GREAT NORTH WRESTLING....INITIAL CARD!

[gnw2022]

GNW UPDATE 6-21-2023
*******************************
From Great North Wrestling headquarters in Mankato MN, here's MEAN GENE OKERLUND with your GNW UPDATE.......

GENE: Just a quick update this evening, as we noted in our last update....TERRY GORDY is leaving the company, to deal with some personal issues, that we will not discuss on the air, with respect to Mr. Gordy and his family. All of us here at Great North Wrestling, wish him well. However we did hold a GNW POLL, and you the fans have Spoken....garnering 50% of all votes cast...........DINO BRAVO, has been selected to fill Mr. Gordy's spot on the roster. We welcome him, and wish him the best of luck here in Great North Wrestling...before we wrap things up, here are your GREAT NORTH WRESTLING CHAMPIONS as of this evening 9PM 6/21/2023......

GNW WORLD: Freddie Blassie
GNW WORLD TAG-TEAM: Ivan/Nikita Koloff
GNW Inter-State: Austin Idol (2)*

(_)* Denotes times held.

GENE: That will be all for this edition of GNW UPDATE, THINGS ARE HOT HERE IN THE GREAT NORTH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES.....Good night everybody !!!

[gnw2022]

6-24-2023 Gates open 5:30/ bell-time 7:30pm
****SATURDAY NIGHT****
The Aldrich Arena
Maplewood, Minnesota
GNW ON TOUR #149
******************************************
Join Great North Wrestling, as we team up with SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA!, for a great night of wrestling, while raising money for a great cause!!!...The FREE MEET AND GREET (paid ticket holders only) begins at 5:30, the matches start promptly at 7:30! 7 big matches
(card subject to change).

The Mighty Igor vs Buff Bagwell

Brian Adias vs Jackie Fargo

The Batten Twins
Brad and Bart Batten
vs
The Fabulous Kangaroos
Al Costello and Roy Heffernan
w/ Wild Red Berry

Tully Blanchard vs Barry Windham

Diamond Dallas Page vs Dirty Dick Murdoch

Tracy Smothers vs Johnny Valentine

*****SPECIAL MAIN EVENT*****
THE HEART-STOPPERS
The Fantastic Ox Baker and Stan Stasiak
vs
ANDRE THE GIANT and Brad Armstrong

DON'T miss out! Get your tickets at any Minnesota Kwik-Trip location, or by Calling SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA, the Aldrich Arena box-office, or online and by phone through TICKETMASTER !!!! A great night forva great cause!!! Proudly brought to you by SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA AND GREAT NORTH WRESTLING, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES!!!!!

[gnw2022]

RESULTS!!!!!!! 6-24-2023
*********************************
GNW ON TOUR #149
(SPECIAL OLYMPICS MN FUND-RAISER)
Aldrich Arena, Maplewood, MN
ATTENDANCE: 4,000 (SOLD-OUT)
************************************************
It was another night of winning and losing in Great North Wrestling, but the real WINNERS were the generous Maplewood fans, and our host, SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA!!!
GREAT NORTH WRESTLING and SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA, would like to thank all you great MINNESOTANS, for coming out to support the life-changing organization SPECIAL OLYMPICS!!!!

Buff Bagwell ruins the final GNW appearance (for now) of the popular Mighty Igor in our opening contest. Bagwell fought hard to free himself from the Polish powerhouse's BEAR HUG, and then fought back to pin Igor following a bone-jarring RUNNUNG POWERSLAM!
Time: (7:33).

Jackie Fargo hands the victory to young Brian Adias in FARGO-LIKE fashion, in front of the rowdy Maplewood crowd. Jackie used every possible shortcut to punish Brian. Frustrated by the gritty Adias's (4 tokens) determination to NOT be pinned, Fargo used a ringside object (the ringside mic stand), to bust open Adias, the ref then declares Brian the winner of the match via DISQUALIFICATION!
Time: (6:45).

