IWF TV 4-23-88. Atlas vs. Cameron. Harley & Nick challenge.

[wattsfan]

IWF TV show Taped Wednesday 4-13 in Jackson, MS. (Airs 4-23-88 WGN & syndicated).

Opening clips

--- IWF World's Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund with the Chicken Wing submission on an opponent ---
--- IWF World's Tag Team Champions D.J. Peterson & Don Diamond celebrating after winning the tag team belts ---
--- IWF World's Junior Heavyweight Champion Brad Armstrong wearing the title during ring introductions ---
--- 'Big' Scott Hall hitting the bulldog on an opponent ---
--- 'Lethal' Larry Cameron w/Dark Journey (black top & leopard print stretch pants) posing in the ring ---
--- Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel w/mgr Rock Hunter coming down the isle to the ring ---
--- 'Sadistic' Steve Strong w/Fallen Angel (S & M outfit) pounding on an opponent ---
--- 'World's Strongest Man' Ken Patera with a swinging full nelson on an opponent ---
--- 'Bruiser' Bob Sweetan & Mike George arguing with the fans ringside ---
--- 'Mr. USA' Tony Atlas slapping the hands of fans ringside ---
--- Kevin Von Erich using the Von Erich Claw on an opponent ---
--- Paul 'Mr. Wonderful' Orndorff hitting a piledriver on an opponent ---
--- IWF Women's World's Champion Sue Sexton posing the shower with the belt (and lots of soap suds) ---

The show kicks off with a shot of the cheering wrestling fans as we go to the IWF desk with announcers Les Thatcher & Rick Stewart. Les & Rick interview the the World Tag Team Champions DJ Peterson & Don Diamond on the challenge made last week by the Masked Grapplers. Before they can go any further, manager Rock Hunter is out to issue a challenge to the champions to meet Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race on TV today. In a matter of seconds, Nick & Harley jump the champions from behind before security separates the four men. The champs agree to a non-title match today.

Commercial break

We go to the ring with Mike McGuirk for the ring introductions.

1. Non-Title Women's Single Match. IWF Champ Sue Sexton rolled up Candi Divine for the 1-2-3 in a competitive match. (7:54).

Interview with 'Lethal' Larry Cameron w/valet Dark Journey on his lumberjack match with 'Mr. USA' Tony Atlas on today's show. Cameron says Atlas can't run & is going to get pinned the Lethal One

Commercial break

Match 2. Single Match. Sir Nelson Royal pinned George South following a Bulldog. (9:13).

Interview with 'Mr. USA' Tony Atlas who states the lumberjacks are to keep Cameron from running out of the ring as he does when he faces him. Atlas promises it is Cameron who is going to get pinned

Commercial break

Match 3. Single Match. Kevin Von Erich defeated Frank Savage with the Von Erich Iron Claw. (7:02).

Interview with 'Sadistic' Steve Strong w/valet the Fallen Angel who is upset with the preferential treatment 'World's Strongest Man' Ken Patera has gotten when he faces him. Strong vows to destroy Patera

Commercial break

Match 4. Non-Title 4 Man Challenge Tag Team Match. Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race w/mgr. Rock Hunter beat the IWF World Tag Team Champions DJ Peterson & Don Diamond in a back-an-forth matchup. (8:44), Bockwinkel with the sleeper on Diamond while Race & Hunter fight with Peterson outside of the ring.

Interview with "Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff on 'Bruiser' Bob Sweetan claiming he has the best piledriver. Orndorff says all Sweetan has to do is get in the ring with him to find out

Commercial break

Match 5. Lumberjack Match.12 Lumberjacks Ringside! 'Mr. USA' Tony Atlas gets pinned by 'Lethal' Larry Cameron. (7:11). Lumberjack Strong handed something to Cameron when he fell to the floor. Scott Hall & Patera got to Strong but it was too late.

Interview with the Iron Shiek who proclaims he is the next IWF World's Heavyweight Champion. He beat Bob Backlund before & will do it again.

Les & Rick review the action on today's card. This weekend, the IWF will on the road Friday night in Montgomery, Ala & Dothan, Ala.: Saturday night in Birmingham, Ala. & Huntsville, Ala. and Sunday night in Mobile, Ala. & Tuscaloosa, Ala.

[jp1985]

The women's division here is off to a good start after the battle royal. Might have to go look up some Susan Sexton to see how she's beating Candi Divine. I recognize and remember the name but don't remember anything about her.

Nelson Royal might be getting long in the tooth for a wrestler by 1988 but he was still winning titles and could get the job done. Good win over George South.

The Von Erich claw coming here spells trouble for the rest of the roster. There's a lot of good match pairings for Kevin here.

Some of the feuds are simple but very logical in their premise. Steve Strong going after Ken Patera, or Paul Orndorff going after Bob Sweetan. Without having to go too deep, they both tap into something pretty fast that will get fans wanting to see those matches to give some added depth with value on the house shows.

It might have been non-title for now but Nick Bockwinkel & Harley Race as a tag team could be unstoppable while it lasts but Rock Hunter has his work cut out for him with keeping their egos in check as both are so used to being number one. DJ Peterson & Don Diamond are going to have a rough go holding onto the championship when the title is on the line.

Larry Cameron steals that one from Tony Atlas as the Lumberjack stipulation works to his advantage. Hopefully Atlas can secure a rematch.

Iron Sheik is more of that same idea, going after Bob Backlund under the guise that he did it before. With the lineup of challengers that Backlund needs to fend off, he could do it again.