AWA Championship Wrestling
On ESPN Classics
March 28, 2008
Doug Maynard
Back again with yet another edition of classic AWA goodness from the folks at ESPN Classics. Well, I don't know if "goodness" is the proper way to describe the show tonight. It had Scott Hall & Larry Zbyszko, so that part was good. And then... then there was the rest of the show. Groan! Not one of the best shows in AWA history by any means. I don't even want to do this recap and have recapture the memories in my head. The things I do for you.
It's the AWA from March 4, 1986. It's from Las Vegas, NV and the men calling the action are Ken Resnick & Greg Gagne. I'm Doug and I could have had a V-8. But I'll settle for a Pepsi and a tylenol. Let's do this.
Here's two versions of the match. I didn't realize it until I had already typed the recap up, but this is a repeat match. I could have just cut & paste the match description from the first time I saw it. So I will. The second recap, which was actually my first one, is immediately after the newer one.
Buddhakhan vs. Shawn Michaels
What kind of name is Buddhakhan? Was "big black guy with an attitude" already taken? Shawn looks really out of place here. This was roughly just a few weeks into his first AWA run and he had been wrestling, at this point, for just about a year. And it shows. Boy, does it show.
Khan immediately starts off with a headlock and Shawn responds with an arm drag. An amateur take down by Shawn and rides Khan for a moment or two. Khan locks up a headlock and lands a punch. Shawn fights back and Khan rips at the eyes. Khan goes after the arm and rolls up Shawn for two. Khan holds the tights and gets a couple more two-counts on Michaels before Shawn scores with a head-scissors to escape. Shawn scores with another take down and locks up the arm. Khan escapes and argues a bit with the ref.
Shawn goes after the arm and lands a leg-drop across the arm and follows up with a series of knees. A dropkick by Shawn and Khan flees towards the ropes. Shawn explodes with some punches and forearms in the corner. Back-flip by Michaels out of the corner and a backdrop. A big "Shades of Chris Adams" superkick by Michaels and he climbs to the top rope. A big splash by Michaels and he picks up the win.
Winner: Shawn Michaels
This match was awful. Looking at Michaels in this match and then at the later shows from the end of the year is like looking at two different wrestlers altogether. And the fact that Buddhakhan wasn't really cooperating and moved around like he was wearing concrete boots didn't help much. I guess he was mad about having to put over the young rookie. The match just didn't have any kind of flow to it and the audience was dead too. Watching this match, it's hard to believe that the young kid would eventually become one of arguably the best wrestlers of all time. He sure didn't get any help from this match except in knowing what NOT to do.
And now, as a bonus, here's my first recap of this match, from the February 28, 2008 edition of AWA Wrestling on ESPN Classics:
Buddhakhan vs. Sean Michaels
Sean Michaels, better known these days as "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels looks like he's about 15 years old here. I'm having trouble also with the way the AWA spelled his name. "Sean Michaels" is a porn star. "Shawn Michaels" is the man we all know and love, so despite the AWA's spelling, I'm using "Shawn" for the duration of this recap and in any future recaps as well. The announcers mention that Shawn was last year's "Central States Rookie of the Year" so I'm guessing he was probably 19 or 20 at this point. I don't feel like looking it up, but he was a youngster for sure... And a long way from becoming the "Showstopper" , the "icon", "The Main Event", etc. that he would become in future years. Hell, at this point, he wasn't even necessarily a Rocker yet. This is some old stuff.
And this Buddhakhan dude? I've never seen him before. He's big. He's black. He reminds me of a puffy Rock, but minus the charisma or electricity. But he looks kind of mean so I guess that has to count for something, right?
We start the match with a long, boring stretch of amateur style moves as the "Heartbreak Baby" takes Buddhakan down and rides around on top for a while. Fists are exchanged and Bhudda rips at the eyes of Shawn. A roll-up by the Khanster, along with a handful of tights, gets a couple of two-counts. Shawn uses a head-scissors to escape and then goes after the arm of the bigger and uglier Buddhakhan. Shawn continues to work on the arm and then scores with a leapfrog and a dropkick. Khan decides to stall for a bit and then tries to fight back, but Shawn hits the backdrop and a superkick, which would later be known as "Sweet Chin Music". Right now, it's just the tune-up note. Buddhakhan is stunned on the mat and we see Shawn climb the ropes. Is it the big elbow? Nope! Just a flying body-press, but it's effective enough as the referee counts three and Shawn gets the win.
Winner: Sean (Shawn) MIchaels
I just realized something. This entire show is just a repeat of the first edition of AWA Championship Wrestling from February 28th. I wish I had realized that before I typed up the recaps of the first two matches. Well, I guess it's bonus time again. Here's my recap for the Hall - Somers match that I typed up tonight...
