CLASSIC AWA AUGUST 14th TV REPORT
- 08/16/2008 (12:56:11 am)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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August 14th aired a June 1990 episode of Verne Gagne`s AWA All-Star Wrestling. The final minutes of The Trooper`s match against AWA wolrd champion Larry Zbyszko replayed. Trooper had whipped Zbyszko chest first in the corner. Zbyszko was whipped to the ropes for a gut shot, then whipped for a back body drop. Trooper clamped on his nerve hold to Zbyszko`s shoulders with ten seconds remaining in the match. Zbyszko went to the mat, and the bell sounded. Fans cheered as they thought Trooper had won the title, but Zbyszko did not submit as this match closed. Kent Carlson versus The Trooper (WWE`s Patriot) Trooper threw plastic polices badges from his state trooper hat to the fans as he made it to the ring. The camera went to a man in the front row wearing a black mask. A cornered Trooper punched back on Carlson, picked him off the mat with a double arm throat grab, and threw Carlson`s down near the opposite corner. Carlson charged Trooper twice, and each time Carlson fell backwards. Carlson`s third charge earned him a Trooper scoop slam, as the crowd cheered. Carlson is punched on the ropes and Irish whipped for a Trooper back elbow. A kicked Carlson was hip tossed and planted with a back suplex. Carlson eye raked out of Trooper`s wristlock, then continued to rake Trooper in the ropes. Becker backed Carlson off, and Trooper stopped short on a whip, to deliver a knockdown knee to Carlson`s gut. Trooper whipped Carlson for the ropes for what looked to be a back body drop, but Carlson was kept on Trooper`s back, then flap jacked down to the mat. Trooper double flexed his arms, then whipped Carlson to the ropes for a high dropkick. Trooper raised his arms for the big pinch finisher, and clamped it on Carlson`s shoulders. Carlson screamed and was brought to the mat. After Carlson`s arm dropped from referee Todd Becker`s third raise, the final bell was signaled, and Trooper won by submission. This match was under four minutes. In a post match interview at ringside, Eric Bischoff told The Trooper that he looked bigger and stronger. Trooper said there was a simple explanation and that was because he is. Trooper mentioned that in all the bravado wrestlers say in their interviews, what tends to get forgotten is something important, in the kids. Trooper said that school would be out soon, and said to the kids in the crowd to saty out of trouble. He said look out for yourself, and I¢ll look out for you. Trooper then told AWA wprld champion Larry Zbyszko to look out for his behind. Trooper "I¢m young, vibrant, and just getting started" Trooper said that he had a long career ahead of him, and would keep going until the AWA world championship gold went around his waist. Video highlights aired from "Timekeeper" Mike George`s four minute challenge to Nikita Koloff. George dropped Nikita`s on his knee for the backbreaker, then chinlocked and kneed at Nikita`s back. George applied a front face chancery, but Nikita wristlocked out and clubbed at George`s locked arm. George eyes raked for an escape, then eye raked Nikita in the corner. Nikita was corner whipped and kneed in the throat. Nikita elbowed out of George`s choke, and smashed him to the turnbuckle. After a punch on the ropes, Nikita Irish whipped George for a flying tackle. Nikita beat his chest like a gorilla and kneed George in the corner. George reversed the corner whip and punched Nikita. George whipped him to the corner, but Nikita moved away from George`s charge, and George was drilled to the mat with The Russian Sickle. Nikita pressed George in the mat for referee Gary DeRousha`s 1..2..3 count. George clubbed Nikita, backed off, and then Nikita chased him out of the ring. With the cartoon amusement park graphic of Larryland behind them, Eric Bischoff interviewed AWA world heavyweight champion "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko. In talking about who the time limit favored, Zbyszko felt that it was The Trooper who was the lucky one. Zbyszko said that had it with Trooper`s tactics, and felt Trooper`s rant about the long arm of the law was a joke. Zbyszko asked why Trooper and Nikita Koloff don`t wrestle each other, with the winner getting a one way ticket to Larryland. Zbyszko said that sounded very fair, and went back to the days where men were men, and women kept their mouths shut. Zbyszko wanted these contenders to prove themselves like he did against former world heavyweight champions