GeneJackson95

Due to pending legal action from the WWF, the AWA releases Cousin Junior (Lanny Kean) and picks up Tyree Pride AWA also releases Wendi Richter, Madusa, and Sika and picks up Billy Travis, Super Strong Machine, and Ron Slinker

I'm such a fan of Troy Graham and this is just classic Troy Graham here.....LOVE the promo! He managed to become a doctor in the few months he's been gone, just really great stuff! I look forward to seeing the Medics take on the Grapplers! I've enjoyed the build so far to Studd vs. Sivi Afi, while Studd has a huge size advantage but Afi has been impressive in the USWA and might just surprise everybody. Rich vs. Cooley is the feud I have my eye on right now…..Wendell vs. Johnny was great and this feud regardless of who comes out on top will elevate Cooley even more as Rich is nationally known and a former World Champion and I'm sure "Wildfire" has a few more dirty tricks up his sleeve than cousin Johnny. The new tag champs with some strong words for any potential challengers as well as Carlos Colon, sounds like Carlos better start finding some back up! Brenda's Beauty Shop is a great way to introduce Diamond Timothy Flowers…..looks like he's got his sights on starting trouble with "Sweet" Norvell that should be a fun feud to get both guys going here in the USWA. Wow……the gates of hell have officially swung wide open…..Greg Gagne teaming with David Sammartino! May God have mercy on all our souls LOL. Just kidding this will be a fun team to follow! Spike Huber is great as the foreman….but I'm afraid he's going to end up a couple of inches shorter after taking "Mr. Wonderful" piledriver after calling him "Mr. Blunderful". I like the new moniker for Ron Fuller, "the Mastermind" is a great and accurate name. For anyone not familiar Fuller, I highly suggest seeking out some old Southeastern and early Continental on youtube…Ron Fuller is a master heel who is great on the mic…..I'm excited to see the Fuller/Armstrong rivalry alive and well here in the USWA!

American Wrestling Association Wednesday June 10, 1985 Winnipeg Arena Winnipeg Manitoba Canada Bell Time: 7pm Dino Bravo pinned Sika the Wild Samoan after a gut wrench suplex "Iceman" King Parsons w/Slick pinned Cousin Junior after Slick tried to trip Junior, causing Junior to turn around and jaw at Slick…..when he turned back around into a 'butt-bump' from Parsons who then covered for the 1-2-3! Grudge Tag Team Match- Non Title The Sheepherders (Butch Miller/Luke Williams) w/Carl Fergie defeated The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) when Carl Fergie hit Gibson with the flag pole behind the ref's back allowing Williams to get the pin "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth pinned "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol w/Percy Pringle following a flying elbow from the top rope Brickhouse Brown/Koko Ware defeated The Movement (Shaska Whatley/Tiger Conway Jr.) w/Slick & Iceman King Parsons by DQ when Ware hit Conway with a dropkick off the 2nd rope causing Parsons to hit the ring for the DQ…..The Movement beat on Brown/Ware ….3 on 2 until Rocky Johnson hit the ring to even the odds! Six Man Tag Team War "Rowdy" Roddy Piper/Rick Martel/Mr. Olympia defeated Al Madril/Chicky Starr/TNT when Piper put TNT out with a sleeper hold Semi-Main Event Special Challenge Match "Nature Boy" Ric Flair Vs. One Man Gang w/Percy Pringle Gang enters the ring first……Flair comes storming down the aisle, all business….no robe tonight, he's here to fight! As Flair goes towards the rings steps to enter the ring, Pringle waddles over and starts trash talking him….Flair punches him right in the mouth and Pringle goes down…..from out of nowhere a masked man runs down and rams Flair head first into the ring post immediately opening his head back up and the blood starts to pour from his forehead….the masked man (which a bunch of blond hair protruding from the mask runs back up the aisle) Flair rolls into the ring, the referee asks can he fight, Flair nods he can…..the bell rings and the Gang shoves Flair into the corner and gives him a big avalanche splash to the already injured ribs of Flair……the blood continues to gush from Flair's head as the Gang works him over relentlessly….but Flair refuses to give up….after a few more minutes of Gang taking advantage of the basically defenseless Flair…..Roddy Piper comes down to ringside and throws in the towel telling the referee to stop the match, Piper slides into the ring with a steel chair and the Gang exits…..the referee stops the match and has declared One Man Gang the winner Main Event Grudge Tag Team Match Stan 'The Lariat' Hansen/Bruiser Brody defeated "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff/Krusher Kruschev w/"#1" Paul Jones & Ivan Koloff when Hansen pinned Kruschev after a 'lariat', after the match Brody gave Paul Jones a piledriver and dared Nikita to get in the ring and face him…..Nikita was more than happy to oblige but was stopped by Uncle Ivan before he could into the ring

