Midwest Dream
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Championship Wrestling from Memphis
Broadcast 11/10/77 and recorded for further syndication.
Lance Russell and Dave Brown start off the telecast by announcing that the Mid-American championship tournament will start off today in the main event, Ron Fuller and George Welles. Both men are very focused on this contest and we’ll hear from them both. Also in action are the masked Medics against the tandem of Steve Regal and Ricky Fields, Tommy Gilbert against the up and coming Dutch Mantell, and the Hawaiian Flash against the veteran Tojo Yamamoto. We’ll also hear from Tommy Rich by videotape and Derek Draper, who is waiting to hear from the Southern Heavyweight Champion. All of that and more, after these messages from our sponcer.
For the second week in a row, Kelly Kiniski opens the show and this week he squares off against the muscular Don Ross. Kelly is staggered early just by the sheer power of Ross, but in the end, the young Kiniski gets the win after connecting with the family trademark, the Canadian back breaker. After the match, Kelly states he’s tuning himself up for the Mid-American title tournament and looks to make his first big step up the ladder in this sport right here in the CWA.
Lance Russell begins the next segment by announcing that he’s seen the video and it is quite shocking. The footage begins with AWA/SWCW announcer Gene Kelly standing in front a brand new Ford truck, congratulating the winner of the recent battle royal, Tommy Rich. Tommy says he’s come to Texas to help some friends with some troublemakers and that he plans on driving his new truck all the way back to Memphis after he’s done with his business. Out of nowhere, four men attack Tommy and they beat him down. An oriental man, who Gene calls the Great Kabuki, spews a green mist into Tommy’s face and then three Mexican-looking men, two in masks and one of those bedecked with a championship belt, slam Tommy into his truck, cracking the windshield of the new ride with Wildfire. After the footage, Lance announces that Tommy will be in texas for the rest of this week trying to settle some of the business the fans have just seen, but he will be in the studio next weekend to address the attack and to try and move a step closer to the Mid-America championship.
After another commercial break, “Mr. Ebony” Tom Jones takes down the challenge of Butch Malone with a swinging full-nelson that was lead by a staggering run of head butts. After the match, Jones and his tag team partner George Welles tell Lance that when they get finished with the Mid-American title tournament, the Soul Patrol will have gone from being the boys in the back to livin’ in the big house. From there, it’s the Southern Tag titles and finally the AWA world tag team championships. Lance comments that both men seem very cocky about their ability, but have been backing it up in the ring.
The recently announted Duke of Wrestling, Derek Draper walks onto the interview set next and he is accompanied by the clown prince Steve Lawler. Draper runs down Ron Garvin left and right, saying that Garvin has only stepped into the ring against light weights and little men, meaning guys just like the Southern Champion. Draper goes further as he sits himself down and joins in commentary during Steve’s match with Tito Montez. Just as it appears that Tito will get the win after some fine aerobatic moves, Draper leaves the broadcast position and interjects himself, throwing some course words in the direction of Montez that pulls him away from the bumbling big man. Steve recovers enough to step in behind Tito and locks on a reverse bear hug, gaining a submission victory. Draper then steps into the ring, paint brushing the back of Montez’s head before slapping on the cobra hold. The studio audience jumps to its feet as from the back charges Southern Heavyweight Champion Ron Garvin. Garvin starts pounding away at Draper, sending the Duke and his jester reeling to the back.
The fans are still cheering for Ron Garvin after the commercials as Lance talks with the champion. With each word directed squarely at Derek Draper, the champ states that by Draper turning his back on Garvin, he hasn’t put him into a corner, Draper is the one in the corner. Garvin states that Derek Draper better find all the help he can, be it Steve Lawler, Jerry Lawler, or any other relative that he has in the wrestling business because once Ron Garvin is finished with him, those relatives will be needed to identify the body after the One Man gang is finished. Garvin then states that he’s even willing to give Derek Draper the non-title match he’s owed, but can his body pay the price for the beating that will come.
Tommy Gilbert makes a rare TV appearance against Dutch Mantell and he take it to the talented youngster. It is obvious that Mantell still has his mind on the beating that his tag team partner received and Gilbert is able to take advantage of this with a veteran move or two before getting the win with a front suplex.
After another break, tag team action is in the offering as the Medics square off with Regal and Fields. Early on in the match, Ricky Fields seems obviously distracted by a man seated in the front row of the studio audience and his comments. It seems to take Ricky off his game, but a tag to Regal an the duo is able to overcome the masked tandem thanks to a big cannonball splash from Steve onto Medic #1. Shockingly, the man in the front row keeps riding Ricky after the match and this has Fields leave the interview when Lance asks whom the man is. Steve Regal states he has never seen the man before in his life and heads off after his partner.
Tojo Yamamoto and the Hawaiian Flash barely even get into the ring before their brawl spills out and across the studio. A very quick double count out and things quickly get sent to another break.
Coming back for the main event, it is announced that Yamamoto and the Flash will do battle again next week on Championship Wrestling as part of the Mid-America title tournament, along with Tommy Rich in action against the big Brit Pat Roach. Before his main event match, Ron Fuller comes out and gets a mixed reaction from the audience, with the same fan that was riding Ricky Fields loudly backing Fuller. Ron says he’s more than ready to prove to AWA fans that he is championship material and beating George Welles will be the first step.
In the main event, Fuller lives up to his word by putting away the challenge of the physical, but less experienced Welles thanks to a Fuller leg lock. Tom Jones was again at ringside with his partner and he almost comes to blows with the loud fan that is backing Fuller. Ron saved the fan, nearly getting counted out in the process, but came back in to get the win.
After the match, Ron shakes the hand of his fan and the crew of Lance and Dave run down the action before reminding fans in Louisville, Tupelo, Jackson, Nashville, Knoxville, and right here in Memphis to see live action this week.
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AWA-CWA TV for 11/10/77 Tourny begins (Read 178 times)