Scarlet-Left

Curt Hennig, much as it grieves me, sure does make a great heel and it's a great way to build and, no matter how long his tag team stays together, I'm already counting the days until a break-up angle. It's good to see Rocky Johnson staying near the top of the card!

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXV – 19th of May 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Lisa Moretti versus Babyface Nellie for the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship The programme kicks off with footage of the chaotic scenes at the end of last week’s episode before transitioning to the traditional television title opener, as Rhonda Singh takes on a tough challenger in the form of Misty Blue Simmes. Nothing like the champ’s most recent defences, this contest is highly competitive from bell to bell and, by the ten-minute mark, a lack of success brings out the beast in both women as they lack their shots in and fight not only to win but to disable each other. With none of her allies to help her, it looks like Rhonda Singh might fall but a mistimed spear from Misty Blue Simmes undoes her as she has her back crushed by a splash. Capitalising the move, Rhonda Singh then transitions into a brutal chinlock. Rhonda Singh defeats Misty Blue Simmes in 14:58 by submission with a rear chinlock to retain the WWW Television Championship After a very brief interlude we head to the interviews. A distraught and hoarse-voiced Misty Blue Simmes beats herself up for her mistake and a jubilant Rhonda Singh threatens variously to crush a laundry list of the company’s babyface wrestlers and even paralyse the interviewer for staying too long in her sight. A commercial break then takes us through to another company mandated challenge for Debbie Combs. Her opponent, accompanied by her adoring allies, is Leilani Kai and she makes it clear from the off that she’s determined to flip the script and put her opponent’s ambitions down when she attacks before the bell and doesn’t let up even for a second. Eventually, through an intense back-and-forth, Debbie Combs begins to gain ground as Leilani Kai overexerts herself. Interference from her allies keeps Leilani Kai from being totally embarrassed but the finishing stretch is near-fall after near-fall for Debbie Combs before one last big move seals the deal. Debbie Combs defeats Leilani Kai in 13:22 by pinfall after a neckbreaker After another brief interlude we go to the interviews. Leilani Kai predictably chews out her allies and accuses her opponent of cheating whereas a humbler Debbie Combs simply says she’s ready to jump through the next hoop for her shot at the world title. A second commercial break then takes us to the main event. In her first test as champion, Lisa Moretti seeks defends her titles from Babyface Nellie. The match has a little bit of everything, back-and-forth striking, reversals and counter-reversals, time-wasting and cheating from the champ and both women come close to victory at several points. In the end, however, Lisa Moretti proves herself to be a formidable dual champion. Lisa Moretti defeats Babyface Nellie in 16:43 by pinfall after a powerslam to retain the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship * P.S. I should be able to get back to posting in others' threads more regularly now, as my schedule becomes more relaxed.

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXIV – 12th of May 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Velvet McIntyre & Babyface Nellie & Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West versus Medusa Miceli & Luna Vachon & Reggie Bennett & Mad Maxine The programme kicks off with a video package focusing heavily on Debbie Combs and Lisa Moretti. After that, we head to the television title match, with the champion Rhonda Singh facing Winona Little Heart. The match plays out similarly to the previous week’s television title bout, apart from being a lot closer. Winona Little Heart pulls out all the stops, going high-risk multiple times, and even manages to knock Rhonda Singh off her feet from time to time but the champion always makes her pay for it. The finish comes with Winona Little Heart coming off the top rope for a crossbody but getting caught. The challenger is then broken across Rhonda Singh’s knee, setting her up a finishing manoeuvre. Rhonda Singh defeats Winona Little Heart in 13:40 by pinfall after a splash to retain the WWW Television Championship After a brief interlude, we go to the interviews. Winona Little Heart’s allies are there to console her as she struggles to explain why she lost but vows to do better. Rhonda Singh launches into an unhinged rant about being unstoppable and asks for a more serious challenge next time. A commercial break then takes us through to a match-up between Debbie Combs and Candi Devine. The commentators make it clear that this match is meant to test the dedication of Debbie Combs and that an even tougher challenge awaits if she can win here, all necessary to prove she deserves another shot at the world title. Candi Devine is no slouch, and she cheats as often as she can but she’s nowhere close to being ready for the relentless ferocity of Debbie Combs – a woman who has a point to prove. Debbie Combs defeats Candi Devine in 12:23 by pinfall after a neckbreaker A brief interlude including a short music video promoting Wendi Richter, we head to the interviews. Candi Devine moans and whines but fails to articulate a meaningful excuse for her loss, whereas an icy Debbie Combs claims that she’s ready for her next challenge. Our final commercial break then takes us to the main event, with Velvet McIntyre, Babyface Nellie and the Star Girls taking on the Monsters. From the off, the match is fast-paced and hard-hitting, with wails and screams galore as the women tear pieces out of each other. Each competitor is beaten up and bruised by the end of the match. The finish comes when Medusa Miceli directs her forces make a statement and Luna Vachon smashes a steel chair across the back of Velvet McIntyre. Velvet McIntyre & Babyface Nellie & Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West defeat Medusa Miceli & Luna Vachon & Reggie Bennett & Mad Maxine in 16:09 by disqualification We go off to scenes of utter chaos as the heels batter their opponents and staff members and babyface wrestlers rush down to the ring to intervene. * P.S. Apologies for being inactive throughout the past, I've just had a hectic schedule.

