July 26^th aired a 1987 episode of Verne Gagne`s AWA All-Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada.

At AWA studio, Larry Nelson announced that 94 year old Ernest Gallard`s son sent a letter on behalf of his father, that earned him AWA`s Fan of the Week. Ernest would be receiving AWA Pro Wrestling Report magazine, and autographed photos from the stars of the AWA.

 Dennis Stamp versus "Adorable" Adrian (accompanied by manager Paul E. Dangerously)

Dangerously (Paul Heyman) combed Adonis` hair, and a commentating Verne Gagne said that it reminded him of the Gorgeous George days in wrestling. Stamp pushes Adonis to the ropes for a roll up pin, knocking Dangerously down. Stamps gets a pin count of 2 on his pre-bell attack, then gets another 2 on a cover after back bodying dropping the over 300 lb. Adonis. Stamp ducks a clothesline, then drops Adonis with a clothesline, covering for another 2 count on his pin.

Adonis reverses Stamp`s corner whip, and drills a cornered Stamp with a flying knee drive. Adonis falls forward with his full weight on Stamp, and hooks him up for referee Gary DeRousha`s pin count of 3. This match was under two minutes.

AWA Notebook then posted onscreen: "Rose are red. Violets are blue. Fur, lace and leather, could do wonder for you" - "Adorable" Adrian Adonis

Greg Gagne joined Larry Nelson in the studio, to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Gagne relaid a message of Tommy "Wildfire" Rich, that he would get revenge on Adrian Adonis if it was the lats thing he does. Rich was out with a broken left elbow from a telvision title tournment match he had with Adonis. Nelson and Gagne spoke about "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. Who had just left the WWF (WWE) and is probably back to his duties as Adonis` bodyguard (note: Orton used to serve as Adonis` bodyguard in matches, and during his Flower Shop interview segment). Gagne said "we¢re going to have our hands full in 1988"

 Greg Robertson & Sonny Rogers versus "Slick" Nick Kiniski & "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly

Kiniski works a headlock to hammer on Robertson, then takes him over with an armlock. Robertson reverses a wristlock, but is kneed in the corner. Robertson corner whips Kiniski to an arm drag, Kiniski the arm drags, but Robertson rolls with the move to keep the arm lock. Verne Gagne wished Mad Dog Vachon godspeed in recovery, as Vachon was recovering from an amputation surgery.

Kiniski chops Robertson in the corner, then a tagged Kelly forearm clubs Robertson, then rope whips him to a back elbow. Kiniski throws Robertson to his corner, and Kelly presses a tagged Rogers overhead for a gorilla press slam. Kelly yells out to the crowd "look at your hero!", then clubs him back down. After delivering a backbreaker, Kelly steps on Rogers en route to tagging Kiniski. A whipped Rogers ducks Kiniski back elbow, and springs off the ropes for a flying cross body tackle.

Kiniski catches Rogers, backbreakers him and gets a pin count of 2. Kiniski then plants Rogers into the mat with a piledriver, and gets referee Gary DeRousha`s 3 on the pin count, ending the match after three minutes. AWA Notebook posted comments by Referee DeRousha who sates that the AWA is no different than other major sports when it comes to athletic ability.

 Rick Gantner versus D.J. Peterson (accompanied by Chief Wahoo McDaniel)

This match was not at the Showboat, and the venue wasn¢t explained. Gantner goes to the ropes, causing a break of DJ`s hammerlock hold. Gantner went to the ropes again, this time breaking him free of DJ`s wristlock. Gantnter then exits the ring after DJ flipped him to the mat with an arm drag. Gantner is stratled to find the he exited near Wahoo, and quickly backs aways him. DJ yanks the ropes causing Gantner to get flipped in the ring from the apron.

DJ arm drags Gantner to a grapevine lock on the left arm. DJ then cranks back with a short arm scissors. From his release, Gantner is charged down, then DJ leapfrogs over a charging Gantner, to knock him down with dropkicks. Then from an arm drag, Gantner`s scissored left arm is worked over with a leg and knee drops. DJ executes a rolling crucifix, gaining a pin count of 2 on Gantner.

