-Bigfoot and the man with the gun.
-Project 45 continues this week and we have landed in the year 1987 as we look at the AWA All-Star Wrestling from January 25, 1987.
-AWA All-Star Wrestling was shot from the Showboat Sports Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. There were 1,500 in attendance.
-AWA Intro.
-Larry Nelson and Gary Ron welcome us to All-Star. Ron runs down what we are going to see in the program.
-Shawn Michaels with Marty Jannetty vs. Frankie Defalco: They lock up. Rod Trongard and Lord James Blears on the call. Back to the ropes. Break clean. They circle each other. They lock up again. They battle for position. Michaels with a side headlock. Defalco pushes off. He drops his head too early and Michaels kicks him. Michaels with an Irish whip. Michaels drops his head. Defalco goes to kick him, but Michaels moves and Defalco falls down. Unique move. Defalco rolls out of the ring. Jannetty comes over and tells Defalco to get back in the ring. Defalco wants to fight Jannetty. He then walks around the ring. He gets back in the ring. They lock up. Michaels with a wrist lock. Into an arm bar. Defalco pushes off. He misses a clothesline. Michaels with a leapfrog. He hooks Defalco's shoulders for a backslide and gets a two count. Michaels with a scoop slam and gets a one count. Michaels with another arm bar. Michaels with a knee to Defalco's arm. Defalco in pain, but trying to fight it. He gets up and hits Michaels with a right hand. A series of right and left hands to Michaels. Defalco then choking Michaels in the corner. He picks Michaels up in the corner and slams him down. Defalco goes up to the second rope for an elbow drop, but misses it when Michaels moves. Michaels with a series of left hands. Michaels with a spinning punch to knock Defalco down. Michaels with a snap mare. Michaels then hits an elbow drop from the second rope and gets the pin.
-Larry Nelson interviews The Midnight Rockers. Jannetty says everyone wants to know who is the best tag team in professional wrestling? He says well, Buddy Rose and Doug Somers are the AWA Tag Team Champions. He says The Midnight Rockers have done everything that they can to catch up with them and 1987 is their year. Michaels says that's right. They have chased these guys in 1986 all over the country. They had just got back from Australia where they thought they were going to find them. He said they had a tournament there that they won, but there was one team missing and that was the World Champions. Last year, they followed them to Japan. They beat every team there, but guess who wasn't there? They have chased them all over the United States. They are finally going to catch them and face them to see who is the best team, whether it be a title match or a steel cage match or any other match they can dream up. The Rockers are going to get the world champions in the ring one way or another and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt who is the best team in the world today. Buddy Rose and Doug Somers or The Midnight Rockers.
-Mike Richards vs. The Super Ninja with Larry Zbyszko: A Larry sucks chant goes out. They lock up. Back to the corner. Super Ninja goes for a forearm. Richards ducks out of the way. Richards wary of locking up again. Super Ninja with a right hand shot that knocks Richards to one knee. Super Ninja with another forearm shot. Super Ninja throws Richards to the outside. Zbyszko comes over the commentary table and says if he doesn't get his shot at Nick Bockwinkel, Stanley Blackburn might find Super Ninja at his house one night. Richards gets back in the ring and Super Ninja chokes him on the top rope for a four count. He then drags Richards' face along the top rope. The referee admonishes Super Ninja as Richards falls to his knees. Super Ninja with a kick to Richards' chest. Richards with a shot to Super Ninja's stomach. Then another shot. Several more shots and a knee to Super Ninja. Another knee lift by Richards and Super Ninja knocks Richards to the mat. Super Ninja with a nerve hold to Richards. Richards trying to get back to his feet. He then tries to reach the ropes with his feet to break the hold. Richards gets back to his feet and elbows Super Ninja in the midsection to try and break the hold. Richards breaks the hold and runs the ropes. Super Ninja with a super kick. Super Ninja with a karate thrust to the throat of Richards. Gets a two count and then lifts Richards up. Super Ninja with an Irish whip and another kick to Richards face. Super Ninja with a double under hook bridging suplex to get the pin.
