July 1999

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #797
July 3, 1999
Chicago, IL


THE SANDMAN IS BOSS STRICKLAND'S MYSTERY PARTNER!!
STEVE CORINO WINS TITLE SHOT AT VENDETTA II FOR Locked & Loaded!! 
KURRGAN TO CHALLENGE BASSARAB!!


Warm-up Broadcast on Some affiliates


Bout #1
Sick Boy defeated Jim Neidhart by pinfall after
hitting the cure at 6:52
**upset, and Sick Boy looked really well

Bout #2
Pierre Oulette defeated Erin O'Grady by pinfall after the cannonball at 9:55
Although the Leprechaun Erin O'Grady controlled much of the match he got caught by Pierre Oullete following him back into the ring.
Oulette hit the cannonball to get the pin.

Bout #3
Kevin Quinn and Mistress Gloom (/w Joe E. Legend) battled to a draw 20:00 
A 20-minute draw which saw Quinn control most of the match but Gloom refused to lose. Legend at one point tried to hit Quinn with a chair, but he ducked and instead Gloom received the chair shot.

Bout #4
Elmwood Brawler & Darren Dalton defeated Ace Darling & Devon Storm by pinfall when Dalton pinned Storm after a swinging neckbreaker at 3:28
**shocker

Bout #5
Scarlett Birmingham (/w Lady Victoria) defeated Nick Mercury (/w Big Albert) by pinfall after hitting him with a hockey stick at 7:15
**Mercury was winning the match despite the outside interference of Lady Victoria. Boss Strickland tried to throw Birmingham a frying pan but it  was intercepted by Mercury who hit Birmingham. Victoria entered the ring to hit Mercury with a chair but he ducked and she nailed Birmingham.
Birmingham continued to fight back but then Yoshi Kwan attacked him from behind.
Jody Christmas tried to throw Mercury a hockey stick but it was intercepted by Birmingham who then nailed Mercury to pick up the win.


RCW Rage Opens With.....


Kurrgan challenging anyone from the company, preferably a member of the Prophecy to enter the ring and fight him....the masked man Darkstar came down to accept the challenge.

Opening Bout 
Kurrgan defeated Darkstar (/w Becky Hennig) by pinfall after a bodyslam at 4:29
**Darkstar is fighting for his life against the powerful attacks of  Kurrgan. Finally Kurrgan wears him down and after a tombstone piledriver he adds a bodyslam for good measure.


<<the pRopheCy>> fill the ring when we return and they just sort of blather on, looking kind of dejected, except for Vendetta II who looks forward to Steve Corino's retirement party.
Balls Mahoney runs in from the crowd with a chair and lays out Menele and Kutlu Warrior, but VII manages to escape unscathed. Mahoney then lays a big kiss on Barbie Wired.


Boss Strickland is interviewed backstage trying to round up a partner for tonight. Says his mystery partner has not shown up yet, and he should have known better than to have taken a chance on someone from Barbed Wire City.


Bout #2
Wiked Klown & Michael Modest (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Menele & Vendetta II (/w Barbie Wired) by pinfall when Modest pinned Menele after a small package (/w a handful of tights) at 8:33
**Modest and Klown survive only by double teaming, and actually get Menele into trouble. Menele goes for a front-layout suplex but Modest counters with a small package and uses the ropes for leverage, to get the big upset.

After the match Vendetta II says that he was impressed by Modest and challenges him one-on-one for next week.

Ben Bassarab is in the ring for his match with Derek Graves when Kurrgan comes down and challenges Bassarab to a match at Locked & Loaded. Bassarab accepts.


Bout #3
RCW Television Title Match
Ben Bassarab defeated Derek Graves (/w Sharon Montgomery) by countout at 3:34
[Derek Graves retained the RCW Television Title]
Graves is all over Bassarab to start, and tries to choke him out. Bassarab comes back to gain an advantage. Bassarab hits Graves with a shoulderblock and then throws him out of the ring.  Graves appears to hit his head on the floor and is out cold. Montgomery tries to get him back onto his feet but to no avail.

Commish Nick Bockwinkel comes out to update the PPV.
The main event will be between the RCW Champion Vendetta II and either
Steve Corino (if he wins tonight) or Last Man Standing winner Gary Goodridge.
Bock also announces that anybody interfering with the Corino/Baker
match tonight would be suspended from the RCW.
Also on the PPV will be Kurrgan vs Ben Bassarab.
Bock also announces two new matches for the PPV;
Joe E. Legend will face Boss Strickland,
and  former IBZ teamates Shaggy and Wiked Klown will meet head-on in a hardcore match.


Bout #4
Jesse Hennig (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Blitzkrieg by pinfall after a piledriver at 6:44
The match is even until Hennig hits a wicked swinging neckbreaker. Hennig goes for a hotshot but Blitz turns it into a Thesz press. Blitz goes for a spinning backbreaker, but Hennig counters with a spinning headscissors into a cradle. Hennig follows up with a piledriver to get the pin.

Mercury's Orbit;  features the hosts having a retirement shower for the guest Steve Corino. Kwan gives him a Boater Hat, Big Albert gives him a sleeveless, gutless Over the Hill T-shirt, and Mercury gives him a set of very old golf clubs. Corino just takes it with a smirk until Birmingham and O'Day show up and start to beat the crap out of the Mercury crew with the golf clubs.


