FORUM HOME > TNM Circuits > TNM Circuits
Universal Wrestling Federation

Snabbit888Posted on 10/01/06 at 12:19:45

This is a circuit I'm doing on the side while I try to recharge my batteries for GCW.  It is called UWF, and it is loosely modeled off of where WWE is now.  I'm starting in 1963, and running one show a month from Madison Square Garden.  If I end up liking the circuit, I want to do about 20 years of cards this way to establish a history, and then go to "PPV and weekly TV" after, but in a shortened form.

A note for any traditionalists here.  I am only 24.  I don't have a vast knowledge of the specifics of the time.  I've done some research, but there may be times when a wrestler/manager has a different face/heel orientation, or is using a gimmick they didn't debut for years, etc.  Roll with it.  It's hard to find specific info on who was a face/heel at what time for guys who changed frequently, so I just picked something and ran with it.  Also, note that I'm not 100% how shows were run and thus, there may be some elements of "sportz entertainment" that get thrown in when they wouldn't have realistically.  I'm not going to go out of my way to make it so, but if there is more outside interference or whatever than would have really happened, get over it.

And also, since I'm just doing this on the side for now and for fun, the editing will be a little less intensive than I normally try to do.  So if there are typos, weird word wraps, etc., roll with that too.  Here we go.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

JANUARY 21, 1963 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NEW YORK CITY, NY

[World Heavyweight Title Tournament - First Round]:
Jay Strongbow pinned Gorilla Monsoon after a flying axhandle in 0:11:05.
Rating: 3/4*

The Universal Wrestling Federation kicked off its inaugral card with the first match in the World Heavyweight Title Tournament.  In a hard fought match, "Cheif" Jay Strongbow defeated the behemoth Gorilla Monsoon.  He was able to weather
the storm so to speak before he caught Monsoon with a flying axhandle for the win.

The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser defeated
The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2) when Crusher defeated Assassin #1
when Assassin #1 passed out in an airplane spin in 0:06:07.
Rating: DUD

Big time fan favorites The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser wrestled in our first tag team match, taking on and defeating the Assassins.  The masked Assassins tried to cheat as much as possible, but a double switch backfired on them, allowing
Crusher and Bruiser to be victorious.

[World Heavyweight Title Tournament - First Round]:
Buddy Rogers pinned Pedro Morales with the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:12:26.
Rating: ***

The veteran Buddy Rogers pulled off the victory against the young rookie, Pedro Morales, in our second of four World Heavyweight Title Tournament matches.  Morales gave the Nature Boy more of a fight than anyone expected (especially the
arrogant Rogers), but the Nature Boy's dreaded Figure Four Leglock put Morales away.

The Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) defeated
Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki when Dr. J. Graham defeated Inoki when Inoki
passed out in the Sleeperhold in 0:26:52.
Rating: *** 1/2

Two of the shining stars from the Orient were showcased in a tag team match with Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki going up against the evil Graham Brothers.  It was obvious from the beginning that Baba and Inoki weren't getting along.  They
didn't use much teamwork which allowed the Graham's to systematically take them apart.  In the end, Dr. Jerry got on the Sleeperhold and put Inoki to sleep for the win.  After the match, it seemed like Baba had changed his attitude as he
helped Inoki up, but it didn't last long as he would level his partner with the Crush Kick.  Inoki has demanded a match with his former partner and it will take place at next month's Madison Square Garden show.

[World Heavyweight Title Tournament - First Round]:
Verne Gagne made Fritz Von Erich submit to the Gagne Sleeper in 0:14:50.
Rating: ** 3/4

Our third tournament match saw the popular fan favorite Verne Gagne go up against the hated Nazi sympathizer Fritz Von Erich.  Von Erich gave some anti-America remarks before the match, which served to incite the crowd and motivate Gagne.
Gagne spent much of this match on the mat though as Von Erich used his emotions against him.  Gagne fought through the pain though and surprised Von Erich with his sleeper for the win, and a match against Buddy Rogers in the semi-finals next month.

Bobo Brazil defeated The Sheik by disqualification in 0:08:10.
Rating: -** 3/4

Before our next match, Bobo Brazil came to the ring and introduced the crowd to his protege', "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd.  Ladd is a former pro football player who has made the transition to wrestling.  Ladd was not in action tonight though, as
it was Brazil taking on the dangerous Sheik, with his manager Abdullah Farouk.  The Sheik is a dangerous man and is highly unpredictible, but Brazil controlled the pace of this match with his power.  Brazil was cruising to victory when
Abdullah Farouk directed the potentially insane Sheik to jab Brazil with the pencil, causing the disqualification.  The Sheik didn't care as he repeatedly brought the pencil down into Brazil's forehead before Ernie Ladd finally made the
save.  Brazil is going to miss some action, but Ladd will take on The Sheik next month.

[World Heavyweight Title Tournament - First Round]:
Killer Kowalski defeated Bruno Sammartino when Bruno Sammartino passed out in
the Stomach Claw in 0:35:26.
Rating: **** 1/4

Our main event for the evening saw a shocker as Killer Kowalski defeated Bruno Sammartino in he final first round match in the World Heavyweight Title tournament.  A brutal back and forth match.  Killer Kowalski gave Sammartino a beating
that most mortal men would have never gotten up from, but the big Italian fought back and seemed to be well on his way to victory.  That is, until Gorilla Monsoon got involved and clocked Sammartino with a foreign object.  Kowalski put on
the Stomach Claw after that, but Bruno was already unconscious and thus the match was awarded to Kowalski, which almost incited a riot in the Garden.  Kowalski
and Monsoon have obviously formed some sort of alliance aimed at getting the World Heavyweight Title.


