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Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, July 3rd Brian Adams vs. Doug Furnas A quick rivalry has sprung up between the Pride and the Rainbow Warriors. Tonight, Adams would face the big Oklahoman Furnas in a battle of two big men. It was a show of power wrestling that Furnas won when he caught Adams in a side suplex. Dan Severn vs. Rick Gantner Severn was gearing up for another shot at Akira Maeda but had his hands full with one half of the Wild Bulls. He ultimately prevailed by forcing Gantner to tap out to a Boston Crab. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. Badd Company A thrilling tag team classic that went to British Steel when Brookside pinned Diamond with a crucifix. Leo Burke vs. Ed Gantner The General of the Army gave a valiant effort, but the big Bull was too much to overcome, and Gantner scored the victory with the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the face). Curt Hennig vs. Gary Young The hatred between these two was palpable as they took their feud to the ring. No matter what each of them did to the other, it seemed like their hatred was enough to push them through any pinfall attempt. Hennig wound up going for desperation gutter tactics when he blocked a DDT attempt with a low blow knee shot, following up with a Cradle Suplex for the pinfall. Hennig seemed disappointed in himself after the match for having sunk so low. Pacific Television Title Match : Tony St. Clair © vs. Joe Malenko After defeating Big Bubba Rogers to win the TV Title, St. Clair has taken on all comers, but the older Malenko Brother gave him perhaps his greatest challenge yet. With a wealth of technical skill and a seemingly unending reserve of energy, Malenko seemed to have an answer to every problem St. Clair tried to give him. St. Clair was finally able to block and counter an attempted German Suplex with a schoolboy cradle to get a hard fought one-two-three.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver on Pacific Super Cards on ESPN / TSN , July 2nd Fit Finlay & Ron Garvin vs. The Midnight Express This match eventually broke down into chaos when Jim Cornette got up on the ring apron, trying to get his tennis racquet to his men. Garvin intercepted him and grabbed him by the lapel, looking to make him pay for his interference, but Bobby Eaton clipped him from behind and rolled him up for the pinfall. Jeff Jarrett vs. Mando Guerrero These two had a close scientific matchup where Jarrett was able to hit a sunset flip and get the one two three. Barry Windham vs. One Man Gang These two mortal enemies had another hellacious battle where Windham was finally able to put down the big 747 with a running bulldog headlock Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Dean Malenko Black Tiger was presented with an incredible challenge from the younger of the Malenko Brothers. Dean came very close on a number of occasions to taking the title, but Tiger waited for his opportunity and, when Dean was attempting the Texas Cloverleaf, Tiger caught him in a small package for the win Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Brian Pillman & Jim Neidhart vs. Bob Backlund, Gary Young & The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) The bubbling feud between the Hart Family and friends and the Knights Templar boiled over in this match. The two sides tore into each other, and the match went long with the momentum shifting back and forth. Backlund and Bret seemed to be targeting each other, with Bret finally getting Backlund down in the Sharpshooter. The Bomb Squad tried to break it up, but Owen and Pillman dropkicked them out of the ring. They then piled on Young to keep him from interfering. It looked like Bret was going to pull off a major upset by submitting the California and Submission Champ. Then Neidhart entered the ring and …. Clotheslined Bret in the back of the head! He followed this act of betrayal by clotheslining Pillman and Owen to the mat before putting the boots to Bret. As the crowd gasped in shock and horror, Backlund rolled Bret up in the Backlund Bridge to get the perfunctory pinfall. But the Anvil was not done, as he put Bret in an excruciating Camel Clutch while Owen and Pillman could do nothing but watch while the rest of the Knights kept them from rescuing their partner. Finally, Billy Jack Haynes, Texas Red, Ron Garvin and Fit Finlay ran out to break through the line and save Bret. The Knights were laughing as they left the ring and Backlund put his arm around Neidhart's shoulders (although the rest of the Knights seemed to be giving him a suspicious side eye). What on earth has possessed the Anvil? Billy Jack Haynes & Texas Red vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Big Bubba Rogers Nick Bockwinkel was coming off two straight one hour time limit draws, one in Japan against Antonio Inoki and one in LA against Bob Backlund, and was understandably showing some signs of wear and tear. Wisely, he used his influence (*cough* money *cough*) to acquire the services of the best friend money can buy, Big Bubba Rogers, to shoulder much of the burden of this match. But against two powerful athletes like Billy Jack and Texas Red, that line of defense could only hold for so long, and Bock had to spend more and more time trying to battle them on his own. It seemed like he just might pull it off when he had Billy Jack set up for a belly to back suplex, but the Oregon powerhouse blocked it and countered with a mighty shoulder breaker. Big Bubba tried to break up the pin, but Texas Red cut him off with a clothesline. One … two … THREE!!!! Billy Jack had just pinned the Pacific Heavyweight Champion! The crowd was jubilant as Texas Red proudly raised his partner's arm in victory. It looks like the Pacific Heavyweight Title now has a new top contender.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Victoria Memorial Arena, Victoria, on ESPN / TSN, July 1st Golden State Tag Team Title Match : Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) vs. Chavo & Hector Guerrero The Victoria fans were out in force for this Canada Day special. Although TDT had turned to the Dark Side by joining up with the Playboy Club, they still had some Canadian fans who cheered them on as they faced the Guerreros. Chavo and Hector still seemed to be concerned as to the status of their missing brother Eddie, as they acted distracted throughout the match. TDT seized the advantage given to them by their opponents and were able to hit the Clear Cut (Leduc put Chavo over his knee while Ouellet came off the top with a flying elbow smash) to successfully defend their titles. Barry Windham, Ron Simmons & Konnan vs. Maxx Payne, Sid Vicious & Sabu In what is becoming a distressing trend in PCW, Sabu failed to come out with his partners in the Crazy Gang. What is it with the youth of today not wanting to show up for work? Nevertheless, Vicious and Payne declared they would do it on their own, refusing to show any weakness to the Brigade. Vicious was particularly focused on attacking Konnan. This tunnel vision proved costly when he failed to notice Konnan make a blind tag out to Ron Simmons. Simmons caught Vicious off guard with a thundering Spear that managed to keep him down for the three count. Payne and Vicious were clearly displeased with the result, but now we can add the disappearance of Sabu to the various mysteries occurring in PCW. Bret & Owen Hart vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) Seemingly out of nowhere, the Knights Templar have increasingly gotten involved in the business of the Hart Family. Early victories by the Brothers over the Bomb Squad has led to other members of the Knights interfering in their matches. Mr. Bob Backlund was in the corner of his young charges, leading to the Harts keeping a watchful eye on him during the match. But it wasn't Backlund but rather his favorite son, Gary Young, who entered the ring and attacked Owen. As he did so right in front of the ref, this led to the Bomb Squad being disqualified, but that didn't seem to matter to the Knights, who proceeded to gang up on the Brothers. Brian Pillman and Jim Neidhart rushed out to even the sides, and the two factions scuffled until PCW officials were able to get them separated. PCW Commissioner Dutch Savage then came out and announce that he was signing an 8 man tag team match for the next night in Vancouver, and the two sides could try and settle their differences then. Vic Steamboat vs. Akira Maeda In his recent reign of terror in PCW, Akira Maeda has mowed down everyone who has gotten in his path. Never one to shy away from a challenge, young Vic Steamboat has stepped into the fray. A noble effort, but nothing he did managed to put any kind of dent in the Japanese Assassin. Maeda tore him apart with brutal kicks, including a low leg kick that seemed to hurt Steamboat's knee. Smelling blood in the water, Maeda took him down with a legsweep and applied a single leg Boston Crab that forced Steamboat to tap out. Maeda kept kicking Steamboat while he was down, until Steamboat's partner Brian Adams ran out and pulled his friend away. Can anything stop Maeda ? Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) © vs. The Wild Things (Cactus Jack & Art Barr) Ever since their departure from the ranks of the Army, the Wild Things have been creating all sorts of havoc, but last week they interfered in a match their former friends had with the Guerrero Brothers. Things escalated and now the former allies would square off in the ring. Blackman and Douglas were reluctant to fight their one time friends, but Cactus and Barr goaded them into engaging. Despite the crazy offense of the Wild Things, Black Gold kept calm and were able to get some sort of control over the match, albeit with a lot of effort. Blackman looked to put it away when he had Barr lined up for the running bicycle kick. But out of nowhere, a masked man showed up at ringside and pulled down the top rope , causing Blackman to tumble out of the ring. The mystery man attacked Blackman and the ref called for the DQ. Douglas came to his partner's aid while the masked man dove into the ring and stood beside Cactus and Barr and pulled off his mask revealing … EDDIE GUERRERO? A gasp came up from the crowd and Chavo, Hector and Mando Guerrero ran out, pleading for their younger brother to come back with him. Barr put his arm around Eddie and grinned as Eddie fixed his brothers with a look of pure hatred. Cactus held up three fingers ... and then changed that to four fingers. What on Earth is going on? Ron Garvin, Leo Burke & John Tenta vs. Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski & Cannonball Grizzly Normally, Garvin would team up with his good friend Fit Finlay in his battles with Rose and his cohorts. But tonight, he was reuniting with his old Canadian Connection friend Leo Burke along with BC native John Tenta to form something of a Canadian super team against the Playboy Club. In typical Playboy fashion, Rose didn't want anything to do with the opposition, leaving his men to fight most of his battle for him and only coming in when they had the advantage. But his luck ran out when Garvin knocked Wiskowski into the corner and the Polish Prince accidentally tagged in the Playboy. Garvin dragged Rose into the ring and he and his partners battered the Playboy while keeping Wiskowski and Grizzly from bailing out their leader. Tenta finally put him out of his misery by pinning him with the Big Quake. Garvin, Burke and Tenta stood proud in the ring while "O, Canada" played and the Canadian fans applauded their hometown heroes, capping off a great Canada Day special.

