PWA Card – 9/23/20
Location: Rocket Mortgage Field House, Cleveland, OH
World Heavyweight Title No Holds Barred Match: Terry Funk vs Jerry Lawler, DRAW (17:09)
Because of the issues with the previous matches between the two wrestlers, I decided to have two referees officiate the match. The match was a well-fought brawl between the two. No interference occurred in the match because I threatened fines against any personnel who would become involved. The match ended with Funk whipping Lawler into the turnbuckle. Lawler hit chestfirst and stumbled backwards into a belly-to-back suplex. Both referees went down to count the pinfall. Each referee raised a different hand, having counted both men’s shoulders on the mat. The title is still held up. An elimination match has been set up for October 14 at Bankers Life Field House in Cincinnati with all seven wrestlers in the World Title division involved.
World Tag Team Titles No-DQ Match: Electric Gentlemen def. Moondogs (c) (24:11)
After several unsuccessful attempts to capture the titles, mostly due to the Moondogs being disqualified, Steve Regal and Chris Adams were able to win the titles after Adams hit Spot with a superkick for the pinfall.
Undertaker def. Austin Idol (5:48)
Idol tried to take a scientific approach to the match, but Undertaker took control early. While Idol tried to make a comeback, Undertaker won the match with the Tombstone.
No Holds Barred Match: Buzz Sawyer def. ‘Dirty’ Dutch Mantell (25:24)
Before the match began, the referee stated that his only job in this match was to make the pin count. He was not going to be involved in what would only boil down into a brawl anyway. “Fight it out. Last man standing will win,” he said.
Both wrestlers took advantage of the referee’s proclamation. The bull whip was used several times by both wrestlers. By the end of the match, the ringside area was littered with destruction as chairs, tables and boards were broken over the wrestlers’ bodies. Buzz finally got the pin after a running powerslam through a table in the corner of the ring.
Television Title Match: ‘Dangerous’ Doug Gilbert def. Iceman King Parsons (c) (12:33)
Doug was accompanied to the ring by his brother Eddie. Brickhouse Brown came down to second his partner. After only three minutes, the referee barred both tag team partners and the managers from ringside after numerous distractions.
With everyone at ringside gone, Parsons began to take control of the match. Parsons had Gilbert pinned against the ropes for a while as the two struggled to gain any sort of advantage. Gilbert finally gained the advantage and whipped Parsons across the ring. He backdropped Parsons over the top rope, but Parsons landed on the ring apron. Parsons nailed Gilbert with a shoulderblock through the ropes and attempted a sunset flip over the top rope. Gilbert fought against it, finally sitting down on Parsons. As Gilbert covered Parsons better and the referee got down to make the count, Gilbert put his feet onto the middle rope to secure the victory. Gilbert was handed the title belt, while Parsons complained about his feet being on the ropes. The referee said he didn’t see it, but you can count on a quick rematch between these two.
Sawyer Brothers def. Youth in Action, DQ (4:18)
Earlier in the card, the Sawyer Brothers did an interview in the ring about an upcoming title shot at the American Tag Team Titles. During the interview, Dutch Mantell came out and attacked the brothers. He tied Buzz up in the ropes while he busted open Brett and began to hang him over the top rope with the bull whip. When Buzz was finally able to get free, he chased Mantell out of the ring.
Mantell returned with his bull whip and a chair during the tag team match, causing a quick disqualification. Buzz and Mantell brawled until security to separate them. Buzz demanded a match with Mantell, which I graciously agreed to have later in the card.
Ric Titan def. ‘Colorado Kid’ Mike Rapada (3:29)
Rapada had control of the match for the first three minutes, but Titan got the advantage when Rapada missed a splash into the corner. Titan would quickly gain the victory with the Razor’s Edge.
Mance Warner def. Iron Mike Sharpe (8:26)
Warner and Sharpe fought a brilliant match between two great brawlers. Sharpe tried to gain an advantage with a few shortcuts, but the latest brawler from Bucksnort fought back in kind. The referee was very lax in this match, due to both men being brawlers. He let quite a few things go. His five-counts were a bit slower than other matches. The turning point in the match came when Sharpe nailed Warner with the loaded arm band. Instead of going for the pin, Sharpe climbed the turnbuckle for a diving headbutt. Warner moved out of the way. As Sharpe struggled to get up, Warner nailed him with the “knee pad up, knee pad down” running kneelift to get the pin.
Flex Kavana def. Steve Corino, DQ (7:07)
Kavana came out at the end of the previous match, seeking a word with Axel. As Rogers was rolled out of the ring, Kavana sought common ground with Axel as both of them are third-generation wrestlers. As Axel began to respond, the Extreme Horsemen’s music began again. Corino came out and told Kavana to mind his own business. In fact, Corino continued, Kavana had to live with the same shadow over himself that Rogers had said about Axel. Corino said, “You will never be more than a little boy, dressing up to play in Daddy’s shadow. You will never be man enough to actually be a good wrestler.” Kavana challenged Corino to put his money where his mouth was. Both agreed that the only way to settle it was in the ring.
Corino nailed Kavana with a sucker punch to the jaw. Axel left the ring as the referee called for the bell. Corino took quick advantage of the situation. After pummeling Kavana for just over two minutes, Corino threw him outside at Axel’s feet. Axel looked down at Kavana, looking like he was still considering the words spoken earlier. While Corino had the referee distracted, Axel finally made up his mind and grabbed Kavana’s legs. He catapulted Kavana into the ring post. He rolled Kavana into the ring. Corino picked him up and told Axel to grab a chair. Corino nailed Kavana with three hard punches to the gash in his forehead while Axel grabbed the chair and climbed into the ring. The referee tried to stop Axel, but Axel nailed him with the chair. Corino irish whipped Kavana across the ring, and Axel smashed the chair over his head. The referee called for the bell while the Extreme Horsemen continued to beat on Kavana until the Sawyer Brothers came down to clear out the ring.
This match is the setup for a feud between Kavana and the Extreme Horsemen. Kavana will continue to encourage Axel away from the Horsemen and stand on his own. As the Horsemen will start to expand over the next few months, Kavana will try to bring in other third-generation wrestlers to the PWA to help battle against them.
Curtis Axel def. Rip Rogers (9:01)
The card began with Axel coming out and demanding a chance to move up in the rankings so that he might challenge for the American Heavyweight Title instead of the Television Title. He demanded a match against a wrestler from the higher tier, looking for that wrestler to put their place in that tier on the line against him. I came out and said that I would allow him to wrestle against a wrestler who should outclass him, but that Axel would have to earn a spot in a higher division. I called out Rip Rogers as Axel’s opponent.
Rogers came out and began to gloat over the fact that Axel would never be able to carry his father or his grandfather’s tights. Enraged, Axel began to dominate the match by repeatedly tossing Rogers out of the ring to inflict maximum damage. Axel finally got the pin fall after a superplex.