Lee Casebolt

Dave Schultz and JYD? YES PLEASE! Huge debut for the Midnight Express? Yes, thank you. And a brand new title coming? Absolutely. Yeah, Independence Day Star Wars is gonna be great.

I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of the wrath of Valentine in the near future and I can't wait!

I didn't think you could top Bad News vs Hulk. Shows what I know.

Fergie angle and the Ayala/Atlas split were some shockers on a card that really delivered the action. Funk/Bockwinkel had "all-time classic" potential... and a little Funk/Tito tension there at the end? Really impressed at how you keep all the threads moving together. Great storytelling.

(6/9/84) Home Box Office, in association with Titan Sports, presents, live from The Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland... Tonight's slate of professional wrestling action is sanctioned by the American Wrestling Association and the Maryland State Athletic Commission. Promos from... Jesse Ventura w/ Freddie Blassie and Billy Graham - "That's right, The Body is back! Ladies, hold your applause. Gentlemen, keep your distance. Alongside the classy one, Freddie Blassie, and the Superstar Billy Graham, Jesse Ventura is here to shine under the bright lights... and Tim Horner, you're going to be looking up at the lights before I'm done with you, hot shot." Magnum TA - "Steele, they call you The Animal, and you're a wild one all right. But I've dealt with wild men my whole career, and Magnum TA is gonna put you down like a dog tonight!" Lou Albano w/ The Wild Samoans and Kamala - "Rougeaus! You got away with one last week. But now you're in for a fight the likes of which you little pretty boys have never seen before! No pinfalls! No disqualifications! Just a dirty, nasty fight... to first blood!" Bob Backlund w/ Arnold Skaaland - "James Snuka, don't walk around like you did something last week! Yes, you pinned Mr. Yatsu, but he is not yet a champion. I am a champion, and I am the man you cannot defeat. I am the man you cannot overcome. I am the man you cannot run from. I am the man! Who will replace you and return to my rightful place as champion of all I survey!" Jimmy Snuka - "Backlund! No one to help you this week, Backlund. No one to hide behind. No one to rescue you from me! Gonna put you down, Backlund! Gonna put you down for good!" SD Jones pinned Yasuyuki Fujii at 13:36 with a crossbody block. Pierre Lafevbre & Sailor White def. Bernie Wright & Dave Morgan at 13:34 when Lefebvre forced Morgan to submit to a modified stump puller. Jesse Ventura w/ Freddie Blassie def. Tim Horner by count out at 5:40. Billy Robinson & John Quinn went to a time limit draw with Mark Fleming & Barry Horowitz at 20:00. Fleming and Horowitz dominated early and the vets clearly didn’t take them seriously enough. Robinson and Quinn regrouped and used their veteran savvy (and some dirty tricks) to take back control. The tide turned again and Horowitz had Quinn caught with a ¾ nelson cradle when the time expired. Backstage footage of Magnum TA being attended to, blood streaming down his face. Doctors are telling him he cannot be medically cleared to compete tonight. Magnum argues to no avail. Meanwhile, security is dragging George Steele away while he yells incoherently. Back in the ring, the announcer informs an unhappy Maryland crowd that, due to a backstage incident, the scheduled Magnum TA vs George Steele match will not take place. Rocky Johnson pinned Superstar Billy Graham w/ Freddie Blassie at 6:00 with a small package. Graham had Johnson covered and thought he had the 3 count, but the referee pointed to Graham’s feet on the ropes and stopped his count. Johnson caught the pinning combination while Graham argued with the referee. The Rougeau Brothers def. The Wild Samoans & Kamala w/ Lou Albano in a “first blood” match at 13:10 when Raymond busted open Kamala by ramming his head into the post on the outside. It took another several minutes for security and officials to break up the brawl between all six men. Bob Backlund w/ Arnold Skaaland def. Jimmy Snuka © by DQ at 9:38. A frustrated Backlund attempted to hit Snuka with a chair while the referee argued with Skaaland. Snuka took the chair from him and KO’d Backlund with it just as the official turned back to the action. Snuka retains the AWA International Heavyweight title. Next week! AWA Worldwide returns to the one and only Madison Square Garden, where Bob Backlund will once more challenge Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka for the AWA International Heavyweight title... inside a steel cage! Don't you dare miss it!

Bad News vs Koko is a sneaky-great matchup. Could be a squash because of where Bad News is in the hierarchy, but if it's even a little bit competitive it'll be really fun. *Love* those top two tag matches for Mid American, and that's as someone who's not really into tag team wrestling. 9 year old me would definitely be bugging someone to take me to Rockford for that.

Strong card throughout, but it's bracketed by two 8 man tags that look must-see. That babyface team at the top is a whole lot of crazy in one place.