-Larry Nelson interviews Larry Zbyszko and Mr. Saito about their attack on Scott Hall and Nick Bockwinkel. Super Ninja then pops in out of nowhere. Saito says he's been gone for two years and now he's back in the AWA. His body was more powerful and strong now. He told Bockwinkel in two years everything changed now. He says he told Larry Zbyszko that he didn't understand Nick Bockwinkel. Zbyszko says what Saito is saying is he can't believe Bockwinkel sold his soul for a few bucks and his ego. Zbyszko says if Nick Bockwinkel, Ray Stevens, Greg Gagne want it, to bring it on.
-Larry Nelson and Gary Ron talk about the Nick Bockwinkel/Curt Hennig match before throwing to the match itself joined in progress.
-AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig: Hennig is bleeding from the head and is on the outside. Bockwinkel is on the inside of the ring. He reaches down and rams Hennig's head into the apron. The referee is counting. Bockwinkel reaches through the ropes and punches Hennig in the head. Hennig finally gets up on the apron and Bockwinkel comes over and grabs him. He punches and kicks Hennig off of the apron back to the floor. Bockwinkel reached through the ropes and rams Hennig's head on the apron again. He repeats the pattern several times before bringing Hennig back into the ring. He runs Hennig into a turnbuckle and he hits the ring post with his head. Hennig's head and face are a mess as they announce 7 minutes left in the match. Bockwinkel punches Hennig until Hennig collapses to the mat. He gets a close two count. Hennig back on his feet. Bockwinkel punching Hennig, first in the corner and then in the middle of the ring. He knocks Hennig down and gets another two count. Hennig fires a shot to Bockwinkel and Irish whips him. He then hits him with the Ax forearm made famous by his dad, Larry Hennig. Bockwinkel falls to the mat. Another Irish whip and another Ax to Bockwinkel to knock him down again. The referee comes over and checks Hennig's face as Hennig starts to punch Bockwinkel in the head. 5 minutes remaining and both are covered in blood as Hennig is hitting Bockwinkel in the corner. Hennig with another Irish whip and Ax to Bockwinkel. Hennig starts to go for a cover, but Bockwinkel is too close to the ropes. Hennig picks Bockwinkel back up. He then kicks Bockwinkel in the head. Bockwinkel falls down and lands up against the ropes. Hennig does a modified leapfrog body guillotine to Bockwinkel. Hennig with a corner whip and another Ax to Bockwinkel. Hennig covers Bockwinkel, but Bockwinkel is face down on the mat. Hennig runs Bockwinkel into the corner. He runs Bockwinkel into the top turnbuckle repeatedly as three minutes remain. Bockwinkel on his knees in the middle of the ring. Hennig with a suplex to Bockwinkel. Hennig manages to roll over and get a two count. Both men back to their feet and Hennig double claps the side of Bockwinkel's head. Hennig runs his knee into Bockwinkel's head as two minutes remain. He then hits a running kick to Bockwinkel's head. He gets another two count. Hennig puts a figure four on. Bockwinkel trying to break the hold as they have entered the final minute of the match. Bockwinkel trying to hold on as 30 seconds remain and the crowd is getting into the match. Bockwinkel reaches out and grabs the referee's arm. 15 seconds. The bell rings and the match is a draw. Bockwinkel retains the title.
-Larry Nelson interviews Curt Hennig. Nelson says 1986 must have been frustrating for Hennig, but on New Year's Eve they saw him go 60 minutes with Nick Bockwinkel on ESPN. Hennig says he disagrees with Nelson about 1986. He and Scott Hall went for the tag belts and got them. When Col. DeBeers cost them the titles, they never got a rematch. They didn't cry or moan. They kept their nose to the grindstone. They kept working out and striving for the top. And now he has worked his way to the top and got his shot at Nick Bockwinkel. The thing he has wanted since he was a kid. He says he got 27 stitches in his head and now he is going to go to Japan for 5 weeks. The best wrestlers in the world are going to be in a tournament in Japan and when he comes back, he's going to be like a racehorse and be in the best shape of his life. He's going to be more determined and whoever is holding the World Heavyweight Championship in 1987, Curt Hennig is going to get it.
