WWF Prime Time Wrestling 07/07/1986

The Crush Gals (Chigusa Nagayo & Lioness Asuka) vs Leilani Kai & Black Venus

Well then! Wasn’t expecting to see the Crush Gals pop up on an episode of Prime Time. This was a really neat curio, and all four ladies put in a good showing. Loved the slingshot Asuka used to send Kai faceplanting into the mat. I’d seen Venus before on a LPWA DVD, and I thought she looked better here. Nice stiff shots to the stomach and a neat straight jacket sleeper with a boot to the spine. Nagayo has a real fighters stance, looks like she’s alert for an opening at all times. Kai does nothing fancy here, but she’s just full of nasty heelish shots that create sympathy for the faces. Things heat up at the end, with the Crush Galls hitting nice looking kicks to Venus and Asuka finishes her off with a German suplex. Nice to see.

Billy Jack Haynes vs Frank Marconi

This is joined in progress, which is a relief as what we do get is terrible. Haynes holds a long chinlock, peppered with the odd clubbing blow. Actually comes across quite heelish, and it’s notable that he gets a few boos after his full Nelson win.

Harley Race vs SD Jones

Interesting showcase for Race here, felt like he was trying to keep Jones strong. Despite Race dominating proceedings, Jones gets to kick out of a lot of Race’s offence. High knee and a piledriver -2. Gut wrench suplex – 2. Race keeps going for pins after every move, with Jones kicking out, before a big powerslam gives him the victory.

Pedro Morales vs Barry O

Barry O gets a surprising amount of control in this match, given their respective statuses in the WWF. Morales was on the downward straight of his career, but he was still a former world champion and Barry O was basically a jobber. O has nice offence, big clothesline and a running chop to the neck. Morales takes a ridiculous bump to the floor, getting hurled by O over the top rope straight down. Loved O conducting the crowd as they started a “Pedro” chant. Morales looks great on the comeback, lovely energy and he’s got a range of nice blows. Lovely big backbreaker gives him the win.

Lanny Poffo & George Wells vs Johnny K-9 & Rusty Brooks

After watching this match, I decided to Google K-9, and man that’s an utterly baffling tale. Fun start, Brooks is a big slobbish fat guy who bumps about for Poffo’s hiptosses. Poffo hits a springboard plancha to the floor on K-9 which looks wild for the time. Poffo and Wells just wear down K-9 with quick tags and nice offence – Poffo hits some nasty looking grounded punches which felt quite out of character, before Wells pins him with a shoulderblock.

The Hart Foundation vs The Killer Bees

This was a great way to end the show, nicely competitive tag bout with both sides feeling like potential winners. The Bees control early with some nice double teaming on Neidhart, working over his legs. Nicely, they continue this policy when Bret gets tagged in, going for his legs too. Loved their double spinning toehold. Blair becomes face-in-peril after getting booted in the back running the ropes, and the bulk of the match sees him getting worn down. The Harts cheat really effectively, with some nice double teams and good timing on their distraction spots or rushing the face corner just before Blair can get there. We get a nice false tag after Blair reverses an Irish whip to the corner (including a trademark Bret bump) as Neidhart distracts the ref. When Anvil accidentally hits Bret, the crowd explode and the hot tag gets a terrific reaction. Brunzell looks great coming in, nails a lovely big dropkick, but Anvil clubs him in the back of the head running the ropes to get the cheap win.

WWF WrestleMania I

One thing I've realised in my time writing this blog is that it serves as a useful resource to myself when I'm trying to remember what I think about a certain match. Sometimes, as a ageing 36 year old, my memories of matches are just like fading fingerprints on an abandoned handrail (to paraphrase Bob Mortimer). Thus I've decided it might be fun/useful to work through the PPV's of the WWF to act as a kind of archive for my thoughts. Ergo, here's Wrestlemania I

Tito Santana vs The Executioner

Executioner is, of course, Buddy Rose. The ropes here are super loose. I kinda got used to it, but it felt really noticeable here. This is neatly worked to make Tito look good, loved him working a headlock, even running up the ropes to get a headlock takeover. Executioner had cut a pre-match promo stating he was going to take out Santana’s legs, and to his credit he starts to focus his offence on them. However, Tito fires up leading to a nice little run by both guys – Santana slams Executioner from the top rope, but eats knees on a splash. Santana slams Executioner back into the ring from the apron, hits a flying forearm and locks in the figure four for a straightforward victory.

King Kong Bundy vs SD Jones

I mean, it’s obvious that this goes longer than the 9 seconds they bill it as, but it’s still a fun deal. Just a nice squash, makes Bundy look killer.

Ricky Steamboat vs Matt Borne

Enjoyed the fun opening stages that establish Steamboat’s superiority to Borne, luring him into running into a chop and slipping out of back suplexes. Borne comes back with a nice belly-to-belly suplex. Both guys exchange nice snug blows, with Steamboat hitting a few choice kneedrops. Steamboat hits a nice top rope crossbody for the win.

