Scarlet-Left

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXXI – 30th of June 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Debbie Combs & Misty Blue Simmes & Babyface Nellie versus Leilani Kai & Judy Martin & Liz Chase After a brief video package recapping the events of the supercard, we head straight to the action with the television title opener. Velvet McIntyre is facing Peggy Lee Leather but, more worryingly, a particularly foul-faced Wendi Richter in the challenger’s corner. The fight is hard for the champ, as her every opening is called out by the eagle-eyed former world champion and ringside. The challenger struggles as well, unable to quite keep up with the pace of either of the other women and occasionally letting excellent opportunities created by her mentor fall to the wayside. Eventually growing sick of Wendi Richter’s constant interference, Velvet McIntyre takes her down with a baseball slide that sends her crashing into the guard rail. With that taken care of, a thoroughly exhausted Peggy Lee Leather is easy pickings. Velvet McIntyre defeats Peggy Lee Leather in 14:12 by pinfall after a swinging hurricanrana to retain the WWW Television Championship After a brief video interlude, we get to the interviews. Wendi Richter takes over her protégé’s interview time in order to issue a threat to Velvet McIntyre and boasts about having always kicked her ass whenever they’ve gone one on one. The champion decides to talk about looking forward to the Great American Bash, trying to drum up interest in the company’s fans. A commercial break then takes us through to the second match. Candice Pardue, hot off her shocking victory over her former mentor, is taking on KC Houston. The two women are given time to show off, with neither having a distinctive advantage. Eventually, however, Candice Pardue is able to extend her momentum and deliver a finish from the top rope. Candice Pardue defeats KC Houston in 12:47 by pinfall after a missile dropkick After another brief video interlude, we get to the next set of interviews. KC Houston says he agrees with Penny Mitchell and her comments at the supercard that Candice Pardue should be suspended, otherwise she refuses to comment on her loss. Candice Pardue, for her part, gets about five words in before being blindsided by an enraged Penny Mitchell. Initially going for a chokehold of her own, the attack is turn into an all-out brawl when Penny Mitchell is slammed into the wall with the full weight of Candice Pardue’s body as she desperately scrambles out of the hold. A fight through the corridors then occurs which is eventually won by the former mentor when she smashes a nearby glass over her ex-student’s head and the cameras hastily cut away to a commercial break. After that, we come to the six-woman tag main event. Debbie Combs is the star of the show throughout, with a spectacular entrance at the start, to a dominant performance during the match. The heels are far more well-coordinated, but the faces have the advantage in every one-to-one variation. The contest eventually comes down to Debbie Combs and Leilani Kai. Though she’s her stable’s leader for a good reason, Leilani Kai is not immune to choking and the prospect of potentially pinning the world champion and getting an express ticket to the world title scene gets to her. Debbie Combs capitalises on her opponent’s slight awkwardness and hesitation with a relentless barrage of offence. Debbie Combs & Misty Blue Simmes & Babyface Nellie defeat Leilani Kai & Judy Martin & Liz Chase in 15:51 when Debbie Combs pins Leilani Kai after a neckbreaker

I love these write-up previews!

Another good piece of hype for the GAB! You've done a good job of building up your television title, as well. I would also be remiss not comment on the Funks, who're still going!

I am very hyped up for this!

This was a really fun episode! The GAB card looks great, with a really good mix of matches.

WrestleRock has been built so well. I can't wait! I have faith in Ricky Steamboat. I know the dragon can't fail! I'm really looking forward to seeing the Rock 'n' Roll Express trying to dethrone the great team you've developed as champs!

This clattering back-and-forth between the Funks and the Zaibatsu is building well. I have to believe the Funks will come out on top!

It's really cool to see the British feud developing into an even larger affair. It can be understated how cool it is to see the Midnight Express and the Hart Foundation in the same company! I really hope Owen Hart can figure out a way to overthrow Tracy Smothers!

