Cory's USWA

[Cory Olson]

Thanks to Kevin Butcher and Victory Roll for the comments!

December 3, 2018
Card #565: Municipal Auditorium in Nashville

1) “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff defeated Nashville native Jake “The Milkman” Milliman in the opening contest. Milliman got a big ovation from his hometown fans and had some early offense against the former USWA World Heavyweight champion but Koloff reversed a whip into the buckles and blasted Milliman with a double thrust to the throat. Koloff got Milliman down on the mat and executed a double foot stomp for a two-count. Koloff came off the top rope with a knee drop and then followed it up with another double stomp for good measure. He covered “The Milkman” and scored the pinfall in about six minutes. As Koloff got his hand raised, with Sir Oliver Humperdink by his side, he seemed to ready to do battle with the undefeated “Wildfire” Tommy Rich next week in Radcliff, KY! ½*

2) Baron Von Raschke and The Barbarian picked up a big win over the former World Tag Team champions The Flying Redheads in about eight minutes. The action was back and forth between the two teams. Later in the match, Red Bastien caught the Baron in an abdominal stretch. Doctor X from ringside handed an object to the Barbarian, which the big man slipped into his boot. The Baron was able to tag his partner from the abdominal stretch, which Bastien did not see but Frank Morrell did. Barbarian came into the ring and nailed Bastien in the back of the head with the loaded boot, in a scene similar to their match last month in Memphis. Barbarian immediately went for a cover but Billy Red Lyons made the save. The Barbarian tossed Lyons out of the ring and then tagged Baron back into the bout. “The Clawmaster” immediately applied the brain claw. Bastien was knocked out from the boot and Von Raschke pinned his shoulders to the mat for the win. X had been stomping on Lyons outside the ring to prevent another save. It was an impressive win for this rulebreaking duo! *¾

3) The Masked Superstar defeated S.D. Jones by disqualification. The former Southern champ controlled much of the match, hitting his Superstar clothesline for a near fall a few minutes into the match. “Special Delivery” capitalized on a missed knee and had the masked man trapped in the corner with big punches. He got overzealous and knocked down Paul Neighbors before doing the Philly Shuffle and delivering a final blow. Neighbors saw it as intentional, even though it appeared it wasn’t, and called for the bell after six minutes, disqualifying “Philadelphia’s Favorite Son.” The Nashville fans were not happy about this outcome! *½

4) Mid-America Heavyweight champion Luke Harper scored a quick win over Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana in about two minutes. The host of The Art of Wrestling came out strong against his rival at the opening bell. He went for a slam on the big man but it got blocked and Harper immediately hit a package pieldriver. He covered Cabana and scored the surprising pinfall. After the bell, Cabana laid on the mat in a lot of pain. Jerry Calhoun signaled to the back for help. Several USWA officials came out to check on Cabana. The Chicago native was able to walk to the back with the assistance of the officials. DUD

5) In the continuing war between the Fantastics and the Tolos Brothers, Bobby Fulton picked up a big win over John Tolos by disqualification. Fulton was a house of fire against Tolos in this one. He hit a flying body press off the top rope for a near fall a few minutes into the bout. Fulton blasted Tolos in the face with a high dropkick, which busted open Tolos’ nose. Fulton made another cover but Tolos kicked out. Chris Tolos showed up at ringside about a minute later. John momentarily took control, tossing Fulton out of the ring. John followed and grabbed Fulton’s arms so that Chris could hit him. Fulton dodged the attack and Chris nailed his own brother! Fulton nailed Chris with punches, then tossed him back into the ring, where he quickly surprised John with a small package. Chris recovered, jumped into the ring, and stomped on Fulton before Frank Morrell could count three. Morrell was left with no choice but to call for the bell and disqualify John after 10 minutes. The Toloses were about to unleash more punishment on Fulton but before they could, Tommy Rogers came down to the ring with a steel chair in hand to chase off the former World Tag Team champions! **¾

6) Doctor X picked up a big win with a tainted submission on Pepper Gomez in 16 minutes. The masked man had the early advantage, using a wide arsenal to wear down “The Man with The Cast Iron Stomach.” He tried for a submission with a full nelson but Gomez made the ropes. He then turned the attack to Gomez’ knee, wrenching it between the ropes and stomping it. X then delivered a handstand knee drop to the knee and went for a pin but only got a two-count. Gomez fought back and got X down on the mat. Even with the injured knee, he was able to land two Mexican Leaps before going for the cradle. X managed to kick out at a 2¾. Gomez delivered some shuffling punches to X but his knee interrupted his flow. X dropped down and clipped the knee. He then applied the figure-four leglock with Gomez toward the center of the ring and X near the ropes. As Paul Neighbors checked on Gomez, X grabbed the middle rope for leverage. Despite pleas from Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Neighbors did not see this. Gomez was in pain and forced to tap out, giving X the win! ***¾

7) The Heavenly Bodies were victorious over The Uptown Boys. Marty Jannetty had the early advantage against Dr. Tom Prichard, but the Bodies trapped Ric McCord in the ring. They hit the Prima Donna Plunge but Jannetty made the save. As Jannetty returned to the Boys’ corner, Mr. Hughes was there to pull him down and smash him into the ring post. Jerry Calhoun did not see this, as he was ordering Chris Candido back to the Bodies’ corner. Prichard continued the attack and finished off McCord shortly thereafter with the enzuigiri after six minutes. Jim Cornette was very pleased with his team’s win and his bodyguard’s involvement! *½

8) Two-time former World Heavyweight champion The Patriot gained a measure of revenge for his loss to John Tolos in October in Cookeville, as he defeated John’s brother Chris Tolos in four minutes. The masked American scored near falls after a clothesline and an atomic drop but it was the Patriot Missile that got him the victory. While the Patriot was pleased with this win, you can bet he will want to get John back in the ring one-on-one again! *

9) The World Tag Team champions Ray “The Crippler” Stevens and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine scored an impressive win over Tommy and Eddie Gilbert after 47 minutes of action in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. The first fall saw some competitive action but the champions gained control later in the fall and cut the ring in half on Tommy. Stevens hit the Bombs Away but Tommy managed to kick out. Valentine tagged in and worked over the Gilbert patriarch for a few minutes until tagging back to “The Crippler.” The First Family of Wrestling team showcased their teamwork, as they hit a spike piledriver, with Stevens holding Tommy and Valentine coming off the ropes. Stevens made a cover and scored the pin at 12 minutes into the first fall, while “The Hammer” kept “Hot Stuff” at bay.

