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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:47:23 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on August 5, 1986)
Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your commentators for tonight's show.
Match One: Nick Bockwinkel vs. Jay York
Bockwinkel has already been named the champion so this episode is probably from the fall of 1986. They start out with a lockup and York pushes Bockwinkel into the corner, giving him a clean break and they're back to the center of the ring to do it all over again. Bockwinkel gets a go-behind into a rollup and scores a one count off of it before they stand-off again. Another lockup and York gets a top wristlock, putting Bockwinkel down to a knee, and just when it looks like Bockwinkel is going to reverse it, York yanks the hair and puts him down to the mat. Another near-reversal and another handful of hair puts Bockwinkel down on the canvas until he regains his feet and gets a go-behind into a hammerlock. York pushes him into the ropes and chops him off the break and Bockwinkel responds with a right hand that sends York staggering across the ring. York shoots in under the next lockup and goes straight to a bearhug and Bockwinkel breaks free of it with forearms to the head. York grabs a hip toss and follows that up with a front-facelock, pushing Bockwinkel into the corner and working him over a little before and Irish whip and a big boot puts the champion down. York to the throat with a shot and he rams Bockwinkel's head into the turnbuckle a couple of times, going to the eyes after that and then hitting punches to the head and body in the corner, Vader-style. York just starts choking at Bockwinkel in the corner, but Bockwinkel has had enough and grabs a handful of York's beard, yanking it hard and prompting York to take a swing at special referee Earthquake Ferris. Bockwinkel with right hands and hits a HARD forearm that puts York over the top rop and to the floor. Bockwinkel rams York's head into the apron and gets a rolling front-facelock takeover when York gets back into the ring, scoring a two count. Bockwinkel pushes York into the corner with another front-facelock and then shoulderblocks York in the gut a handful of times, firing away with more right hands. An Irish whip into the corner by Bockwinkel gets reversed and York charges in after him, landing a shoulderblock of his own to the stomach. York with an Irish whip to the opposite corner and he goes to the well once too often as Bockwinkel catches him with a knee as he charges in this time, following it up with a nice dropkick and he clamps on the BOCKWINKEL SLEEPER!! York's eyes get glassy and he's fading quickly and Bockwinkel's put him to sleep!!
Winner: Nick Bockwinkel (submisson, Bockwinkel Sleeper)
Match Analysis: Every time I watch Bockwinkel in the ring I marvel at his athletic ability. That's the great thing about Bockwinkel. He was like Ric Flair is today, but he could still go at that top, top level. He still acted like a heel at times towards the end of his career, but people respected him so much that he was able to be a face and get the cheers of the crowd when he faced off against the dastardly heels. The match was serviceable, but still enjoyable to see Bockwinkel work his magic at over 50 years old.
After the match, Bockwinkel does the sporting thing and helps to wake York up before making the motion to get him the hell out of the ring. Bockwinkel gets his championship belt and looks happy again. Bockwinkel talks with Larry Nelson and Nelson brings up Stan Hansen running away from Bockwinkel, which gave Nick his fourth AWA title reign. Bockwinkel says that Hansen was in the building but he left and broke the hearts of a lot of good wrestling fans. Bockwinkel is happy to have the belt for the fourth time and is not used to the repsonse he's been getting from the fans since being named champion. He also says that he plans on defending the AWA Heavyweight Championship the same way he did in his previous reigns and thanks Hansen for the compliment of running away rather than facing the beating he knew he'd get.
Match Two: The Midnight Rockers vs. Alex Knight and Dennis Stamp
Michaels and Stamp start out and lock horns in the middle of the ring, with Stamp getting a fireman's carry takeover into an armbar. Michaels Irish whips Stamp in but eats a shoulderblock before dropping down and catching Stamp with an armdrag takeover off the ropes. Michaels with an armbar of his own now and he cranks away at Stamp who reaches over and tries to get the tag to his partner, but Michaels drags him away from the corner and armdrags him over again, forcing Stamp to back away into the corner. Stamp tags off to Knight and tries to lure Michaels in but it doesn't work. Knight gets a side headlock off of the lockup and Michaels pushes over to his corner, tagging in Jannetty who hits a sweet dropkick and gets a one count off of it. Jannetty and Knight lockup and Jannetty gets a drop-toehold, stomping the back of Knight and they're back to their feet. Another lockup and Knight grabs an arm-wringer, working at the arm of Jannetty for a moment before Jannetty gets to the corner to make the tag. Double reverse elbow from the Rockers and MIchaels takes over with a BIG running powerslam for a two count. Michaels with a vertical suplex and he tags in Jannetty who gets a big bodyslam of his own, tagging Michaels back in. Michaels picks up Knight in an electric chair drop but Knight bumps forward like a victory roll and Michaels doesn't look happy with that. He stiffs a stomp in to the head of Knight, picks him up to land a hard spinning back kick to the gut. He picks Knight up and slams him again and Michae;s tags in Jannetty, front suplexing him onto Knight for a two count. Knight gets an arm-wringer and tags in Stamp who grabs a side headlock and pucnhes Jannetty in the face before choking him against the ropes. Another right hand from Stamp and an Irish whip into the ropes, but Stamp ducks too soon and eats a kneelift from Jannetty who tags in Michaels again. He Irish whips Stamp into the ropes and hits a big dropkick that sends Stamp to the corner to tag in Knight. Knight gets a side headlock but Michaels drops Knight HARD on the back of his head with a belly to back suplex and he tags in Jannetty. Jannetty gets a splash from the second rope for the 1-2-3!!
Winners: The Midnight Rockers (pinfall, second rope splash)
Match Analysis: Well, it's a 1986 Rockers match, so it can't be all bad. The problem with this one lays at the feet of Knight, who messed up at least a couple of spots and seemed to get some legit heat from Michaels because of it. It was a good match, just not a great one because honestly it looked at times like the Rockers were wrestling themselves.
The Rockers are with Larry Nelson and Michaels says that we saw a different Midnight Rocker team this week, and that they've proved that they're willing to kick somebody in the face to get what they want, and that's the AWA Tag Team Championship belts. He says that Somers and Rose can't hide and that the Rockers are on their trail and going to get them. Jannetty gets in a great line about Rose saying that if fear was snow, Rose would be a walking blizzard and they guarantee that at some point those titles will be on the line and the Rockers will win them.
Match Three: Brad Rheingans vs. Pete Sanchez
Rheingans gets a go-behind to start the match and rides Sanchez a little, amateur wrestling-style, until Sanchez makes the ropes. Rheingans hits an arm-wringer, but Sanchez reverses it into one of his own, getting a standing armbar until Rheingans monkey flips him off of the arm and onto his ass. Rheingans again with the go-behind, into a headlock takeover and Sanchez shoots him off the ropes, but Rheingans takes him down with a shoulderblock. They run the ropes and Rheingans gets a cross-bodyblock but doesn't go for the pin. Back to their feet and Rheingans hits a neckbreaker, getting a two count off of it, before hitting a side headlock takeover, cranking away on Sanchez. Sanchez rolls him over and gets a two count, but Rheingans puts it back to the side headlock. Sanchez gets to his feet and breaks the headlock with a right hand and rams Rheingans into the top turnbuckle. An Irish whip in and Sanchez hits him with an elbow before bodyslamming him WAY too close to the ropes for my liking. Sanchez heads outside to get to the top rope, with Sanchez taking too much time to jaw with the crowd and getting slammed off the top. Rheingans with a right hand and another and he Irish whips Sanchez in, hitting a back bodydrop and he grabs Sanchez with a belly to belly suplex, climbing to the second rope and hitting a flying shoulderblock for the pinfall.
Winner: Brad Rheingans (pinfall, second rope shoulderblock)
Match Analysis: Ugh. I think I've seen Senate sessions that are more exciting than watching Brad Rheingans in the ring. I have all the respect in the world for his amateur accomplishments, but he just can't translate them to the professional ranks. Boredom, thy name is Rheingans.
Match Four: Six-Man Main Event Doug Somers, Col. DeBeers and Larry Zbyszko vs. Greg Gagne, Curt Hennig and Jimmy Snuka
DeBeers freaks out during the introductions and claims that he won't wrestle anyone that isn't 100% Caucasian while pointing out that it was supposed to be Scott Hall and not Snuka in this match. Gagne and Zbyszko start out the match and Zbyszko manages to only stall for a couple of minutes, jawing the crowd and yelling at the referee before they finally get to a lockup. Trongard notices that that's how every Zbyszko match seems to start, which prompts me to ask which matches he'd been watching before if he just noticed that now. Gagne gets a quick go-behind and Zbyszko rolls over with him and they transition on the mat a little, grappling until Gagne gets a hip toss. Zbyszko immediately claims that Gagne pulled the trunks and LOUDLY protests. Another lockup and Gagne gets an armdrag with Zbyszko claiming a hair pull this time, WHILE he's in the armbar. Zbyszko pushes Gagne into the heel corner and Somers grabs the trunks from the outside, holding Gagne in place so Zbyszko can charge forward with a knee. Gagne ducks out of the way though and Zbyszko levels Somers with the knee, flying over the top rope himself and banging his head on the apron before hitting the floor. Zbyszko is PISSED outside, and he goes back to stalling before tagging in Col. DeBeers. Gagne turns to tag Snuka in and DeBeers immediately tags in Somers to avoid the less than lily white Superfly.
We come back from a commercial break and Somers locks up with Snuka, pushing him into the heel corner where they all work him over pretty good with punches and forearm shots. Zbyszko chokes Snuka over the top rope while DeBeers fires away with forearms to the back. Gagne and Hennig on the other side are livid and trying to get past the referee to make the save but they can't. Somers keeps taunting them to let the beating continue before turning his attention back to Snuka and tagging in DeBeers. A big running boot to the chest from DeBeers stops Snuka in his tracks and DeBeers fires a right hand onto Snuka's head, hurting his hand in the process on his thick Fijiian skull. Somers comes back in with a front facelock and tags Zbyszko who puts the boots to Snuka before Irish whipping him into the ropes. Snuka comes back with a right hand that knocks Zbyszko on his ass and THERE'S A CHOP FOR SOMERS!!! Snap mare on Zbyszko and Snuka goes up to the second rope to hit a fistdrop. Irish whip into the ropes and Snuka gets a BIG chop before tagging in Hennig. Hennig with a HUGE dropkick on Zbyszko off the ropes that gets a two count and Hennig is going to town, beating on all the heels and dropping a big elbow on Zbyszko for a pin attempt that Somers breaks up.
Hennig tags in Gagne who comes off the second rope with a knee to Zbyszko's arm, running right through it to deliver a forearm to Somers before turning his attention back to Zbyszko. Turnbuckle smash from Gagne and he whips Zbyszko in but misses on the dropkick when Zbyszko holds on to the top rope. A tag to Somers and he comes in with a couple of kneedrops on Gagne, pinning him and getting a two count. He drapes Gagne along the second rope and stomps away until the referee pulls him off. At that point Zbyszko comes in and chokes Gagne against the ropes. Somers and Zbyszko take turns holding Gagne so Sheri Martel can paintbrush him from the outside, nearly slapping the skin off of his face. Snuka comes around the ring to run her off while inside Somers keeps working over Gagne, ramming him into the turnbuckles. Somers grabs a front facelock on cranks on it before dropping a forearm on the back of Gagne's head. Back to the front facelock and Somers is getting pushed back, Gagne's getting closer to the tag and JUST when he gets it, Zbyszko distracts the referee and Hennig has to head back to the apron.
The heels switch out while the referee is trying to get Hennig back on the apron and Col. DeBeers is in now with a BIG bodyslam on Gagne and a standing fistdrop gets a two count. DeBeers tags in Zbyszko who grabs a front facelock and grinds Gagne's face against the mat. AGAIN, Gagne makes the tag but the heels distract the referee and he doesn't see it, forcing Hennig back to the apron again. Somers comes off the top rope with a double sledge and gets a two count before landing hard forearm shots to Gagne. Irish whip in and Gagne ducks behind and gets a sleeperhold on Somers, but Col. DeBeers breaks that up rather quickly. Somers grabs a headlock and gets whipped in and they smash heads and both men are down!! They finally regain their feet and Somers tries to slam Gagne but he goes over onto his back and Gagne gets a two count. Somers with an Irish whip and Gagne gets a sunset flip for another two count before mule-kicking Somers in the face. Gagne with a HUGE kneelift and he heads towards the wrong corner with Col. DeBeers laying in a HARD right hand. Gagne comes back, nailing Somers in the stomach, crawling between his legs and FINALLY making the hot tag!!
Snuka is in and he starts kicking and chopping at Somers in the corner, snap maring him over and dropping a headbutt. Tag to Hennig and he goes up to the second rope with a HUGE splash for a two count. Irish whip in and a LOUD chop to the chest from Hennig leads to another Irish whip and THE AX!!! Hennig to the top rope and he hits the FLYING DROPKICK to get the three count!!!! The crowd is going nuts and while Gagne and Hennig celebrate outside the ring Col. DeBeers attacks Snuka from behind and starts laying in the punishment, ramming Snuka into the top turnbuckle. Snuka takes it all and turns on DeBeers, stalking him down and DeBeers takes the low road, scurrying out under the bottom rope and heading for the exit.
Winners: Curt Hennig, Greg Gagne and Jimmy Snuka (pinfall, Hennig dropkick from the top rope)
Match Analysis: Another hot six-man tag main event, but this one just didn't have the fire that the match with the Rockers from the previous show did. All six men had issues with each other but unfortunately we didn't see much interaction from that. Snuka and DeBeers didn't do anything together, Hennig and Somers weren't in the ring together until the finish and only Zbyszko and Gagne did any time together in the ring. It was a good enough match, it just wasn't great enough to cover for the first three matches.
Final Thoughts
As good as the show looked on paper before it started, once the show was over I kind of felt like it fell a little short. All of the in-ring action was alright, it just felt flat to me. The crowd was big on the main event but I just didn't feel like it was as good as it could have been. This show gets a thumbs in the middle for me, which sucks because I liked the work that guys like Bockwinkel, the Rockers and Zbyszko did, but there is just too much bland for me to go all the way up with this show. I guess all good things have to come to an end, and this is the end of the AWA's hot streak.
Fun With Comments
From Frozen: "If you take a second look at the Somers-Gunther squash, I'm pretty sure Somers gave him that beating after the bell due to the fact that Gunther no-sold after the three-count. After the bell sounds, Gunther just gets up as if nothing happened. Somers was right to give him an extracurricular thrashing."
I did notice that on the second viewing and while I'm never a big fan of guys going into business for themselves to punish a transgression in the ring, I HATE guys not selling the finish of a match. Two wrongs don't make a right, but in this instance I can understand why Somers laid a few extra boots in on him now.
From Real: "I didn't watch the first 40 minutes of the show, but the mainevent rocked. They didn't even do a clean pin, but the crowd was so into the match. I think this was definetely a case where the crowd definetely knew who the faces were and who the heels were. I really wish TNA could get their heels and faces over like Michaels, Jannetty, and Zybyscho was."
The crowd really knew who was who, that's for sure. I think that until TNA can stop trying to make everything so "shocking", while completely convoluting the storylines, they will never be able to get that kind of heat on their heels and faces. The problem with getting behind anyone in TNA is that they're usually one second away from the next SWERVE, which keeps people from wanting to fully emotionally invest in the babyfaces, which is never a good thing.
From Joe K. : "Did you notice that during Snuka's promo, Snuka had to ASK Larry Nelson who the guys in Sheik's Army were? Tremendous! Not as bad as Rikishi referring to Robert Rude as "Rick Rude", but still...
and a good game to play for money during these shows is to put money on how long it takes for Zbysko to make contact with his opponent. I always put my self at over 5 minutes"
I did notice that Snuka had trouble remembering who it was that he would be facing in the Sheik's Army. I think that it was partially because he was new in the territory and maybe didn't do his homework. The other thing I think that could probably have been to blame is that it WAS 1986 and Snuka probably had the "SNIFFLES" , if you catch my meaning, which would make it hard for him to remember his own name, let alone someone elses. A much more fun way to play that would be a drinking game where you take a drink every time that Zbyszko fakes a lockup or bails to the outside to yell at someone.
Finally, from Silo Sam: "well...a good main event but I'd say the streak of great shows is over...although, i am still grateful for a non squash main event and no repeat matches. I agree with "Frozen" Gunther got up really really fast after taking the pinfall from somers(It seemed Like he got to his feet before the ref)Which i think prompted the extra attack from doug somers. It takes alot of "talent" to be in that short of a match and make that bad of an impression...well not much else to say about this one...other than maybe....cool action figures?"
Yeah, as I said earlier, I think Somers was well within his rights to lay that beating on Gunther. The action figures were SUPER cool and I remember having a handful of those sweet-ass Remco figures. I wish I had taken better care of them, seeing how much they're worth now, that's for sure.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:48:40 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on September 16, 1986)
Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your announcers for all of tonight's hot and heavy wrestling action.
Match One: Greg Gagne vs. Ken Glover
The two men circle before they hit the lockup and Glover pushes Gagne into the ropes and gives him a clean break. Another lockup and Gagne gets a couple of armdrag takeovers and Glover heads out to the floor to think it over. Back inside the ring and Glover looks SHOCKED that Gagne was able to take him over that easily. He must not know who Greg's dad is yet or something. Glover gets a side headlock and Gagne reverses it almost immediately to a top wristlock, which gets reversed when Glover pulls the hair to take him down. Gagne reverses that into a hammerlock and Glover hits the bottom rope, even helpfully pointing it out to referee Scott LeDoux, who calls for the break. LeDoux points to his eyes as if to say "Yeah, yeah asshole, I saw it." and the two combatant hit another lockup, with Gagne pushing Glover into the corner. He gives Glover a little shove and that makes Glover go haywire at the referee. Um, you did just do that to Greg you know, so it's not that surprising. Gagne gets another hammerlock and Glover makes the ropes again and this match is really starting to lose me. Glover takes over with a forearm shot against the ropes and a headbutt, running Gagne across the ring for a turnbuckle smash. Glover with right hands and he Irish whips Gagne in and hits a reverse elbow, following that up with a snap mare for a two count. Gagne fires back with a forearm of his own, but Glover gets inventive and goes to the eyes to stop the comeback, clubbing away at Gagne in the corner with clubbing forearms. CLUBBERIN!!! He whips Gagne across and barely follows him in, settling on just choking him. At least he's making it look convincing and not doing it Vince McMahon-style like most of the other AWA jobbers. Glover goes to the throat with a thumb and Gagne is PISSED, firing back with right hands and running Glover into the top turnbuckle head-first. Gagne with a bit of a war dance and he hits a big back bodydrop before, sort of, hitting a hip toss, into the flying headscissors, which thankfully goes better for Gagne tonight. Another back bodydrop and two dropkicks later and Gagne is the winner with the academic pinfall.
Winner: Greg Gagne (pinfall, Gagne dropkick)
Match Analysis: He's not Brad Rheingans boring, but damn if Greg Gagne isn't close. Almost all of his matches I've seen so far look exactly the same and his work really suffers when he's not working the tag-team formula. His former partner Jim Brunzell could work well as a single because he had believable charisma, but Gagne just kind of comes off like a dead fish. I can see why Verne never put the title on him now.
Back from commercial and we're thankfully spared a Greg Gagne promo, instead heading right to the next bout, featuring the Tag Team Champions.
Match Two: Doug Somers and Buddy Rose w/Sherri Martel vs. Pablo Crenshaw and Clement Fields
I laugh out loud when I see the graphic for Buddy Rose which has him listed as weighing in at 217 pounds, but with a question mark after it. Great touch by whoever was in production and that made me nearly fall out of my chair. Rose shimmies out of the belt without taking it off and then starts in with some jumping jacks and one-armed push-ups, with Crenshaw going one better, doing the push-ups with better form before ripping off his Chippendales pants to reveal a bright orange pair of wrestling trunks. I guess Mr. Crenshaw is "Working For The Weekend", and they welcome Donna to ringside for commentary on this match. Crenshaw and Rose get into a posedown and if you have to ask who won, then you've never seen Buddy Rose before. Rose tags in Somers and Somers loks a little confused by it and the match finally starts, with Somers getting an armdrag takeover and a BIG bodyslam on Crenshaw, dropping a knee across the throat to follow. Somers ends up with a reverse chinlock and is able to tag Rose JUUUUUUUUUUST as Crenshaw reverses it into a hammerlock. Crenshaw lets go of the hammerlock and does a little boogeying before they lockup, with Crenshaw dropping down out of a full nelson and making Rose look silly with a reversal into a reverse leglock. Rose makes the ropes and Crenshaw stomps at the knee before completely releasing the hold. Rose tags back to Somers and Crenshaw gets him over with a side headlock takeover, holding it until he can tag Fields, who continues to crank with the headlock. Somers gets a belly to back suplex to break that up and then tags in Rose who hits a BIG back bodydrop. Rose fights like a bitch and rakes his nails across Fields' back before tagging in Somers again. A HUGE vertical suplex from Somers and he rolls through it for the three count.
Winners: Buddy Rose and Doug Somers (pinfall, suplex)
Match Analysis: Too short to be anything of consequence, it was just here so that they could tease the Rockers being backstage and further their issue with Rose and Somers. I will say that Rose could flip the switch and go from being one of the funniest heels of his time to being an absolute sadist when he needed to be. Not many guys can do one or the other, but Rose could do both and doesn't get enough credit for that sometimes, I assume because of his physique. He kind of suffers from the Adrian Adonis complex that came about late in Adrian's career, where he was big and as such thought of as a joke, yet could still work circles around most all of the WWF roster. Somers brings the steak, but Rose DEFINITELY brings the sizzle and this team wouldn't be anywhere near as good without him.
After the commercial we get to hear from Rose and Somers and they're not very happy. Larry Nelson has to go ahead and stir the pot like usual, telling Rose that the Midnight Rockers are in the back, watching the match and that they're still back there. Rose's response is a classic deadpanned "Why?", which Nelson responds to with "Why do you think?". This is like a wrestling version of Who's On First. Nelson says that the issue with the Rockers is far from settled and Rose disagrees, figuring it should be over with after the beating that they gave the Rockers last time, claiming that it was such a fight that he ended up with a jaw that was messed up so badly he had to drink through a straw for a week. He went down to 209 pounds, THE POOR MAN LOST EIGHT POUNDS!! HE'S WASTING AWAY TO NOTHING!! He says that no matter where it is in the world, the last thing that the Rockers will want to do is to get in the ring with Rose and Somers. Nelson talks about how savage the last match was and Rose makes a good point about who came out of it looking worse for wear. Nelson concedes that they're right and says that it's going to be a showdown sooner or later and Rose rants away as Nelson cuts him off to throw it to a break.
After the commercial break, the AWA Repeat Match Syndrome rears its ugly head again, giving us a match from a couple weeks back, so let's go back in time and check it out....again.
Match Three: Larry Zbyszko w/Ninja Go vs. Eddie Sweat
This should be classic. A HUGE Larry Sucks chant starts before the match can even begin. Larry is calling time out before he's taken his ring robe off. HE steps down the ring stoes and finally takes off the robe and HOLY SHIT, that guy in the crowd is wearing bug-eyed, cardboard glasses, and is also cursing at Zbyszko if my lip-reading skills haven't failed me. That scared me half to death, watching it at nearly 2 AM and all. We get the usual Zbyszko stalling, in all its glory and he heads out to smooth talk the crowd before calling time out again. Sweat starts chasing Zbyszko around the ring and out of the ropes goes Zbyszko again to the apron. They could take a commercial and come back and Larry still wouldn't be ready to lock up. Wait, they FINALLY lock up and Zbyszko starts going to town, hammering away at Sweat in the corner before snap-maring him out and raking at the eyes. Zbyszko grabs a front facelock and it looks like he has a guillotine sunk in. FALL BACK TO THE GUARD, LARRY, FINISH THE CHO....oh..yeah, that's the MMA in me. Sorry, folks. Sweat makes the ropes but gets a hard punch to the gut again for making Larry break the hold. Zbyszko hits a small package but it only gets two and he tries it again to the same result. Larry gets ahold of Sweat and PILEDRIVES HIM almost out of his trunks, to get the duke.
Winner: Larry Zbyszko (pinfall, piledriver)
Match Analysis: Zbyszko harasses Larry Nelson. Check. Zbyszko jaws with the crowd and calls them names. Check. Zbyszko stalls for a good two minutes before actually attempting an offensive move. Double check. Zbyszko spikes the jobber with the piledriver and gets the win. Check. Looks like that's the entire list checked off.
This time however, we get the Zbyszko promo!! YES!!!! The crowd boos him off the start and he tells them all to shut up, with Nelson begging to just hear the interview. Zbyszko says he doesn't know what he has to do and that they handed Bockwinkel the AWA Championship on a silver platter and that IT'S TIME FOR HIS SHOT GODDAMN IT!!!! Nelson informs him about the Championship Committee and Zbyszko goes ballistic, saying that by hook or by crook, whatever he has to do, he'll be the next Heavyweight Champion of the World. If the fans or "spudheads" can't accept it, he doesn't give a DAMN! He talks about all the guys he's beat up and says it's time for Bockwinkel and that there better be a signed contract and that he's going to start breaking people's knees. THEIR KNEES!!! Nelson sums it all up and sends us to a commercial.
Match Four: Curt Hennig vs. Bill Tabb
They lockup in the middle and Tabb pushes Hennig off into the corner. Hennig gets a top wristlock and Tabb starts to use his power to reverse it. Hennig fights off the reversal and gets a go-behind into a hammerlock and Tabb makes it to the ropes. Hennig ducks away from the next lockup and does a little amateur wrestling ride on him, taking him down before letting him back up. Hennig gets a go-behind on the next lockup but Tabb takes over with a reverse elbow and some blows, knocking him into the corner. Tabb with a hip toss out and he gets a BIG bodyslam on Hennig, even pressing him into the air a little bit. Tabb with an Irish whip in and a wicked clothesline stuns Hennig and Tabb follows it up with a kneelift. Hennig fires back with some chops and tries to send Tabb into the corner with an Irish whip, but Tabb reverses it sending Hennig for the ride to take the Bret Bump against the turnbuckles. Tabb lifts Hennig up and gets a backbreaker, following it up with a HUGE legdrop, but Hennig fights it off to get a side headlock. Tabb sends Hennig into the ropes and they blow something, with Tabb ending up on his back and holding his head. Hennig with a boot to the gut and a huge kneelift, knocking Tabb on his ass. He stomps away at Tabb and whips him in for a BIG shot to the gut. Hennig to the top rope and he hits the flying dropkick from the top rope for the 1-2-3!!!
Winner: Curt Hennig (pinfall, flying dropkick from the top rope)
Match Analysis: A Hennig squash, but it's interesting to see some of his more heelish mannerisms and to hear about him laying Greg Gagne out with a forearm after a tag match didn't go their way. The seeds are being sown and it really fits Hennig more to be a heel than a babyface. Some guys just have it in them naturally to be a heel and Hennig had that quality in spades. It was hard to introduce him as a heel when he's the son of the well-respected Larry "The Ax", but once Larry was gone, the greatness of heel Hennig began to shine through.
Match Five: AWA World Heavyweight Championship Boris Zhukov w/Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie vs. Nick Bockwinkel (c)
A big USA chant starts out before Bockwinkel is even introduced and the crowd gives him a really good pop when he finally makes it to the ring. Zhukov talks some shit to the crowd as the Sheik gives him some advice in the corner. Zhukov heads out to confront the crowd personally for their USA chant and get even more advice from Shiek Adnan. They finally get down to business and Zhukov charges across the ring at Bockwinkel, but he misses and eats a mouthful of turnbuckle. Zhukov misses another couple of charges and Bockwinkel goads him into another one, taking Zhukov over with a couple of armdrag takeovers and a BIG hip toss. Zhukov bails back to the outside and manages to get up to the apron before Bockwinkel threatens him with another right hand and he hits the floor....AGAIN.
Sheik is outside threatening Lord James while the "action" continues in the ring, with Bockwinkel holding a side headlock. Zhukov sends him into the ropes and Bockwinkel shoulderblocks him twice before taking him back down with another side headlock. Bockwinkel cranks away at the headlock and Zhukov rolls him over for a two count by holding the trunks. Zhukov sends Bockwinkel to the ropes again and gets taken down by another Bockwinkel shoulderblock. Bockwinkel reverses a hip toss into one of his own and it's right back to the side headlock takeover. Zhukov gets to his feet and pushes Bockwinkel into the corner, wailing away to the gut and back with forearms before trying an Irish whip into the opposite corner. Bockwinkel reverses it and sends Zhukov in, leading to the big Russian bailing to the outside again.
He grabs one of Bockwinkel's legs and drags him out under the bottom rope, ramming the knee against the ring apron, alternating with chops to the chest. Zhukov stomps away at the knee and drops the elbow on it a couple of times before moving to a leglock. Bockwinkel fights to get out of the hold but Zhukov just resorts to biting the knee, kicking the leg out from under Bockwinkel as he tries to stand up. Zhukov lays the leg across the bottom rope and drops down on it before stomping away some more and he falls out under the ropes, dragging Bockwinkel into the corner and wrapping the leg around the ringpost. Bockwinkel tries to fight back but Zhukov kicks his leg out again and goes to the stepover toehold. Bockwinkel gets out of it with a right hand and fires another right hand that hurts his fist on the head of Zhukov, allowing for Boris to kick the leg out and put Bockwinkel down again.
Indian deathlock from Zhukov now and he's torquing that leg and knee, putting on the pressure until Bockwinkel fires right hands to get out of it. Back to their feet and Bockwinkel hits a kneelift before sending Zhukov into the ropes for another knee to the gut. Bockwinkel chokes Zhukov in the corner with the sole of his boot and lifts him up to Irish whip him into the ropes, following it with a big back bodydrop. Bockwinkel with the pin but he only gets a one count off of it, picking Zhukov up and trying a bodyslam but his knee gives out and Zhukov gets a two count before Bockwinkel gets his foot on the bottom rope. Zhukov with a turnbuckle smash and another and he viciously rams the BACK of Bockwinkel's head into that top buckle with a handful of hair. ANOTHER wicked turnbuckle smash to the back of the head and Zhukov hits headbutts to the back of Bockwinkel's head, throwing some stomps in for good measure.
Zhukov keeps working him over, focusing on the head of Bockwinkel now and he's down on the mat, with Zhukov taking a two count. Zhukov grabs a full nelson and starts to ragdoll Bockwinkel around or like Trongard says "like a dog shakes a chicken". I guess when your market is mainly the farming areas in the Midwest, you have to play to the demographic. Why not go all out with it? "Zhukov is shaking Bockwinkel around like a grain farmer shakes the herbicide after he's added the activating ingedients to the spray bottle and hooked the sprayer to the larger tank and fires up the engine on the machine" That would get those farmers angry with that dirty Russian because they know that you have to turn on the engine BEFORE you hook on the sprayer.
Anyhow, Zhukov rams Bockwinkel into the turnbuckle again and re-applies the full nelson, but Bockwinkel walks the turnbuckles and turns it over on Zhukov, causing a double pin. Zhukov swears that he's won, but he didn't see Bockwinkel raise his shoulder a split-second before the third slap of the mat. Zhukov lays some stomps in on Bockwinkel who rolls out under the bottom rope and we're right to the closing sequence.
Winner: Nick Bockwinkel (pinfall, double pin)
Match Analysis: A really good main event that shockingly didn't suffer from Zhukov's lack of a moveset. He used psychology really well, though I don't get why he switched so suddenly from the knee to the head, but it was still great to see him working on breaking down a body part for much of the match. Good, old-school wrestling and of course, Bockwinkel brought his usual greatness. A really good use of the old double pin spot too, since that's a finish I haven't seen in quite some time.
Final Thoughts
This was a fairly decent show and the main event was really quite good, which made the show a keeper. Hennig goes heel-ish, we got to see a Zbyszko match WITH FOLLOW-UP PROMO, and Bockwinkel did his usual awesome job in the ring, looking smooth as silk even with someone as limited as Zhukov. A thumbs-up on this episode for me, which is a welcome change from the past few nights of shows. The only thing I regret is not setting my DVR to go all the way to the end of Cheap Seats, since it was a classic wrestling episode and I could have thrown that in as a bonus. Oh well, something to tease you all with for next time!!
Fun With Comments
From Eric: "So-so show I'll agree...
Ali Khan was Tom "TNT" Lintz. So, wow, something I didn't know, courtesy of Greg Gagne! But the name was familiar....once upon a time Lintz was a AWA studio jobber, but I seem to recall him working in Missouri for awhile. Gagne decided for a time to make him a member of Sheik's army. Just peachy. ;-)
I never doubted John Nord's abilities...he did have the pro football player's physique. But...since Verne couldn't keep Brody in the AWA, so he created Bruiser Brody-lite, right down to the barking and the fuzzy boots. It was pretty funny that everyone was pretty much busting on Scott Hall by this point. If the timeframe is correct, Hall was on his way out of the AWA. You could figure the verbal abuse going on was rolling strong, right down to Col. DeBeers' worked-shoot interview claiming Scott Hall was a steroid user.
Well, no shit. As much as I hate to admit it, and given what we all know about signs of usage, most of the AWA (excluding Greg Gagne and Jerry Blackwell, of course) was using. You could see the water retention big time, especially in the Midnight Rockers.
Chicago wrestling and WWA fans will remember Princess Jasmine as a regular worker in the midwest and the Chicago area. Jasmine was on the back end of her career as she had started working for Dick the Bruiser's promotion in the early 70s. The Martel/Jasmine match actually wasn't bad, but Jasmine was no jobber. Moolah certainly trained Sheri Martel well, don'tcha think? I believe Jasmine was trained at Moolah's South Carolina school as well.
I will agree with Randy on this one: outside of the main event, which I'd rate a "good"....the show wasn't anything special.
I will comment on one thing in regards to the downfall of the promotion: once the real purging of talent (courtesy of Vince McMahon) began throughout 1987, the programs needed to rely more and more on fresh graduates and younger talent to fill out the shows. Zbyszko stuck around (except for a brief run in the NWA in 1987) and was there in the end, Col. DeBeers stuck around. Sgt. Slaughter returned to the AWA for awhile (and left when the promotion folded). Blackwell finally retired. And the Baron returned....already pushing 50. This severe overturn of workers is what forced Verne Gagne into the partnership with Fritz von Erich (World Class), and Jerry Jarrett (Memphis)...and we all know how that turned out.
