July 2003

[managermike99]

hold

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #969
July 5, 2003
Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Attendance: 4,396

Welcome to the return of RCW to Saturday nights!


<<< cue "Wolfpack Theme" >>>

RCW Heavyweight champion Manny Silva, and "the Phenom" Adam Riggs come down to the ring. There is no sign of Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, or Kimberly Page. These two guys have been at each other's throats lately, flames which have been fanned by President Larkin.

Riggs takes the mic first. He says he was "that" close to beating Konnan for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but then he had a bit of a mental lapse. Riggs says he began to think about what it would mean to be the recognized champion of the World! Then he realized that it was only Konnan, and only the NWA title strap. Did he really want to be whored out a few times a month across the globe to bring in big gates for fly by night promoters? Good riddance Konnan! More power to you.

RCW champion Silva takes the mic, and shouts at Vendetta that he was close at Nothing Else Matters to winning the RCW title, but he just couldn't get the job done. It must be tough walking around life knowing you are a failure. [Riggs openly blanched at that comment]. Silva then says the obvious question is where are Nash, Hall, and Kimberly? And the answer is that they have been given the night off. They have been working too much lately for their age, and position in the industry, and deserve a break. Silva then turns to Riggs and offers a handshake. He apologizes to Riggs for losing control in their match last month and trying to choke him out.

Riggs takes the mic again, and accepts the apology from Silva. He also apologizes to Silva for his aggressive attempts at taking the RCW Heavyweight title. He says it doesn't matter who has the title, as long as it stays in the Wolfpack. Riggs then calls out Wolfpack wannabe Raymond Bingham. The young sensation comes down to the ring with a cocky look on his face and enters the ring without looking worried at all. Riggs says that Bingham failed to get the job done at Nothing Else Matters, as he failed to beat and cripple that old man Sam Holiday. The smirk leaves the face of Bingham as he starts to look anxiously at the two members of the Wolfpack. Riggs says, however...


<< cue "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" by Warren Zevon >>>

The fans cheer as President Larkin comes to the top of the ramp, with Ron Simmons standing right beside him. Larkin says that before Riggs goes any further the RCW President has a little announcement of his own regarding the near future of Raymond Bingham. Larkin says "Roll the tape". We get a split screen shot on the TV, on one side we have Raymond Bingham and on the other side we have "the yellow masked" interferer from the Manny Silva match at Nothing Else Matters. The two sides seem pretty similar indeed.

President Larkin says that Bingham has disobeyed his direct order to not interfere in that match. Although he can't prove it definitively, he can still take action. So, starting immediately Bingham is gone from RCW for 90 days. However, since he is still under RCW contract and being paid, in those 90 days Bingham will be getting his ass on a plane and flying across the globe to any promoter who wants to sign him to a match. That could be a cage match against the likes of Abdullah the Butcher, or an exploding anus match against a sadist like New Jack. Larkin tells Bingham he will take the dates as booked or be considered in breach of contract.

Bingham is livid, jumping up and down and kicking the ropes. Silva and Riggs don't look very happy either but are keeping calm.

Larkin goes on. He turns his attention to Manny Silva. Larkin says that the result of their title match at Nothing Else Matters was not fair to Vendetta or to the fans. So, at Summer in the City, the main event will once again pit Manny Silva against Vendetta for the RCW Heavyweight Championship. Only this time it will be in a 20-foot high STEEL CAGE!!!

Adam Riggs still has a mic. He gets a big smile on his face and addresses Larkin and Simmons. As you might recall last month Riggs fired the entire RCW security staff for their inability to protect the Wolfpack. Well after a long search for replacements he was ready to just give up on the job. That's when RAGE was suddenly moved from Wednesday nights to Saturday Nights. Being a weekend and all, it opened up a brand new avenue of recruitment. The best part of it, Mr. President, is that it won't cost you a dime, as your new security staff is being provided by a government release program. Meet your new RCW security staff.

From the back come 8 guys, beefy guys with either bald heads or long greasy hair. They are covered in tattoos and piercings, and are wearing Orange coveralls with "RCW Security" stenciled on the front, and DOJ on the back.

Larkin goes ballistic on the mic. "You hired convicts to do security? Have you lost your *bleep* mind Riggs? The state athletic boards will have my license for this!

Riggs just laughs, and tells Larkin to get used to it! The DOJ is here to stay.


Opening Bout
Shane Madison & Shane Stevens v Den Graves & Den Scarraman
Normally Graves and Scarraman would tear the youngsters apart. But tonight something was off with Graves. He barked orders at Scarraman making him do the bulk of the work and carry most of the action. Graves, the RCW Heritage champion, saw very little action, and when he did he was happy to just apply a headlock or a reverse chin lock. Finally, as Scarraman began to get worn down and have his problems against the young pair of grapplers, Graves just jumped off the apron and walked away. Scarraman tried his best but seemed at that point to just want to get away from the action. The fans cheered as Madison and Stevens poured on the attack, with Stevens finishing off the huge upset with a cross armbreaker.
[Shane Madison & Shane Stevens defeated Den Graves & Den Scarraman by submission at 10:15 when Stevens made Scarraman submit to the cross armbreaker]


Bout #2
Menele v Crash Holly
It was obvious that Menele was enraged at being pitted up against the diminutive Holly, and it was equally obvious that an enraged Menele is not a man you want to be in the ring against. Menele wrapped the arm of Holly around the top rope and punished him, trying his best to rip the arm off. A new move for Menele was the Oklahoma Stampede but when he went for the pin he lifted up the head of Holly drawing the wrath of referee Jimmy Appleseed.
The match continued with a pair of snap suplexes followed by a thunder fire bomb. Finally, picking Holly up like a rag doll he buried him with a T-bone suplex.
[Menele defeated Crash Holly by pinfall at 6:42 after a T-bone suplex]


Backstage Interview
Deane Moore is standing next to "the Beast" Bob Sapp who alternates between taking swigs from a water bottle and slapping his biceps and pecs. Moore informs us that Chrome will be out of action until at least November due to a broken arm suffered at the hands of this man, Sapp. Moore asks Sapp what he has to say for himself and his heinous act at Nothing Else Matters.
Sapp just glares at Moore, before snatching away the mic and shoving Moore out of camera range. Sapp glares at the camera and then back at the concrete wall behind him. Turning around Sapp says he feels like he has been transported back to Saturday morning wrestling from the 70's. Like "coming to a town near you, run, don't walk!" But this isn't the 70's, time marches on Grandma, and bodies like this one weren't made in the olden days. This is a modern body, of a modern day warrior. Why make someone submit when I can make the ref stop the match because I have broken a limb? River City, you can expect a trail of broken limbs as I carve my way through the territory...daddy-o. With that Sapp kicks the camera man somewhere under the camera's range and the camera obviously falls to the ground. We hear smashing glass, see nothing but static, and then hear Sapp walking away through broken glass, laughing to himself "daddy-o".


In-ring segment
The Spinebusters, Bryan Caruthers & Jerry Orth come to the ring. They complain about the inactivity of the current tag champs, Union Jack & Gabriel Argos. They accuse the champs of ducking them, and trying to bide their time as Argos still recovers from his broken nose.
The tag champs, Union Jack & Gabriel Argos, come to the top of the ramp, followed by V.P. Dale Kuentz. Kuentz has a mic and says that he has met with President Larkin regarding the tag team division. Their decision, was to award a tag team title match to the Spinebusters this month based on their excellent record in the past. However, in management's mind there is no clear cut #1 contender. So, starting next RAGE, a 4-team mini tag team tournament will be held, with the winner of the tournament getting a title shot at Summer in the City. The only question will be who the champions will be? And since you seem so eager to get your title shot, it will be right now! The Spinebusters begin to complain they are not ready, but when they see the determined look on the advancing faces of the champions they throw away the mic and go right after the champs.


