LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[bookerbill]

Entertaining mix on that last card. Must have been a blast to roll out. Your use of Dillion is excellent. It is great that you have him strategizing with his charges before the bell and being vocal during the matches. Classic stuff Crue.

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Pariah, Crimson and Bookerbill. The SWA usually provides some wild southern wrestling action and I'm glad you guys enjoyed the card. I am having a blast using J.J. Dillon and the angle to have him take over Eddie Fyne's stable is one I was very happy with. Next up is action from the AWE...

LOW American Wrestling Enterprise - Conseco Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN (Card #866)

1) PG-13 defeated Jim Brunzell & Mikey Whipwreck:
The first time pairing of Jumpin’ Jim Brunzell & Mikey Whipwreck took on the more experienced team of PG-13 (J.C. Ice & Wolfie D) in a solid opening match. The early action saw Brunzell continually frustrate Ice including trapping him in the figure four leglock for a submission chance. Wolfie D helped reverse the momentum in the favor of PG-13 and they keyed in on Whipwreck. The turning point in the match came when Ice hit Whipwreck with the hubcap for a near fall. Brunzell made the save there but was unable to when PG-13 subsequently hit the Tilt-A-Whirl on Whipwreck with Ice covering him for the pin.

2) Adam Pearce defeated Erick Stevens:
The second bout saw Erick Stevens, a protégé of Dan “The Beast” Severn, in action against “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce. Stevens was on fire early catching Pearce with the “Choo Choo!” corner splash and Sarasota Screwdriver. Pearce weathered the storm and connected with a superfly splash scoring a two count. Stevens battled back hard but Pearce cut him off with a backdrop counter and then hit the devastating Jumping Piledriver to score the pin. It was an impressive win for Pearce who was seen talking with an IWA talent scout on the way back to the locker room.

3) Valiant Brothers defeated Blue World Order:
This highly anticipated rematch saw the Blue World Order (Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie) take on former LOW World tag team champions the Valiant Brothers (Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant & Luscious Johnny Valiant) who were accompanied by manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. The two teams met on an AWE card in Milwaukee, WI (Card #837) with the Valiant Brothers picking up a win despite a solid effort by the bWo. Richards and the Meanie, who have already gained a cult following in LOW, were looking to avenge that defeat here. They had success early especially with Richards using both the sitout facebuster and Rat Trap. Johnny reversed the momentum and caught the Meanie with the Spinning Neckbreaker for a two count. Jimmy joined in and the Valiant Brothers kept the heat on the Meanie for an extended stretch. The bWo were never able to regain the offensive and it was Jimmy putting the Meanie out via submission with the Sleeper Hold for the win.

4) Hacksaw Jim Duggan defeated Bill Dundee:
Former LOW Tex-Arkana Television champion Hacksaw Jim Duggan tangled with First Family member “Superstar” Bill Dundee who was accompanied by manager Jimmy Hart. These two met during Duggan’s title reign and fought to a double disqualification so there was already some tension going in. Dundee was impressive in the early going tying Duggan up with the Boston Crab and delivering a big splash. A missed dive off of the turnbuckle by Dundee saw Duggan roll him up for a count of two. Duggan then connected with his trademark Flying Spear and covered Dundee for the pin as a frantic Hart failed to distract the referee. Duggan celebrated his win by grabbing his 2x4 and going after both Dundee and Hart but he was then blindsided by his old rival King Kong Bundy, the 446-pounder out of Atlantic City, NJ. Dundee joined in on the attack and held Duggan down by the legs as Bundy delivered several splashes. Hart jumped up and down celebrating the actions of his men before all three left the ring as The Crusher ran in. Paramedics followed and helped carry Duggan out on a stretcher while The Crusher grabbed the mic and said Bundy would pay in their match later on. Duggan was diagnosed with trauma to his ribs and he will be out of action indefinitely.

5) Rick Rude defeated Yukon Eric:
The popular Yukon Eric out of Fairbanks, AK, met an equally tough foe in the form of “Ravishing” Rick Rude who was accompanied by manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Eric tossed Rude around like a rag doll in the early going including flattening him with the running tackle. Rude gained control and struck with a piledriver followed by the Rude Awakening but somehow Eric kicked out just before the three count. Heenan argued with the referee about a slow count as Rude pressed on and hit a swinging neckbreaker and top rope kneedrop for more near falls. Eric battled back and scored a big near fall on Rude after a bodyblock into the turnbuckle which left Heenan in a frenzied state. The finish saw Eric going for a bodyslam but Rude countered out of that with a Suplex and rolled over scoring the pin as Heenan held down the foot of Eric from the outside. It was a controversial win for Rude who continues climbing to the top of the rankings in the AWE.

6) Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon defeated Midnight Rockers:
The Midnight Rockers (Stan Lane & Marty Jannetty) failed in a recent bid to win the LOW World tag team titles so they were looking to get back on the winning track as they faced the formidable team of Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon. Jimmy Hart surprisingly was not at ringside with Mad Dog and Butcher presumably because of the upcoming match involving his other charge King Kong Bundy. The Rockers are known for their quick speed and teamwork and that was on display early as Lane hit the enzuigiri on Mad Dog for a two count. A tag to Jannetty saw him blast Mad Dog with a superkick to keep the momentum. Butcher helped turn things around as he assaulted Jannetty with chokes and set up Mad Dog striking with the Mad Dog Pounce. Things started heading into a brawl which is where the Vachon Brothers feel right at home. They picked up the big victory when Mad Dog assaulted Jannetty on the outside and then nailed him with the Piledriver for a snake eyes pin. Lane got into it with Mad Dog post-match and that set off a four-way brawl with LOW officials having to separate the two teams. It was later learned that the Midnight Rockers and Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon will meet in a rematch on the next AWE card in Dayton, OH (Card #876).

7) King Kong Bundy defeated The Crusher:
The Crusher was out to avenge the injured Hacksaw Jim Duggan as he took on King Kong Bundy who was accompanied by manager Jimmy Hart. This wasn’t pretty and featured exchanges of eye gouges, punches and attacks on the outside of the ring. A big moment in the match saw The Crusher blast Bundy with the Crusher Bolo but before he could go for a pin Hart jumped up on the apron and hit him in the head with the megaphone. The Crusher collapsed to the mat and Bundy rolled over on top of him scoring a two count. The Crusher battled back with power forearms before Bundy caught him with a running powerslam. The 446-pounder followed that up with the Avalanche and went for the pin but insisted on a five count allowing The Crusher to kick out at four! Bundy was beside himself as was Hart while the crowd rallied behind The Crusher hoping for an epic comeback. Unfortunately it was not to be as a second Avalanche flattened The Crusher and Bundy fell on top of him this time getting the five count for the pin. A jubilant Hart jumped into the arms of Bundy following the win but he paid a price as The Crusher recovered and hit Bundy with the Crusher Bolo to the back of the head. The resulting blow caused Bundy to fall on top of Hart to big cheers from the crowd. The Crusher may have lost the bout but he got some payback afterward and sent a message that the war is far from over.

8) Randy Savage & Bruiser Brody defeated John & Chris Tolos:
After being attacked by the Hamilton Wrecking Crew (John & Chris Tolos) on the last AWE card, freelance star Randy “Macho Man” Savage returned with his tag team partner Bruiser Brody looking for some revenge. Brody recently suffered a tough loss to Antonio Inoki in a Steel Cage Match on a Kings Road United card in Japan so he came into the match also looking to take out some of his frustration on the opposition. The Tolos Brothers, however, had a surprise in store for Savage and Brody and it came in the form of none other than Heenan Family member Angelo Poffo, the father of the “Macho Man”!

Savage was beside himself as his dad showed up in the corner of the Hamilton Wrecking Crew. He wound up going over to talk to him while the Tolos Brothers jumped Brody. The match was off to a wild start and the “Macho Man” was already psychologically damaged. Brody was on the receiving end of a brutal assault until he was able to recover and take John down with a big clothesline out of the corner. Savage tagged in and exploded on offense until John avoided the rope straddle. That gave the Tolos Brothers an opening and they got the heat on Savage for an extended stretch. Poffo offered encouragement to them as they attacked Savage drawing jeers from the crowd. The turning point in a wild bout came when Brody nailed Chris with a piledriver. He went for the pin but John ran in to break it up. That backfired as Brody grabbed John and tossed him out of the ring right on to Poffo! He then hit the Jumping Knee Drop on Chris to score the pin as Savage glared down at his father.

Brody grabbed his chain post-match and chased after both John and Chris Tolos down the aisle while Savage went after Poffo. He wound up chasing his dad into the ring and the two had an intense stare down. That was broken up when Bobby Heenan showed up backed by “Ravishing” Rick Rude and the Valiant Brothers. Heenan demanded to know what Poffo was doing and then got in the face of Savage. The “Macho Man” was in a bad spot but then Brody raced back down swinging the chain and Heenan and his men, including Poffo, bid a hasty retreat. Savage was beside himself afterward and had to be restrained by Brody from going after the members of the Heenan Family. Most importantly he was left to wonder why his father sided against him in such unexpected fashion. Local reporters tried to catch up with both Savage and Poffo afterward but both men refused to be interviewed.

[Crimson Cross]

I really wanted Erick Steven to win, but seeing the Valiants and Vachons win their respective matches were cool. What a highlight the end of the show was, seeing Savage chase his dad was wild and then add Heenan with Rude to the mix made it even better. I look forward to more of the Savage and Heenan Family storyline, great stuff my friend...

[Pariah]

May 16, 2015 8:37:15 GMT -5 Crimson Cross said:

What a highlight the end of the show was, seeing Savage chase his dad was wild and then add Heenan with Rude to the mix made it even better. I look forward to more of the Savage and Heenan Family storyline, great stuff my friend...

Totally agree! And I've really gotta wonder where Brody will land when all this shakes out...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and Pariah. There is definitely more to come in the Savage-Brody-Poffo-Heenan Family story so stay tuned for that. I hope I don't book myself into a corner but I have a good idea on where I want to go with it so hope it plays out well. Anyway next up is a another history making night of action at MSG, hope you enjoy it...