David Sammartino vs Brutus Beefcake

Considering how much longer than the previous match this was, there’s very little to say about it. Pretty sluggish stuff, with Sammartino controlling on the mat. He’s not a compelling mat worker, doing some leg work that doesn’t seem to be leading anywhere. Beefcake in control was more interesting, as at least his blows hit with some force. His elbow to the nose in the corner was pretty nasty. Johnny Valliant attacks David on the floor, and we get a big melee leading to a double DQ with Bruno Sammartino getting in and the faces clearing the ring.

Greg Valentine vs the Junkyard Dog

I enjoyed this. Valentine has a good gameplan, going for JYD’s legs as soon as he was on the mat. Also, unlike Sammartino, Valentine’s legwork has a clear end goal and actually looks like it’s going to cause some damage. Loved Valentine’s face first plant to the mat when JYD shoves off a figure four attempt. JYD sells the leg nicely, backing into a corner when on his feet to shield it, and walking gingerly on it when he’s got control. Jimmy Hart ends up taking a big bump when Valentine hits him by accident, falling backwards to the floor, before the Hammer gets a cheat pin in the corner with his foot on the ropes. Post match, Tito Santana comes in to get the result reversed.

The US Express (Barry Windham & Mike Rotunda) vs The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff

Fastly paced little tag sprint, with the US Express looking great to kick off. Nice quick tags and maintaining complete control. The heels get heat on Rotunda, including a nice moment when Rotunda holds onto a hammerlock when getting to his feet to try and make a comeback, with Jesse Ventura and Gorilla Monsoon nicely putting over the instincts of an amateur wrestler to do this. Sheik locks on a sloppy abdominal stretch, which Rotunda hiptosses out of, and Windham is a great hot tag, working at a really high pace. However, he gets taken out by Sheik using Freddie Blassie’s cane and the heels pick up the win and the tag belts.

Andre the Giant vs Big John Studd

This is the $15,000 slam match, with Studd’s money vs Andre’s career. I wrote this up for the Andre the Giant DVD a few years ago, and I agree pretty much with what I wrote then. A pretty brief bout, with Andre never looking in any danger. He wears down Studd with some chokes, a few big chops and a bearhug. He even catches a Studd boot and beats him down before getting a slam from nowhere to win the match.

Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai

Super hot crowd for this, with Richter trying to regain her women’s title. Cyndi Lauper is the manager for Richter here, which has made this a featured bout for the show. Lots of token matwork to start, which does at least lead to a nice power spot as Kai gets caught in a bodyscissors and lifts up Richter from the mat. Impressive spot. Richter gets Kai on her shoulders and hits what looks like Sean O’Haire’s old Widowmaker finisher for two. This is perfectly fine, aided by a hot crowd, but the ending is terrible. Kai hits a top rope crossbody, but Richter clumsily rolls through for the win.

Hulk Hogan & Mr T vs Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff

This match is so carefully orchestrated to milk the maximum reaction from the crowd. The audience pops big when Mr T tags in to face Piper, and there’s been no contact made by anyone. T works a nice little mat section with Piper, before we get a big melee, drawing in Muhammed Ali and an even bigger pop. The heels start to walk out for a fake count out spot, and the crowd are pissed. Just glorious conducting of the crowd. The match starts properly, and the faces outsmart the heels, who stooge about fabulously. There’s a real feeling of chaos and things about to breakdown at any time, as people keep getting into the ring, Bob Orton keeps getting on the apron and Ali on the verge of having to reappear and keep order. There’s two heat sections, on Hogan and on T, and I loved Piper when he is working over Hogan, including a lovely wind-up running punch. We get another melee, and in the mess Bob Orton accidentally hits Orndorff with his cast, leaving him to get pinned by Hogan for the win. Just really well-worked crowd pleasing stuff, with a hot crowd getting built to a fever pitch.

LPWA Wild Things

Been a while since Lovefilm sent me any wrestling, and I didn't know what to expect from this. I knew it couldn't be as bad a WEW, but I wasn't sure how serious a promotion the LPWA were. Would they be played for fun like GLOW or Wrestlicious? Well, there aren't as many silly gimmicks as those promotions, but you really have to search hard for the wheat amongst the chaff here...

Terri Power vs Rusty Thomas

Power is the future WWF diva Tori. The very first thing we see on this DVD is Power hitting some spectacularly bad armdrags. We get a sudden heavy clip and return to Power still in control, but looking lost on every other move. A top rope superplex gives Power the win. 

Misty Blue Simmes vs Nasty Linda

Linda is one half of the tag team the Nasty Girls. Simmes hits two Bubba Bombs early, before Linda grounds her. Linda works an arm bar, then arbitrarily decides to work the leg, which is probably why she loses control of the match. Linda does lock in a nice looking Octopus stretch. Linda goes to the top rope, but spends ages climbing, which allows Simmes to throw her off and hit a shitty looking top rope ax handle for the win.

