Post by cruefan68 on Sept 21, 2013 16:05:04 GMT -5
LOW WrestleCade VI - L.A. Coliseum - Los Angeles, CA (Card #600)
1) Strong Style Union vs. Axis of Violence - Best Two-out-of-Three Falls Match to determine the Man Advantage in War Games:
Bryan Danielson, The Destroyer, The Crusher, Ray Stevens, Antonio Inoki, & Abraham Lincoln (SSU) defeated Curt Hennig, Masked Superstar, Larry Zbyszko, John Pesek, Ivan Koloff, & Kurrgan (AOV) by a 2-1 decision
First Fall:
The Axis of Violence team dominated the opening stretch by focusing their attacks on the neck of Bryan Danielson who had his neck injured by the Masked Superstar late in the year. Hennig hit the rolling neck snap and tagged in Superstar who followed with the Superstar Clothesline. Pesek got his licks in tying up Danielson with both a double bar hammerlock and lateral press keylock. Danielson, backed by the support of a huge crowd, battled back and managed to tag The Destroyer but he fared only a little better. The crowd erupted in cheers when The Crusher tagged in and went to war with both Koloff and Kurrgan. The seven-foot giant from South Africa, Kurrgan, turned the tables and locked on the Paralyzer for a submission chance. Things took a turn for the worse for the Strong Style Union when Zbyszko removed the turnbuckle pad in the AOV corner exposing the steel. After a brief exchange it was Zbyszko sending The Crusher head first into the exposed corner and rolling him up for the pin. The crowd jeered the decision as the AOV went up by a score of 1-0.
Second Fall:
The Crusher was forced to start the fall against Zbyszko as per two-out-of-three falls match rules and though dazed he managed to battle back. Pesek tagged in and it was a chance for The Crusher to get back at the man who broke his right wrist. The Crusher showed his toughness absorbing a strong attack and then using a double eye gouge on Pesek before making the tag. Stevens and Inoki were able to rally the SSU into it particularly when Inoki trapped Pesek in the painful cobra twist. The crowd exploded when Lincoln, the sixteen President of the United States, went up against both Koloff and Kurrgan. His showdown with the seven-foot South African giant rocked the coliseum and it was Lincoln winning out after a headlock throw. Danielson tagged back in and took Kurrgan out on the floor with a big suicide dive. Kurrgan recovered, however, and picked up Danielson for a chokeslam through the timekeeper's table! The devastating blow resulted in the AOV team being disqualified and thought it was now 1-1 the team captain of the SSU was laid out.
Third Fall:
The all important third fall kicked off with Danielson struggling to recover as Kurrgan waited for the thirty second rest period to end. The bell sounded and the giant went after the injured "American Dragon" looking to put him away. Danielson, however, showed great fire and blitzed Kurrgan with a barrage of roundhouse kicks resulting in a near fall. After an exchange it was The Destroyer nearly pinning Hennig after delivering the Bombs Away. The Masked Superstar got the tag from Hennig but was caught with a sensational suplex by The Destroyer. That led to The Crusher being tagged in and he tore into the Superstar with a vengeance. The crowd was at a fever pitch as both teams battled it out leaving everything out there. The AOV nearly won it when Inoki, after having his head run into the exposed turnbuckle by Zbyszko, was the victim of a chain attack by Koloff. The AOV avoided another disqualification and left Inoki in a bad way. Things looked to be over when Kurrgan tagged in looking to finish off the Japanese superstar. The crowd rallied behind Inoki, though, and amidst a flurry of offense he managed to trap Kurrgan in the Octopus Hold. The rest of the AOV jumped in but were quickly countered by the SSU as Inoki cinched the hold on the giant in mid-ring. Moments later it was all over and the SSU were declared 2-1 winners over the AOV as Inoki got the submission. The crowd exploded in cheers as the SSU gained a huge win giving their team a man advantage over the AOV in War Games.
2) LOW Women's title: Mildred Burke defeated Sherri Martel to win the title:
The undefeated Mildred Burke took on six-time LOW Women's champion Sherri Martel, who was accompanied by her boyfriend Playboy Buddy Rose, in this highly anticipated match. Martel and Rose, who are part of Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc., tried to intimidate ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta prompting Burke to intervene. She quickly took over on Martel and scored near falls with a crooked head scissors rolled into a pin and a forearm uppercut. She then executed one of her trademark moves, the Sunset Flip, but Rose distracted the referee breaking up the pin. The referee, however, took exception to that and ordered Rose to leave ringside drawing the ire of Martel. That led to Burke striking with a jumping knee on Martel for another near fall. Martel was in desperation mode by that point and clawed back into it before Burke trapped her in the Alligator Clutch. Martel scratched and clawed her way to the ropes for a break managing to survive again. That set up Martel making an impressive comeback and hitting both her trademark Top Rope Splash and a legdrop for consecutive near falls. Burke, however, was determined to strip Martel of the belt and took it home when she executed a Suplex into a press to score the pin. The crowd cheered the decision as Burke remained undefeated and was crowned the new LOW Women's champion. An upset Martel tried to jump Burke post-match but was quickly dumped over the top rope to the floor. Burke then proudly displayed the title belt as Martel fought to hold back tears as she returned to the locker room.
3) LOW Junior Heavyweight title: Red Bastien defeated Brad Armstrong to win the title:
The "Flying Redhead" Red Bastien, accompanied by Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. head "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe, became a three-time LOW Junior Heavyweight champion as he won the belt from the popular Brad Armstrong in a heated match. With Sherri Martel having lost her championship, Sharpe got in the ear of Bastien during the introductions likely getting him psyched up to bring gold back to the freelance faction. Armstrong got off to an aggressive start resulting in him hitting his finisher, the Russian Leg Sweep, for a big near fall. He then locked on an abdominal stretch going for the submission with Bastien having to get to the ropes for a break. Bastien came back with the flying dropkicks and scored a near fall on Armstrong with a flying bodypress off the top rope. The turning point in the match came when Bastien had Armstrong locked in an abdominal stretch and the defending champion escaped by flipping both men over the top rope to the floor. Armstrong took the worst of that bump and was clearly in pain as he barely beat the ten count back into the ring. Sharpe shouted instructions to Bastien who wound up trapping Armstrong in a Boston Crab. Armstrong fought to escape but wound up tapping out when Bastien sat back on the hold resulting in the submission.
4) Bruiser Brody defeated Bobo Brazil:
A grudge match born out of the 12-Man Gold Star Battle Royal at MSG (Card #585) saw freelance star Bruiser Brody score a big win over popular NWC star Bobo Brazil. It was a titanic battle from the opening bell as the two big men exchanged blows. Brazil got the upper hand early taking Brody down with the Bobo Body Slam and then torturing him with the grinding hammerlock. Brody bailed out of the ring and Brazil followed keeping the upper hand. It was back on the inside where Brody turned things around when he countered a Tombstone Piledriver (ch) attempt by Brazil and delivered a powerful one hand bodyslam. With Brazil prone on the mat it was Brody connecting with a running leg drop followed up by the Jumping Knee Drop to score the pin. It was a huge win for Brody who grabbed his trademark chain and left swinging it through the crowd who had to run for safety. LOW officials managed to guide Brody back in the direction of the locker room.
5) Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd:
This highly anticipated grudge match saw the undefeated "Eighth Wonder of the World" Andre the Giant take on Big John Studd who posed a serious threat to that undefeated record. Studd, formerly competing under a mask as Masked Superstar II, revealed his true identity after brutally attacking Andre at MSG (Card #585) after the giant had won his match against Val Venis. Andre was bound and determined to gain some revenge and he did that here on the biggest stage in LOW. The 7'5" and 450-pound Andre met the 6'10" and 364-pound Studd in mid-ring following the introductions by Gary Michael Cappetta. The tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife and early on it was Studd holding the advantage after delivering the forearm pummel. He wound up getting Andre in position for his finisher, the Backbreaker, but was unable to lock it on and that proved to be the turning point. Andre came back with the turnbuckle squash and executed an underhook suplex for a near fall. He added insult to injury with a sitdown splash that had Studd bailing out of the ring. Back on the inside it was Andre striking with a headbutt before trapping Studd in a powerful Bearhug. Studd attempted to fight out of it but Andre locked the hold on with both men collapsing to the mat. The referee checked for a reaction from Studd but got none and called for the bell ruling Andre the winner via a snake eyes submission. The crowd cheered the victory by Andre but the giant had little time to celebrate as "Ravishing" Rick Rude rushed into the ring and attacked him from behind. Studd recovered and joined in on the attack hammering away on Andre before Mil Mascaras, a close ally of Andre's, ran down to the ring. Mascaras caught Rude with a dropkick sending him to the outside while Andre recovered and sent Studd to the floor with a big headbutt. Andre and Mascaras then shook hands to a big cheer from the crowd.