Bout #5
Hardcore Tag Team Match
The Alliance: Jody Christmas & Joe E. Legend (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated Boss Strickland & The Sandman (/w Becky Heniig) by pinfall when Legend pinned Sandman after a powerslam at 20:35
** Strickland comes down to ringside and challenges the Alliance to make the tag match into a Hardcore Tag Match. Alliance agrees and jokingly asks if Strickland is sure the Leprachaun can handle hardcore.
The crowd errupts when "Enter Sandman" by Metallica reveals the mystery partner to be none other than the extreme Icon The Sandman!! And he is accompanied by Becky Hennig!
The Sandman starts off against Legend, and loses the initial exchanges. Strickland has better luck thanks to some double teaming. Gloom throws Legend a chair with which he nails Strickland, then gets a 2 count.
Christmas is tagged in and hits a superkick, 2 count. Sandman is tagged in. Christmas wins the exchange and all 4 men then brawl in the ring. The Alliance double team the Sandman, but only get a 2 count. Christmas has the Sandman in trouble but he battles back, Strickland and Sandman double team Christrmas.  Christmas and Sandman counter each other's holds, and all 4 men are  brawling again.
Legend and Strickland are now in, and Legend has Strickland in trouble until the Sandman comes in illegally and nails Legend with a DDT.
Gloom throws Christmas a blackjack but Sandman intercepts it and nails Christmas, and would have got the pin but Gloom distracted the ref. Legend tags in.
All 4 men are brawling outside the ring now. The Sandman sets up a table and DDT's Legend through the table.
Gloom throws Sandman off the top turnbuckle,  she then helps Legend back into the ring, he hits the pedigree, but Sandman gets his foot over the bottom rope to get the break.
All 4 men are brawling now and Shaggy from the IBZ comes out and attacks Sandman from behind. Legend follows up with a powerslam and then pins the Sandman.

After the match the Sandman grabs a mic and tells Strickland and Becky to shove off. He says he has no friends, needs none, but could use a few more enemies here in the RCW. He declares war on everyone in the RCW especially those hardcore sellouts Becky's Boys.


MAIN EVENT
IF STEVE CORINO LOSES HE MUST RETIRE
Steve Corino defeated Stan Baker by submission to the inverted Indian deathlock at 6:45
Corino goes to work on the lower body right off with a spinning toehold and leglock. Then Corino puts on a sleeperhold, and is really showing off his skills.
Baker comes back with a doctor bomb and a suplex. Corino nails a piledriver. Outside the ring Baker tosses Corino around, until Corino reverses things and throws Baker into a few guardrails. Baker catches Corino entering the ring and nails a dragon suplex to get the 2 count. Corino bounces right back with a bulldog and then slaps on a new move for him, an inverted Indian deathlock to get the victory.

Baker and Corino shake hands after the match as Vendetta II watches from the top of the ramp. Corino urges Vendetta II to come to the ring, as we


FADE TO BLACK

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #798
July 10, 1999
Winnipeg, Canada

Warm-Up Broadcast on Some Affiliates

Opening Bout
Jody Christmas (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated Pierre Oulette by disqualification for outside interference at 8:11
**Christmas was busted open early in this one on the guardrail. Boss Strickland and The Sandman came down to ringside separately. This was a surprisingly even matchup with Oulette getting his share of licks in.
The Sandman tripped up Christmas, hauled him out of the ring where he pounded on him while Strickland ran interference on Gloom. Joe E. Legend showed up with a chair to clear them out and rescue his fellow Alliance member.

Bout #2
Darkstar (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Blitzkrieg by pinfall after the DVD at 3:55
**Blitz hit the shooting star press but Hennig distracted the ref from making the count. Hennig then pulled down the top rope on Blitz, sending him to the floor. Back inside Darkstar nailed the Death Valley Driver to pick up the win.

Bout #3
Steve Corino & Stan Baker defeated Erin O'Grady & Sick Boy by pinfall when Baker pinned O'Grady after a powerslam at 3:20
**O'Grady was isolated from the start. Corino hit a superplex on O'Grady for a near fall. Baker then hit a powerslam and picked up the win. Sick Boy never got into the match.


RCW Rage opens with...

A review of the Alliance double cross of Boss Strickland, and his recruitment of the Sandman last week.

Joe E. Legend is in the ring with Mistress Gloom and he calls out Strickland. He challenges Strickland to make their match at Locked & Loaded an "I Quit" match. Strickland agrees of course.


Opening Bout
Mistress Gloom defeated Kevin Quinn by pinfall after a double underhook piledriver at 2:23
**a rematch after their time limit draw last week. This time Gloom was hungry and made short work of Quinn, hitting a high knee lift and then the finisher.


A video package showcasing the talents of young sensation Blitzkrieg.

Review of Balls Mahoney's split from the pRopheCy.


Bout #2
RCW Tough Man Title Match
Bobby Duncum Jr. defeated Wiked Klown (/w Becky Hennig) by pinfall after a running bulldog at 19:10
[Bobby Duncum Jr. retained the RCW Tough Man Title]
**Klown started with a hotshot and a belly to belly suplex. Hennig tripped up Duncum, but Duncum battled back, until Hennig pulled down the top rope on Duncum to send him to the floor. Klown had Duncum in serious troubel after a DDT and a powerbomb. Klown hits his finishing top rope legdrop, but Duncum kicked out. Duncum hit Klown with a running bulldog outside the ring.
Manny Silva comes down to ringside and distracts Duncum giving Klown the advantage. Silva hits Duncum in the back with a chair. Duncum battles back and hits another running bulldog outside the ring on the arena floor and made the pin.

After the bout Duncum went looking for Silva. Shaggy appeared from the back to check on his former partner Klown who hadn't moved since being pinned. Shaggy helped Klown to his feet only to be attacked by his former partner, and the two needed to be separated by security.

Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel has the mic until Duncum returns to the ring and takes it away from him, and rants about Silva. Bock then says he has a surprise guest referee for the Duncum-Silva match at Locked & Loaded; The Sandman!!
Bock also announces that the Kurrgan-Bassarab match will be in a cage. As a preview for that match for the fans tonight there will be a ladder-cage match for the European title between Menele and Balls Mahoney.


Bout #3
RCW Tag Team Championship Title Match
Manny Silva & Ben Bassarab defeated Nick Mercury & Yoshi Kwan (/w Big Albert) when Silva pinned Mercury after a powerslam at 17:55
[Manny Silva & Ben Bassarab retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**Bassarab hits Kwan with a tope suicide dive and then puts on a crossface outside the ring. Mercury has Silva in trouble but manages a tag out to Bassarab. Big Albert tripped up Bassarab. Bassarab unleashed a furious attack on Mercury that includes a northern lights suplex and a back suplex before Mercury gets a tag out to Kwan. Bassarab and Silva double team Kwan, Silva hits a superkick while Bassarab follows up with a flying shoulderblock. Kwan fights back by savagely choking Bassarab. Bassarab and Mercury have a good exchange.
Bobby Duncum Jr appears at ringside and tosses Mercury a hockey stick which he uses to nail Silva. Bassarab breaks up the pin attempt. Bassarab and Silva double team Mercury, than Silva hits a superplex and then a powerslam to get the win.

