YEAR 2 IN REVIEW
Live from WCCW Studios, Burbank, CA!
BILL APTER: Hello fans! Welcome to the 1981 WCCW YEAR IN REVIEW! A look back at 1981 – a year of change! What a year it was too!
– What started the year as the GSW, ended the year at the WCCW as the GOLDEN STATE WRESTLING joined the national alliance the LEGENDS WRESTLING ALLIANCE and changed it’s name to WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING!
– Some of the wrestlers on the LWF roster at the beginning of the year were wrestling for other companies in other parts of the country by year’s end! Former fed superstars such as the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, THE KILLER BEES, Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka and ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude left the company for other federations. Even former TAG TEMA CHAMPIONS THE ROAD WARRIORS left, but at year’s end we’d see them back for one night only!
– Although many wrestlers left the federation, we saw an influx of new talent thanks to the LWA draft. New superstars like The Destroyer, THE ARMSTRONGS and THE VALIANTS have made impressive impact in their short tenure. Meanwhile newcomers like Larry ‘The Axe’ Hennig and THE NEW AGE OUTLAWS, despite their tremendous potential have failed to make their presence felt.
– It was also the year that saw the rise and fall of the local competing federation the XWF. Proving that it takes more that dreams to make it in the world of professional wrestling.
We’ll be right back with the ’81 WCCW AWARDS!
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BILL APTER: Welcome back to the WCCW YEAR END AWARDS! ’81 saw many excellent matches proving that when it comes to in ring competition, there are not many who can match the excitement of WCCW Superstars.
#3 – 038 – SURVIVOR SERIES ’81
1981.038 from Cow Palace, San Francisco
– SURVIVAL RULES MATCH –
The Destroyer, Iron Sheik, and Belgian Brawler vs. Virgil, Tom Pritchard, and Dennis Condrey
The group known as INVASION entered the WCCW thanks to the LWA Draft. Lead by a masked man known only as The Destroyer, INVASION promised to dominate everyone in the WCCW. Three men, Virgil and newcomers Tom Pritchard and Dennis Condrey, formed a loose team to let them know that this would be no walk in the park. What happened that night was nothing short of amazing as The Destroyer, single handedly defeated each member of the opposing team!
The Destroyer defeated Dennis Condrey with a missed turnbuckle charge.
The Destroyer defeated Virgil with a Double bodyslam with the help of the Iron Sheik.
The Destroyer defeated Tom Pritchard with a roll through after a spectacular deathjump.
#2 – 034 – DESTRUCTION
CARD #1981.034 from Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA
– LWF HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – STEEL CAGE MATCH –
King Harley Race vs. Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase for the WCCW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
It was the match that would send one wrestler packing from the WCCW for good! For months WCCW CHAMPION King Harley Race and #1 Challenger Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase were at each other’s throats! Their feud started in August when Race defeated DiBiase in the final match of the CALIFORNIA CLASSIC! Their feud raged on on the MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM program with challenges and sneak attacks. At the SURVIVOR SERIES, DiBiase’s team soundly defeated Race’s team and a six man tag match between Race and his partners the, then, WCCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS and DiBiase and THE ROAD WARRIORS broke down into a an all out brawl! It was settled on October 30, ’81 in a fifteen foot high steel cage! In the end, King Harley Race defeated Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase with a via pinfall / escape after a piledriver. DiBiase would never again appear in the WCCW.
#1 –
041 – LAST NIGHT ’81
CARD 1981.041 from Portland Sports Arena, Portland, OR
– SPECIAL TAG TEAM CHALLENGE MATCH –
MIDNIGHT EXPRESS vs. THE ROAD WARRIORS
Reigning Champions THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS complained of a lack of challenge amongst the tag team ranks of the WCCW so they make an open challenge to ANY team in the LWA saying that if they lost they’d vacate the belts and start back at the bottom rung of the tag team ranks and work their way back up. Well, their challenge was answered by former TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS THE ROAD WARRIORS! In the end, Road Warrior Animal defeated Stan Lane with a pinfall after a devastating power slam.
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BILL APTER: Hello fans and welcome back to the WCCW AWARDS! The WCCW certainly has no lack of tag teams willing to thrill the fans! There is always plenty of Tag Team action on ever WCCW card and there is a whole roster full of teams eager to make their mark. However there can be only one team to get the WCCW TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR award fro 1981!
