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Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Victoria Memorial Arena, Victoria, on ESPN / TSN, September 2nd The Diamond Exchange ("Diamond" Timothy Flowers & The Cuban Assassin) vs. Sekou Bunch & Billy Garcia With all of the big events at Phoenix Firestorm, many fans were eager with anticipation as what would come next in Pacific Coast Wrestling. One thing nobody was expecting was the return of "Diamond" Timothy Flowers to PCW. He certainly chose the right place to make his return, in the arena where he arrogantly reigned as the so-called "King Of Canada". And he wasn't coming back alone, as he was now teaming with Angel Acevedo, the Cuban Assassin, as his new partner in the Diamond Exchange. While the fans certainly weren't pleased to see Flowers and Acevedo, Bunch and Garcia were even less pleased, as the Diamond Exchange ran roughshod over them. The two rookies took a battering before Acevedo clotheslined Bunch out of the ring and Flowers hit a piledriver on Garcia to put him out of his misery. It looks like a tough new faction has entered the fray in PCW. Interview : Don Coss stands in the ring Coss : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guests have been a focal point of turmoil lately in PCW … the Knights Templar! The crowd boos loudly as Mr. Bob Backlund leads his men to the ring. Jim Neidhart looked determined, Chris Candido and Al Snow seemed nervous, and Gary Young was sullen, but Backlund had an expression on his face of barely restrained fury. Backlund : You look different, Coss. Coss : Errr, Mr. Bob Backlund, lately, it has seemed like not all has been well in the ranks of the Knights Templar. Care to comment? Backlund : Give me that microphone, Coss! I want to get some things straight there. Ever since I brought the Anvil into the Knights, there has been dissension , verging on out and out insubordination. You, Young, have been the worst. Constantly disobeying orders and interfering in matches. I expected better of you. What do you have to say for yourself, young man? Young : It's not my fault! Ever since you brought him into the Knights Templar, he has been kissing up and you have kept giving him the best of everything. We all had to earn our way into the Knights, while he just waltzes in and acts like he owns the place. All I'm trying to do is help the Knights out , and you act like I committed some sort of crime. But he interferes in Bret Hart's match, and you give him a free pass! Backlund : True, he did attack Bret Hart without my say so. *pointing a finger at Neidhart* If you ever try to do anything like that again, get my approval first, otherwise, there will be consequences. Neidhart : *assuming a hangdog expression* Yes, Mr. Backlund. Backlund : But what you did, Young, was much worse. Neidhart attacked his former partner on his own time. You interfered in *my* match. You cost me a substantial fine and damaged my prestige. When that happens, it damages the prestige of the Knights Templar as a whole. You are skating on thin ice, and I hope you are aware of it. As far as I am concerned, you are all on probation. If any of you step one toe out of line, I will take matters into my own hands, and believe me, you won't like it if that happens. ?? ?? vs. Nick Stanbury The fans were all keen to see who the mystery wrestler would be, but were somewhat disappointed when Gary Hart, Akira Maeda, One Man Gang and the Malenko Brothers came out. Hart demanded the microphone. Hart : As you can all see, we are one man short this evening. Big Dougie got an opportunity to be closer to home, so he is taking an opportunity elsewhere. We wish him the best, and his new employers aren't going to know what hit them. But that left a hole in the ranks, and I knew just who could step in. The Pride are proud to welcome back, my main man …. Mr. Hito! There was a murmur through the crowd as Hito joined the Pride in the ring. The Japanese veteran had been gone from PCW for a few months, but was returning and taking his place of honour in the Pride. Nick Stanbury quickly discovered why Hito was one of the most respected and feared competitors in Pacific Coast Wrestling. Hito methodically took Stanbury apart with kicks, takedowns, and submission holds, before dispatching him with a backdrop suplex. While the departure of Doug Furnas is a big loss, it doesn't look like the Pride will lose much momentum with the return of Hito. Interview : Don Coss stands in the ring Coss : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guests are a popular group that have suffered some losses lately … the Army! http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/s/steveblackman/05.jpg The crowd cheers but the Army are in no mood to take it in. Now down to three members, Leo Burke, Steve Blackman and Shane Douglas all looked downcast as they walked to the ring. Coss : Leo Burke, you and the Army have experienced a series of setbacks recently. Care to comment? Burke : You aren't kidding, Don. First, Cactus and Art walk out on us to form the Wild Things. Then, US Steel gets hurt in his match against Cannonball Grizzly. He made the decision after that to depart from the Army and PCW. We understand and hope for the best for him, but it's a big loss for us. And then the Bomb Squad beat Steve and Shane for the Pacific Tag Titles. It's been a pretty tough time for the Army. We've had to regroup and figure out where to go next, but it's … Burke is interrupted as someone walks out and enters the ring. It's the man in the black sweatpants, grey hooded sweatshirt and shades who confronted Chris Candido at Phoenix Firestorm. He