Rise of a Star

[Old School Fan]

June 1967

 

The latest issue of the All-Star Wrestling arena program/newsletter is out:

 

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And on Page Two, more on the surprise face turn of Julie Painchaud, plus some coverage on one of the girls who met Renée Martel back in March and asked about training to become a wrestler...

 

[Old School Fan]

NWA All-Star Wrestling @ Exhibition Gardens

June 26, 1967 - Vancouver, British Columbia

 

 

 

Bad Boy Shields fought Red McNulty to a time-limit draw.

 

 

Abdullah the Butcher defeated Roy McClarty by pinfall following a karate thrust to the throat.

 

 

Renée Martel & Donna Costello* defeated Margot Bouchard & Toni Rose when Costello pinned Rose.

 

 

Danny Reilly defeated Tony Nero by pinfall following a powerslam.

 

 

$2,000 8-man Battle Royal

John Tolos won the match and the $2,000 prize when he last eliminated Danny Reilly (other participants included Abdullah the Butcher, Bad Boy Shields, Red McNulty, Roy McClarty, Tony Nero and Rocky Johnson).

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

* AKA Donna Christanello.

[Old School Fan]

Meanwhile, earlier that night in Montreal...

 

All-Star Wrestling @ Paul Sauvé Arena

June 26, 1967 - Montreal, Quebec

 

 

 

Judy Sowinski defeated Rosalie Paiement* (making her debut) by pinfall following a shoulderbreaker.

 

 

Julie Painchaud used a suplex slam to pin and defeat Miss X.

 

 

Jacques Rougeau battled Terry Garvin to a no-contest when both wrestlers were disqualified for excessive brawling.

 

 

Larry Moquin & Gino Brito defeated Matt Gilmore & Bull Johnson when Brito pinned Gilmore.

 

 

Johnny Rougeau, Édouard Carpentier & Spiros Arion defeated Mad Dog Vachon, Baron Von Raschke & Sweet Daddy Siki when Arion used a full Nelson to get the submission from Vachon.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

* Rosalie Paiement (pronounced pay-mont) was created for this diary; she is one of the two girls who met Renée Martel to seek out training for a wrestling career in the previous chapter.

[Old School Fan]

Stampede Wrestling @ Stampede Corral

July 12, 1967 - Calgary, Alberta

 

 

 

Stan Stasiak defeated Stan Neilson by pinfall following a heart punch.

 

 

John Foti defeated Paul DeGalles by pinfall.

 

 

Bud Cody defeated Firpo Zbyszko by pinfall.

 

 

Renée Martel & Julie Painchaud defeated Margot Bouchard & Miss X when X submitted to Renée's Alligator Clutch.

 

 

Leo Burke and Rennie Marr wrestled to a time-limit draw.

 

 

NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary)

The Beast (Yvon Cormier) & Bob Sweetan defeated Bobby & Jerry Christy © to win the title when Sweetan pinned Bobby Christy following a piledriver.

 

 

NWA World Heavyweight Championship - Two Out of Three Falls

Gene Kiniski © defeated Dave Ruhl, two falls to one.

• First fall - Kiniski pinned Ruhl following a powerslam.
  
• Second fall - Ruhl used a full Nelson to get the submission from Kiniski.
  
• Third fall - Kiniski won when he pinned Ruhl following a shoulderbreaker.
  

[Old School Fan]

July 1967

 

In the latest issue of the All-Star Wrestling arena program/newsletter comes news about the return of the Living Legend for a big card in Montreal:

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

And on Page Two, a mini-card for Expo 67 is announced, and Margot Bouchard has a few things to say about Julie Painchaud's face turn...

 

[Old School Fan]

The poster for the July 24 All-Star Wrestling supercard is now up:

 

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It's prediction time once again, so here's the full match lineup below:

 

Eddie Auger vs. Armand Dupré

 

Larry Moquin vs. Len Shelly

 

The Destroyer vs. Enrique Torres

 

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard vs. Bulldog Brower & George "The Animal" Steele

 

$2,500 14-woman Battle Royal

Renée Martel • Margot Bouchard • Julie Painchaud • Claire Lepage • Barbara LaMarche • Marianne Duchesne • Miss X • Judy Arnold • Georgia Hase • Julie Patrick* • Judy Sowinski • Black Widow** • Rosalie Paiement • Annette Dupuis**

 

Johnny Valentine vs. Gino Brito

 

ASW World Tag Team Championship

Jacques & Johnny Rougeau © vs. Hans Schmidt & Baron Von Raschke

 

WWWF World Heavyweight Championship

Bruno Sammartino © vs. Mad Dog Vachon

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

* Roller derby skater IRL.

