Post by fifthhorseman on May 2, 2022 22:47:48 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 17
EPISODE 17
Cold open outside Stu Hart's office, where the Grand Wizard and Jimmy Hart were pleading/arguing with the commissioner about their fatal four-way tag-team match. They weren't happy with the loser leaves town stipulation. Stu slammed his door on both of them.
Pyro from Springfield, Illinois, then a 60-second sizzle reel of classic AWA action interspersed with close-ups of and highlights from members of the current AWA roster.
“Killer” Kevin Kross was in the ring with his valet, Scarlett Bordeaux. Both were dressed for battle, and Kross told Diamond Dallas Page to come out and meet him. A few moments later, the “People's Champion” was lit up with a spotlight in the second deck of the arena, and told his enemy to get on with it. Kross smirked. “I warned you, I'd tell you when we'd meet again... and what kind of match it would be. So later tonight, I dare you to get in the ring with me...”
Scarlett took the mike and finished his sentence. “In a handicap match.”
DDP was momentarily stunned, but his desire to get even with Kross took precedence over chivalry. “You got it, punk. And you can bank on this – you are gonna feel - the - BANG!”
He exchanged high-fives with the crowd, and Kross and Bordeaux left the ring. Joey Styles and Jesse Ventura quickly ran through the rest of the night's card.
ZACK GIBSON (w/James Drake) vs. DREW McINTYRE:
vs.
vs.
This was a simple showcase for the Scotsman's in-ring debut. Gibson was a game opponent, and with his partner's help on the outside, got just enough offense in. However, this was otherwise McIntyre's match from start to finish, and it only took him a few minutes to take Gibson out courtesy of the Claymore kick.
COMMERCIAL
A recap from last week's beatdown on Tyler Bate by a revitalized Team Gagne was shown, followed by an angry promo by Bate – recorded earlier in the day – swearing revenge on the reunited American Alpha with his best friend... Trent Seven.
AMERICAN ALPHA (w/Verne Gagne) vs. BSS:
vs.
(BSS stands for British Strong Style.)
Jordan and Gable jumped BSS before the bell rang, and the fight was on. Despite both squads' technical acumen, this match was more of a fight than a wrestling match, and the crowd didn't mind a bit. The newcomer Seven served as the face in peril, and when the “Big Strong Boy” got the hot tag, he unloaded on both of his foes. However, once all four men started trading big moves, the fifth man – Gagne – tripped up Seven as he bounced off the ropes, and Jordan caught him with an Olympic slam for the win.
As Team Gagne celebrated, the scene shifted backstage. Buddy Murphy was walking with Hart, demanding a match with Austin Theory. Hart replied, “Of course I will – you guys are two of the best pure wrestlers in the world, and it's good business whenever you two go at it. But I'm getting tired of the count-outs and the no-decisions. Think about how we can solve that problem, and get back to me.”
Hart kept walking, and the Australian stopped to ponder the issue as the show went to
COMMERCIAL
A VTR recapped last week's inconclusive IronMan match between Nigel McGuinness and Nick Bockwinkel, which was followed by dueling promos between the two foes. The feud was far from over, and they were both willing to up the ante to prove who the better man was.
Stu Hart came out to the broadcast table to change one of the night's matches – the fatal four-way match to determine the top contender for the AWA World tag belts was being postponed one week. However, they were all going to wrestle tonight in an eight-man tag-team match instead. “Think of it as a warm-up match. Tonight, it's going to be the East-West Connection and the North versus the Briscoe Brothers and the New Age Outlaws. So, Jesse, you better start getting loose.”
Ventura put the headset down and cracked his knuckles, and he followed Hart through the curtain backstage.
BO DALLAS vs. PRINCE PUMA:
vs.
vs.
The masked luchador was all action against the over-matched rookie. Dallas put on a brave face in his debut, but it didn't last long. Puma ended it quickly with a 630 senton, much to the crowd's delight.
COMMERCIAL
Rex Steiner cut a pre-taped promo. He was in a gym, where he threw ridiculous amounts of iron around. After setting the bar down on his bench, the second-generation prodigy told MJF that he was coming for him at AWA Awesomesauce. “I might not have your experience, I might not have your entourage, but I'm 141% better than you – and you'll know it!”
AWA SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MJF (w/Wardlow) vs. JON MOXLEY:
vs.
