The Last Match: AWA World Champions

In this post we take a look at The Last Matches of former World Champions of the American Wrestling Association.

Verne Gagne

June 29, 1986 AWA Denver, Colorado
with Greg Gagne & "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka defeated Boris Zhukov, North The Barbarian, & Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie

Ten time AWA World Champion for a combined reign of 4,677 days

Gagne was a celebrated amateur wrestler including being an alternate for the 1948 US Olympic Wrestling team.  He turned pro in 1949 founding the AWA in 1960.  Gagne awarded current NWA Champion Pat O'Connor the AWA World Championship stating that if he didn't defend it against Gagne in 90 days he would be stripped of the title.  O'Connor didn't so the AWA awarded the championship to Gagne.

I recommend watching the WWE's documentary The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA for a detailed history of the Gagne and his promotion.  Gagne passed away April 27, 2015 at the age of 89.
 

Nick Bockwinkel

May 23, 1993 WCW Slamboree 1993, Atlanta, Georgia
wrestled Dory Funk Jr. to a 15 time limit draw

Four time AWA World Champion for a combined right of 2,990 days

To me Mr. Bockwinkel is the most sophisticated wrestler there has ever been.  His dress, his demeanor, his promo style, and even his in ring style displayed this in all footage I have ever seen of him.  Trained by Lou Thesz he debuted in 1955 and traveled around the country including feuding with Dory Funk Jr over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

In 1970 he joined the AWA teaming with Ray Stevens being managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.  He won his first AWA World Championship on November 8, 1975 holding it for 1,714 days and during this title run he wrestled WWF Champion: Bob Backlund to a double count out in a unification match on March 25, 1979 in Toronto.  Bockwinkel passed away on November 14, 2015 at the age of 80.

The Crusher

February 15, 1988 WWE, Omaha, Nebraska
with Ken Patera defeated Demolition: Ax & Smash by disqualification

Three time AWA World Champion for a combined reign of 122 days

The first blur collar wrestler and arguable to most famous wrestler from Milwaukee The Crusher began his career in 1949.  The Crusher started as a heel, but in the mid 1960's became a babyface for the remainder of his career achieving a level fandom few do.  He had a very unique and entertaining promo style.  If you're not familiar take the time to YouTube some of them.  The Crusher died October 22, 2005 from a brain tumor at the age of 79.

Dick The Bruiser

February 4, 1988 AWA, Minneapolis, Minnesota
defeated Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie by disqualification

AWA World Champion November 12 - 19, 1966.

The Bruiser wrestled for thirty years starting in the mid 1950's primarily known for his tag team with The Crusher the duo are 12 time tag team champions.  The Bruiser also ran his own Indianapolis based  World Wrestling Association promotion from March 1964 until his death November 10, 1991 at the age of 62.

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Later Readers!

The Last Match: Legends of the AWA

In this post we take a look at the Legends of the American Wrestling Association.  These men may have wrestled elsewhere in their career, but when I think of them in my mind the AWA was there home.

Greg Gagne

May 4, 1991 AWA, Bloomington, Minnesota
with Wahoo McDaniel defeated The Destruction Crew: Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom

Gagne debuted in 1972 for the AWA the promotion that he primarily competed until his retirement in 1991.  He is a two time AWA International Television Champion and two time Tag Team Champion with Jim Brunzell as the High Flyers.

Larry "The Ax" Hennig

January 30, 1986 AWA, Peoria, Illinois
with Scott Hall defeated Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie & The Mongolian Stomper

The Ax debuted in 1963 for the AWA after being trained by Verne Gagne.  He traveled around the territories and had a successful tag team with Harley Race in the mid to late 60's.  In 1982 he held the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championships with his son Curt for 6 days from April 27 - May 1st.

Baron Von Raschke

February 10, 1996 Superstars of Wrestling  Princeton, West Virginia
defeated David Lynch

Raschke debuted in 1966 after being trained by Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon.  He held numerous championships around the territories.  His dreaded claw hold was censored on WWWF television for the blood it drew.  He headlined Madison Square Garden on March 28 and April 25, 1977 being defeated by champion Bruno Sammartino in both bouts.  A documentary on Raschke called The Claw is currently in post production, I'm looking forward to checking it out.

