The New Year looks to start off with a big bang!
    In mere hours, Mike Haggar will try to wrest the World Title from his former protégé, Jack Slade.  Ron Grayson and Terry Sky fight for the North American Title.  Skarzz and Doomsday will try to destroy one another, as will the Eastern Powers and the All-Americans in a Gulag match.  Kodiak Marmoset must beat Clone or leave the SMWA, while Oni and Teioh may be serving as harbingers for something even bigger.  Already, it's looking to be a big night.
    But there would be more.
    The LA. Convention Centre was packed with thousands of SMWA fans, all looking to get a glimpse of some action before moving over to the Great Western Forum for New Year's Smash.  Here at Smashed Up!, we have quite the show for you as well.
    Two newcomers will make their debut.  One will be a youngster by the name of Wally B, while the other is the infamous Dark Brand.
    A Battle Royal will be held to determine who will face the Flying Scotsman later tonight.
    There will be several matches held here at the Convention Centre on top of those other matches, including a feature match of Ghost vs Grant Redstone.
    We will find out just who won the SMWA Year End Awards and hear from some of the winners.
    And, as we begin 1999, we will take a look at the events of 1998 in an SMWA Year End Video.
    To start things out, SMWA Commissioner Jack McCullough came out and addressed the screaming crowd.  We were going to get some official greetings, along with a few year end awards.

McCullough:  Hello, Los Angeles!  Are you ready to get Smashed?!?!?!

    The crowd was screaming at a fever pitch.  Yup.  They were ready to get smashed.

McCullough:  Are you ready for The Gulag Match?

    Cheers.  They were ready.

McCullough:  Who here would like to see Kodiak Marmoset kicked out of the SMWA?

    Again, more cheers.  McCullough may have been acting a little biased, here, but he sure was getting the crowd going.  They didn't like Kodiak.

McCullough:  Do you want to see Ron Grayson and Terry Sky lock it up?

    Cheers again.

McCullough:  And what about the battle of the monsters.  What about Doomsday vs Skarzz!!!

    Dammit, McCullough.  People are still cheering.  They're ready.

McCullough:  Well, all that aside, there's still the big one.   You fans know which one I'm talking about.  Who is going to walk away with the World Title tonight when the teacher meets the student?  Is it going to be Jack Slade?

    A good reaction from the crowd.  They wanted to see the match, but it seemed like only half were cheering for Slade.  The other half?

McCullough:  Or, is it going to be Mike Haggar?

    The other half piped up.  People seemed to be split right down the middle.

McCullough:  Well, either way, I promise you.  It's going to be one hell of a night.  But it's still a few hours away, and we have a couple of things that need doing first.  This ring I'm in right now is going to be seeing a little bit of action in the next few hours, but that's not all.  We're going to be presenting the SMWA Year End Awards, but that's not all.  We are going to run you right through the year that was, the amazing year of 1998.  It was a breakthrough year for the SMWA.  But I have a feeling that 1999 is going to be even bigger.  With that in mind, I think we'll get right into the thick of things with our first award presentation.  Now, these awards have been voted on by fans like you across the United States, Canada and the rest of the world, and there are a few surprises here and there.  Anyway, let's get to it.  To present the award for Tag Team of the Year is YOUR SMWA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, JACK SLADE!!!

    The crowd exploded into cheers... Well, most of it.  Slade would definitely be in the running for Most Popular Wrestler, and he knew it.  With the World Title belt on his shoulder, Slade climbed into the ring with McCullough and was accompanied by a model who was holding two plaques.  The awards, presumably.

Slade: Wow!  You guys sure are excited.  I should have prepared some jokes or something...  Damn...  Well, I did see Monica earlier today.  She was hanging out around Sunset and.... Well, we won't go there.

    The crowd got the joke.  It wasn't great, but it was worth a reaction.

Slade:  Okay, so I'm not Billy Crystal, but I try.  Anyway, I'm here to present the award for Tag Team of the Year.  This was a lot easier to pick before all of the tag teams started breaking up.  The Super Powers, The Dream Team, SuperStars Inc., Los Viajeros Dos Mil.  All gone.  Very sad.  But, after all the votes were in, we had a winner.  The top three vote getters were...  The Super Powers - I'd pay to hear that acceptance speech -, Highland Hell and Simply the Best.  The winners, and your tag team of the year...  Hamish Mactavish and Angus Wallace, our favourite Lords of the Dance, Highland Hell!

    Highland Hell made their way down to the ring, looking quite happy that they had won.  Slade handed the plaques to them, gave a little salute and left the ring.

Angus:  Well, what can I say.  Looks like us Scots are invadin' everythin' here in Hollywood.  First, we got the movies like Braveheart, with my great great great thrice uncle as the star.

Hamish:  Mel Gibson was not your uncle.

Angus:  I'm talking about William Wallace.  Don't you be gettin' on me about relatives in movies.  I saw your mom in Trainspotting.  You've got nothing to talk about.

Hamish:  They paid her good fer that!

Angus:  Well, either way, it's good to see you fans have some sense.  Thanks for votin' for the obvious choice, and not for a couple of fruity luchadors like Air Raiders, who, incidentally, we're going to destroy later tonight.  Anyway, thanks for the award.  We deserve it!

    And, with that, Highland Hell left the ring, plaques in hand.  They sure weren't surprised to win, eh?
    More awards to come, but first, a little action.

    Well, last year at this time, Judgement pulled off a big win a Battle Royal to earn a shot TV Title shot against King Rasta.  This year, the former circuit court judge from Akron, Ohio, was up against this;

    Coming down to the ring, from Omaha, Nebraska, came the newest Slam Masters - at two hundred pounds, "Fly Guy" Wally B.  Decked out in a Raiders jersey, a Fubu hat turned sideways and really big pants, Wally danced his way to the ring... Or tried to dance... Really, he wasn't all that good.  When he got to the ring, he demanded the mic.  Doing a little dance before he talked, the running man, it looked like, Wally was ready to address the crowd.

Wally:  Yo yo yo, was up?  Dis be "Fly Guy" Wally B makin' his D - E - B - U - T at SMWA NYS '99, and tha 411 says this hommie's gonna get laid flat!  Can you dig that?

    Wally then turned around and was nailed with a lariat.  Judgement heard quite a few cheers.  Wally really wasn't working that mic as well as he could have.
    Judgement had most of this match, bullying the smaller B.  Wally had a few chances to take the edge in the match, but he'd go and do stupid things like dance or ask the referee "Was up?"  Wally had some genuine skills in that ring.  He was just a little distractible.
    For instance, at one point, Wally had Judgement down following a spinning leg lariat, but he proceeded to dance in the ring and wait for Judgement to get up.  Wally ran out of a running man to deliver a cross body press, but he was caught and powerslammed.  Silly mistakes like that.
    Judgement really could have ended this match whenever he wanted, but he didn't.... and that was his undoing.  Judgement picked Wally off of the mat after an attempted pin and placed him in the corner.  He charged in with an avalanche, but Wally moved and Judgement crashed into the buckle.  Wally told the crowd to "check on dis!" and he climbed the top ropes.  He flew off with a flying spinning leg lariat.  The Fly Guy was flying, and Judgement was laid flat.
    Dat been over.

Wally B pinned Judgement with the Flyin' Fly Guy in 0:13:14.
Rating: DUD

    Wally B had just beaten Judgement, and the big judge was none too happy about it, but he opted to slink to the back rather than attack Wally B.  The fans were already on him, and the Judge wanted no more.
    Wally danced... and danced... and danced...  and didn't stop dancing until SMWA Commissioner Jack McCullough came to the ring.  Wally tried to get McCullough to dance with him, but Jack wasn't having any of it.  Mic in hand, he started to talk.

McCullough:  Wally B, ladies and gentlemen.  Great dance, Wally.  We have to move along, though.

B:  You be dissin' me, Jack Mac?

McCullough:  Uh, no.  I be your boss, so I be asking you to leave the ring, or "step".  You dig?

B:  ... S'alright.  S'alright....

    Wally B had just made his debut.  The next few months should be fun.

McCullough:  That B Wally, folks.  Anyway, we have a few more awards to present.  One year ago, the SMWA Cruiserweight division became a reality, and it has provided us with exciting match after exciting match.  Tonight, we will give out our first ever Cruiserweight of the Year award, and to present it is one of the legends of the SMWA.  He's not a Cruiserweight by any means, but he does have a two hundred and thirty five pound weight limit on his daily meals....  "Jumbo" Jack Flap!

    The newest referee in the SMWA made his way down to the ring.  He gave McCullough a quick look once inside, but then laughed with the joke himself.

Jumbo:  Two thirty five?  What are you trying to do, McCullough, starve me?  Well, I aint no Cruiserweight... Not by a LONG shot.  But those guys have made the SMWA a much more exciting place to be over the past year.  The top three picks are...  Kodiak Marmoset... Johnny Proton... Ultimate Spider.  And the winner is.... The current SMWA Cruiserweight Champion, Johnny Proton!

    A wave of cheers went through the crowd, and out came Johnny Proton, looking pleasantly surprised.  This kid...  He's so humble.  He looked like he was about to cry as he stepped through the ropes and accepted the plaque.  Jumbo gave him the mic.

