Retro: AWA On ESPN Classics: April 24, 2008

AWA Championship Wrestling
On ESPN Classics
April 24, 2008
Doug Maynard

Well, I thought I was going out last night. But after paying some bills, my wallet said otherwise. So I stayed home and watched AWA instead. And I'm glad I did. So here we go with another great night of AWA action on ESPN Classics. This is apparently the "go-home" show for SuperClash III, so that places it in early December of 1988. There is so much ground to cover that there's no time for chit-chat. Let's get right to it.

"Stagger" Lee Marshall and Larry "Why Doesn't The WWF Want Me" Nelson are the main guys tonight.

We start off with Lee and Larry doing the hard-sell for the SuperClash III PPV that's coming up in a just a few days. Call your local cable provider and watch the show. The fate of the AWA depends on it. Ooops! I guess no one called because SuperClash III was the first (and last) AWA PPV event and the AWA folded about a year later.

We go to a piece of video of Ronnie Garvin knocking out Greg Gagne to capture the AWA International TV Championship. Marshall & Nelson do the voice-over and say that AWA President Stanley Blackburn has reviewed the tape and held the championship up.This gives Greg an advantage because it takes away the "championship advantage" that Ronnie Garvin would usually have going into this match. They discuss this match and then inform us that as the show progresses, Lee & Larry will make predictions for the SuperClash III PPV matches. Oh joy!

We go to the first match which is, I believe from Memphis, TN and the Mid-South Coliseum. Lee Marshall and Diamond Dallas Page are the commentators.

"The Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. "Wildfire" Tommy Rich

Jimmy comes to the ring to the sounds of "Boy From New York City" and is slapping flesh and kissing the fans. Rich is waiting in the ring and attacks Boogie as he climbs into the ring. It's all Rich as he dominates with chokes, clotheslines, knees and punches. The referee tries to get in there and Rich shoves him away first and then levels the referee with a punch. Valiant is up and goes ballistic on Rich with punches and a backdrop. The ref is up and Valiant punches him. It's total OINGO BOINGO action as Rich and Valiant brawl to the floor, trading fists. Several wrestlers including Cactus Jack and The Hangman, as well as several others, come to the ring to separate the two battling brawlers. It takes a while, but they finally get pulled apart and Rich bails to the back.

No Contest - Double Disqualification

Larry Nelson is talking to the AWA World Champion (and CWA World Champion) Jerry "The King" Lawler. Jerry talks about the pressure that Kerry Von Erich must be feeling right about then and says that he'd love to be a fly on the wall at the Von Erich's household. Kerry's family has had so much bad luck and all the pressure is on Kerry right now. Lawler says that he heard from sources that Kerry was waking up at night in cold sweats and wondering if he's going to let his family down again. Jerry says that, yes, Kerry is going to let the family down. He's going to lose.

And now back to Lee Marshall and Larry Nelson in the studio as they do some predictions for the SuperClash III matches. Both men pick the Guerrero Brothers to defeat Cactus Jack and the Rock & Roll RPM's in the six-man match. In Jeff Jarrett vs, Eric Embry, Nelson picks Jeff while Lee picks Eric. Moving to the "Boot Camp Match" with Sgt. Slaughter vs. Col. DeBeers, both men surprisingly pick DeBeers. And in the P.O.W.W. Street Fight Lingerie Battle Royal, Lee picks The Terrorist to win, while Larry doesn't care who wins just so long as they're all stripped down to their lingerie.

We jump to the next match already in progress. Its the ladies in action.

Wendi Richter & Magnificent Mimi vs. Madusa & Sylvia

Sylvia is the blond valet of Rob Fuller and the Stud Stable. She's also Mrs. Rob Fuller. Magnificent Mimi was never much so far as wrestling goes, but she was famous for videos and bad movies that were often advertised in the back of wrestling magazines in the early 80's. Wendi Richter was the former WWF Women's Champion who was the victim of the first "Screw Job" by Vince McMahon and the WWF. And Madusa - she drives Monster Trucks now. And now that we know everyone, we join the match in progress.

Madusa with the choke on Wendi. A suplex by Madusa for two. We see Madusa with a belly-to-back suplex and both are down. The referee stops the match and argues with Madusa & Sylvia when they raise their arms in victory. What the hell happened? Madusa and Sylvia leave the ring as the referee tells the confused announcers and equally as-confused fans that the winners are Wendi & Mimi. What the... ? How? Was there a pin we missed? I don't get it or understand it and apparently, neither does anyone else, but that's the decision in this brief snippet of a match.

