Cory's USWA

[Cory Olson]

December 18, 2017
Card #529: Louisville Gardens

1) Nacho Barrera picked up a quick win via disqualification in the opener over George South. Barrera came out rough against South from the opening bell. He took South to the corner and raked his eyes. South got fired up and tossed Barrera in the corner. He started pounding away on the Mexican grappler. Tommy Marlin started putting the count on South but South responded by shoving Marlin to the mat! Marlin was shocked and immediately called for the bell, disqualifying South in one minute! Barrera gloated about another victory over South but the Louisville fans were not happy about this win! DUD (NOTE: For those that roll twice for DQs, I did that for South, and even with his DQ rating of “3,” he rolled snake eyes twice in a row!)

2) Baron Von Raschke’s frustrations with S.D. Jones continued, as he lost to “Special Delivery” via DQ in eight minutes! “The Clawmaster” was aggressive at the bell. He hit an atomic drop a few minutes into the bout, which is how he pinned Jones’s tag team partner S.T. Jones last month in Gore Springs. This time Von Raschke only got a two-count. Jones battled back, nailed Von Raschke with a series of punches, before doing a Philly Shuffle, and then nailing one big last punch, sending Von Raschke to the floor! Von Raschke climbed in by the count of eight. The two battled back and forth. Von Raschke had the advantage and sent “Philadelphia’s Favorite Son” into the corner. He charged in for a tackle but Jones dodged Von Raschke and the German’s shoulder hit the ring post! He rolled to the floor and recovered but was definitely frustrated as he stomped around ringside. Von Raschke grabbed a steel chair from ringside and smashed Jones, who was leaning over the top rope, in the face with it! Sam Platania saw this and disqualified Von Raschke! Von Raschke returned to the back in anger! *¾

3) Hugh Morrus continued his winning ways, with a pinfall on “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon. Cannon put up a good fight against Morrus but couldn’t keep the crazy man down for long. Morrus hit a spinebuster and hit a crazy series of leg and elbow drops, stomping about before releasing a maniacal laugh. Morrus hit the impressive No Laughing Matter to pin Cannon after four minutes. Morrus is 3-0 but he will face a tough customer in Doug Gilbert on New Year’s Eve! ½*

4) John and Chris Tolos picked up a win via countout after 18 minutes over Hillbilly Jim and Cousin Luke. The hillbillies put up a valiant effort against the vicious Toloses. The Tolos Brothers pounded on Jim in their corner and scored a near fall. Jim finally tagged to Luke and Luke surprised Chris with the Hillbilly Drop. Chris kicked out at two. Later John was the legal man and used the corkscrew on Luke. The Toloses then took Luke to their corner and beat on him, as they had done to Jim earlier. They busted Luke open. John tossed Luke out of the ring and followed him. Chris jumped into the ring to get Jim and Tommy Marlin’s attention. Meanwhile, John grabbed Luke’s “lucky” horseshoe from the hillbillies’ corner and wrapped the chain around Luke’s neck! Jim finally spotted John and ran him off. Despite Jim’s help, Luke couldn’t beat the count, so the Toloses got another win! ***

5) Ray “The Crippler” Stevens took a bloody beating but rallied back to beat The Patriot! The masked man had the early advantage, hitting an atomic drop a few minutes into the bout for a two-count. Stevens later hit the American masked man with a jumping knee smash for a near fall of his own. Patriot later fought back and hit the Uncle Slam. He went for a cover but the former Mid-America champion got a foot on the bottom rope for a break. The Patriot hit Stevens with big right hands, busting him open, and then followed up with a power slam for another two. Stevens took control in a brawl outside the ring. Back inside, he hit the Bombs Away for a near fall. He maintained control and went up to the top rope again. Patriot got to his feet so Stevens couldn’t hit the Bombs Away but instead, “The Crippler” dove off with a flying body press. He covered Patriot and hooked the tights to score the pinfall after 20 minutes! Stevens and Jimmy Hart quickly retreated to the back. Stevens got the win here but can he climb the ladder and win the Mid-America title on New Year’s Eve? ***¾

6) “Superstar” Bill Dundee picked up a big win over his rival Doctor X in about 12 minutes. This was a back-and-forth bout between these two. X at one point rammed Dundee’s head into the ring post and almost scored a countout win but Dundee rolled back into the ring by the count of nine. Back in the ring, X hit a dropkick but missed on a second attempt. Dundee hit a big splash and scored a two-count. He went up top and hit the Superstar Bomb to score the pin. The Louisville fans gave the “Superstar” a big ovation for his win and he is fired up to battle X’s ally Mad Dog Vachon in a Dog Collar Match on December 31! **½

