AWA ALL-STAR WRESTLING: February 3, 1984: WGN TV
From coast to coast, continent to continent and border to border, we welcome you to AWA All-Star Wrestling coming to you from the Milwaukee Auditorium. I am Rod Trongard and joining me will be Gene Okerlund. Well fans, before we get to the in-ring action, we must go to the video tape from this past Thursday in the Mecca right here in Milwaukee as it was Jimmy Garvin vs Bret Hart for the vacant AWA North American Title.
VTR of Bret Hart defeating Jimmy Garvin for the AWA North American Title.
Gene Okerlund: Ladies and Gentleman, let me bring in the new North American champion… Congratulations Bret Hart.
Bret Hart: Thank you Gene, it is a real honor for me to be the first AWA North American champion and I know there are a lot of great challengers and I look forward to defending this title every night all across the United States and Canada.
Gene Okerlund: Well I can tell you that wrestlers from all over the sport want a shot at your title. In fact, it will be Wahoo McDaniel vs Dick Murdoch in the Rosemont Horizon this Thursday and you will face the winner in your first title defense February 14th in the St. Paul Civic Center.
Bret Hart: That’s what I am talking about Gene. No time to celebrate. I know I will be in for the fight of my life and that is just the way I want it.
COMMERCIAL
Match: Mongolian Stomper defeats “The Turk” Ali Bey with the Sleeper
Another match used to build Stomper as a fan favorite. Ali Bey does a nice job of antagonizing the crowd and using some questionable tactics that help get Stomper over with the crowd. In the post-match interview with Gene Okerlund, Stomper continues to talk about how he is out for revenge on Bad News Allen for the situation back in Calgary in December and that when Allen returns from suspension on March 3rd, he better have eyes in the back of his head.
MATCH: Keith Hart & Hiro Saito vs The Bruise Brothers (Dream Machine & Porkchop Cash)
Hart and Saito are quick and technically sound while the Bruise Brothers are all about brawling. These contrasting styles work here as all 4 men do a nice job of bumping and selling. In the end, Hart is doing a great job of playing the face in peril role and escapes to get a tag to Saito and we go bonzo gonzo for a while with all 4 men in the ring. As the ref loses control, the camera catches Dream Machine slipping something into his mask and nailing Saito with a headbut. Saito is basically out and the ref pays just enough attention to come over and make the 3 count.
At the interview with Okerlund we find out that it was the Dream Machine who came out and helped Porkchop Cash last week in his match with Norvell Austin.
Porkchop Cash: All is good now! No more teaming with losers like Norvell Austin. My main man Dream Machine is here and the Bruise Brothers are going to run wild in the AWA.
Dream Machine: I saw my brother here being annoyed by that gnat Norvell Austin and decided it was time to get the Bruise Brothers back together again. And look what happened… 5 minutes after I get to town, Austin pack s his bags and hits the road. Well listen up… All the other tag teams better follow Austin or else your gonna fell a whole lot of pain.
COMMERCIAL
VTR: Jerry Lawler retains his title by DQ as he threw a fireball into the face of Rick Martel.
Martel joins Gene Okerlund for an interview where he is wearing sunglasses due to a minor burn around his eyes. Martel let’s us know that he is ok but is still a little stunned that the AWA World Champion would stoop to such a low level. Okerlund adds that Hulk Hogan would never have resorted to such tactics. We also find out that Martel has been cleared by doctors and will be getting a rematch this week against Lawler for the AWA title in the Rosemont Horizon.
MATCH: Abdullah the Butcher with Sheik Adnan Al Kassie vs King Konga with Paul Ellering
For an Abdullah the Butcher, this is as clean as it gets which means extreme violence without the fork. King Konga responds to ever dirty blow with his own version of violence. After about 3-4 minutes of the rough and wild brawl, Heenan realizes that Butcher is not just going to run over Konga so he calls for the Sheiks (Blackwell and Patera) to hit the ring and attack. Ellering seemed ready for this and had the Road Warriors on stand by. What we get is a 4 on 4 brawl that can’t be stopped. Ellering and Al Kassie are is much onto the action as anyone else and it is apparent these two teams are fighting to become the most dominant force in the AWA. Later in the show, we find out these two stables will face each other this week in the Rosemont Horizon.
COMMERCIAL
MATCH: Crusher defeats Joe Stark after Stark tried some questionable tactics and Crusher just bet him Pillar to Post
At the interview area with Gene Okerlund we find out that it will be a Chicago Street Fight between Crusher and Superstar Graham in the Rosemont Horizon this week.
Da Crusher: All ya cute little Dollies down on Halstead Street get ready cause I will be coming down there to party all night after I rip Superstar Graham to shreads this week. I mean come on Gene, the Crusher in a Chicago Street Fight. Take that one to the bank! This might be the last we see of Superstar Graham around here.
MATCH: Jimmy Garvin with Precious & Eddie Gilbert vs Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid
This is the first time we have seen any of these men tag together but it seems to work. Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert seems to fit right in with the arrogant, peacock-strutting Jimmy Garvin while Precious now has another man by her side which allows her more screen time! Trongard hypes up recent matches between Gilbert and Dynamite Kid for the AWA Light Heavyweight Title and also that he has heard some negative comments by Garvin and Precious about the clean cut, British star, Davey Boy Smith. As for the match, it is full of twist and turns. Some nice chain wrestling between Gilbert and Davey Boy is followed by Dynamite getting himself trapped in the corner and suffering from some brutal double team moves. Garvin and Gilbert may be new but they seem to be on the same wave length. They both know just how to play it dirty while never really getting caught. As we get to all 4 men in the ring, a perfectly timed loaded purse by Precious to Dynamite Kid allows for Gilbert to get the three count!