Card rating: **


Match observations:

Matches signed for February 25, 1963, from Madison Square Garden:

World Title Tournament Semi-Finals - Jay Strongbow vs. Killer Kowalski
World Title Tournament Semi-Finals - Verne Gagne vs. Buddy Rogers
Antonio Inoki vs. Giant Baba
Ernie Ladd vs. The Sheik
Bruno Sammartino vs. Gorilla Monsoon... and Bruno will have someone in his corner!
Snabbit888Posted on 10/02/06 at 11:48:05

Nick Bockwinkel and Pedro Morales defeated
The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2) when Morales defeated Assassin #2
by countout in 0:06:53.
Rating: -3/4*

Our opening contest saw the debut of Nick Bockwinkel, teaming with Pedro Morales to take on the Assassins.  The Assassins were confident thinking they would have an easy time with the young inexperienced duo, but that would not be the case.  The Assassins finally had enough of being unable to put their opponents away, deliberately getting themselves counted out.

[World Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semi-Finals]:
Jay Strongbow defeated Killer Kowalski by disqualification in 0:13:14.
Rating: **

The semi-finals of the World Heavyweight Title tournament would take place this night, starting with "Chief" Jay Strongbow taking on the hated Killer Kowalski.  Many feel that Kowalski shouldn't have even been in this match after he and Gorilla Monsoon stole a match from Bruno Sammartino last month.  Strongbow knew that the potential of Monsoon interfering was there, and so he had to keep one eye on the outside, which resulted in him taking quite a beating from Killer Kowalski.  When Kowalski had appeared to lose the advantage for good, Monsoon ran to the ring and attacked Strongbow, causing the disqualification.  They put a two-on-one beatdown on the Chief until BRUNO SAMMARTINO and JOHNNY VALENTINE made the save.  Valentine will be the man that Sammartino will have in his corner in our main event.

Ernie Ladd defeated The Sheik by disqualification in 0:16:23.
Rating: -*** 1/4

A month ago, The Sheik wrestled Bobo Brazil and bloodied him after a vicious attack with his signature pencil.  Brazil wasn't here tonight, but his protege' Ernie Ladd was, and the Big Cat was seeking revenge.  Ladd is a big bad man, and he took Sheik to task for much of this match, much to the chargrin of Abdullah Farouk, who has been sent by the Sheik's wealthy family to help him with his dealings.  When Farouk saw how much damage the Sheik was taking, he directed his man to throw a fireball in Ladd's face, which he did, badly burning his face.  Bobo Brazil was not in the building due to his injuries, and thus no one could help Ladd.  Ladd luckily avoided much of the flame and will be okay, but he did suffer some burns and was greatly shaken up.

The Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) defeated
The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser when Dr. J. Graham defeated Crusher when
Crusher passed out in the Sleeperhold in 0:13:31.
Rating: ** 1/4

The Graham Brothers showed just what lengths they would stoop to in this match against Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher.  Bruiser and Crusher are extremely popular and were riding that momentum, but the Grahams countered that with blatant cheating.  While Dr. Jerry Graham distracted the referee, Eddie Graham took an ether-soaked rag and illegally knocked The Crusher out with it.  Dr. J put his Sleeperhold on Crusher, but he was already out and the match was called.

Giant Baba pinned Antonio Inoki with the Crush Kick in 0:20:22.
Rating: *** 1/2

Though obviously new to the States, Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba already have a history with each other.  Both were discovered by the legendary Rikidozan in Japan, where they were trained.  They teamed a week ago and couldn't get along, due to their young rivalry.  They competed against each other this month, and it was a great match.  The Japanese style is different, and these two are going to be two of the best. After a wonderful back and forth match, Baba took round one of this feud cleanly with the Crush Kick.

[World Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semi-Finals]:
Buddy Rogers made Verne Gagne submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:18:25.
Rating: *** 1/4

A trip to the World Heavyweight Title Tournament finals was on the line here as Verne Gagne and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers went at it.  A great wrestling match from two great wrestlers.  Gagne tried to wrestle in a noble and fair fashion, while Rogers took every shortcut he could possibly think of.  Gagne suffered a lot due to the Nature Boy's antics, but he kept fighting back.  Rogers' dastardly actions would eventually become too much for Gagne though as Rogers locked on the Figure-Four Leglock.  For added leverage, he grabbed the ropes.  The pain became too much for Gagne who had no choice but to submit.  So next month from Washington D.C., it will be "Chief" Jay Strongbow and "The Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers for the UWF World Title!

Bruno Sammartino and Gorilla Monsoon battled to a draw in 0:20:00.
Rating: * 3/4

Our main event was an exciting one as Bruno Sammartino, with Johnny Valentine in his corner, took on Gorilla Monsoon, who had Killer Kowalski in his corner.  With Valentine watching his back, Sammartino was able to wrestle with full focus, knowing that Kowalski couldn't get involved.  This led to a great fight, both men doing whatever they could to put the other away.  That wouldn't happen though, as the fight raged on until we reached a time limit draw.  This one is not over by a long shot.