Gantner attacks back with an eye rake, punches, and rope burning DJ`s face across the top rope. DJ kicks Gantner, then punches him down for a leg drop, and gets a count of 2 on his pin cover. Gantner headbutts and rubs the laces of his boots over DJ`s eye. DJ pushes Gantner to the corner, then rolls in up for looked like a pin count of 3.

Gantner had escaped a near fall, then escaped a corner charged, that had DJ hung up in the corner. Gantner struck, side slammed and knee dropped DJ. Gantner then climbed to the ropes, but DJ got up to press slam Gantner from the top. Gantner was corner whipped for a back body drop. DJ perched himself onto the middle ropes in the corner, then launched into Gantner with the TNT (flying shoulder tackle) and hooks the leg for referee Marty Miller`s 3 count. This match was under eight minutes.

At the studio with Larry Nelson, "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly said that he should get a few more bank accounts, and that he still had the $10,000 from no one being able to beat him at his arm wrestling challenge. Kelly spoke of big egos in the AWA, but no one coming down the aisle to back it up.

He mentioned beating up people afor a whole year in the territory, brought up Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers and "Playboy" Buddy Rose all nowhere to be found to challenge him. Kelly claimed that Joan Rivers wanted him to make a personal appearance, but that he was busy making a work-out video with Jane Fonda. Kelly then made a challenge "I¢m looking for Curt Hennig in 1988..be ready baby"

After the commerical, Larry Nelson presented segment three of a four part year in review special. This episode would cover July, August and Septmeber of 1987. Nelson mentioned Sherri Martel being stripped to her underwear by Tommy "Wildfire" Rich before she left the AWA, vacating the ladies` world championship; the return of Wahoo McDaniel and Jerry Blackwell; Sheik Adnan El Kassey`s suspension (but not explaining exactly why); debuting Paul E. Dangerously to the area from the Mid-South territory; Dangerously bringing in Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose of the Original Midnight Express to world tag team gold; another newcomer named Madusa Miceli, taking over Sherri Martel`s managerial services to Kevin Kelly, and Madusa`s wrestling abilty.

Nelson then aired highlights from a match Madusa had at the Showboat with the nearly 200 lb Peggy Lee Leather. Madusa reversed a wristlock, yelled "I don¢t need that!" and kicked off the hold. Leather was against the ropes, as Madusa struck her in the back, then yanked the ropes to have Leather gets slammed back to the mat. The match flashed a head to show Kevin Kelly grabbing Leather`s foot with a bit a of an assist to Madusa`s suplex. Madusa pins Leather for 3, then kicks her after the match.

Nelson then aired the ending of Wahoo McDaniel`s match with AWA world champion Curt Hennig at the Showboat. The clip showed that Hennig was on the floor as he struck McDaniel in the ring with a roll of coins. Hennig then strucks Mcdaniel down in the ring, and got got the pin count fo 3 on the bloodied McDaniel.

Nelson then spoke about the induction of the AWA international television title, and showed Nick Kiniski`s match against Alan West in a tournament match, where Kiniski and Kelly re-injured West`s left leg (originally injured during his college football days). Jumps and sits down on West`s leg against the rope, then wraps it up in an ankle twist. Commentator Rod Trongard mentioned that West had orthoscopic surgery to save his knee.

Nelson then mentioned that he thought El Kassey got suspended on purpose; that Boris Zhukov had been run out by the AWA by Wahoo McDaniel, after their chain match; how Doug Somers taking over for Zhukov as tag team champion with Soldat Ustinov didn`t click. Then Nelson aired the match where they defended their AWA world tag team titles against Jerry "The King" Lawler & "Superstar" Bill Dundee at the Mid-South arena on October 30^th (a little beyond September).

The clip showed Somers trying to throw Dundee ove rthe top from the corner, but Dundee turned around and leaped off the middle rope for a flying body press. As Lawler kept down Ustinov, Dundee got the 3 count, and his team become the new world tag team champions.

Nelson then aired the original Midnight Express`s win of the world tag team titles at the University of Wisconsin. The clip showed Lawler punching away Randy Rose, then Dundee striking Dennis Condey in the corner. Dangerously was struck by Lawler after handing Rose the cordless phone. As the referee as tied up with Lawler, he missed seeing Dundess roll-up pin on Condrey. Rose charged in and broke the phone over Dundee`s head. Condrey covered for the 3 and the world belt for his team.

