Post by fifthhorseman on Jul 29, 2023 21:04:19 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 54
EPISODE 54
Pyro from Chicago, 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. Announcing the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
AWA President Jack Tunney started the show with a pre-recorded announcement from his office. “At AWA WrestleRock, the UWA Universal Champion, Chris Jericho, will defend his title to begin the second night of wrestling action. On night one, the AWA Intercontinental champion, Diamond Dallas Page, and the AWA World Mid-Heavyweight Champion, Lou Thesz, will each be defending their titles as well. If Mr. Page successfully defends his championship, he will face Mr. Jericho the next night for the UWA Universal title... and if Mr. Thesz also retains his championship, he too will face Chris Jericho the next night. If both men win, it will be a triple-threat match for the UWA Universal championship. If only one man wins, it will be contested as a one-on-one match. And if neither man wins on night one, Mr. Jericho will still defend his championship... against anyone he wants on the AWA roster.”
AMAZING RED vs. the DYNAMITE KID vs. JD McDONAGH vs. X-PAC:
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Every AWA multi-man mid-heavyweight match was a whirlwind, and this was no exception. They all got a chance to shine in the ten minutes, but the Dynamite Kid ultimately won in convincing fashion with a top-rope superplex on McDonagh. After the bout, the Kid took the microphone from Lee Marshall and told the audience – and Lou Thesz, specifically - that he was looking forward to their upcoming Iron Man match at AWA WrestleRock, and he was going to reclaim his title.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR was shown, and Nick Bockwinkel was very, very happy to have rid the AWA of Jerry Lawler. “But as gratifying as that was, that's not why I'm here. I'm not the American Wrestling Association's doorman – I'm the CEO. So, no more distractions. My waist feels empty not covered in championship gold... and it's about time that I do something about it.”
VERNE GAGNE vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
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Gagne stalled at the beginning, using the ropes and floor for multiple timeouts., infuriating the crowd and Williams. Eventually, “Dr. Death” got his hands on Gagne, and pressed him over his head 10 times before slamming him to the mat. He threw the AWA icon around the ring for a couple of more minutes, and then Gagne decided that he had had enough. He rolled outside, threw his hands up, and angrily walked to the back, giving Williams an unsatisfying countout victory.
But before the massive Oklahoman could leave, Ted DiBiase walked down to the ring. He was jeered as he took the microphone from Marshall, and he asked Williams to hear him out. “Steve, please hear me out. We go way back, and we did a lot of great things together. But ever since, when we parted ways and you went to the NWA and I went to the WWF, well... I changed. For the worse. I let the money and the fame get to me, and rather than do something good with it, it went straight to my head. Kicking basketballs away from kids? Trying to buy a world championship? What the hell was I thinking?”
The crowd still booed, but a few cheers were heard as well. “I'm going to try to get my fortune back, and if I do – when I do – I swear I'll do the right thing. But that's not nearly as important to me, right now, as getting my hands on the man that betrayed me, Mike Rotunda. And now he has my belt, and Virgil at his side as well. Doc, I want to take them both on at WrestleRock – and I cant think of a better partner, a better man, than you in my corner. It's been a long, long time since the Rat Pack was together, and I can't promise you anything right now but a good fight. That, and I'll be a hell of a lot more loyal to you than Verne Gagne ever was. Doc, I'm begging you... what do you say?” DiBiase extended his hand.
Williams was hesitant. He himself had worked on both sides of the proverbial fence, even here in the AWA. The audience was eager to hear his decision, and he milked the moment for several long seconds, until at last... he reached out and shook DiBiase's hand. Most of the crowd cheered; the smart Chicago fans knew that in the wrestling industry, a handshake meant little. The two former Mid-South stalwarts exited the ring together.
COMMERCIAL
A VTR was shown; it was shot after last week's All-Star Wrestling went off the air, and Damian Priest was angry about his loss to Diamond Dallas Page. He was kicking things around in his locker room, but he was interrupted by Bryan Danielson. The renowned grappler told him that he was impressed, but he wasn't nearly as good as he thought he was. Priest chested up to him in a show of intimidation, but the shorter “American Dragon” was unfazed. Danielson: “I don't have anything to do for WrestleRock. I don't think you do, either. If you want to do this in a ring in front of, oh, 70,000 people, well, let's continue this conversation in Jack Tunney's office.”
