Wrestling Observer ringside report June: Portland Wrestling
Jul 2, 2016 23:09:20 GMT
Post by thecommish on Jul 2, 2016 23:09:20 GMT
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
June 1987
The International Heavyweight Title and PNW Heavyweight Title scenes have become intertwined throughout the month. Trouble began during a TV main event pitting International Champion ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams teaming with Billy Jack Haynes against Hercules Hernandez and PNW Champion Curt Hennig - a key member of the Buddy Rose Army.
Ever the loner, Dr. Death was none too pleased when an errant elbow Billy Jack Haynes drilled him, as Hennig managed to dodge. However, Billy Jack rallied and locked in the Full Nelson on Hennig. Seemingly seconds away from victory, Doc pulled Billy Jack off Hennig and got into his face. The confrontation grew heated between the two behemoths - with Dr. Death eventually shoving Billy Jack! Haynes stumbled right into a roll-up from Curt Hennig, who hooked a handful of tights to score the pin-fall. After the match, dozens of wrestlers hit the ring to separate Dr. Death and Billy Jack from coming to blows.
The following week, Dr. Death explained his action by telling Magnum TA that he did not come to the Northwest to make friends. Doc didn’t ask to be Billy Jack’s partner - nor did he want to be Billy Jack's friend. Dutch Savage signed the match - and, so, Doc thinks this is all Dutch’s fault! Steve Williams wants to be perfectly clear - Billy Jack Haynes should stay out of his business or there will be trouble. Doc says his focus is on Hercules, and getting some revenge for the brutal attack a month earlier.
Billy Jack was a bit more diplomatic, but no less intense. Haynes has his own problems with PNW Heavyweight Champion Curt Hennig, with a title match looming for 6/21. As far as Billy Jack is concerned, a group needs to form in PNW to rid this area of the Buddy Rose Army. If Dr. Death wants no part of that, then good luck to him. Billy Jack does warn that he won’t be disrespected by anyone - not even Dr. Death. The Northwest is Billy Jack country, no matter who holds that International Heavyweight Title belt.
At the Seattle Special on 6/21, Billy Jack appeared well on the way towards victory against PNW Heavyweight Champion. Hennig tried every trick to save his title, but Haynes was one step ahead of him on this night. Billy Jack was finally able to cinch in the Full Nelson, only for Buddy Rose to enter the ring and attack Haynes in full view of the referee. Bill Alfonso threw the match out and a furious Billy Jack stalked a fleeing Buddy Rose all the way to the dressing room.
The Seattle Special culminated with the No Holds Barred grudge match between International Heavyweight Champion ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams and Hercules Hernandez. This was a wild, bloody affair as these two monsters beat the unholy hell out of each other. Hercules trapped Doc in his Full Nelson and it looked as if a new champion would be crowned, but somehow Doc powered out. Dr. Death hit the ropes for a vicious spear and covered - but only got two! Dr. Death then hooked Hercules up and drove him into the canvas with the Stampede power-slam.
It should have been over - but again Hercules managed to kick out. At this point, Playboy Buddy Rose made his presence felt at ringside once again and scouted from ringside! It wasn’t long before Billy Jack stormed out from the dressing room and stalked a frightened Playboy. Buddy Rose jumped on the apron and Billy Jack followed him. Meanwhile, Hercules and Doc were battling - and Hernandez whipped Doc directly into Billy Jack! Haynes and Williams cracked heads and a Doc was ripe for a brutal German suplex with a bridge from Hercules, securing the three count! The Mighty Hercules wins the International Heavyweight Championship from Dr. Death! Hercules high-tailed it to the dressing room with title in hand, with Buddy Rose making a run for it too.
Meanwhile, a dazed Dr. Death got right in Billy Jack Haynes’ face once he realized what happened. Push soon came to shove and the two were slugging away at each other! Dutch Savage led out a dozen wrestlers to pull these two men apart to end this controversial evening.