Candi Devine vs Reggie Bennett

Bennett is billed as the power house here, apparently able to bench 300lbs, which doesn’t explain why Devine seems to be able to power her to the mat on a regular basis. Bennett downs Devine with a wristlock, and hits two legdrops. Bennett misses a third, but still gets to slingshot Devine across the ring. They seem to transition from each other being in control with no rhyme or reason: it just happens. They botch a backslide twice, before Bennett hits a torture rack slam for the win. Poor.

Heidi Lee Morgan vs Bad Girl

The imaginatively named Bad Girl puts on the best show so far on this DVD, with some big slams and a nasty looking backbreaker. Bad Girl hits a nice powerslam, before Morgan fires back with some shitty dropkicks. Morgan kicks Girl’s manager, Boogaloo Brown, from the apron to the floor (Brown taking the biggest bump on the DVD by a mile), and then dropkicks Bad Girl over the top, earning Girl a DQ win

Miss Linda vs Sheeba

Both have managers, Linda accompanied by Adrian Street and Sheeba by Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey. This is a terrifically dull bout. They work over each others limbs in a very tedious manner, before Al-Kaissey randomly interferes, drawing a DQ. So bad.

Malia Hosaka vs The Goddess

This takes a big clip very early, cutting to different crowd shots for 15 seconds. When we come back, Hosaka is valiantly bumping for the Goddess’ questionable offence, before getting thrown off the top for the Goddess win.

Team America vs La Gata & Comrade Olga

Team America are Heidi Lee Morgan and Misty Blue Simmes. This was actually ok, I thought the double teams by Team America looked good, and La Gata felt like an actual wrestler in there. Comrade Olga is a large lady, and she dominates Simmes for a while…until La Gata tags in and just lets Simmes tag out to Morgan. Soon, we’re back to Simmes and Olga again, and Olga once more dominates. She hits two big splashes, before Morgan basically cheats, not waiting to be tagged and hitting a missle dropkick on Olga, then throwing Simmes with a rocket launcher for the win.

Sindy Paradise vs The Beast

The Beast is a large biker lady in jeans and t-shirt. She stiffly beats up Paradise, who shows some spunk in fighting back. Beast hits two slams for the quick win.

Magnificent Mimi vs Dawn Marie

We gets the “cut to the crowd for 20 seconds” shot that indicates clipping, before coming back to Mimi hitting a terrible crossbody (that nearly sends her over Dawn Marie) to win.

Shelly Francis vs Brittany Brown

Francis is Sheeba from a few matches earlier, having now reclaimed her American roots. The sledgehammer of subtlety means she comes to the ring to “Born In The USA”. This is nearly as shit as her earlier match, as Francis lazily holds the leg of Brown before a clip. We come back to Brown working the arm, but Francis flips out and locks as Boston crab for the win.

Terri Powers & Alona Starr vs Bad, Black & Beautiful

Only one half of BB&B are black, and it’s arguable neither are a classic beauty. Power and Bad Girl work a laughably bad strike exchange. I hate the way this match shows zero tag psychology, as BB&B work power over, then casually throw her to her partner to tag in. Bad Girl looks good in control, beating up Starr, but then her partner Black Venus again throws Starr to tag back out again. It doesn’t make sense, as this isn’t a squash, and Power/Starr are presented as a decent threat. It all breaks down into a melee before Bad Girl hits a tombstone on Starr for the win. Very poor.

Reggie Bennett vs La Gata

Like Shelly Francis, Bennett also enters to “Born In The USA”. La Gata controls early by working over Bennett’s….hair? I did like Bennett using her size and power advantage to simply grab Gata’s arm on a clothesline to turn her round into a back suplex. Bennett blocks a flying headscissors by La Gata, then hits a legdrop for two. The commentator uses this to make an incredible dig at the WWF, implying Gata is tougher than anyone pinned by Hulk Hogan. Bennett hits a big tilt-a-whirl slam and locks in the Reggie Rack for the tapout. Thought Bennett looked really good here, one of the better matches on the disc.

Malia Hosaka vs Despina Mantagas

Whole lot of nothing here. Mantagas hits a fine fireman’s carry roll, but Hosaka ends up on top for the win.

Susan Sexton vs Leilani Kai

Something unusual happens here, as these two decide to put on an actual wrestling match, with proper selling and everything. Sexton actually works the holds when she downs Kai, who actually sells the moves. This was really enjoyable, with Kai looking really good on offence. Great Northern Lights suplex and she hits a mean looking headbutt, but misses a splash and Sexton rolls her up for three.

Bambi vs Lady X

Bambi’s offence is quite fun, sloppy, but certainly enthusiastic, and after she whiffs on a back elbow, she decides to hit Lady X with a stiff looking slap. X didn’t have much to do except look big and hit a few power moves, but this was perfectly fine. It ends with Bambi hitting a bulldog for the win.