The Alaskans v. Tom Zenk/Steve O

 

This was a better than expected tag. Really nothing dynamic but the Alaskans were fun stalling early and they worked a pretty solid FIP on Steve O who is oddly sympathetic for such a non-descript babyface. I liked the sunset flip hope spot a lot more than I probably should have in this one and the arm drag escape was cool too. The hot tag was really well built to and the Alaskans took some solid bumps on the comeback. Nice double dropkick finish. This was basic but good.

 

Buck Zumhofe/Baron Von Raschke v. Jimmy Garvin/Steve Regal

 

I have to admit that the opening stuff was fun as Regal took his only good repeat bump on the Irish Whip and then Garvin came in and had a fun exchange with the Baron. Baron continues his run as a shockingly good FIP. He is just so strange looking that you almost feel sorry for him anyway so when he is getting his asskicked the sympathy factor goes through the roof. Baron hulks up and goose steps around but gets caught with a kick on a back body drop attempt. Baron doing a teased sunset flip spot was awesome and unexpected. Hot tag was pretty lame as Baron just stumbled into a tag while he was still getting his ass kicked. Buck has a pretty fun run and ends up doing a mini-FIP himself before hitting a nice crossbody for a nearfall and tagging the Baron back in. The Baron has Garvin in the ropes and hits his running old man head butts which is a spot I enjoy more than I should. Baron locks on the claw but Regal comes in to break it up. Buck goes on a run and goes for his reverse splash finisher but misses. The heels hit each other and the babyfaces get the win. Fuck it, I am going to toss this on the dock.

 

Butch Reed/Larry Zbyszko v. Brad Rheingans/Bob Backlund

 

Man I dug the early stuff with the headlock. Reed took a nice dropkick from Rheingans, Larry comes in and Bob gets some cool stuff in and wrenches the headlock himself and tags Brad back in. Larry finally back suplexes out and Reed comes in and takes over. Brad is able to tag out and Backlund comes in and starts working on Reed's arm. Backlund ends up taking a nice neckbreaker from Larry and Reed comes back in and works over Bob. Backlund ends up isolated with Reed choking him while Larry works the ref. Bob takes a pretty sick looking shoulder breaker from Larry. Backlund blocks a suplex attempt with a nice cradle for a nearfall but gets dragged right back into the heel corner. Backlund ends up in a bearhug. Reed is not really working the hell out of these holds but Backlund is selling them well and keeping things fairly interesting. The ab stretch spot looked really tight and sick and there is a great camera shot of Backlund just inches away from tagging in Rheingans while Larry really cinches in. Bob finally hip tosses out and looks to make the tag but gets punched in the face right as he is about to get there. backlund breaks another bearhug with elbows and and they end up going to a double knockdown spot. Backlund makes the tag and Rheingans comes in. Larry took a nice bump on a back body drop and then Rheingans really good snap gutwrench suplex and then he tags Backlund back in. Bob is quickly cut off with a headbutt to the gut. He tries to piledrive Bob but Bob back body drops down for a quick pin. Pretty strong tag due to Backlund and Larry.

 

Sgt. Slaughter promo behind a Cage.

 

Jim Brunzell/Tonga Kid v. Billy Robinson/Bobby Duncum

 

Robinson gets nasty early and busts out his awesome neckbreaker. Tonga Kid's early dropkicks to Duncum looked good. Brunzell hit an awesome looking jumping knee to Duncum for a nearfall. Brunzell gets isolated so Robinson punches him in the throat and busts out that fucking neckbreaker again. Brunzell got off a nice sunset flip nearfall but goes right back to FIP. heels offense looked prety stiff and got some nice nearfalls. Duncum took a pretty nutty corner charge bump and Tonga Kid gets the hot tag. They isolate Duncum's leg for a bit but he makes the tag to Robinson who comes in and hits ANOTHER awesome neckbreaker. Duncum hit a nice lariat for a nearfall. Awesome spot as Tonga kicks Duncum and then his a blindside dropkick to Duncum on the apron before leaping for the hot tag. Great nearfall off of a Brunzell dropkick and then a nother one on Robinson a few seconds later. All hell breaks loose and Brunzell ends up getting drilled with Billy's backbreaker for a nearfall. Awesome finish as Robinson gets Brunzell up for an atomic drop but Brunzell makes a blindside tag so Billy ends up turning right into a crossbody for the finish.

