SirEdger

Oh man, loving the Reed/Ladd pairing. Things are about to get hot in Mid-South!

No worries. Me think that Lanny Poffo will find his way into Block B!

I know that Johnny Mundo has been working recently the first GFW live events and I wouldn't be surprised a damn bit if they have him make a surprise debut on Thursday to face Low Ki in place of Alberto.

About Neville dropping the title to Tozawa tonight, if they were giving Tozawa the title anyway, as thrilled as I am for him, I feel like it would've been a bigger deal for him to win it at Summerslam than winning it on RAW. But perhaps of the possible time constraints with the overload of matches on Sunday, in hindsight, might have been better the way he did it. Supposing that Neville moves on to somebody else - which would be surprising given he's one notch over everyone else in that division -, who would be the next challenger for Tozawa?

Love seeing the AWA Southern title getting the main event slot here. Always giving much importance to all of your titles.

All set!

I could be interested.

No problems...I had the same problem when I was looking for Phil LaFon/Dan Kroffat only to realize that AWA already had him

Ron Garvin is currently on the USWA roster. It was me who had it before for a short amount of time and AWA also had him.

So much great stuff going on in Continental right now. I wouldn't want to step into the ring with the Hiroshima Wrecking Crew if I were any tag team in the Project right now. Oh my, this is gonna be good.

I can't stress enough how The Great Kabuki is such a good fit in the Sinister Syndicate. Whenever you lose a member of that group, you always find the exact one to replace him in the group. Great stuff again.

August 11th, 1985 CNE Coliseum, Toronto, ON Night 2 of Tripleheader Once again, D'Artagnan the Clown was in attendance, up to no good. Instead of spreading joy, he rather infuriated some fans as he stole an ice cream cone from a young girl and splatted it on her father's forehead! Lumberjack Match: The Midnight Rockers beat The Sensationals (Bob Orton & Billy Robinson, w/Sherri Martel) Spinning Toe Hold vs Boston Crab: Dory Funk Jr defeated Rick Martel in 14:47 in a match where the only way the match would end was if it ended with the spinning toe hold or the boston crab. Martel seemed to have tweaked his knee during the match, which benefitted Funk in the end, allowing him to finish Martel with the spinning toe hold. Martel himself didn't tap out but it rather was the referee Adrien Desbois who made a judgment call on this one. -"Mr. Electricity" Steve Regal beat Scott Irwin in 8:08 NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship: "The Duke of Dorchester" Pete Doherty beat Strong Machine 2 in 10:44 to retain -Dino Bravo beat Hector Guerrero in 10:25 -Frenchy's Legion (w/Frenchy Martin) beat The Creatchman Family (The Great Samu & Prince Alofa Fatu, w/Eddy "The Brain" Creatchman). Creatchman sent in at one point the NWA World Tag Team Champions Lord Humongous & Botswana Beast after Mad Dog Lefebvre & Richard Charland but they were intercepted by the Rougeau Brothers! NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Championship: Andre the Giant beat Bob Backlund in 11:11 to retain. As promised, after the match, Andre took the mic and relinquished the NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Championship. He handed over the belt to promoter Frank Valois and he hugged Bob Backlund before leaving the CNE Coliseum under a raucous round of applause from the fans in attendance.

August 10th, 1985 CNE Coliseum, Toronto, ON Night 1 of Tripleheader D'Artagnan the Clown was on-hand and was giving balloons to kids. At one point, he grabbed a balloon and instead of giving it to a kid, he popped it in his face and left! -Ole Anderson beat Steve Strong in 12:43 -Alexis Smirnoff beat Dino Bravo in 9:22 NWA Canadian International TV Championship: Gino Brito beat Jacques Rougeau in 14:09 to retain. The Sensationals, Billy Robinson & Rip Oliver, tried to get involved but were both chased off by Gino Brito & Jacques Rougeau!

