The following is a reprint of the Torch Newsletter review of USWA's weekly live television show from five years ago this week.

-Jason Powell, Torch assistant editor

* * *

Torch Newsletter Archive
By Chris Bell, Torch correspondent
August 16, 1997 - USWA TV, live in Memphis, Tenn.
Originally published: Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly newsletter #455
Cover dated: August 30, 1997

(Live from WMC-TV studios, Memphis, Tenn.)...

Tony Friedman and Michael St. John hosted the show, since Lance Russell was recovering from neck surgery...

(1) Buster Johnson beat Bulldog Raines. Raines is now being used as a comedy figure as he threw a child-like tantrum after losing the match... They showed Billy Joe Travis outside the TV studios carrying a picket sign causing a big commotion. Apparently he was trying to rejoin the promotion...

Friedman explained that at the Lady Luck Casino the previous Wednesday, Flash Flanagan & Steven Dunn beat Paul Diamond & Rex King to retain the USWA Tag Titles. PG13 then attacked all four men and a major brawl ensued. Taped comments from PG13 then aired. J.C. Ice said they were the rightful champions and they would beat up all four men. They said they are true partners since they have never broken up and feuded...

(2) Doug Gilbert beat Doomsday (w/Dutch Mantell & Team Icon) via DQ. When "Dangerous" Doug Gilbert entered the studio, he got a big pop from the crowd. He smiled and didn't look the least bit dangerous, especially as he high-fived the kiddies in the crowd. All of Team Icon were present except Justin Hawk Bradshaw. The match stunk, the fans were into it because they like Gilbert. After selling for most of the match, Gilbert began making a comeback. At that point Rod Price ran to the ring and attacked Gilbert, prompting the DQ...

Mantel, Price, and Doomsday beat on Gilbert after the match, including Dutch whipping him with a belt. Bobby Bronze, a jobber, came out and tried to help, but Doomsday chokeslammed him. St. John called Bronze the wrong name. Idiot. Then Lance Jade ran in and he too got chokeslammed. Finally, Spellbinder ran in and made the save; Team Icon fled the scene...

Tony Friedman ran down upcoming USWA dates, including a return to the Big One Expo Center in Memphis, Tenn. on Aug. 31. That weekend they are in Clarksdale, Ms. on Aug. 29 and Union City, Tenn. on Sept. 1...

Rex King and Paul Diamond came into the studio for an interview. Whoa, I didn't realize King was as good at "talkin' the talk" as he is. Diamond started off saying that Dunn had the USWA officials in his "hip pocket" and he had already signed a title match with PG13 for the Big One event. Diamond then said later on the show King would beat the crap outta Dunn in a handcuff match. He added that he had been "screwed over" way too many times by Dunn in the past. He talked about how Dunn left him in the WWF, Japan, and Puerto Rico, not counting all of the time he left him in the USWA. He promised that everything that goes around comes around and that Dunn was about to get his in their match...

Another segment aired with Billy Joe Travis picketing outside the studio. This time he was right out there on Union Ave. waving his sign at passing cars. He damn near got hit one time. The sign read, "USWA Unfair." James Beard then came into the studio as the cameras cut back to the inside. He said Billy Joe had made his bed and now he had to lie in it, therefore his suspension still stood...

(3) Mr. Wrestling pinned Bobby Bronze. Boring match. Nobody in the studio cared. Neither did I. The only eventful thing that happened was when Rod Price came out and mocked Gilbert for having to call in some help to take on "Team Icon." Mr. Wrestling won with a swinging neckbreaker, of all things...

(4) Steve Dunn beat Rex King via DQ in a "handcuff match" where each wrestler's partner was handcuffed to the ringpost. A good match. Both men worked hard, but the match unfortunately ran short. In the end, with the ref knocked down, Paul Diamond got the keys out of the ref's pocket and uncuffed himself. He entered the ring and nailed Dunn from behind and then gave him a gordbuster. He went back to the corner and unlocked the cuffs and brought them into the ring. As King pounded on Dunn, Diamond handcuffed Dunn to the second rope and the two beat him mercilessly. The ref finally saw it and called for the bell as Flash tried in vain to get loose to help his partner. Eventually Rick Titan ran in for the save...

(5) Spellbinder beat Recon via DQ. In the end Recon missed an elbow drop at which point Spellbinder took over offense. Then Price, Doomsday, and Mantel ran in and attacked him. Gilbert made the save with a metal pole...

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