7) Southern Heavyweight champion “Exotic” Adrian Street defeated “The Road Dogg” Brian Armstrong by disqualification in an exciting non-title match. This was Louisville native Jim Cornette’s first appearance on the card and he was not welcomed in his hometown! Former Mid-America champion Armstrong surprised Street in this bout. He reversed a whip by Street, swept his legs, and catapulted him into the turnbuckle a few minutes into the bout, which busted open the “Exotic One.” Street fell to the floor and was almost counted out but with Cornette’s screaming and Mr. Hughes’s help, he got back into the ring. Armstrong went for a family specialty—the sleeper. Street started to drop but raked Armstrong’s face to break up the hold. Street went for his own submission with the Cobra Clutch. “The Road Dogg” started to drop. Tom Branch checked Armstrong’s arm. It dropped twice but on the third try, he popped back up. He started to get to his feet but the Southern champ pulled Armstrong’s hair to break his momentum. Street whipped Armstrong into the ropes and caught him on the rebound with the crucifix. Armstrong kicked out at 2¾. The bout was back and forth. Street briefly had the advantage and tried to whip “The Road Dogg” into the buckles but Armstrong blocked it, booted him in the gut, grabbed him, and hit the pump handle slam! He went for the cover but “The Louisville Slugger” got up on the ring apron and distracted Branch. Armstrong went after Cornette but Hughes stepped in front of him. Armstrong turned his attention back to Street who had gotten to his feet but Armstrong hit a second pump handle. He again went for the cover but Cornette again distracted Branch. This time, Hughes came in and blasted Armstrong in the face with a big right hand. As Hughes left the ring and Cornette got off the apron, Bob and Brad Armstrong came out to the ringside area! Both Brian and Street were hurting but the Southern champ recovered first and grabbed Brian, hitting a vertical suplex. He made a cover, putting his feet on the second rope right in front of the Armstrongs knowing they were there! “Bullet” Bob got fired up and knocked Street’s feet off the ropes! He and Brad jumped in the ring and attacked Street, irate by Cornette and Hughes’s involvement. Branch had no choice but to disqualify Brian after 27 minutes of an intense match! Several USWA referees and officials were quickly on the scene to separate the two groups, knowing what could happen. The Armstrongs returned to the locker room, since Hughes and Cornette were up for the next match. You can bet the Georgians are looking forward to getting Hughes and the World Tag Team champions the Heavenly Bodies in the ring on New Year’s Eve in Nashville! ***½

8) Mr. Hughes and Jim Cornette stayed in the ring. Hughes scored a huge win over former World champion “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson. Cornette’s bodyguard was aggressive at the start. He blasted Danielson with a big boot for a near fall early in the bout. He lifted up Danielson high in the air with a choke and dropped him hard to the mat and then went for a cover for another two-count. Hughes hit the spike slam but Danielson kicked out. With the fans behind him, “Dragon” fought back and caught Hughes in the guillotine choke. Hughes lifted up Danielson while in the choke and drove Danielson back-first into the buckles. Danielson recovered and got Hughes down on the mat into the LeBell Lock. With Cornette’s encouragement, Hughes managed to make the ropes for a break. Danielson knocked the bodyguard out of the ring and then followed up with a suicide dive, driving Hughes into the guard railing. He hit the back of his head and was busted open. Danielson rolled back into the ring to break Sam Platania’s count and then rolled back out to the apron. He dove off with a flying knee strike but Cornette managed to get Hughes out of the way and Danielson crashed into the guard railing, hitting his ribs. Hughes tossed “Dragon” back into the ring and hit a power bomb for a near fall. Hughes pounded away on Danielson, busting him open as well. He then tossed Danielson into the ropes and caught him on the rebound with the spike slam. He covered Danielson and scored the pinfall after16 minutes. Cornette was definitely happy that his two charges both came out victorious in his hometown! How will this impact Danielson before he challenges “Exotic” Adrian Street for the Southern Heavyweight title on December 31? ****½

9) In a clash of two popular wrestlers, Pepper Gomez pinned Brad Armstrong in 12 minutes to retain the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight championship. Both competitors shook hands before the bout in a great sign of respect. The action in this was largely scientific. A few minutes into the bout, Gomez went for an Armstrong specialty—the sleeperhold. The challenger got to the ropes before too much pressure could be applied. Armstrong rallied back and scored a near fall after a two-handed bulldog. The champion swept the challenger’s legs, got him down on the mat, and went for the Mexican cradle but Armstrong managed to kick out. Armstrong took over with a dropkick for another two-count. Gomez rallied back and hit a Mexican Leap but couldn’t keep his opponent down for long. He sent Armstrong into the ropes and then bounced off the opposite ropes. After crisscrossing a few times, Gomez surprised Armstrong in the middle of the ring with a small package to score the pinfall. Armstrong was surprised by the sudden pin but congratulated Gomez on his win and wished him well in his Ladder Match defense against Ray “The Crippler” Stevens at New Year’s Knockout! ***

10) The main event was an intense six-man tag team match. All three Gilberts—Tommy, Eddie, and Doug took on the House of Humperdink’s team of World Heavyweight champion “Gamesmaster” Kevin Sullivan, “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff, and Mr. Saito. As expected, this was a wild bout from the opening bell. The World champion stayed on the ring apron to avoid any contact with any of the Gilberts, while Koloff and Saito did the dirty work. Koloff surprised Doug with the Russian Sickle early in the bout but Eddie made a save. Eddie tagged in and had Koloff in trouble but he managed to tag Saito. Meanwhile, Saito and Sullivan snuck around the ring and brawled with Tommy and Doug. Sullivan used a chair on Tommy, while Saito smashed Doug with Humperdink’s cane, taking them both out of the match. Saito and the World champion returned to the House of Humperdink’s corner, where Sullivan tagged in for the first time in the match. Koloff executed a Russian Hammer and Sullivan hit the double foot stomp to score the pinfall in eight minutes. Sullivan got a lot of momentum going into the Singapore Spike Match for the World title in Nashville in 13 days! *

[TTX]

What a way for South to lose. Go Dundee. Heels still dominating though.

[victoryroll84]

Excellent card Cory!

Looking forward to that Singapore Spike Match coming up

[cruefan68]

Nacho Barrera continues to get W's! Hopefully he will be getting a merch table soon! Nachomania is about to go wild, brother! On a serious note, I loved that Louisville card especially the Pepper Gomez-Brad Armstrong bout and hometown son Jim Cornette seeing two of his charges get key wins.

[Cory Olson]

Thanks to Troy, Crue Fan, and Victory Roll for the comments!

