AWA TV 7-7-88 Slaughter vs Abby! A new challenge for Doc!
Jul 19, 2017 2:07:08 GMT
Post by Chitohausen on Jul 19, 2017 2:07:08 GMT
AWA “PRO WRESTLING USA”
Airdate: Friday, July 7, 1988
Broadcast nationwide on Superstation WGN
Taped July 5, 1988 at the Brown County Arena in Green Bay, WI
“From coast to coast, border to border, and continent to continent, this is the AWA, the major leagues of professional wrestling!”
Rod Trongard opens the show, and welcomes his co-host Diamond Dallas Page!
Trongard and Page talk about the big July 4 show that took place earlier this week in Denver. Trongard says that Steve Williams finally toppled Abdullah the Butcher, pinning the Butcher in a match where there were no DQs or count-outs. Page says that Williams surprised him, he thought Abby had the champion’s number, but Williams was able to pull out a victory.
Page says that more big news coming out of Denver, his buddy Jimmy Hart’s team of Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart have become the #1 contenders to the AWA World Tag Team titles. DDP says that the Hart Foundation already controls the Americas title, held by Orndorff, and now it’s only a matter of time before they have the Tag titles as well!
Trongard says the match between Bret and Neidhart and the Superpowers wasn’t without controversy, as Orndorff got involved.
VTR: Bret/Neidhart vs Slaughter/Koloff, July 4, 1988, JIP:
The match is pretty evenly-matched throughout, but in the end, Paul Orndorff comes down to ringside. While Neidhart brawls with Nikita, Orndorff distracts Slaughter, allowing Bret to roll Sarge up for the pinfall victory! As Bret and Neidhart get their hands raised, Slaughter jumps out of the ring and brawls with Orndorff down the aisle and to the back.
END VTR
Page says that Orndorff did nothing wrong, he didn’t lay a hand on Slaughter, it’s not Orndorff’s fault that Sarge is so easily distracted!
Trongard says that, sooner or later, Orndorff’s going to have to put the Americas title on the line against Slaughter, and when that time comes, we may very well see a new champion crowned!
Speaking of Sgt. Slaughter, he’ll face Abdullah the Butcher in tonight’s main event!
BOB BACKLUND VS. CUBAN ASSASSIN. Backlund, the former amateur standout, showcases his pure wrestling ability here, wearing the Cuban Assassin down and locking on the crossface chickenwing for the submission victory.
After the match, Dallas Page leaves the announce desk, to join his team backstage prior to their match.
Alone on commentary now, Trongard talks about Steve Williams successfully defending the World’s title against Abdullah the Butcher on July 4 in Denver.
VTR: Williams vs Abby, 7/4/88, JIP:
Abdullah breaks out his trusty fork early, but Williams gets it away from him, and bloodies the Butcher with it! Abby keeps fighting back, but Williams won’t be denied here, and in the end, he leaps off the top rope with a flying shoulderblock, putting Abby on the mat, and Williams covers him for the 1, 2, 3!
Steve Williams has done it, he’s finally pinned Abdullah the Butcher right in the middle of the ring, and he did it in his hometown of Denver!
END VTR
STAN HANSEN VS. JAKE MILLIMAN. Hansen makes his way to the ring, swinging his bullrope around, sending fans scattering. Once inside the ring, the man from Borger, Texas pounces on Milliman and beats him to a pulp! Hansen gets the win by pinfall after connecting with a devastating Lariat!
After the match, Hansen grabs the house mic from Larry Nelson, and says that he took care of King Kong Brody, and ran him right out of the AWA, now he wants the top dog, he wants Steve Williams!
A moment later, Steve Williams makes his way out! Doc climbs into the ring and gets right in Hansen’s face. He says that he’s never backed down from a fight in his life, and he’s not about to start now! The two men stand nose to nose . . . Hansen throws a haymaker, but Williams is ready! Doc blocks the punch, and hits Hansen with a series of jabs. Hansen is momentarily stunned, but shakes it off, and drives a knee into Doc’s midsection. Hansen delivers some clubbing forearm blows that drop Williams to a knee, but he’s back up quickly and goes at Hansen!
The two brawl all around the ring before referees and other wrestlers swarm the ring and try to separate them. It takes several tries, as they keep breaking free and attacking each other again, but finally order is restored, and the two men are removed from the ring.
THE PLAYBOYS: TOM PRITCHARD & JIMMY DEL REY (w/Diamond Dallas Page) VS. RICKY & ROCKY JOHNSON. The Playboys make their television in-ring debut, and they put their opponents away when Pritchard pins Ricky Johnson after he and Del Rey hit a double flapjack.
Magnum TA is backstage with AWA World Tag Team champions The British Bulldogs. Magnum says that Jimmy Hart’s team of Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart defeated the Superpowers on July 4, and as a result, have been named the #1 contenders to the World Tag titles.
Davey Boy says he and Dynamite have faced Bret and Neidhart before, he knows that they’re a great team, one of the very best in the world. That’s what he and Dynamite want, they want competition, they want to face the very best teams in wrestling. He says he can promise one thing, when they face Bret and Neidhart, the fans will be in for one heck of a match!
HANDICAP MATCH
NIKITA KOLOFF VS. DAN GREER & DAVEY O’HANNON. Koloff destroys his opponents, pinning Greer after the Russian Sickle.
ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER VS. SGT. SLAUGHTER. The fans are treated to a wild brawl here! Abby gains an early advantage, using his trusty fork, out of view of the referee, but he can’t put Sarge away. Slaughter battles back, but his advantage is short-lived, as once again, Abby goes back to the fork to stop Slaughter in his tracks. Abdullah seems to have the match well in hand, and after stomping a mudhole in Slaughter, Abby hits the Butcher’s Axe elbowdrop!
On commentary, Page and Trongard put over the Axe as a devastating move, and one that has won the Butcher countless matches! The ref is in position . . . one . . . two . . . Slaughter gets a shoulder up at the last second!!! Abby is shocked, as nobody kicks out after the Butcher’s Axe! As Slaughter gets back to his feet, he stuns Abdullah with several rights and lefts, and then drops Abby with a running clothesline. Abby slowly gets back up, and as he does, Slaughter locks on the Cobra Clutch!
Abby is fading fast, but has the presence of mind to drive Slaughter backwards into the corner. Slaughter still has the hold cinched in, but when Abby backs into the corner a second time, the impact causes Slaughter to let go of the hold. Abby delivers a chop to the throat that leaves Slaughter gasping for air. Slaughter still has some fight left in him, though, and delivers an elbow strike to the head of the Butcher, then another, and another! Abby stumbles backwards, but doesn’t leave his feet. Slaughter then hits the Slaughter Cannon and that puts Abby flat on his back! That’s all she wrote for Abby, as Sarge quickly covers the Butcher for the 1, 2, 3!
Trongard and Page wrap things up, with Trongard hyping next week’s show.
Credits Roll
© 1988, AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION
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