"Pretty Boy" Doug Somers vs. Scott Hall (with Curt Hennig)
Scott and Curt are the tag team champs. Somers quickly goes after the arm and Scott powers free, sending Somers sprawling to the mat. Somers complains to the ref that Scott pulled the hair. Scott goes for an arm-drag and Somers ends up with a chinlock. Doug moves to the arm and Scott responds by picking Somers up and setting him in the corner. Resnick and Gagne talk about Scott's "hobby" of wrestling alligators down in Florida. Hall with a slam on Somers, but he misses an elbow and Somers takes back control of the match.
It's all Somers as he works on the arm with a reverse three-quarters nelson and then a series of knees for a two-count. Hall fights back as he and Somers trade chops. Backdrop by Hall and he covers for a two-count. Somers quickly bails to the floor. After some stalling, Somers comes back into the ring and wants to be friends and shake hands. Hall doesn't go for it and resumes control with a slam and an elbow for a two-count.
Somers fights back with an elbow to the gut and some punches, followed by a suplex for two. Somers stomps away at Hall and rips at the eyes & face. Hall fights back with punches and a hip-toss. Slam by Hall, but he misses the leg drop. Somers takes control with chops and a big knee, but Scott reverses a whip into the ropes and catches Somers with a big power-slam. The ref counts three and the match is over.
Winner: Scott Hall
And here is the recap that I typed up back on February 28th when I saw this match for the first time:
"Pretty Boy" Doug Summers vs. "Big" Scott Hall (with Curt Hennig)
Curt and Scott were, at this point, the AWA World Tag Team Champions. The way it's explained by the announcers, Curt had been injured by AWA World Champion Stan Hansen a few weeks earlier, so that's why he's only accompanying Scott to ringside and not wrestling. Scott is another guy here who looks so different and so young. He's huge and looks like a larger version of Magnum T.A. Summers was wrestling mainly as a singles performer at this point, but was just beginning to team with "Playboy" Buddy Rose to form a team that would go on to much success in the AWA. But that will be in the future. For now, it's Summers as a singles heel and he's facing the young rookie sensation baby face, "Big" Scott Hall.
I'm watching Hall wrestle here and it's hard to believe that it's the same guy who later made "tossing toothpicks" and "taking surveys" the cool thing to do. But it is. And he's looking pretty sharp here. We start off with some stalling by Summers and a big test of strength. Scott is huge here and wins easily. Summers immediately claims that Scott pulled his hair. I don't think so. Hall hits an arm-drag. Summers with the headlock and a little pulling of the hair as well. Summers locks up the arm. Hall picks up Summers and just carries him across the ring, placing him on the top of the corner. Headlock and shoulder-blocks by Hall and a big slam. Hall misses the elbow drop and Summers moves in with some good old fashioned clubbering. A big knee by Summers gets a 2-count. Scott manages to get up and the two men trade chops before Hall scores with a big backdrop. Summers bails to the floor and stalls for quite a bit.
Finally, Summers gets back on the apron and is welcomed back into the ring by a Scott Hall hip toss and a big slam for two. Summers hits Scott with the borderline low blow (not really low, but pretty damn close) and takes over with repeated shots to the stomach and chest of the bigger Hall. Suplex by Summers for a two count and then Doug Summers locks in the "Chinlock of Doom!" So that's where Randy Orton stole the move from? Scott tries to fight back, but Summers rips at the eyes and face to keep control. Hall fights back again with punches, knees and a big hip toss. Scott misses a leg-drop and somewhere in the distance, Hulk Hogan can be heard laughing, "that's what you get for using my move, brother!" OK, maybe not. Summers throws a few chops and Scott catches him with a sloppy, yet still effective power-slam to pick up the win.
Winner: "Big" Scott Hall
And for the rest of the show, I'm just going to cut and paste from my original recap. If showing the exact same thing over and over is good enough for the AWA, then it's good enough for me. So here goes...
Larry Nelson gets the mic and it's interview time for the AWA World Tag Team Champions, "Big" Scott Hall and Curt "Mr. Pretty Damn Good, But Not Quite Perfect... Yet!" Hennig. Scott talks for a moment and puts over Doug Summers. He's a tough dude and no one should underestimate him. And then Curt gets to talk. Stan Hansen, the AWA World Champion, is very aggressive and a "new type of animal" for the AWA. He tried to hurt Hennig and injure his throat, but Hennig is back and he's tough as well. Hennig puts over himself and Hall as the top contenders for Hansen's AWA World Championship and they hope that the guys in charge will give them some title opportunities against Hansen.
