CLASSIC AWA 5/13/08 TV REPORT
- 05/13/2008 (10:07:44 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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May 13 airs a 1988 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA All Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas Nevada.
At AWA studio, announcer Larry Nelson presented a clip of Soldat Ustinov breaking board over Baron Von Raschke’s head. Then Teijo Khan made his first appearance at AWA studio, to a frightened Nelson.
Hurricane Kid versus Ricky Rice
After a series of arm drags, Samoan Hurricane Kid worked out of Rice’s arm bar, to head scissors Rice with guillotine leg drops. Rice is thrown from the ring, receiving a Hurricane Kid double ax handle and head slam to the ring apron. Rice is choked in the corner, then hip tossed over. After returning to choke in the opposite corner, Rice hip tosses Hurricane. After two drop kicks, referee Scott LeDoux counts the 3 when a flying cross body off the ropes scores the pin for Rice, ending the match past four minutes.
Baron Von Raschke joined Larry Nelson at AWA studio. Baron broke a broad of his own head, showing that his anger for Ustinov and Khan has made him super tough. Baron showed his Claw, telling Ustinov and Khan that "it’s coming for you"
Greg Gagne & Chief Wahoo McDaniel versus AWA champion Curt Hennig & "Ace" Bob Orton Jr.
After Hennig and Orton are dealt with Wahoo chops, Hennig bridges off the pin count as Wahoo locks up the arms. Orton doesn’t connect with with atomic drop, but Wahoo’s atomic drop works, causing Orton be knocked forward into a Gagne chop.
Orton held onto the ropes to avoid a Gagne dropkick, then Orton and Hennig would work on Gagne with backbreakers. Gagne would punch down Hennig, then wrap him up in a gagne sleeper from an Irish whip.
Orton’s forearm clubbed off the hold, and Wahoo knocked Orton into the corner. Orton and Hennig revered the Irish whips from the corner, to causing Gagne to get knocked down in a collision with Wahoo.
Referee Scott LeDoux catches Gagne getting thrown over the top rope by Orton, and signals the bell to disqualify Hennig’s team in this nearly nine minute match. Orton stomps Wahoo after piledriving him, as Gagne and Hennig trade punches on the outside.
Kevin Collins versus Sheik Adnan El Kassey
Sheik Adnan eye rakes, head bit and back rake Collins. After working on Collins’ left leg with an ankle lock and leg stomp, Adnan smashed Collins’ head into the turnbuckle pad. After a body slam, referee Scott Ledoux signaled the bell after four minutes, as he submitted to Adnan’s abdominal stretch hold.
Larry Nelson presents a flashback match at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. Though the date wasn’t given, it looks to be 1985, as Tropicana was AWA’s place in Vegas before the Showboat became the spot in 1986.
Mike Moore versus Sgt. Slaughter
Moore was a littler larger than Slaughter, and neither man got an advantage, until Sarge shoved down Moore after the third lockup. Sarge caught a charging Moore with a back body drop, then a high dropkick, followed by a back elbow. After taking a forearm club on the ropes, Moore eye raked Sarge back in the corner, for elbows and knees.
A whip to the opposite corner, had Sarge hit with a back elbow, but Sarge ducked a knife edge chop to know down Moore with a Slaughter Cannon clothesline. Referee Dick Woehrle signaled for the bell, closing this match after three minutes, when Moore subitted to Sarge’s Cobra Clutch.
Badd Company versus AWA tag champions Midnight Rockers in a non-title match
In the corner, Diamond propelled himself over a charging Michaels, but Michaels backflipped himself to turn a Diamond’s wristlock into a hip toss. Tanaka tried to overpower Jannetty, but was taken down with charges, back drops and dropkicks.
After being charged down, Micahels would knock down Tanaka with right fists, until Diamond delivered a knee to the back. Diamond Irish whipped Michaels towards Jannetty, who was being Irish whipped by Tanaka.
Both corner charging Rockers locked arms to spin off the collision. Badd Company ducked the punches, but The Rockers back flipped out of the atomic drops to push Company into a collision. Both Tanaka and Diamond flee the ring for a breather.
Diamond returns to whip Michaels into a trip from Tanaka on the floor. After delivering elbow drops to the back, Diamond gut wrench suplex then gives a breakbacker to Michaels. Diamond holds Michaels in a backbreaker position, as Tanaka delivers an elbow off the ropes.
Jannetty would fight off Badd Company, taking them down with right punches and dropkicks. Michaels pushes Diamond into the corner for a roll up pin attempt, but referee Gary DeRousha gets mashed in the corner, and is down.
Tanaka shoves Jannetty off into the steel post on the outside, then takes down Michaels with a throat chop. DeRousha recovers to find Diamond covering Michaels, and makes the 3 counts, ending the match a little past ten minutes. No titles change hands, due to this bout being a non-title encounter.
Before commercial, AWA note books ranks the tag teams
AWA tag champs Midnight Rocker
1) Rock N’ Roll Express
2) "Adorable" Adrian Adonis & "Ace" Bob Orton Jr.
3) Badd Company (going to #1 after their recent win)
4) Nasty Boys
5) Chief Wahoo McDaniel & Tommy "Wildfire" Rich
At AWA studio, The Midnight Rockers give an interview for Larry Nelson right after the match, but only Michaels’ throat pain prevents him from talking. While holding their title belts, an angered Jannetty told Badd Company that "If that’s how they want to play, that’s how they are going to pay!"
Jannetty said that Badd Company has gotten the champions’ attention, but they "will find out what blood, sweat and tears is about by angering the best in the world! You’ll have us hot on your trail!"
Catch the legends of AWA Monday - Friday at 1am on ESPN Classic.
David
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