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Post by Cory Olson on May 2, 2019 12:09:30 GMT -4
Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on 3-19: • Commissioner Bob Armstrong had some big match-up announcements for the coming weeks. After the controversial ending last week in Evansville, “Ravishing” Rick Rude will defend the USWA World Heavyweight championship again against Red Bastien! That rematch will take place in the main event on April 11 at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville. Rude and “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart were interviewed in studio by Lance Russell. Hart said that everyone is focusing on Bastien’s win but the important thing is that Rude is still the World Heavyweight champion and he made history. Rude interjected that if Bastien wants to let the wrestling fans down one more time, it’s fine by him because he (Rude) will make history again and hold the sole record for the most defenses of the USWA World Heavyweight title! • Commissioner Armstrong had some big announcements for match-ups on March 28 at the Tupelo Sports Arena! o Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy will do battle with Mad Dog Vachon, one-on-one. Mad Dog and Billy Black Lyons eliminated Gordy from the six-man tag team Elimination Match last week in Evansville. This should be a physical match-up! o Tracy Smothers defeated Tyler Black last week. On the 28th, he is scheduled to get his hands on the leader of Age of the Fall—Jimmy Jacobs! Since Smothers’ return from injury, Jacobs seems to be in hiding. While the card is always “subject to change,” hopefully Smothers will get his hands on the enigmatic Jacobs in Tupelo! • Commissioner “Bullet” Bob also had some championship match updates. He said that Billy Black Lyons impressively eliminated Southern Heavyweight champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams from the six-man tag team Elimination Match last week in Evansville and he will receive a shot at that championship in the near future, be it against current champ Williams or his next challenger, former champion “Classy” Freddie Blassie. The wrestling world will know for sure, after Williams and Blassie clash again on March 28 in Tupelo. • Two-time former Mid-America champion Tracy Smothers will challenge for that title on April 11 at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville. Smothers’ second reign is tied for the most defenses (along with Pepper Gomez’ reign). Smothers lost his second reign to Ray “The Crippler” Stevens back in August in Louisville but he never got a return match, partially due to his rib injury suffered by the Age of the Fall. He could be facing Stevens or current champion “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay, depending on who leaves their March 28th bout in Tupelo the Mid-America champion!
The USWA comes back to the Civic Coliseum in Knoxville for the first time since New Year’s Knockout XII with a huge card on March 21! • In a rematch from this supercard in this same arena, the New Age Outlaws will battle Jimmy Jacobs’ disciples of Luke Harper and the Necro Butcher. Harper and Butcher scored an impressive win over the Outlaws the last time in this building. But the Outlaws avenged that loss the next month in Lexington. Who will win this “rubber match” and will Jacobs be present for his disciples? • “Classy” Freddie Blassie is irate about losing the Southern Heavyweight championship and his first bout in the USWA. As he gets ready for his championship rematch with Steve “Dr. Death” Williams next week in Tupelo, he will take on former Mid-America champion Claudio Castagnoli this week! “The Swiss Superman” has unheralded power but Blassie always seems to have tricks up his sleeve against any opponent. Who will win this bout? • Ray “The Crippler” Stevens is also looking forward to his shot at gold—the Mid-America title in Tupelo on the 28th. But first, he will take on the ever-popular “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. Duggan scored an impressive victory on Ox Baker in a Louisville Street Fight on Leap Day in Louisville. He was supposed to challenge Stevens for the Mid-America title back in November in Tupelo but Stevens was suspended and stripped of the title. Duggan ended up advancing to the finals of the tournament to crown a new champion before ultimately losing to Fit Finlay and a handful of tights. Can Duggan get a huge win before Stevens’ championship shot? • A tag team rivalry will continue as the Midnight Express battle the PYT Express! The Midnights have won most of the match-ups against the PYTs. What will happen in the next meeting? • Two USWA superstars with a lot of recent momentum will collide, as “Superstar” Bill Dundee faces Billy Black Lyons. Lyons impressively eliminated both Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy and Southern Heavyweight champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams in last week’s six-man tag team Elimination Match in Evansville. Dundee’s only singles loss occurred to Lyons’ ally Doctor X at New Year’s Knockout XII in this same arena. But since then Dundee avenged that loss on Leap Day in Louisville. Lyons is guaranteed a future USWA Southern Heavyweight championship bout. There is a lot on the line between these two USWA grapplers! • Red Bastien is irate at winning last week’s main event in Evansville but not leaving with the USWA World Heavyweight championship, thanks to Billy Black Lyons’ interference. This week, Bastien will do battle win one of Lyons’ allies—Mad Dog Vachon! While Vachon is known for his tag team with his brother Butcher, he has big singles wins as well and cannot be underestimated. Can Bastien gain some momentum prior to his World title rematch or will Mad Dog take a bite out of him? • The main event will be for the USWA World Tag Team titles. Current champions Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito will put the titles on the line against the men they beat in January in Lexington in the tournament finals to become the new champions—Brian Kendrick and Paul London! The high-flying fan favorites came very close to beating the House of Humperdink team in a great, competitive ****¼ bout. Can Kendrick and London finally win the belts or will Zbyszko and Saito triumph again?
All these bouts, plus “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant battles “The Fabulous” Ox Baker. And “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas and Tommy Rogers in singles matches!
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Post by Cory Olson on May 18, 2019 13:07:53 GMT -4
March 21, 2016 Card #464: Civic Coliseum in Knoxville1) Tommy Rogers continued his winning ways with a pinfall in the opener over “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe. Rogers dazzled the New Jerseyan with a series of dropkicks and then executed the Tomikaze to score the pinfall. Rogers debuted in the USWA in Knoxville at New Year’s Knockout and the Knoxville fans gave him a big ovation for his return! ½* 2) “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas made short work of Tony Falk from Memphis. Atlas hit an impressive dropkick on Falk for a near fall. He picked up the win a minute later with an awesome press slam and a big splash. The powerhouse continues to impress and gain more fans throughout the South! DUD 3) “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant rallied back and scored a big pinfall win on Ox Baker. “The Fabulous” Ox had the early advantage. He blasted Valiant with a clothesline and a knee drop to the head for near falls. Valiant ducked another clothesline, bounced off the opposite ropes, and came back with a running elbow to the head. He went for a cover but Baker kicked out. Baker battled back and blasted Valiant with the heart punch. He covered “Boogie Woogie” but “The Boy from New York City” got a foot on the bottom rope for a break. Baker punched away at Valiant but Valiant nailed him with an ear clap. He then went up to the top rope but Baker cut him off and slammed him hard to the mat. Baker went for a falling heart punch but Valiant rolled out of the way. As Baker held his hand, Valiant scooped him up and slammed him to the mat. Valiant climbed up the ropes again and came off with a super Boogie Woogie elbow. He blasted the Iowan and the made a cover to score the pinfall. Sir Oliver Humperdink was outraged by Baker’s loss but Valiant celebrated amongst the Knoxville fans! ***¾ 4) The New Age Outlaws got a dominant win over Luke Harper and the Necro Butcher. The two-time former USWA World Tag Team champions kept Necro in the ring for the entire match. They hit a double Hot Shot on Necro and then Billy Gunn executed a big press slam. Gunn made a cover but Harper intervened with a boot to the face. Gunn was stunned but maintained control and tagged to “The Road Dogg” Jesse James. James got Necro down on the mat and hit the Shake, Rattle, and Roll knee drop for a two-count. Necro got to his feet but James hit the pump handle slam and scored the pinfall while Gunn kept Harper from making a save with a flying fist. It was an impressive win for the Outlaws, as they look forward to another match with Harper and Necro’s allies, Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black—the Age of the Fall! ¼* 5) “Classy” Freddie Blassie squashed Claudio Castagnoli. “The King of Men” was very aggressive against “The Swiss Superman.” He bit Castagnoli twice and then hit the Southern neckbreaker to score the pinfall after just a few minutes of action. Blassie is hoping to sink his teeth into the Southern Heavyweight title belt. Can he regain the gold from Steve “Dr. Death” Williams next week in Tupelo? ** 6) “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan scored a quick win over Ray “The Crippler” Stevens. Duggan hit a clothesline for a two-count. As Stevens got to his feet, Duggan blasted him with a second clothesline, sending Stevens over the top rope and to the arena floor. Jimmy Hart raced over and yelled encouragement to Stevens to get back in the ring but Joe Wheeler’s count hit 10, so Duggan got the win. How will this loss affect Stevens going into his Mid-America championship bout with champion Fit Finlay next week in Tupelo? DUD ( NOTE: This was my first time using Stevens’ new color card, available in Legends of Wrestling Expansion Set III!) 7) The Midnight Express picked up a win over their rivals the PYT Express. Sweet Brown Sugar and D’Lo Brown had the early advantage against “Sweet” Stan Lane, as Brown hit a swinging side slam for a two-count. Lane battled back and tagged to “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton. The Midnights double teamed Sugar for a few minutes until Eaton hit a knee drop off the top rope to score the pinfall, while Lane knocked Brown out of the ring with a karate kick. What was more memorable was what happened after the decision. As Eaton and Lane got their hands raised by Paul Morton, their theme music played but suddenly was cut off. Suddenly a familiar voice came over the microphone, “I’m baaacck!” Up in the upper level of the Civic Coliseum appeared Jim Cornette, flanked by former USWA World Heavyweight and Southern Heavyweight champion Dan “The Beast” Severn, wearing a suit! Fans were in shock as the Midnights’ former manager appeared in the upper level, with his tennis racquet in hand and a portable microphone. Cornette said that he knows the USWA has been "struggling" since he was forced to leave the USWA in 2014 at New Year’s Knockout XI. But he knew he had to go away, so the USWA fans could miss him and appreciate him when he came back! The Knoxville fans erupted in boos at that statement! He said that while he was gone Eaton and Lane did not visit him or call him. Eaton and Lane mouthed from the ring that that wasn’t true. Cornette said that in the meantime, he went out and found a new tag team which will destroy the “myth” of the Midnight Express. He said that he will now be managing the NEW Heavenly Bodies! Cornette said that while this is a new tag team both wrestlers are very familiar to USWA fans, as both are former champions. Cornette introduced the first member as someone who had already been a Heavenly Body and a former partner of both Eaton and Lane—four-time former USWA World Tag Team champion “The Doctor of Desire” Tom Prichard! Prichard appeared next to Cornette and Severn. Cornette said that Prichard’s new partner was a former USWA Texas champion and the man who ended “Beautiful” Bobby’s historic 18-month reign in 2010— “The Suicide Blonde” Chris Candido! Candido appeared next to the other three men. Cornette said that just like he made history in the past, he is going to rewrite history in 2016 with his new Heavenly Bodies! The group then disappeared into the rafters, as Eaton, Lane, and the fans were shocked by the appearance and return of the foursome! **½ 8) “Superstar” Bill Dundee scored a surprising win over Billy Black Lyons. Lyons was aggressive at the bell. He worked over Dundee’s leg and went for the figure-four leglock. Dundee was in the hold for nearly a minute. With the fans rooting him on, Dundee was able to reverse the hold and Lyons was in trouble. Lyons quickly got to the ropes for a break. Lyons regained control and surprised Dundee with a reverse rolling cradle for a near fall. Suddenly, Red Bastien appeared in the aisleway! Lyons stomped over Dundee’s leg some more but then turned and saw his former tag team partner in the aisle. Lyons challenged Bastien to come into the ring. While Lyons was jawing with Bastien, Dundee got to his feet. He ran over and chop blocked Lyons’ leg. He then rolled Lyons up into a school-boy and scored the pin out of nowhere! The fans went wild at Lyons being embarrassed after costing Bastien the World Heavyweight title last week in Evansville! Lyons got to his feet and stared down Bastien, as Bastien smirked back at him and congratulated the “Superstar” on the win! **½ 9) Bastien stayed in the ring for his own bout. He suffered a similar fate to Lyons, as he lost to Lyons’ ally Mad Dog Vachon. Vachon attacked Bastien right at the bell. He executed a backbreaker for a near fall. He hit the Mad Dog Pounce and then later a jumping knee drop for another two-count. Bastien fought back and surprised the Algerian with the airplane spin into the atomic drop. He covered Mad Dog but Vachon had landed near the ropes and managed to get a foot under the bottom rope for a break. Mad Dog took over, got Bastien down on the mat, and hit a double foot stomp for another near fall. He landed a second knee drop, this time busting Bastien open. Mad Dog chocked Bastien on the ropes, hit a second Pounce, and then proceeded to choke him again. Joe Wheeler pulled Vachon off and warned him about his tactics. With Wheeler’s back turned, Lyons made his way back to ringside and nailed Bastien with a stiff right hand. He quickly retreated to the locker room, while his ally Vachon returned his attention to Bastien. He bounced off the ropes and nailed the bloodied Bastien with a running knee lift. He covered Bastien, hooking both legs, and scoring the pinfall. It was an extra impressive win for Vachon, as this was Bastien’s first singles loss in 2016! You can bet the war between the former Flying Redheads is far from over! ***¾ 10) The main event was for the USWA World Tag Team championship. The current champions and House of Humperdink members Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito put the titles on the line against Brian Kendrick and Paul London. This was a rematch of the tournament finals for the then-vacant titles from January in Lexington. The challengers started off strong. London hit an enzuigiri on karate expert Zbyszko for a near fall. A few minutes later, Kendrick executed the Sliced Bread #2 on Saito for a two-count. Kendrick followed up with a jumping heel kick and a second rope knee drop for near falls as well on the Japanese Olympian. Saito reversed a whip into the corner and sent Kendrick crashing hard. He briefly took over but missed a knee drop of his own off the second rope. Kendrick dove to his corner and tagged to London. London ran wild on Saito and got him down on the mat. London hit the 450 splash, landing right across Saito’s nose and busting him open. London went for a cover but Sir Oliver Humperdink distracted Paul Morton. The high-flying fan favorites maintained control. Kendrick tagged back in and surprised Saito with a rolling front cradle but Zbyszko broke up the pin attempt, booting Kendrick in the face. The interference allowed Saito to tag Zbyszko back into the ring. Zbyszko pounded on Kendrick and went for a sleeper. Kendrick started to fade so Morton checked his arm. It dropped twice but before the third time, it popped back up and Kendrick fought to his feet. Zbyszko pulled him by the hair to the mat and maintained control. He came off the second rope with a stomp to Kendrick’s face. He went up again but Kendrick rolled out of the way. He then rolled to his corner and tagged to London. Zbyszko tagged Saito as well and Saito cut off London with a head butt. Saito went for a sleeper of his own but London got to the ropes. He threw London with the Saito suplex and went for a cover but London got his shoulder up at 2¾. Zbyszko tagged back in. Saito held London down while Zbyszko came off the second ropes again with a stomp to London’s midsection. Zbyszko made a cover but Kendrick broke up the pin attempt. Saito came in the ring and he and Kendrick brawled to the floor. While Morton briefly turned his attention to the two on the outside, Zbyszko went to his corner where Humperdink handed him an object. Zbyszko slipped the object into his boot and then stomped away. London got to his feet but Zbyszko knocked him back down with a loaded spinning back kick. Zbyszko made a cover and Morton turned around to count the pinfall, giving Zbyszko and Saito the victory and still the World Tag Team titles! As the House of Humperdink members returned to the locker room, the Knoxville fans berated them with boos! ****½
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Post by Cory Olson on May 23, 2019 11:52:50 GMT -4
Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on 3-26: • Commissioner Bob Armstrong announced several upcoming matches. First, three matches were made for the April 18 card, when the USWA returns to the Tad Smith Coliseum on the campus of “Ole Miss” for the first time in 3½ years! o The main event will be a rematch for the USWA World Tag Team titles. The House of Humperdink’s Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito will defend the titles against the First Family of Wrestling’s Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. The last time these two teams met, in February in Jackson, TN, Studd and Bundy won the bout via DQ when Saito blasted Bundy with one of the Tag Team title belts. The giants are hoping to leave both the victors and champions this time around! o Nick Bockwinkel will collide once again with “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert. Bockwinkel got the win the last time, in Louisville on Leap Day. Gilbert has vowed to get his first decisive win over Bockwinkel and wants to put the four-time former USWA champion out of pro wrestling! o Tracy Smothers will finally get his hands on Jimmy Jacobs, as the two will meet one-on-one! The leader of the Age of the Fall has been elusive lately but has signed for this match-up. Will he have tricks up his sleeve? • The main event was made for the USWA’s return to the Rupp Arena in Lexington on April 25. Billy Black Lyons put Southern Heavyweight champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams out with a sleeper on March 14 in Evansville in a six-man tag team Elimination Match. Because of that, Lyons will receive his first-ever shot at a USWA singles championship. He will challenge the winner of next week’s main event, either Williams or “Classy” Freddie Blassie for the Southern Heavyweight title! • A special “Press Conference” aired, hosted by Bill Apter of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Apter’s guests were Jim Cornette, Dr. Tom Prichard, Chris Candido, and Dan “The Beast” Severn. The interview was held at Mama Cornette’s mansion in Louisville. Apter asked Cornette what he had been doing since being forced to leave the USWA on New Year’s Knockout XI in 2014. He said in addition to being the best manager in wrestling today, he is also a wrestling fan at heart and he had been attending wrestling cards all over the world, often incognito, so as not to be attacked by fans! He said that he was scouting talent the world over, looking for the next talents to sign and manage. He said that when his Loser-Leaves-Town suspension was up on December 31, 2015, he contacted “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane about returning to the USWA and managing them but they refused his offer! He claimed that he was the one to put Eaton and Lane together as the Midnight Express back in 2005, shortly before they debuted in the USWA. He said that he found a team that can surpass the Midnights. Cornette stated that after Prichard recovered from his neck injury in 2012, he wrestled in the UWF and later Southwest Championship Wrestling (SCW). After Candido and Buff Bagwell left the USWA at the end of 2010, they wrestled in Georgia Championship Wrestling for a while before breaking up and feuding. Bagwell, now wrestling under his real name of Marcus Alexander Bagwell, won the feud in 2013. Candido left from there to wrestle in Big Time Wrestling the Michigan-Ohio area, the same promotion with which the USWA co-promoted the card in Cincinnati last August. Knowing Prichard’s past of teaming with both Eaton and Lane and knowing that Candido was the one to end Eaton’s historic USWA Texas title reign in 2010, he feels that the Heavenly Bodies can become a better team than Eaton and Lane! Apter asked both Bodies’ opinions on returning to the USWA as a new team. Prichard said that he is excited to be back under the greatest managerial expertise in the business. He said that not only will he get revenge on the Midnights for abandoning him in 2012 after his neck injury but he also wouldn’t mind tangling with the New Age Outlaws again, since their spike piledriver injured him! Candido said that he was the one to dethrone “Beautiful” Bobby in singles competition and now the Bodies will take out the Midnights! Apter asked what Dan Severn had to do with all of this. Cornette said that “The Beast” had been wrestling in BTW (USWA fans saw him last August at the USWA-BTW card.) and doing a few MMA fights in the UFC the last few years. He said that wrestling and MMA fans know Severn’s toughness and that Cornette has used his mama’s funds to hire Severn as his personal bodyguard! Apter asked if Severn will compete in the USWA as well. Cornette reminded wrestling fans of how his first bodyguard, Justin Credible, eventually became a two-time USWA Texas champion under his guidance. He said that Severn may very well return to the ring to add to his accolades! The new Bodies will make their debut as a team on April 11 at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville! To read the full transcript of this “Press Conference,” including some inside dirt on Eaton and Lane, pick up the latest copy of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, available at newsstands everywhere! • After this interview aired, Eaton and Lane were interviewed in studio. Lance Russell asked them their responses to Cornette’s statements. Lane said that while normally he respects Bill Apter and the Pro Wrestling Illustrated family of magazines that fans should boycott this month’s issue and not read Cornette’s lies about him and Eaton! “Sweet” Stan said that Cornette has always been known for stretching the truth and this is an example of that. Lane claimed that while he and Eaton were suspended at the end of 2015 and stripped of the USWA World Tag Team titles, they contacted Cornette about returning as their manager in 2016. He said that they left several messages on Cornette’s answering machine, filling up the tape, and he never returned any of their calls! Lane said that that was fine, as he and Eaton won the titles on their own, never lost them, and won their feud with the PYT Express. He said that he and Eaton know Prichard and Candido very well and if they need proof of who the best tag team in wrestling is, they would be happy to prove it in the ring. He added that the USWA female fans know who the true “Heavenly Bodies” are, as he pointed to Eaton and himself. The soft-spoken Eaton simply added, “Maybe after we beat Candido and Prichard, Cornette will return our calls!” • It was announced that the PYT Express have decided to leave the USWA and compete in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF). • It was announced that the second annual Derby City Stampede will take place on Friday, May 6 at the Horse Show Pavilion at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds, the night before the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports”—the Kentucky Derby! Matches for this supercard will be announced in the coming weeks on USWA Championship Wrestling!
