AWA Championship Wrestling
On ESPN Classics
May 2, 2008
Doug Maynard
'Sup all? Back again and it's another night of great (?) AWA wrestling action from the folks at ESPN Classics. It's 1988 all over again. I'm Doug. Now, let's do this.
We start off with Larry Nelson in the AWA Studios. On the show tonight, we're going to see Adrian Adonis, "Ace", Greg Gagne defend the AWA International TV Championship and a main event of Wahoo McDaniel & Tom Zenk vs. The Nasty Boys. Sounds pretty fair to me so far. And Lee puts over his "Fan of the Week" - some lady from England.
And to the matches.
"Adorable" Adrian Adonis (w/ "Ace" Orton) vs. Ricky Rice
Damn! Adrian is huge! He makes Buddy Rose (all 217 lbs of him) look like Barney Fife. And Ricky Rice is still very green and playing the role of jobber-boy, so this was obviously early in the year before he became a "Top Gun". Adonis with the headlock on Rice. Rice goes for the upper-wristlock and Adonis flips to escape. If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it. Adonis was huge, but he could still move quite well. Adonis tosses Rice to the floor. While Adrian distracts the referee, "Ace" Orton is on the outside and rams Rice into the ring-post. Randy's daddy rolls Rice back into the ring and Adonis goes back to work.
Shove to the corner by Adonis. Rice with fists. Adonis with some clubbering and a suplex. Rice tries an amateur take-down, but can't do anything with Adonis. I swear, it looks like a baby possum on the back of his momma - Rice is just too freakin' small next to Adonis. Adrian tosses Rice into the corner and hits some punches. Rice with some punches of his own, but he misses a flying forearm attempt as Adonis just moves out of the way. Adonis with an elbow and the big splash for a win.
Winner: "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
We go back to Larry Nelson in the studio and he says that it's time to take a look at all of the current champions of the AWA. First we see some video of Curt Hennig winning the AWA Championship "in controversial fashion" over Nick Bockwinkle. Larry calls Hennig "the top dog".
Then we move on to the Ladies Championship. The title was vacant so a tournament was held featuring such stars as Bambi, Peggy Sue Leather, and others. It came down to former Champion Candi Divine & Madusa Miceli. We go to video and join the match in progress.
AWA Ladies Championship Tournament Finals
Madusa Miceli vs. Candi Divine
Madusa with the knee and she moves to the arm of Divine. Divine with a punch and a slam. Divine moves in position and locks in the abominable stretch. Nick Kiniski is up on the ring apron and grabs towards Divine. She's distracted and slaps Kiniski. Miceli from behind with a roll up to get the pin and win the vacated title.
Winner and NEW AWA Ladies Champion: Madusa Miceli (w/ Nick Kiniski)
Divine throws a fit and ends up tossing Madusa out of the ring and to the floor, but the decision stands and Madusa is the new champ.
We go back to Larry Nelson again and he's talking about the newly created AWA International Television Championship. He says that the fans demanded it and the AWA complied. A tournament was held and featured such stars as Wahoo McDaniel and "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly. Personal note here: I just realized last night that Kevin Kelly aka "Mr. Magnificent" is the same man who went to the WWF as "Nailz". Big "duh" moment for me, right? But what a difference a pair of orange coveralls makes.
OK. Back to the AWA TV Title Tournament stuff. The last two men were Greg Gagne & Adrian Adonis. So we get to see video of the tournament final match and of course, we join the match in progress.
AWA International Television Championship Tournament Finals
Greg Gagne vs. "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
Adrian has the "Goodnight Irene" sleeper locked in on Gagne. Greg manages to punch his way free and ends up with the famous "Shades of Daddy Verne" sleeper on Adonis. Here comes Paul E. Dangerously up to the ring apron, but Gagne sees him and pops him to the floor. "Cowboy" Bob 'Ace' Orton is in the ring and he attacks Greg. The ref calls for the bell and the DQ. Adonis has been disqualified for outside interference.
