The local Winnipeg rock band "Harlequin" played a special concert for the fans before the matches started. Their set was as follows;

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richter started strong with a couple of armdrags taking Maxine to the mat, and then working an armbar. However when she went for a suplex the champ used her size and leverage to block it and then take Richter up with a hanging vertical suplex to show off her strength. Maxine then used a low tech assault of punches and kicks. Richter tried for a rope break to get some distance but the champ kicked her out of the ring. When the challenger tried to get back in she ate another boot from the champ. The second time though that Maxine tried that, Richter grabbed her foot and pulled her out of the ring. Richter nailed a pair of forearm uppercuts, a standing dropkick and then a bodyslam before sliding back into the ring.

Maxine returned only to have Richter throw her to the buckle and then take her over with a monkeyflip. Richter tried for a flying bodypress but Maxine caught her and delivered a punishing backbreaker. She then flipped Richter onto her stomach and came off the 2nd buckle driving her knee into the small of the back. The "Road Warrior" like champ locked on a camel clutch and forced Richter to endure a full minute of pain before she was able to leverage Maxine off the hold.

Maxine continued the punishment with a bodyslam, boot rake, another bodyslam, and then pulling up on the arms as she stood on Richter's long hair.

Maxine though made a mistake and telegraphed a backbody drop. Richter grabbed the champ by the head and shoulder and drove her to the mat. The challenger went to work with a facebuster, a back suplex, and a bulldog for the 2 count. She tried a figure-four but Maxine was too strong and got to the ropes within seconds. She tried a Boston crab but Maxine was able to arch her back and power out of the hold. Richter had the fans invested heavily in her hopes as she got 2 counts after a back suplex, and again after a gutwrench suplex. However, when she tried for a Samoan drop, Maxine was able to use her height advantage to shift her weight until she tilted Richter to the side. Maxine fought her feet to the ground, and then slammed the back of Richter's head into the mat. Maxine looked overly confident as she took her time to make the cover, and got the 1, 2 Kickout!

The champ laid on a blatant chokehold forcing referee Jurgen Hermann to threaten disqualification before the champ would release. She tried to get back onto Richter to choke her again but the former WWF champ brought her knees up into the gut of the champ.

Richter crawled to the ropes and tried to pull herself up. Maxine came at a charge and tried to drop her weight onto Richter on the ropes, but Richter moved out of the way forcing Maxine to wreck herself on the ropes. Richter rolled her up for 1, 2 Kickout, another inside cradle for 1, 2, Kickout, a clothesline attempt by Maxine, but Richter ducks it, kicks the back of Maxine's leg to get it to buckle, and then pulled her down with a crucifix roll (shades of the Destroyer) for the 1, 2, 3 !!! NEW CHAMPION!!

 

[Wendy Richter won the North American Women's Title]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the opening bell none of the 4 men wanted to leave the ring and we had a brawl to start the match. Finally it sorted out as Muraco and Hall, and the Hawaiian went to work on Hall with some knee lifts, a belly to belly suplex, and a headbutt to the abdomen. Hall survived the attack and managed to tag out to Orton, and Muraco also tagged in the Baron.

Orton went for a rake of the eyes, but the Baron blocked it, and returned the favor. He went to work with some boots to the gut, and then raked the forehead of Orton across the top of the ropes. That move was much more popular with the fans then it was with referee Buddy Lane. Baron tagged out and Muraco took over punishing the Cowboy, with a shoulderbreaker, a nerve hold, and then a scoop powerslam. Hall had to come in and break up the pin attempt with a boot to the head or it would have been over. This allowed another double tag out and we had Baron locking up once more with Scott Hall.

Hall got off first with a knee to the gut followed by a knee lift to the face, and then a bulldog to the mat, for a 2 count. Hall nailed a series of punches finishing off with a taunting discus punch, and another 2 count. Muraco had come in to break the pin but was not needed as Baron kicked out. Lane though was forced to deal with Muraco and this allowed Hall the opportunity to bounce Raschke's head off of Orton's boot, and then drape him over the second rope for Orton to choke and punch while Hall argued with Muraco and Lane.

