Card #1413 - The Omni - Atlanta, GA - Atlantic Coast Wrestling01) Jordynne Grace defeated Britt Baker* Empress Ring action opened the show with Jordynne Grace facing Britt Baker, and referee James Beard as the official in charge. This was a two part match: the first half dominated by Baker; the second half dominated by Grace. The powerful Grace survived the Steel City Stretch and bounced back nailing Baker with the pounce. Grace then delivered her second Grace Driver of the match to score the pin.
02) Ranger Ross defeated Larry Sharpe* Ranger Ross, the pride of Acworth, GA, made his return to ACW taking on the colorful “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe of ASW. Ross had a small taste of ACW action before taking a military leave but is now back and hoping to make an impact. Sharpe gave him a good fight but it was Ross putting it away when he pinned the “Pretty Boy” after a barrage of Karate Strikes. Referee Joey Marella raised the arm of Ross in victory drawing cheers from the home crowd.
03) Steve Regal defeated Ted Dibiase by DQ* “Mr. Electricity” Steve Regal out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, was making his ACW debut and he had the tough task of going against Ted Dibiase, a grand slam championship holder in LOW. Regal was looking for a fresh start coming over from PCW. The referee assigned was Dick Woehrle and he kept a tight check on the action. Regal looked great early but then Dibiase took over. Things were looking good for Dibiase but when he went to finish it off he blasted Regal with the Loaded Glove. Woehrle was having none of that and he disqualified Dibiase, giving Regal an upset win by technical decision.
04) Thunderbolt Patterson defeated Mike Graham* Referee Joey Marella was on the call for this match between Mike Graham and Thunderbolt Patterson. The two had a tense exchange on the most recent edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling with Patterson questioning how Graham has treated him since joining ACW. The basis being that Patterson came to assist Graham in a rivalry with Diamond Dallas Page and FTP Enterprises only for Graham to push him away in favor of Don Curtis. Graham denied that was the case but was willing to settle things in the ring.
Patterson was aggressive from the start, perhaps surprising Graham who may have been expecting a more friendly approach. That would prove to be Graham’s downfall as Patterson really laid into him. Graham really never got out of the starting gate and Patterson took full advantage, even risking disqualification. Graham didn’t go down easily as it took a third Head Butt from Patterson to score the pin. Patterson had a look of satisfaction after his victory so it looks like this one time friendship has been dissolved.
05) Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle defeated Don Curtis & Les Thatcher* Don Curtis & Les Thatcher, the latter recently returning to ACW after a long absence, teamed up to take on the rugged duo of Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle. The crowd were fully behind Curtis and Thatcher hoping to see them pull off a big win. That almost happened when Curtis trapped Kernodle in the Sleeper but Slaughter broke that up. Thatcher also got the Stump Puller on Kernodle for a submission chance. Kernodle turned it around, after Slaughter did some damage as well, and nailed Curtis with a Top Rope Clothesline for a snake eyes pin with referee James Beard making the count.
06) Bob & Brad Armstrong defeated Don Muraco & Mr. Hughes (with Diamond Dallas Page)* Exciting tag team action saw referee Joey Marella in charge as “Bullet” Bob Armstrong & Brad Armstrong faced “The Magnificent” Don Muraco & Mr. Hughes of FTB Enterprises. FTB were out in full force as Diamond Dallas Page was at ringside for Muraco and Hughes. The Armstrong’s dominated early and “Bullet” Bob had Muraco pinned after hitting the Georgia Jawjacker but DDP distracted Marella preventing a pin. Muraco and Hughes mounted a counter-attack putting the focus on Brad Armstrong, a tactic that worked until he mounted a fiery return. The finishing sequence saw DDP attempt to interfere but that backfired and “Bullet” Bob hit the Georgia Jawjacker on Hughes for the pin.
07) Ivan Koloff defeated Steve Williams by DQ* A battle of powerhouses saw Steve “Dr. Death” Williams take on the “Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff, the former holder of the LOW International Heavyweight title. This was a hard fought bout that featured big offense from both men. Williams even kicked out after taking the Top Rope Knee Drop from Koloff. That led to Koloff arguing with referee Dick Woehrle claiming a slow count. Koloff got very aggressive late, refusing to let Williams climb back into the ring after sending him outside repeatedly. Williams was fired up and got Koloff outside where he gave him a press slam on the timekeeper’s table. That action led to Woehrle calling for the bell awarding Koloff a controversial disqualification win.
