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Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Portland Sports Arena, Portland , on ESPN / TSN , April 5th Jeff Jarrett vs. Al Snow Lately, Jeff Jarrett has , without trying to, become something of a thorn in the side of the Knights Templar. Last week, he scored a convincing victory over Chris Candido, then followed that with a determined challenge for Bob Backlund's California Title. While he wasn't able to take the title, Mr. Bob Backlund was still at ringside for this match, staring daggers at Jarrett throughout. Al Snow did all he could to avenge his partner's earlier loss, Jarrett was able to keep his wits about him and trap Snow in the Figure Four Leglock to take the match. Backlund continued to look bent out of shape by the result, and was intensely talking to Snow as they headed to the back. It looks like Jarrett has gained fierce enemies in the Knights Templar. Leo Burke & US Steel vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) While they might not have won the Pacific Tag Team Titles at Vegas Vengeance, the Gantner Brothers have taken a bit of a meaner edge since taking on the stewardship of Ronnie P. Gossett. With their increasingly belligerent attitude, they tried to bully Leo Burke throughout the match, but the General of The Army was having none of it. He and US Steel fought back fiercely. The just spurred the Bulls to intensified their attack, and kept up their assault until Ed hit the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the face) on Burke for the pinfall. He tried to continue to attack Burke, but US Steel was quick to intercede. The Gantners were eager to throw down, but Gossett told them to stand back and led them away. Regardless, I don't think that US Steel is done with the Gantner Brothers. Cactus Jack & Art Barr vs. Mr. Hito & Masanobu Fuchi Last week, Cactus Jack and Art Barr teamed as a duo for the first time and caught a lot of attention for their hell raising style. They continued their crazy ways as they took on the former Golden State Tag Team champs Hito and Fuchi. While the Japanese team did everything they could to try to contain them, they seemed baffled at what to do with this unconventional pair. Things became somehow even more chaotic when Dingo Warrior sauntered down to the ring, giving the evil eye to Hito. This sufficiently distracted Hito to leave him prey to a dropkick from Barr that sent him flying out of the ring. When Hito got to his feet, Dingo was standing right in front of him, but the face painted one didn't lay a finger on him. He just continued his glare and provided a distraction while Cactus came off the ring apron and hit Hito in the back of the head with an elbow smash. Cactus then dragged Hito back into the ring where Barr hit a Frog Splash for the victory. Cactus and Barr may be an odd pairing, but you can't argue with their effectiveness so far. Billy Jack Haynes vs. Chris Candido Billy Jack is gunning hard for the Knights Templar, facing everyone he can in their ranks until he gets his hands on Jack Victory and John Tatum. Candido was probably wishing he had skipped out on this match, as Haynes tore into him with unrelenting fury. To his credit, Candido did his best to use his speed and skill to keep Billy Jack at bay. But the Oregon favorite would not be denied, hitting a crushing shoulder breaker to end the match. I certainly wouldn't want to be Tatum and Victory when they finally see Billy Jack across the ring from them. Jim Neidhart vs. Buddy Rose Buddy Rose has been scrambling of late. With the defection of Fit Finlay from the ranks of the Playboy Club, as well as losses to John Tenta, the Playboy's ego has taken rather a bruising of lately. Seeing that he was going to have to face the Anvil tonight, he had to know that it wasn't just his ego in danger of being bruised. The former pro football nose tackle knocked Rose all over the ring, and the Playboy was struggling to find some way to stay in the match. Then Neidhart had Rose trapped in the corner and came in with a big shoulder tackle. Rose dodged out of the way just in the nick of time, and Neidhart went right between the turnbuckles, jamming his shoulder into the corner post. Neidhart clearly hurt his shoulder very badly, and Rose capitalized by rolling him up, keeping both his feet on the ropes to get the leveraged pin. Rose had turned his fortunes around, albeit by his usual skullduggerous means. We will see if this does anything to restore his flagging confidence. Barry Windham, Ron Simmons & Konnan vs. One Man Gang, Maxx Payne & Lord Humongous Another group that has gone from dominance to disarray has been the Brigade. Not only have they had to fight a war on two fronts against the Crazy Gang and Gary Hart International, but they are now having to face the challenge of former World Champion Nick Bockwinkel. Speaking of whom, Bockwinkel grandly strode to a seat in the front row, bringing along with him a briefcase. After he was seated, he opened up the briefcase and took out a Martini shaker, pouring out the contents into a Martini glass and smugly sipping from it as he observed the match. The Brigade did their best to shut it all out, but in the end they were pulled in too many directions, and when Humongous hit the Power Bomb on Konnan, that was that. Bockwinkel nodded in approval before standing and returning to the back. Whatever his plan is, he certainly seems satisfied with its progress.

I don't believe anyone is using them, so they are all yours.

