AWA All-Star Wrestling – 12.03.1989
By Garth Holmberg on 22 December 2025
Welcome back to more AWA Team Challenge Series action! Last time out, we covered the November 11th, 1989 episode of All-Star Wrestling, which featured all matches taped from THE PINK ROOM OF DOOM, and a TCS Main Event of Pat Tanaka and Magnificent Mimi defeating Paul Diamond and Candi Divine. We were also promised the Great American Turkey Hunt pitting Col. DeBeers against a yet-to-be-named member (Jake Milliman) of Larry’s Legends (unfortunately, the episode with the complete match is not available, so we won’t get to enjoy breaking that one down in full detail).
Lee Marshall with the voice over intro that gives us an idea of what to look forward to on the broadcast; Larry Zbyszko and the Destruction Crew vs. Tommy Jammer, Scott Norton, and The Trooper in the TCS Main Event, as well as in-ring appearances from the likes of AWA Legend Crush Blackwell and the debut of NIKITA KOLOFF! We throw it to Greg Gagne and the debuting Ralph Strangis, who immediately brings the hard hitting questions, like what is Gagne’s status regarding a possible retirement (Greg doesn’t have a definitive answer). We then throw to Eric Bischoff who runs down the show AGAIN. What’s the point of the Lee Marshall intro if we’re going to announce the same stuff 45-seconds later?
“The Illustrious” Jonnie Stewart vs. Spike Jones:
After last week’s entire episode was footage taped from the PINK ROOM OF DOOM, we’re back with a live audience for everything this week except for the Team Challenge Series Main Event, which Greg Gagne states is taking place because of all the interference over the years. The non-pink room matches featured were taped on November 18th from the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, MN. Stewart is one of the heels on Sarge’s Snipers that they’re already teasing will create trouble for the team.
We get some poor production quality as they play a pre-tape promo from Stewart but the music from his ring entrance is blasting over it, but it sounds like he’s just cutting a generic smug heel promo. Stewart has “Spoiled Rotten” embroiled on the seat of his trunks. Lockup and Big Spike shoves Stewart into the corner. An ear smack from Stewart releases a bearhug and he plants the big boy with a scoop slam. Gagne with a random observation, noting that Stewart reminds him of Bobby “The Weasel” Heenan. Uh… sure? We get a sloppy snap suplex that sees Spike almost dumped on his head. Jones with a short fired up comeback. Stewart reverses a whip and Jones falls awkwardly into the buckles and Stewart finishes with an even more awkward diving knee strike at 2:49. At first I couldn’t tell what he was going for, but rewatching he clearly pulls down the pad to expose the knee. The execution of the move was still poor. It was short, but a lot of it was rough to watch.
Eric Bischoff lets us know we can expect to see some new faces in the AWA (no doubt because guys were getting scooped up by the WWF or needed something more than working one day per month) then gives us a brief update on the Team Challenge Series (the points are nowhere close to matching what they were last week). We should have a more detailed recap of the TCS later in the hour from Lee Marshall.
Nikita Koloff vs. Doug Somers (w/ Johnny Valiant):
Excuse me, WHAT THE F*CK IS NIKITA KOLOFF DOING HERE?! Koloff hasn’t stepped inside a ring for a year, having left the business behind due to the failing health of his wife, who unfortunately passed earlier in the Summer after a battle with Hodgkin Lymphoma. Koloff would work semi-regularly through 1990 before returning to WCW in early 1991, where he would remain until he called it a career by the end of 1992 as he focused his life on his religious work (while making the rare appearance in later years, but as minimal as there is, like Charlie Bucket’s 2 chocolate bars when his awful teacher was trying to teach the class percentages).
Somers gets the jump on Koloff before the bell, working him in the corner with the basic clubbing action. Koloff no-sells being rammed into the turnbuckle and does a big flex (minus the steroid physique) to almost zero reaction. Whip and Koloff with a diving shoulder block. Somers hangs back to avoid a dropkick and keeps throwing right hands. He sends Koloff to the corner and Koloff pops out with the Russian Sickle for the easy three-count at 2:24. Post-match, Johnny Valiant tries to get him some, but that doesn’t work out too well. Eric Bischoff with some comments from Koloff, who is practically incoherent, but he does mention wanting the AWA Championship.
Larry Zbyszko is standing by with a pre-tape, and he’s proud as punch for his man Jake Milliman winning the Great American Turkey Hunt last week for Larry’s Legends. Maybe someday the full episode will be available, but until then, only the TCS Update recap is available for that footage.
Hype video dedicated to Jerry “Crusher” Blackwell set to John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.” Blackwell also uses the song for his entrance music.
Jerry “Crusher” Blackwell vs. Tom Stone:
This isn’t going to be pretty. The Mountain from Stone Mountain is making his first AWA appearance in two years, and like Nikita Koloff, his first recorded in-ring appearance in 1989. Stone tries his luck but Blackwell sends him to the arena floor following a shoulder block. Stone keeps going after Blackwell with right hands, only to get trapped in the corner and crushed with an avalanche. Blackwell digs down deep to throw a dropkick (even as bad as it looked, it’s still better than dropkicks from younger, more fit men that I’ve seen) and finishes with the splash at 2:32. We get our post-match interview, where Blackwell makes sure to address that he’s a big ol’ country boy and that he’s happy to be back in the AWA. Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie interrupts, handing over an envelope full of expired coupons in an attempt to court Blackwell as a potential tag team partner for Kokina Maximus. Blackwell accepts the bribe, but turns down the offer and promises to avenge what Kokina did to his little buddy Greg Gagne. I was ready to bid farewell to the big man, but it looks like we do have his final match available, so we’ll save it for next time.