pauses, then pulls back his hood and takes off his sunglasses … it's Todd Morton! Morton had not been seen in almost a year as a now former member of the Suicide Blondes with Chris Candido. When he had been in PCW, he was regularly at the throat of his former Gold Exchange partner Shane Douglas. Douglas and Blackman were ready to go at it with him, but Burke motioned for them to stand down. Burke : Morton, I don't know what you're up to, but we're not in the mood . Say your piece and say it quick. Morton : * holding up his hands * Mr. Burke, I come in peace. I don't want any trouble. I just came out because … I need help. * the Army members glance skeptically at each other * I came back to PCW and was hoping I could pick up with Chris and get back to being in the Suicide Blondes. Well, I tried, but I couldn't get a word in. Chris wouldn't give me the time of day. I couldn't get near him without Backlund or one of the Knights cutting me off. Backlund has them doing and thinking whatever he says. Don't be fooled by what happened earlier, it's like a cult over there. I'm scared. I have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I heard what you were saying before, and I want to become a part of the Army. * Burke and the Army look at him in astonishment * I know I don't have the best history, but I am trying to do better. Shane … I'm sorry. I was hurt and disappointed that you moved on, and then Chris got into my head. I lashed out. But I understand that you had to keep going, and you never meant any harm to me. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I would like to try to earn your trust, if you guys will have me. Burke : Morton , I understand the search for redemption. I am certainly in no position to cast the first stone. But Shane, you're the one with the past history with him. It's up to you. Shane Douglas looks Todd Morton in the eye for a long time … then gives him an emotional hug. Burke and Blackman pat Todd Morton on the back, and it looks like the Army have a new recruit. The Southern Boys vs. Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero One of the big stories coming out of Phoenix Firestorm was the unexpected return of the Southern Boys to the PCW rings. Although the last time they had been seen on the West coast, they had gone through an acrimonious split, they were all smiles and brotherhood now. Tonight, they would be facing two of the young upstarts from the Wild Things. The aggression and unconventional behaviour seemed to catch Smothers and Armstrong off guard at first, but it didn't take long for them to get into gear. These two teams went at it fist and fire in a rapid paced match, with plenty of lightning quick tags and double team moves. Smothers was able to knock Barr into the corner with a savate kick, then hoist Eddie up while Armstrong came off the top to hit the Doomsday Dropkick for the win. The Southern Boys had gone through a trial by fire and emerged victorious. Mando Guerrero vs. Maxx Payne Percy Pringle surprised many at Phoenix Firestorm with his new look, forsaking his traditional golden clothes and bleached blonde hair for a black mane and equally dark clothing. Maxx Payne also shocked the fans with his hitherto unseen intensity, giving a shocking loss to the previously unstoppable John Tenta in what proved to be Tenta's last PCW match. Both men continued their changed looks and disposition, and Mando was the unfortunate witness to that. Payne tossed Guerrero around the ring in a series of jarring suplexes before forcing him to tap out to the Payne Killer. It looks like Payne and Pringle are done messing around and will force the rest of PCW to notice them. Barry Windham vs. Pierre Carl Ouellet Pierre Carl Ouellet went into Phoenix Firestorm as partner to Big Jos Leduc and the Golden Tag Team champion. He now is neither, with British Steel taking the belts in Phoenix and Leduc departing the promotion. Ouellet is now at loose ends and looking to prove himself, both in PCW and the Playboy Club. He certainly had his work cut out for him tonight, facing big Barry Windham, coming off a grueling match with the One Man Gang. Ouellet gave a very good accounting of himself, taking the fight to Windham and scoring some impressive shots and takedowns. Windham fought back with his usual skill and toughness, and was finally able to put Ouellet down with a Western Lariat. But Windham helped Ouellet up after the match, and shook his hand in a show of respect. A tough loss, but still an impressive start to Ouellet's singles career. Billy Jack Haynes & Texas Red vs. The Midnight Express The Midnight Express came in very cocky after sending the Rainbow Warriors packing from PCW, but that all vanished the moment Haynes and Texas came to the ring. The two fan favorites had distinct height, weight and power advantage over the Midnights, and Lane and Eaton were very reluctant to lock up with them. Much of the match was Haynes and Texas chasing the Midnights, with Lane and Eaton peppering them with shots and then running away. But when Haynes and Texas caught them, they made them pay heavy dues. At one point, Texas was trying to run down Eaton when Big Bubba Rogers swept into the ring and nailed Red with the Big Bubba Slam. The ref called for the DQ and Billy Jack tried to come to his partner's aid, but Lane and Eaton held him back. Bubba hit a splash on Texas and continued to attack him until Barry Windham and the Southern Boys charged out and Bubba , Cornette and the Midnights beat a hasty retreat. It looks like Texas and Big Bubba aren't done with each other, and they won't be until one of them is gone … or underground.

