CIVIL WAR - WWF vs WCW

[noneck]

WWF SHOW #1 - WWF SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING

COMING TO YOU FROM: HARTFORD CIVIC CENTER, HARTFORD, CT


SHOW OPEN: GORILLA MONSOON and JESSE THE BODY VENTURA welcome the fans from the broadcast location and put over the action that’ll take place on this week’s episode of WWF Superstars. They exchange some playful banter, with Ventura going out of his way to insult the intellect of the Hartford fans as the camera pans around the venue which is filled with signs supporting WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan. One long banner, which takes up a full row and spells out HULK RULES particularly draws his ire. Gorilla in turn compliments them on their good taste and talks up Hulkamania being a worldwide phenomenon before throwing it down to Howard Finkel for the introduction of the competitors in our first bout.

******

MATCH - JUNKYARD DOG vs. BARRY HOROWITZ

Match Action: The Dog’s yard was not a hospitable place for Horowitz to visit on this occasion and he gets soundly run out of the ring by JYD. Following a series of his signature headbutts while on all fours, Horowitz stumbles right into JYD’s arms and gets spiked into the canvas with a wicked powerslam that ends the match. It is a tidy affair and leaves enough time for JYD to invite a few youngsters from the front row into the ring to boogie down to “Grab Them Cakes” as it blasts through the venue.

Winner: JYD via pinfall @ 7:55

Booker’s Notes: Nothing special here, just a clean, concise win for Junkyard Dog as he looks to establish himself in the midcard.

******

SEGMENT - VIGNETTE - TED DIBIASE is at a sunsoaked resort, sitting poolside as gorgeous ladies walk by behind him in both directions. VIRGIL stands just behind him, arms crossed and his face stone serious even with skimpy swimsuits in every direction. Dibiase hypes his extravagant lifestyle before talking about his and Virgil’s entering into the WWF Tag Team Title tournament, saying that he’s going to have a surprise for anybody that doubts him as he sets his sights on the belts. “I always get what I want, and I want the WWF tag team titles. Hahahaha!”

******

MATCH- KING KONG BUNDY vs. SD JONES

Match Action: Bobby “The Brain” Heenan stands by at ringside smiling and laughing throughout this one, as his charge makes short work of the veteran Jones. It looks to be over after the first avalanche against the turnbuckles, but Heenan is having so much fun watching Bundy dominate, that he orders him to pull SD up on spaghetti legs and lean him back in the corner for another. Referee Joey Marella attempts to dissuade him, but smartly gets out of the way before getting caught in the middle of the action himself. The three count isn’t enough for Bundy, as he demands Marella count to five; in all reality he could’ve counted to one hundred as SD Jones lies motionless.

Winner: King Kong Bundy via pinfall @ 3:28

Booker’s Notes: A squash in every sense of the word. Bundy is dominant and is a sight to behold. And with Heenan at his side, the fans hate him with a passion. It won’t be long before he finds himself in the midst of a major storyline.

******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE PROMO - MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE is backstage on the interview set with MEAN GENE OKERLUND. But before Mean Gene can begin his line of questioning concerning next week’s match-up against George “The Animal” Steele, Macho Man verbally tears into his longtime rival, Ricky Steamboat, instead, saying that The Dragon’s latest challenge for his Intercontinental title will prove to be his final undoing and that this chapter of their rivalry will be the last. “I’m not just going to beat Ricky Steamboat, I’m going to take him out of the WWF forever. Dig it!”

******

MATCH - MAGNIFICENT MURACO vs. KOKO B. WARE

Match Action: With Frankie’s wings flapping wildly on his perch at ringside, Koko B Ware’s comeback and upset bid is thwarted by Magnificent Muraco’s manager, Mr. Fuji, who slides his cane under the bottom rope and attempts to distract the referee. Muraco is able to secure the cane and whack the Birdman on the back of the head with it, but is not able to hide his actions from the referee, who sees the whole thing over Mr. Fuji’s shoulder and immediately calls for the bell, disqualifying Muraco. With the match thrown out, Muraco decides to go even further and uses the cane beating down Koko until a bevy of staff and other referees hit the ring and intervene.

Winner: Koko B Ware via DQ @ 8:04

Booker’s Notes: A solid, if somewhat unspectacular match up here, all told. Muraco’s effort (and his distinct and varied moveset) shone as he controlled things most of the way, but the fans' support of the colorful Birdman was evident upon their reaction to the finish and the subsequent beatdown.

******

SEGMENT - HYPE PACKAGE - A pre-produced segment rolls, hyping up next week’s episode of Superstars, which will feature two more first round matches from the WWF Tag Title tournament, Adrian Adonis and Jake “The Snake” Roberts in individual action, Randy “Macho Man” Savage defending the IC title against George “The Animal” Steele, and a very special installment of “Piper’s Pit” with special guest, Hulk Hogan.

******

MATCH - TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND- TEXAS HANGMEN vs. THE BUSHWHACKERS

Match Action: Absolute chaos in this one that starts even before the opening bell. Butch and Luke attempt to lick one of the Hangmen after going through their usual routine of slobbering on the referee and on the ring announcer and it turns into a brawl that spills onto the floor and out of control. The action doesn’t let up until Psycho has a suplex attempt blocked during a rally, leading to a tag that sees him take a pair of Bushwhacker Battering Rams, the second of which nets the 1-2-3. While the Whackers celebrate, Killer pulls his long bullrope from beside the ring, but before he can attack with it, Luke snatches it from his grip and chews it in half, shocking both Hangmen and sending them scrambling back toward the locker room.

Winner: The Bushwhackers via DQ @ 7:31

Booker’s Notes: Fairly straight forward match here. Babyfaces shine, heels draw the heat, babyfaces come back. A good match-up to revisit somewhere down the road, as the two brawl-centric teams seemed to have great chemistry with each other.