Hall nailed a neckbreaker on Raschke for another 2 count and then tried to finish him off with an abdominal stretch. Muraco encouraged his partner by stomping his foot and clapping his hands on the ring apron, and getting the fans involved. Baron managed to elbow his way out of it, but Hall prevented the tag and dragged the Baron to the unfriendly corner. Hall tagged out to Orton and they both nailed some boots to the midsection before Hall left the ring.

Orton went to work with a front chancery on the mat and you could tell everytime he slipped it to a choke because the Baron's boots would flail around and bounce off the mat. Back on their feet Orton nailed him with a couple of his exaggerated elbow smashes, a bulldog, and then an elbowdrop from the 2nd buckle. He then took the Baron to the top for the Superplex, but the veteran commissioner fought for his life, and pounded his way out of it. He then came off the top rope catching Orton on top of the head with a chop. Both men were down. As Lane applied the count and both tag partners reached in and yelled for tags, Raschke was on his feet first. He crawled over, but instead of allowing the tag, Hall ran in to prevent it. This brought Muraco in and he and Hall went at it exchanging punches inside the ring. Raschke turned around and seeing Orton still on his back signalled for the clawhold. Literally crawling over he managed to apply the clawhold to Orton whose feet immediately began to pound the mat.

Buddy Lane though was too busy trying to break up the illegal fisticuffs. Hall broke it off with Muraco, and on his way out of the ring nailed Baron with a kick to the ribs. He then dragged Orton to his corner despite the protests of Buddy Lane and made the blind tag.

Hall walked over and waistlocked Baron dragging to his feet. Baron fought back nailing Hall with an elbow to the face, but Hall took him over with a suplex anyway. Hall then took Baron to the second buckle where he took him down with a belly-to-back suplex. He covered and got the 1, 2, Muraco tried to get in but not in time, 3 !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steamboat hung in there early with the tag champs with some pretty flying armdrags and a double underhook suplex on Dukes. Santana continued the assault with a dropkick, flying clothesline, and a hanging vertical suplex. But he went to the top and came flying off way too early. Dukes was able to dive out of the way at the last second to avoid a cross body block, and then made the tag out to Rice.

Rice showed why his dropkicks are amongst the very best in the business as he hit first Santana, and then Steamboat right on the chin. He nailed Santana with a brainbuster but couldn't get the pin as Steamboat leaned into the ring and pulled him off. A four man brawl ensued, and the tag champs took control. Rice tagged out to Dukes who vaulted over the ropes and nailed Santana with a flying shoulderblock and got the pin.

 

[The Top Guns retained the RCW Tag Team Titles]

 

 

Referee Jurgen Hermann is brought out first, accompanied by commissioner Baron von Raschke in rare form wearing a suit and tie! Also out is RCW fan club president Stan Mullen, Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer newsletter, and Hiro Go, a special photographer all the way from Japan here to capture this historic match. They all wait expectantly in the ring.

 

 

combined weight of 470 lbs.

 

The fans give the Bulldogs a huge ovation, but there are a lot of loud jeers mixed in as well with some L-O-D chants as there is obviously a large contingent of Road Warriro fans as well. The Bulldogs shake hands with the dignitaries in the ring.

 

 

combined weight of 560 lbs.

 

The arena went absolutely nuts when the Road Warriors were announced. But much to many people's surprise the Warriors hit the ring running and immediately went to work on the bulldogs. In the skirmish that followed they also managed to eject von Raschke, Mullen, and Hiro Go right out of the ring. Go got the worst of it being tossed right over the top rope to the floor below, his camera smashing on the ground as it hung on his neck.

 

Referee Jurgen Hermann called for the bell to start the match.