It's lovely to see the British feud just getting nastier and nastier! It's obvious that the face side needs a new tactic to put down the Crazy Gang, until they figure it out, it's fun to watch the mayhem.

Ricky Steamboat being on top is still such a great look for the AWA. I was rooting for Curt Hennig and Brian Adias to pull off the victory, though I didn't honestly think they'd manage. I'm glad they did though, and hey, as for the manner of the victory, you've gotta' do what you've gotta' do.

Seeing the Funks in action is such a treat! I love tournaments and I love tag teams, so a well-run tag team tournament is close to perfection. Seeing the Youngbloods walking away with the win is a nice ending.

What a great card! That tournament was absolutely stacked, full of great encounters! The main event, impressively, managed to be the icing on the cake with such a dramatic finish leaving room open for another encounter.

Alexis Smirnoff is building up quite a bit of momentum. The Youngbloods and the Moondogs could definitely deliver a hectic brawl. I'm rooting for the Youngbloods to come out on top, however.

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXIII – 5th of May 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Misty Blue Simmes versus Lisa Moretti for the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship The programme opens hot, at bell time for the television title match as Rhonda Singh seeks to defend her belt from Lady Apache. The contest is fun and fast-paced, with big slams and power spots from Rhonda Singh and aerial acrobatics from Lady Apache. Despite getting a few great shots in here and there, however, the challenger struggles to build any momentum and the champion holds the advantage throughout. Rhonda Singh defeats Lady Apache in 11:34 by pinfall after a splash to retain the WWW Television Championship A brief interlude, full of glamour shots of the roster, merchandise promotions and sponsorship plugging, we get to the interviews. Tired and in pain, Lady Apache swears she’ll never give up. Rhonda Singh is joined by her fellow monsters and they psyche each other up, ignoring the interviewer completely. After a commercial break we head to a six woman tag team match, pitting Velvet McIntyre and the Star Girls against Medusa Miceli and two of her monstrous henchwomen – Luna Vachon and Mad Maxine. A spot-heavy spectacle from start to finish, the story of the match is that the face work better as a team but none of them has an answer to the power of Mad Maxine or the wiles of Medusa Miceli. Instead, the champions’ strategy is to target their opponents’ weak link in the form of Luna Vachon. They very nearly pull it off and against a cleaner team they’d have won handily but the monsters are as under-handed as they are ruthless and do everything in their power to keep their ally from being pinned. Medusa Miceli & Luna Vachon & Mad Maxine defeat Velvet McIntyre & Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West in 13:59 when Medusa Miceli pins Jamie West after a German suplex to win the WWW Trios Championship Another interlude then takes to the interviews, where first the two distraught Star Girls appear inconsolable and leave the talking up to Velvet McIntyre who claims that the monsters will prove to have a short shelf life. Medusa Miceli, for her part, brags and boasts while caressing her newly won title belt and demands to be let into the world title picture. A second commercial break then takes us to the main event for the recently vacated dual championship. Both women are at the top of their game and hold nothing back, launching into a violent encounter from just before the ringing of the opening bell. Misty Blue Simmes is more technically sound, but Lisa Moretti is more cunning, and the match evolves from an early striking contest through a series of reversals and counter-reversals to a sprint full of near-falls and rope breaks. Eventually, one pin attempt just so happens to stick for long enough – and no longer – to secure the three count. Lisa Moretti defeats Misty Blue Simmes in 16:22 by pinfall with her feet on the ropes to win the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship We go off air to scenes of a jubilant Lisa Moretti and an outraged Misty Blue Simmes.

A dash of faction warfare and a great rabid heel tag team in the form of the Moondogs definitely brings the company to life.

