N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic Live
at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Va.
This show will be shown live on Monday Night Live
*This card was originally held on January 19, 2009
Fans tonight's card was monumental. President Jim Crockett Jr. had demanded that Curt Henning face Larry Zbysko to defend his U.S. heavyweight championship. Bobby Heenan agreed but only after a stipulation was added that Larry Zbysko would have to run The Heenan Family Gauntlet. If Larry Zbysko could defeat 2 out of the 3 Heenan Family members then he would receive a title match later in the card during the Main Event. Failure to run the gauntlet would result in Larry Zbysko not receiving the title shot. Larry Z agreed to the stipulations.
1. Larry Zbysko w/Sherri Martel vs. Johny Valiant w/Bobby Heenan
Larry Zbysko started out the match quick. He opened up with a flurry of offense against Johny Valiant. Coming into the match Larry Z was the favorite to win. Soon the action spilled out of the ring. Bobby Heenan jumped on the apron and distracted the referee allowing Johny Valiant to run Larry Z head first into the steel ringpost. Johny Valiant threw Larry Z back into the ring and connected with his spinning elbow and got the pin. This makes Larry 0-1 vs. The Heenan Family Gauntlet tonight.
2. The Samoan Swat Team w/Oliver Humperdink vs. New Aged Outlaws
The S.S.T. never stood a chance. The Outlaws started out the match quickly. The two Outlaws made quick tags in and out and never let Alofa make a tag. B.G. James connected with a Pump Handle Slam hooked the leg and got the 1,2,3. The S.S.T. stood stunned in the ring while Oliver Humperdink tried to make sense of what had just transpired in the ring.
3. Larry Zbysko w/Sherri Martel vs. Missing Link w/Bobby Heenan
Larry Z knew going into this match that he had to pick up the win. He started out quickly against Link. Link was very frustrated that he could not amount any offense against Larry Z. Bobby Heenan sensing that Link was about to lose the match jumped up on the apron while Link went out of the ring and grabbed chair from ringside. Link connected against the skull of Larry Z. The referee turned around and saw Link with the pin. He counted out Larry Z. With the win by Missing Link Larry Z will not be receiving the U.S. title shot against Curt Henning later in the Main Event. Bobby Heenan was gloating in the middle of ring when all of sudden President Jim Crockett Jr. came to the ring. He grabbed the house mic. and told Bobby Heenan that the fans came to see Curt Henning defend his U.S. title against someone tonight and that they would not be denied. Curt Henning would be defending his title against the one and only Diamond Dallas Page. The fans cheered wildly while Bobby Heenan pitched a fit, claiming that this was a conspiracy again the whole Heenan Family.
4. Don Muraco vs. The Mountie
The Mountie was making his N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic debut. The Mountie started out the match with something to prove to everyone in the federation. Soon though Muraco made his comeback. Muraco landed his Spike to the throat of The Mountie and hooked the leg for the 1,2,3.
5. Larry Zbysko w/Sherri Martel vs. Nick Bockwinkel w/Bobby Heenan
Larry Z knew that he had something to prove in this match. He didn't want to go 0-3 against The Heenan Family Gauntlet. Bockwinkel is also a former World's Heavyweight Champion so with a win over Bockwinkel, Larry Z could keep his name in the title hunt for a championship matchup in the near future. Bockwinkel started out the match with lots of mat moves keeping Larry Z grounded. Sherri Martel soon jumped on the ring apron to distract the referee. With the referee distracted Larry removed the turnbuckle cover. He whipped Bockwinkel hard into the exposed turnbuckle. Soon the action spilled out of the ring where Larry Z rammed Bockwinkel's head into the ringside railing. The fans were solidly behind Larry which was rather surprising. Larry threw Bockwinkel into the ring and went in for the kill. Larry connected with a piledriver and went for the cover. Bobby Heenan tried to get on the ring apron but was stopped by Sherri. The referee counted the pinfall and raised Larry Z's hand in victory.
6. Jushin Liger vs. Tiger Mask
This was a matchup from the Land of The Rising Sun that the fans were really excited about. The fans had been reading about these two junior greats in the magazines for the last few years. Both men made their ways to the ring. They both shook hands before the bell rang. Tiger Mask started out quickly against Liger never letting up. Tiger controlled all of match never once allowing Liger to get in any offense. The fans were kind of silent as they sat in their seats stunned. Tiger connected with a Tiger suplex and got the pin in rather quick fashion.
7.
Mid-Atlantic title match
Hacksaw Jim Duggan (champion) vs. Ivan Koloff w/Lou Albano
The fans didn't really know who to cheer for. Duggan had recently turned against the people and joined The Rat Pack. Ivan Koloff was the hated Russian. Ivan started out the match slowly. Soon though the two combatants were brawling with each other. Lou Albano called the referee over to complain about the closed fist that Duggan was using. With the referee talking to Albano Koloff grabbed his chain at ringside and landed a solid Russian sickle clothesline with the steel chain. Koloff hooked the near leg for the pin. The referee counted the 2 but amazingly Duggan kicked out. The two spilled the action outside the ring where Duggan was driven right into the steel post splitting him wide open. With blood running down Duggans head Koloff knew that victory was soon to be his. He rolled Duggan back into the ring and went for the pin where again Duggan kicked out. Koloff at this point was getting very frustrated. Duggan made his comeback and connected with his Flying Spear. Duggan punched out Albano who was trying to climb into the ring. Duggan then rolled up Koloff for the pin to retain his Mid-Atlantic championship.
