dawho5

I can do Bob & Joe Marcus for Bobby & Rudy Kay after October 1st.

No, when I run in New Brunswick and Halifax my gateway town comes up on the way in and the way out. The second one is a TV taping and I figure I could have a really hot crowd if I set it up right on the first show through. I also have an optional week I tack on at the end for five week months that has me running Montreal fairly close together. I'm looking at those as opportunities.

Yeah I have been thinking about how to do my setup shows in the towns I run in two successive weeks right and I'm going to have to experiment with it before I get it down.

But none of those guys you listed are stars yet. Reigns is the closest thing to it and will likely be the only one out of the four you can really call a star. The WWE won't get behind any of the other three anytime soon in order for them to get there.

Great TV! The house show looks like a lot of fun too, but the TV was great top to bottom.

I really enjoyed the Dibiase and JYD promos. Putting over the Fantastics and the new tag champs is a good call too. I like the show as a build towards the return to New Orleans.

I like the Maple Leaf tag a lot and the battle of the Polish guys should be fun.

August 27th, 1983, Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, QC (4,000, sellout) The Gerrard Brothers defeated Etienne Bergeron & Frederic Tremblay with a Tim Gerrard O’Connor roll on Bergeron Dave Kochen defeated Bobby Kay with an abdominal stretch Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland & Dan Johnson defeated Louis Laurence & Tony Ricco with a spike piledriver on Ricco The Tongan Terrors & Mad Dog Lefebvre defeated the Can Am Express & Invader 3 with a savate kick/flying headbutt combo on Lafon Gino Brito & Tony Parisi defeated Armand Rougeau & Rene Goulet with a side suplex/flying senton combo on Goulet, the teams shook hands post-match The Midnight Express & Gilles Poisson defeated Canadian International Tag Team Champions the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers & Invader 1 with a second rope powerslam/leg drop combo on Invader 1

Really dug the main as well as the Gagne turn. The Nightmares are a team I definitely need to get into, but just haven't put the time in.

It seems to me that this is the kind of thing that turns a lot of people off to a deal like this. We've already got a lot of folks who are burnt out or busy and I feel like maybe this should be kept a bit more private. I've got no horse in this race and have zero interest in who was right or wrong. I just think that stuff like this causes the number of promotions to dwindle faster than it otherwise might.

Nakajima seemed like he was a fish out of water. He had a sense of how to build up to things and not just throw out a bunch of head drops to get big pops, but he wrestled in the wrong era to work like that. I think that if he had debuted 10 years earlier he would be in a top 100 conversation.

My big problem with the AWA was how every big match seemed like it had to be explained by the referee after the decision. The announcing was pretty damn bad for sure. I never got the idea of Col. DeBeers gimmick against anyone other than Jimmy Snuka as far as people who mattered either. I loved a good portion of the work in the AWA set, and I thought the camera work was really good at times. But I do get the low rent complaint even if the crowds seemed hot to the bitter end. I liked Slaughter when he showed up, but not as much as his WWWF or WWF stuff I've seen. I think he belongs on a top 100 list for sure based on ring work.

I believe that was the implication. I would say his 04 match with Taue was pretty damn boss, if not up to the All Japan level of things. The Ogawa match is right up there as well. I preferred the tag with Taue against Akiyama/Tenryu, but both were a level below the two singles matches I mentioned. On an emotional level, he had a six man tag in I think March of 08, his last return match, that was pretty damn great. It was on Ditch's project and I really loved it as a return to the more vulnerable Kobashi as a sympathetic babyface. If it's the one I am thinking of, Takayama is involved and serves as an equalizer to Kobashi. Kobashi vs. Takayama in 04 is pretty high up on my 2000s list as well. I'd put it just shy of the Taue and Ogawa matches.

