Post by fifthhorseman on May 9, 2022 23:17:33 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 18
EPISODE 18
Pyro from St. Louis, Missouri, then a 60-second sizzle reel of classic AWA action interspersed with close-ups of and highlights from members of the current AWA roster.
Joey Styles was at the broadcast table by himself – his color partner, Jesse Ventura, would be in action later – so he introduced the AWA World Heavyweight champion, Don Leo Jonathan, to join him on commentary. The big man received a hero's welcome, and he sat down to watch the opening match with great interest.
TRIPLE-THREAT TOP CONTENDERS MATCH
JERRY LAWLER (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. MIRO vs. MAD DOG VACHON:
vs. vs.
JERRY LAWLER (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. MIRO vs. MAD DOG VACHON:
vs. vs.
The crowd didn't expect to see Jimmy Hart so early in the night, but there he was, reunited with “the King”. It was a fairly standard triple-threat bout, and Lawler and Miro could never cooperate long enough to put Vachon away. After absorbing a fair bit of punishment, the AWA icon rallied back and tossed Miro through the ropes, leaving him alone with Lawler. The two men teased hitting each other with piledrivers, reversing it several times before the Frenchman connected. But as he went for the pin, “the Redeemer” grabbed Vachon and threw him through the ropes, and stole the pin on Lawler for himself.
After the others left, Lee Marshall entered the ring to interview Miro about his win, but the Bulgarian didn't want to waste words or time. He looked toward the broadcast table and shouted, “Giant! I don't want to wait – I'm ready right now! Are you man enough to face God's favorite wrestler tonight? Let's go!”
Jonathan stood up but before he could answer, Commissioner Hart walked out and spoke to him. The crowd couldn't hear the conversation, and the crowd buzzed as Miro stomped back and forth in the ring. After about 30 seconds, Jonathan picked up a microphone and said, “You're on,” while Hart gave it the thumbs-up.
COMMERCIAL
Styles was solo again, but not for long; he introduced Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express. The four men formed a dangerous group, and the manager said that it didn't matter who won tonight, any combination of “Beautiful Bobby”, “Loverboy Dennis” and “Sweet Stan” were the best and best-looking team in the AWA. He stayed behind to do color commentary with Styles for the rest of the night.
BO DALLAS and TOMMY DREAMER vs. LARRY HENNIG and HARLEY RACE:
vs.
vs.
The former AWA tag champs didn't break much of a sweat against the white-meat babyfaces Dreamer and Dallas. However, a peculiar thing happened after the bell – Hennig and Race were cheered. Maybe it was because they debuted in a city that knew the rugged veterans very well. Maybe it was the no-nonsense, straight-ahead wrestling style the two men employed. Maybe it was simply because the audience knew who they were – in any event, the fans were firmly on their side.
Backstage, the Motor City Machine Guns watched the end of that match from a monitor then addressed the camera that was in front of them. They realized they had to pay some dues before getting a shot at the Midnight Express, but all they needed was time.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR featuring the Pinnacle aired. They weren't there – apparently, St. Louis was beneath them – but the AWA Southern champ, MJF, was interested in wrestling next week. “Mox, buddy, I'm not surprised that a thug like you would resort to using a foreign object – my own diamond ring, by the way – to try to get a cheap win. Hell, the only thing that surprised about your actions last week was that you dropped the ring when you left – I thought for sure you'd try to pawn it. But me and the machine called Wardlow aren't done with you yet. I know that you have a real problem keeping tag-team partners, but why don't you try to find one for next week.”
NIGEL McGUINNESS vs. BUDDY MURPHY:
vs.
vs.
From a purely technical standpoint, this was the match to watch – at least, in the time it lasted. The first five minutes contained plenty of hard strikes from every angle, and the suplexes and slams were bone-jarring. Neither man was willing, or seemingly even capable, of backing down.
And then Nick Bockwinkel came out to take a closer look. When McGuinness spotted him, he jumped out of the ring and shouted at him, but the Californian stood his ground on the stage. A few moments later, Austin Theory wandered onto the stage, mike in hand, and said, “Hey, Murphy! Murphy! I have something to say to you!”
The action came to a dead stop, giving the AWA commissioner time to hit the stage with an irritated look on his face. He took the microphone from Theory and said, “Everybody settle down. And before you all get ahead of yourselves, I'm not Teddy Long. I'm declaring this match a no-contest, and you two – you four – are all done for the night.”
