July 30^th aired a 1987 episode of Verne Gagne`s AWA All-Star Wrestling from Minneapolis Minnesota`s Jukebox Saturday Night club, with matches from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas Nevada.  

 Art Washington versus Billy Jack Strong (Steve DiSalvo, WCW Minotaur)

Strong shoves Washington down in the corner. Washington top wristlocks but Strong powers him down with one arm. Washington charges but Strong gives a short charge that drops Washington. Strong then is eye raked and bitten, but retaliates by forearm clubbing Washington down. A commentating Verne Gagne mentioned that String squat presses 900 lbs and death lifts 800 lbs.

Washington is flipped in a back body dropped, then knocked down when whipped for a shoulder tackle. Strong delivers a DDT, then Strong converts a side slam into a regular body slam twice. Strong Irish whips Washington for a powerslam, then pin covers by touching his fingers to Washington`s chest for referee Marty Miller`s 3 count. Strong then gives a double arm flex, after this under three minute match.

Chief Wahoo McDaniel joins Larry Nelson at Jukebox Saturday Night club, to speak up AWA`s passing year that saw AWA world champion Curt Hennig try to take Wahoo`s eye out, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis breaking Tommy "Wildfire" Rich`s left wrist, and the return of Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michael of the Midnight Rockers. Wahoo felt that 1988 would bring another year of the best talent, that the AWA offered.

Nelson asked whether settling scores or winning the championship gold was priority one. Wahoo responded by saying that it`s about the championship for anyone. Wahoo felt that it also settled the score best with Hennig to take his title, because hurting him in the pocketbook was the best payback Nelson wished Wahoo the best new years, and thankful Wahoo said he was going to have a cool one. 

After the commercial, Larry Nelson spoke with a fan named Steve at the Jukebox club who said his favorite wrestlers are Curt Hennig and the Midnight Rockers. All the people there seemed to love The Midnight Rockers, and one fan said that Greg Gagne is number one.

 Jammin' Mitch Snow & Alan West verus Tom "Rocky" Stone & Pete Sanchez

Sanchez gets Snow twice with headlock punches, eye rakes and charges down Snow. Sanchez gets powerslammed, and Stone comes in an accidently stomps Sanchez. Stone chases Snow, who leaps over Sanchez. This caused Stone to collide with Sanchez. West comes in to dropkick Sanchez out of the ring, as Snow dropkicked Stone from the ring.

Stone is tagged, wristlocked, then taken down with Snow`s drop toe hold for a tagged West elbow drop. West elbows the wristlocked Stone, then rolls off Stones back to take him down with an arm drag. Stone whips West to the ropes, and West catches Stone by the foot, tripping him back for a rolling hamstring stretch. West rushes to Sanchez`s corner to forearm strike him down on the ring apron.

West body slams Stone and gets a pin count of 2 after an elbow drop. Stone strikes at West, eye rakes him and a tagged Sanchez turnbuckle smashes him. A tagged Snow is on the ropes as he hits back on Stone, and shoves off the headlock to duck down on the charging Stone.

A tagged West catches Stone with a powerslams and hooks the leg, gaining him a pin count of 1. West tags Snow, front face locks Stone, as Snow flies off the top with a super sunset flip. This gains his team referee Marty Miller`s 3 count in this under five minute bout.  

Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels of the Midnight Rockers joined Larry Nelson and an excited crowd at the Jukebox club. Jannetty said his team was having a good time, doing what they do best in partying with his fellow Midnight Rockers.

Michaels said that his team are back with the people from Minnesota who put them on the map. Michaels then addressed world tag champions The Midnight Express, saying that they can`t beat the Midnight Rockers, and that they live life the way they want to.

Jannetty joked that someone stole his wallet. Then said that along with having a good time with the fans, they know how to get down to business. Jannetty said that he knew that his team could be the champions.

Mitch Snow then joined Nelson, to say that he has a lot of plans in 1988, but top on his list is getting the international tv title. Snow referred to Nelson as Harry Larry and said that 1988 is going to be special and that he is coming out to see everyone.  