-Jimmy Snuka vs. Rick Gantner: Gantner up in the ropes and taunting the crowd. They circle each other. They lock up. They push back to the ropes and break clean. They lock up again. Snuka with a side headlock. Gantner gets back to the ropes. Another clean break. Another lock up. Snuka with a wrist lock. Gantner makes his way back to the ropes. Break clean. Gantner taunting the fans again by pointing to himself. They circle each other again. They lock up. Gantner with a side headlock. Snuka pushes off. Gantner comes back with a shoulder block. Gantner runs the ropes. Snuka with a leapfrog. Then an arm drag to Gantner. Another arm drag and Gantner goes out to the floor to regroup. He takes an 8 count before getting back in the ring. He then goes right back out of the ring after breaking the count. He then spits in Snuka's face. Gantner gets back up on the apron and Snuka swings at Gantner, who ducks the attempt before being slingshot back in by Snuka. Snuka with a side headlock. Into a takedown. Gantner makes his way back to his feet. He gets Snuka up against the ropes, but breaks on the four count. Then shots to Snuka and an Irish whip. Snuka ducks a clothesline attempt. Snuka comes off the ropes with a double sledge to Gantner. Snuka then climbs to the top rope. He hits the Superfly and pins Gantner.
-AWA World Tag Team Championship Match. Doug Somers and Buddy Rose with Sherri Martel vs. Earthquake Ferris and Tom Rocky Stone: Rose and Ferris start. Rose making fun of Ferris's weight to get heat as an Earthquake chant goes out. Martel tells the crowd to shut up. Rose runs the ropes. Ferris with a shoulder block. Another run and Ferris knocks Rose down with another shoulder block. Rose gets up holding the back of his head and stumbles out of the ring to the crowds delight. Rose is so great here. Martel comes over to check on Rose. Somers tagged in. Ferris with an Irish whip and he scoop slams Somers. Ferris drops an elbow on Somers. He gets a two count. Somers with a side headlock. Ferris gets to the ropes. Somers finally breaks the hold. Somers slaps Ferris on the chest. Back and forth with slaps up against the ropes. Ferris with a series of forearms and Stone tagged in. Stone holds Somers for Ferris to hit before he gets out of the ring. Stone with a side headlock into a takeover. He gets Somers down and cranks the side headlock on. Somers gets back to his feet while still in the move. Ferris tagged back in. He gets a side headlock takeover on Somers. Somers working back to his feet. He pushes off. Ferris comes back with a big shoulder block. Ferris with a scoop slam. Stone tagged in and gets a front face lock on. Somers with a belly to back suplex to get out of the move. Rose tagged in. Rose stomps on Stone. Rose picks Stone up and runs him into the corner turnbuckle. Rose with a corner whip. Somers tagged back in. He hits a knee lift to Stone. Somers with a side headlock and a punch to the face of Stone. He runs Stone into a turnbuckle. Somers distracts the referee, allowing Rose to choke Stone on the top rope. Somers then drapes Stone over the rope and drops him. Rose tagged back in. Stone reverses a corner whip. He then punches Rose in the corner. He snap mares Rose out of the corner. Stone drops a knee to Rose's face. He gets a two count. Stone with an Irish whip. He drops his head too early and Rose gets a front face lock and hits a DDT to get the pin.
-Gary Ron talks to Boris Zhukov. Zhukov says Sheik Adnan Al-Kaisse is back in Iraq trying to solve the problems America has caused there. He says another man responsible is Sgt. Slaughter. He says he knows that Slaughter is behind this because he can't stand Zhukov or the Sheik. He says Slaughter, I want you in the ring. Mr. G.I. Joe, what a joke. He then spits on the ground. He says sign the contract Slaughter, and when it's over, you will get down and kiss the most beautiful flag in the world, the Russian flag. He leaves and Buddy Rose and Doug Somers come in. Rose says that Zhukov means business and they mean business also. He tells the cameraman to check out the tan and the body. He says he's down to 210 pounds. He's down to the greatest shape of his life and so is Doug Somers and he heard that the Midnight Rockers were out here saying they chased them all over the world. Rose says that's a couple of coyotes chasing the road runners. Rose says someplace, somewhere, they are going to face off against the world tag team champions. He says a lot of people want to face them and he starts to name some Rose says they are the best in professional wrestling. He says they and their manager have all the belts and in 1987, they are going to continue to hold all of the belts.
-Larry Nelson and Gary Ron then recap everything that happened that week before signing off.
-End credits.
-Final Thoughts: Although nowhere near as good as it used to be, this wasn't the worst way to spend an hour and the few minutes of the Bockwinkel/Hennig match that we saw were outstanding.