March 1999

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #775
March 6, 1999
RCW Rage
Youngstown, Ohio

DEREK GRAVES WINS THE TV CHAMPIONSHIP!!
VENDETTA II ELIMINATES CORINO TO WIN BATTLE ROYAL!!
MORE MATCHES ADDED FOR RIVERWARS!!

RAGE opens right into the start of our first match with word that Nick Bockwinkel's solution that he alluded to last week to sort out allegiances was going to be a battle royal tonight.

Opening Bout
Toughman Semi-Final
Lewis O'Day defeated Jim Neidhart by submission to the figure-four at 5:54
**Neidhart is double tough but O'Day is a natural brawler and more of a singles wrestler. O'Day dominated most of this match in surprising fashion and got Neidhart to quit.

Vendetta II is shown introducing himself in the "face" dressing room, but getting the cold shoulder from most of the wrestlers.

Tajiri is interviewed about his victory over Vendetta II and his chances in the Battle Royal tonight. Of course he pretty much says nothing except for a few words in Japanese.


Bout #2
RCW Television Title Match
Derek Graves (/w Sharon Montgomery) defeated Balls Mahoney after a hip toss at 10:21
[Derek Graves wins the RCW Television Title]
**Graves won the bout after a simple hip toss maneuver. The replay showed Mahoney jamming his neck on the mat. Graves and Montgomery were joined by Regliatti, but they looked worried about Mahoney, and the celebration was quite muted. On the positive side Graves looks like an absolute specimen of a wrestler and would appear to have a very bright future indeed.

Post-Match, the trainer trying to attend to Balls Mahoney backstage is assaulted from behind, but the feed is lost before we can see who the assailant was.


Bout #3
Vic Gate and Vincent Regliatti battled to a double countout at 4:29
**this match was instigated by Gate being mad at Regs for the way he disrespected Steve Corino last week. The match quickly degenerated into a brawl outside the confines of the ring and was tossed out.

Joe Aiello announces that Derek Graves will defend his TV title at RiverWars in a rematch against Balls Mahoney, if the former champ is cleared to wrestle by then.
Aiello interviews Joe E. Legend. But the announcer steers the conversation to how great the ladder match will be at RiverWars between Jody Christmas and Steve Corino. Legend gets pissy and says that he wants a ladder match at RiverWars too, and that he will steal the show. Aiello suggest a great opponent would be Nick Mercury, and when Mercury comes to the ring to accept the match is set.


Bout #4
RCW European Title Match
Scarlett Birmingham (/w Lady Victoria) defeated Darren Dalton by submission to the Scarlett Stretch at 10:15
[Scarlett Birmingham retained the RCW European Title]
**no one really understands this need to have a European title in the mid-west but Dalton made it comical again by coming out in a similar Union Jack ring robe as Birmingham. Except instead of an expensive glamorous robe he had a bedazzled bath robe, and instead of a valet brought out a leather clad sex doll. Dalton's best moments unfortunately were before the bell was rung.

Joe Aiello brings Darkstar to the ring. The masked man says he is a spurned lover of Becky Hennig's. He challenges her "kissing" cousin Jesse Hennig to a match next week on RAGE. The Hennig cousins come out to accept. Jesse's stipulation is that if he wins Darkstar must unmask. Darkstar agrees adding the stipulation that if he wins, Becky will manage him as well as JEsse.


Bout #5
Bobby Duncum Jr defeated Gary Goodridge by pinfall after a running clothesline at 10:09
**wild brawl with Goodridge busted wide open early on.


Main Event
20-Man Over The Top Battle Royal 
Vendetta II won a 20 man Battle Royal 32:49
*Corino threw out Rising Son 0:31
*Christmas threw out Menele 1:45
*Christmas threw out Michael Modest 2:00
*Wiked Klown threw out Kutlu Warrior Johnny Stewart 4:23
*Wiked Klown threw out Ben Bassarab 7:57
*Wiked Klown threw out Devon Storm 9:10
*Corino threw out Wiked Klown 10:06
*Spyder threw out Darkstar 10:53
*Spyder threw out Joe E. Legend 13:18
*Vendetta II threw out Kurrgan 15:12
*Hennig threw out Boss Strickland 20:10
*Tajiri threw out Jesse Hennig 20:34
*Christmas threw out Spyder 21:55
*Christmas threw out Shaggy 23:02
*Christmas threw out Stan Baker 26:26
*Vendetta II threw out Nick Mercury 28:05
*Vendetta II threw out Jody Christmas 28:17
*Vendetta II threw out Tajiri 31:54
*Vendetta II threw out Steve Corino 32:49

