Post by fifthhorseman on Sept 25, 2023 23:05:38 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 60
EPISODE 60
Short “Saturday Night's Main Event”-styled promos from Mark and Jay Briscoe, America's Most Wanted, Samoa Joe, Steve Williams, Mike Rotunda, and Ted DiBiase. Pyro from Minneapolis, Minnesota - announcing the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
Cold open in the ring with the Pinnacle and Lee Marshall. The ring announcer asked Bron Steiner why he turned on Shawn Michaels the week before, and the young powerhouse smirked. “Because I'm done waiting around to get noticed. Remember when I won the brass ring ladder match a year and a half ago? What's that gotten me since then? Nothing! So I figured I'd make things happen for myself!”
MJF was next. “Even when I was taking some well-deserved time off, resting my back after carrying this company for the last two years, I was still working. Scouting, you might say. This kid here, Bron Steiner, has all the tools. And a couple of weeks ago, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse – that being, nail that egotistical coot Nick Bockwinkel from behind, take his place in our tag match, and we'd take care of the rest.”
Tully Blanchard took the microphone next. “This is the strongest incarnation of the Pinnacle yet! I consider myself to be a man of great intellect and distinction, and let me tell something. As a second-generation athlete myself, I know what it's like to shape your own destiny. And Bron, my friend – you just made the best decision of your life!”
Flair finished things off. “Shawn Michaels, I'm not done with you yet! Last week was just a taste of what's in store for you, pal! Any one of us are more than enough to take you out – but if you really want a piece of Space Mountain, then buddy, you're signing your death warrant. You know how Tully and I have dealt with people that stood in our way in the past... with Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Bron Steiner alongside us, and the genius of 'Classy' Freddie Blassie leading us, you're done! Whooooo!”
TEXAS TORNADO RULES
AMAZING RED and DANNY HODGE vs. JD McDONAGH and X-PAC:
vs.
AMAZING RED and DANNY HODGE vs. JD McDONAGH and X-PAC:
vs.
The usual organized chaos was on display for this mid-heavyweight bout, and Hodge quickly adapted to it. X-Pac and Red seemed to try to top each other with the aerial moves, keeping the crowd on their feet; it ended with Hodge pinning the young Irishman with an Oklahoma roll.
COMMERCIAL
Eric Bischoff introduced the AWA World Mid-Heavyweight champion, Lou Thesz, onto the stage. He said that he was eager to meet his new challenger, whoever that eventually was: “The Dynamite Kid was one tough son of a gun, and no sooner do I take care of business with him, but Danny Hodge arrives in the AWA. This division is as loaded as any weight division, and any title situation, in the entire UWA. AJ Styles. X-Pac. Austin Theory. The list goes on and on -”
He was interrupted by Verne Gagne, who received a smattering of applause in his hometown. “But you didn't mention me. And in case you fought, even though I've never wrestled for that championship, I do weigh in at a tidy 215 pounds. Have you been ducking me?”
Thesz leaned into Gagne so that their faces were only inches away. “Why don't we let President Tunney sort it all out. You might soon remember why you've never asked for a shot at this title.”
The two men slowly backed away from each other and left.
LANCE STORM (w/Jerry Lynn) vs. THE ROCK:
vs.
vs.
The Stampede-trained wrestlers gave the crowd a crisp, fast-paced match. After nailing the Rock with a perfect dropkick, Storm went for a second, but the third-generation star held onto the top rope and hit Storm with the Rock Bottom for the win.
The cocky villain quickly left the ring and looked in every direction as he strode up the ramp, just in case Diamond Dallas Page was at the arena. The Machine left afterwards, but they were sucker-punched on the stage by Doom, who put the boots to them before leaving without saying a word.
COMMERCIAL
Another vignette for Bob Backlund, who was on his way to the American Wrestling Association.
COME AS YOU ARE LUMBERJACK MATCH
SAMOA JOE vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
vs.
SAMOA JOE vs. STEVE WILLIAMS:
vs.
