July 2002

[managermike99]

Roster

River City Wrestling Roster - July 2002

FACES
Stan Baker (o)
Al Collins
Joe Blum
Greg Pawluk
Johnny Devine
Norman Smiley (o)
Dave Mysterio (o)
Sugarcrisps Baker (o)
Aidan Gilchrist (o)
Gavin Slater (o)


HEELS
Nick Mercury (HWC) (/w Madusa) (o ?)
Raymond Bingham (/w Madusa)
Steve Riley (TVC) (/w Madusa)
Bryan Caruthers (TTC)
Mike Enos (TTC)
Menele
Playboy Vincent Regliatti
Eric Scott
Judas Young (o)
Blackhammer (0)
Danny Doring (/w Electra) (o)
Blue Meanie (/w Jasmin St. Claire) (o)
Big Vito (o)


Women
Madusa
April Hunter

Coming
Dawn Marie
Kid Kash
Great Muta
Rena Mero
Roddy Piper
Green Dragon (Jason Pharo)

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #930
July 6, 2002
Peoria, Illinois

Dark Matches Before RAGE

Opening Bout
Green Dragon defeated Blackhammer by submission to the Dragon sleeper at 6:07
**premiere of Jason Pharo, aka Green Dragon, a young man with an MMA background impressively dispatched Blackhammer.

Bout #2
Judas Young defeated Dave Mysterio by pinfall after a top rope splash at 8:39
**even match with a good pace. Mysterio had Young set up for a superplex but Young managed to counter it and drove Mysterio to the mat to pick up the win.


RCW RAGE - Hour #1

Bout #3
Menele and Big Vito battled to a no-contest at 4:12
**this bout between two strong men got out of hand early and it never got back into control.

Bout #4
RCW Television Title Match
Steve Riley (/w Madusa) defeated Norman Smiley by countout at 7:45
[Steve Riley retained the RCW Television Title]
**twice Smiley took control of the bout, but both times Riley managed to knock Smiley out of the ring and then distracted the ref as Madusa got some kicks in. Smiley chased Madusa around the ring and walked right into a clothesline. Still outside the ring Riley nailed a spear. Smiley managed to somehow make a comeback on his last legs, only to have Madusa jump on the apron and grab Smiley around the head. Smiley lurched back with his hips and bumped Madusa off the apron. Smiley turned around and Riley speared him, driving both men out of the ring. Riley managed to get back in the ring at the count of 7, but Smiley failed to get back inside.

Bout #5
Special Stipulations
Joe Blum (/w Al Collins) defeated Johnny Devine (/w Greg Pawluk) by pinfall after a death valley driver at 8:27
**Blum and Collins were pissed at Devine for previous interference and they want a chance to tag together again. Blum had beaten Pawluk, and challenged Devine, saying if he could beat Devine than they should be able to tag as a team again. Devine didn't want to agree but Pawluk agreed to it for him. Blum had Devine on the run and twice "Hot Shot" left the ring to confer with his partner Pawluk who just told him to get back in the ring. Devine nailed Blum with a hot shot, went for a pin, and put his foot on the bottom rope. Al Collins though was close enough to bring it to the refs attention. Devine distracted himself arguing while Pawluk just watched. Blum scooped up Devine from behind, hoisted him, and nailed him with a DVD for the win. Collins and Blum celebrated the win and their reformation as a team. Pawluk offered his congratulations but Devine just left on his own.

Bout #6
Strap Match
Madusa defeated April Hunter by touching all four buckles at 6:24
**Hunter is stronger than Madusa, and the relaxed rules of a strap match helped her. But Madusa was too experienced and too vicious and came out on top. 


RCW RAGE - Hour #2

Bout #7
RCW Tag Team Title Match
4 Corners Elimination Tag Match
Caruthers/Enos defeated Great Canadians: Vincent Regliatti & Eric Scott and Danny Doring & Blue Meanie (/w Electra/St. Claire) and Aidan Gilchrist & Gavin Slater at 13:31
[Bryan Caruthers & Mike Enos retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
[Great Canadians and Doring/Meanie were eliminated by countout when Scott and Meanie were counted out at 9:42]
[Gilchrist/Slater were eliminated by pinfall when Caruthers pinned Slater after a spiked piledriver at 13:31]
**putting all four teams into one match was a big challenge for the champs, but also supposed to be a way to settle things between all the teams. However, it really didn't feel like much was settled, if anything more fuel was added to the fire.