Perhaps a bit unusual for the Heavyweight champion to take part in a battle royal. The fans seemed to smell a Tajiri upset that never materialized. Strange how wrestlers got onto a roll and eliminated several straight opponents. The loudest pop of the night was when VII and Corino went nose to nose.
The show ended with VII celebrating mid-ring, inviting Corino and Christmas back in to shake hands. Corino just walked away shaking his head, as we

FADE TO BLACK 


Breaking kayfab; overall a weak Rage. The battle royal probably would have saved it but by this time the crowd was pretty subdued. Very strange TNM generated battle royal results with guys going on a tear. Again, looks like I was mostly running unbooked. Probably booked VII to win but didn't specify any eliminations.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #776
March 13, 1999
RCW Rage
Grand Forks, North Dakota

MERCURY PINS LEGEND IN BIG TAG MATCH !!
BECKY LEAVES JESSE !!
KURRGAN TO MEET KUTLU WARRIOR IN A HARDCORE MATCH AT RIVERWARS !!

Opens with an interview from "The Alliance" (Jody Christmas, Joe E. Legend, Mistress Gloom). The Alliance promises at least one new member soon. They say it could be someone from within RCW or a new recruit, but it certainly won't be anyone from Steve Corino's "Others". The Alliance tells Corino to get himself a partner for a tag match tonight against Christmas & Legend.

Opening Bout
Toughman Semi-Final
Kurrgan defeated Gary Goodridge by pinfall after hitting him with a baseball bat at 6:53
**Goodridge attacked Kurrgan before the bell. The Kutlu Warrior and Menele came down to ringside. Kurrgan took an early advantage and nailed Goodridge with a piledriver. Vendetta II came down to ringside which distracted Kurrgan. The Kutlu Warrior then tripped up Kurrgan. Despite that Kurrgan kept control and forced Goodridge to kick out after a tombstone piledriver. Goodridge made a comeback but it ended when VII hit him in the back with a steel chair. Kurrgan nailed a chokeslam, 1, 2, kickout! VII passed Kurrgan his Louisville Slugger which he used to bust Goodridge over the head, and get the pin. Not sure anyone knows what is going on with the allegiances and actions of anyone in RCW anymore. It seems to be complete chaos. The inmates are running the asylum!

Ben Bassarab was interviewed from his home saying he was resting up to take on Bobby Duncum Jr, and that Jr's taunts mean nothing to him.

Bobby Duncum Jr then took to the ring to lay out further insults to Bassarab, and to call him out when he already knew that Bassarab was not in the building. Duncum Jr also insulted Canadians in general and took some shots at Corino, Neidhart, and Regliatti.


Bout #2
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Rising Son & Spyder defeated Tajiri & Devon Storm by pinfall when Spyder pinned Storm after a frog splash at 1:23
[Rising Son & Spyder retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**the champs made very short work of their opponents

Rising Son & Spyder stayed in the ring for an interview. Spyder said that he was ready for Menele and his friend Kutlu Wrrior, and that Rising Son has his back at RiverWars. Suddenly the IBZ (Wiked Klown & Shaggy) hit the ring with chairs and laid out the champs.

Steve Corino is seen in the back reluctantly accepting Nick Mercury's offer to be his partner tonight against the Alliance.


Bout #3
Ex-Tag Partners Grudge Match
Stan Baker defeated Boss Strickland by pinfall after a heartpunch at 7:19
**Vincent Regliatti came down to ringside to do guest commentary. Strickland was winning handily, and Regliatti kept talkng about how Strickland was from Canada and not the U.S. as he claims(?). Regliatti went to the ring and pulled down the top rope sending Strickland to the floor where both Regs and Baker beat on Strickland. Back inside it was all Baker who nailed his finisher and won the tainted victory.

Joe Aiello interviewed Steve Corino next. Corino said he didn't trust Nick Mercury much but would have to trust him since Vic Gate and Jim Neidhart weren't around tonight. 


Bout #4
Toughman Rules
Kutlu Warrior defeated Wiked Klown by submission to a chokehold at 8:11
**Two heels going at it. Warrior dominated giving Klown an early inverted DDT, but was too close to the ropes to get the pin. Warrior ended up hitting Klown with a frying pan and a pair of brass knuckles, busting him wide open, and eventually just choked him out.

