APW-FIRST EPISODE!!!!!

[grigs]

ALL PRO WRESTLING

Taped 4/22/84

To air in syndication on the weekend of April 28, 1984

Taped at the Nashville Fairgrounds Arena

Commentary by Jim Ross & Johnny Weaver

Interviews by Bob Caudle & David Crockett

Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Capetta

Referees: Alfred Neeley, Dick Woehrle



OPENING:



As this song plays, we see the following scenes:

Ric Flair's entrance from Starrcade '83

Harley Race hitting an opponent with a diving headbutt

Barry Windham hitting a lariat on an opponent

Mike Rotundo executing the airplane spin

Ivan Koloff waving a Soviet flag

Tony Atlas pressing an opponent over his head

Bruiser Brody dropping a big knee onto a fallen opponent

Jimmy Valiant dancing

Stan Hansen coming to the ring in Japan, swinging his bullrope and scattering fans

Jack & Jerry Brisco having their hands raised by a referee



ROSS: Welcome to a new beginning in professional wrestling! It's All Pro Wrestling and we're here at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee! I'm joined by Johnny Weaver, a man whose wrestling career is the stuff of legends! Johnny, the list of stars on today's program reads like the who's who of pro wrestling!



WEAVER: I'm very impressed, Jim! Barry Windham will wrestle Iron Mike Sharpe today. Windham is a rising star in wrestling and Sharpe is a rugged competitor out of Canada. Stand Hansen & Bruiser Brody, two world class competitors are in a tag team match today. Mike Rotundo, one of our finest scientific wrestlers, will be in one on one action. “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff will be in a six man with his nephew Nikita and Krusher Kruschev.



ROSS: We also have a surprise for the fans in our final match!



WEAVER: That's right! Just wait until you see who we have for you in that match!



ROSS: We have big news from Tokyo, Japan to get us started...



WEAVER: That's right, Jim. Our colleague David Crockett filed this report...



VTR:




David Crockett stands in a dressing room.



CROCKETT: Wrestling fans, I've got big news for you! This is great! Over the last few days, I've witnessed the biggest tournament ever in pro wrestling! 24 great wrestlers competing for the INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP here at Buddokan Hall in Tokyo! And it's no surpise to me who won it! The greatest wrestler alive today, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair! And he will defend the title exclusively for ALL PRO WRESTLING! Come on in, Ric!





Ric Flair, belt in hand, joins Crockett!



FLAIR: How sweet it is, David Crockett! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They came from all over Japan, Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the USA to crown the inaugural International Champion! It came down to me and Harley Race, David, and, as you so eloquently told the people watching All Pro Wrestling, Ric Flair came through once again! All Pro is a new organization and a lot has changed, but a few things remain the same: I am still the best professional wrestler alive today, I still travel in Lear jets, I still wear the most expensive robes and suits, I'll always have a gorgeous lady on each arm, and I'm still a kiss stealin, wheelin dealin, sonofagun!I am the best! Not Harley Race! Not Barry Windham! Not Bruiser Brody! Not Stan Hansen! Not Jimmy Valiant! Not Jack Brisco! Only Slick Ric Flair stands alone as king of the hill! And whether ya like it or ya hate it, you better learn to love it, 'cause it's the best thing goin today! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!



CROCKETT: I talked to the seven time former World Champion Harley Race earlier and he had these comments...



Crockett is with Race in another dressing room...





RACE: David Crockett, I know that you're proud of your buddy, the Nature Boy, right now. Well, I've got news for you! Your brother Jimmy was in here as soon as the match was over and he had a contract and a check with more zeroes than I've ever seen in my life! I'm coming to the new All Pro Wrestling and I'll chase Flair, I'll hound Flair, and, sooner or later, I'll take that International Championship from Ric Flair!You will note that I didn't say it would be easy! I didn't say I'd beat him inless than fifteen minutes! Ric Flair is the greatest wrestler this side of Lou Thesz and I will give the devil his due! But with that said, I will take the title. It might be three months, six months, or a year, but make no mistake! You are looking at the next champion!



WEAVER: Wow! Jim Ross, I've known Harley for many years and that's as intense and determined as I have ever seen him. Ric Flair is a friend of mine, but he'll have his hands full!



ROSS: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, the new International Champion wrestles exclusively in the United States for All Pro Wrestling! When he comes to your town, be sure to get your tickets as soon as they go on sale! When we return, one of the top contenders for Flair's title, Barry Windham!