6) PWI Invitational Cup Tournament - Final Round: Ox Baker defeated William Muldoon to win the tournament:
The feared Ox Baker, the "Master of the Heart Punch", defied the odds and defeated former LOW World Heavyweight champion "The Solid Man" William Muldoon to win the fourth annual prestigious PWI Invitational Cup Tournament. Accompanied by his manager Abdullah Farouk, Baker nearly won it early after avoiding a corner charge and executing a roll-up using the ropes for leverage. He used that same tactic to get by Don Leo Jonathan in the quarter-final round. Muldoon bounced back strong after both men went down from a double clothesline and used his devastating suplex throw to wear down Baker. He also used both the back neck hold and double shoulder lock for submission chances. Baker battled back and delivered the devastating Heart Punch but Muldoon got his foot over the bottom rope breaking up the pin. Baker followed with a neckbreaker and a knee drop to the head for another near fall. Muldoon was in a bad way but admirably he hung in there against the powerful Baker and dropped him with another big suplex. Baker bailed out of the ring and pulled Muldoon out where he sent him chest first into the ring post. That blow shook up Muldoon badly and back inside Baker scored with a second Heart Punch and covered Muldoon for the pin. The crowd jeered the decision as a jubilant Farouk rushed into the ring joining Baker in a victory celebration. LOW officials pulled Muldoon out of the ring to assist him to the back while Baker and Farouk were joined by LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox and PWI Editor Bill Apter. They barely had a chance to announce Baker as the winner when Farouk grabbed the mic and declared him the "uncrowned LOW World Heavyweight champion!" Baker then threatened both Cox and Apter with the Heart Punch and they quickly bailed out of the ring leaving the large golden trophy at the feet of the "Master of the Heart Punch".
7) Scaffold Match - Losing Team Has To Break Up: Midnight Express defeated Paul London & Brian Kendrick:
The very vocal Jim Cornette, manager of three-time LOW World tag team champions the Midnight Express ("Loverboy" Dennis Condrey & "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton), was fully confident going into this dangerous Scaffold Match against their heated rivals in the SWA, Paul London & Brian Kendrick. It was Cornette that issued the challenge for the match, citing the experience of his men in past confrontations on the dangerous scaffold, but he perhaps bit off more than he could chew when London added the stipulation that the losing team would have to break up. Cornette was noticeably nervous as he watched his men battle it out with London and Kendrick some twenty feet above the ring. There were a few times when it looked like both Condrey and Eaton would take the dangerous plunge. In the end, however, it was the Midnight Express standing tall after Condrey caught London with a Face First Leg Sweep on the steel and pushed him over the edge. London took a bad spill hitting the mat below and was laid out leaving Kendrick in a very dangerous two-on-one situation. Kendrick tried his best to eliminate Condrey with an airplane spin dropping him on the steel but then Eaton struck him from behind sending him over the edge. Kendrick tried to hang on as the crowd shrieked in horror but Eaton stomped on his hand causing him to fall off the scaffold to the mat below. Cornette jumped with joy at ringside as the Midnight Express scored a huge win not only putting them back in title contention but also forcing London and Kendrick to end their popular team.
8) Lou Thesz defeated Buddy Rogers:
The Long standing rivalry between Lou Thesz and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in the SWA led to them meeting on the grandest stage in LOW. Rogers, accompanied by his manager "Elegant" Eddie Fyne, made a pre-match boast that he would not only defeat Thesz but he would force him to tap out to the Figure Four Grapevine. It was quite a bold statement from Rogers but as a former LOW World Heavyweight champion he had reached the top of the mountain in LOW, a place where Thesz had hoped to be by now. The rivalry with Rogers has consumed a lot of time for Thesz and kept him from reaching that all-important goal so a win here would be huge for the popular star from St. Louis, MO. The latter stages of the match saw both men go down from a double clothesline with Thesz recovering first and applying the STF, or stepover toehold facelock. A weary Rogers got to the ropes and bailed out of the ring with Thesz following. The two traded blows on the floor with Thesz getting the upper hand and hitting Rogers with a chair shot after taking the weapon away from Fyne. The referee waived it off and back inside this one reached a convincing conclusion as Thesz executed the Greco-Roman Backdrop on Rogers for a snake eyes pin. Thesz barely had time to celebrate his win when he was jumped from behind by the "King of Wrestling" Bobby Shane along with a defeated Rogers. The two assaulted Thesz until none other than Ed "Strangler" Lewis, nursing an injury, hit the ring to make the save. Thesz and Lewis quickly drove Rogers and Shane out to the floor drawing big cheers from the crowd.
9) LOW International Heavyweight title: The Sheik© defeated Magnum T.A. by Count Out to retain the title:
Popular SWA star Magnum T.A. out of Chesapeake, VA, has had more than his share of run-ins with The Sheik and was hoping to dethrone him here and regain the LOW International Heavyweight title. Magnum had his first reign as champion ended by Buddy Rogers at WrestleCade IV (Card #400 in New Orleans, LA) and looked to erase that defeat by taking the gold from The Sheik. The crowd was in full support of a fired up Magnum as he took the battle to The Sheik from the opening bell. He nearly won it with a Belly to Belly Suplex but manager Abdullah Farouk distracted the referee saving The Sheik from defeat. It was out on the floor where The Sheik gained control and then with the referee distracted he stabbed Magnum in the forehead with a sharp pencil-like object. The Sheik continued his assault biting and clawing at Magnum who wound up being busted open. Magnum fired back, though, and gained near falls with a barrage of dropkicks and an atomic drop. The Sheik, perhaps out of desperation, took it back out to the floor where he sent Magnum head first into the ring post as Farouk distracted the referee. He followed that up by strangling Magnum with the mic chord before retreating back into the ring. A bloody and near unconscious Magnum T.A. was subsequently counted out of the ring allowing The Sheik to retain the title in tainted fashion.
10) LOW World tag team titles: Fabulous Kangaroos© defeated Johnny Saint & Danny Hodge to retain the titles:
GWA stars Johnny Saint & Danny Hodge were somewhat unlikely winners of the Tag Team Battle Royal (Card #598 in El Monte, CA) outlasting nineteen other teams, including experienced duos like the Killer Bees and Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon, to earn this shot at defending LOW World tag team champions the Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan) who were accompanied by their manager Wild Red Berry. Though they have limited experience working together it didn't show as Saint and Hodge came into this one with a solid game plan. Early action saw Saint catch Costello in the Three In One, an Octopus Hold variation, nearly resulting in a submission. The crowd was at a fever pitch when Hodge and Heffernan, both former holders of the LOW Junior Heavyweight title, squared off. Hodge scored successive near falls on Heffernan with a standing dropkick followed by a flying bodypress off the top rope. The Kangaroos battled back hard, though, with Costello using both the Greek Cross and Aussie Suplex to great effect. They also struck with the body block catapult, a double-team neckbreaker, and hit the Boomerang on Saint for a big near fall. Hodge made the save there and Saint nearly pinned Costello moments later with a double arm stretch & cradle. This one ended when the Kangaroos assaulted Hodge on the floor and, with Berry distracting Saint, they followed up with the Boomerang on Hodge with Costello covering him for the pin. The crowd had a mixed reaction to the decision but cheered as both teams shook hands after the bell.
