Superstars of Wrestling 9/27/1986

It’s certainly been a while hasn’t it? I apologize for the long delay between reviews. I’ve had a lot of classwork to take care of. But now I’m back and so is the blog. Hopefully I’ll be able to be consistent. Now then, on we go to Superstars of Wrestling from September 27, 1986 aired from the Baltimore Arena.

Match: Mike Kelly vs. King Harley Race (with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan)

The match started with Race having a definite advantage over Kelly, not giving him an inch.

Winner: King Harley Race

This was a short match, but it was still good. They’re playing up how Harley is the king of wrestling quite a bit and it’s working quite well. I do wish that Kelly was able to get in at least one offensive hit. 3/5

We get an update on Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, with Gene Okerlund telling us how when others take vacations, Steamboat goes to work. Clips were then shown with Steamboat fighting endless ninjas… okay.

Now there’s an interview between Superstar Billy Graham and Jesse “The Body” Ventura, where Graham accused Ventura of stealing his gimmick while Ventura claims the opposite.

Match: Bob Bradley vs. Superstar Billy Graham

Since this is a return, this match probably shouldn’t take very long. Graham started off doing very well, throwing Bradley over the ropes and pretty much dominating him.

Winner: Superstar Billy Graham

I knew it’d be short. It was almost longer than the last match, but not as good. It was ok, especially for a return match. 2/5

Another interview with Bobby Heenan, Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy, where the three of them state they are going to decimate Piper, Albano, and the Machines.

Match: Tony Parks vs. Kamala (with The Wizard and Kimchee

The match started with Kamala throwing Parks all over the ring mercilessly. Parks spent the whole match acting like a wet noodle, flopping all over the ring.

Winner: Kamala

This was fun in watching Kamala destroy Parks, and a good match, showing how brutal Kamala can be. 3/5

Tito Santana was then interviewed, telling Harley Race that he shouldn’t mess around in Boston, Santana’s city.

Then there was Adrian Adonis’ Flower Shop with Bob Orton claiming that The Flower Shop was better than Piper’s Pit. Orton also insulted Piper who came in and said Orton sold out for the Flower Shop. Piper brought the cameraman back to Piper’s Pit and brought in Magnificent Muraco, who called both The Flower Shop and Piper’s Pit a cartoon show. The segment ended with Muraco, Orton and Adonis beating down Piper and tearing down the Pit. That escalated quickly.

Match: Butch Reed (with Slick) vs. William Tabb

Reed rushed in and made quick work of Tabb

Winner: Butch Reed

Well that was energetic. But sometimes fast and energetic don’t make a good match. It worked for Kamala because he’s being played up as a wild beast. It worked for Harley Race because he’s currently the “King” of wrestling. This was played up as “Slick’s Surprise” and was over as fast as it started. It didn’t work. 1/5

Match: Jack Funk vs. Tito Santana

Funk started by grappling Santana who quickly reversed into an armbar and took control of the match. Funk was able to cleverly turn the match around in the middle, after offering some good defense. Funk got cocky, allowing Santana to reverse into a suplex and regain the advantage.

Winner: Tito Santana

This was a great match. Both men were able to get in some good offense and even when they were being thrown around, still had good defense. 4/5

All in all, the night ended up being ok with only 2.6/5 The main event may have been great, but it wasn’t enough with the Reed/Tabb and Graham/Bradley matches being mediocre and bad.

That’s it for today, coming up Wednesday, we get an episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event and then continue with Superstars of Wrestling on Friday.  

Superstars of Wrestling 9/13/1986

It’s time to get the ball rolling once again now that we’re back to a regular schedule. So Wednesday, we began Superstars of Wrestling. Today, we have another episode aired on September 13!

The show starts off with McMahon, Sammartino and Ventura presenting the night’s card. What are we waiting for!

Match: Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorrf (with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan) vs. Sivi Afi

Orndorrf enters using Hogan’s entrance music, mimicking him the whole time.

Orndorrf and Afi begin the match locked with Orndorrf gaining the early advantage with cheap shots. Afi was able to counter and get in some offense, but a failed high risk move gave Orndorrf the window to execute a piledriver.