AWA Championship Wrestling Recorded: June 5, 1985 Airing: Sunday June 7, 1985 nationwide on ESPN The Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, New Jersey (Show opens with random highlights from Rage in the Cage followed by the opening montage and we then cut to our host Larry Nelson) Larry Nelson recaps some of the results from Rage in the Cage including Wendi Richter defeating Sherri Martel and announces Wendi will be headed out on a World tour to defend the title so we probably won't be seeing her in action here in the states for quite a while. Nelson then welcomes the man who made his long awaited return to the AWA last Sunday in Minneapolis, the former AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel. Nick says it's good to be back and that he's offended by all the peers who tell him that he should stay away from Nikita Koloff, he says he's face bigger and better than the so-called 'Russian Nightmare' and that he's more than up to the challenge of facing Nikita which he will do for the AWA World Championship right here on television next week and to prepare for that match….he'll be facing Nikita's Uncle Ivan in today's main event! ================== Match #1: One Man Gang w/PP3 pinned Randy Watson with a '747' splash (Post Match Promo at ringside with Ken Resnick) Resnick: "Impressive victory here for the One Man Gang who made a most auspicious debut last Sunday at Rage in the Cage." PP3: "The Pringle Dynasty took care of business at Rage in the Cage. The Long Riders dropped the ball…so they are outta here! The One Man Gang debuted and he helped shut the big fat mouth of that Nature Boy wannabe, Ric Flair. Now I understand that Flair has demanded a match with the Gang this Wednesday night in Winnipeg….well that's perfect, the Gang will put Ric Flair out of the AWA once and for all!" Landel: "You know Ben, after all that talk from Ric Flair before this match about me being a comedian and supposedly a joke….I didn't hear ol' Slick Ric laughing too much as I left that steel cage with him laying in a pool of his own blood." Resnick: "Well, to be fair it took you pretending to be injured and One Man Gang attacking him from behind to get the job done…" Landel: "Those are just minor details stupid, you see 100 years from now when people go back and read the results all it will say in the record books is BUDDY LANDEL DEFEATED RIC FLAIR INSIDE OF A STEEL CAGE TO RETAIN THE AWA NORTH AMERICAN TITLE! It won't be bogged down with meaningless details Ben….we live in a society of END results…and 'Nature Boy' Buddy Landel as the AWA North American Champ is the end result and that's it…over and done with….Ric Flair will not receive another shot at this title." Resnick: "What?? That's crazy after what you guys pulled?" Landel: "Ben, are you a wrestling fan?" Resnick: "It's Ken, and yes…I have been for many years." Landel: "Well Kent, if you call yourself a wrestling fan and you claim to have watched wrestling for years then you know there's an unspoken rule that the cage match is it…..you win the cage match you win the war…..it's over. I succeeded and Flair lost…..over and out. He can have fun getting his brains beat in by the One Man Gang for as long as he wants but he and I are done! Now if you'll excuse me Kent, I'm taking a brief vacation to Hawaii, I'll see you in a couple of weeks." ================== COMMERCIALS ================== Match #2: Cousin Junior pinned Frank Reynolds following a 'mule kick' As Cousin Junior is having a hoe down in the ring, the generic hillbilly music suddenly stops as 'Iceman' King Parsons, Shaska Whatley, and Tiger Conway Jr make their way down to the ring led by Slick. (Slick snatches the mic from the ring announcer and hands it to Parsons as they head into the ring) Parsons: "What's yo name pahtnah?" Junior: "They call me Cousin Junior." Parsons: "I didn't ask what they call you, I said what's yo name?" Junior: "They call me Cousin Junior, because my name's Junior." Parsons: "Hey don't get smart with me, rooty poot. Then just say Junior, cause you ain't my damn Cousin!" Junior: "Listen here friend, I'm gonna head out cause I ain't got no business with you people." Whatley: "You people? What do you mean 'you people'?" Junior: "As in…..you, the group of people who just came in here after my match that I don't know and don't have any business with…..now if you'll excuse me….I reckon I'll be headin out." Parsons: "NO, we won't excuse you….NO I don't reckon you're going to head out just yet and also....I ain't you're friend." (Conway steps between Junior and the ropes….Junior starts to go around him and Whatley shoves him, Junior punches Whatley and they all jump on Junior and start a 3 on 1 beatdown until Koko Ware and Brickhouse Brown hit the ring with chairs causing the Movement to clear the ring, Brick picks up the mic) Brown: "Well, I see you are still the same bunch of cowards you always were….you only wanna fight if you've got the upper hand. Koko and me are here to tell you anytime you want a piece of us….show yo face in the place…..be on time because yo butt is mine next time we see ya." Koko: "Well hell Brick, we're standing right there….there's three of them and two of us since the Hillbilly had to be helped to the back…..so you'd think they would wanna fight right now!" Slick: "Yall talk tough some steel chairs in your hands…" (Brick and Koko toss the chairs out of the ring and motion for them to 'bring it on') Parsons: "Nobody tells the Movement when it's time to do anything…..you'll get it soon enough." (The Movement head back down the aisle towards the locker room) ================== Match #3: AWA World Tag Team Champions "Big" Scott Hall/Curt Hennig defeated Parker Williams/Lonnie Jameson when Hennig pinned Jameson after a dropkick from the top rope ================== (VTR- Ric Flair is in the locker room alone in Minneapolis following Rage in the Cage, his head is bandaged as well as his ribs) Flair: "I'll give credit where credit is due…..Buddy Landel and Percy Pringle are far more low down and low class than I ever gave them credit for……I've seen desperate men do desperate things for a long as I've been in the business but tonight is on a whole other level. You stooped lower than I ever imagined possible. Clearly, you don't care if everybody knows you're a coward Buddy Landel….just as long as you keep that title and escape to fight another day….well that's just fine boys, now that I know the rules of the game I'm more than willing to play! You two seem to forget….just because the fans in the AWA seem to support me these days, it doesn't change the fact that I'm still the dirtiest player in the game! That hasn't changed! You got the best of me tonight, I'll certainly give you that…..but you better savor every moment of it…..because now we go to school…and it starts with that big tub of lard the One Man Gang! Gang, pal you have no idea what you've done messing with the Nature Boy, broke ribs or not….I'm going to ride you until your tongue's hanging out and just when you think your fat a** has had enough, I'll slap the figure four on you and snap one of your legs! Then Percy Pringle….oh yeah fat boy! You're going to get some too……I'm going to get you in that ring and you're gonna bleed, sweat, and pay the price for tonight's little stunt……and then that just leaves you Buddy, I'm going to save you for last…and then I'm gonna….I'm not going to say what I'm going to do to you on television because that makes it premeditated but I promise you this…..when I get done with you, you aren't going to want hear the name Nature Boy again….and you damn sure aren't going to wanna steal it anymore…..WOOOOOO!!!" ================== COMMERCIALS ================== When we return from commercial, Larry Nelson is at ringside preparing to let a fan draw the challenger for the Television championship, before they can draw Mr. Olympia comes to ringside and says he wants his rematch for the title as the former champion. Verne Gagne comes out and informs Olympia that's not how this title works, a new challenger is drawn out each week and he would not receive a rematch unless he is drawn out of the box to challenge. Olympia replies, "Well, that’s just stupid!" Verne tells him to calm down and return to the dressing room. The fan draws and the challenger will be………………Chicky Starr! ------------------------------- Match #4: AWA ESPN Television Championship Rick Martel defeated Chicky Starr by DQ when he put Starr in the 'Boston Crab' causing Al Madril and TNT to hit the ring and attack Martel calling for the DQ! They triple team Martel for a few moments until Roddy Piper hits the ring…although the three on one advantage starts to get the better of Piper until Mr. Olympia hits the ring to help as Martel starts to make a comeback….eventually Madril/Starr/TNT powder out….leaving Martel/Piper/Olympia standing in the ring. Piper grabs the mic, "Hey boys! I'm no mathematician but it looks like there's three of us and three of you…..how bout Wednesday night in Winnipeg, we settle this!" ==================== COMMERCIALS ==================== Highlights are shown of the post match of Hogan vs. Tsuruta where Jumbo/Hulk waved the flags in the ring together and Jumbo had a falling out with Mr. Fuji. Larry Nelson then announces that Jumbo Tsuruta has asked Hulk Hogan to be his tag team partner for a big tag team tournament and Hogan has accepted and we will highlights of some of that action in the upcoming weeks here on AWA Championship Wrestling ==================== Match #5: The Sheepherders (Butch Miller/Luke Williams) w/Flagbearer Carl Fergie defeated Big Bubba Monroe/Sammy Hall when Williams pinned Hall after the "battering ram" ==================== (Backstage Ken Resnick is joined by "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Ms. Elizabeth) Resnick: "Macho Man, you scored a huge win over the Missing Link at Rage in the Cage and hopefully that win put a stop to Link's obsession with Ms. Elizabeth. What's next on your agenda?" Savage: "Well 'Killer' Ken….I certainly hope that the Missing Link will focus his attention elsewhere from Elizabeth or else he'll still be in the 'Danger Zone', YEAH!! BUT! While the Macho Man does have the most beautiful manager in wrestling as well as the most stylish attire in wrestling…..one thing that's missing is some gold so I'm on a mission to put some gold around this waist, dig it??" Resnick: "I can certain dig that Macho Man…..so, what gold do you have in mind? The television title held by Rick Martel? The North American title held by Buddy Landel? Find a partner and challenge Scott Hall and Curt Hennig for the tag team titles? Or do you have your eyes on the World title held by Nikita Koloff?" Savage: "The answer to the question is simple…ALL OF THE ABOVE!! YEAAHH! I'll be more than happy to challenge for any and all of those titles! Draw me out of the box and I'll wrestle Rick Martel! If you can get that coward Buddy Landel to get in the ring I'll be more than happy to challenge him….but I would really, really like to get my hands on that World Championship…YEAH!! Nikita Koloff anytime…anyplace….I'll show what a nightmare really is, uh huh! Not to mention if there's anybody in the AWA that's got the guts to team with the Macho Man then I would gladly take the tag team titles from Scott Hall and Curt Hennig!! So basically what I'm saying is……GIVE ME A SHOT!! DIG ITTT!! OHHH YEAHHHH!!" ================ COMMERCIALS ================ Match #6: Main Event Nick Bockwinkel pinned "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff w/Paul Jones with a small package As the referee was raising Bockwinkel's hand, Nikita Koloff hit the ring and nailed Bock from behind with the 'Russian Sickle' and laid him out in the middle of the ring and stood over his prone body as the show went off the air © 1985 American Wrestling Association Commercial for Wednesday night's event in Winnipeg American Wrestling Association Wednesday June 10, 1985 Winnipeg Arena Winnipeg Manitoba Canada Bell Time: 7pm Main Event Grudge Tag Team Match "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff Krusher Kruschev w/"#1" Paul Jones Vs. Stan 'The Lariat' Hansen Bruiser Brody Semi-Main Event Special Challenge Match "Nature Boy" Ric Flair Vs. One Man Gang w/Percy Pringle Six Man Tag Team War "Rowdy" Roddy Piper/Rick Martel/Mr. Olympia Vs. Al Madril/Chicky Starr/TNT The Movement (Shaska Whatley/Tiger Conway Jr.) w/Slick & Iceman King Parsons Vs. Brickhouse Brown/Koko Ware "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth Vs. "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol w/Percy Pringle Grudge Tag Team Match The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) Vs. The Sheepherders (Butch Miller/Luke Williams) w/Carl Fergie "Iceman" King Parsons w/Slick Vs. Cousin Junior Dino Bravo Vs. Sika the Wild Samoan

Wow...I hate to skip to the end but you've done a great job building the match with Backlund/Sammartino...with Graham involved just very well executed and it's very fitting to see two of the greatest WWF champions square at the historic first Wrestlemania! The Von Erichs have arrived! I can't wait to see them square off against the Bulldogs although the Islanders and the Red Scare will make for some great tag matches as well! The Gentleman's Club continues to be one of my favorite things in the game! Fidel adds a really fun dimension to this as well and it's good to know if things don't work out for the Candyman in the WWF, Fuller has a backup plan for him! As with most everyone on your roster you have David Schultz down perfect....I could hear every word of this in his voice and can't wait for his Streetfight with Tito at WRASSLEmania!!