Card rating: **


Match observations:

Matches signed for March 25, 1963 from the Capitol Arena in Washington D.C.:

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT - FIRST ROUND MATCHES

Pedro Morales/Nick Bockwinkel vs. The Assassins
Bruno Sammartino/Johnny Valentine vs. Gorilla Monsoon/Killer Kowalski
The Crusher/Dick The Bruiser vs. Giant Baba/The Sheik
Bobo Brazil/Ernie Ladd vs. The Graham Brothers

FOR THE VACANT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:

"Chief" Jay Strongbow vs. "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
HugeRockStar760Posted on 10/02/06 at 15:37:43

You must've bought "The History of the WWE Championship" DVD to get you inspired to start a circuit in 1963. Good idea to go with the monthly format to start out. Maybe once you get into the 80s you could go weekly or even every two weeks. Just depends I suppose on what era of the WWE interested you.
moneypPosted on 10/02/06 at 18:00:37

Awesome idea. Looking forward to reading this!
Snabbit888Posted on 10/02/06 at 19:52:18

On 10/02/06 at 15:37:43, HugeRockStar760 wrote:You must've bought "The History of the WWE Championship" DVD to get you inspired to start a circuit in 1963. Good idea to go with the monthly format to start out. Maybe once you get into the 80s you could go weekly or even every two weeks. Just depends I suppose on what era of the WWE interested you.
This is an idea I had batted around before, but my knowledge of the old school era always put the kabosh on it.  I did buy The History though (got it for 15 bucks brand new, woot) and that gave me the solid basis to do it.  This gives me something fun to do while I "regain my smile" for GCW.

And monthly is good because I can move in time quickly and establish a history for the circuit.
Snabbit888Posted on 10/03/06 at 11:35:55

[World Tag Team Title Tournament - First Round]:
The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser defeated Giant Baba and The Sheik when Bruiser
pinned Sheik with his special move in 0:18:25.
Rating: -1/4*

Our World Tag Team Title Tournament kicked off with The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser taking on the makeshift team on The Sheik and Giant Baba.  Crusher and Bruiser are immensely popular wherever they go, but in order to survive this match, they had to use less than stellar tactics.  Sheik and Baba were cheating at every turn, so Dick the Bruiser fought fire with fire as he nailed the Sheik with a chain to pick up the win to earn he and The Crusher a trip to the semi-finals.

[World Tag Team Title Tournament - First Round]:
The Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) defeated
Bobo Brazil and Ernie Ladd when Dr. J. Graham made Ernie Ladd submit to the
Sleeperhold in 0:28:16.
Rating: ** 1/2

You have to give Bobo Brazil and Ernie Ladd a lot of credit.  Both men were suffering a lot of injuries caused by The Sheik over the past couple of months, but they still made it to their scheduled match against the Grahams tonight, and gave the rulebreaking Grahams a run for their money.  However the injuries would become too much to overcome as Dr. Jerry Graham put Ernie Ladd to sleep.

Abdullah the Butcher pinned Verne Gagne after a lariat in 0:07:36.
Rating: ***

Verne Gagne signed on to take on a mystery opponent, but I don't think he expected anything like his opponent here.  Gagne is a great wrestler, but wen you're wrestling a madman like Abdullah the Butcher, wrestling can only do so much.  Gagne couldn't keep the Madman from Sudan at bay, as Abdullah mauled Gagne for the victory.

Before we continued on, we received word that Chief Jay Strongbow, who will compete for the vacant World Heavyweight Title in our main event against Buddy Rogers, had been brutally attacked in the back by an unknown assailant.  He will still wrestle in the main event, but he will be a little worse for wear.

[World Tag Team Title Tournament - First Round]:
Nick Bockwinkel and Pedro Morales defeated
The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2) when Bockwinkel pinned Assassin #1
with the Piledriver in 0:16:58.
Rating: 3/4*

With two tournament matches in the book, we were waiting to see who would be the third team to make the semi-finals.  Would it be the more experienced Assassins, or the new team of Pedro Morales and Nick Bockwinkel?  The Assassins sure thought it was going to be them, and they felt they were going to have an easy time with the rookie tag team.  This was not the case as Morales and Bockwinkel surprised us all by cleanly defeating the Assassins, setting themselves up for a semi-final showdown with the winners of our next match.

[World Tag Team Title Tournament - First Round]:
Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski defeated
Bruno Sammartino and Johnny Valentine when Monsoon defeated J. Valentine by
countout in 0:15:29.
Rating: 3/4*

Perhaps the most compelling matchup in the first round of the tag title tournament pitted Bruno Sammartino and his friend Johnny Valentine taking on their hated enemies, Killer Kowalski and Gorilla Monsoon.  Bruno looked to have a winner of a partner in Valentine, but it turned out that Valentine had an agenda of his own.  Valentine was tagged in by Bruno late in the match, a match that Sammartino had all but been wrestling by himself.  Instead of going in a house of fire, Valentine went in... and promptly left the ring, getting himself counted out.  Sammartino was livid afterwards, questioning why Valentine seemingly deliberately threw the match.  It turned out it was all a big setup as Valentine, Kowalski, and Monsoon triple teamed Sammartino, leaving him lying in the center of the ring.  We have been unable to get word from Johnny Valentine to explain his actions, but one man wants more than an explanation, and that is Bruno Sammartino.  Sammartino and Valentine will meet one-on-one next month from Madison Square Garden!

