Yeah! This is what I'm talking about! I had no idea Choshu ever worked the AWA, and here he and Saito wear matching capri pants and Saito looks like the most solidly built motherfucker on earth. They take Gagne apart to start, with Saito choking him to his knees and Choshu kicking and stomping him. Gagne fights back really nicely and once he tags in Lawler it really picks up, with some (shockingly) great punches and a great fistdrop, then rains down a bunch of great punches to Riki's nose. Saito tags in and charges, and Lawler matadors out of the way and Saito takes a CRAZY shoulder bump into the ringpost, almost Cassandroing himself!! Lawler does an awesome delayed bodyslam and then a fistdrop to the throat! Gagne works over Saito's shoulder with some cool armdrag takedowns, but Saito eventually elbows him in the face to tag in Riki. Riki and Lawler do some shoulderblocks, and Lawler takes a boot to the gut better than most, just stumbling and falling to his knees. Saito and Choshu work sharpshooter variations on him, and Saito headbutts Lawler in his bandaid a bunch! Lawler gets worked over for the next 5 minutes, ref misses two tags to Gagne due to Riki's distraction, but then Lawler ducks a Riki lariat and Saito gets nailed with it! It breaks down on the hot tag with all 4 in the ring, Lawler throwing bombs, Riki takes a big backdrop, and ends in a DQ. The DQ Saito brings in a chair and Riki runs Gagne into it. Lawler is punching dudes post-bell, Saito is headbutting Gagne, crowd is going nuts. 15 minutes of awesome tag action. NOMINATE!

 

AWA on ESPN Classics 5/28/08, All-Star Wrestling 1988

This version is JIP but I know it exists in full. Most of what is shown here is Lawler in peril and it is really good heel work from Saito/Choshu. They cut off the ring on Lawler and do a good job milking that working, front facelocks, boston crabs, scorpions, et. There is a cool spot with Lawler dropping the strap only, for Saito to grab him from behind before he can fully fire up. Finish sort of feels out of nowhere, but that may be a symptom of the front end of this being missing. If Will has a complete version on the Classics discs this should probably go on, but the JIP version really feels like it is missing a lot.

Greg Gagne & Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Riki Choshu & Mr. Saito (5/14/88)

 

This is just such an odd match and I love it. Like Dylan my version is JIP but I remember seeing this in full and there was some really fun stuff to start like Eric said. I loved Choshu wearing Saito's pants as well and damn did this make me want to see a Lawler/Choshu singles match at Mid-South Coliseum or Korakuen Hall. Lawler works FIP and does a damn good job here as the Japanese work their sasorigatames and other submission moves which tortured Lawler. The Japanese were really good at working the sneaky double teams and I loved how Lawler dropped his strap but Saito grabbed him from behind only to be met by a lariato by Choshu. Gagne would get the hot tag and the 4-way brawl was on and funny watching Choshu work this style. Saito grabs a chair with Choshu running Gagne's head into the chair for the DQ. Cheap finish but this was lots of fun and moves forward fairly easily.

KHawk, where is the full version?

KHawk, where is the full version?

I will look for it. I have a version that is likely complete on Disc 1 of my Lawler in the AWA compilation from years back, which I presumably got from my old self-taped Super Mix tapes.

I found my version. It begins with the first lockup (Gagne and Chosu), and ends right after the bell and the DQ announcement. It's about 14 minutes in total.

I have the AWA on ESPN classics version. Very solid match and so weird to see Choshu and Lawler in an AWA ring. Nothing mind blowing but the control segments were well done. This should go on the set.

Date is 5/14/88, from Vegas.

 

FWIW on Clawmaster's results it shows Lawler and Gagne as subs for the Midnight Rockers in that match.