Playboy Buddy Rose’s hold over the PNW Tag Team Titles loosened as his men Buzz Sawyer and Matt Borne had to do battle with the unpredictable New Zealand Sheepherder duo Lord Jonathan Boyd and Butch Miller. A series of brawls around the live event circuit culminated in a tag team title match at the Seattle special. Buddy was neutralized here as Miller and Boyd brought their cousin ‘Crazy’ Luke Williams to ringside with them to keep Rose from interfering. The match itself was the crazy brawl fans had been expecting.
In the final seconds, Buzz Sawyer missed a flying splash off the top rope. This left him prone from a Doomsday Battering Ram, allowing Miller to score the pin while Boy held off Borne. The Sheepherders celebrated with their PNW Tag Team Titles by jumping the ringside barrier and celebrating with the fans.
PNW TV Champion Nord continued to bulldoze through the competition each week on TV, with The Grappler in his corner at all times. With dominating wins over Cocoa Samoa and Billy Two Eagles, it was Wild Bill Irwin who stepped up to give Nord his toughest challenge yet. Irwin was not able to pin Nord to win the championship belt - although he fought the big man to a double disqualification on TV. Irwin even managed to knock Nord out with a cowbell shot across the forehead to end a post-match brawl!
Elsewhere in PNW… Hacksaw Jim Duggan brought in the PNW legend ‘Superfly’ Jimmy Snuka to help him even the odds against ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude and ‘Mean’ Mark Callous. At the Portland special, Snuka handed Rude his first pin-fall loss here in PNW thus far with a Superfly Splash off the top rope in a tag team match. Rude had been groggy after taking a shot from Duggan’s 2x4 in a struggle over the weapon behind the referee’s back earlier in the match… Crush scored a major victory over the Detroit Demolition at the Seattle Special, only for Demolition to drill him with a steel chair from behind after the bell… Firecat secured the biggest win of his career at the Seattle Special when he pinned Dynamite Kid for the International Junior Heavyweight Title with a moon-sault off the top rope. Dean Malenko was at ringside scouting both men, as was the ‘British Bruiser’ Johnny Smith… Tom Zenk scored a decisive victory over the Russian Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match at the Seattle Special. Z-Man broke the Russian flagpole over his knee after the match.
PNW TV returns on 7/9, after taking the holiday weekend off.
June 1987
The International Heavyweight Title and PNW Heavyweight Title scenes have become intertwined throughout the month. Trouble began during a TV main event pitting International Champion ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams teaming with Billy Jack Haynes against Hercules Hernandez and PNW Champion Curt Hennig - a key member of the Buddy Rose Army.
Ever the loner, Dr. Death was none too pleased when an errant elbow Billy Jack Haynes drilled him, as Hennig managed to dodge. However, Billy Jack rallied and locked in the Full Nelson on Hennig. Seemingly seconds away from victory, Doc pulled Billy Jack off Hennig and got into his face. The confrontation grew heated between the two behemoths - with Dr. Death eventually shoving Billy Jack! Haynes stumbled right into a roll-up from Curt Hennig, who hooked a handful of tights to score the pin-fall. After the match, dozens of wrestlers hit the ring to separate Dr. Death and Billy Jack from coming to blows.
The following week, Dr. Death explained his action by telling Magnum TA that he did not come to the Northwest to make friends. Doc didn’t ask to be Billy Jack’s partner - nor did he want to be Billy Jack's friend. Dutch Savage signed the match - and, so, Doc thinks this is all Dutch’s fault! Steve Williams wants to be perfectly clear - Billy Jack Haynes should stay out of his business or there will be trouble. Doc says his focus is on Hercules, and getting some revenge for the brutal attack a month earlier.
Billy Jack was a bit more diplomatic, but no less intense. Haynes has his own problems with PNW Heavyweight Champion Curt Hennig, with a title match looming for 6/21. As far as Billy Jack is concerned, a group needs to form in PNW to rid this area of the Buddy Rose Army. If Dr. Death wants no part of that, then good luck to him. Billy Jack does warn that he won’t be disrespected by anyone - not even Dr. Death. The Northwest is Billy Jack country, no matter who holds that International Heavyweight Title belt.
