Nice quick sunset flip off a corner charge for Shawn. They come back up, run the ropes and Buddy takes a nice victory roll nearfall. Cool spot as Michaels gets kicked out of the ring on a lateral press attempt and gets posted by Somers while Buddy distracts the ref. Shawn is a bloody mess and the heels go to work. Crowd is really hype for the Rockers as Rose and Somers take turns, biting and punching at the cut. Cool spot as Somers walks Michaels over toward Jannetty and holds his face up by the hair before elbowing him in the cut. Michaels desperately scooting around, slumping over the ropes, throwing desperation punches et. was all incredible and makes you realize how much better Michaels was fundamentally at this point. Great near hot tag spot with Somers just walking over and punching Shawn in the face as he grabs his hand to block him from tagging Marty and Shawn follows up with a bump through the ropes to the floor. Rose stands in the ring and counts with the ref but Shawn just beats the ten count. Shawn wins a punch exchange but Somers tags in and cuts him off. Somers takes some licks and looks to be down but does a leaping headbutt from his knees to stop Shawn. They go into a knee punch exchange with Michaels winning and doing an awesome spinning fall down hot tag to Jannetty. Somers gets bumped all the way to the steel post not once but twice. Jannetty chases after Rose and Sherri ends up getting a cheapshot onto Marty with her shoe. Michaels is so out of it that he is laying on the floor as Marty tries to make the tag and the heels expose a turnbuckle and slam Jannetty face first into it. Now Marty is cut and getting his cut worked on. Somers hits a nice standing dropkick for a nearfall. jannetty face plants on a wild blood soaked swing which looked awesome. he is just flailing around knocking Buddy off the apron and trying to fight through Somers with craze shots but ends up back in the heel corner. Punch exchange between Jannetty and Rose ends with Marty biting Rose's face and getting knocked into Shawn for the hot tag. All hell breaks loose and there is a ref bump and a series of big bumps in the ring with Jannetty and Rose spilling to the floor. Rose fucking kills Marty with a gutbuster on an upright chair. Post-match is wild and crazy as fuck. This is on the level of the St. Paul Cage Match though the star in this one on the heel side is Somers.

Midnight Rockers vs. Rose & Somers

- The early Rose-Shawn stuff was excellent with HBK surprising and frustrating Rose at each turn with flash pins. Somers has enough of this shit and busts Shawn open. That’s right… attack the cut!!! Marty’s run was really fun as well with Somers now busted open. Hell, Marty sees the crimson and he wants in on the action and he is bleeding worse than anybody! What a wild, insane match I never fully appreciated before. I wish it had better finish but this was fun while it lasted. Strong Nomination!

AWA World Tag Titles: "Playboy" Buddy Rose & "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers © vs. The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) (8/30/86)

 

This was fucking great as we got blood early on from Shawn and then Somers with everyone working on the cuts in a violent fashion. Insanity then steps to the forefront with blood coming from everywhere and guys killing each other. I'm telling you this was some great great action and it sucks this series was in the "dying" AWA and not JCP or WWF because if this series was in those promotions it would be remembered as one of the all-timers to everyone not just us hardcores. This is the match that setup the cage match and it's as great if not greater than that. Dominique Wilkins Windmill Slam Dunk Nomination.

 

This is in better VQ on AWA Digest 8-11/86

I think this has also aired on WWE official releases/Classics on Demand so even better VQ is probably available.