Match for the vacant UWF World Title:
Buddy Rogers made Jay Strongbow submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:30:34.
Rating: **** 1/4
(Buddy Rogers won the UWF World Title.)

This was the one we were all waiting for, the crowning of our first World Heavyweight champion.  It was either going to be the proud Native American Chief Jay Strongbow or "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers.  Things weren't looking good for Strongbow early on, especially after the brutal attack that he suffered from an unknown attacker earlier in the night.  But the pride and dignity attached with being the World champion fueled him to keep fighting.  Rogers has been claiming his innocence in the attack, but he most definitely wasn't against using Strongbow's wounded status to his advantage.  Regardless of Strongbow not being at 100%, he fought with everything he had for over 30 minutes before Rogers worked over his knee long enough to put on the Figure-Four Leglock.  Strongbow held on as long as he could, but his knee was in bad shape and he was forced to submit.  Buddy Rogers is the first UWF World champion.


Card rating: ** 1/4


Match observations:

Matches signed for April 16, 1963, from Madison Square Garden:

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS:

Pedro Morales/Nick Bockwinkel vs. Gorilla Monsoon/Killer Kowalski
Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. The Graham Brothers

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT FINALS:

Winner of match one vs. Winner of match two

OTHER MATCHES SIGNED:

Bruno Sammartino vs. Johnny Valentine

STEEL CAGE MATCH:

Bobo Brazil vs. The Sheik

MAIN EVENT - UWF WORLD TITLE MATCH

Buddy Rogers (c) vs. Jay Strongbow... plus Strongbow looks for the man who attacked him!
americamamushiPosted on 10/04/06 at 00:45:03

Looks like UWF is off to a nice start.

The Crusher & The Bruiser!  YES!

You can tell it's the 80s because the sleeperhold is so much more effective!  How did they apply it so well?! :)

Gagne got a face full of flab there.  A lariat from Abby is a meaty venture indeed.

Strongbow puts on a good showing despite the attack earlier.  Rogers squeaks it out, but still, if a damaged Strongbow lasted 30 minutes with the Nature Boy then how with Buddy fair against Jay next month?

Good stuff so far.  Keep it up.
Snabbit888Posted on 10/04/06 at 08:23:39

[World Tag Team Title Tournament - Semi-Finals]:
The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser defeated
The Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) when Bruiser defeated
Dr. J. Graham when Dr. J. Graham passed out in the Stomach Claw in 0:05:37.
Rating: ***

By the end of the night, we would see the first World Tag Team champions crowned.  Our first semi-final match pitted Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher against the Graham Brothers.  Two months ago the Grahams stole a victory from Bruiser and Crusher with the aid of an ether-soaked rag.  They were looking to try similar tricks in this one, but Bruiser and Crusher weren't going to stand for it as they finished Eddie and Dr. Jerry off in short order, earning a trip to the finals.

[World Tag Team Title Tournament - Semi-Finals]:
Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski defeated Nick Bockwinkel and Pedro Morales
when Monsoon pinned Bockwinkel with the Airplane Spin in 0:09:18.
Rating: ** 1/2

With Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher already in the finals, they anxiously awaited the winners of our next contest.  Though the fans were solidly behind the rookie team of Nick Bockwinkel and Pedro Morales, they were unable to contend with the brutality of Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski, who mauled them before taking the win, setting up a battle of the beasts in the finals for the World Tag Team Titles.

Antonio Inoki made Giant Baba submit to the Octopus Hold in 0:14:49.
Rating: *** 3/4

The battles between young Japanese stars Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba continued here from Madison Square Garden as they locked horns again.  The first meeting between these two saw Baba take the win, but the tide was turned here as Inoki picked up the duke.  Baba's massive size helped him early on, but Inoki's speed and agility allowed him to lock on the Octopus Hold to even this series at 1 a piece.

Ernie Ladd pinned Assassin #1 after a flying bodypress in 0:14:46.
Rating: * 1/4

The Assassins are generally tag team wrestlers, but they have had a lack of success in the tag ranks so far in the UWF.  So tonight, Assassin #1 tried to turn their fortunes around as he took on "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd.  Assassin #2 was at ringside with his partner, while Ladd was by himself as his partner, Bobo Brazil, was preparing for his big cage match against The Sheik.  The Assassins used every dirty trick in the book, including trying a double switch, but the referee was aware of it and threatened the Assassins with disqualification.  During this confusion, Ladd hit Assassin #1 with a flying bodypress and walked out of the Garden with a win.

We had an interview segment next as Chief Jay Strongbow called out the UWF World champion, "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers.  Strongbow wanted to know if it was Rogers who attacked him last month, injuring him before the World Title match.  Rogers denied it, saying that he didn't need a sneak attack to beat Strongbow.  The Chief said he was at full strength this time, and tonight he would become the World champion.

Cage Match:
Bobo Brazil defeated The Sheik by escaping the cage in 0:23:48.
Rating: -** 1/4

The sheer brutality of this match can't be described with mere words.  The Sheik's brutal attack on Bobo Brazil in January, followed by his throwing fire in Ernie Ladd's eyes in February, are what led to this cage match, and thus this bloodbath.  Brazil was operating on pure revenge while The Sheik was going on bloodlust.  Both men were wearing a crimson match by the end of this match.  Abdullah Farouk tried to help The Sheik by sliding him the pencil late in the match, but Brazil hit the Coco Butt and got the pencil himself, using it on The Sheik before escaping the cage to the delight of the packed MSG.