11) LOW World Heavyweight title: Fred Blassie© defeated Antonino Rocca by Count Out to retain the title:
A second technical decision marred a championship match and this time it was the "King of Men" Fred Blassie retaining the LOW World Heavyweight title in controversial fashion beating top contender Antonino Rocca. It was the popular Rocca who earned this shot by eliminating Lou Thesz in the finals of the 12-Man Gold Star Battle Royal at MSG in New York, NY (Card #585), and he was hoping to make the most of this huge opportunity. Rocca had a previous reign as LOW World Heavyweight champion (Card #507-525) so he is no stranger to reaching the top of the mountain. Blassie controlled the early action punishing Rocca with a nerve pinch and stomach claw. He attempted to come of the top rope (ch) but Rocca caught him up top and delivered a superplex. He then lifted Blassie up into the Argentinian Backbreaker going for the submission but had to break the hold when both men fell into the ropes. Blassie now knew he was in for a fight and he resorted to some underhanded tactics. When Rocca trapped Blassie in the Argentinian Backbreaker a second time it was none other than Blassie's allies Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik heading down to ringside. The Iron Sheik distracted the referee as Volkoff jumped in and kicked Rocca breaking the hold. The interference helped Blassie regain control and he busted Rocca open with repeated bites to the forehead and rolled him up for a big near fall. As LOW officials forced Volkoff and Sheik to leave ringside, Blassie continued to punish Rocca but was unable to put his determined challenger away. That led to more controversy as Blassie survived an offensive from Rocca and wound up running him into the ring post from the apron. Rocca collapsed to the floor as Blassie fell back on the inside and ten seconds later it was all over. Rocca had been counted out and Blassie retained the title drawing jeers from the capacity crowd.
12) War Games - Strong Style Union vs. Axis of Violence - Final Battle:
The long awaited Final Battle between the Strong Style Union and Axis of Violence, with huge stipulations affecting both sides, opened with a little controversy as the two teams surrounded the War Games structure. Former six-time LOW World tag team champions the Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) were the last men to be introduced and they rode to the ring on motorcycles to the strains of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man". There was, however, a third motorcycle leading them and it was none other than their former manager Paul Ellering! The crowd exploded as Ellering, who parted ways with the Road Warriors to join LOW All-Star Wrestling, led his charges into action. Bobby Heenan, the acting manager of the SSU team, didn't seem too pleased with that turn of events and he and Ellering argued at ringside as to who was going to start for the SSU side. The AOV sent in their first man, Terry "Bamm Bamm" Gordy, and Ellering wanted to send in Hawk while Heenan argued for Nick Bockwinkel to start. During the argument it was Hawk jumping into the cage to go at it with Gordy while Heenan and Ellering continued arguing. Heenan was livid but with the man advantage he knew that he could send in Bockwinkel next to put the SSU at a two-on-one advantage.
Order of Entry:
Strong Style Union (SSU):
Road Warrior Hawk
Nick Bockwinkel
Harley Race
Giant Baba
Road Warrior Animal
Rikidozan
Axis of Violence (AOV):
Terry Gordy
Killer Kowalski
Steve Williams
King Kong Bundy
Iron Mike Dibiase
Ted Dibiase
Gordy got the jump on Hawk as he entered the cage and tossed him through the ropes into the second ring. The Final Battle was on. Heenan and Ellering continued arguing at ringside as Gordy maintained control on Hawk hitting both of his finishers, the Piledriver and the Oriental Spike. Hawk was in a bad way as the five minute period ended meaning that Nick Bockwinkel could enter giving the SSU a two-on-one advantage for the next two minutes. Bockwinkel helped to turn the tables and, after an offensive outburst by Hawk, the Beverly Hills, CA. native trapped Gordy in the Figure Four Leglock. Gordy was in pain as the period ended and AOV member Killer Kowalski entered the cage. He went after Hawk and tried to run him into the cage but the well muscled Road Warrior blocked that and fought back. Hawk and Bockwinkel worked together and took down Kowalski with a double clothesline. With Gordy still down, Hawk and Bockwinkel both grabbed the legs of Kowalski and turned him over into a double half-Boston Crab! A second double clothesline attempt failed, however, as Kowalski ducked under and took both men down. Gordy then took over on Bockwinkel delivering the Bamm Bamm Slam and a back suplex before Bockwinkel sent him head first into the cage. Harley Race entered next and went straight for Kowalski using the ropes and performing an amazing slingshot shoulder block from one ring to the next! The AOV were in a bad way being down three-to-two before Steve "Dr. Death" Williams entered the cage to even the odds. Williams got the upper hand on Hawk and wound up driving him head first between the aprons of the two rings before Iron Mike Dibiase began scaling the cage. The AOV leader dropped a lead pipe into the cage and Williams got it using it to assault Hawk and bust him wide open. War Games was beginning to look like advertised - a brutal Final Battle between two warring factions in LOW.
The 6'10" Shohei "Giant" Baba, a native of Sanjo, Niigata, Japan, entered the cage next going after Gordy and putting the SSU at a four-on-three advantage. Gordy took a pounding and tried an amazing defensive maneuver grabbing the low cage ceiling and going for a huracanrana but Baba reversed it into a Power Bomb. Baba followed with the 16-Mon Kick (boot to the face) on Gordy leaving the "Badstreet Battler" in a bad way. The massive 446-pound King Kong Bundy was the next man in and he went straight after Baba attempting to turn the tables for the AOV. It worked as Bundy roughed up Baba allowing Gordy to recover and drop the Japanese Giant with a back suplex. The next man in for the SSU was Road Warrior Animal and he went after "Dr. Death" with a reckless fury. It culminated in the Road Warriors, Animal and Hawk, combining on a Spike Piledriver on Williams laying him out. Iron Mike Dibiase was in next but he was apprehensive going in as both Hawk and Animal stared him down at the cage door. Gordy and Bundy came to his rescue jumping Hawk and Animal so Dibiase slipped in and went after a fallen Harley Race. He locked Race in a sleeper hold as his son, Ted Dibiase, shouted encouragement from ringside. After Race battled back it was Ted Dibiase tossing a pair of brass knuckles into the ring trying to help his father. It worked as Iron Mike retrieved the weapon and used it to bust Race wide open. Things were starting to look good for the AOV before SSU faction leader Rikidozan entered the cage giving his team a six-on-five advantage. Rikidozan went after Iron Mike but was quickly turned away with a brass knuckles shot before being run into the ring post in between the two rings. Dibiase and Bundy then combined to lift up Rikidozan tossing him from one ring into the other.
The final buzzer then sounded and AOV faction leader Ted Dibiase entered the cage beginning the Match Beyond with submission or surrender needed to win the match. All twelve men were battling it out in the two rings as the crowd reached a fever pitch. Ted and Iron Mike, father and son, quickly joined forces and took Rikidozan down with a double clothesline. Rikidozan battled back and used a Boston Crab on Iron Mike going for the submission but Williams made the save. Rikidozan then blasted Williams with a chop and trapped Iron Mike in the Boston Crab again! Williams made the save again and blasted Rikidozan with a lariat. He then applied a bearhug going for the submission but Race made the save. Williams recovered quickly, however, hitting Race with a football tackle and hoisting him up into a powerful Bearhug while driving him backward head first into the cage wall. A bloody and battered Race was in serious jeopardy and forced to surrender the match as the rest of the AOV cut off the SSU team from making a save. A hush fell over the massive sold out L.A. Coliseum as the Axis of Violence defied the odds stacked against them and picked up a huge victory. Rikidozan fell to his knees and likewise Bobby Heenan grabbed the walls of the cage shaking them as both men knew that their careers in LOW had come to an end for at least a period of one year. In addition, due to the agreed upon stipulations the members of the losing side, in this case the Strong Style Union, would all have their contracts voided by the AWE and GWA while this was also the final bow for the Axis of Violence but it's members left with a huge victory over their fierce rivals.
