LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[cruefan68]

Just a quick update: I have been very busy of late so not much dice rolling. I finished the first two bouts on my next card so hopefully I can get that done and posted sometime this weekend. Thanks as always to Crimson, Pariah, Bookerbill, Daytondave, Kamala and everyone else for following my fed as it is greatly appreciated.

[cruefan68]

LOW Northern Wrestling Corporation - Bryce Jordan Center - State College, PA (Card #930)

1) Ilio DiPaolo defeated Virgil:
The popular Ilio DiPaolo out of Abruzzi, Italy, took on the tough challenge of “Wrestling Superstar” Virgil of ASW in the opening contest. Virgil impressed early as he countered an offensive by DiPaolo and struck with the combo punches and a knee drop for a two count. DiPaolo would return the favor scoring a near fall with the running head ram to the turnbuckle. Virgil made a comeback and went for a deathjump but DiPaolo picked him off of the top rope with a bodyslam. He the pounced on Virgil and executed the Airplane Spin to score the pin.

2) Sabu & Jerry Lynn defeated Justin Credible & Drake Younger by DQ:
The heated tag team rivalry between Jerry Lynn & Sabu and Justin Credible & Drake Younger took center stage in State College. Both teams were on point in this bout as the advantage switched several times and featured a ton of near falls. Credible and Younger went to the extreme using light tubes and Singapore Cane shots to gain the upper hand. The referee was having a tough time controlling the four as the match went on. A great spot saw Credible have Lynn pinned after a DDT but Sabu broke it up by vaulting over the top rope with a chair across the back. The referee waved that off and Lynn quickly cradled Credible scoring a near fall. Lynn went on a great offensive against Younger late in the bout and scored another near fall with a top rope huracanrana. The finish saw Younger take it too far with another light tube attack on Sabu in full view of the referee. The official then called for the bell giving Sabu and Lynn a disqualification victory over Credible and Younger.

3) Dick Hutton defeated George Steele:
A contrast in styles saw Dick Hutton, the former Olympian who has been on a real roll of late, take on the highly unpredictable George “The Animal” Steele. Fred Blassie was not at ringside for Steele as the hated wrestler-manager is busy preparing for an upcoming tour of Kings Road United in Japan. Hutton used his technical skill to frustrate Steele early and often. He delivered such moves as the Cowboy backbreaker, atomic drop and Oklahoma sideroll to maintain the advantage. Steele reverted to his aggressive tactics biting Hutton and taking the fight to the outside where it nearly ended in a double disqualification. Hutton weathered the storm and hit a shoulder tackle before trapping Steele in the Abdominal Stretch which resulted in an impressive submission victory. Steele tried to attack Hutton with a foreign object afterward but a dropkick sent “The Animal” flying out of the ring.

4) Frank Gotch defeated Cowboy Bob Orton:
This battle of two ring technicians saw two-time LOW World Heavyweight champion Frank Gotch take on “The Ace” Cowboy Bob Orton. Gotch dominated the early action and nearly won it by submission using the Gotch Toehold. Orton impressively fought out of the hold three times during the course of the match. A double knock down occurred when Orton sent Gotch into the corner. Orton recovered first and went on a brief offensive before Gotch caught him with the grinding hammerlock for a submission chance. Orton again battled back but was worn down and a Series of Punches delivered by Gotch sent him crashing down to the mat. Gotch then dove on top of Orton and scored the pin picking up a very impressive victory.

5) Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik defeated Stars & Stripes:
The longstanding rivalry between Stars & Stripes (The Patriot & Marcus Alexander Bagwell) and Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik continued with another heated match. It was all Stars & Stripes early including them hitting the double shoulder tackle on Volkoff for a two count. The Patriot then hit Uncle Slam on Volkoff but the Sheik broke up the pin. Volkoff and Sheik, who were without the services of manager Fred Blassie, began mounting a comeback. The Sheik used a variety of suplexes to set up near falls on both Patriot and Bagwell. Things were looking bleak for the fan favorites when Bagwell rallied back and caught Volkoff with the Yellow Jacket Suplex for a big near fall. The Patriot kept up the momentum until Volkoff floored him with a double thrust scoring a two count. A quick tag to the Sheik led to the finish as the hated star from Tehran, Iran, caught The Patriot with a Powerslam and grabbed the tights for extra leverage in scoring the pin. The Patriot, upset over dropping the fall, grabbed the mic post-match and said that he had an idea for a challenge and called for Volkoff and the Sheik to face Stars & Stripes in a Flag Match on the next NCW card at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Card #935) where the losing team would have to hold up the flag or flags of the winning team.

