LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[cruefan68]

Next up is another big card at MSG. Will history be made? Read on...

LOW Northern Wrestling Corporation - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY (Card #752)

1) Pepper Gomez, Ilio DiPaolo, & Dick Hutton defeated Johnny Rodz, Dupae Rupa, & Savage-T:
A solid six-man tag team opener saw the popular trio of Pepper Gomez, Ilio DiPaolo, & Dick Hutton take on the All-Star Wrestling trio of “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz, “Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa, & Savage-T. All six men looked good during their time in and this turned into a competitive bout. Hutton helped guide his team to victory scoring with a Cowboy backbreaker on Savage-T leading to DiPaolo executing the Airplane Spin on him to score the pin.

2) Greg Valentine defeated Afa, Jr.:
Afa, Jr., the “Samoan Storm”, took on the tough challenge of Greg “The Hammer” Valentine in the second bout. Captain Lou Albano was in the corner of Valentine and had plenty to say during the course of this one. It turned into a war of attrition with both men trading stiff blows and a number of near falls. Albano lost it when Afa caught Valentine with Lights Out for a big near fall. Valentine managed to turn the tide late in the bout and after delivering a neckbreaker he trapped Afa in his patented Figure Four Leglock to score a submission victory.

3) Nikolai Volkoff defeated Tony Atlas:
The popular “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas, coming off a tough loss to Ring of Honor bound Chris Hero, was hoping to get back on track against the equally powerful Nikolai Volkoff. Atlas looked great early using the jumping headbutt several times to keep Volkoff of balance. He also caught him with a running lariat (ch) for a two count. Volkoff bounced back strong and executed the Backbreaker Drop but Atlas kicked out at two to a big pop from the crowd. Volkoff kept on him, though, and locked on the Russian Bearhug trying to wear Atlas down. The two fought out to the floor several times and it was Volkoff getting the better of that action. It came down to the big Russian hitting a second Backbreaker Drop on Atlas to score the pin. The crowd jeered the decision but gave Atlas a nice round of applause as he left the ring.

4) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Drake Younger:
Jersey Shore native Diamond Dallas Page, one of the most popular stars in the NWC, took on the challenge of the newest arrival to the promotion in Drake Younger, also known as the “Psycho Shooter”. DDP started out strong getting a two count off of a Russian Legsweep before Younger picked up a near fall of his own with the Exploder Suplex. Younger is known for his hardcore tactics, including attacking opponents with light tubes, but he was unable to utilize that here. DDP built up some momentum late in the match and caught Younger with a clothesline out of the corner followed up by the Diamond Cutter to score the pin.

5) The Sheepherders defeated Samoan Island Tribe:
This rematch from the last card at MSG (Card #735), where The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams) appeared as freelance stars and lost to the Samoan Island Tribe (Alofa & Samu), saw the feared duo from New Zealand gain some revenge. The Sheepherders recently signed to join the NWC and, in fact, attacked the SIT during a tag team match (Card #747 in Scranton, PA). They isolated Alofa for most of the match using quick tags and double-team moves. Williams scored a near fall after the combination Running Knee Smash and then the two hit the Double Gutbuster on a fatigued Alofa. Miller wound up covering the SIT member for the pin as Williams prevented Samu from making the save. It was a convincing victory for The Sheepherders who clearly sent a message in their NWC debut that they will be a force to be reckoned with.

6) Johnny Valentine defeated Antonino Rocca:
A hard hitting bout between two veteran stars saw the popular Antonino Rocca take on the rugged Johnny Valentine who was accompanied by his manager, Captain Lou Albano. It was the first of three consecutive bouts for Albano and his men preceded by an earlier victory by Johnny’s son, Greg Valentine, over Afa, Jr. Valentine dominated early and scored two counts with a forearm hammer and Atomic Skullcrusher. He also used a sleeper hold to wear down Rocca. The tide turned when Rocca went to his speed using the victory roll as a nice counter and a barrage of flying dropkicks. He also used the crushing body scissors and bow and arrow for submission chances. Late in the bout it was Valentine tossing Rocca to the outside and hammering away on him with stiff forearm shots. As a weary Rocca tried to get back in he was nailed with another Atomic Skullcrusher by Valentine resulting in the three count.

7) Bobo Brazil defeated Killer Kowalski:
An intense battle saw popular Benton Harbor, MI, native Bobo Brazil take on Killer Kowalski who was accompanied by Captain Lou Albano. Brazil was in control from the outset keeping Kowalski off balance with the big hammer punch and Bobo Bodyslam. He also delivered the Coco Butt for a two count. Kowalski weathered the storm and would strike back connecting with the bombs away knee drop among other punishing moves. Albano paced back and forth at ringside as Kowalski looked to score a big win. It was not to be, however, as Brazil delivered another Coco Butt and covered Kowalski for a snake eyes pin. Albano went crazy yelling at the referee about a fast count which also distracted Brazil. That allowed Kowalski a chance to jump Brazil from behind and he used a chair to do some serious damage. He repeatedly slammed the chair into the ribs of Brazil and locked the Kowalski Claw on his midsection until the referee and LOW officials were able to pull him off.

●Bobo Brazil suffered several injured ribs at the hands of Killer Kowalski in the post-match attack. He is expected to be out of action for several weeks, a piece of news that was met with delight by Kowalski and his manager Captain Lou Albano. PWI editor Bill Apter spoke with both men afterward and Albano gleefully said that his man is a “Killer” and that Brazil got what he “deserved”. Kowalski added that he “takes no prisoners” and that he needed to send a message to Brazil for “cheating” his way to a win. Brazil was unavailable for comment but one would expect that he will be seeking a rematch with Kowalski once he is cleared to return to the ring.