(Notes: Forty-eight top LOW stars converged on a sold out L.A. Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA, to take part in a history making card in WrestleCade VI capped off by the Final Battle in War Games involving the Strong Style Union and Axis of Violence. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox and the LOW Board of Directors were involved in high level meetings with both sides in the months leading up to the event and it was determined that a Final Battle needed to take place to end the war between the two factions that has encompassed both the GWA and AWE. Huge stipulations were put in place for the match including a best two-out-of-three falls twelve-man tag team match to open the card that would determine the man advantage in War Games. The SSU won that match by a count of 2-1, thanks to Antonio Inoki putting Kurrgan away with the Octopus Hold in the deciding fall, and that set up a highly anticipated main event. As per the agreed upon stipulations, the losing side in War Games would have their contracts voided by the GWA and AWE making them free agents and the respective faction leaders (Rikidozan and Bobby Heenan for the SSU and Ted Dibiase and Iron Mike Dibiase for the AOV) would be barred from appearing in LOW for a period of one year. When the dust settled it was the Axis of Violence emerging as the winners in a multi-man battle for the third consecutive WrestleCade event. The loss by the Strong Style Union meant that both Rikidozan and Heenan would be forced to leave LOW for one full year. The post-show press conference saw an elated Ted Dibiase say that even though the AOV has to disband, another stipulation agreed upon by both sides, he has formed a strong bond with all members and sees nothing but "greatness" for all of them in LOW. He vowed to renew his focus on becoming the LOW World Heavyweight champion and addressed LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox saying that all he wanted all along was "fair competition" and said that championships should be the focus of everyone in LOW before letting out a maniacal laugh. The AOV members, all present and accounted for, then raised a one arm salute to the press corps before leaving. The SSU, meanwhile, were only represented by Rikidozan and Heenan both of whom were understandably dejected over the loss. Heenan was livid over the surprise appearance of Paul Ellering and blamed both him and the Road Warriors for ruining his game plan. Rikidozan was a little more respectful admitting that the AOV proved to be the better team and said that they overcame the Man Advantage to win the match. He said that he will now go back home to Japan and ponder his eventual return to LOW. Heenan, still fuming, vowed that LOW has not seen the last of him and said that his "family", which includes Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens, will persevere. The problem is, though, that both men along with the rest of the SSU have had their contracts voided by the AWE and GWA and will now be looking for employment in the other LOW territories or as possible freelance stars. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox concluded by saying that he and his staff will be busy working out contract details with the new free agents and hopes to have things sorted out in rapid fashion. Lost in all of the confusion is that Paul Ellering has indeed left LOW All-Star Wrestling and is now back full-time as manager of the Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) and they will remain under freelance contracts in LOW.
The "King of Men" Fred Blassie needed all of the help he could get as he retained the LOW World Heavyweight title beating Antonino Rocca in a wild bout. Before winning the title, Blassie came into a managerial contract agreement with Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik in the NWC and that paid him off both that night and at WrestleCade VI. It was Volkoff and the Sheik saving Blassie from possible defeat when Rocca had him trapped in the Argentinian Backbreaker. Blassie later got the win via count out and a bloody and disappointed Rocca could hardly believe what had befallen him. Rocca spoke to reporters backstage and was understandably livid over the turn of events. He said he wants a rematch with Blassie and will also have his eyes on Volkoff and the Sheik when he returns to the NWC. Blassie, meanwhile, laughed it up at the post-show press conference and said he proved that he is the "LOW World Heavyweight champeen" and that there wasn't anyone that could do anything about it. When asked who he felt his next challenger would be he said that it "didn't matter" but was then confronted by none other than Ox Baker and his manager Abdullah Farouk. Farouk stated that he and Blassie have been friends for a long time but that "business is business" and he was laying down a challenge that Baker would be going after the title. Blassie backed off a little but then said that Baker deserves the opportunity and he called for LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox to arrange the match. Blassie and Baker then stood toe-to-toe as LOW officials got in between them ending a tense situation...The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan), led by manager Wild Red Berry, retained the LOW World tag team titles beating Johnny Saint & Danny Hodge in a feature match. Saint and Hodge came very close to winning the belts but fell to the more experienced team in the end. Berry praised the efforts of Saint and Hodge post-match and said that should they continue as a team they will be a force to contend with. It's no secret that Saint and Hodge both have a desire to go after the LOW Junior Heavyweight title but both stated afterward that they will continue to accept contracts for tag team competition.
The Sheik retained the LOW International Heavyweight title with a controversial count out win over Magnum T.A. in their highly anticipated title match. Manager Abdullah Farouk praised the "Noble Sheik" afterward saying that he proved at WrestleCade VI that he is the most dangerous and dominant champion in all of LOW and that no one will be able to end his current reign as champion. Bold words indeed from Farouk and one can bet that Magnum T.A. will be negotiating with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox for a rematch down the line...Lou Thesz was very pleased with his victory over Buddy Rogers in their grudge match but had to deal with a post-match attack by Rogers and Bobby Shane. Ed "Strangler" Lewis, almost recovered from an injury suffered at the hands of Evan "Strangler" Lewis, was on hand and saved Thesz from the attack. Thesz, who has hopes of gaining a shot at the LOW World Heavyweight title in the new year, has made it clear that Rogers, Shane, their associate Evan Lewis, and manager Eddie Fyne still need to be dealt with. Thesz is scheduled to face Evan Lewis in the $25,000 Strangler's Challenge on the next broadcast of LOW All-Star Wrestling in Memphis, TN (Card #602), and then the next night will team with his mentor Ed Lewis against Rogers and Shane in a Steel Cage match as the SWA holds their debut show at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis (Card #603), former home of Memphis Championship Wrestling...and, manager Jim Cornette was all smiles at the post-show press conference going over the Scaffold Match victory of his Midnight Express ("Loverboy" Dennis Condrey & "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton) over Paul London & Brian Kendrick. The win by the Midnight Express means that London and Kendrick have to break up their team as per the agreed upon stipulations and that had Cornette in stitches. He said that no teams in LOW are better than his men and that it was only a matter of time before they become four-time LOW World tag team champions. As for London and Kendrick, the two were seen speaking with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox and it was later learned that they have reached an agreement with SWA officials to leave the territory. There is no word on where either will go in LOW but the fact is that if they go to the same territory they will not be allowed to reform their team for at least a period of one year.
Feared Heart Punch specialist Ox Baker, who defeated former LOW Commissioner Massif at WrestleCade V, picked up another huge win on the grand stage as he defeated "The Solid Man" William Muldoon in the finals of the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament. The victory moved Baker up to number-one contender status putting him in line for a shot at the LOW World Heavyweight title and that is a scary thought. Baker's manager Abdullah Farouk spoke with reporters afterward and said that there is no doubt that Baker is the "uncrowned LOW World Heavyweight champion" and he will be seeking a title opportunity. That, of course, was on display later at the post-show press conference when the two confronted LOW World Heavyweight champion Fred Blassie. Muldoon, meanwhile, expressed disappoint over the loss but vowed to recover from it and come back stronger in the new year...Andre the Giant remained undefeated in LOW following his win over Big John Studd, the former Masked Superstar II, in their grudge match. Studd got an assist from "Ravishing" Rick Rude in a post-match attack before Mil Mascaras, a seven-time LOW World Heavyweight champion, ran in to make the save. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox met with all four men following the card and announced a huge main event signed for the next NWC card at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Card #615), with Andre and Mascaras facing Studd and Rude in a tag team battle involving four top freelance stars...Freelance star Bruiser Brody defeated Bobo Brazil in their grudge match scoring a huge win over the highly rated star from Benton Harbor, MI. Brody, in between barking and shouting "Huss!", told reporters that he has been held down for too long in LOW and that everyone had better look out in the coming year...Red Bastien became a three-time LOW Junior Heavyweight champion as he won the belt from Brad Armstrong in a great bout on the undercard. Bastien, a part of Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc., made faction leader "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe a happy man as he brought the title back to his camp. Sharpe said that Bastien deserves praise for regaining a belt that was "stolen" from him and that the title will stay with SSA, Inc. for some time to come...Mildred Burke not only remained undefeated but won the LOW Women's title from Sherri Martel in a nearly one sided contest. Martel, accompanied by her boyfriend Playboy Buddy Rose, fought in vain to retain the title but it was not to be as after Rose was ejected from ringside she would go on to lose the championship. Burke spoke with reporters post-match and said she realized her dream of winning the title and would proudly defend it against all comers. Martel, on the other hand, ripped into the press for daring to come near her and said she and her "Buddy-bear" would make headlines in the new year. She vowed to regain the belt from Burke and give the new champion her first defeat in LOW.)
(Promoter's Note: A special thanks to Ty States for the Scaffold Match rules and to Mr. Hyde for the War Games match rules that were used on this card. It was the first ever Scaffold match that I have used in LOW and the second War Games match, the first being at WrestleCade II (Card #200 in Tokyo, Japan) where an international team featuring Bruiser Brody triumphed over the mostly bootleg nWo team led by Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Thanks for reading and next up my LOW fed moves into a new year featuring the debut of Ring of Honor.)