6) Bobo Brazil defeated Killer Kowalski by Count Out:
The popular Bobo Brazil out of Benton Harbor, MI, took on the feared Killer Kowalski hailing from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Kowalski was accompanied by his manager Captain Lou Albano who amused ringsiders as he shouted gibberish and patted his ample stomach during the ring introductions. Brazil pounced quickly on Kowalski using both a backbreaker and bearhug to punish him. He followed up with the Coco Butt for a two count and delivered a second one with Albano breaking up the pin. Kowalski was looking the worse for wear and attempted to bail out of the ring. Brazil caught him on the ring apron and the two began trading stiff blows back and forth. The referee, however, began tolling a ten count due to Kowalski being out on the ring apron. Brazil gained the upper hand and blasted Kowalski with the Coco Butt knocking him down to the floor. The referee then finished his ten count and declared Brazil the winner via count out. Kowalski and Albano protested the decision but it was to no avail as Brazil picked up a big victory.

7) Randy Savage vs. The Sheik was a Draw:
A huge grudge match saw freelance star “Macho Man” Randy Savage take on The Sheik, a former LOW World Heavyweight champion who was accompanied by his manager Abdullah Farouk. The intensity was off the charts in this one as both men came prepared to fight. The Sheik and Farouk recently accepted a bribe from Bruiser Brody, a rival of Savage, and helped him attack the “Macho Man”. Savage was aiming for revenge in this first ever meeting between the two icons and he nearly got it when he hit the Flying Elbowdrop but Farouk got involved distracting the referee. That allowed The Sheik the chance to gouge Savage with a foreign object. He would also trap him in the Camel Clutch several times but Savage refused to tap out and instead fought out of the punishing hold. Savage mounted a nice comeback and scored a big near fall with a piledriver. He also delivered his trademark flying axe handle both inside and outside of the ring. The Sheik went back to using a foreign object and before long both he and Savage were busted open. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as both men traded heavy blows building to the finish. With neither man unable to gain a pinfall or a submission before time ran out it the match was officially declared a draw. The action continued post-match as the two men brawled all the way back to the locker room area before being pulled apart by LOW officials. PWI Editor Bill Apter was on hand to cover the match and afterward he caught up with Savage for an exclusive interview that will air on the next edition of LOW All-Star Wrestling.

8) LOW International Heavyweight title: Greg Valentine© defeated Antonino Rocca to retain the title:
The main event saw the popular Antonino Rocca challenge Greg “The Hammer” Valentine for the LOW International Heavyweight title. Rocca is a former holder of the LOW World Heavyweight title but had yet to hold the International title so he was bound and determined to become champion. He would, however, have to deal with the presence of manager Captain Lou Albano who was in the corner for Valentine. The early action was dominated by Valentine who hit both the neckbreaker and the piledriver for two counts. A turn in momentum came when Rocca ducked a running clothesline and nailed Valentine with the flying dropkicks. Albano paced out at ringside as Rocca mounted a nice offensive and at one point had Valentine in great pain using the bow and arrow. Valentine bounced back and applied the Figure Four Leglock going for the submission. Rocca reversed the hold over but then Valentine reversed it back for a great submission chance but Rocca grabbed the ropes for a break. The crowd tried to rally around Rocca but Valentine would later apply the Figure Four Leglock again and this time, with an assist from Albano who held onto his hands out of view of the referee, it was “The Hammer” getting the victory via submission. The crowd jeered the decision but Valentine retained the title in what was his successful version six defense of the prestigious championship.

[Pariah]

How odd to see Sabu & Jerry Lynn gaining a VICTORY via DQ... Crazy, but very cool match nonetheless...

