CLASSIC AWA AUGUST 8th TV REPORT
- 08/08/2008 (8:39:37 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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August 8th aired a 1990 episode of Verne Gagne`s AWA All-Star Wrestling. It was announced that "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko had regained the AWA world heavyweight championship from Mr. Saito in St. Paul, Minnesota. Tom Burton versus "Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff The starting bell gave a faint sound, and Burton forearm clubbed Nikita from behind in the corner. Burton continued his assault with stomach punches, rope burning Nikita`s face across the top rope and smashing him into the turnbuckle. Burton yanked the rope to jerk Nikita backwards., then tried to corner whip, but a reversal had Burton knocked to the mat by Nikita`s back elbow strike. Nikita smashed Burton`s face into the corner buckle seven times as fans counted along. Burton was whipped to the ropes for another back elbow, and Nikita beats his own chest like a gorilla. Burton is whipped to the ropes, and Nikita bounds backwards off the rope for extra force on a flying shoulder tackle. Burton is then whipped for Nikita`s Russian Sickle, then Nikita pressed down on Burton`s chest on the pin cover with his tongue sticking out to the fans. Referee Gary DeRousha counts 3, ending the match in under three minutes. In the post match interview at ringside, Eric Bischoff announced that Nikita would be facing AWA world champion Larry Zbyszko at Twin Wars 90. Nikita mentioned that he defeated Zbyszko in the 2 out of 3 falls bout last week, and said that his business manager was busy negotiating a contract to face Saito, before Saito lost the title back to Zbyszko. Zbyszko comes to ringside, saying that he told everyone that the world title was coming back to Larryland, and all Nikita did was cry to referee Bob Lurtsema. Zbyszko repsonded to fan chanting "Larry sucks!" with shut up, and that they sucked. Zbyszko told Nikita that he was going to do the same thing to him that he did to Saito. Nikita said that Zbyszko can run his mouth all he wants. Nikita said if he had anything to say with the best he can do, he walk away as the new world champion. Nikita gives a double arm lower arm pose and sticks his tongue out. When Nikita turned around to walk back to the locker room, Zbyszko struck him down with the AWA world title. Zbyszko stomped him, then got in the ring to point and say "there¢s your Koloff!" Todd Becker and a couple of others came to ringside to aide Nikita. Commentator Lee Marshall said that after this incident, you can bank on Nikita being one fired up upset Russian Nightmare. After the commercial, Eric Bischoff replayed the attack, and questioned if Zbyszko acted out of frustration from the fans, or was it from a fear of Nikita. Bischoff had no word yet on Nikita`s condition. Kent Carlson versus AWA world champion "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko Zbyszko came to the ring to Tina Turner`s song "Simply The Best" Lee Marshall said that Zbyszko had delivered on his promise in St. Paul by regaining the world title from Saito. In the ring, Zbyszko taunts a fan and Carlson claps to rally the fans` "Larry sucks!" chant. Zbyszko backed Carlson to the ropes for a clean break, then backed him to the ropes again for a spinning heel kick to Carlson`s mid-section. Zbyszko body slammed and whipped Carlson for a back body drop. Zbyszko goes to suplex, but loses hold, and Carlson falls forward to his feet. Zbyszko then completes the suplex on the second try, and Carlson looked like he was going to drop from Zbyszko¢s shoulder when held upside down. Zbyszko covered for a pin, but picked Carlson off it at the count of 1. Zbyszko piledrove his opponent, and covered him for the count of 3, closing the match in under three minutes. Carlson looked like he was about to kick out before the three, then Nikita Koloff slid into the ring and forearm clubbed Zbyszko down. A whipped Zbyszko was knocked down by Nikita`s back elbow, then Nikita drilled Zbyszko into the mat with the Russian Sickle. Nikita then sits on Zbyszko`s chest and punched away at him. It took two referees and five jobber wrestlers to pull Nikita off Zbyszko. Nikita broke away and struck at Zbyszko again. When the wrestlers and referees restrained Nikita again, Zbyszko fled from the ring. At ringside, Bischoff said that he didn`t blame Nikita for his actions on Zbyszko since being struck with forty-five pounds of gold from the world title. Nikita held his head, and said that his game plan against Zbyszko had changed to where Nikita would now resort to using blunt object to hit Zbyszko in the head with. Nikita clenched his fists, stating that if he had anything to say that with the good people with him, he would walk out of their match as the new world heavyweight champion. Bischoff warned Zbyszko to be looking over his shoulder. In the Team Challenge Series Update, Lee Marshall narrated the current standings. He mentioned that Sgt. Slaughter`s Snipers have regrouped to live up to the