Given future plans ...

The thought of Scott Steiner hitting a 450 splash at any stage of his career boggles the mind. Good research to find that high spot. I bet the fans must have lost it when Dibiase sent Borne packing. But then the Snake gets the last laugh.

So, ummmm, it turns out that I am the biggest idiot in the world. Ever since the start of the project, I have been using Frank Bonnema as my commentary and interview guy, having remembered him from classic Portland wrestling segments. I was looking him up to find out how long he held that position, and discovered that, errrrr, he died of a heart attack in 1982. I feel like a complete moron, my only excuse (not a good one) is that, while I have watched a fair amount of Portland wrestling, I didn't pay that much attention to the commentary crew. So please, if you are ever reading any of my old shows and see the name Frank Bonnema, substitute the name Don Coss, who was the play by play person after Bonnema and whom I will be using from now on (they also used Dutch Savage, but he is already filling a role as my PCW commissioner). Sorry about this , folks, feeling very foolish right now.

Pacific Coast Wrestling Phoenix Firestorm from the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Night Two Ron Simmons vs. Curtis Hughes http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mr.jpg The second night of Phoenix Firestorm started off with a bang by pitting two big, angry heavyweights in a grudge match. These two went to a draw at Seattle Showdown, and have been itching to face off with each other ever since then. The result was hard hitting, bone jarring action, with neither man holding back an inch. Hughes worked hard to try to hit the Cat's Claw on Simmons, but the All American was able to dodge every attempt, and was able to knock Hughes off his feet with a running spear. Hughes was too close to the ropes to pin, but Simmons soon hit the Spinebuster Slam and that was that. A rough battle, but Simmons was able to come out on top. Fit Finlay vs. Buddy Rose http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/09.jpg After his unfriendly departure from the Playboy Club, Finlay has been itching to get his hands on Buddy Rose. He got him in his sights at Seattle Showdown, but Rose tricked him into getting disqualified, leaving the Belfast Bruiser frustrated. Tonight, he would get a rematch, and he was determined to make the most of it. Buddy Rose backpedaled as much as he good, but Finlay took out all of his pent up aggression on the Playboy. Nothing Rose did could hold back the Fighting Irishman, and it was looking bad for him until his young acolyte, Cannonball Grizzly, came out to the ring and got on the apron. The ref turned and told him to leave, and Rose took advantage of this distraction by pulling a set of brass knucks out of his trunks. But he never got a chance to use them, as Finlay sprung on him and flattened him with a devastating lariat. He then went up to the second rope and hit a crushing kneedrop to Rose's sternum that got him the pinfall. Cannonball helped Rose from the ring after the match, but the Playboy was clearly displeased. Dingo Warrior vs. Rick Gantner Dingo Warrior has been a dominant force in Pacific Coast Wrestling, rolling over his opposition in dominating fashion. Rick Gantner, on the other hand, has faced the challenge of forging his own identity in the shadow of his big brother, the new Pacific Television Champion Ed Gantner. Initially, Dingo didn't seem to be taking Gantner seriously, spending much of his time early on posing and soaking up the cheers of the fans. But the young Bull was not going to be overlooked, and went after Dingo with determination and drive. Dingo hit him with his always impressive power offense, but Gantner absorbed it and fired back with his own big moves. He very close to hitting the Hangman's Drop (two handed chokeslam), but Dingo was able to fight his way out. Dingo finally took him down with a flying shoulder tackle, then followed up with the flying splash to put him down for good. That said, Dingo didn't go into his usual manic routine after the match, instead waiting until Gantner got to his feet, then giving him a nod of respect before he left the ring. Konnan vs. Sid Vicious After Konnan took the mask from Lord Humongous at Seattle Showdown, some thought this feud would be over. Think again, as the newly dubbed Sid Vicious has been relentless in his quest for vengeance on the masked man. He has lived up to his name by being truly vicious in all of his matches, and Konnan was hard pressed to even make a dent in the big man. Anything Konnan threw at him just seemed to bounce off Vicious, and when Vicious tore into Konnan, he took a terrible toll on the Latin star. He finally put the finishing touches by hitting not one, not two, but three Power Bombs that left Konnan unconscious. He then arrogantly put his foot on top of Konnan and stood there flexing while the ref counted to three. It is still undetermined what has led to the now black clad Percy Pringle's change in look and disposition, but he has brought out a truly evil side in his men. Curt Hennig vs. Gary Young http://pwtorch.com/artman2/uploads/3/HennigAWA2_1.jpg http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/01-42.jpg Curt Hennig has also been looking for vengeance, in this case in the form of Gary Young ever since he cost him his match with Nick Bockwinkel. Young, on the other hand, has been distracted of late, tumbling from his position as Bob Backlund's Favorite Son due to his squabbling with Jim Neidhart. Young certainly tried in this match, doing every thing to get back in his mentor's favor. But Hennig would not be denied, bouncing him over the ring precision dropkicks before pinning him with the Cradle Suplex. It looks like Young's stock in the Knights Templar is plummeting as fast as Neidhart's stock is rising. Losing Team Leaves Town Match : The Rainbow Warriors (Brian Adams & Vic Steamboat) vs. The Midnight Express http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/v/vicsteamboat/03.jpg These two teams have been going after each other for the past several months, and the hatred between them has built up until something had to give. The result is this Loser Leaves Town match. The Rainbow Warriors were coming in at a distinct disadvantage, with Adams' knee bandaged from an injury by Akira Maeda and Steamboat's ribs heavily tapped following a match with Cannonball Grizzly. Regardless, they gave it their best effort. In spite of their injuries, they had the Midnights on the run for much of the match. It looked like they just might pull it off when Steamboat had Lane set up for a Tiger Suplex. But while the ref was telling Adams to get out of the ring, Eaton snuck in with