LOW Northern Wrestling Corporation - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY (Card #867)

1) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Dupae Rupa:
With the recent announcement that Diamond Dallas Page had signed a contract with the IWA there was some question as to how the NWC fans would react to him as he took on “The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa of ASW in the opening match. The capacity crowd responded with a thunderous ovation for the Jersey Shore native who made quick work of Rupa winning via pinfall with the Diamond Cutter. DDP grabbed the mic afterward saying that he will be fulfilling all of his commitments with the NWC before joining the IWA and thanked the fans for all of their support over the years.

2) Greg Valentine defeated Dick Hutton:
Two hardened veterans squared off here as Dick Hutton took on Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. Captain Lou Albano was not in the corner for Valentine due to being occupied later on as in having to potentially get into the ring with Andre the Giant. Valentine was in control early using strikes to keep Hutton on the defensive. Hutton used some counters to get back into it and stunned Valentine with a Cowboy backbreaker. However he made a crucial mistake by charging into the corner and Valentine moved out of the way executing a counter Roll-Up to score the pin.

3) George Steele defeated Ilio DiPaolo:
The popular Ilio DiPaolo out of Abruzzi, Italy, had the crowd solidly behind him as he took on the maniacal George “The Animal” Steele. As manager Fred Blassie argued with the referee, Steele went after ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta prompting DiPaolo to make the save. DiPaolo assaulted Steele in the early going and had things under control. Blassie looked on angrily from ringside as Steele found himself trapped in a bodyscissor. Eventually Steele mounted an attack and after hitting DiPaolo with a foreign object he hoisted him up into the Flying Hammerlock scoring an impressive submission victory. DiPaolo got some revenge post-match as he thwarted another foreign object attack by Steele and used the Airplane Spin to dump him over the top rope causing him to land at the feet of Blassie.

4) Nikolai Volkoff, Iron Sheik, The Sheepherders, & Ken Doane defeated Stars & Stripes and Samoan Island Tribe:
Incredible ten-man tag team action saw Stars & Stripes (The Patriot & Marcus Alexander Bagwell) and the Samoan Island Tribe (Alofa, Samu, & Afa, Jr.) join forces to battle Nikolai Volkoff, Iron Sheik, The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams), and Ken Doane. Fred Blassie accompanied Volkoff and Sheik to ringside but then was ordered to the back by the referee to prevent him from interfering in the multi-man match. The action was pretty intense throughout the bout which featured both sides coming close to victory. The Iron Sheik nearly won it in the early going when he scored a near fall on The Patriot with the loaded boot. The Sheepherders then hit the Double Gutbuster on The Patriot and Doane, the flag bearer for the New Zealand-based tag team, tagged himself in covering the masked man for another near fall. Doane later found himself in a bad way as the SIT worked him over including hitting the double team headbutt. The finish of a wild bout saw Williams score the pin on Samu after he and Miller combined on the Running Knee Smash.

5) LOW Junior Heavyweight title: Danny Hodge© defeated Jerry Lynn to retain the title:
The LOW Junior Heavyweight title was on the line as four-time defending champion Danny Hodge faced Jerry Lynn, a former champion. In fact it was Hodge that ended Lynn’s title reign by beating him for the belt in Manchester, England (Card #505) so there is some championship history between the two. Hodge was in control and nearly won it by submission with a sleeper hold. Lynn bounced back strong connecting with a top rope huracanrana, sunset flip power bomb and a counter cradle hold off of the ropes scoring a two count. The turning point in the match came when Hodge caught Lynn on the top rope and countered with a superplex. He then used the headscissors and another sleeper hold to maintain control. Lynn made a comeback but Hodge countered a bulldog and nailed Lynn with the Standing Dropkick flush on the jaw to score the pin. It was a successful version two defense of the title for Hodge who was cheered by the crowd following his win. Lynn suffered a tough loss but showed great sportsmanship by shaking hands with Hodge to more cheers from the crowd.

6) Apter’s Corner with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox:
This annual favorite edition of Apter’s Corner saw PWI Editor Bill Apter welcome LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox as his special guest. Apter commended Cox on his handling of LOW business and on the formation of the IWA (Independent Wrestling Association) which promises to change the landscape of the business. Cox thanked Apter for his kind words and said that along with input from Cary Silkin of Ring of Honor, Bryce Remsburg of CHIKARA, and Gabe Sapolsky of Evolve the formation of the IWA has been a challenging but rewarding process. He said that he looks forward to the official debut of the IWA under the LOW banner come WrestleCade IX weekend. Apter used that as a way to lead into what everyone was waiting for and that was the official announcement of the location for WrestleCade IX. Cox said that the wait was over and that WrestleCade IX (Card #900) is coming to Sin City in Las Vegas, NV, with an outdoor show at Caesars Palace. The crowd cheered as Cox said that the show would conclude a huge weekend in Las Vegas featuring the 7th annual PWI Invitational Cup Tournament (Card #897 at the Showboat and Card #898 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena) followed by the debut show of the IWA, called Genesis, which will take place at The Orleans (Card #899). In conclusion it was announced that the qualifying round of the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament will open on the next edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling in Memphis, TN (Card #871) with freelance star Bruiser Brody taking on Greg “The Hammer” Valentine of the NWC.