"Pretty Boy" Doug Somers

October 30, 2011 Rampage Pro Wrestling/ NWA Warner Robins, Georgia
defeated by Frankie Valentine in a First Blood match

I don't know a lot about Doug Somers but this is what I have been able to find.  He started wrestling sometime between 1971 - 1973 in Florida.  He wrestled for the Crockett's, Portland Wrestling, and the AWA.  In 1986 he began teaming with "Playboy" Buddy Rose in the AWA where they would go on to win the Tag Team Championships.  They would feud with the Midnight Rockers: Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels in Somers most famous march the bloody Las Vegas Showboat casino.

In 1989 he toured All Japan wrestling, WCW in late 1991, and the WWE in 1992.  He returned to wrestling after a 16 year absence in 2008 for a match and then more steady in 2010 & 2011.  I always enjoyed watching Somers in the ring he was extremely underrated and it would be nice to have learned more about his career.  Sadly Somers died earlier this year on May 16, 2017 at the age of 65.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast Podcast of 1,000 Holds on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

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AWA SuperClash III

I recently was looking through the vault section of WWE Network in the AWA and found four of their supershows, including the only AWA PPV just listed in the TV section.  The shows are this one here, Super Sunday, WrestleRock 86 and Superclash II.

SuperClash III

December 3, 1988

Chicago, IL

UIC Pavilion

Commentators: Lee Marshall & Verne Gagne

Interviewer: Larry Nelson

Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Capetta

Duration: 2 hours 34 minutes

Attendance 1,672

Cactus Jack & The Rock n' Roll RPM's vs. The Guerrero Brothers: Mando, Chavo, & Hector

Guerrero's get the win after a moonsault press from Mando onto one of the RMP's.  Ok match basically a squash. - Ray Stevens on Color Commentary

WCCW Light Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Jarrett vs. Eric Embry 

Embry was a solid hand in the ring, but there is no way in hell he was a Light Heavyweight.  Very short match only 4 minutes really no time to get it going, Embry gets the win on a roll up to capture the title for the fourth time.

Incidentally, Cactus Jack would go on to defeat Embry for the title on 12/30/1988 for a five day reign if that tells you how much they watched the scale in this division. 

"Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. Wayne Bloom

Valiant wins in 24 seconds with a back elbow and an elbow drop. 

WCCW Texas Champions: Iceman King Parsons vs. Brickhouse Brown 
Another short match, nothing to write home about.  Parson's wins after hitting Brickhouse Brown with a foreign object.

Women's Champion: Wendi Richter & The Top Guns: Derrick Dukes & Ricky Rice defeated MAdusa Miceli & Tag Team Champions: Bad Company: Paul Diamond & Pat Tanaka w/ Diamond Dallas Page 
This was a ridiculous cluster of a match!  First off another short less than 6 minute match where they tried to get too much in.  This would have been better off with Madusa and Richter having a singles match.  Richter got the pin on Madusa after Tanaka accidentally superkicked Madusa.
After the match Top Guns were announced as the new tag team champions, but as Madusa was pinned the titles officially never changed hands.

Greg Gagne vs. "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin for the vacant International Television Championship
Garvin had defeated Gagne for the Championship in September and at some point the title was held up after a controversial match.  Another match under 6 minutes, not a bad match but it should have been given more time.  The finish was abysmal as Gagne defeated Garvin by count-out to claim the vacant title.  

P.O.W.W. Lingerie Street Fight Battle Royal

The Syrian Terrorist defeated Bambi, Peggy Lee Leather, Laurie Lynn, Brandi Mae, Malibu, Nina, Pocohantas & Luna Vachon last eliminating Brandi Mae.
Two ways to be eliminated, either having your clothes stripped down to your lingerie or being thrown over the top rope to the floor. This was garbage! 

