Major League Wrestling

[stephenvegas]

5/5/06
Major League Wrestling: Showtime
Live from the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nevada.

First half of the show
Note: I am dividing up my Showtime broadcasts into two posts because last week when I posted my Showtime results I immediately received a message that the post was really long and it was causing some technological problem and that such lengthy posts could cause me to lose my thread.

Match #1. The Killer Bees vs the Valentines. The opening match pitted two of the competitors in Sunday's tag team turmoil match to determine Major League Wrestling's (MLW's) first United States Tag Team Champions. In a great opening match that saw the action go back and forth between the two teams, the referee caught the Killer Bees as they attempted MASKED CONFUSION. As the ref ordered Jim Brunzell back to his corner, Johnny Valentine used the opportunity to load up his shoulder pad with a foreign object handed to him by Greg Valentine. Johnny Valentine then hit B. Brian Blair with an ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHER for the victory. After the Valentines left the ring, Brunzell was still tending to Blair when suddenly the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (who last week won the right to enter the tag team turmoil last at Backlash), and Nikita Breznikov showed up. While Volkoff and Breznikov went after Brunzell, the Iron Sheik applied his deadly CAMEL CLUTCH to Blair who was still lying on the ground from being hit with Johnny Valentines loaded ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHER. But the Iron Sheik could not apply his finisher to Blair for long because Brunzell (who threw Breznikov out of the ring with a hip toss and leveled Volkoff with a KILLER DROPKICK) came to Blair's rescue. It appears the Iron Sheik and Volkoff were trying to improve their odds in the tag team turmoil match at Backlash by taking out the Killer Bees.

Match #2: Dan Severn vs the Sandman.
This match became extremely violent as the action spilled outside of the ring 4 times. Severn, the special referee in Backlash's main event Sunday, proved his toughness by finally getting the Sandman to tap out to WAKIGATAME.

Splatter's Announcement: Suddenly, the voice of MLW's spokesman Splatter came on over the arena's intercom and said: "Coming to Las Vegas on Memorial Day Weekend, the Sammartino Invitational!" As occurred last week in Salt Lake City when Splatter suddenly made the same announcement, everyone in the arena starts asking each other "What is the Sammartino Invitational?" The announcers comment that Bruno Sammartino is scheduled to appear on the HOT SEAT at Backlash to explain exactly what the Sammartino Invitational is.

Backstage: Severn, returning from his victory over the Sandman, runs into King Kong Bundy. Bundy tells Severn that he made a major mistake not accepting Heenan's offer to officiate "appropriately" Sunday's main event at Backlash between Antonino Rocca and World Champion Nick Bockwinkel. Bundy warns Severn that he will have his eye on him during the main event and that if anything "funny" happens he can expect trouble from Bundy personally. Bundy also says that if Severn is wondering about Bundy's ability to cause major damage, then he needs to watch Bundy's match against S.D. Jones at Backlash where Bundy is making his MLW in-ring debut. Bundy says he can defeat S.D. Jones in under 10 seconds if he wants!

Match #3: Jimmy Snuka vs Gorgeous George. In a final tune up match between these two competitors before they meet up in MLW's first ever steel cage match at Backlash on Sunday, George appeared determine to soften Snuka up for Sunday's match by ramming his head into a steel turnbuckle post outside of the ring as Snuka was climbing the steps to enter the ring while ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta was introducing him. George dominated the early part of the match until he threw Snuka into the ropes and Snuka countered with a piledriver. Snuka threw George out side of the ring and appeared set to hit George with a SUPERFLY LEAP as George reentered the ring. But, as happened last week on Showtime, George dodged Snuka's SUPERFLY LEAP and after Snuka crashed into the mat, immediately countered with his SPINNING TOE HOLD while holding the ropes for extra leverage. Snuka tapped out as a result but George refused to break the hold (roll of doubles). Finally George released Snuka when officials accompanied by the Flying Redheads and the Regulators ran into the ring to rescue Snuka. George then grabbed a microphone and told Snuka that on Sunday at Backlash there will be no one from the outside who can rescue him from the inside of a locked steel cage.

End of the first half.

[stephenvegas]

Second half of MLW: Showtime (5/5/06)

Match #4: Bobo Brazil vs Buddy Rogers (with Maxine Babe) with Mil Mascaras as the special referee.
This match featured the three competitors in Sunday's triple threat match at Backlash to determine MLW's first-ever United States Champion. Last week on Showtime, Sammartino forced Rogers, Brazil, and Mascaras to team together in a six man tag team elimination match against the Road Warriors and Killer Kowalski. Rogers was the only survivor and he betrayed his teammates in the process by helping them get eliminated by Kowalski and the Road Warriors. Rogers started off in control and was able to attempt two early unsuccessful PIN attempts against Brazil. Rogers got upset with special referee Mascaras and accused him of counting too slow. Mascaras responded by punching Rogers in the head and Brazil attempted a quick PIN attempt against a staggering Rogers. Even though Mascaras counted really fast, Rogers managed to kick out. Later in the match, Brazil apparently had the match won and was covering Rogers but Mascaras was distracted by Maxine Babe and did not notice Brazil's pin attempt. Brazil then went over and started talking to Mascaras. This allowed Rogers to recover and he nailed Brazil with a dropkick. But Brazil bumped into Mascaras who fell through the ropes and landed unconscious outside of the ring. Rogers had Brazil trapped in the FIGURE FOUR GRAPEVINE but Mascaras was still outside of the ring. By the time Maxine Babe woke up Mascaras and threw him back in the ring, Brazil had regained control of the match and landed a COCO BUTT against Rogers for the victory as Mascaras made the three count.

Match #5: Midnight Express and Jim Cornette vs the Road Warriors and Killer Kowalski in a 6 man tag team match. As he did last week, Kowalski once again arrived in the ring wearing Yukon Eric's severed ear around his neck and then tied it around the ring post before the match started. In a tune up between the Midnight Express and the Road Warriors who are wrestling each other for the World Tag Team Championship at Backlash on Sunday, the Midnight Express and Cornette had control of the match early. After Lane nailed Kowalski with a SUPERKICK, Cornette eagerly asked to be tagged in. Cornette nailed Kowalski with a thumb to the eyes, an illegal choke, and a series of wild punches. But Kowalski managed to tag in Animal who pulverized Cornette. The Road Warriors and Killer Kowalski then won the match when Hawk and Animal delivered a DOOMSDAY DEVICE to Cornette.

Add for Backlash on Sunday May 7 in Las Vegas: a) Antonino Rocca challenges Nick Bockwinkel for the World Championship with Dan Severn as the special referee, b) The Road Warriors challenge the Midnight Express for the World Tag Team Championship in a best 2 out of 3 falls contest, c) Buddy Rogers vs Bobo Brazil vs Mil Mascaras in a triple threat match to become MLW's first United States Championship, d) Frank Gotch vs Harley Race- Heenan Family is banned from ringside, Bobby Heenan will be in a small cage above the ring, and Gotch gets to wrestle Heenan if he beats Race, e) Giant Baba vs Ox Baker, f) Jimmy Snuka vs Gorgeous George (steel cage match), g) Yukon Eric vs Killer Kowalski in an ear match, h) Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff vs Valiants vs Killer Bees vs Valentines vs Flying Redheads vs Regulators vs Heart Thrashers in a tag team turmoil match to become MLW's first United States Tag team Champions (Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff have earned the right to enter the match last), and I) S. D. Jones vs King Kong Bundy (Bundy makes his MLW in-ring debut).