 

** These wrestlers were created for this diary.

[Lord Byron]

Here are my picks: Armand Dupre, Len Shelly, The Destroyer, Marcel Martel and Ti-Blanc Richard, Judy Arnold, Johnny Valentine, Jacques and Johnny Rougeau ©, and Bruno Sammartino ©

 

On a side note, at least this event isn't being held in Detroit, given what's beginning to go on there (in RL and in this diary)--namely, the Detroit Riots of 1967 that began the city's infamous terminal decline...

 

Fun fact: the #1 hit on July 22nd, 1967 (the nearest date to July 24th) in the US was Windy by the Association, while, in Britain, the #1 song was All You Need Is Love by the Beatles and, in Canada, the #1 song on July 22nd was Up, Up, and Away by the 5th Dimension...

 

BTW, love this diary...

[Herrbear]

Eddie Auger vs. Armand Dupré

 

Larry Moquin vs. Len Shelly

 

The Destroyer vs. Enrique Torres

 

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard vs. Bulldog Brower & George "The Animal" Steele

$2,500 14-woman Battle Royal

Renée Martel • Margot Bouchard • Julie Painchaud • Claire Lepage • Barbara LaMarche • Marianne Duchesne • Miss X • Judy Arnold • Georgia Hase • Julie Patrick* • Judy Sowinski • Black Widow** • Rosalie Paiement • Annette Dupuis**

 

Johnny Valentine vs. Gino Brito

 

ASW World Tag Team Championship

Jacques & Johnny Rougeau © vs. Hans Schmidt & Baron Von Raschke

 

WWWF World Heavyweight Championship

Bruno Sammartino © vs. Mad Dog Vachon

[Old School Fan]

All-Star Wrestling @ Montreal Forum

July 24, 1967 - Montreal, Quebec

Attendance - 15,935

 

 

Eddie Auger defeated Armand Dupré by pinfall with a cradle suplex.

 

 

Larry Moquin defeated Len Shelly by pinfall following a knee drop.

 

 

The Destroyer defeated Enrique Torres by submission to the figure-four leglock.

 

 

Marcel Martel & Ti-Blanc Richard defeated Bulldog Brower & George Steele when Steele was disqualified for bringing a chair into the ring to use on Richard as he had Brower trapped in a bearhug.

 

 

$2,500 14-woman Battle Royal

Renée Martel last eliminated Margot Bouchard to win the match and the $2,500 prize (other participants in the match, in order of elimination, were Rosalie Paiement, Julie Patrick, Annette Dupuis, Barbara LaMarche, Miss X, Claire Lepage, Judy Sowinski, Black Widow, Julie Painchaud, Marianne Duchesne, Georgia Hase and Judy Arnold).

 

Post-match, as Renée was presented with the winner's cheque by the Forum ring announcer, a furious Bouchard ran back into the ring and attacked her from behind, whipped her to the ropes and clotheslined her, then rebounded off the ropes and elbowdropped her; Bouchard then picked up the winner's cheque (which Renée had dropped to the mat during the attack), tore it to pieces and threw the pieces down on Renée as the crowd booed Bouchard for her actions.

 

 

Johnny Valentine defeated Gino Brito by pinfall following a Atomic Skullcrusher (AKA flying elbow smash).

 

 

ASW World Tag Team Championship

Hans Schmidt & Baron Von Raschke defeated Jacques & Johnny Rougeau © to win the title when Von Raschke used the Iron Claw to force the submission from Johnny Rougeau.

 

 

WWWF World Heavyweight Championship

Bruno Sammartino © defeated Mad Dog Vachon by disqualification when Hans Schmidt and Baron Von Raschke ran in and attacked Sammartino as he had Vachon locked in a full-Nelson; post-match, Vachon, Schmidt and Von Raschke triple-teamed on Sammartino until Jacques and Johnny Rougeau ran in to even the sides and help Sammartino run the heel trio out of the ring.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Prediction results: (Thanks to all who made their predictions for this card)

 

Herrbear - 5/8

Lord Byron - 4/8

 

All-time prediction results:

 

Herrbear - 52/75

Lord Byron - 12/21

Hitman74 - 10/12

Theheel - 7/10

Dalton - 6/6

auto45 - 5/6

Sco_xY2Jx - 2/6

 

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[Old School Fan]

All-Star Wrestling @ Expo 67 Fairgrounds

July 29, 1967 - Montreal, Quebec

 

 

 

NOTE: This was a special three-match mini-card held for free at the Place des Nations plaza on the Expo 67 Fairgrounds during Expo 67.