The USWA returns to the Tupelo Sports Arena on March 28! • Tracy Smothers will continue his battles with Jimmy Jacobs’ disciples when he faces the wild brawler the Necro Butcher! Can Butcher score a big upset on the two-time Mid-America Heavyweight champion? • The next challengers for the USWA World Tag Team titles will face the last challengers, as Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy will face Brian Kendrick and Paul London. It will be an interesting match-up of the powerful giants vs. the high-flying fan favorites. Which team will leave Tupelo the winners? • Another First Family of Wrestling member will have his biggest challenge to date, as Bobby Shane will collide with “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. Shane has showcased his Japanese sleeper but Valiant has won many matches with the sleeper as well. Will the sleeper be the difference maker in this bout? • Nick Bockwinkel will be in action. He has a big bout with “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert on April 18 in Oxford. But this week he will face Gilbert’s House of Humperdink ally Ox Baker! Bockwinkel and Baker were both active in the USWA at its inception in 2004. This will be an interesting clash of Bockwinkel’s technical skills vs. Baker’s brawling and deadly heart punch. Which style will emerge superior? • The New Age Outlaws will collide once again with their rivals the Age of the Fall! Jimmy Jacobs has been very elusive lately. Many wrestling fans are wondering if Jacobs will even show up to Tupelo or if Tyler Black will wrestle a Handicap Match. What will happen? • Two brutes will collide again, as Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy faces Mad Dog Vachon! Gordy was eliminated from the six-man tag team match two weeks ago in Evansville. He is hoping to get revenge on Mad Dog one-on-one for injuring his ankle back in December in Radcliff. Vachon is coming off a big singles win over Red Bastien last week in Knoxville. Can he keep that momentum going against the former Southern Heavyweight champion Gordy? • In the first of two championship bouts, “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay will defend the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight championship against former champion Ray “The Crippler” Stevens. Stevens was stripped of the title back in October, when he, Big John Studd, and King Kong Bundy were suspended. Finlay ended up winning the tournament in November in this same arena to crown a new champion. In an interview on Championship Wrestling, Jimmy Hart called Finlay the “interim champion” that has just been holding the belt until Stevens came back. He said that “The Crippler” will prove he is the real champion and win back “his” belt. Will Hart’s words prove to be true or will the Irish brawler hold on to the championship? • The main event will be for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship. Current and eight-time champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams put the title on the line against former champ “Classy” Freddie Blassie! Blassie won the title from Williams at New Year’s Knockout XII in Knoxville. Williams came back to win the title at the Louisville Gardens on Leap Day and gave Blassie his first loss in the USWA. This is a huge “rubber match,” as not only will the winner gain the lead in the series of matches but also leave Tupelo as the Southern Heavyweight champion. Which grappler will emerge the champion?
All these huge match-ups, plus the Midnight Express, “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert, and more USWA stars in action in Tupelo!
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Post by Cory Olson on May 25, 2019 21:52:55 GMT -4
March 28, 2016 Card #465: Tupelo Sports Arena1) Hillbilly Jim was dancing to “Don’t go Messin’ With a Country Boy” after this bout, as he scored a huge win over three-time former Southern Heavyweight champion “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert in the opener. Gilbert had the early advantage but spent more time gloating than trying to get the win. Jim was fed up by Gilbert’s cockiness and battled back. Sir Oliver Humperdink got nervous and got up on the ring apron. Jim went after the manager. Gilbert came up from behind and attempted to blast Jim with a double sledge but the Kentuckian saw him coming, sidestepped him, and sent Gilbert head-first into his own manager! Humperdink went down and Jim grabbed Gilbert and picked him up into the bear hug. Gilbert was trapped in the center of the ring. When he wouldn’t tap out, Tom Branch checked Gilbert’s arm. It dropped three times, so Branch called for the bell and awarded the bout via submission to Jim! The Tupelo fans went wild for Jim’s big win! *½ 2) The Midnight Express defeated “Dastardly” Danny Doring and the Amish RoadKill. Doring and RoadKill put up a fight against the six-time former USWA champions. “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane pulled out a bunch of moves in their impressive arsenal. Eaton hit a Divorce Court on Doring and went for a cover but RoadKill made a save. Later Lane hit the Russian leg sweep on Doring and went for a pin but RoadKill came off the top with an Amish Splash, sacrificing his own partner’s safety to save the match. It did allow Doring to make the tag to “The Angry Amish Warrior” but Lane regained control. He tagged to Eaton and the Midnights hit the Flapjack. Eaton went for a cover but RoadKill got a foot under the bottom rope. RoadKill managed to tag back to Doring but Lane took over again. He hit a second Russian leg sweep and scored the pinfall before RoadKill could attempt another save. The Midnights were impressive tonight and looked ready to take on the new Heavenly Bodies and Jim Cornette! ***¼ 3) Tracy Smothers scored a quick pinfall on the Necro Butcher. Butcher had some brief offense against the two-time former Mid-America champ. He sent Smothers into the ropes and went for a back body drop but Smothers scouted the move and responded with a sunset flip. The move was enough for the pinfall. The Tupelo fans popped big for Smothers’ win and Smothers looked ready for Necro’s ally Jimmy Jacobs on April 18 in Oxford! ½* 4) Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy were victorious over Brian Kendrick and Paul London. Kendrick and London gave the First Family of Wrestling’s team a big challenge and looked like they might score the upset win. Studd had London down on the mat and went for a big splash from a standing position but London rolled out of the way and Studd crashed hard. London kept Studd down on the mat and hit the 450 splash. He went for a pin but Studd kicked out with authority, sending London flying. Later, Kendrick and Bundy were the legal men. Bundy hit a big splash, with a nearly 300-pound weight advantage on Kendrick! He went for a cover but Kendrick somehow got a shoulder up. Later Studd had London in a reverse bear hug. Kendrick came off the top with a missile dropkick to Studd’s back to break up the submission. Later Bundy missed an Atlantic City Avalanche on Kendrick. Kendrick tagged to London and the fan favorites hit their combination reverse STO and enzuigiri. London made a cover but Bundy kicked out. London hit a 450 on Bundy and went for a pin but Bundy barely kicked out. London went for a Shooting Star Press but Bundy got his knees up. The New Jersey giant then tagged to Studd who worked over London and got him up in the backbreaker in the center of the ring. Kendrick attempted another save but Bundy cut him off, lifted him up in a bear hug, and drove him into the turnbuckles. London was trapped and forced to submit. Jimmy Hart was ecstatic about his team’s win and Studd and Bundy signaled that they will win the World Tag Team titles from Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito on April 18 in Oxford! ***½ 5) Nick Bockwinkel made short work of Ox Baker. Bockwinkel was extra aggressive in this bout, slamming Baker’s leg into the ring post and then clamping on the figure-four in the center of the ring. He forced “The Fabulous” Ox to tap after just a few minutes of action. As Bockwinkel got his hand raised by Sam Platania, he pointed to Sir Oliver Humperdink to send a message to “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert that the same thing will happen to him on April 18 in Oxford! DUD ( NOTE: This was my first time using Bockwinkel’s color card, available in Legends Color Expansion Set III!) 6) Bobby Shane picked up an impressive submission win over “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. Valiant went for his sleeper a few minutes into the bout but Shane quickly scrambled to the ropes before the hold could be fully applied. Valiant hit a neckbreaker a few minutes later for a near fall. Shane capitalized on a mistake by “Handsome” Jimmy and clamped on the Japanese sleeper. Valiant fought hard but eventually went down to the mat. Tommy Marlin checked Valiant’s arm and it dropped three times, giving Shane an impressive victory. As Shane got his hand raised, he stomped Valiant in the face as his way of waking him up from the sleeper! ½* 7) The New Age Outlaws got a quick win over their rivals the Age of the Fall. While Jimmy Jacobs did actually show up in Tupelo, you wouldn’t have known it, as he did not tag into this bout despite a few attempts by Tyler Black. The Outlaws double teamed Black and tagged in-and-out. They hit a spike piledriver on Black and “The Road Dogg” Jesse James hit the pump handle slam on Black to score the pinfall. Jacobs did not attempt a save and actually walked back to the locker room without Black! neg* 8) Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy battled back to get a big win over Mad Dog Vachon. Gordy had the early advantage. He went for a submission with an STF (stepover toehold facelock, also used by four-time former USWA champion Lou Thesz) but Vachon pulled himself to the ropes for a break. Gordy got Vachon in the Oriental Spike, trying to get a submission. Suddenly, Doctor X appeared at ringside, jumped up on the ring apron, and distracted Sam Platania. Just as suddenly, Butcher Vachon and Billy Black Lyons appeared at ringside. Lyons slid into the ring and clipped Gordy’s leg to break up the Spike. He then held Gordy while Butcher smashed him in the head with a steel chair from the apron. Lyons, Butcher, and the Doctor quickly retreated just as quickly as they appeared. They were halfway up the aisleway, when Southern Heavyweight champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams came out of the back with a chair of his own and chased the three to the back. The match continued with Gordy busted open from the chair shot and Vachon in control. Vachon hit the piledriver and went for a cover but Gordy kicked out. Vachon choked Gordy on the ropes and then hit a Mad Dog Pounce. He pulled Gordy off and went for a pin but Gordy kicked out. Vachon took “Bamm Bamm” to the corner and bit at his bloody forehead. He then climbed up on the second rope and punched away at Gordy. Gordy blocked a punch, got underneath Vachon, and lifted him up into the power bomb. He drove Vachon into the mat with his finisher and then covered to score the pinfall out of nowhere! The Tupelo fans popped big at Gordy’s comeback win! ***¼ ( NOTE: This was the first time I used the Gang Interference Chart, available in Legends Color Expansion Set I!) 9) Ray “The Crippler” Stevens defeated USWA Mid-America Heavyweight champion “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay by DQ, so Finlay retained the title. The champion had the early advantage and was aggressive against the challenger, wanting to prove “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart wrong about being an “interim champion.” Finlay hit a reverse splash off the second rope and then following up with a hard scoop slam onto the ropes for a near fall. Stevens rolled out of the ring for a breather. Finlay followed him and pummeled Stevens. Hart grabbed the Mid-America Heavyweight title belt from the announcers’ table. He tried to ambush the Irish brawler from behind with the belt but Finlay saw the manager coming and nailed him with a punch to the stomach. Finlay then picked up his championship belt and smashed “The Crippler” with it. Unfortunately for Finlay, Tommy Marlin saw this and disqualified the champion, giving Stevens the win but not the title. Stevens and Hart seemed content with the win, as they retreated to the locker room before Finlay could retaliate! * 10) The main event was a huge “rubber match” for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship. Current and eight-time champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams put the title on the line against former champion “Classy” Freddie Blassie. This mac was back-and-forth showing how close the battles between these two grapplers have been. In the middle of the match, Blassie had the advantage for a few minutes. He blasted Williams with multiple knee drops for a near fall. Blassie tossed Williams out of the ring and then followed him. He proceeded to ram the champion’s head into the ring post. Blassie rolled back into the ring. Williams was down but managed to get back in by the count of nine. Blassie turned to one of his famed tactics—a vicious bite to the forehead. Williams started to bleed from the bite and it looked like “Dr. Death” was in trouble. Blassie threw Williams into the buckle and then charged in at him with a jumping knee smash. Williams rolled out of the way and Blassie hit the buckles hard. Williams hit a German suplex and bridged into a pin but Blassie kicked out. Blassie battled back and locked on a stomach claw. Williams went down to the mat but managed to get to the ropes before “The King of Men” could score a pinfall or submission. Williams surprised the challenger with a lariat a few moments later and picked up a two-count. He took Blassie up” to the top rope and hit a superplex. He went for a cover but again “The Hollywood Fashion Plate” kicked out. Williams executed the Oklahoma Stampede but landed near the ropes so Blassie got a foot on the bottom rope for the break. Blassie surprised “Doc” with an uppercut and then bite him again, causing the blood to flow more. “The Vampire” bit Williams again. The champion stumbled around blinded by his own blood. The challenger took advantage of Williams’ confusion and rolled him up with a school-boy. Tom Branch went to count Williams’ shoulders down and he hit three. Branch called for the bell and awarded Blassie his second Southern Heavyweight championship! Blassie was ecstatic about the win but the Tupelo fans were not as happy! ****¼
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Post by Cory Olson on May 27, 2019 14:27:43 GMT -4
Hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day!
Highlights from the last two editions of USWA Championship Wrestling: April 2: • Commissioner Bob Armstrong had some big match-ups to announce for the coming weeks. First of all, the main event for April 25 at the Rupp Arena was made official after the result of last week’s main event in Tupelo. The new and now two-time USWA Southern Heavyweight champion “Classy” Freddie Blassie will make his first defense of his second reign when he battles Billy Black Lyons! Lyons earned this shot by eliminating then-champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams from the six-man tag team Elimination Match a few weeks ago in Evansville. Blassie was interviewed in studio on this episode. Lance Russell congratulated “The King of Men” on his victory last week and asked him what his thoughts were on Lyons. He stated that Lyons was “more respectable” than Williams and some of the other “pencil-necked geeks” in the USWA. But when he enters the Rupp Arena on the 25th, he expects a champion’s reception from the Lexington fans! When Russell asked the champion why he expects that, Blassie stated that his Southern neckbreaker makes him an automatic favorite and that he should naturally be cheered against a Canadian like Lyons! • The commissioner announced these huge match-ups for the April 18 card at the Tad Smith Coliseum in Oxford, MS! o “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos is looking to back on track in singles competition. He will have a tough opponent ahead of him in Mad Dog Vachon! Vachon scored two pinfall victories over Londos’ ally Ed “Strangler” Lewis this past year, including one in Lewis’ hometown of Louisville. How will Londos fare against the Algerian brawler? o Two superstars who are new on the scene in the last six months will collide for the first time when “Superstar” Bill Dundee faces First Family of Wrestling member Bobby Shane! Both wrestlers have amassed impressive win-loss records the last few months. After Dundee’s battle teaming up with “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant against Shane’s fellow First Family members Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy a few weeks ago in Evansville, Jimmy Hart has declared the Aussie grappler an enemy to the First Family! • Sir Oliver Humperdink was interviewed and announced that “The Fabulous” Ox Baker has decided to leave the USWA. The former World Tag Team and Texas champion plans to compete in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF). Humperdink said that he and Baker split on good terms and that Baker is welcome back to the USWA and the House of Humperdink any time in the future. Lance Russell asked the eccentric manager if he plans to acquire a new wrestler for the House of Humperdink. Humperdink replied that he has been in contact with not just one, but two big names in professional wrestling and he will more updates for the USWA fans in the coming weeks!
April 9: • Commissioner “Bullet” Bob added more great bouts to the April 18 card in Oxford! o Two tag teams that have gotten to know each other quite well in the last few months will collide once again when the Midnight Express do battle with the Mid-America Heavyweight champion Fit Finlay and David Taylor! These two teams met in the first round of the tournament to crown new USWA World Tag Team champions on the first card of this year in Chattanooga. Both teams ended up disqualified and eliminated from the tournament. Later that night, Finlay and “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton met again for the Mid-America title, which saw Finlay come out on top to retain the gold. The teams met again the following week in Nashville, which saw the British get the huge win. Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane are hoping to defeat Finlay and Taylor and gain some momentum, especially to prove to Jim Cornette that he chose the wrong team! o Two powerhouses will do battle, when “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas faces former Mid-America Heavyweight champion Claudio Castagnoli. This is a battle of Supermen, as it’s “The Swiss Superman” in Castagnoli against the man that Bill Apter recently called in Pro Wrestling Illustrated “Superman” Tony Atlas! Which Superman will have the “Kryptonite” to defeat the other? • Commissioner Armstrong also added these great matches for the April 25 return card to the Rupp Arena in Lexington. o In a huge tag team match from last month in Evansville, “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant and “Superstar” Bill Dundee will battle the First Family of Wrestling’s Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. The two fan favorites came nearly close to a huge win over the giants last time. Will they knock them down and get the win this time? o One-half of the current World Tag Team champions will be in singles action, when Larry Zbyszko of the House of Humperdink faces Mad Dog Vachon! The Vachons gave champions Zbyszko and Mr. Saito their first decisive loss when they defeated the champions in a non-title bout after returning from suspension on Leap Day at the Louisville Gardens. The Algerian brothers are awaiting their title match but meanwhile, Mad Dog hopes to soften Zbyszko up for that future bout. Both wrestlers specialize in the piledriver, so it will be interesting to see if either man can execute and if so, can it score the win?
