International Wrestling, October 7th, 1983 (Taped October 5th, 1983, Palais des Sports, Sherbrooke, QC) 3,646 fans, sellout
Opening
0:00 - 3:30
The IWA opening montage leads to a shot of Jacques, Sr. at the announce table.
Jacques, Sr.: I would like to welcome the fans to another night of International Wrestling happily, but we have a piece of video footage to show you, taken earlier this afternoon, that will render that null. Let’s just roll the tape and get it over with.
The tape cuts in as Jacques Rougeau, Jr., one half of the former Canadian International Tag Team champions stumbles to his feet after regaining his consciousness backstage. He is favoring his left leg as he limps a few steps towards his concerned father, who is asking frantically, “What happened?” Jacques, Jr. doesn’t know and the two agree that it is Eddie Creatchman behind the deed. The camera cuts back to Jacques, Sr. The crowd is booing very loudly in the background as Jacques, Sr. continues.
Jacques, Sr.: After a trip to the hospital, it was shown on X-ray that my son Jacques has an injury to his left hamstring that will keep him out for several months. I cannot believe Eddie Creatchman has the gall to even show his face after this.
We cut from Jacques, Sr. to Eddie Creatchman in the ring, shouting something down at Jacques, Sr. at the announce table. The crowd is booing Creatchman very loudly, some throwing trash into the ring. Jacques, Sr. hands a microphone to the man sitting next to him, who then brings the microphone to the ring and hands it to Creatchman.
Creatchman: It looks like my old friend Jacques Rougeau, Sr. isn’t talking to me again. Some professional announcer he is. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I have some very good news.
The crowd boos.
Creatchman: Oh, you don’t like what I had my guys do to Armand Rougeau? Well guess what? This is professional wrestling and you attack a weakness. Don’t even get me started on Raymond. Neither myself or the Midnight Express had anything to do with that, regardless of what that man over there (pointing at Jacques, Sr.) might tell you.
More boos, but not as many as some of the crowd seems confused.
Creatchman: That’s right. All of you jumped to the same conclusion as our completely unbiased announcer did. You all make me sick, just a bunch of sheep!
The boos get louder again.
Creatchman: I almost don’t want to do this because you don’t deserve it. But I’m going to anyway because the two men I am about to introduce deserve it. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome your new Canadian International Tag Team Champions, the Midnight Express!
Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose emerge from the curtain to deafening boos, displaying their newly won titles around their waists. Condrey and Rose shake hands with Creatchman when they reach the ring despite more garbage being thrown their direction.
Creatchman: I told everyone who would listen that these men would be the champions. I told all of you and all of the Rougeaus! And now here they are, the Midnight Express, wearing the very belts I promised they would! And as much as you don’t like it, there’s nothing your precious Rougeaus can do about it.
The crowd again breaks into loud boos.
Creatchman: Oh, I know I said we didn’t have anything to do with Raymond and I meant it. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it. If something I did started open season on Rougeaus that won’t hurt my feelings at all. Fair warning to my friend at the announce table and his other son, it certainly does seem to be open season on Rougeaus.
More deafening boos.
Creatchman: I’ve had about as much of these people as I’m going to take.
Condrey and Rose interrupt Creatchman and the three confer for a moment.
Creatchman: There is something that Randy, Dennis and I have talked about in the last few days that I should share with you. We all feel that you do no appreciate the Midnight Express for the truly great tag team they are. They are now your champions and as such should not be wrestling on free TV. Were you more deserving of their time and efforts, things might be different. It’s only fitting that the greatest tag champions the IWA has ever seen should not be treated as common wrestlers. If you want to see the Midnight Express wrestle from now on, you’ll have to pay to come to the shows.
Creatchman tosses the microphone at the announcer’s table as the Midnight Express leave the ring. Creatchman follows, jawing with the fans in the front row as the Midnights casually ignore them. The crowd is seemingly out of garbage to throw, given how early it is in the show and how agitated the fans seem to be.
Commercial Break
3:30 - 22:45
The camera is on the ring as we return from commercial. Goldie Rogers is in the ring with Jacques, Sr., pacing restlessly.
Jacques, Sr.: Mr. Rogers, it seems like you have something on your mind.
Rogers: You’re damn right I do, Jack!
