CLASSIC AWA 5/23/08 TV REPORT
- 05/26/2008 (9:19:06 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
……
May 23rd paired a 1988 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA All Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas Nevada.
Alex Knight versus Mondo Guerrero
Mondo would quickly alternate his offence, going from an arm bar, to a leg lock to a double arm stretcher. Mondo turned Knight’s under arm take over into a sunset flip. Mondo was hip tossed out of the corner, then Irish whipped back into the corner. Mondo grabbed the top rope in the corner, and lifted himself up to a sunset flip near fall on the charging Knight.
Twice, Knight was taken over by a flying head scissor roll, then a flying headlock roll. On Mondo’s second attempt of the headlock roll, Knight caught him and turned it into a backbreaker. Knight went for a body slam, but Mondo shifted backwards, turning that into a roll back pin with a fallback bridge. Referee Marty Miller counted the 3, closing the match before the four minute point.
Senior Editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated Bill Apter interviewed new AWA champion Jerry "The King" Lawler. A bandage was on the forehead of Lawler as he held the AWA title, saying that it felt good hearing Apter say that Lawler was the new champion. Lawler said that it was a fourteen year struggle, and that his opponents "have another thing coming" if they think it won’t be a struggle in challenging for the title.
Lawler added that he would not be merely a company champion, not limiting his reign to just matches against AWA contenders. Then a clip of Lawler’s pin to win the title from "Cool" Curt Hennig in Memphis Tennessee was shown.
Along with the AWA tag champion Badd Company (Paul Diamond & Sensai Pat Tanaka) and the Diamond Doll, Diamond Dallas Page said that he was here with "the king of the universe" Page said his team has been working real hard at the Diamond Mine, but there’s also been a lot of time for pleasure. Page mentioned limousines, jets, parties with Motley Crue and Bon Jovi.
Page joked that Marty Jannetty may brain damage when Badd Company slammed him into the steel post, because the Midnight Rockers constantly calls for re-matches. Page added that his team would take on "anybody else but they better pack a lunch and bring a flashlight, because it’s gonna be a long night"
Samoan Joe (not TNA wrestler) versus Brian Knobbs of the Nasty Boys
Knobbs’ partner Jerry Saggs sustained an injury in a recent encounter with the Rock N’ Roll Express. Knobbs attacked Joe before the bell, then tossed him out of the ring. Knobbs then gave a front face lock type choke on the botton ropes, then body slammed Joe to an elbow drop. Knobbs corner whipped Joe to a clothesline, but had no success in hurting Joe with the turnbuckle smashes.
Joe smashed Knobbs into the turnbuckle, then headbutted Knobbs down. Joe whipped Knobbs to the ropes, but Joe got punted back when lowering his head too soon for a back drop attempt. Knobbs Irish whipped Joe into a flying clothesline. Referee Gary DeRousha counted the pin, ending the match before the third minute.
Riki Ataka versus Teijo Khan (accompanied by Soldat Ustinov)
Teijo attacked Ataka before the bell, punishing him with karate chops. Teijo made pin attempts after a powerslam and chop drop, but each time Teijo lifted Ataka up before the 3 count. Teijo threw Ataka out of the ring, and as he distracted referee Marty Miller, Ustinov slammed Ataka’s head to the ring apron. Teijo hammered Ataka on the top rope, causing Ataka to fall back to the floor.
After Ustinov threw Ataka back in the ring, Ataka was whipped into a flying back elbow, then body slammed onto the top rope. Teijo nailed an upper cut chop and pinned Ataka, in this under four minute match. Teijo threw Ataka out of the ring, and followed him to the floor to throw Ataka down the aisle into a non-folding chair.
Baron Von Raschke’s comments re-aired about Soldat Ustinov not being able to hide from "The Claw" and his baseball bat.
The closing minutes of Jerry "The King" Lawler’s win of the AWA wolr dtitle form "Cool" Curt Hennig (Mr. Perfect) in Memphis Tennessee was shown. It started when Hennig had Lawler in the sleeper hold. Lawler rushed to the corner, ramming Hennig’s head into the turnbuckle padding, and causing a release of the hold.
Enforcer referee Jackie Fargo kept pushing off Hennig from striking a bloodied Lawler in the corner, and kept asking Lawler if he wanted to continue. Hennig knocked Lawler backwards into the corner, and a charging Lawler knocked down Hennig, then slingshoted Hennig into the corner. Lawler covered for the 1..2..3, as the filled Mid South Arena roared approval.
