July 22^nd aired a 1987 episode of Verne Gagne`s AWA All-Star Wrestling from White Water, Wisconsin.

At AWA studio, Larry Nelson announced that Joshua Del Panal of Chicago, Illinois was AWA`s Fan of the Week. Joshua`s mother sent a letter to AWA explaining that her seven year old son was at the hospital in traction, after being involved in an automobile accident.

She explained that her son loves the AWA and never misses the action. Nelson said that Joshua would be receiving AWA`s Pro Wrestling Report newsletter and autograph photos from the AWA stars.

 Tony Leone versus Chief Wahoo McDaniel

Newcomer Billy Jack Strong (Steve DiSalvo, WCW Minotaur) accompanied Mcdaniel to the ring. Leone gouged Wahoo`s eye, then pulled his hair. Leone then did a 360 degree flip over the top rope when blasted by Wahoo`s knife edge chop. When Leone returned to the ring, he was headlocked over. Leone was struck in the head with a tomahawk chop, then picked up for a backbreaker.

Leone was caught in a chinlock, then Irish whipped for a slicing knockdown chop. Wahoo covered Leone after a suplex, gaining referee Marty Miller`s 3 count and ending the match in two minutes. A pained Leone rolled himself out of the ring. In the replay of Wahoo`s back breaker, a commentating Verne Gagne mentioned having broken ribs from a back breaker, stating that "it felt like I got shot"  

Jim Evans versus Nick Kiniski from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kiniski leaves the ring to fold up his blue ring jacket that says Canada on it, as "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly joined him at ringside. Madusa Miceli also joined them, wearing a nylon wrestling outfit. Kiniski took Evans to the mat with a top wrist lock, leg trip combination. After being body slammed, Evans maneuvers from Kiniski`s second slam attempt, but Kiniski grabs the ropes to prevent a roll-up pin.

After a back breaker and a forearm shot to the kidney, Evans tries fighting back with stomach punches. Kiniski smashes Evan`s head to the turnbuckle, chops him in the corner, then throws him to the mat-less floor. Kelly picks up Evans and tosses him back in the ring. Evans is suplexed, and covered for a pin, but Kiniski picks Evans up from the pin at referee Robert Warren`s 2 count.

Evans is then lifted off the mat in Kiniski`s double handed choke, then thrown back to the canvas. Kiniski twists both of Evan`s arms back, then moves him to the ropes for Madusa’s slap. Kiniski short arm clotheslines Evans down, then jumps off the ring apron with a yanking choke on the top rope. Evans is whipped for a back elbow, punted and then pinned for 3 after a piledriver. This match was four minutes.

At AWA studio, AWA world champion Curt Hennig confirmed Larry Nelson`s statement of Hennig`s constant nationwide defense of the title. Hennig denied that the bounty hunter Dick Slater was brought in by Hennig to take Wahoo McDaniel out of the AWA. Hennig said that as far as he is concerned, McDaniel`s career is over like Nick Bockwinkel`s.

Hennig denied a connection with the highly credible and dangerous Slater. Hennig explained that Slater watches him from ringside simply for enjoyment, and to pick up pointers. Hennig- "as I stand out here right now, I’m not being cute..I’m being cool" 

Chris Zarna versus "Dirty" Dick Slater

Referee Gary DeRousha backs off Slater looking to get a jump on his opponet before the bell. When ring announcer Mick Karch uses the "Dirty" nickname, takes speaks into the microphone to tell Karch "I don¢t like that name..don¢t ever call me that name again!" The camera then shows a smiling AWA world champion Curt Hennig at ringside.

Zarna rolls Slater in an arm drag, then Slater demonstrates a clean break when backing Zarna to the ropes. Commentator Rod Trongard mentioned that Slater reminded him of a wrestler from his era named "Dirty" Dick Grange. Rod`s co-broadcaster Verne Gagne agreed, saying Grange was a tough cookie from Dallas, Texas. Slater arm drags out of the top wristlock, then twists the soul of his boot to the face of the downed Zarna.

Slater forearm clubs Zarna`s back, then throws him to the floor. Slater almost falls over the top rope, when attempts to pursue. Zarna`s return has Slater headbutt him down. Slater then dances, landing jabs to a knockdown right fist. A Slater suplex has him fake a rolling cover, to deliver an elbow strike to Zarna`s back.