 Jamin¢ Mitch Snow & Alan West versus AWA world tag team champions "Loverboy" Dennis Condrey & "Ravishing" Randy Rose of the Original Midnight Express.

After Paul E. Dangerously took of the introduction of his team, a commentating ring announcer Mick Karch said that Dangerously was the most aggravating individual in professional wrestling. Condrey wristlocks and elbow smashes Snow. Condrey hands the wrist to Rose on the apron, who yanks it over his shoulder as he face the crowd. Snow then almost gets Rose to accidently yank Condrey`s arm. Condrey pulls Snow down with a headlock and hair pull, as the crowd chants "PAUL E SUCKS!"

Snow has Condrey back off to his corner, then Snow charges with a punch on Rose, after Condrey pushed off his headlock. Condey is taken to the mat with a headlock, and then Condrey breaks out to whip Snow to the ropes. Snow slides to the floor, and chased Paul into the ring. Snow had a hold of Paul`s legs and pulls, as Rose and Condrey pull Paul towards them by his arms. Karch and Trongard joked that Paul always wears the same suit. Rod Trongard said "a leopard doesn¢t change his spots, and Paul E doesn¢t change his suits"

Snow maintains a wristlock while back dropping Rose. Snow absorbs Rose`s chops to maintain the wristlock and tag off to West. Rose is held in West`s full nelson, as Snow gives Rose a punch before going back to his corner. Rose is wristlocked, but then starts Express`s extensive work on West`s leg. Rose starts out with ankle kicks. From a drop toe hold, a tagged condrey kicks at the knee. Trongard mentioned that West had a brilliant career as a linebacker at Mancado State in Minnesota, and that is where West`s leg injury began. Karch mentioned that everytime West wrestled, it was against doctor`s order, having had surgery twice on the knee.

Condrey stepped on West`s ankle, and held his foot there while a tagged Rose delivered a running elbow drop to the thigh. West tries to stand, and Rose takes him off his feet with ankle kicks. Rose ankle twists, then passed off the move to a tagged Condrey. The Express would tag back and forth with stomps on the left ankle and thigh. Referee Robert Warren makes Condrey release a grapevine on the leg, as he spots Condrey holding the rope for added leverage.

Condrey struck at the chest of a seated West, then Rose charges in near the opposite corner to rally up Snow to enter and be tied up with the ref. Condrey kicks at West`s leg, but Snow is able to get over to his opponents to land punches on Rose and Condrey. Snow is kneed in the stomach and thrown over the top rope by Condrey, but the referee did not see it to rule a disqualification. As Snow tries to recover on the floor, Dangerously rushed over and stomps him.

As West lays against the ropes, Rose holds the leg as Condrey leapfrogs over his partner onto the leg. Karch questions why referee Warren is only counting instead of ending the match, as Rose holds the leg for Condrey`s kicks, and then pushes aside the ref. Warren finally signals for the bell when Pat Tanaka attacks Rose in the corner. Tanaka then whips Rose into Condrey, who is whipped from the opposite corner by Snow. Tanaka back drops Rose, as Snow punches Condrey, before the Express exit the ring. This match over eleven minutes, with referee Robert Warren ruling a victory to the Midnight Express by disqualification, when Pat Tanaka interfered. AWA Notebook then posted "Happy New Year from the AWA!"

Back at the studio, Larry Nelson was greeted with a surprised visit by Sheik Adnan El Kassey, who announced his return from suspension. Adnan said thet 1988 is going to be an Arab year, adding that he has kept in close contacted with the most dangerous men from Germany, Spain, Belgium, France and Russia.

Nelson had brought up that Nord the Barbarian had been wanting the suspension lifted so that he could get a hold of El Kassey and tear him to shred. El Kassey worries were subsided by the man who joined him in the studio, Soldat Ustinov. Kassey was praised by Soldat as "the greatest man in the world today". Soldat then said that vitory will be his, and holds up a framed picture of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin.

Catch the legends of the AWA Monday to Friday at 12am est on ESPN Classic.

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