Post by fifthhorseman on Mar 6, 2022 19:48:36 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 12
EPISODE 12
Pyro from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, then the TV credits ran, a 60-second of classic AWA action interspersed with close-ups of several members of the reborn AWA roster.
The show opened with a pre-taped shot of the UWA Universal champion Nick Aldis entering the building. The scene shifted to the ring, where Lee Marshall waited for an interview with Nick Bockwinkel. The AWA icon discussed his two out of three falls match with Desmond Wolfe next week at Winterslam, and he made it clear, in his uniquely eloquent way, that he would win that match.
As he left for the night, Joey Styles and Jesse Ventura hyped the upcoming match and the rest of the card.
TRIPLE-THREAT MATCH
The GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS vs. JOE and LARRY HENNIG vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS:
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The GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS vs. JOE and LARRY HENNIG vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS:
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The Hennigs were surrounded by rulebreakers; even on the floor, where Dennis Condrey accompanied his partners Eaton and Lane. They were constantly the faces in peril, but “the Ax” was just too stubborn to get pinned. As triple-threats go, it was crazy and chaotic, and after a series of double-team moves and kick-outs, the Express took it when Eaton hit the Alabama Jam legdrop on Joe Hennig.
COMMERCIAL
The UWA Universal Tag-Team champions, Strike Force, sent in a promo video to hype their match against the North. Rick Martel and Tito Santana gave their opponents their due respect, but they also reminded the audience that they were the best team in the UWA for a reason, and they had beaten everybody in their path since Starrcade.
TYLER BATE vs. JASON JORDAN:
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The former WWE UK champion not only wanted a challenge going into his Winterslam match with Chad Gable, he decided to play some mind games by asking for Gable's former partner, who was there on a try-out contract. Bate nearly bit off more than he could chew, as the young amateur great who opposed him gave him a fiercely competitive ten minutes, but the “Big Strong Boy” used the Tyler Driver '97 to get the pin. Throughout the match, Gable was shown on a split-screen watching backstage, and he was not pleased with the result.
COMMERCIAL
Mad Dog Vachon was backstage, holding his neck as he exited Stu Hart's office. The cameraman asked him what was happening, and the Quebecer said that he was trying to get on the Winterslam card, but there was no room. “Seems like it's a fast drop from view when the Ultimate Warrior beats you.”
SHANE HELMS, DUSTIN RHODES, and REX STEINER vs. ALEXANDER HAMMERSTONE, ADAM PAGE, and RICKY STARKS:
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This was a rare spotlight for the AWA youngsters, and for good reason: they were all getting a Brass Ring ladder match at Winterslam next week, and the winner of that match could call their shot at the next AWA pay-per-view. Any opponent, any type of match.
Their collective improved experience showed, as they had individual moments to shine, but neither team had much chemistry. They put together a very good eight-minute battle, and after a series of near-falls, Starks hit Helms with the roshambo for the victory.
After the match, a Miro – Jacob Fatu video package aired. They were bad, angry men, and next week, they'd try to settle their differences in a steel cage.
COMMERCIAL
KANYON vs. WARDLOW (w/Maxwell Jacob Friedman):
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This match had two purposes: establish “Mr. Mayhem” as a monster, and remind the crowd how insufferable MJF was. And it served both. While Wardlow muscled Kanyon around the ring, the new AWA Southern champ strutted around ringside, the belt over his shoulder, giving his protege advice that he really didn't need. It went about five minutes, ending with a series of powerbombs. After the match, MJF took the microphone from Marshall, and told everybody that Dragunov was going to fall to the better man.
After the ring cleared, a Briscoe Brothers video package played, and then the team came out to the stage to a huge ovation. They were followed by Stu Hart, who had their AWA contracts in his hand. He placed them on the broadcast table, but right before Mark and Jay could sign them, the Grizzled Young Veterans stormed out. They were still in their wrestling gear, still fuming about their loss, and they wanted to confront someone about it. Gibson and Drake went chest-to-chest with the Briscoes, but that only lasted about three seconds – the two teams fired punches at each other until the ROH stalwarts gained the upper hand and forced them backstage. With that taken care of, the Briscoes signed the deals and left to another ovation.
COMMERCIAL
ILYA DRAGUNOV vs. AUSTIN THEORY:
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Two of the most precocious, athletically gifted grapplers in the entire UWA wanted “one more match” before Winterslam. And it was outstanding. They went close to 20 minutes, in an evenly contested battle that either man could have won. They wrestled at a slower pace that you'd usually expect, but Styles and Ventura explained that they were saving themselves for the pay-per-view. As it turned out, Buddy Murphy did the saving; he ran out, chair in hand, eager to get revenge on Theory, but the prodigy escaped when Murphy hit the ring. Dragunov lost by DQ, and he wasn't happy about losing the winner's share of the purse, but he got in the work he needed.
COMMERCIAL
Styles and Ventura ran down the card for Winterslam one last time.
Main event promo time. The “Universal Treasure” was the first one out; Aldis looked every bit the champion in a custom suit and the UWA title over his shoulder. He had a few fans, but most of the crowd was on his opponent's side – and when the Ultimate Warrior ran out to the ring they all stood and cheered.
Marshall stood somewhat between the two men and handed his microphone to Aldis. The Englishman was all confidence, and told the Warrior that he had hoped that in his first foray into the AWA, he would have faced a real wrestler. “As the UWA Universal champion, I have responsibilities you can't possibly fathom. I'm a fighting champion, and I don't duck any man in any territory, so I'm constantly on the road. Media appearances. Promotional appearances. Training. I don't have the time, or the inclination, to add to those responsibilities by teaching you how to wrestle. So don't take it personally when I finish you off in relatively quick fashion at Winterslam.”
The Ultimate Warrior paced and seethed around from him, and after he absorbed even more insults, Marshall took the microphone and handed it to the AWA star. He stared at Aldis for several seconds, and then in a sudden burst of speed, he clotheslined Aldis to the canvas. The Englishman slowly got to his feet, and when he did, the Warrior nailed him again, knocking him over the top rope. The Warrior picked up the UWA gold and lifted it over his head as the show went off the air.