 

Hawk pounded away at Smith, every time Smith would try and get up Hawk would pound him back down to the mat. Animal then came in and they whipped Smith to the ropes and nailed him with a double clothesline. Pin, for 1, 2, kickout. Hawk tagged out to Animal who whipped Smith to the ropes, caught him temporarily in a bearhug, and then gutwrenched him over to the mat. After a few well placed boots he sent him to the ropes again. This time Davey held on, and when Animal charged the Bulldog ducked away and the Warrior went through the ropes. Davey tagged out to Dynamite. The Kid tried to pull Animal back into the ring but Hawk ran across and nailed DK from behind. Animal was then able to enter the ring, pound away at the always injured back of DK, before tagging out to Hawk. Road Warrior Hawk nailed his patented fistdrop for a 2 count, and then a flying shoulderblock for another 2 count. Hawk then taunted Davey to come into the ring which he did. Hermann ejected him, but this allowed Hawk the chance to climb to the top rope. While Animal illeglaly entered the ring and put DK into a bearhug, Hawk came flying off with the clothesline. Davey tried to enter the ring to break the pin but Precious Paul Ellering held onto his leg and Hawk got the 1, 2, 3!!

 

 

After a 30-second break during which the Bulldogs tried to compose themselves, and Paul Ellering slapped a copy of the Wall Street Journal into his palm as he gave instructions to the LOD.

Hawk charged Dynamite but the Bulldog took him down with a drop toehold, and then worked a leglock. Hawk though kicked him off, threw him into the corner and blasted him with a couple of kicks to the chest. Hawk tried to whip Dynamite out of the corner but he hung on, so Hawk rocked him with a clothesline. He then whipped him out, but DK reversed it, but Hawk countered by hanging on. He tried to clothesline DK but the bulldog ducked, kicked Hawk in the gut and nailed him with an impressive snap suplex. But Hawk just bounced off the mat, was on his feet to a huge pop before Kid was even on his feet, and then nailed the bulldog with a clothesline. Hawk tagged out to Animal, hoisting DK up in a gorilla press slam. Animal joined Hawk inside the ring, both Road Warriors holding DK up in the air before just letting him drop to the mat face first.

Animal landed several kicks, then a running powerslam, he covered for 1, 2, Davey Boy Smith drew the ire of some fans by breaking up the pin attempt with a boot to the head of Animal. Davey turned around to leave the ring but Animal recovered fast and nailed Davey with a running clothesline from behind. Hawk entered the ring and the Warriors spent a few seconds beating the crap out of the bulldogs before tossing them both out of the ring.

The bulldogs conferred outside the ring, and then DK used the ejection to his advantage by rolling into the ring near his corner and making the much needed tag out to Davey Boy Smith. Davey went to work on the Animal with boots to the midsection, a clothesline that rocked Animal but did not knock him down. Davey tried for a press slam but Animal was too big, and countered with his own press slam, only to have Davey drop behind him into a waistlock and suplex Animal over for a 2 count.

Animal came at Davey and it was the other Bulldogs turn to take down his opponent with a drop toehold. He floated up and worked a reverse chinlock, but Animal powered his way to his feet and pushed Davey off. Davey made the blind tag out to DK, came off the ropes and met Animal shoulder to shoulder. Davey went down hard, but DK attacked Animal from behind trying to take him down with a flying headscissors. But Animal exerted his strength, stayed on his feet and looked ready to punish DK, but Davey gave his partner the momentum he needed with a dropkick to finish off the flying headscissors.

Hawk came into the ring, and the Bulldogs double teamed him, coming off the ropes and nailing him with a double shoulderblock. They knocked him backward against the ropes, but not down. They then charged him with a double clothesline, hoping to knock him over the ropes. Animal though tripped up DK, and Hawk ducked sending Davey over the top. Everyone was ignoring Jurgen Hermann as Animal hoisted DK up in the air and Hawk climbed to the top for a doomsday device. Davey though fought off Paul Ellering, tackling him to the ground, and made the save just in time by pusing Hawk off the top rope.

