WWT #104: Pro Wrestling America (Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee)

December 23, 2020
Fiserv Forum
Milwaukee, WI

Arrival: Iceman King Parsons
Departure: Jerry Lawler

Hair & Title vs Bruno’s Career Match: ‘Gentleman’ Chris Adams & Brickhouse Brown vs Moondogs

** Brickhouse Brown’s feud with Moondog Spot has come to include Moondog Spike as well this past weekend in the house shows. Chris Adams came out to help Brickhouse during the matches. Adams and Brickhouse come out at the beginning of the card to challenge the Moondogs to a match, but they have a stipulation: If they beat the Moondogs, Downtown Bruno cannot manage in the PWA any longer. Bruno came out, flanked by the Moondogs, and offered a counter challenge. They would accept the match if Brickhouse put up his Television Title if he was pinned or Adams would get his head shaved if he was pinned. Adams and Brickhouse readily agreed.

The match itself didn’t last too long. Bruno tried to involve himself in the match at the very beginning, but Iceman King Parsons came down to the ring. Parsons tossed Bruno into the front row of ringside fans. Spike came off the ring apron to battle with Parsons. Adams and Brickhouse double teamed Spot in the ring. Adams picked up the victory with a Superkick after an atomic drop by Brickhouse. The audience joined in a “Na-Na-Na” chant for Bruno as he threw a fit in the ring.
Decision: Chris Adams & Brickhouse Brown (6:17)

Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs Curtis Axel

Chavo and Axel have had a rivalry growing through the previous couple of weeks. These two met up again in a match that lacked quite a bit of lustre. About the four-minute mark, the fans were beginning a “This is boring!” chant. Axel got the pinfall with the Fisherman Suplex. The crowd was less than enthused with the match, and they let Axel and Chavo know their displeasure.
Decision: Curtis Axel (8:32)

Michael Hayes vs Jesse James Armstrong

In a complete contrast to the previous match, two of the more charismatic and flamboyant personalities in the PWA faced each other in a fifteen-minute time limit match. Michael Hayes came down to the ring with his typical Freebird flair. Armstrong made his introduction as he would for the Road Dogg.

After the dramatic introduction to the match, the two faced off in a brilliantly fought match. Both men kicked out of each other’s finishers. Finally, Armstrong was able to get the advantage when he rolled out of the way of a flying elbowdrop from Hayes. Armstrong immediately popped up and nailed the Shake, Rattle and Kneedrop to get the pin.
Decision: Jesse James Armstrong (7:02)

** This seemingly random match is simply a filler match that is used on cards to showcase both wrestlers involved. There’s no storyline to go with the match. It was a match where the crowd could enjoy seeing both of these guys in a match where they are equally matched.

Jimmy Golden vs Justin Credible

Golden and Credible fought a match that tried to make up for the debaucle that was the previous Extreme Horsemen-GenThree match. Golden had a few bright spots in the match, but Credible took charge about the five-minute mark and continued to control the match until he won with the Sitdown Powerbomb.
Decision: Justin Credible (8:37)

** Honestly, the feud between the Extreme Horsemen and GenThree is kinda fizzling out in my mind. I had ideas about it, but I’ve forgotten what most of those were. The two matches on the card with the feud were halfway thrown together, and it showed to the audience. What I do have with the feud will be a massive match coming up next month.
** Spoiler alert for the match: it will be an Elimination match where everyone eliminated will lose their PWA contract!

Billy Gunn vs ‘Dirty’ Dutch Mantell

This match didn’t match very long until Mantell simply got frustrated and threw Gunn over the top rope to earn the disqualification. Gunn slid back into the ring, but Mantell exited the other side. He backed himself up the aisle until he bumped into something. He turned around to find Buzz Sawyer standing in the aisle. Buzz headbutted Mantell and tossed him back into the ring. Mantell yelled at Buzz until Gunn nailed him from behind with a kneelift. Buzz climbed into the ring. Buzz and Gunn beat down on Mantell until security separated them.
Decision: Billy Gunn, DQ (1:56)

** Another filler match with a cheap, “Dusty finish.” This was a match where Billy Gunn could get a win and a bit of a push toward a possible shot at the American Heavyweight Title, but it also helped to promote the feud between Mantell and Sawyer. Gunn’s involvement might be temporary, but I could see a six-man tag team match with Billy Gunn and the Sawyers against Mantell and another tag team.

Terry Gordy vs Austin Idol

** In this clash of titanic egos, Gordy tried to prove that he should be considered as a contender for the World Heavyweight Title. Idol wanted to prove his dominance as a singles wrestler, saying that Gordy has always relied on Hayes.

Hayes came out with Gordy. Idol came out by himself. The referee tried to keep an eye on all three wrestlers throughout the match, but that quickly became impossible. Eventually, the referee ejected Hayes from ringside.
Gordy and Idol brawled for most of the match. After Hayes was escorted from ringside, the match spilled out into the ringside area. Gordy tried to put Idol away with a piledriver three times, but Idol kicked out each time. Idol tried once for the Las Vegas Leg Lock, but Gordy was able to kick him into the turnbuckle. Idol springboarded off the middle turnbuckle into a flying body press. Gordy rolled through, but Idol was able to keep the momentum going to roll them over again. He hooked both legs and got the pin. Gordy was irate about the loss, but both men left with a deeper respect for one another. The crowd really enjoyed the match.
Decision: Austin Idol (20:47)

Curt Hennig & Goldust vs Dangerous Duo

These four men get into a great brawl as Hennig squares off with Daniels and Goldust tangles with Douglas. The match spilled out into the first few rows of seats at ringside at a few points. The match nearly ended with Daniels hitting the Best Moonsault Ever on Hennig. As he celebrated the move, Goldust turned him around and kissed him. Daniels tried wiping the taste out of his mouth, but he was quickly rolled up by Hennig for the pin.
Decision: Curt Hennig & Goldust (29:37)

** The feud between these two teams continues to heat up. The near win by the former World Tag Team champions gives a credence for the unorthodox combination Hennig and Goldust make. With everything that happened with Goldust in the WWF, I had to make that a part of this feud. Writing this match did make me decide to put Adrian Street on the prospects list for future wrestling talent. A feud between Goldust and Street would be comical if nothing else.

#1 Contender Match for the World Tag Team Titles: Bobo Brazil & S.D. Jones vs Gilbert Brothers

Bobo and S.D. took the Gilbert Brothers to task very early in the match. Eddie got fed up with it, after being tossed out of the ring by Bobo. He came back into the ring with a chair to earn the disqualification. Bobo and S.D. escaped the ring with the referee holding their hands up.
Decision: Bobo Brazil & S.D. Jones, DQ (1:29)

** Bobo and S.D. continue to have their winning streak intact. The Gilberts were picked because the rest of the World Tag Team division were already involved in matches on the card. Bobo Brazil has always been one of my favorite black wrestlers. One of the few men who were active in the ring during seven decades, he made a name for himself, especially in the Upper Midwest and WWWF. However, he was never given the opportunity to actually hold a World Heavyweight Title, except for his 1962 defeat of NWA World Heavyweight champion ‘Nature Boy’ Buddy Rogers, who faked an injury for Brazil to win. While being a trailblazer for racial desegregation in pro wrestling, Brazil doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Jones was just a workhorse for the WWWF, as he averaged over 240 matches per year. He was never given much credit for being more than an average midcarder by Vince Sr., but he is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. Both of these men were great wrestlers who wrestled in a time that people always overlooked them.

** The quick finish for this #1 Contender match is to help establish a feud between the Gilberts and Bobo and S.D. for a series of title matches. Spoiler again: The winning streak continues and will provide them with a World Tag Team Titles reign. I’m just not going to tell you WHEN it will happen.

Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk

No one had seen Lawler around the arena all day. Even though he was slated for the main event, Lawler was nowhere to be seen. Funk and Heenan make their way to the ring and rip into Lawler for not showing up to face him. Funk says that he still wants to wrestle tonight. He refuses to get paid for doing nothing. He issues an open challenge to anyone in the locker room who wants to get into the ring.

Iceman King Parsons accepts Funk’s open challenge. Brickhouse Brown accompanies Parsons to the ring to keep Heenan out of the match. Parsons and Funk had a wonderful impromptu match that had the fans on the edge of their seats the entire time. Heenan tried to involve himself in the match, but he was quickly taken out of the equation by a belly-to-belly suplex into the ring steps by Brickhouse. Parsons went for the Butt Thump off the ring ropes to end the match, but Funk drug the referee in the way. The referee rolled under the bottom rope onto the floor.

The rest of the Extreme Horsemen stormed the ring. They were followed by Chavo, Golden and Adams. The ring quickly filled with wrestlers, as the Extreme Horsemen and GenThree battled each other. Adams and Brickhouse helped clear the ring of both sides, leaving just Funk and Parsons in the ring. It looked like a battle royale had broken out in the middle of a singles match.

After the ring was cleared, Funk regained the advantage in the match. The referee climbed back into the ring as Funk drilled Parsons into the mat with the Piledriver. The referee made the count, but Parsons got his shoulder up. The referee signalled for the bell and raised Funk’s hand. Parsons tries to plead his case, but the referee says he didn’t see it. Funk leaves the ring, celebrating his win. Parsons and Brickhouse glare at him from the ring.
Decision: Terry Funk (20:10)

** With Lawler’s sudden disappearance, it creates a bit of mystique to keep a feud with Funk going and keep it vibrant in the future. Iceman’s return to the PWA sparks another setup for a feud with the Extreme Horsemen. At least with Terry Funk. The coming house shows will feature some six-man tag team matches involving Parsons, Brickhouse and Adams against the Funk and the rest of the Extreme Horsemen. Funk’s controversial win serves as a good set up for a feud in this direction. Hopefully the Extreme Horsemen will still be around in order to feud with them in February!