April 2^nd airs a February 18^th 1986 episode of Verne Gagne’s AWA Championship Wrestling

 

The Alaskans versus "Rock ‘n Roll" Buck Zumhofe & Leon White (aka Vader).

Commentator Roger Kent mentioned a feat by Zumhofe in high school, where he performed two hundred pushups with a two hundred pound person on his back. Alaskan 1 & 2 are unsuccessful in trying to overpower White. Alaskan 2 fails to lift White, and finds his over 260lbs frame easily hosits up into a White body slam. A tagged Zumhofe gets the crowd to rally for him in cheer. Alaskan 2 misses a strike on ropes, escapes the headlock, but doesn’t escape Zumhofe’s beard pull. Alaskan 1 would receive similar treatment, then get caught in a wristlock.

 

Kent and Greg Gagne talk about an incident where Alaskan wrestler Yukon Eric has his ear come off in a match with Killer Kowalski. Alaskan 1 powers Zumhofe down with the help of the hair pull, then pulls Zumhofe back down into arm bar with another hair pull. Gagne says that the AWA rules stipulate that no call can be made without an official witnessing it at the time. Alaskan 2 chokes Zumhofe over the top rope. Zumhofe out moves Alaskan 2 to make the tag to White. Alaskan 1 & 2 get knocked away by the clubbing White. Alaskan 1 is body slammed, then a tagged Zumhofe gets pressed and thrown by White onto Alaskan one. White’s mighty clothesline prevents Alaskan 2 from breaking the pin count of Larry Lasowski, with the match concluding in under eight minutes.

 

Zumhofe put his construction worker hat on, with his boom box over his shoulder, telling interviewer Larry Nelson that it was "an honor and privilege" to be in the ring with Leon White. Zumhofe described himself a torpedo and described White as a big submarine. White said that he is often asked to compare wrestling with football, and White said that he found "bigger and stronger men in wrestling."

 

Mike Richards versus King Kong (Bruiser) Brody

 

Brody charged to ringside in his fur vest with his manager Sheik Adnan El Kassey, and threw a chair into the ring. A commentating Greg Gagne mentioned that his being out of action for eight months is do to a knee injury he received from Brody.. Richards gets a big open hand slap in the corner, then whipped to the ropes and dropped by a monster Brody boot. Richards was then clubbed on the ropes, then Brody sprung off the ropes to stomp a downed Richards. Brody forearm smashed Richards to the floor, and stomped away at him while standing on the ring apron.

 

Brody brought Richards in, body slammed him, then Irish whipped him in for a knife edge chop. Richards received a forearm to the back, then punched at Brody’s stomach and forearm shots with no effect. Brody eye rakes, continues to give his huss sound and then lift Richards upside down. Brody holds him for a few second and then plants Richards into the mat with a piledriver. Marty Millers makes the count, ending this match in two minutes. Brody kicks down the ref, and continued to stomp Richards. Brody then kicks Miller off the apron to the floor, then throws Richards out of the ring. Greg gagne said Brody was skating on thin ice, since he just returned from being suspended for over a year due to his assault on Jerry Blackwell. Brody left the ring, and struck Richards down with a chair, then walks up the bleachers.

 

Sheik Adnan El Kassey said that it cost a lot of money, agony and misery but he finally had Brody back to destroy anyone under his command. Nelson said that it sounded like Brody was a hired assassin, and Sheik Adnan said that Brody is a hero in the Arab would. Adnan asked who can challenge his man. Nelson brought up Sgt. Slaughter and that Blackwell wanted revenge by getting a piece of Brody and Adnan.

 

Rick Gatner versus Sgt. Slaughter

 

Sarge walked around ringside, handing out mini American flags to the kids as his G.I. Joe theme song played. Melson announces that the referee is special enforcer Scott Ledux, adding that LeDux was the only man to have fought eight heavyweight boxing champions. Gagne mentioned some of these champions as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman. Sarge extends his hand but Gatner spits at it. Both men tie up the corner, and Gatner gives a stomach punch. Gatner struts around the ring to boos. The next tie up in the corner gets a clean break. Sarge then props Gatner against the ropes and whales away at him with forearm shots. Gatner lies to LeDux in his complaint of hair pulling. Sarge would win in an exchange of forearms in the corner, and drop Gatner with a knee lift. After two Slaughter body slams, Gatner leaves the ring. Gagne talks about training at Camp

 

Slaughter, and Kent mentions that Sarge is a golfer. Gatner would give a stomach punch, eye poke, rope choke, turnbuckle smash and monkey flip Sarge out of the corner. Gagne was surprised by Gatner’s offense. The crowd chants "USA..USA" as Gatner snap mares Sarge over for two knee drops. Kent said those looked to be very close to Sarge’s throat.

 

Gatner mounted the top ropes, but is caught by Slaughter and propelled to the mat by a press slam. Sarge moves to the corner, perches himself on the middle ropes and plows Gatner into the mat with a flying Slaughter Cannon (clothesline). LeDux taps for the three count, wrapping this match up in four minutes.

