Post by fifthhorseman on Aug 7, 2023 23:33:34 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 55
EPISODE 55
Pyro from Springfield, 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.
Cold open with the Pinnacle (minus the still-vacationing MJF) in the ring. Flair did most of the talking for the group, and said that the AWA revolved around them. “We're the reason you're tuning in at home right now! We're the reason you people are sitting down there, watching us. And we're the reason the American Wrestling Association is the best territory in the world... because we're the straw that stirs the drink! Whooooo! And -”
He was cut off from the stage by Nick Bockwinkel, and the AWA mainstay wasn't having any of it. “Flair, you've got to be kidding me. You think you and your ilk make the AWA special? The AWA thrives in spite of you, and I'll be happy to prove it. What do you say - you, Blanchard, and Roode against myself and two other true representatives of the AWA?”
Freddie Blassie scowled and answered the challenge. “You haven't got a prayer against the Pinnacle, Bockwinkel! Hell, I don't even think you have any friends who'd be dumb enough to get in the ring against my men!”
“I don't need friends,” Bockwinkel responded. “I just need partners. Do I have any takers back there?”
A few moments later, another AWA icon walked onto the stage. Mad Dog Vachon stood by Bockwinkel's side and nodded. Another few suspenseful moments later, they were joined by a man who got his first break in the AWA – the Intercontinental champion, Diamond Dallas Page. He “banged”, and that seemed to make the night's main event official before they all eventually left the scene.
DEMOLITION vs. the GUNN CLUB:
vs.
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Ax and Smash had little trouble handing the young Gunns, and finished things off with their patented elbow-smash in just a few minutes. However, this was just the prelude, as Doom slowly walked down the ramp trailed by Jimmy Hart. Demolition invited them to get in the ring, and they did – and the fight was on. It took several brave wrestlers and officials to break it up, but they finally did, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
A VTR aired. Rocky Maivia was in full-on Rock mode, and this was the night he began calling himself the Rock on a permanent basis. “What does the Rock have to do to get on the WrestleRock card, Tunney? The Rock showed that ginger albino Sheamus that he's gotta start all over at the back of the line around here. The Rock doesn't know why he wasn't in that battle royale a couple of weeks back, but the Rock can only assume it's because that chump DDP has something on Tunney. Because when the Rock is in matches, the Rock wins matches. Sol do the right thing, old man, and give the real 'People's Champion' the title shot he deserves.”
BATISTA vs. BRON STEINER:
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This was “the Animal's” coming out party; he controlled most of the match with his raw power and 90-pound weight advantage. Steiner had a few moments of glory, and took Batista off his feet with slams and suplexes, but he was eventually caught. One Batista Bomb later, the match was over, and the powerhouse declared that he was ready for his AWA Intercontinental title match at WrestleRock. “Page, I hope you got a good look at what's going to happen to you!”
COMMERCIAL
A pre-recorded interview aired. Arn Anderson was with Eric Bischoff, and “the Enforcer” was eager and ready to face his former partner at WrestleRock. “Tully Blanchard, I carried you and made excuses for you for years. But that's all over now. We're gonna be strapped together – nowhere to run, old friend, and nowhere to hide.”
AWA WORLD MID-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
RICKY STARKS vs. LOU THESZ (c):
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RICKY STARKS vs. LOU THESZ (c):
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Thesz refused to let his challenger at WrestleRock, the Dynamite Kid, get in the last word (so to speak) with a win on TV the week before, so he confidently accepted the opportunity to knock Starks down a peg. However, the brash Louisianan was more than up to the task, and he made Thesz work in this one. However, the champ took charge at the 10-minute mark, and eventually made Starks submit to a cross-face chickenwing.
COMMERCIAL
Bischoff welcomed Christian Cage on the stage. The "Instant Classic" cut a short but fiery promo, and vowed that he finally got Barry Windham in the Cell at WrestleRock, without Jim Cornette or the Midnight Express to protect him, that there would be a new AWA World Heavyweight champion.