 

Legion of Doom promo

Steve O & Tom Zenk vs. The Alaskans (Rick Renslow & Dave Wagner) (4/21/85)

 

Basic opener.

 

Baron von Raschke & "Rock n Roll" Buck Zumhofe vs. "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin & "Mr. Electricity" Steve Regal (4/21/85)

 

Future AWA tag champs teaming up for the first time in a match. Regal hits his great bump into the corner off an irish whip and that is the highlight of his section with Buck. Garvin tags in and of course Buck would bring in Baron and the crowd was hot for Baron beating the crap out of Garvin. Baron would miss a diving elbow giving Garvin the chance to tag in Regal and they worked over Baron although it was uninspiring. Baron did a good job of selling and Garvin throws some decent punches but it's not worldbeating. Baron firing up stomping around was fun and had some fine hope spots but the hot tag was kinda anticlimatic as Regal was punching Baron who fell back into Buck with no build. Buck came in and ran wild before Regal caught him in the corner and started working him over with Garvin. Buck would eventually tag Baron again with no build and Baron was fun taking it to Garvin who was tied in the ropes. Baron would eventually lock on the claw before Regal would come in forcing a 4-way brawl ending up with Buck missing his Vader Bomb on Regal and it was at this point the match fell apart as both legal men ended up on the apron while the other two battled in the ring. Garvin would accidentally hit Regal and Buck would cover for the win. This had some decent moments but it totally fell apart at the end and I can't back this as a nomination.

 

Bob Backlund & Brad Rheingans vs. "Hacksaw" Butch Reed & Larry Zbyszko (4/21/85)

 

Rheingans looked good early on with Reed who was good here bumping and selling before tagging in Zbyszko who also was good making the amateur legends look good. The heels would catch Backlund in the corner and they worked him over with Backlund being fun playing FIP. Reed & Larry worked well together as a team and Reed looked so good that it was a shame he couldn't get a bigger push in AWA. The heel control section lasted quite a while before Rheingans got the hot tag and he was good taking it to the heels hitting a sweet slam on Larry before tagging Backlund back in. Bob gets really sloppy here though not knowing what to do before Larry headbutted him in the stomach before going for a piledriver. Bob would counter with a backdrop with Larry hanging on getting his shoulders counted down. Good match although I didn't like it as much as Dylan but I'll push it as a low-end pick.

 

Next is a Slaughter promo behind a cage.

 

"Jumpin" Jim Brunzell & Tonga Kid vs. "Big Bad" Bobby Duncum & Billy Robinson (4/21/85)

 

This starts out as a brawl with the faces cleaning house before Robinson has enough of that and just pounds Brunzell into the mat. Duncum comes in and immediately the faces go back in control with Tonga throwing some good dropkicks and Brunzell hitting a sweet Jumboesque high knee. The heels would double up on Brunzell to gain control and then took turns pounding on him. Duncum would miss a running shoulder into the corner hitting all post allowing Tonga to come in and he had Duncum reeling as he & Brunzell started working over Duncum's left knee. Duncum would roll to the corner and tagged in Robinson who used a sweet neckbreaker on Tonga for a nearfall. Duncum came in and kept the control on Tonga but not for long as he would roll to Brunzell for the hot tag. Brunzell fired up and took it to the heels hitting dropkicks before Robinson took him out with a backbreaker and as he had Brunzell up for an atomic drop he would tag in Tonga who came off the top with a cross body block on Robinson to win. Fun match and this moves forward as a low-end pick.

 

The disc finishes with a Roadies promo.