And now, we go to another talk segment called "In This Corner". It's Larry Nelson again, along with the "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko. Look! Larry Z. has hair! They're looking at a brash newcomer by the name of Marty Jannetty. We see some video clipped together and it's the future "Rocker" throwing dropkicks, beating up on jobbers, and just working a highlight reel's worth of moves.
We come back and the two Larry's are joined by Marty Jannetty. Marty has his little headband on and his little shades and looks very 80's "glam rock" with the hair and the bandannas. The guys from Loverboy were probably feeling very ripped off right about then. Marty talks about how he and his partner, Sean (Shawn) Michaels are bringing excitement and new moves to the AWA. Marty get interrupted by the "Living Legend" who tells him to "quit mumbling" and then proceeds to rag on Jannetty about his style of clothes and how he looks like he's trying to impress the kiddies. Zbyszko wonders if Jannetty has what it takes to be successful, a "mean streak", if you will. Jannetty tries to talk, but Larry Z. won't shut up and they run out of time in the segment. Yeah, Zbyszko has a big mouth and talks too much. Who would have ever thought it?
Now, we go to some video from, I guessing the previous show. I'm not sure, but that's the way I believe it's supposed to be. It's King Kong Brody, who was known everywhere else as "Bruiser" Brody (and Jerry Blackwell even refers to him as "Bruiser"), but the AWA calls him "King Kong" Brody. I have to ask. Whassup wit dat? Anyhow, it's Brody taking on "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell. Brody is accompanied by his manager, Sheik Adnan El Kassey. Kassey eventually ended up in the WWF as "General Adnan", the adviser to Sgt. Slaughter when he went traitor and won the WWF Championship. He was also once known to WWWF fans as "Billy White Wolf", the tag team partner of Chief Jay Strongbow in the late 70's. But for now, he's the rich and evil Arab Sheik with all the money and no scruples in a quest to conquer the world of professional wrestling and the AWA.
Blackwell and Brody are supposed to have a match, but before the referee can call for the bell, we see Brody and Kassey attack Blackwell and put a major two-on-one beating on the big man from Stone Mountain, GA. Several big boots by Brody and then he goes for a chair as Sheik Adnan El Kassey holds Blackwell in place. Brody hits some chair shots to the back and then on the leg of the fallen Blackwell. Brody and Kassey leave the ring as Boxer-turned- Referee Scott LeDeoux and Leon White (who would one day be known as Vader) come to Blackwell's aid.
Then we go to Larry Nelson who explains what happened after the cameras quit running after the Brody - Blackwell encounter. According to Nelson, Brody worked his way back around the ring as White and LeDeoux tended to Blackwell and attacked Color Commentator Greg Gagne, who was at ringside. Blackwell managed to pull himself together and come back to the ring to aid Gagne and drive Brody off. And since this happened, Nelson explains, Blackwell has demanded a match against any of Sheik Adnan El Kassey's guys. Of course, we didn't get to see any of this, but Larry says it's happened, so of course, we believe him and accept it as the gospel.
And that brings us up to date as it's time for this weeks main event match.
"Crusher" Jerry Blackwell vs. Boris Zhukov (with Sheik Adnan El Kassey)
Before I start recapping this match, I just wanted to mention something. Boris Zhukov might be more familiar to wrestling fans under his previous identity of "Private" Jim Nelson. He was the partner of Sgt. Slaughter during Slaughter's NWA days and his first run in the Carolina's territory. But after leaving the Mid-Atlantic region, he became a "Russian" named Boris Zhukov. He's a solid worker and a strong guy, but in my opinion, he was just about the worst "Russian" I've ever seen. And brother, that is saying something.
And Blackwell? I had the chance to see him live back when I was probably 9 or 10 years old, again here in the Mid-Atlantic region. He was wrestling against The Mighty Igor. And Blackwell is just plain huge. He's not really tall at all, but he's just round and like a big beach ball. But he moved well for his size and could throw one helluva dropkick. The AWA was promoting him as being 472lbs. I truly doubt that he was that heavy, but he was a solid 375lbs at least and was massive. I got to see Igor body slam him a few times and it was truly an amazing thing to see. Both of these guys were solid and steady performers in their day and I'm glad to be able to say that I had the chance to see them in their prime. During this last AWA run, Blackwell was clearly on the decline in his matches and Nelson / Zhukov was hampered with a lame gimmick that was more restrictive than helpful. But they made the most of it and still managed to put on a decent match.
And now (finally), the match...
