April 1994

[managermike99]

Roster

Faces
Harley Tragger
Jim Brunzell
Brad Rheingans
Ben Bassarab
Jerry Lynn
The Trooper
Tommy Jammer
Caveman Broda
Vance Nevada 
Robbie Royce (NEW)

Heels
Stan Lane
Sebastien Rikard
Lenny Tompson
Alonzo Highsmith
Johnny Saddlebags
Mike Enos 
Wayne Bloom
Greg Valentine (NEW)
Damien Demento (NEW)

Ladies
Sherri Martel
Bull Nakano 

Injured
Mike Lozansky

Suspended
Derrick Dukes
Jon Paul Demans
Vampiro Canadiense
Road Warrior Hawk

Jim Brunzell d Stan Lane (1)
Jammer/Trooper d Rikard/Thompson (2)


River City Wrestling #542
April 9, 1994
Winnipeg, MB

Suspension announcements

Commissioner Baron von Raschke kicked off the show by announcing some suspensions for interference in last card's matches. Derrick Dukes was suspended for 2 weeks, Jon Paul Demans and Vampiro Canadiense for 4 weeks because they are repeat offenders. Also Road Warrior Hawk has been suspended for 4 weeks for his actions last card in abusing the referee.

Hall of Fame Induction: Lethal Larry Cameron

Hall of Fame members The Destroyer, Marty Goldstein, Chris Lyon, Tawney England, Corrie England, and Mike Valiant were all present for the ceremony. As were committee members Jack McAdam and Stan Mullen. Commissioner Baron von Raschke was also present and acted as the master of ceremony. Of course unfortunately Larry Cameron was being inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously having died last year while competing.  

Opening Bout

Robbie Royce defeated Johnny Saddlebags by pinfall after a jumping DDT at 5:44

**Royce returns to RCW and picks up a win over the curtain jerker Saddlebags

Bout #2

Greg Valentine defeated Vance Nevada by submission to the figure-four leglock at 6:20

**the veteran Valentine made a big splash coming in and dismantling Nevada. He risked DQ after the bout by continuing to hold on the figure-four.

Bout #3

Bull Nakano defeated K.C. Houston by pinfall after a diving leg drop at 8:54

**Nakano made an impressive debut. She will be a great challenger for Sherri Martel.

Bout #4

The Trooper defeated Sebastien Rikard by submission to the Big Pinch (double hand nerve hold) at 6:59

**The Trooper does his part by dispatching one half of the tag team champions.

Bout #5

Tommy Jammer and Lenny Thompson battled to a double countout at 9:34

**solid match between two good competitors, and arguably the better half of each tag team. Looked like Jammer was going to pull off the victory but Thompson pulled the match outside, seemed to have no desire to get it back on track, and Jammer went along for the ride.

Post-Match: They were joined by their tag team partners Trooper and Rikard in a 4 man brawl that went on for several minutes until enough officials were able to break up the festivities.

Bout #6
Boxing Match
Alonzo Highsmith defeated Ben Bassarab by knockout 0:38 in Round 2
**This was supposed to be a wrestling match but Highsmith wanted to return the favour he said of Bassarab embarrassing him in their "work out match" in January. So he brought out a boxing referee and gloves and dared Bassarab. Round 1 Highsmith was all over Bassarab, but after missing a few punches and being countered he clinched and started some dirty boxing. He also feigned a low blow at one point to gain a break. Round 2 though he landed a couple quick punches and then a big knockout punch ending the match. However, after the bout Highsmith wouldn't let up, just kept kicking away at Bassarab until officials could break it up.

Bout #7
Destruction Crew defeated Harley Tragger & Brad Rheingans by pinfall when Bloom pinned Rheingans after the wrecking ball at 10:28
**a rematch, that turned out pretty much exactly like the first. The Crew showed they are an experienced and tough team and waiting for a tag title match.

Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Cage Match
Jim Brunzell defeated Stan Lane by submission to the sleeperhold at 19:39
[Jim Brunzell Wins the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**The men went right after each other, even before the bell rang. They went at it tooth and nail, not a lot of scientific moves here, just lots of punches, kicks, whips into the chain walls, and rakes of the head. First big mistake in the match happened when the champion Lane went for a superkick, Brunzell ducked, and Lane connected with the steel cage instead. The move seemed to hyperextend the leg or something as Lane had trouble standing for the next few minutes. Brunzell ignored the cage and went after the leg for awhile, working it over, and then locking in a figure four. Lane managed to break the hold with a vicious kick to the chin, and then from his side kept kicking away at Brunzell. Both men then dragged themselves on their backs to lay side by side and punched at each other from their backs. Lane locked on a front facelock and worked him for a bit. Finally the two managed to get to their feet, each having to hold onto the ropes as they tried to punch and kick each other. Lane nailed Brunzell with a back to back jawbreaker. After stomping away he locked on a Texas cloverleaf but Brunzell managed to get to the ropes. The challenger grabbed Lane by the tights and pulled him head first into the cage wall, then followed through and landed his knee to the head of Lane. Brunzell followed up with two spinebuster slams, and then came off the second buckle with an elbow drop, covered, for a 2 count. Lane then raked the eyes of Brunzell, chopped him twice across the chest, then walked along the top rope holding a wrist lock and then came off with a knee to the chin of Brunzell, covered for a 2 count. Lane worked an armbar until Brunzell punched his way out of it. For the first time we had some colour in the match as Brunzell pounded away at the head of Lane opening up a cut. Brunzell then climbed to the top and came off for a splash on Lane, but the champ brought his knees up. Lane then nailed a pair of backbreakers and then a surfboard. Wearing the proverbial crimson mask he delayed too long, trying to wipe the blood off of on the shirt of a retreating referee. Brunzell nailed him from behind, raked his eyes across the cage wall, slammed him to the mat, covered for a 1 count. The challenger nailed a belly to back suplex, then a side suplex for a 2 count. A series of forearm uppercuts then an atomic drop, and another 2 count. Lane fired back at Brunzell after using the ref as a shield, then nailed two side kicks, and a clothesline knocking Brunzell to the mat. After a few stomps Lane nailed a vertical suplex, and then locked on a rear chancery. Lane then followed up with a reverse neckbreaker and then a stomp from the top rope, and a cover for a 2 count. Lane then went for the superkick finisher again but Brunzell managed to duck away, take Lane down with a single leg, and when the champ got to his feet Brunzell nailed a flying dropkick for another 2 count. Lane charged at Brunzell who leapt over top of him, pushing him enough on the back as he went over to cause Lane to stumble awkwardly, smashing his head into the ringpost. Brunzell then locked on the sleeperhold and try as he might to escape Lane was too weak from blood loss and succumbed to the sleeperhold. New Champion!! Brunzell captures his 3rd RCW Heavyweight Title, and his first since 1985.     

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #543
April 23, 1994
Winnipeg, MB

Tag Team Turmoil

Opening Bout
Vance Nevada & Robbie Royce defeated Johnny Saddlebags & Stan Saxon by pinfall when Royce pinned Saxon after a doubleteam DDT at 6:31
**battle of the curtain jerkers

Bout #2
Bull Nakano & K.C. Houston defeated Sherri Martel & Desiree Petersen by disqualification when Martel was disqualified at 9:02
**Champion Martel let Petersen do most of the work but managed to cheat enough to gain some advantages, primarily over Bull Nakano who seems to be gunning for her title. In the end though Martel had no desire to see this match end fair and square and broke up a pin attempt by attacking Nakano from behind. She kept attacking Nakano despite the ref's instructions and was disqualified.

Bout #3
Destruction Crew: Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom defeated Derrick Dukes & Jerry Lynn by pinfall when Bloom pinned Dukes after a spiked piledriver on a steel cheer at 10:53
**toughest challenge for the Crew so far since they returned to RCW. Lynn and Dukes actually used the Crew's own tactics against them, making fake tags then getting the ref to stop the Crew from entering the ring to protest, then using the distractions for double teams. Eventually after a ref bump as all 4 men went at it, Jon Paul Demans showed up and nailed Dukes from behind with the steel chair. Enos then climbed to the top and pushed down on the feet as Bloom delivered a piledriver right on the steel chair.
Post-Match: Dukes was not moving so the medical team had to come down to the ring. After a long delay with the house lights raised Dukes was taken off on a stretcher to a hushed crowd.

Bout #4
Harley Tragger & Brad Rheingans defeated Greg Valentine & Damien Demento by pinfall when Rheingans pinned Valentine after an Olympic suplex at 12:09
**really good match, with Rheingans and then Demento both taking a turn being isolated for long stretches. Valentine looked very strong in his return to the RCW, conserving his energy but cheating just enough to get by. Demento was known to the crowd from his stint in the WWF. In the end it was dissension in the ranks between Valentine and Demento, with Demento ending up clobbering Valentine right into the waiting arms of Rheingans who hit his finisher while Demento left the premises.