Jacques, Sr. starts pulling the microphone back to protest, but Rogers catches his arm.
Rogers: You know better than that. I don’t care what your name is. I call everyone Jack. So why don’t you take your righteous indignation somewhere people give a damn.
The crowd boos and Jacques, Sr. looks pointedly at Rogers.
Rogers: Give me a break. These clowns out here don’t matter. You see, this face, this body, this gorgeous hair...these are all things that people should appreciate. But these fans cheer whenever anyone decides they have the right to punch me right in the face. The only people who have any right to even touch my face are ladies like this fine specimen down here in the front row!
Rogers walks to the ropes and grinds his hips at a woman in the front row who is obviously with a man. A large, burly man in a flannel shirt who looks none too happy.
Jacques, Sr.: Your mood seems to have gotten better.
Rogers: No way, Jack! I’m getting sick of Tony Parisi sticking his nose in my business. I want Kochen, but Parisi and this Ricco kid seem to think Kochen can’t handle himself. I won’t argue with that one bit, I’m too much for this Kochen kid. This is going out to you Parisi, so listen up, Jack! If you keep sticking your nose into my business it’s gonna get cut off!
Rogers stalks over to his corner and awaits Parisi. Jacques, Sr. gives a resigned shake of his head as he leaves the ring. Tony Parisi comes out to a good amount of cheers, slapping hands with the fans on his way to the ring. Jacques, Sr. puts over Parisi as a very capable wrestler and an upstanding human being, but worries that he may not be taking Rogers seriously enough.
Tony Parisi vs. Goldie Rogers
Parisi and Rogers lock up, Rogers backing Parisi into the corner and hitting several elbows off the break. Parisi fires back with right hands than sends Rogers momentarily staggering back to the corner, but the blond Canadian surges back, throwing big right hands that stun Parisi. Parisi is the victim of a beating, heavily focused on his neck, by Rogers. Parisi comes back with punches and a boot to the midsection, followed by a dropkick. Parisi focuses his attack on Rogers’ ribs, giving him a good working over. Rogers fires back with right hands, but this time Parisi gets the better of the exchange and Rogers hides in the corner. Steve Regal runs down to ringside, distracting both referee Pierre Bertrand and Parisi. Rogers hits the Italian/Canadian wrestler with a low blow from behind and scoops him up, dropping him throat-first over the top rope. Rogers stomps away at Parisi, then pulls him up and hits a neckbreaker to get the three.
Goldie Rogers wins by pinfall after a neckbreaker 9:42
Post-match it looks like Regal and Rogers are going to do a number on Parisi, much to the dismay of Jacques, Sr. Gino Brito comes running out and asks for the mic from Jacques, Sr., who hands it over.
Brito: Two on one seems a little unfair. How about I take on your friend, Rogers?
Regal looks at Rogers, who nods. Regal gives Brito the “come on” gesture.
Brito: That’s good. But first, let’s make sure Tony gets to the back safe and sound. After you clear out, Rogers. We’re going to do this the right way.
Rogers throws a fit as he is escorted to the back by security and a few of the younger wrestlers. Tony Parisi is able to make it to the back under his own power as the crowd applauds and cheers. Brito steps into the ring with Steve Regal and Jacques, Sr. is glad that his longtime friend Gino Brito was here to help maintain order.
Gino Brito vs. Steve Regal
Brito is clearly angry with Regal for assisting in his partner’s loss and takes it out on him, much to the delight of the crowd. Regal makes a short comeback after going to the eyes, but Brito only gets more angry and starts going after Regal’s left leg. Regal tries fighting off Brito, but the veteran will not be denied and locks in a figure four in the center of the ring. Regal is screaming in pain and gives up, Brito leaving the hold on a moment or two longer than he has to.
Gino Brito by submission with the figure four 5:46
Brito celebrates in the ring while Regal slowly makes his way to the back. Jacques, Sr. puts Brito over as we go to commercial.
Commercial Break
22:45 - 35:45
We return from commercial to Rene Goulet in the ring with Jacques, Sr. Both men look very grim.
Jacques, Sr.: Mr. Goulet, you had a tough night last Saturday.
Goulet: I did, but your son Armand had a tougher night. I tried telling him it was too early to come back. I warned him that snake Creatchman might have something planned. I should have called off the match.