The full lineup of PWI Invitational Cup Tournament qualifying matches were announced as follows:

Bruiser Brody (Freelance) vs. Greg Valentine (Card #871 in Memphis, TN)
Tommy Rich (SWA) vs. Randy Savage (Freelance) (Card #872 in San Jose, CA)
Yukon Eric (AWE) vs. The Mountie (GWA) (Card #873 in Mexico City, Mexico)
Pepper Gomez (PCW) vs. Dutch Savage (PCW) (Card #874 in Baltimore, MD)
Jim Londos (GWA) vs. The Terrible Turk (AWE, replacing the injured Hacksaw Jim Duggan) (Card # 875 in Greenville, SC)
Ivan Koloff (GWA) vs. Killer Kowalski (NWC) (Card #876 in Dayton, OH)
Tony Atlas (NWC) vs. Angelo Mosca (SWA) (Card #877 in Medford, OR)
King Kong Bundy (AWE) vs. Don Muraco (SWA) (Card #877 in Medford, OR)
Roddy Piper (PCW) vs. The Grappler (PCW) (Card #881 in Memphis, TN)
John Pesek (AWE) vs. The French Angel (GWA (Card #882 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico)
Blackjack Mulligan (SWA) vs. Cowboy Bob Orton (NWC) (Card #883 in Trenton, NJ)
Antonino Rocca (NWC) vs. Bob Roop (SWA) (Card #884 in Tampa, FL)
Angelo Poffo (AWE) vs. Exotic Adrian Street (GWA) (Card #884 in Tampa, FL)
Curt Hennig (PCW) vs. Ray Stevens (PCW) (Card #886 in Bloomington, MN)
Ted Dibiase (GWA) vs. Larry Zbyszko (AWE) (Card #886 in Bloomington, MN)
Magnum T.A. (SWA) vs. Gorgeous George (NWC) (Card #887 in Yakima, WA)

7) Cowboy Bob Orton defeated Tony Atlas:
Two of the men announced for qualifying matches in the seventh annual PWI Invitational Cup Tournament competed against each other as “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas took on “The Ace” Cowboy Bob Orton. Following an unsuccessful bid to win the LOW World Heavyweight title on the last MSG card, Orton was hoping to bounce back with a big win. The well muscled Atlas had other plans and he dominated the early action including knocking Orton out of the ring with a jumping headbutt. Orton was able to avoid an elbow drop by Atlas and then punished him with a stepover toehold transitioned into a Scorpion Deathlock (ch). Atlas refused to submit forcing Orton to shift his plan of attack. The finishing sequence of a hard fought bout saw Orton catch Atlas with a middle rope splash setting him up for his patented Superplex from the top rope to score the pin.

8) Andre the Giant defeated The Warlord:
The match everyone was waiting for saw the undefeated “Eighth Wonder of the World” Andre the Giant looking for revenge as he took on The Warlord, one of the men responsible for putting him out of action. Captain Lou Albano was at ringside with The Warlord but did not look happy as the stipulation for this match was that if Andre won he would get a match with the manager. The Warlord jumped Andre during the ring introductions getting the upper hand early. Andre quickly turned things around, though, and shook up The Warlord with the underhook suplex. A sitdown splash followed and then Andre went for the submission with a bearhug but Albano provided a distraction breaking that up. An impressive moment saw Andre attempting a deathjump (ch) but The Warlord picked him off the top rope with a bodyslam that shook the ring. The Warlord then used his great power to execute a high gut wrench and scored a two count with a short arm clothesline. Andre battled back and went for a pin after a headbutt but Albano distracted the referee. The Warlord mounted another comeback but Andre shook it off and wound up nailing him with the Turnbuckle Squash to score the pin. The crowd wildly cheered the win by Andre who wasted no time by reaching over the ropes and grabbing Albano by the hair to pull him into the ring. The obese manager tried to run back out but Andre yanked him back in leading to…

8a) Andre the Giant defeated Captain Lou Albano:
It was all Andre in the early going of this special bout and he was basically toying with Albano, the man he holds responsible for ordering the attack by The Warlord and Greg Valentine that put him out of action. A sitdown splash left Albano gasping for air and Andre followed with an underhook suplex going for the pin but that was broken up by The Warlord. The referee almost called for the bell there and the interference by The Warlord allowed Albano a chance to recover. Albano then hit Andre with a Foreign Object, looking to be a roll of quarters, and covered him for a one count. Andre shook off the blow but Albano hit him with another Foreign Object, this time looking to be a piece of taped steel, scoring a two count. The crowd rallied behind Andre who made a big comeback leading to a shocking finish. With Albano down and out on the mat it was Andre coming off of the top rope with a Big Splash (deathjump, ch) top score the pin. It was a satisfying win for Andre who looked on with a big grin on his face as The Warlord pulled a flattened Albano out of the ring by his legs before helping him off to the locker room.