Pacific Coast Wrestling Show from the UCSB Event Center, Santa Barbara, June 26th Leo Burke vs. Doug Furnas The veteran Burke provided a real trial by fire for young Furnas, countering the Pride member's considerable power with his own well honed skill. He almost had the Sleeper Hold locked on Furnas, but Furnas was able to drive him back first into the corner to break the hold. Furnas then hit a scoop powerslam on Burke to get a hard earned win. Bret & Owen Hart vs. Joe & Dean Malenko These two teams of brothers had an absolute classic, with both teams working in synch like a Swiss watch and plentiful combination moves and double teams. Unfortunately , this was marred when Bret was slugging it out with both Malenkos. While the ref was distracted trying to retain some order, Gary Young, likely acting on orders from Mr. Bob Backlund, snuck into the ring and DDTed Owen Hart before running out of the ring. Joe Malenko turned around and saw Owen flat on the ground. He looked a bit confused but still went for the cover, getting the pinfall while Dean held back Bret. Curt Hennig rushed out to the ring and tried to explain to the ref what happened, but the ref declared that he couldn't call what he didn't see and the decision stood. The Malenko's attitude was that , whatever might have happened, it was nothing to do with them and they still got the pinfall. Regardless, I don't think we have seen the last of this matchup. The Wild Things (Cactus Jack & Art Barr) vs. Mando & Hector Guerrero The Guerreros came out first, bearing worried looks on their faces, likely concerned with their missing younger brother Eddie. Their mood was not helped by Cactus and Barr, who mocked them by wearing t-shirts bearing a picture of Eddie and a caption reading "Have You Seen Me?" This enraged the Guerreros, who furiously attacked the two young upstarts. This might have seemed like a serious tactical error on the part of the Wild Things, but as the match wore on, the cunning of the move revealed itself. The Guerreros were so infuriated that their judgement went out the window, leading to them falling into several traps set by the Wild Things that they normally would have avoided. This culminated in Mando being blindsided by a clothesline from behind by Cactus Jack that set him up for a Frog Splash by Barr, giving the Wild Things a very impressive victory indeed. Dan Severn vs. Akira Maeda Out of nowhere, this has become one of the most brutal feuds in PCW history. As he did in their match in Japan, Severn was wearing a plastic face guard to protect his injured cheekbone , and much like that match, all finesse and technique went out the window early on. These two beat each other bloody in a heated brawl until the referee, sick and tired of being shoved around by the two combatants, declared a no contest. They continued going at it until the Hart Brothers, the Pride and Badd Company all had to come out to separate the two. Curt Hennig vs. Gary Young Ever since Young interfered in Hennig's match with Nick Bockwinkel, Hennig has been looking to get a piece of Mr. Bob Backlund's chief enforcer. Now that they were finally in the ring together, the two had a titanic battle where the momentum swung back and forth throughout. Young had gained the advantage when Owen Hart, still upset over Young's interference in his match, came out to the ring. The ref tried to shoo him away , but Young mocked Owen as he set Hennig up for a DDT. But while the ref was looking the other way, Bret Hart came in from the other side of the ring and shoulder blocked Young with a clip to the leg from behind. Given what Young had done to him before, Hennig was not about to pass up this assistance and the crowd cheered as he pinned Young with a cradle suplex. Young and the Knights Templar had been riding on a wave of dominance up until recently, but now they are starting to discover the cost of making so many enemies. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) © vs. Badd Company These two teams have had some real barn burner matches, and tonight was no exception. Badd Company came incredibly close to taking the titles on several occasions before Douglas was finally able to catch Tanaka in a belly to belly suplex to put an end, for now, to their challenge. Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Brian Pillman Black Tiger has had some incredible matches since winning the Light Heavyweight Title, but for the first time, he would be defending the title in the main event. They certainly picked a great challenger for this historic match, as the popular young Cincinnati native Pillman has already had several standout matches against Black Tiger. These two had a sensational match, with plentiful high flying and a breakneck pace that just wouldn't let up. Tiger seemed to have it all in hand when he set up Pillman for the Black Tiger Bomb. Quick as a flash, Pillman countered it with a Sunset Flip. But the always aware Black Tiger reversed that with a double leg cradle that just barely held Pillman's shoulders to the mat for the one two three. After the match, the two men shook hands and the fans gave them a standing ovation, aware that they had just witnessed a classic.

Wow, Wendi Richter's comeback is definitely complete and she is the Triple Crown Queen.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the LA Sports Arena, Los Angeles, on Pacific Super Cards on ESPN / TSN, June 25th Barry Windham, Ron Simmons & Konnan vs. Maxx Payne, Sid Vicious & Sabu Konnan took the mask of the now former Lord Humongous at Seattle Showdown, but the newly dubbed Sid Vicious got his revenge a couple of weeks later with a brutal sneak attack. This time out, they would be facing each other in six man action, with Konnan bringing in his Brigade Brothers to face the Crazy Gang. Konnan seemed to especially have a lot of support from the LA fans, and although Vicious towered over him, the masked man refused to knuckle under. Once again, Sabu seemed to rankle his teammates by insisting on taking as much time in the ring as possible. This led to him falling prey to an elevated DDT by Konnan , giving a crowd pleasing win to the Brigade. This time, it was all the other members of the Crazy Gang who were on Sabu's case after the match. He seemed to be twitching and shaking even more than usual. It doesn't seem like he is too happy with their complaints. Coast To Coast (John Tatum & Jack Victory) vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) It didn't take long after their departure from the Knights Templar for Tatum and Victory to find themselves across the ring from their former teammates. "Hollywood" John Tatum's hometown fans seemed to be out in force tonight, not surprising given his earlier passioned defense of California to Mr. Bob Backlund's critiques. The Bomb Squad were intent on punishing Tatum and Victory for their defection, but Coast To Coast were reveling in their new found freedom, and when Tatum nailed Candido with the Superkick, the fans roared in approval as the ref made the three count. Jim Neidhart vs. Paul Diamond The Anvil has been on quite the hot streak in his home state of California. This continued when he forced Diamond to submit to a Camel Clutch Tony St. Clair & British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. Curtis Hughes & The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) The British Invasion have been doing very well of late, but Ronnie P. Gossett's men were determined to put a stop to that. The two teams had a knock down, drag out battle which reached a climax when Ed Gantner caught St. Clair by surprise with the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the head) and got the pinfall. The Bullpen were as much overjoyed by this as the rest of the fans were shocked. Gossett is going to be especially insufferable now that his man has pinned the TV champ. The Rainbow Warriors & Texas Red vs. The Midnight Express & Big Bubba Rogers Continuing from their match the week previous, Texas Red and Big Bubba furiously slugged it out with each other every chance they got. As the two monsters fought each other to a stalemate, their teammates continued their ongoing feud, with Adams trapping Lane in a bearhug, but Eaton coming off the top rope with an elbow smash to the back of the head that finally gave the match to Camp Cornette. Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Nick Bockwinkel © vs. Bob Backlund At last, the long awaited main event pitting the Pacific champion against the holder of the California and Submission titles. True to his word, Backlund came out on his own, leaving the rest of the Knights Templar in the back. Bockwinkel was coming off an hour long draw with Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, and took an extended break in Japan before returning to the US. He certainly didn't seem in any hurry to get the ring, leisurely strolling and smirking at the fans, and continued to stall as he put off locking up with Backlund for as long as possible. But Backlund was patient and tore right into Bock the moment he got into range. The two had a classic match that had the fans spellbound. No matter what each wrestler did to get the other in a compromising spot, Backlund and Bockwinkel would draw on their considerable experience to make their escape. It seemed like Bockwinkel would take the match when he got the Figure Four Leglock on Backlund, but Backlund reversed it into an Indian Leglock. It looked like that would be it for Bockwinkel, but he was able to hold out until the bell rang, signaling another 1 hour time limit draw. Bockwinkel is proving to be the Iron Man of Pacific Coast Wrestling, raising the question : what will it take to beat him for the title?

