Freebirds promo

 

Nick Bockwinkel v. Tito Santana

 

We've got this in the exact same length elsewhere.

 

Rick Martel promo

 

Mr. Saito promo

 

Rick Martel v. Mr. Saito

 

The early going here was nice as they let Martel get in some arm drags, then went to Martel being downed by a headlock and operating from that as a base. Martel eventually breaks out, hits a nice drop down monkey flip and then arm drags Saito over locking on an armbar. They come up for a nice hip toss reversal that Martel counters back down into an armbar base. Martel is really cool here working the arm, doing a nice overhead takedown, throwing elbows and double sledges to it et. Saito comes back with an eye gouge and starts lighting Martel up with chops and then tosses him the length of the ring with a hip toss before doing his standing heart punch to downed opponent spot. He locks on the sleeper at this point which is a spot Saito always works well. Martel tries to back Saito into the turnbuckles but Saito keeps it cinched in. Martel finally decides to run forward and Saito bumps into the top turnbuckle. Saito tries to sneak up on Martel but Rick catches him coming in. Martel hits a piledriver for a nearfall and then a pair of vertical suplexes. Martel goes for his slingshot splash but Saito scoots out of the way. Saito gets some nearfalls including a good one off of a Saito suplex. Saito locks in the Scorpion in the middle of the ring. This ends up being an incredibly great spot as Martel literally grips the canvas pulling inch by inch to get to the ropes to save his title. Martel ends up winning almost immediately after this with a reverse crossbody that kind of felt flat just because the Scorpion spot had been so well done. Still this was a very good match.

 

The Freebirds v. Chris Kemper/Brian Jewel

 

Total squash. I assume this was the Birds Winnipeg debut.

 

Butch Reed v. Bill White

 

Another total squash.

 

Freebirds promo. Buddy buries his Canadian roots.

 

The High Flyers v. Ray Stevens/Nick Bockwinkel

 

JIP. Gagne works an insanely long leg lock on Stevens that is just. Well. It looks fine but I'm not sure it was the best choice. Bock does get hung up on the ropes and takes a nice bump in when Brunzell starts whipping the top rope around but overall this segment just seemed like time killing. Bock comes in and breaks up a figure-four attempt and Brunzell ends up going FIP. Man the Brunzell FIP is all based on a front facelock which is all well and good but is not terribly compelling. Stevens end sup taking a big bump off the top and then another wild one in the corner off the hot tag to Greg. Bock also takes some great bumps off of Gagne' dropkicks at this point. Gagne ends up missing a diving knee and gets his leg smashed into the post by Stevens and Bock. Gagne ends up in a figure-four but it gets broken up. Bock hits a piledriver but Gagne is int he ropes and can't get a pin. Greg hits a desperation rolling cradle at this point for a good nearfall. Cool spot as Gagne back drops out of a piledriver and floats over into a pinning combination. Bock ends up missing a corner charge and gets locked in the sleeper but Heenan trips his legs out from under him and Bock lands on top for a really good nearfall. Bock locks on a sleeper but Gagne backs into the turnbuckle to break the hold. Brunzell gets the hot tag and hits two dropkicks on Bock while Gagne dropkicks Stevens out of the ring to take the fall. Beginning to end this was lacking but the second half of this was really good.

 

Jimmy Garvin promo.

 

Baron Von Raschke promo

 

Baron Von Raschke v. Jimmy Garvin

 

This time the Baron attacks Jimmy before he can get his robe off. Garvin comes back and puts the boots to the Baron, but the Baron starts to hulk up and goose step. Baron ties Jimmy up in the ropes and starts doing running headbutts to him. it is really fucking funny to watch Baron run. Garvin starts running around and eventually gets Baron on the defensive kneeing him in the face and keeping him at bay on the floor. Garvin tries a pin out of a camel clutch and goes up top but gets slammed off. Baron locks in the claw as Garvin comes off the rope but Garvin stumbles into the ropes. After a ref bump the Baron hits a series of elbows and goes for a cover but the ref is out. Garvin goes to the trunks and hits baron with a foreign object for the fall. This was actually a well put together match.

 

Butch Reed v. Brian Jewel

 

Another squash for Reed.