The crowd buzzed as a dozen lumberjacks came out in street clothes, and seconds later, Joe and “Dr. Death” entered the ring in street clothes as well. The two behemoths brawled for about nine hard minutes, and whenever one or both of them wound up outside, they were swinging at the lumberjacks. It ended when Williams charged at Joe with a football tackle but missed, going head-first into the corner. In an amazing show of strength, the Samoan hoisted Williams up for the Muscle Buster, and brought him down hard for the victory.
COMMERCIAL
The Grand Wizard walked out onto the stage trailed by Mike Awesome and Damian Priest. “We all heard what you said last week, Christian Cage. You said that you 'wanted to get back to work'. Me and my men agree with that sentiment – so why don't you put the AWA World Heavyweight championship on the line against one of these two specimens behind me? If you've got the guts, you'll defend that title next week!”
DOMINIK MYSTERIO (w/Art Barr) vs. RICKY STARKS:
vs.
vs.
Starks was on a mission to run through Los Gringos Locos, but “Dirty Dom” was determined to end his chase – and with Barr in his corner barking instructions and distracting the Cajun, Mysterio took the lead early. However, Starks rallied, and finished Mysterio off with the Roshambo a fraction of a second before Barr could break it up. “Absolute” absorbed a couple of cheap shots but rolled to the outside otherwise unscathed, and as he pointed to Barr, he said, “You're next.”
COMMERCIAL
A video vignette was shown with two young, powerfully-built men practicing holds and escapes on an amateur-styled mat. They were relentless, forcing each other to work hard, but neither man was identified; the graphic simply said, “To be continued.”
AWA WORLD TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
AMERICA'S MOST WANTED vs. MARK and JAY BRISCOE (c):
vs.
Big-match intros for this one, and the four men stared each other down in the center of the ring. Once the bell rang, it was classic tag-team wrestling, with both teams determined to show the world that they were the best team not just in the AWA, but anywhere. Both teams favored a fast pace, but whenever the brothers Briscoe got too much momentum, AMW would slow things down.
They went past the 20-minute mark, and eventually both teams wound up on the floor. Jay hit Storm with a superkick, but twisted his ankle when his leg came down. Harris saw this and gave the older brother a dragon-screw leg-whip, and then he and “the Cowboy” fired Mark into the steep steps face-first. AMW slid back into the ring together, barely beating the ref's count, and they loudly celebrated the countout victory. As they left, Harris and Storm both shouted that next time, they'd be taking the AWA titles with them.
COMMERCIAL
Eric Bischoff was in the trainer's room with Nick Bockwinkel, and he asked the AWA icon about his health. Bockwinkel replied, “Well, apparently my skull is tougher than a door, a doorframe, and young Bron Steiner combined, and I've just been cleared to compete. So while I have a microphone and a camera in front of me, I'm issuing a challenge. Not to you, Mr. Steiner – you're just a dumb, musclebound pawn, and I will get my hands on you soon enough. No, I'm asking the man who's taking credit for the attack. MJF – do you have the guts, the nerve, the intestinal fortitude to meet me next week?”
AMATEUR RULES MATCH
TED DiBIASE vs. MIKE ROTUNDA (w/Mr. Jones):
vs.
TED DiBIASE vs. MIKE ROTUNDA (w/Mr. Jones):
vs.
The referee went over the rules: three minute rounds, five rounds total; one pin for the win, no points for takedowns; no closed-fist punches, no kicks, no elbow- or knee-strikes; no rope breaks. Rotunda came out in his Syracuse Orangeman singlet, while DiBiase wore his traditional trunks.
The “Billion Dollar Man” controlled the bout early on, and taunted his former partner while Jones applauded from the outside. But he could not keep DiBiase down, and as the rounds progressed, Rotunda got angrier. After barely escaping a pin, he signaled for Jones to distract the official, and the bodyguard slowly got up on the ringsteps. Rotunda cocked his fist and waited for DiBiase to turn – however, and no doubt expecting treachery from his old friend, DiBiase covertly reached into his trunks and put his familiar loaded black glove on. He suddenly spun around and nailed Rotunda in the jaw, literally beating him to the punch, and covered the collegiate wrestler. The referee turned and made the one-count, giving DiBiase the win. The show ended with Jones trying to wake his boss up, while DiBiase shouted on the ramp, “I'm on my way back, you thief! Next time, it's for my title belt!”