Post by fifthhorseman on Nov 11, 2022 19:02:32 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 32
EPISODE 32
Cold open in the cold parking lot; hours before the show started, after Rex Steiner, Larry Hennig, and Harley Race arrived at the arena, they were jumped by the Family Business. It was a brutal five-on-three street fight, and DiBiase's stable left them writhing in pain on the concrete.
Pyro from Thunder Bay, Ontario, then a 60-second sizzle reel of classic AWA action interspersed with close-ups of and highlights from members of the current AWA roster. Announcing the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
CHRISTOPHER DANIELS, JERRY LYNN, and PRINCE PUMA vs. ART BARR, WILL OSPREAY, and TAJIRI:
vs.
vs.
This was an opening match reminiscent of mid-90s WCW cruiserweight action. They got plenty of time and the crowd was into it, and all six men were able to seize a particular moment in this spotfest. After just over ten minutes of wall-to-wall action, Ospreay won it for his team with a corkscrew shooting star press on Daniels.
After the bout, the scene switched to the trainer's room, where Hennig, Race, and Steiner were all getting checked out, but it was obvious that the two veterans were most concerned about the second-generation dynamo.
COMMERCIAL
AWA SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MJF (c, w/Freddie Blassie) vs. LANCE STORM:
vs.
MJF (c, w/Freddie Blassie) vs. LANCE STORM:
vs.
The Canadian crowd was unanimously behind the newest member of the AWA roster, and Storm didn't disappoint in his debut. He was powerful and dynamic, and Friedman was constantly frustrated. After about 12 minutes, he signaled for Wardlow to come out, and the powerhouse did... but he was suddenly hit with a Diamond Cutter by DDP! Inside the ring, Storm hit MJF with a superkick, knocking him out of the ring towards Page, and the champ decided to bail out. Rather than face his nemesis or Storm, the Southern champion fled through the crowd. Storm won via countout, DDP returned to the back, and Blassie hustled up the ramp to check on Wardlow.
COMMERCIAL
The Pinnacle was “celebrating” in the back, and MJF stood front and center with the belt over his shoulder. “DDP, you think you're a smart guy? Do you think we're weak? Not a chance, buddy. When we took out Arn Anderson, we shed the dead weight. Addition by subtraction – we're stronger than ever! And here's another thing, a real man wouldn't jump someone from behind. So how about next week, you try on “Mr. Mayhem”, the most powerful prospect in professional wrestling, the mighty Wardlow, in a real match next week?”
Backstage, Christian Cage met with Commissioner Eddie Graham and volunteered to step in for Rex Steiner. However, Graham told him that a contract was a contract, and he there was still time - albeit not much - for Steiner to recover for his match. As Cage left, he bumped into Verne Gagne and Chad Gable, and jokingly consoled them about losing the AWA Stampede Mid-Heavyweight title to the Dynamite Kid.
NON-TITLE MATCH
LARRY HENNIG, HARLEY RACE, and REX STEINER vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (c, w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers):
vs.
LARRY HENNIG, HARLEY RACE, and REX STEINER vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (c, w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers):
vs.
Race, Hennig... no Steiner. The two brawlers insisted that the match should go on, and Cornette and his men were more than willing to accommodate them. But regardless of the situation, the AWA stars took the fight to Eaton, Lane, and Condrey for a while until the tide turned for the champions. Shockingly, Steiner limped out, shirt off and wearing jeans, ready to fight. As a bunch of officials ran out to stop him, the distraction gave the Express the time they needed to hit the Hi-Lo legsweep on Hennig, and they stole the victory.
COMMERCIAL
Lee Marshall introduced Logan Paul, Matt Cardona, and MNM to the ring. They didn't receive a warm welcome, and they formally introduced themselves as the Agency. “As in, agents of change,” Paul said. “Agents of influence. We're the most exciting, engaging, powerful group in the AWA. Anyone who's anyone knows it – we're leaders, not followers – so it's only a matter of time before we're wearing all the championships around here.”
After they left, Styles and West ran down the rest of the card before they were interrupted by the entrance of yet another brash, cocky – but very good – wrestler.
AUSTIN THEORY (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. ?
vs.
vs.
The arrogant youngster stood in the ring and issued an open challenge. “I don't know why that old man Stu Hart left me off Autumn Bomb, and I have no idea why it took so long for me to get back on TV, but now that I'm here, it's time to remind you all why I'm the biggest prodigy in professional wrestling. So let's get on with it.”
A few suspenseful seconds later, the curtain parted and Nick Bockwinkel came out to a hero's welcome. Theory and the “Mouth of the South” was furiously concerned, and the AWA icon marched down to the ring ready to fight. And they did; Theory got a respectable amount of offense in, but Bockwinkel was eager to send a message to the other members of Hart's group, Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman. The savvy veteran made Theory submit to a figure-four leglock.
COMMERCIAL
Don West found an angry Diamond Dallas Page striding through the backstage arena corridors. He laughed at MJF's challenge, and welcomed the opportunity to deliver another Diamond Cutter to Wardlow. “And mark my words, punk, if I have to go through each and every one of you to get another title shot, I will. I was robbed at Autumn Bomb, and you can talk the talk all you want but the fact is this – I'm on the way up, and you all are on the way down. Bang!”
BRONSON REED (w/Jacob Fatu) vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
vs.
vs.
Although the Australian was heavier than “Dr. Death”, perhaps no one on the AWA roster was stronger or more intense than Williams. The two bulls wrestled a high-impact power match, and they only went a few minutes before Williams scooped up the 330-pounder and squashed him with the Oklahoma Stampede for the win. Fatu jumped in the ring to check on his partner, and Williams bluffed a charge at him before leaving the ring. He was met on the ramp by the Grand Wizard, who asked “Dr. Death” if he needed a manager.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, the Grand Wizard said that his conversation with Williams earlier in the night was private business. “However, next week, when we get our AWA World tag-team title match against the Midnight Express, we'll be throwing a party right afterwards! Did you see what I saw? I saw a team – three men! - struggle to beat a couple of overrated tough guys in Race and Hennig! So what do you think is gonna happen next week when whatever two pretty boys Cornette rolls out get in the ring with my men, the Blond Bombers?” Patterson and Stevens walked out of the shadowy corners, snarling confidently, and the Wizard told the cameraman to get out.
AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
DREW McINTYRE vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c, w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers):
DREW McINTYRE vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c, w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers):
vs.
Two of the most evenly-matched competitors in the AWA went toe-to-toe for over 20 minutes. If Windham thought his first AWA World title defense was going to be easy, he was dead wrong. The big Scotsman was as sharp as ever, and had he not knocked the Texan through the ropes with his Claymore kick, he might have won it right there. However, the momentum changed after Windham got back in the ring, and with his manager and Rogers providing timely distractions, it gave the new champion enough time to hit a worn-down McIntyre with a vicious lariat for the win.