AWA MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
Tape date: 11/22/82
Air date: 11/24/82
Arena: Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH
 
Jack Reynolds wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and welcomes them to Midwest Championship Wrestling. He then introduces his “tag-team partner” Terry Sullivan. Reynolds then runs down the matches that we’ll be seeing today before sending us to commercial break.
 
1.      Larry Hamilton vs UFO
2.      El Bracero vs Otto Von Heller
3.      Midwest Tag-Team Champions – Richard Charland and Bulldog Don Kent vs Tim Tall Tree and Yaki Joe
 
We return from commercial to join Dennis Ashley who is standing by with Tom Renesto and Big Red. Renesto says that when the last promotion in this territory closed down that many people gave it up for dead believing that fans in this area were no longer interested in pro wrestling. The AWA believed differently and began sending TV into the area from Georgia Championship Wrestling in Atlanta, CWA in Memphis, TN and Heartland out of Chicago, IL. The fans responded by making these programs the highest rated programs on their various stations and by flooding the offices of the AWA with cards and letters asking that live pro wrestling return to the area. It took a little while but the AWA was finally able to put together a group that they believe can return wrestling here to its days when men like Bobo Brazil, Mark Lewin and the Sheik were selling out arenas all over the Midwest. Times and names have changed but the fact remains that professional wrestling is still the most exciting, action packed sport in the world and Midwest Championship Wrestling and the AWA are proud to be able to bring it back here to the great fans in the Midwest.
 
Big Red wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. He says that where he’s from (Atlanta actually College Park) that wresting is a Thanksgiving tradition and he believes that it’s going to become the same here in the Midwest. Rev. talks about all that he’s eaten today and how he was at the shelter serving all of the great people there. He wants to welcome those viewing in the homeless shelters, those viewing in the hospital or the nursing homes and he hopes to be able to get out and visit with his people all across the territory in the very near future.
 
Dennis Ashley tells us that Rev has been out here at the Ohio Expo Center greeting the fans, signing autographs and taking pictures since the doors first opened that he will continue to do that throughout the night.
 
Dennis Ashley sends us to our second commercial break telling us that the action begins when we return.
 
1st Match of the Evening
“Lightning” Larry Hamilton vs UFO
 
This is the very first pro match for the rookie Hamilton. Hamilton was a star athlete at the University of Tampa and has been trained by Don Curtis, Mark Lewin’s old tag-team partner, to enter pro wrestling. Terry Sullivan says that some of the great veterans in the sport including Mark Lewin, Bobo Brazil and the Mighty Igor have watched Hamilton train with Don Curtis and that all of these men have great say about Larry Hamilton.
UFO is new to this territory but he is well known the world over and considered to be one of the top masked men in the sport. UFO is in the Dory Funk, Jr. mode in that he isn’t flashy but is a superior technical wrestler. He has competed in and won numerous tournaments in Europe and Japan.  
Hamilton and UFO give us a great wrestling match featuring very little rulebreaking although the masked man does get in a few questionable moves on breaks. Hamilton locks in the abdominal stretch and UFO concedes. This is a night that Lightning Larry Hamilton will never forget.
 
Official Decision: “Lightning” Larry Hamilton defeated UFO
 
Jack Reynolds: How about that.
 
Dennis Ashley has a word with the winner of the match Lightning Larry Hamilton. Dennis congratulates Hamilton on doing what very few wrestlers have ever done and that is win their first match.
 
Hamilton is beside himself thanking God, his family, the fans, Don Curtis and Midwest Championship Wrestling for giving him this opportunity. Larry says that he is here because he grew up a wrestling fan in FL. Bobo Brazil would tour the state on occasion and he became Hamilton’s favorite wrestler. Hamilton idolized Brazil and dreamed of one day following in the legend’s footsteps. And that is why he’s here because he wants to wrestle in the same arena’s that Brazil wrestled in. His ultimate dream is to one day wrestle in the Main Event at Cobo Hall just like Bobo Brazil did.
 
COMMERCIAL BREAK – inserted into the break are promos from the wrestler’s telling the fans that Midwest Championship Wrestling will be hitting the road in January and that the fans need to come out and see all of the great action live.
 
2nd Match of the Evening
El Bracero vs Otto Von Heller
 
Bracero has been a fan favorite in this territory for many years and the fans are excited to see the return of the Super Mex. His opponent tonight is the big German Otto Von Heller. Heller competed in the territory for a short while a few years ago following in the footsteps of his countrymen like Waldo Von Erich, Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Schotz. Von Hess and Von Schotz are currently attempting to execute Master Plan in GCW while Von Heller attempts to the same thing here in Midwest Championship Wrestling.
 
Bracero has used his speed to effectively counterbalance the power and rule breaking tactics of the big German. Bracero comes off the ropes and leaps into the air looking to execute the Thesz Press – that Tommy Rich has used so effectively – but Von Heller catches him and drives Super Mex throat first over the top rope (Hot Shot). Bracero is holding his throat and writhing on the mat as Von Heller makes the cover for the three count.
 
Dennis Ashley has a word with the winner of the match Otto Von Heller. Von Heller brings in his tag-team partner Igor Volkoff before beginning his interview. Von Heller claims that what we have just seen is the beginning of the Master Plan. We have seen the unrivaled superiority of the Eastern Bloc athlete and before he is through we will see much more of the same as he and his comrade squash the weak.
 
