Bithlo Championship Wrestling

[The Creek Rises]

CARD No. 25 – Alexander Memorial Coliseum, Atlanta

Interim Commissioner Bobo Brazil came out and said the upcoming one-night Tampa Tournament would determine the next challenger for the BCW world heavyweight title. He also said he would have a discussion with the Road Warriors later on the card about their performance at War Games, but for now, he was calling out Commander Lou Albano and Andre the Giant.

When they came out, Brazil said he would get right to the point: He was denying their request to enter Andre in the Tampa Tournament – Andre would not get a title shot of any kind for the rest of the year after what happened to Commissioner Chad. Andre was visibly upset, but Commander Lou Albano talked him into not putting his hands on the interim commissioner, who had his fists balled. “You’ll pay for this, Brazil,” Albano said as he got the Giant out of the ring.

Mad Dog Vachon d. Larry Sharpe when he pinned Sharpe after a bite to Sharpe’s forehead. Commander Lou was not at ringside with Vachon – apparently he was still trying to calm Andre the Giant in the back.

John Pesek d. Jim Londos in a long match between two evenly matched wrestlers when Pesek used his DOUBLE WRISTLOCK finisher. Londos survived nine pin attempts before finally succumbing to Pesek. It was Londos’ first loss in singles action in BCW. It appeared to be a great warmup match for both men ahead of the Tampa Tournament.

Ted DiBiase and One Man Gang d. Al Snow and D’Lo Brown by DQ when Snow attacked One Man Gang with Head while One Man Gang and D’Lo were battling outside the ring. Up to that point, the match had been a good back-and-forth encounter, although there was only one pin attempt.

Ivan Koloff defended his U.S. heavyweight title by d. Chris Hero (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) using his RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. Koloff came out without a manager. Hero controlled the first part of the match before Koloff rallied to defeat the challenger. Then he grabbed the title and marched to the back.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured referee Bill Alfonso. When Apter asked if Alfonso was favoring wrestlers like Rob Van Dam, Sabu and the Sheik in the ring, Alfonso denied it, saying, “I’m the first to officiate Rob Van Dam fairly – he’s been getting screwed by BCW for a long time. Ridiculous DQs, and no ‘fair’ title shot. I’m just trying to bring good officiating back to this fed.” Then BCW world heavyweight champion Johnny Valentine came out, pointed a finger at an apparently nervous Alfonso, and said, “RVD has gotten fair shots at the title – he just can’t beat me. He’ll get another chance tonight – and you’d better call it right down the middle, Alfonso! But it won’t matter in the end, because my greatness won’t be denied!”

Curt Hennig d. Bryan Danielson (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) in a long, great match when he connected on his HENNIG PLEX. Danielson fended off a number of pin attempts, including with help by Humperdink, but never really got his offense going, when proved to be his downfall.

Interim Commissioner Bobo Brazil came back out, took a mic and said he was disappointed by the performance of the world tag-team champions the Road Warriors at War Games. He thought that maybe they had gotten lazy because they weren’t being challenged enough, so he was giving them a new challenge: defending the titles against the Sheik and Sabu – right now!

The BCW world tag-team champions the Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) d. Sabu and the Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk) when Sabu was pinned following a DOOMSDAY DEVICE at the end of a wild match that saw interference from Ellering and Farouk, along with a fireball by the Sheik that led to a near pin of Hawk. Later, referee Bill Alfonso appeared to make a quick count on Hawk, only to be pulled from the ring by Ellering! Another referee came to the ring and the Road Warriors got the pin, then took their belts and left ringside, ignoring a large contingent of booing fans.

“The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa came to ringside with Sir Oliver Humperdink, took a mic and yelled, “At War Games, the Battle Royal, Magnum TA deliberately knocked me out of the ring, costing BCW an obvious victory. He said it was an ‘accident,’ but we all know that isn’t true – he’s jealous of me! Come on down, Magnum, and let me pound that jealous right out of you!” Magnum TA headed to ringside.

Magnum TA d. Dupae Rupa (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink), pinning him after connecting on a series of dropkicks. After the win, Magnum got out of the ring before the other members of the House of Humperdink could get to ringside to inflict some pain on him.

Gary Michael Cappetta made the introductions for the best-of-three-falls BCW world heavyweight championship match. First came Rob Van Dam, the challenger, then BCW world heavyweight champion Johnny Valentine. Upon climbing into the ring, Valentine went straight to referee Bill Alfonso, got in his face and said, “Call it fair and square, or I will throw you out of the ring, too!” Alfonso looked a bit cowed as the match began.

The first fall was a back-and-forth affair, with Van Dam getting some early pin attempts. He also hit a pair of Van Daminators, and Alfonso did not disqualify him. Valentine eventually resorted to tossing Van Dam outside the ring a few times and bludgeoning him out there, then throwing him back in for an ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHER, but was unable to get the pin each time, Instead, he became increasingly frustrated with Alfonso’s apparently slow counts, as Van Dam kicked out at the last second. Finally, Valentine tossed Van Dam out yet again, only to be disqualified by Alfonso for the first fall due to “excessive force.” Valentine was steamed.

The second fall was much like the first, in that Alfonso eventually DQ’d Valentine. Alfonso went to give the belt to Van Dam, but interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came to ringside and said the belt could not change hands on a DQ, and he was ordering the match to continue.