The second fall started with the same legal men in the ring, per the rules of a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. Despite hurting from the spike piledriver, Tommy managed to gain control on Stevens and make the hot tag to “Hot Stuff.” Eddie nailed Stevens with punches and then hit Stevens with his one of his own finishers—the piledriver to earn a two-count. Valentine tagged back in but so did Tommy and Tommy hammered “The Hammer” with forearm smashes before delivering a body slam to score a two-count. Stevens was later the legal man when Tommy used a variation of the Bombs Away (coming off the second rope instead of the top). He covered “The Crippler” but the World Tag Team champ kicked out at two. Eddie was the legal man when the World Tag Team champions kept him in the ring for 18 minutes! Stevens landed a Bombs Away, which drew blood on Eddie. He covered the former World and Southern Heavyweight champion but Eddie kicked out. Valentine came back and applied the figure-four leglock. The blood was flowing as Eddie was trapped in the hold for nearly two minutes. With his father and the Nashville fans cheering him on, Eddie managed to get to the ropes! Stevens came back in and went for a jumping knee smash. Eddie dodged the attack and Stevens hit the turnbuckles. Eddie went for a schoolboy roll-up but Stevens kicked out. Eddie dove to the Gilberts’ corner and made the hot tag to Tommy. Tommy worked over Stevens but got caught in the First Family’s corner. Valentine tagged in and the champs tried to double team Tommy. Tommy ducked a forearm from “The Hammer” and Valentine hit his own partner! Tommy took control. Eddie begged for a tag and his father obliged. Eddie worked over Valentine and hit a neckbreaker clothesline. A panicked Jimmy Hart grabbed one of the World Tag Team title belts from the announcers’ table. He handed it to Stevens, who started to enter the ring. Tommy saw him coming and prepared to counterattack but Paul Neighbors saw him coming. Eddie set up Valentine for a piledriver but as he went to lift, Stevens nailed him in his bloodied face with the title belt. Valentine fell on top and Neighbors turned around to count. As Tommy went for a save, Stevens nailed him with the belt as well and then tossed it out of the ring, as Neighbors counted Eddie’s shoulders down for the three-count, giving the First Family the win in two straight falls! The Nashville fans were not pleased by this outcome! ***¾

10) After the pre-main event intermission, “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart was back in the arena, accompanying World Heavyweight champion Harley Race and King Kong Bundy to the ring for their tag team main event match against Race’s challenger for the World title at New Year’s Knockout XV “Wildfire” Tommy Rich and his partner “Superstar” Bill Dundee! Rich and Bundy started off the bout for their teams. Rich had control against the New Jersey giant and managed to knock him down after some big punches. Dundee tagged in against his former rival and hit a double foot stomp. Bundy went to the First Family’s corner. Dundee made the mistake of trying to attack him there with a clothesline but Race and Bundy trapped him and double teamed him relentlessly. Dundee kicked out of the Atlantic City Avalanche, as well as Race’s piledriver. Race busted open the “Superstar” with a head butt and then delivered a side backbreaker for another near fall. He tagged back to Bundy and Race and Bund hit a spike piledriver, with Race executing the move and Bundy from a standing position, pushing on Dundee’s feet. Bundy, for good measure, picked up Dundee, placed him in the First Family’s corner, and hit another Avalanche. He scored the pin, while Race stopped Rich from making a save, which was the only interaction between the two tonight. Hart was definitely pleased with his team’s strong win in 12 minutes! ½*

[~KB~]

NIKITA
NIKITA
NIKITA
NIKITA
NIKITA
NIKITA

[TTX]

Go Patriot.

[Cory Olson]

Thanks to Kevin and Troy for the comments!

Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on December 8:
• Commissioner Teddy Long had some huge updates for New Year’s Knockout XV at Rupp Arena in Lexington!
o The Heavenly Bodies will do battle once again with The Uptown Boys! The bouts between these four have been wild ones, particularly with the involvement of Mr. Hughes and Jim Cornette!
o Commissioner Long announced the next five participants for the first-ever 20-man Gauntlet Match for a shot at the Southern Heavyweight title in February 2019!
 Hugh Morrus
 Nacho Barrera
 “Soul Train” Jones
 Hillbilly Jim
 Mike Jackson
Any of these five competitors are capable of pulling off a big upset win and earning a championship match in the New Year!

• Another match was added to the USWA’s debut card at the National Guard Armory in Gallatin, TN on December 17! In a return grudge bout, The Patriot will do battle with John Tolos! Tolos defeated the two-time former World Heavyweight champion on October 22 in Cookeville, thanks to interference from his brother Chris. Now that Patriot has gotten revenge on Chris, he hopes to do the same to John!
• An interview aired with World Heavyweight champion Harley Race and “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart. Lance Russell congratulated the First Family on some impressive wins last week in Nashville. Hart said he didn’t believe Lance’s sincerity and that he knows Lance is jealous of the Family’s accomplishments! Russell turned his attention to the champion and asked what his thoughts were on “Wildfire” Tommy Rich since the two didn’t get to wrestle in the tag team main event last week. Race said that Rich knows that he (Race) is the superior grappler and that Rich fears him; that’s why he sent in Bill Dundee to be the “sacrificial lamb.” Race said that he is going to make the next few weeks miserable for the challenger, even before they get to Lexington. Lance asked the champ to elaborate and Race announced that he will be at ringside with Hart to accompany World Tag Team champion Ray “The Crippler” Stevens for his one-on-one match with Rich on December 17 in Gallatin! Race said that there is more that will be revealed and that Rich, Lance, and the fans will need to “wait and see.”
• It was announced that Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana suffered a stinger neck injury from the package piledriver that Mid-America Heavyweight champion Luke Harper delivered in their bout in Nashville last week. The host of The Art of Wrestling is going to rest up the next few weeks and return for their big No-Disqualification tag team match at New Year’s Knockout XV!
• Lance interviewed Troy Peterson via satellite from a training facility, with an update on Impact Pro Wrestling. Lance asked Troy where was and Troy announced that he is at the Vault in Collins, IA, not far from Des Moines. Troy said that the Vault was the name of an arena that Midwest Pro Wrestling (MPW) ran in Algona, IA. The Vault was considered MPW’s home arena, as their offices were located in Algona as well. The original Vault was sold after MPW was forced to shut down but Peterson announced that IPW plans to run in a new location in Algona. He said that the new Vault in Collins will house IPW’s offices, a training center for the wrestlers, and first-run matches which will air on IPW’s new weekly TV show, entitled Action from The Vault! Peterson said that the show will air on FOX affiliate KDSM, Channel 17 out of Des Moines on Saturday afternoons! Peterson said that they hope to expand to more channels in the future but for those that don’t have KDSM, especially USWA fans, the show will also drop on YouTube on Sunday afternoons after the airing! He said that IPW will hold tapings for multiple episodes and fans in the area can obtain free tickets to these matches at the Vault offices. The show will be hosted by Midnight Guthrie and Luke Raven, two commentators that have a long experience in Iowa wrestling. Matches for the TV show and the arena cards will be announced by Peterson’s lifelong friend and fellow wrestling enthusiast Chad Olson! First-run interviews and updates on upcoming IPW cards will be added to each week’s show. Peterson said that the first episode of Action from The Vault will air on January 5, 2019 and the whole month of January will feature matches from previous promotions and videos highlighting some of the regular stars that will compete in IPW! Then after the first IPW card on January 26 at the Forte Banquet & Conference Center in downtown Des Moines, the first TV taping for matches will be held on February 2!