The Fabulous Kangaroos wrap up their first run here in Great North Wrestling by easily defeating The Batten Twins (Brad/Bart) in front of the SOLD-OUT crowd! Costello and Heffernan, with their manager Red Berry in tow, made it look easy. Suprisingly they did not need to resort to underhanded tactics to subdue their competition either. It was a textbook "schooling" by the experience ladden AUSSIES. They isolated Bart and kept him in the ring 90% of the match, eventually pinning him after a prolonged double-teaming wears him out enough for the easy 1,2,3.
Time: (7:30) (DUD).

Diamond Dallas Page takes us to the intermission with a hard fought victory over Dick Murdoch!! DICK the cantankerous Texan, was a handful right from the opening bell. This entertaining match spilled to the outside several times! Each time, to Murdoch's advantage, as he would then wait inside the ring for Page to crawl back in. One the third such occasion, however Dallas manages to catch Murdoch with an impromptu DIAMOND CUTTER and gets the pin!!! Time: (12:15).

*******INTERMISSION*******

It was a classic BLANCHARD/WINDHAM clash tonight in Maplewood! The two heated rivals, wrestled and brawled in a mat classic! Back and forth they went, with so many momentum swings you needed a scorecard to keep track. After kicking out of Tully 's SLING-SHOT SUPLEX, Barry rallies with the support of the crowd, and pins Blanchard with a LARAIT/SWEETWATER SUPLEX combo!
Time: (18:46).

Former 2-Time GNW WORLD Champion JOHHNY VALENTINE was in the house, and he looked impressive as he systematically dissected his opponent Tracy Smothers! Clearly outclassed, Smothers could get no offense going against the brutal Valentine! Johnny toys with Tracy, like a cat does a mouse, then finally pins him, after 2 (unnecessary) ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHERS
Time: (7:56) (DUD).

******SPECIAL MAIN EVENT******
ANDRE THE GIANT.....nearly brings down the house as he, and his partner Brad Armstrong made their way to the ring to face FORMER Great North Wrestling World Tag-Team champions THE HEART-STOPPERS (Ox Baker/Stan Stasiak) in our MAIN EVENT! The nasty team of Baker/Stasiak wasted little time, Baker attacking big Andre as he was making his way into the ring, while Stasiak got the drop on Armstrong! The ref manages to get Stasiak/Armstrong separated and sent them to their respective corners and calls for the bell, this match is officially underway! BAKER has Andre on the mat, using his foot to choke The Giant! Andre struggling for air continues to try and stave off Baker, but is having difficulty doing so. Finally able to get back to his feet Andre makes the tag! WITH ANDRE trying to regain some steam in the corner, Brad goes to work on Stasiak who has just tagged in! The quick high-flying aerial assault of Armstrong works to turn the tide....BUT only for a short while. Soon Baker and Stan are pummeling young Armstrong with a vicious combination of fists and boots. As The Heart-Stoppers execute a double clothesline on Armstrong, Baker signals to the crowd that it is HEART-PUNCH time!...BUT ANDRE STORMS THE RING.....and all HELL breaks loose as he tosses Baker out to the floor and grabs the incoming Stasiak by the throat!!! He CHOKESLAMS Stasiak nearly driving him through the center of the ring!! The ref tries to get Andre to stop (he's not the legal man), but The GIANT swats him aside. The ref has no choice but to DISQUALIFY ANDRE and awards the victory to THE HEART-STOPPERS! ALL the people in the back (Security/wrestlers) come out to separate these two teams and usher them to the back. Time: (15:50).

MEAN GENE: What a great night for a great cause, thank you all for coming....that is going to wrap things up here tonight. Our next GREAT NORTH ON TOUR event takes place June 28th with the first installment of our big WIN AND YOU'RE IN TOURNAMENT, at the WELLS FARGO ARENA in Des Moines Iowa. ..bell-time 7PM!!, then WIN AND YOU'RE IN PART 2, the following evening June 29th, from The MAYO CIVIC CENTER ARENA, in Rochester,MN. Who knows what the GREAT NORTH WRESTLING roster will look like as we head into the second half of 2023??! We hope to see a lot of you great fans in Des Moines and Rochester for those 2 big nights of action!...THINGS ARE HOT HERE IN THE GREAT NORTH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES. .....THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!!

