Summer Smash (1980)

## Background

### Jet Set Strutter vs. Average Guy

After becoming the first WW World Champion in early January, Jet Set Strutter had successfully defended his title against multiple challengers, but there was one he seemed to constantly dodge: Average Guy. Leading up to the Super Duper Show event in January, he attacked and injured Guy to prevent him from participating in a number one contender’s match. More than a month later, after Guy had healed from his injuries, he defeated Dr. B to become the number one contender to the title. When Guy and Strutter finally faced off at Shamrock Skirmish in March, however, the match ended in a time limit draw. Strutter vowed never to give Guy another title match, and excluded him from an invitational battle royal to name a new contender. In April, he hired Mad Abner to attack Guy prior to an interview, hoping to permanently take him out of World Title contention. Guy feuded with Abner for a couple of months, culminating in an unsanctioned fight between the two at Red White & Blue Bash in July.

After driving Abner away, Average Guy once again set his sights on Strutter and the World Title. Strutter agreed that if Guy could defeat an opponent of Strutter’s choice, he would grant him a title match–but that if Guy lost, he would never get to challenge for the title again. Strutter’s opponent was eventually revealed to be the undefeated French giant heel Pierre the Enormous. Guy pulled off a huge upset win, giving Pierre his first loss and earning Guy a title shot at Summer Smash. Strutter later clarified that the title bout would be under submission-only rules–a measure intended to give an advantage to Strutter, who frequently won matches with his Six-Figure Leglock.

### The Van Winkles vs. The Ramblin’ Men

In June, the Van Winkle brothers (Devin and Terry) pulled off an upset victory over The Blade Blasters to win the Tag Team Championship. Terry suffered a head injury during the match, however, and Devin (along with Damon Van Winkle) was attacked the next week by the debuting Ramblin’ Men (Sexy Rebel, Raunch Robbins, and Jordy Hoss). The Ramblin’ Men were granted a Tag Team Championship match for Red White & Blue Bash on July 27. Despite Terry still suffering the effects of his head injury, the Van Winkles successfully retained the title. The Ramblin’ Men requested and were granted a rematch for Summer Smash, though it was not announced which combination of the trio would challenge for the belts.

### Memphis Prince vs. Valedictorian

Cocky and animated heel Valedictorian debuted for Wrestle World early in 1980, near the promotion’s launch, but soon took a sabbatical beginning in February. While he was gone, Memphis Prince became the Television Champion and began a successful reign that included several high-profile title defenses. When Valedictorian returned at Beach Brawl in June, he put the rest of the WW locker room on notice. His warning seemingly came to fruition on August 2, when he defeated Chameleon Kid to become the number one contender to the Television Championship.

## Matches

In the night’s opening match, Lyndi Harker defeated former Ladies Champion Queen of Mean to become the number one contender to the title. This was a lumberjack match with the rest of the ladies division around the ring.

In the next segment, Honest Al interviewed Sexy Rebel, who said that his Ramblin’ Men stablemates Jordy Hoss and Raunch Robbins were busy getting ready backstage and that they were going to “mop the floor” with the Van Winkles and take their title later in the night.

In the second bout of the evening, Memphis Prince successfully retained his Television Championship against Valedictorian via his signature piledriver finisher.

Next up, Thumper Moore and Buck Bronco faced each other in an unadvertised match. Moore defeated Bronco using his finisher, the Wrecking Ball, in a match that received a perfect five-star rating.

Following that match, the Van Winkles (Devin and Terry Van Winkle) defended their Tag Team Championship against The Ramblin’ Men, represented by Jordy Hoss and Raunch Robbins (accompanied by Sexy Rebel). Robbins hit the Raunchy Drop and picked up the win and the title for his team. It was later clarified that the Ramblin’ Men were taking advantage of a Wrestle World bylaw called the Freestyle Rule, which allowed all three members of the trio to be recognized as champions.

After that match, The Blade Blasters (Buzzsaw and Lazer) appeared in-ring and performed a posedown for the fans.

In the night’s unadvertised semi-main event, the brother/sister duo Sibling Strength (Cimmeternian warriors He-Beast the Barbarian and Ladies Champion Aurora) took on Sorcery (Skullgore and Countess) in a mixed tag team match. Sibling Strength picked up the victory when Aurora hit the Ultimate Powerslam on Countess.

In the hotly-anticipated main event, Average Guy finally got a shot at the World Championship held by Jet Set Strutter. The match, per Strutter himself, would be fought under submission rules. This was thought to give Strutter an advantage, as he won nearly all matches by submission with his patented Six-Figure Leglock–however, after a grueling back and forth bout, Average Guy shocked the world by locking in a submission hold that eventually forced the champ to tap out. After an eight-month journey, Average Guy had finally won the World Championship.

## Reception

Summer Smash was a massive success for Wrestle World. Its sold-out attendance of 85,000 at the Olympus Colosseum shattered the previous WW attendance record of 25,000 at Valentine’s Day Massacre 1980. It was also a record-high earning event for WW, bringing in $25,610, again eclipsing the record of $8,775 set by Monster Mayhem earlier in the year. Its four-star rating was among the highest WW had ever received at the time, and it also included only the second-ever five-star match (Buck Bronco vs. Thumper Moore).

Summer Smash also put Wrestle World on top of the weekly TV ratings competition with a 17.44, beating out RnR’s 11.39 and ABCW’s 5.83.