CLASSIC AWA 5/21/08 TV REPORT
- 05/21/2008 (9:14:30 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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May 21st airs a 1988 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA All Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas Nevada.
Samoan Kid versus Mondo Guerrero
Mondo grabs Samoan Kid’s wrists and boots him to the mat. Mondo ties up Kid’s ankles and cranks back to apply pressure. After a couple of splash on Kid’s left leg, Mondo is knocked from the ring, but uses the top rope to propel himself from the ring apron to a flying cross body press. Referee Marty Miller counts the pin, ending the before the three minute point.
Baron Von Raschke then issued a warning to Soldat Ustinov, that "The Claw is coming". Baron said Ustinov can hide from Las Vegas to London England, but he will be found. Baron brought out the baseball bat and said that it could be a home run hit or a bunt, but it sure won’t be a tame game of cricket.
Diamond Dallas Page stood with his tag team the AWA tag team champions Badd Company (Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond) and the blonde Diamond Doll. Page squeezed the Doll closer saying that she was Miss Body Beautiful 1987. Page said that he had the triple threat of good looks, brains, money but said that he is really there to say that Badd Company will take on challengers from all over the world.
Page questioned the Guerrero brothers as contenders, calling them Taco Bell runners. Page said that the Midnight Rockers envy Badd Company for their many Diamond Dolls, and told them to get ready because Badd Company "is coming for you!"
Bill Anderson & Mike Richards versus The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels)
After Jannetty slides under his opponent’s legs, Richards turns around to find a Michaels’ clothesline drops him to the mat. Michaels whips Richards into a flying back elbow from Jannetty. Then Richards ducks a double clothesline only to get drilled into the mat by a Midnight Rockers flying double shoulder tackle.
Richards and Anderson try for a double team attack in the corner, but Michaels knocked
Richards back and Anderson off the ring apron. Richards charge down Michaels, but get superkicked down. An Irish whipped Richards is dropped by a double fist assualt by both Midnight Rockers.
Jannetty punches down the tagged Anderson, then lands an off the ropes fist drop. On the
apron, Michaels put out a boot, and Jannetty smashes Anderson’s head into it. The Midnight Rockers whip Anderson into the ropes for a double kick, then a double DDT. Referee Gary DeRousha counts the pin, ending the match before the four minute mark.
The Rockers went to the commentator’s table. Jannetty told Rod Trongard that what just happened in the ring is "handshake compared to what the Midnight Rockers will do when we get our hands on Badd Company"
AWA womens’ champion Madusa Miceli congratulated Jeff "Mad Dog" Maddy and Pittsburgh University as AWA’s "Fan of the Week", and said that they had selceted Madusa as the female wrestler of the year. Madusa said that since Jeff can’t have her in the flesh, Madusa unrolled a poster of herself that he will be receiving.
Back at the Showboat, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson updated the tv audience on the happening with their Rock N’ Roll Express team. Gibson said that they are alive and well. Morton said that they have all the nice people behind them, and the Rock N’ Roll Express look to climb that mountain like they have many time before. Morton said that they known how to get down funky, nasty and dirty. Gibson laughed when Morton said that their tag team opponents have a better chance finding a ruby in a pile of rocks, and a Lincoln Continent at the bottom of Cracker Jack box than beating the Rock N’ Roll Express.
Alex Knight versus Teijo Khan
Accompnaied by the Soviet fag waving Soldat Ustinov, Teijo punished Knight with karate chops throughout the match. After a powerslam on Knight, Teijo was jolted when he caught a baseball bat weilding Baron Von Raschke at ringside. After dropping Knight with more chops, Teijo threw Knight to the floor. Ustinov got involved to chuck Knight back in the ring. Knight reversed a corner whip, but crashed backwards from the turnbuckles when Teijo moved away from the corner splash. Teijo gave a chopping uppercut, and referee Marty Miller counted the pin, ending the match in under three minutes. Teijo and Soldat attacked a laid out Knight after the match until they were chased out of the ring by The Baron.
Greg Gagne presented a September 15th 1975 match from Milwaukee Wisconsin between AWA tag champions versus Ray "The Crippler" Stevens & Nick Bockwinkel. The champions were Red Bastian and Hercules Cortez, but there needed to be a substitue partner for Bastian, as Cortez died in a car accident coming back from Winnipeg Canada. The chosen partner was Milwaukee’s own Crusher. Four minutes of this match joined in progress had added on commentary of Greg Gagne and Ray Stevens. Crusher and Bastian worked over Stevens with fists, kicks and arm locks. Stevens mentioned that Crusher had lots of power, and Bastian was strong but his talent was more in his cat like agility.
Crusher slammed Bockwinkel’s shoulder into the top turnbuckle, then pulled Stevens into the ring. Gagne said that the champions had the match in their favor early on, but Ray’s team was resilient. Stevens said they took punish and waited for their opponents to make a mistake. Crusher knocked Bockwinkel & Stevens heads together. Crusher was double teamed in the corner with rope chokes, then Stevens went for a pin after a knee drop. Gagne commented on the trunks pull, and Stevens said that he didn’t like playing games, that he went out their to win any way possible.
Crusher rammed Bockwinkel to the mat, opened him up, then punched him on the bottom rope. The match then jumped to Bockwinkel coming off a three count on Bastian, and Crusher knocking the new champions out of the ring. A fan presented Crusher with a rat, necause Crusher called Bockwinkel and Stevens "The Rat Pack". Not sure if it was a toy or real, because it was far away.
Earlier in the program was a quick message of Big K saying that he new the venue for the next big title match. He would come back to say that he was correct in saying it would be Memphis Tennessee, where AWA champion "Cool" Curt Hennig would face Jerry "The King" Lawler. K said that the Rock N’ Roll Express would do great in AWA, but that Diamond Dallas Page would stop their momentum against Badd Company. K said to keep an eye on Mondo Guerrero, stating that where Billy Robinson was known as the man of 1,000 holds, that could be multiplied two fold for Mondo.
Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) versus Rock N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) in the main event
Morton & Gibson were at a size and strength disadvantage to Knobbs and Saggs, and would try to work on one man at a time with double team maneuvers that involved brawling, ware down locks, and high flying technique. The Nasty Boys would employ the same tactic and they looked to have much of the match going in their favor. The real turning point came when Saggs Irish whipped Morton to the corner. Morton moved out of the way of the charging Nasty Boy, and Saggs overshot a corner splash.
Saggs hit his head on the steel post, and his mouth was gushing blood. I believe this is how Saggs some of his front teeth. He stayed in the match, took the Express’ shots and fought back from the ring to the floor. All four men were outside the ring trading punches, and wound up bringing this match to close after thirteen minutes when referee Gary DeRousha counted both team out of the ring for a draw.
Catch the legends of AWA Monday - Friday at 1am est on ESPN Classic
David
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