1) Strong Style Union vs. Axis of Violence - Best Two-out-of-Three Falls Match to determine the Man Advantage in War Games:
Bryan Danielson, The Destroyer, The Crusher, Ray Stevens, Antonio Inoki, & Abraham Lincoln (SSU) defeated Curt Hennig, Masked Superstar, Larry Zbyszko, John Pesek, Ivan Koloff, & Kurrgan (AOV) by a 2-1 decision
First Fall:
The Axis of Violence team dominated the opening stretch by focusing their attacks on the neck of Bryan Danielson who had his neck injured by the Masked Superstar late in the year. Hennig hit the rolling neck snap and tagged in Superstar who followed with the Superstar Clothesline. Pesek got his licks in tying up Danielson with both a double bar hammerlock and lateral press keylock. Danielson, backed by the support of a huge crowd, battled back and managed to tag The Destroyer but he fared only a little better. The crowd erupted in cheers when The Crusher tagged in and went to war with both Koloff and Kurrgan. The seven-foot giant from South Africa, Kurrgan, turned the tables and locked on the Paralyzer for a submission chance. Things took a turn for the worse for the Strong Style Union when Zbyszko removed the turnbuckle pad in the AOV corner exposing the steel. After a brief exchange it was Zbyszko sending The Crusher head first into the exposed corner and rolling him up for the pin. The crowd jeered the decision as the AOV went up by a score of 1-0.
Second Fall:
The Crusher was forced to start the fall against Zbyszko as per two-out-of-three falls match rules and though dazed he managed to battle back. Pesek tagged in and it was a chance for The Crusher to get back at the man who broke his right wrist. The Crusher showed his toughness absorbing a strong attack and then using a double eye gouge on Pesek before making the tag. Stevens and Inoki were able to rally the SSU into it particularly when Inoki trapped Pesek in the painful cobra twist. The crowd exploded when Lincoln, the sixteen President of the United States, went up against both Koloff and Kurrgan. His showdown with the seven-foot South African giant rocked the coliseum and it was Lincoln winning out after a headlock throw. Danielson tagged back in and took Kurrgan out on the floor with a big suicide dive. Kurrgan recovered, however, and picked up Danielson for a chokeslam through the timekeeper's table! The devastating blow resulted in the AOV team being disqualified and thought it was now 1-1 the team captain of the SSU was laid out.
Third Fall:
The all important third fall kicked off with Danielson struggling to recover as Kurrgan waited for the thirty second rest period to end. The bell sounded and the giant went after the injured "American Dragon" looking to put him away. Danielson, however, showed great fire and blitzed Kurrgan with a barrage of roundhouse kicks resulting in a near fall. After an exchange it was The Destroyer nearly pinning Hennig after delivering the Bombs Away. The Masked Superstar got the tag from Hennig but was caught with a sensational suplex by The Destroyer. That led to The Crusher being tagged in and he tore into the Superstar with a vengeance. The crowd was at a fever pitch as both teams battled it out leaving everything out there. The AOV nearly won it when Inoki, after having his head run into the exposed turnbuckle by Zbyszko, was the victim of a chain attack by Koloff. The AOV avoided another disqualification and left Inoki in a bad way. Things looked to be over when Kurrgan tagged in looking to finish off the Japanese superstar. The crowd rallied behind Inoki, though, and amidst a flurry of offense he managed to trap Kurrgan in the Octopus Hold. The rest of the AOV jumped in but were quickly countered by the SSU as Inoki cinched the hold on the giant in mid-ring. Moments later it was all over and the SSU were declared 2-1 winners over the AOV as Inoki got the submission. The crowd exploded in cheers as the SSU gained a huge win giving their team a man advantage over the AOV in War Games.
2) LOW Women's title: Mildred Burke defeated Sherri Martel to win the title:
The undefeated Mildred Burke took on six-time LOW Women's champion Sherri Martel, who was accompanied by her boyfriend Playboy Buddy Rose, in this highly anticipated match. Martel and Rose, who are part of Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc., tried to intimidate ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta prompting Burke to intervene. She quickly took over on Martel and scored near falls with a crooked head scissors rolled into a pin and a forearm uppercut. She then executed one of her trademark moves, the Sunset Flip, but Rose distracted the referee breaking up the pin. The referee, however, took exception to that and ordered Rose to leave ringside drawing the ire of Martel. That led to Burke striking with a jumping knee on Martel for another near fall. Martel was in desperation mode by that point and clawed back into it before Burke trapped her in the Alligator Clutch. Martel scratched and clawed her way to the ropes for a break managing to survive again. That set up Martel making an impressive comeback and hitting both her trademark Top Rope Splash and a legdrop for consecutive near falls. Burke, however, was determined to strip Martel of the belt and took it home when she executed a Suplex into a press to score the pin. The crowd cheered the decision as Burke remained undefeated and was crowned the new LOW Women's champion. An upset Martel tried to jump Burke post-match but was quickly dumped over the top rope to the floor. Burke then proudly displayed the title belt as Martel fought to hold back tears as she returned to the locker room.
3) LOW Junior Heavyweight title: Red Bastien defeated Brad Armstrong to win the title:
The "Flying Redhead" Red Bastien, accompanied by Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc. head "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe, became a three-time LOW Junior Heavyweight champion as he won the belt from the popular Brad Armstrong in a heated match. With Sherri Martel having lost her championship, Sharpe got in the ear of Bastien during the introductions likely getting him psyched up to bring gold back to the freelance faction. Armstrong got off to an aggressive start resulting in him hitting his finisher, the Russian Leg Sweep, for a big near fall. He then locked on an abdominal stretch going for the submission with Bastien having to get to the ropes for a break. Bastien came back with the flying dropkicks and scored a near fall on Armstrong with a flying bodypress off the top rope. The turning point in the match came when Bastien had Armstrong locked in an abdominal stretch and the defending champion escaped by flipping both men over the top rope to the floor. Armstrong took the worst of that bump and was clearly in pain as he barely beat the ten count back into the ring. Sharpe shouted instructions to Bastien who wound up trapping Armstrong in a Boston Crab. Armstrong fought to escape but wound up tapping out when Bastien sat back on the hold resulting in the submission.
4) Bruiser Brody defeated Bobo Brazil:
A grudge match born out of the 12-Man Gold Star Battle Royal at MSG (Card #585) saw freelance star Bruiser Brody score a big win over popular NWC star Bobo Brazil. It was a titanic battle from the opening bell as the two big men exchanged blows. Brazil got the upper hand early taking Brody down with the Bobo Body Slam and then torturing him with the grinding hammerlock. Brody bailed out of the ring and Brazil followed keeping the upper hand. It was back on the inside where Brody turned things around when he countered a Tombstone Piledriver (ch) attempt by Brazil and delivered a powerful one hand bodyslam. With Brazil prone on the mat it was Brody connecting with a running leg drop followed up by the Jumping Knee Drop to score the pin. It was a huge win for Brody who grabbed his trademark chain and left swinging it through the crowd who had to run for safety. LOW officials managed to guide Brody back in the direction of the locker room.
5) Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd:
This highly anticipated grudge match saw the undefeated "Eighth Wonder of the World" Andre the Giant take on Big John Studd who posed a serious threat to that undefeated record. Studd, formerly competing under a mask as Masked Superstar II, revealed his true identity after brutally attacking Andre at MSG (Card #585) after the giant had won his match against Val Venis. Andre was bound and determined to gain some revenge and he did that here on the biggest stage in LOW. The 7'5" and 450-pound Andre met the 6'10" and 364-pound Studd in mid-ring following the introductions by Gary Michael Cappetta. The tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife and early on it was Studd holding the advantage after delivering the forearm pummel. He wound up getting Andre in position for his finisher, the Backbreaker, but was unable to lock it on and that proved to be the turning point. Andre came back with the turnbuckle squash and executed an underhook suplex for a near fall. He added insult to injury with a sitdown splash that had Studd bailing out of the ring. Back on the inside it was Andre striking with a headbutt before trapping Studd in a powerful Bearhug. Studd attempted to fight out of it but Andre locked the hold on with both men collapsing to the mat. The referee checked for a reaction from Studd but got none and called for the bell ruling Andre the winner via a snake eyes submission. The crowd cheered the victory by Andre but the giant had little time to celebrate as "Ravishing" Rick Rude rushed into the ring and attacked him from behind. Studd recovered and joined in on the attack hammering away on Andre before Mil Mascaras, a close ally of Andre's, ran down to the ring. Mascaras caught Rude with a dropkick sending him to the outside while Andre recovered and sent Studd to the floor with a big headbutt. Andre and Mascaras then shook hands to a big cheer from the crowd.
6) PWI Invitational Cup Tournament - Final Round: Ox Baker defeated William Muldoon to win the tournament:
The feared Ox Baker, the "Master of the Heart Punch", defied the odds and defeated former LOW World Heavyweight champion "The Solid Man" William Muldoon to win the fourth annual prestigious PWI Invitational Cup Tournament. Accompanied by his manager Abdullah Farouk, Baker nearly won it early after avoiding a corner charge and executing a roll-up using the ropes for leverage. He used that same tactic to get by Don Leo Jonathan in the quarter-final round. Muldoon bounced back strong after both men went down from a double clothesline and used his devastating suplex throw to wear down Baker. He also used both the back neck hold and double shoulder lock for submission chances. Baker battled back and delivered the devastating Heart Punch but Muldoon got his foot over the bottom rope breaking up the pin. Baker followed with a neckbreaker and a knee drop to the head for another near fall. Muldoon was in a bad way but admirably he hung in there against the powerful Baker and dropped him with another big suplex. Baker bailed out of the ring and pulled Muldoon out where he sent him chest first into the ring post. That blow shook up Muldoon badly and back inside Baker scored with a second Heart Punch and covered Muldoon for the pin. The crowd jeered the decision as a jubilant Farouk rushed into the ring joining Baker in a victory celebration. LOW officials pulled Muldoon out of the ring to assist him to the back while Baker and Farouk were joined by LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox and PWI Editor Bill Apter. They barely had a chance to announce Baker as the winner when Farouk grabbed the mic and declared him the "uncrowned LOW World Heavyweight champion!" Baker then threatened both Cox and Apter with the Heart Punch and they quickly bailed out of the ring leaving the large golden trophy at the feet of the "Master of the Heart Punch".
7) Scaffold Match - Losing Team Has To Break Up: Midnight Express defeated Paul London & Brian Kendrick:
The very vocal Jim Cornette, manager of three-time LOW World tag team champions the Midnight Express ("Loverboy" Dennis Condrey & "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton), was fully confident going into this dangerous Scaffold Match against their heated rivals in the SWA, Paul London & Brian Kendrick. It was Cornette that issued the challenge for the match, citing the experience of his men in past confrontations on the dangerous scaffold, but he perhaps bit off more than he could chew when London added the stipulation that the losing team would have to break up. Cornette was noticeably nervous as he watched his men battle it out with London and Kendrick some twenty feet above the ring. There were a few times when it looked like both Condrey and Eaton would take the dangerous plunge. In the end, however, it was the Midnight Express standing tall after Condrey caught London with a Face First Leg Sweep on the steel and pushed him over the edge. London took a bad spill hitting the mat below and was laid out leaving Kendrick in a very dangerous two-on-one situation. Kendrick tried his best to eliminate Condrey with an airplane spin dropping him on the steel but then Eaton struck him from behind sending him over the edge. Kendrick tried to hang on as the crowd shrieked in horror but Eaton stomped on his hand causing him to fall off the scaffold to the mat below. Cornette jumped with joy at ringside as the Midnight Express scored a huge win not only putting them back in title contention but also forcing London and Kendrick to end their popular team.
8) Lou Thesz defeated Buddy Rogers:
The Long standing rivalry between Lou Thesz and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in the SWA led to them meeting on the grandest stage in LOW. Rogers, accompanied by his manager "Elegant" Eddie Fyne, made a pre-match boast that he would not only defeat Thesz but he would force him to tap out to the Figure Four Grapevine. It was quite a bold statement from Rogers but as a former LOW World Heavyweight champion he had reached the top of the mountain in LOW, a place where Thesz had hoped to be by now. The rivalry with Rogers has consumed a lot of time for Thesz and kept him from reaching that all-important goal so a win here would be huge for the popular star from St. Louis, MO. The latter stages of the match saw both men go down from a double clothesline with Thesz recovering first and applying the STF, or stepover toehold facelock. A weary Rogers got to the ropes and bailed out of the ring with Thesz following. The two traded blows on the floor with Thesz getting the upper hand and hitting Rogers with a chair shot after taking the weapon away from Fyne. The referee waived it off and back inside this one reached a convincing conclusion as Thesz executed the Greco-Roman Backdrop on Rogers for a snake eyes pin. Thesz barely had time to celebrate his win when he was jumped from behind by the "King of Wrestling" Bobby Shane along with a defeated Rogers. The two assaulted Thesz until none other than Ed "Strangler" Lewis, nursing an injury, hit the ring to make the save. Thesz and Lewis quickly drove Rogers and Shane out to the floor drawing big cheers from the crowd.
9) LOW International Heavyweight title: The Sheik© defeated Magnum T.A. by Count Out to retain the title:
Popular SWA star Magnum T.A. out of Chesapeake, VA, has had more than his share of run-ins with The Sheik and was hoping to dethrone him here and regain the LOW International Heavyweight title. Magnum had his first reign as champion ended by Buddy Rogers at WrestleCade IV (Card #400 in New Orleans, LA) and looked to erase that defeat by taking the gold from The Sheik. The crowd was in full support of a fired up Magnum as he took the battle to The Sheik from the opening bell. He nearly won it with a Belly to Belly Suplex but manager Abdullah Farouk distracted the referee saving The Sheik from defeat. It was out on the floor where The Sheik gained control and then with the referee distracted he stabbed Magnum in the forehead with a sharp pencil-like object. The Sheik continued his assault biting and clawing at Magnum who wound up being busted open. Magnum fired back, though, and gained near falls with a barrage of dropkicks and an atomic drop. The Sheik, perhaps out of desperation, took it back out to the floor where he sent Magnum head first into the ring post as Farouk distracted the referee. He followed that up by strangling Magnum with the mic chord before retreating back into the ring. A bloody and near unconscious Magnum T.A. was subsequently counted out of the ring allowing The Sheik to retain the title in tainted fashion.
10) LOW World tag team titles: Fabulous Kangaroos© defeated Johnny Saint & Danny Hodge to retain the titles:
GWA stars Johnny Saint & Danny Hodge were somewhat unlikely winners of the Tag Team Battle Royal (Card #598 in El Monte, CA) outlasting nineteen other teams, including experienced duos like the Killer Bees and Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon, to earn this shot at defending LOW World tag team champions the Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan) who were accompanied by their manager Wild Red Berry. Though they have limited experience working together it didn't show as Saint and Hodge came into this one with a solid game plan. Early action saw Saint catch Costello in the Three In One, an Octopus Hold variation, nearly resulting in a submission. The crowd was at a fever pitch when Hodge and Heffernan, both former holders of the LOW Junior Heavyweight title, squared off. Hodge scored successive near falls on Heffernan with a standing dropkick followed by a flying bodypress off the top rope. The Kangaroos battled back hard, though, with Costello using both the Greek Cross and Aussie Suplex to great effect. They also struck with the body block catapult, a double-team neckbreaker, and hit the Boomerang on Saint for a big near fall. Hodge made the save there and Saint nearly pinned Costello moments later with a double arm stretch & cradle. This one ended when the Kangaroos assaulted Hodge on the floor and, with Berry distracting Saint, they followed up with the Boomerang on Hodge with Costello covering him for the pin. The crowd had a mixed reaction to the decision but cheered as both teams shook hands after the bell.