The USWA presents the 14th annual New Year’s Knockout, coming your way on December 31! For the third time in this supercard’s history, the event will emanate from the Municipal Auditorium in “Music City, USA”--Nashville, TN! From beginning to end, here is the line-up for this huge card!

The Uptown Boys vs. Danny Doring & The Amish RoadKill
Marty Jannetty has brought in a new partner in Ric McCord, who will be making his debut as an Uptown Boy. (McCord actually wrestled in a brief match back in April 2011 in Knoxville, teaming with Allan Reynolds against future World Tag Team champions Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens.) This new version of the Uptown Boys could be an effective duo but they cannot underestimate the bizarre team of “Dastardly” Danny and “The Angry Amish Warrior.” Which team will win this opening bout?

Billy Gunn vs. Baron Von Raschke
Just added on the December 23 edition of Championship Wrestling, both men are looking to end 2017 with a big win in singles. Gunn has a guaranteed Southern title match in 2018, due to eliminating “Exotic” Adrian Street from the huge eight-man tag team Elimination Match last month in Knoxville. He cannot overlook “The Clawmaster.” Despite some disappointing losses, Von Raschke can be a very tough and dangerous competitor in the squared circle. Will it be the athletic Gunn or the crafty German leaving Nashville the winner?

Doug Gilbert vs. Hugh Morrus
Sir Oliver Humperdink and “The Gamesmaster” Kevin Sullivan took control of Gilbert last year and turned him into the Dark Patriot. After losing his mask and revealing his identity, Doug was rehabilitated by his family and is out for revenge. The House of Humperdink brought in the bizarre Morrus and are hoping to put Gilbert out of action. Who will triumph in this battle?

The Patriot vs. King Kong Bundy
Two powerhouses collide once again. When they met last month in Gore Springs, MS, The Patriot got the win via disqualification after Bundy used Jimmy Hart’s megaphone. The masked American hopes to get a decisive win this time. Can he do it or will the New Jersey giant crush him?

Colt Cabana vs. Adam Pearce
When the host of The Art of Wrestling started giving his men problems, Jim Cornette brought in Cabana’s former rival “Scrap Iron.” Pearce has had a good start in the USWA, briefly holding the Mid-America Heavyweight title, and building up an impressive win-loss record. He holds more victories over “Boom Boom” in the USWA, although Cabana most recently got his first win just a few weeks ago in Memphis. Who will win the latest chapter in this storied feud?

Jimmy Valiant & The Flying Redheads vs. Freddie Blassie & John & Chris Tolos
(Battlezone Match)
The battles between these two groups have been intense! Blassie brought in the Toloses as a surprise in August in Evansville, where they attacked Valiant during his match with “The Hollywood Fashion Plate.” The duo has followed the ways of Blassie, beating opponents mercilessly and not caring if they get disqualified, as seen by their recent attack on Tommy Rogers. This will be a series of one-on-one matches between both sides and will be the third time in USWA history that a Battlezone Match (introduced by Frank Gotch in 2009) has been held. Dave Brown reviewed the rules of this match on the December 30 edition of Championship Wrestling:
I. Each team will randomly draw the order of their members backstage before the match, under the supervision of a USWA official.
II. The match-up is made up of a series of one-on-one matches.
III. A wrestler can be eliminated by any standard means—pinfall, submission, countout, disqualification, or referee stoppage (such as a blood stoppage).
IV. A team wins when the opposing team has had all members eliminated. Thus, the winning team may not have all its wrestlers actually compete in the match.
Which team will win the battle(zone)?

Mad Dog Vachon vs. Bill Dundee
(Dog Collar Match)

This feud started over a year ago and has seen some of the wildest brawls in the storied history of the USWA. A victory by Dundee back in March in Memphis at the 500th USWA card, where Butcher Vachon was the special guest referee, led to Mad Dog turning against his brother! Their most recent singles bout saw Mad Dog use his chain and get disqualified, leading to him choking the Aussie “Superstar” after. This will be the first-ever Dog Collar Match in USWA history! One would think that the Algerian brawler would have the advantage in this match but Dundee has shocked his opponents and wrestling experts in the past! Dave Brown also explained the rules for this bout on Championship Wrestling:
I. Each wrestler will have a dog collar around his neck for the duration of the match. The collars will be joined together by a 15-foot chain.
II. There are no disqualifications or countouts in this match. The chain may be used legally throughout the bout.
III. A wrestler wins by a pinfall or submission.
Who will win this dog fight? [/div]

Harley Race vs. Tommy Gilbert
Former Southern champion Race returned to the USWA in March after an 11-plus-year absence, thanks to the dealings of Jimmy Hart of the First Family of Wrestling. He has had an incredible year, going undefeated with an overall record of 22-0, and he already is scheduled to challenge the winner of the main event for the USWA World Heavyweight title on January 15, 2018 in Chattanooga. His most difficult match was against the Gilbert patriarch last month in Evansville. Gilbert appeared to have a bloodied Race beaten after a second-rope knee drop but “The Mouth of The South” threw in his megaphone. Gilbert grabbed it first and used it on Race but was caught by Paul Morton and disqualified. Gilbert would love to give Race his first loss in his return and perhaps earn another shot at the World title himself. Can he do it or will the Missourian go to 23-0?