Main Event
Nick Mercury & Raymond Bingham (/w Madusa) defeated Stan Baker & Sugarcrisps Baker by pinfall when Mercury pinned Sugarcrisps after a double slingshot at 11:46
**simply put Sugarcrisps was the weak link in the bout. Stan grew frustrated and after the double team win tried to go after his opponents but wisely they put on their track shoes.

As the show closes we get a special announcement from Commissioner Jim Brunzell. He says that next week Nick Mercury is going to have his hands full with a special guest who will get an RCW title shot. Making his first return to River City Wrestling since 1990, even though he grew up in RCW's birthplace Winnipeg, the one and only, the Rowdy one, Roddy Piper!! Mercury in the ring is shocked and shaking the ropes in anger.

FADE TO BLACK

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #931
July 13, 2002
Marquette, Wisconsin

Dark Match Before RAGE

Opening Bout
Sugarcrisps Baker defeated Blackhammer by pinfall after a running splash at 4:52
**this match didn't do too much to get the fans pumped up for the TV matches

RCW RAGE - Hour #1

Bout #2
Danny Doring (/w Electra) & Blue Meanie (/w Jasmin St. Claire) defeated Great Canadians: Vincent Regliatti & Eric Scott by pinfall when Doring pinned Scott after a double underhook DDT at 6:35
**solid match. Some timely interference by St. Claire allowed the ECW crew to turn the bout around.

Bout #3
Joe Blum & Al Collins defeated Young Guns: Johnny Devine & Greg Pawluk by pinfall when Blum pinned Pawluk after the Gut Check (gorilla press into a gutbuster) at 5:58
**the tag division in RCW is really hot right now. The recently reunited Collins and Blum managed to get some long awaited revenge with a clean victory.

Bout #4
Fatal Four Way
Big Vito defeated Menele, Green Dragon, and Judas Young by pinfall when he pinned Young after a top rope belly to back suplex at 7:30
**all four men were legal, first fall inside the ring takes the win. Menele and Dragon had spilled outside. Dragon reversed an armlock on Menele and put him in an STF, and had him in trouble (but the match could not be won outside). Young had climbed to the top, looked like he was contemplating going all the way to the ground on top of Dragon and Menele but Big Vito recovered and caught him.

Bout #5
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Bryan Caruthers & Mike Enos defeated Aidan Gilchrist & Gavin Slater by disqualification for abuse of official at 9:25
[Bryan Caruthers & Mike Enos retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**The Scots had a good showing and the two seemed to be on the same page as a tag team, and their synchronicity began to frustrate the champs. When the champs turned things around by cheating, and then set up Gilchrist for a spiked piledriver, all the while the ref was more interested in keeping Slater out of the ring. So Slater lost his temper and tossed the ref to the side, drawing his DQ.


RCW RAGE - Hour #2

Preview: Next week will be a special "all-women's" edition of River City Wrestling RAGE. It will feature Madusa, April Hunter, Electra, Jasmin St. Claire, and also Dawn Marie, Candie, Tara, Luna Vachon, Selina Majors (making her first appearance in RCW), and special guest competitor Rena Mero!!

Bout #6
RCW Television Title
Steve Riley (/w Madusa) defeated Norman Smiley by pinfall after a tombstone piledriver at 8:38
[Steve Riley retained the RCW Television Title]
Smiley used his mobility to stay out of reach and use a stick and move attack to frustrate the champ. Riley managed to get ahold of Smiley and toss him out of the ring. He then surprised everyone by climbing to the top rope and jumping down nailing Smily with a double axhandle. Riley punished the challenger with a series of low tech moves like hip tosses, punches, and a couple bodyslams. He then picked up the pace more including a powerslam for a 2 count. Smiley made a spirited comeback but he went for a cross bodyblock and Riley caught him and turned it into a tombstone piledriver for the win.

Bout #7
Raymond Bingham (/w Madusa) and Stan Baker battled to a double countout at 6:09
**Bingham had problems with Bakers' size and strength and was lucky to get a saw-off. During the bout Piper came down to the announce table to do commentary in advance of his bout. He got into a war of words with Madusa, a shot across the bow prior to the main event. 

Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Nick Mercury (/w Madusa) defeated Roddy Piper by submission to the Hero's Welcome at 9:13
[Nick Mercury retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**Piper came out to an absolutely massive ovation. Mercury had a hard time getting any momentum going against the all-time great. Piper though seemed to be more interested in entertaining the crowd, harassing Madusa, and embarrassing Mercury than winning the bout. Mercury eventually turned the bout around. He nailed Piper with a slingshot suplex, went for it again, but this time Piper countered by landing on the apron, and then poking the eyes of Mercury, one than the other. He slipped back into the ring, whipped  Mercury to the buckle, followed him in. But Mercury vaulted up, landed behind Piper, rolled him up, 1, 2, grabbed the tights, but was seen by the ref who forced the break. Mercury complained to referee Buddy Lane which allowed Piper to roll him up, 1, 2, grabbed the tights, seen by Lane who forced the break and warned both men. Mercury went to resume his attack on Piper, but the Rowdy one used Lane as a human shield, playing ring around the ref, until he slipped another eye poke in over the ref's shoulder. Piper was having fun. He whipped Mercury into the buckle, followed in, using the top ropes vaulted himself up for a splash, but Mercury brought his knees up. Mercury turned Piper over into the elevated Boston Crab. While the ref was checking on the hold for some reason around the legs, Madusa reached in and clobbered Piper in the head with the ring bell. Lane went to check on Piper saw he was out cold and called for the bell. Officially it went down as a submission.


FADE TO BLACK

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #932
July 20, 2002
Chicago, Illinois

Special All-Women's Edition

RCW RAGE - Hour #1

Opening Bout
California Girl defeated Peggy Lee Leather by pinfall after a sunset flip at 5:08

Bout #2
Dawn Marie defeated Tara by pinfall after a fireman's carry slam at 3:39
**DM was the last holder of the North American women's title but that was not mentioned except in passing by the announce crew, and there was no sign of the belt tonight. During the bout Electra, and Jasmin St. Claire (fellow ECW alumni) came out to scout the bout. 

Bout #3
Jasmin St. Claire defeated Candie by pinfall after a sitout facebuster at 4:02
**Candie controlled early. Dawn Marie came out to ringside and that distracted Candie. St.Claire nailed Candie from behind, hit a side suplex, and then the finisher.

Bout #4
Luna Vachon defeated Electra by countout at 5:15
**Electra took quite a beating. St. Claire came out, but Vachon pounded her as well. Dawn Marie came out, and Electra took the opportunity to slip out of the ring and walk away, taking the loss.


RCW RAGE - Hour #2

Promo: Special Announcement. Next week on RAGE we will have another special guest appear and get a title shot at Nick Mercury. The pearl of the Orient, the Great Muta will get to take on the cocky Nick Mercury who barely managed to escape his bout last week against Roddy Piper still the title holder.

Bout #5
April Hunter defeated Rena Mero by disqualification for abuse of official at 6:52
**Mero got a nice ovation from the crowd and was all smiles and waves. But when Hunter offered a handshake Mero dissed her as if below her standards. Throughout the bout Rena complained about hair pulls, tight pulls, and anything else she could make up. At one point outside the ring Mero complained to security about a fan supposedly touching her and had the bout delayed while he was dealt with. Once she was out of excuses and tricks Hunter nailed her inside the ring with a couple shots, then a hurrancanrana, and whipped her to the buckle. She came running in but Mero pulled the ref into the way. This caused the DQ, and Mero left to a chorus of jeers.
 
Bout #6
Madusa defeated Selina Majors by pinfall after a superkick at 8:51
**premiere of Selina Majors, a very game competitor known from her appearances in WOW. She gave Madusa a run for her money but came up short.

Main Event
Battle Royale
April Hunter wins a 12-Woman Battle Royale at 7:22
The ECW girls tried to form an alliance, but it broke down early in the chaos of the battle.
**Electra eliminated by Candie/Dawn Marie 0:54
**Candie eliminated by Dawn Marie 1:01
**Rena Mero eliminated by Vachon/Hunter 1:35
**Tara elminated by Peggy Lee Leather 1:56
**California Girl eliminated by St. Claire/Dawn Marie 2:53
**Jasmin St. Claire eliminated by Madusa 4:12
**Peggy Lee Leather & Dawn Marie eliminated each other at 4:58
**Luna Vachon eliminated by Selina Majors at 5:34
**Selina Majors eliminated by April Hunter & Madusa at 6:16
**Madusa eliminated by April Hunter at 7:22


FADE TO BLACK

[managermike99]

River City Wrestling #933
July 27, 2002
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Dark Match Before RAGE
Vincent Regliatti defeated Dave Mysterio by submission to the figure-four at 6:33

RCW RAGE - Hour #1

Bout #2
Dawn Marie defeated Electra and Jasmin St Claire by pinfall when she pinned Electra after a sitout facebuster at 4:06
**no good workers here, but interesting since sometimes the ECW gang seem to be united and other times not so much.

