CLASSIC AWA 3/11/08 TV REPORT
- 03/11/2008 (9:28:11 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
…..
March 11th 2008 episode of AWA wrestling from ESPN Classic started from the AWA studio, Larry Nelson introduced a recent match from Oakland California that pitted the greatly disliked political man of South Africa Col. DeBeers against hometown hero and rookie sensation Anthony "Earthquake" Ferris. There was some discrepancy about Ferris’ weight, as Nelson at first said that it was 375 lbs (about 100 lbs more than DeBeers), announcer Al DeRousha announced it at 309, but a commentating Nelson said that it was 349. DeBeers found that his charge met with no success against Ferris’, until DeBeers caught Ferris with snap mare. A commentating Greg Gagne mentioned a man showing up to many AWA shows, who likes to taunt DeBeers with a puppet. DeBeers showed much resiliency, as he survived a splash in the corner by Ferris, and also a big elbow drop. Nelson mentioned that Ferris took AWA champ Stan Hansen to the limit in a recent match, and Gagne added that it might only take a little more training for Ferris to go far.
DeBeers would hit Ferris with punches, head butts and a back elbow. Referee Marty Miller was out of position to see that DeBeers kicked Ferris with the point of his boot. Ferris would deliver a knee, flipping DeBeers as he came off the ropes. After a kick out from Ferris’ atomic drop and slam, DeBeers was plowed into the mat with a running powerslam. DeBeers. Miller broke the count after 2, when he noticed DeBeers has drapped his left leg over the bottom rope. Ferris dropped a big elbow, then picked up DeBeers with the intent to body slam, only to find himself caught in a small package (inside cradle). Ferris had his right leg over the bottom rope by the 2 count, but Miller didn’t see and DeBeers got the 3, bringing this match to close in under five minutes.
Larry Nelson conducted a ringside interview with Colonel DeBeers, after the match. Nelson said that DeBeers is leading a charmed life, because he knew he won when Ferri’s leg was on the rope. DeBeers said he didn’t know this, he just knew that he was a victory over another big America. DeBeers said that it amazes him how Americans are so big physically and so small mentally.
DeBeers said Ferris is comparable to Hall in size and bulk but also in not having the brain power needed to rule pro wrestling. DeBeers said Hall is a raging animal with no direction, that he (DeBeers) is 6'4 275lbs of muscle and brain power, a kid shows a fgold out poter of Scott Hall to the camera. Nelson said that Hall does have direction in wanting to tear DeBeers limb from limb, but DeBeers said that no one on the North American continent can compare to him. DeBeers declared that he welcomed Hall’s challenge, to a surprised look of Nelson, but added that within 15 minutes Hall will beg for mercy out of pain and confusion.
The second match had Larry Zbyszko against Gus Torres from the Sport Pavilion at the Showboat hotel and casino. Zbyszko was shadow boxing and pretended to come after Larry Nelson, which bullied the announcer out of the ring before properly finishing the introductions. Zbyszko looked geared to begin, but would immediately dictate the pace without even wrestling, but circling the ring, then stopping to complain to the referee Robert warren about the crowds’ taunts. Zbyszko would exit the ring to complain to the commentators about the ref doing nothing about the audience shouting obscenities. Zbyszko would shoot in with a fireman’s carry, that sort of looked like a mini Samoan drop.