COMMERCIAL



Iron Mike Sharpe enters the ring. He lookes mean, tough, and determined. Then we hear...





Barry Windham is here in APW!!!



Barry Windham vs. Iron Mike Sharpe: Ross and Weaver gush over what a great wrestler Barry is and emphasize that his best days are ahead of him. They also put over the toughness of Iron Mike. Sharpe wrestles very aggressively and gives Windham all he wants and then some. Barry will not be denied and picks up the win after a flying lariat.



ROSS: Bob Caudle will speak with the victorius Barry Windham at ringside!






CAUDLE: Here with Barry Windham. Barry, a very convincing win against a rugged opponent!



WINDHAM: They don't come much tougher, Bob! That's why I'm here, though! I want the toughest competition I can get! Ric Flair is around and he's got a title. I gues some things never change! Ric, I'm challenging you right now and I don't care who I have to go through to get a match for that title...What are you doing here?





JJ Dillon has arrived! And he's not alone...





DILLON: Barry, if I may interject....You know that James J. Dillon always goes where the action is and All Pro Wresttling is where it's at! I have assembled one of the most amazing groups of talent ever put together in our great sport! You see Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen before you and their records speak for themsleves. Unfortunately, only Jim Crockett and APW have the courage to allow these men to compete in their territory. Because of political pressures, Mr. Brody and Mr. Hansen have been blackballed aand barred all over the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico! They are considered outlaws in this great sport! That's ok! That's the kind of man I'm looking for, an outlaw! The kind of man who makes the Ric Flairs and the Harley Races of the world the shake in their boots! The kind of man that your daddy was before he went soft!



WINDHAM: My daddy will be here next week! Why don't you and your outlaws show up and call Blackjack Mulligan “soft” to his face?



HANSEN: Let me tell you somethin, boy! I just watched you wrestle and I wasn't real impressed! If I was you, I'd back down!



BRODY: Yeah, pretty boy! These little teenage girls who squeal and scream when you come out might not be so infatuated with you if you try Bruiser Brody on for size!



Wait a second! Here comes Mike Rotundo and he has a steel chair!





ROTUNDO: We got a problem here?



WINDHAM: This man is Mike Rotundo. He's one of the best wrestlers in the country and he's like a brother to me!



DILLON: I'm very familiar with Mikey. And, yes, Mikey, you two would have a problem, but sadly, my men already have a match signed so we can't oblige you two. I promise that you haven't seen the last of James J. Dillon and the Outlaws!



WINDHAM: Bob, like I said, Blackjack Mulligan will be here next week and maybe JJ won't be as mouthy then!



Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen(w/JJ Dillon) vs. Paul Garner(FA) & Jeff Sword(FA): Brody & Hansen look totally dominant today and bulldoze their opponents. Hansen gets the submission on Garner with the Brazos Valley Backbreaker.



COMMERCIAL



Mike Rotundo(w/Barry Windham) vs. The Grappler: Barry accompanies Mike to the ring to watch his back. The match is a tough one and it looks like curtains for Rotundo when the masked man loads the boot and goes for a kick to the gut! Mike blocks the kick and puts the Grappler in the airplane spin after rotating for several seconds, Rotundo slams him to the mat and scores the pin!



COMMERCIAL



Ivan Koloff, Nikita Koloff, & Krusher Kruschev vs. Mike Graham, Tonga Kid, & Italian Stallion(FA): Graham and Tonga make things competitive when they are in, but Nikita hits the Russian Sickle on Stalliona and scores the pin for the Russians as the “USA” chant rocks the arena!



The Russians join Bob Caudle at ringside.



CAUDLE: Ivan Koloff, you and your young comrades were impressive!



IVAN: Of course we are impressive! You are accustomed to soft American athletes not superior athletes with Soviet training methods! Nephew Nikita and Krusher are the future of wrestling! With my guidance, there is no limit to what we accomplish! I hear this Ric Flair bragging. Flair, sooner or later, one of us will take that title from you! Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo, Harley Race, Jimmy Valiant, or any other American athlete had better beware because we destroy you like these punks we just wrestled! Russia is number one!



KRUSCHEV: That's right, comrade! America is a bunch of losers and pigs!



CAUDLE: You may not like'em, but you have to be impressed with what they can do!