Quick note for an update that Mike Von Erich should be taken off the list of available Free Agents as he has since passed in our timeline.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, April 3rd Owen Hart & Brian Pillman vs. Jack Victory & John Tatum Owen was clearly still feeling the effects of his Vegas Vengeance match with Mr. Bob Backlund, as despite an heroic effort, he went down to a Superkick from Tatum into a Victory-Plex from Victory Brian Adams vs. Bob Orton Determined to avenge his best friend Vic Steamboat's earlier loss at the hands of the Crazy Gang, Adams flattened Orton with a running boot to the chest to get the win Jim Neidhart vs. Curtis Hughes In a showdown between two former football players, the Big Cat pinned the Anvil after the Cat's Claw (modified side slam onto the knee) Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) & Dingo Warrior vs. Badd Company & Mr. Hito In a match where Dingo was constantly going after Hito, it was Ouellet who got the pinfall after a running senton on Paul Diamond California Title Match : Bob Backlund © vs. Jeff Jarrett After a long and intense battle, Backlund was able to wrap up Jarrett with the Backlund Bridge to successfully defend his newly won California Title. Backlund continued to glower at Jarrett after the match, but did nothing but stare at him until he left the ring. Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) & US Steel vs. The Midnight Express & Big Bubba Rogers With their good friend and Army comrade US Steel holding off Big Bubba, Black Gold pulled off a major upset when Blackman dodged a Savate Kick from Lane, then knocked out Sweet Stan with a leaping knee strike to the head.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver on Pacific Super Cards on ESPN / TSN , April 2nd Billy Jack Haynes & Texas Red vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) As one could imagine, these four big broncos tore up the ring in a match that ended when Billy Jack was able to hit the shoulder breaker on big Rick Gantner for the win. Vic Steamboat vs. "Mean" Mike Miller This fight went back and forth until Steamboat attempted a backslide, which Miller was able to block and counter with an over the shoulder neckbreaker to pull out the victory. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) British Steel are clearly getting frustrated with their recent run of bad luck, as shown is Regal getting several warnings to release chokeholds during the match. There was some clear tension between Regal and Brookside, and the Bomb Squad capitalized on this, hitting the Detonator (wheelbarrow suplex by Snow into a flying legdrop by Candido) on Brookside, continuing their momentum from Vegas Vengeance. There seemed to be some fairly tense discussions between Regal and Brookside after the match. Fit Finlay , John Tenta & Ron Garvin vs. Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski & Cannonball Grizzly The Playboy Club pulled out a plethora of dirty tricks in the match, but there was no stopping Tenta as he hit the Big Quake on Grizzly. Konnan vs. Nick Bockwinkel Still battered from his recent match with Lord Humongous, Konnan was easy prey for Bockwinkel, who tormented him like a cat with a mouse before forcing him to tap out to the Figure Four Leglock. Bret Hart vs. Hector Guerrero A long and intense bout that wound up becoming a duel of submission holds, with Bret finally getting Hector to tap out to the modified Scorpion Leglock that he calls the Sharpshooter. Pacific Heavyweight Title Match : Barry Windham © vs. One Man Gang A bruising battle between two big heavyweights that Windham won by DQ when Gang hit him with his chain. The big 747 did some real damage until Konnan, still in pain from his earlier match, hobbled out swinging a chair to run him and Gary Hart off.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Victoria Memorial Arena, Victoria, on ESPN / TSN, April 1st Dingo Warrior vs. Masanobu Fuchi When Dingo Warrior first arrived in PCW, he went on an incredible streak of dominance, barreling over everyone in his path. That momentum came to a screeching halt at Aloha Spectacular when Mr. Hito knocked him out of the ring, giving him a countout loss that ended his unbeaten streak. Dingo's quest for revenge was stymied by the return of Hito's partner, Masanobu Fuchi. Dingo was clearly looking to take out his frustrations on Fuchi, but this match had a much different tone than his past matches. Instead of storming the ring as he normally does, he slowly walked out and stared daggers at Fuchi, only taking a moment to give a flex pose when his name was introduced. Fuchi approached him slowly, attempting a few kicks but Dingo didn't flinch. Fuchi then tried to lock up and go for a single arm throw, but it was like trying to move a stone wall. Dingo then seized Fuchi and slammed him hard to the mat. Dingo then proceeded to take apart Fuchi, devastating him with a series of power moves before hitting his press slam and running splash combo for the decisive win. If I were Mr. Hito, I would start looking over my shoulder, because Dingo Warrior won't be satisfied until he has him in his sights. Art Barr & Cactus Jack vs. Chavo & Eddie Guerrero Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero have been battling up and down the West Coast ever since their arrival in PCW. The Guerreros came out on top in their last match, a tag match at Vegas Vengeance. This time, the partners changed, with Cactus Jack and Chavo Guerrero replacing US Steel and Hector, and the result was a drastically different match. Unlike US Steel and Leo Burke, Cactus had no interest in trying to rein in Art Barr and get him under control. If anything, Cactus seemed to spur Art to be even more reckless, which caught the Guerreros off guard. Cactus wound up sending both himself and Chavo out of the ring with the Cactus Clothesline, and Art came charging across the ring and dove on top of them. Eddie joined the fray, and both teams ended up being counted out. Out of nowhere, the man from Truth Or Consequences has sent this feud spiraling into a chaotic new direction. Curt Hennig vs. Rick Gantner Curt Hennig is coming in on a major high, having defeated the terrifying Lord Humongous at Vegas Vengeance. He kept up that momentum by going all out against one half of the Wild Bulls. Although Rick Gantner did what he could to try to bully Hennig, with the support of the Bullpen (the Wild Bulls loyal section of fans) behind him, Hennig effectively used his speed and skill to get the better of him. After a precision dropkick sent Gantner to the mat, Hennig picked him up and executed the cradle suplex for the one two three. It looks like the sky is the limit for this talented second generation wrestler. Jack Victory & John Tatum vs. John Kenney & Rory Freeman John Tatum made a shocking return to Pacific Coast Wrestling at Vegas Vengeance, attacking Billy Jack Haynes and casting in his lot with the Knights Templar. Tatum seems like an unlikely prospect for Mr. Bob Backlund's acolytes, but he joined his old friend Jack Victory and was wearing the Knights' trademark black and silver gear. Tatum and Victory slid into their old team habits with ease, rolling right over Kenney and Freeman before Tatum Superkicked Freeman into a Victory-Plex to put an end to the match. Tatum has wasted no time in integrating himself into the Knights. Jeff Jarrett vs. Chris Candido Both of these competitors came off appearances in tournament finals at Vegas Vengeance. Jarrett had faced is best friend Dan Severn in the match to decide the first Submission Champion, while Candido made it all the way to way to the last match in the Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament. While both men came out on the short end of their matches, they were very determined to show that they still had what it takes. Candido come out accompanied by his mentor Mr. Bob Backlund, who had his trademark look of stern disdain throughout the match. It increased in scorn when Jarrett, after a fast paced battle, was able to trap Candido in the Figure Four Leglock and force him to tap out. Backlund was fuming as he led his man away from the ring, but Jarrett soaked up the cheers of the crowd. Interview : Frank Bonnema stands in the ring Bonnema : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guest shocked a lot of people when he appeared at Vegas Vengeance … former world champion Nick Bockwinkel! A decidedly mixed reaction as Bockwinkel comes out. Plenty of boos, of course, which come as no surprise after his long career as one of the premier villains in wrestling. But a scattering of cheer from those who still respect his considerable legacy as one of the greatest , canniest wrestlers ever to grace ring. He did seem to pay any mind to either faction, maintaining his traditional air of cocksure arrogance as he joined Frank Bonnema. Bonnema : Well, Nick Bockwinkel, you were certainly the last person anyone to be the One Man Gang's mystery partner at Vegas Vengeance. In fact, you haven't worked here on the West Coast in years. What brings you back. Bockwinkel : Well, Frank Bonnema, it is true I haven't worked here in quite some time. But I did get my start wrestling in California, and I dominated here before going on the conquer the world. I went on be World Champion multiple times, and prove myself to be the greatest wrestler of all time. It has been a glorious run, but it can only go on for so long. I can see the end of the road on the horizon, so where better to finish up than close to my home town of Beverly Hills ? Closer to my own type of people, it's worth having to tolerate the cretinous humanoid element of the fans. (Cue the fans booing) And what better way the cap my magnificent career than as Pacific Heavyweight Champion? Bonnema : Wait, are you saying you are challenging for Barry Windham's Heavyweight Title? Even with your considerable credentials, you have only just arrived in PCW! There is a long list of contenders ahead of you. Bockwinkel : Quite true. But Mister Windham has surrounded himself with a pack of young pups who call themselves the Brigade. They think they are quite something. Well, let them face me, one by one. Let them find out the true value of experience and intelligence. And once I have sent all of them running back to their mothers' laps, once I have defeated them all, there will be no denying my title shot. It will be you and me, Barry Windham. And after I run rings around you, your Heavyweight Title will be mine! Konnan vs. Lord Humongous At Vegas Vengeance, Lord Humongous suffered a loss at the hands of Curt Hennig . You could tell that did not go over well with the man in the hockey mask, as he was clearly boiling mad as he came out to the ring. He was looking to take out his frustrations on the first person to get in his way, and if that person was a member of the Brigade, so much for the better. It was into this undesirable situation that Konnan found himself placed. Full credit to him, he gave a good accounting of himself. But Lord Humongous came at him like a freight train, and it was only a matter of time before he got what he wanted. He set up Konnan up for what looked like it would be a piledriver, but instead flattened him back first on the mat, a new move from Japan known as the Power Bomb. He did it with such force that it knocked Konnan unconscious, and Lord Humongous didn't even bother to cover him, instead putting his foot on his chest while the ref counted to three. If I were any member of the Brigade, I would be giving Lord Humongous a very wide berth indeed.

Thank you, have now corrected it.