9) No DQ Match: The Sheik defeated Frank Gotch:
This battle of former LOW World Heavyweight champions took place in a No DQ Match as the popular Frank Gotch took on The Sheik who was accompanied by his manager Abdullah Farouk. Gotch was put out of action by The Sheik with neck and back injuries after being locked in the Camel Clutch for an extended time. It was thought by many that the Humboldt, IA, native was returning to action too quickly but he was determined to get a piece of The Sheik. The early action was dominated by The Sheik as he mauled Gotch including stabbing him with a sharp object, believed to be a sharpened pencil, several times. Gotch battled back on the floor and was able to trap The Sheik in the grinding hammerlock going for the submission. He also locked on the crossface and armbar and hit his trademark Iowa backdrop. Things were looking bad for The Sheik until he again went to weapon usage including busting Gotch open with a chair shot while they battled on the floor. The Sheik locked on the Camel Clutch going for the submission but a blood Gotch valiantly refused to tap out. The crowd cheered Gotch on but The Sheik was again able to lock the hold on and this time Gotch was unable to escape. The referee checked on his condition and wound up calling for the bell giving The Sheik a submission victory. It was a huge win for The Sheik who no doubt is gunning for a second reign as the LOW World Heavyweight champion. Farouk proudly led the Syrian “madman” to the back while the crowd cheered on Gotch who refused help in getting back up to his feet following the tough loss.

10) LOW World Heavyweight title: Lou Thesz defeated George Hackenschmidt to win the title:
The main event saw former LOW World Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz invoke his rematch clause as he challenged the “Russian Lion” George Hackenschmidt for the prestigious championship. It was Hackenschmidt who ended an impressive title reign by Thesz in beating him to become a two-time LOW World Heavyweight champion on a recent GWA card in Berlin, Germany (Card #856). Thesz looked bound and determined to win the title back as he entered the ring to big cheers from the crowd. Hackenschmidt, meanwhile, shot an icy stare at the challenger full well knowing that his version one defense of the championship could also be his last. The early action saw Hackenschmidt with the upper hand as he trapped Thesz in the painful twisting heel hook perhaps looking to take out the legs of the former champion. It was a clear indication that the match was going to be a war of attrition between two of the best in the world. The turning point in a hard fought battle saw Thesz use the airplane spin to shake up Hackenschmidt who subsequently bailed out of the ring. Thesz followed and gained the upper hand after an exchange of uppercuts. Back inside it was Thesz hitting the Thesz Press to score a big near fall. The crowd was at a fever pitch by this point and a short time later it was Thesz hitting another Thesz Press which resulted in the pin. History was made in MSG as Thesz became a two-time LOW World Heavyweight champion at the expense of Hackenschmidt ending a classic battle. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox entered the ring to congratulate Thesz on his title victory while Hackenschmidt looked on. Things got tense as Thesz and Hackenschmidt stared each other down but the “Russian Lion” opted to leave the ring allowing Thesz to continue his victory celebration.

[Crimson Cross]

I really like the victories by DDP and Cowboy Bob Orton, plus it's a shame Hackenschmidt lost the title, but Thesz is the best. Yes, your best is here and that is your PWiTournament and those qualifying matches look great. I'm going to pick DUTCH SAVAGE to win not only that qualifying match, but to win the whole Tournament...

[Pariah]

That was an EPIC show from MSG!

The ten-man tag match was a truly wild affair... What else would you expect throwing that assortment of characters into the ring at one time?

It was cool seeing Jerry Lynn put up a good fight against Hodge and then display a touch of class by shaking his hand at the end... And I can only imagine the impact of Andre coming off that top rope and on top of Albano... HOLY SNAP!

The Invitational Tournament is gonna be a TON of FUN to follow... I don't have near enough insight into the Legends to try my hand at predictions, but I'm gonna be rooting for...

THE MOUNTIE!!!

Who else?

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and Pariah and for your early PWI Cup predictions. The MSG cards are always fun to roll out and there were some definite highlights. My favorite probably was Andre coming off of the top rope on Albano thanks to the choice chart and deathjump option. I am pretty sure that will be on the LOW highlight reel for years to come . Next up is ladies action from SHIMMER...

SHIMMER - Women Athletes - Volume 22 - The Eagles Club - Berwyn, IL (Card #868)

1) Athena defeated Jessie McKay:
Two of the more popular stars in SHIMMER squared off in the opener as “The Wrestling Goddess” Athena took on “Everybody’s Favorite Girlfriend” Jessie McKay. It was a great exchange early as each countered the other frequently including Athena avoiding a fistdrop and dropping McKay with an enzuigiri. McKay looked strong going into the home stretch but another counter by Athena led to her hitting the O-Face to score the pin.

2) Sassy Stephie & Nevaeh defeated Tomoka Nakagawa & Sumie Sakai by Count Out:
Two teams looking to get into contention for the SHIMMER tag team titles met up as Tomoka Nakagawa & Sumie Sakai faced Sassy Stephie & Nevaeh. Coming off of a tough loss to Cherry Bomb & Evie at Volume 21 it was Stephie & Nevaeh, the S-N-S Express, looking to make a statement. Nakagawa looked great during her time in and had Stephie in pain tying her up with the bow and arrow hold. Sakai tried to keep up the momentum but Stephie and Nevaeh prevented that getting the heat on her for an extended stretch. Sakai showed great resiliency kicking out after taking Kiss My Sass, a falling neckbreaker onto the knee, but was unable to make a tag. The finish saw Stephie toss her to the outside and distract the referee while Nevaeh laid out Sakai with the Backpack Stunner leading to the count out decision.