COMMERCIAL



ROSS: Ok, fans, we said we had a big surprise. The masked man, Dr. Diablo is in the ring and his opponent is probably the most popular wrestler in the USA today!





The music plays and Don Kernodle comes to the ring, carrying Old Glory, followed by...




SGT.SLAUGHTER!!!!!



Sgt. Slaughter vs. Dr. Diablo: Slaughter is fired up and the “USA” chant from the fans makes Dr. Diablo's task seem impossible. After flattening Diablo with the Slaughter Cannon, Sarge applies the Cobra Clutch for the convincing win. Then, he goes to ringside to speak with Caudle...



CAUDLE: Sarge, it's great to have you in All Pro Wrestling!



SLAUGHTER: It warms my heart to hear these fans chanting “USA”! On the other hand, it makes me wanna puke to see those Russians and to hear that maggot Koloff run down my country and my people. I'd like to send a little message to Koloff and his maggot comrades. I'd like for everybody in this arena to stand up, face the flag, and join me in the Pledge!



I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!



Slaughter and Kernodle leave to a rousing ovation!



ROSS: What a way to close our first program of ALL PRO WRESTLING! Next week, we have an incredible hour of action originating from the Louisville gardens in Louisville, KY! We will have the rematch of the finals of the International Title Tournament as “Nature Boy” Ric Flair defends against Harley Race!



WEAVER: That would be a Main Event in any arena in the world! Also, Blackjack Mulligan will be here!



ROSS: If you call yourself a wrestling fan, you can't miss next week's program! Thanks for being with us on ALL PRO WRESTLING!

[doctorfate]

Boy, I was stoked when Rotundo came out with that chair. Hanson and Brody were wise to back off. Slaughter against The Russians is gold. Fine debur show.

[tlyne]

Great first show! Windham and Rotundo are one of my favorite tag teams of all time. I agree that Slaughter and the Russians have a plethora of possibilities. Flair and Race are an interesting situation. You have a great roster, and your shows are always fantastic. I can’t wait for more shows.

[topo]

I've travelled and partied across the world with my good friend Ric Flair in his Lear jets and limos the world over, but I have to be objective: I was at ringside in Japan sharing plates of sushi and bottles of Saki with my usual army of geishas, and have to say I think the referees cheated my other good friend Harley Race out of a title. Harley is young, in shape and with the eye of the tiger and I would recommend Slick Ric watch his back because in my opinion, the ACW has a dangerously bicephalous title picture.

Instead of showing such insolence Barry Windbag should have immediately asked for a job from JJ Dillon, perhaps as a jacket carrier for Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen. Mike Rotundoldrum quickly dug a second grave by daring to get into their faces.

Its shame. How many times have the noble Russian wrestlers come over here to the United States to offer olive branches of peace only to have them rebuffed by the jingoistic and hateful words of over-zealous war mongers like Gomer Pyle aka Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kerno Dull? With their attitudes I predict the Berlin wall will NEVER come down, and 50 more years of communism to come.

[jeepguy]

Topo's comments alone were worth the price of admission! Good stuff there I must say. Funny fellow.

Great first show. Seriously super roster to work with and lots of interesting matchup combinations. Flair-Race kicking things off at the top is fantastic.

[thecommish]

A nice first show here. You have a good crew, and it’s always fun to see Hansen and Brody together.

[grigs]

May 4, 2018 5:03:26 GMT topo said:

I've travelled and partied across the world with my good friend Ric Flair in his Lear jets and limos the world over, but I have to be objective: I was at ringside in Japan sharing plates of sushi and bottles of Saki with my usual army of geishas, and have to say I think the referees cheated my other good friend Harley Race out of a title. Harley is young, in shape and with the eye of the tiger and I would recommend Slick Ric watch his back because in my opinion, the ACW has a dangerously bicephalous title picture.

Instead of showing such insolence Barry Windbag should have immediately asked for a job from JJ Dillon, perhaps as a jacket carrier for Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen. Mike Rotundoldrum quickly dug a second grave by daring to get into their faces.

Its shame. How many times have the noble Russian wrestlers come over here to the United States to offer olive branches of peace only to have them rebuffed by the jingoistic and hateful words of over-zealous war mongers like Gomer Pyle aka Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kerno Dull? With their attitudes I predict the Berlin wall will NEVER come down, and 50 more years of communism to come.

Somewhere, in a cloud of left handed cigarette smoke, Renato the Hippie is smiling.....