CLASSIC AWA 3/8/07 TV REPORT
- 03/08/2008 (6:18:03 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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March 8th 2008 1 am eastern standard time airing of AWA wrestling on ESPN Classic is a mix of shows from St. Cloud Minnesota, Las Vegas and Hammond Indiana for the July 1st episode of Verne Gagne’s All Star Wrestling.
First match has Larry Clark against Larry Zbyszko, accompanied by ninja native of Nagasaki, Mr. Go. Greg Gagne announced right away in his commentary that the AWA tag titles have just changed hands, from Curt Hennig and Scott Hall to Buddy Rose and Doug Somers. The camera displays a fan’s sign that says "Spudheads for Zbyszko". As Zbyskzo shoots in and takes Clark over with a rapid fireman’s carry, Larry Nelson brought up that the powers at AWA should use the instant replay to return the belts to Hennig & Hall. This is because Rose banged Hall’s head into the steel post when referee Marty Miller was distracted. AWA awarded Rose and Somers the belts on a count out victory. Gagne felt instant replays would diminish the power of the referee, as he agreed with the National Football League’s rule at the time of using no instant replays to determine a call. Zbyszko would make quick work of Clark, with arm bars, a suplex, snap mares, hair pulling, a spin heel kick, knees and a canvas smash. A mix of wrestling, rule breaking, brawling and martial arts before planting Clark with the piledriver, as referee Larry Lasowski counted the three after a two minute match.
Nelson interviewed Zbyszko ringside, along with Mr. Go. Zbyszko said he wants a shot at Stan Hansen’s title, but instead he’s given fools. He said the people can chant Scott LeDux’s name, but LeDux won’t attack, because Mr. Go is the best Pearl Harbor man in the business. When asked if he and Go would team, Zbyszko said he’s excited about that, and called Hennig and Hall spud heads for losing the belts instead of listening to him. I found the situation funny when Larry Nelson had to deal with a chatty Mr. Go, who decided to talk in what sounded like muffled (from the ninja mask) Japanese. A befuddled Nelson, tried to get interpretative help from Zbyszko, who only offered that Go was "speaking something Japanese." Go would chime in again, with Zbyszko translating that Go said that they are number one. Zbyszko called out AWA president Blackburn, asking what he has to do to get a title match after 12 glorious years, as Nelson’s face showed an exhaustive mock.
Showboat in Las Vegas offered the next match. Marty Jannetty, accompanied to the ring by his Midnight Rockers partner Shawn Michaels (spelled Sean on screen), was up against Alex Knight. Both participants were already in the ring. Soon after the bell sounded, Knight rushed an attack on Marty, who had his back turned. Knight threw Jannetty out of the ring, followed him out to continue his attack. Marty fought back, then quickly got to the top ropes and took Knight down to the arena floor with a flying fist drop. Jannetty would work over Knight with arm drags, a power slam and a dropkick. Knight would try to shake hands, baiting Marty to be kicked, but Marty caught the foot instead of catching the hit. Knight pleaded, but was taken down and received a leg drop between his legs. Marty picked Knight into a suplex and converted it into a powerslam, for a two count. Marty rolled out of a leg stretch, converted it to a front face lock, then from a ropes whip delivered a flying back elbow on Knight. Marty covers for the pin, but Knight got his foot over the bottom rope at the two. Knight would fight back with an elbow, Jannetty returned with a turnbuckle smash on him. Knight whipped Jannetty into the opposite corner, and Marty jumped to the middle ropes and pivoted into a flying cross body press, as ref Lazowski counted the three after a five minute match.
Nelson commended Marty for his match, and Marty said that be it solo or tag, wins come the way of the Midnight Rockers. He called Rose and Somers closet tag champions for not defending their belts often. Nelson asked Shawn Michaels bout the upcoming six man tags involving Rose and Somers. Shawn said that’s fine, as he knows down the road the ultimate goal of tag championships will be obtained when they get a hold of Rose and Somers in title match. Nelson brought up Rose & Somers manager Sherri Martel. Marty said that she can’t keep her hands out of her men’s matches, and that he and Shawn may have a surprise for her. Nelson asked for a hint from Shawn. Shawn said no hint but dared Sherri to keep on bugging and they would have something in store for her. Nelson admitted to not be in the know, before going to commercial.