Match #6, Main Event: Antonino Rocca vs Harley Race (accompanied by Bobby Heenan and Ox Baker- the Heenan Family's problem-solver). Before the match, Heenan told Race to soften up Rocca so Rocca will be hindered when he wrestles for the World Championship at Backlash against Bockwinkel. Upon arriving in the ring, Heenan told the crowd that there is no way Race is going to lose to Gotch at Backlash to force Heenan to go one on one against Gotch and that Giant Baba will be returning to the hospital once Ox Baker is finished with him this Sunday. Early in the match, the referee caught Baker trying to interfere and ordered him back to the locker room. The action went back and forth until finally Rocca appeared to have Race beat by placing him in an ARGENTINIAN BACKBREAKER. But Bockwinkel, Rocca's opponent at Backlash in two days, ran down to interfere. The referee called for the bell as Bockwinkel and Race jointly beat up on Gotch. The winner: Antonino Rocca by dq. But then Gotch (Race's opponent at Backlash) returned to MLW for the first time since being injured by Baker and ran down to the ring to save Rocca. Suddenly Sammartino appeared and said: "This is not the way we are going to end things here tonight in Reno on the eve of Backlash. I am ordering one more match tonight: Rocca and Gotch vs Bockwinkel and Race.

Match #7: Rocca and Gotch vs Bockwinkel and Race. Gotch started off the match against Race and unleashed such an offensive assault against his hated opponent that Race tagged out to Bockwinkel. Rocca immediately asked to be tagged in against his Backlash opponent and Gotch complied. The action went back and forth multiple times and the match finally ended when Heenan tripped Rocca who, as he was stumbling backward as a result, was then hit with a PILEDRIVER by Race. Race then covered Rocca for the victory. The winners: Nick Bockwinkel and Harley Race.

See you Sunday for Backlash!

[stephenvegas]

5/6/06 (broadcast date)
Major League Wrestling (MLW): All Stars

Match #1: Scimitar defeated Virgil. Scimitar survived several COBRA CLUTCHES and kept using his Scimitar Chest Chops and Machete Jabs to wear down and finally pin Virgil.

Match #2: S.D. Jones pinned Major Ursa. Set to face King Kong Bundy tomorrow at Backlash, Jones controlled the entire match and won via his HEADBUTT.

Match #3: Playboy Buddy Rose defeated Johnny Rocket. To the delight of the ladies in the crowd, Rose easily dominated Rocket and used his finisher BOMBS AWAY to record the victory.

Match #4: Danny Hodge defeated "Precious" Paul Ellering. Hodge continued his recent run of success with a victory over the arrogant and despised Ellering.

Match #5: The Heart Thrashers (managed by Cassandra) defeated War Chief Omega and Karah the Jungle Lord. In their first match together as a tag team, Buff Bagwell and Brutus Beefcake worked well together and controlled the action for most of the match. The end came when Bagwell used his BUFF BLOCKBUSTER finisher upon Karah. The Heart Thrashers looked great together as they get ready to participate in the tag team turmoil match tomorrow at Backlash to decide MLW's first United States Tag Team Champions.

MLW's Grand Slam of the Week: The footage shows highlights from yesterday's match between Jimmy Snuka and Gorgeous George. The footage shows how Snuka threw George outside of the ring and then prepared to hit George with his SUPERFLY LEAP as George was crawling back into the ring. But Snuka missed with his finisher and crashed hard into the mat. George then quickly applied his SPINNING TOE HOLD finisher and forced Snuka to tap out by grabbing the ropes (without the referee seeing) for extra leverage. But seemingly intent on softening Snuka up before tomorrow's steel cage match between these two at Backlash, George then refused to release his finisher until some officials and wrestlers such as the Regulators and Flying Redheads came to Snuka's rescue. The footage concludes with George grabbing a microphone and telling Snuka that Sunday at Backlash nobody can come to his rescue because the two of them will be locked inside a steel cage!

Match #6: The Regulators defeated the Country Rangers (Dirty Black Bart and Austin Turk). Before the match started, Bart and Turk were on the microphones saying that the rest of the tag team division is lucky that The Country Rangers just formed too late to register for the tag team turmoil match at Backlash as they are about to demonstrate by whipping the Regulators. But the Regulators looked solid heading into tomorrow's tag team turmoil match at Backlash by easily disposing of the Country Rangers when Hutton made Turk submit to an abdominal stretch.

Add for Backlash on Sunday May 7 in Las Vegas: a) Antonino Rocca challenges Nick Bockwinkel for the World Championship with Dan Severn as the special referee, b) The Road Warriors challenge the Midnight Express for the World Tag Team Championship in a best 2 out of 3 falls contest, c) Buddy Rogers vs Bobo Brazil vs Mil Mascaras in a triple threat match to become MLW's first United States Championship, d) Frank Gotch vs Harley Race- Heenan Family is banned from ringside, Bobby Heenan will be in a small cage above the ring, and Gotch gets to wrestle Heenan if he beats Race, e) Giant Baba vs Ox Baker, f) Jimmy Snuka vs Gorgeous George (steel cage match), g) Yukon Eric vs Killer Kowalski in an ear match, h) Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff vs Valiants vs Killer Bees vs Valentines vs Flying Redheads vs Regulators vs Heart Thrashers in a tag team turmoil match to become MLW's first United States Tag team Champions (Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff have earned the right to enter the match last), and I) S. D. Jones vs King Kong Bundy (Bundy makes his MLW in-ring debut).

Match #7, the Main Event: The Valiants defeated the Flying Redheads. The main event was a match between two fan favorite tag teams both managed by Captain Lou Albano. Instead of managing one of his teams over the other, Albano joined the announcers at ringside and said the reason he scheduled this match was because he wanted both of his teams to stay sharp and decrease the chances that either one of them will be hurt before they participate in the tag team turmoil match tomorrow at Backlash. The exciting action went back and forth between the two teams and both sides scored near pin falls over the other. Finally, the Valiants put this one away when Jimmy Valiant pinned Red Bastien via his SUPER ELBOW.

See you tomorrow at Backlash!
(Show fades to black).

[stephenvegas]

BACKLASH (first-third of the PPV)
Major League Wrestling (MLW)
Sunday May 7, 2006
Thomas and Mack @ Las Vegas, NV

Backlash was preceded by a thirty minute segment of MLW: Fight Night that recapped the major story lines and incidents that led up to the matches at Backlash and featured a dark match.

Dark Match: Playboy Buddy Rose and Danny Hodge defeated the Sandman and "Precious" Paul Ellering by dq after the Sandman hit Hodge with his SINGAPORE CANE.