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Olympic Auditorium , Los Angeles , on ESPN / TSN, June 24th Bret Hart vs. Al Snow With all of the drama surrounding the Knights Templar, one aspect that has been slowly gaining attention has been their gradually growing feud with the Hart Family. Bret and Owen has gotten a number of wins over the Bomb Squad, along with brother in law Jim Neidhart's matches with Bob Backlund and Chris Candido. Backlund was in Snow's corner for this match, observing the action with his usual baleful look. Young Snow proved to be quite a handful for the more experienced Hart, even coming close to hitting the Wheelbarrow Suplex. Hart was able to counter it with a modified Victory Roll and keep Snow's shoulders to the mat for the one two three. Once again, Backlund could be seen intensely conversing with Snow as they left the ring together. Leo Burke, US Steel, Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas vs. Chavo, Mando, Hector & Eddie Guerrero Well, that is what the match was supposed to be. The Army came out and were ready to go. But it was when the Guerrero's came out that the confusion started. There was a long pause and Chavo, Mando and Hector came out, but there was no sign of Eddie. The other brothers had a great look of consternation on their faces as they explained to the referee that their youngest brother was missing and they had no idea where he could be. Leo Burke agreed to sit out the match so that the sides would be even. The match was fairly fast paced, with the Guerreros doing everything they could to keep the much bigger US Steel out of the ring. But the match took a turn for the even stranger when the Wild Things , recently outcast from the Army, came to ringside. When Mando was whipped into the ropes by Douglas, Art Barr pulled down the top rope, causing Mando to hurtle out of the ring. Cactus then clotheslined Mando, causing the Guerrero Brother to be counted out of the ring. In spite of the win, the Army were incredibly upset with the unasked for interference and started to argue with the Wild Things. The Guerreros were angry with both groups, and a three way shoving match erupted that was only stopped by the intervention of PCW security. John Tatum & Jack Victory vs. Brian Corridan & Brandon Bellinger Another pair of wrestlers recently exiled from their faction are the team of Tatum and Victory. Their rough and rowdy personalities always seemed to clash with the much more sober disposition of the Knights Templar, but it seems to have found favor with the fans. Tatum and Victory didn't seem to know how to react to the fans' approval, but simply got on with the dismantling of Corridan and Bellinger. It didn't take long for them to get the win, with Tatum Superkicking Corridan out of the ring while Victory hit the Victory-Plex on Bellinger. This is clearly a duo that is breathing a bit easier now that they are away from Mr. Bob Backlund's influence. Barry Windham vs. Sabu There seems to be a bit of a plague of disciplinary issues in the various factions in PCW. Percy Pringle and the rest of the Crazy Gang have been showing irritation at the increasingly reckless tactics of young Sabu. Tonight, he was facing the newly resurgent Barry Windham, coming back from his loss to Nick Bockwinkel at Seattle Showdown. Despite the exhortations of Pringle, Sabu kept going at his usual Go For Broke pace. While this kept Windham on his toes for much of the match, eventually Sabu's luck ran out as he careened full speed into a Western Lariat from the former Pacific Champion. Windham followed up with a Bulldog Headlock that put Sabu down for the count. Pringle kept lecturing Sabu as they returned to the locker room, but the Madman from Bombay didn't seem to be paying attention. Is Sabu turning out to be too crazy for the Crazy Gang? Golden Sate Tag Team Title Match : Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) © vs. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) TDT seemed unstoppable before, but after betraying Fit Finlay and joining the Playboy Club, they have become even more ruthless. Tonight they would be defending their titles against Regal and Brookside, former Pacific Tag Champs. After months of strife that looked like they might just split the team for good, British Steel have confirmed their partnership and are back on track in their pursuit of gold. TDT certainly put them through the wringer, with the rough and tumble French Canadians showing no concern for the rules as they brawled with the young Englishmen. But the past few months have forged British Steel into an unbreakable duo who refused to knuckle under to the champions. No matter what TDT threw at them, Regal and Brookside fired back with equal drive and vigor. Once again, TDT resorted to using their axe handles, which got them disqualified but they still retained their belts. British Steel were battered but unbowed, and I don't think the French Canadian team have seen the last of them.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Selland Arena, Fresno, June 19th Jim Neidhart vs. Chris Candido Neidhart had just come off an intense and draining challenge of Bob Backlund a couple of nights before, but the Fresno native was once again not wanting to disappoint his hometown fans. Backlund was in Candido's corner for this match, and had an even deeper scowl than usual on his face as he watched the match with intense concentration. Candido threw everything he could at the Anvil, but Neidhart was able to bowl him off his feet with several big shoulder tackles before trapping him in the Anvilizer (swinging Cobra Clutch). He kept Candido in the hold a bit longer than necessary after the match before letting him drop to the mat. Backlund had a protective arm around Candido as he helped him back to the locker room. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. The Midnight Express The newly resurgent British Steel pulled off a major upset as Brookside pinned Lane with a backslide. US Steel vs. Mando Guerrero More Steel victory, as US Steel hit the Steel Driver (front slam) for the win Jeff Jarrett vs. Akira Maeda Jarrett was out to avenge his good friend Dan Severn and gave a determined fight to Maeda before the Japanese Assassin forced him to tap out to the Half Nelson Choke John Tenta vs. Buddy Rose The Playboy really didn't want to engage with the former Sumo star, but still managed to stay in the ring with Tenta and keep competitive with his devious bag of tricks and short cuts. His luck ran out when he tried to duck out of the ring, only for Fit Finlay and Ron Garvin to show up and shove him back in the ring. Tenta then drove him to the mat with a side suplex and crushed him with the Big Quake for the win. Golden State Tag Team Title Match : Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) © vs. Fit Finlay & Ron Garvin The newest members of the Playboy Club were looking to get some payback for their leader against Finlay and Garvin. The result was a wild, chaotic brawl that completely broke down when TDT brought in their axe handles , and Finlay and Garvin retaliated with steel chairs, with the ref ultimately declaring a double DQ. Pacific Television Title Match : Tony St. Clair © vs. Ed Wiskowski "Tough" Tony had a titanic battle with Buddy Rose's top lieutenant for the TV Title. The Polish Prince really put the champ through the ringer, and it looked like a close thing if St. Clair was going to hold onto the title at all. But "Tough" Tony lived up to his name and weathered out the storm before battling back and eventually hitting the spinning forearm smash on Easy Ed to pull out the hard fought victory.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Cow Palace , San Francisco, on Pacific Super Cards on ESPN / TSN, June 18th Mando Guerrero vs. Ed Gantner With his brother teaming with Curtis Hughes the night before, Ed Gantner stepped out in solo action against the veteran Mando Guerrero. Mando gave a good accounting of himself but the sheer power and aggression of the Bull was too much as Gantner hit the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the face) for the win. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) vs. Maxx Payne & Sabu It what is looking like a bit of a trend in PCW, Sabu was very focused on getting in the match as much as he could, in spite of his partner Maxx Payne and his manager Percy Pringle trying to get him to tag out. He recklessness caught up with him when he ran right into a Spinning Backbreaker from Adams that gave the decision to the Rainbow Warriors. Leo Burke vs. Cannonball Grizzly Burke wore down Grizzly with his hard fists and veteran instincts, but the big rookie managed to plant him with a belly to belly suplex before executing the Cannonball Crush (top rope splash) to get an impressive win. Texas Red vs. Big Bubba Rogers These two big behemoths went at it fist and fire until it broke down into an uncontrollable brawl that the ref had to ultimately declare a no contest. Bret Hart, Owen Hart & Brian Pillman vs. Bob Backlund & The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) Although he came out of the previous night with both his titles in his possession, Backlund was still clearly smarting from the defection of John Tatum and Jack Victory from the Knights Templar, as well as unhappy with the Hart Brothers' victory over the Bomb Squad last week. He was very aggressive in this match, focusing a lot of attention on Bret Hart, the most experience member of the other team. The two sides had a tense and exciting match, and despite the best efforts of the Knights, Owen was still able to keep Snow's shoulders to the mat with a Victory Roll for the three count. Backlund was profoundly displeased with this result, and was in intense conversation with his men as they left the ring. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) © vs. Badd Company Black Gold have really gotten the fans behind them after their triumph over the Midnight Express at Seattle Showdown. The new Pacific Tag Champs had a tag team classic against the former Golden Tag Team Title holders with plentiful combination moves and near falls. It came down to a martial arts duel between Blackman and Tanaka where Blackman knocked him out with a roundhouse kick to successfully defend the titles.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Oakland Alameda County Arena, Oakland, on ESPN / TSN, June 17th The Wild Things (Cactus Jack & Art Barr) vs. Jim Lynch & Blake Towsley Last week, Cactus Jack and Art Barr made their split from the Army and set out on their own. They made their first appearance under the name of the Wild Things at the co-promotional show in Japan , but this would be their North American re-debut. Lynch and Towsley were probably wishing that they had done so on another show, as the Wild Things were merciless as they bounced them all over the ring. Clearly looking to prove that they were heading in a different direction than the Army, they were downright cruel as they tormented the two rookies. It may have seemed like a relief for Lynch when Barr went up top and hit the Frog Splash for the win. But the Wild Things hadn't had enough fun yet, as Cactus clothesline Towsley out of the ring after the match, then followed up with a running elbow drop from the apron to the concrete floor. You've got to believe that some people in PCW are more than a bit nervous now that Cactus and Barr have been unleashed from Leo Burke's calming influence. The Pride (Joe Malenko, Dean Malenko & Doug Furnas) vs. Chavo, Hector & Eddie Guerrero Last week, The Pride scored an impressive victory over the Guerrero Brothers. A major factor in that match was the fact that Eddie was hot on the heels of a brutal and draining cage match against Art Barr. His brothers did their best to protect him in the six man match, but Eddie insisted in putting himself in the middle of the fray, leading to him being submitted by Dean Malenko. Still keen to prove himself, it was Eddie who insisted on this rematch. His brothers were still trying to keep him from being injured again, and no matter how much he called to them from the ring apron, they refused to tag them in. Once again, it led to them effectively giving up a 3 to 2 advantage, never a wise plan , especially against three stud athletes the caliber of Furnas and the Malenkos. Finally, in desperation, Chavo and Hector went to the corner … but Eddie was no longer there. They looked and saw him walking back to the locker room with a dejected look. They called to him , but he was clearly ignoring them and vanished through the curtain. The Pride took advantage of this distraction, and Joe hit a German Suplex on Chavo while Dean and Furnas dropkicked Hector out of the ring. As much as the loss must hurt, Hector and Chavo were clearly more concerned with what was going on with their youngest brother. Lord Humongous vs. Bobby John Drinkard Before the match started, Percy Pringle came out that Lord Humongous was no more. After losing his mask in a match with Konnan, he was no long going to settle for merely ruling the wastelands. He was now the man who rules the world … SID VICIOUS! The newly dubbed Sid Vicious lived up