Boot Camp Match: Sgt Slaughter vs. Colonel DeBeers w/ Diamond Dallas Page
This was a no rules, no referee in the ring come as you are.  Slaughter wore his combat helmet into the ring.  In the opening moments it sat edge up in the ring, DeBeers accidentally took a bump on it, looked very uncomfortable and it appears to slightly lacerate his back.  The action spilled to the floor and Slaughter went for a pin attempt, so I guess it's falls count anywhere.
In less than six minutes Slaughter won with the cobra clutch, of course the referee had to enter the ring to call the match.  Adnan Al Kaissie and The Iron Sheik attacked Slaughter after the match.  Ironic because in just over two years these three would be programmed together in the WWF.

WCCW Tag Team Champions: The Samoan Swat Team: Samu & Fatu w/ Buddy Roberts vs. Michael P.S. Hayes & Steve Cox
Decent match, almost 8 minutes!!! Hayes had a member of the SST pinned after a DDT when Buddy Roberts clocked him when the referee wasn't looking allowing the SST to retain.

Indian Strap Match: Wahoo McDaniel vs. Manny Fernandez
This was a great match, as expected between these two.  They really beat the tar out of each other, and bloodied each other well before Wahoo hit all four corners taking home the victory.

AWA World Champion: Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. WCCW World Champion: Kerry Von Erich
This is the famous match where Kerry was playing around with the blade in the locker room and cut himself on the arm before the start of the match. At the start of the match they had Lawler slam his arm on the "ring post" to explain the blood.

This match was ok, and being the only match to go longer than 9 minutes, it lasted 18, it probably shouldn't have.  Kerry was busted open and the finish came when Kerry had Lawler down in the Iron Claw and the referee stopped the match due to cuts.

The Rock 'n Roll Express: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson vs. The Stud Stable: Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden
So this is the last match on the card, it's a decent match until the finish where the match was thrown out for no real reason fora  double disqualification.  Great way to end the card AWA.

There are twelve matches on this card with only one breaking the nine minute mark and that was the Championship unification match.  In my opinion none of the other matches even had a chance to really get going as they were over just as the guys got warmed up. 

Of all the AWA super shows on the network this is the worst and sad that this is also AWA's only PPV and this is what they deliver.  It's no wonder they only drew 1600 fans to a 9500 seat venue.

The AWA would have Superclash IV April 8, 1990, by then they had fallen so far that they didn't even have television cameras at the show.  The AWA would officially close it's doors just over a year later.

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AWA SuperClash II

I recently was looking through the vault section of WWE Network in the AWA and found four of their supershows, including the only AWA PPV just listed in the TV section.  The shows are this one here, Super Sunday, WrestleRock 86 and Superclash III.

SuperClash II

May 2, 1987

San Francisco, California

The Cow Palace

Commentator: Rod Trongard

Duration: 2 hours 28 minutes

"Rock N' Roll" Buck Zumhofe vs. Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie 
This match was horribly long!  First all the walk and talk of Al-Kaissie at the beginning of the match, then the super slow cadence of it made it practically unbearable.  Al-Kaissie got the pin with his feet on the ropes similar to how Billy Graham pinned Bruno.

Super Ninja w/ Mr. Go vs. DJ Peterson
Super Ninja's arm gauntlets cover the back of his hands and I'm pretty sure they are supposed to be chinese stars, but they are swastika's.

This match was not as terrible as the first, but pretty darn close.  15 minute time limit draw.

Women's Champion: "Sensational" Sherri Martel vs. Madusa Micelli  
1 Fall 1 hour time limit
Doug Somers accompanied Martel to ringside. Great match!  Very hard hitting, I mean these girls really put it to each other.  Madusa busted out a picture perfect airplane spin!  Martel got the win with a roll up pulling the tights.

World Heavyweight Champion: Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig 
1 Fall 1 hour time limit
Fantastic match that went 23 minutes.  Bockwinkel worked the left arm for the majority of the contest out wrestling Hennig frustrating him.  As the match built towards a finish Curt attempted several pin falls but couldn't put the champion away further frustrating him.  Then it appears Larry Zybyszko who was sitting at ringside handed Hennig a roll of quarters clocking the champion and getting the three count.