Ashley informs us that Igor Volkoff gave up the Central States Heavyweight Championship to come here to Midwest Championship Wrestling and asks Volkoff why he would do that. Volkoff claims that he had beat and humiliated all of the pretty boy American’s in the so called Central States and even though he was the champion the Kremlin contacted him and told him that he was to join his comrade Otto Von Heller in Midwest Championship Wrestling. He has heard that this is Major League Wrestling and will be more of a test of the superior Eastern Bloc athlete than what he experienced in the NWA but so far he hasn’t seen anyone who is worthy to step into the ring with either him or comrade Von Heller.
 
Dennis asks about Larry Hamilton. Von Heller replies that Hamilton is nothing just another weak American who will not be able to prevent them from executing the Master Plan.
 
COMMERCIAL BREAK – inserted into the break are promos from the wrestler’s telling the fans that Midwest Championship Wrestling will be hitting the road in January and that the fans need to come out and see all of the great action live.
 
MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING
MIDWEST TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
© Bulldog Don Kent and Richard Charland with Eddie “the Brain” Creatchman vs Tim Tall Tree and Yaki Joe
 
There are some familiar faces in this one with Tim Tall Tree being one of the fans favorites from the latter days of Big Time Wrestling, Charland was a member of Al Costello’s stable the last time that he was here and of course Bulldog Don Kent who is practically a legend in these parts. The only unknown is Yaki Joe and there are some who may recognize him from when he competed in the WWF, which had TV in parts of the Midwest.
 
Sullivan explains that the weasel, Eddie Creatchman, bought the contracts of Charland and Kent along with that of Johnny Heffernan from Al Costello. Since that time Costello has retired in luxury in Malibu. Kent and Charland won these titles by defeating John Bonello and Randy Scott in San Juan, P.R. in a match that wound up with Bonello being crippled as a result of a spike piledriver onto a chair from Kent and Charland. The champions were managed by the Brain’s assistant the “Big K” Stan Kowalski and we can expect to see the Big K here in Midwest Championship Wrestling in the near future.
 
Creatchman’s men won the Midwest Tag-Team Championship but things haven’t been going all of the weasel’s way as Cowboy Bobby Colt defeated Creatchman’s man Abdullah the Butcher for the Midwest Heavyweight Championship in Honolulu, Hawaii.
 
Kent and Charland have worked like the experienced team that they are cutting off the ring and keep the “Indian” duo from keeping a fresh man in the ring.
Big Red, who has been making his way through the arena all night greeting the fans, has made his way down to ringside. Eddie Creatchman makes comments directed at Big Red, which get the Rev’s. attention and have him headed toward the ring. Kent tosses Tall Tree through the ropes onto the floor and then challenges the big man to enter the ring. Sullivan explains that should the Rev. become involved in this match that he risks being fined and suspended. Tall Tree hit the ground hard and he is hurt.
 
 This allows the champions to double team Yaki Joe as they taunt Big Red. Kent prepares Joe for a piledriver as Kent climbs onto the second rope. They are set for the spike piledriver the same move that put John Bonello out of wrestling. The ref and the Rev. are calling for Kent to climb down. Joe attempts to fight his way out of the piledriver but a big forearm smash to the back from Charland puts a stop to the Indian. Kent continues to taunt Big Red. This time the Rev. has had enough he climbs onto the ring apron and pushes Kent off the second rope. This doesn’t stop Charland from delivering a jumping piledriver. Joe’s neck hit the ring apron extremely hard and it may be broke. Charland doesn’t even attempt to cover Joe as he charges the ring apron tearing into Big Red. The Rev. fires back and enters the ring only to be kneed from behind by the Bulldog. The fans are barking loudly now and this helps to distract Kent. Creatchman sends a chair into the ring and it’s picked up by Charland. Charland attempts to demolish Big Red with the chair as he slams it into big man’s skull. Rev. staggers and Charland nails him with a second chair shot. This one KO’s Big Red. Kent and Charland aren’t through yet, however, as they prepare to deliver a spike piledriver onto the chair. This could easily end the Rev.’s career the same way that it ended John Bonello’s\. But wait a minute, here comes Randy Scott and he’s got – who is that – it’s Fred Curry and they have chairs of their own. Fred Curry has returned and just in time to save Big Red from what could have possibly been a career ending piledriver.  
 
Official Decision: Bulldog Don Kent and Richard Charland vs Tim Tall Tree and Yaki Joe ended in a no contest.
 
Fans that’s all the time we have for now but join us next week for more exciting action and we’ll have a word with Randy Scott and Fred Curry about what happened in Puerto Rico and what just happened here tonight.

I've found that a lot of folks aren't familiar with "Lightning" Larry Hamilton, but I really enjoyed him on TV for the months he was in Jarrett's promotion in the mid 80s. Terrific face and i hear that he was good as a hel although I never saw him as such.
 
The segment with Big Red talking about his charitable ventures was a nice touch.

Ditto, I like all the advantages of hitting the ground with belts in place, and the overseas ang le (for better or worse) works.
 
Been a while since I read your writing, pal!  Reminds of your eye for detail and giving an education that works on us expersts as much as the virtual viewers. Besides the bio material, I like the nod to the import TV shows creating the interest.
 
For an early-on show, real wise to use a small cast rather than squeezing half the roster in.  But, what format is your TV?  It seemed short for an hour but long for 30 minutes.
 
Good work from all angles here.

Great show Red. Looking foward to what you're going to do there.