******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE VIGNETTE - HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN is in the locker room in street clothes, watching the monitor, and preparing for the upcoming match featuring his on again - off again rivals, the dastardly soviets known as The Bolsheviks. With the bell sounding, signaling the introductions are about to begin, SGT. SLAUGHTER walks up and salutes the small american flag hanging from the end of Hacksaw’s two by four before settling in beside him to watch the match. When Nikolai begins singing the Russian national anthem, they both grimace.

******

MATCH - TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND - KILLER BEES vs. The BOLSHEVIKS

Match Action: Nonstop action in our TV main event; the Bees overcome the odds, weathering a substantial beating from the Russians and an attack on the floor by the Iron Sheik (who accompanied the Bolsheviks to the ring) to prevail and move on in the tag title tournament. The finish came after the Bees pulled their masks on and switched places in the ring, with Jim Brunzell rolling to the safety of the floor after nearly submitting in Volkoff’s bear hug, leaving B Brian Blair to play possum for the unsuspecting Nikolai. After getting shocked by a small package attempt and complaining to referee Dave Hebner, Volkoff eats a double dropkick and Bee Sting before getting pinned. He can’t believe it and neither can Zukov or the Iron Sheik who continue in their broken English to try to tell Hebner what transpired as the Bees head back up the aisle victorious.

Winner: Killer Bees via pinfall @ 10:45

Booker’s Notes: Super fun match with plenty of back and forth action. The Killer Bees were not the favorite here, but everything fell into place for them at the right time. It’s looking more and more like they’ll be right in the thick of the tag title scene.

******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE PROMO - BOBBY THE BRAIN HEENAN and MR. WONDERFUL PAUL ORNDORFF are backstage on the set taking questions from MEAN GENE OKERLUND. Orndorff, looking ripped to the bone, lets “The Brain” handle the big one: why has he targeted WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, turning on him last month on Saturday Night’s Main Event? “It’s simple, you humanoid. Money. Big Money. The champion takes home the biggest bag in the WWF and we want it; Mr. Wonderful wants it. He wants to buy a mansion right next door to mine in Beverly Hills and he needs big bucks to do it. So Hogan, you’d better keep your head on a swivel, because Mr. Wonderful and the rest of the Heenan Family are around every corner. And just like last time, you’ll never see it coming.”



SHOW CLOSE

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WCW SHOW #1 - WCW SATURDAY NIGHT

COMING TO YOU FROM: THE OMNI, ATLANTA, GA


JIM ROSS and BOB CAUDLE are waiting for us at ringside when this edition of WCW Saturday Night goes live at 6:05 eastern on the Superstation. There’s so much action to get to that JR and Bob barely have time to frontsell it all before they hand things off to the best ring announcer in the business, GARY MICHAEL CAPPETA.

******

MATCH - BEAUTIFUL BOBBY EATON vs. ROCKY KING

Match Action: With Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose, and Jim Cornette at ringside accompanying him, Bobby Eaton could’ve turned this one into a full on dog and pony show. But instead, he chose to wrestle and show off his considerable ring skills before ending the match with an Alabama Jam right around the five minute mark. Cornette takes his time leaving the ring area, getting into it with a front row fan and threatening him with his tennis racket, laughing as he does so.

Winner: Bobby Eaton via pinfall @ 4:55

Booker’s Notes: The Midnight Express will be a fun group to book, functioning more as a faction than just as a tag team with three active members. I’d expect them to be in the mix in both the tag team title scene and the TV title picture.

******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE PROMO - A well oiled LEX LUGER is backstage, flexing his pecs beside GORDON SOLIE and getting excited about his spot in the upcoming US Title tournament. “There’s nothing in the world like wearing championship gold in the greatest wrestling organization on the planet. And there are a lot of great competitors in the tournament. But you’d better believe NO ONE is getting between The Total Package and the US Title. Whether it’s a longtime friend like Sting or someone I despise, like Arn Anderson or Tully Blanchard, I’m going to put them up in the rack and bend ‘em until they break in two. That belt is as good as mine.”

******

MATCH - DUSTY RHODES vs. THE SPOILER

Match Action: The American Dream’s momentum is through the roof and The Spoiler stands no chance in this one. He can’t match strength or brawling technique with Rhodes so he tries to cut a corner by digging around in his trunks for a foreign object. But even that proves to be futile, as his attempt to use it is met with an elbow to the top of the skull that sends him down to the mat like a bag of rocks. Dusty lifts him back up and slams him down again, pausing only to point at the camera held by the cameraman on the apron to call out Ric Flair before bouncing off of the ropes and burying The Spoiler with a Bionic Elbow and getting the 1-2-3. While the fans go crazy, The Dream grabs the house microphone and yells, “Ric Flair, I’m coming for you. Get that belt shined up real nice for me, Daddy, ‘cause I’m taking it home with me the next time we cross paths.”

Winner: Dusty Rhodes via pinfall @ 9:52

Booker’s Notes: Dusty is a foundational piece of this promotion. Having him look as dominant as possible as he heads into his inevitable showdown with WCW World Heavyweight champion Ric Flair is very important.

******

MATCH - ROCK & ROLL EXPRESS vs. HEAVENLY BODIES

Match Action: Tag team action like this is what WCW fans are accustomed to. And the Rock & Roll Express and the Heavenly Bodies do not disappoint, turning in a main event level performance in this one. After some early back and forth, Lane and Pritchard do a masterful job cutting the ring in half and isolating Ricky Morton, keeping him away from his corner and really working him over with double team moves. But when the opportunity finally presents itself, Morton rolls under a clothesline and makes the tag, bringing a fired up Gibson into the ring and the fans to their feet. He rips off right hands and dropkicks to both Lane and Pritchard but things truly descend into chaos when all four men enter the fray and begin fighting. The finish comes when Gibson, the legal man, slips behind Pritchard and rolls him up, keeping his shoulders down for the three count while Morton keeps Lane occupied on the floor. The Bodies are stunned, but the referee ignores their pleading that Pritchard kicked out at two and half, raising the Rock & Roll Express’s hands in victory.