AWA Worldwide touring schedule, 6-3 through 6-8, 1984 - A Tour (6/3 New Haven CT, 6/4 Montreal, 6/6 Buffalo NY, 6/8 Troy NY) Jimmy Snuka vs. Jesse Ventura Andre the Giant vs. Bart & Brad Batten (6/4 only) Rocky Johnson vs. Grizzly Boone Mark Fleming & Barry Horowitz vs. Bart & Brad Batten (6/6, 6/8 only) Superstar Billy Graham vs. Jose Gonzales Billy Two Eagles vs. Korstia Korchenko Tim Horner vs. Mike Sharpe Killer Bs vs. local talent Jose Luis Rivera & Jose Estrada vs. local talent B Tour (6/3 Oswego NY, 6/4 South Yarmouth MA, 6/6 Old Westbury NY, 6/8 Milford PA) Wild Samoans vs. Pedro Morales & Johnny Rivera Bob Backlund vs. Bernie Wright Magnum TA vs. George Steele Kamala & Killer Khan vs. Pat Patterson & Rene Goulet Rougeau Brothers vs. Billy Robinson, John Quinn, & Shunji Takano Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. SD Jones Pierre Lafevbre & Sailor White vs. local talent Dave Morgan vs. local talent

Bobby's a big picture guy. Looking forward to that 6-man. I love a good mystery partner situation.

Wow. That's... that's a lot going on. First of all, Rat Patrol... they're not called "The Nightmares" because they're nice guys. You should've seen that coming. I'm trying to wrap my head around a Ric Flair/Dynamite Kid tag team and it's tough to get there but it's worth the effort. Love the booking to give the heels a wide open shot like that, too. And the Freebirds are home! Good lord, gonna be so much blood spilled in Georgia. I cannot wait.

Real housecleaning in World Class, first the Freebirds and now the Russians. Have to agree with what was said before - the highlight show really underlines the importance of Star Wars. And "war" is definitely accurate, so I'd say the wrestlers earned a little time off! Really curious where Studd goes from here. Is there a face turn in his future? Or will getting burned just make him meaner?

The big reveal was everything I hoped for... and the thought of an angry Greg Valentine chasing Gino makes it even better. Love how everything was laid out and it all fit.

Real fun episode of TV to heighten the tension before the big show. The LHWs are gonna be some good clean fun, likewise the Southern tag titles... but stuff like Tully and Chavo or Bock and Fun are gonna be dirty, nasty fun. (Not like that.) (Well, probably not like that. Who knows what Funk will do.) Can't wait for the big show!

(6/2/84) Home Box Office, in association with Titan Sports, presents, live from The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... Tonight's slate of professional wrestling action is sanctioned by the American Wrestling Association and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission. Promos from... Mark Fleming, Barry Horowitz, and Tim Horner - "We've heard all the people talking. We've heard what they say. We're just a bunch of young kids. Just some prelim guys who got lucky and picked up a couple wins." "That's right, that's what they say. But we know the truth. And the truth is we were trained by the very best this sport has to offer. We're young and we're tough and we're hungry." "We're so hungry that tonight, Freddie Blassie, we're gonna chew your three men right up!" Freddie Blassie w/ the Killer Bs and Ray Stevens - "I have had enough of these young punks! They come in here and get a fluke fall on TV and now they think they're something! Well they ain't nothin'! Nothing but a couple pencil necked geeks who got one more geek dumb enough to team with them! Fleming! Horowitz! Horner! You're gonna get a lesson tonight!" Rocky Johnson - "I took care of Blassie's man Ray Stevens. And now the AWA promoters and the HBO executives, they call up ol' Rock and they say Blassie's got a new challenger for me. Well, Billy Graham, you are a former champion and you are a superstar and no mistake. But you're former champion and I am a reigning champion and my man, that's just the way things are gonna stay." Bob Backlund w/ Arnold Skaaland and Yoshiaki Yatsu - "Snuka, you coward! You couldn't fight your own battles so you brought in this rookie, this helpless child to face me and the mighty Yatsu? You absolute ignoramus! Now your foolishness will get both you and him severely injured, and bring me one step closer to my rightful place... as champion!" Lou Albano w/Killer Khan, Kamala, and the Wild Samoans - "It's feeding time! It's time to shine! My four men here are a bunch of wild animals, and they're gonna be in a feeding frenzy! There's a bunch of French Canadians on the menu tonight! First Killer Khan, just for the appetizer, he's gonna bust up that Pat Patterson. Then, the main course! The Samoans and Kamala get another crack at those Rougeau boys. Hey Rougeaus, whatever happened to your pal Dino? I hear he didn't make it this week! Well, whatever convalescent home he ended up in, I hope he saved a couple seats, 'cause you're gonna end up there, too! Ha!" The Rougeau Brothers - "Albano, you made the worst mistake of your life. You laid up Dino Bravo, it's true, you and that pack of savages. But me and Armand, we called home. We said 'Dino's hurt and we're short a man. Who can you send?' And Papa Rougeau said don't worry boys, I know just the man." "That's right, and Papa Rougeau called me and said 'Jacques, your brothers need you!' and I said 'Papa, say no more'. The Rougeau Brothers are all together now, and there's no one who can stop us!" John Quinn & Billy Robinson def. Jose Estrada & Jose Luis Rivera when Billy Robinson pinned Jose Luis Rivera with a double arm suplex at 2:40. Killer Khan w/ Lou Albano pinned Pat Patterson at 7:44 after a knee drop off the second rope. Pedro Morales & Johnny Rivera and Pierre Lafevbre & Sailor White went to a time limit draw (20:00) Mark Fleming, Barry Horowitz, and Tim Horner def. the Killer Bs and Ray Stevens w/ Freddie Blassie at 7:45 when Fleming pinned Blair with a Thesz press. Andre the Giant def. Grizzly Boone & Mike Sharpe in a handicap match at 5:05 when Andre pinned Sharpe after an elbow drop. Magnum TA pinned George “The Animal” Steele at 7:56 with a belly to belly suplex. Rocky Johnson © def. Superstar Billy Graham at 7:44 with a backslide to retain AWA/HBO Television Title. Jimmy Snuka & Billy Two Eagles def. Bob Backlund & Yoshiaki Yatsu w/ Arnold Skaaland when Snuka pinned Yatsu with the Superfly splash at 6:46. Jacques, Raymond, and Armand Rougeau def. The Wild Samoans & Kamala w/ Lou Albano when Jacques pinned Kamala with a cross body off the top rope at 12:04. The wrestlers continued to brawl after the bell, with the bloodied Rougeaus finally chasing off Albano's men.