Match #1: S. D. Jones vs King Kong Bundy.
Accompanied by his manager Bobby Heenan and Heenan Family Problem-Solver Ox Baker, Bundy made his in-ring MLW debut by entering the ring and arrogantly signaling to Jones with all ten fingers raised followed by slamming his hands together three times that he could win this match in ten seconds. But Jones proved tougher to handle than Bundy expected. Bundy controlled most of the match until Jones countered with a clothesline after being thrown into the ropes. Jones then received a standing ovation from the crowd when he amazingly performed a suplex against Bundy followed by a HEADBUTT. But Bundy easily kicked out and soon regained control of the match. Bundy finally won via a running power slam. After the match, under Heenan's directions and with Baker's help, Bundy performed his dreaded AVALANCHE against Jones.
Winner: King Kong Bundy

Match #2: Tag Team Turmoil to become MLW's first United States Tag Team Champions. Heart Thrashers (Bagwell and Beefcake) vs Valiants vs Killer Bees vs Valentines vs Flying Redheads vs Regulators (Bob Orton Jr and Richard Hutton) vs Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. The Iron Sheik and Volkoff have won the right to enter the contest last. The order for the rest of the participants is randomly selected.

First Team: Valiants (managed by Lou Albano)
Second Team: Regulators
In a surprisingly quick match up, the Regulators eliminated the Valiants when Hutton made Jimmy Valiant submit to an ABDOMINAL STRETCH.

Third Team: Killer Bees
The Killer Bees then appeared next to take on the Regulators. In a great match that saw both sides score multiple pin attempts against the other, the Regulators scored an upset over the Killer Bees when Orton pinned Blair via a piledriver.

Fourth Team: Valentines In perhaps a five star match between the Regulators and the Valentines, Richard Hutton early in the match bravely refused to submit to two FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCKS by Greg Valentine and Johnny Valentine somehow managed to survive 3 SUPERPLEXES in a row from Orton. But the Regulators were showing signs of fatigue after already defeating the Valiants and the Killer Bees, and the match finally ended when Greg Valentine pinned Hutton via a falling elbow drop.

Fifth Team: Flying Redheads (managed by Albano)In another sensational match, Billy "Red" Lyons midway through the match managed to survive 3 different FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCKS by Greg Valentine. Lyons then gave 5 atomic drops in a row to Greg Valentine. Greg Valentine finally managed to tag in Johnny Valentine. But Billy "Red" Lyons used his own FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK to make Johnny Valentine submit.

Sixth Team: Heart Thrashers (managed by Cassandra).
The Flying Redheads and the Heart Thrashers then opposed each other in what turned out to be the best tag team encounter in the tag team turmoil contest so far. Under Cassandra's guidance, Bagwell and Beefcake worked great together by performing moves such as Beefcake tagging in Bagwell while holding Bastien in a bearhug as Bagwell then performed a cross body block to Bastien. The Heart Thrashers nearly won the match at one point when Bagwell performed his BUFF BLOCKBUSTER against Bastien but Lyons just made a pin save in time. Finally at the end of the match , Lyons countered a move by Bagwell and then soon put Bagwell away in his SLEEPER. Seeing Bagwell about to submit, Beefcake made an attempt to save him but was knocked out of the ring by flying dropkicks from Bastien. Cassandra also tried to enter the ring to help Bagwell but was hit with a elbow drop by Albano.

Seventh (and last) Team: Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff.
The Flying Redheads were apparently exhausted after their long fought victories over both the Valentines and the Heart Thrashers. The Iron Sheik and Volkoff dominated the match and the Iron Sheik wrapped things up by pinning Lyons via a sidewinder suplex.

Winners and MLW's first United States Tag Team Champions: Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff.

Match #3: Yukon Eric vs Killer Kowalski in a hardcore Texas Death Match. Kowalski entered the ring taunting Yukon Eric by showing him his severed ear which he earlier promised to return if he (Kowalski) loses this match. This match was extremely brutal as Kowalski nailed Yukon Eric with a steel chair and then whipped him outside of the ring into the steel barriers. Kowalski then reached into Yukon Eric's mouth and grabbed his tongue and bit it. Before throwing Yukon Eric back into the ring, Kowalski spread him out on the floor and performed his feared bombs away knee drop from the apron. But despite being pummeled for most of the match, Yukon Eric suddenly countered and threw Kowalski into the ropes followed by a Woodsman's chop. Yukon Eric then put Kowalski into his KODIAK KRUNCH which, in an apparent desperate attempt to regain his ear, he seemed to apply in an extremely determined manner and this made Kowalski submit. But as Yukon Eric moved to retrieve his ear that Kowalski had wrapped around the ring post, Kowalski suddenly attacked and knocked out Yukon Eric with his KOWALSKI CL:AW. Despite his earlier promise, Kowalski grabbed Yukon Eric's severed ear back and put him in a position to bite off the other ear. But before Kowalski could proceed, eerie music began playing and MLW spokesman Splatter appeared running toward the ring with his large club and this forced Kowalski to run to the locker room.
Winner: Yukon Eric- but Kowalski broke his promise and kept Yukon Eric's ear anyways.

[stephenvegas]

BACKLASH (second-third of the PPV)
Major League Wrestling (MLW)
Sunday May 7, 2006
Thomas and Mack @ Las Vegas, NV

Match #4: Giant Baba vs Ox Baker (managed by Heenan). The crowd gave Giant Baba a loud standing ovation as he was making his first appearance in MLW since being sent to the hospital three weeks ago on Showtime after being hit with a HEARTPUNCH from Baker. Both Baba and Baker displayed their extreme dislike for each other from the onset and brutally attacked each other with a series of violent moves. Baker kept trying but was unable to use his deadly HEARTPUNCH. It finally appeared that Baba had won the match via his powerful NECKBREAKER DROP. But Heenan jumped on the apron to distract the referee. Baba grabbed Heenan and, after seeking the crowd's approval which he received, slapped him upside the head which forced Heenan to land slumped against the ropes on the apron. However, Baker was able to recover by now and from behind gave Baba a backbreaker. But Baker then went for a clothesline which Baba dodged and instead Baker hit Heenan who was still slumped against the ropes outside on the apron. Heenan then crashed to the floor to the roaring approval of the crowd. Baba then pummeled Baker with a continuous series of Baba chops and then a big boot which sent Baker to the mat on his back. Baba then went for a falling leg drop off the turnbuckle (CH H on the updated charts) but missed (roll of 12) and landed hard on the mat. Baker then gave a stunned Baba a HEARTPUNCH for the win. However unlike last time, it looked like Baba would not be hospitalized as he was later able to get up and walk on his own to the locker room.
Winner: Ox Baker

Backstage: Dan Severn, the special referee in tonight's main event between Antonino Rocca and World Champion Nick Bockwinkel of the Heenan Family, runs into King Kong Bundy who is also in the Heenan Family.

Severn: "I thought you said you could defeat S.D. Jones in ten seconds, not ten minutes."

Bundy: "The end result was still the same and that AVALANCHE I gave Jones after the match was meant as a warning to you!" "You will end up like S.D.Jones if you officiate tonight's main event in a way that the Heenan Family deems unacceptable!"