Pacific Coast Wrestling Vegas Vengeance from the Showboat Arena, Las Vegas, Night Two Ron Garvin vs. Mando Guerrero After an action packed first night, Night Two kicks off with a duel of two experienced and skilled wrestlers. Although neither man was in the Submission Title Tournament, they both worked hard at matwork and weardown holds to try to get them set up for some sort of submission hold. Mando was clearly trying to get Garvin set up for the Gory Special, while Garvin kept working over Guerrero's legs. At first, it seemed like Garvin was going for a Figure Four leglock, but then he flipped Mando over and had him a modified Scorpion hold, similar to the one Bret Hart had been seen using. Whatever it was, it was effective as, after a struggle, Mando tapped out. In his short time back in PCW, Garvin is proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with. Texas Red vs. Cannonball Grizzly In his efforts to prove himself to the Playboy Club, Cannonball Grizzly certainly took the bull by the horns by attacking Texas Red. Fair play to him, he has acquitted himself well in this feud , with neither man getting a decisive win over the other. Both men were clearly set on being the victor in this match, going all out from the get go. These two battered each other from pillar to post, and it looked like they just might break the ring. At one point, they were slugging it out at ringside, and we might just have another double countouts on our hands. But they both managed to make it just in time to beat the count, and the match continued. At a number of occasions, it seemed like Grizzly might just take it, but when he missed a running splash, Texas Red smelled blood and got set to take him out. He dragged Grizzly to his feet and looked for a moment like he was contemplating using his dreaded Heart Punch. But Red shook it off and instead levelled him with a standing clothesline. He then went up top, walked the ropes and then came off with a crushing elbow drop. Texas Red came out on top in an epic struggle. John Tenta vs. Buddy Rose With Ed Wiskowski on the wrong end of a slugfest with Fit Finlay the night before and his protégé Cannonball Grizzly suffering a grueling loss to Texas Red, Buddy Rose was coming out alone and clearly not happy about it. One can't blame him, given his opponent. Big John Tenta has been a dominant force ever since his debut, and it was all Rose could do to keep in the match. He went to his devious bag of tricks ever chance he could, but Tenta was relentless and tossed Rose around the ring every time he got his hands on him. It seemed like Rose might just be able to steal the match when he reached into his trunks and pulled out a set of brass knucks. But, with shocking quickness, Tenta bowled him over with a running avalanche. Tenta then hit the Big Quake and it was all over. After going 0-3 for Vegas Vengeance, the Playboy Club are going to need to figure out a way to regroup. Brian Pillman vs. Gary Young Brian Pillman has been going through quite the wringer of late. After a grinding series of matches with Big Bubba Rogers followed by a tough battle with the Midnight Express, Pillman was coming into Vegas Vengeance in a similar condition to his Snowbirds partner Owen Hart. But , fitting to the name of the event, Pillman was out for Vengeance, after what Young had done to his partner, and was not going to cut Young any slack at all. Pillman blistered Young's chest with chops and attacked him with a white hot intensity. But Young was fired up by his training and faith in his leader, Mr. Bob Backlund, and was equally fixated on making him proud. The result was an incredibly tense battle, with neither man looking to give in. Young was finally able to tip the scales in his favour when he ducked under a flying clothesline from Pillman. Young pulled him up and hit the DDT, and that was that. I heartbreaking loss for Pillman, but he put in a courageous effort and got a round of applause from the fans as he left the ring. Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament Semi-Final Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. Hector & Eddie Guerrero The big tournament continues with the first semi final match. The Guerreros had beaten on duo of Six Man Army members the night before, and seemed confident that they could pull it off again. But Blackman and Douglas had something to prove, and were not about to be taken lightly. While they might have wanted to conserve their energy for the next round of the tournament, but both teams were heedless of that, cutting a wicked pace throughout the match. Both sides executed a lot of fast tags and combination moves, but it ended up being a belly to back suplex by Douglas on Eddie that spelled the difference. Black Gold had earned themselves a place in the finals. Billy Jack Haynes vs. Jack Victory This would be another match where one of the competitors had vengeance on his mind. Billy Jack had made his return to PCW at Aloha Spectacular, but his homecoming was spoiled by Jack Victory and Mr. Bob Backlund. His manager, Sunshine, was staring daggers at Backlund throughout the match, but the leader of the Knights Templar stayed in his corner and was focused on his man in the ring. Victory was certainly no pushover, but Haynes was out for blood and had a distinct edge to every move he executed on him. When Haynes locked Victory in the Full Nelson , it seemed to be the end. But out of nowhere, someone sprang into the ring and superkicked Haynes in the back of the head, breaking up the hold. The ref called for the DQ and the man put the boots to Billy Jack, soon joined by Victory. It was "Hollywood" John Tatum! Tatum and Victory continued their attack until Ron Garvin rushed out to the ring. The Knights Templar retreated and Garvin helped Billy Jack to his feet, but Haynes had been knocked for a loop. If Tatum has thrown his lot in with the Knights Templar, they have just gotten even more dangerous. Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament Semi-Final Match : The Hart Foundation vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) The last match of the tournament semi-finals would pit the former Golden State Tag Team Champs against another young team looking to make their mark in the Bomb Squad. Like the rest of the Knights Templar, the Bomb Squad were inspired by their mentor Mr. Bob Backlund, and this gave them considerable vigor throughout the match. The Harts were looking to fight their way back into contention for one of the Tag Team Titles, and this led to a gripping match that had the fans on the edge of their seats. Perhaps inspired Ron Garvin's use of the Scorpion Hold earlier in the match, Bret got Candido set up for his own variation on the hold. But Snow had backdropped Neidhart out of the ring, and Bret didn't see him coming up from behind. Snow bulldogged the Hitman out of the hold and got the one two three. So now the finals would be between two sets of up and comers, the Bomb Squad and Black Gold. Ron Simmons vs. Maxx Payne A couple of months ago, Maxx Payne pulled off the seeming impossible feat of taking Ron Simmons out of action. True, he had to ambush him to pull it off, but Ron Simmons seemed unstoppable until the Payne Killer dislocated his shoulder and put him on the bench. Since his return, Simmons has been dead set on getting revenge on Payne, but thus far, their battles have been inconclusive. Simmons was clearly raring to go before the match got started, while Payne was impassive, trying to stare down the All American. Clearly, neither man was intimidate by the other and tore into each other once the bell rang. Payne was doing everything he could to reinjure the shoulder, wrenching Simmons' arm five ways from Sunday. But Simmons has worked hard on his rehab, and while he was still clearly favoring his other arm, his power offense was still effective. After a titanic struggle, Simmons was able to catch Payne coming off the ropes and drive him into the mat with a devastating Spinebuster Slam. That took the wind out of Payne's sales, and Simmons got the three count, finally avenging the earlier attack. Golden State Tag Team Title : Badd Company © vs. Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) Ever since their arrival in Pacific Coast Wrestling, the rough and tumble duo of veteran Big Jos Leduc and rookie Pierre Carl Oullet have made a big impression. After undergoing a trial by fire in a feud with the Sheepherders, they emerged triumphant at Aloha Spectacular and have earned a shot at the Golden State Tag Team Titles. Champs Badd Company seemed flummoxed as to what to do with them. Hit and run tactics didn't seem to work, as Ouellet was too quick to dodge. Trying to get counted out failed when TDT simply chased them back into the ring. Even getting dirty by busting Leduc open by ramming his head into the turnbuckle post only served to enrage the powerful French Canadian. It seemed like pure luck when Tanaka was able to duck under a clothesline by Ouellet and catch him with a cartwheel kick to the top of the head. Diamond was just barely able to hold off Leduc while Tanaka got the three count. Badd Company had just barely escaped with the titles by the skin of their teeth, but there is no way that they are done with TDT. Tournament Final to crown the first ever Pacific Submission Champion : Dan Severn vs. Jeff Jarrett After an intense tournament over the past few weeks, the finals would see partners forced to do battle to become the first ever Pacific Submission Champion. Severn and Jarrett gave each other a nod of acknowledgement during the ring introductions, but otherwise the two men were all business as the ring began. Any element of friendship certainly went out the window when they went to tie up and Severn sent Jarrett flying across the ring with a judo throw. Jarrett quickly recovered, and when they went to tie up again, Jarrett hit a dropkick to Severn's leg that sent him to the mat. Jarrett spent much of the match wearing down Severn's legs to set up his Figure Four, but Severn would frequently counter by getting Jarrett in his own punishing ankle and leglocks. It seemed like Jeff was on the verge of pulling off an upset as he nearly had Severn in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. But Severn was able to flip him over and trap him in an Indian Deathlock. Jarrett fought like a lion to try to reach the ropes and break the hold. But Severn was too powerful and the hold was cinched in too deep. Jarrett had to tap out and give up the match. The moment Severn heard that Jarrett had given up, he released the hold and helped his friend back to his feet. The two partners embraced in the ring and Jarrett put the belt around Severn's waist before raising his hand in victory. Severn was now the Submission Champion and God knows what it will take to take the title away from him. Barry Windham & Konnan vs. One Man Gang & ?? ?? This match was perhaps the most intriguing one of the whole event for a variety of reasons, not he least of which was the fact that even the One Man Gang knew who his partner would be. The Brigade men were cautious coming to the ring, taking time to shake hands with the fans but frequently looking over their shoulders. Gang and Gary Hart seemed well pleased as they headed out to the ring, confident that whatever card they had up their sleeve would turn out to be an ace. Then, all eyes turned to the ring curtain. No music, no special effects, just a spotlight on the door as it opened and out stepped …. NICK BOCKWINKEL!!!!! Jaws dropped around the arena as the legendary wrestler strode out to the ring with his customary swagger and self confidence. Bockwinkel had gotten his start on the west coast, but for a long time had been mostly associated with the AWA, and absolutely nobody had predicted that he would be the mystery partner. His appearance produced hoots of triumphant laughter in Gang and Gary Hart, who clapped each other on the back in self congratulation. Windham and Konan, on the other hand, went from wariness to concern , quickly discussing what to do next. Bockwinkel gave a curt nod to Gang and Hart before taking his place on the ring apron and the match began. And there he stayed for the early part of the match, content to let the big 747 do the bulk of the heavy lifting. True to his word, Gang was content to handle things on his own, and Windham and Konnan struggled to make a dent in the big man. Gang battered the two men black and blue, but little by little, they were able to slowly wear him down. And that's when Bockwinkel chose to strike. He tagged himself in and swiftly showed the skill and polish that were the trademarks of his career. Windham and Konnan did their best, but had taken so much damage that the 50 something veteran was able to run rings around them. When he gave a vicious piledriver on Konnan, Windham was not able to make it in time to break it up, and Bockwinkel and One Man Gang had pulled it off. Bockwinkel, in the space of one match, had rocketed right to the top of the PCW rankings. Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament Final Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) The previous match would be hard to top, but the Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament is the crowning jewel of the Vegas Vengeance event, and the finals had everyone's attention. With the array of teams entered in this year's tournament, it was perhaps a bit of a surprise that the finalists would be such young duos, but both Black Gold and the Bomb Squad had fought hard to earn their spot in the finals, and the match would be a display of the new generation of young tag wrestlers in PCW. The Bomb Squad were accompanied by their mentor, Mr. Bob Backlund, while Black Gold were led by the General of the Army, Leo Burke. They were certainly present for support and advice, but otherwise did not get involved in the match. The result was a tag classic, with both teams keen to prove their worth and win the half million dollar prize. The fans were at the edge of their seats, with near fall after near fall and each team kept upping their game to try to come out on top. The Bomb Squad looked to take the match with the Detonator, with Snow setting Douglas up for the Wheelbarrow Suplex and Candido going up top for a flying legdrop. But Blackman came charging in with a running knee strike to Snow's head that knocked him sparko. He then clotheslined Candido off the top tope, sending him plummeting to the floor. Douglas then wrapped Snow up with a double leg cradle. One … two … THREE!!! The winners of the 1987 Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament were Black Gold. As Mr. Bob Backlund put his arms around the shoulders of his men and led them from the ring, Leo Burke joined his men in the ring to celebrate their victory. The fans were jubilant as Vegas Vengeance 1987 came to a close.