Lawler vs. Tully is a dream feud and I'm super excited to watch it play out here in the USWA! Tully managed to keep the title with Baby Doll's help this time...but the King won't give up that easy. Cooley vs. Tommy Rich is going to be a great feud! I always loved Rich as a heel in Memphis and Cooley has been built up so well here against Tommy's cousin and this feud will now put all the time and effort spent on that great feud to good work here! Wow! Karachi Vice win the titles! I'm excited to see this and the Grapplers had an incredible run as champs....and I doubt they will walk away quietly. Great stuff as always here in the USWA!

AWA drops Capt Lou Albano and picks up Jonathan Boyd.

AWA drops Ken Timbs and picks up Jack Victory.

AWA places Jumbo Tsuruta and Missing Link on the trade block

AWA RAGE IN THE CAGE '85 Minneapolis, MN. Sunday May 31, 1985 BROADCASTING LIVE VIA CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION Bell Time: 5pm The show opens with a welcome from Larry Nelson who tells us that due to the attack last night from Jumbo Tsuruta and Mr. Fuji, Captain Lou Albano has been hospitalized and will not be able to be in the corner for Wendi Richter or Hulk Hogan. He throws it down to ringside with our commentary team for this evening, Rod Trongard and Verne Gagne. Match #1: Special Challenge Match "Iceman" King Parsons w/Slick Vs. Koko Ware w/Brickhouse Brown Slick and Parsons are livid that Brown is allowed at ringside. A good back and forth match for a while until Slick manages to trip Ware that puts Parsons in control for several minutes until Parsons goes to execute a falling headbutt but Koko moves causing Parsons to drive his own head straight into the canvas….Koko starts to recover and heads towards the top rope…..Slick gets up on the ring apron but Brickhouse is there to stop him from interfering…..allowing Koko to hit Parsons with a dropkick off the top rope……Koko covers Parsons but the referee is still trying to get Slick and Brickhouse Brown off the apron….when suddenly a fan jumps the rail and pulls Brown off the apron, while the referee is distracted by this…..someone else slides in and cracks Koko across the back with a STEEL CHAIR…..he rolls Parsons over on top of Ware and slides out…..On commentary Rod Trongard comments, "Verne, that guy who just hit Koko with the chair appears to be Shaska Whatley!?!?" the referee turns around and counts 1-2-3!! The camera cuts to the outside where Brickhouse is fighting with the "fan" who Gagne recognizes as Tiger Conway Jr.! Whatley hits Brown from behind with the chair, and then tosses him into the ring next to Ware….Slick is strutting around like a peacock as Parsons/Whatley/Conway put the boots to Ware/Brown….they finally stop long enough to raise their fists defiantly in the air! Trongard comments "Verne Gagne, it appears the Movement is back together here in the AWA…and that's not good for ANYONE!" Match #2: The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair/Jim Brunzell) defeated The Blond Bombers (Eric Embry/Ken Timbs) w/Luscious Johnny V. when Blair pinned Timbs after a sunset flip off the 2nd rope Match #3: Mr. Olympia wrestled The Honky Tonk Man w/Col. Johnny V. to a 15 minute time limit draw Match #4: Six Man Tag Team Grudge Match Roddy Piper/Blackjack Mulligan/Kendall Windham defeated The Pringle Dynasty (Austin Idol/The Long Riders (Bill/Scott Irwin) w/Percival Pringle III when Blackjack pinned Bill Irwin with the claw hold! As Scott Irwin tries to help his brother up after the match, Austin Idol and Percy Pringle abandon them and just leave ringside without them. Match #5: AWA North American Tag Team Championship Los Mega Stars (Al Madril/Chicky Starr) w/TNT defeated The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) by DQ when Roddy Piper came in when Los Mega Stars were in control and kicked Robert Gibson while he was down….giving the referee no choice but to call for the disqualification……Piper then flipped off Madril and Starr then took off back down the aisle as Los Mega Stars tried to figure what the hell just happened….Morton was laughing at them over in the corner, when suddenly from out of nowhere, The Sheepherders hit the ring and attack the Rock & Roll Express….Chicky Starr makes a move towards the Sheepherders but Madril grabs him and waves it off and they leave as the Sheepherders (Butch Miller/Luke Williams) along with Carl Fergie waving the New Zealand flag leave Morton and Gibson battered on the mat Match #6: AWA Ladies Championship Match Wendi Richter pinned Sherri Martel w/Johnny V with a bridging belly to back suplex to win the championship! Match #7: Winner gets Ms. Elizabeth "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth Vs. The Missing Link This one was a wild one with Link completely preoccupied with Elizabeth throughout most of the match, he went out of the ring and tried to apprehend Liz a couple of times during the match but was cut off by Savage each time….at one point they were fighting on the floor and Link whipped Savage into the ring post…..Link charged towards Savage to give him a headbutt but Savage moved and Link rammed his own head into the ring post busting his head wide open! Savage rolled him back in the ring and gave him the diving elbow drop off the top rope and covered him for the 1-2-3!! Match #8: Flag Match- America vs. Japan Hulk Hogan pinned Jumbo Tsuruta w/Mr. Fuji after a big boot/leg drop combo After the match Hulk triumphantly waved the American flag however in a great show of sportsmanship, Hulk offered the Japanese flag back to Jumbo who shook Hogan's hand and they waved the flags in the ring together…..this didn't sit well with Fuji who came in and tapped Jumbo in the chest with his cane as he scolded him……as first Tsuruta tried to brush him off but Fuji then took a big swing at Jumbo who caught the caught the cane and then gave Fuji a stiff chop that sent Fuji reeling and he rolled out of the ring and left in disgust. Match #9: STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA North American Championship "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel w/Percival Pringle III Vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair w/"Rowdy" Roddy Piper A camera cuts to the back where Ric Flair is trying to locate Roddy Piper to head down the aisle for his match, someone yells "Ric, he's in here….it's not good!" Flair walks in to see a bloodied Piper laid out on the floor as a referee tells him that Al Madril, Chicky Starr, and TNT attacked Piper and he's going to need medical attention. Flair tells the ref to make sure that Piper gets the help he needs, he has to go to the ring, Flair heads down the aisle towards the cage. Flair steps into the cage as Landel's music starts to play. Momentarily, Austin Idol is rolling Buddy Landel down the aisle in a wheel chair (his head bandaged, wearing a neck brace, and braces on both his legs) followed by Percy Pringle. Camera cuts to Flair who can be visibly be seen mumbling, "What the hell is this?" They roll Buddy around to the far side of the cage, opposite of the door, Percy then hands Buddy a microphone. Landel: "As you can see I'm severely injured, I took a tumble getting off the plane this morning and rolled all the way down the stairs and broke both my legs, fractured my neck, and got a double concussion. It's the closest I've ever come to being killed (crowd boos) I agree, I'm pretty tore up about it myself….but against doctor's orders I insisted on coming here tonight and telling you fans in person exactly what happened." (louder boos) Idol: "How dare you boo him?? Do you have any idea how courageous it is for him to come here in this condition so you fans get your money's worth to at least SEE the greatest wrestler in North America live in your wretched town." Landel: "Thanks brother….Look I know how disappointed you all are but believe me NO ONE is more disappointed than I am, I was so looking forward to destroying Ric Flair once and for all right here in Green Bay (crowd boos and yells Minneapolis)….Well excuse me, that just goes to show how injured I am, I don't even know where I'm at right now…" (While Landel is talking, Flair is kicking the cage and yelling "you're full of shit!!" Suddenly from out of nowhere a huge man enters the cage and attacks Flair from behind! He splashes him in the corner and Flair crumples to the mat…(On commentary, Gagne yells "That's the One Man Gang, what is he doing here??") OMG gives Flair a "747" splash…..he then picks Flair up and slams him…he uses the cage to climb to the top rope and give Flair a SPLASH FROM THE TOP OF THE CAGE!! One Man Gang exits the cage and shakes hands with Percy Pringle. Landel: "You know what everybody…..these Tylenols are kicking in and all you people paid your hard earned money here and at home…so against doctor's orders...I'm gonna wrestle!" (Landel unrolls the wrap from his head, reaches down and takes off the leg braces and removes the neck brace and then enters the cage) Flair is rolling around on the mat holding his ribs as Landel struts into the cage…..Austin Idol forces the referee to enter the cage and he locks it behind him. Landel pulls Flair up off the mat and rams his head into the cage busting Flair's head wide open! Landel drops a knee across Flair's forehead….and then locks in a figure leglock!! Flair is writhing in pain…..but he refuses to submit…and a couple of minutes of trying to reach the ropes….Flair finally passes out the referee calls the match and declares Landel the winner and still AWA North American Champion!! Landel grabs the mic Landel: "Minneapolis, you're welcome baby! So finally the talk is done….this feud is officially over…I've beat Flair in his hometown and there's nothing else to prove! Now he can go join his buddy Piper at the hospital. Thank you and goodnight!" Match #10: SEMI-MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Tag Team Championship "Big" Scott Hall/Curt Hennig w/Larry Hennig defeated Ivan Koloff/Krusher Kruschev w/Paul Jones in a hard hitting match, when Hall pinned Kruschev after a running bulldog to win the AWA World Tag Team Championships Ken Resnick welcomes a special guest who will join Rod Trongard and Verne Gagne on commentary, former USWA and AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel. Resnick: "Welcome to Rage in the Cage, Mr. Bockwinkel. When you first contacted Verne Gagne and told him you wanted to come to the AWA to answer Nikita Koloff's challenge you were still the USWA Champion, I understand that since that time you have lost the USWA heavyweight championship." Bockwinkel: "That is true, Mr. Resnick. Here's the thing, it's Nikita Koloff's fault I'm no longer the USWA Champion, I was so appalled at the audacity of a champion going on television and calling out other champions that he knew were in no position to answer that challenge that it became an obsession for me. Rather than focus my training and preparation for my challenger in Texas, Kerry Von Erich, I found myself completely preoccupied with Nikita Koloff and all the crazy things he was saying and doing here on ESPN. So, with all that being said…..I'm here to officially challenge the winner of the this match and I honestly hope it's Nikita Koloff." (Hansen approaches) Hansen: "You better hope it's Nikita Koloff cause you sure as hell don't want none of me, Mr. Fancy Pants!" (Bockwinkel smirks as Hansen enters the cage and Bruiser Brody mean mugs him as he walks past/moments later Paul Jones and Nikita Koloff approach) Jones: "So you're the big champion they've been referring to?? I was really hoping it would be that senile old fool Backlund or that punk kid Magnum TA…..but that's just fine, you sit out here and get an up close look at what's in store for you if you step in the ring with the 'Russian Nightmare'!" (Nikita steps up into Bockwinkel's face) Koloff: "Pay attention Mr. Bullwinkel….you might learn something from a real World Champion!" Match #11 MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Championship Stan 'the Lariat' Hansen w/Bruiser Brody Vs. "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff w/Paul Jones This one was a brutal brawl that saw both men busted wide open and bleeding……at one point it looked like Hansen might be about to put away the champ….when Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev came running down the aisle, Krusher was met with a boot to the face by Brody…..when Brody started trading punches with Ivan, Paul Jones sprayed something on a rag and jumped on Brody's back placing it over face….Brody started going down as Ivan hits him in the head with his big Russian chain……this gets Hansen's attention, he starts to head towards the door to see if he can help out his friend/partner when Nikita charges and catches him in the back of the head with the 'Russian Sickle', Hansen is face down…..Nikita covers…..1-2-3!! Koloff retains the AWA World Championship (On commentary) Trongard: "What a brutal match up we just witnessed, Nick Bockwinkel….how do you feel after watching this successful title defense against the rugged Texan, Stan Hansen?" Bockwinkel: "Look…I'll admit that Nikita Koloff is a big powerful man…..but Rod Trongard, you have to remember this….I'm no big dumb hick from Texas…..I'm one of the greatest World Champions of this or any generation….Nikita is strong but he's also very inexperienced and he's never swam in water as deep as he'll be in against a man such as myself. I'll avoid his strengths, exploit his weaknesses and I'll once again be your reigning AWA World Champion!" Gagne: "Fans, thank you for joining for the Rage in the Cage! We'll see you next week on Sunday night for AWA Championship Wrestling!" © 1985 American Wrestling Association

