August 1996

[managermike99]

Roster

Faces
Greg Valentine
Jesse Hennig
David Jericho
Todd Bullett
Rad Radford
Mike Wildside
Elmwood Brawler
Stan Lane (NEW) 

Heels
Lewis O'Day
Manny Silva
Stan Baker 
Wolfgang Haessler (/wBezzlerr)
Untermenschen (/w Bezzlerr)
Vance Nevada
Waylon Mercy
Guy Incognito
Gothic Knight (NEW) 

Ladies
Cynthia Rothrock
Emma Bezzlerr
Nikita Nikolishin
Mistress Gloom
Tami Kim
Jeanne Basone

Injured
Robbie Royce

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #626
August 3, 1996
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Elmwood Brawler defeated Vance Nevada by pinfall after a Bolo punch at 5:07
**Brawler seems to be the RCW king of the curtain jerkers.

Bout #2
Jesse Hennig defeated Guy Incognito by pinfall after a running neck snap at 3:38
**Hennig has taken a step back in the pecking order but came out ahead in this bout.

Bout #3
Jeanne Basone defeated Mistress Gloom after a frankensteiner at 5:34
**Basone (previously Hollywood from GLOW) makes her return to RCW. The former champion was cheered on by the crowd but seemed to wrestle with a bit of chip on her shoulder. Gloom made the match tough for Basone with illegal moves and using her size to try to smother Basone. But Basone brought out a new and impressive finisher to get the duke.

Bout #4
#1 Contenders Match
Manny Silva defeated Rad Radford by pinfall after a wheelbarrow suplex at 7:45
**Silva is a step ahead of Radford, and the end never really seemed to be in doubt. However, it does set up a rulebreaker vs rulebreaker title bout (or more precisely, a lunatic versus lunatic showdown).


Hour #2

Bout #5
North American Women's Title Match
Cynthia Rothrock defeated Emma Bezzlerr by pinfall after a missile dropkick at 5:20
[Cynthia Rothrock retained the North American Women's Title]
**This was Bezzlerr's rematch after losing her belt to Rothrock last week. Bezzlerr was an excellent champion but Rothrock seems to be just a better wrestler. Instead of her usual spinning heel kick however, Rothrock used a top rope dropkcik to win the bout.

Bout #6
RCW Television Title Match
Lewis O'Day defeated Stan Baker by disqualification for use of a foreign object at 7:54
[Lewis O'Day retained the RCW Television Title]
**an outright brawl, neither man seemed interested in pinning their opponent, instead they seemed to want to win by maiming. In the end Baker decided to try and use a steel chair to win and the ref threw the match out.

Main Event
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen defeated Greg Valentine & David Jericho by pinfall when Untermenschen pinned Jericho after a release powerbomb at 10:00
[Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**bottom line was that David Jericho was a bit over his head in this bout, he was the weak link. After the bout while Haessler grappled with Valentine, Untermenschen kept up the attack on Jericho, delivering two more release power bombs before the cavalry arrived to make the save.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #627
August 9, 1996
Brandon, Manitoba

Main Event - RCW Television Title Match
Lewis O'Day (c) defeated Stan Baker by pinfall after a running kneesmash at 12:49

North American Women's Title Match
Cynthia Rothrock (c) defeated Emma Bezzlerr by countout at 9:08

Stan Lane defeated Wolfgang Haessler by pinfall after a superkick at 8:05

Untermenschen defeated Greg Valentine by pinfall after a release powerbomb at 7:46

Jeanne Basone defeated Mistress Gloom after a frankensteiner at 5:58

Todd Bullett defeated Guy Incognito by pinfall after a bridging back suplex at 8:23

Gothic Knight defeated Mike Wildside by pinfall after a chokeslam at 3:55

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #628
August 10, 1996
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Gothic Knight defeated Mike Wildside by pinfall after a chokelsam at 3:03
**quick match for the television debut of the powerful Knight.

Bout #2
Tami Kim defeated Nikita Nikolishin by pinfall after a superkick at 5:14
**good match for Kim.

Bout #3
Todd Bullett & Elmwood Brawler defeated Guy Incognito & Vance Nevada by pinfall when Brawler pinned Nevada after a Bolo punch at 5:36
**just a mix of guys to get all talent an appearance.

