From Madison Square Garden....
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LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarterfinals Match HWA’s Bobo Brazil
vs.
WCCW’s the Missing Link (with Lou Albano)
Adrenalin was running high as the first-ever LWA National match kicked things off here at the World’s Most Famous Arena. While Bobo Brazil was wrestling like a man possessed, the Missing Link was absolutely out of control for this match-up. Albano tried to control the wild man, but it was mostly in vain. The referee was finally forced to call for the bell when the Missing Link brought a chair into the ring and nailed Brazil in the head.
RESULT: Bobo Brazil by DQ
LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarterfinals Match CCW’s Dick Hutton
vs.
EWF’s Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan)
Dick Hutton showcased all of his technical prowess in this match, and Rick Rude did his best to keep up. It was a great match, but the distracting presence of Bobby Heenan made the difference for the “Ravishing” one.
RESULT: Rick Rude by PIN with RUDE AWAKENING
LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarterfinals Match EWF’s Nick Bockwinkel (with Bobby Heenan)
vs.
WCCW’s King Harley Race
This was another great match, as the fever pitch that began the night continued on. King Harley Race exchanged verbal barbs with his former manager, Bobby Heenan, and their verbal jousting was almost as good as the action in the ring. Race got in the last word as he finished things off with a swinging neckbreaker, much to the delight of the crowd.
RESULT: King Harley Race by PIN
LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarterfinals Match CCW’s Magnificent Muraco (with Sir Oliver Humperdink)
Vs.
HWA’s Mil Mascaras
Muraco took every shortcut in the book against Mascaras, but the Mexican star didn’t back down from the fight. The referee lost control of this one early, and SOH didn’t help matters by holding the referee’s attention as Muraco used a variety of underhanded tactics. Finally, Mascaras had enough and took it to Muraco outside the ring. Ignoring the referee’s instructions to get back in the ring, Mascaras threw Muraco into guard rails, steel steps, and finally drove his head into the ring post. That was the final straw.
RESULT: Muraco by DQ
Big Man Challenge EWF’s King Kong Bundy (without Bobby Heenan)
Vs.
WCCW’s S.D. Jones
Bobby Heenan stayed in the back for this match-up, since he was preparing Rick Rude for his semi-final match against Bobo Brazil. Bundy still came out confident, but seemed off his game against the fleet Philadelphian. Jones kept the match at a quick pace, foiling Bundy’s attempts to use his size advantage. Finally, Jones gave a little Philly shuffle and a KO punch, and that was that.
RESULT: Jones by PIN
EWF Tag Team ChallengeTed DiBiase & Steve Williams
vs.
Blonde Ambition (Greg Valentine & Buddy Rose)
Buddy Rose was still showing the effects of his back injury that seems to be lingering a bit too long. As a result, he stayed out on the apron for most of the match, and Valentine handled most of the work for Blonde Ambition. Williams and DiBiase worked well together, tagging in and out like a well-oiled machine. Valentine seemed to be poised to lock in the FIGURE FOUR on Williams, but DiBiase broke things up. Rose finally got into the match, and one BOMBS AWAY finished things for his side.
RESULT: Buddy Rose PIN Steve Williams with BOMBS AWAY
LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament Semifinal Match No Disqualifications or Count Outs
HWA’s Bobo Brazil
vs.
EWF’s Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan)
Bobo Brazil might not have been from the local federation, but the crowd treated him like a hometown hero as he battled with Heenan Family member Rick Rude. This was a back-and-forth contest, with neither man gaining a decisive advantage for most of the bout. Once again, Bobby Heenan was the difference, distracting Brazil long enough for Rude to get in a cheap shot followed by the RUDE AWAKENING.
RESULT: Rick Rude by PIN with RUDE AWAKENING
LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament Semifinal Match No Disqualifications or Count Outs
WCCW’s King Harley Race
vs.