Proton:  Um, wow!  I mean, this is really nice of all of you, to vote for me like this.  Wow.  I mean, I figured Kodiak would win it.  Wow.  Uh.... Wow.  Well, sometimes I'm not the best at public speaking, and I can tell this is one of those times, so I'll just say thanks to all of you and I hope I can live up to your expectations.  Thank you.

    This has got to be the nicest, most humble kid on the planet.  Proton shook hands with McCullough and Jumbo and then left the ring.  Jumbo handed the mic over to McCullough, who would present our next presenter.

McCullough:  Next, to present the award for the Most Improved Wrestler, is a man who is truly one of wrestling's success stories.  Two years ago, he was going nowhere as a member of the Doomsday Hunters.  Since then, he's not only held the North American Championship, and not only has he worn the World Heavyweight Championship, but he's also become and asshole... and he's proud of it.  Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming... "TRICKY" RICK CLARK!

    Quite a few cheers as Tricky came to the ring.  The crowd even started a chant of "S - t - B" and what seemed to be a complementary chant of "asshole".  Clark was drinking it up.  He climbed into the ring and gave the crowd a little treat.

Clark:  Hello City of Angels.  A hooker on every street, you shoot the people you meet and there's that theatre with concrete feet.  If you still don't know what I'm talking about, two little letters will make it painfully clear.  L - A!  If Terry Sky's out there, I've got some bad news for you.  Rasta's monkey came back tonight.  I saw him on top of your beemer and, well, I think it might be time for a new paint job.  Oh, and Slade, what were you doing on Sunset?  Jessica working today?  Oh, damn.  Sorry.  Raw nerve.  Sorry, Jack.  Go wrestle with shadows tonight, okay?

    Well, Clark sure didn't come out to make friends.

Clark:  Well, I'm here to present the award for Most Improved Wrestler of 1998, but first, I want to correct our esteemed Squishy Commishy.  I haven't improved since two years ago.  I've always been this good.  Anyway, this award goes to somebody who used to suck and then became pretty good.  Hence the "Most Improved" part.  Anyway, nominees are... West "They're going to start piping 'Bronco' through the PA soon, I've got such a streak going" Bronco....  Jack "Independent thought led me to the World Title" Slade....  And the man I would have voted for, Ron "I was smart enough to leave Terry Sky and join StB" Grayson....  And the winner is...  Well, cheer him while you can, folks, because tonight, he's going to be the former Television Champion.  West Bronco!

    Bronco came out to quite a few cheers.  Climbing into the ring, he took the plaque from Clark, who extended his hand in... well, some gesture.  Bronco looked at the hand and demanded the mic.  Clark gave it to him and left the ring.  Bronco gave McCullough a handshake and then started up.

Bronco:  Well, Rick, I reckon you're wrong about that TV Title thing, but that's not new for you.  Just so you know, I'm going to be presentin' you with an award later.  Yep.  You'll be gettin' the "From Main Event To Mid Card" Award.

    Clark turned in the aisle and gave Bronco a little smile.  Did a little bit of a "suck it" type motion and then went to the back.

Bronco:  Well, now you're gettin' your stables confused, Rick.  Your boy Cody's gonna get bucked up tonight.  Anyway, I'd like to thank you fans fer voting for me on this.  Even though I've won the TV Title, it's nice to see that y'all realize I've gotten better for that.  I guess if I have anybody to thank for that, it's three people.  First, Extinct, fer kickin' me out of the Doomsday Hunters.  Best thing that ever happened to me.  Second, "Titan" Tim Redbury,  fer takin' a chance and lettin' me in the Raiders.  It helped a lot.  And third, to my inspiration, who's right here in the front row, and I'd like her to come into the ring with me.  Bonnie, come on in here, please.

    There was a beautiful woman at ringside named Bonnie, who West Bronco had been seeing for quite some time.  Bonnie seemed a little surprised that she was being called into the ring, but she went in anyway.  Bronco handed the mic and his award to Commissioner McCullough so he could open the ropes up for Bonnie.  He asked McCullough to hold the mic for him.

Bronco:  Bonnie, I just want to say thanks for stickin' with me fer so long.  It's been a crazy few years, and most women wouldn't have stayed faithful ta anybody who's been on the road as much as me.  I wanted ta bring you up here for a couple of reasons.  One, I wanted ta show everybody the most beautiful woman this world has ever come up with.  Second, I just wanted ta say thanks and tell you that you are and have been the most important person in my life for the past five years.  And, third... Well, Jack had actually booked a little time for me to do this later, but I might as well do it now.  I've never met anybody like you before, and I don't ever want you ta get away.  So, if you'll have me...

    Bronco reached in to his pocket and pulled out a box!  He opened it up and inside was a gorgeous diamond ring!  Bonnie started to weep with joy.  Bronco got down on one knee and grabbed her hand, ring at the ready.

Bronco:  Will you be my wife?

    Bonnie quickly replied "yes".  Bronco finished putting on the ring and the two embraced and kissed as the crowd erupted into cheers.  West Bronco was getting married!  Good for him.
    Fitting.  A man wins Most Improved Wrestler and then goes and ruins his life by getting married.
    *KIDDING*
    Bronco left the ring with Bonnie, and McCullough was in tow, still holding Bronco's plaque.  He managed to win two awards already.
    On to more matches

    There's a reason some wrestlers get to be on the pay per view, while others are on pre-game shows.  And there's a reason some wrestlers are on the low end of pre-game shows.  Gestalt and Ferdinand blew every spot in this match except for the last one.  Ferdinand had Gestalt up on the turnbuckles, ready to deliver the Muerte del Toro.  Gestalt pushed him off and Ferdinand hit hard.  Gestalt quickly went up top and hit the pivot splash for the win.
    At least it was only five minutes.

Gestalt pinned Enrico Ferdinand with the pivot splash in 0:05:09.
Rating: -* 3/4

    Once that unpleasantness was done, Jack McCullough was out with a few more awards to give out.

McCullough:  Just want to publicly congratulate Bonnie and West on their engagements.  Couldn't have happened to two better kids.  Anyway, enough love.  Let's get back to wrestling.  To present the award for Comeback of the Year is the man who's made about three or four comebacks from injury in the last year.  He's also your Cruiserweight of the Year...  Johnny Proton!

    Proton came out to another great reaction.  Just by being the penultimate nice guy, he's getting quite a few cheers.  There are a few jackasses out there who aren't so loving of him, but there's a few degenerates in every crowd.  Proton got inside the ring and grabbed the mic.  This would be one of those cue card speeches that tend to permeate the awards show.  A bit classier that "aw, shucks".

Proton:  The Comeback of the Year Award goes to a wrestler who has either return to the ring after a long layoff, due to injury or "retirement", as it's sometimes called, or to a wrestler who has pulled his career together after a prolonged losing streak.  This year, the top three vote getters for the award are...  Alexander "The Grater"... "The Rebel" Jerry Kent... Oni.  And the winner is...  Jerry Kent.

    Kent came down to the ring to much the same reaction as Clark.  LA loves StB.  Kent came in to the ring, shook Proton and even McCullough's hand and took the plaque.  Then he grabbed the mic.

Kent:  Well, I'm going to appoint myself the classy member of StB tonight and just stick to talking about this award.  First, I know you fans and me don't always see eye to eye, but I appreciate the votes.  Some guys come back to loads of special effects, other guys go out there and run around like a maniac, I came back and did exactly what I did years ago - win.  I didn't have much to say, but I just saw West Bronco come out here and propose to his woman, and it brought back some memories, so wether you bear with me or not, I'm going to speak my mind.  Back in 1985, I left this sport so I could do something else that was always a dream of mine - settle down and start a family.  And I love my wife Martha and my daughter Katie more than anything else in the world, but sometimes that just isn't enough for a man.  For twelve years I sat at home, and I was a happy man, happy with my place in the world, but there was still something missing, and I always kind of knew what it was.  It was this.  Wrestling.  I'm not going to get all sappy here, but this sport has a way of grabbing on to you and not letting go, so that, after twelve years of doing something else, you've just got to come back to the place where you became a man.  I consider this award a victory for myself, for having the balls to come back after everything went and changed on me, a victory for my wife and kid, who actually suggested that I jump back in to the fire again, and I consider it a victory for the sport.  It took a man who had everything he needed in the world and gave him more than he could dream of.  So, thanks to all of you, and I'm looking forward to winning Wrestler of the Year next year.

    A good round of applause for Kent, who broke the "asshole" mode for a bit and talked from his heart.  After a twelve year layoff, it's hard to think of anybody else who deserves the award more than he does.
    Kent was about to leave the ring when McCullough tapped him on the shoulder.  Kent looked at him and asked "Now?"  McCullough nodded, handed him a plaque, and Kent was back in the ring.

Kent:  Okay, McCullough switched the program on me, so I've got to make a presentation for newcomer of the year.  I had something prepared in the back, but I obviously can't get it now....  The nominees are....  Ghost.....  The Flying Scotsman....  Kodiak Marmoset....  And the winner is.... well, it's Ghost.

