King Tonga v. Larry Hennig

 

Tonga runs forward and slams Larry before the bell but Larry doesn't even really sell it. Larry works over Tonga's arm but just absorbs some Tonga chops while maintaining pressure on the arm. Tonga eventually takes Larry down with a throat thrust. Tonga's stuff was basic but looked effective and the Axe looked decent working underneath. Larry gets tied up in the ropes and Tonga works over him with weird Thesz presses but gets kneed in the nuts. Hennig stomping on Tonga's toes and then pulling at them was kind of cool. Tonga ends up taking a sick looking hot shot and then Hennig locks on a camel clutch that Tonga sells the hell out of. Tonga gets a cheapshot in and they go to a double knockdown spot. Tonga ends up taking "The Axe" coming off the ropes and falls to the floor. Lame finish with Tonga getting counted out.

 

Mr. Saito promo. Damn I love Saito.

 

Buck Zumhoffe promo. Buck's radio playing during his promo is hilariously absurd.

 

Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie v. Mad Dog Vahon

 

JIP at about 5 minutes. They go back and fourth early biting and scratching. I loved Adnan reaching to grab Mad Dog's hair but he has none to grab. At one point Adnan goes from an armbar, to a nervehold to an ear bite in about ten seconds. They spill outside and on top of Okerland's desk and Vachon throws the ring bell at Adnan. Adnan reaches out and grabs a mic chord to choke Mad Dog with. Mad Dog hits the post on a corner charge and gets locked in an ab stretch but he escapes and hits a double stomp. Blackwell shows up and allows Adnan to steal the win. Fun enough but not as wild as it sounds due to the pacing.

 

High Flyers promo

 

The Road Warriors v. The High Flyers

 

Ellering gets banned from ringside. Animal gets knocked to the floor and the High Flyers end up double dropkicking Hawk. Hawk bumps knee first into the top turnbuckle and the babyfaces take over on his leg. Animal comes in and press slams Gagne but then misses a leaping standing leg drop and the Flyers go to work on Animal's leg as well. They do a good job isolating Animal and the crowd really stays with them as they work over Animal. Greg does his awesome looking Indian Deathlock. Animal breaks the hold with an eye rake and Hawk comes in and hits a press and ends up in a bearhug. Gagne escapes from this fairly easily and Brunzell comes in and hits a big dropkick and locks Hawk up in a figure four which Animal breaks up by stomping him in the face. Brunzell gets brutalized. They work some fun hope spots that almost come across as Hawk teasing Brunzell. Brunzell makes the hot tag after a great looking knee. Gagne comes in and locks on a sleeper. Brunzell knocks Animal off the apron but Ellering comes out and we get a crazy DQ finish with the Warriors destroying the Flyers post-match. I may have seen this before but this came across way better here than before.

 

Tom Zenk v. Butch Reed

 

Zenk works the arm but ends up meeting a knee to the face off the ropes. Zenk gets tossed to the floor. Reed snaps Zenks neck and he takes another huge bump. Zenk with a sunset flip for a nearfall. Reed's control segment is not terribly impressive but Zenk does take another awesome bump to the floor off of a rope running spot. Zenk ends up rattling off some dropkicks but whiffs ont he third attempt and Reed hits a running shoulderblock for three. Decent.

 

Nick Bockwinkel promo. He introduces Ray Stevens as his new tag partner by putting over their past.

 

Billy Robinson v. Jerry Blackwell

 

This is nominated already.

 

Hennigs promo.

 

Ray Stevens/Nick Bockwinkel v. Curt/Larry Hennig

 

Already nominated

 

Baron Von Raschke v. Joe Bronson

 

JIP. Basically a Baron squash.

 

Freebirds promo. If you get one of the broads in winnipeg you win a pig.

Larry "The Axe" Hennig vs. King Tonga (3/28/85)

 

Tonga was fine here but Hennig was getting old here and wasn't up to snuff with Tonga's athleticism. The action would pick up before the countout finish.

 

Next are promos from Saito & Zumhofe.

 

Then we get clips of Vachon vs. Adnan.

 

Next is a promo by the Hi-Flyers.

 

AWA World Tag Titles: The Road Warriors © vs. The Hi-Flyers ("Jumpin" Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) (3/28/85)

 

Paul Ellering gets kicked out before the match starts and the Roadies attack immediately but the Flyers use their quickness to send them to the floor. Flyers would then transition to working the legs of both Roadies with the crowd firmly behind them as they pretty much dominate the early part of the match. The Roadies would eventually take control after doubling up on Brunzell and they beat the shit out of him with Brunzell being fun as the FIP. Brunzell would use his high knee to get the hot tag to Gagne who runs wild before locking on the sleeper which would eventually bring out Ellering who would attack Gagne for the DQ. Roadies would then destroy the Flyers after the match for taking them to the limit. This was one of the better Roadies matches of this period and this is a solid nomination to me.

 

"Hacksaw" Butch Reed vs. Tom Zenk (4/24/85)

 

Good spotlight match for Butch.

 

Next we get a promo by Bock who brings back Ray Stevens as his partner.

 

Then we get clips of Robinson/Blackwell.

 

This is followed by an Axe Attack promo.

 

Nick Bockwinkel & Ray "The Crippler" Stevens vs. Larry "The Axe" & Curt Hennig (4/24/85)

 

Ray gets dominated to start but the match doesn't really pick up until Curt works FIP where he was damn good at working off of the heels who do a good job of working him over. Larry would get the hot tag and the heels were great selling his power offense before they would catch him in their corner and then they would work him over like his son. Larry did a good job as well playing FIP before carrying Bock to his corner so he could tag in Curt who is a house of fire taking it to the heels. This would soon turn into a 4-way brawl where Stevens would end up getting the pin on Curt tricking the referee since Bock was the legal man. This was a fun little match and this moves forward.