Zhukov and Kassey come to the ring first and wave the Russian flag to incite the crowd a bit. Here comes Jerry Blackwell and the two foreign villains head to the floor. What is the deal here with Zhukov's eyes? He's got black circles painted around his eyes. He looks like a bald raccoon. Oh well! Blackwell slams the heads of Zhukov and Kassey together and take control with some punches and a big splash on Zhukov in the corner. A big headbutt by Blackwell and Zhukov flies to the floor. A big chant of "Sheik's A Freak" rings out through the crowd and Kassey is livid at ringside. Jerry hits some shoulder-blocks and a dropkick. This one was only about waist-high, but for a guy as huge as Blackwell was, that's still a pretty "WTF" move. Blackwell keeps control with some punches and by choking Zhukov on the ropes.
Zhukov fights back by raking at the eyes and landing a series of headbutts on Blackwell. But the headbutts have no effect. Didn't Zhukov get the memo? Good old boys from Georgia have very hard heads. Blackwell nails Zhukov with some punches as a loud "U.S.A." chant starts. Jerry drags Zhukov around the ring by his beard before sending him back to the floor with a hard fists. Zhukov stalls for a moment before getting back into the ring and taking over with punches, eye-pokes, biting, and some chops for good measure. Boris rams a knee into the back of Blackwell and chokes him on the ropes for a bit. Referee Scott LeDeoux pulls Zhukov away and we see Sheik Adnan get in some shots from the outside. That fiend!
Boris is keeping control and chokes away at Blackwell, pounding away with wild punches as well. Zhukov executes a perfect snap-mare on Blackwell and hits an elbow for two. Zhukov kicks and punches, but Blackwell has had enough and no-sells the effects. He's "Crushing Up!" Jerry scores with a suplex, a clothesline and some punches. Jerry's nose is bleeding and looks like it was broken earlier by one of Zhukov's kicks. More back and forth as Zhukov tries to cheat his way back into control of the match. Zhukov hits a dropkick. Blackwell decides to no-sell it and pounds away at Zhukov in the corner. Blackwell whips Zhukov across the ring, but misses the big charge into the corner. Jerry is down. Zhukov climbs to the top and misses his big move. It looked like a stomp to me, but I have no idea what it was supposed to be. Blackwell moves and hits a tidal wave of a splash. The referee counts three and Blackwell gets the win.
Winner: "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell
And we now go to Larry Nelson with the mic, talking to "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell. Jerry talks about how he loves coming to Las Vegas to see the lights and hear the fans cheer. He talks about the flag and how the USA is # 1 and no Russian or no Arab can change that. He then goes on to talk about "Bruiser" Brody and how the attack earlier was two-on-one, but Blackwell doesn't care. He wants Brody and he wants Sheik Adnan's Army all in the ring. It doesn't matter who because he'll whoop their tail.
And then the show ends.
My thoughts on the show? Compared to the faster pace of the matches these days in the WWE and TNA, it was kind of hard to watch the slower, more mat-based wrestling that was the AWA back in 1986. And listening to Ken Resnick and Greg Gagne makes me long for the days of Tony Schiavone or Bob Caudle or even David Crockett calling the action. They're pretty bad. But despite all of that, I still enjoyed the show. Watching Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, Larry Zbyszko, Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, etc. in their early (or in Larry's case, prime) years... it's just an amazing thing. It's just a fascinating experience to watch Shawn or Scott, still rookies at this point, wrestle and just imagine what they would become. The AWA, for the last few years of their existence, was a solid mix of rookies, looking for that big break, and veterans who had seen their best days, but were still holding on for that last moment in the sun. It was a great time for wrestling fans to see the past and future interact, and now, thanks to ESPN, we get to see it all once again. This wasn't the best wrestling show I've ever recapped. But just for the sake of history and nostalgia, it was definitely one of the most memorable.
And now, back to real-time. Now I know why the show let me down so much. I can handle one or two matches being repeated every so often, but the entire show? Geez! If I had known, I would have went ahead and gone to bed. I could use the sleep. *Sighs* Anyhow, that was the show. Hopefully, tonight will be better or at least be something I haven't see before. Three nights of Boris Zhukov in the main event in a row. There are some things that even the most die-hard fan can't handle. And shouldn't have to.
Send comments and questions to Doug28352@yahoo. com. Visit me at MySpace at www.myspace. com/salt_ palace.
Happy Birthday to my oldest brother, Steve Maynard, who turns a big "51" today. You're getting old, bro! Love ya!
And now, in the words of Baron Von Raschke, "Dat is all de people need to know!" I'm Doug and I'm outta here! Have a great day and always be a fan.
Ubuntu!
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