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Guest Rasslin Review #14 - AWF Warriors of Wrestling
More nifty obscure stuff from Our Pal, "OrangeGoblinFan"
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- For everyone who is Wondering, this was an Independent Wrestling Federation that exisited from 1994-1996 and aired now and then on the old MSG network when everything possible aired in between the 18 hours of non-Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers games and activities. Most of the roster consisted of Former WWF wrestlers, including the AWF World Champion, Tito Santana, who still dresses like he's El Matador. Others include current Vince McMahon lacky Sgt. Slaughter, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr., and a host of other has beens. The funny thing about this show is I don't even remember taping it, yet I stumbled upon it after falling asleep through my Superbrawl V PPV tape, and waking up watching this. I loved MSG Network for having wrestling, but now they no longer do sadly, making me pissed.
- The commentators for this show are Terry "Red Rooster" Taylor and Mike Karch. It appears that this was aired in the summer of 1995, considering whos on the roster and where they were and ended up in the time around this.
- The rules of the AWF Matches were quite odd, so I'll just give it a quick run-down before I get to the actual matches. Each match consist of Three Rounds, with each Round lasting about Four minutes. If the match goes all Three rounds without a decision, then the Referee who has been keeping score (like in a boxing match) decides who is awared the match. In short, its one major Dusty Finished booked before hand.
- Tag Team Championship Tournament Match:
"Gentleman" Chris Adams & Konan 2000 Vs. The Samoan Swat Team (Samu & Tama):
Samu is fresh of his recent WWF Tenure as a member of the Head Shrinkers, and Tama is I think the former Islander along side Haku. Everyone should recognize Chris Adams from World Class and USWA fame, and Konan 2000 seems to be another Ultimate Warrior knock off. Konan 2000 is replacing 2 Cold Scorpio as Adams' partner, due to his being attacked by evil heels The Executioner and Nailz! Wow, Nailz was still employed as a wrestler in 1995, what a shocker.
Round 1: Taylor sounds pretty good at commentary from what I have heard so far. Adams & Samu start and damn is that ring loud. lockup and Samu shoves Adams off. Repeat the exact same move. Adams with the mandetory Headlock/shoulderblock combination which i call "The move that annoys me most." Adams is a little sloppy (cough: crackhead :cough) and nails a cresent kick to the chest and punches the samoan in the HEAD. Samu no sells of course and lays him out with a headbutt. Konan in and he nails the mve that annoys me most. Tama was in by the way, anyway, knucklelock, of course Konan wins and he gets sucker punched by Tama. Double headbutt by the SST. Samu lays an ass kicking into Konnan with 30 seconds left in the round. Double Team action by the Samoans but Konan makes the hot tag with 9 seconds and they double clothesline Tama at the bell.
- Jeff Gaylord cuts a promo during the rest period. Gaylord, hehehe. I'm guessing he's playing a heel since he mocks some of the baby faces.
Round 2: Tama & Konan start. Konan with the move that annoys me most. a Clothesline ties up Tama in the ropes, and Adams tags in. He misses a charge at the ropes and crotches himself and Tama kills him. Double clothesline by the samoans. Samu drops a headbutt for a 2 count. Botched Powerbomb and leg drop , followed by a headbutt by Samu and Tama tags back in. Konan gets the tag as well and he double noggin knockers the SST (moron!) and the rightly double headbutt him. Brawl errupts and Samu accidentaly clotheslines Tama to the floor, and its bam! Superkick by Chris Adams and a top rope splash by Konan 2000 for the pin on Samu at 2:40 into round 2 (6:40 combined). Match was pretty good considering it had samoans in it. **.
- Chris E. (get it? Chrisie? HAHAHA!!!) interviews the winning duo of Chris Adams & Konan 2000. Pass on this one, I hate interviews about nothing.
- T-Rex Vs. "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. (w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink):
Orton was feduing with the AWF World Champion Tito Santana at this point (and basically the entire existance of AWF). Squash time. Lockup goes nowhere and Orton cheap shots in the corner. Both men with go behinds and Orton uses his moment to knock Rex off of him. Punches galore in the corner by Orton. (-The Sheiks Army promo on the other side of the screen.) Orton with a kneedrop and a boot to the kisser. Rex is set up in the corner and Orton plants some knees in his abdomin. T-Rex fights back but gets caught with a running dropkick. Piledriver by Orton finishes this one at 2:43. 1/4*. Well That was quick. After the match, Bob Orton & Sir Oliver have fighting words for Chico Santana, the companies World Champion for most of its time.
