February 1997

[managermike99]

Roster

Faces
Stan Lane
Greg Valentine
Lewis O'Day
Todd Bullett
Robbie Royce
Elmwood Brawler
Man Mountain Mike 
Darcy McGee 
Ben Bassarab (NEW)

Heels
Manny Silva
Stan Baker
Jesse Hennig
Vance Nevada
Ludvig Borga
Bas Rutten 
Victor Zangiev
Masa Chono (NEW)
Jason Yakimow (NEW)

Ladies
Madusa Micelli
Mistress Gloom
Kawasuki
Teagan Clive
Barbie Wired (NEW)
Catherine Nolan (NEW)
Eternity (NEW)
Mia Finnegan (NEW)

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #651
February 1, 1997
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Elmwood Brawler defeated Vance Nevada by pinfall after a discus punch at 4:29
**battle of the jobbers

Bout #2
Jason Yakimow defeated Darcy McGee by pinfall after a sidewalk slam at 5:10
**Yakimow is new to RCW, and new to wrestling. The rare rookie has a bit of a big strong farm boy thing going, but he has come out as a heel.

Bout #3
Teagan Clive and Eternity battled to a double countout at 5:32

Bout #4
Mia Finnegan defeated Catherine Nolan by pinfall after a sit-out powerbomb at 3:37
**both ladies mark their return to RCW

Hour #2

Bout #5
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Todd Bullett & Robbie Royce defeated Stan Baker & Jesse Hennig by pinfall when Royce pinned Hennig after a Northern lights suplex at 8:01
[Todd Bullett & Robbie Royce retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**the champs continue to roll, and you have to wonder if this is the end of the line for the team of Baker and Hennig after another failed attempt at the gold.

Bout #6
RCW Television Title Match - Bermuda Triangle
Ludvig Borga defeated Manny Silva and Lewis O'Day by countout at 6:26
[Ludvig Borga retained the RCW Television Title]
**First Borga was really pissed off at having to defend his title in a 3-way match where he could lose it without even being involved in the final outcome. This seemed to weigh heavily on him in the match as he fought conservatively, trying to keep his back to a buckle and letting Silva and O'Day duke it out. The others got wise to it though and for a brief couple minutes double teamed Borga. However this didn't last and the hatred between the two challengers spilled out of the ring. O'Day and Silva fought and were counted out while Borga was only too willing to take the countout victory.

Post-Match:
Borga had his hand raised and called for his belt, but it wasn't there. Ben Bassarab had already appeared, grabbed the belt from the announce table, entered the ring, tapped Borga on the shoulder and then nailed him in the head with the belt. Bassarab knocked him out, and dropped the belt on his chest. Bassarab declared this partial revenge for Borga attacking him last month. Bassarab says that they had it right, he is the greatest TV champion in RCW history, and even though he is in the Hall of Fame, he is tired of sitting at home. Ben Bassarab is coming back to RCW, and he has a title shot against Borga next week!!

Main Event
Cage Match - Texas Tornado Tag Team
Bas Rutten & Victor Zangiev defeated Stan Lane & Greg Valentine by pinfall when Zangiev pinned Lane after a superplex at 12:37
**quite simply an all out brawl which saw all four men busted open by the six minute mark, and all 4 wearing a crimson mask by the time it ended. With Rutten and Valentine tied up, Lane and Zangiev went to the top. They fought it out, but Zangiev went to the low road (literally) with a knee to the groin, and then took Lane down with the superplex to get the pin. Looks like Zangiev has put himself in contention for another title shot.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #652
February 8, 1997
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Elmwood Brawler defeated Jason Yakimow by pinfall after a discus punch at 4:48
**Yakimow's rookie win streak ends at 1

Bout #2
Six-Woman Tag Match - Elimination Style
Teagn Clive, Catherine Nolan, & Barbie Wired defeated Mia Finnegan, Eternity, & Kawasuki in a six-woman tag match at 9:18
-Kawasuki eliminated by Barbie Wired by pinfall after an Ape Hanger at 2:51
-Catherine Nolan eliminated by Eternity by pinfall after a running clothesline at 4:15
-Eternity eliminated by Teagan Clive by pinfall after a doomsday device at 7:10
-Mia Finnegan eliminated by Teagan Clive by pinfall after a float-over suplex at 9:18
[Teagan Clive & Barbie Wired survive]
**premiere of Barbie Wired who is going for a leather clad image like Pam Anderson in "Barb Wire", or like Sable in the WWF.