It's always great to see wins for Curt Hennig and Ricky Steamboat works really well as an athletic feel-good champion.

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXII – 28th of April 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Medusa Miceli & Mad Maxine & Lisa Moretti versus Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart & Selina Majors After a dramatic recap of Saturday’s supercard, the programme kicks off with a rematch for the television title between Rhonda Singh and Desiree Petersen. Whilst the challenger has more to prove and shows, throughout, that she’s been studying her opponent, the champion’s size and strength advantage is not easily neutralised. Eventually, a competitive back-and-forth match boils down to a striking contest and Desiree Petersen is simply no match for the punching power of Rhonda Singh. Rhonda Singh defeats Desiree Petersen in 11:42 by pinfall after a splash to retain the WWW Television Championship Rather the traditional sponsored interlude, we cut to an interview with Debbie Combs. She announces that she is vacating her dual championships because she believes that without pulling double duty on the supercard she’d have beaten the world champion. She asks for a rematch from Wendi Richter. After that we go to the interviews. Surrounded by her allies, Desiree Petersen doesn’t let her disappointment show and simply promises to do better before exhorting her stablemates to win their match later in the night. Rhonda Singh, for her part, is subdued and uncommunicative, only making it obvious that she wants better competition. After a commercial break, we head to a bout of tag team action, pitting two of Medusa Miceli’s monsters – Reggie Bennett and Luna Vachon – against Penny Mitchell and Candice Pardue. Whereas the two monsters are ferocious, Penny Mitchell is like a house on fire and wrestles rings around them. Desperate to pick up a win, however, she often goes for pin attempts she shouldn’t and tries to end things prematurely. The heels don’t have an answer for her but they know which opportunities to take and which not to. Eventually, an opportunity presents itself when a reluctant Penny Mitchell tags her partner in. Within seconds, Candice Pardue is beaten to a pulp. Reggie Bennett & Luna Vachon defeat Penny Mitchell & Candice Pardue in 12:54 when Luna Vachon pins Candice Pardue after a moonsault A promotional music video for Lisa Moretti serves as the interlude before we get to the interviews. A tearful Candice Pardue tries to explain herself, but an increasingly frustrated Penny Mitchell eventually snaps and smacks her across the face before storming off. The monsters cackle and gloat and demand a match against the Star Girls. After a second commercial break, we come to the main event. All of the spotlight is on the heels and, from the opening bell, the story of the match becomes clear. The heels have a decisive advantage and the only thing balancing that out is the uneasiness of the alliance between Lisa Moretti and her teammates. The company’s fastest rising star shares the monsters’ affinity for torture and violence but she is by no means a team player. Whenever any of the babyfaces come anywhere close to a victory it’s because Lisa Moretti has refused to tag out or tagged herself in prematurely. That’s not enough to save the Giant Slayers, however, as they simply have no strategy to deal with their opponents. Medusa Miceli & Mad Maxine & Lisa Moretti defeat Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart & Selina Majors in 15:01 when Lisa Moretti pins Susan Starr after a powerslam

This was a great opening card. A high intensity broadway to top it all off gives it a perfect territorial feeling. It made sense to follow up establishing such a villain in Tim Brooks with a couple of feel-good wins for the crowd. Good job!

I think it's obvious that the Crazy Gang are going to struggle whenever Stan Hansen isn't around but, of course, that's no comfort when he is around.

What a great final encounter indeed! A brutal and bloody affair and both men come away looking strong.

