Post by Leo on Sept 21, 2024 19:29:31 GMT -5
Pro Wrestling USA Introduction
Real world background: Pro Wrestling USA was a partnership of the AWA and NWA to counteract the national expansion of the WWF. Joint shows were ran with talent sometimes intermixing, but titles remained separate. Ric Flair and Harley Race in interviews said there were plans for the federation to be a full merger eventually. It never got there as Jim Crockett and Verne Gagne constantly argued. It ran shows from Sept. 1984 to April 1986.
Scenario: What if the promoters didn’t feud and held things together with the company being a full merger with title unifications and talent working with each other from the start.
Roster: Most of the roster I’m using made at least one appearance on Pro Wresting USA television from its inception to early 1985, with some exceptions.
I’m including World Class Championship Wrestling talent, which would eventually form the USWA with the CWA. Also, while I didn’t see Randy Savage working any television tapings, Lanny Poffo did and Savage was still with the CWA at the time.
There is some prominent Pro Wrestling USA talent I don’t have access too as they are signed with AJPW. This being Harley Race, Dory Funk Jr., Jerry Lawler and the Road Warriors. In this scenario, they will be working in Japan and this has caused me to tweak some elements, like title holders.
While set in 1984, I fully expect some modern booking and production elements to slip in.
Host/Interviewer: Jack Reynolds
Ring Announcer: Lance Russell
Play by Play: Gordon Solie
Color Commentator: Terry Funk
Segment 1
Jack Reynolds welcomes fans and explains how Pro Wrestling USA is a merger of some of the best wrestling promotions in the United States today for the good of you the fans.
He then introduces the participating promoters, who come in and all shake hands. They pose for the camera with big smiles. This is Verne Gagne of the AWA, Jim Crockett of the NWA, Jerry Jarrett of the CWA and Fritz Von Erich of WCCW.
They exit and Reynolds brings in the neutral third party who will serve as the commissioner of PWUSA, Eddie Einhorn.
Einhorn talks about how PWUSA will be innovative and forethinking in its presentation, looking at the future of pro wrestling not the past. He announces the first super show, Super Clash, for Thanksgiving night at at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Three matches are already known. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel will face in a title unification match. CWA Mid-America Champion Randy Savage and WCCW America Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich will face to form the PWUSA All-American Championship. NWA World Tag Team Champions Ivan Koloff and Don Kernodle will have a title unification bout with AWA Tag Team Champions The High Flyers of Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne.
Plus, there will be a 10-men battle royal with the winner getting $25,000 and a future shot at the PWUSA Unified Title. And qualifying matches for the battle royal will be over the next few weeks.
Match 1
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Sgt. Slaughter vs. “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert
Referee: Bill Alphonso
Finish: Gilbert complains of hair pulling in the corner and the referee backs him off. This allows Gilbert to pull a small chain out of his boot he wraps around his fist. Slaughter ducks a wild swing that turns Gilbert all the way around. Slaughter grabs Gilbert from behind for an atomic drop and then a Cobra Clutch Slam for the win.
Winner: Sgt. Slaughter by pinfall
Time: 7:11
Segment 2
Jacky Reynolds has Ric Flair. “Since the start of my career in professional wrestling it has been the number one goal of the Nature Boy to be on top of that mountain. Now, they go and build a bigger mountain with Pro Wrestling USA. Woo! Rest assured I will also be the king of the PWUSA mountain come Super Clash. All I have to do is defeat Little Ricky Martel. Little Ricky is a child pretending to be a man and, as I always say, Jack Reynolds, to be the man you have to beat the man, woo! And the boy that is Little Ricky Martel will never, ever beat the real man that is ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair. Woo!”
Match 2
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Thunderbolt Patterson vs. Barry Horowitz
Referee: Marty Miller
Finish: Horowitz is caught on a Thesz Press attempt with a bearhug and rag dolled. Patterson slams Horowitz out of the bearhug and wins with a running leg drop.