The upcoming Flag Match between Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik and Stars & Stripes is something to look forward to... Think we might also need a specialty rematch to help resolve issues between Macho Man and The Shiek... Their confrontation was off the hook...

Captain Lou intervening on behalf of his clients should certainly come as no surprise... But, he proves time and again why he's a manager of champions... The Hammer's reign continues...

Very fun stuff, as always!

[Crimson Cross]

You know I'm really liking the "Hammer's" title run, it seems like Greg Valentine as your LOW it Champion has a cool in your face vibe. Ilio DiPaolo winning is a good thing and seeing Frank Gotch over Orton was cool stuff and that draw between Randy Savage and The Sheik is wild action...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Pariah and Crimson. The title reign by Greg Valentine has been great as I am so used to the belts changing hands quickly. It is nice to see "The Hammer" holding onto it against some real tough competition but of course having Lou Albano around does help.

Randy Savage vs. The Sheik was amazing as they kept rolling over their pin to escape and it was making me mark out lol. It finally ended due to both reaching their token limit for the match. I have big plans for a rematch, most likely a tag match with Savage and a partner versus Sheik and Bruiser Brody, so stay tuned. Next up will be LOW All-Star Wrestling where that will be announced and also I have a great rant coming from Jim Cornette regarding the Midnight Express losing to the Heartbreak Express. Hopefully I can have that card done later in the week.

[Kamala]

Savage vs Sheik was a good match, I hope a rematch is in the works.

[cruefan68]

It is now time for some Saturday morning wrestling action, hope you enjoy it...

LOW All-Star Wrestling (Episode 52) - WMC-TV5 Studios - Memphis, TN (Card #931)

The broadcast opened with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox from the headquarters in New York, NY, where he acknowledged a changing of the guard in LOW as the “Russian Lion” George Hackenschmidt had won the LOW World Heavyweight title from Lou Thesz. Exclusive footage of the match, which took place at Royal Albert Hall in London, England (Card #927), then aired showing Hackenschmidt becoming world champion for the third time. Cox said that both Hackenschmidt and Thesz had been dominant figures in the world heavyweight title picture for the last year and a half trading the belt three times and that was a testament to the great skills of each man. He said that Thesz had yet to put in his request for a rematch and has returned to the SWA citing another man who was worthy of the next title shot in one Dan “The Beast” Severn. Cox said that he spoke to Thesz and that he stated that Severn scored a count out win over him in a title match on an AWE card in Detroit, MI (Card #925) and that he had earned another opportunity. Cox said that it was a class move by Thesz and that now the version one title defense for Hackenschmidt will take place at the Mecca Arena in Milwaukee, WI (Card #937) against Severn. Announcers Lance Russell & Dave Brown picked it up from there and noted that it will be a matchup of “The Beast” against the “Russian Lion” and that Severn, who briefly held the LOW World Heavyweight title three years ago, could be destined to hold it once again.

LR: “Ok folks we have an incredible broadcast for you today with lots of, ah ok here he comes. Jim Cornette is on his way out here and I can just imagine what kind of things he is going to say. Today we have the Heartbreak Express in a rematch against the Midnight Express in our main event and for those of you unaware it was ASW’s own Heartbreak Express recently scoring a huge win over Cornette and his men in the SWA.”

JC: “Give me that microphone, banana nose, I have something to say. You people I’m sure got a big laugh out of what happened that night in Tampa, FL (Card #924), and I hope you enjoyed it because there will be no more laughing at the Midnight Express. We are four-time LOW World tag team champions and we command your respect. You see something that you people don’t know about is that on that night in Tampa I was unable to plan out strategy with my team – “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey, “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Ravishing” Randy Rose – because my beloved Mother was back home in Louisville suffering from heartbreak ironically. You see my Mama has been under doctor’s orders to stay in bed as her heart was broken when those stinkin’ muscle headed goofs the Road Warriors stole the LOW World tag team titles from us at the Tokyo Dome. If that weren’t enough that night in Tampa we were at less than one hundred percent as Randy was unable to compete due to a prior commitment, Dennis was working on a bum leg and Bobby was suffering from the effects of the swine flu. Even with all of that my men went in there to fight and it was an illegal double-team by the Davis boys that gave the imposter Express an improbable win.”