Wonder Women Wrestling JUNE SUPERCARD 1986 Live from: Las Vegas, Nevada The show opens with a light show and a rock video, promoting the night’s matches, with a special emphasis on the main event and the overall story of Debbie Combs and her rise to the world title. The opening two matches are frivolous affairs that the commentators use to help hype on later, tangentially related, matches. First up, Desiree Petersen and Selina Majors take on Ashly Kennedy and Brittany Brown. The heels want to snatch a second supercard opening match win and the faces want to give their stablemates a confidence boost heading to the tag title match further up the card. The narrative of the fight is very simple, the heels are a well-oiled machine but Desiree Petersen as a distinctive edge as a singles competitor. Eventually, this proves enough for the babyface team to come away with the victory. Desiree Petersen & Selina Majors defeat Ashly Kennedy & Brittany Brown in 08:21 when Desiree Petersen submits Brittany Brown with a Boston crab A dazzling interlude – replete with glamour shots of the roster and sponsored content – then brings us through to the first set of interviews. The heels descend into over-the-top and incoherent ranting, whereas the faces use their time to trying psyching up their stablemates. Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart promise to do their best but both admit that facing Medusa Miceli and Mad Maxine is a frightening prospect. The second match is even more fun and frivolous than the first, with Lady Apache taking on Liz Chase. Leilani Kai is her in her stablemate’s corner, likewise Vicky Carranza is in the opposite corner. The contest proceeds as a showcase for the move set of Lady Apache, however, with particular emphasis on running and flying. Lady Apache defeats Liz Chase in 04:52 by pinfall with an inside cradle After another brief video interlude, we go to the interviews. Liz Chase gets chewed out by her leader and whines to the rest of her stable, to a mixed reaction. Lady Apache is asked softball questions, mainly related to merchandise and the magazine, but she manages to get in a promise to build on her success going forward. Up next is the tag team title match, where Medusa Miceli and Mad Maxine await the champions with murderous intent. Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart are visibly nervous from the moment the step foot inside the squared circle and this disposition leads to a brutally one-sided opening exchange, with Medusa Miceli torturing each woman in turn with excruciating holds and savage strikes. Eventually, however, the affair becomes more even as Medusa Miceli tires herself out and a more traditional match ensues over the next ten minutes. The finish demonstrates devilish insight from Medusa Miceli. With an illegally leveraged pin attempt on Susan Starr, she baits Winona Little Heart into the ring who, upon trying to break up the attempt is blindsided by a big boot to the side of the head from Mad Maxine and is then dumped outside with a painful thud. Susan Starr then receives a chain of three perfectly executed German suplexes, the latter ending with a bridge. Medusa Miceli & Mad Maxine defeat Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart in 15:09 when Medusa Miceli pins Susan Starr after a German suplex to win the NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championship A hype package for Candice Pardue versus Penny Mitchell – a strap match – then takes us through to the interviews. Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart are dejected, bruised and beaten and offer only a half-hearted promise to compose a new strategy for dealing with the monsters. Medusa Miceli hogs the interview time and declares herself the dark queen of the company. The fourth match on the card features a long period of build-up, as the rules of the match are spelled out to the audience and the strap is fitted to the wrist of each competitor. The contest proceeds traditionally from there, with a tug of war, followed by an exchange of lashes to the back and then a tour around the ring. The first big spot comes when Penny Mitchell pulls Candice Pardue into the corner, smacks her around and ends the sequence with a nasty-looking superplex. Unable to secure a quick victory, however, an increasingly enraged Penny Mitchell spends the rest of the match leathering Candice Pardue with lashes to the back and, occasionally successfully, dropping her with slams. The finish comes out of nowhere, however, when Candice Pardue – having been put up on the corner for another superplex – seizes on a rare opportunity. She wraps the strap around the neck of Penny Mitchell and yanks on it with all her might, lifting her writhing opponent of the ground. A terrified and red-faced Penny Mitchell is then barely able to maintain consciousness by the time the referee forces Candice Pardue to let go. Candice Pardue defeats Penny Mitchell in 17:44 by pinfall Another video interlude – this one heavily promoting the main event – takes us to the interviews. Hoarse and visibly shaken up, Penny Mitchell asks for the decision to be reversed and for her opponent to face discipline. Appearing troubled by her own actions, Candice Pardue says she was pushed to a desperate tactic to send a message. Our penultimate match is a stacked six-woman over-the-top-rope battle royal, with Misty Blue Simmes, Rhonda Singh, Velvet McIntyre, Leilani Kai, Babyface Nellie and the dual champion Lisa Moretti battling it out in a non-title match for a right to face the world champion at an as yet unspecified date. The contest is wild and fun, with ringside brawling from the women as they are eliminated and plenty of near-misses and lucky escapes. First, Babyface Nellie blindsides Leilani Kai, who pulls her over and out in a rage, then Rhonda Singh lays the rest of the ring low but only succeeds in creating an alliance against her which sees her eliminated by the remaining three women. Misty Blue Simmes, Lisa Moretti and Velvet McIntyre then face each other in a battle of shifting alliances and subtle strategies for a good ten minutes before Misty Blue Simmes is baited into a run and sent out by Lisa Moretti using her own momentum against her. Velvet McIntyre rules the roost thereafter, with a series of big moves – in her element in what has become a singles match. The result is drawn and tense battle, with both women eventually fighting on the apron. Staff take the other participants away to prevent the conclusion being spoiled. A well-timed but risky dropkick to Velvet McIntyre’s shin from Lisa Moretti then brings the match to an end. Lisa Moretti defeats Leilani Kai & Babyface Nellie & Rhonda Singh & Misty Blue Simmes & Velvet McIntyre in 19:31 in a non-title over-the-top-rope battle royal After one last video interlude, we get an interview with the winner only. Lisa Moretti says that it doesn’t matter who wins in the main event – though she suspects it will be Wendi Richter – because she’s the single greatest female wrestler in the world today and prepared to prove it. The world title match begins after highly elaborate entrances for both the challenger and the champion. From bell to bell, the two women work through a well-rehearsed sequence of moves. Neither gives an inch and the result is an even-sided back-and-forth that only becomes more intense with every passing minute. Wendi Richter has cunning or her side, but Debbie Combs has grit and resolve. After knocking seven bells out of one another, marching each other up and down the ring and wearing each other down, the pair begin gunning for the finishing move. One counts follow, then two counts and two-and-a-half counts. Big slams and risky dives come in equally number from both women. It’s obvious to the crowd that the match could go either way and that neither competitor is going to be torn up about a close victory – the win is all they’re after. It comes eventually, as a photo finish. The referees hand comes down for the three at just the moment that the loser’s shoulder comes up to save herself. Debbie Combs defeats Wendi Richter in 24:59 by pinfall after a neckbreaker to retain the NWA World Women’s Championship We go off air to scenes of an enraged Wendi Richter screaming at the officials and a jubilant Debbie Combs holding her title up for all to see.