Pacific Coast Wrestling Vegas Vengeance from the Showboat Arena, Las Vegas, Night One Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : US Steel & Art Barr vs. Hector & Eddie Guerrero The first match of Vegas Vengeance kicks off the second annual Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament. Last year's winners, the Midnight Express, are now Pacific Tag Team Champions, so the competition is very intense for this year, with the teams hungry for both the title shot and the half million dollar prize. This match had a lot of heat going in, with the rivalry between rookies Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero captivating the fans. The two went at it fist and fire every time they were in the ring together, which was every chance they got. US Steel and Hector tried to settle them down, but the youngest members were locked in on each other. It broke down to a battle of rollups where Eddie came out on top. After a close match, the Guerrero Brothers would move on to the semi finals. Fit Finlay vs. Ed Wiskowski Ever since he left the Playboy Club, Fit Finlay has proved to be a thorn in the side of Buddy Rose and his men. The Playboy has sent his top lieutenant, The Polish Prince, to get the Belfast Bruiser out of his hair. A tall order, but Easy Ed was set on getting it done. This was the very definition of a hard hitting match, with both men throwing brutal punches that led to them busting each other open. In the end, Finlay was able to wear Wiskowski down enough to get him up for a Tombstone Piledriver and get the pinfall. The Fighting Irishman got the win but both men were clearly drained from an exhausting fight. Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. Mr. Hito & Masanobu Fuchi The next match in the tournament would be a contrast of the youthful enthusiasm of Black Gold against the more methodical approach of the Japanese veterans. Hito and Fuchi were former Golden State Tag Team Champs, and showed why with a well coordinated offense. But Blackman and Douglas rallied and Blackman was able to catch Fuchi with the running bicycle kick to move on in the tournament. Leo Burke vs. Curtis Hughes In his short time in Pacific Coast Wrestling, Ronnie P. Gossett has made quite the splash. First he took over managing the Wild Bulls, lighting a fire under the always intimidating Gantner Brothers. Then he brought in the Big Cat, Curtis Hughes, who has cut a swathe through the PCW ranks. The General of The Army, Leo Burke, was certainly not about to lay down for Hughes, and did everything he could in his considerable arsenal to contain the big man. But in the end, Burke was over powered, and after a devastating running tackle bowled him over, Hughes hit the Cat's Claw (modified side slam onto the knee) to get the win. The Big Cat is certainly becoming someone to watch closely. Curt Hennig vs. Lord Humongous The Crazy Gang are one of the most feared ensembles in all of Pacific Coast Wrestling, and a big part of that has been Lord Humongous. The man in the hockey mask has overpowered nearly everyone he has faced. Everyone, that is , except for Curt Hennig. The popular second generation star has stood his ground against Humongous, even picking up the odd victory, and that has stuck in the craw of Humongous. He struck even before the ring bell sounded, attacking Hennig from behind with some mask assisted headbutts to the back of the head. This knocked Hennig for a loop, allowing Humongous to do further damage, but the always resilient Hennig was able to recover and started to do damage of his own. Wisely avoiding locking up with Humongous as much as possible, Hennig instead made use of his speed and skill, knocking him around with precision dropkicks and clotheslines. Any time Humongous was able to catch him, though, made Hennig pay a heavy toll with big slams that shook the ring. Hennig started focusing his efforts on the mask of Humongous, loosening the straps holding it in place every chance he got. The created a distraction for Humongous, who had to try to hold his mask in place while still trying to fight Hennig. When Hennig was finally able to yank the mask off his head and throw it outside the ring, Humongous went into a frenzy trying to cover up his face. Hennig capitalized by wrapping him up in an inside cradle to score the pinfall, then leapt out of the ring to avoid a retaliatory rampage. A cunning win for Hennig, but you just know Humongous isn't going to take this lying down. Cactus Jack vs. Sabu Much like Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero, these two young gladiators have had their destinies tied to each other ever since their arrival in Pacific Coast Wrestling. Any time they have been in the ring together, it has been a recipe for chaos, and tonight was no exception. These two tore into each other with fury and intensity, and the crowd loved every minute of it. Cactus was determined to go for broke when he went up top for a flying elbow drop. But Sabu was able to roll out of the way just in time, and Cactus landed hard on the mat. Sabu then went up top and he was able to land a flying legdrop, putting Cactus' shoulders to the mat for the one two three. He had pulled off a hard fought victory, but that isn't likely to put an end to this feud. Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) vs. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) The Tag Team Tournament rolls on with a clash of two promising young teams. While the Bomb Squad have found new focus under the guidance of Mr. Bob Backlund, British Steel have fallen on hard times following the loss of the Pacific Tag Team Titles. Determined to get back on track, Regal and Brookside went all out against the men from the Knights Templar. Regal even wound up using some rougher tactics, to the surprise of Brookside. The result was a thrill ride of a match, with plenty of near falls and close calls. It looked like the young Englishmen might just break out of their slump when Regal had Candido set up for the Regal Plex . But Snow clothelined him from behind and hit the wheelbarrow suplex, and Candido was able to hold off Brookside while Snow got the pinfall. A heartbreaking loss for British Steel. What will it take to pull them out of their spiral? Pacific Television Title Match : Big Bubba Rogers © vs. Tony St. Clair Big Bubba Rogers has faced many challengers in his time as Television Champion, but he has come out of every battle with a firm grip on the title. Tony St. Clair is the latest to take on the Louisville Slugger, and had a look of steely determination when he came out to the ring. Rogers and his manager Jim Cornette didn't seem to be taking St. Clair too seriously, barely looking at him as the ring introductions were made. Big mistake, as St. Clair was extremely aggressive throughout the match. Nothing Rogers did to "Tough" Tony was able to hold him down for long, and St. Clair was able to fight his way back with jarring punches and skilled takedowns. If Rogers thought St. Clair was going to be a pushover, he got a rude awakening as Tony proved to be hard as ten bears, able to take an array of punishment and dish it back out. Rogers was so taken aback that he turned to Cornette for some sort of advice to get the match into his favour. This proved to be a further mistake as St. Clair hit a spinning forearm smash on Rogers, sending the champ crashing out of the ring. Cornette fanned him with his tennis racquet, but Rogers was unable to get back to his feet, let alone the ring, and the ref counted him out. He was still the Television champ, but St. Clair certainly has an iron clad case for a rematch. Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : The Hart Foundation vs. "Mean" Mike Miller & "Cowboy" Bob Orton The next match would close out the first round of the tournament and determine who would go on to the semi finals on the second night. All four men were experienced wrestlers who had faced each other before, but tonight, their efforts were increased to an incredible degree. Both teams had each other well scouted, and it was a duel of wrestling and counter wrestling, the proverbial game of human chess. Orton was able to get Hart perched atop the top turnbuckle, looking to execute his signature Superplex. But Neidhart had clotheslined Miller out of the ring and came over to take the Cowboy down with a belly to back suplex. Bret Hart followed up with a second rope elbow drop and that was that. The former Golden State Tag Team Champs would fill out the last bracket in the semi finals. California Title Match : Owen Hart © vs. Mr. Bob Backlund Owen Hart was coming out with a heavily bandaged shoulder, following an injury from a brutal match with Gary Young followed by a tag match against the Midnight Express. Backlund had a look that was cold as ice as he came out followed by the rest of the Knights Templar, who watched his every move with rapt attention. The bandage was like a red flag to a bull, as Backlund was ruthless in wrenching Owen's arm every way he could. The popular champion put in a valiant effort, desperately fighting to hold off Backlund's attacks. But the former World Champion was too much to overcome in his damaged condition, and Backlund was able to procure the Cross Face Chicken Wing in the middle of the ring. Owen held off as long as he could, but too much damage had been done and there was no escaping. Owen finally tapped out, giving up the match and the California Title at the same time. Backlund was not jubilant but sternly wrapped the belt around his own waist, but the rest of the Knights Templar were reverent as he did so. It looks like the beginning of a new era in PCW, the era of the Knights Templar. Three Way Elimination Pacific Tag Team Title Match : The Midnight Express © vs. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) Last year, the Midnight Express were triumphant in the Tag Team Tournament. Since then, they used that as a springboard to reigns as the Pacific Tag Team Champions, not once but twice (albeit with a change of membership between the two). This year would up the ante for them, as they would be defending their titles against not just one but two top duos. The Rainbow Warriors are one of the fastest rising teams in PCW, while the Wild Bulls are former tag champs with a new fire in their step under the guidance of Ronnie P. Gossett. Cornette's men were more than happy to let the other teams duke it out, only coming into the ring when the other teams were compromised. But both the Warriors and the Bulls became wise to this, and brought Lane and Eaton into the ring more and more, punishing them for their deviousness. The Rainbow Warriors were able to knock the Wild Bulls out of the match when Steamboat was able to hit a Flying Cross Body Press on Rick Gantner. But the Midnights then struck swiftly, with Eaton coming off the top rope with a flying kneedrop on Steamboat as he was still covering Gantner. Lane was able to intercept Adams and Eaton got the one two three on Steamboat. The Midnight Express faced a lot of pressure, but by hook or by crook, they were able to pull out another win.