LR: “Jeez Louise don’t you ever come up for air Cornette?”

JC: “Russell when I’m finished I will let you know. Sean Davis you put that fat stomach to use against me that night knocking me out of the ring with a belly bump and I know that everyone got a good laugh out of that but today I will be the one laughing. The Midnight Express will chew you up and spit you out and with that we will send a message to every tag team in LOW to be on high alert. I see that this match is the main event for today as it should be with my men involved but I demand that this match go on first because I will not allow “Un-Fabulous” Phil Davis & “Superstar Good Year Blimp” Sean Davis to try and get a television time limit draw if we go on last. Dennis and Randy get on out here and let’s get this done1”

LR: “Alright I see the Midnight Express, Condrey and Rose, coming out here but Cornette I have to ask where Bobby Eaton is?”

JC: “Are you an idiot, Russell? I already said that Bobby had the swine flu so he can’t compete as he is still recovering at home in Huntsville. As for the Heartbreak Express get your lard butts on out here and take the beating that you know is coming to you!”

LR: “You heard it straight from the mouth himself and I’m sure that the Heartbreak Express will have no problem with a schedule change. While we wait for them I will throw it over to my partner, Dave Brown, to find out what else is on the program today.”

DB: “Well Lance it looks like the battle of the Express teams will kick things off but also on hand today are NWC star “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas, the return to in-ring competition for SWA star “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers coming off of a concussion injury, Angelo & Lanny Poffo of the AWE in tag team competition, our own Koko B. Ware, “The Birdman”, taking on Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. member Dewey Robertson and two stars from the Ring Angels division of LOW will be in action. In addition we have exclusive interviews with “Macho Man” Randy Savage and the massive GWA tag team of Giant Bernard & “Dangerous” Dan Spivey. Without any further ado I will send it over to ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta to get the action underway.”

1) Midnight Express defeated Heartbreak Express by DQ:
The studio audience was at a fever pitch as the Heartbreak Express (Fabulous Phil Davis & Superstar Sean Davis) hit the ring to take on the Jim Cornette-led Midnight Express (“Loverboy” Dennis Condrey & “Ravishing” Randy Rose). The Heartbreak duo were out to prove that their win in Tampa was no fluke and they scored a quick near fall on Condrey with the Irish Whip and Flying Butt Bomb combo. Cornette nearly had heart failure as Rose saved Condrey from what could have been a pin. The Midnight Express bounced back using nice teamwork that had Cornette in a happier state of mind. This one would end up on the outside, though, where a fired up Sean Davis grabbed hold of Cornette’s tennis racquet and struck Rose with it resulting in the disqualification. The battle continued post-match as an angry Cornette ran over to the announce table and demanded a No DQ rematch on the next ASW broadcast and he vowed to leave LOW if the Midnight Express lost.

2) Koko B. Ware defeated Dewey Robertson by Count Out:
The “Birdman” Koko B. Ware went up against Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. member Dewey Robertson who was accompanied by both Playboy Buddy Rose and Sherri Martel. This was a great bout with Ware taking Robertson to the limit as Rose and Martel watched on. Midway through the hectic battle it was “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe, the head of SSA, Inc., showing up at ringside where he began arguing with Rose and Martel. During this time Ware struck with a top rope dropkick resulting in a near fall. He had Robertson reeling and the distraction of the arguing trio of Rose, Martel and Sharpe was to his advantage. That wound up being the deciding factor as Robertson, after bailing out of the ring, got in between the three to try and break things up but wound up being counted out in the process.

Ware had his hand raised in victory and Robertson was furious as was Sharpe while Rose and Martel returned to the back. Sharpe then went to the announce table and said that someone messed up his plane ticket forcing him to be late and he blamed Martel claiming that she was trying to cause trouble in SSA, Inc. Martel ran back out with Rose quickly following and the Playboy had to hold her back as she attempted to get at Sharpe. The eight-time SHIMMER champion said that Sharpe has ruined the careers of everyone in SSA, Inc. and that once she cleans things up the “Sherri Sports Agency, Inc.” will be the dominant force in PCW. An irate Sharpe then had to be held back by Robertson as Russell thre it to commercial break ending a volatile situation.