 

 

Six-woman elimination match

Renée Martel, Julie Painchaud & Claire Lepage defeated Margot Bouchard, Marianne Duchesne & Miss X.

• First fall - Bouchard pinned Lepage following a spinebuster slam.
  
• Second fall - Bouchard and Painchaud were both counted out while brawling outside the ring.
  
• Third fall - Martel pinned Duchesne following a flying forearm smash off the ropes.
  
• Fourth fall - Martel got the win for her team by using the Alligator Clutch to force Miss X to submit.
  

 

 

Johnny Valentine defeated Lorenzo Parente by pinfall following an Argentine backbreaker.

 

 

ASW World Heavyweight Championship

Johnny Rougeau © defeated Mad Dog Vachon by disqualification when Vachon knocked the heads of Rougeau and the referee together. Post-match, Vachon was fined $200 for his attack on the referee.

[Old School Fan]

In the latest issue of the All-Star Wrestling arena program/newsletter, "The Clawmaster" Baron Von Raschke is profiled:

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

And on Page Two, the mini-card held at Expo 67 is reviewed...

 

[Old School Fan]

All-Star Wrestling @ Pavillon de la Jeunesse

August 4, 1967 - Quebec City, Quebec

 

 

 

Mae Young defeated Renée Martel by pinfall following an elbow drop.

 

 

Gino Brito defeated Bulldog Brower by disqualification when Brower threw Brito over the top rope.

 

 

In a non-title match, Édouard Carpentier & Enrique Torres defeated World Tag Team Champions Hans Schmidt & Baron Von Raschke when Torres pinned Schmidt following a top rope knee drop.

 

 

ASW World Heavyweight Championship

Johnny Rougeau © defeated Johnny Valentine by disqualification when Valentine slugged the referee as he attempted to stop Valentine from attacking Rougeau, who was tied up in the top and middle ropes.

[The Blonde Bomber]

It makes my day whenever I get to see one of your programs. They look so real and your skill to write them so detailed is fantastic! The fact that you maintain the realism by keeping the women usually on the back page as the biggest things going on are with the Rougeaus, Mad Dog, Baron, etc. doing that keeps the suspense of disbelief down and makes it so I could buy them as genuine ASW programs. Keep it up man!

[Captain Kremmen]

Ms. Martel was pretty good lookin' back in the day!

[Old School Fan]

It makes my day whenever I get to see one of your programs. They look so real and your skill to write them so detailed is fantastic! The fact that you maintain the realism by keeping the women usually on the back page as the biggest things going on are with the Rougeaus, Mad Dog, Baron, etc. doing that keeps the suspense of disbelief down and makes it so I could buy them as genuine ASW programs. Keep it up man!

 

Thanks, I was inspired by the news updates done by Willsky in his NJPW America: A Growing Presence diary (like this example here) while keeping each program's appearance as it likely would have been back in its time.

 

Ms. Martel was pretty good lookin' back in the day!

 

Yep, she sure was.

[Old School Fan]

A few YouTube videos profiling All-Star Wrestling's World Tag Team and Canadian Heavyweight Champion, Baron Von Raschke, in his later real-life face run in the AWA:

 

(from Minneapolis, MN, March 1981)

 

(from St. Paul, MN, April 1981)

 

(from AWA TV, c. 1983)

 

(from Hammond, IN, March 1985 - features Larry Hennig getting involved and post-match fan riot)

[jackwad]

Just discovered this dynasty early this morning and I couldn't stop until I got caught up. It's been a joy, really awesome stuff and educational too!

[Old School Fan]

Just discovered this dynasty early this morning and I couldn't stop until I got caught up. It's been a joy, really awesome stuff and educational too!

 

Thanks, glad you like how's it's been turning out.

[Old School Fan]

American Wrestling Association @ International Amphitheatre

August 11, 1967 - Chicago, Illinois

Attendance - 9,246

 

 

 

René Goulet defeated The Assassin* by submission with a Boston crab.

 

 

The Destroyer defeated Eddie Sharkey** by submission to the figure-four leglock.

