June 19, 1971 - The Spectrum - Philadelphia, PA

The Half-Ton Team (Gorilla Monsoon and Haystacks Calhoun) defeated The Cripplers (Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel) when Monsoon defeated R. Stevens by countout in 0:06:30.
Rating: **
(The Cripplers retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)

The Half-Ton Team got their well-deserved World Tag Team Title shot against The Cripplers, and it was clear from the opening bell here in The Spectrum that Ray Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel wanted no part of the 1000 pounds of Gorilla Monsoon & Haystacks Calhoun. After their offense seemed to have little to no effect on the HTT, Stevens & Bockwinkel decided that discretion was the better part of valor, taking their titles and walking out for the countout. The Cripplers won't have that opportunity on July 1 in Toronto as they will have to defend the tag titles against The Half-Ton Team once again, but it will be a Lumberjack Match! Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Billy Graham pinned Ole Anderson after a piledriver in 0:12:39.
Rating: * 3/4

Billy Graham is riding a wave of confidence, and he rode that wave into this match against Ole Anderson. Ole's plan was to set Graham up for the Armbar and he worked over the Superstar's arm extensively during the match. That is, until his brother and tag team partner GENE ANDERSON sauntered out to ringside. Gene was flapping his gums the entire way, something about the unfair treatment he is getting and arguing with his brother about why he took this singles match. Ole clearly said, "What are you doing!?" and tried to usher Gene to the back. This left him open to Billy Graham spinning him around, catching a boot to the midsection, and dropping him with a piledriver for the 1-2-3. Ole & Gene exchanged words after the match, but cooler heads prevailed.

Baron Von Raschke defeated Tony Garea when Tony Garea passed out in the Claw in 0:04:41.
Rating: ** 1/2

I'm not sure where Lou Albano found this monster, but Global Championship Wrestling has been put on notice! Baron Von Raschke shocked us all with his debut last month, ripping the door off of a steel cage and laying Tony Garea out. Garea demanded a match against Raschke, but he may live to regret that. Raschke absolutely decimated Garea, never letting him get out of the blocks and putting him down with his devastating Claw submission hold. Albano had a smile across his face that went from ear-to-ear. GCW, beware.

The Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham and Luke Graham) defeated Bill Watts and Johnny Valentine when E. Graham defeated J. Valentine by disqualification in 0:15:08.
Rating: ** 3/4
[Wahoo McDaniel interfered against Eddie Graham.]

Wahoo McDaniel showed tonight that he is definitely one to hold a grudge. During a tag team match with Luke & Eddie Graham taking on Bill Watts & Johnny Valentine, Wahoo ran out and blatantly attacked Eddie Graham while he was in the ring, right in plain view of referee Jack Davis. Wahoo was relentless with his attack, and Luke couldn't do a thing as he was double teamed by Watts & Valentine. Younger brother BILLY GRAHAM tried to even the score, but he ended up being the recipient of a 3-on-1 assault. The Graham Brothers were all left laying as Watts, Valentine, & Wahoo went to the back together.

Karl Gotch pinned Dominic DeNucci with the German Suplex in 0:06:40.
Rating: ***
(Karl Gotch retained the GCW United States Title.)

You have to commend Dominic DeNucci for giving it his all in his shot at the United States Title and Karl Gotch, but he was just overmatched. DeNucci is a tremendous tag team wrestler, and when you've been wrestling in primarily tag team matches for so long, it's hard to adjust to a big singles opportunity. Gotch gets a good win with the German Suplex. After the match, Gotch & DeNucci shook hands in a great show of sportsmanship. As Gotch left the ring, BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA jumped out of the crowd, grabbed the ring bell, and smashed DeNucci with it! Gotch saw what was happening and ran back toward the ring, but Scicluna slithered out and escaped back through the crowd. What was that all about? We hope to find out at our next show in Toronto on July 1.

Crusher & Bruiser (The Crusher and Dick the Bruiser) defeated Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf when Bruiser pinned Strongbow after a short lariat in 0:13:30.
Rating: ** 1/2

Chief Jay Strongbow & Billy White Wolf have shown great progress as a team, but they are still a work in progress, and you're always in for a long night when you're wrestling Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher. Strongbow & Wolf put in a great showing, but it would be a win for the former 5-time tag champs in Philadelphia.

Pedro Morales made Ernie Ladd submit to the Boston Crab in 0:19:46.
Rating: ** 1/2
[The Grand Wizard interfered against Pedro Morales.]

Pedro Morales is trying to prove a new point every month it seems, all in an effort to be granted a World Title shot. The point he tried to prove this month was that he could beat a man that Bruno Sammartino recently lost to, "King" Ernie Ladd. Ladd made it clear that he would be nobody's whipping boy or stepping stone, and what we got was a whale of a match. Morales & Ladd went at each other like two long time rivals, pulling out all of the stops to get a win. Ladd made one big mistake when he uncharacteristically went to the top rope, missing a flying kneedrop. Morales locked on the Boston Crab, in which Ladd had no choice but to submit or risk permanent injury. Another point proven, it would seem.

Bruno Sammartino and Stan Stasiak battled to a no contest in 0:27:48.
Rating: * 1/2
(Bruno Sammartino retained the GCW World Title.)
[The Grand Wizard and Ernie Ladd interfered against Bruno Sammartino.]
[Arnold Skaaland interfered against Stan Stasiak.]

The main event saw Bruno Sammartino defend the World Title against the undefeated monster Stan "The Man" Stasiak. Arnold Skaaland was back in Bruno's corner, and to say that he was feisty would be a massive understatement. He was all over the place on the outside, and The Grand Wizard didn't even consider interfering leading us to a good physical contest between two of the best in GCW. Near the end of this match, The Grand Wizard saw Bruno setting up Stasiak for the Sammartino Backbreaker. Wizard jumped up on the apron, only to be pulled into the ring by Skaaland who had slid in there to prevent the interference. Skaaland started to beat the tar out of The Grand Wizard as referee Dick Kroll tried to pull them apart. During this chaos, ERNIE LADD was back at ringside and crushed Bruno with the Boot to the Face. We were all scared that the title was going to change hands by such nefarious means, but PEDRO MORALES ran in and continued his fight with Ladd! When Kroll turned back around, he saw Bruno fighting with Stasiak and Morales brawling with Ladd. It was a chaotic scene and Kroll had no choice but to throw this match out. Officials came down and spent the closing moments of the show pulling all six men apart.

Card rating: ** 1/4

Match observations:

Another show in the books, and another one on the docket as on July 1, we go to the Great White North for a show at the Maple Leaf Gardens, with the following bouts to be held:

WORLD TITLE TWO OUT OF THREE FALLS MATCH - Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Ernie Ladd
UNITED STATES TITLE - Karl Gotch (c) vs. Baron Mikel Scicluna
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE LUMBERJACK MATCH - The Cripplers (c) vs. The Half-Ton Team
The Graham Brothers vs. Bill Watts/Johnny Valentine/Wahoo McDaniel
Pedro Morales vs. Stan Stasiak

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