Severn: "The only way I am going to call this match is right down the middle and if you try to interfere I will deal with you myself."

Bundy gets ready to hit Severn when Severn warns him that if he does it then it will cause Bundy to get banned from ringside in tonight's main event. Bundy then gives Severn another warning and walks off

Match #5: Frank Gotch vs Harley Race. As stipulated early, Baker and the rest of the Heenan Family are banned from ringside, Heenan is to be placed in a cage above the ring, and Gotch gets to wrestle Heenan if he defeats Race.
At first Heenan refused to enter the cage until Gotch came up from behind and shoved him in and closed and locked the door. A loudly whining Heenan was then raised inside his cage above the ring. Gotch controlled most of the match and Heenan could be heard cheering Gotch on from the cage above the ring. Race nearly had the match won at one point with a PILEDRIVER but Gotch kicked out. Race continued to control the match with a series of swinging neckbreakers, Indian deathlocks, and diving headbutts. But Gotch was able to move out of the way of a falling knee drop and gave Race a crossface and arm bar followed by a GOTCH TOEHOLD to make Race tap out.
Winner: Frank Gotch

Match #5A: Frank Gotch vs Bobby Heenan.
As the ref made Race leave the ring area and despite Heenan's frantically loud protests, Bobby Heenan was
lowered in his cage to the ring to face Gotch as stipulated by Gotch's victory over Race. After the ref got Heenan out to of his cage, Gotch proceeded to punish Heenan with moves such as his headlock takeover, series of punches, and an Iowa backdrop. It seemed Gotch was just toying with Heenan, who could not get in a single offensive move, as it appeared Gotch could have had the match won earlier but was seemingly intent on punishing Heenan. Gotch finally put Heenan out of his misery by making him tap out to a crossface and arm bar.
Winner: Frank Gotch

As they lowered the steel cage for match #6, Bill Apter had MLW owner and general Manager Bruno Sammartino on the Hot Seat.

Apter: Mr. Sammartino, you promised today to tell us just exactly what is this Sammartino Invitational scheduled for Memorial Day weekend that we have been recently hearing about from Splatter.

Sammartino: First, I want to announce that MLW has signed a deal with a major network to do periodic shows called Saturday Nights Main Event and that the first Saturday Night's Main Event will be held on Saturday May 20 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Sammartino: Furthermore, I was displeased that Killer Kowalski went back on his promise to return Yukon Eric's ear if he lost tonight so the first match I am going to name for Saturday Night's Main Event will be a ladder match between Yukon Eric and Kowalski with Yukon Eric's ear hanging from the ceiling. Whoever manages to climb the ladder and grab the ear will be the winner and permanent holder of Yukon Eric's ear. If Kowalski loses and does not hand over the ear then he will be permanently banned from MLW.

Apter: That sounds incredible, but just what is the Sammartino Invitational?

Sammartino: Held over a three day period on Memorial Day weekend here in Las Vegas, the Sammartino Invitational will be a major tag team tournament involving at least 36 teams that includes not only most of the roster for MLW but we are also challenging other federations around the country and even the world to send us their champions to see how well they stack up against MLW. The winning team will get a prize of $1 million!

Apter: What teams from outside have agreed to participate?

Sammartino: We have the Vachons from the Florida territory coming as well as the Masked Marauders (Masked Superstar and the Destroyer) from the Northeast territory and Stars and Stripes from the Great Lakes promotion have also agreed to participate. We have even secured an agreement with Japan to have their champions Antonio Inoki and Rikidozan enter the tournament.

Apter: Is there anyone else coming to challenge the wrestlers of MLW for the $1 million prize?

Sammartino: Several more teams will be here. But I think perhaps the two biggest outside entries are Durango Sundown form the Stampede territory based in Canada and the Gladiators from the Mid Atlantic area!

Apter: You mean Brute and Massacre are actually coming here?

Sammartino: Yes, but all of these outside teams will only be here until the tournament is over. We had to sign a contract that states they will return to their regular territories after the Sammartino Invitational.

Apter: There you have it fans, the Sammartino Invitational which is just three weeks away! How will teams from MLW such as the Road Warriors and the Midnight Express fare against these impressive teams from the outside? You will need to tune in here to find out. As Splatter would say, don't you dare miss it!

Match #6: Jimmy Snuka vs Gorgeous George in a steel cage.
Snuka vented his frustration against his enemy George by dominating the majority of this match and by repeatedly ramming George's face into the side of the steel cage. After ensuring that George was cut and bleeding, Snuka finished off George with a SUPERFLY LEAP. But Snuka was not done yet. To the amazement of the audience, Snuka climbed to the very top of the steel cage, paused for a few seconds, and then performed again his SUPERFLY LEAP upon George!
Winner: Jimmy Snuka

[stephenvegas]

BACKLASH (final third of the PPV)
Major League Wrestling (MLW)
Sunday May 7, 2006
Thomas and Mack @ Las Vegas, NV

Match #7: Bobo Brazil vs Mil Mascaras vs Buddy Rogers (accompanied by Maxine Babe) in a triple threat match to determine MLW's first United States Champion.
This match was surprisingly short but the action briefly went back and forth between the three competitors. But Brazil got knocked into the corner ringpost and was unable to stop Rogers as he forced Mascaras to tap out to his FIGURE FOUR GRAPEVINE. Much to the delight of Maxine Babe, Rogers receives the United States Championship belt.
Winner and MLW's first United States Champion: Buddy Rogers

Match #8: Road Warriors (managed by Kowalski) challenging World Tag Team Champions the Midnight Express in a best 2 out of 3 falls contest.
In the first fall, the Midnight Express demonstrated how well they work as tag team champions by using a series of quick tags to control the action with a series of tag moves such as the Double Goozle, the Flapjack, the VEG-O-MATIC, and the ROCKET LAUNCHER to prevent Hawk from tagging out to Animal. The Midnight Express won the first fall when Lane pinned Hawk via SUPERKICK. In the second fall, the Road Warriors came out more aggressive and had the Midnight Express battered and on the defensive. But a worried Cornette managed to get away with pushing the referee into Animal's way and Animal proceeded to knock the referee down and earned the instant dq.
Winners by a score of 2-0 by dq: The Midnight Express who retain their World Tag Team Championship.

Match #9, the Main Event: Antonino Rocca challenges World Champion Nick Bockwinkel (accompanied by Heenan, Baker, and Bundy) with Dan Severn as the special referee.
Rocca dazzled the crowd with acrobatics that included moves such as his flying dropkicks, face slap with foot, and flying head scissors. But Bockwinkel was able to regain control of the match. Rocca impressively refused to submit to repeated attempts by Bockwinkel to end the match and retain his championship via his BOCKWINKEL SLEEPER. But it was still clear that Rocca was in trouble. Severn questioned Bockwinkel following a questionable application of a gut wrench by Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel became agitated and shoved Severn who, even though it would definitely cost Rocca his chance to win the World Championship, called for Bockwinkel's immediate disqualification to the amazement of everyone in the arena. Severn then shoved Bockwinkel and gave Baker a German suplex for trying to come to Bockwinkel's aid. But Severn turned his back to deal with Baker and was hit with an AVALANCHE by Bundy! Even though Bockwinkel is able to retain his belt, the Heenan Family for some reason seemed extremely upset by Bockwinkel's dq at the hands of Severn. The announcers express confusion as they do not understand the reason for Severn's quick dq or for the Heenan Family's extreme anger with Severn. Bockwinkel, Heenan, Baker, and Bundy are hit with lots of thrown trash and hurled beverages by fans jeering them loudly as they head to the locker room. Meanwhile a downed Rocca crawls over to check on Severn as the show comes to an end and the screen fades to black.
Winner: Antonino Rocca by dq but Bockwinkel retains the World Championship.

