Big Sky Showdown - Clash for GWA Great Plains Gold

November 7, 1973
By Hammer Harkness, Senior Scribe, Grapple Gazette

Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your hats! The Grapple Gazette brings you an exclusive ringside report of the most bone-crushing, heart-stopping battle to ever grace the squared circle of the Great Western Wrestling Alliance!

On this night (October 20th, 1973) when the very foundations of Montana trembled, two of the Treasure State's most fearsome warriors collided in a cataclysmic clash for the coveted GWA Great Plains Championship at the Shrine Auditorium in Billings. In one corner, the paragon of cowboy virtue, "Big Sky" Billy Thompson. In the other, the personification of viciousness itself, "Vicious" Vinny Malone, The Butte Butcher!

But make no mistake, grapple fans. This wasn't just about a shiny new belt. No sir! This was a clash of ideals, a war between two visions of what it means to be a Montanan!

SETTING THE STAGE: TWO MEN, ONE STATE, A CHASM OF DIFFERENCE

The seeds of this feud were planted long before the first bell echoed through the arena. Both men claim the Big Sky Country as their stomping grounds, but you'd be hard-pressed to find two more different embodiments of the Montana spirit.

Thompson, the towering cowboy from Billings, stands tall as everything we love about the American West: grit, determination, and a code of honor as unshakeable as the Rocky Mountains. His promos, often delivered against the breathtaking backdrop of Montana's endless plains, left no doubt about what he fights for.

In a recent face-off, "Big Sky" Billy fixed his steely gaze on the camera and declared:

"Well now, Vinny, I reckon it's time we settled this like real Montana men. You've been runnin' your mouth 'bout how tough you are, how the streets of Butte made you into some kinda monster. But let me tell you somethin', partner. Out here under the big sky, we don't need dirty tricks or cheap shots to prove our worth. Come Saturday night, I'm gonna show you, and every fan watchin', what a real Montana man can do when he's got right on his side!"

But across this bitter divide stands Vinny Malone, who crawled from the rough-and-tumble streets of Butte with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Berkeley Pit. For Malone, survival isn't about playing fair—it's about being the last man standing, no matter the cost. His promos, delivered from dimly lit back alleys with a sneer that could curdle milk, dripped with contempt for Thompson's idealistic worldview.

"Listen up, you corn-fed cow-tipper," Malone snarled in a promo that sent chills down spines across the territory. "You think your aw-shucks attitude and white hat make you tough? Let me educate you, Billy Boy. I grew up where the only rule was survival. Every day was a fight, and I'm still standin'. You can take your cowboy code and shove it where the Montana sun don't shine. When that bell rings, I'm gonna show you what real toughness looks like. And trust me, it ain't pretty!"

THE POWDER KEG IGNITES: CHAIR SHOTS AND CHICANERY

The first sparks of this powder keg flew during a six-man tag team slobberknocker that left fans gasping! "Big Sky" Billy Thompson joined forces with the rough-and-tumble duo of Sam and Joe Frontier, the indomitable Frontier Brothers, to face off against a triumvirate of terror: the nefarious "Vicious" Vinny, flanked by the rabid "Mad Dog" Marty Richardson and the bone-breaking behemoth, Eddie "The Enforcer" King! Thompson's team was riding high, with Billy tossing opponents around like hay bales at a barn raising. But then, quicker than a rattlesnake's strike, Malone saw his opening. As the ref's back was turned, Vinny snatched up a steel chair and—WHAM!—a sickening crunch echoed through the arena as he drove it into Billy's knee!

The sound of steel meeting bone sent shockwaves through the crowd. Our beloved cowboy crumpled to the mat, clutching his leg and howling in agony. But for Malone? It was all part of the plan, folks. He stood over Billy, a demonic grin splitting his bearded face, as a cascade of boos rained down from the rafters.

In a post-match interview that'll go down in the annals of wrestling history, a sneering Malone declared:

"You see that, Montana? That's what happens when you bring your Sunday school morals into my world. Billy boy's barely able to stand, and I'm just gettin' warmed up. You want vicious? I'll show you vicious!"

But if Malone thought he'd broken the spirit of "Big Sky" Billy, he had another thing coming! Limping but unbowed, Thompson came back week after week, determined to show the world—and Vinny Malone—that you can't keep a good man down.

In a promo that set hearts racing across Big Sky Country, a battered but unbroken Billy declared:

"Well, partner, I reckon you thought you could take the easy road to victory. But let me tell you somethin' - under this big Montana sky, we don't cotton to cheaters and lowlifes. You might've clipped my wings for now, but mark my words, I'll be back on my feet faster than a tumbleweed in a dust storm."

CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES: MONTANA'S SOUL ON THE LINE

As the weeks rolled by like tumbleweeds across the prairie, the GWA brass dropped a bombshell that had the entire territory buzzing: The first-ever Great Plains Championship was up for grabs, and our two Montana titans were set to collide in the final!

But by the time the big night arrived, this wasn't just about a slice of leather and gold anymore, folks. This was about two men representing two different Montanas, and only one vision could reign supreme!

Malone saw Montana as a crucible, forging men through suffering and ruthlessness. His final promo before the big showdown dripped with venom, each word a dagger aimed at the heart of Thompson's idealism.

"You're livin' in a fantasy world, Billy," Malone growled, his eyes glinting with malice. "You think puttin' on a cowboy hat and playin' the good guy is gonna get you anywhere in life? Wake up! The world don't care about your code or your morals. It only respects strength. And after I'm done with you, these people won't even remember your name. They'll just remember the night Vinny Malone showed everyone what it really means to be vicious!"

But for "Big Sky" Billy, this was his chance to prove that the Montana he believed in—a land of honor, hard work, and helping your neighbor—wasn't just a myth. It was a way of life worth fighting for.

In an impassioned speech that had fans from Billings to Bozeman on their feet, Billy laid it all on the line:

"Vinny, you've been runnin' your mouth for weeks now. You've taken your cheap shots, tried to break me down. But there's somethin' you just don't understand about Montana. It ain't just about who's the toughest or the meanest. It's about standin' tall when life tries to knock you down. It's about doin' what's right, even when it ain't easy. And come Saturday night, I'm gonna show you, and every fan watchin', what it really means to fight with heart. When that final bell rings, you'll be the one flat on your back, starin' up at those Big Sky stars, wonderin' where it all went wrong!"

THE MAIN EVENT: A WAR OF IDEALS EXPLODES!

As the opening bell clanged, the tension in the arena was thicker than a Montana blizzard! Fans from every corner of the Treasure State packed the house, ready to witness which version of Montana would walk away with the gold—and the glory!

Round One: The Cowboy Rides High

The match kicked off with "Big Sky" Billy in rare form! The rangy cowboy's raw power was on full display as he manhandled Malone like a yearling calf at branding time. A thunderous shoulder tackle sent Vinny sprawling, and the crowd erupted! Billy followed up with a series of brutal body slams that rattled the ring posts. When he connected with his patented "Montana Lariat," a clothesline that could fell a mighty redwood, it looked like Malone might be done for!

But just when victory seemed within reach, the tide turned faster than a mountain stream in spring!

Round Two: The Butcher of Butte Strikes Back

Malone, ever the sly fox, found his opening. As Billy charged in for the kill, Vinny ducked low and WHAM! A vicious chop block to the same knee he'd targeted weeks ago! Our heroic cowboy crumpled to the mat, his face a mask of agony.

The "Butcher of Butte" smelled blood in the water, folks. He pounced on Billy's injured leg like a wolf on a wounded elk, stomping and wrenching with sadistic glee. The crowd winced as Malone wrapped that leg around the unforgiving steel post, further shredding Billy's knee.

But even as Vinny locked in a torturous spinning toe hold, the fans rallied behind their hero. "BIL-LY! BIL-LY!" The chant shook the rafters as Thompson writhed in pain, refusing to give in!

The Final Round: Montana's Fate Hangs in the Balance!

Just when all seemed lost, when it looked like Malone was about to finish the job with a set of brass knuckles, "Big Sky" Billy found his moment! With the agility of a cat and the heart of a lion, he ducked the illegal blow, sending Vinny crashing into the turnbuckle!

The tide had turned once more, and the crowd rose to its feet as one! Ignoring the searing pain in his leg, Billy summoned every ounce of cowboy grit in his body. He fired off a series of thunderous clotheslines that had Malone reeling!

Then, in a moment that will be etched in GWA history forever, Billy hoisted the 360-pound Malone high into the air! The entire arena held its breath as he delivered his devastating finisher—the Big Sky Slam! Malone crashed to the mat like a redwood felled by a mighty lumberjack!

One! Two! Three! The referee's hand slapped the mat, and the arena EXPLODED!

A New Champion Rises: The Heart of Montana Beats On!

As "Big Sky" Billy Thompson's hand was raised in victory, the first-ever GWA Great Plains Champion, the roar of the crowd drowned out everything else. Fans poured over the barricades, lifting their conquering hero on their shoulders!

In that moment, it wasn't just a championship that was won. It was the very soul of Montana itself!

This is only the beginning, wrestling fans! The wars between Big Sky and Vicious Vinny are far from over, and new legends are being forged in the crucible of the GWA! Stay tuned to the Grapple Gazette, where we bring you ringside for every bone-crunching, heart-stopping moment of action!

Until next time, this is Hammer Harkness, reminding you to "Keep your chin up, and your guard higher!"