The Heavenly Bodies & Mr. Hughes vs. Bob, Brad, & Brian Armstrong
(Music City Street Fight)
The battles between the Armstrongs and Jim Cornette’s stable never seem to end! Cornette, the World Tag Team champions, and his bodyguard Hughes attacked both Brad and Brian after the Bodies defeated them by countout in a championship match in the main event last month in Evansville. The brawl led to now-former Commissioner Bob Armstrong coming out and getting attacked as well! This heinous ambush led to “Bullet” Bob resigning as commissioner after nearly five years in the position, as he wanted to get his hands on Cornette and his men and not be accused of any bias. Hughes is coming off a major win over “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson on the last card at the Louisville Gardens and has proved to be a strong force since becoming Cornette’s newest bodyguard in July. Here are the rules for a Music City Street Fight:
I. There are no disqualifications and no countouts in this match. The match can only be won by pinfall or submission inside the ring.
II. The wrestlers involved can (and often do) come dressed in street clothes.
III. Since this is a tag team match, all six wrestlers are allowed to be in the match at all times and the referee can count any of the wrestlers down for a pin or ask them for a submission.
Who will win this wild brawl in the “Music City”?

Pepper Gomez vs. Ray Stevens
(USWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship—Ladder Match)
Another long-storied feud in both Big Time Wrestling of San Francisco, as well as the USWA, added another chapter in the last few months, when Gomez made a surprise return to the USWA after nearly a two-year absence, thanks to an injury from Stevens and the First Family of Wrestling. He returned at the Louisville Gardens, answering Stevens’ open challenge for a Mid-America title match. He defeated Stevens by DQ that night and then went on to beat new champion “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce for the belt last month in Evansville. Stevens made the challenge for this type of match on the December 9 edition of Championship Wrestling, citing how he injured Gomez’ throat back in 2010 in BTW by coming off of a ladder with the Bombs Away. This will be the first-ever Ladder Match in USWA history! Here are the rules for this very unique contest:
I. Earlier in the day, Gomez will surrender the Mid-America Heavyweight title belt to USWA officials. The belt will be suspended above the ring before the match.
II. A 20-foot ladder will be placed in the aisleway before the match as well.
III. The referee will be stationed outside the ring to view when a wrestler wins.
IV. At any point in the match, a wrestler may retrieve the ladder and use it as a weapon.
V. In this match, there are no pinfalls, submissions, disqualifications, or countouts. A wrestler wins the match when he climbs the ladder and has full control of the belt, as determined by the referee.
Who will climb the ladder to success?

Adrian Street vs. Bryan Danielson
(USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship)
This has been an intense feud this year. Danielson gave Street his first decisive loss back in February in Evansville, right after Street had ended Freddie Blassie’s long reign as Southern champ. Street and Chris Candido injured Danielson’s back after a No-Disqualification Match with Candido and Danielson in April in Nashville, one week before Danielson was scheduled to challenge Street for the Southern title in Jonesboro. Danielson ended up wrestling injured against Street, as most wrestling experts expected he would but ultimately lost that challenge. He returned to full health in August and captured the title from Street in Evansville, becoming the first man to have held all four sanctioned USWA singles championships. Street regained the title the next month at the Louisville Gardens and then he and Mr. Hughes reinjured Danielson’s back. “Dragon” returned to full strength at the end of November and made a challenge to all of Jim Cornette’s men for a series of singles matches. He defeated Candido, Tom Prichard, and Adam Pearce in that order before losing a heartbreaker to Hughes. That final loss could give the “Exotic One” a psychological advantage. But Danielson has overcome the odds before. Will “Dragon” become a two-time Southern champ or will the British glam rocker continue to dominate?

Kevin Sullivan vs. Eddie Gilbert
(Main Event: USWA World Heavyweight Championship—Singapore Spike Match)
Another historic feud will end 2017. “The Gamesmaster” debuted alongside Gilbert and Sir Oliver Humperdink in the summer of 2016 and made an immediate impact, putting four-time USWA champion Nick Bockwinkel out of action and then turning against Gilbert and breaking his leg. This brought out Doug Gilbert and later Tommy Gilbert to go for revenge. After Sullivan and Humperdink took control of Doug and converted him to the Dark Patriot, Eddie made his return to battle alongside Tommy and the Patriot in a surprise appearance at Engel Stadium in Chattanooga in June, throwing a fireball at the Dark Patriot and becoming an instant fan favorite. Sullivan captured the World title from “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant the month before at Derby City Stampede and would hold it until November when Eddie won it Knoxville. Sullivan brutalized Eddie with his golden spike in a rematch at the beginning of this month in Memphis and won the title back. USWA Committee Chairman Jerry Jarrett said the idea for the rematch under these rules came from the new USWA commissioner, who will be announced on this card! Dave Brown went over the rules for this first-ever type of bout:
I. Earlier in the day, Sullivan will be forced to surrender his golden spike to USWA officials.
II. Each ring post will have a second taller post attached to it. At the top of each post will be a box suspended by a chain. Sullivan’s spike will be placed inside of one of the boxes.
III. If a wrestler finds the spike in the correct box, the spike may be used as a weapon.
IV. A wrestler wins the match by pinfall or submission.
Who will win the next chapter in this blood feud, end 2017 as World champion, and defend against Harley Race in 2018?

All these huge bouts, plus find out who will lead the USWA into 2018 as commissioner! That’s New Year’s Knockout XIV coming your way from the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville!

[Vegas]

Looking forward to New Year’s Knockout XIV!

[neilybob]

major league intense baby.

[Cory Olson]

Thanks to Zeke Vegas and Neilybob for the comments!