Bruno is somewhere fuming right now and plotting revenge on Bob Backlund, I'm quite sure of it....just not sure how he intends to carry it out! The Giant Machine is another opponent for Andre who can nearly match size with him….it will be interesting if he can get more traction than Muldoon did. I always love the commercials, I only ate at (or even saw) a RAX one time when I was a kid when we were visiting relatives up north. I also used to have a wrestling trading card that had RAX on it….so fun nostalgia here! Good to see Jimmy Hart and Mr. Magnificent taking the split with Sunshine in stride, DJ Peterson will be good test for Kelly. Very interesting words from Superstar Graham, can't wait to see what he needs to discuss with Tunney next week. "Dr. D" may have bit off more than he can chew with the fiery Tito…..should make for some fun matches! I always preferred the heel Islanders and I think Sunshine is a great choice as their manager….happy to see them revert to Haku/Tama as well. Folks need to watch themselves questioning Mr. Backlund's sanity….they could end up like David Sammartino. Great show all around this week but the "Candyman's" promo is my favorite! So looking forward to his showdown with Bundy! Wrestlemania continues to come together nicely! Fantastics vs. the Islanders is a great tag match that we never got IRL! Patera vs. Valentine should be a hard hitting bout for the IC title!

Wow! Shocking yet exciting news that Tully Blanchard is the new champ!! However, he's going to have to pull out every trick in his book to retain against "the King". Norvell lands on his feet here in the USWA, can't wait to see what's in store for him here! Studd has no remorse for the attack on Sivi Afi……it will be interesting to see if Sivi Afi can overcome the size of the big man and get a measure of revenge! Ron Fuller vs. The Armstrongs will never end…as long as these guys are still in wrestling…there will always be a feud! YES! The match I've been waiting for is going to happen…..The Grapplers vs. Karachi Vice!! No one does characters as well as you Spaldoni and we've got a few new ones introduced this week that I'm looking forward to seeing in action! The build is on to the next big USWA event!! I can't wait to see what develops!

