Dan (And friends) watch the 80's Project AWA set.

[The Man Known as Dan]

15. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (5/2/87)- 4 ¼ stars, 8.7 out of 10. Original Finish: 8th

Damn good, this one is. It’s a great “conclusion” to the rivalry (Which was actually set to continue it, but Bock left, so…), with a great heel turn finish for Hennig. The work in this accelerates at a smart pace, and is super compelling, with great selling and exchanges, and great limb work. On rewatch, this is a fascinating match, that is a rare case were a match being more about the angle was actually a good thing, not a bad thing. It’s worked incredibly babyface vs. babyface, a more condensed, if not quite as sharp, version of the 60 minute draw. Though there is one note that feels interesting is that it’s one of the more unique heel turns in the history of wrestling, more because it’s a match Hennig honestly feels like he’s in control in. Bock was in total desperation mode for the last 5 minutes, just trying to survive. It never felt like a question if he was the better man late in the match. He would have most likely won regardless. But he takes the dimes when given to him because he’s frustrated Bock just won’t fucking go away. I feel like I like the angle better then the match, and I like the match a whole hell of a lot. At the end, I bumped this down slightly. 

 

14. Nick Bockwinkel & Mr. Saito vs. The Fabulous Ones (9/30/84)- 4 ¼ stars, 8.7 out of 10. Original Finish: 43rd

Wow, this was a bunch of fun, and it was a bunch of fun because it ignored so many tropes. Match starts with literally no babyface shine, as the heels get the upper hand and cheat all they can working over Kiern, and the control only goes for 5 minutes but felt like it was packed to the gills with interesting stuff. When the hot tag is made Lane does his kicky offense that annoys some people but, at least in this match, I’m right there with them. And then the Fabs respond by matching every single thing the heels did by one upping them on all of there bullshit. This match is an incredibly quick 12 minute match that felt much longer in the best way, felt lik they jammed 20 minutes of action into those 12. A clever finish as the Fabs win with some twin magic, and Kiern is smart enough to roll out and join Lane not giving the ref time to realize what went down. Great match. Special shout out to the woman in the front row flipping Bock and Saito off, as well. 

 

13. Buddy Rose, Doug Somers, and Sherri Martel vs. Midnight Rockers & Despina Montegues (11/27/86)- 4 ¼ stars, 8.8 out of 10.  Original Finish: 35th

Do these guys know how to have a match at this point that isn’t a classic against each other? Like Despina is fine in this, but Sherri puts on a fantastic performance, looking like a perfectly fits with the elite wrestlers around her, and everyone in this was a masterclass, especially Rose, Shawn, and Marty. Marty takes a great bump, Shawn takes a wicked bladejob just off Sherri biting him (Which rules), and god damned I love this feud so fucking much. Upon rewatch, my views are basically identical. Super fun match in frnot of a super hot crowd. Not moving up, but I don’t think I’m moving it either way.

 

12. Rick Martel vs. Nick Bockwinkel (9/20/84)-  4 ¼ stars, 8.9 out of 10. Original Finish: 10th

A pretty great followup to my current number 1, though it couldn’t quite make it to that tier for me. This match is worked more like a marathon, were both men are pushing with everything they have to gain the win, resulting in both men being absolutely dead tired and looking for pinfalls at any minor thing they could. It’s clearly a great great contest, with two fantastic workers doing there stuff, but it isn’t quite at my super top tier. On rewatch, I liked this even more, though do think the match falls off a bit as it goes on. The early Leg Work vs. Rib Work stretch was arguably the best first 10 minute of a match on the set, just outstanding stuff that made me think this match was Top 5 bound. Sadly, it does lose it’s focus a bit late, and that ends up keeping it just, just out of my 4 ½ range. I expect this match to finish highest out of my non 4 ½ star matches at time of writing. 

 

11. Adrian Adonis & Bob Orton Jr. vs. Midnight Rockers (January 88)- 4 ½ stars, 9.0 out of 10.  Original Finish: 22nd

Holy Jesus this is a total masterclass by Adonis and Orton in this match. Some of the best heel tag team work I’ve ever seen. Like, the Rockers did everything in this match right, and they STILL got completely outshined. The babyface shine in this was pretty great, but once the heels gain control on Shawn, the match just morphs into something that for me just felt much more significant. Orton is outstanding in this match at his selling when he needs to, and Adonis uses his size perfectly, just wonderfully getting the most out of every movement he does. I didn’t even care what the finish was gonna be, as it really felt like Orton and Adonis’s heel control should be something literally every young wrestler watches when wanting to figure this style out. Upon rewatch, while the shock wore off, I still this match holds up as a very very high end tag match, with great performances from the heels and Shawn. 

