Bithlo Championship Wrestling

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD 25

Bithloplex

Commissioner Chad opened the card by saying the Invasion PPV/War Games was great, especially since BCW notched another victory. He added that he had even better ideas for next year’s event. He noted that two cards from the current one would be the annual Tampa Tournament, in which 32 wrestlers would vie in a single-elimination tournament to see who got a shot at BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race. The commissioner said Race would be interviewed by Bill Apter later on the card.

Johnny Rodz d. Buddy Rogers by DQ when BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race came to ringside and gave Rodz a clothesline that left him lying on the floor outside the ring. Rogers had slipped to the outside of the ring after losing his advantage for the first time in his return match. When Rodz followed, Race showed up and attacked. Rogers then shook Race’s hand before leaving the ring area, apparently making the two stars even after Rogers helped save Race at the card before Invasion.

The Killer Bees d. the Fabulous Kangaroos (w/ Wild Red Berry) by DQ when Berry was caught running B. Brian Blair into a ringpost while Blair was outside the ring. The match was long and very even up until the interference by Berry, who appeared unhappy afterward about losing to the Bees.

Johnny Valentine d. Danny Hodge by countout when, unseen by the referee, the Iron Sheik rammed Hodge into the steel guardrail outside the ring, knocking him out. He then pointed at Valentine and made the throat-slashing symbol.

Steve Corino came to ringside with Diamond Dallas Page, and he called out ex-tag partner Buff Bagwell. “No more running, Buff – it’s time to settle this.” Bagwell and tag partner Ray Stevens headed to ringside.

Diamond Dallas Page and Steve Corino d. Buff Bagwell and Ray Stevens by DQ when Stevens, not the legal man at the time in the match, rammed Page into a ringpost. Before that, the two feuding sides seemed pretty evenly matched.

BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race was the guest on Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat.” Apter wanted to know if Race was any closer to choosing the new members of his “organization.” Race said that he was much closer, that there were a lot of good candidates, including Buddy Rogers, but there were no announcements yet. Apter asked if Race would face Don Leo Jonathan if the longtime U.S. heavyweight champion challenged him. Race said he would face “anyone who has earned it,” but wouldn’t say if Jonathan had.

Jushin Liger and Rikidozan d. S+S by DQ when Giant Baba came to ringside and started attacking Liger and Rikidozan, who quickly fled the scene, with Baba chasing them to the back. George South and Larry Sharpe simply watched the proceedings once Baba attacked.

U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan came to ringside. He took the mike and called out “the betrayer” George Hackenschmidt, saying someone needed to make him pay for what he tried to do to BCW, and “payment time starts today.” Hackenschmidt, greeted by a chorus of boos, headed to the ring.

George Hackenschmidt d. U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan in a nontitle match. He caught Jonathan with a keylock armbar, and the Iron Sheik ran to the ring and told the ref to call for the bell, saying it was obvious Jonathan was trying to tap out, although it did not appear that he was. Once the bell rang, the Iron Sheik got into the ring and held up Hackenschmidt’s hand, and then both put the boots to the U.S. champ before leaving the ring together as the crowd booed.

Commissioner Chad came out to announce that he had a special request for a match – Sir Oliver Humperdink asked that his wrestler, Harker Dirge, be allowed to face the Sandman, who eliminated Timber at Invasion to return to BCW. The commissioner said he had approved the request and decided to make the match a no-DQ one, because “I think they both will like that.” He also said the match was next on the card.

“Bloody” Harker Dirge (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. the Sandman when Dirge pinned him after a flying knee drop. Thanks to the no-DQ rules, the two spent as much time out of the ring as in, but the turn came when Humperdink smacked the Sandman with his cane from behind while both were outside the ring, giving Dirge the advantage he needed to close out the match.

BCW world tag-team champions the Road Warriors d. the Hennigs when Animal caught Curt Hennig by surprise with a POWER SLAM to get the pin. Curt Hennig had enjoyed a pretty good run during the match against both Hawk and Animal, but when he got too cocky, he paid for it. Afterward, BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race came to ringside and was seen pointing at Curt Hennig while talking with Curt’s father and tag-team partner, Larry Hennig.