Winner: Thunderbolt Patterson by pinfall
Time: 3:11
Segment 3
Jack Reynolds has Rick Martel. “Ric Flair was out here earlier calling me a child, calling me Little Ricky. Well, that’s just fine. Flair can call me whatever he wants to. My entire career, Jack Reynolds, I’ve been underestimated. I’ve been too young. I’ve been too small. I’ve been too good looking to be taken seriously. So, you go ahead and underestimate me all you want, Ric Flair. Call me whatever you want to call me. Jumbo Tsuruta underestimated me. Nick Bockwinkel has underestimated me. Jimmy Garvin has underestimated me. King Tonga has underestimated me. But, I’m still the AWA World Champion and come Super Clash I’ll be the unified champion.”
Match 3
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. “The Crusher” Jerry Blackwell with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie
Referee: Tommy Young
Finish: Blackwell misses a falling headbutt and Steamboat comes back with a series of chops and a dropkick. A flying crossbody off the ropes gets a two count. Steamboat goes to the top rope, but Al-Kaissie whacks him with his cane in full view of Tommy Young. Blackwell is disqualified. Blackwell and Al-Kaissie do a post match beatdown until The Crusher makes the save.
Winner Ricky Steamboat by disqualification
Time: 8:32
Segment 4
Jack Reynolds is with Randy Savage. “Freak out! Freak Out! Yeah! Come Super Clash the Macho Man will be champion of all the Americas, brother. North, south, east, west - the sky’s the limit and space is the place. Oh, yeah! Dig it! And all I have to do is beat Kerry Von Erich. And not only, can I beat you up, Kerry, but my dad can beat up your dad. Dad get in here.”
Angelo Poffo enters and turns around to show his jacket with the number 6,033, signifying the number of sit-ups he did to set a world record in 1945. “My boy will be the first ever and only Pro Wrestling USA All-American Champion, because he’s never going to lose the title. Then he and his brother, Lanny, will win the unified tag titles. And if Flair or Martel aren’t careful, maybe I’ll take the unified belt too. The Poffos are the first family of wrestling.” Angelo puts up one finger and walks. Savage follows after yelling. “Kerry Von Erich, you are yesterday’s news. Oh yeah!”
Match 4
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Bob Backlund vs. Mr. Saito with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie
Referee: Bill Alphonso
Finish: Backlund starts going for the cross face chicken wing. Al-Kaissie jumps up on the ring apron. Alphonso gets him down, but this allows Saito to get a mule kick. Thumb jab to the throat and he finishes with the Saito suplex. Bit of an upset and Backlund is very frustrated afterward.
Winner: Saito by pinfall
Time:10:03
Segment 5
Jack Reynolds is in-studio with Kerry Von Erich. “Randy Savage is one of the most intense wrestlers in our sport today. That isn’t lost on me. But, to come out here and say ‘my dad, can beat your dad,’ that’s schoolyard bullying. Ric Flair was calling Rick Martel, who is a great wrestler, a child out here earlier. Well, I beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Title earlier this year. He learned I was the man, because I beat the man and the Macho Man will be defeated by this man at Super Clash for the All-American Title.”
Match 5
The Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn) and “Wildfire” Tommy Rich vs. The Long Riders (Scott and Bill Irwin) and “Outlaw” Ron Bass with Black Bart
Referee: Tommy Young
Finish: Long beat down on Lane by the heels. Scott telegraphs a backdrop and Lane rolls over him and tags Rich. He’s a house of fire and knocks the other two heels off the apron. Scott charges and runs into a Hot Shot. Rich pins Scott after the Fire Driver (sitout suplex slam).
Winners: The Fabulous Ones and Rich by pinfall of Rich on Scott
Time: 14:11
Segment 6
Jack Reynolds closes the show with Nick Bockwinkel, the former AWA World Champion. “Jack, I hate to speak ill of any grappler of the AWA. I’d hate to have to agree with a scallywag like Ric Flair. But, he was speaking nothing but truth out here earlier tonight, Mr. Reynolds. I cannot fathom a scenario where a wrestler like Rick Martel can defeat a wrestler like Ric Flair and become the Pro Wrestling USA Unified Champion. However, there is no doubt in my mind I can conquer Ric Flair and claim that unified title for the glory of the AWA. I should be the representative of the AWA in that match at Super Clash. Rick Martel, if you want to prove yourself a man and prove yourself worthy, you will answer my challenge for this fine television program next week. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel for the AWA World Heavyweight Title with the winner advancing to face Ric Flair at Super Clash. Martel, you can think long and hard about this challenge, but in the end it is unquestionable the decision you need to make.”
