WWE Network Hidden Gems! (Part One)
Just for fun, let’s run through these with a Coliseum-style rant. For those looking, I found this under “Collections” although I think it was original under “Vault”. They move it around sometimes. Here’s the current link: http://network.wwe.com/shows/collections/199116030
Since it’s just a combination of “stuff’, we’ll give it either a point if it’s worth your time, or no point if it’s not. Today’s batch is the stuff from the 80s.
“Youth of a Nation”
From WWF TV in 1984, Bob Backlund presents two pre-teen kids from his wrestling class, who get to do an exhibition. Unfortunately neither kid went on to be a pro wrestler as far as I know, because that would make this pretty mind-blowing. But no, instead it’s just an amateur match between two kids, and there’s no angle or anything. I’m sure Terry Garvin would give it a point, but not me. 0 for 1.
“A Diaper for Cornette”
Bill Watts & “Stagger Lee” v. The Midnight Express (1984)
From Mid-South’s “Last Stampede” show in New Orleans in 1984, recorded for TV without commentary. This is one of the numerous blowoffs for the Cornette v. Watts feud at the time, this one featuring Junkyard Dog under a mask. They actually drew 25,000 people to the Superdome, an amazing crowd. Watts immediately cleans house on the Midnights as they go flying like ping pong balls with every punch and Eaton is immediately bleeding. This leads to a funny spot where he staggers into the wrong corner, tags JYD, and steps onto the apron for a rest only to get punched in the face again and go flying into the railing. Finally the poor Midnights manage to cheat and hit Watts from behind, and Condrey beats on him in the corner and HOLY SHITBALLS is this crowd going to murder the Midnight Express soon. Watts basically lays there and sells while Eaton and Condrey hit him with simple stomps and the crowd is just in a murderous rage. Condrey and Eaton take turns with chinlocks, and Watts fights out and gets put down again each time as the crowd gets madder and madder. Finally, Watts collides with Condrey and they do the false tag deal, allowing Cornette to come in and hit Watts with the tennis racket. Stagger Lee comes in anyway and powerslams Eaton behind the ref’s back, so Eaton hits him with the racket and both guys are out. Watts throws powder at the groggy Eaton, however, and powerslams him for the pin at 12:30. And the crowd goes APESHIT. I mean, you would not believe the reaction. And as a result of the stips, poor James E. Cornette is beat up by the babyfaces, stripped to his underwear, and made to wear a diaper. The heat for this whole thing was INSANE and it’s all well worth watching to see what old school crowds used to respond to, even if the match was technically crap. 1 for 2.
“Blood and Guts”
UWF World title tournament finals: Terry Gordy v. Hacksaw Jim Duggan
From May 1986, this is of course the finals of the first ever UWF title tournament, and One Man Gang comes out and cuts an angry promo on Duggan because he wasn’t invited, which prompts a brawl between them that goes very, very badly for Duggan. Duggan was previously beaten and bloodied in the semi-finals, and Gang posts him again to split him open. Wisely, the Freebirds just hang out and chill while Gang and Duggan beat the hell out of each other. Finally Duggan is literally unconscious and bleeding, so Joel Watts goes “Well, he can have five minutes to recover and then we’re gonna continue.” Holy shit, they should show this at the concussion trials. So Duggan gets bandaged up and then heads out after his five minutes, slugging away on Gordy (this is intercut with a promo he did later explaining his situation) until Gordy shoulderblocks him to the apron and Hayes sends him into the railing. Because it’s not enough that he’s already half-dead, the Freebirds have to cheat as well. We don’t get the finish from TV, but it’s more about Duggan’s promo. 2 for 3.
“Cowboy Justice”
More from the UWF in 86, as Eddie Gilbert rants about Bill Watts running off his Russian goof and Blade Runner Rock, leaving Watts to wrestle Sting (the last guy in Gilbert’s stable) tonight. And if Watts wins, he gets 5:00 with Gilbert.
Cowboy Bill Watts v. Sting
Watts quickly gets Sting tied in the ropes and pounds on him, then powerslams him for the pin at 1:38. So after that complete squash, he proceeds to beat the hell out of Gilbert and whip him with his belt until Gilbert is bleeding all over the place. The Freebirds come in for the save and Watts is fighting off five people before they finally turn the tide and mug him, leaving Watts to suffer to the dreaded ORIENTAL SPIKE from Terry Gordy. Good old school heat here. 3 for 4.
“A Texas Sized Confrontation”
Bruiser Brody v. Abdullah the Butcher
From the Mesquite Arena in Texas in July of 1987, Brody quickly storms down and beats on the Butcher, but he quickly gets bitten and busted open and they’re both bleeding all over. Butcher drops the big elbow, but only gets two. And then they go brawling into the crowd, into the actual dirt portion of the rodeo setup, and Butcher wisely retreats while Brody yells at him in the ring. Nothing to this one. 3 for 5.
“The Best of Both Worlds”
The British Bulldogs v. The Rock N Roll Express
This from AWA TV in February of 1989, shortly after the Bulldogs left the WWF, although the match itself is from the weird co-promoted All Japan / Bob Geigel show that didn’t really have anything to do with the AWA outside of the ring itself. We’re joined in progress WAAAAAAAAAY long into the match, with Davey Boy working on Morton’s arm and you can actually hear the original Japanese commentary recorded underneath the Gagnes’ version. Davey Boy misses a flying kneedrop, and Robert makes the hot tag and runs wild with slams and backdrops on the Bulldogs. Morton and Smith brawl on the floor, and back in Ricky gets a piledriver for two. Double dropkick on Smith only gets two, and Gibson gets a backslide for two. Both guys try a dropkick and miss, and they trade cradles until time expires at 6:27 shown. The actual match was something like a 40:00 draw and said to be really disappointing. I have to give this a point just for the “This actually happened?!” factor, though. 4 for 5. Extra credit for the post-match promo from Badd Company, with Pat Tanaka sounding like a surfer dude.
“Controvery in the Cage”
PWF World title: Dusty Rhodes v. Big Steel Man
So this is a cage match from Dusty’s PWF promotion, where he’s the champion of course, and Fred Ottman is his latest attempt at recreating Big Bubba Rogers. We’re joined in progress, as Dusty hits Steel with an elbow off the top, goes low, and runs him into the cage a few times to bust him open. Dusty then gets bearhugged, but elbows out and the ref is bumped. Because it’s a Dusty Rhodes match in a steel cage. Dusty drops the big elbow but there’s no ref, so Humperdink comes into the cage to interfere (because, again, Dusty Rhodes) and DDP also comes in and uses an ether-soaked towel to put Dusty out, resulting in Big Steel Man winning the title. BUT WAIT. It turns out that the title is vacated instead because a second referee saw the interference. All of this is shocking to you, I’m sure. 4 for 6.
And we’ll stop there and pick it up tomorrow with the 90s and beyond!