Friday Night Smackdown 06/22/2012

Here is the full Smackdown show from June 22nd 2012

NWA-AWA Star Wars

In February 1985 the NWA and AWA decided to join forces to put together a Super Card for the New Jersey Meadowlands.  This was, sadly, a desperate attempt to stem the tide of the WWF and Vince McMahon who was raiding the talent and the regions of the AWA and NWA.   They went to the heart of the WWF, New York City/NJ area, to try and promote themselves as a better alternative to the "cartoonish"  style the WWF had adopted in its spread across the US.

here is that first card from 1985 with the biggest names of the NWA and AWA.  Sadly this was ignored by the US wrestling press and television.  However, Japanese fans got to see the card and all the talent on display and that is why we have the japanese commentary.

Star Wars was held 3 more times with the only card to draw more than 10,000 fans was on December 29th 1985, well below the 18,500 fans for the first show.   All in all it was a money loser for both promotions and the small crowds finally convinced them to steer clear of the New York area for good.

If you notice Sgt Slaughter winning the Battle Royal in a nod to his recent departure from the WWF, they knew he still had a huge following in the NY/NJ area.

The scheduled matches

1. Ivan & Nikita Koloff beat Steve Keirn & Jimmy Valiant when Ivan pinned Valiant.
   
2. Jimmy Garvin beat AWA World Champion Rick Martel via DQ.
   
3. AWA World Tag Champs The Road Warriors beat Jerry Lawler & Baron Von Raschke when Raschke was pinned.
   
4. NWA World Champ Ric Flair pinned Harley Race (25:00).
   
5. Sgt. Slaughter won a "tag team battle royal." Slaughter's partner, Jerry Blackwell, was injured and could not compete, forcing Slaughter to wrestle alone. Also in the match were: The Road Warriors, Ivan & Nikita Koloff, Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell, Kamala & Billy Robinson, Mark & Chris Youngblood, Jerry Lawler & Baron Von Raschke, Bob Backlund & Jimmy Valiant, Mr. Saito & Masked Superstar, Nick Bockwinkel & Dory Funk Jr., Jimmy Garvin & Larry Zbyszko, and Steve Keirn & Jerry Oski.

Great American Bash 1996

Today in 1996 WCW held its annual Great American Bash PPV and held at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore Maryland.

- The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated Fire and Ice (Scott Norton and Ice Train), when Scott pinned Norton after a Frankensteiner.


The Outsiders (Hall and Nash) make their "official" WCW debut 



- Konnan pinned El Gato (Pat Tanaka), after a Flapjack Spinebuster into a Jackknife Pin, to retain the WCW United States Heavyweight Title.

- Diamond Dallas Page pinned Marcus Bagwell after a Diamond Cutter.

- Dean Malenko pinned Rey Misterio, Jr., after a Powerbomb and using the ropes, to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title.
- John Tenta pinned Big Bubba Rogers after a Powerslam. After the match, Tenta shaved Rogers' goatee off.

- Chris Benoit defeated Kevin Sullivan in a Falls Count Anywhere match. After the match, Arn Anderson came to the ring and helped Benoit attack Sullivan.

- Sting defeated Lord Steven Regal by submission with a Scorpion Deathlock.

- Ric Flair and Arn Anderson defeated Kevin Greene and Steve McMichael, when Flair pinned Greene after McMichael turned on Greene and hit him with a steel briefcase. After the match, Chris Benoit came out and helped attack Greene. McMichael became the fourth in the new Four Horsemen along with Flair, Anderson and Benoit.


 The Giant pinned Lex Luger after a Chokeslam to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title.

Happy Birthday Ultimate Warrior

Today in 1959 Jim Hellwig aka The Ultimate Warrior, the Dingo Warrior and now Warrior was born in Crawfordsville Indiana.

here is rare footage of the Warrior on The Arsenio Hall Show the friday before Wrestlemania VI in Toronto.

enjoy the insanity

Friday Night SmackDown - June 16, 2012

The big Smackdown show before NO WAY OUT

No Way Out 2012

The upcoming WWE PPV this Sunday June 17th will be

NO WAY OUT.

The matches announced so far are:

John Cena vs The Big Show 
Cage Match
If Big Show loses then John Laurinitis loses his job.  Being announced on Smackdown Friday night, if John Cena loses the match he will be fired.

Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler 
World Heavyweight Title match.

CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan vs Kane
Triple Threat Match for the WWE Heavyweight Title

Christian vs Cody Rhodes 
Intercontinental Title

Layla vs Beth Phoenix
Divas Championship aka bathroom break match.

FUNNY "RAVISHING" RICK RUDE INTROS

this is for all you out of shape, fat, working slobs out there, just shut up and look at a real man!

Today in Wrestling History June 9th

1932 - Ed "Strangler" Lewis defeats Dick Shikat for the New York State Athletic Commission version of the World Heavyweight Title. National Wrestling Association World Champion Jim Londos was supposed to face the winner of this match, but he refused, so New York recognized Lewis as the new World Champion, while the NWA continued to recognize Londos.




1973 - Mr. Wrestling II and Bob Orton, Jr. defeat the Super Infernos (Doug Gilbert and Don Smith) to win the NWA Georgia Tag Team Title in Atlanta, Georgia.




1999 - Johnny Ace and Bart Gunn defeat Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama in Sendai, Japan for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Title.
Featuring of course John Laurinitis and please see the interview at the end and you will get a good laugh.

Match of the Night

A WCW Tag Team match up

The Dangerous Alliance (Steve Austin/Bobby Eaton)  vs Brian Pillman and Tom Zenk