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AWA Rebirth
Sunday, Week 3, February 1991
Taylor Arena, Rochester, MN
Attendance: 6,507
The dulcet tones of Tony Schiavone screams that the AWA has finally arrived to its resurrection, RIGHT HERE at AWA Rebirth! Schiavone, Eric Bischoff, and Jesse Ventura run down the card for this incredibly exciting event. Jesse Ventura declares that the American Wrestling Association is back in action, and better than ever! They run down the massive card, from the opening contest, Tiger Sayama vs. Steve Regal for the AWA Light Heavyweight Championship and the debut of Razor Ramon vs. Scott Norton (Savio Vega suffered a facial fracture and thus missed the show), as well as some big time contests such as Bob Backlund vs. Dick Slater and "The Battle of the Bam Bams". They finish up by hyping up what Eric Bischoff declares as "possibly the greatest matches in AWA history": Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat and Jerry Lawler vs. Larry Zbyszko for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. AWA World Light Heavyweight Championship Tiger Sayama vs. Steve Regal (c) The show opens up with Tiger Sayama vs. Steve Regal for the AWA World Light Heavyweight Championship. Tiger Sayama dominates the match and keeps Regal on his toes on route to a big victory in 7:10. Tiger Sayama is now crowned the AWA World Light Heavyweight Champion. Rating: 50 |
Following the match, we get Larry Nelson interviewing Bob Backlund. Nelson says that tonight's the night that Backlund and Slater will face off against one another in a big rematch. Backlund tells Nelson that he's been having to deal with Slater and Col. Rob Parker for over a month now and it's time to end things once and for all. When Backlund gets into that ring with Slater, he's gonna stretch him like taffy and break him like a glass vase; obviously saying that Slater is a weak man. Rating: 62 |
Bob Backlund vs. Dick Slater w/ Col. Rob Parker The next bout of the evening sees a rivalry come to life when Bob Backlund and Dick Slater battle in the ring. Backlund uses his incredible amateur background and prowess to overtake Slater, but Slater always seems to find a way to comeback... maybe because of some "help" from outside. The ending of the match sees Backlund finally ready to put this one away before Col. Rob Parker hops up onto the apron, distracting the ref. Backlund goes over to push Parker off, but Slater HITS BACKLUND WITH PARKER'S CANE! Backlund goes down and is busted open slightly. Slater slaps on the Figure-Four, but Backlund is unable to respond to the ref, who finally has noticed that Backlund is out cold. He calls for the bell and Slater and Rob Parker steal the victory from Backlund in 12:11! Rating: 58 |
He's finally here, it's Razor Ramon. Nick Bockwinkel welcomes Ramon to the AWA, but Razor lords over Bockwinkel, saying that he doesn't need any welcoming party; Razor's finally here in the AWA and the first thing he gets to do is talk to an old man- how disrespectful. Bockwinkel shakes his head and asks Razor his thoughts on his opponent tonight: Scott Norton. Razor is unfazed and says that he's gonna be the first in a long line of victims of the reign of Razor Ramon. Everyone is gonna learn to fear "The Bad Guy". Rating: 67 |
Razor Ramon vs. Scott Norton w/ Superstar Billy Graham With Razor Ramon's debut, he goes up against Scott Norton. Ramon impresses with some big moves against a big hoss. Ventura says that Razor Ramon has future champion written all over him. Ramon manages to lift up the big Norton for his finishing move: The Razor's Edge, and with that, Razor beats Norton in 7:23. A strong debut for The Bad Guy. Rating: 42 |
After Ramon vs. Norton, we get a music video hyping up the AWA Women's Championship match between long-time rivals Wendi Richter and Candi Devine. It highlights some matches in the past between the two and some of their more recent matches and confrontations. Rating: 44 |
AWA Women's Championship Wendi Richter vs. Candi Devine (c) w/ Col. Rob Parker We get our second Championship match of the evening, when Wendi Richter challenges Candi Devine for the AWA Women's Championship. It's a solid back and forth bout between the two, Candi Devine actually controlling the match and Richter playing the face in peril. However, disaster strikes for Candi Devine when a small ref bump gives Rob Parker the opportunity to interfere... and he BOTCHED IT! He accidentally hit Devine instead! Oh my goodness! Richter picks up Devine and slams her with the Sit-Out DDT! The ref counts the pin! WENDI RICHTER IS THE AWA WOMEN'S CHAMPION FOR A SECOND TIME! CANDI DEVINE'S REIGN IS OVER! Rating: 48 |
Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon vs. The Malenko Bros. w/ Boris Malenko Our next contest is a tag-team affair where Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon go up against hated enemies The Malenko Bros. The match sees some great wrestling despite a somewhat apathetic crowd reaction throughout. The ending of the match sees the Malenko Bros. nearly win when the time-limit was reached for the bout, officially making the match a draw. Rating: 48 |