Effective 6/1, Worldwide sends Dino Bravo to AWA Pacific for Jacques Rougeau.

This is basically the best parts of the Hart Foundation vs the US and the NWO (before it went on way too long and got terrible) angles and, as the kids say, I am here for it.

Love those big multi-man tags. Kevin's right, it's a great way to get all those big names in the ring together without giving away the money matches. I'm actually not a big fan of tag team wrestling - it's fine but I'd rather watch singles - but when you go to 6/8/10 man tags, it gets fun because you can tag in and out often enough that everyone can really put the pedal down and no one has to go too long. Really effective way to cover for limited wrestlers, or just showcase everyone's best stuff.

Some classic manipulation by Heenan. That's why he's the best in the business, taking advantage of the Hart/Gagne split to do what's best for his client. Good hire, Bret!

AWA Worldwide touring schedule, 5-27 through 6-1, 1984 - A Tour (5/28 Wayne NJ, 5/30 Hamburg PA, 5/31 Montreal, 6/1 Rochester NY) Jimmy Snuka vs. Ray Stevens (5/31 only) Andre the Giant wins 20 man battle royal. Also appearing – Afa, Sika, Bob Backlund, Magnum TA, Rocky Johnson, Yoshiaki Yatsu, Mark Fleming, Barry Horowitz, Pat Patterson, Pedro Morales, Johnny Rivera, Billy Two Eagles, Yasuyuki Fujii, Korstia Korchenko, Tim Horner, Bernie Wright, John Quinn, Brian Blair, and Brutus Beefcake Superstar Billy Graham vs. SD Jones Raymond & Armand Rougeau vs. Killer Khan & Kamala Pedro Morales & Johnny Rivera vs. Pierre Lafevbre & Sailor White George Steele vs. Rene Goulet Jose Gonzales vs. Shunji Takano Billy Robinson vs. Jose Luis Rivera B Tour (5/27 Farrell PA, 5/29 Allentown PA, 5/30 Erie PA) The Wild Samoans vs. Pedro Morales & Johnny Rivera Bob Backlund vs. Billy Two Eagles Magnum TA & Rocky Johnson vs. Killer Bs John Quinn vs. Jose Estrada Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Tim Horner Mark Fleming & Barry Horowitz vs. Bernie Wright & Dave Morgan Pat Patterson vs. Mike Sharpe Korstia Korchenko vs local talent

Worldwide sends Richard Charland to TNT in exchange for Billy Robinson.

Rotunda, Zenk, Perez... and Danny Spivey? This is the weirdest 4 Horsemen lineup I've ever seen.

That Armstrong/DK match is one people are going to be talking about for years.

Awesome show, top to bottom. The battle royal gimmick still works. The worst you can say about the show is there isn't a lot of stylistic variation, but this is the sort of balls-out brawling people want out of Texas. Put the war in Star Wars.

Rotunda, Zenk, and Perez is what you get when you send out a call for "pretty boy 6-man tag team". Rose's crew is really earning their money keeping the champ safe. Seattle Showdown is gonna be a banger!

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hacksaw down! Agree his understanding has probably reached its limit. Really curious to see how he'll react to this. Big win for the Fantastics, too.