Another clip of Becky Hennig, this time talking about how growing up watching wrestling she fantasized about both Ben Bassarab and Jim Neidhart, but of course this was before they got old.

 
Bout #5
Mask vs Manager
Darkstar and Jesse Hennig (/w Becky Hennig) battled to a 20:00 time limit draw
**Hennig took it to Darkstar early, and then it turned into an even back and forth battle. Becky tripped up Darkstar to get Hennig the advantage back. Jesse went for a northern lights suplex but Darkstar blocked it, turning it into a backdrop. Both men were exhausted by the 10-minute mark but battled on. Darkstar twice hit Hennig with a death valley driver only to have Hennig kick out of both pin attempts. Michael Modest came down to ringside in the 16th minute and began to talk to Becky which seemed to distract both men inside the ring. Eventually Becky left the ringside and went to the back! Modest stayed and pulled down the ropes and he and Darkstar double teamed Jesse, but time ran out. Strange.


Promo for RiverWars PPV...from Minneapolis, MN
Friday, March 26th 1999

RCW Heavyweight Title Match - Ladder Match
Jody Christmas (/w Mistress Gloom) (c)  v  Steve Corino

Hardcore Tables Match
Kurrgan  v  Kutlu Warrior

TV Title Match (pending Balls Mahoney's injury)
Derek Graves (c) (/w Sharon Montgomery)  v  Balls Mahoney
**Gary Goodridge slated to replace Mahoney if still injured

Bobby Duncum Jr  v  Ben Bassarab

Ladder Match (with nothing to retrieve?)
Joe E. Legend  v  Nick Mercury (/w Big Albert)

Spyder  v  Menele

Vic Gate & Jim Neidhart  v  IBZ: Wiked Klown & Shaggy

 

Main Event
Special Tag Match
Steve Corino & Nick Mercury (/w Big Albert) defeated Jody Christmas & Joe E. Legend (/w Mistress Gloom) when Mercury submitted Legend to the Cloverleaf at 13:56
**Great Match, probably the best match so far this year. Big Albert hit on Gloom throughout the match and managed to get himself decked a couple of times by the leather clad behemoth. Christmas opened up against Mercury, upon Mercury's insistence. Legend then came in and hit Mercury with a superplex. The Alliance double teamed Mercury while Corino watched from the corner waiting for the tag. Mercury grabbed an advantage but refused to tag at first! Then he finally tagged, setting up Legend versus Corino. Corino applied the figure-four around the ringpost at one point on Legend, taunting him. Corino applied a sharpshooter on Legend for about 45 seconds before Legend reached the ropes. Legend was really out of it but battled back and got Corino into a Boston crab. Then the Alliance double teamed Corino. Legend hit Corino with his Legend cutter finisher, but Corino kicked out of the pin attempt! Mercury tagged in and took it to Legend. Gloom entered the ring while Christmas distracted the ref and Corino. Gloom hit Mercury with a chair but Mercury managed to kick out of the subsequent pin attempt. The Alliance double teamed Mercury but Corino came in and threw Christmas out of the ring. Corino and Christmas brawled outside the ring while Big Albert grabbed ahold of Gloom's legs for dear life to prevent her entering the ring. Mercury hit Legend with a DDT, then put him in a cleverleaf to get the submission.

Post-Match: Vincent Regliatti hit the ring and laid out Mercury with a chair shot. Legend recovered and gave the Legend cutter to Regliatti. The Alliance fled to the back while Corino entered the ring just as Mercury was about to hit Regliatti with a chair. Corino wrestled the chair from Mercury. Regliatti though then attacked Corino from behind, and was going to piledrive Corino on top of the chair but was clotheslined by Mercury instead. Regliatti rolled out of the ring leaving Corino and Mercury facing off in the middle of the ring. 

as we

FADE TO BLACK


breaking kayfabe; a much better show tonight then some past ones, but still the storylines seem to be all over the place.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #777
March 20, 1999
RCW Rage
Winnipeg, Manitoba

GARY GOODRIDGE NEW RCW TV CHAMPION !!
BOSS STRICKLAND HELPS DUNCUM JR OVERCOME REGLIATTI !!
KURRGAN IS RCW'S FIRST TOUGHMAN CHAMPION !!