3) Veda Scott defeated Malia Hosaka:
The SHIMMER debut of Malia Hosaka, a veteran star out of Honolulu, HI, was spoiled by Veda Scott. Hosaka had the size and experience advantage but Scott made up for that with an aggressive attack. Hosaka had some shining moments, including scoring a two count with a flying double chop, but was unable to put Scott away. The determined Scott hit her trademark Q.E.D., a pair of double DDT’s, for a big near fall and followed up with a Hooking Clothesline to score the pin. Amber Gertner caught up with a disappointed Hosaka post-match and she got the crowd on her side by giving Scott credit and saying she will return more determined than ever.

4) Mildred Burke & Thunderkitty defeated Rockin’ Robin & Tina Moretti:
After losing to Mildred Burke at Volume 21, Rockin’ Robin recruited Tina Moretti to take on Burke and Thunderkitty in tag team action. Burke and Thunderkitty have proven to be a solid team so Robin and Moretti had their work cut out for them. Moretti starred for her team reversing the momentum several times and hitting such moves as the Northern Lights suplex and DDT. Robin cut off an offensive by Burke at one point and hit the swinging neckbreaker but for the most part she was on the defensive against the opposition. Burke nearly put Robin away via submission with the Alligator Clutch but Moretti made the save. Robin then fought out of a second application of the hold but she was in a bad way. Thunderkitty used the Iron Claw and Cornbread Clutch on Robin before locking on the Sleeper Hold resulting in a submission victory for her and Burke.

5) Allison Danger defeated Christina Von Eerie:
This challenge match between Regeneration-X member Allison Danger and “The Punk Princess” Christina Von Eerie came about when the two had words following their being on the losing side of a six-woman tag team match on Volume 21. Leva Bates accompanied Danger to ringside but was sent to the back by the referee before the match began. Von Eerie was on fire early including twice hitting the 138, a tilt-a-whirl facebuster, for big near falls. Von Eerie punished Danger some more hitting the Graveyard Smash, a Cobra Clutch into a face plant, and a knee strike for another near fall. Danger was in trouble but she began mounting a furious comeback getting the better of Von Eerie in and out of the ring. A great sequence saw Danger hit the Shimmering Warlock and the Lovelace Choker in succession for big near falls. As the battle raged on it was clear that both women were leaving everything out there in the ring and the crowd applauded their efforts. The finish came when Danger dropped Von Eerie with an Old School Expulsion and hit a second Shimmering Warlock to score the pin.

6) Saraya Knight, Portia Perez, & Nicole Matthews defeated Penny Banner, Leilani Kai, & Judy Martin:
Intense six-woman tag team action saw Penny Banner and the Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai & Judy Martin) do battle with Saraya Knight and the Canadian Ninjas (Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews). There were some blistering exchanges between Banner, a two-time SHIMMER champion, and the dangerous Knight in the early going. The two gave way to their tag team partners who had a serious rivalry over the SHIMMER tag team titles. The Ninjas, in fact, were forced to disband at one point after they lost to the Glamour Girls. A key moment in the match saw the Ninjas execute Funky Cold Medina, a superkick by Perez into a bridging German Suplex by Matthews, on Kai but Martin was able to make the save. Kai was left in a bad way, though, and it would be Matthews who would pick up the win for her team. Matthews struck with a Russian legsweep followed by a Side Backbreaker on Kay to score the pin as Knight and Perez cut off a save attempt. Amber Gertner bravely ventured down to ringside for some words with the winning team and Knight took over the interview. She tore into Banner, Kai and Martin claiming they were “no challenge” and said that Sherri Martel is ducking her for a shot at the SHIMMER championship. After Knight left ringside it was Perez putting in her two cents in saying that the Glamour Girls got “what they deserved” tonight and that the Ninjas will get what they deserve in the future and that is a record third reign as the SHIMMER tag team champions.

7) Lufisto defeated Jessicka Havok:
A highly anticipated semi-final match saw the “Super Hardcore Anime” Lufisto take on the imposing Jessicka Havok who has been nearly unstoppable since making her debut in SHIMMER. Havok dominated the early action punishing Lufisto with moves like the standing lariat and triple kick combo. Lufisto was in trouble until she managed to avoid a running legdrop. That led to Lufisto picking up consecutive near falls with the Burning Hammer and spinning Backfist. Now the situation became a bad one for Havok as she found herself on the defensive. An impressive Tiger Suplex left Havok down and then Lufisto came off of the middle rope with a big flying clothesline. The crowd was going crazy as Lufisto had the “Havok Death Machine” in a bad way and she capitalized on it hitting the Mangalizer, her version of Shell Shock, to score the pin. It was a huge win for Lufisto as she became the first woman in SHIMMER to score a fall over Havok. Things got tense post-match as Havok went crazy tearing up the ringside area until LOW officials were able to send her to the back. SHIMMER promoter Dave Prazak then made a huge announcement as he said the win by Lufisto earned her a shot at SHIMMER champion Sherri Martel at Volume 23 drawing a big pop from the crowd.