    Ghost was making his way down to the ring.  Ordinarily, this wouldn't be a big problem, but we can't forget that Major Force and StB have started a little feud with each other at this point.  But Ghost came down to the ring alone, being booed all the way down.  He got into the ring and immediately engaged in a staredown with Kent.  Kent handed him the plaque, and Ghost took it.  There'd be no fight here.  Ghost grabbed the mic.

Ghost:  Those of you who want to see Major Force humiliate Simply the Best will just have to wait.  Obviously, there are no other choices for this award.  Nobody has had the impact on the SMWA that I have had, and that's all that there is to it.  But what do I get as a reward, McCullough?  I get to headline the pre-game show?  A former World Champion, nonetheless.  Well, rest assured, McCullough... Your time is coming soon.  I accept the award that is rightfully mine.

    Well, Ghost sure doesn't say anything that isn't somewhat chilling.  McCullough's  time is coming?  What is Ghost talking about?  Either way, there were really no other choices for this award.  The Scotsman and Kodiak both dominated a division, but Ghost shook up the major players in the SMWA from September on.  He was the right choice.

    Another couple of awards, another match.

    A couple of talented young cruiserweights in a bit of a spiral.  The Kid has had trouble stringing together victories since arriving in the SMWA, while Naga Yajito seems to have been assigned the role of cannon fodder for Teioh.  However, you cannot doubt the tallent of these two men.  They are both incredible competitors, and Yajito is a former Cruiserweight Champion.
    Quite a few cheers for the Long Beach native as well.  The Kid is liked in California... if nowhere else.

    The was Naga Yajito's match from the outset.  Before the Kid could even get into the ring, Naga jumped him on the outside and began to pound on him with chops and kicks.  Inside, things weren't any different.  Naga hit a Tiger suplex that nearly snapped the Kid in half before continuing to beat him down.
    The Kid didn't get in any offence at all.  Naga was on his way to a quick, convincing victory when he locked on an upside down surfboard move.
    The ref counted to three.
    NAGA YAJITO HAD PINNED HIMSELF!!!

The California Kid pinned Naga Yajito after a surfboard in 0:02:25.
Rating: ** 1/2

    Naga was irrate, while the Kid had no idea what was going on.  But seeing that Naga was about to tear him several new holes, the Kid knew enough to get the hell out of the ring.
    Quicker than expected, Jack McCullough was out with some more awards.

McCullough:  Los Angeles Convention Center, are you enjoying Smashed Up!

    The crowd was.

McCullough:  Well, we're at the halfway mark.  A few more awards, a few more matches and then we'll be ready to kick of the New Year with what might be the biggest match in SMWA History, and I'm not being Schiavonesque here.  Jack Slade vs Mike Haggar looms large on the horizon.  However, we will also see Doomsday vs Skarzz in a match that should bring the Forum down to its foundation.  To present Manager of the Year, I'd like to bring out Doomsday's manager and the man who won the award last year, Extinct.

    Extinct came to the ring to his usual boos.  He's just so thoroughly unlikeable.  After his long feud with Jumbo, his attempts to steal Rasta's monkey and the Doomsday Hunters invasion, who can blame the fans?  Extinct came into the ring and took the mic.

Extinct:  Good managers don't just manage World Champions.  They take mid-carders and turn them into the main event.  They decide what's right and what's wrong for their men.  A good manager is nothing less than a God.  One of the three candidates has done this for his men, and I don't think I need to tell you who.  The candidates for this award are Jessica Haggar, Saul Masters and myself.  And the winner is...  McCullough, I'm not reading this.  You can do this yourself.

    With that, Extinct threw down the envelope with the name of the winner and left the ring.  McCullough picked it up and read on.

McCullough:  The winner is Saul Masters.

    Plenty more boos.  Why are all the good managers heels?
    Masters made his way down to the ring just as Extinct was leaving.  Masters beamed a huge, sadistic smile at the Hunter, while Extinct just glowered at him and moved on.
    Saul Master deserves the award for persistence if nothing else.  After trying two incarnations of the Sins, Masters finally made it right by managing Alexander "The Grater" and Skarzz to a Tag Team Championship and by bringing together Major Force.  Extinct was strong for the first half and then fizzled.  Jessica Haggar had her dad and Slade, but she didn't do much once in the arena besides give support.  Saul Masters was the obvious choice.
    He got into the ring, grabbed his plaque and the mic.

Masters:  If any of you doubt that I deserve this award, all you have to do is watch what happens tonight.  It will erase any doubts that may linger in your puny minds.

    And Saul Masters was done.  McCullough waited for him to get back to the dressing room before he introduced the next presenter.

McCullough:  More threats from Major Force.  Cute.  Let's move on.  Our next presenter needs no introduction, and it is only fitting that he presents this award.  He is a former mayor of New York City, a former head of NYC's LEAGUE and is a five time former SMWA Heavyweight Champion of the World.  If anybody knows about inspiration, it's Mike Haggar!

    A huge ovation greeted the five time SMWA Heavyweight Champion of the World as he made his way down to the ring.  Even though some people may prefer Slade, not a lot of people dislike Mike Haggar.  He is and always has been loved by millions.  He climbed into the ring and began his speech.

Haggar:  Well, I've often said that wrestling is a sport that doesn't allow you to be human.  It's a cuthroat, vicious world filled with cheats, theives and egotisical psychopaths.  However, through this mass of craziness, some people stand out.  Those that take the high road.   Those that fight the good fight.  Those that stand up for what they believe in.  In a sport filled with insanity, there are always those who set the example for us to live up to and inspire us to do greater things.  The nominees for Inspirational Wrestler of the Year are... Jack Slade...  Johnny Proton...  Mike Haggar.  And the winner is....  Jack Slade.

    Uh oh.  Mike Haggar was about to present Jack Slade with an award.  This would be interesting.
    Slade came down to the ring to a lot of cheers.  He had a strange look on his face, a sort of "why now?" expression.  Regardless, the fans had given this award to him and he was going to accept it.
    Slade stepped into the ring and stood across from Haggar.  Haggar gave him the award, and there was an odd staredown between the two.  Not a look of hatred, though.  Just a look of realization.  A realization that, later that evening, they'd be involved in a war.
    Haggar handed Slade  the plaque and offered a handshake.  Slade took it.  It was a very business-like transaction.  Slade grabbed the mic as Haggar faded to the back of the ring.

Slade:  Don't you just love those awkward moments?  Well, anyway, thanks for your votes out there.  I've never really tried to inspire people.  I mean, it's never been my goal.  But it does feel pretty cool when people are impressed by your actions, I guess.  I'll tell you, back in Detroit, all those years ago, I never thought people would actually be inspired by things I do.  I know some people come out here and say that we're athletes, not role models, and I sort of agree with that.  We're not supposed to be role models, but we are, and we can't escape it.  So, I guess if I can inspire a few people out there, I should feel pretty good about myself.  And I do.  Thanks.

    A nice round of applause for Jack Slade.  And really, why not?  The guy has been the focus of numerous attacks on his person over the past year.  He's stood up to big men like Skarzz and Doomsday.  When most people would have just whacked Mike Haggar with a chair, Jack Slade simply said he couldn't team with him anymore.  And after all of that, the former petty theif from Detroit went out and won the World Title, effectively beating four men in one night.  Pretty inspirational.
    Slade left the ring first, then McCullough, and finally Haggar.  Watching Haggar and Slade walk off side by side would have been just a little bit too wierd.

    On to more matches...

    Another couple of highly talented Cruiserweights would face off in what should be a good match.  BC-2000 seems to be coming into his own, having taken the much larger West Bronco to a double countout a few weeks ago.  Rokuru is a former Cruiserweight champion and, with the help of Teddy, has managed to become a force in the Cruiserweight division.  The winner of this match could be grabbing some Cruiserweight Title shots down the road.

    BC-2000 took the early edge.  Mr. Springboard dazzled the pudgy Rokuru with several high risk moves early on but missed large on a springboard shoulderblock.  Rokuru side stepped and drove BC-2000's head into the mat, almost knocking him out.
    Rokuru dominated most of the rest of the match.  BC-2000 really hit his head hard on that mat.  The final few moves were pretty nice.  Rokuru hit BC-2000 with a cartwheel kick, then a rolling kick to the back of the head.  As BC-2000 got up off of the mat, Rokuru ran off the ropes and delivered a Yakuza kick right to BC-2000's face.  He made the cover and that was it.

Rokuru pinned BC-2000 after a Yakuza kick in 0:09:23.
Rating: *** 1/2

    Rokuru picks up a big win and puts himself back in the Cruiserweight Title hunt.  He gave Teddy a hug and then went to the back.
    Speaking of back, back to more awards.  Jack McCullough came out once again to dispense a little more hardware.

McCullough:  Ladies and gentlemen, to present our next awards, I'd like to bring out the voices of the SMWA, the un-B-Lee-vable team of John Lee and Tony B.

    A polite round of applause for our intrepid announce team.  Walked into the ring, each man with a microphone, and began to talk about our next awards.

Lee:  Well, L.A. sure seems to love the SMWA, don't they, Tony?

Tony:  Do you know somebody stole my wallet today?

Lee:  They did not.