RCW Rage opens with an interview with Bobby Duncum Jr., who tore into his "unworthy" RiverWars opponent "Ben Bennett". He also tore into Vendetta II for mentioning a bunch of RCW stalwarts but leaving his name off his little "crush" list. Finally he tore into Steve Corino and said that since Corino was saving himself for RiverWars, he would take his fury out on his countryman Vincent Regliatti in tonight's main event.

Opening Bout
Vendetta II defeated Menele by pinfall after an inverted DDT at 7:37
**hard fought match by Menele but he's having trouble getting to the pay window often. Interesting that instead of copying the original Vendetta's finisher the DDT (and jumping DDT) he used Vendetta's arch rival's (Rogue) finisher instead. 

An interview with Becky Hennig who explained that she would not be able to manage Jesse anymore, as it would be a case of conflict of interest. She wouldn't elaborate when asked whether the conflict was personal, family, or business in nature, or if it pertained to either Darkstar or Michael Modest.


Bout #2
Four Corners Match - Non-Title Match
Vic Gate defeated Lewis O'Day, Darren Dalton, and Scarlett Birmingham (/w Lady Victoria) by pinfall when he pinned Dalton after a briding back suplex at 14:46
**The European title of Birmingham's was not on the line in this one for some reason. Also having three opponents Dalton couldn't choose just one to mimic so instead he came out dressed in latex (to mimic Victoria) getting a good pop from the crowd. O'Day took it to Birmingham early, and then Birmingham stayed out of the match after that. Gare picked up a huge win, even if was just pinning Dalton.

Home video footage from Boss Strickland showing where he grew up in Chicago.
This was followed by a rebuttal from Vincent Regliatti in the dressing room, reiterating that Boss is a Canadian, and a traitor.

Steve Corino rants at "The Aliiance" for their recent attacks on him and Regliatti. He tells Christmas that it will not be gang warfare at RiverWars, just the two of us one on one. Corino says they should change the main event from being a ladder match to being a Cage Match instead.


Bout #3
RCW Toughman Tournament Final
Kurrgan defeated Jim Neidhart by pinfall after hitting him with the ring bell at 11:14
[Kurrgan wins the RCW Toughman Title]
**Kurrgan was busted open in the first minute of action. The match went back and forth, and then outside the ring. The Kutlu Warrior ambushed Kurrgan from behind to give Neidhart the advantage. Neidhart then hit Kurrgan with a road sign provided by Kutlu. The brawl went up the aisle, then to the the back of the arena. Neidhart had Kurrgan pinned but the ref had stumbled down a set of stairs and was delayed. While he left the ring to check on the ref Neidhart was hit from behind by Kurrgan with the ringbell (Kutlu had long left the area), and that resulted in the win.


The second hour of the show begins with RCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel who recaps the lineup for RiverWars.
He adds a Darkstar v Jesse Hennig match with Hardcore rules, and it will again be Mask vs Manager, with the winner getting the managerial contract of Becky Hennig, which seems contradictory to what she said earlier.
Bockwinkel also promises a unique announcement at RiverWars which will set up the next PPV in April, as well as do homage to one of wrestling's pioneers.

Bout #4
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Rising Son & Spyder and IBZ: Wiked Klown & Shaggy battled to a double countout at 6:35
[Rising Son & Spyder retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**top spot was when Son moved out of the way of an Asai moonsault by Klown who then bounced off the guardrail and into the stands. Matched ended in a double countout with Son and Klown battling out on the floor.

Gary Goodridge storms to the ring and says that he isn't going to wait for RiverWars, that he wants his TV title shot now. Derek Graves shocks the crowd by coming out and accepting the challenge.


Bout #5
RCW Television Title Match
Gary Goodridge defeated Derek Graves (/w Sharon Montgomery) by submission to the ankle lock at 13:48
[Gary Goddridge wins the RCW Television Title]
**the match is give and take, before Goodridge begins to dominate. Goodridge gets the ankle lock on Graves, but Graves battles close enough to the ropes that Montgomery can reach in and pull him the rest of the way. He comes up lame and tries to fend off Goodridge.
Former TV champion, Balls Mahoney appears and ends up pulling down the top rope (seemingly the new favourite move in RCW) and sends Graves to the floor. We can't tell because it was on a reverse, if it was meant for Goodridge or Graves, or he didn't care which. 
Montgomery enters the ring from behind while the ref is distracted to hit Goodridge from behind with a chair, but he catches on and ejects her from the ring instead. Graves gets back into the ring, goes for the chair but Goodridge stomps on his fingers, takes him down with a legwhip, kicks the chair out of the ring, and puts the ankle lock back on...this time with success.

