AWA World Tag Titles: The Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) © vs. Terry "Bamm Bamm" Gordy & Michael Hayes) (9/28/85)

 

CONFEDERATE FACEPAINT!!! This is nothing but a brawl at the bell as the Roadies send the Birds running to the grass. Hayes running all over the field as the fans chant GO HOME FREEBIRDS is great. Roadies dominate early as Gordy bumps his ass off while Hayes gets pounded around. The Birds would get some offense in as Hawk would miss a running shoulderblock into the corner and this is about as long of an FIP section you would get on Hawk at this time. Hawk even sold a Gordy piledriver somewhat before a fun hope spot where he tees off on the Birds in their corner before trying to tag Animal and getting cut off. Hayes would climb up top and Hawk would slam him down before a double collision with Gordy after he tagged in put them both on the mat. Animal would finally get the hot tag and he about killed Gordy with a powerslam for a nearfall leading to a 4-way brawl and as this happened we got Buddy & Ellering fighting on the floor with Buddy nailing him in the back of the head with a steel chair. Animal would press slam Gordy in the ring which was intense then gave Hayes a big powerslam followed up a diving clothesline on Gordy. Hayes would then climb up top and caught Animal with some brass knux and the Birds would get leave with the titles but the decision would be overturned. I dug this a lot and I think it deserves a nomination.

Pre-match Birds interview is fun and they are wearing Confederate Flag warpant. Birds get chased off before the introductions and after those formalities are done we get an awesome moment with Hayes running around in the outfield while the crowd chants "Go Home Freebirds." Birds get bumped around wildly early. Hayes takes a punch to the face from Hawk on a sunset flip attempt and Hayes ends up retreating to his corner to tag a tentative Gordy. hawk hits the steel on a corner charge and Gordy hits a suplex. Hawk is working a pretty straight FIP here and actually semi-sells a Gordy piledriver which is an improvement for him. Hawk ends up in the Birds corner and fights them both but gets cut off on the way to Animal. Hawk hits a slam on Hayes off the top for another hope spot and then they do a pretty weak looking double knock down spot with Gordy that leads to the hot tag. Animal's powerslam on Gordy looked impressive and was a nice nearfall. Buddy tries to get involved but Ellering pulls him down. Buddy ends up chasing Paul down from behind and fucking killing him with a chairshot to the back of the head. All hell breaks loose with hawk beating on Buddy and we get a pretty lame finish with the Birds stealing a fall via chicanery while the ref was distracted. This is something that people will want to see if they haven't seen it because it is the Birds v. Warriors in a big setting. The body of this was actually pretty good but the only parts that were really great were Hayes roaming in the outfield and Roberts killing Ellering dead with the chair. I think this is a guaranteed EXTRA but I would have a hard time justifying this as a stand alone match. EXTRA

The Road Warriors vs. The Fabulous Freebirds 9/28/85 (Super Clash I Disc 1)

- I enjoyed this match but probably not as much as I enjoyed Roadies vs. Tenryu/Jumbo or Roadies vs. Horsemen. Good match but I won’t cry if it doesn’t make the set.