LOW Capitol Wrestling Alliance - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY (Card #1265)Quick Results:
1) Donovan Dijak (with Abdullah Farouk) defeated Jake Milliman
(Pinfall – The Dijection, a fireman carry lift into a side slam)
2) Bobby Shane (with Sir Oliver Humperdink) defeated B. Brian Blair
(Pinfall – Bulldog)
3) Big Van Vader defeated Jimmy Valiant
(Pinfall – Released Power Bomb)
4) The Sheik, Brutus Beefcake & Greg Valentine (with Abdullah Farouk) defeated Rob Van Dam, B.G. James & Kip James
(The Sheik over Rob Van Dam by submission – Camel Clutch)
5) Steve Williams & Terry Gordy defeated Andre the Giant & Big John Studd (with Sir Oliver Humperdink)
(Steve Williams pinned Big John Studd – Oklahoma Stampede)
6) Barry Windham & Davey Richards defeated Rick Rude & Tully Blanchard (with J.J. Dillon)
(Davey Richards pinned Rick Rude – Foreign Object Attack)
7) LOW International Heavyweight title: Exotic Adrian Street© (with Miss Linda) defeated Ted Dibiase (with Virgil) to retain the title
(Pinfall – Crucifix)
8) LOW World tag team titles: Rock n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) defeated Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton, with Jim Cornette) to win the titles
(Robert Gibson pinned Bobby Eaton – Enzuigiri)
9) LOW World Heavyweight title: AJ Styles defeated Buddy Rogers to win the title
(Pinfall – Styles Clash)
Show Highlights:
The opening contest saw Jake “The Milkman” Milliman of LOW All-Star Wrestling taking on the newest find of manager Abdullah Farouk, the intimidating Donovan Dijak. This one didn’t last long as Dijak quickly hit The Dijection for the pin as a happy Farouk watched on from ringside.
B. Brian Blair, one-half of the Killer Bees along with Jim Brunzell, was in singles action taking on the “King of Wrestling” Bobby Shane who was accompanied by his new manager Sir Oliver Humperdink. This change in managers came as a result of Bobby Heenan trading managerial contracts with Humperdink, with Humperdink joining the CWA and Heenan leaving for Golden Age Wrestling. Humperdink was eager to see his new investment in action but early on had to be worried as Blair was in control. Shane caught a break countering Blair while both struggled on the top rope and then hit a Bulldog on the Killer Bee to score the pin.
The popular “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant was in singles action against a man making his official CWA debut, the massive Big Van Vader out of the Rocky Mountains. It was all Vader early but then Valiant made a valiant comeback, stunning the big man with a big atomic drop as well as battling him outside the ring. A late mistake by Valiant cost him, however, as Vader countered a backdrop attempt and then leveled him with the Released Power Bomb to score the pin. It was an impressive win for Vader who grabbed the mic afterward and said that nothing was going to stop him from winning the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament.
Rob Van Dam recruited The James Gang, B.G. James & Kip James, to help him in his ongoing rivalry with The Sheik and his stablemates the Dream Team, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake & Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, who had manager Abdullah Farouk in their corner. The James Gang, formerly known as the New Age Outlaws, made a momentous return to MSG as RVD had stated he was bringing in mystery partners for the match, so their arrival drew a big pop from the crowd. This was a wild bout that saw RVD wind up busted open and bleeding badly courtesy of The Sheik. After Valentine dropped RVD throat first on the guard rail late, The Sheik was able to capitalize on that and trap him in the Camel Clutch for a submission victory. Beefcake tried to add insult to injury and use his scissors to cut off some of RVD’s hair post-match, but the James Gang ran him off along with The Sheik and Valentine.
After scoring one of the biggest wins of their tag team career, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams & Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy bore witness along with the rest of MSG to an implosion of epic proportions. It was the Miracle Violence Connection taking on the imposing duo of Andre the Giant & Big John Studd, led to the ring by their new manager Sir Oliver Humperdink. Almost from the start Andre showed disdain for Humperdink, practically ignoring him unlike the relationship he formerly had with Bobby Heenan. That didn’t stop Andre from competing, however, as he proved a very difficult challenge for both Doc and Gordy. Things changed late in the match when Andre, watching as Studd got worked over, refused Humperdink’s call to assist him. After a near fall by Gordy on the Bamm Bamm Slam, Williams managed to execute the Oklahoma Stampede on Studd for the pin.