The USWA returns to “Music City”—Nashville and the Municipal Auditorium on April 11 with a huge card! • In a huge tag team match, the Vachons will take on Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy! The last time these teams met, the Vachons scored an impressive win at the 450th USWA card at the Mid-South Coliseum, back in November. The Vachons and Double X (now Billy Black Lyons) put Gordy out of action a few weeks later with an ankle injury in Radcliff, KY and ended up getting suspended (and the Vachons stripped of the World Tag Team titles). Gordy took a pounding from Mad Dog in a singles bout on the last card in Tupelo but hit the power bomb out of nowhere to pick up the win. Can he and “Doc” have similar success in tag team competition or will the two-time former World Tag Team champions triumph again? • In an international match-up, “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos will take on “The Swiss Superman” Claudio Castagnoli! Both grapplers are hoping for a win to get consideration for a singles championship bout. Will it be Londos’ quickness and technical wrestling skill or Castagnoli’s power that will make the difference? • In a first-time tag team meeting, the New Age Outlaws will collide with the First Family of Wrestling’s Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. Studd and Bundy are looking forward to their rematch for the USWA World Tag Team titles next week in Oxford against Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito. But they cannot look past the two-time former champs “The Road Dogg” Jesse James and Billy Gunn. Which team will leave Nashville the winners? • In the first of two big championship matches, “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay will defend the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight title against former champion Tracy Smothers. Smothers’ second reign is tied for the most defenses (along with Johnny Saint’s reign from July 2013 to March 2014) at seven defenses. When Smothers lost the title to Ray “The Crippler” Stevens back in August at the Louisville Gardens, he never received a rematch, as he was put out of action by the Age of the Fall during the fall. Finlay has had an impressive title reign since capturing the vacant title in November in Tupelo. The Irish brawler currently stands at four title defenses and the third longest for the Mid-America title. Can Finlay retain or will Smothers capture his third Mid-America title? • The main event will be a huge rematch for the USWA World Heavyweight title. Current and two-time champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude will once again put the title on the line against fellow Minnesotan Red Bastien! When Bastien challenged Rude last month in Evansville, the flying redhead appeared to have the championship won until his former tag team partner in the Flying Redheads team Billy Black Lyons interfered and attacked him, disqualifying Rude. Despite the loss, Rude kept the title and tied Nick Bockwinkel’s first World title reign for the most defenses. Should Rude retain again this time, he will break that record and hold it himself, with 17 defenses. Bastien is fired up about having the champ beat but not winning the gold and you can bet he is not going to go easy on the “Ravishing One”! What tricks will Rude and “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart have up their sleeve to keep the gold and make history? Or can Bastien capture the World title for the first time?
All these big matches, as well as Billy Black Lyons taking on Hillbilly Jim. Also, “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas takes on two opponents in Virgil and “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz in a handicap Elimination Match! Plus, Bobby Shane in action, and the debut of Jim Cornette’s new Heavenly Bodies!
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Post by Cory Olson on May 28, 2019 22:07:01 GMT -4
April 11, 2016 Card #466: Municipal Auditorium in Nashville1) “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe picked up a win in the opener over Nashville’s own Jake “The Milkman” Milliman. The “Music City” fans always love seeing Milliman in action. But Sharpe was aggressive tonight and picked up the pinfall in just a few minutes after the piledriver. DUD 2) Bobby Shane continued his winning ways with a pinfall on “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon. Shane had the initial advantage but the PBR drinker battled back and was on a roll. He hit a Saito suplex for a two-count. Cannon came off the top with a frog splash. Shane got to his feet but Cannon stopped him and hit a brainbuster for a near fall. With his man in trouble, Jimmy Hart consulted Shane in the corner and slipped him a foreign object. Shane slipped the object into his kneepad. As Cannon came toward Shane, Shane nailed him with a punch to the midsection. He then delivered a big knee smash to Cannon with the loaded kneepad. Cannon dropped to the mat and Shane covered him to pick up the tainted pinfall. Nashville fans berated Shane and Hart with boos as they returned to the locker room! **¼ 3) “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas continued to impress as he defeated not one, but two wrestlers in a singles match, as he picked up the win over Virgil and “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz in a Handicap Elimination Match! Atlas took out Virgil in about a minute after the press slam and splash combo. Rodz had a little bit of offense against the powerhouse but met the same fate, as Atlas hit a vertical suplex on the New Yorker and the followed up with the press slam and splash to eliminate him as well! The Nashville fans gave “Mr. USA” a big ovation for his win! ½* 4) Jim Cornette’s new Heavenly Bodies of “The Doctor of Desire” Tom Prichard and “The Suicide Blonde” Chris Candido picked up their first win as a team, defeating S.D. Jones and Jim Powers. The Bodies were accompanied not only by their manager Cornette but also by Cornette’s bodyguard, former USWA World Heavyweight and Southern Heavyweight champion Dan “The Beast” Severn. As Cornette did during his last tenure in the USWA, he stole the microphone from Gary Michael Cappetta and introduced his own men. Prichard and Candido showed that they work well together for a new tag team, as they executed a Flapjack on Powers in the first few minutes. Prichard hit an enzuigiri on the New Yorker but pulled Powers’ shoulder off the mat before the three-count, just to showboat and to inflict more punishment. The decision could have cost the Bodies the match as Powers battled back against Candido and made the tag to “Special Delivery.” Jones ran wild on the blond bombshell, hitting a flying head butt off the top rope to Candido for a near fall. He then delivered two more of his famed head butts on Candido and went for a cover but Prichard made the save with a knee smash to the back of Jones’s head. Candido managed to tag Dr. Tom, who took over on “Philadelphia’s Favorite Son.” He blasted Jones with an enzuigiri and made the cover to score the pinfall, while Candido kept Powers at bay. Cornette was very happy about his new team’s debut win! ***¼ 5) Billy Black Lyons picked up a submission win over Hillbilly Jim. The Nashville fans gave Jim a big ovation as he entered the Municipal Auditorium to “Don’t Go Messin’ With a Country Boy,” coming off his big upset win over “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert in Tupelo on the last USWA card. Unfortunately, Jim couldn’t keep up that momentum tonight, as Lyons took the big man down to the mat and worked on his legs. Lyons clamped on the figure-four leglock and forced Jim tap out after just a few minutes. Lyons looked impressive as he looks ahead to his shot at “Classy” Freddie Blassie and the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship in two weeks in Lexington! ½* 6) Mad Dog and Butcher Vachon scored a disqualification win over Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy. This was a physical, back-and-forth bout between these two teams. Williams and Gordy blasted Butcher with a powerful double football tackle in the first few minutes of the bout. Butcher rallied back, tagged his brother, and the Vachons hit a quadruple foot stomp on Gordy. Mad Dog went for a cover but Gordy kicked out. Mad Dog hit his Pounce on Gordy but the former Southern champion was able to get away long enough to tag Williams. Williams gut cut off by Mad Dog, who hit the piledriver on the eight-time former Southern champion. Mad Dog went for a cover but the Oklahoma Sooner got hit shoulder up at 2¾. Williams made the tag to Gordy a few minutes later and the fan favorites hit another double tackle on Butcher, sending him flying out of the ring. Gordy went after Butcher, but the Algerian brawler cut him off. Butcher then grabbed a steel chair from the ringside area and nailed Gordy across the back with it. Frank Morrell had been distracted by Mad Dog jawing with “Doc” inside the ring and did not see this. Butcher returned to the ring but then immediately rolled back out to break the count. He continued to inflict punishment on “Bamm Bamm,” rolling in-and-out to continue to break up Morrell’s count. Finally, an irate Gordy grabbed the same chair Butcher had used from the arena floor and smacked him right in the head with it. Unfortunately for Gordy and Williams, Morrell did see this and called for the bell, giving the Vachons the disqualification win. The Vachons quickly retreated before the fan favorites could inflict more punishment! ***½ 7) “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos earned a submission victory over Claudio Castagnoli. Londos tried for an early submission with a Grecian sleeper grip but Castagnoli made the ropes. Londos maintained control and got him in the Boston Crab in the center of the ring, forcing a tap out. Londos looked impressive in his win over “The Swiss Superman”! ** 8) Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy took a bloody beating but came back to defeat the two-time former World Tag Team champions the New Age Outlaws. “The Road Dogg” Jesse James and Billy Gunn tagged in-and-out in the first few minutes, trying to wear down Studd. Gunn managed to get the giant Studd bent over and hit the Famouser, driving Studd’s face into the mat and busting him open. Gunn went for a cover but Bundy broke up the pin attempt. Studd managed to tag to the New Jersey giant but the Outlaws worked Bundy over as well. Gunn executed the Famouser on Bundy as well. As Paul Neighbors was getting James out of the ring, Hart threw Studd his megaphone. Studd stepped over the ropes and smashed Gunn in the back of his head with the megaphone. Bundy recovered, as Studd returned to their corner and Neighbors turned around. Bundy sent Gunn into the corner and followed up with the Atlantic City Avalanche. Gunn, still shaken up from the megaphone, crumbled to the mat. Bundy went for the pinfall but James made the save. Studd tagged back in a few moments later but Gunn fought back with some stiff punches. Studd blocked a punch and whipped Gunn into the corner. Neighbors was there and Gunn stopped short of crashing into the official. Studd ran up behind Gunn and crushed him into the corner, causing Gunn to crash into Neighbors after all. All four wrestlers started brawling in the ring. Bundy hit a big splash on “The Road Dogg” but there was no referee to count. Bundy sent James into the corner and went for an Avalanche but James moved out of the way. Bundy’s face hit the metal rod connecting the turnbuckle to the ring post and he was now bleeding like Studd. Gunn knocked Studd into the ropes, causing the giant to get both arms tied in the top and middle ring ropes. The Outlaws then hit a double team body slam on Bundy. Frank Morrell made it into the ring to take over officiating duties, as several other USWA officials helped Neighbors to the back. Morrell counted James’s pin attempt on Bundy but the New Jersey giant kicked out. Bundy rolled out of the ring and James followed. Meanwhile, Studd had gotten out of the ropes and he started to attack Gunn inside the ring. Morrell turned his attention to those two, as Bundy slammed James’s back onto the announcers’ table at ringside. He then tossed James back into the ring. He and Studd then tossed Gunn over the top rope to the arena floor. Studd returned to the First Family’s corner, so Bundy could legally tag him into the bout. Studd hit a falling elbow drop on “The Road Dogg” and covered him to score the pinfall in a great tag team bout! ****¾ 9) In the first of two title bouts, “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay retained the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight title over two-time former champion Tracy Smothers. Finlay was very focused in this bout, wanting to prove himself against the former champ. He hit a hard scoop slam on Smothers, dropping his legs on the bottom rope, for a two-count. The champ followed up with a reverse splash off the second rope for another near fall. A few minutes later, the Irish brawler used a stiff short-arm clothesline to knock down the challenger. He covered Smothers, driving his forearm across Smothers’ throat as he did to score the pinfall and retain the title! *½ 10) The main event was a rematch from last month in Evansville for the top prize in the USWA—the World Heavyweight championship. Current and two-time champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude put the title on the line against Red Bastien. Last month, Bastien appeared to have the title won until Billy Black Lyons interfered, getting Rude disqualified but allowing him to keep the title. With the win, Rude tied the record for the most defenses of the World title (along with Nick Bockwinkel’s first reign from March 2004 to July 2005). If he were to retain the title tonight, Rude would be the sole holder of that record with 17 title defenses. The action was fast and furious in this bout, with so much on the line. Rude had Bastien on the mat in the first few minutes and went up to the top rope for a knee drop but missed and crashed hard. Bastien went for the airplane spin into the atomic drop. He went for the cover but the champion got a foot on the bottom rope for a break. Bastien hit a flying head scissors a few minutes later. Rude tried to block the move and throw the challenger over the top rope but Bastien held on and managed to throw Rude to the floor. Bastien crawled back in the ring. Rude was almost counted out but with “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart screaming at him through the megaphone he managed to crawl back in by the count of nine. Bastien went up to the top and came off with a missile dropkick but Rude dodged the attack and Bastien crashed hard. Rude came off the top with a top rope fist drop. He punished Bastien for several minutes but Bastien cut him off and surprised him with a double knee lift, the same move he used on the champion last month in Evansville right before Lyons interfered. The move busted Rude open and Bastien went for a cover. Hart placed Rude’s foot on the bottom rope, unseen by Jerry Calhoun but seen by Bastien. Calhoun called for the break, while Bastien went after Hart outside the ring. Bastien was about to deck Hart when Rude recovered and came to his manager’s aid. Bastien and Rude started slugging it out outside the ring. Bastien gained the upper hand. Hart attempted to clock Bastien with the megaphone but Bastien saw him coming and intercepted the object. He then cracked Rude in the head with it, dropping the bloody World champion to the floor. Unfortunately for the challenger, Calhoun saw this and called for the bell, disqualifying Bastien. The decision gave Rude the World championship once again and set a new record for most defenses of the title with 17! Bastien pounded on Rude more after the bell and decision. Hart pulled his man away and retreated to the locker room with the World title belt still intact. Despite the win, Rude did not look like the winner, as blood poured down his face and he stumbled back to the locker room! ***½
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Post by Cory Olson on May 29, 2019 12:51:24 GMT -4
Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling on 4-16, including the first match-ups announced for Derby City Stampede on May 6! • Commissioner Bob Armstrong announced that the main event for this second annual supercard would be for the USWA World Heavyweight title. “Ravishing” Rick Rude, fresh off of making history for the greatest number of World title defenses, will put the title on the line again against Red Bastien! As the commissioner made this announcement, Rude and manager “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart stormed into the WMC-TV Studios and protested the decision. Hart said that Rude beat Bastien last week in Nashville should not have to face him again! Armstrong replied that while Rude did get the victory, it was not a decisive one, and USWA fans deserve to see a decisive winner in this series! The commissioner added that due to controversial endings in both of their title matches, a special guest referee has been assigned for this bout—Louisville’s own Ed “Strangler” Lewis! Rude and Hart were irate about this! Rude stated that he kept the title last year against Lewis at Derby City Stampede and “embarrassed” the “Strangler” several other times last year. He questioned how Lewis could be an impartial referee. Armstrong stated that his decision was approved by the USWA Committee and that he feels that Lewis will show no bias! • A second title bout was made for this supercard, involving another member of Jimmy Hart’s First Family of Wrestling. Ray “The Crippler” Stevens will receive another shot at Fit Finlay and the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight championship! Stevens defeated “The Belfast Bruiser” in a title match via disqualification a few weeks ago in Tupelo and is hoping to walk out not only the winner, but a two-time Mid-America champion! • Sir Oliver Humperdink followed up on his announcement from two weeks ago and revealed that the One Man Gang has signed to join the House of Humperdink! The 6’9”, 495-pound Gang hails from Halsted St. in Chicago and has made quite a name in professional wrestling, most recently competing in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and feuding with the popular Von Erich brothers, as well as having a few battles with former USWA World Heavyweight champion Bruiser Brody! Gang has crushed many opponents with his devastating 747 splash! Gang will make his USWA debut in Louisville at the Stampede! • Jimmy Hart was in the studio again later in the show, accompanying Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy for an interview about their main event next week in Oxford. (See Card #467 preview below.) Bundy stated that the USWA Committee will need to expand the size of the USWA World Tag Team titles, as they will need to fit around his and Studd’s waists after they defeat Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito next week. Studd agreed with his partner and said that he has a challenge to a popular USWA wrestler for a one-on-one match as well. He said that fans have been ooing and awing over the strength of “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas. Studd said that he is not only the biggest wrestler in the USWA, but he’s also the strongest. He said that he is challenging Atlas to a bout at Derby City Stampede! • Lance Russell interviewed “Mr. USA” later in the show. Atlas laughed at Studd’s comments about being stronger than he and he said that happily accepts the giant’s challenge! He said that with the great USWA fans on his side, he will continue his winning ways and knock down the giant! This will be Atlas’ biggest challenge, in more ways than one, since coming to the USWA in February! • A video aired with Jimmy Jacobs from an undisclosed location. The enigmatic leader of the Age of the Fall said that he has not been hiding from the New Age Outlaws and Tracy Smothers but that he has been defeating them psychologically! He said that he wants to challenge these “blind sheep” to one final battle with him, Tyler Black, Luke Harper, and the Necro Butcher on May 6 in Louisville! He said that if the fan favorites can find someone as “naïve” as them to be their fourth partner, he would be happy to “slaughter” him as well! There was no word from neither the Outlaws nor Smothers at this time. • A huge bout will take place prior to Derby City Stampede on April 25 at the Rupp Arena in Lexington. Before he challenges “Ravishing” Rick Rude again for the World Heavyweight title in Louisville, Red Bastien will face Rude’s fellow First Family of Wrestling member Bobby Shane! Shane has not suffered a decisive loss since debuting in the USWA in January. You can bet that Jimmy Hart will be instructing Shane to try and injure Bastien prior to the Stampede main event, especially with Shane’s Japanese sleeper!