Winners: Wendi Richter & Magnificent Mimi

We go back to Nelson and Marshall who are out of breath and overheated because of the exciting (?) ladies match we just saw. Did they see the same match they showed us? I doubt it. They do a hard plug for the Ladies Battle Royal at SuperClash III and we go to the next match. It's from Memphis, TN and at the Mid-South Coliseum.

Ricky Rice & Jon Paul - The Top Guns vs. The Beast & The Hangman

Paul and the Beast start off. Arm-drag by Paul and Rice tags in with a shot to the Beast's arm. Beast fights back with forearms and punches in the corner. Rice hits a cross-body splash for two. He goes back to the arm and tags Paul in. Ron to the arm, but Beast rips at the eyes and tags out to The Hangman. Paul hits Hangman with a clothesline and tags out to Rice. Rice locks up the arm, but Hangman rips at the eyes and tags in the Beast. Rice with a kick and a dropkick. A tag out to Paul who scores with a big splash from the top rope for the pin.

Winners: Jon Paul & Ricky Rice - The Top Guns

Lee and Larry are back and they send up to Pro Wrestling Illustrated' s Bill Apter, who is talking with Chavo, Mando and Hector Guerrero in a special PWI Press Conference. Hector says that Paul Diamond & Pat Tanaka keep running away, but the Guerreros can beat them. Mando says that they are their father's sons and have proved themselves in singles and tag team action again and again. There are three of them there and one more is coming up soon. Chavo says that so long as Diamond and Tanaka stay in the ring, the Guerreros have a chance. Every dog has it's day and they've proven themselves. Eddie (Guerrero) is coming up and Chavo says that he has a son (Chavito) too.

We go back to Lee and Larry and they talk about how great Bill Apter and his magazines are. They do another hard-sell for SuperClash III and then we move on to the "Mat Classic" segment. It's from SuperClash I in Chicago, IL. We join the match already in progress.

Americas Championship
Sgt. Slaughter (c) vs. Boris Zhukov

Zhukov is in the grass and putting the boots to Slaughter. Sarge climbs in the ring and Zhukov unloads some more kicks before dragging Slaughter's face across the top rope. Choke and then Zhukov drops Slaughter throat-first across the top rope. Face-lock and clubbing forearms by Zhukov. A big "USA" chant comes from the crowd. Zhukov with the neck-breaker for two and then he unloads on Slaughter with knees, stomps and random ripping at the face. Sarge is tossed to the floor. Zhukov follows and rams Slaughter's head into the announcers table. Zhukov attempts a piledriver on the outside of the ring, but Sarge powers up and backdrops Zhukov to the ground. Sarge rolls into the ring and Zhukov climbs to the top rope from the outside.

Sarge is up and catches Zhukov with a "Shades of Ric Flair Slam From The Top". Slaughter is in control now and nails Zhukov with punches and an elbow-smash to the chops. Dropkick by Slaughter and a big backdrop. Sarge goes for the clothesline, but Zhukov pushes the referee in the way and the ref gets bumped by Slaughter's clothesline. Zhukov loads his elbow-pad and nails Slaughter, busting him open. Zhukov with the first and some biting. The ref is up and calling for the bell.

Winner by DQ: Sgt. Slaughter

But the brawl continues as Slaughter starts to no-sell Zhukov's punches and chases Zhukov around the ring and to the back.

We go to Larry Nelson who says that match brings back memories and reminds everyone to order the SuperClash III PPV. Larry talks now to Sheik Adnan El Kassey and wants to know where the Sheik has been. Adnan says that he was in Baghdad trying to make peace between his country and Iran. I don't think Nelson believes him. He has an ally in the Iron Sheik. Here comes Iron Sheik. Iron Sheik says that finally, after seven years, Iraq & Iran have peace. Now he is here in the AWA. Sheik mentions Jerry Lawler, Wahoo McDaniel, Greg Gagne and how they talk about the Sheik. Iron Sheik is here for the World Championship.

Gads! Adnan is bad enough to translate by himself, but add Iron Sheik to the mix. *Sighs* I need a raise!

We go to a quick promo by former Freebird Buddy Jack Roberts. He and his team, SST (Samoan Swat Team) are coming to SuperClash III. They're taking on Michael Hayes and Steve Cox and Roberts vows victory for his team.

And now, more predictions by Lee Marshall and Larry Nelson. In the tag match between Roberts team of the SST and Hayes/ Cox, Larry picks Roberts and the Samoans while Lee picks Hayes and Cox. And in the match between Ronnie Garvin and Greg Gagne, Nelson picks Gagne while Lee Marshall says he can't decide. In the Indian Strap Match between Wahoo McDaniel and Manny Fernandez, Lee picks Wahoo while Nelson makes the sage-like claim that in a match like that, they both lose. And in the match pitting the Rock & Roll Express taking on the Stud Stable, Lee picks Morton & Gibson while Nelson goes for the Stud Stable.

