The following is a reprint of the Torch Newsletter ETC. Newswire from five years ago this week.

-Jason Powell, Torch assistant editor

* * *

Torch Newsletter Archive
By Wade Keller, Torch editor
ETC Newswire
Originally published: Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly newsletter #491
Cover dated: Apr. 25, 1998

JAPANESE HIGHLIGHTS
All Japan: Apr. 18 in Tokyo at Budokan Hall (16,300 sellout), Mitsuharu Misawa beat Jun Akiyama at 22:05 to win the annual Carnival Champions tournament. As soon as the bell rang, Akiyama attacked Misawa with a Tiger Driver. Akiyama dropkicked Misawa's injured left knee and continued to work over the leg for much of the match. At 10:00 Akiyama applied the Scorpion. Misawa reached the ropes to escape. Akiyama followed up with a figure-four leglock. Misawa again reached the ropes. Misawa made a comeback, but Akiyama cut him off with a dropkick to the knee and a bulldog for the first pin attempt. Akiyama then went to a series of near falls including a Hashimoto style DDT. Misawa kept kicking out just in time. Misawa finally came back with three hard elbows, the rolling kick, and an elbow drop for the win.

Had Akiyama won, he would have been the youngest winner of the Carnival tournament in All Japan history at 28 years and 7 months old. Jumbo Tsuruta holds the record having won it at 29 years and 2 months old in 1980. Next year Akiyama will be older than Tsuruta was when he won it, so Tsuruta's record is safe for the foreseeable future. Misawa was the heavy favorite to win.

Also on the card: Kentaro Shiga beat rookie Takeshi Morishima in the opener, Atoru Asako & Shigao Okumura beat Masao Inoue & rookie Makoto Hashi when Asako beat Hashi at 10:25, Jado & Gedo beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi at 8:33 when Gedo pinned Kanemaru, Jun Izumida & Haruka Eigen & Masanobu Fuchi beat Mitsuo Momota & Rusher Kumura & Giant Baba when Izumida pinned Momota at 13:31, Stan Hansen & Takao Omori beat Kimala II & Maunakea Mossman when Hansen pinned Mossman at 9:10 after a lariat, Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue beat Johnny Smith & Johnny Ace when Kawada pinned Smith at 13:49 after a powerbomb, Kenta Kobashi & Yoshihiro Takayama & Yoshitoka Kakihara beat Wolf Hawkfield & Gary Albright & Steve Williams and Takayama scored an upset pin over Williams at 14:20. Many matches on the event got rave reviews.

Past Carnival Tournament winners in descending order from '97 to '91 have been: Kawada, Akira Taue, Misawa, Kawada, Hansen, Hansen, Tsuruta. There were no Carnival tourneys from '83 to '90, but from '82 to '73, the following were the winners: Baba, Baba, Tsuruta, Abdullah the Butcher, Baba, Baba, Abdullah, Baba, Baba, Baba. [Koichi Yoshizawa]

New Japan: Keiji Muto had operations on both knees on Apr. 17. Doctors said the cause of his knee injuries was years of doing the moonsault and he was told not to do the move upon his return.

EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

Notebook: Sandman's neck injury reported on last week apparently was more storyline than legit. The angle resulted from Sandman taking a Dudley Death Drop and a cane shot, then being stretchered out of the ring. He was already beat up and needed some time to rest before the PPV, but he may have suffered a pinched nerve while doing the angle, but the whole ambulance scene was part of the planned storyline…

It is being disputed whether Hall got in his quip (i.e. "the last word") to the Triple Threat before walking away and taking a cab home before the ECW show in Kissimmee, Fla. began two weekends ago…

Taz suffered a severe gash on one of his legs in the calf area at the ECW Arena show over the weekend. His match, as of last word, has been pulled from the PPV, although it was merely a squash match against his cousin Chris Chetti…

The announced attendance figures for the Florida tour were as follows: Apr. 9 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-1,974; Apr. 10 in Tampa, Fla.-1,600; and Apr. 11 in Kissimmee, Fla.-1,142 sellout…

Over 2,000 tickets have been sold for the May 3 PPV in Marietta, Ga. The arena will be set up to hold 3,200…