The USWA returns to the Tad Smith Coliseum on the campus of “Ole Miss”—the University of Mississippi in Oxford for the first time in 3½ years on April 18! • In a battle of Supermen, “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas will do battle with “The Swiss Superman” Claudio Castagnoli! This should be a physical battle between these two physical phenomena. Which powerhouse will soar to victory? • In a huge tag team match-up, the Midnight Express will collide once again with Mid-America Heavyweight champion Fit Finlay and David Taylor! As chronicled on the April 9 edition of USWA Championship Wrestling, the British have gotten wins over “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane this year. The Midnights are hoping to get a win over Finlay and Taylor, especially as they look ahead to an eventual battle with the Heavenly Bodies. Can they achieve that big win? • Jimmy Jacobs will go one-on-one with Tracy Smothers! After his video challenge for a final bout at Derby City Stampede, USWA fans are hoping that Jacobs will actually show up for this bout with Smothers. Smothers will be looking for revenge for getting put out of action this past November in Tupelo by Jacobs and Tyler Black. Can Smothers gain revenge and will he have an answer for Jacobs’ challenge? • Two newcomers will clash for the first time, as “Superstar” Bill Dundee faces Bobby Shane of the First Family of Wrestling! Dundee has become extremely popular since debuting in Evansville this past September. His alliance with “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant has made him an automatic target of the First Family! Shane has been impressive since debuting in January in Lexington, using dirty tactics and his Japanese sleeper to get the victory. Can his tactics beat the Australian grappler or will Dundee give him his first decisive loss? • In a huge first-time match-up, “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos will take on Mad Dog Vachon! Londos is hoping to get back into the championship picture. Vachon has picked up some huge singles wins this past year, including two pinfalls on Londos’ ally Ed “Strangler” Lewis. Can Londos topple the Algerian brawler or will Mad Dog bite harder? • Nick Bockwinkel has had his frustrations with “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert since the 450th USWA card in November in Memphis. The two will tangle again this week! Which wrestler will emerge victorious? • The main event will be a huge tag team rematch for the top tag team prize in the USWA—the World Tag Team titles! Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito of the House of Humperdink will defend the titles against Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy of the First Family of Wrestling! Studd and Bundy were victorious over the champions two months ago in Jackson, TN via disqualification but did not win the titles. They have been very impressive since returning from suspension in February, not having lost a tag team match via pinfall or submission. Can the giants win the gold or will Zbyszko and Saito find a way to win?
All these huge bouts, plus Billy Black Lyons, the Heavenly Bodies, and Tommy Rogers in action at the Tad Smith Coliseum!
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Post by Cory Olson on Jun 4, 2019 21:13:44 GMT -4
April 18, 2016 Card #467: Tad Smith Coliseum in Oxford, MS1) Tommy Rogers was victorious in the opener over Vinnie Romeo from Dallas. Rogers scored the pinfall in just a few minutes after the Tomikaze. Rogers is now 7-0 since debuting at New Year’s Knockout XII and continues to grow in popularity! DUD 2) The Heavenly Bodies defeated Virgil and “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz. Jim Cornette’s new tag team looked impressive again. Chris Candido blasted Rodz with a running neckbreaker and scored the pinfall before Virgil could attempt a pin save. *¼ 3) Billy Black Lyons scored a pinfall on “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon. Lyons largely dominated the match. He hit a cross hiplock on the PBR drinker and scored the pinfall after just a few minutes. Lyons was impressive here, but can he score a huge win and win the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship in next week’s main event in Lexington against “Classy” Freddie Blassie? ¼* 4) “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas picked up the victory over Claudio Castagnoli. Atlas had the initial control, hitting a jumping head butt in the first few minutes and knocking Castagnoli down for a two-count. Atlas went up top and came off with the same move to a standing “Swiss Superman.” Castagnoli was dazed but had enough wherewithal to dodge the attack, sending Atlas crashing head-first into the mat. Castagnoli pounded away on Atlas and executed the Neutralizer. The former Mid-America champ made a cover but Atlas powered out at 2¾. With the Oxford fans rooting him on, Atlas battled back. He hit a vertical suplex on Castagnoli and covered him to score the pinfall. The fans gave “Mr. USA” a big ovation for his comeback win! ** 5) The Midnight Express got a win over Mid-America Heavyweight champion Fit Finlay and David Taylor. “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane started off strong against the British duo, double teaming “The Belfast Bruiser” for several minutes. Finlay finally tagged in Taylor and the British grappler was aggressive against Lane. He hit a floatover fallaway slam for a two count. The battle went to the floor and Taylor whacked Lane in the back with his British flag, while Finlay distracted Scott Bowden. Lane rallied back inside the ring and tagged to Eaton. “The Sultan of Swing” pounded away on Taylor before tagging back to “The Gangster of Love.” The Midnights hit a Double Goozle and Lane covered Taylor to score the pinfall, while Eaton knocked an interfering Finlay out of the ring with a stinging right hand. *** 6) Tracy Smothers picked up an impressive win over Jimmy Jacobs. Jacobs tried to evade Smothers at the start of the match but eventually ambushed him and gained control. He went for the End Time early on but Smothers pushed his way to the ropes for a break. Smothers took over and blasted Jacobs with the jawjacker. He covered Jacobs and picked up the win. After the bout, as Smothers celebrated the victory, the New Age Outlaws’ theme music hit and “The Road Dogg” Jesse James and Billy Gunn made a surprise appearance at the Tad Smith Coliseum, since they were not booked to wrestle on this card! The two-time former USWA World Tag Team champions entered the ring. James grabbed the microphone and acknowledged Jacobs’ video on last week’s USWA Championship Wrestling, challenging them and Smothers to a final match at Derby City Stampede. James said that he, Gunn, and Smothers had talked about it and they would be happy to pound on Jacobs and the rest of the Age of the Fall “goons” one more time! James said that everybody knows how Jacobs has been trying to hide lately, so to ensure that he won’t run away, they want a Steel Cage Match—but not just any cage match, they want a Rage in the Cage Match! The Oxford fans popped big time for this announcement! James added that they found a fourth tag team partner, someone that he personally knows very well. Into the coliseum walked James’s brother, former USWA World Tag Team champion Brad Armstrong! The usually confident Jacobs seemed very nervous at his rivals’ acceptance of his own challenge! ½* 7) Bobby Shane picked up a big win, albeit with a lot of help from “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart, over “Superstar” Bill Dundee. This was a competitive bout between these two grapplers. A few minutes into the match, Shane locked on the Japanese sleeper. Dundee dropped to the mat and looked in trouble. Paul Morton checked Dundee’s arm and it dropped two times. But on the third attempt, his arm popped back up. Dundee fought to his feet and elbowed Shane in the midsection to break up the hold. Shane pulled the Aussie by the hair and maintained control. Hart got up on the apron to distract Morton and tossed an object into the ring. Shane grabbed the object and slipped it into his knee pad before dropping two loaded knees across the “Superstar’s” head. (Shane used the same tactic to defeat “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon in Nashville last week.) While weakened from the move, the illegal tactic also fired up Dundee who battled back and got Shane down on the mat. Dundee went to the top and came off with the Superstar Bomb. He covered Shane but Shane barely kicked out at 2¾! Dundee took the bout to the floor and slammed Shane on the arena floor. He crawled back into the ring as Morton continued the count on Shane. Hart screamed encouragement through the megaphone and even assisted Shane in getting up and getting back into the ring by the count of nine. Dundee went up top again, perhaps for another Superstar Bomb. As Morton briefly turned his attention to Shane, Hart quickly shook the top rope, causing Dundee to get crotched. Shane recovered and pulled his opponent off the ropes. He then executed a reverse rolling cradle and hooked Dundee’s tights to score the pinfall. The Oxford fans were not happy about this result! *** 8) Mad Dog Vachon picked up an impressive victory over “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos via disqualification. The Algerian brawler had the early advantage, hitting a backbreaker on Londos earning a two-count. Vachon choked Londos on the middle rope and then hit a Mad Dog Pounce. He went for a second pounce but Londos moved out of the way. Londos worked over Vachon’s legs and applied the Boston Crab. Mad Dog managed to claw his way to the ropes for a break. Vachon fought back a few minutes later and hit the piledriver for a very near fall. Vachon had control for a few minutes but Londos ducked a punch, got Vachon up on his shoulders in the airplane spin position, and started to spin him around. Vachon blocked the move after three turns by grabbing the top rope. Londos fought to pull him off but instead tossed him off his shoulders like a fireman’s carry and tossed him to the arena floor! Vachon landed hard but managed to crawl back into the ring by the count of nine. Vachon raked Londos’ eyes which dazed “The Golden Greek” momentarily but also incensed him. Londos trapped Vachon in the corner and started to deliver some forearm smashes and punches. As Joe Wheeler gave Londos the five-count and warned him to break, Londos responded by shoving Wheeler to the mat, very uncharacteristic of the fan favorite scientific wrestler. Wheeler was hurting but left with no choice but to call for the bell and disqualify Londos. Vachon was happy with his win but the Oxford fans were not! **½ 9) “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert scored his first ever pinfall win on four-time former USWA World Heavyweight champion Nick Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel had most of the offense in this match although Gilbert battled back many times and never gave up. Gilbert whipped Bockwinkel into the buckles but Bockwinkel reversed the whip, sending Gilbert in hard. Gilbert bounced back and Bockwinkel hit a back suplex into a bridge for a near fall. The grapplers fought outside the ring. Sir Oliver Humperdink distracted Scott Bowden while Gilbert choked Bockwinkel with Gary Michael Cappetta’s microphone chord. “Hot Stuff” tossed Bockwinkel back into the ring and pounded on him. He whipped Bockwinkel into the ropes and bent over for a back body drop but telegraphed the attempt. Bockwinkel caught him with a sunset flip for a near fall. Bock took control and rammed Gilbert head-first into the turnbuckle, which busted him open and the blood flowed quickly. Bockwinkel locked on the Bockwinkel sleeper. Gilbert fought for nearly two minutes. He dropped to the mat and Scott Bowden checked his arm. It dropped twice but right before the third time, Gilbert managed to fall toward the ropes and grab the bottom rope for the break. It looked like Gilbert’s arm may have dropped but the match continued. Bockwinkel pummeled Gilbert and “Hot Stuff” went to the ropes for a breather. Bockwinkel wouldn’t let up and choked him on the middle rope. Bowden tried to get Bockwinkel off but Bockwinkel inadvertently shoved Bowden. As Bowden was away from the action, Sir Oliver Humperdink clocked Bockwinkel over the head with his cane. Bockwinkel dropped to the mat. Bowden, perhaps knowing the importance of the match, did not disqualify Bockwinkel but continued the match. Gilbert recovered quickly, whipped Bockwinkel into the ropes, caught him on the rebound, and hit the Hot Shot. He covered a dazed Bockwinkel and scored the pinfall. As Gilbert and Humperdink returned to the back, the Oxford fans berated the duo with boos for Gilbert’s cheap win! ***¼ 10) After the pre-main event intermission, Sir Oliver Humperdink was back at ringside again. The main event was a huge tag team rematch from two months ago in Jackson, TN. The current USWA World Tag Team champions Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito of the House of Humperdink defended the titles once again against Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy of the First Family of Wrestling, accompanied by their manager “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart. When these teams battled in February, the champions were disqualified when Saito blasted Bundy with one of the World Tag Team title belts. The champions started off the bout aggressively wanting direly to retain their titles. Several times throughout the bout, Zbyszko attempted to remove the top turnbuckle pad closest to the champions’ corner but on every attempt, Paul Morton would catch him before he could! They trapped Studd in the ring for several minutes. Saito bent the giant over after a double chop to the midsection and then immediately executed an Oriental leg sweep. He went for a cover but only got a two. Saito hit an impressive Saito suplex on the huge Studd but Studd kicked out at 2¾. Studd took over on Zbyszko and tagged to Bundy. The New Jersey giant immediately whipped Zbyszko into the corner and followed up with a crushing Atlantic City Avalanche. He went for a cover but Zbyszko managed to kick out. Zbyszko managed to tag back to Saito a few minutes later and Saito attempted to put the big Bundy out with a sleeper. The big man started to drop but grabbed the ropes for a break. A few minutes later, Zbyszko and Studd were the legal men and Zbyszko used his karate skills to kick away at Studd’s knees and get the big man down on the mat. Zbyszko then stomped away at Studd’s face which eventually drew blood on the big man. Saito and Bundy tagged back in and Bundy took control on the Japanese Olympian, slamming him hard to the mat. Bundy bounced off the ropes and went for a splash but Saito rolled out of the way and Bundy crashed hard. Zbyszko tagged back in and worked over Bundy. He nailed him with a big back roundhouse kick to Bundy’s bulbous stomach and Bundy was knocked in between the top and middle ropes and to the Tad Smith Coliseum floor! The fans sided with the champions tonight and erupted at the sight of Bundy crashing through the ropes! It looked like Bundy was knocked out as Morton put the 10-count on him. Sensing his man was in trouble, Hart distracted Morton, while Studd got off the ring apron and helped revive his partner and then rolled Bundy back into the ring. The breather helped as Bundy came to and hit a thunderous body slam on Zbyszko to score a near fall. The challengers cut the ring in half on Zbyszko for several minutes. Zbyszko’s back was hurting from Bundy’s slam and Studd targeted the injured area. Studd nailed a leg drop from a standing position, right across Zbyszko’s nose, busting him open as well. Studd lifted Zbyszko up into the backbreaker in the center of the ring. The blood poured off of both men’s faces but Zbyszko’s body started to go limp in the giant’s arms. Humperdink got up on the ring apron and distracted Morton, while Saito snuck into the ring with Humperdink’s cane. Saito nailed Studd in the ribs with the cane, causing Studd to drop Zbyszko and collapse to the mat himself. Zbyszko got to the corner and tagged his partner. Hart ran over and yelled at Humperdink through the megaphone about his interference but Humperdink had gotten back his cane and threatened the Memphis manager with it, sending Hart scurrying! Saito tortured Studd. He came off the middle rope with a knee drop and went for a cover. Hart jumped up on the apron to distract Morton. Humperdink ran over and clocked Hart with the cane, which drew a big pop from the Oxford fans! The melee was enough to keep the match going but Saito maintained control, hitting a second middle rope knee drop. He again went for a cover but this time Bundy broke it up with a splash to Saito’s back, sacrificing his own partner’s safety to keep the match going. Zbyszko jumped in and nailed Bundy with more kicks, knocking the big man out of the ring once again. Zbyszko returned to the House of Humperdink’s corner and Saito tagged him in. The champions lifted Studd up in the air and dropped him face-first across the same buckle Zbyszko had been trying to undo the whole match. Studd’s bloodied face hit the turnbuckle hard and the pad finally came off, although it was unclear as to whether Studd’s face hit the metal rod or not. It appeared he might have as Studd was out, Zbyszko covered him, and scored the pinfall after 28 minutes. The fans cheered Zbyszko and Saito tonight, which is not something the two are accustomed to hearing! ****½ ( NOTE: This was my first time using Zbyszko’s LOW color card available in Legends of Wrestling Expansion III from Filsinger Games!)
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Post by Cory Olson on Jun 13, 2019 23:19:24 GMT -4
Highlights from USWA Championship Wrestling from 4-23: • Commissioner Bob Armstrong announced more huge match-ups for Derby City Stampede on May 6 in Louisville! o The commissioner confirmed that the announcement that took place last week in Oxford was been set. The New Age Outlaws, Tracy Smothers, and Brad Armstrong, making his return to the USWA after 4½ years, will collide with the Age of the Fall team of Jimmy Jacobs, Tyler Black, Luke Harper, and the Necro Butcher! This huge bout will take place inside a steel cage under Rage in the Cage rules! For newer fans, this will be only the second time this type of Cage Match has taken place in the USWA. A Rage in the Cage Match involves team members entering the cage every two minutes. A team wins the match either by handcuffing all of their opponents to the cage or by making one team member submit! o After retaining their USWA World Tag Team titles last week in Oxford, Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito will defend their titles at the Stampede against the only team that has decisively defeated them—two-time former champions Mad Dog and Butcher Vachon! The Vachons defeated the House of Humperdink duo in a non-title bout upon their return from suspension on Leap Day in this same city of Louisville, thanks in large part to interference by Doctor X and Billy Black Lyons. The Vachons were stripped of their titles in December when they were suspended and this is their first shot at the titles since returning! o Nick Bockwinkel was interviewed in-studio and issued a challenge to “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert for a rematch after his controversial loss to Gilbert last week in Oxford. Bockwinkel stated that most of his bouts with Gilbert have involved Sir Oliver Humperdink intruding. Therefore, if Humperdink wants to get into the ring, Bockwinkel would be happy to “welcome him”! He challenged Gilbert to a special bout, where if Bockwinkel wins, he will get five minutes in the ring one-on-one with Humperdink! Gilbert and Humperdink entered the studio and immediately responded to the challenge. Gilbert said that Humperdink is an “accomplished grappler” and would be happy to wrestle Bockwinkel at the Stampede. However, that won’t happen, as Gilbert said he will defeat Bockwinkel again! Humperdink said that if Gilbert’s going to put up something, Bockwinkel needs to put up something as well! He said that if the four-time former USWA champion loses to Gilbert again, that he is to leave the USWA for one full year! Bockwinkel hesitated but finally and firmly accepted Gilbert and Humperdink’s challenge! o The last match announced for this supercard on this week’s show will see Jim Cornette return to his hometown of Louisville to accompany the Heavenly Bodies, as they do battle for the first time with Cornette’s former team of the Midnight Express! Chris Candido and Tom Prichard have proven to be an effective combination in their first bouts together. But they will have a tough challenge ahead of them in the six-time former World Tag Team champions “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane! These four wrestlers know each other well, as has been documented in the past. But which combination will leave Louisville the winners? • Whoever leaves Derby City Stampede the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight champion, either current champion “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay or his challenger Ray “The Crippler” Stevens, won’t have long to rest, as he will put the title on the line 10 days later against the undefeated Tommy Rogers at the Community Center in Cookeville! Rogers has become very popular since debuting at New Year’s Knockout XII and has won bout-after-bout. But whoever is the champion won’t give up the title easily! • It was announced that former Mid-America Heavyweight champion “The Swiss Superman” Claudio Castagnoli has decided to leave the USWA. Castagnoli will soon debut in the CWA (Catch Wrestling Association) that runs primarily in Germany and Austria.