8) SHIMMER tag team titles: Cheerleader Melissa & Sara Del Ray© defeated Nora Greenwald & Joyce Grable to retain the titles:
The main event saw the popular team of Cheerleader Melissa & Sara Del Ray put the SHIMMER tag team titles on the line against former champions Nora Greenwald & Joyce Grable. Melissa won the belts from Greenwald and Grable as part of a stipulation match back at Volume 19 and then nominated her good friend Del Ray to be the other half of the tag team champions. SHIMMER promoter Dave Prazak was on hand for the pre-match ceremony and shook hands with both teams before holding up the title belts. The referee then gave his final instructions and called for the bell kicking off the championship match. The challengers were determined to regain the titles and they did a great job getting the heat on Melissa in the early going. They had her in trouble several times including Grable scoring a near fall with a giant swing. Melissa finally struck back countering a backdrop off of the ropes and planting Grable with the Kudoh Driver for a big near fall. Del Ray then tagged in and hit the Royal Butterfly on Grable for another near fall before trapping her in the LeBell Lock. Del Ray was very impressive most of the way in this one and helped set up the finish as she nailed Greenwald with a release German suplex. Melissa then hit a second Kudoh Driver, this time on Greenwald, to score the pin and retain the titles. It was a successful version three defense of the championship for Melissa and Del Ray as they defeated the former champions in a great bout.

[cruefan68]

CHIKARA - Swan vs. Ajax for War Chief - The Warsaw - Brooklyn, NY (Card #869)

1) Evolve Offer Match: Uhaa Nation defeated Biff Busick:
The stars of Evolve opened the show as the quick and powerful Uhaa Nation went up against the rugged Biff Busick. It was the beginning of a big weekend for the stars of Evolve, as they would also be featured in Ring of Honor, and promoter Gabe Sapolsky was on hand to observe as were talent scouts from the IWA. Busick got the upper hand early winning a battle on the floor and also hitting his trademark Biff Blockbuster. Things turned around for Uhaa Nation when he hit a counter shoulder tackle off of the ropes and, after a toss into the corner, he nailed the spectacular Ultra Combination to score the pin.

2) The Throwbacks defeated Archibald Peck & Jakob Hammermeier:
Tag team competition saw The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Sugar Dunkerton) take on Peck-N-Hammer (Archibald Peck & Jakob Hammermeier, with Veronica). With the IWA coming soon both teams were out to impress the talent scouts in hopes of securing a contract with the promotion. The Throwbacks were really on their game here and had Peck-N-Hammer in all sorts of trouble. Veronica twice provided distractions to break up pin attempts while Hammermeier saved Peck from being pinned after taking the Grandslam Dunk. Hammermeier nearly won it for his team when he caught Hatfield with a low blow followed by the Guten Nacht! for a big near fall. The true turning point in the match came when Peck missed the Cranial Crescendo on Hatfield who followed with the Grandslam for another near fall. Peck looked impressive kicking out there but a short time later The Throwbacks hit another Grandslam Dunk on him with Hatfield scoring the pin.

3) Hallowicked, Frightmare, & Dragon Dragon defeated Mister ZERO, Gran Akuma, & Larry Sweeney:
Trios action followed as the tecnicos team of Hallowicked, Young Lions Cup champion Frightmare, & Dragon Dragon took on the rudos team consisting of Mister ZERO, Gran Akuma, & “Sweet n’ Sour” Larry Sweeney. The action was all over the place in this one as all six men made nice showings. Hallowicked was put on the defensive in the early going including being nailed with the 68’ Comeback Special by Sweeney. ZERO entertained the crowd by trapping Hallowicked in a newspaper assisted camel clutch. The spectacular Frightmare rallied his team back into it hitting the Super Frankensteiner and a running senton dive over the ropes. The finish saw Hallowicked hit the Go 2 Sleepy Hollow on Sweeney for a big near fall. Frightmare followed with Kneecolepsy on Sweeney but Akuma made the save. A short time later it was Frightmare hitting a Somersault Plancha on Sweeney and then trapping him in a cradle hold to score the pin. ZERO was beside himself afterward as once again he found himself on the losing side opposite Dragon Dragon.

4) Mr. Touchdown defeated Brutus Beefcake:
Popular veteran star Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake took on Mr. Touchdown (Mark Angelosetti), the controversial third member of The Throwbacks. Mr. Touchdown has been on a real role of late and he was no doubt looking to impress the IWA scouts hoping to land a spot on the inaugural roster. He started off in aggressive fashion as he nailed Beefcake with the Dogpile and Flea Flicker among other moves. He also used the Scorpion Deathlock (ch) going for the submission. Beefcake battled back and nailed Touchdown with the Flying Knee Smash. He then twice trapped him in the Sleeper Hold going for the submission with Touchdown barely getting to the ropes for a break. Touchdown had to dig down deep to get the victory here and he used his finisher the Extra Point, a spinning spinebuster, to score the pin.