Winner: Rock & Roll Express win via pinfall @ 15:20

Booker’s Notes: Such a fun match; both of these teams will have a spot going forward, barring any sort of contractual issues. I’m hopeful that anything like that can be handled and I can keep the tag team division in WCW as the strength it undoubtedly is.

******

SEGMENT - HYPE PACKAGE - A montage of BIG VAN VADER tearing apart opponents in Japan plays, showing the monster’s dominance as he makes short work of some big name overseas stars. He is equal parts powerhouse and high flyer, as the package culminates with Vader flying off of the top rope, finishing off his victims with 450 pound moonsaults and Vader Bombs.

******

MATCH - US TITLE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND - EDDIE GILBERT vs. MARCUS BAGWELL

Match Action: Eddie Gilbert is one of WCW’s most hated heels; the Atlanta crowd absolutely despises him as he puts hometown boy Marcus Bagwell through the paces in the ring. But what they hate even more is when Gilbert stymies a Bagwell comeback on the floor by pulling him face first into the far side ringpost, causing a cut to open on the bridge of his nose. Bagwell, obviously shaken up from the impact, is in no position to defend himself any further and gets pinned immediately upon getting rolled back into the ring. A ringside attendant throws a towel into the ring and the referee begins pressing it onto Bagwell’s face, trying to slow the flow of blood. Gilbert laughs audibly and stops to admire his handiwork from the apron before heading back to the locker room.

Winner: Eddie Gilbert wins via pinfall @ 8:44

Booker’s Notes: This was a good match that seemed to be building toward a better conclusion before the action spilled out onto the floor and took a turn. I think both guys have a long term spot on the roster but will need to string together some good months to move out of the lower midcard.

******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE VIGNETTE - THE HORSEMEN arrive at the building in a long white stretch limousine. ARN ANDERSON gets out first, already in his ring gear and shiny red ring jacket, followed by JJ DILLON, TULLY BLANCHARD, and the best dressed man in wrestling, RIC FLAIR, who drapes the big gold belt over the shoulder of his custom tailored pinstriped navy blue suit. They all look to be in jovial moods except for Arn, who is all business as he gets set to head to the ring as part of the US Title tournament, walking ahead and going into the building as Flair, JJ, and Tully hang back to talk to the waiting Gordon Solie. As usual, Flair does the bulk of the talking. “Dusty Rhodes, do I need to remind you who you are dealing with? Do you need a refresher on who the man really is around here? I’m the greatest professional wrestler of all time. And I’m aligned with the greatest assembly of wrestling talent that there’s ever been, The Horsemen. You may think you have the people on your side, but those are the same people who buy tickets and stand in line just to get one ride on Space Mountain. But since you’re not getting it through that thick, ditch digger’s skull of yours, tonight, before this show is over, I’ll be sure to remind you what greatness looks like, jack. Woooo!”

******

MATCH - US TITLE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND - ARN ANDERSON vs. RICK STEINER

Match Action: The crowd is hot as Anderson and Steiner trade early offense and both men get in some of their signature stuff, but when the rest of The Horsemen make their way down to the ring, the distraction gives Arn the space he needs to take control, ducking under a Steinerline and sending the Dogfaced Gremlin into the ropes, catching him coming off and spiking him into the mat with a wicked spinebuster. Rick barely kicks out but finds himself in deeper trouble moments later. With the referee distracted by Flair and JJ Dillon, Tully Blanchard throttles Scott Steiner from behind, leaving him laying on the floor, and climbs into the ring himself, jumping from the top rope to aid Arn’s spike piledriver attempt, driving Rick’s skull into the mat and sending him down in a heap. The three count is a formality, but doesn’t slow the action....

Winner: Arn Anderson wins via pinfall @ 14:42

Booker’s Notes: I had no idea who would get the duke in this one, as it really was a back and forth battle from the opening bell, but the successful outside interference gave me an opportunity to put the Steiner Brothers smack dab in the middle of the Dusty/Flair storyline for a little while, which should really help them get over on a different level with the fans and also draw some higher than usual match ratings, given the inevitable in ring time they’ll get with both Flair and Rhodes.

******

SEGMENT - POST MATCH ATTACK - With the bell ringing repeatedly, Ric Flair climbs into the ring as well and a three on one beatdown begins; Rick Steier is defenseless as The Horsemen decimate him, beating him from pillar to post before Flair locks him into a figure four leglock. Scott Steiner recovers enough to try to get back into the ring but is thwarted each time by either Tully or Arn. Finally, when all hope seems to be lost and Jim Ross yells out “HE’S GONNA BREAK HIS DAMN LEG!” from the broadcast location, DUSTY RHODES runs down the aisle with a steel chair and bad intentions, swinging it at Flair, Tully, Arn, and JJ as they all bail out of the ring, the damage done and their message sent. Dusty leans out over the top rope and points at them, inviting them back into the ring, but they all just laugh. Flair, having not even broken a sweat, struts back up the aisle with his hand raised as Dusty and the recovering Scott Steiner check in on Rick who is still writhing around on the mat.


SHOW CLOSE

[noneck]

Just a quick welcome to those out there reading. Wanted to give you an overview of sorts as to what I'm doing. I'm running both WWF and WCW and grading them per segment to get a total rating that will be compared to the other at the end of every show/event. I've implemented a budget for each company and (with the help of a few friends) come up with values for each character. I've randomly assigned each character (wrestlers/managers, and staff alike) a contract length and will use their assigned value as a starting point for an auction style bid for their services when their current contract expires. It's very similar to the way a fantasy baseball or football league budget would be set up. In addition to the two companies we're focused on here, there are other promotions that exist in the game world that'll also be involved in the bidding, so wrestlers won't just be going back and forth between WWF and WCW, there are other destinations for them outside of the promotions we're focusing on. In that same spirit, the wrestlers from those companies also have values assigned and contract lengths, so they may move between promotions or pop up in one of the two we see here.

