Post by fifthhorseman on Sept 17, 2023 0:11:21 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 59
EPISODE 59
New opening montage! Short “Saturday Night's Main Event”-styled promos from the Pinnacle, Shawn Michaels and Nick Bockwinkel, Batista, and Diamond Dallas Page. Pyro from Lansing, Michigan - announcing the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
West introduced the AWA World champion, Christian Cage, onto the stage to a huge ovation. He said that it was time to get back to work, and AWA President Jack Tunney told him that Barry Windham was owed a rematch for the title. “I beat him once, and I can do it again. It won't be easy, it probably won't be pretty, but I can guarantee this – when it's over, it won't change the status quo, either, because I'll still be your champion.”
MONTEZ FORD vs. AJ STYLES:
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Fast-paced mid-heavyweight action to get the crowd going. Both men spent nearly as much time in the air as on the mat, and after ten minutes, Styles reversed an O'Connor roll and bridged to get the win over Ford. The former Street Profit didn't take the loss well, and he jumped Styles as he was getting his hand raised; the TNA icon fought him off and the two had a staredown as the show went to
COMMERCIAL
It was chaos coming out of the break: Flair, MLF, Tully Blanchard, and Freddie Blassie were putting the boots to Nick Bockwinkel in his dressing room, and they stood him up and slammed his head in the dressing room door! However, they were run off by Shawn Michaels and several other wrestlers, and the “Heartbreak Kid” checked on the AWA legend while the others called for medical staff.
THE ROCK vs. SHEAMUS:
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It was a slugfest. Both men laid in heavy punches and slams, and whenever the Rock was on offense, he constantly played to the crowd. That gave Sheamus an opportunity to come back and he took charge with the 10 beats of Bodhrán; however, the “Brahma Bull” stole the win when he back-elbowed his foe in the throat, and pinned him with both feet on the middle rope.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, Austin and Colten Gunn spoke into the camera. “Time to show these chumps – and everybody else – that we're the team of the 2020s! And with this man leading the way, it won't be long till you're calling us the longest-reigning tag-team champions of the decade, too!”
“That's right, baby!” Enter their new manager, the “Mouth of the South”.
The ADDICTION vs. the GUNN CLUB (w/Jimmy Hart):
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Back-and-forth action in which the veterans Daniels and Kazarian controlled most of the contest, and the brother duo earned the boos from the audience with their frequent double-teaming and crowd taunting. The “Fallen Angel” went for the BME (moonsault), but Austin nailed him with Hart's megaphone behind the ref's back, and Colten pinned him for the upset victory.
Bischoff was in the trainer's room, where despite his protests, Bockwinkel was not cleared to wrestle due to concussion protocols. Michaels was there, as were the wrestlers that ran off the Pinnacle earlier, and in frustration, he said, “Dammit, this match is not getting called off – not when I finally get the chance to get my hands on Ric Flair! I'll take any one of you – who wants to wrestle in the main event tonight?”
Bron Steiner jostled his way to Michaels' side. “Against those punks? I'm your man.”
COMMERCIAL
J oey Styles set up a split-screen promo; America's Most Wanted were on one side, the AWA World Tag-Team champions, Mark and Jay Briscoe, were on the other. Typical arguing and one-upmanship from both teams, each claiming that they were the best team in the AWA, and it would be proven next week in their championship match.
When the video package ended, West confirmed that Tunney was allowing Steiner to take Bockwinkel's place, and the main event would proceed, before he and Styles hyped up the championship rematch about to take place.
AWA INTERCONTINENTAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
THE ROCK IS BARRED FROM RINGSIDE
BATISTA (c) vs. DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE:
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Big-match intros and the referee gave them their instructions in the middle of the ring. They fought at a deliberate pace, which suited “the Animal” better, and he overwhelmed the challenger with his incredible power. However, DDP wouldn't stay down, and after 15 minutes, Page connected with the Diamond Cutter – but the momentum of the big move knocked Batista to the floor.
The former WCW champ rolled out to get him, but his attention was diverted by The Rock, who walked out onto the stage. AWA officials got in his way, but he argued that he just wanted a better view and that he wasn't at ringside. This gave time for Batista to recover and slam Page into the ringpost repeatedly back-first, and after they both got back in the ring, the champion connected with two consecutive Batista Bombs to retain the title.
COMMERCIAL
A “Coming Soon” vignette for amateur and pro wrestling great Bob Backlund was shown.
Back to the ring, where Mike Rotunda stood with Mr. Jones; the bodyguard no longer needed a wheelchair, but leaned on a gold-plated walker instead. The “Billion Dollar Man” wondered why he was obligated to answer any challenge from his former partner, Ted DiBiase. “He'll have to get it through his thick skull – I don't work for him and I don't work with him. I'm the one who calls the shots around here, not him. But I'm a fair man, too, so I'll give him a sporting chance. Next week, you and me – in an amateur rules match.”
The former Syracuse Orangeman heavyweight paused for a moment and laughed. “If you can beat me without throwing a punch – on my terms, not yours – then maybe, just maybe, I'll consider giving you a shot at this belt.” He laughed again, and the two men left.
BRYAN DANIELSON vs. JD McDONAGH:
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The two technicians went about seven minutes, and the “American Dragon's” experience and wiry strength were too much for the Irishman to overcome; Danielson finished him off with the LeBell Lock. After the match, Lee Marshall interviewed him in the ring, and he said that as good as McDonagh is and will be, “I'm here to wrestle matches with real stakes. I'm here to wrestle for championships – I don't care if it's Batista, or Lou Thesz, or Christian Cage, just put me in the ring with any of them.”
COMMERCIAL
A pre-recorded interview from Ricky Starks. He was very happy with his win over Tommaso Ciampa the week before, but he wasn't done with Los Gringos Locos yet. "Dominic Mysterio, you're next!"
Bischoff was with DDP in his dressing room, and he was furious. “That's the final straw! You've gotten in my business for the last time, Rock – when are you gonna have the guts to actually step up like a man?”
RIC FLAIR and MJF (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. SHAWN MICHAELS and BRON STEINER:
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If anything, the tension was even higher during this match with the last-minute substitution. Michaels and MJF started off, and HBK dared Flair to tag in to face him; at it turned out, whenever Michaels was in the ring, Flair stayed out of it. Thus, Flair only tagged in when he and MJF had the second-generation powerhouse in their corner.
Michaels was in the ring for most of the match, as was MJF, who quickly reminded the audience why he held the I-C title for over a year. But after escaping the villain's Salt of the Earth armbreaker, the former Rocker slowly crawled to his corner and made the hot tag to Steiner. He leaped over the top rope, ran off the opposite ropes... and speared Michaels!
Stiener turned and laughed with Flair and Friedman, then took a fingerpoke of doom from MJF. The bewildered referee made the three-count, and as soon as he was done, Michaels was quadruple-teamed by the heels. Blassie threw the ref out of the ring, and MJF ceremoniously handed Flair his diamond ring; the “Nature Boy” connected with a big right hand that busted Michaels open. The Pinnacle and Steiner left him lying in the ring, met Blanchard on the stage as officials ran down the ramp, and celebrated with Blanchard on the stage to end the show.