08) Rick Rude (with Percy Pringle III) defeated Austin Idol* A grudge match between the “Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol and “Ravishing” Rick Rude was up next with James Beard as the referee. Rude, accompanied by his manager Percy Pringle III, was livid over a recent confrontation where Idol upstaged him during an interview segment with PWI Editor Bill Apter. Idol took advantage of Rude’s anger, nearly pinning him with a counter sunset flip moments into the match. That set the stage for a torrid battle between the two. Not surprisingly it ended in controversy when Rude, after using a distraction by Pringle to hit Idol with a foreign object, locked on a Sleeper. Idol was already out and Beard called for the bell giving Rude a snake eyes submission win. Idol was furious when he recovered and he battered Rude forcing him and Pringle to bid a hasty retreat.
09) LOW Trios Titles: AJ Styles & Rock n' Roll Express defeated Vampiro, Kevin Thorn & Darby Allin (with Shelly Martinez) to win the titles* “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles and the Rock n’ Roll Express, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson, came in with a lot of momentum as a trios combination. Their opponents, the Night Army of Vampiro, Kevin Thorn & Darby Allin, entered the Omni with plenty of momentum of their own as the recognized 3rd LOW Trios Champions. Shelly Martinez, the manager of El Ejercito de la Noche, was confident in her men retaining the titles. She even tried to influence referee Dick Woehrle but the veteran official was having none of it. He ordered Martinez out of the ring and called for the bell getting the championship match underway.
This was a case of two very talented, albeit different, teams and it was just a matter of which side caught the first big break. That came late in the match when Styles outmaneuvered Vampiro and trapped him in the Calf Killer, a punishing leg hold. That prevented Vampiro from making a much needed tag and set up a great finishing sequence. It was the Rock n’ Roll Express, former LOW World tag team champions, that delivered the finishing blow as they hit the Double Dropkick on Vampiro with Gibson scoring the pin. Martinez had attempted a distraction but Woehrle waved her off and made the three count as Styles and Morton fended off Thorn and Allin. New LOW Trios Champions were crowned in Atlanta, and the crowd showered Styles, a native of Gainesville, and the Rock n’ Roll Express with a thunderous ovation.
10) LOW World Heavyweight Title - 2 out of 3 Falls Match: Randy Savage© defeated Harley Race (2-1) to retain the titleFirst Fall: Harley Race pinned Randy Savage - Counter Sunset Flip
Second Fall: Randy Savage pinned Harley Race - Flying Elbow Smash
Third Fall: Savage won by DQ
* The main event was a classic two-out-of-three falls match for the LOW World Heavyweight Title as the 48th champion Randy “Macho Man” Savage defended the belt against two-time champion Harley Race. LOW Commissioner Teddy Long was on hand to hold up the championship belt as LOW senior referee Morgan Dollar issued his pre-match instructions to both men. Long helped put this match together with both participants agreeing to the stipulations as well as honoring the bylaws as recognized at the Omni, something that would come into play in the deciding fall.
This was an excellent match with a frantic first fall that ended with Race surprising Savage with a counter sunset flip off the ropes for the pin. That put Savage’s back against the wall but the “Macho Man” is not one to be intimidated. He came back with a strong second fall, countering an early offensive by Race, and evened things up at 1-1 when he scored the pin with his trademark Flying Elbow Smash from the top rope.
That set up a dramatic third fall that proved to be a war of attrition. Both men traded stiff strikes and took it outside a few times as well. It was building to a dramatic finish when suddenly Race sent Savage out of the ring by tossing him over the top rope. As per the rules adhered to at the Omni, and recognized by LOW, that was an automatic disqualification meaning that Savage won the deciding fall. It was a successful version eight title defense for Savage which left Race livid over the result. He argued vehemently with both Dollar and Long but the decision stood. Savage escaped Atlanta with the title and will live to defend it another day.
(Promoter’s Note: I am using the great Arena Cards produced by Carlzilla and in this case the over the tope rope DQ is used at the Omni, Unfortunately for Race, he rolled the wrong numbers, the mechanic requires two rolls, and that cost him the match.) ACW Top 10 Singles Rankings:01) Harley Race
02) Magnum T.A.
03) Ivan Koloff
04) Diamond Dallas Page
05) Don Muraco
06) Terry Gordy
07) Rick Rude
08) Austin Idol
09) Ted Dibiase
10) Thunderbolt Patterson
ACW Top 5 Tag Team Rankings:01) Midnight Express
02) Steve Williams & Terry Gordy
03) Bob & Brad Armstrong
04) Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle
05) FTB Enterprises
*Current champions not included in rankings*