See you Friday on Showtime when Major League Wrestling (MLW) is live from The Pond in Anaheim, California!

[gwffantrav]

stephenvegas said:

Match #3: Yukon Eric vs Killer Kowalski in a hardcore Texas Death Match. Kowalski entered the ring taunting Yukon Eric by showing him his severed ear which he earlier promised to return if he (Kowalski) loses this match. This match was extremely brutal as Kowalski nailed Yukon Eric with a steel chair and then whipped him outside of the ring into the steel barriers. Kowalski then reached into Yukon Eric's mouth and grabbed his tongue and bit it. Before throwing Yukon Eric back into the ring, Kowalski spread him out on the floor and performed his feared bombs away knee drop from the apron. But despite being pummeled for most of the match, Yukon Eric suddenly countered and threw Kowalski into the ropes followed by a Woodsman's chop. Yukon Eric then put Kowalski into his KODIAK KRUNCH which, in an apparent desperate attempt to regain his ear, he seemed to apply in an extremely determined manner and this made Kowalski submit. But as Yukon Eric moved to retrieve his ear that Kowalski had wrapped around the ring post, Kowalski suddenly attacked and knocked out Yukon Eric with his KOWALSKI CL:AW. Despite his earlier promise, Kowalski grabbed Yukon Eric's severed ear back and put him in a position to bite off the other ear. But before Kowalski could proceed, eerie music began playing and MLW spokesman Splatter appeared running toward the ring with his large club and this forced Kowalski to run to the locker room.
Winner: Yukon Eric- but Kowalski broke his promise and kept Yukon Eric's ear anyways.

Uh oh...people are calling it the "Vegas" finish instead of the "Dusty" finish now!!

[canadianpittbull]

Solid Show Stephen! And I cannot wait to see what is instore next. Awesome work and the ladder match is going to be really cool. Also looking forward to the Sammartino Invitational! What an event!

[stephenvegas]

GWFfanTrav,

I hope they don't start calling it a Vegas finish- it would screw everything up at the sports books. The thing is that I rolled doubles (snake eyes actually) to end the match and in that case I usually start a new feud or escalate an existing feud. So I handled that by not having Kowalski allow Yukon Eric to get his ear back for now. Plus I really wanted a way to include Splatter, my MLW spokesman, in Backlash and this gave me an opportunity to do so. Look for Yukon Eric and Splatter to form one of the teams in the Sammartino Invitational. But now I have an even more exciting way to decide who gets Yukon Eric's ear by having Yukon Eric meet Kowalski in a ladder match in two weeks at Saturday Night's Main Event with Yukon Eric's ear being the thing dangling from the ceiling that they are both trying to climb the ladder and grab. I am going to go out on a "limb" here and say that I do not think this type of ladder match has ever been done before.

Canadian Pittbull,
Thanks for the positive feedback on my Backlash PPV. The Sammartino Invitational should be incredible as it is going to be a Las Vegas version of the Crockett Cup! I think I will have 40 teams (many of whom will only be around until the Crockett Cup is over in three weeks) and I am already starting to work on the brackets. I am currently trying to decide who will get my four #1 seeds. I think I might give them to the Midnight Express, the Road Warriors, Durango Sundown (COTG's Dorado Sundown), and the Gladiators (Brute and Massacre- their 2091 cards). But Dorado Sundown and the Gladiators will definitely be among the many teams returning to their "territories" once the Sammartino Invitational is over.

[gwffantrav]

stephenvegas said:

GWFfanTrav,

I hope they don't start calling it a Vegas finish- it would screw everything up at the sports books. The thing is that I rolled doubles (snake eyes actually) to end the match and in that case I usually start a new feud or escalate an existing feud. So I handled that by not having Kowalski allow Yukon Eric to get his ear back for now. Plus I really wanted a way to include Splatter, my MLW spokesman, in Backlash and this gave me an opportunity to do so. Look for Yukon Eric and Splatter to form one of the teams in the Sammartino Invitational. But now I have an even more exciting way to decide who gets Yukon Eric's ear by having Yukon Eric meet Kowalski in a ladder match in two weeks at Saturday Night's Main Event with Yukon Eric's ear being the thing dangling from the ceiling that they are both trying to climb the ladder and grab. I am going to go out on a "limb" here and say that I do not think this type of ladder match has ever been done before.

Canadian Pittbull,

LOLOLOL..you do have to love the ear hanging above the ladder...I do hope it's in formaldehyde

I don't think I ever get tired of scheduleing a MX vs RW match! I guess it's because they're the 2 top teams..

[daytondave]

gwffantrav said:

I don't think I ever get tired of scheduleing a MX vs RW match! I guess it's because they're the 2 top teams..

And two of the greatest of all time! The Midnights and the Warriors will soon be squaring off to determine the inaugural Dayton Wrestling Association Tag Team Champions.

Perhaps the new Legends Teams sets will spice up the competition!

[canadianpittbull]

You could put these top tier teams in the first bracket and see that maybe some will get knocked out early. It is always the underdog team that takes out the team(s) you have thought to be walking away with the trophy and the win.

[stephenvegas]

Major League Wrestling: Showtime
Preview for Friday May 12 @ The Pond in Anaheim, CA

Coming off of the heels of Backlash last Sunday, Major League Wrestling (MLW): Showtime is back on the road in Anaheim!

This week on Showtime, Dan Severn, the special guest referee in the main event between Antonino Rocca and World Champion Nick Bockwinkel, at Backlash last week, and Bobby Heenan, Bockwinkel's manager, are both on the Hot Seat! Will Severn explain his disqualification of Bockwinkel which cost Rocca a possible opportunity to win the World Championship? Will Heenan explain the Heenan Family's outrage over the decision that ensured Bockwinkel would retain his championship?

Also at Backlash, Killer Kowalski lost to Yukon Eric in the hardcore Texas death match but refused to return Yukon Eric's ear as promised. Despite losing the match, Kowalski also tried to bite off Yukon Eric's other ear but was prevented from doing so by MLW spokesman Splatter! As a result, a tag team match has been signed at Showtime for Yukon Eric and Splatter to take on Kowalski's Road Warriors and Kowalski has announced plans to debut a new wrestler into his faction that already includes the Road Warriors and himself!