 

Brad Rheingans v. John Bronson

 

Rheingans does a really sweet headlock take down, a fucking backward floatover reversal of a hammerlock, and some other cool shit early. Rheingans busts out a nice mokey flip into a pinning combination out of a knucklelock. Rheingans hits a sick looking piledriver for a nearfall. Rheingans wins after a couple of nice suplexes.

 

Adnan/Butch Reed promo

 

Brad Rheingans v. Ken Patera

 

JIP though I don't think more than a minute or two is cut. They do some spots early to suggest that Patera's power is going to be a problem for Rheingans as Patera easily escapes his amateur spots. Patera dominates a test of strength, but Rheingans monkey flips out and lands in a pinning position. Patera rolls him through for a sunset flip but Rheingans flips out of monkey flip attempt and we have a stand off. Really solid looking bridge and escape from Brad but Patera hangs his him down by his hair and locks in an arm stretcher. I did not think Patera looked all that great working these holds but I enjoyed the way Rheingans worked escapes and his snapping and throwing fists after having enough of Patera's cheap shots was cool. Patera spills to the floor after taking a headbutt to the gut. Patera comes in and offers his hand but Rheingans spins him around his a nice dropkick followed by an elbow for a nearfall. Patera takes back over with some cheapshots and works a headlock with hairpulling, et thrown in for heat. They come back up and Patera hits a nice leaping knee to Rheingans as he comes off the ropes. Rheingans ends up getting chucked to the floor. Patera keeps him at bay on the floor and Rheingans eventually comes in with two minutes left and rattles off a string of offense. Rheingans locks on an ab stretch and turns it into a gutwrench suplex but time expires. I liked Rheingans a good bit in this, but Patera did not impress.

 

Sgt. Slaughter promo

 

Freebirds promo

This starts with the Freebirds first promo in Winnipeg and it's hilarious.

 

Next we get clips of Bock vs. Tito.

 

Then we get promos by Martel & Saito before their match.

 

AWA World Heavyweight Title: Rick Martel © vs. Mr. Saito (4/24/85)

 

Saito is the replacement for Masked Superstar so the story is Martel hasn't had time to prepare for him. This started off with some really good back and forth action with both men not able to keep an advantage for a long period of time. Saito would eventually lock on his sleeper after Martel worked over his left arm and this was the first time that one of them was in any serious trouble. Martel makes a fun comeback after getting out of the sleeper hitting a nice piledriver for a nearfall as Saito got his foot on the rope. This would then turn into a battle of nearfalls as both men had the other one on the ropes ready to go with Saito nearly putting away Martel with the sasorigatame but Martel would hit a desperation reverse cross body block to get the win. Damn good match with both men working their asses off and this is an easy nomination.

 

The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts) vs. Brian Jewel & Chris Pepper (4/24/85)

 

Birds debut and a total squash.

 

"Hacksaw" Butch Reed vs. Bill White (4/24/85)

 

This isn't the Bill White that worked in the 70's and early 80's or otherwise known as Billy Black's father.

 

Next is another Birds promo.

 

The Hi-Flyers ("Jumpin" Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens (5/14/81)

 

This is JIP which is a strike against it and this was a good match but there were some parts of this that wasn't interesting and kinda boring. This felt like one of their lesser matches and even with a fun ending there wasn't enough to warrant a nomination. Maybe if we got this in full it could've changed it but I kinda doubt it.

 

Next we get promos by Garvin & Raschke.

 

"Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin vs. Baron Von Raschke (4/24/85)

 

Baron attacks Garvin before the match this time and he really takes it to Garvin for a while until Garvin makes a comeback and slows it down before Baron hulks up and goes back to teeing off on Garvin. We get more of the same before a ref bump with Garvin using knux to KO Baron for the win. Baron made this fun and I dug him in this.

 

"Hacksaw" Butch Reed vs. Brian Jewel (4/24/85)

 

Squash.

 

Brad Rheingans vs. John Bronson (4/24/85)

 

Spotlight match for Brad who looks good here.

 

Next we get a promo by Adnan & Butch.

 

Then we get clips of Rheingans/Patera

 

Next are promos by Sarge & Freebirds.