WrassleMania IV: The Final Frontier
WrassleMania IV was one of the most talked about WrassleManias of them all. Some odd happenings, and outcomes were the result of the night, causing a great shift in momentum in the Alliance. We saw the Boss step in the ring against one of the best, and we saw a hero turn his back on his fans in order to insure his Championship reign.
Maybe the best one in a while, The Final Frontier was billed as the last WrassleMania event, but forged a new beginning for the business, and more specifically, the Alliance.
Marcus came out to a great ovation. The crowd really seemed to be in his corner for this one, knowing that he wasn't just facing Sullivan, but the forces of Arkansas, Inc. as well. Marcus looked in great shape, as he was indeed ready to win some more gold here in the Alliance.
Stevie came out to a barage of boo's, as well as he heard that awful "mini me" chant. Pissed off before he even got in the ring, Stevie made the announcement that he would referee his own match for the night, himself being the Senior official here in the E.W.A.
The match saw non-stop action, back and forth, momentum swaying to either side variously through the match. It wasn't until Stevie started to lose his cool, that Arkansas came out in his battle gear, out to try and help Stevie. As he reached to pull Sullivan out of the ring, Marcus pushed down the old man, and delivered a smashing power-slam to Sullivan, and counted the 3 for himself, therefore winning the People's Television Championship.
Arkansas then grabbed the mic and stated since Marcus was not a sanctioned official, that his count was null and void, and an automatic grounds for disqualification, therefore Stevie remains the Champion. This did not go over well w/ the crowd, nor w/ Marcus, as he left the ringside area screaming his head off. Joe Citron came out to console his friend, but was pushed away by the young Vitale. As Citron stood in the ring bewildered, backstage, it was Marcus who entered the lockerroom of Cage Flair of all people. But why?
The most highly anticipated match of the night put Arkansas T. Justice, owner and real old man, up against the fiercest lion in the E.W.A. stable, "Iron Man" Area 51. On paper alone, Arkansas didn't have a snowball's chance in hell, but somehow he pulled it off.
As Arkansas made his way out to the ring, he cleared the air as to who would be the special guest referee that everyone was asking about. Rumors held that Stevie would be retained as the official, only to ensure that Arkansas would leave the Arena alive, however they were wrong. With a shortage of referee's that night, the Boss decided that he and Area were sanctioned for the night as officials, and that either one could make the count.
As the match started, Area 51 had the upper hand. Powerbombing, suplexing, and literally beating the crap out of Arkansas for nearly 10 minutes, until the "Natural" decided to whip out some of his Bunkhouse goodies. Chairs, pieces of wood, golf clubs, and even fans were used in as instruments of "Justice." When Arkansas got an upper hand, the power of Area 51 was just too much for the old man to keep down, as Area kicked out of Arkansas' feeble pinning attempts.
Nearing the end, Area decided that it was time for Arkansas to take a swim, so, reminiscent of the original WrassleMania, it was poolin' time for the Boss. Area dunked him, then laid him out atop a wooden table. As Area climbed to the top, he missed as Arkansas moved out of the way, and then is where all hell broke loose. The Enforcer, out of nowhere came out to beat on Area 51. He then ripped his black mask off and revealed himself to be none other than Joephus!!!
Arkansas seized the opportunity, and covered Area 51 like a cheap $2 stoher, I mean, whore, and won the Universal Championship for a second time.
BIG Joe Citron, and Slim Savvy go way back. They have trained together for many years, and have even fought once or twice just for the sport of it, but when you add a major prize, the E.W.A. Intercontinental Championship, for example, then the blood begins to boil, and greed consumes the mind.
Citron was one half of the World Tag Team Champions going into this match, having been bequeathed the new partner to Flair by the legend, Ed Skinner. Citron had momentum on his side, but Saavy had the stamina advantage. In submission matches, probably the most dangerous of all matches, stamina is key, and perhaps Savvy was in command.
The match went a good 15-20 minutes of pure heart and desire. Each man went for the submissions they master several times prior to the entrance of Marcus Alexander Vitale. Marcus came out and tried to mess up Citron's golden opportunity to become the new IC Champ, but Joe had help in the form of his Tag Team Championship partner, Cage Flair. Flair ripped Marcus off the apron, which caused the referee to step out of the ring to yell at Marcus to leave.
