CWA TV
Date: 4/16/1988
From: Memphis, TN
Matches:
1.) Jerry Lawler defeated Scott Levy
2.) Tommy & Doug Gilbert fought the Bruise Brothers (Ron & Don) to a double disqualification
3.) Maxx Pain & Gary Young fought Tom Brandi & Ken Wayne to a no contest
4.) The Cuban Assassins defeated Scott Steiner & Rikki Nelson
5.) Jeff Jarrett, Billy Travis, Steve Keirn & Mike Graham defeated Keith Eric, The Blue Knight, Rough & Ready
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Lance Russell says that Jerry Jarrett was scheduled to be there for a major announcement, but his plane is running late. Russell says the announcement is regarding Jerry Lawler’s career.
2.) Lance Russell talks about the feud between Jerry Lawler and Eddie Gilbert recently. Gilbert has put a bounty out on Lawler to take him out and break his leg once again. We see footage of a match between Lawler and Curt Hennig. Hennig used a steel chair on Lawler’s leg to attempt to break it. Lawler fought back with a low blow and jabbed Hennig with chair shots to Hennig’s leg. Hennig sent Lawler into the referee and Hennig regained control of the bout. Lawler decks Hennig with a weapon in his hand several times. Scott Levy enters the ring acting as if he’s Eddie Gilbert. Lawler takes care of Levy. Gilbert enters the ring with a rag of ether and smothers Lawler with it. Hennig covers Lawler and steals the match.
3.) Lance Russell interviews Scott Levy, who is wearing a neck brace. Russell asks Levy how much money Eddie Gilbert paid Levy. Levy reveals that Gilbert didn’t pay him any money. Levy says they have an arraignment and Russell asks what he’s talking about. Levy says that Gilbert offered him a date with Missy Hyatt. The fans laugh at that reveal. Levy considers Hyatt a beautiful woman and says the date hasn’t happened yet, but it’s coming up. Missy Hyatt comes out to join the segment. Hyatt argues with Russell for suggesting that they’d backtrack from their deal. Hyatt tells Levy that he needs to beat Lawler to get the date.
4.) Lawler hip tosses Levy to the mat followed by knee drops. Lawler signals for a piledriver, but settles for a right hand. Lawler leaps off the middle rope to deliver a fist drop to pickup the quick win. After the match, Hyatt is frustrated and demands Levy to return to the commentary area. Hyatt asks Levy what the heck happened and said that Levy promised to win the match. Hyatt puts down Levy for failing and slaps Levy when asked about still going on the date. Lawler comes over to join the segment after Hyatt walked off. Lawler tells Levy that he’s going to learn a lot of lessons in this business. Lawler says that Hyatt is a sleaze bag and hopes Levy learned a lesson. Lawler says he can forgive Levy and they shake hands. Levy apologizes to Lawler.
5.) Eddie Gilbert cut a pre-tape promo talking about the $25k bounty he has on Lawler. Gilbert says everyone in wrestling is talking about it. Gilbert wants the people to understand that he didn’t say when and how he’d get Lawler since it’s been a week and Lawler is still active. Gilbert teases that Lawler will never know when he’s around and there’s many ways to get to Lawler. Gilbert knows Lawler’s family and his close friends. Gilbert threatens that Lawler better call home after he wrestles to make sure they are okay. Gilbert will go to that level if he has to. Gilbert says maybe he won’t have to pay the bounty. Gilbert turns around to reveal his burnt face with a bandage and laughs into the camera to end the segment.
6.) Tommy and Don kickoff the tag match. Don takes Tommy down to the mat with an arm drag. Tommy scoop slams Don, but Don keeps arm control on the mat. Tommy counters with a hammerlock on the mat. Don counters with a hammerlock, but Tommy breaks away. Don gets a top wrist lock on Tommy, but Doug gets tagged in and is arm dragged by Don. Don arm drags Doug and keeps arm control. Hyatt came out to ringside and gave Tommy a weapon on the apron. Don has wrist control on Doug, but Tommy enters and clotheslines Don with the weapon. Tommy continues to beat on Don with the weapon strikes. Tommy passes the weapon to Doug while the referee is out of position. Doug elbows Don coming off the ropes. Tommy enters the match again to keep control with a front face lock. Don tries to come back, but is jabbed with the weapon. Ron hits Tommy with a trash can and the referee calls for the match to end in a double disqualification. (1/2*. There was literally nothing going on here other than the Gilbert’s using weapons to dominate the Bruise Brothers. They’ve done nothing to make the Bruise Brothers an interesting team.)