● Interview with Randy Savage:
This pre-taped interview saw PWI Editor Bill Apter talking with freelance star “Macho Man” Randy Savage immediately following his match with The Sheik on the last NWC card in State College, PA (Card #930). Apter advised viewers to turn away if they were sensitive as a very bloody Savage was being stitched up by the doctor as a result of his battle with The Sheik. Before Apter could even ask a question Savage shoved the doctor away and grabbed the microphone stating the following:

“Sheik you just wrote a check your ass can’t cash. I know that you and that weasel Abdullah Farouk made a deal with Bruiser Brody to try and take me out but it’s not gonna work. I am the “Macho Man” Randy Savage and there is not one man on planet earth or in this universe, yeah, that can take me out. You will have to kill me to get rid of me and you don’t have the guts, yeah. Many have tried and many have gone down at the hands of the “Macho Man” and Sheik and Brody you will truly find that out. I thought I could trust you Brody but I was wrong. We traveled the roads together and at one time made a dominant tag team, yeah, but that is in the past. I don’t care about The Sheik because it’s Brody that I want but Sheik you just put yourself in my crosshairs and that is a place you don’t want to be. I’ve been thinkin’, thinkin’, thinkin’ yeah and I’ve got a solution and here it is. I knew that LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox would not let me take you on in a handicap match so I suggested that we do this thing tag team style, yeah. I got me a tag team partner, a man that called me recently to say that he would have my back against you two. He and I don’t see eye to eye too much but I accepted his offer and I promise you when the four of us meet in that ring there will be blood spilled and it won’t be ours Oh Yeeeaahhh, dig it!”

Apter asked Savage who he would be teaming with and he answered that he would be teaming up with the undefeated Andre the Giant to face Brody and The Sheik in the main event of the next card at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Card #935). Apter thanked Savage for his time and the blockbuster announcement for what is sure to be a sell-out that night at MSG. As the broadcast went back to Russell and Brown the two were in disbelief over that main event match being signed and said that if there was ever a reason to run out and buy a ticket to a match that would be the one.

3) Buddy Rogers defeated Chief Omega:
The popular Chief Omega took on SWA star “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers who was accompanied to ringside by his manager J.J. Dillon. Rogers, who was just returning from a concussion injury suffered at the hands of Tommy Rich, jumped Omega before the bell and nearly pinned him after hitting a series of dropkicks. Dillon went over to the announce table and revealed that Rogers will have his chance at revenge against Rich when the two meet on the upcoming SWA card at the Omni in Atlanta, GA (Card #936). Rogers, after absorbing a counterattack by Omega, trapped him in the Figure Four Grapevine to score an impressive submission victory.

4) Angelo & Lanny Poffo defeated Nikita Breznikov & Matt Striker:
The father-and-son team of Angelo & Lanny Poffo out of the AWE took on the interesting combination of Nikita Breznikov & Matt Striker. Breznikov, who recently joined ASW as a wrestler after having worked as a manager, took his lumps in this one from the Poffo family. Striker turned things around hitting a lung blower on Lanny and that set up a decent offensive from Breznikov. Ultimately it was Lanny scoring a near fall on Breznikov with a victory roll before Angelo tagged in and laid him out with a Neckbreaker to score the pin. Striker had attempted to make a save but was nailed with a picture perfect dropkick by Lanny.

5) Tina Moretti vs. Angel Orsini was a Draw:
The popular Tina Moretti out of Seattle, WA, took on New Brunswick, NJ, native Angel Orsini in a feature match of two new stars added to the Ring Angels division of LOW. During the match it was noted by Brown that some stars of Ring Angels, which was co-founded by Sumie Sakai and Rikidozan of Kings Road United, would be featured on the upcoming KRU tour. This was a hard hitting battle from the opening bell with both women coming close to victory. Moretti picked up a big near fall with the Jumping Facebuster and Orsini did likewise with a German Suplex. The two battled outside the ring several times and at one point Moretti was nearly counted out. With time running out it was Moretti avoiding a corner charge by Orsini and rolling her up for another near fall. Moments later the bell sounded ending the match in a television time limit draw. The studio audience cheered both women who shook hands with each other following the hard fought match.