HONORABLE MENTION – THE VALIANT BROTHERS
Though they are new to the WCCW, they have made an impact as the team to watch. With decisive victories over THE MONGOLS, THE BACK ALLEY PUNKS and an impressive showing against TAG CHAMPIONS THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, THE VALIANT BROTHERS have shown that they are here to wrestle! With the recent TAG TEAM TITLE shake up, many believe that it’s Jimmy and Johnny’s time to shine!
WCCW TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR – ’81 – THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS
Love them or hate them, you cannot deny that the team of Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton dominated in ’81! They won the WCCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS in May and held them straight through the end of the year. They racked up and impressive 11-1 record for the year defending their belts against any challenge they came across. In the end, this would be their undoing as it was an open challenge that lead to their only loss and the loss of their titles. Many are speculating on just how long it’ll take for the EXPRESS to be back on top.
Stay tuned fans! We’ll be back with more!
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BILL APTER: The WCCW has it’s share of wily managers! Men and women who will do whatever it takes (and sometimes cheat) to climb to the top of the heap in the WCCW!
HONORABLE MENTION – Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Many say it was Bobby “The Brain” Heenan who lead King Harley Race to the WCCW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. It was while under Heenan’s tutelage, Race was able to pick up that belt. Many also say it was Heenan who was the mastermind behind the infamous Heenan Family attack of Ted DiBiase on HOT SEAT in September. But when November came and the LWF became the WCCW and joined the LWA, Heenan was drafted elsewhere. Race later would say he was the one responsible for all his glory, and he’s certainly proven that in the end of the year. Others speculate that it’s only a matter of time until The King looses his crown now that Heenan is elsewhere.
WCCW MANAGER OF THE YEAR – 1981 – Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette has a big mouth. He’s known for making outrageous claims about the wrestlers under his banner. In ’81, he, for the most part, was able to back up each one of those claims. He lead the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS to the WCCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP and then lead them to the most impressive record the WCCW has seen, 11-1. He may have overstepped his confidence when he issued the open challenge that lead to his team vacating the belts, but knowing Cornette, he’ll be back in ’82 louder and wilder than ever!
Okay fans, after the next break, we’ll announce the WCCW WRESTLER OF THE YEAR!
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BILL APTER: Well, fans, this is it. This is the honor that every wrestler in the WCCW aspires to, the WCCW WRESTLER OF THE YEAR! There are so many men who poured their blood, sweat and tears into their craft this year, but in the end, only one can stand atop the heap.
HONORABLE MENTION – Mr. Perfect
It takes a man to challenge for the WCCW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP and it takes a man to challenge for that belt twice in one year inside the confines of the STEEL CAGE! Though Mr. Perfect was unsuccessful in his quest for the belt, he was always willing to put his body on the line to try and achieve that goal. There’s no doubt that this determination will continue into ’82.
I would also like to briefly mention a rookie who’s shown incredible promise since his debut in the WCCW. Currently ending the year with a perfect undefeated streak, The Belgian Brawler Dupae Rupa seems to be the brightest star amongst the young talent in the WCCW and perhaps the entire LWA. I’m sure everyone will be watching closely as this young man heads into the new year.
WCCW WRESTLER OF THE YEAR – King Harley Race
Since May of ’81, the WCCW has been ruled by King Harley Race. After winning the WCCW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP in a steel cage against the Iron Sheik at CIVIL WAR, Race has been unbeatable as champion. He has an amazing record of 8-0. Despite the loss of his manager, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan in the draft, Race has been able to defeat opponent after opponent this year. Now surrounding himself with the KING’S COURT, there appears to be no end in sight to his reign. Race is undefeated as Champion. The King Harley Race is, simply, the King!
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BILL APTER: During the past hour we’ve taken a look back at the WCCW in ’81. We’ve seen the matches, the managers, the tag teams and the wrestlers who helped make the WCCW the very best in professional wrestling. But now it’s time to look forward to ’82! It’s time for every wrestler on the roster to set their sights on appearing on this show next year! And it all starts next Monday night back here for MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM!
Thank you for watching fans! We’ll see you then!
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