Bout #3
Danny Doring defeated Blackhammer by pinfall after a double underhook DDT at 4:39
**squash match. Electra was in no shape to come out in the corner of Doring.

Bout #3
Kid Kash (/w Dawn Marie) defeated Blue Meanie (/w Jasmin St. Claire) by disqualification for outside interference (St. Claire) at 6:14
**Premiere of Kash, and he was brought out by Dawn Marie. Seems like each of the 3 ECW ladies has her own man to manage. Two of them matched up here, and when Kash looked ready to end it St. Claire came into the ring to attack Kash. This of course brought DM in to the ring to go at it with St. Claire.

Bout #4
Menele defeated Big Vito and Green Dragon by pinfall when Menele pinned Green Dragon after an Exploder suplex at 7:27
**a rematch of sorts from two weeks ago, with 3 of the 4, only Judas Young who was pinned last time did not get invited back. Last time Vito picked up the duke, this time Menele took the honour.


RCW RAGE - Hour #2

Bout #5
RCW Tag Team Title Match
Bryan Caruthers & Mike Enos defeated Aidan Gilchrist & Gavin Slater and Al Collins & Joe Blum by pinfall when Enos pinned Blum after a spinning crucifix toss at 8:09
[Bryan Caruthers & Mike Enos retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]
**After the champs cheated two weeks ago to hang onto their titles against the Scottish challengers, they were forced to defend against them again, and this time with an additional team thrown in Collins & Blum who won a big match against the Young Guns to give them a shot. The champs win wasn't exactly clean, but the finish was.
Caruthers and Enos are having a nice run as tag champs.

Bout #6
Norman Smiley & Stan Baker defeated Steve Riley & Raymond Bingham (/w Madusa) by pinfall when Smiley pinned Riley after a Dragon suplex at 6:16
**solid match between 4 of RCW's brightest stars. The end came with Bingham distracting the ref allowing Madusa to jump up on the apron with a chain wrapped around her fist. But Smiley ducked and Madusa nailed Riley instead. He was out on his feet but Smiley nailed the suplex finisher anyway.

Main Event
RCW Heavyweight Title Match
Great Muta defeated Nick Mercury (/w Madusa) by disqualification for outside interference (Madusa) at 12:41
[Nick Mercury retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]
**big guest appearance by Muta. Mercury started the bout by taking it to the mat with a series of headlocks and armbars, trying to ground the great Muta. The fans were solidly behind Muta. Eventually Muta reversed a couple armbar attempts, and then nailed a jumping side kick. Muta then worked a series of leg locks, while simultaneously using it to leverage Mercury's shoulders to the mat. Muta went to work keeping the champ grounded with a single leg Boston, then into an inverted Indian death lock, followed by a bridge. The two then stayed on the mat and exchanged leg locks and figure fours. Muta then left the ring so he could wrap the champ's leg around the ringpost and smash it off the apron. The two got into a donnybrook outside the ring, then exchanged chops and punches inside the ring. Muta nailed a spinning heel kick but after Madusa jumped on the apron to distract him, Mercury raked the eyes of Muta and then tossed him out of the ring. Mercury attacked with an atomic drop, clothesline, knee drop, and then kicked away at Muta's knee. Both men were now moving with a limp. Mercury went to the top and came off with an elbow to the head of a standing Muta. He went for the elevated Boston crab but Muta managed to twist and fight his way out of it before it could be applied. Mercury sent Muta to the ropes, but Muta nailed him with a hurancanrana, for 1, 2, kickout. He went to the top and nailed a missile dropkick, cover 1, 2, Madusa reached in and pulled Muta off by the legs. Outside the ring Muta threatened Madusa but Mercury was able to attack him from behind. However, at this point as Mercury and Madusa both kicked away at Muta the ref Buddy Lane threw the bout out.

FADE TO BLACK