ROUND ONE CONTINUES
Catching up? Here is the background info:
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings
BRACKETS
Updated brackets going into tonight's matches.
[Links to previous matches at the bottom of this post.]
THIS WEEK'S MATCHES (begin below)
Barbarian/Graham (w/ Paul Jones) vs. Hart Foundation (w/ Jimmy Hart)
High Flyers (Brunzell/Gagne) vs.
Randy Savage and Lanny Poffo
The 1985
Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament is ready to begin. Wait, did you
just say 1985? It’s time to take a look at one of wrestling’s biggest events
from the mid-80s and see what it might have been like with a few historical
alterations. What if Jim Crockett Promotions hosted its tag team tournament the
Crockett Cup in 1985 and included teams from promotions outside the National
Wrestling Alliance (“NWA”) including the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the
American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan
Pro Wrestling, and more? In this case, you’d have 48 of the greatest tag teams
in the world battling in a winner take all tournament for $1,000,000 and the
prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Trophy.
First Round Rules: Here are
the rules for the first-round matches. A pool of referees from the NWA, AWA,
and WWF have been appointed for the tournament and randomly selected for each
match. The first-round matches have a thirty-minute time limit and are sanctioned
under NWA rules (throwing an opponent over the top rope is an automatic
disqualification). The matches are one fall with a win obtained by a pinfall,
submission, count-out, or disqualification.
The
first-round matches are being held over two nights, with the first eight
matches taking place at the Baltimore Civic Center on Thursday April 11. Bob
Caudle and David Crockett are calling the matches tonight.
The first two matches saw Blackjack Mulligan and Wahoo McDaniel defeat Larry “The Ax” Hennig
and “Crusher” Jerry Blackwell while Mega Maharishi and Kendo Nagasaki stole a
win from Buzz Tyler and “Pistol” Pez Whatley. Matches three and four saw the WWF’s
U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda) defeated the AWA’s Nick
Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito while New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Antonio Inoki and
Seiji Sakaguchi defeated Montreal’s Raymond and Jacques Jr. Rougeau. The next two matches should be just
as good as the top teams from around the world compete for more than just
bragging rights—they compete for the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial
Trophy and a cool one million dollars.
Tony
Schiavone is backstage with the team of Randy “Macho Man” Savage and Lanny
Poffo (joined by manager and father, Angelo Poffo). Tony interviews the brother
team about their match against former AWA World Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne
and Jim Brunzell. Angelo Poffo steps in and tells Schiavone that Poffo-mania
has come from the center of the wrestling universe to this backwater territory
in order to prove its dominance (Angelo may not make it out of the parking lot
tonight after that crack). Randy Savage steps in telling Tony that the High
Flyers are going to get shot down once they step into the danger zone with him
and his brother. Randy says he hated working in Mid-Atlantic back in the 70s and he hates being back. Lanny, who is wearing a suit of armor, states Gagne and
Brunzell were once a mighty team, but they’ll fall tonight thanks to Angelo’s
scheme. Lanny Poffo seems to like his quip as the action returns to Bob Caudle
and David Crockett at the announcer’s table.
5. The Barbarian and Superstar Billy Graham with “Number One”
Paul Jones vs. the Hart Foundation (Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Jim “The Anvil”
Neidhart) with Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hart: It’s a battle of two heel teams and the fans aren’t sure who
to cheer before deciding to go with the home team, getting behind the Barbarian
and Superstar Billy Graham. Bret Hart starts against Superstar Graham. Collar
and elbow tie-up. The former WWWF Champion shows off his strength advantage,
powering Hart into the corner. Hart looks a bit dazed and Graham moves in, only
to get kicked in the gut. Headlock on Graham who escapes by whipping “The
Hitman” into the ropes, knocking Bret down with a shoulderblock. Hart tags in
Neidhart whose strength is more evenly matched.