experts` predictions in placing first. A video clip of Sarge`s match against Kokena Maximus (Yokozuna) aired where Sarge got disqualified for pulling Kokena`s manager Sheik Adnan El Kassey into the ring, after the referee missed seeing that Sheik Adnan had punched Sarge off his pin cover. The scores at that moment were Sarge`s Snipers with 27 points, Larry Zbyszko`s Legends close second at 26 points and Baron Von Raschke`s Blitzers going from first to last with 25 points. Marshall said that The Series was winding down to it`s 1 million dollar inaugural season. Destruction Crew gave comments about their upcoming main event match against challengers to their AWA world tag team championship, Brad Rheingans and DJ Peterson. Bloom said his team was right where they belong in the main event. He said that AWA`s championship committee were doing everything in their power to get them dethroned. Enos was about to comment, and Bloom told him "hold on Mike, I¢ll handle this" Bloom said that everyone is looking for that yellow brick road to championships in the AWA. Bloom added that the only road Rheingans and Peterson would find "is the road to destruction" Their opponents then gave comments. Brad Rheingans said that if the champions wondered who they are to get a title shot, Rheingans explained that they were the ones that did a number on the Destruction Crew in the ring. Rheringans said that The Destruction Crew had done their usual to hold on to the belts, by using red tape through referees and rule books. Rheingans said that his team had mountains of experience and ability to "be the destruction of The Crew" Peterson said that The Destruction Crew can anticipate a 1..2..3 defeat coming their way. W.T. Jones versus The Trooper (WWF Patriot) Lee Marshall mentioned that in Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Wrestling Fury, The Wrestler and Wrestling Eye magazines all have the undefeated Trooper in the top five of contenders for the AWA world championship. Trooper backed WT to the ropes, and after the clean break, WT made false claims that The Trooper pulled his thick braided strand of hair. A headlocked Trooper pushed off WT to the ropes, and flipped WT with a hip toss. Trooper then dropkicked WT to the mat, and made WT yell in pain from a wristlock. WT eye raked to an escape, and The Trooper was on the ropes as WT struck at his back with forearm clubs. WT landed stomach punches in the corner, as Ox Baker walked to ringside with a giant wrestler wearing black face paint and carrying barbarian ax. After being smashed to the turnbuckle, Trooper punched his way out and backed WT in the corner for knife edge chops. WT is whipped to the opposite corner, with Trooper charging with him for a running clothesline on a cornered WT. WT is Irish whipped for a back body drop, then The Trooper applied nerve hold. Referee Gary DeRousha signaled for the bell, after WT submitted, closing this match in under three minutes. At ringside, Eric Bischoff asked Ox Baker where The Russian Brute was and what he was doing out here. Ox said that he got rid of that pencil head goof, and had been sending out challenges to everyone in the AWA to face his new man, The Night Stalker. Ox called AWA world champion Larry Zbyszko and The Trooper cowards for saying they had other commitments, instead of taking the challenge. Ox even challenged Verne Gagne to come out of retirement for the challenge. Ox said Trooper couldn`t even join the Boy Scouts. Ox said he wanted to tell a worldwide audience what cowards are in the AWA. Ox spoke about Stalker`s ax, saying that it would represents the old says for Stalker`s opponents, when the last thing seen was the fall of the ax. Backstage, The Trooper announced that he had an upcoming opportunity at the AWA world title, when he faces champion "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko. Trooper issued a warning that Zbyszko should be worried, saying that he had just as much capability and talent as anyone in wrestling. Trooper said that the long arm of the law would be brought to Larryland. Adding that it would reach out to Zbyszko`s skinny neck, and drop him into The Trooper`s jurisdiction. Trooper stated taht he would be walking out with the gold belt around his waist in two weeks. Brad Rheingans & D.J. Peterson versus AWA world tag team champions Wayne "The Train" Bloom & "Mean" Mike Enos of The Destruction Crew, in a Team Challenge Series main event match. The Destruction Crew walked to the ring in orange construction vests, wearing their AWA world title belts but without their sledgehammers, as Queen`s "We Will Rock You" played. Bloom & Enos then attack Rheingans and DJ before the starting bell. A cornered Rheingans was rammed in the mid-section by Enos` shoulder, as Bloom planted knees to DJ`s stomach in the opposite corner. Rheingans reversed Enos` whip to the center of the ring. Bloom`s whip to the center has DJ knock down Enos with a clothesline. The Crew exited the ring to regroup, then Bloom returned to the ring to extend for a handshake. Rheingans extends his hand but stops to show a thumbs