UWE presents: Countdown to Greatness
May 23, 2019 2:17:02 GMT
Post by badstreetfields on May 23, 2019 2:17:02 GMT
UNIVERSAL WRESTLING ENTERPRISE presents
Countdown to Greatness
The Forum, Inglewood, CA
May 5, 1985
Broadcast on closed circuit locations
Referee: Joey Marella
Ring Announcer: Joe Blanchard
Match #1: Tommy Rich and Tracy Smothers defeated the Wild Samoans w/ Captain Lou Albano via pinfall. (8:01)
Match #2: Big John Studd defeated Junkyard Dog via pinfall. (6:19)
Match #3: Dos Caras and El Hijo del Santo fought to a double countout. (10:43)
Match #4: Tito Santana defeated Adrian Adonis via pinfall. (8:40)
Match #5: Jimmy Snuka defeated Ron Bass via pinfall. (10:14)
---Intermission---
Match #6: UWE Television Champion Nikita Koloff defeated Lex Lugar via pinfall. (16:26) This was truly a back and forth affair with both men having moments of dominance. Towards the 16-minute mark, Lugar was able to stun Koloff with a diving clothesline. Lugar dropped an elbow on his fallen opponent. Instead of going for the pin, Lugar’s inexperience got the better of him. He sought to inflict more damage on the Russian. After flexing, Lugar went for another elbow drop. Koloff move out of the way. He then hit Lugar with a low blow, ran against the ropes, and landed a Russian sickle. Koloff quickly went for the pin, with the ref counting to three before Lugar recovered. The Russian escapes with a hard fought victory over his American rival.
Match #7: UWE Tag-Team Champions Rock and Roll Express defeated the Bulldogs via pinfall to retain the tag-team titles. (20:26) The match was fought within the rulebook, with both teams respecting the referee’s admonitions. Towards the 19-minute mark, the Bulldogs had Ricky Morton trapped in their corner. Morton somehow avoided a Davey Boy Smith elbow and was able to sneak over to make the tag with Robert Gibson. Gibson cleaned out house. With Morton recovered, the Express landed a double dropkick. Gibson quickly covered Davey Boy for the pin. With the match over, the drama was just beginning. Ricky Morton went to help up Bret Hart, extending his hand. Hart grabbed Morton’s hand to help himself up, and once on his feet…he kicked Morton in the gut. With Gibson running over to help his partner, Davey Boy Smith caught him with a forearm. The Bulldogs then proceeded to attack the Express as the crowd screamed at them in a fever-pitched. Security finally intervened as the Bulldogs cockily walked to the back. The Express were aided by medical personnel.
---Second Intermission---
Match #8: Magnum TA defeated Roddy Piper to win the UWE Heavyweight Championship. (26:18)
Piper and Magnum stared each other down, both itching to fight. Once the bell rang, all hell broke loose as they traded blows back and forth. Piper grabbed Magnum by the hair and took him into a side headlock. Magnum though shot him off the ropes, leapfrogged over him as he came back, then delivered a hiptoss that dropped him right on his tailbone. As Piper struggled to get to his feet, Magnum clotheslined the champ right out of the ring. Piper regained his wits as he walked around the ring, then climbed back on the ring apron and cautiously got back inside of the ring. The two men stared at each other some more, before they charged to the center and it erupted into an all out war. Piper gained the advantage and nailed Magnum with a right hand, before picking him up and sending him into a corner. Magnum came out and Piper nailed him with a boot to the gut, then suplexed him over and covered but only got two. Piper then took Magnum and put him in an abdominal stretch pulling as hard as he could. When the referee would go to ask Magnum if he gave up, Piper grabbed onto the top rope out of view of the ref. Finally, the referee caught him. The ref