Wendi Richter continues her slide ... what can she do to break out of it?

Frenchy Martin, Phil Lafon and Richard Charland has the makings of an intriguing trio, but methinks Spike Huber will be left in the cold.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Selland Arena, Fresno, March 20th Konnan vs. Chris Candido Konnan forced Candido to give up to the Tequila Sunrise Steven Regal vs. Jack Victory Victory continued his winning ways, beating Regal with the Victory-Plex Tabarnak De Team (Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) vs. Mr. Hito & Masanobu Fuchi A hard hitting match that TDT won with the Clear Cut (Leduc put Fuchi over his knee while Ouellet came off the top with a flying elbow smash) Tony St. Clair vs. Sabu St. Clair was ultimately able to put down the wild man of the Crazy Gang with the floating Butterfly Suplex Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger © vs. Mando Guerrero A close and exciting match that Black Tiger was able to win when he blocked Mando's German Suplex and counter with a rollup Pacific Tag Team Title Match : The Midnight Express © vs. Owen Hart & Brian Pillman Both of the Snowbirds were battered from matches earlier this weekend but still put on a classic before ultimately losing to the Midnight Express when the champs took Owen down with a double armbreaker takedown

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Cow Palace , San Francisco, on Pacific Super Cards, March 19th Art Barr vs. Curtis Hughes The Big Cat mauled young Art Barr, pinning him after the Cat's Claw (side slam onto the knee) John Tenta vs. Bob Orton Tenta hit the Big Quake on the Cowboy for the win The Hart Foundation vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) Partway through the match, the Rainbow Warriors showed up at ringside. Ronnie P. Gossett started to argue with them to leave, but when Rick Gantner started jawing with them from inside the ring, Jim Neidhart capitalized with a Schoolboy Rollup for the pin Cactus Jack vs. Cannonball Grizzly Grizzly crushed Cactus with the Cannonball Crush (top rope flying splash) Ron Garvin & Fit Finlay vs. Buddy Rose & Ed Wiskowski Rose did everything he could to avoid Garvin and Finlay, but the pair were relentless and pinned him after he walked into a double Hands Of Stone Punch California Title Match : Owen Hart © vs. Gary Young Young zeroed in on Owen's arm and shoulder throughout the match, wrenching it with grueling armbars and even driving him shoulder first into the corner post. Owen was still able to pin him after a flying reverse body press, but was clearly in agony after the match. Bob Backlund looked like he was almost smiling as he led his man away from the ring. Barry Windham, Ron Simmons & Curt Hennig vs. "Mean" Mike Miller, Maxx Payne & Lord Humongous After a long, crazy match, things broke down with all six men fighting in the ring. One Man Gang took advantage of the chaos to sneak into the ring and hit an Avalanche on Windham. Maxx Payne then executed a side suplex on Windham, and when the ref finally turned around, he made the three count, giving the match to the Crazy Gang.

