NAWF in Pittsburgh 12-25-84 Tag title tourney!
Dec 29, 2018 12:54:35 GMT
Post by Chitohausen on Dec 29, 2018 12:54:35 GMT
THE NORTH AMERICAN WRESTLING FEDERATION
CHRISTMAS NIGHT ‘84
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1984
CIVIC ARENA in PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
QUARTER-FINAL MATCH:
THE FABULOUS FREEBIRDS: MICHAEL HAYES & TERRY GORDY defeat THE PYT EXPRESS: NORVELL AUSTIN & KOKO WARE. The Freebirds get the win in a hard-fought match when Gordy drives Norvell Austin into the mat with a vicious Powerbomb, and then pins him for the 1, 2, 3.
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
QUARTER-FINAL MATCH:
JAY & MARK YOUNGBLOOD defeat THE BRITISH BRUISERS: DYNAMITE KID & ROLLERBALL ROCCO. We’re treated to a rematch from a recent TV bout between these two teams. That match went to a draw when TV time ran out, but afterwards, when the Youngbloods offered handshakes, the Brits refused, walking off instead. That adds some tension to this match, as the Youngbloods haven’t forgotten that insult, and they take the fight right to DK and Rocco to start the match. The two teams are evenly matched, but the Bruisers’ willingness to bend the rules gives the upper hand. Late in the match, it looks like the British team will be moving on, but when Rocco hits a crossbody block off the top rope on Mark, Youngblood uses Rocco’s own momentum to roll him over and into a pinning predicament for the 1, 2, 3!!
The Youngbloods pull out the win, but the Bruisers are none too happy about it, and they attack Mark and Jay as they’re getting their hands raised! DK and Rocco hit a pair of picture-perfect snap suplexes that leave Mark and Jay lying, then DK goes up top and connects with a diving headbutt on Jay, while Rocco pummels Mark!
Several referees are finally able to pull the Bruisers off their opponents, and force them to leave the ring before checking on the Youngbloods.
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
QUARTER-FINAL MATCH:
TONY “CANNONBALL” PARISI & BRUNO SAMMARTINO JR defeat THE MOONDOGS: REX & SPOT. The Moondogs are a wild pair, and they tear into Parisi and Sammartino as soon as the bell rings. Any hope Tony and Jr had of actually wrestling with the ‘Dogs goes right out the window, and they find themselves in the fight of their lives! The Moondogs pay no attention to the referee, who tries to get one of them to leave the ring, and they gleefully double-team Parisi, then turn their attention to Sammartino. The Pittsburgh fans are solidly behind the home-town boy, and the cheers seem to energize Sammartino, as he tears into both Moondogs with reckless abandon, eventually clearing them from the ring! Back inside, as the brawl continues, Moondog Rex grabs the rawhide bone that the ‘Dogs carry to the ring, and he goes to hit Sammartino with it! However, Bruno Jr ducks out of the way, and Rex nails his tag team partner with the bone instead! Sammartino knocks Rex out of the ring, then covers the unconscious Spot for the 1, 2, 3!
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
QUARTER-FINAL MATCH:
THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS: BOBBY EATON & DENNIS CONDREY (w/ Jim Cornette) defeat JACQUES & RAYMOND ROUGEAU. These two teams keep a lightning-quick pace for the entire match, with both teams using plenty of quick tags to keep the fresh man in the ring. Late in the match, the Rougeaus have the upper hand and look to be on their way to victory, but Jim Cornette makes all the difference, as he trips Raymond Rougeau from ringside, and that gives the MX the opportunity to take control of the match. A few minutes later, the MX hit the Rocket Launcher on Jacques for the 1, 2, 3 to advance to the semi-finals.
“THE UNIVERSAL HEARTHROB” AUSTIN IDOL beats KEN PATERA. We’ve seen videos of Idol for the past few weeks on TV, and he makes his NAWF in-ring debut tonight against another NAWF newcomer, Ken Patera. After a hard-hitting, back and forth match, Idol gets the win after softening up Patera’s knee, and eventually locking on the Las Vegas Leglock for the submission.
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
SEMI-FINAL MATCH:
THE FABULOUS FREEBIRDS: MICHAEL HAYES & TERRY GORDY defeat JAY & MARK YOUNGBLOOD. The Youngbloods are still feeling the effects of the attack by the British Bruisers after their first-round match, but they fight through it. Mark and Jay use their speed and plenty of quick tags to their advantage, and control the early going. However, when Hayes catches Jay with a thumb to the eye, that turns the tables immediately. Jay finds himself stuck in the Freebirds’ corner for the next several minutes, a victim of constant double-teaming. Hayes is a master at diverting the referee’s attention, allowing Gordy to inflict more punishment on Jay. Things are looking bleak for Youngblood, but he manages a burst of energy, and makes a dive for his corner to tag Mark . . . but Hayes again distracts the ref, who doesn’t see the tag, and won’t let Mark come in!