AWA Championship Wrestling Recorded: May 29, 1985 Airing: Saturday May 30, 1985 nationwide on ESPN The Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, New Jersey Show opens with Larry Nelson telling us we're less than 24 hours away from Rage in the Cage! Tonight in our main event, Mr. Fuji has a special mystery opponent that he says will take out Hulk Hogan before he can even get to Minneapolis! Tons of action here tonight but first, we go to a taped promo from Stan Hansen and Bruiser Brody! Brody and Hansen yell, rant, and rave about Paul Jones and The Russians….Brody says he will be in Hansen's corner tomorrow night and if the cage can't keep Jones and the Russians out that he damn sure can!! ================ Match 1: The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) defeated Frank Reynolds/Charlie Kelley when Morton pinned Reynolds after a double dropkick Post match promo: Ricky Morton says that they haven't gotten the opportunity to talk much so far here in the AWA but that's fine because they do their talking in the ring and that's what they plan to do tomorrow night against Al Madril and Chicky Starr…..because they will do whatever it takes to retain their North American tag team titles…and they will have their eyes on TNT at ringside if he plans to interfere…..they may just have a surprise for him! ================= An ad airs for the new Verne Gagne's AWA Wrestling Board Game featuring Buddy Landel/Austin Idol playing against the Long Riders…with Percy Pringle trying to keep the peace during what the Verne Gagne voice over refers to as "intense family fun for everyone" (you can faintly in the background hear Landel say, "Hey jerk, you sank my battleship" and Idol say, "wrong game Budro" ================= Match #2: The Long Riders (Bill & Scott Irwin)/Austin Idol w/PP3 defeated Roy Munson/Randy Watson/Henry Moody when Scott Irwin pinned Munson after a super plex Post match promo: PP3: "Blackjack, you and that beanpole you call a son and the guy in the skirt are going to catch the beating of your lives and then the Long Riders are going for those AWA World Tag Team titles!" Idol: "Piper, I just hope I get a chance to lock those skinny legs in the "Las Vegas leglock" because you'll need crutches to be in Flair's corner when Buddy beats him to keep the title!" Landel: "Well well well….so Ric Flair comes out here last week and acts like I'm a joke…..says I'm a wannabe comedian…well Flair, tomorrow night the jokes on you! You continue time and time again to underestimate me because you say I'm a wanna Nature Boy, well 'Slick Ric' need I remind you that makes you the original wannabe Nature Boy because Buddy Rogers was the original and you couldn't carry Buddy Rogers' jock. So how about we just call it a draw on the 'Nature Boy wannabe' talk, ok?….So here's what I do know Mr. Big Shot, I walked into the AWA and won this North American championship within a week of getting here…..how many titles have you held in the AWA so far? You wanna act like guys like Austin Idol and myself are somehow beneath you…..but if that's the case, how come YOU are challenging ME for MY title…..and NOT in the main event wrestling Nikita Koloff? Riddle me that, Naitch! You find that funny, Flair? Since I'm such a comedian, I really hope you're back there bustin' a gut laughing at how I'm a champion and you're not! I hope you are really just yuckin' it up that Percy Pringle is the manager of a champion while Roddy Piper is gonna be in your corner licking his wounds where The Guerreros beat him down with baseball bats last week and on crutches after my good friend Austin Idol snaps those twigs he calls legs! Just remember Ric Flair, he who laughs last….laughs best….and tomorrow night I'm walking out of Minneapolis still the North American Champion, and that's no joke!" ================== COMMERCIALS ================== Match #3: Koko Ware pinned Steve Doll with a small package in a scientific match that saw both men shake hands before and after the match…..as Ware was getting ready to leave the ring some unfamiliar music hits….bringing out: SLICK AND "ICEMAN" KING PARSONS!! (Slick grabs a mic and hands it to Parsons) Parsons: "Koko, hold up brutha….before you soft shoe on outta here….we wanna talk to you. Da Man has sent us here to clean up the AWA and he wants us to start with you. I mean, what's happened to you? This time last year you was part of the Movement….you were helping to make a difference in this sport for people like us. Now you're out here shaking hands with this punk you wrestled tonight? Worse than that…..last week you get beat by Ric Flair and you're gonna shake his hand…..like he's better than you or something?" Ware: "First of all…..I don't know who this skinny little wanna be pimp you've got with you is….that's first of all…..second of all…Ric Flair is better than most of us wrestlers so, yeah…I shook his hand because I've got respect for him, something I don't have for you and this skinny goof you got with ya…..and lastly, since when is the so called Movement taking orders from tha Man?" Parsons: "First off boy, ya better check ya tone before you get yourself jacked up out here…..you better act like ya know….rooty poot. Secondly, if you were paying attention…I didn't say THA man….I said, DA man…..I expected you to know the difference….but it looks like to me you've been listening to THA man……and forgot…who's DA man." (Slick takes the mic) Slick: "And most importantedly……you better show the Slickster some respect out here before I put this cane against yo grill, boy!" Parsons: "That's right…..you know damn good and well this is Slick and he makes things happen. Now, before you started catching all this attitude out here with us….we were coming to make you an offer to join up with us to finish making tha moves the Movement started last year before you apparently started turnin' soft." Koko: "Oh I'm soft, huh? Listen here, Iceman!" Parsons: "Just call me King." Koko: (laughs) "Ok, King…..you're right I was part of yalls Movement last year…..and so was my friend Brickhouse Brown and as I remember it….the Movement didn't do nothing for us at all….oh sure we helped put the AWA World Tag Team titles on those 'beat boys' Whatley and Conway….but it didn't do nothin' for me and Brick….but how bout I offer you something instead, King….since I'm so 'soft'…(Slaps Parsons in the face) How bout you fight me tomorrow night at Rage in the Cage and we'll just see who the soft one is….and don't worry I won't be shaking any hands!" Parsons: (holding his face but smiling) "Maybe I was wrong about you after all…..maybe you're not as soft as I thought….but tomorrow night you're going to find out why they call me 'Iceman' King Parsons…..cause I'm cold as ice…and I will RULE you…boy!" Slick: "You had your chance, Koko…..you chose very….very poorly and tomorrow night….you gonna pay for slapping tha King!" (Parsons and Slick leave as Koko stands in the ring and shakes his head) ==================== COMMERCIALS ==================== Match #4: "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth defeated The Intern by pin fall after a 'flying elbow drop' off the top rope After the match, Savage tells Ken Resnick that he's been trying to contact Stanley Blackburn all week long to find out what's the big idea making a stipulation for tomorrow's match where if the Missing Link wins, he gets Elizabeth?? Gets her for what?? What does that even mean?? Savage says that he hasn't been able to track down Blackburn to get answers but one thing is certain….the Missing Link is in the DANGER ZONE and there's no way in the world that Missing Link will lay a finger on Ms. Elizabeth and that's a promise…..OHHHHH YEAAAHHHH!! ===================== Promo announcing beginning next week AWA Championship Wrestling will begin airing on Sunday nights at 8pm cst/9pm est!! ===================== A pre-recorded promo from Scott Hall/Curt Hennig/Larry Hennig airs. Larry says that Blackburn's suspension actually turned out to be a favor as he's had these boys in the gym every single day training and preparing to get in the ring with the champs. Hall says they've also been studying tapes of the Russians and that he's spotted a weakness in Krusher Kruschev that he plans to exploit in the cage! Curt says that with his Dad at ringside to make sure Paul Jones isn't a factor….those World Tag Team titles are coming home with them tomorrow night!! ===================== Larry Nelson comes to ringside with the box containing the names of everyone on the AWA roster as potential challengers for the ESPN Television title. A lucky fan draws a name out and hands it to Larry Nelson……Nelson gasps……then says, "Fans, there's one very interesting aspect of this championship drawing each week as sometimes there's people who are on the roster….but haven't debuted yet or even been announced as joining the roster yet…..Tonight, that is exactly the case as the challenger for the AWA ESPN Television Championship……making his return to the AWA ……RICK MARTEL!! Match #5: AWA ESPN Television Championship 15 Minute Time Limit Rick Martel pins Mr. Olympia with a crucifix in 14:53 to win the TV title!! Afterwards, Olympia and Martel shake hands and Olympia raises Martel's hand and presents him with the title belt =================== COMMERCIALS =================== As we return from the commercial break, "Luscious" Johnny V is standing in the ring….he says that as it turns out "Hollywood" John Tatum just wasn't a good fit as a tag team partner for "Flamboyant" Eric Embry and in light of that…….Tatum is OUTTA HERE!!! Introducing his new tag team partner "Gentleman" Ken Timbs….collectively known as…..THE BLOND BOMBERS!! Match #6: The Blond Bombers (Eric Embry/Ken Timbs) w/Johnny V & Sherri Martel defeated Buck Spivey/Jed Jackson when Embry pinned Jackson after a spike piledriver ======================= A pre-recorded promo airs of Paul Jones along with AWA World Champion "Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff and the AWA World Tag Team Champions "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev. Jones says that he's filing a protest with the Minnesota Athletic Commission insisting that Bruiser Brody doesn't have a manager's license and has no business being at ringside for the World title match. Jones says that Ivan and Krusher will destroy those "rookies" Hall and Hennig and if the "Ol' Axeman" gets near him he will knock him out in front of his kid! Nikita snatches the mic out of Jones' hand, "You listen me now….Stan Handsome….Nikita don't care about you…Nikita don’t' care about this Loser Lody you have in corner….I destroy you Stan Handsome…..the Russian Sickle is superior to your cowboy clothesline and when they lock you in cage with me…..it will be truly….your Russian Nightmare!!" ======================= A list of Closed Circuit locations is shown where you can go experience 'RAGE IN THE CAGE'! ======================= Match #7: Main Event Hulk Hogan w/Capt. Lou Albano defeated "Wild Samoan" Sika w/Mr. Fuji following a big boot/leg drop combo……after the match Hogan is waving the American flag in the ring along with Albano, when from behind comes Jumbo Tsuruta who clobbers Albano from behind with a clothesline to the back of the head……Hogan turns around just in time to get jammed in the throat with the Japanese flag pole, causing Hogan to the drop the American flag and grab his throat in agony….Jumbo grabs the American flag pole and cracks Hogan across the back with it three times until the pole breaks in half…..as Hogan struggles to get to his feet, Tsuruta gives him a belly to back suplex…..he then rolls Albano over on his back and drapes the American flag over him and leaves the ring with Mr. Fuji waving the Japanese flag in what could be a preview of Rage in the Cage!! © 1985 American Wrestling Association AWA RAGE IN THE CAGE '85 Minneapolis, MN. Sunday May 31, 1985 BROADCASTING LIVE VIA CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION Bell Time: 5pm MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Championship Stan 'the Lariat' Hansen w/Bruiser Brody Vs. "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff w/Paul Jones SEMI-MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Tag Team Championship Ivan Koloff/Krusher Kruschev w/Paul Jones Vs. "Big" Scott Hall/Curt Hennig w/Larry Hennig STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA North American Championship "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel w/Percival Pringle III Vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair w/"Rowdy" Roddy Piper Flag Match- America vs. Japan Jumbo Tsuruta w/Mr. Fuji Vs. Hulk Hogan w/Capt. Lou Albano Winner gets Ms. Elizabeth "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth Vs. The Missing Link AWA Ladies Championship Match Sherri Martel w/Johnny V. Vs. Wendi Richter w/Capt. Lou Albano AWA North American Tag Team Championship The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) Vs. Los Mega Stars (Al Madril/Chicky Starr) w/TNT Six Man Tag Team Grudge Match Roddy Piper/Blackjack Mulligan/Kendall Windham Vs. The Pringle Dynasty (Austin Idol/The Long Riders (Bill/Scott Irwin) w/Percival Pringle III Mr. Olympia Vs. The Honky Tonk Man w/Col. Johnny V. The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair/Jim Brunzell) Vs. The Blond Bombers (Eric Embry/Ken Timbs) w/Luscious Johnny V. Special Challenge Match "Iceman" King Parsons w/Slick Vs. Koko Ware w/Brickhouse Brown