After the bout Silva battled Duncum, and then suddenly Derek Graves and Gary Goodridge join the fray double teaming and devastating Ben Bassarab. They leave him laid out in the ring.

Interview with Graves and Goodridge who rant about Silva and Bassarab stealing their tag titles. They obviously want a rematch.


Bout #4
Elmwood Brawler defeated Devon Storm by oinfall after a swinging neckbreaker at 5:54
**Brawler all over Storm with a new level of intensity. Storm battles back with a jumping side kick and a standing moonsault. Brawler though ends up hitting the swinging neckbreaker out of nowwhere to pick up another big upset.

Elmwood Brawler says that he is only one step away from the big time and that is having a big time manager. He invites all wrestling managers to start sending in their offers.

Mercury's Orbit; with guests Derek Graves & Gary Goodridge, who Mercury is trying to get to chill out. Then Big Albert becomes too frisky with Sharon Montgomery and she pours a pitcher of ice water over his head.


Bout #5
Non-title match
Vendetta II (/w Barbie Wired) defeated Michael Modest (/w Becky Hennig) by disqualification for outside interference at 3:50
**Modest is all over the champ with a fisherman suplex, a DDT, and a spinebuster slam. Steve Corino comes to ringside. VII battles back with a vertical suplex and an inverted atomic drop. Corino hits VII in the back with a chair and climbs into the ring to attack Vendetta II.

Both the pRopheCy and Becky's Boys swarmed the ring after the DQ to lay waste to Steve Corino. Stan Baker runs in but is soon overwhelmed.
Derek Graves and Gary Goodridge run in to even the odds somewhat but VII and Menele continue to work over the legs of Corino with a chair.
Balls Mahoney runs in wielding a chair that sends everyone scattering except Corino who has to be carted off on a stretcher, and Menele who Mahoney pins with the chair until the cage can lower to start the main event.


MAIN EVENT
RCW European Title Match
LADDER-CAGE MATCH
Menele defeated Balls Mahoney by retrieving the title belt at 18:13
[Menele retained the RCW European Title]
**Mahoney lets Menele up only to nail him with a double arm DDT. Mahoney faceslams Menele into the ladder and follows up with a swinging neckbreaker. Menele hits a piledriver and almost makes it to the top of the ladder but Mahoney shoulderblocks him off the top of the ladder. 
Mahoney applies the mandible claw and Menele appears out but comes back with a facerake. Mahoney makes it to the top but Menele just manages to knock him off the ladder. Menele hits a double underhook suplex and a hotshot. They continue to battle with several near misses. Eventually, both men crawl up opposite sides of the ladder but Menele grabs the belt first.
Mahoney sends the ladder forward, crashing Menele into the cage wall. Menele wins but is left in the ring lying still and busted wide open.

as we

FADE TO BLACK



A so-so show, hopes are high that the next 2 weeks will be better now that Locked & Loaded is almost completely booked.

RCW Ratings as of July 1/99

Singles

1) Vendetta II (Heavyweight Champ)
2) Derek Graves (Television Champ)
3) Bobby Duncum Jr. (Toughman Champ)
4) Gary Goodridge (Last Man Standing)
5) Steve Corino
6) Kurrgan
7) Jody Christmas
8) Joe E. Legend
9) Menele (European Champ)
10) Ben Bassarab
11) Stan Baker
12) Balls Mahoney
13) Manny Silva
14) Kutlu Warrior
15) Nick Mercury

Tag Teams

1) Manny Silva & Ben Bassarab (Tag Team Champs)
2) Derek Graves & Gary Goodridge
3) Lewis O'Day & Scarlett Birmingham
4) Jesse Hennig & Darkstar
5) Extremists: Ace Darling & Devon Storm

Managers

1) Barbie Wired
2) Sharon Montgomery
3) Becky Hennig
4) Mistress Gloom
5) Big Albert
6) Lady Victoria

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #799
July 17, 1999
Peoria, IL

Warm-up on some affiliates

Opening Bout
Erin O'Grady defeated Elmwood Brawler by pinfall after an Irishcarana at 8:20
**O'Grady pretty much dominated Brawler, who had been on a roll.

Elmwood Brawler grabbed a mic and said that he wouldn't be cheated out of any more victories once his legendary manager was in place.

Bout #2
Sick Boy defeated "Wild Child" Kevin Quinn by pinfall after a gutwrench suplex at 5:03

Bout #3
Boss Strickland defeated Yoshi Kwan (/w Big Albert) by pinfall after a top rope splash at 10:43
**Big Albert was doing a great job of helping Kwan, so Sandman showed up to even the odds by handing a blackjack to Strickland which he used to knock out Kwan before hitting the finisher.

Bout #4
Hardcore Match
Shaggy defeated Jesse Hennig (/w Becky Hennig) by pinfall after hitting him with a baseball bat at 6:52
**Hennig controlled most of this bout. But when Shaggy did get an advantage, his former partner Wiked Klown showed up to ringside, and with Becky as a distraction tried to toss a baseball bat to Hennig. However, Shaggy intercepted it and used it to get the win.

After the bout Jesse Hennig and Wiked Klown got into a pushing match with Becky trying to play peace maker.


RCW Rage Opens With...
The Sandman in the middle of the ring ranting on how everyone in the back wants to know how he stands. Well, with kendo stick in hand he challenges anyone from the back to come find out how he stands.
Joe E. Legend and Mistress Gloom accept the challenge, but it is Gloom that steps in the ring with the hardcore icon.

Opening Bout
The Sandman defeated Mistress Gloom (/w Joe E. Legend) by disqualification for outside interference at 8:45
**Sandman controls the action despite Legend's constant interference. Jody Christmas, Nick Mercury, Yoshi Kwan, and Big Albert come down to ringside. Gloom hits a double underhook piledriver on the concrete floor. But Sandman is able to battle back with a DDT and a spinebuster slam. Mercury throws Sandman off the top buckle and the referee calls for the DQ. The Alliance swarms and punks The Sandman until **cue the cowbells**, Bobby Duncum Jr shows up with a chair to clear the ring.