The USWA comes back to North Hardin High School in Radcliff, KY on December 10!
• Two singles bouts will take place between The Uptown Boys and Jim Cornette’s men. First, Ric McCord will collide with former Southern Heavyweight champion and Cornette’s bodyguard Mr. Hughes in a rematch from last month at the Louisville Gardens. Marty Jannetty interfered for the disqualification last time. What will happen this week?
• Speaking of Marty Jannetty, he will be in action as well when he takes on “The Suicide Blonde” Chris Candido! Jannetty has recently scored two impressive wins in singles competition over Mr. Hughes and would love to do the same against the former Texas champion Candido. Can Jannetty do it or will the New Jerseyan stop him?
• Before they meet in the tag team Lexington Street Fight, “Superstar” Bill Dundee and “Exotic” Adrian Street will battle one-on-one one more time! While Dundee is definitely looking forward to him and “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant battling Street and Mr. Hughes on New Year’s Eve, with the chance to get Jim Cornette in the ring after, this week’s match is just as important to the Aussie, as he has yet to defeat the British glam rocker. Which international star will win in Radcliff and gain some momentum for New Year’s Knockout?
• The Patriot will battle Mad Dog Vachon! Both grapplers are looking for a win to move up in consideration for a shot at singles gold in the New Year! Will it be the masked American or the Algerian brawler triumphing?
• The interesting pairing of Dutch Savage and House of Humperdink member Hugh Morrus will team up to battle Jackie Fargo and a partner. Fargo announced on this past week’s edition of USWA Championship Wrestling that his partner will be “The Man with The Cast Iron Stomach” Pepper Gomez! Gomez came into the WMC-TV Studios, flanked by his manager Ed “Strangler” Lewis. Fargo said that Gomez was very welcoming to him when he arrived in the USWA in April and reminded fans how the Mexican superstar came to his aid at Independence Day Bash in Memphis in Fargo’s bout with the Amish RoadKill after “Dastardly” Danny Doring had interfered. This tag team will have huge ramifications for New Year’s Knockout, as either Fargo or Savage will get to pick the stipulations for their one-on-one bout, depending on who wins this week! Savage already revealed on the December 1 edition of Championship Wrestling that he is going to go with his specialty—the Coal Miner’s Glove Match! “The Fabulous” Fargo has not yet revealed his choice. Which team will win and choose the stipulations for New Year’s Eve?
• “Wildfire” Tommy Rich continues his road to his World title match. He has a big obstacle ahead of him this week, as he faces former champion “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff! While Koloff has primarily wrestled in tag team action this past year-plus with his successful pairing with Mr. Saito, his singles skills cannot be underestimated, as he captured the USWA title from Ed “Strangler” Lewis back in August 2010 in Johnson City, TN, in what many wrestling experts considered an upset at the time. Can Rich defeat the Russian grappler or will Koloff pull another shocker and give Rich his first loss?
• The main event will be a rematch for the USWA World Tag Team championship. Ray “The Crippler” Stevens and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine of the First Family of Wrestling will defend the titles against former champions John and Chris Tolos! Stevens and Valentine captured the gold from the Tolos Brothers in October in Knoxville after a grueling 38-minute ***** bout that saw Jimmy Hart’s megaphone get involved. The champs are coming off another long match last week in Nashville in the 2-out-of-3 Falls Match against Tommy and Eddie Gilbert that went 47 minutes total. Stevens and Valentine have succeeded in these long bouts but perhaps that will catch up to them. The Toloses always seem to have a trick up their sleeve. Can the Canadian brothers regain the gold or will the champs outlast them again?

All these bouts, as well as the team of Baron Von Raschke and The Barbarian in action, plus Doug Gilbert in singles competition!

[Cory Olson]

December 10, 2017
Card #566: North Hardin High School in Radcliff, KY

1) Doug Gilbert was victorious in the opener over “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe. The Radcliff fans berated Sharpe with “Mulkeys” chants, coming off Sharpe losing to the brothers in his tag team match teaming up with Johnny Rodz last month at the Louisville Gardens! This was a competitive bout. Gilbert scored a near fall after a suplex in the first few minutes. The New Jerseyan Sharpe took over and hit his finisher the piledriver (a move Gilbert also uses frequently) but only got a two-count. Sharpe went for a running double sledge but Gilbert dodged the attack and surprised the “Pretty Boy” with a superkick. He covered Sharpe and scored the pinfall after 19 minutes! ***½

2) Mr. Hughes scored a pinfall on Ric McCord. McCord came out strong at the opening bell, trying to wear down the former Southern Heavyweight champion. McCord whipped the bodyguard into the corner and came charging in at him with a shoulder tackle but Hughes stopped him with a big boot to the face. Hughes dominated McCord for a few more minutes and finally scored the pinfall after six minutes after a series of triple backbreakers, holding McCord through all three. After getting his hand raised, Hughes grabbed McCord to unleash more punishment. Before he could, McCord’s partner Marty Jannetty sprinted down to the ring with a steel chair in hand. He smashed Hughes in the back with it, as Jim Cornette ran for cover. McCord recovered and the Uptown Boys hit a double DDT on Hughes onto the chair! The Heavenly Bodies and “Exotic” Adrian Street came down to the ringside area but got nailed with double dropkicks! The Uptown Boys left the ring before things got crazier! Cornette’s men recovered and walked to the back but Hughes’s neck was definitely bothering him. ½*

3) Baron Von Raschke and The Barbarian dominated The Mulkey Brothers. “The Clawmaster” stopped Randy’s attacks and picked him up for a backbreaker drop. He went for a cover but pulled Randy up to administer more punishment. He tagged to the Barbarian, who immediately went up the ropes and came off with the flying clothesline. This put Randy down for the three-count in about 80 seconds before Bill could even tag into the bout! DUD

4) Chris Candido and Marty Jannetty were quickly back in the ring after the skirmish in the earlier match between Mr. Hughes and Ric McCord. “The Suicide Blonde” picked up a hard-fought win over Jannetty in 20 minutes. Speaking of Hughes, he was noticeably absent from ringside, perhaps coming off the attack by the Uptown Boys after his win. Jim Cornette was naturally in Candido’s corner but surprisingly, did not get involved a lot in this bout. While Jannetty did not wrack up as many near falls, he did give the former Texas champion quite the challenge. Candido got some two-counts after a snap suplex and a running neckbreaker. He came off the top with a stiff diving head butt, which drew blood on Jannetty. Jannetty rolled out of the ring for a breather but Candido followed and rammed his head into the ring post, causing the blood to flow more. Jannetty was almost counted out but managed to roll back into the ring by the count of nine. Candido took him up the ropes and executed the Blonde Bomb. Somehow, Jannetty was able to kick out at 2¾! Candido followed up soon after with a second Blonde Bomb and got the pinfall. McCord came down to the ring to check on Jannetty, who was able to walk to the back with help. ***¼

5) The Fantastics were victorious over “Dastardly” Danny Doring and The Amish RoadKill in a 20-minute bout. The rulebreakers had some control for a few minutes until the “Dastardly One” missed the Danaconda off the top rope onto Bobby Fulton. The Fantastics kept Doring in the ring for the final eight minutes of the match. They executed their press slam and splash combination but “The Angry Amish Warrior” broke up the count. Fulton busted the former Mid-America champion open with a dropkick to the nose and then surprised him with a reverse rolling cradle for a near fall. The Fantastics finally got the win after the Fantastic Flip, with Fulton scoring the pin, while Tommy Rogers stopped an intervening RoadKill with a dropkick. The Radcliff fans gave the Fantastics a big ovation for their win and you can bet these fan favorites can’t wait to tangle with the Tolos Brothers again on New Year's Eve! ***

