MIKE RICKARD'S FANTASY WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
ROUND TWO 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: #25 AND #26
(Second Round Matches #9 and #10):
- Bruiser Brody/Stan Hansen vs. Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase
- Road Warriors vs. Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee
The 1985 Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament is underway. 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.
The first round saw 16 teams competing to advance to round two with eight teams making it in. Now, these eight teams will battle the 16 top-seeded tag teams that received a first-round bye. As we saw in round one, some wrestlers are willing to bend or break the rules in order to get closer to the $1,000,000 prize so expect the unexpected as round two begins.
Second Round Rules:
Here are the rules for the round two of our tournament. A pool of referees from the NWA, AWA, and WWF have been appointed for the tournament and randomly selected for each match. The second-round matches have a forty-five-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 second-round matches are being held over two nights. The first eight matches took place at the Richmond Coliseum on Saturday April 13. The remaining eight matches in round one take place at the Asheville Civic Center on Sunday April 14. Bob Caudle and David Crockett are calling the matches tonight but you never know which announcers from another promotion might show up. Last time around, Kevin and David Von Erich earned a big win over Rick Rude and Jesse Barr while the British Bulldogs overcame Tatsumi Fujinami and Kengo Kimura. As round two continues, bear in mind that these titanic teams are battling for more than just bragging rights—they’re competing for the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Trophy and a cool one million dollars.
Tony Schiavone is interviewing Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Ted DiBiase. Schiavone says Williams and DiBiase are a world-class team and tonight, they’re facing two big bad men in the form of Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen. DiBiase admits Brody and Hansen are big and bad, but so are everyone in Mid-South Wrestling, something Brody and Hansen are going to learn up close and personal. Mid-South announcer Bill Watts walks up and tells Williams and DiBiase he wants to wish them good luck and he knows they’ll represent Mid-South well. Tony asks Bill what he thinks of the tournament so far. “Cowboy” Bill says the world is getting a chance to see how real wrestlers do against a bunch of circus clowns like you see in the WWF. Watts says Mid-South Wrestling isn’t about movie stars or cartoon characters. Tony Schiavone gives the signal to go back to Bob Caudle and David Crockett, but Watts is still going strong. “Let me tell you something Hulk Hogan, if you ever stepped into a Mid-South ring…” Tony stands in front of Watts and says “That’s all the time we have for this interview fans. As always, it’s good to talk to Bill Watts.”
Bob Caudle and David Crockett are back on-screen and both men don’t seem to know what to say. Bob finally starts talking, “Some spirited comments from ‘Cowboy’ Bill Watts. Let’s see what the Road Warriors have to say about their match.”
Johnny Weaver is backstage with the Road Warriors and manager Paul Ellering. Weaver welcomes them to the Mid-Atlantic area and says the Road Warriors have quickly earned a reputation as one of the most dominant teams in wrestling. Paul Ellering waves his Wall Street Journal at Weaver and tells him “They are the most dominant team in wrestling, something Lawler and Dundee will learn the hard way.” Hawk laughs as he flexes his neck and pops his studded collar off, remarking “We’re the Road Warriors. We snack on danger and dine on death. Those two hillbillies won’t know what hit em!” Animal growls as the Roadies pose and Ellering smiles.
Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen
vs. Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and Ted DiBiase
New Japan Pro Wrestling referee Mr. Takahashi (aka Teruo Takahashi) is on hand to officiate this bout. Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase make their way out to the ring to polite applause while the fans wait for their opponents. Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” plays and Bruiser Brody stampedes out to the ring, wildly swinging a chain as the fans near him duck for cover. Stan Hansen follows behind with his bullrope and cowbell attached to it. The beefy brawlers dive into the ring, but DiBiase and Williams are ready and attack the two, as an all-out brawl ensues. Williams goes after Brody while DiBiase goes after Hansen. All four men are giving as good as they get and the action spills out of the ring as Williams and Brody start brawling at ringside. Takahashi motions for the bell to start as DiBiase and Hansen continue brawling. Hansen then whips DiBiase into the ropes and catches him with a shoulder block, knocking the second-generation star down to the mat. Hansen drops an elbow on DiBiase and covers him, not even getting a two count. David Crockett says Hansen can’t have thought he could pin DiBiase this early on. Bob reminds David that kicking out takes energy out of a wrestler and that may have been part of Hansen’s game. Outside the ring, Williams and Brody continue brawling and neither man has gained the advantage despite throwing some incredible blows at each other. The referee is focusing on the in-ring action, but Bob Caudle wonders how much more brawling outside the official will allow.
DiBiase gives Hansen a knee to the gut when he gets up then delivers a big forearm uppercut. Hansen staggers back and whips DiBiase into the ropes. Hansen bounces off the ropes and goes for a lariat, but DiBiase ducks under and comes off the ropes again, hitting a cross-body block. Cover for about a two. DiBiase boots Hansen in the head then delivers a snapmare. Ted goes for a side headlock, but Hansen powers out with a side suplex. Hansen lifts DiBiase up and hits a backbreaker. Williams and Brody have finally got back to their corner and Stan whips DiBiase towards Brody. DiBiase crashes in hard. Brody nails DiBiase with a forearm smash to the back as Hansen comes in and lifts DiBiase over his shoulder. Tag to Brody who comes off the top rope with a flying axe-handle to DiBiase’s back. Cover on DiBiase but he kicks out before three. Brody tags in Hansen and the two men whip DiBiase into the ropes, coming off with two big boots. Hansen bounces off the ropes and drops an elbow on DiBiase, covering him as Williams runs in and makes the save. Bob Caudle notes Williams came in at the right moment as DiBiase looked to be finished.