At the interview desk we find out that Precious and her men are now known as Hot Stuff Inc and that the AWA will never be the same. When Okerlund asks about the dirty tactics, all three seem confused. When Gene sends it back to Rod, he is in the ring with Dynamite Kid holding his head and Davey Boy fuming about how the AWA must examine the purse of that jezebel Precious. Verne Gagne comes out and looks straight into the camera and warns Hot Stuff Inc about their nonsense and offers Davey Boy and Dynamite a rematch this week in the Rosemont.
COMMERCIAL
MATCH: Dick Murdoch defeats Sonny Two Rivers with the Brain Buster
The problem came when the tough, tobacco spitting man from West Texas decided one Brain Buster was not enough and delivered another. This is when Jules Strongbow decided to come out to try and protect his tag team partner but all he got was some big right hands followed by his own Brain Buster and in a matter a seconds, Murdoch had laid out both Indians.
As Okerlund cautiously came in for the interview, Murdoch was screaming about everything and anything. First, he started by laughing at the Crusher and how tough Chicago is and all his “Dollies.” Murdoch told them all that the toughest come from West Texas and just take a look at them two Injuns laying in the ring if you have any doubts. Murdoch then turned his attention to Wahoo McDaniel. Murdoch says Wahoo may have played in the NFL but come this week in the Rosemont Horizon, he will be playing his last game of anything. He warns Bret Hart that he better run up to the Icebox he calls home and help old Stu in retirement as that North American Title is all his!
Okerlund continues to hype up Murdoch and his toughness after Captain Redneck left the set as he sells this newcomer to the AWA fans as one tough SOB. Gene also hypes up Wahoo, his opponent in the #1 contender’s match for the North American title as he lets fans know it is going to be one slobber-knuckle in the Rosemont Horizon.
MATCH: Rick Rude with Bobby Heenan vs Tom Zenk
A battle of two of the younger stars in the AWA where Zenk shows some promise but in the end, the combo of Heenan and Rude prove to be two much for the up and comer. Rude is able to hit the top rope knee drop followed by the piledriver for the win. At the interview with Okerlund, Heenan is frustrated that it is not Rick Rude getting any of the title shots in the AWA but says that will change . He also says that he has signed a Mega Star to join his family and we will find out who that is very soon and how Verne Gagne and Stu Hart will be sorry for not giving the “Family” what it deserves.
COMMERCIAL
MATCH: Greg Gagne & Bruce Hart vs The Commonwealth (Jos Leduc & Jonathan Boyd)
We find out that Bruce Hart is filling in for Brad Rheingans who could not be here today and this really made it hard on the fan favorites as they were just too undersized. While they gave it their all, the power and roughness of the Commonwealth proved too much and Leduc pinned Hart after a massive football tackle. When everyone though the match was over… Randy Savage hit the ring and just went wild on Greg Gagne and the already down and out Bruce Hart! The Commonwealth simply went back to the locker room as they were happy with their win. What Savage did here was one of the most violent things seen in All-Star wrestling history as Trongard wondered if this was the Mega Star Bobby Heenan was talking about.
The Rosemont Horizon: February 7, 1984
Mongolian Stomper defeats The Assassin with the Sleeper as he continues to be built as a fan favorite.
The Bruise Brothers (Porkchop Cash & Dream Machine) brutally beat Ton Stone and Verlon Biggs for the win
AWA NORTH AMERICAN TITLE #1 CONTENDERS Match: Wahoo McDaniel vs Dick Murdoch: These two are not very technical but they do a nice job of bumping and selling in this slugfest. In the end, Murdoch wins the battle with the Brain Buster. This could have gone wither way and in no shape or form has hurt the reputation of Wahoo.
Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid vs Hot Stuff Inc. ( Garvin & Gilbert) with Precious: In a reversal from this week’s match on TV, Smith and Kid come out on top. A major reaon for this was that the ref caught Precious doing her shenanigans and sent her back to the locker room. The crowd loved this as they taunted her the entire way. In the end, Smith hit the powerslam on Garvin and the two Brits walk away with the victory.
Chicago Street Fight: Da Crusher vs Superstar Graham: This was a rather short match as neither of these two old-timers can go very long in this type of match but as you would expect in Chicago, Crusher comes out on top!
The Sheiks (Blackwell, Patera & Abdullah the Butcher) with Sheik Adnan Al Kassie vs The Road Warriors and King Konga with Paul Ellering: A brawl that leaves nothing on the table but a victor. This match ended in a DDQ as the 6 men brawled all over the ring and arena. Not sure what else could have been expected with these 6 but somehow they are going to have to settle this.
AWA WORLD TITLE MATCH: Jerry Lawler vs Rick Martel: Martel claimed his eyesight was fine after last week’s fireball by Lawler but Martel seemed just a little off. In the end, Lawler wins this long battle with the piledriver.
