Pacific Coast Wrestling

[kevinmcfl]

I should realize by now to expect the unexpected in PCW!  I loved the second night of Showdown!  So many great matches and wild finishes!  I also like how there is always a reason for a loss.  This person was banged up or this person had a neck brace on.  This makes it hard for to get a hold on who should win and makes every match so interesting.  I admit, that I probably only protect about half of the matches right in PCW and that is just by luck.  Thanks for always keeping this interesting. 

Nick Bock with the title... can't wait to see who is next

Sid V. is unmasked and angry... going to be fun!

What's up with Neidhart?

Corny and the MNE without the title... What is next?

So many great things to watch for!

[kevinmcfl]

Enjoyed the post Showdown events.  Nice to see Neidhart ready to fight.  Wondering if there will be anything else from that quick tap.  It will be interesting to see why and by who Severn was attacked. Furnas and the Malenko brothers add some new interesting talent to PCW.  

 

WOW... a cage match on TV... awesome... but like the fans in the arena, I have no idea what really happened.  That's what's great about wrestling and our game.  You get hooked and teased so much you can't go away for l

[Autistic Dragon]

Furnas gets a more credible win while showing off his new allegiance.

Billy Jack has to take to the sky to defeat Grizzly.

Tiger sends off another challenger.

Rose steals another win over Finley, this time with some help from is friends.

Black Gold claim their first successful defense over the Bomb Squad.

The Malenkos correct their mistake from Seattle Showdown.

St Clair fends off a tough first challenger in the form of Gary Young.

[rainmakerrtv]

 

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, June 5^th

 

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.

[Autistic Dragon]

British Steel are firmly back on the winning path with a victory over the former Golden State Tag champs.

The MNE are also back in their winning ways thanks to Crony's racquet.

Red hitting the Tombstone on Easy Ed would've been a sight to see.

OMG puts a major dent in US Steel.

Simmons & Dingo power their way to victory over MR Backlund's problem children.

TDT fend off Los Guerreros to secure their first defense.

Mr Backlund takes advantage of double J's single mindedness to retain his duel straps.

[LowBlowPodcast]

PCW has got some big things happening with  Guys like Backlund and One Man Gang setting the bar higher and higher each week. I and hoping for MXE to show everyone what their made of sooner than later. I am also interested in Dingo and Simmons and what they could become... lots of intrigue with your roster.

[spaldoni]

Malenko's get a nice showcase.

Oh man! The Anvil is back with a vengeance! 

Furnas looks awesome here. A Malenko's/Furnas alliance? Watch out PCW! 

Whoa! Gary Hart brings in a Japanese enforce and goes right after Severn. This will be hard hitting.

I thought their 3 falls match was incredible, but damn, Eddie and Barr top it by going all out inside the cage. Barr gets the big visual and wins the match. I just loved all the reactions with Jack's being the best. Great storytelling. 

Vancouver,

Furnas beats Mando and it looks like he's officially in with the Malenko's.

Billy Jack has his hands full with Grizzly but pulls it out.

Tiger continues to have an iron grip on his LHW title.

Thanks to his loyal Playboy Club members, Rose gets another tainted win.

Black Gold get in their first title defense.

Malenko's even the score with the Warriors.

St. Clair and Young are two of my favorites in PCW. St. Clair is going to have an amazing TV title run. 

[spaldoni]

Kelowna,

After a tense couple of months, British Steel seem to be in sync and back on track. 

Midnight's rebound from their title loss with a big win over the Hart's.

Nobody gets up from the tombstone piledriver. Easy Ed would agree.

OMG wins the battle of big men.

Simmons and Warrior are really rising the tag ranks. 

Even though they're technically baby faces, TDT aren't afraid to get vicious. 

Backlund as dual champ sets up all kinds of interesting scenarios. This match with Jarrett is a perfect example. Jarrett puts in a valiant effort, but Backlund is unstoppable right now. 

[rainmakerrtv]

Pacific Wrestling Showcase from the Portland Sports Arena, Portland , on ESPN / TSN, June 10^th

 

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 14^th , 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."

[kevinmcfl]

Really fun read!  I enjoy your interviews and think you did an awesome job with both the The Army and Bock/Backlund.  Interesting to see how Eddie G. deals with the down time here.  Still wonder if we will here from The Anvil about his quick tap!

[Autistic Dragon]

The Pride makes a successful debut as a trio. I'm guessing the name is a reference to NJPW? Meanwhile, Eddie is chafing under his brothers attempts at protecting him.

Maeda dominates in his official debut.

The Army finally address the elephant in the room & Cactus & Barr take the opportunity to wash out.

Neidhart is really making his quick tapout everyone else's problem.

Mr Backlund makes it clear he intends to have Bock honor his word, one way or another. The part where he has to stop mid-sentence to silence Tatum & Victory got a chuckle out of me. I'm sure Bock will have a plan when he gets back.

Mr Backlund's frustrations mount as the Bomb Squad fall to the Hart brothers.

[rainmakerrtv]

52 minutes ago, Autistic Dragon said:

The Pride makes a successful debut as a trio. I'm guessing the name is a reference to NJPW? Meanwhile, Eddie is chafing under his brothers attempts at protecting him.

 

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.

[Autistic Dragon]

1 minute ago, rainmakerrtv said:

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.

Ah, i see. I'm use to seeing lions on the NJPW logo & i remembered hearing that Dean had a few tours there so that's why my mind went there.

[rainmakerrtv]

1 minute ago, Autistic Dragon said:

Ah, i see. I'm use to seeing lions on the NJPW logo & i remembered hearing that Dean had a few tours there so that's why my mind went there.

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

 

[rainmakerrtv]

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from the Portland Memorial Coliseum , Portland , on ESPN / TSN Pacific Super Cards, June 11^th

 

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.