Things are still looking bad for DiBiase though as Hansen drops double knees on his opponent. The big Texan whips DiBiase into the ropes and dropkicks him. David Crockett can’t believe what he just saw nor what he’s seeing now—DiBiase’s left arm and left leg are stuck in the top two ropes. Hansen goes over and begins punching away at the defenseless DiBiase. Referee Mr. Takahashi orders Hansen back but he continues punching. In comes Williams who goes after Hansen, surprising him with a clothesline. Hansen goes down as Takahashi goes to free DiBiase. Brody comes in and knees Williams in the back, sending him outside the ring. Brody follows out and rams “Dr. Death’s” head into a ring post. Back in the ring, Mr. Takahashi has freed DiBiase, but he’s in bad shape. Hansen has recovered from the clothesline and picks DiBiase up, piledriving him hard into the mat. Cover on DiBiase, but somehow, he kicks out before three. Bob Caudle says Hansen looks angry as Stan lifts DiBiase and piledrives him a second time. Hansen covers DiBiase and that’s it as even the gutsy wrestler can’t kick out.
Winners: Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen
Outside the ring Bruiser Brody delivers a big boot to “Doctor Death” that sends him several rows back. Brody gets into the ring as the referee raises Brody and Hansen’s hands. David Crockett says these two are madmen and he wonders if anyone can stop them. Bob Caudle says we’ll have to wait until round three.
Tony Schiavone is backstage with Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Superstar” Bill Dundee. Lawler laughs and says that the Road Warriors are pure muscle, particularly between their ears. He tells Tony that Hawk and Animal are so dumb they stayed up all night studying for a blood test. Dundee says that the Road Warriors are going to find out what happens when a couple of brawlers battle with two of Memphis wrestling’s best.
The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) with “Precious” Paul Ellering
vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Superstar” Bill Dundee
Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” plays as the Road Warriors enter the arena, led by manager Paul Ellering. Hawk and Animal charge into the ring and immediately go after Lawler and Dundee with Hawk fighting Lawler and Animal slugging it out with Dundee. Bob Caudle says it looks like Lawler and Dundee were ready as they’re giving as good as they’re getting. David Crockett says these Road Warriors are a powerful team, but Lawler and Dundee are known for being double-tough. Lawler reaches into his bag of tricks and rakes Hawk’s eyes, slamming the big man down then stomping him in the head. Hawk gets up and looks at Lawler, non-plussed before he whips “The King” into the ropes and goes for a back- body drop. Lawler counters, kicking Hawk in the gut, then hitting his patented piledriver on him. The crowd is going nuts as Dundee is barely holding his own against Animal, dodging his much-bigger opponent’s blows and hitting him whenever the opportunity presents itself. Lawler smiles after piledriving Hawk, but the smile quickly fades when he sees Hawk get up, no-selling the move. Hawk clobbers Lawler with a clothesline that sends him into the corner where he crumbles to the mat. Hawk blindsides Dundee with an axe-handle then whips him into the ropes, hitting a beautiful powerslam. Hawk takes Dundee to his corner where he hoists “The Superstar” up and Animal climbs the top rope. Clothesline on Dundee as Bob Caudle notes “That move is known as the Doomsday Device and it's living up to its name!” Hawk goes after Lawler and lays into him with punches and kicks as Animal covers Dundee for an easy 1-2-3.
Winners: The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal)
Bob Caudle says the Road Warriors have made an impressive showing in their first match in the tournament, dispatching an acclaimed team in less than five minutes.
NEXT!
Join us next time as round two of the tournament continues with the Oklahoma Cowboys taking on “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. and Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk battling Mark and Jay Youngblood. As round two continues, expect to see some big twists and turns as the quest for tag team immortality and some serious cash continues!
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PREVIOUS POSTS IN THIS FANTASY SERIES
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings Announced
SECOND ROUND
Second Round: Matches 1 & 2 (Tournament 17 & 18)
Mulligan/McDaniel vs. The Russians
Rock & Roll Express vs. Maharishi/Nagasaki
Second Round: Matches 3 & 4 (Tournament 19 & 20)
Brown/Jannetty vs. Inoki & Sakaguchi
Ole & Arn Anderson vs. Windham/Rotunda)
Second Round: Matches 5 & 6 (Tournament 21 & 22)
Midnight Express vs. Hart Foundation
PYT Express vs. High Flyers
Second Round: Matches 7 & 8 (Tournament 23 & 24)
Rude/Barr (with Percy Pringle III) vs. Kevin and Mike Von Erich
Fujinami/Kimura vs. British Bulldogs
Second Round: Matches 9 & 10 (Tournament 25 & 26)
Brody/Hansen vs. Williams/DiBiase
Road Warriros vs. Lawler/Dundee
FIRST ROUND
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
First Round: Matches 7 & 8:
The Von Erich vs. Blanchard/Abdullah the Butcher
Tenryu/Tsuruta vs. The British Bulldogs
First Round: Matches 9 & 10:
Graham/Blair vs. DiBiase/Williams
Valiant/McGraw vs. Lawler/Dundee
First Round: Matches 11 & 12:
Piper/Orton vs. Patterson/Fernandez
Rock & Roll RPMs vs. Youngblood Brothers
First Round: Matches 13 and 14:
Dynamic Duo (Gino & Chris) vs. American Starship
Sawyer Bros. vs. Steamboat/Snuka
First Round: Matches 15 and 16
Batten Twins vs. Fabulous Ones
Weaver/Houston vs. Sheepherders