8) Andre the Giant defeated The Warlord by DQ:
A highly anticipated match saw the undefeated “Eighth Wonder of the World” Andre the Giant taking on The Warlord who was accompanied by his manager, Captain Lou Albano. The crowd was growing restless over a third straight ringside appearance by Albano. Andre gave them something to cheer about, though, as he dominated the action and quickly hit the Big Splash on The Warlord. He had what looked to be a sure pin but Albano interfered putting the foot of The Warlord over the bottom rope to break it up. Albano interfered on another pin attempt by Andre and that led to this one getting out of control. They fought out to the floor where Andre gave a big headbutt to Albano much to the delight of the crowd. The Warlord got some revenge for his manager but got disqualified in the process as he ran Andre head first into the ring post. The two titans continued battling post-match until LOW officials were able to break it up.

9) LOW World tag team titles: Sabu & Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Tolos & Ox Baker© was a DDQ:
There was a unique situation going into this match as Sabu & Rob Van Dam, accompanied by their manager Bill Alfonso, took on Chris Tolos & Ox Baker for the LOW World tag team titles. Baker was substituting for the injured John Tolos as per a financial agreement made between his manager, Abdullah Farouk, and the tag team champions. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox approved the transaction but Tolos and Baker had very little time to prepare for a team that once held the tag team championship. Sabu and RVD were on fire in this one and nearly had it won when RVD hit the Five Star Frog Splash on Baker. Sabu cut off Tolos from interfering but RVD was slightly late in covering allowing Baker to get his shoulder up before the three count. Tolos twice hit his trademark Flying Knee Drop during the match but was also unable to get the pin. Sabu also caught Tolos in the Camel Clutch at one point but he was able to fight out of it. Both teams spent plenty of time battling out on the floor testing the boundaries of the rules. The wild battle ended when Baker nailed RVD with the Heart Punch for what looked to be a sure pin but Sabu made a last second save. That set off a four-way brawl resulting in the double disqualification decision. That allowed Tolos to retain the belts for him and his brother in what will go down on record as their version six defense of the championship.

10) LOW World Heavyweight title: Frank Gotch© defeated Fred Blassie to retain the title:
The main event saw newly crowned LOW World Heavyweight champion Frank Gotch facing former two-time champion the “King of Men” Fred Blassie with the gold on the line. Blassie, coming off a big win over ROH star Kevin Steen in a Steel Cage Match on the last MSG card, was like a man possessed as he looked to regain the title. He dominated early striking with eye gouges, face rakes, and multiple knee drops. Gotch struck back with the Iowa Backdrop but Blassie bailed out of the ring where he again regained control. A turning point in the match came when Gotch trapped Blassie in a Scorpion Deathlock (ch) and transitioned into a rolling kneebar for a submission chance. Blassie battled back with a low blow and hit the Southern Neckbreaker but Gotch managed to kick out just before the three count. Blassie argued with the referee about a slow count to no avail and Gotch came back hitting another Iowa Backdrop and locking on a Guillotine Choke for the submission victory. The crowd cheered the victory by Gotch who was successful in his version two defense of the title. An angry Blassie tried to attack the champion post-match but was quickly tossed out of the ring to more cheers from the crowd.

●PWI Editor Bill Apter caught up with Frank Gotch following his successful LOW World Heavyweight title defense against Fred Blassie and the Humboldt, IA, native said that he is ready for any and all challengers. Apter brought up that his next title defense will be against another former champion, Dan “The Beast” Severn, on an AWE card in Chicago, IL (Card #754). Gotch said that he has studied Severn in the past and knows that he brings a great deal of technical skill to the table and that he hopes to match that in Chicago. Apter said he had no doubt that Gotch could match Severn and that it should be an outstanding match. Gotch thanked Apter and said the one thing that he needs to watch out for is that Severn only had a taste of the world heavyweight championship (Card #628-632) winning it from Blassie and losing it to Ted Dibiase in his first title defense. He said that hunger to regain the gold will drive Severn and that he will need everything he has to survive the challenge to his title.

[Crimson Cross]

Wow! Volkoff over Atlas is a decent upset and it's always good seeing Frank Gotch winning and retaining the Gold...

[bookerbill]

For me the Atlas card has been mid card at best so I am not surprised that Volkoff took the win. Van Dam & Sabu get denied a the gold. We need a rematch. Texas Tornado perhaps. Like Gotch retaining the gold with a strong win and his bout against The Beast should be interesting. Chicago is a perfect location for the match and the crowd should be hot. Brazil Kowalski was great. They have always had classic battles for me including the finals of my first 64 tournament. More great action in the fed. Counting down to cards until Japan.

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and Bookerbill. Thus far Tony Atlas has been a disappointment losing his big matches to Chris Hero and Nikolai Volkoff. I'm hoping he can rebound and have some success. Next up is a card from the SWA featuring a huge main event...

LOW Southern Wrestling Alliance - Norfolk Scope - Norfolk, VA (Card #753)

1) Bobby Shane defeated Chief Omega by Count Out:
The popular Chief Omega of All-Star Wrestling took on the self professed “King of Wrestling” Bobby Shane who was accompanied by “Elegant” Eddie Fyne. Omega has been known to pull off some nice upsets but could not get it going here. Shane took control quickly and nailed Omega with a loaded knee smash to the head sending him crashing out of the ring. Fyne taunted the fallen Omega at ringside and he was unable to get back into the ring giving Shane the victory by count out.

