April 3, 1976 - Boston Garden - Boston, MA

Interview:
Harley Race issues an open challenge.

Our show in Boston kicked off with the World Heavyweight champion, Harley Race, coming out with a huge smile on his face. Race gloated about how he "dominated" Lou Thesz at MSG (anyone who saw the match knows it was anything but domination) and how little competition there was in the wrestling. Race was riding on cloud nine, and made an open challenge to anyone who wanted to come out and have a shot at the champion should do so now - non-title match, of course. The challenge was answered by JIMMY "SUPERFLY" SNUKA, who ran out and was all over Race right away!

Harley Race pinned Jimmy Snuka with the Piledriver in 0:15:41.
Rating: **** 1/4

Harley Race's cockiness almost cost him in a big way once again. Race made a foolish open challenge to start off the evening, and Jimmy Snuka was more than willing to take advantage of it. This was truly an everything to gain-nothing to lose scenario for Snuka, and he put his all into the match. Race was not prepared for this match thanks to his own bravado, and Snuka's stock rose in a big way. Snuka won the match on points, but in pro wrestling, points don't make a winner. Snuka did everything right except for miss his Superfly Splash, crashing and burning on the canvas instead. Race quickly hit the Piledriver and escaped with a win. Snuka impressed GCW officials so much in this match though, that on April 30 in Toronto at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Snuka will get a shot at the World Title!

Dusty Rhodes pinned Johnny Rodz with the Bionic Elbowdrop in 0:04:56.
Rating: ****

Dusty Rhodes' popularity continues to rise in GCW as he continues to get huge ovations no matter where we go. Rhodes had a match with Johnny Rodz here, whose unpredictable act tonight was wrestling in a vest. Yes, a vest. The Vest of Power did him little to no good, as Rhodes didn't have much of a problem putting Rodz away.

Dean Ho and Tony Garea defeated The Graham Brothers (Billy Graham and Luke Graham) when Ho defeated B. Graham by disqualification in 0:08:33.
Rating: * 3/4

Dean Ho & Tony Garea now hold a victory over the Graham Brothers, but they certainly didn't look like winners when this one was over. Billy & Luke have been inconsolable since not being able to regain the tag titles from Larry Zbyszko & Dino Bravo, and they took it out on Ho & Garea. The Grahams got disqualified, choosing to beat the tar out of their opponents instead of trying to win. So Ho & Garea win the match, but had to be helped to the back when it was all said and done. The Grahams left screaming about wanting another shot at the gold.

Pedro Morales made Blackjack Lanza submit to the Boston Crab in 0:17:10.
Rating: ** 1/4

Pedro Morales has had some recent troubles with the Blackjacks, and those troubles continued with his match against Blackjack Lanza. The referee was a lot better focused than last month when Morales lost to Blackjack Mulligan thanks to Lanza's interference, so tonight, Terry Taranova sent Mulligan to the back right away. Bobby Heenan put up a huge fuss, saying that Lanza would wrestle this match under protest. Morales didn't care about all that - he just wanted to win, and he did just that in a hotly contested match with his patented Boston Crab. Morales' celebration was cut short when Mulligan returned and blasted Morales in the back with a branding iron! Morales was knocked out cold and left laid out by the Blackjacks for the second show in a row.

The Dirtbags (Dick Murdoch and Stan Hansen) defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Sgt. Slaughter when Hansen pinned Monsoon with the Lariat in 0:11:18.
Rating: *** 1/2

The Dirtbags came out licking their wounds after the battles with Dusty Rhodes & Pedro Morales, and they need to get some wins under their belt to get on the right track. Gorilla Monsoon & Sgt. Slaughter are another new team, and they have been making great strides as well. Murdoch & Hansen gained a huge win here thanks to Hansen's raw and wild Lariat clocked Monsoon for the 3 count.

Jack Brisco defeated Mr. Wrestling I by disqualification in 0:06:49.
Rating: ** 1/2

If there was any question about where Mr. Wrestling I's intentions lies, they were put to bed tonight. Something changed in Mr. Wrestling I when he was injured, and it's not good. Brisco got the advantage early on I with some great mat wrestling, frustrating the masked man. When I finally put a little distance between himself and Brisco, he grabbed the ring bell and cracked Brisco in the skull with it! No accidents, no excuses - Mr. Wrestling I is scum. When Brisco came to after the shot, he had a look of rage we have never seen on his face before, and he sprinted to the locker room in search of Mr. Wrestling I.