Nelson was at AWA studio, introducing a recent retro match of King Kong Brody. Nelson said that Brody has been described as the most dangerous man in wrestling. Then would go on to mention that Brody hasn’t been seen for awhile because he was barred from Las Vegas for dangerous and bizarre behavior, that Nelson did not further explain. This match was coming from St. Cloud Minnesota. Al DeRousha announces the match as the native of Puerto Rico, Pete Sanchez awaits King Kong Brody, accompanied by Sheik Adnan El Kassey. Sanchez puts up his dukes and calls Adnan on for a fight, Sanchez is then startled as he sees Brody entering the ring. Commentating Verne Gagne told Larry Nelson that he would love to see Brody and AWA champion Stan Hansen tangle, just chop each other to pieces (which I believe happened at some point in All Japan Pro Wrestling & the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico) Brody forces Sanchez into the corner, knife edge chops, forearm clubs and kicks Sanchez down. Sanchez then bounces off the ropes after an Irish whip and was suddenly grounded after his head met with the massive boot of Brody. Sanchez is thrown from the ring, he favors his now ailing back as he tries to get in, and is knocked to the floor as Brody stomps away from the ring apron. Brody walks around the ring making his huss sound, then reaches out to bring Sanchez back in the ring. Brody hoists Sanchez up and sustains him for about 15 seconds in mid pile driver stance. Then after getting some blood rushing to Sanchez’ cranium, Brody jolts Sanchez into the mat. Brody covers Sanchez as referee Gary DeRousha (must be Al’s son) counts the pin win for a King Kong victory, in a bout that closed in less than two minutes.
Now the main event. It was another recent retro match, introduced at AWA studio by Larry Nelson. He said that though this match has aired before, AWA has received a lot of letters asking for it to be replayed, due to those missing the encounter or just wanting to see it again. The match is the May 17th 1986 bout from Hammond Indiana, that showcased AWA tag champions Curt Hennig and "Big" Scott Hall vs. "Playboy" Buddy Rose and "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, accompanied by mangeress Sherri Martel. Nelson said that a week before Col. DeBeers piledrove Hall on the floor, creating a neck injury that doctors advised he shouldn’t be wrestling with so soon. Hennig and Hall wearing their tag belts, wait in the ring as Buddy Rose and Doug Somer follow a garter wearing Sherri Martel in a white short skirt to the tune of Madonna’s Dress You Up. Announcer Al DeRousha states Rose’s weight at 271 lbs, and Rose takes the mic saying "I do not weight 271 lbs, I weigh 217lbs". All four men get their boots checked and are given the rules by referee Marty Miller. Commentating Greg Gagne says to Nelson that he thinks even with going against doctors’ orders, he thinks Hennig and Hall will pull out a victory, whereas Nelson just couldn’t decide who would come out on top. They both agreed that Hennig would need to carry the bulk of the match though. Buddy Rose rushes past Hennig into the ropes, and Hennig ducks down and flips Rose over with a back body drop. Hennig dropkicks Rose and then Somer rushes in, only to be dropkicked too. Rose and Somer try to regroup as they gather with Sherri.
After returning, Rose gets Hennig in a standing side headlock. Hennig lands kidney shots to Rose and then pushes Rose into the ropes. Hennig is knocked down by the charging Rose, then Hennig drops down a couple of times to avoid Rose’s charge. This ended up with Hennig flipping Rose over with an arm drag into an arm bar on the fourth charge. Rose kicks out of arm lock, tags in Somers whose charge falls right into Hennig’s arm drag/arm lock combination. A newly tagged Hall back elbows Somers down and then tags out to Rose. "The Playboy" (or doughboy, as many baby faces and fans call him) waves his arms to try and calm the crowd, only to be met with cheers for Hall picking up and slamming Rose to the mat. A second big slam gains Hall a two count, then Hall follows Hennig’s technique by dragging Rose down and working his left arm. Hall holds out Rose’s arm, as a tagged in Hennig leaps off the top rope with an double axe handle shot on Rose’s arm, causing Rose to leap up and land on his butt.
A pained Rose tries to have the wrenching hold broken by the ref when he grabs the top rope, but Rose would fall back in the hold after Referee Miller kicked Rose’s right hand off. Rose pushes Hennig off into the ropes, and then is knocked down in the collision when Hennig rebounds. Then with a second Hennig charge, Rose would trip Hennig with a drop toe hold. When Rose rolls over Hennig, looking to maybe secure a front face lock, Hennig gets Rose’s left arm back in the arm lock. Gagne and Nelson talk of Hall’s injury, and Gagne said that all the greats have wrestled hurt in their career. Rose fails to escape and get the tag, until he plants an elbow to Hennig’s face.
When Somers enters, he is immediately dragged down into an arm lock. Somers whips Hennig into the corner, Hennig moves in the nick of time, and Somers crashes his left shoulder into the steel ring post. Hennig forces Somers by the hair to Hall’s corner, where a tagged Hall would work on Somer’s left arm and shoulder. Hall has Somers face down with a hammerlock close to Rose’s corner. Rose climbed to the top rope, threatening to leap on Hall. Hennig repeatedly shook the ropes, causing Rose to fall, landing his crouch on the top rope and then falling to the ring apron. As Martel went to Rose, Larry Nelson asked "Now how are you going to administer to that one, Sherri?". Hall bangs Somers from corner to corner, then a tagged Hennig would kick Somers’ arm that was held by Hall.