to his name as he administered an hellacious drubbing on poor Drinkard. He whipped the unfortunate rookie from pillar to post and slammed him repeatedly to the mat before planting him with a Power Bomb. Not satisfied with one, he administered 2 more before planting his foot on Drinkard's chest to finally put an end to this massacre. Drinkard was taken away from the ring on a stretcher, from which Vicious callously tossed him on his way back to the locker room. If Vicious is going to rule the world, he is certainly off to a convincing start. Interview : Frank Bonnema stands in the ring Bonnema : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guests didn't take long to become one of the most dominant groups in Pacific Coast Wrestling … the Knights Templar! The crowd boos as Bob Backlund, Gary Young, Chris Candido, Al Snow, Jack Victory and John Tatum all troop out to the ring. Contrary to their more recent appearances, this time Tatum and Victory look just as disgruntled as the rest of the Knights. Bonnema : Bob … errr, Mr. Bob Backlund, it looks like everything is coming up roses for you and your men, with you holding both the California and the Submission titles. But word is that not all is well in the ranks of the Knights Templar. Care to comment? Backlund : Yes, but not to the likes of you, Bonnema. You have no place in our business. Hand over that microphone and get out. (Bonnema shrugs and does just that.) Tatum! (John Tatum pouts even more, if that is possible) We brought you into the Knights Templar based on the recommendation of Jack Victory. We all had such high hopes for you. But I am starting to feel like you are not truly Knights Templar material. Frankly, you have become an attitude and disciplinary problem. I am doubting your commitment to clean living. Worse, your presence is having a negative effect on Jack Victory. But worst of all, last week, I gave you a direct order to take care of Billy Jack Haynes, and you refused! What do you have to say for yourself? Tatum : When my good friend Jack called me up and told me about your so-called Knights, it sounded like the roughest, toughest bunch of scrappers in wrestling. I jumped at the chance to join in! But then I find they're a bunch of milk-drinking mama's boys! (The rest of the Knights are clearly annoyed by this) This is the least amount of fun I've ever had. I didn't sign up to hear no sermon. You're the California Champ, but you keep running down California, saying it is corrupt and evil. I love California! (A cheer from the California fans) I'm "Hollywood" John Tatum, this is my home state. I don't want to hear that garbage about it. And then you keep making with the orders. Orders, orders, orders … always orders! And you order me to attack Billy Jack Haynes. He's one of the toughest SOBs I've ever faced, he's earned my respect. We settled our differences in the ring like men and I don't have a beef with him anymore. I'm not going to stab him in the back just because of your orders! Backlund : I see . I think it is safe to say that your time in the Knights Templar is at a close. The question is, are you the only one to leave? Jack, what are your thoughts on this? Do you stand with him … or do you stand with us? Victory : Well, Mr. Bob Backlund, John was definitely right in one respect … I did tell him how great the Knights Templar were. I've seen what a leader you are close up. I've seen the incredible things you could do. Gary Young … in one of the most shameful things I've done, I helped kick you out of what was the Hollywood Knights. (Young glares) We left you laying in the ring. Then you came back and Mr. Backlund helped you become one of the most feared competitors in PCW. You got a TV title shot against Tony St. Clair and proved to everyone you are the real deal. And Chris, Al … (Candido and Snow give him a wary look) the Bomb Squad were a promising but very inexperienced team. Mr. Backlund worked his magic and you are rocketing up the tag team rankings. You are tournament finalists and even got a shot at the Pacific Tag Titles. But here's the thing …. I was getting wins *before* Mr. Bob Backlund came on the scene. I was knocking off opponents left and right , and after the Knights Templar formed, I kept on doing it. So where's my title shot, huh? All the praise, all the glory, went to your boys here, while I got the results but none of the praise. In fact, the only one I see here with any actual title belts … is you! (Backlund's face starts to turn red with anger.) You've got two titles, and you expect us to put our effort into helping you get a third to add to your collection. Frankly, *Bob* , (Backlund is getting more furious) it seems like this group has always been all about you. I'm never going to be one of your pet projects, I'm never going to be one of your personal favorites, so what's the point? John is my best friend, he's always had my back, he's never made me feel second class … I'm sticking with him! Backlund : (just barely getting himself under control) Very well. If that's how you feel, I won't stop you. Just be aware that, if you walk out the door and leave the Knights Templar, it will lock behind you and never open up again. Victory : Maybe so, but we are going to walk out with our heads held high! Been real, *Bob*! Tatum and Victory leave the ring. The rest of the Knights look like they are going to go after them, but Backlund gives them the signal to stand down. Regardless, Backlund looks incredibly disappointed. Ron Simmons & Dingo Warrior vs. Curtis Hughes & Rick Gantner The focused Simmons and the over the top Warrior may have made for an unusual friendship, but they have become an effective team lately. At Seattle Showdown, Simmons and Hughes fought each other to a standstill. Tonight, Hughes would bring in one half of the Wild Bulls as his partner, and Ronnie P. Gossett's men gave a ferocious battle to the two powerhouses. Hughes and Simmons went at it fist and fire, and Gantner showed no fear in slugging it out with Dingo before finally going down to a powerslam. A hard fought victory, but Hughes is going to want another crack at Simmons sooner or later. California & Submission Title Match : Bob Backlund © vs. Jim Neidhart After what transpired earlier in the evening, Bob Backlund was clearly displeased and looking for someone on whom to take out his displeasure. Enter the Anvil. After quickly tapping out to Maxx Payne at Seattle Showdown, Neidhart has been anxious to prove himself and erase all memory of that from the minds of the fans. Being both a California native and a former Oakland Raider, he also didn't want to let down his hometown crowd. Backlund was very aggressive with Neidhart from the start of the match, but seemed caught off guard by Neidhart matching his aggression, shot for shot and move for move. Neidhart was able to knock Backlund off his feet with a running tackle, then tried to apply the Camel Clutch. Backlund has especially bad memories of that particular move and fought his way out of it. Neidhart then tried to trap him in the Anvilizer (swinging Cobra Clutch), but Backlund also had a lot of experience with the Camel Clutch through past battles with Sgt. Slaughter, and was able to counter with an armdrag. Backlund went all out on Neidhart, working over his shoulder and looking to capitalize on the past injury. He finally caught Neidhart in the Cross Face Chicken Wing and it seemed like that was it for the Anvil. Neidhart was clearly in agony but kept fighting. He kept pushing back with his powerful legs until he was able to get to the ropes, forcing the break. Backlund looked both surprised and impressed. Strangely, for the rest of the match, Backlund seemed to be deliberately avoiding Neidhart's vulnerable shoulder, instead trying to catch him in a pinning situation. Neidhart still had enough left in the tank to keep powering out, and was exchanging mighty forearm shots with Backlund when the bell rang to declare a 15 minute TV time limit draw. After the match, Backlund shook Neidhart's hand in a show of respect, something he was not prone for showing to anyone outside the Knights Templar.

(No idea why, but my post has an extra picture of Kobayashi at the bottom of it. Please ignore it, it has no particular significance . )

New Japan Pro Wrestling / Pacific Coast Wrestling Co-Promotional Show, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, June 14th Leo Burke vs. Super Strong Machine Pacific Coast Wrestling pulled off a major coup by working out an agreement with New Japan to hold the first ever international co-promotional show, taking place in the storied Korakuen Hall. For one night only, stars from PCW and NJPW would square off against each other in what was sure to be a classic night of wrestling. The show kicked off with the Canadian veteran Leo Burke facing Super Strong Machine. Machine had worked previously in PCW and there was clear respect between the two. They had a close technical match that ended with Machine pinning Burke with the Devil Windmill Suplex (bridging underhook suplex). After the match, the two men bowed to each other as the fans applauded a great opener. Brian Pillman vs. Osamu Kido During his year and a half so far in PCW, Flyin' Brian earned a reputation for both his high flying and his tag team skills. But of late, with his war with Gary Young, Pillman has gotten to be known for his toughness and determination. This match would prove to be a stand out example of his toughness. His opponent was a former partner of new PCW star Akria Maeda, and he didn't hold anything back against the former Cincinnati Bengal, with brutal kicks and weardown holds. Pillman showed his grit by weathering out this storm with his own stiff chops and lightning quick dropkicks before pulling out the win with the Air Pillman. The Japanese fans were buzzing with talk of this young superstar in their midst. The Pride (Joe Malenko, Dean Malenko & Doug Furnas) vs. Kengo Kimura, Kuniyaki Kobayashi & Kantaro Hoshino The Pride definitely got some notice right out of the gates with their trademark Lion emblems, evoking the Lion symbol of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The focus was soon on the wealth of skill and technical ability they brought to the ring. The Malenko Brothers had plenty of experience wrestling in Japan, and they and Furnas more than held their own against some of the top Japanese stars, with Joe pinning Hoshino with a German Suplex. Another victory to add to the Pride's increasing credentials. The Wild Things (Art Barr & Cactus Jack) vs. Badd Company This would be a showcase for the PCW tag team roster. The Japanese fans were not sure what to make of the Wild Things , the duo of Barr and Cactus who had just broken away from the Army. They certainly lived up to their name, with their unconventional personalities and reckless style. They certainly proved a handful for Badd Company, with the former Golden State Tag Team Champs throwing everything they could at the Wild Things to try to keep them at bay. Diamond wound up hitting the reverse cross body press on Catus to give the win to Badd Company. In spite of the loss, the Wild Things had certainly served notice that they were their own men and not to be taken lightly. Barry Windham & Curt Hennig vs. Seiji Sakaguchi & Kazuo Yamazaki Windham and Hennig have just gotten back into action after a pair of tough losses at Seattle Showdown, and definitely were not in for a pushover match, facing Japanese veteran Sakaguchi and relative youngster Yamazaki. The two second generation stars didn't take long to get in rhythm show the crowd why they were two of the top stars in PCW. Windham was able to score the victory for his team with a lariat on Yamazaki. They may have taken some knocks lately, but the Brigade are back on track. Buddy Rose vs. Tatsumi Fujinami Some snickering was heard from the crowd as Buddy Rose made his the way to the ring, which grew into barely suppressed laughter when he took off his robe. The Playboy certainly didn't seem to fit their image of a top level wrestler, and he didn't help his image with his extreme reluctance by his reluctance to lock up with the great Japanese star. But as the match went on, Rose came to show why he was a multiple time champion in PCW. No matter what compromising position Fujinami tried to get him in, Rose would figure out an escape, by hook or by crook. He proceeded to frustrate Fujinami throughout the match, taking some damage but being able to bounce back and score some impactful moves of his own. He gave a credible showing until Fujinami was finally able to hit the enzuigiri in the middle of the ring to put down the Playboy for good. After the match, Fujinami bowed in respect to Rose, a gesture the Playboy begrudgingly returned. Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Nobuhiko Takada Black Tiger had already been a champion in Japan before , but came in as the reigning Pacific Light Heavyweight Champion. He was facing incredibly fierce competition in former IWGP Light Heavyweight Champion Nobuhiko Takada. Takada is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title holder and one of the most highly regarded competitors in Japan. Black Tiger has faced many competitors in his time as champion, but has never faced anyone quite like Takada. Takada was immediately on him with hard kicks that staggered the masked man. He swiftly was on him with wear down holds, trying to lock in for a submission. It was all Tiger could do to manage an escape every time he could. But he wasn't the PCW Light Heavyweight champion for no reason, and battled his way back, ultimately hitting a tombstone piledriver for the incredibly hard fought win. Dan Severn vs. Akira Maeda Severn was making his return after Maeda's craven attack on him, and was wearing a plastic face protector to cover his damaged cheekbone. He was clearly out for revenge and didn't even wait for the bell to ring before he went after Maeda. Both men are highly skilled competitors, but that seemed to go out the window as this broke down fairly quickly into an out and out fight. Severn's face mask was a ready target for Maeda, who took every chance he could to remove it, but when he got it off, that simply drove Severn to attack even more fiercely. The match fully boiled over when Maeda hit a wheel kick on Severn in the corner that ended up opening a nasty gash on Severn's forehead. For many, that would be enough to throw in the towel, but for Severn it was more like waving a red flag to a bull. With blood streaming down his face, Severn unleashed all of his aggression on Maeda's face, busting him open in turn. The two kept on tearing into each other until the ref had enough, calling for a no contest. It took a full complement of New Japan and Pacific Coast wrestlers to separate the two, and one could tell this feud would carry on in PCW. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match : Shiro Koshinaka © vs. Owen Hart Koshinaka has won the title twice in the past year and a half, and has faced the top competition in all of New Japan. Tonight, he would face one of the rising stars of PCW, the youngest son of the legendary Hart family and a former Golden State Tag Team and California champion. Owen is one of the most athletically gifted wrestlers in PCW, and he presented a considerable challenge to Koshinaka's title. The two had a thrilling match with Owen coming close on several occasions to getting the three count. Koshinaka was still able to execute the Samurai Driver to get the three count, but Owen had definitely made a good impression on the Japanese fans. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Bob Backlund & Gary Young Ever since his return to Pacific Coast Wrestling, Gary Young has been Mr. Bob Backlund's most dedicated acolyte. He would do anything to impress his mentor, and this match was proof of that. He was facing two of the toughest men in New Japan, and arguable in all of wrestling. Choshu and Fujiwara really put Young through the wringer, including a number of excruciating arm and leglocks, but he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of giving in, fighting like the devil to get to the ropes to escape. He made them pay some dues before tagging out to Backlund. The former World Champion and current California and Submission champion was certainly well known in Japan, and showed why he had run roughshod over PCW before pinning Fujiwara with the Backlund Bridge. As they left the ring, Backlund was helping the battered Young back to the locker room, a proud look on his face. Antonio Inoki vs. Nick Bockwinkel The evening had finally come to the main event, with two top champions of New Japan and PCW facing off in the ring. Inoki had been crowned IWGP Heavyweight Champion two days before with a victory over Masa Saito in the tournament finals of the Champion Series, while Bockwinkel had defeated Barry Windham for the Pacific Heavyweight Title at Seattle Showdown a couple of weeks before. Neither title would be on the line tonight. They would be fighting for pride, prestige, and the reputation of their respective promotions. The match started slowly, with the two men feeling each other out, trying to find a weakness. There was an extended period of matwork that went to a stalemate before they returned to their feet and continued their battle. Inoki, a legend in Japan as well as around the world, was relentless in his pursuit of Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel in turned showed why he is a multiple time world champion and the top man in PCW, withstanding the worst of Inoki's attacks as well as dishing out plenty of punishment on his own. He even managed to get Inoki in the Figure Four leglock and held it for quite some time before Inoki was able to reverse it, forcing Bock to grab the ropes and force the release. Bockwinkel was even able to duck out of the way of an enzuigiri from Inoki, showing his well honed veteran instincts. Inoki was finally able to get Bockwinkel down in a crossbow submission, but Bockwinkel was able to hold out long enough for the bell to ring, signalling a 60 minute time limit draw. The two men bowed and shook hands afterwards, and the fans applauded, having seen both an epic match and a great night of wrestling.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from McArthur Court, Eugene, June 12th The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) vs. Badd Company The popular Rainbow Warriors and the former Golden State Tag Champs had an intense tag team match that ended when the Warriors hit the Refraction (vertical suplex by Adams into a flying cross body press by Steamboat) on Tanaka Leo Burke vs. Big Bubba Rogers A knock down drag out fight between the General of the Army and Jim Cornette's bodyguard that went to Rogers with the Big Bubba Slam. US Steel vs. Gary Young Steel had a considerable weight and power advantage over Mr. Bob Backlund's favorite son, but Young refused to be intimidated, and the two had a ferocious battle. Part way through the match, Curt Hennig came down to ringside and proceeded to stare daggers at Young. While he didn't interfere in the match, Hennig proved to be quite a distraction, and when Young stopped one too many times to jaw with him, US Steel was able to catch him with the Steel Driver (front slam) to get the victory. Sabu vs. Doug Furnas Furnas was not sure what to make of the Wild Man of the Crazy Gang, who went all out against the Oklahoma powerhouse. Furnas kept his cool and was able to catch Sabu coming off the ropes with a power slam, then followed up with the Volunteer Slam (running Canadian backbreaker into the corner) to finally put him down. Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Jeff Jarrett Since his return after being hurt by Mr. Bob Backlund, Jarrett was looking to come back to his team with his good friend Dan Severn. But with Severn being ambushed Akira Maeda, Jarrett has had to focus more on singles match. He put his all into challenging Black Tiger for the Light Heavyweight title, and the result was what many present called Jarrett's best singles match so far. He came very close to pinning the champ on a number of occasions, and both men were going strong when the bell rang to signal a 20 minute time limit draw. Both men shook hands in respect after the match, and the fans applauded them for a top flight match. Pacific Television Title Match : Tony St. Clair © vs. Cannonball Grizzly Cannonball Grizzly was certainly an imposing challenger for St. Clair, and got some crushing slams and power moves on him. But "Tough" Tony weathered out the storm, and little by little, was able to chip away at the big man. He was eventually able to hit the spinning forearm smash, which would usually signal the end of the match. But while this staggered Grizzly, somehow he stayed on his feet. A startled St. Clair hit the spinning forearm smash again, but once again, Grizzly was stunned but still standing. St. Clair came off the ropes for a third spinning forearm smash, and this was finally enough to knock Grizzly to the mat. Figuring he might need more to keep him down, St. Clair went to the second turnbuckle and hit a flying kneedrop on Grizzly's sternum before going for the pin. The ref counted one two three, and St. Clair had survived his biggest challenge yet, if just barely.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Portland Memorial Coliseum , Portland , on ESPN / TSN Pacific Super Cards, June 11th Akira Maeda vs. Mando Guerrero The veteran Guerrero was not nearly as easy a mark as Maeda's first opponent, but still went down to a capture suplex. Ron Garvin vs. Al Snow Snow gave quite a fight to Garvin before being pinned after the Hands Of Stone Punch. Konnan vs. Maxx Payne Konnan was doing well against the huge Maxx Payne until a mid ring collision knocked the ref out of commission. While that was going on, the recently unmasked Lord Humongous stormed the ring and laid Konnan out with a Power Bomb. When the ref came to, he was Payne covering Konnan and made the count for the Crazy Gang member. Barry Windham, Curt Hennig & Ron Simmons vs. Curtis Hughes & The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) Windham and Hennig were having their first matches back after Seattle Showdown. They were in for a real trial by fire in an incredibly physical match with Ronnie P. Gossett's men. It was a long and hard hitting match but Hennig was able to pull it out for the Brigade with a Cradle Suplex on Rick Gantner. Fit Finlay & Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) vs. Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski & Cannonball Grizzly Things were off to a strange start as TDT seemed happy to let Finlay carry most of the burden of the match, tagging out fairly soon after any time he tagged them in. Even with this handicap, he did manage to get Rose trapped in the corner and was raining down lefts and rights on the Playboy. It was then that Leduc and Ouellet attacked him from behind, an act of betrayal that wasn't entirely shocking given their behaviour earlier in the match. They then hit the Clear Cut on Finlay, leaving him easy prey for Grizzly and his Cannonball Crush (top rope flying splash). Even that was not enough, as Rose insisted on getting the pinfall. He mockingly raised his index finger high in the air before gingerly placing it on the unconscious Finlay's chest while the ref made the three count. He then high fived Leduc and Ouellet while Wiskowski and Grizzly congratulated them. It looks like the Golden State Tag Champs have been bought out by the Playboy, and are now part of the Playboy Club. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) © vs. The Midnight Express The Midnight Express pulled out all the stops to get the tag titles back, but the resilient Black Gold dug in and were able to pull out of any close calls. The Midnights went for skullduggerous methods when Lane brought in Jim Cornette's tennis racquet, but before he could use it, he ran right into the running bicycle kick from Blackman. Blackman got the one two three and Black Gold had pulled off an impressive title defense. Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Nick Bockwinkel © vs. Billy Jack Haynes Bockwinkel's first title defense was against perennial PCW favorite Billy Jack Haynes. Haynes was very keen to take the title, using his considerable power to great effect on the veteran Bockwinkel. But Bockwinkel had a deep well of tricks and cunning to draw on, and was able to withstand the mighty attack from Haynes. Partway through the match, Mr. Bob Backlund showed up at ringside, along with John Tatum, Jack Victory, Al Snow and Chris Candido. Neither Haynes nor Bockwinkel seemed happy to see the Knights Templar appear, but for a while, they seemed content to observe. It was much later that Backlund, likely looking to preserve his title shot with Bockwinkel, chose to make his move. He directed Tatum and Victory to trip Haynes when he ran the ropes. But Tatum and Victory were not about to follow orders. They had come to respect Haynes in their many battles, and refused to ambush him. While they were arguing with Backlund, the ref was distracted enough to try to order them from ringside. While this was going on, Candido and Snow capitalized on the distraction by pulling the top rope down, causing Billy Jack to tumble out of the ring. He was unable to make the count back into the ring and the match went to Bockwinkel. Bock shrugged and took the win, leaving the ring with the belt. Billy Jack and his manager Sunshine argued with the ref, but as he had not seen the actions of the Bomb Squad, the decision stood. In spite of getting his way, Backlund was furious and he berated Tatum and Victory all the way back to the locker , but they were gritting their teeth and not giving him the satisfaction of a response.

He was in the 1986 Draft as Arc Angel. Nobody picked him up (I had been considering it), I don't believe anyone used him after that. Somehow slipped off the Free Agent list but I don't believe anyone grabbed him. All good on my side with you using him. This is where I make my usual reminder that Ted "Cheetah Kid/Flyboy Rocco Rock" Petty and Johnny Rotten/Johnny Grunge are active at this time , although missing from the Free Agent list. I am not looking to use them, but they are there if someone else wants to use them.

