Superstar Sleeze Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Curt Hennig - AWA TV 5/31/86 They run a hot angle with Hansen/Blackwell to set up that money feud. Blackwell says he is still injured and Hansen calls him a coward then attacks him with the belt. Hennig saves with red hot energy, great punches and an awesome dropkick. Hansen bumps to the outside. Hennig keeps up pressure, but Hansen sends him into post. Hansen takes this opportunity to attack Blackwell's injured ankle with a chair. Hansen throws Hennig in the ring. They have a badass sprint where they just go balls to wall with each other. Hennig looks great fighting fire with fire with Hansen. The transitions are a bit haphazard, but everything is so quick it fits with their sprint mentality, the sense of urgency and the fifteen minute time limit. Hennig is aware of the time limit and that's why he is keeping pace with Hansen. Hennig's punches look great and very credible. Hennig fighting Hansen in the corner and boot to throat. He is really going all out. Hansen is getting his licks in, but this is all Hennig so far. Hennig takes the Bret Bump and he starts crowding Hennig with some nasty knee smashes. I love Hansen's offense. Hennig blocks turnbuckle shot and sends Hansen into the steel buckle. HENNIG BODYSLAMS HANSEN INTO THE RING! Splash only 2! Hansen dumps Hennig on some chairs outside the ring. Hansen looks to grab Hennig by hair and Hennig unloads with some huge rights and rakes boots on eyes. Nice right! Hansen headbutts low on Hennig and back suplex. Finally it looks like Hansen may have quelled Hennig's fire. Hansen is great at selling as he looks fatigued and he is moving his jaw around after all those punches. Hansen piledriver, but too close to the ropes. Hennig backdrops out of the piledriver. Monkey slip seems so out of place, but it is enjoyable. Hansen fighting from his back and trying to preserve his reign. Hennig commits the cardinal sin trying the same move twice as Hansen hooks ropes. Hansen misses elbow and small package by Hennig, but too close to ropes. Hansen is doing great selling for Hennig and making him look like a credible opponent. Hansen is really giving a lot of this to Hennig and Hennig is playing the tenacious white meat babyface well. HENNIG CROSSBODY 2! Weak finish to the draw.This was just getting good! High octane match. Great performance from Hansen a very selfless and giving performance. He feels like a huge mountain to climb because he was always fighting back, but he was almost never successful so it made Hennig feel like a huge star. Really great TV match from both men. ****1/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted November 25, 2015 Report Share Posted November 25, 2015 If only he spent the 80s in Minnesota instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCS1988 Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 Since Mania is in Texas, they should put Stan Hansen into the WWE Hall of Fame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted November 26, 2015 Report Share Posted November 26, 2015 I had this match #1 on my AWA ballot. Thought this was by far the best Hennig performance I've ever seen and wish we'd have gotten more fired up Curt performances like this one. I liked this version of "I'm pissed off and want to fight" Curt a lot more than "technical worker" Curt that we got in the majority of his babyface matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Loved fiery, pissed off baby face Henning here. The crowd losing their collective shit when he blocks a Hansen punch - after being manhandled and bodyslammed onto chairs on the outside - and hits his own flurry of punches was the highlight for me. Fantastic sprint, 10 minutes that felt as satisfying as any "long-epic" kind of match. I thought I had seen this match but it turns out I watched the February bout between them, this was certainly better and fun as fuck to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chorros3 Posted March 22, 2020 Report Share Posted March 22, 2020 Hennig substitutes an injured Crusher Blackwell in a 10 minute challenge. Before the match Hansen attacks the injured Blackwell during an in ring promo which causes Curt to bust out of the locker room making the save and starting the match hot. The match has a sense of desperation from the start, with a back and forth between a Hansen beating and Curt’s super simple but effective hope spots. Hansen is amazing here, selling great and knowing exactly how much and when to give to young Curt. After reversing a pilderiver and hitting a monkey flip, the last few minutes are about Hansen surviving Hennig’s big spots and being saved by the bell. Great match enhanced by bumping on both men’s parts, sustained heat and a clearcut heel/face dynamic. ****1/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactus Posted June 1, 2021 Report Share Posted June 1, 2021 Hennig shows plenty of fire as he tries to put away Hansen in this 10-minute challenge. The action never slows down nor does the crowd ever quiet down. The pace is frantic and Hansen is very rarely able to defend himself. He escapes this with his title after being quite literally saved by the bell. ★★★½ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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