After some more stalling, Zbyszko would lull Torres into a false sense of security, thinking a lock up was to occur, but landed a knee lift with a forearm that dropped Torres. Zbyszko scooped slammed Torres, hopped up and gave Torres boots scrapes to the face on the way down. Torres met a rough looking knee after returning from an Irish whip. After receiving snap mares and a driving suplex, Torres returned with shots on Zbyszko in the corner. When Torres looked for crowd approval, Zbyszko dropped him with shots of his own. After a snap mare, and a stomach stomp with authority, Zbyszko picked up and gave a curt backbreaker to Torres. Zbyszko then sat on the shoulders of a seated Torres as Larry posted Torres’ leg right leg up. Zbyszko plunged Torres into the canvas with a piledriver, then applied a craddle for the pin victory, in a match that was under seven minutes
After the match, Larry Nelson interviews Larry Zbysko in the ring. Zbyszko calls out the people in the audience to take him on. Nelson says that they are not professional athletes, and Zbyszko retorted that they are not even people. Zbyszko points into the crowd and yells that they are toothless, moronic and fat. Zbyszko said that they disappoint in their lack of ability and not standing up for what they believe in, and they all they do is watch tv and dream that they are a somebody. Zbyszko said "a somebody is someone who goes against all odds, who can beat the political machine, who can outdo the masses..and that’s me." Zbyszko said he is a do-er and he trusts no one here, except (Mr.)Go (who was absent for this match). Nelson was about to ask where Go was, and Zbyszko said Bockwinkel is a back stabber whose political ties with AWA president Stanley Blackburn are keeping Zbyszko from getting a shot at Hansen’s title. Zbyszko then called out Scott LeDux before the commercial break.
From AWA studio, Larry Nelson said that they are going to show the match one more time where Sherri Martel regained the Women’s World title on June 28th 1986. Coming from the Kaiser convention center in Oakland California, the match was joined in progress as defending champion Candi Devine had Sherri in a standing side headlock. Sherri tried to turn this into a back suplex, but Candi cinched in and used the downward momentum to bring Sherri to the mat while maintaining the headlock. Sherri escaped the hold and near fall, when she shifted her legs over Candi’s head, turning that into a head scissors. Sherri screams as she clamped down further on Candi’s head. Sherri punched Candi’s mid section to keep the hold, but Candi would pop out of that move, and jump back on Sherri with the headlock. A rope break and then an eye rake would stop Candi’s further headlocks. Sherri then threw Candi out of the ring from under the top rope.
"Playboy" Buddy Rose was taunting Candi outside the ring, and when Sherri tried to pull Candi by the hair from over the top rope, Candi pulled Sherri by the hair onto the floor. Candi would then body slam Sherri twice on the mat less floor. Candi clapped her hands together while the crowd cheered. Rose massaged Sherri’s back, then as Sherri held on to the top rope from the ring apron. Candi jerked the ropes backwards, flipping Sherri back in the ring. Sherri would then endure two sling shots, which seemed to take their toll on her lower mid section. Sherri then broke Candi’s headlock with a push to the ropes, but was dropped in the collision. When Candi crossed the ropes, Sherri tried for a hip toss, but Candi spun herself to turn that into a hip toss on Sherri. A cornered Martel kicked and punched Candi. Sherri then choked her over the top rope, then yanked back the top rope, causing Candi to be flung backwards.
As Candi favored her throat, Sherri landed a leg drop, then wrapped her hands around Candi’s neck in the corner. Candi gets a shoulder jam by Sherri, but is able to halt the whip into the opposite corner. Sherri smashes Candi on her upper chest with a forearm and lead her back to the original corner, and into referee Gary DeRousha. Sherri again jammed her shoulder into Candi, and causing further impact on the trapped DeRousha. Sherri laughs as she walks away, then charges for a flying head scissors, but Candi moves and DeRousha is caught and flipped by Sherri’s maneuver. Candi yells at a dazed DeRousha, for what a believe to be a call of a disqualification.
Sherri clubs Candi’s back, whips her into the corner and then shoulder jams her in the mid section. Candi is whipped to another corner, as Sherri charges, Candi gets her legs up and turns it into a sunset flip roll up pin from the second ropes. The count is a close fall, and as Candi protests to DeRousha about not gaining the pin, Sherri sneaks up from behind and rolls up. Sherri lays on Candi’s pinned back legs, and grabs the middle rope for the pin and the start of her third reign as AWA Women’s World Champion, after over 6 minutes of action.