The USWA comes back to the Rupp Arena in Lexington on April 25 with a huge card of action! It’s the last card before Derby City Stampede! • Two tag teams will collide in what should be a high-impact match, as the Midnight Express will face the high-flying fan favorites of Brian Kendrick and Paul London. “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane are looking ahead to Derby City Stampede and facing the Heavenly Bodies but they cannot underestimate Kendrick and London defeated them in October in Nashville. Which team will earn a win in Lexington? • Before Ray “The Crippler” Stevens receives a rematch for the Mid-America Heavyweight title, he will face Fit Finlay’s mate and former champion David Taylor! This bout features two rulebreakers who both know how to wrestle and brawl. Can Taylor wear down Stevens for “The Belfast Bruiser”? • “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas will go one-on-one with Luke Harper in a first-time meeting. While Atlas has a huge challenge ahead of him in Louisville against Big John Studd, the big Harper is another formidable and dangerous opponent. Can Atlas topple Harper or will the bearded brawler give Atlas his first loss? • Speaking of Big John Studd, he will team up with King Kong Bundy to take on “Superstar” Bill Dundee and “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant in a tag team rematch. The first-time team of Dundee and Valiant gave the giants a tough challenge when they first met in March in Evansville but the First Family of Wrestling team triumphed in the end. Can Dundee and Valiant get the big win this time? • In what could be a battle of piledrivers, one-half of the World Tag Team champions Larry Zbyszko will face Mad Dog Vachon! These two will meet on May 6 at Derby City Stampede along with their partners for the gold but this winner of this match could give some momentum to his team. Who will leave Lexington the victor? • In what could be a final meeting between two tag teams that have been feuding the past year, the New Age Outlaws will face the Age of the Fall. With the huge-eight-man tag team Rage in the Cage Match now official for Derby City Stampede, this could be the last time these teams meet in a standard four-man tag team bout. Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black have been struggling recently but can they get a win here prior to the big Cage Match? • Before Red Bastien challenges “Ravishing” Rick Rude again for the World Heavyweight title at the Stampede, he will do battle with Rude’s First Family ally Bobby Shane! Shane has not lost via pinfall or submission since debuting in the USWA in January in this same city. Give Bastien credit for not taking it easy before his big World title rematch. Shane has showcased his deadly Japanese sleeper but he also has several illegal tactics up his sleeve, as well as “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart at ringside. Can Bastien defeat Shane or will Shane put him out before Derby City Stampede? • The main event will see “The King of Men” “Classy” Freddie Blassie put the USWA Southern Heavyweight title on the line against Billy Black Lyons! Lyons earned this shot by eliminating then-Southern champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams from the six-man tag team Elimination Match on March 14 in Evansville. This will be Lyons’ first shot at any USWA singles championship. Blassie was interviewed in studio on Championship Wrestling and stated that Lyons had to hide under a mask as Double X for several months because he was ugly! He said that if the Lexington fans cheered a Canadian in a Southern title match, they were dumber than he thought! Will Blassie retain the title or will Lyons use his submission skills to make “The Hollywood Fashion Plate” tap out and grab the Southern gold?
All these big match-ups, plus a rematch between “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert and Hillbilly Jim! As well as the Heavenly Bodies in action!
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Post by Cory Olson on Jun 24, 2019 22:39:10 GMT -4
April 25, 2016 Card #468: Rupp Arena in Lexington
1) The Heavenly Bodies were victorious in the opener over “Dastardly” Danny Doring and the Amish RoadKill. Tom Prichard and Chris Candido kept Doring in the ring for a long stretch of the match. The “Dastardly One” took a lot of punishment, including getting busted open after a Flapjack, but finally went down for the count after Prichard’s enzuigiri, while Candido stopped “The Angry Amish Warrior” from a pin save. Jim Cornette’s team was impressive again but how will they fare against the Midnight Express at Derby City Stampede? **½
2) “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert avenged his loss to Hillbilly Jim from last month in Tupelo with a submission victory. It looked like lightning would strike twice for Jim as he had an early advantage, including getting Gilbert up in the bear hug. Gilbert punched his way free but Jim maintained control. He sent Gilbert into the corner and followed up with a big boot. Gilbert ducked the attack and Jim got caught up in the ropes. Gilbert attacked the leg and clamped on a figure-four leglock in the center of the ring. The big hillbilly was trapped and forced to tap out. Gilbert got back on the winning track and gained some momentum, which he will need for his big special challenge match with Nick Bockwinkel on May 6 in Louisville! *¼
3) Brian Kendrick and Paul London scored an impressive comeback victory over the Midnight Express. “Beautiful” Bobby and “Sweet” Stan Lane employed a similar tactic to what their Derby City Stampede opponents the Heavenly Bodies did in the opener, in that they cut the ring in half on London for much of the match. London battled back in the middle of the match and tagged to Kendrick, who nailed Lane with a jumping heel kick for a near fall. London tagged back in and hit the 450 splash but Eaton broke up the pin attempt with an elbow smash. The interference allowed Lane to get to the Midnights’ corner and tag Eaton back in. Eaton worked over Lane and hit the Alabama Jam for a near fall. He tagged back to Lane and the Midnights hit a Double Goozle. Eaton’s high attack nailed London right in the face and busted him open. Lane seemed confident that the Midnights had victory in hand and he danced and gloated over London. He sent London into the corner but London leapt up to the top rope, spun around, and came off with an impressive roundhouse kick, which flattened “The Gangster of Love”! London immediately covered Lane and scored the pinfall out of nowhere, as Eaton was late in making a save. The Rupp Arena exploded for Kendrick and London’s big win, as “Beautiful” Bobby and “Sweet” Stan were irate! ***½
4) Ray “The Crippler” Stevens defeated David Taylor by disqualification in a bloody, hard-hitting match-up. The British grappler had the early advantage, using a sleeper early on. Stevens managed to get to the ropes for a break. Taylor hit the British suplex and floated over into a cover but “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart distracted Tommy Marlin. Taylor released the pinfall attempt and threatened the manager, which allowed Stevens to recover and attack Taylor from behind. Stevens worked over Taylor for several minutes until Taylor ducked a punch and caught him with a double knee lift, which busted open “The Crippler.” Taylor applied the sleeper again. Stevens started to drop and it looked like Taylor was on his way to a submission victory. Taylor had his own back to the ropes, as Marlin checked Stevens’ arm. The arm dropped twice but as Marlin raised the arm for a third time, Hart cracked Taylor from behind with the megaphone, causing him to release the hold. It appeared as if Stevens’ arm had dropped for the third time but the match continued. The Lexington fans were supporting Taylor tonight, due to their immense hatred for the First Family of Wrestling, and were not happy with Marlin’s call! Both men were down on the mat but Stevens recovered first. He went up top and hit the Bombs Away right across Taylor’s nose and busting him open as well. He covered Taylor but the former Mid-America champion kicked out. Stevens hit two piledrivers and made covers but again Taylor fought through. Stevens came off the top rope with a falling sledgehammer to a standing Taylor. He went up again for another sledge but Taylor sidestepped the attack and Stevens landed on his feet, stumbling. Taylor caught him from behind in a sleeper again. Stevens managed to get to the middle rope. Marlin administered the count on Taylor and hit five. Taylor was a man incensed, perhaps trying to weaken Stevens for his Mid-America title match with Taylor’s partner Fit Finlay in Louisville more than win the match. Marlin was left with no choice but to call for the bell and disqualify Taylor. Hart managed to pull Stevens out of the ring and to safety away from Taylor! ***¾
5) “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas scored a dominant win over Luke Harper. Atlas tossed around the huge Harper like he were a junior heavyweight. He hit the press slam and followed up with the splash to score the winning pinfall after just a few minutes. Atlas got by one big man tonight but he will do against a bigger man in Big John Studd at Derby City Stampede? ½*
6) Speaking of Big John Studd, he and King Kong Bundy were victorious against “Superstar” Bill Dundee and “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. Bundy worked over Dundee early in the bout, hitting a body slam and a big splash. But impressively, Dundee kicked out of the pin attempt after the splash. Studd tagged in and got Dundee up in the backbreaker. Valiant came in for a save, hitting a jumping knee smash to Studd’s back. As Studd and Dundee crumpled to the mat, Dundee managed to tag “Boogie Woogie.” Valiant had some offense against Studd, including knocking him down with a running elbow and then hitting a Boogie Woogie elbow drop off the top rope. He went for a cover but Studd kicked out at 2¾. The “Superstar” tagged back in and had some offense against Studd. He bounced off the ropes but Bundy nailed him with a knee to the back from the ring apron. Studd seized the opportunity and got Dundee up in the backbreaker again. Valiant attempted a save but Bundy cut him off and squashed him in the corner with a modified Atlantic City Avalanche. Dundee was out, so Tom Branch raised his arm, which dropped three times, giving Studd and Bundy the submission win! **¼
7) One-half of the World Tag Team champions Larry Zbyszko picked up a big win in singles competition, as he scored a pinfall on Mad Dog Vachon. This was a physical back-and-forth brawl between these two grapplers. Vachon hit a backbreaker in the first few minutes and scored a two-count. Zbyszko took over in a brawl outside the ring. Butcher Vachon made his way to ringside. Sir Oliver Humperdink saw him coming and got up on the ring apron to protest his presence but in doing so, distracted Tommy Marlin. Zbyszko was about to hit the piledriver on Mad Dog until Butcher nailed him from behind with a crushing blow. Zbyszko fell over the middle rope and Mad Dog immediately hit a Mad Dog Pounce. Marlin returned his attention to the action. Mad Dog had control and tossed Zbyszko out of the ring. Mad Dog followed the World Tag Team champion but Zbyszko cut him off with a karate kick to the midsection. He then rammed Mad Dog’s head into the ring post and returned to the ring. Mad Dog was almost counted out but with Butcher’s help beat the count. Zbyszko maintained control and went up to the top rope. He came off with a sledgehammer to the still-dazed Mad Dog. He knocked the Algerian down, covered him, and scored the impressive pinfall. Zbyszko scored the win here, but can he and Mr. Saito do the same against the Vachons when the USWA World Tag Team titles are on the line in Louisville in 11 days? **¾
8) The New Age Outlaws scored an impressive win over their long-time rivals the Age of the Fall. “The Road Dogg” Jesse James and Billy Gunn double teamed Tyler Black for the first few minutes, hitting a double Hot Shot early on. They later hit a spike piledriver on the Iowan. James nailed Black with some stiff punches, which drew blood on Black. James then executed the pump handle slam. He made a cover but out of nowhere, Luke Harper and the Necro Butcher appeared at ringside. Necro distracted Sam Platania while Harper came in the ring and nailed James with the big boot. The two quickly disappeared, as Jimmy Jacobs appeared to be giving them instructions. Black recovered and finally managed to tag Jacobs. Jacobs immediately went to work on “The Road Dogg.” Jacobs got James down on the mat and went up to the top rope. He came off with a senton bomb but James rolled out of the way and Jacobs crashed hard. James tagged to Gunn. Gunn went right to work on Jacobs. He whipped Jacobs into the ropes and caught him on the rebound with a power slam. Gunn covered Jacobs, hooked the leg, and scored the pinfall, while James knocked down an intervening Black with more punches. It was an impressive win in this long-running feud. While this could be the last standard four-man tag team match between these two teams, they will for sure see each other again soon inside Rage in The Cage! **¼
9) Red Bastien handed Bobby Shane his first decisive loss. Shane took the advantage at the start. He went for the Japanese sleeper early but the flying redhead made the ropes. Bastien briefly battled back and had Shane in the corner. He went for a dropkick but Shane ducked and Bastien got tangled in the ropes. Shane pulled Bastien off the ropes, scooped his legs and went for a pin with his own feet on the middle ropes for the leverage. Tom Branch went to count but right before what might have been a three-count, he saw Shane’s feet on the ropes and called for a break. Bastien battled back and took control. He hit the airplane spin into the atomic drop and made a cover but Shane landed near the ropes and got a foot on the bottom rope for a break. Sensing Shane was in trouble, “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart climbed up on the ring apron. Bastien hit a second atomic drop sending Shane crashing right into Hart and specifically the megaphone! Bastien made a cover and scored the pinfall, which drew a huge pop from the Lexington fans!
As Branch was raising Bastien’s hand in victory, out of nowhere USWA World Heavyweight champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude made a surprise appearance and nailed Bastien from behind. Rude was wearing dress clothes and removed his belt. He whipped Bastien with it and then chocked his challenger for Derby City Stampede with the belt. Shane recovered and he and Rude double teamed Bastien. Shane locked in the Japanese sleeper and put Bastien out. Suddenly, “Superstar” Bill Dundee, “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant, and “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas came running down to the ringside area. They cleared the ring of Rude, Shane, and Hart. The three fan favorites helped Bastien to his feet. Bastien was coughing up blood, as he was walked back to the locker room. ***¾
10) After the chaos of the last post-match attack and the pre-main event intermission, “Classy” Freddie Blassie put the USWA Southern Heavyweight title on the line against Billy Black Lyons. Lyons earned his shot by eliminating then-Southern champion Steve “Dr. Death” Williams from the six-man tag team Elimination Match last month in Evansville. The fans sided with Lyons tonight, as Blassie’s hatred from the fans due to his boisterous and slanderous words grows more and more throughout the South! Lyons looked like he might capture the title quickly, as he worked over Blassie’s leg and went for the figure-four leglock. As he spun around to apply the leglock, Blassie kicked him off. The champion took control and bite Lyons in the forehead. He continued to punish the challenger and hit a series of knee drops. He covered Lyons and scored the pinfall to retain the Southern title after just a few minutes. As Blassie got his hand raised and help up the Southern title belt, the Rupp Arena berated him with boos! ½*
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Post by Cory Olson on Jun 27, 2019 0:02:14 GMT -4
On the 4-30 episode of USWA Championship Wrestling, it was announced that the next challenger for the USWA World Heavyweight championship at Derby City Stampede, Red Bastien, had suffered a throat injury in the attack by champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude and Bobby Shane. Bastien was not able to give an interview due to the throat injury but Commissioner Bob Armstrong announced that the flying redhead plans to compete in the main event of next week’s supercard! It’s the second annual Derby City Stampede, coming your way on May 6 from the Horse Show Pavilion at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville, the night before the “greatest two minutes in sports”—the Kentucky Derby! It will be a great weekend of sports for Louisvillians! Some more big matches were just added to this already huge card on the last episode of USWA Championship Wrestling. From beginning to end, here is what wrestling fans will see!Tommy Rogers vs. David Taylor Rogers is 7-0 as of this writing and is looking forward to a shot at the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight championship 10 days later in Cookeville. Give him lots of credit for not taking it easy and taking on his toughest opponent to date in former Mid-America champion Taylor. Taylor is coming off a frustrating disqualification loss to Ray Stevens on the last card in Lexington. You can bet he is looking not only to giving Rogers his first loss in the USWA but also wearing him down for his tag team partner Fit Finlay, whom he assumes will retain the Mid-America title. This should be a great bout to open up the Stampede! Bobby Shane vs. Jimmy Valiant Shane has been impressive since debuting in the USWA in January in Lexington as a member of the First Family of Wrestling. Valiant always seems to be a target of the First Family. Shane will be looking to clamp on his Japanese sleeper to put out “The Boogie Woogie Man.” While Valiant has been focusing more on his Boogie Woogie elbow drop as of late, he has won many bouts with his own sleeper in the past. Shane just suffered his first loss to Red Bastien on the last card at the Rupp Arena and is irate about the results. Shane and “Ravishing” Rick Rude injured Bastien after that bout and Valiant is fighting for revenge. Which charismatic superstar will emerge triumphant? One Man Gang vs. Arik Cannon Gang is the newest member of the House of Humperdink. He has made his name known in the pro wrestling world for his power and size, as well as his impressive 747 splash. He cannot underestimate the PBR-drinking “Anarchist” Cannon, who has scored many big wins in the USWA. Will Sir Oliver Humperdink’s newest charge debut with a big splash? Bill Dundee vs. King Kong Bundy Like his new tag team partner and ally “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant, “Superstar” Bill Dundee seems to have become a target of the First Family of Wrestling. Dundee and Valiant have given Bundy and Big John Studd some competitive tag matches. You have to give the Aussie a lot of credit for going one-on-one with a wrestler who outweighs him by more than 200 pounds. Can Dundee chop down the big Bundy? Steve Williams & Terry Gordy vs. Doctor X & Billy Black Lyons The battles between these units continue! Both teams are hoping to get a win and perhaps get some recognition toward a World Tag Team title shot. Which team will triumph? Tony Atlas vs. Big John Studd “Mr. USA” has been undefeated since debuting in the USWA in February at the Mid-South Coliseum. This will be his biggest opponent to date. Studd has been bragging on Championship Wrestling that he is stronger than Atlas. Will the giant Studd give Atlas his first loss or will “Mr. USA” triumph once again? The Midnight Express vs. The Heavenly Bodies Jim Cornette shocked the wrestling world with his return to the USWA in March in Knoxville and especially with his announcement of a newly-formed tag team to battle “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane! While Cornette claimed that the Midnights abandoned him, most wrestling experts and fans believe the Midnights’ story about filling up Cornette’s answering machine, trying to get a hold of “The Louisville Slugger”! Cornette has put together a team that knows his old team very well. Chris Candido ended Eaton’s historic Texas title reign in 2010 and Prichard was partners in the three-man Heavenly Bodies unit with both men, holding the World Tag Team titles twice just with Lane and then three more times with Eaton and Lane together. Prichard and Candido have proven to work well together in their first three matches together as a team but they will obviously be facing a tougher team in the six-time former World Tag Team champions Eaton and Lane. Cornette bragged on the 4-30 episode of Championship Wrestling that he will have the hometown advantage, being in Louisville. With both his presence at ringside, as well as that of Cornette’s new bodyguard Dan “The Beast” Severn, the Bodies seem to have a numbers advantage. Can Cornette’s new team topple his old team or will the more experienced duo of Eaton and Lane win? Nick Bockwinkel vs. Eddie Gilbert (If Bockwinkel wins, he gets five minutes with Sir Oliver Humperdink. If Gilbert wins, Bockwinkel must leave town for one year.) This feud started in November at the 450th USWA card at the Mid-South Coliseum, when Gilbert defeated Bockwinkel via DQ. He went on to win again in the same arena in February, again by disqualification. Bockwinkel got a decisive win two weeks later on Leap Day at the Louisville Gardens but Gilbert finally got a pinfall win in April in Oxford, MS, thanks to blatant interference from Sir Oliver Humperdink. It was Humperdink’s interference that led Bockwinkel to wanting him in the ring. Gilbert and Humperdink agreed, as long as Bockwinkel put up something as well. Should Bockwinkel win, his match with Humperdink will start immediately. Gilbert will be required to leave the ringside area for this five-minute match. This would be Humperdink’s first time wrestling in a USWA ring. Can Bockwinkel get a win in this feud and battle the bearded manager or will he be forced out of the USWA for one year? The New Age Outlaws, Tracy Smothers, & Brad Armstrong vs. The Age of the Fall, Luke Harper, & The Necro Butcher (Rage in The Cage Match) This feud started at last year’s Derby City Stampede, when “The Road Dogg” Jesse James and Billy Gunn battled Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black for the first time. The feud continued into the fall with the Outlaws’ ally Tracy Smothers getting involved and Black twice injuring him with the Phoenix Splash. The second attack was through a table and led to a 10-card suspension for the Age of the Fall. In their absence, Jacobs recruited his two disciples in Harper and Necro Butcher to go after the Outlaws. The bizarre brawlers debuted in December and earned a win over the Outlaws in their first meeting at New Year’s Knockout XII. Jacobs and Black returned from suspension in February but have been struggling in bouts with the Outlaws and Smothers. The erratic Jacobs started appearing by his allies less frequently and most wrestling experts felt he was avoiding his enemies. It was Jacobs who made the initial challenge for this match. The Outlaws accepted and brought back James’s brother Brad Armstrong as their fourth partner. This will be Brad’s first USWA bout in 4½ years. This will be the ninth Steel Cage Match in USWA history and the second under Rage in The Cage rules! Dave Brown reviewed the rules of a Rage in The Cage Match on the 4-30 edition of Championship Wrestling: I. The bout will be held inside of a steel cage that surrounds the ring and will be placed on the ring apron. There will be two sets of four handcuffs attached to opposite sides of the cage. There will be two referees in this match, one inside the ring to call for the bell and one outside that will have control of the key to let wrestlers into the ring. II. There are no disqualifications, no countouts, and no pinfalls in this match. III. Each team will choose a member to start the match. Those two wrestlers will battle for five minutes. After the five minutes, the referee outside the cage will toss a coin to determine which team gets to send a member into the match next. Every two minutes, a new wrestler will enter, with the two teams alternating turns. IV. Once all participants are in the cage, there are two ways that a team can win. a. One team can eliminate the other members of the team by handcuffing every member to the cage. b. One team can also score a submission on a member from the other team at any time to end the match. Which foursome will win this steel cage war? Fit Finlay vs. Ray Stevens (USWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship) “The Crippler” was Mid-America champion until he (along with Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy) was suspended in October for 10 cards attacks on “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and “The Man with The Cast Iron Stomach” Pepper Gomez. An eight-man single-elimination tournament was held to crown a new champion, which was won by “The Belfast Bruiser” in November in Tupelo. The Irish brawler has had an impressive reign, currently sitting at five defenses. His fourth defense, in March in the same city where he won the title, saw him lose to Stevens via disqualification when Finlay smashed Stevens with the Mid-America title belt, which “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart first tried to use! Can Stevens win back “his” title or will Finlay continue his impressive reign? Larry Zbyszko & Mr. Saito vs. Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon (USWA World Tag Team Championship) The Vachons captured their very-first USWA World Tag Team championship at last year’s Derby City Stampede from Saito and his-then partner Mr. Fuji, ending the Japanese’s historic reign. In a championship rematch in July at the Nashville Fairgrounds, Fuji suffered a back injury. Sir Oliver Humperdink signed Zbyszko to be Saito’s new partner. These two teams were scheduled to meet for the first time at New Year’s Knockout XII in Knoxville but the Vachons were suspended (along with Double X) for injuring Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy’s ankle. The Vachons were then stripped of the World Tag Team titles, which the House of Humperdink team won in an eight-team single-elimination tournament at the end of January in Lexington. The teams finally met for the first time in a non-title match on Leap Day in the Louisville Gardens, which saw the Vachons give Zbyszko and Saito their first, and so far, only decisive loss (albeit with interference from Doctor X and Double X). Can the Vachons triumph again and win their third USWA World Tag Team title or will Zbyszko and Saito continue to reign atop the tag team division? Rick Rude vs. Red Bastien (Main Event—USWA World Heavyweight Championship; Ed “Strangler” Lewis as Special Guest Referee) Bastien first challenged the “Ravishing One” for the title in March in Evansville, which saw Bastien came within a blink of an eye of winning the title until Billy Black Lyons interfered for a disqualification. The win for Bastien led to Rude making history with his 17th World title defense! The two met in a rematch the next month in Nashville and Rude came out the victor via disqualification, after Bastien intercepted Jimmy Hart’s megaphone from “The Mouth of The South” and used it on the champion but got caught doing so. Commissioner Armstrong ordered a rematch for this supercard and appointed six-time former USWA champion and Louisville native Ed “Strangler” Lewis to be the special guest referee to keep order. Rude and Hart were outraged due to Rude’s battles with Lewis last year over the title, including their first title match-up at this same supercard. The challenger suffered a throat injury from Rude and Bobby Shane after his match with Shane on the last card in Lexington but is not missing out on this important opportunity to become World Heavyweight champion. Can Bastien overcome the odds and win his first World Heavyweight title or will Rude continue his historic reign? That’s Derby City Stampede coming your way from the Horse Show Pavilion at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville on Friday, May 6!
