AWA MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
Presented by World Wide Sports Inc.  
Columbus, OH
Expo Center
Taped 2/7/83
Broadcast 2/9/83
Broadcast  
Matchmaker: Tom Renesto, Sr.
Ring Announcer: Dennis Ashley
TV Announcers: Terry Sullivan and Levi Banks
Refs: Hal Light and Tommy Starr
 
The show opens with action photos of MCW stars flashing across the screen. We then join Terry Sullivan who is standing in front of a background with Midwest Championship Wrestling over laid atop state map outlines of Michigan and Ohio.
 
Terry Sullivan welcomes viewers to the show. He explains that Jack Reynolds has left MCW to attend to his other business interests. Jack wanted to say goodbye to all of the great fans last week but was unable to do so, because of the snowstorm. Sullivan then introduces his new broadcast partner Levi Banks. Banks isn’t just some old wrestler trying to hang on. He graduated from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA with a degree in Mass Communications and in addition to wrestling and managing wrestler’s over the past twenty years he also worked as a broadcaster in the Gulf Coast territory. Mr. Banks work as the color commentator for Gulf Coast Wrestling earned him recognition from the Wrestling Writers of America. The WWA awarded Mr. Banks its prestigious Color Commentator of the Year for 1978. It is a privilege to welcome Mr. Banks to the MCW broadcasting team.
 
Levi Banks thanks Terry Sullivan for the warm welcome. Banks says that it only took being on the receiving end of one of Nick Busick’s blasters to make him realize that it was time to hang up the boots. He now looks forward to joining Terry Sullivan, who Banks considers to be the best play by play man in the business, in educating the viewers as to what really goes on during a wrestling match.
 
Sullivan and Banks follow up this little bit with a rundown of today’s lineup as well as the house shows coming up this week before sending us to a brief commercial break.
 
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING ON THE ROAD
2/10 – Battle Creek, Michigan – Kellogg Arena
2/10 – Lansing, Michigan – Civic Center
2/11 – Farmington, Michigan – Farmington High School
2/12 – Warren, Michigan – Warren Woods High School
2/13 – Fraser, Michigan – Hockey Land Arena
2/14 – Livonia, Michigan – Clarenceville Junior High School
2/15 – Centerline, Michigan – St. Clemons High School
2/15 – Allen Park, Michigan – St. Francis Cabrina High School
 
 
Dennis Ashley is standing by with the Midwest Heavyweight Champion Kurt Von Hess. A clip is shown of Von Hess defeating Cowboy Bobby Colt for the title after kicking Colt with what appears to be a loaded boot. Von Hess explains that there is no loaded boot. His boots were made in the Deutschland which naturally means that they are made with better, stronger material than the boots that the other wrestler’s wear.
 
Von Hess goes on to say that Tom Renesto needed to go out and hire an assassin, an mercenary, a hit man to take care of Otto Von Heller. This man embarrassed Von Heller and Otto had to be sent home where he was marched down the main street of Das Capital holding an American flag while the children pelted him with rotten tomatoes. This will not happen again. Von Hess has Midwest Championship Wrestling at his mercy and he will humiliate Tom Renesto’s hit man, Nick Busick.
 
1st Bout of the Evening
The Midwest Heavyweight Champion shakes hands with Bobby Bass as the Bassman enters the ring. Bass orders Terry Sullivan to introduce him as “Big Time” Bobby Bass. Bass is accompanied by his manager Buddy Wayne.
 
Buddy goes to the broadcast area after leaving the ring to tell Terry Sullivan that Bobby Bass is the going to bring Big Time Wrestling back to the Midwest. In Bass we are seeing the Buddy Wayne Way in action.
 
Levi Banks takes a moment to comment on the earlier Kurt Von Hess interview saying that if Von Hess’s boot is the result of German engineering that the elbow pad that he wore as Bruiser Banks was the result of American engineering.
 
