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SuperClash II

SuperClash II was a professional wrestling supercard event produced by the American Wrestling Association (AWA), held on May 2, 1987, at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, as the promotion's second installment in its premier annual series.^[1] The show drew an attendance of 2,800 spectators and featured a card of seven matches, highlighting both established stars and emerging talents in the AWA roster.^[1] The main event pitted AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel against challenger Curt Hennig in a 26-minute contest that ended with Hennig capturing the title via pinfall, thanks to interference from Larry Zbyszko, who handed Hennig a roll of quarters that Hennig used to strike Bockwinkel.^[1]^[2] This controversial finish marked the end of Bockwinkel's fourth and final reign with the championship, which had spanned a cumulative 2,990 days across his career, and propelled Hennig—known for his athletic prowess and rule-bending style—into the spotlight as the new face of the AWA heavyweight division.^[2] Other key bouts included Sherri Martel retaining the AWA Women's Championship against Madusa Miceli in an 11-minute match, a time-limit draw between DJ Peterson and Super Ninja (Shunji Takano) lasting 15 minutes, and a six-man tag team victory for The Midnight Rockers and Ray "The Crippler" Stevens over Buddy Wolfe, Doug Sommers, and Kevin Kelly.^[1] SuperClash II underscored the AWA's emphasis on technical wrestling and storytelling amid the promotion's competitive landscape in the late 1980s, though it also reflected declining attendance as the company struggled against the rising dominance of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).^[2] The event's undercard featured international flavor with Adnan Al-Kassie defeating Buck Zumhofe and Jimmy Snuka teaming with Russ Francis to beat The Terrorist (Brian Knobbs) and The Mercenary (Ron Fuller), while Jerry Blackwell defeated Boris Zhukov.^[1] Overall, the supercard served as a pivotal moment for Hennig's career trajectory, setting the stage for his future success in larger promotions.^[2]

Background

AWA Context in 1987

By 1987, the American Wrestling Association (AWA) was grappling with a sharp decline in its prominence, overshadowed by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)'s aggressive national expansion and the consolidated strength of National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories. The WWF's shift to a sports entertainment model, bolstered by high-profile stars and syndicated television, eroded the AWA's regional dominance in the Midwest and beyond, leading to shrinking audiences and market share.^[3]^[4] Verne Gagne, the AWA's founder and long-time booker, served as its primary leader and promoter during this turbulent period, overseeing creative direction while attempting to secure television deals like the one with ESPN to sustain visibility. However, Gagne's traditional approach to wrestling—emphasizing technical matches over spectacle—clashed with the evolving industry, contributing to internal resistance against modernization.^[3]^[4] The promotion faced acute financial strains and a talent exodus, as WWF aggressively poached top performers including Hulk Hogan in 1983, Bobby Heenan in 1984, and later Rick Martel in 1986 and The Midnight Rockers in 1988, leaving roster gaps that diminished drawing power. To counter this, Gagne focused on retaining loyal veterans like Nick Bockwinkel, who anchored the main event scene as the longstanding AWA World Heavyweight Champion and provided continuity amid the instability.^[3]^[4] In response to WWF's WrestleMania phenomenon, the AWA positioned its SuperClash series as the promotion's flagship supercard, building on the collaborative SuperClash I in 1985 to showcase marquee talent and reclaim relevance in the pay-per-view era.^[3]

Event Planning and Promotion

SuperClash II was announced and scheduled by the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as its flagship supercard event of 1987, set for May 2 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.^[5] The selection of the Cow Palace, a historic venue known for hosting major wrestling events, aimed to leverage the promotion's efforts to expand its presence on the West Coast amid intensifying national competition.^[6] Promotional efforts centered on building hype through AWA's weekly television broadcasts on ESPN, which had begun in 1985 and featured key storylines leading into the event, with particular emphasis on high-profile championship contests to attract viewers and ticket buyers.^[3] These tactics were part of a broader strategy to position SuperClash II as the promotion's premier show, despite AWA facing significant financial pressures and declining house shows in 1987 due to talent losses and market saturation by rivals like the WWF.^[7] Budget considerations were constrained by the promotion's ongoing attendance woes, with projections likely tempered by recent events drawing under 5,000 fans, though specific figures for SuperClash II ticket sales were not publicly detailed prior to the event.^[8]