With the final bracket of the Submission Title Tournament in place, we can now announce the full card for Vegas Vengeance from the Showboat Arena, Las Vegas : Night One Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : US Steel & Art Barr vs. Hector & Eddie Guerrero Fit Finlay vs. Ed Wiskowski Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. Mr. Hito & Masanobu Fuchi Leo Burke vs. Curtis Hughes Curt Hennig vs. Lord Humongous Cactus Jack vs. Sabu Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) vs. British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) Pacific Television Title Match : Big Bubba Rogers © vs. Tony St. Clair Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament First Round Match : The Hart Foundation vs. "Mean" Mike Miller & "Cowboy" Bob Orton California Title Match : Owen Hart © vs. Mr. Bob Backlund Three Way Elimination Pacific Tag Team Title Match : The Midnight Express © vs. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) Night Two Ron Garvin vs. Mando Guerrero Texas Red vs. Cannonball Grizzly John Tenta vs. Buddy Rose Brian Pillman vs. Gary Young Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament Semi-Final Match Billy Jack Haynes vs. Jack Victory Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament Semi-Final Match Ron Simmons vs. Maxx Payne Golden State Tag Team Title : Badd Company © vs. Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) Tournament Final to crown the first ever Pacific Submission Champion : Dan Severn vs. Jeff Jarrett Barry Windham & Konnan vs. One Man Gang & ?? ?? Moondog Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament Final Match

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Oakland Alameda County Arena, Oakland, on ESPN / TSN, March 18th Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) vs. Mike Miller & Bob Orton With both of these teams heading into the Vegas Vengeance Tag Team Tournament, they both wanted the win to get as much momentum as they can. Both teams played to their strengths, with Black Gold using their speed and combination moves while the Crazy Gang duo relied on skullduggery and brute force. The Crazy Gang thought they had it in the bag when they went for the double lariat on Steve Blackman, a move that had won them matches before. But Blackman ducked under the move, and while Douglas grabbed Orton's leg from the outside and tripped him. Miller ran straight into a running bicycle kick from Blackman, and scored a big win going into Vegas Vengeance. Robbie Brookside vs. Eddie Guerrero Eddie Guerrero may be in the middle of an intense rivalry with Art Barr, but he was just as aggressive and cocksure in this match as he has been with Barr. Brookside has been trying to find his feet as British Steel have been on a run of a tough series of losses. But it was hard to get much headway against the fiery Guerrero Brother. It seemed like it was all over when Guerrero went up top for the Frog Splash. But that was when Art Barr ran out and shoved him off the top turnbuckle. Barr has taken umbrage at Guerrero stealing his move, and this has added fuel to the blazing inferno of their rivalry. The ref called for the DQ, and Barr kept attacking Guerrero until the other members of the Army and the Guerreros came out and separated the pair. Submission Title Tournament Semi-Final Match : Dan Severn vs. Hector Guerrero With the Submission Title Tournament moving into the semi finals, these two warriors knew they needed to kick things into a higher gear in order to get one step closer to be the inaugural Submission Champion. They both worked hard to wear down the other, to get them in place for a submission hold. The experienced Guerrero was well matched against Severn, a master of multiple martial arts, and the battle was gripping to say the least. No matter what, Guerrero was not able to get Severn in the Gory Special, and eventually Severn took him over with a single arm throw before cinching in a cross arm breaker. Realizing he was nowhere near the ropes , Guerrero tapped out, and Severn was heading to the finals. Billy Jack Haynes vs. Al Snow Billy Jack is dead set on getting revenge on Jack Victory for his loss at Aloha Spectacular, and is willing to go through all of the Knights Templar to get to him. His manager, Sunshine, had her own altercation with Knights Templar mentor Bob Backlund, who was present at ringside. Sunshine was staring daggers at Backlund throughout, but Backlund kept his distance, staring at the match. Billy Jack was not about to take it easy on Snow, and while Snow acquitted himself well , Haynes put him down with authority with a crushing shoulder breaker. Billy Jack clearly isn't going to be satisfied until he gets another shot at Jack Victory. Brian Pillman vs. Bob Backlund Backlund was back out right away to have his own match with Brian Pillman. Backlund has had the Knights Templar taking aim at Pillman's Snowbirds partner Owen Hart and his California Title, but Pillman, still showing wear and tear from the previous week's cage match with TV champ Big Bubba Rogers, was set on showing that he was not someone to look past. Pillman showed a lot of grit and determination as he fought valiantly against the former World champ. But Backlund kept his cool throughout, and blocked an attempted waistlock take down by Pillman only to counter with a belly to back suplex. He trapped Pillman in the Crossface Chicken Wing, forcing Pillman to give up the match. Backlund is showing that his position as leader of the Knights Templar is well deserved. Submission Title Tournament Semi-Final Match : Leo Burke vs. Jeff Jarrett This would be the last match of the show, and would determine who would face Dan Severn at Vegas Vengeance for the Submission Title. Severn came out with Jarrett, but stood in a neutral corner while he observed the match. This match contrasted the veteran methodology of Burke with the young enthusiasm of Jarrett, but they both had the same goal in mind. The advantage was passed back and forth throughout the match, and it looked like Burke would be able to catch Jarrett in the Sleeper Hold. But Jarrett dropped down and broke up the hold with a jawbreaker. He got up and clotheslined Burke to the mat before applying the Figure Four Leglock. Burke did everything he could to turn it over or get to the ropes. But he was in the middle of the ring and eventually had to tap out. Jarrett immediately let go of the hold, then helped Burke to his feet with a pat on the back for appreciation of a good match. Severn then entered the ring and held out his hand to Jarrett, who shook it. But as the two locked eyes, there was a clear tension in the air as they both realized that they would have to force their friend and partner to surrender in order to become the inaugural Submission Champion. These two are on a path to a showdown, and that ends at Vegas Vengeance.

Legend on the west coast, died in an automobile accident in 1978. He had an amazing 2/3 falls match with Buddy Rose. I believe he was the original wrestling Moondog. I struggled to find a fitting name for the tournament, then thought it would be a great tribute to the Moondog.

Truth be told, the match at Aloha Spectacular had been meant to be the last match between the two, and they were going to move on to other things. But people responded so well to that match , I decided to give them one more big match and give them a proper closer to the feud.

Some big news for the upcoming two night spectacular Vegas Vengeance show. First up, to sweeten the pot for the big "Moondog" Lonnie Mayne Memorial Tag Team Tournament, the grand prize for the winning team has been increased from $200000 to $500000! This should make the competition even more intense. The teams competing in the tournament will be : Hector & Eddie Guerrero Mr. Hito & Masanobu Fuchi The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) "Mean" Mike Miller & "Cowboy" Bob Orton The Hart Foundation Black Gold (Steve Blackman & Shane Douglas) US Steel & Art Barr British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) Besides the tournament, the already announced matches are : Barry Windham & Konnan vs. One Man Gang & a mystery partner And the tournament finals to crown the first ever Pacific Submission Champion. To that , we can now add a few more announced matches : Pacific Light Heavyweight Title Match : Black Tiger (c) vs. Chavo Guerrero Golden State Tag Team Title Match : Badd Company (c) vs. Tabarnak De Team (Big Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) Three Way Elimination Pacific Tag Team Title Match : The Midnight Express (c) vs. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) California Title Match : Owen Hart (c) vs. Mr. Bob Backlund Pacific Television Title Match : Big Bubba Rogers (c) vs. Tony St. Clair Looking forward to what should be a great 2 nights of wrestling.