Valentine gained control in the renewed second fall, but made a mistake when he went after Van Dam in the corner and missed, hitting the turnbuckle. Van Dam took the opportunity to hit a rolling thunder and rolled up Valentine. Alfonso seemed to conduct a normal three-count, and that was it – Rob Van Dam became the BCW world heavyweight champion. Van Dam celebrated as Alfonso handed him the belt and quickly left ringside. Valentine looked stunned at the turn of events.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD NO. 26

Tampa Armory (Tampa Tournament)

Interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came to ringside to explain the format. Thirty-two wrestlers, including two from both the AWA and FSW, and one from outside the feds, would be vying for a shot at the BCW world heavyweight title. The runner-up would get a shot at the U.S. title. Although U.S. champ Ivan Koloff was in the tournament, his title was not on the line. There would be four brackets, with the seeds mostly determined by the records of the BCW wrestlers. With that, Brazil said, let the tournament begin!

BRACKET A

(8) Diamond Dallas Page d. (1) U.S. heavyweight champion Ivan Koloff by DQ when Koloff hit Page with a chain. The match featured a number of throws of Page into the turnbuckle, but he refused to go down, which frustrated Koloff. Hence the use of the chain and the DQ. Koloff stomped off afterward.

(4) Danny Hodge d. (5) Giant Baba of the AWA when Hodge pinned him after a leap off the top turnbuckle. Baba was in control when he surprisingly went after Hodge outside the ring, but Hodge moved at the last second and the former BCW world heavyweight champion hit the post. He made it back in the ring but couldn’t fend off the leap by Hodge. It came at the end of a long, well-fought matchup of strength versus agility.

(3) Lou Thesz d. (6) D’Lo Brown when Thesz connected on his GRECO-ROMAN BACKDROP and got the pin. Brown nearly had a pin earlier with his LO DOWN, but eventually lost momentum and fell to Thesz.

(2) Curt Hennig d. (7) Bryan Danielson (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when he connected on his HENNIG PLEX. The match was a good one, but Danielson missed some opportunities to gain control of the match against Hennig, and it cost him when Hennig’s experience came into play.

BRACKET B

(8) Yukon Eric stunned former BCW world heavyweight champion (1) Johnny Valentine in a long, brutal, physical match when Valentine fell victim to the KODIAK KRUNCH. Valentine was distracted at a key moment by the appearance of new BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam at ringside, and Yukon Eric took advantage to get the pin and advance. Valentine suffered his second consecutive loss after being undefeated for the year.

(4) One Man Gang d. (5) FSW’s Arik Cannon when he connected with a big right hand and got the pin. Cannon actually was in charge for most of the match, getting two pin attempts, but once One Man Gang gained the upper hand, it was over.

(3) Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. (6) Al Snow with a Mad Dog Pounce at the end of a long, solid match that saw both men get two pin attempts before the finish.

(2) Claudio Castagnoli (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. (7) Jimmy Snuka when he caught Snuka with a springboard European uppercut and got the pin. Snuka never really generated any offense during the match.

BRACKET C

(1) Magnum TA d. (8) Chris Candido (w/ Tammy) when he connected on his BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX and got the pin. Magnum looked focused and made quick work of Candido.

(4) “Superstar” Bill Dundee (independent) d. (5) “Bullet” Bob Armstrong (AWA) when Dundee connected on his SUPERSTAR BOMB at the end of a pretty even match.

(3) Mil Mascaras d. (6) Sabu in a long, fantastic, brutal match when Mascaras nailed a FLYING BODY PRESS to get the victory. Mascaras glanced at referee Bill Alfonso a couple of times due to his “counting skills,” but in the end even “Fonzie” couldn’t deny that Mascaras had the pin.

(7) “The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. (2) Bruiser Brody when he hit his BELGIAN WAFFLE finisher. Rupa attacked Brody before the bell rang, and his initial momentum, along with some timely interference by Humperdink, was too much for Brody to overcome. Fans booed at Rupa’s tactics.

BRACKET D

(1) Jim Londos d. (8) Ricky Landell (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Landell submitted to a grinding arm bar. The submission came so quickly, Humperdink did not have enough time to interfere.

(4) Ted DiBiase d. (5) J.D. Michaels (w/ April Hunter) (FSW) when Michaels fell to DiBiase’s MILLION DOLLAR SLEEPER. It did not take DiBiase long to put Michaels away.

(6) The Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk) d. (3) Bob Roop when Roop submitted to the Sheik’s CAMEL CLUTCH – or at least referee Bill Alfonso said he did. Roop was angry afterward, especially since the Sheik earlier stabbed him with a sharp object outside the ring in front of Alfonso, and no DQ was called.

(2) John Pesek d. (7) Chris Hero (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) in a long, amazing match when Pesek’s TIGER MAN TOEHOLD secured the victory. The pair had seven pin attempts between them before Hero finally succumbed.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured the BCW world tag-team champions the Road Warriors, who bragged that if they were entered in the Tampa Tournament, the would be facing each other in the final! They also said they were thinking of leaving BCW, since there was no competition left to challenge them. They then laughed and left with manager Paul Ellering.

SECOND ROUND

BRACKET A

(8) Diamond Dallas Page d. (4) Danny Hodge when Hodge was about to jump on Page from the top turnbuckle, only to be caught with a DIAMOND CUTTER out of nowhere.

(3) Lou Thesz d. (2) Curt Hennig in a fierce clash when Thesz connected on a THESZ PRESS for the victory. The two combined for six pin attempts and major swings of momentum before a weary Thesz secured the victory.

BRACKET B

(4) One Man Gang d. (8) Yukon Eric in a very long match when One Man Gang finally hit his 747 SPLASH for the pin. The two men battled back and forth for what seemed like an eternity before the pin occurred.

