Great American Bash 1986

[spaldoni]

Lee Greenwood sure sets the tone tonight.

Regal spoils the Jr. title match. I will say this gives the Jr. division some nice attention. 

LOL, Davis really didn't stand a chance and almost gets power bombed through the mat.

Major heat in the next segment! Fans almost riot when the Iraq anthem starts to play but none other than SGT. SLAUGHTER comes out to save the day! Awesome moment that was perfect for the Great American Bash. I know you were excited about writing this. 

Cooley vs. Landel was a fun feud. Cooley gets the satisfying win and his stock goes way up. LOL, we all know Solie loved this.

Another feel good moment as Precious gets the best of Woman and Garvin puts Poffo in a dress. The lipstick was icing on the cake. 

Twists, turns and surprises fill the next segment. We find out Landel won't be far from home and RPG has another plan. Slater gets double crossed and Olympia walks out with the title. RPG is such a heat magnet.

I knew it! Those dirty Rich's! I can't believe Mama Rich did that. This is going to be the family feud of the century!

RPG gets his and more! LOL, Slater gave him a first class beating. It gets better as the official NWA tag champs get a clean win over the Stud Stable. 

After last night, I wondered what Magnum's condition would be. Well, he was on his A game as he basically beat both Masked Superstars. Very creative match. The only question now is, does Magnum have enough left in the tank? A Russian Nightmare awaits. 

This card was so well done. A lot of feuds had great blow offs. New feuds began and others start a new chapter. 

 

 

 

[Autistic Dragon]

Alright time for night 2!

How the hell did I forget to have someone sing national anthem?

Regal costs Horner the title & Embry the match in one move. Regal's gonna have folks talking bout him for sure which is just how he likes it!

Davis does better than expected but still gets steamrolled. Maybe he'll learn to respect the ladies.

Sarge arrives just in time to ruin the evil foreigners win. Khan vs Slaughter let's get it!

45 minutes with Jumbo....50 minutes with BOTH Masked Superstars. Magnum T.A is gonna dig clear through to China to find enough to beat Nikita!

CCW must of had Pensacola rocking all night!

[kevinmcfl]

 

 

 

THE LOUISIANA SUPERDOME

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

JULY 5, 1986

 

Jim Ross:  Thank you.  Thank you so very much and welcome once again to Mid-South Wrestling.  Tonight is the final night of the Great American Bash.  The first two nights in Denver and Pensacola have been extraordinary events and tonight will be just the same!   We have 9 huge matches including all three NWA World Titles.  The biggest question is can the American’s, on Independence Weekend, survive an invasion from the Russians who are coming both for the NWA World Title and the NWA World Tag Team Title.  Don’t worry fans, the Americans are in great hands as Ted Dibiase and Dr. Death will be defending the Tag Title against Ivan Koloff and Kruscher Kruschev and then in thr bug one, we have the biggest name in American Wrestling today…. Magnum T.A. defending the World Title agains the Russian Nightmare, Nikita Koloff.  That and much, much more on an historical night in the Louisiana Superdome.  I see our ring announcer is set so let’s turn it over to Gary Michael Cappetta and get right to all the action.

Gary Michael Cappetta:  Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the Louisiana Superdome.  The National Wrestling Association in conjunction with Mid-South Wrestling brings you the best wrestling has to offer tonight as it presents the final night of the Great American Bash.  Before we get to the ring, please stand and remove your hats as the great B.B. King plays our national anthem. 

 

  NWA JR Heavyweight TItle

  Eric Embry vs Mike Graham 

Mike Graham was excited for the title shot and came out fast which caused Eric Embry to go to the questionable tactics right away.  This might be the closest thing we get to a real wrestling match the entire night as many of the other matches are just going to turn into one brawl after another.  We get a quality first match that saw many momentum changes but Embry showed that he was just dirty enough to keep this recently won Jr. Heavyweight title.  The end came after the ref didn’t notice the low blow and them Embry came off the top rope with a forearm smash.  The pin included a grab of the trunks and a foot on the ropes for leverage.  Embry has proven to be one of the dirtiest wrestlers of the Bash and he put the other Jr. Lightweights on notice that they better be ready for anything when they come after his title.