Jacques, Sr.: I doubt he would have accepted that, Rene. You and I both know he’s a very passionate young man and he might have gone out and wrestled by himself had you done that.
Goulet: That’s probably true. The good news is that Armand is okay. The doctors just didn’t want to move his neck after the match as a precauton and he has been banned from the arena tonight for his own good. He did not seriously re-injure his neck.
Jacques, Sr.: No, he did not. I have to believe that was Eddie Creatchman’s intention though. I still worry that Armand’s neck isn’t quite 100% though.
Goulet: He has another week to heal. That doesn’t mean Kamiguchi gets off scot free. Tonight I will punish Hurricane Kamiguchi for what happened to Armand Rougeau!
The crowd cheers, but that turns to boos very quickly as Eddie Creatchman leads the way to the ring, far in front of Haruki, Hurricane Kamiguchi and Stonehead Ishimoto. Fans throw some garbage at Kamiguchi and Ishimoto now as well as Creatchman. Jacques, Sr., now back at the announce table, runs down the list of recent Creatchman offenses. Referee Andre Roy sends Ishimoto to the back before he rings the bell.
Rene Goulet vs. Hurricane Kamiguchi
Goulet is fired up from the start, hammering Kamiguchi with rights. The Japanese wrestler fires back with elbows, but Goulet is in no mood to back down. Creatchman yells at Goulet from ringside, distracting the Frenchman long enough for Kamiguchi to hit a dropkick to his back. Kamiguchi works a headlock on Goulet for a while, Goulet trying many different escapes. The veteran Japanese wrestler uses the hair several times to keep control. Head referee Adrian Desbois forces him to break the hold after seeing the hair being pulled. Kamiguchi uses boots to the midsection and backhand chops to set Goulet up for another headlock. Finally Kamiguchi tries for a neckbreaker only for the French veteran to catch him in a backslide for two. Several backhand chops from Kamiguchi stun Goulet, but the Frenchman moves as Kamiguchi tries another dropkick and starts working on Hurricane. Creatchman trips up Goulet as he runs the ropes and Kamiguchi drops a leg across the back of Goulet’s neck. Kamiguchi looks to be setting up for a blockbuster, the same move that caused the panic with Armand Rougeau, but Goulet fights the move off and tries to climb up for a superplex. Kamiguchi shoves Goulet off the turnbuckles, leaping over the Frenchman as he stumbles to his feet into a sunset flip for the three.
Hurricane Kamiguchi by pinfall with a second rope sunset flip 10:49
Stonehead Ishimoto comes charging out of the back and attacks Goulet after the match along with Kamiguchi. Haruki at ringside looks unhappy with the assault, but Creatchman is enjoying it. Jacques, Sr. can only express his disgust with Creatchman and his charges. The two Japanese wrestlers stop beating up a battered Goulet as Creatchman stops them, mic in hand.
Creatchman: So now the fans see the truth. The Midnight Express are the new Canadian International Tag Team Champions! Earth and Sky have shown more than once that Armand Rougeau and Rene Goulet are weak and ineffective as a team. And do you know why? Because these men work as a team. I won’t deny that Armand Rougeau is an athletic young man and Rene Goulet is a wily old veteran. But Rougeau is too wrapped up in trying to be like his brothers. And Goulet can’t do it on his own because he’s a broken down old man.
Creatchman stomps on Goulet several times.
Creatchman: Just face it, your heroes are nothing but pretenders. Earth and Sky! The Midnight Express! These are the true heroes of the International Wrestling Association!
Jacques, Sr. is livid in his criticisms of Creatchman, his voice raising to shouting levels as we go to commercial.
Commercial Break
35:45 - 52:15
The camera is on the ring as we come back from commercial. Quebec Television Tag Team Champions The Tongan Terrors proudly wear their newly won titles on the way to the ring with Albano making sure no one can miss the belts. Albano has a bandage on his head where it hit the guard rail on October 1st. The crowd is booing the two big Tongans and Albano all the way to the ring. Jacques, Sr. is not a fan of the Tongan Terrors, but gives them a grudging respect for putting away the Can Am Express, even if Albano played a small but crucial role in the match. He apologises for his unprofessional behavior before the break. The Invaders come out to a big pop, playing to the crowd all the way to the ring. Jacques, Sr. puts the Invaders over as threats to the monsters from the island of Tonga.