Storylines

World Heavyweight Championship Feud

Nick Bockwinkel entered the buildup to SuperClash II as the reigning AWA World Heavyweight Champion, a title he had held since June 29, 1986, following a forfeit victory over Stan Hansen due to the challenger's no-show for a scheduled defense.^[9] As a four-time champion with a career spanning decades in the promotion, Bockwinkel embodied the veteran technician and authoritative figurehead of the AWA, leveraging his experience to maintain dominance in an era of transition for the territory. His poised, intellectual style and history of successful defenses underscored his status as the established pillar of the heavyweight division. Curt Hennig emerged as the primary challenger, marking his ascent from tag team specialist to singles contender after partnering with Scott Hall to capture the AWA World Tag Team Championship on January 18, 1986, a reign that lasted until May 17, 1986, when they dropped the belts to Buddy Rose and Doug Sommers. Transitioning to solo competition in the winter of 1986, Hennig positioned himself as the next big thing in the AWA, building momentum through impressive victories and his growing reputation for athletic excellence. During this period, he cultivated the foundations of his "Mr. Perfect" persona, emphasizing flawless execution in the ring and an aura of invincibility that resonated with fans seeking a fresh face.^[10] The feud intensified through a series of high-stakes encounters, including a grueling 60-minute time-limit draw on November 15, 1986, in Las Vegas, where both men showcased endurance and skill without a decisive finish, and an AWA World Heavyweight Championship match on March 7, 1987, also in Las Vegas, which ended in disqualification after Hennig pulled Bockwinkel over the top rope, further escalating their personal animosity.^[11] Key storylines involved controversial tactics, such as managerial interference—exemplified by Larry Zbyszko, who aided Hennig in the buildup and struck Bockwinkel with a roll of quarters in the main event—and the incorporation of foreign objects like loaded gloves in televised matches to blur the lines of fair play and heighten drama.^[12] These elements portrayed Hennig as a cunning upstart willing to bend rules under pressure, contrasting Bockwinkel's more calculated villainy. Promoters framed the SuperClash II main event as a defining generational showdown, contrasting Bockwinkel's seasoned mastery with Hennig's raw potential and hunger, ultimately staking the claim that the outcome would signal the AWA's evolving future between tradition and innovation.^[13]

Other Key Feuds

One of the prominent undercard rivalries at SuperClash II involved the AWA Women's Championship, where reigning champion Sherri Martel defended against challenger Madusa Miceli. Martel, established as a cunning heel, frequently resorted to underhanded tactics like hair-pulling and illegal holds to maintain her dominance, drawing from her history of manipulative defenses in the promotion.^[14] Miceli, debuting in the AWA in 1986 as a powerhouse face, was positioned as Martel's primary foil through a series of intense, physical confrontations that highlighted her athleticism and resilience, building anticipation for their title clash.^[14] Another key angle featured Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka teaming with NFL celebrity Russ Francis against the enigmatic masked duo of The Terrorist (Brian Knobbs) and The Mercenary (Ron Fuller). This matchup was framed as a defense of American sports icons against shadowy foreign invaders, with the heels' mysterious personas and ambush-style attacks creating intrigue on AWA programming leading into the event.^[15] The bout between Jerry Blackwell and Boris Zhukov embodied a classic power-versus-villain dynamic, pitting Blackwell's overwhelming brute strength and brawling style against Zhukov's opportunistic Soviet heel persona, managed by Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie. Their encounters emphasized nationalistic tensions, with Zhukov using underhanded strikes and interference from Al-Kaissie to counter Blackwell's raw power.^[5] Filling out the card were shorter rivalries, including Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie's ongoing antagonism toward Buck Zumhofe, rooted in cultural clashes and Al-Kaissie's promos decrying American wrestlers, and a six-man tag pitting the Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) alongside Ray Stevens against the heel trio of Buddy Wolfe, Doug Somers, and Kevin Kelly, extending the Rockers' established tag division skirmishes with Somers' stable. These angles provided variety to the undercard while supporting the event's overall structure of diverse matchups.^[5]