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Post by Cory Olson on Jul 8, 2019 10:38:06 GMT -4
Derby City Stampede 2016 May 6, 2016 Card #469: Horse Show Pavilion at Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville
1) Tommy Rogers kicked off this supercard with a big pinfall win over former Mid-America Heavyweight champion David Taylor. Rogers was very focused here. He used a sleeper midway through the bout and looked like he might score a submission win but the British grappler made the ropes for a break. Rogers maintained control and hit the Tomikaze to score the pinfall. The Louisville fans went wild for Rogers’ win, as he looks forward to his first USWA title match in 10 days in Cookeville. (Whom will he challenge for the Mid-America title? Read on!) ¼*
2) Bobby Shane scored a tainted win over “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant in a double-juice match! Shane had the initial advantage, as he went for the Japanese sleeper early on. Valiant was not worn down enough yet and and quickly got to the ropes for a break. Shane went up to the top rope twice, coming off once with a flying ax-handle and later with a flying body press, both times to get a near fall. Valiant battled back and got Shane down on the mat. He hit the Boogie Woogie elbow drop once but Shane kicked out. Valiant maintained control and hit a second elbow. “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart distracted Scott Bowden. Valiant got off Shane and swung at the manager. The distraction allowed Shane to take control for a few minutes. Shane went for a bulldog but Valiant shoved him off, sending Shane crashing hard face-first into the turnbuckle, busting him open. Valiant went for a cover but Shane kicked out. Valiant had control and appeared to be setting up for another Boogie Woogie elbow. A bloodied Shane was down on the mat but grabbed onto Bowden’s shirt, pulling him down and distracting him. This allowed Hart to jump up on the apron again and clocked Valiant right in the face with the megaphone. “Boogie” was now bloodied as well and dropped to the mat. Shane took control and clamped on a figure-four leglock in the center of the ring. Bowden checked on Valiant for a submission, either verbal or a tapout but Valiant was knocked out. Shane yelled at Bowden to count Valiant’s shoulders down. Bowden obliged and hit three, giving Shane a tainted pinfall win! The Louisville fans berated Shane and Hart with boos! ***¾
3) The newest member of the House of Humperdink the One Man Gang made a successful debut with a pinfall on “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon. The PBR drinker Cannon had some early offense, trying hard for a big win and to ruin Gang’s debut. He punched away at Gang and then attempted an exploder on the 495-pounder. He couldn’t get Gang up but maintained control and knocked the big man to the mat with an elbow smash. Cannon hit the Glimmering Warlock a few minutes later and went for a cover but Gang powered out of the pin attempt. Gang battled back and nailed Cannon with a big right hand. He followed up with a crushing scoop body slam a few moments later and scored the pinfall. Sir Oliver Humperdink was very happy with his newest charge’s win! **
4) “Superstar” Bill Dundee earned a huge hard-fought victory over King Kong Bundy. Dundee was a house of fire at the start, trying to quickly wear down his larger foe and score a quick pin. Dundee got Bundy down and hit the Superstar Bomb a few minutes into the bout. He made a cover but Bundy kicked out. Bundy rolled out of the ring for a breather but Dundee followed and rammed him head-first into the ring post busting open Bundy. Bundy battled back, sent Dundee into the corner, and hit the Atlantic City Avalanche. He went for a cover but Dundee kicked out at 2¾. Bundy hit a second Avalanche and went for a cover but Dundee got a foot under the bottom ropes. Dundee fought back, got the New Jersey giant down on the mat, and after a struggle, managed to turn him into a Boston Crab. Bundy was in pain but managed to power his way to the bottom rope for a break. Dundee kept Bundy down on the mat and hit a big splash for a near fall. Bundy capitalized on a mistake by the “Superstar” and hit a third Avalanche. He made a cover. Bundy scored a three-count but then demanded his usual five-count from Jerry Calhoun. Calhoun kept counting and Dundee got a shoulder up at 4¾! Bundy and Jimmy Hart were outraged! Bundy went for an elbow drop but Dundee rolled out of the way. Dundee pounded away on Bundy. “The Mouth of The South” got up on the ring apron but Dundee sent him down with a big right hand! The Aussie then went up to the top rope and came off with a flying body press, knocking down Bundy. Dundee covered Bundy, hooked the leg, and scored the three-count! The Knoxville fans popped huge for the “Superstar’s” impressive win! ****
5) Doctor X and Billy Black Lyons scored an impressive submission win over Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy. The fan favorites had the early offense against Lyons, as Gordy hit a back suplex on him for a near fall. Williams tagged in and went for the Oklahoma Stampede. Williams scooped up Lyons near the rulebreakers’ corner. Before he could execute the Stampede, Doctor X dropped down to the floor, reached in the ring under the bottom rope, and tripped Williams’ leg, causing him and Lyons to topple to the mat. Lyons recovered first and tagged the Doctor. The team hit a double dropkick. X worked on Williams’ knee. He went for the figure-four leglock. With the fans cheering him on, “Dr. Death” managed to roll over and reverse the figure-four. X was in pain but managed to grab the bottom rope for a break. The masked man recovered first and regained control. He came off the second rope with a knee drop to Williams’ injured knee. He tagged to Lyons, who attacked the leg as well. Lyons clamped on his own figure-four in the center of the ring. Gordy went for a save but got cut off by the Doctor, who tackled him and held him down. Williams was trapped and forced to tap out. It was an impressive win for the Doctor and Lyons! **½
6) “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas made short work of Big John Studd in an amazing victory. Despite Studd having the height and weight advantage, Atlas dominated Studd like he were no challenge. Atlas hit an amazing vertical suplex on the 363-pound Studd, which rocked the Knoxville fans! Atlas immediately went for a cover and scored the pinfall after just a few minutes! Jimmy Hart was in shock at the ease of Atlas’ win! DUD
7) The Heavenly Bodies, accompanied by Louisville’s own Jim Cornette and his bodyguard Dan “The Beast” Severn, scored a huge victory over six-time former USWA World Tag Team champions the Midnight Express. Cornette came out to the ring dressed in a white suit and hat, resembling a Kentucky coronel, including some of the fans in the crowd tonight! The Bodies had the early control against “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton, hitting a Flapjack, which must have felt odd for Eaton to get hit with a move he and Lane often use! Eaton tagged to “Sweet” Stan Lane, who pounded on his former tag team partner “The Doctor of Desire” Tom Prichard. Lane hit the Russian leg sweep and floated into a cover but Prichard kicked out. Prichard tagged to Chris Candido. “The Suicide Blonde” took over on Lane and tossed him out of the ring. Candido immediately hit a baseball slide, blasting Lane right in the face. Candido distracted Paul Morton, while Severn hit a German suplex on Lane on the floor. Lane was in trouble but with Eaton’s help got back into the ring by the count of nine. The Bodies double teamed “The Gangster of Love” for several minutes. Candido knocked Lane out of the ring again. Candido reached through the ropes to get at Lane but “Sweet” Stan surprised him by grabbing him by the back of the neck and snapping his throat on the middle rope! Lane got back in the ring and tagged to Eaton. Eaton had control of Candido, until Cornette tripped him from outside the ring. While “Beautiful” Bobby was hurt, his face showed an expression of betrayal by his former manager, who used to frequently help him and Lane! Lane saw this from the other side of the ring and went over to question “The Louisville Slugger.” Morton was focused on the action in the ring and didn’t see Severn attack Lane again, this time grabbing him in a Dragon sleeper. Lane passed out from the hold and Severn dropped him outside the ring. Meanwhile, Prichard had tagged in and the Bodies hit another Flapjack. Prichard then followed up with an elbow drop and made a cover on Eaton to score the pinfall. The crowd was in somewhat of a state of shock at the nature of the Bodies’ win over the six-time former USWA Tag Team champions! Cornette was ecstatic at his team’s win, especially in his hometown, and you can bet that Mama Cornette was happy as well! ***
8) Nick Bockwinkel defeated his rival “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert via submission to earn five minutes with Gilbert’s manager Sir Oliver Humperdink and to avoid leaving the USWA for one full year. The two rivals slugged it out in the opening minutes. Gilbert gained the upper hand and sent Bockwinkel into the ropes. He telegraphed a back body drop and Bockwinkel executed a sunset flip for a near fall. Bockwinkel went for his sleeper a few moments later. Gilbert started to drop to the mat but Humperdink got up on the ring apron. Bockwinkel released the hold and went after the manager, indicating that soon Humperdink would get punished by Bockwinkel as well! The distraction allowed Gilbert to regain control and hit a piledriver for a two-count. Bockwinkel surprised “Hot Stuff” with a back suplex out of nowhere for a near fall. Bockwinkel choked Gilbert on the ropes, breaking several times before Jerry Calhoun’s count of five. He pulled Gilbert off the ropes and locked on the sleeper again. Gilbert dropped to the mat and Calhoun checked his arm. Gilbert’s arm dropped three times and Calhoun called for the bell, giving Bockwinkel a submission win! After getting his hand raised, Bockwinkel woke up Gilbert. When “Hot Stuff” realized what had happened, he was outraged! USWA officials had come to ringside to ensure Gilbert left the ringside area, as his manager entered the ring for his own match! **½
9) Bockwinkel immediately battled Humperdink and scored a dominant pinfall. Bockwinkel was ultra-aggressive against Sir Oliver. He caught the bearded manager in an abdominal stretch but Humperdink scurried to the ropes. Bockwinkel maintained control of Humperdink and went up to the top rope. He came off with a flying body press and covered the manager to score the pinfall at 2:15! The fans went wild at seeing Bockwinkel score back-to-back victories! Humperdink rolled out of the ring, as Gilbert ran back to the ringside area to help his manager to the back! ¾*
10) The New Age Outlaws closed a classic feud for now, as they, Tracy Smothers, and the returning Brad Armstrong defeated the Age of the Fall, Luke Harper, and the Necro Butcher in a Rage in the Cage Match. Per the rules of the match, one wrestler started off the match for each team and went at it for five minutes. The Age of the Fall team sent in Harper to represent them, while the Outlaws’ team sent in “The Road Dogg” Jesse James. The two brawlers duked it for several minutes. James dodged a clotehsline, caught Harper with a drop toehold, and sent him throat-first onto the middle rope. James then bounced off the opposite ropes and came back with a rope straddle. He remained on offense as Gary Michael Cappetta called for the expiration of the first five minutes of the match. Outside the cage, Tyler Black and Billy Gunn both got ready for their teams, as Paul Morton (the official outside the cage) tossed a coin in the air. Black won the toss, allowing him to enter first and giving his team the man advantage until all eight men had entered. “The Road Dogg” defied the odds and was able to fight off Black and Harper for a few minutes. He knocked Harper into the ropes and then flatted Black with a left hand. James followed up with the Shake, Rattle, and Roll knee drop. He pulled Black to the corner and went up to the second rope to come off with another knee drop. Harper had recovered and pulled Black out of the way, causing James to crash hard and injure his knee. Harper and Black seized the opportunity, stomping the knee and then dragging “The Road Dogg” to one side of the cage. They were able to cuff the former Mid-America champion, eliminating him from the match early. James was disappointed in himself for giving his team a bigger disadvantage!
Not long after James’s elimination, the two minutes ended and Gunn entered the match. With his tag team partner handcuffed inside the cage, his other partners outside the cage, and the Louisville fans rooting him on, Gunn used his athleticism to keep up with Black and Harper. The Necro Butcher entered at the next two-minute interval and Gunn was now down three-to-one. The rulebreakers attempted to cuff him but Gunn fought it off, even getting a few punches from “The Road Dogg” to his opponents to aid him. The brawler Necro took over on Gunn and whipped him into the ropes but Gunn reversed the whip. Necro bounced back and Gunn caught him with an impressive power slam. The next two minutes ended and Smothers entered the match. He and Gunn held up well for the two minutes, despite being down a man. To little surprise, Jimmy Jacobs waited until the last opportunity to enter the cage for his team and at first, allowed his teammates to do most of the work, only attacking when he was sure his opponent was hurting. After a double clothesline by Harper and Necro to Smothers, Jacobs swooped in and started raking Smothers’ face against the steel cage. Jacobs and Harper held Smothers down while Jacobs came off the top rope with a double foot stomp to Smothers’ previously-injured ribs. Armstrong entered the cage last and got a big pop from the Louisville fans for his first match back in the USWA in 4½ years. Armstrong went right after Jacobs and nailed him with a big running knee lift. Smothers joined Armstrong in double teaming Jacobs. Smothers went up top and hit the jawjacker but upon landing held his own injured ribs. Jacobs’ partners noticed and swarmed in on Smothers, stomping away. Necro hit the Tiger Driver but then got cut off by Armstrong and the two brawled in one corner. Harper went after Gunn, while Black focused on Smothers. Smothers fought back and hit a body slam. He started to climb the ropes, perhaps for another jawjacker. Before he could leap, Jacobs came out of hiding and shoved him backwards into the cage. Smothers hit the ribs again. Jacobs pushed Smothers into the center of the ring and then held him down, while also signaling Black to go up. Black didn’t just go up to the top rope but also to the top of the steel cage! The Louisville fans were buzzing, as Black hit a sensational Phoenix Splash off the top of the cage onto Smothers! While Black is no fan favorite, the fans did pop for such an amazing maneuver! The Age of the Fall pulled the injured Smothers toward “The Road Dogg” and handcuffed him to the cage as well, eliminating Smothers and making this match four-versus-two, with the advantage for the Age of the Fall team.