In response to Kowalski's refusal to return Yukon Eric's ear, Sammartino announced that Yukon Eric will face Kowalski in a ladder match with Yukon Eric's ear as the prize dangling above the ring at MLW's first edition of Saturday Night's Main Event at Sacramento on Saturday May 20! This week on Showtime, Sammartino will announce additional matches for Saturday Night's Main Event!

Also, MLW owner and general manager Bruno Sammartino revealed at Backlash that the Sammartino Invitational is a major tag team championship involving 40 teams made up of the superstars of MLW and champions from other territories! Various wrestlers on Showtime will announce their tag team partner for the Sammartino Invitational and/or have tune up matches against other tag teams to prepare for the Sammartino Invitational on May 26-28 in Las Vegas. Which wrestlers will form tag teams with each other to compete for the $1 million prize in the Sammartino Invitational?

[slamminsammy]

That's a great idea makes me wish I had GWF cards. One question do any of the GWF cards have moves that are "unbelievable" or will you tune them to make it a "believable" type move.

[stephenvegas]

Good question.

Some GWF wrestlers definitely have moves that would be considered "unbelievable" in a typical LOW fed such as Alpha Force's ALPHA POWER finisher. Although I have no problem at all and really enjoy using wrestlers with these types of moves in my GWF fed, I do not use them in my LOW fed.

But I do sometimes use some of the GWF wrestlers in my Major League Wrestling fed who easily could serve as physically believable wrestlers in a real life federation. Right now I am temporarily using GWF wrestlers such as Stars and Stripes, the Gladiators, and Dorado Sundown, Generation X, and a few others to help me round out enough tag teams for a major tag team tournament (the Sammartino Invitational) without having to use actual bootlegs. But after the Sammartino Invitational in two weeks, most of those GWF wrestlers are going to leave Major League Wrestling and return to their own territories

I also use some of the GWF women such as Cassandra and Maxine Babe and some of the GWF jobbers such as Scimitar and Austin Turk to help me fill out my roster in those two categories until we get more official LOW women and under card wrestlers released. Otherwise, the only GWF wrestlers I plan to use long term are Splatter (my personal favorite GWF wrestler who I feel can easily pass as a wrestler in an LOW fed) and perhaps Wolf whose card of course was included in the first Legends box set.

[stephenvegas]

Friday 5/12/06 (first half of the show)
Major League Wrestling (MLW): Showtime
Live from the Pond in Anaheim, CA

Start of Show: Killer Kowalski is in the ring still wearing Yukon Eric's ear around his neck. Kowalski: "Yukon Eric, next Saturday at Saturday Night's Main Event, I have agreed to face you in a ladder match with your ear here as the prize dangling above the ring. In the contract for this ladder match I am required to return your ear if you win or else I will be suspended indefinitely from MLW. But if you lose, I will never return your ear! Tonight you and Splatter, who came to your aid at Backlash, better prepare to get your a***s kicked because you two have a match against my Road Warriors. But for now I want to introduce the newest member of my Dungeon of Doom and the wrestler who will be teaming with me in the Sammartino Invitational: the Missing Link.

Match #1: Virgil vs Missing Link (managed by Kowalski). The Missing Link makes his MLW debut by running into the ring and delivering flailing forearms to Virgil followed by a standing legdrop. But the action soon spills outside of the ring where the Missing Link is disqualified for savagely ramming a tv monitor into Virgil's head.
Winner: Virgil by dq.

Backstage: Antonino Rocca meets Frank Gotch in the locker room.
Rocca: "I just signed us up as an entry in the Sammartino Invitational."
Gotch: "But we need to practice as a tag team before the tournament in Las Vegas in two weeks."
Rocca: "I also took care of that and tonight's main event will be us-Rocca and Gotch- against the World Tag Team Champions Midnight Express."

Add for the Sammartino Invitational: "Coming Memorial Day Weekend to Las Vegas, the Sammartino Invitational- a three-day tag team tournament made up of 40 teams including 25 from MLW and 15 tag team champions from other territories and around the world. Don't you DARE miss it!"

Match #2: Killer Bees vs US Tag Team Champions Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (managed by Nikita Breznikov). The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff are heavily booed as they show off their US tag team championship that they won in the tag team turmoil match at Backlash last week. After Volkoff sings a horrible version of the Soviet national anthem, the Killer Bees appear at the edge of the locker room.
Blair: Although we're supposed to wrestle you tonight and would enjoy kicking your foreign butts all around the ring, we have agreed to let some guests do the honors tonight because they are only here until the end of the Sammartino Invitational. So your actual opponents tonight are: Stars and Stripes led by their manager Commander Sam!"

Match #2 (revised): Stars and Stripes (managed by Commander Sam) vs Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (managed by Nikita Breznikov) in a non-title match . The match begins with American Guy and the Iron Sheik facing each other down in the ring. Suddenly, American Guy salutes the Iron Sheik. As a shocked Iron Sheik smiles in response, American Guy then kicks him in the crotch. American Guy again salutes a now doubled over and grimacing Iron Sheik before kicking him in the crotch once again. American Guy then delivers a Star Spangled elbow and his AMERICAN FIREPOWER to the Iron Sheik and apparently would have won the match if not for a pin save by Volkoff. The Iron Sheik and Volkoff briefly gain control of the match but overall are overwhelmed by Stars and Stripes who they did not expect to have to wrestle. The match ends when U.S. Male delivers his Rocket's Red Glare followed by Stars and Stripes's finisher DAWN"S EARLY BLIGHT to pin the Iron Sheik. The crowd erupts at the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff's defeat and shout "USA" repeatedly. But the announcers remark, if an outside team can completely dominate the US Tag Team Champions, how bad does this possibly bode for MLW teams at the Sammartino Invitational?
The winners: Stars and Stripes

Backstage: Jimmy Snuka walks up to talk to S.D. Jones and the two of them agree to form a tag team to compete in the Sammartino Invitational.

Match #3: The Regulators vs the Valentines. In a rematch from their great encounter in the tag team turmoil match at Backlash last weekend, the Valentines started off strong against the Regulators. Johnny Valentine worked on wearing down Richard Hutton and then tagged in Greg Valentine who attempted to put the match away with his FIGURE-FOUR LEGLOCK but Hutton managed to grab the ropes to break the hold. Hutton finally tagged in Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. The crowd loudly chanted "SUPERPLEX, SUPERPLEX" and Orton Jr. finally delivered one against Johnny Valentine but Greg Valentine made the pin save to prevent the defeat. The match ended when Orton Jr. delivered a spinning neckbreaker (ch E on updated charts) against Greg Valentine and then Immediately tagged in Hutton . As Greg Valentine was still wobbling from the spinning neckbreaker, Hutton applied the ABDOMINAL STRETCH for the victory.
Winner: The Regulators (Hutton and Orton Jr.)