Wonder Women Wrestling APRIL SUPERCARD 1986 Live from: Las Vegas, Nevada The show kicks off with light show in the stadium and a promotional music video – heavily sponsored – hyping up the company, the wrestlers and the card. The first spectacle of the night is a cage being lowered onto the participants of our opening match, Lisa Moretti and Selina Majors. With Desiree Petersen, Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart all in attendance at ringside, Lisa Moretti waits until the cage is fixed to launch herself at Selina Majors. The bell rings with the tone of the match already set. Though it should be Selina Majors out for revenge, all of the anger and ferocity and bloodlust belongs to Lisa Moretti. The contest is brutal and painfully one-sided, with the novice babyface having her head raked against the cage and busted open within the first five minutes. Selina Majors is not without her moments, however, and her allies cheer whenever she gets a strike in or counters a hold. Lisa Moretti is simply on another level and, past the ten-minute mark, makes it clear that she delights in torturing a woman she could put away quite easily. The finish then, is something of a mercy. Lisa Moretti defeats Selina Majors in 15:03 by pinfall with a foot on her chest An interlude featuring glamour shots of make on the wrestlers and brief glimpses of a nervous Debbie Combs – with two tough fights ahead of her – and a confident Wendi Richter, takes through to the interviews. Selina Majors is once again in the doctor’s office and is unable to comment. Lisa Moretti tries to begin her interview by gloating only to find herself accosted by her opponents three allies and embroiled in a wild brawl through the corridors. Next up, Debbie Combs faces her first challenge of the night – defending her dual championship from Medusa Miceli once again. From the beginning of the match, however, Medusa Miceli makes it crystal clear that her intention is to drag the contest out and stake the odds against the champion heading into the main event. Medusa Miceli forces Debbie Combs to chase her around the ring and follows stunts like that up with long torturous submission holds. At around the halfway point, Medusa Miceli begins to target one of Debbie Combs’ legs and doesn’t let up for the rest of the match. By the time the bell rings for the finish, a near miraculous sequence from the champion, Debbie Combs is practically hobbling. Debbie Combs defeats Medusa Miceli in 17:41 by pinfall after a neckbreaker to retain the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship As the champion is walking stiffly to the back, Medusa Miceli signals to her allies – who had been banned from ringside for the duration of the match – and the monsters come rushing down to attack. As the others hold Debbie Combs in place, Mad Maxine delivers a nasty stomp to her calf, leaving the champ in tears as staff arrive to escort them back. After another interlude heavily promoting Wendi Richter, we head to the interviews. Medusa Miceli claims to have taught her opponent a valuable lesson and says she’s ready to terrorise the promotion until she gets her hands on the world title. Debbie Combs finds through the pain to promise that she’ll be match-ready when the main event swings around. A commercial video package then takes us to the tag team championship match between the Glamour Girls – Leilani Kai and Judy Martin – and the newly dubbed Giant Slayers – Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart. The fight is more fun than the two that preceded it, with fun cooperative spots and quick tags in and out. The Glamour Girls cheat as much as they can but the babyfaces have their number most of the time. Just as things begin to drag on, the faces manage to pull off another upset. Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart defeat Leilani Kai & Judy Martin in 14:01 when Winona Little Heart pins Judy Martin with a victory roll to win the NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championship A flashy interlude then takes us through to the interviews. Judy Martin receives a tongue-lashing from Leilani Kai who then pushes Liz Chase and Despina Montagas to do better in their match up next. The faces are over the moon and hype each other up and they receive hugs an unsteady Selina Majors and an enthusiastic Desiree Petersen. Next up is the tag team battle royal. The twelve women can barely contain themselves before the bell rings as they push, shove and jostle each other. The six teams of two are Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West, Linda Dallas & Kat LeRoux, Penny Mitchell & Candice Pardue, Ashly Kennedy & Brittany Brown, Lady Apache & Vicky Carranza and Liz Chase & Despina Montagas. The wild brawl kicks off before the bell and remains fast-paced and chaotic throughout. The first woman out is Candice Pardue, followed by Vicky Carranza and Brittany Brown. Penny Mitchell manages to even up the face-heel divide by ejecting Ashly Kennedy, but Lady Apache goes out mere seconds after that. An enraged Penny Mitchell eventually manages to get both Liz Chase and Despina Montagas out but not without taking herself out in the process. The Star Girls and the Nasty Girls then battle it out a while, almost having a traditional match. In the end, Kat LeRoux is caught off-guard by a trip up from a still fuming Penny Mitchell at ringside and is thrown over. Linda Dallas tries to claw her way back to victory but a clothesline from both of the Star Girls sends her crashing to the floor. Rockin’ Robin & Jamie West defeat Ashly Kennedy & Brittany Brown, Lady Apache & Vicky Carranza, Liz Chase & Despina Montagas, Penny Mitchell & Candice Pardue and Linda Dallas & Kat LeRoux in 15:11 in an over-the-top-rope battle royal Another promotional interlude then takes us to an interview with the victors. The Star Girls boast about their success in a good-natured way and declare themselves ready, willing and able to challenge for the world titles again. The penultimate match is between Velvet McIntyre and Misty Blue Simmes. At the top of their game, on good terms and in excellent shape, the two ladies produce a clean and highly athletic contest. Neither woman gives an inch and they meet each other practically blow for blow but, in the end, there must be a winner and the victory is achieved by the wrestler with the slightest edge. Velvet McIntyre defeats Misty Blue Simmes in 17:45 by pinfall after a swinging hurricanrana After another interlude we get to the interviews and Misty Blue Simmes’ is crashed by Velvet McIntyre who talks her up and claims that things could’ve easily gone the other way. The main event is built up to with a video package detailing the continued success of Wendi Richter and even briefly recapping tonight’s events. A deeply nervous Debbie Combs is pacing anxiously in the ring as the world champion makes her grand entrance. Wendi Richter torments the fans with pauses and poses before finally squaring up to her weary challenger. With Debbie Combs somewhat recovered and Wendi Richter operating on autopilot, the opening of the match is quite even but a near-fall unsettles the champion, and she gets to work targeting her opponent’s injured leg for the rest of the match. At times difficult to watch, a teary-eyed Debbie Combs powers through the pain and manages to put on a great performance. In the end, however, the challenger’s leg buckles at a crucial moment and the company’s number one star takes advantage. Wendi Richter defeats Debbie Combs in 23:58 by pinfall after a powerbomb to retain the NWA World Women’s Championship We end on a shot of Debbie Combs being helped to the back as a smug Wendi Richter cheers in the background.