New Year’s Knockout XIV
December 31, 2017
Card #530: Municipal Auditorium in Nashville

1) The new version of The Uptown Boys had a successful debut, as Marty Jannetty and Ric McCord defeated “Dastardly” Danny Doring and The Amish RoadKill in the opener. It looked like the bizarre duo of the “Dastardly One” and “The Angry Amish Warrior” might pull off the big win over the Uptown Boys, as Doring hit the Danaconda on McCord for a near fall about halfway through the bout. Later, RoadKill executed a Barn Burner on Jannetty for another two-count. Jannetty also got nailed with the Lancaster Lariat of Lust for another two. McCord battled back against Doring and came off the top rope with a flying body press to score the pinfall after 20 minutes, while Jannetty stopped RoadKill from interfering with a dropkick. The new duo showcased great teamwork and could be a threat to the Toloses and other USWA tag teams in 2018! ***

2) Billy Gunn picked up a big win in singles over Baron Von Raschke. “The Clawmaster” had a lot of offense against the three-time former World Tag Team champion but couldn’t keep him down. Gunn rallied back and hit a sunset flip for a near fall. He also used a jackhammer and a Cobra Clutch slam for separate two-counts. Von Raschke was bleeding after some big punches. Gunn sent him into the ropes and caught him with a power slam on the rebound. He covered Von Raschke and hooked the leg to score the pinfall after 18 minutes of action. Gunn ended 2017 with an impressive win and looks forward to his shot at the Southern title on January 29 in Knoxville. (Whom will Gunn challenge? Read on!) **¾

3) In a brief but wild bout, Hugh Morrus defeated Doug Gilbert by countout in about four minutes. Morrus attacked Gilbert right at the bell, as Sir Oliver Humperdink had the former Dark Patriot distracted. He got Gilbert down on the mat and came off the second rope with a leg drop for a two-count. He went up to the top rope and went for No Laughing Matter but it was too early in the bout, as Doug rolled out of the way and Morrus crashed hard. Both men got to their feet but Doug nailed Morrus with a superkick, knocking the big man down. He made a cover but Humperdink put Morrus’ foot on the bottom rope. Scott Bowden didn’t see this but Gilbert did and went after his former manager outside the ring. His passion distracted him, as Bowden counted Gilbert out of the ring, declaring Morrus, still woozy from the superkick the winner. Gilbert came back to the ring and grabbed a steel chair from the ringside area. He nailed Morrus in the back with it, then picked him up and hit the piledriver on the chair, which got a big cheer from the “Music City” fans. Ivan Koloff and Mr. Saito ran down to the ringside area but were ambushed on the way by Eddie and Tommy Gilbert! Not wanting his family members to risk injury before their big matches on this supercard, Doug rallied up the other Gilberts and they returned to the locker room. “The Russian Bear” and the Japanese Olympian, along with their manager helped Morrus to his feet and back to the locker room. *

4) The Patriot was triumphant over King Kong Bundy in a double-juice battle that went 22 minutes! The New Jersey giant started off aggressively against the Patriot but the masked man surprised him with a standing dropkick to knock him off his feet and earn the Patriot a two-count. Bundy took control in a brawl outside the ring, slamming the Patriot’s back into the ring post. He hit a backbreaker as well as a body slam in the ring for near falls. He then locked on a bear hug. With the fans cheering him on, the masked American fought out of the hold with some big right hands. He then executed an amazing Uncle Slam on the 446-pounder and scored a two-count. He came off the top rope with the Patriot Missile but couldn’t knock down the big man. He immediately went up top again and hit a second Missile, which did level Bundy. Unfortunately, Bundy landed near the ropes and was able to get a foot on the bottom rope to stay in the match. Both men had collided heads on the Missile and Bundy came up bleeding. The Patriot stayed in control and had Bundy weakened. He went for an Uncle Slam but Jimmy Hart climbed up on the apron to distract Jerry Calhoun. Suddenly, Ray “The Crippler” Stevens, who battled the Patriot 13 days ago in Louisville, appeared and punched the Patriot in the face with a roll of quarters, allowing his First Family of Wrestling teammate Bundy to take over and causing the Patriot’s red, white, and blue mask to have more red on it! Stevens grabbed the quarters and started heading back to the locker room, just as quickly as he had appeared, when he was met by “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert, who clotheslined him, sending the quarters flying! Gilbert then came to ringside to warn “The Mouth of The South” to stay out of the match. Bundy sent the Patriot into the corner and hit the Atlantic City Avalanche but before he could try for a pin saw Gilbert going after his manager and warned the former World champion to stay away. This distraction allowed the Patriot to recover and he took over on Bundy. He got the big man dazed and then hit another Patriot Missile to flatten the big man. He covered Bundy and scored the pinfall, while the fans went wild! “Hot Stuff” celebrated the win with the masked man! (Would Gilbert be celebrating after the main event? Read on!) ****½

5) Former Mid-America champion “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce picked up a tainted win over his long-time rival Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana. Pearce started off on the offensive, using a swinging neckbreaker and later a spinebuster for near falls. Cabana took control and sent Pearce into the buckles but he bounced back with a lariat for another two-count. The lariat nailed Cabana right across the nose and busted him open. Cabana capitalized on a mistake and got Pearce down on the mat into the Chicago Crab. Pearce managed to get to the ropes but was in trouble. The host of The Art of Wrestling got Pearce up for the Colt .45. Jim Cornette jumped on the apron to distract Tom Branch, which allowed Mr. Hughes to come in on the opposite side of the ring and boot Cabana in the face before he could execute the maneuver. Pearce regained control and executed a vertical suplex. He covered Cabana and put his own feet on the middle rope, with Cornette holding on from outside and scored the pinfall after 12 minutes. Cabana realized what had happened and went after “The Louisville Slugger.” Before he could attack, Hughes protected his employer, nailing Cabana with a big right hand. Pearce grabbed Cabana and then delivered three consecutive jumping piledrivers. Bryan Danielson and all three Armstrongs came to the ring and chased off Cornette, Pearce, and Hughes but the damage had been done. Cabana was holding his neck and needed help in getting back to the locker room. ***½

6) Next up was the three-on-three Battlezone Match. “Classy” Freddie Blassie and The Toloses ended up the winners over “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant and The Flying Redheads, albeit, through very devious means! Red Bastien and Chris Tolos were the first representatives for their respective teams. Tolos tried to attack at the bell but Bastien was ready for him. He stunned Tolos and came off the top with a flying body press for a near fall. Bastien grabbed Tolos in a sleeper but the Greek grappler grabbed the ropes and both men tumbled to the floor. Chris recovered first, grabbed a steel chair from the ringside area, and smashed Bastien in the back with it, right in Paul Morton’s view. Morton was left with no choice but to disqualify Chris after three minutes, taking him out of the match.