Tony:  Did too!  Why would I lie about my wallet being stolen?  Seriously, if you have my wallet, you better use those credit cards as quickly as possible, because I'm calling to cancel them right after I'm done giving out this award.

Lee:  You're telling people that they can use their credit cards?

Tony:  NO!  That was a threat!  I'm saying if they don't spend it soon, they won't be able to.

Lee:  We'll check your hotel room later.  Anyway, we're here to present two very different awards.  Every day, you SMWA fans come to the arena and cheer on your favourites and boo your less than favourites.  We're here to reward your cheers and boos, but in award form.  We're here to present the awards for most Popular and Most Hated Wrestler of the Year.  First, the award for the man you hated the most.

Tony:  Now, I'm not going to tell you who wins, but he is REALLY not liked, if that's a hint.

Lee:  Thanks, Tony.

Tony:  No problem.

Lee:  The men you love to hate are...  Kodiak Marmoset...

Tony:  That poor, misunderstood man.

Lee:  Skarzz...

Tony:  He really can't help it if he's different.

Lee:  And Chad Hillsman.

Tony:  Well, um...  Okay, THAT guy is a jerk.  And the winner is...  uh-oh.  Chad Hillsman.

    Well, Chad certainly earned the award on his way to the ring.  Nobody was cheering this guy.  It's been said before, but this is probably the most despicable man ever to step foot in a wrestling ring.  Xenophobic, slightly racist and a complete jerk, Chad Hillsman stands up for America but represents all that is wrong with it.
    Chad climbed into the ring, grabbed his trophy and a microphone, and began to preach.

Hillsman:  Well, this shows you exactly what is wrong with this country.  I can tell you right now, the true Americans, the ones who believe what our founding fathers set out for us, didn't vote for me on this one.  I look out at all you half-breds out there and I can see who "won" this award for me.  The Spics.  The Japs.  The....

    Hillsman's mic went out as the crowd let out the loudest boos it had heard in a while.  Chad grabbed another mic, but that one wasn't working either.  Tony and Johnny played dumb, and McCullough claimed to have no idea what was going on.  Hillsman took his award, yelled an obscenity at the crowd, and then left.  The announcers waited a few minutes before talking again.

Tony:  Do  you think he's gone?

Lee:  Well, we've regained audio, aparently, so let's get on to our next award.  Tony, would you like to read the candidates.

Tony:  Me read most popular?  Sure.  Okay.  Here are the three names...  Mike Haggar, yeah, if I let my daughter run around a wrestling ring, I'd be mister popular, too.  "Titan" Tim Redbury...  It's the accent, you know.  People dig the accent.  And, finally, "The Rebel" Jerry Kent!

Lee:  He's not nominated!

Tony:  I voted for him!

Lee:  Read the real name!

Tony:  Fine.  Jack Slade.

Lee:  And the winner is...

Tony:  Maybe Jack Slade stole my wallet.

Lee:  ...Mike Haggar!!!

    Much like Chad Hillsman, Haggar earned his reaction on his way to the ring.  This guy is just loved by millions.  He leads by example, takes on all the big guns and never backs down.  He is pro-wrestling's Superman... and the most popular man of 1998.
    Haggar climbed into the ring, shook hands with everybody and took his award.  He then grabbed the microphone.

Haggar:  Well, thank you all.  I know it sounds corny, but I never started wrestling to be popular, but I guess it just sort of happened.  Seriously, though, it's nice to know that I have a place in all of your hearts.  I refuse to give a whole speech about how popular I am, so I'll leave it at that.  Thank you.

    Nice, short and to the point.  Mike Haggar has no problem telling people what he's done, but he's the last man to brag about his own popularity.  Good for him.
    Next up, a debut.  We were going to witness the valour, the adventure, the passion.  We would witness....

    Kenji Hashimuto came to the ring first and was faced with a very difficult task.  Waiting.  The Brand has been hyped for weeks, and if what we've seen is any indication, it should be an interesting match to say the least.
    The lights in the LA Convention Center dimmed, leaving only the lights from outside.  Unbeknownst to Hashimuto, a dark figure was sliding down a rope on one side of the arena.  He was wearing a black trenchcoat and a bowler hat.  He hit the floor of the Convention Center and began to stalk his way to the ring.  Quite literally leaping the guardrail, the Brand slid into the ring.  Hashimuto turned around and caught a big spin kick to the face.
    This was the Dark Brand.
    Still in his trenchcoat, the Brand delivered another pair of spin kicks and Hashimuto fell to the outside.  The Brand took the trenchcoat off, revealing a toned two hundred and fourty pound man dressed in a sharp pair of slacks and an old style english shirt, sleeveless.  A scarf covered the lower half of his face.  The bowler came off to reveal a head of slicked back blonde hair.  He looked quite dapper, if nothing else.
    Hashimuto came back in and charged at the Brand, who side stepped, kneed him in the stomach and then hit a beautiful Tiger Driver.  Kenji stumbled back up and was floored with a Death Valley Driver.  The Brand went up to the top rope and waited for Hashimuto to get up.  When Kenji had reached his feet, the Brand flew off with a flying shoulderblock, felling his larger opponent.
    The Brand then began to stalk around the ring, waiting for Hashimuto to get back to his feet.  When he did, the Brand hit him with an inverted atomic drop and followed up with a high cross body for a near fall.
    The Brand continued to use his speed to deliver a variety of spinning kicks to Hashimuto.  Kenji was finally able to get a few shots in, including a big thrust kick that nearly rolled the Brand in half, but it wasn't enough.  The Dark Brand was too crafty and too resourceful to be stopped.
    Kenji missed a spin kick and the Brand countered with a swift backdrop driver.  He then hit a flying DDT and picked Hashimuto up.  He irish whipped him into the corner, but Hashimuto reversed.  The Brand hit the buckle and Kenji ran in.  Brand connected with a boot to the stomach and then hit a modified legsweep faceslam, sending Hashimuto's face into the turnbuckle.  With Kenji dazed, the Brand climbed up onto the buckles and locked him in a front facelock.  Jumping off with Kenji in that facelock, the Brand delivered a textbook Tornado DDT.  Nightfall had hit Kenji Hashimuto.

The Dark Brand pinned Kenji Hashimuto with the Nightfall in 0:08:06.
Rating: * 1/4

    The Brand, upon being declared the victor, reached into his pocket and grabbed something.  It was a glove of some sort.  He put it on his right hand and picked Hashimuto up.  Quickly, he delivered a spinning backfist to the side of Hashimuto's face, knocking him back down once again.  The Brand then grabbed his coat and stalked away from the ring.
    A close up on Hashimuto's face revealed a big letter "B" imprinted into the side of his face.
    The Dark Brand had struck.  What a debut!
    The arena stilled and Nick Jones made his way down to the ring to hand out the next few awards.

Jones:  How are you doing, folks?  Mr. McCullough has a little bit of business he needs to take care of, so I'll be taking over for a little bit.  We're moving into the more historical moments of 1998, now.  These awards are not being given to a wrestler per se, but to a moment, a story, a memory.  This will be the first of three "Year In Review" type segments to close out the afternoon.  First, we have an award to present for Feud of the Year.  Feuds are a part of pro-wrestling that will never disappear, but there are some that not only grab our attention, but complete fixate those involved to the point where it dominates not only their career, but their thoughts.  We've had some great feuds this year.  Mike Haggar's feud against Rick Clark and Simply the Best cost Haggar his best friend, cost his daughter her boyfriend and gave us a true classic at Thanksgiving Thunder.  Skarzz and King Rasta put it all on the line a thousand times over as each man tried to destroy the other.  Biff Slamkovich and Gunloc are two men that had teamed for years, and it was a relationship that ended in betrayal.  However, if there has been one feud this year that lives and breathes on absolute hatred, it would be this one...  I'll warn everybody.  If you're squeamish or have neck problems, don't watch this clip.
 

Zangief had won the match, but it wasn't over.  He refused to untie the strap from Hillsman's throat.  In fact, Zangief whipped Hillsman over the top rope and HANGED him with the strap.  Hillsman was struggling to get free, but Zangief was too strong.  His face was slowly turning redder and redder as the blood rushed to his head.  The camera zoomed in close to Hillsman's eyes.  They were red.  Blood vessels had started to break.  It looked like Zangief was intent on finishing his issue with Hillsman once and for all!     A fleet of officials and security came to the ring.  They pleaded with Zangief to release the now unconscious Hillsman.  But Zangief had lost his mind and would not let go.  Hillsman wasn't fighting back any more and was starting to go into violent convulsions.     Finally, real help arrived.  Some police officers stormed the ring and grabbed Zangief.  A referee came to the ring with some scissors and cut the leather strap from Hillsman as fast as he could.  The police handcuffed Zangief and led him away from the ring kicking and screaming as the EMT's came to the ring with a stretcher and oxygen.  Hillsman was not moving.

Jones:  Really, after that attack, there was no other choice.  The Feud of the Year crossed national borders, into family gravesites and into the souls of both men, scarring them forever.  Chad Hillsman vs Zangief is the feud of the year for 1998.

    A mild applause from the crowd, who was still a bit taken aback by the attack that they had just seen.  Jones, undaunted, continued.