There are a few other things that I'll touch on down the road a bit, to keep everyone in the know when it comes to how things work behind the scenes, such as how I rate matches and promos/vignettes/non-wrestling segments, but for now I'd like to press on with the shows.

One quick question: does anyone know how I add graphics/pictures to this? I've got some pretty neat stuff I've made on photoshop, but can't figure out how to get them to post. I've tried using a hosting site and then putting the link in via the little clickbox above, but for whatever reason it doesn't work. Any help anyone could give me would be much appreciated. 

[noneck]

WWF SHOW #2 - WWF SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING

COMING TO YOU FROM: CUMBERLAND COUNTY CIVIC CENTER, PORTLAND, ME


SEGMENT - VIGNETTE - The show opens with a pre-produced package that highlights all of the various segments that have shown MR. PERFECT to be everything he claims to be. Sinking half-court shots, modeling, aceing grad school level tests, bowling strike after strike, cooking gourmet meals; he is seemingly amazing at everything he attempts. It ends with Perfect watching the package of his accomplishments backstage, smirking before declaring himself the most sought after free agent in professional wrestling today. “A perfect specimen, a perfect man, needs the perfect manager handling his business behind the scenes. He or she can’t just be good to get the job, they’ll have to be better than good, they’ll have to be perfect!”

*******

MATCH - ADRIAN ADONIS vs. JIMMY SUPERFLY SNUKA

Match Action: A spirited back and forth starts the in ring action on Superstars this week and after a short run controlling the action by Snuka, Adrian Adonis takes control with a shot to the groin behind referee Joey Marella’s back. From there it’s pretty cut and dried; Adonis works Superfly over before trapping him in his signature Goodnight Irene sleeperhold right in the middle of the ring, locking it in nice and snug. But Snuka somehow battles back and rallies, slamming Adonis and going to the top rope. His luck runs out however when Adonis pulls up his knees at the last second, turning his huge Superfly splash into his undoing. The three count comes quickly and Adonis celebrates by blowing a kiss to the still writhing Snuka.

Winner: Adrian Adonis wins via pinfall @ 7:47

Booker’s Notes: Superfly is one of two wrestlers whose contracts are about to come up, so I wanted to get one last job out of him in case he doesn’t end up returning to the fold. Adonis is someone who is firmly and safely in the middle of things currently and totally could use the rub from a longtime favorite here in the northeast.

*******

SEGMENT - TALK SHOW - The fans in attendance are buzzing with anticipation as the lights go up on the set of PIPER’S PIT, knowing full well who this week’s guest is slated to be. RODDY PIPER is his usual snarky self, cracking Canadian jokes in advance of his match tonight against The Quebecers, before setting his targets upon the WWF World Champion. He calls him a few choice names, but when he starts in on the “stupid little Hulkamaniacs in the crowd” HULK HOGAN doesn’t wait any longer; the opening of “Real American” fills the building and the place goes berserk, not settling down until he snatches the microphone from Piper and warns him about going on any more about his fans. Hogan continues by saying that he hears Bobby Heenan and Mr. Wonderful loud and clear and “if Orndorff wants a match, then I’ll talk to WWF President Jack Tunney and make it happen, brother!” He then drops the microphone and begins posing.

*******

MATCH - JAKE THE SNAKE ROBERTS vs. STEVE LOMBARDI

Match Action: Jake The Snake’s precision is on full display as he methodically goes through his entire arsenal before stopping Lombardi with his trademark DDT. Also on display is every inch of his python Damien, who slithers over and around the semi conscious Lombardi at will until Roberts snatches him up and heads back to the locker room, holding the massive reptile up for all to see as he makes his way up the aisle.

Winner: Jake The Snake Roberts via pinfall @ 4:26

Booker’s Notes: As he’s not currently involved in an angle, I’m positioning Jake The Snake for a potential run at the Intercontinental title should Randy Savage continue to hold onto it.

*******

SEGMENT - LIVE PROMO - THE BOLSHEVIKS and IRON SHEIK make their way down to the ring, the Russian and Iranian flags on full display, waving behind them. When NIKOLAI VOLKOFF yells for HOWARD FINKEL to give him the microphone and begins insulting the American audience for not showing the proper respect, fans begin throwing wadded up programs and empty beer cups into the ring. But when he starts singing the Russian national anthem, HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN and SGT. SLAUGHTER charge the ring, old glory in tow, and clean house, sending the foreigners scrambling for the safety of the locker room. USA! USA! USA! USA!

*******

MATCH - IC TITLE - MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE vs. GEORGE THE ANIMAL STEELE

Match Action: With Ricky Steamboat accompanying him to the ring, The Animal gives the Intercontinental Champion the fight of his life, throwing a wrench into all of Savage’s plans to out wrestle him by being his crazy, unpredictable self. Things look to be going Steele’s way when he tears open a turnbuckle and throws the stuffing into the face of Savage, using the Macho Man’s sudden confusion to grab him by the hair and ram his head into the exposed steel. But Steele is anything but a ring craftsman and neglects to hook the leg upon covering Savage and only gets a two count. When Savage gets to his feet, he immediately goes for The Animal’s eyes, gouging them and sending him tumbling to the floor, pawing at his face. Steamboat tries to warm him, but Savage comes crashing down onto Steele with a huge double axehandle from the top turnbuckle that drops him to the concrete. After warning The Dragon to stay out of his way, Savage decides to add a second axehandle, drilling The Animal as he struggles to his feet, this time nearly knocking him out. Steamboat tries to help the semi-conscious Steele back into the ring, but is unable to before the referee counts him out. Macho Man grabs the ring bell and jumps back onto the top turnbuckle, threatening to use it on both men as Steamboat helps The Animal back to his feet and up the aisle. The Dragon and Macho continue to jaw until Steamboat and Steele are back through the curtain.