Sorry.....AWA would like to pick up Carl Fergie to be the flag bearer for the Sheepherders for fill our empty spot.

Sorry....this should be the last one for a bit. AWA drops Magic Dragon aka Kabuki 2 and picks up Ken Timbs.

AWA sends Brad Armstrong, Tommy Rich, Dick Slater, and Greg Gagne to USWA in exchange for Nick Bockwinkel, Adrian Adonis, and Rick Martel.

AWA drops Candi Devine, Lelani Kai, Butch Moffat, and Angel of Death and picks up Butch Miller, Luke Williams, Sika, and Lanny Kean

Been another crazy week….another somewhat abbreviated show AWA Championship Wrestling Recorded: May 15, 1985 Airing: Saturday May 23, 1985 nationwide on ESPN The Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, New Jersey (Highlights are shown of last week's show….Nikita destroying Greg Gagne and the aftermath with Stan Hansen and BRUISER BRODY showing up……Roddy Piper destroying the Fiesta Garden with a baseball bat…and the countdown to RAGE IN THE GAGE is on! Eight days away!!) Larry Nelson tells us after last week's altercation and the challenge laid down the previous week by Los Mega Stars….tonight's main event will see Al Madril, Chicky Starr, and TNT take on The Rock & Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson….and their partner for this evening….."ROWDY" RODDY PIPER!! A HUGE main event to close out the show this week here on ESPN!" Before Brian Blair heads to the ring he stops in the back to talk with Larry Nelson and says that Brad Armstrong has had to "head back down south for some family business" and he no longer has a partner so he's going to have to face the Samurai Machines on his own. Jim Brunzell approaches and says that his partner Greg Gagne is hurt and has no timeframe for a return to the AWA….so he would gladly step in as Blair's partner. Blair shakes his hand and they head towards the ring. --------------------------------- Match #1: B Brian Blair/'Jumpin' Jim Brunzell defeated The Samurai Machines w/Mr. Fuji when Brunzell pinned Machine #2 after a dropkick ===================== Match #2: Rocky Johnson pinned The Intern after a powerslam ===================== COMMERCIALS ===================== Before they head to the ring, Mr. Fuji tells everyone that Tsuruta-san is very excited to make an example out of Hulk Hogan next week in Minneapolis…..he says once he puts down Hulk Hogan and waves the Japanese flag over his fallen body…..he will be looking for a shot at the winner of Hansen/Nikita! ----------------------------------- Match #3: Jumbo Tsuruta w/Mr. Fuji pinned Randy Watson with a bridging German Suplex As they announce him the winner, Fuji hands Tsuruta the Japanese flag as Jumbo plants one foot on Watson's chest and waves the flag in victory……suddenly 'Eye of the Tiger' plays over the PA throughout the arena and Hulk Hogan along with Capt. Lou Albano charges towards the ring waving an American flag……Hogan enters the ring and gets nose to nose with Tsuruta as the two managers wave their respective flags….Ken Resnick comes in and steps between them as Hogan snatches his mic…"Let me tell you something, JUMBO…..you'll have to kill me to wave that Japanese flag over me, dude! But if that's the way you wanna play it, brother! Then how about we make this match at Rage in the Cage, a flag match!" ====================== (We return backstage to Larry Nelson) Nelson: "Wow! What a showdown that was….the Hulkster vs. Jumbo Tsuruta will now be a 'Flag Match' at Rage in the Cage. Speaking of Rage in the Cage, I was just informed moments ago that a champion from another organization has heard the challenges made by Nikita Koloff and he says he will be at ringside in Minneapolis for the AWA World Championship match between the champion 'the Russian Nightmare' Nikita Koloff and the former champion and challenger Stan 'the Lariat' Hansen, at this time I'm not allowed to say who this man is, or what organization he's the champion of….but I promise you this is going to make an already interesting match, even more interesting….make sure you go to the nearest closed circuit tv location near you and see Rage in the Cage!!" ======================== Match #4: Ric Flair defeated Koko Ware by submission with a figure four leglock, afterwards Flair helped Koko back to his feet and the two shook hands before leaving the ring After the match, Ric Flair joins Ken Resnick at ringside and says that if you could defend a championship by trying to be a comedian, Buddy Landel would hold all the titles…..but unfortunately for the wannabe Nature Boy, there's a time when things get serious and that time is when that cage door slams shut and gets locked in Minneapolis and hundreds of thousands of fans across the country tune in on closed circuit television and see Buddy Landel get the beating of his life…and lose his North American championship! Flair says he isn't worried about Pringle because Piper will keep an eye on him at ringside. It will finally be one on one…..and then we'll see who can talk the talk as well as walk the walk……and Budro, NOW WE GO TO SCHOOL…WOOOOOOOO! ====================== Before the next match, Ken Resnick and Stanley Blackburn came down to ringside and once again had a lucky fan in the front row draw a name out of the box to face Mr. Olympia for the AWA ESPN Television Championship…..tonight's challenger…."Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer! ----------------------------------- Match #5: TV Title Mr. Olympia defeated "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer with a backslide to retain the Television title ====================== COMMERCIALS including an ad for Rage in the Cage ====================== Match #6: MAIN EVENT SPECIAL CHALLENGE MATCH The Rock & Roll Express/Roddy Piper defeated Los Mega Stars (Al Madril/Chicky Starr)/TNT when Piper defeated TNT with a sleeper hold….as the referee was raising the hands of the winners….Madril/Starr pulled baseball bats out from under the ring and assaulted Morton/Gibson/Piper…..Piper took a couple of brutal looking shots to the ribs before Flair/Brunzell/Blair/Mr. Olympia all ran in to make the save © 1985 American Wrestling Association AWA RAGE IN THE CAGE '85 Minneapolis, MN. Sunday May 31, 1985 BROADCASTING LIVE VIA CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION Bell Time: 5pm MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Championship Stan 'the Lariat' Hansen Vs. "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff w/Paul Jones SEMI-MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Tag Team Championship Ivan Koloff/Krusher Kruschev w/Paul Jones Vs. "Big" Scott Hall/Curt Hennig w/Larry Hennig STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA North American Championship "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel w/Percival Pringle III Vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair w/"Rowdy" Roddy Piper Flag Match- America vs. Japan Jumbo Tsuruta w/Mr. Fuji Vs. Hulk Hogan w/Capt. Lou Albano Winner gets Ms. Elizabeth "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth Vs. The Missing Link AWA Ladies Championship Match Sherri Martel w/Johnny V. Vs. Wendi Richter w/Capt. Lou Albano AWA North American Tag Team Championship The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) Vs. Los Mega Stars (Al Madril/Chicky Starr) w/TNT Six Man Tag Team Grudge Match Roddy Piper/Blackjack Mulligan/Kendall Windham Vs. The Pringle Dynasty (Austin Idol/The Long Riders (Bill/Scott Irwin) w/Percival Pringle III Non-Title Special Challenge Match Mr. Olympia Vs. The Honky Tonk Man w/Col. Johnny V. The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair/Jim Brunzell) Vs. The California Connection (Eric Embry/John Tatum) w/ "Luscious" Johnny V.