2) Tracy Smothers vs. Genghis Khan was a Draw:
A hard hitting bout saw the “Wild Eyed Southern Boy” Tracy Smothers going against House of Humperdink member Genghis Khan. Sir Oliver Humperdink was in the corner of Khan who looked dominant in the early going. He assaulted Smothers with chops and kicks before hitting the Twin Thrust for a big near fall. Smothers was able to battle back using his quickness and caught Khan with a counter roll-up out of the corner and his trademark Jawjacker for big near falls. The two kept trading blows as time ran out and the match was ruled a draw.

3) Austin Aries & J.D. Michaels defeated Mike Graham & Brian Blair:
Exciting tag team action saw the popular Florida based duo of Mike Graham & Brian Blair take on “A Double” Austin Aries & J.D. Michaels. Graham was coming off a singles loss to Michaels and was hoping to avenge that in this bout. Both teams looked solid in this one which ended when Aries got the better of Graham and caught him with a running corner dropkick before trapping him in the Last Chancery. Graham tried to fight out of it but Aries cinched it on throwing in some knees for good measure. Michaels then cut off an interfering Blair and Graham was forced to concede giving Aries the victory via submission.

4) Angelo Mosca defeated One Man Gang by DQ:
A battle of the titans saw 319-pound Angelo “King Kong” Mosca against the 495-pound One Man Gang out of the House of Humperdink. Mosca came into this one fully prepared as he took the battle to OMG. He had the big man reeling early and often including flooring him with the football tackle. Sir Oliver Humperdink got into the ear of OMG helping him mount an offensive which included the big right hand and scoop bodyslam. Mosca was nearly disqualified at one point as he assaulted OMG on the floor. He then scored a near fall with the Big Nasty Elbow Drop and locked on the Sleeper Hold but Humperdink distracted the referee. Mosca continued to mount an offensive until Genghis Khan ran in to interfere resulting in the disqualification decision.

5) Buddy Rogers defeated Bob Roop by DQ:
A highly anticipated bout saw Bob Roop battle the “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers who was accompanied by his manager “Elegant” Eddie Fyne. Rogers has been on quite a roll since returning to the SWA and he was looking to add Roop to his list of victims. Control switched early before Rogers was able to nail Roop with a barrage of dropkicks setting up the Figure Four Grapevine. The patented submission hold has brought the former LOW World Heavyweight champion plenty of victories but on this occasion Roop drew from a supportive crowd and reversed out of the hold. Fyne looked on in shock at ringside as Roop fought back and used a reverse stepover toehold on Rogers for a submission chance. Roop would get a little too aggressive, however, and he battered Rogers on the ring apron before accidentally hitting the referee with an elbow to the face. That resulted in Roop being disqualified and the “Nature Boy” escaping with a technical victory.

6) LOW Tex-Arkana Television title: Ed Lewis© defeated Don Muraco to retain the title:
Ed “Strangler” Lewis returned to his home base of the SWA to make his version seven defense of the LOW Tex-Arkana Television title against a potent challenger in “The Magnificent” Don Muraco. It was Muraco on the offensive early as he punished Lewis using the slingshot choke and the Asiatic Spike. He was trying to set him up for the Hawaiian Hammer but Lewis began mounting a counter attack. He twice caught him in the Strangler’s Headlock but Muraco wad able to get a break in the ropes. A bear hug and leg trip set up another chance at victory for Lewis but then manager Sir Oliver Humperdink made his way out to ringside. Muraco was once a key member of the House of Humperdink but he has long been estranged from the stable. Humperdink tried to offer some assistance but Muraco waved him off. That may have been a mistake as Lewis caught Muraco in the Strangler’s Headlock for a third time resulting in a snake eyes submission victory.

●Sir Oliver Humperdink entered and began yelling at Don Muraco following the match for refusing to take his advice. An angry Muraco vented at his former manager and then shoved him into the corner. He threatened to strike him as the fans urged him to do just that. Before he could deliver Muraco was jumped from behind by Kevin Sullivan. The madman from Boston, MA, came to the rescue of his manager and assaulted Muraco even busting him open using the deadly railroad spike. LOW officials ran down to the ring to break it up with both Humperdink and Sullivan bailing out. When the bloody Muraco recovered he angrily grabbed the mic and dared Sullivan to face him one-on-one on the next SWA card in Lexington, KY (Card #765) a challenge which was later accepted.

7) Midnight Express defeated Lou Thesz & Tommy Rich:
These two teams have been having quite the rivalry which has been overshadowed by the inner turmoil surrounding the Midnight Express (“Loverboy” Dennis Condrey & “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton) and their manager Jim Cornette. The heat revolves around Condrey as Cornette has been riding him for being a key factor in several high profile losses for the three-time LOW World tag team champions. Lou Thesz and his protégé, “Wildfire” Tommy Rich, have really been a thorn in the side of Cornette and his men and that continued here. The two focused much of their attack on Condrey and nearly had him beat several times save for timely interference by Cornette and Eaton. That included after Thesz had Condrey down for what looked to be a sure pin with the Greco-Roman Backdrop. The finish of a wild bout saw Cornette again getting involved as he hit Thesz over the back of the head with his Tennis Racquet resulting in Eaton covering him for the pin. It was a shocking conclusion and Thesz was none too happy afterward as Condrey, Eaton, and in particular Cornette gloated over their victory.