6) “Superstar” Bill Dundee picked up a long-awaited win with a pinfall on “Exotic” Adrian Street in 18 minutes! Mr. Hughes did join Jim Cornette in Street’s corner for this one but was sporting a neck brace. This was a back-and-forth battle between these two rivals. Midway through the bout, Dundee had Street in an Indian Deathlock and looked like he might the submission win. Cornette jumped up on the apron and distracted Scott Bowden. Dundee released the hold and briefly threatened the manager but stayed focused. He sent Street into the ropes but missed a clothesline and Street surprised him with the crucifix for a two-count. A knee to the face from the British glam rocker drew blood on the Aussie. Street took advantage of a woozy Dundee and tried for a submission with a Cobra Clutch. Dundee started to drop so Bowden checked his arm. Right before the third drop, Dundee popped back up and got to his feet. He ran toward the corner and ducked down, sending Street head-first into the top turnbuckle. Dundee took over and hit a jumping knee drop on the former Southern champion to score a near fall. Dundee and Street battled it out for a few more minutes, until Dundee took over with a body slam, followed by a double foot stop and another knee drop. To ensure the win, he went up to the top rope and came off with the Superstar Bomb to score the pinfall! The Radcliff fans erupted as Dundee got his hand raised! Dundee pointed to Cornette and Hughes that he and “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant would see all three of them again in the Lexington Street Fight on December 31 and that Cornette better be prepared to wrestle! ****½

7) The Patriot made a big comeback to defeat Mad Dog Vachon after 12 minutes of hard-hitting action! The masked former World champion had the early control, surprising Vachon with a sunset flip off an attempted back body drop. The Patriot stayed in control and hit a power slam for another near fall. Vachon rolled out of the ring and gained the upper hand by snapping the Patriot’s neck on the second rope. He would use that rope several times throughout the bout, using the Mad Dog Pounce four separate times on the masked American! After the last Pounce, he tore into the Patriot’s mask, raking his eyes and punching away at him, so that the Patriot was lacerated. The mask was not fully removed so his identity stayed safe. The Patriot battled back and hit a Patriot Missile but Vachon managed to kick out. Vachon was in control again and hit the piledriver but somehow, the bloodied Patriot stayed in the fight. Vachon again choked the Patriot on the ropes and went for yet another Pounce. He went to the well once too often, as the Patriot moved and Vachon landed hard on the ropes! The Patriot took advantage by pulling Vachon off the ropes, hooking his legs, and scoring the pinfall out of nowhere! The Radcliff fans gave the two-time former champ a well-deserved ovation for the comeback victory! ****

8) In an amazing tag team bout, featuring two teams who had never teamed up before, Jackie Fargo and Pepper Gomez defeated Dutch Savage and Hugh Morrus to earn the right for Fargo to pick the stipulations for his match with Savage at New Year’s Knockout XV! The rulebreakers worked over “The Fabulous” Fargo for the first few minutes, including Savage using his thumb to the throat. Fargo reversed a whip into the ropes and sent Savage flying high with a back body dropped, then tagged “The Man with The Cast Iron Stomach.” Savage quickly avoided Gomez and tagged to the laughing man. Later, Savage and Morrus cut the ring in half on Fargo. Fargo kicked out of Morrus’ No Laughing Matter. Savage tagged back in and blasted his rival with the thumb to the throat and then blasted him with stiff punches, which drew blood on Fargo. Savage took the bout to the floor but Fargo cut him off and smashed his face into the ring post, which just as quickly drew blood on Savage! Gomez tagged in but missed a Mexican Leap and Savage made a quick cover for a two-count. Gomez and Morrus were the legal men a few minutes later when Gomez hit the Mexican Leap successfully and then immediately executed the Mexican cradle for a two-count. Fargo tagged back in and knocked Morrus to the floor after some big punches. He followed Morrus, while Savage and Gomez started brawling inside the ring, which drew Joe Wheeler’s attention to them. Sir Oliver Humperdink attempted to smash Fargo with his cane but Ed “Strangler” Lewis stopped him, taking him down with the Strangler’s Headlock! Fargo took advantage of a more confused Morrus, nailing him with the cane, busting him open as well! He tossed Morrus back inside and hit the atomic drop, followed by a cover. Wheeler turned around to see the legal men back in and counted the pinfall before Savage could realize what had happened! Fargo and Gomez got the win after 26 minutes of amazing action! As the fan favorites got their hands raised, both Gomez and Lewis congratulated Fargo on the win and wished him well in his match with Savage on New Year’s Eve. Savage started walking to the back without Morrus and Humperdink but Fargo asked for a microphone from Gary Michael Cappetta. He announced that he had decided on a first-time match for the USWA. He said Savage better get ready to climb high, as they are going to have a Scaffold Match on New Year’s Eve! As the fans erupted, Savage was outraged! *****

9) In a shocker, albeit caused by nefarious means, “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff gave “Wildfire” Tommy Rich his first loss in the USWA. As Rich came out to his theme song, he was ambushed by the World Tag Team champions Ray “The Crippler” Stevens and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. The duo tossed him into the ring post and beat on him. “Superstar” Bill Dundee came racing out of the back with a chair in hand and chased off the champions. (“The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant was not here since he was not booked to wrestle.) Several USWA officials came out to check on Rich as well. Scott Bowden, the assigned referee for the match, asked Rich if he wanted to forfeit the bout. To little surprise, “Wildfire” refused and made his way to the ring. Bowden signaled for the bell to start the match officially. As the bell rang, Sir Oliver Humperdink came out to ringside to be in Koloff’s corner, having just been in the back with Hugh Morrus after his tag team contest. Both Koloff and Humperdink seemed surprised by the World Tag Team champions’ appearance. The former USWA champ Koloff seized the opportunity to take over on a wounded Rich, hitting a neckbreaker a few seconds into the match for a near fall. He tried for a submission with a Russian backbreaker but Rich was able to fight out of the move. Koloff stayed in control and hit a double foot stomp for another two-count. Koloff sent Rich into the ropes and blasted him on the rebound with the Russian Sickle, right in the face, and busting Rich open. Koloff went for a cover but somehow Rich managed to kick out. Rich rallied back and started to climb up the ropes. Before he could attack, Koloff recovered, pulled him off the ropes and got him in the backbreaker once again. Rich was in trouble but managed to drape one foot over the top rope. Koloff seemed at a loss as to what to do. He went to his corner, where Humperdink handed him his chain. Humperdink distracted Bowden, while Koloff delivered a second Russian Sickle, this time assisted by the chain! He tossed the chain out and covered a bloodied Rich. Bowden turned around to count the pinfall and award Koloff the bout after 14 minutes. The fans were in shock by what had transpired! Dundee came back out to ringside to check on his tag team partner and help him to the back. **½