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXIX – 16th of June 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Velvet McIntyre versus Rhonda Singh for the WWW Television Championship This week, the programme kicks off at bell time for the opening match – an eight woman tag battle – pitting Desiree Petersen, Susan Starr, Winona Little Heart and Selina Majors against Leilani Kai, Judy Martin, Liz Chase and Despina Montagas. The contest is a fun and chaotic brawl with lots of fighting at ringside and occasional spills into the crowd for added interaction. In time, however, the fun must end and a trip up from the outside gives the heels the opportunity they’ve been looking for. Leilani Kai & Judy Martin & Liz Chase & Despina Montagas defeat Desiree Petersen & Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart & Selina Majors in 13:44 when Liz Chase pins Selina Majors after an elbow drop After a very brief interlude, we get a short promo from Debbie Combs agreeing to a rematch with Wendi Richter at the next supercard before we move onto the interviews. The faces avoid blubbering and psyche each other up, refusing to be discouraged by the loss and the heels fall all over each other to give credit and issue increasingly outrages demands for championship matches from the company. A commercial break then takes us through to the second match, a contest to determine Candice Pardue’s right to a rematch with Penny Mitchell, as she takes on Candi Devine. Accompanied to the ring by Penny Mitchell, Candi Devine delights in making her opponents life a living hell for the next ten minutes and receives plenty of outside help. Candice Pardue remains defiant throughout and tries her best to get shots in wherever she can. In the end, however, it’s her former mentor who nets her the victory, by smacking her upside the head. Candice Pardue defeats Candi Devine in 12:29 by disqualification after interference from Penny Mitchell After another brief interlude, we get to the interviews. An annoyed and confused Candi Devine complains that she should’ve won and says every could see how dominant she was. Candice Pardue doesn’t get so much as a word in before Penny Mitchell arrives to clear things up, claiming that she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to embarrass her again. The second commercial break then brings us to the main event. The commentators make it clear that every other performer has been sent home early to prevent outside interference. The result is a slobber knocker, with brutal slams and strikes from Rhonda Singh and daring stunts from Velvet McIntyre. The challenger comes close to stealing her title back several times but always comes up short. With a few too many chances having escaped her, an enraged Rhonda Singh – otherwise a terrifying prospect – is significantly easier for the Velvet McIntyre to wrestle circles around, tiring her out in anticipation of the first opportunity to put things away. Velvet McIntyre defeats Rhonda Singh in 15:37 by pinfall after a swinging hurricanrana to retain the WWW Television Championship * P.S. I, once again, have to apologise for being in active. I've been quite busy, working towards my PhD and I've also recently received my first vaccine jab.

