Catching up…..
 
Wrestling At The Chase
7/8/77
 
Taped on 7/1/77
 
Larry Matysik is back after a sabbatical and joins Grigs at the desk. Grigs and Larry hype the Central States Title Tournament in Kansas City tonight and announce that the next Kiel card will be July 29.
 
Tony St. Clair and Checkmate defeat Terry Sawyer and Ron Sexton in a scientific match. Checkmate pins Sexton to get the win. Mickey Garagiola interviews Checkmate about his upcoming NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title shot at Jerry Brisco. Checkmate is very confident that he’ll be the next champion, almost cocky.
 
Bob Slaughter pins Tonga Fifita after a clothesline off the middle turnbuckle in a hard fought battle. In a post match interview, Slaughter talks about being the most dominant wrestler in Central States over the last year and guarantees that he will win the Central States title tonight.  
 
Stan Hansen overwhelms George Gadaski, finishing him off with a devastating lariat. Both Larry and Grigs admit that Stan is a favorite to win the Central States Tournament.
 
A taped interview is shown of Jesse Ventura and Ken Patera. Ventura does the talking and badmouths the Andersons calling them “The Over The Hill Gang”. Jesse says that he and Patera aren’t a “has been and never was” like Ted DiBiase and Harley Race and not only will they beat the Andersons, they’ll end their careers!
 
There is an interview with Bob Backlund, Tatsumi Fujinami, their manager Arnold Skoaland, and Akio Sato, who will join them in a six man tag later. Bob and Arnold do the talking and talk about their problems with Bobby Heenan protegees Seiji Sakaguchi and Ox Baker as well as the upcoming Central States Tournament.
 
The match between “The Hulk” Sterling Golden(w/Bobby Heenan) and Cowboy Bob Ellis turns out to be a rugged, hard fought bout. Ellis gets caught in the ropes and Golden savages him with axe bombers and boots to the head. Golden won’t let up and let the ref release Ellis, so the ref DQs the Hulk! Jos LeDuc hits the ring and Golden retreats! LeDuc asks Mickey for the mic and once again demands a handicap match with Golden and Heenan.
 
The entire Heenan Family is interviewed. Heenan claims that one of his men will be the next Central States Champ. Sterling Golden accepts LeDuc’s challenge (“You can’t handle me by myself, brother! With a great wrestler like Bobby on my side, we’ll destroy you!”). The Great Hussein Arab refers to himself as the “uncrowned Missouri Champion” and says that he has signed to meet Jack Brisco on July 29! Ox Baker predicts pain for Bob Backlund, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Akio Sato in the upcoming six man tag.
 
Despite Heenan and Golden watching at ringside, Jos LeDuc gets a win over Kenny Jay with his intensely powerful bearhug.
 
The six man tag team match with Bobby Heenan’s team of Hussein Arab, Seiji Sakaguchi, and Ox Baker taking on Bob Backlund, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Akio Sato (w/Arnold Skoaland) turns out to be an exciting contest. After several near falls, Ox Baker heart punches Akio Sato to get the win! The Heenan family celebrates as Fujinami, Backlund, and Skoaland tend to Sato.
 
Next week: A great show with Bob Backlund vs. Ox Baker in the TV main event!
 
 
 
CENTRAL STATES HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE TOURNAMENT!!!!
 
7/8/77
Kemper Arena
Kansas City, MO
 
First Round
1 fall, 15 minute time limit. Pairings chosen at random.
 
Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Tonga Fifita was called a no-contest at 4:44 when Bob Slaughter viciously attacked both men with a chair. Both men eliminated. Slaughter grabbed the house mic and told the crowd that he was going the win the Central States title and his reign of terror would continue!  
 
Bob Slaughter pinned Pat O’Connor in 14:45 with a clothesline.
 
Tatsumi Fujinami(w/Arnold Skoaland) downed Dos Caras at 13:46 with a dragon suplex.
 