[neilybob]

Another awesome set of cards there big guy. you rule the board.

[topdollar]

Even the mighty Andre goes down in defeat to the Heart Stoppers! Heels Rule!

[gnw2022]

GNW UPDATE..........6/30/2023
WIN AND YOU'RE IN TOURNAMENTS I & II RESULTS!!!!
************************************
(Brief results on the ROSTER SHUFFLE events,sorry not more detailed but wanted to get them out by the holiday)

From Great North Wrestling headquarters in Mankato, Minnesota here's MEAN Gene Okerlund with your GNW UPDATE!!!!!!

GENE: Good Evening fans, we have the results you have been waiting for.....just who will be coming to GNW beginning this July....for at least the second half of 2023.......

GNW ON TOUR #150 - WIN AND YOU'RE IN #1
6/28/23 Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA
Attendance: 8,876
************************************************
The Winner of each one-on-one matchup is given a 6-month CONTRACT (with possible extensions). WINNERS IN CAPS!!!

1. TAZ def. Jim Londos by pin.
(CROSSARM BACKBREAKER).
2.KURT HENNIG def. Steve Blackman by pin.
(HENNIG PLEX).
3. BIG BILL MILLER def. Jushin Liger by pin.
(BACKBREAKER).
4.MANNY FERNANDEZ def. Mark Henry.
(COUNT-OUT).
5. ROCKY JOHNSON def. Owen Hart by pin.
(FLYING BODY PRESS).
6. PEPPER GOMEZ def. Johnny the Bull by pin.
(AIRPLANE SPIN).
7. AJ STYLES def. Tim Horner by pin.
(CALF KILLER).
8. LORD ALFRED HAYES def. Bray Wyatt by pin.
(TOWER OF LONDON).
**********

GNW ON TOUR #151 WIN AND YOU'RE IN II
6/29/2023 Mayo Civic Ctr., Rochester, MN
Attendance: 7,250
***********************************************
1. CHRIS COLT def. Scott Norton by pin.
(TOP ROPE ELBOW).
2. HERCULES AYALA def. Missing Link by sub.
(FIGURE FOUR).
3. BOBBY DUNCUM def. Batista by pin.
(BULLDOG).
4. SAMOA JOE def. Kevin Owens by sub.
(REAR-NAKED CHOKE).
5. KEVIN SULLIVAN def. Corp. Kirchner by pin.
(FOREIGN OBJECT no/DQ.)
6. TIGER CONWAY Jr. def. Disco Inferno by pin.
(FLYING HEADBUTT).
7. WILBUR SNYDER def Meng by pin.
(AIRPLANE SPIN).
8. KEN PATERA def. The Mountie by sub.
(SWINGING FULL NELSON).

Along with the 16 singles competitors, the following TAG-TEAMS will join the roster on JULY 1ST as well.....

THE MOONDOGS (Spot/Rex)
HARLEM HEAT (Booker T/Stevie Ray)
with Sherri Martel.
THE TAYLORS (Tugboat/Chaz)
THE FLYING REDHEADS (Lyons/Bastien)

Welcome GENTLEMEN and good luck......

Sadly the following current ROSTER members will be leaving by July 1st, either being released (by GNW), or asking for release (for touring,personal reasons), with the exception of RODDY PIPER who lost a winner leaves for 1 year match at MEMORIAL MAYHEM II. We wish them all well, and perhaps some may return in the future. .....here's the list of singles followed by the Tag-Teams. ....

Roddy Piper, Terry Gordy, Mighty Igor, Paul Orndorff, Matt Bourne, Jack Brisco, Nikolai Volkoff, Jackie Fargo, Tully Blanchard, Pampero Firpo, Tracy Smothers, Bob Orton Sr.,
Don Leo Jonathan, Dusty Rhodes, Wahoo McDaniel, Dutch Mantell and The Super Destroyer..... and now the teams that will be departing.

THE STEINERS (Scott/Rick)
THE FANTASTICS (Fulton/Rogers)
MN WRECKING CREW (Ole/Gene Anderson)
THE FABULOUS KANGAROOS (Costello/Heffernan) w/Wild Red Berry.
THE O.G. REGULATORS (Bill Watts will return to his GNW Commissioner's post and Bob Ellis will move to the singles roster).