Lots of new clearances for ECW TV: Montgomery/Selma, Ala. WAXC-64 Mondays at 10:30 p.m.; Murray, Ky. WQTV-46 Saturdays at 11 p.m.; Baton Rouge, La. WGMB-46 (Fox) Fridays nights 1 a.m.; Albany, Ga. WRKL-35 Saturdays at 9 p.m.; Louisville, Ky. WBNA-21, Fresno, Calif. WGMC-43 Fridays 11 p.m.; Long Island, N.Y. WVVH-10, Saturdays 10 p.m.; Twin Falls, Ida. KKHM-55 Saturdays 11 a.m.…

They also just cleared Detroit Mich. on WADL-38 Fridays 11:30 p.m., but the start date isn't until September…

WWFD-8 in Miami, Fla. has upgraded its system to full power, so it's worth checking in that area for better reception…

INDEPENDENT HIGHLIGHTS
Yankee Pro Wrestling: Mar. 27 in Burlington, Vt. at the Memorial Auditorium (700): El Diablo beat The Convict, Rick Fuller beat Big Don Willson (mgd. by M.R. Biggs), Mark Chambers & Andy Jaxx beat The Power Company to regain the YPW Tag Titles, The Irish Leprechaun beat Little Killer, Damion King beat Rev. Redemption, Doink the Clown beat Brickhouse Baker (w/M.R. Biggs), "Nasty Boy" Brian Nobbs beat "Too Sexy" Kevin Kelly to regain the YPW Hvt. Title. [Joe Tougas]

American Wrestling Council: Mar. 22 in South Plainfield at Grandslams USA: "Dr. Hurtz" Kevin Glenn pinned "Nitestick" Eddie Brown, Joey Matthews (w/Duke of New York) beat Big Bobby Gee, Biggie Biggs the Overweight Lover pinned Mark "The Cannon" Melachio, Adam Flash pinned Chino Martinez, Kevin Knight (w/Marlena) pinned Rick Ratchet (w/"Big '80s" Donnie B.), Doink pinned Lupus, Super Nova beat Steve Corino in a cage match to retain the AWC Title. Return date: Mar. 2.

Midwest Championship Wrestling: Mar. 22 in Dearborn Hts., Mich. (350): Otis Apollo & Bobby Clancy beat Big Jason Fuller & Downtown Bobo Brown, Jimmy V beat Steve Nixon, Dangerous DBA beat Levi Blue to retain the MWCW Title, J.T. Lightning beat Crybaby Josh Cannon, Breyer Wellington beat Rhino Richards (mgd. by Handsome Johnny Bradford).

National Wrestling Alliance: Mar. 22 in Garfield, N.J. at the Boys Club: Ray Odyssey pinned Billy Reil (w/The Master), Mr. Puerto Rico & Rik Ratchet (w/Donnie B) beat The Great Caruso & The Overweight Lover, Lupus beat Steve Corino, King Kong Bundy beat Iron Sheik, Inferno Kid beat J.R. Ryder, Lance Diamond beat Twiggy Ramirez (w/Madonna Wayne Gacy), Vinnie Powers beat Doink, The Misfits (w/Lupus) beat The Xtremists to win the NWA U.S. Tag Team Titles.

East Coast Wrestling Association: Mar. 21 in Newport (?): Ace Darling beat Mike Quackenbush, Inferno Kid beat Devon Storm, Lance Diamond beat Mark Shrader, and Scott Taylor beat Reckless Youth in the opening round of the tournament. Inferno beat Darling and Diamond beat Scott Taylor in the second round. J.R. Ryder won a 16 man battle royal to win the Mid-Atlantic Title shot on Apr. 25 in Newport at St. Mathews Center. In the finals, Lance Diamond pinned Inferno Kid, plus Cheetah Master & Boogie Woogie Brown beat Glen Osbourne & Kodiak Bear in an ECWA Hvt. Title match.

WWSA: Mar. 21 in Bordentown, N.J. at the Armory: Rock & Rip beat Harley Lewis & Ice (w/Boog R), The Lost Boys beat The Soul Brothers, Bruiser Blackwell beat The Karetaker (w/Amy Lee) Bobby Blake pinned Twiggy Ramirez (w/Madonna Wayne Gacy), Maverick beat Adorable Amaeus (w/Amy Lee), Iron Sheik beat The Fake Sheik, Tommy Cairo pinned Mr. Puerto Rico, Cousin Luke beat Metal Maniac, Bad Attitude (w/Doc Diamond) beat Sons of the Gestapo, Abdullah the Butcher fought Manny Fernandez to a no contest.

