Booking 101: Tim's NWF

[TDalton]

In defense of my boring faces...

I wasn't a big fan of Yukon Eric & Danny Hodge at first, since they were just a makeshift team that I threw together. But no one could beat them and when they put together a 24 card title reign, I really started to like the dynamic.

I've always liked the Redheads, but have never seen footage of them as a team. Based on the reputation of both guys as great workers, I have to think they'd be pretty popular, especially in this area with Lyons being Canadian.

As I constantly mention in the writeups, I see Rocca & DiPaolo easily being the most popular team. Rocca was probably the biggest box office draw of his day, even over the world champs of the time. Ilio may not have ventured out of the Steel Belt area too often, but he was the guy they built the local promotion around for many years. While most of the guys in LOW were on top at some time or another, very few were "the man" in any territory for a long period of time.

I guess it works for me, and that's what matters. I'm not much of an interactive booker, as (most times) I have a good idea of where I'm going, so you'll have to make it through the title reigns and pushes of the boring guys. If the cools guys win consistently, they'll get their shots.

[wildcat]

wildcat said:

The NWF is still the best and I'm a fan forever. I wish I could run a fed half as good as you and I mean that.

Again I point to the above lines.
The NWF is amazing and clearly my favorite fed any where on these boards and even Tim called me the NWF's #1 fan, so I'm allowed a little discretions if I like. The NWF is so good I have to try hard to find anything wrong with it. And the things I call wrong with it is just my opinion.
THE NWF RULES! plain and simple. It just has boring face tag champs. ;D

[TDalton]

wildcat said:

Again I point to the above lines.
The NWF is amazing and clearly my favorite fed any where on these boards and even Tim called me the NWF's #1 fan, so I'm allowed a little discretions if I like. The NWF is so good I have to try hard to find anything wrong with it. And the things I call wrong with it is just my opinion.
THE NWF RULES! plain and simple. It just has boring face tag champs. ;D

Don't go getting all sensitive on me, I was just explaining my theory. The ethnic Italian and Polish babyfaces did very very well in this area back in the day. If I thought you were being too serious, I'd have Domenic DeNucci work over your good leg. ;D

[wildcat]

I'm not getting sensitive, I just thought I offended you and I didn't want that. I just wanted you to know your face tag champs are ALWAYS boring.

[TDalton]

Card #245 – 09/14/2007
Jamestown High School Gym – Jamestown, NY

The NWF continues it’s ride on Route 90 as we cross into New York and make a stop in Jamestown! It’s Sheik vs. Muraco in the main event, and the first actual appearance of Greg Valentine in a Jamestown ring since the NWF’s inception! Let’s get to the action…

1. Red Bastien b Larry Sharpe
This was a quick one. Red reversed a move and moments later hit the flying head scissors which he turned into a cradle fin the win.

2. Dennis Condrey b King Kong Bundy
Both DDP and Rick Rude were in the corner of their respective partner. The finish saw Condrey go for a top rope crossbody. At first it looked like Bundy caught him, but DDP grabbed the big man’s ankle, causing him to fall backward with Condrey on top to get the upset win. The addition of Condrey has immediately swung the momentum in this feud.

3. Riviera Playboys dq Bob & Brad Armstrong
Another match between these rival teams. Sherri Martel was in a neck brace, still feeling the effects of the piledriver from Bob Armstrong.last week. The Armstrongs “no more Mr. Nice Guy” attitude was evident in this match, as they were happy to bend a couple rules to offset the illegal tactics that the Playboys use liberally. Bullet Bob and Buddy Rose were both busted open badly, but in Armstrong’s case, it seemed to light a fire in him. Finish saw Bob get DQ’d after seeing Rose work over Brad with a foreign object. The Bullet jumped in the ring, karate chopped Koko off the apron and tore into Rose. The Armstrongs hit a post match double-team Russian Legsweep on Rose.

