Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Pittsburgh, PA
February 4, 1963
After Heavyweight champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers defeated Bobo Brazil in a Texas Death Match, former NWA Champion Eduoard Carpentier delivered a message from Toots Mondt that Rogers will face Bruno Sammartino in Bruno's hometown of Pittsburgh. Tonight's the night as Bruno faces Buddy in a 2 out of 3 falls match. Let's get to our first match.....but wait. All of a sudden Buddy himself comes to the ring with a special announcement. He says he's going to make an example out of Bruno later tonight but first he's got a warm up match for the crowd as a sneak preview.
Match 1
Frank Pickens vs "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
Rogers brings out local jobber Frank Pickens for a tune-up match to begin the night. Rogers beats him in record time and Pickens has to be stretchered out. Rogers grabs the mic and says that's what's going to happen to Bruno later tonight.
Winner: Rogers
Match 2
TNT Napolitan vs Johnny DeFazio
Johnny DeFazio was a local star in Pittsburgh mostly known for Studio Wrestling in Pennsylvania. He gets the win over TNT here with a dropkick.
Time of match: 9:51
Winner: DeFazio by pinfall
Match 3
Gene Kiniski vs Buddy Austin
If you think Vince McMahon Jr was notorious for taking other promotions' champions and jobbing them out, he learned it from his father. For whatever reason Vince Sr was booking former world champion Kiniski as a jobber. Austin won this one.
Time of match: 9:49
Winner: Austin
Match 4
Jim Grabmire vs Ace Freeman
Jim Grabmire was a veteran working for Jim Crockett Sr at the time but was on loan to face Ace on this card. Freeman takes it with an inside cradle.
Time of match: 11:34
Winner: Freeman by pinfall
Match 5
Chico Santana and Pee Wee Lopez vs Marcel Sinard and Tiny Bell in a 2 out of 3 falls match
Oh boy, midget tag team wrestling. Tiny Bell was mostly know for AWA and WWA matches while Marcel was another from the French Canadian midget camp. Pee Wee was a Detroit/AWA mainstay and remember when Jesse Ventura used to call Tito Santana "Chico"? He was referencing midget wrestler Chico Santana all those years. Santana and Lopez got the duke.
Winners: Santana and Lopez
Match 6
Bobo Brazil vs Killer Kowalski
After failing to win the heavyweight title, Brazil took on the Killer just four days later. In the storyline, Brazil was weak because of the grueling Texas Death Match and Kowalski rendered him unconcious, causing the ref to stop the match.
Winner: Kowalski by stoppage
Match 7
Skull Murphy vs "Sailor" Art Thomas
Skull Murphy was Canadian born John Joseph Murphy who was one half of a heel tag team with Brute Bernard in the 1960's. Thomas made him submit to the bearhug.
Time of match: 12:33
Winner: Thomas by submission
Match 8
Bruno Sammartino vs "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers for the World Heavyweight Championship in a 2 out of 3 falls match
Under the orders of Toots Mondt, Bruno gets his long awaited title shot against the champion. Buddy got the advantage 11:39 into the match when he landed a running knee to the head and got the three count to take the first fall. Then 6:59 into the second fall, Bruno made Buddy submit to the bearhug. For some inane reason, Bruno thought he had won the title and started celebrating on the apron. Buddy ran up and knocked him into the steel barricade where Bruno was counted out to end the match. Fans were LIVID but Buddy was still the champion.
Time of match: 18:58
Winner: Rogers 2 falls to 1 (still World Heavyweight Champion)
After surviving a Texas Death Match just four days earlier, Buddy just beat Bruno Sammartino in his home town 2 falls to 1. Who's gonna stop Buddy now, Edouard Carpentier? Logically Gene Kiniski should get a title shot but he's being jobbed out for some inane reason. Its going to be interesting tomorrow on television what happens next. I'll see you in Bridgeport, CT for the next TV taping.