Cornette's tennis racquet and jammed it hard into Steamboat's ribs. Steamboat collapsed with Lane on top, and the ref turned around in time to make the count for the Midnight Express. The crowd was disappointed but the decision was final, with the Rainbow Warriors now out of PCW. Leo Burke, Chavo Guerrero, Hector Guerrero & Mando Guerrero vs. The Wild Things (Cactus Jack, Sabu, Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero) http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/09-2.jpg The formation of the Wild Things has led to a cessation of hostilities between the Army and the Guerrero Brothers, with them joining forces in an effort to bring their former charges in line. While they have scored some victories, they haven't seemed to make much of a change in the attitudes of their one time partners, with the Wild Things remaining wild as ever. With the General of the Army teaming with the three older Guerreros, they were focused on getting a definitive win , but the Wild Things didn't seem to be focused on anything other than chaos. Throughout the early stages of match, their unconventional offense ran rings around their older opponents, but then Burke and the Guerreros rallied and their superior experience and finely honed instincts started to prove to be the difference maker in the match. Hector was able to catch Eddie in the Guerrero Clutch to get the pinfall, but the Wild Things kept fighting long after the ref made the count. I don't think that the Wild Things will be tamed any time soon. California & Submission Title Match : Bob Backlund (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett While Mr. Bob Backlund has been seemingly unstoppable as dual champion, young Jeff Jarrett has been hot on his trail for some time now. This match would be under the dual championship rules, meaning that if Jarrett pinned Backlund, he would win the California title, but if he forced him to submit, he would win both titles. Normally, this would be used by Backlund to lure his opponent into focusing on trying for submission holds, and thus draw him into his own traps. But the second generation star was too smart to fall for this trick, and kept up a hit and run attack on Backlund's legs, with kicks and pin point dropkicks wearing the champion down. Backlund was able to get some jarring slams and suplexes on the challenger, but Jarrett kept up his attack and was able to eventually get the champion off his feet. From there, Jarrett sprung into action, working hard to try to procure the Figure Four leglock , but Backlund did everything he could to block it. It was at this point that, somewhat predictably, Gary Young charged into the ring and clobbered Jarrett in the back of the head with a clothesline. This was done right in front of the ref, who called for the ref. Although Backlund was still dual champion, he was livid with Young. Not only had he lost the match, but due to the rules of the Submission Title, there was a much stiffer fine for disqualification. As he force marched him away from the ring, he could be heard telling Young that he was barred from the arena for the rest of the night. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) (c) vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/s/steveblackman/05.jpg Even with Young banned from the arena, Backlund still came out with his men, determined to ensure that there would be no shenanigans as they challenged for the Pacific Tag Team titles. Having gotten some singles wins over the champs, Snow and Candido were determined to make the most of their title shot. The action was intense, with both teams using rapid tags and combination moves that kept the audience thrilled. Things took a turn for the strange when it was not Gary Young but some mysterious man wearing black sweatpants, a grey hooded sweatshirt and shades came out and tried to talk to Candido . Candido didn't want to have anything to do with him, and Backlund came over and told him to leave or face the consequences. Blackman tried to capitalize on the distraction with a rollup on Snow, but Snow was able to kick out. Blackman then tagged out to Douglas, who set Snow up for a belly to belly suplex, but Candido came in and cut it off with an elbow smash to the back of his head. Snow then hit a wheelbarrow suplex. Blackman tried to break it up, but Candido intercepted him, and the ref counted three. The Bomb Squad were now the Pacific Tag Team champs, and Backlund smiled for the first time all night as his men held the title belts high to the shock and dismay of the crowd. Falls Count Anywhere Match : Barry Windham vs. The One Man Gang With One Man Gang having cost him the Pacific Heavyweight Title, Barry Windham was determined to put a stop to the big 747 once and for all. The two engaged in a brutal Falls Count Anywhere match, throwing everything at each other that was not nailed down. They slugged it out in the ringside area, up and down the aisles, into the crowds and around the back of the arena. The two were a battered and bloody mess by the time the match wound down. It actually wound up coming to an end near the ring, as Barry came off the top rope with a flying lariat on One Man Gang on the floor and got the one two three. Would this be enough to get the One Man Gang off his trail? Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Nick Bockwinkel (c) vs. Billy Jack Haynes The show closed out with the big Main Event, the title match that everyone was eager to see. The two men had traded victories in tag matches, but this would be one on one with the title on the line. While Sunshine was there to take off her man's jacket and keep an eye on him, Haynes was all business and kept his eyes locked with Bockwinkel as they got down to it. The match opened up with a feeling out period, with Billy Jack trying to overpower the champ and Bock in turn trying to outmaneuver his challenger. Things then opened up more, with Haynes going for more power moves and Bockwinkel breaking out some classic takedowns. Bock was able to dodge much of Haynes' power offense, but every time Billy Jack was able to land a move, he made it count. Bockwinkel was showing more and more wear and tear as the match went on, and it seemed like Billy Jack just might pull off the victory. Going for the kill, Billy Jack whipped Bockwinkel hard into the corner and came charging in with a mighty clothesline. Bockwinkel dodged out of the way just in the nick of time (ha ha). Billy Jack just barely stopped himself from crashing chest first into the corner, but Bockwinkel was still able to execute a belly to back suplex. He kicked back on the corner ropes for extra leverage and was able to get the one two three. Billy Jack gave it his all, but Bockwinkel was still the champ as the show ended.

