April 1^st airing of Verne Gagne’s AWA championship wrestling didn’t specify the venue or date, but was either late January or early February of 1986, as announcer Larry Nelson mentioned that Curt Hennig and Scott Hall won the AWA tag titles two weeks before. Nelson also mentioned that King Kong Brody’s suspension had been lifted.

 

Marty Jannetty versus Jake Milliman.

 

Milliman was not as his good guy "Milk Man" jobber persona for this match, but a rule breaker against newcomer Jannetty. This match was also a few months before Jannetty would form the Midnight Rockers tag team with another AWA newbie, Shawn Michaels.

When backed into the corner, Milliman falsely accused Jannetty of pulling hair. Jannetty and Milliman would trade arm twists, with Jannetty flipping out to escape. Jannetty would also turn Milliman’s slam attempt into a flip to arm bar. Commentator Greg Gagne said that Milliman could have risked dislocating his arm for attempting the slam. Jannetty would tackle Milliman down with charges off the ropes. Milliman breaks Jannetty’s arm bar with an eye rake, then secures a headlock.

 

Milliman tries to hip toss, but Jannetty flips forward and gains a hip toss on Milliman. Jannetty would then take down Milliman with a dropkick and arm drag. Jannetty would pull Milliman up by his right arm, then smash Milliman’s head to the mat with his boot. Milliman would retaliate with a stomach punch, snap mare and chinlock. Jannetty would stand but get brought back down when Milliman pulled the hair, away from the ref’s view. Jannetty tried to whip Milliman to the corner, Milliman reversed the whip. Jannetty jumped up and pivoted on to Milliman with a middle rope cross body press. Larry Losawski counted the pin after just over five minutes of action.

 

Nelson congratulated Jannetty on his victory before taking with Sheik Adnan El Kassey, who confirmed that he was responsible for the return of King King Brody. Adnan said that Bordy would return next week, and that the world and tag titles will eventual be in the possesion of The Sheik’s Army. Nord The Barbarian added that he will obey’s Adnan’s order to bring the belts to the army, as if his life depended on it.

 

"Baby Bull" Leon White (pre Vader) versus Chris Curtis.

 

White had been wrestling for under a year, since his transition form the LA Rams. A collar and elbow tie up would have Curtis shoved into the ropes, then shoved down near the corner by White’s brute power. White would synch in a headlock, then when pushed off in the ropes, would plow Curtis down with charges, then an incredible display of agility in sunset flipping Curtis over. Curtis kicked out, and was met with a head butt and another headlock. Curtis issed uneffective stomach shots, and felt a massive elbow smash and chop. White whipped Curtis in for a back elbow, then would get a near fall from an elbow drop. Curtis surprised White with a headbutt but then received gut punches by White.

 

An Irish whip has Curtis crumble to mat from a wall of White. Curtis managed to kick out of White’s leg drop and pin. Curtis eye raked out of White’s headlock with a turnbuckle smash. Curtis whipped White in the ropes, delivered a knee, then chokes White on the bottom rope. Curtis gave a snap mare, but missed the knee drop. White gaves stomps, a headlock and the land chops in the corner. White then whipped Curtis for a corner splash, more chops, a back elbow, then picks up Curtis with ease for the power slam and pin. Referee Scott LeDux slaps the canvas for three in this match that went a little beyond the five minute point.

 

Larry Nelson interviewed a street clothed Larry Zbyszko in the ring. Nelson announced that Zbyszko was suspended from action for using a deadly weapon (nunchakus) on Nick Bockwinkel, Greg Gagne and Scott LeDux. Zbyszko said that his actions were fair because he was up against unfair odds, when confronted in a three one situation. Zbyszko said that he working with his attorney in lifting the suspension. Nelson tried to wrap it up, but Zbyszko grabbed the mic, adding that he wanted AWA president Stanley Blackburn to keep his nose out of his affairs.

 

"Pretty Boy" Doug Somers versus Big Scott Hall.

 

Hall locks up then tosses Somers into the corner. Somers engaged Hall into a Greco Roman knuckle lock, which lulled Hall in with stomach kicks. Hall then responded with kicks of his own, then flips Somers over with a hip toss. Hall back body dropped Somers, applied a headlock, then brought Somers down twice with a charge off the ropes. Hall leap frogged over a charge, and scooped up Somers for a high body slam. After another body slam, Hall would miss an elbow drop. Somers stomped on Hall, then yanked Hall’s left arm from the top rope. Greg gagne said that arm was recuperating from an injury. Somers punches the arm, then while in the corner, shoulder jams Hall’s mid section.