(3) Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. (2) Claudio Castagnoli (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when he pinned Castagnoli after a double foot stomp. Vachon was the aggressor from the opening bell, and Castagnoli never seemed to gain any traction in the match. Albano seemed to take great pleasure in the defeat of a Humperdink wrestler.

BRACKET C

(1) Magnum TA d. (4) “Superstar” Bill Dundee when he connected on an atomic drop and got the pin. Magnum systematically wore down Dundee, although he was unable to hit his finisher.

(7) “The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. (3) Mil Mascaras when Mascaras succumbed to Rupa’s chokehold. Mascaras appeared to be still suffering the effects of his epic battle with Sabu in the previous round, and although he got a pin attempt on Rupa, he ultimately ran out of gas.

BRACKET D

(1) Jim Londos d. (4) Ted DiBiase when he caught DiBiase in his BOSTON CRAB. The match was a pretty even back-and-forth bout, with Londos catching the last momentum train for the victory.

(6) The Sheik (w/ Abdulla Farouk) d. (2) John Pesek in a brutal match when Pesek submitted to the CAMEL CLUTCH. The Sheik survived six pin attempts, mostly due to the slow counts of referee Bill Alfonso. Both men tried to gouge and maim one another throughout the bout, with Pesek being stabbed by a sharp object at least twice!

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam. Van Dam denied (again) that referee Bill Alfonso gave him any special advantages. Asked by Apter who was the most favorable opponent left in the Tampa Tournament, Van Dam said all of them were tough to have gotten that far, and he added that “I sure wouldn’t want to face the Sheik” with a smile on his face.

BRACKET A FINAL

(3) Lou Thesz d. (8) Diamond Dallas Page by using his THESZ PRESS. The match was back and forth for a while, then Thesz took control. Page never appeared to have an opportunity to hit his DIAMOND CUTTER.

BRACKET B FINAL

(3) Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. (4) One Man Gang (w/ Ted DiBiase) by DQ when One Man Gang ran Vachon into a ringpost on the outside of the ring. DiBiase even tried to bribe the referee during the attack, but Albano got the ref to turn around at the right time. Albano and DiBiase ended up glaring at each other as a woozy Vachon had his hand raised in victory.

BRACKET C FINAL

(1) Magnum TA d. (7) “The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when he caught Rupa with an atomic drop and rolled him up for the pin before Humperdink could distract the referee. The match was pretty even up until the surprise finish. Rupa slammed the match in frustration afterward. Before the match, he was once again blaming Magnum for nearly ruining War Games for BCW.

BRACKET D FINAL

(1) Jim Londos d. (6) the Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk) when he gave the Sheik a headlock throw and then rolled him up for the victory. Referee Bill Alfonso had a slow count, but then sped it up when interim commissioner Bobo Brazil stood up at ringside. Afterward, the Sheik stabbed Londos in the head with a sharp object, causing him to bleed heavily. After assessing the situation, Brazil said Londos would be unable to continue, so Magnum TA would be advancing to the final.

SEMIFINAL MATCH

Lou Thesz d. Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Commander Lou Albano, Andre the Giant) when he hit his GRECO-ROMAN BACKDROP and got the pin. Thesz controlled much of the match leading to his finisher. Afterward, Andre entered the ring and went after Thesz, only to mistime a splash when Thesz moved at the last second. Instead he hit a staggering Vachon, injuring him. Albano held his head in his hands, while Thesz left ringside to prepare for the finals.

FINAL

Magnum TA, who lost in the finals a year earlier, surprised Lou Thesz to win the Tampa Tournament and get a shot at the BCW world heavyweight championship. Thesz once again controlled much of the match, but took a strong hit off the turnbuckle from Magnum, who then capitalized on the moment by hitting his BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX finisher and getting the pin. Afterward, the two shook hands as the crowd cheered.

[mj]

Continued solid action from the sunshine state!!

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD NO. 27

Bithloplex

Ricky Landell (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Larry Sharpe when he connected on his FISHERMAN’S BUSTER finisher. Landell looked strong in getting the pin quickly.

“Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase d. George South when South succumbed to the MILLION DOLLAR SLEEPER. DiBiase opened the match by offering South money to simply lie down and be pinned. Instead, South slapped the money away and attacked DiBiase, dominating the offense for quite a while before DiBiase regained control and used his finisher for the victory. Afterward, he took the mic and said, “That wasn’t a Million Dollar Sleeper – for trash like him, it was a 10-cent one!”

Interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came out and said that before Rob Van Dam had his title defense at the next card against Magnum TA, he’d have a “warmup” match on this card – a nontitle bout against One Man Gang! Brazil said that if One Man Gang won, he would get a future title shot. Also on this card, Brazil said, Tampa Tournament runner-up Lou Thesz would battle Ivan Koloff for the U.S. title, and Al Snow and D’Lo Brown had a date with the Road Warriors for the tag titles!

In a long, wild match, the Oilmen d. the Naptown Dragons (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Danny Hodge got Dustin Lee in an Indian deathlock. The match featured a lot of interference, a referee temporarily knocked out, and another referee sending Humperdink away from ringside as the match between the two teams got more heated and he got more involved.

Lou Thesz became the U.S. heavyweight champion when he defeated Ivan Koloff using his GRECO-ROMAN BACKDROP. Thesz controlled most of the match ahead of his finisher. Afterward, as Thesz left with the belt, Koloff’s former manager, Lou Albano, came to ringside, grabbed a mic, shook his head and said, “You’re a disgrace, Koloff. And when Andre finds you? You’ll just be done.”

