AWA TV 3-17-89 Snuka vs Martel!

[Chitohausen]

AWA “PRO WRESTLING USA”

Taped March 16, 1989 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois
Broadcast on Saturday, March 17, 1989 @ 6pm on Superstation WGN






“From coast to coast, border to border, and continent to continent, this is the AWA, the major leagues of professional wrestling!”






VTR: Last Week on Pro Wrestling USA:
Kamala gains an early advantage, and spends the next few minutes choking, gouging, stomping and biting the Sarge! Kamala seems to have the match well in hand, but when he runs the ropes and attempts a splash, Slaughter gets his knees up. Slaughter then makes a comeback, and takes the fight to the Ugandan warrior, stunning him with a flurry of rights and lefts that leave the big man staggering around the ring.

Moments later, Sarge connects with the SLAUGHTER CANNON! Slaughter looks to be on his way to victory, but Paul Orndorff hits the ring! Orndorff attacks Slaughter from behind, but before too much damage can be done, Jimmy Snuka and the man who came out of the crowd last week, hit the ring and help Sarge run the heels off.

LARRY NELSON climbs into the ring and talks with Slaughter, Snuka and the man that Slaughter introduces as Cpl. Kirchner. Sarge says that Kirchner is a former Army paratrooper, and very close friend of his. Sarge shakes Kirchner’s hand, and says he’s happy to have Kirchner here in the AWA.
END VTR





Rod Trongard opens the show alone, then the camera pans out as Trongard introduces his new co-host, a good friend of his, and the top announcer in the history of this great sport . . . they call him “the Dean”, Gordon Solie!



Gordon thanks Rod for the warm welcome, though he says he’s not sure about the top announcer comment, but he certainly does love being out here, calling the action!

Trongard and Solie run down tonight’s show, which will include a big main event, as Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka takes on former AWA World champion Rick Martel. Trongard says that we saw Jimmy Hart out here talking with Martel last week, and if Hart and Martel have struck a deal, that could be bad news for Snuka here tonight.


SGT. SLAUGHTER VS. THE MASKED TERROR. The Terror is a mysterious masked man, dressed all in black, with a black and blood-red mask. He lives up to his name, as he tries every dirty trick in the book, but to no avail. Slaughter eventually wears the masked man down, and locks on the Cobra clutch for the win.



MAGNUM TA is standing by with Mr. Matsuda, Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta. Matsuda talks about upcoming matches with the Road Warriors, and says that the Roadies are typical of American competitors. He says that Japanese wrestlers, like Tsuruta and Tenryu, train every day for years, to become masters of wrestling, while in America, two muscleheads like Hawk and Animal can walk in, paint their faces, and call themselves wrestlers! He says that they just want to hurt people, they don’t care at all about competition or sportsmanship. Matsuda says that Tsuruta and Tenryu are gentlemen inside and outside the ring, they rely on pure wrestling ability to win matches, they don’t go looking to hurt people, or have to cheat to win, unlike the Road Warriors.

Matsuda says that if the fans come out to the arenas when his men face the Road Warriors, they can be assured that they will see the pinnacle of professional wrestling in Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu.



At the broadcast desk, Trongard and Solie are joined by AWA Americas champion Sgt. Slaughter and Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. Snuka talks about his match with Rick Martel tonight. He says he’s teamed with Martel plenty of times over the years, mainly in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. He says that Rick has always been an upstanding young man, he’s not sure what’s got into him lately, but promises to knock some sense into Martel tonight!

Slaughter talks about Jimmy Hart and his Hart Foundation. He says that this war with Orndorff has gone beyond professional, Orndorff has come out here and insulted Slaughter, he’s mocked Sarge’s military service, even claiming that Slaughter has been lying about being a Marine, which everyone knows is untrue. He says that this is a matter of pride, and he will not rest until he’s run Orndorff out of not only the AWA, but wrestling entirely!

Trongard says that Sarge and Snuka have matches coming up all around the country, against various members of the Hart Foundation, mainly Orndorff and Kamala.

Slaughter hopes the fans will come out to support him and Snuka as they try to rid the AWA of the entire Hart Foundation.

Trongard says that earlier this week, he was informed of a big match that has been signed for the “Brawl in St. Paul” television special, right here on WGN, live on Saturday night, March 31. On that show, on top of the Steve Williams and Gary Albright vs Stan Hansen and Big Van Vader match, we’ll see another tag team match . . . Slaughter and Snuka will face Orndorff and Kamala in a special Boot Camp match!

Slaughter says that in two week’s time, it’s the end of the road for Orndorff and Kamala!



“DR. DEATH” STEVE WILLIAMS VS. “PLAYBOY” BUDDY ROSE. Doc makes short work of the dastardly Playboy, connecting with the Oklahoma Stampede for the pinfall victory.



MAGNUM TA is standing by with Jimmy Hart and AWA World Tag Team champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart. Right off the bat, Jimmy says that he has a big announcement, and says that it’s a great pleasure to introduce everyone to the newest member of the Hart Foundation . . . Rick Martel!

Martel walks in and shakes hands with Jimmy, Bret and Neidhart.