Bruno Sammartino pinned Johnny Valentine after a powerslam in 0:11:58.
Rating: ** 1/2

Johnny Valentine stabbed Bruno Sammartino in the back last month when he joined forces with Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski, leaving Bruno lying after a triple team beatdown.  Sammartino got his chance for revenge in the Garden, and boy did he capitalize.  With Monsoon and Kowalski in the back preparing to wrestle for the World Tag Team Titles, Valentine was all alone, and there are few men on the planet that can handle Sammartino by themselves, as Bruno put Valentine away with a powerslam.

Match for the vacant UWF World Tag Team Titles:
The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski
when Bruiser defeated Kowalski by countout in 0:08:47.
Rating: -1/4*
(The UWF World Tag Team Titles remained vacant.)

We were supposed to see the crowning of the first tag team champions, but the cowardice of Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski prevented that from happening.  When they realized that they were well on their way to being defeated, Monsoon and Kowalski simply walked out for a countout.  Since titles can't change hands in UWF on a countout or a disqualification, the titles remained vacant.  A rematch has already been signed for next month, and it will be best 2 out of 3 falls.

Buddy Rogers pinned Jay Strongbow after a waistlock suplex in 0:13:28.
Rating: ** 3/4
(Buddy Rogers retained the UWF World Title.)
[Pat Patterson interfered against Jay Strongbow.]

We have found out who it was that attacked Jay Strongbow last month, and Buddy Rogers was telling the truth when he said it wasn't him.  Strongbow got his rematch in Rogers' first title defense, but the match was spoiled when newcomer PAT PATTERSON got involved, costing Strongbow the match by nailing him with a pair of brass knuckles before Rogers hit the Chief with a waistlock suplex.  We have been unable to reach Patterson on why he attacked Strongbow as he did, but we know he will explain his actions next month in Philadelphia!


Card rating: * 1/4


Match observations:

Matches signed for May 17, 1963, from the Philadelphia Arena in Philadelphia, PA:

Bobo Brazil/Ernie Ladd vs. The Assassins

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Pat Patterson

FOR THE VACANT WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:

Best 2 out of 3 Falls - Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher vs. Gorilla Monsoon/Killer Kowalski

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH:

Buddy Rogers (c) vs. Bruno Sammartino

All this and much more!
Rick GarrardPosted on 10/04/06 at 14:33:47

In keeping with WWWF tradition, you should have crowned your champion in Rio de Janiero, if you know what I mean.
Snabbit888Posted on 10/04/06 at 21:46:53

WWWF is merely my model, not a steadfast rule.  Things will start to look different soon enough. :)
CrplsPosted on 10/05/06 at 01:44:43

You can tell it's the 80s because the sleeperhold is so much more effective!  How did they apply it so well?![/qupte]

But it's the 60s. :)
moneypPosted on 10/05/06 at 03:53:08

Fantastic thread. Loved watching The Big Cat play for my Chiefs, loved watching him wrestle. Good stuff!
Snabbit888Posted on 10/05/06 at 21:14:18

Nick Bockwinkel and Pedro Morales defeated Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik
when Morales defeated Sheik by countout in 0:06:15.
Rating: -1/4*
[Abdullah Farouk interfered against Pedro Morales.]

Abdullah Farouk thought it would be a good idea to help protect The Sheik's interests to team him up with Abdullah the Butcher, the Madman from Sudan. On paper, a great team. In practice, not so much. Sheik and Abdullah want to fight, not work together with somebody. It didn't take long before the bottom completely fell out and they started fighting each other instead of Morales and Bockwinkel. After a miscued clothesline, Sheik and the Butcher turned their aggressions toward each other, brawling to the floor and getting themselves counted out. Farouk tried his hardest to separate them, but they couldn't have been any happier beating the snot out of each other. Morales and Bockwinkel win, but the real story is that next month, The Sheik will wrestle Abdullah the Butcher, no holds barred!

Johnny Valentine pinned Verne Gagne after an elbowsmash in 0:20:40.
Rating: ** 1/2

Johnny Valentine went from being one of the more popular wrestlers in the early months of the UWF to one of the most hated when he turned his back on Bruno Sammartino. A man who had a big problem with Valentine's actions was Verne Gagne, his opponent for the evening. Gagne outwrestled Valentine early, keeping him grounded on the mat while he stretched him. Valentine's no slouch in the ring himself, and his ample willingness to cheat behind the referee's back let him get the advantage and take the win.

Jay Strongbow made Pat Patterson submit to an airplane spin in 0:12:38.
Rating: ** 3/4

Before this match began, an interview was conducted with Pat Patterson. He was asked about why he has made Jay Strongbow his target of not one, but two attacks over the last couple of months. Patterson refused to answer, saying that he didn't have to explain his actions to anybody, especially to us "filthy Americans." He did make mention that there was no form of American lower than the Native American, which brought out CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW like a house of fire, and the match kicked off! The crowd was solidly behind Strongbow, chanting his name as he took it to the brash newcomer. Patterson used Strongbow's emotions against him midway through the match, countering the Chief's aggressive streak and putting a beating on him. But once Strongbow got him in an airplane spin late, that was all she wrote as Patterson promptly submitted to prevent any injury. This one can't be considered over yet though, not by a long shot.