“Big Time” Bobby Bass arrogantly covers Aaron Hunter to pick up the pin following a Dusty Rhodes style flying elbow drop. Buddy Wayne informs us that this is the Big Time Elbow.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING ON THE ROAD
2/10 – Battle Creek, Michigan – Kellogg Arena
2/10 – Lansing, Michigan – Civic Center
2/11 – Farmington, Michigan – Farmington High School
2/12 – Warren, Michigan – Warren Woods High School
2/13 – Fraser, Michigan – Hockey Land Arena
2/14 – Livonia, Michigan – Clarenceville Junior High School
2/15 – Centerline, Michigan – St. Clemons High School
2/15 – Allen Park, Michigan – St. Francis Cabrina High School
 
A highlight clip of the Big Red/Larry Hamilton vs Murder Inc. match is shown. Hamilton is tied up in the ring ropes inside the ring while Richard Charland delivers a piledriver to Big Red on the concrete floor.
 
Richard Charland is extremely proud of himself for having eliminated the fat man from Midwest Championship Wrestling. Charland claims that what happened to Reese is entirely the fault of Tom Renesto. When Renesto went out and hired his hit man Nick Busick to take out Otto Von Heller he personally insulted Charland. Charland has retired John Bonello, the Mighty Igor and now Big Red. If Renesto needs to hire a hit man to take out anybody it should be Richard Charland. Charland claims that he will continue to put wrestler’s out with the piledriver until Renesto hires someone who can stop him.
 
Don Kent says that they call him the Bulldog but his partner is rabid.
 
2nd Bout of the Evening.
Tim Tall Tree and Luis Martinez vs Murder Inc (Kent and Charland) with Eddie Creatchman
Kent remains on the ring as Charland mauls the Arriba Kid. Tall Tree got in some offense against Charland but once he tagged out it was all Charland abusing the popular Latino star. Charland puts Martinez away with the piledriver. He dares anyone to come in from the back and this brings out Bobby Colt and the Gladiator. The cowboy and the masked man brawl with Charland and Kent eventually running Murder Inc. from the ring.
 
Dennis Ashley interviews Cowboy Bobby Colt and Gladiator who are joined by Charlie Cook. The three faces say that they will step up and get revenge for their friends John Bonello, Mighty Igor and Big Red. Colt takes the lead saying that he’s going to step aside and allow Nick Busick to go after Kurt Von Hess and the Midwest Heavyweight Champion while he focuses on running Richard Charland out of town.
 
COMMERCIAL BREAK
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING ON THE ROAD
2/10 – Battle Creek, Michigan – Kellogg Arena
2/10 – Lansing, Michigan – Civic Center
2/11 – Farmington, Michigan – Farmington High School
2/12 – Warren, Michigan – Warren Woods High School
2/13 – Fraser, Michigan – Hockey Land Arena
2/14 – Livonia, Michigan – Clarenceville Junior High School
2/15 – Centerline, Michigan – St. Clemons High School
2/15 – Allen Park, Michigan – St. Francis Cabrina High School
 
3rd Bout of the Evening
“Lightning” Larry Hamilton defeats “Lucious” Luc Poirier.
The power of Poirier gives Hamilton problems but the big stops to flex and fix his hair instead of pressing the advantage. Hamilton gets a second win and catches “Luscious” Luc with a flying body press off the top rope to pick up the win.
 
Dennis Ashley interviews Larry Hamilton. Hamilton has really enjoyed getting out on the road and meeting all of the great fans. He has a tough match coming up against the great veteran Gino Brito in Battle Creek. Brito is going to be hard to beat but with the fans behind him Hamilton feels like he has a chance to defeat anyone.
 
COMMERCIAL BREAK
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING ON THE ROAD
2/10 – Battle Creek, Michigan – Kellogg Arena
2/10 – Lansing, Michigan – Civic Center
2/11 – Farmington, Michigan – Farmington High School
2/12 – Warren, Michigan – Warren Woods High School
2/13 – Fraser, Michigan – Hockey Land Arena
2/14 – Livonia, Michigan – Clarenceville Junior High School
2/15 – Centerline, Michigan – St. Clemons High School
2/15 – Allen Park, Michigan – St. Francis Cabrina High School
 
TV MAIN EVENT  
Ric McCord vs “Kangaroo” Johnny Heffernan managed by Eddie “the Brain” Creatchman and Gino Brito.
 