Gunn and Armstrong defied the odds and hung in there against their opponents. Gunn managed to punish the Necro Butcher, hitting a Jackhammer and later the Famouser. Since he could not score a pinfall, Gunn pulled Necro to one side of the cage and raked his face repeatedly on the cage, eventually busting open the brawler. The blood quickly poured down Necro’s face as Gunn hit two more Famousers, driving Necro’s “crimson mask” into the mat and staining the ring canvas as well! Armstrong had momentarily taken out Harper with a dropkick that knocked the big man into the cage wall. Jacobs and Black attempted a double clothesline on Gunn but the two-time former World Tag Team champion ducked and then blasted both Age of the Fall members with clotheslines of his own! Meanwhile, Armstrong kept up the attack on Necro, hitting a two-hand bulldog and a knee lift. The blood flowed more quickly. Gunn lifted Necro up on his shoulders, as Armstrong went up to the top rope. Armstrong came off with an impressive missile dropkick, knocking Necro off of Gunn’s shoulders, in a double team move reminiscent of the Doomsday Device used by two-time former World Tag Team champions the Road Warriors! Necro was bloodied and beaten and easy prey for Armstrong and Gunn to cuff him on the other side of the ring and score their first elimination!
It was now three-to-two for the Age of the Fall team. Jacobs sent Harper and Black in to do most of the work, while he would choose his moments to get involved. Harper and Armstrong initially went at it, while Gunn and Black paired off. Harper hit a swinging side slam on Armstrong, while Gunn soon thereafter hit the Famouser on the Iowan Black. Black battled back and whipped Gunn into the corner but Gunn reversed the whip and sent Black flying head-first into the cage making him the third person to bleed in the match. Black hung tough, as Jacobs attacked Armstrong from behind, allowing Black to blast Armstrong with a superkick. While Jacobs and Black took over on Armstrong, Gunn went at it with Harper. Gunn pulled Harper by the beard over to one side of the cage and then proceeded to grind his face into the cage, now making him the fourth wrestler in the match to bleed. Gunn then went after Black again, while Armstrong broke away from Jacobs with a head butt. Armstrong turned his attention to Harper and hit the Russian leg sweep. He was in a good place in the ring to pull the big Nebraskan over toward Necro Butcher and cuff him to the cage, despite Butcher’s attempts to block him! This now made the match an even two-on-two battle!
To little surprise, Jacobs tried to hide as best as he could inside a steel cage but Armstrong and Gunn were ready for him. Black sent sent Gunn into the buckle and went for a jumping kick but Gunn ducked and Black crashed hard. Armstrong and Gunn then double teamed Jacobs pummeling him with punches from both sides. Gunn allowed Armstrong to take over and Armstrong applied a family specialty—the sleeper in the center of the ring. The fans went wild as a dazed Jacobs started to drop to the mat. Black started to crawl out of the corner, his own face a bloody mess and very weakened from the physical match. He inched toward his partner to try and save him from a submission, which would end the match entirely. Jacobs was on the mat as Louisville’s own Joe Wheeler checked his arm. Jacobs’ arm dropped twice. Black appeared within reach of a save but suddenly his own arm dropped and he could not rescue Jacobs. Jacobs’ arm dropped a third time and Wheeler called for the bell, making Armstrong and Gunn the survivors for their team! The fans went wild as James and Smothers were released from their handcuffs first. As Necro and Harper were released they did not attempt to help Jacobs, whom Gunn had awoken with a stomp but who was still groggy. They did help Black up, although Black seemed to be able to walk on his own. The fans celebrated with the Outlaws, Armstrong, and Smothers, as this historic feud culminated for now! ****
11) After a brief intermission to take down the steel cage and clean up the blood on the canvas, it was time for the first of three title bouts on this supercard. Ray “The Crippler” Stevens scored his second win over “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay but again did not win the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight title, as he won via countout. The challenger surprised the champion with a jumping knee smash early in the bout to earn a two-count. Stevens followed up with the piledriver but Finlay kicked out at two. Finlay fought back and hit his own reverse piledriver—the Tombstone to get a two-count of his own on “The Crippler.” The Irish brawler maintained control and hit a Rolling Hills for another near fall. Stevens regained control again and hit a vertical suplex for another near fall. Finlay rolled out of the ring to try and get a breather but Stevens followed. Stevens nailed him with forearms from behind, then a kick to the midsection. The Irish brawler was bent over from the pain, as Stevens grabbed him and hit a second piledriver but this time on the arena floor. Stevens rolled back in the ring but Finlay was out, as Scott Bowden hit 10 and he called for the bell, giving the First Family member the win but not the Mid-America title. As Stevens and Jimmy Hart returned to the locker room, David Taylor and USWA officials made their way to ringside to check on “The Belfast Bruiser.” Finlay was able to get to his feet but was in a lot of pain, as he held his neck. (Despite the loss, with retaining the title, Finlay is now in second place for the most defenses of the Mid-America Heavyweight title with six defenses.) ***
12) Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito defeated the Vachons via disqualification to retain the USWA World Tag Team titles. This was a back-and-forth bout between the two rival teams in the first few minutes. The challengers took control on Saito midway into the bout and kept him in the ring for several minutes. Butcher got Saito up in the hangman for nearly a minute. Saito fought and fought and managed to get a foot on the middle rope for a break. Butcher tagged to Mad Dog and the Vachons hit a quadruple foot stomp on Saito. Mad Dog pummeled his fellow Olympian before tagging back to Butcher. Butcher slammed Saito’s head hard into the top turnbuckle which busted the Japanese star open. Butcher got him up in the hangman again and it looked like the Vachons were about to win their third World Tag Team title but Zbyszko came in with a spinning back kick to Butcher, causing the Algerian to drop Saito and release the hangman. Saito recovered and went for the Prison Deathlock on Butcher. Butcher managed to get to the ropes but was near the House of Humperdink team’s corner, so Saito tagged to Zbyszko. Zbyszko slammed Butcher’s head into the buckles. Zbyszko attempted to remove the turnbuckle pad but Jerry Calhoun caught him in the act. Zbyszko hit the piledriver on Butcher and went for a cover but Mad Dog made a save. Butcher managed to tag to his brother a few moments later and Mad Dog ran wild on Zbyszko. He hit his own piledriver on Zbyszko and made a cover but Saito broke up this pin attempt. A groggy Zbyszko stumbled to his feet but got knocked down again by a running knee lift from Mad Dog. Mad Dog went for another cover but Sir Oliver Humperdink (recovered from his own bout earlier on the supercard) distracted Calhoun. Mad Dog got off of Zbyszko and grabbed Humperdink. He started to bite the manager, which drew cheers from the crowd! Zbyszko recovered and smashed Mad Dog with a double sledge from behind, knocking him outside of the ring. Zbyszko followed and dropped Mad Dog throat-first on the guard railing. Mad Dog was almost counted out but managed to roll back in by the count of eight. Zbyszko maintained control and hit the piledriver. He covered Mad Dog but the Algerian kicked out at 2¾. Zbyszko executed a second piledriver. As Calhoun went to count, out of nowhere Doctor X and Billy Black Lyons jumped into the ring and attacked Zbyszko. Calhoun called for the bell, disqualifying the challengers. Saito jumped in the ring with a steel chair and chased off X, Lyons, and the Vachons before more damage could be done to Zbyszko. ***½
13) The main event was for the USWA World Heavyweight championship. Current and longest-reigning champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude put the title on the line against Red Bastien. These two had had two championship bouts prior to tonight’s with each wrestler getting a disqualification win over the other. To try and ensure order and determine a clear winner, Commissioner Bob Armstrong appointed six-time former champion and Louisville native Ed “Strangler” Lewis to be the special guest referee. Rude and “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart were outraged, as Rude had defended the title against Lewis in last year’s Derby City Stampede main event. On the card prior to this one in Lexington, Bastien suffered a throat injury from Rude and Bobby Shane after his bout with Shane, so he was going into the match at a disadvantage.
The champion had the advantage at the start and hit a top rope sledgehammer to score a near fall. Rude attacked Bastien’s injured throat. He hit a Rude Awakening for another two-count. Rude went up to the top rope and dove off with a fist drop. Bastien moved out of the way and the “Ravishing One” crashed hard. Bastien went for a sleeper but Rude scrambled to the ropes for a break. Bastien hit a double knee lift, which is what he used to almost win the title in their bout in March in Evansville. He went for a cover but Rude got a foot on the bottom rope. The “Strangler” had been a fair referee to both combatants at this point in the match. Bastien went for a crossbody block but Rude ducked and Bastien’s injured throat hit the top rope, clotheslining himself. Rude regained control and hit the Rude Awakening again. He made a cocky cover and ordered Lewis to count. Lewis counted the pinfall, giving Rude the win after about five minutes of action. Rude was very arrogant in demanding Lewis raise his hand and hand him the World Heavyweight title. Lewis did oblige, although wasn’t thrilled in raising his former rival’s hand! (With the win, Rude is now at 18 defenses of the World Heavyweight title!) **¾
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Post by Cory Olson on Jul 10, 2019 0:36:11 GMT -4
Highlights from the last two editions of USWA Championship Wrestling with the fallout of Derby City Stampede!
May 7 • It was announced that Mid-America Heavyweight champion “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay suffered no major injuries from Ray Stevens’ piledriver outside the ring at Derby City Stampede and plans to compete next week in Cookeville to defend his title against Tommy Rogers. Stevens, accompanied by “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart, was interviewed in studio. Lance Russell asked “The Crippler” if he was disappointed about winning two title matches but still not winning back “his” Mid-America championship. Hart cackled and Stevens replied that “This isn’t over” and that “his plan is falling into place.” The former champion said that he spoke to Commissioner Bob Armstrong and he will receive another shot at the title in the near future and that he will become champion for a second time! • Commissioner Armstrong announced some matches for the USWA’s return to the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis on May 23! o Coming off his impressive win over King Kong Bundy at Derby City Stampede, “Superstar” Bill Dundee will receive his first shot at a USWA championship when challenges “Classy” Freddie Blassie for the Southern Heavyweight title in the main event! o Another champion will be in action, as one-half of the World Tag Team champions Mr. Saito will face four-time former USWA champion Nick Bockwinkel in a first-time match-up! Sir Oliver Humperdink is sending the Japanese Olympian after Bockwinkel after Bockwinkel defeated both him and “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert at the Stampede. It looks like Bockwinkel’s feud with Gilbert and Humperdink has expanded to the entire House of Humperdink! • USWA Committee Chairman Jerry Jarrett made a special appearance on the show and announced that the ninth annual Independence Day Bash will be the USWA’s next supercard! The 4th of July tradition will be held this year and for the third time in the supercard’s history at Chilhowee Park in Knoxville! Tune in to Championship Wrestling in the coming weeks for announcements of some huge match-ups!
May 14 • Commissioner Armstrong was back this week with more match-ups to announce for the May 23 card at the Mid-South Coliseum! o In a rematch from last month in Oxford, MS, “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos will battle Mad Dog Vachon! The last time these two met, Mad Dog came out the victor when Londos lost his cool and got disqualified. While you can bet Mad Dog wants to regain the World Tag Team titles with his brother Butcher, especially after the bout at Derby City Stampede against Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito, he has also racked up a lot of singles wins lately and would love to gain a win over the popular Londos. o Former Mid-America Heavyweight champion Tracy Smothers will take on First Family of Wrestling member Bobby Shane. Shane has been impressive in the USWA since debuting in January in Lexington. He will have quite the challenge on his hands in the two-time former Mid-America champion Smothers! o Ray “The Crippler” Stevens is awaiting his rematch for the Mid-America Heavyweight title. Before he gets that title match, he will have a tough rematch in Memphis against “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan! When these two met in March in Knoxville, Duggan got the win via countout after clotheslining “The Crippler” up-and-over the top rope and to the floor. Duggan hopes to get a decisive win against Stevens this time! o “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas remains undefeated, coming off his ultra-impressive win against Big John Studd at Derby City Stampede. On the 23rd, he will do battle with former Mid-America champion David Taylor! • Give Atlas credit, as he is not taking things easy. Commissioner Armstrong announced that “Mr. USA” will take on Studd’s tag team partner King Kong Bundy in a singles bout for the USWA’s return card on June 6 at the Earl Belle Community Center in Jonesboro! • A video aired that was sent in by Jimmy Jacobs from an undisclosed location. Jacobs said that his partners had failed him inside the cage at Derby City Stampede, particularly Tyler Black. As he narrated Black’s faults, replay footage showed repeated shots and close-ups of Black’s bloodied face as he went to save Jacobs from Brad Armstrong’s sleeper before Black himself passed out. Jacobs claimed that he thinks Black gave up on purpose and that he is jealous that he is not a natural born leader like Jacobs. Jacobs said that the time of the Age of the Fall in the USWA has ended and that he is leaving the USWA! He said that he does not know of the plans of Black, Luke Harper, or the Necro Butcher but that they are on their own now!
The USWA comes back to Cookeville, TN and the Community Center on May 16! • Billy Black Lyons will go one-on-one with “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant! Lyons has been impressive in singles competition since losing his mask as Double X in March. Valiant appeared to have Bobby Shane beaten at the Stampede until Jimmy Hart got involved and hopes to avenge that loss here. Which grappler will emerge victorious? • The Midnight Express have had a rough few weeks but are hoping to get back on track as they face the high-flying fan favorites Brian Kendrick and Paul London in a rematch from a few weeks ago in Lexington. Kendrick and London got the big win last time. And “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane are coming off a somewhat surprising loss to the Heavenly Bodies at the Stampede. Can the Midnights get back on track or will lightning strike twice for Kendrick and London? • Ray “The Crippler” Stevens is now 2-0 against Mid-America Heavyweight champion Fit Finlay but still doesn’t have the title. This week, Stevens will collide with Finlay’s mate David Taylor. Stevens and Taylor had a double-juice battle a few weeks ago in Lexington that saw Taylor get disqualified when he would not break a sleeperhold while Stevens was in the ropes. Taylor wants not only to get a decisive win on “The Crippler” but also to avenge Stevens piledriving his tag team partner Finlay outside the ring at the Stampede. Will Taylor achieve victory or will Stevens win en route to his “big plan” toward regaining the Mid-America title? • In a hard-hitting tag team bout, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy will face the Vachons! These teams have met twice in standard four-man tag team matches and the Algerians have gotten the victories both times. The last time, last month in Nashville, saw Gordy and Williams get disqualified when Gordy used a steel chair on Butcher that Butcher himself had just used a few minutes prior. The Vachons are hoping to get their third win, coming off their loss to World Tag Team champions Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito at Derby City Stampede. Williams and Gordy are also coming off a loss in Louisville to the Vachons’ allies Doctor X and Billy Black Lyons. Which team will leave Cookeville victorious? • “Superstar” Bill Dundee got a huge win over King Kong Bundy in Louisville. This week, he will do battle with another First Family of Wrestling member—Bobby Shane in a rematch from last month in Oxford! These two had a competitive bout last time. Shane came out the winner, in large part due to the involvement of his manager “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart. Dundee was able to avoid Hart in Louisville and triumph over the larger Bundy. Can he do the same this week against Shane? • Despite taking a piledriver on the floor from Ray Stevens at the Stampede, “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay will be in action and will put the USWA Mid-America Heavyweight championship on the line against the undefeated Tommy Rogers! Rogers is now 8-0 since debuting at New Year’s Knockout XII in December in Knoxville, coming off a very impressive win over Finlay’s tag team partner David Taylor at the Stampede. That momentum, combined with Finlay’s questionable neck, does give Rogers an advantage that some wrestling experts may not have given him at the initial signing of this match. Can Rogers stay undefeated and capture gold or will the always tough Irishman retain his title? • The main event will be a first-time meeting between two legendary tag teams for the top tag team prize in the USWA. Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito of the House of Humperdink will defend the titles against two-time former champions the New Age Outlaws! “The Road Dogg” Jesse James and Billy Gunn are coming off a huge win in the Rage in The Cage Match on the Louisville supercard against the Age of the Fall team. But the champions got by their big rivals the Vachons as well on that card, which was the only team who had decisively beaten them since they started teaming in October. Can the Outlaws become three-time champions “of the Wooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrlllllllllllllld” or will the House of Humperdink team continue their impressive reign?
All these great bouts, as well as “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas, the Heavenly Bodies, One Man Gang, and more USWA superstars in action in Cookeville!
