CWA TV 8/16/1986

Written by: Bob Colling

CWA TV
Date: 8/16/1986
From: Memphis, TN

Lance Russell and Dave Brown welcome everyone to the program. They promote the AWA Southern Tag Team Championships being on the line as Fire and Flame will defend against a mystery team.

Lance Russell chats with a few guys regarding a tournament to crown a new Mid-American Champion. Tracy Smothers is interviewed and says this is a tremendous opportunity. He’s ready for the chance and he’s paid his dues. Smothers would rather give than receive on the bumps. Smothers has confidence in himself because that’s how the fans will believe in him. Paul Diamond is interviewed as well and talks about how five years ago he was down on the bottom. He feels like he’s halfway up the ladder and he wants to reach the top of the ladder. JT Southern is interviewed saying it will be a tough challenge and he’ll try his best. David Haskins is interviewed and he’s been in the business for the same amount of time as Smothers. He’ll be ready for his chance.

Opening Contest: AWA International Tag Team Champions Akio Sato & Tarzan Goto vs. David Haskins & Mike Murphy: Haskins starts the match with Sato and keeps him on the mat with arm drags. Haskins almost wins with a crossbody off the ropes. Murphy gets tagged in and is dropped to the mat by Sato. Goto and Sato beat on Murphy for a few moments. Haskins gets back in the match and keeps control with an arm drag on Goto. Haskins boots Goto in the corner and takes him back down to the mat with a headlock. Goto stops Murphy with a backbreaker. Goto boots Murphy in the corner but picks him up at two and delivers another backbreaker. Murphy is driven back first into the corner. Haskins distracts the referee as Murphy is held in a bear hug and gets nailed with a superkick to give the champs the victory. (*. I’m glad that Haskins was presented strongly since he’s in the tournament. For an extended squash match, it was solid enough to hold my interest throughout.)

Lance Russell promotes the Evansville card, which will have nine matches and no price increase. There will be a AWA Southern Heavyweight match, too. Tojo, Sato and Goto enter the scene to talk about a six man tag match. Tojo is bringing in Kabuki to take on Jeff Jarrett, Pat Tanaka and Giant Hillbilly. Tojo promises to knockout Jerry Jarrett’s other eye, too. We also hear from Larry Sharpe and AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Bam-Bam Bigelow. Sharpe says that Bigelow is going to shove cookies down his challengers throat. Plus, the Mid-American Championship match.

A music video promoting JT Southern is shown.

Second Contest: JT Southern vs. Keith Eric: Well, Southern is popular amongst the women. Southern hits a back suplex and a snap powerslam for another quick win. (1/2*. I’m starting to think that they have bigger plans for Southern..)

Lance Russell promotes JD Costello, the Mod Squad and Mr. Universe. Costello is in a good mood and Universe is just standing there posing. Costello says that all of his men are going to be in the tournament. He believes that they are going to win all the titles in the CWA. Costello suggests that their opponents make sure their life insurance has been paid. He has a license to hurt for Mod Squad. Costello insults minorities suggesting they don’t buy watermelons and whatnot. Universe has to get more poses in before he leaves.

Third Contest: Mr. Universe vs. Jim Jamison: Universe decks Jamison with a chop early on followed by a vertical suplex. Universe delivers a sloppy looking press slam. Universe chokes Jamison over the middle rope. Universe scoop slams Jamison and delivers a leg drop but Jamison kicks out at two. Universe locks in a bearhug and wins the match. (1/4*. Jamison is my favorite enhancement guy in Memphis.)

Lance Russell promotes the Evansville show taking place on Wednesday. He promotes the Mid-American Championship tournament. AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Bam-Bam Bigelow defends against the Killer.

Fourth Contest: MOD Squad Spike vs. David Baker: Spike works over Baker with a shoulder block and scoop slam early on. Baker is sent through the middle rope to the floor. Spike brings Baker to the commentary table to taunt. Baker is dropped throat first over the top rope. Spike comes off the middle rope to deliver a clothesline for the win. (1/2*. Surprisingly, that was better than I thought it would be.) After the match, Spike tosses Baker to the floor.