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured Magnum TA, the winner of the Tampa Tournament and the No. 1 contender for the BCW world heavyweight championship. Magnum said it was a tough road to the finals of the Tampa Tournament, and when he got there, it was even tougher to have to battle Lou Thesz. He congratulated Thesz for winning the U.S. title, and said he knows that Thesz will be a force in BCW “for a long time to come.” Magnum said he knows the challenge he faces against current BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam at the next card, and added that he knows he is up for it. When Apter asked about seemingly biased referee Bill Alfonso, Magnum said he expected a fair match, but if not, then that would be “one more hurdle I have to overcome.”

The Sheik and Sabu (w/ Abdullah Farouk) d. the Kings of Wrestling (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) by DQ when Claudio Castagnoli was DQ’d for using a chair against the Sheik outside the ring. The Sheik had jabbed Castagnoli with a sharp object, but it was unseen by the referee, and that was what prompted the retaliation.

In an absolute stunner, D’Lo Brown and Al Snow became the BCW world tag-team champions when they defeated the Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) after D’Lo connected on a shaky, shaky leg drop and got the pin. Apparently, his leg drop caught Animal right in the forehead, temporarily stunning him, and before Hawk or Ellering realized what had happened, Brown had rolled him up for the three-count. The crowd erupted at the finish. Afterward, the Road Warriors looked stunned, while D’Lo and Snow grabbed the belts and celebrated in the crowd!

Johnny Valentine d. Curt Hennig in an awesome battle that saw Hennig kick out of seven pin attempts before finally falling to an ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHER. Although Hennig did get one pin attempt of his own, he spent most of the match fending off the relentless attack of Valentine. Afterward, Valentine took the mic and said, “Rob Van Dam, Magnum TA, I don’t really care who wins your match, I just want my world heavyweight title back!”

BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam dispatched the One Man Gang quickly in a nontitle match. One Man Gang started the match by giving a lecture to referee Bill Alfonso about calling the bout fair and square, only to be hit by standing moonsault and a FIVE-STAR FROG SPLASH by Van Dam, who then got the pin. One Man Gang was in an uproar afterward, while Van Dam grabbed the belt and headed away from ringside, with Alfonso right behind him!

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD NO. 28

Bayfront Center – St. Petersburg

In a stunner, Larry Sharpe d. Sam Hayne (w/ Elegant Eddie Fyne), in his return from injury, when he pinned Fyne after his PILEDRIVER finisher! Hayne started by attacking Sharpe before the bell rang, but Sharpe rallied, and it was Hayne, perhaps not fully recovered from his injury, who was kept off-balance. When Sharpe got the pin, the crowd erupted – as did Fyne!

Bryan Danielson (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Chris Candido (w/ Tammy) by DQ when Danielson was attacked outside the ring by Candido using a kendo stick as his war with the House of Humperdink continued. Candido had controlled much of the match before then, but apparently felt Danielson was starting to get momentum and decided to stop it early. Officials quickly got to ringside to keep things from getting further out of hand, but Candido got in some good shots before things were broken up.

Jimmy Snuka d. Ivan Koloff when he hit a SUPERFLY LEAP. The two battled evenly for a while before Snuka got the advantage against Koloff, who seemed to lack some intensity after losing the U.S. title on the last card.

Before Koloff could leave ringside after his loss, a loud voice was heard, and the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase came out with a mic and said, “Whoa, Ivan, don’t go anywhere. Next up is the U.S. title match, and don’t you think the people should know why you aren’t wrestling in a rematch? Don’t you think you should tell them that I BOUGHT your rematch rights, because you have some ‘financial issues’? Hahaha … every man has his price, doesn’t he, Koloff? Why don’t you stick around so you can see me become the U.S. champion?” A downcast Koloff stayed at ringside as U.S. heavyweight champion Lou Thesz headed to the ring.

Lou Thesz retained his U.S. heavyweight championship by d. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase using his THESZ PRESS. A key part of the match came when Thesz threw DiBiase into the turnbuckle. As the ref went to check on Thesz (who had received a thumb in the eye from DiBiase), an angry Ivan Koloff snuck up and hit DiBiase in the back of the head with his chain. A woozy DiBiase was then no match for the U.S. champ.

Johnny Valentine came out, took the mic and said, “I’m gonna get another shot at getting back MY heavyweight title, no matter what happens with Van Dam and Magnum tonight. I know I can beat either one of them, but I need to keep my skills up. So I asked acting commissioner Brazil if I could have a certain opponent, and he said yes. So come on down … Sabu!”

Johnny Valentine d. Sabu by DQ when Sabu gave him an Arabian facebuster. Bill Alfonso did not officiate the match, which was mostly one-sided in Sabu’s favor until his overly aggressive move caused the DQ.

Al Snow and D’Lo Brown, the new BCW tag-team champions, came to ringside with the belts. Snow took the mic and said, “It’s about time we had some new champions around here. No one wants to see the boring old Road Warriors anymore. So here we are …” Snow was then cut off by Sir Oliver Humperdink, who said: “I totally agree. The Warriors cheated their way to keeping the titles from us. My very hungry tag team, the Kings of Wrestling, want the tag title shot they so richly deserve. Can we presume you will favor us with that shot?” D’Lo took the mic and said, “Come get some,” as Snow looked surprised and the Kings of Wrestling headed to ringside.