MJF (w/Wardlow) vs. JON MOXLEY:
vs.
This was Moxley's “reward” for winning the brutal strap match against Chris Hero the week earlier, and he was still sore and marked up from it. Friedman wasn't happy about it, but he had his ever-present backup in his corner, so he felt as confident as ever.
They went back and forth for about ten minutes, and the challenger was gaining momentum. MJF cut it off with a low blow that the ref didn't see, and Moxley tumbled to the outside. But he beat the count, barely, rolling in at nine – and as the official signaled that he was back in, Wardlow handed the gaudy diamond ring to his associate. MJF grinned as he went for one final punch – but Moxley blocked it, stripped the weapon from his finger, and put it on his own hand. The referee warned him not to use it, but the former Shield member was still angry and aching from the low blow, and he nailed Friedman on the side of the head. It was an immediate disqualification, but Moxley just shrugged; he knew that he and Friedman would cross paths again. As he acknowledged the crowd from the turnbuckle, Wardlow slid in and pulled MJF out of the ring.
COMMERCIAL
Styles was joined on commentary by the manager of the AWA World Tag-Team champions, the Midnight Express... the one and only James E. Cornette. The “Louisville Slugger” was his usual verbose self, and after begrudgingly acknowledging each teams' talent, he made sure that he insulted every team as well.
MARK AND JAY BRISCOE and the NEW AGE OUTLAWS vs. the EAST-WEST CONNECTION (w/the Grand Wizard) and THE NORTH (w/Jimmy Hart):
vs.
vs.
Needless to say, this match was insane. Reluctant tags on both sides, lots of in-ring action, even bickering on the outside between the two legendary managers. Styles wondered if any of the teams would try to injure one specific opponent to soften them up for next week when it would matter more, but after a while, it was hard to tell – everyone was hitting everyone. They went about 15 fast-paced minutes, and after a bunch of near-falls, Josh Alexander sneaked in and rolled up Mark Briscoe for the (relatively) clean win.
After the bell rang, the eight combatants sized each other up and started fighting again, every man for himself. The timekeeper banged at the bell repeatedly, to no avail, and a swarm of AWA officials and lower-card grapplers ran down the ramp to break things up. It was chaos, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
Things had settled down by the time the show came back on the air, and Cornette was still on commentary. Joey Styles announced another big match for next week's show – the three men who battled for the AWA World Heavyweight title and came up short against Don Leo Jonathan would face off in a triple-threat match: Miro, Mad Dog Vachon, and Jerry Lawler!
HANDICAP MATCH
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE vs. KEVIN KROSS and SCARLETT BORDEAUX:
vs.
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE vs. KEVIN KROSS and SCARLETT BORDEAUX:
vs.
The former WCW champion came out first, through the crowd. He paced back and forth, angrily impatient. He wanted revenge.
The lights went out for Kross's macabre entrance, and he and Bordeaux paced halfway down the ramp. They stopped, and Kross revealed a microphone in his hand. He pointed at DDP and sneered. “This will be a handicap match... but neither one of us said that Scarlett was wrestling tonight.”
Page stopped in his tracks. He immediately knew he was tricked, but he wasn't going down without a fight.
Enter stage left, the UWA Universal champion, Nick Aldis.
The “Universal Treasure” exchanged a knowing look with Kross and the two men entered the ring together.
HANDICAP MATCH
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE vs. KEVIN KROSS and NICK ALDIS:
vs.
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE vs. KEVIN KROSS and NICK ALDIS:
vs.
Styles was almost – almost – at a loss for words when the bell rang, as he had no explanation for what was happening. DDP was constantly fighting from underneath; whenever he assumed any sort of advantage, the fresh man on the opposing team would tag in and batter him back down. Nonetheless, Page refused to give up, and after about eight agonizing minutes, DDP made a comeback. He elbowed Aldis off the ring apron, and he fell to the floor. He followed that up with a series of right hands on Kross, backing him into the opposite corner. The crowd went wild when signaled to the crowd that it was Diamond Cutter time, and he locked Kross's head in a quarter-nelson. But the former NXT champion shoved him away – right toward Aldis, who kicked Page in the gut and nailed him with the Treasure Chest. One, two, three, over. The show ended with Aldis and Kross shaking hands over the woozy Page, with Bordeaux standing alongside both men.