Bithlo Championship Wrestling

[du5tin]

I really enjoyed reading your last show, dude.

[The Creek Rises]

Thanks, Dustin!

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD NO. 30

Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium

The New Age Outlaws came to ringside and took the microphone while showing four fingers. B.G. James said they are part of the King’s Horsemen now, and everyone in BCW knew who the real king was – BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race. James said they should have been in the tag title showdown at Wrestlethon, but they weren’t – and the Armstrongs were to blame for that, and they would have to pay … immediately. James challenged the Armstrongs to a match later in the card: “It’ll be a real family affair – like ‘The Godfather.’”

The BCW world tag team champion Fabulous Kangaroos (w/ “Wild” Red Berry) d. S+S in a nontitle match when George South submitted to Al Costello’s MARBLE BOR LEGLOCK. The Kangaroos made short work of S+S, but still seemed unhappy about the three-way tag-title match at Wrestlethon.

Yukon Eric d. Johnny Rodz using his KODIAK KRUNCH backbreaker.

Jimmy Snuka and the Sandman battled to a double DQ outside the ring, with both grapplers using objects to attack the other by the end of the bout. Finally, Snuka rocked the Sandman with a chair, stunning him. Then he took ringside mike and said, “Seems like my automatic rematch for the BCW heavyweight title got forgotten somewhere. I’m cashing it in … at Wrestlethon.” Snuka threw the microphone down and left the ring.

In a matchup of tag-title contenders, Ted DiBiase and Steve Williams d. the Midnight Express (w/ Jim Cornette) when Stan Lane succumbed to DiBiase’s FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK. The Midnight Express dominated most of the match with quick tags and slick maneuvers (and Cornette interference), and they were going for the VEG-O-MATIC when Al Costello of the tag-champion Fabulous Kangaroos interfered and, unseen by the referee, tumbled Bobby Eaton from the top rope to the mat. While the ref and Cornette went to check on Eaton, Williams put the OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE on Lane. Williams then tagged in DiBiase, who finished Lane. Cornette was furious afterward.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers. Apter asked him about not being in the King’s Horsemen. Rogers said he and Race had come to an understanding that they had different goals this time around in BCW. Rogers reminded Apter that he was a five-time U.S. champ who wanted a sixth run at the belt, “and I know I can beat Don Leo Jonathan.” Rogers then added that “After that, I think it’s about time I made a run at the world heavyweight title.” As he went on, Larry Hennig and the New Age Outlaws showed up at ringside and started pummeling Rogers, finally giving him a group piledriver and injuring him. Hennig then took the microphone from Apter and said, “Here’s a message from the King: A world title run wasn’t part of the deal.” Hennig then left the area, while the New Age Outlaws waiting for their match and officials tended to Rogers.

The Armstrongs d. the New Age Outlaws by DQ when Larry Hennig came back to ringside and the three Horsemen attacked the Armstrongs, who had numerous pin attempts throughout the match and generally controlled the action until the beatdown.

Giant Baba came to ringside and called out Rikidozan. That brought down Commissioner Chad, who told Baba that the matchup would have to wait until Wrestlethon. Baba shook his head, so the commissioner thought for a moment and then said the match against Rikidozan would have to be for something, so it would be for the type of match they’d have at Wrestlethon. If Rikidozan won, it would be a first blood match, while if Baba was the winner, it would be a chain match. Baba agreed, and Rikidozan came to ringside shaking his head “yes” as well.

Giant Baba d. Rikidozan by countout in a long, fierce battle when he threw Rikidozan into the guardrail outside the ring and Rikidozan was not able to get back into the ring by the 10-count. Both men had pin attempts inside the squared circle, but their resiliency and hatred for one another kept a final decision at bay. As a result of the countout, they will have a chain match at Wrestlethon.

The commissioner came back out to announce that Don Leo Jonathan and the Iron Sheik would have a nontitle rematch next – but there would be no interference on either side, and Commander Lou Albano could not be at ringside! Commissioner Chad said that anyone who broke the rule would be suspended.

The Iron Sheik d. U.S. champion Don Leo Jonathan in a nontitle match using his CAMEL CLUTCH. The key moment was when the Iron Sheik hit Jonathan with his apparently gimmicked boot, which seemed to have a great effect on the U.S. champ. The Iron Sheik kept the CAMEL CLUTCH on Jonathan until officials broke it up – an apparent attempt to weaken Jonathan ahead of his Wrestlethon match against Sheik’s teammate, George Hackenschmidt.

BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race and Larry Hennig d. George Hackenschmidt and Ivan Koloff (w/ Commander Lou Albano) by countout when Hackenschmidt was unable to make it back to the ring after been thrown out by Race. After Hackenschmidt hit the ground, Race began bickering with the ref while Bobby Heenan came down the aisle to help him up. While he was holding Hackenschmidt’s hand, Hennig snuck up and nailed him with a clothesline. Hennig and Heenan then went back to ringside and joined Race in the ring after the countout was made. A furious Koloff pointed at Race and Heenan, while fans in turn pointed to the entryway, where Jimmy Snuka stood making the sign of the belt at Race. It looked as if Race had two challengers for his title – and a new manager!

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD NO. 31

City Auditorium – Ocala

Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase, in a warm-up match ahead of the Wrestlethon PPV, d. S+S when Williams pinned Larry Sharpe following an OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE. During the match, S+S got control after the Fabulous Kangaroos’ Al Costello got to ringside and tripped up Williams, who was almost pinned by Sharpe. The ref spied Costello and sent him to the back.

Commissioner Chad came out and said there were some big decisions as to who would be facing Harley Race in the world heavyweight title match at Wrestlethon. He called out Jimmy Snuka and Ivan Koloff, and told both men that they deserved a shot at Race. The commissioner then said the easiest way to settle it was to have the two wrestle each other tonight, with the winner getting Race at Wrestlethon, and the loser getting him in the second card next year. Race came out and applauded the move. The commissioner added that it was only fair that Race should have an opponent as well on this card, so he’d be in a nontitle match against Yukon Eric. Race stopped clapping, looked disgusted and returned to the back. Commissioner Chad also said that the tag teams not in the title match at Wrestlethon would be in a battle royal, with the winner getting a shot at the tag champs at Card No. 2 next year.

Curt Hennig came to ringside, took the mike from the commissioner and called out Mad Dog Vachon. He said, “We need to finish this before Wrestlethon!” Commissioner Chad then asked why Hennig wanted a PPV match before the PPV? Hennig said he planned to debut with a new tag-team partner at the tag battle royal, and he didn’t need the distraction, because he had enough in his life already. When the commissioner appeared doubtful, Hennig said if Vachon won now, Hennig would wrestle him again at the PPV in a first blood match, but if he won, he was off the hook. The commissioner agreed, the fans cheered and Vachon headed to the ring with Commander Lou Albano.

Curt Hennig d. Mad Dog Vachon (w/ Commander Lou Albano) when Hennig got Vachon to succumb to a sleeper hold. The key moment came when Albano distracted the ref from counting the pin after Hennig connected with his HENNIG PLEX. Hennig knocked Albano off the ringside apron, then finished off Vachon. He got out of the ring before the rest of the Foreign Legion could arrive.

U.S. heavyweight champion Don Leo Jonathan d. Johnny Rodz in a nontitle match, pinning him after a pair of atomic drops. Jonathan dominated the match and displayed a bit of extra physicality, then helped Rodz up after the pin. He then took the mike and said: “The Iron Sheik hurt me last card, but he didn’t take me out. Now I’m mad, Hackenschmidt, and what you saw here is the kind of beating I’m going to give you at Wrestlethon, except much, much worse.”

The Iron Sheik (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Rick Rude (w/ Ida Mae) by countout when Rude was attacked by Mad Dog Vachon outside the ring at the same time Albano was engaging the ref’s attention. Rude failed to get revenge for the double DQ he had against the Iron Sheik at the Tampa Tournament.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured the Armstrongs. Bob Armstrong said they were not afraid of the King’s Horsemen or especially the New Age Outlaws. He said if they wanted to keep trying the Armstrongs, the Armstrongs would be ready for them. Apter started to ask why Brad Armstrong interrupted the New Age Outlaws’ qualifying match for Wrestlethon’s triple threat tag title match, but he cut Apter off to say he eventually wanted to get a shot at Jushin Liger and the HCB. He added that they also were looking forward to the battle royal match at Wrestlethon, then he and his dad left ringside.

The New Age Outlaws (w/ Bobby Heenan) d. the Killer Bees when Kip James pinned B. Brian Blair following a STANDING LEG DROP. Heenan’s effect was felt through numerous attempts at interference during the match as the NAO picked up a big win ahead of the Wrestlethon battle royal.

BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) d. Yukon Eric in a nontitle match, pinning him after a vertical suplex and a convenient foot held by an unseen Heenan. Yukon Eric controlled the first part of the match and put Race through the paces, even applying the KODIAK KRUNCH backbreaker to Race before the champion managed to get out of the hold.

The Jersey Boys d. Ray Stevens and Buff Bagwell when Corino pinned Stevens following his OLD SCHOOL EXPULSION. While Diamond Dallas Page and Bagwell tangled afterward, Corino took his kendo stick and lashed Stevens pretty well, injuring him in the process as he gained some revenge for Bagwell stiffing him while they were tag partners.

Jimmy Snuka won the right to face Harley Race for the BCW world heavyweight championship at Wrestlethon by d. Ivan Koloff (w/ Commander Lou Albano) when he pinned Koloff following a leap frog and chop. Snuka nailed Koloff earlier with a SUPERFLY LEAP, but Albano disturbed the ref enough that the pin was not counted. The leap seemed to take a lot out of both Snuka and Koloff, but Snuka was able to pin Koloff after the chop. He was nearly too weary to celebrate the victory afterward, with Wrestlethon up next.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FOUR, CARD NO. 32

Wrestlethon PPV – Citrus Bowl

The Sandman d. “Bloody” Harker Dirge (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) in a no-DQ match when he blasted Dirge with his SINGAPORE CANE, then pinned him. The match lived up to its wild billing, as it was much more outside the ring than in. Fans were chanting for the cane near the end of the match, and the Sandman gave them what they were asking for.

In his return from injury, Jushin Liger retained his Hodge Championship Belt against visiting wrestler Mike Quackenbush when Quackenbush missed a jump from the top rope and Liger followed up with his FISHERMAN’S BUSTER. The match featured a lot of fast, high-flying action ahead of the pin. Liger looked to be fully recovered from his injury at the hands of Giant Baba.

The entrants for the tag battle royal were announced: Hawk, Buff Bagwell, the Armstrongs, the New Age Outlaws, the Jersey Boys, the Killer Bees, Curt Hennig and Rick Rude, who were introduced as Perfectly Rude(!), and Danny Hodge and Yukon Eric, introduced as the Oilmen (!)

(Eliminated/by whom)
Brad Armstrong (by Buff Bagwell)
Curt Hennig (by Yukon Eric)
Yukon Eric (by Rick Rude)
Danny Hodge (by Rick Rude – looked like it won’t be the last time Perfectly Rude and the Oilmen tussle)
B.G. James (by Rick Rude, who was on fire!!!)
Diamond Dallas Page (by Bob Armstrong, although more Page, as he missed Armstrong and went over the turnbuckle)
Bob Armstrong (by Rick Rude, who snuck up on him while he was battling Buff Bagwell)
Steve Corino (by Rick Rude)
Rick Rude (by Hawk, who had been somewhat hiding in the ring as the battles went on)
B. Brian Blair (by Jim Brunzell accidentally, as he was trying to eliminate Buff Bagwell)
Kip James (by Hawk)

The final three were Buff Bagwell, Jim Brunzell and Hawk

Buff Bagwell (by Jim Brunzell)
Jim Brunzell (by Hawk)

With the win, the Road Warriors will vie for the tag championship at Card No. 2 in Year Five.

George Hackenschmidt (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. U.S. champion Don Leo Jonathan by DQ, so Jonathan retained the belt. Hackenschmidt tried to jump Jonathan before the bell, but that seemed to set off the U.S. champ, and he struck back hard. He drug Hackenschmidt back into the ring, thumped him, then threw him back out of the ring. Then Albano got involved, allowing Hackenschmidt to gain control and slip on his RUSSIAN BEAR HUG. Jonathan eventually broke out of the hold, and the two men ended up outside the ring once again. This time, Jonathan picked up Albano and threw him into Hackenschmidt (after an unseen Albano cheap shot angered him), causing the DQ. Officials had to pull the two apart.

In a Last Man Standing match, Johnny Valentine destroyed the Iron Sheik (w/ Commander Lou Albano), hitting a series of ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHERS and causing Albano to stop the match, as the Iron Sheik was barely conscious. Valentine took out weeks of frustration against the Iron Sheik, then after the match, the former BCW world heavyweight champion made the sign of the belt.

The Midnight Express (w/ Jim Cornette) won an amazing three-way dance against the Fabulous Kangaroos (w/ “Wild” Red Berry) and “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase to capture the BCW tag-team titles for a record fourth time, as Bobby Eaton p. DiBiase following a surprise attack by Cornette and his tennis racket at ringside. The match was long and crazy, with all the teams having pin attempts, and multiple interference attempts by Berry and Cornette. The loss meant the BCW departures of Williams and DiBiase, who got a nice sendoff from the fans. Meanwhile, it was the second time the Kangaroos lost the belts in a three-way match in which they were not pinned.

Rikidozan d. Giant Baba in a bloody chain match that left both men battered and exhausted. There were nine pin attempts between the two before Rikidozan got Giant Baba tied to a turnbuckle, unleashed some THUNDEROUS CHOPS on him, untied him and then pinned Baba. Officials had to help both men to the back afterward.

Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) retained his BCW world heavyweight title by d. former BCW world heavyweight champion Jimmy Snuka, 2-0, in a best-of-three-falls match. The first fall saw both men go back-and-forth without gaining a solid advantage. Snuka finally got out of the ring and pulled Race out. Heenan tried to get involved, and Snuka threw him over a guardrail. The ref DQ’d him for “excessive abuse of a manager.” (The ref did not see Heenan’s original intereference.) In the second fall, again the action went back-and-forth, but Snuka, apparently still feeling the effects of his clash with Ivan Koloff on the previous card, never really got untracked, and Race finally connected on a diving headbutt to get the pin. Race celebrated afterward, while the crowd response was somewhat muted, as two of the three title matches on the card ended with or involved odd DQ issues with managers. However, the fans had an audible reaction when Koloff appeared at the entrance and pointed at Race ahead of their upcoming bout.

[The Creek Rises]

BITHLO CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING YEAR-END AWARDS – YEAR FOUR

Wrestler of the Year:

Don Leo Jonathan – Don Leo Jonathan was the U.S. champion for all of Year Four, in the process becoming the longest-reigning titleholder of any of the championship belts in BCW history – a surprise considering his up-and-down BCW career before the current year. He was a wrestling champion in Year Four, compiling a 19-8 mark. He reached the semifinals of the Tampa Tournament and engaged in a hostile end-of-the-year feud with “the traitor” George Hackenschmidt.

Runner-up: Harley Race

Top 10 Singles Wrestlers at the End of Year Four:

1. Harley Race (WHC)
2. Don Leo Jonathan (USC)
3. Ivan Koloff
4. Jimmy Snuka
5. George Hackenschmidt
6. Iron Sheik
7. Jushin Liger
8. Ray Stevens
9. Larry Hennig
10. Buddy Rogers

Tag Team of the Year:

The Fabulous Kangaroos – Led by manager “Wild” Red Berry, Al Costello and Roy Heffernan had a unique debut, with Berry first appearing in the crowds to scout other tag teams. They eventually joined BCW and won the tag titles twice during the year. They seemed to have the Road Warriors’ number, taking the belts from them twice. Conversely, they were snakebit by three-way-dance matches, twice losing the titles despite not having a wrestler pinned. Their other tough tag opponents included Giant Baba/Rikidozan, the Midnight Express and “Dr. Death” Steve Williams/Ted DiBiase.

Runner-up: Giant Baba and Rikidozan

Top Five Tag Teams at the End of Year Four:

1. The Midnight Express (WTTC)
2. The Fabulous Kangaroos
3. The Road Warriors
4. The Armstrongs
5. The New Age Outlaws

Manager of the Year:

“Wild” Red Berry – He began his BCW career as a scout, getting a feel for other tag teams before bringing in his Fabulous Kangaroos and getting them right into the thick of contention. Before long, he was the manager of the BCW tag champions, and they won the belt twice during Year Four. All he needs to do in Year Five is figure out how to win three-way-dance matches when the titles are on the line.

Runner-up: Commander Lou Albano

[du5tin]

DLJ, the 'roos, and Berry would have been my picks as well. They have had a great year in BCW.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FIVE, CARD NO. 1

Bithloplex

Commissioner Chad came out with owner Chris to ringside. The owner praised the commissioner for a successful first year at the helm and said he couldn’t wait to see what was coming next from the “Chad House of Ideas.” The owner also announced that a new wrestling group – the AWA (Alternate Wrestling Alliance) – had formed and would be a kind of sister company to BCW, operating out of the Midwest. He said the two organizations would be holding a joint card later in the year named “Night of Champions,” when each organization would feature three title matches. The AWA also would be invited to take part in the PPVs Tag-o-Rama and Invasion/War Games. He then turned the microphone over to the commissioner and left ringside.

Commissioner Chad said last year’s Wrestlethon was a bit of a disappointment when it came to the title matches for the world and U.S. belts, but he expected there would be many more highlights this year, starting with this card, when Don Leo Jonathan would have a rematch with George Hackenschmidt for the U.S. belt – in a cage. The commissioner also said that one of the problems from last year was that the roster was a bit too full, so he had picked four names at random to take part in a tournament through the first quarter of the year. The two wrestlers with the best record will meet in the final of “Who Stays, Who Goes” at Card No. 7 to decide who would remain in BCW. Commissioner Chad said each of the other three would have a chance to retain his spot if he could win the Battle Bowl at Bithlo Bash. The four names were: Bob Armstrong, Iron Sheik, Sandman and Jimmy Snuka. The crowd gasped at the inclusion of the two-time BCW world heavyweight champ.

Buddy Rogers, in his return from injury, d. Johnny Rodz using his FIGURE FOUR GRAPEVINE. Rogers was a bit rusty, but he got the job done.

The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) d. S+S by countout in Animal’s return from injury. The Warriors got a good workout in before their title match against the Midnight Express at the next card by tossing around Larry Sharpe and George South. Finally, Animal threw South out of the ring, and South would not return to the action, preferring to get counted out instead. Afterward, Hawk grabbed the microphone and yelled, “We’re back, and we’ve got our eyes on you, Midnight Express. What a ruuuussshhhh!”

Brad Armstrong d. “Bloody” Harker Dirge (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when Dirge succumbed to Armstrong’s sleeper hold. The match was a solidly contested one, with both men getting in plenty of offense. With his dad’s BCW career “on the bubble,” it appeared that Armstrong was working on his skills in singles matches.

The Fabulous Kangaroos (w/ “Wild” Red Berry) d. the Killer Bees when Al Costello p. B. Brian Blair following an Aussie Suplex and a cheap shot by Berry. The match was an exciting one, with all four wrestlers kicking out of pin attempts and the Bees successfully pulling off “Masked Confusion” to nearly get the pin. Blair even kicked out of the BOOMERANG, but the effort made him vulnerable to Berry and Costello in the end.

Buff Bagwell d. Diamond Dallas Page when he caught DDP with a dropkick. Page controlled the first half of the match but couldn’t get a DIAMOND CUTTER locked on to his longtime tag rival, a common problem lately for Page.

The Oilmen d. Perfectly Rude (w/ Ida Mae) by DQ when Rick Rude attacked Danny Hodge outside the ring even though partner Curt Hennig was the legal man in the match. Both teams looked to be finding their way as new tag entries. Hennig appeared surprised by Rude’s actions.

In a “Who Stays, Who Goes” match, the Iron Sheik (w/ Commander Lou Albano) d. Bob Armstrong (w/ Brad Armstrong) after catching him with a piledriver. The victory gave the Iron Sheik an early lead in the contest. Armstrong started strong, but was caught by a knee when the Sheik came off the ropes, and that led to his downfall.

George Hackenschmidt became the new BCW U.S. heavyweight champion by d. Don Leo Jonathan in a cage match when Jonathan was taken down by a twisting heel hook and could not prevent Hackenschmidt from leaving the cage. Both men were bloody, but Jonathan sustained the bigger battering in losing the title after a 32-card reign. The members of the Foreign Legion and Commander Lou Albano came to ringside to celebrate with Hackenschmidt as the crowd booed “the traitor.”

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FIVE, CARD NO. 2

Lakeland Civic Center

Rikidozan and Jushin Liger d. S+S when Rikidozan p. Larry Sharpe following his THUNDEROUS CHOPS. Both Rikidozan and Liger dominated the action during their time in the ring.

The Japanese pair headed toward the back after their match, only to see Giant Baba come down the aisle for his match. They steered wide to avoid Baba, but he just ignored his former teammates.

Giant Baba d. Johnny Rodz, pinning him after a Baba Chop. Baba looked to be still feeling the effects of his grueling match at Wrestlethon, as Rodz gave him a run before succumbing.

The New Age Outlaws (w/ Bobby Heenan) d. Perfectly Rude (w/ Ida Mae Martinez) when Kip James p. Curt Hennig following his STANDING LEG DROP. Hennig and Rude seemed to still be working out the chemistry of being a tag team, which helped lead to the NAO victory.

Commissioner Chad came to ringside and called out Diamond Dallas Page. Page came to the ring with a perplexed look on his face. The commissioner said Page had been a disappointment in BCW – he was stuck in a tag team that was going nowhere, and he had not had a big impact on the singles ranks. Page nodded, and Commissioner Chad added that Page needed to take his DIAMOND CUTTER out of storage and be a contender for title belts. In order to boost Page’s confidence, the commissioner was scheduling him in a match with a former U.S. champion – Virgil!

Diamond Dallas Page d. Virgil using the DIAMOND CUTTER. Afterward, Commissioner Chad was clapping at ringside.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured Danny Hodge. Hodge said he enjoyed his new partnership with Yukon Eric in the Oilmen tag team, and that their goal was a shot at the titles despite having to claw through a number of top-notch tag teams. When Apter asked him about the Hodge Championship Belt, Hodge said that while he wasn’t allowed to face Liger for the belt, he hadn’t forgotten about it, and when someone else finally snared it, Hodge would be first in line to reclaim “his legacy.”

Buddy Rogers came to ringside and said he’d recovered from the attack by the King’s Horsemen, adding, “You can’t get rid of me that easily.” He then called out Larry Hennig, saying, “It’s time for some payback.”

Buddy Rogers d. Larry Hennig (w/ Bobby Heenan) by countout when Hennig was seriously injured outside the ring by his son, Curt Hennig, and Rick Rude. Before that, Rogers and Larry Hennig had quite the match, with both getting pin attempts and neither having a clear advantage. Hennig went outside the ring to recover from a Rogers dropkick, then was ambushed by his son and Rude, who sneered before they left the scene ahead of the New Age Outlaws’ arrival to help a distraught Heenan check on Hennig.

The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) d. the Midnight Express (w/ Jim Cornette) to recapture the BCW world tag-team titles when Animal p. Bobby Eaton following a POWER SLAM. Cornette’s attempt at interference wasn’t enough to stop the referee’s count, although the slam came out of nowhere, and Cornette had little time to react before the match was over. The Midnight Express were stunned afterward, while the Road Warriors celebrated regaining the belts.

Jimmy Snuka d. the Sandman via countout in a “Who Stays, Who Goes” match that was exhausting in its brutality. Snuka finally connected on a SUPERFLY LEAP onto the Sandman outside the ring, and Snuka barely made it back before the 10-count, while the Sandman did not. The fans were amazed at the intensity of the bout.

Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) d. Ivan Koloff (w/ Commander Lou Albano), 2-0, in a best-of-three-falls match to retain the BCW world heavyweight championship. In the first fall, Koloff controlled the opening part of the match, tossing Race outside the ring. When Koloff came out to pursue him, Race hit him with a haymaker, tossed him back into the ring and connected on a PILEDRIVER to get the pin. In the second fall, each man got pin attempts, and a still-woozy Koloff rallied, but Race caught him with another PILEDRIVER. Albano kept the pin count from occurring by distracting the ref, but Race then used a swinging neckbreaker to get Koloff down again and notch the winning pin. Race celebrated with Heenan and the New Age Outlaws afterward.

[The Creek Rises]

YEAR FIVE, CARD NO. 3

Eddie Graham Sports Stadium

Fritz Von Goering, in his BCW debut, d. Larry Sharpe by DQ when Sharpe threw a chair at the relentless German wrestler outside the ring and then fled. Von Goering’s debut was interesting and left an impression on Sharpe, to say the least.

Rikidozan and Jushin Liger came out. Rikidozan took the microphone and said he couldn’t understand why Liger was not a “real” champion, apparently downgrading the Hodge Championship Belt with his statement. Rikidozan said Liger should get a shot at the BCW world heavyweight championship, because he was the best overall wrestler in the organization. That brought to ringside current BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race, who appeared to still be upset over the loss to injury of fellow King’s Horseman Larry Hennig. He sneered at Liger and Rikidozan’s claim of Liger being the best overall wrestler, then offered a compromise: If Liger could beat him in a single-fall match on this card, he would get a title shot at the next card. Rikidozan and Liger readily agreed.

After they departed, Sir Oliver Humperdink came to ringside with “Bloody” Harker Dirge. Humperdink took the microphone and announced, “The future is now. Let chaos begin!” Then he called out Bobo Brazil. Brazil came racing to ringside while the fans appeared confused at what was going on.

Bobo Brazil d. Harker Dirge (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink) when he pinned Dirge following a Bobo body slam. Dirge put up a good fight, and Humperdink interfered on his behalf, but Brazil persevered to get the victory. Humperdink still seemed pleased afterward, while the crowd remained confused about what the manager was talking about.

The Killer Bees d. the Jersey Boys when Steve Corino was DQ’d for taking a chair to B. Brian Blair as the two tangled outside the ring. Afterward, Commissioner Chad appeared near the entrance of the ring, looked at Diamond Dallas Page and shook his head.

Don Leo Jonathan d. U.S. champion George Hackenschmidt (w/ Commander Lou Albano) by countout when Hackenschmidt left the ring following a Jonathan pin attempt and, after the countout was signaled, the other members of the Foreign Legion entered the ring and attacked Jonathan, injuring him. The former U.S. champ had dominated much of the match and had made three pin attempts on Hackenschmidt before the current titleholder left the ring and the attack began.

Bill Apter’s “Hot Seat” featured the Fabulous Kangaroos. They complained again how they lost their titles, and that the Midnight Express were “paper champions.” They also said the Road Warriors wouldn’t face them because they were “scared” of the hold the Fabulous Kangaroos had on them. That brought out an angry Hawk and Animal. They got into manager “Wild” Red Berry’s face and said they would face the Kangaroos on the next card – whether they successfully defended the belts on this card or not. A lot of pushing ensued, but the Kangaroos basically agreed to the offer of a possible title shot.

Johnny Valentine came to ringside for a match, only to be confronted by Commissioner Chad. The commissioner noted that Valentine had been a BCW world heavyweight champion in the past – would he like to be one again? Valentine nodded. The commissioner said that BCW needed a legitimate challenger for Race, and it seemed like those who had tried to fill the role fell way short lately. He said Valentine would have a shot at proving his worthiness – just like Diamond Dallas Page.

Johnny Valentine d. Johnny Rodz after connecting with the ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHER. Valentine had all sorts of problems with Rodz, who got four pin attempts on Valentine before Valentine finally took control of the match. Commissioner Chad threw up his hands and went to the back before Valentine turned things around and got the pin.

BCW world tag-team champions the Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) d. the New Age Outlaws (w/ Bobby Heenan) when Hawk pinned B.G. James after a vertical suplex. During the pin, Kip James and Heenan were distracted by the Fabulous Kangaroos arriving and making a scene at ringside. Afterward, the NAO appeared angry, Animal was pointing at the Kangaroos and Kangaroos manager “Wild” Red Berry was pointing at the title belts.

In a “Who Stays, Who Goes” match, Jimmy Snuka d. Bob Armstrong (w/ Brad Armstrong) by pinning him after a massive SUPERFLY LEAP. The match was an excellent one, with both men having at least two pin attempts before Snuka ended it, and Armstrong showing a major amount of resilience before falling short. Son Brad helped him to the back, and Snuka applauded his effort.

Jushin Liger (w/ Rikidozan) d. BCW world heavyweight champion Harley Race (w/ Bobby Heenan) by DQ when Race attacked Rikidozan after he got a cheap shot in on Race while Race was outside the ring, a shot that went unnoticed by the referee. Race had been outside the ring to chase Liger, who had exited the ring moments earlier. Neither man had a pin attempt during the match. With the “win,” Liger was guaranteed a shot at the title on the next card.