5) Fire Ant defeated Ultramantis Black:
CHIKARA Director of Fun Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana arranged this match between Colony member Fire Ant and Ultramantis Black, leader of the Order of the Neo Solar Temple, to determine who would get the next shot at the 12-Large Grand Championship. Both men have amassed solid won-loss records in CHIKARA and would no doubt like to capture the gold. The crowd was split in their support of both men but there was vocal section for Ultramantis Black. He would need their support as Fire Ant put on an incredible performance from bell-to-bell. The former co-holder of the Campeonatos de Parejas with Soldier Ant, Fire Ant used his speed advantage to control the pace. A big spot saw him nail Ultramantis Black with a reverse TKO followed up by a leaping kick for a near fall. Ultramantis used quick strikes to gain the upper hand late but Fire Ant reversed the momentum and hit the Beach Break, a back to belly piledriver, to score the pin. The crowd cheered the win by Fire Ant who will get his championship opportunity on the next CHIKARA card in Revere, MA (Card #879).

6) LOW Tex-Arkana Television title: Jigsaw vs. One Man Gang© was a Draw:
The LOW Tex-Arkana Television title was on the line as the popular Jigsaw took on the awesome 495-pound One Man Gang. OMG, the defending champion, was not accompanied by his manager Captain Lou Albano who was recently flattened by a top rope splash from Andre the Giant putting him temporarily out of action. OMG was dominant early scoring a pair of two counts with the scoop bodyslam. Jigsaw was outweighed by over three-hundred pounds so he had to use his quickness to get back in it. He scored a two count with a flying bodypress from the top rope and then a big near fall with the superkick. A missed 747 Splash by OMG nearly saw a victory for Jigsaw as he followed with the Leap of Faith and the champion barely kicked out before the three count. OMG weathered a strong offensive from Jigsaw and planted him with a big right hand scoring another two count. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy by this point but fortunately for OMG the television time limit rules were on his side and he retained the title via a time limit draw. It was a successful version three defense of the title for OMG and remarkably all three have been draws.

7) No DQ Match: Tursas & Brodie Lee defeated Crossbones & Hydra:
Crossbones & Hydra have been a thorn in the side of the massive team of Tursas & Brodie Lee and that led to this No DQ Match taking place between the two teams. The Dark Menace looked confident at ringside as his 640-pound tag team took on the Order of the Neo Solar Temple members. Tursas was very impressive in this one getting the better of Crossbones during a heated exchange. After both men went down from a double clothesline it was Tursas recovering and delivering a big splash. The “powerful” Hydra, who owns a fall over Tursas in tag team action, was hoping to reverse the momentum but Tursas and Lee proved to be too much this time out. The finish saw Lee hit an incredible dive out of the ring on Crossbones and then back inside he blasted him with the Big Boot to score the pin.

8) CHIKARA 12-Large Grand Championship: Mike Quackenbush© defeated Eddie Kingston to retain the title:
The main event saw the “War King” Eddie Kingston, backed by a supportive New York crowd, attempt to become a three-time 12-Large Grand champion as he took on defending champion “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush for the title. Quackenbush won the title from Kingston in El Monte, CA (Card #849) and since that time he has been on the receiving end of jeers from the crowd based on a perceived change in his persona coming off an intense desire to win the title. He even got into personal battles with CHIKARA Director of Fun Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana that saw both Kingston and Jigsaw drawn in. Cabana was on hand to for the pre-match ceremony which featured a special appearance by none other than current NWC star Diamond Dallas Page! The crowd erupted in cheers for DDP who spoke briefly saying he was there to witness two of the best battle for the championship and that he looked forward to possibly facing them in the IWA. Ring announcer Gavin Loudspeaker then took over and got the crowd psyched for the action with an enthusiastic introduction. All that was left was for Senior Referee Bryce Remsburg to issue his instructions and to call for the bell officially beginning the championship match.

Intense would be the best way to describe this battle as from the opening bell it was clear that both men were going to go all out to attain victory. They traded blows back and forth before Quackenbush countered a corner charge with a knee and locked on the Chikara Special. Kingston survived that and got the better of Quackenbush on the outside before laying him out with the half-nelson suplex. Things were looking good for the “War King” until Quackenbush took it outside and hit him with a chair shot while ignoring the instructions of Remsburg. The crowd jeered the actions of Quackenbush as he continued his attack and hit the Quackendriver III for a big near fall. Kingston kicked out but he was in a bad way as the continued offensive by Quackenbush left him busted open. Kingston again found himself trapped in the Chikara Special but he was able to get to the ropes for a break. The crowd tried to rally the “War King” but Quackenbush would not let up and hit the Quackendriver II to score the pin and retain the title. As ring attendants assisted a bloody Kingston out of the ring it was the victorious Quackenbush taunting both Cabana and Diamond Dallas Page. His celebration didn’t last long, however, as Fire Ant rushed the ring dropkicking the champion from behind to knock him over the top rope. Quackenbush landed at the feet of DDP and as he got up he was nailed with a Diamond Cutter to a big pop from the crowd! Cabana, in one of his final acts as DOF due to the IWA being formed, then announced that the 12-Large Grand Championship match between Fire Ant and Mike Quackenbush in Revere, MA (Card #879) would have a special Guest Referee in none other than Diamond Dallas Page drawing another big pop from the crowd.

[Scott Fire 54]

Wow. You have a really good thing going on here.