Posted September 28, 201114 yr comment_5483659 AWA World Heavyweight Title: Rick Martel © vs. Larry Zbyszko (7/18/85) Zuhkov comes in the ring before the match and stares down Martel until Blackburn makes him leave. Larry tries to attack Martel as this is ending but Martel catches him and pounds on him even using a piledriver then grabbing the belt ready to use it until the referee steps in. Martel is rabid here working over Larry before he takes a hard bump into the ringpost trying to deliver a shoulderblock. Larry then methodically works over Martel before going to the abdominable stretch which Martel would eventually break free from and started his comeback throwing punches. Martel then hits a backbreaker but as he tried his slingshot splash Larry got his knees up which didn't stop Martel though as he kept the offensive advantage until they had a double collision sending Rick to the floor. Larry works him over on the apron and these guys are really throwing bombs here as both men just trade big shots with Martel looking especially good throwing shots. This is a no frills slugfest until Zbyszko hits a suplex which Martel counters on the mat by keeping Larry's shoulders down for the pin. Larry is angry at the finish so Zuhkov comes back out and lays out Martel for good measure. I liked this way more than Dylan because of how nasty Martel was here. I think this deserves another look because it wasn't your normal Martel match with high spots galore but a total slugfest.
September 28, 201114 yr comment_5483681 Pre-match is funny as Zukoff comes out and stares down Martel and Blackburn has to come out and coax him out of the ring. Larry tries to ambush Martel at this point and takes an early beating. Martel eventually ends up taking a corner charge bump and then gets smashed face first into the ringside table. Larry follows that up with a knee drop to Martel's head as it lays on the table. Larry with an ab stretch. I thought Martel's comeback run on offense was actually sort of low key and uninspired but the cut off with Martel eating the knees on a slingshot splash attempt was really well done as was the subsequent suplex struggle spot that led to a Martel nearfall. Martel takes a cool stunned bump off of a kick to the face that Larry threw out of desperation after eating a pretty nice looking gutwrench suplex. Martel ends up working the Bob Backlund spot as Larry keeps him at bay by knocking him down every time he tries to get up on the floor which gets Martel heated. This segment really goes on needlessly long and when Martel tries to come back with punches it seems flat. Martel comes back off of a missed Zbyszko dropkick and bumps Larry throw the ropes and kicks him in the head. Martel wins with a cradle off of a suplex from Larry. This was structured really awkwardly and the heat section didn't have heat and went to long. There were good spots in it but that I thought it was easily worse than the Larry v. Steve O match I watched earlier today and can't see it as a serious pick for this sort of set. Post-match attack by Boris Zukoff with Martel being stretchered out was funny. Edit: Another one I watched really early on. I remember not totally buying the Martel in peril section here. I grew to like the FIP/babyface comeback on the floor more as my viewing went on, but this is a match where the comeback that followed it didn't really fit to me.
May 31, 201213 yr comment_5504826 Martel vs. Zbyzsko - I really enjoyed this match and Martel was bringing the fire. The problem was it was fought like Act I of a Three Act Play. Much of the middle was Larry keeping Martel on the outside and preventing him from getting in the ring. The ending came out of nowhere which doesn’t bother me but it was sort of sloppy in execution. Can’t push this through.