Hopefully will do them well when they wrestle in NJPW next week

It's a reference to a Pride of lions (hence, the lion emblem on the back of their trunks), as well as their sense of pride in their athletic skills and excellence. Also, like a lot of stuff I use, it is a bit of a steal from other media. In this case, a team of supervillains called the Pride from the comic book Runaways.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Portland Sports Arena, Portland , on ESPN / TSN, June 10th The Pride (Joe Malenko, Dean Malenko & Doug Furnas) vs. Chavo, Hector & Eddie Guerrero The Pride is the new alliance of the Malenko Brothers and young Doug Furnas, symbolized by the golden lion emblem that emblazoned the backs of their black trunks. Tonight, they would make their in ring debut as a group against three of the Guerrero Brothers. Eddie Guerrero was completely the worse for wear after his incredible cage match last week against Art Barr, with his face still swollen and his bruised ribs taped to try to heal the damage from Barr's Frog Splash from the top of the cage. His two brothers did everything to protect him by avoiding tagging him in, but Eddie kept pleading to be brought into the match. Taking on any team at a 3 to 2 handicap is a considerable disadvantage, especially a team as tough as Furnas and the Malenkos, but Chavo and Hector were determined to keep their youngest brother for getting further injured, no matter what the cost. Eddie was even more determined to prove he was still competitive, and took advantage of Chavo being suplexed into the corner by tagging himself into the match. He did his best with some impressive exchanges with Dean Malenko, but was ambushed from behind by a whalloping clothesline by Furnas. Furnas then his the Volunteer Slam (running Canadian backbreaker into the corner) and drove him to the mat. From there, Dean locked him in the Texas Cloverleaf, forcing him to give up. After the match, Chavo and Hector tried to give him encouragement, but Eddie was clearly upset with them. Akira Maeda vs. James Miller Last week, Gary Hart's latest charge debuted with a dastardly sneak attack on Dan Severn, including a kick to the face that cracked the Beast's cheekbone. Tonight, Gary Hart officially introduced him as the Japanese Torture Specialist, Akira Maeda. Poor James Miller was really put through the thresher by Maeda, who brutalized the rookie with nasty kicks and excruciating arm and leglocks. Maeda finally put him out of his misery with a Guillotine Chokehold , scoring the tap out victory. But even that was not enough for Maeda, who stood Miller up after the match and nailed him with a spin kick to the head that knocked him out cold. A convincing debut for Maeda, but he had best be on his guard once Severn returns to action, looking for revenge. Interview : Frank Bonnema stands in the ring. Bonnema : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guests are one of the favorite groups among the fans of Pacific Coast Wrestling … the Army! The fans enthusiastically cheer as Leo Burke, US Steel, Steve Blackman, Shane Douglas, Art Barr and Cactus Jack head to the ring. But there is an aura of gloom around the army, with Art Barr seeming especially agitated. As usual, the main exception is Cactus Jack, who has a deranged grin on his face. Bonnema : Leo Burke, it seems there is something of a rift occurring in the Army. Burke : Frank, I won't lie to you by trying to claim everything's fine. I think it's long past time we cleared the air. Art … (turning to Art Barr, who gives a defensive look) you have been getting more and more out of control in every match you've had. But last week you went too far. Not only to you go for a dangerously reckless move off the top of the cage, but you kept on attacking Eddie Guerrero after the match ended. When you came to Pacific Coast Wrestling, I promised your family that I would look out for you and try to provide some sort of guidance. But at this point, I am at my wit's end with what to do with you. Barr : My family ? MY FAMILY? My family does not get to decide what is best for me, and neither do you! I am not some sort of kid who needs to be led by the hand, I am a man, and I never asked you for your so called guidance! Cactus Jack : My man Artie raises an excellent choice. He is perfectly capable of making his own decisions, and quite frankly, your tone is rather condescending. Shane Douglas : Cactus, you and I go way back. I vouched for you when I invited you to join the Army. But your behaviour has been just as bad as Art's, and I think you have been a bad influence on him. What happened to you? Cactus : Shane, my man, I am the same as I have ever been. Maybe you just didn't want to see the real me. And as far as influence goes … Art here hasn't done anything he hasn't wanted to do. (Art Barr nods) Let’s face it, just look at me. Do I look like someone who belongs in any kind of Army? I am just not one to follow orders. I think it's time I took my leave and got a discharge. And I think I can say the same thing for Artie here. (Once again, Art Barr nods.) Burke : (quietly) I think that would be for the best. Cactus and Barr leave the ring together, while the remaining Army members consolingly rally around their disappointed leader , Leo Burke. Jim Neidhart vs. Ibrehem Rahman Much like Eddie Guerrero, Jim Neidhart has been looking to prove himself. Ever since his humiliatingly quick loss to Maxx Payne, Neidhart has been extremely aggressive in trying to show that he was still competitive. He knocked Rahman all over the ring with tackles and slams before trapping him a move he called the Anvilizer (modified Cobra Clutch), forcing the submission. He then let Rahman drop hard to the ring before stalking out to the back. Neidhart certainly seems to have a chip on his shoulder these days. Interview : Frank Bonnema stands in the ring Bonnema : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guest was crowned the new Pacific Heavyweight Champion at Seattle Showdown … Nick Bockwinkel! The usual mix of boos and cheers greeted Bockwinkel, but he seemed to have an extra bit of swagger in his strut, befitting a man with the Pacific Heavyweight Title Belt around his trim and fit waist. Bonnema : Nick Bockwinkel, you certainly proved to be a man of your word when you won the Pacific Heavyweight Title. That said, you did end up needing the help of both the Knights Templar and One Man Gang. Bockwinkel : I needed nothing, Frank Bonnema. It's no never mind to me that Barry Windham made too many enemies. I was the one who pinned his shoulders to the mat. I am the champion. That's why … He is cut off by a commotion from the back. Bob Backlund led the rest of the Knights Templar out to the ring. They all have their traditional sober scowls on their faces, except for John Tatum and Jack victory, who were cutting jokes and cracking each other up at the back of the pack. Backlund : Nick Bockwinkel, we need to have a serious talk. I was looking at the lineup for tomorrow night's Pacific Coast Wrestling show at the Portland Memorial Coliseum, and couldn't help noticing the main event : Nick Bockwinkel defends to Pacific Heavyweight Title against Billy Jack Haynes. Some weeks ago, I gave you my word that the Knights Templar would do nothing to stop you from becoming champion, and exchange, you promised me a shot at the title if you became champion. We even helped to get you the victory over Curt Hennig that ensured your title match at Seattle Showdown. Now I see you are defending the title against somebody else. I believe you owe me an explanation. Bockwinkel : And I believe I owe you nothing. Your interference in my match with Curt Hennig was both unneeded and unasked for . I was more than capable of beating Hennig on my own, and your interference could very well have cost me the match. The same goes for the Seattle Showdown match itself where you and your men came out against my wishes. I won both of those matches on my own merits, and I don't feel the least bit indebted to you at all. You already have two titles. Why do you have to keep bothering me for a shot at mine? Backlund : That's as may be. But the fact is that you …. WILL YOU TWO CUT IT OUT? (Backlund glares at Tatum and Victory and their shenanigans behind his back, and the rest of the Knights give them a baleful stare. Tatum and Victory quiet down, looking embarrassed but petulant.) The fact is that you promised, in front of everyone, that you would give me a title shot. Now that you've won the title, our promise of non intervention has expired. As I told you then, you are quite alone, and the Knights Templar can make your life very difficult. Are you truly a man of your word? Are you ready to face the consequences of breaking said word? Bockwinkel : You do raise an excellent point. But my challengers are chosen by the PCW Championship Committee and the commissioner, not me. That said, I do have some influence. Now coming up on June 14th , I will be defending the title in Japan against Antonio Inoki. I will still be in Japan during the next week's PCW shows in the Bay Area. But I will be back for the Los Angeles shows the week after. There , near my home town of Beverly Hills, I will gladly put my title on the line against you. On one condition … you leave your men in the locker room. If I see any of the Knights Templar during the match, I walk out. Do we have an agreement? Backlund : Mr. Bockwinkel … I accept your offer! Bret & Owen Hart vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) After the Knights Templar returned to the locker room, the Bomb Squad turned around and marched back out for their match with the Hart Brothers. Mr. Bob Backlund joined them at ringside, giving his usual support and coaching. Owen and Bret started out on completely different teams, but lately have formed a considerable unit with several impressive victories to their name. The two teams had a tightly contested bout, and the fans were on the edge of their seats with excitement. Owen was finally able to dropkick Candido into a crucifix by Bret that gave the win to the Harts. As he led his men from the ring, Backlund was conferring with them, and two words were clear : "Next time."

