CWA TV
Date: 5/14/1988
From: Memphis, TN
Matches:
1.) Bruise Brothers defeated Don Bass & Gary Young by disqualification
2.) CWA Tag Team Champions Cuban Choir Boys wrestled Mark Starr & Scott Steiner to a no contest
3.) FCW Tag Team Champion Steve Keirn & Mike Graham defeated Keith Eric & Tommy Punk
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, Lance Russell starts the show saying it’s a special week coming up. Russell reveals that Jerry Lawler is the new AWA World Champion and we’ll see footage of the match against Hennig. Russell announces that Bill Dundee will be Lawler’s first challenger for the title.
2.) We see footage of the match between Lawler and Hennig at the Coliseum. Lawler has been bloodied late in the match. Hennig kept a sleeper on Lawler for several moments, but Lawler refused to give up or pass out. Lawler dropped Hennig over the turnbuckle face first, but Hennig pummels Lawler to keep control of the bout. Lawler decks Hennig and catapults Hennig face first into the corner. Lawler proceeded to cover and pin Hennig to win the title in nearly twenty-five minutes. Lawler is the new AWA World Champion for the first time in his career. The locker room emptied to celebrate with Lawler.
3.) Lance Russell interviews Bill Dundee. Dundee talks about the fans cheering for Lawler’s victory. Dundee says he was happy for Lawler winning the title. Dundee promises it is all about mutual respect. Dundee notes that he’s come out on top in most of their battles. Dundee knows people remember where they were when JFK or Elvis died. Dundee remembers wrestling Nick Bockwinkel and promising Lawler a title shot if he won the title. Now, Dundee gets the first shot since Lawler won the title.
4.) Lance Russell interviews the new AWA World Champion, Jerry Lawler. Lawler loves being introduced as the champion and say she’s dreamt about this moment. Lawler can’t describe the feeling and hopes the fans are happy, too. Lawler notes that there’s never been a world champion in the area. Lawler promises to be a fighting champion. Lawler wants to try and stay close to home for as long as he can. Lawler wants the contenders to come to his area and try to win the title. Russell brings up the promise made between Dundee and Lawler. Lawler understands that Dundee talked about the pact. Lawler doesn’t remember making a pact with Dundee. Lawler confirms the match is signed to take place. Lawler promises we’re not going to want to miss their encounter.
5.) Dave Brown interviews Jeff Jarrett in the studio. Brown notes that Robert Fuller couldn’t wrestle Jarrett last week due to a concussion. Jarrett shows footage of Jarrett hitting Fuller with a trash can and is taking credit for the concussion. Jarrett wasn’t thinking of an outcome when he entered the ring. Jarrett wasn’t trying to cause a concussion, but he was trying to stop the beating on Lawler. Jarrett doesn’t think they’ll have a wrestling match this week. Jarrett is going to be prepared for a brawl.
6.) Dave Brown interviews the Bruise Brothers. They can’t make any excuses for their loss to the Cuban Choir Boys. They’re going to move forward and do their talking in the ring. They lost the CWA Tag Team Championships, by the way. They awkwardly talk about Ernest being feminine and briefly talk about Ernest having AIDS and not wanting to wrestle the Cuban Choir Boys for a long period of time.
7.) Don and Young kickoff the tag match. Young gets a headlock on Don followed by a shoulder block. Don arm drags Young coming off the ropes and tags in Ron. Ron delivers an axe handle from the middle rope to keep control. Ron slams Young followed by an arm drag. Don returns to the match and keeps arm control on Young. Young works over Don in the corner as Bass tags into the match and rams Don into the corner. Don sunset flips Bass for a two count. Brother Ernest is on commentary denying he has AIDS. Young tags into the match and kicks Don. Don backslides Young for a two count. Ron goes after Ernest on the floor, but is attacked by the Cuban Choir Boys. The Bruise Brothers brawl with the Cuban Choir Boys as the referee disqualified Young and Bass. The Cuban Choir Boys get the better of the exchange until Mark Starr and Scott Steiner run over to make the save. (*. The Bruise Brothers are probably my least favorite act in Memphis. They are not good in any capacity. The angle being focused on AIDS is a bit uncomfortable, too.)
8.) Dave Brown interviews Brother Ernest and the CWA Tag Team Champions Cuban Choir Boys. Ernest says people are spreading vicious lies and rumors about him. Ernest wants to celebrate and calls the parents of the Bruise Brothers retards. Ernest puts over the Cuban Choir Boys as being great champions. Ernest promises the money isn’t for him, but for Wrestling USA. Ernest is a bit disappointed that Gary Young associated with Missy Hyatt. Ernest hopes Young will return to him and blames lust. Ernest dedicates Quiet Time to Young.
9.) Starr starts the match, but is shoved into the corner. Mark fights out of a headlock and leapfrogs over before delivering a clothesline and arm drag. Steiner tags into the match and keeps wrist control followed by a head scissors for a two count. Steiner continues with a dropkick and wrist control. Starr tags into the match and delivers a kick before keeping wrist control. Choir Boy kicks Starr followed by strikes. Bruise Brothers come back out and grab Brother Ernest causing another brawl at ringside. The referee has thrown the match out. Steiner and Starr go after the Cuban Choir Boys to end the segment.
10.) Graham and Keirn won their enhancement match quickly, as expected. They won with stereo figure four leg locks managing to get two submissions.
11.) Dave Brown closes out the show and says Lance Russell will be back next week.
Final Thoughts:
Lawler winning the AWA World Championship is great, but that likely means he’s going to be away from Memphis I’d imagine. However, to have this episode be heavy on Bruise Brothers and the Cuban Choir Boys is comically awful. So, this was a rather poor episode that didn’t build on the momentum of Lawler winning the World Championship very well at all. Dundee being the first challenge isn’t a major surprise, but feels repetitive.
Thanks for reading.