Post by fifthhorseman on Jun 27, 2023 0:18:54 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 50
EPISODE 50
Cold open with dueling “Saturday Night's Main Event”-styled promos from Nick Bockwinkel and Jerry Lawler to hype their Memphis street fight.
Pyro from Winnipeg, Manitoba, 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.
BRYAN DANIELSON vs. AUSTIN THEORY (w/Jimmy Hart):
vs.
vs.
The “American Dragon” received a huge ovation to start the show. It was a showcase match, plain and simple, but Theory made him look great while also making him work for it. Thy went about seven minutes, with Danielson submitting his young foe with the LeBell Lock.
After the bout, Lee Marshall interviewed Danielson in the ring. “I think I'm a relatively modest guy, but my resume speaks for itself. There are a lot of great wrestlers here in the AWA, and I'll face each and every one of them if it means getting what I'm here to collect – the AWA World Heavyweight championship.”
COMMERCIAL
Christian Cage burst through the curtain, grabbed a microphone from the broadcast table, and marched to the ring. He was as angry as he had ever been, and he minced no words describing how, over the last month or so, the AWA World Heavyweight title had been stolen from him multiple times. “If it's not Big Bubba Rogers, it's Jim Cornette. If it's not Cornette, it's Bobby Eaton. Or Stan Lane. Or Dennis Condrey. And Barry Windham – he's not a stupid man, surrounding himself with all of those obstacles, making it damn near impossible to get to him. Howver, he is a coward. Windham, I'm not giving up. You haven't seen the last of me, I can promise you that.”
The MIDNIGHT RIDER vs. BOBBY ROODE (w/Freddie Blassie):
vs.
It was still impossible to discern the masked stranger's identity. Roode got the jump on him early, but the Rider battled back with a fast-paced, scientific approach. A split-screen occasionally showed Ric Flair and Tully Blanchard backstage watching as well, and after breaking down the “Canadian Enforcer's” legs (with a figure-four leglock, amongst other things), the Rider finished it off with a spectacular top-rope cross-body. The rest of the Pinnacle ran down to confront him, but the masked man darted through the crowd.
COMMERCIAL
Bischoff was backstage with Ric Flair, who took issue with the Rider's usage of the figure-four. “I don't know who you are or what you're doing here, but you're messing with the wrong man! The next time I see you, I'm gonna rip that mask right off your stupid, ugly face!”
PAUL LONDON and BRIAN KENDRICK vs. MONEY INC (w/Batista):
vs.
vs.
West reminded the audience about the count-out loss Money Inc. took a few weeks earlier, and DiBiase and Rotunda were in a foul mood early. They used their size and strength advantage to ground their opponents, but London and then Kendrick fought back. The pace quickened in a hurry, and soon all four men were in the ring. It was chaotic, and out of nowhere, London rolled up Rotunda from behind for the upset win. The “Million Dollar Man” was furious, and waved at Batista to “take care of business”. The 320-pounded hesitated for a second, checked something on his phone, and said, “Not until I get paid!” London and Kendrick dashed out of the ring, and the three heels stayed in the ring, angry and bewildered.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR aired: earlier in the week, Bischoff interviewed Arn Anderson. “The Enforcer” was all business, and while he was happy to help a guy like Diamond Dallas Page, that wasn't the reason he interfered in his match the week earlier. “Tully, I warned you. I warned each and every member of the Pinnacle that I was going to take you down, and I will... and it starts with you. No more mister guy – the next time I see you, it might be backstage, or out in the parking lot, or at the gym... I guess what I'm saying is, I'm gonna kick your ass.”
MEMPHIS STREET FIGHT
THREE OUT OF FIVE SERIES
NICK BOCKWINKEL vs. JERRY LAWLER (w/Jimmy Hart):
vs.
Styles reminded the audience that “the King” chose this stipulation, and was up 2-1. Both men were in street clothes, a rarity for either of them, and Bockwinkel didn't wait for the bell to ring before tackling Lawler to the mat. Winnipeg was AWA territory, so Bockwinkel was the crowd favorite – but that didn't help when Lawler was on offense. They went about 15 minutes, and both men was bloodied when it was over; it ended when Bockwinkel nailed Lawler between the eyes with Hart's megaphone on the floor, and he rolled him inside for the pin.
COMMERCIAL
A Superstar Billy Graham vignette; he would be live and in living color on next week's show.
The Dynamite Kid came down to the ring, where Marshall asked him what was next. He replied that that was a simple answer – he would get a rematch against Lou Thesz and win back the AWA World Mid-Heavyweight belt. That prompted the champion to come out, and he also entered the ring. Thesz said, “We can go sign a contract anytime, but you're mistaken about one thing – you are never going to beat me for this title. 45 minutes, 60, 90, it doesn't matter. I'm -”
He was interrupted from the stage by the newcomer JD McDonagh, who said that people were tired of watching those two, and they wanted to see new blood in the division. But before he could say anything else, he was interrupted from the other side of the stage by another recent signee, X-Pac. The multi-time Cruiserweight champion insisted that he deserved a title shot as well. This prompted Bischoff to jog out from the back, and he told the wrestlers – and the crowd – that new AWA President Jack Tunney wanted to battle next week in a tag-team match: Thesz and the Kid versus X-Pac and McDonagh. None of the parties look especially impressed, and they eventually all left.
LARRY HENNIG vs. ROCKY MAIVIA:
vs.
Hennig's partner, Harley Race, joined the commentary team. The third-generation, third-person-speaking Maivia used hit-and-run offense on “the Ax”, frustrating the big man with physical and verbal jabs. However, when Hennig connected, he connected big, and “the Rock” sold his tail off. They went about ten solid minutes, when Maivia evaded an attempted shoulder-breaker, and he hit the AWA stalwart with the Rock Bottom for the victory. After the match, the seemingly disgusted Race left without waiting for his partner.
COMMERCIAL
A Demolition promo, recorded last week after their match against Doom. Ax did the talking, and he snarled, “The record book will show that we lost tonight, but everyone saw it! Everyone except the referee! Smash had his foot on the ropes and the ref counted three anyways! Well, Doom, that doesn't make you the toughest team in the world – that's us! And the next time you get in the ring with us, we'll prove it!”
Before the main event began, Styles told the audience that next week, President Tunney would be making an announcement about the AWA World Heavyweight title. He also revealed that Ric Flair would be in action next week, and that the Street Profits would make their AWA debut.
AWA WORLD TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MARK and JAY BRISCOE vs. the MINNESOTA WRESTLING CLUB (c):
vs.
The main event was, as the kids say, a banger. Gange and Williams were unmatched from a technical perspective, but the brothers had telepathic chemistry, and they doubled-teamed whenever they could. As usual, “Dr. Death's” raw power was the x-factor, and he took over on Mark. The MWC controlled the match for several minutes, but the younger Briscoe made the hot tag to his sibling. Mark took on both men, and after Williams went to the floor, he brawled with Gagne in the corner. After a series of two-counts by both men, the AWA legend whipped Jay towards the ropes, but Briscoe reversed it – just as Williams was getting onto the ring apron. Williams and Gagne collided, butting heads, and the former ROH World champ took advantage of it. Gagne staggered backwards, and Briscoe spun him around and nailed him with the Jay Driller. As the referee made the count, Mark dove over his brother to intercept Williams. One, two, three – new AWA World Tag-Team champions. Mark and Jay celebrated with the belts over their heads to end the show.