GENE: There you have it fans, should be another stupendous second half of 2023, here in Great North Wrestling. ........as we go here are your current GNW CHAMPIONS:
GNW WORLD: Freddie Blassie
GNW WORLD TAG-TEAM: Ivan/Nikita Koloff
GNW INTER-STATE: Austin Idol

GENE: THINGS ARE HOT HERE IN THE GREAT NORTH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES! SO LONG FOR NOW EVERYBODY!!!!....

[gnw2022]

COMING UP!!!! 7-8-2023
**********************************
GNW ON TOUR #153 7PM
The MINOT-DOME, Minot, ND
***********************************
Great North Wrestling makes its long overdue return to the great fans of MINOT, Saturday July 8th, bell-time 7pm!....6 stupendous matches.....(card subject to change).

Brian Adias vs Kevin Sullivan

Dino Bravo vs The Crusher

THE MOONDOGS
Spot and Rex
vs
THE ROCK-N-ROLL EXPRESS
Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson

Ken Patera vs King Kong Mosca

**GNW INTER-STATE TITLE SHOT MATCH**
Barry Windham vs The Magnificent Muraco

*GNW INTER-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH*
Arn Anderson vs (CH) Austin Idol

TICKETS are almost GONE for this event! Get yours at any North Dakota Kum and Go location, The Minot-Dome ticket office, or online/by phone through TICKETMASTER....don't MISS OUT on all the action of GREAT NORTH WRESTLING, WHERE THE ACTION NEVER STOPS!!!!

[gnw2022]

RESULTS!!!! 7-8-2023
*********************************
GNW ON TOUR #153
The MINOT-DOME, Minot, North Dakota
ATTENDANCE : 8,488
******************************************
IT was another CRAZY night of Great North Wrestling action last Saturday night in MINOT!

Kevin Sullivan unleashed his brand of crazy for the first time here in GNW, and youngster Brian Adias was the unfortunate recipient of said crazy. Kevin was brutal and cunning, never giving Adias a chance to recover. Even though he was in complete sadistic control of this match, Sullivan still nails his helpless opponent with a FOREIGN OBJECT (no DQ) before going for the easy pin. Time: (7:16)(DUD).

The Crusher spoils Dino Bravo's debut with a hard fought victory over the brutish Canadian. Dino made a decent showing, as these two battled back and forth. In the end DA CRUSHER (1 fatigue) finally pulls out the victory getting Bravo (2 tokens) to submit, with his Stomach Claw. Time: (10:28).

The MOONDOGS make their debut with a questionable win over The Rock-n-Roll Express tonight in front of an angry pro R&R crowd in Minot. Morton and Gibson were in perfect sync and they looked to be running away with this match. Until Moondog Rex clubs (unseen by the ref) Gibson with the BONE! SPOT pins Gibson as Morton just couldn't get there in time for the save! Time: (12:06).

********INTERMISSION********

In what was arguably the upset of the evening debuting strongman Ken Patera defeated former GNW Inter-State Champion, and bully KING KONG MOSCA. Patera and Mosca took this battle to the outside on numerous occasions, much to the crowd's delight! Heavy blows and stomps were divyed out by both mat monsters. In the end, Ken catches Mosca coming back into the ring (after being tossed) and suplexes King Kong into the ring from the apron for the pin!!
Time: (11:41).

**GNW INTER-STATE TITLE SHOT MATCH**
Barry Windham and Don Muraco (both former I.S. champs) wrestled and brawled for another chance to capture the strap. It was a solid outing for both men, as they brought their "A-games" to Minot. In a battle of attrition it was WINDHAM coming out on top finally getting the MAGNIFICENT ONE to tap out after prolonged exposure to THE FIGURE FOUR!
Time: (21:45).

