The SmarK Rant for GWF Supercard – 09.09.91

The SmarK Rant for GWF Supercard – 09.09.91

It appears that the show skipped a couple of weeks after the tag team tournament finale for whatever reason. Maybe Pedicino was waiting on his cheque from the bogus Nigerian backers and forgot to do tapings?

Taped from the GLOBALDOME

Your hosts are Craig Johnson & Scott Hudson

So this is a different format now, with the main tournaments apparently done for a while, so while they tape more stuff we get a “Best of 1991 so far” episode featuring leftover matches from the year’s tapings outside of the tournaments. Sure, why not. I imagine the North American title tournament footage will start soon.

Gorgeous Gary Young v. Mike Davis

Davis immediately runs away from Young and somehow manages to crotch himself on the post, but then beats Young down with forearms and chokes him out on the mat and goes to a chinlock. Young comes back with a sunset flip, though, and that finishes at 4:20. Can’t imagine why this one didn’t make the show. ½*

Chaz v. RASTA THE VOODOO MON

Oh man, how could we have a Best of 1991 without Rasta? Sadly he disappeared after the TV title tournament and never lived up to his limitless potential. Rasta sprinkles magic voodoo dust on the turnbuckles, and I bet there was a LOT of magic white voodoo powder going around backstage at that time IF YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKIN’. Rasta, voodoo warrior in Zubaz pants, probably kept his magic voodoo powder in his ICOPRO fanny pack. Rasta beats Chaz down and poses menacingly at him, and then hiptosses him and adds a slam, neither of which he can do convincingly. Bearhug and he works on Chaz in the corner, looking like a CGI-animated LJN wrestling figure, but Chaz comes back with a dropkick and Rasta kinda sells but doesn’t fall over. So Rasta further beats on him, barely even able to move his own limbs, and then finishes with something resembling the Tongan Death Grip at 3:08, dubbed the Voodoo Vice by Craig. I could have used some of that magic voodoo powder before having to review this abortion of a match. -**

Hotbody Randy Rhodes v. Jeff Gaylord

Big stall to start as the announcers note that Christopher Love calls Rhodes the “body of the 90s” and then clarify that it’s actually his waist size. Gaylord gets a single punch in the corner and Randy bails to the floor to recover. Back in the ring, Rhodes slugs away, but Gaylord fights back with a clothesline as Christopher Love gets on the apron with a chair. But Gaylord whips Rhodes into the chair and pins him at 4:39. ½*

Makhan Singh & Rip Rogers v. Terry Daniels & Rick Gerran

Given that the Rasta voodoo powder is still on the mat here, I’m assuming they just took matches from a single random taping and called it a “Best of 1991” show. It would appear to be the July 12 1991 taping in fact, which had most of the light heavyweight title tournament and finals. Daniels controls Rogers with a fireman’s carry and then he works on the arm, but Rip hiptosses him and follows with a clothesline. Over to Makhan, who hits Daniels with a middle rope splash for two, but then picks him up. Back to Rip, who misses an elbow and allows a tag to Gerran, but he immediately misses a dropkick and Rogers gives him a DDT for two and picks him up as well. Makhan comes in with the Karachi Krunch, and Rogers gets the pin at 4:43. Rip Rogers is a delight, the match not so much. *

Meanwhile, the Cartel continues playing coy about the identity of the mysterious Boss, and Makhan talks about how they love to sit in their limo and watch all the poor working slobs go to work.

Wild Bill Irwin v. Skip Young

Skip is another longtime Texas and southern wrestling guy, also known as Sweet Brown Sugar, presumably because of his suitability for baked goods and delicious porridge. Skip gets a dropkick and counters a slam into an armbar in a nice reversal while the announcers note that Irwin might use the whip on Young if given the chance. Gosh, I feel like the optics of someone who looks like Irwin whipping someone who looks like Young might be a tad problematic, even in 1991. Irwin takes him down and goes to the chinlock, but Young comes back with his own eye rakes and hits him with a headbutt. Irwin with a gut wrench suplex for two. Pump kick finishes at 4:15. This was fine. *1/2

And then we get a recap of the Light Heavyweight tournament for some reason, which really makes me feel like this is an episode that was already assembled and then just shelved for some reason. I wonder if it was supposed to be an episode of the GWF Main Events show that also aired on ESPN?

Terry Garvin v. John Tatum

Tatum actually gives a clean handshake to start as the announcers note that Tatum claims to be a “52^nd degree black belt in karate”, which seems dubious to them as well as me. Tatum gives another handshake AND a clean break in the corner, but then uses his black belt in karate to get some chops off the break. Garvin chases him to the floor and Tatum of course has a cry about it and then comes back in with a cheap karate chop to the throat to take over. More shenanigans with the illegal martial arts, but Garvin comes back with the bulldog and slugs away in the corner. But the ref stops him from further punches and Tatum takes him down and pins him with the ropes at 6:00. ½*. This was like something off a 70s WWWF house show.

Brian Adias & Gary Young v. Randy Rhodes & Wild Bill Irwin

Joined in progress with Rhodes running away from the babyfaces until Young is able to grab an armbar to stop him. Over to Irwin, and Young armbars him as well and gets a backdrop to take over. Dropkick gets one. More arm work and Irwin misses a kneedrop, and the babyfaces go right back to work the arm again. The heels finally turn the tide with a cheapshot in the corner and then choke out Young with Bill’s whip, but it’s a collision for a double down. Hot tag Adias but Irwin uses the whip on him. But then Randy takes too long to capitalize, and clotheslines himself on a blind charge, allowing Adias to roll him up for the pin at 6:00. That felt like a dark match at the end of a 4 hour taping. *

Well this show probably should have been left buried in the vault where they found it. Hopefully they get going with the North American title tournament soon.