The match settled in with DK tagging out to Davey who went to work on Animal. The Bulldogs seemed to have turned things around and began to attack Animal with quick tags. One bulldog would hit a move, make a tag out, they would nail a doubleteam dropkick, clothesline, or snap suplex, make a single move, then tag out and hit another doubleteam move on the transition. Dynamite Kid nailed a diving headbutt but couldn't capitalize as it hurt him as much as it hurt Animal. He tagged out, they gave Animal a double kick to the gut, then hit a double vertical suplex. Davey scooped up Animal and slammed him hard to the mat, he covered for a 2 count.

Hawk entered the ring but the Bulldogs hit him with a double dropkick, sending him between the ropes to the floor below. The crowd was on its feet smelling a fall for the Bulldogs. Davey Boy nailed Animal with a backbreaker and held him over his knee, while Dynamite climbed to the top to go for the Decapitator. This really made Paul Ellering go ballistic, whether it was the inevitable fall, or because the Bulldogs were trying to use the WWF's Demolition's finisher when that team was widely seen as a rip-off of the Road Warriors. Ellering entered the ring and pulled DK off the top rope. Jurgen Hermann called for the bell.

 

 

The Road Warriors ans Paul Ellering went to work on the Bulldogs 3 on 2 after the bell. They beat them from pillar to post for about a minute, while the Baron, Buddy Lane, Vic Gate, and then the Top Guns all flooded into the ring to try and restore order. Finally it was broken up, and the two teams seperated to their corners. In the mayhem, referee Jurgen Hermann had suffered a knock down and his head was busted open. Baron von Raschke sent him to the back, and appointed Buddy Lane to referee the final fall. He also made the decision to ban Paul Ellering to the back. This however, did not sit well with the Legion of Doom. They stood shoulder to shoulder with their manager in the aisleway protesting. Finally all 3 men turned around and began to walk away. The fans went ballistic and the Warriors were hit with popcorn and paper airplanes. Buddy Lane began to apply a slow 10 count as the Bulldogs mounted the turnbuckles and motioned for the Warriors to come back and fight. When the Warriors saw that they stopped to confer, and at the last moment possible charged back to the ring. Lane stopped the count at 9 and ordered the Bulldogs to their corner. Paul Ellering left for the back as instructed as the Warriors hit the ring and went toe to toe with the Bulldogs to a standing ovation from the 5,500 people in attendence at the Winnipeg Arena.

 

Animal controlled Davey to start the fall, after Hawk had thrown Dynamite to the floor below. Animal quickly nailed a powerslam and would have got the quick pin but they were too close to the ropes and Davey managed to drape a foot over the bottom strand. Tag out to Hawk who went to work with kicks and punches, a bodyslam, elbowdrop, kneedrop, fistdrop, and a 2 count. Whip Davey to the buckle, then bulldog to the mat for another 2 count. Hawk tagged out to Animal as DK banged his foot on the mat to implore his partner and the crowd to get something happening. Animal continued to punish Davey, slowing the pace down somewhat and then tagged out to Hawk. They nailed Davey with a double clothesline. DK tried to enter the ring and this caused Buddy Lane to walk him out, which allowed the Road Warriors another double clothesline. Hawk covered for a 1, 2, KICKOUT at the last possible fraction of a second! Hawk lined up Davey for a piledriver and nailed it! He covered, for 1, 2, save made by Dynamite Kid. Animal however clotheslined DK, and threw him out of the ring. The Road Warriors set up Davey for the doomsday device but Davey blasted his way out of Animal's clutches, and then whipped Animal into the corner. He hit the corner with enough force to knock Hawk off the top.

Slowly Davey crawled over to the corner where DK now stood for the tag. Hawk tried to prevent the tag but was a fraction of a second too slow, and DK was tagged in. He kicked away at the knee of Hawk, then nailed him with a dropkick. He followed with a snap suplex, and a floatover for the pin, 1, Hawk lifted DK into the air, 2, and threw him off. Kid recovered and did a baseball slide into the back of Hawk, and followed with a jumping neck snap. That didn't prove to be too effective however as Hawk's huge neck just absorbed it, and he bounced to his feet. Dynamite tagged out to Davey, and Hawk tagged out to Animal.