up to a thumbs down. An upset Bloom kicked the bottom rope and backed off when DJ came at him from the ring apron. Bloom looked to the crowd, and when he looked back, Rheingans slapped him in the face. Rehingans smashed Bloom to the turnbuckle, then a tagged DJ whipped him for a hip toss. DJ took Bloom to the mat with a headlock, and got Bloom`s shoulders to the mat for a count of 1, then again at 2. DJ then held up Bloom`s arm for a tagged Rehingans rib punch. Rheingans whipped Bloom to the ropes for a gut punch, then took him to the vanvas with a spinning neckbreaker. Lee Marshall mentioned that "Classy" Freddie Blassie (WWE Hall of Famer)was famous for that move, as Rheingans got a count of 2 for his pin cover. Rheingans got another pin count of 2 after a gut wrench suplex to Bloom. After being smashed into the turnbuckle, a tagged DJ assisted in a double clothesline on a ropes whipped Bloom. DJ covered and got a pin of 2. Enos entered the ring to make a false complain that DJ had pulled Bloom`s hair. Lee Marshall wasn`t sure if DJ was actually tagged in, and he spoke with co-broadcaster Ralph Strangis about the possibility of two referees to officiate title matches. DJ suplexed Bloom, then applied a chinlock on him. Bloom backed DJ to the corner, and tagged Eno, who arm dragged DJ from the corner. DJ escaped by head scissoring Enos, then a tagged Rheingans snapmared Enos, and raked his boots against his face. When Enos pushed off the headlock, Rheingans came off the ropes and charged him down. Enos then stopped Rheingans next charged, when he flipped him with a knee to the stomach. A tagged Bloom drops his knee on Rheingan`s head, then threw Rheingans to the floor. Enos rammed Rhinegans` head into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Bloom whipped Rheingans to the ropes for a back elbow, and Rheingans kicked out of pin just before a count fo 3. A tagged Enos assisted in double whipping Rheingans backwards into The Crew`s corner. Eno body slammed Rheingans, hooked the leg on a pin and got 2. Enos choked Rheingans on the middle rope, then Bloom choked him on the middle rope, as Enos distracted referee DeRousha. Enos whipped Rheingas to the ropes for a back body drop, but a charging Rheingans rolled Enos into a cradle for a pin of 2. Enos holds up Rheingans` legs as Bloom choked him on the middle rope. Enos then slingshot Rheingans` throat up into the bottom rope. Bloom pressed the sole of his boot down on Rheingans` neck. Enos tried to suplex, but Rheingans blocked twice and suplexed Enos. A tagged Bloom snapmared Rheingans, and received a pin of 2 after an elbow drop. Bloom whipped Rheingans to the ropes for a back body drop, and got punted. DJ stomped the apron, getting the fans to rally for Rheingans. Rheingans jumped for the tag just before a tagged Enos could double ax handle his back. Enos was whipped to the ropes for a flying back elbow. DJ hooked the leg, but Bloom kicked DJ off the pin at 2. Enos was whipped to the ropes for a dropkick DJ hooked the leg, and again Bloom kicked off the pin at 2. Rheingans rushed in and punched Bloom down. DJ shoved Enos chest first into the corner, then rolled him for a pin. As referee DeRousha was trying to get Rheingans back to his corner, Bloom pulled a foreign object from his trunks and struck DJ on the back of the head with it. DeRousha turned around to saw Enos covering DJ for the pin, and made the 3 count, ending the match after nine minutes. DJ was still down, and Rheingans rushed to check on his condition. Lee Marshall didn`t fault the referee, as he couldn`t be everywhere at once. On the review of the replay, Ralph Strangis said that it looked like Bloom used a roll of quarters to hit DJ with. At ringside, Eric Bischoff congratulated DJ on his effort. Rheingans complained that what happened was the same old story with The Destruction Crew, where they hide behind rule books and referees. DJ said that he didn`t come out here to cry like a little baby, and didn`t give damn, as he would meet The Destruction Crew anyplace, anytime in the middle of the ring. Rheingans then repeated DJ`s request of anyplace, anytime. DJ challenged "If you¢re so damn good, put those belts up against me and Brad!" Backstage, Jonnie Stewart wore a blue sequin robe with yellow feathered trim. He announced his return to the AWA. He said his first time away was due to a little knee injury, but this more recent time was from vacationing on the beaches of Rio De Janeiro. Stewart spoke about an upcoming match with Sgt. Slaughter. Stewart stated that other wrestlers had paid Sarge to remove the silver spoon from Stewart`s mouth. Stewart said that couldn`t be taken away, because it came from within. Stewart described Sarge as the lifeguard of wrestling, and explained that by not accepting Stewart`s challenge, "the life you save, may be your own" Catch the legends of AWA Monday to Friday at 12am est on ESPN Classic. Also you can catch Herb Abrams` UWF on Saturday at 8am & 8:30am est, and Sunday at the same time on ESPN Classic. David |
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