After the match Hennig gave Zybyszko the roll back, but Ray Stevens at ringside exposed the foreign object.  A meeting in the ring with the referee, Stanley Blackburn, and Stevens leading to Blackburn declaring the title to be held up until the championship committee can review the tape.
Hennig was the babyface in the match, and the fans were excited that he won the championship.
Much like at Super Sunday the crowd chanting bullshit after the reverse decision.  Eventually though the decision was upheld and Hennig was declared champion.

Six Man Tag 
The Midnight Rockers: Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty, and Ray "The Crippler" Stevens vs. "Playboy" Doug Somers, Kevin Kelly, & Buddy Wolfe, w/ Sherri Martel
Jannetty took a beating for a long, long time, playing what I dub the Ricky Morton roll of the tag match.  He would fire up and the crowd with rise up with him, until the heal would bring him back down.  When he finally made the hot tag, after at least 15 minutes of punishment, the crowd figuratively exploded!  It was the hottest of hot tags!
The finish came when a minute after Jannetty finally tagged out, the match broke down and Stevens rolled up Somers in a small package for the pin.  Stevens was not the legal man in the ring.

Jerry Blackwell w/ Buck Zumhofe vs. Boris Zhukov w/ Adnan Al-Kaissie
This was nothing more than a steaming pile of garbage.  Blackwell won.

Russ Francis in green jacket

Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka & Russ Francis vs. The Terrorist & The Mercenary 
Russ Francis played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and he spent a lot of time on the outside of the ring in this match.  Once Snuka finally made the tag Francis showed us he could handle himself in the ring getting the win with a splash off the top rope on the Terrorist.  The crowd was jacked and could see many of them literally jumping up and down.

After the show was over they had a series of interviews in the empty arena with the majority of the wrestlers that were on the show.

Notes:

Ray Stevens joined Trongard on commentary for the The Women's and World Heavyweight championship matches.

This would be the fourth and final reign for Bockwinkel as champion who held the AWA World Championship an impressive 2,990 days in total.

Kevin Kelly would go onto the WWE to be Nailz.

The Terrorist is Brian Knobbs and The Mercenary Ron Fuller

Russ Francis is the son of wrestling promoter Ed Francis.  He competed in the WrestleMania 2 battle royal and was one of the final four competitors.  He wrestled in the late 70's while playing in the NFL.

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AWA Super Sunday

I recently was looking through the vault section of WWE Network in the AWA and found four of their supershows, including the only AWA PPV just listed in the TV section.  The shows are this one here, WrestleRock 86 and Superclash II & III.

Super Sunday

April 24, 1983

St. Paul Civic Center

St. Paul, Minnesota

Commentator: Rod Trongard
Ring Announcer: Gene Okerlund
Duration: 2 hours 13 minutes

Brad Rheigans vs. Rocky Stone
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
As with most off all of Rheigans matches that I have seen, it's very formulaic.  They trade control of the match, Rheigans takes the heat for a while, makes his comeback and gets the win.  This time with a gutwrench suplex.  9 minutes 34 seconds.  Post match in ring interview with Gene Okerlund.

"Mr. Electricy" Steve Regal vs. "Rock N' Roll" Buck Zumhofe
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
Decent match, started out pretty standard then picked up at the end with Zumhofe getting the win after a body slam and a vader bomb. 11 minutes 5 seconds Post match in ring interview with Gene Okerlund.  The primary focus of the match for the commentators and post match interview was about Zumhofe's upcoming Junior Heavyweight title match in May with Mike Graham.

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. "Golden Greek" John Tolos
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
Lawler was very over with the crowd. Tolos jumps him before the bell and it's pretty much non-stop action.  At one point it looked like Tolos was disqualified for throwing Lawler over the top rope.  The bell even rang, but the referee waved it off.  Lawler came back in the ring, dropped the strap, fist drop, and a minute later a piledriver for a three count. 8 minutes 24 seconds.

For those that don't know John Tolos played Mr. Perfect's manager Coach in the WWE.  I had never seen him in the ring before that I can recall.  He was 53 at the time of this match and looked good in the ring.