Lutte Internationale TV Taped at CHLT-TV Studios, Sherbrooke, QC Broadcasted August 10th, 1985 (After the opening credits, we’re headed to the broadcast booth where Guy Hauray & Édouard Carpentier are waiting to start the show. However this week, there isn’t a studio audience. In fact, there’s no ring set up at all. What could this mean?) Guy Hauray: Hello everyone and welcome to Lutte Internationale TV. This week, our show will be a bit different as it will not feature any in-studio live action but a series of matches from recent past live events as well as an exclusive yet untelevised match featuring Dino Bravo. But this week, we have some serious matters at hand. Last week, we found out that NWA Canadian International Tag Team Champions The Midnight Rockers had defected to the World Wrestling Federation but because of outside-the-ring issues, the WWF have rescinded the Rockers’ new deal and now they’re back with us. As a result, of course, they were immediately stripped of their championships. (The camera pans to the broadcast booth where the tag team title belts are on display). Édouard Carpentier: We would like to bring out NWA Special Appointee Bruno Sammartino to the desk. (Bruno Sammartino walks out and joins the broadcast team) Édouard Carpentier: First, Bruno, thanks for joining us and before we get to the point, I think you need to explain to us exactly what happened last week at UWF/CCW Beach Brawl when you helped your son David defeat Dusty Rhodes... Bruno Sammartino: With all due respect, Édouard, there is nothing to explain. My son needed me and I did what every father would’ve done in my position. I think we have a few things more important to take care of. Édouard Carpentier: As you wish, sir, so what exactly is gonna happen with those championship titles? Bruno Sammartino: Before we get to that, I’d like to announce something important for Heatwave. As we all know, Andre the Giant’s last date will be on August 11 in Toronto and won’t be able to work with us anymore. Therefore, should he retain his title tomorrow night, he will vacate the title after the show. And we can’t head into our biggest show of the summer of 1985 without having a proper champion to close the show. So, on August 17, we will have a one-night 8-men tournament to crown the next NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Champion pending Andre still being the champion. I will personally select the individuals competing in the tournament. I’m fairly confident that we’ll have a deserving champion after that tournament. Guy Hauray: Great news, Bruno, but again, what now with the tag team titles? Bruno Sammartino: Well, as you know now, the NWA Canadian International Tag Team Championships are now vacant because of the Midnight Rockers’ unprofessional conduct. But before I announce anything, I know that those young men are here at the studio so I’d like for them to come out and see if they have anything to say. (The Midnight Rockers in street clothes make their way to the broadcast booth. They both are sporting sunglasses as well.) Bruno Sammartino: Gentlemen, I hope you realize how lucky you are to even have a job again after what you did. This isn’t an opportunity that you can squabble away without suffering the consequences of it. Do you have something to say? Marty Jannetty (almost inaudible): Well, Shawn and I, we’re sorry and... (Shawn Michaels seems annoyed and Bruno notices it right away) Bruno Sammartino: Mr. Michaels, you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself. Do you agree with your friend? Shawn Michaels: You know what? Marty, I’m gonna handle this right now. No, we weren’t enjoying ourselves. Here you are, giving us the keys to the kingdom; giving us the chance of a lifetime and winning those tag team titles and you didn’t have the decency to pay us like we were supposed to? You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that we did what we did. And guess what? We don’t have any regrets over it. Bruno Sammartino: If it’s the way you’re behaving yourselves, I’m gonna tell you right now that you’re not gonna have long careers in this business. You don’t burn bridges while you’re still on them. (Marty tries to calm down an agitated Shawn but it doesn’t work) Shawn Michaels: Of all people, YOU are acting so holy? Are you kidding me? Here you are standing right in front of us, scolding us for “unprofessional conduct” (Shawn using his fingers for air quotes while saying it) and you got the gall to say this after what you did in Miami last Sunday? You can’t possibly think that the NWA Board of Directors is too thrilled about you screwing Dusty Rhodes out of a victory, aren’t ya? (Bruno now realizes that Shawn Michaels has a point and he’s now cornered...) Shawn Michaels: So, the bottom line is this, old man: you wanna strip us of those tag team championships? Do it. However, we all know that your job is in jeopardy right now because of what you did and we won’t hesitate going to Jim Crockett or whoever runs the Board of Directors and tell our side of the story and have you dismissed. We want a shot at getting our titles back and if we don’t, we swear that you’re gonna be in big trouble, “sir.” Bruno Sammartino: Alright....fair enough. Then, we’re gonna do something that I don’t think hasn’t ever been done in pro wrestling before. I was expected to announce that on August 17, after consulting with Frank Valois & Jim Crockett, that the team of Richard Charland & Mad Dog Lefebvre would be wrestling The Vachons, Paul & Maurice for the vacant titles and crown new champions. However, instead, we’re gonna have that match for the Interim Canadian International Tag Team Titles. And whoever wins that match, they’ll face you the next night in Stoney Point, ON to unify the two sets of titles. This will be your one & only chance to show me & Lutte Internationale that you deserve to be here. Shawn Michaels: That’s all we were asking. Marty Jannetty: Thank you, sir... (The Midnight Rockers are about to leave when Shawn Michaels grabs Guy Hauray’s mic) Shawn Michaels: Oh...and one last thing.....you mentioned a tournament to crown a new NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Champion, correct? Bruno Sammartino: Yes. Shawn Michaels: Cool...guess what? We want in this one as well. We wanna be part of that tournament, too. Bruno Sammartino: Or what? Are you gonna whine to the NWA Board of Directors about that too? Shawn Michaels: You know the drill, Bruno. You get us in and we’re not gonna meddle anymore in your stuff. Bruno Sammartino: Alright, then...Marty Jannetty, you’re in that tournament. (Shawn Michaels seems a bit stunned but seeing Marty excited completely changes his focus and returns him to reality) Shawn Michaels: Okay....okay....that’s awesome. On that note, have a good day, gentlemen, and just watch us. (The Midnight Rockers return to the back but Bruno is still at the booth) Guy Hauray: Mr. Sammartino, what message are you sending to the rest of the locker room by caving in to young men like the Rockers? Bruno Sammartino: I didn’t cave in on anything, Mr. Hauray. Shawn Michaels raised a valid point; my conduct wasn’t exactly professional either. They did a mistake and I probably find myself in trouble with the Board of Directors but I’ll take my chance on that. Now, there isn’t a guarantee that the Rockers will win back those titles because both potential interim champions are no slouches either. Now, as for