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXVIII – 9th of June 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Lisa Moretti versus Penny Mitchell for the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women's Championship This week, the programme opens hot at bell time with the new television champion facing KC Houston. Velvet McIntyre paces herself well and the match is a showcase for her move set and renewed vigour. The champ’s reserved offence keeps the contest relatively even, but the challenger never comes close to achieving victory and, as soon as Velvet McIntyre feels comfortable doing so, the affair is brought to a predictable close. Velvet McIntyre defeats KC Houston in 12:11 by pinfall after a swinging hurricanrana to retain the WWW Television Championship After a brief interlude, we get to the interviews. KC Houston is angry and annoyed and alleges dirty tactics. The champ barely gets half a sentence out from Rhonda Singh arrives – speaking from behind the camera – demands a rematch. Velvet McIntyre gladly accepts. A commercial break then takes us to some tag team action, with the Star Girls taking on Ashly Kennedy and Brittany Brown. Both teams have every intention of walking away with a victory and each woman is one hundred percent convinced she’s capable of such a thing, making for a highly intense back-and-forth contest. The faces, at various points, appear genuinely alarmed at the skill of their opponents but this is balanced out by an over-eager and arrogant attitude from the heels occasionally letting opportunities slip through their fingers. There’s a genuine sense that the match could go either way and the finish comes in a flash, with a team-up manoeuvre. Jamie West trips Ashly Kennedy and tags out to Rockin’ Robin who dives from the corner. Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West defeat Brittany Brown & Ashly Kennedy in 13:46 when Rockin’ Robin pins Ashly Kennedy after a diving splash After another brief interlude, we get to the interviews. The heels, bewildered and struggling for words, eventually somehow come to the conclusion that they deserve a title shot. The Star Girls, for their part, talk up their opponents’ abilities and promise to become tag team champions once again. The second commercial break then takes us to the main event, where a foul-faced Penny Mitchell awaits one of the company’s rising stars, Lisa Moretti. From the moment the two lock up, it’s obvious that the match will be an ugly one. Both women display a love of violence and almost total disregard for the rules. Every rope break is taken to a count of four, every jaunt outside the ring is taken to a count of nine and each woman uses every opportunity that comes along for back-raking, eye-poking and hair-pulling. Just as the Penny Mitchell begins to scare the champion, however, Lisa Moretti is saved by an unlikely ally. Candice Pardue marches down to the ringside area and takes a microphone. She stutters through her lines but the message remains clear – she wants a rematch with her former mentor. Penny Mitchell sits at her and is immediately rolled up. Lisa Moretti defeats Penny Mitchell in 14:35 by pinfall with a schoolboy roll-up to retain the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship Kicking out just after the three, an enraged Penny Mitchell starts viciously attacking Candice Pardue at ringside, as the champion looks on in amusement.

Wow! What an amazing card! It was built up and more than paid off! Seeing Chris Candido and the Hart Foundation snatch up gold early on was great but seeing Ron Simmons get the best of Stan Hansen was, by far, my favourite moment of the night!

Momentum for the Funks keeps building and building! An interesting sight from Jumbo Tsuruta... colour me intrigued.

I concur that you've done a great job making Wrestle Rock feel special! I'm really looking forward to seeing Ricky Steamboat teach Tony St Clair a lesson - fingers crossed!