It'll be interesting to see if they keep the same semi-chronological tapings together.
And for the record, the AWA used to be the only promotion that went through Lincoln, Nebraska. The attendance for this show sucked, and I don't believe the AWA ever returned to the area. It would only get worse.
And I'm out..."
Always interesting to hear your thoughts and again I agree with pretty much everything, including how well Moolah trained the ladies in the main event. The Nebraska crowd seemed dead for most of the night, which is probably why they went ahead and dubbed in some of the Las Vegas crowd in the beginning. I notice they haven't left 1986 yet on the episodes, so maybe once they get through all of them in their mish-mash order, they'll decide to move on to 1987.
From soulpower: "For the first time since they started airing AWA, I wasn't able to watch the entire show. Just to many squash matches for my liking... Maybe that's why there wasn't a match listing for the show."
I don't blame you for not making it to the end. If I hadn't been contractually obligated to do so for 411mania.com, I doubt I would have either.
From Infamous Male: "HAHAHAHAHAHA. Thanks for the Boris Zhukov picture. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Too funny. Anyway, your right, this show sucked. You know since these shows started airing again, I'm starting to see Col. Debeers in a new light. It's not so much that he's Karl Gotch in the ring or anything. It's the character. I really hated the guy when these shows were originally airing during the 80's. I just love seeing wrestling characters that are not politically correct in todays day & age. Steroid comments about other wrestlers ? Ultra conservative racist aparthied propagandist ? America hating cold war era flag waving Russians ? Islamic arab sheiks ? All on the same show ? Did the AWA have any Nazi's to go with this lovely group ? Oh wait, where's Baron Von Raschke when you need him?"
Yeah, that Zhukov picture was classic and I appreciate the thought that went into sending it to me a lot. If I had to judge from the picture, I'd say that the litter should have been born a couple of weeks after that. And like I said before, there's NOTHING that's more racist than wrestling before say 1990 or so. It was infamously racist, except for the instances like Bobo Brazil, where they actually integrated BEFORE society had. The main thing about the racism in wrestling was that it was mainly stereotypical and not deep-seeded in hatred. Not quite comically stereotypical, but enough that it wasn't completely uncomfortable.
From Silo Sam: "...shit show, nuff said(man what was the barbarian on during that promo?)"
I agree...and I'm guessing he was on the good shit, cause he looked like he was higher than a kite.
From Rob: "I remember one Saturday long ago when they showed AWA wrestling in the morning and Georgia Championship Wrestling in the afternoon.On the Morning card Baron Von Raschke was from West Germany (good Guy) and in the afternoon he was from East Germany (bad guy)"
I used to love things like that about the old days of regional wrestling and some of my fondest memories are of sitting in front of the TV Saturday morning to watch the AWA, Saturday afternoon to watch the WWF Superstars show, then Saturday night to watch the TBS shows, not to mention any of the local promotions that were on on Saturday afternoons as well, featuring guys like Don Callis, Chris Jericho, Rick Martel and even a pre-WWE Edge. The best thing that a little eight year old wrestling fan could ask for.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:49:41 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on September 23, 1986)
Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your announcers this evening.
In a deja vu moment, Larry Nelson is in the ring introducing the night's participants and one of them is already in the ring with him. Since it's not The 1-2-3 Kid, I think he stands a good 99.8% chance of taking the pin.
Match One: Robert Burroughs vs. Mr. Go w/ Larry Zbyszko
Go would later be known as Ninja Go when he would team up with Super Ninja a little later on in his AWA tenure. Burroughs is a jobber who would make Colin Delaney proud with his skin tone. They lock up and Go forces Burroughs into the corner and bows on a clean break. Another lock up and Go hits a pair of armdrag takeovers into an armbar. Go drops some knees on the arm and Burroughs makes the ropes. They lock up again with Burroughs gaining the advantage, pushing Go into the corner. Zbyszko distracts referee Marty Miller and Go hits a double chop to the throat. Irish whip by Go and a thrust to the gut, followed up by a side kick. A BIG bodyslam from Go and he's back to the armbar. Burroughs breaks out of it with an elbow and he whips Go into the corner. Burroughs charges in and tastes a reverse elbow before Go drops him with a backbreaker. Go with a whip into the corner and Burroughs reverses, but charges in and eats a boot this time. Go with a whip into the ropes and a clothesline. Burroughs is DOA, but Go heads up to the second buckle, walks the ropes a little and drops a big elbow. He covers and gets the three count, while Burroughs seizures on the mat underneath him. Zbyszko struts into the ring and congratulates Mr. Go.
Winner: Mr Go (pinfall, second rope elbowdrop)
Match Analysis: Take every generic Oriental heel you've ever seen, roll him up into one and you've got Mr. Go. By the way, as a rule, if the Oriental heel is wearing a full mask to cover his face, and he's not wrestling in Japan, my guess is that he's not Oriental at all. See Diamond, Paul for future reference. This match was what it was, and what it was wasn't very good.
Post-match, Zbyszko gets in there with Larry Nelson and pisses and moans about Greg Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, Jimmy Snuka, Ox Baker, Killer Kowalski, and Clubber Lang. Ok, maybe not the last three, but he bitched about a lot of people. He calls Snuka a cannibal, and reminds me of a conversation I had with Csonka not an hour before, talking about how racist pre-1990's wrestling really was. He calls himself the best wrestler in the world, threatens to unleash Go on the wrestling world, and threatens to use his nunchuks again. He says that no one is getting in his way to the top, and that unless AWA President Stanley Blackburn gives him a contract with Bockwinkel's name on it, he's going to get a lot of money from a lawsuit. This is after he tells someone in the front row to shut their face. Great people skills, Lar. No wonder they won't give you a title shot. Nelson tries to get a word with Go and Go no-sells the mike. Zbyszko says that he'll lie, cheat, steal, cripple and do whatever it takes to get to the top. He calls the front row some nasty names and says it's time to fulfill his destiny. Sadly, he didn't work in a trip to LarryLand, which used to be my favorite part of any Larry Zbyszko promo.
Back from commercial, and Larry Nelson is in the ring to introduce the next contest.
Match Two: Scott Hall vs. Thomas Pitman
Hall is rocking the Freddie Mercury "I love cock" mustache and a permed mullet to boot. He should be thankful every day that he found a better look that took off for him, because this one didn't work at all. They lock up and Hall gives up a clean break as Pitman makes the ropes. Another lock up and Pitman grabs a headlock until Hall back suplexes him out of it. Irish whip for Hall and a sloppy reverse elbow lands. They keep calling Scott :Magnum" Hall on commentary and that's probably way too much pressure on him. Pitman takes over on Hall in the corner but that doesn't last long as Hall ends up blocking a whip and clubbing Pitman, before whipping him into the corner and hitting a BIG back-bodydrop. Hall whips him into the ropes for a clothesline, picks him up and pushes Pitman into the corner, clubbing him across the chest before hitting the bulldog for the 1-2-3. It's worth noting that Hall pinned Pitman by straddling his chest and came dangerously close to teabagging the poor jobber. I wonder if that's really worth the 40 bucks Verne probably paid him.
Winner: Big Scott "Magnum" Hall (pinfall, bulldog)
Match Analysis: Squasherino. Hall still had movement since this was still fairly early in his career and he did what he was supposed to do by dropping the enhancement talent like a bad habit. Sadly he went the extra mile and nearly made the jobber do a little unwanted ball-licking, but I guess. He had to run with that male escort look he was rocking so it's understandable.
According to the AWA Notebook, Hall has been voted by fans as the most popular wrestler and most eligible bachelor in professional wrestling. I vehemently protest that last part, as I'm sure his lover did as well.
Larry Nelson has Hall and Curt Hennig in the ring as we come back from the break, and Hall cuts a boring babyface promo about how he loves Las Vegas and loves Curt (see, I told you something was up), and that he's glad to be back from his injury and that he wants tougher competition. He calls out Col. DeBeers and shames him for "doin' me wrong". Hennig talks about how they've been beaten down as of late, but that the people's support gets them through it all. Hennig talks circles around Hall and says that they're going to be "personable with everyone in this world", whatever that means. I think I might retract my statement about talking circles around Hall.
The first thing I see coming back from this commercial is Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie's ugly mug, and he's leading Ali Kahn and Boris Zhukov to the ring. They charge the ring which leads directly to...
Match Three: Ali Kahn and Boris Zhukov vs. Butch Cooper and Pat Myers
The heels rush the ring and fling the jobbers out to the floor in relatively short order. Ron Trongard is shocked and appalled on commentary and Kahn and Zhukov celebrate their dastardly work in the middle of the ring. Zhukov gets ahold of Myers and lays the boots to him before whipping him in for a BIG back-bodydrop. He sends Myers into the corner and tags Kahn who comes in with a bodyslam. The heels tag again and Zhukov headbutts Myers' back and hiptosses him into his corner. Myers makes the tag and Cooper does no better, ending up in the heel's corner and getting worked over with boots and chops. Kahn with a snap mare and he locks in a reverse bearhug into a sloppy atomic drop. Tag to Zhukov and he throws Cooper out to the concrete floor before ramming him back-first into the apron. Zhukov with a SLAM on the floor and Kahn attacks Myers on the outside when he heads over to check on his homie. Zhukov clubs Cooper (whom Trongard has started to call Myers, I am so lost at this point) and brings him back into the ring for a double-team move. Kahn and Zhukov hit a double back-body drop and Kahn starts to rake the back of Cooper. A neckbreaker from Kahn and he tags in Zhukov for a double backbreaker. That gets a two-count and Zhukov pulls him up before the three. Another headbutt to the back from Zhukov and he rams Cooper into the corner. They do the double backbreaker again and Kahn holds him on the knee for extra punishment. Another exchange on the heel side and Zhukov hits ANOTHER backbreaker and ANOTHER headbutt to the back. Zhukov is a workrate machine, I swear. Kahn tags in and picks him up for the over the shoulder backbreaker and Cooper gives it up.
Winners: Ali Kahn and Boris Zhukov (submission, over the shoulder backbreaker)
Match Analysis: Yeah, remember what I said about watching another Boris Zhukov match than being stuck watching Ali Kahn again. Well they're a tag team now, so you can imagine my glee. Some people would call all the work on the back great psychology, but I just call it the fact that they didn't know many more moves than to work on the back. Zhukov worked through his six moves as usual and Kahn did about the same, following Zhukov's lead. Yuck, times ten.
Zhukov and Kahn send the jobbers out of the ring after beating on them a little more after the bell. After the match, Sheik says that his boys would love to be tag team champions and that they're ready. Nelson goes over the list of contenders and says that the Army will have to go through them all. Kahn keeps jonesing for his fix and scratching his beard. Zhukov takes over and talks about Nick Bockwinkel again, claiming that the Arab world and Russia are #1. Sheik calls Zhukov the real World Champion and that he beat Bockwinkel last week. Zhukov demands a chain match against Bockwinkel where they'd be chained together at the wrist and Nelson's heard enough, throwing it to a break.
We're back and Nelson is in the ring with the next victim, uh jobber, uh, wrestler in the ring.
Match Four: AWA Heavyweight Championship Nick Bockwinkel vs. Paul Garner
I don't know for sure if it's for the title, but I assume that it would be. They call Garner one of the young challengers that Bockwinkel has to face. At this point Bockwinkel is almost 52 years old, so anyone short of Methuselah would be a young challenger for his title. They lock up in the middle and Garner pushes Bockwinkel into the ropes for a break. Bockwinkel with a quick go-behind off of another lock up and he pushes Garner into the ropes and slaps him on the back. Another lock up and Garner shoves Bockwinkel into the ropes and misses on a BIG forearm shot. Bockwinkel moves to a headlock and Garner whips him into the ropes and eats a shoulderblock. They run the ropes and Bockwinkel tries for a piledriver, but settles for a knee knocker on Garner's head instead. Garner shoves Bockwinkel and they lock up again, with Bockwinkel shoving him down and Garner taking five, leaning outside the ropes. Garner gets a side headlock off of another lockup and hits a thumb to the throat before hammering Bockwinkel down with some punches and kicks. Garner, like most AWA jobbers, has gone to the Vince McMahon School of Overdramatic Choking, and he shows off the lessons he's learned on Bockwinkel. Garner grabs an armbar and takes Bockwinkel down with a handful of hair, before dropping the knee on the outstretched arm of the champ. Bockwinkel gets back up and Garner takes him down with the hair again. Garner again to the throat and he hits an elbow to the head before going to a headlock. Bockwinkel whips Garner into the ropes, ducks down and takes him over with a drop toehold, into a leg lock. Bockwinkel punishes the knee, but leans too far back and Garner chokes him to break the hold, and gets a two count off of it. Garner sends him in on the Irish whip and his a reverse elbow to the chest and goes to the throat again. Bockwinkel with some boots to the gut and a BIG right hand to Garner before ramming him into the buckle. Bockwinkel tries a whip to the corner but Garner reverses it and follows in with a knee to the stomach. Bockwinkel ducks a clothesline off of a whip and lands a flying clothesline of his own before locking in the Indian deathlock for the submission.
Winner: Nick Bockwinkel (submission, Indian deathlock)
Match Analysis: For being over 50, Bockwinkel was still an absolute joy to watch in the ring, and I loved getting to see him work this week. Every move was so smooth, and he controlled the pace of the match beautifully. Garner was a serviceable generic heel, but really all he needed to do was be there. This was a lot like the Ric Flair broomstick principle and Bockwinkel carried the kid to a very decent match.
The AWA Notebook returns, informing us that Bockwinkel won his first AWA Championship on November 18, 1975. The AWA on ESPN Classic Notebook makes its debut, and says that Bockwinkel beat Verne Gagne for the belt in St. Paul, Minnesota and that it was actually November 8, 1975.
We're back from commercial and it's time for our main event of the evening!
Match Five: Main Event Col. DeBeers vs. Scott Hall
DeBeers is already in the ring, twirling his mustache, and here comes Scott Hall charging to the ring and sending Larry Nelson scurrying. DeBeers tries to cut off Hall and keep him from getting in the ring, but Hall forces his way in with right hands and sends DeBeers into the corner, following in with a back elbow that puts DeBeers on his ass. Hall RAMS DeBeers into the buckle, complete with a cosmersault sell of the move. Hall with a whip into the corner and another into the opposite corner and he gets the ankles of DeBeers and yanks him out of the corner for a two count. A BIG bodyslam from Hall and he misses an elbowdrop off the ropes as DeBeers rolls out of the way. Right hand from DeBeers and he starts working the arm now with a standing armbar, biting at the knuckles of Hall. DeBeers tries to stick Hall's hand into the turnbuckle and break his fingers but Hall fights it off. Stomp to the hand from DeBeers and he's in full control, going to the throat before moving back to the armbar. DeBeers gets a takedown with the hair and knees the arm and hand of the future "Bad Guy". The crowd gets behind Hall to try to rally him and Hall uses that to hit a bodyslam, but DeBeers holds onto the arm and flips Hall over, working on the hand again. DeBeers is back to working over the hand in the corner, trying to stick it in the turnbuckle again, while on commentary Lord Blears says he heard an interview where people were calling Scott Hall a "steroid baby". If that was the worst they were calling him with the look he's sporting, he's lucky.
Hall with punches to keep his fingers from getting broken and DeBeers is out to the floor. Hall can't capitalize on it and DeBeers is back into the ring, ramming Hall into the top turnbuckle. Hall reverses the next one and rams DeBeers in a couple of times before eating an elbow to the gut. DeBeers back to the fingers, biting the hand of Hall. Hall tries to fire back with some right hands and he's taking over until DeBeers starts biting the left hand gain. DeBeers tries a bodyslam but can't get Hall over and instead he gets reversed into a HUGE bodyslam from Hall. They both end up on the mat and DeBeers is up first, heading for the top turnbuckle. Hall cuts him off and hits the HUGESTEST slam from the top rope. Hall with an Irish whip and a punch to the gut, which DeBeers oversells to fantastic effect. Hall off the ropes with a big elbowdrop and he shoves DeBeers into the corner before he hits THE BULLDOG!!! Hall with the cover but Debeers gets his foot on the ropes before the three count. Hall with clubbing forearms to the chest and tries for the bulldog again but DeBeers shoves him off into referee Marty Miller and down he goes. Hall tries to help him up be DeBeers plants a knee into his back, sending him crashing into Miller again. Hall makes it up and DeBeers begs off into the corner, taking some right hands and a BIG back bodydrop. Miller rings the bell for the DQ, and Hall hits another bulldog and counts the pin himself. Miller stops Hall from celebrating and raises the hand of COL. DeBEERS!! What the HELL??? Hall gets disqualified for running into Marty Miller twice and DeBeers is the winner.
Winner: Col. DeBeers (disqualification)
Match Analysis: Another main event, another non-finish. I sense a pattern forming. This was a much better match than the main event from last report though, so I can't complain too loudly. DeBeers wasn't quite as limited in the ring as he was during his later run in the UWF and Hall could push the pace well in the ring and was motivated, so this was actually quite good.
Post-match, they glare at each other in the middle of the ring, and Ron Trongard compares it to Ali/Frazier. Yeah, it's EXACTLY like that Ron. Hall breaks the staredown with a boot to the gut that puts DeBeers down onto the floor. Hall calls him into the ring for another piece and DeBeers raises his arm rightfully as the winner of the match and tells Hall where to stick it.
The AWA Notebook makes another appearance, telling us that the Top Five contenders for the AWA title are, in this order, The Barbarian, Col. DeBeers, Big Scott Hall, Larry Zbyszko, and Superfly Snuka. Huh. That looks like quite a list of challengers.
Back from commercial and Scott Hall is in the ring with Larry Nelson for some more promo time. Nelson explains to Hall why he was disqualified and Hall just kind of shrugs in disgust. Hall gives DeBeers the fact that he got his hand raised and he says that the two of them are way past that. He talks about how DeBeers humiliated him and that he's going to turn that back around. Hall shows off his excellent mike skills and uses the same quote from his Momma as he did in the first promo. Ugh. Never repeat a spot, and never repeat a catchphrase that isn't over, Scott. Wrestling 101. He talks about how DeBeers cost him and Hennig the tag team titles and how he needs to settle it with DeBeers before he can focus again on being a team with Hennig. He calls DeBeers a demon that's haunting him and he wants to settle it, the time for talking is over, and thankfully Larry Nelson informs us that we're out of time so Hall can stop rambling now.
Final Thoughts
A much better show than the initial outing in my book. Still plagued by the non-finish at the end, but that's understandable since they were probably booking towards a bigger blowoff for Hall and DeBeers. They fit five matches and a ton of promo time into an hour-long show, yet it didn't seem rushed at all, or too overwhelming because they only focused on eight or nine characters and two or three storylines. Take notes, TNA. That's how you get a lot accomplished and keep from confusing the fans. Thumbs up for this one, but I'd really like to see a main event with, you know, a FINISH.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:50:29 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on September 23, 1986)
Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your announcers this evening.
In a deja vu moment, Larry Nelson is in the ring introducing the night's participants and one of them is already in the ring with him. Since it's not The 1-2-3 Kid, I think he stands a good 99.8% chance of taking the pin.
Match One: Robert Burroughs vs. Mr. Go w/ Larry Zbyszko
Go would later be known as Ninja Go when he would team up with Super Ninja a little later on in his AWA tenure. Burroughs is a jobber who would make Colin Delaney proud with his skin tone. They lock up and Go forces Burroughs into the corner and bows on a clean break. Another lock up and Go hits a pair of armdrag takeovers into an armbar. Go drops some knees on the arm and Burroughs makes the ropes. They lock up again with Burroughs gaining the advantage, pushing Go into the corner. Zbyszko distracts referee Marty Miller and Go hits a double chop to the throat. Irish whip by Go and a thrust to the gut, followed up by a side kick. A BIG bodyslam from Go and he's back to the armbar. Burroughs breaks out of it with an elbow and he whips Go into the corner. Burroughs charges in and tastes a reverse elbow before Go drops him with a backbreaker. Go with a whip into the corner and Burroughs reverses, but charges in and eats a boot this time. Go with a whip into the ropes and a clothesline. Burroughs is DOA, but Go heads up to the second buckle, walks the ropes a little and drops a big elbow. He covers and gets the three count, while Burroughs seizures on the mat underneath him. Zbyszko struts into the ring and congratulates Mr. Go.
Winner: Mr Go (pinfall, second rope elbowdrop)
Match Analysis: Take every generic Oriental heel you've ever seen, roll him up into one and you've got Mr. Go. By the way, as a rule, if the Oriental heel is wearing a full mask to cover his face, and he's not wrestling in Japan, my guess is that he's not Oriental at all. See Diamond, Paul for future reference. This match was what it was, and what it was wasn't very good.
Post-match, Zbyszko gets in there with Larry Nelson and pisses and moans about Greg Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, Jimmy Snuka, Ox Baker, Killer Kowalski, and Clubber Lang. Ok, maybe not the last three, but he bitched about a lot of people. He calls Snuka a cannibal, and reminds me of a conversation I had with Csonka not an hour before, talking about how racist pre-1990's wrestling really was. He calls himself the best wrestler in the world, threatens to unleash Go on the wrestling world, and threatens to use his nunchuks again. He says that no one is getting in his way to the top, and that unless AWA President Stanley Blackburn gives him a contract with Bockwinkel's name on it, he's going to get a lot of money from a lawsuit. This is after he tells someone in the front row to shut their face. Great people skills, Lar. No wonder they won't give you a title shot. Nelson tries to get a word with Go and Go no-sells the mike. Zbyszko says that he'll lie, cheat, steal, cripple and do whatever it takes to get to the top. He calls the front row some nasty names and says it's time to fulfill his destiny. Sadly, he didn't work in a trip to LarryLand, which used to be my favorite part of any Larry Zbyszko promo.
Back from commercial, and Larry Nelson is in the ring to introduce the next contest.
Match Two: Scott Hall vs. Thomas Pitman
Hall is rocking the Freddie Mercury "I love cock" mustache and a permed mullet to boot. He should be thankful every day that he found a better look that took off for him, because this one didn't work at all. They lock up and Hall gives up a clean break as Pitman makes the ropes. Another lock up and Pitman grabs a headlock until Hall back suplexes him out of it. Irish whip for Hall and a sloppy reverse elbow lands. They keep calling Scott :Magnum" Hall on commentary and that's probably way too much pressure on him. Pitman takes over on Hall in the corner but that doesn't last long as Hall ends up blocking a whip and clubbing Pitman, before whipping him into the corner and hitting a BIG back-bodydrop. Hall whips him into the ropes for a clothesline, picks him up and pushes Pitman into the corner, clubbing him across the chest before hitting the bulldog for the 1-2-3. It's worth noting that Hall pinned Pitman by straddling his chest and came dangerously close to teabagging the poor jobber. I wonder if that's really worth the 40 bucks Verne probably paid him.
Winner: Big Scott "Magnum" Hall (pinfall, bulldog)
Match Analysis: Squasherino. Hall still had movement since this was still fairly early in his career and he did what he was supposed to do by dropping the enhancement talent like a bad habit. Sadly he went the extra mile and nearly made the jobber do a little unwanted ball-licking, but I guess. He had to run with that male escort look he was rocking so it's understandable.
According to the AWA Notebook, Hall has been voted by fans as the most popular wrestler and most eligible bachelor in professional wrestling. I vehemently protest that last part, as I'm sure his lover did as well.
Larry Nelson has Hall and Curt Hennig in the ring as we come back from the break, and Hall cuts a boring babyface promo about how he loves Las Vegas and loves Curt (see, I told you something was up), and that he's glad to be back from his injury and that he wants tougher competition. He calls out Col. DeBeers and shames him for "doin' me wrong". Hennig talks about how they've been beaten down as of late, but that the people's support gets them through it all. Hennig talks circles around Hall and says that they're going to be "personable with everyone in this world", whatever that means. I think I might retract my statement about talking circles around Hall.
The first thing I see coming back from this commercial is Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie's ugly mug, and he's leading Ali Kahn and Boris Zhukov to the ring. They charge the ring which leads directly to...
Match Three: Ali Kahn and Boris Zhukov vs. Butch Cooper and Pat Myers
The heels rush the ring and fling the jobbers out to the floor in relatively short order. Ron Trongard is shocked and appalled on commentary and Kahn and Zhukov celebrate their dastardly work in the middle of the ring. Zhukov gets ahold of Myers and lays the boots to him before whipping him in for a BIG back-bodydrop. He sends Myers into the corner and tags Kahn who comes in with a bodyslam. The heels tag again and Zhukov headbutts Myers' back and hiptosses him into his corner. Myers makes the tag and Cooper does no better, ending up in the heel's corner and getting worked over with boots and chops. Kahn with a snap mare and he locks in a reverse bearhug into a sloppy atomic drop. Tag to Zhukov and he throws Cooper out to the concrete floor before ramming him back-first into the apron. Zhukov with a SLAM on the floor and Kahn attacks Myers on the outside when he heads over to check on his homie. Zhukov clubs Cooper (whom Trongard has started to call Myers, I am so lost at this point) and brings him back into the ring for a double-team move. Kahn and Zhukov hit a double back-body drop and Kahn starts to rake the back of Cooper. A neckbreaker from Kahn and he tags in Zhukov for a double backbreaker. That gets a two-count and Zhukov pulls him up before the three. Another headbutt to the back from Zhukov and he rams Cooper into the corner. They do the double backbreaker again and Kahn holds him on the knee for extra punishment. Another exchange on the heel side and Zhukov hits ANOTHER backbreaker and ANOTHER headbutt to the back. Zhukov is a workrate machine, I swear. Kahn tags in and picks him up for the over the shoulder backbreaker and Cooper gives it up.
Winners: Ali Kahn and Boris Zhukov (submission, over the shoulder backbreaker)
Match Analysis: Yeah, remember what I said about watching another Boris Zhukov match than being stuck watching Ali Kahn again. Well they're a tag team now, so you can imagine my glee. Some people would call all the work on the back great psychology, but I just call it the fact that they didn't know many more moves than to work on the back. Zhukov worked through his six moves as usual and Kahn did about the same, following Zhukov's lead. Yuck, times ten.
Zhukov and Kahn send the jobbers out of the ring after beating on them a little more after the bell. After the match, Sheik says that his boys would love to be tag team champions and that they're ready. Nelson goes over the list of contenders and says that the Army will have to go through them all. Kahn keeps jonesing for his fix and scratching his beard. Zhukov takes over and talks about Nick Bockwinkel again, claiming that the Arab world and Russia are #1. Sheik calls Zhukov the real World Champion and that he beat Bockwinkel last week. Zhukov demands a chain match against Bockwinkel where they'd be chained together at the wrist and Nelson's heard enough, throwing it to a break.
We're back and Nelson is in the ring with the next victim, uh jobber, uh, wrestler in the ring.
Match Four: AWA Heavyweight Championship Nick Bockwinkel vs. Paul Garner
I don't know for sure if it's for the title, but I assume that it would be. They call Garner one of the young challengers that Bockwinkel has to face. At this point Bockwinkel is almost 52 years old, so anyone short of Methuselah would be a young challenger for his title. They lock up in the middle and Garner pushes Bockwinkel into the ropes for a break. Bockwinkel with a quick go-behind off of another lock up and he pushes Garner into the ropes and slaps him on the back. Another lock up and Garner shoves Bockwinkel into the ropes and misses on a BIG forearm shot. Bockwinkel moves to a headlock and Garner whips him into the ropes and eats a shoulderblock. They run the ropes and Bockwinkel tries for a piledriver, but settles for a knee knocker on Garner's head instead. Garner shoves Bockwinkel and they lock up again, with Bockwinkel shoving him down and Garner taking five, leaning outside the ropes. Garner gets a side headlock off of another lockup and hits a thumb to the throat before hammering Bockwinkel down with some punches and kicks. Garner, like most AWA jobbers, has gone to the Vince McMahon School of Overdramatic Choking, and he shows off the lessons he's learned on Bockwinkel. Garner grabs an armbar and takes Bockwinkel down with a handful of hair, before dropping the knee on the outstretched arm of the champ. Bockwinkel gets back up and Garner takes him down with the hair again. Garner again to the throat and he hits an elbow to the head before going to a headlock. Bockwinkel whips Garner into the ropes, ducks down and takes him over with a drop toehold, into a leg lock. Bockwinkel punishes the knee, but leans too far back and Garner chokes him to break the hold, and gets a two count off of it. Garner sends him in on the Irish whip and his a reverse elbow to the chest and goes to the throat again. Bockwinkel with some boots to the gut and a BIG right hand to Garner before ramming him into the buckle. Bockwinkel tries a whip to the corner but Garner reverses it and follows in with a knee to the stomach. Bockwinkel ducks a clothesline off of a whip and lands a flying clothesline of his own before locking in the Indian deathlock for the submission.
Winner: Nick Bockwinkel (submission, Indian deathlock)
Match Analysis: For being over 50, Bockwinkel was still an absolute joy to watch in the ring, and I loved getting to see him work this week. Every move was so smooth, and he controlled the pace of the match beautifully. Garner was a serviceable generic heel, but really all he needed to do was be there. This was a lot like the Ric Flair broomstick principle and Bockwinkel carried the kid to a very decent match.
The AWA Notebook returns, informing us that Bockwinkel won his first AWA Championship on November 18, 1975. The AWA on ESPN Classic Notebook makes its debut, and says that Bockwinkel beat Verne Gagne for the belt in St. Paul, Minnesota and that it was actually November 8, 1975.
We're back from commercial and it's time for our main event of the evening!
Match Five: Main Event Col. DeBeers vs. Scott Hall
DeBeers is already in the ring, twirling his mustache, and here comes Scott Hall charging to the ring and sending Larry Nelson scurrying. DeBeers tries to cut off Hall and keep him from getting in the ring, but Hall forces his way in with right hands and sends DeBeers into the corner, following in with a back elbow that puts DeBeers on his ass. Hall RAMS DeBeers into the buckle, complete with a cosmersault sell of the move. Hall with a whip into the corner and another into the opposite corner and he gets the ankles of DeBeers and yanks him out of the corner for a two count. A BIG bodyslam from Hall and he misses an elbowdrop off the ropes as DeBeers rolls out of the way. Right hand from DeBeers and he starts working the arm now with a standing armbar, biting at the knuckles of Hall. DeBeers tries to stick Hall's hand into the turnbuckle and break his fingers but Hall fights it off. Stomp to the hand from DeBeers and he's in full control, going to the throat before moving back to the armbar. DeBeers gets a takedown with the hair and knees the arm and hand of the future "Bad Guy". The crowd gets behind Hall to try to rally him and Hall uses that to hit a bodyslam, but DeBeers holds onto the arm and flips Hall over, working on the hand again. DeBeers is back to working over the hand in the corner, trying to stick it in the turnbuckle again, while on commentary Lord Blears says he heard an interview where people were calling Scott Hall a "steroid baby". If that was the worst they were calling him with the look he's sporting, he's lucky.
Hall with punches to keep his fingers from getting broken and DeBeers is out to the floor. Hall can't capitalize on it and DeBeers is back into the ring, ramming Hall into the top turnbuckle. Hall reverses the next one and rams DeBeers in a couple of times before eating an elbow to the gut. DeBeers back to the fingers, biting the hand of Hall. Hall tries to fire back with some right hands and he's taking over until DeBeers starts biting the left hand gain. DeBeers tries a bodyslam but can't get Hall over and instead he gets reversed into a HUGE bodyslam from Hall. They both end up on the mat and DeBeers is up first, heading for the top turnbuckle. Hall cuts him off and hits the HUGESTEST slam from the top rope. Hall with an Irish whip and a punch to the gut, which DeBeers oversells to fantastic effect. Hall off the ropes with a big elbowdrop and he shoves DeBeers into the corner before he hits THE BULLDOG!!! Hall with the cover but Debeers gets his foot on the ropes before the three count. Hall with clubbing forearms to the chest and tries for the bulldog again but DeBeers shoves him off into referee Marty Miller and down he goes. Hall tries to help him up be DeBeers plants a knee into his back, sending him crashing into Miller again. Hall makes it up and DeBeers begs off into the corner, taking some right hands and a BIG back bodydrop. Miller rings the bell for the DQ, and Hall hits another bulldog and counts the pin himself. Miller stops Hall from celebrating and raises the hand of COL. DeBEERS!! What the HELL??? Hall gets disqualified for running into Marty Miller twice and DeBeers is the winner.
Winner: Col. DeBeers (disqualification)
Match Analysis: Another main event, another non-finish. I sense a pattern forming. This was a much better match than the main event from last report though, so I can't complain too loudly. DeBeers wasn't quite as limited in the ring as he was during his later run in the UWF and Hall could push the pace well in the ring and was motivated, so this was actually quite good.
Post-match, they glare at each other in the middle of the ring, and Ron Trongard compares it to Ali/Frazier. Yeah, it's EXACTLY like that Ron. Hall breaks the staredown with a boot to the gut that puts DeBeers down onto the floor. Hall calls him into the ring for another piece and DeBeers raises his arm rightfully as the winner of the match and tells Hall where to stick it.
The AWA Notebook makes another appearance, telling us that the Top Five contenders for the AWA title are, in this order, The Barbarian, Col. DeBeers, Big Scott Hall, Larry Zbyszko, and Superfly Snuka. Huh. That looks like quite a list of challengers.
Back from commercial and Scott Hall is in the ring with Larry Nelson for some more promo time. Nelson explains to Hall why he was disqualified and Hall just kind of shrugs in disgust. Hall gives DeBeers the fact that he got his hand raised and he says that the two of them are way past that. He talks about how DeBeers humiliated him and that he's going to turn that back around. Hall shows off his excellent mike skills and uses the same quote from his Momma as he did in the first promo. Ugh. Never repeat a spot, and never repeat a catchphrase that isn't over, Scott. Wrestling 101. He talks about how DeBeers cost him and Hennig the tag team titles and how he needs to settle it with DeBeers before he can focus again on being a team with Hennig. He calls DeBeers a demon that's haunting him and he wants to settle it, the time for talking is over, and thankfully Larry Nelson informs us that we're out of time so Hall can stop rambling now.