Billy Robinson and Bobby Duncum battled to a no contest in 0:16:00.
Rating: *** 3/4
(Bobby Duncum retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
[Dory Funk Jr. interfered against Bobby Duncum.]
[Dory Funk Jr. interfered against Billy Robinson.]

Intercontinental champion Bobby Duncum & Billy Robinson have developed a respect for each other over the past few months, aiding each other in battles against Dory Funk Jr. & Don Muraco. But tonight, it wasn't about respect - it was about the IC Title. Duncum had it, Robinson wanted it. This had the potential to be a special match, and as the match wore on, it was looking like it could turn out to be one of the all-time classics. That is, until Dory Funk Jr. got involved and attacked both men, leaving referee Terry Taranova no choice but to rule this one a no contest. Both men were exhausted from the match and were prone to Funk's attacks, which culminated in Funk locking on the Texas Cloverleaf on Billy Robinson before officials could get the situation under control. Funk & Robinson will meet in a match in Toronto to determine the new #1 contender to the IC Title.

Ivan Koloff pinned Peter Maivia with the Russian Sickle in 0:14:30.
Rating: ** 3/4

"The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff is not happy with what Captain Lou Albano makes him do, but he doesn't have a choice. A man who doesn't care about Koloff's plight is Peter Maivia, who has been the victim of Koloff's forced actions in the past. Maivia wants to take it out of Koloff's hide, and the Russian Bear is never one to duck a fight. That is exactly what this match turned into - a fight. What really started as an unfortunate misunderstanding seems to have spiraled into much more. Though Koloff would officially get the win with the Russian Sickle, it seemed only to be a technicality as the fight went on after the bell. This isn't the last we've heard from this one.

Larry Zbyszko and Dino Bravo defeated The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy Valiant and Johnny Valiant) when Bravo pinned Johnny Valiant after a gutwrench suplex in 0:23:14.
Rating: ** 3/4
(Larry Zbyszko and Dino Bravo retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
[Lou Albano interfered against Dino Bravo.]
[Lou Albano interfered against Larry Zbyszko.]

Though they haven't been impressing Captain Lou Albano all that much recently, he managed to get the Valiant Brothers a World Tag Team Title shot against Larry Zbyszko & Dino Bravo here in Boston. Johnny & Jimmy fought with a little extra "oomph," knowing that winning tag team gold would turn it all around in a heartbeat. But the problem is, no team in the world is hotter than Zbyszko & Bravo, who gain more and more confidence with each match. The Valiants got close, but not close enough as the champions retain their titles.

Albano was irate after the match, chewing the Valiants out for their loss. Johnny & Jimmy took it until Albano spit at them, which sent them into a rage. They didn't get a chance to get a hold of Albano though, as NIKOLAI VOLKOFF & IVAN KOLOFF were beating the stuffing out of them! The Valiants were left an unconscious mess by Albano's Russian beasts.

Cage Match:
Ernie Ladd defeated Killer Kowalski by escaping the cage in 0:21:21.
Rating: *** 1/2

Ernie Ladd was still wearing a protective bandage on his ear from the heinous injury he suffered at the hands of Killer Kowalski, but there was nothing that was going to keep him out of this main event steel cage match with the perpetrator of the violent assault. These two are veterans of many ring wars, and although they may not be what they used to, they're still as intense as ever. And both men have notorious reputations for doing whatever it takes to win. This was a knock out, drag out brawl from the opening bell, and both men used the cage expertly as a weapon. Two crimson masks were the result and a rabid crowd got to see a great fight. Ladd managed to survive Kowalski's Claw to fight back and hit the Boot to the Face before exiting the cage door, getting his revenge in brutal fashion.

Card rating: ***

Match observations:

We visit our friends north of the border in Toronto on April 30 for our next huge GCW event!

WORLD TITLE - Harley Race (c) vs. Jimmy Snuka
NON-TITLE - Bobby Duncum vs. Don Muraco
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - Larry Zbyszko/Dino Bravo (c) vs. Nikolai Volkoff/Ivan Koloff
Jack Brisco vs. Mr. Wrestling I
#1 CONTENDER FOR THE IC TITLE - Billy Robinson vs. Dory Funk Jr.
Pedro Morales/Ernie Ladd vs. The Blackjacks

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