Bout #4
Cynthia Rothrock & Jeanne Basone defeated Emma Bezzlerr & Mistress Gloom by pinfall when Rothrock pinned Gloom after a spinning heel kick at 7:18
**pretty much the top 4 women's wrestlers in RCW mix it up in a tag match with the fan favourites controlling the match. The main story was after the bout when Basone got on the mic and challenged Rothrock for a title shot. Rothrock said she didn't have the power to make matches but she would agree to the match if Commissioner Jim Brunzell agreed. Rothrock made the mistake of turning her back on Basone to call out Brunzell. Apparently Basone didn't want to wait for an answer and attacked the champ from behind. She laid down a beating on the champ until security broke it up.

Hour #2

Bout #5
Non-Title Match
Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen and Greg Valentine & Stan Lane battled to a no-contest at 12:01
**After the Germans injured Valentine's last tag partner David Jericho they challenged him to go out and get another partner and they would hurt him too. So Valentine shocked everyone and went out and got former RCW Heavyweight champion Stan Lane. This is basically RCW's version of the Mega Powers. The Germans however did not back down, although Haessler spent a long time playing Ricky Morton. In the end all four men seemed happy to let the ref count them all outside the ring as they brawled.

Bout #6
RCW Television Title Match
Lewis O'Day defeated Stan Baker by pinfall after a running kneesmash at 7:55
[Lewis O'Day retained the RCW Television Title]
**last week's bout may not have been conclusive since Baker used a foreign object and got DQ'd but this match was decisive. O'Day has been a very strong champion.

Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Waylon Mercy defeated Manny Silva by disqualification for abuse of official at 11:28
[Waylon Mercy retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**Strange card tonight for RCW, as the final two matches featured rulebreaker vs rulebreaker for a title. Mercy controlled the first few minutes, wearing down Silva, using his height and leverage and the occasional chokehold. Silva though battled back with fists and kicks, and when Mercy made the mistake of trying to get outside the ring Silva followed him and tossed him around. Back inside Mercy survived a piledriver, and then fought his way out of a wheelbarrow suplex finisher attempt by Silva, Mercy went to work with a short clothesline, a pair of rabbit punches, choke over the top rope, standing earringer, running clothesline, and a vertical suplex. Silva was in big trouble, so after being whipped into the buckle, as Mercy followed him in, Silva pulled the ref in the way and Mercy smashed into him. All three men were down but Silva was up first, hit another piledriver, covered...no one there. Silva woke the ref, covered, but the ref called for the bell and the DQ on Silva.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #629
August 16, 1996
Falcon Beach, Manitoba

Main Event - RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Waylon Mercy (c) defeated Rad Radford by pinfall after a running bulldog at 7:57

RCW Television Title Match
Lewis O'Day (c) defeated Jesse Hennig by disqualification for use of a foreign object at 12:34

North American Women's Title Match
Cynthia Rothrock (c) and Jeanne Basone battled to a no-contest at 6:19

Manny Silva defeated Stan Baker by pinfall after a wheelbarrow suplex at 9:45

Gothic Knight defeated Todd Bullett by pinfall after a chokeslam at 5:41

Tami Kim defeated Nikita Nikolishin by countout at 7:28

Elmwood Brawler defeated Vance Nevada by pinfall after a Bolo punch at 4:02

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #630
August 17, 1996
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Gothic Knight defeated Todd Bullett by pinfall after a chokeslam at 3:23
**Knight is looking impressive so far against smaller opponents at the bottom of the card.

Bout #2
Tami Kim defeated Nikita Nikolishin by pinfall after a superkick at 5:32
**pecking order bout and Kim stays in the title picture while Nikita has been having a rough time of it since turning to fan favourite

Bout #3
Stan Lane defeated Wolfgang Haessler by countout at 5:50
**Haessler decided to take a powder which was a good thing since Lane was ready to nail his superkick finisher.

Bout #4
Greg Valentine defeated Untermenschen by pinfall after a schoolboy pin at 7:12
**someone has finally taken down the sub-human German monster. Valentine was getting his butt handed to him, but when Untermenschen went for his powerbomb finisher the Hammer began to pepper him with shots to the head, and just keep wailing away until the big man toppled over, was rolled up and pinned.


Hour #2

Bout #5
Manny Silva & Stan Baker defeated Jesse Hennig & Rad Radford by pinfall when Baker pinned Hennig after a heart punch at 8:45
**just a mixed tag match featuring four of the semi-main eventers here in RCW, with Baker getting the duke over his former partner Hennig.

Bout #6
North American Women's Title Match
Cynthia Rothrock defeated Jeanne Basone by disqualification for use of a foreign object at 6:57
[Cynthia Rothrock retained the North American Women's Title]
**Basone went from being a bit edgy, to over the edge. She ended up using a steel chair on the champ, getting herself intentionally disqualified trying to hurt the champ instead of wrestling the title from her.

Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Waylon Mercy defeated Lewis O'Day by pinfall after a running bulldog at 9:44
[Waylon Mercy retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**another champion versus champion title shot for O'Day at the senior title. He had a couple at Valentine, and likewise with Mercy he just couldn't seem to make the leap from TV title champion to Heavyweight champion. One would think that this failure might push O'Day over the edge, but since he is already so high strung there may not be another level to reach.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #631
August 24, 1996
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Six-Man Tag Match
Todd Bullett, Mike Wildside & Elmwood Brawler defeated Manny Silva, Vance Nevada & Guy Incognito by pinfall when Wildside pinned Nevada after a rocker dropper at 8:02
**Silva was far and away the best competitor in this match but didn't look too happy about being there. In the end after setting his team up with two advantages and having Incognito lose the first one, and Nevada the second, Silva just walked away. Undermanned and over matched the good guys took the honours.

Bout #2
Nikita Nikolishin defeated Emma Bezzlerr by pinfall after a sunset flip at 5:35
**Bezzlerr was embarrassed when the former champion telegraphed a back bodydrop and Nikita ended her losing streak with a sunset flip into a roll for the win.

Bout #3
Rad Radford defeated Gothic Knight by pinfall after a Death Valley Driver at 4:44
**a bit of an upset as Radford has been treading water while the Knight has not lost yet. But Radford unveiled a great new finisher that brought the fans to their feet.

Bout #4
#1 Contender Match - Winner Gets Heavyweight Title Shot - Loser Still Gets Consolation Prize of TV Title Shot
Jesse Hennig defeated Stan Baker by pinfall after a running neck snap at 7:51
**not much to say about this one, just a lot of heat still between ex tag team partners.

Hour #2

Bout #5
#1 Contender - Bermuda Triangle Match
Jeanne Basone defeated Gloom and Tami Kim by pinfall when Basone pinned Kim after a Frankensteiner at 8:35
**although one would think Basone was the clear #1 contender to Cynthia Rothrock due to their feud, the office decided to punish her and make her work for it by putting her in this 3 way match. Clear to form both Kim and Gloom teamed up on Basone in the first few minutes and beat her from pillar to post. However, as you knew would have to happen that alliance broke down, Basone pretty much played possum. Then she struck by drop kicking Gloom over the top rope, and nailed her finisher on Kim.

Main Event
Best 2 out of 3 Falls
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen (/w Emma Bezzlerr) defeated Greg Valentine & Stan Lane 2 falls to 1 at 14:47
[Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**the arena was electric for this marquee match up and the feeling in the crowd was that the title would change hands tonight. Although Valentine and Lane had only teamed together a couple times both had a world of experience both in tag team wrestling (World Champions) and were top notch individual wrestlers as well. The first fall went according to plan as the champs could not get anything going.
[Valentine & Lane win the first fall by pinfall when Lane pinned Haessler after a spinebuster slam at 6:40]
**the worm turned thanks to Untermenschen's power. Within a couple minutes both Lane and Valentine were rocking and reeling.
[Haessler & Untermenschen win the second fall by pinfall when Untermenschen pinned Valentine after a release powerbomb at 9:58]
**the third fall went by the script with both teams gaining an advantage then some 4 way brawls outside the ring. Back inside while Lane was battling with Untermenschen, outside Haessler battled Valentine. Bezzlerr managed to jump on the back of Valentine which allowed Haessler to reach in and trip up Lane as he got ready for the superkick. Untermenschen then devastated him with his finisher to get the win.
[Haessler & Untermenschen win the third fall by pinfall when Untermenschen pinned Lane after a release powerbomb at 14:47]

Post-Match: Not happy with a simple victory the Germans, along with their valet Emma Bezzlerr, attacked Valentine and Lane and laid a further beatdown. That may not have been a wise decision though as it will likely mean that the two former RCW Heavyweight champions will not only get another rematch but will even more motivated!


That's it for another edition of River City Wrestling. See ya next week!! 

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #632
August 31, 1996
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Night of Champions

Instead of being separated strictly into hour #1 and #2 as is usually the case, this time bout #3 started in hour #1 but finished in hour #2.