7.) AWA World Champion Curt Hennig cut a promo about trying to end Jerry Lawler’s career. Hennig says that Eddie Gilbert called him to try and take out Lawler. Hennig says he thought Lawler was someone people are suppose to lookup to. Hennig says you’ve got to carry pride and ego as the champion. Hennig says he’s the new boss of professional wrestling and Lawler can’t do anything about it.
8.) Lance Russell interviews Jerry Jarrett, who has made it to the show in time. Jarrett tries to keep the announcement short, but goes on to say that Lawler has been his friend for many years now. Jarrett believes Lawler is the only man to have wins over current and former world champions without being the champion. Jerry knows it is frustrating for Lawler and how badly he wants to be champion. Lawler wanted one more match and wants it with Hennig. Lawler is either going to be champion or retire. Jarrett admits that was a bit startling to hear, but they have no choice, but to promote the match. The match has been signed for May 9th. Jarrett is going to try and get a bunch of people from Lawler’s career. Jarrett mentions that there will be a party and hope it’s a celebration.
9.) Brother Ernest and Brickhouse Brown come out for an interview. Brown talks about the bounty that Eddie Gilbert has out there. Brown says that Gilbert doesn’t need to look elsewhere as he can get the job done. Brown would slap his mother across the face for the money. Brown promises that Lawler is going down.
10.) Brandi and Young kickoff the tag match with Brandi getting a headlock on Young. Brandi runs the ropes, but Young hip tosses Brandi. Brandi responds a dropkick and an arm drag to send Young reeling into the corner. Brandi keeps wrist control and elbow drops Young over the arm. Wayne enters the match and maintains arm control on Young. Pain gets in the ring as Kenny D confronts Brother Ernest and they get in the ring. Brickhouse Brown accidentally nails Young with a strike.
11.) Kenny heads over to Lance Russell to cut a promo. Kenny is pissed off about Brother Ernest. Brandi says the man has come that he’s finally wanted.
12.) Lance Russell interviews Jerry Lawler and Lawler says everything that Jerry Jarrett said earlier was true. Lawler talked about retiring at the end of 1987 and how he’s still wrestling. Lawler knows it is funny to hear someone in their 30s talk about retiring. Lawler wants Jarrett and everyone to realize that he feels good about the situation. Lawler knows he’ll have to watch a lot of film and focus on winning the title. Lawler hopes it is the beginning of a new career and not be retired come May 9th. Lawler thinks the fans deserve a champion and he’s going to try his hardest to make that happen. Lawler talks about the show being on national television now with Gordon Solie doing commentary upstairs. Lawler says being the champion has been his dream and he’ll win the title May 9th.
13.) Doug Gilbert comes out with a football helmet and promises that Jarrett and Billy Travis are going down. Tommy Gilbert chimes in and insults Eddie Marlin saying they can’t find a stretcher big enough for Eddie Marlin to stay on because he’d fall off. Eddie Marlin comes out with Travis and Jarrett telling Tommy to talk to him like a man. Marlin has plenty of fight left in him. Marlin says if he beats Tommy he’ll have to say the old man still has it. Travis promises they are going to get their heads busted. Jarrett says Doug looked like a goof with a helmet because it’s not football. Jarrett notes that it’s about bleeding and they are going to bust them up.
14.) Steiner starts off with a dropkick and a powerslam for a one count. Assassin clotheslines Steiner a couple of times to keep control of the bout. Assassin drives Steiner down with a back suplex. Nelson tags in and all four men are in the ring brawling. Assassin decks Steiner on the apron. Nelson is stopped by an elbow drop. All four are brawling in the ring again until the Assassins are sent into each other. Nelson delivers a dropkick, but is stopped again with an elbow strike off the middle rope for a three count. (1/2*. Steiner is obviously a guy capable of being a star and it’s clear as day already at this point in his career.)
15.) The main event starts with less than four minutes remaining in the show. Eric is worked over by Keirn, but Travis tags in and elbows Eric to the mat. Knight tags in and Keirn keeps control on the mat with a wrist lock. Jarrett tags in and backdrops Knight. Graham enters and knee drops Knight on the knee a few times. Keirn enters and knee drops Knight several times on the mat, too. Jarrett enters and keeps leg control of Knight with elbow drops. Keirn enters and wrenches on the leg falling backwards to the mat. Graham also tags in and keeps leg control on Knight. Keirn puts a sleeper on Knight and everyone gets in the ring. Keirn forces Knight to pass out and they win the match. (1/2*. They did basically nothing and it should surprise nobody.)
Final Thoughts:
Action wise there’s nothing here. The feud between Lawler & Eddie is going very well and continues to be the best thing on television for the company. Unless there’s some kind of screwy finish, Lawler isn’t going to retire come May 9th and it’s pointing towards them trying to make it very obvious that Lawler is winning the title and wanting to get people into the arena to witness history.
Thanks for reading.