Giant Baba pinned Antonio Inoki after a running neckbreaker drop in 0:04:30.
Rating: ** 1/4

The battles between Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba rage on as they met yet again. Each time that they wrestle, they learn something new about their opponent, and thus they have to keep bringing new offense to the table. That's exactly what Baba did as he busted out a running neckbreaker drop which completely caught Inoki offguard, putting him down for the 3. This now puts Baba up 2 wins to 1 in this series. We have gotten official word from the unnamed UWF officials that these two will officially wrestle a Best-of-7 series, that Baba now has a commanding lead in.

Bobo Brazil and Ernie Ladd defeated The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2)
when Ernie Ladd pinned Assassin #1 with the Boot to the Face in 0:00:54.
Rating: 1/4*
Click here to see highlights.

When it rains, it pours. Just ask the Assassins. Their woes continued as they have yet to take a victory in the UWF, falling once again tonight, this time to Bobo Brazil and Ernie Ladd. And this was their worse loss yet, as it didn't take Brazil and Ladd more than a minute to put them away. The Assassins are highly capable of being a dominant tag team, but their confidence is shot right now. Brazil and Ladd, however, have never looked better, and they have to be considered for a World Tag Team Title shot in the future.

Two-out-of-three-Falls Match for the vacant UWF World Tag Team Titles:
The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser beat Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski 2
falls to 1:
x Bruiser beat Kowalski via the Stomach Claw in 0:19:43
x Monsoon beat Bruiser via the Airplane Spin in 0:25:51
x Crusher beat Kowalski via the Bolo Punch in 0:38:27
Rating: ** 1/4
(The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser won the UWF World Tag Team Titles.)

With the controversial ending to last months match to crown the first World Tag Team champions, the UWF Championship Committee made a rematch between Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher and Gorilla Monsoon & Killer Kowalski, but to ensure that it wouldn't end in such a cheap fashion, it was made a best 2 out of 3 falls match. Getting that first fall would be the most important, and both teams wrestled like that first fall was the only fall. The match raged on for nearly 20 minutes with neither team being able to take the fall until Dick the Bruiser finally surprised Kowalski with the Stomach Claw. When Kowalski realized he wasn't going to be able to break out, he quickly submitted so as to not suffer an injury that would prevent him from competing in the next fall. This turned out to be a smart move, as Monsoon Pearl Harbored Bruiser right after the first fall, eventually culminating in the hitting of the Airplane Spin and a 1-1 tie. The crowd was in a frenzy now as it was coming down to the final fall to see who would be crowned the first World Tag Team champions. After another grueling 13 minutes, The Crusher avoided Kowalski's Stomach Claw and hit the Bolo Punch out of nowhere for the win and the World Tag Team Titles!

Bruno Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers when Buddy Rogers passed out in the
Sammartino Backbreaker in 0:19:00.
Rating: *** 1/2
(Bruno Sammartino won the UWF World Title.)

We have a brand new World champion! Though Bruno Sammartino is a phenomenal athlete, no one expected him at this stage in his career to have a chance against the cagey veteran, "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, especially when Rogers got Bruno in the dreaded Figure-Four Leglock. Sammartino absolutely refused to quit under any circumstances, even almost being pinned several times before he was able to overpower the Nature Boy and reverse the hold. This change in momentum signalled a huge swing in the match as Sammartino was believing he could take the title. Nothing Rogers did seemed to phase Bruno after this point, and once Sammartino got Rogers up in the Sammartino Backbreaker, that was all she wrote. The winner and brand-new World champion... BRUNO SAMMARTINO!


Card rating: ** 1/4


Match observations:

Matches signed for June 21, 1963, from the Westchester County Civic Center, in White Plains, NY:

World champion Bruno Sammartion/World Tag Team champions Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher vs. Johnny Valentine/Killer Kowalski/Gorilla Monsoon

NO HOLDS BARRED:

The Sheik vs. Abdullah the Butcher

BEST OF SEVEN SERIES - MATCH #4:

Antonio Inoki vs. Giant Baba
Snabbit888Posted on 10/09/06 at 09:39:18

The Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham and Dr. Jerry Graham) defeated
Pedro Morales and Nick Bockwinkel when E. Graham defeated Bockwinkel when
Bockwinkel passed out in a side headlock in 0:13:13.
Rating: ** 3/4

Our night of action began with Pedro Morales and Nick Bockwinkel taking on the Graham Brothers.  Morales and Bockwinkel are young and hungry, but they just don't have the experience that the Grahams do.  A very good match to start off the night, won by the Grahams.  They will be looking to get into tag title contention.

Verne Gagne pinned Buddy Rogers after an inside cradle in 0:15:27.
Rating: ** 3/4

"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers lost the World Title a month ago to Bruno Sammartino, and was looking to regain some momentum against the ring general, Verne Gagne.  Even though Rogers lost his title, he certainly didn't lose his swagger as he was in full egomaniac mode throughout this match, especially when he had the advantage.  After a great wrestling match, the Nature Boy had the contest firmly in control when he had Gagne down and ready for the Figure-Four Leglock.  He chose to posture to the crowd instead of going in for the kill, which let Gagne roll him up in an inside cradle for the win!  Rogers was furious and demanded a rematch next month from the Garden, and it will be 2 out of 3 falls!

