CLASSIC AWA 5/14 TV REPORT
- 05/14/2008 (10:20:15 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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May 14th aired a 1988 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA All Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas Nevada.
Verne Gagne joined Larry Nelson at ringside to announce that AWA’s contact with ESPN had been renewed. Gagne commented on AWA tag team champions the Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) as being a "phenomenon", comparing them to the High Flyers (Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell) in their speed making up against bigger opponents. Gagne commented on new talent Rocky Mountain Thunder as a 6'7 grappler whose lack of
style is made up with a lot of power.
Buddahkan & Pistol Pete vs AWA tag champions the Midnight Rockers
Pistol Pete reversed Jannetty’s wristlock with forearm clubs over the shoulder. Jannetty reversed the wristlock, giving forearm shots to Pete’s mid section, as Jannetty tagged Michaels. Jannetty and Michaels kicked Pete in the stomach, then delivered a double DDT. Referee Gary DeRousha counted the 3, ending the match in under two minutes.
The Surfer versus Rocky Mountain Thunder
Both newcomers were tall, but the bigger Rocky would overpower Surfer, battering him from corner to corner. Rocky hoisted Surfer up for what looked to be an over the shoulder back breaker vice, but lost hold and fell backwards, causing Surfer’s knees to crash to the mat under Rocky’s weight. Rocky hip tossed Surfer out of the corner, covering him as referee Jim Bunning counted the 3, in an under three minute match.
Larry Nelson presented an interview with Ricky Morton of the Rock N’ Roll Express, who explained that his team is the AWA for "bigger an better things" in the AWA tag team titles. Morton added that the teams are tough and would do anything to win, and that’s why he and Robert Gibson are in the area.
Daryl Nickel versus Baron Von Raschke
The Baron walked down the aisle, greeted by fans, and shaking the hand of a young woman in a wheelchair. Nickel rushed an attack on Raschke with clubs and biting in the corner. Baron quickly dropped Nickel with a back elbow.
Baron ripped at Nickel’s face, flipping him with a snap mare, arm drag and a knee lift. Nickel was then flipped over by a back body drop. Baron displayed his claw as he gave the goose step, then clamped on The Claw. Referee Gary DeRousha counted Nickels shoulder for the 3, ending this match in under four minutes.
Mondo Guerrero & Ricky Rice versus Badd Company (Paul Diamond & Sensai Pat Tanaka)
Commentator Rod Trongard had mentioned that Mondo has acted in Scarface and Running Scared (1986). Tanaka was not eager to lock up as Mondo, and after some stalling, Mondo locked up Tanaka in a variation half nelson. Mondo then dropped, scissoring Tanaka’s legs for a take down into a surfboard. Mondo then jumped on Tanaka’s back, then twisted into a roll up. After the kick out, Mondo forward roll caused Tanaka to move back to his corner.
A tagged Diamond lifted Mondo in a gorilla press slam, then Mondo was tossed out of the ring side from one side to the other. Mondo then held on to lay on the middle rope when Diamond tried to throw him out for a third time. Mondo then dropped to the mat, causing the charging Diamond to plunge to the floor. Mondo then delivered a Lou Thesz press from the ring arpon on to Diamond on the floor.
Mondo backflipped off the top rope in the corner, looked like he was going to fall back, but turned that into a backwards roll. Rice was tagged to trade wristlocks with Diamond. A knee would gain Diamond the opening to win in that exchange, then crank in a headlock. Rice finally broke by pushing Diamond to the ropes, was shoved down in a charge but dropkicked both Diamond and Tanaka out of the ring.
Diamond body slammed Rice, but Rice moved away from Tanaka’s flying headbutt drop. Tanaka kicked out of a pin after catching a flying cross body, before Rice made the tag. Tanaka pleaded for Mondo to take it easy, but Mondo leaped up and monkey flipped Tanaka, then monkey flipped an incoming Diamond out of the corner.
Mondo dropkicked down Tanaka, then knocked Diamond away with a flying back elbow. Diamond then stopped Mondo’s momentum with a knee to the back. Tanaka clubbs Mondo on the ropes, Mondo tried reversing the Irish whip, but Tanaka cartwheeled away from the back drop to level Mondo with a superkick.