kicked Piper’s hand and Magnum hiptossed him over. Magnum then got him with a dropkick and both men fell to the mat. Magnum started to pull himself up, Piper too got up and charged, but Magnum ducked and Piper went over the top, but landed on his feet. Piper pulled Magnum out of the ring, then sent him into the ring post. Piper stomped away, then rolled back into the ring to break the count. He picked up Magnum and slammed his head into the ring apron, then rolled him back inside. Piper climbed in as well, took Magnum and delivered a legddrop, then covered but Magnum kicked out at two. Piper grabbed Magnum by the hair and yanked him off the mat. He then sent Magnum into a corner and charged but Magnum got his feet up and knocked Piper back. Magnum took quick advantage and dropped a fist but didn’t have the energy to cover. The ref began to count but Magnum picked himself up at eight and walked over to Piper. He took Piper, picked him up and slammed him to the mat. He then hit the ropes and tried an elbow but the world champion moved out of the way. Magnum was down and Piper picked himself up signaled for the DDT, but Magnum shoved him back into a corner and then charged with an elbow to the head. Magnum grabbed Piper in position for the belly-to-belly suplex. Piper gauged the eyes of TA. Both men were clearly exhausted. Piper whipped Magnum into the ropes and prepared to strike the challenger with a running forearm. Magnum somehow mustered enough strength to land a forearm shot of his own as well. Both fatigued wrestlers fell to the mat. The referee started a 10-count to determine whether the wrestlers would be able to continue. The title cannot change hands on a DQ or countout of the ring, but failing to answer a 10-count is deemed the equivalent of passing out during a submission hold. The referee continued counting. 1…..2…..3…..4…..5…..both wrestlers start to stir. If neither man can rise to his feet, the match is ruled a draw and Piper keeps the belt……6..7..Piper uses the ropes to start to rise….8….Magnum is on his knees…9….Piper collapses back to the mat as Magnum gets to his feet. MAGNUM TA IS THE NEW HEAVYWIEGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!! The crowd is in a frenzy as an exhausted Magnum is awarded the belt and hold it up for the fans. Magnum walks around this ring yelling at the fans in the front rows, “This is for you! This is for you!” Piper is rather subdued as he walks to back, as Magnum takes in his moment in the ring.
Countdown to Greatness
The Forum, Inglewood, CA
May 5, 1985
Broadcast on closed circuit locations
Referee: Joey Marella
Ring Announcer: Joe Blanchard
Match #1: Tommy Rich and Tracy Smothers defeated the Wild Samoans w/ Captain Lou Albano via pinfall. (8:01)
Match #2: Big John Studd defeated Junkyard Dog via pinfall. (6:19)
Match #3: Dos Caras and El Hijo del Santo fought to a double countout. (10:43)
Match #4: Tito Santana defeated Adrian Adonis via pinfall. (8:40)
Match #5: Jimmy Snuka defeated Ron Bass via pinfall. (10:14)
---Intermission---
Match #6: UWE Television Champion Nikita Koloff defeated Lex Lugar via pinfall. (16:26) This was truly a back and forth affair with both men having moments of dominance. Towards the 16-minute mark, Lugar was able to stun Koloff with a diving clothesline. Lugar dropped an elbow on his fallen opponent. Instead of going for the pin, Lugar’s inexperience got the better of him. He sought to inflict more damage on the Russian. After flexing, Lugar went for another elbow drop. Koloff move out of the way. He then hit Lugar with a low blow, ran against the ropes, and landed a Russian sickle. Koloff quickly went for the pin, with the ref counting to three before Lugar recovered. The Russian escapes with a hard fought victory over his American rival.