Davey rocked Animal with a kick to the gut, European uppercut, dropkick, and a snap suplex. But he was thrown off at the count of 1. Tag out to DK and they nailed Animal with a double dropkick coming off the ropes. Cover, 1, 2, Kickout. DK went to the second buckle and droppd a knee on Animal, then tagged out to Davey. Smith sent Animal to the ropes and used his momentum to nail a powerslam. Cover, 1, 2, Hawk broke it up with a boot to the head.

This brought in DK and we had a 4 man brawl inside the ring. It soon spilled outside the ring. Animal whipped DK into the guardrail and then clotheslined him over. He then used the guardrail to choke DK. In the meantime Hawk slammed Davey back first into the ring apron, ringpost, and then the announcetable. Despite a slow 10 count from Buddy Lane this one looked like it would end with a double countout 3rd fall, meaning a draw.

But at the last second Hawk tried to get back into the ring. Davey though came running at him. Hawk turned around and in a momentary loss of judgment backdropped Davey up, but at a bit of a side angle. The angle allowed Davey to bounce off the ropes, hold onto the ropes, and pull himself into the ring, at the same time while holding both hands on the middle strand he kicked Hawk in the back sending him backward. Buddy Lane counted the 10th count with only DBS in the ring.

 

 

[The Road Warriors retained the NWA World Heavyweight Title]

 

Post-Match:

Paul Ellering returned to ringside to get his men out of there and collect the titles as the fans began to throw more debris at the champs. It was announced that the Road Warriors retained the NWA World Tag titles because the 3rd fall was a countout not pinfall. The British Bulldogs though celebrated their victory in the ring and got a nice ovation from the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

V

 

 

 

The first ever ladder match in RCW's 9 year history.

The RCW Heavyweight title belt was hung above the ring. The steel ladder was taken down, and removed from the ring, placed beside the announcers table.

The match began with a collar-elbow-hookup, with the champ lowering Rogue to his knees, then all the way down, stomping on his hands, and then kicking him viciously in the head. The champ had blood in his eyes as he went to work with a savate kick, a couple of armdrags, a jumping sidekick, and a German suplex. Rogue finally countered by kicking the champ's feet out from under him, and then dropping a leg across the chest. Rogue took the champ up and laid him out with a pretty looking front layout suplex. Then the challenger threw the champ out of the ring.

Rogue then embarked on a strategy of frustrating the champ by not letting him back into the ring. He kicked him off, nailed him coming through the ropes, and gave him a double axhandle from the ring apron. Finally he slid the champ into the ring, nailed him with a DDT, and then promptly tossed him through the ropes to the outside.

The challenger left the ring and grabbed the ladder. He leaned it up against the ring apron, jumped up on the apron, walked the ladder over, and then rode it down, pushing himself and the ladder into a staggering Vendetta. He then added a shot with the ladder to the champ's ribs before slidding the metal ladder back into the ring. Instead of following the ladder however Rogue kept the fight outside slamming Vendetta's head off the announce table, and then tossing him into the guardrail.

Rogue entered the ring and set up the ladder. The mat though bounced pretty good so he had to climb the unstable ladder slowly...too slowly. Vendetta was able to recover and knock over the ladder and the challenger just as he realized he was one rung away from reaching the gold. The challenger jumped, but bounced viciously off the ropes landing inside the ring. The ladder however bounced off the ropes and then nailed Vendetta.

The champ was on his feet first, and folded the ladder, laying it on the ground. He then hiptossed Rogue onto the ladder and watched his opponent scream in pain and grab at his back. The champ then put Rogue into a Gory special and held the move for a full minute. The champ climbed the ladder but he had left Rogue too close, and the challenger was able to follow the champ up shaking it just enough to slow him down. Rogue tried to take Vendetta down off the ladder, and fought through a couple of elbows before grabbing him by the waistband and pulling him off.

