profusely and it was later determined he suffered a broken orbital bone. The Nashville crowd was almost in shock at The Bees’ actions twice on the same card, but did cheer the two. ***½

8) Bobo Brazil was declared the winner over The Sheik by disqualification, but he sure didn’t look like a winner. Sheik took the advantage early on and locked on the Camel Clutch. Brazil was able to grab the bottom rope, but Sheik refused to release the hold. Paul Morton put the five-count on Sheik, but the Syrian madman wouldn’t break. Morton was left with no choice but to call for the bell. Sheik held the Clutch on for several minutes as several USWA officials came down to the ring. Finally Abdullah Farouk was able to call Sheik off. Sheik seemed to be sending a message to Killer Kowalski prior to his Southern title shot. Fortunately Brazil suffered no major injuries. DUD

9) World Heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Rikidozan defeated The Destroyer and “Ravishing” Rick Rude by countout. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan did not accompany Destroyer and Rude to ringside for this bout, as he was in the back preparing for his own match. Destroyer and Rude kept Rikidozan in the ring for the opening minutes of the bout. But the former World champion made a comeback and blasted Destroyer with his chops. Destroyer was knocked into Rikidozan’s corner, where Rikidozan tagged out to Lewis. The champ jumped in and immediately took the masked man down with the Strangler’s Headlock. Lewis applied the headlock several times and drew blood on the “Intelligent, Sensational One”. Rikidozan came back and he and Destroyer went to the floor. While Lewis held Rude in his corner in the ring, Rikidozan and Destroyer brawled on the floor. The masked man charged at his rival, but got caught and taken down with Rikidozan’s hiplock. Rikidozan rolled back into the ring, but Destroyer was weakened and was counted out of the ring. ***

10) The main event was a historic six-man tag team bout for the USWA World Tag Team titles as champs The Midnight Express and Jim Cornette teamed up to face The Masked Superstar, King Kong Bundy, and their manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Cornette showed a rare sign of humility, in asking Gary Michael Cappetta to announce him before his team, so that the champs could be “rightly” announced last. Of course Cornette did get on the mic and rip into his opponents as usual! “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey and The Superstar started off the bout. The Midnights double teamed him for several minutes. The Heenan Family trio capitalized on a mistake by Condrey. Heenan tagged in and clocked him with a foreign object, but only got a two-count. Superstar later worked over “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton, using both his finishers on him. Bundy hit a running power slam on Eaton and went for a cover, but Condrey broke it up. “The Weasel” came back in and worked over a weakened Eaton, but as Heenan bounced off the ropes he got clocked from behind by Cornette’s tennis racket, unseen by Paul Morton. Cornette tagged in and pounded away on Heenan, until tagging out to Condrey. After a struggle, “Loverboy” Dennis finally took down Bundy with a face-first leg sweep, but only got a two-count. Cornette and Heenan were the legal men, when all six started brawling in the ring. Cornette grabbed his racket and clocked Heenan on the head with it. Before he could make a cover, Superstar blasted him with his Superstar clothesline. Once order was restored, Heenan tagged out to Superstar, who applied the Cobra Hold to the “Louisville Slugger”. Since the titles couldn’t change hands if Cornette were to lose, Superstar tossed Cornette into his own corner, allowing him to tag to Condrey. With Heenan and Condrey in the ring, Heenan sent Condrey into the ropes, but the “Loverboy” rebounded and flattened Heenan with a forearm. Superstar and Bundy jumped in, but Eaton and Condrey knocked them out of the ring. Condrey tagged out to Cornette, who then went to the top rope and with assistance from both Midnights, Cornette was Rocket Launched onto Heenan! Cornette hooked Heenan’s leg and got the three-count, keeping the belts for his team! ****

[Cory Olson]

Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on May 17:
• Jim Cornette and the World Tag Team champions The Midnight Express were interviewed by Bill Apter. “The Louisville Slugger” bragged that in the past he has led his men to victory from ringside with his managerial expertise, but the previous night he led them to victory with his “wrestling” expertise! Cornette said he has a lot of respect for Bobby Heenan, but he has proven that he is the better manager and wrestler. He offered “The Brain” one last chance to settle things between the two. In a shock Cornette challenged Heenan to a one-on-one match on June 6 in Cornette’s hometown of Louisville at the Gardens! The tennis racket-wielding manager said that he will make his hometown and his mama proud. Heenan later accepted the challenge saying that he will defeat Cornette and that afterwards, not only will Mama Cornette disown “Jimmy”, she’ll put him up for adoption!
• The Killer Bees were interviewed by Lance Russell about their violent attacks on The Killer B’s the night before. B. Brian Blair apologized to any of their fans whom they may have offended. He said that when he and “Jumping” Jim Brunzell get angry, sometimes their enemies get “stung”. Russell brought up The Bees’ first stint in the USWA where they gave Dick Hutton a back injury. Brunzell said that he and Blair were angered by the cheating tactics of The B’s and decided to fight “fire with fire”. He said that The B’s hurt him and Blair with their illegal tactics, so now he and Blair have hurt something important to The B’s—their faces! Blair stated that the fact that these “pretty boys” have lost their good looks is probably more hurtful to them than the physical pain!

The USWA comes back to the Rupp Arena in Lexington on May 23 for a huge card!
• In a big tag team match, World Tag Team champions The Midnight Express will face The Killer Bees. The champs are on a roll coming off their big defense, but The Bees are fired up after their attacks on The Killer B’s. How will the Lexington fans respond to The Bees?
• The “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer will tangle with Dan “The Beast” Severn. Here we have a first time meeting between two great technical wrestlers. Both men are looking to get back on track and get in the title picture. Who will gain victory?
• “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka returns to action. He’ll team up with Yukon Eric to battle Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Capt. Lou Albano. Remember Valentine and Albano will have the returning “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant in their corner. Will two-time Southern champ Valiant play a part in the outcome?
• Rikidozan will do battle with rival “Ravishing” Rick Rude. These two are 1-1 in singles meetings. Rude is looking for revenge for Rikidozan tearing his pectoral muscle in March. But the Japanese superstar is on a roll lately. Who will win this vital match in this war?
• The main event will be a vile brawl for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship as Killer Kowalski puts the gold on the line against former champion the sadistic Sheik! Both men had impressive performances last week in Nashville. Can Kowalski keep a claw hold on the gold or will Sheik capture his third Southern title? (If he does, he will tie a record currently held by Gorgeous George.)
Also, in a battle of big men, Bobo Brazil goes head-to-head with King Kong Bundy. In a rematch “Playboy” Buddy Rose faces George South. Plus Texas champ Danny Hodge, The Masked Superstar and more in action!

[Cory Olson]

May 23, 2008
Card #169: Rupp Arena in Lexington

1) USWA Texas champion Danny Hodge pinned Larry Sharpe in the opener. Hodge hit an Oklahoma side roll in the first minute, but Sharpe managed to get a foot on the ropes. Hodge took down Sharpe, applied a head scissors, then positioned into a pin cover to pin Sharpe’s shoulders down. DUD

2) The Masked Superstar defeated Brad Armstrong by submission. Armstrong came very close to scoring his biggest USWA win to date in this one. He scored several near falls on The Superstar. Armstrong hit the Russian leg sweep and went for a cover, but Bobby Heenan put Superstar’s foot on the bottom rope to break the count. The masked man came back and hit a spinning neckbreaker. Armstrong kicked out of that, but then got caught in Superstar’s Cobra Hold and went out. **¾

3) Frank Gotch forced S.D. Jones to tap out. Gotch worked on Jones’s arm, utilizing his crossface and bar arm throughout the bout. At one point, “Special Delivery” hit a suplex and went for a second, but Gotch blocked it and turned it into the crossface. Gotch applied a grinding hammerlock in the center of the ring on the wounded arm and Jones tapped out. Gotch offered his hand in sportsmanship afterwards and Jones shook. *½

4) “Playboy” Buddy Rose avenged his upset loss by pinning George South. South fought long and hard, eager to make lightning strike twice. South hit a nice suplex and went for a cover, but only gained 2¾. Rose fought back and hit a splash off the top rope, which he used to defeat Cousin Luke last week. A nicely executed gut wrench backbreaker would bring Rose the pinfall. **½

5) Bobo Brazil pinned King Kong Bundy. The New Jersey giant had the early advantage scoring a near fall with a running power slam, and a near submission with a bear hug. Brazil fought back and rocked Bundy with a Coco Butt. A second Butt put Bundy down for the three-count. **