I am loving AWA world champ Tommy Rich! Can't wait to see where it goes with Blackjack.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from McArthur Court, Eugene, March 13th US Steel & Art Barr vs. "Mean" Mike Miller & Bob Orton With both teams heading into the Vegas Vengeance Tag Team Tournament, they were looking to have a good showing and get some momentum going into the tournament. In the end, the match went to the Crazy Gang, with Miller pinning Barr after hitting an over the shoulder neckbreaker. A tough loss for Barr, but after 3 hard fought matches in one weekend, he has nothing to feel bad about. Tony St. Clair vs. Al Snow Despite considerable effort from Snow, St. Clair got the win with the Spinning Forearm Smash. The Hart Foundation vs. Maxx Payne & Lord Humongous A highly competitive match between two tough teams. Hart was trying to get Payne in the modified Scorpion Hold he had recently started using, but Humongous ambushed him from behind and used his hockey mask to give several brutal headbutts to the back of the head. Payne covered Hart and scored the one two three. John Tenta vs. Chris Candido Full credit to Candido, the former Light Heavyweight Champ did everything he could to take down Tenta. But he could not make a dent in the former Sumo wrestler, and Tenta pinned him with the Big Quake. Shane Douglas vs. Stan Lane While both men are primarily tag team wrestlers, they squared off in an exciting singles match. Douglas scored a major upset when he surprised Lane with a belly to belly suplex for the victory. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) & Steven Regal vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) & Curtis Hughes A ferocious six man match that went to Ronnie P. Gossett's men when Hughes hit the Cat's Claw (modified side slam onto the knee) on Regal California Title Match : Owen Hart © vs. Bobby Eaton Owen and Eaton had a thrilling match with many near falls that ended when Owen was able to roll out of the way of the Alabama Jam, then trap Eaton with a double leg cradle to successfully defend his title.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Portland Memorial Coliseum , Portland , on ESPN / TSN Pacific Super Cards, March 12th 2/3 Falls Match : Art Barr vs. Eddie Guerrero 1st Fall : Guerrero came out strong out of the gates and was able to get the first pinfall with the Frog Splash 2nd Fall : Barr fought back and hit his own Frog Splash to even the count 3rd Fall : Both men were still battling it out when the bell rang, signaling a 20 minute time limit draw Result : Draw Cactus Jack vs. Gary Young Young grabbed the ropes to block an attempted Russian Legsweep by Cactus and hit a DDT for the win Robbie Brookside vs. Jack Victory Despite a game effort from Brookside, Victory kept up the win streak for the Knights Templar with a Victory-Plex Texas Red, Ron Garvin & Billy Jack Haynes vs. Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski & Cannonball Grizzly With all 6 men brawling in the ring at once, Grizzly had Garvin set up for the Cannonball Crush, but Fit Finlay came out and shoved him off the top turnbuckle. Texas Red then hit a running legdrop to defeat the Playboy Club Barry Windham, Ron Simmons, Curt Hennig, Konnan & Dingo Warrior vs. One Man Gang, Mr. Hito, Masanobu Fuchi & Badd Company This was a long and intense match, with Dingo Warrior teaming up with the Brigade for the first time to take on Gary Hart International. The facepainted one was particularly keen to go after Hito and Fuchi. But it was Pat Tanaka, still battered from the earlier match with TDT, who ended up being pinned after a massive double clothesline from Dingo and Ron Simmons Pacific Television Title Cage Match : Big Bubba Rogers © vs. Brian Pillman After a series of intense title matches, including a classic at Aloha Spectacular, it has come down to this big match that would take place inside a STEEL cage. Pillman was out first, a look of grim determination on his face. After that came the champion, with his manager, Jim Cornette, giving rapid fire instructions in his ear. Knowing that he would be unable to interfere in the match due to the cage, Cornette was set on giving as much help as he could to Big Bubba before the door closed. Once it did, the two warriors got to it. Big Bubba loomed over the former Cincinnati Bengal, but Pillman was not intimidated. One could soon see why, as Pillman stood his ground in the face of the powerful punches , firing back with wicked chops that made Big Bubba take a back step. Neither man relented in the match, with both getting busted open against the hard steel of the cage. Little by little, Pillman seemed to be wearing down Big Bubba, even managing to achieve what some thought was impossible by taking him off his feet with a flying dropkick. He tried to put him away for good by going up top for a flying cross body press. But Bubba managed to catch him in mid air and, in a spectacular feat of strength, drive him into the corner turnbuckle with a power slam. He then powerslammed Pillman into the mat, the ref counted three, and that was that. Pillman had given it his best, but Big Bubba Rogers remains the champ.