[Autistic Dragon]

Maeda gets a decidedly more credible win over Mando.

Garvin k.o's Snow.

Humongous may have lost his mask but he's not finished with Konnan.

The Brigade win a rough one with RPG's bruisers.

TDT swerve Finley to claim their spots in the Playboy Club.

The MXE try to pull a fast one to get their belts back but Black Gold won't be fooled easily.

The Knights Templar give Bock a hand holding onto the PCW title. Though Tatum & Victory didn't seem too fond of their assigned role,

[rainmakerrtv]

Pacific Coast Wrestling show from McArthur Court, Eugene, June 12^th

 

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.

 

[Scarlet-Left]

Two great title matches back-to-back to close the show!

Black Tiger versus Jeff Jarrett would've been great to see live!

I'm glad Tony St Clair was able to hold on he, a victory over Cannonball Grizzly makes him look very impressive!

[Autistic Dragon]

Rainbow Warriors get a big win over former tag champs.

Big Bubba rebounds from losing his title with a win over the General.

Hennig gets a bit of payback on Young.

Furnas overpowers Sabu netting a win for the Pride.

Double J takes BT to the limit. Looking forward to the rematch.

Grizzly looks strong in defeat as it takes three spinning forearms & a elevated kneedrop to keep him down.

[spaldoni]

The Pride gets a big win over the Guerreros. Young Eddie is getting frustrated.

Damn, what a debut by Akira! Can't wait until him and Severn collide. 

Well, it was only a matter of time. Art and Cactus get discharged from the Army. I can only imagine the chaos those two will cause.

Anvil is really out to prove himself.

I could read these Bock/Backlund interactions all day. Bock's calendar is pretty full, but he makes room for a defense against Backlund. That is if he gets by Inoki in Japan.

Harts beat the Bomb Squad in a classic to end the show.

Portland,

Akira steps up the competition and gets the win over Mando.

When Garvin lands his punch, it's all over.

I knew Sid would be pissed. Konnan gets the powerbomb and Payne gets the win. 

Windham and Hennig get back on the winning track.

Wow! Didn't see this coming as TDT turns on Finlay and hooks up with the Playboy Club. That Rose is a genius. 

Black Gold proves their title win wasn't a fluke. 

Smart booking giving Billy Jack the title shot in Portland. Knight's interference protects Bob's title shot. However, Tatum and Victory are really getting under Bob's skin. 

Eugene.

Rainbow Warriors open up with a nice win over the former champs Badd Co. 

Bubba rebounds from his TV title loss with a big win over Leo. 

Hennig gets some satisfaction on Young. 

Fun contrast of styles match between Furnas and Sabu. 

Jarrett gets a moral victory by taking Tiger to the limit. 

Even though he came up short, Grizzly is put over strong. Great strategy by St. Clair. He's going to have an entertaining TV title reign. 

 

 

 

[rainmakerrtv]

New Japan Pro Wrestling / Pacific Coast Wrestling Co-Promotional Show, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, June 14^th

 

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.

[rainmakerrtv]

(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 . )

[Autistic Dragon]

PCW & NJPW bring together the best talents on both sides of the pacific.

SSM gets the home crown into it with a win over the General in the opener.

Pillman toughs it out impressing the Tokyo fans.

The Pride bring home the trios win.

Badd Company manage to keep things from getting too Wild in the PCW showcase.

The Brigade demonstrate why they're on of PCW's longest running units.

The Dragon returns home to take on the Playboy. Rose may have lost the match but he gained the crowds respect.

Black Tiger takes his legendary run with the Light Heavyweight title to the land of the rising sun.

Severn & Meade have the first of what promises to be many enjoyable slugfests.

Owen gives his all but isn't able to bring the IWGP Jr Heavyweight title back to the states.

Young shows why he's the golden boy of the Knights Templar.

Bockwinkel & Inoki close the night by going full broadway. Great way to end a historic night.

By my count the final score is 5-3-2 in PCW's favor.

[Scarlet-Left]

Neat way to kick off the introduction of the NJPW guys, with a solid win for Super Strong Machine!

It's great to see Brian Pillman doing well with the Japanese audience!

I love a good three-man team, and Pride are definitely impressive!

Badd Company versus Art Barr and Cactus Jack sounds like a really fun match! Nice to see Badd Company getting the win.

Barry Windham and Curt Hennig doing well here is cool to see.

Loved the narrative of the Buddy Rose versus Tatsumi Fujinami match!

Phenomenal juniors match, would've been happy with either outcome, Black Tiger is a great champion!

Excellent visuals for the Dan Severn versus Akira Maeda match!

I really hoped, against hope, that Owen Hart could pull off a win here! Excellent match either way!

Nice story told with Bob Backlund and Gary Young!

A broadway is a good way to close out the night! Solid show!

[spaldoni]

This is such a great idea! 

Super Strong Machine opens things up with a big win over Burke. Nice sportsmanship. 

Pillman getting buzz in Japan is a pretty big deal. 

Tremendous win for The Pride, especially with Kobayashi on the other side. 

Badd Co. gets the win, but the Wild Things prove themselves. 

Windham and Hennig are defiantly back on track.

LOL, only Rose could get that kind of reaction in Japan. However, he did earn Tatsumi's respect. 

Black Tiger is truly an international star. I can't see him losing his title anytime soon.

Damn! Severn and Akira get brutal! This is going to be a wild ride.

Owen shines but in the end, Shiro walks out with his title. 

Young makes Backlund proud by surviving Choshu and Fujiwara. 

Inoki vs. Bock in Japan is a big time main event. The match lives up to its hype and goes to a thrilling 60 minute draw. Standing ovation. 

Excellent job!