Bruno Sammartino in WWE, and Nick Bockwinkel in the AWA. Zbyszko told Trooper and Nikita to imagine their girlfriends getting in a car wreck and dying. He said that is the joy one gets as the undisputed world heavyweight champion. In the Team Challenge Series Update, video clips aired of a match between Yukon John Nord against Texas Hangman Killer. Nord`s tag partner Scott Norton chased Killer`s partner Psycho outside the ring, and referee Todd Becker ordered both men to leave the ringside area. After Nord hit Killer with the leg drop, Psycho ran in the ring and choked Nord with the bull rope. Norton chased away both Hangmen, and Nord scored 1 point on a disqualification win for his team Baron Von Raschke`s Blitzers. The standing at that point had Baron Blitzers leading with 33 points, followed by Sgt. Slaughter`s Snipers with 29 points and Larry Zbyszko`s Legends trailing at 28. Jim Evans versus Texas Hangman Psycho Commentator Ralph Strangis mentioned that Psycho could be distinguished from his partner Killer, from having red on his left boot. Psycho backed Evans to the ropes and released when referee Gary DeRousha counted him off. Psycho`s partner Killer yelled "Hurt him, Psycho!" Evans was clubbed in a wristlock, but reversed a hammerlock. Psycho elbowed out and snapmared Evans down. Psycho went to the floor and pulled Evans` head to the ring apron. Psycho dropped an elbow on his chest, and Killer choked Evans when the referee turned his attention away to admonish Psycho. Evans was snpamared, stomped in the stomach, and body slammed. Psycho crashed to the canvas when Evans moved away from an elbow drop. Pyscho was kicked back the mat twice by Evans` forward mule kicks. Evans arm dragged Psycho down. Psycho clubbed and whipped Evans to the ropes. Evans ducked Psycho`s back strike, then leapfrogged over Psycho`s back body drop attempt. Psycho caught Evans with a spinning neckbreaker, and Evans kicked out for 2. Ebans was powerslammed and covered him, but Psycho picked Evans off the pin at 2. Psycho boo called, with raised one arm for a hook and horns sign. Evans was planted to the mat with a DDT. Referee Gary DeRousha counted a 3 count victory for Psycho, ending this match in under four minutes. Psycho stepped on a downed Evans, and went to the ropes for a celebratory smashing of forearms with Killer on the apron Tom Bennett versus "Flapjack" Scott Norton of The Lumberjacks Norton`s Lumberjacks tag team partner Yukon John Nord followed him to the ring. Both men had an ax on one shoulder, as Warren Zevon`s song "Werewolves of London" played. The Lumberjacks slapped hands with fans at ringside. Norton charged off the ropes into Nord, and psyched each other up further with an exchange of knife edge chops to the chest. The match begand, and Norton shoved Bennett down near one corner to another. A headlocked Norton picked Bennett up and seated him on the top turnbuckle. A bewildered Bennett clubbed at Norton`s chest to no effect. Bennett grabbed Borton`s throat, but Norton picked Bennett up by the throat with one hand, and threw him down. Norton chopped Bennett against the turnbuckles, whipped him to the opposite corner and pressed Bennett up by his chest for a free fall drop. Norton whipped Bennett for a powerslam, presded him into the mat, and referee Todd Becker counts 3. This match was under three minutes. The Lumberjacks clamp hands and celebrate in a chest slap exchange. There was a background graphic of a destroyed building, as Eric Bischoff interviewed AWA world tag team champions Mike Eno & Wayne Bloom. Bischoff wanted to directly ask Enos if his team was taking their opponents for the main event too lightly. Bloom cut in saying "I`ll handle this one, Mike" and went on to put down Ric McCord and D.J. Peterson`s title run as Central States tag champions, as nothing more than a regional deal. Bloom said that his team would stay world champions, and there was no way to take them down. Enos was about to say something about The Lumberjacks, but Bloom cut in again, saying he would handle this one. Bloom said his Destruction Crew has beat very good wrestlers, and not just punks. Bloom said that The Lumberjacks do not work in synch like The Destruction Crew, as his team has eyes in the back of their heads. Bloom told The Lumberjacks to keep wishing, but there was no way the AWA world tag team title will go to them. Bloom "We¢re gonna send you back up north in the woods, where you belong!" Ric McCord & D.J. Peterson versus AWA world tag team chmapions Wayne "The Train" Bloom & "Mean" Mike Enos of The Destruction Crew