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AWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Nick Bockwinkel (c) vs. Curt Hennig - AWA SuperClash II - 02/05/1987
It’s truly amazing just how quick Bockwinkel is, especially in the early parts of the match where he’s constantly on the move, taking the quick arm drags in succession and moving along with no trouble whatsoever. He’d be 52 at this point in time and he was keeping up with Hennig. Bockwinkel in classic fashion worked over Hennig’s arm with his persistent arm holds, after initially receiving similar treatment in the opening exchanges. Hennig takes some damage but insists that he won’t give up while the fans chant boring. Bockwinkel tries to add some flair to the match by taunting and smiling at the fans during his short arm scissors. Hennig escaped and tried to soften the leg for the Figure Four Leglock and got it, forcing Bockwinkel to work with one leg from there on. Bockwinkel feels the effects after he tries a knee to the stomach and struggles to stay on top of Hennig unlike earlier in the match. Hennig gets more quick on his feet, doing more flash pin attempts, only getting two counts on all of them. The ax from Hennig only gets two as well, leading to Hennig getting more desperate and sloppy leading to him and Bockwinkel clashing heads, leading to the finish. Larry Zybysko gives Hennig a roll of quarters that is then used to knock Bockwinkle out to crown a new AWA World Champion. Except the title is held up for a month. A match muddled by a finish that did NOT work, in front of a crowd that was either disenfranchised with AWA or basically a WWF crowd that was slightly intrigued (check out the guy in the WWF hat). I like the idea of Hennig turning heel on Bockwinkel and a double turn taking place but not at this moment when you’re trying to crown a new top guy. Verne Gagne tried to make Hennig the new Bockwinkel (a heel top guy) but he just needed a top babyface. The match was very good though. ****
Jeff Jarrett vs. Nick Bockwinkel - CWA - 04/05/1987
Just days after Nick Bockwinkel gets screwed out of the AWA World title and the title was held up, Bockwinkel goes down south to Memphis with the title still in hand. Usually this would be Lawler’s spot but he’s out with injury due to the steel cage match against Austin Idol a week prior to this, so Jarrett was given a chance at the established AWA representative. Jarrett shows some promise in the early stages, quickly stepping around Bockwinkel before getting caught in a tight headlock that most wrestlers fall to. Jarrett catches Bockwinkel with an over the top wrist lock and keeps at it, no matter Bockwinkel’s resistance, before landing on a shoulder pull armbreaker, when the match returns from the break. The match does lull a bit here, largely due to Jarrett’s inexperience but picks up once more once Jarrett does his best Jerry Lawler impression with a series of sweet punches, followed up by dropkicks until he misses one and Bockwinkel pins him to win. Decent match. Bockwinkel’s fingerprints were all over it but Jarrett showed some promise as well. ***1/4
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