CLASSIC AWA 5/8/08 TV REPORT
- 05/09/2008 (10:04:00 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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May 8th 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 the last minute of a match between The Midnight Rockers and The Nasty Boys that was deemed controversial, as Rocker Marty Jannetty pinned Nasty Boy Jerry Saggs who was not the legally tagged participant.
Samoan Joe (not TNA wrestler) versus Chief Wahoo McDaniel
This match began with no referee, but Gary DeRousha would enter before both wrestlers locked up. McDaniel backed Joe against the ropes to land a chop. McDaniel took a chop from Joe, then McDaniel chopped his way out of the corner. Joe was whipped to the corner then dropped with a slicing tomahawk strike.
Commentator Rod Trongard mentioned that McDaniel was a full blooded Choctaw Chickasaw Native America, who played for Cowboys, Jets, Dolphins, the Bronco in the NFL and was an All America at the University of Oklahoma.
After being tossed through the ropes, Joe returned to fire back with headbutts and eye rake, before whipping McDaniel for a chop. McDaniel came back with chops, with whipped and knocked down with a chop. Referee Gary DeRousha counted the 3 after McDaniel finished the match in under four minutes with a dropping chop.
AWA Notebook posted on screen the most popular in the AWA
1) Midnight Rockers
2) Greg Gagne
3) Baron Von Raschke
4) Wahoo McDaniel (posted as Whaoo McDaniels)
5) Rock N’ Roll Express
Billy Anderson & Hurricane Kid versus Badd Company (Paul Diamond & Sensai Pat Tanaka)
Commentator Lee Marshall didn’t know why Tanaka resorted to brwaling, eyes rakes and choking on Hurricane Kid, mentioning that Tanaka was a former AAU Greco Roman champion. After being worked over by Diamond on the outside, Kid would take Tanaka down with a headbutt. Kid would miss a dropkick, was able to tag off to Anderson who whipped Tanaka to the ropes.
Anderson ducked down too soon for a back body drop attempt, and Tanaka cartwheeled away. While in a martial arts stance, Amderson turned around to be dropped with a superkick. A tagged Diamond slingshot Anderson into a Tanaka DDT. Tanaka went to cover, but rolled off for Diamond to make the pin with his boot on Anderson’s chest. Referee Gary DeRousha counted the 3, ending this match before the five minute point.
At AWA studio, a clip was shown of Sheik Adnan El Kassey rammed a blunt object into Baron Von Raschke’s right hand. Von Raschke told Larry Nelson that the hand was bruised and contused, and although "Adnan tried to destroy the claw, the claw is back!"
Destroyer Samoa versus International TV champion Greg Gagne
Samoa attacked before the starting bell. After clubbing forearms, chops, turnbuckle smashes and rakes, Gagne fought out of the corner to smash Samoa into the turnbuckle. Gagne flipped Samoa to the mat, working over the left arm. Samoa bit out, to chop Gagne down, then land with a headbutt drop. After a 2 count, Samoa headbutted Gagne threw the ropes, then followed to body slam Gagne’s back into the steel post.
Samoa climbed the turnbuckles, but Gagne body slammed him from the top rope to the mat. Gagne then nailed Samoa with two dropkicks before referee Scott LeDoux signaled the bell, as Samoa fell unconscious to Gagne sleeperhold, ending the match in under four minutes. Gagne was trying to walk off the back pain, then massaged Samoa’s neck and waking him with a slap.
AWA notebook posted the rankings
Champion Curt Hennig
1) Greg Gagne
2) Adrian Adonis
3) Wahoo McDaniel
4) Jerry Lawler
5) Baron Von Raschke
Greg Gagne came out for Curt Hennig’s ringside interview with Lee Marshall to tell Hennig that he "can beat him any day of the week!" Hennig countered with "you couldn’t beat me on your best day!" Gagne initiated a shoving match. Hennig told Gagne to prove his claims, and Gagne said he would if Hennig signed on the dotted line.
Kevin Collin verus "Ace" Bob Orton Jr
This match was joined in progress, but I think just after the starting bell. Orton punished Collins with knees and a wrenching front face lock. Collins was dropped with a gut wrench suplex and a swinging neckbreaker. Gary DeRousha counted the 3 after Orton’s superplex, ending the match just past three minutes. When DeRousha’s back was turned, Orton snuck in a piledriver on Collins.
AWA notebook posted the most hated.
1) Curt Hennig
2) "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
3) Sheik Adnan El Kassey (posted as Kaissie)
4) "Ace" Bob Orton
5) Nasty Boys
At AWA studio, Larry Nelson called for an interview with Soldat Ustinov and Sheik Adnan El Kassey, but only Solday shown. Nelson said that he thought Sheik Adnan was hiding from Baron Von Raschke, but Soldat said that Adnan was away enjoying a meal. Ustinov said that Von Raschke made excuses of a hurt hand, after being outwrestled and destroyed by Adnan in Las Vegas. Ustinov added that Von Raschke proves that the Germans are like the Americans in cowardice, before Nelson wrapped up the interview.
Jerry "The King" Lawler versus AWA champion "Cool" Curt Hennig in the main event
Backed into a corner, Hennig pushed Lawler down, then twice cornered Lawler with punches. After the third corner punch, Hennig turned around to be dropped by Lawler’s right fist. Hennig exited the ring for a breather, then returned to have his waist lock elbowed off, and dropped with another Lawler right.
After receiving right and left punches from Hennig in the corner, Lawler returned firing shots, after being woken with Hennig’s wound up right fist. Multiple punches had Hennig land on the top rope until Lawler blasted him over and to the floor.
Hennig walked a bit up the aisle towards the locker rooms as referee Scott LeDoux administered the count. Rod Trongard had mentioned that Hennig’s heel turn started when he turned on Greg Gagne during a tag match in Minneapolis Minnesota.
Hennig extends his hand but Lawler doesn’t shake. Hennig backs Lawler to the corner with a knife edge chop, but Lawler reverses the corner whip to drop Hennig with a right fist. Lawler get s a 2 count after landed a fist drop from the second ropes.
Hennig backs off to the corner, and an approaching Lawler gets kicked in the groin. Referee LeDoux opts not to disqualify, as Hennig lands kicks on Lawler. Lawler yells as Hennig’s right fist knocks him backwards over the top rope.
Hennig goes the floor with an assault of kicks and punches. Lawler would meet punches by Hennig on the ring apron and a forearm club over the tope rope. Lawler loses his grip on the top rope and falls to the cold concrete. LeDoux threatens to dq Hennig as he climbed to the top rope. Lawler recovered to pull Hennig under the bottom rope, lowering his singlet strap with dished out punches.
Lawler followed Hennig in the ring to batter him from corner to corner. Lawler lands a fist drop, and continuously hammers on Hennig’s head. Hennig rises and staggers backwards through the ropes. Lawler goes to the floor and tries to battering ram Hennig’s head to the steel post, but Hennig shoves Lawler into it. LeDoux signals the bell as both men have been counted out. Hennig goes to punch Lawler against the post, but Lawler ducks, cauing Hennig to smash his hand to the steel. Lawler then slams Hennig’s hand into the steel and punches him back.
At AWA studio, Wahoo McDaniel told Larry Nelson that on any given day he could beat Curt Hennig. McDaniel mentioned that in a 1987, Hennig opened up McDaniel, resulting in thirteen stitches near his eye. McDaniel said in 1988, he looked to give the people something new in being the first Indian champion.
Catch the legends of AWA Monday - Friday at 1am est on ESPN Classic.
David
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