July 8^th aired a 1987 episode of Verne Gagne`s AWA All-Star Wrestling from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas Nevada.

Kevin Collins versus "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko

Zbyszko brings a kid¢s sign in the ring that read "Larry Zbyszko is the AWA champ" Some fans in the audience chant "Larry sucks!" Zbyszko lulls Collins into a fireman¢s carry take over, then a hammerlocked Collins backs Zbyszko into the corner. After an exchange of waistlocks, Zbyszko rolls Collins backwards for referee Robert Warren¢s count of 1.

Zbyszko extends his hand to Collins, and they shakes hands without incident. From Zbyszko¢s gut punch, snap mare and body slam, Collins body slammed Zbyszko. Collins is kneed and forearm clubbed down, which earns Zbyszko a 2 on his pin cover. Collins would take a body slam, then body slam Zbyszko and cover him for the count of 2.

Zbyszko then quickly rolls Collins up for an inside cradle, gaining the 3 count and ending the match in under five minutes. AWA Notebook appeared on screen to state that despite obvious indication of an alliance with Curt Hennig, Larry Zbyszko said their connection is nothing more than being two of the greatest wrestler.

AWA world champion Curt Hennig held his championship belt as he spoke with Larry Nelson at AWA studio. Nelson asked Hennig about turning on one time friend Greg Gagne. Hennig replied by saying that he didn¢t turn on Gagne, but that he corrected Gagne`s mistake in their tag team match.

Hennig said of himself as still being a nice and polite person, even after stating that he breaking noses, legs and fingers at the knuckle. Hennig said that he will do now whatever it takes to win and remain heavyweight champion of the world.

Larry Nelson presents video clips of two newcomers in J.T. Southern and Nick Kiniski. JT¢s clip was a tag match with D.J. Peterson against Dennis Stamp and Tom Stone. Southern hammerlocks and takes Stamp down with a drop toe hold, then the clip shows DJ holding up Stamp for JT`s flying clothesline from the middle rope, which earned his team the pin victory.

Then aired the final moments of Nick Kiniski`s match against Steve Olsonoski, which was covered as the main event in the previous classic report. Kiniski flew over the top rope when Steve O ducked his right fist. Kiniski flies over the ropes again when Steve O breaks free of the ropes tie-up.

Kiniski risks a disqualification by yanking the top ropes, causing Steve O to be propelled to the concrete floor. Kiniski jumps off the ring apronm with an elbow smash on Steve O, then gets disqualified for whipping Steve O into the steel ring post. Back at the studio, Nelson said that Nick`s brute force style reminded him of Nick`s father, former world champion Gene Kiniski.

At AWA studio, Larry Nelson interviewed Dennis and Duane Koslowski. Nelson felt that had Dennis not sustained an injury, he would have won the gold medal at the Pan-American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dennis wore the silver medals of the world games and pan-am games. He explained that a week and a half later, he was well enough to make it to the finals of the World Games in France.

Dennis mentioned beating a Romanian who was the 1984 Olympic Gold medalist and the European champion from Bulgaria en route to the finals, but lost in a close match against the Russian contingent. Nelson felt it was politics because the judge that scored against Dennis was from an eastern block country.

Nelson said that in his opinion, and the opinion of many others, Dennis should be world Greco-Roman champion. Duane wore the gold medal from the Pan-Am Games, explaining that he defeated opponents from Peru, Portugal and one from Cuba in the finals. Verne Gagne come out to congratulate the Koslowskis on their achievement, adding that he was tremendously proud of them.

Larry nelson presents a recent tag team macth at the Showboat where Chief Wahoo McDaniel and DJ Peterson faced AWA world tag team champions Boris Zhukov and Soldat Ustinov. DJ moves away from Soldat¢s elbow drop, body slams him, but Soldat moves away from DJ¢s elbow drop. After a body slam by Soldat, a tagged Zhukov is arm dragged over into an arm bar.

Zhukov clubs DJ in the corner, whips DJ to the corner, but DJ nearly slips when hopping to the middle rope. DJ then twists to catch Zhukov in a flying cross body press. Soldat kicks off the pin, and DJ clubs him back. Zhukov and a tagged Soldat whips DJ to the ropes for a double back elbow. Soldat gets a count fo 1 on a pin after a clothesline, then throws DJ into Zhukov`s boot.

Soldat and a tagged Zhukov whips DJ for a double boot. Zhukov headbutts DJ in the stomach, then gets rolled up for a pin with Soldat, when their double back body drop becomes a DJ double sunset flip. DJ then ducks down from the Russians¢ charge, causing them to collide. Wahoo whips Zhukov for a back body drop, chops him, then arm drags him down. Wahoo scissors Zhukov¢s arm, then kicks his elbow into Zhukov in the face.

Wahoo then uses his leg to twist a down Zhukov`s arm, then Wahoo uses his boot to scrape across Zhukov¢s face. Wahoo chops Zhukov into the corner, then corner whips Zhukov for a tomahawk chop down. Wahoo covers and gets a 2 when Solday kicks him off the pin. Zhukov and Soldat go to the floor, then a tagged Soldat gets a top wrist lock, and uses Wahoo¢s trunks to pull him to the mat.

