Post by fifthhorseman on May 19, 2023 22:36:33 GMT -5
DARK MATCH
AWA SPRING SLAM
A highlight package hyped the show, featuring the participants of all of the matches on the night's card. Pyro and lasers, Joey Styles and Don West at the commentary table, and here we go!
FATAL FOUR-WAY TAG-TEAM MATCH
BAD INFLUENCE vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers) vs. the MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS vs. ??:
BAD INFLUENCE vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (w/Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers) vs. the MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS vs. ??:
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
As usual, the mystery team was announced last. And as former multiple-time NWA World tag-team champions, they drew a gasp of surprised approval from the crowd, as well as Styles and West at the broadcast table.
Chris Harris and James Storm... America's Most Wanted.
The referee could barely control the turmoil inside the ring, and the announcers could barely describe it. Every man and every team had their chance to shine, and it was a 12-minute sprint of a match. After a non-stop series of finishers, and with Kazarian lying on the mat, Shelley propelled Sabin off the top rope for an assisted senton bomb. But Storm met Sabin in mid-air with a superkick, and Harris clotheslined Shelley out of the ring. With his partner guarding him, “the Cowboy” pinned Kaz.
A video package was next, recapping the various confrontations and time limit draws between the Dynamite Kid and Lou Thesz.
45-MINUTE TIME LIMIT
AWA WORLD MID-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
The DYNAMITE KID (c) vs. LOU THESZ:
AWA WORLD MID-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
The DYNAMITE KID (c) vs. LOU THESZ:
vs.
Commissioner Eddie Graham took the Stampede strap from the Kid, and unveiled the new World title for all to see. He placed the new belt at the timekeeper's table, and left as the referee gave pre-match instructions.
As with their previous battles, this was a rugged, back-and forth battle. Dynamite was ferocious, and sought to overwhelm his foe with his superior power and explosiveness. But the young shooter Thesz was tough and smart, and took the champion to the mat at every opportunity, systematically working the left leg. The first 20 minutes flew by, as did the next 10 – and they both looked like they could go all night.
The challenger grounded the Kid, and used a series of leglocks, spinning toe holds, and half-Boston crabs to injure the left leg and knee, but the Englishman refused to quit. He fought his way to his feet, and hit Thesz with ten snap suplexes before slowly ascending to the top rope. Dynamite went for a flying headbutt, but Thesz rolled out of the way. They both lay there as the referee counted to ten, but both men slowly got to their feet. At eight, they traded punches, and a series of Irish whips led to another series of near-falls until Thesz hit the bodypress that bore his name. With less than 60 seconds on the clock, he held the Kid down for the three-count.
When the referee raised Thesz's hand, Dynamite limped to the floor and seized the championship belt from the timekeeper. Rolling back inside, he slowly handed it to Thesz, and shook his hand. Before he left, he could be heard saying, “I'll be getting my rematch soon, champ.” A few moments later, Thesz left as well, to a standing ovation.
Backstage interview with Eric Bischoff in the Pinnacle's locker room. Flair started out by declaring that his group was the elite faction in the UWA. “In just a couple of minutes, my close friend Tully Blanchard is gonna make quick work out of Lance Storm, and show you why he was the real spark that made the Horsemen work – not Arn Anderson!”
MJF was next, and in his usual loud and verbose way, let everyone know that he was going to capture the newly-arrived AWA Intercontinental title. “DDP, I don't know how you do it, but you're both a has-been and a never-was! And buddy, I can't wait to send you back to the strip club you used to manage.”
TULLY BLANCHARD (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. LANCE STORM:
vs.
Blassie carried the Pat O'Connor Memorial Cup with him in honor of Blanchard's win, and set it on the ring steps. Before the bout began, Styles updated the audience on Arn Anderson's condition; after being spinebustered on the stage days earlier, “the Enforcer” suffered internal injuries that would keep him on the shelf for another couple of weeks.
Storm and Blanchard were two very different types of technical wrestlers, but they put on a show to start the pay-per-view off. They went about ten minutes, and after the Canadian hit a dazzling top-rope bodypress, Blanchard rolled through the pinning attempt and kept Storm down with a handful of tights for the win.
Backstage. Bron Steiner walked out of Graham's office where he was confronted by Doom and Jimmy Hart. Reed and Simmons said that they were tired of Steiner slowing down their pursuit of the AWA World Tag-Team championship with meaningless singles matches, and they challenged him to find a partner. Before the young brawler could reply, Ax and Smash walked into frame, and noted that if Doom wanted to wrestle a real team, then Demolition was ready anytime, anyplace.