It's finally here! The Parade of Champions!! The Blonds get the win and it looks like Skaaland is over it….Arnie is always throwing that damn towel! Sivi Afi wins the battle royal!! Very cool moment for him that will surely propel him up the card….until..OMG Big John Studd has arrived!! Sivi Afi's moment is spoiled and Studd made have made an enemy for life here in the USWA! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't rooting for Cooley…..but a part of me hates to see Rich and Fergie go as well as they've been used better here than perhaps anywhere else in the game, it will be interesting to see where they land next! Double shoulder tackle from the Big Master G's gets the win! If they're looking for belts, there's only one team to look for…..but that's later… Rick Martel loses the title that he's practically owned for nearly have a year in a classic match up that will be in the running for USWA Match of the Year! Big win for the Armstrongs over their rivals Southern Justice! The Battens have been fun as a heel team here and I'm sure these house matches have been some classic tag team battles. Huge brawl between Fuller and Bass…..I was kinda surprised how this one played out until….once again….we'll revisit that thought later… Mr. Wonderful has arrived! Orndorff is sure to make a splash here in the USWA, I can only imagine the Heavyweight title matches that could be happening in the near future!! Wow…..what a steel cage match! Armstrong vs. Blanchard certainly delivered and as shocked as I was when ol' Tully got the better of the Bullet, I was even more shocked when Ron Fuller nailed Armstrong with a chair…..but should I have been?? Fullers vs. Armstrongs is just a natural rivalry in the South and I can't wait to watch it play out here……I'm equally as big a fan of Ron as I am of Robert and this ride promises to be a lot of fun! Sometimes mystery partners are a let down….and other times their Bruiser F'N Brody!! I can only imagine the expressions on the Movement and Sonny King's faces when the Grapplers brought Brody out…..the fans had to have eaten up every second of it! Grapplers have all the tag gold in the USWA, it will be interesting to see what happens from here! Man, seems like Miller might have heat lol….nice win for Rip Oliver here and Miller finally gets his for all the s*** disturbing he's done in recent months. Big win for Carlos in the taped fist match…..I really though Ayala might pull it out here…..it will be fun to see who steps up to challenge Colon for the title next. The Furies get the win here over American Made but the fans still go home happy because Slinker got his and the Japanese team showed respect to the fan favorites, great creative finish….good stuff. Fans wanted to see the King and Adonis have a street fight and they got their money's worth….what a wild brawl that lived up to Memphis standards, even if we're in Texas!! The King prevails!! Don't tell anybody…..but I was rooting for the Karachi Vice! I can't wait to see them eventually tie up with the Grapplers over some titles! And then….the Main Event….after a perfectly built program…the match told an amazing story which you'd have to assume by all accounts of anyone who ever wrestled Kerry in this era had to be lead by Bockwinkel but what a great match with the result everyone in that stadium hoped to see….Kerry Von Erich brings home the gold!! Awesome show with some amazing payoffs and some exciting things around the corner…and if we've learned anything from your booking over time…..you'll have us all hooked on new crop of stars and storylines in the course of the next tv show! Great stuff bud!

Words can't express how much I love the Gentleman's Club with Robert Fuller! It's a shame Fuller never got an opportunity like this in real life but I'm going to enjoy this here in the WWF for all it's worth. Sunshine made for a great first guest and this was a perfect forum for her to announce she's parted ways with Jimmy Hart and will be managing the Islanders now. Great heat for Backlund beating up Lil' Bruno and if Papa wasn't fuming over Backlund before....he damn sure is now!! Bundy vs. Candyman is a perfect match for Wrestlemania! Looking forward to seeing the big men collide and how it plays out! Giant Machine vs. Andre will be interesting to say the least....you've done a good job so far finding guys who at least size wise can measure up to Andre. Valentine is a great first challenger for Patera's IC title....and could very well end his reign before it get's started....Wrestlemania is looking like a very solid card!!

American Wrestling Association Canadian House Show Loop A Toronto/Hamilton/Winnipeg May 17/18/19, 1985 Bell Time: 7pm Brickhouse Brown pinned TNT with a small package Mr. Olympia pinned "Dirty" Dick Slater with a backslide AWA North American Tag Team Championship The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) defeated Los Mega Stars (Al Madril/Chicky Starr) w/TNT by DQ when the referee caught TNT interfering Grudge Match "Macho Man" Randy Savage w/Ms. Elizabeth fought The Missing Link to a double count out when Link got Savage down and then exited the ring, picked up Elizabeth and tried to carry her off down the aisle…..until Savage ran down and stopped him….they brawled in the aisle and were both counted out SEMI-MAIN EVENT TAG TEAM CHALLENGE MATCH Rocky Johnson/Hulk Hogan w/Capt. Lou Albano defeated Jumbo Tsuruta/Great Kabuki w/Mr. Fuji when Hogan pinned Kabuki after an 'Atomic Legdrop' MAIN EVENT AWA World Heavyweight Championship Nikita Koloff w/Paul Jones pinned Dino Bravo following a 'Russian Sickle' ================================== American Wrestling Association Canadian House Show Loop B Montreal/Quebec City/Vancouver May 17/18/19, 1985 Bell Time: 7pm Steve Doll pinned "Flamboyant" Eric Embry with a flying crossbody off the top rope, after the match Embry offered a handshake to Doll…..Doll accepted and Embry shook his hand and then raised it in victory but then clotheslined Doll and gave him two piledrivers The Honky Tonk Man w/Col. Johnny V pinned "Chief" Wahoo McDaniel after hitting him with a chain while Johnny V distracted the referee Brian Blair/Jim Brunzell (subbing for Brad Armstrong who no showed) wrestled the Samurai Warriors to a 15 minute time limit draw DOG COLLAR MATCH Tommy "Wildfire" Rich defeated "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer in a brutal bloody match that saw Sawyer have to be carried out on a stretcher….and Rich has to be helped back to the dressing room by Wahoo McDaniel AWA World Tag Team Championship Stan "the Lariat' Hansen/Bruiser Brody defeated Ivan Koloff/Krusher Kruschev by count out when both fled about 10 minutes into the match after Hansen hit the lariat on Kruschev and Ivan pulled him out of the ring and took off MAIN EVENT Eight Man Tag Team Match Ric Flair/Roddy Piper/Blackjack Mulligan/Kendall Windham defeated Austin Idol/Buddy Landel/Bill Irwin/Scott Irwin w/Percy Pringle when Flair made Bill Irwin submit to the figure four leglock