[The Man Known as Dan]

10. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (Cage Match) (12/25/86)- 4 ½  stars, 9.0 out of 10.  Original Finish: 6th. 

Fascinating Match, and a match I’d say I overall really really enjoyed. I know the critiques of this match. The babyfaces, in a vacuum, take too much of this match. They dominate the first 10 minutes of a 20 minute match. But it’s a match that turns what should be a flaw and turns into what makes the match super memorable in an already great series. And it works specifically because the babyfaces get too cocky and it bites them, and the heels control is absolutely VICIOUS in this match. At every single second of the match, I bought that these men hated each other. It was a violent, hate filled, destructive war, and while it’s not the best match of this series, it is one of the best matches on the set.

Upon rewatch, while I do agree that I still love elements of this match, my opinion dropped significantly. Which feels weird since I still have it this high, but my gut says if I rewatched this again, it would fall further down the list. I found the babyface extended shine much less engaging on rewatch, and while the finish strech was still good, the match just doesn't stay a top match contedner. I also didn't want to completely dismantle the placement of a match I loved so much on first watch. 

 

9. Ken Patera, Jesse Ventura, & Bobby Heenan vs. Hulk Hogan & The High Flyers (3/13/83)- 4 ½  stars, 9.0 out of 10.  Original Finish 17th. 

God fucking damn man. A crowd that is on fire, wrestlers who were fucking pumped to be in there, and strong performances all around. Hogan is a lightning rod, Brunzell also gave a super energetic hot tag and Gagne was damned good, Heenan was a fucking masterclass in this, and I now totally understand why people would rate him in there top 100 wrestlers, Patera was a star all over this, and this is the best match Ventura was ever in, I’m sure. I can’t point out a flaw in this match and it’s strengths are so high. I assume this will be a top 10 contender for me. Upon rewatch, I think my opinion is strengthened. This match is still basically perfect for what they are going for. They work to a molten crowd, and the elements to play to that crowd are as good as you can ask for.

 

8. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Wahoo McDaniel (8/23/83)- 4 ½  stars, 9.0 out of 10. Original Finish: 4th. 

So this is interesting because we watched this one twice, because on first viewing we completely missed the No DQ announcement. 2nd viewing was a big improvement, and I already liked it. This is a very grounded match in terms of how it’s worked, and it escalates into a no-nonsense brawl very very quickly. And this is a damned good brawl that tells a simple story very very well. Bock goes for every advantage he can get, using the No DQ stip to use chair shots and throwing Wahoo over the top. Really, this is a classic master of the basics, with a great advancing performance from Wahoo through a damn good blade job. Upon third rewatch, my opinion is reaffirmed, if not actually raised of this match. This is a complete war in a promotion that didn’t have many complete wars of this style. 

 

7. Alexis Smirnoff, Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers & Curt Hennig- 4 ½ star, 9.0 out of 10. Original Finish: 34th

Holy Shit.  This was red hot from the word go, the fastest worked match on the set so far, and this was fucking great. First off, I might need to see some more Alexis Smirnoff. I went from joking about him as an Ivan Koloff impersonator to really enjoying him over this match. But everyone in this just looks great, and it accomplishes a rare thing of being a “Go Go Go” match that doesn’t lose me for a second. Got me super excited for the Rockers/Rose and Somers stuff coming up. Upon rewatch, I’m fairly certain this is the match with the best pace of the entire set, that also never loses it’s momentum or crispness. It’s a fantastic performance from all 6 men, with a great heel control and great finish. 

 

6. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. The Midnight Rockers (Cage Mach) (1/17/87)- 4 ½  stars, 9.2 out of 10.  Original Finish: 3rd.

This match I am going to rewatch at the end of this project to really establish my thoughts on it. Watching it back to back with the previous Cage Match I think hurt this match and I want it another context. Needless to say, this is a great cage match, that actually does a great job fixing the “flaws” of the previous match to a degree, but it also removes a bit of the matches character and what made it stand out to such an elite level. On rewatch, my initial thoughts on “I would enjoy this more without watching the other matches just before as a comparable” held up 100% true. It has it’s awkward moments in terms of set ups, but all of that to me can easily be written off as 4 men bleeding buckets. The spots that actually led to the blood and the fighting back from all the blood loss were top notch, and all 4 men give fantastic performances in one of the better matches of the set.