TEAM CHALLENGE SERIES UPDATE!
We get the updated scoreboard, where Sarge’s Snipers is sitting in third place with only 8 points. Last week in the GREAT AMERICAN TURKEY HUNT, Col. DeBeers seemed to have the match won, but undersized goober Jake Milliman snatched the raw bird from DeBeers’ hands and referee Scott LeDoux saw him in possession of the prize and immediately awarded the victory to Larry’s Legends. Pink Room of Doom isn’t immune to silly booking. With that win, Larry’s Legends only trail the Baron’s Blitzers by one point. No word on the possible expansion to include the Yogi Yahooeys. Next week’s advertised Main Event for the TCS lists Candi Divine vs Magnificent Mimi. We’ll see if what we have in the can lines up with that one.
Call the AWA Wrestling Fan Line at 1-900-896-2100 ($.95 per minute!). The Destruction Crew is included in the ad, and yep, Wayne Bloom cuts off Mike Enos to keep the gag going. Papa Gagne promises to tell us an unusual and bizarre story that happened in his career. Larry says if you want to know how to get to Larry Land, CALL NOW (KIDS, GET PARENTS PERMISSION BEFORE CALLING).
The Trooper, Tommy Jammer, and Scott “Flash” Norton vs. Larry Zbyszko and The Destruction Crew (w/ Johnny Valiant):
The Team Challenge Series MAIN EVENT and we’re in the PINK ROOM OF DOOM because there’s too much interference! Poor Sarge is sitting in last place while the allegedly unbeaten Baron’s Blitzers and the surging Larry’s Legends continue to eat. The Trooper and Jammer are going to stick around for the duration of the TCS, but Scott Norton’s presence will not be felt the same, as he disappears by the end of 1989 and only makes a handful of TV appearances in 1990. I swear at one point he’s gone from the company and Larry Zbyszko buries him for his arm wrestling open challenge, but that could be a false memory I’ve planted in my brain and accepted as fact.
No ring entrances or introductions, as the PINK ROOM OF DOOM doesn’t offer those types of luxuries. Jammer and Bloom start, with Bloom doing the usual antics of complaining about stuff that didn’t happen. Valiant wanders over to the commentary table but police escort him to his corner about 5-seconds later. Zbyszko and Jammer trade slams and Zbyszko quickly exits when Norton tags in. Flash is unaffected by a clothesline from Enos and sends him crashing to the canvas with a powerslam. The Blitzers take turns working the leg of Enos. Bloom tags in and he finds himself struggling to fight out of an arm bar. Enos back in and he foolishly tries to do something offensively with his knee and it backfires.
The Legends finally turn things around as Trooper gets whacked from the apron. Just a very simple match which isn’t much of a surprise considering the lack of experience of almost everyone in this match and working in an empty room. Trooper fights to his corner while trapped in a front face-lock and the spot is mistimed, so the referee doesn’t allow the tag he clearly looked at. Enos again hurts his knee trying something. Jammer in, running wild on Bloom, but then he freely allows Larry to tag in and is taken down with a suplex. Enos misses a flying knee drop… Really, Mike? YOU BIG DUMMY. Jammer and Bloom with a double-down, but Larry cuts off the tag. He has words with referee Scott LeDoux and we get ANOTHER double-down. Trooper with the hot tag and he immediately hits Zbyszko with a body press for three at 10:54. THE TROOPER PINNED THE AWA CHAMPION!
Lee Marshall gets some post-match words from the winners, and Jammer is so gassed he can’t get anything out. Marshall notifies us that with Derrick Dukes suspended and removed from the Blitzers, Norton was the Wildcard picked to fill the spot on the roster. Woah, I didn’t expect an explanation there. Maybe the AWA Team Challenge Series era isn’t that bad… wait, I JUST WATCHED A MATCH IN AN EMPTY PINK ROOM. OF COURSE IT IS! This wasn’t that bad of a match, all things considered, just very basic.
Updated Standings for the Team Challenge Ser- – – WAIT A MINUTE, HOW DID SARGE’S SNIPERS GET TWO MORE LOSSES SINCE THE TCS UPDATE 15-MINUTES AGO?!?
Final Thoughts: Another fantastic hour of end of days AWA. The Pink Room of Doom makes its final appearance and at least they stuffed the final match with as many of their “stars” as possible AND gave us a clean finish! You almost feel bad for Crusher Blackwell, who genuinely seemed to be trying out there, but his body was falling apart at a rapid pace. Nikita Koloff is a weird get, but he at least adds a little bit of name recognition to a horribly depleted roster. The live crowd didn’t react all that much, but I’m sure fans at the time checking out ESPN probably recognized him if they had even the slightest bit of interest in JCP. Wow, this might be the nicest I’ve been for the final thoughts segment of an AWA recap… except for that TCS Scoreboard issue. I needed that.
Since I’ve jumped around a bit with the AWA recaps, here is what episodes have been covered as I close the gap with the earlier episodes of the TCS and where I started (towards the end of 1989)…
10.07.1989 – All Star Wrestling
11.11.1989 All Star Wrestling (originally published as 11.25)
11.18.1989 Championship Wrestling
01.01.1990 Championship Wrestling
01.08.1990 Championship Wrestling
As always, thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my ramblings about old professional wrestling and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.