We now go to Memphis again and the next match.

Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden (w/ Sylvia & Downtown Bruno) - The Stud Stable vs. Justin ??? and another jobber.

I didn't manage to catch the names of the two guys facing the Stud Stable, but I guess it doesn't matter since this match was over pretty quickly. Golden (Bunkhouse Buck) starts off with Jobber #1 - his name is Justin. Golden stomps at the leg and tags out to Fuller who takes a shot before tagging back in Golden. Golden with a step-over toehold. Fuller is back in and works on the leg before tossing the kid to the outside. Sylvia (aka Mrs. Fuller) is there with the kendo stick and whacks away at Justin. Fuller gets Justin back in the ring and stomps away before tagging out to Golden. Golden with a spinning toehold before moving into a half-crab on Justin. Justin taps and the match is over.

Winners: Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden w/ Sylvia & Downtown Bruno

Larry Nelson is with the Rock & Roll Express. Robert Gibson says that the match at SuperClash III is very important to them because it will help them get title shots against Bad Company. Ricky Morton says that everyone knows them. They've been World Champions four times and they will prove it to the world again that they're the best tag team in the world. They're solid gold, rock & roll and here to stay!

We then see a very quick promo by Iceman King Parsons where he talks about Brickhouse Brown, calls him a rooty-poo and says "Have mercy!".

And now it's back to the ring for the next match.

Diamond Dallas Page is out there and he has his Diamond Dolls strip down to skimpy outfits. He's the manager of the Diamond Exchange. He says that Bad Company was good, but Badd Company is better. He introduces his team for the next match.

Lee Marshall and Frank Dusek are doing the commentary.

AWA World Tag Team Championship Match
Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond - Badd Company (with Diamond Dallas Page) vs. Mike Davis & Tommy Lane - The Rock & Roll RPM's (with Downtown Bruno)

The RPM's start and immediately go after Tanaka with a big double-team splat on the mat. Davis with the punch. Tag to Lane with the suplex. Davis back with stomps and a backdrop. Lane with stomps and a leg-drop. Davis again with stomps and an elbow for two. Lane with punches. Tanaka tries to come back, but misses a cross-body splash - crash and burn. Davis with a knee. Lane in with punches and a suplex. Paul Diamond gets a knee on Lane from the outside and tags in.

Diamond is in control with punches and kicks and he slams Lane into the corner. Inverted supex and some stomps by Diamond and Lane is tossed to the floor. Tanaka attacks Lane on the floor with punches and kicks. He rolls Lane back into the ring where Diamond scores with a big slam. Tanaka tags in with kicks and a chop for a one-count. Diamond tags in and we see Badd Co. score with the double-team on Lane. Tanaka with a splash for two. A double-backdrop by Badd Co. as Diamond tags in and they get another two-count. Diamond whips Lane into the corner and charges, but Lane moves and Diamond ends up crotching himself on the ring-post.

Davis tags in and starts throwing the fists. A double-team by the RPM's and everyone is in the ring. It's OINGO BOINGO time. Davis locks Diamond in a stretch. The referee is trying to get Lane out of the ring and here comes Tanaka with a superkick to Davis' face. The referee doesn't see it. Diamond covers Davis and gets the pin.

Winners: Badd Company - Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond (with Diamond Dallas Page)

And now we go to Lee Marshall who is with Kerry Von Erich. Kerry talks about how Chicago knows him and is behind him. There is only one world and one world title. Kerry is in the best shape of his life and training harder than ever before. His family will be at SuperClash and he's training like a champ and will be the champion. He tells Lawler to be ready because he is coming for his title and this is it.

Damn if Kerry didn't look out of it during that interview. If we only knew then what we know now -it's so obvious when you look back. Man, that's sad.

And anyhow, that's the show. Just a lot of chaos and confusion crammed into an hour, but it moved fast and was a great nostalgic look back so I can't complain.

And thats it for me too. I'm running so late today, it's not even funny. Questions and comments can be sent to Doug28352@yahoo. com. Visit me on MySpace at www.myspace. com/salt_ palace. Add me as a friend. You know you want to.

And I'll be back again tomorrow with the Thursday night edition of AWA on ESPN Classics, so look for that.

Have a great day and always be a fan. I'm Doug and I'm gone. See ya!