Event

Venue and Attendance

SuperClash II took place at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California, a historic indoor arena originally built in 1941 as the California State Livestock Pavilion and renowned for hosting major wrestling, sports, and entertainment events throughout the mid-20th century.^[16]^[6] The venue, a longstanding hub for professional wrestling in the Bay Area, featured a seating capacity of around 12,000 for such events.^[6] Despite this potential, the event drew only 2,800 paid attendees, well short of projections for the AWA's flagship supercard and highlighting the promotion's struggles to fill larger arenas by 1987.^[5] The low turnout created a notably sparse environment, with empty seats prominent throughout the arena, fostering an intimate crowd dynamic dominated by dedicated regional fans from the San Francisco area who offered vocal support for familiar AWA stars.^[17] This subdued attendance contrasted sharply with the venue's history of boisterous, high-energy gatherings, resulting in a more contained atmosphere that evoked the feel of a regional house show rather than a blockbuster spectacle.^[17]^[6]

Broadcast Details

SuperClash II was taped live on May 2, 1987, at the Cow Palace and subsequently aired on ESPN as a delayed television special within the AWA's weekly programming schedule. The broadcast featured play-by-play commentary by longtime AWA announcer Rod Trongard, with former wrestler and color commentator Ray Stevens joining for the women's championship and world heavyweight title matches.^[18]^[17] The production, overseen by AWA promoter Verne Gagne, was edited down to an approximate runtime of 2 hours for television, incorporating key match highlights, backstage promos, and transitional segments to maintain pacing within the network slot. The event was also syndicated regionally to local stations affiliated with the AWA's distribution network, extending its reach beyond ESPN's national audience. The Cow Palace's arena layout supported solid broadcast quality through multiple camera angles and clear sightlines.^[19] Viewer reception metrics for the ESPN airing are limited in available records, though the promotion's overall television ratings during this period hovered in the low single digits, reflecting the AWA's declining popularity amid competition from larger promotions.^[20]

Results

Preliminary Matches

The preliminary matches at SuperClash II opened the event with a series of non-title bouts designed to establish early momentum and showcase a variety of wrestling styles, from heel-dominated brawls to technical exchanges, helping to pace the card toward its championship clashes.^[21] The opener featured Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie defeating Buck Zumhofe by pinfall after 10:45, marked by Al-Kaissie's signature heel tactics, including stalling and opportunistic corner attacks that drew boos from the audience and highlighted his role as a despised foreign villain.^[21] Zumhofe, known for his high-energy "Rock 'n' Roll" persona, attempted comebacks with armdrags and dropkicks but was overwhelmed by Al-Kaissie's aggressive style, setting a combative tone for the night.^[21] Next, DJ Peterson battled Super Ninja to a 15:00 time-limit draw, emphasizing crisp technical wrestling exchanges such as holds, reversals, and chain sequences that showcased both competitors' mat skills and endurance.^[21] The match avoided high spots in favor of ground-based action, with Ninja's masked agility countering Peterson's power, building tension as the clock expired without a decisive finish and maintaining steady pacing without overwhelming the crowd early.^[21] Jerry Blackwell then overpowered Boris Zhukov via pinfall in 9:50, relying on his massive frame for dominant power moves like bearhugs, splashes, and a decisive clothesline that crushed Zhukov's attempts at Soviet-style aggression.^[21] The bout served as a straightforward showcase of Blackwell's brute strength, with minimal technical flourishes, reinforcing the event's mid-card intensity through sheer physicality.^[21] This was followed by Jimmy Snuka and Russ Francis defeating The Terrorist (Brian Knobbs) and The Mercenary (Ron Fuller) by pinfall after 11:20, with Francis securing the victory via a top-rope splash on Knobbs after Snuka's high-flying offense and Francis's athletic power moves highlighted their teamwork against the heels' brawling style.^[21] The preliminary portion closed with a six-man tag team match where The Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) teamed with Ray Stevens to defeat Buddy Wolfe, Doug Somers, and Kevin Kelly by pinfall after 12:20, with Stevens securing the win via an inside cradle on Somers.^[21] The action highlighted the Rockers' fluid teamwork and high-flying teases alongside Stevens' veteran cunning, contrasting the heels' chaotic interference and brawling, which kept the energy rising toward the title defenses.^[21]