BADD COMPANY vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (w/Jim Cornette):
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Eaton and Lane needed a win to reestablish themselves as a top-tier team, and after 20 minutes, they eked it out when “Beautiful Bobby” hit Tanaka with the Alabama Jam. The match was textbook, old-school tag-team wrestling at its finest, and Badd Company looked just as good as the Express in defeat. Notably, as the match wore on, it drew the attention of Paul London and Brian Kendrick, Jerry Lynn and Lance Storm, and America's Most Wanted, who all wound up watching it from the stage.
COMMERCIAL
Eric Bischoff was somewhere backstage with Mike Rotunda and Virgil, and he asked Rotunda if he would accept his former partner's challenge. He smirked and replied, “First of all, I don't have to accept anybody's challenge, especially a poor has-been like Ted DiBiase. And Steve Williams, I'm very disappointed in you. If you had just given me a chance to discuss the matter with you first, I'm sure you would have said no to him. I would have made it worth your while, trust me. But apparently you forgot I'm rich, and you forgot about our Varsity Club days, too. So be it. DiBiase, I accept your challenge – you want a tag-team match, you got it. Because everybody will pay the price... of the Billion Dollar Man, Mike Rotunda!”
ROCKY MAIVIA vs. SHEAMUS:
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The two loud and brash fighters fought a very physical battle, and as the minutes and bruises accumulated, Maivia wanted to finish it before the Irishman inflicted some serious damage. So after the ref was momentarily bumped, “the Rock” racked Sheamus's eyes, hit him with a low blow followed by a Rock Bottom, and held the tights for the tainted win - a trifecta of treachery. The third-generation star quickly rolled from the ring to escape Sheamus's wrath.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, Will Ospreay commandeered a cameraman, and said, “All those teams impressed with that tag-team match just now? Count me out. I didn't need to take a close-up look at any of them, and here's why. There's no point! Like the wise man once said, a boot has no quarrel with an ant... and this division is full of ants. I'm challenging any team in the AWA to meet me and my new partner in the ring next week... and you'll see what real strength is, my friends.”
NON-TITLE MATCH
JAY and MARK BRISCOE (c) vs. the GUNN CLUB:
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JAY and MARK BRISCOE (c) vs. the GUNN CLUB:
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West was amazed that the Gunns were getting a match against the AWA World tag champs in their debut match, and Styles responded, “They must be great contract negotiators.” The Briscoes were happy to get some action in before their big match again FTR at WrestleRock. Austin and Colten were impressively arrogant, and got some offense in, but Jay eventually nailed Austin with the Jay Driller to win it.
Marshall met the champions in the ring, and Mark and Jay both swore that that FTR's time as UWA Universal Tag-Team champions was up, and they were due for a loss – and the Briscoes were just the men to hand it to them.
COMMERCIAL
Another AJ Styles vignette... but when it ended, Don West excitedly told the audience that the "Phenomenal One" would be making his AWA debut next week.
Before the main event began, Joey Styles had a couple of announcements of his own to make. He said that the Addiction had already accepted Will Ospreay's challenge – and that the winner of that match would go into a 12-man tag-team elimination match at WrestleRock, joining America's Most Wanted and the Midnight Express versus London and Kendrick, Badd Company, and Storm and Lynn. Another match was made official as well: Bryan Danielson versus Damian Priest.
CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. AUSTIN THEORY (w/Jimmy Hart):
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Styles: “Everyone wants to be razor-sharp going into WrestleRock, including Christian Cage.” Theory was doubly motivated: not only was he not on the two-night extravaganza, he also didn't want to be considered a mere stepping stone for the “Instant Classic”. The youngster was aggressive from the opening bell, and with the “Mouth of the South” cheering and coaching at ringside, he kept Cage grounded with his raw power. However, the former WWE World champion worked his way back up, and eventually caught Theory with the Unprettier for the win.
As soon as it ended, Barry Windham walked out onto the stage, flanked by Cornette and the Midnight Express. He waved his championship belt at Cage; the big Texan wasn't there to fight just yet, but he wanted to make a display of power. Christian could only lean on the ropes, catching his breath, and as the show ended, Windham said, “You could barely beat him! You think you're gonna take this from me? You're nothing, Cage! Nothing!”