Teijo Khan is listed as retiring after 1988, but Cagematch lists his end of ring career as 1994 (although it only lists one match after 1989) and wikipedia has him winning the PWA heavyweight title in 1991. Not that I was planning in building my promotion around him long term, but was wondering he he would be available after 1988.

PCW drops Steve Wright for Teijo Khan.

Off to a great start, can't to see where you go from here. Love the format and writing style.

Pacific Coast Wrestling Phoenix Firestorm from the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Night One Coast 2 Coast (John Tatum & Jack Victory) vs. Joe & Dean Malenko http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/j/johntatum/04.jpghttp://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/m/malenkos/05.jpg The Arizona fans were psyched for the first night of Phoenix Firestorm and it kicked off with a bang with two of the hottest tag teams in PCW. Ever since they left Mr. Bob Backlund and the Knights Templar, Tatum and Victory have pulled off some impressive wins as well as developing quite a fanbase among the Pacific Coast crowds. The Malenkos , in turn, have set a high standard for in ring excellence and have become even more dangerous now that the Pride have taken on Gary Hart as their manager. Hart was at ringside to provide guidance for his newest clients, keeping a watchful eye on the action. This was an extremely competitive match, with the Malenkos' technical expertise balanced by Coast 2 Coast's almost telepathic ring synergy and double teams. It was Joe Malenko who pulled it out in the end by dodging a Superkick from Tatum and getting behind him to nail the German Suplex. It was the Malenkos who got the win but both teams had greatly increased in respect among the fans. Ron Garvin vs. Jim Neidhart Up next was a contest between two of the toughest men in PCW. The Anvil and the Hands Of Stone were both keyed up and ready to go, laying into each other with powerful shots. The arena echoed with the punches and chops of Garvin and the mighty forearm smashes of Neidhart. They chipped away at each other, neither man wanting to give an inch. They wrenched each other's limbs in all sorts of painful way, but no man wanted to surrender. Ultimately, Neidhart came exploding out of the blocks and bowled Garvin over with a huge shoulder tackle. He knocked Garvin to the ground and pounded on him with forearm smashes before dragging him up and wrapping him up in the Anvilizer (Cobra Clutch). For all that Garvin struggled , there was no escaping, and he had no choice but to tap out. Neidhart callously dropped him to the mat and stalked out of the ring. Mr. Bob Backlund was not at ringside, but one could imagine him nodding in approval at the Anvil's ruthlessness. US Steel vs. Cannonball Grizzly Another wrestler looking to impress someone is Cannonball Grizzly, whose dedication to Playboy Buddy Rose has been as loyal as it has been puzzling to others. US Steel soon found himself overwhelmed by the all out assault of the big Grizzly, with even his own considerable power not being enough to hold him back. Grizzly crushed Steel in the corner with an avalanche, then went up top and hit the Cannonball Crush (top rope splash). Even that was not enough for the young star, who executed a second Crush before finally going for the pinfall. US Steel had to be helped from the ring and Grizzly had made a statement that was impossible to ignore. Texas Red vs. Big Bubba Rogers These two big behemoths have been going after each other for quite some time, and their hatred of each other was undiminished when the faced off against each other. This was a battle of super heavyweights that shook the ring and had the fans roaring with every slam and throw. Texas Red did everything he could, but it wound up being a massive Western Lariat that was able to put the Louisville Slugger down. Even then, it was just barely for the three count. After the match, Big Bubba wanted to keep going, but Jim Cornette calmed him down, saying to him, "Next time." Bret & Owen Hart vs. ?? ??? Originally, the Hart Brothers were slated to face Badd Company, but with the recent departure of Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond for Windy City Pro Wrestling, their opponents tonight were unknown, and both the Harts and the audience were curious to see who they would be. Whoever they might have guessed, it's a reasonable bet that they were all caught off guard when through the curtain came … THE WILD EYED SOUTHERN BOYS? The appearance of the Southern Boys came as a shock to everyone. It had been a long time since anyone had seen Tracy Smothers, and even longer since they had seen Steve Armstrong. In fact, the last we had seen them together, Smothers had turned his back on Armstrong and blazed his own trail as the so called Mr. Hollywood until his partners deposed him before becoming the Knights Templar. Regardless of the past, Smothers and Armstrong had clearly made amends as they came out together and eagerly shook hands and high fived the crowd as they made their way to the ring. The pair were clearly in high spirits and keen to get to it with the Harts, and when the bell rang, it was on. The two teams had an exciting and fast paced match, and the fans watched intently, wondering who would come out on top. When Bret hit a big clothesline on Smothers, he moved swiftly to apply the Sharpshooter. Armstrong raced in to try to break it up, but was hit with a tackle from Owen that sent them both tumbling out of the ring. As the ref went to check if they were okay, Bret tried to get the hold cinched in. However, out of nowhere, Jim Neidhart raced into the ring, clobbered Bert in the back of the head with a massive forearm shot, then got the hell out of Dodge. When Smothers got to his feet, he saw Bret dazed on the mat, looked at Armstrong and Owen on the outside, and quickly came to the realization that the only explanation was outside interference. Instead of going for the cover, he called over the ref and held up his hands to indicate that he had nothing to do with it. As he and Owen tried to help Bret to his feet, the two teams agreed to declare a draw, given that Bret was in no condition to continue. A disappointing ending, but if nothing else, it confirmed that the Southern Boys were back and determined to walk an honorable path. John Tenta vs. Maxx Payne Further surprises came in this match with the entrance of Percy Pringle and Maxx Payne. In contrast to his normal golden hair and suit, Pringle came out in a black suit with his hair dyed black to match. Normally loud and blustering, he was solemn and silent, with his man looming behind him as they headed out. Payne ambushed Tenta as he