[1983-04-24-AWA-St. Paul, MN] Nick Bockwinkel vs Hulk Hogan

[Superstar Sleeze]

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Hulk Hogan - AWA 4/24/83

 

Watching the six man match from like a month prior to this, you could see Hulkamania in full force. Oddly enough, I did not think Hogan was as over here, he was over, but not HULKAMANIA over. I think it is because he was not running wild and unbridled. The Hogan of like 1984-1987 has just incredible amount of effusive energy that is irresistible. He is almost subdued against Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel gives a great bumping heel performance, but he is supplying a lot of the energy, but he is not that over as a heel. I just thought of this right now, but I think he is most over of the two combatants should be the wrestler supplying the energy. Bock was pinballing off Hogan to establish Hogan's strength game. I liked the tit for tat with Bock repeatedly kneeing Hogan in the ropes only for Hogan to turn around on Bock. That was Bock's great equalizer using short strikes to the ribs like he did against Martel. Overall, he got very little offense in and this was mostly Hogan kicking ass or missing a move. He did have more offensive range in this match, but ti goes to show you it is not how many moves you know, but how you do them. The Hulk Up was definitely not down pat and things just did feel HUGE like you would expect this title match to feel. I actually liked the finish run quite a bit with Bock desperately trying the sleeper three times and the first two times Lord James Blears is wiped out only for the third time Hogan to hurl the champion over the top rope, bring him back in and hit the legdrop for the win and the AWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! As one would know, Bock has the belt returned to him on the technicality of the ref being bumped. It was a fine match and I was actually impressed with some of Hogan's moves like his Oklahoma Slam and his clothesline, but it was missing that spark. Bock was fun as a heel, but would have been nicely he was a bigger mountain to climb in this match. ***

[tcg91]

Pretty good match, despite them using smoke and mirrors here and stalling a little bit at the beginning. Bock was good, he played the part of the coward heel and bumped around for Hogan like he was supposed to do. I always heard how Hogan was safe in the ring and managed to get reaction out of little things and this match was a good example of that, despite not being great or anything. Still, this lacked major drama or good focus segments and it's a shame, because Hogan was over enough to pull off a powerful comeback. The finish was a bit of a let-down, even with a 2024 mindset, as Hogan got screwed again despite being the clear winner here
***

[DMJ]

Some thing that struck me, watching this for the first time (but on silent, so maybe I missed context given by commentary), but at one point, Hogan gets what very clearly looks like a 3 count and the referee - Lord James Blears - stops counting. 

- Was Blears a heel who was "helping" Bockwinkel by not counting 3 that time but then, in the end, makes the actual 3 count because it was "undeniable"?

- Is it just bad camerawork where we can't really see Bockwinkel get his shoulder up? (It is hard to see in the video)

- Or is it just a miscommunication/mistiming where they just kinda had to pretend Bockwinkel kicked out?

[soup23]

Think that is just Blears flubbing it as he is the ref in the Verne return match right after and calls it straight not helping the heel in any way.  

Finished up my April 1983 watching and this remains a perplexing match where they were put into a booking corner and should have just bit the bullet and had Hogan win the title and appease NJPW.  The finish as presented is so deflating and really covers up a lot of great work before it. 

[Stephen-]