 

 

Dick the Bruiser & Wilbur Snyder defeated Johnny Valentine & Blackjack Lanza by disqualification when Valentine threw Snyder over the top rope.

 

 

Renée Martel & Julie Payne*** defeated Mae Young & Miss X; Young and X had originally won the match when Young pinned Martel, but AWA promoter Wally Karbo, who had been sitting at the timekeeper's table at ringside, came to the ring moments later and ordered the match restarted because Young had used the ropes for illegal leverage during the pin. When the referee restarted the match, Young objected and started arguing with him, then decked him with a right hook, leading to Young being disqualified and the match awarded to Martel and Payne. Post-match, a disgruntled Young and X attempted to attack Martel and Payne, who fought back and ran the heel team out of the ring to the crowd's delight.

 

 

AWA World Tag Team Championship

Angelo Poffo**** & Chris Markoff defeated Larry Hennig & Harley Race © when Race was disqualified for sending Markoff head-first into the corner post (an illegal move in the AWA; Hennig & Race retain their belts due to the DQ).

 

 

AWA World Heavyweight Championship - Two out of Three Falls

Verne Gagne © defeated Lou Thesz, two falls to one, when Thesz was counted out in the third fall when he could not get back in the ring in time to beat the referee's ten-count.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

* This Assassin is not Jody Hamilton or Tom Renesto (the two most well-known wearers of the Assassin masks), but Canadian wrestler Joe Tomasso.

 

** The trainer of Bob Backlund, Jesse Ventura, the Road Warriors, Rick Rude, Rick Steiner, Krusher Kruschev/Demolition Smash (Barry Darsow), Nikita Koloff and many other Minnesota wrestling products.

 

*** Ring name used by Julie Painchaud when wrestling in the United States.

 

**** Yep, the father of "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "The Genius" Lanny Poffo himself.

[The Blonde Bomber]

Great job with the title belts really love the look of them. Also the tidbits of history lessons are lovely to see .

[Old School Fan]

All-Star Wrestling @ Colisée de Trois-Rivières

August 31, 1967 - Trois-Rivières, Quebec

Attendance - 3,050

 

 

 

Gino Brito defeated Angelo Savoldi by submission to the figure-four leglock.

 

 

Hans Schmidt used a backbreaker to get the pinfall win on Larry Moquin.

 

 

Renée Martel & Julie Painchaud defeated Mae Young & Margot Bouchard when Young was disqualified for throwing Painchaud over the top rope and for excessive double-teaming with Bouchard against Renée; Young and Bouchard continued their double-teaming on Renée until Painchaud got back in the ring and joined her tag partner to battle Young and Bouchard for a few moments until running the heel duo out of the ring. Although Painchaud had been wrestling for just over two years at this point, this was the first time she got to wrestle in her hometown of Trois-Rivières, as she had avoided doing so while she previously wrestled as a heel up until her babyface turn in June; even though Renée is undoubtedly the most popular of the female wrestlers on the All-Star Wrestling roster, on this night, it was Painchaud who got the biggest reactions of the night from the fans due to her status as the hometown heroine.

 

 

ASW Canadian Heavyweight Championship

Baron Von Raschke © fought Marcel Martel to a no-contest when both wrestlers were counted out while brawling outside the ring (Von Raschke was a substitute for Mad Dog Vachon, who has been out of action since being injured in a car accident on August 24).

[Old School Fan]

All-Star Wrestling @ Paul Sauvé Arena

September 11, 1967 - Montreal, Quebec

 

 

 

Gino Brito & Larry Moquin defeated Matt Gilmore & Angelo Savoldi when Moquin pinned Gilmore.

 

 

Bill Miller defeated Dewey Robertson* via pinfall following a legdrop.

 

 

Barbara LaMarche & Renée Martel defeated Miss X I & II when LaMarche pinned Miss X II following a cross-bodyblock off the ropes while Martel ran in to prevent Miss X I from interfering with the pin.

 

 

Spiros Arion defeated The Sheik by disqualification when Sheik refused to release a chokehold against Arion. Post-match, Arion powered his way out of the chokehold, fought back and chased Sheik from the ring.

 

 

ASW World Tag Team Championship

Hans Schmidt & Baron Von Raschke © battled Jacques & Johnny Rougeau to a no-contest when both teams were disqualified for excessive brawling.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

* Dewey Robertson was best known in the 1980s in World Class Championship Wrestling, the WWF and the UWF as the face-painted Missing Link.

