International Wrestling, September 30th, 1983 (Taped September 28th, 1983, at the Earl Armstrong Arena, Ottawa, ON) 3,500 fans, sellout
0:00 - 3:00
The opening montage leads to a shot of the interview area with the Texas Tornado, Stan Hansen next to Jacques, Sr. Hansen is hyper-kinetic as usual, swinging his bullrope around and stomping around. Jacques, Sr. Is more at ease with the Texan than last time, but still obviously weary.
Jacques, Sr.: Tomorrow night you face another great competitor in Dino Bravo. Any thoughts?
Hansen: What do they call Bravo again? I know he’s some kind of weightlifter or somethin’.
Jacques, Sr.: Canada’s Strongest Man.
Hansen (smiling): Boy, you know when to keep it short and sweet. About this Bravo, I’m sure he’s strong as a damn bull, but that don’t mean I ain’t gonna take his head off!
Jacques, Sr.: You’ll remember you didn’t think much of Gino Brito.
Hansen: You got a point there, boy. You French Canadians are tougher than you look. That don’t matter any though. I beat Brito and I’ll beat Bravo. Dino Bravo, you may be some kind of strongman, but I am a pro wrestler! I ain’t here to show nobody how strong I am. I come to this ring to win matches and hurt people. And I’ll be damned if I don’t leave you layin’ on October 1st. I already fought a giant, what makes you think you got anything on him? If you got any brains at all you won’t show up, but I hope you got the guts so I can show you what a lariat feels like!
Hansen stomps off, still swinging his bullrope. Jacques, Sr. is again visibly relieved.
Jacques, Sr.: After that brawl between Stan Hansen and Andre the Giant, I think we all know what to expect on October 1st at the Dog Days of Fall!
Commercial Break
3:00 - 14:30
Mad Dog Lefebvre is in the interview area with Jacques, Sr. when we come back from commercial. Lefebvre is obviously worked up, almost frothing at the mouth.
Jacques, Sr.: Pierre, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this intense. You are looking ready for your match with Mad Dog Vachon.
Lefebvre: You were standing right next to him when he called me a pup! Do you expect me to take that from an old man? Vachon was once THE Mad Dog, but now he’s a senile old hound!
Jacques, Sr.: I can’t agree with that at all. I’ll agree that Mad Dog Vachon has been around a long time, but he’s still a dangerous man.
Lefebvre: And I’m not? Vachon is just trying to hold on to whatever he can because he knows he’s getting closer and closer to retirement. Tomorrow night I’m going to help him get all the way there!
Jacques, Sr.: I meant no disrespect, Pierre. I may not always agree with your choice of allies or tactics, but you are still a very close family friend. I don’t want to see you get hurt, you are in a very dangerous match.
Lefebvre: Mr. Rougeau, I can take care of myself! You were always looking out for us and I appreciate that as much as Armand, Raymond and Jacques. But I am a grown man now! I know exactly how dangerous this fight is with Vachon and I mean to make it just as dangerous for him. Mad Dog Vachon better be taking me seriously. Tomorrow night at The Dog Days of Fall we will see who the real Mad Dog is!
Lefebvre is shaking with rage as he finishes his promo, stalking off as Jacques, Sr. looks on with concern. The camera cuts to the ring where Rene Goulet has just started making his entrance. Goldie Rogers turns the cheers of the crowd to boos as he comes out grinding his hips and offering to kiss several women in the front row. Jacques, Sr. talks about Rogers’ success despite his arrogant attitude and need to protect his face as he returns to the announce table.