 

 

[The Man Known as Dan]

5. Stan Hansen vs. Curt Hennig (5/31/86)- 4 ¾   stars 9.5 out of 10. Original Finish 5th. 

This was pretty much a perfect match at taking a midcarder and making them a main eventer in one night. Hennig was a tag team guy who would get some bumps to some bigger singles match, who is an injury replacement for Blackwell. The match opens with a great angle of Hansen attacking the hurt Blackwell, leading to Hennig charging out to jump start his title match. He has 10 minutes to beat the champ, and Hennig throws EVERYTHING he has at him to somehow put away the monster that is Hansen in those 10 minutes. And this match is completely devoid of the usual Hennig flaws that have hindered my viewing of him. There are no overbumps, but all his bumps look good. This match has some of the best striking of any match I’ve seen in recent memory, as both men are throwing some great punches. Hennig is in totally uncharted waters and is throwing moves you never see him do like splashes off the 2nd and Monkey Flips because he is trying to do anything he can to take down this immovable object. At the end of the day, he doesn’t get the job done, but Hansen ends up on the defense the most we’ve seen him by far. A fantastic match, and at present, my new No.1. Upon rewatch, I really think this holds as one of the tip top matches of the AWA. It’s a fantastic angle and match that succeeds completely 100% at everything it was trying to do. I bumped it up to the rarified air of 4 ¾ stars.

 

4. Mad Dog Vachon vs. Jerry Blackwell (Algerian Death Match) (5/22/83)- 4 ¾  stars, 9.7 out of 10. Original Finish 19th 

I would have been mighty shocked if you told me I’d watch a Mad Dog Vachon match at the start of this set and I’d be wishing it went 3-5 minutes longer, but here we are. This was a war. Between Blackwell cheating and having what would be an easy win after 3 major bombs early if not for the stip, to Vachon charging back with his amazing punches, to Blackwell taking an absolute shit kicking outside. 2 post shots that would make Nigel McGuinness blush. A chair shot around the head. Then we get back in the ring, and the ass kicking continues, finally finishing  with a fucking top rope knee drop that was about as much of a shoot knee drop as possible. My only complaint, My ONLY complaint, is I think this match needed one more run from Blackwell. Just 2 more minutes, and I think this could have been a 4 ¾ type of match. Upon rewatch, I actually think this is a 4 ¾ star match, and the finish is what prevents it from being a 5. I could watch Blackwell bump for Vachon’s punches till the end of time

 

3. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel- (8/16/84)- 4 ¾  stars, 9.9 out of 10. Original Placement: 28th

Fuuuuuuck yes.  THIS was the clincher match for Martel for me. This is my fucking dude. Which isn’t to take anything away from Bock, who was great in this. But the biggest moment on this entire set to me so far 40 matches in was Martel getting pumped and basically telling Bockwinkel to fuck his King of the Mountain, you aren’t the King of this place anymore, I am now. Martel is the most full effort wrestler I’ve ever seen in the best way. He tries to make everything he does look big, and Bock is an amazing foil for anyone, let alone him. The finish isn’t amazing overall, but it’s not even close to a botched finish some of the others on this set has felt like to me. Overall, I loved this match, as it felt like the real changing of the guard from the Bockwinkel as King era to the Martel era, and I couldn’t be happier to, at the time of writing, to put it as my new no.1. Upon review, this match to me is a complete classic, and arguably the highest point of Rick Martel’s career. 

 

2. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (11/21/86)- 5 stars, 10 out of 10. Original Placement: 1st. 

It’s very rare you get a match that hits all the boxes this one does, and it might be the highest degree of difficulty classic I’ve ever seen. It’s a 60 minute match with a 51 year old man. It’s a 60 minute match with a constantly evolving story and character dynamic in a match between 2 babyfaces. And it’s regarded as one of the best matches ever, certainly one of the best 60’s. And for a good reason. This match is, to many people, perfection. And it’s very very close to me. But it just, JUST falls short to me of taking the number 1 spot. It’s damned close. Razor close to taking the tag match out. Either way, if you asked me to name my top 10 matches of the 80’s, I’d be stunned if this doesn’t end up on my list.

 

1. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (8/30/86)- 5 stars, 10 out of 10. Original Placement: 2nd. 

Holy Mother of God. This was a god damned fucking war, and I loved it every single second of the way. When you have a tag match where in the match, Buddy Rose might have been the least impressive guy in it, and not because he isn’t great in this match, but because everyone else is working at such an insane high level. Somers might have had the most vicious performance on the set here, playing up the tropes of the 80’s at the absolute maximum they could do. And Shawn and Marty both put on FUCKING AMAZING face in peril sequences here, like both are legitimately all time greats at this. At time of writing, This is not only my Number 1, this might be my favorite tag match ever. Upon rewatch, I think I have the first match I’ve ever watched I have to give the full 5 too. This is just perfection for me from opening bell to the DQ finish. This match is a war, and should be required viewing for any wrestling fan or wrestler should watch.

[Matt D]

What’s most important is that you agree with me.