Nick Mercury comes to the ring to talk again about how the new RCW is screwing him (he actually gets some applause and agreement from some of the old school crowd), but then he announces he will not be showing up for his ladder match (he calls it the Stairway to nowhere) against Joe E. Legend at RiverWars.


Main Event
Bobby Duncum Jr. defeated Vincent Regliatti by pinfall after outside interference at 10:56
**Regliatti took the early advantage, a double clothesline put both men down. Regs recovers first and applies the figure-four to Duncum. 
Boss Strickland comes down to ringside.
Duncum is hurting bad, and both men tumble to the floor.
Steve Corino comes down to ringside and he gets in a pushing match with Duncum.
Back in the ring Duncum survives a sharpshooter from Regliatti. Strickland throws Duncum a cowbell, but Regs blocks Duncum's swing, blocking it into Duncum's face. Regs goes for the pin but Strickland jumps on the ring apron to distract the ref. Duncum goes out of the ring, and then moves out of the way of a baseball slide from Regs and crashes to the floor. Duncum, Strickland, and Corino go at it on the floor while Regs is recovering. The brawl goes into the ring where Strickland hits Regliatti with an Olympic suplex. Duncum goes for the pin but Sharon Montgomery has also come down to the ring and drapes Regs' foot over the bottom rope. Duncum nails a running clothesline on Montgomery levelling her. Corino is now arguing with the ref to prevent Duncum's pin on Regliatti from being counted. Duncum turns his back on Regs to argue with Corino, and so Regs is able to nail Duncum from behind with the cowbell. Strickland though attacks Regs from behind, and then rolls Duncum on top of Regs. He then separates the ref from Corino by going after Corino. The ref turns around and counts the 1, 2, 3. No, this is not your Father's RCW...he had taste.

After the bout The Alliance (Jody Christmas, Joe E. Legend, Mistress Gloom) comes out to join Strickland in punking Corino and Regliatti. Ben Bassarab shows up but is cut off by Duncum and the two of them go at it, and then Nick Mercury shows up to taunt Joe E. Legend...we see Corino v Christmas, Duncum v Bassarab, Mercury v Legend, Gloom v Montgomery, and Regliatti v Strickland, fighting it out, as we

FADE TO BLACK



 

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #778
RiverWars
March 26, 1999
RCW PPV
Minneapolis, MN

Opening Bout
Spyder defeated Menele by pinfall after a vertical facebuster at 5:46
**Menele grabbed an early advantage, but Spyder turned the match around with an amazing shooting star press on Menele outside the ring. Menele got busted open, and Spyder hit him with both an inverted DDT and then a vertical facebuster to get the pin.

Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel came out ot the ring to talk about Nick Mercury. Seems Mercury was confused and thought he didn't have to wrestle Joe E. Legend tonight. Bockwinkel told him to wrestle or leave the RCW.
Then Bockwinkel dropped the news that RCW will be hosting a tag team tournament. 16 teams will compete on RAGE over the next 4 weeks in the round of 16. The final 8 teams would go on to compete for the trophy at the next RCW PPV in April.
Bockwinkel then brought out a tag team legend, former Horseman Tully Blanchard!
As one of the best tag team wrestlers ever, Bockwinkel has brought Tully in for this tournament and promised he could tag with anyone in the RCW he wanted. Tully said he couldn't decide between two guys, but since they were wrestling against each other tonight he would choose to team with the winner of Bobby Duncum Jr and Ben Bassarab. Bockwinkel then announced that Blanchard would be the special guest referee for that match tonight.
Bockwinkel then called out Vendetta II to the ring. Bock says he has been given the power to make the teams for the tournament, and that he would make pairings that are interesting to fans. In that manner, Bockwinkel announces that VII's partner for the round of 16 would be none other than the Kutlu Warrior!!

Bout #2
RCW Television Title Match
Gary Goodridge defeated Balls Mahoney by submission to a mounted armbar at 28:14
[Gary Goodridge retained the RCW Television Title]
**Great match! Goodridge took the early advantage and the fight went outside the ring early. Goodridge no sells a Mahoney piledriver. Vendetta II came down to ringside and proceeded to hit Goodridge in the back with a chair. This evened things out which then went back and forth. Mahoney threw Goodridge out of the ring and then distracted the ref as VII hit Goodridge with scorpion death drop outside the ring. Goodridge battled back and nailed Mahoney with a DDT. Both participants were exhausted. Mahoney escaped an ankle lock submission while Goodgidge fought to the ropes to break an STF seconds later. Goodridge hit the former TV champ Mahoney with a DDT outside the ring which him up to apply his finisher inside the ring and get the win.