Final Thoughts
A much better show than the initial outing in my book. Still plagued by the non-finish at the end, but that's understandable since they were probably booking towards a bigger blowoff for Hall and DeBeers. They fit five matches and a ton of promo time into an hour-long show, yet it didn't seem rushed at all, or too overwhelming because they only focused on eight or nine characters and two or three storylines. Take notes, TNA. That's how you get a lot accomplished and keep from confusing the fans. Thumbs up for this one, but I'd really like to see a main event with, you know, a FINISH.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:51:21 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on October 5, 1986)
Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your announcers this evening, as always.
Match One: Larry Zbyszko w/ Mr. Go vs. Butch Cooper
Zbyszko jaws with the front row as he prepares for the bout. Zbyszko stalls a lot before they finally lock up with him pushing Cooper into the ropes. He keeps jabbering at the crowd, then goes over to confer with Mr. Go. A lock up into an armdrag takedown and Zbyszko grabs a hammerlock as he shit talks Snuka and the rest, looking right into the camera. Zybyszko hits a spin kick to the gut and gets Cooper up for a BIG backbreaker. A bodyslam from Zybyszko and another and he keeps yelling at someone on the left hand side of the hard camera in the crowd. An eyerake with his boots and Zbyszko goes back to the arm lock. Another backbreaker from "The Living Legend" and a snapmare follows. Zbyszko gets two off of that, but picks Cooper up. It just delays the inevitable as he drops Cooper with the piledriver for the three count.
Winner: Larry Zbyszko (pinfall, piledriver)
Match Analysis: This was like just about any Larry Zbyszko match that I've seen. He stalls, he hits some marital arts-type stuff, he jaws with the crowd and then hits the piledriver for the pin. Lather, rinse, repeat. I swear, Zbyszko had the same match hundreds of times, and this was one of them. A match that was just there to get Zbyszko some promo time.
Zbyszko cuts a post-match promo about how he's put Greg Gagne out for six months and that now they're trying to put Superfly Snuka in front of him. He claims all he wants is a fair chance and now he gets on his knees a la GSP and begs Stanley Blackburn for a title shot. He rips the mike out of Larry Nelson's hand, screams at Bockwinkel and throws it to the mat before making Nelson pick it back up. Nelson says that Bockwinkel thinks that Zbyszko is too much of a hot-head to get a title shot. He works in his classic "Spudheads" line and then challenges Bockwinkel to come out and shut his mouth. Zbyszko starts talking about his reputation and his "glorious years" in wrestling as Nelson tells him that we're out of time, then runs out of the ring.
Back from commercial, and we're right into our next match..
Match Two: Brad Rheingans vs. Bill Cab?
I think that's his name, there was no graphic and it was kind of hard to make it out. Anyhow, Rheingans locks up and grabs a headlock right out of the gate. Cab picks up Rheningans and sets him on the top turnbuckle to break the headlock. Cab throws him off into the ropes off of another lock up. Rheingans back to the side headlock and Cab whips him in off the ropes, missing with a clothesline before Rheingans hits a cross-bodyblock for one. Rheingans with a headlock takeover this time, working him over on the mat and getting a one count off of the headlock. Cab whips Rehingans in off the ropes agan and ducks down, spinning around on his back and Rheingans cartwheels around him and grabs the headlock again. Another one count off of that and Cab punches Rheingans to the gut to take over. Cab chokes him across the top rope and slingshots him off of it, with Rheingans rolling with it, getting back to his feet to deliver a dropkick. Rheingans with another headlock takeover and he holds onto it as a few fans start a boring chant. Cab whips Rheingans in and hits a knee to the midsection before bodyslamming him down. Cab with a snapmare and he tries for a knee off of the ropes but Rheingans rolls out of the way. Rheingans with a back bodydrop for two and he goes to the well again but Cab kicks him in the chest. Can with a big bodyslam and he's off to the second turnbuckle, trying a flying splash but missing. Rheingans comes off of the second rope himself and hits a flying tackle to get the pin.
Winner: Brad Rheingans (pinfall, flying tackle)
Match Analysis: Rheingans has all of the in-ring talent you could ever want, but nearly negative charisma. This was a match that was just there. Not good, not bad, just there to fill some time. I really hope this show picks up soon, it's not heading in a good direction.
Rheingans gets some promo time and he says that he's had a rough year and that it's all been the fault of the Sheik's Army. He calls his flying tackle "the Bullet" and says that he will use it on the Shiek's Army like medicine in a needle. I don't quite get that, but whatever. Then he says that it's going to be lights out for the Sheik's Army. Larry Nelson turns to Scott LeDoux and he talks about how he's enjoying being a referee but that he can't wait to get into the ring to wrestle for himself. He talks about his training and that he has trouble controlling his temper. LeDoux puts over his boxing career and talks about how he wants to be a singles wrestler. He wants to use an open-handed strike to the heart to stop his opponents and Larry Nelson kisses LeDoux's ass a little on his way out of the ring.
After another commerical break we're back with Larry Nelson in the interview area, putting over a new talent from Tennesee named Silo Sam. He's got a bit of a Hillbilly Jim-type gimmick and Nelson says he weighs 585 pounds. Over highlights of Sam doing his thing in the rings of Memphis, Nelson tells a long-winded story about how Sam saved some promoters when their car ran into a ditch. Apparently he pulled it out of the ditch himself with just his hands and set it back on the road. Nelson calls him bigger than even Andre The Giant, and puts Silo Sam over as a super-giant. More footage of Sam as he has a calf up in a fireman's carry. Well, I guess Tenneseein really is Tenne-believin. He reminds me of Lenny in Of Mice and Men, which reminds me that Ray Gordy is doing the same gimmick now.
Match Three: The Midnight Rockers vs. Eddie Sweat and Pablo Crenshaw
Here we GO! Now we're talking, let's get this one underway. Jannetty has his ribs taped and locks up with Crenshaw, working an armbar but getting it reversed. He and Crenshaw do a little chain wrestling and a little more chain wrestling and Crenshaw gets to the ropes. Jannetty tags in Michaels and Crenshaw gets him into a headlock. Michaels whips him off and Crenshaw shoulderblocks him down to the mat. Michaels comes back with a hiptoss and an armdrag into an armbar. Tag to Jannetty and he hits a splash onto Crenshaw's arm, hurting his own ribs in the process. Crenshaw takes over, working punches to Jannetty's ribs in the corner. Crenshaw whips him to the opposite corner and they hit the spot with Jannetty catching him with the boots to the face coming in. The only problem is that it was all in half-speed and about the sloppiest I've ever seen that spot done. Jannetty whips Crenshaw into the ropes and hits a reverse elbow for a two count. Both teams tag and Michaels just walks over and kicks Sweat in the gut hard. A bodyslam from Michaels gets a two count and he tags Jannetty in for a somewhat botched double-team move. Crenshaw breaks up the pin and they double-team him as well with a much better double-backdrop after whipping him into the ropes. A double savate kick on Sweat sends him onto his ass. Shawn picks Sweat up for the suplex/cross-body finisher but can't keep Sweat up and Jannetty ends up missing him with the cross-body completely when Michaels drops him. Jannetty cradles and still gets the pin, but YUCK. The boys must have been out late the night before. The replay is TERRIBLE because it's possibly the worst angle in the world, showing just how badly Jannetty missed on the cross-body off the top. I mean, it wasn't even CLOSE.
Winners: The Midnight Rockers (pinfall, botched finisher)
Match Analysis: That was ugly on every level imaginable. Marty and Shawn must have been on the good shit because they could barely hit a move to save their lives. I was excited to see The Rockers on my TV because this episode was heading downhill, but they ended up sending it further down the hill and slamming their feet on the accelerator. Sigh.
The Rockers get some time on the mike now and they talk about how Doug Somers and Buddy Rose caught them once, but that will be the only time they get caught. The Rockers never quit and never say die. They come out and they say what they mean and mean what they say. Michaels claims that the beating they're going to get from The Rockers is going to be the worst of their careers and that Rose and Somers experience will mean jack all in the end. Jannetty says that he thinks he has torn cartilage in his ribcage but that it doesn't matter. He says that the New Generation won't stop until they get to the top and that The Rockers will do whatever it takes to become world champions.
Match Four: Col. DeBeers vs. Robert Burroughs
It's nice to see Burroughs again as I thought it was time to check the brightness level on my television. His pasty, lily-white ass should work perfectly. Pardon me, he's progressed to a farmer's tan tonight. That's just outstanding. DeBeers twirls his mustache and they reference the match with Scott Hall from the previous report. DeBeers witha headlock takeover and he stomps on the face of Burroughs. DeBeers gets Burroughs up onto his shoulder and drops him throat-first across the top rope. More pounding from DeBeers and a back bodydrop gets a two count before DeBeers picks him up off the mat. Lord James Blears says that the main event is going to be The Barbarian and King Kong Brody vs. Greg Gagne and Jimmy Snuka. That might be the only thing that will save this show at this point. DeBeers stomps away at the face of Burroughs again and hits his version of a flapjack for the pinfall.
Winner: Col. DeBeers (pinfall, flapjack)
Match Analysis: This was only here to get DeBeers a paycheck and another match designed just to give him some promo time to further his feud with Scott Hall. At least it was short. Still, not good at all.
DeBeers is in the ring with Larry Nelson and he accuses the fans of being as inconsistent as the AWA and twirls his mustache some more. He starts going on about international politics and the sanctions against South Africa. He thinks that the AWA should set sanctions against Scott Hall for using steroids. How funny that twenty years later this is still a topical promo. He claims that America is weak and that Scott Hall would be weak without his steroids. He wants Hall to take a test and prove that he's clean before he gets in the ring with DeBeers again. Nelson claims that perhaps DeBeers is making these statements based on fear of Scott Hall. DeBeers makes a veiled reference to Apartheid and then says that he fears no one.
Match Five: Steel Cage Main Event The Barbarian and King Kong Brody w/Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie vs. Greg Gagne and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka w/ Verne Gagne
Oh man, if there was ever a show that needed a main event to be good, it's this show. This match is from The Metrodome, and took place on April 20, 1986. Snuka is a replacement for an injured Jerry Blackwell. I have visions of some pie-eating contest gone awry. If Gagne and Snuka win the match, Verne gets the Sheik for ten minutes. Just to note, The Barbarian is Nord The Barbarian, not the Powers of Pain version. Brody and Gagne start out and Brody cheapshots Gagne off of the lock up. Gagne turns the tide and lays in the chops, whipping Brody into the corner and charging in to eat the boots of the big Bruiser. Brody sends him into his corner and the knees of Barbarian. A tag in and Barbarian hits a big powerslam, but misses the follow-up kneedrop. Gagne turns the tide again and rams Barbarian into the turnbuckle in his corner. Snuka tags in and levels Barbarian with chops and a snap mare. Brody comes in and attacks Snuka to get him off the Barbarian, and Barbarian gets a front-facelock.
Snuka reverses to a hammerlock and Barbarian shoves him back to their corner, tagging to Brody. They do a little reversal sequence and Brody LEVELS Snuka with a huge boot off the ropes. He grabs a headlock and Snuka whips him off the ropes, with Brody ending up ducking under a couple of leapfrogs then taking a HUGE Snuka chop that floors him. Snuka works Brody over and hits a fistdrop off the second rope for a two count. Brody tags the Barbarian in and he suplexes Snuka for a two count. Snuka fires back and tags Gagne, who hits Barbarian with a kneedrop from the top, and then heads over to give Brody a little taste too. Brody into the ring and Gagne slings him into the Barbarian for a noggin-knocker, but the Barbarian comes right back with a big boot. BIG backbreaker from the Barbarian and he rams Gagne into Brody's boot in the corner. They tag and Brody chops Gagne hard before slamming him headfirst into the cage. Gagne is laced open and Brody starts to work over the cuts.
Brody SPIKES Gagne with a piledriver and it only gets a two count as Snuka comes in to break up the count. Gagne fights back with a flurry of kicks on the Barbarian, but gets cut off before he can make the tag to Snuka. Barbarian whips him in and Gagne reverses it into a dropkick. They're both down and Gagne gets the hot tag on Snuka, who starts wailing away on Brody and sends him into the cage, cutting him open. Snuka takes over with some chops and a big bodyslam. Snuka to the top rope with a DIVING headbutt into a pin, but Barbarian breaks it up at two, ramming Snuka into the turnbuckles back-first. Barbarian gets the tag and they double-team to work over Snuka's back in the corner. Gagne tries to get in and the heels work over the babyfaces in opposite corners of the ring. The faces reverse the double-whip and slam the heels together, with Snuka and Gagne following that up, double-dropkicking Barbarian and double-suplexing Brody.
Brody wailing in pain on the mat and Gagne holds the Barbarian for Snuka to come off the top. Barbarian ducks and Snuka hits Gagne with the headbutt. Barbarian hits Snuka with a HUGE clothesline and Barbarian starts laying in the stomps on Snuka. They try to double-team Gagne but some heel miscommunication sends Barbarian falling backwards over a beaten down Snuka, who recovers to get a pin and the 1-2-3!!!
Winners: Greg Gagne and Jimmy Snuka (pinfall, schoolboy)
Match Analysis: Wow. What a great main event brawl to end off the show. This was definitely a blow-off and the crowd was hot for it the entire time. All four guys ended up bleeding, like a cage match should be, and the faces get the win against the miraculous odds. Barbarian and Brody played great monster heels and Gagne and Snuka worked well from underneath. This had the "big-match" feel and was a great main event. And it had....A FINISH!!! YESSSSSS!!!
Final Thoughts
The very definition of a one-match show. This one was all about the main event, and if it hadn't been for that cage match this show would have been an absolute disaster. As it is, it only pulls the show as a whole up to the serviceable level. One great match can't overcome four shitty ones, and I'll be hoping to get an episode someday where the underneath matches are decent AND we get a great main event. So far, it's been a one or the other situation, but I suppose I can dream. Thumbs in the middle, leaning up for the great main event. Just be sure to use the DVR to fast forward through the first forty minutes or so
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:52:22 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on October, 12 1986)
Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your commentators for tonight's action.
Larry Nelson's already in the ring with tonight's first victim and I note that for the first time I'm getting consecutive episodes instead of the mish-mash of the first few nights. That rules.
Match One: Scott Hall vs. Tom Stone
Stone, is indeed, THAT Tom Stone, that most everyone remembers as enhancement talent from the early to mid 80's in a myriad of promotions. They lock up and Hall pushes Stone into the ropes and gives a clean break. Stone complains about a hairpull and the crowd boo's him big times. Ron Trongard ends up calling Scott Hall "a big hunk of man" on commentary, but since I don't want to get attacked anymore, I'll just walk away from that one. Stone pushes Hall into the ropes on a lockup and forearms him in the chest. Hall takes offense and levels Stone with a right hand, sending him flying across the ring. Stone already begs off in the corner and leans outside the ropes. They lock up again in the middle and Stone takes a headlock but Hall powers out of it, turning it into a top wristlock and slamming Stone to the mat. Stone complains about the hairpull again, and as the referee goes to check, Stone grabs the hair and puts Hall down to the canvas. Stone takes some shots to the gut as he holds the chinlock, but he grabs the hair again to maintain the advantage. Knee across the throat from Stone and he rams Hall into the top turnbuckle, but it has no effect. Hall turns it around and slams Stone into the buckle and hits a reverse elbow off the ropes, sending Stone to the floor to think it all over. Lord James Blears accidentally calls Stone by Scott Hall's name, and how he confused those two I have no idea. Maybe he was hanging out with The Rockers before the show. Stone back in the ring as Trongard calls Hall a hunk again and it takes every fiber of my being to not crack on it. Stone goes to the eyes to take the advantage and snapmares Hall over, into a reverse chinlock. Stone takes the strap of his singlet and starts to choke Hall out with it, practically announcing to the referee he was going to do it before he did. Seriously, it was that obvious. Stone back to the chinlock as Hall starts to spit up and he starts to choke Hall against the top rope. Stone with forearms in the corner and Hall comes back with a BIG right hand. Hall with the Irish whip into a back bodydrop and he follows that up with a HUGE bodyslam. Hall with forearm smashes to the chest now, and he hits DA BULLDOG!! One three-count later and it's all over, IT IS ALL OVER!!!
Winner: Scott Hall (pinfall, bulldog)
Match Analysis: Stone is one of my ALL-TIME favorite jobbers, and he did a great job here. There are times when squashes can be entertaining, and it all depends on the talent of the underneath guy. If he's a scrub then it's not going to be worth giving it a second glance, but if it's someone like Stone, it makes the match a lot more entertaining. Hall hit his spots, did some decent selling when Stone took over, and then finished it off with a HUGE bulldog. Great opening match for the show.
According to the AWA Notebook, Scott Hall was voted Most Popular Wrestler in April, 1986. What happened to his Most Eligible Wrestler crown? Did he lose that to someone else? Did he finally get married to someone? Serious girlfriend? Domestic partnership? Inquiring minds want to know, so get on it, AWA Notebook!!
Back from commercial with Scott Hall in the ring with Larry Nelson, and he's cutting essentially a variant on the same promo that he did on their last show, putting over his bulldog and Tom Stone as a quality opponent. Nelson brings up the series of battle royals that will be coming to the AWA soon, and Hall talks about the previous battle royals that he's won and that he's hoping to win one to get a shot at Nick Bockwinkel. Hall lists off Somers, Rose, and DeBeers as men that he'll be targeting in any battle royal and says that the battle royals will be exciting and a chance to settle some old scores. Nelson wishes him luck and says that the battle royal is one of the most dangerous matches in wrestling. I think that the cage match would beg to differ on that one, Larry.
After the break, we're in the ring and ready for the second match of the evening, so Larry Nelson, take it away with the introductions!
Match Two: Mike Richards and Frankie DeFalko vs. Yuri Gordyenko and Alexis Smirnoff
Richards is not the current Philadelphia Flyers star, but he is wearing a ring robe that would make Evel Knievel want to come back from the dead to steal it. Only when the show was taped he wouldn't have been dead so he wouldn't have had to come back from the dead to steal it, but then one would have to wonder about if he could go back in time after he was dead if he wasn't able to see this show on the first go-round so that he could steal the jacket, and then there's the matter of.....oh right, wrestling show. Anyhow, DeFalco is a jobber I remember from watching the shows when I was a kid and brings a touch of class to the show with his tuxedo t-shirt. I almost wish I was kidding, but sadly I'm not. This show certainly dates itself on a nightly basis. The crowd boos, merely at the mention of the heels hometown of Leningrad. I guess that Cold War thing is still a bit of a big deal at this point. Smirnoff looks to be channeling Mad Dog Vachon with his look, which is cool because Mad Dog had a great look, but bad for Smirnoff because Vachon was an ugly, ugly man.
To the match now, and this is the debut of the Russian team according to Ron Trongard. Smirnoof and Richards lock up and they break clean off the ropes. Another lock up and Smirnoff hits a big armdrag takeover into an armbar. He cranks the armbar and Richards pushes him back into the corner, whipping him across, but he misses the charge in when Smirnoff just steps to the side. Smirnoff mocks him and yells at him to get up, then takes him back down with another armdrag as soon as he does. Tremendous. Smirnoff pounds on the arm and makes the tag to Gordyenko and he goes right back to the armbar that Smirnoff was working. More stomps to the arm by Gordyenko and the tag goes back to Smirnoff and he hits a BIG back bodydrop off the ropes. Another armdrag takedown and the armbar is back in effect. Richards tries to power out of it, but he missed the tag the Russians made, and Gordyenko lays the boots to him from behind. Gordyenko goes back to working the arm, drops an elbow then makes another tag to Smirnoff. Great tag work by the Russians to keep the fresh man in and continue the beating. Smirnoff starts YANKING on the arm, causing Richards to scream in pain and Richards tries to bull over to make the tag and he does. DeFalko is a house of fire, laying the right hands in on Smirnoff and he Irish whips him into the ropes and uh...oops. DeFalko drops his head and eats a big boot, and Smirnoff hits a huge bodyslam and a leg drop before making the tag. Gordyenko moves to work the arm on DeFalko now and we're back to where we began. Gordyenko takes him into their corner and works him over before hitting a HUGE hip toss that sends DeFalko all the way into his corner to make the tag. Gordyenko with a big shoulderblock off of an Irish whip and he gets two off of it. Gordyenko hits a snapmare and they tag again, with Smirnoff stomping away at DeFalko. A USA chant comes up from the crowd but eh, that's not going to do much. Gordyenko holds a hammerlock and Smirnoff comes off the top with a big stomp to the elbow, doing some serious damage to the arm while Richards whimpers and screams on the mat. Another tag and Gordyenko drops another stomp from the top rope and works the hammerlock again and Richards gives it up.
Winners: Alexis Smirnoff and Yuri Gordyenko (submission, hammerlock)
Match Analysis: There was lots of heat on the Russians before the match, but they seemed a little too bland to sustain it once the action got underway. I guess that they were different in that they went after the arm and stayed on it until they got the submission. I can't tell if they're trying to do that because they're Russian and bloodthirsty, or just to make them seem different from the other teams, but it worked. It's just too bad they didn't have a little more charisma in the ring.
Another commercial brings us to our next match, another tag-team encounter, with Larry Nelson again introducing us to the team of jobbers to start out.
Match Three: The Midnight Rockers vs. Tony Leone and Dennis Stamp
As mentioned in the comments section yesterday with all the show listings, Dennis Stamp is probably more famous for his appearance in the movie "Beyond The Mat", as one of Terry Funk's oldest friends, and the guy that referee's Funk's bout with Bret Hart. His partner, Leone, looks like a literature professor, so I think that these two might be in some trouble. Michaels and Stamp start out and Stamp takes over with a hammerlock, putting Micaels down to one knee. Michaels reverses it to a drop toehold into a front-facelock, but Stamp retakes the hammerlock advantage. Stamp starts hammering away with pucnhes to the shoulder and moves to an armbar on the future Heartbreak Kid. Michaels whips Stamp in, leapfrogs over him and hits a BIG armdrag into an armbar of his own. That was a big crowd pop for an armdrag. The people really loved the Rockers back in the day. Michaels drops the knee on Stamp's arm and again, and goes back to the armbar. Stamp gets out of it, but ends up back on his back, care of another Michaels armdrag. Stamp goes to the gut with a punch as Ron Trongard is talking about the bloodbath between Somers and Rose and The Rockers from a couple of months back, which is one of the best matches of the Showboat Era of the AWA. Stamp stomps and drops a knee to the back of Michaels' head for a two count. Michaels with a right hand to the gut back but Stamp continues the advantage with a big bodyslam but he misses an elbowdrop, allowing Michaels to make the tag. A double suplex into a double kip-up and a double elbowdrop. They look SO much crisper in the ring here than they did in the last episode, it's like night and day. Jannetty with a snapmare into a reverse chinlock and he holds it for a minutes before Stamp pushes Jannetty into the heel corner and makes the tag to Tony Leone. Jannetty rams Leone into the top turnbuckle and tags Michaels before an Irish whip in, and Michaels hits a big dropkick. Reverse chinlock from Michaels and it ends up with him in the heel corner, getting double-teamed and choked with the tag rope. A tag to Stamp and he whips Michaels into the turnbuckles before holding him from behind to let Leone come off the top rope. Leone drops a big fist and then whips Michaels into the ropes, but Michaels catches him with a kneelift and gets the tag to Jannetty. Jannetty with a HUGE reverse elbow and a big bodyslam for a two count. The Rockers hit a double savate kick off the Irish whip in and then Michaels front-suplexes Jannetty onto Leone for the 1-2-3.
Winners: The Midnight Rockers (pinfall, front suplex doubleteam)
Match Analysis: This was like watching a totally different team than the last time I saw The Rockers. They were spot-on perfect here, with great doubleteams, innovative offense, and everything I expected from them in the previous match. A great extended squash that let them sell a little and get in a lot of their offense.
According to the handy, dandy AWA Notebook, The Rockers may consider recruiting a lady manager of their own if Sherri Martel continues to interfere on behalf of Rose and Somers in the Rockers' quest to become AWA Tag Team Champions. I don't know how that turned out or if they did, but I don't recall it ever happening.
Nelson in the ring with Jannetty and Michaels and he asks Jannetty about the battle royal series, and the $100,000 that goes with it and the AWA Title shot. Jannetty talks about how it's a lot of money but the only thing on their minds are Rose and Somers. They want to hurt Rose and Somers the way that they hurt The Rockers, and Jannetty promises that they'll catch up with Rose and Somers soon. Michaels talks about their small size and that they don't care about battle royals or AWA championship matches. He tells Rose and Somers they can keep the damn belts, because the Rockers have already proven that they're the best team in the AWA. Michaels says that they don't want anything to do with their title belts anymore, now they just want Rose and Somers' asses. That's a money promo, and a great glimpse into just how good on the mike that Michaels would become one day.
By the way, that commerical for Guinness, where they're petitioning to make St. Patrick's Day a holiday, and Abe Lincoln smacks the clipboard out of the interviewer's hand might be one of the best things I've seen in a long, long time. That was hilarious. Abe Lincoln ain't no bitch.
Back from commercial, and Larry Nelson is in the interview area, talking about a recent TV taping that was done and that Larry Zbyszko did a live version of his "In This Corner" interview segment at said taping. Nelson thinks we're going to enjoy this and tells us that Zbyszko has decided that he needs an attorney to deal with all of the trouble being caused by Stanley Blackburn and the AWA in Zbyszko's pursuit of an AWA Title shot. We see the attorney standing next to Nelson and Zbyszko and Zbyszko starts to ask some questions, mocking the clothes the attorney's wearing (tacky white sweater and white cargo pants, by the way). Just so you know Mr. Zbyszko, when you're wearing a pair of, what looks to be, silver lame karate pajamas, you might not want to rag on someone else's clothes. He then mocks Wisconsin, calling it boring and nothing but "wall-to-wall farms". The attorney thinks that it's pretty exciting to come to these here wrestling matches, don'tcha know. Zbyszko talks about how the AWA handed the title over to Bockwinkel without him making his opponent submit or by pinning his opponent and he asks about the legality of that situation. The attorney talks about the ratings system and how Zbyszko hasn't qualified for it just yet, which Zbyszko rebuffs with his "nearly thirteen glorious years". Uh oh, I think we lost Zbyszko to LarryLand, folks. The attorney finishes his answer, saying that once Zybszko qualifies, he'll get his title match. Zbyszko accuses the attorney of being a stooge for AWA President, Stanley Blackburn and browbeats the little stringbean attorney, who fires back, claiming that Zbyszko is making libelous statements and that he could be sued. Zybszko goes on and on about suing the AWA and when is he going to get his title match and the lawyer repeats his assertion about Zbyszko having to qualify. Larry mocks his clothes again and Larry Nelson says that we're out of time. An entertaining segment, if only to get to see Zbyszko lose his cool yet again, but not quite the mind-blower that Nelson teased it to be in the intro. Oh well, win some, lose some I suppose.
Match Four: Main Event Larry Zbyszko w/ Ninja Go vs. Curt Hennig
Zbyszko is already in the ring and still ranting away to anyone that will listen as Hennig makes his way to the ring and we're set to get this main event underway! Not quite, though as Zbyszko stalls and yells at the ringside announcers, the front row, a cameraman, the referee, a popcorn vendor, the owner of the arena, the parking attendant outside, etc. etc. before finally getting into the ring to take off his karate pajamas. They finally lock up after more stalling from Zbyszko and some posing from Ninja Go on the outside and by more stalling, I mean about four minutes or more of stalling from Zbyszko. Zbyszko gets a fireman's carry as the action finally begins, and he gloats to Hennig a little about it. Zbyszko circles and stalls a little more and they lock up for real with Hennig pushing Zbyszko out through the ropes and down to the floor. Zbyszko's strategy is working because Hennig is all fired up and could seemingly make a mistake because he's not thinking clearly. Just because it's effective doesn't make it any less boring though, in terms of in-ring action.
They lock up and Zbyszko gets a hammerlock and Hennig reverses it, putting Zbyszko through the ropes again. Larry stops to confer with Ninja Go for a moment then sloooooooowly makes his way back into the ring. He argues with the referee some more, and Ninja Go makes his way up to the apron. Hennig slugs him off with a right hand, and Zbyszko takes that as his cue, running across the ring to try and attack, but Hennig cuts him off with another right hand. Hennig hits a couple of running shoulderblocks and scoops Zbyszko up for a BIG bodyslam after Zybszko ducked his head early for a back bodydrop. A big right hand puts Zbyszko on his ass in the corner and Hennig whips him across, catching him coming out of the corner with a back bodydrop of his own. Hennig with a head-cracker between his knees on Zbyszko and he takes him over with a headlock. Go gets back up on the apron but nothing comes of it and Hennig keeps working away at that headlock. Zbyszko with a hairpull but he can't get out of that headlock and Zbyszko resorts to pulling Hennig's trunks to get a two count off of the reversal. Another handful of trunks and another two count, but this time the referee sees it and pushes Hennig back to the headlock position.
Back to their feet and Hennig keeps cranking on the side headlock, putting Zbyszko down to a knee. Zbyszko whips Hennig in off the ropes and tries for a hip toss, but gets reversed into a hip toss of his own, and Hennig takes him back over with another headlock. Hennig gets whipped in again and off of a rope-running sequence, he ends up getting back suplexed by Zbyszko. Hennig sells it like he's being electrocuted, then gets a big kick to the chest off of an Irish whip by Zbyszko, who ducked too early for a backdrop. Right hand and an Irish whip into a dropkick from Hennig and Zybszko pulls Hennig out of the ring. They fight back and forth outside the ring, dragging each other out to try to beat the ten count, but they can't make it and referee Gary DeRusha counts them both out of the ring.
Winner: No Contest (double countout)
Match Analysis: This was Southern heel heat 101, with Zbyszko working the stall to perfection to annoy Hennig and the crowd, working them both up into a lather. It reminded me a lot of Jerry Lawler in his prime, and was tremendously entertaining. It didn't make for a great match in terms of workrate, but it definitely entertained me, which is enough for me. I won't harp on the non-finish because they couldn't have a number-one contender, then do the battle royal series to determine ANOTHER number-one contender, so all in all this was a good way to end the show.
Post-match, Hennig is disappointed in the result and he feels like the winner could have been the number-one contender for the AWA Title. He tells Zybszko that a match with Curt Hennig is no day off, and that the next time they're in the ring, Zbyszko better look twice. Nelson brings up the battle royal series again and Hennig talks about how he's been training with Scott Hall and watching films, and he brings up the new tag teams and the competition in the AWA and that he's going to be ready for all comers. That does it for this episode of AWA Championship Wrestling.
Final Thoughts
A really, REALLY good show from top to bottom in this episode. The matches were entertaining for the most part, the promo work was really good, and they did a great job of having the main storyline being the battle royal series, with tons of other interwoven stories simmering just under that surface. The Rockers looked like The Rockers again, and Larry Zbyszko entertained in both segments he was in. The only slow spot was the Russians, but that's excuseable because they were a debuting team and they at least got some reaction, rather than total crickets. Thumbs rather high up for this one, as it was easily the best episode I've seen of the show yet in this run.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:53:14 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on December 7, 1986)
Larry Nelson's in the ring introducing the first two jobbers for the night after welcoming us to Verne Gagne's All-Star Rasslin'. Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are the commentators for all of tonight's action, as usual. Lord knows I hope there's some action tonight.
Match One: Alexis Smirnoff and Yuri Gordyenko vs. Spike Jones and Sonny Rogers
Ah, shit. This isn't the best way to start out. Some enlightened gal in the front row has a sign with her that says "Russia Sucks". Jones and Smirnoff start things out with a lock up and Smirnoff gives him a clean break off of the ropes. Smirnoff hits a top wristlock and as soon as Jones starts to reverse it, he gets yanked down with a handful of hair. Another lock up and Smirnoff gets a quick armdrag, dropping Jones down before he's back up and back down with a big bodyslam from Smirnoff. Smirnoff runs Jones into the knee of Gordyenko in the corner and makes the tag. Gordyenko hits a snap mare for a one count, then they do a little REALLY fake looking amateur wrestling on the mat. Gordyenko gets an arm crucifix on Jones and manages a one count, and Jones BRIDGES out of it. That's 300 pounds doing a bridge, so pardon me for being a little impressed. Gordyenko grabs a front facelock and Smirnoff comes in, grabbing Jones from behind and hitting a belly to back suplex. Jones reverses an Irish whip into the corner and takes Smirnoff up with a BIG bearhug. Smirnoff goes to the eyes to break that one up, then throws Jones into his corner to tag in Rogers. Rogers is ALL FIRED UP!!! HE GRABS SMIRNOFF AND...uh..gets put in a headlock. He whips Smirnoff in AND HE'S ALL FIRED UP AND HE....misses a big dropkick when Smirnoff holds the ropes. I'm guessing the babyface comeback isn't going to happen in this one. Smirnoff hits a nice delayed vertical suplex then tags in Gordyenko for their double clothesling across the top rope. Gordyenko gets the pin and the referee is down for the count, LANDING ON GORDYENKO'S ANKLE. Ouch, that looked pretty ugly. Gordyenko gets off the pin, glares at the referee and then lays across the bottom rope in, what looks to be, agony. The announcers sell us like there was a three count, but I heard MAYBE two at best, but I don't think this match is going to go on anyhow.
Winners: Yuri Gordyenko and Alexis Smirnoff (pinfall, double flapjack into top rope clothesline)
Match Analysis: Dear GOD, these Russians are boring. The matches seem to be the exact same moves, just done in a different order. They don't have any real heat or anyone even remotely caring about them in the crowd, minus that one lady with the sign. They're the most generic of generic heels and they still don't have their accents sounding even remotely Russian. Boo-urns to you Gordyenko and Smirnoff, boooooo-urns.