Bout #3
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Union Jack & Gabriel Argos (champions) v Spinebusters: Bryan Caruthers & Jerry Orth
The Spinebusters get the drop on the champs by laying the boots to them as they enter the ring. They toss Argos out of the ring and then double team UJ. It shakes down to Caruthers against UJ. The 'busters are experts at cutting off the ring and controlling their opponent with quick tags, and double teams for up to the 5 count. Almost 6 minutes pass with UJ narrowly escaping pinfall before he manages to surprise Orth with a crucifix into a roll-up. Instead of going for the pin though UJ locks on the hold and just continues to roll with his opponent into the corner and makes the tag to Gabriel Argos. The man from Cyprus goes to work on both 'busters as Caruthers tries to interfere. He punishes Orth with a short clothesline, and a bulldog, but when he locks in a cross face chickenwing Caruthers enters the ring and breaks the hold with a big boot. Orth manages to tag in Caruthers, but by this time Argos has recovered and takes Caruthers down with a slick looking drop toe hold into a half-boston. Hearing the roar of the crowd Orth turns around and charges at Argos to try and break the hold. But he never makes it there, as UJ has recovered and launches himself at Orth and takes him down with a flying cross bodyblock. However, they make enough incidental contact with Argos to break the hold. All 4 men now go at in the ring as referee Buddy Lane tries to restore order. Orth and Argos spill outside the ring where they continue to batter each other. Inside the ring Caruthers catches UJ with a kick directly to the groin (unseen by Buddy Lane) and follows up with a spinebuster. Referee Buddy Lane counts 1, 2, ..but then stops the count, waving it off and pointing to the corner because Caruthers and UJ are not the legal men. In the meantime, Argos has got the better of Orth outside the ring, taking him down with a drop toe hold smashing him face first into the guardrail. Argos slides inside and then drop kicks Caruthers in the back, sending him flying out of the ring. Orth is climbing into the ring, when Argos comes across and nails him in with a big axe kick. Argos uses an Aztec suplex to finish the job.
[Union Jack & Gabriel Argos defeated The Spinebusters by pinfall at 10:23 when Argos pinned Orth after an Aztec suplex]
[Union Jack & Gabriel Argos retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]


On the TV feed
President Larkin is sitting at his desk and ready to make a statement. He says that as everyone knows V.P. Dale Kuentz after making an independent review, decided to relieve Sable of her duties as my Executive Assistant. Unfortunately, that has left a gap in our organization that needs to be filled. As such, after an extensive search, I have settled on a replacement. The camera pans out and we see, sitting on the edge of Larkin's desk wearing a black mini-skirt and tight white tank top under a blazer, Debra McMichaels!!!
Larkin asks the fans to welcome Debra to the RCW family, and then begins to clap as Debra smiles on.
From out of camera range we hear the office door slam open and into the screen comes a furious looking Sable. She turns her nose up at Debra and then pushes Larkin's chair back against the wall so she has him cornered. She says she is sick of all this b.s., first the executive assistant stuff (she turns to Debra and says "I hope you have strong wrists honey") then hiding behind Dale Kuentz to do his dirty work. Not to mention the humiliating series of matches against Asp Evergreen including the lap dance. Larkin looks stunned. He tells Sable that although things haven't worked out all that well so far, that she is still one of his favourite performers of all time, and that is why he brought her into the RCW. He says he wants to make her happy, and asks Sable what he can do to make her happy? Sable says he can start a legitimate women's division with their own title belt. Larkin tells her he will have to think about that because as of right now there aren't enough women to start their own division. She pokes him in the chest, and tells him to think about it "fast". As she is yelling at Larkin we can see Debra sizing up Sable's rear with a naughty look on her face that disappears quickly as Sable turns around and storms out of the office.


Pre-Match
Asp Evergreen is in the ring with a mic. He congratulates himself on his victory over Sable at Nothing Else Matters. Then he gives a "shout out to his homies" Eddie Chavez, ICP, Derek St. Holmes, Inbred Jed and Pogo the Clown.. He tells them that he was set-up by Sable and that scrag, fat bitch at the PPV was not his Mother. He assures everyone that his mother is a babe, a real MILF...not that he wants to do his Mom..but he's sure anyone else would, because only a fine looking woman could give birth to such a fine looking son. Asp is thankfully interrupted by the arrival of his opponent.

Bout #4
Ron Simmons v Asp Evergreen
Evergreen has had a lot of success lately, wrestling the likes of Sable, and by cheating. It seemed though that his luck would run out tonight. For 5 minutes he tried to hide, evade, eye gouge, choke, etc, against a determined looking Ron Simmons. This match came on the heels of the incident at Nothing Else Matters where Evergreen punched out Larkin with a set of brass knuckles before being demolished by Simmons. Apparently that wasn't enough punishment though to appease the President as this match was set up for tonight. Simmons nailed Asp with a running powerslam and was set for the pin when a group of Asp's cronies hit the ring led by Eddie Chavez to break the pin.
[Ron Simmons defeated Asp Evergreen by disqualification at 5:08 due to outside interference]

Post-Match
Asp and Eddie Chavez were joined by the ICP, Derek St. Holmes, Pogo the Clown, and Inbred Jed. Even with this band of misfits a 7-on-1 were too good of odds and "Full Deck" crushed Ron Simmons. Finally Sam Holiday, Shane Stevens, and Shane Madison came out to clear the ring.


Bout #5
Norman Smiley v Jesse Hennig
Hennig has a good deal of wrestling knowledge and technique but when he tried to match-up straight against Norman Smiley it soon showed that he was way over his head. Smiley punished him with a fisherman suplex, a thunder fire bomb, and then almost finished off with a victory roll.
Hennig bailed out of the ring to buy some time. He then played a game of lock-up, and bail out a few times to frustrate Smiley. Then he grabbed the house mic and ring bell from the announce table and started to jabber at Smiley. Jesse really drew the ire of the crowd as he told Smiley he wasn't fit to be on the active roster at RCW, that he was more suited to be a janitor or limo driver. This threw Smiley over the edge and he was going to exit the ring to get at Hennig, but long time inept official Jurgen Hermann grabbed a hold of him and tried to stop him. Tangled up with the ref but exposed because his head was stuck through the ropes he was an easy target for Hennig who blasted him with the ring bell. It was a simple 1, 2, 3, after that.
[Jesse Hennig defeated Norman Smiley by pinfall at 7:22 after hitting him with a foreign object]


Lockeroom interview
Deane Moore is in the locker room of "Full Deck". Asp Evergreen, Eddie Chavez, the ICP, Derek St. Holmes, Inbred Jed, and Pogo the Clown as they are celebrating with champagne. Moore tries to get a word in with several of the guys but they are too busy celebrating. Finally Asp grabs the mic and proclaims that Full Deck is back in full force.
Suddenly there is a loud banging on the locker room door. It's Ron Simmons trying to get in to get revenge for the beat down. After the initial shock wears off, they all share a good laugh as Simmons continues to pound away at the locked door. After a slight respite there is a tiny knock on the door followed by a very fake sounding femme voice "room service". Asp enjoys a good laugh with Eddie Chavez but they aren't looking when Inbred Jed unlocks the door saying "maybe she has some more of this booze, hey?".
Simmons bursts in with a baseball bat and lays out each member of Full Deck, one at a time with the bat. Only he and Moore remain standing and all you can hear is the groans of Full Deck as they lay on the ground hurting.
Simmons steps out of the locker room with a satisfied look on his face.
A second later President Larkin steps in with a twisted smile on his face as he surveys the damage done. Then he turns to Deane Moore and hands him his pink slip. "You're being replaced Deane", and he leaves the room as the interviewer is seen with a shocked look on his face holding out his pink slip.


In-ring promo
"Total Destruction" Steve Riley comes to the ring looking very unhappy. He wastes no time getting on the mic and speaking his mind. He says he is being kept out of the title picture deliberately by the RCW office, as he should have at least warranted a shot at the Heritage title by now. He then puts out an open challenge to anyone in the locker room who thinks they deserve a title shot before Total Destruction.

<<< cue "Ain't Going Down 'till the Sun Comes Up" Garth Brooks >>>
The fans go nuts as Sam Holiday runs down to the ring, giving high-fives to the fans as he ran. Holiday is not dressed to wrestle, wearing black jeans, cowboy boots, and a black sleeveless "Delbert McClinton" t-shirt. He rolls under the bottom of the ring and begins to exchange punches with Riley. A few seconds later referee Jimmy Appleseed runs in from the back and calls for the bell.

Bout #6
Sam Holiday v Steve Riley
Holiday can't match punches with the stronger Riley. As soon as Total Destruction gains an advantage he goes to the power moves, nailing a sidewalk slam, a backbreaker and then double armbar submission. Holiday manages to work his feet to the ropes to get the break.
Riley tosses Holiday out of the ring and begins to throw him from guardrail to guardrail. He then throws Holiday into the announce table, but when he charges right at Holiday the veteran ducks under, picks up Riley, turns him around and then hotshots him face first off the announce table. Both men are down, but Holiday manages to make it back into the ring first to stop the 10 count.
The match is fast and vicious as control changes several times in the next 3 minutes. Finally Holiday gains a sustained advantage with a pair of running clotheslines, followed by a scoop slam leaving Riley in place for the finisher. Holiday climbs to the top rope for the Holiday legdrop, but obviously misjudged the recovery capability of Riley who catches Holiday on top and brings him down to the mat with a slam. Holiday staggers to his feet and is met headlong by a charging Riley who scoops up the big, rangy Texan and slams him to the mat with a spinning spinebuster. He hooks the leg and gets the big victory.
[Steve Riley defeated Sam Holiday by pinfall at 8:09 after a spinning spinebuster]


Special Footage
On June 15th the NWA held their most recent PPV offering, Slamboree 2003.
RCW was there in full force contributing the following match. Due to copyright reasons we are only able to show the fans highlights of the match, but the following is an account of what went down.