At the Seattle Special on 6/21, Billy Jack appeared well on the way towards victory against PNW Heavyweight Champion. Hennig tried every trick to save his title, but Haynes was one step ahead of him on this night. Billy Jack was finally able to cinch in the Full Nelson, only for Buddy Rose to enter the ring and attack Haynes in full view of the referee. Bill Alfonso threw the match out and a furious Billy Jack stalked a fleeing Buddy Rose all the way to the dressing room.
The Seattle Special culminated with the No Holds Barred grudge match between International Heavyweight Champion ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams and Hercules Hernandez. This was a wild, bloody affair as these two monsters beat the unholy hell out of each other. Hercules trapped Doc in his Full Nelson and it looked as if a new champion would be crowned, but somehow Doc powered out. Dr. Death hit the ropes for a vicious spear and covered - but only got two! Dr. Death then hooked Hercules up and drove him into the canvas with the Stampede power-slam.
It should have been over - but again Hercules managed to kick out. At this point, Playboy Buddy Rose made his presence felt at ringside once again and scouted from ringside! It wasn’t long before Billy Jack stormed out from the dressing room and stalked a frightened Playboy. Buddy Rose jumped on the apron and Billy Jack followed him. Meanwhile, Hercules and Doc were battling - and Hernandez whipped Doc directly into Billy Jack! Haynes and Williams cracked heads and a Doc was ripe for a brutal German suplex with a bridge from Hercules, securing the three count! The Mighty Hercules wins the International Heavyweight Championship from Dr. Death! Hercules high-tailed it to the dressing room with title in hand, with Buddy Rose making a run for it too.
Meanwhile, a dazed Dr. Death got right in Billy Jack Haynes’ face once he realized what happened. Push soon came to shove and the two were slugging away at each other! Dutch Savage led out a dozen wrestlers to pull these two men apart to end this controversial evening.
Playboy Buddy Rose’s hold over the PNW Tag Team Titles loosened as his men Buzz Sawyer and Matt Borne had to do battle with the unpredictable New Zealand Sheepherder duo Lord Jonathan Boyd and Butch Miller. A series of brawls around the live event circuit culminated in a tag team title match at the Seattle special. Buddy was neutralized here as Miller and Boyd brought their cousin ‘Crazy’ Luke Williams to ringside with them to keep Rose from interfering. The match itself was the crazy brawl fans had been expecting.
In the final seconds, Buzz Sawyer missed a flying splash off the top rope. This left him prone from a Doomsday Battering Ram, allowing Miller to score the pin while Boy held off Borne. The Sheepherders celebrated with their PNW Tag Team Titles by jumping the ringside barrier and celebrating with the fans.
PNW TV Champion Nord continued to bulldoze through the competition each week on TV, with The Grappler in his corner at all times. With dominating wins over Cocoa Samoa and Billy Two Eagles, it was Wild Bill Irwin who stepped up to give Nord his toughest challenge yet. Irwin was not able to pin Nord to win the championship belt - although he fought the big man to a double disqualification on TV. Irwin even managed to knock Nord out with a cowbell shot across the forehead to end a post-match brawl!
Elsewhere in PNW… Hacksaw Jim Duggan brought in the PNW legend ‘Superfly’ Jimmy Snuka to help him even the odds against ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude and ‘Mean’ Mark Callous. At the Portland special, Snuka handed Rude his first pin-fall loss here in PNW thus far with a Superfly Splash off the top rope in a tag team match. Rude had been groggy after taking a shot from Duggan’s 2x4 in a struggle over the weapon behind the referee’s back earlier in the match… Crush scored a major victory over the Detroit Demolition at the Seattle Special, only for Demolition to drill him with a steel chair from behind after the bell… Firecat secured the biggest win of his career at the Seattle Special when he pinned Dynamite Kid for the International Junior Heavyweight Title with a moon-sault off the top rope. Dean Malenko was at ringside scouting both men, as was the ‘British Bruiser’ Johnny Smith… Tom Zenk scored a decisive victory over the Russian Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match at the Seattle Special. Z-Man broke the Russian flagpole over his knee after the match.
PNW TV returns on 7/9, after taking the holiday weekend off.
Working on it now.