 "Adorable" Adrian Adonis versus Greg Gagne in the finals of the AWA international television title tournament champions

A fan held up a sign for Adonis` manager posting "lookout Paul E, the Midnight Rockers are back" Then a loud chant of "PAUL E SUCKS!" was coming from the crowd. Adonis backs away from a lock-up to brush his hair back with his hand.

Adonis then goes from a headlock to a hammerlock, but Gagne reverses the hold. Announcer/commentator Mick Karch emntioned that Adonis had a weight advantage, but few wrestlers were as knowledge about the science of wresling as Greg Gagne.

Adonis takes Gagne to one knee with a wristlock. The fans start up again with the "Paul E sucks" chants. Gagne and Adonis twice exchange on a backward double arm stretch. Adonis places his legs on the middle rope as Gagne lifts him in the hold. Gagne releases, causing Adonis to crash to the mat to cheers from the audience.

Adonis starts walking back to the locker room, and Paul rushes to talk him into going back to the ring. Gagne pushes off Adonis` headlock, and is charged down for it. When Adonis charges again, he is taken down with a drop toe hold into an ankle lock.

Referee Marty Miller retrained Gagne from pursuing a cornered Adonis, and Adonis took the opening to strike Gagne. Adonis punches Gagne in the corner, and rips a band-aid off Gagne`s forehead. Adonis chokes and strikes again, then Irish whips Gagne chest first into the opposite corner. Gagne blocks Adonis` strike, punches and turnbuckle smashes Adonis to two different corner buckles.

Adonis reverses a corner whip and wraps up Gagne for Goodnite Irene (sleeper hold). Gagne gets to the corner ropes to break, then hops over Adonis` body slam attempt and locks up Adonis for the Gagne sleeper.

Gagne sees that Paul is on the ring apron, about to throw powder in his eyes. Gagne releases the sleeper and punches Paul down to the floor with powder in the air. Adonis swings but Gagne ducks and wraps up the sleeper again. "Ace" "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. Appears out of nowhere and forearms Gagne from behind. Referee Miller signals the bell, disqualifying Adonis, after six minutes of action.

Orton holds Gagne for an Adonis gut shot. Orton is about to piledrive Gagne, but Chief Wahoo McDaniel chops Orton away. Adonis then grabs Wahoo for Ace to attack. Gagne turnbuckle smashes Orton, as Wahoo chops Adonis out of the ring.

Adonis leans on Paul and Orton, as they walk him back to the locker room. Due to the disqualification by outside interferene, Greg Gagne wins the match and becomes 1^st AWA international television champion.

Mick Karch interviewed Gagne in the ring. Gagne said that weasel Dangerously got what he had coming. Gagne said that Adonis is a great wrestler, bgut coulnd¢t get the job done one on one. Gagne challenged Adonis and Orton anytime in sigles or metting Gagne with Wahoo in a tag match. 

 "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly & "Slick" Nick Kiniski versus Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels of the Midnight Rockers

Kiniski & Kelly walked to the ring to George Thorogood`s Bad to the Bone song, while wearing black robes. They were followed by their white robed manager Madusa Miceli. Then the crowd cheered when Living After Midnight by Judas Priest, as the fans knew it meant the return of the Midnight Rockers.

Jannetty & Michaels slapped hands with fans around ringside, and Michaels stood on a row of chairs to cheers. Kiniski forearms clubs and Irish whips Michaels, as Kelly does this to Jannetty. Kiniski and Kelly go for a back body drop and are instead knocked back with uppercuts. Kiniski and Kelly were dropkicked from the ring.

Kelly returns to the ring, only to tag Kiniski. Shawn blocks a strike while against the ropes, and punches Kiniski back. Kinski lands a knee to the mid-section, then corner whips Michaels for a boot to the stomach. Kiniski corner whips Michaels, but Jannetty jumps over the top turnbuckle to cushion his partner`s arrival in the corner.

Kelly lay on the ropes to cushion his partner`s corner whip, but instead Michaels punts

him. Kelly, Kiniski and Madusa complained as they walk towards the locker room. Kinski returns to the ring and tries to push off the headlock, but Michaels maintains. Michaels then headlocks Kiniski to the mat. Kiniski gets a head scissors but Michaels kips out to his feet on the escape.