Ernie Ladd and Bobo Brazil defeated The Assassins (Assassin #1 and Assassin #2)
when Brazil defeated Assassin #1 by disqualification in 0:05:18.
Rating: -3/4*

Before our next match began, Bobo Brazil made it very clear that he doesn't think that anybody can withstand his Coco Butt.  The Assassins took offense to this, apparently, as they took on Brazil and Ernie Ladd in tag team action.  The match was back and forth until the Assassins looked to "bring Bobo down a peg" as they said it when Assassin #1 slipped a foreign object in his mask and headbutted Brazil with it, causing the disqualification.

[Best of Seven Series - Match #4]:
Antonio Inoki pinned Giant Baba after a crucifix in 0:10:46.
Rating: ** 1/2

Antonio Inoki desperately needed a win over Giant Baba tonight to not fall behind 3-1 in the Best of Seven Series, and that's exactly what he did, but it wasn't easy.  As as been the norm in their previous encounters, Baba dominated Inoki with his power while Inoki did what he could to get Baba off his feet.  It would be the technical skills of Inoki that allowed him to counter Baba's big boot attempt with a crucifix to even this series at 2-2.

No-Countout-No-DQ-Match:
The Sheik made Abdullah the Butcher submit to the Camel Clutch in 0:18:49.
Rating: ** 3/4
[Abdullah Farouk interfered against Abdullah the Butcher.]

A fight doesn't get much more brutal than this!  Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik are both hated competitors, but the crowd in White Plains got a huge kick out of watching these two beat the tar out of each other.  By the end of this one, both men were wearing the crimson mask.  Weapons were abound, but it would be a weapon used by Abdullah Farouk that put the Butcher out.  Butcher had the fork out and was ready to carve The Sheik up, but Farouk nailed him with a steel chair.  The Sheik stabbed Butcher's forehead with the pencil and then locked on the Camel Clutch to take the bloody victory.

Jay Strongbow defeated Pat Patterson when Pat Patterson passed out in the
Sleeper in 0:03:14.
Rating: ***

Jay Strongbow and Pat Patterson went at it once more, and it was obvious that another month of time wasn't enough for the Chief to forgive Patterson for essentially costing him the World Title.  Strongbow was even more aggressive this time out, needing just over three minutes to get Patterson in the Sleeper and put him down and out.  Patterson may have lost the match, but he got back at Strongbow later by assaulting him in the locker room and leaving him a bloody mess on the floor.  As a result of this, these two will wrestle once more in July from Madsion Square Garden in a cage match!

Killer Kowalski, Gorilla Monsoon and Johnny Valentine defeated
Bruno Sammartino, The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser when J. Valentine defeated
Bruiser by countout in 0:28:32.
Rating: *

Our main event had a lot of tension to it, and nothing was really settled as it ended with Johnny Valentine, Killer Kowalski, and Gorilla Monsoon winning by countout when Dick the Bruiser was knocked out cold on the floor when Monsoon ran him head first into the post.  The fight didn't stop there as Monsoon and Kowalksi paired off with the Bruiser and the Crusher, while the tension between Bruno Sammartino and Johnny Valentine boiled over once again.  As a result, Sammartino will defend the World Title against Valentine next month, and Dick the Bruiser and the Crusher defend the World Tag Team Titles against Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski!


Card rating: **


Match observations:

Matches signed for July 12, 1963, from Madison Square Garden:

WORLD TITLE MATCH:

Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Johnny Valentine

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH:

Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher (c) vs. Killer Kowalski/Gorilla Monsoon

BEST OF SEVEN SERIES - MATCH #5:

Antonio Inoki vs. Giant Baba

STEEL CAGE MATCH:

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Pat Patterson

BEST TWO OUT OF THREE FALLS:

Verne Gagne vs. "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers

GRUDGE MATCH:

Bobo Brazil vs. Assassin #1
shapyPosted on 10/10/06 at 09:26:25

this fed kicks ass and I know it's only going to get better....right?
Snabbit888Posted on 10/10/06 at 09:35:12

On 10/10/06 at 09:26:25, shapy wrote:this fed kicks ass and I know it's only going to get better....right?
Nah... once I get into the 80's and 90's... there will be nothing but Doink and Mantaur.  Take THAT, sports fans.
UnrightPosted on 10/11/06 at 07:54:47

What's up with not giving the Assassins any love? They're 0 and 4 right now! Outrage! :'(

Oh, and is Sammartino going to have his 7 year title reign, now?
Snabbit888Posted on 10/11/06 at 08:24:17

Assassins will get some love.  I nearly guarantee it!

And it's possible Bruno may have a long reign, but I'm not saying, "Bruno is getting a seven year reign no matter what!"  I'll see how it goes.
Snabbit888Posted on 10/11/06 at 22:20:04

[Best of Seven Series - Match #5]:
Giant Baba pinned Antonio Inoki with the Crush Kick in 0:17:40.
Rating: *** 1/4

Madison Square Garden was ready for action, and it kicked off right away with the fifth match in the Best of Seven Series between Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba, currently knotted up at 2-2.  This match took a different turn from the previous ones as it involved a lot more striking and less wrestling.  You would think this would favor Baba, but it was Inoki who was the aggressor.  Baba was surprised with how fast Inoki was coming at him and for much of this match, he was playing defense.  However, with a vicious finisher like the Crush Kick, it only takes one shot to put your opponent away.  So despite how well he wrestled, Inoki finds himself down 3-2.

Dr. Jerry Graham pinned Nick Bockwinkel after a sitdown splash in 0:07:58.
Rating: *** 1/4

The Graham Brothers continue their recent dominance, this time as "The Good Doctor" Dr. Jerry Graham defeated Nick Bockwinkel in singles action.  Eddie Graham and Pedro Morales respectively were barred from ringside to keep this a clean match, but of course Dr. J had other plans, cheating on every occasion he could before he finally put Bockwinkel away.