Post-match Gordyenko is able to get up and doesn't look too much the worse for wear, and is in fact ready to be interviewed by Larry Nelson, who asks about their new finishing move. Gordyenko completely no-sells the question and starts complaining (in full bad accent) about his knee almost getting blown out by the referee at the end of the match. He goes off again on "Everybody knows why we are here", then says that they're number one and that they're imitated by everyone else. He cuts Nelson off saying it's their time to talk and then Nelson makes me laugh by saying that he doesn't think anyone from the AWA would EVER jump on someone leg and try to injure them in a wrestling match. Yep, NEVER, except for a couple of minutes ago when one of them did just that. Gordyenko decides that he want rerun of moving picture from the fancy lighted box with the glass front, before getting back to his point that American wrestlers imitate the Russians and then work in their "Believeable/Unbelieveable" schtick. Yuri says that they are greatest team in all of world and that the will win Tag Team Championship because Russia was first country to leave man up in the sky. They hit their UNBELIEVEABLE "catchphrase" one more time, and then that's it for the interview.
Well, that one was at least a LITTLE better than the other night, but probably only because Yuri had a legitimate complaint with his leg getting mangled by the referee.
Match Two: Jerry Blackwell vs. Pete Sanchez
Blackwell chivalrantly helps delicate Larry Nelson out of the ropes before the match begins. They lock up and Sanchez starts complaining when he can't move Blackwell. Sanchez hits a headlock off of a lock up and Blackwell shoots him in off the ropes and shoulderblocks him down. They lock up again and Blackwell gets the headlock this time and runs Sanchez' eyes across the top rope. Sanchez tries a double-sledges and Blackwell no-sells it completely. They lock up and Blackwell hits a forearm to the chest while Sanchez is stretched out over the top rope. Sanchez tries a couple of shoulderblocks in the corner that have no effect and then goes for an Irish whip on Blackwell. Blackwell is all "bitch, PLEASE" and pulls Sanchez into a shoulderblock. Blackwell Irish whips him into the ropes and hits him with a BIG clothesline, following it up with a headbutt. Blackwell brings him into the middle of the ring and another headbutt and Blackwell musters up all of his leg strength and hits an almost dropkick to the midsection. Blackwell hits a HUGES powerslam but Blackwell gets off of Sanchez at two, picking Sanchez up into a fireman's carry into a Samoan Drop. THAT gets the three count and the crowd goes nuts.
Winner: Jerry Blackwell (pinfall, Samoan drop)
Match Analysis: Merely here to let Blackwell say that his brother is coming soon. Neat to see Blackwell do a Samoan drop though, and thankfully he didn't fall all the way back onto Sanchez or it probably would have forced his insides out of the top of his head, like stepping on a tube of toothpaste.
Nelson's in the ring with Blackwell and Jerry says that he gets carried away with interviews sometimes and says some words that he shouldn't say on TV, but that he was sick for awhile and now he's back, he's well, and he's ready to kick some you know what. Blackwell says that he's sick of bein nice and that the people want him to beat people up. He says that he's been working hard with his little baby brother and that he's going to bring him to Las Vegas, and that he's going to kick some people's you know what's, just like big brother Jerry.
It's repeat time as we get to see last night's Super Ninja vs. Tom Stone match. Here comes the copy and paste!!!
Match Three: Super Ninja w/Larry Zbyszko vs. Tom Stone
My all-time favorite jobber returns to the AWA. Life is a pretty sweet fruit. I've noticed that outside of the head wrapping, almost every time we see one of Larry's Ninjas, they look like a different person. I guess he trained them in bulk like Foot Soldiers. Ninja does a somersault into a flip, right into Stone's face and they circle a little with Ninja hitting a thrust to the face. Ninja is apparently learning how to stall from Zbyszko, doing it in spades before Stone catches him in a standing armbar. The Ninja shoots Stone in off the ropes with a DEEP armdrag takeover. Test of strength lock up and Ninja turns into a hammerlock and rams Stone face first into the top turnbuckle. Stone tries to fire back with right hands but eats a big kick from The Ninja. An Irish whip into the corner gets reversed by Stone, but he charges in to eat one of NInja's boots. Ninja moves to a nervehold on the neck and Stone fires back with elbows to the ribs and a forearm smash off the ropes. Ninja regains the advantage with a BIG thrust kick and a double-underhook suplex into a bridge for the three count.
Winner: Super Ninja (pinfall, double underhook suplex into a bridge)
Match Analysis: The Ninja did his big-man offense against the smaller Stone, but didn't really do anything really "Ninja"-y, if that makes sense. He just kind of did a little bit of it, but nothing that was like "oh my GOD, what a NINJA!", which was kind of disappointing. Stone sold great like he always does, and Zbyszko was out there, so that immediately gives the segment a pass in my eyes.
Larry Zbyszko's in the ring for a promo now and he talks up the Ninja's size and his skills. HE doesn't think there's an American wrestler at all that can stand up to him. Zbyszko says that the one thing that him and Ninja have in common is justice, justice when it comes to the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He runs down Bockwinkel again and AWA President Stanley Blackburn, then turns on the crowd when they start to boo him. Zbyszko says that the Ninja is there to help him fulfill his destiny and that it doesn't matter who stands in their way.
Back from commercials and it's ANOTHER repeat time as we get the same Greg Gagne vs. Tony Leone match from a few nights before, so let's get right to the copying and pasting ACTION!!
Match Four: Tony Leone vs. Greg Gagne
This is the "third" Gagne match that I've been able to review and I'm not so much excited at the prospect. Gagne locks up with Leone, who takes an overhand wrist lock right away, pulling the hair to take Gagne down into an armbar. Gagne kips up and hip tosses Leone over. They lock up again and Leone hits a full nelson that Gagne tries to break by bending over, lifting Leone's feet off of the mat in an unfortunate visual that conjures up visions of Oz. Gagne backs Leone into the corner and they break cleanly out of it. Gagne gets a hammerlock off of a lock up and he avoids the reversal attempts from Leone before Leone gets the ropes for another clean break. BIG armdrag takedown by Gagne into an armbar and Leone breaks that up with a punch to the gut and another to the ribs. Gagne fires back with a right hand of his own and slams Leone into the turnbuckle before catching him with a slapping chop. Gagne with a big back bodydrop and a bodyslam into a one count. KNEELIFT connects for Gagne and he moves to a stepover toehold on Leone, falling down into an Indian deathlock and Leone is grimacing in pain on the mat. Leone rakes the eyes to break the hold and limps over to Gagne to drop an elbow on the back of his head. Leone to the eyes again and he tries to burn Gagne's eyes across the top rope, but Greg ducks out of it and fires away with rights and lefts to Leone in the corner. Gagne runs him all the way across the ring to smash him into the buckle and whips him in for a dropkick off the ropes. Gagne hits another dropkick, but I say "hits" in the sense that Leone sold it anyways. The whoosh of air from it probably did more damage than the actual kick, but whatever. Gagne up to the second rope and he hits a HIGH kneedrop from there to get the 1-2-3.
Winner: Greg Gagne (pinfall, second rope kneedrop)
Match Analysis: It was cool to see Gagne doing his thing in the ring after hearing him on commentary for so many of the first shows in this run. He looked alright, but that whiff on the second dropkick was pretty stinky. I'd chalk that up to Leone as he has show previously that he's not terribly athletically inclined. Gagne really needed an update on the ring gear too, as he was still wearing the same yellow and white boots with tie-dyed wrestling trunks that he'd been wearing since the early 70's. I guess it works since much of his offense at this point looked like it was from 1976.
No promo for Gagne after the match this time. I guess they thought that running the same promo three time in a row would have been a little redundant or something.
After the commercial break, Larry Nelson's in the AWA interview area, telling us that it's time to go back to the despicable incident involving Col. DeBeers and Jimmy Snuka. YES, I was hoping they'd show that one. We join a match in progress between Snuka and Larry Zbyszko and Snuka is on the top ready to leap off in a patented Superfly move, before DeBeers hits the apron and pushes Snuka off the top rope, ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. That's concrete, people. DeBeers picks him up and gives him the pancake piledriver on the floor. Lord James Blears sounds pissed off on commentary and as DeBeers pulls Snuka up by the hair, there's already a good-sized puddle of blood on the floor of the Showboat. Oh jesus, some guy in a plaid shirt in the front row is trying to get at DeBeers and security has to come hold him behind the guardrails, and HERE COME THE BABYFACES, clearing out of the locker room to try to stop the vicious attack. DeBeers takes the high road and Lord James Blears finally sees Snuka and compares it to an abbatoir. That's a slaughterhouse for those of us who aren't Lords of the Manor, like one Mr. Blears. Greg Gagne and Curt Hennig are down to check on Snuka who is out cold, laying on the concrete.
We come back to the interview area to see Snuka with his hair tied back, a neckbrace on, and bandages across his forehead. He calmly tells Larry Nelson that he's in shock and that he's lost quite a bit of weight. He says that DeBeers did something that he never should have done and that if it hadn't been for his neck being as strong as it is, that it probably would have been broken. He takes off his neckbrace and says that he doesn't really need it anymore. He talks about his broken fingers and how everything is healing up, then starts in on threatening Col. DeBeers. He says that by attacking him, DeBeers has made the biggest mistake of his life. Snuka says that even though he was knocked out, when he was home healing up, he was hurt deep down in his soul and he says that DeBeers tried to put him out of his career, embarassed him in front of his people and that he was embarassed to go back home. Snuka says it's going to be different now and he gets a little rambling and starts to yell a little and poor Larry Nelson starts quaking in his boots. Snuka tells him to go ahead and shake and that his mind is concentrating so much on his pain and Col. DeBeers and Nelson helpfully cuts off Superfly, saying that he thinks that DeBeers will wish he was suspended when Snuka finally gets his hands on him. I loved the fire that Snuka had, and he did a great job of getting across his anger, but he really needed to write something down a little bit, because it was a little non-sensical at times. I suppose that's no different than most Snuka promos though.
After the break, we're sitting down with Curt Hennig and Larry Nelson, and it's time to go back into the vault to see a match from Larry "The Ax" Hennig which took place in November of 1974. Hennig is excited to get to see the match.
Match Five: Larry Hennig vs. Boris Bresnikov
Bresnikov is managed by Bobby Heenan and is more famously known as Nikolai Volkoff. They lock up and Bresnikov locks in a bearhug. Hennig says that he doesn't remember the match but his dad was probably around 320-335 there. Bresnikov holds the ropes and double-kicks Hennig in the stomach, pulling him into the corner to land some knees to the gut, jumping and dropping knees on the head of Hennig and stomping him down to the mat. Bresnikov with the bootscrape as Nelson talks about all of the second-generation stars in the AWA and how they have the edge over other athletes. Hennig agrees and thinks that being around the boys and the other wrestlers when he was younger has really helped in his career up to that point. The match gets clipped and Bresnikov is still working over "The Ax" in the corner, but Hennig makes a comeback with a neck crank and starts laying in the right hands and forearms, putting Bresnikov down to the mat. Hennig starts dropping knees on him and stomps in the corner and Hennig hits a HUGE right hand, going in for a cover, but Bresnikov lays his leg over the bottom rope. Curt talks about his dad's size and how he doesn't see anyone in wrestling with the all-over body mass that his dad had, and how he's still in great shape today. He says that it wouldn't surprise him to see his dad back in professional wrestling someday as in the match, Larry takes over on Bresnikov with a hamstring pull. They talk a little about how Scott Hall could be a modern-day version of Larry "The Ax, as Bresnikov starts laying the forearm shots to the chest of Hennig. Hennig ducks one and drops Bresnikov with a big right hand before he ties the big Russian up in the ropes and drops a huge right forearm on him. Hennig covers for two then starts in with the boots and right hands on Bresnikov. They do some more brawling back and forth and Curt talks a bit more about the "Hennig mean streak" and how he's going to be bringing that to his matches a lot more. Hennig knocks Bresnikov off the apron to the floor and it gets clipped again to where Bresnikov is taking over on Hennig in the middle and Hennig makes the comeback, whipping Bresnikov in and hitting the forearm smash, the AX!! Bresnikov goes down, and Heenan comes in and tries to distract "The Ax", but he pays the price, getting flipped into the ring and whipped into the ropes. Hennig hits the big Ax forearm again and Heenan sells it like death. That was an interesting segment and kind of cool to see Curt giving his thoughts on his father's in-ring work. Great to see Heenan bumping around again too, which reminds me that I want to take a moment to send my best wishes and thoughts to Bobby Heenan for a full recovery from his recent health troubles.
Match Six: Main Event Curt Hennig vs. Rick Gatner
Hennig gets a rather impressive pop on his way down to the ring and the match is set to get underway. They lock up and stalemate before they make mean faces at each other and Gatner claims a hairpull. They separate and lock up again and Hennig gets a quick go-behind into a bodylock and Gatner makes the ropes, complaining this time about a pull of the tights. They lock up again and Gatner grabs a side headlock with Hennig going to the ribs to break it up and sending Gatner in for the ride. Gatner gets a shoulderblock and puts Hennig down, but Hennig gets right back up with a hiptoss and a HUGE dropkick to the chin that sends Gatner out to the floor. Gatner makes his way back into the ring and they lock up again with Gatner taking a shortcut and raking the eyes. He goes and runs Hennig's eyes across the top rope before taking over with right hands. Hennig reverses and stuns Gatner before raking Gatners eyes with the bootsoles. Hennig with some chops against the ropes and an Irish whip, but Hennig ducks down too soon for a back bodydrop and eats a kick to the chest. Gatner with a right hand and another rake of the eyes and he bites on Hennig in the corner. Hennig gets a reverse kick and a kneelift before an Irish whip sends Gatner in and he gets the AX!!!! Hennig to the top rope and he hits a FLYING DROPKICK, for the 1-2-3!!!!
Winner: Curt Hennig (pinfall, flying dropkick from the top rope)
Match Analysis: Hennig looks great in a squash to end the show, proving that he's ready for his shot at the title. Hennig was firing on all cylinders by this point, just coming out of his team with Scott Hall, and just before the heel turn that would send his career into the stratosphere. I've always loved watching Hennig work and this match was no different. He had such a smooth, fluid style and you could tell that he was born to be in this business. Not a great match, but just fun to see Hennig in his prime.
Post-match, Larry Nelson's in the ring with Curt and brings up that it hasn't been the best year for Hennig. Way to be a downer there, Larry. Hennig agrees that it's been disappointing, but that it will probably help his career in the long run as well. Hennig goes through the year, including the winning of the AWA Tag Titles, then got screwed out of the titles and any rematch with the new champs. He then turns his attention to the battle royal season, making a reference to Silo Sam, and says that maybe he's been pushed out of the title picture by Larry Zbyszko's politics, but he knows that he's been working and training and that he's very close and that in the near-future he wants to get a piece of Nick Bockwinkel. Hennig says he's tried to find out from the Championship Committee trying to find out what the deal is, but that it doesn't matter because whoever the Champ is, they'd better look out for Hennig. He says he's at the top of his profession and the top of his game and Larry Nelson tells us we're all out of time for another week.
Final Thoughts
A bit of a mixed bag this time out. It was cool to see the old footage of Larry "The Ax" and all of that, and the angle with Snuka and DeBeers was fun to see because they've referenced it a ton on the previous episodes, but I have to say that it's a little disappointing to start seeing repeat matches happening a lot. They should really consider just running these episodes in some sort of order to keep them from ending up repeating matches like they have all this week. Nothing huge or earth-shattering when it came to the main event either, but if I didn't know any better, I'd think that there was a little bit of a heelish streak to Curt's post-match interview. Nothing too noticeable, but just that little hint that could foreshadow what was to come. Thumbs in the middle on this one, cause there was some good and some bad (The Russians, again), and hopefully we can close the week out strong with the next episode.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:54:07 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on December 21, 1986)
Larry Nelson's in the ring and we're right into the action. Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your commentators, as always.
Match One: Super Ninja w/Larry Zbyszko vs. Tom Stone
My all-time favorite jobber returns to the AWA. Life is a pretty sweet fruit. I've noticed that outside of the head wrapping, almost every time we see one of Larry's Ninjas, they look like a different person. I guess he trained them in bulk like Foot Soldiers. Ninja does a somersault into a flip, right into Stone's face and they circle a little with Ninja hitting a thrust to the face. Ninja is apparently learning how to stall from Zbyszko, doing it in spades before Stone catches him in a standing armbar. The Ninja shoots Stone in off the ropes with a DEEP armdrag takeover. Test of strength lock up and Ninja turns into a hammerlock and rams Stone face first into the top turnbuckle. Stone tries to fire back with right hands but eats a big kick from The Ninja. An Irish whip into the corner gets reversed by Stone, but he charges in to eat one of NInja's boots. Ninja moves to a nervehold on the neck and Stone fires back with elbows to the ribs and a forearm smash off the ropes. Ninja regains the advantage with a BIG thrust kick and a double-underhook suplex into a bridge for the three count.
Winner: Super Ninja (pinfall, double underhook suplex into a bridge)
Match Analysis: The Ninja did his big-man offense against the smaller Stone, but didn't really do anything really "Ninja"-y, if that makes sense. He just kind of did a little bit of it, but nothing that was like "oh my GOD, what a NINJA!", which was kind of disappointing. Stone sold great like he always does, and Zbyszko was out there, so that immediately gives the segment a pass in my eyes.
Larry Zbyszko's in the ring for a promo now and he talks up the Ninja's size and his skills. HE doesn't think there's an American wrestler at all that can stand up to him. Zbyszko says that the one thing that him and Ninja have in common is justice, justice when it comes to the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He runs down Bockwinkel again and AWA President Stanley Blackburn, then turns on the crowd when they start to boo him. Zbyszko says that the Ninja is there to help him fulfill his destiny and that it doesn't matter who stands in their way.
Match Two: Greg Gagne vs. Ken Glover (joined in progress)
We pick up the action with Gagne in the ring and Glover on the floor, holding his back. Glover complains about a hairpull but there's nothing. A lock up and Glover gets a side headlock on Gagne, who reverses it into a top wristlock. Glover grabs the hair to take Gagne down, but he reverses that into a hammerlock. Glover gets to the ropes, then complains about a hairpull before they lock up again. Gagne pushes Glover into the corner and gives him a clean break, and Glover complains about that too. Gagne back to the hammerlock and Glover gets into the ropes before turning the crowd on him again with more complaining. Glover takes over with forearmsmash to the chest and a headbutt before ramming Gagne into the top turnbukcle. An Irish whipe leads to a reverse elbow for Glover and he snap mares Gagne over for a two count. Gagne hits a big right hand, but ends up taking an eyegouge, with Glover pushing him into the corner and Irish whipping him across. Knees to the gut of Gagne and he grabs a headlock, thumbing Gagne in the throat. That just fires him up as he turns the tide on Glover with some offense of his own before slamming Glover's head into the turnbuckle. Gagne with an Irish whip into a back bodydrop and he moves Glover into the corner for a hip toss, which Glover sells like shit. Gagne hits the flying headscissor takeover into another backdrop and he hits two HARD dropkicks for the pin.
Winner: Greg Gagne (pinfall, dropkicks)
Match Analysis: Ok, as excited as I was to see Gagne last night, tonight not so much, since it looks like the exact same match that he had last episode, just with a different opponent. This is very much worriesome in that it looks like Gagne might have the same match every time he's out there.
We get to see the Gagne promo from last night's episode again, with it being shown like it's a promo after this match, which it isn't. Here's the cut and paste job on the promo from Gagne. Larry Nelson in for the post-match interview and he's openly cheering for Gagne. Way to be impartial. I guess if his old man was signing MY paychecks, I'd be cheering my ass off for him too. Gagne admits that he whiffed on the second dropkick and talks about the big kneedrop. Gagne also says that Larry Zbyszko is the original Spudhead and that he wants to challenge Bockwinkel or Hennig or whoever the AWA Champion is. He also says that he wishes the best to Jimmy Snuka, who he hopes will be back soon, and he tells us that Snuka says that he wants Col. DeBeers in the worst way. He says that with Snuka out, he's teaming with Jerry Blackwell and that they'll take on any comers, even Rose and Somers. Hey, that rhymed! I'm so awesome.
After the commercial we hit our next match, a tag team encounter from WrestleRock '86.
Match Three: Midget Tag Team Match Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook vs. Cowboy Lang and Little Mr. T
We join this one in progress as well, with Tokyo holding a headlock on Lang. Lang tries to lift him into a suplex, but Tokyo reverses the momentum and takes Lang over to the mat. Tag to Lord Littlebrook and he lands a punch to the gut and a kneelift before cheating a little and hitting Lang with something VERY near a low blow. Littlebrook moves to a standing armbar and takes Lang down by the hair. Littlebrook holds the armbar and wrenches it until Lang finally is able to make the ropes. Little Tokyo comes in to cheat a little and Littlebrook takes advantage, locking in a reverse chinlock on Lang. The heels tag off again and Tokyo hits Lang in the gut with a HARD right. To the throat goes Tokyo and he starts to stomp his little bare feetsies in on the head of Lang. Both heels choke with their feet on Lang's throat. Lang gets a fireman's carry to reverse a chinlock and he manages to land a good shot and make the tag in the corner to Little Mr. T. He headbutts Tokyo and hip tosses hiim out of the corner before Irish whipping Tokyo in with a dropkick. Little T with a slingshot into a flapjack and T grabs a headlock. Little Tokyo fires away with right hands to the gut and stomps to the head of Little T, before raking the face. In the heel corner, Lord Littlebrook stands on T's neck as he's draped across the second rope, and does the same to Lang when he tries to save his partner. Littlebrook is on a roll with that choke and the face team sends Tokyo in there and Littlebrook chokes him, not even realizing that it's his own partner. Littlebrook finally realizes what he was doing and looks shocked, while Tokyo shoves the referee before making the tag. Littlebrook locks up with Little T and goes to the eyes right away, gouging him three or four times before hitting a BIG back bodydrop. Littlebrook moves to the reverse chinlock and it looks like it's turning into a choke. Rake of the eyes with the boot soles by Littlebrook and he grabs an armbar, which Little T turns into a full nelson. Little T turns Littlebrook into the break-up attempt by Tokyo and they do the same spot again with a little twist, but it's still Littlebrook that gets the worst of it. Lang and Tokyo run the ropes before Lang hits a hip toss and a BIG legdrop. Lang ends up getting kicked to the midsection and both teams make tags. Little T goes to a side headlock on Littlebrook and he makes the tag to Tokyo behind T's back. BIG back bodydrop from Little TOkyo and he works right hands before Little T hits a headbutt. Little T with a big airplane spin off of an Irish whip and it's only going to get a one count. T gets the airplane spin AGAIN and Littlebrook makes the save again. The faces put the old rowboat move on the heel team and the referee ends up at the bottom of a little midget pig pile. T starts laying the boots to the referee before he finally manages to restore some order to the match. Little T hits Tokyo in the gut and whips him across for another back bodydrop. The teams tag again and Lang back bodydrops Littlebrook, into a scissor roll, which results in Lang pinning Littlebrook down for the three.
Winners: Cowboy Lang and Little Mr T (pinfall, scissor roll)
Match Analysis: I generally hate midget matches, and this one was at least somewhat entertaining. The same spots that every midget tag usually hits, and then about ten million backdrops, so at least there were lots of high spots. I've bitten my tongue on about a million short jokes, so I'm just going to end it here by saying that it was serviceable, but hardly earth-shattering.
After the commercial, we're in the AWA Control Center with Larry Nelson, talking about Sherri Martel controlling three belts in the AWA, with her Tag Team Champions, and her own AWA Women's Championship. Nelson talks about Martel defending that title all over the world and then says she is a tremendous wrestling talent.
Match Four: AWA Women's Championship The Killer Tomato vs. Sherri Martel (c)
They lock up and Martel immediately grabs a top wristlock, but Tomato reverses that into a hammerlock. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Tomato's huge blond curly arfo of a perm. She could smuggle Little Tokyo in it, no problem. Martel picks the leg and takes Tomato down, but gets kicked off when she tries to take advantage of it. Another lock up and they sloppily take each other down before Tomato grabs a standing armbar. Tomato takes Martel over and turns it into an arm stretcher, almost like an MMA version of an armbar. She holds onto it and cranks like she's rowing a boat, but Martel rolls her up and reverses it into a headlock before Tomato reverses that back into a headscissors. Martel pushes out of that, but Tomato stays on her, picking her up for an airplane sp..OH GOD, she almost dropped Martel on her head. It was sort of a firewoman's carry, but an ass-ugly one. Tomato starts stomping away at Martel's ass, then repeats the last spot so she can get her airplane spin in. She drops Martel like a bad habit, then stomps away, but Martel throws a fist to the gut and she gets a two count off of that, holding the Tomato's tights. Martel gets a "surfboard" although it's actually just a modified camel clutch, and then whips Tomato in and catches her with a dropkick. Martel covers and only gets two and she's up glaring at the referee before turning her attention back to Tomato. A double sledge to the back from Martel and she starts choking Tomato across the top rope. A BIG legdrop from Martel and a big right hand that follows and she gives the crowd the stinkeye before putting a front facelock onto Tomato. Tomato picks a single-leg and takes Martel down before delivering a double legdrop to the inside of Martel's thighs, and another. Martel sells it like she's crippled and Tomato whips her in for a clothesline off the ropes. Tomato with another Irish whip, but Martel reverses it into a HUGE clothesline of her own, following it up with a double legdrop. She gets Tomato up by her huge hairdo and rams her face into the turnbuckle before hitting a running knee to the gut in the corner. A big bodyslam for Martel and she's up on top for a BIG SPLASH! 1-2-3 and that's all she wrote!!
Winner: Sherri Martel (pinfall, top rope splash)
Match Analysis: Martel was a joy to watch at this point in her career, and she was really one of the greats in women's wrestling. It's just too bad that she ended up getting her due in the WWF as a manager moreso, because she was really something in the ring. A great talent and a great performer that deserved her Hall of Fame induction, and sadly left us far too soon.
Match Five: Brad Rheingans vs. Don Fargo (The World's Ugliest Jobber)
Rheingans and Fargo lock up and end up in the ropes, with Fargo giving him a clean break. Fargo quits following the rules though, getting a top wristlock off of the next lockup and then yanking Rheingans' hair to take him down, following it up into an armbar. Lord James Blears tries to get over the "Bullet" nickname again for Rheingans but I just don't see it. He's so bland he makes early 80' Bob Backlund seem like The Rock in comparison. Fargo gets the hair pull again as Rheingans makes it to his feet and the referee catches it, forcing the break. They lock up and Rheingans chain wrestles into a side headlock on the mat. Fargo gets up but Rheingans takes him over with the headlock for a one count. Fargo gets to the ropes to break the headlock, but ends up whacking Rheingans in the gut with a forearm before ramming him into the top turnbuckle. Elbow to the back of the head by Fargo, but Rheingans fires back with a punch to the stomach and a turnbuckle smash of his own, sending Fargo reeling to the mat. Rheingans grabs a front facelock and Fargo pushes him into the ropes to break the hold. Another shot to the gut on the break from Fargo and he gets Rheingans down into a reverse chinlock. The crowd goes mild. Rheingans escapes the chinlock and hits a shoulderblock off the ropes, but Fargo is able to go right back to that chinlock, modifying it into a sleeperhold. Rheingans almost fights out of it but Fargo gets the hair to yank him back into it. Rheingans is almost out of it and asleep, but he fights to his feet, with Fargo pulling the hair and elbowing him in the face before reapplying the sleeper. Rheingans gets out of it with an elbow but Fargo just locks it right back on. Christ, the move is going to put ME to sleep soon. They slug it out and Rheingans Irish whips Fargo into the corner, locking on his own version of a sleeper. Fargo turns into it and then sends Rheingans into the ropes, but Rheingans comes off to "hit" a dropkick, then hits a big flying shoulderblock before going up to the second rope. Rheingans hits another flying shoulderblock from up top and he covers Fargo for the three count.
Winner: Brad Rheingans (pinfall, flying shoulderblock from the second rope)
Match Analysis: Sominex in match form. Fargo wasn't exactly the most spry of workers, and Rheingans makes C-Span look like the Super Bowl in terms of excitement. Just a bland, slow-moving match that didn't have a ton of flow or anything. Just there, and just terrible
We're back from commercial and we get another repeat from the last episode, but this time it's going to be our main event tonight. Copy and paste is my friend.
Match Six: Main Event Col. DeBeers vs. Mike Richards and his Amazing Technicolor Ring Robe
For all the pizazz that his ring jacket has, Richards really looks like a regular old Johnny Boots and Tights jobber when he takes it off. Such is the power of the jacket. DeBeers takes a headlock right off the bat and turns it into a hammerlock takedown, dropping a knee on the elbow joint. He stomps on the elbow now before turning it into an arm wringer, but Richards reverses to one of his own. A knee to the gut ends that and drops an elbow down to the back of Richards' head before he lays a kick in to the chest. A snap mare and a stomp to the face follows for DeBeers, and he's in total control. He lays in some more stomps and gets an armdrag takedown, dropping another knee to the elbow. Richards reverses it, but again it doesn't work out so well as he eats an elbow to the face before DeBeers starts choking him against the ropes. Richards makes a little babyface comback with a turnbuckles smash and an Irish whip into the corner, but DeBeers cuts it off with a boot to the gut, and he grabs his front piledriver pancake move for the pin.
Winner: Col. DeBeers (pinfall, front piledriver pancake thingie)
Match Analysis: DeBeers puts in his usual work, but this was mainly here to get him some time to talk about the returning Jimmy Snuka. There's not a lot to say, cause not a lot happened.
Larry Nelson tells the Col. that Jimmy Snuka will be back and that he wants DeBeers, anytime, any place. DeBeers doesn't believe it and says that when he used the power of South Africa to put Snuka's head into the cement that his career has been ended. DeBeers says that Nelson is lying to the people and that they'll buy into the lie. DeBeers twirls his mustache and starts bagging on the United States government. DeBeers turns his attention to "Jerry Fatwell" and says that he doesn't have enough guts to get in the ring with the Col. Really? Seriously? Have you SEEN Jerry lately Mr. Col., Sir. He's got enough guts to face you and the rest of the population of South Africa, with some to spare. Anyhow, Nelson says that they're out of time and it's off to another commercial break. A sweet-ass disclaimer runs, saying that DeBeers' political views are his own, and not those of the AWA or ESPN. That is an awesome trick that some smart promoter should bring back.
Final Thoughts
Not as horrible as the last episode, but the only thing that really saved it was the Martel match. She was such a great worker back then, and she kind of wiped the mat with Tomato, in terms of technical ability. The rest of it was either barely interesting (the midget match), or downright boring (the Rheingans nap-inducer), so it wasn't exactly a very entertaining hour. Add to that the fact that they recycled the main event from last episode, and it all adds up to dud for me. Thumbs down on this one, and that's two in a row, a trend I don't like seeing.
