June 10^th aired a 1988 episode of Verne Gagne¢s AWA All-Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada.  

Chief Jay Strongbow Jr versus Mike Somani 

The Chief¢s first match saw him chase back Somani with a war dance, then flip him with arm drags and a hip toss. Somani¢s attack was an eye gouge, rope burn, turn buckle smash and fgorearm clubs. Chief did a war dance to shake off the ffects, and level Somani with tomahawk chops. After delivering a series of knee lifts, Chief suplexed Somani, then put him away with a piledriver. Referee Marty Miller counted 3, ending the match in under four minutes. At ringside, Chief took the microphone to say that he was watching Chief Wahoo McDaniel¢s back and warned "Ragining Bull" Manny Fernandez that the alliance of "Indian Power" is here and "War Dance Fever" will run wild on anyone who tries to get in their way.  

Backstage comments of Paul Diamond with Badd Company partner Sansai Pat Tanaka replayed. Diamond said that he was enjoying the limousines, jets, and the women from being a part of the Diamond Dallas Pages¢ Diamond Exchange. Diamond said that he is looking forward to facing Top Guns (Ricky Rice & Jon Paul) and the re-treaming of Greg Gagne and returning Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Diamond said that on behalf of Badd Company, NWA tag champions Road Warriors and WWF champions Demolition have refused Page¢s challenge.  

Dennis Stamp & Greg Robertson versus Mando & Chavo (Sr) Guerrero  

Chavo escaped Stamp¢s headlock, by top wrist locking him to the mat. Stamp caught Chavo in a head scissors, which Chavo did a headstand and twist to escape. Seated in the audience was AWA ladies¢ contender Magnificent Mimi wearing an orange strapless top, and mouthing the words "I¢m here for Madusa now". A leg arm lock was passed off to the tagged Mando, who then picked the newly tagged and bigger Robertson off his feet with a bear hug. Mando leg sweeped Roberston down for referee Gary DeRousha¢s 2. Mando was whipped to the ropes, leapfrogged over Roberston, then took him down with a flying headscissors and dropkick.  

From a snapmare, Mando used his ankles to perform a fast head twist on the downed Robertson. Chavo was tagged and got a two count from a back suplex. After taking forarm clubs and European uppercuts, Chavo fired back with chops, then tagged Mando. Robertson was Irish whipped to the ropes, then picked up for a bear hug by Chavo. Mando propelled himself from the ring apron to the top rope, but fell face first to the mat, when trying to launch himself from the ropes. Chavo dropped Robertson down, and pressed him to the mat, with an assist by a hurt Mando for the three count. This match was under three minutes.  

In an interview with announcer Larry Nelson, owner and former AWA champion Verne Gagne said that he would have to stall on the big blockbuster announcement for at least another week. Verene said that there was one detail left, and AWA president Stanley Blackburn sworn Verne to secrecy until it got worked out. Verene said that he wanted to finally make the announcement in the next episode, but that "it was up to Stanley". The big announcement I suspect is Super Clash III, that was a pay per view event that saw wrestlers from AWA, World Class and CWA perform.

"Hurricane" Scott Hudson versus Teijo Khan (accompanied by Soldat Ustinov)

Teijo pushed Hudson down, as Soldat nodded to the camera. Commentator Lee Marshall said "There¢s ugly" and then refereed to Teijo as "Uglier". Hudson backed off Teijo for a moment with a fireman¢s carry takeover, but then was caught by Teijo¢s stomach kick and dropped with a chop. Hudson ducked Teijo clothesline, but Teijo drove him to the mat with a flying throat grab. Referee Marty Miller counted Teijo off the choke at 3. 

Teijo flying headbutted down Hudson, then from a backbreaker, Teijo choked Hudson on the bottom rope. When referee Miller¢s attention towards Teijo, Soldat choked Hudson on the bottom rope. Teijo slammed Hudson onto the top rope, then stopped his own pin at about 2 after a diving chop. From a nerve hold on a seated Hudson¢s left trapezius muscle (shoulder), Hudson was whipped to a double knife edge chop, but kicked out at 2.  