Larry Zbyszko’s In This Corner with Nick Bockwinkel. Before Nick came out, interviewer Larry Nelson said that it is known now that from Denver that Nick Bockwinkel has been crowned AWA champion for the 4th time in his career. Zbyszko described his unhappy look as results of Bockwinkel having the title handed over to him on a silver platter. Zbyszko was referring to Bockwinkel having the title given to him by the championship committee on his past career merits, and not by pin or submission.
The previous champion was Stan "The Lariat" Hansen, who abandoned his obligations as AWA champion to wrestle for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Zbyszko said he was looking forward to telling Bockwinkel to his face, and that the AWA title should be fought for. There was then a special music video look of Bockwinkel in the ring, with tune being a cover of Little Richard’s Roll Over Beethoven. It showed Nick during parts of matches with Greg Gagne, Wahoo McDaniel, Sgt. Slaughter, Verne Gagne, and some jobbers, where Nick was winning. They showed him applying holds, resorting to fists, and cheating when holding the rope to gain a pin on Jerry "The King" Lawler. It ended with clips of Bockwinkel hitting and putting moves on Zbyszko in their match.
After the video, Bockwinkel with title was seated near Larry Nelson. Zbyszko questioned how Slick Nick feels about not earning that title, not fighting for it and just having it handed to him. Zbyszko said that "maybe Bockwinkel’s nose is the brownest part of his tan". Bockwinkel smiled and said that Zbyszko was whimpering an whining. Zbyszko said that what he was is a man of 12 glorious years watching some old time get all cocky because he got awarded the belt. Zbyszko said that he hurt Bockwinkel before, he’ll do it again. As Zbyszko was leaving, he said you had the title handed to you, now you can have this segment.
Bockwinkel thing referred to Zbyszko as a "she" and wondered why Zbyszko didn’t bring out his chop sticks, referring to his nunchakus. Bockwinkel said that he felt Hansen had cold feet, as to the reason why Hansen did show up. Bockwinkel also said that he could see Zbyszko’s point if he didn’t have credentials, but Nick felt that his 81/2 years as champion, with three reigns before qualified him as being most worthy to the title. He said that the people cheered him and that decided the champion.
Zbyszko came back with nunchakus in hand as Bockwinkel stood up. Zbyszko said the reason the people cheered is because they are a bunch of dreamers sitting around just hoping for freebies, like you’ve been given. Zbyszko called Bockwinkel a coward and a stooge for Stanley Blackburn. Zbyszko mocked Bockwinkel with asking if he would trade his nunchakus for the title, or maybe his manhood and his soul. He told Nick to sign on the dotted line, and he may sign Nick’s head with these (nunchakus).
Just before the main event of Curt Hennig vs. AWA Champion Stan "The Lariat" Hansen on a March 11 1986 episode of AWA, Jerry Blackwell is in his street clothes being interviewed by Larry Nelson in the ring. Hansen storms the ring calling Blackwell a coward for backing out of the match over a little ankle injury, and Hansen complained of taking two months to prepare for this match only to have to prepare for Curt Hennig in the last minute. Hansen then knocks Blackwell down with the title belt as Nelson yells as he exits the ring.
Hansen hits Blackwell’s ankle with the title, then kick and stomps at it, until Hennig rushes in for the save. Hennig knocks Hansen’s cowboy hat off, punches away at him, whips him to opposite corner to musicle him over for a a hip toss to the mat. Hennig dropkicks Hansen out of the ring, runs Hansen’s shoulder into the steel post, and then find himself pushed into the opposite post when trying to repeat that move on Hansen. Blackwell stills lays on the apron, displaying agony, as Hansen repeatedly rams a non-folding chair on Blackwell’s ankle. Hansen throws Hennig back in, whips Hennig in for a back body drop, Hennig stops and kicks Hansen. Anothers whip from Hansen would find him eating a Hennig back elbow.