The crowd wasn't thrilled with his announcement, but Hart just shrugged and said, “Let's hear what young Mr. Theory has to say. And the rest of you, stay where you are. I assume this is something to do with what I asked you to do last week?”
Theory nodded. “You said settle it with him,” he replied, pointing at Murphy, “and I have it. Give us a best-of-seven series. That will prove, once and for all, who the better man is.”
Hart nodded. “I like it. And I assume Mr. Murphy has no problem with that?” He looked toward the ring, where the Australian pointed back at Theory and shouted,” Anytime!”
“I'll get the legal team to start the paperwork tonight,” Hart said, then he turned to Bockwinkel. “As for you two. Two out of three falls didn't settle it. 30 minutes didn't settle it. It would seem like there's only one logical step to take... but I have a even better idea. How about a match with no limit? Nick, Nigel, you're going to settle this, at AWA Awesomesauce... in a Texas Death Match. And the special referee for that match is one of the men who fought in the first-ever Texas Death Match, going over three hours with Dory Funk... 'Iron' Mike DiBiase.”
However, it didn't look like the two men wanted to wait, and McGuinness marched up the ramp toward Bockwinkel, who was ready for him.... as were the half-dozen security guards who got in between them. From the top of the ramp, Theory taunted Murphy, who dared the smug youngster to meet him in the ring.
As the chaos was settled, a giant graphic for Matt Cardona appeared on the video screens, and then the show went to
COMMERCIAL
Marshall was in the ring, and he introduced Diamond Dallas Page. The “People's Champion” worked his way through the crowd, and he hit the ring in a foul mood. He was furious – at Killer Kross, at Scarlett Bordeaux, at Nick Aldis, but most of all, at himself for getting lured into that handicap match. “Kross, enough of the mindgames – just meet me in the ring if you got the guts!”
DDP left, and a tale of the tape highlight package aired for the four teams about to enter the ring.
FATAL FOUR-WAY TOP CONTENDERS MATCH
LOSER OF THE FALL MUST LEAVE THE AWA
JAY and MARK BRISCOE vs. the EAST-WEST CONNECTION (w/the Grand Wizard) vs. the NEW AGE OUTLAWS vs. the NORTH (w/Jimmy Hart):
vs.
vs.
vs.
LOSER OF THE FALL MUST LEAVE THE AWA
JAY and MARK BRISCOE vs. the EAST-WEST CONNECTION (w/the Grand Wizard) vs. the NEW AGE OUTLAWS vs. the NORTH (w/Jimmy Hart):
vs.
vs.
vs.
This was the ultimate high-risk, high-reward match. As such, it started slowly, all eight men were very cautious. After all, one of them would be packing their bags and going to parts unknown.
It didn't take too long for things to heat up, though. Each team brought something different to the table, and nearly every permutation of competitors that got in the ring together was exciting. Most often, it seemed as if Ventura and Adonis squared off against the Outlaws, while the Briscoe brothers and the North mixed it up. After about 20 minutes, and a series of near-finishers, it finally ended with the older Briscoe hitting the Jay Driller on... Ethan Page. In one fell swoop, the new top contenders for the AWA World Tag-Team titles were acclaimed, and “All Ego” was out of the AWA.
COMMERCIAL
Before the main event got underway, Styles announced that "Iron" Mike DiBiase was on his way to the AWA, that there would be an important announcement about the Theory/Murphy best-of-seven series on next week's show, and confirmed that Jon Moxley (and an unnamed partner) would clash with MJF and Wardlow as well!
AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
DON LEO JONATHAN (c) vs. MIRO:
vs.
DON LEO JONATHAN (c) vs. MIRO:
vs.
The challenger was well-rested, and the champion was stretched out and ready to work. The two men stared each other down in the middle of the ring as the referee laid out the final instructions; this definitely had a big-match feel.
Jonathan's first title defense started well, as he used his long reach and limbs to keep “the Redeemer” at bay. But it didn't last forever, and Miro got inside DLJ's guard and pounded away at the body, targeting the midsection and the lower back. He never went for a pin, though, as he wanted to end it with the Accolade.
But Jonathan wasn't going to let him. He battled back, kicking Miro away from the mat and kipping up. The giant slammed into Miro in the corner, and brought him out with a massive powerslam. That only got him a two-count, so he went for his submission move, the Boston crab. The 300-pounder leaned back in the center of the ring, and the Bulgarian had nowhere to go. He fought it for about ten seconds, but after this 15-minute war, Miro finally gave up. The show ended with the “Mormon Giant's” arms raised in victory.