4. Mad Dog Vachon b Greg Valentine
Although Valentine has been scheduled to wrestle in Jamestown on many occasions, no one could actually seem to remember him doing so. This dates back to 2003 when Greg was the United States titleholder, and skipped a defense in Jamestown. Valentine won the first meeting between the two back on August 31st. This was a crazy match that saw Albano interfere after a Vachon Piledriver, allowing Valentine to sneak attack and get the Figure 4, which brought Valiant into the fray, as he broke things up allowing Mad Dog to sneak attack and hit another Piledriver! And that wasn’t even the end! Vachon got the win when Valentine missed a turnbuckle charge, leading to yet another Piledriver which was responsible for the Hammer’s first loss since his return to the area. No wonder he doesn’t like Jamestown.

5. Fabulous Kangaroos b Danny Hodge & Billy “Red” Lyons
The Kangaroos claim as the world’s greatest technical wrestlers was tested here, as they took on two of the NWF’s best. It wasn’t the first time together for Hodge & Lyons, as they reluctantly teamed back in June when they were on opposite sides in a tag-team title struggle. While the two worked well, they just couldn’t handle the slick double-team tactics of the ‘Roos. It turned into a horrible night for Hodge, who wound up submitting to Heffernan’s Stepover Toehold after being whacked in the knee by Red Berry’s cane outside the ring. After the bell, Lyons got run into the steel ring post, and the Aussie duo went back to work on Hodge’s knee, slamming it repeatedly around the ring post. Red Bastien finally came down to break things up, but Hodge was hurting, and will most likely be out of action for some time.

6. Antonino Rocca dq Larry Hennig
Rocca got the win when these two met in earlier in the year, but for a while, it seemed like this was going to be Hennig’s night. He used his girth to overpower the popular Rocca, but grew continually frustrated at his opponent’s resilience. Rocca was floored by the Axe four times, but managed to barely survive each. Rocca started to feed on the crowd’s chants for him and fought up. It was Curt’s interference that gave Rocca the win, as Larry couldn’t keep him down and was running out of options.

7. Ivan Koloff b Jimmy Valiant (Best of Three Falls)
After trading wins in previous bouts, Koloff got the victory in two straight falls. It was a dominating performance, but the show of heart by Valiant was incredible. After losing the first fall to the falling face slam, the Boogie Woogie Man, who was a bloody mess by the end, fought off Koloff’s array of power moves and submissions. It was finally the Russian chain that brought the Boogie Man down, as Koloff popped him while Albano had the referee distracted.

8. Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams b Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens
This one actually started out with some good technical skills shown by all four. But that didn’t last. Stevens cut a couple of corners and did some damage to DiBiase. Crowd went nuts when Williams and Bockwinkel finally got in the ring against each other. It turned into a bad night for the Heenan Family, as Bockwinkel took a ridiculous beating by both opponents, and wasn’t able to make a tag. All the interference by Heenan and pin saves by Stevens only prolonged the beating, and Doc finished him with the Oklahoma Stampede. It was the first pinfall loss for Bockwinkel & Stevens in their 12 matches. One has to wonder what Bockwinkel’s condition will be for next week’s return bout for the NWF belt against Williams. On an unrelated note, DiBiase has been hinting that he and Doc will be adding someone to their team in order to help combat numbers advantage that Heenan holds.

9. North American Championship: The Sheik b Magnificent Muraco
Muraco heard some cheers, which is out of the ordinary, but everyone gets cheered against the Syrian menace. Muraco interrupted Sheik’s pre-match prayer ritual and almost got a quick win with the falling face slam. It turned into the standard Sheik match, with the opponent having the advantage until things wind up outside the ring. This time, it was Sheik slamming Muraco back first into the steel ring post repeatedly. That softened up the big Hawaiian for the Camel Clutch, which Sheik eventually locked in for the win. The Magnificent One was very unhappy with the result, reportedly trashing the locker room after the match.

Another big win for the Sheik! Muraco is really fired up and talking about a rematch! Bockwinkel was a mess, but seemed to have all his senses about him later in the locker room. It’s going to be an interesting week as we head to Weirton for a show at the West Virginia Northern Community College Gym! Here’s the current lineup:

* King Kong Bundy & Rick Rude look to bounce back after suffering their first loss, and will meet DDP & Dennis Condrey once again! Can they get back on the winning track, or does the new combo of Page & Condrey have their number?