11) LOW World Heavyweight title: Fred Blassie© defeated Antonino Rocca by Count Out to retain the title:
A second technical decision marred a championship match and this time it was the "King of Men" Fred Blassie retaining the LOW World Heavyweight title in controversial fashion beating top contender Antonino Rocca. It was the popular Rocca who earned this shot by eliminating Lou Thesz in the finals of the 12-Man Gold Star Battle Royal at MSG in New York, NY (Card #585), and he was hoping to make the most of this huge opportunity. Rocca had a previous reign as LOW World Heavyweight champion (Card #507-525) so he is no stranger to reaching the top of the mountain. Blassie controlled the early action punishing Rocca with a nerve pinch and stomach claw. He attempted to come of the top rope (ch) but Rocca caught him up top and delivered a superplex. He then lifted Blassie up into the Argentinian Backbreaker going for the submission but had to break the hold when both men fell into the ropes. Blassie now knew he was in for a fight and he resorted to some underhanded tactics. When Rocca trapped Blassie in the Argentinian Backbreaker a second time it was none other than Blassie's allies Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik heading down to ringside. The Iron Sheik distracted the referee as Volkoff jumped in and kicked Rocca breaking the hold. The interference helped Blassie regain control and he busted Rocca open with repeated bites to the forehead and rolled him up for a big near fall. As LOW officials forced Volkoff and Sheik to leave ringside, Blassie continued to punish Rocca but was unable to put his determined challenger away. That led to more controversy as Blassie survived an offensive from Rocca and wound up running him into the ring post from the apron. Rocca collapsed to the floor as Blassie fell back on the inside and ten seconds later it was all over. Rocca had been counted out and Blassie retained the title drawing jeers from the capacity crowd.
12) War Games - Strong Style Union vs. Axis of Violence - Final Battle:
The long awaited Final Battle between the Strong Style Union and Axis of Violence, with huge stipulations affecting both sides, opened with a little controversy as the two teams surrounded the War Games structure. Former six-time LOW World tag team champions the Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) were the last men to be introduced and they rode to the ring on motorcycles to the strains of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man". There was, however, a third motorcycle leading them and it was none other than their former manager Paul Ellering! The crowd exploded as Ellering, who parted ways with the Road Warriors to join LOW All-Star Wrestling, led his charges into action. Bobby Heenan, the acting manager of the SSU team, didn't seem too pleased with that turn of events and he and Ellering argued at ringside as to who was going to start for the SSU side. The AOV sent in their first man, Terry "Bamm Bamm" Gordy, and Ellering wanted to send in Hawk while Heenan argued for Nick Bockwinkel to start. During the argument it was Hawk jumping into the cage to go at it with Gordy while Heenan and Ellering continued arguing. Heenan was livid but with the man advantage he knew that he could send in Bockwinkel next to put the SSU at a two-on-one advantage.
Order of Entry:
Strong Style Union (SSU):
Road Warrior Hawk
Nick Bockwinkel
Harley Race
Giant Baba
Road Warrior Animal
Rikidozan
Axis of Violence (AOV):
Terry Gordy
Killer Kowalski
Steve Williams
King Kong Bundy
Iron Mike Dibiase
Ted Dibiase
Gordy got the jump on Hawk as he entered the cage and tossed him through the ropes into the second ring. The Final Battle was on. Heenan and Ellering continued arguing at ringside as Gordy maintained control on Hawk hitting both of his finishers, the Piledriver and the Oriental Spike. Hawk was in a bad way as the five minute period ended meaning that Nick Bockwinkel could enter giving the SSU a two-on-one advantage for the next two minutes. Bockwinkel helped to turn the tables and, after an offensive outburst by Hawk, the Beverly Hills, CA. native trapped Gordy in the Figure Four Leglock. Gordy was in pain as the period ended and AOV member Killer Kowalski entered the cage. He went after Hawk and tried to run him into the cage but the well muscled Road Warrior blocked that and fought back. Hawk and Bockwinkel worked together and took down Kowalski with a double clothesline. With Gordy still down, Hawk and Bockwinkel both grabbed the legs of Kowalski and turned him over into a double half-Boston Crab! A second double clothesline attempt failed, however, as Kowalski ducked under and took both men down. Gordy then took over on Bockwinkel delivering the Bamm Bamm Slam and a back suplex before Bockwinkel sent him head first into the cage. Harley Race entered next and went straight for Kowalski using the ropes and performing an amazing slingshot shoulder block from one ring to the next! The AOV were in a bad way being down three-to-two before Steve "Dr. Death" Williams entered the cage to even the odds. Williams got the upper hand on Hawk and wound up driving him head first between the aprons of the two rings before Iron Mike Dibiase began scaling the cage. The AOV leader dropped a lead pipe into the cage and Williams got it using it to assault Hawk and bust him wide open. War Games was beginning to look like advertised - a brutal Final Battle between two warring factions in LOW.
The 6'10" Shohei "Giant" Baba, a native of Sanjo, Niigata, Japan, entered the cage next going after Gordy and putting the SSU at a four-on-three advantage. Gordy took a pounding and tried an amazing defensive maneuver grabbing the low cage ceiling and going for a huracanrana but Baba reversed it into a Power Bomb. Baba followed with the 16-Mon Kick (boot to the face) on Gordy leaving the "Badstreet Battler" in a bad way. The massive 446-pound King Kong Bundy was the next man in and he went straight after Baba attempting to turn the tables for the AOV. It worked as Bundy roughed up Baba allowing Gordy to recover and drop the Japanese Giant with a back suplex. The next man in for the SSU was Road Warrior Animal and he went after "Dr. Death" with a reckless fury. It culminated in the Road Warriors, Animal and Hawk, combining on a Spike Piledriver on Williams laying him out. Iron Mike Dibiase was in next but he was apprehensive going in as both Hawk and Animal stared him down at the cage door. Gordy and Bundy came to his rescue jumping Hawk and Animal so Dibiase slipped in and went after a fallen Harley Race. He locked Race in a sleeper hold as his son, Ted Dibiase, shouted encouragement from ringside. After Race battled back it was Ted Dibiase tossing a pair of brass knuckles into the ring trying to help his father. It worked as Iron Mike retrieved the weapon and used it to bust Race wide open. Things were starting to look good for the AOV before SSU faction leader Rikidozan entered the cage giving his team a six-on-five advantage. Rikidozan went after Iron Mike but was quickly turned away with a brass knuckles shot before being run into the ring post in between the two rings. Dibiase and Bundy then combined to lift up Rikidozan tossing him from one ring into the other.
The final buzzer then sounded and AOV faction leader Ted Dibiase entered the cage beginning the Match Beyond with submission or surrender needed to win the match. All twelve men were battling it out in the two rings as the crowd reached a fever pitch. Ted and Iron Mike, father and son, quickly joined forces and took Rikidozan down with a double clothesline. Rikidozan battled back and used a Boston Crab on Iron Mike going for the submission but Williams made the save. Rikidozan then blasted Williams with a chop and trapped Iron Mike in the Boston Crab again! Williams made the save again and blasted Rikidozan with a lariat. He then applied a bearhug going for the submission but Race made the save. Williams recovered quickly, however, hitting Race with a football tackle and hoisting him up into a powerful Bearhug while driving him backward head first into the cage wall. A bloody and battered Race was in serious jeopardy and forced to surrender the match as the rest of the AOV cut off the SSU team from making a save. A hush fell over the massive sold out L.A. Coliseum as the Axis of Violence defied the odds stacked against them and picked up a huge victory. Rikidozan fell to his knees and likewise Bobby Heenan grabbed the walls of the cage shaking them as both men knew that their careers in LOW had come to an end for at least a period of one year. In addition, due to the agreed upon stipulations the members of the losing side, in this case the Strong Style Union, would all have their contracts voided by the AWE and GWA while this was also the final bow for the Axis of Violence but it's members left with a huge victory over their fierce rivals.