NWA Women's Tag Team Champions: Texas Cowgirls: Wendi Richter & Joyce Grable vs Judy Martin & Velvet McIntyre
1 Fall 45 Minute time limit
No comedy match here, straight up wrestling with 4 ladies who could go in the ring.  I don't think Velvet McIntyre gets the credit that she deserves for just how good she was in the ring.  Two very tough ladies in the match in Grable and Martin.

Really good match with a lot of quick tags and great offense by both teams.  After 15 minutes and 28 seconds the Cowgirls retain the titles with their finish.  Velvet comes off the ropes and Wendi back body drops her onto Grable who powerbombs McIntyre then getting the pin.  Post match interview with the Texas Cowgirls with Gene Okerlund

Wahoo McDaniel vs. "Dizzy" Ed Boulder
1 Fall 20 Minute time limt
Boulder is a blond haired mustached Brutus Beefcake.  Wahoo basically beat the crap out of Boulder who wasn't selling very much for McDaniel. Awkward moment in the match was when Boulder was doing the classic choke your opponent with your shin but the referee wasn't recognizing it and just attempted to count Wahoo's shoulders down three times.
Terrible match the mercifully came to end with a chop and then elbow drop at 9 minutes 4 seconds.

Six Man Tag Team Match
High Flyers: Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell and Rick Martel vs. The Heenan Family: Ken Patera, Jesse Ventura, & Black Jack Lanza
Martel and Patera started the match.  Long match, lots of tags, no one really holding the upper hand for any length of time, the match broke down several times with everyone coming in the ring, then calming down again, and breaking apart.  I've never seen so many tags behind the referee's back that the referee forced the guy to leave the ring before.  The match breaks down again with all competitors in the ring when Patera gets the pin on Brunzell at 17 minutes and 3 seconds.  The faces beat up the heels after sending them running. Okerlund then interviews the losing team in the ring.  Brunzell claims Patera used a foreign object to gain the win.

World Heavyweight Champion: Nick Bowckwinkel w/ Bobby "The Brain" Heenan vs. Hulk Hogan
1 Fall 60 minute time limit special referee Lord James Blears
Huge reaction for Hogan. He was in great shape, wicked cut and not all bloated like his WWE run.  Super slow paced match but the crowd didn't seem to care.  The popped for Hogan when he was on offense and chanted "Hulk" when Bockwinkel had the upper hand.  Botch false finish where Blears just stopped counting after 2 before Bockwinkel kicked out.

After near 20 minutes of plodding action we get a ref bumped when Bockwinkel had the sleeper on Hogan and Hogan flips him off his back onto Blears.  Then a second ref bumped when Bockwinkel has the sleeper on Hogan and Hogan backs him into corner crushing Blears.  Then Hogan accidentally sends Bockwinkel out over the top rope, he brings him back in with a suplex, leg drop of doom 1-2-3 new champ!  The crowd went nuts!  Okerlund even announces Hogan as Champion.

Verne Gagne then made the biggest mistake and what I think was the beginning of the end of the AWA when right after that President Stanley Blackburn reverses the decision disqualifying Hogan.  The crowd started chanting bullshit and throwing debris in the ring.  Hogan then beat up Bockwinkel and Heenan up to save a riot.

I wonder what would have happened if Verne would have run with Hogan as champion.  Would the AWA still be around, because clearly he could have carried the company like he did the WWF.

Main Event
Mad Dog Vachon & Verne Gagne vs. Adnan Al-Kaissie & Jerrry Blackwell
They didn't do introductions, made a point of announcing they were not going to do introductions and then did  brief introductions any how.  This was terrible.  Adnan had a cast on his hand and must have hit Mad Dog Vachon a hundred times with it, other than getting busted open it didn't seem to bother him.

To his credit Verne was incredible over and it didn't matter to the crowd everything he did the crowd loved.

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AWA Wrestlerock 1986

I recently was looking through the vault section of WWE Network in the AWA and found four of their supershows, including the only AWA PPV just listed in the TV section.  The shows are this one here, Super Sunday and Superclash II & III.

