Post by fifthhorseman on Dec 31, 2023 15:27:34 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 68
EPISODE 68
Short “Saturday Night's Main Event”-styled promos from Tully Blanchard, the British Bulldogs, Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express, Batista, and Ted DiBiase. Pyro from Minneapolis – calling the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
Blanchard walked down to the ring with Freddie Blassie, and his manager brought the Pat O'Connor Memorial Cup with him. He sarcastically said that it was a shame that he was off again this week, with the Darby Allin/Montez Ford time-limit draw the week before giving him a second-round bye. However, he was shockingly interrupted by the AWA World Heavyweight champion, Christian Cage, who said, “You don't have to disappoint all these great fans, Tully – I'll fight you right here tonight. I remember how you beat me in the Memorial Cup tournament last year, thanks to that stooge standing there with you. And when I beat you, I'll just keep going until I win the Cup... and then I'll get a shot at Lou Thesz and unify his World title with mine.”
The crowd gasped thinking about that scenario, and the Texan waved his arms to quiet them down. “Now why the hell would I say yes to that? I'm well rested, I have another bye, and maybe I just don't feel like wrestling tonight. Unless... just hold on, champ, I have an idea. Maybe I will let you weasel your way into the tournament, even though the result is gonna be the same, me moving on to the semi-finals... but on one condition. Put your belt on the line, pal. You do that, and I'll fight you – and beat you again.”
Cage agreed, the rivals cleared the scene, and as West wondered if the champion was crazy, Styles cut him off and shouted, “I've just received word that the match is on, and it will be tonight's main event!”
PAT O'CONNOR MEMORIAL CUP QUARTER-FINAL MATCH
BUDDY MATTHEWS vs. RICKY STARKS:
vs.
BUDDY MATTHEWS vs. RICKY STARKS:
vs.
The “Juggernaut” used his power early on, targeting Starks' back. But “Absolute” turned the tide and attacked Matthews' left knee, and eight minutes in, locked in an STF. Matthews was trapped for several seconds but made the ropes. As he pulled himself to his feet, Starks ran to the opposite side of the ring and launched himself at Matthews for a spear, but he was met with a vicious bicycle knee strike. A few seconds later, the Australian was declared the winner via TKO.
COMMERCIAL
A Ricky Steamboat video vignette was shown again this week. The popular former NWA World champion was on his way.
The BRITISH BULLDOGS vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (w/Jim Cornette):
vs.
vs.
The crowd was buzzing in anticipation before it even started. The first couple of minutes were a feeling out process, and the Englishmen's raw power led to several quick conversations in the Express's corner. A few more minutes in, Cornette nailed Smith from behind with his trusty tennis racket – but the Bulldog barely reacted, and the official tossed the manager from ringside, allowing the bout to continue.
After that, it was all action with a bit of Southern-styled tag technique blended in; 20 minutes flew by, and as Eaton headed to the top rope, the bell rang and the bout was officially over. Marshall told the audience that it was a time-limit draw, but as if he didn't hear it, “Beautiful Bobby” hit Smith with the Alabama Jam, and rolled to the outside with Lane while the Dynamite Kid checked on his partner.
COMMERCIAL
A Terry Funk vignette aired, and when it ended, Styles announced that he would be making his AWA in-ring debut next week.
The AWA World Tag-Team champions, America's Most Wanted, cut a promo from the stage with their manager, Gail Kim. Storm and Harris were brash and cocky, and they said that with Mark and Jay Briscoe in their rear view mirrors, they were going to keep rolling through the AWA tag-team division.
THE ROCK (w/Rock Nation) vs. JIM POWERS:
vs.
vs.
Styles wondered if the third-generation powerhouse was bringing Doom and Montez Ford to ringside with him to mock the fact that they were banned from his match at Autumn Bomb. The “Brahma Bull” made quick work of the feisty Powers with a Rock Bottom, and after throwing his beaten foe out of the ring, the rest of the Nation joined him, along with Lee Marshall.
“Let's get right to it. With all due respect – and the Rock says, with all due respect – to the rest of the groups, stables, and factions here in the AWA, they're a bunch of Polka-Dot Men, and we're a group of Black Adams. The Rock has proven, time and time again, that the Rock is a man of his word, and it's time that Jack Tunney starts handing out title shots to the men that most deserve it – i.e. , Rock Nation! Tunney, you have one job. Get to it before Rock Nation loses its patience.”
COMMERCIAL
A highlight package from the Badd Company/Monarchy Intercontinental tag-team title match aired, and then Styles gave an update on the competitors, specifically Pat Tanaka, who was suffering from an undisclosed lower body injury.
AWA INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
BATISTA (c) vs TED DiBIASE:
vs.
BATISTA (c) vs TED DiBIASE:
vs.
After the champion's pyro went off, Mike Rotunda stopped Batista on the ramp and offered him a briefcase. Batista wasn't happy about to be interrupted – especially right before a title defense – but when Rotunda opened the briefcase, “the Animal's” temper was slightly assuaged. DiBiase scowled at his former partner, who laughed as he walked backstage empty-handed.