Chris’s brother John came out next for the rulebreakers’ team. Chris’s use of the chair was a good tactic, despite getting him eliminated, as Bastien was a sitting duck for John. John hit a backbreaker for a near fall and almost got a countout win after slamming Bastien on the arena floor. Bastien reversed a whip into the buckle and caught John on the rebound in the sleeper. John made the ropes. Bastien hit the airplane spin into the atomic drop but John kicked out at 2¾. John cut off Bastien’s momentum with a thumb to the throat. He got him down on the mat and hit the flying knee drop to score the pinfall after 13 total minutes of the match. As Bastien made his way to the back, he was seeing “red,” as he had been busted open by the knee drop.

Bastien’s regular tag team partner Billy Red Lyons entered the match next but was ambushed almost immediately by John. John got him down on the mat and hit a standing knee drop to score the pinfall in about 90 seconds after the last Flying Redhead was eliminated!

The last hope for the fan favorites was the two-time former World Heavyweight champion Valiant. “Boogie Woogie” ran wild on John but John cut him ff with a thumb to the throat. He wore down “Handsome” Jimmy with a corkscrew and then hit the flying knee drop for a two-count. Valiant rolled out of the ring for a breather but John followed. He grabbed a steel chair from ringside, as his brother Chris had earlier. He swung at Valiant but “The Boy from New York City” blocked the attempt, booted John in the gut, and then took the chair. He wound up and smashed John in the head with it. Morton saw this again and was forced once again to disqualify a wrestler, this time Valiant after 17 total minutes of the match, giving the Toloses and Blassie the win before “The King of Men” could even enter the match! Valiant nailed John with another chair shot for good measure. Chris ran back out and got nailed with a chair as well. Blassie made his only appearance of the night and tried to ambush Valiant but Valiant saw him coming and ran him back to the dressing room with the chair still in hand! **½

7) A year-long feud came perhaps to a culmination for now, as “Superstar” Bill Dundee was victorious over Mad Dog Vachon in five minutes in the first-ever Dog Collar Match in USWA history. Vachon brought the dog collar to the ring that was used for the match. Scott Bowden, with the supervision of USWA Committee Chairman Jerry Jarrett, made sure both men got attached and didn’t try to ambush the other before the bell. As soon as the bell rang, Dundee pulled the chain, sending Vachon flying to the mat! He quickly hit a jumping knee drop and went for an early pinfall but the Algerian brawler kicked out. Vachon battled back but Dundee surprised him with a clothesline using a small bit of the collar chain. He then grabbed the chain and wrapped it around Vachon’s throat, choking him. Vachon seemed to pass out but for good measure, the “Superstar” went up to the top rope and hit a flying fist drop to put Vachon down for the count. The Nashville fans gave the Aussie a big ovation for his win over his rival! *

8) Harley Race ended 2017 undefeated, barely getting by Tommy Gilbert. Gilbert had Race in trouble early on as he blocked the vertical suplex and surprised Race with a small package about two minutes into the bout for a near fall. Gilbert took control and hit a back suplex for another two-count. Gilbert hit the running knee lift and made a cover but “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart distracted Jerry Calhoun. Gilbert got off of Race and briefly went after the manager but kept his focus. He hit a second running knee lift, busting Race open and knocking him down. Gilbert covered the former Southern champion but Hart climbed into the ring and held Calhoun’s hand from hitting the mat a third time. Knowing the importance of the match, Calhoun rather than disqualify Race, ordered Hart back to the locker room for the remainder of the match! Hart was outraged but the fans were happy. Gilbert kept up his attack for several minutes, hitting a second rope knee drop for another pin attempt. Gilbert missed a knee smash in the corner and his knee hit the buckles hard. Race locked on the Indian Deathlock and had it for nearly a minute before Gilbert finally made the ropes. As Gilbert hobbled back to his feet, a bloodied Race kicked the injured knee. He then grabbed Gilbert and hit the piledriver to score the pinfall after 16 minutes of action. As Race returned to the back, he was met in the aisle by his manager, who was ecstatic that his charge got the win, even without him at ringside. Race ends 2017 with a 23-0 overall record and will challenge for the World Heavyweight title on January 15, 2018 in Chattanooga. (Whom will he challenge? Read on!) ****