8) Randy Savage defeated Magnum T.A.:
A huge main event and a first ever meeting saw former LOW World Heavyweight champion Magnum T.A. lock horns with freelance star Randy “Macho Man” Savage. It was a big homecoming for Magnum who hails from Chesapeake, VA, and he was hoping to regain some momentum and head towards a rematch with reigning LOW World Heavyweight champion Frank Gotch. He looked great early as he utilized both the sleeper hold and abdominal stretch keeping Savage on the defensive. Savage battled back and connected with a big knee drop for a near fall. He also caught Magnum with a running knee to the back and vaulting neck snap. The momentum went back and forth before Savage dropped Magnum with a clothesline off the ropes and delivered his trademark Flying Elbowdrop. He went for the pin but somehow it was Magnum kicking out just before the three count. Savage was stunned as the crowd cheered the resilience of Magnum. The “Macho Man” went up top again but was caught by Magnum bringing on a struggle. Savage won out and knocked Magnum out of the ring where he connected with the Flying Axe Handle. That blow to the head really shook up Magnum and Savage quickly rolled him back inside and covered him to score the pin. The crowd had mixed reactions over the outcome but then began cheering as the two men shook hands and hugged in a show of mutual respect.

[cruefan68]

LOW American Wrestling Enterprise - International Amphitheater - Chicago, IL (Card #754)

1) Erick Stevens defeated Chris Candido:
A hard hitting opening match saw Erick Stevens take on the “Suicide Blonde” Chris Candido who was accompanied by Sunny. Stevens was in control early drawing some outbursts from Sunny putting even more pressure on Candido. He managed to bounce back and make like Harley Race delivering a series of diving headbutts. He also scored near falls with a vertical suplex and a powerslam. Stevens held his own and struck back with a single leg lift into a lariat followed up by a Samoan Drop to score the pin.

●An angry Sunny left ringside after the three count prompting an outburst from Candido. He grabbed the mic and said that he was sick and tired of her constant whining and complaining about his alleged “lack of success”. He then said that they were done and that she was fired as his manager drawing cheers from the crowd. Candido continued his rant and said that he quit the AWE drawing even more cheers from the crowd who serenaded him with chants of “na na na na, hey hey goodbye” causing the frustrated star to storm off to the back. PWI Editor Bill Apter tried to get word from Sunny but she quickly left the arena. He did catch up with Candido and he said that he is going to explore his options and first off he will be competing as a free agent on the next edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling (Card #761 in Memphis, TN).

2) Butcher Vachon defeated S.D. Jones:
The popular S.D. Jones of All-Star Wrestling took on Butcher Vachon who had manager Jimmy Hart in his corner. Jones was on fire early even countering a top rope attack by Vachon with a superplex. Vachon battled back aggressively and wore Jones down with a backbreaker setting up a near fall. He then cut off a comeback by Jones and bit him before executing a surprise Roll-Up to score a snake eyes pin.

3) Larry Zbyszko & John Pesek defeated Midnight Rockers:
This heated tag team rivalry took center stage as the Midnight Rockers (Stan Lane & Marty Jannetty) battled Larry Zbyszko & John Pesek. It was fought tooth and nail from the opening bell with both teams coming very close to victory. A wild moment in the early going saw Lane and Jannetty combine on the Rocket Launcher on Pesek for what looked to be a sure pin but Zbyszko interfered. He broke it up and dropped an elbow on Jannetty rolling Pesek on top for another near fall. Later in the bout it was Jannetty with a defensive counter off the ropes followed by the Rocker Dropper on Pesek but Zbyszko made the save. A controversial spot saw Zbyszko hit Jannetty with a chair on the outside, which was not seen by the referee, and he followed with a diving bodypress off the top rope for a big near fall. The finish of the wild bout saw Pesek neutralize Jannetty with the Tiger Man Toehold before nailing him with a Fireman’s Carry Slam to score the pin.

4) Hacksaw Jim Duggan defeated Mad Dog Vachon by DQ:
Two of the toughest brawlers in LOW collided as Hacksaw Jim Duggan took on First Family member Mad Dog Vachon who had manager Jimmy Hart in his corner. It was a brawl from the start as Vachon attempted to attack Duggan on the floor as he made his way to the ring. Duggan turned the tables and dominated early including hitting the Flying Spear but Hart distracted the referee preventing a pin. Vachon battled back and caught Duggan with the Piledriver but he kicked out at the count of two. The two battled out to the floor several times and that is where this one ended as Vachon was disqualified for hitting Duggan with a chair. Duggan recovered and went after both Vachon and Hart with his 2x4 but they escaped to the back.

5) Apter’s Corner with Bobby Heenan:
PWI Editor Bill Apter welcomed returning AWE manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan as his special guest on this live edition of Apter’s Corner. Heenan talked about rebuilding his First Family with Angelo Poffo and that now he has added two more members, calling them the greatest tag team in LOW history. Apter pressed him for more information before Heenan revealed that the new team under his management is the Valiant Brothers (Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant & Luscious Johnny Valiant). The crowd jeered that announcement and Heenan boasted that he has already secured a championship match for them as they will challenge for the LOW World tag team titles on the next AWE card in Dayton, OH (Card #766). He then began talking about the Blue Meanie boasting about how he and Poffo put him on the shelf and that as a result Apter and his “rag” of a magazine named him the most hated man in LOW. He began berating Apter before saying that he will “lead by example” for his men on the card in Dayton by getting into the ring himself and beating the Blue Meanie if he “has the guts” to show up. Apter questioned that decision and Heenan threatened him before none other than the Blue Meanie hit the ring chasing “The Brain” to the outside. Meanie danced around and grabbed the mic telling Heenan that he is cleared to return from his injury and that revenge will be served in Dayton drawing a big cheer from the crowd.