*GNW INTER-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH*
ARN ANDERSON came to Minot on a mission to relieve GNW CHAMPION AUSTIN IDOL of his title! But Idol had an agenda of his own, keeping the gold (his 2nd reign.) Anderson gave it his all and nearly pinned Austin with a GOURDBUSTER, but the champ kicked out at two-and-a-half! Idol battles back with the full support of the Minot faithful! After recovering first from a crushing double clothesline, Idol PILEDRIVES his way to the 1,2,3!
Time: (16:48).

Brian Sager: GREAT NORTH WRESTLING thanks all you great fans for coming out tonight to take part in this awesome wrestling event....GNW travels home to MANKATO for ON TOUR #154 on 7-11-23, from the historic KATO BALLROOM bell-time 7PM!
Good Night .....THINGS ARE HOT HERE IN THE GREAT NORTH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES!!!!

[gnw2022]

WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!!!
7-12-2023 7PM
************************************
GNW ON TOUR #154
The KATO Ballroom, Mankato, Minnesota
******************************************
Great North Wrestling comes home to Mankato July 11th with a tremendous card (subject to change)......

Taz vs Al Perez

Bobby Duncum vs BWM Jimmy Valiant

Curt Hennig vs Brad Armstrong

THE TAYLORS
Chaz/Tugboat Taylor
vs
HARD TIME
Big Boss Man and The Trooper

Baron Von Raschke vs Samoa Joe

**GNW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH**
Diamond Dallas Page vs (CH) Freddie Blassie

SEATS are extremely limited, but there are good seats still available! Get yours at any Minnesota Kwik-Trip location, The Kato Ballroom box office, or by phone or online through TICKETMASTER.....THINGS ARE HOT HERE IN THE GREAT NORTH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES!!!!

[gnw2022]

RESULTS!!!!! 7-12-2023
*********************************
GNW ON TOUR #154
The KATO Ballroom, Mankato, MN
ATTENDANCE: 2,176
************************************
THESE are your match results for GNW ON TOUR's recent stop in Mankato!!!

The "Human Suplex Machine" TAZ lives up to his moniker with an impressive debut win over AL PEREZ. In dominating fashion, Taz submits Perez with a TAZMISSION, after a flurry of suplexes! Time: (7:00) (DUD).

Bobby Duncum gets BOOGIE-WOOGIED tonight in Mankato, spoiling his debut outing. Jimmy Valiant was his usual unpredictable self, as he fed off the energy of his "People", the raucous Mankato fans. After a slow start Valiant rallies to pin Mr. Duncum after 2 BOOGIE WOOGIE ELBOWS!!. Time: (10:39).

Curt Hennig had a "PERFECT" Great North Wrestling debut as he defeated Brad Armstrong. It was back and forth early, but Curt exploits an Armstrong miscue, then took over the match. He uses several wear-down holds to slow Brad, then hits him with THE AXE for the pin. Time: (10:36).

*******INTERMISSION*******

The TAYLORS (Chaz/Tugboat) managed to hold their own against HARD TIME (Boss Man/Trooper) in their first match here in GNW. They didn't win....BUT....they didn't lose either. In a wild scrap, that eventually spills out of the ring to the floor, BOTH teams are counted out!
Time: (11:21).

Baron Von Raschke feels the full power of the human buzzsaw known as Samoa Joe tonight in the Kato Ballroom! The big German tried to impose his will from the opening bell, but he was rebuffed in spades by big Joe. In a rare loss by submission the BARON taps out after Samoa Joe's MUSLCE-BUSTER!
Time: (9:44).

**GNW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH**
It was a successful title defense (2nd), for WORLD CHAMPION Freddie Blassie as he defeats The challenger Diamond Dallas Page! Page looked poised for an early victory, but Blassie was too stubborn to be pinned. FRED uses a choke and a poke in the eye, to turn the tide in his favor, then commences to dismantle PAGE. After absorbing a massive beating, Dallas is pinned by "The King of Men" after multiple KNEE DROPS!! Time:(13:18).

Brian Sager: Another great evening here in MANKATO, it was good to be home!!..GNW ON TOUR travels next to BEMIDJI, Minnesota's SANFORD CENTER Arena on July 16th for ON TOUR #155...bell-time 7PM! THINGS ARE HOT HERE IN THE GREAT NORTH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES. .....Good Night!!!