Bout #3
Manny Silva defeated Lewis O'Day by pinfall after a wheelbarrow suplex (and a handful of tights) at 8:56
**these two have a good rivalry, with a lot of heated matches. This is two in a row that Silva has come out on top, even if this one was very tainted. Not sure if this feud is over, or over for now.


Hour #2

Bout #4
Loser Leaves Town
Greg Valentine defeated Bas Rutten by pinfall after a second rope elbowdrop at 7:09
**The result of this match was not only important because someone may have to leave town, but because it was mandated that if either Valentine or Rutten lost they would be out of RCW IMMEDIATELY. This would mean that either Rutten would not be available to be in the corner of Victor Zangiev in the main event, or Valentine would not be in the arena in case his buddy Stan Lane needed help. Thankfully for Lane and for the fans, Valentine came out on top. Rutten's (and Valentine's) gym bags were already at ringside. Security thrust Rutten's bag in his hand and escorted him out of the arena as he hastily put on a track suit (and no shower) and went out in the cold Winnipeg winter night.

Bout #5
RCW Television Title Match
Ludvig Borga defeated Ben Bassarab by disqualification for use of a foreign object (ring bell) at 9:45
[Ludvig Borga retained the RCW Television Title]
**Bassarab did not look as fast, or in quite as good shape as he did before he retired, maybe about 10 pounds heavier. However, he still managed to hold his own against Borga who resorted to retrieving the ringbell and using it on the challenger to get himself intentionally disqualified. Next week is an all women's edition of RCW, but these two will hook up again for a rematch in two weeks time.

Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Stan Lane defeated Victor Zangiev by countout at 7:56
[Stan Lane retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**fairly even match but Zangiev seemed to be missing Rutten at ringside. In the end he grew frustrated at not being able to put away Lane and ended up getting counted out while arguing with the ring announcers and fans. 

Post-Match:
From out of the pan and into the fire, commissioner Jim Brunzell announces that in two weeks another international star is crossing the border to try and win the RCW title. That man is Japanese star Masa Chono!!

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #653
February 15, 1997
Winnipeg, Manitoba

This is the annual All Women's Valentine "Heartbreakers" edition of River City Wrestling!! Welcome to a world of spandex and glitter!!

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Allie Myles defeated Jane Dirt by pinfall after a flying crucifix at 4:46
**Myles was new to RCW, and a raw rookie, so she might be forgiven for busting out the Destroyer's finishing move. Jane Dirt was also new to RCW, a Canadian version of Dirty White Girl.

Bout #2
Kawasuki defeated Purple Demon by pinfall after an inside cradle at 3:03
**oh those dastardly demons.

Bout #3
Barbie Wired defeated Tami Kim by pinfall after the Ape Hanger at 6:12
**Kim made an unsuccessful return to RCW, when the latex clad Wired avoided a superkick and nailed her own finisher; a facebuster but while holding her opponents arms straight out and upward, like Ape handlebars on a motorcycle.

Bout #4
Eternity defeated Nikki Milne by pinfall after a running clothesline at 4:40
**fairly easy win for the Nubian goddess. 

Hour #2

Bout #5
Catherine Nolan defeated Kari Pelletier by pinfall after a flying cross bodyblock at 5:55
**no known bad blood between the two former partners, but they were matched up against each other anyway. Nolan was the face with her bubbly personality, her thick curly hair and all Canadian girl image. Pelletier took the role of heel with her French accent and aloof demeanour. 

Bout #6
#1 Contender Match
Mia Finnegan and Teagan Clive battled to a double countout at 7:19
**Finnegan surprised everyone by carrying a good portion of the bout. So there is no clear cut #1 contender waiting in the wings for the main event results.