Stan Hansen beat Ox Baker(w/Bobby Heenan) at 9:16 with a lariat. Baker controlled most of the action and used a chair to injure Hansen’s ribs during the match.
 
“The Hulk” Sterling Golden(w/Heenan) beat Jos LeDuc via countout at 7:48 when LeDuc went after Heenan and choked him while the ref counted him out. When Jos realized what was going on, he tried to re-enter the ring, but LeDuc tripped him.
 
Bob Backlund(w/Skoland) went to a 15 minute draw with the Great Hussein Arab(w/Heenan). Both men eliminated.
 
Second Round
One fall, twenty minute time limit.
 
Bob Slaughter beat Tatsumi Fujinami(w/Skoland) in 18:59 with the cobra clutch. Fujinami refused to submit, but the ref stopped the match when he blacked out from the pain.
 
Stan Hansen pinned Sterling Golden(w/Heenan) in 12:34 with a rollup and a handfull of tights, but he hardly looked like a winner. During the match, Golden held Hansen in a bearhug for several minutes, doing more damage to his ribs. Golden also slammed Hansen’s head into the ringpost, drawing buckets of blood. Hansen staggered to the back, looking to be in bad shape for his match with Slaughter.
 
Central States Tag Team Title Match
 
Ted DiBiase & Harley Race © defeated Arman Hussein & Chris Markoff in 7:04 when Race pinned Markoff after a piledriver.
 
FINAL MATCH
One fall, 60 minute time limit
 
Bob Slaughter hit the ring, looking mean and angry. Stan Hansen slowly walked down the aisle, his ribs taped and his forehead bandaged. After the intros, Slaughter took the house mic and his face softened as he talked about how he and Stan had terrorized Central States together and were buddies. Slaughter said that Stan was obviously in no condition to wrestle and suggested that Hansen step down. Slaughter promised Hansen a title shot as soon as he was healed up. Stan said “no”, he was going to wrestle no matter what. As soon as the words were out of Stan’s mouth, Slaughter attacked! Slaughter beat Hansen from pillar to post, ripping the tape off his ribs and the bandage off his head! After doling out a bunch of punishment to the bloody, battered Hansen, Slaughter went for the pin! Hansen kicked out at two! Slaughter continued to batter Hansen, but the crowd slowly, but surely got behind Stan! When Stan made a big comeback, the Kansas City fans went nuts! Now, it was Slaughter who was bleeding! Slaughter tried desperation tactics, but nothing seemed to work against Stan! Finally, Hansen went for the lariat…Slaughter ducked and Hansen’s momentum carried him through the ropes! Slaughter followed Hansen out and Stan kept firing away with kicks and punches! In desperation, Slaughter grabbed the riding crop that he had carried to the ring and jammed it into Hansen’s throat! As Hansen tried to catch his breath, Slaughter slammed him headfirst into the post! Slaughter dragged Hansen back into the ring and applied the cobra clutch! The ref checked the arm and despite the crowd chanting “HANSEN! HANSEN!”, the tough Texan was out! BOB SLAUGHTER IS YOUR NEW CENTRAL STATES CHAMPION!
 
The fans boo as Slaughter celebrates. Slaughter grabs the mic, calls the fans “maggots”, and says that he’s just begun his reign of terror! Slaughter then leaves, holding the belt and riding crop high. Hansen slowly gets to his feet, refusing help. He seems stunned as the fans are cheering him! Hansen makes it to the dressing room on his own power, but barely.
 
  

Slaughter as the Central States Champion is a strong booking decision. There are quite a few guys who can really challenge him for that gold. Once Stan is healed up, he will be  rushing along like a freight train.  
 
Strong showing by the tag team champs. I'm not sure but Race and DiBiase may be the longest reigning champions in all of NWA Classics that aren't the NWA champs.

--Really like what you're doing here!
--Like Heenan family- minus Golden
--Race/DiBiase Strong champs!
--Hope Ox crushes Bobby B
--Slaughter will be a great champ
--Super good shows!