Match #7: UWE Tag-Team Champions Rock and Roll Express defeated the Bulldogs via pinfall to retain the tag-team titles. (20:26) The match was fought within the rulebook, with both teams respecting the referee’s admonitions. Towards the 19-minute mark, the Bulldogs had Ricky Morton trapped in their corner. Morton somehow avoided a Davey Boy Smith elbow and was able to sneak over to make the tag with Robert Gibson. Gibson cleaned out house. With Morton recovered, the Express landed a double dropkick. Gibson quickly covered Davey Boy for the pin. With the match over, the drama was just beginning. Ricky Morton went to help up Bret Hart, extending his hand. Hart grabbed Morton’s hand to help himself up, and once on his feet…he kicked Morton in the gut. With Gibson running over to help his partner, Davey Boy Smith caught him with a forearm. The Bulldogs then proceeded to attack the Express as the crowd screamed at them in a fever-pitched. Security finally intervened as the Bulldogs cockily walked to the back. The Express were aided by medical personnel.
---Second Intermission---
Match #8: Magnum TA defeated Roddy Piper to win the UWE Heavyweight Championship. (26:18)
Piper and Magnum stared each other down, both itching to fight. Once the bell rang, all hell broke loose as they traded blows back and forth. Piper grabbed Magnum by the hair and took him into a side headlock. Magnum though shot him off the ropes, leapfrogged over him as he came back, then delivered a hiptoss that dropped him right on his tailbone. As Piper struggled to get to his feet, Magnum clotheslined the champ right out of the ring. Piper regained his wits as he walked around the ring, then climbed back on the ring apron and cautiously got back inside of the ring. The two men stared at each other some more, before they charged to the center and it erupted into an all out war. Piper gained the advantage and nailed Magnum with a right hand, before picking him up and sending him into a corner. Magnum came out and Piper nailed him with a boot to the gut, then suplexed him over and covered but only got two. Piper then took Magnum and put him in an abdominal stretch pulling as hard as he could. When the referee would go to ask Magnum if he gave up, Piper grabbed onto the top rope out of view of the ref. Finally, the referee caught him. The ref kicked Piper’s hand and Magnum hiptossed him over. Magnum then got him with a dropkick and both men fell to the mat. Magnum started to pull himself up, Piper too got up and charged, but Magnum ducked and Piper went over the top, but landed on his feet. Piper pulled Magnum out of the ring, then sent him into the ring post. Piper stomped away, then rolled back into the ring to break the count. He picked up Magnum and slammed his head into the ring apron, then rolled him back inside. Piper climbed in as well, took Magnum and delivered a legddrop, then covered but Magnum kicked out at two. Piper grabbed Magnum by the hair and yanked him off the mat. He then sent Magnum into a corner and charged but Magnum got his feet up and knocked Piper back. Magnum took quick advantage and dropped a fist but didn’t have the energy to cover. The ref began to count but Magnum picked himself up at eight and walked over to Piper. He took Piper, picked him up and slammed him to the mat. He then hit the ropes and tried an elbow but the world champion moved out of the way. Magnum was down and Piper picked himself up signaled for the DDT, but Magnum shoved him back into a corner and then charged with an elbow to the head. Magnum grabbed Piper in position for the belly-to-belly suplex. Piper gauged the eyes of TA. Both men were clearly exhausted. Piper whipped Magnum into the ropes and prepared to strike the challenger with a running forearm. Magnum somehow mustered enough strength to land a forearm shot of his own as well. Both fatigued wrestlers fell to the mat. The referee started a 10-count to determine whether the wrestlers would be able to continue. The title cannot change hands on a DQ or countout of the ring, but failing to answer a 10-count is deemed the equivalent of passing out during a submission hold. The referee continued counting. 1…..2…..3…..4…..5…..both wrestlers start to stir. If neither man can rise to his feet, the match is ruled a draw and Piper keeps the belt……6..7..Piper uses the ropes to start to rise….8….Magnum is on his knees…9….Piper collapses back to the mat as Magnum gets to his feet. MAGNUM TA IS THE NEW HEAVYWIEGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!! The crowd is in a frenzy as an exhausted Magnum is awarded the belt and hold it up for the fans. Magnum walks around this ring yelling at the fans in the front rows, “This is for you! This is for you!” Piper is rather subdued as he walks to back, as Magnum takes in his moment in the ring.
Working on it now.