 

Grudge Match

Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs Iceman Parsons

These two, with contrasting styles put on a great match.  Iceman with his energy wants to go at a fast-paced tempo while “the Sanke” wants to slow this one down into a methodical destruction of his opponent with the end coming with a sudden strike… the DDT.

Neither one gets exactly what they want here in terms of a victory but they both get to beat on each other a bit; maybe too much.  The action spilled outside the ring and they both seemed content to club away at the other and neither made it back to the ring.  This brawl continued all the way up the ramp until the two were behind the curtain and out of camera shot.

  

Grudge Match

  Terry Taylor vs Gorgeous Gary Young

No matter how arrogant, confident and dirty Gary Young was in this match, there was no stopping Terry Taylor.  In a match that Taylor controlled 75% of the action, he was able to put away Young with the Five Arm.  The only thing that went wrong in this match for Taylor was the celebration.  As he partied with the crowd, Young attacked from behind with a chair and left Taylor laying on the arena floor.  It seems that this one is not over yet.

Mid-South Title Match

"Hacksaw" Butch Reed (c) vs Any Member of Ernie Ladd's Stable!

The champ was at a clear disadvantage in this one.  Everyone thought all along that it would be Ernie Ladd bringing One Man Gang to the ring to fight Reed as that is the only person we have seen him manage lately.  The crowd and Reed were shocked when it turned out to be Bad News Allen.  Allen had lost a Loser Leave Town for a Year Match against Magnum T.A. just over a year ago and the people had forgotten all about him.  When he came out with Ladd, they were quickly reminded of how nasty and dangerous he could be.  Bad News attacked before the bell but Reed was expecting it.  No big deal to Allen as the fight was on and make no mistake about it…. This was a FIGHT!

Unfortunately for ref Scrappy McGowen, he got a little to close to the action and was knocked down by Reed with an accidentel shoulder block.  With the ref down, here comes Ernie Ladd and the 2-1 attack.

Allen held Reed while Ladd connected with 3 Giant Boots to the head.  Reed was almost done here.

WHAM… Ghetto Blaster by Allen and Reed is now completely done!

McGowen had recovered enough by now to make the three count.

Jim Ross:  I can’t believe what I have just witnessed.  Ernie Ladd and Bad News Allen have cheated their way to the North American Title.  This combination might be unstoppable!  Hacksaw Butch Reed is going to need some help.

 

  Mid-South Tag Team Title Match: Bunkhouse Stlye

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes & Blackjack Mulligan vs Outlaw Ron Bass & Black Bart

Come dressed as you like sees all 4 of these big “cowboys” in jeans while Bart and Bass have added some black cowboy hats to the attire.  Bass has also brought “old Bessie,” his bull rope with him.  We get a good 15 minutes of all out brawling with each man getting their time on both top and bottom.  In the end, this brawl ends with a double count-out. 

 

Loser Leave Town Match

  Harley Race vs Larry Zbyszko

Finally, this 18 month long feud must come to an end!  Zbyszko pulls out the entire array of dirty tricks in this match to ensure it is not him.  From playing the frightened heel and sucker punching Race as the ref tried to keep the former NWA Champ away to low blows to an illegal weapon (a small rope) used to choke Race with, Larry was a diry as good be.  The problem was that each of these attacks just seemed to fuel the anger in Harley.  In the end, we see the high, high vertical suplex followed by the top rope diving headbutt followed by the piledriver to give Harley the win.

The crowd, who throughout history, has not always been behind Race, were ecstatic.  This was mostly due to the fact that Zbyszko will be gone!  They gave Harley a nice ovation and it was obvious that he was enjoying it.  In fact, he stayed around the ring for an unusually long time.  Almost like this might be the last time he is going to be here for a while.

 

  NWA World Tag Team Title Match

  Ted Dibiase & Dr. Death (c) vs Ivan Koloff & Kruscher Kruschev 

Back and forth we go.  Americans in control…. Russians in control….. who will get the last run?  We see Dibiase playing the face in peril and he is taking some serious double team moves from Ivan and Kruscher.  Ivan tells Kruscher to hold Dibiase.