Real world background: Pro Wrestling USA was a partnership of the AWA and NWA to counteract the national expansion of the WWF. Joint shows were ran with talent sometimes intermixing, but titles remained separate. Ric Flair and Harley Race in interviews said there were plans for the federation to be a full merger eventually. It never got there as Jim Crockett and Verne Gagne constantly argued. It ran shows from Sept. 1984 to April 1986.
Scenario: What if the promoters didn’t feud and held things together with the company being a full merger with title unifications and talent working with each other from the start.
Roster: Most of the roster I’m using made at least one appearance on Pro Wresting USA television from its inception to early 1985, with some exceptions.
I’m including World Class Championship Wrestling talent, which would eventually form the USWA with the CWA. Also, while I didn’t see Randy Savage working any television tapings, Lanny Poffo did and Savage was still with the CWA at the time.
There is some prominent Pro Wrestling USA talent I don’t have access too as they are signed with AJPW. This being Harley Race, Dory Funk Jr., Jerry Lawler and the Road Warriors. In this scenario, they will be working in Japan and this has caused me to tweak some elements, like title holders.
While set in 1984, I fully expect some modern booking and production elements to slip in.
Pro Wrestling USA
Episode 1
Sept. 18, 1984
Taped at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee
Host/Interviewer: Jack Reynolds
Ring Announcer: Lance Russell
Play by Play: Gordon Solie
Color Commentator: Terry Funk
Segment 1
Jack Reynolds welcomes fans and explains how Pro Wrestling USA is a merger of some of the best wrestling promotions in the United States today for the good of you the fans.
He then introduces the participating promoters, who come in and all shake hands. They pose for the camera with big smiles. This is Verne Gagne of the AWA, Jim Crockett of the NWA, Jerry Jarrett of the CWA and Fritz Von Erich of WCCW.
They exit and Reynolds brings in the neutral third party who will serve as the commissioner of PWUSA, Eddie Einhorn.
Einhorn talks about how PWUSA will be innovative and forethinking in its presentation, looking at the future of pro wrestling not the past. He announces the first super show, Super Clash, for Thanksgiving night at at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Three matches are already known. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel will face in a title unification match. CWA Mid-America Champion Randy Savage and WCCW America Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich will face to form the PWUSA All-American Championship. NWA World Tag Team Champions Ivan Koloff and Don Kernodle will have a title unification bout with AWA Tag Team Champions The High Flyers of Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne.
Plus, there will be a 10-men battle royal with the winner getting $25,000 and a future shot at the PWUSA Unified Title. And qualifying matches for the battle royal will be over the next few weeks.
Match 1
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Sgt. Slaughter vs. “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert
Referee: Bill Alphonso
Finish: Gilbert complains of hair pulling in the corner and the referee backs him off. This allows Gilbert to pull a small chain out of his boot he wraps around his fist. Slaughter ducks a wild swing that turns Gilbert all the way around. Slaughter grabs Gilbert from behind for an atomic drop and then a Cobra Clutch Slam for the win.
Winner: Sgt. Slaughter by pinfall
Time: 7:11
Segment 2
Jacky Reynolds has Ric Flair. “Since the start of my career in professional wrestling it has been the number one goal of the Nature Boy to be on top of that mountain. Now, they go and build a bigger mountain with Pro Wrestling USA. Woo! Rest assured I will also be the king of the PWUSA mountain come Super Clash. All I have to do is defeat Little Ricky Martel. Little Ricky is a child pretending to be a man and, as I always say, Jack Reynolds, to be the man you have to beat the man, woo! And the boy that is Little Ricky Martel will never, ever beat the real man that is ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair. Woo!”
Match 2
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Thunderbolt Patterson vs. Barry Horowitz
Referee: Marty Miller
Finish: Horowitz is caught on a Thesz Press attempt with a bearhug and rag dolled. Patterson slams Horowitz out of the bearhug and wins with a running leg drop.
Winner: Thunderbolt Patterson by pinfall
Time: 3:11
Segment 3
Jack Reynolds has Rick Martel. “Ric Flair was out here earlier calling me a child, calling me Little Ricky. Well, that’s just fine. Flair can call me whatever he wants to. My entire career, Jack Reynolds, I’ve been underestimated. I’ve been too young. I’ve been too small. I’ve been too good looking to be taken seriously. So, you go ahead and underestimate me all you want, Ric Flair. Call me whatever you want to call me. Jumbo Tsuruta underestimated me. Nick Bockwinkel has underestimated me. Jimmy Garvin has underestimated me. King Tonga has underestimated me. But, I’m still the AWA World Champion and come Super Clash I’ll be the unified champion.”