Jones:  Obviously, that feud in itself provided us with many a memorable moment.  And really, that's what wrestling is all about.  You have your favourites, the wrestlers you don't like and the matches you love.  But, when you look back years from now, you're not going to remember every attack and armbar that took place.  You'll remember a moment.  A point in time where everything stopped and you realized you were watching history in the making.  We had quite a few choices for Moment of the Year, but the moment that won was the most deserving of the bunch.
    It was the middle of June.  We were finally going to see Mike Haggar and Zangief face off in the same ring with Mike Haggar's World Title on the line.  It was supposed to be a historical meeting between these two.  It was.  But not because of Mike Haggar and Zangief.  It was historical because of what we thought wouldn't happen...
 

As Zangief entered, Clark slapped him on the back, making the tag. Clark leveled Zangief with a superkick, sending him from the ring, where he landed awkwardly on the outside.  Clark then hit Haggar with a superkick variation...below the belt.  He then signalled for the Sky-Driver and to the shock of all of the people of the crowd, he hit it.     1...     2...     3!!!     The crowd went absolutely silent. Rick Clark defeated Mike Haggar and Zangief: Rick Clark pinned Mike Haggar with the Sky-Driver in 0:16:56 Rating: ***1/2 (Rick Clark won the SMWA World Heavyweight Title)     Clark grabbed the World Title belt and left the ring, seeing Zangief was getting up.  He didn't even lift the title over his head over he left nor did he wait for the official word.  Zangief got up and chased Clark back into the dressing room.     Haggar slowly rose to his feet, looking towards the dressing room as the ring announcer announced "Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner and NEW SMWA World Heavyweight Champion, RICK CLARK!!!"  Haggar slumped against the ropes, a look of disbelief on his face.  Jessica Haggar came in to the ring to console her father, who simply was not supposed to lose tonight...not to Rick Clark.

Jones:  When Rick Clark won the World Title, the crowd went silent.  They couldn't believed what they had just witnessed.  Rick Clark was the World Champion.  In a match where the two greatest wrestlers of two countries were locking up, the man who was Simply the Best snuck in and took the Gold.
    We're going to be showing you a few moments later on in the show, including replaying the match you fans picked as the match of the year.  However, before any of that, we have another award to present.  To present the SMWA Award of Excellence, please welcome the current SMWA Television Champion, West Bronco.

    West Bronco, our Most Improved Wrestler of the Year, made his way to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd.  He climbed into the ring and started his speech.

Bronco:  Every year, we give out a Wrestler of the Year Award.  One man wins.  A lot of others go home very unhappy.  This year, the SMWA has decided to start up an award to give to a wrestler who, though not wrestler of the year, had a damn fine year in more ways than a won-loss record.  Every year, his award is going to go out to a wrestler who has spent his year not only being successful, but constantly improving and providing the SMWA with a star they can be proud of.  I'm not going to read out the candidates, because that would sort of narrow the Wrestler of the Year field, so I'll just tell you who won.  Like I said earlier, I owe this man for taking a chance on me, and I think that's one of the many reasons he won this award.  The first ever SMWA Award of Excellence goes to my good friend, "Titan" Tim Redbury!

    The crowd exploded into cheers!  Titan held the North American Title twice during the year, broke away from Terry Sky and formed the Raiders strictly to take care of Sky's group and is a current member of the War Championship team.  More than that, though, if you ask any wrestler in the back about men they look up to, Titan will be on that list... and it's not just because he is tall.  If anybody deserved recognition for his year, it was Titan.
    Rebury came down to the ring, all smiles.  He and Bronco exchanged a handshake and a hug.  Titan took his plaque and started talking.

Titan:  This is quite the honour, I must say.  I'd like to thank you fans for taking the time to notice me.  I've seen bigger men than myself get lost in the shuffle, and I'm glad I wasn't one of them.  Thanks to you, West, for your kind words and congratulations on your award.  It's been great seeing you turn into the superstar I knew you could become.  I'd like to thank my family back home in London for giving me all of the support I ever needed.  All I can say is that I'm going to keep on doing as I do and, with any chance, I'll be up here again as Wrestler of the Year in the new millenium.  Thank you.

    Titan was met with with a standing ovation from the crowd.  They love this Gentle Giant with all their hearts.  He's not too flashy, but he's a born leader and somebody the people look up to.
    Jonesy signed us off from the awards for a bit so we could go to our next match.

    Five tough men would step into the ring in a Battle Royal to see who would get a shot at the Toughman Champion, the Flying Scotsman, later in the night.
    Lovechild is a consumate mat professional and a submission expert.
    Mauling Bear is three hundred and fifty pounds of animal power.
    Martin Riley is a master shoot wrestler.
    Nitro is a tough brawler.
    Blackhook is an underrated star who is capable of beating most people out there on a good day.
    The winner of this match might actually provide the Scotsman with a challenge.

    None of these men are prone to high risks, so this wasn't much different than your typical Battle Royal fare.  The smallest man went out first.  Lovechild tried to take it to Mauling Bear but got leveled with a big football tackle.  Bear tossed LC over the ropes seconds later.

    x Bear threw out Lovechild after a football tackle in 0:03:02

    Not long after Lovechild went over the top, we lost another one.  Martin Riley had been working Blackhook over with a variety of mat holds before locking him in a painful armbar submission hold.  After thirty seconds in the hold, Blackhook was begging for mercy.  Riley obliged... by tossing Blackhook over the top ropes.

    x Riley threw out Blackhook after an armbar submission in 0:05:02

    The next few minutes were spent in a three way brawl.  Nobody seemed anxious to let anybody get eliminated, perhaps not wanting to be left alone with thier opponents until they had been sufficiently weakened.  As such, we'd see Riley lock on a Kata Hajime to Nitro, and Mauling Bear would just stand back and wait.  Ditto for a Grizzly Bearhug by Mauling Bear on Riley.  Nobody was rushing to get anybody out.
    Finally, Bear made his move.  He sent Nitro over the ropes with a lariat and then was charged by young Riley.  Bear ducked and Riley went flying over the top.  That was that.

    x Bear threw out Nitro after a lariat in 0:13:54
    x Bear threw out Riley in 0:13:59

Mauling Bear won a 5-man Battle Royal:
Rating: 1/4*

    Mauling Bear was on his way to getting Smashed tonight... and he just might against the Flying Scotsman.  Seconds removed from the battle royal, Bear is already an underdog.

    We went back to the ring for some more time with Nick Jones.  And, some more awards.

Jones:  We're about to crown a Wrestler of the Year for 1998.  But what is a wrestler without the big matches and the big events?  The answer, quite simply, is nothing.  It's the big shows that make the big stars, while the big stars can also make a big show.  This year, two shows stuck out head and shoulders above the rest.  Crash Carnival '98 and Thanksgiving Thunder.  In choosing the biggest event of 1998, we have to look not only at the matches on the card, but the signifigance of the card itself.  Crash Carnival had what was effectively the end of the Doomsday Hunter's assault on the SMWA.  It had Doomsday suffering his first pinfall loss.  King Rasta lost his monkey, Ron Grayson and Andrew Marshall ended their feud with a stalemate, the Super Powers won their last Team Titles in the Four Way Crash, and two true classics took place, as Jerry Kent bested Jack Slade in a best of three falls encounter and Zangief beat Chad Hillsman in a vicious falls count anywhere match.  Those two matches were certainly match of the year contests.  Thanksgiving Thunder was equally impressive.  Oni returned, solving the mystery of the Light Man.  Ghost once again proved dominant, outlasting the Philadelphia X-Treme Machine, effectively ending the Doomsday Hunters.  Ron Grayson took the North American Title in a shocker from the seemingly invincible Titan Tim.  And Mike Haggar came up big once more, taking out Rick Clark and Simply the Best in one of the greatest matches ever.  But when we talk about great matches, we need look no further than the war between The Raiders and Sky Entertainment Ltd.  Many people, myself included, thought that this match would be completely forgetable.  It ended up being one of the most vicious, breath taking matches in wrestling history.  Crash Carnival was chosen as the Event of the Year, simply because of the sheer impact of what happened.  Your match of the year, though, wasn't a match.  It was a war....
 