(Notes: Forty-eight top LOW stars converged on a sold out L.A. Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA, to take part in a history making card in WrestleCade VI capped off by the Final Battle in War Games involving the Strong Style Union and Axis of Violence. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox and the LOW Board of Directors were involved in high level meetings with both sides in the months leading up to the event and it was determined that a Final Battle needed to take place to end the war between the two factions that has encompassed both the GWA and AWE. Huge stipulations were put in place for the match including a best two-out-of-three falls twelve-man tag team match to open the card that would determine the man advantage in War Games. The SSU won that match by a count of 2-1, thanks to Antonio Inoki putting Kurrgan away with the Octopus Hold in the deciding fall, and that set up a highly anticipated main event. As per the agreed upon stipulations, the losing side in War Games would have their contracts voided by the GWA and AWE making them free agents and the respective faction leaders (Rikidozan and Bobby Heenan for the SSU and Ted Dibiase and Iron Mike Dibiase for the AOV) would be barred from appearing in LOW for a period of one year. When the dust settled it was the Axis of Violence emerging as the winners in a multi-man battle for the third consecutive WrestleCade event. The loss by the Strong Style Union meant that both Rikidozan and Heenan would be forced to leave LOW for one full year. The post-show press conference saw an elated Ted Dibiase say that even though the AOV has to disband, another stipulation agreed upon by both sides, he has formed a strong bond with all members and sees nothing but "greatness" for all of them in LOW. He vowed to renew his focus on becoming the LOW World Heavyweight champion and addressed LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox saying that all he wanted all along was "fair competition" and said that championships should be the focus of everyone in LOW before letting out a maniacal laugh. The AOV members, all present and accounted for, then raised a one arm salute to the press corps before leaving. The SSU, meanwhile, were only represented by Rikidozan and Heenan both of whom were understandably dejected over the loss. Heenan was livid over the surprise appearance of Paul Ellering and blamed both him and the Road Warriors for ruining his game plan. Rikidozan was a little more respectful admitting that the AOV proved to be the better team and said that they overcame the Man Advantage to win the match. He said that he will now go back home to Japan and ponder his eventual return to LOW. Heenan, still fuming, vowed that LOW has not seen the last of him and said that his "family", which includes Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens, will persevere. The problem is, though, that both men along with the rest of the SSU have had their contracts voided by the AWE and GWA and will now be looking for employment in the other LOW territories or as possible freelance stars. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox concluded by saying that he and his staff will be busy working out contract details with the new free agents and hopes to have things sorted out in rapid fashion. Lost in all of the confusion is that Paul Ellering has indeed left LOW All-Star Wrestling and is now back full-time as manager of the Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) and they will remain under freelance contracts in LOW.
The "King of Men" Fred Blassie needed all of the help he could get as he retained the LOW World Heavyweight title beating Antonino Rocca in a wild bout. Before winning the title, Blassie came into a managerial contract agreement with Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik in the NWC and that paid him off both that night and at WrestleCade VI. It was Volkoff and the Sheik saving Blassie from possible defeat when Rocca had him trapped in the Argentinian Backbreaker. Blassie later got the win via count out and a bloody and disappointed Rocca could hardly believe what had befallen him. Rocca spoke to reporters backstage and was understandably livid over the turn of events. He said he wants a rematch with Blassie and will also have his eyes on Volkoff and the Sheik when he returns to the NWC. Blassie, meanwhile, laughed it up at the post-show press conference and said he proved that he is the "LOW World Heavyweight champeen" and that there wasn't anyone that could do anything about it. When asked who he felt his next challenger would be he said that it "didn't matter" but was then confronted by none other than Ox Baker and his manager Abdullah Farouk. Farouk stated that he and Blassie have been friends for a long time but that "business is business" and he was laying down a challenge that Baker would be going after the title. Blassie backed off a little but then said that Baker deserves the opportunity and he called for LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox to arrange the match. Blassie and Baker then stood toe-to-toe as LOW officials got in between them ending a tense situation...The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Costello & Roy Heffernan), led by manager Wild Red Berry, retained the LOW World tag team titles beating Johnny Saint & Danny Hodge in a feature match. Saint and Hodge came very close to winning the belts but fell to the more experienced team in the end. Berry praised the efforts of Saint and Hodge post-match and said that should they continue as a team they will be a force to contend with. It's no secret that Saint and Hodge both have a desire to go after the LOW Junior Heavyweight title but both stated afterward that they will continue to accept contracts for tag team competition.
The Sheik retained the LOW International Heavyweight title with a controversial count out win over Magnum T.A. in their highly anticipated title match. Manager Abdullah Farouk praised the "Noble Sheik" afterward saying that he proved at WrestleCade VI that he is the most dangerous and dominant champion in all of LOW and that no one will be able to end his current reign as champion. Bold words indeed from Farouk and one can bet that Magnum T.A. will be negotiating with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox for a rematch down the line...Lou Thesz was very pleased with his victory over Buddy Rogers in their grudge match but had to deal with a post-match attack by Rogers and Bobby Shane. Ed "Strangler" Lewis, almost recovered from an injury suffered at the hands of Evan "Strangler" Lewis, was on hand and saved Thesz from the attack. Thesz, who has hopes of gaining a shot at the LOW World Heavyweight title in the new year, has made it clear that Rogers, Shane, their associate Evan Lewis, and manager Eddie Fyne still need to be dealt with. Thesz is scheduled to face Evan Lewis in the $25,000 Strangler's Challenge on the next broadcast of LOW All-Star Wrestling in Memphis, TN (Card #602), and then the next night will team with his mentor Ed Lewis against Rogers and Shane in a Steel Cage match as the SWA holds their debut show at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis (Card #603), former home of Memphis Championship Wrestling...and, manager Jim Cornette was all smiles at the post-show press conference going over the Scaffold Match victory of his Midnight Express ("Loverboy" Dennis Condrey & "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton) over Paul London & Brian Kendrick. The win by the Midnight Express means that London and Kendrick have to break up their team as per the agreed upon stipulations and that had Cornette in stitches. He said that no teams in LOW are better than his men and that it was only a matter of time before they become four-time LOW World tag team champions. As for London and Kendrick, the two were seen speaking with LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox and it was later learned that they have reached an agreement with SWA officials to leave the territory. There is no word on where either will go in LOW but the fact is that if they go to the same territory they will not be allowed to reform their team for at least a period of one year.
Feared Heart Punch specialist Ox Baker, who defeated former LOW Commissioner Massif at WrestleCade V, picked up another huge win on the grand stage as he defeated "The Solid Man" William Muldoon in the finals of the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament. The victory moved Baker up to number-one contender status putting him in line for a shot at the LOW World Heavyweight title and that is a scary thought. Baker's manager Abdullah Farouk spoke with reporters afterward and said that there is no doubt that Baker is the "uncrowned LOW World Heavyweight champion" and he will be seeking a title opportunity. That, of course, was on display later at the post-show press conference when the two confronted LOW World Heavyweight champion Fred Blassie. Muldoon, meanwhile, expressed disappoint over the loss but vowed to recover from it and come back stronger in the new year...Andre the Giant remained undefeated in LOW following his win over Big John Studd, the former Masked Superstar II, in their grudge match. Studd got an assist from "Ravishing" Rick Rude in a post-match attack before Mil Mascaras, a seven-time LOW World Heavyweight champion, ran in to make the save. LOW Commissioner Charlie Cox met with all four men following the card and announced a huge main event signed for the next NWC card at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Card #615), with Andre and Mascaras facing Studd and Rude in a tag team battle involving four top freelance stars...Freelance star Bruiser Brody defeated Bobo Brazil in their grudge match scoring a huge win over the highly rated star from Benton Harbor, MI. Brody, in between barking and shouting "Huss!", told reporters that he has been held down for too long in LOW and that everyone had better look out in the coming year...Red Bastien became a three-time LOW Junior Heavyweight champion as he won the belt from Brad Armstrong in a great bout on the undercard. Bastien, a part of Sharpe Sports Agency, Inc., made faction leader "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe a happy man as he brought the title back to his camp. Sharpe said that Bastien deserves praise for regaining a belt that was "stolen" from him and that the title will stay with SSA, Inc. for some time to come...Mildred Burke not only remained undefeated but won the LOW Women's title from Sherri Martel in a nearly one sided contest. Martel, accompanied by her boyfriend Playboy Buddy Rose, fought in vain to retain the title but it was not to be as after Rose was ejected from ringside she would go on to lose the championship. Burke spoke with reporters post-match and said she realized her dream of winning the title and would proudly defend it against all comers. Martel, on the other hand, ripped into the press for daring to come near her and said she and her "Buddy-bear" would make headlines in the new year. She vowed to regain the belt from Burke and give the new champion her first defeat in LOW.)
(Promoter's Note: A special thanks to Ty States for the Scaffold Match rules and to Mr. Hyde for the War Games match rules that were used on this card. It was the first ever Scaffold match that I have used in LOW and the second War Games match, the first being at WrestleCade II (Card #200 in Tokyo, Japan) where an international team featuring Bruiser Brody triumphed over the mostly bootleg nWo team led by Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Thanks for reading and next up my LOW fed moves into a new year featuring the debut of Ring of Honor.)