* Bullet Bob Armstrong will be in singles action against Buddy Rose, but Sherri Martel and Koko Ware won’t have a say in the outcome as no one will be allowed at ringside! Look for the ongoing battles between the Armstrongs and Playboys to have a little extra steam, as Bob & Brad aren’t pulling any more punches!

* Once again the Kangaroos and Red Berry avoid facing the Flying Redheads, and instead square off against Billy “Red” Lyons and Yukon Eric! It looks like Danny Hodge will be out for some time with a knee injury, and his tag partner Yukon Eric wants some payback!

* Upset over his first loss since returning to the area, especially since it came in his least favorite stop on the NWF tour, Greg Valentine will get another shot at Mad Dog Vachon! You know any match between these two will be a hard-hitting affair, and Lou Albano has said he thinks Valentine has what it takes to be the next NWF champion, but he’ll have to get by the Mad Dog first!

* Local boy and favorite son Ilio DiPaolo will take on Curt Hennig in a singles match just a week before the return match for the NWF tag-team championship! It will be the power and guile of Ilio versus the speed and deceptive skill of young Curt!

* Your big main event will be the return match for the NWF Title! New champ Steve Williams faces 5-time champ Nick Bockwinkel! Will Bockwinkel be at 100% after the beating he took tonight? Will Dr. Death get the win and put Bockwinkel out of the title picture for a while, or will Tricky Nick and Bobby Heenan bounce back to regain the title?

Hang on Weirton! Another great NWF show is only seven days away!

[Cory Olson]

Poor Greg Valentine! I wonder what his mother thinks...

[TDalton]

coryolson said:

Poor Greg Valentine! I wonder what his mother thinks...

I hear she's having health problems...?

I normally never book Valentine on Jamestown shows, but there was a venue switch, and I didn't want to change a bunch of things around. What was that anyway, like 10 years ago? I've moved past it.

[TDalton]

By the way, Card # 245 was The Sheik's 40th sanctioned singles match, and he has only one loss by pinfall or submission.

[wildcat]

The Sheik and his impressive run deserves a shot at the big title now that a face has it.

Steve Williams vs. The Sheik - BOOK IT! The #1 fan demands it.

[TDalton]

Card #246 – 09/21/2007
WV Northern Community College Gym – Weirton, WV

It was a warm September evening as the NWF rolled into town. Will Nick Bockwinkel join Don Leo Jonathan, the Valiants and Road Warriors as those who have won titles here? Yukon Eric is back after a short leave, and looking to avenge the injury to his tag partner Danny Hodge! It’s a big night, so let’s get to the action…

1. Danny Doring & Virgil b S.D. Jones & Cousin Luke
Very good opener. Luke just got destroyed in the early going, taking him out of action for a while. Special Delivery came back and pounded Virgil, effectively making this a singles match for some time. It was an even match contest between Jones and Doring until a Bareback by Dastardly Danny. He took over on S.D. and got the win with the Danaconda.

2. Brad Armstrong cor George South
After starting his singles career 4-0, Brad has taken a slide. But the new aggressive Armstrong attitude was on display tonight. South put up a decent fight, but was counted out when Brad gave him a Russian Legsweep on the concrete floor.

3. Bob Armstrong b Playboy Buddy Rose (No one allowed at ringside)
Before the match, Rose was trying to have Koko Ware as his second at ringside, thinking only Sherri Martel was banned. Bob countered, saying in that case, he had a dozen guys in the locker room who would second him. Rose backed down. Bob almost scored a quick win after a missed turnbuckle charge in what turned into a great match. Rose hit the Bombs Away four times, but Bob somehow survived them all and got the comeback win with a top rope crossbody.

4. Curt Hennig b Ilio DiPaolo
Great action and a big comeback by Hennig (thanks to a little help from his father). Ilio bounced him around for the first half of the bout. Ilio had Curt up in the Airplane Spin when Larry grabbed DiPaolo’s tag belt and smashed him while the ref wasn’t looking. Curt took over from there, finally winning with the Axe.