Teijo goes back to the nerve hold, then breaks his own pin after a powerslam at about the two count. Hudson moves and Teijo lands his right shoulder to the mat in a botched dive. Hudson lands punches and a chop. Hudson ducks down for too long in a back drop attempt, and is driven back with Teijo¢s off the ropes uppercut chop. Teijo straddles for the 3 count, and referee Miller counts a smiling Teijo to get him off of Hudson. This match was under five minutes.  

Backstage, AWA women¢s champion Madusa Miceli said that she was mad at Curt Hennig for interfering in her match with Brandi May, adding that she doesn¢t need a man in her corner. "He had it coming", Madusa said about AWA president Stanley Blackburn suspension. Madusa wrapped up by saying that former WWF (WWE) champion Wendi Richter & Magnificent Mimi can keep waiting, because Madusa "calls the shots" regarding title matches.  

Big K (Stanley Kowalski) said that women¢s wrestling is the hottest thing today, and said that AWA champion Madusa Miceli was truly the best. K said that Madusa could beat 95% of the men. K explained that former AWA champion Curt Hennig was showing her moves that could beat anyone. K said Magnificent Mimi¢s trainer, Billy Robinson wasn¢t as good a trainer because he never held the AWA world title. K named Heidi Lee Morgan and Brandi May as contender, but he felt that Debbie Combs had the best chance to win the title.

According to Big K, Debbie¢s mother Cora Combs "was one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time" Big K mentioned that Madusa did a Playboy spread and movie with Leif Garrett. Madusa also has a $50,000 challenge to AWA men¢s champion Jerry "The King" Lawler, and Big K warned Lawler that he would never be "The King" again to take the challenege, because Madusa would beat him.  

Hunter Thompson versus Rocky Mountain Thunder 

Rocky tied his mysterious bag to the top turnbuckle connector. A headlocked Rocky seated Thompson on the top turnbuckle and patted him on the head. Thompson made false claims of a hair pull, when Rocky muscled back down to the mat. Thompson was monkey flipped over, when Rocky engaged him in knuckle lock test of strength. From a wristlock and leg trip, Rocky put his bare feet in the face of Thompson, during a double legged arm stretcher.  

Thompson escaped to land forearms to Rocky on the ropes, and take him down to one knee in the corner, from a back elbow. Rocky took more shots in the corner, but fired back to whip Thompson in the opposite corner. Rocky flew into Thompson with both knees. Thompson was then back dropped, and Rocky put him away with an off the ropes splash. Referee Gary DeRousha counted the 3, ending match in under four minutes.  

"Cool" Curt Hennig versus AWA world champion Jerry "The King" Lawler in the championship main event

AWA ladies¢ champion Madusa Miceli wore her gold wrestling one piece and white jacket with tails as she accompanied Hennig to the ring. During referee Gary DeRousha¢s ring instructions, Hennig pushed Lawler. The collar and elbow tie up would by shrugged off for a Lawler body slam. In another tie up, Hennig hip tossed Lawler over, but missed with an elbow drop.  

Lawler turned Hennig around to the corner, but missed with a swinging right fist. Hennig backed Lawler to the corner, but Lawler moves, causing Hennig to punch the turnbuckle pad. Hennig was not effected, but grabbed the rope to avoid Lawler¢s strike, when Hennig¢s headlock was pushed off to the ropes. Madusa yells to Lawler to "give it up!" and the crowd rallies for Lawler. Hennig backs Lawler to the ropes, and lands three devastating right fists that knock Lawler down. 

Hennig turns his attention away, and Lawler comes out of the corner to rock Hennig to the mat with a right fist, and Hennig backs to the ropes, and falls to the floor. Hennig returns to ctach Lawler in a waistlock. Lawler escapes by planting a right elbow, then a right fist that has Hennig fly to the mat. Hennig caught Lawler in a headlock, with a bit of choke, then landed a sharp right punch that knocked Lawler¢s back to the bottom rope. Madusa then chokes Lawler, as referee DeRousha had his attention on Hennig. Lawler left the ring and chased Madusa around the ring. 