Kiniski pushes off Michaels` headlock to the ropes, and Michaels rushes at Kelly with a punch. Michaels takes Kiniski back to the mat with a headlock, then claps his hands to make a tag sounds as referee Robert Warren is attention is with keeping Kelly back. Jannetty walks up the turnbuckles to take Kiniski over with a headlock. Kiniski tries to escape with a hair pull, but Jannetty keeps the hold. Jannetty then claps his hands to make tag sound as the referee Warren`s attention was again diverted.

Kiniski pushes off Michaels` headlock, and is Kiniski is knocked down twice by Michaels` off the ropes charge. Kisniki is then hip tossed and headlocked over. A tagged Jannetty blocks Kiniski`s attempted strike on a cornered Michaels. Kinsiki pushes off Jannetty`s headlock, and Kelly misses a kick as Jannetty bounced off the ropes. Jannetty hit Kiniski with an off the ropes strike, then tags Michaels who drops an elbow on Kiniski, who was held in Jannetty`s drop toe hold.

Michaels covers and gets a pin count of 2. Kiniski knees Michaels in Kelly`s corner, and Michaels slips away fast before any double teaming could occur. A tagged Kelly flexes his right arm, then does a double pose. Kelly goes for a body slam, Michaels back off it, but is kneed in the ropes. Kelly lifts Michaels overhead, and military presses him once, before tossing him to the mat. Kiniski then body slams Michaels on the concrete floor.

Jannetty goes to Michaels, and Michaels exchanges punches with Kiniski on the floor. Kiniski throws Michaels back in, and Kelly wristlocks Michaels to his knees. Kelly takes Michaels to the mat with a hair pull, Michaels comes back with punches and ducks Kelly`s clothesline. Michales springs off the ropes with a flying cross body press, but Kelly catches him and delivers a backbreaker. A tagged Kiniski then side slam Michaels, hooks the leg and gets a count of 2 on his pin cover.

A Kiniski backbreaker, would get a 2 count on a pin cover. On the apron Jannetty rallied the fans by clapping for his partner. A bear hugged Michaels slowly slips his arms underneath Kiniski`s grip, and turn Kiniski over with a hip toss. A tagged Kelly forearms Michaels` back, then whips him to the ropes for a bear hug of his own. Michaels lays back, and raises his left shoulder twice at 2 on the pin count. Michaels punches free from the hold, makes the tag and Jannetty punches a tagged Kiniski.

Jannetty Irish whips Kiniski for a back elbow, then slams Kiniski`s head into Kelly`s head. Michaels comes in to turnbuckle smash Kiniski, as Jannetty turnbuckle smashes Kelly. The Rockers then whip their opponents for a collision in the center of the ring. Kelly goes out, and The Rockers double drop Kinsiki. Michaels goes to the top rope, then stands on Jannetty`s shoulder for a flying splash on Kiniski, but Madusa pushes Michaels to the mat.

Referee Robert Warren signals the bell, disqualifying Kiniski and Kelly for their manager`s interference. Kinsiki punches Michaels, as Jannetty chases Madusa on the floor. On the ring apron, Madusa holds Michaels on the ropes as Kiniski charges from the opposite ropes. Michaels moves and Kiniski knocks down Madusa. Jannetty and Michaels double superkick Kelly in ring. Referee Warren then raises the Rockers hands to cheers, after their nearly fifteen minute match.

AWA then posts on screen the top ranked tag teams

(1) world champions - Original Midnight Express

(2) Midnight Rockers

(3) Nick Kiniski & Kevin Kelly

(4) The Nasty Boys

After the commerical, Larry Nelson is a dunk tank, with Eric Bischoff standing next to it. Standing with Shawn Michaels and Mitch Snow, Marty Jannetty nearly hits the target with his ball throw. Then Jannetty just rushes to press the target, causing Nelson to be dunked in water. Wahoo McDaniel joins the party, and Nelson wishes everyone a Happy New Year before dunking himself.

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

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