After the match Duncum got in Sandman's face, Sandman shoved Duncum, who then gave him the double bird, only to have Sandman give it right back to him.

Vendetta II arrives at the arena and is met in the hallway by owner Jack Larkin, who looks distraught. He tells VII that "his Canadian friend" has signed his name to an open contract to face VII in any kind of match tonight, despite his injuries.
Smelling a chance to injure Steve Corino further VII signs on the bottom line, and writes on the contract that it will be a non-title Stretcher Match. Larkin just grins.

Tape recorded message from Balls Mahoney to Vendetta II, that he has already taken out his other flunkies Menele and Kutlu Warrior and is coming for him next.


Bout #2
Gary Goodridge (/w Sharon Montgomery) defeated Manny Silva by submission to the sleeperhold at 10:26
**Ben Bassarab came down to ringside to do commentary. Goodridge is tearing Silva apart. Silva fights his way out of a knee lock submission. Bassarab comes to ringside and trips up Goodridge. Silva battles back and attacks Goodridge with fists. Goodridge though fights through the attacks, and ends up channeling his martial arts with a rear chokehold/sleeper to end the bout.

Bassarab enters the ring with a chair but Goodridge stares him down! Kurrgan comes down for some reason with a ladder and takes out all three men with ladder shots.

Elmwood Brawler says he will unveil his manager as well as a mystery partner at Locked & Loaded and that he is now part of a 3 way tag dance with the Extremists and Graves/Goodridge.

Scarlett Birmingham challenges Nick Mercury to make their fight at Locked & Loaded into a street fight.


Bout #3
Darkstar (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Blitzkrieg by pinfall after a DVD at 10:09
**Blitz gives up nearly 100 pounds in this bout. Blitz uses his high risk moves to counter Darkstar's power attack. He wins a battle outside the ring, only to have Darkstar put on a cobra clutch inside the ring. Blitz battles back and nails a shooting star press. Becky distracts the ref to stop the pin count. Blitz goes for a bodypress only to be caught mid air by Darkstar and put into a gorilla press slam. Darkstar follows up with the Death Valley Driver finisher for the win.

We see Jack Larkin telling Vincent Regliatti that Vendetta II has signed the contract for tonight (thinking it was for Steve Corino). We have not seen Regs since he was forced to forfeit the heavyweight title after having problems with customs due to a previous marijuana conviction. Apparently that has been worked out.


Bout #4
Joe E. Legend (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated Scarlett Birmingham (/w Lady Victoria) by pinfall after a Legend cutter at 16:39
**very good bout. Gloom helped Legend quite a bit from outside the ring. Birmingham caught Legend charging into the corner, followed up with a sleeperhold, piledriver, and an abdominal stretch (using the ropes for leverage). Gloom tripped up Birmingham. The ref was distracted with Victoria and it allowed Gloom to enter the ring with a steel chair, but Birmingham moved out of the way and she nailed Legend instead. The ref took too long though so Legend was able to kick out. Legend battled back, nailed a Legend cutter, but was too close to the ropes and Birmingham managed to get a foot over to cause the break. They stand toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring. Jody Christmas comes down to the ring for an extra distraction. Gloom trips up Birmingham again, and this time Legend capitalizes with a piledriver and then his finisher for the win.

Mercury's Orbit...this week's guest, The Sandman. Sandman basically says he thinks Duncum Jr is an overrated wrestler who couldn't stand the sight of his own blood so had to leave Barb Wire City. Then he says the same thing about Nick Mercury. Sandman says he would be quite happy to face the winner of Silva-Duncum because he only wrestles winners, not losers.


Bout #5
RCW Television Title Match
Jody Christmas (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated Derek Graves (/w Sharon Montgomery) by disqualification for outside interference at 4:37
[Derek Graves retained the RCW Television Title]
**Gary Goodridge came down to ringside. Christmas hit two moonsault bodyblocks, a flying clothesline, and a superkick. Christmas though used the ropes for leverage on a pin and got caught by the ref. Christmas climbed to the top buckle but Montgomery threw him off to get disqualified.

Goodridge confronted Graves and Montgomery about their tactics, only to have Christmas waffle him from behind with a superkick. Graves and Montgomery fled the ring.

Montage and interviews with Vendetta II and Steve Corino setting up their main event at Locked & Loaded.

Vendetta II is shown backstage finding out that he must face a returning Vincent Regliatti tonight, not Corino. VII doesn't seem shaken, and says he has a backup plan to get what he wants tonight.


Main Event
Stretcher Match - Non-Title
Vendetta II (/w Barbie Wired) and Vincent Regliatti battled to a 20-minute time limit draw
**Shortly after this bout starts a masked man in military fatigues comes down to ringside, followed shortly by Steve Corino who stands on the opposite side of the ring from the mystery man.
Regliatti is all over VII early in this match and gets the sharpshooter on VII several times. Corino grows frustrated watching and nails Vendetta II in the back with a steel chair. The ref orders Corino to the dressing room. The man in fatigues breaks apart a table and hands a chunk to VII who uses it to waffle Regs. Regs though battles back and after another sharpshooter puts VII on the stretcher but he battles his way off before he can be buckled down. The man in fatigues passes VII another piece of the table but Regs intercepts it and hits Vendetta II. They then each find a hockey stick under the ring and exchange blows. Steve Corino returns from the dressing room to join the battle. Time has expired and the ref calls for the bell. We have a draw.

The brawl continues inside the ring, and it's joined by Balls Mahoney, then Kutlu Warrior and Menele. The man in fatigues has joined the brawl on the side of VII but Corino rips off his mask to reveal it to be Michael Modest. Joe Aiello informs us that Michael Modest dressed like this and used the gimmick Pvt. Pain for an expose of wrestling, Pro Wrestling Secrets Exposed, for which he was temporarily black balled.