The next bout was scheduled to include Vic Gate. Gate though came out in street clothes and told his partner Jim Neidhart and the fans that he was injured and would require back surgery that would keep him out of action for 6 months to a year. Neidhart apparently had no idea, and didn't look impressed. However, Vincent Regliatti came out from the back and offered to team with Neidhart tonight.


Bout #3
Jim Neidhart & Vincent Regliatti and The IBZ (Wiked Klown & Shaggy) battled to a time limit draw at 20:00
**Both teams executed really quick tags. At one point the ref counted to 10 with all 4 men brawling outside the ring, but then just let them go at it. Shaggy was busted wide open but he had Regliatti in trouble. The IBZ used double teams on Regliatti, until Neidhart finally tagged in and applied the anvilizer just as the bell rang for time.


Bout #4
Mask vs Manager
Darkstar defeated Jesse Hennig by pinfall after hitting him with a road sign at 18:31
**Becky Hennig was at ringside to watch this match but was not in either corner. Back and forth action with Hennig grabbing the first advantage. Darkstar though busted Hennig open outside the ring. Darkstar then hit a death valley driver on Hennig who kicked out at a 2 1/2 count. Darkstar just couldn't put Hennig away. Michael Modest came down to ringside and tossed Darkstar the road sign and then distracted the ref to allow him to use it and get the win.

After the match Darkstar and Michael Modest continued to lay the boots to Hennig. Becky entered the ring and tried to shield Jesse with her body, but Darkstar dragged his new manager away and took her to the back.


Bout #5
RCW Toughman Title Match - Hardcore Table Match
Kurrgan defeated Kutlu Warrior by putting him through a table at 17:40
[Kurrgan retained the RCW Toughman Title]
**To win the bout you must drive your opponent through a table. Kutlu is giving away over 60 pounds in this matchup. Kurrgan went for a tombstone early on only to have Kutlu reverse it into a tombstone of his own. Kurrgan set up Kutlu on a table on the floor and came off the ring apron with a legdrop, but the table did not break, everyone just tumbled to the ground. 
Kutlu turned things around by hitting Kurrgan with the ringbell. The two brawled outside the ring and when Kurrgan went for another tombstone, again, Kutlu reversed it into a tombstone piledriver of his own. 
Menele came down to ringside!
Kutlu hit Kurrgan with a jumping DDT, but Menele tried to pass Kutlu his singapore cane, only to have it intercepted by Kurrgan who nailed the challenger with several shots over the head. However, Menele hit Kurrgan over the back with a steel chair. Kutlu then nailed Kurrgan over the head with the cane several times. Before he could even go for a pin though Kurrgan just sat up! Both men were pretty exhausted by now, and both men were bleeding, especially Kurrgan. Kurrgan went for a tombstone outside the ring, and the third time was the charm as he nailed it. The brawl continued without Menele at ringside and with neither man going for a table. Finally Kurrgan set up Kutlu on the table and then dove off the ring apron to put him through the table and pick up the win.

After the match, Vendetta II came part way down the rampway, had a long distance staredown with Kurrgan, before turning around and retreating.


Bout #6
Special Guest Referee - Tully Blanchard
Bobby Duncum Jr defeated Ben Bassarab by pinfall after a running bulldog at 16:42
**Bassarab grabbed the early advantage and actually dominated most of this bout. Duncum pulled out a running clothesline but could not recover fast enough to get the pin. The match then went back and forth until Bassarab reclaimed his advantage. Dunucm Jr had to get a rope break after being in an STF for over a minute. Bassarab got caught with a chop to the throat, but a minute later was able to counter a running bulldog attempt by pushing Duncum Jr off. The brawl went outside where Duncum hit Bassarab with a piledriver. Back inside the ring Duncum poured it on, went for another running bulldog (aided by a handful of Bassarab's hair) and this time nailed it for the win. Tully Blanchard was totally neutral throughout the bout.