tried to enter the ring, and did a lot of damage with the Payne Killer before Tenta was able to force the break by making it to the ropes. Tenta tried valiantly to rally, but the damage had been done, and when he tried to powerslam Payne, his damaged arm wouldn't allow it. Tenta toppled backward with Payne on top, and while that only got a two count, Payne gave Tenta a hard knee to the head sending him back down to the mat. Payne followed up with a big running legdrop and that was enough to get the three count. The new look Pringle and Payne had pulled off a shocking upset, and it looks like a new Nightmare is being unleashed on PCW. Dan Severn vs. Akira Maeda When Maeda ambushed Severn 3 months ago, it ignited a war that raged all over the Pacific, from the West Coast all the way to Japan. These two have had some truly savage matches, and anticipation was keen as to what would go down tonight. Severn had been sporting a plastic face protector due to the cracked cheekbone he had suffered due to Maeda's attack, but the mask was off now, and he would be at full strength for this showdown. The match did not disappoint, with both men dropping bombs throughout the match, unleashing a hurricane of chops, punches, knees, and kicks. They fought hard to try get each other in a submission hold, but neither were able to close the deal without the other finding a way to escape. Severn finally was able to hit a crushing belly to belly suplex that knocked the wind out of Maeda, and that proved to be just enough to put him down for the three count. Severn had gotten his revenge, but would it be enough? Golden State Tag Team Title Match : Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) (c) vs. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) Even though they have lost some matches by DQ, the two big French Canadians have been impressive champions, and it has seemed impossible to get the title belts off their waists. But Regal and Brookside have come out of nowhere to become top challengers. British Steel have proved to be the comeback story of the year. 1987 started out rough for them, losing the Pacific Tag Team Titles to the Midnight Express, and got worse from there with a series of losses and strife between the partners that threatened to split the team. But they pulled back from the brink, reforging the bond between them and pulling out some spectacular wins. TDT were taking no chances, attacking them right at the bell. But Regal and Brookside fought back with equal fire, replying to every shot with two shots of their own. Everything that the champs threw at them, British Steel gave back and then some. Leduc tried to take Regal out for good with an over the knee backbreaker. But before he count execute it, Brookside hit a dropkick on his partner that sent Leduc falling over backwards with Regal on top. This only got a two count, but as they were getting to their feet, Regal hit the Regal-Plex. One … two … THREE!!!!! The crowd roared in approval as the ref's hand hit the mat for the third time. British Steel had completed their comeback and were now the Golden State Tag Team Champions! Pacific Television Title Match : Tony St. Clair (c) vs. Ed Gantner http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/e/edgantner/02.jpg For most of his time in Pacific Coast Wrestling, Ed Gantner has been a tag wrestler as one half of the most imposing tag team in PCW, the Wild Bulls with his younger brother Rick. But lately, he has been making a name for himself as a singles competitor, and by pinning St. Clair in a six man tag match, has earned himself a shot at the TV title. Gantner loomed over St. Clair before the match started, being 3 inches taller than the English star. But the champ refused to be intimidated, meeting Gantner's gaze with a steely glare of his own. Gantner worked hard to overpower St. Clair, using his considerable muscles and devastating offense. "Tough" Tony, in turn, used his considerable skill and resiliency to try to outlast the big Bull. It seemed like he just might pull it off when he staggered Gantner with a series of forearm shots and then geared up for the spinning forearm smash. But Gantner cut that short with a boot to the midsection, then came roaring back with the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the head). Gantner leveled St. Clair and went for the cover. One … two … THREE! The crowd was in shock, Ronnie P. Gossett was ecstatic, and a big whoop went up from the Bullpen as Gantner raised his arm in victory. There was a new TV champion and he had taken the title in convincing fashion. 2/3 Falls Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger (c) vs. Brian Pillman Ever since he won the Light Heavyweight Title from Chris Candido, Black Tiger has raised the prestige of that title to new heights. Through a series of consistently excellent and gripping matches, the masked man has taken it from the opening match to a show headliner, culminating in this first night main event of one of the biggest shows of the year. His challenger is perhaps the fastest rising young star in PCW, Flyin' Brian Pillman. The two men shook hands before the opening bell and then eagerly got to it. The first fall was an exhilarating display of technical wrestling, with plenty of matwork and counter wrestling. It came down to a battle of rollups, with Black Tiger able to keep Pillman down for a three count with a victory roll. In the second fall, the action started to open up, with both men taking more risks and going for more high flying moves. Pillman took a big risk but it paid off when he went up top and hit a flying clothesline to even up the match at two falls apiece. This set the stage for the final fall, with both wrestlers kicking it into overdrive. Both champion and challenger went all out, doing everything they could to come out on top. The fans were on the edge of their seats as they watched move and counter move, near fall after near fall. The match kept going on for a long while and both men were exhausted but it looked like it would be another successful defense when the champion went for the Black Tiger Bomb. But, out of nowhere, Pillman countered out of it with a sunset flip. He threw everything he could into it and was able to hold Tiger down for the three count. The crowd were jubilant that the young firebrand had pulled it off. The long reign of Black Tiger had come to an end, and he had every right to be proud of his championship run, but now it was Pillman's time. Tiger insisted on putting the title belt around Pillman's waist, and the two men embraced as the fans gave them a standing ovation. This capped off a thrilling first night, and we will be back for the second night of Phoenix Firestorm.

