Posted January 23, 201114 yr comment_5462791 This is listed as April of 83. Martel cornering Bock and opening up on him with slaps was really a great way to get this going and Heenan's reaction on the floor was priceless. The crowd is REALLY hot for Martel who is super enthusiastic here even when on the mat applying a headlock to Bock. The second time they come up from the headlock they go into a fun sequence with Bock and Martel trading body slams and Martel getting the best of Bock and going to work on his leg. Cool spot as Bock works his way back up and drives a knee into Martel's mid-section sending him to the ground, with Bock clutching his knee in pain. After a double knockdown spot Bock goes for a piledriver but Martel back body drops out. Really great sunset flip nearfall for Martel that was made by Bockwinkel's wild kick out. Bock goes to Martel's eyes to break up his momentum and ends up locking on the sleeper. Martel keeps barely escaping, so Bock goes to a back body drop and then a dropkick. He goes to throw another dropkick but misses and Martel opens up with a run of really stiff looking elbow drops to Bockwinkel's back. Martel gets a nearfall after an Oklahoma Stampede variation and goes straight to work on Bockwinkel's back. Nice nearfalls for Martel off of a pair of dropkicks. Rick goes to an ab stretch and then locks on a Boston Crab. Heenan gets on the apron and Martel decks him, which results in Bock almost getting pined off of a backward roll. Heenan trips Martel coming off the ropes and Bock gets the pin. Kind of a weak finish to an otherwise great match.
April 16, 201213 yr comment_5500268 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Nick Bockwinkel © vs. Rick Martel (12/8/83) This is listed as 9/29/83 but that is the wrong date. Martel is more fired up than normal even for him since he is in Winnipeg and he is awesome working over Bock who pinballs for him like a champ. Martel works over Bock's left leg here really well and Bock does a great job of selling the pain even when he uses the left knee in Martel's ribs to put him down. This soon becomes back and forth with both men going at each other with everything they had while making the other man look great with their bumping and selling. Martel's work on Bock's back was really solid and the setup for the finish was good as well with Heenan distracting Martel then eventually tripping him up so Bock could win was while cheap a good finish. Damn great match here and this moves forward easily.
April 16, 201213 yr comment_5500275 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Nick Bockwinkel © vs. Rick Martel (12/8/83) This is listed as 9/29/83 but that is the wrong date. It could be this one but there are other possibilities as well, I'm sure.: 12/8/83 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada @ Arena AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Rick Martel Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell no contest AWA Tag Team Champions Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera Bunkhouse Match Blackjack Lanza beat Bobby Heenan Mad Dog Vachon no contest David Shults Mr Saito beat Baron Von Raschke Superstar Billy Graham beat Steve Olsonoski Bulldog Bob Brown beat Bill White Att: 5,084
June 14, 201213 yr Author comment_5506503 The date on the screen is often wrong in the AWA. More often than not actually