WHAM… Ivan with a huge forearm to KRUSCHER…..  Dibiase has slipped away at the last minute.

Dibiase with the hot tag and Dr. Death is in like a house a fire!  He is tossing both Russians from pillar to post.  Dibiase is back in.  The whip both Russians into one another and then slam their heads together. 

WHAM…. Dr. Death with the Oklahoma Stampede on Kruscher.

WHAM…. Dibiase with a face first suplex on Ivan…. Right on top of Kruscher.

Dr. Death with the cover….. 1….2…3!  Dibiase and Dr. Death have survived this Independence Day invasion and are still the NWA World Tag Team Champions.

And then the unexpected….

Ivan Koloff with his big Russian Chain…..

WHAM…. Koloff whips KRUSCHER off the ropes and levels him with the chain.  Koloff continues the assault for the next few minutes.  After Kruscher’s betrayal of the U.S. there is nobody coming to his rescue.  THIS IS FOR THE RUSSIANS TO FIGURE OUT!  And it’s obvious they did…. Kruscher is no longer with them.  He is a man without a country! 

 

Steel Cage Match for the North American Title

Terry Gordy (c) vs Michael Hayes

Michael Hayes has no idea what he got himself into.  Gordy pounds him from one side of the cage to the other as this match gets under way and Hayes and his pretty face are busted up early.  Hayes with a rake of the eyes is able to slow down Bam Bam but only for a short period of time.  Gordy gets the rather quick but brutal victory after a piledriver on Hayes.  After the bout, and with Gordy heading back to the locker room, a bloody Michael Hayes, still groggy, grabs the house mic….

Michael Hayes:  Enough…. Enough Bam Bam.  This last month has been tearing me apart inside.  We are brothers.  I know families fight but in the end, they come together and that bond is even stronger.  Come back here know and let’s get back to the way things should be… Freebirds helping Freebirds.

The crowd urges Gordy to keep walking but Gordy has been a Freebird for a long time.  He grew up in this industry with Michael Hayes and you can see it in his eyes that this means a lot to him.  Slowly he turns, hands on hips…. Thinking… Gordy…..starts walking…. Back to Hayes.  They embrace in the center of the ring for a long time. 

As the two head out, Gordy has his North American Title while Hayes gets  his robe that he wore to the ring, the crowd is unsure what to make of this.  Is Gordy going back to his heel ways or is Michael Hayes now with Gordy on the side of good?

We don’t have to wait long to find out!

Hayes reaches into his robe and pulls out a container of some sort of cream.  He dips his hand in and comes out with a big glob of it.  From behind Hayes violently rubs the cream right in the eyes of Gordy….

Gordy is screaming in agony.  He is rolling on the floor, writhing in pain.  Hayes still with the house mic…

Michael Hayes:  And once you turn on a Freebird, the Freebirds will DESTROY YOU!

Hayes is getting all kinds of heat.  Debris is raining down on him as he smirks his way to the locker room.  Gordy needs help.  It is like he is totally blind.  Doctors rush to the ring.  They place towels over his head and are screaming instructions!!! Gordy must be guided to the back where you hear people screaming to get him to the hospital.

 

 

 NWA World Title Match

" The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff vs Magnum T.A (C) 

The question is can Magnum muster up enough energy to survive the Russian Nightmare.  He has dealt with a monster of a match with Jumbo on the first night of the Bash and last night he basically had to deafeat Superstar #1 and #1 in a 55- minute marathon.  Everyone knows this is ble as Nikita has basically owned T.A. in their recent battles where he has done everything but with the belt.  The best hope for T.A. is this is Independence Day and the crowd won’t let him go down to a Russian on July 4^th weekend if they could help it.

The match is a WAR but it is obvious that the last two nights has taken its toll on T.A..  He is one step behind the Russian Nightmare who is connecting with big move after big move.  In a moment of pure desperation, T.A. catches Nikita with the Belly to Belly Suplex.