6) Road Warriors defeated Big John Studd & Rick Rude:
It was a big homecoming for seven-time LOW World tag team champions the Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) in their hometown of Chicago as they took on another freelance team in Big John Studd & “Ravishing” Rick Rude. With manager Paul Ellering in their corner, the Road Warriors were looking to pick up a big win over a team that has given them some trouble in recent weeks. It was all Studd and Rude early as they got the heat on Animal for an extended stretch. That included Studd with a double arm suplex and Rude with the Rude Awakening for big near falls. Hawk tagged in and exploded with his power based offense lifting Studd for an impressive gut wrench suplex. He also blasted Rude with a running clothesline on the floor nearly resulting in a count out victory. This one came to an end when Animal recovered from the earlier beating and caught Rude with the Powerslam to score the pin.

7) Bruiser Brody defeated King Kong Bundy:
This return grudge match saw freelance star Bruiser Brody take on First Family member King Kong Bundy with manager Jimmy Hart in his corner. Bundy made a big statement on the last AWE card by beating Brody in their match and then injuring John Tolos, one-half of the reigning LOW World tag team champions. Brody was out for some revenge and the two titans traded blows back and forth from the opening bell. Bundy scored a two count early with a splash on Brody after avoiding a corner charge. Brody bounced back connecting with a big boot to the face and a big one hand bodyslam on the 446-pounder out of Atlantic City, NJ. Hart was going crazy at ringside fearing that his man was in danger. Bundy started a late rally but Brody cut that off delivering a piledriver followed by the Jumping Knee Drop for the pin.

8) LOW World Heavyweight title: Frank Gotch© defeated Dan Severn to retain the title:
The main event saw Frank Gotch defending the LOW World Heavyweight title against former champion Dan “The Beast” Severn. It was an epic battle but the finish came with an unexpected bit of controversy. Both men shook hands at the bell and set off on a great exchange of holds and counters. Gotch at one point countered a jump off the middle rope (ch) by Severn with an Iowa Backdrop and then locked on a guillotine choke for a submission chance. Severn battled back connecting with the fireman’s carry slam and twice locked on the Wakigatame but Gotch was able to get to the ropes for a break. Gotch caught Severn with a rolling kneebar and locked on a crossface and armbar for a submission chance of his own. The crowd was at a fever pitch late in the bout as Severn mounted a big offensive and trapped Gotch in a choke sleeper. It looked like it could be the end for Gotch but then suddenly “Superstar” Bill Dundee showed up at ringside and distracted the referee. A frustrated Severn released the hold and went after Dundee but the Australian star waved at him and left ringside. Severn seemed to lose his train of thought after that and Gotch countered with a nice backdrop off the ropes and slapped on the Gotch Toehold resulting in a submission victory. It was a successful version three defense of the championship for Gotch but the unwelcome interference of Dundee made it a somewhat tainted victory.

●The controversy in the main event saw local reporters trying to corral “Superstar” Bill Dundee for interviews but he had little to say as he left the arena. He did stop to say that his actions were due to guys like Dan Severn getting shot after shot while he was kept on the outside. He said that from this day forward he will be the one to get those opportunities and that if Severn has a problem with that he will see him on the next AWE card in Dayton, OH (Card #766). When word got back to Severn he said he would be more than happy to put Dundee in his place and that when he finishes him off he will get back on track for another world title shot. Gotch also spoke with the reporters and said that he is leaving for a European vacation but he looks forward to his next title defense which is scheduled to be against The Sheik, the reigning LOW International Heavyweight champion, at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Card #767).

[Crimson Cross]

I liked the victories by Erick Stevens, Butcher Vachon respectively and Frank Gotch retaining is great stuff...

[cruefan68]

LOW Pacific Coast Wrestling - Seattle Center Arena - Seattle, WA (Card #755)

1) Lanny Poffo defeated P.N. News:
A surprise finish in the opening match came as “The Genius” Lanny Poffo of All-Star Wrestling defeated P.N. News. Poffo received an outside assist from Fritz Von Goering who distracted the referee. That allowed Poffo to hit News with the metal scroll and follow up with the Honor Roll, a senton bomb, to score the pin.

●News was furious post-match as the “Rapmaster” is still winless in PCW having lost via disqualification to Von Goering on the debut show. He grabbed the mic and challenged Von Goering and Poffo to team up against him and a mystery partner on the next edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling (Card #761 in Memphis, TN). Von Goering said that he doesn’t need a tag team partner but agreed to it saying that Poffo had already proved that he could beat News and they will do the same on ASW.

2) Love Brothers defeated Danny Doring & Amish Roadkill:
Danny Doring & Amish Roadkill of ASW are not used to being cheered but they were the fan favorites here as they took on the Love Brothers (Reginald & Hartford Love). This one was all action with Doring & Roadkill coming close to victory several times. They combined on the Buggy Bang laying out Hartford but Reginald was able to make the save. Later it was Roadkill getting a near fall on Reginald after a missed corner charge. The Love Brothers fought back using their vast array of double-team moves and did a great job of keeping both opponents in for extended stretches. This one ended when they caught Doring with the Double Slam allowing Hartford to score the pin as Reginald prevented Roadkill from making the save.