- Sgt. Slaughter Vs. The Terrorist:
How Ironic that Sgt. Slaughter is being an all American boy fighting against some guy named The Terrorist? To think people are paid money to come up with shit like that. Why not just call him the Foreign scum who wrestles like the Ultimate Puke. Plus it's time for another Squash match, so buckle up and enjoy the ride. Slaughter with a headlock into an armbar and back to the headlock. He scores a knee lift and gutbuster on The Terrorist then stomps him. Dusty Rhodes imitation! HAHA! Terrorist gets his token Jobber offense but gets taken out with a clothesline and the cobra clutch at 2:50. DUD.
-Chris E. with "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware & "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas. More talking about nothing. Too many interviews.
- Tag Team Championship Tournament Match:
Mr. Hughes & Hercules Vs. The Warlord & Jeff Gaylord:
This is definitely an odd pairing to say the least. Three of these men were in WWF at some point, and if you believe Gaylord was the Black Knight at the 1993 SSeries, then all four men have been. Both teams consist of all heels, so it's going to be hard to tell who's being cheered and who's being booed. The Warlord is dressed like his singles self, but has added his old Powers of Pain face paint on. Hercules looks like he did in 1992 when he left in 1992 and everyone else is everyone else. Mr. Hughes sucked though.
Round 1: Hughes & Gaylord start, and they stall for about 90 seconds. 2 lockups go nowhere. Drop toe hold and side headlock by Gaylord. (-Rico Suave promo in the corner of the screen) Hughes with the move that i hate most and a Hogan imitation now. Everytime someone is imitated they are replacing Terry Taylor. If he's doing the voices he is petty good. Gaylord with a shouldertackle and Warlord tags in. He Hammers on Hughes very slowy. He focuses on the arm and mr. hughes with an eye rake to end the Round.
Round 2: Hughes & Warlord lock up. That goes nowhere and Hercules tags in finally. Shoulderblock goes nowhere and Warlord clotheslines Hercules to the canvas. Boots and Axhandle by Goldberg but Hercules takes control with punches and an armbar(!). Even Tayor sounds surprised. (-Nailz & Executioners promo) Hercules pounds on Warlords arm some more. Hughes back in and back to the arm. YAWN! Warlord fights back and hughs kicks him into the corner, and Warlord fights back again to cheers and hip tosses the big man. Gaylord in but walks into a eye poke and headbutt by Hughes. Hercules beats down on Gaylord and sends him to the floor and now we have a Randy Savage imitation. Herc with a club to the chest and sloppily slingshots him back into the ring. Gaylord with a spinning heel kick at the bell.
Round 3: Hercules armbars Gaylord out of nowhere and Hughes tags in with a dropkick for 2 (the first pin of the match!). Brawl errupts and everyone just beats each others ass as the referee calls it a Double Disqaulification at 1:46 (9:46 combined). * They continue to brawl for a good 3-4 minutes until the Renegades (Gaylord & warlord) send them off. They pose to cheers afterwards.
- Chris E. with AWF World Heavyweight Champion Tito Santana. ARRIBA! He runs down Bob Orton much like Orton did him earlier in the show.
- The commentators run down the Tag Team Tournament. Here are the matches for Round 1...
The Hangmen Vs. Johnny Gunn & Jim Powers
Charles Morris & Tom Zenk recieve a bye
Hercules & Mr. Hughes Vs. Warlord & Jeff Gaylord
Greg Valentine & Johnny Rich recieve a bye
Koko B. Ware & Tony Atlas Vs. Super Destroyers
Fidel Sierra & Ron Powers recieve a bye
Chris Adams & Konan 2000 Vs. Samoan Swat Team
Nailz & Executioner recive a bye
with the First Round over with, let's check out the bracketing for the Quarter-Finals that will start the next week...
Johnny Gunn & Jim Powers Vs. Charles Morris & Tom Zenk
Greg Valentine & Johnny Rich bye inot the semi-finals
Koko B. Ware & Tony Atlas Vs. Fidel Siera & Ron Powers
Chris Adams & Konan 2000 Vs. Nailz & Executioner
- Not bad for a has been show but nothing i'd go out of my way to find. AWF would die in December of 1996. I don't remember anything much of the company, but I do know Orton & Santana were the only World Champions, and Greg Valentine and Johnny Rich were the winners of the Tag Team Title Tournament.
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