Rene Goulet vs. Goldie Rogers
The two wrestlers have a matwork duel to begin with, Rogers using a headlock while Goulet works over Rogers left arm. Rogers rolls out of the ring after a rope break and starts flirting with several women in the front row. Goulet is quick to follow and lands three big right hands that send Rogers stumbling backwards. Head referee Adrian Desbois is quick to usher Goulet back into the ring, Rogers barely making it back in before the ten count due to checking his face for bruises or blood. Rogers immediately rolls back out and argues with Desbois about Goulet’s use of closed fists to the face. When the match restarts, Rogers tries going back to the headlock only to get sent to the ropes. Goulet drops down and pops back up into a dropkick that sends Rogers to the floor again. Rogers reverses a whip by Goulet on the outside into the guard rail and lands several vicious punches to the face. He teases ramming Goulet’s head into the ringpost, but Desbois is quick to let him know that will result in a disqualification. Rogers works over Goulet with stomps, clubs to the back of the neck and punches before sending him to the corner. The arrogant young wrestler stomps away at Goulet’s face in the corner after beating him down, then lets the crowd know has the match won. Goulet reverses a neckbreaker with a backslide for a nearfall, then starts laying in right hands after taking a few from Rogers. Rogers is caught in the scorpion claw hold, but is very close to the ropes and Goulet has to break. Rogers tries grabbing the ropes with both hands when Goulet attempts to drag him to the center of the ring. Goulet uses the opportunity to go for an O’Connor roll, but Rogers reverses into one of his own for the three after grabbing two handfuls of tights.
Goldie Rogers over Rene Goulet by pinfall after an O’Connor roll with a handful of tights 8:06
Jacques, Sr. cannot call that a very good win for Rogers given the tactics he used to get it. Rogers is certainly a tough competitor, but he could stand to learn something from how Rene Goulet approaches a match. Dave Kochen is out at ringside, yelling at Desbois about Rogers using the tights when Rogers slides out of the ring to blindside him. Kochen turns around in time and the two wrestlers face off as Jacques, Sr. hypes up their tag team match on the Dog Days of Fall.
Commercial Break
14:30 - 33:45
Hurricane Kamiguchi and Stonehead Ishimoto are in the interview area with Eddie Creatchman and small Japanese woman in a kimono as we come back from commercial. Jacques, Sr. is nowhere to be seen. Creatchman just grabs the microphone and starts talking.
Creatchman: It looks like Jacques Rougeau, Sr. isn’t interested in talking to me. I only wish I had known how to make that happen sooner.
Creatchman confers with the two masked Japanese wrestlers and the lovely young woman shortly before continuing.
Creatchman: You see, these two gentlemen behind me came here from Japan for competition. What they got was a weakling named Armand Rougeau and his old man tag team partner. And next up they get the same. I hardly think that’s fair to these respected veterans from Japan. Now you may be asking yourself, why am I, Eddie “The Brain” Creatchman at all interested in this? Guess what, if the Rougeaus want to treat these very capable veterans from Japan as some kind of training partners for little Armand, then I’m more than willing to make sure they are prepared for the task. I have enlisted the help of the lovely Haruki, a Japanese immigrant who can translate for me, to communicate with these men and help us both learn each other’s language. Unlike the management here in the IWA, I have respect for the Japanese people. Haruki will be joining me at ringside for the first little while.
Haruki (in perfect English, then in perfect French): I think the IWA fans are in for a real treat. Ishimoto-san and Kamiguchi-san are great wrestlers, very respected in Japan.
Creatchman: So let me assure the fans that Armand Rougeau, when he returns, and his old man tag team partner will not be having their way with these fine gentlemen from Japan. They will find, like they did on September 14th, that Ishimoto and Kamiguchi are far better wrestlers. Tonight we face Gino Brito and those buffoons from Puerto Rico, the Invaders. They will learn that these men are not to be underestimated just like Armand Rougeau and Rene Goulet already have.
The Japanese tag team and their two managers start towards the ring as we cut to Gino Brito and the Invaders making their entrance to a big pop. Jacques, Sr. apologizes to the fans for his unprofessional behavior, but he cannot talk to Eddie Creatchman after the role Creatchman played in Armand’s injury. Jacques, Sr. puts over the Brito/Invaders alliance as one of mutual respect gained in the ring through combat. The Japanese team of Hurricane Kamiguchi and Stonehead Ishimoto come out with their two managers, Creatchman and Haruki, as well as their partner Gilles Poisson. The crowd is booing and throwing things at Creatchman, who makes sure Haruki is walking next to the wrestlers and not him. Jacques, Sr. begrudgingly gives Creatchman credit for being a gentleman and a man without prejudice. He continues that this is indeed a formidable team, even if their tactics are not what he would like.
