Post by fifthhorseman on Apr 18, 2014 10:34:15 GMT -5
Joey Styles: Hello wrestling fans around the world - this is AWA Wednesday Night Warriors! We are live from the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin! Thank you for tuning in tonight, and congratulations – you’ve chosen to watch the very best wrestling promotion in the world today! We have five matches on the card tonight, just four nights before the next great AWA pay-per-view known as the Team Challenge Series! The best never rest, and this man is definitely one of the best wrestlers on the planet – tonight, the Great Muta defends the American Wrestling Association’s Television championship against the Monarchy’s Doug Williams! We will also hear from the AWA Heavyweight champ, Daniel Bryan, and his challenger this Sunday night, Diamond Dallas Page! Partner?
Josh Mathews: Partner. Hello everybody, my name is Josh Mathews, and we will be calling some great matches, including Scott Hall versus Alexander Rusev! In tag-team action, the Young Bucks battle Harlem Heat! Shelton Benjamin goes solo tonight, against one-half of the AWA Tag-Team champions, “Dr. Death” Steve Williams! And to kick things off, a main event in its own right: Barry Windham takes on Edge! That match starts right now!
VS.
Edge (w/JJ Dillon and Missy Hyatt) vs. Barry Windham: Similar in height, weight, agility – both even shared the same manager during their long careers. Windham enjoyed a slight weight and strength advantage, but it was negated by Edge’s sheer ruthlessness. The “Rated-R Superstar” steadily took control in the middle part of the match, and wore the Texan to the mat. There, he worked over the big man’s back with knees, elbows, and stretches. But Windham fought back with fists and lariats, and they were back on even terms. Unfortunately for them – but luckily for the crowd – they were too even, and it ended in a 20-minute draw.
After the match, Edge grabbed the microphone.
"This was just a warm-up for this Sunday night! On Sunday, there are no time limits. There are no rules! You want to know why? Listen up, Gaijin Invasion – the best manager in the business today, Mr. J.J. Dillon, got the match we all wanted – in fact, it’s a match he’s very familiar with. Just four nights from now, it’s me, it’s Tully Blanchard, and it’s Beer Money versus Vader, Muta, Mike Awesome, and – hell, I don’t know who Gary Hart’s gonna try to convince to fight us! Four of us, four of you – two rings, surrounded by steel cages. War Games! See you Sunday!"
A video highlight package of the six men participating in the “Money in the Bank” ladder match was shown next, for the fans in the arena and the television audience, showcasing the high-flying and high-impact maneuvers that were standard fare for the AWA Television division.
VS.
Harlem Heat vs. the Young Bucks: A by-the-book, power vs. speed match -except, of course, there was a lot of power and a lot of speed on display. The Bucks used their inimitable array of double-team moves to keep Stevie Ray on the mat and isolated from his partner, and he was gasping for air. However, he fought off every pin, and after reversing an Irish whip, he staggered to his corner and tagged in his brother. Booker levelled both Bucks with fists and leg-lariats, and after an extended four-man brawk, finished off Nick Jackson with the Bookend.
Another video highlight package was shown, featuring the eight teams participating in the “Double Gauntlet” match for the AWA Tag-Team titles. It was explained that two teams would start in each ring, so that four teams were fighting at the same time, under regular tag-team rules. As soon as one team is defeated, the next randomized team comes out to take their place. When all eight teams have competed, and only one team remains in each ring, they will fight each other for the AWA titles.
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Shelton Benjamin (w/Charlie Haas) vs. Steve Williams (w/Terry Gordy): Another speed/power contrast, but this match also featured plenty of crisp, stiffly-executed amateur maneuvers as well. Williams outmuscled Benjamin early and often, and the WGTT strategized often to try to find a weak spot. They created that spot when Haas tripped up the Doctor, and Benjamin focussed on the left ankle. Williams’ power was useless on the mat, and Benjamin flew off the ropes often with knee- and elbowdrops. But “Dr. Death” rallied, and after catching “the Gold Standard” in mid-crossbody, he nailed the Oklahoma Stampede slam for the three-count. After the match, the WGTT double-clotheslined Gordy on the floor.
A pre-taped interview was shown with Lance Russell and Diamond Dallas Page. Russell listed off the various accomplishments on Page’s resume (with video interspersed with his words), and Page told him that his first big break came in the AWA, and it was time to bring his journey full-circle by defeating Daniel Bryan for the AWA Heavyweight championship.
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Scott Hall vs. Alexander Rusev: It was the rare match where Hall was not the strongest man in the ring. Before the bell, AWA Intercontinental champion Nigel McGuinness came down to the commentary table “to point out his challenger’s flaws”. Rusev used his raw power to take control, and displayed surprising agility with thrust kicks that took the “Lone Wolf” down. Hall recovered, and punched Rusev into the corner. It was a fight till the end, until Hall finally used a running bulldog to finish the brute off. After the match, a confident Hall hit the “imaginary belt around the waist” pose, while McGuinness seethed.
The next segment took place in the ring. Joey Styles introduced Daniel Bryan, who entered the squared circle with the AWA title around his waist. He was eager to step into the ring with DDP, and noted that he was an extremely worthy challenger. However, he also had supreme confidence in his own abilities, and said that he’d be walking out of the Team Challenge Series pay-per-view the same way he walked in – as the champ.
VS.
The Great Muta [C] (w/Gary Hart) vs. Doug Williams (w/Layla): Muta and Williams started the bout very slowly, methodically trying to gain an advantage. Muta targeted his foe’s midsection, while the challenger worked over Muta’s right arm. It was back-and-forth, until the Brit took advantage of a rare misstep, when the champion missed a spinkick in the corner. He grounded Muta, and went back to work on the arm with stomps, armbars, and even a short-arm scissors. Unfortunately for Williams, the match ended in a disqualification when Gary Hart’s “secret weapon” for War Games arrived to put the boots to Williams – “Captain Redneck” himself, Dick Murdoch!
After that, all hell broke loose. Beer Money ran down, followed by Mike Awesome and Big Vader. They were immediately followed by the rest of the Monarchy, then the other two HoRsemen, and then finally Hall, Harley Race, Rick Martel, and Verne Gagne. The cameras faded to black as Joey Styles frantically tried to call it all.