Bout #5
RCW Heritage Title Match
Ben Bassarab defeated Alonzo Highsmith by pinfall after a victory roll at 8:26
[Ben Bassarab retained the RCW Heritage Title]
**the only singles match at Tag Team Turmoil, so that Bassarab could fulfill the 30 day defence stipulation. Highsmith was actually impressive early using his power to control Bassarab for the first few minutes. But he seemed to run out of gas, or out of moves, and had to spend too long planning his next move. This allowed Bassarab to attack back with the Stampede style of attack with kicks to the gut, headbutts, chops, a back body drop, and a pair of snap suplexes. Highsmith made a spirited comeback but made the mistake of charging in at Bassarab who moved out of the way, Highsmith crashed into the buckle, and the champ rolled him up for the win.

Bout #6
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Tommy Jammer & The Trooper defeated Sebastien Rikard & Lenny Thompson by submission when Trooper submitted Rikard to the Big Pinch at 11:41
[Jammer & Trooper Won the RCW Tag Team Title]
**another fairly even match between these two teams, but as the match wore on Rikard was more and more exposed as the weak link. The fact that he ended up submitting the titles after only about 10 seconds in the hold did not show much intestinal fortitude.

Main Event
Best 2 out of 3 Falls

Midnight Express: Stan Lane & Dennis Condrey  vs  Killer Bees: Jim Brunzell & Brian Blair
**there was a lot of anticipation for this match as it featured two tag teams from similar eras, different feds, and although Lane & Condrey were both members of the Midnight Express they were from different formations so didn't actually team together. It also showed the importance and prestige of this matchup that RCW made it the main event even though it was not a title match (very uncommon for RCW). The match started slow and tentative, lots of lockups, lots of getting to the ropes. Flashes of closed fists, which brought all 4 men into the ring but only as reinforcements not actually brawls. Finally Condrey worked over Blair for a while then tagged out to Lane who did the same. Brunzell though got the hot tag in, worked over Lane, then Condrey, then it was time for Condrey to be isolated. The match spilled out of the ring, the four men went at it, then back inside the Bees were going for their double hip attack but Lane tripped up Brunzell from outside the ring, this distracted Blair. Condrey then clotheslined Blair from behind, hit the DDT and picked up the first fall.

[Dennis Condrey pins Brian Blair after a DDT: Midnight Express lead 1-0 falls at 6:56]

**second fall began with Blair already in trouble. Condrey and Lane took turns working him over but were unable to finish him. Condrey went for a belly to belly suplex but Blair managed to reverse it and hit his own belly to belly. Both men down, Lane got the tag in first and managed to pull Blair away from the tag. Lane went to work on Blair while the RCW champion stomped his foot imploring for a tag. Lane went for a superkick but Blair managed to duck out of the way, roll, and get the tag out. Brunzell was a house of fire, ejecting both opponents from the ring. Brunzell and Lane then went through a very long sequence together with neither man looking to tag out. Finally on a criss cross Brunzell made a tag to Blair, unseen by Lane, and Blair nailed him with a reverse Russian legsweep and covered for a surprising pin.

[Brian Blair pins Stan Lane after a reverse Russian legsweep: Tied 1-1 falls at 12:00]

**the third fall quickly fell into a series of 4 man brawls that really tested the ref's patience. Lane went to work on Blair with a leg wheel, leg drop, armbar sequence. Blair fired back with a Mexican hiptoss, back body drop, running knee for a 2 count. He got too close to the ropes though and Condrey reached in and clocked him. Lane made the tag and Condrey went to work with good old fashioned stomps and punches. Brunzell got the tag in and beat Condrey from one end of the ring to the other with some European uppercuts. He had him lined up for a flying dropkick finisher but Lane came into the ring and tackled his own partner to get him away. This started yet another 4 man brawl. When it shook out Brunzell had Lane locked in an Indian death lock. Lane managed to escape and tag in Condrey who also got worked over by Brunzell. Blair and Brunzell then did a series of quick tags, each one designed to allow them to double team on the tag in sequence. Lane tried to enter the ring and the ref was busy putting him out when Condrey nailed Brunzell with a lowblow. Blair tried to enter the ring but Condrey fed him a knee to the head, dropping him to the floor below. Condrey bieled Brunzell to their end of the ring and tagged in Lane. The Express nailed a double vertical suplex, then as Brunzell got up, looking for Condrey, Lane nailed him with a superkick to the side of the head and made the cover.

[Stan Lane pins Jim Brunzell after a superkick at 19:57]

[Midnight Express win 2 falls to 1 at 19:57]