Flair took a heel turn as he took the precious E.W.A. World Heavyweight Championship belt, and blistered it right in Citron's face, knocking him out cold. Savvy, ever the opportunist, applied an arm-bar submission to the knocked out Citron, making the referee believe he passed out from sheer pain, causing him to call the match, and award the decision, and the Intercontinental Championship to Slim Savvy.
Shortly thereafter, Flair announced that he renounced the Tag Team Championships, and made Marcus his new Executive Consultant, even giving him a new name of "Showboat." Truly some wild happenings.
For Cage Flair, his first title defense was perhaps his most intense. Ten minutes before he walked through the curtain, he lost the crowd. He became a marked man, and lost any respect they had for him. Also, factor in the fact that he was facing his best friend in the entire world for the only prize that previously eluded him for so long.
Flair emerged with that cocky look on his face that made his idol a hated man for so many years. The arrogance and brashness really made the crowd sick. Eric came out as the hero of the day. If anyone could kick the ass of the now most hated man in the E.W.A., it would be the former 2 Time World Heavyweight Champion, himself.
Classic mat wrestling, and a barage of knife-edge chops was the constant in this match. Momentum swayed back and forth, until Eric had Flair all set for his vicious Big Eric Kick, only it was well scouted by Flair, the man who basically taught Eric all he knows. Flair tripped up the "Notorious One" as he swung his leg, and then applied his devistating "Charlotte Cloverleaf" submission to cause a tap out. Although Eric never tapped, he lost due to BIG Joe Citron coming out in retalliation to what happened to him in the previous match.
He came out with this vile shtink-weed, known as the "Broccoli Rabe" and shoved it down the throat of Flair, then giving him the deadly "Absolut Citron" chokeslam, almost through the mat. Had it not been Marcus who beat Citron over the back with a bat, that Flair would have been pounded profusely by this really BIG dude. Flair made sure he grabbed his precious belt, and escaped as the Champion.
Steve "The Stuff" Silverman, who was the Enforcer's scheduled opponent, was stuck at his home in S. Wichita, settling his contract disputes. The Enforcer, who previously revealed himself to be Joephus, alive and well, was left with no opponent. To make up for the lack of competition, Arkansas came out and gave Joephus his Universal Championship back to him, claiming that he never lost it, and that it belongs around his waist.
As the Enforcer recieved the belt, he issued an open challenge for the Championship, and Arkansas said that he would be the special guest referee for the match. No one seemed to answer the challenge, until Showboat emerged and demanded he be the challenger. Arkansas granted it, and aided his Enforcer any way he could in order to protect the Universal Championship.
Showboat grabbed the Title belt, and whopped the Champ with it, and then covered him for the win. Arkansas refused to count it, until Area 51 came back out and nearly broke the arm of the Boss, until he made the 3 count, and gave Showboat the Universal Title. This isn't over yet, not by a long shot between Area 51 & Arkansas, Inc.
These two guys have done it all. Tag Team Champions, Heavyweight Champions, and all around awesome competetors. This match was the highlight of their careers.
The match was non-stop action, classic mat wrestling, flips and spins, moves after moves, after moves of pure excitement. Too much excitement to write about, being this match was 75 minutes of excellence.
It was Español who landed his beautiful Northern Lights Suplex at the 73 minute mark, only to have Da Jesta kick out, amazingly. Español, getting frustrated picked up Da Jesta and went for one more Northern Lights, but it was Da Jesta who reversed it, and delivered his patented 8-Ball Driver, drilling the masked Luchador into the mat, knocking him out for his first, last, and only pinfall of the match, between the 74 & 75 minute mark. What a classic!
Not only did it immortalize these two great athletes as being the best we have to offer, but it immortalized the E.W.A. as the best damn backyard organization in the business. WrassleMania IV was perhaps the best WrassleMania of them all. It set the pace for the future of Pay TV events, and laid down the foundation for the future of this business. I for one am glad to have been a part of history.
© Copyright 2001-02. Arkansas, Inc., "Because We Say So!"