9) In a wild Music City Street Fight, the World Tag Team champions The Heavenly Bodies and Mr. Hughes defeated Bob, Brad, and Brian Armstrong after 18 minutes of intense brawling. While Hughes always wrestles in his shirt, tie, and dress pants, Chris Candido was dressed in a tank top and Zubaz pants. while the other four wrestlers came dressed in T-shirts, jeans, and cowboy boots. The rules of the match allowed all six wrestlers to be in at a time and tags were not required. Brad hit a two-handed bulldog on Tom Prichard just a few minutes into the bout for a near fall. A few minutes later, the Bodies double teamed Brian and hit a Flapjack in the center of the ring. Jim Cornette reached under the ring and found a metal pipe. He tossed it to “The Suicide Blonde,” who smashed “The Road Dogg” in the back with it. Brian rolled to the outside and was out of commission for a few minutes. Brad and Bob fought through the odds and managed to start to wear down Cornette’s bodyguard. Brad hit a knee lift and then Bob came off the second rope with an elbow to the head. Hughes was dazed but not down. “Bullet” Bob immediately jumped off the second rope again with another sledge and this time, knocked down Hughes. He went for a cover but the Bodies broke up the pin. Brian recovered and came into the ring. He and Brad hit a double DDT on Hughes but again the Bodies stopped them from a pin. Hughes recovered and he and Dr. Tom brawled with Brad and Brian outside the ring, while Bob and Candido went at it inside. Candido got the upper hand and hit a diving head butt on the Armstrong patriarch but he kicked out of the pin attempt. Outside the ring, Brian grabbed Prichard and hit a vertical suplex through the announcers’ table, sending Lance Russell and Dave Brown scurrying! (On the broadcast, Lance yelled, “Look out!”) Brian was hurt from the move as well, as his own back hit the edge of the table. Brad nailed Hughes with a chair and then returned to the ring to help his father. Bob was woozy from the head butt, as Brad and Candido battled. Prichard recovered and returned to the ring, as the champions hit the Prima Donna Plunge. Somehow, Brad kicked out! Hughes grabbed a second table from under the ring and tossed it in the center. The Bodies set it up and Hughes hit a released gut wrench on Brad, sending him crashing through the table. Bob was about to help his son but Cornette got to him and tossed powder into his eyes, blinding him! Hughes made a cover and scored the pin, in one of the wildest bouts in USWA history! ***¼

10) The USWA ring crew worked quickly to clear up the mayhem from two broken tables and to set up a third for Lance and Dave to continue their great work. In doing so, the crew also brought out a ladder for the first-ever Ladder Match in USWA history and the first of three championship matches! In an amazing 25-minute match, Pepper Gomez retained the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight title over the former champion and his long-time rival Ray “The Crippler” Stevens! Per the rules of the match, the ladder started in the aisleway. Jimmy Hart accompanied Stevens to the ring for the match but surprisingly, stayed out of the way, perhaps knowing the danger a ladder can cause! The challenger was aggressive at the start, wanting to win the Mid-America title for the fourth time. He hit the piledriver twice in the opening minutes. He couldn’t go for a pinfall but after the second piledriver, brought the ladder into the ring for the first time. By the time he got the ladder set up, Gomez had gotten to his feet, still very dazed. Stevens went for a clothesline but Gomez ducked and surprised him with a flying head scissors! Gomez smashed Stevens face-first into the standing ladder and then nailed him with a windup punch to the midsection. He sent Stevens into the ropes two more times and hit the windup punch twice more. Stevens gained the upper hand and started to climb the ladder. Gomez recovered and climbed up the other side of the ladder. They met at the top and started exchanging punches. Gomez’ punches hit harder and he slammed Stevens’ face into the top of the ladder, busting him open. Stevens stayed toward the top and continued the slugfest. Gomez blocked a punch and executed an amazing superplex, causing both men to crash hard to the mat and the Nashville fans to go wild! It took about a minute for both combatants to recover and get to their feet but Stevens struck first with a knee smash. His cut started gushing blood profusely. But he stayed in control. In a scene similar to 2010 in San Francisco, “The Crippler” came off the ladder with the Bombs Away! Whether intentional or not, Stevens landed the knee across Gomez’ forehead this time, not the throat. Gomez too was soon bleeding. Hart was cheering wildly through the megaphone at ringside for Stevens to climb and win. The challenger seemed to want to dish out more punishment to his long-time foe, as he grabbed the ladder and used it to uppercut Gomez. He continued the attack with the ladder and then smashed Gomez in the midsection with it. Stevens stood frozen, as Gomez stood up, and shook the effects from his “cast iron stomach”! Gomez pushed the ladder back into Stevens’ midsection and ran wild on him. He set up the ladder in the corner, hit the Mexican Leap on the downed Stevens, and then looked as if he was going to go for the Mexican cradle. That wouldn’t have gotten Gomez the victory here but instead, he grabbed Stevens by both legs and catapulted “The Crippler” into the ladder! Stevens hit the ladder hard and went sailing over the ropes to the floor. Hart went to scream encouragement through the megaphone at his charge, while Gomez moved the ladder back to the center of the ring. He climbed up every rung, grabbed the Mid-America title belt off the hooks, and Paul Morton from the floor called for the bell to declare him the winner! Gomez stood atop the ladder the winner in a very fitting scene, given the history between these two! ****½

11) After a year filled with headaches and injuries from the USWA Southern Heavyweight champion “Exotic” Adrian Street and Jim Cornette’s stable, “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson ended 2017 on a high note, regaining the Southern title from Street in about 10 minutes via submission! The Nashville fans were buzzing for this one, knowing the intensity they’ve had in their bouts this year and the problems Street has caused for the two-time former World champion. Street tried to end things quickly, hitting a schoolboy roll-up with his feet on the ropes in the first minute of the match. Danielson kicked out, even with the illegal leverage. Street stayed in control for a few minutes but Danielson tossed him out of the ring and then hit a jumping knee smash off the apron to the floor! Street was flattened but with Mr. Hughes’s help and Cornette screaming encouragement, he managed to roll back in the ring by the count of eight. Danielson took him down with an armbar and applied the LeBell Lock with Street far from the ropes! Cornette jumped up on the ring apron to distract Scott Bowden. Street tapped out but Bowden missed it! Danielson released the hold to threaten “The Louisville Slugger.” Hughes stood up to Danielson, who looked ready to fight the man who defeated him 13 days ago at the Louisville Gardens but kept his focus on the Southern champion. Danielson stayed in control and busted the British glam rocker open with some knee strikes, mixing his face paint with blood! He then applied the guillotine choke a few minutes later. Street was in trouble, as Danielson had his own back toward the ropes. Hughes distracted Bowden from the other side of the ring while Cornette snuck in and smacked Danielson in the back with the tennis racquet! Street recovered and went for a submission of his own with the Cobra Clutch but the challenger made the ropes. Street tried for a suplex but “Dragon” blocked it and hit a huracanrana. He then applied the guillotine choke again in the center of the ring. Street was trapped and forced to tap out! Bowden called for the bell and awarded Danielson the Southern title for the second time! **½