[Crimson Cross]

Like that you have Don Leo Jonathan as the US Champion and I like that Dirge is with Humperdink, very excellent action in your BCW...

[du5tin]

BCW is still rocking. Keep up the great action!

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD 26

Eddie Graham Sports Stadium

Jimmy Snuka made his return to BCW action by d. George South, pinning him after a cross-body block off the turnbuckle. South tried attacking Snuka before the bell, but that simply enraged Snuka, who took it out on South. Snuka looked to be in good shape ahead of the 32-man Tampa Tournament.

The Killer Bees d. Buff Bagwell and Ray Stevens by DQ when Jim Brunzell was attacked by Stevens, via a jumping knee smash, as he went to pin Bagwell following a BEE STING. The match was a wild one, with an in-ring brawl and excessive hostility from two teams that did not appear to like each other.

Johnny Rodz d. “Dr. Death” Steve Williams by DQ when Williams Dr. Bombed him onto the floor outside the ring. Williams looked to be frustrated because the match with Rodz was supposed to be a warm-up for the Tampa Tournament. However, Rodz was not an easy pin and even survived an OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE.

Giant Baba came to ringside and called out Rikidozan and Jushin Liger, vowing to take both of them on in the ring. As they headed to ringside, so did Commissioner Chad, who said it would be unfair to have a 2-on-1 handicap match when it could be a tag match, if Baba had a partner. The commissioner said he knew just the guy for this feud – Danny Hodge!

Jushin Liger and Rikidozan d. Danny Hodge and Giant Baba when Liger pinned Hodge after a FISHERMAN’S BUSTER. However, before Rikidozan could step in, Giant Baba got into the ring and gave Liger a NECKBREAKER DROP, injuring him. Baba pointed at Rikidozan afterward.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured former BCW world heavyweight champion Johnny Valentine. Valentine said that now that he was back in BCW, he was looking to regain the championship belt. Valentine said that going into the Tampa Tournament, he wasn’t afraid of any of current BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race’s possible “new guys,” whoever they might be. In fact, Valentine said he feared no one in BCW. That brought out the Iron Sheik, who said that his “Foreign Legion” would destroy Valentine, which caused the two to fight until security separated them.

“Wild” Red Berry came to ringside and said his Fabulous Kangaroos should get a shot at the BCW world tag-team titles held by the Road Warriors, since the Warriors were the ones who tried to put a “hit” on them by using the Iron Sheik and the Terrible Turk at Card No. 22. Paul Ellering came out and refuted Berry’s claim, but said the Road Warriors were fighting champs and would give the Kangaroos their shot – later on the card!

Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. Curt Hennig when he pinned him following his PILEDRIVER. Hennig came to ringside alone, without his father. Albano’s interference helped clinch Vachon’s win. Then the Iron Sheik and George Hackenschmidt came to ringside and put the boots to Hennig. That finally brought out Larry Hennig, followed somewhat reluctantly by BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race. The three retreated, but it appeared that the new version of the Foreign Legion that the Iron Sheik mentioned on Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” had grown.

The Fabulous Kangaroos (w/ “Wild” Red Berry) d. the Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) to capture the BCW world tag-team titles when Hawk succumbed to Al Costello’s MARBLE BOR LEGLOCK. The Kangaroos seemed to be one up on the Road Warriors from the outset, but the Warriors eventually took control of the match, with Hawk throwing Costello outside the ring. As he went to pursue Costello, Berry hit him with a telescoping rod that went unseen by the ref, making Hawk much more vulnerable to Costello’s finisher. Ellering seemed stunned afterward by the Road Warriors losing the belts and their continued difficulties in beating the Kangaroos.

Rick Rude (w/ Ida Mae Martinez) d. Diamond Dallas Page using a piledriver. Both wrestlers used a variety of tactics and moves as a form of practice ahead of the Tampa Tournament, but Rude finally took control of the match and won. He then gyrated over Page’s prone form afterward.

BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race d. Steve Corino by using a cross-body block off the turnbuckle to get the pin. Afterward, Larry Hennig came to ringside to celebrate with Race and give Corino a boot or two.

[Crimson Cross]

It might be via DQ but a win is a win for Johnny Rodz over Steve Williams, excellent event and Harley Race is everywhere...

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD 27

Tampa Armory (Tampa Tournament)

Stan Lane (w/ Jim Cornette) d. B. Brian Blair in the opening match of the 32-man random-draw tournament when he caught Blair with his SUPERKICK. The match went for a long time, despite interference from Cornette aimed at ending it early.

B.G. James d. Curt Hennig when Hennig was counted out for arguing with BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race, who was sitting at ringside watching to see who would be his opponent in two cards. The discussion seemed to center on the fact that Hennig did not finish off James earlier in the match. A disgusted Hennig walked away from ringside, giving the match, which had been a mostly even affair, to a confused James.

Don Muraco (w/ Bobby Heenan) d. the Sandman when the Sandman was DQ’s for hitting Heenan with his SINGAPORE CANE. The Sandman was preparing to go off the top rope onto Muraco when distractions by Heenan helped change his mind to go after the manager.

Ivan Koloff, in his return from injury, d. Danny Hodge using his RUSSIAN BEARHUG. Koloff looked sharp in his first match back.

Buff Bagwell d. Jim Brunzell using a BUFF BLOCKBUSTER.

Steve Corino upset former BCW world heavyweight champion Bobo Brazil when Brazil was DQ’d for his actions outside the ring. Brazil had the advantage early, but couldn’t pin the feisty Corino. When Corino rolled outside the ring, a frustrated Brazil followed and took Corino’s kendo stick, which was at ringside, and whacked him with it, prompting the DQ.

Larry Hennig d. Yukon Eric using his AXE in a great matchup of powerful men, both of whom got pin attempts before Hennig finally succeeded following his finisher.

George Hackenschmidt (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. “Bloody” Harker Dirge (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) by pinning him after a wrist lock suplex. A chorus of “traitor” chants reigned throughout the match, and Dirge pretty much gave as good as he got for a long time before Hackenschmidt’s surprise pin.

The Iron Sheik (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. Diamond Dallas Page due to interference by Albano, who helped break up a pin attempt by Page after a DIAMOND CUTTER and later tripped Page, allowing the Iron Sheik to nail a cross-body block for the pin.

Rick Rude (w/ Ida Mae Martinez) d. former BCW world heavyweight champion Johnny Valentine by DQ when Valentine threw down Ida Mae in an attempt to get to Rude outside the ring. Valentine acted like a man possessed with the idea of getting to the Iron Sheik in the next round, dominating the match but ultimately losing control of it at the end.

Rikidozan d. former BCW world heavyweight champion Jimmy Snuka using his THUNDEROUS CHOPS. Snuka connected on a SUPERFLY LEAP earlier in the match, but was not able to get the pin. Rikidozan then got the advantage while both were outside the ring.

“The Crippler” Ray Stevens upset “Dr. Death” Steve Williams when he caught Williams with a dropkick out of nowhere and got the pin. The key to Stevens’ victory was his resiliency in surviving a prodigious offensive attack by Williams.

U.S. champion Don Leo Jonathan d. former BCW world heavyweight champion Giant Baba in a classic battle of behemoths when Jonathan finally was able to use his MORMON SWING. Both men got in plenty of offense before the final pin came.

Kip James d. Bob Armstrong in a long, well-fought match when James caught Armstrong with his STANDING LEG DROP.

“Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers d. Brad Armstrong when he threw Armstrong out of the ring and Armstrong hit the steel rails at ringside, stunning him to the point that he couldn’t make the 10-count to return to the ring. Rogers looked to be in top form.

Bobby Eaton (w/ Jim Cornette) d. Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) in a brutal match when Eaton finally gained control using a sleeper hold. Vachon bit Eaton in the head several times during the bout, which also featured a lot of interference by both managers.