Championship Matches

The championship matches at SuperClash II featured two pivotal title defenses that highlighted the AWA's ongoing feuds, with the women's bout serving as a showcase for emerging talent and the main event delivering a controversial title change that shifted the promotion's direction. These contests emphasized interference and heel tactics, underscoring the dramatic stakes built from prior storyline tensions between champion and challenger.^[20] In the AWA World Women's Championship match, champion Sherri Martel defended against Madusa Miceli in an 11-minute singles bout that pitted the established heel against a debuting powerhouse. Miceli, making her AWA in-ring debut, controlled much of the action with athletic displays, including a devastating airplane spin that nearly secured the upset victory. However, Martel's valet and occasional tag partner Doug Somers interfered by distracting the referee, allowing Martel to roll up Miceli from behind while grabbing a handful of tights for the pinfall retention at 11:00. The referee, unaware of the interference, counted the fall cleanly, preserving Martel's reign despite the controversial tactics. This outcome reinforced Martel's cunning heel persona while spotlighting Miceli's potential in a match that blended technical wrestling with opportunistic drama.^[17]^[22] The evening's main event saw Curt Hennig challenge Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in a 26-minute encounter marked by tactical mat wrestling and escalating aggression, echoing their heated rivalry from prior ESPN-televised clashes. Bockwinkel, the veteran champion, dominated early with arm-targeted submissions, including a figure-four armlock that Hennig sold intensely, while Hennig countered with leg work and high-impact whips into the corner. A key moment came when Hennig attempted his signature Perfect-Plex, only for Bockwinkel to reverse into a near-fall. The finish turned controversial as ringside heel ally Larry Zbyszko slipped Hennig a roll of quarters, which Hennig concealed in his hand to deliver a loaded punch that floored Bockwinkel for the pin at 26:00, ending Bockwinkel's fourth reign. The referee missed the foreign object entirely, validating the pin and title change amid boos, though the crowd's reaction mixed shock with anticipation for Hennig's heel turn. This match's execution elevated Hennig as a cunning champion, blending technical prowess with underhanded victory to cap the card's significance.^[18]^[17]

Aftermath

Immediate Title Changes

Following SuperClash II on May 2, 1987, Curt Hennig's defeat of Nick Bockwinkel to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship was immediately controversial due to interference from Larry Zbyszko, who handed Hennig a roll of quarters that Hennig used to strike Bockwinkel for the pinfall. AWA officials, including founder Verne Gagne, briefly held up the title pending a review of the match footage, citing the unauthorized assistance as grounds for scrutiny, but reinstated Hennig as champion within days after determining the interference was inadvertent. This decision allowed Hennig to begin his reign with an official celebration on AWA All Star Wrestling broadcasts starting the weekend of May 30, where he defended his status in promotional segments and rematch confrontations with Bockwinkel, emphasizing his new dominant role in the promotion. Fans at the Cow Palace had erupted in cheers for Hennig's victory despite the heel tactics, a reaction that carried over into post-event media coverage praising the match as a high point amid the AWA's struggles, though some outlets noted the finish as a risky booking choice to generate buzz.^[8] Sherri Martel's successful retention of the AWA World Women's Championship against Madusa Miceli in an 11-minute bout further solidified her status as the division's top star, but the outcome directly preceded her exit from the promotion. Referred to the WWF by former AWA colleague Jesse Ventura shortly after the event, Martel announced her departure in the ensuing weeks, vacating the title upon her July 24, 1987, debut where she captured the WWF Women's Championship from The Fabulous Moolah. Backstage, AWA officials expressed mixed reactions to Martel's move, viewing it as a loss of their leading female talent amid ongoing talent raids by the WWF, while fan discussions in wrestling newsletters highlighted her retention as a strong performance overshadowed by the promotion's instability.^[23]

