CWA TV
Date: 5/21/1988
From: Memphis, TN
Matches:
1.) Jeff Jarrett defeated Keith Eric by disqualification
2.) Scott Steiner & Tom Brandi defeated CWA Tag Team Champions The Cuban Choir Boys by disqualification
3.) Bruise Brothers fought Phil Hickerson & Don Bass to a no contest
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show starts off with a reminder that Jerry Lawler defeated Curt Hennig to win the AWA World Championship on May 2nd.
2.) Lance Russell and Dave Brown talk a little bit about Jerry Lawler winning the title and Brown runs down the card for the program.
3.) We see highlights of the match between Jerry Lawler and Curt Hennig for the AWA World Championship. Lawler got a special entrance being carried to the ring on a throne.
4.) After his victory, a bloodied Jerry Lawler was interviewed by Lance Russell backstage. Russell talks about how it has been a fourteen year quest and asks how Lawler feels to be the champion. Lawler says he thought about what he’d say in this situation and how it would feel to be called the World Champion. Lawler doesn’t know the words to use. Lawler says it is a wonderful feeling to climb the mountain and become champion. Russell notes that Lawler never gave up, and Lawler agrees. Lawler believes that if you give up then it’s all over. Quitters never win and winners never quit. Lawler gives credit to the fans for helping him push towards the title. Lawler credits the fans for his success and says without them any athlete is nothing without them. Lawler loves the sound of him as being the World Champion.
5.) Lance Russell introduces AWA World Champion Jerry Lawler for an in-studio interview. Lawler is wearing a white suit. Lawler says it would not have been right for him to leave and not thank everyone at the studio that have seen him battle for fourteen years to win the championship. Russell says this is a dream for a lot of people. Lawler talks about the difficulty in winning the title and it is going to be difficult for anyone to beat him for it. Lawler is heading out to Las Vegas. Lawler warns the fans to not worry if he’s been a little naughty because he’s going to do whatever it takes to keep the title. Lawler thanks the fans before departing the scene.
6.) Lance Russell says there’s a brand new innovation and it’s the CWA hotline. Fans can call in starting today. It’s $2 for the first minute and then it is 35cents each additional minute.
7.) Lance Russell conducts an interview with Jeff Jarrett. Russell brings up the issues with Robert Fuller. Jarrett knew it wasn’t going to be a wrestling match, but knew it would be a fight. Jarrett thinks Fuller has lost his marbles for bringing a bottle into their match. Jarrett says it has just begun and promises he’s going to bring something with him to battle Fuller. There were a few jeers for Jarrett.
8.) Robert Fuller quickly interferes in Jarrett’s match and attacks Jarrett, but also attacks Keith Eric tossing Eric to the floor. Fuller spikes Jarrett with a piledriver. Fuller chokes Jarrett with a rope. Fuller chokes Jarrett in the corner and ties Jarrett in the corner. Fuller tosses Alan Reynolds to the floor and decks Doug Dancing. Billy Travis enters the ring and punches Fuller before trying to free Jarrett. Fuller throws powder into Travis face and tosses Dancing to the floor. Fuller throws Reynolds to the floor, too. Fuller continues to pummel Jarrett in the corner. Fuller finally walks off as Jarrett tries to catch his breath.
9.) Lance Russell interviews Robert Fuller, who says they suspend Jeff Jarrett and claims he’s king of the mountain. Russell says he’s putting them all down.
10.) Lance Russell interviews Brickhouse Brown. Brown asks who has been running things for the past year. Brown says if Curt Hennig wanted a rematch he’d make sure Hennig got one. We see footage of Lance Russell talking to Curt Hennig following his loss to Lawler. Hennig was pissed and wanted someone of authority to give him a rematch. Hennig wants Lawler in the ring right now. Eddie Marlin entered the scene and says he wants the match as well. Marlin tells Hennig that Lawler declined a rematch with Hennig. Marlin notes that the CWA Heavyweight Champion Maxx Pain would be in line for a title match. However, Brickhouse Brown entered the scene and gave Hennig the title to allow the rematch. Pain was sitting there and was not happy about this development, of course. Pain grabs the CWA Heavyweight Championship back and tells Brown the title is his. Pain can’t believe Brown would just handover his belt to Hennig. Hennig says he will do whatever he needs to do to get the title. Brown promised Hennig he’d get the title to him. Back to the studio, Brown says Maxx Pain reminds him of someone with a pea brain. Brown says he’s going to be with Curt Hennig because he likes world class athletes. Brown is assuring that Hennig will get his rematch with Lawler. Brown isn’t turning his back on Pain, but hates mutiny and says Pain will pay for deceiving him.