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, June 5th British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. Badd Company British Steel pined Tanaka after the Lawbreaker (double slingshot belly to back suplex) Bret & Owen Hart vs. The Midnight Express Owen was going for the Moonsault on Eaton when Lane used Cornette's tennis racquet to knock him off the top rope. Eaton then rolled up Owen for the tainted win Texas Red vs. Ed Wiskowski In an impressive show of strength, Red got the big Polish Prince up in a Tombstone Piledriver for the victory US Steel vs. One Man Gang Steel put in a valiant effort but was crushed in the corner by an Avalanche to give the win to the big 747 Ron Simmons & Dingo Warrior vs. John Tatum & Jack Victory Tatum and Victory gave the powerhouse team an incredibly competitive bout before Simmons caught Tatum with a Spinebuster Slam to score the pinfall Golden State Tag Team Title Match : Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) © vs. Chavo & Hector Guerrero TDT were especially violent in this match as they hit the Clear Cut (Leduc put Hector over his knee while Ouellet came off the top with a flying elbow smash) to win their first title defense California and Submission Title Defense : Bob Backlund © vs. Jeff Jarrett With both titles on the line, there was a special stipulation that, if Jarrett pinned Backlund, he would win the California Title, but if he forced him to submit , he would win both titles. Jarrett was looking to avenge his good friend Dan Severn and did everything he could to get Backlund to submit. Backlund cannily took advantage of this by countering an attempt by Jarrett to sink in the Figure Four Leglock with an inside cradle to score the one two three and keep both of his belts.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver on Pacific Super Cards on ESPN / TSN , June 4th Mando Guerrero vs. Doug Furnas Furnas pinned Guerrero after the Volunteer Slam. Interestingly, Furnas' trunks now bore the same golden lion emblem as those of the Malenko Brothers Billy Jack Haynes vs. Cannon Ball Grizzly Haynes had his hands full with a powerful young star who was too big for him to knock around like was normally able to do. He was finally able to take Grizzly off his feet with a flying shoulder tackle, then followed up with a top rope legdrop to get a very hard fought pinfall. Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Paul Diamond Another in a long line of exciting title defenses for Black Tiger, where the masked man countered a flying back body press by Diamond with a rollover to score the one two three Fit Finlay vs. Buddy Rose While Ed Wiskowski distracted the referee, Cannonball Grizzly entered the ring and hit a single arm suplex on Finlay. When the ref turned around, he saw Rose covering Finlay and gave the match to the Playboy. After the match, the Playboy Club continued to attack on Finlay until Tabarnak De Team charged in and ran them off. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) © vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) This would be the first title defense for Black Gold after their triumph at Seattle Showdown. Bob Backlund's prize pupils gave them a considerable challenge, but Douglas was able to catch Snow in a Belly To Belly Suplex to successfully defend their titles. The Rainbow Warriors (Brian Adams & Vic Steamboat) vs. Joe & Dean Malenko This would be a rematch from Seattle Showdown, with the Malenkos dead set on avenging their loss from their PCW debut match. The Rainbow Warriors were no pushovers, having had a series of matches with the Midnight Express, and the battle went back and forth. Joe was able to block an attempted rollup by Steamboat, and then reverse it into a German Suplex to even the score with the Warriors. Pacific Television Title Match : Tony St. Clair © vs. Gary Young At Seattle Showdown, Tony St. Clair pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of beating Big Bubba Rogers for the Pacific TV Title. His first defense would be against Bob Backlund's favorite son, Gary Young. Young has proven to be a tough customer and gave "Tough" Tony an hellacious fight. It took some determined battling from the champ to avoid the DDT and finally come roaring out of the corner with the spinning forearm smash to get the win and finish off a great evening of wrestling.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Victoria Memorial Arena, Victoria, on ESPN / TSN, June 3rd Joe & Dean Malenko vs. Jonathan Libby & Jeff Wilson Seattle Showdown was a huge event that shook the foundations of Pacific Coast Wrestling, and tonight , PCW and its fans move into the next era of the territory. The Malenkos made their debut at Seattle Showdown, impressing many before ultimately going down to the Rainbow Warriors. Tonight, they amazed the crowd once again with a dazzling display of skill, completely dominating the rookies Libby and Wilson with matwork, double teams and submission holds. It was Dean who trapped Libby in a Texas Cloverleaf submission hold, forcing him to tap out. Big things are clearly in the future for the Malenko Brothers. Jim Neidhart vs. Pat Tanaka Jim Neidhart was also coming off a losing effort at Seattle Showdown, but one that left a much different impression. All present were shocked by how quickly he tapped out to Maxx Payne's Payne Killer, including his opponent. It was perhaps understandable that he would want to protect his shoulder, having just come back from injuring it, he came out of the match with a red faced embarrassed look that he kept going into this match. The moment the bell rang, Tanaka continued the trend of being caught off guard by Neidhart, but for different reasons. Neidhart bowled him over with running tackle and then attacked him with a savagery for which the Anvil was not previously known. Neidhart tossed Tanaka about like a ragdoll before putting him in a Camel Clutch, getting a submission victory. It looks like Neidhart is dead set on removing the mark of shame from his reputation. Doug Furnas vs. Willard Smith Doug Furnas is making his first appearance tonight in Pacific Coast Wrestling. A former football player for the University of Tennessee Volunteers as well as a standout power lifter, the powerfully built Furnas cut an imposing figure in the ring. He threw and slammed Smith about with ease, as though it was no effort for him at all. Partway through the match, the Malenko Brothers came to ringside and observed with interest, conferring with each other as they watched. Furnas hoisted Smith up onto his shoulder in a Canadian Backbreaker, then drove him hard into the corner before dropping him to the mat, a move that was dubbed the Volunteer Slam. Furnas got the pinfall and after the match, was listening with interest as the Malenkos led him from the ring. Dan Severn & Jeff Jarrett vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) Dan Severn had suffered a disappointing loss at Seattle Showdown, losing his Submission Title to Mr. Bob Backlund. Severn comes bearing a fair amount of anger against the Knights Templar, and was clearly looking to take that out on the Bomb Squad. Backlund was accompanying his men to the ring, but apart from some dirty looks, Severn kept his attention on Candido and Snow. He had his best friend Jeff Jarrett at his side, and Jarrett was just as set as Severn on trouncing the Knights. The Bomb Squad certainly weren't pushovers, and gave a good accounting of themselves. But the anger of the Odd Couple was a force to be reckoned with, and it was only a matter of time before Severn had Candido locked up in a Boston Crab. Snow tried to come in and break up the hold, but Jarrett tackled him. It was then that things took a very strange customer. While Severn had Candido in the Boston Crab, out of nowhere, a wrestler, one who had never been seen before in PCW, entered the ring and kicked Severn hard in the face. Severn let go of Candido in shock and clutched his face while the mystery man laid several more brutal kicks on him. Backlund and Snow seemed to have no idea who he was, but capitalized by preventing Jarrett from rescuing his partner. Although he was clearly in a lot of pain, Severn did all he could to fight off his attacker until PCW security came down to the ring to restore order. Gary Hart came down to the ring and led the mystery man away. Whoever he is, he certainly knows how to make a debut with maximum impact. Lights Out No DQ Cage Match : Art Barr vs. Eddie Guerrero The lights went out in the arena and then went back on, signaling the much anticipated main event that was sure to be a blockbuster. These two gifted second generation wrestlers have been at each other's throats since they arrived in PCW. For some reason, they have just gotten under each other's skin so badly that it brought out the worst in them. It seemed like Guerrero's victory in the 2/3 falls match at Seattle Showdown would be the capper to this feud. But Art Barr demanded one more match and he got it. It would be a Lights Out match, which meant that the regular rules of wrestling would not apply, and what's more, it would take place inside a steel cage. Guerrero was the first out, his three brothers hovering protectively around him. He shook off any attempt to give him advice as he entered the cage, determined to win this one on his own. Art Barr was next. The rest of the Army were with him, but he was walking a few paces ahead of them, an unhinged look on his face. Leo Burke and most of the army had looks of concern on their faces, but Cactus Jack bore a maniacal grin. Barr stepped in the cage, the door was locked behind him, and they got down to brass tacks. Both of these men have considerable athletic gifts and have developed impressive ring skills in their brief time in wrestling. That all went out the window for this match. This was a straight up fight. They had built up a considerable amount of hatred for each other, and they poured it all out into this match. Their allies and the fans were agog at the display of fury and brutality that took place in the cage. The two combatants battered each other into the cage, and they were both a bloody mess as the matched went on. They pushed each other to the point of exhaustion, with neither man wanting to be the one to give in. No matter what they did to each other, the other would kick out before the count of three came down, although it was frequently close. Barr finally was able to hit a Tombstone piledriver on Guerrero, and it seemed like that would be hit. But Barr clearly thought it would take more, and hit another Tombstone. Even then, he didn't go for the cover, and instead started to climb up the ropes. He didn't stop there, keeping on climbing up the cage until he reached the top. The crowd looked on in amazement as the stood at the top of the cage with a deranged look on his face, then gave an audible gasp as he leapt into the cage with a Frog Splash. He landed hard on top of Guerrero and the ref came over to make the three count. Barr had gotten the win in the most grueling match yet. But even then, he was still not done. When he was able to get back up, he grabbed Guerrero by the hair and dragged him up to his knees. The ref tried to intervene, but Barr backhanded him to the mat. He then started raining blows down on Guerrero. The other Guerreros frantically tried to get the cage open, but the door was locked, and the unconscious ref was the only one with the key. The rest of the Army were begging Barr to stop from outside the cage, all except Cactus Jack, who was shaking the ring and howling like a banshee. It did them no good, and Barr kept hitting Guerrero. Eddie , dazed and groggy as he was, would not give him the satisfaction of asking for mercy, fixing him with a look of sheer defiance. Barr looked in his eyes … then stopped hitting him. He reached out, patted Guerrero on the cheek, and slowly walked away from him. Once more, he climbed up the cage, this time climbing down the other side to finally depart the battleground. The rest of the Army followed behind with looks of shock and horror on their faces. Again, the one exception was Cactus Jack, who was cackling madly all the way. Once the ref recovered, he unlocked the cage and the other Guerreros helped their youngest brother out and to the back. The crowd were left to try to figure out what the hell they had just watched.

Hot on the heels of Seattle Showdown, the main event for next week's Pacific Wrestling Showcase from Victoria has been signed, and it is so hot that we had to announce it right away : Art Barr vs. Eddie Guerrero in a STEEL CAGE!

With the second night of Seattle Showdown now posted, PCW drops Masanobu Fuchi and picks up Akira Maeda.