Hansen would exit the ring, and returning meant a barrage of shots by Hennig, and kicking out of a Hennig roll-up. Hansen gained a near fall after a body slam and elbow drop. Hansen would try to punish Hennig into the corner, and was met with a super kick, that took Hansen down. Hennig would step on Hansen’s neck, and punch Hansen down. Getting to his feet, Hansen slowed Hennig’s momentum with a back elbow to the head. Hennig came right back with a punch and a knife edge chop, but Hansen would reverse the corner whip with Hennig crashing chest first into the turnbuckle pads.
Hansen axe handled Hennig, then would use his knee to choke a bottom ropes prone Hennig. Hansen would hang Hennig over the top rope as he landed an elbow drop, give Hennig a smash into the top turnbuckle pad, but then Curt would stop this by smashing Hansen in the opposite steel turnbuckle connector. Hennig would then muscle Hansen up from the ring apron, and body slam him into the ring. Hennig then leaped off the second ropes for a splash on Hansen, but Hansen’s kick out propelled Hennig out of the ring.
From under the middle rope, Hansen slammed Curt’s head into the ring steps, then slammed Curt on a row of empty chairs. Hansen tried to attack Curt before he could get back in the ring, but Hennig hammered away, causing Hansen to lay head up while over the bottom rope. Hansen’s face received a double boot scape on the floor, then Hennig knocked Hansen back into the ring. Hansen came back with what looked like a head butt to the groin, and then dropped Hennig with a back suplex. Hansen with a pained look on his face, keeps opening and closing his jaw as response to Hennig’s punches. Hansen piledrives Hennig, hooks the right leg for the pin, but Hennig stops the count at two with his left leg over the bottom rope.
After a bit of a premature celebration, Hansen lower’s his right knee pad, and lands his bare knee onto Curt’s head. A second piledriver attempt on Hennig finds Hansen getting flipped over by a back body drop. As Hansen approached Hennig, Curt lifted his two legs and dropped Hansen with a mule kick, gaining him a two count. Then Curt monkey flipped Hansen, for a two count. Hansen tried to slam Hennig’s head into the mat, but Curt blocked and slammed Hansen’s head instead.
Commentator and wrestling legend Lord James Blears tells Rod Trongard "that he had never seen Hansen in trouble like this, but he has that intestinal fortitude to come back for more". Hansen kicks Hennig away, then has his whip into the corner reversed, but holds on to the ropes to have Hennig crash back after an unsuccessful monkey flip. Hansen misses the elbow drop, but quickly recovers to try and slam Hennig, who catches Hansen with the inside cradle. Hansen’s massive legs hit the ropes as Hennig completes the hold. A panicked Hansen’s pointing finally gets referee Gary DeRousha’s attention at the two.
Over the loud speaker, announcer Larry Nelson announced "two minutes..two minutes remaining in the match", as Hennig punches down on a downed Hansen. Hennig kicks away at Hansen to get him to release the ropes, then whips him across the ring and meets him with a high dropkick. Hansen kicks from the pin attempts, and snap mares Hennig down as Nelson announced 1 minutes remaining. Hansen lands an ax handle for a 2 count, whips Hennig into the ropes and is caught by a cross body press, earning Hennig a two count. Nelson announces 40 seconds remaining as Hennig back suplexes Hansen. Hennig takes a strike by Hansen, then both men slowly get up.
As Nelson counts down from 10, Hennig catches and drops Hansen with a knee drop. Hennig cradles Hansen up with a forward roll as the count hits 1, and DeRousha counts to 2 as Hansen kicks out and the bell sounds. The crowd cheers when the ref goes over to raise Hennig’s hand, then they jeer when the ref raises Hansen’s hand also, as this match is a draw due to reaching the time limit. I think the time limit was set to 10 minutes, but it was actually a little over 11 minutes.
David
Tags:
