Early leg work on Ventura really doesn't mean much but I liked it because of how sharp it looked. In particular Gagne's Indian Deathlock was really tight and looked vicious. People can slag on Greg all they want but he could show fire and Brunzell was a good go to partner for him when it came time to really heat things up. Adonis/Gagne section was good and featured a cool rope running monkey flip spot. Brunzell comes in and immediately starts getting worked over by Jesse. I am not a Ventura fan by any means but Brunzell is really taking his offense well, leaping into turnbuckles, eating some tight looking shot, et. Cool spot with Brunzell and Adonis exchanging close nearfalls with neither of their partners able to break them up as this match had an immediate DQ for two men being in the ring at once. Adonis hits a dropkick for a nearfall than takes one from Brunzell which he does an epic sell for. Adonis and Ventura take their staple big bumps in this and take them well. Gagne goes FIP after a wild bump off a missed dropkick, which Adonis follows up with his great backbreaker an ab stretch. Ventura keeps the heat section going with an overhead backbreaker that Gagne reverses into a pinning combo for a good hope spot. Adonis with a huge over the top bump off of a missed splash. Brunzell in and the heels are pinballing, but Adonis kicks loose of a spinning toehold attempt and sends Jim to the floor. Match ends in a double countout when all parties spill to the floor on a sleeper. Strong match with everyone looking good marred by a typically bad 80's finish.

AWA World Tag Titles: The East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis & Jesse "The Body" Ventura) © vs. The Hi-Flyers ("Jumpin" Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) (3/1/81)

 

Greg's legwork on Ventura early was nice especially the Indian Death Lock which is one of my all-time favorite holds. Brunzell comes in and he has a nice back-and-forth with Adonis before Greg comes in to work over Adonis' left leg until he tags Brunzell back in who this time would get caught by the heels and Ventura would take him down with a grounded headlock to change the pace. Adonis & Brunzell would trade a couple of fucking awesome dropkicks before Brunzell would go to the wrong corner with Ventura dropping him neckfirst on the top rope. Greg would finally get the hot tag and he fired up on Ventura who takes some good bumps here surprisingly getting some nearfalls before Adonis comes back in where he takes some shots leading to his tied in the ropes spot as Greg continues to look really good on offense but he would whiff on a dropkick causing Adonis to go back on offense. Adonis hits his sweet turning backbreaker leading to an abdominable stretch but Greg would reverse into one of his own until Ventura would tag in to lock in his Canadian Backbreaker which Greg would reverse into a nearfall. Adonis would take a wild bump through the ropes to the floor but both men would get tags to their partners with Brunzell firing up on Ventura then Adonis who continues to pinball around before launching Brunzell to the floor as he tried to get a spinning toehold. Adonis would hit a sweet suplex for a nearfall on Brunzell when he came back into the ring but Brunzell would catch him with another one as a counter before Greg would come back in firing off dropkicks leading to a sleeper hold where both men would tumble off the top rope to the floor with help from Ventura. All four men would then battle on the floor as the referee called for a double countout. The brawl continued back into the ring with the faces coming out on top. This was an awesome match and a slam dunk nomination.