The SmarK Rant for AWA All Star Wrestling–01.25.87

The SmarK Rant for AWA All-Star Wrestling – 01.25.87

I guess this was the syndicated version of the AWA show, as opposed to the ESPN one I usually review.

Your host is Larry Nelson

Shawn Michaels v. Frankie DeFalco

DeFalco was a tubby Brooklyn Brawler lookalike who did some WWE jobs here and there in the 80s as well. So by this point Shawn is firmly into the Midnight Rockers phase, with Marty hanging around ringside. Shawn evades DeFalco with nice stuff and gets a backslide off a leapfrog for two, then goes to the arm. Shawn drops knees on the arm, and then we get a funny bit where the crowd wants more and Shawn negotiates the amount before settling on five kneedrops. DeFalco finally escapes with a slam and goes up to the middle rope, but misses an elbow after celebrating too long. Shawn slugs him down and finishes with a flying fistdrop at 5:00. Shawn was goofing around and having fun out there.

The Midnight Rockers complain about chasing the tag team champions and never getting title shots.

The Super Ninja v. Mike Richards

I’m assuming Super Ninja was just a regular ninja that was bitten by a cobra and struck by lightning and is now super. Perhaps he can go back in time and fight Hitler. I don’t recognize him but he looks too tall and dark to be Muta, the guy who generally had that gimmick at the time. He uses an array of “martial arts” and a nerve hold, then finishes with a suplex at 3:49. A quick check of cagematch.net reveals that it was Shunji Takano, brother of George Takano. Well now I can sleep at night.

Larry Zbyszko and his crew of Japanese cronies rants about Nick Bockwinkel as per usual.

We get a few minutes of the end of Nick Bockwinkel v. Curt Hennig in the bloodbath draw, one of the legit greatest matches ever. I’m kind of surprised they put this episode on there, given the gory crimson mask on Hennig. Hennig just beats the hell out of Bockwinkel for the remainder of the time limit, hitting him with four Axes and then a figure-four as time expires at 60:00. I don’t think this match is available on the Network in full, but I’m pretty sure it’s either on the AWA DVD or the Hennig one.

Curt Hennig predicts that in 1987, he’s getting the World title. Good call.

Jimmy Snuka v. Rick Gantner

Snuka hails from the “Figi Islands” according to the graphic. Gantner actually went on to some minor fame later on as Bull Pain and later half of the Texas Hangmen. He actually shows some personality here, taunting the fans while working a headlock, but Snuka tosses him out of the ring on an armdrag and then works a headlock in the ring. He finishes with the flying forearm and Superfly splash at 5:00.

Buddy Rose & Doug Somers v. Tom Stone & Earthquake Ferris

Ferris was a pretty big young guy but it looks like he disappeared from the business shortly after this. The jobbers trade headlocks on Somers in their corner, but Stone gets caught with a cheapshot by Rose and the champs take over. Rose finishes Stone with a DDT at 5:20.

Rose & Somers let the Rockers know that not only is Rose in the best shape of his life at 210 pounds, but they’ll give them a title shot whenever they want. I think he might be lying.