River City Wrestling Grudge Match
Manny Silva & Scott Hall (/w Kimberly Page) vs. Jody Christmas & Vendetta
Christmas insists on starting this match against the Wolfpack. He wants a piece of Scott Hall but RCW Heavyweight Champion Manny Silva steps in instead. They lock up and Christmas is quick with a kick to the gut, followed by a European uppercut. It drives Silva back into his own corner where Christmas is not foolish enough to follow. Silva comes out of the corner as Hall mocks Christmas. They lock up again but this time it is Silva that gets a knee off first driving it into the stomach of Christmas. He follows up with an elbow smash and then a vicious chop to the throat. Christmas spins across the ropes trying to stay away from Silva and gasping for air. He tries to get to the corner but Silva cuts him off. For the next couple of minutes its all Silva and then Hall after he is tagged in. Christmas is barely hanging on when Hall goes for the Outsiders Edge. Christmas though kicks back in desperation and finds the mark kicking Halls left leg from under him, both men go down to the mat. They come up still locked together and Christmas manages to counter the attack with a reverse neck breaker. Both men are down, and Christmas begins to crawl to his corner at the 8 count. Hall manages to grab onto his ankle, but Christmas pulls Hall into the corner and make the tag.
Vendetta gets the hot tag and drops a knee to the ribs of Hall, before spearing a charging Manny Silva. He kicks Silva out of the ring, but turns right into a punch from Hall. Vendetta absorbs it, blocks a 2nd punch, and then takes Hall down with an arm breaker. After a few seconds Vendetta takes it back to a standing position, delivers a pair of kicks to the gut, and then tries to go for a DDT. Hall though manages to drive Vendetta into the Wolfpack corner. Its 2-on-1 in the corner, and Christmas has not recovered enough yet to help his partner. Hall tags in Manny Silva.
Silva is all over Vendetta now. He takes him to the middle of the ring and delivers a sick looking belly to back half nelson suplex. He goes for the pin but only gets a 2 count. Again Silva drags Vendetta to his feet and punishes him with an airplane spin toss. Putting Vendetta into a neutral corner he starts to stomp away at his midsection and chest. He wastes time to jaw with the referee and when he goes for another stomp the Haitian warrior grabs the RCW champ's foot and twists him to the ground. Vendetta hangs on to a leg for dear life and tries to lock on a leg lock submission but Silva manages to kick his way free. Silva continues to punish Vendetta trying to get him to submit, first with a surfboard and then with a camel clutch. Finally, Christmas cant take any more and enters the ring and kicks Silva right in the face. He drops like a stone, but when the ref escorts Christmas out of the ring Hall enters and drops an elbow on the sternum of Vendetta. He lays a few boots in for good measure. Vendetta and Silva are both down but Silva is on his feet first. Vendetta lashes out at the champ and catches him with a solid punch, and follows it up with a series of elbow smashes which back Silva to the ropes. There the champ fights back with a rake of the eyes and a low blow. You can see that Silva has totally lost his temper and begins to try and choke out Vendetta. This brings Christmas back into the ring but Hall meets him with a kick in the groin. Silva tosses Vendetta over the top rope to the floor below.
All control has been lost in this match. Kimberly stands on the ring apron and distracts the ref while Hall holds Christmas and Silva wraps the ring ropes around Christmas' neck. Hall slides out of the ring and starts to pull on the feet of Christmas who is desperately fighting for air. The ref sees this and tries to pull Silva off inside the ring while Hall continues to yank outside the ring. Christmas finally manages to kick enough that he catches Hall in the face with a heel sending his former friend onto his back. He swings his feet into the ring and levels Silva with a knee to the groin. He catches the RCW champ totally by surprise and Silva staggers back into the ring. In the meantime Vendetta is back into the ring and intercepts Silva and delivers an atomic drop to the champ. The referee has managed to free Christmas with the help of two other NWA officials who came down to ringside when they saw the horrific act being perpetrated. Vendetta flew across the ring and levelled Hall with a flying elbow as he was again on the ring apron trying to enter the ring. Vendetta picked Silva to his feet and then took him down again with an inverted DDT, for the 1, 2, 3.
Jody Christmas & Vendetta defeated Manny Silva & Scott Hall by pinfall at 11:29 when Vendetta pinned Silva following an inverted DDT



Main Event
6-Man Tag Team Match
Anything Goes - No Disqualification
Global Warning manager Sammy Yip is handcuffed to Jon Stewart
Global Warning: Gregor Kitnitsov, Tiger Khan, & The Patriot v Al Collins, Haku, Kurrgan
This match was set up based on what happened at Nothing Else Matters, where Collins, Haku, and Kurrgan came to the rescue of Jon Stewart as he was attacked by Global Warning.
Collins, Haku, and Kurrgan are much bigger and stronger then their opponents but give away a lot in speed and technical ability. So, it's no surprise that the fan favorites actually try to turn this into a run-and-gun style of brawling match with quick tags. Kurrgan is especially proficient in laying out damage to Kitnitsov and Khan, including a double choke slam. The match though breaks down quickly into a massive brawl. The Patriot seizes an opportunity to waffle Jon Stewart over the head with a chair, and then again when Stewart fails to stay down. As the 6-man brawl resumes Sammy Yip takes the opportunity to continue to lay the boots into the defenceless Stewart. Suddenly from the back comes Al Collins' long time partner "Gung Ho" Joe Blum, brandishing a set of bolt cutters. He cuts Stewart free from Yip, keeping the less then menacing Yip away from the downed Kutlu Warrior. Al Collins makes his way over to also help out Stewart, only to have Blum turn around and nail his long time friend Collins in the head with the bolt cutters! Al Collins has been busted wide open by Joe Blum! Blum then embraces with Sammy Yip.
Back inside the ring it's 3 on 2 and a well placed chair shot by Kitnitsov to the back of the leg downs Kurrgan. While Patriot neutralized Haku, Kitnitsov and Khan double teamed Kurrgan to pick him up and bring him down with a double brainbuster. Kitntisov got the honour of taking the pin.
[Global Warning defeated Collins, Haku, & Kurrgan by pinfall when Kitnitsov pinned Kurrgan at 8:29 after a double brainbuster]

Backstage
We cut away to the backstage area where Vendetta is being pursued by a cameraman as he walks toward a dressing room door. The Haitian opens the door saying, "hey jerk offs". The camera swings through the doorway and we see a very surprised looking Manny Silva & Adam Riggs getting up from where they had been packing up their gear into gym bags. They get up to meet the challenge of Vendetta but he throws up his hands and says "wait just a minute guys". He asks them if they know where Hall & Nash are tonight. Riggs replies that as they said earlier they have the night off, with our blessing. He sounds a bit too emphatic about it, and you can tell something else may be happening. Vendetta says he was just asking because Jody Christmas was supposed to be here tonight and never arrived. Silva shoots Riggs a look of concern, before both quickly regain their composure. Riggs looks perplexed as he closes a bit of distance with Vendetta. Riggs says that if Christmas isn't here that must mean....that you don't have any back-up! With that Riggs and Silva jump Vendetta trying to take him down. But Ron Simmons comes through the dressing room door brandishing the baseball bat he had earlier when he beat down "Full Deck". He forces Riggs and Silva to back off Vendetta. Simmons says it looks like you guys are the ones who don't have enough back-up. Riggs just smiles as the Orange clad DOJ-RCW security guards begin to swarm into the dressing room. They tackle Simmons to the ground as Silva and Riggs resume their attack on Vendetta. They have him on one knee, as they begin to lay in a flurry of punches.

FADE TO BLACK

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #970
July 19, 2003
Bismarck Civic Center
Bismarck, North Dakota
Attendance: 3,632


The show opens with something new...
WWA World Wrestling Alliance
River City Wrestling

"Welcome to the Proving Grounds"


President Jack Larkin is shown on the TV sitting at his desk with a rather somber look on his face. He welcomes everyone to the WWA River City wrestling. He expresses regret at leaving the NWA, and at all the constant turmoil and flux these last couple years. However, the WWA is where he says his heart has always been and is excited to once again be part of their operations.

With that said, he yells to some unseen person off camera to come in and sit down. We see two chairs across from him, and one is soon filled by Jody Christmas who enters the office. Jody begins to ask Larkin why he wanted to see him, but before he can answer in walks WWA legend Dan Severn with a big smirk on his face. Severn nods at Larkin, sneers at Christmas and then takes a seat.

"Gentlemen" begins the President "it has been brought to my attention as of late by the board of the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Alliance that you two are, well, "legends". I have been instructed to treat you both with kid gloves. I am not to over work you, or put you in matches that might tarnish your glowing reputations and marketability. What do you two think? Are you washed up? Over the hill?"
The two men stare back at Larkin with much ~inner fury~ burning in their eyes, but don't say a word.

This brings a smile to Larkin's face, and he pulls two pieces of paper out of his desk, places pens on them, and slides them to the two men. He tells them to read them and decide if they are washed up or not.

After a few seconds both wrestlers get a smirk on their face and look at each other. They nod and then sign the contracts sliding them back to the President. First Severn and then Christmas get up and leave the office as Larkin looks at the contract and laughs.

"Fans of River City wrestling, we are going to have a very special treat for you at Summer in the City. A "Legends" match pitting Jody Christmas against Dan Severn. Not just any match mind you, but one that would tax to the limits even a young buck in his prime. A 60-minute Iron Man Match". Larkin looks into the camera with smug satisfaction written on his face.