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Post by Cory Olson on Jul 11, 2019 17:23:20 GMT -4
May 16, 2016 Card #470: Community Center in Cookeville, TN
1) The House of Humperdink’s newest member the One Man Gang defeated S.D. Jones. Gang had the early advantage but missed a running charge into the corner. “Special Delivery” used his quick punches and delivered a big right hand after his Philly shuffle but couldn’t knock down the big man. Jones delivered the head butt and dazed the Gang but still couldn’t take him down. “Philadelphia’s Favorite Son” bounced off the ropes and came at Gang with a big right but Gang dodged him and knocked him down with a shoulder block. Gang kept control and hit his 747 splash to score the pinfall. ½*
2) The Heavenly Bodies were victorious over Hillbilly Jim and Cousin Luke. Tom Prichard and Chris Candido double teamed Luke and kept him in the ring the entire match. Candido set up Luke on the top turnbuckle and executed an impressive huracanrana. He then tagged Prichard, who immediately came off the same turnbuckle with a sit-down splash. Prichard sat on Luke, hooked the leg for a pin cover, and scored the pinfall, while Candido stopped Jim from making a save. Cornette told Lance Russell and Dave Brown at the announcers’ table that the combination move is called the Prima Donna Plunge and this won’t be the last time wrestling fans see it! DUD
3) “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas continued his winning ways with a countout victory over “The Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz. Atlas blasted Rodz with a jumping head butt and went for a cover but only got a two-count. Atlas lifted up Rodz with the press slam and decided to send the New Yorker over the top rope and to the Community Center floor! Rodz was hurt and unable to get back into the ring by the count of 10. While the powerhouse Atlas may have preferred a decisive win, he was nonetheless happy to remain undefeated! ¾*
4) “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant picked up a big pinfall win over Billy Black Lyons. Valiant stunned Lyons with some roundhouse rights in the opening minutes. He knocked Lyons down to the mat and hit the Boogie Woogie elbow to score the pinfall. The Cookeville fans went wild for Valiant’s big win! ½*
5) Brian Kendrick and Paul London scored another victory over the Midnight Express. “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane double teamed Kendrick for the first few minutes and it looked like they would avenge their loss from a few weeks ago in Lexington. Kendrick recovered, tagged to London, and the fan favorites hit a tossing dropkick on Eaton. London made a cover but Eaton kicked out. The fan favorites executed the assisted Shooting Star Press but “Beautiful” Bobby again kicked out. A few minutes later Kendrick and Lane were the legal men. Lane had control and sent Kendrick into the corner. Kendrick blocked the whip, grabbed Lane by the head, and executed Sliced Bread #2 out of nowhere. He made a cover but Eaton broke up the pinfall. Lane tagged back to Eaton a few moments later but Kendrick surprised the former Southern and Texas champion with a huracanrana for a near fall. “Sweet” Stan jumped in the ring but Kendrick knocked him down with a jumping spin kick. Lane rolled to the floor but London came into the ring and hit a suicide dive, sending Lane into the guard railing. London returned to their corner and Kendrick tagged him. With Eaton down on the mat, London went right up to the top and came off with the 450 splash. He covered Eaton and scored the pinfall, as Lane attempted to dive into the ring for a save from the floor but was too late. The crowd went wild for Kendrick and London’s big win! ***¼
6) Ray “The Crippler” Stevens scored a pinfall over David Taylor in a physical, hard-hitting bout. Stevens had the advantage at the start. He hit a double underhook suplex, a move like Taylor’s British suplex. Stevens scored a two-count. He went up to the top rope and came off with the Bombs Away but Taylor rolled out of the way and Stevens crashed hard. Taylor recovered first and hit the British suplex for a near fall. He then went for the sleeper, which he had on “The Crippler” in their bout a few weeks ago in Lexington when he got disqualified for not breaking on the ropes. Stevens started to drop to the mat. “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart got up on the ring apron to distract Scott Bowden. Taylor released the sleeper, went after Hart, and threatened to blast the manager with a European uppercut. Bowden talked him out of it and Taylor turned back to Stevens, who had recovered by this point. Stevens blasted Taylor with a boot to the midsection. With Taylor bent over, Stevens grabbed him and hit the piledriver. He covered Taylor and scored the pinfall. ***
7) Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy picked up a big win over the Vachons in an awesome tag team bout! The Vachons started off on the offensive, as Butcher hit a big boot to the face on Williams for a near fall. A few minutes later, Mad Dog and Gordy were the legal men and Mad Dog hit the piledriver on the former Southern champion. Mad Dog made a cover but Gordy got a foot on the bottom rope. Mad Dog got the 289-pounder up on his shoulders and executed an airplane spin. He dropped Gordy and then fall on him to make try again for the pin but couldn’t get it. The Vachons hit the quadruple foot stomp on “Bamm Bamm” but still couldn’t keep him down. Gordy made the tag to “Doc” and Williams executed the Oklahoma Stampede. He made a cover but Mad Dog got a shoulder up at 2¾. Gordy tagged back in and the fan favorites blasted Mad Dog with a double football tackle. Gordy’s head hit Mad Dog’s as they tackled him and they busted him open. Gordy hit the power bomb on Mad Dog and went for a cover but Mad Dog again survived, this time by grabbing the bottom rope. Gordy grabbed the bloodied Mad Dog and tried to get a submission with the Oriental Spike. Mad Dog started to drop to the mat. Paul Morton checked his arm and it dropped twice but right before what might have been the third drop, Butcher attacked Gordy from behind with a double sledge off the second turnbuckle. Both men went down and were able to tag their partners. Butcher took over on Williams and busted him open as well with a stiff head butt. He then lifted Williams up into the hangman and had him up for nearly a minute. With Gordy and the fans on his side, “Dr. Death” managed to power out of Butcher’s grip. Butcher cut him off before he could make a tag and tagged his brother back into the match. The Vachons hit another quadruple foot stomp. Mad Dog went for a cover but Gordy broke up the pin attempt. It looked like the Algerians would get yet another win over Williams and Gordy until, out of nowhere, Williams surprised Mad Dog with some jabs, then lifted him up, and executed a second Stampede, landing close to his team’s corner. Williams made the cover and scored the pinfall before Butcher could arrive in time for a save! The Cookeville fans went wild at this big comeback win! ****¼
8) Bobby Shane scored another tainted win over “Superstar” Bill Dundee. Dundee had a lot of offense for his opponent but every time he seemed to build up momentum, “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart was there to get involved. Hart handed Shane an object a few minutes into the bout, which Shane slipped into his knee pad, allowing him to deliver two separate loaded knee drops. The second knee drop busted open the “Superstar.” Shane tossed Dundee out of the ring and rammed him head-first into the ring post. Shane returned to the ring and almost got a countout victory but Dundee rolled back in by nine. Shane clamped on the Japanese sleeper in the center of the ring and held it on for nearly a minute. Dundee fought hard but due to the blood loss could not escape. Joe Wheeler checked Dundee’s arm and it dropped three times, giving Shane the win. Shane was about to leave the ring with Hart, when Wheeler reminded him to wake up the Aussie. Shane did so by dropping another loaded knee drop across Dundee’s throat! Dundee woke up, coughing and gagging! Shane and Hart looked ready to deliver more punishment but Dundee’s tag team partner “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant, recovered from his own earlier match on the card, came running into the ring with a steel chair. Hart and Shane retreated to the locker room. Dundee was able to walk to the back with some assistance from “Boogie Woogie.” **½
9) In the first of two title matches, Tommy Rogers remained undefeated and became the new USWA Mid-America Heavyweight champion with somewhat of an upset pin over “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay! Finlay’s neck was bothering him from the piledriver on the floor by Ray Stevens at Derby City Stampede. But the Irish brawler was determined to retain his title. He whipped Rogers into the ropes but Rogers reversed the whip and caught him on the rebound with a power slam. Rogers made a cover but Finlay kicked out. Finlay quickly regained control and pummeled Rogers. He hit the Tombstone just a few minutes into the bout but Rogers got a foot under the bottom rope. Finlay was irate by this and it fueled him to administer more punishment. He sent Rogers into the turnbuckles. Before crashing into the buckles, Rogers leapt up to the second rope, spun around, and came back at Finlay with a great body press. He covered the Irishman, hooked the leg, and scored the pinfall to win the Mid-America championship! As Rogers got his hand raised and awarded the belt by Scott Bowden, Finlay charged at him. Rogers ducked the charge and Finlay went flying over the top rope and to the arena floor. The crowd went wilder at this site as Rogers celebrated with the fans! **¼
10) The main event was a first-time meeting between two dominant tag teams in USWA history. The current USWA World Tag Team champions Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito of the House of Humperdink put the titles on the line against two-time former champions the New Age Outlaws. The champions kept “The Road Dogg” Jesse James in the ring for the first few minutes. Saito locked on the Scorpion Leglock but James made the ropes for a break. James managed to tag to Billy Gunn. The Outlaws worked over Saito for a few minutes. James was the legal man again and started to climb up the ropes. He was on the second turnbuckle with his back to Saito. Before he could attack, Saito got to his feet, came up behind him, and hit the Saito suplex. He went for a cover but “The Road Dogg” kicked out. Zbyszko came back in and busted James open with knee smashes. James was hurting but surprised Zbyszko with a DDT for a near fall. Gunn worked over Zbyszko and slammed him hard with an impressive press slam to get another two-count. James tagged back in and the Outlaws hit a spike piledriver. A few minutes later, Gunn and Saito were the legal men. Gunn hit the Famouser and made a cover but Sir Oliver Humperdink distracted Paul Morton. Gunn got off Saito and went after Humperdink. Saito recovered and went after Gunn outside the ring, while Morton was again tied up by Humperdink. James and Zbyszko started brawling on one side of the ring, while Gunn and Saito were on the other. Saito gained the upper hand and grabbed one of the World Tag Team title belts off of the announcers’ table. Saito went to smash Gunn with the belt but Gunn ducked the attack and Saito crashed into the ring apron. Gunn grabbed the belt from Saito and smashed him with it, busting open the Japanese Olympian. Gunn tossed Saito back in the ring, as James and Zbyszko returned to their respective corners. Gunn tagged to “The Road Dogg.” The former Mid-America champion executed the pump handle slam and went for the cover but Zbyszko saved his partner. Gunn came in and sent Zbyszko over the top rope with a clothesline. He followed Zbyszko to keep him from intervening again. James hit a second pump handle slam. Humperdink got up on the apron again but James quickly sent him back down with a big left hand! A bloodied and beaten Saito got back to his feet but James attacked him right away and then hit a third pump handle. He covered Saito and scored the pinfall. Morton called for the bell and awarded the Outlaws the USWA World Tag Team titles for the third time! The fans went wild as the Outlaws received the title belts. James’s brother Brad Armstrong, as well as the Outlaws’ ally Tracy Smothers, came out from the back and celebrated the Outlaws’ huge victory! (With the win, the Outlaws are now three-time champions and are tied for fourth place with three other teams for most World Tag Team title reigns!) ****½
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Post by Cory Olson on Jul 12, 2019 11:35:12 GMT -4
Hope everyone has fun at Galacticon this weekend!
Highlights from a very newsworthy edition of USWA Championship Wrestling on May 21! • Footage aired from the locker room at the Cookeville Community Center after last week’s card with Tommy Rogers celebrating his Mid-America Heavyweight title win with several fan favorites! Rogers thanked the fans for their support and Commissioner Bob Armstrong for signing the title match and said he will do his best to defend this title against all comers! After showing the footage, it was announced that Rogers’ first defense will be on June 20 at the Union City Civic Auditorium against former champion Ray “The Crippler” Stevens! Stevens has two victories over now-former champion Fit Finlay. Stevens and Jimmy Hart were again interviewed in-studio and Stevens said that he feels Rogers got lucky in defeating the Irish brawler. He said that if he (Stevens) can beat Finlay twice, he will have no problem winning the belt from Rogers, and as he said on the May 7 edition of Championship Wrestling that this was all part of his plan to win back the Mid-America title! • A rematch from the other title change last week in Cookeville was announced. The now three-time USWA World Tag Team champions the New Age Outlaws will put the titles on the line against Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito. This return bout will be the main event on June 13 at the Sailors and Soldiers Memorial Coliseum in Evansville. The new champions were interviewed in the WMC-TV Studios. Lance Russell congratulated them on becoming three-time champions. Billy Gunn thanked Lance and said that the Outlaws are back in the saddle again and on top of the tag team world in the USWA! “The Road Dogg” Jesse James admitted that the Outlaws had a slightly rough start to the year but they came back with “guns blazing.” First, they ran the Age of the Fall out of the USWA and now they’ve become three-time “USWA Tag Team champions of the Wooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrlllllllllllllld.” He said that they know that the House of Humperdink team is a tough combination but that they will do what they have to do to hold on to these titles. • Commissioner Armstrong announced some big match-ups for the USWA’s return to the Earl Belle Community Center in Jonesboro on June 6: o The main event will see a long-time feud renewed once again and this time for the USWA’s top prize. “Ravishing” Rick Rude will defend the USWA World Heavyweight title against “The Boogie Woogie Man” “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant! These two have had several battles since 2014. Rude has won all but one of their one-on-one bouts. Valiant’s sole victory came in this same city in October 2014 when he put out a bloodied Rude with the sleeper, after Jimmy Hart’s interference with megaphone backfired and he clocked Rude instead of Valiant! Often Hart has been the difference maker in their match-ups, as Valiant has appeared to have beaten Rude but Hart has turned the tide. In August 2014, Valiant, “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, and Andre the Giant injured Rude’s ribs in Engel Stadium in Chattanooga during Rude’s first reign as champion. Rude lost the title a few weeks later back to Lou Thesz in Tupelo and Jimmy Hart blamed the attack and injury for the loss. This past July after a non-title bout at the Nashville Fairgrounds, Rude and Larry “The Axe” Hennig put out Valiant for a few weeks with a spike piledriver. Valiant is a two-time former Southern Heavyweight and a two-time former World Tag Team champion but this will be his first-ever shot at the World title! o A huge tag team match-up will see the now former World Tag Team champions Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito of the House of Humperdink team up to battle Doctor X and Billy Black Lyons! X and Lyons interfered and attacked the former champions in their title defense against X and Lyons’ allies the Vachons at Derby City Stampede. Not only are Zbyszko and Saito out for revenge but also to gain some momentum with a win prior to their rematch for the titles the following week in Evansville! o Two rivals in tag team competition will meet each other in singles action, as “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton of the Midnight Express will battle “The Suicide Blonde” Chris Candido of the Heavenly Bodies. These two are no strangers to each other, as Jim Cornette alluded to in his “Press Conference” with Bill Apter in April. Eaton had his 18½-month reign as Texas champion come to an end at the hands of Candido in April 2010. Part of the reason Cornette chose Candido to be a part of his new team was due to his track record against “Beautiful” Bobby! • Toward the end of this edition of Championship Wrestling, Lance Russell had been informed that he was to conduct an interview segment but he wasn’t informed who would be joining him. Suddenly, Tyler Black and Luke Harper walked into the WMC-TV Studios! Lance said he was surprised to see them after the results of the Rage in The Cage Match at Derby City Stampede and after Jimmy Jacobs’ video that aired on last week’s show. Black said that while that “nutcase” Jacobs may be gone, he is here to stay and prove his skills as a wrestler! He said that while he used Jacobs to get into the USWA, he never fully bought into Jacobs’ ideals. He said that he is from Iowa, which has a long tradition of great wrestlers. And he is going to join that list. Lance asked what Harper’s role in this will be. Black spoke on behalf of Harper and said that Harper was planning to leave the USWA with Jacobs and the Necro Butcher but Black knew there is “power in numbers” in the USWA and it is good to have at least only ally. Therefore, he has hired Harper to be his bodyguard and accompany him to ringside for his matches! Black said that Harper may compete again in the future but his main task will be to protect Black from “jealous enemies.” Black said that he plans for the remainder of 2016 to be his year and that he will show what a great talent is to all of the USWA and the entire wrestling world!
The USWA comes back home to Memphis and the Mid-South Coliseum with some huge bouts on May 23! • In a first-time match-up, two-time former Mid-America Heavyweight champion Tracy Smothers will take on Bobby Shane of the First Family of Wrestling! Shane has been very impressive since debuting in Lexington at the end of January, suffering only one decisive loss so far and getting many wins, either due to the help of “The Mouth of The South” Jimmy Hart or putting out opponents with his Japanese sleeper. Smothers is hoping to get back on track and get a big singles win here to get considered for a singles title shot. Which wrestler will leave Memphis the victor? • “Mr. USA” Tony Atlas remains undefeated as of this writing. But this week, he will face one of his toughest opponents to date in former Mid-America Heavyweight champion David Taylor! Taylor utilizes his toughness and grappling skills to wear down many opponents and has scored upsets in this past. Will the British grappler give Atlas his first loss or will Atlas continue to achieve victory? • Brian Kendrick and Paul London are on a roll with two consecutive victories over the Midnight Express. This week, the high-flying fan favorites will face the Midnights’ rivals the undefeated Heavenly Bodies! In an interview on Championship Wrestling, Jim Cornette bragged that the Bodies will beat and embarrass these “pretty boys” Kendrick and London and prove once again that they are superior to “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane. Will Cornette’s words turn out to be true or will Kendrick and London keep up their momentum? • In a rematch from Knoxville in March, Ray “The Crippler” Stevens will face “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. Stevens is focused on his plan to regain the Mid-America title. But he cannot look past Duggan, who defeated him via countout in their last match. Duggan is probably the biggest name to compete in the USWA on a regular basis who has never held a USWA championship. A win over Stevens would definitely put him in consideration for a future title match. Can Duggan beat “The Crippler” again or can Stevens drop the Bombs Away on “Hacksaw”? • Another first-time match-up will see four-time former USWA World champion Nick Bockwinkel battle two-time former World Tag Team champion Mr. Saito! Sir Oliver Humperdink is sending Saito after Bockwinkel after Bockwinkel defeated both him and “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert at Derby City Stampede. A lot of fans from all over the wrestling world are looking forward to this match-up, as both Bockwinkel and Saito are adept at technical wrestling, as well as at bending the rules when it suits them! Can Bockwinkel topple the Japanese Olympian or will Saito triumph? • In a rematch from last month in Oxford, MS, “The Golden Greek” Jim Londos will tangle with Mad Dog Vachon! Vachon got the win last time via disqualification when Londos uncharacteristically shoved down Joe Wheeler. Londos was interviewed in-studio on Championship Wrestling and apologized both to Wheeler and the fans for his actions. He said his passion to win inside the ring led to him losing his temper. He said he plans to keep his calm and defeat Mad Dog inside the ring. Can Londos do it or will Mad Dog bite down harder? • The main event will be for the USWA Southern Heavyweight championship. Two-time and current champion “Classy” Freddie Blassie will defend the title against “Superstar” Bill Dundee! Both wrestlers debuted in the USWA in 2015. Blassie has suffered only one loss since debuting last June in Dayton and has been a dominant force inside the ring. Dundee has compiled an impressive win-loss record since debuting in September in Evansville. He is coming off a tough loss to Bobby Shane last week in Cookeville, thanks in large part to Shane’s loaded knee pad and the use of the ring post. One has to wonder Dundee’s condition after Shane’s punishment. He has overcome the odds before, most recently, in toppling King Kong Bundy at Derby City Stampede. Can Dundee capture his first USWA championship or will “The King of Men” continue to reign?
All these match-ups, plus the One Man Gang, the Midnight Express, Tyler Black, and more USWA superstars in action at the Mid-South Coliseum!
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