 

Nelson congratulated Slaughter, and said that he was indeed America’s champion. Sarge said he was a damn proud American, and said that every weke he wanted to name other proud Americas like Sam Walton (founder of Wal-Mart). Sarge said that Brody is the one meanest and roughest wrestlers ever. Sarge threw out a challenge to AWA champion Stan "The Lariat" Hansen, calling him a coward and saying that since now the people embrace the Sarge as America’ champion, he can’t lose.

 

Curt Hennig versus AWA World Champion Stan "The Lariat" Hansen in this championship main event.

 

Greg Gagne mentioned that Hennig has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, but felt it was a mistake to not be 100% for Hansen. Hennig had an injured back, and was taking this match against doctor’s order. Both men entered wearing championship gold. Hansen brought the World title, and Hennig wore his newly won AWA tag team title.

 

Hansen misses an elbow in the corner. Hennig takes Hansen to the mat with a headlock. Hansen goes to lift Hennig but is taking back down to the mat with Hennig’s headlock. Hansen escape but is staggered when both men charge into each other. Hansen takes down Hennig with a back elbow off the ropes, but Hennig would floor Hansen with a flying dropkick. Hennig applied the headlock, Hansen kneed Hennig in the head, then fires off a forearm smash.

 

Hennig fired back with a forearm. Hansen slammed Hennig, and then whipped him into a knife edged chop. Hennig sunset flipped Hansen, but that was broken by Hansen’s double handed sledge. Hennig would succeed on his second sunset flip attempt out of the corner. A vicious stomp, then a turnbuckle smashed by Hansen. Hansen’s right clubs where met with Hennig’s rapid left punches.

 

Greg Gagne felt it was a mistake to try to use Hansen’s brawling style against him. Hennig then Irish whipped Hansen, kneeled down to pop Hansen with a gut shot, to crowd cheers. Hennig delivers a big judo slap to Hansen, but ducks down to soon after a whip, and gets taken down by a Hansen punt. Hansen stomps Hennig, then picks him up for a backbreaker over the knee. A elbow drop gains Hansen a near fall, as does gut wretch suplex.

 

Hansen turnbuckle smashed Hennig from one corner to the other. Hansen headlocked Hennig, attempting to run him into the turnbuckle, but Hennig shoves Hansen into the corner. Hansen staggers backwards and gets school boy tripped by Hennig for a pin as the crowd cheers.Hansne kicks out, gets in a Hennig headlock, but lifts Hennig up and crotches him on the top rope. Gagne said that nearly brought him out of his chair, and thought that referee Marty Miller didn’t see that as intention, otherwise that could be a disqualification.

 

Hansen worked on Hennig’s stomach with knees, fists and a stomach claw. Gagne said the last time he saw that move was many years ago by The Crusher. An atomic drop, elbow to the back, a kick, turnbuckle smash and left hand chops. Hennig responded with a right hand chop off the rope. Hansen rolled Hennig over with the snap mare and applied the Boston Crab. Gagne said this is how he won the AWA title (from Rick Martel), and says that hansen calls it the Old Valley Backbreaker. Hansen synches it in, only to release it when he thought Hennig submitted.

 

Hansen was surprised to be mistaken, and went back on Hennig with a knee, a forearm, then whipped Hennig in for a back body drop. Hansen got caught with a stomach punch as he approached Hennig. Hansen rakes the eyes and threw Hennig through the ropes, but instead of going to the floor, Hennig flipped with his head tangled between the top and middle ropes. Hansen wouldn’t let the ref try to untangle Hennig, and proceeded to drop fist, kick and add more pressure to the ropes choke.

 

The crowd cheers wildly as Hennig’s tag partner Big Scott Hall ran to the ring, stunning Hansen with right fists, then dropping him with a back elbow from the ropes. Hall pried apart the ropes to free Hennig, and caught an incoming Hansen with a stomach shot. Hall shook the ring with a big body slam and elbow on Hansen. As Hall was tending to Hennig, Hansen returned with an elbow drop to the back, and another on Hall’s chest. On the floor, Hansen tries to attack Hennig, but took some kicks by Hall before backing off. Marty Miller stopped the match after eight minutes, with a disqualification on Hennig for Hall’s interference.

 

Nelson praised Hennig for a valiant effort. Hennig could barely speak, and Nelson didn’t want Hennig to struggle for the interview. "I never gave up. Not once..I never gave up!" said Hennig, and Nelson yelled "we know you never gave up. Curt Hennig nevers gives!" as the crowd cheers. Hall said that Hennig "never took a step backwards and never gave up." Hall said that "this man (Curt Hennig) has been like a brother to me". Hall said that they accomplished their goal of becoming AWA tag champions, and he felt that they are legitimate contenders for the World title. "Hansen! Anytime! Anyplace!" Hall bellows before catching a collapsing Hennig. Nelson said that he has never seen Hall this angry, and added that Hennig wrestled against doctor’s orders because he didn’t want to disappoint the fans

 

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David

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