CLASSIC AWA 4/22 TV REPORT
- 04/23/2008 (4:51:51 am)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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April 22nd presents a 1986 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA All Star Wrestling
Bobby Bold Eagle versus Nord the Barbarian (accompanied by Sheik Adnan El Kassey) at the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas
Nord walked to the ring looking like a Marine, but instead of a gun over his shoulder, it was a folded stretcher. Sheik Adnan was still in the ring when the starting bell sounded without referee Robert Warren’s signal. The Native from the Stockbridge Reservation of Wisconsin was thrown from the ring, after a Nord chop and high boot.
Bold Eagle was picked up and slammed into the steel post, before being tosses back in the ring. Nord would fake a couple of pin attempts after a knee drop and a piledriver, but finished off Bold Eagle in under three minutes with a flying leg drop from the middle. Nord then rolled Bold Eagle onto the stretcher and referee Warren assisted in carrying him back to the locker room, as much of crowd chanted "Sheik’s a freak!".
In the post match interview, Larry Nelson told Sheik Adnan that the stretcher was disgusting, and asked why they wouldn’t jut settle for a victory. Adnan explained that in his country it was customary to put your defeated opponent on a stretcher. Nord mentioned that Adnan paid him better than when he played for the USFL’s New Jersey Generals, and Adnan also provided gold and women.
Nord then promised Adnan that he would put Nick Bockwinkel, Greg Gagne and Jerry Blackwell on the stretcher. Before the commercial, two Remco action figures of Road Warrior Animal and Paul Ellering appeared with Verne Gagne’s All Star Wrestling posted on the screen.
Alan West versus Larry Zbyszko from Omaha Nebraska
West was in Chippendale style white suspenders and bow tie, looking like he borrowed Steve Keirn’s Fabulous Ones tag team outfit. Commentator Rod Trongard mentioned West’s background as a linebacker for Mancado University, adding that West tried out for a position with the Minnesota Vikings before entering the AWA.
After arguing with fans, Zbyszko returned to the ring and caught West with a fast arm drag take down. West would hip toss and trade body slams before Zbyszko exited the ring again. West gained a side headlock and maneuvered out of a few pin attempts with the help of a trunks pull. Zbyszko escaped, taking down West an arm lock and hair pull.
Zbyszko cracked back on a top wristlock to an ambar. West corner whipped Zbyszko into a back elbow, to a body slam and knee lift. After kicking out of the pin, Zbyszko was whipped into the ropes, but held on the opposite ropes to miss West’s dropkick. Zbyszko landed on West and hooked the trunks, for referee Gary DeRousha’s pin in this ten minute match.
Jesse Hernandez & Bill Anderson versus Boris Zhukov & Ali Khan (w/ Sheik El Kassey) at the Showboat
After a Body slam, Zhukov rammed Hernandez’s back into Khan’s knee, then both men whipped Hernandez backwards into the corner. A tagged Anderson got pummeled on the ropes with Khan’s forearms and knees, then back body dropped with driving headbutts from Zhukov’s size 10 ½ cranium.
Anderson was then caught in a Khan bear hug, to a back ram into the corner, before making the tag. Hernandez’s back was smashed by a Zhukov headbutt and diving knee from the middle rope. A tagged Khan flipped Hernandez over his left shoulder, gaining the submission with a the body vice, as referee Gary DeRousha signaled the bell in this under four minute bout.
Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) versus AWA tag team champions "Playboy" Buddy Rose & "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers (accompanied by Sherri Martel) from the Showboat.
Rose did not correct Nelson on announcing his weight at 271. Michaels dodged Rose’ spit, but didn’t miss when he backed Rose to Somer’s corner and spat back. Rose mouthed "son of a bitch", would go to jam his shoulder into Michaels’ mid section in the corner. When Michaels was whipped into the other corner, he lifted his legs over the charging Rose, and rolled him over into a near fall. After blocking Rose’ punch, Michaels punched Rose away, and then leaped onto Rose’s shoulder into another near fall with a victory roll.
While Rose distracted referee Gary DeRousha, Somers slammed Michaels’ head into the steel turnbuckle connector. For several minutes, Rose and Somers would take turns working on the head wound with punches, stomps and biting. Somers knocked Michaels to the apron, and when he backed too close to Michael’s corner, Jannetty pulled Somers back to land punches. Rose kicked Michaels to the floor, but his hopes of a count out were thwarted when Michaels jumped into the ring just before the count of 10.
Michaels fought back with punches and kicks, ultimately knocking Somers back, and getting to Jannetty for the tag. Much of the crowd cheered loudly as Jannetty hopped over the top rope to punch away at Somers, and knock down an incoming Rose. Jannetty corner whipped Somers for a back body drop, then a whip to the opposite corner has Somers fly into the corner post. Jannetty then grabbed Somers and threw him into the post again.
Jannetty then went after Rose on the apron. Jannetty spotted Sherri on the ring apron, and the distraction gave enough time for Rose to kick Jannetty in the back. Somers lifted up the loosened turnbuckle pad, as Rose slammed Jannetty into the steel connector. Jannetty took punches, biting and stomps for Somers. Jannetty was blinded by his blood, but landed on some of his wild swings, with one that knocked Rose off the apron.
As Jannetty was knocked back by Rose, he made the tag to Michael, who pounded Rose to a seated position in the corner. Michaels then knocked away Somers, and punched Rose out of the ring. Jannetty knocked the ref down when he was pushed by Somers, and then fell through the ropes when colliding with Somers off the ropes. Rose picked up Jannetty and body slammed his stomach onto the top of a non folding chair.
Referee Robert Warren came into a officiate in place of the down DeRousha, but was quickly knocked down by Rose, who would join Somers in attacking Michaels. DeRousha got up and signaled the bell, ending this match after sixteen minutes. Somers punched DeRousha down, then threw Ref Warren through the ropes. Greg Gagne, Steve Bardi and Alan West ran to the ring and knocked Rose and Somers off Michaels.
Nelson asked Gagne about how badly injured The Midnight Rockers are. Gagne said that aside from lacerations and Jannetty telling him that his ribs felt broken, he didn’t truly know the extent of their injuries. Gagne said that he, Nick Bockwinkel and Curt Hennig would make Rose and Somers pay if their actions put out The Rockers.
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David
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