CCW’s Magnificent Muraco (with Sir Oliver Humperdink)
Harley Race was in control throughout this contest, proving that his long title reign in the WCCW was no fluke. It looked like he was going to cruise to the finals when Nick Bockwinkel came out to ringside with Bobby Heenan. Once again, the verbal jabs were flying, but this allowed the Magnificent Muraco to get back into the match, and he finished things with an Asiatic Spike followed by the HAWAIIAN HAMMER.
RESULT: Magnificent Muraco by PIN with the HAWAIIAN HAMMER
EWF Steel Cage MatchWladek Kowalski
vs.
The Savage Snuka
These two have been feuding in the EWF for weeks now, and this was easily the best match of the night up until this point. Snuka is a wild man, and the cage suits his style. But young Wladek Kowalski showed some fire of his own, and didn’t back down at all. These two brawled and clawed their way through the match. The end came when Kowalski caught Snuka in a giant swing… and tossed him head-first into the cage wall. It was a brutal finish, and Snuka was clearly out cold as Kowalski made the cover.
RESULT: Kowalski by PIN
Inter-Promotional Falls Count Anywhere MatchHWA’s Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal with Paul Ellering)
vs.
WCCW’s Midnight Express (Eaton & Lane, with Jim Cornette)
The crowd was on its feet at this point, with no one bothering to sit down after Kowalski’s fierce win over Snuka. There was no let down for this match either, as the Road Warriors and Midnight Express picked up where their last inter-promotional match left off. Clearly, the Midnights wanted to make up for the embarrassment of having to forfeit their WCCW Titles (which they’ve since reclaimed). But Hawk and Animal were in no mood to help them out, and brutalized Eaton and Lane early and often. The Road Warriors hit their Doomsday Device in the ring, outside the ring, and even in the backstage area. Each time, the Midnights were able to break up the pinfall. Eventually, the Midnights were able to isolate Hawk in the ring, and bloodied him up pretty good. However, he was able to make the tag to Animal, who cleaned house. Whatever beating Hawk had taken, Bobby Eaton got back even worse. Things once again spilled to the outside, but as Animal beat down Eaton, Stan Lane was able to interfere and swing things in favor of his partner. After that, Hawk recovered enough to occupy Lane, but Eaton was in control of things as he an Animal fought into the locker room area. An exhausted Bobby Eaton finally hit Road Warrior Animal with an ALABAMA JAM off a bench. Even though it’s still early, this match deserves serious consideration for match of the year.
RESULT: Bobby Eaton PIN Road Warrior Animal with ALABAMA JAM
LWA Heavyweight Title Tournament FinalBest 2 out of 3 Falls
No Disqualifications or Count Outs
vs.
Muraco and Humperdink are no fan favorites, but the locals hate Bobby Heenan and Rick Rude so much that you would have thought that Muraco was Bobo Brazil or Mil Mascaras. The crowd was happy as Muraco dominated the first fall, dominating Rick Rude and making this look like a mismatch. During the one-minute rest period, “the Brain” implored his charge to follow the gameplan, and the advice seemed to pay off, as Rick Rude gained a pin to even the match up and send it to the third and final fall. This fall was a classic, with both managers getting involved and saving their men from near disaster a couple of times. It got to the point that Heenan and Humperdink started yelling and screaming at each other, allowing the referee to focus on the two men competing for the LWA Heavyweight title. Rick Rude managed to keep his advantage, and finished things with his RUDE AWAKENING finisher to claim the LWA Title.
Rick Rude celebrated in the ring with Bobby Heenan and the other present members of the Heenan Family (Bundy and Bockwinkel). The crowd hated this outcome and serenaded Rude with a chorus of boos and obscene gestures as Rude posed with his new belt and gyrated his hips for ‘all his female fans who want to see a REAL man’ as we fade from Madison Square Garden.
Thanks for tuning into the inaugural LWA inter-promotional event. Tune in here and to our member fed threads to read more!