With all that out of the way, it's off to the comments section and some FUN with them. You remember fun, don't you? The thing you were having before you suffered through the hour of this show.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:56:02 GMT -6
May 1987 AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on...) I'm considering dropping the Airdate thing at the beginning since I can never seem to figure out when these shows actually aired with an consistency. Anyone that can either point me towards a very detailed guide for when the AWA shows aired, that would be fantastic. If not I'll just rip it out and throw it away starting with Monday's show. Larry Nelson's in the AWA studios and he gives us the rundown for the entire show and it sounds like pretty much all of the stars that the AWA had left are in this show. Nelson pimps the fan of the week again before sending us to the ring! Rod Trongard is at ringside with any combination of guys including Ray Stevens, Mick Karch, Lee Marshall, etc. etc. Match One: Adrian Adonis w/Bob Orton vs. Ricky Rice At least Rice looks a little less like Generic Jobber #258 than he did last night, but not by much. Adonis is easily pushing four bills at this point, yet still has tons of athletic ability, hidden beneath his mighty flubber. It's a shame too because I used to and still do love Adonis' in-ring work. I will say that it's a weird look for him though with the "Adorable" pink trunks but with his brown hair grown all the way out. Anyhoo, they lockup and Adonis gets a side headlock, cranking on Rice's head before Rice reverses it to a top wristlock. Adonis looks almost insulted and armdrags the kid over, picking him up to knock him right back down with a forearm shot and then flinging Rice to the floor. Orton takes over on the outside and runs Rice into the ringpost before rolling him back into the ring so that Adonis can take over on him in the corner. Rice tries a comeback but Adonis just forearms him back down and hits a WICKED snap-suplex. Rice tries for some sort of takedown reversal but they just end up scrambling right back to their feet and Adonis gets the side headlock again. They trade right hands in the corner with Rice getting the better of it and he tries an Irish whip in but Adonis holds the top rope, sending Rice crashing to the mat. Another Irish whip comes for Adonis, but Rice reverses that, sending Adonis into the corner. Adonis just forearms him in the face as he comes running in though and then hits a BIG splash for the pin. Winner: Adrian Adonis (pinfall, big splash) Match Analysis: Adonis was still quick here and had such fluid movement, but he was far too big to do any of the stuff that he had been doing a few years previous that had made him one of the best workers in the business. Rice still looked green, but I guess I don't need to say that EVERY time I see him. It's a shame what happened to Adonis because he was one of the best workers in the early-80's. After the break, Larry Nelson tells us that it's special segment time!! It's time to look at all the title changes that have happened lately, and we start with Curt Hennig winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship from Nick Bockwinkel at SuperClash II after hitting him with a foreign object. We see some highlights and Nelson gives Hennig the verbal suck-off treatment. He talks about the tournament for the AWA Women's Championship and we get highlights of the final between Candi Devine and Madusa Miceli for the "Greatest prize in women's sports" according to Nelson. No hyperbole there. Miceli has Nick Kiniski with her at ringside and that ends up playing into the finish as Kiniski yanks on Devine's hair from the apron, distracting her long enough to allow Miceli to roll her up for the pin with a handful of tights. Back to the studio after that and he claims that the fans DEMANDED that the AWA introduce an International Television Championship, leading to highlights of the final between Greg Gagne and Adrian Adonis. We join the match with Gagne in the sleeper and Gagne gets his own sleeper and Bob Orton comes in and takes out Greg Gagne, leading to a big schmozz between Adonis and Orton and Gagne and HERE COMES WAHOO MCDANIEL!!! Once the heels are cleared out, it's said that because of the Orton-ference, Greg Gagne is the new AWA International Television Champion. Nothing like a definitive finish to a title match, and both times I've seen them having Television Title matches neither have had finishes. We move on and see the finish of the Midnight Rockers/Midnight Express match from earlier this week and Nelson says he can't think of any tag team that are more popular than the Rockers and that finally there's champions that the AWA can be proud of. Kind of a cool segment to see the finishes to all the title changes as it gives a good frame of reference for the fans, and I know I appreciate it since I've long forgotten a lot of those. Match Two: Samoan Joe vs. Jerry Lawler This looks to be one of Lawler's first matches in the promotion since the commentators are talking like they've never seen his kingly attire before and then going through his list of accomplishments to get him over to the new crowd. They even go all the way back to the Andy Kaufman incident to flesh out Lawler's backstory. A lockup in the ring and Lawler gives him a clean break in the corner. Another lockup and Joe fakes like he's going to give Lawler a clean break but sneaks in a right hand, which Lawler responds to with one of his own. Side headlock from Lawler and Joe shoots him into the ropes, with Lawler getting a shoulderblock and an elbowdrop off of that exchange. Snap mare over and Lawler drops a knee into the middle of Joe's forehead before hitting a reverse chinlock which Joe breaks with a hairpull and the action is back to its feet. Lawler gets a single-leg takedown into a stepover toehold, and Joe is laying on the mat, growling and screaming before Lawler drops an elbow on the inside of that knee. Irish whip into the ropes and Joe messes up a backdrop bump BADLY, before Lawler goes back to the snap mare and reverse chinlock. Lawler lets go of the hold and gets a big right hand, ramming Joe's head into the turnbuckle, but you know Samoans and their heads, so of course he feels nothing and headbutts Lawler down before hitting a big shoulderblock. He takes Lawler down with another big headbutt and tries for a splash off the second rope but it misses. THE STRAP IS DOWN!! LAWLER'S STRAP IS DOWN!! Of course, since these people have no idea who he is, it means nothing to them, but it means something to me DAMMIT!! Right hands from Lawler and a big bodyslam gets followed up by Lawler hitting the FISTDROP!! 1-2-3 and it's all over!! Winner: Jerry Lawler (pinfall, fistdrop) Match Analysis: A squash to introduce Lawler to the territory and it did a really good job of it too. Joe did his thing, minus the one screwy bump, which ended up looking a little better than it could have. Lee Marshall was on color commentary and he's WAY easier to handle doing color since I didn't have any urges to put my fist through the television. Decent little match though, which is saying something for these AWA shows lately. Match Three: AWA International Television Championship Darryl Olsen vs. Greg Gagne (c) They lockup and Gagne goes right to a hammerlock on Olsen, but it gets reversed and Gagne reverses that into a snap mare. Another lockup and a top wristlock from Olsen, though Gagne breaks that with an armdrag takeover and he gets another pair to follow, moving into an armbar. Olsen gets to his feet but Gagne keeps on with the armbar until Olsen shoots him into the ropes. Gagne gets a shoulderblock but ends up taking a knee to the gut and Olsen takes over with some forearm shots and he RAMS Gagne's head into the top turnbuckle. Gagne reverses a whip and comes back with a couple of right hands, whipping Olsen into the ropes for a big back bodydrop and he hits a pair of dropkicks for the three-count!! Winner: Greg Gagne (pinfall, dropkick) Match Analysis: Squash. I still have trouble reconciling that a transition move like a dropkick is supposed to be a viable finisher for anyone but the guy that's Verne's son, but I suppose. Quick and inoffensive, though it's Greg Gagne so blandness is always a factor. After the match we're in the studio with Larry Nelson and he's got Baron Von Raschke with him!! Baron's been away for a long time, touring the world and he says that it's great to be back in the AWA, going through the list of top stars, saying that he's going to go whereever the ESPN network is going. He tells anyone that will listen to grow some balls, sign the dotted line and feel the CLAW from the BARON!!! AND THAT'S ALL THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!!! This show got a hundred times better just for seeing Baron. Match Four: Tom Johnson vs. Bob Orton They lockup and Orton gives Johnson a clean break off the ropes.They lock it up again and Johnson's from Winnipeg!!! Makes me sad to see that he's going to get wailed on now. Orton takes him down and gets a couple of two-counts before working over a front facelock. Johnson reverses into a hammerlock but Orton gets to the ropes for the break, drawing boos from the crowd. Another lockup and Orton gets a BIG hip toss before mocking the crowd a little bit, moving in and getting a side headlock on Johnson, moving to a hammerlock. Reverse elbow from Johnson breaks that hold, but he ends up getting clotheslined across the top rope before Orton drops a couple of HARD elbows down onto Johnson's head. Johnson throws a couple punches to the gut but Orton just drops him with a hard right hand, ramming Johnson face-first into the mat before hitting a ONE-ARMED BACKBREAKER!!! Orton hits the posing and the crowd REALLY doesn't like that. Orton responds to their boos with a ONE-ARMED PILEDRIVER!!! Pinfall, three-count, BOOOOOOOOOS!!! Winner: Bob Orton (pinfall, piledriver) Match Analysis: Wow, Orton was REALLY over with tons of heel heat in this one. Another squash match, but at least it was a little entertaining in that the crowd was actually into it a bit. This show hasn't been very good so far, and I'm kind of sad that Orton didn't get to bust out the superplex, but I guess, I can't have it all. Either a good show, or a superplex, that's all I'm asking for AWA!! In the studio, Greg Gagne talks to Larry Nelson about the International Television Championship and they talk about Badd Company and that they're a team to be reckoned with and that they're two of the finest professional wrestlers today. Gagne pimps buying a ticket whenever you see that Badd Company are facing The Rockers because that's going to be great professional wrestling. The talk turns to Curt Hennig vs. Jerry Lawler for the AWA title next week and Gagne is going to keep his eyes on that match, while still following his schedule to defend his International Television Championship. Gagne says that he'll be touring all around the US and that he'll defend the title against anyone, namedropping The Nasty Boys and Soldat Ustinov. The interview ends kind of abruptly and we're off to another commercial!! Match Five: Tom Zenk and Wahoo McDaniel vs. The Nasty Boys This is VERY early in the tag-team career of the Nasties, as they have a very rudimentary form of their later gimmick together, with hand-drawn Nasty Boy shirts, but they look like they have the gimmick part figured out, which is neat to see. Tom Zenk starts out against Sags and Sags does a little shit-talking ebfore they hit a lockup, with Sags pushing Zenk into the ropes. Zenk gets a standing armbar and takes Sags over, working the arm over on the mat for a good minute or two. Tag in to Wahoo and he punches away at the arm before Irish whipping Sags into the ropes for an elbow. At least I think it was an elbow, the production team cut to a crowd shot so there was no visual of the contact, but I trust Rod Trongard to not steer me wrong. Wahoo with a shot on Knobbs on the apron and he turns his attention back to Sags, hitting the arm-wringer and yanking on Sags' hair to get him down to the mat. Zenk and McDaniel do the illegal switch while the referee is distracted and Zenk moves back to the standing armbar. Wahoo back in and he tomahawks Sags down before moving to a reverse chinlock, cranking away at it before the faces do another illegal switch. The crowd loves that the Nasties are getting theirs and cheer another illegal switch between Zenk and McDaniel and McDaniel goes back to the chinlock. Double-Irish whip from the faces into a double chop and Zenk moves to the chinlock again. Sags breaks free with a couple of elbows to the body and he takes over on Zenk with some punches before Zenk fires back, Irish whipping Sags into the corner. Zenk misses the charge and it looks like he rammed his shoulder into the post. Tag to Knobbs and he works over Zenk, hitting a reverse elbow off the ropes and following that up with some punches. Zenk with punches of his own and he tags in Wahoo, who hits a BIG chop off of an Irish whip, sending Knobbs to the floor and McDaniel puts Sags on his ass to the outside with another chop!! McDaniel rolls up Knobbs' little rat tail thing and yanks it, while Stevens makes another unfortunate Native scalping reference. McDaniel goes back to the chinlock again before raking at Knobbs' eyes with his boot soles. Zenk gets the tag and comes off the ropes with an elbow for a long, long two-count. Zenk hits the chinlock and holds it before Knobbs pushes him into the corner, breaking it with some knees to the gut. An Irish whip from Knobbs gets reversed and the faces get a neat little spot in before making the tag and Wahoo hits some foot stomps on Knobbs. Eye rake from Knobbs and they take McDaniel over to their corner, working him over with some illegalities in the corner. Shoulderblocks to the gut from Sags on Wahoo in the corner and Wahoo comes back with a chop but it gets cut off quickly. Irish whip in from Knobbs and he gets a chop of his own for a two-count, but it's too close to the face corner and Zenk gets the tag. Zenk taking over on both Nasties and he hits them with the double-noggin knocker for a two-count but Sags breaks up the pin. Double-Irish whip sends Sags and Knobbs into each other and Zenk gets a sunset flip in the corner, taking Sags down...1-2-3!!! That's it, it's over people!! Winners: Wahoo McDaniel and Tom Zenk (pinfall, Zenk sunset flip) Match Analysis: WAYYYYYY too many restholds for this to be even remotely enjoyable really. I don't know why there were so many of them but it was armbar, chinlock, chinlock, chinlock, armbar, chinlock, for pretty much the entire match. Zenk gets to go over and I guess the Nasties weren't as hot with their gimmick as I had previously thought. Either that or they could afford the loss because they had so much heat. I'm going with the first one since they were still relatively new as a tag-team. Just a boring main event really. Larry Nelson talks about the Fan of the Week again and runs down what we saw on the show before hyping next week's main event with Greg Gagne facing off against Adrian Adonis! Don'tcha dare miss it!!! Final Thoughts Awful. Awful. Awful. An hour of squash matches that doesn't even get paid off with a decent main event. I guess this is my fate for pretty much as long as these shows stay in 1988. The hell with it, let's move on to the comments. Fun With Comments From Heretic: "My suspicion is that Steve O and Ricky Rice were not supposed to be a jobber team per se--- but we're seeing the proto-"Top Guns". So we get the Midnight Rockers themselves and the very beginning of their Brand X replacements on one show." Yeah, again that's kind of creepy in the doppelganger kind of way. I don't know if they had any plans for O and Rice, but I think they were hoping for something to stick. From Rob: "Steve O was actually a television champ in Georgia Championship Wrestling. He had several matches with Kevin Sullivan and Bobby Eaton. They kept rotating the title between these 3 wrestlers almost like the old Hardcore belt in the WWE." I didn't actually know that about Steve O. Thanks for the info, Rob! From James: "This is a historical show, as this is the one time Dennis Stamp couldn't complain about NOT BEING BOOKED! And speaking of Internet inside jokes, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Steve "Billy Jack Strong" DiSalvo. AKA the "Diamond Studd" (you had to be there in 1991, I guess...) And yes, it's hard to picture Kevin Wacholz with the Lex Luger-lite gimmick and then compare that with Nailz. Did he really get fat, or did his unkempt look and the jumpsuit make it look so?" Yeah, it's really weird to see Kelly doing some sort of muscular powerhouse gimmick when he's most famous for being a fatter, balding prisoner. And yes, for once Dennis Stamp had no reason to complain. Except about being jobbed twice in one show. Again from James: "Oh yeah, I second the request for Cheap Seats. I seem to be in the minority but I love that show." Ask and ye shall recieve, check it out below the comments. From JLAJRC: "Don Muracco used the Tomstone Piledriiver as his finisher for years in the WWE, although I think they simply called it a reverse piledriver or something. What was cool about Muracco's version is that he did his with one arm, something I don't think Taker has ever done." I had forgotten about Muraco doing the tombstone because honestly, all the matches I see him in these days from that time period he's either jobbing or getting the cheap win through heelishness. A one-armed tombstone does sound pretty cool though. From AndresV: "Hearing the original Midnight Express theme song ("The Chase") was the best part about this show." Agreed. One of the greatest theme songs in wrestling history, in my opinion. From Joe K. : "Upcoming scene from Old School 2: Frank: "We're going streaking!" Larry Nelson: "Ok, I think you can see that Frank and I are going to get along real well." (Frank and Larry run through a sorority house, hi fiving each other and conveniently ignoring the fact they're naked)" Seriously, you've already got my money for the DVD when it comes out, just make it happen!!! PLEASE!! Once more from James: "GagneSucks...I know it was Hall, but back in the day, back in the days of Usenet, someone erroneously (sp?) said it was DiSalvo. This then spun off into a running gag where anyone who asked "Who was [X]?" would be answered with, "It's Steve DiSalvo!"" Ahhhh Usenet, the good old days. I actually remember that running gag, though I had no idea where it had all started. Thanks for that bit of information James! Finally from TJack: "I just stumbled across some reprints of Dave Meltzer's old newsletters from this time period at prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?act=SF&f=69&st=0&changefilters=1. I would HIGHLY recommend reading them, as not only did they offer good insight at the time, but they offer a fantastic "20/20 hindsight" perspective now -- over two decades later. Anyways, one thing I found interesting... Manny Fernandez cut a couple of promos on the recent ESPN Classic AWA shows where he talks about fighting in 'Nam. However, according to Meltzer back in 1988, "He did a huge patriotic interview about serving in Vietnam, despite that he would have still been in high school at the time the war ended." LOL" Thanks for that TJack, I'll be checking those out soon enough. And yes, Manny Fernandez has been caught in many a fib in his time in the wrestling business, including the Vietnam stories, as well as the story that he was the same Manny Fernandez that played on the Miami Dolphins championship teams, even though he wasn't. I don't know why he did it as much as he did, but I guess Fernandez felt like his resume needed some padding. Thanks for all the great comments and thanks for stopping in everyone, I'll see you all back here tomorrow for more AWA action. Now it's on to Cheap Seats!!! BONUS RECAP!! Cheap Seats: Bowling and the Running of the Bulls Randy and Jason welcome us to the show saying that both sports sit on the wrong side of the alcoholic fence, claiming that all of the amateur bowlers are sober, yet the more drunk you are the more pins you knock down. That's just science. On the other side, the running of the bulls is best done while shit-faced, but you'd probably want a clear head to deal with a charging, half-ton bull. They bring up all the animal attack shows and the Fat Obnoxious Fiance show before telling us what to look for. Funny bit as they rag on one of the amateur bowlers for going pro and then going back to amateur bowling again after and they equate it to being a virgin, having sex, and then claiming virginity again, which apparently doesn't work unless you're Britney Spears. TO THE BOWLING!!! TRON REFERENCE!!! Awesome!! Mockery of the show commences early with them bagging on announcer Steve Grad and his gratuitous use of fingers. They call one of the tournament contestants an axe murderer because of his mullet, which makes me laugh out loud. Paul Renteria's mullet and thin mustache combo is hilarious, as is the Facts of Life reference that they bust out on some poor woman in the crowd. Announcer referring to Renteria: "What'll he do with the two hundred thousand?" Them: "I got three guesses. Wine coolers, fishing lures and a brand new Flowbee!" Weird bit about uncomfortable seating in the future leads to them making fun of Renteria's wife in the crowd. The action stops for the guys to talk about how important a bowling ball is to the bowler and they do a piece with them making fun of bowlers, with the funniest being the Doctor bowler (Jason), who helps a "lady" (Randy), give birth to a ball and then bowls it down the lane for a strike. Tremendous. After the break it's more hot and heavy bowling action, with a segment called "What Got Cut". They make fun of another of the amateur bowlers for having a "continental shelf" haircut, saying that he must have dried it with one of the hand driers on the lane and they say that his head looks like a giant mushroom. Great Star Trek stuff in there as well, along with Renteria apparently praying to the mullet gods. Now that we're caught up on what we missed, it's back to bowling! A rather nerdish looking Mike Taylor bowls from behind and the guys make fun of Taylor's lack of celebration, wondering if he's a sufferer of irritable bowel syndrome. Taylor sighs while they figure his inner monologue would be that he wished he was dead. Really funny bit as they point out the mushroomheaded bowler in the background with the chick that they thought looked like Jo from Facts of Life. An Apprentice reference follows that but it didn't really age well so it didn't work like it probably did a few years ago. They bag on an old guy in the crowd looking bored, going off on an "old man" rant about how bowling used to be a nickel and hiding in someone's bushes was just a misdemeanor. Ewwwwww, creepy! KARATE KID REFERENCE!!! GET HIM A BODY BAG!!! This show is so great. Taylor chokes and they mock him for losing and flaming out so spectacularly. They also figure that it's time to get Renteria's name right for the huge novelty check. The announcer says that barring an earthquake or someone dying on the approach Renteria will win. Jason rightly points out that it's even LESS likely cause it's not just someone that has to die, PAUL has to die, and even then the corpse might slide down the lane and hit something to let him pick up the win. DUELING FOXWORTHYS!! You might be an amateur bowler if.... - you've ever worn a pair of bowling shoes to your sister's wedding. -you've ever kissed your bowling ball...with tongue. - you've ever used a hand-blower to dry out a urine stain. - you've ever bowled.........EVER. Back from the break and we're back for the VERY end of the tournament with Renteria ripping through his last ball to get to the trophy and the check. Randy: " That's life-changing money, now go change your life!!" Enough bowling, it's on to the BULLS! BRING ON THE BULLS, BABY!! Pamplona, Spain and it's the Running of The Bulls, as they make a nice rip on the "casual" attire of both announcers and mock the male announcer's Spanish. Female Announcer: "This festival may be more than several hundred years old, but some things have stayed the same" Randy: "Pamplona's homeless still find it to be the most inconvenient week of the year" That is hilarious. Oh man, the announcers both freeze on live TV and the guys have no idea what they're talking about. HERE COME THE BULLS!!! Jason: "And now, the starting lineup for YOUR Pamplona Bulls!! At guard, a 2000-pound rookie from Alcorn State, Elllllllllllllllll Gigante!!" They get a great bit about how matadors fighting already injured bulls is like stabbing someone in the arm and then challenging them to arm-wrestle. MENUDO REFERENCE!! The bulls are in the ring now and the guys take a break from mocking to go to a pre-taped piece about a new athlete who's trying to bring the spirit of bull-running to the States, with the Running of the Balls. The guy is running down the bowling alley with a ton of padding on, getting hit with bowling balls. For some reason, this bit just didn't do it for me. Eh, commerical time. Back from the break and the guys are talking about how the popularity in bull-running is probably directly related to Hemmingway's work, leading to a Mariel Hemmingway joke, with Randy thinking that Ernest Hemmingway is Mariel's brother. They question whether the announcers are even in Pamplona because after so many days they're still clean. Some highlights of the bulls taking people down prompt them to start cheering for the bulls, saying that it's better than NASCAR. They have a lot of fun mocking the people getting hammered and run over by the bulls and it's CHEAPIE TIME! ************************************************
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:57:27 GMT -6
1988 - Hype For Superclash 3
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on...)
Larry Nelson and that shithead Lee Marshall are sitting in the AWA studios and this looks like it's a show that's going to be in full hype mode for SuperClash III. We get video of the AWA International Television Title controversy between Greg Gagne and Ronnie Garvin and how neither man is the champion and that it will play to Gagne's advantage that Garvin won't have the chance to get disqualified or go to a draw to save his title, since it's not even his!!! A somewhat decent point, but I can't take these two seriously with their horrible tuxedos and Marshall's mullet/mustache combination. I will point out a hidden highlight though that Nelson's bowtie is red and Marshall's is blue, making them match both the set in the studio, and the AWA color scheme. CONTINUITY!!! Larry Nelson succeeds in making the word fearless seem gay by saying that he and Marshall will fearlessly pick the winners of the matches, while waggling his head back and forth like he's on Maury trying to figure out who his baby daddy is. He freaks out that we need to order SuperClash III and then sends us to the ring.
Match One: Jimmy Valiant vs. Tommy Rich
Jimmy's kissing babies on the way to ringside and I don't know about you, but I wouldn't let my kids anywhere near Grandpa Mushrooms. I will say that he only looks seventy here so that's a plus for him. This looks to be taped at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis and was probably part of the CWA's weekly show. Rich stomps the hell out Valiant as he rolls into the ring and then chokes him a little before picking him up and clotheslining Valiant down, mocking him and pissing off the crowd. The announce team is Lee Marshall and Diamond Dallas Page and it might not be long before I've muted the television. I'm just saying. Rich chokes out Valiant on the mat and he shoves the referee out of the way to drop a fist into Valiant's face. More choking as Valiant twitches on the mat. SOMEONE GET GRANDPA HIS PILLS!!! RIGHT HANDS FROM VALIANT AND HE SENDS REFEREE NUMBER TWO OUT OF THE WAY!!! Here come wrestlers from the back and RICH IS HAMMERING AWAY!!! VALIANT FIRING BACK WITH RIGHT HANDS AND A BACK BODYDROP!! Rich bails out of the ring to a chorus of boos and they're still slugging away at each other on the outside. Valiant flails away while the faces try to drag him away like he's going to a crooked 'senior living community' and he slams Rich into the post to bust him open. Valiant has a chair in the ring and Rich punches the falsies out of his mouth while the babyfaces hold Valiant down. Rich is in the ring doing the fired-up babyface routine. Uh, Tommy? You're the heel remember? Valiant comes back into the ring and there goes Rich, bailing to the outside and heading off to the back. Marshall threatens that we'll see this issue settled at SuperClash III. To quote Tony Schiavone "that'll put asses in the seats".
Winner: None (double disqualification)
Match Analysis: A match that didn't even get started. Thankfully, since the brawl was weak at best and terrible at worst. Thankfully they didn't pay off this feud at SuperClash and kept Valiant to a short squash match against Wayne Bloom. Not a good way to start the show though.
After the break Larry Nelson is in the SuperClash control center (another set Verne? You'd might as well spend the money if you don't have it huh? Not like they'll forclose and put you out of business or anything right? Oh...uh...) and he's with Jerry Lawler, the AWA World Heavyweight Champion. Lawler talks about how he wishes he could be a fly on the wall in the Von Erich home because his family has had such a streak of bad luck and that there must be a ton of pressure on him to succeed. He even says that he has a source that has told him that Von Erich wakes up at night with the sweats. I'm thinking that has more to do with the drugs than the match with you King. Lawler assures Von Erich that he's going to let his family down again and then promises him that he's going to lose. Lawler's one hell of a talker, I'll give him that.
We get to see Larry Nelson and Marshall in the studios making their picks. Both guys like the Guerreros in their six-man match and in the Jarrett/Embry match for the Texas Light Heavyweight Title, Nelson likes Jarrett while Marshall is picking Embry. OOOH, DISSENSION IN THE RANKS!!! TUXEDO MATCH BETWEEN THESE TWO IDIOTS!! BOOK IT!!! Marshall and Nelson both pick DeBeers in the boot camp match, with Nelson saying that he's making the pick because DeBeers will "out-sneaky" the Sarge. Jesus. They make a pick on the POWW Lingerie Battle Royal with Nelson sounding like a pervy old man at the prospect of some female (half-) nudity. Marshall picks someone named The Terrorist while Nelson says he doesn't care as long as no one goes over the top rope and they get stripped instead. Marshall laughs, but I'm sure that after the segment was done he was calling the police. Where's Chris Hansen when you need him? After that uncomfortableness we cut to a ladies tag match already in progress.
Match Two: Wendi Richter and Mimi vs. Medusa Micelli and Sylvia
Richter puts Micelli in the tree of woe and stomps at her a little before turning to Sylvia to give her a little taste. Micelli breaks free and attacks Richter from behind, slinging her off the ropes into the middle of the ring before she locks on a front facelock and kicks at Richter's partner. Belly to back suplex for a two-ish count but Richter gets the shoulder up before three. Richter gets a near pin and we hear the bell for some reason as Micelli goes after the referee, shoving him around before she heads out to the apron. The heel team takes off and Micelli tells Richter to kiss her ass. I'm guessing they did the double-pin spot off of that suplex but it looked terrible and honestly nobody knew what the hell was going on.
Winners: Wendi Richter and Mimi (pinfall, horribly botched double pinfall sequence)
Match Analysis: Barely a minute's worth of action, so there's no way to decide whether it was any good or not, but I will say that in 1988 Medusa was hot. I don't know what happened, but back then she was a good-looking woman.
Back to the studio with more of Nelson's pervertedness, which he apologizes for. Marshall laughs uncomfortably and tries to calm Nelson down before they send it back to Memphis for more action.
Match Three: The Top Guns vs. The Beast and The Hangman
The Guns looks a lot like any other knock-off of The Rock and Roll Express, although they look like they're meant to replace The Midnight Rockers more than anyone. This is the original Top Guns with Ricky Rice and Jon Paul, so Derrick Dukes was still a couple of weeks away from his chance. Paul locks up with The Beast and takes him down with a shoulderblock before hip-tossing him over and armdragging him into an armbar. Rice comes off the second rope with a double sledge and he tries an armbar but Beast pushes him into the corner with a handful of hair and just starts wailing on him. Forearm shot and Beast whips him across to the other corner but Rice hops to the second rope and hits a flying bodypress for a two-count. Rice to the armbar and he tags in Paul again and they continue to work the armbar over. Beast rakes at the eyes and tags in Hangman, who gets armdragged right over into an armbar. Irish whip in and Paul gets a shoulderblock and a leapfrog before hitting a HUGE clothesline. Tag in to Rice and he takes Hangman down, dropping a leg on the arm before Hangman can turn it around and make the tag. I have to mention Hangman's ring attire which is a full-legged wrestling singlet with a red bandana around his neck and jeans that have the entire back torn off, except for an ass-floss piece to keep them on him. I guess the bandana means that he's a bottom. Beast gets Irish-whipped in and dropkicked by Rice and Rice tags in Paul for a huge flying splash that he calls the "Dive Bomber"
Winners: The Top Guns (pinfall, "Dive Bomber" splash)
Match Analysis: The Top Guns were terrible and the heel team was even worse. You could tell that Verne was grasping at straws at this point, trying to find anyone with a shred of talent to help carry the brand. The Guns weren't that talent though and it showed how green they were in this match. This is starting to get intolerable.
Back to the AWA studios and they're going to send us to Bill Apter, the senior editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated as he's going to speak to the Guerrero Brothers. The audio for this segment is TERRIBLE with a high-pitched whine underlying the entire thing. Apter asks about Bad Company and the Hector says that any combination of the Guerreros can beat Bad Company at any time, so all they have to do is step in the ring. Apter talks about how great they are as a team and that people say that they can't handle themselves as singles wrestlers. Mando calls bullshit and says that they were trained seperately but have decided to band together as a family now, so they can handle themselves in singles, tag, six-man matches or whatever else comes at them. Mando threatens that there is a fourth guy coming. Chavo says that every dog has his day and that as long as Diamond Dallas stays out of the way, Bad Company will lose. He even talks about how The Guerreros have won tag-team championships as singles. I don't even know what to say to that one. He says that it's a matter of time and that it doesn't matter what the combination is and Chavo talks about Eddie coming up, as well as mentioning that he has a son coming up in wrestling too. Apter cuts off the interview there and thanks the Guerreros for their time. It was kinda cool to see Apter use his "see you at the matches" catchphrase and a neat twist to call the interview a "Press Conference", since that was the name of the interview column in the PWI magazine back in the day. Back to the AWA studio and Marshall says that if you can only pick one PPV show, all the magazines say that SuperClash III is the way to go.
After the break, Marshall and Nelson talk about previous the previous SuperClash shows with Marshall outright lying and saying that SuperClash II sold out San Francisco when the house was a little over 2,000 paid. They then send us back to SuperClash I for the mat classic at Comiskey Park between Boris Zhukov and Sgt. Slaughter.
Match Four: Sgt. Slaughter vs. Boris Zhukov
We join this one in progress with Zhukov working over Slaughter on the infield grass and Slaughter slowly making his way to his feet. Zhukov hits a running kneelift on the apron that sends Slaughter back into the ring and then headlocks him to rake his eyes across the top rope. Slaughter gets rammed into the top turnbuckle and then gets choked across the top rope by Zhukov. Boris picks him up and drops him throat-first on the top rope before Zhukov wrenches on a chinlock and hits some hard forearm shots. Zhukov pulls Slaughter down for a two-count and then hits a swinging neckbreaker for another two-count. Zhukov rakes at the face and then goes to a headlock before stomping away on Slaughter. They're right in front of Larry Nelson's announce table and he's waving his hands at them to go away like he's shooing off a bee. Zhukov rams Slaughter into the table and throws him over it as Zhukov tries to piledrive Slaughter on the grass. Slaughter backdrops Zhukov and crawls back into the ring as Zhukov climbs up onto the apron and up onto the top rope. Slaughter catches him and slams him hard across the ring before Irish whipping him in for a reverse elbow. Another Irish whip and Slaughter gets a dropkick before Irish whipping Zhukov into the corner for a backdrop. Here comes the big clothesline but ZHUKOV PULLS THE REFEREE INTO THE WAY. Slaughter tries to help the ref to his feet as Zhukov loads up an elbowpad with a foreign object according to Nelson. Wouldn't it just be a regular old object since Zhukov is already foreign? It just seems redundant is all. Slaughter catches Zhukov wth some right hands and Irish whips him into the corner but Zhukov gets an elbow up as Slaughter charges in and catches him with that loaded pad. Slaughter goes down and commences a blatant bladejob while crawling on his stomach in the middle of the ring. Zhukov pounds away on Slaughter before biting at the cut and ramming him into the turnbuckles and then the post. The referee calls for the bell as Zhukov continues to pound on Slaughter. Slaughter gets all fired up and makes a big comeback chasing Zhukov arond before Boris bails to the infield. Slaughter throws him back into the ring but Zhukov just high-tails it the other way and heads for the dugouts and safety.
Winner: Sgt. Slaughter (disqualification)
Match Analysis: Finally a decent match, but again it's much too short to mean anything and Slaughter might as well have just bladed himself while standing up in the corner shouting "I'm BLADING OVER HERE!!!" because it was just that obvious. This was one of the blow-off matches at SuperClash I, but Zhukov and Slaughter would continue to feud for at least a couple of years after this. Kind of telling when the best match on the show is from three years before though isn't it?
Nelson is in the SuperClash control center and talks about how Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie is back for SuperClash III!! The Sheik speaks in Arabic then says that everyoen would like to know where the Sheik has been. He's been trying to negotiate peace between Iraq and Iran and he says that he's formed an alliance with The Iron Sheik and Sheik comes in and says that Iraq and Iran have made peace before Sheik says that he is in the AW...WA for one reason, then he says that Jerry Lawler, Greg Gagne, and Sgt. Slaughter have all been talking about him, but he's in the AWA for the championship belt. Shiek poses while El-Kaissie does his schtick and they're out of time.
Back from commercial and Buddy Roberts is in the SuperClash control center, screaming at Michael Hayes and telling him that the Samoan Swat Team are going to come to SuperClash and that there will be no doubt in the fans' minds who the champions are going to be. This leads to Nelson and Marshall debating the match between the SST and Michael Hayes and Steve Cox for the World Class Tag Team Titles. Marshall goes with the Hayes team and Nelson goes with the SST because of Buddy Roberts and his potential interference. They move on to the Gagne/Garvin match and Marshall says that it's a toss-up and they talk about the accomplishments of Garvin before Nelson picks Gagne. In the strap match Marshall says that he's sure that they'll cut each other to ribbons before picking Wahoo McDaniel and Nelson doesn't pick anyone. Marshall goes to the next match and says that he picks the Rock and Roll Express in that tag match while Nelson picks The Stud Stable because of Sylvia on the outside. It's time to get to the ring and see The Stud Stable in action.
Match Five: The Stud Stable (Jimmy Golden and Robert Fuller) vs. The Green Jobbers
I have no idea who the other team is so I just made up a name for them. I doubt it will matter much since they looks like they're goign to take the pin anyhow. Golden is in the ring to start the match and he hip-tosses his man over before stomping at the knee. Fuller joins in on the abuse from the outside and gets a couple of cheapshots in before Golden drags him back in and gets a spinning toehold. Tag in to Fuller and he drops down onto the leg of the jobber. Fuller distracts the referee to let Golden have a whack at some illegal action and Sylvia whacks the kendo stick against the kid's knee. Tag to Golden and he works a single-leg crab and he gets the submission with that one.
Winners: The Stud Stable (submission, single-leg crab)
Match Analysis: Short and awful, just like the rest of the matches on the show so far. At least there was a little psychology with the leg. I mean as much psychology as there can be in a two minute match. At least the jobber on the apron got a payoff for standing there and not taking a beating. So there's something good to come out of this match.
After the match Larry Nelson's in the SuperClash control center with The Rock and Roll Express and they have some words for The Stud Stable as Gibson says that the winner of the match gets a shot at Bad Company and Morton says that they've been the four-time tag team champions and that if they have to use The Stud Stable as a steppingstone then that's what they'll do. He says that they're like solid gold, rock and roll and that they're the best tag team in the world today.
Another commercial break sees us getting to talk to Iceman "King" Parsons and he's excited for SuperClash, saying that if Brickhouse Brown doesn't show up he'd understand, saying that Brown couldn't bust a grape if he landed on it head-first before calling him a roodie-poo. We move back to Memphis and Diamond Dallas Page is in the ring, introducing Bad Company to the people. He runs down Memphis a little before bringing out his team. It's not a bad entrance actually as they have a couple of skanks with them in bikinis and they come out to a decent rock song, though I can't place which song it is.
