Post by fifthhorseman on Dec 20, 2022 0:08:17 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 34
EPISODE 34
Pyro from Windsor, 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.
AWA World champion Barry Windham strolled out onto the stage, along with his manager Jim Cornette, and he wondered who he'd be facing in the main event. “It's bad enough that I'm in Canada in December, but I don't even know who I'm facing tonight.”
The “Louisville Slugger” shrugged his shoulders. “All the office told me was that he was a former World champion, too. But that ain't nothing that you can't handle! All that means is that that old codger Eddie Graham knows that it takes a so-called former champion to make you break a sweat – and we'll just see about that!”
On cue, the challenger walked through the curtain – it was Jay Briscoe. He was flanked by his brother Mark, and he said, “Yeah, I'm actually a two-time World champion. Pretty sure that means I can do a lot more than give you some reps in the ring, boy – I know this was supposed to be a non-title match, but how about you out your money where your mouth is?
Before Cornette could reply, “the Widowmaker” cut him off. “Against a redneck chicken farmer like you? Well, seeing how I have to defend this title every 30 days, I might as well do it tonight against you, punk – it'll be the easiest title defense I've had all year.”
Officials quickly came out and got between the parties, primarily to insure that they both fought at 100% later in the night. The first match of the night finally got underway.
DARBY ALLIN vs. ILYA DRAGUNOV vs. WILL OSPREAY:
vs. vs.
vs. vs.
Ospreay won in a (needless to say) fast-paced battle after about ten minutes of action. After the match, Lee Marshall interviewed the Englishman in the ring, and Ospreay said that he was tired of “heating the crowd up and taking the rest of the show off. Isn't it about time you got one of us – i.e., me – a shot at the Dynamite Kid?”
COMMERCIAL
AWA Commissioner Eddie Graham strode to the ring, but before Marshall could ask him anything, Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express burst through the curtain onto the stage. Cornette grabbed a microphone from the broadcast table and shouted, “We all know this is about us, the most dominant team in the world today. We've held these AWA straps for over eight months, and no team can ever beat us in a fair fight! So go ahead, spit it out – who are you gonna throw at us next?”
Graham smiled and said, “Well, to be honest, I don't know who you're going to face. Because next week, you're going to defend the AWA World Tag-Team titles – in a Tag Team Rumble match. So you might be in there against the Briscoes, or the Motor City Machine Guns, or the Blond Bombers... or any other team that enters the Rumble!”
The Express and Cornette were furious as Graham continued. “But in the spirit of fairness, you won't be the first team in the ring... but you also won't automatically get the last slot, either. You'll come in right in the middle. Now if you'll excuse me, I have another announcement to make about our next big pay-per-view, AWA Big Chill.”
They stormed off to the crowd's delight, and Graham continued. “The AWA recently acquired the rights to the Pat O'Connor Memorial Cup. It has only been awarded once in its existence, and that was as a tag-team prize that was won by Rick and Scott Steiner a long time ago. However, I plan on using it to recognize Mr. O'Connor's accomplishments as the first-ever AWA World Heavyweight champion. Thus, we will start a tournament in two weeks to crown the next winner of this prestigious trophy, and that winner will also receive an AWA World Heavyweight championship match within 24 hours of calling for it.”
Graham left, and the show continued.
JACOB FATU (w/Bronson Reed) vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
vs.
vs.
The “Samoan Werewolf” put up a good fight, but “Dr. Death” was better, and he overpowered Fatu before finishing him off with the Oklahoma Stampede. Reed quickly entered the ring to check on his friend, and Williams left with a sneer on his face. He was met on the stage by Jimmy Hart, who followed excitedly behind the All-American.
COMMERCIAL
West found “Dr. Death” backstage, and asked him if he was joining Jimmy Hart's First Family. The two-sport athlete said, “Not that it's any of your business, but it was just a friendly chat. Yeah. Maybe we'll do business sometime down the road, who knows.” He stared down at West, who quickly walked away.
But before Williams left, an indistinguishable voice, spoken by a man hidden in the arena shadows, said, “Steve. We should talk.”