Wahoo escapes the hold with a chop, but is stomped by Soldat, and has the wristlock re-applied. Soldat chokes Wahoo down on the mat, then throws Wahoo into Zhukov`s boot. A tagged Zhukov lands headbutts to Wahoo¢s shoulder in the corner, then distracts referee Scott LeDoux as Soldat chokes Wahoo with the tag rope. Wahoo then arm drags out of Zhukov¢s arm bar, then a tagged DJ whips a tagged Soldat for a running hangman`s clothesline.

Soldat is smashed to the tunrbuckle, corner whipped for a back body drop, then planted to the mat by DJ`s his TNT (middle rope flying shoulder tackle). Soldat is able to kick out of pin at 2, but Zhukov comes in anyway, hitting DJ with the chain, and getting his team disqualified. After Wahoo chops down Soldat, he is struck with the chain. Zhukov then swings the chain and beats it against the canvas, daring his opponents to re-enter the ring.

Madusa Miceli versus Peggy Lee Leather

Madusa wore a black nylon one piece, as she goes to the floor to hug the man who accompanied her to the ring, "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly. Leather sledges Madusa down with a double fist to the back, then shoves Madusa down. Both women roll to the corner, pulling hair, until Madusa corner whips Leather. Madusa charges, but leather moves, causing Madusa to crash to the corner with her avalanche attempt.

Leather rolls up Madusa for 2. Leather front face locks Madusa, then wristlocks her, but Madusa brings Leather to her knees with a reverse wristlock. Madusa kicks Leather¢s ribs, then clubs her in the back, against the ropes. Madusa yanks back on the ropes, causing Leather to snap back to the mat. Leather comes back to chinlock Madusa, then steps on the back of her neck. Leather then bounces Madusa`s head on the mat, and startles Madusa by literally kicking her in the butt.

Madusa exits the ring, runs and jumps on the very lucky Kelly with a hug. Madusa returns to the ring to engage Leather in a knucklelock that has Leather go down after being kicks in the stomach by Madusa. Leather is clubbed and kicked on the ropes, then caught with a knee lift. A cornered Leather kicks Madusa back, then clubs her down, and covers for 2.

Madusa throws Leather to the floor, follows to chest club her between Madusa`s apron head slams on Leather. Madusa is hit back and body slammed on the floor before being thrown back in the ring. Leather body slams Madusa on the mat, then Kelly reaches in lift Leather`s foot as Madusa suplexes her over, this is unseen by referee Robert Warren.

Madusa covers and gets the 3 count victory, ending the match after seven minutes. Madusa then kicks the downed Leather before leaving the ring. AWA Notebook posts on screen that a tournament to crown a new ladies¢ champion will be held shortly, with some of the contenders being Candi Divine, Madusa Miceli and Peggy lee Leather.

DJ Peterson versus AWA world champion Curt Hennig

Peterson went into this match without his Hulk Hogan style mustache, and shoved Hennig back twice into the corner. Hennig then hip toss DJ twice, then pushes off Hennig`s headlock to be charged down. Much of the crowd cheers as Hennig is caught by a hip toss, a dropkick and another hip toss before exiting the ring.

DJ uses a top wristlock to power out of Hennig`s headlock, and put him on the mat. Hennig is charged down, then takes down DJ with a drop toe hold. Hennig pushes off headlock, but misses a second drop toe hold, to be arm dragged into a chinlock.

DJ then lands on Hennig`s shoulders with a seated drop. DJ gets a 1 count after getting Hennig with the inside cradle. DJ is punched in the corner, turnbuckle smashes, and chopped. Hennig then uses his knee pad to scrape across DJ¢s face. Hennig then powers DJ down with a corner whip.

Hennig picks up DJ for a backbreaker, then ties him up in the ropes for knife edge chops. Hennig does a sit down drop on DJ`s back, and applied a chinlock that referee gary DeRousha counts off for being a choke to the throat. DJ is chopped in the corner, but knocks Hennig down when DJ holds the top rope to double kick Hennig down.

DJ is suplexed, struck down on the ring apron, then whipped to the ropes for the Ax clothesline. Hennig takes his time going to the top rope, and DJ recovers to gut punch Hennig, causing Hennig to fall and get crotched on the steel turnbuckle connector. DJ whips Hennig from one corner to the other, then plants Hennig with a belly to back suplex for the count of 2.

DJ gains another 2 after whipping Hennig for a flying back elbow, then another 2 after an inside cradle. DJ crashes to the mat after a whipped Hennig held onto the rope during DJ`s dropkick attempt. Hennig whips DJ to the corner, DJ comes out with a clothesline but hits the referee DeRousha when Hennig ducks the attack.

Hennig leaves the ring to pull a non-folding chair away from a fan. Hennig throws the chair in the ring, and body slams DJ on it. Hennig kicks at DJ, then Wahoo enters the ring to stop Hennig¢s attack on DJ. Wahoo ducks Hennig`s clothesline, then Hennig exits after being drops with Wahoo`s chop. Referee DeRousha recovers to signal the bell, closing the match after eleven minutes. DeRousha disqualified DJ for clotheslining him, even though it was unintentional.

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

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