Match Six: AWA Tag Team Championship Match Badd Company vs. The Rock and Roll RPM's
The RPM's start out quick, sending Diamond to the floor before hitting a HUGE double-backdrop on Tanaka. Lane slams Tanaka's head into the turnbuckle before he takes a big clothesline. Double-pancake from the RPM's and they're on fire in the early going. Davis is in the ring now with a right hand and he tags Lane back in who hits a big side slam before tagging Davis back in. davis whips Tanaka in for another HIGH back-bodydrop and the tag goes to Lane who gets a huge slam and a legdrop before tagging in Davis. Davis tags in Lane and he pushes Tanaka into the corner, Irish whipping him across and Tanaka tries the second-rope cross bodyblock but Lane ducks it and Tanaka hits the deck. Tag to Davis and he hits a knee to the midsection before tagging Lane in for a big vertical suplex. Lane hits the ropes but Diamond gets a boot to the back before getting the hot tag and going to town on Lane with right hands. Diamond slams Lane's head into the top turnbuckle and then hits the second rope for some mounted punches. Front suplex from Diamond and he sends Lane over the top rope while the referee is distracted, allowing Tanaka to do a little work on the floor. Davis comes over to stop that and Diamond picks up Lane for a big slam in the ring before tagging in Tanaka. Tanaka with an Irish whip into a big cross-bodyblock and he tags Diamond back in who hits some right hands on Lane before goading Davis into the ring. As the ref is distracted Badd Company hits the World's Greatest Tag Team spot where Tanaka leapfrogs over Diamond, landing on Lane who is strung out on the top rope. Tanaka goes for a pin and gets a long two-count before Badd Company hits a double-backdrop on Lane and Diamond gets another two-count. Diamond Irish whips Lane into the corner but misses the charge and crotches himself on the middle turnbuckle. Lane gets the tag to Davis and he works over Diamond and Tanaka before the RPM's hit a backdrop into a power bomb double-team move. Lane goes for the pin but Tanaka just punches him in the back of the head. Lane clotheslines Tanaka down and the RPM's maintain the advantage with Davis locking an abdominal stretch in on Diamond but Tanaka hits a crescent kick to the chin and Diamond gets the hook of the leg for the three-count and the crowd goes wild! I guess it's hard to get them to boo for them when they were faces in Memphis previously.
Winners: Badd Company (pinfall, Tanaka crescent kick)
Match Analysis: A weird match in that Badd Company was supposed to be the heel team but they ended up getting cheered because they used to be faces in Memphis and the RPM's just sucked everywhere they went. Not that they were bad wrestlers, just that they were such a bad rip-off of all the other rock and roll teams that they were doomed to fail. A decent enough tag match, but again it needed about five more minutes to even come close to being good. Funny again to see Lee Marshall refuse to call either of the RPM's by name because he doesn't know which is which though.
Badd Company works over the RPM's after the bell and it's a brawl between all four men and the RPM's get a double-clothesline to put Badd Company out to the floor. They leave with the hot bikini chicks and the RPM's get to stand in the ring with Downtown Bruno. I'll let you guess who comes out the winner there. Back to SuperClash control and Larry Nelson is with Kerry Von Erich, the WCCW World Champion. Von Erich says that while he was down, the people of Chicago have always been behind him to help him get back up. He talks about how neither he or Lawler have the "real" world title because that will only come once their match has been decided. He says that he's in the best shape of his life and that he's been training harder than ever. He says that there's only one world and there will be one world champion and that he's going to be that champion. Nelson talks about all of the promotions that will recognize the title and Von Erich says that he's more ready than he's ever been in his life and he says that he's coming for Lawler's belt and we're out!!
Final Thoughts
And they wonder why they got a miniscule buyrate. This was the go-home show that was supposed to get people to order the PPV and it was horrible. Tons of short matches and lots of really pointless yammering from Nelson and Marshall leads me to call this one a MASSIVE thumbs down. Possibly the worst AWA show yet out of all of them that I've seen and reported on to this point, and that's saying something. Before my TV goes out the window, let's get to the comments.
Fun With Comments
First up it's a batch on SuperClash ring announcer Gary Michael Capetta;
From soulpower: "Gary Michael Capetta... Is this the same guy that worked for ROH doing backstage interviews?"
From GregGagneSucks: "Yeah that's the same guy. He's got a GREAT book out (forgot the name) that tells all about his time in AWA,WWF,NWA. Great stories where you can really see how frickin' CLUELESS the Gagnes really were.(Damn,now I have to call my brother up to get that book back). Last year on WWE 24/7 they showed the debut episode of AWA on ESPN. It had Jim Garvin,The Freebirds,The Road Warriors and oh yeah a GAGM (god-awful Greg match). I hope ESPN starts replaying some of this older stuff too. Michael Hayes' promos were almost as good as Zybyskos."
From Joe K.: "The Capetta book was called Bodyslams and it is a great read, if not just for the story of Buzz Sawyer fucking Mark Calloway out of $3000 by saying he would train him and then skipping town.
But wow, from The Rockers to Derrick Dukes and Ricky Rice! what a fall! Last nights show looked more like the old UWF shows than any other AWA show they've played so far."
The Capetta book was a really good book and I agree about hoping that they show some older-AWA stuff and yeah, the fall from The Rockers to The Top Guns was pretty damn huge. Again, Verne was desperate at this point and trying anything to stop the bleeding.
From Eric: "Hey Randy. Sorry for being away...I'm normally good for the long responses, but a) haven't watched a lot of the AWA stuff overnight, and b) quite a bit of it was underwhelming, you know?
This one's special for me because it was pretty much the last gasp of the AWA in Chicago when SuperClash III rolled into town. It was a combination of the AWA, Memphis, and World Class all three promotions struggling against Vince and the WWF at the time. Even the NWA had been coming to town on and off throughout the year, so this was sad in a way too. They did this show at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavillion, which was a fairly new facility in Chicago at the time, but was a good 7K seats short of the old Rosemont Horizon (now the Allstate Arena) at the time. The WWF had pretty much taken over the Horizon and was selling out. The AWA was pushed to the smaller arena on the Chicago campus. It seated about 11,000, and the NWA and Watts-booked UWF had run some shows there between 1986 and the time of this show.
You'd have thought with the multitude of names combined you'd have gotten a filled arena. Nope. From what I remember they got under 1,200 into the area. There's a reason the arena was very dark except for the ring lights. The arena was empty. This is one big reason why I believe that TNA, when they come to Chicago sooner or later, will continue the small arena routine. That's what ROH does here now; they book 1,500 max gyms (because that's what they are glorified gymnasiums) and put maybe a thousand in the house, and it looks filled. Remember, even a small house, if filled, will look good. SuperClash III didn't look good, and it was a disappointment to me personally.
I couldn't even tell you who was booking the AWA by the late 1980s. I'm presuming it was Greg Gagne and maybe Ray Stevens by this time. I'm presuming that Eric Bischoff was assisting in the booking as well.
The Guerreros match was the actual opening match of the card, and the RPMs were in Memphis under Lawlor at the time. They'd bounced back and forth between Memphis and Crockett in the Carolinas at the time, and were generally mid-card at best with Crockett. The Guerreros could have brought in some of the Hispanic fans in Chicago. No dice. The Guerreros were in good form that night, but you could almost envision what was going to happen in time.
The Greg Gagne/Ronnie Garvin match was exactly how it played out on TV....boring. No offense to anyone else, but they'd played Garvin as a former NWA World champion, of course....but honestly I would have had more fun watching Garvin 'brother' Jimmy work a match with Gagne by this point, but Garvin was a Freebird in the NWA and he's bailed on the promoion almost four years earlier.
Kind of makes you wonder what could have been.
The Rock 'n' Roll Express/Stud Stable match, believe it or not, was the LAST match on the card...AFTER the Jerry Lawler/Kerry Von Erich 'main event loss because of bleeding' fiasco> People were already leaving the arena by this time...so envision a HORRIBLY empty arena by this point. You could have just chucked the final match, but they'd already paid Morton, Gibson, Fuller, and Golden by this point (or maybe they hadn't, knowing Verne Gagne) The match was ok, but they'd fought better battles in Memphis, obviously.
It was actually fine to see matches from this card, because there were some good names (obviously not the caliber of the WWF at the time) in a young Jeff Jarrett, Eric Embry, Iceman Parsons, Brickhouse Brown, Col. DeBeers, Sarge (in a return that would last until the promotion folded), DDP (notice how young he was?), Badd Company (one of the last 'created' tag teams the AWA had...including the Destruction Crew (Enos and Wayne Bloom they'd become the Beverly Brothers in time).
It's just sad looking back on that timeframe. Chicago wrestling would die soon afterwards; there'd be only one more AWA card another horribly nasty attendance figure, I'd estimate 1,000 if that and that would be it.
Chicago wrestling hasn't been the same since. Let's hope that TNA and ROH can bring some of that swagger we were used to."
It is sad to think about how far Chicago has seemingly fallen off the radar when you think about how hot that city was for wrestling even into the late-70's and early-80's. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the AWA killed off the city since there have been tons of shows with hot crowds since then, but it really hasn't been the same since the AWA flopped. You were spot on about the rest of it too, as usual, and I thank you for taking the time, Eric!
From Frozen: "I can't wait until they show Kerry vs. Jerry, which I believe is scheduled for either later this week or next week. When a coked-up Kerry cut his arm before the match started, due to playing with his razor blade, you just knew that luck was not on Verne's side that night."
A really good match that I'm hoping to get a chance to recap, since it was one of my favorites when I was younger. And the writing was on the wall for Verne at this point, but he'd still take another couple of years before he'd read it.
From G-Walla: "I think you're right about the dip in quality putting me to sleep.
I was initially excited about this show, if just for the fact it wasn't the Showboat. And then I saw Cactus and a trio of Guerrerros. Then a blur of boring unitl seeing Slaughter and DeBeers. Sadly, that match was lackluster, too. Boo!
Of course, it was kinda trippy seeing the Iranian and Iraqi standing side-by-side at the end. Wrestling really brings the world together."
Yeah, it's getting tough to recap when the shows are terrible and I'm usually checking them out after they've aired or the next day, so I can only imagine how interminable it would be to do it while the show was actually on.
From GregGagneSucks: "Badd Company became Orient Express(Paul Diamond under a mask) in the WWF"
Indeed they were, but that was only after Tanaka and Sato had been the Orient Express for awhile and Sato had left the company. They brought Diamond in under the hood as "Kato" and kept running for a while afterwards. So Jaime Noble wasn't the first after all.
From Guest#6637: " "Sure tonight's show was god-awful"
Just like your writing."
Well, love me or hate me, every hit contributes to me becoming further entrenched on the site so thanks for helping me stay employed. Be sure to check it out and hate me every day if you feel like you need to.
From A King: "I remember reading that the reason for the countout ending to the Garvin/Gagne match was because Garvin refused to do the job for Greg since he was on his way to the WWF."
I seem to remember the same thing and it makes sense since Garvin wouldn't want to look weak on his way up to New York. It still doesn't make sense as to why you would book someone who isn't going to job into a title match on PPV, but I guess that was Verne.
From AndresV: "A decent show. First of all, "Maniac" Mike Davis of the RPMs had the short hair. Always will remember his 90's stint in Global with the Bungee match. Interesting seeing Ronnie Garvin losing a title for the 2nd year in a row at the UIC Pavilion. I was at Starrcade '87 (held in the same building) when Garvin dropped the NWA title to Ric Flair. Woooooo! Also interesting that a few years later Sgt Slaughter would do his heel turn in the WWF by associating himself with El-Kaissie and the Iron Sheik (as Gen. Adnan & Col. Mustafa)."
Yeah, it was kind of fun to see Slaughter on the same side as the Sheiks after all his wars with them in the AWA were done. I figured out eventually which RPM was which through a little research and it turns out that my guess as to who was who was actually right. Garvin had bad luck at that UIC Pavilion for sure, but he probably shouldn't have had the NWA title to begin with, so he really should have only lost one title match there.
Finally from Arnold_OldSchool: "IIRC Garvin was already signed by the WWF (and may have made house shows) by the time this was on PPV
I think Iron Shiek had already prepped his NWA contract before he appeared here"
Like the other SuperClash shows, all the guys were either trying to get signed elsewhere or had already signed elsewhere before the show. I seem to recall Sheik being a few months off from his NWA appearances so I think he might have made the stop in between with the AWA to do a favor for Verne to thank him for breaking him into the business. Don't quote me on it, but it seems like the most plausible scenario.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:58:30 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on December 26, 1988)
It looks like we're going to get matches from SuperClash III today, which is kind of cool since I can only remember two matches off of that card. Sadly the first one they're showing today is one I've already seen, but hey, at least it's a decent match. Lee Marshall and Ray "The Crippler" Stevens are your commentators for all the action and Gary Michael Capetta is in the ring ready to introduce everyone, using what looks like a spiral notebook for the task. Nothing like being prepared I suppose. This show took place on December 13, 1988 and I'm guessing that because of the holiday, they put on a sampling of the matches from the PPV or perhaps a best of special for the AWA on EPSN show.
Match One: Cactus Jack and The Rock and Roll RPM's (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) vs. Hector, Mando, and Chavo Guerrero
The RPM's and Jack make their way to the ring with Molly Hatchet's "Flirtin' With Disaster" in my ears and all I can think of is the chord structure of that song in Rock Band. The RPM's are the Southern Tag Team Champions and Jack was also working out of Memphis at this point if I recall correctly. The RPM's were Mike Davis and Tommy Lane, though I'm a little hazy on who is who. The Guerreros come out in all types of Mexican garb, with Mando even doing a bit of a Mexican hat dance. Nope, no stereotypes in wrestling at all. Mean Mike Enos is your referee for this one but is probably best known as Blake Beverly during his WWF stint in the early-90's. Hector Guerrero starts out with Mike Davis and they do a rope-running sequence which ends with both RPM's running into each other and taking big bumps. Hector gets a headlock/headscissors combination to take them both down and over and we get a switch with Mando and Cactus Jack in the ring now. Mando gets a sunset flip for two before going to the armbar, but Cactus cuts it off with some really weak looking punches before flinging him out to the floor. Right hand blocked by Mando and he chops the piss out of Cactus and takes a back bodydrop on the floor from one of the Guerreros. Back in the ring and Mando makes the tag and holds the leg for Hector to come off the ropes with a splash and they tag Chavo who does the same thing. Tag to Mando and another jumping splash to the knee as they continue to work over poor Cactus. Cactus finally makes the tag over to Tommy Lane and the Guerreros make the exchange too, with Chavo coming in. A lockup into an armdrag and Chavo follows it up with a go-behind into a flying headscissors takeover. Funny to hear Lee Marshall never refer to the RPM's by name because he doesn't know their names. Davis gets a tag in and the RPM's try for a double-team but Chavo hits a double-flying bodypress, into double-splashes from the other two Guerrero brothers. All three of them dogpile the heel team to try for a pinfall but Davis sneaks out the backdoor and all three heels bail to the floor. Chavo and Cactus Jack are in the ring now with Cactus kneeing Chavo in the corner before hitting a snap mare and an elbow off of the ropes for two. Cactus tags in Davis and both RPM's come in for a little double-teaming. Lane stays in the ring and rams Chavo into the top turnbuckle before Cactus comes back in with some hammering. Chavo rolls around the ring and avoids Cactus before making the tag to Hector and it's DROPKICKS FOR EVERYBODY!! All six men in the ring with the Guerrero's getting the advantage. The RPM's try to heel it up on Hector, but Davis clotheslines his own partner down. Hector over the top onto Davis, (which the camera misses), Mando over the top onto Cactus, (which the camera misses), and Chavo gets a moonsault in the ring onto Lane for the 1-2-3!!!!
Winners: Hector, Mando, and Chavo Guerrero (pinfall, moonsault)
Match Analysis: A good choice for the opener as the Guerreros can fly around and get the crowd into the show. The only problem is that by putting them in the opening, they put their best workers first on the card and had nobody good left until the main event. Damned if you do, damned if you don't I guess, but that's the AWA in 1988. A good match, even though the RPM's sucked hard throughout. Four out of six makes for a decent match though, so I guess it could have been worse.
Larry Nelson is backstage and here comes Bad Company, Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond, the AWA Tag Team Champions! Tanaka talks about Medusa Miceli, saying that some broad has the gall to slap Sensei Pat and that there's no respect in the wrestling business. Tanaka talks down to the Guerreros and asks what's next before he leaves and in comes Ricky Rice and Derrick Dukes, The Top Guns. They look like absolute jobbers, which leads me to remember how bad things were for the AWA in 1988. Rice talks about how Tanaka's MOMMA should have slapped him a long time ago before handing it over to Dukes for some more generic babyface statements. Rice says that revenge is the number-one thing on their minds and that they want to get their hands on Bad Company.
We see some video footage of a past match between Ronnie Garvin and Greg Gagne, with Gagne getting pinned after Garvin had walloped him with a foreign object. The AWA Championship committee deemed a rematch necessary and it happened at SuperClash III
Match Two: AWA International Television Championship Greg Gagne vs. Ronnie Garvin
To say that Garvin gets a mixed reaction is one thing, but Gagne nearly gets booed out of the building. They lockup and work their way to nearly all four corners before Garvin rams Gagne into the top turnbuckle. Gagne stops another attack and reverses it, slamming Garvin's head into the buckle before Irish whipping him hinto the other corner. Gagne follows him in and misses allowing Garvin to take over with a snap mare into a chinlock. Gagne to his feet and he gets rammed into the top turnbuckle again. Gagne comes back with chops and right hands and he Irish whips Garvin into the ropes for a BIG back bodydrop to get a two count. Into a standing armbar and Garvin headbutts his way free, sending Gagne staggering around the ring. Irish whip from Garvin and he ducks down but Gagne tries a sunset flip. Right hand from Garvin stops that and he sits on Gagne for a two-count before Greg gets the sunset flip and gets a two-count of his own. They stand-off in the center of the ring and lockup again with Gagne getting an armdrag takeover into an armbar. Gagne works the arm over a little and gets a two-count, but Garvin's foot is in the ropes to break up the pin attempt. They lockup again and trade shoves and slap before they end up exchanging right hands in the middle of the ring, with Garvin taking over with headbutts and stomps. He gets up on the ropes to land the big ten-punch spot, only getting to four before jumping off. Garvin BITES at the head of Gagne and he starts choking on him. Gagne makes a babyface comeback to total silence, landing some chops before going to the ropes for his own ten-punch spot (he makes it all the way to SEVEN!!! Ooooooh!!!), before he whips Garvin into the ropes but misses a dropkick. Garvin picks up Gagne and gets a small package for a two-count before they mess up a spot with Gagne cross-bodyblocking Garvin over the top. They finally make it down to the floor and Garvin rams Gagne into the announce table and Gagne sends Garvin into the ringpost and the bell rings to a chorus of boos. After the match Garvin sneaks in and slaps a sleeper hold on Gagne, which the crowd cheers. Gagne reverses and gets the sleeper on Garvin and the crowd seems much less enthused. Garvin rolls out to the floor as it's announced that Garvin was counted out of the ring, making Gagne the new AWA International Television Champion. The crowd predictably boos the piss out of Gagne and the decision.
Winner: Greg Gagne (countout)
Match Analysis: I love Chicago crowds. Gagne got the shit booed out of him for the entire match because he wasn't very good and the crowd resented seeing him get a title he probably didn't deserve. The match wasn't very good either as they never got any time to get to a flow, and that's not even talking about the cardinal sin that was committed. NEVER END A CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH WITH A BULLSHIT FINISH.....EVER!!! They did it and the crowd rightly shit all over it. Bad, bad match with an even worse finish.
Larry Nelson is in the back with Verne Gagne and he asks how it feels to see Greg win that championship belt back. Verne says that he was really determined to win it and Verne is delighted that he won. Nelson asks about Jerry Lawler and Kerry Von Erich, with Verne saying it was one of the hardest matches that he's ever seen and that the doctor was right in stopping the match. Larry Nelson brings up the word rematch and Verne is right there with him, saying that there will hopefully be a rematch, with Gagne saying that Lawler said to talk to him later about another match. Yeah, maybe like after you've paid him Verne. Gagne thanks all the people who helped put the show together and says that out of all his career, it was the greatest event he's ever put on. He says that those of us who missed this show should try to get the next one, which of course we know never happened, at least on pay-per-view.
Match Three: The Rock and Roll Express vs. The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden)
We join in progress with The Stud Stable out on the floor. These guys had the unfortunate task of following up after the Main Event Title Unification match, and the crowd is pretty much spent. Morton gets a front facelock on Jimmy Golden as the crowd chants boring. Golden gets a suplex takeover and they bridge with Morton hitting a throw of his own before the Rock and Rolls double-team on the heel team, Irish whipping the heels into each other in the corner. Fuller gets the tag in and he's PISSED OFF!! Lee Marshall has an annoying habit of repeating word for word what The Stud Stable's valet is saying, despite the fact that you can clearly hear her over the non-existent crowd. Gibson is in the ring now, motioning for Fuller to kiss his ass before they lockup and Fuller gets a headlock. They do a criss-cross sequence which gets broken up when Golden knees Gibson in the back from the outside. Gibson gets sent to the floor and takes a shot with a kendo stick from The Stud Stable's valet. Heel tag and Golden starts working over Gibson with right hands before moving to a bearhug. Marshall tells us what the crowd is chanting now, despite being able to clearly hear it again. Gibson bites on Golden to get out of the bearhug, but he can't capitalize and Golden continues to punch him down in the corner. Golden sends Gibson over the top to the floor and he takes another six or eight kendo stick shots from that skank on the outside. Golden goes to an abdominal stretch and the heels use the added leverage from Fuller on the outside. Golden Irish whips Gibson in and he kicks Golden in the face, making the tag to Morton who goes to work on both heels. Fuller gets sent to the floor and the RnR's whip Golden into the ropes for a double-dropkick, but Fuller breaks up the pin before there's even a one-count. Fuller and Golden double-team Gibson on the outside as the bell rings, with both teams being disqualified and they're still fighting on the outside with Morton and Gibson chasing The Stud Stable all the way to the back with chairs.
Winners: None (double disqualification)
Match Analysis: Working a southern-style brawl in Chicago might not be the best idea. I'm sure the crowds in Memphis and Alabama would have eaten it up with a spoon since those are the kinds of matches that they were raised on, but the Chicago crowd kind of dumped all over it. It didn't help that these guys got the death slot as the last match on the card after an incredibly hot main event either. They were dead in the water before they hit the ring and it showed through the whole match.
After the match Larry Nelson is talking about the strap match between Wahoo McDaniel and Manny Fernandez, saying that it didn't settle anything and that they hate each other, wanting to battle it out some more. Manny Fernandez talks about how he had the guts to fight Wahoo in his own kind of match, the strap match and that he had to get saved from a beating. Fernandez says that he's going to come after him again and Fernandez threatens him with a Mexican Death Match. He says that lots of people have tried to get rid of him but no one has succeeded. McDaniel gets his time now and talks about how he respects Fernandez for being in Vietnam and he says that he knows Fernandez is tough and that McDaniel thinks that he's tough too. He says that they'll meet at some point in 1989 and the smoke is going to get thick again, whatever that means. Maybe it's an Indian thing.
Match Four: Boot Camp Match Sgt. Slaughter vs. Col. DeBeers w/Diamond Dallas Page
My guess is that this is going to be no-disqualification and Gary Michael Capetta says that they can bring whatever they want, wear whatever they want, fight wherever they want and the referee is only there for pinfalls or submissions. I can't remember Page managing DeBeers, but here it is, and it's rather odd to see him all bedazzled and sunglassed, managing the straight-laced South African, but Verne was desperate at this point, so anything goes I guess. Slaughter gets as good a pop as you can get from 2,000 people and as he gets in the ring the fight is on!! He starts beating DeBeers with his riding crop and DeBeers goes to the eyes to break it up. Slaughter continues the beating with the riding crop and Irish whips DeBeers in for a clothesline with the crop. DeBeers takes over by hitting Slaughter in the gut with his own helmet and then goes to the eyes before taking off his belt to choke Slaughter with it. Right hands from DeBeers put Slaughter down and DeBeers grabs the riding crop to wail away on Slaughter a little. DeBeers rams Slaughter into the top turnbuckle and Slaughter fires back with right hands, taking DeBeers over with a snap mare. BIG right hand from Slaughter and he flings DeBeers over the top rope to the floor, slamming him into the ringpost on the outside. Slaughter gets some right hands and then gets a two-count on the floor. DeBeers gets Slaughter across the back with one of the ringside barricades and stomps at him before going back into the ring. DeBeers has Slaughter's helmet on his head and HEADBUTTS HIM WITH IT! AGAIN TO THE MIDSECTION!! Page is up on the apron and picks up Slaughter to hold him, and if you don't know what's coming, you haven't watched much wrestling. Slaughter moves and DeBeers gets Page right in the gut with the helmet before Slaughter takes DeBeers down with a clothesline. Slaughter puts the helmet on and headbutts DeBeers in the face three or four times, with the last one sending DeBeers flying in a comedy bump. Slaughter with an Irish whip and another huge clothesline before he motions for the Cobra Clutch. Slaughter with a boot on Page to keep him down and he locks the Cobra Clutch onto DeBeers!!! The Col. is fading but Page is trying to make his way into the ring again, but he waves to the back for someone to come down and here comes Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie. DeBeers and Page put Slaughter down as he tries to put the Clutch on El-Kaissie and HERE COMES THE IRON SHEIK, BITCHES!! Shiek starts laying the boots down on Slaughter and SPIKES HIM IN THE FACE!! OUT GOES THE REFEREE!!! MORE SPIKING ON SLAUGHTER!! SARGE IS BUSTED OPEN!! The Guerrero brothers come down to break things up and Sarge goes OVER THE TOP TO GET AT SHEIK!! Sheik runs his ass to the back and the Guerreros hold back Slaughter.
Winner: Sgt. Slaughter (disqualification, apparently)
Match Analysis: Kind of weak for a Boot Camp Match, especially when you throw it up against the other matches of that type that Slaughter has been in against guys like Sheik and Patterson. Not to mention that there ended up being a non-finish in a match that apparently had no DQ's. FAIL!! At least it was fun to see The Iron Sheik again.
Larry Nelson talks us through the match that just happened and says that it was unexpected to see the two Sheiks in the ring attacking Slaughter before we go back to SuperClash to hear from Sheik Adnan-El Kaissie and The Iron Sheik. El-Kaissie starts talking in Arabic before saying that he had a big surprise for Slaughter and the AWA and that his surprise is the Iron Sheik!! Sheik says that every intelligent American knows about Sheik and Slaughter's history. Sheik goes on about Muhammad and Allah and Larry Nelson cuts them off and sends things back to "ringside". We cut to Sgt. Slaughter giving us comments in the AWA studios, singing the Marine Corps song before saying that he's after DeBeers, and the Sheiks and says that they're all maggots, scum and slime. He doesn't know how they got into his country, but if they want to fight him that they have to sign the contract and that he'll show them all who the toughest man is and which the toughest country is. He's going to dismiss them all, PERMANENTLY!!
Final Thoughts
Yeah, suddenly I'm not so excited to track down a copy of the SuperClash III show anymore. The two matches that I saw from it before were obviously the two best matches on the card, and the rest of it was pretty much awful. The opening match on this show was good, and the rest of it was just weak and kind of boring to be honest. I guess when all the talent was in Charlotte or New York, they had to make do with the scraps. A pretty boring episode this time out and an easy thumbs down from me.
Fun With Comments
From robblack: "this is much better than what tna delivers. We here at XPW are proud to say that awa paved the road for us and made XPW what it is today. number 1 in the world. watch us each monday night primetime on fox!"
Yeah, I'll be sure to check that out, right after World's Deadliest Bear Attacks 9. Jackass.
From guy: "Can anyone post match listings from the AWA shows that there was no report for? I didn't watch last week either and I want to know what I missed!"
And the response from Steve: "To answer guy's question, here's what I can remember for match listings from last week's shows.
Monday: King Kong Brody & Barbarian Vs. Steel Gladiator & Jesse Hernandez In This Corner with Larry Zbyszko, guests The Midnight Rockers Mat Classic: Ray "The Crippler" Stevens Vs. Red Bastien Doug Somers Vs. Mike Rotundo (AWA Debut)
Tuesday: Buddy Rose & Doug Somers Vs. Steel Gladiator & Jesse Hernandez Brad Rheingans Vs. Pistol Pete Nick Bockwinkel Vs. Harley Davidson Col. DeBeers Vs. Mike Richards Curt Hennig & Mike Rotundo Vs. Larry Zbyszko & an unmasked Mr. Go (Yes, he did look Japanese.)
Wednesday: Boris Zhukov & Sheik Adnan Al Kaissie Vs. H.D. Hass & Harry Henderson Col. DeBeers Vs. Jake Milliman (End features Scott Hall getting knocked out on the concrete floor via a Front Piledriver by DeBeers) Buddy Rose, Doug Somers & Larry Zbyszko Vs. Mike Rotundo, Steve Pardee & Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
Thursday: Midnight Rockers Vs. El Cibriano & Don Fargo Barbarian Vs. Jesse Hernandez Curt Hennig Vs. Ken Glover Larry Zbyszko Vs. Scott LeDoux in a Taped Fists Match
Friday: Midnight Rockers Vs. Tom Stone & Tony Leone Col. DeBeers Vs. Earthquake Ferris Ali Khan Vs. Jake Milliman Curt Hennig & Scott Hall Vs. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers
There you go."
Looks like I didn't miss much last week, which I'm happy about. I think one of them might have even been a show that I had already covered. Thanks for the listings though, Steve! I always appreciate the help of my fine readers.
From Joe K.: "The horrible thing about the Somers/Rotundo match was that Somers had this gross brown spot on his tights...and it was exactly where you'd think it would be. Talk about something that takes you out of the match!"
Yeah, I'm glad I missed last week's shows now.
Finally from friend of the column, G-Walla: "Damn, staying up and watching this has been getting harder and harder, so I was only barely coherent during the main event. Wish I could have paid more attention."
I find it's probably a direct correlation between it being harder to stay up and that the shows are getting worse and worse. I'd love for them to go backwards a little to 85, but it looks like they're moving forward with the march to the death of the AWA. Ugh.
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 12:59:22 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on...)
Larry Nelson is in the AWA studios, wishing us a Happy Holiday before he sends us to even more matches from Superclash III, I guess as a Christmas present from Verne.
Match One: Texas Heavyweight Championship Brickhouse Brown vs. Iceman "King" Parsons (c)
They end up coming down to the ring together for some not really explained reason, and Parsons looks resplendent in his turquoise tuxedo jacket and top hat. Verne Gagne has joined Lee Marshall on commentary and begins talking about his time wrestling, somewhat ignoring the two guys in the ring. Way to put over the other organizations in the "coalition of the desperate", I'm sure they all appreciate it. Parsons struts a little before getting in Brown's face and shoving him. Brown shoves Parsons and puts him on his ass before locking in a headlock. Whip into the ropes and Brown gets a shoulderblock before Parsons gets a leapfrog and turns into a dropkick. Parsons hits the floor to recover and Brown starts busting a move in the middle of the ring. Parsons makes his way back into the ring and they lockup with Brown getting the headlock again in the middle of the ring before Parsons shoots him into the ropes again. A couple of shoulderblocks and down goes Parsons and Brown catches him in a backslide off of a back bodydrop attempt for a two-count and Parsons is back to the floor. They lock it up again and Brown is back to the side headlock and Parsons shoots him in again, dropping down a couple of times before coming at him with a high knee that puts Brown down. Short clothesline gets a two-count for Parsons and he picks Brown up for a SNAP SUPLEX!! Another long two-count for King and Irish whips Brown in but misses a reverse elbow when Brown somersaults out of the way. Cross-bodyblock for Brown only gets a one-count and Parsons drops him with a big left hand, covering him for another two-count. Parsons sets Brown up for a piledriver but Brown is able to reverse into a backdrop before booting away at King and dropping him with some punches. Brown stomping away in the corner before Irish whipping Parsons in to deliver a reverse elbow. Brown gets a flying forearm or bodypress or..something and he only gets a two-count because Parsons has his foot on the ropes. Brown celebrates like he won the match, the crowd sits on their hands doing nothing since they have virtually no idea who he is, and Parsons is in the corner adjusting a foreign object (HE'S NOT EVEN FOREIGN!!!), preparing to fix Brown's shit in relatively short order. The referee finally explains to Brown that he didn't win and he heads over to try to pick up Parsons and WHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAMMMMMYY!! Parsons tucks it back into his pants, (the foreign object, not "IT") and gets the three-count!
Winner: Iceman "King" Parsons (pinfall, foreign object shot)
Match Analysis: No one knew who these guys were and it showed because the crowd was dead for the entire match. It was good enough for the time that they had, but really as much as you can't have a good TV match when you're given three minutes, you can't have much of a PPV match when you're only given five. They did their best but they didn't have the time to get the fans on their side at all. Acceptable, but a tad on the boring side since there was lots of repetitiveness in the moves off the ropes.
After the commercial, Larry Nelson is talking about the Parsons/Brown match and then he brings in Greg Gagne, as Gagne talks about winning back the AWA International Television Championship, saying that he would have loved a pinfall instead of the count-out, and that everyone was up for the SuperClash the same way that the football players are up for the Super Bowl. Larry asks about Gagne possibly having trouble defending the title while setting his sights on Jerry Lawler's Unified Championship, but Gagne shoots that down, saying that he's got to defend his International TV Championship all around the world and says that the influx of talent is coming back because this is the wrestling league, not hype, not glitz, not glamour, not showbiz, not all that BULLSHIT THAT MAKES MONEY!! WE WRESTLE GODDAMMIT!!! Uh...sorry, I paraphrased and went off a little bit. Gagne says to expect the best in wrestling in the AWA in 1989.
We go back to highlights from the Boot Camp Match, shown in its entirety on the previous episode and we get the finish of that match again with the attacks from the Sheiks and DDP on poor, hapless, Sarge. Back in the studio, Larry Nelson is shocked that the men from Iran and Iraq would be able to work together with their countries at war, before sending us to Slaughter for some pre-taped comments. Slaughter says that any wrestling fan knows the name Sgt. Slaughter and knows the name Iron Sheik. He says that everyone knows that when Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie is in the arena that he'll be there and he wonders why the Sheiks and Col. DeBeers have to attack him from behind all the time. SIGN THE CONTRACT AND BE A MAN!!! FACE TO FACE, ASSHOLES!! Apparently the time is drawing near that they'll have to face him face-to-face and he'll face them in the face when that time comes. FACE!!!
