The
AustRing GP Finals
Vienna, Austria, 23/11/02
{Eurosport's Catch Weekly Programme begins and we have Simon Galbraith sitting with Kenny Morrison in the studio.}
Simon: Hello and welcome to the beginning of a new age for the Catch Wrestling Association. I'll be speaking to Kenny Morrison shortly, but let's first show you all the results from the past week in the AustRing GP Group Stages.
Day 1
|
Group
A
|
||||
|
2
|
James
Mason
|
Over
|
Marco
Di Fiore
|
0
|
|
2
|
Karl
Kretschmer
|
Over
|
Mal
Sanders
|
0
|
|
1
|
Johnny
Kidd
|
Draw
|
Michael
Kovac
|
1
|
|
Group
B
|
||||
|
1
|
Stevie
Knight
|
Draw
|
Johnny
Saint
|
1
|
|
2
|
Ahmed
Chaer
|
Over
|
Kerry
Cabrero
|
0
|
|
2
|
Andy
Hogg
|
Over
|
Kurrgan
|
0
|
Day 2
|
Group
A
|
||||
|
4
|
James
Mason
|
Over
|
Karl
Kretschmer
|
2
|
|
1
|
Marco
Di Fiore
|
Draw
|
Michael
Kovac
|
2
|
|
2
|
Mal
Sanders
|
Over
|
Johnny
Kidd
|
1
|
|
Group
B
|
||||
|
3
|
Stevie
Knight
|
Over
|
Ahmed
Chaer
|
2
|
|
3
|
Johnny
Saint
|
Over
|
Kurrgan
|
0
|
|
2
|
Kerry
Cabrero
|
Over
|
Andy
Hogg
|
2
|
Day 3
|
Group
A
|
||||
|
5
|
James
Mason
|
Draw
|
Mal
Sanders
|
3
|
|
3
|
Marco
Di Fiore
|
Over
|
Johnny
Kidd
|
1
|
|
4
|
Karl
Kretschmer
|
Draw
|
Michael
Kovac
|
2
|
|
Group
B
|
||||
|
5
|
Stevie
Knight
|
Over
|
Kerry
Cabrero
|
2
|
|
4
|
Johnny
Saint
|
Draw
|
Andy
Hogg
|
3
|
|
2
|
Kurrgan
|
Over
|
Ahmed
Chaer
|
2
|
Day 4
|
Group
A
|
||||
|
4
|
Michael
Kovac
|
Over
|
James
Mason
|
5
|
|
5
|
Marco
D Fiore
|
Over
|
Mal
Sanders
|
3
|
|
6
|
Karl
Kretschmer
|
Over
|
Johnny
Kidd
|
1
|
|
Group
B
|
||||
|
7
|
Stevie
Knight
|
Over
|
Kurrgan
|
2
|
|
4
|
Kerry
Cabrero
|
Over
|
Johnny
Saint
|
4
|
|
3
|
Ahmed
Chaer
|
Draw
|
Andy
Hogg
|
4
|
Day 5
|
Group
A
|
||||
|
6
|
James
Mason
|
Draw
|
Johnny
Kidd
|
2
|
|
8
|
Karl
Kretschmer
|
Over
|
Marco
Di Fiore
|
5
|
|
5
|
Mal
Sanders
|
Over
|
Michael
Kovac
|
5
|
|
Group
B
|
||||
|
6
|
Andy
Hogg
|
Over
|
Stevie
Knight
|
7
|
|
5
|
Ahmed
Chaer
|
Over
|
Johnny
Saint
|
4
|
|
4
|
Kurrgan
|
Over
|
Kerry
Cabrero
|
4
|
Simon: So that brings us to James Mason and Karl Kretshmer, from Group A, and Andy Hogg and Stevie Knight, from Group B, going into this evening's Semi Finals. Kenny, looking at the final group points, Johnny Kidd only having two points is a bit of a shock and, looking through all of the results, there seems to be a lot of drawn ties.
Kenny: I think Johnny Kidd has suffered from being in the strongest Grouping, guys like Marco, Karl and Michael have definitely used this GP event to push themselves early. The draws, well it was only day three that we saw three draws so I don't think it's that many really...although it definitely is a sign of the technical strength within the CWA roster. I'm looking to stop the use of big names to attract a crowd, CWA doesn't need that sort of booking anymore. Okay, we're part of the NWA and we're a territory but I'd like to think we can bring over guys who'd add to our product, as opposed to a quick hot shot.