The Crew came to the ring carrying sledgehammers to Queen`s song "We Will Rock You" They are accompanied by a man in a tuxedo wearing heavy set man with long hair named Christopher Love. McCord & Peterson then rushed to the ring to AC/DC`s song "TNT" DJ and Bloom engage in a shoving match, as Enos clubbed down McCord. The Crew then whipped DJ to the ropes for a double back body drop. The match officially begins, and DJ`s back is double whipped into the corner. Enos slammed DJ into the corner, then powerslammed him into the mat. DJ ducked a double clothesline, and knocked down both Eno and Bloom in an off ropes double clothesline. The crowd cheers, and The Crew exit the ring. Chrsitopher Love complained to referee Gary DeRousha on behalf of his Deestruction Crew. Lee Marshall mentioned that Love would be bringing Tully Blanchard and Lord Humongous to the AWA. The camera showed again the masked man at ringside. Back in the ring, Enos extends for a handshake. When DJ looked away for a second, Enos clubbed him, and kneed him in the corner. Enos whipped DJ to the corner, but crashed to the buckles, when DJ bypassed the charge. DJ arm dragged Enos down, and held the left arm down on the mat for a tagged McCord leg drop. Enos body slammed out of McCord`s arm bar, but McCord arm dragged down a tagged Bloom. McCord elbowed the arm, wound up on it, and held it as a tagged DJ stuck it with an off the top rope double axhandle. Bloom was on the mat as DJ tied him up with a head scissor and wristlock. Bloom escaped, but DJ ducked the clothesline, and received a pin count of 2 with an off the ropes cross body. A tagged McCord assisted with a double hip toss, but Bloom would pull the hair to release McCord`s arm bar. Bloom whipped McCord for a back drop, but McCord got a back drop on Bloom. McCord brought Bloom to one knee with an arm twist. Bloom reversed a whip to the corner, but then McCord spun around to reverse that, and monkey flipped Bloom from the corner. McCord tagged off his arm bar to DJ, and referee Gary DeRousha questioned them if the tag was really made. Bloom kneed DJ in the corner, DJ reversed a corner whip, but Blooms move had DJ crash the buckles on his charge. DJ took a tagged Enos to the canvas with a drop toe hold, kneed him in the corner, then reverse corner whipped Enos to the corner. DJ charged in for what looked like a monkey flip, but straddled the turnbuckle, when Enos moved. A tagged Bloom clubbed DJ, and landed a kidney shot with the forearm. DJ is back suplexed, tried to fight back with stomach punches, but was clubbed and stomped to the mat. DJ is kicked in the rib, then a tagged nos assisted in a double back elbow. Enos got a pin of 2, then hooked the leg for another 2 count, after a powerslam. The crowd chants "DJ!" as Enos locked a chinlock on the standing Peterson. Bloom yelled "Shutup!" to the crowd, and DJ elbowed out of the hold. Enos forearm smashed DJ, whipped him to the ropes for a back body drop, but rolled up by DJ`s sunset flip. Referee Gary DeRousha was distracted by Love, and jumped to count the pin. When he reached 2, Bloom came and kicked DJ off. A tagged Bloom clubbed DJ, and got a pin fo 2 after a vertical suplex. Bloom clubbed and body slammed DJ, then tagged Enos. Bloom stepped on DJ`s left arm as Enos bounced off the ropes and dove down with a headbutt. Enos body slammed DJ, smiled and took his time getting to the middle ropes. Enos crashed, as DJ moved away from the flying splash. A tagged McCord hopped over the top ropes and punched away at Enos. McCord Irish whipped Enos for a back body drop. Bloom entered the ring, and got body slammed by DJ, as McCord punched at Enos. McCord chopped Enos on the ropes, then wrapped him up in an abdominal stretch. DJ knocked Bloom back, but when referee Gary DeRousha was trying to get DJ back to his corner, Bloom flew off the top rope with a clothesline on McCord. Enos hooked the leg, and got the 3 to victory and boos. This match ended in under eleven minutes. At ringside, Eric Bischoff mentioned that experts had been saying that McCord and Peterson satnd a chance in winning the AWA world tag team championship. DJ promised that the time would come, when somebody was going to get The Destruction Crew, and that his team would get the titles sooner or later. McCord mentioend that they had tag team titles before, and promised to once again. As Bischoff was wrapping up, DJ came back to the camera to say "I promise" Catch the legends of AWA Monday to Friday at 12am est on ESPN Classic. David |
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