We Fade To Black


Crappy ending of a draw for the main event, but on the other hand we had 4 matches of *** or better quality. Great episode and some lead-ups to Locked & Loaded.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #800
PPV: Locked & Loaded
July 18, 1999
Chicago, IL


Elmwood Brawler comes to the ring to bring out his new manager and mystery partner for tonight. His manager is Lord Zoltan bio who then brings out the mystery partner Kamala the Ugandan Giant!!

Opening Bout
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Triple Threat Tag Team Elimination Match
Derek Graves & Gary Goodridge (/w Sharon Montgomery) defeated The Extremists: Ace Darling & Devon Storm and Elmwood Brawler & Kamala (/w Lord Zoltan) at 25:25
[Graves & Goodridge retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**the crowd was underwhelmed for the announcement of Zoltan but popped for Kamala. 
Devon Storm attacked Graves before the bell but soon Graves and Goodridge had Storm in trouble. Next it was Darling's turn to be isolated by the other two teams. Kamala didn't tag in until the 11th minute and looked slow and slower. Brawler almost pinned Goodridge after a swining neckbreaker. Graves countered and ducked away from several Brawler moves before nailing him with a piledriver to get the pin.
[Brawler & Kamala eliminated by pinfall when Graves pinned Brawler after a piledriver at 18:16]
Darling and Graves go at it in a long exchange. Graves gets his legs up on a moonsault attempt, and then tags out to Goodridge. The former MMA star takes down Darling with a back suplex and then applies the knee lock submission to get the clean victory.
[The Extremists eliminated by submission when Goodridge submitted Darling to the knee lock submission at 25:25]


Bout #2
Buffalo Riot Match (Hardcore)
Special guest referee - Buffalo Sabre tough guy - Rob Ray
Scarlett Birmingham defeated Nick Mercury by submission to the camel clutch at 10:31
**The crowd really got into this bout and it was very entertaining. Mercury tombstoned Birmingham through a table, then used a hockey stick and a bullrope. They brawl into the stairwells and Mercury uses brass knuckles on Birmingham. Birmingham battled back using the hockey stick and a table. Back in the ring Mercury badly missed a flying cross body block. Mercury had to survive an STF. Both men were pretty bad off by now. Mercury used a cookie sheet, the ring bell, and the hockey stick on Birmingham but couldn't put him away. The Brit battled back and after a pair of superplexes to weaken the back he put Mercury into a camel clutch for the win.


Bout #3
Hardcore Match
Wiked Klown (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Shaggy by pinfall after a powerbomb at 12:20
**dreadful match. Shaggy has the early advantage and is the aggressor. Hennig distracts Shaggy and Klown then throws him into the guardrail and then the ringpost. Shaggy moves away from Klown's top rope legdrop attempt. Klown busts Shaggy wide open ouside the ring. Klown wears him down with a bearhug, goes for a powerbomb but Shaggy blocks it. Shaggy comes back with a piledriver and an Asai moonsault. Klown blocks a second piledriver attempt and hits a powerbomb to gain the victory over his former tag partner. 


Bout #4 
Cage Match
Kurrgan defeated Ben Bassarab by pinfall after a tombstone piledriver at 14:43
**Bassarab attacked early and nailed his flying headbutt and put on a crossface. Kurrgan no sold some chops, and tossed Bassarab off the cage wall. Kurrgan went to work on Bassarab and got a 2 count after a chokeslam. Bassarab raked the eyes of Kurrgan and then busted him wide open by running his head across the cage wall. Bassarab had a couple close calls with locking on the crossface and a cloverleaf. Kurrgan moved away from a flying headbutt and returned the favor raking Bassarab's head across the cage wall drawing blood. Another chokeslam almost got the win, but when he went for a piledriver Bassarab reversed it and gave Kurrgan a piledriver. Kurrgan though pressed Bassarab off before the ref even slapped a one count. Kurrgan slapped Bassarab across the face twice, scooped him up in a dominating fashion, crotched him off the top rope, then slammed his head off the cage wall. Bassarab fell to the mat, was picked up by Kurrgan, tombstone, and the win.  


Bout #5
I Quit Match
Joe E. Legend (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated Boss Strickland by submission to a Fujiwara armbar at 33:42
**Legend takes the early advantage but Strickland takes control outside the ring. Strickland misses a top rope splash and Gloom later trips up Strickland from outside. Legend gets busted wide open. Legend hits a superplex and a double underhook suplex. Strickland battles back and nails the frog splash but forgets its an I Quit match. Legend is bleeding like hell.
Strickland throws Legend around ringside, and then Legend returns the favor. Gloom knocks Strickland off the top buckle. Both men are battered. Strickland gets an abdominal stretch (the first submission attempt of the bout), but Gloom nails Strickland from the apron. Legend still has not gone for a submission, and continues to assault Strickland. Finally, in complete control, Legend puts on the armbar and gets a quick tap out.


Bout #6
Cage Match
Special Guest Referee - The Sandman
Bobby Duncum Jr defeated Manny Silva by pinfall after a running bulldog at 16:17
**The early going is even, and Duncum rakes Silva's face across the cage busting him open. Silva nails a superplex, but is bleeding profusely. Silva hits a powerslam but Duncum keeps fighting back. Duncum nails a bulldog out of nowhere but can only get a 2 count. They stand toe to toe and Duncum wins the dust up. Silva bumps into the Sandman and knocks him down. This allows Duncum to nail Silva from behind with a low blow, and follow up with his running bulldog finisher.