Both men were down, but Rogue got up first and nailed Vendetta with an atomic drop. As Buddy Lane once again folded up the ladder and laid it on the mat, Rogue unveiled his next strategy. He stayed at a position behind the champ, so the champ couldn't see his attacks coming. He circled Vendetta always attacking from behind, with kicks, a dropkick, and a back suplex. He then returned the favor and hiptossed the champ onto the ladder. Rogue then leaned the ladder up in the corner. He tried to whip Vendetta into the corner, but the champ reversed it sending Rogue head first into the steel ladder. The challenger collided with the ladder and the force catapulted him over the top turnbuckle, and he fell all the way to the ground below.

Vendetta however was in no shape to capitalize. He finally managed to drag himself to his feet and began to set up the ladder but Rogue was by then already on the ring apron. Vendetta climbed half way up the ladder and used it as a launching pad to nail Rogue with a leg lariat. He then punished the challenger with a surfboard, Thesz press, scoop slam, and a piledriver. He set up the ladder once again and had almost made it to the top when Rogue managed to make him jump off by shaking the ladder.

Rogue nailed the champ with a kick to the gut, followed by a swinging neckbreaker. He worked a front chancery, then picked up Vendetta and lowered him on the other side of the ropes, standing on the ring apron. The challenger came running from the far side of the ring, and lowered his shoulder into the champ. But Vendetta moved away at the last second. The champ still got hit partially and was knocked to the floor below, but Rogue got tangled up in the ropes and ended up dropping head first onto the floor.

The two men began to brawl outside the ring exchanging punches and kicks. Rogue suplexed the champ onto the announce table. As if that wasn't enough he retrieved a steel chair but Vendetta was able to block his swing, wrestle the chair away, jab the chair into Rogue's gut, and then DDT the challenger right onto the chair. Rogue lay flat out with his hands and knees spreadout like a snow angel.

Vendetta crawled to the ring, up the stairs, and then got to his feet, stumbling to the ladder. He was half way up but was so groggy he fell down, pulling the ladder down with him.

As he struggled to get to his feet Rogue also began to get up. Rogue was now busted wide open with blood running down his face. Vendetta lay the ladder right beside the bottom rope and as Rogue tried to get back into the ring the champ came off the far ropes and used a baseball slide to drive the ladder into the chest of the challenger. Vendetta then amazed the crowd by leaping over the top rope with a tope, taking out Rogue on the floor below.

Once again Vendetta tried to retrieve the belt. This time though Rogue took him down at the last second by dropkicking the ladder. Rogue went to work on the champ with a sleeperhold until Vendetta was able to escape by driving the challenger back first into the buckle. Rogue though continued the assault with a spinebuster slam, reverse neckbreaker, and a gutwrench suplex onto the ladder. He then threw Vendetta into the corner and then hooked him upside down in the tree of whoa. He kicked and stomped away at the champ until Buddy Lane finally was able to help Vendetta get free. Rogue then leaned the champ in the corner, picked up the ladder and ran forward planning to drive the end of the ladder into the chest of Vendetta.

But the champ ducked away at the last moment, and the ladder drove into the turnbuckle and ropes, bouncing backward and smacking Rogue in the face. The challenger was now bleeding from both the face and the head. Vendetta then brought the challenger over and blasted him with a DDT right onto the chair!

The champ set up the ladder right over the fallen body of Rogue, and began to climb the ladder. He was just within reach of the belt when Rogue stumbled to his feet. He had no idea where he was and Vendetta had to hang on for dear life as the challenger bumped the ladder first on the inside of one side of the ladder and then the other. However, he stumbled out from under the ladder and so Vendetta reached up and grabbed the belt, giving him the big win.

 

[Vendetta retained the RCW Heavyweight Title]

 

A bruised and battered Vendetta posed half way up the ladder for the appreciative crowd with the title belt held high. He put the belt over his shoulder and flashed the peace sign.

 

 

That's it for another great year of River City Wrestling.

 

See ya in 1989!