3) Ray Stevens defeated Dewey Robertson:
This was a rematch from the debut show for PCW where Dewey Robertson scored an upset win over Ray “The Crippler” Stevens. The popular Robertson had things going his way again until Stevens countered a backdrop attempt connecting with a brutal piledriver. He then delivered the Bombs Away for a big near fall. Robertson showed great resiliency kicking out of that but Stevens would come back hitting the Bombs Away for a second time to score the pin.

4) Bryan Danielson defeated Tom Prichard by DQ:
The crowd was on fire for this one as the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson, a native of Aberdeen, WA, entered to a hero’s welcome taking on Tom Prichard. The former “Rat Pack” Leader in the SWA had a tough time with Danielson in this one. Danielson displayed his explosive offense connecting with roundhouse kicks, the missile dropkick, and even a back superplex off of the top rope. Prichard bailed to the outside and took over on offense attacking Danielson on the floor. He refused to listen to the referee and wound up striking Danielson with a pair of brass knuckles resulting in the disqualification decision.

5) Red Bastien & Billy Red Lyons defeated Brian Kendrick & Doug Gilbert:
A grudge tag team match saw Brian Kendrick & Doug Gilbert teaming for the first time to take on the well established “Flying Redheads” combination of Red Bastien & Billy Red Lyons who are part of Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe was in the corner for his men and would play a pivotal role in the outcome of this one. Kendrick, a native of Olympia, WA, also received a great welcome on his way to the ring. He and Gilbert were looking to avenge their respective singles losses to Bastien and Lyons on the debut card for PCW. They looked great earlier scoring near falls on Bastien with Sliced Bread #2 by Kendrick and a DDT by Gilbert. Lyons turned the momentum around blasting Gilbert with rapid fire dropkicks and he and Bastien would get the heat on him for an extended stretch. The turning point came when Gilbert had Lyons pinned after a reverse STO and enzuigiri performed with Kendrick but Sharpe distracted the referee. A short time later Sharpe hit Gilbert in the leg with a chair while he battled Lyons on the floor. Lyons took advantage of that and would trap Gilbert in the Figure Four Leglock for the submission victory.

6) The Grappler defeated Roddy Piper:
An all out war is the only way to describe this one as the popular “Rowdy” Roddy Piper took on The Grappler with both men looking to pick up a big win. The masked man dominated early with a barrage of hammerlock slams and an elbow smash for a near fall. Piper fought back and managed to lock on the Sleeper Hold but it was broken up in the ropes. The two then fought to the outside several times using chairs and other objects but the referee waived it off allowing them to fight. Piper got the upper hand and scored near falls with a bulldog and a swinging neckbreaker. He appeared to have things going his way when The Grappler caught him with a legdrop and then turned away from the referee before blasting Piper with his controversial Loaded Boot to score the pin. The crowd jeered the decision but then cheered as an angry Piper recovered and hammered away on The Grappler sending him out of the ring.

7) LOW International Heavyweight title: Don Leo Jonathan vs. The Sheik© was a DDQ:
Coming off of a huge victory over Mil Mascaras on the PCW debut show, the “Mormon Giant” Don Leo Jonathan was hoping to strike gold as he took on The Sheik for the LOW International Heavyweight title. Jonathan looked great early as he used his size and speed to control the pace. Abdullah Farouk, the manager of The Sheik, looked on concerned from ringside. Jonathan scored a two count with a rolling back splash before The Sheik struck back stabbing at his forehead with a sharp object. It appeared to be his trademark taped pencil and the weapon was able to bust Jonathan open. The Sheik then locked on the Camel Clutch but Jonathan hung in there and was able to power out of the hold. The crowd rallied behind Jonathan who fought back and executed the Mormon Swing for what looked to be a sure pin. Farouk was able to prevent that, though, as he got up on the ring apron and distracted the referee. A short time later the two fought out to the floor where they traded blows back and forth while ignoring the referee and that resulted in the double disqualification decision. The Sheik was successful in his version six defense of the title but Jonathan came very close to ending his fourth reign as champion.

8) Steel Cage Match: Konnan & Playboy Buddy Rose defeated Larry & Curt Hennig:
A highly anticipated and emotional main event saw the father-and-son team of Larry & Curt Hennig take on Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. members Konnan & Playboy Buddy Rose in a Steel Cage Match. PCW officials made sure that there would be no outside interference in this one as “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe, Red Bastien, and Billy Red Lyons were all barred from ringside. There was talk of potential interference by another SSA, Inc. member, Sherri Martel, the girlfriend of Rose, but she has been suspended indefinitely due to her recent actions in SHIMMER. The rules for the match stipulated that the decision would be rendered by pinfall or submission so the escape the cage rule was waived for the match. It was also conducted under tag team rules with the inactive member on the ring apron waiting for a tag.

The building was at a fever pitch as Larry Hennig, nicknamed “The Axe”, went toe-to-toe with Konnan at the opening bell. Both men looked to gain the upper hand and it was Konnan who scored with a sit out facebuster. Rose tagged in and nailed Hennig with a foreign object, which appeared to be brass knuckles, resulting in a two count. Larry was in a heap of trouble until he caught Rose with a double forearm hammer and made the tag. Curt exploded into action hitting such moves as the rolling neck snap and even The Axe, the move perfected by his father. He then scored a near fall on Konnan after hitting a running knee lift. The bitter battle heated up when Larry was busted open after a run into the cage by Konnan. Rose would follow with the Bombs Away on Larry for a big near fall with Curt making the save. The blood loss that Larry suffered would impact the outcome of the match as Konnan trapped him in the Tequila Sunrise. Curt tried to make the save but was cut off by Rose and tied up in the ropes. Larry refused to tap out as Konnan cinched the hold on showing no mercy. The referee then made the call as Larry passed out from the combination of the blood loss and the powerful hold giving the SSA, Inc. team a huge victory via submission. The crowd jeered the decision as Konnan and Rose left the cage while Curt attended to his father. They then cheered as Larry refused help and got back up to his feet pounding the cage wall in disgust over losing to Konnan and Rose.