Bill Apter interviewed Curt Hennig just after the match. Hennig said that he was man enough to accept when he has been beaten, but said that he was against 10,000 people and one biased referee in Lawler’s friend Jackie Fargo. Hennig complained that his pins on Lawler were given slow counts, while Lawler was given fast counts for his pins.
Apter asked if Curt’s father Larry "The Ax" Hennig would not be biased, and Hennig said that his father is honest and that the Hennig family stands for pride. Apter wrapped up saying he was with "ex-champion" and Hennig came back and yelled saying "I’m still world champion, no matter who’s holding the belt"
Big K said in his segment that Hennig should have listened to him in not defending his title in Lawler’s backyard. K said that he would better to advise Hennig than Larry Hennig, adding that now Greg Gagne and Baron Von Raschke will never receive title shots.
½ AWA tag team champion Paul Diamond (w/ Diamond Dallas Page & Diamond Doll) versus International Television champion Greg Gagne
Page took the microphone and announced that Diamond is taking two titles tonight. Diamond pushed Gagne into the corner, and forced him down, then giving a double arm flex each time. Diamond went to shove Gagne back again, but Gagne shifted back before the push, causing Diamond to crash face first to the mat. Gagne arm dragged Diamond down, applying arm lock and arm stretcher. Diamond tried to body slam out of the arm lock, and Gagne rolled with the move to keep the hold.
Diamond threw Gagne through the ropes, then kept Gagne back by yanking him down on the top rope, then a forearm club to the chest. On the third attempt back into the ring, Gagne jammed his shoulder into Diamond’s mid section and rolled Diamond back for a near fall with a sunset flip. From his kicked out, Diamond delivered a Rick Rude style neckbreaker, then worked over Gagne with a head twist and chin lock.
Diamond used a hair pull to pull Gagne back down to the mat, but Gagne would eventually arm drag for an escape. Gagne won in an exchange of fists, then whipped Diamond from a turnbuckle smash to a back body drop. Gagne knocked down Diamond with a dropkick and then applied the Gagne sleeper hold.
Diamond’s tag partner, Pat Tanaka hopped on the ring apron and threw powder in Gagne’s eyes, as referee Marty Miller was distracted by Page. Miller turned around to see Diamond cover Gagne, and Marty Jannetty flew into the ring to push off Diamond’s pin. Miller signaled the bell, disqualifying Gagne, in this nine minute match. Jannetty knocked down a charging Tanaka, then knocked Diamond out of the ring. Gagne almost attacked Jannetty, as he couldn’t see whether the person close to him was a friend or a foe.
Announcer Larry Nelson entered the ring to get comments. Jannetty mocking said this is your world champions. Gagne thanked Jannetty, adding that "Badd Company hasn’t heard the last of Greg Gagne, and haven’t heard the last of The Midnight Rockers!" Jannetty said that his team is ready to face Badd Company anywhere they are dare face them, then helped Greg back to the locker room.
Mike Richards & Krusher Krugnoff versus Rock N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)
After being backed in a corner, Morton arm dragged Krugnoff down, then apply an arm twist that Gibson would continue. Krugnoff backed Gibson to the corner for a knee to the stomach, but Gibson slammed Krugnoff and Richards’ head together. Gibson engaged Richards in a knuckle lock, but used his leg to break it, turning it into an arm twist.
Gibson tagged off to Morton who delivered a fist to the ribs, then flipped over Richards with an arm twist to a knee drop. Morton and Gibson would tag back and forth, working on the Richard’s left leg with stomps, elbows, pulls and locks. Morton and Gibson took a leg, rolled forward to double fist Krugnoff off the apron, then take down Richards with a double dropkick.
Referee Gary DeRousha counted the 3, ending the match before the six minute point. Krugnoff returned to kick Gibson in the back, but found himself dumped over the top rope by Gibson and Morton.
Chief Wahoo McDaniel was in full Native American headdress to give comments. Wahoo congratulated new champion Jerry Lawler, and said that he knew soon or later that Curt Hennig would slip on a peel. Wahoo said that he is in line for a title shot, adding that he Lawler would have problems against him and Greg Gagne. Wahoo then warned Gagne about "Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez, who was fresh from a tour of Japan and was "coming to wipe everybody out" in the AWA.
Catch the legends of AWA Monday - Friday at 1am est on ESPN Classic.
David
Tags:
