[Please note: This is the first version of what would become the Ring Report TV update. I wrote it as a kid on an old fashioned typewriter in the 1980s. Presented “as is” in original format. There was no internet, I couldn’t spell, so please be kind.]
The Ring Report Flashback to 6/14/87 Vol. 1, No. 3
AWA NEWS
Two weeks ago the AWA committee assigned to cover the CURT HENNIG title controversy ruled that the film footage provided by ESPN of his title win over NICK BOCKWINKLE was inconclusive and that the referee’s decision in the match would stand.
The ruling didn’t go over that well with AWA announcer LARRY NELSON, former champion Nick Bockwinkle, AWA fan favorite GREG GAGNE, or Bockwinkle’s partner RAY STEVENS. The foursome took up 15 minutes of air time last week trying to link Hennig and LARRY ZYBSZKO to a plot before the match even began. While, on the other hand, Hennig was only given 30 seconds of air time — and Larry Nelson cut him off half way through it to go to commercial!
IN AWA SHORT NEWS: THE MIDNIGHT ROCKERS lost the AWA WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES to the Russian team of SOLDOFF HUSTONOFF and BORRIS ZUCHOV . . . THE NINJAS, a masked team of NINJA GO and THE SUPER NINJA, are the new top contenders to those belts . . .
UWF NEWS
THE LIGHTNING EXPRESS of TIM HORNOR and BRAD ARMSTRONG captured the UWF tag team belts from STING and RICK STEINER. The match ended in controversy as Steiner distracted the referee while Sting prepared to arm whip Armstrong into Eddie Gilbert’s boot. AS he threw his opponent into the ropes, Armstrong reversed it and Sting slammed himself into the boot and then was quickly covered by Armstrong for the pinfall.
Last week as punishment for his outside interference, the UWF signed Gilbert to referee a top contenders match between Sting and TERRY TAYLOR with the winner going up in UWF rankings. As it was announced that Gilbert would referee the match, Sting grabbed the microphone and demanded a new referee because he claimed that Gilbert would mess things up like he did in the tag team match.
TOMMY GILBERT came out and ordered his son back to the dressing room as CARL FURGIE came out to ref. the match. It was the best match I’ve seen in a while until Eddie Gilbert came out to finish off his mess with Sting.
When Carl Furgie was knocked down Gilbert ran in with his boot and immediately gave it to Taylor who promptly slammed Sting over the head with it! Gilbert then rolled Furgie inside of the ring and he counted the pin on Sting.
Taylor and Gilbert proceeded to attack their former friend and leave him nearly unconscious in the ring when CHRIS ADAMS ran in to save the day. He yelled that he wanted Taylor at any time, any place, then yelled for Sting to stop when he tried to leave the ring. He asked Sting if he would be with him against Taylor and Gilbert and Sting replied “yes.” The two left together . . .
IN SHORT NEWS: STEVE WILLIAMS is nursing a broken arm following an attack by EDDIE GILBERT and DICK MURDOCH . . . THE ANGEL OF DEATH has returned to the area, while BLACK BART has entered the area, both men are managed by SKANDAR ACKBAR . . . TED DIBIASE left the UWF because he wasn’t granted the #1 position in UWF rankings he believed he deserved . . . THE ENFORCERS, a masked team managed by SHASKA WHATLEY, are new to the area . . .
WWF NEWS
NBC’s “NEWS AT SUNRISE” reported that “HACKSAW” JIM DUGAN and THE IRON SHEIK, who had been feuding heavily in recent months, were arrested for possession of drugs (reportedly Marijuana and cocaine), in the Sheik’s car after a card at the Medowlands Arena in New Jersey. As a result of the incident moth men have been indefinitely suspended from the WWF.
IN SHORT NEWS: THE HONKY TONK MAN captured the WWF’S Intercontinental belt from RICK STEAMBOAT this week by using the ropes for leverage . . . SCOTT CASEY and SAM HOUSTON are new singles wrestlers in the area . . . THE ISLANDERS signed up to be managed by BOBBY HEENAN . . . and MISSY HYATT has signed to be an announcer for the WWF but hasn’t made her official TV debut as of yet . . .
NWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AREA NEWS
At the scheduled NWA TV title defense last week DUSTY RHODES pinned TULLY BLANCHARD for the TV title when Blanchard put his foot on the bottom rope after the pin. Referee TOMMY YOUNG looked down and saw Blanchard’s foot on the rope after awarding the match to Rhodes and declared that the match should continue.
Dusty couldn’t see the ruling because he was chasing Blanchard’s manager, JJ DILLION, outside the arena after Dillion grabbed the sack containing the $50,000 bounty Rhodes had put up to earn the title match. Young promptly counted Rhodes out and declared that Blanchard would keep the title on a count out.
The NWA has launched an official investigation into this matter and has banned Young from refereeing any match that Rhodes is involved in until the matter is ruled upon.
In other title news, after declaring that PAUL JONES could temporarily substitute IVAN KOLOFF for an injured RICK RUDE to defend the NWA WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES, the NWA rules committee
reversed their decision and made Rude defend the titles at a recent NWA TV taping. Thus, their opponents, THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL EXPRESS, easily took the tiles to make themselves 4 time world tag team champions.
The Match Beyond has been announced to be scheduled in the Omni in Atlanta on July 4. This match is strange because not only does sit involve two rings — it has the rings surrounded by a single steel cage with the top covered! THE SUPER POWERS (DUSTY RHODES & NIKETA KOLOFF), THE ROAD WARRIORS, and PAUL ELLERING will take on THE FOUR HORSEMEN and JJ DILLION in this very strange match!
It starts with 2 men in the rings who wrestle for 5 minutes until a coin is tossed and the team that wins puts one man in for two more minutes. Two minutes later the other team lets a man in and in becomes two on two, then two minutes later it’s three on two, and so on. When all of the men are in the ring the match official begins and it can only end when one of the men surrenders or submits!
NWA FLORIDA NEWS
THE SHEEPHERDERS have returned to Florida and are looking to kill young blond muscle man JOHNNY ACE. Ace, who has just broken into the Florida rankings, refused to become the Sheepherder’s flagman and swears that he has a reason from his past to explain things!
KEVIN SULLIVAN seems dazed and confused in recent weeks. The man is going around switching from a “normal” mood and into a “GEORGE STEELE” mood every few minutes. Even SIR OLIVER HUMPERDINK is confused with what’s going on with him now that Sullivan thinks that he has signed a contract for a match with NWA Champion DUSTY RHODES. Yes, it seems that no one can explain to him that Rhodes ISN’T the current champion . . .
IN SHORT NEWS: ED GANTNER has bounties on his head put on by SIR OLIVER HUMPERDINK . . . THE MOD SQUAD have told THE SHEEPHERDERS to stop putting down the USA “or else” . . . MIKE GRAHAM and STEVE KIERN are the current Florida Tag Team Champions . . . KIERN is also running a real estate business . . . and MIKE ROTUNDA is the proud papa of a brand new baby boy . . .
THAT’S IT!