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXVII – 2nd of June 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Rhonda Singh versus Velvet McIntyre for the WWW Television Championship The programme kicks off with a recap of the past several weeks, centring mainly on the story of Debbie Combs and her victory over Wendi Richter. With the traditional television title opener bumped up to the main event slot, the show instead starts with a six-woman tag at the bottom of the card. Medusa Miceli and two of her monsters – Luna Vachon and Mad Maxine – look to defend their titles from Desiree Petersen and two of her giant slayers – Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart. The match is fast-paced and entertaining, with a lot of tags in and out and much less brutality than is usually from the heels. It ends rather predictably, however, as no one seems to, as yet, have discovered an answer for the power of Mad Maxine. Medusa Miceli & Luna Vachon & Mad Maxine defeat Desiree Petersen & Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart in 13:39 when Mad Maxine pins Susan Starr after a scoop slam to retain the WWW Trios Championship After a brief interlude, full of glamour shots and merchandise hawking, we get to the interviews. The faces chat excitedly about devising a strategy to deal with the monsters, seemingly unfazed by their loss, and the monsters in question talk in subtle terms about protecting Rhonda Singh in the main event. A commercial break then takes us through to an interesting middle match, with Wendi Richter in her first singles match on weekly television. Her opponent – Babyface Nellie – tries her best not to let the nerves show as she prepares for a makeshift rematch and the ability to prove what she’s learned since their last encounter. The former world champ is visibly angered by the lack of pomp for her entrance and immediately sets about taking her anger out on her opponent. The two women have a highly competitive and hard-hitting back-and-forth contest for a solid ten minutes before Wendi Richter decides she’s had enough and starts cheating. Testing the referee’s patience and every opportunity and seemingly begging for a disqualification, she eventually gets what she wants after cracking a steel chair across the back of an already battered Babyface Nellie. Babyface Nellie defeats Wendi Richter in 12:47 by disqualification Another brief interlude takes us to the interviews and Wendi Richter uses hers to rant about the state of the company, her loss at the supercard and her assertion that she deserves an automatic rematch – she threatens to seriously injure anyone else she’s paired against until she has a rematch contract dotted and signed. Babyface Nellie says that her opponent should be suspended and that a victory over a former world champion entitles her to another shot at the belt herself. A second commercial break then takes us through to the special television title main event. There is anticipation of outside interference on both sides as the two squaring off are flanked by their allies – Medusa Miceli, Luna Vachon, Reggie Bennett and Mad Maxine on one side and Misty Blue Simmes, Rockin’ Robin, Jamie West and Debbie Combs on the other. The narrative of the match is far more about the gangs at ringside than the women in the centre, as Velvet McIntyre wrestles circles around Rhonda Singh but struggles to ever knock her off her feet. As the minutes pass, the ringside brawling becomes more and more frequent and more and more intense – as do the attempts to interfere – and eventually, when the finish comes, it’s a shock to the outsiders, by then too preoccupied with one another. Velvet McIntyre defeats Rhonda Singh in 15:51 by pinfall after a running crossbody to win the WWW Television Championship When it dawns of the monsters what has happened, they storm the ring and chase away a jubilant new champion, who celebrates with her allies on the entrance ramp as the programme goes off air.

Excellent write-up! I love a good one-night tournament and Ricky Steamboat versus Tony St Clair sounds amazing!

A number of really good shows! It's great seeing the Funks picking up a lot of momentum. It sucks to be Johnny Mantell!

Greatly looking forward to the Seattle Showdown, especially the Golden State tag title match. Speaking of tag teams, I love the pairing of Ron Simmons and Scott Hall.

