[1972-10-23-WWA] Baron Von Raschke vs Andre The Giant

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWA World Heavyweight Champion Baron Von Raschke vs Andre The Giant - WWA 10/23/72

 A rare full match! TV match it seems from the worlds tiniest wrestling ring. WWA was Dick The Bruiser’s Indianapolis promotion where he was champion for most of the 60s and last champ in 1971. Bruiser did wrestle in St. Louis and AWA around this time. Baron seems like he was the main heel as he was on his third title reign, the first being in 1970. He has Bobby Heenan but before he was the Brain he was the pretty boy. Wilbur Snyder the innovator of the Abdominal Stretch is out to protect Andre because Andre doesn’t speak English. Baron clocks Snyder with brass knuckles before the bell, busting him open this leaning Andre on his own. Of course the gargantuan Andre needs no help. My big takeaway from this match is most Giants are miscast as heels. They should be babyfaces used to bash in your most hated cowardly scoundrel to roaring applause. Omos, the dude with Apollo Crews and Satam Singh would all benefit from babyface runs at the outset of their career to establish them as forces of nature and only later turn them heel to feed then to the Ace Babyface. Andre is a lot of fun to watch at this point. It is a lot of the Andre staple spots. Stepping and standing on his opponent is always impressive. Surprised Baron got a kick out after a backbreaker. Heenan trips Andre. Baron takes the eyes. Snyder recovers and applies the Abdominal Stretch twice but Heenan breaks it up. On third one, Andre chases Heenan off to a roaring crowd.

Not a great match but a cool historical curiosity. 

[Stephen-]

Hahahaha this match rules so hard. This is so great. The match starts off with Baron Von Raschke splitting Wilbur Snyder's skull open with brass knuckles, so he's off to get bandaged. Bell rings and Andre beats the life out of Baron, and Baron sells everything so, so well. After about 5 minutes of a beating, Baron finally gets some offense in with the assistance of Bobby Heenan on the outside tripping Andre, and Baron claws at Andre's eyes and face. This essentially blinds Andre for the rest of the match, so enter the returning Wilbur Snyder to save Andre. Snyder unloads on Baron, and the referee just watches on. Maybe there was a stipulation I missed? Heenan also watches on, and only interferes a couple times to save Baron from this beating. This goes on. And on. Eventually Andre recovers to some degree after some wonderful eye selling, which was especially satisfying after watching Abdullah the Butcher no sell the same thing yesterday, and we get the ending sequence. Snyder has Baron firmly in an abdominal stretch, and Heenan steps in to break it up. Andre catches on and has a go at Heenan, Heenan tries to hide behind Snyder and Baron, and we get Andre chasing Heenan in circles around the two. THIS IS SO GREAT. But seriously, this is must watch. Check it out. *** 3/4