Simon: Now, so far the fans have only seen the twelve guys since you took over the book. Names such as Scott McKenzie, Robert McManus and Mike Barton are yet to show...plus we haven't seen any tag teams. What was the thinking during the planning of the AustRing GP Event?
Kenny: Quality over quantity, to look at the most base point. We could have fleshed the shows out a little, but we felt that we needed to keep the crowd focused and also wanting more at the same time. We didn't even have any promo time allocated to non-competing workers at these shows.
Simon: Okay. Now this brings us to this evening's show. Obviously we're not seeing a full CWA show here, yet another new move made by yourself. What matches will we be watching tonight?
Kenny: Well, we have the Semi Final and Final of the AustRing GP and all three men's CWA Championships will be on the line.
Simon: Good, looking forward to it. Well, there you are. Kenny Morrison, new Promoter of the CWA and new ideas already in place. Let's get to the first match of this evening, the CWA Junior Heavyweight Title match pitting Antifaz Del Norte versus Histeria.
CWA Junior Heavyweight Championship: Antifaz Del Norte vs Histeria
Antifaz and Histeria put on a fine display of trademark lucha action, though both made an effort to incorprate some more technical work also. As the clips are shown, we see neither man really gaining an advantage. Antifaz manages to hit a corkscrew plancha to the outside, but Histeria quickly regained the advantage when back in the ring. A 5 minute master class of fast action, around the 10 minute mark, came to an end when Histeria missed with a springboard legdrop attempt. Antifaz went up top and hit a quick frogsplash, getting the three count just as Histeria kicked out.
Winner: Antifaz Del Norte
Simon: A fine first match for the new style show. Next we have the CWA Tag Team Title match, which sees La Familia in a four corners match with The New Breed, The Can-Am Connection and The Von Kunders.
Kenny: This has to be seen, it really does...*laugh*
CWA Tag Team Championship: La Familia vs The New Breed vs Can-Am Connection vs Von Kunders
The start of this match is bizarre to say the least. Both Von Kunders are stood at ringside, wearing what is best left to the viewers imagination. After taunting the crowd, not noticing that the three teams in the ring are watching them and laughing, the Von Kunders start girating their groins at the crowd...the next segment is pure US style old school. With Mot and Bas both back to the ring, we see Doug Furnas slide out, grab two steel chairs and walk round to face Mot and Bas. La Fon slides out behind the Von Kunders, grabs their trunks and we see Doug Furnas give a single tap to the groin of each Von Kunder. Both Von Kunders then slide into the ring to avoid the attack, but are grabbed by the other two teams and, as they realise the fate to follow, they are both cracked across the head with steelchairs and the referee unbelievably disqualifies La Familia, The New Breed and The Can-Am Connection. The scene is left in a state of chaos, with the three remaining teams being dragged away by CWA Road Agents.
Winners by Disqualification: The Von Kunders
Simon: Damn, I've not seen anything like that since...well, erm. Best to move on I think. I believe we're going to see the two Semi-Finals one after the other here.
Kenny: Yes, Karl and James went into the ring first and it has to be said that the attitude of Karl is something which will definitely work both for and against him in the upcoming weeks.
CWA AustRing GP Semi-Final Group A: Karl Kretschmer vs James Mason
James Mason has toured Japan on a number of occasions and that experience, inevitably, shone through here. Karl Kretschmer's arrogance was certainly his undoing here, although he did display why he could feel so arrogant in the first place. Kretschmer certainly took this match to James Mason, as it looked like the smaller Mason would not be given time to use his speed and technical side. A German suplex from Kretschmer, given very early on, showed the crowd that this kid was feeling no nerves whatsoever.
The match went to the outside, but as Kretschmer posed to the crowd he was taken down and Mason used a very innovative surfboard style manouvre on the ringsteps. From here we saw Mason show us why he's one of the few UK workers to have toured Japan in recent years. Kretschmer never knew which part of his anatomy would be attacked next and by the twenty minute mark must have felt like he'd fallen down a set of stairs. A surfboard was followed by an armbar, into a grounded chicken wing and then an attempted pin...Kretschmer was reeling. As Kretshmer struggled to get to his feet, Mason went up top and connected with a dropkick, as Kretschmer was kneeled, and then got the three count.