[Old School Fan]

While I'm working on my next event, even though he's currently out of action in this diary due to the car accident mentioned on the All-Star Wrestling card in Trois-Rivières, Mad Dog Vachon is still in the spotlight as the subject of these YouTube videos:

 

(from Winnipeg, December 1980)

 

(from Winnipeg, January 1982)

[Old School Fan]

NWA All-Star Wrestling @ CHAN-TV Studios

October 11, 1967 - Burnaby, British Columbia (aired October 14, 1967 on All-Star Wrestling on CHAN-TV and CHEK-TV)

 

 

 

Renée Martel defeated Margot Bouchard by disqualification when Bouchard threw Martel over the top rope.

 

 

 

(The main studio camera moves in on ringside post-match for a ringside interview for All-Star Wrestling as host/commentator Ron Morrier is joined by Renée Martel at ringside)

 

RON MORRIER: Welcome back to All-Star Wrestling, Renée. Good to have you on the show again and good to see you're keeping your skills sharp.

 

RENÉE MARTEL: Thanks, Mr. Morrier, it's always great to come back to Vancouver to compete in front of all the great fans here in the studio and watching at home. (Some cheers from the studio audience behind the ring)

 

MORRIER: Now, last time you were here at the studio, you faced off against Margot Bouchard, one of your more persistent rivals in the ring, and you went to the time limit with her.

 

MARTEL: We sure did, and she made every second of those ten minutes tough for me, but I gave back as good as I got from her. No match against Bouchard is ever an easy one, but that's how I like it because it keeps me on my toes and keeps me sharp for other opponents.

 

MORRIER: And quite a few viewers have written in to the show to comment about Bouchard after her appearances here in the studio or at the live events in Vancouver and Victoria, saying that she's a rough customer as a wrestler and she goes out of her way to hurt her opponents.

 

MARTEL: That's the trouble too, Mr. Morrier. Bouchard sometimes gets disqualified for the things she does, like refusing to stop choking opponents, or getting too rough with them, or even throwing them over the top rope, like she did to me in our match earlier. She's a dominant wrestler and she's got it in her to be championship material, but if she'd cut it with the rough stuff, she'd get disqualified a lot less and have better chances at becoming a champion.

 

MORRIER: Some of those same fans have also said that when she goes against you in particular, Bouchard resorts to cheating to try to beat you in the ring.

 

MARTEL: She has, and she's only ever tried that against me, never against her other opponents. In fact... (As Martel speaks, some booing comes from the crowd as Margot Bouchard, who is seen holding a title belt, comes around to ringside to confront Martel)

 

MARGOT BOUCHARD: Okay, Martel, let's get something straight here! Everywhere we go, you keep saying I have to cheat to beat you or I otherwise get myself disqualified! Are you trying to say that I'm not good enough of a wrestler to beat you without cheating?

 

MARTEL: I don't need to say it, your actions speak for themselves. (The fans cheer Martel's reaction to Bouchard's accusation)

 

BOUCHARD: Is that so? You recognize this, then? (Holds up the title belt in her hand and points at it) This belt here in my hand is the United States Women's TV Championship, which I first won back in February in Los Angeles. Since then, no wrestler has succeeded in taking this belt off of me yet, including you! So you tell me, why am I still the champion after eight months while you have yet to win a belt yourself?

 

MARTEL: That's easy - because you need to cheat or to get yourself disqualified to hang on to your belt.

 

BOUCHARD: (Scoffing) I've never needed to cheat to beat you, Martel, and if I have to prove that again, I'll even put my title on the line against you just to prove it!

 

MORRIER: Well, we have the card coming up this coming Monday night at the PNE Forum in Vancouver, the promoters can get it set up for then.

 

MARTEL: You heard it, Bouchard, this Monday night. Are you gonna put up or shut up? Put your belt up and let's see just how good you say you are! (The audience cheers again)

 

BOUCHARD: Fine, I'll do it - but you better be ready on Monday night because I'm going in to keep that belt and I'll still be the champion when the smoke clears! (Bouchard then leaves)

 

MORRIER: So it looks like you got your title shot, Renée.

 

MARTEL: That's right, and it'll be my pleasure to shut Bouchard's mouth and win that title from her for the fans.

 

MORRIER: Alright, so that sets that match up - Margot Bouchard puts her title up against Renée Martel, this Monday night at the PNE Forum. We'll be right back with more All-Star Wrestling after these words!