Humperdink was beside himself as Andre smirked seemingly not caring that they lost the match to Williams and Gordy. Studd recovered and shoved Andre blaming him for the loss as Humperdink attempted to get in between the two giants. Studd kept yelling at Andre who finally had enough and blasted him with a headbutt. Studd staggered backward and turned right into a Double Football Tackle from Doc and Gordy! Andre then grabbed Humperdink and hurled the manager clean over the top rope drawing cheers from the crowd. It was a stunning moment and a move clearly made by Andre to declare his independence from Humperdink and Studd as well, meaning that a battle of the giants may once again shake the rings of LOW.
* PWI Editor Bill Apter entered the ring to host a live Apter’s Corner with newly anointed LOW Commissioner Teddy Long as his special guest. Apter congratulated Long on his being named the LOW Commissioner replacing the outgoing Charlie Cox. Long thanked him and also thanked Cox for his many years of service but said it was time for some change in LOW, holla holla! Long said that one thing that won’t change is the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament and that the eleventh annual event would be getting underway imminently with the qualifying matches. Apter asked him about the requests of both the “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith and Big Van Vader to be granted entry and Long said that was signed, sealed and delivered and that all of the qualifying matches would be listed on the LOW website after the show.
The next order of business was one that everyone was waiting for and that was the announcement of the location of WrestleCade 13 (Card #1300). Long said that the fans in the windy city had better get ready because WrestleCade 13 is coming to the one and only Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Long said that many sites were considered but Chicago was the highest bidding city to host it and he thanked the Chicago Cubs organization for making it possible to have Wrigley Field as the site for the event. Long said that of course as is tradition WrestleCade weekend will feature the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament, a big IWA spectacular and that it would all culminate with the grandest event of them all, WrestleCade 13.
As Apter was trying to wrap things up he was interrupted by none other than “Rowdy” Roddy Piper who hit the ring flanked by his bodyguard “Ace” Cowboy Bob Orton. Piper berated both Apter and Long and said that the site for WrestleCade 13 should have been revealed on Piper’s Pit and not some “lousy show” like Apter’s Corner. He demanded that Long apologize for insulting him by having Apter be the beneficiary of this monumental occasion. Long said he would never do that and that no one, not even Piper or Orton, could make him. Piper said he could care less about Long being the new LOW Commissioner and he turned and shoved Apter down, daring Long to act by fining or suspending him. Before Long could respond, Orton grabbed him from behind and held him as Piper teased slapping him. That led to a huge surprise as none other than Randy “Macho Man” Savage hit the ring chasing Piper out to the floor. Orton attempted a sneak attack, but Savage caught him and hurled him out of the ring to a huge pop from the crowd. Savage then grabbed the mic and said that he was back in the CWA and that Piper and Orton were going to “learn the meaning of respect, Oooohh Yeaaaah!!!”
It was going to be hard to follow up the surprise return of Randy Savage, but it was grudge tag team action that was featured as Barry Windham and the “American Wolf” Davey Richards took on “Ravishing” Rick Rude & Tully Blanchard of the New Age Horsemen, who were accompanied by their manager J.J. Dillon. Windham and Richards displayed a potent offensive attack pretty much dominating the match, including busting Rude open after Richards sent him into the ring post. A wild finish saw Dillon attempt to interfere by tossing his shoe to Rude, but Richards caught it and used it instead. Richards quickly covered the bloody Rude and scored the pin as Windham fought off a save attempt by Blanchard.