Winner: Randy Savage wins via countout @ 11:43

Booker’s Notes: Leading up to a final showdown between Savage and Steamboat before moving on to something fresh with whomever ends up with the Intercontinental belt after their match. Both men give this booker plenty of opportunity to do something fun. It may be hard to wait until Saturday Night’s Main Event rolls around to have them get it on. The Animal is sliding down the card a bit and will be looking for something to do. I don’t have any plans for him currently.

*******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE PROMO - MEAN GENE OKERLUND is backstage on the interview set with MAGNIFICENT MURACO and his manager MR. FUJI. Muraco and Fuji laugh about what they did to KOKO B WARE last week. When Okerlund mentions that Koko is injured and on the shelf with no known return date, Muraco remarks, “Can he still feed his stupid parrot? Can he still sing? If he can, I didn’t go far enough. Next time he won’t be so lucky.”

*******

MATCH - TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND - TED DIBIASE/VIRGIL vs. POWERS OF PAIN


Match Action: As they get set for the opening bell, Dibiase summons the Powers of Pain’s manager Mr. Fuji into the ring. They discuss something before Virgil opens the briefcase he carried down the aisle with him and shows Fuji it’s full of cash. The devious one smiles and nods, accepting the case and ordering his team to leave the ring. The referee is confused but the fans are not; as the massive Warlord and Barbarian lumber back up the aisle toward the locker room they are counted out. Gorilla Monsoon exclaims, “Ted Dibiase and Virgil have bought off the Powers of Pain! They advance in the tag title tournament without even lifting a finger! Apparently everybody DOES have a price for The Million Dollar Man!”

Winner: Dibiase/Virgil via Countout @ :10

Booker’s Notes: It might’ve been a good match, but the furthering of the story is more important in this case.

*******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE ATTACK - HULK HOGAN makes his way through a throng of cheering fans as he heads toward his red and yellow Corvette Stingray which idles just outside the arena’s talent entrance. He stops and signs an autograph for a kid dressed head to toe in WWF merchandise before turning to throw a pose or two at the fans before leaving. But as he hits his double biceps shot, MR. WONDERFUL PAUL ORNDORFF appears from out of nowhere and attacks him from behind, knocking him to the asphalt before laying into him with everything he’s got. The fans cringe when Orndorff lifts Hogan into position for a piledriver; he buries him headfirst into the concrete and leaves him twitching before a flood of backstage staff and security descend and get in between Mr. Wonderful and Hogan before any more damage can be done.

*******

MATCH - TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND - THE QUEBECERS vs. RODDY PIPER/COWBOY BOB ORTON

Match Action: The Quebecers surprisingly take the fight right to Piper and Orton and do their best to keep Orton from tagging while they work him over. Pierre nearly scores a fall following a powerslam and an elbow drop that is only averted when the rowdy one dives through the ropes to break up the pin attempt at two and a half. Jacques takes the opportunity to bury Orton with stomps and axe handles while the referee is busy returning Piper to the apron, something that serves to incense Hot Rod even more so when he finally hits the ring as the legal man, he is as hot as the surface of the sun and starts doling out rights and lefts to both Canadians. Things reach fever pitch when he slides behind Rougeau, and catches him in the sleeper, but Pierre steps in immediately and saves his partner from a certain blackout, which draws Orton back into the fray and the two men brawl their way to the floor. Moments later, when Piper locks in the sleeper the second time, Jacques has nowhere to go and no one to help him, fading into unconsciousness as referee Dave Hebner calls for the bell.

Winner: Piper/Orton win via stoppage/submission @ 12:04

Booker’s Notes: I didn’t know I’d enjoy the pairing of Piper and Orton as much as I did. They put together a really nice outing here against a solid tag team and seem like the type of tandem you could build a division around. I’m not certain it isn’t a waste of Piper as a singles talent, but there’ll be plenty of time to give him a solo run down the road.

*******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE ATTACK AFTERMATH - It is a solemn scene backstage as HULK HOGAN, strapped to a backboard and surrounded by EMT’s, is loaded into a waiting ambulance. The same fan that Hulk signed an autograph for, the one dressed head to toe in WWF merchandise, stands just beyond the barricade that keeps the fans out of the way, with tears in his eyes, watching his idol lay motionless as the ambulance doors close and the wailing sirens announce its departure. Gorilla Monsoon, watching silently from the broadcast location, gets the last word: “I can’t believe what I just saw. He’s been hurt by opponents before, but this was different. I pray to god I’m wrong, but I think we may have seen the last of Hulk Hogan?”





SHOW CLOSE

[noneck]

WCW SHOW #2 - WCW SATURDAY NIGHT

COMING TO YOU FROM THE OMNI IN ATLANTA, GA




SEGMENT - SHOW OPEN - JIM ROSS and BOB CAUDLE sit at ringside, just beyond the hot stage lights of the Omni and talk up the action that'll make up tonight's WCW Saturday Night. But as they get set to throw the action to ring announcer GARY MICHAEL CAPETTA, they are interrupted by the massive SID VICIOUS, who steps over the guardrail behind them in street clothes and snatches JR's headset from off of his head and begins yelling into the microphone. "I hope you didn't forget who I am! While I was gone, I got bigger, stronger, and meaner! If you thought I was unstoppable before, wait till you get a load of the new and improved Sid Vicious!" He drops the headset beside JR, and walks back out through the crowd, leaving both Ross and Caudle speechless.

******

MATCH - MIRACLE VIOLENCE CONNECTION vs. MR. X/FABULOUS PHIL APOLLO



Match Action: Terry Gordy and Dr. Death are bad men. And even though Mr. X and Phil Apollo do an admirable job keeping themselves in the match out of the gate with swift tags and double team moves, there’s just no saving them from their eventual fate. Gordy nearly decapitates Mr. X with a running lariat that flips the masked man all the way over onto his face before Dr. Death, the legal man, throws his lifeless form to the floor and sets his sights on Apollo who he drills into the buckles and the mat with an Oklahoma Stampede seconds later. Jim Ross is beside himself after the display exclaiming, “There are a lot of great tag teams in WCW, but I’m not sure if there’s a team that’s tougher than the MVC! These two are bad to the bone!”