the tournament itself, they can be excited all they want but when they see the field of entrants, they’ll probably regret making that request.... Guy Hauray: Thank you, Mr. Sammartino. Bruno Sammartino: You’re welcome. (Bruno Sammartino leaves the booth and returns in the back) Guy Hauray: Eddie, this is an explosive situation right now and the Midnight Rockers seized the situation in which Bruno Sammartino is in after his actions in Miami to get what they wanted. Édouard Carpentier: We don’t have to agree with what they did but I believe we can understand their motives behind them. I don’t think that we’ll see some cordiality between both sides going forward. Guy Hauray: When we come back, our exclusive footages in preparation for Heatwave live next Saturday night. ******COMMERCIAL BREAK***** Guy Hauray: Welcome back to the show. As we mentioned at the top of the program, this week will feature some exclusive footage that hasn’t aired yet. Later on, we’ll show you highlights of the match that pitted NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and Gino Brito from the Great American Bash Tour last month. We will indeed focus on the NWA Canadian International TV Title match for next week as later, we’ll see the first encounter between Super Strong Machine and champion Gino Brito from last night in Hespeler, Ontario! But up first, we’ll show you the very first match Dino Bravo had on TV when he returned to the territory last month. In this dark match, Dino Bravo goes one-on-one with Kenneth Barnett! EXCLUSIVE MATCH Dino Bravo vs Kenneth Barnett A very nice ovation awaits Dino Bravo as he makes way inside the ring, the audience visibly forgiving him for the way he left the territory earlier this year. Dino Bravo is in tip-top condition and there isn’t a whole lot that poor Kenneth Barnett can do to stop Bravo. In the end, Dino Bravo ends the match with a side slam to score the victory. Winner: Dino Bravo Guy Hauray: Victorious debut for Dino but the road has been a bit tougher for him since he returns. But Bravo is adamant that he’ll be back on top sooner rather than later. Édouard Carpentier: He most certainly will. Dino Bravo is one helluvan athlete. He’s a former International TV Champion and he can hang around with the best in the world. To me, it’s only a matter of time before he regains gold. Guy Hauray: After the break, we take you back to last night where Super Strong Machine got his first chance to take the title away from Gino Brito prior to their Heatwave encounter! *****COMMERCIAL BREAK***** FOOTAGE FROM LAST NIGHT IN HESPELER, ON NWA Canadian International TV Championship Super Strong Machine vs Gino Brito © Prior to the start of the match, referee Adrien Desbois throws out Strong Machine #2 & Strong Machine #3 from ringside to make sure that they won’t try to make the illegal switch. Super Strong Machine seems a bit thrown off by this early turn of events but the Japanese foreigner regained momentum quickly after Brito landed shoulder first in the turnbuckle. Super Strong Machine worked on Brito’s shoulder & neck through the duration of the match, obviously preparing the Machine DDT. However, Brito is able to squeak by a small package as Super Strong Machine is ready to hit the Machine DDT and he walks away with the victory. Brito quickly escapes the ring, celebrating with the fans as Super Strong Machine is visibly upset with how this one ended. Winner and still champion: Gino Brito (9:28) Guy Hauray: It’s safe to say that Gino Brito stole that one as he miraculously escaped still the champion. Édouard Carpentier: And you have to wonder if he’ll be able to repeat this next week at Heatwave. Super Strong Machine has been dominant through the entire match and only one misstep allowed Gino to retain. Knowing what Super Strong Machine is capable of, he won’t repeat that mistake again. Guy Hauray: But one match where Gino looked better took place last month on the very first day of the Great American Bash Tour. When we return, Ric Flair defends the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Gino Brito! ******COMMERCIAL BREAK******* FEATURE BOUT FROM RFK STADIUM IN WASHINGTON, DC GREAT AMERICAN BASH TOUR DAY 1 NWA World Heavyweight Championship “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (w/ JJ Dillon) vs Gino Brito (NWA Canadian International TV Champion) As expected, JJ Dillon gives some advice to the champion before stepping out of the ring. Gino Brito isn’t intimidated at all by the World Heavyweight Champion and that shows early on in the match as Ric Flair definitely didn’t expect Brito to be this tough. But eventually, Ric Flair demonstrates why he’s the World Heavyweight Champion as he pulls every dirty trick possible to gain the advantage. However, Ric Flair tried to go on the top rope and it never pans out well for the champ when he does that. This is the opening that Brito was looking for and it doesn’t take long before Brito slaps in the Figure Four Leglock. Sensing trouble, JJ Dillon climbs on the ring apron with his dress shoe and argues with the official. Unbeknownst to the referee, Dillon throws in the shoe to Flair and Flair knocks out Brito with it! Flair reverses Brito’s Figure Four and locks on his own Figure Four on Brito, who’s unresponsive and unconscious. The referee counts to 3 and Flair retains his championship. Postmatch, Ric Flair & JJ Dillon put the boots on Gino until his friend and tag partner, Rick Martel, makes the save and chases away Flair & Dillon. Martel is able to get a few shots on Dillon but Flair quickly grabs his manager and they retreat to the back. Martel helps out his friend to retreat to the back. Winner and still champion: Ric Flair Guy Hauray: As we see, Rick Martel was more than eager to get his hands on the World Heavyweight Champion. Martel even scored a victory by countout 3 days later at Jarry Park in Montreal. Édouard Carpentier: Not a lot of men can say that they’ve been able to beat the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, regardless of the circumstances and who they are. Now, Martel wants to prove that he can beat the champion and he’s determined to do so. Guy Hauray: And Rick Martel will get his rematch. The night before Heatwave; Friday August 16th at the CNE Coliseum in Toronto. In the 3rd night of a tripleheader, Ric Flair & Rick Martel will main event that card as they’ll collide for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. But before we go, we have breaking news as I just got word that Bruno Sammartino has released the brackets of the tournament to crown a new NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Champion, if Andre retains his championship in the 2nd night of our Toronto tripleheader, on Sunday August 11th. Here they are: http://challonge.com/l28rxy0o Guy Hauray: This tournament is wide open and it’s anybody’s to win. Who will it be? We’ll find out LIVE next Saturday at Heatwave. Here is the rest of the card. NON-TOURNAMENT MATCHES NWA CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL TV CHAMPIONSHIP Super Strong Machine vs Gino Brito © INTERIM NWA CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Winners face the Midnight Rockers to become the undisputed tag team champions Frenchy’s Legion vs The Vachons SUBMISSION MATCH Gilles “The Fish” Poisson vs one of the Guerreros + NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair & Rick Martel in attendance À LA SEMAINE PROCHAINE SI DIEU LE VEUT!