Wonder Women Wrestling MAY SUPERCARD 1986 Live from: Las Vegas, Nevada The programme kicks off with a lightshow and a run-down of the card – with particular emphasis paid to the main event world title match. The opening match is a warm-up, through and through, which the commentators use to plug the company’s sponsors, its merchandise, and the rest of the card. Lady Apache and Vicky Carranza take on Brittany Brown and Ashly Kennedy, in a fun little back-and-forth which ends in a flash pinfall. Brittany Brown & Ashly Kennedy defeat Lady Apache & Vicky Carranza in 07:02 when Ashly Kennedy pins Lady Apache after a clothesline A commercial video interlude then takes us through to the interviews. The faces spent their time talking about how much they enjoyed the meet-and-greet the fans prior to the show and try to encourage those watching at home to come along next time. The heels, by contrast, gush over their quick victory, attributing it to their unparalleled skill and organisation. The next match is for the tag team title, pitting Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart – accompanied by their allies – against Linda Dallas and Kat LeRoux (otherwise known as the Nasty Girls). From the opening bell, the contest is fast-paced, full of athleticism and acrobatics. The heels try to go for dirty tricks from time to time but the champs’ allies act as outside enforces and keep it to a minimum. A relatively clean match means that neither team has a definitive advantage and, once they realise it, sprint to the finish begins. Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart defeat Linda Dallas & Kat LeRoux in 14:58 when Winona Little Heart pins Linda Dallas with a victory roll to retain the NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championship After another interlude, we get to the interviews. The Nasty Girls shriek and rant about outside interference, whereas the overjoyed Giant Slayers big each other up and make oaths to collect more titles. The next match is grudge match and features a short video lead-in detailing the personal issues between Penny Mitchell and her protégé Candice Pardue. By the time the opening bell rings, Candice Pardue appears equal parts nervous and upset and Penny Mitchell appears practically murderous. After a few rounds of tentative grappling, the intensity ratchets up considerably once Penny Mitchell gains firm control and begins to brutalise her opponent with tortuous holds and nasty body shots. She lets up only for a five count and otherwise makes Candice Pardue’s life hell for well over ten minutes before deciding to put her away. Kicking out half a second before a three is Candice Pardue’s lone act of defiance and all it gets her is a bow and arrow hold that Penny Mitchell eventually has to be pried out of. Penny Mitchell defeats Candice Pardue in 13:20 by submission with a bow and arrow After another interlude we get to the interviews. Candice Pardue is being seen to by the doctor and, through barely held back tears, asks to be given another chance to prove herself. Penny Mitchell, for her part, acts bitter and cold, refusing to show any remorse for potentially injuring her student and claiming that she proved an important point. The match that follows pits Lisa Moretti against Velvet McIntyre. It has a long feeling out stage, as the two women continuously test each other’s defences, followed by a few rounds of strike-trading. Eventually, the whole affair kicks into high gear and the participants knock seven bells out of each other. By the end, they are both bruised beyond belief and sweating buckets. It seems to be anyone’s game until the champ makes a desperation play and brings it home. Lisa Moretti defeats Velvet McIntyre in 19:51 by pinfall with her feet on the ropes to retain the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship Another interlude – this one hyping up Medusa Miceli’s faction – takes us through to the interviews. An exhausted Velvet McIntyre complains that she was robbed, whilst an equally exhausted Lisa Moretti responds angrily to the interview for daring to present such an accusation. The penultimate match is a showcase for the monsters – a ten-woman tag team match for bragging rights. Aligned against Medusa Miceli and her crew are Misty Blue Simmes, Babyface Nellie, Desiree Petersen and the Star Girls. With heel shenanigans galore, ringside brawling and plenty of crowd interaction, the contest is utter chaos from start to finish. Everyone manages to get a few good licks and everyone – bar the rarely active Mad Maxine – is humbled at one time or another. The finish comes and goes well before the fighting stops as the formality of a victory does nothing to calm the tempers of either side or give any impression that business has been settled. Medusa Miceli & Luna Vachon & Rhonda Singh & Reggie Bennett & Mad Maxine defeat Misty Blue Simmes & Babyface Nellie & Desiree Petersen & Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West in 14:34 when Mad Maxine pins Jamie West after a scoop slam Our last interlude is promotional music video for the main event and the interviews that follow it are a total mess. The faces talk over each other, not saying much at all, until they are confronted by the monsters and the brawl resumes in the halls of the arena, as other girls from both sides of the face-heel divide join in and staff rush in to vainly try breaking things up. Once it comes time for the main event, as is tradition, Wendi Richter is given as special rockstar entrance which she milks for all its worth, intentionally infuriating a pacing Debbie Combs. Such a strategy seems to immediately backfire, however, when the challenger blindsides her and takes her, peppering her with body shots, before the bell has even rung. The champ escapes from the ring at the soonest opportunity and tries to catch her breath, only to face a spear into one of the ring posts which completely waylays her. After that, the girls brawl on the outside until the referee’s count draws them inside – only for both them to roll back out to reset the score. Wendi Richter goes to the well with a powerbomb attempt on the outside but buckles from pain and exhaustion. This allows Debbie Combs to drag her inside and apply a vicelike choke hold. The champion comes very close to giving in but eventually manages to heave herself up and over for a pin attempt that forces the challenger to break the hold. The match progresses evenly from then on, with each woman getting her time to shine and a near-fall before the finishing stretch. Wendi Richter lifts Debbie Combs up for a powerbomb but gets clubbed on the head about half a dozen times for her trouble. The champ the falls to the ground with the challenger sitting on her chest. Debbie Combs defeats Wendi Richter in 24:18 by pinfall to win the NWA World Women’s Championship An apoplectic Wendi Richter then has to be restrained by officials as the programme goes off the air to scenes of jubilant new world champ – the teary-eyed Debbie Combs.