Yeah, after seeing the fallout for Kobashi, Kawada and Misawa after 10+ years of that stuff I think the lesson should be that crazy bumps should be taken very sparingly. I'm no doctor, but my time spent training in martial arts informs me a little on how fragile the human body can be. Your spine and neck are two things you want to protect at all costs. And those are the two major casualties of a lot of the ridiculous neck and head bumps you end up seeing over time. One of the other things you're taught is to protect your head. Getting your brain rattled around on a consistent basis is very bad for you. Moreso if it results in concussions. Your brain is the general, it calls all the shots for the rest of your body. If that starts to go on the fritz your life is going to get a lot tougher and less enjoyable.

I understand where you are coming from. When the Tongans or Midnights are out for me it ends up being singles matches and tier-difference tags to fill the card instead of six mans. Sometimes when it seems like I am mixing things up it's more because I didn't have the personnel to run differently.

Good setup on the Duggan vs. Kaissie angle. I like how the angles flow together after the blowoff matches. That's something I have n't been able to do much with yet because I am going more long term with my feuds.

Yeah I was going to watch that at some point. When is up in the air. I would love to see some Poisson and Brito footage from the 70s.

Thanks. That "Listen up, Jack!" was actually a Goldie Rogers catchphrase at some point in his career. I thought given that and the way he carried himself and looked in the little I saw of him made him a perfect midcard heel that was different than any of my other heels. And I think he will be torturing Jacques, Sr. for the forseeable future with that kind of thing, once he gets started in his feud.

Seeing the name Robert Reed makes me think of the Brady Bunch dad. The tag feud seems like it's being carried out in singles matches for a bit, which is never a bad thing.