Winner by DQ and NEW AWA International Television Champion: Greg Gagne
Here comes Wahoo McDaniel out to even the sides and we see a lot of lazy brawling with Adonis & Orton fighting against Wahoo and Gagne. Finally Adonis bails and Orton is left alone against Gagne & Wahoo. He takes some shots and bails as well. Wahoo and Gagne are left standing in the ring.
Back to Larry Nelson who practically wets himself with happiness that Greg Gagne is the new AWA International TV Champion. And now we go to the tag team title situation. The Midnight Rockers - Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty recently defeated The Original Midnight Express, Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose, to capture the titles. It's back to video again for the end of that match. (And cut and paste time for me).
AWA World Tag Team Championship Match
The Original Midnight Express - Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose w/ Paul E. Dangerously (c) vs. The Midnight Rockers - Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty
Shawn makes the hot tag to Jannetty who comes in with slams and punches and cleans house. A roll-up on Dennis for a two-count. Shawn is back in and all four men are fighting in the ring. It's OINGO BOINGO time! The referee is losing control, but gets bumped as Condrey lifts up Shawn for a suplex. Another ref is out there and and is coming around the ring as Marty lays on top of Dennis. The ref counts three and raises the arms of Michaels and Jannetty. The two refs speak and then both refs raise the arms of the Midnight Rockers as the pin counts and we have new champs.
Winners and NEW AWA World Tag Team Champions: The Midnight Rockers - Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels
We go back to Larry Nelson who confirms that the Midnight Rockers are the new AWA World Tag Team Champs and adds that finally, we have champs we can be proud of. Larry warns us that coming up next is a match featuring Greg Gagne.
Lee Marshall & Rod Trongard are on commentary. Together! What did I ever do to deserve this? What?
Samoan Joe vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler
OK, so it's not Greg Gagne. It's the King! Yay! And this must be an Uncle of Samoa Joe or something. Don't know. They lock up and Lawler breaks clean. Joe with a thrust and Lawler with a big fist. Lawler takes control with a shoulder, a snap-mare and the chin-lock. Joe tries to grab the hair to escape and Lawler shifts his attack to the legs with a step-over toehold and then twisting on the ankle and leg. Elbow and a sloppy backdrop by Lawler and he goes back to the chin-lock. Fists by Lawler and Joe grabs the hair again. Lawler with some punches and he slams Joe's head into the turnbuckle. Joe no-sells and nails Lawler with some headbutts and a knee. Joe to the second rope for a diving headbutt, but Lawler moves. Slam by Lawler and he hits a big fist-drop from the second rope to get the pin.
Winner: Jerry "The King" Lawler
And now to the next match. Rod Trongard & Ray Stevens are doing the commentary duties.
AWA International Television Championship Match
Greg Gagne (c) vs. Darryl Olsen
Gagne with the hammerlock, a snap-mare and a flip. Gagne stays in control, locking up the arm. Olsen with a knee and some fists and he slams Gagne into the corner. Greg with the backdrop and two patented "High-Flyer" dropkicks. Cover and pin by Gagne.
Winner and STILL AWA TV Champion: Greg Gagne
Larry Nelson is in the studio with a guest - the great Baron Von Raschke. The Baron has a mustache. He looks freaky. The Baron says that he's been touring around the world and it's good to be back in the AWA. He sees all these tough guys like The Nasty Boys, Ustinov, Wahoo, Orton, Gagne, etc... and he's glad to be back. He has an open contract so he wants everyone to step up and sign their name and they will feel "the CLAW!"
It's AWA Notebook time as we see a caption with the AWA Rankings. The rankings are: AWA World Champion Curt Hennig, AWA International TV Champion Greg Gagne, Adrian Adonis, Wahoo McDaniel & "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly.
To the ring for the next match - and this one anyhow, is from Fargo, ND.
"Ace" Bob Orton vs. Tom Johnson
Orton starts off with a front face-lock on Johnson. Johnson to the arm and a hammerlock. Orton to the ropes for a break. Orton with a hip-toss and an elbow. Johnson with an elbow. Orton picks up Johnson and drops him throat-first across the top rope. Several forearm drops to the face of Johnson. Orton with a kick and he slams Johnson's face to the mat. Back-breaker by Orton and he flexes and poses for the crowd. Piledriver by Orton and the easy pin.