Jimmy says that he’ll be in Martel’s corner later tonight, to make sure there’s no funny business from Jimmy Snuka. Martel says that when a manager the calibre of Jimmy Hart offers you a spot in his stable, you’d be an idiot to turn him down! He says that with his abilities, and a great manager like Hart guiding his career, there’s no limit to what he can achieve in the AWA!

Bret Hart then brags about holding both the World Tag Team title with Neidhart, and the AWA World TV title! Bret says that this makes him the top contender to Sgt. Slaughter’s Americas title, and even says that Stan Hansen should watch out, because after he takes Slaughter’s title, he might just decide to add the Triple Crown to his collection as well!

Jimmy says that his Hart Foundation is the premier group in wrestling today, and it’s only a matter of time before they control ALL the gold in the AWA!



BRAD RHEINGANS VS. STEVE COX. Cox puts up a valiant effort, but Rheingans eventually gets the win here, pinning Cox with a cradle suplex.


Trongard and Solie talk about the “Brawl in St. Paul”, coming up on Saturday, March 31 and airing live right here on Superstation WGN!

They talk a little about the matches that will take place:

Tag Team Grudge Match!
Steve “Dr. Death” Williams & Gary Albright vs AWA Triple Crown champ Stan Hansen & Big Van Vader

Boot Camp Match!
Sgt. Slaughter & Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka vs “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff & Kamala; Cpl. Kirchner will be in Slaughter and Snuka’s corner, to keep an eye on Jimmy Hart!

6-man Tag Team Match!
The Fantastics & Jackie Fulton vs The Samoan SWAT Team & their manager Diamond Dallas Page

Rick Martel vs Jumpin’ Jim Brunzell

Owen Hart vs Tiger Mask

Trongard talks a little bit about the 6-man tag match that will see Diamond Dallas Page actually compete in the ring, alongside his Samoan SWAT Team! He says that AWA President Nick Bockwinkel made the decision that, if Page was going to interfere in his team’s matches, then he could get in the ring and wrestle alongside them!

Solie then talks about the main event, the tag team match of Steve Williams and Gary Albright against Stan Hansen and Big Van Vader. Solie says that this is a rivalry he’s followed, going all the way back to Hansen first challenging Williams for the AWA World title, prior to the unificaation of the Triple Crown, last Fall! He says that the last time we saw these two teams face off was part of a 6-man tag match on January 20 in St. Paul.

Footage is shown of the final minutes of the Williams/Albright/Gordy vs Hansen/Vader/Bigelow match on January 20, where Williams pinned Hansen for the win, only to be attacked by Hansen, thrown to the floor, and busted open on the steel ringpost!

Solie says that Dr. Death is not going to let that go unpunished, and he believes there’s going to be hell to pay for Stan Hansen on March 31 at the Brawl in St. Paul!


THE SAMOAN SWAT TEAM: SAMU & FATU (w/ Diamond Dallas Page) VS. DAVID FINLAY & AL SNOW. Finlay and Snow are both very capable young wrestlers, and they give the SST a fight here, but in the end, the Samoans ends up getting the win when Samu pins Snow after both Samoans hit Snow with diving headbutts from opposite turnbuckles!


After the match, LARRY NELSON talks with Page and the Samoan SWAT Team. Nelson says that we heard just a few minutes ago that Page will be a part of the 6-man tag team match at the “Brawl in St. Paul”, when he and the SST face the Fantastics and Jackie Fulton.

Page says that what people don’t realize, is that he’s been training with some of the greats, learning the ropes, and not only is he a competent wrestler, but he could probably whip all three of those jerks himself! He says that the 6-man tag match on March 31 is going to be a massacre, and he can’t wait!



RICK MARTEL (w/ Jimmy Hart) VS. JIMMY “SUPERFLY” SNUKA. The former AWA champion takes on the immensely popular Superfly in our main event. Snuka may be getting older, but he’s still as quick and exciting in the ring as he’s ever been! Martel avoids locking up to start the match, demanding that the referee re-check Snuka for foreign objects, and when he refuses, Martel bails to the outside to talk things over with Jimmy Hart. Once the match finally starts, Snuka takes control almost immediately, and dominates the first few minutes of the match. A well-placed thumb to the eye from Martel turns the tables, and Martel controls the next few minutes, focusing on Snuka’s back, looking to soften him up for the Quebec Crab.

Late in the match, after taking quite a bit of punishment, Snuka manages to make a comeback, and chops Martel several times, then delivers his leaping headbutt that puts Martel flat on his back on the mat. From there, Snuka whips him into the corner, then stands on the second turnbuckle and repeatedly punches Martel, as the fans count along. However, Martel’s got a trick up his sleeve, and he pushes Snuka backwards off the turnbuckles, and, with both feet on the middle rope for leverage, Martel hooks Snuka’s legs and gets the 1, 2, 3!

Rick Martel has stolen a win here from the Superfly! Snuka goes after Martel, but Rick bails out of the ring, then joins Jimmy Hart on the floor and makes his way back to the locker room, arms raised in victory.


Trongard and Solie recap what we saw here tonight, and hype next week’s show before signing off.


Credits Roll


© 1989, AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION