LOW - Legends of Wrestling II

[cruefan68]

Sorry for the long delay between show posts and also thanks for your comments Pariah, Troy and Bookerbill on the ACW card. I have had little to no time to roll the dice or post, unfortunately due to being insanely busy and dealing with some health issues, but I wanted to get this show posted so you guys know that I still exist lol. Apologies to my fellow promoters for not commenting in your feds of late but I hope to do so again soon. For now at least I wanted to get this Golden Age Wrestling show up. I hope that you enjoy the action...

Card #1414 - The Sportatorium - Dallas, TX - Golden Age Wrestling

01) Bobby Shane defeated Mike Jackson

* The opening match saw Mike Jackson of ASW face the “King of Wrestling” Bobby Shane with Joey Marella as the referee in charge. Jackson nearly pulled off an upset with a running lariat (ch) but Shane kicked out. Shane recovered and was able to turn the tide locking on the Japanese Sleeper for the submission win. It was a strong GAW debut for Shane who refused to release the hold post-match with Marella threatening to disqualify him before he finally let it go.

02) Glamour Girls defeated Allysin Kay & Jazzy Gabert

* Two tough teams squared off as Allysin Kay & “Alpha Female” Jazzy Gabert faced the Glamour Girls, Leilani Kai & Judy Martin. Dick Woehrle was the referee in charge for a match which could determine future challengers for the Empress Ring Tag Team Titles. Kay and Gabert dominated early but Kai somehow survived taking both Fade to Black and Omega Slam, respectively. That allowed the Glamour Girls to claw back into it and they did by taking it outside for roughhouse attacks. Woehrle had a tough time controlling these four and, in the end, the Glamour Girls double up their attacks before Martin hit the Power Bomb on Kay for the pin.

Things got tense after the bell but not between the two teams. Instead, it was Gabert shoving Kay around upset over the loss. It was the first blemish on the record of Gabert since joining Empress Ring and she wasn’t happy. Kay began shoving back and several officials had to run in to break up the altercation. LOW Commissioner Teddy Long later sent word that he has signed Kay and Gabert to meet on the next edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling.

03) Baron Von Raschke defeated Rod Fenton

* The German Clawmaster Baron Von Raschke has gained newfound popularity in GAW since his violent breakup with Fritz Von Goering. Speaking of violence, his opponent “Lightning” Rod Fenton is no stranger to it and he took the fight to Von Raschke as referee James Beard called the action. Fenton kept the Baron on the defensive for a good stretch but was unable to put him away. After both men went down from a double clothesline off the ropes, Von Raschke recovered first and applied the Brain Claw scoring an impressive submission victory.

04) King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated Ilio DiPaolo & Joe Blanchard

* Tag team action saw the popular pairing of Ilio DiPaolo & Joe Blanchard face King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd, the newest additions to the Bobby Heenan family. “The Brain” was not at ringside as he accompanied Nick Bockwinkel to New York for his scheduled match with LOW World Heavyweight champion Randy Savage. The presence of Heenan could have helped as DiPaolo and Blanchard gave Bundy and Studd some anxious moments. Studd managed to apply the Backbreaker on both men but it was broken up. Late in the match, Blanchard locked the Abdominal Stretch on Studd but Bundy broke that up delivering an elbow drop before rolling Studd over on top for a near fall. In the end, Bundy crushed Blanchard with the Atlantic City Avalanche to score the pin as referee Joey Marella made the three count.

05) Bob Roop defeated Dutch Mantell

* This rematch was requested by Bob Roop after his loss to “Dirty” Dutch Mantell in Milwaukee, which was the debut match for both men in Golden Age Wrestling. Referee James Beard was on the call as Roop got off to an aggressive start hoping to avenge that defeat. Mantell fought back and this turned into a good back-and-forth bout. The turning point came outside when Roop dropped Mantell shoulder first on the guard rail. Back inside, he delivered the Shoulder Breaker on Mantell scoring a snake eyes pin.

Roop was satisfied with evening the score but apparently not enough as the “Nebraska Tiger Man” John Pesek joined him for a post-match attack. They left Mantell lying in a heap but when the “Dirty Dutchman” recovered he called out Pesek challenging him to a match on the next GAW card. Pesek smirked but accepted the challenge.

06) Lou Thesz, Jim Londos & Billy Wicks defeated Sputnik Monroe, Ed Lewis & Evan Lewis

* Trios action saw Lou Thesz, Jim Londos & Billy Wicks taking on Sputnik Monroe and Strangler’s, Inc., Ed “Strangler” Lewis & Evan “Strangler” Lewis. Referee Joey Marella was in charge and had a tough time controlling the action. This was a match that could have gone either way as both teams came close to victory. The various rivalries involved also came to center stage, especially when Wicks and Monroe went at it. A hectic finishing stretch saw Wicks take out his rival with a waistlock suplex followed by an airplane spin from Thesz. That gave way to Londos who went to his own version of the Airplane Spin on Monroe resulting in a pinfall victory for his team.

07) Bobo Brazil defeated Johnny Valentine

* Two former LOW World Heavyweight champions squared off as Bobo Brazil faced Johnny Valentine. Brazil came out throwing bombs, including hitting the Coco Butt just moments into the match. Valentine weathered the storm and struck back with his equally potent Atomic Skullcrusher. This set the pace for an exciting bout which saw both men coming close to a win. Valentine, newly arrived to Golden Age Wrestling, was hoping to get the victory but a determined Brazil came out on top. With fatigue setting in and time running out, Brazil blasted a bloody Valentine with a Big Hammer Punch and covered him for the pin with referee James Beard making the three count.

08) Bob Backlund (with Arnold Skaaland) vs. George Hackenschmidt was a Draw

* The rubber match in an unofficial series between Bob Backlund and the “Russian Lion” George Hackenschmidt saw Joey Marella as the referee in charge. Arnold Skaaland, the newly appointed manager of Backlund, was at ringside for his charge who hoped to win this deciding bout. Skaaland spoke with PWI Editor Bill Apter hours earlier and revealed that he and Backlund had been in intense training sessions for the match. He made note of the Russian Bear Hug that Hackenschmidt employs and said that he had devised a strategy for it that Backlund might find successful.

This match was intense with both men determined to pull out a victory. Each man scored near falls, including with rope counters as Backlund used the Rolling Backbridge and Hackenschmidt the counter sunset flip. While most of the battle was contained inside the ring, they did fight outside a few times. Hackenschmidt was nearly counted out at one point while Backlund, on the defensive, was busted open after a run into the guard rail. Hackenschmidt twice locked on the Russian Bear Hug late but somehow Backlund survived and got rope breaks. A great series of counters built to the finish where Hackenschmidt hit a half nelson suplex (ch) for a near fall before the bell sounded to end it. The result was a time limit draw evening the records at 1-1-1 in their scintillating series of matches.

09) LOW World Tag Team Titles: Jack & Jerry Brisco© defeated Fabulous Kangaroos (with Wild Red Berry) to retain the titles

* The 40th LOW World Tag Team Champions Jack & Jerry Brisco had a serious challenge in the Fabulous Kangaroos, the two-time former LOW World Tag Team Champions who were accompanied by their manager Wild Red Berry. Veteran referee Dick Woehrle was the man in charge of the action. The Kangaroos worked like a well-oiled machine in the early going and got the heat on Jack Brisco for an extended stretch. It took a while for the defending champions to kick it into gear and they came close to losing the belts. When they finally did get it going, the Kangaroos found themselves in a similar perilous situation.

At one point, Jerry Brisco trapped Costello in the Figure Four Leglock and Berry tried to get involved but was taken out by Jack. Later, after turning the tables, the Kangaroos caught Jack with the Boomerang but as Costello made the cover it was Jerry making a last second save. The intensity built to a great finish which saw Jerry counter Heffernan into a Figure Four Leglock scoring a snake eyes submission victory as Jack fended off a save attempt by Costello. It was a hard fought and successful version one title defense for the Brisco Brothers. The Kangaroos were not pleased with the loss but led by Berry they shook hands with the champions drawing cheers from the crowd.

10) LOW International Heavyweight Title: Rikidozan© defeated The Crusher to retain the title

* The main event saw LOW senior referee Morgan Dollar in charge as the 48th LOW International Heavyweight Champion Rikidozan defended the title against The Crusher, a four-time holder of the belt. This was a war. Both men brought their A games top the match and that meant a lot of hard hitting and stiff strikes. The Crusher showed his toughness as he kicked out of both the Hiplock and Thunderous Chops. He also locked on the Crusher Nelson forcing Rikidozan to get to the ropes for a break.

The battle went to the floor as well and it was Rikidozan busting The Crusher open after a run into the ring post. Dollar, wanting to see a good fight, waved it off and the battle continued. The blood running down his face, The Crusher made a critical mistake late as he went for a deathjump (ch) but Rikidozan countered with a superplex. He then followed up with a Piledriver on The Crusher and scored the pin. It was a successful version two title defense for Rikidozan over a very tough challenger.

GAW Top 10 Singles Rankings:

01) Nick Bockwinkel
02) Bobo Brazil
03) The Sheik
04) Lou Thesz
05) Buddy Rogers
06) Antonino Rocca
07) Frank Gotch
08) The Crusher
09) George Hackenschmidt
10) Bob Backlund

GAW Top 5 Tag Team Rankings:

01) Fabulous Kangaroos
02) Strangler’s Inc.
03) Lou Thesz & Jim Londos
04) King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd
05) Ilio DiPaolo & Joe Blanchard

*Current champions not included in rankings*

[bookerbill]

Rocking card my friend

[Pariah]

Stoked for some excellent LOW action... Without further ado, here's my Top 3 Countdown:

3/ Friction between the Alpha Female and AK-47 leads to a harsh post-match exchange... Now Gabert's individual undefeated streak will be on the line when she faces Kay during the next edition of All Star Wrestling... Nice!

2/ The Briscos retain the tag belts in dynamic fashion... There's no doubting the caliber of the 'Roos either as the fans were treated to a highly entertaining title defense.

1/ A time limit draw means the rubber remains intact between Backlund and Hack... What a superb series it's been so far... And the presence of Skaaland (and his unique mechanic) simply adds to the intrigue... Looking forward to the next encounter.

Always a pleasure to see you posting, my friend... No apologies necessary... Keep those good times (and dice) rolling!

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Bookerbill and Pariah. Backlund vs. Hackenschmidt has been a lot of fun. I never expected a draw there but neither guy would go down before I reached my token limit. Coming up next is a huge night of action from Madison Square Garden with a major upset to boot! I hope that you enjoy the action...

Card #1415 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY - Capitol Wrestling Alliance

01) The Allure defeated Twisted Sisterz by DQ
Referee: James Beard

* The opening contest saw Twisted Sisterz, Thunder Rosa & Holidead, face former Empress Ring Tag Team Champions The Allure, Angelina Love & Mandy Leon. In accordance of the New York State Athletic Commission, the referees were under orders to be strict calling disqualifications. Even James Beard, noted for his leniency in that regard, had to abide by the ruling and that played a role in the outcome. (Promoters Note: This was a roll on the MSG card created by Carlzilla via Carlzilla’s Bootleg Arenas).

Both teams had chances to win, The Allure when Love hit Botox Injection on Rosa and Twisted Sisterz when they nailed Love with the Face Plant & Double Stomp combo. The action went outside late and it was Holidead getting disqualified when she dropped Leon on the timekeepers table. The Allure picked up a technical win leaving Twisted Sisterz frustrated.

02) The Barbarian (with Captain Lou Albano) defeated Kenny Jay
Referee: Joey Marella

* The “Sodbuster” Kenny Jay of ASW had a tough draw facing The Barbarian, one-half of the Powers of Pain, accompanied by his manager Captain Lou Albano. This was pretty much a one-sided affair with The Barbarian laying in some heavy shots. As Albano crowed at ringside, The Barbarian hit the top rope Flying Clothesline on Jay to score the pin.

03) Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated Killer Bees
Referee: James Beard

* A burgeoning tag team rivalry in the CWA pitted the Killer Bees, B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell, against Team Angle members Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas. The Bees nearly took it in the opening moments when Blair had Haas pinned off the Killer Dropkick by Brunzell. Benjamin made a timely save and he and Haas launched a nice comeback. This was tag team wrestling at its finest between two top ranked teams. The finish of a great bout saw Team Angle connect with the Leap of Faith on Blair but Brunzell made the save. Benjamin took out Brunzell, though, and quickly caught Blair with the Turnbuckle Powerbomb for the pin giving Team Angle a huge victory.

04) Chris Masters (with The Grand Wizard) defeated Red Bastien
Referee: Joey Marella

* Veteran star Red Bastien, who recently joined the CWA, challenged “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters, accompanied by his manager The Grand Wizard. Masters has been on a slow and steady rise but would be tested by Bastien. The “Flying Redhead” gave him all he could handle and more, at one point nearly putting him out with a Sleeper. Masters rebounded late with a pair of near falls before catching Bastien with a Sitout Spinebuster for the pin.

05) Tony Garea & Larry Zbyszko vs. Valiant Brothers (with The Grand Wizard) was a Draw
Referee: James Beard

* The Grand Wizard returned to ringside with the Valiant Brothers, “Handsome” Jimmy & “Luscious” Johnny Valiant, as they took on the popular new team of Tony Garea & Larry Zbyszko. This was classic tag team wrestling at its finest with both teams utilizing quick and timely tags along with key double-team attacks. Both teams also picked up some close near falls along the way, building to a dramatic finish. With time winding down, Garea unleased a flurry of offense before catching Johnny with a jackknife cradle for a big near fall. The bell sounded moments later, ending the match in a time limit draw.

06) Empress Ring Title: Toni Rose defeated Mildred Burke to win the title
Referee: Dick Woehrle

* History was made at MSG in stunning fashion as Toni Rose upset the 14th Empress Ring Champion Mildred Burke to win the title. Many thought this would be a successful third title defense for Burke, perhaps underestimating Rose who has proven very capable in her Empress Ring outings winning 67% of her matches. Burke was dominant early and had Rose on the defensive, particularly after a pair of crushing backbreakers. Rose weathered the storm and gained three straight two counts, the last coming with a counter roll-up on a missed corner charge. Burke looked to rebuild momentum when Rose stunned her with a top rope neck snap and then a Jumping Stomp to score the pin. It was a huge win for Rose as she won her first title in LOW by being crowned the new Empress Ring Champion.

07) Piper's Pit with Big Van Vader:

* The always controversial “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, flanked by his bodyguard “The Ace” Cowboy Bob Orton Jr., welcomed Big Van Vader to Piper’s Pit. Things got tense when Piper questioned the “guts” of Vader for coming up short in his title opportunities. Piper boasted of his own championship record, having held the LOW International Heavyweight title, and said “Everybody wants to be like Roddy Piper.” Vader moved closer to Piper as Orton, undetected, circled around him to set up a sneak attack but then “Hoooooo!” bellowed over the P.A. and Hacksaw Jim Duggan stormed to the ring swinging his 2x4.

Piper and Orton quickly bailed out of the ring as Duggan stared at Vader offering a hand shake. Vader reluctantly accepted and grabbed the mic saying that he and Duggan were challenging Piper and Orton to a tag team match! That was later approved by LOW Commissioner Teddy Long and so it will be Big Van Vader & Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Roddy Piper & Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. on the next CWA card in Boston, MA (Card #1425).

08) Curt Hennig (with J.J. Dillon) defeated Ken Shamrock
Referee: James Beard

* The “World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock, drawn into the Mulligan family rivalry with the New Age Horsemen, took on Curt Hennig who was accompanied by manager J.J. Dillon. Hennig has been a frontline member of the Horsemen and at times considered the cornerstone. Shamrock could care less about that as he dominated for a good stretch from the opening bell. He attempted to set up the Ankle Lock but Hennig was able to avoid it. After some tense exchanges, Hennig twice executed the Hennig Plex but Shamrock kicked out. Dillon was concerned at ringside until a turning point saw Shamrock miss a corner charge. Hennig got a near fall with a counter roll-up and, with Shamrock still stunned, he executed his third Hennig Plex of the match to score the pin.

09) Andre the Giant defeated The Warlord (with Captain Lou Albano) by DQ
Referee: Dick Woehrle

* It was a battle of the titans as Andre the Giant locked up with The Warlord, accompanied by his manager Captain Lou Albano. The size and power of both men is incredible, but even more incredible is Andre, the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, checking in at a foot taller and nearly 150-pounds heavier. The Warlord was not intimidated, though, and held his own at points during this bout. The finish was a disappointment as Andre went for a pin on a sitdown splash but Albano put Warlord’s foot on the bottom rope. The referee saw that and called for a disqualification, giving Andre a technical win. Andre was not very happy and he pulled Albano into the ring giving him a canvas shaking bodyslam to the delight of the crowd. The Warlord pulled Albano’s carcass out to safety as Andre soaked in the cheers of the fans.

10) LOW World Heavyweight Title: Randy Savage© defeated Nick Bockwinkel (with Bobby Heenan) by DQ to retain the title
Referee: Morgan Dollar

* The main event for all the marbles saw the 48th LOW World Heavyweight Champion Randy “Macho Man” Savage put the gold on the line against two-time world champion, and now two-time PWI Invitational Cup winner, Nick Bockwinkel. Manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan was in the corner for Bockwinkel, one of the top stars of Golden Age Wrestling. It was Heenan that negotiated this title opportunity for his man on neutral ground in the CWA, opting to challenge Savage in the greatest arena in the world. It was a bold move by Heenan and Bockwinkel as Savage, by nature of being contracted to the CWA, already has a huge fan base in the territory.

Bockwinkel was relentless right from the start, quickly applying a Boston Crab for a submission chance. He kept up his attack punishing Savage for a long stretch. The “Macho Man” could not get it going but may have caught a break when a mistimed deathjump (ch) by Bockwinkel took out LOW senior referee Morgan Dollar. During Dollar’s down time, both men traded offense including Savage hitting the Flying Elbow Smash for a visual pin.

When Dollar recovered, Savage began to turn it around and now it was Bockwinkel who was on the defensive. Savage unleashed a vicious attack that culminated with another Flying Elbow Smash. It looked to be over for Bockwinkel but then suddenly “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers, King Kong Bundy, and Big John Studd of the Heenan Family swarmed the ring attacking Savage. It was quick and brutal but Savage got a disqualification victory giving him a successful version nine defense of the title.

The Heenan Family prepared to ramp up a post-match attack on Savage but were stunned when Andre the Giant, Big Van Vader, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and others stormed the ring. Heenan and his men bailed out and Savage was saved from a potential injury. Savage was very angry over what happened to him and grabbed the mic calling out Heenan and his men. They didn’t return but LOW Commissioner Teddy Long entered the ring and told Savage he could have whatever kind of match he wants with the Heenan Family. Savage said he would think about it and have an answer on the next broadcast of LOW All-Star Wrestling.

CWA Top 10 Singles Rankings:

01) Big Van Vader
02) Curt Hennig
03) Greg Valentine
04) Barry Windham
05) Kurt Angle
06) Blackjack Mulligan
07) Roddy Piper
08) Chris Masters
09) Ken Shamrock
10) Mike Rotunda

CWA Top 5 Tag Team Rankings:

01) Road Warriors
02) Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
03) Valiant Brothers
04) Powers of Pain
05) Killer Bees

*Current champions not included in rankings*

[bookerbill]

The pot is brewing and the booking master Cruefan is cooking up something special. Cannot wait to see what the Macho Man has to say.

Great balance to this card. Classic MSG feel.

[TTX]

That reminds me I want to try Andre and Vader as a team some time. Fun times as always here.

[Pariah]

Not even a couple of DQ decisions at the end could derail the MSG action, my brotha... Here's my Top 3 Countdown for this epic event:

3/ Even though I was a pretty big fan of Mildred's title reign, sometimes you've just gotta appreciate a big upset... And this is one of those times... Congrats to Toni Rose on becoming the NEW LOW Empress Ring Champion!

2/ Another successful defense for the Macho Man. OHHH, YEAH!

1/ Hot Rod and the Ace Cowboy continue to stir up trouble like only they can... Picking a fight with Vader (whether he appears outnumbered or not) is definitely the sign of someone that possesses more confidence/craziness than common sense... Sounds about right in this case, huh?

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Bookerbill, Troy, and Pariah. It is greatly appreciated as always. Sorry for another long delay but as usual real life is taking me away from this wonderful hobby. I had a chance to roll out this next show last night and I hope you enjoy this latest round of action from ECW...

Card #1416 - Louisville Gardens - Louisville, KY - Extreme Continental Wrestling - Announcer: Todd Keneley

* An enraged “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert, backed by his brother “Dangerous” Doug Gilbert and enforcer Ox Baker, hit the ring to start the show. He said that Hot Stuff International needs new blood and called out his assistant Larry Dallas. Dallas entered the ring and Gilbert called him out for continually botching talent contracts with ECW leading to guys like Jackie Fargo, Tommy Rich and Bill Dundee getting in the back door. He also blamed Dallas for his father, Tommy Gilbert, being forced to leave ECW and having his LOW contract transferred to World of Sport in England, something he had previously blamed on a favor called out by Jerry Lawler to LOW Commissioner Teddy Long.

He said that he, Doug and “Big Ox” would take care of the Fargo, Rich and Dundee problem tonight but now there is another problem that needs to be taken care of. Gilbert delivered a throat cutting gesture resulting in the brothers grabbing Dallas by the arms and Baker rearing back to deliver a big Heart Punch. Before that could happen, however, “Sweet n’ Sour” Larry Sweeney made a surprise appearance saving Dallas, at least for the moment.

Sweeney asked Gilbert to hear him out. Gilbert obliged him and Sweeney made his plea saying that he made a huge mistake giving “that bum” Excalibur his IWTV announcing position in order to chase his dream of regaining the LOW Tex-Arkana Television title. That dream came true as he won the title but then had it “stolen” from him by Magnum T.A., ultimately costing him an opportunity at the LOW World Heavyweight title. He explained that he has no home, having left IWTV and having no official territorial contract in LOW. The television title was supposed to be his leverage for a new contract. All of this caused him to cast doubts on himself but then he got a phone call from one Mr. Larry Dallas offering him a job with ECW.

Gilbert listened intently as Sweeney continued but then he cut him off. Gilbert said that he was going to cry if Sweeney continued and turned to Dallas saying that he finally did something good in his “stupid life.” Gilbert welcomed Sweeney to ECW and as a gift he was giving him a shot at the LOW Tex-Arkana Television title, now held by Manny Fernandez, tonight in Louisville. The title shot was originally intended for Shane Douglas but Gilbert said he was “suspended” for tonight for his actions in The Pitbulls vs. The Moondogs situation.

Sweeney was beside himself with joy as was Dallas, finally looking relieved to be on Gilbert’s good side. Gilbert said there was only one thing left to do and that was to welcome Sweeney into Hot Stuff International. Sweeney collapsed into the turnbuckle as Gilbert told him not only was he a member but he was also his new assistant and right hand man. That sent a shock into Dallas who turned to confront Gilbert but instead was met with a big Heart Punch by Baker! Dallas was laid out and Sweeney, at the urging of Gilbert, went to the top rope and delivered the 12 Large Elbow Drop on Dallas. While the carcass of Dallas was dragged out of the ring by attendants, Gilbert raised the arm of Sweeney setting off a new era for Hot Stuff International…

01) The Pitbulls (with Francine) defeated Wild Bill White & Tom Stone
Referee: Dick Woehrle

* Accompanied by their new manager Francine, The Pitbulls took on Wild Bill White & Tom “Rocky” Stone of ASW. This was fairly competitive with Stone making a go of it in his LOW debut. The Pitbulls proved to be too much, though, going on a strong offensive before Pitbull #2 nailed White with a Spinning Heel Kick for the pin.

Francine and The Pitbulls barely had time to celebrate the win as The Moondogs, Jimmy Jacobs, and Kevin Sullivan hit the ring. A wild brawl ensued during which Sullivan grabbed Francine and held her as Jacobs went for the Railroad Spike. It was looking bad, especially with Shane Douglas suspended for the night, but then The Sandman hit the ring to a big pop wildly swinging his Singapore cane. Sullivan and his men bailed out but a message was clearly sent that this was a war that is just getting started. One has to wonder how Douglas will respond when he returns to ECW.

02) Nora Greenwald vs. Beverly Shade was a Draw
Referee: Joey Marella

* Empress Ring action featured next as popular Nora Greenwald took on the double tough Beverly Shade. This was a hard fought bout which included Greenwald missing her Flipping Seated Senton three times. Shade was unable to take full advantage, though, giving Greenwald chances to get back in it. Both women did hit their finishers but were unable to get the pin. A back-and-forth exchange heated things up late but ultimately the match ended in a time limit draw.

03) 2 Cold Scorpio & Robbie Eagles defeated PG-13
Referee: Dick Woehrle

* A high flying combination of 2 Cold Scorpio & Robbie Eagles joined forces to take on PG-13, J.C. Ice & Wolfie D. The highly touted Eagles, nicknamed “Sniper of the Skies”, recently joined ECW after a stint in Japan for Kings Road United. This was a great bout with both teams having chances to win, particularly PG-13 after delivering the Smash with Hubcap on Eagles. The Australian native survived that and he and Scorpio poured it on down the stretch. That led to a sensational victory as Scorpio delivered The Diss That Don’t Miss on Wolfie D for the pin.

04) Al Snow defeated Madman Fulton
Referee: Joey Marella

* ECW newcomer Al Snow faced a tough challenge against the undefeated Madman Fulton. Snow had the full support of the crowd as he faced the much larger Fulton, even surviving the BTB, a swinging flatliner. Fulton delivered some high powered offense late but was unable to put Snow away. Instead, it was a resilient Snow battling back delivering the arm trap and head butts followed by the Snow Plow for the pin.

05) Prince Kharis (with James Mitchell) defeated Tracy Smothers
Referee: James Beard

* A match born out of a confrontation on Piper’s Pit saw Tracy Smothers take on the challenge of Prince Kharis, who was accompanied by his manager James Mitchell. Smothers took the fight to the bandaged mummy, nearly pinning him with the Jawjacker but Mitchell provided a distraction. Or rather it was an incantation that led to Kharis powering out of the pin. Smothers kept battling but Kharis fended off much of the offense delivering some punishment of his own. After a brawl on the floor, Kharis trapped Smothers in a powerful Bear Hug scoring a submission victory. Mitchell’s dangerous weapon, Prince Kharis, thus far remains undefeated in ECW.

06) LOW Tex-Arkana Television Title: Manny Fernandez© defeated Larry Sweeney to retain the title
Referee: Dick Woehrle

* Fresh off his title win over Magnum T.A., the 44th LOW Tex-Arkana Television Champion “Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez defended against nineteen-time champion “Sweet N’ Sour” Larry Sweeney. Having already been recruited into Hot Stuff International, Sweeney was on cloud nine as he entered the ring looking to regain his most cherished possession. This was a barnburner with the action taking place in and out of the ring. Sweeney hit the 12 Large Elbow Drop at one point but Fernandez kicked out. Sweeney was beside himself arguing with the referee but the veteran official was having none of it.

Fernandez bounced back and hit the Flying Burrito but Eddie Gilbert ran down to interfere followed by Doug Gilbert and Ox Baker. All three were ejected by the referee but refused to leave leading to their main event opponents – Jackie Fargo, Tommy Rich and Bill Dundee – running down. A wild brawl ensued during which Fernandez regained control and hit a second Flying Burrito on Sweeney for the pin. It was a successful version one title defense for Fernandez who overcame the odds thrown against him by Hot Stuff International.

07) Brian Christopher defeated Steve Keirn
Referee: Joey Marella

* The popular Steve Keirn took on the equally unpopular Brian Christopher in singles action. This was a terrific bout that saw both men with chances to win. There was one stretch where Christopher had three pin attempts in a row but Keirn kept kicking out. Keirn battled back and had Christopher in trouble with a sleeper but couldn’t put him away. It was a slick, and controversial, move that ended it as Christopher caught Keirn with a Counter Sunset Flip and grabbed the middle rope for extra leverage on the pin.

08) Sabu (with Bill Alfonso) defeated James Storm
Referee: James Beard

* A feature attraction match saw Cowboy” James Storm take on the death-defying Sabu, who was accompanied by his manager Bill Alfonso. The manager would play a pivotal role in the bout, distracting the referee when Storm had the pin after hitting Last Call. That saved Sabu from what looked like certain defeat and he would capitalize on that. Some tense exchanges built to the finish which saw Sabu catch Storm with a Moonsault (ch) scoring a snake eyes pin.

It was a big victory for Sabu who bailed out of the ring as the Dirty White Boy made his way in. DWB took out his aggression on the fallen storm and left him lying. When Storm recovered, he grabbed the mic and said he was going to hunt DWB down but first he was going to drown his sorrows in a bottle of beer drawing a big pop from the crowd.

09) Death Match: Jon Moxley defeated Alex Colon
Referee: James Beard

* “History has been made! A moment we’ll never forget!”, exclaimed announcer Todd Keneley. That came at the conclusion of a bloodbath between Jon Moxley and Alex Colon under Death Match rules. The arrival of Moxley in ECW comes after the creation of an Ultraviolent Division, a collaboration between ECW owner Eddie Gilbert and DJ Hyde of CZW. When Sick Nick Mondo won the Ultraviolent Deathmatch tournament in Philadelphia last year, Moxley, who had been lying dormant since being exiled from the IWA, made it known that he wanted in. It took some time to negotiate a deal but Gilbert, never one to miss an opportunity, signed off on it, bringing Moxley to ECW.

The battle between Moxley and Colon, a noted deathmatch practitioner out of The 609, was nothing short of barbaric. It featured a variety of weapons including tables, a barbed wire board, and thumbtacks. A big spot of the match saw Moxley set Colon up on a light tube tower and go for a deathjump. Colon moved at the last second, however, and Moxley crashed through the light tubes resulting in a near fall. Moxley had to dig down deep for a comeback and, after some more near falls back and forth, he completed it. Moxley smashed Colon with a barbed wire bat and followed that up with Moxicity for the pin.

10) Jackie Fargo, Tommy Rich & Bill Dundee defeated Eddie Gilbert, Doug Gilbert & Ox Baker
Referee: Dick Woehrle

* The main event arrival of “Roughhouse” Jackie Fargo, “Wildfire” Tommy Rich & “Superstar” Bill Dundee had the crowd going wild as they took on Hot Stuff International represented by “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert, “Dangerous” Doug Gilbert and Ox Baker. The action was intense throughout this one, the tension being very thick between two sides that just do not like each other. Dundee nearly won it on the very first move as he trapped Eddie in a Boston Crab (ch) that led to a submission chance. Eddie regrouped and battled back, but not before taking a beating at the hands of the rival team.

Hot Stuff International kept looking for that finishing blow, but it never came. Team Fargo did a great job of avoiding that, especially when Heart Punch master Baker was involved in the action. Had Baker hit that feared blow it could have been curtains for the opposition. Things really heated up late, action taking place both in and out of the ring, before a corner collision led to Dundee and Baker being laid out. As Baker staggered to his feet, Dundee recovered and jumped on his back locking on a Sleeperhold. Rich and Fargo prevented the Gilbert’s from getting involved, while Baker fell to his knees. Moments later, the referee called it and Fargo’s team had a submission victory. It was the first salvo in what promises to be a war between the two sides.

ECW Top 10 Singles Rankings:

01) Sabu
02) Eddie Gilbert
03) Tom Lawlor
04) Ox Baker
05) Shane Douglas
06) The Sandman
07) James Storm
08) Prince Kharis
09) Bill Dundee
10) Brian Christopher

ECW Top 5 Tag Team Rankings:

01) The Pitbulls
02) The Moondogs
03) Bear Country
04) PG-13
05) Hot Stuff International

*Current champions not included in rankings*

[Pariah]

This was a top notch event, my friend... From start to finish... Building on the drama that's been a hallmark of the ECW brand from its inception... I'm going to forego my usual Top 3 Countdown in order to pose a very simple question... A question that is a direct result of Eddie Gilbert's decision to bring a Deathmatch division to his promotion -- Is it time to crown the very first LOW Hardcore Champion? Definently something worth some serious consideration, imo... Let those good times (and dice) continue to roll!

[Crimson Cross]

I'd love a Hardcore Title here in the LOW and that snake eye's loss for James Storm is not a good one for him but good for Sabu, gotta love the action here...