MAIN EVENT
RCW HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
Steve Corino defeated Vendetta II by pinfall after a flying elbowdrop at 30:31
[Steve Corino wins the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**The early going was even but then Corino gets a big advantage and applies a figure four. Then he follows up with a Russian legsweep, elbowdrop from the second buckle, flying bulldog, enzuigiri, and a Boston crab. VII gets to the ropes but a second Boston crab has the champ in trouble.
Balls Mahoney comes down to ringside.
Corino gets a sharpshooter on VII but again he reaches the ropes. Outside the ring VII catches Corino and throws him head first into a steel chair. Back inside but Mahoney pulls down the top rope sending VII to the floor. VII and Corino battle outside the ring, and Mahoney attacks VII from behind. 
Pvt. Pain (Michael Modest) comes rushing down to ringside to even the odds. Corino just can't seem to finish off the champ.
Corino gets a sharpshooter on VII but he survives a full minute before reaching the ropes. Corino misses a plancha which allows Pvt. Pain to throw Vendetta II a cookie sheet which he uses to nail Corino. VII then uses a chair on Corino again. Back inside VII nails an inverted DDT but only gets a 2 count. Both men are exhausted, but Corino battles and gets the sharpshooter on once again. VII survives and hits Corino with a hockey stick. Corino comes back with an enzuigiri, flying clothesline, and Russian legsweep. Then Corino comes off the top buckle with a flying elbowdrop and the crowd is a bit surprised, but pleased, when he gets the 1..2..3 !! New Champ!! Short title run for VII, and it begins Corino's second title run, the 51st in title history.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #801
July 24, 1999
Gary, Indiana


Warm-up on some affiliates

Opening Bout
The Alliance: Joe E. Legend & Jody Christmas (/w Mistress Gloom) defeated The Family: Elmwood Brawler & Kamala (/w Lord Zoltan) by pinfall when Christmas pinned Brawler after a superkick at 28:36
**Christmas is forced to battle against both men outside the ring as the ref tries to restrain Legend. Kamala and Legend have a good, long exchange before Christmas is tagged in. Kamala nails Christmas with a piledriver and then a nervehold, but Christmas blocks the hold. Kamala tries to choke out Christmas and had him in trouble. Brawler nailed Christmas with his swinging neckbreaker, but Christmas battled right back and hit two German suplexes. 
Boss Strickland and The Sandman come down to ringside.
Christmas nails Kamala with the superkick but he gets a foot over the bottom rope. Strickland throws Brawler a cookie sheet, but Christmas snatches it away and nails Brawler. When Christmas goes for the pin Strickland distracts the ref from making the pin count. Brawler fights back and hits Christmas with a DDT but there is no ref to count. Gloom enters the ring and nails Brawler with a chair. Christmas goes for the pin but the ref is still knocked out, so Sandman enters the ring and nails Christmas and then delivers a piledriver. Christmas survives, fights back, hits the superkick on Brawler, but Kamala broke up the pin attempt. Brawler really takes it to Christmas but can't put him away. When Christmas makes a comeback Sandman trips him up from the outside. Christmas clotheslines Brawler sending him over the top rope. Brawler gets back into the ring only to walk right into a superkick that ends the bout.


RCW Rage Opens with a short montage from Locked & Loaded

Lord Zoltan is in the ring with Kamala and the Elmwood Brawler. He then introduces the newest member of The Family, the former Brawl for All Champion - Bart Gunn!

Opening Bout
Sick Boy defeated Bart Gunn (/w Lord Zoltan) by pinfall after the Cure at 6:00
**Sick Boy is all over Gunn and has the match well in hand, except for when the two battle outside the ring. Sick Boy hits an enziguiri and the Cure (double underhook facebuster), to get a stunning upset victory.
[Sick Boy injured his right arm and will be out approximately 6 weeks].

After the match Bart Gunn got back to his feet and hit the big left hand on Sick Boy knocking him out. Then Gunn did the same to the ref.


Commisoner Nick Bockwinkel calls down Steve Corino to congratulate him on his victory. Then he calls down Bobby Duncum Jr and Gary Goodridge and deems them to be the co-#1 contenders for a shot at the belt. Bock signs the match for next week between the two with the winner going on to face Corino at Summer Sizzle. They agree, Duncum flips them all the bird and leaves. Bock asks Goodridge to stay. He announces that because of their triangle match victory last night at Locked & Loaded Goodridge & Graves will get a shot at the tag team champions Silva & Bassarab tonight! Goodridge though looks displeased and tells Bock that he is not happy with the tactics of Graves and Montgomery and doesn't want to travel down that road with them anymore.
We cut to a commercial.
When we return Bock is with Graves and Goodridge and Montgomery in the ring and they are arguing. Finally, Goodridge just leaves. Silva & Bassarab come down to start their match. Graves says he is going to get another partner.
Before he returns the Extremists show up and attack Silva & Bassarab. Bock says to ring the bell and we have a title match.

Bout #2
RCW Tag Team Title Match
The Extremists (Ace Darling & Devon Storm) defeated Manny Silva & Ben Bassarab by pinfall when Storm pinned Bassarab after a standing moonsault at 13:14
[Ace Darling & Devon Storm win the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**Darling has Bassarab in trouble early and nails a missile dropkick. Then it is Silva's turn to take damage from a swinging DDT, an Asai moonsault, and a double flying dropkick. Storm whips Silva into the guardrail and busts him open.
Derek Graves and Sharon Montgomery are still at the announce table and tell Bockwinkel that he has a partner ready to go. Bock tells him its too late but they continue to argue.
Silva knocks the ref down, but the Extremists hit a double team powerbomb on him, but there is no ref to count. Bassarab battles back with suplexes and a tope suicida. Outside the ring he hits Darling with an inverted DDT. Bassarab goes for another tope suicida but Storm moves out of the way. Darling hits an asai moonsault and a rana. Inside the ring Darling tags out to Storm who ducks a Bassarab clothesline attempt and nails his own clothesline. Storm nails the standing moonsault while Darling pulls Silva off the ring apron to allow Storm to make the cover.

Derek Graves is going nuts at ringside. Nick Bockwinkel is back in the ring, and Graves follows him to argue. Graves pushes Bockwinkel onto his backside, from which Bock announces that now Graves can defend his TV title tonight against Nick Mercury!

Footage of the Extremists celebrating their big victory in the back, being congratulated by all, including Steve Corino and Gary Goodridge


Bout #3
RCW European Title Match 
Hardcore Match
Menele defeated The Sandman by pinfall after a front face DDT at 5:58
[Menele retained the RCW European Title]
Sandman has the early advantage and powerslams Menele through a table. Inside the ring The Sandman has another table set up and tries to legdrop Menele through it, but it doesn't break. Menele is fighting back when Kutlu Warrior comes down to ringside. Kutlu nails Sandman in the back with a chair. Menele executes the front face DDT and gets the pin.

After the match Balls Mahoney ran in with a chair to send Kutlu and Menele scattering.