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Portland Sports Arena, Portland , on ESPN / TSN , March 11th Art Barr vs. Eddie Guerrero Last week, Eddie Guerrero scored a huge victory by pinning his rival Art Barr. Barr took this extremely personally, not just the loss but the fact that Guerrero pinned him with his own signature move, the Frog Splash. Barr insisted on an immediate rematch, and tonight it was granted. The ref never even had a chance to make the introduction as Barr came out and immediately tore into Guerrero. Eddie fought back hard but really didn't get much of a chance to get his bearing as Barr attacked him with a vengeance. It didn't take Barr long to send him to the mat with a crescent kick, then he went up top and hit his own Frog Splash to put an end to the match. Only that wasn't the end, as Barr went up top, looking to hit it again. The other three Guerrero Brothers raced out to pull their brother out of harm's way, and Leo Burke came out to talk Barr down, but Barr was shouting at the Guerreros as Burke pulled him away from the ring. Clearly this match resolved nothing. Interview : Frank Bonnema stands in the ring Bonnema : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guests are … * pained expression * no strangers to the interview segment … Buddy Rose and the Playboy Club. The crowd greets Buddy Rose and his men with boos, but Rose, Ed Wiskowski, Fit Finlay and Cannonball Grizzly don't seem particularly affected by it, having already sour expressions etched on their faces the moment they step through the curtain. Bonnema : Buddy Rose, there is a prevailing sense that all is not well in the Playboy Club. Care to comment? Rose : Oh, I definitely care to comment. If there is anything the Playboy Club prides itself on, it's that we get the job done. I took care of that idiot Rip Oliver, and we aren't going to see him again! We gave the Sheepchasers a simple job, take care of TDT. They failed, and now they are gone from the Club. No big loss, we had someone waiting in the wings … Cannonball Grizzly! He proved that he is Playboy Club material, he's kept Texas Red away from me, and now he has earned official membership. (Grizzly can be seen giving a quick grin before returning to his serious expression) The Playboy Club is a tight organization, with everyone kicking butt and doing what they are told. Except there seems to be someone * glaring at Fit Finlay * who seems to have lost some of his zest for the job. Someone who wants to play fair with our enemies. Wants to help them up and give them a pat on the back instead of kicking their teeth in. What's the deal, Irish? Are you getting soft? Have you been ill? Feeling a little sick with the flu are we? You look a bit tired, maybe it's time for your nap. (Finlay bristles at this.) Are you no longer happy with your position in the Club? Because we can reconsider it if that is what you really want. Finlay : Oh, I'm sick alright. I'm sick and I'm tired of you! * the crowd cheers * I joined your little club because you promised me the chance to fight. Well, I soon found out that meant doing all your fighting for you. You hid behind me while I took the lumps and ran away when the going got too tough. Well, maybe that's good enough for this young idiot (Grizzly bristles) but it's not good enough for me. Sure , I show respect to British Steel. They took the best shots I could give them, and they never backed down. I never thought I would say this, but those English kids showed me a damned sight more guts than you ever have. So I can save you the trouble of reconsidering my position. You can take your stupid Club, and you can shove it! Finlay gets in a quick right cross on Rose that knocks him down, but Grizzly and Easy Ed are on him right away. Finlay fights back hard, but the numbers are against him. Before they can do too much damage, Texas Red and Billy Jack Haynes are out and clear the Playboy Club from the ring. Finlay is battered but still defiant. Submission Title Tournament Match : Jeff Jarrett vs. Mr. Hito The next match would be for a berth in the Semi-Finals of the Submission Title Tournament. While young Jarrett has pulled out some clutch victories for the odd couple with his Figure Four leglock, the Japanese veteran Hito has a variety of punishing nerveholds and armlocks in his arsenal, any of which could spell the end of the match. As one might figure, Hito worked over Jarrett's arms through the match, while Jarrett targeted the legs of Hito. Hito wound up making an uncharacteristic mistake when he attempted a kneedrop to wear down Jarrett's outstretched arm, but Jarrett was able to pull away at the last second, and Hito landed hard on his knee. Jarrett quickly took advantage and wrapped Hito in the Figure Four right in the middle of the ring. With no way out, Hito tapped out to avoid further damaging his knee. Jarrett was now one step closer to the Submission Title. Steve Blackman vs. Bob Backlund Bob Backlund is someone well familiar with submission holds, and was a curious omission from the title tournament. Perhaps to show that the PCW officials had made a mistake in leaving him out of the tournament, he seemed to be adding a bit of extra viciousness in every wear down hold he used on Blackman. Blackman put up a brave fight, lacing into Backlund with kicks and chops every time he got an opening. But the skill of the former World Champion was too much to overcome, and after an especially jarring atomic drop, Backlund procured the crossface chicken wing on Blackman. Blackman tapped out, but Backlund did not release the hold until the ref ordered him to. Whoever wins the Submission Title, they may well have to face a challenge from Backlund, sooner or later. Billy Jack Haynes vs. Buddy Rose Billy Jack Haynes has been warmly received by the fans since his return to the Pacific Northwest, along with his new manager Sunshine. Mostly he has had his hands full with Jack Victory and the Knights Templar, but tonight he would square off with his old nemesis Buddy Rose. Rose had his young protégé Cannonball Grizzly prowling around ringside, but Billy Jack kept his focus squarely on the Playboy. In spite of Rose using all of the stalling and dirty tricks at his disposal to keep him at bay, Billy Jack kept rocking Rose with big shots and power moves. Grizzly was about to get up on the ring apron to tip the balance in Rose's favour, but he found himself pulled off by Texas Red . While the two slugged it out at ringside, Rose summoned Ed Wiskowski from the locker room. But Easy Ed was waylaid by Fit Finlay, looking for some payback for earlier in the evening. With his two allies being taken out of play, Rose went to his last resort and pulled a set of brass knucks out of his trunks. But it had taken too long, as Haynes cut him off with a big boot to the midsection. Billy Jack followed up with a truly impressive shoulder breaker to get the pinfall. Buddy Rose had been king of the hill, but now it seems like he might have made just too many enemies to contain. Submission Title Tournament Match : Leo Burke vs. Masanobu Fuchi This would be the final match of the first round of the Submission Title Tournament, and it would pit two cagey experienced wrestlers against each other. Fuchi, newly returned to PCW, went right after Burke, working him over to try to bring him to the mat and apply the STF. Burke kept steady and stood his ground, looking to draw Fuchi into his Sleeper hold. At one point, Fuchi was able to get Burke in the STF, but Burke was able to struggle enough to reach the ropes, and the ref ordered Fuchi to break the hold. Fuchi tried to take Burke down again, but Burke caught him with a hiptoss and immediately pounced, wrapping him in the Sleeper. Fuchi was in the middle of the ring and had nowhere to go, so he tapped out. He bowed in respect to Burke after the match. The semi finals were now in place : Dan Severn would face Hector Guerrero, and Jeff Jarrett would do battle with Leo Burke. Interview : Frank Bonnema stands in the ring Bonnema : Ladies and gentlemen, my next guests are headed to the main event of Vegas Vengeance … the One Man Gang, and his manager, Gary Hart ! Gang and Hart were looking especially smug as they walked out to a chorus of boos from the fans. They were both looking like the proverbial cat that ate the canary as they joined Frank Bonnema in the ring. Bonnema : Well, you two are certainly full of yourselves today. No doubt you have some sort of sinister plan to bring in your mystery partner to take on Barry Windham and Konnan at Vegas Vengeance. I don't suppose you'd care to share the details with the rest of us. Hart : You are spectacularly wrong on all counts, Bonnema. In all truth, we have no more idea of who our partner is going to be than you do. Bonnema : What … you mean, you don't know who the mystery partner is either? How is that possible? Gang : It's a mystery. HA HA HA!!!! Tell him all about it, Moon! Hart : You see, Frank Bonnema, we were contacted by a high profile lawyer … no need to go into names, but they had our attention from the get go. They explained that they represented a wrestler who wanted their own shot at the Brigade and were willing to do anything to make that happen. Now, normally we would give someone like this the bum's rush. Gary Hart International can take care of our own business! But business is business, and they were keen to make an offer. Well, it didn't take long to come to an agreement, and the price was certainly right. Our mystery patron has been extremely generous, and it will be a pleasure to work with them, whoever they turn out to be. Bonnema : But aren't you worried if this is some sort of trap? I mean , this could be anyone. Hart : We have no worries at all. The big 747 here is more than capable of taking on those Brigade punks all by himself. So long as our partner doesn't get underfoot, victory is guaranteed! Non-title Match : Badd Company vs. Tabarnak De Team (Jos Leduc & Pierre Carl Ouellet) A big part of Gary Hart's confidence has been the success of Badd Company. After finishing off 1986 on a losing streak, they have completely reversed their fortunes since taking on Hart as their manager. They have not only won the Golden State Tag Team Titles but held onto them in the face of intense competition. TDT, on the other hand, are coming off a big victory over the Sheepherders at Aloha spectacular, and were dead set on proving that win was no fluke. The two teams were a study in contrast, with the champions relying on their speed and coordination while the Quebecois bruisers were opting for sheer blunt force trauma. Tanaka and Diamond did their best to stick and move, dodging out of the clutches of Leduc and Ouellet the best they could. But TDT were a constant threat, making every shot they landed do considerable damage. Tanaka tried to get Leduc off his feet with a series of rapid fire kicks, but got to close, and found himself in a crushing bearhug. Ouellet was then all over Diamond, keeping him from trying to break the hold. Leduc's strength is legendary, and it didn't take long for Tanaka to give up the match. A convincing win for Tabarnak De Team, and definitely one that puts them at the front of the line for a title shot.

Wow, it all falls apart so quickly for Wendi Richter! Big win for Medusa.

The leader of a heel group that actually...praises his men after they lose? Who chooses to focus on the positives instead of the failures? Bob Backlund just blew a LOT of fans minds! This will sound a bit weird , but a bit of my inspiration for the Bob Backlund story came from the Grand Admiral Thrawn series of Star Wars novels. In those novels, the title character proved to be a huge a threat to the post original trilogy Republic by leading through pride and esprit de corps, instead of leading through fear, bullying, and intimidation like Vader did. I liked the idea of a heel who had a group who were intensely dedicated to him because he gave them positive reinforcement, so I made Bob Backlund this sort of cult like leader.

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, March 6th British Steel (Steven Regal & Robbie Brookside) vs. The Wild Bulls (Ed & Rick Gantner) The young Englishmen found themselves overwhelmed by Ronnie Gossett's team, with Brookside going down to the Bull Hammer (running forearm smash to the face) by Ed Gantner Billy Jack Haynes vs. Sabu Billy Jack fought hard to put down the wild man of the Crazy Gang, finally forcing him to give up to the Full Nelson Leo Burke vs. Bob Backlund A taught technical showdown between two crafty veterans, with Burke trying to lock in the Sleeper hold while Backlund attempted to procure the Cross Face Chicken Wing. In the end, Backlund instead got the pinfall when he caught Burke in the Backlund Bridge John Tenta vs. Mr. Hito The local BC hero Tenta pinned Hito with the Big Quake Owen Hart & Brian Pillman vs. The Bomb Squad (Chris Candido & Al Snow) Hot on the heels of their victory the night before, the Bomb Squad gave a tremendous fight to the Snowbirds, managing several near falls before Snow was finally pinned after a double top rope dropkick by Hart and Pillman Pacific Tag Team Title Match : The Midnight Express © vs. The Rainbow Warriors (Vic Steamboat & Brian Adams) The Rainbow Warriors came very close to taking the tag titles on a number of occasions, but when Steamboat went up top for the flying cross body press, the Wild Bulls came out and knocked him down to the mat. While the Wild Bulls and the Rainbow Warriors slugged it out after the match, the Midnight Express retreated to the locker room, losing by DQ but still the champs. Pacific Television Title Match : Big Bubba Rogers © vs. Jeff Jarrett Young Jeff fought valiantly, but once again the Big Bubba Slam kept the title in the hands of the Louisville Slugger. Can anybody stop Big Bubba?