AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN Classic 07.16.09

AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN Classic

It’s December, 7 1986 and we’re from the Showboat in Vegas.

ALEXIS SMIRNOFF/YURI GORDYENKO vs. SPIKE JONES/SONNY ROGERS
Not much fun this time around, the Russians don’t bother with trying to break any bones, they just tool around until it’s time to finish. Gordyenko and Jones do a nice bit on the mat with Jones trying to get away and Gordyenko keeping him in trouble. Spike uses surprises Smirnoff with a bear hug, and when the ref turns to stop Gordyenko from doing anything, Smirnoff goes to the eyes. Rogers tags in and is finished in short order with the double hotshot.

Larry Nelson with the Russians. Gordyenko accuses the referees of being biased against them, and the match makers of being biased and that’s why they don’t get any title shots. All the Americans wish they were Russians. Smirnoff says it best: “Yuri, it’s unbelievable!”

JERRY BLACKWELL vs. PETE SANCHEZ
This is, literally, a squash for Blackwell. Sanchez tries to take him down with a couple of shoulderblocks, but has no luck. Blackwell is actually a bit heelish here, he rakes his face across the ropes, and after he gets a near fall from a powerslam, he picks up Sanchez so he can continue to dish out punishment. Blackwell finishes with a Samoa Drop.

Larry Nelson with Jerry Blackwell. Blackwell is done being Mr. Nice Guy, when he wasn’t nice he kicked people’s you know what! He’s been sick, but now he’s well and he’s going back to kicking people’s you know what! He’s got a baby brother at home in Georgia and he’s bringing him to Las Vegas.

SUPER NINJA vs. TOM STONE
We actually get a decent shot of his face, even with the mask on. It looks like it might be Hiro Matsuda. There isn’t anything special here. Ninja stalls and does a lot of poses. He works the nerve hold, and surprises Stone with a boot when he charges into the corner, bridging double arm suplex finishes Stone.

Larry Nelson with Super Ninja and Larry Zybyszko. Nelson asks why the Ninja hangs out with Larry, Zybyszko tells them they have a lot in common, justice. Such as Bockwinkel hiring thugs to take out Zybyszko. The Ninja is there to help Larry win the World Title.

In addition to promos, we’re also recycling matches. The next match is Greg Gagne vs. Tony Leone which I already recapped, it ends with Greg doing a knee drop off the top after two dropkicks.

Larry Nelson in the studio talking about the Jimmy Snuka vs. Colonel DeBeers feud. They air a clip of the piledriver angle. DeBeers pushes Snuka off the top and onto the floor (that’s pretty bad ass in itself, there’s no mats on the floor) and then does a piledriver on the floor. Snuka is gushing blood and a fan rushes to the front row with a chain ready to fight DeBeers. Then we get a Snuka promo, he tears of the neck brace and says he’s healing just fine. Then he starts yelling about how much he hate DeBeers and Nelson interjects that DeBeers will probably wish he was suspended.

Larry Nelson and Curt Hennig introduce this weeks Mat Classic, and it’ s a doozy, from way back in 1974, when Curt would have been a high school sophomore.

LARRY HENNIG vs. NIKOLAI VOLKOFF
Larry and Curt spend more time talking about Curt’s instincts in the ring than they do paying attention to the match, and it’s easy to see why. It’s lot of clubbing forearms and trading punches. Volkoff gets Larry down and puts the boots to him at one point, which was nice, but there’s really not many highlights to the match. Hennig seems to have it won when he hits The Axe, but Bobby Heenan interferes and Hennig gives him The Axe (with huge bump from Bobby).

CURT HENNIG vs. RICK GANTNER
Not exactly something worthy of being a main event. Gantner can’t, or doesn’t want, to do anything that requires wrestling. He complains to the ref, he bites, chokes, eye rakes, etc. He uses one actual hold, a headlock, which is only to give him a chance to rake Curt’s eyes across the ropes. Hennig with a nice comback when he pushes off the headlock, hits a hip toss and then a nice dropkick, right on the jaw. Curt reverses a whip into the corner and stuns Gantner with a boot to the gut and then hits a knee lift, The Axe, and a dropkick off the top for the win.

Larry Nelson with Curt Hennig. Curt is in the best shape of life and he wants Nick Bockwinkel. He thinks that he’s been overlooked, maybe due to Larry Zybyszko’s politics or maybe Nick Bockwinkel’s. He’s been asking the Championship Committee~! about a title shot. 1986 is almost over and whoever the champion is better be ready for Curt Hennig!