Al Snow and D’Lo Brown retained the BCW world tag-team titles by d. the Kings of Wrestling when Snow connected on his SNOW PLOW against Claudio Castagnoli. The match was a good, long one, with a lot of back-and-forth action. Snow nailed a series of head butts against Claudio, which prompted the crowd to chant, “Head, Head” in the hopes he would use his mascot mannequin head against the fallen Castagnoli. Instead, Snow went to his finisher for the victory. Afterward, he and D’Lo grabbed the belts (and head) and fled the ring as the angry Road Warriors arrived at ringside. The Warriors took out some of their frustration by beating on the Kings of Wrestling until officials separated them.

Andre the Giant came out with Commander Lou Albano, who said, “Where is that useless acting commissioner, Bobo Brazil. He’s been unjust to us, and we want to settle this once and for all.” Brazil didn’t come out, but Bruiser Brody did. “You’re right, Albano,” he said. “We need to settle this – between me and Andre. He still hasn’t proven that he’s the better man.” As Brody got in Albano’s face, Andre came from behind and rammed Brody into a ringpost, then threw him into the ring.

Andre the Giant (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Bruiser Brody by DQ when Brody whacked Andre with multiple chair shots. After Andre’s initial pre-match attack, he began punishing Brody, but both men ended up outside the ring. Before Andre could react, Brody grabbed a chair and unleashed his fury, prompting the DQ. It took a while for officials to separate the two giants.

BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam d. Magnum TA when he connected on a pair of FROG SPLASHES. Van Dam was startled when Magnum kicked out of the first one, so he went for a second one. Earlier, referee Bill Alfonso’s count seemed fast in favor of Van Dam, but once interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came to ringside, Alfonso seemed to call things more “evenly.” Magnum did well during the match, but eventually Van Dam got the pin and kept the belt.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD NO. 29

Osceola Heritage Park -- Kissimmee

Sam Hayne and Elegant Eddie Fyne came to ringside, and Hayne grabbed a mic and called out Larry Sharpe. “You have a fluke win over me, Sharpe, and I need to beat you down for it!” Down to ringside came Sharpe and tag-team teammate George South.

Sam Hayne (w/ Elegant Eddie Fyne) d. Larry Sharpe (w/ George South) when he hit a Satan carana on Sharpe and got the pin. Afterward, Hayne looked to inflict more punishment, but South got into the ring, followed by Fyne. The four then had to be separated by officials.

“The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. John Pesek when Rupa used his “Belgian Waffle” finisher. At a key moment, Pesek was tripped up by Humperdink’s cane, helping lead to the finisher by Rupa. Afterward, while Rupa celebrated, Pesek glared at the pair.

The Naptown Dragons (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Sabu and the Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk) when Sabu was DQ’d for using his Arabian facebuster. Sabu and the Sheik had problems throughout with Humperdink’s team, leading to Sabu taking the risky rout for possible victory.

Curt Hennig came to ringside, took a mic and said, “Was anyone surprised that Magnum TA couldn’t get it done against Rob Van Dam? It’s amazing that he gets it done against anyone. “TA” must stand for “Total Accident,” which is what it’s called when he wins a match. Well, now we can call him “Total Annihilation,” because that’s what I’m going to do to him, right here, right now.”

Curt Hennig d. Magnum TA when he connected on a running knee lift and got the pin. The two were pretty evenly matched until Magnum and Hennig ended up on top of a turnbuckle, and Hennig pushed Magnum off, then went after him while Magnum was recovering. Afterward, Hennig took the mic and taunted Mangum again about being a “loser.”

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” had Chris Candido and Tammy. Candido said he had a single-minded goal to wipe out the House of Humperdink, one member at a time, and as a result, he had a challenge: at Wrestlethon, give him one member of the House of Humperdink for a career versus career match! Apter looked surprised. Sir Oliver Humperdink came to ringside, grabbed a mic and said that Candido would get his wish – and then BCW would be rid of him and his “tramp.” An angry Candido started after Humperdink, but Dupae Rupa and Ricky Landell came to ringside to safely escort Humperdink to the back.

Interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came out and said Sir Oliver Humperdink had made a request: the Kings of Wrestling wanted to take on “those old guys,” the Oilmen. Danny Hodge and Yukon Eric hurried to ringside to answer the challenge.

The Oilmen d. the Kings of Wrestling (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) in a wild match when Chris Hero fell victim to a Danny Hodge sleeper. The match was in and out of the ring and featured interference by Humperdink, but in the end, Humperdink and Claudio Castagnoli were tied up with Yukon Eric outside the ring, allowing Hodge to finish off Hero. Afterward, Hodge took the mic and said, “Not too old to win, are we, youngsters!”

The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) d. world tag-team champions Al Snow and D’Lo Brown in a nontitle match when Animal hit his POWER SLAM on Snow and got the pin. It came at the end of a brutal back-and-forth match and a moment when all four men were in the ring as the Warriors attempted a DOOMSDAY DEVICE on Snow. In the subsequent confusion, Animal hit his finisher on Snow and got the pin ahead of the two teams meeting at Wrestlethon.

Mil Mascaras came to ringside ready to face an opponent in the next match, but no one was introduced. Then Commander Lou Albano came out and said, “Oh, don’t worry, Mil. You’ve got an opponent for this match, but not one of those losers in the back. No, instead it’s one you fear, the one who is going to pay you back for everything you didn’t do – Andre the Giant!”

Andre the Giant (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Mil Mascaras when he hit a massive body slam and got the pin. Mascaras put up quite the fight, and his agility led to a couple of pin attempts on Andre, but eventually Andre was too much. Afterward, he looked to inflict more pain on Mascaras, but interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came to ringside and said, “Andre, you’ve won – now leave.” Andre looked at Brazil, then slammed Mascaras to the mat once again. “That’s it, Andre,” Brazil said. “At Wrestlethon, I will step down as interim commissioner and step into the ring against you!” Officials got Mascaras out of the ring as Albano and Andre stared down Brazil.

BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam by DQ in a nontitle match when One Man Gang attacked him before the bell and slammed him against the guardrail at ringside. One Man Gang kept yelling, “Ted DiBiase should be champion and you cost him!” He apparently was referring to the events on Card 20 during the BCW world heavyweight tournament. Officials eventually got him away from Van Dam, who appeared shaken up but not injured.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD No. 30

Expo Stadium, Cocoa, Fla.

Jimmy Snuka d. Larry Sharpe (w/ George South) using a piledriver in a quick match. The three-time former BCW world heavyweight champion appeared to be focused on getting back into the title hunt.

Paul Ellering came to ringside with the Road Warriors and said: “We need some wimpy tag team like Snow and D’Lo to beat up on in ‘preparation’ for the ‘big title match’ at Wrestlethon. Hey, Humperdink, why don’t you send out some of your misfits for practice?” Out came Dupae Rupa and Ricky Landell, along with Sir Oliver Humperdink.

The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) d. Dupae Rupa and Ricky Landell when Rupa fell victim to the DOOMSDAY DEVICE. Ellering had called them “wimpy,” but Rupa and Landell were amazingly resilient, giving the Warriors all sorts of trouble and making a supposedly short match a long one before finally falling. Afterward, Hawk grabbed the mic and said, “D’Lo and Snow, we are coming for our belts. If you were smart, you’d just hand them over now.”

Chris Candido came out with Tammy, took a mic and said it looked like a good night to pick on the House of Humperdink, so he’d like a member of that house to beat on. Then out came Andre the Giant and Commander Lou Albano! Albano took a mic and said that the Humperdink option was out, because the Giant needed some work instead, and Candido was the candidate to be “picked on.”

Andre the Giant (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Chris Candido (w/ Tammy) with a BIG SPLASH. Candido was a game opponent, but Andre pretty much destroyed him in the ring. Afterward, Albano got on the mic and said, “Just as Andre obliterated Candido, so will he destroy the acting commissioner at Wrestlethon. No one will stand in the Giant’s way to keep him from getting what he wants.”

Interim commissioner Bobo Brazil came to ringside, took the mic and confirmed that he would be facing Andre the Giant at Wrestlethon, but for now he had different business to talk about. He said the following two tag teams had requested yet another shot at one another, and he was going to grant it: the Oilmen vs. the Naptown Dragons!

The Oilmen d. the Naptown Dragons (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Danny Hodge p. Scotty Vortekz after a standing dropkick. Hodge rolled him up for the pin quickly enough where Humperdink and Dustin Lee had no time to interfere. The Dragons appeared frustrated by the results.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured BCW world tag-team champions Al Snow and D’Lo Brown. Apter asked how their run as champions was going, and Snow said it showed them that the fans liked them much more than the Road Warriors. Apter then asked if they were concerned about facing the Road Warriors at Wrestlethon, and D’Lo asked why they would be – after all, the Road Warriors should be concerned about losing to them again. The Road Warriors then crashed the set and laid out Snow and Brown. Hawk snatched the mic from Apter and said, “Two more cards, and our belts come back home and these two pieces of trash go to a new home – a retirement one!”

Ivan Koloff came to ringside, took a mic and said he wanted a piece of the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase for the way he humiliated Koloff over his buying the U.S. title shot. In fact, he was so frustrated, he wanted to take it out on someone if he couldn’t get to DiBiase. That brought out Diamond Dallas Page, who said, “Admit it, Ivan. You were made the fool. I’ve got no sympathy for you. And since we’ve had a history through the years, why don’t you try and take it out on me!”

Ivan Koloff d. Diamond Dallas Page using his RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. Koloff looked better in the ring than he had in a long time, going right after Page and not giving him a chance to use his DIAMOND CUTTER. In fact, when he came close to doing it, that’s when Koloff got him in his finisher. Afterward, Koloff glanced at the fallen Page, then took the mic and said, “At Wrestlethon, DiBiase, be ready. I’m coming for you!”

After Koloff left the ring, Lou Thesz appeared and called out Magnum TA, saying, “Magnum, I heard you have a match already at Wrestlethon against Curt Hennig. And I know you want to hold the BCW world heavyweight championship. But given how well you represented the U.S. title, it would be an honor to face you tonight before I have to face an opponent at Wrestlethon in defense of the U.S. belt.” Magnum came to the ring, nodded, and the two shook hands before squaring off.

U.S. heavyweight champion Lou Thesz d. Magnum TA in a nontitle match after Thesz connected on a series of dropkicks and got the pin. The match was a good, clean one, but Thesz eventually took control and got the win.

The Kings of Wrestling came out and declared that they still had unfinished business with the Sheik and Sabu, which prompted the pair to run to ringside to settle the issue.

The Sheik and Sabu (w/ Abdullah Farouk) d. the Kings of Wrestling (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Sabu connected on a hurricanrana and pinned Chris Hero while the Sheik and Claudio Castagnoli were brawling outside the ring. Officials had to get to ringside in a hurry to separate the two teams, who were still trying to get at one another.

“Elegant” Eddie Fyne came out and said all of his lobbying of interim commissioner Bobo Brazil had paid off, as he wrestler, Sam Hayne, was not going to be stuck wrestling losers like S&S anymore. Instead, tonight he would be taking on BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam in a nontitle match, and when Hayne won, he would be getting a real title shot. With that said, he introduced “the man who would be champion, Sam Hayne!”

BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam d. Sam Hayne (w/ “Elegant” Eddie Fyne) in a nontitle match when he connected on a FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH to get the pin. Hayne had momentum early, only to be distracted by the appearance of Larry Sharpe and George South at ringside. When Van Dam later gained control and was going for his finisher, he was distracted by Fyne, who then was pulled from the ring apron by George South! Van Dam then went on to get the pin, while Fyne took a swing at South, only to be laid out by Sharpe from behind. Van Dam celebrated afterward, while Hayne and Fyne fumed at the turn of events.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD NO. 31

Eddie Graham Sports Stadium

“Elegant” Eddie Fyne came out with Sam Hayne and used the mic to call out Larry Sharpe, “the cheap-shot artist. Sam Hayne is going to pay you back for costing him a shot at the title, so be prepared to bleed!”

Sam Hayne (w/ “Elegant” Eddie Fyne) d. Larry Sharpe (w/ George South) when he hit the HELL’S FLAMES on Sharpe. The match was pretty back-and-forth until Hayne unleashed the controversial move. South was distracted by Fyne, so he didn’t try to stop the pin. Afterward, South issued a challenge to the departing Fyne: “If you’re not the chicken I know you are, you and Hayne will face me and Sharpe at Wrestlethon in a tag match.” Fyne just smirked and walked away.

Chris Hero came out with Sir Oliver Humperdink, took a mic and said, “I know that Chris Candido has a match with Ricky Landell at Wrestlethon, and I know that their BCW careers are on the line. So I’m calling him and that tramp Tammy down here right now to save them the trouble – I’ll put him out on a stretcher tonight!”

Chris Hero (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Chris Candido (with Tammy) by DQ when Candido nailed Hero outside the ring with a Singapore cane, followed by a chair shot. Hero had nearly pinned Candido, only to be distracted by Tammy, which caused Hero to toss Candido outside the ring while he leered at Tammy. When he went to finish Candido, he found a surprise waiting for him as he was nailed by Candido.

“Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and the One Man Gang d. the Naptown Dragons (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Scotty Vortekz tapped to the figure-four leglock of DiBiase. The match was a good one, with back-and-forth action until DiBiase got his MILLION DOLLAR SLEEPER on Vortekz. Although Vortekz eventually fought out of it, he was too worn down to avoid his fate. Afterward, the One Man Gang threw both Naptown Dragons out of the ring, then grabbed a mic and said, “Listen up, Andre. I’m the baddest big man in BCW!” That brought out Bruiser Brody, who said, “Really? Why don’t we test that out at Wrestlethon, big man?” As officials came to ringside to separate the big men, they were at first distracted by the appearance of Ivan Koloff, who pointed at DiBiase, then left ringside.

Curt Hennig came to ringside and started talking smack to the crowd about what he was going to do to Magnum TA in a cage at Wrestlethon: “I’m going to destroy your hero at Wrestlethon, because he’s a punk.” “And speaking of punks,” came another voice, belonging to Diamond Dallas Page, “Hennig, you’ve been a punk since you’ve been here, and you’ve done nothing except complain. Let me shut that flapping trap of yours right now!”

Diamond Dallas Page d. Curt Hennig by DQ when Bob Roop came out of nowhere to attack Page. The match was a great contest, with Page having a slight edge ahead when the two ended up outside the ring. That’s when Roop attacked from behind, yelling, “You haven’t proved anything, at least not to me, Page!” Fans booed as Roop and Hennig put the boots to Page until Magnum TA and officials came to ringside to run them off.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured interim commissioner Bobo Brazil. Apter asked him how he thought his time in control had gone. Brazil said it had gone all right, but there was some unfinished business. When Apter said, “Andre?” Brazil just nodded. Brazil added that Commissioner Chad was recovering nicely and would be back at the beginning of the next year, but meanwhile, it was him and Andre at Wrestlethon. BCW world heavyweight champion Rob Van Dam came to the set to congratulate Brazil on his job as commissioner, a time period that coincided with “my rise to the top of the heap!” Brazil thanked him, then added, “I want the best match possible between you and Johnny Valentine at Wrestlethon, so with that in mind, Alfonso will NOT be the referee for that match!” Van Dam started to complain, but Brazil said, “As long as I’m commissioner, that’s the story!” Van Dam unhappily left the set.

U.S. heavyweight champion Lou Thesz d. Claudio Castagnoli (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) in a nontitle match when he pinned Castagnoli after a released power bomb. The match started out as an even battle, then Thesz took control and didn’t release it until he had the pin.

Sabu and the Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk) d. the Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) when Sabu hit an Arabian facebuster followed by a TRIPLE JUMP MOONSAULT on Hawk for the pin. Animal, Ellering and the referee had been distracted by the appearance of the BCW world tag-team champions Al Snow and D’Lo Brown near ringside, which meant they were not a part of the action when Hawk went down. Hawk and Animal were furious at each other and the two other teams afterward.

Commander Lou Albano came to ringside with Andre the Giant and said his wrestler needed a warmup before he destroyed Bobo Brazil at Wrestlethon, but there was no one willing to face Andre. “That’s not true,” came the voice of three-time BCW world heavyweight champion Jimmy Snuka. “Despite what you’ve said, Albano, I wasn’t afraid of the giant before, and I’m not afraid of him now!” Snuka headed to ringside.