● Interview with Giant Bernard & Dan Spivey:
This pre-taped interview was conducted by IWA photographer Dr. Mike Lano who met up with GWA stars Giant Bernard & “Dangerous” Dan Spivey at Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan. The three men were in Japan for the upcoming Kings Road United tour which would feature stops in Yokohama (Card #932), Sapporo (Card #933) and Tokyo (Card #934). Lano asked them what kind of strategy they have planned for their matches on the tour and they simply answered destruction. Bernard said that he and Spivey have something to prove and that they will stop at nothing to earn a shot at the LOW World tag team titles. Spivey said that they plan to win every match on the tour and get that title shot back in their home base of the GWA. Lano then asked about their opening night opponents who would be the free agent tag team of War Machine (Hanson & Rowe). Bernard said that War Machine has quite the reputation and that in some circles this would be considered a dream match but in reality it will be a nightmare for Hanson and Rowe. Spivey added that the next night in Sapporo they will continue their tour of destruction by taking out Shohei “Giant” Baba & The Destroyer. Lano said that getting through both of those teams would be very impressive but that on the final night they will face the Bullet Club team of AJ Styles & Adam Cole. Bernard laughed it off and said that Bullet Club will be shooting blanks after he and Spivey take them out.

Lano thanked them for their time and Bernard and Spivey walked off laughing about what they had planned for their opponents on the tour. Lano then said that he had huge news to break and revealed that he had spoken with KRU founder Rikidozan just prior to heading to Tokyo. He said that Kings Road United has added a major show to their schedule which will be held at the Seibu Dome in Seibu, Japan (Card #950). The show, which will be subtitled Golden Week in Seibu Dome, will feature an LOW World Heavyweight title match in the main event. As a result in order to determine the challenger in that match the final show of the current tour at Budokan Hall in Tokyo (Card #934) will feature Rikidozan taking on his protégés, Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki, in a Triple Threat Match. The winner there will get that shot at the LOW World Heavyweight title at the Seibu Dome. Lano said that the three-way battle between the cornerstones of KRU will be one for the ages and the winner will have earned this major opportunity.

6) Tony Atlas defeated Dupae Rupa:
This was the expiration of time match and there was only enough time for one fall due to the show running long. NWC star “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas locked horns with “The Belgian Brawler” Dupae Rupa with both men hoping to have their hand raised in victory. Atlas was the more aggressive of the two and overpowered Rupa with such moves as the big dropkick and crushing full nelson. After his fourth Vertical Suplex of the match it was Atlas rolling over on top of Rupa to score the pin and bring a very eventful broadcast to an end.

[EpicDave]

Great broadcast! I love the action in the ring, in particular the Midnight Express. There is also a lot of cool stuff in this fed that gives it that special "Saturday morning" feel. Cornette's rants are epic, and the "expiration of time" match is a throwback to the old studio days. Awesome stuff!

[Pariah]

Always happy to see the Birdman mixing it up... The time limit draw between Tina Moretti and Angel Orsini was exciting...

But, I think it was the pre-taped interviews that provided the real drama...

Spivey & Bernard came off as totally fearsome, but I think they're going to have a rough time in Japan... Those are some top notch teams that will be staring them diem from across the ring... War Machine, Giant Baba & The Destroyer, Bullet Club reps: AJ Styles & Adam Cole... Best of luck, fellas... Your gonna need it...

Macho Man spoke as only he can - getting the audience fired up for one more confrontation involving himself, Brody and The Shiek... Announcing Andre as his partner may be one of the most incredible moments in recent LOW memory...

True television action at its finest... Awesome work!

[Crimson Cross]

I was hoping for the upset win for Rupa, but Tony Atlas is a top notch wrestler. Another match I wanted someone else to win and it went the other way with the Midnight Express beating the Heartbreak Express, but losing by DQ somewhat softens that loss. Your Lano interview segment was solid stuff and that upcoming Triple Threat will be killer cool in your KRU tour...