AWA 1991: Bischoff's Mainstream

[johnal881]

AWA "THE BISCHOFF'S MAINSTREAM" (1991)

 

This is my first job, I hope you like ...

 

Using TEW 2016 I will bring the legendary AWA back to life. Recreating what would have happened if in the late 1990s, Verne Gagne had sold the AWA in the last attempt to regain its greatness of yesteryear.

To simulate I will use MOD Rising Storms 2k16 v.1.3 by Justtxyank. But I will modify the AWA activating it, modifying its product using as a base "Bischoff's Mainstream" (commonly used in WCS MODS) but without neglecting what made AWA characteristic, the technical battles, adding the athletics style, lucha libre, high flying and hardcore. I will also use another logo and colors.

 

 

The idea is this:

In August of 1990 after the last televised program of AWA was celebrated, Verne Gagne tired of trying to resurge the AWA, with much regret, decides to sell it.

Eric Bischoff, then announcer of the AWA TV show on ESPN and a visionary of the wrestling decides to buy it but for this he needs the money, after offering to many financiers, he reaches an agreement with the arch-rival of the owner of WCW Ted Turner, the millionaire broadcaster, owner of News Corporation and FOX, Rupert Murdoch.

Verne Gagne then decides to accept the purchase offer of Eric Bischoff in exchange Verne asks that his son Greg will have a position of Consultant and the incorporation to the creative team to representative personalities of AWA as: Nick Bockwinkel, Wahoo McDaniel and Larry "The Ax" Hennig and friends like "Cowboy" Bill Watts and Dick The Bruiser. Bischoff agrees, the new AWA is ready to go back to business.

 

AWA OWNER: Rupert Murdoch

 

VICE PRESIDENT: Eric Bischoff

 

COMISSIONER: Nick Bockwinkel

[EBEZA]

I know next to nothing about the AWA and this time period in wrestling, especially outside the WWF, so colour me intrigued!

[franticloser]

<p>You have a lot of work to do on this one for sure! The AWA had nothing left of their roster at this time. Bockwinkel can't go anymore, Zybysko would be your only reliable Main Eventer, well maybe Lawler. </p><p> </p><p>

Though if you think about the AWA style, you could slowly turn them towards like an early 90s ROH type. I think Jerry Lynn would be part of the roster, bring in a bunch of the new crop of the indies, and build AWA up as the place to be for "Real wrestling."</p><p> </p><p>

"WWF is a cartoony joke! WCW is corporate wrestling! Come watch AWA on Fox where the action never stops! No stylin' or profilin' No clowns, plumbers, or garbage men. AWA is the place to be for all the real action."</p><p> </p><p>

Sorry went off in a bit of a pitch there haha. But yeah if you can convert Verne's vision of keeping wrestling grounded in reality as much as possible and utilize a lot of the untapped future talent, you could have a real shot of making it.</p>

[Levinux]

<span style="font-family:Arial;">I was hoping you'd pick AWA. I'm looking forward to seeing you take over where history failed us.</span>

[Theheel]

Good luck breathing life back into the AWA. At one time it was a higher end territory and covered a lot of ground. Will be interested in how you set it up and get going.

[johnal881]

The last taped AWA TV Show on ESPN was on August 11th 1990. Since the ESPN continue show old TV tapings of AWA cause they still on a broadcasting deal with AWA.

By August 1990 the champions were:

AWA World Heavyweight Championship: Larry Zbyszko

AWA World Light Heavyweight Championship: Buck Zumhofe.

AWA World Tag Team Championship: DJ Peterson and The Trooper (Del Wilkes).

AWA World Women's Championship: Candi Divine.

 

Some of them would not be part of Bischoff's plan. Titles could be vacated and other activated in the future.

[EBEZA]

Just listened to 83 Weeks, where Bischoff said if he took over AWA in the early 90s, his main star of choice would've been Curt Hennig...

[johnal881]

I wish Curt Hennig (the guy was awesome in the ring by early 90's) back in AWA, however by January 1991, Hennig was in a big push in WWF and was Intercontinental Champion by then.

Just for knowledge, Larry ZZZbyszko was under written contract with WCW by January 1991. The title has to be vacated???

[johnal881]

Just listened to 83 Weeks, where Bischoff said if he took over AWA in the early 90s, his main star of choice would've been Curt Hennig...

 

In his book "Controversy creates Ca$h" Bischoff says that he had cool ideas for AWA, but the mulish and selfish Verne Gagne, wanted to do the things on his old way. The Team Challenge Series was something good (Bischoff's idea even when he dislikes), but the lack of "big names" ruined it. Can you Imagine the same concept in WWF or WCW???

[EBEZA]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="johnal881" data-cite="johnal881" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46846" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I wish Curt Hennig (the guy was awesome in the ring by early 90's) back in AWA, however by January 1991, Hennig was in a big push in WWF and was Intercontinental Champion by then.<p> Just for knowledge, Larry ZZZbyszko was under written contract with WCW by January 1991. The title has to be vacated???</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Shortlist & steal! And is Larry unavailable to you now, but still champion? <img alt=":eek:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/eek.png.0e09df00fa222c85760b9bc1700b5405.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="johnal881" data-cite="johnal881" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46846" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>In his book "Controversy creates Ca$h" Bischoff says that he had cool ideas for AWA, but the mulish and selfish Verne Gagne, wanted to do the things on his old way. The Team Challenge Series was something good (Bischoff's idea even when he dislikes), but the lack of "big names" ruined it. Can you Imagine the same concept in WWF or WCW???</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I don't know what the Team Challenge Series was tbh <img alt=":confused:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/confused.png.d4a8e6b6eab0c67698b911fb041c0ed1.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[Theheel]

<p>I’m not quite too sure on the team challenge series. Maybe it would have had a chance but the lack of rules, a complete lack of structure, and some of the truly awful concept matches doomed it from the start. Not to mention the lack of talent from taping to taping the AWA cobbled together during that period. </p><p> </p><p>

Now if it was book right, and a limit of gimmick matches, and every team had the same number of matches or chances at points, it might have worked or at least had a chance. I personally liked Larry’s Legends because Zbyszko was a great promo.</p><p> </p><p>

Hennig would have been a great AWA building block in the 90’s but there is talent in the US scene that could have gotten over in 91 that wasn’t on either the WWF or WCW rosters. Global actually had a good start but ran out of money early. Del Wilkes would have been a very interesting in time AWA championship contender but not as The Trooper. The Patriot gimmick had legs if done right. </p><p> </p><p>

Going to enjoy seeing who you bring in, and see if the talent lines up with some of the guys I’m thinking of from that era.</p>

[siah463]

Very excited to see who joins the roster, a lot of young prospects that end up becoming stars are available around this time.

[Hashasheen]

AWA 1990 / 1991 clearly has to have Scott Hall as the centerpiece. He left for Puerto Rico because he saw it wasn't going anywhere. And Kevin Nash is from the Great Lakes area, as is Sean Waltman. So that's three core guys to focus on, not including AWA locals or guys who came up through the area.