The SmarK Rant for Coliseum Video Presents High Flyers

– Circa 1988. The idea here is, well, you figure it out.

– Virgil (w/ Ted Dibiase) v. Randy Savage.

Oh, man, the nWo are fighting and they’re not even scheduled to be forming for another 8 years! This is just after Wrestlemania IV, where Savage won the WWF title for the first time. Virgil is built like a brick shithouse here. Wow, what happened between 88 and 91 to send him into pudgy-ville? Here’s another surprise: This match doesn’t suck. Virgil was an accomplished indy wrestler named Soul Train Jones before entering the WWF as Dibiase’s lackey, and it shows. Quick match as Dibiase interferes constantly. Virgil almost nails a frog splash but Savage moves and takes over. Meanwhile, Dibiase is offering Liz money for something. You dirty old man. Savage clobbers him from behind, rolls Virgil in after taking him out, elbowdrop, pin. Good match. 1 for 1.

– The Conquistadors v. The Rockers.

The Conquistadors are longtime WWF jobbers Jose LUIS Rivera (That’s how Fink always pronounced it) and Jose Estrada. Michaels and Jannetty are still billed as the “Midnight Rockers” on the marquee in the background. Starts really good, but the Conquistadors slow it down way too much. Still, a good hot finish saves it, as Michaels pins a Conquistador after a flying bodypress. 2 for 2, but it’s a close call.

– Lelani Kei & Judy Martin v. The Jumping Bomb Angels.

This is not the Royal Rumble match, it’s a rematch from the Spectrum a few weeks later. This is almost lucha-esque. Sukie Yamasaki even pulls out the Octopus, a move not seen since Owen Hart used to do it in Stampede. Terrific
workrate in an era where it was non-existant. Noriyo cleans house on Judy Martin after the hot tag, but then flubs a double-team. The Glamour Girls go for the kill, but Noriyo reverses a slam into a rollup out of nowhere for the pin. Really good match. 3 for 3.

– The Shadows v. The Young Stallions.

Paul Roma and Jim Powers were a very underappreciated team in the late 80s, and this is a case in point for them. Don’t ask me who the Shadows are — probably just a couple of jobbers, although I feel like I should know the bigger Shadow. This is your standard house show opener, but everyone must have picked up a pair of working boots at the door because it’s really quite good. Almost no restholds to speak of, and it’s pretty long. Powers whips Shadow #2
into the corner as Roma comes off with a sunset flip for the win. 4 for 4.

– Koko B. Ware & The Blue Blazer v. Danny Davis & Jose Estrada.

Why oh why is Jose Estrada in *two* matches on this tape? Danny Davis is the current WWF referee of the same name. Blue Blazer is Owen Hart before he fucked up his knee. Pretty much a jobber v. jobber tryout match type thing. The heels pound on the faces non-stop pretty much the entire match, and it’s boring as hell. This is a *very* long match considering that it basically features 3 jobbers and a JTTS. Blazer with a splash off the top rope for the pin. 4 for 5.

The Bottom Line: Well worth a look.