Winner: James Mason
CWA AustRing GP Semi-Final Group B: Stevie Knight vs Andy Hogg
CWA Trainer versus the stiffest worker on the CWA roster, this was always going to be something special. Having met on Day five, both men looked sore and knew exactly what either man was going to do next. Infact, if you didn't know better, you'd say that both men had stayed up all night watching tapes of each other.
Stevie was grounded very quickly, as Andy went straight for the left leg and wrapped it around the ringpost at second rope height. A series of kicks to the chest followed, which Yoshihiro Tajiri and Shinya Hashimoto would have been proud of. Stevie attempted to come back, the fans pushing for him, but each time he came back, Andy Hogg would reply with absolutely nothing held in reserve. Stevie went up top and managed to hit an elbow after he'd reversed a Hogg suplex attempt, but a second attempt to go up top ended as Hogg sprung up and clotheslined Stevie on the way down. The end wasn't far off from here, Andy Hogg hit the Five Star Hog Splash and then finished Stevie with The Sty.
Winner: Andy Hogg
{At this point, James Mason walked out and shook hands with Andy Hogg. The crowd erupted and both men walked to a corner, turned and made it obvious they wanted their AustRing GP Final match to begin right there.}
CWA AustRing GP Final: James Mason vs Andy Hogg
Austria were shown why UK wrestling USED to be the talk of the world. A style lost, was reborn during this final as both men went to the mad and just about stayed there for thirty minutes. Stiff kicks preceded submission moves, reversals and counters to the reversals. The crowd sat in silence, watching, waiting and they weren't disappointed. Both men were a physical mess, but still Hogg would give Mason a kick, Mason would reply with a stiff suplex and Hogg would bring himself up, come off the ropes and almost rip off Mason's head with a clothesline.
Mason applied an armbar to Hogg on the top rope and both men slipped to the outside, with Mason taking the bump naturally on the shoulder it was only Hogg who suffered as he came down facefirst on the canvas. Mason took the chance to throw Hogg into the barriers at ringside, then straight into the ringpost before rolling him back inside. A brainbuster later and Andy Hogg was out and Mason took the three count to become the FIRST AustRing GP Winner.
Winner: James Mason
Simon: That was an absolutely superb advert for the CWA and what you're trying to do there Kenny. Any word on the injury to Andy Hogg?
Kenny: To be honest, Andy is the sort of guy who will work and work. Unlike most of the young lads coming through in Britain, Andy has been there for years and still wrestles for free after driving 200 miles on occasion. I'm sure Andy will be Pigging nationwide in no time.
Simon: Okay, we've seen the AustRing GP and the two other matches. Who is Mike Barton's opponent for this evening's CWA Heavyweight Title Match?
Kenny: Well, I had to be careful as I've told Mike that we've entered him into one of WWA Pride's upcoming Tournaments. With the NWA Heavyweight Champion being in the WWA, I feel the CWA needs to show that any of our guys who go to the WWA for a tournament can be looked upon as a viable opponent to bring the NWA belt back to the NWA. To me, it's like Ric Flair appearing in the WWF with his NWA/WCW World Title belt. That aside though, the next match we see will see Mike Barton facing Scott "The Great Scot" McKenzie.
CWA World Heavyweight Championship: Mike Barton vs Scott McKenzie
A section of the crowd decided to taunt Barton with chants of "Bart Gunn, Bart Gunn", as McKenzie joined in with the chants he was flattened by a single solid right hand blow. Barton then picked up McKenzie and hit a frightening reverse suplex, before pinning Scott.
Winner: Mike Barton
{Mike Barton then grabbed a microphone from ringside.}
Mike: You fans can taunt me about my time elsewhere, but it's what I do now that matters. As the CWA Champion, I am happy to work for a Promoter who wants to see wrestling, who wants to push talent and who wants to give you, the fans, what they deserve. In December, I travel to Japan for a WWA Pride Tournament and I want to show everyone there that the NWA is the best. The NWA has years of tradition, the CWA itself also has years of tradition...in the coming weeks, I will show all of you that I'm not here to be laughed at.
Simon: That's all we have time for today, but I'd like to say that it's looking good if today was anything to go by. I'm sure that all the fans are looking forward to the SCW/CWA upcoming show and hopefully more exciting CWA action.
Goodnight from the CWA