Winner: Miracle Violence Connection wins via pinfall @ 5:51



Booker’s Notes: Not quite a squash, but the outcome was never in question. Gordy and Williams are making their way up the ladder in a stacked tag team division but find themselves log-jammed behind a few other teams that have similar track records. The next couple of months will be fun to play as we sort out the hierarchy.

********

SEGMENT - VIGNETTE - GREAT MUTA Dojo training package- A video plays panning the wide expanse of a very large dojo in Japan as many men train in various forms of the martial arts. A wide set bald man with a long goatee yells something in his native tongue and everyone stops what they are doing to form a circle on the large mat in the center of the room. A second command follows from the sensei and THE GREAT MUTA comes in from a different room, walking directly to the center of the circle and bowing to the sensei, his eyes low and focused. On his command, men begin engaging Muta in combat one or two at a time, getting soundly throttled until there are no men left standing, save for Muta and the sensei. When it appears to be over, the sensei bows to Muta, who responds in kind before suddenly spraying him in the face with a mouthful of green mist before dropping him to the mat with a vicious spinning back kick. Muta wipes his mouth, bows again, and walks away.

*******

MATCH - BARRY WINDHAM vs. TOMMY GILBERT



Match Action: Tommy Gilbert pushes Barry Windham in this one, but it isn’t quite enough to stop the tall Texan from grabbing the win. Windham traps Gilbert in the claw twice in the early going before Gilbert’s comeback rally (started by a well timed eye rake behind the referee’s back) finds him standing on the top rope waiting for Barry to get back to his feet. But Windham has plenty left in the tank and springs up the buckles below, snatching Gilbert up and superplexing him back down to the canvas. The momentum of the move sees Windham in perfect position to get the 1-2-3, which he does much to the delight of the fans in attendance.



Winner: Barry Windham wins via pinfall @ 8:48



Booker’s Notes: Just a momentum builder for Barry Windham as he has a bit of a wait before his first match in the US Title tournament rolls around. Plenty of upper midcard wrestlers to go around, but I have a solid plan for Mr. Windham. Barring any sort of contractual issue, he should be a solid part of WCW for a long time to come.

*******

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE - Under the watchful eye of PAUL ELLERING, HAWK and ANIMAL of the ROAD WARRIORS throw around some massive weights in the arena’s makeshift gym area, getting a pump before their match. When their music hits, they both drop their bars and start toward the ring.

********

MATCH - ROAD WARRIORS vs. THE MULKEY BROTHERS



Match Action: What starts with an “M”, ends in “Y” and does the job like no one’s business? If you guessed The Mulkeys, you are correct. To be fair, Hawk and Animal didn’t give them a whole lot of room to shine. This match consisted of a couple of clotheslines, a suplex, a powerslam, and then a Doomsday Device for each Mulkey followed by a pin; just your typical day at the office for Paul Ellering’s Legion of Doom. As they stalk around the ring victorious, cameras catch TERRY GORDY and DR. DEATH standing just outside the curtain, taking in the display of dominance from the Warriors before mockingly applauding them and heading back toward the locker room. JR takes the show to commercial with a great line: “Now THAT’s a match-up I’d like to see! Those four would end up in jail if they fought anywhere else except a WCW ring!”



Winner: Road Warriors win via pinfall @ 2:09



Booker’s Notes: The Road Warriors continue to make grease spots out of the lower end talent in WCW. It likely took them more time to put on their face paint than it did for them to dispose of The Mulkeys.

*********

SEGMENT - BACKSTAGE PROMO - GORDON SOLIE is backstage on the interview set with DUSTY RHODES and THE STEINER BROTHERS and while all three men look mad, Rick can’t help but grimace every few seconds, obviously still feeling the effects of last weeks beatdown at the hands of THE HORSEMEN. Dusty does most of the talking, keeping his voice low and the jive talk to a minimum. “Ric Flair. Four Horsemen. You all love to mix things up when you can jump someone from behind. But when push comes to shove, you all slither away like snakes when someone tries to bring the fight to you. Let me tell you something, daddy, I ain’t afraid of you. And I ain’t afraid of getting into that ring with you and taking a whipping to get a little payback. So next week, I’m going to be out there, and little brother Scotty’s gonna be out there and we gonna be waiting for The Horsemen. And we don’t care which two, baby. Just come down to the ring and be ready for a fight! Because that’s what you’re gonna get!”

********

MATCH - US TITLE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND - MAGNUM TA vs. BIG BUBBA ROGERS



Match Action: Just a tremendous semi-main event here as the US Title tournament continues to roll forward. Magnum TA looked like he was going to end the bout early, ripping off a triad of dropkicks before catching the wobbly bodyguard and scoring a near fall with his patented belly to belly suplex. But Jim Cornette, at ringside with all three members of the Midnight Express, is able to grab Bubba’s foot and pull it up onto the bottom rope without being seen, stopping the referee’s count at two and three quarters. Magnum is upset about the interference and lashes out at the official, giving Big Bubba time to pull himself together and go on a power move filled run of his own. Just as it appears all is lost for the fan fave, Magnum once again turns the tables, ducking a clothesline and coming off of the ropes with a flying shoulderblock. Jim Cornette, seeing another opportunity, tries to have the Express distract the referee on one side of the ring while he jumps up on the apron on the other, tennis racket cocked and ready. But the second he unleashes it, connecting with the side on Magnum’s head and dropping him like a ton of bricks, the referee turns back in time to catch him in the act. He calls for the bell immediately, disqualifying Big Bubba and awarding the match to Magnum. Bubba is wild and grabs the ref by the shirt collar as Cornette pleads his case, trying to get him to allow the match to continue, but it is too late. Now furious, Cornette orders his squad to put the boots to Magnum, who is still down trying to shake out the cobwebs. When the Express is thorough, Magnum is left battered and bloodied, with ringside personnel calling for the attending physician to come down from the locker room.