Winner: "Ace" Bob Orton
We go back to Larry Nelson in the studio. He talks about a new team in the AWA, Badd Company, and how impressive they are. Then here comes the AWA International TV Champion, Greg Gagne. Greg puts over Badd Company and says that they're a team to be reckoned with and will be after the Midnight Rockers. Greg says that he'll even buy a ticket to see that one.
They move to Curt Hennig and Greg mentions that next week, it will be Curt Hennig defending against Jerry Lawler. Gagne puts over Lawler as having "tremendous credentials" and says that Hennig will have his hands full. Greg thinks there will be a new champ and he hopes to be challenging and chasing whoever comes out on top.
And finally, it's about the AWA TV Title. Greg goes over his schedule and says he'll be traveling to Texas, Florida and Georgia to defend that title against some tremendous competition. He mentions Soldat Ustinov & "Mr. Magnificent" by name and admits that he has his hands full.
And now, to the main event.
Chief Wahoo McDaniel & Tom Zenk vs. Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs - The Nasty Boys
Zenk and Saggs start off. Saggs with a shove. Zenk goes after the arm and tags in Wahoo. Wahoo does what he does - chops, chops and more chops. And one for Knobbs too. Wahoo locks up the arm. He switches places with Zenk while the ref is distracted. Zenk locks up the arm of Saggs. Another switch and Wahoo with the tomahawk chop on Saggs. A neck-vice by Wahoo, some more chops and a chin-lock. Another illegal switch and Zenk is in with the chinlock. The ref turns his back and another switch as Wahoo keeps Saggs locked up. Zenk tags in and he & Wahoo team up to give Saggs a double-chop off the ropes. Ouch! Zenk locks back in the chin-lock.
Saggs finally fights back with elbows and punches. Zenk misses a charge into the corner and Saggs manages to tag in Knobbs. Knobbs with punches and kicks to Zenk. Zenk gets away and tags in Wahoo. Wahoo with the chops and Knobbs goes to the floor. Wahoo chops Saggs off the ring apron while Zenk takes a cheap shot on Knobbs on the outside.
Knobbs makes it back into the ring to face Wahoo. Wahoo with chops and back to the chin-lock. Zenk tags in with an elbow from the top for two. Zenk with the headlock. Knobbs backs Zenk into the corner and unloads some vicious knees. Zenk reverses a whip across the ring and tags in Wahoo. It's Wahoo with the chops. Knobbs with some punches and a tag to Saggs. It's time for some Nasty double-teaming. Wahoo chops his way out and Knobbs comes in with a clothesline for a two-count.
Wahoo manages to tag out to Zenk who comes in to clean house with punches and kicks. A noggin-knocker for the Nasty Boys and Zenk gets a two-count. Wahoo is back in and it's OINGO BOINGO time! Amid the chaos, Zenk with a sunset flip on Saggs and the referee is there to count the pin.
Winners: Chief Wahoo McDaniel & Tom Zenk
Back to Larry Nelson who talks about the confusion towards the end of the last match. Nothing was settled. He puts over his "Fan of the Week" from England, a Miss Linda Newhouse. He says that next week, we'll see Greg Gagne versus Adrian Adonis in a rematch for the AWA International TV Title.
And the show ends.
A fair and middle of the road show for me. Nothing was really great, but nothing was really bad either. It was weird to see Knobbs & Saggs looking so young. And as I mentioned earlier, I can't believe that "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly would, just a few years later, be in the WWF as "Nailz". What the hell happened to him? And Adonis - he just looked bad. It was sad to see him looking so bloated and huge. He could still work and move quite well, but it's just sad.
I guess that's enough for me today. It's Friday, so there is only one more night of the AWA this week and then it's time for a break. Yay!
Send comments and questions to Doug28352@yahoo. com. Come visit me at MySpace at www.myspace. com/salt_ palace. Add me as a friend. You know you want to.
And with that, I'm out of here. See you tomorrow. Have a great day and always be a fan.
I'm Doug and I am gone.
Ubuntu!
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