The Rolling Thunder Match Falls-Count-Anywhere, Elimination Rules The Raiders vs Sky Entertainment Ltd.     When stables fight, outside interference is the hallmark.  It happens all over the wrestling world.  When the stables are this big, the team that interferes the best often wins the feud.  Tonight, the eight men of the Raiders and eight members of Sky Entertainment Ltd. will square off in a falls-count-anywhere match.  Everybody must be eliminated.  There will be a winner.     Five SMWA referees made their way to the ring, ready to try and keep the slightest control of what would amount to nothing less than a prison riot.     First out came Sky Entertainment Ltd.  The powerful Mauling Bear.  Martial Arts superstar Kenji Hashimuto.  The deranged Dark Angel.  Angus, Hamish and The Flying Scotsman, the three members of Highland Hell.  Terry Sky, the CEO.  And Ron Grayson.     Where was Ron Grayson?     Sky Entertainment Ltd. entered the ring, waiting for their Director of Personnel to make an appearance.  But nobody came.  Sky Entertainment had seven members in the ring.     Suddenly, Grayson appeared on SlamVision, Monica at his side.  They were dressed in street clothes and were standing outside Grayson's car.  Terry Sky made his way to the front of the ring.  He had grabbed a microphone from ringside.     SKY:  Ron, I don't know if you remember, maybe Monica just forgot yet another thing, but you have a match right now!     GRAYSON:  Terry, I know what you're thinking.  You're thinking I'm copping out.  You think that I'm running away from this match and leaving our fine company high and dry.  I can assure you, nothing is further from the truth.     Sky seemed relieved.  It sounded like Grayson was on his way.     GRAYSON:  However, there is just one little thing.  I am the North American Champion now.  As such, I'm Sky Entertainment Ltd's franchise, its corner stone.  This belt is our company's most important asset, and I think we'd be foolish to have me risk injury or worse by wrestling in this sort of a match.     Sky was about to say something, but he threw the mic down in disgust.  Grayson had done something stupid yet again.  And this time, it could very well screw up the whole company.  Sky started shouting obscenities.  Grayson seemed concerned.     GRAYSON:  Terry, don't get like that, okay?  Look, do you really think I'd leave our team high and dry?  No.  I went out and I found the best replacement that I could find.  This guy is a force for destruction.  He attacks with the precision and devastation of a crazy bear!  He'll sink his teeth into anybody, and he's got one hell of an animal for a manager.  When we lost Clepto the Clown, I thought we'd never find anybody to replace him, but I was wrong.  Terry, my replacement for tonight is....     Sky was in the ring, mumbling something under his breath.  It sound like "Please don't tell me.  It's not him!"     GRAYSON: THE TEDDY BEAR OF DESTRUCTION!!! ROKURU!!!     Sky's jaw dropped as Rokuru, Teddy on his shoulders, showed up on the platform by SlamVision.  He walked to the edge of the platform and started waving to the crowd.  Then he had Teddy wave.     We couldn't make it out exactly, but it sound like Terry Sky told the Flying Scotsman "Just shoot me!"     Rokuru continued to play on the platform, not even attempting to make it down to the ring.  Then we heard the music of The Raiders.     "Titan" Tim led the way with a big smile on his face.  Behind him, Steelworks, The Air Raiders, TV Champ West Bronco, Nord Fullstrom and Teknos.  Against Sky Entertainment Ltd. and ... ROKURU.     Much to his credit, Rokuru took some initiative.  Seeing the Raiders, he immediately jumped on Ultimate Spider.  Spider fought Rokuru off and the rest of the Raiders charged the ring.  Most of Sky Entertainment spilled out into the aisle to intercept The Raiders, but Terry Sky had stayed in the ring.  Titan charged the ring and went after Sky, who promptly left.     Climbing into the ring after Titan were Mauling Bear, Angus Wallace and Dark Angel.  Those three hadn't gone to far.     The Rolling Thunder match started with Titan being lured into a trap.     Hamish Mactavish was at the ringside area, wielding a steel chair.  He managed to crack the Raiders who made it that far.  El Stingray, Nord Fullstrom and West Bronco all tasted the steel.  Teknos made it past Hamish but ran into Terry Sky, who came to fight.  Rod Emerson and Andrew Marshall were caught further up the aisle by The Flying Scotsman and Hashimuto, who kept them from getting closer to the ring.  And Spider and Rokuru were battling on the SlamVision platform.     Titan bravely tried to fight off his three assailants in the ring, but to no avail.  It was one powerhouse against three.  Titan was in trouble.     Teknos wasn't used to a brawl like this.  Sky knew at least something about it, and he schooled the luchador outside the ring, taking his head into the steel ringpost before trying to choke him out with an electrical cord.     The Scotsman and Hashimuto were having trouble trying to contain Steelworks in the aisle.  The brawl was pretty equal, however, and Marshall and Emerson weren't getting any closer to that ring.     Spider and Rokuru were making interesting use of the scaffolding supporting the SlamVision screen.  Rokuru slammed Spider on the steel floor and then climbed up a few rungs of the scaffolding.  He jumped off to deliver a flying elbow, but Spider moved out of the way.  He jumped onto Rokuru and started slapping him in the ears.     At ringside, Nord Fullstrom and West Bronco were finally able to disarm Hamish.  Bronco tackled him while Nord Fullstrom grabbed the steel chair.  Seeing Titan getting pounded on by three men, Nord knew where he had to go.     Fullstrom stormed the ring and hit anything that moved.  Wallace was hit with a chair shot that sent him over the top rope.  Fullstrom took the chair to Dark Angel and Mauling Bear as well.  Nord then dropped the weapon, picking up Angel and dropping him with a power bomb.     Titan was getting back up and saw Mauling Bear on the other side of the ring.  Bear was still hurting from the chair shot.  Titan saw an opening.  He waited for Mauling Bear to get up and then locked his had around his head.  Titan lifted the over three hundred pound Bear high into the air and dropped him with a Claw Slam.  The Rolling Thunder match had it's first casualty as the ref counted to three. x Redbury beat Bear via the Claw Slam in 0:02:50 (The Raiders Lead 1 to 0)     Nord Fullstrom had matter wrapped up with Dark Angel and Titan saw his teammate Teknos being dominated by Terry Sky outside the ring.  Titan stepped through the ropes to help him.     Casualty number two came seconds later.  Nord Fullstrom grabbed Dark Angel by the throat and choke slammed him onto the steel chair.  It looked like the plan of Sky Entertainment Ltd. was falling apart. x Fullstrom beat Dark Angel via a choke slam in 0:04:02 (The Raiders Lead 2 to 0)     Before Fullstrom could even celebrate the fall, Angus Wallace hit him with another chair.  Wallace smacked Fullstrom with several chair shots before cracking him across the skull.  A groggy Fullstrom was no match as Wallace hit the For William.  x Wallace beat Fullstrom via the For William in 0:04:46 (The Raiders Lead 2 to 1)     El Stingray then leapt off the top rope and attacked his larger foe.  Wallace's worries didn't end after he pinned Nord Fullstrom.     Titan Tim had found Terry Sky outside the ring.  Teknos had been knocked out by a Lights Out bomb and Sky was about to make the pin when he felt a very large hand around his neck.  Titan had been waiting for this.     Redbury tossed Sky over the guardrail and into the fans.  Before Titan even climbed over the rail, he kicked across it and floored Sky with a big boot to the head.  Titan climbed the rail and began to beat the crap out of the CEO of Sky Entertainment Ltd.     El Stingray kept jumping at Wallace from every possible angle as Wallace's Highland Hell teammate Hamish was in the grips of West Bronco's clawhold.  Looking to kill two birds with one stone, Angus managed to catch Stingray when he went for a springboard plancha.  He then tossed Stingray right into the back of Bronco, causing West to break the hold.  Highland Hell was operating well as a team, even under these circumstances.     Another team was struggling.  The Flying Scotsman and Kenji Hashimuto hadn't let Steelworks out of the aisle for the duration of the match.  Finally, some headway was made.  The Flying Scotsman tried to hit an Asai moonsault off of the guardrail onto Emerson. Emerson managed to catch the Scotsman and powerslam him down to the concrete.  He went for the cover, but only got a one.     Hashimuto was kicking Marshall into oblivion and rared back for one final roundhouse.  The kick was telegraphed, and Marshall was able to duck.  The momentum of the kick turned Kenji around.  Marshall capitalized, wrapping his arms around Kenji and taking him out with a German suplex. x Marshall beat Hashimuto via a German suplex in 0:08:27 (The Raiders lead 3 to 1)     Marshall then took on the Scotsman as Emerson made his way to ringside.     Ultimate Spider and Rokuru were still fighting near the SlamVision screen.  Rokuru was peppering Spider with a series of kicks and Spider was getting dangerously close to the edge of the platform.  Rokuru went for a big spinning kick to the head.  Spider flipped off of the platform!  In an incredibly move, Spider had jumped off of the platform, flipped in the air and landed on his feet down below.  He grabbed the legs of a stunned Rokuru and pulled him down to his level.  Spider dropped him with a bodyslam and then climbed back onto the platform.  He waited for Rokuru to get back up, drumming up fan support as he waited.  Spider then JUMPED from the platform and tried to put Rokuru down with a flying sunset flip.  Instead, Rokuru grabbed Spider's legs as he flew and planted him with a Roku Driver on the CONCRETE!     Teknos, who was recovered, had seen his friend jump from the the platform.  He was rushing to his aid.  But he didn't get there in time to save Spider from the three count. x Rokuru beat Spider via the Roku driver in 0:09:59 (The Raiders lead 3 to 2)     Teknos couldn't save Spider from the pin, but he sure could attack Rokuru.  Those two brawled around the platform and, eventually, into a hallway leading someplace in the arena.      Rod Emerson managed to make it to ringside to attack Angus Wallace, saving West Bronco from a beating, but he didn't make it in time to save Stingray, who was on the business end of a splash by Hamish. x Hamish beat Stingray via a splash in 0:11:06 (The Match is tied at 3 eliminations a piece)     With ten men left in the match, each referee took a pair of wrestlers.     Titan Tim had just tossed a garbage can over the head of Terry Sky and kicked it at full force.  Not only was Sky dirty as hell, but his ears were ringing something fierce.  Terry got tossed into an arena wall.  He was having serious difficulties brawling with Titan.     The hallway that Teknos and Rokuru had brawled through appeared to lead to a lobby or concessions area of some sort.  Rokuru hit Teknos with a low blow and then proceeded to dump an entire concessions display onto him.  The display was full of replicas of Rokuru's friend, Teddy.  Rokuru pulled Teknos out from underneath the display.  He climbed onto the cash desk and jumped onto Teknos with a flying sitdown splash. x Rokuru beat Teknos via a flying sitdown splash in 0:12:25 (Sky Entertainment Ltd. takes a 4 to 3 lead)     Rokuru looked around at the carnage at the concession stand.  He then looked down at the sea of fake Teddy's and came to a shocking realization!     "I LEFT TEDDY ALONE OUT THERE!!!"     Rokuru ran back to the main part of the arena, intent on protecting his friend.     Rod Emerson and Hamish Mactavish brawled away at ringside, spilling over the guardrail.  The two started brawling through the crowd and, eventually, up a flight of stairs.  These two were heading towards the top of the arena.     Terry Sky finally was able to counter some offence by Titan.  Redbury charged him with a big lariat, but Terry pulled an unfortunate vendor into Titan's path.  Titan nearly knocked the scrawny kid's head off.  The vendor was out on the floor and Terry Sky capitalized by hitting Titan below the belt with a superkick.  He then grabbed the food the vendor was carrying and smashed it on Titan's back.  