Neidhart challenges Graham to shoulderblock
him so the karate master bounces off the ropes and hits “The Anvil,” who lives
up to his name. Graham tells Neidhart to try and he does the same with little
results. Graham wants one more try and Neidhart gestures to try again. Graham
bounces off the ropes again, but this time Neidhart applies a double-leg
takedown. Neidhart starts stomping Graham as he laughs at his opponent’s
blunder. Bodyslam by Neidhart onto Graham. Tag to Hart who performs a knee
twist on the Superstar. Graham winces in pain as Hart places his leg on the
bottom rope and drops a knee onto Graham’s leg. Memphis referee Jerry Calhoun
steps in and starts counting as Hart steps on Graham’s chest, holding the top
rope for leverage. Hart turns to Calhoun as Graham uses the ropes to get up,
propping himself up against the ropes. Hart yells at Calhoun who tells him
he’ll disqualify him if he doesn’t back off. Neidhart starts yelling too as
Calhoun turns towards him. Hart steps in towards Graham and the Superstar
plants a karate chop right to the throat. Hart crumbles to the mat and is
flopping like a fish out of water. Bob Caudle notes that’s an automatic
disqualification, but the referee was distracted by Hart’s partner.
Graham limps towards his corner,
walking off the damage to his leg and tags in the Barbarian. Hart is still
dazed as the Barbarian kicks him. Paul Jones encourages his men but it’s
difficult to be heard with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone amplifying the
already-considerable vocal power of “The Mouth of the South.” The Barbarian lifts “The Hitman” up and slams
him down hard to the mat. Using his incredible strength, the Barbarian picks
Hart up and places him in a bearhug. Bob Caudle explains this move could wear
Hart down quickly, regardless of his conditioning. Hart’s arms are free though
and he has not qualms about raking the Barbarian’s eyes, forcing a break.
However, this angers the Barbarian and he headbutts Hart down to the mat before
choking him. Referee Jerry Calhoun starts the count and Barbarian breaks at
four only to pause and start choking him again. Barbarian lifts Hart and whips
him into the ropes. Somehow, Hart manages to hang on to the rope, avoiding a
running big boot. Hart stumbles into the neutral corner as the Barbarian
charges in only to get a raised boot from Hart. “The Hitman” gets up to the
second rope and drops an elbow on the Barbarian, knocking him back. David
Crockett can’t believe how quickly Hart has recovered as “The Hitman” slugs the
Barbarian. Hart’s a house afire as he whips the big man into the ropes and
catches him with a back body-drop. Bob Caudle says manager Paul Jones is
looking concerned. Superstar Billy Graham decides to lend a hand, but “The
Anvil” is ready, running in.
Things are heating up as all four men
are in the ring slugging it out. Jerry Calhoun is trying to restore order as
the pier-six brawl continues. Paul Jones gets up on the mat apron, as Bob
Caudle speculates Jones may be trying to shout instructions over Hart’s
megaphone-powered voice. All he does is draw the attention of referee Jerry
Calhoun who Jones begins arguing with. Jimmy Hart tosses the megaphone to
Neidhart, who clobbers Graham in the back of the head. The Barbarian turns
around and goes after Neidhart, allowing Bret Hart to chop block the Barbarian.
Neidhart grabs the Barbarian in a bear hug as Bret Hart bounces off the ropes
and hits the clothesline—Hart Attack! Jimmy Hart yells for the referee while
Paul Jones chases after “The Mouth of the South.” Calhoun turns around and
makes the count and it’s over.
Winners: The Hart Foundation
Jimmy Hart runs into the ring and congratulates his men as they bask in their first-round triumph.
6. The High Flyers (“Jumping” Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) vs. Randy “Macho Man” Savage and Lanny Poffo: The action gets underway as Mid-South Championship Wrestling referee Carl Fergie signals for the bell. It’s Jim Brunzell locking up with “The Macho Man” as David Crockett says the Mid-Atlantic fans remember “Jumping” Jim from his run as Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Bob Caudle says Savage and Lanny are just one of several brother teams in the tournament including the legendary Terry and Dory Funk Jr., who each held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Jimmy Hart runs into the ring and congratulates his men as they bask in their first-round triumph.
6. The High Flyers (“Jumping” Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) vs. Randy “Macho Man” Savage and Lanny Poffo: The action gets underway as Mid-South Championship Wrestling referee Carl Fergie signals for the bell. It’s Jim Brunzell locking up with “The Macho Man” as David Crockett says the Mid-Atlantic fans remember “Jumping” Jim from his run as Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Bob Caudle says Savage and Lanny are just one of several brother teams in the tournament including the legendary Terry and Dory Funk Jr., who each held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Brunzell
extends his hand before the match and Savage slaps Brunzell in the face.
“Jumping” Jim responds with a slap of his own that knocks Savage on his back.
