Elimination Match:
The Brisco Brothers (Jerry Brisco and Jack Brisco) and Bob Backlund beat Tim Woods, Mr. Wrestling II and Don Muraco 3 falls to 1:
x Backlund beat Wrestling II via the Atomic Drop in 0:07:51
x T. Woods beat Jerry Brisco via a bulldog in 0:16:09
x Jack Brisco beat T. Woods via the Figure-Four Leglock in 0:22:06
x Backlund beat Muraco via the Atomic Drop in 0:26:42
Survivors: Jack Brisco, Bob Backlund
Rating: **** 1/4
There were two distinct feuds involved in our first match pitting the Brisco Brothers & Bob Backlund against Tim Woods, Mr. Wrestling II, & Don Muraco. We got a GCW first in that this was an elimination match, meaning that all three members of a team had to be defeated before the match was over. The fan favorite team got the early advantage thanks to Backlund catching Mr. Wrestling IIwith the Atomic Drop. Woods & Muraco managed to get some cohesive teamwork in though, and their cheating ways allowed Woods to eliminate Jerry Brisco. We were even up again, but this is when Backlund & Jack Brisco kicked it into high gear. Brisco got a measure of revenge on Woods by making him tap out to the Figure-Four Leglock, leaving Muraco all by himself. Muraco didn't back down, to his credit, and got in some good offense, but the numbers game was too much Another Backlund Atomic Drop put this one in the books.
The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan) defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Mike Graham when Lanza made Graham submit to the Blackjack Claw in 0:06:24.
Rating: ** 1/4
(The Blackjacks retained the GCW World Tag Team Titles.)
The Blackjacks were admittedly unprepared for Gorilla Monsoon & Mike Graham last month in Albany. They were fortunate that the titles weren't on the line, but Bobby Heenan had Lanza & Mulligan far better prepared for this title match. Monsoon & Graham brought it as best they could, but the Blackjacks left MSG still the tag team champions.
Dusty Rhodes pinned Johnny Rodz with the Bionic Elbowdrop in 0:03:18.
Rating: ***
Not a lot of problems for The American Dream here in the Garden as he made short work of Johnny Rodz.
Dusty Rhodes pinned The Grand Wizard with the Bionic Elbowdrop in 0:10:30.
Rating: ** 1/2
(Luke Graham no-showed.)
This was the match that a lot of people were looking for as Luke Graham was going to get his hands on The Grand Wizard. However, when Graham was introduced, he was nowhere to be found. We found out that he was brutally attacked in the back by Bruiser Brody, and so it looked like The Grand Wizard was going to get off scot-free. But before The Grand Wizard could get out of town, he was stopped by DUSTY RHODES! Rhodes didn't want to let the Wizard get away with this, so he took Graham's place. The Wizard was scared out of his mind, but all of his begging didn't save him from Rhodes giving him the beating he so richly deserved. The crowd ate up every minute of it as Rhodes polished off Wizard and sent him packing from GCW.
Jumbo Tsuruta pinned Rene Goulet with the Jumbo Knee in 0:11:53.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Jumbo Tsuruta retained the GCW World Title.)
It's rare that someone new to GCW gets a World Title match so soon, but it was Rene Goulet's lucky night. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't THAT lucky as he was wrestling a very angry champion in Jumbo Tsuruta. Jumbo was as aggressive as we've seen him, which was bad news for the Frenchman, who ate the Jumbo Knee and defeat.
Dominic DeNucci and Dino Bravo defeated The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikolai Volkoff) when DeNucci pinned I. Koloff after a small package in 0:12:43.
Rating: * 3/4
[Lou Albano interfered against Dominic DeNucci.]
Dino Bravo couldn't be any happier with a partner as he is with Dominic DeNucci. The veteran of GCW rings has meshed well with Bravo, and the duo is looking to get a shot at the World Tag Team Titles. To do so, they would first have to get through a team that has given them all kinds of trouble, the Russians. Captain Lou Albano was as highstrung as we've ever seen him, reportedly growing more frustrated that Koloff & Volkoff haven't soundly defeated Bravo & DeNucci to this point. Albano interfered even more than he normally does, trying to make certain that his team was victorious. His interference would end up backfiring as he tried to hit DeNucci with his cane, but DeNucci moved and the cane struck Koloff! Koloff was stunned which led to DeNucci catching him in a small package for the 1-2-3. After the match, Albano was furious as he led Volkoff to the back, leaving Koloff alone in the ring.
We also know that due to their victory here tonight, Bravo & DeNucci have been granted a shot at the World Tag Team Titles on July 5 in Toronto!**
Peter Maivia defeated Hiro Matsuda when Hiro Matsuda passed out in the Stump Puller in 0:10:12.