 

 

Abdullah the Butcher defeated Big Ku via pinfall following a karate thrust to the throat.

 

 

In a non-title match, NWA World Heavyweight Champion Gene Kiniski defeated Bad Boy Shields by pinfall following a shoulderbreaker.

 

 

 

(The main studio camera returns to ringside for a post-match interview as Ron Morrier is joined by Gene Kiniski at ringside)

 

RON MORRIER: Alright, joining us now is the one and only World's Heavyweight Champion himself, Gene Kiniski, and you hardly broke a sweat in making short work of Bad Boy Shields here today.

 

GENE KINISKI: You said it, Ron, but it's not for lack of trying. Shields is a rough, tough and rugged wrestler and he put up a good fight in that ring behind us today, but there's a reason the public calls me "Canada's Greatest Athlete" and Shields found out why just a moment ago.

 

MORRIER: And now you're back in Vancouver for the next little while on your travels as the champion.

 

KINISKI: That's right, Ron. Last week at the Exhibition Gardens, I held off a challenge to my belt from one of the tougher competitors in the sport today, the "Golden Greek" John Tolos. Later on, I'm heading down to Seattle to take on one of the giants of the sport, Don Leo Jonathan, then this coming Monday night at the PNE Forum, I got that wildman from the Sudan, Abdullah the Butcher. And what do all three of them have in common? They're all after this... My World's Heavyweight Championship. (Holds up the NWA World Heavyweight title belt in front of the camera) This championship is considered the symbol of excellence in the sport and has been for decades, and the man who holds this championship is widely considered to be the best wrestler there is in the sport today. And how does he get to be the best there is? He not only beats the champion to become the champion, he holds back the challenges of all the top contenders out there from around the world. And there's something else I can guarantee, whether or not I'm the champion - for every dollar the fans spend to see Canada's Greatest Athlete in action, they're gonna get five dollars' value when I step in the ring.

 

MORRIER: And as you said, on Monday night you have one of those top contenders in Abdullah the Butcher, a man quickly coming to be known by the fans as one of the most feared wrestlers in the sport today.

 

KINISKI: That's right, Abdullah is one of the top contenders for my title right now, and he's certainly one of the toughest competitors out there, but as far as calling him a "wrestler", Ron, I gotta disagree with you there. Abdullah doesn't know much in the way of wrestling holds and I don't think he'd care to learn them either - what he does do is punch, kick, gouge, use foreign objects on his opponents and use that karate thrust of his to win his matches. He may pull that off with most of his opponents, but one thing I can guarantee here is that he won't do that on me and get by with it. When we get in the ring on Monday night, I'll be going in as the champion, I'll keep up with Abdullah and match him blow for blow and I'll leave still as the champion. (The studio audience cheers behind the ring)

 

MORRIER: I have no doubt you'll find a way to pull that off when you face Abdullah.

 

KINISKI: Right again, Ron. Now we're just about out of time for this interview, so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Canadians and the American viewing audience for inviting me into your homes via TV, I'll see you at the PNE Forum on Monday night when I take on Abdullah - and as usual, Ron, you did a great job with the interview.

 

MORRIER: Always a pleasure, Gene. Once again, Gene Kiniski vs. Abdullah the Butcher this Monday night at the Forum for the World's Heavyweight Championship. We'll be back with the duration match right after we hear from our sponsors!

 

 

Roy McClarty wrestled Rick Renaldo to a time-limit draw in a duration match when TV time ran out with no falls scored.

[The Blonde Bomber]

Martel and Bouchard are coming to a head for the belt. The interviews added a layer to the matches that was really useful. We got a better idea of the characters and being more connected to them. One question that popped up for me is why the tv title would be defended on a show not on tv? Regardless I’m excited to see what happens when these ladies tango.

 

Glad to see you add an interview for Kiniski too. He does his typical baby-face stick and is ready to defend against Abby. That illegal Karate Strike to the throat can easily put any man away. But the worlds champion isn’t just any man. Neither is Abby though. The match will be a chaotic one I can see that now.

 

Loved the main event being the classic tv time remaining match that ends in no fall being scored. I liked seeing those on Wrestling at the Chase with the winner getting the most falls or even in Mid South with a bunch of stand by matches in case the match ended with one fall if it was a one fall match. Unfortunately TEW isn’t necessarily set up to do that so easily, so I’m glad to see that you booked that.