Heffernan is dressed in his Kangaroo gear with the hat and the boomerang.
 
The exciting McCord goes to the well once too often in attempting a third straight flying dropkick. Heffernan goes to work on McCord’s left leg, weakening it before slapping on the figure-four leg lock to earn the submission victory.  
 
Dennis Ashley interviews Johnny Heffernan, Gino Brito and Eddie “the Brain” Creatchman. Creatchman is training Brito to become a manager and is turning the training of “Kangaroo” Johnny Heffernan over to Brito. Brito explains that he has taken Heffernan back to his roots. Heffernan is the nephew of Kangaroo Roy Heffernan and he was trained by Al Costello. The man has greatness coursing through his blood he just needs to remember who he is. In addition to this Brito has taught Heffernan the figure-four leg lock. With this Brito expects Heffernan to defeat Fred Curry and become the new TV Champion next week.
 
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING ON THE ROAD
2/10 – Battle Creek, Michigan – Kellogg Arena
2/10 – Lansing, Michigan – Civic Center
2/11 – Farmington, Michigan – Farmington High School
2/12 – Warren, Michigan – Warren Woods High School
2/13 – Fraser, Michigan – Hockey Land Arena
2/14 – Livonia, Michigan – Clarenceville Junior High School
2/15 – Centerline, Michigan – St. Clemons High School
2/15 – Allen Park, Michigan – St. Francis Cabrina High School
 
Terry Sullivan thanks Levi Banks and the viewers for joining him this week and invites everyone to do the same next week for more great Midwest Championship Wrestling action.
 
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
February 10, 1983
Battle Creek, Michigan
Kellogg Arena
Ring Announcer: Dennis Ashley  
Refs: Hal Light and Tommy Starr
 
“Big Time” Bobby Bass managed by Buddy Wayne defeated Malcolm Monroe following a fist drop.
 
“Kangaroo” Johnny Heffernan defeated Tim Tall Tree with the figure four leg lock.
 
“Lightning” Larry Hamilton defeated Gino Brito with the abdominal stretch.
 
MIDWEST TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
© Nelson Royal and Ron Sexton defeated Murder Inc. (Kent and Charland) Royal bulldogged the Bulldog to earn the victory and retain the titles for his team.
 
MIDWEST HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
© Kurt Von Hess DDQ “Hit Man” Nick Busick
 
MIDWEST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING  
February 14, 1983
Livonia, Michigan
Clarenceville Junior High School Gym
 
Tommy “Golden Boy” Gouldie and “Golden Greek” John Tolos defeated Mike Davis and Kid Collins (Davis and Collins were UWA tag-team champions and a very good tag-team IMO for Lars’ indy group). Tolos pinned King Ripper Collins’s son following a piledriver.
 
Gino Brito defeated Big Jim Lancaster. Brito forced Lancaster to submit to the figure four leg lock. Johnny Heffernan watched from ringside.
“Kangaroo” Johnny Heffernan forced Aaron Hunter to submit to the figure four leg lock.
 
“Rapid” Richard Charland defeated Flying Fred Curry following a leg drop. Curry was able to reverse an attempted piledriver into a backbody drop turning it into a backbody drop. The TV Champion followed this up by tearing into Charland but allowed himself to be distracted by Gino Brito who made his way to ringside once Curry reversed the momentum of the match. Charland took advantage of the distraction and went on to win with a leg drop off the ropes. (DK style)
 
Nelson Royal bulldogged the Bulldog Don Kent to pick up the win in a hotly contested match that would have been a Main Event in any arena in the country.

Great work Red!  Loving the way MCW is shaping up!

IIRC Jack Reynolds hosted a Friday Night Frights - Elvira type - show in Cleveland.
I first saw him on the NWF TV that was syndicated into Atlanta.
Dave Drason won a manager of the year award from a wrestling writer's group. It may have been entirely kayfabed but I think it was associated with something like the WFIA.

I'm getting caught up with all the territories, but I see your shows are still as good as they always have been Red.
 
Awesome promo from Charland, who I always thought was quite underrated!