Gino Brito & the Invaders vs. Gilles Poisson, Hurricane Kamiguchi & Stonehead Ishimoto
Brito and the Invaders get off to a hot start on Poisson. Poisson goes to the eyes, then the throat on Invader 1 before dropping him across the top rope throat-first and tags to Kamiguchi. The heels work Invader 1 over for a while, focusing on his neck. Poisson starts lifting Invader 1 up while the Puerto Rican is in a front facelock at one point. Invader 1 gets cut off a few times before tagging to Invader 3, who comes in on fire. He clears the ring before working over Ishimoto along with his partners for a short time. The match gets chaotic as all six men are in the ring, Ishimoto hitting Invader 3 with a loaded headbutt and quickly removing the object as referee Pierre Bertrand is trying to clear the ring. The action gets chaotic again after Invader 1 breaks up the nearfall and Invader 1 loads up HIS mask and headbutts Ishimoto, sending him down hard. Blood is seen under the mask of both Invader 3 and Ishimoto as they struggle to their feet. Invader 3 gets the best of Ishimoto with big right hands and tags in Invader 1, who slams the masked Japanese man down and tags Invader 3 back in, hiptossing him into a senton onto Ishimoto for the three.
Invader 3 over Stonehead Ishimoto by pinfall after a Catapult 14:52
Post-match, Creatchman is screeching at the top of his lungs at Bertrand that Invader 1 cheated, but to no avail. Jacques, Sr. is glad that Ishimoto got his come-uppance on television where everyone could see and cannot support Creatchman’s arguments.
Commercial Break
33:45 - 45:15
We return from commercial to the interview area where Jacques, Sr. is standing with Louis Laurence & Tony Ricco, both bandaged after the brutal attack by the Tongan Terrors last week.
Jacques, Sr.: I am standing here with two exceptional young men, Louis Laurence and Tony Ricco. Tonight they have a tag match against Richard Charland and Dan Johnson, a match with implications going into tomorrow night.
Laurence: That’s right, Jacques, Sr. Tomorrow night I am going to take the Quebec Heavyweight Title from an undeserving champion, Richard Charland.
Jacques, Sr.: You’ve beaten Richard Charland more than once and I know you can win a fair fight with him.
Ricco: Anyone who has been paying attention knows that neither our match tonight or the title match tomorrow will be a fair fight.
Jacques, Sr.: This is very true and Richard Charland holding that championship is a travesty..
Laurence: A travesty I mean to end. We have beaten Charland and Johnson in an unfair fight before and we will do it tonight. After that I will win the Quebec Heavyweight Championship and give the fans a champion they can cheer for!
Laurence and Ricco leave for the ring. Shouts for help from the opposite direction draw Jacques, Sr. and the cameraman down the hallway. They find Raymond Rougeau around a corner being helped to his feet. He is clutching his right hand and screaming in pain as medical personnel arrive on the scene. Jacques, Sr. drops the microphone and goes over to help his son. The camera cuts back to the ring as Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland, proudly displaying his ill-gotten belt, and Dan Johnson emerge from the curtain. The crowd boos, turning to cheers as Louis Laurence and Tony Ricco run to the ring. Charland and Johnson ambush the pair, beating both down.
Louis Laurence & Tony Ricco vs. Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland & Dan Johnson
The crowd is booing loudly as Charland and Johnson isolate Laurence after the initial beating, working the cut. Laurence gets worked over and cut off several times before tagging Ricco, who comes charging into the ring as Charland rolls right out of the ring to the floor. Johnson drops off the apron and they talk things over. It looks like Charland is getting back in the ring, but Johnson steps in from behind and clobbers Ricco. Ricco comes roaring back after a few Johnson right hands, working Johnson’s leg over. Charland stands on Ricco’s throat from the apron when he gets too close to the wrong corner and the heels work Ricco over, focusing on his neck. Charland uses the tights and hair very liberally to cut off several Ricco tags. Ricco catches Charland with a back elbow as Charland comes bouncing off the ropes and makes the tag to Laurence, who has recovred. The crowd explodes as Laurence destroys Charland, really working on the left leg. He pulls the Quebec Heavyweight champion into a neutral corner and wraps his leg around the post several times to the crowd’s delight. Referee Andre Roy demands that Laurence return to the ring and he does, only to continue working over Charland’s leg. Charland almost makes the tag after raking the eyes before Laurence grabs his left foot and drags him back into the center of the ring, turning him over into a half crab. Ricco yanks Johnson off the apron and whips him into the guard rail as Charland taps out.
Louis Laurence over Richard Charland by submission with a half crab 8:44
Charland escapes the ring, Johnson helping him stand steadily. Laurence takes time from celebrating in the ring to make the belt gesture at Charland, who shakes his head no and raises the belt up above his head.
Commercial Break & Upcoming Events
45:15 - 64:00
Jacques Sr. is in the interview area with his sons Jacques and Raymond, looking very grim, as we return from commercial. The Rougeaus are wearing their belts arund their waists, but little focus is on them. Raymond’s hand is wrapped and he is favoring it.
Jacques, Sr.: My son Raymond has been the victim of a brutal attack from behind. He was hit with something very solid and then his hand was given a working over. Raymond, what is the status of your hand?
Raymond: My hand may be broken, I’ll have to get X-rays to be sure. I can't make a fist with it.
Jacques, Sr.: It seems that one Eddie Creatchman has struck again. I understand if the two of you want to postpone your title match because of this. I imagine the fans will, too.
Jacques: If Eddie Creatchman thinks that we are going to pull out of this match because of something like this, he is dead wrong. We will defend these belts tomorrow night because we signed for the match! Raymond and I talked about this during the break and there’s no way we will let the fans down like that.
Jacques, Sr.: I am very proud of you, boys, but I question the wisdom of this decision.
Raymond: The decision has been made. We will avenge Armand and this little attack tomorrow night!
Jacques and Raymond walk off, Jacques Sr. with a very concerned look on his face. Lou Albano, flanked by none other than Sgt. Slaughter, walks in.
Jacques, Sr.: I see that there may have been a reason for Sgt. Slaughter’s actions towards the Can Am Express after all.
Albano: Nonsense, Rougeau! Or is this just one of your little jokes? Either way, I am standing here with Sgt. Slaughter tonight because he is going to make sure Lafon and Brunzell never make it to that title match tomorrow night.
Jacques, Sr.: I think you are underestimating the Can Am Express, Mr. Albano. It’s been some time since we talked, Sgt. Slaughter and I wonder if you might answer something for me.
Slaughter: I can’t see why i wouldn’t.
Jacques, Sr.: What exactly brought on your use of the brass knuckles last time you met Phil Lafon in the ring? As I recall you mentioned something about being trash talked before, but this time you used those knuckles to win the match in a dishonest fashion. I’m curious as to what your explanation might be.
Slaughter: Jacques, Sr., that is certainly a good question. Sometimes my temper gets the better of me, as I explained before. And Lafon spent the latter half of that match telling me how he was going to put MY hold, the cobra clutch on me and make me pass out. After so much of that I needed to get my point across.
Jacques, Sr.: He has been having some success with that hold in the IWA.
Slaughter: So he has. And he got it from me, so the least he could do is show me some respect. I did, after all, show him the effectiveness of his finishing hold.
Jacques, Sr.: I can see your point, Sgt. Slaughter, but it’s hard for me to see how that justifies your using the brass knuckles.
Slaughter: I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Rougeau. I wrestle how I wrestle, and nothing you say is going to change that. I feel that I am in the right when I say that tonight, Lefebvre and I will end any chance that the Can Am Express have at becoming champions. Whether or not you like it is not something I can concern myself with.
Slaughter walks off towards the ring, Albano grinning at Rougeau before giving him a playful punch on the shoulder and walking off in the opposite direction. The Can Am Express makes their way to the ring, Brunzell and Lafon getting alot of support from the fans. Jacques, Sr. is back at the announce table and praising the Can Am Express for their effort in the face of all the struggles they’ve gone through. The crowd immediately reacts to Slaughter and Lefebvre coming out, booing them out of the building. Jacques, Sr. wonders if Albano hasn’t put a bounty on Lafon or Brunzell for Slaughter to collect.
The Can Am Express vs. Sgt. Slaughter & Mad Dog Lefebvre
Lafon and Brunzell attack Slaughter and Lefebvre before the bell, leading to an out-and-out brawl. Slaughter ends up retreating outside the ring, leaving Lefebvre at the mercy of the Can Ams. Lefebvre rakes the eyes of Lafon and bites his forehead before clubbing him over the back several times and tagging in Slaughter. The heels work Lafon’s leg over, taking away his kicks. Lafon fights through both cheating to keep him in the ring and tags Brunzell, who dropkicks Slaughter, but sends him out of the ring. Lefebvre is the victim of a Brunzell running knee and the ring clears. Head referee Adrian Desbois starts counting Slaughter out, but Brunzell goes to the floor and whips him into the apron. Brunzell is warned by Desbois not to slam Slaughter’s head into the post and complies. Brunzell is working over Slaughter’s leg, which Lafon joins in on during a series of quick tags. Slaughter kicks Lafon in the face from the mat to tag in Lefebvre, who gets a nearfall with a suplex. Slaughter gets a nearfall with a Slaughter cannon after hitting the ropes and goes to the tights for the knucks. Desbois is quick to grab Slaughter’s hand and admonish him, but Slaghter rips his hand away only to have Lafon duck the right hand and roll Slaughter up in a schoolboy for the three count from Desbois.
Phil Lafon over Sgt. Slaughter by pinfall with a schoolboy 14:26
Slaughter is furious and takes a big swipe at Lafon, who barely ducks out of the ring in time. Jacques, Sr. is ecstatic as Lafon and Brunzell celebrate on the floor, Slaughter taking a swing at Desbois, who ducks and scrambles out of the ring. Jacques, Sr. calls this a huge win for Lafon and Brunzell that gives them great momentum going into their Quebec Television Tag Team Titles match tomorrow night! Be sure to get your tickets if there are any left for the Dog Days of Fall in the Montreal Forum tomorrow night!
Dark Matches Pre-Show The Gerrard Brothers defeated Etienne Bergeron & Frederic Tremblay with a Tim Gerrard crossbody Dave Kochen defeated Bobby Kay with an abdominal stretch Tony Parisi defeated Rudy Kay with a flying senton
The Dog Days of Fall, Ocober 1st, 1983, Montreal Forum
Mad Dog Vachon takes on mad Dog Lefebvre in a Two Dogs on a Leash match!
The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers defend the Canadian International Tag Team Titles against the Midnight Express in a grudge match for the Rougeaus!
Hercules Ayala looks to prove his strength against Andre the Giant!
The Can Am Express and the Tongan Terrors vie for the privilege of being the inaugural Quebec Television Tag Team Champions!
Dino Bravo takes on the Texas Tornado, Stan Hansen!
Invader 3 takes on bitter rival Gilles “The Fish” Poisson
Returning Armand Rougeau & Rene Goulet face the masked Hurricane Kamiguchi & Stonehead Ishimoto
Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland defends his title against “The Farmer” Louis Laurence
Tony Parisi and Dave Kochen look for a win over rival Goldie Rogers and his partner Steve Regal