I had forgotten to do reviews for the second disc of the AWA 80’s set, totally by accident, and I saved Bockwinkel vs Hogan for last. The footage begins with Bockwinkel entering the ring accompanied by the brilliant, beautiful brain Bobby Heenan, and with every Bock entrance, you feel the prestige and the moment. And then… The Incredible Hulk Hogan enters to “Eye of the Tiger”. And this place explodes. Hulk Hogan, in this moment, is the most over a wrestler will ever be (and if he isn’t, who cares. The moment baby!). Hogan immediately kicks off at Bockwinkel and Heenan, then holds up a shirt reading “We want the belts” on the front and “Now or never” on the back. The crowd loudly chants “We want the belts”. You can feel just how huge Hogan was. Nick Bockwinkel and Bobby Heenan are introduced, and the crowd boos loudly. And then Hogan… more “Eye of the Tiger”... and a humongous pop. Bockwinkel understands his job, always, and immediately cowers out of the ring when the bell rings. Hogan stalks the champion with Bockwinkel on the back foot and the tension is felt a whole 40 odd years later. Bock escapes again, and is met with more boos. Hogan kicks off the action tackling Bockwinkel with a huge shoulder and the crowd goes insane again. Hogan had every AWA crowd in the palm of his hands and it is such a treat watching a conductor at work. Early in this, Bockwinkel is winning technical exchanges and trying to use his skill advantage over Hogan, but Hogan’s strength keeps him in it and he comes out favorably every time. Bockwinkel takes some pretty neat bumps here to put emphasis on Hogan’s power. Hogan gets Bock pinned in the corner, and Bock fights his way out from the ground with some really crisp looking blows to the abdomen. I think I have said this plenty before, but Bockwinkel has some of the most underrated punches in wrestling. Now we get vintage championship Bockwinkel with his classy mat work, and perhaps some dirty tactics in the process. A fan shouts at referee Lord James Blears that Bockwinkel is illegally choking Hogan. Womp womp. Bock allows Hogan up to apply some tough knees to Hogan, and a pin attempt from Bock that is swiftly kicked out by Hogan - and Hogan flings Bockwinkel across the ring, allowing him some space. Hogan’s comeback in this portion gets another large pop from the crowd. Bockwinkel’s strategy in this match seems to be that if he can target Hogan’s torso, he can empty Hogan’s tank quickly and in a championship contest, Hogan does not have half the experience nor half the stamina reserve of himself. This means nothing to Hogan. Hogan is desperate to win, and he is laying it on Bockwinkel. He lands a clothesline that sends Bockwinkel to space and an elbow drop that nearly finishes the job for the Hulkster. Bockwinkel gets up, and he gets right back to targeting Hogan’s body. Huge blow after huge blow and Hogan is visibly fading, but Hogan fights back and drops Bockwinkel with a right hand of his own. This is billed as Bockwinkel’s last hoorah, and Bockwinkel is equally as desperate as Hogan to win. For different reasons. Bockwinkel to prove he still has what it takes, and for Hogan to prove he has it at all because if not now, when? Bockwinkel is taking more punishment than I’ve seen him take in this one, and he appears to be ready to go. This is it for the old face of the AWA. Hogan lands a huge clothesline, an elbow drop, and attempts a pin. The crowd believes this is it… Heenan himself believes this is it… one… two… Bockwinkel kicks out! Hogan drags Bock up for more and in the end lands himself in the grips of Bockwinkel’s sleeper. Bock does not have it in him to maintain the hold and Hogan is able to find his way out but Bockwinkel reapplies it with a tighter grip. Hogan is slowly fading. His only chance is to pin Bockwinkel into the corner, and into referee Lord James Blears! Another sleeper from Bock!!! AND HOGAN SENDS BOCK OVER THE TOP ROPE!!! Bockwinkel reaches the apron, and a huge suplex from Hogan! Leg drop! One! Two! Three! Hogan is the AWA champion and the crowd explodes! Hogan’s celebration is cut short, however, as Mean Gene announces that AWA president Stanley Blackburn had determined Hogan threw Bockwinkel over the top rope, disqualifying Hogan. Nick Bockwinkel retains his AWA Heavyweight title, and trash is thrown into the ring from the jeering crowd. We get some loud bullshit chants and Hogan takes out his frustration on a dazed Nick Bockwinkel, who is standing only with help from Bobby Heenan, and Heenan himself. Hogan sends Heenan and Bockwinkel flying out of the ring, then throws the AWA title on the ground to surround all of the trash. Hogan declares the belt belongs to the crowd and that he is the worlds champion. This is a classic. This is one of the best matches of all time. It may place on my GME list for 2027. It is truly spectacular. I was pretty convinced Vachon/Blackwell would be atop the second disc for the 80s AWA set but no, this is. Full five stars. What a match. Must watch. *****