1….2… Ivan Koloff reaches into the ring and pulls T.A.’s leg and drags him off of Nikita.  The pin attempt is foiled.  The ref is admonishing Ivan and T.A. is glaring at him but nothing else comes of these shenanigans.  T.A. is giving everything he has but he just can’t finish off Nikita. 

WHAM…WHAM…. A double clothesline and both men are down.  Who gets up first will be in control.

Despite the crowd’s help, T.A. collapsed along the ropes after dragging himself up hand over hand to the top rope.  Nikita is up and gives an  hellacious scream!

WHAM…. Russian Sickle on T.A. when he was eventually able to get to his feet…..

1…2….2 ½   Kickout by T.A.

The crowd is relieved but only for a second as Koloff drags Ivan up be his hair.

WHAM…. A second Russian Sickle on T.A..

1….2….2  ¾   Kickout by T.A.

Nobody in the Superdome can believe it.  Every wrestler in the NWA has been done after one Sickle but T.A. has survived 2.  The crowd is screaming….

Nikita again drags T.A. and whips him into the ropes for sickle #3….. T.A. ducks under and hits the ropes on the other side.  He meets Nikita in the center and wraps his arms around Nikita.  T.A. is going for the Belly to Belly.

WHAM… T.A. was just too weak and couldn’t execute the move.  Nikita blocked it.

WHAM… Short arm Russian Sickle….

1….2….3!

The crowd is in shock but they know they just saw a classic match.  Even as the announcer calls for the NEW NWA World Champion, the what if’s start in the crowd.  What if T.A. had not had to wrestle Jumbo the Masked Superstar the last two nights.  What if there wasn’t so much travel.  What if Ivan had not interfered.

Make no mistake about it, the crowd in the Superdome booed like crazy when Nikita and Ivan celebrated in the ring but they also cheered like crazy as Magnum walked back to the locker room.  They all know in their hearts that he will Very Soon win the NWA World Title for a 3^rd time!

And that’s the end of the Great American Bash 86!

[spaldoni]

The Rock n Roll legends were out this weekend. Chuck Berry at WrestleRock and BB King at the Great American Bash! To cool. 

Embry retains against a game Graham. Embry will have a lot to say next week. 

I like the contrasting styles between Iceman and Snake. Looks like we're going to get more.

Taylor dominates and puts Young down. However, Young isn't finished just yet. 

Shocker of the night as Ladd brings out Bad News Allen! Ladd plays a major role tonight and bad news for Reed as Allen wins the title. This is going to be one brutal feud. 

The cowboys go at it in a bunkhouse match with neither team proving who's tougher. 

Feel good moment as Race ends his 18 month feud with Larry Z. Very satisfying win for Race. This feud was really well done and had a great blow off. 

Dibiase and Williams survive the weekend and prove without a doubt, they're the undisputed champs. Post match twist as Koloff destroys Kruscher. Is Kruscher done or will he be back for revenge? 

Gordy shows Hayes who the better Freebird is. I believed Hayes and thought this was all behind them and the Freebirds were reunited. NO! Hayes does the unthinkable. What a swerve!  Gordy's in bad shape. 

Big time main event. I had a feeling the Bash title defenses would catch up to Magnum. Magnum goes out even stronger as it takes 3 sickles and interference from Ivan to finally put him down. Awesome reign for Magnum but now we're going to get the reign of the Russian Nightmare.  

You and A.D. did a tremendous job! Hopefully you guys will do this again. 

 

 

[Scarlet-Left]

This was a great idea, well executed! As has been said, I hope this style makes a return! Ending the whole affair with Nikita Koloff standing is such a bold move! I love it!

[GeneJackson95]

Amazing job with the Great American Bash...I'm excited to be back and be part of the NWA moving forward!

[jeff5819]

Wow 3 amazing nights of action culminating in a shock outcome with nikita winning. Looking forward to seeing where the nwa goes from here. 

 

All 3 shows left us with thrills an spills for the individual promotions as well as plenty about the future of the nwa champions. Great stuff