5. King Kong Bundy & Rick Rude b Diamond Dallas Page & Dennis Condrey
This was a quick one, and all four men were going at it before the bell even rang. The chaos continued once the match was underway, as DDP and Rude were going toe-to-toe. It wound up with DDP choking Rude with his own ring robe. The referee tried to break it up, but DDP wouldn’t let go. After several attempts to stop the carnage, the ref had no choice but to DQ Page.

6. Ted DiBiase b Larry Zbyszko
Since returning from injury at the hands of Zbyszko & Ray Stevens, DiBiase has been on fire. He tore through Stevens last week and did a number on Zbyszko in this match. DiBiase had been working Zbyszko’s left leg for most of the bout, and won with the Figure 4 Leglock. After being the 2006 Newcomer of the Year and winning the North American title in 2007, Zbyszko just hasn’t been the same.

7. Greg Valentine b Mad Dog Vachon
After splitting victories in recent singles encounters, these two went at it again. It was an evenly fought match, but gradually Valentine seemed to get the advantage. With Albano in his corner, Valentine scored a hard fought win with his signature falling elbow hammer.

8. Fabulous Kangaroos b Yukon Eric & Billy “Red” Lyons
Yukon had been taking some time off after the loss of the tag titles, but once the Kangaroos and manager Red Berry injured his partner Danny Hodge, Yukon was back with fire in his eyes! Unfortunately, he wound up being a spectator in this one, as the Kangaroos isolated Lyons and pinned him fairly quickly with the Boomerang. The one tag Lyons did make was missed by the referee, and after the bell, and incredibly angry and frustrated Yukon charged in and cleared the ring.

9. NWF Championship: Steve Williams b Nick Bockwinkel
Huge match for both men. Williams ended Bockwinkel’s record setting reign to win the gold, but many experts thought Bockwinkel would regain the title tonight. The former champ came out of the blocks fast, and Williams barely survived a Sleeper attempt. Dr. Death came back using his tremendous power, getting two near falls with the Oklahoma Stampede. Bock turned the tables, but Williams did a great job of avoiding the Sleeper and Figure 4. A German suplex and third Oklahoma Stampede did Bockwinkel in, as Bobby Heenan was a second too late for the save. Williams now has the tough chore of following Bockwinkel’s 16 ½ month championship reign.

A huge win for Williams, knocking Bockwinkel out of the title picture for a while! It looks like Rick Rude will be the next contender, as he’s racked up a series of wins since his last shot at the big title. There are rumors that Bockwinkel may turn his attention to the tag belts with long-time partner Ray Stevens. Here’s the current lineup for next week’s big show:

* Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams have mentioned bringing in some reinforcements for the battle against the Heenan Family. Supposedly, their new recruit will make his debut next week in Hubbard!

* Ravishing Rick Rude will try to put a stop to the winning ways of Dennis Condrey! DDP’s latest partner has looked impressive in both singles and tag bouts – will this match be Condrey’s Rude Awakening? A loss might knock Rude out of his #1 contender position, so this will be a big match for both competitors.

* An angry Yukon Eric faces Kangaroo Roy Heffernan in singles action! Yukon is anxious to get his Kodiak Krunch on the men responsible for injuring Danny Hodge, namely the Kangaroos and manager Red Berry! Red Berry has stated that Yukon is a simple ruffian who will be no match for the superior wrestling skills of Heffernan. We’ll find out next week!

* Magnificent Muraco has complained long and loud about getting a rematch against The Sheik! It worked. The two will meet again in Buffalo in two weeks with the North American Title on the line! Next week, it will be a rare tag match for The Sheik, as he and a partner will face Muraco & manager Captain Lou Albano! So far, no one is willing to be Sheik’s partner! Will he find someone, or just drag a body to the ring? We’ll have to wait and see!

* Former NWF champions clash when Nick Bockwinkel takes on Ted DiBiase! Bockwinkel has something to prove after the second loss to Williams. Can DiBiase’s mix of brawling and mat skills beat the incredible ring savvy of the 5 time former champion?