[Crimson Cross]

Great action out of your PCW and knowing he lost to The Genius, it was cool seeing Fritz Von Goering costing PN News the match. The Grappler over Piper is wild stuff and the tandem of Konnan & Buddy Rose over the Hennigs was fun stuff...

[bookerbill]

Jonathan needs a rematch for sure. The return bout would be money. Gotch was no stranger to controversy in real life so it is always fun to bring some of that element to his game card.

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and Bookerbill, I am really enjoying the PCW territory. The Grappler over Roddy Piper was a big upset and as for Don Leo Jonathan he is in line for a title rematch. Next up is action from the GWA with a history making main event...

LOW Global Wrestling Association - AWD Hall - Hannover, Germany (Card #756)

1) 2 Cold Scorpio defeated Matt Striker:
The popular 2 Cold Scorpio out of Celebration, FL, was on fire in this one as he took on Matt Striker of All-Star Wrestling. Scorpio took control early and never let go including hitting a moonsault. Striker tried to catch him up top but Scorpio shoved him off and hit The Diss That Don’t Miss to score the pin.

2) Dan Spivey defeated Jim Powers:
Jim Powers of All-Star Wrestling faced down a tough challenge in the form of “Dangerous” Dan Spivey in this match. Spivey used his size and power to dominate, including scoring near falls with the clothesline and big boot to the face. Powers battled back, even picking up a two-count with a roll-up on a missed corner charge, but was unable to put up a sustained offensive. The 6’7” and 310-pound Spivey roughed him up on the outside before delivering a Sidewalk Slam to score the pin.

3) Johnny Saint defeated Val Venis:
Former LOW Junior Heavyweight champion Johnny Saint out of Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England, faced the “Big Valbowski” Val Venis of Las Vegas, NV, in a great bout. Both men were primed and ready from the opening bell and had some nice exchanges. Venis took over on offense hitting the spinebuster and the double underhook suplex. Saint scored with The Russ Abbot, a rolling reverse cradle variation, and elevated surfboard. He also locked on the Three In One, the Octopus Hold, but Venis was able to grab the ropes for a break. The finish was great with Venis attempting the reverse figure four but Saint escaped and went into turtle up mode that led to him catching Venis in the Johnny Saint Special, a roll-up from a balled up position, to score the pin.

4) Hell’s Angels defeated Steve Williams & Terry Gordy by DQ:
Steve “Dr. Death” Williams & Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy took on the Hell’s Angels (Exotic Adrian Street & Nigel McGuinness, accompanied by Miss Linda) in a battle of rival tag teams. Both teams are looking for a shot at the LOW World tag team titles but some past bad blood was renewed here putting that goal temporarily on hold. Last year it was Gordy and Williams over the Hell’s Angels in a brutal Double Dog Collar Match (Card #655 in Brussels, Belgium) and the Angels have been looking for revenge ever since. They almost got it early as both Street and McGuinness executed their finishers, the Crucifix and the Jawbreaker Lariat respectively, for near falls. Miss Linda got involved as she distracted the referee when Williams later had McGuinness pinned with the Oklahoma Stampede. Gordy was particularly aggressive in this one taking the battle to the floor several times. It would be on the outside where this one was decided as Gordy struck the referee who was attempting to stop his chair attack on Street. That led to the snake eyes disqualification decision and led to a big post-match brawl as well. Both teams fought all over ringside as LOW officials ran out to break it up.

●Following the wild tag team battle between Steve Williams & Terry Gordy and the Hell’s Angels it was announced that the two teams would meet in a rematch on the next GWA card at the 02 World Arena in Berlin, Germany (Card #773) with a special stipulation. The match will be a Steel Cage Match, with pinfall and submission rules, and the loser of the fall will have to leave the GWA. That means that one of the two teams will be forced to disband and the losing team member will become a free agent in LOW. Street issued a statement on behalf of the Hell’s Angels saying that they will take “great pleasure” in sending either Gordy or Williams packing and that he will personally see to it that the man remaining becomes his personal “whipping boy” in the GWA. When word got back to Williams he called the flamboyant Street a “twisted freak” and said he hopes that McGuinness is the one to go because Street will have no one to hide behind when the “Miracle Violence Connection” come after him. He said that Street will rue the day that he and McGuinness decided to get on the bad side of the MVC. Gordy, pacing behind Williams and pounding on a nearby locker, yelled out that Street is a “dead man” when they meet inside the steel cage in Berlin.

5) Andre the Giant & The French Angel defeated Ivan Koloff & Giant Bernard:
One of the more popular and unique tag team combinations in LOW is that of Andre the Giant & The French Angel, both natives of France, and here they took on the rugged team of the “Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff & Giant Bernard. The undefeated Andre, known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, works on a freelance contract in LOW so he and the Angel have only teamed a few times but they have shown that they are certainly a team to be feared. Koloff and Bernard showed what they are made of in this one, though, as they took Andre and the Angel to the limit. Both Koloff and the Angel were busted open during this one. Koloff nearly pulled off a huge upset when he trapped Andre in the Russian Bearhug going for the submission. The Angel took a strong beating at the hands of both Koloff and Bernard in the latter part of the match. He managed to survive, even kicking out of the Bernard Driver, and would make the big tag. Andre let loose on both men and would finish off Koloff with a turnbuckle squash before trapping him in a Bearhug that resulted in a submission victory.