 

Both men would trade open hand slaps, Hall dropped Somers with a leg take down. Somers eye raked Hall, but then got caght with Hall’s knee lift. Hall cranked a headlock, was then knife edge chopped in the corner by Somers. Punches and slaps were traded, with Hall missing a shoulder smash into the corner. Somers delivered knee drops, then climbed to the top rope, where Hall quickly met him with a gorilla press to the mat. Hall then grips Somers into a headlock then drives him into the mat with a bulldog. Gagne called it a Hallbuster, and said the move is usually called an Oklahoma stampede. Referee Marty Miller counted the pin in a bout that reached a little over four minutes.

 

In the post match interview, Nelson said he was honored to talk with the new AWA tag champions. Curt Hennig told Nelson that there are a whole lot of exciting things happening in AWA, and this is one of them. Hall said that all the hard work in gym, watching films, practicing moves have paid off. Hennig said that winning the titles and keeping them are two different game plans. Hennig added that he and Hall won’t be closet champions, "we’re going to be champions for the people all over the world."

 

Mongolian Stomper, Boris Zhukov & Nord The Barbarian versus Sgt. Slaughter, Jerry "Crusher" Blackwell & Curt Hennig in the 6 man tag main event.

 

Slaughter gestures something effeminate towards Zhukov, then scares away Sheik Adnan by almost stomping his hand on the mat. Slaughter catches Zhukov in a headlock punch combination. Zhukov head locked Slaughter, but was pushed off into a forearm from Blackwell on the apron. Blackwell enters the ring to knock down Stomper, then punch Boris and Nord on the apron. Blackwell throws his over 400 lb frame into Stomper for a corner splash. Sarge and Hennig enter to double whip Blackwell into a second splash on Stomper.

 

Hennig whips Stomper to the ropes and connects with a drop kick. Stomper fires on Hennig after a headlock, but Hennig hits back. After being backed into the corner by Hennig, Stomper gets slugged by Blackwell and Sarge. Stomper turnbuckle smashes Hennig. After chops, kicks and a high boot, Stomper misses with a knee drop. Tagged Sarge forearms smashes, whips Stomper to the corner and slugs Zhukov. Sarge brings his head down too soon for a back body drop, and gets kicked by Zhukov. Sarge is smashed in turnbuckle, then whipped into a Stomper kick.

 

Sarge is then forced past the turnbuckles for a post smash. A tagged Nord presses the over 300 lb Sarge with a one handed body slam. After an elbow drop, Nord holds Sarge for a Zhukov kick. Boris turnbuckle smashed, punched and bite Sarge. Stomper added his own forearms, kicks and turnbuckle smash. Nord places his boot over the top rope, and Stomper slams Sarge’s head into it. Nord comes in to slug away are Slaughter in the corner. Slaughter fires back, Nord exchanges punches, and Nord is taken down for the first time of the night with a Sgt. Slaughter dropkick.

 

A tagged Zhukov is back body dropped, dropkicked, chopped into the corner and then bounces off the turnbuckles from a Hennig Irish whip. Stomper headlocks, charges down and dropkick Hennig. With Hennig on the mat, Stomper holds the boots for a stomp to the mid-section. Commentator Roger Kent thought it was to the groin, but Greg Gagne said it was the abdomen, otherwise Losawski would have signaled for a disqualification. Stomper holds Hennig for for a boot shot by Nord. Zhukov comes in and trades punches with Hennig.

Zhukov is kicked for lowering his head too soon for a body drop attempt.

 

A tagged Blackwell unleashes a series of left fist on Zhukov, headbutts Nord, then knocks Stomper and Zhukov’s head together. Blackwell drops an elbow, then snap mares Sheik Adnan into the ring. All six participants and Adnan are engaged in battle. Sarge fights with Nord, Hennig fights with Stomper. Blackwell fights with Zhukov and Adnan. Referee Larry Lasowski signals the bell, closing this match after eight minutes. It is ruled that the Sheik’s Army is disqualified, I believe due to Adnan’s interference. The crowd chants "USA..USA..USA" as Sarge stands on the second ropes in the corner.

 

In Nelson’s post match interview, Blackwell sends out a challenge to Sheik Adnan "you keep bringing anybody you want, and we’ll keep kicking their ass!" Blackwell wasn’t sure that Brody’s suspension was lifted, and wanted to see the proof on paper. Hennig said of the Sheik’s Army "when you try to run down the USA, you’re walking on the fighting side of me!"Sarge added that he was sick and tired of Sheik Adnan’s tactics, and Nelson said he was out of time.

 

Catch the legends of AWA Monday through Friday at 1am on ESPN Classic

 

David

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