Welcome back to more Dream Matches! This time I have a pretty weird assortment, including a very early William Regal vs. Bryan Danielson match from all the way back in 2001!
Then it’s a great showcase of how messed-up the WWF was in 1997, as TOMMY ROGERS vs. BOBBY FULTON makes WWF RAW, because they need a Light Heavyweight Division and when Jim Cornette is on the booking committee that means putting the past-their-prime Fantastics against each other in front of a crowd who has no idea who they are to put over the idea of a division full of young death-defying high-fliers. 1997 WWF, everybody!
Then we hit the AWA in 1986 as top star Sgt. Slaughter, just getting his G.I. Joe fame takes on a very green John “The Barbarian” Nord! Then it’s over to Smoky Mountain Wrestling for a pair of Ladder Matches- one a hilariously-weaksauce house show version where the “ladder” is just a tiny stepladder, and the other a really good one in a big show for the promotion- both involve “Discarded Toys” from other companies- Tracy Smothers vs. Chris Candido! Come see Candido take the most exaggerated sell I’ve ever seen- one that would have Jim Cornette calling for a boycott if it happened today.
WILLIAM REGAL vs. “THE AMERICAN DRAGON” BRYAN DANIELSON:
(Memphis Championship Wrestling, May 5th 2001)
* Announced as the “WWF Commissioner”, Regal takes on Danielson, whom he’d have a hand in training. Bryan is unrecognizable as this fresh-faced young kid with short hair and… are those Midnight Express tights? They’re long blue tights with stars on them. Regal gives Bryan a chance to walk away, but Bryan says “I’m not a COWARD BRITON!”, which Regal actually sells like it stunned him. Bryan would get a bit better on the mic.