* Your big main event will have new tag-team champions Antonino Rocca & Ilio DiPaolo making their first defense of the tag belts against former champs Larry & Curt Hennig! The Hennigs say the only reason they lost the belts was their overconfidence. Can Rocca & DiPaolo keep the belts, or will the Hennigs once again show the dominance they had when these teams first met back in June?

Looking into the future, we’re planning some special surprises for the NWF’s 250th show in McKeesport, PA! More details will be released as things are finalized, but rest assured that will be a must see event! But for now, we’re just a week away from the big show at the Hubbard High School Gym! See you there!

[TDalton]

wildcat said:

Steve Williams vs. The Sheik - BOOK IT! The #1 fan demands it.

No.

[wildcat]

tdalton said:

wildcat said:

Steve Williams vs. The Sheik - BOOK IT! The #1 fan demands it.

No.

OK




Fan'Friggi'Tasticlast card bro, the NWF never disappoints.

[TDalton]

Card #247 – 09/28/2007
Hubbard High School Gym – Hubbard, OH

We’re back in action in Hubbard! We’ve got tag title action in the main event, a battle of former NWF champs and a rare tag-team appearance by The Sheik! Let’s get to the action…

1. Danny Doring b S.D. Jones
It was a pretty even match, but Doring got a big reversal off the ropes and finished Special Delivery with Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am.

2. Jim Duggan b Virgil
Hoooooo! Well, Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase said they were bringing in a recruit to help in their battles with the Heenan Family, and it was fellow Mid-South alum Jim Duggan! It’s Duggan’s first appearance in the area since 2005. Virgil actually pinned Duggan back in 2005, ironically with help from Ted DiBiase. No help for Virgil this time, as he was pinned with a spinning bodyslam.

3. Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff dq Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant
This was a quick but very heated contest. Valiant went for broke at the bell, charging Valentine. The Hammer moved at the last second and Albano quickly tripped the Boogie Man up. Valentine went for the Figure 4, but Vachon grabbed his Algerian chains and nearly took Greg’s head off. That was the DQ, but the teams brawled around ringside for several minutes before being broken up.

4. Rick Rude b Dennis Condrey
It looked like “tag specialist” Condrey was about to go 3-0 in singles action since his debut, but during some out of the ring action, Bundy pancaked Loverboy Dennis into the ring apron. That allowed Ravishing Rick to use the Rude Awakening for the win.

5. Roy Heffernan b Yukon Eric
This was a free-for-all that turned into a classic fight! Yukon was looking for revenge after the Kangaroos and Red Berry had injured his partner Danny Hodge. Yukon was overpowering, working Heffernan’s back while the Kangaroo was wearing out Yukon’s left knee. Both used their finisher three times, but to no avail. Berry successfully saved Heffernan twice, which gave his man the advantage. Heffernan ended the lengthy bloodbath with a Kangaroo Kick. Knowing Yukon’s legendary temper, this one is far from over.

6. Magnificent Muraco & Lou Albano b The Sheik & George South
Since no one on the NWF roster has any love for The Sheik, there were jokes made that he would have to drag someone to the ring to be his partner. Well, that’s actually what happened. George South was literally forced down the aisle and into the ring. Muraco and Sheik started, but as soon as the Magnificent One got the advantage, Sheik tagged in South. As Muraco manhandled South, Sheik and Farouk just left the ring area and went back to the locker room. Back in the ring, Muraco pinned South with the Hawaiian Hammer. Muraco grabbed the mic after the bell and told the crowd that if he couldn’t beat Sheik in their North American Title rematch, that he would leave the NWF! The announcement shocked everyone, including manager Lou Albano.

7. Koko B. Ware b Bob Armstrong
Armstrong could have cracked the Top 10 rankings for the first time with a win here, but was denied. Koko did his part, but it was mostly Sherri Martel’s interference that did in the Bullet. It was a distraction by Sherri that allowed Ware to use the Ghostbuster to get the pin. As soon as the bell rang, both Koko and Sherri hightailed it to the dressing room before Bob regained his senses.