Winner: Magnum TA wins via DQ @ 14:26



Booker’s Notes: Big Bubba performed even better than I had expected when this match was out together. I was quite curious about how he’d fare against someone on the same level as him, rather than the low end guys (or even the jobbers) he’s been fed up until this point. Consider me surprised.

********

SEGMENT - IN RING PROMO - After the ring is cleared, GORDON SOLIE climbs through the ropes and welcomes his next guest, STING, who is clearly adored by the fans who cheer him as he comes down the aisle. “Gordo, I am pumped to be here in WCW and I’m pumped to be participating in the US Title tournament that’s going on. There have been a lot of big names that have held that title before and my goal is to add my name to the list. Everybody knows that it’s a springboard to getting a shot at the World Title, but you can only climb a ladder one rung at a time, so for the foreseeable future, I’m going to out one hundred and ten percent effort into winning my matches, winning the US Title, and putting myself in position for the big prize, no matter who is standing across the ring from me. OWWWW!”

******

MATCH - US TITLE TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND - RONNIE GARVIN vs. TULLY BLANCHARD



Match Action: Tully and Ronnie Garvin are very evenly matched and go toe to toe in a really hard hitting affair. Eventually, Garvin’s rock solid punches begin to wear Tully out and he goes on a long offensive that puts him in the driver’s seat. But once again, his Horsemen brethren at ringside tip things in his favor, tripping Garvin up as he looks to come off of the ropes with an elbow drop, giving Blanchard an opportunity to recover and pounce on his downed opponent. From there, his methodical pacing takes center stage as he puts Garvin through the ringer with a focus on working over his left arm. Favoring it as it hangs at his side, Garvin’s comeback a few moments later begins with a series of right hands. But when JJ Dillon palms Tully a foreign object as he struggles to get to his feet and then he swings wildly and connects, it lays Garvin out for an easy 1-2-3. The crowd goes nuts having seen the whole thing and they get even louder when The Horsemen storm the ring, looking to lay a beating on the downed Garvin. But before Flair can even get his jacket off, DUSTY RHODES and THE STEINER BROTHERS race down the aisle and chase them off. JR: “The Horsemen think they can do whatever they want, like they’re running the show here in WCW. But Dusty Rhodes will not just stand idly by and watch it happen. And you know what? Good for him; good for The Dream and anyone who stands with him.”



Winner: Tully Blanchard wins via pinfall @ 22:10



Booker’s Notes: A solid main event between two good workers. I’m looking forward to having bigger main events in the future, but currently, having to get through the first round of a crowded US title tournament, our mains are matches between upper midcarders instead of between main eventers. I’m hoping it doesn’t affect our show ratings too much.





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[noneck]

Show #3 - WWF SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING


COMING TO YOU FROM: MANCHESTER ICE ARENA IN MANCHESTER, NH


SHOW OPEN: GORILLA MONSOON and JESSE THE BODY VENTURA welcome the fans from the broadcast location which is high above the Providence Civic Center Floor and talk up all of the action that’ll take place on this week’s episode of WWF Superstars. Their tone is understated and solemn as they transition into discussing what took place last week between Hulk Hogan and Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff as footage of the event rolls. Gorilla says he hopes to get an update on the condition of the WWF champion before the conclusion of the broadcast but he can't promise anything. As he gets set to send things down to The Fink, cameras get a shot of a pair of teary eyed fans holding up a homemade GET WELL SOON HULK sign.



*******



MATCH - MR. PERFECT vs. SD JONES

Match Action: Perfect handles his business in a very methodical manner, putting the veteran Jones through the paces before disposing of him with a Perfect-plex at just past the four minute mark. The bigger story is that nearly every manager under contract with the WWF came out to ringside to get a closer look at him. Some took notes and conferred with each other, while others just sat in folding chairs and took in the match silently, away from anyone else. Gorilla Monsoon jokes: “It’s like a livestock auction at the county fair.”


Winner: Mr. Perfect @ 4:09


Booker’s Notes: There’s no limit to Mr. Perfect’s potential and putting him in matches with enhancement talent like SD Jones serves to keep his build more of a slow burn rather than dropping him into the main event scene right off the bat. That said, it’s going to be hard to keep him in the midcard once the search for a manager storyline runs its course.



*******



SEGMENT - BRUTUS BEEFCAKE and GREG VALENTINE walk on either side of LUSCIOUS JOHNNY V, pulling their luggage behind them and wearing flowered Hawaiian shirts and shorts as they enter the backstage area at the arena. MEAN GENE OKERLUND is waiting to talk to them, but JOHNNY V ushers them into their locker room and closes the door behind them, choosing to talk to MEAN GENE on his own. “Next week, my Dream Team has the chance to get back what is rightfully theirs, what was wrongfully stolen from them by WWF President Jack Tunney, the WWF Tag Team Titles. And I know that you’re here to get a comment on our match-up with the Killer Bees, something they can put on their bulletin board or a quote the jabronis at the WWF Magazine can plaster on the cover, but I’m just going to tell you this Gene; all of the focus issues, the communication problems my boys have been having are a thing of the past. I sent them on a vacation, all expenses paid, and told them to relax and clear their heads. And I’m here to tell you that it was a success. The Dream Team is back baby, and so is Lucious Johnny V, and soon we’ll all be wearing gold again!”



*********



MATCH - JUNKYARD DOG vs. PETE DOHERTY

Match Action: JYD doesn’t mess around, turning the Duke of Dorchester inside out with a headbutt before scoping him up and driving him into the canvas with a Big Thump powerslam to get the easy win. As has been his custom of late, as “Grab Them Cakes” blasts throughout the arena, JYD invites a group of kids from ringside to get down and boogie with him back in the ring. Their smiles beam, it’s truly a memory that’ll last a lifetime.