A knee earned Somers an escape, and a tagged Rose twirls Hennig with an open handed throat jab. Gagne mentioned seeing that Hall had a bump where the hairline meets the forehead as result of DeBeers’ piledriver on the floor a week before. As Rose chokes Hennig repeatedly before ref Miller can count to 5, Col. DeBeers joins the broadcast table, claiming Hall isn’t well enough. Rose chokes Hennig on the top rope, then pulls the ropes back to fling back Hennig. Rose continues to work on Hennig’s throat, as does Somers from the ring apron. After some double teaming, Hennig would take an Irish whip from Rose as an opportunity to switch the momentum. Rose telegraphed the back body drop, as Hennig leaped over and hooked onto Rose, who is trying to stay up to make the sunset flip incomplete. Rose manages to get both hands on the top rope. Referee Marty Miller brings his two arms up to break Rose’s grip, causing Rose to complete Hennig’s roll with a fall backwards. Rose escapes, but almost gets pinned again when he is wrapped up with an inside cradle by Hennig. Rose whips Hennig to the ropes, and Curt finesses over Rose to tag in Hall.
Big Scott fends off Rose and interloping Somers, then Rose finds himself tied up in the middle and top ropes. Hall shoots Somers into the incapacitated Rose. Rose is then whipped in the ropes and picked off the ground with a double handed choke by Hall. Hennig zips in and halts the charging Somers with a flying dropkick. Sherri jumps to the ring apron and distracts Hennig and ref, while Hall sees drops Rose from the choke to go to the ring apron where Col. DeBeers has just appeared. DeBeers drops down as Hall lunges at him, and Rose rushes to slam Hall’s head into the steel post (automatic disqualification if the referee saw it). When Hennig breaks away from Sherri and Somers, he rushes to Hall laying on the concrete floor (and looks to be blading), as Miller reaches to a count of six. Hennig tries to help a bloody and disoriented Hall, but Miller reaches the 10 count bringing this match to a close in ten minutes. Sherri jumps and raises hands with Rose and Somers in victory, as Miller rushes to award the new champions their belts, and announcer Al DeRousha declares them the winners. Hennig and Hall protest to the ref about the steel post smash, as the commentators also call a foul there.
Nelson goes to ringside for an interview, and Hennig said this isn’t right and someone is going to pay for this. Nelson said that he was going to try to get the film into Blackburn’s hands to hopefully do something. Hall then yelled out "DeBeers!", saying that if he wanted Hall’s attention, he’s got it. Hall then proclaimed that DeBeers hasn’t seen the last of him. Whether it’s the parking lot, a hallway, or hopefully the ring for all to see, that somewhere down the road they’ll meet again. Hennig said "We’re gonna change something around here and kick some butt!". Back at AWA studio, Nelson said Hennig and Hall are still outraged and have every right to be, and after the break, he was hoping to have an in depth discussion with Hall for In This Corner featuring Larry Zbyszko.
On that interview segment, Zbyszko considered Hall cocky and wanted to see how Hall handled his recent adversity. Nelson cued up a clip of how the Hall/DeBeers feud goes back further than the tag title loss, as Hall had come to the rescue of popular jobber Jake "Milk Man " Milliman who was getting beat badly by DeBeers. Hall pushed DeBeers off the top rope, and punished DeBeers with a back elbow, punches, leg drop, and airplane spin into a Samoan drop. Hall knocked DeBeers out of the ring with another back elbow, then went to help out Milliman. With Hall’s back to him, DeBeers rolled under the bottom rope, and struck Hall repeatedly on the back with a cane, and also using that weapon on Hall’s mid section. DeBeers threw Hall out of the ring, and DeBeers stomped Milliman in the head from the apron before dropping himself to the floor. From there, DeBeers got Hall in a mid piledriver position, and drove Hall face down on the concrete floor with DeBeers weight on top of him.
Zbyszko agreed that what they saw is disgusting. The twist though Zbyszko said it was Hall, not DeBeers, who was disgusting because of his interference in DeBeers’ business. Then they replayed the end of the AWA match that was just shown of Hennig and Hall losing their tag belts. When that clip ended, Hall had joined and was seated as Zbyszko and Nelson had been for their interview segment. Nelson told Hall, to Zbyszko’s slight displeasure, that he was robbered..no doubt about it." Hall said he wasn’t going to cry about the loss, and said that he and Hennig would regain the belts when they get a rematch. Zbyszko asked how he could blame DeBeers for the loss, mockingly repeating Hall’s answer that interfering outside is responsible for his loss, and of Hall’s saying that he’s very upset. Zbyszko asked if it was too much weight training, or too much tuna fish (Nelson mentioned during the tag title match that Hall always seem to have tuna fish on him).
Zbyszko asked Hall if DeBeers had ever done anything to him before the Milliman match. Then as Larry Nelson tried to interject, Zbyszko said he can ask his own questions but that he’s sick of the lies, the crying, and the whining. Hall smiled, placed his right hand under his right eye, to show that Zbyszko had some loose spit during his rant. Zbyszko said to Hall that he was making a fool of himself. When Zbyszko stood up, Hall stood up with him, and Zbyszko said "Don’t stand up and doning anything to me..". Just then as Nelson was getting up, a light nudge from Zbyszko knocks Nelson back over his stool as he yelled "We’ll be back!" while hitting the floor with his legs up.
David
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