Vachon vs Blackwell (AWA - 5/22/1983)

I watched the AWA set four times through and I remember this being a match that benefited a lot from each rewatch. Very much a case of two stars in the region milking that star power, and knowing how to suck a crowd in by not wasting any movements or motion. Felt violent for the era, and like most Blackwell matches there was a chaotic energy to it that is rare for a match involving such a big guy. Probably wouldn't make my own ballot, but I'll second it.

I really enjoy this match and it is an easy Top 20 AWA match. Just not enough for me but God I love the Blackwell vs the Old Timers feud!

Sheik Ayatollah Blackwell vs Mad Vachon – AWA 5/22/83 Algerian Death Match



As one would expect, an Algerian Death match is a Texas Death match complete with pinfalls necessary to trigger the ten count. The Mad Dog and Blackwell promos before this match are must see as Mad Dog promises to Blackwell in the pine coffin he is building. Also, it is important to note Mad Dog has been out for 2 years due to Blackwell so the feud culminates here in this Death Match.



Also a cool outcome of the last match in this feud is that Verne fulfilled his promise that the High Flyers would not have to worry about Blackwell & Adnan as contenders because Adnan has been transitioned into a managerial role. What they did not count out on was the Sheik’s oil money snagging the contract of Ken Patera who fill the void as Blackwell’s partner.



Interesting, they go the no shone route and immediately hit the heat. I think you can only do that when both wrestlers and their feud are firmly established. Since this was AWA’s hottest feud and two of their biggest stars this is fine. Mad Dog charge, but gets caught up attacking the other Sheiks, who hold him and Blackwell splashes him in the corner. Blackwell hits the powerslam/splash combo to gain the first fall and again for second fall. I have not seen much of cocky Blackwell, but it was fun to watch him count along. He is shocked Mad Dog has made it up twice. Mad Dog tries to make his comeback and Blackwell unleashes some stiff heabutts to bust him open. Blackwell gets another splash in the corner I expected him to miss and it looks bleak for our hero. Until he starts to rev up, one punch huge bearpaw swing after another has Blackwell rocking and reeling. He gets Fatwell down! He starts to bite. Blackwell tries to escape, but you cant escape the hatred of Mad Dog. There is a great struggle over a post shot. Blackwell takes it fucking hard. He blasts Blackwell with the chair, horse collaring him. Mad Dog swings it at the ref! Wow! Mad Dog sends him back in the post and bites Blackwell in the ring. Blackwell is a bloody mess. Blackwell gets a desperation knee up. Blackwell sensing his own end is imminent looks to pull the trigger on his big bomb the top rope splash. When will he learn as this has been his demise so many times, but it would be certain victory in his defense. Blackwell crashes and burns. Mad Dog is up! The crowd roars! Top rope kneedrop seals the victory.



The Texas Death Match stip both helped and hurt this match. I liked Blackwell getting those early falls as I really thought that built up the drama. The fact it took 40 seconds for Mad Dog to get his win did hurt the heat in my opinion, which is a fait accompli in a Texas Death Match. I loved the work in this match. I thought this was an awesome blowoff brawl. Blackwell kicked some major league ass and Mad Dog was wild in the middle. Could have used some more Blackwell bumps in the middle. Short, sweet and spirited brawl! ****1/4

Holy cow. The Mad Dog promo leading into this is a phenomenal bit of pro wrestling insanity. Vachon is in a woodshop building a pine box, which is very obviously a big bastard coffin. He's been out of wrestling for two years at the hands of Jerry Blackwell, and he's spent that time strengthening his body working down a mine. While delivering this promo - to a slightly concerned Gene Okerlund - Vachon is haphazardly swinging a hammer at randomly placed nails, adding pieces of wood to Jerry Blackwell's pine casket, the hammer reminding him of many nights in the mine where he would have nothing but a pickaxe and the thought of what he would do with it to Jerry FATwell. As you can imagine the crowd are bonkers for the Mad Dog and you don't need perfect video or audio to know they erupted when he charged Blackwell at the bell. I loved how they flipped that hot opening though, with Patera and Al-Kaissie immediately pinning him in the corner so Blackwell could crush him. It was three punches, the tease of some sweet revenge right out the gate, then squash. Blackwell's corner splash is such an incredible spot, probably the best of its kind and this one looked like it made every one of Vachon's organs explode on impact. When he follows it up with a regular splash - which looked equally amazing - you're thinking the wee feller is dead. I guess it's easy for Vachon to garner sympathy considering he's in his 50s and just spent two years living in a mine, but his selling for both splashes was basically perfect. An Algerian death match is essentially a Texas death match, just with an EXTRA 30-second rest period between the fall and the 10-count. Even your regular 10-count can fuck with the pacing of otherwise awesome brawls, but it actually works here because it allows Vachon some vital time to recover after getting squashed to bits. Vachon's eventual comeback is amazing, staring dead-eyed at Blackwell before unloading with shots, looking every bit the Mad Dog. Blackwell takes two absolutely screwball head-first ring post shots, no hands right into the thing. Vachon then wellies a chair off his head, rams him into the post again (another screwball no-hander) and Blackwell is bleeding like Vachon actually got to live out those pickaxe fantasies. Vachon fish hooking Blackwell and spinning him around like he's trying to rip off his mandible looked brutal, then Vachon does this thing where it looks like he tries to reach inside Blackwell's mouth and pull his fucking tongue out! Blackwell missing the splash off the top rope will always be madness. A man in a state of such morbid obesity should not be subjecting himself to that and then Vachon adds insult to injury with his own top rope knee drop. It had been a while since I watched any Blackwell and clearly I forgot how great he was. Selling, bumping, every bit of offence looking devastating, he fucking ruled here. This was awesome and probably one of the best sub-10 minute matches ever.