Poor Jay continues to take punishment from both Freebirds, but won’t stay down. When Hayes attempts to suplex Jay, he blocks it, and reverses it, dropping Hayes with a suplex instead. Jay then dives to his corner, tagging Mark, who comes in and immediately cleans house, sending both ‘Birds to the outside. Hayes climbs back into the ring, and he and Mark continue the fight, but while that’s going on, the British Bruisers make their way down to ringside! DK and Rocco pull Jay off the ring apron, and pummel him on the floor, getting the attention of Mark. That’s all the distraction Hayes needs, he spins Mark around, kicks him in the gut, and drops Mark on his head with a DDT! Hayes covers Youngblood, and three seconds later, the Freebirds are victorious and moving onto the finals!
Mark rolls out of the ring to help his brother, and the Youngbloods and Bruisers then brawl around ringside and eventually to the back, as the ‘Birds just watch from inside the ring.
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
SEMI-FINAL MATCH:
TONY “CANNONBALL” PARISI & BRUNO SAMMARTINO JR defeat THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS: BOBBY EATON & DENNIS CONDREY (w/ Jim Cornette). These two teams have developed quite a rivalry that’s played out over the past several weeks on TV. Neither team has been able to get a clean victory over the other, but that changes here tonight. After more than 20 minutes of back and forth action, Bruno Sammartino Jr gets the win for his team after using the Cannonball Splash that Parisi taught him, to pin Dennis Condrey for the 1, 2, 3.
THE MASKED SUPERSTAR (w/ Bobby Heenan) beats DINO BRAVO. Bravo goes toe to toe with the masked man here, and despite an early advantage by the Superstar, Bravo eventually gains the upper hand and looks to be on his way to victory. It’s not to be, though, as Heenan trips Bravo when he runs the ropes, and when Bravo turns his attention to Heenan, the Superstar has a chance to shake off the cobwebs, and drops Bravo with a vicious clothesline to the back of the neck. Bravo rolls around on the mat, clutching his neck, but the masked man pulls him up . . . and hits the corkscrew neckbreaker! That’s all she wrote for Bravo, as the Superstar covers him for the 1, 2, 3.
The Superstar’s not done, though. After getting his hand raised, he repeatedly stomps Dino’s neck, and then hits a second corkscrew neckbreaker! A group of referees and other wrestlers rush to the ring to put a stop to the assault, and after clearing the Superstar and Heenan from the ring, Bravo is fitted with a neckbrace and taken from the ring on a stretcher.
NORTH AMERICAN TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT
FINALS:
THE FABULOUS FREEBIRDS: MICHAEL HAYES & TERRY GORDY defeat TONY “CANNONBALL” PARISI & BRUNO SAMMARTINO JR to become the first NAWF North American tag team champions. The match goes back and forth for about 20 minutes, but at the end, the Freebirds get the win when Gordy drops Parisi with a devastating Powerbomb. After the ‘Birds have taken the new belts and left the ring, Sammartino shakes his head in disgust, and starts to leave the ring, but then changes his mind, coming over and helping Parisi to his feet. Parisi is still unsteady, and Sammartino helps him to the back.
“SOULMAN” ROCKY JOHNSON battles ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER (w/ Bobby Heenan) to a DOUBLE COUNT-OUT. Rocky, looking to avenge the injury he suffered at the hands of the Heenan Family, hits the ring and tears right into Abby! Rocky controls the first few minutes, as he batters the Butcher from pillar to post, until Abby jabs a thumb into Rocky’s throat. Abby repeatedly jabs the taped thumb into Rocky’s throat, always making sure that the referee isn’t in a position to see it. Rocky rolls out to the floor, gasping for air, but the Butcher follows him out, and pulls out his trusty fork! The two men brawl on the floor, with Abby jabbing Johnson in the head with the fork, and Rocky trying desperately to take the fork away from the Butcher. Finally he does, and he starts jabbing the Butcher in the head with the fork, much to the delight of the Pittsburgh fans, but neither man has paid any attention to the referee, who reaches the count of 10 and declares the match a double count-out!
Both men are bleeding before NAWF officials and security personnel are finally able to separate them.
Ring announcer Larry Nelson informs the fans in attendance that the NAWF will return to the Civic Arena on Friday, February 1, and on that show, fans will see the international superstar Mil Mascaras defend his IWA world title!
Working on it now.