Always a big event whenever Hulk Hogan appears on Superstars or on TV, period. Who's gonna stop the Russians?

August 9th, 1985 Hespeler, ON -Ole Anderson beat Billy Robinson (w/Sherri Martel) in 10:25 -Strong Machine 2 beat The Great Samu (w/Eddy "The Brain" Creatchman) in 9:49 after an illegal switch with Super Strong Machine -Shawn Michaels beat Dino Bravo in 10:13. Before the match, Michaels took the mic and said that he & Marty Jannetty would regain what was wrongfully taken away from them by the NWA and that's the NWA Canadian International Tag Team Championship.... -Hector Guerrero beat "Ace" Bob Orton (w/Sherri Martel) in 13:24. As usual, Orton was wearing the old Terry Taylor cut-off Sensational jacket. -Dory Funk Jr beat Raymond Rougeau in 11:03 with the Spinning Toehold Quebec Heavyweight Championship: Armand Rougeau beat Boris Zhukov in 9:28 to retain NWA Canadian International TV Championship: Gino Brito beat Super Strong Machine in 34:27 to retain NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Championship: Andre the Giant beat The Spoiler in 12:52 to retain. Both men shook hands after the match.

Hmmm....who's behind the bounty on JYD? Looking forward to find out.

Tito & Savage going for the 30-minute draw? YES, PLEASE.

Already putting Handsome Jimmy Valiant as my favorite to win the Mid-American League!

It's been corrected!

You're all set.

Freddie Blassie is assembling quite the stable in Continental now. Harley Race vs Jerry Lawler should be a fantastic feud.

Lutte Internationale News In his latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer shed some light on the whole Midnight Rockers situation, who bolted to WWF last week only to return a few days ago. On what might have lead to the Rockers first jumping ship: The Midnight Rockers' booking going forward: The rebirth of the NWA World Women's Championship:

Am I gonna have a blast following up on that Bruno turn with my Midnight Rockers stuff? YES! YES! YES!

Absolutely. Being part of an alliance is a huge advantage for smaller territories like yours and mine. That's why it's so key to use any help you can get by bringing outside talents and freelancers once in a while. Not everything will fall in place from the start so be patient. Try some stuff. Don't hesitate to get outside advice from other members of the project if you need to. So far, so good!