Winner: Paul Orndorrf

This was a great match to open the card with. It had great energy and pacing with both men able to get in some pretty strong moves. I like how Afi’s risky move didn’t pay off as well. Orndorrf coming into the ring acting like Hogan was pretty funny too. 4/5

Match: Sika (with King Curtis) vs. Don Driggers

The announcer wasn’t even able to announce Driggers, with Sika immediately heading straight for him. All throughout the match, Sika had control over Driggers, not letting him even get a hit in.
Winner: Sika

My notes say this was Sika’s return to the WWF. If true this was a good match for him to return to. It showed his wildness and brutality. I’m surprised the match didn’t go on longer, but for the length it was, Sika showed the WWF he still had it. 3/5

Randy Savage had an interview concerning his No DQ Intercontinental Title match at the Boston Garden where he called the match a disgrace to him and the title.

The Islanders vs. The Moondogs

 The Moondogs… this shouldn’t take long.

The early match saw three reversals from Rex and King Tonga, eventually giving Tonga the early edge. Eventually, Spot and Tonga Kid were tagged in, with Spot wearing Kid down. Somehow Tonga Kid gained a second wind against Spot.

Winners: The Islanders

  

An ok match, it didn’t really excite me and there was nothing really notable about it. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. 2/5

Now an interview with King Harley Race and Bobby Heenan. Race was ready for his match and Heenan questioned what Rowdy Roddy Piper was doing, throwing his hand in with the Machines.

Troy Martin vs. Randy “Macho Man” Savage (with Miss Elizabeth)

Finally a match where Savage doesn’t spend half the time being chased out of the ring.

Savage began the match in control over Martin, going for a couple early pins. Savage eventually did leave the ring after jumping off the top rope onto Martin and the two fighting outside the ring. Martin having no luck, was thrown back into the ring, where savage did two more leaps.

Winner: Randy Savage

This was a good match and I’m happy Randy Savage didn’t flee three times before actually fighting. I would have liked it if Martin was able to get in a few strikes, seeing as Savage isn’t one of the frighteningly crazy, wild wrestlers, but it was good. 3/5

Now on Piper’s Pit, an interview with Ken Resnick, with an interruption by Adrian Adonis to challenge Piper to a showdown of Flower Shop vs. Piper’s Pit.

Match: Super Machine, Big Machine, and Giant Machine vs. Rick Hunter, J.J. Jackson, and Al Navarro.

Super Machine and Navarro started off with Super in control, even after tagging off to Jackson. Big Machine was tagged in and dominated Jackson with a punch to the sternum

Winners: The Machines

Fun jobber match. It wasn’t that bad and had a nice finish. 3/5

Match: Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid (with Capt. Lou Albano) vs. Les Thornton and Jack Foley

(An early Foley sighting)

Smith and Thornton started off in the ring, with both men searching for ground. Smith found his grasp, giving everything he had to Thornton. After Foley was tagged in, Kid and Smith still had the advantage.

Winners: The British Bulldogs

This was a good match. Kid clotheslined Foley amazingly. My notes say it was so hard that Foley couldn’t eat solid food for weeks. It would have been better had the other two been able to get on even a small offensive run, but it wasn’t bad. 3/5

This was a good episode, earning a score of 3/5

It’s interesting to see where the whole Machine angle is going to go as well as the Orndorrf betrayal. The only poor match of the night was the Islanders/Moondogs match and that was just because it was slow and boring. I’d say my favorite match of the night was either the Main Event of Bulldogs/Foley and Thornton or the opener of Orndorrf/Afi

Starrcade 1985

It’s time once again to delve into the past! Today, I correct my mistake at the end of last Friday’s post: Starccade ’85 was on November 28, obviously before the December 19^th Saturday Night’s Main Event and therefore will be covered today. The pay per view was showcased in two venues: Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina and The Omni in Atlanta Georgia. Let’s get to it!

We start off with bob Caudle and Tony Schiavone promising a night to remember with every title on the line and grudges to be settled.