Balls Mahoney is interviewed. He tells Vendetta II that he thought he had taken out all of his vermin - Menle & Kutlu. But since VII thinks that he got a replacement for Balls; tonight he would have to take out that replacement Pvt Pain. Then at Summer Sizzle he was coming for VII himself.


Bout #4
Wiked Klown (/w Becky Hennig) defeated Scarlett Birmingham (/w Lady Victoria) by pinfall after a powerslam at 5:30
**big upset. The match is pretty even until Birmingham goes for a football tackle, but Klown turns it into a DDT. Darkstar comes down to ringside. Lady Victoria tries to interfere but Hennig stops her from doing so. Hennig trips up Birmingham and as the ref is lecturing her, Darkstar nails Birmingham with a chair. Klown follows up with a sleeperhold and a powerslam for the victory.


Vendetta II gives a promo from a "gothic" looking house. He can't understand why he isn't getting a rematch with Steve Corino. He says the entire RCW will pay for his mistreatment. Balls Mahoney will be the first to pay - at Summer Sizzler.


Bout #5
Pvt. Pain (/w Barbie Wired) defeated Balls Mahoney by disqualification for choking at 3:22
**Pvt Pain of course is the wrestler formerly known as Michael Modest. The match starts in Balls favor but when the action spills outside Pain grabs the advantage. Back inside the ring Balls gets the advantage back. But Balls grabs a chokehold on Pain in the middle of the ring and refuses to let go. The ref calls the DQ.

After the match Kutlu Warrior came from the crowd with a chair and nailed Mahoney in the back of the head. He assaulted him with the chair several times and began to strangle him. Menele joined Kutlu and Pvt Pain in the ring, and the 3 stood tall. The Sandman and Boss Strickland came in to battle but were subdued because of chair shots.
Strickland and The Sandman challenge Kutlu and Menle to a hardcore tag match for Summer Sizzler.

Nick Bockwinkel runs down what we already have signed for Summer Sizzler.
Steve Corino to defend the heavyweight title against either Gary Goodridge or Bobby Duncum Jr.
Vendetta II to face Balls Mahoney.
and now
Boss Strickland & The Sandman against Kutlu Warrior & Menele in a hardcore tag team match.


MAIN EVENT
RCW TELEVISION TITLE MATCH
Nick Mercury (/w Big Albert) defeated Derek Graves (/w Sharon Montgomery) by disqualification for outside interference at 16:24
[Derek Graves retained the RCW Television Title]
**Graves grabs an early advantage with a swinging neckbreaker. Kamala and Lord Zoltan come down to ringside.
Mercury battles back and has the advantage. Graves takes the match outside where he grabs the advantage, throwing Mercury into the guardrail. Mercury hits an asai moonsault but can only get a 2 count. Graves battles back and gets the figure four on Mercury. Mercury survives it and in turn Graves has to then survive a Boston crab. Graves nails two straight DDT's but only gets a two count. Outside the ring Graves nails Mercury with a chair shot. He goes for a second chair shot but Mercury deflects it and the chair hits Kamala. This causes the big monster to then attack Mercury. The ref has seen enough and calls for the bell.

After the mach Kamala and Graves continued to double team Mercury until the rest of the Alliance ran into the ring to clear his attackers.

As we

Fade to Black


Well, a little less in ring action then we are used to, but some surprising twists and big upsets along the way.

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #802
July 31, 1999
Columbus, OH

Special 2 1/2 hour edition of Rage, with some affiliates joining 30 minutes in (a few minutes into bout #2)

RCW Rage opens with Heavyweight champion Steve Corino in the ring talking with announcer Joe Aiello about Summer Sizzle. Basically Corino says he doesn't care who he fights, and has a lot of respect for both challengers as wrestlers. However, he said he personally doesn't care much for Bobby Duncum Jr as a person. At this point Becky Hennig came to the ring wearing a very short sundress. She flirts with Corino, and offers to be his manager (and girlfriend). He toys with her before telling her to get her skank ass out of his ring. She slaps him, and then Jesse Hennig appeared behind him and clocks Corino with a chair shot. Wiked Klown joined in and the 2 punked Corino until Jim Neidhart shows up and chases them off. Corino and Neidhart tell them to come back for a match; which we get right after the commercial break.

Opening Bout
Steve Corino & Jim Neidhart defeated Jesse Hennig & Wiked Klown (/w Becky Hennig) by pinfall when Corino pinned Wiked Klown after a shoulder block at 12:20
**Becky's Boys did a good job isolating and working on Neidhart, who just returned from injury. When Corino finally managed to tag in he didn't fare much better. Eventually though Corino turned the tables with a fantastic flying bulldog on Hennig. In the end Corino used a rather basic shoulder tackle to set up the pin.

Balls Mahoney is interviewed from the back telling Vendetta II how he was going to eliminate Pvt. Pain tonight. Then at Summer Sizzle their match (Mahoney vs VII) was going to be a "blackjack match".

Vendetta II is shown in the pRophecy's dressing room providing council to Pvt. Pain. Telling him he would not be alone tonight. Creepy.


Bout #2
Hardcore Match
Balls Mahoney and Pvt. Pain (/w Barbie Wired) battled to a 20 minute time limit draw
**Mahoney controls the majority of the action in this match against the man formerly billed as Michael Modest. Pain however does gain control outside the ring and throws Mahoney around pretty good. Inside Pain lands his top rope cradle suplex but Mahoney kicks out at the 2 count. Mahoney finally makes a comeback, only to be attacked by Kutlu Warrior outside the ring. He is double teamed but manages to hang on until the bell rings. All 3 men are juiced.

After the bout Mahoney grabs a chair and goes berserk. He clocks both Pain and Kutlu, leaving them laying. He even shoves Wired to the ground. Vendetta II enters the ring and attacks him from behind with Kutlu's kendo stick. 
That's two straight weeks where Mahoney has been unable to defeat Pvt. Pain.

After a commercial break we come back to Vendetta II who accepts Mahoney's Blackjack stipulation for Summer Sizzle. Then he calls out anyone from the back with enough balls to come wrestle him. ANYONE he repeats.
We see some arms throw Sick Boy out from behind the curtain, and he reluctantly makes his way to the ring.