April 20, 1986 

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hubert H. Humprey Metrodome

Commentary: Rod Trongard & Larry Nelson
Interviewer: Ken Resnick
Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Capetta
Duration: 3 hours 42 minutes

At the beginning of the show there were so many empty seats on the floor and in the stands, it did fill in by the end of the show.  It was interesting that Rod Trongard called the first eight matches by himself before Larry Nelson joined him.  The faces and heels came from separate sides of the ring.  Also there were several guest ring announcers in the evening.

Opens with the national anthem sung live

Brad Rheingans vs. Boris Zhukov with Skandor Akbar
1 Fall 15 minute time limit
American Olympian vs. Evil Soviet Communist to a hilt.  Rheingans gets an interview on the way to the ring.  Rheingans took a beating for the majority of the match before making his comeback with a powerslam for the pinfall.  8 min 31 seconds.  Decent very formulaic for that time frame.

Midget Tag Team Match
Lord Littlebrook & Little Tokyo vs. Little Mr. T & Cowboy Lang
1 Fall 15 minute time limit
At the beginning of the match Trongard busted out this gem "Big or small short or tall the AWA has it all" and later "Coast to coast and border to border we go all over."  Not going to lie, I love it!
Not your typical comedy filled spotfest.  This match was actually a physical seriously contended match with what I would call only one comedy spot.  Lang and Mr. T got the win when Lang pinned Littlebrook with a scissor roll.  10 min 1 second.

Wahoo McDaniel vs. Col. Debeers
1 Fall 15 minute time limit
Short match, basically punch, kick, and chops with Wahoo getting disqualified for throwing DeBeers out over the top rope.  Post match McDaniels and DeBeers had a better match/fight on the floor before officials separated them.

Tiger Mask vs. "Rock n' Roll" Buck Zumhofe
1 Fall 15 minute time limt
Pre-match promo with Zumhofe while Tiger Mask made his entrance.  There was so much feedback you couldn't understand Zumhofe.  Mitsuharu Misawa was under the hood as Tiger Mask in thsi match.  This was no Dynamite Kid classic, in fact Zumhofe was outclassed by Tiger Mask who seemed not impressed to be there.  Tiger Mask gets the win when he does a front flip off the top rope and crashes into a standing Zumhofe.

Ken Resnick interviews Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham calling them former WWF Tag Team Champions.

Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham vs. The Fabulous Ones: Stan Lane & Steve Keirn 
I was never a fan of the Fabulous Ones, I always preferred Lane in the Midnight Express.  Really great tag team match with four guys that really know what they are doing.  Lane had Rotundo set up for a piledriver when Windham came off the top rope with a elbow to the back of the had and scored the three count.  Classic 80's good guy doing what the bad guy does and getting cheered for it.

Giant Baba vs. "Bulldog" Bob Brown
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
Terrible, just terrible.  Baba wins with a kick in the chest

Harley Race vs. Rick Martel
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
Interview with Race on the way the ring. I've never seen these two wrestle each other before.  This match started a bit slow but after a few minutes they turned it on and just went for it battling to a double count-out.  I'm not even angry about it, it was truly a fantastic match!  After the match they kept at it on the floor until it was broken up by officials.

Ten Women Battle Royal
Sherri Martel won last eliminating AWA Women's Champion: Candi Devine.  Other competitors: Joyce Grable, Kat LeRoux, Luna Vachon, Rose Devine, Taylor Thomas, Destina Montagus, Misty Blue Simmes, Debbie Combs. Near the end of the match Tongard confused Debbie Combs and Champion Devine calling one the other.

The only lady in match I had never heard of was Despina Montagas and I was very impressed with her in the match especially her strength.

Sgt. Slaughter vs. Kamala the Ugandan Giant with Skandor Akbar
Slaughter is in GI Joe ring gear.  Bad match, fans were popping big time for Slaughter though, who won by disqualification when Akbar interfered.  Larry Nelson conducted a post match promo with Sgt. Slaughter, he gathered up a few kids to say the pledge of allegiance.

