The match in Lubbock was quite surprising. Terry only had the occasional opportunity to wrestle in the territory due to his championship commitments and the crowd really wanted to see him shine. I think everyone expected Terry to have a convincing victory. After all he, wasn’t going up against Race or Briscoe. Terry didn’t get a convincing win. In fact, Stamp dominated the match offensively to the shock of the crowd. Stamp won the first fall with the reverse neck breaker. Stamp controlled the second fall until Terry caught him with a sunset flip for the pin.

Terry gained the victory in the third fall when Stamp was disqualified for tossing his opponent over the top rope.

Stamp left the territory sometime in late 1976. He returned around 1979. By then, the territory was in its final days and he really didn’t have a prominent role in the promotion. He would later end up working for Verne Gagne. However, don’t be fooled into believing that Stamp was some flunky with no talent based on his stint in the AWA. Stamp could play the heel with the best of them. Just ask Terry Funk. Or, Wayne Hammer.

NEXT MONTH:

We’ll look back at the 1977 invasion of Abdullah the Butcher