Bout #3
Vendetta II defeated Sick Boy by pinfall after an inverted DDT at 11:13
**Sick Boy actually gives an excellent account of himself hitting some excellent high risk moves to stay in the battle. Eventually however, VII used a couple low blows and some power moves to gain control. He hit his finisher and it was over.


When we return, already into the 2nd hour we have The Alliance in the ring.
They talk about the upstart "Family" and how there will be no power blocks in RCW except for the Alliance. They challenge the Family to bring out their best to face the Alliance in a tag match.
From that challenge and Lord Zoltan's response from the top of the ramp, we get the following tag match.

Bout #4:
The Alliance: Jody Christmas & Nick Mercury (/w Mistress Gloom & Big Albert) defeated The Family: Derek Graves & Bart Gunn (/w Sharon Montgomery & Lord Zoltan) by disqualification for outside interference at 29:14
**The Alliance isolates and works on Bart Gunn early in this match. Graves tags in but fairs no better with Christmas nailing him with a great piledriver. Graves catches Christmas coming into the ring and gets a sleeperhold, then tags out to Gunn who continues to work on Christmas with a bulldog.
Christmas tags out to Mercury who goes to work on Gunn and slaps on the Boston crab. Gunn fights out of the move after a full minute. Graves tags in and the Family double team Mercury. The Alliance returns the favor and gets Graves in trouble. Mercury has to fight out of a figure-four by Graves. Gunn has Mercury in trouble so Gloom enters the ring with a chair, but Gunn moves out of the way and Gloom nails Mercury instead.
Both teams trade some near falls. Manny Silva comes to ringside as Gloom pulls down the top rope sending Gunn to the floor. Mercury attempts a tope but Gunn moves and Mercury misses badly. All 4 men are brawling outside the ring. Gloom keeps Zoltan and Montgomery at bay.  Then Gloom enters the ring and nails Graves with a chair. Graves though fights through it and nails Christmas with that abandoned chair but still can't get the pin. Christmas fights back and has Gunn hurt. He climbs the top turnbuckle but Silva throws him off. The ref finally calls for the bell.

After the bell we get a huge brawl inside the ring with Christmas and Mercury joined by Joe E. Legend, Yoshi Kan, Big Albert, and Mistress Gloom battling against Manny Silva, Derek Graves, Bart Gunn, and Lord Zoltan, who are joined by the Elmwood Brawler (but no Kamala). Eventually The Alliance manages to rule the ring. Quite a wild brawl.


Bout #5:
Scarlett Birmingham (/w Lady Victoria) defeated Darkstar (/w Becky Hennig) by submission to the cobra clutch at 7:22
**Darkstar attacks Birmingham before the bell. They almost get counted out brawling outside the ring. Birmingham fights back including a sleeperhold and a double underhook suplex. Darkstar tries to take the action outside the ring again, but Birmingham dominates him there as well. Back inside Birmingham slaps on the cobra clutch to get the submission victory.

After this match Birmingham takes the opportunity to grab a pair of scissors and cut off the mask of Darkstar. He reveals him to be none other than Brian Lee (a.k.a. Chainz). Chainz and Becky Hennig vow revenge on Birmingham at Summer Sizzle. Jesse Hennig looks pretty pissed off at Lee and Becky.


Main Event
Hardcore Rules 
RCW Toughman Title Match & #1 Contender For Summer Sizzle Match
Bobby Duncum Jr defeated Gary Goodridge by pinfall after a running bulldog at 22:22
[Bobby Duncum Jr. retained the RCW Toughman Title]
**Goodridge gets busted open early in this match on a very innocent looking bodyslam and boot rake. Goodridge blocks two bulldog attempts and then no sells a vertical suplex. Goodridge then goes to work on Duncum, but is bleeding quite bad. In turn though he busts Duncum open just using a punch. Outside the ring Goodridge is in control throwing Duncum into the ringsteps, and guardrail in several places. Goodridge gets the knee lock submission on but is too close to the ropes. Duncum battles back with an abdominal stretch, bodyslam, and backbreaker. Duncum hits his running bulldog but is too slow to cover so Goodridge kicks out at 2 1/2. 
Kamala comes to ringside as the two are fighting toe to toe.
Both men's faces are masks of blood. As Goodridge goes against the ropes, Kamala pulls down the top rope, sending him to the floor. Duncum comes out and works on Goodridge while barking at Kamala to back off. Goodridge battles back sending Duncum into the ring post and then nailing a frankensteiner on the floor. It looks like Goodridge is in control when Goodridge throws Duncum back into the ring. Goodridge makes the mistake of taking time to jaw with Kamala, and when he re-enters the ring Duncum plays possum and catches Goodridge with a forearm upper, neckbreaker, and then his running bulldog to get the pin.

Steve Corino comes out to the top of the ramp after the match and gives Duncum a golf clap. Duncum turns around and calls Corino to the ring.  Goodridge goes charging past Corino to find Kamala. Duncum charges up the ring at Corino who stands ready to meet his charge. But we are out of time.


Fade to Black


[Booking note: Sick Boy, This was supposed to be Blitzkrieg's spot but he no-showed]

Wrestling wise that was an excellent RAGE. However, the matches were so long it didn't leave much room for story development. It was a good preview of the kinds of action we will see at Summer Sizzle.

RCW Ratings as of the end of July

Heavyweights
Champion - Steve Corino
1) Derek Graves (TV champion)
2) Bobby Duncum Jr (Toughman Champ)
3) Gary Goodridge
4) Vendetta II
5) Kurrgan
6) Joe E. Legend
7) Jody Christmas
8) Menele
9) Scarlett Birmingham
10) Balls Mahoney
11) Nick Mercury
12) Manny Silva
13) Jesse Hennig
14) Ben Bassarab
15) The Sandman

Tag Teams
Champions - The Extremists: Ace Darling & Devon Storm
1) Ben Bassarab & Manny Silva
2) Derek Graves & Gary Goodridge
3) Elmwood Brawler & Kamala
4) Boss Strickland & The Sandman
5) Nick Mercury & Yoshi Kwan