Terry then looked over to his right.  He saw another vendor nearby.  This one was working a pretzel cart.  Sky saw something he could use.  He DDTed Titan on the floor and went to get a few pretzels.     The Flying Scotsman and Andrew Marshall were rolling around in the aisle, neither man getting any sort of an advantage.     West Bronco and Angus Wallace were still at ringside.  Wallace charged at Bronco but West side stepped and sent Wallace into the ringpost.  Bronco then scooped up the Highlander and planted him with a Tombstone on the floor. x Bronco beat Wallace via the Tombstone in 0:14:59 (The match is now tied at 4 eliminations a piece)     West Bronco then saw that Teddy was still atop the ramp near the SlamVision screen.  Knowing how important the bear is, he ran right past The Flying Scotsman and Andrew Marshall, who were locked in combat.     A medical crew was checking on Ultimate Spider.  He hadn't gotten up since being driven into the ground by Rokuru.  His partner, El Stingray, was looking very concerned.     Terry Sky pulled a large numbed of bills out of his boot and gave them to the vendor running the pretzel cart.  "Tell me how to take the break off of this thing, get lost, and all this is yours!"     Andrew Marshall hit The Flying Scotsman with a vertical suplex that knocked both men into a daze in the aisle.  Marshall started to get up, only to see his tag team partner fighting Hamish Mactavish high up a flight of stairs.     Hamish and Emerson were going toe to toe on the steps.  Emerson had the higher step and Hamish looked like he would fall down the stairs at any moment.  Just when it looked like his balance was gone, Hamish grabbed Emerson by the trunks.  He hit him with a low blow and then grabbed him.  In an incredibly vicious moment, Hamish heaved Emerson over his head and dropped him down all of the stairs with a modified version of the Scottish Slam.  Emerson rolled down the stairs and landed with a thud.  Hamish followed him down and made an easy pin. x Hamish beat Emerson via the Scottish Slam in 0:16:10 (Sky Entertainment take a 5 to 4 lead)     Before Hamish even had time to gloat, he was attacked by Andrew Marshall, who had left the Flying Scotsman for dead and rushed through the crowd to help his partner.  It was too little, too late.  Marshall hit Hamish with a reverse clothesline, the back of Hamish's head hitting one of the steps hard.  Marshall made an easy cover and Hamish was as gone as Emerson was. x Marshall beat Hamish via a reverse clothesline in 0:16:25 (Each team has eliminated 5 people)     Marshall checked on his downed partner.  Emerson had hit probably every stair on his way down.  His nose was broken and his arm was swelling pretty badly.  More frighteningly, Emerson was completely unresponsive.  Another team of medics ran to where Hamish and Emerson lay, Marshall waving them over as if it would get them there quicker.     Also out of action was the Flying Scotsman.  He had moved since Marshall's big suplex, but was content just to lean on a guardrail and get his strength back.     Rokuru made his way back into the arena.  To his horror, West Bronco had already grabbed Teddy!     Terry Sky positioned the pretzel cart so Titan would be right in its way.  With all his might, Sky pushed the cart.  He had a twenty foot running start before he slammed the cart into the hip of Titan!  Titan crumbled to the ground.     Then Terry Sky got particularly vicious.  He lined the cart up parallel to Titan and backed up.     This was a pretzel cart.  It was not just filled with pretzels.  It was made of steel.  The pretzels were on display in a large glass case and new pretzels were made using, among other things, hot oil and salt.  It was damn heavy.     Terry Sky pushed with all of his might.  The cart began to tip.  Titan was still on the ground in pain with no idea what was happening.     The next thing Titan knew, a glass was breaking all over his body, cutting him into ribbons.  Hot oil was burning his skin.  Salt was searing his wounds.     Titan let out the most blood curdling, terrifying yell that has ever been heard in the history of the SMWA.  Covered in broken glass, hot oil and salt, Titan was in an excruciating amount of pain.  No submission hold, no chair shot, no finishing move could match the agony Titan was in.  Figuring he was as good as dead, Sky walked away from the scene of the crime and went to help out his teammates.     West Bronco continued to taunt Rokuru with Teddy, threatening to throw the bear into the crowd.  Rokuru got down on his knees and begged Bronco to give Teddy back.  Bronco looked down at Rokuru and laughed at him.  He wasn't laughing for long, though, as the Flying Scotsman clobbered him from behind.  Rokuru grabbed Teddy, put him under his arm, and proceeded to boot the crap out of Bronco.     The medics had stretchers for both Emerson and Hamish out near the stairs.  Ultimate Spider had just been taken to the hospital.  In all likelihood, he'd be visiting Alexander "The Grater" and would soon be joined by Emerson and Hamish.  Both men were loaded onto stretchers.  Marshall told them to take good care of Emerson.  He then turned to return to the match.     He turned right into a Terry Sky superkick!  Sky was waiting for an easy elimination, and the distracted Marshall was the easiest one around.  Sky kicked a fan out of his seat, laid the chair out on the floor and dropped Marshall with the Lights Out.  Out went Marshall.  x Sky beat Marshall via the Lights Out in 0:20:11 (Sky Entertainment Ltd. leads eliminations 6 to 5)     Security officers were working to help Titan Tim up.  His back was bloody as Hell and he was still in considerable pain.  He had pieces of glass stuck in various places of his body and several serious burns from the oil from the pretzel cart.  Security tried to carry Titan to some help.     Titan shrugged them off.  He had a match to wrestle.     Bronco was doing his best to fend off both The Scotsman and Rokuru, but he was overwhelmed.  He held tough, but Terry Sky showing up all but sealed his fate.  The three remaining Sky team members took turns brutalizing Bronco.  Finally, the Scotsman put him out of his misery with the Scottish Breaker.  Rokuru shoved Teddy in Bronco's face as the Arizona Cowboy passed out in the hold. x Scotsman beat Bronco via the the Scottish Breaker in 0:22:47 (Sky Entertainment Ltd has a lead of 7 eliminations to 5)     The Scotsman, Rokuru and Sky were the last three men on Sky's team.  Titan Tim was the last remaining Raider.  The Scotsman and Rokuru took a few moments to find out what had happened to the most dangerous Raider of them all.     "He's being deep fried and salted across the arena.  Let's finish him."     The trio turned around to walk down the aisle...only to find a Titan-ic roadblock.     Titan Tim's left arm was severly cut and bleeding heavily.  Blisters of bubbling skin had appeared on his back and, where those were not visible, there were cuts of all shapes and sorts.  The sting of the salt in the wounds could be seen on Titan's face.  He looked like he had just pulled himself out of a ten car pileup.     But Titan Tim Redbury was up.  This match wasn't over yet.     Sky directed the troops.  He ordered the Scotsman to make a charge.  Scotsman went right at Redbury and got booted in the stomach.  With whatever strength he had left, Titan lifted the Scotsman up and tried to deliver the Claw Slam.  Titan hit the ground hard, but the claw wasn't even half as effective as it should be.  Titan was on his way down in defeat.  There was no way any human being could withstand the kind of pain he was in.     Rokuru engaged Titan with several kicks as Terry Sky looked under the ring.  Sky brought out a fire extinguisher.  Sky clocked Titan in the back with the device.  Rokuru stopped kicking.  Sky yelled at him "You're Grayson's replacement, you better do a better job than he would.  You better do a better job than that!"  Rokuru kept up the kicks.     In defence, Titan grabbed Rokuru's leg and tripped him.  It was all he could do.  Terry Sky prepared another charge with the fire extinguisher.  Titan booted the extinguisher as Sky charged, knocking him down.  Rokuru went for a Yakuza kick as Titan turned around.  Using his good right hand, Titan CAUGHT Rokuru's boot!  Rokuru looked up in horror at a man who wasn't going to toy around.     Titan pulled the former Cruiserweight Champion in and locked his massive hand around the Teddy Bear of Destruction's face.  Weighing sixty pounds less than the Scotsman, Rokuru found himself experiencing the full height and full force of the Claw Slam.     The Teddy Bear of Destruction had been destroyed! x Redbury beat Rokuru via the Claw Slam in 0:25:00 (Tim Redbury gains a point, making it 7 to 6 for Sky Entertainment)     The Flying Scotsman and Terry Sky had recovered and attempted a double team.  Sky jammed the fire extinguisher into Titan's bleeding arm.  Redbury reeled in pain, but he wasn't going to go down.  He shoved Sky down with the left arm and punched the Scotsman with his right, putting the Toughman Champion on his ass!     Sky had dropped his fire extinguisher.  Titan picked it up with his right arm and threw it at Sky, who was getting off the floor.  The projectile stunned Sky.     The Scotsman staggered up to his feet.  The right by Titan had quite the effect.  Titan saw an opening.  Using his right arm, he heaved the Scotsman into a torture rack and pulled as hard as he could with his left arm.  The Scotsman, who's back was already hurt from his encounter with Marshall, gave up within seconds. x Redbury beat Scotsman via the torture rack in 0:26:10 (The man to eliminate his opponent wins the match)     Terry Sky got off the ground and saw an angry Titan Tim standing right in front of him.  Terrified of what might happen, Terry Sky took this match someplace it hadn't been in a long time - the ring.     The leader of the Raiders and the CEO of Sky Entertainment were in the ring.  Alone.  This one was for all the bragging rights.     Terry pleaded in the ring, hoping Titan wouldn't attack.  But when Titan got too close, Terry tried to jab him in the eye.  Titan caught Terry's hand before the blow could hit.  He booted Sky in the jaw and then hit a Russian legsweep.     Unfortunately, this move was a horrible idea.  Titan still had glass in his back, blisters all over and salt in the wounds.  A move that requires falling backwards is a bad one.  Sky recovered from it before Titan did.  Sky went up stairs and executed a perfect moonsault.  He went for the kill.     1..         2...     NO!  Kickout!  Amazing!     Sky went outside and grabbed one of Highland Hell's Championship belts.  They had been sitting there since the beginning of the match but hadn't come into play as of yet.  Sky knew just how to use them.     Titan slowly got up off of the mat.  Sky took the belt and began whipping Titan with it, nailing the sores and all.  Titan crumbled to the mat in pain.  Sky continued to repeat the move until Titan could barely move.  Then he forced him to his feet.  Sky was going to finish it.  With the Tag belt still in his hand, Sky set up Titan for the Lights Out!     Sky couldn't move Titan.  He was too big.  A fact made very clear by the look on Titan's face as he locked his right hand around Sky's face.  Sky still had the belt and continued to whip Titan's back.  Titan screamed in pain, but he wouldn't release the grip.  Sky continued to whip as he was lifted high in the air and dropped in the centre of the ring, Titan screaming in pain all the way.  Sky didn't whip anybody after the Claw Slam had driven him to the mat.  Titan made the cover.     1...         2..             3!!! x Redbury beat Sky via the Claw Slam in 0:29:49 The Rolling Thunder Match: The Raiders (Andrew Marshall, El Stingray, Nord Fullstrom, Rod Emerson, Teknos, Titan Tim Redbury, Ultimate Spider and West Bronco) beat Sky Entertainment Ltd. (Angus Wallace, Dark Angel, Hamish MacTavish, Kenji Hashimuto, Mauling Bear, Terry Sky and The Flying Scotsman) and Rokuru 8 falls to 7: Survivors: Titan Tim Redbury Rating: *****     Titan staggered to his feet.  How he did it, nobody knows.  But he had fought off three of the best of the SMWA at once, fought off a tremendous amount of pain, and had come out on top.     Titan briefly acknowledged the crowd on his way back to the dressing room.  He knew he was hurt, and he wasn't going to wait around to get treated.