AWA Tag Team Championship
Champions: "Big" Scott Hall & Curt Hennig vs. The Long Riders: "Wild" Bill & Scott "Hog" Irwin
1 Fall 60 minute time limit
 Hall is awarded a trophy from Pro Wrestling Report for being voted Most Popular Wrestler.  This match wasn't very good at all.  For some reason Hennig and Wild Bill were in the match 95% of the time.  Hennig pinned Wild Bill with a missile dropkick.

Larry Nelson conducted a post match promo with the champs.

European Rules Match
Scott LeDoux vs. Larry Zbyszko with Go the Ninja
10 two minute rounds with 1 minute rest breaks
Ken Resnick conducted a pre-match promo with Ledoux.  Special Referee Larry "The Axe" Hennig.  This match was basically a hot mess.  Both men wore four ounce karate gloves, but it was never made clear how you can win the match.  At the end of the first round the bell rang and Larry Nelson asked what that bell was all about.  Midway through the second round Trongard said this could end many ways.  It was basically punches, kicks, and take downs with then awkward ground grappling.  At the beginning of the 5th round Zbyszko throws LeDoux to the floor and posts him drawing the disqualification.  Larry Nelson conducted a post match interview with LeDoux.

AWA World Champion: Stan "The Lariat" Hansen vs. Nick Bockwinkel
1 Fall with a 60 minute time limit
On his way to the ring Hansen beat up Larry Nelson.  As you can imagine this was a wild and crazy Hansen style brawl.  I've never seen Bockwinkel in a match like this before, he didn't have a choice though, it was survival!  Also the perennial heel Bockwinkel was getting baby face reactions.  After several minutes of these guys beating the tar out of each other we get a ref bump and Bockwinkel gets several pin falls that the ref doesn't see.

Of course he comes too in time to see Hansen back body drop Bockwinkel over the top rope drawing the disqualification and giving Bockwinkel the win and Hansen retaining the title.  Of course after the match they keep fighting.  10 minutes 8 seconds, felt longer, in a good way.  Larry Nelson conducted a post-match interview with Bockwinkel.

Main Event Steel Cage
Greag Gagne & "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka w/ Verne Gagne vs. King Kong Brody & The Barbarian w/ Shiek Adnan Al-Kaissie 
1 Fall to a finish no time limit
If Greg & Snuka win Verne gets Al-Kaissie in the cage for 10 minutes.  This was contested under standard tag team rules, just in a cage.  Brody wasn't the typical wildman that we are used to.  Gagne and Brody got busted open well, Barbarian just has a cat scratch,  Oh my god, the pin fall came when Gagne was down on all fours, Barbarian and Snuka were both standing with Barbarian holding Snuka open for a shot from Brody who threw a dropkick knocking Barbarian backwards over Gagne tripping Barbarian and Snuka falling onto him for the pin...seriously.

All four men battle to the back and Vern grabs Al-Kaissie ramming him into the cage twice before throwing him in the ring where Al-Kaissie was bleeding profusely.   This wasn't your typical "10 minutes in the ring" this was a match! So yes Verne actually Main Evented the card.  Verne gets the pin with a small package. 3 minutes 49 seconds.  Larry Nelson conducted a post match interview with Verne who stated that, that was his last match.  Verne would wrestle three more matches after this before ending his in ring career.

Steel Cage
The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal vs. The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael PS Hayes & "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin
In the first minutes Hayes eats the cage and is busted open.  Standard match with the Warriors dominating and getting a quick win after a few minutes when Hayes accidentally hit Garvin with a foreign object and Animal getting the pin on Garvin.  7 minutes 18 seconds.

Even though the previous match was announced at the Main Event the Warrior vs. Freebirds was the last match on the tape.  Checking a couple websites also shows that this match happened prior to Gagne & Snuka vs. Brody & Barbarian.

Also checking those same websites show that a match on the card appears to have been cut from this broadcast on the WWE Network.  The Rocker vs. Playboy Buddy Rose & Doug Somers.  Now before any says anything here is a video capture I found on the internet of the match with the WWE logo on the screen.

I wonder why it was cut.