I'm also really enjoying the more inside look at the counter-factual history we've weaved together.

A great show to kick off the era of Ricky Steamboat. I love a good babyface fighting champion and there's no one better in that regard than Ricky Steamboat!

2/3 Falls between the Snowbirds and the Guerreros is definitely something to look forward to!

Wonder Women of Wrestling – Episode No. XXI – 21st of April 1986 – Airing Live! – Las Vegas, Nevada Advertised Match: Debbie Combs versus Medusa Miceli for the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship The programme begins with a promotional video package profiling Medusa Miceli and her stable – The Monsters! Our opening match then pits one of these monsters, the former champion Rhonda Singh, against the current television champion Desiree Petersen. The match is quite violent from bell to bell. Rhonda Singh hits hard, more to hurt the champion than to gain the advantage, and Desiree Petersen increasingly struggles to find a way to outwrestle her opponent as the pain takes its toll. Rhonda Singh defeats Desiree Petersen in 12:10 by pinfall after a splash to win the WWW Television Championship After a sponsor-filled interlude hyping the supercard and its main event – Debbie Combs versus Wendi Richter – and a tag team battle royal, we get to the interviews. Desiree Petersen is troubled by her loss but receives encouragement from her friends and she, in return, wishes Selina Majors the best of luck in her cage match on Saturday. A commercial break then takes us to a round of tag team actions, as the Nasty Girls take the team of Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart. The contest is fun, fast-paced and action-packed. The heels have the advantage, on account of their wily cheating ways, but they are frequently undone by their arrogance. The faces are quick on the uptake, however, and never let an opportunity slip through their fingers. Kick out just after the three count or no, this nets them a win in the end. Susan Starr & Winona Little Heart defeat Linda Dallas & Kat LeRoux in 14:39 when Susan Starr pins Linda Dallas with a schoolboy roll up After another brief interlude, we head to the interviews. The Nasty Girls are in hysterics, throughout, ranting and raving and barely making any sense though their rage is palpable. Susan Starr and Winona Little Heart, joined by their overjoyed allies, promise to build on this success and snatch the titles away from the Glamour Girls on Saturday. The second commercial break then takes us to the main event. A, by now, familiar set-up evolves into a competitive back-and-forth as both women make it very clear that they’ve been training and strategizing since their last encounter. Each has a counter for the other’s every move and only a few big strikes and slams get through. As soon as the challenger realises that she can’t put her opponent away she signals to her allies, who come thundering down to the ring and immediately get to work battering the champion. Debbie Combs defeats Medusa Miceli in 14:25 by disqualification after outside interference to retain the WWW Fighting Spirit Championship and the NWA Texas Women’s Championship Velvet McIntyre and Misty Blue Simmes rush down to lend assistance, but they are blindside by the arrival of Mad Maxine, who sends them crashing to the floor from the entrance ramp before entering the ring. Greeted happily by her fellow monsters, the latest addition to Medusa Miceli’s stable delivers an assisted powerbomb to Debbie Combs just as the programme goes off air.

I love faction warfare! I will also never grow tired of this feud between great UK bruisers! I'm definitely wondering how Jeff Jarret will factor into the card now that he's overcome the gatekeeper.

Yes! Hooray! I'm so glad Ricky Steamboat has taken the title! I was on the edge of my seat!

I'm really digging the Muta & Hart Foundation alliance you have going!

A solid show as we get tantalisingly close to Terry Funk versus Ricky Steamboat. Scott Casey is a good fit for TV champion and it's, as ever, good to see Curt Hennig continuing to rack up wins!

WWW picks up Mad Maxine.