Main Event
North American Women's Title Match: 2 out of 3 falls:
Madusa Micelli (c) vs Mistress Gloom
[Mistress Gloom pinned Madusa Micelli after a piledriver at 4:42]
[Madusa Micelli pinned Mistress Gloom after a superplex at 9:05]
[Madusa Micelli pinned Mistress Gloom after a German suplex at 11:57]
**real tough match for Micelli but she held onto the title


 

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #654
February 22, 1997
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Hour #1

Opening Bout
Mistress Gloom defeated Catherine Nolan by pinfall after a piledriver at 3:17

Bout #2
Darcy McGee & Elmwood Brawler defeated Vance Nevada & Jason Yakimow by pinfall when McGee pinned Nevada after a double discus punch at 5:50

Bout #3
Teagan Clive & Barbie Wired defeated Mia Finnegan & Eternity by pinfall when Wired pinned Finnegan after the Ape Hanger at 7:44


Hour #2

Bout #4
Six-Man Tag Match
Thug Life: Joe E. Legend, Sexton Hardcastle, & Christian Cage defeated Todd Bullett, Robbie Royce, & Elmwood Brawler when Hardcastle pinned Bullett after a leaping DDT at 6:20
**Hardcastle & Cage are a young, but very charismatic and athletic tag team who have been burning up the Canadian Indy scene. They served notice in this one that they are coming for the tag titles.

Bout #5
RCW Television Title Match
Ben Bassarab defeated Ludvig Borga by pinfall after a flying cross bodyblock at 5:43
[Ben Bassarab Won the RCW Television Title]
**even though he is a Hall of Famer, and a 5 time Heritage/TV champion, this still had to be seen as an upset.

Post-Match: As Bassarab was given the title belt he was assaulted from behind by Borga who gave him a sore loser beat down.


Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Stan Lane defeated Masa Chono by disqualification for use of a foreign object at 15:49
[Stan Lane retained the RCW Heavyweight Title Match]
**Lane started the match in command and applied a series of wristlocks and armbars. Chono then took a turn in control with some side headlocks and front facelocks that he would work into a chokehold. The two then did several rope criss cross type exchanges that saw dropkicks, hip tosses, and a flying crossbody block from Lane that Chono rolled through and got a 2 count. Back on their feet Lane clotheslined Chono over the top rope, only to have the challenger grab him by the feet and pull him outside the ring. The two exchanged punches and kicks outside the ring but brought it back inside to avoid having the bout tossed out. Chono then took it to the mat again working some leg locks, before Lane took the bout back and again went to the arm with some armbars. Chono took the match back with some punches to the head, then head scissors. Smelling blood Chono went to work with an inverted atomic drop, then drove Lane head first into the top buckle, followed by a snap suplex for a 2 count, and a flying shoulder tackle for another 2 count. Lane fought back and once again went back to the arm locks, then a neck vice, and finally got a chickenwing submission that Chono narrowly escaped by getting to the ropes. Chono went for a kick to the gut but Lane caught his leg, but it was a set-up as Chono nailed him with a enzuigiri. Chono locked on a STF (Dragon sleeper) but Lane was able to get to the ropes for a break. It was becoming obvious from his constant shaking of them that Chono was having problems with his arms from all the work done by Lane. So the challenger took a powder outside the ring trying to shake his arms out. Lane managed to reach outside and grab Chono by the head, but the ref was dragging Lane back into the ring so he lost his grip. Lane fell backward and took the ref down with an accidental elbow to the nose. Lane tried again to reach outside the ring to grab Chono but the Japanese star gouged his eyes. When Chono returned to the ring he brought a steel chair with him and swung it at Lane. The champion managed to roll out of the way, take Chono down with a leg sweep, and then take the chair and smash Chono in the head. The ref woke up and called for the bell. Everyone assumed that it would be the champ disqualified but apparently the ref had saw Chono bring the chair into the ring and gave the match to the champion Lane.


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