6) USWA World Tag Team champions The Midnight Express made short work of The Killer Bees. The champs charged The Bees right at the bell, in sort of a “taste of their own medicine” against The Bees for their attacks on The Killer B’s. “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey threw “Jumping” Jim Brunzell into the ringpost and took him out of the match right away, as “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton worked on B. Brian Blair in the ring. The Midnights got the win after a Rocket Launcher on Blair. neg*

7) Dan Severn scored what was perhaps his biggest USWA win to date, defeating The “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer. The two exchanged mat holds early, with Severn applying a kneebar and executing a nice cradle for a near fall. Destroyer came back, but missed a Bombs Away off the top rope. Severn threw him with a shoulder slam and then turned into a cover for the three-count. Destroyer seemed shocked by the quick pin and was upset. Dick Hutton congratulated “The Beast” in the aisle. *¾

8) “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and Yukon Eric defeated Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Capt. Lou Albano by countout. The USWA would never deliberately advertise something that wouldn’t happen, but it also has to put “Card Subject to Change” on its advertisements for its cards. It turned out true here, as “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant did not accompany Valentine and Albano to ringside as originally announced. The Captain grabbed the microphone before the match and said he didn’t know what happened to Valiant, but he believed that Snuka and Eric were behind it. When the “Superfly” and the Alaskan came to the ring, they seemed to not know what had happened to Valiant. Snuka and Valentine started the match off and Snuka was fired up to be back. But Valentine took over and tagged in his manager. The rubber banded one was beaten on by Snuka and Snuka came off with a Superfly Leap, but Valentine saved Albano from being pinned. Eric tagged in and nailed Albano with a Woodsman’s Chop. Meanwhile a man made his way to ringside. The man had long hair and an ever longer beard, and was dressed in outrageous clothes! He shook hands with fans in the front row. In the ring, Eric continued his onslaught on Albano and tossed him over the top rope to the arena floor. Snuka came around and pulled “The Hammer” off the ring apron and the two brawled on the floor. While Kevin Christian was distracted by the brawl, the man walked over to apparently check on Albano. Suddenly the man delivered a big elbow drop onto Albano. It was recognized as a super elbow and the man was recognized as “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant! Valiant danced around the ring. Christian turned around to see Albano on the floor and counted him out of the ring. Valiant gave high fives to Snuka and Eric and returned to the locker room with them! **¼

9) “Ravishing” Rick Rude defeated Rikidozan. Rikidozan hit several hiplocks on Rude throughout the bout, but couldn’t keep him down for the pin. Rude focused on the neck, hitting a piledriver and going for a cover, but only getting two. “The Ravishing One” came off the top rope with a big sledgehammer to the neck and went for a cover. Rude put his foot on the second rope and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan held on to his foot for added leverage allowing Rude scored the big pinfall. ***½

10) Two wild rulebreakers clashed in the main event for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship. Current and two-time champ Killer Kowalski defended against two-time former champ The Sheik. Thanks to the pre-main event intermission, Capt. Lou Albano was recovered from his embarrassment in his tag team match and was able to accompany the champ to ringside. Although Albano seemed shaken up and kept looking to the back throughout, perhaps fearing another attack from Jimmy Valiant or others. Naturally Abdullah Farouk came to ringside with The Sheik. Kowalski had early control and dominated Sheik like few wrestlers have in the past. He applied a stomach claw to the challenger early on, but Sheik made the ropes. Kowalski went for a face claw instead, but Farouk jumped up on the apron to distract Tom Branch. Sheik came up bloody from the claw, but made a comeback when Kowalski missed a clothesline into the corner. Sheik went for the Camel Clutch, but the champ managed to power out. Kowalski hit two Bombs Aways to expand Sheik’s blood flow. He went for a third, but missed and crashed. Sheik went for another Clutch, but Kowalski made the ropes. The two grapplers brawled on the floor, using anything they could get their hands on. Kowalski clocked Sheik with the Southern title belt, while Albano had Branch diverted. Kowalski tossed Sheik with a giant swing and looked to have victory wrapped up. He went for a cover, but the bloodied Sheik got his pointy boot on the bottom rope to save himself. Sheik rolled to the floor and when Kowalski followed he got jabbed by Sheik’s sharp object. Sheik applied the Clutch again with the object slipped on and now the champ wore the crimson mask. Kowalski made the ropes and rolled so that both men hit the floor. The champ was angered by Sheik’s comeback and grabbed Gary Michael Cappetta’s microphone. Just like he did to Yukon Eric last month in Knoxville, Kowalski wrapped the mic chord around Sheik’s neck and started choking the Syrian madman. Branch put a count on Kowalski to release, but the champ refused. Branch disqualified Kowalski and gave The Sheik the win. Naturally Kowalski retained the championship. He kept strangling The Sheik, until several USWA referees and officials, along with the Captain, convinced him to release. Kowalski actually got a lot of cheers from the Rupp Arena fans, as they were happy to see The Sheik get a taste of his own medicine. ****¾ (NOTE: Sheik had 10 fatigue tokens on him at the end, while Kowalski ended up with five! Sheik was technically one away from my “blood stoppage” rule, but since Kowalski started bleeding too, I wasn’t going to do the rule, if he did hit 11 tokens. A friggin’ awesome brawl!)