During the pre-main event intermission, the USWA ring crew, who was very busy tonight, set up the four ring poles attached to the ring posts with the boxes on top and Kevin Sullivan’s golden spike inside one of the boxes for the main event! Right before the main event introductions, Gary Michael Cappetta introduced the new USWA commissioner…Teddy Long! Long is a former referee and manager in Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW). The Nashville fans gave Long a great welcome as he entered the ring to music. He thanked “Bullet” Bob Armstrong, Jerry Jarrett, and the rest of the USWA Committee for putting their trust in him in this position. He said that he will always strive to be a fair commissioner and to give fans the best wrestling he can! He ended with “Holla, holla, playa!” and then sat ringside with Lance Russell and Dave Brown to get a close eye on the main event!

12) The main event was a match with not only the top prize of the USWA on the line, in the USWA World Heavyweight championship, but also a lot of personal pride on the line. Current and two-time champion “The Gamesmaster” Kevin Sullivan put the title on the line against former champion “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert. The history between these two dates back 16 months when Sullivan, a new member of the House of Humperdink at the time, got Sir Oliver Humperdink and the rest of the House to turn on Gilbert and injure his leg, putting him on the shelf for 10 months. Along the way, Sullivan and Humperdink converted Eddie’s brother Doug to the Dark Patriot. The title was on the line in the first-ever Singapore Spike Match. Sullivan’s golden spike was turned into USWA officials early that day and placed inside one of four boxes hung by a cable attached to the poles, which were attached to the ring posts. Once a wrestler found the spike, he could use it as a weapon legally.

This match ended up being one of the most brutal matches in USWA history, going nearly 28 minutes and seeing lots of bloodshed. Eddie hit a DDT a few minutes into the bout and then climbed up one of the poles for the spike but the box he chose was empty. Gilbert hit the Hot Shot but the World champion rolled out of the ring before a pin attempt could be made. Sullivan took over when Gilbert reached through the ropes to grab him, blasting “Hot Stuff” with a karate thrust to the throat. The champ returned to the ring and nailed Gilbert with two separate clotheslines. Sullivan went to another box but did not come up with the spike. He went to another corner and started to climb. Gilbert recovered and followed him up, in a race to the top. Both men grabbed onto that box from each side, the lid popped open, and revealed no spike inside! The two started punching at each other. Gilbert threw a big haymaker and the force of it sent him and Sullivan off the pole and through the announcers’ table at ringside, right in front of Lance Russell, Dave Brown, and Commissioner Long! The fans went wild at seeing this carnage! Sullivan landed face-first on one of the broken table pieces and started bleeding profusely from the forehead. Jerry Calhoun left the ring to check on both competitors and consult with Commissioner Long on what to do if the combatants couldn’t continue. They didn’t have to decide as after a few minutes, Gilbert and Sullivan both returned to the ring, still hurting but wanting to continue the battle. Both men staggered to their feet. Sullivan charged Gilbert with a clothesline but Gilbert ducked, got underneath him, and executed the Hot Shot! He went for a cover but Sullivan kicked out at 2¾. Gilbert looked up to the fourth box, now knowing where the spike was for sure. Both men battled it out for five minutes, trying to get up the last pole but getting blocked by their opponent. At one point, Sullivan rammed Gilbert’s face into the pole, causing him to get busted open as well. Gilbert hit a piledriver on “The Gamesmaster” at about 20 minutes and then got up the pole and grabbed the spike. He came off the pole and looked ready to spike Sullivan, who was getting up to his feet. Before he could, Humperdink reached in the ring and tripped Gilbert, causing him to drop the spike! Gilbert in a rage went after the manager but in doing so, allowed the World champ to grab the spike. Tommy and Doug Gilbert and the Patriot came down to ringside. Tommy got to Humperdink but Doug and the Patriot were cut off by Ivan Koloff and Mr. Saito. Those four brawled to the back, while Tommy went after Humperdink. Back in the ring, Sullivan tried to spike Eddie but he blocked it with all his might. Sullivan was a man possessed, despite the physicality of the match, and finally drove the spike into Eddie’s forehead. He pressed it in longer than was necessary, as Eddie passed out. Sullivan, for good measure, delivered the double foot stomp, and covered Eddie to score the pinfall and retain the World title! The ring was covered in blood from both combatants. Tommy helped Eddie out of the ring and to the back. Long grabbed a microphone from Gary Michael Cappetta and congratulated the champion on his win. He said that he better enjoy his New Year’s because on January 15, he will defend his title against the undefeated Harley Race in Chattanooga! He then wished all the Nashville “playas” a Happy New Year! ****½ (NOTE: I try to have table-breaking spots occur rarely in my fed write-ups. So to have two on the same card is wild for me. It must be the spirit of the Ringside Companion!)

[throwingtoasters]

Huge main event! Wow. Great action.

Sorry if this has been asked but how do you track time?

And Happy New Year!

[Crimson Cross]

You've gotta love the rich history you've built with this fed, great stuff and action and that main event was wild...