Rebooking Superclash 3 | WrestleZone Forums

Growing up in Northeast Pa in the early 80s meant that all you had to watch was WWF TV. There was no cable like today; or satellite, vhs or dvd. I watched Backland, The Moondogs, Andre, Martel and Garea etc etc. I did not even know there was other wrestling until I saw a cover of PWI at Paperback Booksmith in the mall in 1984. Kerry Von Erich holding the NWA belt. Imagine my confusion. Fast forward to 1985 and on a Saturday morning I put on WPIX channel 11 out of New York and see a wrestling ring. I do not recognize the logo. I do not recognize the announcers. Suddenly Black Sabbath blast out Iron Man, The Road Warriors, AWA Tag Team champs, storm the ring and I was introduced to AWA wrestling. From that point on I rarely missed a show if it was on, even near the end.

That little portion of pointlessness being done I am thrilled when I find stuff here about the AWA. Unfortunately it died well before most posters time so it does not get the respect I believe it deserves. That said...

Before I give my card I would like to commit on some things said, but I am not going to bother with quotes.

First I agree it should have been in Memphis. Memphis was close enough to Texas to get fans from there, you already have your CWA fans there and the AWA had been sending wrestlers down there months prior to the PPV so it makes the most sense. I don't like having it in Lawler's home town, but it is still the best option.

Second, The Rockers were gone most of the year and had competed a few weeks prior at a WWF ppv. I understand this is fantasy but if that is the case my main event would be Lawler going over Von Erich, Savage, and Flair, unifying all the world titles. We still have to be grounded in some reality.

Third, Eric Embry was nowhere near the star he would become and Gagne was never the star he and his father thought. Having them wrestle would not have been as good as some think.

Last, the RnR Epress should not challenge for the titles. As great as they were their big run was done. They were not greatly received in the AWA, so much so that they actually split up, with Morton going back to the NWA to team with Brad Armstrong and Gibson staying in the AWA. Morton didn't stay away long and they reunited, but they were never the same. Use them for their popularity in Tennessee but not in the AWA main title scene.

So, heres my card...

Match 1 Rock and Roll Express vs Stud Stable

The RnR may not have been as popular as they once were but were still over in Tennessee so you open with them to get the crowd into it. And while most here will scoff at Col Parker and Bunkhouse Bunk, Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden were major heels in Memphis in the late 80s. This is a perfect match to start with with the RNR going over but the Stud Stable beating them down after.

Match 2 Eric Embry vs Jeff Jarrett WCWA Lt Hwt Championship

Keep this match just as it was. It worked, WCWA gets its belt back, Jarrett looks strong bravely fighting with an injury and the Embry face turns begins with his post match interview.

Match 3 Wendi Richter vs Medusa Micelli AWA Womens Championship

Give these two there own seven minute or so match instead of the horrible tag match they were in. Micelli was actually one of the best wrestlers on the card and Richter still had name value from her WWF run and fued with Moolah. Have to have Richter go over and win title.

Match 4 Topp Gunns vs Badd Company AWA World Tag Championship

Badd Company may have been the best overall, young talent the AWA had at the time. They needed to build up another Midnight Rockers type team so you have the Gunns challenge here, again instead of that horrible six person tag match. Badd Company has to win, by cheating and retain titles as it is easier to put to faces together as random teams to challenge heel then the other way around. Have the Gunns look strong and it is a win/win.

Match 5 Col. DeBeers vs Iceman King Parsens Texas Hwt Championship

Changing opponent for DeBeers as Slaughter was a poor choice. Slaughter was best when fighting hated enemies of the USA. South Africa, while disgusting, did not live up to that. However, having DeBeers wrestle a black wrestler, for a WCWA title, and now we have something. They were both heels at the time but my guess is the crowd will side with Parsens. Parsens defends title and wins by pinfall, but by cheating. This gives WCWA something they didn't have on the original card...a win over the AWA.

Match 6 Sgt. Slaughter vs Ron Garvin International TV Championship

Slaughter is still to popular to leave of card. Drop the stupid heldup angle and have these to hard hitters go to town. Slaughter wins title.

Match 7 Samoan Swat Team vs Micheal Hayes and Steve Cox WCWA Tag Titles

Stays the same.

Match 8 Wahoo McDaniels vs Manny Fernandez Strap match

Little longer and take out stupid ending but stays the same. Maybe alittle more blood.

Match 9 Kerry Von Erich vs Jerry Lawler WCWA/AWA Title unification

Match can go a little longer as once it started people got into it. Lawler still wins but we must change that stupid, dumb, moronic, idiotic, pathetic etc etc ending. Von Erich has claw on Lawler and is on top. Ref and ringside officials are concerned about Von Erich's bleeding. Von Erich releases hold and argues his case, along with WCWA official Frank Dusak. While this happens Lawler gets the object he had been using and when Kerry turns lays him out. While the arguement wraps up Lawler piledrives Von Erich and covers him for the three count when the ref turns back.

This ending at least gives us a 'clean' ending with a pin. Lawler had been cheating so this fits. Kerry looks strong and has cause moving forward, as well as any wrestler in WCWA to go after Lawler. Memphis crowd is happy. If all three promoters can cooperate there is potential for great things moving forward. If...

In closing I would like to also point out that this card was pretty much doomed no matter what. Why? Vince McMahon. What? Well, think about it.
In 1987 the WWF held Survivor Series 87 on Thanksgiving night, directly opposing Starcade 87. The rumor is that the WWF told cable companies that if they don't carry SS 87 they won't get Wrestlemania 4. SS 87 wins and Starcade 87( ironically in Chicago ) does poorly. Fast forward to 88 and SS 88 will be on Thanksgiving so rather then going head to head again the NWA moves Starcade 88 to Dec 26. This was unforseen, so when the AWA selected Dec to have Superclash 3 they did not realize they were setting themselves up in between SS 88 with Hogan and Savage on a team and Flair vs Lugar title changes on a dq at Starcade. No way the AWA could compete with that so, coupled with a weak card, Superclash 3 was a failure.

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