GWF Supercard on ESPN

Air Date: 08/05/1991

Location: Global Dome (Sportatorium) in Dallas, TX

Announcers: Craig Johnson & Scott Hudson 

Notable Happenings 

Cactus Jack debuted as a new member of The Cartel. He gave the group a much-needed edge, and as an entrant into the tag title tournament, he instantly had the best match of the show in a tag squash with Makhan Singh. 

Sunny Beach & Steve Ray cut a team promo and Ray was surprisingly good, and showed a lot of charisma. The surfer gimmick was lame, but Ray made it so they didn’t come across as bad because he seemed cool. 

Eric Fontain & Randy Rhodes turned on their respective partners to form a team under the guidance of Christopher Love. For some reason, they thought this meant they advanced in the tournament. 

The New Zealand Militia debuted as heels, cutting a promo that proved why they didn’t get much mic time in WCW.

The Results 

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Cactus Jack & Makhan Singh def. American Breed in 6:38. **

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Mike Davis & Tom Davis def. Gran Coloso & Firecar in 6:34

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Johnny Ace & Bill Irwin def. Jeff Gaylord & Blue Avenger in 8:53 *1/4

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Eric Fontaine & Quick Rick NC Randy Rhodes & Brian Adias in 6:13 *

Rating: 4.0/10

Cactus’s debut was a much-needed breath of fresh air with the match and promo. They’re doing another tournament with a first round full of long squashes, but they were still desperately trying to fill three to four hours a week. I’m sure this is on a weird GWF curve, but not a horrible episode. 

GWF Supercard on ESPN

Air Date: 08/06/1991

Location: Global Dome (Sportatorium) in Dallas, TX

Announcers: Craig Johnson & Scott Hudson 

Notable Happenings 

Lane was teaming with Cox under duress because the GWF told him he couldn’t team with himself, despite being the greatest tag team wrestler of all time. Cox was on national TV about five years before this, and was still playing a young boy in this angle. Lane and Cornette did a strong interview to get it over. 

Tatum accidentally superkicked Price, but I’m not sure if that goes anywhere here. 

The Results 

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Stan Lane & Steve Cox def. Kendo Nagasaki & Dark Ninja in 6:54 *1/4 

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Steve Simpson & Chris Walker def. John Tatum & Rod Price in 7:35 **

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: The Royal Family def. Chaz & Terry Garvin in 7:52 *3/4

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Sunny Beach & Steve Ray def. Chica Torrez & Aztec in 7:43 DUD 

Rating: 3.5/10

The Beach & Ray match was legit something the company should have been embarrassed fo air on television, but it’s definitely worth some laughs. There were two other decent tags and a fun story where Jim Cornette and Stan Lane added some seasoning to this bland ass steak. 

GWF Supercard on ESPN

Air Date: 08/07/1991

Location: Global Dome (Sportatorium) in Dallas, TX

Announcers: Craig Johnson & Scott Hudson 

Notable Happenings 

Bad News Brown debuted on the show, winning a first-round tag tournament with Nick Busick. Considering he worked both Savage and Hogan in the last few years, this may have been the biggest active name they had at the time. 

Scotty the Body debuted as Scott Anthony, the newest member of the Cartel. He was tremendous already. 

The Handsome Stranger was establishing the gimmick of being “a romantic” and saving his identity for his wedding night and his bride, per his bad promo. This was supposed to be code for remaining a virgin until his wedding night as well. Jesus, this was incredibly corny, even for a different era. Bagwell ended up making it, but this gimmick blew. 

The Results 

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Bad News & Big Bully Busick def. The Patriot & Terry Daniels in 7:28 *

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Remegade Warriors def. Cuban Assassin & El Cubano in 9:56 *1/4 

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Rip Rogers & Scott Anthony def. The Handsome Stranger & Steven Dane in 6:42 *1/2

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Round One: Joel Deaton & Billy Black def. The Nightmares in 7:42 *1/4

Rating: 3.0/10

None of the matches were good on this show, but at least the Cartel is growing with talent. These tournaments are insufferable in a row like this. 

GWF Supercard on ESPN

Air Date: 08/07/1991

Location: Global Dome (Sportatorium) in Dallas, TX

Announcers: Craig Johnson & Scott Hudson 

Notable Happenings 

Stan Lane finally turned on Steve Cox after they lost in the tag title tournament. They were interviewed before the match, where Lane and Cornette berated Cox again, and Stan wore sunglasses indoors. Both he and Cornette gave Cox a beating and left him lying after the march, then cut a strong, pre-taped promo. Their entire arc in this tournament was a win. 

Christopher Love did a promo with Randy Rhodes and Eric Fontain to solidify their team, but they were informed they had been removed from the tag title tournament, and Makhan Singh and Cactus received a bye. 

Scott Anthony got a solo promo, and the Cartel did their first promo as a group. I don’t know about Makhan being the vocal leader. He might be the least-equipped of this group, but he had the longest nation run of the four, I suppose. They were still a fun group, as they continued to tease the identity of the Boss. 

The Results

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinals: Mike Davis & Tom Davis def. Bill Irwin & Johnny Ace by DQ in 8:26 *

GWF Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinals: Chris Walker & Steve Simpson def. Stan Lane & Steve Cox in 13:35

Rating: 4.0/10

The show is getting better. The heel vs. heel Davis brothers tag was long, and the crowd didn’t give two shits, but the main event was solid, and the crowd was starting to get into Chris Walker.