CLASSIC AWA 4/19/08 TV REPORT
- 04/21/2008 (9:38:44 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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April 19th aired a 1986 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA All Star Wrestling from Omaha Nebraska. Only the year and state was specified.
Tony Leoni & Tom "Rocky" Stone versus The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels)
To the tune of Living After Midnight by Judas Priest, Jannetty and Michaels rushed and rallied their way to ring. Stone exited the ring after a Jannetty body slam, as Leoni exited after a Michaels dropkick.
Leoni was taken down with drop toe hold by Jannetty, while Michaels landed on him with an off the ropes elbow drop. Stone was enter to land fists, but get dropped kick by Michaels into a Jannetty body slam. Then Jannetty and Michaels double dropkicked Stone into Leoni.
Stone tried to con Jannetty with a handshake, but his kick attempt earned him an atomic drop by Jannetty. After being double teamed, Jannetty jammed Leoni into the corner to a hip toss across the ring. The double teaming took effect on Jannetty as he couldn’t go for the dropkick, thus Leoni and Stone would use their fists on him until Jannetty made the tag.
Michaels hopped over the top rope, landing a punch, hip toss and back body drop on Stone. After a body slam, Michaels planted a flying elbow drop from the middle rope. A tagged Leoni used fists and choking, until he was punted back from dropping his head too soon for a back body drop attempt.
Stone was knocked away by Jannetty, as Michaels lifted Leoni up and held him in mid suplex position. Jannetty climbed to the top rope, and leaped on Leoni with a flying cross body, completing The Rockerplex. Michaels knocked away an incoming Stone, as wrestler turned referee Doug Gilbert counted the 3, in this nine minute match.
Larry Nelson interviewed a street clothed Jerry "Crusher" Blackwell, who said that he wanted to show Sheik Adnan El Kassey "what it is to be beat up by a country boy!" Blackwell mentioned that he, Greg Gagne and Curt Hennig have a six man match coming up with The Sheik’s Army. Blackwell warned that if Sheik Adnan stuck his nose in the match, take Blackwell would beat him back to the dressing room, and even the parking lot.
Jake "Milk Man" Milliman versus Ali Khan (accompanied by Sheik Adnan El Kassey)
Milliman quickly side stepped Khan, until clamping on a side headlock. Khan tried to escape, and Milliman held him by the beard. Khan then worked on Milliman’s back with a back suplex, elbow drop and bear hugs with a corner slam release. After whipping Milliman into a knee, Khan hoisted Milliman up for an over the shoulder body vice. Milliman submitted, closing this match in under five minutes.
Nelson joined Sheik Adnan, Khan, Boris Zhukov and Nord the Barbarian in the ring. Adnan said that his men are 100% with him, and questions why Blackwell would challenge him before his men. Nord grabbed the hair on the top of Nelson’s head and added that Adnan doesn’t have to face anyone he doesn’t want to. Nord had a folded stretcher in one hand, and said that the Army’s opponents are going out on that stretcher.
After the commercial, Larry Nelson was at AWA studio to introduced a recent match from Oakland California
Anthony "Earthquake" Ferris versus Colonel DeBeers
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.
Big Scott Hall & Curt Hennig versus AWA tag champions "Playboy" Buddy Rose & "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers (accompanied by Sherri Martel) in the main event
Rose challenged Hall to a push up challenge. Rose did four, with three being one handed. Hall did five one handed push ups, then alternated hands for five more. Rose then gave a muscle pose, and Hall did his own. Hall muscles Somers to the corner, hammers away, and a tagged Hennig comes in the back body drop Somers. Hall is tagged back to drop Somers with a back elbow, and Rose stalls in avoiding Somers tag attempt.
In a knuckle lock test of strength, Hall powers Rose off the middle ropes. Hall twists Rose’ arms a certain way to drop Rose, then bring him back up and then back down again. On the release, Sherri massages and kisses Roses’ sore hands. Hall hammers Rose and Somers in their corner, then corner whips Somers into a back body drop.
Hall’s pin on Somers is kicked off by Rose, who is then chased in rapid pursuit around the ring by Hennig. Hennig works over Somers’ left leg with a rolling leg yank and anklelock. Hall and Hennig then split the legs apart in wishbone fashion. A Somers headbutt to the mid section would start off a double team on Hennig. Rose whipped Hennig into the guard rails outside the ring, then nailed a flying back elbow as Hennig came off the ropes.
Hennig endured a Somers back suplex before elbowing out of a Rose camel clutch for the tag. After a back elbow and dropkick, Col. DeBeers ran to the ring apron after a Hall powerslam on Rose. Hall got counted out when he chased DeBeers on the outside. Hall returned to whip Somers from the corner into Rose, who was whipped by Hennig in the opposite corner. Hennig then knocked Rose into a back flip over the top rope.
In a post match interview, Hall said that he didn’t know what connection the mercenary had with the two fat rich boys, but if DeBeers wanted him, at 6'7 he isn’t hard to find. Hennig told Hall to just leave DeBeers alone during a match, and Hall said that he had to do what is right. Both men shook hands. Hall challenged DeBeers to sign a contract, and he will meet him anyplace. Hennig then told Rose and Somers that they will be seeing him and Hall again.
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David
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