Match 3
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. “The Crusher” Jerry Blackwell with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie
Referee: Tommy Young
Finish: Blackwell misses a falling headbutt and Steamboat comes back with a series of chops and a dropkick. A flying crossbody off the ropes gets a two count. Steamboat goes to the top rope, but Al-Kaissie whacks him with his cane in full view of Tommy Young. Blackwell is disqualified. Blackwell and Al-Kaissie do a post match beatdown until The Crusher makes the save.
Winner Ricky Steamboat by disqualification
Time: 8:32
Segment 4
Jack Reynolds is with Randy Savage. “Freak out! Freak Out! Yeah! Come Super Clash the Macho Man will be champion of all the Americas, brother. North, south, east, west - the sky’s the limit and space is the place. Oh, yeah! Dig it! And all I have to do is beat Kerry Von Erich. And not only, can I beat you up, Kerry, but my dad can beat up your dad. Dad get in here.”
Angelo Poffo enters and turns around to show his jacket with the number 6,033, signifying the number of sit-ups he did to set a world record in 1945. “My boy will be the first ever and only Pro Wrestling USA All-American Champion, because he’s never going to lose the title. Then he and his brother, Lanny, will win the unified tag titles. And if Flair or Martel aren’t careful, maybe I’ll take the unified belt too. The Poffos are the first family of wrestling.” Angelo puts up one finger and walks. Savage follows after yelling. “Kerry Von Erich, you are yesterday’s news. Oh yeah!”
Match 4
Super Clash Battle Royal Qualifier
Bob Backlund vs. Mr. Saito with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie
Referee: Bill Alphonso
Finish: Backlund starts going for the cross face chicken wing. Al-Kaissie jumps up on the ring apron. Alphonso gets him down, but this allows Saito to get a mule kick. Thumb jab to the throat and he finishes with the Saito suplex. Bit of an upset and Backlund is very frustrated afterward.
Winner: Saito by pinfall
Time:10:03
Segment 5
Jack Reynolds is in-studio with Kerry Von Erich. “Randy Savage is one of the most intense wrestlers in our sport today. That isn’t lost on me. But, to come out here and say ‘my dad, can beat your dad,’ that’s schoolyard bullying. Ric Flair was calling Rick Martel, who is a great wrestler, a child out here earlier. Well, I beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Title earlier this year. He learned I was the man, because I beat the man and the Macho Man will be defeated by this man at Super Clash for the All-American Title.”
Match 5
The Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn) and “Wildfire” Tommy Rich vs. The Long Riders (Scott and Bill Irwin) and “Outlaw” Ron Bass with Black Bart
Referee: Tommy Young
Finish: Long beat down on Lane by the heels. Scott telegraphs a backdrop and Lane rolls over him and tags Rich. He’s a house of fire and knocks the other two heels off the apron. Scott charges and runs into a Hot Shot. Rich pins Scott after the Fire Driver (sitout suplex slam).
Winners: The Fabulous Ones and Rich by pinfall of Rich on Scott
Time: 14:11
Segment 6
Jack Reynolds closes the show with Nick Bockwinkel, the former AWA World Champion. “Jack, I hate to speak ill of any grappler of the AWA. I’d hate to have to agree with a scallywag like Ric Flair. But, he was speaking nothing but truth out here earlier tonight, Mr. Reynolds. I cannot fathom a scenario where a wrestler like Rick Martel can defeat a wrestler like Ric Flair and become the Pro Wrestling USA Unified Champion. However, there is no doubt in my mind I can conquer Ric Flair and claim that unified title for the glory of the AWA. I should be the representative of the AWA in that match at Super Clash. Rick Martel, if you want to prove yourself a man and prove yourself worthy, you will answer my challenge for this fine television program next week. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel for the AWA World Heavyweight Title with the winner advancing to face Ric Flair at Super Clash. Martel, you can think long and hard about this challenge, but in the end it is unquestionable the decision you need to make.”