    Just as they had during Thanksgiving Thunder, the crowd stood up and cheered the Rolling Thunder match.  It could have been the greatest encounter in the SMWA and was certainly the most vicious.  A match for the ages.

Jones:  That looks more painful every time I see it.  Wow.  Well, we have one award left this evening, and that is for Wrestler of the Year.  The top three choices are...  "Tricky" Rick Clark....  Mike Haggar....  "The Cruncher" Jack Slade....  And the Wrestler of the Year for 1998 is....  MIKE HAGGAR!!!

    The crowd exploded into cheers as Mike Haggar came to the ring once more.
    Two Time World Champion in 1998.  The man who pinnned Doomsday.  The man who defeated Zangief in a steel cage.  He beat Jerry Kent, cementing his position as the greatest SMWA Champion ever.  Only two men pinned him all year.  Rick Clark and Ghost.  He beat both of them.  Mike Haggar is truly deserving of Wrestler of the Year.
    He came into the ring, grabbed his award and shook Nick Jones' hand.  The crowd was up again, giving Mike Haggar a standing ovation.  Haggar saluted them and took the award.

Haggar:  Well, thank you.  This is a great honour, believe me, and I have a few people to thank.  First of all, thanks to all of you for being there with me every step of the way.  1998 has been a rough year, and it always helped having thousands of people behind me at every event.  I want to thank Jack Slade for being there for so much of the year.  Jack, I would have been lost without you at times, so I'll give credit where credit is due.  Still, I'll see you tonight.  Thanks to everybody who helped me deal with the Doomsday Hunters, you know who you are.  And, finally, I need to thank one special little lady.  Jessica, I don't know why you've stuck with your daddy so long, but I do appreciate it.  I know some of you think that she just comes out with me for moral support, but it's so much more than that.  Handling contracts, other things back stage...  She's a great manager, but more importantly, she's a great daughter.  Jess, I love you and I thank you.  You know, I don't know how many more years I have left in this sport.  It could be over five years from now, it could end tonight.  I'm just glad that I've been able to go out there everyday and do things the way they needed to be done.  And I've always done my best never to compromise my principles.  If that's what brought me success, then I couldn't think of a better place to be.  Thank you all very much.

    Another standing ovation for Haggar.  Thanking Jack Slade was a little shocking, but it showed a lot of class, too.  And that's one thing that has always defined Mike Haggar.  Class.
    Nick Jones came back on and explained that, after our next match, we would get a look at the SMWA during 1998 in a Year in Review special.  But first, we have Ghost and Grant Redstone.

Smashed Up! Main Event
Ghost w/ Saul Masters
vs
"Big Oz" Grant Redstone

    Ghost didn't waste any time starting this one off.  He was all over Big Oz from the start and had planted him with a Tombstone thirty seconds in.  Ghost kept up his assault, hitting Redstone with a few suplexes for a change, including a fisherman's suplex and a snap dragon suplex.  But Ghost started to get cocky.  He slowed his attack and started playing with Redstone, taking out some of his frustrations on Big Oz.  Redstone made him pay.  When Ghost went for a power bomb, Redstone grabbed his leg and locked on a kneebar.  Ghost made it to the ropes, where Redstone grabbed him and tossed him with a T-Bone Suplex.  Redstone quickly followed up with some quick elbowdrops and then placed Ghost up on top.  Redstone wrapped his arms around Ghost's waist and floored him with a belly-to-belly superplex.  He went for a quick pin.  Two count.
    Redstone started to pepper Ghost with a few rights and lefts and then whipped him into the ropes.  Ghost ducked a boot to the head and then connected with a flying lariat on the rebound.  Ghost caught Redstone as he got up and nailed a Thunder Fire Power Bomb.  Two count.  Ghost maintained his advantage, again nearly getting a victory with an inverted DDT.  Ghost bounced off the ropes and went for a Thez Press.  Redstone hit an inverted atomic drop and then followed up with an Aztecan suplex.
    The rest of the match went back and forth, each man hitting big moves.  Redstone hit a rolling German suplex.  Ghost connected with a top-rope DDT.  Redstone used a release Tiger suplex, but Ghost was able to hit a Northern Lights bomb to follow up.  Finally, it degenerated into a brawl, and Redstone got the advantage.  Looking to end it all, he wrapped Ghost up for a Northern Lights suplex.  Ghost managed to shift his weight in the air and brought Redstone down with a DDT.  Big Oz was hurting badly as Ghost picked him up and hooked his arms.  Ghost hit the Final Breath.
    1..
        2..
            3!!!

Ghost pinned Grant Redstone with the Final Breath in 0:11:23.
Rating: **** 1/4

    An excellent match by Ghost.  At least he proved that he was worthy of being on the pay per view, even though he might not have had an opponent lined up.
    Major Force is winning already.

    The ring eventually cleared out and Nick Jones came back for one last hurrah.

Jones:  Well, everybody, that just about does it for us here.  From the Commish himself, I'd like to thank you all for coming and for being such great fans.  It's fans like you that allow us to have great years like 1998, and we're glad you keep coming back for more.  With that in mind, I'd like to present to you, the year that was 1998.