8. Ted DiBiase b Nick Bockwinkel
DiBiase came in on a 5-0 hot streak, and Bockwinkel was on the comeback trail after losing the NWF title to Steve Williams. These two have a history of being both friends and enemies dating back to 2003. Bockwinkel got the Sleeper right away, but DiBiase was able to make the ropes. Lots of solid action throughout. After Bockwinkel inadvertently knocked manager Bobby Heenan off the ring apron during a criss-cross, DiBiase took advantage and got the win with the Figure 4 Leglock. It’s the third straight singles loss for Bockwinkel, and I can’t even remember the last time that happened.

9. NWF Tag-Team Championship: Larry & Curt Hennig cor Antonino Rocca & Ilio DiPaolo
This one ended quickly due to a freak accident. Moments into the match, Rocca tried a dive over the top rope onto the Hennigs, who were on the floor. His trailing foot grazed the top rope enough to send him crashing head first to the concrete floor. He was knocked out cold, and while it looked like Curt was ready to take advantage of the situation, father Larry held him back. The official result was a countout win for the Hennigs. Tests at a nearby hospital were all negative, although Rocca was kept overnight for observation. A rematch has already been scheduled for Card #250 in McKeesport.

Scary moment in the main event, but everything worked out for the best. Next week we’re back in Buffalo, but due to a scheduling conflict, we’ll be at the Peace Bridge Exhibition Center instead of the Aud! Here’s the current lineup:

* Yukon Eric will be back in action, this time gunning for Kangaroo captain Al Costello! Yukon put a world of hurt on Heffernan this week despite not getting his hand raised. Clearly, Yukon is focused on punishing the Kangaroos and not thinking about wins and losses. Look for another barn burner in this one!

* The new-attitude Armstrongs face their arch-rivals the Riviera Playboys! Both Bob & Brad are sick and tired of dominating bouts only to lose to underhanded tactics! The father – son combo will wrestle cleanly, but once their opponents break the rules – look out! Can the Playboys adapt to the new look Armstrongs? We’ll find out next week!

* While Antonino Rocca takes a week off to rest, partner Ilio DiPaolo will battle powerhouse Larry “the Axe” Hennig! These two will meet again on card #250 for the tag belts, but will meet in Ilio’s adopted hometown next week!

* It will be “dog eat dog” time in Buffalo when Mad Dog Vachon once again Greg “the Hammer” Valentine in singles action! The bouts between these two just get more and more intense, so look for an exciting and hard-hitting exchange between these two!

* Ted DiBiase & Jim Duggan will team to face Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens! It’s a rough second match for Hacksaw, but he never backs down from a challenge!

* Your big main event will see The Sheik defend the North American Title against the Magnificent Muraco! In all his interviews, Abdullah Farouk introduces The Sheik as “the 2007 Wrestler of the Year.” It’s a little premature to bestow that title upon him, and with Muraco putting his contract on the line, there are more important things to worry about!

See you next week in Buffalo!

[Chad Olson]

What's up with Bock hitting the skids? Hopefully he'll do better in the tag match next week.

Keep posting, can't wait to see what's in store for card #250!

[TDalton]

*** NWF BREAKING NEWS ***

Card #250? Did someone mention Card #250? Well, here's a little preview of what we have lined up:

* The big rematch for the tag titles will headline, as the really really popular duo of Antonino Rocca & Ilio DiPaolo face Larry & Curt Hennig!

* In Special Attraction #1, we'll have a big "one night only" tag-team match that will take you all the way back to 2003! We're bringing in two big NWF favorites - Bobo Brazil & the Destroyer! They'll face former NWF tag champs - the evil foreigners, Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff, managed by the devious Nikita Breznikov!

* If that wasn't enough, we have Special Attraction #2! Former World Junior Heavyweight champion Beautiful Bobby Eaton will attempt to regain the title from current champion Tiger Mask! It's another big title match on the NWF's 250th spectacular!


Now, before we get to Card #250, there is even bigger news! Former 3-time NWF Champion Harley Race is returning to the area in mid-October! You know it won't be long before Race goes after long-time nemesis Nick Bockwinkel! Those two helped ignite the NWF in it's formative years, and there are still hard feelings between these two legends!

Keep watching! We'll have lots more results and developments soon!