[TDalton]

Holy cow, the USWA has been busy over the last couple of weeks! Sounds like some really good matches between cards 167 - 169.

Looks like the USWA better get ready to boogie woogie!

[Cory Olson]

May 28, 2008 16:26:48 GMT -5 TDalton said:

Holy cow, the USWA has been busy over the last couple of weeks! Sounds like some really good matches between cards 167 - 169.

Looks like the USWA better get ready to boogie woogie!

It's the end of the school year, time for fun! And I want to get in more cards before I leave the country! And yes, USWA is going to get down and get funky!

[Cory Olson]

Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on May 24:
• Bill Apter interviewed “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, Yukon Eric, and “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. Apter asked Valiant what happened to him. Valiant said he is still “Handsome”, but in his nearly two years away from the USWA, he has wrestled around the world and has learned to have some fun in life. He loves the fans who have supported and he likes to “get down and boogie”. He said you can know refer to him as “The Boogie Woogie Man”! Snuka said that Valiant is no longer a “bad man”, but a “good man” and will help him and Eric (brudda) in battling Capt. Lou Albano and his men.
• As a result of his win over Rikidozan and a challenge laid out by him and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, “Ravishing” Rick Rude will challenge Ed “Strangler” Lewis for the USWA World Heavyweight championship on June 6. Rude will have quite the task, as he’ll be fighting for the title in Lewis’ hometown of Louisville in the Gardens!
• Abdullah Farouk announced that the Bombay madman Sabu has left the USWA. The homicidal, suicidal, genocidal, death-defying maniac has decided to go out on his own for the time being. No word on where Sabu plans to wrestle. Farouk said Sabu could very well return to the USWA in the future to assist his uncle, The Sheik.

In the next report, results of the huge interpromotional match from the Tokyo Dome—Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki battle Abdullah the Butcher and Bruiser Brody!

[Cory Olson]

May 27, 2008
Tokyo Egg Dome
Supercard presented by Weekly Gong Magazine

Giant Baba (All Japan Pro Wrestling) & Antonio Inoki (New Japan Pro Wrestling) vs.
Abdullah the Butcher (AJPW) & Bruiser Brody (NJPW)

Aired on USWA Championship Wrestling on May 31, 2008

The match started slowly with both teams tagging in and out and hitting some of their specialty moves, trying to psych out the other team. Inoki came off the second rope with a stomp to Brody’s arm. He later hit Abdullah with an enzuigiri, but only dazed the Sudanese madman. Brody came off the top rope with a double sledge to Baba, but Baba dodged it and hit the dreaded neckbreaker drop out of nowhere! He went for a cover, but only got a two-count. Abdullah produced a small fork and jabbed Inoki with it. Brody tagged in and hit a piledriver. The previous fork shot busted Inoki open. Brody went for a cover, but Baba stepped in and booted Brody in the face. Brody dropped Inoki with a twisting vertical suplex, but Inoki again kicked out. The Tokyo crowd got behind the bloody Inoki, trying to get behind him. Abdullah dropped his big elbow onto Inoki, but somehow Inoki managed to kick out. Angered by Abdullah’s use of the foreign object, Inoki rolled out to the floor and with New Japan official Masao “Tiger” Hattori distracted by Baba and Brody in the ring, Inoki smashed Abdullah with a steel chair. All Japan referee Kanji “Joe” Higuchi was outside the ring, but somehow missed this as well! Baba tagged in and hit another neckbreaker drop, but Abdullah got his foot on the ropes. Suddenly all four men started brawling in the ring, Abdullah brought the same chair into the ring that Inoki had just used and clocked both Inoki and Baba with it. Due to the importance of the match, Hattori didn’t immediately disqualify him, but then Brody brought in his chains and started to choke Inoki with them. Abdullah shoved down Hattori, then Haguchi, who had jumped in the ring. Hattori called for the bell and awarded the bout to Inoki and Baba by DQ. The monster gaijins continued their assault on the native heroes, as the Tokyo Dome fans looked on in shock. Several more NJPW and AJPW officials filled the ring. Brody and Abdullah let up, but then the Japanese duo came back and attacked their rivals with chairs. Brody and Abdullah fled for the locker room. Baba and Inoki stood in the middle of the Dome ring and did Inoki’s “Ichi, Ni, San, Da!” count with the fans. The two then held hands. They were certainly not happy with the DQ victory, but they reveled in the cheers of their fans. ****