Backstage we see Larry Nelson alongside Jim Cornette and Bam Bam Bigelow. Nelson talks about Bam Bam Bigelow's opponent, Terry Gordy. Cornette tells Gordy that the time has come for Bam Bam Bigelow to prove himself as the *real* Bam Bam. Gordy's time in the AWA is up, because once Bam Bam wins, Camp Cornette is gonna drive Gordy out of wrestling once and for all so there's only one real Bam Bam. Nelson asks about The Midnight Express vs. Peterson & Trooper, but Cornette cuts him off saying that the Midnight Express are as ready as ever and they'll do all their talking later. Rating: 51 |
"Battle of The Bam Bams" Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Jim Cornette vs. Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy The "Battle of the Bam Bams" finally arrives and almost immediately the two begin a massively wild brawl. There are punches, and kicks, and god damn clotheslines galore. Jim Cornette, manager of Bam Bam Bigelow, actually stands back and looks terrified to get involved in this bar fight. The finish of the match sees the two, beaten and battered, begin a trade-off, back and forth fight. Eventually the two go outside the ring, and having just about enough of each other, grab chairs and stare down. GORDY SWINGS! BIGELOW SWINGS! BOTH MEN JUST SMACKED EACH OTHER OVER THE HEAD WITH CHAIRS! The ref immediately calls for the bell, with Jim Cornette jumping into the ring to check up on his man. The match ends just as violently as it began, with no true resolution. Rating: 63 |
We cut backstage to the NEW AWA Women's Champion Wendi Richter being interviewed by Nick Bockwinkel. Wendi Richter holds up the Women's title with pride and declares that this is one of the biggest victories she's ever had. She says she knew Candi and Rob Parker couldn't do a single thing to her as the best women's wrestler in the company today. She tells Candi that she has nothing to be ashamed of, she held the title for over a year, but it's time for the Richter era to arrive here in the AWA, "and I plan on holding this title until the end of time or until I retire, whichever happens first, I don't care." Rating: 73 |
The Olympians vs. The Samoan SWAT Team Following that massive brawl, we get an okay match between The Olympians and The Samoan Swat Team. The Samoan SWAT Team defeated The Olympians in 7:33 after a Double Diving Headbutt. Jesse Ventura noted that the Samoan SWAT Team could be a championship team in the future. Rating: 53 |
We get an interview of Tully Blanchard and Woman by Larry Nelson. Tully Blanchard says, "Tonight is the night, Nikita Koloff. You got one over on me before, but tonight we end this. Tonight I'm gonna end you once and for all. Woman and I are gonna drive you out of wrestling and back to the streets of Russia, where you belong. When all is said and done, Woman and I are gonna go fine-dining with the best and brightest; we are the elite, after all." Rating: 62 |
Tully Blanchard w/ Woman vs. Nikita Koloff We get a good match that got a good reaction from the crowd. Tully Blanchard and Woman pull all sorts of tricks to try and get ahead of "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, but Koloff continues to come back and steamroll Blanchard with his strength. The finish of the match sees Woman climb up on the apron to distract the ref while Blanchard and Koloff brawl on the outside... suddenly, LOOK! BLANCHARD IS PULLING OUT SOME BRASS KNUCKLES! Koloff just got his lights knocked out! Blanchard escapes into the ring as a knocked out Koloff, bleeding from his head, starts to stir and tries to climb back into the ring... BUT NOT IN TIME! BLANCHARD JUST WON BY COUNT-OUT! This crowd is not happy with that result. Rating: 62 |
Steve Austin w/ Jeannie Clark vs. Owen Hart In a short match, Steve Austin and Owen Hart went all-out. Both wrestlers showed flashes of potential, but it was Steve Austin that pulled out the victory with a Sleeper Hold in 4:34. Rating: 47 |
Backstage we see Ken Resnick with Jim Cornette and The Midnight Express. Cornette mentions that Bam Bam Bigelow is currently being taken care of by medical professionals after that brutal match with Terry Gordy; Cornette is confident that Bam Bam will live to fight another day, but switches and talks about how his Midnight Express have arrived to the dance, and are ready to waltz out of Rochester, Minnesota as your brand new AWA World Tag Team Champions. Rating: 51 |
AWA World Tag Team Championships The Midnight Express w/ Jim Cornette vs. DJ Peterson & The Trooper (c) We come to another of the marquee matchups, The Midnight Express challenging DJ Peterson & The Trooper for the AWA World Tag Team Championships. The match starts off like many Midnight Express matches, the Express dominate the first half of the match. DJ Peterson plays the partner in peril for most of the match until finally, FINALLY, he manages to fend off Eaton and Lane long enough to tag in The Trooper, who goes loose on the Express. The finish of the bout sees Trooper and Peterson successfully mounting a comeback and ready to put this one away, until that damned Jim Cornette interferes in the match and distracts the ref while giving Bobby Eaton the tennis racket. Down goes Peterson, down goes The Trooper! Eaton still has the racket... ROCKET LAUNCHER WITH THE RACKET ONTO PETERSON'S RIBS! OH MY GOD! Eaton disposes of the racket and pins Peterson quickly while Trooper lies on the outside. The Midnight Express just STOLE the AWA World Tag Team Championships! Peterson convulses in the ring and struggles to breath as the ref checks up on him and brings in a doctor to check on Peterson. Rating: 55 |