Winner: JYD wins via pinfall @ 3:29


Booker’s Notes: The Dog beats up another jobber and ups his momentum a little bit more as he will likely be heading into a program sooner or later. He is still very over with the fans even given the steady diet of one sided match-ups that he’s been involved in. Perhaps a storyline will help him move up a level. If not, his overness could help someone else raise their profile by association. Time will tell what JYD’s next move is.



*********



SEGMENT - VIGNETTE - ROWDY RODDY PIPER stands beside COWBOY BOB ORTON in the doorway of a clearly cowboy themed bar. There are paintings of horses and cowboy regalia everywhere. “I thought you said this place was Scottish?” Piper comments. “No, I said they served scotch,” replies Orton in his low droll. Even before they are able to belly up to the bar, they are surrounded by some tough looking rednecks in cowboy hats and too tight jeans who don’t appreciate Piper’s attire. Orton grabs an unattended beer from the bar, and takes a long gulp off of it. Piper does the same, but instead of setting down the mug after he polishes it off, he smashes it against the head of the biggest of the bunch in front of him. It doesn’t take long before Orton and Piper have knocked them all out; the bar is quiet with only a stone faced bartender left standing. As Piper and Orton step over the downed cowboys, Piper says under his breath, “I told you we should’ve gone to a Scottish bar.”



*********



MATCH - KING KONG BUNDY vs. HILLBILLY JIM

Match Action: Hillbilly Jim is all smiles before the bell rings. But his smile quickly vanishes standing face to face with the massive Bundy in the middle of the ring. And even though his good luck horseshoe is hanging from its chain on the ringpost, he has absolutely zero luck when dealing with a monster like King Kong Bundy, who dismantles him without incident, closing out the match with a whopper of an avalanche and a demand that referee Joey Marella count to five instead of the customary three. Bobby Heenan laughs at ringside, enjoying every second of the beatdown until VIRGIL walks out from the back wearing a neck brace and hands Heenan a note before heading back. The Brain quickly reads it before yelling out for Bundy to follow him back to the locker room to “discuss some business.”


Winner: King Kong Bundy wins via pinfall @ 5:32


Booker’s Notes: There’s no stopping King Kong Bundy; his matches are about as one sided as you can get. I’ve always thought that giving a believable character to monster heels is one of the hardest things for a wrestling booker to do. Let’s see if I’m up to it.



********



MATCH - RICKY THE DRAGON STEAMBOAT vs. IRON SHEIK

Match Action: This is simply one of the best matches on Superstars to date. Steamboat and the Iron Sheik go back and forth in the early going until the Sheik can’t take the competition anymore and unlaces his boot, using it to wallop The Dragon into oblivion and lock him in the Camel Clutch. Steamboat, looking like he’s on dream street, somehow wiggles his way to the ropes and gets the referee to break the hold, leading to his unlikely comeback. He begins doling out chops, reddening the Sheik’s chest as the Iranian tries to attack, but it is a throat thrust that stops him in his tracks and sends The Bolsheviks (who accompanied the Iron Sheik to the ring) into scramble mode. Volkoff and Zukov try to work a misdirection angle, each climbing up on opposite sides of the ring, looking to get referee Dave Hebner’s attention. It is chaotic, but turns downright crazy when Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Sergeant Slaughter rush down the aisle and start mixing it up with the interfering Russians. Hebner yells out at them and tries to get them to move their party away from the ring, giving RANDY SAVAGE the opportunity to slide into the ring unnoticed behind Steamboat and start double teaming him alongside the Iron Sheik. They knock The Dragon senseless and Sheik attempts to roll Steamboat over to reapply the Camel Clutch. But Macho Man doesn’t get out of the ring fast enough and is spotted by Dave Hebner, who finally calls for the bell, worn out from directing traffic.


Winner: Ricky Steamboat wins via DQ @ 11:39


Booker’s Notes: Sheik and Steamboat have great chemistry and put on a tremendous match. We’ll have to revisit it at some point in the future. I’ve also got to find something to do with Sheik on a more full time basis, now that his regular tag team spot with Volkoff has been taken by Boris Zukov.



*******



SEGMENT - ARENA PROMO - RANDY MACHO MAN SAVAGE is livid and grabs the house microphone yelling, “Next month on Saturday Night’s Main Event, it’s signed, sealed, and delivered; it’ll be me and you Dragon. Me and you….for the last time. Two out of three falls!”



********



MATCH - TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND - BRITISH BULLDOGS vs. THE BUSHWHACKERS

Match Action: The Bulldogs and the Bushwhackers have a wild brawl that takes place nearly entirely outside of the ring until the very end and it’s a fantastically entertaining contest that nearly makes Gorilla Monsoon lose his voice. There is a crazy chase sequence where Matilda the Bulldog chases Luke around the ring, chewing on Butch’s hat as she does so. While they circe the ring, Butch slides under the bottom rope looking to head her off at the pass, but in doing so walks directly into the arms of the waiting Davey Boy Smith, who powerslams him and gets the 1-2-3! The chaos overwith, the Bulldogs extend their hands to Luke and Butch after the match as a sign of respect. But in true Bushwhacker form, the two loveable looneys begin hugging and licking Davey Boy and Dynamite. When Matilda barks at them, the two crazies get down on all fours and give her scratches as she licks them. Gorilla, hoarse from calling the non-stop action, closes it out, loving the scene: “This is wild, this is crazy, this is what the WWF is all about!”

Winner: British Bulldogs win via pinfall @ 10:08


Booker’s Notes: The Bulldogs inch closer to the WWF World Tag Team titles. They may very well be the best team in the company right now, but they’ll have their hands full going forward, not just with the remaining teams in the tourney, but with the incoming tag teams set to return or debut in the WWF in the near future.



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