Pre-Match
Alex Wright makes his debut in the company tonight. He comes out wearing his "Berlyn" outfit including the black trench coat and cane. However, he speaks to the crowd in English as he reminds them of his ancestry. He claims to be a world class shoot wrestling expert, trained by his father Steven Wright. He complains that the American promoters wanted him to be a "pretty boy" to sell tickets to young girls. But the real reason was that they didn't want the national embarrassment of having a small German boy making the big, bad Americans cry as he stretched them. By the time Wright put down the mic he was firmly entrenched as someone the folks of middle America did not like very much.

Opening Bout
Shane Madison v Alex Wright
Wright took a few surprise shots by Madison early in the match as he seemed obsessed with trying to hook the young American. It didn't take too long before he succeeded as he locked on the STF.
[Alex Wright defeated Shane Madison by submission at 3:54 with the STF]


Bout #2
"Kutlu Warrior" Jon Stewart v Tiger Khan (/w Sammy Yip)
Stewart continued his war with Global Warning. Khan though kept this match clean to begin with, locking up and trying to hook holds on Stewart. The fan favourite Stewart had no choice but to play it straight with Khan, but this is not the Kutlu Warrior's usual brawling style. As a result this match went over 10 minutes with Khan controlling much of it. However, after Stewart managed to get to the ropes to break Khan's finisher (the Calcutta Clutch, which is a cobra clutch) he finally grew frustrated and broke the rules, pulling Stewart off the ropes and turning the move into a cobra clutch slam. He began to lay the boots to Stewart then went crazy trying to choke him out. Referee Buddy Lane got Khan to break it at a 4 count but then suffered a verbal barrage from Khan complete with a lot of spray. With Lane distracted Sammy Yip pulled Stewart by the feet and crotched him into the ringpost.
It was all Khan now as he risked DQ time and time again with eye gouges, thumbs to the throat, choking across the top rope, and throwing him out of the ring so Yip could get a few kicks in. Stewart though fought back against Yip, kicking him repeatedly as he hung onto the ring apron trying to catch his breath. Khan climbed out of the ring to the apron, and took a run from behind at Stewart, attempting a big field goal-like kick, trying to take his head clear off. Stewart though moved at the last second and Khan took an awkward fall on his ass, bouncing off the apron and onto the floor below. Stewart picked up Khan outside the ring and delivered an atomic drop, and then a running bulldog taking him head first onto the floor. Yip tried to sneak attack him from behind, but Stewart rolled away resulting in Yip's chairshot banging off the floor. Stewart lashed out with a legwhip taking Yip down. Unable to control himself Stewart picked up the chair and smashed both Yip and Khan squarely across the forehead. Yip came up wearing the proverbial crimson mask. Referee Buddy Lane had seen enough and called for the bell.
[Tiger Khan defeated Jon Stewart by disqualification at 13:14 after Stewart used a foreign object on Khan]

Post-Match
Gregor Kitnitsov ran down to try and help out his Global Warning stablemates but ran straight into another chairshot courtesy of the Kutlu Warrior. The Patriot was next to run in but stopped before making it down the ramp, having seen what happened to Kitnitsov. He just shook his finger "no" at Stewart and then started to back away. When Stewart gave chase brandishing the chair the Patriot turned tail and ran away, drawing even more jeers from the crowd.


In the ring
Vendetta is in the ring with a microphone. He talks about his recent victories alongside his new friend Jody Christmas. However, he reminds the fans and himself, of Christmas' past, one filled with broken promises, allegiance only to himself, and sometimes his evil friends. Then last RAGE, Christmas did not show up and neither did Hall & Nash. Vendetta calls out Christmas to explain himself, and to put to bed any rumours that he and the Kliq were "meeting".
The fans explode as "It's Tricky" streams through the arena and former RCW champion Jody Christmas comes down to the ring. He grabs the mic, looking very pissed off.
He points his finger at Vendetta and even pokes him in the chest. Christmas says it's Vendetta's gig to be the mysterious one, overburdened with the capitalistic and colonial ways of the Western world. Christmas insists he is a straight shooter and all his cards are on the table. He tells Vendetta he has no friends from his past life anymore, that the Wolfpack if gone unchecked will kill River City wrestling. The only way Christmas says he will ever join forces with Hall & Nash would be if they were to fight against the Wolfpack. As for the missed RAGE, Christmas says Hall & Nash had a week off scheduled. As for him, he stuck around home a bit too long, consulting with his Doctor about his back, and so he missed his flight out.

<<< cue "Wolfpack Theme" >>>
From the back comes Scott Hall & Kevin Nash to the top of the ramp. The fans give them an initial pop, before settling in to a background of jeers.
Hall has a mic. He tells Vendetta and Christmas that they are both drags, and that hanging out with them would be about as much fun as a Vienna School Boy's concert. Nash, takes the mic and says "and we don't like looking at little boys, that's part of why Jody don't hang with us anymore". Nash goes on to tell Vendetta to keep his panties on and that later tonight the Outsiders will reveal to them, the world, and the Wolfpack, how they spent last RAGE. And yes, Nash laughs, we did a serious talent recruitment drive. The Wolfpack, and the WWA will never be the same again.



Bout #3
Tag Team Mini-Tournament Semi-Final
Tournament winner to get title shot at Summer in the City
Vic Gate & Rulon Gardner v Boss Strickland & Cael Sanderson
Gardner really wanted a piece of his former partner Sanderson, and he was obliged when the cowardly Strickland had his young charge begin the match. Sanderson though acted rather "un-amateurish" with a Greco-Roman rake to the eyes to get the match started. He then attacked the knee of Gardner with stomps and leg twists. He tried to lock on a figure-four but Gardner managed to turn it over, and force Sanderson to reach the ropes for a break.
Strickland tagged in and opened up a bit more against Gardner sending him to the ropes and taking him down with a spinning sideslam. He went for the pin but didn't hook the leg and it was an easy kick out for Gardner.
Strickland made the mistake of sending Gardner to the ropes again, who then ducked under a clothesline attempt and followed up with a running clothesline of his own. He managed to crawl over and make the hot tag to the veteran Vic Gate, but Strickland also managed to tag in Sanderson. Gate controlled Sanderson with a reverse chin lock, front facelock, a surfboard, and several backbreakers. Sanderson though also knows technical wrestling and managed to break a front facelock attempt and take Gate down with a hammerlock. Sanderson then went on the offensive with kicks and punches and was joined in double teams by his tag partner Strickland. Sanderson tagged in "the Boss" who tried to end the match in short order with a rolling reverse cradle but only got a two count. He succeeded in locking in the crossface chickenwing but then Gardner had seen enough and came in to break the pin. As referee Jimmy Appleseed escorted Gardner out of the ring Sanderson entered and hit a "Blockbuster" on Gate behind the refs back. Appleseed turned around and seeing both men began to count, but Strickland was up first at the count of 2 and climbed up top for the frog splash finisher. You could see Sanderson telling him not to do it, but he did it anyway, and sure enough Gate managed to move out of the way. The mistake prone Boss Strickland landed hard and grabbed a hold of his knee. Sanderson tried to enter the ring but Appleseed escorted him out, and Gardner ran around the ring and pulled Sanderson off the apron to make sure he didn't interfere again. Inside the ring Vic Gate grabbed the legs of Strickland and wrapped him in the figure-four. Strickland tapped out after about 2 seconds.
[Vic Gate & Rulon Gardner defeated Boss Strickland & Cael Sanderson by submission at 10:36 when Gate made Strickland submit to the figure-four leglock]


Bout #4
Tag Team Mini Tournament Semi-Final
Tournament Winner gets a Title shot at Summer in the City
Haku & Kurrgan v The Great Canadians: Eric Scott & Vincent Regliatti
The Great Canadians may be former tag team champions but they look very intimidated staring across the ring at the two monsters. It's all Haku & Kurrgan early with the Great Canadians alternating between cheating and running. Finally they get the break they need when Scott blatantly bumps long time inept official Jurgen Hermann on purpose. The Canadians manage to double team Haku, and then threw him over the top rope to the floor below. They then try and do the same against Kurrgan, but even 2 on 1 they have a tough time with the monstrosity from Acadia.
Scott though leaves the ring and returns with the ringbell which he uses to nail Kurrgan in the back with, just as he was about to chokeslam Regliatti. Scott then passes the bell to Regliatti and goes to revive Hermann. He drags Hermann to his feet but keeps the ref's back away from the action while his partner bashes Kurrgan again with the ring bell, this time to the head. The huge man drops to one knee but then begins to rise again. Regliatti hands the ring bell to his opponent Kurrgan and then drops to the mat like a stone. Scott turns Hermann around who is just in time to see Kurrgan standing over the fallen Regliatti, ring bell in his hands posed to strike "again". Hermann immediately calls for the dq.
[The Great Canadians defeated Haku & Kurrgan by DQ at 5:57 when Kurrgan was caught with a foreign object]

Post-Match
The Great Canadians make the mistake of celebrating inside the ring. Kurrgan upon hearing the announcement of his disqualification shrugs his shoulders and then smashes the ring bell across the back of the head of Regliatti. He dropped the bell and by the time he could pick it up again Scott had scrambled out of the ring - but right into the waiting Tongan death grip of Haku!