Verne Gagne commented on Slater`s angry face as reminding him of old time wrestler Paul Caruso of Beverly Hills, California. Zarna reverses a corner whip, but his charge earns him Slater`s knee to the chest. Slater throat chops, then body slams Zarna onto the tope rope.

Zarna`s neck is draped over the middle rope, as Slater charges off the opposite ropes for a sit down choke. Verne mentioned that "Mad Dog" Vachon liked to do that move. Trongard mentioned that recently Vachon had his leg amputated after an automobile accident in Des Moines, Iowa.

Zarna punches at Slater¢s stomach, and tries to reverse an Irish whip, but finds himself dropped with a short arm clothesline. Slater drives down on Zarna with an elbow, then waistlocks the downed Zarna for a gutwrench roll-up and the 3 count victory. This match was under three minutes.  

Rick Gantner & Mike Richards versus Jerry "The King" Lawler & "Superstar" Bill Dundee

This match took place just after Lawler and Dundee lost the AWA world tag team titles to the Original Midnight Express. Verne Gagne mentions Express`s manager Paul E. Dangerously`s (Paul Heyman) statement of his team facing "who they want, when they want" Gantner does a double armed flex. Gantner backs Lawler to the corner, but Lawler blocks Gantner`s strike to knock him away.

Gantner whips Lawler to the ropes for a kick, but Lawler catches the foot, then trips him for a fist drop. Lawler whips Gantner for a boot, has his boot caught, but Lawler drills Gantner in the skull with an enzuigiri (flying head kick). Gantner then backs referee Marty Miller to the corner to box with Lawler. Gantner`s punch is blocked, and he struck down by Lawler`s right punch. Lawler then knocks Gantner down again with a spinning kick to the head.

Both men tag in their partner, as Dundee arm draggs down Richards (not from Seinfeld). Richards reverses Dundee`s corner whip, but Dundee hops to the middle rope to leapfrog over a charging Richards. Dundee lays to the mat and monkey flips over Richards. Dundee stomps, then gets a 2 on his pin cover. Dundee goes to roll for a pin, but Richards` legs are over the botttom ropes. Richards then slides to the floor.

A return to the ring, has Richards covered for 2 after a snap mare to a knee drop. Dundee punches an incoming Gantner and dropkicks him away. Richards is dropped with a knockdown right, and Verne mentions the referee being lenant about the closed fists. Dundee holds Richards in a wristlock for a tagged Lawler fist.

Lawler piledrives Richards, then holds him for a tagged Dundee sunset flip roll-up. Lawler staggers an incoming gantner forward with a right, then drops him with a second right. Dundee gets the 3, in this under five minute match, and gives a bit of a wiggle dance. 

At AWA studio, Paul E. Dangerously told Larry Nelson that the accusations of Dangerously`s cordless phone in his Original Midnight Express`s AWA world tag title win, was a lie. Though Dangerously said that he was fined $1500 by the AWA for his involvement in the match. Dangerously mentioned his threats to the AWA of his Dangerous Alliance leaving town with the belt, but he has cooled down and changed his mind. Dangerously said they would stay and "tear this place apart" 

Pete Sanchez versus Greg Gagne

Gagne is backed to the ropes. Gagne goes from a headlock to a hammerlock, and Sanchez goes to the ropes for a break of the hold. Sanchez headlocks Gagne to his knee. Gagne pushes off Sanchez, they engage in a criss cross until Gagne stops in the middle to hip toss Sanchez. Then after being arm dragged a couple of times, Sanchez exits the ring.

Sanchez returns to headlock, but Gagne top wristlocks to an escapes and leg trips Sanchez backwards to the mat.  Sanchez forearm strikes Gagne in the stomach and back, then smashes him from one turnbuckle to the next one. Gagne is whipped to the corner but catches a charging Sanchez in the face with a boot.

Sanchez is chopped on the rope, Irish whipped for a back body drop, and taken down twice with dropkicks. Gagne slaps a sleeperhold on, bringing Sanchez to a seated position and unconscious. Referee Gary DeRousha signals the bell, as Gagne gets the submission victory in under four minutes. Gagne then massages the neck, turns the head and lightly slaps Sanchez to wake him. 

