Post by fifthhorseman on Feb 12, 2024 20:35:11 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 73
EPISODE 73
Short “Saturday Night's Main Event”-styled promos from the Monarchy, PRX, Bob Backlund, Tully Blanchard, Danny Hodge, and Barry Windham and Jim Cornette. Pyro from Grand Rapids, Michigan – calling the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
A 30-second highlight reel of last week's Trilogy of Hell match between Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair was shown. When it ended, Lee Marshall introduced Flair, and the Pinnacle came to the ring as a confident, unified force. The “Nature Boy” did all of the talking; he put Michaels over as a tough competitor, but added, “You're great, Michaels, and maybe one day, you'll be as great as Ric Flair – but as you learned, that day isn't today! And as for you, Christian Cage, you've carried the AWA World Heavyweight title with pride and honor, and the history books will show that you were a fine champion. But your time is almost up. It's time for the better man, the better champion, to wear that belt. And you're looking at him!”
They left, Styles and West ran through the card.
MONTEZ FORD (w/the Rock) vs. RICKY STARKS:
vs.
vs.
Exciting mid-heavyweight action started the night off, and the Rock's presence electrified the atmosphere. Styles also hinted that we'd hear more about Starks and Ford later in the night. They went about seven fast-paced minutes, and Ford's height and weight advantage helped him throughout the contest, which ended with his patented From the Heavens splash. When it was over, the “Brahma Bull” helped Starks up, only to put him back down with a Rock Bottom, and as he and Ford left, he shouted back to the ring, “Absolute my ass! You're just a Rock wannabe!”
COMMERCIAL
Eric Bischoff sat between Bryan Danielson and the AWA World Mid-heavyweight champion, Lou Thesz, in a pre-recorded segment. The wrestlers were cordial towards each other at first, but as they hyped up their match at Winterslam, Danielson became more cocky and arrogant, but Thesz refused to be baited. The champ simply asked, “When was the last time you tapped out, Bryan?”
BRUTUS and JULIUS GAGNE vs. the MIRACLE VIOLENCE CONNECTION:
vs.
vs.
The Gagnes were able to get in a few moves here and there, but this was all about Williams and Gordy. “Dr. Death” mixed in some superheavyweight amateur wrestling along with his usual brawling offense, and “Bamm Bamm” finished off Julius with a powerbomb. Styles and West both agreed that the AWA World tag-team champions, America's Most Wanted, better be watching over their shoulders.
COMMERCIAL
Los Gringos Locos were backstage, angry about Art Barr's loss to Brad Armstrong the week before. Therefore, to avenge that loss, Dominik Mysterio challenged Armstrong to a match at Winterslam.
“SUPERSTAR” BILLY GRAHAM vs. BRON STEINER (w/Freddie Blassie):
vs.
vs.
The former WWWF champ won in about eight minutes with a full nelson slam in a slugfest that served several purposes: it gave Steiner the opportunity to work with an experienced power wrestler, it gave Graham some TV time and a well-needed win, and most of all, “Superstar” got the chance to talk.
“I've heard that someone has been crying and whining about the fact that he's not on the card at Winterslam. Well, turns out I'm not either, but I'm not a big crybaby about it! But unlike you, Rock, you spoiled brat, I'm gonna do something about it – and in the process, I'm gonna shut you back up! All you gotta do is put your John Hancock on the other half of the contract I signed a few minutes ago in President Tunney's office. The Rock versus the Superstar at Winterslam, daddy – let's see if you have the pebbles to sign it!”
A vignette was shown to promote the arrival of “the Alpha”, Konosuke Takeshita.
COMMERCIAL
Eric Bischoff introduced the AWA World Tag-Team champions onto the stage. As America's Most Wanted and Gail Kim entered to a hostile audience, a graphic went up on the videotron: AMW versus Demolition at Winterslam. Storm and Harris laughed it off, and they both said that Ax and Smash were overrated and outmatched. Kim finished the segment by declaring that it was time to recognize America's Most Wanted as the best team in the UWA.
TULLY BLANCHARD (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. DANNY HODGE:
vs.
vs.
Blanchard was looking for a bounce-back win after losing his hold on the Pat O'Connor trophy, and came out aggressively, viciously, against Hodge. But the Oklahoman also had something to prove after his loss in the finals of that tournament against Bryan Danielson. After about ten minutes, the two men wound up fighting on the floor, and Hodge leveled the Texan with a stinging right hand before rolling back in the ring. He rolled in at eight, but Blanchard couldn't regain his balance in time, and he lost via countout.
COMMERCIAL
A pre-recorded segment was shown. The AWA Intercontinental champion, Batista, sat in a dark room, and "the Animal" proclaimed that he himself wanted to announce that there was going to be a number one contenders match for his championship at Winterslam. Furthermore, it would be a brass ring ladder match featuring six men: two heavyweights, two mid-heavyweights, and two tag-team specialists. A screen lit up behind him, with the faces of each of the competitors filling it up one by one: Damian Priest, Samoa Joe, Ricky Starks, Montez Ford, Jerry Lynn, and Josh Alexander.
AWA INTERCONTINENTAL TAG-TEAM MATCH
The MONARCHY (c) vs. PRX:
vs.
The MONARCHY (c) vs. PRX:
vs.
West exclaimed that McGuinness and Ospreay were determined to be fighting champions, and PRX was getting the first shot at their gold. Santana and Ortiz were stiff competition, and had the Monarchy on the ropes several times during the match, but it ended with Ospreay pinning Ortiz after his Oscutter. After the match, they wanted to prove a point by putting the boots to PRX, but Mark and Jay Briscoe ran out and ran them off.
COMMERCIAL
Backstage, the Monarchy were furious. Ospreay shouted, “You dare get in our business? Let's get something straight, boys – you're at the back of the line. Nigel and I beat you fair and square for these titles, and you don't get to cut the queue to get a rematch simply by jumping us after a match! We're the AWA Intercontinental champions, mate, and that means we decide who our challengers are – and Briscoes, you aren't in our league!”
BOB BACKLUND vs. BARRY WINDHAM (w/Jim Cornette):
vs.
vs.
The former AWA World champion's return to singles action was a strong test, and he and Backlund were two of the most technically sound grapplers in the entire UWA. However, the big Texan wasn't opposed to wrestling dirty now and then, and he did, with his manager cheering him on from the outside. They went just over 15 minutes; Windham back-kicked Backlund between the legs while the amateur great had him in a crossface chickenwing, breaking the hold while the ref was preoccupied with Cornette, then he hit Backlund with a crushing lariat to steal the victory. After the match, Cornette commandeered the house microphone from Lee Marshall and declared, “It don't matter who your tag-team partner is at Winterslam, Bulldogs – big Barry and the Midnight Express are taking you down!”
One last pre-recorded promo to end the show, and it featured the AWA World Heavyweight champion, Christian Cage, sweating and working out on a stair climber. He delivered a monologue that showed respect to his foe Flair, and congratulated him for getting this far. “But I'm not ready to hand you the title, Ric – not you, and not anybody else for a long, long time. I'm the man right now, not you, and at Winterslam, to borrow a phrase I heard somewhere... you're not going to beat the man. At Winterslam, we're going to have a great patch, and then you're going to lose to the 'Instant Classic', Christian Cage."