Backstage interview
New interviewer Pamela Paulshock is backstage with Den Graves, the current holder of the RCW Heritage Title. She asks Graves why he looked so disinterested last week, and why he walked out on his tag partner Den Scarraman.
Graves snarls in contempt of Paulshock. He says Scarraman was a joke, had no work ethic whatsoever, and was keeping "Den of Thieves" down. After being fed to the wolves too often it was my turn to feed him to the wolves. Graves tells us that he personally watched Scarraman pack his bags and leave RCW after that show, good riddance. He then smiles for the first time in the interview, a malevolent smile, and turns to Paulshock and says "the Germans are coming". She looks confused and asks him what he means. He just shakes his head and says that by the time she knows it will be too late. He walks past the cameraman and leaves a befuddled looking Paulshock behind.


Bout #5
Tenacious Z v Dr. John Manfried
Z gets in a few quick spots, including a dropkick and an Asai leg lariat, followed by a 2 count. But soon Manfried gets his powerful hands on Z and punishes him in the corner. He wraps Zach's leg over the middle rope, immobilizing him and forcing him to use one hand to hold onto the ropes. Manfried goes to work with several stinging shots to the head. Dragging him out of the corner Manfried continues the onslaught with a hotshot, a slingshot into the corner turnbuckle, and a tombstone piledriver. In the middle of the ring he applies the Manfried claw to the underarm tissue of Z, who taps out after only a few seconds.
[Dr. John Manfried defeats Tenacious Z by submission at 5:33 with the Manfried Claw]

Post-Match
Manfried lays in a couple extra boots to the downed youngster but hits the road after being warned by referee Melissa Coates. However, from the audience slips in Asp Evergreen to the ring with a steel chair. He laughs at the fallen young man before waffling him with the chair across the back. Coates tries to get in the way but is pushed aside by Evergreen who then slams Gowan again with the chair. A third chair shot and this time when Evergreen rolls his victim over he is greeted by the sight of a crimson river. Coates gets up and starts to argue with Asp, who grabs the chair and threatens Coates with it, but then suddenly turns and swings one more time downward and nails the head of Gowan.
The crowd erupts when Dr. John Manfried returns to the ring in a hurry. He has a length of twine wrapped around and between his hands. He catches Asp by surprise and tries to decapitate him with the garrot like instrument using a running start. Manfried then sets up behind Asp as if for a reverse chin lock, with his knee into Evergreen's back, and wraps the twine around his neck and begins to choke him out. Asp is turning purple in the ring and Coates is now trying to stop Manfried!
~Smash~ Eddie Chavez appears from nowhere, enters the ring and drops Manfried with a chairshot to the back of the head. He drags Evergreen out of the ring to safety in a hurry as Manfried is already regaining his feet.
The fans give the supposed Texas killer an appreciative ovation for the save.


<<< cue "Wolfpack Theme" >>>
The fans are on their feet as the much despised group of "the Phenom" Adam Riggs, RCW Heavyweight Champion Manny Silva, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash, make their way to the ring. They are accompanied by Kimberly Page wearing a pair of tight black latex pants, and a white tank top with the very bent words "You Wish" scrawled across it.

Inside the ring Riggs wastes no time addressing fellow 'Pack members Hall, Nash, and Kimberly. He says they were going to tell everyone where they were last RAGE and put any possibility of a Wolfpack split to bed.
Nash takes the mic from Riggs with a smirk on his face. He says that he and Hall were out on a recruitment drive for new members. Now don't get me wrong fellows, he continues, we are the 4 greatest wrestlers in the game today, bar none. But since Raymond Bingham has now made himself unavailable for a while it was starting to get a little stale around here.
Manny Silva asks for the mic at this point. He tells Nash that they do not need any new members. An Army is only as strong as its weakest link, so why bring in a weakest link?
Nash takes the mic back gingerly from Silva. Nash says that rest assured he agrees with Silva, and that's why there will be no new "members" to the Wolfpack.
Riggs and Silva looked confused. Hall begins to laugh. Nash resumes by pointing to the ramp, and says that with 4 guys and only 1 lady there were already enough members in this ring, and it's time to even out the odds.

<<< cue "Wolfpack Theme" >>>
From the back in various states of scantily clad undress comes April Hunter, Kim Kanner, and Tylene Buck to the ring. The fans actually cheer the skin show as they parade around the ring drawing grins from even the normally dour Adam Riggs.

As things settle back down Riggs is handed the mic by Nash. "the Phenom" just nods and says "you done good boys". Then he asks one more time, "so, just to be sure, you are not negotiating with Jody Christmas?"

<<< cue "It's Tricky" Run D.M.C.>>>
The crowd erupts once more as Jody Christmas comes to the top of the ramp, accompanied by Vendetta. Christmas has a mic. He tells Riggs to get it through his thick skull. Friends will always be friends, but business is business, and Wolfpack is bad for the River City wrestling business. He tells Riggs he was not meeting with Hall & Nash, nor Kimberly Page, nor any wrestler. He was with his doctor. And he adds, he has a clean bill of health and is ready and willing to put his loyalties to the test tonight. He challenges Riggs & Nash to a tag match in the main event tonight against himself and Vendetta.
Riggs looks at Nash who nods his agreement, so Riggs says they are on. Oh, one more thing, he tells Christmas. Does he mind if they bring their new talent enhancements to the ring tonight? It won't distract you at all from what I understand from Hall & Nash, as no one could mistake these curvy, vivacious vixens for choir boys.
Christmas just gives Riggs a fake laugh and says that he is going to teach him tonight why he is a National Wrestling Alliance and World Wrestling Alliance legend and future Hall of Famer.


Bout #6
Boot Camp Match
"Comb Over" Al Collins v "Gung Ho" Joe Blum
This is the blow off match after last show when Blum turned on Collins and helped out Global Warning instead. These two had been partners on and off for over two years through RCW's many twists and turns. In theory a boot camp match would give Blum an advantage since he is "military".
From the very start of this match it was "comb-over" Al Collins taking the offensive and Blum in full retreat, getting in a few shots whenever he could. The ring could not contain the two who fought into the audience. Blum used his belt and his jump boots, while Collins had his fists taped. Referee Jimmy Appleseed was only there to count the 10-counts, nothing else.
Collins held Blum in a full nelson as the turncoat tried to submit but there are no submissions in this Boot Camp Match. Collins ripped the boot off of the foot of Joe Blum and then used it to open up "gung-Ho's" forehead. Collins made the mistake of taking a running leap at Blum who fell back causing Collins to wreck himself on a hastily emptied row of seats. Blum went to work with his belt, trying to choke out Collins and then using it in a hangman. He finally let Collins drop, and almost got the 10-count from Appleseed.
The two continued to brawl and made their way to ringside. Blum slammed Collins to the ground outside the ring, and climbed onto the apron. He went for a huge elbowdrop but Collins rolled out of the way and Blum demolished his elbow on the floor. Next Collins pulled out a table and set it up on an angle against the ring, and proceeded to hip toss Blum hard through the wood. Collins set up a 2nd table over the remnants of the first table, and then used a piledriver to send Blum through the table. Collins backed away and Appleseed counted Blum out.
[Al Collins defeated Joe Blum in a Boot Camp match at 8:02]

Post-Match
Collins brought a towel over to the bloodied and prone Blum. He wrapped it around his head, helped Blum sit up, and tied it off to stem the flow of blood. Collins helped Blum to his feet, leaning against the ring apron. Collins was passed a microphone. He reminded Blum that for over two years they were partners, and more importantly friends. They were up and down the highways of middle America and kept each other laughing through the icy winter drives. Collins pauses to brush his hair over, and then he says that despite what happened here at the end he will always consider Joe Blum to be a fine American, and a fine friend. He thanks Blum for his friendship and offers a handshake which is accepted. Collins hands Blum the mic. Blum says that since the mid-90's he has been wrestling in the bingo halls and rec centers of America's heartland. But as some already know, this will be his last show, as he is moving on. He thanks the fans and promoters for all their support these last 8 years or so, and thanks Collins for his friendship. The fans give Blum a nice little ovation as he and Collins leave together.