Lance Russell brings out Eddie Marlin, who wants Fire and Flame to come out. For whatever reason, the fans are cheering for the heels. Marlin reminds them that the match is for the AWA Southern Tag Team Championships. Fire sure does familiar when he talks into the microphone.

Fifth Contest: AWA Southern Tag Team Champions Fire & Flame vs. Joe LeDuc & Phil Hickerson: LeDuc and Hickerson are the surprise team and they send the champs to the floor following strikes. Fire and Flame are not happy about this. Eddie Marlin confronts them on the floor telling them they must wrestle. LeDud hammers away on Flame to start the match. Flame tags out to Fire after getting met with a headbutt. LeDuc slams Fire and tags in Hickerson to keep control of the title match. Hickerson backdrops Fire followed by a leg drop for a two count. Hickerson clotheslines Fire for another two count. LeDuc scoop slams Fire and decks Flame on the apron. Hickerson tags back in and keeps control with a sleeper hold on Fire. Hickerson gets hit from behind by Flame, and Flame tags into the match using something in his hand to cheap shot Hickerson a few times. Hickerson gets worked over in the corner by the champs. Hickerson gets hit several times with the illegal weapon. Hickerson has been busted open a little bit. The referee hasn’t seen it and Hickerson gets possession of it and dedks Flame with it. LeDuc gets in the ring and all four men are brawling. Hickerson is tearing the mask and the challengers continue to deck the champs several times. Fire and Flame have both been busted open. Hickerson puts an abdominal stretch on Fire, but he decks the referee to save the belts. The referee has disqualified the champions. After the match, all four men brawl towards the commentary team. LeDuc is pressing Fire’s face into the ring post and bites his bloody forehead. LeDuc uses a steel chair on the champs to lay them out on the floor. (***. That was a pretty good TV match and I enjoyed the entire brawling segment and the beatdown that Fire and Flame suffered from. The crowd seemed to be invested in the action and I’m sold on seeing LeDuc and Hickerson challenge again for the titles. Fire and Flame have become one of the better acts in CWA currently.)

Lance Russell promotes the Evansville card on Wednesday evening. Jeff Jarrett, Pat Tanaka and Jerry Jarrett are interviewed. Jeff says that they have the Giant Hillbilly with them and they’re going to get the job done. The Killer is introduced and he is uncovered from a sheet. The Killer is an African American masked wrestler. Needless to say, he is in better shape than Mr. Universe. Kenny D is his manager and he spent the time putting over his man.

Ron Sexton goes over to the commentary table and he’s pissed off about people claiming they’ll win the Mid-American Championship. Sexton thinks all the women want to be with him and the men wish they were him.

Main Event: Paul Diamond, Jeff Jarrett, Pat Tanaka & Tracy Smothers vs. Ron Sexton, Juicy Johnny, Rough & Ready: Johnny and Jarrett started off the match. Jarrett takes Johnny down to the mat with an arm drag. Jarrett arm drags Johnny a few times and controls the left arm. Jarrett continues to use hip tosses and arm drags before tagging out to Smothers. Smothers comes off the middle rope with an axe handle. Johnny breaks away and tags in Sexton, but he gets met with an arm drag. Smothers shoulder blocks Sexton, but runs into a powerslam. Sexton misses an elbow drop. Smothers hits a standing dropkick before tagging in Diamond. Sexton forearms Diamond several times in the corner. Diamond hits a weird looking springboard crossbody off the middle rope for a two count. Tanaka tags in and decks Rough with a chop. Tanaka continues with several strikes. Tanaka nearly wins with a forearm strike. Jarrett gets in the ring for some reason and brawls with Ready. They hit a Thez Press and powerslam leading to a three count. That was a bizarre way to end the match. (*. It was fine for being an enhancement match as they kept the action going at a good pace.)

Final Thoughts:
Fire and Flame are two of the better acts on CWA television. Just a few weeks ago, I probably wouldn’t have thought that would ever happen. Dutch Mantell has left the promotion thus explaining the Mid-American Championship tournament. I’m hoping for Tracy Smothers to win the tournament, but I could see JT Southern winning it.

Thanks for reading.