As “The Macho Man” gets to his feet, Brunzell hits a beautiful dropkick and
covers Savage. 1,2, Savage is close enough to the ropes that he gets his foot
on the rope at the last second. Bob Caudle says this one could have ended right
there if Brunzell had Savage in the corner of the ring.
Still
dazed, Savage is helpless as Brunzell whips him hard into the babyface corner.
Tag to Greg Gagne who locks up one of Savage’s arms. Tag to Brunzell who comes
off the second rope, targeting Savage’s arm. Armlock as Brunzell turns it into
a hammerlock, taking Randy down to the mat. “The Macho Man” is doing his best
to escape, but can’t seem to get the right leverage. Finally, he manages to get
his leg on a ring rope, forcing the break. “Jumping” Jim moves in to reapply
the hold but Savage stops him with an eyerake, earning an admonition from the
referee. Kick to the gut followed by a snapmare as Savage shakes his arm
around. Incredible recuperative powers as Savage whips Brunzell towards his
corner. However, Brunzell reverses and sends Savage towards the heel corner,
nearly sending Savage into his brother. Brunzell makes the tag to Gagne as
Poffo comes in.
Poffo
goes for a collar-and-elbow tie-up only to hit a thumb to the eye. Punch knocks
Brunzell into a neutral corner. Poffo motions for the clean break then knees
Gagne in the midsection. Snapmare on Gagne as Poffo drops a knee across Greg’s
face. Poffo shows off with a cartwheel before stomping Gagne in the head. David
Crockett says the fans don’t know what to think of Lanny’s performance. Bob gently reminds Crockett that Lanny and Randy wrestled back in the area back in the 1970s. Bob says Greg Gagne isn’t a big fan as Poffo throws Gagne through the ropes.
Gagne tries to come in and Poffo kicks him in the head, earning a warning from
the referee. Poffo lets Gagne in and slams him into the corner. Poffo climbs to
the top rope and hits a moonsault, covering Gagne. However, Brunzell breaks up
the count.
Poffo
whips Gagne into the ropes and as he bounces off the ropes, “The Macho Man”
knees him in the back, sending Gagne to the mat. Poffo tags in his big brother
who effortlessly hops over the top rope. Savage slugs Gagne with a big right then slams
him in his corner. Savage picks up Gagne and drops his neck onto the top rope.
Savage climbs to the top rope with ease and delivers a flying axe handle to
Greg just as he’s getting to one knee. Randy grabs Gagne’s head and slams it
into the heel corner’s top turnbuckle.
Bob
Caudle is impressed with Gagne’s resiliency as he’s been taking a beating for
ten minutes. Tag to Lanny as the fast tags are taking their toll on Gagne, who
can’t seem to catch a break. Lanny dropkicks Gagne, weakening the
second-generation wrestler further. Lanny lifts Greg up for an atomic kneedrop,
but unbeknownst to him (or perhaps simply a case of arrogantly not caring, he’s
close to the babyface corner and Jim Brunzell makes the blind tag. “Jumping”
Jim hits one of his legendary high-elevation dropkicks on Poffo, knocking him
senseless. Savage runs in and gets dropkicked as well. Cover on Lanny Poffo as Carl
Fergie makes the three-count and Gagne trips Savage in his last-ditch effort to
break up the pin.
Winners: The High Flyers
After the match, Lanny Poffo awakens at King Arthur’s
Court—that is until Papa Poffo throws a bucket of water on him and he wakes up
in the dressing room. Angelo tells his sons they’d better get while the
getting’s good as the Mid-Atlantic wrestlers are giving them the ‘ol hairy
eyeball after their “backwater territory” comments.
The 1985 Crockett Cup Continues
Six matches in with twelve more remaining in round one. Join
us next time as World Class Championship Wrestling’s
Kevin and Mike Von Erich battle Mid-Atlantic villains Tully Blanchard and
Abdullah the Butcher while Japan’s Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta take on
the WWF’s British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PREVIOUS POSTS IN THIS FANTASY SERIES
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings Announced
First Round: Matches 1 & 2
Hennig/Blackwell vs. Mulligan/McDaniel
Tyler/Whatley vs. Maharishi/Nagasaki
First Round: Matches 3 & 4
Windham/Rotunda vs. Bockwinkel/Saito
Rougeaus vs. Inoki/Sakaguchi
First Round: Matches 5 &6
Barbarian/Graham vs. Hart Foundation (Hart/Neidhart)
High Flyers (Brunzell/Gagne) vs. Savage/Poffo