[Chad Olson]

tdalton said:

*** NWF BREAKING NEWS ***

Card #250? Did someone mention Card #250? Well, here's a little preview of what we have lined up:

Now that's service! Thanks!

[TDalton]

Card #248 – 10/05/2007
Peace Bridge Exhibition Center – Buffalo, NY

Hello Buffalo! We’re at the Peace Bridge Exhibition Center due to a scheduling conflict with The Aud, but we’ve got a hot show no matter what the venue! The Sheik is here, Yukon Eric was cruising in his Cadillac on Delaware Avenue with the top down waving to fans earlier today, local hero Ilio DiPaolo is ready to go, and the crowd is fired up! Let’s get to the action…

1. Red Bastien b Roy Heffernan
Red was at the top of his game in this match. He outwrestled Heffernan, and got the best of him on all the attempted dirty tricks. Red got the pin with his Atomic Drop. It was Heffernan’s first singles loss, and Bastien’s sixth win in his last eight matches.

2. Ivan Koloff & Danny Doring b Jimmy Valiant & S.D. Jones
A makeshift tag match between feuding individuals turned into a show stealing match. Surprisingly, the matchups in the ring mainly consisted of non-feuding partners (Jones-Koloff and Valiant-Doring). S.D. and Doring did a great job of holding their own. It wound up with Koloff sending Valiant head first into the turnbuckle with an atomic drop to get the win while Jones and Doring were fighting on the outside.

3. Al Costello cor Yukon Eric
Good match that started hot and was intense all the way. Yukon is putting a beating on the Kangaroos for injuring tag partner Danny Hodge. Costello felt the big man’s wrath and took a lot of punishment. The finish saw Costello attempt a back suplex on Yukon, but couldn’t quite hold him. Costello stumbled backward into the ropes, and both men went over the top rope. Costello landed on the apron and managed to roll back in, but Yukon went to the floor and was counted out. When it looked like Costello and Red Berry were going to take advantage of Yukon’s situation, the Flying Redheads came out to chase them away.

4. Diamond Dallas Page b King Kong Bundy
DDP has finally been given a clean bill of health due to his recent bruised ribs. It’s joked that he’s become the new Jimmy Snuka, as the Superfly spent a great deal of his time here with some sort of injury. Page didn’t waste much time, getting a near fall with the Diamond Dream, and a short time later put the mammoth Bundy down with the Diamond Cutter.

5. Bob & Brad Armstrong b Riviera Playboys
The new attitude Armstrongs showed their stuff tonight. Every time the Playboys would use a shortcut or illegal tactic, the Armstrongs would return the favor. Brad finished off Koko with the Russian Legsweep. Bob chased Sherri Martel (still in the neck brace from his recent piledriver) all around the ring after the bell. The victory broke a 6 match losing streak for the Armstrongs, and was their first pinfall win in 15 bouts! Surprisingly, this was only the third pinfall loss of 2007 for the Playboys, who have exceeded everyone’s expectations.

6. Ilio DiPaolo cor Larry Hennig
There is definitely some bad blood between these two, and both men showed off their muscle during the bout. Hennig got an advantage during a scuffle outside the ring, but the Buffalo crowd was going crazy for their favorite son, which fired Ilio up! In a stunning display, DiPaolo got Hennig up in the Airplane Spin, but then dropped him over the top rope onto son Curt! I’m not sure which Hennig took the most damage from that collision, but Larry was unable to beat the 10 count, giving Ilio the win.

7. Greg Valentine b Mad Dog Vachon
The bouts between these two have been no frills fights. This was a great one that saw them exchange for a long period of time. Valentine had his usual strategy of working the leg of Vachon. After some Albano interference, Jimmy Valiant got in a shot on Valentine that turned things around for Mad Dog. To Valentine’s credit, he kicked out of several pin attempts when it looked like he was done. After a long battle, it was Valentine slamming Vachon’s leg into the steel ring post that led to a Figure 4 victory.

8. Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens b Ted DiBiase & Jim Duggan
Another good match that saw DiBiase and the returning Duggan all over the Heenan Family members in the early going. Duggan looked great, beating both men all over the ring. Some sneaky tactics by Heenan led to a big comeback, as Bock & Stevens took turns pounding on DiBiase. While Stevens and Duggan were brawling on the floor, Bockwinkel piledrove DiBiase for the win.

9. North American Championship: The Sheik b Magnificent Muraco
Muraco has been a little crazy since losing the big Steel Cage match to Jimmy Snuka earlier this year. After his initial loss to Sheik, he was adamant about getting a rematch, and went so far as to say he would leave the NWF if he lost, shocking everyone including his own manager! This is Albano’s second protégé (Ivan Koloff being the first) who had a shot at Sheik since Captain Lou helped Farouk by having his stable act as lumberjacks when Sheik was attempting to regain the North American belt from Larry Zbyszko. Unfortunately for both Lou and the Magnificent One, this was the predictable Sheik match. As much as you try to keep him in the confines of the squared circle, he’s eventually going to roll out and create havoc. That’s what happened here. Between missing a turnbuckle charge and having Sheik slam the same shoulder into the steel post outside the ring, Muraco was on borrowed time. Sheik eventually won with a sadistic hammerlock. Albano was complaining long and loud that Muraco’s threats to leave the area were just made in the heat of the moment, and he was under no contractual obligation to go.

Yet another victory for The Sheik, who is a remarkable 13-2 on the year. Will he or won’t he? – that’s the big question surrounding Don Muraco and his verbal promise to leave the area if he lost to Sheik! We’ll have more on this as it develops. Next week we’re off to the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh! Here’s the current lineup:

* Pittsburgh will be the host for the big return of 3-time NWF Champion Harley Race! I’m sure we’ll find out the motivation for Race’s return in due time, but you know he’ll be looking for Nick Bockwinkel somewhere down the line!

* Red Bastien will team with Yukon Eric to face the Fabulous Kangaroos! Yukon has put a beating on both of the Aussies, but has dropped the decision in each bout. Will he have more luck in tag action with Bastien?

* Ted DiBiase & Jim Duggan team again to face Ray Stevens & Bobby “the Brain” Heenan! One has to wonder about Heenan’s decision to get physically involved in a match with DiBiase & Duggan! One thing is for sure, Heenan always has a plan!

* Antonino Rocca is back after just a week off! After taking that devastating spill outside the ring, you have to wonder if he’s at 100%. He’d better be, since he’s taking on Curt Hennig! While Hennig has no problem taking shortcuts, he’s still a great technician, and this could be a fantastic display if both men keep their tempers under control!

* Mad Dog Vachon & Jimmy Valiant will again face the Lou Albano combination of Greg Valentine & Ivan Koloff! Vachon & Valiant have struggled with success, but recently seemed to have blended their styles well. Will it be enough to take down the team Albano thinks is destined for both singles and tag-team titles?

* Your big main event will be Steve Williams defending the NWF Title against Ravishing Rick Rude! Rude has quietly put together a winning streak of late, and will be a tough test for Dr. Death! Was Doc so focused on Bockwinkel that he’ll have a letdown after winning the gold? We’ll find out next week!

Seven days until Pittsburgh!

[Cory Olson]

Two count outs. Not too bad.

Great show as always, Tim!

[Mike M]

Keep 'em coming, Tim. I don't post a ton, but I love reading your results!

[TDalton]

*** NWF BREAKING NEWS ***

The fate of the Magnificent Muraco has been decided!

Muraco made a statement that if he did not defeat The Sheik and win the North American Championship, he would leave the area. The NWF, always known for compliance with match stipulations, was looking to enforce the verbal commitment. Lou Albano was strongly opposed, arguing there was no written contract with a "loser leaves" type stipulation.

After legal posturing by each side, it was the Magnificent One himself who had the final say. In a rare show of humility, he said that while he is no Boy Scout, he is a man of his word and will return to his native Hawaii. Coincidentally, the surf is very good these days.

Albano was none too happy with this development, but will reportedly not look to replace Muraco in his stable right away. The Captain will concentrate on managing Ivan Koloff & Greg Valentine and attempt to take them to the top of both the singles and tag charts.