This built anticipation very well. I always like Greg Gagne being made to look like a fool and the Giant Haystacks spot/match was a bunch of fun!

I'd never count the Funks out, I know they're going to bounce back and soon be running the company. The intensity of the feud between the Dungeon of Doom and the Tribal Nation is great, I hope it ends in an absolute bloodbath.

Those are some really intriguing developments, with Steve Wright intervening in the British affair and Barry Windham giving the Crazy Gang a scare. Can he become the difference maker and be the one to neutralise Stan Hansen?

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXVI – 26th of May 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Wendi Richter & Lisa Moretti versus Debbie Combs & Velvet McIntyre The programme kicks off this week with a flashy graphics package promoting the Supercard on Saturday and briefly recapping the previous week’s events. The opening match is a traditional television title bout, with Rhonda Singh taking on Rockin’ Robin – accompanied by her partner Jamie West. Initially not taking the encounter seriously, Rhonda Singh is almost humiliating by a backslide pin attempt and, in a total rage, proceeds to torture Rockin’ Robin with suffocating holds and unholy chops. On several occasions, Jamie West even appears to contemplate getting involved to relieve her but, instead, remains at ringside. Rhonda Singh defeats Rockin’ Robin in 12:09 by pinfall after a splash to retain the WWW Television Championship After a brief interlude – which specifically promotes a grudge match between Penny Mitchell and Candice Pardue on the supercard – we get to the interviews. A bruised Rockin’ Robin claims that Rhonda Singh wrestled like a woman possessed and that she doesn’t think anyone could beat her. The champ spends her interview time gloating promising more violence. A commercial break then takes us to a tag team match – to determined who will challenge Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart for the title – between the Nasty Girls and the team of Lady Apache and Vicky Carranza. Whilst the match still has enough back-and-forth to be entertaining, the Nasty Girls are never in any danger of losing and use the finishing stretches of the contest to show off their move set and antagonise the audience. Linda Dallas & Kat LeRoux defeat Lady Apache & Vicky Carranza in 13:40 when Linda Dallas submits Vicky Carranza with a single leg crab After another interlude – this time one promoting the supercard’s main event of Wendi Richter versus Debbie Combs – we head to the interviews. Lady Apache speaks for her team when she says they’ll redouble their efforts to improve and one day become a force to be reckoned with. Linda Dallas and Kat LeRoux are ecstatic and rant and rave about how badly they’re going to beat the tag champs on Saturday. Our second commercial break then takes us on to the main event. The four women are each at the top of their game and none of them hold anything back. They each have a point to prove and it results in a hellacious battle for supremacy, including ringside brawling, abuse and dirty tactics from the heels and interrupted pins driving both the referee and the crowd to distraction. The end, when it does come, is a flurry of offence from Wendi Richter on Velvet McIntyre and a clever move from Lisa Moretti to hold Debbie Combs in place as the three count comes. Wendi Richter & Lisa Moretti defeat Debbie Combs & Velvet McIntyre in 17:11 when Wendi Richter pins Velvet McIntyre after a powerbomb When go off air to a shot of a dejected Debbie Combs and an exhausted Velvet McIntyre walking to the back as their opponents celebrate in the ring.

I've said it before, I love faction warfare and the Dungeon of Doom versus the Tribal Nation is a great example. I don't know if anyone has an answer for the evil genius of Kevin Sullivan, however.

Great promotional spots for British Steel - their rivalry with Fit Finlay is one of my favourite storylines - and the practically perfect timeless Midnight Express. I loved the main event - Eddie Gilbert and Badd Company are a great trio!