Match: Sam Houston vs. Khrusher Khrushchev for the Mid-Atlantic Title

In a match of power vs. speed, both men started out strongly, with Khrushchev slowly gaining the edge. Houston had a second wind somewhere along the way, almost winning, but Khrushchev was able to take quick advantage.

Winner: Khrusher Khrushchev with a pin to become the new Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship

This was an ok match. What was promised as speed vs. power didn’t really have a lot of speed to it. Houston’s second wind was nice, but it should have gone on longer and the “I believe I’ve won so I’ll let myself be pinned” didn’t feel right in this case. 2/5

Match: Ragin’ Bull vs. Abdullah the Butcher (with Paul Jones) in a Mexican Death Match

In essence, it’s a Hat on a Pole Hardcore Match. Bwuh?

Anyway, Abdullah had the weight advantage to begin with, which was eventually used against him, with Bull utilizing his own boot and belt. Soon, none of them had any real favor going for them.

Winner: Ragin’ Bull

This match was good. It was intense with neither man having any clear ground. It had a good finish with Abdullah making a small miss, allowing Bull to get the hat. 3/5

Match: Cowboy Ron Bass vs. Black Bart (with J. J. Dillon) in a Texas Bullrope Match

Both men are tied together with the Bullrope, anything goes.

Bass early on had the strength to dominate Bart with a cowbell. Bart’s attempts to turn it around were met with being tossed out of the ring and more cowbell.

Winner: Cowboy Ron Bass with a cowbell and pin

This was a very weak match. Sometimes dominated hardcore matches are good, but when it just results in getting clocked in the head over and over again with a cowbell? I kept wondering to myself when Bass was just going to have mercy and stopped caring. Maybe if Bart was able to get a hit in edgewise I’d find it to be ok. 1/5

Match: Cowboy Ron Bass vs. J. J. Dillon (with Black Bart) in a Texas Bullrope Match.

No matter how many times I wish it was, this is not a typo. Apparently the stipulation going into the Bass/Bart match were that if Bass won, he got a shot at Dillon in the same style match.

Dillon didn’t even wait for Bass to get up from the matt after pinning Bart, he just went into it. Bass was able to retaliate with… more cowbell.

I refuse to put Walken on.

The ref got knocked down, Bart came in piledrived bass, dragged Dillon onto Bass and the ref woke up.

Winner: J.J. Dillon with Bart’s interference and a pin.

The above is the only play-by-play detailed description I will give of any match. That’s exactly how it went. What was the point? Stupid Stipulation with stupid timing (right after the match? Really?) with really stupid decision making. 1/5

Match: Superstar Billy Graham vs. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones) in an Arm Wrestling Match.

Arm wrestling. We go with this now? What kind of booking is this?

It looks like both men are physically straining with this and Graham looks like he’s passing a kidney stone the size of a walnut. I cannot and refuse to buy this. And Paul Jones hit Graham upside the head with his cane.

Winner: Billy Graham by disqualification

Worst. Booking. Ever. 0/5

You see that? I gave it a zero. That’s what happens when you have something this stupid. The Dillon/Bass match was incredibly stupid, inane, and asinine (yes, I realize they are all synonymous. Deal with it.), but at least it had something akin to professional wrestling, not grown men struggling with a child’s game. If this is what I have to look forward to with WCW, I’m going to be having an aneurysm by 1989.

What next?

Match: Superstar Billy Graham vs. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones)

What?

Match: Superstar Billy Graham vs. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones)

What?

Match: Superstar Billy Graham vs. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones)

They shorten everything, for an awful arm wrestling match and THEN put the two together in a real match? WHERE THE OUTCOME IS THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, the same thing happens. Paul Jones hits Graham, who then wins by disqualification.

I wish I were kidding.

1/5  because it was at least a professional wrestling match.

OK then. I refuse to even comment on the rest of the pay per view. I will give the matches, the winner, and a rating, but will not comment for fear of losing my sanity.

