March, 1995

[managermike99]

Roster

Faces

Jim Brunzell (5'10" 235 lbs. White Bear Lake, MN) ("Born to Run" Bruce Springsteen") [Flying dropkick, figure-four, Indian death lock, flying knee smash]

Robbie Royce (5'8" 220 lbs. Winnipeg, MB) ("Danger on the Tracks" Europe) [flying headscissors driver, hurrancanrana, flying dropkick, plancha]
Ben Bassarab (5'10" 215 lbs. Calgary, AB) ("You've Got Another Thing Comin'" Judas Priest) [diving crossbody block, German suplex, snap suplex, superplex, front facelock]

Mike Lozansky (5'10" 201 lbs. Cloverdale, BC) ("Armageddon" Prism) [missile dropkick, armbars, armbreakers, flying crossbody block]

The Derelict (6'2" 255 lbs. Skid Row, USA) ("Dirty Deeds" AC/DC) [Tornado punch, punches, kicks, stomps, slaps]

Chi Chi Cruz (6'1" 235 lbs. Winnipeg, MB) ("Get The Funk Out" Extreme) [running powerslam, Boston crab, cloverleaf, reverse neckbreaker]

Chris Benoit (5'11" 220 lbs., Edmonton, AB) ("Push" Moist) [Bridging dragon suplex, chops, suplexes, headbutt, dragonscrew]

Nick Mercury (6'2 233 lbs. San Diego, CA) ("Man in Motion" John Parr) [swinging neckbreaker, flying forearm, standing earringer, hotshot]

Caveman Broda (5'7" 199 lbs. Winnipeg, MB) ("I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" ZZ Top) [stomps on back, surfboard, bearhug]

Heels

Stan Lane (6'1" 224 lbs. Greensboro, NC) ("Everybody Wants You" Billy Squier)

Jesse Hennig (5'10" 220 lbs. Minneapolis, MN) ("Rodeo" Garth Brooks)

Stan Baker (NEW) (6'3" 270 lbs. St. Louis, MO) ("Rest in Peace" Extreme)

Sean Cassidy (5'11" 220 lbs., Los Angeles, CA) ("Talk Dirty to Me" Poison)
Jack O'Jugular (6'3" 240 lbs., Tarrytown, NY) ("Godzilla" Blue Oyster Cult)

Grave Digger (6'5" 350 lbs., parts unknown) (Overture from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera)

Atomic Punk (6'1" 251 lbs., Orange County, CA) ("Cowgirl" Underworld)

Peter Strongbow (6'0" 225 lbs., Broken Arrow, OK) ("Indian Outlaw" Tim McGraw)

Johnny Aztec (NEW) (5'10" 210 lbs., Texcoco, Mexico) ("Indian Outlaw" Tim McGraw)

Ladies
Pamela Principal (5'6" 135 lbs., Santa Monica, CA) ("She Rides Like a Hurricane" Heydey)
April Cummings (5'4" 140 lbs., Los Angeles, CA) ("Talk Dirty To Me" Poison)

Dawn Whitham (5'5" 175 lbs., Newark, NJ) ("Seasons in the Abyss" Slayer)
Kimberly Kupps (NEW) (5'10" 160 lbs. Wyckoff, NJ) ("Domino" Kiss)

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #564
March 4, 1995
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Due to an injury, Sherri Martel has been forced to forfeit the North American Women's Title. Tonight an 8 Woman tournament is being held to fill that vacancy.

Opening Bout
Quarter-Final: Women's Tournament
Pamela Principal defeated K.C. Houston by pinfall after a spinebuster slam at 5:05

Bout #2
Quarter-Final: Women's Tournament
Dawn Whitham defeated Desiree Petersen by submission to a full nelson at 7:46

Bout #3
Quarter-Final: Women's Tournament
Kimberly Kupps defeated April Cummings by pinfall after a clothesline (and with her feet on the ropes) at 4:09

Bout #4
Quarter-Final: Women's Tournament
Little Beaver Pelt defeated Pink Demon by pinfall after a jumping double tomahawk at 3:36

Bout #5
#1 Contenders Match for the tag titles
Mike Lozansky & Ben Bassarab defeated Peter Strongbow & Johnny Aztec by pinfall when Bassarab pinned Aztec after a flying crossbody block at 10:52
**fairly even match but Bassarab and Lozansky are each just a bit better then their opponents, and the talent gap could not be closed with cheating.

Bout #6
#1 Contenders Match for the Heavyweight Title
Chris Benoit defeated Atomic Punk by pinfall after an inside cradle at 13:32
**Benoit controlled most of the first half of the bout, nailing many of his signature moves but unable to put away Atomic Punk. However Punk took the match outside where he was able to gain some measure of control. Back inside though he made what ended up being a fatal mistake, when he went for a moonsault too soon. Benoit put his knees up to counter the move, then rolled up Punk and got the pin.

Bout #7
Semi-Final: Women's Tournament
Dawn Whitham defeated Pamela Principal by countout at 7:40
**fairly even match even though Whitham had a power and size advantage. In the end as they brawled outside and fought to get back inside to beat the 10 count, Whitham nailed Principal with a nasty back elbow (busting her nose), and beat the count to win the match.

Bout #8
Semi-Final: Women's Tournament
Little Beaver Pelt defeated Kimberly Kupps by pinfall after a jumping double tomahawk chop at 4:45
**Kupps used a bit of a ground and pound attack, mostly smothering her with her bosom, but the newcomer Pelt looked very impressive despite being only around 5'0 tall. She is extremely athletic and mobile.

Bout #9
Skid Row Match
The Derelict defeated Grave Digger by a 10 count in a Skid Row Match after hitting him over the head with a bottle at 13:41
**Follow up to the Graveyard Coffin Bout that was won by Grave Digger last card. For this one the ring looked like skid row, with metal garbage cans (some full of garbage) in the corners. It was not a scientific classic this one. Both men battered each other with the trash cans, choked each other with a length of rope that was found, and eventually figured out they could also brawl outside and use the chairs and ring steps. It looked like Grave Digger was going to pick up a second straight win when he stuffed Derelict into a garbage can head first. He pulled him out and was going to set him up for what looked to be a powerbomb. But Derelict emerged from the trash can with a bottle that he used to smash over his opponent's head. The bout could only end when one was counted out to 10 by the ref. 

Bout #10
Final: Women's Tournament
North American Women's Title Match
Little Beaver Pelt defeated Dawn Whitham by pinfall after a flying double tomahawk chop at 12:04
[Little Beaver Pelt Won the Vacant North American Women's Title]
**classic match of speed and finesse against brute force. Little Beaver controlled most of the bout early, but did very little damage against Whitam. At one point Whitham totally lost her cool and chased Beaver out of the ring, then back in, only to have Beaver do a pommel horse style turn around and kick between the 2nd and top strands and caught Whitham solid in the face. A couple minutes of high octane offense followed, but still not enough force to put away Whitham. Finally Whitham caught both arms of Beaver when she went for her jumping double tomahawk challenge. She lowered Beaver to her knees and then booted her in the face. Several power moves followed, including bodyslams, and a powerbomb for a 2 count. Unable to get the pin Whitham turned to blatant cheating with an elevated double chokehold. Then some stomps, and more chokes. Whitham then looked to finish things with a full nelson, but Pelt slipped under the legs of Whitham, pulled her feet out from under her, sending her face first into the mat. Pelt then nailed some dropkicks, and then went for her finisher again, this time taking a big running start off the ropes and got the win.

Main Event
RCW Heritage Title Match
Nick Mercury defeated Jack O'Jugular by disqualification for use of a foreign object (steel chair) at 11:49
[Jack O'Jugular retained the RCW Heritage Title]
**Jugular controlled the first half of the bout by working the throat, and then with Mercury keeping his hands high, went after the knee. However, he could not put away the plucky Mercury who fought back and took over most of the second half of the bout. Mercury was posed to come off the top rope, but Jugular slithered out of the ring. Mercury though twisted around and came off the top buckle landing on Jugular. It looked like he had the champ beat, but when he leaned through the ropes to haul him back in Jugular produced a steel chair from under the ring and ~waffled~ Mercury to save his hide and his title. Back inside Jugular nailed a DDT on top of the steel chair leaving his opponent laid out and busted open.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #565
March 18, 1995
Winnipeg, Manitoba

St. Patrick's Week Shenanigans

Hall of Fame Announcement: The Hall of Fame committee, Matt Brock, Jack McAdam, Stan Mullen, The Destroyer, Chris Lyon, and Mike Valiant are all on hand to announce that in April RCW will be inducting their 8th member. While his stay wasn't as long as some in RCW, he was very impactful, held the Heavyweight title and competed in some of the best feuds we have seen. He is also well known outside his time in RCW for his feud with Hulk Hogan as well as an assault incident on journalist John Stossel. He is now retired and has begun to work as a bounty hunter. That man is Dr. D. David Schultz.

Opening Bout
Chi Chi Cruz defeated Atomic Punk by pinfall after a running powerslam at 9:00
**decent opening match that could have gone either way

Bout #2
Sean Cassidy defeated Robbie Royce by pinfall after a swinging neckbreaker at 7:35
**another match that could have gone either way, but Cassidy had a rare success in being able to uncover a top turnbuckle and allow Royce to collide into the corner.

Bout #3
Kimberly Kupps defeated April Cummings by pinfall after a splash and outside interference at 5:22
**This one should have been won by Cummings, but her ex Cassidy came down and tripped her up causing the loss.

Bout #4
Coal Miner's Glove Match
The Derelict defeated Grave Digger by pinfall after punching him with the coal miner's glove at 9:20
**the blowoff of the feud, with the last 2 specialty matches being split. The finale was this match which is a staple in RCW. Digger controlled more of the bout, but when he retrieved the glove and tried to punch Derelict, he was blocked, and Derelict nailed him with a roundhouse. He then retrieved the glove and nailed Digger to knock him out and get the win.

Bout #5
North American Women's Title Match
Little Beaver defeated Dawn Whitham by pinfall after an inside cradle at 6:56
[Little Beaver retained the North American Women's Title]
**the diminutive champion once again defied the odds, taking a beating from the powerful Whitham but seizing on one mistake to roll her up and get the win.

Bout #6
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Stan Baker & Jesse Hennig and Mike Lozansky & Ben Bassarab battled to a double countout at 9:06
[Baker & Hennig retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**Lozansky and Bassarab did quite well despite the size advantage given by Baker. 

Bout #7
Lumberjack Match
RCW Heritage Title Match
Nick Mercury defeated Jack O'Jugular by pinfall after a belly to back suplex at 11:51
[Nick Mercury wins the RCW Heritage Title]
**fairly typical lumberjack match. The main protagonists outside the ring were Sean Cassidy trying to make Mercury lose the bout, and Ben Bassarab getting into it with Jugular only to be taken out by Baker. In the end it was Jugular paying too much attention to Bassarab and Lozansky which opened him up. Mercury caught him from behind with the suplex that got him the duke and the belt.


Main Event
Best 2 out of 3 Falls
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Stan Lane vs Chris Benoit
**Stan Lane took the first fall. After a frenetic pace to start Benoit made a mistake missing with a dropkick and then Lane nailed him with a superkick to pick up the fall.
Stan Lane pinned Chris Benoit after a superkick at 3:11
**Lane tried to slow the match down but Benoit wanted to keep the tempo up. Lane tried for a reprieve outside but Benoit chased him back inside. Lane though caught the challenger with a boot to the midsection, set him up for a piledriver perhaps, but Benoit turned it into a Samoan drop and picked up the fall.
Chris Benoit pinned Stan Lane aftr a Samoan Drop at 7:47
**The third and deciding fall only started fast for a minute and then grinded to a halt. Lane worked a grounded headlock, a reverse chinlock, and headscissors. Benoit battled back but kept the pace slow with an abdominal stretch and a leglock. Benoit locked on a sleeperhold but Lane was able to get out of it with a jawbreaker. Lane then put on his own sleeperhold which Benoit was able to get out of by climbing the corner and kicking off. The match spilled outside when Benoit tossed the champ out and then followed with a plancha. An inverted atomic drop, running clothesline, another running clothesline, German suplex, and then back into the ring to beat the slow count. Benoit tried for the crossface chicken wing but Lane kept his feet moving as it was applied and managed to get to the ropes for the break. Benoit unleashed a series of chops, a plethora of suplex, and then came off the top with a headbutt but only got a 2 count. The challenger went for the crossface again but Lane countered with a hair pull and then bodyscissors. Lane worked the scissors, failed in an attempt at the figure-four, failed at an attempt at a sleeper, unleashed his own series of chops. He whipped Benoit out of the corner but the challenger reversed it sending Lane to the buckle. Lane bounced up and landed on the apron. Benoit then gave him a forearm shiver knocking him to the mat, climbed to the top and went for a crossbody block. The champ rolled out of the way though and Benoit crashed. Back inside Lane pressed his advantage for a couple minutes but was unable to get the win. Lane went for the superkick but Benoit ducked under, came off the ropes with a flying cross bodyblock. But the champ managed to hit the mat and roll through, got 1, grabbed a handful of tights, 2, 3...
Stan Lane pinned Chris Benoit after countering a cross bodyblock and with a handful of tights at 22:08
[Stan Lane wins 2 falls to 1]
[Stan Lane retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]