Once the bell rang, it was power versus technique. The IC champion threw his 260-pound opponent around the ring at will. However, DiBiase was no slouch, and he battled back with grit and finesse, and eventually locked in the Million Dollar Dream. Batista thrashed around, and backed his foe into his corner, forcing a break. The ref pushed the frustrated DiBiase away, but he pushed past him to get at the champ again – and ran right into the briefcase. Batista was immediately disqualified for nailing DiBiase with the steel case, but as Styles noted on commentary, he was still the Intercontinental champion, and he was also probably a lot richer.
COMMERCIAL
The Pinnacle was in their dressing room, along with interviewer Eric Bischoff. Ric Flair did all the talking. “First things first! Rocky, my lad, you have a great future ahead of you – but take my advice: learn to walk before you run. Whooooo! Because you see, the Pinnacle is the force that makes the world go around. Hell, my good friend Tully Blanchard is just minutes away from winning the AWA World Heavyweight championship! And look on either side of me! Maxwell Jacob Friedman beat an AWA legend, Nick Bockwinkel, at Autumn Bomb; this man has already held the AWA Intercontinental title longer than anyone else, and he's only getting started! And Bron Steiner – he's a machine! He was literally born and bred to be a wrestler, and by God, he can and will do whatever he wants in this business for the next decade!”
He stopped and pointed an accusatory finger into the camera. “And me? I'm Ric Flair! So Shawn Michaels, you have the nerve to call me out? You think you can dictate match terms to the 'Nature Boy'? Who the hell do you think you are? Next week, I'm gonna have a match right here on All-Star Wrestling, and after that, maybe you'll realize that you don't want a piece of this. Whooo!"
MIKE AWESOME and DAMIAN PRIEST (w/the Grand Wizard) vs. DON LEO JONATHAN and STEVE WILLIAMS:
vs.
West: “Damian Priest is 6'5, 250 pounds – and he's the smallest man in this match!” Which was true; regardless, “the Punisher” more than held his own in this hoss fight. Not a lot of drop-toeholds or dropkicks in this one, and it didn't go more than a few minutes... due to the interruption of Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura, the East-West Connection! Don West (correctly) assumed it was a continuation of Rotunda's bounty program. DLJ and “Dr. Death” valiantly battled from underneath, and only a few moments later, yet another man joined the fray, jumping the rail in street clothes to help Williams and Jonathan – Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy! It was a four-on-three slugfest that required the efforts of over a dozen AWA officials and wrestlers to break up, and the faces stood tall in the ring as the show went to
COMMERCIAL
From the ring, Lee Marshall introduced the UWA Universal champion, “Ravishing” Rick Rude. The arrogant Minnesotan wore a tailored suit, and he carried the belt over his left shoulder. After quieting the jeering crowd with some of his trademark insults, Rude said, “You're looking at the most important man in professional wrestling. No one else, in any locker room, in any territory, is qualified to hold this – the UWA Universal heavyweight championship.”
He paused for a moment, noticing the group of people that assembled on the stage: the Grand Wizard, Jimmy Hart, Gail Kim, and Jim Cornette. He smirked and continued. “But understand this. As long as I'm here, calling the American Wrestling Association my home, I may as well win something else – the AWA World Heavyweight championship. Christian Cage, I beat you once, I can beat you again. The champ of all champs doesn't have to wait for his opportunity, he takes it!”
The crowd booed again, and Rude tapped the heavy gold belt on his shoulder. “In the meantime, you all should celebrate my presence whenever I'm here. I'm a busy man, and this title is in high demand all around the world. But don't you worry... the next time you see me, and every time after that, I'll be bringing this with me. Now hit my music.”
Rude was surrounded by the managers when he got to the stage, and when they all left, it was time for the main event.
PAT O'CONNOR MEMORIAL CUP QUARTER-FINAL MATCH
AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TULLY BLANCHARD (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. CHRISTIAN CAGE (c):
vs.
AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TULLY BLANCHARD (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. CHRISTIAN CAGE (c):
vs.
AWA World Mid-Heavyweight champion Lou Thesz joined Styles and West on commentary for the main event. The World champion seemed to be favoring his neck, but toughed it out. Blanchard and Blassie noticed it as well, and the reigning Cup holder worked him over with headlocks, neckbreakers, and other high-impact upper body moves. They both worked methodically, but were also cognizant of the 15-minute time limit for the tournament matches, so every move seemed to have extra oomph.
The “Instant Classic” hit a spear with less than two minutes to go, but Blassie threw Tully's foot over the bottom rope just in time to save him. The Texan turned things around with a eyepoke, and as the clock wound down he bounced Cage over the top rope as the first part of his slingshot suplex. But the champion twisted in mid-air and hooked Blanchard around the neck, and dropped him with a reverse DDT. With just seconds left on the clock, Christian leaped on his opponent and made the pin at 14:39, retaining his own title while knocking Blanchard out of the tournament. The show ended with Cage holding his title overhead while Thesz slowly applauded from the ringside table.