Madusa then rang into the ring, and exited when Lawler entered. Hennig laned rights to Lawler¢s face, but Madusa screamed as Hennig struggled to eventually be taken over by a sunset flip for a 1 count. Hennig punched Lawler to the middle rope, and kicked him to the floor. Madusa threaten to strike, but Lawler got up nand scared her away with his fighting stance. Lawler held on to the top rope, taking Hennig¢s right fists, until the third punch had Lawler hit the concrete floor. Hennig then slammed Lawler into the steel post, when Madusa distracted referee Gary DeRousha. Hennig rished back in the ring and spat his gum out.  

When Lawler returned to the ring apron, Hennig suplexed him into the ring, getting a 2 count from referee Gary DeRousha. Hennig wrapped up Lawler in an abdominal stretch, and Lawler would flip Hennig over with a hip toss. As DeRousha was tending to Lawler, Madusa handed Hennig her shoe. Hennig hit Lawler with the shoe, but Lawler raised his right shoulder at the 2 count. A frustrated Hennig smashed a downed Lawler with three right fists, but Lawler would raise his left shoulder at the count of 2.  

Hennig then picked up and drove Lawler to the mat with a piledriver, but Lawler laid his left leg over the bottom rope to break the count at 2. Lawler took two double forearm strikes to the shoulders, rolled up Hennig for a pin to cheering fans, but DeRousha was dealing with a complaining Madusa on the ring apron. DeRousha pushed her off the apron, Hennig lands a knee to the back, and then Lawler raises his right shoulder at 2, after a Rick Rude style neckbreaker by Hennig. Lawler rises and right fists a top rope perched Hennig, who falls and is crotched on the top turnbuckle connector.  

Lawler falls forward and Hennig falls backwards, after punching each other at the same time. Lawler ducks Hennig¢s swinging punch attempt and atomic drops him. Lawler lowers his singlet strap, launches four left punches and twirls Hennig to the canvas with a right. Lawler body slams Hennig near the corner, then leaps off the second rope for a flying fist drop. Hennig moves away, and Lawler¢s fist hits the canvas. Hennig wraps a sleeper hold on Lawler. Commentator Rod Trongard said that Hennig may have learned that from the Gagnes.  

Referee DeRousha raises Lawler¢s left arm and it drops twice. On the thrid drop, Lawler raises his arm and gets from his knees to a standing position. Lawler reached up at Hennig¢s head and flips him over the top rope. Referee DeRousha signals the bell, stopping the match after eight minutes. Hennig is awarded the match on a disqualification, when Lawler ignored the over the top rope rule.  

Lawler on his knees in the ring, raised his AWA world title, and Hennig yelled to referee DeRousha to not disqualify Lawler, and keep the match going. Hennig told announcer Lee Marshall that he had Lawler beat, but Lawler resorted to "taking the easy way out" by getting himself disqualified, thus losing the match but not the title. Hennig yelled to Lawler, calling him a piece of garbage, and that Hennig is the greatest wrestling in the world.

Hennig said it may have been his toughest match, and that Wahoo McDaniel, Manny Fernandez, Baron Von Raschke, and Greg Gagne will have to wait in line. Hennig poked Lee Marshall in the chest saying that he may have to break knuckles, pull eyes, and whether suspended or not, you¢re looking at mayhem. Before Lawler went back to nthe locker room he raised the AWA world title and pointed to his mind.  

At AWA studio, Verne Gagne rejoined Larry Nelson to say again that AWA president Stanley Blackburn has sworn him to secrecy regarding the blockbuster announcement, but was hopeful to have word in the next episode. Verne said that Hennig was suspended for breaking verbal contracts by having no shows at events, and for interference in Brandi May¢s match against women¢s champion Madusa. Verne signaled with a centimenter space between his thumb and index finger of how close the AWA was to unveiling it¢s big news.  

Catch the legends of AWA Monday to Friday at 1am est on ESPN Classic. 

David     www.myspace.com/unrulyghouly