Main Event
Vendetta & Jody Christmas v Kevin Nash & Adam Riggs (/w Tylene Buck & April Hunter)
Vendetta starts the match against Kevin Nash and gains the early advantage. He shows off his strength with a powerslam of the huge man and gets a 2 count. JC comes in and works over the small of Nash's back, but when he tries to lock on a sharpshooter, Nash just kicks him off. Big Sexy goes to make a tag and Christmas tries to stop him. Nash though was expecting this, and played a bit of possum, turning around and surprising Christmas with an elbowsmash. He then goes with a double thrust to the throat, and then locks on a chokehold and walks Christmas to the corner. Riggs tags in off of Nash's back and while Nash is still choking him, and Buddy Lane is trying to keep Vendetta out of the ring, April Hunter grabs a hold of Christmas' feet and Riggs lays a shoulder right into the groin of JC. It's all Riggs and Nash now as they continue to work over Christmas focusing on his ailing back. Finally Christmas manages to get between Riggs' legs and pull them out from under him, and then flip his way over to the corner for the hot tag to Vendetta.
The Haitian clears the ring of a charging Nash and then goes to work on Riggs with a series of kicks, punches, clotheslines, and a pair of elbowdrops. He goes for the pin but Adam Riggs kicks out with authority at 1. Vendetta tags in Christmas and JC goes to work trying to soften up the big man. Riggs though takes everything Christmas dishes out, and then manages to hold onto the ropes to avoid walking into some sweet chin music. Riggs kicks Christmas blatantly in the groin, drawing the ire of Buddy Lane but not a disqualification. Riggs chokes Christmas, sends him to the buckle and then launches him high up with a backdrop. Christmas gets up favouring his back. Riggs charges him, but JC ducks under and backflips Riggs straight over the top rope.
Dan Severn comes down to ringside and stands beside the ring in a neutral corner. Tylene Buck tries to "play nice" with him but he sends her away. His eyes are on Christmas his "legends" opponent for the Iron Man match at Summer in the City. For his part JC is distracted too by Severn's arrival and he doesn't follow up quickly on Riggs.
Riggs tries to climb back in the ring and when JC tries to stop him Riggs hotshots Christmas' throat over the top rope. Nash then enters the ring from behind Christmas, and waits for him to turn around. He tries for a big boot to JC, but his foot is stopped by Vendetta who has hurried into the ring. All four men are now in the ring brawling. Riggs grabs a chair and is ready to whack Christmas over the head but as he swings back, Severn stands up on the apron and grabs the chair away from Riggs. Severn leaps down off the apron holding the chair and wags his finger "no" at Riggs. When the big man turns around he is introduced to the bottom of Christmas's boot. Vendetta holds back Nash, and Buddy Lane lays down the count.
[Vendetta & Jody Christmas defeat Kevin Nash & Adam Riggs by pinfall at 13:24 when Christmas pinned Riggs after a superkick]

Post-Match:
Severn enters the ring still clutching the chair as Nash and Riggs exit the ring and take solace in the arms of Buck & Hunter. They threaten Severn who just laughs at them and then shakes hands with Christmas and Vendetta.

<<< cue "Flight of the Valkyrie" by Wagner >>>
Den Graves comes down to the ring and right behind him is Alex Wright! Yes both these men are of German ancestry, but we hadn't seen them together tonight. They circle the ring from opposite directions, and now the Wolfpack seem interested in entering the ring again too. Suddenly inside the ring Dan Severn ~waffles~ Christmas over the back of the head with the chair. He receives a receipt from Vendetta but before the Haitian voodoo king can do any more damage to Severn he is set upon by the Germans. Severn exits the ring still clutching the chair. He has a bit of a stare down with the Wolfpack, but they allow him to go because he does still indeed have that chair. By now, the other 2 Wolfpack wrestlers Scott Hall and Manny Silva have also made their way down to ringside. Back inside, it's 2 on 1 as Heritage champion Den Graves and Alex Wright get a very game Vendetta pinned into the corner and go to work on him. At this point Adam Riggs enters the ring long enough to throw Christmas out of the ring, right into the waiting arms of the Wolfpack. The other 3 men circle Christmas and begin to lay the boots to him. You can't even see Christmas as the 3 big men stomp a mudhole through him. Inside the ring Den Graves and Alex Wright take turns punishing Vendetta with a German suplex. They then leave the ring to the jeers of the crowd.

The dressing room clears though with Ron Simmons (/w Baseball Bat) , Jon Stewart (/w Singapore Cane), Haku, Kurrgan, Al Collins, and Joe Blum all arriving on the scene to try and rescue Christmas. However, mixing it up is also the arrival of 6 orange coverall clad DOJ property, RCW security guards directed by Adam Riggs. This delays the boys from reaching Christmas but using the baseball bat and the cane they rescue him soon enough.
The camera zooms in on an unconscious and bloodied Jody Christmas laying prone on the floor.
Color commentator Linley Tolbert suggests we can put to rest any rumours of Jody Christmas joining the Wolfpack.

FADE TO BLACK

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #971
July 26, 2003
Holiday Park Arena
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Attendance: 2,729


<<< cue "Wolfpack Theme" >>>

Current WWA River City champion, "Vicious" Manny Silva comes down to the ring, wearing the gold belt around his waist that proclaims him to be the at the top of the heap here in the heartland.
Silva is boo'd unmercifully by the fans, who begin a chant of "Poodle, poodle, poodle", causing Silva to unwittingly tap down his afro.
"I'm not here to talk to you bunch of morons, so shut up, or leave, or keep yapping, it doesn't matter to me one bit. What I am here to do is to call out my opponent for the RCW title at Summer in the City, one Vendetta."
The fans cheer the name of the mysterious Haitian warrior, and soon enough Vendetta comes strolling down to the ring wearing a black Australian slicker, and sporting the usual green, orange, and white beads in his dreadlocks. Vendetta cautiously enters the ring and motions for Silva to throw him the mic.

"Okay, Silva, I am here, get on wit' it. But jus to let you know, in case you thinking of some monkey business, I have back-up waiting for me in the backstage area." He tosses the mic back to the champ.

"You don't need any backup, Vendetta. I'll admit I don't like you. In fact I think you are a sham, a wannabe trying to be cool for a bunch of idiot fans 20 years younger than you. But that's not why I called you out, and it wasn't to ambush you either. Vendetta, let me speak plainly for you. There are 2 guys in RCW who are not given their rightful due, outside of our own fans. These 2 men are continually shafted of recognition by other feds and head office, with attention and title shots being given to guys who frankly, don't work the kind of schedule we do, who aren't asked to execute the kind of tasks we are asked to execute, and who don't carry the burden of a company on their shoulders. That's right, Vendetta, me and you, we are those two men. And at Summer in the City, we will be locked together like a pair of dogs in mortal combat in a steel cage. Now maybe one of us will get the kind of respect that we deserve out of this match, but I doubt it. Hell, they even hired Jody Christmas and Dan Severn to a contract and touted it as match of the year candidate. They don't think we can carry this company, and they don't think we can draw. So, I guess I just came out here today to tell you that I will be bringing my A-game at the PPV and I expect nothing less from you. What I won't be bringing is Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, or Adam Riggs, or any of the Wolfpack broads either. I don't expect you to believe me, and I don't care if you do. Hell if you want to be distracted go ahead, give me the advantage. But at the end of the match at Summer in the City, after I beat you 1.2.3. in the middle of the ring, in the middle of the cage, I expect you to get your ass off the canvas, hand me my title belt, and shake my hand out of respect. I have held this belt since RCW came into the NWA back in February, and if I won't get the World's respect for that, I sure as hell am going to get your respect for that"

Silva tosses the mic to an amused looking Vendetta. Leaning back against the turnbuckles he addresses Silva. "Well, one thing you said sure rang true...don't expect me to believe you. You may be wearing the gold mister Silva, but you ain't wearing the pants in the Wolfpack!! What you going to do if big Kevin Nash decides he wants into the cage? Or Hall or Riggs? You think you got a leash on them? They your lap dogs? Get real Silva, ever since you joined the Wolfpack, which was AFTER you won the title, you have been a pawn in their game. You had a reputation as a wild, uncontrollable man, the likes unseen since the legendary Bruiser Brody. Hell they made you post an appearance bond because they was afraid you was going to try and hang someone again on national television! All I see now is a puppet of the Wolfpack..I'm just not sure who's hand is up your..."

Silva is pissed and he and Vendetta go nose to nose. Silva pulls the mic to his mouth and responds to Vendetta.

"I invited you here out of respect. You have disrespected me, but I will let it go, so that you realize what I say is true. Me and you, Vendetta are going to rock the world of wrestling at Summer in the City, and after its all done you WILL show me respect".

With that Silva backs away and leaves the ring.


Pre-Match:
"Kutlu Warrior" Jon Stewart comes to the ring. He is carrying his Singapore Cane and takes a microphone. He says he is signed tonight to wrestle against The Patriot, a member of "Global Warning". Well, he says, he is sick and tired of pissing around with this band of miscreants. Tonight is the end of the line. He says if the Patriot will put up his membership in Global Warning, then he will put up his contract here in RCW.

<<< cue "Star Spangled Banner" by Jimi Hendrix >>>
The Patriot comes out wearing his "darker" outfit and mask. He is accompanied to the ring by the ever annoying Sammy Yip. Patriot tells Stewart he is on.

