[3] He was a main event star in the American Wrestling Association where he feuded with Mad Dog Vachon, Hulk Hogan, The Crusher, Bruiser Brody and Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey.

[5] In the 1980s, Blackwell settled in the AWA, where he became a main event star and feuded with Mad Dog Vachon, Hulk Hogan, and the "Crusher" Reginald Lisowski.

The Sheiks beat the High Flyers for the tag team titles and remained champions for eleven months before being dethroned by the Crusher and Baron von Raschke.

Blackwell became a face immediately after winning a battle-royal at the St. Paul Civic Center on June 10, 1984, when he was attacked and brutally triple-teamed by Al-Kaissey, Abdullah the Butcher and his tag team partner in Japan Bruiser Brody (billed as "King Kong Brody" in the AWA out of respect for Dick the Bruiser, who was also in the match), which led to a post-match brawl also involving Dusty Rhodes, Curt Hennig, and the Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) coming in on Blackwell's behalf.

Blackwell got so frustrated with standing in line that he left, claiming that he was a wrestler and did not want to feel like he was punching a time clock for a corporation.

[8] The Crusher suffered nerve damage to his arm and was forced to take about a year off after Blackwell performed a move from the top rope and landed awkwardly on him.