Match #4: Yukon Eric and Splatter vs the Road Warriors (managed by Kowalski). At the start of the match, Kowalski visibly enjoyed himself by taunting Yukon Eric by waving his severed piece of ear that he had wrapped around his (Kowalski's) neck. Kowalski also motioned how Yukon Eric's ear would soon be hanging above the ring in their upcoming ladder match at next week's Saturday Night's Main Event. The Road Warriors started off strong against Splatter as Animal delivered an overhead bodyslam followed by two spike piledrivers. The match soon ended as Hawk and Animal delivered the DOOMSDAY DEVICE to Splatter. Yukon Eric was prevented from trying to make a pin save by Kowalski who snuck up behind him while he was standing on the apron and gave him an ankle twist.
Winners: Road Warriors

[stephenvegas]

Friday 5/12/06 (second half of the show)
Major League Wrestling (MLW): Showtime
Live from The Pond in Anaheim, CA

Match #5: Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champions Generation X (Grunge and Metalhead) vs World Champion Nick Bockwinkel and Harley Race (Bockwinkel and Race are managed by Bobby Heenan and are accompanied to the ring by Ox Baker the Heenan Family's "problem solver"). Bockwinkel and Race,who announced they would team together in the Sammartino Invitational to try and win the $1 million prize, controlled most of the match against the visiting champions from the Pacific Northwest. Generation X regained some momentum when Grunge, out of desperation, smashed his guitar on Race's head! But Race's head proved too thick and Race easily kicked out of Grunge's pin attempt. Race soon regained control and tagged in Bockwinkel who won the match by making Grunge submit via his BOCKWINKEL SLEEPER.
Winners: Nick Bockwinkel and Harley Race.

Backstage: Nikita Brevnikov meets with MLW owner and GM Bruno Sammartino.

Breznikov: "You should have told me that the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff's opponents tonight were being changed to Stars and Stripes! We only lost because we were unprepared."

Sammartino: "Perhaps you are right. So let me tell you right now that next week on the final Showtime before the Sammartino Invitational in Las Vegas, I have already scheduled a six man tag team match. On one side it will be Stars and Stripes and their manager Commander Sam (2087 card) and they will take on the team of US Tag Team Champions Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik and their manager, you, Nikita Breznikov."
Breznikov hits a nearby locker in anger and protests unsuccessfully at hearing this news.

Hot Seat: The guests are Dan Severn on one side and Bobby Heenan accompanied by his "problem solver" Ox Baker on the other side. The interview begins with Apter showing footage from Backlash's main event last weekend in which challenger Antonino Rocca won by dq against World Champion Nick Bockwinkel of the Heenan Family in a match officiated by guest referee Severn. The disqualification occurred when Bockwinkel shoved Severn even though he had control of the match and Rocca was down on the mat. The Heenan Family responded with outrage and King Kong Bundy delivered an AVALANCHE to Severn.

Apter: Dan Severn, why were you so quick to dq Bockwinkel in last week's main event at Backlash?"

Severn: "The rules clearly state that you can not put your hands on an official which Bockwinkel clearly did to earn the dq. A better question might be why did Bockwinkel shove me, the official, to get disqualified if he thought he had the match won?"

Heenan: "NO! The fact is that you, Dan Severn, conspired with Antonino Rocca to save him if the match started to go bad so you could enact a clause in the contract for Backlash's main event that states Rocca gets a rematch if Bockwinkel got himself disqualified. First Rocca gets Sammartino to stack the deck by appointing a lowlife like yourself, Severn, as the guest referee and then Rocca and you work together to ensure Rocca gets a rematch if Bockwinkel is about to win the match."

Severn: "This is coming from the man who tried to bribe me to call the match "appropriately"."

Apter: "I've been instructed to announce that, due to the disqualification clause in the main event at Backlash, that next week on Saturday Night's Main Event (SNME) there will be a rematch between Rocca and Bockwinkel for the World Championship but this time it will be inside a steel cage!"

Heenan: "Well at least we won't have to deal with a biased referee this time. I also have a match to announce. Next week on Showtime Ox Baker and King Kong Bundy, who will team together in the Sammartino Invitational, will face you Severn and whoever you find to be your tag team partner at the Sammartino Invitational. That is if you can find anyone willing to team up with the likes of you."

Severn: "I already have somebody for next week and for the Sammartino Invitational. My partner is Giant Baba."

Baker: "You mean the man I defeated at Backlash with my HEARTPUNCH?"
Baker and Heenan arrogantly laugh together and the Hot Seat ends.

In the ring: new United States Champion Buddy Rogers with his title wrapped around his waist and accompanied by his valet Maxine Babe.

Rogers: "Last weekend at Backlash I defeated both Bobo Brazil and Mil Mascaras in a triple threat match to become MLW''s first ever United States Champion! After my victory, me and Maxine Babe jumped into my customized limo and we rode on down to the Strip to TI (Treasure Island) where we checked into my penthouse suite and celebrated all night long. Whoooo!"

Rogers: "My next goal is to win the Sammartino Invitational and for that here is my tag team partner: Gorgeous George."

"Pomp and Circumstance" plays over The Pond's loudspeakers as Gorgeous George makes his way to the ring. Rogers and George shake hands as Maxine Babe applauds in
the background.

Suddenly, Sammartino appears.
Sammartino: "Rogers, let me the first to congratulate you on your championship victory last week. But I am also going to be the one to inform you of your first championship defense. Next week at SNME you Buddy Rogers will defend your new title against the man you did not pin or make submit in the triple threat match at Backlash- Bobo Brazil."

Brazil appears and grabs the microphone.
Brazil "(To Rogers) Also, I have a match signed for tonight here on Showtime in which Mil Mascaras, my tag team partner in the Sammartino Invitational, gets to wrestle Gorgeous George who is your partner in the Sammartino Invitational."

Match #6: Mil Mascaras vs Gorgeous George.
Although George controlled some of the match and even successfully managed to place his SPINNING TOE HOLD on Mascaras, Mascaras was on the offensive for most of this contest and made George submit to a bow and arrow for the victory, Brazil prevented Rogers and Maxine Babe from trying to save George.
Winner: Mil Mascaras

Match #7, the Main Event: Antonino Rocca and Frank Gotch vs the World Champion Midnight Express (managed by Jim Cornette) (non-title). Rocca and Gotch looked great together and controlled most of the match against the Midnight Express. The match ended when Gotch made Eaton submit to his GOTCH TOE HOLD. The announcers ask aloud, just how far can the team of Rocca and Gotch advance in the Sammartino Invitational?
Winners: Antonino Rocca and Frank Gotch.

Show fades to black.

[stephenvegas]

Major League Wrestling (MLW): All Stars (my "B" show)
Saturday morning 5/13/06 (broadcast date)

Today on MLW: All Stars, all the matches will be tag team contests as various teams from both MLW and champions from outside territories are preparing for the Sammartino Invitational in 2 weeks! Except for the main event, each match will feature one tag team from MLW taking on a champion tag team from an outside territory who will compete in the Sammartino Invitational.

Match #1: Florida Tag Team Champions the Vachons defeated Scimitar and Dark Knight (COTG's Death Knight from 2087) by countout. The Vachons looked impressive and controlled most of the match which finally ended when Mad Dog Vachon gave Dark Knight (who was making his MLW debut) a PILEDRIVER on the concrete floor to get the countout victory.