Match: Terry Taylor vs. Buddy Landel (with J.J. Dillon) for the NWA National Heavyweight Championship

Winner: Buddy Landel to become the new champion

3/5

Match: Ole and Arn Anderson vs. Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes for the National Tag Team Title

Winner: Ole and Arn Anderson to retain the championship

2/5

Match: Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard (with Baby Doll) in an “I Quit) steel cage match for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship

Winner: Magnum T.A.

4/5

Match: Midnight Express vs. Jimmy Valiant and Miss Atlanta Lively (with Big Mama) in an Atlanta Street Fight

Winner: Jimmy Valiant and Miss Atlanta Lively

3/5

Match: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs. Ivan and Nikita Koloff in a steel cage for the World Tag Team Championship

Winner: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express

3/5

Match: Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair for the World Heavyweight Championship

Winner: Dusty Rhodes

3/5

It actually did pick up after the second Graham/Barbarian match, but it really was lousy booking in the start to the show. When that happens, it makes me lose quite a bit of interest. Granted, the later matches were better, but I honestly stopped caring because of how it began. However, using this show as a learning experience, I won’t stop commenting because I don’t like how I feel the show is doing.

The night as a whole? 2.6/5 The arm wrestling and rehash matches are what killed it. Also the Pay-Per-View was quite a gimmick-filled night. I would say my favorite match was the Magnum/Blanchard “I Quit” match.

That’s it for today. Wednesday is our last night in 1985!

The 1985 Great American Bash

Today on Vintage Wrestling Review, we head into July 10, for NWA’s first Great American Bash in Charlotte, North Carolina’s American Legion Memorial Stadium.

Match: Buddy Landel (with J. J. Dillon) vs. Ron Bass

The match began with Landel with a kick and blow, throwing Bass out of the ring. The two fought furiously back and forth, Bass’ head being thrown onto the bell once early on and Landel being thrown into the ring posts numerous times.

Winner: Draw

Match: Ole and Arn Anderson vs. Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater for the Tag Team Championship

The fight started before the bell, Sawyer and Slater heading straight towards the Andersons, and dominated nearly the entire match, save for an illegal switch at the end.

Winners: Ole and Arn Anderson with a pin to retain the National Tag Team Championship

Match: 6 Team Tag with “Superstar” Billy Graham, Konga the Barbarian, and Abdullah the Butcher (with Paul Jones) vs. Manny Fernandez, Sam Houston, and Buzz Tyler.

The match was pretty dominant from Graham, Barbarian and Abdullah’s side, once having Houston in their corner and all three completely thrashing him. Eventually though, Houston was able to escape from the torture, spark a brawl and make a pin in the midst.

Winners: Fernandez, Houston and Tyler with a sneaky pin.

Match: Jimmy Valiant vs. Paul Jones in a Dog Collar Match

Jones was in control for the beginning and most of the match, weaponizing the chain. Eventually, Valiant was able to gain leverage when Jones was on the rope and soon gained the upper hand. Jimmy eventually hit the Valiant Elbow and won. Though, Abdullah decided to beat on Valiant after the match.

Winner: Jimmy Valiant with the Valiant Elbow and pin.

Match: The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) (with Paul Ellering) vs. Krusher Khruschev and Ivan Koloff for the World Tag Team Championship

Hawk started this match doing very well against Koloff, even slamming him from the top rope. Eventually, Khruschev and Koloff were able to gain the advantage over Animal, working him down.  The match would end with all four men brawling in the middle of the ring, each using the same chair to hit each other.

Winner: Double Disqualification

Match: Magnum T.A. vs. Kamala (with Skandor Akbar) for the NWA United States Championship

Kamala began the match in complete control, though Magnum used his weight to gain a slight advantage at one point, but it was quickly lost. Somehow, over the hopeless beating, Magnum was able to turn it around with three dropkicks.

Winner: T.A. Magnum via Disqualification to retain the NWA United States Championship.

Before the next match, there was a short interview with Ivan Koloff, who stated that the Kremlin had chosen his brother Nikita to be the next NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Yay Red Scare!

Match: Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff (with Ivan Koloff) for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship with David Crocket as special referee.