11.) Brandi and Choir Boy #1 kickoff the tag match. Brandi backs #1 into a corner, but backs off cleanly. Brandi delivers a leaping shoulder block for a two count. #2 tags into the match and kicks Brandi in the ribs. Brandi fires back with right hands, but #2 gains wrist lock control. #2 arm drags Brandi and delivers a leg drop to the arm. #1 returns to the match and decks Brandi against the ropes. #1 chops Brandi coming off the ropes and delivers a strike over the back. Steiner gets tagged into the match and gets wrist control on #1. Steiner sends #1 into the ropes eventually delivering a clothesline. Steiner scoop slams #1 for a two count. #2 tags into the match and kicks Steiner coming off the ropes, but Steiner catches the boot and atomic drops #2. #1 and Brandi tag into the match with Brandi sending #1 into the ropes and delivers a dropkick. Robert Fuller, who was on commentary, leaves the commentary table and whacks Brandi over the head with a steel chair causing a disqualification. (*. Fuller getting involved in seemingly everything sure can be annoying, but he’s coming across well as a lunatic. Steiner and Brandi are clearly being protected. I’d legit strap Steiner up and push him to the moon since Memphis is going down attendance wise anyway.)
12.) Lance Russell interviews Gary Young, who tells Russell to not forget how good looking he is. Young talks about coming out with the Gilbert’s a couple of weeks ago and notes his slip of the tongue about watching Hyatt’s back. Young didn’t like what he saw, and says he’s having a contest looking for a valet. Young is going to be making a new valet. Young makes a joke about women being on top with him, and tells Russell to not forget the measurements. Young is soliciting sexy pictures of women. Young gives out the address for the studio they are in. Young says it could be an all-night interview process.
13.) Robert Fuller is back on commentary for the next match.
14.) Hickerson and Don start the match with Don hitting an arm drag. Ron tags into the match and leaps off the middle rope to axe handle Hickerson over the arm. Ron takes Hickerson down to the mat and keeps arm control. Ron is sent into the corner by Bass a few times. Ron is met with a backdrop by both men and Hickerson delivers a fist drop on the mat. Hickerson forearms Ron and snapmares Ron followed by a strike on the mat. Bass enters the match and works over Ron with strikes. Bass decks Ron with a clothesline and steps on Ron. Fuller has left the commentary table, again. Fuller decks Don on the apron and sends Don into the ring post. Fuller scoop slams Don onto the floor. The referee hasn’t seen any of this. Jeff Jarrett chases Fuller with a trash can, but Fuller escapes. Hickerson and Bass work over Ron for a few moments. Hickerson elbows Ron coming off the ropes. Fuller returns to the ring and pulls Ron to the floor and attacks Ron. Jarrett comes back out with a 2×4 chasing Fuller into the ring, but Fuller escapes again. The referee throws the match out ending in a no contest. (*. Fuller constantly getting involved is getting a bit old, especially since Jarrett didn’t get any level of revenge on Fuller both times coming out.)
15.) Lance Russell promotes the Renegade Rampage.
16.) Lance Russell interviews Billy Travis backstage. Russell wants to talk to Travis about Travis helping the Bruise Brothers. Travis is going to make sure Brickhouse Brown doesn’t get involved and the Bruise Brothers regain the tag titles. Travis has a surprise for Robert Fuller, and it is Jeff Jarrett with a weapon. Jarrett gets a punch on Fuller, but Fuller runs backstage to escape Jarrett again.
Final Thoughts:
Robert Fuller literally interfered in every single match and he was constantly all over the program this week. I guess they put a good focus on Jarrett and Fuller’s feud. I’d imagine there’s going to be some kind of weapons match. While Fuller was a bit of an annoying presence, I thought they touched upon on a lot of feuds, so it didn’t feel overly repetitive. I hope Fuller’s antics aren’t a long-running angle, though.
Thanks for reading.