Andre the Giant (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Jimmy Snuka when he hit his BIG SPLASH against an amazingly resilient Snuka. Earlier in the match, Snuka tried to get to the top rope for his SUPERFLY LEAP, but Andre dragged him down. So Snuka concentrated his attack on Andre’s knees and did some damage before the momentum shifted in Andre’s favor. Afterward, looking at the defeated Snuka, Commander Albano took the mic and said, “Bobo, at Wrestlethon, that’s you, only much, much worse!”

The Oilmen d. BCW world tag-team champions Al Snow and D’Lo Brown in a nontitle match when Yukon Eric’s bodyblock of Snow into the turnbuckle was turned into a pin. The match was long and pretty even, but a key moment came when Snow was trying to tag out, only to see Paul Ellering arrive at ringside. The momentary distraction was all that was needed for Yukon Eric to get the pin and the tag-team champs to enter Wrestlethon on a down note. As Ellering left, he yelled, “One more match, at Wrestlethon, and our belts are back!”

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR SEVEN, CARD NO. 32

Wrestlethon PPV – Orena

Sam Hayne and “Elegant” Eddie Fyne d. S+S by DQ when Johnny Rodz came out and nailed Fyne with a nasty clothesline while he was outside the ring. Hayne had control of the match early, then he tagged in his manager for added insult, only to see the match go awry and S+S gain control. Fyne made his way out of the ring, when Rodz showed up and attacked. Afterward, Rodz, George South and Larry Sharpe all pointed angrily at Hayne.

Ivan Koloff d. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase when DiBiase succumbed to the RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. DiBiase taunted Koloff early in the match about his “failing career,” but it only enraged Koloff, and he unleashed a flurry of punishment on DiBiase that he could not counter as he fell to the determined Russian. Fans cheered for Koloff afterward.

The Oilmen d. the Naptown Dragons (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Danny Hodge p. Scotty Vortekz after a nasty running lariat. The move ended a match that featured six pin attempts and multiple switches in momentum throughout. Humperdink uncharacteristically did little in the way of interference during the match.

In a battle to decide who is the “true BCW big-man challenger to Andre the Giant,” One Man Gang d. Bruiser Brody by DQ when Brody used a chain at ringside against One Man Gang. Each man had a pin attempt against him as the battle went on in and out of the ring, with no true conclusion.

U.S. heavyweight champion Lou Thesz d. Jim Londos, whom he pinned after a GRECO-ROMAN BACKDROP. Londos looked solid in his return from an injury suffered due to a vicious attack by the Sheik and thwarted a lot of what Thesz was trying to do, but eventually he fell to Thesz’s efforts. The two men shook hands afterward.

Diamond Dallas Page d. Bob Roop by DQ when Roop gave him a neckbreaker outside the ring. The match had hardly begun when Roop attacked Page, and Page moved to the outside of the ring to break the momentum. That’s when Roop attacked again, yelling, “You’re nothing, Page,” as the referee called for the bell and officials headed to ringside.

John Pesek d. “the Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) after a lateral press keylock. Pesek took it to Rupa after Rupa attacked him before the bell. After the win, Pesek was attacked by the Naptown Dragons and Rupa and was injured. Fans booed afterward as officials sent the members of the House of Humperdink to the back.

In a fantastic match, Mil Mascaras d. Bryan Danielson (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when he connected on his FLYING BODY PRESS. The two men combined for 10 pin attempts, with Mascaras getting out of six of them – some of which he barely escaped. Danielson wrestled perhaps his best match in BCW to date, but was unable to close the deal in the back-and-forth encounter.

Down comes the cage!

Magnum TA d. Curt Hennig in a cage match when he connected on a BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX that slammed Hennig against the cage door. Hennig had controlled the match early on, but after some taunting and an attempted pin by Hennig, Magnum TA turned up the intensity and vanquished his longtime foe. His finisher against the cage door seriously injured a bloody Hennig. Officials had to help him to the back.

The Road Warriors captured the BCW world tag-team titles for a record eighth time when they defeated Al Snow and D’Lo Brown in a cage match. Brown and Snow gave as good as they got for a while, but the Road Warriors’ strength ended up being too much, and the match ended when the Road Warriors gave Brown a nasty spike piledriver, injuring him and getting the pin. The fans, who seemed to enjoy the unexpected title run of Snow and Brown, booed the Road Warriors as they left with the belts.

Up goes the cage!

Chris Candido (w/ Tammy) d. Ricky Landell (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) in a “loser leaves BCW” match when Candido caught Landell with a power slam and got the pin. Humperdink didn’t interfere because Candido had been on the defense for much of the match, and Candido’s finish came out of nowhere. With that, Landell was out of BCW.

Sabu and the Sheik (w/ Abdullah Farouk) d. the Kings of Wrestling (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Sabu pinned Claudio Castagnoli after a TRIPLE JUMP MOONSAULT! The match was feisty throughout, and the Kings of Wrestling held control of most of the match until the end.

Andre the Giant (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Bobo Brazil when Andre pinned him following a BIG SPLASH. The match was a long, great one, with Brazil getting two pin attempts on Andre and generally holding his own until the end. Afterward, Andre was too tired to continue an attack on the downed Brazil, despite the urging of Commander Lou Albano. Instead, officials got the former interim commissioner out of the ring.

In a best-of-three-falls match for the BCW world heavyweight championship, Rob Van Dam retained the title by defeating Johnny Valentine, 2-0. In the first fall, after an amazing back-and-forth contest in which both men had at least four pin attempts, Van Dam finally hit a split-legged moonsault and got the pin. In the second fall, both men were exhausted, but after an early rally by Valentine, Van Dam took over and eventually hit a FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH to get the pin and retain the title.

[TTX]

Solid action all around here.