10) After the pre-main event intermission, the Radcliff fans were somewhat calmed down but they soon would be incensed again, as the USWA World Tag Team champions Ray “The Crippler” Stevens and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, accompanied by their manager “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart defended their titles against the former champions and the team they defeated for the gold in October in Knoxville—John and Chris Tolos! While the Knoxville fans supported the First Family team in their last outing, the Radcliff fans went the other way, coming off Stevens and Valentine’s ambush of “Wildfire” Tommy Rich before the last bout! The first meeting between these teams went 38 minutes. This one ended up surpassing that, going nearly one hour! The challengers worked over Valentine for the first few minutes, including John scoring a near fall after a standing knee drop. Valentine was able to tag Stevens but the Tolos Brothers used a similar double team strategy against him as well. The Toloses executed the double team version of the flying knee drop and John made a cover but Valentine broke up the pin attempt. Stevens came up bloody from the knee drop and the cut began to flow more, as John used a corkscrew on him. “The Crippler” made the ropes to avoid a submission. The Toloses hit another double team knee drop. Chris went for the cover but Hart jumped up on the ring apron to distract Paul Morton. Stevens was now covered in blood and Morton asked him several times if he should stop the bout. While Stevens might have been seen as a sympathetic figure in this case, the Radcliff fans showed him no mercy and several of them were berating Morton for not stopping it! Stevens finally managed to tag Valentine but he was quickly cut off by a thumb to the throat from John. Valentine dropped to the mat and John applied a Boston Crab. Valentine was in trouble. Stevens came into the ring for a save but Chris came in as well to stop him. Morton saw Chris first and ordered him back to the challengers’ corner. Meanwhile, Hart handed Stevens the megaphone (which came into play in the Tag Team title change in Knoxville). Stevens cracked John over the head with it, breaking up the Crab! Both Valentine and John were down, as Morton turned around and administered a 10-count. Valentine got to his feet and tried for the figure-four leglock but John kicked him off. Valentine stayed in control and hit a shoulder breaker for a near fall. John took control and the Toloses tagged in and out again against “The Hammer.” John whipped Valentine into the buckles. Valentine hit chest-first but bounced backward and collided heads with John, busting him open as well. Both men were down and Morton counted again but again, Valentine showed his perseverance and recovered. He dropped John throat-first on the top rope and made a cover but Chris broke up the pinfall attempt. Stevens tagged back in and hit his own knee drop—the Bombs Away. Somehow, John managed to kick out at 2¾. Valentine tagged back in and the champs hit a spike piledriver for another near fall. The action was back and forth between these two rulebreaking teams. Stevens hit another Bombs Away on John but John somehow got his shoulder up again! Stevens immediately executed the piledriver, covered John, and scored the pinfall after 58 minutes of intense action! Chris had attempted a pin save but was stopped by Valentine. The First Family team retained the titles and showed their ability to keep fighting in long matches. But once again, the Radcliff fans showed no support for them, pelting them with debris as they returned to the locker room with the belts in tow! *****

[TTX]

Nearly an hour main event..crazy. Congrats to Fargo and Gomez.

[Cory Olson]

Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on 12-15:
• Commissioner Teddy Long announced two more matches for New Year’s Knockout XV!
o Three top stars and former champions will battle each other for a shot at the USWA World Heavyweight championship on February 4, 2019 at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis! A Triangle Match will take place pitting The Patriot, “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff, and Doctor X against each other! Triangle Matches in general are unique in format and with these three stars battling it out for a shot at the World title in the New Year, anything could happen!
o In a rematch from two weeks ago in Nashville, The Masked Superstar will battle S.D. Jones! Jones got overzealous and knocked down Paul Neighbors, leading to a disqualification win for the Superstar. You can bet that Superstar is hoping for a decisive win over “Special Delivery” to move on toward other opponents in 2019!
o The commissioner also announced the final five competitors for the 20-man Gauntlet Match for a shot at the USWA Southern Heavyweight champion!
 Mr. Saito
 Jake “The Milkman” Milliman
 “Sodbuster” Kenny Jay
 “Dastardly” Danny Doring
 The Amish RoadKill
This will be quite the series of match-ups, given the talent involved!

• It was announced that Mr. Hughes suffered a minor neck injury in the attack by the Uptown Boys after his win over Ric McCord last week in Radcliff. The bodyguard for Jim Cornette does not plan to miss any ring time and will compete with a legal neck brace.
• IPW Owner Troy Peterson was back via satellite from the Vault in Collins, IA. He announced that a star familiar to USWA fans has signed to compete in the USWA, as former Mid-America Heavyweight champion “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce will join the new promotion! Peterson said that Pearce’s loss to Colt Cabana at Independence Day Bash in the finals of their Seven Levels of Hate series prevents him from wrestling in the USWA until July 2019 at the earliest. However, Peterson checked with the USWA Committee and they are fine with Pearce competing for IPW. Peterson was joined by Pearce and his new manager Stu Stone! Pearce explained that Stone was recommended to him by his manager in the USWA Jim Cornette. Stone plans to manage other wrestlers in IPW in his unit he’s calling the Family Stone. Stone said that Pearce is “by and far” going to be the biggest name in IPW and plans to enter the tournament to crown the first IPW Heavyweight champion in January! Peterson said that Pearce is just one of the talents fans will see in IPW. As Pearce and Stone left the camera area, Peterson said that he has been invited by the USWA Committee to attend New Year’s Knockout XV in Lexington. He said he has been a big fan of the USWA for years and looks forward to attending his first USWA card in person!

It’s the last stop before New Year’s Knockout XV, as the USWA makes its debut in Gallatin, TN at the National Guard Armory on December 17!
• Tommy Rogers and Chris Tolos will do battle one-on-one before their teams collide on New Year’s Eve! Who will win and earn some momentum for his team?
• “Superstar” Bill Dundee battles “The Doctor of Desire” Tom Prichard! These two met last month in Memphis with Dundee getting a countout victory. Coming off his big win over “Exotic” Adrian Street last week in Radcliff, you can bet the Aussie is hoping for a decisive ending this time. Can he topple the former World Tag Team champion?
• In a rematch from October in Cookeville, The Patriot goes after John Tolos! Tolos got the win last time thanks to interference from his brother Chris. You can bet that Tolos will be going into this bout with a chip on his shoulder, after the Toloses did not regain the World Tag Team titles last week from Ray Stevens and Greg Valentine. Will the masked American soar to victory or will the winner’s name be spelled T-O-L-O-S?
• “Wildfire” Tommy Rich is going to be fired up this week, when he collides with one-half of the World Tag Team champions Ray “The Crippler” Stevens! Stevens, Jimmy Hart, and World Heavyweight champion Harley Race were interviewed in the WMC-TV Studios. Lance Russell asked if Race knew that the Tag Team champions were going to ambush Rich before his match with Ivan Koloff. Race cackled and said that he put them up to it and reminded Rich of what he said on last week’s Championship Wrestling about making the weeks leading up to New Year’s Knockout miserable for his challenger! Hart reiterated that Race will be joining him at ringside for Stevens’ match with Rich! An interview aired that was taped in the locker room at North Hardin High from last week of Rich getting stitched up after his match with Koloff. He said he hopes to get his hands on both Stevens and Greg Valentine in the future but for now, he is fine taking on one of them in his path to the World title! Can Rich avenge that heinous attack before his main event World title match at Rupp Arena? What role will the World champion play?
• In the last defense of the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight title of the year, Luke Harper will defend the championship against Jackie Fargo in a return bout from October in Cookeville! Fargo got the win last time but not the title, as he won via countout. Fargo is hoping to win the gold this time before heading into his big Scaffold Match with Dutch Savage on New Year’s Eve. Harper has been a very impressive champion in this reign and won’t go down without a fight. Can the big Nebraskan retain the title or will Fargo strut his way to gold?
• The main event will be a unique match-up for the Gallatin fans, as two of the most popular wrestlers in the USWA will face each other for the first time and for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship! Current and three-time champion “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson will defend the title against two-time former champion “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant! Valiant has been on a hot streak lately with singles win over his rivals Mr. Hughes and “Exotic” Adrian Street—two wrestlers Danielson knows very well. Valiant has not held the Southern title since 2006—over 12 years ago! He would love to win this title for the third time. Danielson currently shares the third place overall (with “Exotic” Adrian Street’s first reign) for most defenses of the Southern title at seven. If he beats Valiant, he will take sole ownership of that spot. While both are fan favorites, they employ vastly different wrestling styles. It will be interesting to see whom the fans support more! Will “The Boy from New York City” capture the Southern gold or will Danielson continue his impressive reign?

