“ACW Live!”
King’s Hall
Belfast, Northern Ireland
8/24/95
Mike Tenay and Larry Zbyszko open the show. The Belfast crowd chants “Larry, Larry, Larry!” Zbyszko acknowledges the chants.
Tenay, “Welcome to Belfast, the tension grows by the minute! With a tip of the cap to my old friend, Tony Schiavone, tonight might be the greatest night in ACW history! We have the main event of the century tonight. Dave Finlay, a native son of Belfast, challenges Masahiro Chono for the International Heavyweight Title. It will be one for the ages, but that’s not all. We have a non-title tag team match. The American Tag Team Champions, the Quebecers, take on the Pearls of the Orient. It seems Inspector Wippleman doesn’t want to put the titles on the line.”
Zbyszko, “Looks like ole Harve doesn’t want to lose two titles in one night.”
Tenay, “Maybe so. We also have an exciting six man tag team match featuring this team.”
Barry Windham, Kendall Windham and Bob Orton walk out.
Tenay, “Barry Windham, Kendall Windham and Bob Orton, maybe the most feared three men in wrestling, gentlemen Stan Hansen has place a big bull’s-eye on all three of you, especially, you, Barry Windham.”
B. Windham, “That old fool? We’ve beaten him like a drum! The commission keeps cheating me out of the title, but my day will come, and it’s coming soon!”
Tenay, “Well it’s not a title match, but a match is signed, in two weeks, for our show in Los Angeles. Barry, Kendall and Bob Orton will meet Stan Hansen, Justin Hawk Bradshaw and the Patriot, in a huge six man tag team match.”
Windham, “Why don’t I get a title shot? I’ll answer that. It’s because Stan Hansen is yellow! We may just have to teach him another lesson, and it’ll be a painful one!”
Tenay, “This is just one big match slated for next week. We will continue to update you throughout the show. Now let’s see Kendall Windham in action.”
Match #1
Kendall Windham w/Barry Windham and Bob Orton def. Virgil, w/bulldog
Match #1
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan def. “Desperado” Joe Gomez, w/spear
Match #3
Tribal Nation def. David Taylor and The Colorado Kid, M. Youngblood w/Tomahawk chop vs. KidMarshall is with Justin Hawk Bradshaw.
Marshall, “With me is Justin Hawk Bradshaw. Mr. Bradshaw, you have impressed many people in the past weeks in ACW. You’ve stepped right into the fire with Hansen, the Windhams and Orton. Now you and Hansen have added the Patriot to your team to take on those three in a six man tag match in two weeks in Los Angeles.”
Bradshaw, “I may be young, but I’m not waiting my turn! I made a big mistake trusting those guys, and I paid for it, now they’re going to pay! I want to go to the top, and I want to make money and beating up those three will help me do that! Windham, you brought your worthless brother into this! He’s not man enough to beat me, just like you and Orton! This is going to be a war, and Hansen, the Patriot and I are going to inflict the damage!”
Marshall, “Justin Hawk Bradshaw is making a name for himself. Let’s see him in the ring.”
Match # 4
Justin Hawk Bradshaw def. Maunakea Mossman, w/clotheslineMarshall is with the Quebecers and Sonny Onoo. Inspector Wippleman is conspicuous by his absence.
Marshall, “With me are Sonny Onoo and the Quebecers. Mr. Onoo, where is Inspector Wippleman?”
Onoo, “Inspector with Chono, chon have very big match tonight. He beat up Finlay in hometown. Wippleman getting ready.”
Marshall, “Well the Quebecers have a big match. They take on the Pearls of the Orient, albeit in a no-title match. Does Harvey trust you to take care of things?”
Onoo, “Marshall, you disrespectful. Sonny Onoo is very smart man, know lots of wrestling. Quebecers win tonight, Sonny Onoo take care of that.”
Marshall, “That’s what I’m afraid of. Mr. Onoo, let me ask you this, why is this a non-title match? Many people think Wippleman is worried that the Quebecers cannot beat the Liger and Dragon,”
Onoo, “You wrong, Marshall, very, very wrong! Quebecers take care of business. They Champions, they prove it tonight.”
Marshall, “O.K. I don’t trust Sonny Onoo, one bit.”
Match #5
Non-Title Match
The Quebecers (American Tag Team Champions) w/Sonny Onoo vs. The Pearls of the OrientMost fans want this to be a title match. Inspector Wippleman pulled some strings to make sure the title is not at stake tonight. I still don’t think that will slow down the masked men. They are on a mission. The bell rings and the early moments belong to Jacques and the Quebecers. He takes the fight to the Ultimo Dragon and Sonny Onoo looks very confident at ringside. Both teams tag in and out and the action is very exciting. Liger catches Pierre in the Liger bomb and referee Chad Patton counts 1…2…3! The Pearls of the Orient win! Sonny Onoo is lived! The masked men are inches from the title!
Winners-The Pearls of the Orient
Match #6
Tiger King def. The Renegade, w/Tiger suplexMarshall is with the Can-Am Express and Jun Akiyama.