Whoops, sorry, that makes sense. I guess I didn't realize what the highlighting meant.

I did notice that Ernie Ladd is on the 1985 retiree list, which would mean he would be available as a manger or for a one off special appearance. He should be taken off that list as he is in use as an authority figure for Mid South Revolution.

Pacific Coast Wrestling are now able to reveal the full lineup for their Phoenix Firestorm from the Arizona Veterans Memorial Colisseum : Night One Coast 2 Coast (John Tatum & Jack Victory) vs. Joe & Dean MAlenko Ron Garvin vs. Jim Neidhart US Steel vs. Cannonball Grizzly Texas Red vs. Big Bubba Rogers Bret & Owen Hart vs. A Mystery Team John Tenta vs. Maxx PAyne Dan Severn vs. Akira Maeda Golden State Tag Team Title Match : Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) (c) vs. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) Pacific Television Title Match : Tony St. Clair (c) vs. Ed Garner 2/3 Falls Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger (c) vs. Brian Pillman Night Two Ron Simmons vs. Curtis Hughes Fit Finlay vs. Buddy Rose Dingo Warrior vs. Rick Gantner Konnan vs. Sid Vicious Curt Hennig vs. Gary Young Losing Team Leaves Town Match : The Rainbow Warriors (Brian Adams & Vic Steamboat) vs. The Midnight Express Leo Burke, Chavo Guerrero, Hector Guerrero & Mando Guerrero vs. The Wild Things (Cactus Jack, Sabu, Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero) Falls Count Anywhere Match : Barry Windham vs. The One Man Gang California & Submission Title Match : Bob Backlund (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) (c) vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Nick Bockwinkel (c) vs. Billy Jack Haynes

Pacific Coast Wrestling Show from the UCSB Event Center, Santa Barbara, August 21st Texas Red vs. Doug Furnas The big Texan and the Oklahoma powerhouse had a hard hitting match that went to Red after hitting a Tombstone Piledriver. Brian Adams vs. Akira Maeda Adams did his best against the Japanese Assassin, but Maeda was merciless, wrecking Adam's knee with brutal kicks before forcing him to tap out with a nasty half crab. Adams was clearly limping as he walked away from the ring. Barry Windham, Curt Hennig & Ron Simmons vs. One Man Gang , Joe Malenko & Dean Malenko The Brigade gave a titanic battle to Gary Hart's men , with Windham hitting a spectacular top rope dropkick to put down One Man Gang US Steel vs. Maxx Payne After his recent loss to Barry Windham, Payne was looking to prove he was still a force to be reckoned with, and US Steel would be made to pay for that. Payne took sadistic glee in brutalizing the big man, ultimately forcing him to give up to the Payne Killer. Tony St. Clair & British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. Ed Wiskowski & Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) In a ferocious battle, the British Invasion ultimately prevailed with Regal pinning Leduc with the Regal-Plex California & Submission Title Match : Bob Backlund © vs. Owen Hart Once again with the rest of the Knights Templar silently observing from ringside, Mr. Bob Backlund defended his dual titles against the youngest member of the Hart Family. Owen gave it his all in an incredible match, and the fans were on the edge of their seats at the thought he might just pull off the upset. Ultimately, the veteran skills of Backlund proved the deciding factor, as the champion was able to trap Owen with the Backlund Bridge to score the pinfall.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the LA Sports Arena, Los Angeles, on Pacific Super Cards on ESPN / TSN, August 20th Bret Hart vs. Buddy Rose The Playboy faced a stern test in one of the fasted rising young stars in PCW. No matter what tricks Rose pulled out of his sleeve, Bret had a ready counter for it. But he had one last game to play. When Bret tried to apply the Sharpshooter, Rose pulled a set of brass knucks out of his trunks and clocked him with them. Having cannily done this outside the eyesight of the ref, Rose rolled up Hart to steal the win. Billy Jack Haynes vs. Curtis Hughes Just one week from his big match with Nick Bockwinkel, Billy Jack faced a considerable challenge in Curtis Hughes . The big roughneck and the Oregon powerhouse went at it fist and fire, and it took Billy Jack coming off the top rope with a devastating flying clothesline to put Hughes down for good. Konnan vs. Ed Gantner Gantner was heading for a big challenge of his own in the Pacific Television champ Tony St. Clair, and was in no mood to trifle. No matter what Konnan did, the Big Bull kept tearing at him, and when Gantner hit the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the face), the masked man went down for the count. Dan Severn vs. Gary Young Mr. Bob Backlund and the rest of the Knights Templar were at ringside for this match, but Backlund ordered them to stand down and simply observe. Young threw everything he had at Severn, but the Beast maintained an icy cool until Young wore himself out, then kicked it in gear with a series of crushing suplex, followed by a body scissors sleeper that forced him to tap out. As he led Young and his men away from the ring, Backlund was silent, but his look of stern disapproval spoke volumes. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold © (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. Badd Company Badd Company gave Black Gold an incredible run for the money in this match, coming very close on several occasions to taking the titles, but Blackman was able to hit a lightning quick Bicycle Kick on Tanaka to pull out a successful defense. After the match, Paul Diamond asked for the ringside microphone. He then said that , after a long and successful run in Pacific Coast Wrestling, Badd Company's time their was done. While they had not always done what the fans wanted of them, they had always enjoyed their time on the west coast and done everything the could to be top competitors, but it was time to move on, and they would be starting a new run in Windy City Pro Wrestling. No matter what side of the battle lines they were on, the fans always showed respect for their abilities, and for that, both Pat and Paul were grateful. The fans applauded as Tanaka and Diamond shook hands with Blackman and Douglas before leaving the PCW ring for the last time. Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Nick Bockwinkel © vs. Ron Garvin For his last defense before Phoenix Firestorm, Bockwinkel would face the Man With The Hands Of Stone. Garvin went full bore against Bockwinkel, and by the end of the match, Bock's chest was beet red from the merciless chops he was given, but Bockwinkel prevailed after hitting not one but two piledrivers.