Larry Nelson talks about the year-end awards that are handed out by Pro Wrestling Illustrated and Bill Apter, the editor was at SuperClash III to present Jerry Lawler with the award for Inspirational Wrestler of the Year, because he never gave up on the hope of winning the world title and because of all of his inter-promotional matches in the year, according to Apter. He presents Lawler with the plaque and I'm thinking that I'd love to see him go heel and lay out Larry Nelson with that damn thing. Instead Lawler gives a bit of a generic speech thanking the magazine and the fans, finishing with "I'm not going to say that I deserve it, but I deserve it!!" Lawler then says that after he wins both belts, he'll be Wrestler of the Year in 1989. Larry Nelson, King of Segues, moves from the award presentation to talking about how he doesn't like the Iron Sheik. He claims he's a professional and then throws us to an interview he conducted with the Iron Sheik. Sheik is already mumbling so this should be classic. He asks if Larry Nelson knows who the WWF champion was before that Hollywood jackass, and then forces Nelson to mention his Olympic background, saying that Slaughter has done none of it. Now Sheik is in roughest area the A-DOUBLE-A and Sheik Adnan brings in Col. DeBeers who says that the Sheiks are real gentlemen and that Slaughter is no gentleman. With the minds of Adnan and the Col. behind him, the Iron Sheik will bring about the END OF SGT. SLAUGHTER!! COMMERCIALS!!!
Just so you know, we're now thirty minutes into the show and have had 4 minutes of wrestling. God, this is horrible. Larry Nelson welcomes us back and what....wait...we're going to a match? REALLY??? Well, spank my ass and call me Grandma, it's about time.
Match Two: WCCW Light Heavyweight Championship Eric Embry vs. Jeff Jarrett (c)
The crowd sounds like they're behind both men and if this gets some time it should be decent, so let's see where it goes. They lockup after Embry hesitates for a moment and it's a stalemate. Another lockup and another stalemate and Embry moves to get a hammerlock and Jarrett reverses it, forcing Embry into the ropes for the break. They lockup and Jarrett works over the arm and they trade reversals before stalemating again. Side headlock from Jarrett and he gets shot into the ropes and they do a quadruple-reversal sequence on a hip toss before ending up in the ropes. Embry with a little shove and Jarrett shoves him right back before Jarrett takes over on the arm, getting a standing armbar and dropping a couple of elbows before Embry throws him over with an armdrag. HUGE clothesline folds up Jarrett like a lawn chair and the crowd really responds to that. Chicago loves the beautiful people getting beat up, that's for sure. Embry plays to the crowd a little before Irish whipping Jarrett in, missing a clothesline and then eating one from Jarrett. Jarrett tries to follow it up with a cross-bodyblock and Embry ducks, letting Jarrett slam into the ropes before he rolls out to the floor. Jarrett's holding his shoulder and gets back into the ring at the count of nine, rolling under the bottom rope and Embry is right to work with a standing armbar. Embry whips Jarrett into the corner but eats a boot off of the charge and Jarrett is up to the second rope with a FLYING DROPKICK!! He lands on the shoulder and goes down, finally following up with a sunset flip but he only gets two on Embry. Backslide for two!! Small package for two!! Jarrett tries another sunset flip but Embry rolls through and reverses it for a 1-2-3!!! New Champion!! NEW CHAMPION!!
Winner: Eric Embry (pinfall, rollup)
Match Analysis: Again, like the rest of the card, stuff is just way too short to mean shit all. The finish came pretty much out of nowhere as the match was basically "They're even, they're even, they're even, Jarrett hurts himself, GO HOME!! GO HOME!! YOU'VE ONLY GOT FOUR MINUTES!!!" How the hell are they supposed to tell a convincing story in four goddamn minutes? It's a credit to Embry and Jarrett that they were able to get the crowd as into it as they were.
After the match Lee Marshall is on the outside with Embry, and Eric says that the belt is back where it belongs and that he went to South Africa to win the belt and bring it back home. He says it's a shame that Jarrett hurt his shoulder and that anytime Jarrett wants a shot, he can have it. Embry cuts the interview short because he wants to get a doctor and see how Jarrett is doing. Marshall calls Embry a champion and a sportsman as Embry heads off to the back.
Back at the AWA studios, Larry Nelson talks about how the most brutal match that he's ever seen was the strap match between Wahoo McDaniel and Manny Fernandez, before he throws us to comments made after the match by McDaniel. Wahoo is on his way back to ringside from the back and he's a bloody mess. Marshall asks him if it was worth it because of the price he paid tonight to win the strap match. McDaniel says that he still thinks that the feud between himself and Fernandez will never be over, saying that maybe it'll get settled in a back alley behind the building or maybe it'll get settled with a gun in his hand. COWBOYS AND INJUNS, BITCH!! BRING IT!! Yeah, I'm sure Verne loved that statement about the gun. McDaniel says that they both took a beating but beating him isn't what he wants because he wants Fernandez DEAD!! Again, Verne must have been thrilled with a death threat on PPV. The good thing is that according to the buyrate, no one saw it. We cut to the Fernandez promo from the other night's show with Fernandez asking for a Mexican death match, to the shock and dismay of Larry Nelson, and we're back to Wahoo, saying that Jerry Lawler is on the top of his list and then it's McDaniel's promo again from the other night, with Wahoo apologizing for the gun comment and the whole wanting him dead thing.
Larry Nelson welcomes us back and sends us to the main event match for the World Class Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship.
Match Three: WCCW Tag Team Championship Michael Hayes and Steve Cox vs. The Samoan Swat Team (c)
The SST come out in possibly the weirdest fashion possible, led by Buddy Roberts, with "Don't Worry, Be Happy" blaring over the PA system and all three men wearing bright orange Jaegermeister t-shirts. They look like they all came from the bus station or something. Out come Hayes and Cox to good old Badstreet USA, though I don't think Cox was worth anything at this point and didn't deserve to come out to that song in my opinion. Hayes gets about the biggest pop of anyone that I've heard out of any of the SuperClash matches I've seen so far. Hayes dances and Marshall offers up the interpretation for P.S. which is Purely Sexy, in case you didn't know. Hayes plays to the crowd a little and shakes his ass before the match starts and struts a little. Hayes and Samu lockup and they trade right hands in the corner with Hayes getting the better of it, whipping Samu into his corner and tagging in Cox, who starts working over a standing armbar on Samu. Fatu tries to get in and break it up but Hayes puts him down to the floor, saving Cox from a beating. Samu tries a flying bodypress and Cox ducks under it, armdragging Samu over before going back to that armbar.
Samu goes to the hair and drags Cox back to his corner where Fatu holds him, but Cox ducks under it and Samu ends up forearming Fatu right off the apron. Hayes gets the crowd behind them with some stomps on the apron as Samu takes over on Cox with a kick to the gut and some chops before Samu and Fatu have another malfunction at the junction and again Samu puts Fatu to the floor with a forearm. Cox gets a side headlock and gets shot off into the ropes, with Fatu low-bridging him and sending him out to the floor. Fatu is right on him, slamming his head into the broadcast table on the outside before Hayes can get over to save him. The Swat Team celebrates in the ring while Hayes is outside tending to his poor Cox. Cox rolls back into the ring and Samu takes over with a chop and an Irish whip into a swinging move, smashing Cox's head into the mat. Tag in to Fatu and he comes off the top with an elbow to the head, stomping away at Cox before picking him up and putting him back on his ass with a double-thrust to the throat.
Cox tries for some kind of move but Fatu picks him up and clotheslines him across the top rope. Rake of the eyes and a snap mare and Fatu works the neck crank and into the nerve pinch as Hayes tries to get the crowd back into the match while he's on the apron. Cox gets to his feet and bounces off the ropes, ducking an elbow and then they hit a double-clothesline spot that puts both men down. COX GETS THE TAG!!! BACK BODYDROP ON FATU!!! CLOTHESLINE ON SAMU!! RIGHT HANDS ON FATU IN THE CORNER!! The SST takes over on Hayes and Cox and Samu ends up on the outside with Cox leaping over the top rope with a splash to the floor punctuated by Marshall shreiking like a woman that just had her purse stolen. Hayes with a DDT on Fatu in the middle of the ring, but the referee is distracted and Roberts comes in and WALLOPS Hayes before rolling Fatu over on Hayes and the referee turns back around for the three-count!!!
Winners: The Samoan Swat Team (pinfall, Buddy Roberts interference)
Match Analysis: Not great, but not terrible, so I'll take it when it comes to this show. The rest of the show has been rancid so the fact that a "good" match is the best of the show is still a bad sign. Cox was really hard to believe as a partner for Hayes, so that ended up hurting the match a lot, but hey, it was 1988 WCCW and the wheels were off the cart just as bad in Texas as they were in Minnesota at this point. Fun to see Roberts and Hayes on opposite sides for once, but it wasn't anything that was earth-shattering or anything.
After the match, the heels have already high-tailed it out and Cox is pissed off in the middle of the ring while Hayes is sprawled out nearly unconscious. Hayes finally comes to a little and the crowd starts chanting "Two referees" as we see a replay of Roberts hitting Hayes and rolling him over for Fatu to get the pin. Hayes still can't get up and Cox helps him out of the ring and back in the studios Larry Nelson talks about how two guys who used to be close are now hated enemies, referring to Hayes and Roberts. Nelson brings The Top Guns out and says that they started the Guns with the intention of being great tag-team wrestlers and that Dukes went to Europe but when Badd Company put out Jon Paul, the first guy that Rice thought to call was the man he could count on and his friend, Derrick Dukes. He says that the only thing on their minds are "Sad" Company and winning those tag team titles. Dukes does the generic babyface routine and Larry Nelson asks if either of them are going to get married or if they're going to still be available in the next year. Rice thanks all the pretty ladies and says that they both love the fans and we're out for another episode of the AWA on ESPN Classic!
Final Thoughts
Ugh. When you're forty-five minutes into the show and there's only been seven minutes of wrestling, that's not a good ratio at all. Especially when it means that I have to watch TONS of Larry Nelson talking and talking and continuing to talk. Remember how I said earlier in the week that I thought I had seen the worst episode out of all of the ones I had seen so far. Well, we have a new winner folks. An awful show that was a chore to sit through, so I can only imagine what it must have done in terms of viewers back in 1988. Driven them away in droves I would think. Ah well, let's get to the comments before I start to weep.
Fun With Comments
From Burton: "Iceman King Parsons...not gonna lie, I mark like crazy for him and that promo was freakin awesome. Maybe tonight will have MORE superclash III action, i.e the Von Erich/ Lawler Match.
Watching this last night, i definitely got the same "creepy old man" vibe from Larry Nelson...and Lee Marshall just looks dirty."
He was cool to be sure, just WAY past his prime at this point. And yes, both Marshall and Nelson looked like they needed to be locked up for their leering and drooling during the talk about the lingerie battle royal. Dirty, dirty perverts.
From PUCKETT: "I MARKED OUT TOO HARD FOR BADD COMPANY! Still one of may favorites. Great review, but we need a USWA DVD ASAP! Give me some Moondog brawls with Lawler&Jarrett."
I remember enjoying Badd Company when I was a kid too, though like everything, they don't seem quite as awesome now. A USWA DVD would be pretty cool, though I don't think there would be much of a national market for it. Maybe a special on the territory on 24/7 or something might happen down the road, which would be a lot of fun.
Up next, a trio of comments on Jimmy Valiant; First, from G-Walla: "Pretty much the only good to come from this show was Kerry Von Erich, Lawler, and the Guerrerros with Bill Apter. I hope thy show Lalwer/Von Erich match.
Okay I did laugh over seeing WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Valiant. I saw the Boogie Woogie Man wrestle in a high school gym about 10 years or so ago. His offense mainly consisted of sticking his finger in his opponents but. And he looked like a frail old man. Ah, memories."
From BurritoFueled: "Did Jimmy Valiant spend some time in the joint between the AWA in 1988 and the UWF in 1990, or something? On the UWF show I saw him on a few months back, he was about 50 pounds lighter and tatted from head to toe."
And the last one on the subject from GregGagneSucks: "Yeah to BurritoFueled I heard on "Between The Ropes" that he had 'jailhouse tattoos' ,whatever that means. Off topic : I saw a match the other day on WWE 24/7 (WCCW) between Wild Bill Irwin and a guy in a mask called The Texan. This guys moves and mannerisms looked a lot like Jake The Snake Roberts. Does any one know if this guy was Jake. The show was from March in '83. Was Jake working for Fritz back then? The move that kind of gave him away was A BIG ASS KNEELIFT. Also after the match he kinda slithered out of the ring. Help anyone?"
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 13:00:54 GMT -6
After last tapings in 1988, in order of succession:
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on...)
Larry Nelson's in the AWA studios, in front of a bunch of trophies and belts and he's ready to take us out to the matches, but first he introduces us to the AWA Fan of the Week, or in this case Fan(s) of the Week, the Cashdollar Family from Cleveland, Ohio. That doesn't sound made up at all. He tells us about a ruling on a match-up between The Midnight Rockers and Midnight Express for the AWA Tag Team Championship, then sends us out to the Showboat for our first bout.
Rod Trongard is at ringside this week with Ray Stevens, and it's nice to finally get to see him back on the microphone as he's resoundingly more professional and easy on the ears than that schmuck, Lee Marshall.
Match One: Van Van Horne and Jake Milliman vs. Nick Kiniski and Kevin Kelly w/Madusa Miceli
Kiniski and Kelly come to the ring with "Bad to the Bone" blaring over the loud speakers and Kelly looks RATHER different than he did during the Nailz period. Kelly and Milliman start out and it's funny to see poor Jake only come up to Kelly's nipples or so. Milliman gets a top wristlock off of a lockup and Kelly sends him crashing to the mat before calling for a test of strength. Milliman backs away from it and then tries to rev up the crowd, falling onto his back and bumping for nothing before tagging in Van "The Van" Van Van, er, Van Horne. Kelly reasserts his test of strength demand and takes Van Horne into into his corner, roughing him up before tagging in Kiniski who gets a BIG bodyslam before choking Van Horne against the top rope. He runs Van Horne into Kelly's knee in the corner and tags in the future Nailz and they get a double-reverse elbow on poor Van, before Kelly goes to the eyes. This leads to Milliman trying to get into the ring and then before you know it Kiniski in on the outside, working over Van Horne on the apron before the referee can turn back around. The referee finally notices and sends Kiniski on his way but Kelly doesn't mind, Irish whipping Van Horne into the ropes and hitting him with a hard forearm shot to the face. Tag in to Kiniski and he drops Van Horne down with THE PILEDRIVER!! 1-2-3 and it's all over!!!
Winners: Kevin Kelly and Nick Kiniski (pinfall, piledriver)
Match Analysis: Steamed squash here. Miceli looked good as per usual, and it was interesting to see Kelly about forty pounds lighter and with more hair, but other than that there wasn't much going on here. Somewhat generic heel offense and really generic babyface jobbers. Yawn.
After the match, Kelly and Kiniski put Van Horne out to the floor with some boots so they can celebrate in THEIR ring. According to the AWA Notebook, the top tag teams are (in order), The Midnight Express, The Rockers, Kiniski and Kelly and The Nasty Boys.
Match Two: Ricky Rice and Steve O vs. The Samoan Destroyer and Dennis Stamp
Wait, TWO jobber teams? Am I in a parallel universe or something? The Samoan starts working over both faces in the corner but gets taken over on by Steve O and takes a big bodyslam for his troubles. Donna is on color commentary and her voice is seeming extra shrill tonight. It must be the fact that I didn't sleep at all or something. O tags in Rice and Rice hits a jumping legdrop before Irish whipping his man in for a big clothesline. Tag in to O and the Samoan hits a shot to the gut and tags in Stamp for them to slam O's back against the turnbuckles. Irish whip into the ropes and Stamp grazes O with a knee to the gut before ramming O into the turnbuckle and Irish whipping him across to the other corner. Stamp works over O in the corner but O manages to noggin-knock the heels and hits a nice dropkick before making the tag to Rice. Bodyslam by Rice and a BIG vertical suplex gets a long two-count. The Samoan comes in and breaks it up before RIce gets a front facelock and Steve O gets a tag into the ring for a two-count off of a roll-up. O to the front facelock and he gets cocky and tries to take out the Samoan, but it ends up backfiring and the Samoan gets the tag in and Irish whips O into the ropes, hitting a reverse chop to the face/throat. Another Irish whip and a weak-ass clothesline knocks O down, but he misses a diving headbutt to follow it up and both teams make exchanges. Stamp and Rice in the ring now and Rice gets an Irish whip into the corner, following it up with two FUCKED UP attempts at a monkey flip before he finally gets it and tags in his partner, with O and Rice hitting a double-reverse elbow before O does another Irish whip and gets a high back-bodydrop. Another tag in to Rice and he Irish whips Stamp in, almost messing up a dropkick before hitting another one to make up for it and he comes off the ropes with a cross-bodyblock for the pinfall!!
Winners: Steve O and Ricky Rice (pinfall, Rice cross-bodyblock)
Match Analysis: Four jobbers, one of whom is about as green as you could imagine, equals a bad, bad match. It wasn't completely worthless, as it was funny to watch Rice blowing things left and right, but it wasn't any good in the sense of being...good. So take that for what it is.
Match Three: Billy Jack Strong vs. Tom Stone
Strong is probably best known for his run as Steve DiSalvo in Stampede for Stu Hart, or as Steve Strong in the Montreal territory in the early-80's. He looks like he could pass for The Ultimate Warrior's brother here and Stone locks in a full nelson but Strong just breaks it and flexes, impressing all the women in the crowd. I'm sure if there was sand around he would have just kicked it into Stone's face. They hit a lockup after Strong motions for Stone to come on and Stone hits a forearm across the chest in the corner and then begs off when it has no effect. Strong bullrushes him and hits a couple of HARD shots before hip-tossing Stone across to the opposite corner. He clotheslines Stone hard against the ropes and Stone doesn't quite make it all the way over to the floor, begging off in the corner. He gets a shot to the gut and some forearms to the back of Strong before trying for a bodyslam and failing miserably. Strong reverses it to a HARD slam of his own and he hits a big clothesline before pushing Stone into the corner. Stone goes to the eyes and starts choking Strong across the top rope before rubbing his eyes against the rope. Turnbuckle smashes by Stone and all he's doing is pissing Strong off. Strong Irish whips him in and pancakes his ass onto the mat before another Irish whip is followed with a HUGE shoulderblock. Strong picks him up for a standing side slam and picks him up again, shoving Stone into the corner for the mounted punches into a DDT off the second rope. Strong picks him up again and hits A TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!! Count to a hundred ref, it's ALLLLLLL OVER!!!
Winner: Billy Jack Strong (pinfall, tombstone piledriver)
Match Analysis: Wild to see a tombstone piledriver a couple of years before the debut of The Undertaker, and Stone sold well as usual, but Strong just looked like he was a little clumsy at points. Whether it's being green, or just not having a natural talent for the wrestling business, it resulted in a couple of bad spots, including that DDT off the second rope that looked like it missed completely. Good for getting Strong over in one of his first matches in the company, but also bad in that it exposed his limited workrate.
A replay shows how much that DDT missed by, with Stone's head being almost a foot above the canvas at the time of impact. Oops. The AWA Notebook is back with the Top Five Most Popular Wrestlers. Greg Gagne is number one, The Rockers at two, Wahoo is third, Strong is fourth and Alan West rounds out the top five. A very close sixth was Larry Nelson, but when it was determined that he's only wrestled in the finest bathhouses in the US, he was removed from consideration.
After the commercial Bill Apter is in the AWA studios and it's Press Conference time with Wahoo McDaniel. Apter talks about how McDaniel recently said that beating Curt Hennig in a strap match was more important to him than if he had beat him for the title, and McDaniel goes through the whole story of how Hennig got cut with the strap and that he won the match, but not the way he really wanted to. He calls himself the King of the Strap Match and McDaniel says that no one is going to last too long with him when they're at the end of an eight-foot strap. Apter asks McDaniel about Paul E. Dangerously and McDaniel calls him a mouthpiece and says that it makes it hard knowing that he's on the outside, which makes it three against two. He calls Paul E. an intelligent individual and says that without him The Midnight Express wouldn't be where they are today. McDaniel talks about how Billy Jack Strong is from Indian descent and could be the perfect partner and that he's training him to be a partner for a run at the AWA Tag Team Championship. Nothing much of note is said here really.
Match Four: Soldat Ustinov vs. Dennis Stamp
Oh joy, two Dennis Stamp matches on one show. I should be so lucky. Soldat yells at the crowd before he locks horns with Stamp, shoving him into the corner and yelling. Another lockup and another shove-off, into the ropes this time to send Stamp sprawling. Stamp with a duck under into a hammerlock but Ustinov breaks it with a reverse elbow and hits a BIG slam, following it up with an elbowdrop that gets two before Ustinov breaks the count. Ustinov hammers away, running Stamp all the way across the ring to slam him into the turnbuckle. Irish whip into the corner and Ustinov misses a charge, and Stamp Irish whips him in, hitting a back-bodydrop. Stamp Irish whips Ustinov into the corner and then charges in, eating a tasty Russian boot, right in the mush. Ustinov takes the pinfall and gets the three-count. Off of a transition move. Then he SPITS ON STAMP!! MOTHER RUSSIA!!!
Winner: Soldat Ustinov (pinfall, big boot)
Match Analysis: Thank god it was short, cause man did it suck. I think it's just my personal distaste for having to type the name Ustinov that makes me not like the man, but he's not a very good wrestler either so it's not all on me.
The AWA Notebook is back again with the Top Five Most Hated Wrestlers! "Cool" Curt Hennig is number one, followed by Paul E., Soldat Ustinov, Adrian Adonis and Bob Orton rounding out the top five.
After the break, Larry Nelson is in the AWA studios and he sets up the match between The Rockers and The Original Midnight Express for the AWA Tag Team Championship and Nelson goes on about how great the match was and how exciting it was.
Match Five: AWA Tag Team Championship The Midnight Rockers vs. The Original Midnight Express w/Paul E. Dangerously
Paul E. grabs the microphone from the ring announcer and introduces his charges on his own. This would be after The Rockers had had their ill-fated first run in the WWF, which Nelson kayfabed away earlier by saying that they had been suspended in the state of Nevada. This was also at at time where they were working Memphis and the AWA, being heels in Memphis and huge babyfaces in the AWA. For those of you not familiar with The Original Midnight Express, the first incarnation of the Midnight Express featured Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose and Norvell Austin, with Austin dropping out and a tag team of Condrey and Rose being formed. This was well before Condrey and Eaton and later Eaton and Lane would make the Midnight Express name famous. After Condrey left the NWA in 1987, he disappeared for a brief period before resurrecting the Original Midnight Express name with his first partner Randy Rose and manager Paul E. Dangerously. History lesson over, match time, folks!!
Michaels and Condrey start things out and the crowd is WAY behind the Rockers, chanting "Paul E. sucks" over and over again. Michaels threatens Paul E. on the outside and the stalling by the heels continues. We finally hit the lockup and Michaels gets Condrey pushed against the ropes, threatening a right hand but finally giving up a clean break. Another lockup and Michaels pushes Condrey into the corner, mounting him for punches before putting Condrey out through the ropes with another right hand. Jannetty gets an atomic drop on Condrey on the floor, ducking a right hand from Rose and adding another atomic drop for Rose!! So much for coming to your partner's aid. Condrey tries to get over the effects of the atomic drop once he gets back into the ring, dancing and wiggling like he's getting a wedgie out. Rose and Condrey head outside to console Dangerously over the chanting and the Rockers grab the championship belts from the announce table, trying them on for size in the middle of the ring. The Midnights come ROARING back to the ring and Condrey is back in with Michaels.
Condrey gets a kneelift and attempts an Irish whip into the corner, but it gets reversed and Jannetty hits a running clothesline on the apron to put him down and send him back to his own corner for a bit of a conference with Rose. Condrey bitches to the referee about the clothesline and then stalls some more as Dangerously paces around ringside. Condrey with another kneelift and The Midnights try to do the same thing to Michaels, but he reverses the whip and Rose clotheslines Condrey down to the mat again. Condrey's out to the floor and the three heels are hatching some sort of diabolical plan on the floor. Rose tries to come in but the referee catches it and Condrey gets brought back in to make an official tag. The Rockers switch too and Rose gets a standing armbar on Jannetty before Jannetty springs off the top rope, armdragging Rose over and then getting a hip toss, sending Rose into the corner, begging for a time-out. Rose and Jannetty hit another lockup and Jannetty tags in Michaels who takes Rose over with a side headlock.
Rose shoots Michaels into the ropes and Condrey lowbridges him, putting him out to the floor, and Condrey follows it up with a backbreaker on the concrete floor before ramming Michaels' kidneys into the apron. Rose with a vertical suplex to bring Michaels back into the ring and he gets a two-count off of that. Irish whip by Rose and Michaels ducks under the first clothesline but EATS the second, spinning him inside out. Another long two-count from Rose on that exchange and he tags in Condrey who comes in and stomps away at Michaels befor picking him up and hitting a BIG backbreaker, covering for two. Reverse chinlock from Condrey now and Michaels tries to lift Condrey up but takes a shot to the head for his troubles. Tag in to Rose and he gets a side slam on Michaels for another long two-count before moving to a reverse chinlock of his own.
Michaels fights back out of it and gets a shoulderblock off the ropes to put Rose down and Michaels runs off the ropes but takes a NASTY knee to the gut, before Condrey tags in for a two-count. Short right hand from Condrey lands and he does a little dance of pride in front of Dangerously before turning around into a HARD Michaels right hand. Michaels can't get the tag but Condrey does and Rose slams Michaels down, following that with a Vader splash for two before Jannetty breaks up the pin attempt. Back to the chinlock and Michaels almost fights out of it but gets taken down with a drop toehold and Rose is able to tag in Condrey. Abdominal stretch from Condrey and while Jannetty is distracting the referee, Rose comes off the top with a punch to the ribs. A tag in to Dennis Condrey and he MEASURES a right hand that puts Michaels onto his ass, while Rose clotheslines Michaels across the top rope. Standing elbow from Condrey and he tags in Rose for a double-clothesline but Michaels ducks under it and knocks down Condrey AND Rose. Michaels crawls.....crawls.....HOT TAG TO JANNETTY!! SHIT JUST GOT REAL!! RIGHT HANDS TO ROSE AND CONDREY!! BIG SLAM ON CONDREY!! ONE FOR ROSE!! DOUBLE-NOGGIN KNOCKER!! INSIDE CRADLE BY JANNETTY ON CONDREY!! ONLY TWO!!
All four men in the ring, hammering away and Condrey gets a snap suplex on Michaels that ends up knocking down referee Marty Miller. Rose rams Michaels into the top turnbuckle and Jannetty somehow ends up lying on his back, on top of Condrey and Miller counts him down for the three count!! The bell is rung and we have new TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!!! Another referee is down and he raises the hand of The Midnight Rockers as well!!
Winners: The Midnight Rockers (pinfall, Jannetty's weird laying pin thing)
Match Analysis: This one started out REALLY slow, and actually kind of boring, with The Midnights doing a ton of stalling but not doing it nearly as entertaining as Larry Zbyszko's stalling tactics. The ending got really hot and Michaels did a great job of selling the beating before finally making the hot tag, so in the end it turned out to be a really good match, but the beginning was almost enough to lose me, and that's not a good thing.
Larry Nelson is in the studio and says that The Midnight Rockers have won the match and that they're the new AWA Tag Team Champions before running down the card that we saw and he says that there's a lot more action, just like this coming up next week. He pimps the Co-Fans of the Week again before saying that the Major League of Professional Wrestling, the AWA will be back next week!!
Final Thoughts
The main event started out really bland but got cooking towards the end, so that ended up alright. Everything before it though was pretty rough, so I'd say that it's a thumbs in the middle for me on this one. Cool to see another title change on these shows, but the nothing that happened for the first 3/4 of the show kind of takes away from that excitement. Cool to see Steve DiSalvo again though to rekindle my memories of Stampede Wrestling. Comments await!!
Fun With Comments
From Frozen: "*****Me: "Um, Verne? They're called feet, everyone has two of them."*****
Oh yeah? Kerry Von Erich might dispute that."
Indeed. That one made me laugh out loud, so thank you for that.
From awafan: "I've watched just about everyone of these episodes and my question is simple. What happened to the AWA in 1987??? They go from promoting WrestleRock '86 to hyping Superclash 3?? The shows run from 1986 then jump ahead to 1988. Why is that?? I remember on the AWA DVD that Verne said that Superclash flopped because the WWF was running a PPV event around that time so viewers had to choose between the 2 plus with Starcade coming up he had no viewers. My question is what Event did the WWF run at that time?? My only thought would be either Survivor Series, late November or the Horrible "No Holds Barred" Movie/Match. Any help."
I'm not sure why they've gone ahead and skipped past 1987 like they have, but my hope is that they'll go back to eventually because there was some good stuff there, while the 1988 shows have been fairly terrible. As for the second part, the only thing I can think of is that he was referring to Surivor Series being at the end of November and Starrcade being at the end of December, with SuperClash III sandwiched between them.
From Scrotum Pole: "Ron Garvin could of used a valet or some dickish heel manager. I always thought that was what was missing from his title reign in NWA when he feuded with Flair. He should have never been the babyface. The dude just looked like he walked off of a navy battleship and kicked a couple of local hippies ass."
I don't think anything would have saved Garvin, because as much as he was a solid hand, by the time the mid to late 80's rolled around he was pretty much past his prime. He had negative charisma and no real moves to appeal to the crowd that was starting to enjoy the higher-flying moves.
From G-Walla: "Since this show sucked hard, and I missed the first match, I'll add a tidbit about terrible names to the Ken Raper conversation.
I work with a guy with a worse name, he's named Robin Rape. I asked if he had a sister named Pillage N. Plunder.
It's alright. He goes by "Butch"
I'm going to cross my fingers for tonights show, but I won't hold my breath."
That's possibly the most unfortunate name I have EVER heard. And yeah, Butch makes it MUCH better. I'd rather be Butch Rape, if I had a choice. Poor guy. By the way, kudos on the Pillage N. Plunder line, that's a classic.
From Joe K. : "Someone film it now...Old School 2 starring Larry Nelson! It could be a direct to DVD masterpeice!"
Disturbing and wrong, yet it would EASILY get my money. Outstanding, and the comedic possibilities would be endless.
From Tiger Mask 69: ""Beauty and the Beast = I assume is the tag team that included Terry Garvin/Simms, correct?"
=====================
Actually, I think Beast was a wrestler name-a Mark Gullen.I only remember this because there was a profile on Garvin in PWI that had a brief career history on him. I actually enjoyed Garvin's fiery, gutsy, underdog babyface run in GWF."
Simms/Garvin was Beauty, and I honestly have no idea who Beast was. I do remember Garvin's run in the GWF, but again he was pretty much passed the time that he was an effective worker which is too bad cause he would have had a better run if he could have worked well.
From OB1Jabroni: "It was kewl to see early Steiner, the rest of the show blew however. I did enjoy the Sherri Martel video. She was hot back then, however I do have a slight MILF complex so it might just be me"
Your secret is safe with me.
From ButchReedMark: "I work with a guy with a worse name, he's named Robin Rape. I asked if he had a sister named Pillage N. Plunder.
It's alright. He goes by "Butch" - G-Walla.
I WAS trying to stay inconspicuous."
Your secret is safe with me.
From Joe Bass Jr. : "Randy Orton's "gay" foot stomp is hi riping off Ron Garvin..Gee Orton could've riped off from someone better.."
Yes, it's the Garvin Stomp that is now set to be renamed the Orton Stomp. The principle behind it is cool and I kind of like how it works the nerves and pressure points, but I think that it's probably not going to get over because at that time it was "REAL" wrestling, and these days no one really cares about pressure points and nerve holds anymore.
Finally from JLAJRC: "Any chance of you reviewing a "Cheap Seats" episode just one time as a bonus? Doesn't even have to be a wrestling related one."
There's a definite possibility and I could have even done it for this one, but I'm a little pressed for time on this episode. Looking at the guide, tonight's episode is The Running of the Bulls, which has endless comedic potential, so tonight may just be your lucky night JLA. Stay tuned and come back tomorrow because I have a sneaking suspicion I might just give Cheap Seats a once over!