Diamond would knock down Mondo with a lariat style clothesline, Mondo got two near falls from a sunset flip and middle rope body press. Mondo was whipped to the corner, but moved away from a charging Diamond, who ended up in a reverse seated position on the middle rope.
A tagged Rice delivered dropkicks to Tanaka and Diamond, then Rice whipped Diamond to ropes next to Mondo who was whipped in by Tanaka. Rice nailed a flying clothesline, as Mondo back rolled off the back drop attempt to hit Tanaka with a dropkick.
As referee Jim Bunning was trying to get Mondo back to his corner, Rice went to roll up Diamond off the ropes. Diamond ducked so that Tanaka could hit Rice with a throat chop from the ring apron. This move didn’t quite connect, but Tanaka made sure to kncok Rice back witha throat kick. Diamond then cradled up Rice for ref Bunning’s 3 count, ending this match in under ten minutes.
Next up was a debut of Big K’s segment. He was sitting in an office, and explained that wanted to get in contact with Badd Company, to tell them the weakness he found in AWA tag champion Midnight Rockers. K also said that he was the one who discovered Teijo Khan. Big K said that he would be providing news news that no one else knows about yet.
Greg Gagne was in front of shelves of film reel cases to present a mat classic from September 13th 1981 from Denver Colorado, put together by promoter Gene Reed.
Jesse "The Body" Ventura, Adrian Adonis & "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell versus High Flyers (Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell) & Hulk Hogan
This match was joined in progress. Gagne looked tired and made the tag to Hogan who gave a most muscular flex before kicking and punching Adonis, who had backed away in the corner. Blackwell rushed in to knock Gagne and Brunzell off the ring apron. Hogan whipped Adonis to the corner, then punched down Ventura on the apron, punched at Blackwell. Adonis was tied up in the ropes after Hogan whipped Blackwell into him.
Hogan released Adonis to deliver a running elbow, then a clothesline. Blackwell rushing in to elbow off the pin cover, after a Hogan big boot and leg drop on Adonis. Brunzell battled Ventura in the corner, as Blackwell body slammed Gagne. Hogan slammed Adonis off the top rope, after Adonis attempted to double team Gagne. Hogan wind up punch takes Blackwell to the floor, then Hogan punches at Ventura in the corner.
Gagne slammed Ventura into the turnbuckle, then Hogan whips him into Adonis before reaching over the ropes to poke Blackwell’s eyes on the floor. Then the AWA intro played before going to commercial.
Ms. Olympia versus Debbie Combs in the main event
This match was to determine a number one contender to ladies’ world championship held by Madusa Miceli. Commentators Rod Trongard and Lee Marshall didn’t know why Madusa accompanied Combs, who potentially could be her opponent. Madusa’s left arm was in a sling as she stood at ringside to cheer on Combs.
Though Ms. Olympia had bigger muscular arms, Combs maintain control through much of the match. Combs controlled Olympia with a front fact lock, then a choke over the top rope before taking Olympia down with clotheslines and a dropkick.
The tide would turn when Olympia reversed an Irish whip into the corner. Combs tried was tossed by a couple of Olympia’s slingshots, before exiting the ring to council with Madusa. Combs would returned to apply an ankle lock, with a pulling assist by Madusa, then a body slam to a near fall.
Olympia was whipped into ropes, ducked Combs’ clothesline, then sprung off the ropes with a flying cross body press for a count of 1. Olympia reversed Combs whip to the ropes, knocking her down with a clothesline, then a dropkick. Combs kicked out at 2 after a body slam, then applied a surfboard. Combs pressed her opponents shin and calf together while cinching the chinlock.
Olympia rolls to her back to push off Combs with two feet. Olympia then reverses Combs’ full nelson, and pulls her back into a body vice. After Olympia flips over Combs to gain a 2 count from a sunset flip, Trongard mentions that there is 15 seconds left in the bout. Combs hoists Olympia for a body slam and cover for a pin as the bell sounds, ending this match to it’s ten minute time limit draw. Madusa held Olympia’s right leg in the corner, as Combs forearms clubs away, then to a snap suplex before leaving the ring. Announcer Larry Nelson backed away from the path of the angry looking Madusa and Combs.
Check out the legends of AWA Monday to Friday at 1am est on ESPN Classic.
David
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