UWA UNIVERSAL TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
FTR (c) vs. the MINNESOTA WRESTLING CLUB:
vs.
As the teams made their entrances, Styles recapped what happened in their previous match. “Dr. Death' still sported the hockey mask that protected his face, and West wondered if he was also wearing it for intimidation purposes.
This was another textbook example of tag-team wrestling, and the San Francisco audience ate it up. FTR had their fans, but this was a pro-AWA crowd and they were especially on Williams' side. Harwood and Wheeler spent most of the match isolating Gagne, and as strange as it was, the Minnesotan was the face in peril. They went nearly 20 minutes, and when Gagne made the hot tag, Williams cleared house. He took both tag champions on, and hit Wheeler with a devastating Oklahoma Stampede that resulted in a 2.9 count, broken up by a diving Harwood. Gagne came back in, and they were all trading punches and kicks. But when Williams lined up “Dax the Ax” for a headbutt – and missed, nailing his MWC partner instead – that was the break FTR needed. Wheeler and Harwood double-clotheslined Doc over the top rope, and then hit the groggy Gagne with the Shatter Machine for the win.
Bischoff was backstage with Thesz, who was being congratulated by the other mid-heavyweight babyfaces in the locker room. When asked if he would put the title up in a rematch against the Dynamite Kid, the champion replied, “I'll wrestle whoever deserves a shot at this title. And that Englishman is as good as anyone I've ever fought. So if Eddie Graham makes the match, I'd be happy to wrestle him again – and beat him again, too.”
A video recapped the months-long, vicious feud between DDP and MJF.
AWA INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
MJF (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE (c):
vs.
MJF (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE (c):
vs.
Graham returned to ringside with the new Intercontinental championship belt, and left it with Lee Marshall. The referee checked both men thoroughly before the bell – and to no one's surprise, the official found MJF's diamond ring in his right kneepad. With a show of angry exasperation, the ref gave the ring to the timekeeper, and warned Blassie and Friedman to stay far, far away from that table.
The match itself was much more of a fight than their previous encounters, and the California crowd loved it. DDP and MJF were often on the floor, and even fought in the crowd, as the referee gave them a lot of leeway in this one. When they finally decided to keep it in the squared circle, they continued the match in a rugged, punch-kick style that eventually busted them both open.
At about the 15-minute mark, Page took over. He hit an array of high-impact moves but to MJF's credit, the “Generational Talent” kicked out of every pin attempt. Blassie gestured to the back, and a few second later Bobby Roode walked through the curtain. He slowly walked down the ramp and MJF tried to take advantage of the distraction. But when Roode got to ringside, Rocky Maivia jogged down and confronted him. The two men fought all around the ring; meanwhile above them, MJF reared back to kick Page with a low blow – but DDP stopped him with a Diamond Cutter! Maivia played defense on the floor, and Page covered Friedman for the three-count.
The Pinnacle slowly left, and Maivia grabbed the Intercontinental title and rolled into the ring with it. Page gave him a big hug, and the third-generation star raised DDP's hand... right before nailing him with a Rock Bottom! Everyone in the building was shocked, and Maivia sneered as he picked the championship belt up and laid across the chest of Page before leaving to a chorus of boos.
A video package recapped the series of matches between Barry Windham and Christian Cage, and both men were confident about their chances tonight.
Back to the broadcast table, and Styles and West were still stunned by the double-cross they just saw.
AMAZING RED vs. CHAD GABLE:
vs.
vs.
As quick as Gable was, he was no match for the revolutionary high-flyer from Puerto Rico. Red dazzled the crowd with aerial moves until the former Olympian caught him and practically tied him in knots. They fought back and forth until Gable cinched in the ankle lock in the middle of the ring, and after fighting it for several long moments, Red tapped out. However, the former Mid-Heavyweight champion refused to break the hold, and after an agonizing amount of time for Red, the referee reversed the decision. Gable finally, angrily, let go of Red's leg and stalked to the back. Other AWA officials came down to help the winner to the back.
Backstage, Bischoff stood outside DDP's locker room. Suddenly, the door burst open, and the “People's Champion” was furious. “Just when I thought I finally got rid of that rich prick MJF, just when I thought I could finally relax for just a second, and enjoy the AWA Intercontinental championship... what happened? I get slammed on my ass by a man I trusted! Rocky, I'll find you soon, and when I do... bang!”