All these bouts, plus The Uptown Boys take on Baron Von Raschke and The Barbarian! As well as the team of “Exotic” Adrian Street and Mr. Hughes in action, and Dutch Savage! It’s the last stop before New Year’s Knockout XV!

[Cory Olson]

December 17, 2018
Card #567: National Guard Armory in Gallatin, TN

1) “Exotic” Adrian Street and Mr. Hughes made short work of The Mulkeys in the opener. Hughes was still wearing his neck brace from the attack by the Uptown Boys last week in Radcliff, KY but it didn’t seem to deter the powerful bodyguard. Street outwrestled Bill and locked on the Daffodil. Bill wouldn’t surrender so Street released the hold and tagged Hughes. Hughes dominated Bill and hit a released gut wrench suplex to score the pin in three minutes before Randy could reach him for a save or even tag into the match. Jim Cornette’s duo was impressive against the Mulkey Brothers but how will they fare against “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant and “Superstar” Bill Dundee in two weeks in a Lexington Street Fight? DUD

2) Dutch Savage defeated Mike Jackson in seven minutes. While Savage largely dominated the action, Jackson wouldn’t go down without a fight. Savage blasted Jackson with the thumb to the throat four separate times and finally finished him off with the running piledriver. Savage looked vicious here. Wrestling experts have to wonder how he will do when he’s above the ring on a scaffold at New Year’s Knockout! ¼*

3) Baron Von Raschke and The Barbarian were victorious over The Uptown Boys in a competitive 20-minute match. The rulebreaking duo double teamed Marty Jannetty for the first several minutes of the bout. Barbarian scored a near fall coming off the top with a diving head butt. He hit the flying clothesline as well but Jannetty rolled out of the ring for a breather to avoid a pin. Jannetty surprised Von Raschke with a sunset flip for a two-count. The Georgian slammed Von Raschke and came off the top with a fist drop for another near fall. He finally made the tag to Ric McCord, who immediately went up top as well and hit the flying body press for a two-count. Later, Barbarian and Jannetty were the legal men, when Jannetty made a blind tag that Tom Branch saw but the Barbarian didn’t. Despite pleas from the Baron and Doctor X at ringside, the big man didn’t notice McCord climb up the ropes and came off with the flying body press. Barbarian turned around just as McCord nailed him. Jannetty was down on the mat behind Barbarian and aided in taking him by tripping the legs! McCord made a cover but the Barbarian powered out. Jannetty was later lacerated after a second diving head butt from the Barbarian but still managed to kick out. Jannetty battled back and the Uptown Boys had the powerhouse in trouble. Jannetty hit the Rocker Dropper late in the bout, which busted open the Barbarian as well. He went for a cover but “The Clawmaster” made the save. McCord tagged back in. He nailed Barbarian with a knee lift and then bounced off the ropes for a crossbody block. Barbarian caught him in midair and turned it into a shoulder breaker! He covered McCord but McCord kicked out at two. “The Clawmaster” tagged back in and immediately applied the claw. McCord started to fade. Jannetty attempted a save but was met with a big boot by the Barbarian. McCord dropped to his knees and Branch checked his arm. It dropped three times, so Branch called for the bell and awarded the bout via submission to Von Raschke and the Barbarian! This wild team continues to impress! ****¼

4) “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff made short work of Nacho Barrera. Coming off his shocking win last week, ending “Wildfire” Tommy Rich’s undefeated streak, the former USWA champion dominated the Mexican grappler and scored the pin in only 2½ minutes after the Russian Sickle. Koloff will have not one, but two tough opponents in two weeks when he battles both The Patriot and Doctor X in a Triangle Match for a shot at the World Heavyweight title in 2019! DUD

5) Tommy Rogers picked up a pinfall win over Chris Tolos in 18 minutes. Tolos had the initial advantage, brutalizing the former Mid-America champion. He scored near falls after the flying knee drop and a running stomp. Rogers surprised Tolos with a sunset flip when Tolos telegraphed a back body drop attempt and got a two-count. Rogers took control. He executed the Tomikaze and went for a cover when suddenly, John Tolos showed up at ringside and distracted Sam Platania. Before John could enter the ring, Bobby Fulton showed up and ambushed John! The two brawled to the back and the match resumed. Chris was bloodied up from the Tomikaze driving him into the mat. Rogers stayed in control and hit a second Tomikaze a few minutes later to pick up the pin. The Fantastics definitely have some momentum on their side going into the New Year’s Eve tag team battle with the Toloses! ****

6) “Superstar” Bill Dundee picked up a submission victory over Dr. Tom Prichard in 16 minutes. Dundee was aggressive in this one, perhaps getting mentally prepared for the Lexington Street Fight. He caught “The Doctor of Desire” in a sleeperhold midway through the bout. Prichard started to drop but made it to the ropes for a break. Dundee came off the top with the Superstar Bomb but Prichard was near enough to the ropes that he got a foot under the bottom rope. Prichard surprised Dundee with the enzuigiri out of nowhere for a near fall. Dundee rallied back and got Prichard in the middle of the ring. He locked on an Indian Deathlock and forced the six-time former World Tag Team champion to tap. As Dundee celebrated the win, he again pointed to Jim Cornette and Mr. Hughes and indicated they would see a similar fate in Lexington! ***½

7) John Tolos brutalized the former World Heavyweight champion The Patriot and got another win over him, this time via a blood stoppage. The masked American was ready for Tolos at the start and had the early control. He took Tolos up the ropes and hit a superplex for a two-count. Tolos countered after a whip into the ropes with a boot to the chest. He then applied a corkscrew for over a minute but the Patriot made the ropes. Patriot was hurting but managed to roll out of the ring. Tolos followed and continued to pound the temple, eventually slamming Patriot’s head into the ring apron. For the second week in a row, blood started to flow from the Patriot’s mask but he got back into the ring. Tolos used the corkscrew again and the Patriot started to drop. Tommy Marlin checked his arm. It dropped twice but bounced up on the third check. Patriot powered up to his feet and broke out of the hold. He battled back and hit the Uncle Slam before going for a cover but Tolos got his foot on the ropes. Patriot scored another near fall after a clothesline. Patriot went up the ropes, possibly for the Patriot Missile but the blood was flowing quicker and got in between his eyes and his mask. Tolos took advantage and slammed the former champion to the mat. He then went up to the second rope and came off with the flying knee drop. He covered the Patriot but the masked man kicked out. Tolos again went for the corkscrew. He pummeled the Patriot with the hold for over two minutes. The Patriot was fighting hard but the blood soaked his chest and tights. Marlin finally decided to stop the bout because of the blood loss and award it to Tolos after 16 minutes. The Gallatin fans were irate by this outcome as Tolos celebrated! The Fantastics came down to the ringside area to check on the Patriot and stop Tolos from any further attacks. ****