Good plan, I had a lot of fun with him in the previous project as a manager.

Yeah, for all I know, this could be totally kayfabe. Or just my memory playing tricks on me.

For some reason, I had recalled reading somewhere that he started as a wrestler, switched over to managing early on after an injury, then switched back to managing in 1991. I have searched and found no verifiable evidence or matches from this. Yes, he certainly should be available as a manager, he was managing Badd Company at this time.

Wow, just found another big one : Diamond Dallas Page.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Olympic Auditorium , Los Angeles , on ESPN / TSN, US Steel & Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. Jim Neidhart & The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/s/steveblackman/05.jpg Last week, after no doubt getting a stern talking to from Mr. Bob Backlund, Neidhart and the Bomb Squad rallied to pull out some big victories. This week, they came together to face the Army in a six man match that was all action. The Knights were reinvigorated by their recent success and were extremely competitive with the army. But things took a turn when all men wound up brawling in the ring. As the ref struggled to get some sort of control, Gary Hart snuck in the ring and hit a DDT on Douglas, leaving him for Snow to go for the cover. However, the ref caught sight of what he did out of the corner of his eye, and instead of making the count he called for the DQ. Backlund was furious with Young for costing his team the victory, and Neidhart and the Bomb Squad were equally angry. Backlund was clearly lambasting Young as they left the ring. Sid Vicious vs. Dan Barry This was quick and nasty. Sid Vicious simply stormed the ring, grabbed Barry, drove him to the mat with a massive power bomb, and placed his foot on the unconscious Barry's chest while the ref made the count. Percy Pringle barely had time to waddle to ringside in time for the ref's hand hitting the mat for the third time. With a big match upcoming at Phoenix Firestorm, Konnan certainly has his work cut out for him if he wants to come out on top. Leo Burke vs. Cactus Jack While Burke looked saddened when he saw his former pupil across the ring from him, he didn't have much chance to feel any kind of remorse, as Cactus didn't wait for the ring bell and went after him right away. The seasoned veteran didn't take long to get his bearings, and the two had an intense battle, with Cactus recklessly throwing everything he had at Burke and Burke maintaining a steely determination. Cactus went for broke when he tried to hit the side Russian Legsweep, but Burke grabbed the ropes to block it, then levelled Cactus with a clothesline for the win. Burke gave Cactus a disappointed look as he left the ring, but all Cactus had in return was a deranged grin. Brian Pillman vs. Sabu This was one of the fasted paced match of the night, with Pillman and Sabu kicking things into gear at blinding speed with plentiful high flying moves and hard shots. While Sabu was his usual crazy self, Pillman was showing the increased toughness that he has been displaying lately, leathering Sabu's chest with intense backhand chops and charging back no matter what Sabu hit him with. Pillman was able to go up top and hit a flying clothesline that brought him one of his most hard fought victories yet. Vic Steamboat vs. Cannonball Grizzly http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/v/vicsteamboat/03.jpg Buddy Rose was in Grizzly's corner for his match, and whispered something in his ear when the bell rang. Whatever it was he said, it was certainly motivating, as Grizzly proceeded to toss young Steamboat all over the ring. Steamboat tried hard, but the big Grizzly just plain overwhelmed him. Grizzly went up top and hit the Cannonball Crush (top rope flying splash) and it seemed like that was that. But in an act of what could only be pure sadism, Rose ordered him to go back up again and hit a second Crush, and Grizzly obliged before finally getting the pinfall. Steamboat was clearly in agony from his ribs as he left the ring, and that doesn't bode well for his upcoming match at Phoenix Firestorm against the Midnight Express. Ron Simmons vs. Ed Wiskowski The Playboy was conspicuous by his absence for this match, but the Polish Prince didn't let that hold him back any, hitting hard and viciously against the former Florida State All American. Simmons gave everything back with interest, and the two powerful warriors had a titanic struggle. Although Wiskowski was a lot to overcome, Simmons was able to finally put him down with a running spear and get the one two three. Simmons had his hand raised in victory, but he certainly had to work hard for it.

Have spotted two more for the draft : Brian Lee and Del Wilkes both made their debut in 1988.

Looking forward to enjoying your creativity.

Small correction on the Twin States roster : Konnan is listed as retiring in 1988 but he is not.

So it is. Will stay with Steve Wright, then.

Also dropping Steve Wright for Super Strong Machine.

Change of plans, dropping Miguel Perez Jr for Timothy Flowers.