The Invaders vs. Quebec TV Champions The Tongan Terrors in a title match (15 minute time limit)
Invader 3 starts out hot, using his speed and athleticism to great effect, but Tonga John doesn’t leave his feet until he is hit with a big running dropkick. Invader 1 is in and he uses stick and move tactics to frustrate the big Tongan. King Tonga is tagged in and he fares better against Invader 1, but cannot keep the agile Puerto Rican down long enough to work any kind of double teams with Tonga John. Invader 3 makes a blind tag and comes in with a dropkick to King Tonga’s back that is followed by an Invader 1 dropkick to the jaw and chest that knocks King Tonga down. Tonga John hits the ring and clubs Invader 3 over the back until referee Pierre Bertrand ushers him back to the ring apron. This allows the Tongan Terrors to double team Invader 3 and really work him over. Invader 3 tries to get over to his partner to make the tag but is continually cut off by the two big Tongans, much to the delight of Albano. When Invader 1 finally takes the tag the crowd erupts as Invader 1 goes right at both Tongan wrestlers. Gilles Poisson runs down to ringside and Albano gets up on the apron, causing Bertrand to stop worrying about getting Tonga John out of the ring and completely miss Poisson pulling a still-recovering Invader 3 off of the ring apron and grabbing a bearhug before falling forward and slamming him down on the floor. King Tonga hits a savate kick from the side of Invader 1 as the Puerto Rican is attacking Tonga John. Tonga John climbs back to the apron and takes the tag, going up top for the flying headbutt and covering for three.
Tonga John over Invader 1 by pinfall after a savate kick/flying headbutt combination 13:22
Poisson looks to continue the assault on Invader 3 when Brito & Parisi emerge from the back to run him off. Jacques, Sr. is disgusted by Poisson’s continued use of dirty tactics to strike at the Invaders. The Tongan Terrors celebrate their first successful defense in the ring with Albano before Albano points at the section of the crowd right behind where he had been standing at ringside. King Tonga grabs a chair from under a fan and swings it hard at the guard rail, sending fans anywhere near that section of guard rail scrambling. The King goes right over the guard rail, waving the chair around as security and half the locker room empty to keep the big Tongan from assaulting the crowd. Albano laughs and calls off King Tonga, taunting the would-be rescuers as we go to commercial.
Commercial Break & Upcoming Events
52:15 - 65:45
We return from Commercial to Jacques, Sr. looking very serious at the announce table.
Jacques, Sr.: Fans, tonight we are going to show you the main event from six nights ago in the Montreal Forum. I will warn you ahead of time that it is violent and bloody, and not at all for the faint of heart. I have to note that I am doing this against my better judgement because Frank Valois and several others have decided that we will be showing this match to you tonight. If it were my choice it would never be shown on television.
The tape rolls and all 11:19 of the match is shown, cutting to both men stretchered out post-match. Jacques, Sr. is back on camera as the tape ends, looking very grim.
Jacques, Sr.: Mad Dog Lefebvre was released from the hospital on Tuesday, but it was the judgement of many IWA officials that the man had lost too much blood and sustained such a terrible beating that he should not compete tonight. This is absolutely something I agree with and I am against any more dog collar matches being put on by the IWA. They are incredibly dangerous for both combatants as you could clearly see. Mad Dog Vachon came out on top, but I’m not sure he even knew where he was when he won the match. It became a battle for survival rather than a wrestling match near the end when both men started to feel their exhaustion. I won’t take anything away from either competitor for their efforts, but I want to express again how dangerous that match truly was for both. We thank you for joining us this Friday evening for International Wrestling and hope you’ll tune in next Friday when Dino Bravo will be in the building!
Dark Matches Pre-Show Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland & Dan Johnson defeated the Marcus Brothers with a spike piledriver on Joe Marcus Gilles Poisson defeated Tim Gerrard with a bearhug Stonehead Ishimoto defeated Alex Gerrard with a loaded headbutt Post-Show The Midnight Express defeated the Can Am Express when Rose rolled Brunzell up in a prawn hold after a missed dropkick