Match #2: The Country Rangers defeated Mexico's Tag Team Champions Konnan and Steve Corino by dq. Konnan dazzled the MLW crowd with moves such as his sit out face buster and his seated dropkick. Konnan and Corino basically had control of the entire match bu lost when Corino gave Dirty Black Bart an impressive superkick and then threw Bart out of the ring where he grabbed the timekeeper's bell and smashed Bart upside the head with it twice to get disqualified.

Add for the Sammartino Invitational: "Coming Memorial Day Weekend to Las Vegas, the Sammartino Invitational- a three-day tag team tournament made up of 40 teams including 25 from MLW and 15 tag team champions from other territories and around the world. Don't you DARE miss it!"
Match #3: Northeast Tag Team Champions the Masked Marauders (Masked Superstar and the Destroyer) defeated War Chief Omega and Karah the Jungle Lad when Masked Superstar pinned Karah via a SPINNING NECKBREAKER. War Chief Omega twice impressively refused to submit to Destroyer's FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK and even had an impressive run on offense by hitting both the Masked Superstar and the Destroyer with his karate chops and his war dance. But the Masked Marauders ultimately proved too much to handle for War Chief Omega and Karah the Jungle Lad.

Match #4: Memphis's Tag Team Champions Chris Candido and Danny Doring (managed by Sunny) defeated the Sandman and "Precious" Paul Ellering when Doring pinned Sandman via his DANACONDA. Candido and Doring were in control until Candido's BLONDE BOMB on Ellering failed to work properly. Ellering tagged in to Sandman who gave Candido a Heinekenrana. After the Heinekenrana, Candido ended up near his corner and tagged in Doring. Doring gave the Sandman a dropkick followed by a Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma'am and then used his DANACONDA finisher to win the match.

Match #5: Mongolia's Tag Team Champions Eastern Dynasty (from COTG) defeated Danny Hodge and Playboy Buddy Rose when Genghis Khan pinned Hodge via his TWIN THRUST. Hodge and Rose controlled most of the match and Hodge nearly had the match won in the opening minute with his OKLAHOMA SIDEROLL against Mitsuko the Mongol. But Khan countered a move by Hodge and proceeded to give Hodge a standing dropkick followed by his finisher for the victory.

Major League Wrestling's Grand Slam of the Week: The footage from this week's MLW: Showtime shows newly crowned United States Tag Team Champions the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff in the ring ready to face the Killer Bees only to find out their opponent has been switched to Central States Tag Team Champions Stars and Stripes (from COTG's New Beginnings). Stars and Stripes proceed to dominate and quickly defeat the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff via their tag finisher DAWN'S EARLY BLIGHT. The announcers are again shown asking if an outside tag team like Stars and Stripes can so easily dominate the United States Tag Team Champions, just what chance do the teams in MLW have in the Sammartino Invitational? Afterward, the footage shows MLW owner and GM Bruno Sammartino informing Nikita Breznikov that next week on Showtime he and his men the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff will take on Stars and Stripes and their manager Commander Sam in a six man tag team match.

Match #6: The Valiants vs Australia's Tag Team Champions the DEMONS (COTG's Demons of Hydra) who are managed by Darkos ended in a double disqualification.
The Valiants appeared to have the match won twice but the MLW crowd witnessed Darkos and the Demons successfully execute their infamous switch routine in which Darkos distracted the referee and one of the Demons then switched with the Demon currently being pinned. The match ended when Jimmy Valiant started brawling with Demon #1 (COTG's Demon) while Johnny Valiant simultaneously started brawling with Demon #2 (COTG's Hydra). The brawl spilled outside of the ring and the referee, unable to regain control, called for the double dq.

Match #7, the Main Event: The Flying Redheads (managed by Captain Lou Albano) defeated the Heart Thrashers (managed by Cassandra). In the only match on the card in which both opponents were MLW teams, the Flying Redheads and the Heart Thrashers wrestled again after their sensational matchup last week in the Tag Team Turmoil Match at Backlash with another great match. Both sides appeared to win the contest multiple times and there were in fact a combined total of 12 unsuccessful pin attempts by both teams. This sensational match finally ended when Lyons made Beefcake submit to a SLEEPER HOLD.

Show fades to black. See you next Friday for MLW:Showtime and then in 2 weeks for the Sammartino Invitational!

[stephenvegas]

Major League Wrestling (MLW): Showtime
Preview for Friday 5/19/06 @ Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA

Tag team matches will make up the entire card on the last Showtime before the Sammartino Invitational this Friday as many of the 40 tag teams will seek some last minute practice before the 3 day tournament begins on Memorial Day weekend. The office of MLW owner and GM Bruno Sammartino has announced that this week's matches will include the team of Frank Gotch and Antonino Rocca against the team of World Champion nick Bockwinkel and fellow Heenan Family member Harley Race! Bobby Heenan will also have his other two members of the Heenan Family in action as the team of Ox Baker and King Kong Bundy are set to face the team of Dan Severn and Giant Baba. MLW's World Tag Team Champions the Midnight Express will also have a match this week. In addition, several of the guest tag team champions from outside territories scheduled to compete in the Sammartino Invitational will also be in action such as Japan's Tag Team Champions Antonino Rocca and Rikidozan and Mexico's Tag Team Champions Konnan and Steve Corino. As announced last week, the entry of Central States Tag Team Champions Stars and Stripes and their manager Commander Sam will take on MLW's United States Tag Team Champions the Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, and their manager Nikita Breznikov in a six man tag team match. Can Stars and Stripes make it two wins in a row and in as many weeks against the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff? Finally, Sammartino's office has guaranteed that Stampede Tag Team Champions Durango Sundown will also compete this week on Showtime against an as of yet undecided opponent.

Finally, this is the final edition of Showtime before MLW's first edition of Saturday Night's Main Event (SNME) this Saturday night! Matches already announced include Antonino Rocca receiving a rematch against World Champion Nick Bockwinkel in a steel cage, Bobo Brazil vs United States Champion Buddy Rogers, and a ladder match between Yukon Eric and Killer Kowalski in which Yukon Eric's severed ear (currently possessed by Kowalski) will be the prize dangling above the ring! Expect additional matches for SNME to be announced on Showtime!

[Stu]

Stephen:

Truly inspired stuff my friend, have been reading a lot of your shows/posts this evening, highly entertaining. I myself have gone to a "mixed" fed, using COTG wrestlers and Legends wrestlers in my fed, the NWA. Honestly, I never thought I would do it, but now that I've started with a major invasion angle (the GWF invading the NWA, although its all eventually going to merge into the good old NWA based out of Charlotte, NC), I'm having more fun than ever before! I'll be reading your Sammartino Invitational next, like how you've been using Stars & Stripes.

When you get past the sci-fi aspects, there are many...countless...COTG wrestlers who can fit well in a mostly real wrestler fed, and really expand how much fun you can have. And, a lot of the sci-fi moves, backgrounds, and stories can just be changed in your head. While I certainly respect how you're doing it, I can tell you that my initial fear of not liking the fictional wrestle the real was unfounded.

Well done sir, count me as a fan of Major League Wrestling!

-Stu