Pacific Championship Wrestling Seattle Showdown from the Kingdome, Seattle, Night 2 Bret Hart vs. Hector Guerrero Night Two of Seattle Showdown kicked off with a battle of two storied second generation wrestlers. The two had squared off in a number of tag matches recently but they got the fans rocking and rolling with and exciting scientific match. Hector showed his usual flair in this match while Bret was all business, but the pair were evenly matched in skill, and it seemed like either could come out on top. Bret was trying to get Hector in his Sharpshooter finisher, the same hold that had already gotten him a win over Guerrero. But Hector had it spotted, and countered with a small package to score the pinfall. Bret was none to pleased at being outfoxed by Hector, but still slapped palms with him in a show of sportsmanship after a first class match. Curt Hennig vs. The One Man Gang Both men were coming into this considerable banged up, Gang from a brutal Chain Match with Barry Windham and Hennig from being ambushed by Gary Young with a DDT on the concrete. While Gang had been busted open in his match, Hennig seemed even worse for wear , coming out in a collar to protect his damaged neck. It was like a red flag to a bull as Gang was merciless in attacking his neck. Hennig bravely struggled but it was too much for him. Gang blasted him with a huge clothesline, then hit the front layout suplex to put an end to the match. Just goes to show how dangerous it can be to mess with a tough as nails street fighter like the One Man Gang. Jeff Jarrett vs. Mando Guerrero Jeff Jarrett has been out of action since being injured by Bob Backlund, and was making his return against on of the Guerrero Brothers. Mando was certainly not about to go easy on Jarrett just because he was coming back from an injury, and was very aggressive with young Jeff. Jarrett was determined not to be overwhelmed, fighting back with tenacity and grit. No matter what Guerrero did to him, Jarrett kept coming back. Mando tried to take him down with a clothesline, but Jarrett was able to counter it with a crucifix that kept Mando's shoulders down for the one two three. An impressive comeback for Jarrett. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) vs. ?? ?? & ?? ?? The Rainbow Warriors were coming off a big series of challenges for the Midnight Express and their Pacific Tag Team Titles, and were just as keen as the fans to find out who their opponents would be. After their ring entrance, there was a pause, and the announcer introduced their mystery opponents … Joe and Dean Malenko, the Malenko Brothers! The sons of the legendary Professor Boris Malenko had developed something of a reputation for their skills overseas, but until now had not much exposure in North America. Interestingly, they were both wearing black trunks with a golden lion emblem on the back. They got right down to work once the bell rang, and quickly proved that their reputation was no exaggeration. They dazzled the fans with their considerable expertise and mastery of weardown and submission holds, and the Rainbow Warriors certainly had their hands full. It was a rare misstep for the Malenkos when Dean attempted a running cross body on Adams, and the big man was able to draw on his considerable reserves of power to turn that around to hit the Spinning Backbreaker for the win. A hard fought win for the always popular Rainbow Warriors, but the Malenkos had made a big impression in their debut as a team to watch out for. Brian Pillman vs. Gary Young Gary Young had defeated Pillman at Vegas Vengeance, and ever since then , Flyin' Brian had been champing at the bit to get another shot at Bob Backlund's Favorite Like-A-Son. Since that match, Young has been making a name for himself as Backlund's chief enforcer, doing a lot of damage including his dastardly ambush of Curt Hennig. These two didn't even wait for the bell to ring, and the fists were flying throughout the match. Brian unleashed all of his pent up anger on Young, but Young was not about to go down easy. The result was an all out brawl that the ref was at a loss to contain. It seemed like Pillman's quest for vengeance would be denied when Young had him set up for his always deadly DDT. But Pillman blocked it and swiftly took Young down with a legsweep. By the time Young had gotten back to his feet, Flyin' Brian was coming off the ropes with the Air Pillman. Quick as a flash, Pillman went for the cover and got the one two three. Pillman had gotten his revenge in perhaps his biggest win yet. Jim Neidhart vs. Maxx Payne Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart was another wrestler who was returning from injury after suffering a damaged shoulder in a past match. While he was on the shelf, his Hart Foundation partner Bret Hart had been teaming with his brother Owen as well as having singles matches. Neidhart would be making his own return in his own singles match against the always dangerous Maxx Payne of the Crazy Gang. Neidhart was clearly favoring his shoulder in this match, looking to keep it from being reinjured. This put him at a considerable disadvantage against the huge Payne, who zeroed in on that shoulder every chance he could. Ultimately, Payne was able to take Neidhart down with a side suplex and apply his Payne Killer armbar. Desperate to protect his shoulder, Neidhart almost immediately tapped out, so quickly that Payne released it right away out of surprise. While the announcer was calling the result, Neidhart ran out of the ring and back to the locker room, shame faced and clutching his shoulder. Both Payne and the fans seemed dumbfounded and unsure what to make of just what had transpired. Mask vs. Mask Match : Konnan vs. Lord Humongous This is a feud that has been brewing for a while but didn't take long to reach the boiling point. Such was the hatred between these two that it was inevitable that something had to give. It came down to both men placing something valuable on the line, in Konnan's case it was the mask that represented his heritage of Latino wrestling. For Lord Humongous , it would be the hockey mask that was both his most distinctive feature and most effective weapon. Humongous loomed over Konnan and had a significant power advantage over him. Humongous seemed to be sadistically torment Konnan, tearing at his mask and trying to pull it over his eyes. But the always scrappy Konnan dug deep and started to make his comeback. Little by little, he would chip away at the Ayatollah Of Rock And Rolla, eventually taking him off his feet with a dropkick to the legs. Konnan immediately sprang on his back and started working on the straps of the hockey mask. Humongous frantically tried to get him off, but Konnan came at it until he got the mask off. Humongous started to freak out, doing everything he could to cover his face, and Konnan took advantage by placing the hockey mask on his fist and using it to pound away at Humongous' head. He eventually got Humongous doubled over, so he dropped the hockey mask on the mat and hit the Cradle DDT on Humongous on top of it, cracking the mask in half. One … two … THREE! Konnan had prevailed and Lord Humongous would no more wear the hockey mask. The crowd cheered Konnan and he reveled in his greatest victory yet. After the match, Percy Pringle tried to talk to Humongous as he stalked away from the ring, but Humongous was not listening, and had a look of sheer vicious fury on his face. What would come next for the no longer masked man? British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) These two teams have been on two different trajectories for the last long while. While the Bomb Squad had some success as part of the now dissolved Hollywood Knights, they have really caught fire as part of the Knights Templar. The mentorship of Mr. Bob Backlund has given them focus, and Candido and Snow have managed a number of big wins. British Steel, on the other hand, have experienced a drastic decline since losing the Pacific Tag Team titles to the Midnight Express. They went on to a series of heartbreaking losses, both tag matches and singles , and the relationship between Regal and Brookside has gotten increasingly strained. The two were barely looking at each other as they came out to the ring, but when the bell rang, they did their best to work together. The Bomb Squad did all they could to capitalize on the fracture, tagging in and out and taunting the Englishmen throughout the match. Regal eventually got to the point where he started working the match on his own, ignoring Brookside and getting more and more violent. Things got to the breaking point when the Bomb Squad were double teaming Regal. Candido went for a running crossbody on Regal, but Regal ducked and Candido hit the ref. Regal started unloading on Snow with lefts and rights, driving him to his knees. Determined to do as much damage as possible, Regal went and got a ringside chair and brought it in, clearly looking to do something horrific to Snow. But when he got back in the ring, he found Brookside had interposed himself between Regal and Snow. Brookside held out his arms, begging Regal not to do something he could never take back. Regal paused, as if realizing he was at a crossroads. He stared at Brookside for a long time …. then shook his head and dropped the chair. Brookside wrapped his arms around Regal, holding him. The fans cheered, glad that Regal had pulled himself back from the bring just in time. It was at this moment that Candido tried to capitalize on the distraction by sneaking up on the reconciled friends. Almost by instinct, Snow and Regal whirled around and hit him with a double boot to the midsection. They swiftly followed up with the Lawbreaker (double slingshot belly to back suplex) and covered him. The ref had by then recovered enough to make the count, and the losing streak had come to an emotional end. The crowd celebrated along with British Steel, and it looks like bright things are back for the popular English duo. Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Masanobu Fuchi After the drama of the previous match, there was a bit of a break before the action got back under way. Black Tiger has been a fighting champion, taking on challengers from both sides of the aisle in matches that have consistently been highlights of PCW house shows. Tonight , he would face off against the skilled Japanese star Masanobu Fuchi. Much of this match took place on the mat, with Fuchi attempting to catch Tiger in a series of submission holds, and Black Tiger calling on his considerable counter wrestling abilities to escape. Fuchi came close on a number of occasions, but Black Tiger was canny enough to find a way out of his traps, and eventually was able to execute the Black Tiger Bomb for the win. Another victory in a legendary title run for Black Tiger. Fit Finlay vs. Buddy Rose Fit Finlay left the Playboy Club on incredibly bad terms, and ever since has taken every opportunity he good to get his licks in on Buddy Rose. Tonight, they would be one on one, with none of the Playboy Club or any of Finlay's friends there to get involved. Rose was understandable apprehensive about facing off against the Belfast Bruiser, but Finlay didn't give him any say in the matter, Finlay went right after Rose with unrestrained fury, blistering him with lefts and rights. Rose used his considerable powers of evasion to do everything he could to avoid Finlay's attack, but Finlay was relentless. Eventually, Finlay had Rose trapped in the corner, unleashing all of his pent up aggression. The ref tried to get between the two of them, but got knocked to the ground for his troubles. Rose proceeded to go for his usual stratagem, reaching into his trunks and pulling out a set of brass knucks. But then, something unusual happened. Instead of using the knucks on Finlay, he tossed them at him, and the Fighting Irishman caught them, staring at them in confusion. Seeing that the ref had recovered, Rose fell down on his knees, begging Finlay not to hurt him. Seeing this and the brass knucks in Finlay's hand, the ref immediately called for the bell, disqualifying Finlay. The Belfast Bruiser protested, but the ref wasn't interested in listening. Rose was giggling and pointing to his temple, then immediately changed to a fearful look when the ref looked at him. Finlay had given it his all, but the Playboy had outfoxed him. Pacific Tag Team Title Match : The Midnight Express © vs. Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) The Midnight Express, in one form or another, have held the Pacific Tag Team Titles for quite some time. To their credit, they have faced a wide variety of challenger, but have held onto the titles by hook or by crook. Lately, they have been dealing with the dual challenges of Black Gold and the Rainbow Warriors, with both of them getting closer and closer to taking the prize for themselves. Blackman and Douglas were set on making sure that tonight would be their night. Jim Cornette's men didn't seem to think much of the chances of the Army, having a cocky and dismissive air in the early stages of the match. But the challengers were not about to be taken lightly, going all out against the Express and catching them off guard on a number of occasions. The champions did all they could to put down their challenge, but Douglas and Blackman could not be kept down for long. The Midnights thought they had them dead to rights when they had Douglas set up for the Double Goozle. But Blackman was able to grab Douglas' arm and pull him out of the way, and the Midnights ended up tangled up in confusion. Blackman waited until Eaton was lined up then hit him with the running Bicycle Kick. As he went for the cover, Lane tried to break it up, but found himself waylaid by Douglas. One … two … THREE!!!! Cornette was aghast as Black Gold were now crowned Pacific Tag Team Champions. The fans were jubilant as the two young wrestlers who had come so far together in their time in Pacific Coast Wrestling had now achieved the ultimate prize in the territory's tag team division. Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Barry Windham © vs. Nick Bockwinkel It was now time for the main event, the most anticipated match of the weekend. Both men had a long road to this match. Bockwinkel had tough matches with all of the other members of the Brigade. Windham , in turn , had come off a series of draining and brutal challenges from Mr. Bob Backlund and the One Man Gang. While he was coming in worse for wear, Windham was clearly not going to go down without a fight. Windham and Bockwinkel quickly got down to it, and the match had all of the makings of a classic. Bockwinkel as a considerable challenge, with his incredible skill and cunning coming close to getting the better of Windham on a number of occasions. But Windham has proved himself time and again of being a worthy champ, and his athletic ability and talent did him well in surviving Bock's attacks. The two battled long and hard, and the fans were riveted with every minute that passed. Then, after a long war, chaos broke out. Mr. Bob Backlund, Gary Young, Chris Candido and Al Snow made their way to the ring , clearly with malicious intent. But before they could execute whatever their plan was, Konnan, Ron Simmons and the Dingo Warrior raced out to intercept them. The two groups did battle at ringside, the ref tried to create some kind of order. But while he was so distracted, it was then that things took a turn for the worse, a huge figure dove into the ring from the other side. It was the One Man Gang, wielding a chain. Gang clobbered Windham with the chain, then hit a quick running splash on him before rolling out of the ring. When the ref turned around, Bockwinkle had Windham pinned in a Double Leg Cradle. One … two … THREE!!!! NO! After everything he had gone through, Windham's title reign had ended through treachery. The crowd and the other Brigade members gasped in astonished disappointment. Bockwinkel had an insufferably smug look on his face as he put the championship belt around his waist. Whether the fans like it or not, Bockwinkel was now the Pacific Heavyweight Champion.

I keep thinking of Backlund and Burke as being these wise old vets at this point. And then I looked up and realized that they were both in their late 30s