River City Wrestling #472
June 8, 1991
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Big "Double Tournament Night"
Women's Title & #1 Heavyweight Contenders
The women's title is open because of the injury to Desiree Petersen.
Men's Quarterfinals "A"
Jerry Lynn vs Charlie Norris
Charlie Norris put the exclamation point on his new attitude since turning on Wahoo McDaniel last week. After a ref bump he used a steel chair to knock out Lynn and get the tainted victory.
Charlie Norris defeated Jerry Lynn by pinfall after a chairshot at 4:36
Dynamite Kid vs Mr. Pogo
This draw was brutal for both men. Even though DK can be a scientific wrestler, when faced with a goon like Pogo he likes to fight fire with fire. This bout was an insane brawl that quickly spread to out of the ring and into the crowd. Both men were busted open and counted out.
Dynamite Kid and Mr. Pogo battled to a double countout at 5:10
Women's Quarterfinals "B"
Stray Kat vs Jeannie Adams
Kat controlled early but Adams took over using cheating tactics. Neither woman showed much actual skill. But then Toni Adams came down and slid into the ring and attacked Jeannie. The two of them went at it in a hair pulling, nail raking catfight. Chris Adams came out and with the help of Stray Kat broke the two women apart.
Stray Kat and Jeannie Adams battled to a no-contest at 5:39
Tiffany Brannigan vs Kelly St. Croix
Brannigan controlled 90% of this match but couldn't put St. Croix away no matter what she tried. Finally, Brannigan nailed a flying cross body block on st. Croix, but she rolled through it, grabbed a handful of tights and got the undeserved win.
Kelly St. Croix defeated Tiffany Brannigan by pinfall after an inside cradle with a handful of tights at 4:20
Commissioner Jim Brunzell came down to the ring and said it was not Stray Kat's fault that her match got fallen out, so she should not have to lose her spot in the tournament. While it was not Jeannie Adams' fault either she had it coming for her actions the past while since she came into River City Wrestling. So his ruling is that Stray Kat will get Toni Adams' spot in the first round and that both Adams' girls are out of the tournament.
Men's Quarterfinals "B"
Chris Adams (/w Toni Adams) vs The Natural
Adams' is being driven to distraction by his wife and ex-wife. He looked out of sorts all match, losing his temper several times and actually being outwrestled by The Natural. In fact the Natural looked like he would be on his way to a straight victory when of course Jeannie Adams came to the ring. She ignored Toni and started to yell instructions to Chris. When her ex-husband took her instructions he began a big comeback and looked much better. But this didn't sit well with Toni who went over and slapped Jeannie. The two began to fight and Chris left the ring, tried to break them up and got counted out.
The Natural defeated Chris Adams by contout at 8:09
Johnnie Stewart vs Ben Bassarab
Great paced match right from the opening bell. No rest holds and not a lot of kicks and punches. Lots of suplexes, flying moves, chain wrestling, and finally "Mr. Tournament" himself Ben Bassarab ducked under a flying crossbody, and nailed Stewart with a pair of release German suplexes to pick up the win.
Ben Bassarab defeated Johnnie Stewart by pinfall after a release German suplex at 5:54
Women's Quarterfinals "B"
Viktoria Ragulin vs K.C. Houston
Two villians facing off so the match included a lot of hair pulling and Ragulin also spanked Houston at one point getting the crowd firmly behind her. In the end though Houston is a bit more experienced and the better athlete and pulled out the victory.
K.C. Houston defeated Viktoria Ragulin by pinfall after a swinging neckbreaker at 4:12
Stray Kat vs Kathy Weathers
Now we had two fan favorites facing off, yet the match quickly turned just as nasty. In fact we had never seen this sort of tactics from the veteran Weathers. In the end though she took a high risk chance for a running kneesmash, Kat moved out of the way, Weathers smashed into the buckle knee first, and Kat rolled her up for the win.
Stray Kat defeated Kathy Weathers by pinfall after a victory roll at 6:22
Men's Semi-Finals
Charlie Norris receives a bye
The Natural vs Ben Bassarab
The Natural managed to get a hotshot on Bassarab early, and then went after the ribs while Bassarab protected his throat and tried to get his breath back. That would be the story of this match as every time Bassarab exerted himself with high flying moves he had a hard time catching his breath and the Natural would get the advantage back with a mundane move like a knee to the ribs. Bassarab then went to the mat and worked a series of armbars and armbreakers to gain back his breath and momentum. Even though he couldn't get a submission the plan worked and Bassarab gained back control. However after nailing a German suplex and flying headscissors, he went to the top and came off with a crossbody block...but his ribs/side could not take the impact and it seemed to take more out of him then it did the Natural. The underdog went to work on the 5x Tag team champion, and got a 2 count after a DDT, and then had Bassarab in a figure-four for almost 2 minutes. Bassarab though fought back, blocking a kick and nailing the Natural with a spinebuster. He then grabbed the legs of his opponent and slingshot him into the buckle, and followed up with a drop toe hold. Two spinning elbowdrops later and he was climbing the top tope again, but this time he came off with a headbutt (ala his idol Dynamite Kid) and got the hard earned win.