Long-Term Impact

Curt Hennig's victory over Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship at SuperClash II marked a pivotal moment in his career, elevating him from a promising mid-card talent to the promotion's top star during his 373-day reign, the seventh-longest in title history. This achievement significantly boosted his national profile, paving the way for his departure from the AWA in mid-1988 after losing the title on May 9, 1988, to join the WWF, where he joined in 1988 and later debuted the arrogant "Mr. Perfect" gimmick in early 1989, becoming a two-time Intercontinental Champion and solidifying his legacy as one of wrestling's most technically proficient performers.^[2]^[24] The event also influenced the trajectories of other participants, notably the Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty), who, as reigning AWA World Tag Team Champions, showcased their high-flying style in a six-man tag match that highlighted their growing popularity within the promotion. Their success in the AWA, including defenses around SuperClash II, built the foundation for their transition to the WWF in 1988 as The Rockers, where they became influential figures in tag team wrestling and launched Michaels' path to superstardom. Similarly, Jimmy Snuka's tag team win partnering with Russ Francis helped reignite his momentum after personal setbacks, contributing to a career resurgence that saw him return to the WWF in 1989 for a multi-year run blending in-ring action with ambassadorial roles.^[25]^[26] SuperClash II underscored the AWA's mounting financial struggles, drawing only 2,800 fans to the Cow Palace—a stark contrast to earlier successes and indicative of the promotion's inability to compete with the WWF's national expansion. This low attendance, amid ongoing talent losses and revenue shortfalls, foreshadowed the AWA's gradual decline, culminating in its effective closure by 1991 after failing to adapt to the evolving industry landscape.^[27]^[4] In wrestling historiography, SuperClash II is often viewed as a bittersweet chapter in AWA lore—a showcase of emerging talents like Hennig amid a promotion's twilight, underappreciated for its role in bridging territorial wrestling to the national era despite the event's commercial shortcomings.^[2]

References

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Apr 22, 2023 · Verne was always a technical, mat-based wrestler, and he didn't or wouldn't see championship potential in the muscle-bound Hogan.
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Aug 26, 2016 · The SmarK Rant for AWA SuperClash II – 05.02.87. Hey, it's another show I've never seen, as a part of a giant AWA content dump on the ...
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Feb 7, 2016 · April 24, 1985. Winnipeg, CANADA. The team of Nick Bockwinkel and Ray "The Crippler" Stevens take on the team of Larry "The Axe" Hennig and ...
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May 30, 2025 · Hennig dropkicks Bock for a two count. Hennig tosses Bock through the ropes to the floor. Hennig strikes Bock on the apron a few times. Hennig ...Missing: buildup | Show results with:buildup
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Oct 12, 2023 · They do some excellent holds and counter holds, rolling around the mat going from one thing to another. They did an outstanding job doing this ...
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Dec 8, 2016 · Fantastic match that went 23 minutes. Bockwinkel worked the left arm for the majority of the contest out wrestling Hennig frustrating him. As ...
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Run Time: 2 hr 28 min. Languages. Original Audio: English; Audio. English (United States) (AAC), * (AD). Subtitles. English (United States) (CC). Accessibility.
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May 2, 1987 · AWA SuperClash II. Date: Sat, May 2nd ... Match ratings listed above are from Dave Meltzer's highly respected Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
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