Opening Bout
Jon Stewart v The Patriot (/w Sammy Yip)
Special Stipulations Match
Stewart dominates the early going of the match. However, timely interference by Sammy Yip turns the tables on Stewart. Patriot punishes Stewart with a pair of backbreakers, a bearhug, and then a series of stomps to the back. He tries to put him away with a camel clutch but Stewart manages to make it to the ropes. With referee Jimmy Appleseed distracted, telling Sammy Yip to back away as the diminutive manager is now brandishing the Singapore Cane, Patriot produces a pair of brass knuckles. He takes a swing at Stewart but the cagey veteran blocks it, and picks him up for a Samoan drop. However, as he is delivering the move it allows the Patriot a second swing with the knux, a clear lapse in concentration on the part of Stewart. The masked man nails the Kutlu Warrior square in the head and the two men topple to the mat. The Patriot throws the knux out of the ring and Sammy Yip drops the Cane. Appleseed then turns around, oblivious to what just transpired and when Patriot drapes an arm over the fallen Stewart he makes the 1, 2, 3.
[The Patriot defeated Jon Stewart by pinfall at 8:32 after hitting him with a foreign object]
[Jon Stewart must leave River City Wrestling]


Bout #2
Alex Wright (/w Den Graves)  v Shane Stevens
Wright was accompanied to the ring by his new German partner, Heritage champion Den Graves. Shane Stevens along with Shane Madison had the upset victory over Graves and Den Scarraman when Graves walked out on Scarraman. Since that time Wright defeated Madison last Rage, and now seeks to close the loop by defeating Stevens.
Wright plays with Stevens, countering all his offensive attacks. Wright's only attacks are a few punches and to throw Stevens out of the ring, allowing Graves to pound on the youngster while Wright distracts long time inept official Jurgen Hermann.
Finally, Wright brings Stevens to the mat with a drop toe hold, locks on the STF and gets the easy win.
[Alex Wright defeated Shane Stevens by submission at 6:16 with the STF]


Pre-Match
<<< cue "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" by Warren Zevon >>>
President Jack Larkin comes out to the ring getting a mixture of cheers and jeers. He has a mic. Larkin says that Sable wanted a Women's title here in River City wrestling. But as he looks over the roster he has to wonder who she will wrestle against, week in and week out. Quite frankly Larkin says, there is already too much excess baggage here in RCW. But, to be fair he will give her a shot. If she can win a match tonight against a female opponent of his choosing then he will create a title belt and she will get a shot at it at Summer in the City. But she must win tonight.

<<< cue "Sable's Theme" >>>
Sable comes out in her wrestling gear. She tells Larkin that the title is not for her, but for all the women in middle America, and the men who want to see them. So she will take the match and the stipulations because it will help all women wrestlers.

From the back comes referee, Melissa Coates. She is followed by,

<<< cue "Wolfpack Theme" >>>
April Hunter comes out to wrestle in green fatigue shorts and a white, tight, tank top. She goes right after Sable before the bell, slapping her across the face, grabbing her by the hair and throwing her across the ring.

Bout #3
Sable v April Hunter
Hunter is out of control in this match. She bites, chokes, and punches Sable at will, while Coates seemingly just lets it happen. The match spills out of the ring where Hunter uses a chair on Sable's head, and again Coates just lets it happen! Sable manages to kick out of a pin attempt, grabs Hunter by the waistband and hurls her forward. Hunter smashes right into referee Coates and both go down in a heap. Sable gets up and retrieves a chair which she then uses to smack Hunter across the back, and then across the back of the head. She goes to the announce table and comes back with a pitcher full of ice water which she dumps on Coates in an unfriendly attempt to revive her.
Sable doesn't see them coming as she is crouched over Coates, and is caught totally by surprise when she is swarmed by Kimberly Page, Tylene Buck, and Kim Kanner. The other 3 Wolfpack girls form a circle and begin to kick the crap out of Sable. After a hell of a beating they revive both April Hunter and Melissa Coates and stay in the ring as Hunter gets the 1, 2, 3. The fans jeer and throw several cups of soda at the girls.
[April Hunter defeats Sable by pinfall at 6:34 after outside interference]

Post-Match
After raising the arm of Hunter in the air, referee Melissa Coates stands over Sable and says "payback is a bitch".


In ring promo
<<< cue "Bitter Sweet Symphoney" by the Verve >>>
Lord Valmont comes down to the ring accompanied by his wife of many years Sherry Valmont. They enter the ring, turning their nose up at the fans who boo and begin a chant of "loser".
Valmont takes a mic. He says he promised a few weeks ago that he was going to find more help, more backup, since Sherry didn't seem able to properly watch his back, and the company was trying to screw him every chance they got. Well tonight is the night to unveil his new found friend.
From the back comes Menele. The fans boo the crazy, sadistic, suplex machine who has been a fixture in middle American wrestling for the past 5 years. He enters the ring and takes a stance two steps back, and one step to the right of Lord Valmont, crossing his arms in defiance of the crowd who continue to boo him.
Valmont, tells everyone to beware of "Beauty and the Beast", and that includes the pathetic WWA RCW tag champions, Union Jack & Gabriel Argos.


Bout #4
Ryan Roxbury v Bob Sapp
Roxbury is over his head. The rookie has no chance against Sapp in what is quickly becoming a night of "squash" matches. Instead of going for the win Sapp works over the left leg of Roxbury. Finally he locks in a figure-four and takes the quick tap out from Roxbury. However, after the match he continues to keep the hold on. Referee Buddy Lane counts to 5 but Sapp does not break the hold. Lane tries his best to pull Sapp off but isn't having much luck when Greg Pawluk emerges from the back. He lands a few kicks to the chest of Sapp that makes the big man break his hold. Sapp absorbs a couple of the youngster's punches before taking him down with a single leg takedown. He then mounts Pawluk and starts to pepper in mounted punches that go uncontested by the groggy youngster. Sapp then throws Pawluk over the top rope and out of the ring. He walks over and puts the figure four on Roxbury again, this time holding onto the bottom rope for extra leverage. The rookie doesn't even respond anymore, as he has passed out from the pain. Finally, Ron Simmons runs in from the backstage area carrying a baseball bat. Sapp sees him coming so he breaks the hold and just manages to get out of Dodge before Simmons enters the ring swinging. Simmons calls for a stretcher for Roxbury.
Referee Buddy Lane reverses his earlier decision, and awards the match to Roxbury.
[Ryan Roxbury defeated Bob Sapp by reverse decision at 5:26]

Post-Match
President Jack Larkin comes to the ring and stands beside Ron Simmons as the EMT's take Roxbury away on the stretcher.
Larkin says they used to have security to take care of this sort of b.s., but ever since Adam Riggs of the Wolfpack won the head security job from Simmons that has been twisted to Riggs' own interests. Well, no more. After reading the contract again it seems Riggs won only the right to be head of security for River City Wrestling. This is now WWA River City Wrestling and whether Riggs likes it or not, security will once again fall under the President's control. Riggs is relieved of his duties as head of security, and all the convicts, the D.O.J. security service is hereby fired.
And finally, Riggs, since you will have more time on your hands now, suit up for tonight's main event, because you are going to face Sam Holiday! Also later tonight, since Den Graves seems too content to send Alex Wright out to do his dirty work, instead of defending his Heritage title like a man, he will defend that title tonight, against none other then Vendetta!
With that, a disgusted Larkin and Simmons leave the ring.



Backstage Interview
Pamela Paulshock corners Dr. John Manfried in the backstage area. She tells him that the fans want to know why he came back to help Tenacious Z last week. Manfried looks Paulshock over, all over, once, then again. He licks his lips. He then tells her that he did not come back to help out that loser, he came back because an opportunity was presented to hurt someone. Quite frankly though, he says, he has never liked Asp Evergreen. The punk acts like he has had it rough, when he walks around with a silver spoon shoved up his ass. And his little buddy Eddie Chavez, well give me a break says Manfried, he's about as Mexican as Ben Affleck.
Before Manfried can say any more Asp Evergreen enters the camera range. He shouts at Manfried that he's a coward attacking him from behind last Rage. He tells Manfried that he shouldn't be talking about having things shoved up his ass, because he's the one who has done hard time for manslaughter. Asp emphasizes the word "hard" and it draws the ire of Manfried who punches Asp in the head. The youngster drops like a stone, and covers his head as Manfried begins to lay in kicks.
From out of the camera range suddenly appears a metal trash can which nails Manfried in the back of the head. We see it is Pogo the Clown wielding the trash can. Pogo, Eddie Chavez, Derek St. Holmes, and Inbred Jed all begin to lay the boots to Manfried.
But the Texas maniac manages to get to his feet having taken out a pair of brass knuckles from one of the pockets of his cargo pants. He begins to punch back, first delivering a low blow to Pogo. Then Manfried is on his feet and begins to trade punches with the rest of the rabble. As Eddie, Jed, and Holmes drop like flies Asp takes off at a sprint down the backstage aisle way.
Manfried yells after him, to bring it to Summer in the City.


Bout #5
Norman Smiley v Steve Riley
"Total Destruction" took it to Smiley early with a plethora of punches, kicks, and just downright mean tactics. A bodyslam followed up by an elbowdrop got only a 2 count. Riley then punished him some more with a piledriver before hooking him in the tree of whoa and working over his midsection until referee Jimmy Appleseed could unhook Smiley. However, after another failed pin attempt Riley became more risky. Finally, he came off the top turnbuckle for an elbowdrop, only to have Smiley roll out of the way. Smiley covered and would have got the 3 count, but Jesse Hennig ran down to ringside and pulled Smiley off of Riley and out of the ring. Referee Appleseed did not see Hennig's actions, and when he looked outside the ring he saw Smiley attacking Hennig, and then Hennig defending himself with an eye rake, and low blow. Hennig rolled Smiley back inside the ring and Steve Riley used the brainbuster to finish him off.
[Steve Riley defeated Norman Smiley by pinfall at 8:40 after a brainbuster, with help from outside interference]

Post-Match
Hennig rolled into the ring and placed a chauffeur's hat on the head of Smiley. He talked smack to the knocked out technician before rolling out of the ring to the jeers of the fans.