International Wrestling, August 26th (Taped August 24th, 1983, at the Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, QC) 4,000 fans, sellout Opening match 0:00 - 7:00 The opening montage cuts to the Gerrard Brothers already in the ring. Armand Rougeau & Rene Goulet walk out to the ring slapping hands with the crowd. Jacques, Sr. praises his son for his recent improvement under Rene Goulet’s watchful eye. Armand Rougeau & Rene Goulet vs. The Gerrard Brothers The Gerrards strike first, getting in some quick offense on Goulet. Armand takes the tag and cleans house, but the Gerrards are not done fighting yet. Tim Gerrard hits a dropkick that knocks Rougeau down and sends him back to tag in Goulet. Goulet grabs a chinlock on Alex Gerrard after he is tagged in and hits a few punches to turn the tide back in his team’s favor. Goulet and Rougeau work over Alex for a few minutes before Armand tags off to Goulet as he climbs the ropes and hits a fist drop on a prone Alex Gerrard. Goulet comes in and applies the scorpion claw hold for the win. Rene Goulet over Alex Gerrard by submission with the scorpion claw hold 5:44 Jacques, Sr. takes time to call that an impressive victory for his son and Rene Goulet before talking briefly about each match remaining on the card. Commercial Break 7:00 - 25:00 After commercial The Tongan Terrors along with Lou Albano and Richard Charland are heading to the ring with the crowd booing and throwing garbage at them. Charland is wearing his ill-gotten Quebec Heavyweight Title around his waist. Albano takes the time to scream insults at several members of the crowd along the way as Jacques, Sr. paints the Tongans as monsters and Charland as a coward. The Can Am Express and Louis Laurence get big cheers as they step out from the curtain. Jacques Sr. reminds the fans of the heated brawl the Can Am Express and the Tongan Terrors had a few weeks back. The Can Am Express & Louis Laurence vs. The Tongan Terrors & Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland Laurence wants to start the match against Charland, but the Quebec heavyweight champ wants nothing to do with Laurence. Tonga John starts the match for his team and ignores Laurence’s punches before destroying the youngster with chops and punches. Laurence takes a long beating from the heels, with Charland joining in once the Tongan Terrors soften Laurence up. Laurence looks like he is going to make the tag several times before he actually does, and the crowd explodes when Lafon comes in with a fury. Lafon’s kicks stagger even the Tongans, but don’t take them off their feet. Charland grabs Lafon from behind at the ropes and the Terrors start in on Lafon. Lafon takes a long beating before getting out of trouble and tagging in a fresh Brunzell, who is on fire when he hits the ring. The match degenerates into a free-for-all as Laurence begins chasing Charland around ringside only to run into a big boot from Tonga John. The Rougeaus hit a double dropkick on Charland as he scampers into the ring and head straight for the Tongan Terrors. Referee Andre Roy desperately tries to regain control of the contest, finally doing so. Lafon is being held in the ring by Tonga John with his arms behind his back for Charland to hit as King Tonga has the referee’s attention when Lafon ducks out of the way and the chair shot that Charland had intended for Lafon hits Tonga John instead, sending him crashing to the mat. Lafon grabs both of John’s legs and bridges over into a jacknife hold for the three. Post-match the Tongan Terrors and Can Am Express have a brawl around ringside as Laurence chases Charland to the back. Every referee in the building and a good part of the roster emerge from the back to keep the brawl from getting out of control between the Can Am Express and the Tongan Terrors. Phil Lafon over Tonga John with a jacknife hold 16:11 Jacques, Sr. talks up the growing rivalry between the Can Am Express and the Tongan Terrors as the two teams are separated. Commercial Break 25:00 - 36:30 Goldie Rogers and Dan Johnson are in the ring with Jacques, Sr. as we come back from commercial. Rogers is tossing his hair back and forth and generally looking very full of himself. Jacques, Sr.: Mr. Rogers you had an impressive debut in the IWA last week. I don’t think a lot of the fans here were all that excited that you won though. Rogers: You think I care if all these people like the fact that I won? The crowd lets Rogers know that they don’t. Rogers: Listen up, jack! I am without a doubt the most gorgeous man these people have ever seen and I can’t help it if all the men in the audience are jealous. Jacques, Sr.: It’s Jacques not Jack. Rogers gives Jacques, Sr. an odd look and then continues. Rogers: As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. All of these guys out here are just mad because they know their woman would rather go home with me! It doesn’t hurt that I’m on such a roll since I got to the IWA. Why don’t you scram, Jack and I can keep on that roll! The crowd boos again as Jacques, Sr. glares at Rogers before exiting the ring and heading back to the announce table. Dave Kochen and Tony Ricco come out to the ring getting some cheers from the fans. Jacques, Sr. talks about Kochen’s tenacity and skill and Ricco’s toughness before wondering what Rogers’ problem is. Dave Kochen & Tony Ricco vs. Goldie Rogers & Dan Johnson Rogers falls victim to several armdrags by Kochen before Kochen and Ricco start working on his left arm. Rogers tries several times to beg off and back into a corner to no avail. Finally he suckers Ricco into being too complacent and pulls him face first into the turnbuckle pad to turn things around. Rogers and Johnson work Ricco over for a long while before Kochen takes the hot tag. Kochen is fired up and laying into Johnson and Rogers