Post by fifthhorseman on Nov 11, 2023 18:55:08 GMT -5
AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING
EPISODE 65
EPISODE 65
Short “Saturday Night's Main Event”-styled promos from the Monarchy, Doom and Jimmy Hart, Badd Company, the Midnight Express and Jim Cornette, X-Pac, and Lou Thesz. Pyro from Wichita, Kansas – calling the action, Joey Styles and Don West.
(Abbreviated results and descriptions to follow – gotta make sure I get Autumn Bomb out in the next couple of weeks.)
A tournament update was shown on the video screens, with short clips from the quarter-final matches – which were fought over the last couple of days on the house show circuit – shown to all. When it was done, the results were as follows:
The Monarchy upset Demolition, albeit with interference from Doom
Doom then defeated Mike Awesome and Damian Priest
The Midnight Express defeated PRX
Badd Company defeated the North
West: “It's almost time for Autumn Bomb, where we'll crown the first-ever AWA Intercontinental Tag-Team champions... and tonight, we'll find out what two teams will be fighting for those titles, starting right now!”
AWA INTERCONTINENTAL TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL MATCH
BADD COMPANY vs. the MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (w/Jim Cornette):
vs.
20 minutes of non-stop action between two familiar foes. Cornette accidentally nailed “Beautiful Bobby” with the tennis racket, and Tanaka pinned Eaton with a German suplex to get the victory.
COMMERCIAL
Pre-recorded promo from Buddy Murphy. “The Juggernaut” announced that he would return to the AWA ring right after Autumn Bomb, and this time, he planned on staying for a long, long time.
The AWA World Heavyweight champion, Christian Cage, walked out onto the stage. He addressed the crowd and his foe at Autumn Bomb, UWA Heavyweight kingpin Chris Jericho, as if he was there... which, a few moments later, he was, on the giant video screen. Jericho and Cage exchanged verbal barbs to set up their upcoming match, and at the end, the “Instant Classic” declared that he was going to be carrying two belts very soon.
SAMOA JOE vs. JAKE SOMETHING:
vs.
vs.
The newcomer put up a game fight, but the “Samoan Submission Machine” was better, and he put Something to sleep in about five minutes. Afterwards, Joe challenged Bryan Danielson to a match at Autumn Bomb, citing that both of them had looking for competition for weeks, so they may as well battle each other.
COMMERCIAL
A video package featuring AJ Styles played on the video screen. The former IWGP champion said that he was recently inspired by the words of Lou Thesz and Danny Hodge, and like them, he also wanted to make the Mid-Heavyweight division in the AWA the premier weight class here or anywhere in the UWA.
AWA INTERCONTINENTAL TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL MATCH
DOOM (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. the MONARCHY:
vs.
DOOM (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. the MONARCHY:
vs.
The crowd was split on this heel versus heel match-up, although more people seemed to cheer wherever Reed – the native Missourian – was on offense. Ospreay pinned Simmons with a flying bodypress, thanks to Demolition's distracting tactics.
COMMERCIAL
Bischoff introduced the new AWA World Tag-Team champions, America's Most Wanted, and their manager Gail Kim. They strolled onto the stage and gloated about their victory over Jay and Mark Briscoe, and sarcastically apologized to the UWA tag champs, FTR, for jumping the line and getting the shot at their titles at Autumn Bomb. Storm: “Sorry if you were expecting those hicks from Delaware, but we may as well add your belts to our collection now!”
BRIAN KENDRICK (w/Paul London) vs. SEAN O'HAIRE (w/Art Barr and Dominik Mysterio):
vs.
vs.
It took a few minutes for O'Haire to get used to Kendrick's freaky agility, but once he did, the “Devil's Advocate” was able to pound him into the mat and pin him after a top-rope Seanton bomb. When it was over, Barr took the microphone and accepted Ricky Starks' challenge from the week before: Los Gringos Locos would meet “Absolute” and two other men in a six-man tag match at Autumn Bomb.
COMMERCIAL
Ted DiBiase was interviewed in the ring by Lee Marshall, and he was accompanied by Steve Williams. He was eager to get his hands – in this case, his taped fists – on Mike Rotunda in their ladder match at Autumn Bomb, and said that if Mr. Jones tried anything funny, “Dr. Death” would put the bodyguard back in the hospital.
BOB BACKLUND vs. VERNE GAGNE (w/Brutus and Julius Gagne):
vs.
It was one of the most scientific, amateur-based wrestling matches the AWA had seen in recent years, as each man wanted to showcase his dominant collegiate backgrounds. But when Backlund started taking over, the Gagne Brothers jumped in the ring to break up a pin attempt, which caused a disqualification. Verne left with his “nephews”, less upset at the loss than looking like the less accomplished wrestler.
Diamond Dallas Page was with Bischoff backstage, smiling ear to ear. “Here's breaking news for everybody out there. It's finally gonna happen. DDP versus the Rock, one on one, Rock Nation barred from ringside – and we're gonna do it at Autumn Bomb!”
COMMERCIAL
A pre-recorded, split-screen interview with Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels – and Joey Styles moderating – was shown on the video screen. Needless to say, these three men knew how to do a hype package, and when it was over, West declared, “Autumn Bomb can't come soon enough!”
AWA WORLD MID-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
LOU THESZ (c) vs. X-PAC:
vs.
LOU THESZ (c) vs. X-PAC:
vs.
This unique clash of styles prompted several wrestlers to gradually come out to watch in person form the stage, until by the end, when Thesz finally won with a small package. The last man out was Danny Hodge, who shook Thesz's hand with a firm grip and nodded towards the belt he held.
One last video package to recap the entire Autumn Bomb card, end of show.