WINNERS ENTER THE SIX-TEAM TAG-TEAM MATCH AT WRESTLEROCK
The ADDICTION vs. WILL OSPREAY and ?:
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Daniels and Kazarian waited in the ring until Ospreay emerged from backstage, and said, “I'd like to introduce you to my new tag-team partner. A while ago, this man convinced me that together, we'd be unstoppable. This man was born and bred to wrestle. He's a former World champion. He's a fellow Englishman. And he and I shall now be known... as the Monarchy. Ladies and gentleman, making his glorious return to the AWA... the one, the only, Nigel McGuinness.”
The ROH icon shook Ospreay's hand and once they got to the ring, it was all business. The Addiction were veterans that could handle just about any situation, but they couldn't scout an opponent that they didn't know they'd be facing. The Monarchy dazzled them with a combination of ground and aerial work, and it ended when McGuinness nailed Kaz with the Tower of London cutter.
COMMERCIAL
Lee Marshall stood in the ring and introduced AJ Styles. He received a standing ovation, and but before he could get too far into his promo, he was interrupted by X-Pac, who walked to ringside and claimed to be the true innovator of the mid-heavyweight movement. He, in turn, was cut off by Amazing Red, who (respectfully) argued that pound-for-pound, he made the division cool again. Finally, Montez Ford appeared and said that all three of them were old news, and that he was going to be the face of the AWA Mid-Heavyweight division for the 21st century.
Styles had enough, and he said, “Look, I just figured I'd come out, say hello to these fans, and then hang out with some of the guys in the back. But what I think I'll do instead is ask Jack Tunney if he can make a match for WrestleRock. Me, and the three of you, in a fatal four-way. Let's see who the real 'Phenomenal One' is around here.”
X-Pac, Ford, and Red all approved, and the scene cleared for the next match.
MIKE AWESOME (w/the Grand Wizard) vs. BRYAN DANIELSON:
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The “American Dragon” wanted a big challenge before WrestleRock, and he certainly got it. Awesome was bigger, stronger, and meaner than the former WWE champion, but Danielson took it to his opponent with stiff kicks to his legs, neutralizing the 300-pounder's freakish agility. The ECW icon rolled out of the ring in frustration after only a few minutes, and his manager got up on the ring apron to shout at his foe and the referee; that gave Awesome time to grab a steel chair and angrily hit Danielson across the back with it. It was an immediate disqualification, and Awesome hit him again when Bryan was down.
Suddenly, Damian Priest ran out to ringside... but instead of breaking it up as the crowd anticipated, he just stopped and applauded. Awesome laughed, and he brought the chair up again – but before he could hit Danielson again, Superstar Billy Graham ran down. He shouldered Priest to the side, and as the chair came down, Graham intercepted it. The two powerhouses strained to get control of it, and after several seconds, the chair was slammed to the mat by both men. Awesome angrily rolled out of the ring, and he, the Wizard, and Priest sulked away. Graham helped Danielson to his feet, and the show went to
COMMERCIAL
America's Most Wanted were backstage with Bischoff. They were eager to get past WrestleRock, where they already assumed they'd be winning the 12-man tag-team match, and then it was onto the AWA world tag-team champs, Mark and Jay Briscoe.
Before the main event started, Styles broke the news that another match was set for WrestleRock: Mike Awesome versus Superstar Billy Graham!
The PINNACLE (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. NICK BOCKWINKEL, DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE, and MAD DOG VACHON:
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Perhaps surprisingly, this wasn't the wild brawl Styles and West thought it would be; in fact, it was as if the two teams wanted to prove that they were truly the better wrestlers and athletes in the match. That said, the Pinnacle constantly broke the rules to gain whatever advantage they could. All six men got their chance to shine, but when the match inevitably broke down, Blassie cracked Vachon over the head with his cane and Roode hit the former AWA champ with a devastating spinebuster to steal the win for his team. The heelish trio celebrated on the ramp, but their happiness was short-lived when the Midnight Rider walked out onto the stage armed with a lead pipe and a long leather strap. He pointed the heavy pipe at Flair, who shouted back at him as Blanchard and Roode held him back.