8) “Wildfire” Tommy Rich defeated one-half of the World Tag Team champions Ray “The Crippler” Stevens by disqualification. As had been announced on USWA Championship Wrestling, Stevens was accompanied by manager Jimmy Hart, as well as the World Heavyweight champion and Rich’s opponent in the main event on New Year’s Eve Harley Race. As Rich entered the ring to his music, Stevens ambushed him before Gary Michael Cappetta could finish his introductions. Sam Platania called for the bell to start the match officially. Stevens punched away at Rich and went for a suplex but Rich blocked it and hit one of his own. He covered Stevens but the Tag Team champion kicked out. Stevens rallied back and hit a double underhook suplex for a near fall. Rich took control and had Stevens in trouble. He busted him open after some stiff punches and then caught him in the sleeper. Stevens started to drop so Platania checked his arm. It dropped twice and as Platania went for the third check, “The Mouth of The South” jumped up on the ring apron and was screaming through the megaphone! This pulled Platania away from the action, as Stevens’ arm dropped for the third time! Fans were outraged, as was Rich, who released the sleeper and threatened Hart! Rich stayed focused and hit another vertical suplex for another near fall. He sent Stevens into the ropes and caught him on the rebound with the Thesz Press. Hart again got up on the ring apron and distracted Platania as Rich had “The Crippler” covered. On the other side of the ring, the World Heavyweight champion (wearing a fine suit) entered and removed his belt. He then wrapped the belt around Rich’s neck and began to choke him! Platania turned around to see what was going on and called for the bell, disqualifying Stevens after 13 minutes. A bloodied Stevens got to his feet and stomped away on Rich, still caught in the choke. Race signaled for the piledriver. He set up Rich and he and Stevens made it a spike piledriver, with Stevens coming off the second rope to push down on Rich’s feet. Hart tossed a steel chair into the ring and signaled for a second spike piledriver on the chair! The First Family members set up for it but thankfully before they could execute it, “Superstar” Bill Dundee and “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant came sprinting out from the back with chairs of their own in hand! Race, Stevens, and Hart quickly retreated before the fan favorites could strike. Valiant and Dundee helped their ally to his feet. Rich was able to walk and was fired up by what had transpired! ***

9) Jackie Fargo again came out the winner against USWA Mid-America Heavyweight champion Luke Harper but again did not leave the champion, as the win came via disqualification after 10 minutes of action. Harper looked like he would retain the title in dominant fashion as he controlled much of the action for the first several minutes of the bout. He took the bout to the floor and slammed Fargo’s head into the ring steps. He tossed “The Fabulous” Fargo back inside and went for a cover but Fargo kicked out. He nailed Fargo with two separate big boots but the challenger kicked out on both attempts. A third boot busted Fargo open but still Harper couldn’t score the pin. Harper took the fight to the floor again and attempted to send Fargo into the steps again. Fargo reversed the whip and sent the big Nebraskan into the steps, head-first! Harper was shook up and Fargo tossed him back into the ring. Fargo hit the atomic drop out of nowhere and the fans went wild! Fargo went for the cover and as Sam Platania went to count, out of nowhere, Harper’s employer “The Monday Night Messiah” Tyler Black showed up and delivered a curb stomp to the back of Fargo’s head! Platania was left with no choice but to disqualify Harper, giving Fargo the victory but not the Mid-America title. Black looked ready to deliver more punishment but before he could, Southern Heavyweight champion “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson came down to the ring and chased off him and Harper. Fargo shook Danielson’s hand, thanking him for the help, and wished him well in the main event! ***

10) After the pre-main event intermission, Bryan Danielson was back out to defend the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship against two-time former champion “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant! Valiant hadn’t held the Southern title in over 12½ years and hadn’t even received a shot at the gold in over five years, last challenging Ted DiBiase in his second reign in October 2013 in Owensboro, KY.

Both wrestlers were welcomed by the Gallatin fans. They showed great sportsmanship and respect by shaking hands before the bout. While “The Boy from New York City” likes to brawl and bend the rules, he kept the action largely clean against the champion. He got Danielson down on the mat midway through the bout and hit the Boogie Woogie elbow for a two-count. The challenger stayed on the offensive and hit a running elbow smash bouncing off the ropes. He knocked down “Dragon” and went for another cover but again the champ kicked out. Valiant went for a clothesline but Danielson dodged the attack and grabbed him in the guillotine choke. Valiant quickly made the ropes to avoid a submission. Valiant started to bend the rules a bit by throwing roundhouse punches, which knocked down Danielson. Some of the fans were not happy about “Boogie’s” tactics but he went for a pin attempt for a two-count. Valiant went for a hip toss but Danielson blocked the attack and nailed Valiant with a roundhouse kick to the ribs, dropping him to his knees. Danielson followed up with the roundhouse kicks with the fans chanting “Yes!” to each kick. Valiant fell over and the champ went for a pin but Valiant kicked out. Danielson locked on the LeBell Lock. The fans popped at this. Valiant pulled himself to the ropes for a break. The Southern champ stayed in control. He came off the top rope with a missile dropkick, then kipped up to his feet, and applied the LeBell Lock again in the center of the ring. Valiant fought hard for the ropes but couldn’t get there. He tapped out after 20 minutes, so Tommy Marlin called for the bell and awarded the bout via submission to Danielson! The fans popped big at the ending! As Danielson was handed the Southern Heavyweight title, he helped his opponent to his feet and offered him his hand once again. Valiant was very visibly frustrated by not winning the title, as he even kicked at the ropes of anger. He eventually accepted the hand and even hugged the champion as well! (With the win, Danielson now solely holds the third-highest spot for most defenses of the Southern title with eight!) ****¼

[TTX]

Each time you use the Tolos Brothers, it makes me hope we'll get colorizations someday. Congrats to Danielson on another big win.

[Cory Olson]

Thanks to Troy for the comments!

Happy GalactiCon, everybody!

The USWA ends 2018 with the annual supercard New Year’s Knockout! The 15th annual event takes places (When else?!) on December 31! This year the event emanates from the Rupp Arena in Lexington! From beginning to end, here is the line-up for this huge card!

Cousin Luke vs. George South
Commissioner Teddy Long added this match on December 23 edition of USWA Championship Wrestling. In an interesting bit of USWA trivia, this same match opened up the seventh annual New Year’s Knockout eight years ago, which was the last time the supercard was held at the Rupp Arena! South got the pinfall win that time, which some wrestling experts considered an upset at the time. Both of these combatants have pulled off upset wins in the past and would love to end 2018 with a win!

Bill & Randy Mulkey vs. Larry Sharpe & Johnny Rodz
The Mulkeys scored their first win in the USWA last month, defeating Rodz and Sharpe in Louisville, pinning the “Pretty Boy” before “The Unpredictable One” could even tag in! You can bet that Sharpe and Rodz are going to come out fighting and they will want to avenge that loss. Can they do it or will lightning strike twice for the Mulkey Brothers?

S.D. Jones vs. The Masked Superstar
Superstar got a win via disqualification over “Special Delivery” three weeks ago in Nashville, after “Philadelphia’s Favorite Son” got overzealous and hit Paul Neighbors. Jones has scored big singles upsets in the past and would love to defeat the former World Tag Team and Southern Heavyweight champion. But you can bet the masked man from Atlanta will be focused on defeating Jones decisively!

The Uptown Boys vs. The Heavenly Bodies
These two teams have had some wild bouts in singles, four-man tags, and even a six-man tag team bout. Marty Jannetty and Ric McCord have proven to be a very capable tag team, having formed at last year’s New Year’s Knockout in the “Music City.” They would love to end their first full year as a team with a win over the former World Tag Team champions. Can the Uptown Boys pull off the big win on New Year’s Eve or will Jim Cornette’s men have a plan?