AWA Championship Wrestling Recorded: May 15, 1985 Airing: Saturday May 16, 1985 nationwide on ESPN The Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, New Jersey (The show opens with Larry Nelson informing everyone that after last week's show went off the air, Verne Gagne confronted Nikita Koloff and told him to quit challenging champions from other organizations and concentrate on wrestlers in the AWA…..Paul Jones then told Verne, how about they focus on "his boy Greg". Nikita then put out a challenge that he would defend his AWA World title here tonight against Greg Gagne, Greg has accepted and that will be our main event this week on AWA Championship Wrestling! We'll also see the first AWA ESPN Television Champion crowned and a very special FIESTA GARDEN with their guest…….ROWDY RODDY PIPER!) ================== Match #1: The Missing Link pinned Randy Watson after a running "battering ram" headbutt At the conclusion of the match, "Macho Man" Randy Savage came to ringside and grabbed a microphone, "You listen….and listen good, brother or whatever it is you are…..consider this your final warning……if I see you ANYWHERE near Ms. Elizabeth….if I catch you looking at Elizabeth….if I even catch you thinking about Elizabeth…..I will drop you where you stand….DIG IT??? FINAL WARNING…YEAAHHH!" (Savage turns and leaves as Link looks confused) ==================== (Ken Resnick informs us that at the end of tonight's show, we'll get an update on the card for AWA RAGE IN THE CAGE on May 31st) ==================== Match #2: AWA North American Champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel w/Percy Pringle defeated Roy Munson by submission with a figure four leglock (Ken Resnick approaches Buddy Landel and Percy Pringle at ringside) Buddy: "I'm not going to pretend to remember or care what your name is but I just want to start this interview out by saying that you are officially my least favorite announcer in wrestling and that includes Larry Nelson who looks like he's not only the Store Manager of a Goodwill but he's also a customer." Ken: "It's Ken Resnick, and believe me I'm not anymore excited to talk to you than you are to me." PP3: "How dare you Resnick? You get the opportunity to interview the greatest champion in the AWA, and you want to act like you don't enjoy it?" Ken: "So you're implying that Mr. Landel is a greater champion than Nikita Koloff? I'm sure he'd be interested to hear that…" Buddy: "Why are you trying to cause trouble between me and my comrade Nikita? I'll have you know that Nikita Koloff and I get along famously and I would never disrespect him or his title. You're twisting Percy's words around and trying to start something because you're jealous that we're two handsome, successful men about town while you have to share a cab with that Larry Nelson that smells like he works at a bait shop and looks like he rode to the arena with his head stuck out the window like a Labrador retriever!" Ken: "What's your issue with Larry Nelson?" PP3: "What's your issue with Mr. Koloff? I think that you are trying to stir things up because you don't respect people from Russia, and you think he shouldn't be champion…..you're probably rooting for Greg Gagne tonight aren't you?" Ken: "Of course, I hope Greg wins the title tonight for the fans of the AWA and everyone in America." Buddy: "See Percy…he is discriminating against our good friend Nikita Koloff due to his nationality….this is disgusting and I for one don't care to be apart of this hate filled garbage this man is spewing out here on ESPN for everyone to have to hear…..So, let me just say this and I'll bid you a good day……at Rage in the Cage I'm going to beat that Nature Boy wannabe, Ric Flair within an inch of his life and walk out with this championship belt…..and there's nothing he can do about it, just like there's nothing you can do about the fact you're the worst announcer to ever hold a microphone and as long as you're alive, Larry Nelson can sleep at night knowing he's only the 2nd biggest waste of space to ever announce on ESPN." PP3: "Ken Resnick, good bye….good night….and good riddance!" ==================== COMMERCIALS ==================== Match #3: Blackjack Mulligan/Kendall Windham defeated Frank Reynolds/Charlie Kelly when Mulligan pinned Reynolds with an 'iron claw' ==================== COMMERCIALS ==================== (When we return from break, Larry Nelson and Stanley Blackburn are at ringside with a box and they pick a random fan from the crowd who draws out the first name for the AWA ESPN Television Championship match….and the first contestant is "Wild" Bill Irwin. The second contestant is drawn and it's….Mr. Olympia!) Match #4: Match to crown the first ever AWA ESPN Television Champion Mr. Olympia pinned "Wild" Bill Irwin w/Percy Pringle with a crucifix to win the championship ===================== COMMERCIALS ===================== Match #5: The California Connection (John Tatum/Eric Embry) w/Johnny V defeated Steve Doll/Brickhouse Brown when Tatum pinned Doll after a spike piledriver ======================== Al Madril welcomes us to the Fiesta Garden. Chicky Starr says it's disgusting that while they were suspended from TV for no good reason that Verne Gagne brought in some guy in a skirt to rip off the Fiesta Garden. Al agrees but says that the Fiesta Garden is back and better than ever and that tonight they have the misfortune of bringing this pretender out here on their show to show him how a wrestling talk show is supposed to be done. Piper comes out wearing a t-shirt that reads "Chicky Who?" Starr asks if that's "supposed to be cute?" Piper responds that he had assumed that Chicky "No habla ingles". Madril tells Piper to take it easy, he's outnumbered "3 to 1". Piper smiles and says "I've flushed bigger things than you three after a meal at Panchos." Chicky tells Piper he's disrespectful. Piper replies, "Oh good, you read my bio." Piper snatches the mic from Madril, "Listen here boys….I didn't have a problem with you until you called me a ripoff….I'm anything but a damn ripoff, man. I'm the trailblazer of this industry…..I was doing Piper's Pit when little Chicky was still waiting tables in Puerto Rico…..and as for you Alberto….you know damn well what I'm all about….so we can do this one of two ways….you can live and let live….I'll do my thing and you do your's….or….." Madril interrupts, "or what, tough guy? I'll remind you one last time….there's three of us and one of you so I suggest you take your ass out of the Fiesta Garden and consider yourself lucky to walk away!" Piper hangs his head, "I guess I see you've made your choice…..excuse me." Piper turns and leaves. A smile comes across both Chicky and Al's faces. Chicky says "See, he's smarter than people give him credit for….he knew better than to mess with…" Before he can finish Piper returns with a baseball bat and starts destroying the set of the Fiesta Garden as Madril and Starr take off at the sight of the bat…..TNT steps to Piper but gets a shot to the ribs with the bat and one to the jaw….dropping him to the floor….Piper takes a couple of more whacks at what's left of the Fiesta Garden set before tossing the bat down….and casually strolling away… ======================== COMMERCIAL ======================== Match #6 MAIN EVENT AWA World Heavyweight Championship "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff w/# 1 Paul Jones pinned Greg Gagne after a "Russian Sickle" in 1:24…..after the match, Nikita wrapped his chain around Gagne's neck and hung him over the top rope…..as Gagne's eyes rolled back in his head……STAN HANSEN hit the ring and attacked Nikita Koloff, but before Hansen could get too many blows in Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev hit the ring and attacked Hansen…..as the Koloffs/Kruschev/Jones all put the boots to Hansen…..from outta nowhere……BRUISER BRODY hits the ring swinging his chain like a madman causing the Russians to flee the ring as the show comes to a close! (We cut to a commercial running the updated card for AWA RAGE IN THE CAGE) AWA RAGE IN THE CAGE '85 Minneapolis, MN. Sunday May 31, 1985 BROADCASTING LIVE VIA CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION Bell Time: 5pm MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Championship Stan 'the Lariat' Hansen Vs. "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff w/Paul Jones SEMI-MAIN EVENT STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA World Tag Team Championship Ivan Koloff/Krusher Kruschev w/Paul Jones Vs. "Big" Scott Hall/Curt Hennig w/Larry Hennig STEEL CAGE MATCH AWA North American Championship "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel w/Percival Pringle III Vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair w/"Rowdy" Roddy Piper FLAG MATCH- USA vs. JAPAN Hulk Hogan w/Capt. Lou Albano Vs. Jumbo Tsuruta w/Mr. Fuji AWA Ladies Championship Match Sherri Martel w/Johnny V. Vs. Wendi Richter w/Capt. Lou Albano AWA North American Tag Team Championship The Rock & Roll Express (Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson) Vs. Los Mega Stars (Al Madril/Chicky Starr) w/TNT Six Man Tag Team Grudge Match Roddy Piper/Blackjack Mulligan/Kendall Windham Vs. Austin Idol/The Long Riders (Bill/Scott Irwin) w/Percival Pringle III © 1985 American Wrestling Association

Wow...one week away from the POC and just when you think it couldn't be anymore loaded or anymore "must see" you raise the stakes even more in a couple of matches where the fans absolutely can't miss this show! Ron Fuller is making himself right at home here in the USWA and this gonna to be a brawl between him and Bass! It will be very very interesting to see who ends up leaving town between Cooley and the duo of Rich/Fergie! I would be very scared to put any money on it...and that's when wrestling is at it's the most fun for me when you truly aren't sure which way things are gonna go! The Movement raised the stakes by not only putting their belts on the line but pissing off the Grapplers even more they have no idea who the mystery partner is going to be. Bockwinkel gets a win right before the big title match....will this pump Von Erich up even more....or hurt his confidence? That match is going to be amazing! Lawler vs. Adonis could end up going all over the Stadium! No dount it will be worth the price of admission alone!

I LOVE the Southern Gentleman character for Robert Fuller and Fidel will make a great addition to his gimmick! Bundy is pissed and somebody is going down for a FIVE! count... Bruno no selling Vince's enthusiasm over Candyman's dancing moves popped me big time, Bruno is subtly one of the most entertaining characters on the show. Whoah!! The Islanders make a statement at the expense of the Fantastics....these will be some classic tag matches coming up! HUGE main event announcement for Wrestlemania! I feel like there may still be more to come about this match...but I may be wrong. I feel like Schultz and Fuller probably ride together....and listen to Charlie Daniels tapes. Andre gets a win and comes face to face with another angry Giant....this should be very interesting! Great follow up to SNME!

AWA drops Norvell Austin and picks up Steve Doll