Ben Bassarab defeated The Natural by pinfall after a top rope headbutt at 10:18
Women's Semi-Finals
Kelly St. Croix receives a bye
K.C. Houston vs Stray Kat
Stray Kat was in over her head against a more talented, bigger, rougher, more experienced competitor. The result was never in doubt.
K.C. Houston defeated Stray Kat by pinfall after a running bulldog at 3:49
Men's Final #1 Contender for the Heavyweight Title
Charlie Norris vs Ben Bassarab
Norris attacked Bassarab before the bell, and managed to get him all tied up in his warmup jacket. Like a hockey fight he peppered him with shots while Bassarab was unable to see or get his arms free. But Bassarab could see Norris' legs so he kicked him in the shins to get him to back off and took off his jacket. But by then the bigger man had recovered and rocked Bassarab with a clothesline into the corner buckle. Knees to the gut, forearm upper cuts, climb to the second buckle and reign down illegal closed fists to the head. He then pulled Bassarab to the middle of the ring, hit a forearm uppercut, followed by a bodyslam, boot rake of the face, and then a front facelock to slow things down. Norris wore down Bassarab with his weight before Ben managed a comeback. Bassarab came off the ropes slid between Norris' legs, came up behind him and hit a waistlock suplex, didn't release it, got back up, nailed a belly to back suplex. It was all Bassarab for a couple minutes, coming off the ropes, and coming off the second buckle. But then Johnnie Stewart came down to the ring and started to yammer at the ref about a hair pull and a trunk pull, distracting Bassarab who leaned against the ropes. Norris nailed an impressive dropkick and Bassarab flipped over the top rope. Stewart landed a couple kicks while the ref backed Norris away. Kid Gallahad, Bassarab's tag partner, came hobbling down to the ring, obviously still feeling the effects of the damage to his knee from their loss to the Destruction Crew. Gallahad got into it with Stewart, but Stewart put him down with a kick to the injured leg. Bassarab was back on his feet and nailed Stewart from behind, only to have Norris nail him from behind. The ref Jurgen Hermann managed to gain control and get the legal combatants back in the ring and banish the other two to the backstage. Norris had control now and worked over the lower back of Bassarab with several rest holds and back breakers. He went for a Boston crab but was too close to the ropes so Bassarab grabbed the bottom rope. He tried to reapply but Bassarab kicked him into the corner. Bassarab took control now with elbowdrops, kneedrops, clotheslines, flying forearm smash, and a pair of German suplexes. Norris struggled to his feet and never saw it as Bassarab nailed him with a crossbody block off the top rope, but instead of hitting him from the front he nailed him across the back driving him face first into the mat, and got the 1, 2, 3.
Ben Bassarab defeated Charlie Norris by pinfall after a top rope crossbody block at 10:33
[Ben Bassarab is the new #1 Contender for the Heavyweight Title]
Main Event
North American Women's Title Match - Tournament Final
Kelly St. Croix vs K.C. Houston
Much to the surprise of the crowd St. Croix actually grabbed an early advantage and held onto it. She showed some of the martial arts moves that Mason Thunder knows as well such as Savate kicks, and a roundhouse kick that she nailed and got an early 2 count. She then went to some blatant chokeholds, smashed Houston's head into the mat a couple times, and then stood on her hair while pulling up on her arms. This was a battle between two villains so the fans reacted to moves but not real cheers. St. Croix after another near 2 count used her silicone assets to try and smother the breath of Houston. Referee Buddy Lane decided that this kind of breath play was not allowed and applied a 5 count, and was jeered by the crowd. Finally Houston got a break, grabbed the waistband of St. Croix and heaved her through the ropes to the floor below. Houston followed her out after a few seconds and the two brawled outside the ring. Lane applied the 10 count but then instead of throwing the match out decided to leave the ring and try and get the two women back inside. Finally order was restored and St. Croix grabbed a side headlock. Four times Houston tried to push her off, each time St. Croix held on. Then St. Croix looked like she was going for a running bulldog, but when her feet left the mat Houston scooped her up and dropped her backward instead. Back on their feet the two women exchanged punches, kicks, nail rakes, hair pulls, everything but recipes. St. Croix nailed a facebuster, and then when Houston got back up fed her a spinning heel kick, she got the 1, 2, foot on the ropes. St. Croix nailed a back bodydrop, 2 count, slingshot suplex, 2 count, top rope elbowdrop...nothing but mat. The two scrambled to their feet, St. Croix went for a clothesline but Houston ducked under, then hit a Reverse Russian legsweep, and an inside cradle, and got the 1, 2, 3.
K.C. Houston defeated Kelly St. Croix by pinfall after an inside cradle at 8:58
[K.C. Houston Wins the North American Women's Title]