AWA CARD #40 –WRESTLEROCK ‘07
4/22/2007
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minnepolis, MN
1. Jimmy & Johnny Valiant b. Jim Brunzell & B. Brian Blair – COR ½ *
Jimmy Valiant used his infamous chain on Brunzell, causing the countout.
2. Ox Baker b. Koko Ware DUD
Baker hit Koko with 3 consecutive Heart Punches, breaking the count twice before leaving him down for the three count. Ware was stretchered out of the ring and will be out of action for at least a month.
3. Curt & Larry Hennig b. Chris Candido & Larry Sharpe ***
Rookie Curt Hennig made his professional wrestling debut in this match. After some back and forth action, Curt got the pinfall on Sharpe with a standing dropkick. (NOTE: I used a “rookie card” bootleg for Curt, a much toned down card from his LOW stats)
4. Don Leo Jonathon b. Killer Kowalski – COR ** ¾
Jonathon got Kowalski up in his MORMON SWING, but Kowalski tumbled out to the floor and took the countout loss, instead of returning to the ring.
5. WORLD JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – Danny Hodge b. Brad Armstrong ***
Danny Hodge made a successful AWA debut, defending his touring World Jr. Heavyweight title. Brad Armstrong looked good in his AWA debut, but Hodge’s ring skills and experience made the difference. Hodge locked Armstrong in a sleeper hold to grab the victory.
6. Harley Race & Bob Orton, Jr. b. Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon **
Race & Orton had an impressive win over the Omaha-based Midwest tag team champions in this non-title match.
7. Ted DiBiase b. Masked Superstar – COR DUD
DiBiase got revenge against the Superstar, jumping him at the bell and taking the action to the floor. DiBiase hit his own neckbreaker on the floor on the Superstar, grabbing the countout win.
8. Animal & Hawk b. Brutus Beefcake & Buff Bagwell ***
The Road Warriors started off fast against the visiting Beefcake & Bagwell from the WWA (Indiana) promotion. B&B were able to turn it around and put some damage on Hawk. In the end, a Doomsday Device on Beefcake grabbed the win for the Warriors. Paul Ellering has demanded a title match or he will take his men back to Japan on a permanent basis.
9. AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP – Destroyer as special referee – Mil Mascaras b. Giant Baba to win title. **
The Americas Championship match saw referee the Destroyer favor his partner Giant Baba. He stepped in the way of Mascaras coming off the top rope on numerous occasions, and blocked a plancha attempt to the floor on Baba. Some of his counts on Baba were also questionable, as they seemed to be on the slow side. Mascaras was able to dominate Baba on the mat, and a frustrated Baba took the match to the floor. Mascaras stayed scientific, and a missed buckle charge saw Baba’s head strike the ringpost, knocking him out. Mascaras covered him for the pinfall, and the Destroyer had no choice but to deliver the three count and award the luchador the title.
10. Komrade Red b. Bobo Brazil ** ½
Komrade Red stunned the crowd when he introduced Ivan Koloff as his corner man for this bout. Bobo must have been taken off guard as well, as he wrestled the match in a tentative manner. When he was thrown out of the ring, Koloff would interfere with a quick punch or stomp while referee Gary DeRusha was restraining Red. Bobo was able to mount a comeback, but Koloff tripped him as he was coming off the ropes for a big clothesline. Red pounced on the opportunity and delivered the third Komrade Krunch of the match for the win.
11. AWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – Best two out of three falls – Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane b. Johnny & Greg Valentine two falls to one. *
The Midnight Express faced off against rivals the Valentines in a best 2 out of 3 falls match designed to end their current struggle. Instead, more controversy erupted! While referee Larry Lisowski was removing Jim Cornette from the ring following the introductions, Cornette dropped his tennis racket. Stan Lane grabbed it and slammed Greg Valentine over the shoulder. The MX then blasted Valentine with a Rocket Launcher and went for the pin. Johnny Valentine was able to stop the pinfall, but Bobby Eaton tagged in and quickly pinned Greg following a deathjump and a top rope elbow. The first fall was over in roughly a minute!
The second fall quickly went out the window as Greg was able to tag out to Johnny, who took the match out of the ring. After some back and forth brawling, Johnny delivered a piledriver on the floor on Eaton, who was counted out of the ring. The third fall started and followed the same pattern, with Lane using a piledriver on the floor to brutalize Greg Valentine and get the countout win. With a string of countouts in the last few matches, promoter Wally Karbo has vowed to book a match to settle this feud once and for all.
12. AWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – TRIANGLE MATCH – Nick Bockwinkel b. Buddy Rogers & Jimmy Snuka to win title. ****
Fans who were disheartened by the previous few matches got their money’s worth in the main event! Under AWA rules, a man is eliminated when he is pinned, leaving the final two combatants to slug it out until one wrestler remains. Even though Bockwinkel and Snuka have had their issues in the past, they looked like a veteran unit as they took turns punishing the hated Rogers! Bockwinkel in particular assaulted Rogers, who had injured him twice in the past. Rogers gamely struggled to fight back, but Bockwinkel had him against the ropes. At this point, a shocking series of events took place. Slowly, Bobby Heenan strolled to ringside to the shock of AWA fans! As Snuka turned to stare down Heenan, Heenan yelled "Now Nick!"and Bock turned his assault on Snuka, clamping him in the Sleeper! Bock took turns beating on both men, finally pinning Rogers with a deathjump. He then climbed the ropes and delivered another deathjump to Rogers’ leg! As Rogers writhed on the mat in pain, both cheers and boos could be heard from the crowd.
Bockwinkel jumped Snuka as the medical personnel removed Rogers, but the Superfly fought back. He got a pin attempt after a piledriver and a power slam, but couldn’t put Bock away. Bock reversed outside the ring and clobbered Snuka's leg into the ring post. He slapped on the figure four and your new AWA World Champion was crowned! Bockwinkel kept the figure four on after the bell and Heenan held his hands for leverage, injuring Snuka’s leg.
Ted DiBiase came down cautiously to ringside to congratulate his partner. He kept a wary eye on Heenan, who was busy strapping the belt on Bockwinkel. In a post match ringside interview, Bockwinkel stated that Heenan had served as his advisor over the past two months. He said Heenan’s strategy made the difference in the championship victory and that together, they would “control the AWA.” He apologized to DiBiase, who still had a stunned look on his face during the interview. Bock admitted that he purposefully never tagged out on Card #39, so he could be in the ring as much as he could with Rogers and study all of his offense. Fans didn’t know what to make of this, as a scattering of boos, cheers, and stunned silence went through the crowd as the wrestling portion of WrestleRock ’07 came to a close.
Midwest favorites Brother Trucker then took the stage at the west end of the Metrodome, and performed a 2 hour concert. (Check them out at
www.myspace.com/brothertrucker) 