Bout #7 
Ladder Match - Suspended at the top of the ladder is a contract for an RCW Heavyweight title shot
Joe E. Legend (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated Nick Mercury (/w Big Albert) by retrieving the contract at 24:38
**Big Albert came out wearing a tuxedo with his regular t-shirt on underneath. Mercury and Legend brawled outside the ring. Mercury brought the ladder into the ring. The match went back and froth with Mercury coming close a couple times to retrieving the contract. Mercury broke off a Boston crab to climb the ladder but missed the contract. Mercury later superplexed Legend off the ladder. Legend took control of he match and nailed the Legend cutter. But both men were exhausted and moving very slow. After the cutter Legend slowly climbed the ladder ahead of Mercury and grabbed the contract. Albert tried to get involved but was taken out by Gloom.


Main Event - CAGE MATCH
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Steve Corino defeated Jody Christmas (/w Mistress Gloom) by submission to the cloverleaf at 22:46
[Steve Corino Wins the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**This was a traditional cage match with pinfalls and submissions, not cage escapes.
Corino grabbed the first real advantage of the bout with a superplex. Christmas almost stole the bout with a pin when he grabbed onto Corino's tights. It was all Corino though as he applied a series of moves, a Russian legsweep and spinning elbowdrops. Corino got a single leg Boston crab but Christmas reached the ropes after a full minute in the hold, and has a very sore back. Christmas made a spirited comeback. The champ back dropped Corino against the cage. Corino recovered but both men were feeling the pain now. Christmas smashes Corino's head off the cage, and covers for 2. Corino battles back with a swinging neckbreaker, 2nd buckle elbowdrop, and a cloverleaf which Christmas survives after almost a minute in the hold. Corino climbs to the top buckle, then keeps going a couple more feet up, and then comes flying off for a clothesline, but Christmas moves out of the way! Both men are slow to their feet but Christmas nails a superkick out of the blue! Both men are exhausted, the pin cover is slow so Corino kicks out. The challenger battles back, a double underhook takedown, slingshot into the cage wall, and then applied the cloverleaf once again. This time the pain was just too much for Christmas who cried uncle.

Steve Corino celebrates in the ring as Jim Neidhart and Vic Gate come out to celebrate with him as we,

FADE TO BLACK
 

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #779
March 27, 1999
RCW Rage
Rochester, Minnesota

Rage opens with an interview with new RCW Heavyweight Champion, Steve Corino. Joe Aiello ran down with him some of the top contenders for the strap, including former champ Jody Christmas, the winner of the RiverWars ladder match Joe E. Legend, TV champion Gary Goodridge, Bobby Duncum Jr. Vendetta II, and toughman champion Kurrgan. Quite the list. Vincent Regliatti came out to join Corino and announce his reconciliation with his fellow Canadian. Vic Gate will be out of action for six months or more with back surgery so Regliatti says he has Corino's back. Boss Strickland came out to challenge Regliatti to a match, calling him a flake, and a snow flake at that.

Opening Bout
Boss Strickland defeated Vincent Regliatti by pinfall after an Olympic suplex at 7:07
Strickland reversed a sharpshooter attempt by Regs with a sharpshooter of his own. Soon after he hit Regs with the overhead suplex and got the pin.

Jack Larkin comes out to the ring. As owner of RCW he wants to pay umbrage to father Frank Larkin and his Grandpa Lazarus Larkin who of course were both wrestling promoters. So he is going to name this tag tournament thrown together by his commissioner Nick Bockwinkel, the Larkin Cup. He just wanted to make sure the fans knew it was named after his predecessors and not himself. 
Nick Bockwinkel came out, not looking overly happy about it but willing to play ball. Bockwinkel then announced the tag team tournament brackets. The round of 16 would be competed for on Rage, with the 8 winners advancing to the PPV. Bockwinkel also announced that at a later date the tag PARTNERS of the winning team would face each other; with the winner getting a Heavyweight title shot.

A Side
Tully Blanchard & Bobby Duncum Jr   v   Jesse Hennig & Darkstar
Spyder & Menele  v  Balls Mahoney & Rising Son

B Side
Steve Corino & Nick Mercury  v  Joe E. Legend & Jody Christmas
Boss Strickland & Stan Baker  v  Vincent Regliatti & Jim Neidhart

C Side
Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal  v  Scarlett Birmingham & Lewis O'Day
Tarzan Goto & Yoshi Kwan  v  Derek Graves & Gary Goodridge

D Side
Kurrgan & Ben Bassarab  v  Vendetta II & Kutlu Warrior
Ace Darling & Devon Storm  v  IBZ: Wiked Klown & Shaggy

The bracket announcements of course also unveiled the RCW signing of the Road Warriors (/w Paul Ellering), and former RCW tag champs Storm & Darling. Goto & Kwan were labeled as guests.