The LOW International Heavyweight title was on the line as newly crowned champion Exotic Adrian Street, with Miss Linda, defended the belt against the former champion the “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase, who was accompanied by his bodyguard Virgil. Street had the crowd on his side as he pranced around displaying the new title belt, complete with purple and pink sequins. Dibiase was visibly upset having recently lost the belt to Street in London, England (Card #1260) and now seeing the gold championship belt turned into a belt more suited for Street. That anger may have affected him as Dibiase was on the defensive early and often, including Street nearly scoring a quick pin with the London Bridge Leglock. Dibiase rebounded with a solid attack before Street came out of nowhere executing the Crucifix to score the pin to make a successful version one title defense. Dibiase was livid complaining of a fast three count as Street taunted him with the “exotic” version of the championship.
This highly anticipated rematch for the LOW World tag team titles did not disappoint as the Rock n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) looked to regain the belts from manager Jim Cornette and his Midnight Express (“Loverboy” Dennis Condrey & “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton), who are seven-time tag team champions in LOW. Both teams were on point using quick tags and timely double-team attacks to gain control. Cornette was visibly upset anytime Morton and Gibson went on an offensive run and twice interfered attempting to save the titles. The second attempted interference backfired, though, and cost them the titles. The finishing sequence saw a bloody Morton combine with Gibson on a double back body drop scoring a near fall on Eaton. The Rock n’ Roll Express then hit the Double Dropkick on Eaton with Gibson going for the pin but Cornette got up on the ring apron. As Morton fought off Condrey, Gibson jumped up and decked Cornette before connecting with an Enzuigiri on Eaton for the pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as the Rock n’ Roll Express became two-time LOW World tag team champions upending the Midnight Express in their attempted version one title defense.
The main event saw another recently crowned champion meet a quick end as the “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers lost the LOW World Heavyweight title to “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles in a highly anticipated rematch. Rogers won the title from Styles in a great bout in Detroit, MI (Card #1256), but this rematch which was perhaps even better as the two took center stage at MSG. The number of near falls and one great submission chance had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Rogers nearly put Styles away with the Figure Four Grapevine, but the challenger was able to reverse out of it. After Rogers was busted open during a battle outside the ring, Styles delivered both the Pele Kick and the Styles Clash for huge near falls. Rogers showed what he was made of by avoiding defeat there and coming back with a wicked piledriver on Styles for another near fall. The finishing sequence was incredible as Styles blitzed a bloody Rogers using his speed advantage and executed another Styles Clash to score the pin. The crowd popped big on the three count as Styles regained the championship becoming a three-time holder of the LOW World Heavyweight title.
CWA Top 10 Rankings:
1) The Sheik
2) Davey Richards
3) Ted Dibiase
4) Rick Rude
5) Barry Windham
6) Curt Hennig
7) Rob Van Dam
8) Tully Blanchard
9) Roddy Piper
10) Bobby Shane
* current champions not included in rankings
**********
11th Annual PWI Invitational Cup Tournament Qualifying Matches
McNichols Arena - Denver, CO (Card #1266)
Cowboy Bob Orton vs. Angelo Mosca
Tony Atlas vs. Big Van Vader
Mid-South Coliseum - Memphis, TN (Card #1267)
Barry Windham vs. Pampero Firpo
Rob Van Dam vs. Pepper Gomez
Victoria Hall - Handley, England (Card #1272)
Dutch Savage vs. Curt Hennig
Davey Boy Smith vs. Gorgeous George
Kiel Auditorium - St. Louis, MO (Card #1273)
Keith Lee vs. Abdullah the Butcher
Tommy Rich vs. Ox Baker
Philadelphia Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA (Card #1274)
Angelo Poffo vs. Kenny Omega
Antonio Inoki vs. Masked Superstar
J.M. Perry Institute - Yakima, WA (Card #1275)
Bill Dundee vs. Nigel McGuinness
George Hackenschmidt vs. King Kong Bundy
Hawkins Arena - Macon, GA (Card #1276)
Randy Savage vs. Killer Kowalski
Magnum T.A. vs. Roddy Piper
Mississippi Coast Coliseum - Biloxi, MS (Card #1277)
Ed Lewis vs. Bob Orton Sr.
Don Muraco vs. Shane Douglas