AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN Classic 06.28.09

AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN Classic

Maybe I spoke too soon about ESPN Classic, AWA has managed to be on as scheduled two days in a row. We’ve even got some semblance of continuity here, we’re still in Las Vegas at the Showboat and now it’s October 12, 1986.

SCOTT HALL vs. TOM STONE
No word yet on whether Stanley Blackburn followed Colonel DeBeers’ advice and had Hall tested for steroids. Ron Tronguard calls Hall a “big hunk of man” and I’ll refrain from the obvious wisecrack. This actually isn’t a squash, Hall gives Stone control for most of the match. Stone doesn’t have much to do though. He keeps Hall grounded with headlocks and then chokes him every way he can think of. He uses his bare hands across his throat, he uses the ropes, his boot, and even the strap on his singlet. Stone gets too cocky and thinks he can have his way with Hall and starts to throw fists, and Hall answers with one his own. Hall does a big bodyslam, and finishes Stone with a bulldog.

Larry Nelson asks Hall about his participation in upcoming Battle Royals that are scheduled for the AWA’s upcoming tour. Hall says he’s been lucky in them before and hopes to continue to do so, because that’s where the big money is. He and Curt Hennig are hoping to settle some scores in them with Doug Somers and Buddy Rose. Hall also hopes to get his hands on Colonel DeBeers as well. No comments about the Colonel’s accusations though, guilty conscience perhaps?

ALEXIS SMIRNOFF/GORDIENKO vs. MIKE RICHARDS/FRANKIE DeFALCO
Russian heels were as common in the ’80’s as hair bands, but these guys are awesome! This is like watching an Andersons squash on TBS, they target Richards’ arm and work it over until he submits. They’re not overtly flashy with the holds, it’s a lot of pro style armbars and hammerlocks, but their vicious edge is what makes them great. Time and time again, they put Richards in a hammerlock and the other will come off the top and boot in him the shoulder. DeFalco gets all of two minutes of ring time and Smirnoff drops him with a shoulderblock and then does a bodyslam and legdrop and he tags right back out. The Russian’s keep working on Richards’ arm and he gives it up. Considering that most Russian villains were either muscleheads like Nikita Koloff of cartoon characters like Nikolai Volkoff, this is a breath of fresh air.

SHAWN MICHAELS/MARTY JANNETTY vs. TONY LEONE/DENNIS STAMP
DENNIS STAMP GOT BOOKED! Stamp and Leone aren’t exactly the type of wrestlers who can work the style that the Rockers work, so the Rockers just let them do their stuff for a while. Dennis wrestles a lot like Terry Funk, he seems proficient on the mat, but is able to bump and brawl as well. The match is basically the Rockers on the mat getting worked over, then one move to make a comeback and a double team and then a tag and rinse and repeat for about six minutes. Marty’s ribs aren’t taped up anymore, so the week off must have helped a bit. They hit a double superkick on Leone and then Shawn front suplexes Marty onto the prone Leone for the win.

Larry Nelson’s task this week appears to be asking everyone about the upcoming Battle Royals. Shawn and Marty make it clear that they don’t care about Battle Royals or getting a shot at Bockwinkel, they want Rose and Somers. Shawn tells them they don’t want the belts they want their ass (he said it, not me).

Now we’re backstage with Larry Nelson for a videotape of a live event in Wisconsin featuring an episode of “In This Corner” (apparently an interview segment) the guest is Larry Zybyzsko and he’s with an attorney. Larry makes fun of his outfit and asks if he’s a fan of the Midnight Rockers or if he’s just leading a boring life. The attorney says life is exciting at the matches. Larry gets down to business and wants to know when he gets a shot at Bockwinkel, and he’s told that he’s not ranked high enough for a title shot and he’ll get one when he qualifies. Larry tries to intimidate him, but he doesn’t back down. He asks again and is given the same answer, and asks again and is given the same answer. Finally Larry just makes fun of his outfit again and leaves.

LARRY ZYBYZKSO vs. CURT HENNIG
Larry stalls, and stalls some more. He hits Hennig with a nice fireman’s carry and stalls to celebrate. They lock up and Curt outwrestles him, and he stalls again. Larry tries to attack Hennig from behind when Mr. Go distracts Hennig, but it backfires and now we’re finally going somewhere, it only took seven minutes! Hennig keeps Larry trapped in a headlock, showing him that he’s able to control him. Larry escapes and walks back into it. Larry pulls the hair to escape and then they do cute sequence where Larry keeps dropping down, and Curt puts on the breaks and goes to the headlock. Larry outsmarts him and turns into a backdrop suplex. Curt outsmarts Larry a minute later when he drops his head too eary for a back drop and they start trading fists. They go to the floor and keep each other from reentering, and it ends in a DCOR.

Larry Nelson interviews Curt Hennig. He felt that this should have been a #1 Contender’s match for a title shot and he proved to Larry Zybyzsko that Curt Hennig was no day off. Larry then asks him the million dollar question, how about the upcoming Battle Royal series? Curt thinks that the Battle Royals will now determine the next challenger and he’s been training with Scott Hall (insert drinking joke here) and he’ll be ready. And that’s all for this week.