In the next report, two huge announcements and the preview for Card #170 from the Louisville Gardens!

[Cory Olson]

Following the broadcast of the big interpromotional tag team match at the Tokyo Dome on the May 31 edition of USWA Championship Wrestling, the following announcements were made:
• First Lance Russell announced that Giant Baba will be returning to USWA rings this summer! The former USWA World Tag Team and two-time Southern Heavyweight champ is ready to come back and gain revenge on The “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer who sent Abdullah the Butcher after him in AJPW. Baba will return on June 13 at the City Coliseum in Austin to battle long-time rival The Masked Superstar. His Japanese interpreter also issued a challenge on his behalf to meet The Destroyer on July 4 at the Independence Day Bash at Texas Stadium! Destroyer accepted the challenge later in the show. The masked man stated that he will prove that he was the superior member of their championship team and that he “carried” Baba.
• The main event for the Independence Day Bash was also made. Team RPW member Frank Gotch has issued a challenge for the USWA World Heavyweight championship! The two-time former Southern champ and one-time World Tag Team champ has declared that he wants to get another shot at the World title and finally capture the big prize. USWA Committee Chairman Jerry Jarrett said that Gotch is worthy of the shot and granted him the request. Ed “Strangler” Lewis came into the WMC-TV studios as well and said that if he is still champion on the Fourth of July, he would be more than happy to defend his title against a great pure wrestler like Gotch. Lewis must get by his next challenger before then. (See Card #170 preview below.)

School’s out for summer, but the USWA doesn’t take a vacation! The Louisville Gardens host a huge card on June 6!
• A unique feud continues as “Playboy” Buddy Rose battles the hillbilly Cousin Luke. Luke clocked Rose with his horseshoe in the tag team match in Nashville a few weeks back. Will the horseshoe bring him luck—either in the ring or with “Sensational” Sherri Martel?
• A rematch from the last card has been signed, as The Killer Bees will battle the World Tag Team champions The Midnight Express in a non-title bout. The Bees claimed that The Midnights ambushed them, but Jim Cornette said they were just fighting like The Bees would. Can the champs win again or will they get stung?
• “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka looks for revenge as he battles the man who injured him—Southern Heavyweight champion Killer Kowalski in a big grudge match! Snuka scored a pinfall on the champ on April 11 in a tag team match. Can he do it again or will Kowalski put him down with the claw?
• Hometown “hero” “The Louisville Slugger” Jim Cornette will end his rivalry with fellow manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan when the two meet one-on-one. Can Cornette make his mama proud?
• In a huge rematch, Rikidozan battles The “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer. Destroyer is on a bit of a losing streak. And with the impending return of Giant Baba, will this affect him?
• The main event will feature a true hometown hero, Ed “Strangler” Lewis defending the USWA World Heavyweight championship against “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Rude was so confident that he’d beat Lewis in Louisville, that he appeared on WMC-TV with the title belt airbrushed on his tights! Can Lewis make the Louisville fans proud or will a new champ be simply ravishing?
All this plus Bobo Brazil battles The Masked Superstar. Frank Gotch in action, as well as fellow Team RPW members Dick Hutton and Texas champ Danny Hodge in tag competition. Also, the return (or debut?) of “The Boogie Woogie Man”—“Handsome” Jimmy Valiant!