PERSONAL LUMBERJACK IN THE CORNER
JAY and MARK BRISCOE (w/Don Leo Jonathan) vs. MONEY INC. (w/Batista):
vs.
Marshall explained the lumberjack stipulations: DLJ and “the Animal” were able to attack the other team's wrestlers if they were on the floor on “their” half of the ring (imagine the ring cut in half diagonally). If either lumberjack strayed onto the other half of the ringside area, or got up on the ring apron, they would cause their team to be disqualified. Finally, there were no countouts.
When the bell finally rang, the two teams showed why they were both former World Tag-Team champions in ROH and WWF. Despite the vastly different styles, they wrestled a snug match, and both lumberjacks also got their fair share of shots in. The battle only lasted about eight minutes, and after the older Briscoe hit Rotunda with a Jay Driller, it looked like the end was near. The lumberjacks jawed at each other on the floor near a neutral corner, and seemingly out of nowhere, Mike Awesome attacked Jonathan from behind. He slammed DLJ's head into the ring post, and then smashed him several times with a chair. While the referee tired to deal with that distraction, and with DiBiase and Mark squaring off, Batista powerbombed Jay and slid back out of the ring. Just in time, the referee turned back around to see Rotunda lay an arm over his opponent, and three seconds later, Money Inc. was declared the winning team.
But it wasn't over for Awesome and Jonathan. The ECW stalwart maneuvered Jonathan over to a set of steel ringsteps, and placed Jonathan's right leg on the middle step. Awesome then climbed to the top rope and splashed down onto his elevated leg. Jonathan cried out in agony, and only then did other officials and the new Head of Security, Vladimir Kozlov, run down to force Awesome to the back. It took a few more minutes for medical staff to stretcher DLJ away.
The camera cut away to Bischoff with America's Most Wanted. Storm and Harris cut a quick heel promo, and wondered aloud if beating three teams in the same night made them the top contenders to the MWC's World Tag-Team titles. As they finished up, Maivia quickly strode through the scene, and Bischoff chased after him for answers... but Rocky wasn't talking.
One final backstage segment, this one in the Minnesota Wrestling Club's dressing room. Gagne rallied the troops; he wasn't happy with their performance tonight, but he told Gable that he was “proud of the message you sent to the Mid-Heavyweight division.” He then turned to Williams, and told him that FTR was just lucky. “We're going to earn another shot at the UWA titles – and in the meantime, we're going to use tonight's loss as motivation. Motivation to keep us at the top of the tag-team mountain here in the AWA for a long, long time.”
A "tale of the tape" graphic was shown on the monitors, and Styles and West hyped up the match as no other broadcast team could.
AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. BARRY WINDHAM (w/Jim Cornette):
vs.
CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. BARRY WINDHAM (w/Jim Cornette):
vs.
Main event intros from Marshall, and it was game on. West noted that Big Bubba wasn't at ringside, and Styles responded that Graham wasn't taking any chances with such an important match; he'd allow Windham to have one man at ringside, but not two.
Windham was heavier and stronger, and as technically sound as anybody in the UWA, but the “Instant Classic” was unmatched as an in-ring tactician. The first few minutes were a feeling out process, and then Windham methodically took over. “The Widowmaker” controlled the middle portion of the match, but Cage fought back at the 20-minute mark. He brought the pace back up and went for several fast pins.
A poke to the eye turned the tide yet again, and when Windham distracted the referee, Cornette sprang up onto the apron and nailed Cage across the shoulders with his tennis racket. He slumped awkwardly, and the big Texan hit him with a DDT – but only got a two-count. Windham was furious, as was Cornette, and that gave Cage time to recover. He hit Windham from behind with a high knee, sending him head-first into the turnbuckles. He staggered backwards, and Cage battled to set him up for the Unprettier. Cornette pitched a fit on the outside, drawing the official's attention yet again, and Windham brought his leg up, nailing the Canadian between the legs. Not wasting a second, the AWA champion spun around and hit Cage with another DDT, and that one was enough to get the pin.
After the match, the heels left the ring and celebrated on the stage; Cage got to his feet and pointed back at both men, shaking his head. It was over for the night, but Christian didn't seem to be done with Windham yet... and the show ended with a split-camera on both wrestlers.