TULLY BLANCHARD/MJF (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. the PITBULLS:
vs.
vs.
The crowd despised Blanchard and the AWA Southern Heavyweight champion, and cheered every move their opponents made... but it didn't last very long. After only a couple of minutes, Arn Anderson charged down the ramp and hit a stunned Blanchard with a spinebuster. The ref immediately signaled for the bell and gave the Pinnacle the win, but it just got more chaotic from there.
Wardlow sprinted down and double-clotheslined the bystanders Kash and Noble out of the ring, and it was three on one. However, Diamond Dallas Page was the next man down, chair in hand, eager to exact revenge on the Pinnacle. The two sides were in a stand-off, the tension mounted, and just before the five men collided, a SIXTH man slid into the ring behind DDP and “Double A”. He was in regular clothes, and he nailed Page from behind with a powerful flying forearm. It was Manny Fernandez, and the four heels – with Blassie – stomped down the two popular wrestlers until AWA officials and security finally broke it up.
COMMERCIAL
It was chaos backstage. Anderson and Page were trying to pound their way into the Pinnacle's dressing room, but it was locked and AWA officials were shouting at them to leave. Suddenly, from inside that room – thanks to them hijacking a cameraman's equipment – MJF welcomed Fernandez into the Pinnacle, and said that the “Raging Bull” and Blanchard were going to enter the Rumble next week, and bring home more gold.
Don Leo Jonathan was interviewed by Don West on the stage. The popular “Mormon Giant” declared that he would be getting his rematch at the AWA world title at Big Chill, and he hoped that Barry Windham was still champ by the time he got there.
LARRY HENNIG and HARLEY RACE vs. MONEY, INC. (w/Mike DiBiase):
vs.
vs.
DiBiase and Rotunda won a tough, rugged battle by countout over the AWA legends. The match gradually turned into a brawl, and all four grapplers wound up on the outside. Money Inc fired the legal man Hennig into the steel ring steps, and both heels drove under the bottom rope at nine to steal the win.
COMMERCIAL
Styles excitedly said, “This isn't exactly breaking news, but we have the AWA Stampede Mid-Heavyweight champion, the Dynamite Kid, on the line! Can you hear me, champ?”
Via the miracles of modern technology, the stout Englishman appeared on the giant monitor on the stage, using his cell phone as the camera. He said that he didn't pick his challengers, he just fought whoever Eddie Graham put in front of him. “So Ospreay, I don't care if it's you, or Gable again – or anybody. I'm gonna carry this title for a long, long time. In fact, if there's time enough on next week's television show before or after that Rumble, I'm making an open challenge. Maybe it'll be you after all, Will!”
MATT CARDONA (w/Melina and Logan Paul) vs. LANCE STORM:
vs.
Storm won by disqualification after Logan Paul interfered after a dozen minutes of action. The Canadian was poised to win with a top-rope cross-bodyblock, but Paul jumped on the apron and pushed him off. But before the two members of the Agency could inflict any real damage, Storm rolled to the outside to safety. He backpedaled up the ramp to safety, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
Mad Dog Vachon and Nick Bockwinkel stood outside Graham's office, and the Commissioner said, “I promised you I'd have an answer for you about Jerry Lawler, and I do. You're both going to get your match with him in two weeks - in a tag-team match. It'll be the two of you, against 'the King'... and Andy Kaufman. Think you two can calm down until then?”
The two AWA icons looked at each other and Bockwinkel replied, “I think that sounds more than fair, Mr. Graham. Much obliged.”
AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
JAY BRISCOE (w/Mark Briscoe) vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c, w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers):
vs.
JAY BRISCOE (w/Mark Briscoe) vs. BARRY WINDHAM (c, w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers):
vs.
Windham defeated the former ROH World champion with a vicious lariat after 15 minutes of snug, intense action. When Rogers and Mark Briscoe started shoving each other on the outside, the big Texan took advantage of the distraction; for the most part, it was a relatively competitive and clean match. The show ended with Windham pointing into the camera and shouting, “I'll be waiting, Jonathan! You just try to stay healthy till then!”