The arena went dark and Kurrgan walked to the ring. He told Nick Bockwinkel that he was going into battle against Vendetta II, but would bring his own partner; not Bassarab. When Bockwinkel objected Kurrgan threatened to chokeslam him until he relented. Kurrgan refused to name his partner.


Bout #2
Ben Bassarab defeated Stan Baker by pinfall after a Northern lights suplex at 9:20
**Baker attacked before the opening bell. At one point Bassarab missed a suicide tope and landed hard on the outside floor. However, he would eventually recover in spectacular fashion, hit the suplex and pick up the win.

Beck Hennig came to the ring with Darkstar, her new charge, and Michael Modest. She then called out Jesse Hennig who Bockwinkel named as Darkstar's partner for the tag tournament. A bargain was struck between Jesse and Darkstar, where they would form a new stable with Michael Modest and Becky. Jesse was not too happy about it after being on the end of a 2 on 1 beatdown, but it appeared his choices were to gain access (partial) to Becky again, or get another beatdown. So Jesse agreed. Becky's celebration hug with her cousin Jesse was a bit too long for Darkstar's liking so he pulled Becky off by the hair.


Bout #3
Round of 16 - Larkin Cup
Darkstar & Jesse Hennig (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Tully Blanchard & Bobby Duncum Jr by pinfall when Darkstar pinned Duncum after a death valley driver at 11:12
**Duncum took it to Hennig early, but Darkstar and Hennig showed better teamwork than their opponents and managed to isolate Blanchard for much of the match. In the end though it was Duncum who took the loss, while Blanchard was too slow (partially impeded by Becky) to make the save.

After the bout Bobby Duncum Jr was so upset that he attacked Tully Blanchard who was finally saved by a chair swinging Ben Bassarab.


The second hour kicked off with an interview with TV champion Gary Goodridge who retained the belt last night. Goodridge said he is sick of Vendetta II's interference with his and everyone else's business and challenged him to a match tonight. Derek Graves though came out and said he is still owed a return title shot, not VII. So a triple threat match was made for tonight's main event for the TV title.

Bout #4
Road Warrior Hawk (/w Paul Ellering) defeated Ace Darling by pinfall after a flying clothesline at 7:17
**This match went back and forth, matching power against speed and finesee. Hawk wore down Darling and then hit the big clothesline for the clean win.

Some hardcore footage and interviews with Japanese stars Goto and Kwan are shown.


Bout #5
Round of 16: Larkin Cup Match
Spyder & Menele defeated Balls Mahoney & Rising Son by pinfall when Menele pinned Mahoney after a spinebuster slam at 7:50
**The RCW tag champs Spyder & Rising Son kept it clean between themselves when they were in the ring. However, Mahoney and Menele turned it into a real brawl with Spyder and Son pretty much staying out of it. Menele hit a series of moves on Mahoney; clothesline, powerbomb, DDT, and then the spinebuster slam to pick up the win. Rising Son did not try and make the save.

The Alliance (Jody Christmas, Joe E. Legend, & Mistress Gloom) came out next. Christmas and Legend seemed to argue a bit about who should get the next shot at Corino's title. Theny they cooled it and talked about the Allinace looking for new members and being on a recruitment drive. They said they have a few friends from down south interested, but that they were also impressed with a few guys from up here.


Main Event
RCW Television Title Match - Triangle Match
Derek Graves (/w Sharon Montgomery) defeated Gary Goodridge (champion) and Vendetta II by pinfall when he pinned Goodridge after a chair shot at 14:04
[Derek Graves wins the RCW Television Title]
**Goodridge and VII got the heat foing in this one. Goodridge went for a frankensteiner only to have VII turn it into a powerbomb. Goodridge got an anklelock submission on Graves but was too close to the ropes. Near the conclusion of this bout VII abruptly left the ringside area but not before grabbing a steel chair and insisting that Montgomery have a seat to watch. 
VII's departure then distracted Goodridge and the ref who began a count. Montgomery passed Graves her chair and he used it to smash Goodridge from behind. Graves got the ref to stop the count on VII and count his pin on the champ to win a very tainted victory. Graves got the win over the man who will be his partner in the Larkin Cup. 

As the show ended, Balls Mahoney, Menele, and Kutlu Warrior stormed the ring to punk Graves and the still recovering Goodridge, while Vendetta II watched the carnage from on top of the ramp, as we

FADE TO BLACK