20-Man Gauntlet Match
(The Winner Challenges Bryan Danielson for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title on January 28, 2019 in Chattanooga)
A first-ever in USWA history, as 20 men will compete in a series of one-on-one matches! There will be no rest, as a new competitor will be introduced after a fall has ended. Here are the 20 men competing for a Southern Heavyweight title shot.
1. Ray Stevens
2. King Kong Bundy
3. Tommy Gilbert
4. Eddie Gilbert
5. Doug Gilbert
6. Red Bastien
7. Billy Red Lyons
8. Mad Dog Vachon
9. Baron Von Raschke
10. The Barbarian
11. Hugh Morrus
12. Nacho Barrera
13. S.T. Jones
14. Hillbilly Jim
15. Mike Jackson
16. Mr. Saito
17. Jake Milliman
18. Kenny Jay
19. Danny Doring
20. The Amish RoadKill

Dave Brown clarified the rules of a Gauntlet Match on the last episode of Championship Wrestling:
I. No managers, valets, or other non-participants are allowed at ringside during the match.
II. This is a series of one-on-one matches. Wrestlers will be drawn at random backstage to determine the order of entry.
III. A wrestler is eliminated by pinfall or submission. After an elimination, the next wrestler will be introduced for the next match.
IV. The last wrestler left will be the winner and will challenge Bryan Danielson for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship on January 28, 2019 in Chattanooga.
Who will survive a series of grueling matches for a shot at the Southern gold?

Bryan Danielson & Colt Cabana vs. Tyler Black & Luke Harper
(No-Disqualification Match)
When Black rebranded himself as “The Monday Night Messiah” back in February, he set his sights on Danielson’s Southern Heavyweight title. He had two tough challenges, winning both times by disqualification, before losing a third challenge to Danielson in a Triangle Match that also involved Mr. Hughes two months ago in Cookeville. Danielson’s ally Cabana and Black’s bodyguard Mid-America Heavyweight champion Harper got involved in the feud, with Cabana getting injured twice, most recently three weeks ago in Nashville by a package piledriver from the big Nebraskan. Cabana will be returning to action on this supercard and experts have to wonder if he will be at 100%. In this bout, there will be no disqualifications and no countouts. While the referee won’t be able to disqualify either team for double teaming, teams will need to make tags to designate legal men for pin or submission attempts. Which team will end 2018 with a big win in this epic feud?

The Patriot vs. Doctor X vs. Ivan Koloff
(Triangle Match—Winner Receives a Shot at the USWA World Heavyweight Championship on February 4, 2019 in Memphis)
These three athletes are looking to get another shot at the World Heavyweight championship in the New Year! The Patriot had a great year, winning the gold twice and being the only man in the USWA so far to have defeated Harley Race decisively. X made a comeback after returning from a concussion, eliminating his old rival Lou Thesz in the eight-man tag team Elimination Match that ended up sending the Armstrongs out of the territory for a year. Most recently, he scored a win over Pepper Gomez, the first challenger for the World title in 2019. “The Russian Bear” shocked the world by ending Tommy Rich’s undefeated streak two weeks ago in Radcliff, albeit thanks in large part to the prematch attack by the World Tag Team champions Ray “The Crippler” Stevens and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, as well as Koloff’s chain. The rules for the Triangle Match are as follows:
I. Two wrestlers are in the ring at one time, with the other wrestler on the apron, awaiting a tag from either wrestler. A coin flip will take place in the locker room prior to the bout to determine which two wrestlers will start the match.
II. A wrestler in the ring can tag to the third man at any time. The tagging wrestlers may double team the third wrestler for a five-count from the referee, as in a standard tag team match.
III. A wrestler can be eliminated from the bout by any standard method—pinfall, submission, disqualification, or countout. If the champion is disqualified or counted out, he cannot lose the title, as in a standard title match. The last wrestler left will be declared the winner and will challenge for the World Heavyweight title on February 4 in 2019.
Which wrestler will outlast two opponents?

Jackie Fargo vs. Dutch Savage
(Scaffold Match)
Both of these grapplers debuted in the USWA in 2018 and have had good success overall. Their battles with each other have produced wild brawls and injuries. Fargo is so far the only wrestler to have pinned Savage in the USWA. Fargo chose the stipulations for this match, after he and Pepper Gomez defeated Savage and Hugh Morrus two weeks ago in Radcliff. This will be the first-ever Scaffold Match on a USWA card! Dave Brown went over the rules for this unique match on Championship Wrestling:
I. A 25-foot scaffold will be constructed above and around the ring in the arena prior to the start of the card.
II. The match will start with both wrestlers on the scaffold.
III. There are no pinfalls, submissions, disqualifications, or countouts in this match. A wrestler wins by knocking his opponent off the scaffold and to the ring or arena floor below.
Who will stand tall and who will soar off the scaffold?

The Fantastics vs. John & Chris Tolos
This tag team war dates back to last year, when the Toloses put Tommy Rogers out of action with an arm injury for over six months after a match in Memphis with Rogers and his then-partner Marty Jannetty. When started teaming with Ric McCord, Rogers recruited Bobby Fulton from BTW in the Michigan/Ohio region to join him. The new duo has been very impressive since their first match at Independence Day Bash in Memphis. The former World Tag Team champions the Toloses have won both of the tag team battles between the two teams but the Fantastics have gotten the victory in three of the four singles bouts. Rogers and Fulton would love to add a tag team win over the Canadian brothers to their record to close out 2018. Can they do it or will the despised Toloses walk away victorious again?

Pepper Gomez vs. Greg Valentine
"The Man with The Cast Iron Stomach" has his sites set on the World Heavyweight title and his shot on January in Evansville. He cannot over the World Tag Team champion "The Hammer," who has an impressive singles history in the USWA. In this battle of former Texas champions, who will triumph?

Jimmy Valiant & Bill Dundee vs. Adrian Street & Mr. Hughes
(Lexington Street Fight—Valiant & Dundee Get Five Minutes with Jim Cornette After or Valiant Gets His Beard Shaved)
These four have had some wild battles throughout 2018. It started with the singles battles between the “Superstar” and the “Exotic One” but their allies soon became entangled as well. Many of the bouts saw Street and Hughes win, thanks to Jim Cornette turning the tide. The fan favorites now have the opportunity to get “The Louisville Slugger” in the ring in a sanctioned match! They are wagering a lot with “Boogie’s” prized beard at stake! Dave Brown went over the rules and conditions of this bout in the WMC-TV Studios:
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. In a tag team match, all four 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.
IV. As added stipulations, if Valiant and Dundee win, they will get five minutes in the ring with Jim Cornette immediately following the match. This will be fought as a Handicap Match, under the same Street Fight rules as above.
V. If Street and Hughes win, Valiant will have his beard shaved off in the ring immediately following the match.
Will we say “goodbye” to “Boogie’s” beard or will Cornette have to wrestle two fan favorites?

Harley Race vs. Tommy Rich
(Main Event—USWA World Heavyweight Championship)
Rich debuted in March and has become one of the most popular wrestlers in the area. He has suffered only one loss and under very controversial circumstances, thanks to Race setting up an ambush. The World Heavyweight champion has had a great year as well, holding the title for much of the year, winning it three times. His only decisive losses have came at the hands of the Patriot. Race’s wrestling prowess combined with the presence of “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart make him hard to beat. Rich was going into his match wanting the championship but with Race having had the World Tag Team champions ambush him two weeks ago in Radcliff, KY, this has become more personal! Can Rich end 2018 as the champion or will the wrestling master Race end the year on top?

That’s the 15th annual New Year’s Knockout, coming your way on December 31 from the Rupp Arena in Lexington!