Marshall, “With me are Doug Furnas, Dan Kroffat and Jun Akiyama. Gentlemen, you are a fine team and the match with the Holy Demon Army and Shinjiro Ohtani would be a main event anywhere in the world. Are you ready for this?”
Furnas, “First of all, you can’t ask for a better partner than Jun Akiyama. He is the best young wrestler in the business and Dan and are proud to have him in our corner. Now about the match, we know that Kawada and Taue are the best tag team in the world. The Unified Belts are the top of the mountain in wrestling and those two are the best. You throw in Ohtani and that makes them even tougher. We gave Kawada and Taue all they wanted last week and when we get another shot, Dan and I will take the titles.”
Kroffat, “Just what Doug said. Jun is a great partner and you’re going to see something special tonight. Wippleman, you’re a weasel. You know we can beat your team, so you signed this six man. It doesn’t matter will get another shot, and like Doug said, we’ll take the Unified Titles!”
Marshall, “I should tell you, we offered Inspector Wippleman and Sonny Onoo a chance to speak, but they declined.”
Match #7
Six Man Tag Team Match
The Can-Am Express and Jun Akiyama vs. The Holy Demon Army and Shinjiro Ohtani w/Sonny OnooOnce again, Inspector Wippleman has chosen to stay in the back preparing Chono for the International Title match, so Sonny Onoo is at ringside. The bell rings and its Akira Taue vs. Dan Kroffat. They pound away at one another and the ex-sumo Taue takes over. Kroffat is in trouble. The Canadian is able to escape and tag in Doug Furnas. The former Tennessee fullback goes to work. He lands right and lefts. Taue staggers back and tags in Ohtani. The smaller Ohtani is able to use his speed to rally. He gains the advantage and tags in Toshiaki Kawada. “Dangerous K”, the Triple Crown Champion, steps into the ring. Furnas tags in Akiyama and “Blue Thunder” motions the Champion to “bring it on”. They lock up and the youngster holds his own. The match continues to go back and forth. All six men end up in the ring. Taue and Kroffat the legal men. In the confusion, Kroffat rolls up Taue and referee Jack Doane counts the fall. Kroffat has pinned Taue! Onoo and his men are stunned.
Winners-The Can Am Express and Jun AkiyamaTenay and Zbyszko are seated at the announce table.
Tenay, “We are moments away from our main event. Dave Finlay, a native of Belfast, challenges Masahiro Chono for the International Heavyweight Title. Here are taped Comments from Mr. Finlay and Inspector Wippleman.”
We see Dave Finlay sitting in the locker room.
Finlay, “Chono, Wippleman, you’re in my hometown, a town that has a rich history, both peaceful and violent. All of us who grew up in Belfast understand pain and violence. I will tell you this, tonight you will learn what pain and violence are! I’ve been in the sport for a long time, and I’ve won a lot of titles, but this is the most important one I’ve ever wrestled for. With God as my witness, I will take this title, or they will have to carry me out of King’s Hall! Chono, I’m coming for you!”
We see Wippleman and Chono standing in a locker room.
Wippleman, “Finlay, you drunken Irishman, you think you can beat Chono? That’s laughable. Chono is a descendent of the Samurai warriors of ancient Japan. I’m from Canada, the jewel of the Commonwealth, and you’re from Ireland, Northern Ireland, at that. You have about as much chance of winning tonight as Ireland does beating Canada at ice hockey, none at all. This interview is over! We’re tired of talking!”
Tenay, “Interesting words from both men. Legend, what do you think?”
Zbyyszko, “You know, I’d like to say Chono has no chance because of Wippleman, but Chono is one of the best. I hate Harvey, but that doesn’t mean Chono isn’t good. I’ll take Finlay, but its close.”
Tenay, “Let’s take a moment to talk about next week. We will be back in the USA, in one of our favorite places, the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, NY. We have a main event signed for that night. Wolf Hawkfield gets another shot at the Television Title. Rick Rude puts the belt on the line. Hawkfield has come so close, but Rude is still the Champion. Let’s see what happens in New York.”
Zbyszko, “I can’t wait.”
Match #8
International Heavyweight Championship
Masahiro Chono (Champion) w/Inspector Wippleman and Sonny Onoo vs. Dave “Fit” FinlayThe tension in King’s Hall is at an all time high. Finlay stands, stoically, in his corner, as does Chono. Wippleman and Onoo try to taunt the Irishman, but he does not acknowledge them. Referee Teddy Long calls for the bell and the match is on. Both men lock up and they both try several power moves. Neither man gains an edge and Finlay tries another approach. He takes Chono down and uses several quick mat wrestling moves. He gets a two count, but Chono kicks out. Wipplman and Onoo are very worried at ringside. The Champion seems worried. He goes to the roughhouse tactics, but Finlay is ready for that. Now we have a slugfest. Finlay staggers Chono. He grabs the Champion and gets him up in the reverse piledriver. He hits it and covers Chono. Long counts 1…2…3! Dave Finlay is the “International Champion”!
Winner-Dave Finlay (New International Champion)
Several friends and family members come to the ring to celebrate with Finlay. The show ends with green and orange confetti falling on the new champion.