Ric Flair landed in the stadium via helicopter along to Zarathustra. Gotta love that.

Anyway… Kolof started the match off brutally strong, putting Flair in a headlock. Flair tried to fight back, but to hardly any avail, but a Figure 4 Leg Lock almost did it. Finally, all bloodied up, Flair was able to gain the advantage by falling on Koloff. Afterwards, the Koloffs gave Flair a complete beatdown even with other wrestlers trying to stop it.

Winner: Ric Flair by deadweight fall and pin to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

Match: Tully Blanchard (with Baby Doll) vs. Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Television Championship in a Steel Cage

Rhodes started off the match quite strong, but Blanchard gained small headway before Rhodes retained control. Every leg up Blanchard tried to get was met with a counter by Rhodes until the piledriver.

Winner: Dusty Rhodes with the piledriver to win the NWA World Television Championship

Match Ratings

Landel vs. Bass.

Good match. Both men brutalized each other, but left no clear victor. Yet, sometimes no true winner is good when a feud needs more heat. Following the bell though, Bass staying in the ring to egg on Landel just didn’t feel right. If the feud was really that strong, he should have chased them to the back or out of the stadium. 3/5

Ole and Arn Anderson vs. Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater

Good match. The illegal switch and pin were a good way to dirtily retain the titles. The beginning was good too with Sawyer and Slater not even waiting for the bell to ring. My only problem was sometimes the chaos with all four men in the ring made it confusing to watch. 3/5

“Superstar” Billy Graham, Konga the Barbarian, and Abdullah the Butcher (with Paul Jones) vs. Manny Fernandez, Sam Houston, and Buzz Tyler.

Sometimes 6 Man Tag matches can be good and fun to watch. This was a great match with Sam Houston being demolished until the last second. He body slammed Graham for a partial pin, but when the other four came in, he scored another pin to win. My only problem for this match was that Houston should have gotten some more hits in than just a slam. But it was still great. 4/5

Jimmy Valiant vs. Paul Jones

Research shows that Vince Russo didn’t begin booking until 1992, and that was with the WWF. So I’m not sure who to blame for this. I’m not really into Dog Collar matches, but even so, this match was ok. Nothing really notable, except for Abdullah’s beating after the match. 2/5

The Road Warriors vs. Krusher Khruschev and Ivan Koloff

This was a good match. Both teams were evenly matched and had their own high points. I said before that sometimes no winner is a good move, but sometimes it doesn’t work. The double disqualification came with both teams using the same chair. I would have liked this match to have a clear winner, but the Double DQ could have worked if the first match hadn’t been a draw. It also got a little slow before the DQ. Other than that, good match 3/5

T.A. Magnum vs. Kamala

This was a good match. It would have been a great match if it hadn’t been for the disqualification thanks to Akbar. I like matches where the smaller guy turns it around to eventually win and Magnum had Kamala off his feet, it could have been great for a true pin. I do like how Magnum took the post match hit from Kamala to make it look like he won fairly, but it was still a poor finish. 3/5

Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff

It was an amazing match. Flair’s victory came out of nowhere after both men were going back and forth for quite some time. At one point a fan ran into the ring which, though stupid, was completely hilarious. I found nothing wrong with this match and the post match beatdown just proved how livid Koloff really was. 5/5

Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard

This was quite a good match; Dusty really showed his drive and determination in stopping Blanchard whenever he could. On the other hand, Blanchard really didn’t have a chance, even though he got some offense in. I think there should have been a time where it looked like he was going to retain the title. Also, I don’t think it should have followed the Flair/Koloff match, it was a little less energetic and should probably have gone on a bit longer. 3/5

Show Rating: 3/5

It was a good card. Most of the matches were quite entertaining, and I liked all of them except for the Valiant/Jones match. For the most part, it was an energetic night with one good title change and a crazy fan. I’d say my favorite match was either the 6 Man Tag or Magnum/Kamala.

And so we’re almost halfway through 1985! Stay sharp, there’s two more airings of Saturday Night’s Main Event before the next Pay Per View!