In an interview, Dick Slater told Larry Nelson that he was tired of being insulted with the "Dirty" nickname. Nelson apologized, then said it was none of anyone`s business about his connection with AWA world champion Curt Hennig. Slater said that his reputation speaks for itself, as he is a professional who does what he sees fit.

Slater said that though he may get his butt kicked from one end of the ring to the other, he doesn’t back up from anybody, and gets the job done right. Slater said that whether he faces head to head or sneaks from behind on Wahoo McDaniel, Greg Gagne and Tommy Rich, that he will be doing it his way.  

Jammin` Mitch Snow versus AWA world champion Curt Hennig

Dick Slater accompanied Hennig to the ring. Hennig went from a headlock to a hammerlock. Hennig then exchanges hammerlocks with Snow. Hennig took over Snow twice with a hip toss. Commentating Verne Gagne mentioned that Snow reminded him of old time wrestler and close friend Jackie Nichols. Snow pushes off Hennig`s headlock, and is charged down. Snow then flips Hennig with a hip toss on his second charge. Snow hits a dropkick and then Hennig exits.

Hennig returns to say something to Snow, and they engage in a shoving match. Hennig then gets on hands and knees to challenge Snow to an amateur wrestling style contest. Hennig tries to sit out of the mount position, but Snow rides on until Hennig gets to the ropes, then Snow shoves him to the floor.

After Verne mentions how refreshing it is to see amateur wrestling being implemented, his co-commentator Rod Trongard mentioned that Verne Gagne was a Minnesota state wrestling champion in high school, and was NCAA champion at the University of Minnesota.

Snow then gets down on his hands and knees for Hennig to mount, but Hennig kicks Snow in the ribs and head, then chops him down. Hennig then works on Snow`s back with a forearm club, then knees it on the cornered Snow. Hennig chops the trapped Snow, then whips him down with an Irish whip to the opposite corner.

Hennig sits on Snow`s back, and pulls on his face, then goes to a seated chinlock. Referee Gary DeRousha counts Hennig to release when Hennig pulls on Snows`s nose. Hennig continues his assault with a double ax handle, kick and sit down drop to the back. Snow tries to fight back with stomach punches, and is double ax handled for this.

Hennig stomps the back, then applies a Boston Crab to Snow. Verne mentioned that "Rowdy" Roddy Piper used to like this hold a lot, then mentioned that "Adorable" Adrian Adonis claimed to have made Piper leave wrestling. Trongard mentioned that Verne was an expert at this hold too, as was Wilbur Snyder.

Snow has enough to grab the bottom rope, breaking the hold. Hennig strikes the back, then corner whips Snow so hard, that Snow falls forward. Snow comes back with headbutts to Hennig`s stomach. Hennig picks up Snow and gives him a backbreaker. Hennig gets a 2 on his pin cover that is broken when Snow gets his left leg on the rope. Hennig stays on Snow and hooks the leg off the rope, but referee DeRousha refuses to count.

Hennig chops Snow in the corner, but Snow reverses Hennig`s whip to the corner and lands right fists. Snow Irish whips Hennig for a dropkick, then takes him down again by whipping him for a back body drop. Snow then whips Hennig for his Jam Slam finisher (hip toss/powerslam combination) but gets a 2 when Hennig manages to get his left foot on the bottom rope.

Snow lands rights on a corned Hennig. Snow goes for a corner whip, but Hennig reverses Snow back to the original corner, having him collide with referee DeRousha. Hennig takes Snow`s rights and delivers a double ax handle.

Hennig whips Snow to the ropes, but his clothesline is ducked and Snow spring off the ropes with a flying cross body press. Hennig throws Snow off right away, then picks up Snow to drop his crotch on the top rope. The referee missed this, but recovered to see Hennig cover Snow with the leg hooked. DeRousha counts 3 for a Hennig victory, closing the match in just under ten minutes.

On the floor, Slater extends his hand in the ring and Hennig shakes it. On the replay of Hennig dropping Snow on the rope, Verne Gagne said that move was sickening and that he would tell Hennig to his face that he no longer has respect for him.

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David   http://www.myspace.com/unrulyghouly