Edouard Carpentier pinned Abdullah the Butcher with the Somersault Senton in
          0:00:21.
Rating: *

Edouard Carpentier was making his debut tonight, but no one expected him to make the kind of debut he did, taking on Abdullah the Butcher.  The Butcher's reputation is far reaching, and Carpentier knew what he was about so he jumped on the attack before the Butcher could, and in doing so, pinned him in only 21 seconds!  The crowd loved in, but Abdullah was less than thrilled.  A rematch has been signed for next month between these two.

Assassin #1 pinned Bobo Brazil after a powerslam in 0:06:39.
Rating: * 1/2
[Ernie Ladd interfered against Assassin #1.]
[Assassin #2 interfered against Bobo Brazil.]

The Assassins have gotten their first win, and it couldn't have happened in any more devious fashion.  This was billed as a Battle of the Headbutt, and it looked like Brazil was going to add to the Assassins' woes.  But while the referee was distracted, the Assassins pulled a double switch, unbeknownst to Bobo Brazil.  Brazil went back in for the kill, but he was stunned with a powerslam that caused him to be pinned.  Brazil couldn't figure out what happened until Ernie Ladd informed him about the switch.  Brazil went into an uncontrolled rage, throwing chairs and such around the ringside area until Ladd calmed him down.  These two teams will lock horns once more next month.

The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser defeated Killer Kowalski and Gorilla Monsoon
when Crusher pinned Monsoon with the Bolo Punch in 0:14:57.
Rating: * 1/4
(The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser retained the UWF World Tag Team Titles.)

Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher were making their first title defense, and it wasn't going to be an easy one as they took on the team that they beat in the finals of the tournament, Killer Kowalski and Gorilla Monsoon.  A brutal brawl between four of the best, this almost became a matter of last man standing.  They slugged it out back and forth until Crusher caught Monsoon out of nowhere with the Bolo Punch that put him down for the three.  The schedule doesn't get any easier for the champs though as they defend against the Graham Brothers on August 2 from the Coliseum in Chicago.

Two-out-of-three-Falls Match:
Buddy Rogers beat Verne Gagne 2 falls to 1:
        x V. Gagne beat B. Rogers via the Gagne Sleeper in 0:16:54
        x B. Rogers beat V. Gagne via a Fujiwara armbar in 0:22:53
        x B. Rogers beat V. Gagne via the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:31:24
Rating: ****

Buddy Rogers was livid with the way he lost to Verne Gagne last month and wanted a rematch, best two out of three falls.  If anyone wants to know what wrestling should be, this is certainly the match to watch.  These two put on a clinic.  Nearfall after nearfall, counter after counter.  Both men are extremely savvy in the ring, and that's why this match was so good.  Gagne picked up the first fall with the Gagne Sleeper.  After the rest period, Gagne went right for the Sleeper again, but Rogers countered with a jawbreaker which would lead to him getting the second fall with a Fujiwara armbar.  With things tied at 1 fall a piece, and both falls being by submission, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the two that the third fall was going to have to be by submission as well.  Both men tried for their respective finishers on several occasions, but it would be Rogers that locked the Figure-Four Leglock on to get the decisive third fall.  As a result, Rogers has earned a rematch for the World Title and it will be on August 2 in Chicago!

Cage Match:
Jay Strongbow defeated Pat Patterson by escaping the cage in 0:26:46.
Rating: *** 1/4

Chief Jay Strongbow has put a definitive end to his feud with Pat Patterson, and he did it in a bloody steel cage match.  Patterson thought that his best chance at making an impact in the UWF was to attack Strongbow, but the Chief has shown him in spades that he will be no one's stepping stone to the top.  It wasn't easy for him though, as Patterson showed he was willing to do whatever it took to win the match, and as a result, both competitors were covered in blood by the end.  But it would be Strongbow putting Patterson to sleep and walking out of the door to win this vicious cage match.

Bruno Sammartino made Johnny Valentine submit to the Sammartino Backbreaker in
          0:23:14.
Rating: ** 3/4
(Bruno Sammartino retained the UWF World Title.)

Johnny Valentine had been claiming the past several weeks in written interviews that he was the one who deserved the title shot against Buddy Rogers back in May, not Bruno Sammartino, and thus, he should be the World champion right now.  He had his chance to officially lay claim to the title by taking on Bruno in the big Italian's first title defense.  As you would expect, the crowd was strongly behind Sammartino, and he rode that momentum for much of this match.  But Valentine feels he should be the champion, and he used that to motivate him throughout the contest.  Bruno was in jeopardy of losing the title on several occasions, but he would come back and lock on the Sammartino Backbreaker to retain his title.


Card rating: ** 3/4


Match observations:

Matches signed for August 2, 1963, from The Coliseum in Chicago, IL:

WORLD TITLE MATCH:

Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers

WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH:

Dick the Bruiser/The Crusher (c) vs. The Graham Brothers

BEST OF SEVEN SERIES - MATCH #6 (BABA LEADS 3-2):

Antonio Inoki vs. Giant Baba

Eduoard Carpentier vs. Abdullah the Butcher

Bobo Brazil/Ernie Ladd vs. The Assassins

Verne Gagne vs. Johnny Valentine