8.
T.V. title match
Rick Rude (champion) w/Bobby Heenan vs. Steve Corino
The two wrestlers stared each other down in the center of the ring. Corino has already held the National and Mid-Atlantic titles. He was looking to win the T.V. title in this match. Corino started out the match looking great landing clotheslines, bodyslams, and taking Rude to the turnbuckle a number of times. Bobby Heenan soon involved himself distracting the referee. Rude landed a huge short arm clotheline to give himself the advantage. Rude worked over Corino's neck repeatedly with forearm smashes. Rude was setting up Corino for the Rude Awakening which he soon landed. Rude swiveled his hips for the crowd, and the crowd responded by booing loudly. Rude then made the cover and Corino kicked out. Corino then took Rude out of the ring where he grabbed the time keeper's bell and hit Rude with it without the referee noticing. This opened up a gash on Rude's forehead. Corino continued his attack in the ring and landed with a vicous larriat style clothesline. Knowing that his charge was in danger Heenan entered the ring and stopped the referee from making the 3 count and got Rude disqualified. Commisioner Chris Swain made his way to ringside and let the fans know that at the upcoming show in St. Peterburg, Florida that Steve Corino would be getting his rematch against Rick Rude for the T.V. title.
9.
U.S. Tag Team title matchup
The Midnight Express (champions) w/Jim Cornette vs. The Henchmen (Buddy Rose and Bob Orton Jr.) w/Sherri Martel
The Henchmen coming into this contest were on a great win streak. They had defeated many of the top teams The Vachons, The Road Warriors, Killer Bee's, The Crazed Madmen (Brody and Link), Team Extreme (Sabu & The Sheik), The Foreign Powers (Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik). That is just a few of teams The Henchmen had put down in defeat. The Midnights have held the U.S. tag straps since October of last year and defended them against any and all comers. To start the match out for both teams it was Dennis Condrey and Bob Orton Jr. Condrey and Eaton used incredible double team moves to keep Orton in their corner and to keep him from making the tag. Orton fought back and made a tag to Buddy Rose. Rose was looking great in the ring against Bobby Eaton. At one point he connect with his finishing knee drop from the top rope. Condrey broke up the pinfall. Eaton made a diving tag to Condrey who unloaded on Rose. Condrey delivered a powerful bodyslam and tagged in Bobby Eaton who quickly went to the top rope. Condrey launched Eaton off the top to connect with The Rocket Launcher. Eaton made the cover while Condrey kept Orton out of the ring and Jim Cornette and Sherri were slapping each other outside of the ring. The referee slapped the mat 3 times giving The Midnight Express the victory. With the win The Midnight Express retained their U.S. Tag Team titles. One has to wonder who can defeat this awesome combination.
10.
The Main Event
United States title match
Curt Henning (champion) w/Bobby Heenan vs. Diamond Dallas Page
Page came to the ring through the crowd. The crowd was solidly behind DDP. They wanted to see someone defeat the self proclaimed Perfect Champion Curt Henning. Henning has held the U.S. title sense August of 08' so the fans are starting to wonder who can possibly pin his shoulders to the mat. Curt Henning started the action with a slap to the face of DDP. Page responded and landed a spinning clotheline to almost take the head off of Henning. The two men battle back and forth with neither man really gaining the upper hand on the other. Henning at one point was going for the Henning Plex which DDP fought out of and turned around and landed a devastating Diamond Cutter. Page however was too wore down to make the cover quick enough to pick up the 3. The action went to the outside where both men rammed each other into the steel ringpost busting both of them wide open and making their faces a crimson mask. Bobby Heenan was screaming at Henning to do something to keep his championship. Henning knowing that he was about to lose took the action back outside where he picked up a steel chair right in front of the referee and hit DDP knocking him out cold. The referee had no choice but to disqualify Henning for his actions.
After the match Bobby Heenan grabbed the house mic. and declared that once again Curt Henning proved just why he was The Perfect Champion. Henning then took the mic. and told the fans at home and in the arena that he was officially challenging Harley Race to a World Title match at the upcoming Pay Per View Evening of Champions. Race came out to a chorus of boos and accepted the match. Commisioner Swain made his way to the ring and let the fans know the the match at the PPV was going to be a Title vs. Title match. The first time ever in N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic history that the U.S. Title would be put up against the N.W.A. World Title. Swain also stated that it would be a no disqualification match so that there would be a winner. He also stated that whoever won the match would be the Word Champion and U.S. Champion however due to the rules of holding a championship you could not hold two titles at once, so therefore there would be a U.S. title tournament following the card after the P.P.V. with the loser of the match being the number 1 seed going into the tournament. The crowd was cheering like crazy.
Well that is all for now fans. We will see you at the next card to be held at The Bayfront Center in St. Peterburg, Florida. On that card you will be seeing Brad Armstrong going up against junior great Jushin Liger. Also defending the National championship Dan Severn will be taking on Greg Valentine. Don't forget the incredible rematch for the T.V. title Rick Rude will defend against Steve Corino. Fans don't be late in buying your tickets to the show as it will be guranteed to be action packed and to blow the roof off the place.