In-ring interview
<<< cue "It's Tricky" Run D.M.C. >>>
The fans stand and cheer as Jody Christmas comes down to the ring. However, their cheers are somewhat subdued as they see the shape he is in from the beating he received last week, first from a Dan Severn chair shot, and then from the 3 on 1 beating at the hands of the Wolfpack. His head is sporting a rather large bandage and his right arm is in a sling.

JC has a mic, and starts right off by yelling at Severn who he says is in the backstage area right now. He tells Severn that if that's the way he wants it then fine. JC actually prefers it this way. In a one on one match playing by the rules, Severn might actually have had a chance of beating him, but this is no longer going to be by the rules. Severn has now entered Christmas time, where lying, cheating, and stealing are the norm, not the exception. Christmas says he hasn't forgotten about what the Wolfpack did to him either, that their turn will come down the line, but at Summer in the City, two legends will enter the IronMan match, but only one will emerge as still a legend - that will be Jody Christmas.

Dan Severn comes strolling down to the ring, with a pissed off look on his face. From the back comes running President Jack Larkin and several other backstage hands. They try and slow Severn down without success.

Severn enters the ring and grabs the mic out of Christmas' hand. He tells Jody not to be confused just because he is the greatest star in the history of mixed martial arts, and the baddest man on the planet, that he can't also kick ass in the wrestling ring. 

Christmas gets into the face of Severn, to which Severn gives him a half hearted shot to the shoulder in the sling. JC grimaces openly and takes a step back. Concern rips through the face of Larkin who steps between the two men. He says into the mic that, that is enough. No more until Summer in the City, too much is riding on this match, including both your reputations. Severn nods okay, but as soon as Larkin steps out of the way Severn lashes out with a kick to Christmas' knee which drops him to the mat. The Beast is all over Christmas stomping on his injured shoulder and JC is just screaming in pain.

Suddenly someone in jeans and a t-shirt enters the ring and charges right at Severn. The Beast is taken down by the charging man who mounts him and starts laying in punches. It's Joe E. Legend!! Christmas' former partner in "The Alliance".
Legend though is over matched and Severn manages to land a punch square to the face of Legend and then twist him over. Severn drags Legend to his feet putting on a cobra clutch and then slamming him to the mat.
Severn points down at Legend and warns him to stay out of his business.

From behind Severn, a "prone" Christmas suddenly kips up to his feet, rips off the sling, does a few neck circles, and when Severn turns around he ~waffles~ him with a superkick. Severn is down, and knocked out. The injury was obviously a ploy!

Christmas suddenly realizes that Legend is in the ring and just kind of stares at him. As Legend gets back to his feet he offers a handshake to Christmas, who seems confused and just backs out of the ring.


Bout #6
Winner Gets A Tag Team Title Shot at Summer in the City
Vic Gate & Rulon Gardner v The Great Canadians: Eric Scott & Vincent Regliatti
Scott and Regliatti were outclassed one on one in this match, but Gate & Gardner were outclassed as a tag team. The Canadians cheated and double teamed constantly. Finally Gardner lost his temper to such an extent that head referee Buddy Lane actually had to walk Gardner into the corner, physically hold him there, and warn him about his actions. This was all the opportunity the Canadians needed. While Scott got Vic Gate up and ready, Regliatti slid a chair into the ring, and then climbed the top turnbuckle. The Great Canadians executed the stuffed piledriver onto a steel chair busting Gate wide open. Lane got Gardner out of the ring, turned around to see the sudden change in fortunes, and although he gave an incredulous look to the rulebreakers, he still counted the 1, 2, 3, while shaking his head.
[The Great Canadians defeated Gardner & Gate by pinfall at 6:07 after a stuffed piledriver onto a steel chair]

Post-Match:
Rulon Gardner got a mic. He thanked all the fans for their support this year, but he confirmed internet reports that this would be his final match in pro wrestling for a while. He was being given a leave of absence from the RCW to train for the Olympics. The fans then gave Gardner a standing ovation.


Bout #7
RCW Heritage Title Match
Den Graves (champion) v Vendetta
Graves was obviously a bit shaken about facing such a tough challenger with only an hour's notice. After an initial collar and elbow hook-up, Graves was backed to the ropes and came up holding his hand over his eye. He complained to the ref that Vendetta's beads had poked him in the eye. He demanded that she (Melissa Coates) have them removed. The match continued anyway and after another hook-up Graves did the same thing. Vendetta half turned to appeal to Coates to make him wrestle, and this allowed Graves to strike. He grabbed two fists full of dreadlocks and tossed Vendetta to the mat. He then controlled the Haitian with a reverse chinlock, a side headlock, and an abdominal stretch. Vendetta though survived it all and got the tempo going again with some crisscrossing of the ring. Vendetta took Graves down with a hip toss, and then squarely landed a kneedrop to the head of the champion. He pressed his advantage with a bodyslam, an avalanche in the corner, and a German suplex. He only got the two count.
Graves fought back, and then landed his own German suplex. When this didn't get the 3 count the graduate of the famous Wigan School of Wrestling in England landed a pair of German suplexes, but again only got a 2 count.
The champ took the match outside where the two men brawled. Coates gave them lots of leeway and suspended her counts. Finally Vendetta blocked a Graves attempt to suplex him through a table, and whipped the German back first into the ring apron, catching him on the rebound and powerslamming him on the floor. The Haitian then delivered the final blow, a piledriver through the table.
Alex Wright came down and tried to get to Vendetta, but before he could he was attacked by some freaky looking punk with "Die" written on his forehead. Play by play announcer Joe Aiello identified the guy as being Shane Stevens, but looking a tad bit "different" today than usual.
Vendetta rolled Graves back inside the ring and Coates laid down the count.
[Vendetta defeated Den Graves by pinfall at 10:21 after a piledriver through a table]
[Vendetta wins the RCW Heritage Title]


Main Event
Sam Holiday v "the Phenom" Adam Riggs (/w Kimberly Page)
Page comes out before the match and pimps her upcoming "star" role in the movie "Seabiscuit", where she plays a Mexican hooker. She tells the fans it was a very demanding role as an actress because it was such a stretch for her to play.
Page then distracts Holiday enough to allow a sneak attack from behind by Adam Riggs. The big man pounds on Holiday, stomping the back of his legs, and smashing his knees into the mat. Riggs then goes to the power game with a pair of running clotheslines, a hanging vertical suplex, and then a powerslam. He goes for the pin but only gets a 2 count.
Riggs continued to pound away at Holiday, and then tried to wear him down with a hangman, followed by a choke lift which drew the ire of head official Buddy Lane.
Finally Holiday managed to duck under another running clothesline attempt and came off the ropes with a desperation flying body press. Riggs kicked out at the 1 count, but it had been enough to change the momentum of the match. Holiday went on the offensive now with a bodyslam and a fistdrop. Apparently the Wolfpack was not going to take any chances tonight though, as Holiday climbed to the top for the Holiday legdrop, Kimberly grabbed a chair and smacked him across the legs, causing him to fall into the ring.
By this time the rest of the Wolfpack was already heading down to the ring. Buddy Lane saw the chairshot and called for the disqualification.
[Sam Holiday defeated Adam Riggs by disqualification at 4:36 due to outside interference]

Post-Match:
Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Manny Silva hit the ring, and the 4 on 1 beat down began. However, within seconds Vendetta and Ron Simmons hit the ring to fend off the attack. The Woflpack didn't fold though, and with Sam Holiday still down it was 4 on 2, and they fought the fan favorites into the corners of the ring.
The fans went nuts though when former RCW champion and star "Wild Thing" Al Hardamann hit the ring in jeans and a t-shirt swinging a steel chair. He laid out Silva and Hall with hard chair shots, and Nash and Riggs headed for the hills, dragging their cronies with them. Hardamann helped up his long time friend Sam Holiday to his feet, and the two embraced.
Hardamann grabbed a mic, and informed the appreciative crowd that he was back in RCW to stay. And he, Holiday, and Simmons were sick and tired of the gang tactics of the Wolfpack this week, and Global Warning in past weeks. He says it's time to take out the trash. At Summer in the City, he challenges both groups to a Three Way - Six man tag match, that is already been signed by President Larkin;
Hardamann/Holiday/Simmons v Hall/Nash/Riggs v Kitnitsov/Khan/Patriot


Joe Aiello runs down the card for
August's Summer in the City 

60-Minute Legends IronMan Match
Jody Christmas v Dan Severn

Cage Match
RCW Heavyweight Title
Manny Silva (c)  v Vendetta

Three Way Six Man Tag Match
Hardamann/Holiday/Simmons
v
Hall/Nash/Riggs
v
Kitntisov/Khan/Patriot

Tag Team Title Match
Union Jack & Gabriel Argos (c)
v
Eric Scott & Vincent Regliatti

Grudge Match
Dr. John Manfried v Asp Evergreen

No Disqualification
Norman Smiley v Jesse Hennig

Tag Team Match
"Beauty & The Beast" Lord Valmont & Menele
v
mystery opponents

FADE TO BLACK