Michigan Championship Wrestling: Mar. 21 in Troy, Mich. at the H.S. (300): El Diablo beat Ruffhouse Rob, Rock Stevens beat Bad Moon Rising, Johnny Storm beat Breyer Wellington, Otis Apollo & Bobby Clancy beat The Outlaws via DQ, Rico Rodriquez beat Calavera Cortez, Johnny Paradize beat Doink the Clown, Knighthawk beat Jimmy Thompson, Prof. Maxwell beat Popgun Kelly, The Patriot beat The Canadian Destroyer, Death Dealer (mgd. by Handsome Johnny Bradford) beat Skull Ganz (w/Ms. Cherri) to win the MCW Title.

All-American Wrestling: Mar. 20 in West Chester, Pa. at the Henderson H.S.: Don Montoya won a battle royal, Donn E. Allen beat Joe Rules, Norm the Barfly & "Nite Stic" Eddie Brown beat Cujo & Midnight (w/The Duke of New York), Kid America pinned Alexei Taktarov (w/H.W. Starr) to win the AAW Pa. Title, Glenn Osbourne beat Chris Krueger, Steve Corino (w/The Duke and Don Montoya) beat Flexx Wheeler (w/Johnny Cisco), Reckless Youth & Twiggy Rameriz beat Joey Matthews & Billy Reil, Maverick pinned Don Montoya (w/the Duke).

Empire Wrestling Federation: Mar. 15 in Hemet, Calif. at the H.S.: Crazy Dragon beat El Guardian, Krazy K.C. beat Shooting Star, Bobby Bradley Jr. beat Matt Sinister, a 15-bell count was sounded for former student and EFW graduate Louie Spicolli, The Coronor (w/Rigg A. Mortis) beat The Friar #1, Cruiser Eddie Williams & Heartthrob Johnny Love beat The Brazilian Bad Boys (who were the friends of Spicolli who were with him the night before he died) to retain the EWF Tag Titles, Christopher Daniels beat Ciclon Mexicano, The Suicide Kid beat "Iceman" John Black to retain the EWF Title.

National Wrestling League: Mar. 14 in McConnellsburg, Pa. at the H.S.: Latin Tornado won abattle royal, Bad Boy Buck (w/Katravina) pinned Mighty Joe Kid to win the NWL Midget Title, Fumas beat Latin Tornado (w/Johnny Glitter) via DQ, Thor (w/Johnny Glitter) pinned Biggs, John Rambo beat The Mad Russian (w/Katrivina) in a barbed wire match, The Grungers (w/OGB) beat Slicky Boy & Prof. Egon Ecton (w/Cindy Lou), Jimmy Snuka beat The Sultan.

All-Pro Wrestling: Mar. 14 in Hayward, Calif. at the APW Garage (85): El Chicano Flame beat "Slick" Rick Turner (W/Jay Smooth) via submission, "Cowboy" Frank Murdoch beat "Gigolo" Vinny Massaro (w/Cherri), "Natural One" Michael Modest (w/Tony Jones) beat "Bad Boy" Bob Barnette, "Extreme Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady (w/Jim "The Anvil" Dudley) beat "Shooter" Tony Jones (w/Michael Modest), "Suicide Machine" Donovan Morgan beat "Vicious" Vic Graimes, Maxx Justice & "Bad Apple" Joe Applebaumer beat "Brown Bomber" Robert Thompson & "Mad Mosher" Boom Boom Comini via DQ.

All-American Wrestling: Mar. 13 in Swarthmore, Pa. at the Cerebral Palsy Center: Alexei Taktarov won a battle royal to capture the vacant AAW Hvt. Title, The Intimidators beat Brian Dougherty & Bruiser Blackwell (w/Amy Lee), Angel De Meurta pinned Vladimir Van Fyre, Maverick beat "Outlaw" Frank Cody (w/Sebastion Rose & James Austin).

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