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 13:15:50 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on ) Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your announcers for tonight's action. Match One: Bobby Bold Eagle and Pete Sanchez vs. Yuri Gordyenko and Alexis Smirnoff The Russians complain about Bold Eagle using any chops before the match starts, but it ends up being Smirnoff and Sanchez locking up, with Smirnoff hitting an armdrag takedown into an armbar. A tag brings in Gordyenko for a boot to the gut, and another tag brings Smirnoff in to stomp on Sanchez's elbow before he takes him over with another armdrag and locks the armbar back in. Sanchez with some punches to the gut but Smirnoff stops that shit in a hurry with an Irish whip and a HUGE boot, followed with a bodyslam. Tag to Gordyenko who lays the knees in on the gut of Sanchez and he takes a snap mare and some stomps before another tag to Smirnoff. The Russian mistakenly pulls Sanchez into his own corner where he tags in Bold Eagle. Bobby Bold Eagle may be the PALEST Native American I've ever seen. He takes over on Smirnoff with some chops and tries an Irish whip into the corner but eats a cold, Iron Curtain boot to the face on the follow-up. That one was ugly and mistimes, and Smirnoff hits him with another big boot and takes Bold Eagle over with a suplex. Bold Eagle with an interesting sell of that one, pumping his pelvis up and down off of the mat like he was a male stripper. Smirnoff with a headbutt off the ropes and Bold Eagle rolls over to hump the canvas to sell that one. Smirnoff makes the tag and they double team Chief Auto Parts into a clothesline across the top rope and Gordyenko drops down on him for the three count. Winners: Yuri Gordyenko and Alexis Smirnoff (pinfall, clothesline across the top rope) Match Analysis: Too short to mean anything, and too boring to make me want to care. The Russians both seem to be as old as dirt and twice as ugly, with somewhat limited movesets. I think that they could be well-served to try to spice things up a little bit to make things more interesting, or to go completely the other way and turn into Russian robotic killing machines with no remorse and no facial expressions. Though I don't think that that would help them much either, but it'd at least be nice to see an effort. After the match, Larry Nelson's in the ring with the Russians, who do a nice little frat-boy handshake, and he talks about how every week the Russians have new holds. Gordyenko talks in possibly the WORST Russian accent I've ever heard. I mean BAD. He disses Nelson (who doesn't, really?) and he says that the Russian people have a good control of the mind. He says that they're here to control our minds and to control all the championships that there are. Ok, good luck with that one, Dr. Evil. Gordyenko follows that one up with the world's most ironic rhetorical question when he asks Larry Nelson "Do you know what we're talking about?". Ummm...no we don't "Yuri". Seriously. They start going back and forth between Gordyenko and Smirnoff saying "Believable!" and "Unbelievable!!". What's unbelievable is that this gimmick makes me yearn for the entertainment value of The Highlanders. At least their accents are "BELIEVABLE!!!" Gordyenko says that they have to prove their intelligence and that everyone knows why they're here. Really, cause at this point, I have no fucking clue fellas. Throw a guy a bone here, please. They want the Tag Team Championships to take them back to Mother Russia aboard the S.S. Bad Acting, and they claim that all they want is respect. Respect or the titles? Make up your damn minds guys!! CHRIST, that was possibly the worst interview I think I've ever seen in my life. I've seen Shockmaster, I've seen Fake Diesel and Razor. Shit, I've sat through Mae Young birthing a hand. That was easily the worst segment I've seen in my over twenty GLORIOUS years as a wrestling fan. Not even so bad that it's good. Just BAD. Match Two: Tony Leone vs. Greg Gagne This is the first Gagne match that I've been able to review and I'm rather excited at the prospect. Gagne locks up with Leone, who takes an overhand wrist lock right away, pulling the hair to take Gagne down into an armbar. Gagne kips up and hip tosses Leone over. They lock up again and Leone hits a full nelson that Gagne tries to break by bending over, lifting Leone's feet off of the mat in an unfortunate visual that conjures up visions of Oz. Gagne backs Leone into the corner and they break cleanly out of it. Gagne gets a hammerlock off of a lock up and he avoids the reversal attempts from Leone before Leone gets the ropes for another clean break. BIG armdrag takedown by Gagne into an armbar and Leone breaks that up with a punch to the gut and another to the ribs. Gagne fires back with a right hand of his own and slams Leone into the turnbuckle before catching him with a slapping chop. Gagne with a big back bodydrop and a bodyslam into a one count. KNEELIFT connects for Gagne and he moves to a stepover toehold on Leone, falling down into an Indian deathlock and Leone is grimacing in pain on the mat. Leone rakes the eyes to break the hold and limps over to Gagne to drop an elbow on the back of his head. Leone to the eyes again and he tries to burn Gagne's eyes across the top rope, but Greg ducks out of it and fires away with rights and lefts to Leone in the corner. Gagne runs him all the way across the ring to smash him into the buckle and whips him in for a dropkick off the ropes. Gagne hits another dropkick, but I say "hits" in the sense that Leone sold it anyways. The whoosh of air from it probably did more damage than the actual kick, but whatever. Gagne up to the second rope and he hits a HIGH kneedrop from there to get the 1-2-3. Winner: Greg Gagne (pinfall, second rope kneedrop) Match Analysis: It was cool to see Gagne doing his thing in the ring after hearing him on commentary for so many of the first shows in this run. He looked alright, but that whiff on the second dropkick was pretty stinky. I'd chalk that up to Leone as he has show previously that he's not terribly athletically inclined. Gagne really needed an update on the ring gear too, as he was still wearing the same yellow and white boots with tie-dyed wrestling trunks that he'd been wearing since the early 70's. I guess it works since much of his offense at this point looked like it was from 1976. Larry Nelson in for the post-match interview and he's openly cheering for Gagne. Way to be impartial. I guess if his old man was signing MY paychecks, I'd be cheering my ass off for him too. Gagne admits that he whiffed on the second dropkick and talks about the big kneedrop. Gagne also says that Larry Zbyszko is the original Spudhead and that he wants to challenge Bockwinkel or Hennig or whoever the AWA Champion is. He also says that he wishes the best to Jimmy Snuka, who he hopes will be back soon, and he tells us that Snuka says that he wants Col. DeBeers in the worst way. He says that with Snuka out, he's teaming with Jerry Blackwell and that they'll take on any comers, even Rose and Somers. Hey, that rhymed! I'm so awesome. After the commercial break, Larry Nelson throws it to a video package that is supposed to be a holiday treat for the greatest fans in the world, the fans of the AWA. It's actually a fairly cool little package, set to the tune of "Shout" by Tears For Fears. Surreal moment: Leon White ( later to be known as Vader) kissing a small boy at ringside after a big win. Neat moments as well when the song gets to the line "these are the things I can do without" and it shows Smirnoff and Col. DeBeers. HAH! Take that, you evil furreners. Lots of shots of the AWA stars, interspersed with shots of the fans in the various arenas, in kind of a cool little tribute to their fans. Neat package. Match Three: Col. DeBeers vs. Mike Richards and his Amazing Technicolor Ring Robe For all the pizazz that his ring jacket has, Richards really looks like a regular old Johnny Boots and Tights jobber when he takes it off. Such is the power of the jacket. DeBeers takes a headlock right off the bat and turns it into a hammerlock takedown, dropping a knee on the elbow joint. He stomps on the elbow now before turning it into an arm wringer, but Richards reverses to one of his own. A knee to the gut ends that and drops an elbow down to the back of Richards' head before he lays a kick in to the chest. A snap mare and a stomp to the face follows for DeBeers, and he's in total control. He lays in some more stomps and gets an armdrag takedown, dropping another knee to the elbow. Richards reverses it, but again it doesn't work out so well as he eats an elbow to the face before DeBeers starts choking him against the ropes. Richards makes a little babyface comback with a turnbuckles smash and an Irish whip into the corner, but DeBeers cuts it off with a boot to the gut, and he grabs his front piledriver pancake move for the pin. Winner: Col. DeBeers (pinfall, front piledriver pancake thingie) Match Analysis: DeBeers puts in his usual work, but this was mainly here to get him some time to talk about the returning Jimmy Snuka. There's not a lot to say, cause not a lot happened. Larry Nelson tells the Col. that Jimmy Snuka will be back and that he wants DeBeers, anytime, any place. DeBeers doesn't believe it and says that when he used the power of South Africa to put Snuka's head into the cement that his career has been ended. DeBeers says that Nelson is lying to the people and that they'll buy into the lie. DeBeers twirls his mustache and starts bagging on the United States government. DeBeers turns his attention to "Jerry Fatwell" and says that he doesn't have enough guts to get in the ring with the Col. Really? Seriously? Have you SEEN Jerry lately Mr. Col., Sir. He's got enough guts to face you and the rest of the population of South Africa, with some to spare. Anyhow, Nelson says that they're out of time and it's off to another commercial break. A sweet-ass disclaimer runs, saying that DeBeers' political views are his own, and not those of the AWA or ESPN. That is an awesome trick that some smart promoter should bring back. Match Four: Larry Zbyszko w/Ninja Go vs. Eddie Sweat This should be classic. A HUGE Larry Sucks chant starts before the match can even begin. Larry is calling time out before he's taken his ring robe off. HE steps down the ring stoes and finally takes off the robe and HOLY SHIT, that guy in the crowd is wearing bug-eyed, cardboard glasses, and is also cursing at Zbyszko if my lip-reading skills haven't failed me. That scared me half to death, watching it at nearly 2 AM and all. We get the usual Zbyszko stalling, in all its glory and he heads out to smooth talk the crowd before calling time out again. Sweat starts chasing Zbyszko around the ring and out of the ropes goes Zbyszko again to the apron. They could take a commercial and come back and Larry still wouldn't be ready to lock up. Wait, they FINALLY lock up and Zbyszko starts going to town, hammering away at Sweat in the corner before snap-maring him out and raking at the eyes. Zbyszko grabs a front facelock and it looks like he has a guillotine sunk in. FALL BACK TO THE GUARD, LARRY, FINISH THE CHO....oh..yeah, that's the MMA in me. Sorry, folks. Sweat makes the ropes but gets a hard punch to the gut again for making Larry break the hold. Zbyszko hits a small package but it only gets two and he tries it again to the same result. Larry gets ahold of Sweat and PILEDRIVES HIM almost out of his trunks, to get the duke. Winner: Larry Zbyszko (pinfall, piledriver) Match Analysis: Zbyszko harasses Larry Nelson. Check. Zbyszko jaws with the crowd and calls them names. Check. Zbyszko stalls for a good two minutes before actually attempting an offensive move. Double check. Zbyszko spikes the jobber with the piledriver and gets the win. Check. Looks like that's the entire list checked off. I can only hope to see a Zbyszko promo after suffering through this Viva Viagra commerical, if only to make things right in the universe again. DAMMIT, no Zbyszko promo tonight, so I guess I'll have to make one up myself to tide me over. Instead of Zbyszko, we get another dose of Bobby Bold Eagle. Joy. Match Five: Bobby Bold Eagle and Sonny Rogers vs. Buddy Rose and Doug Somers Bold Eagle and Rogers try to get a good-sized Doughboy chant started. See what I did there. Clever, wasn't it? Somers and Rogers get things underway with another big Doughboy chant starting up. Somers tags in Rose so he can start out and he and Rogers lock up, with Rogers getting an armdrag and Rose complainig of a hair pull. Rogers starts another chant and Bold Eagle starts stomping on the ring apron. Good thing they're indoors or the ring would be filled with about three inches of rain by now. They lock up again and Rose tries for a bodyslam but Rogers goes over the top and gets a roll-up for a two count. Rose tags in Somers and Bold Eagle tags in and armdrags Somers over before showing us a dance from his reservation. Hey, Trongard said it, not me. Somers hits a hip toss and ends up with a headlock on and they keep calling him Bobby Bald Eagle. Don't they know that that's his BROTHER? Do a little research. Somers with a big bodyslam and he tags off to Rose who comes in with a stomp to the face. Rose with an Irish whip, into a FLYING reverse elbow. "Fly, Fatass, Fly", indeed. That gets two, but Rose picks him up before it can be a three count and tags over to Somers. Somers in with a boot to the gut and a punch to the face out of a headlock and Bold Eagle wanders into the wrong part of town, eating a punch from Rose before Somers picks him up for a backbreaker. Rose hits a back body drop and a big elbowdrop and another and another and Rose gets up to strut in all of his flubbery glory. He tags in Somers who Irish whips Bold Eagle in, but he reverses it, sending Somers to the corner. Somers gets the boot up and kicks Bold Eagle, before tagging Rose, who chokes away at him. Bold Eagle reverses a turnbuckle smash and gets one of his own, taking over on Rose with chops and various other generic Indian offensive moves. Irish whip in from Bold Eagle and he hits a BIG chop before tagging in Rogers. Rogers, from the fighting town of Van Nuys, California, hits a hip toss off the ropes and a HUGE flying headscissors before tagging off to Bobby Takes The Pin. Rose tags to Somers and he starts begging off from Bold Eagle. Bold Eagle with an Irish whip into the corner but Somers ends up punching him in the face. A side suplex from Somers and a regular vertical suplex later and they get the pinfall victory. Winners: Doug Somers and Buddy Rose (pinfall, vertical suplex) Match Analysis: Squash Town, population Rogers and Bold Eagle. Bold Eagle got a little offense in on this one, but that's about the only thing that was good for him in it. He took the pin for the second time in a row on this show, poor guy. Rose and Somers looked good, but they didn't really hit anything spectacular, so this was just kind of there for me, much like most of this show. Match Six: Main Event? Leon White vs. Rick Gatner This is it, huh? Fantastic. It's TIME! It's TIME! IT'S LEON TIME! White looks in amazing shape here, and we see the footage of him kissing the kid again. I guess we know where they got that video from for the package we saw earlier. Leon's nickname is "Bull Power" and Larry Nelson even does the bullhorns with his fingers as he says it. Tool. White plays to the crowd and they finally lock up, with White clubbing Gatner down to the mat with forearms. White with an Irish whip into a shoulderblock and Gatner wants a timeout. Gatner gets a boot to the gut and some right hands off of a lock up, grabbing a front facelock, but White lifts him up, sets him on the top rope, then chastises him for trying that hold. That's got to be just a tad demoralizing. Gatner tries a bodyslam but can't get him up, but White surely gets Gatner up for a HUGE bodyslam of his own. Into the corner and White clubs away with forearms to the chest. He whips Gatner into the corner and follows with a big avalanche, but he goes to the well once too often and Gatner gets out of the way of a second avalanche attempt. Gatner drops a knee and rakes at White's eyes with his boot soles. He pushes White into the corner with right hands and tries an Irish whip, but White reverses it, sending Gatner in ass over teakettle into the buckles. An Irish whip from White and a huge tackle drops Gatner like a bad habit before White picks him up and hits the BULL POWER SLAM for the pin. Winner: The Man They Call Leon White (pinfall, powerslam) Match Analysis: Interesting to see a lot of the Vader mannerisms in White before he had the actual gimmick. He relied on power and clubbing and tons of stiff-looking punches in this one, much like he did in the Vader gimmick. It was just different to see him playing to the crowd and trying to get the babyface support. It fit at the time, but after seeing him as a heel for all these years it was a little odd to look back on. Larry Nelson's in the ring now, presumably just so he can make the hand signal again. He tells White that it was an impressive win, which seems akin to calling Moses' parting of the Red Sea "a water trick". White says that it was about six months ago, right after he had a baby, that Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie and his Army broke White's knee in three places. White says that he'll take on the Sheik all by himself, or with his whole Army with him. He then kisses a little ass and talks about his time wrestling in Europe, closing out by saying America is the greatest country in the world. Final Thoughts Ugh. Six matches, six squashes. That, coupled with no Zbyszko interview, and no Bockwinkel makes this show quite the dud for me. Not to mention that we got stuck with seeing Bobby Bold Eagle in two separate, but equally bad matches. It was neat to see Greg Gagne in action for the first time in about fifteen years for me, but that's nowhere near enough to salvage this one. There's only one sound that I can think of that could sum up this painful hour of television for me. *************************************************
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Post by CW .org .info .net on Feb 7, 2023 13:17:04 GMT -6
AWA Championship Wrestling (Originally aired on )
We're in Omaha, Nebraska, and the ring announcer is most certainly NOT Larry Nelson for this one, as it's a guy in a full-on 70's ruffled shirt tuxedo, with cumberbund and gigantic bow-tie. That's awesome. Ron Trongard and Lord James Blears are your announcers as always.
Match One: Col. DeBeers vs. Pete Sanchez
It's rather funny to see them clip in footage of fans from the Showboat in Las Vegas to make these fans seem a bit more animated. The audio on the announcers is terrible at the beginning and it's really hard to hear them for the first few moments. DeBeers gets a headlock takeover off of a lockup and then stomps at the head of Sanchez. Arm-wringer from DeBeers and he takes Sanchez over with a rollign armlock and stomps him again. DeBeers works Sanchez over in the corner and then starts in again with the arm-wringer, taking him over to the mat. Trongard makes me laugh just a little with a somewhat racially insensitive statement saying that with aparthied and everything that DeBeers has "no time whatsoever....for the black man". I don't know why that made me laugh, but he just made it sound so glib. I guess that's wrestling in the 80's for you. Sanchez reverses the arm-wringer but eats a knee to the gut and a turnbuckle smash to the head, before DeBeers drops another big stomp. Off the ropes and another boot to the head from DeBeers leads to a snapmare and more stomping away. Sanchez tries to make a comeback with right hands to the gut but DeBeers cuts that shit off quick, going right to the eyes. Another turnbuckle smash from DeBeers and he starts choking Sanchez across the top rope, slinging him off and doing more damage with his boots. He covers for a one count but pulls Sanchez up off the mat. An Irish whip from DeBeers leads to a big knee and Sanchez is back down on the mat. Sanchez fires off a couple of forearm shots off the ropes, but DeBeers ducks the third one and boots Sanchez in the stomach for such insolence. BIG clothesline from DeBeers and it's time for the pancake piledriver for the 1-2-3.
Winner: Col. DeBeers (pinfall, pancake piledriver)
Match Analysis: The usual DeBeers squash, which is to say that he actually sold a little while he was doing it, which not a lot of the name guys in the AWA did at the time. He didn't have to do much selling in this one though, since he pretty much dominated it. A good bit of heat on him though from the crowd in Omaha, since they HATED his guts. I guess that's the sign of a good heel, even one that plays the race card to get the heat. It's better to have heat for a bad reason than to have dead silence when you're wrestling.
We get a little helpful graphic on the way out, saying that The Barbarian, Scott Hall, Col. DeBeers and Larry Zbyszko are the top four challengers for the AWA Championship, by decree of Stanley Blackburn.
HERE'S Larry Nelson now, and he's in the ring with Col. DeBeers, with Nelson asking why he interfered in the match that cost Scott Hall and Curt Hennig the AWA Tag Team Championships. DeBeers asks why people meddle in the affairs of South Africa. DeBeers twirls his mustache and claims that Scott Hall has to take steroids to get up the courage to step in the ring with him. It shows a lack of self-confidence and athletic ability according to DeBeers and he yells at the crowd, claiming that the Omaha newspaper is a liberal rag that has led them down the wrong path. Nelson tells DeBeers that they're out of time and he's PISSED because he hasn't even gotten to his political views. They cut him off mid-rant, which is a shame cause it's been a long time since I've heard a hate-filled diatribe that would make me laugh. At least he wasn't spouting racial slurs in this one so I could watch it and not feel uncomfortable.
Match Two: Greg Gagne and Jerry Blackwell vs. Chris Curtis and Rick Renslow
I remember meeting Renslow when I was really young and JESUS, that outfit is still impressive to this day. He really looks like an Alaskan, which I guess figures since he was introduced as "the number-one Alaskan". Blackwell shakes hands with everyone in the front row, which is kind of disturbing since it makes all of his arm-flesh jiggle away. It seems that Gagne's partner was supposed to be Jimmy Snuka, but his plane has been delayed which leads to us seeing Gagne and Blackwell teaming up. Gagne starts things out with Chris Curtis and they do some go-behinds and chain wrestling to start things out and Curtis starts to yell at the crowd. Curtis takes over with a headlock and Gagne runs him into the ropes, eating a shoulderblock, but turning the tide and getting a nice reverse monkey flip out of the exchange and HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, did they botch that headscissors spot badly. Gagne fell about on his head and Curtis took a back bump off of it. YUCK. Curtis drops a knee on Gagne and tries for a reverse chinlock but Gagne takes him over, holding him down until Curtis makes the ropes. A little extra stomp from Gagne on the way to a break and a tag is made to Renslow. Gagne gets a hammerlock off of a lockup and tags in Blackwell, who shows his technical prowess by yankingo on Renslow's beard. A double noggin-knocker in the corner and he moves Renslow to the ropes, crushing his chest with a hard forerarm shot. Renslow's had enough and tags Curtis back in and he immediately begins begging Blackwell for a handshake. Blackwell crushes Curtis' hand with the handshake and then headbutts his hand before grabbign a side headlock. He tags in Gagne and he takes Curtis over with a side headlock takeover. Curtis rolls him over for a couple of two counts, but Gagne keeps ahold of that headlock. Renslow comes in from the other side and stomps on Gagne to break the hold and Curtis goes over to make the tag. Gagne plays a little possum and starts unloading as soon as Renslow hits the ring, taking over with right hands and chops, as well as a couple of BIG bodyslams. A tag to Blackwell and Renslow does some begging too before eating a bunch of Blackwell headbutts. Renslow tags in Curtis and Curtis takes over with an elbow in the corner and some COMEDIC CHOKING! The heels do a little cheating and double-team Blackwell while the referee is distracted and the tag goes to Renslow, who works Blackwell over in the corner. More referee distracting and cheating from the heels and Renslow starts stomping away at Blackwell, but the blows are having no effect. Blackwell takes over with right hands on Renslow and a HUGE chop on Curtis. More right hands on Renslow and Renslow goes to the eyes to stop the comeback. Tag to Curtis and he comes in with a kick to the gut before trying a snapmare. Fat chance, Mr. Curtis, literally. Curtis decides on a front facelock instead and turns that into a reverse chinlock. Curtis off the ropes with a big elbowdrop and he hits a standing elbow on Blackwell. Blackwell blocks an Irish whip and another then makes a hot tag to Gagne, who hits a back bodydrop on Curtis and a BIG chop on Renslow, putting them both down. Gagne Irish whips Curtis in for the big dropkick and tags in Blackwell again, who Irish whips Curtis in for a big clothesline and hits the HUGE splash. He doesn't cover and instead tags over to Gagne and he hits a flying bodypress from the top rope to get the pinfall.
Winners: Greg Gagne and Jerry Blackwell (pinfall, flying bodypress from the top rope)
Match Analysis: This one wasn't very good for a multitude of reasons, like Blackwell's general lack of the ability to move, Curtis' lack of the ability to take the simplest of moves without botching it terribly, and Gagne's severe lack of babyface charisma. It would have barely been decent without the botches, but when you add those in, the match turns into a real disappointment. I kinda wish Snuka's flight had made it now.
Back from the break, Larry Nelson has Gagne and Blackwell with him and they share a handshake as Gagne thanks all the fans for coming out to Omaha and he kisses the crowd's ass a little. He talks about how they both have a lot in common as they both hate the Sheik's Army, they both want a shot at Nick Bockwinkel and both want a shot at Rose and Somers. He turns the attention to the Sheik and talks about Nord the Barbarian and talks about how the Sheik is stealing guys that Gagne has trained, using Barbarian and Ali Kahn's real names. SHOOT...GAGNE'S SHOOTING IN OMAHA!!! He says that Sheik sold them all out for a lot of money and Gagne says that there's going to be scores to settle. Blackwell gets his chance to talk now and he says that there's not enough money in the Arab world to pay Blackwell off to keep him from getting to the Sheik's men. Blackwell says that he and Gagne will get together and fight for the USA as long as there's a breath in their bodies. He also threatens that Gagne might be teaching him that top rope flying bodypress and that next time he might come off the top instead of Gagne. I don't think that ever happened because it's twenty years later and the planet still exists, so I think that Jerry thought better of that idea.
After another commercial break it's time for mayhem as the Sheik is down with Barbarian and Zhukov!!
Match Three: Nord The Barbarian and Boris Zhukov w/Sheik Adnan El-Kaissie vs. Rick Renslow and Earthquake Ferris
Barbarian rams Renslow into the ringpost on the outside before the match even starts, leaving Earthquake Ferris in the ring all by his lonesome. We hear that Nick Bockwinkel has joined Trongard on commentary, and Barbarian and Ferris start out proper. They hit a lockup and Barbarian pushes Ferris back into the corner, giving him a clean break. Ferris gets a headlock off of another lockup and Barbarian shoots him in, leading to a couple of stalemate shoulderblocks. The third time is the charm for Barbarian though as he boots Ferris square in the face and puts him on his ass. Barbarian tries to slam Ferris but can't get him up and they brawl against the ropes before Barbarian whips him in and gets a big clothesline. Ferris is out to the floor and Barbarian has him by the hair, dragging him over to the bleachers and ramming him head-first into it as Barbarian comes back to the ring. Ferris staggers his way back to the ring and they hit another lockup, with Barbarian getting the BIG slam on Ferris, dropping a big knee to follow. Barbarian tags in Zhukov and he rams Ferris into the corner before hitting forearms. Ferris reverses an Irish whip though, and follows Zhukov into the corner with a BIG Earthquake splash!! ANOTHER splash and Ferrs makes a tag in to Renslow and he lifts Zhukov up for a couple of big slams and a hiptoss takeover. Renslow whips Zhukov into the corner and follows with a charge, but eats the boot and goes down. Zhukov rams him into the boot of the Barbarian and makes the tag, choking Renslow against the top rope. Barbarian hits a big atomic drop on Renslow and another one and a belly to back suplex this time before ramming Renslow's head into the turnbuckle. A tag to Zhukov and he Irish whips Renslow in for a clothesline that gets a two count. BIG headbutt from Zhukov and he tags Barbarian back in who hits a HUGE bodyslam before going to the second rope. HUSS HUSS HUSS elbowdrop from the second rope hits and he lays across Renslow like he's about to take a nap and gets the three count.
Winners: Nord The Barbarian and Boris Zhukov (pinfall, HUSS HUSS HUSS elbowdrop)
Match Analysis: The heels dominated this one from beginning to end and it was just a showcase for all of their offense. It wasn't even an extended squash, since that would mean that the face team would have had to have gotten some offense. This was just one long beating, and after a while it got a little boring. Plus seeing Rick Renslow twice in one show was once too often for my tastes.
After the match, Larry Nelson has words with Zhukov and Barbarian, along with the Sheik and Sheik starts out saying that he's very proud of his men and he issues a challenge to the AWA Tag Team Champions and to the AWA Championship, and to Greg Gagne and Jimmy Snuka. That's a lot of challenging. Barbarian says that Sheik always has something up his sleeve and that no one's been able to do anything about it. He calls Gagne, Hennig and Hall midgets and then tops that one, saying that Nick Bockwinkel is the "Dick Clark of Wrestling". He claims that Bockwinkel is older than the hills and then drops to his knees, saying that there's no one big enough for him to fight standing up. Zhukov threatens the Rockers and says that they want the tag team titles while Barbarian distrubingly plays with Zhukov's ponytail dealie. That made me shudder a little just to see it. Zhukov calls Greg Gagne a pencil-necked geek and Scott Hall a coward. Sheik rambles a little more and Barbarian starts taking back bumps behind them for no apparent reason. That's awesome.
After a short commercial interlude, we're back in Omaha and it's time for the ladies to hit the ring, including Sherri Martel coming to the ring to the opening of "Material Girl" from Madonna, in a move that I'm sure would have cost Verne a ton of money if anyone had cared about the AWA on a larger scale at this point.
Match Four: AWA Women's Championship Princess Jasmin vs. Sherri Martel (c) w/ Buddy Rose
I have to admit that's a pretty impressive belt that Martel has for being the women's champ. It's like a mix between a real championship belt and the belt from Rocky IV, with the red, white and blue strap. The bell rings and we're underway with the ladies locking up and Martel getting a side headlock takeover, which Jasmin reverses into a headscissors immediately. Either Jasmin's makeup came off on Martel's white singlet, or her boob is bleeding. I'm guessing on the former in this instance and hoping I'm right. Standing armbar by Jasmin and she takes Martel down to the mat, holding on to the arm. Martel to her feet and it turns into an arm-wringer and Jasmin takes her down again, cranking on a straight armbar, almost MMA-style. Martel finally gets free of it, rolling up the body of Jasmin, moving from a side headlock to a front facelock and referee Gary DeRusha ends up underneath them when they both fall on him. Martel blames Jasmin for that and Jasmin heads over to talk a little shit to Rose in Martel's corner. Right hands from Jasmin and Martel is down, though she's back up to get some snap mares by the hair and Jasmin takes her into the ropes. Martel is getting checked on by Rose and finally makes it back into the ring, with Jasmin getting another right hand off of a lockup in the corner. Jasmin stomps away at her in the corner and Martel has had enough, throwing Jasmin through the ropes to the floor, right in front of Trongard and Blears. Martel rams her off the apron as Jasmin tries to make her way back to the ring, while Rose just stands and watches smugly. Martel with forearms to the gut and one to the head that put Jasmin back down on the floor off the apron. Jasmin is still out on the floor, trying to recover, before finally rolling back into the ring, with Martel ending up right on top of her. Jasmin with right hands to the stomach though and a BIG headbutt puts Martel down. Another headbutt and Jasmin gets a catapaults putting Martel onto her stomach with the first one and into DeRusha with the second one. Martel on the apron and she gets slung back in by Jasmin, into a HUGE back bodydrop. Jasmin yanks Martel up by the hair and lays in a big chop, but Martel kicks her off with a boot to the gut. Martel goes to the eyes and scratches away at them, but Jasmin fires right back with more punches that put Martel out to the floor. A HUGE slap from Jasmin sends Martel sprawling over the announce table and into the lap of Larry Nelson, who looks appalled at seeing a woman in his lap. Jasmin gets Martel by the hair and throws her back into the ring, but Martel gets her in the stomach again with a big shot, rolling Jasmin up and grabbing the second rope to hold her down for the pinfall.
Winner: Sherri Martel (pinfall, rope-assisted rollup)
Match Analysis: The best match of the night, mainly because it wasn't a total squash, and actually featured some back and forth action. Jasmin held her own against Martel and even held the advantage on a few occasions until Martel ended up getting the win via the heelish cheating. A good match on a show that really needed one, and it's always a treat to see Martel working in the ring in this time period, as she was really one of the best.
Martel is in the ring with Rose and she's talking to Larry Nelson, saying that it doesn't matter what anyone else says, she won fair and square and that it was the referee's decision. Nelson turns to Buddy Rose and he wonders why everything has to be controversial and says that they don't need to use the ropes. They use knowledge, experience, muscles and everything else to win and Martel says that she's going to stay the women's champion no matter what it takes, so we can all shove it. She denies grabbing the ropes on the rollup and looks indignantly at Nelson. Rose KNOWS she didn't grab the ropes and says that it was a textbook cradle. He says that they're both professional wrestlers and that they know how to use wrestling holds to their advantage. Larry Nelson gives them both credit, I assume to avoid a beating, and we're out of time for another edition of the AWA!!
Final Thoughts
Not a good show at all. The squashes were boring, there was no Zbyszko, no Curt Hennig, no Midnight Rockers and the best match was the main event for the women's title. That's not to say that the women can't have great matches, but this show was really lacking in the areas of good wrestling, and obnoxious heel interviews. Sherri tried her best to save it with both at the end of the show, but it just wasn't enough. Thumbs down on this one for me, and here's to hoping that tomorrow's show is at least a little bit better. Now we move on to the fun of the column, since this show was a real dud, the COMMENTS!!
Fun With Comments
From Silo Sam: "well...in retrospect Somers let Gunther off easy compared to the beating Michaels gave Alex Knight. That match was rough. I swear that the finish was supposed to be the rockers front suplex splash on knight(as they've finished people in the past with that) It got interesting after that because it felt like stamp and knight were tagging back and forth every time the rockers knocked them down to kinda delayed the finish. it really hurt the flow of the match. Seemed like a case of the "veteran jobbers"(more so knight than stamp) not wanting to put over the young guys so easily. Well, he got some stiff shots, a stiff superkick and a rough BACK DROP DRIVER! for his troubles. Add to that the fact that I will remember him as the jobber that didn't want to put over Shawn Michaels...Quite a claim to fame. I wish you would give Brad Rheingans a break. Is it his fault that the only trunks he can find with red, white, and blue is that of the french flag? Is it his fault that he has the charisma of a wet noodle?..well, yes.. He SUCKS. I want to like him, I want him to be good, I root for him...but, Its just not there. Its a shame. Main event was good..as most of them have been lately. Although, I gotta tell ya..I wish it was Hall instead of Snuka. I'm not really a Snuka fan but, ah..what can you do. good match. Anyone else catch some of the UWF marathon today?"
The AWA certainly seemed to be the place where the jobber punishments were handed out in the ring instead of behind the curtain. Knight seemed like he was really sandbagging it and he paid for it in the end, which is probably the right thing to do, since he was in no position to make the contracted talent look bad, but did so anyways. I have to say that as much as I try, I can't get into Rheingans at all, and he will almost always be a big old bucket of suck for me. I didn't get a chance to see any of the UWF marathon, but I've seen all the episodes that ESPN Classic ran anyhow during the first run of those shows, so I get the feeling I didn't miss much.
From jbgs2: "I never watched ESPNC until I saw that they were playing all these old shows. Nostalgia time. I had heard of the UWF but never saw any of the shows. They don't really give you any timelines until about the 3:00 or 3:30 show, and then it's only briefly, I kind of guessed 89' or 90' because Col. Debeers comes out to Welcome to the Jungle. Alot of the guys are either just starting out or on the decline. B Brian Blair, Danny Spivey, a young Mick Foley, Debeers, Orndorff after his arm atrophied from his neck injury, Steve Williams appear to be the major names. The shows start out like they are held in a casino room, but they say they are in LA. They then have later shows from Fla. and Bob Orton is the champ at that point. Prior to that there is no mention of any title belts. They say they are going to have a TV champ tourney but I haven't gone that far with the shows yet."
That was the mark of the UWF shows, either guys that were starting out like Foley, or all of the older washed out guys like you mentioned. It sounds a little like the AWA, but at least in the AWA, the washed out older guys were mostly jobbers while in the UWF, their older guys were the top talent.
From guest: "I wish I could have watched the UWF marathon. I didn't know it was on until the last 5 min of the last show. I work with Mike Williams who was a jobber on some of the shows. I would have been cool to see him back then. Who knows, maybe they'll do it again next week."
That's cool that you end up working with someone who did some work in the business. As for next week, I think that they change the marathon every Saturday, so unless there is some outrageous demand for the UWF, it will probably be something different next week.
From Maffew: "Dennis "I'm not booked" Stamp did actually wrestle then? Wow. He's still a whiner."
So it seems.
From Infamous Male: "I never understood why Nick Bockwinkle was just handed over the AWA World Heavyweight Championship when Stan Hansen was stripped of it. Verne Gagne was the personification of old school & is many said he was a cheap ass. Some sort of tournament to crown a new champion would have at least sold some tickets & given the new champion some credibility. Not that Bockwinkle didn't, he most definitely did. But I thought the both Bockwinkle & the belt took a hit with the decision. I could understand if it was a second or third tier belt, but the World Heavyweight Championship Title Belt? With names like Bockwinkle, Snuka, Zbyszko, Hennig, Hall, Gagne, Debeers, Micheals, Jannetty, etc., you could have at least had a decent tournament. Even if Bockwinkle won it in the end it would have sold some tickets & not hurt the belt & the champion. Dumb move Verne."
I guess the reasoning is that Bockwinkel was the number one contender and that he was already scheduled to win the title so they'd might as well just give it to him. I think that Verne thought that a period of time with no champion on top would have been more damaging to his business than to just hand the belt to the next guy that was supposed to get it. Hindsight is 20/20 and all, but at the time I guess it made sense. Bockwinkel deserved to be the champion though, so there's no qualms from me about who Verne gave it to.
From Guest: "I've already emailed ESPN to thank them for re-airing these shows, and I encourage all of you to do the same, to at least let them know we're watching. This is the first wrestling I've watched on tv since the last Nitro aired.
On another note, Boris Zhukov is still very active on the indy scene, wrestling a lot of shows in the soutwest Virginia area with Jimmy Valiant. Valiant's in retirement, but is promoting his mammoth autobiography and helping to promote shows for some of his former students. For those of you who don't know, "The Boogie-Woogie Man" has a wrestling school in Shawsville, Virginia."
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