6) LOW Junior Heavyweight title: Tiger Mask© vs. Danny Hodge was a DDQ:
The LOW Junior Heavyweight title was on the line as Tiger Mask, a six-time champion, defended the belt against three-time former champion Danny Hodge. It was Hodge who lost the belt to Tiger earlier this year at the Tokyo Dome (Card #701) and the Perry, OK, native was hoping to regain the gold. The two had some excellent technical exchanges early before Hodge took over on offense. He stretched out Tiger with a variety of submission holds, including the Indian Deathlock, attempting to neutralize his speed. Tiger bounced back and would hit one of his breathtaking trademark moves, the Space Flying Tiger Drop, after sending Hodge to the outside. He then followed with a Tombstone Piledriver and the twisting moonsault for a big near fall. Hodge then trapped Tiger in a sleeper hold going for the submission but the champion was able to escape. This one would end up back out on the floor where the two traded blows back and forth. Tiger delivered his blistering kicks and Hodge used his vice like hands to strike back. The referee was unable to restore order and he called for the bell ruling the match a double disqualification. The decision meant that Tiger Mask had retained the title and as a result he set a new record for the junior heavyweight title with his version eight defense of the belt.

7) Jim Londos defeated Ted Dibiase by DQ:
The popular Jim Londos out of Argos, Greece, squared off against key rival the “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase in this grudge match. Dibiase, a former two-time holder of the LOW World Heavyweight title, was accompanied to the ring by his intimidating seven-foot bodyguard Kurrgan. Dibiase dominated early and nearly scored the submission victory with both the Million Dollar Sleeper and the figure four leglock. Londos battled back hard and caught Dibiase in the Boston Crab but he was able to get to the ropes for a break. Londos went on a nice offensive tying up Dibiase with the grinding arm bar, short arm scissors, and Sleeper Grip. Dibiase looked to be in a bad way until he got the upper hand during a battle on the outside. Dibiase rattled Londos with a big powerslam and followed with a backward elbow off the ropes for a near fall. It was looking bad for Londos until he bounced back and caught Dibiase in the Airplane Spin for what looked to be a sure pin. Kurrgan interfered, however, and dropped Londos with the Paralyzer resulting in the disqualification decision. Dibiase and Kurrgan attacked Londos following the match until LOW officials were able to clear the ring.

●Jim Londos met with local reporters following his disqualification win over the “Million $ Man” Ted Dibiase and said that he was “fed up” with the interference by Kurrgan in his matches with Dibiase. He challenged Dibiase to a rematch on the next GWA card in Berlin, Germany (Card #773) and said that he will be bringing his own equalizer to ringside in the form of the “Eight Wonder of the World” Andre the Giant! When word got back to Dibiase he was none too pleased with that news and said that he will make sure that Kurrgan is ready to “beat the ugly” out of Andre. He vowed to put Londos away for good and said that Kurrgan will then take out Andre and put an end to his undefeated record in LOW.

8) LOW World tag team titles: Fabulous Kangaroos defeated John & Chris Tolos to win the titles:
The main event saw a changing of the guard as the Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan, with manager Wild Red Berry) became two-time LOW World tag team champions by defeating the Hamilton Wrecking Crew of John & Chris Tolos. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Tolos Brothers as John was back in action for the first time since suffering broken ribs at the hands of King Kong Bundy in a post-match attack on a recent AWE card in LaCrosse, WI (Card #744). He perhaps returned too soon as he seemed to be favoring the injury during the match. Chris started out for the defending champions and set the pace working over Costello. He set up a Flying Knee Drop from John on Costello that resulted in a big near fall. Heffernan rallied the Kangaroos back into it and scored near falls on Chris with the Kangaroo Kick and the Crocodile Smash. Berry also got involved tripping up the injured John at one point during the contest. John took out some revenge on Costello and Heffernan using punishing moves like the corkscrew and backbreaker. Things heated up towards the finish which saw Costello have Chris pinned on a roll-up out of the corner but John broke it up. Costello countered that, however, and sent John out of the ring. Moments later it was the Kangaroos executing the Boomerang on Chris with Heffernan covering him to score the pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as new champions were crowned in the Fabulous Kangaroos who were joined by Berry in the title celebration.

●The Hamilton Wrecking Crew of John & Chris Tolos were disappointed over losing the LOW World tag team titles to the Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan) but had a message for local reporters post-match. John said that King Kong Bundy made a huge mistake in injuring him and if it was the last thing he does he will take out the “fat man” and pay him back. He said that the AWE has a card upcoming in Dayton, OH (Card #766) and that if Bundy has the guts he will meet him in the ring that night. Chris said that he is confident that his brother can take out Bundy and then the two will refocus on regaining the LOW World tag team titles. As for the new champions, their manager Wild Red Berry said that it had been one year since they lost the belts to the Road Warriors (Card #652 in New York, NY) and that it was great to be back on top. He vowed that his men would be fighting champions as they were in their first run as champions which included twelve successful title defenses. Their first title defense this time around will be on that same AWE card in Dayton, OH, as they face the Valiant Brothers (Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant & Luscious Johnny Valiant) who are now being managed by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.