Opening Bout
North American Women's Title Match
Jeanne Basone defeated Cynthia Rothrock by pinfall after a superplex at 10:59
[Jeanne Basone won the North American Women's Title Match]
**fast paced match to start with lots of fisticuffs, inside and outside the ring. Then a series of criss cross moves and Rothrock took over the bout. She followed this up with a series of martial arts kicks and strikes, and a series of near falls. Basone took back control though with some punches and kicks and then put on a series of headlocks, a surfboard, and a bearhug. Then the bout went back to a series of fisticuffs. Outside the ring the girls took turns smashing each other's heads off the announce table. Rothrock rolled Basone back inside the ring and climbed the top buckle. But Basone got to the top before Rothrock could come off the top, out punched her, and then brought her down to the mat with a superplex for the win. Basone wins her 3rd women's title and her first since 1987.

Bout #2
RCW Television Title Match
Lewis O'Day defeated Stan Baker by pinfall after a running kneesmash at 12:50
[Lewis O'Day retained the RCW Television Title]
**Pier 6 brawl followed by a pier 6 brawl. Lots of Roman Greco punches to the head. Both men ended up busted open hardway. Baker looked like he was going to win, but when he went for the heartpunch O'Dauy actually caught his fist, twisted until Baker dropped to his knees, and O'Day kneed him in the face. O'Day then laid in a beating on Baker. For about the last 3 minutes O'Day just kept pummelling Baker until he knocked him down and out. The champ then waited in the corner until Baker stumbled to his feet, and O'Day ran and nailed him with the finisher.

Bout #3
RCW Heavyweight Championship Match
Waylon Mercy defeated Jesse Hennig by pinfall after a running bulldog at 13:08
[Waylon Mercy retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**Mercy attacked Hennig before the bout started. He then tossed him out of the ring, and four straight times didn't allow Hennig to get back in the ring beating him out. Finally he brought him back in and smashed his head off of each turnbuckle, dropped a couple kneedrops on his head, put on a reverse chinlock. Hennig finally elbowed his way out but lost a collision. Mercy then stomped away. Finally Hennig kind of snapped and nailed the champ with a jawbreaker. He then kicked his legs out from under him, straddled him and punched away. The ref hauled him off but Hennig went right back with a kneesmash. Hennig then threw the champ out of the room and went out after him. The challenger tossed him off the guard rails a couple times, and then rolled him back inside. The champ caught him with a big boot, and then nailed a single arm DDT. Mercy nailed a hanging vertical suplex, floated over for a 2 count. This was followed by a brawl. Hennig nailed Mercy to the ground, laid in a couple kicks to the back, and went for his running necksnap. But the champ moved out of the way, then followed up with a running clothesline, then hit his finisher and retained the title.

Main Event
Cage Match
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen defeated Greg Valentine & Stan Lane by pinfall when Untermenschen pinned Lane after a powerbomb off the cage wall at 18:24
[Wolfgang Haessler & Untermenschen retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**After a couple minutes feeling out process Haessler managed to take Valentine down with an armbar. He and the monster Untermenschen then took turns working over the wing of the Hammer. The strategy worked. In fact when Valentine managed to make a comeback he then went for one of his patented elbows, but his arm just kind of flung out like wet spaghetti and slapped uselessly off the shoulder of Haessler who then took back control with an elbow of his own and then an atomic drop. Untermenschen decided to work over the back of Valentine and put on a Boston crab. Twice Lane came into the ring to try and break it up, both times as the ref put him out Haessler came into the ring and dropped a knee on the lower back of Valentine. The former champ finally managed to get to the ropes. He then used his smaller size advantage to avoid Untermenschen, rolling around the ring, before making the tag to Lane. Haessler entered the ring as well but Lane took them both out, and smashed their heads together, and then one head in each hand smashed them off the cage wall. Lane worked over Untermenschen and when he tagged out to Haessler, Lane worked over him as well. Valentine recovered, tagged in and he and Lane made quick tags in and out and worked over Haessler. Valentine tried to put the figure four on but Haessler kicked out, and tagged in the Monster. He nailed Valentine with a running clothesline, then a big boot to the face, then ran him head first into the cage wall, then dragged his head across the wall. Valentine was now busted open. We were about 11 minutes into the match. Busted open Valentine was not going down easy, as he lashed out with a series of chops, kicks, and then a punch to the throat that dropped the Monster. All four men took turns for a couple minutes in the ring. Then it was surprisingly Untermenschen's turn to play Rocky Morton as the good guys tried to put him away. Finally Lane looked to have the Monster set up for a superkick finisher, but Haessler entered the ring and tackled Lane. This brought Valentine in and the ref put both Valentine and Haessler out of the ring. However, the distraction worked in the Germans' favour as Untermenschen speared Lane, then powerbombed him off the cage wall and picked up an impressive win for the tag champs.