Rating: **** 1/2
Peter Maivia & Hiro Matsuda wrestled to a double countout in Albany, and thus this rematch was signed to determine a winner. Matsuda hasn't had a tremendous amount of success in terms of victories in GCW, but he is one of the most respected wrestlers here and you're almost guaranteed to get a good match out of him. Maivia had his hands full with the Japanese superstar, almost losing early when he was caught in the Japanese Sleeper, but he managed to get out of it. The High Chief fought his way back and got Matsuda locked in the Stump Puller to pick up the big win.
Antonio Inoki pinned Bruiser Brody after an enzuigiri in 0:18:54.
Rating: ****
Antonio Inoki made a surprise return to Global Championship Wrestling last month as long time rival Luke Graham's tag team partner to take on Bruiser Brody & The Grand Wizard, and the burly Brody took great offense to this. Brody wanted a piece of Inoki as he blames the former World champion for the demise of The Grand Wizard, who after the beating he took earlier from Dusty Rhodes, we may never see in GCW again. Brody came at Inoki with all guns blazing, hoping to simply beat up the more technically sound Inoki. Inoki is famous for his ability to adapt to any style, bide his time, survive, and make his move. That is precisely what he did here against Brody, taking all the giant could dish out before catching him out of nowhere with an enzuigiri to get a quick victory! Brody quickly recovered, and when he was informed he had lost the match, he didn't take the news very well. Brody tore up the ringside area before security finally led him to the locker room.
Texas Bullrope Match:
Bobby Duncum defeated Stan Hansen in 0:18:46.
Rating: ***
Bobby Duncum & Stan Hansen have traded wins in recent months, and to settle what is becoming a brutal feud, the two hooked up here in the Garden in a Texas Bullrope Match. To win, you had to incapacitate your enough to drag him and touch all four corners in succession - an act much easier said than done. For the first few minutes of the contest, touching the turnbuckles seemed like the furthest thing from their minds. Duncum & Hansen were content to beat the holy hell out of each other. As you would expect in a match with two wrestlers like this, a lot of blood was shed. They were both wearing the crimson mask before anyone even made an effort to win the match. After as brutal of a match as you could ever wish to see, Duncum finally got the upperhand for good when he wrapped the rope around Hansen's neck to drag him to all four turnbuckles and pick up perhaps the hardest victory of his career.
Cage Match:
Terry Funk defeated Jimmy Snuka by escaping the cage in 0:16:58.
Rating: **** 1/4
(Terry Funk retained the GCW Intercontinental Title.)
If there's one type of match you don't want to wrestle Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka in, it's the steel cage match. He has shown that in the confines of the cage, no one is better. You have to be a bit crazy to even accept that match, which explains Terry Funk putting up the Intercontinental Title in such a match. When you have a guy who was banned from GCW for almost 5 years for using barbed wire on his own brother, you know you're dealing with someone a little less than stable. After the last match we had, the crowd was thirsty for more blood, and they got their wish. With the way the momentum was going, we looked like we were going to see history made and a new IC champion crowned. Snuka had everything going for him as he put Funk down with a huge headbutt. Snuka made his way toward the door and looked like he was about to escape, when a masked man ran out of the crowd and slammed the door back in Snuka's face, bashing him right between the eyes and knocking him back into the ring! Terry Funk looked as surprised as anybody, but he wasn't about to argue as he crawled to the door and pulled himself out to retain his title in highly controversial fashion. After the loss, Snuka has decided to take some time away from GCW to get his head together. We wish Snuka the best in his time away.
Billy Graham and Dory Funk Jr. battled to a double disqualification in 0:17:17.
Rating: **** 1/4
[Jumbo Tsuruta interfered against Billy Graham.]
[Bobby Heenan and Jumbo Tsuruta interfered against Dory Funk Jr..]
Our main event featured two of the best in the world who have a lot of gripes with each other in the form of Dory Funk Jr. & "Superstar" Billy Graham. In the past few months, each man has cost the other the World Title, an offense neither man has taken likely. Though it wasn't officially declared such, this match may as well have been viewed as a #1 contenders match as whoever could pull out the decisive victory had to be considered the clear challenger for Jumbo Tsuruta's title. One man who had something to say about that was Jumbo himself, who after 17 minutes of a really good match, ran down and attacked BOTH Funk & Graham! Referee Dick Kroll had no other recourse than to throw this match out, a double disqualification. Jumbo left both men out on the ring with Jumbo Knees before holding the World Title high above his head and going to the back. We hope to find out with Tsuruta did what he did on July 5th in Toronto.
Card rating: *** 1/2
Match observations:
Back to the Great White North on July 5 as Maple Leaf Gardens hosts GCW action!
TEXAS DEATH MATCH - Dory Funk Jr. vs. Billy Graham
WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - The Blackjacks (c) vs. Dino Bravo/Dominic DeNucci
Dusty Rhodes vs. Bruiser Brody
Gorilla Monsoon/Mike Graham vs. The Russians