CWA Bodyguards VS Bandits PPV 01/05/96 DVD

The Sportatorium's glory days were behind it. The old building was still active, though. With Global more than a year defunct and the brief NWA Dallas attempt by the Crockett's also gone, a group called the Confederate Wrestling Alliance, later called the Continental Wrestling Alliance, was providing the action. Though the CWA had local TV, those tapes are extremely hard to come by. But, believe it or not, they did do a pay-per-view. This is that pay-per-view.

The event, unbranded though attributed to the CWA brand, was called Bodyguards and Bandits. Nearest we can tell, it was a pay per view concept to attempt to create a solitary star by putting him, a virtually untrained wrestler, over the NWA and GWF faithfuls. Does it sound bad? Well, it is. But, hey, sometimes things can be so bad, they cross over and become awesome. I'm not sure if this achieves that. But, it is certainly worth a watch!

Boxing great Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini is used as a commentator and backstage interviewer.

Here is a run down of the card.

- Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini welcomes us as he sits in San Francisco across the bay from Alcatraz. Why? Wouldn't the Cow Palace have been a better choice? Anyway.
- A brief, like blink if you miss it, tour of Alcatraz. Why? I guess to show where Bandits go? All righty then.
- We're in the Sporatorium in Dallas, last I checked nowhere near San Francisco, and the house is just about packed. I have not seen a show this packed since the Eddie Gilbert booking days of Global and, being honest, this is probably more full than even that.
- Sweet Daddy Guido Falcone talks about how he become a bandit.
- Don Minaldi sold as the toughest bodyguard in the business. What business? The wrestling business? Really?
- John Hawk interviewed by "Boom Boom" Mancini. I think his interview seems so good like the average chick that hangs out with the fat ugly chicks. Parody.
- "High Voltage" interview discussing how they won the tag titles. They are bodyguards. So, bodyguards are faces? I guess.
- Marc Valiant interviewed by "Boom Boom".
- "California Stud" Rod Price interview.
- CWA Heavyweight Champion Firebreaker Chip interview.
- We're in the arena. Your announcers for tonight are Doyle King, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, and the Angel of Death.
- Mid sentence, a promo airs talking about the teams describing each member in detail. Scott Putski, Don Menaldi, Marc Valiant, Devon Michaels, Bo Vegas, Steve Cox (advertised as the World Class champion), and "Coach" Ivan Putski.
- The bandits. Rod Price, Guido Falcone, Firebreaker Chip, John Hawk, Alex Porteau, Sean Summers, Hassan the Assassin, and "Coach" Skandor Akbar.
- 12 Man Tag Team Football Match: High Voltage (Bo Vegas & Devon Michaels), Dom Minaldi, Marc Valiant, Scott Putski & Steve Cox versus Alex Porteau, Firebreaker Chip, Guido Falcone, John Hawk, Rod Price & Shawn Summers
- Concept: The concept of the match is a team battle somewhat like the Survivor Series elimination match but instead, it has football rules. Like, a pin is a touchdown. The match also has "quarters". I guess it sounded like a good idea?
- Half Time: Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini interviews a convict who served time in Alcatraz.
- Don Minaldi, who appears to be slightly less roughed up than if he had been hit by a truck, does an interview saying he thought wrestling was all fake but he's never felt so much pain. Welcome to the squared circle!
- Skandor Akbar interviewed by Doyle King backstage. ]
- Boxer who appeared as Akbar's bodyguard does a weird interview with Doyle King. Doyle asks if he is afraid of bodyguards because he's an illegal immigrant. Oh boy. "I'm not racist, I have a color TV at home". GENIUS!
- Mancini wraps the show back in Alcatraz. Why? Made sense to someone, I guess.
- Explanation: Don Minaldi is a tough guy from California that the promoters wanted to push as a main event star. The trouble with trying to make a guy who doesn't know how to work look unstoppable? When Joh Hawk (JBL) hits him with a Clothesline from Hell, he knocks the guys lights smack dab out. Rumor has it Steve Cox also gets knocked goofy in this match.
- The arena has fancy lights, for the first time I've ever seen in the Sportatorium, and the old GWF wrestling ring with the big red mat.