Also cut from this version, and I'm not upset about it, was a concert performed by Waylon Jennings, to which I question about Waylon Jennings qualifies as rock music

This would be the last dome show for the AWA with an announced recorded attendance of 23,300 but inside the 65 thousand seat dome it looked sparse.  If I didn't list the time limit it was because it wasn't mentioned same with the time of the match.

Rod Trongard

Rod Trongard just has one of those amazing voices that I just love from wrestling's past.

I've never seen this show before and was surprised to see some guys on the show like Giant Baba, Rotundo and Windham.

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The Last Match - Promotions Gone By

This will be a unique list of Last Matches as it will reflect the last matches of promotions and their major TV shows, if I can find the results.

Jim Crockett Promotions

Ran 1931 – November 2, 1988

November 1, 1988 Savannah, GA Civic Center

NWA World Tag Team Champions: The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal defeated The Midnight Express: Beautiful Bobby & Sweet Stan

JCP was sold to Ted Turner on November 2, 1988 and even though from the fans perspective the transition was seamless this was the final JCP show.

World Championship Wrestling

Ran November 2, 1988 – March 26, 2001

WCW’s final match was at the final episode of Monday Nitro

WCW Monday Nitro

First broadcast September 4, 1995

March 26, 2001

Panama City, FL Boardwalk Beach Resort

Sting submitted “Nature Boy” Ric Flair with the scorpion death lock

WCW Thunder

First broadcast January 8, 1998

Aired March 21, 2001 Taped March 19, 2001

Gainesville, FL

Jeff Jarrett & United States Champion: Rick Steiner defeated Dustin Rhodes in a handicap match

WCW Saturday Night

First broadcast December 25, 1971

Aired August 19, 2000 as recap show

Final original match April 1, 2000

WCW Hardcore Championship on a pole match

Champion: Brian Knobbs defeated Norman Smiley, The Dog, Rick Fuller, Adrian Byrd, & David Burkhead

WCW Worldwide

First broadcast in 1975 as JCP Wide World Wrestling

Aired February 24, 2001 Taped December 22, 2000

Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN

Ron & Don Harris defeated Jung Dragons: Yang & Kaz Hayashi

WCW House Show

March 4, 2001

Freedom Hall, Johnson City, TN

Diamond Dallas Page & Dustin Rhodes defeated World Champion: Scott Steiner & Jeff Jarrett

Final Champions:

World Champion: Booker T won March 26, 2001

United States Champion: Booker T won March 18, 2001

Cruiserweight Champion: Shane Helms won March 18, 2001

World Tag Team Champions: Natural Born Thrillers: Chuck Palumbo & Sean O’Haire won January 14, 2001

Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions: Filthy Animals: Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio  won March 26, 2001

Extreme Championship Wrestling

a.k.a.  Eastern Championship Wrestling

Ran April 25, 1992 – April 4, 2001

January 13, 2001 Pine Bluff, AR Convention Center

The Sandman pinned Justin Credible w/ Francine with a pile driver

Final Champions:

World Champion: Rhino won January 7, 2001

World TV Champion: Rhino won September 9, 2000

World Tag Team Champions: Danny Doring & Amish Roadkill won December 3, 2000

Smoky Mountain Wrestling

Ran: October 30, 1991 – December 1995

November 26, 1995 Cookeville, TN Community Center

Ricky Morton, Dirty White Boy, & Tracy Smothers vs. Tag Team Champions: The Heavenly Bodies Dr. Tom Prichard & Jimmy Del Ray, & Robert Gibson

Final Champions

Heavyweight Champion: “Wildfire” Tommy Rich won November 25, 1995

Tag Team Champions: The Heavenly Bodies: Dr. Tom Prichard & Jimmy Del Ray won August 4, 1995

American Wrestling Association

Ran 1960 - 1991

Last TV taping August 11, 1990

House Show

May 3, 1991 Bloomington, MN  Kennedy High School

Greg Gagne & Wahoo McDaniel defeated Destruction Crew: Wayne Bloom & Mike Enos

Final Champions:

World Champion: Larry Zbyszko won April 8, 1990 officially stripped December 12, 1990

World Tag Team Champions: DJ Peterson & The Trooper won August 11, 1990

Women's Champion: Candi Devine won December 6, 1989

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