END OF ROUND OF 32

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD 27 (continued)

Bill Apter hosted the Road Warriors and manager Paul Ellering on his “Hot Seat.” Hawk said they wanted a rematch with the Fabulous Kangaroos for the BCW tag-team titles, and had requested such of Commissioner Chad. Ellering said they had even proposed a “twist or two” to get the title shot. Apter said he would have the Fabulous Kangaroos and manager “Wild” Red Berry on his “Hot Seat” at the end of the next round of the tournament to get their reaction.

ROUND OF 16

B.G. James d. Stan Lane (w/ Jim Cornette) by DQ after Cornette was busted for trying to hit James with his tennis racket. Earlier in the match, Cornette delayed James’ pin attempt after James caught Lane with his PUMP HANDLE SLAM.

Ivan Koloff d. Don Muraco (w/ Bobby Heenan) by countout in a great match between two heavyweights. The surprise came when Capt. Lou Albano came to ringside to watch the match. Both men had their moments in the back-and-forth bout. The end came when Koloff threw Muraco outside the ring. While Heenan complained to the ref, Mad Dog Vachon came out of nowhere to give Muraco a nasty clothesline, and Muraco could not make it back to the ring on time. Strangely enough, Heenan did not appear visibly upset by the turn of events. Meanwhile, Koloff left with Vachon and Albano, by all appearances indicating he was at least allied with the Foreign Legion, if not a part of it.

Buff Bagwell d. former tag-team partner Steve Corino, pinning him after a double-arm DDT. Corino did not put up much of a fight in the match, as he appeared to still be recovering from Brazil’s kendo-stick attack a round earlier.

George Hackenschmidt (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. Larry Hennig using his RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. Curt Hennig did not show up at ringside for his father’s match. Larry Hennig looked to be getting some retaliation for Hackenschmidt’s attack on BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race before the Invasion PPV, as he dominated the first half of the match and doled out a solid amount of punishment. Hackenschmidt rallied behind some timely interference by Albano and eventually locked on his finisher.

Rick Rude (w/ Ida Mae) vs. the Iron Sheik (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) ended in a double DQ when both men engaged in a slugfest outside the ring and had no apparent intention of getting back in the squared circle, as tempers were hot between the two.

Ray Stevens d. Rikidozan after a second BOMBS AWAY kneedrop. The match was a solid one for both men, but Stevens’ victory advanced him all the way to the semifinals due to the double DQ in the previous match.

U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan d. Kip James using his MORMON SWING in a match mostly dominated by Jonathan.

“Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers d. Bobby Eaton (w/ Jim Cornette) in what was perhaps the best match of the tournament up to that point, as the long, winding bout saw both men pushed to the limit. Despite constant interference by Cornette, Rogers finally pinned Eaton following an atomic drop.

END OF ROUND OF 16

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD 27 (continued)

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured the members of the BCW world tag-team champion Fabulous Kangaroos and their manager, “Wild” Red Berry. Apter noted that Commissioner Chad also was joining them. The commissioner offered the tag champs two scenarios: 1. Face the Road Warriors in a cage match for the title. 2. A three-way match with the Road Warriors and another team. The commissioner said he would need a decision in two cards. The Kangaroos then threw a fit about their options, with Berry yelling that they “shouldn’t have to face the Road Warriors at all!”

ROUND OF EIGHT

Ivan Koloff (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. B.G. James to secure a spot in the semifinals. Koloff attacked James with his chain to within an inch of being disqualified, then finished him off with his RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. James put up a valiant fight, but he was overmatched.

George Hackenschmidt (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. Buff Bagwell, using his wristlock suplex to get the pin. Hackenschmidt had his hands full with Bagwell until his reverse maneuver into the suplex won the day. However, Albano ended up with a problem after the match: His two wrestlers slated to face off in the semifinals.

Ray Stevens got a bye.

BCW U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan d. five-time former BCW U.S. champ “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers when he caught Rogers with a sunset flip after coming off the ropes and got the pin. The match was a great one, going back and forth before Jonathan finally won.

END OF ROUND OF EIGHT

Capt. Lou Albano came to ringside and called for Commissioner Chad. When the commissioner came out, Albano asked for a switch in the brackets so that his two wrestlers did not have to face each other in the semifinals. The commissioner pondered it for a moment, then agreed to the plan, but he cautioned Albano that if both of his men made it to the final, they would have to wrestle a legitimate match and not have one take a dive. Albano agreed.

SEMIFINALS

Ivan Koloff (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) reached the finals by d. Ray Stevens via a falling face slam. Stevens almost had a pin of Koloff early in the match after utilizing his BOMBS AWAY knee drop, but Albano’s interference effort distracted the ref. Later, Koloff was able to get some shots in using his chain, which led to the pin and Stevens’ first singles loss in BCW.

George Hackenschmidt (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) d. U.S. champion Don Leo Jonathan by using his RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. Jonathan fell victim to Albano’s plan, as twice Hackenschmidt threw Jonathan out of the ring so Albano could give him cheap shots. That set him up for Hackenschmidt’s submission finisher, making it the second time Jonathan had lost to Hackenschmidt following Hackenschmidt’s “ betrayal,” although neither time involved a title change.

END OF SEMIFINALS

During the intermission before the final, Albano came to ringside and took a seat opposite Harley Race, showing his apparent neutrality regarding the final.

FINAL

Ivan Koloff, capping off a comeback from injury during BCW’s tough-man competition, d. George Hackenschmidt to win the Tampa Tournament and get a shot at BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race. It was a matchup of similar finishes – the RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. Koloff finally got it latched on to Hackenschmidt, who battled to finally break the hold, only to succumb to a falling face slam. Albano came to ringside to raise both men’s hands, but it will be Koloff facing Race in two cards.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD 28

Orange County Convention Center

Commissioner Chad announced at the beginning of the card that the Road Warriors would get a shot at the BCW world tag-team champions Fabulous Kangaroos on this card – in a six-man tag match that would also feature the teams’ respective managers!

Bob and Brad Armstrong d. Ray Stevens and Buff Bagwell when Bob Armstrong caught Stevens with a surprise sunset flip to get the pin. The long match went back and forth, with a taunting Bagwell constantly getting under the skin of the Armstrongs.

Ted DiBiase made his return from injury, and as he headed to ringside, so did Commissioner Chad. The commissioner took the mike and said he was glad that DiBiase was back, but he had a special request for his first match back – from his former valet, Virgil!

The match between Ted DiBiase and Virgil ended in a double DQ, with both men brawling outside the ring. Apparently, Virgil had some pent-up issues from being DiBiase’s valet in the past. It took officials a while to break things up, and DiBiase was overheard saying, “I’ve changed, Virgil, I’ve changed.”

The Hennigs d. S+S by DQ when S+S teamed up to beat on Curt Hennig outside the ring. Curt refused to tag in his father during the match, instead tussling with George South until throwing him outside the ring. When he came out after South, Larry Sharpe jumped him and South joined in, while Larry Hennig simply left ringside. Officials were back at ringside once again to break up a brawl.

Buddy Rogers came to ringside, took the mike and announced that he really needed to get good matches in the aftermath of the Tampa Tournament, especially since the five-time former U.S. champion was close to beating current U.S. champ Don Leo Jonathan. In fact, he wondered if there were a former champ in the back who’d like to face him. Out came BCW’s first career holder of all three belts, Bobo Brazil!

Buddy Rogers d. Bobo Brazil when the “Nature Boy” pinned him following a dropkick. Brazil had gotten out of a FIGURE FOUR GRAPEVINE by reversing it, but was left vulnerable to the dropkick. Afterward, Rogers yelled, “We’re not done yet, Jonathan!”

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured Ivan Koloff, the winner of the Tampa Tournament. Koloff said he was fully recovered from the injuries sustained at the hands of “Dr. Death” Steve Williams during the tough-man tournament, with the proof being his run through Tampa, defeating Danny Hodge, Don Muraco, B.G. James, Ray Stevens and George Hackenschmidt. He said there was no bad blood between him and new teammate Hackenschmidt. When he started talking about the title, BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race showed up and said Koloff “would go down.” Koloff said his team would be in his corner, as would “commander” Lou Albano, but where was Race’s alleged team? Race said he’d be enough as the two men stared each other down before being separated.

The New Age Outlaws d. the Killer Bees by DQ when, outside the ring, Jim Brunzell plowed into Kip James after being tripped by B.G. James, and the ref DQ’d Brunzell, not having seen the trip. The Bees had been mostly in control of the match before then.

Commissioner Chad came to ringside and said he stuck Danny Hodge in a feud match with Giant Baba, Rikidozan and Jushin Liger a couple of cards ago, and that wasn’t too fair to Hodge, who had no real role in the feud, other than being a foe of Liger’s. Therefore, to make it up to Hodge, the commissioner said he would give him a title shot against U.S. champion Don Leo Jonathan – right now!

U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan d. Danny Hodge by pinning him after an atomic drop. Hodge fought relentlessly and even survived a MORMON SWING, but still fell to the much larger Jonathan. Afterward, he helped up Hodge, shook his hand, then took the house microphone and announced, “Don’t think I forgot about you, Betrayer, because I haven’t. I now owe you two, Hackenschmidt, and I’ll be collecting soon.”

Johnny Valentine d. the Iron Sheik (w/ Commander Lou Albano) by DQ when the Sheik and allies Mad Dog Vachon and George Hackenschmidt pummeled Valentine outside the ring. The match was wild from the start, as during introductions, the Iron Sheik attacked and slapped the CAMEL CLUTCH on Valentine. Then he threw Valentine outside the ring, where his allies ran down to join in the pummeling before officials broke things up.

The Road Warriors and Paul Ellering d. the BCW world tag-team champion Fabulous Kangaroos and “Wild” Red Berry in a six-man tag match when Animal pinned Berry after a flying shoulder ram. The Warriors pulled Berry into the ring after he received an inadvertent tag from Roy Heffernan and proceeded to pummel him before getting the pin. However, while Al Costello was checking on Berry, and Hawk and Ellering were celebrating the victory, Heffernan slipped into the ring and drilled Animal in the back of the knee with a boomerang, injuring the Road Warrior. As Ellering and Hawk checked on their teammate, fans wondered if the Road Warriors would be healthy enough to take on the Fabulous Kangaroos for the tag titles at Wrestlethon.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD NO. 29

Bayfront Center – St. Petersburg

Ray Stevens and Buff Bagwell d. S+S when Stevens pinned Larry Sharpe following a double underhook suplex. Before the match, Bagwell was taunting announcer Gary Michael Cappetta, which put Sharpe on the attack. Bagwell quickly tagged out to Stevens, and that was pretty much all she wrote.

Bobby Heenan came to ringside with Don Muraco, grabbed the microphone and asked, “Can anyone in BCW truly defeat the Magnificent Muraco?” While Muraco took time to flex his muscles, who came to ringside but former two-time BCW world heavyweight champion Jimmy Snuka.

Don Muraco (w/ Bobby Heenan) d. Jimmy Snuka using his HAWAIIAN HAMMER. Muraco dominated most of the match, as Snuka seemed bothered by Heenan’s distractions and was off his game. Afterward, as Muraco was coming back up the isle, out of nowhere he got clotheslined by Larry Hennig. Then BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race came out and gave Muraco a piledriver onto the concrete floor as Heenan ran to the back. Muraco was seriously injured, and fans were stunned by the turn of events. Did it mean Snuka was a part of Race’s new faction? Neither Race nor Hennig acknowledged Snuka, who was still recovering in the ring. Meanwhile, Muraco’s injury meant there was no one left in the Heenan stable of wrestlers.

The Armstrongs d. the Jersey Boys when Brad Armstrong pinned Steve Corino following his RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP. Diamond Dallas Page controlled the first part of the match against Bob Armstrong, but Corino later lost momentum against the younger Armstrong.

Johnny Valentine came out and called out the Iron Sheik. That brought out Foreign Legion Commander Lou Albano, who said Valentine hadn’t “earned” his shot at the Iron Sheik. But he said Valentine had earned another bite from the dog who bit him before – Mad Dog Vachon!

Johnny Valentine d. Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Commander Lou Albano) using his ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHER at the end of a long, back-and-forth match that saw both men have pin attempts and spend a lot of time outside the ring battering one another.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured the BCW world tag-team champion Fabulous Kangaroos and “Wild” Red Berry, along with Commissioner Chad. The commissioner began by announcing that the injury to Road Warrior Animal meant he wouldn’t be back until the beginning of Year Five. The Fabulous Kangaroos appeared happy by the news that they wouldn’t be facing the Road Warriors at Wrestlethon. Berry said it would only be fair for his team to take the night off at Wrestlethon. Commissioner Chad said not so fast. He said there would be a three-way dance for the tag titles at Wrestlethon, and the opponents would be decided by two tag matches coming up on the card. He also said that the teams were taking a risk, because the team that loses the match by pinfall or DQ at Wrestlethon would be gone from BCW!!! The Fabulous Kangaroos threw a fit, while the commissioner just smiled.

Ted DiBiase and Steve Williams qualified for the tag championship match at Wrestlethon by d. the Killer Bees via DQ in what was described as a “weird” match. The Killer Bees surprisingly maintained control of the action throughout the match, but were DQ’d when, after B.Brian Blair mistakenly ran into the turnbuckle and DiBiase went for the pin, Jim Brunzell jumped into the ring and unleased a KILLER DROPKICK so blatant that the ref called for the DQ.

U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan came to ringside and called out George Hackenschmidt, saying he wanted to break his losing streak to the “traitor.” Once again, Commander Lou Albano came out and said that Jonathan obviously hadn’t paid attention to how the game was played – there was no way he was getting Hackenschmidt, but he could get … the Iron Sheik!

The Iron Sheik (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. U.S. champion Don Leo Jonathan by DQ in a nontitle match when Johnny Valentine ran to ringside and attacked the Iron Sheik, causing officials to run to ringside to break it up, along with other members of the Foreign Legion. Hackenschmidt made sure to stay away from Jonathan.

The Midnight Express (w/ Jim Cornette) d. the New Age Outlaws in a great match when Bobby Eaton connected on a Divorce Court armbar takedown against Kip James, who had been tripped up not by Jim Cornette (who had interfered elsewhere in the match), but by Brad Armstrong, who had come to ringside and apparently was unhappy that the Armstrongs were not in a qualifying match for the BCW tag titles and the newcomer New Age Outlaws were. Before that, the two sides were tied up in an even match with very few pin attempts. With the victory, the Midnight Express will be part of the three-way dance at Wrestlethon.

Ivan Koloff (w/ Commmander Lou Albano) d. BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race (w/ Larry Hennig) by DQ in a best-of-three-falls match, so Race retained the title. In the first fall, Koloff attacked Race before the bell, bashing him with his chain. Koloff beat on Race for a while until Race got his feet under him and attacked back. Finally, Koloff came off the ropes, caught Race in a sunset flip and got the surprise pin. At that point, George Hackenschmidt came to ringside to join Albano in rooting on Koloff. In the second fall, Race came out of the corner and took control on offense, eventually getting Koloff in an Indian deathlock, and Koloff tapped out. In the third fall, Race took Koloff outside the ring, and he and Hennig started attacking him together, including running him into a steel post. The ref called for the DQ as Hackenschmidt got involved. Mad Dog Vachon and the Iron Sheik also ran to ringside and started to turn the tide on Race and Hennig. Then the New Age Outlaws came down and joined in the fighting on Race’s side! The Foreign Legion finally backed down as Race and company got back into the ring – and flashed the four-fingers sign! Race’s new faction appeared to be complete.