AWA on ESPN Classic!

[Kenny]

I was flipping through the DirecTV program guide last night and I came across "AWA Wrestling." It's on every weeknight at 12:00 am as part of the "3 Hours of Power" promotion. It's on tomorrow (Saturday July 5th) a few times throughout the afternoon and evening as well.

Anyway, the episode was from 1987. The AWA world champion was Curt Hennig. Other familiar faces on that specific episode were Madusa, Chief Wahoo McDaniel, and Larry Zybszko. I checked out the AWA title history and other title holders include Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and many more.

I cannot tell you how nice it was seeing a cocky Hennig in an interview with one of the Gagnes.

[nailz]

you need a late pass

[thedamndest]

You will find yourself enjoying many Dennis Stamp classics as well.

[Nervous Ferret]

Yah that is nice but watch Cheap Seats at 2AM after that. Best show ever

[JT]

holy shit, he be right...just threw it on. B)

And yes, I kind of knew about this, but the reminder was great. :)

[JT]

Holy shit...1986 Scott Hall.

lol...never saw the man with a mustache before.

[6to1]

you know what is funny my local indy fed the cw has the awa belt now

[Gertner]

hogan and flair never held the AWA belt

[Kapoutman]

Didn't Flair beat Jerry Lawler or a Von Erich or something to unify it with the NWA title?

[Gertner]

Lawler ended up qutting AWA and Larry Zbyscho won it in a batle royal. Larry Z then lost it to Mr. Saito and then won it back from Saito and was their last champion. The WCCW from what I believe was essetially transitioned into the USWA title. Flair beat Kerry for the NWA title after Kerry won it from Flair at the David Von Erich memorial show.

Hogan on the other hand never ACTUALLY won the belt technically. He beat Bockwinkel a couple of times but essentially got Dusty-finished both times out of the belt.

I've become an AWA slappy even since I watched that documentary on it. As bad as ECW got in terms of being poorly run, it pales in comparison to how badly AWA was run.

[Gertner]

Didn't Flair beat Jerry Lawler or a Von Erich or something to unify it with the NWA title?

I think youre thinking of when Lawler beat Von Erich at Superclash to unify the AWA and WCCW belts, which essentially ended when Lawler was stripped of the belt.

[Loose Cannon]

yea, WCCW AND CWA, which was Jarett's promotion, merged and formed the USWA. It tanked rather quickly. If anyone who watched back then recalls, the USWA had a big cross promotion angle with ECW. It was some of the best TV put on during that period.

[Gertner]

yeah, PG 13 had a nice feud with the Gangstas.

The USWA had a decent run, although frigeen Lawler was the Champion ALL THE TIME ala Verne Gagne.

Man did Verne ever fuck up. Going into Superclash he had a nice partnership with WCCW and CWA which could have prolonged the AWA in my opinion since they had no roster, but a T.V deal with ESPN, but screwed Jarrett and Von Erich by not giving them their cut.

[Gertner]

I'm really hoping that ESPN starts showing shows from 1989 just to show bad it got. What you've seen in 1988 is NOTHING compared to 89 and on. The AWA had a bit of resurrgence with Patera, Larry Z, Slaughter and DeBeers coming back to the organization, but if those names are giving your company a resurrgence, you're in trouble.

BTW anybody else agree that Col.DeBeers could have been a monster heel in the WWF? I doubt WWF would have let him go the lengths he was going, but he would have gotten over HUGE.