Ken Resnick chats with Cactus Jack, who says he's just crazy about the AWA, all the biggest, nastiest, maddest dudes are hanging about here and Jack feels just at home. He's got a match tonight and he'll just take the opportunity to destroy his opponent in all sorts of gruesome manners. Rating: 41 |
Cactus Jack vs. Scotty The Body A simple occurs between Cactus Jack and Scotty The Body. The two get a decent back and forth, but it's Cactus Jack that gets the Double-Armed DDT on Scotty for the win. Tony Schiavone mentions how interested it will be to see how Cactus Jack's career plays out. Rating: 39 |
Backstage Nick Bockwinkel stops a very angry Nikita Koloff, who still has splotches of blood all over his face from the cut over his forehead. He screams that Tully Blanchard may have gotten one over on him today, but Nikita Koloff is going to break him in half if the two ever happen to be in the same place again - He mentions that since Blanchard and Woman wanna fight dirty, Koloff is happy to oblige. He shouts in his Russian accent, "BLANCHARD! YOU AND ME AT WRESTLEROCK, MINNEAPOLIS STREET FIGHT!". Rating: 62 |
We get a music video of Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude, with some footage of their matches in the last few weeks intercut with their promos with one another. Rating: 72 |
Rick Rude stands alone, a smirk on his face. "So the time has finally arrived. The moment we've all been waiting for; Rick Steamboat, you and I will step into that ring and wrestle our asses off to prove who the best professional wrestler in the world is. It's a shame, you know; that this could be the only time we'll ever step into the ring. But that's what legendary encounters are made of." He mentions that it's been his mission in life to be the best, but as a wise man once said, to be the best, you have to beat the best. Ricky Steamboat, to be the best, you have to beat Rick Rude, the best wrestler in the world today. Rating: 77 |
"Match of the Decade" "Ravishing" Rick Rude vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat We've arrived at the most hyped match-up of the night. Jesse Ventura and Tony Schiavone go into overdrive talking about how both wrestlers are the best this business has to offer and that tonight one will prove themselves worthy. Steamboat and Rude have a massive back and forth battle that takes just over 25 whole minutes of incredible action; the crowd was into every single second of it. Rude used his power and underrated technical abilities to beat down Steamboat, while Ricky bounced back with his agility and speed. By the end of the match, both men had dished out the best they could, but neither backed down or gave up. The finish of the match mercifully saw this end in one of the most shocking ways; Rick Rude going for his coup-de-grace, The Rude Awakening... BUT STEAMBOAT ROLLS UP RUDE! WAIT! WAIT! RUDE DIDN'T KICK OUT IN TIME! OH MY GOODNESS!!! STEAMBOAT WINS! STEAMBOAT JUST BEAT RICK RUDE!!! Rating: 76 |
The Gilberts vs. Los Guerreros Following one of the best matches seen in some time, we're treated to a small palette cleanser, designed to cool off the crowd from that incredible high and prepare them for the next match. The Gilberts defeat Los Guerreros in 7:13 after a Hot Shot to Hector. Rating: 46 |
Nick Bockwinkel announces that we've arrived at the main event of the evening as he stands with Jerry "The King" Lawler. Lawler mentions that the wait is over and he is ready to get his hands on Larry Zbyszko for all the pain and suffering he's caused the King over the last few weeks. The AWA World Heavyweight Championship is coming home to the King's Court. Larry Zbyszko is going to learn what happens when you fail to take out a King properly. Rating: 72 |
Larry Zbyszko asks Larry Nelson what makes Lawler think he has the right to challenge for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. Zbyszko points out that just because the so called "President" of the AWA Bill Watts declared as such, doesn't mean that Lawler was ever deserving of this title opportunity. What's Lawler going to do if he steals, not win, steals the title off of Larry Z, huh? Bail on the AWA again, just like last time? He declares that by any means necessary, Larry Zbyszko will remain the AWA World Heavyweight Champion, and that's a fact. Rating: 67 |
AWA World Heavyweight Championship Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Larry Zbyszko (c) The main event of AWA Rebirth is here. The match sees Larry Zbyszko trying and failing to stop Jerry Lawler, who has been pissed off since Zbyszko's blatant attack on him on the last Championship Wrestling show. The finish of the match had Lawler so very close to winning, but Zbyszko got his feet on the ropes, leading to an argument between Lawler and the ref... Zbyszko just recovered... he's grabbing the AWA World Heavyweight Championship title... HE JUST ATTACKED LAWLER AGAIN WITH THE TITLE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE REF! OH MY GOD! The ref is calling for the bell, but it's too late! Lawler is busted open for the second time this week while Larry Zbyszko celebrates as if he actually won the match! This crowd is angry and wants to see Zbyszko get what's coming to him... Rating: 69 |
Show Rating: 70
PPV Buy Rate: 0.07 (38,615 Buys)
PPV Buy Rate: 0.07 (38,615 Buys)