drops off the apron after one punch, checking his face for blood or structural damage. Rogers is back up on the apron and catches Kochen with a knee to the back during rope-running before tagging in. Rogers viciously attacks Kochen, warning him several times that he better not mess up Rogers’ face. Kochen comes back with punches, sending Rogers scrambling back to his corner. Ricco is tagged in and looks to come in hot, but Rogers hits a drop toe hold and gets a quick headlock before hitting a shoulder block and stomping away at Ricco’s face. Rogers turns his attention to Ricco’s neck when he rolls over and hits several vicious knee drops to the neck before setting Ricco up for the neckbreaker and executing it for the three. Goldie Rogers over Tony Ricco by pinfall after a neckbreaker 8:21 Jacques, Sr. makes Rogers out to be a dangerous man despite his arrogance and unwillingness to get punched in the face. Rogers gyrates his hips at several women in the front row, getting a good reaction from one or two despite his actions, on his way to the back. Commercial Break & Upcoming Events August 27th, 1983, Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, QC Canadian International Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers & Invader 1 vs. The Midnight Express & Gilles “The Fish” Poisson Gino Brito & Tony Parisi vs. Armand Rougeau & Rene Goulet The Can Am Express & Invader 3 vs. The Tongan Terrors & Mad Dog Lefebvre “The Farmer” Louis Laurence & Tony Ricco vs. Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland & Dan Johnson Dave Kochen will be in action August 30th, 1983, Palais des Sports, Sherbrooke, QC Canadian International Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers & Invader 3 vs. Midnight Express & Gilles “The Fish” Poisson Gino Brito & Tony Parisi vs. Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland & Dan Johnson The Can Am Express & Invader 1 vs. The Tongan Terrors & Mad Dog Lefebvre And more! August 31st, 1983, Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, QC Canadian International Heavyweight Champions The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers & Invader 1 vs. The Midnight Express & Mad Dog Lefebvre Jim Brunzell vs. King Tonga Dave Kochen vs. Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland in a title match Rene Goulet vs. Tonga john Invader 3 vs. Gilles “The Fish” Poisson Phil Lafon vs. “The Farmer” Louis Laurence And more! September 1st, 1983, Colisée de Trois-Rivieres, Trois Rivieres, QC Gino Brito & the Invaders vs. Tonga John, Mad Dog Lefebvre & Gilles “The Fish” Poisson Tony Parisi vs. King Tonga “The Farmer” Louis Laurence & Tony Ricco vs. The Midnight Express Armand Rougeau & Rene Goulet vs. Quebec Heavyweight Champion Richard Charland & Dan Johnson And more! 36:30 - 58:30 We come back from commercial with Jacques, Sr. hyping the debut of a new tag team, Earth & Sky , as two Japanese men in masks are shown. One is wearing a white mask with a dark twister type design on either side and the other a black mask with a stone grey rock design on the face. Dennis Condrey along with Eddie Creatchman, Mad Dog Lefebvre & Gilles Poisson emerge from the curtain to loud boos as the camera cuts back to the ring. Jacques, Sr. talks about the frequent attacks Lefebvre and Poisson have made on the Invaders since their debut and how this match is a result of those attacks. Gino Brito and the Invaders come out to a really big pop. Jacques, Sr. recalls that the Invaders had wanted to fight Brito, but mutual respect had been found after a fight that got broken up by Lefebvre and Poisson. Gino Brito & the Invaders vs. Dennis Condrey, Mad Dog Lefebvre & Gilles Poisson This match was an all-out brawl with Brito and Condrey tearing into each other at the bell and things never slowing down. The Invaders, finally able to get their hands on Lefebvre and Poisson, were not to be denied early. Neither team had control of the match for long and head referee Adrian Desbois had his hands full trying to control the action. After a long brawl that saw Lefebvre and Poisson try to rip the masks of both Invaders and Lefebvre simply biting away at said masks, Condrey slammed Brito on the floor twice to take him out of the fight. Invader 1 was squashed with a falling bearhug by Poisson to set up a Condrey leg drop. This left Invader 1 all alone against three men and he fell to Lefebvre and Poisson’s tag team finisher, the bearhug transitioned into a second rope superplex, after putting up a short fight. Mad Dog Lefebvre over Invader 3 by pinfall after a bearhug/second rope superplex combination 18:46 Jacques, Sr. puts over both teams for a tremendous brawl, highlighting the vicious nature of the finish by Condrey, Lefebvre & Poisson as the three heels celebrate in the ring. Lefebvre and Poisson push Invader 1 out of the ring next to an unconscious Gino Brito as the show ends with Jacques Sr. describing the carnage. Dark matches Pre-Show Tony Parisi defeated Bobby Kay with a flying senton Jacques Rougeau defeated Rudy Kay with a Quebec crab Post-Show Raymond Rougeau defeated Randy Rose via countout after a sleeper on the outside

Nice way to finish the first show, putting Martel over big on TV. Thinking about it, seems like a nice lead-in show to Martel vs. Saito for sure.

What a great show! I liked the Tiny Anderson match for what it was. The opener was a fine debut. And the rest was great, great TV!

I think having Hogan in one on one matches to bump gates up in the bigger market house shows is a great idea. It's not like they are televised and as long as you do countouts or have Hogan go over like the last one it should work.

Flowers, Adonis, Jake & the tag division are still rocking. Keep up the great work!

Great series of shows. I'm digging the Mantell vs. Armstrong feud a lot.