The SmarK Rant for NWA Worldwide – 01.28.89

The SmarK Rant for NWA Worldwide – 01.28.89

OK I know this isn’t really starting from the beginning of 1989 like I wanted, but my collection only goes back to Jan 28 for 89, and as well, I had started reviewing WWF 89 a while back and this way we can catch up to that pretty quick. 

Taped from Albany, GA

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & David Crockett

BREAKING NEWS:  The Road Warriors have picked Tenryu as their new partner in the Six-Man champions!  Plus Kendall Windham has turned and joined the Four Horsemen to cement the lamest fucking version of that stable ever!  Maybe there was a salary cap after the Turner buyout? 

The Midnight Express v. Mike Jackson & Mike Justice

The jobbers actually try to jump the Express and that goes badly for them, as Justice gets hit with a double elbow while Cornette rants about Paul E. Dangerously on commentary.  Stan with the karate kicks on Justice and Bobby goes up with the Alabama Jam, and the Flapjack finishes at 1:39. 

Afterwards, Tony chats with the MX and Cornette notes that they’re still badass heels, but now people cheer for them.  But we get an inset from Paul E, who announces that Jim Cornette is OUT of the NWA, although he doesn’t offer any details.  Cornette notes that he hates Paul E and his new life’s goal is to get Paul out of the wrestling business and keep him from leeching off people in the ring again.  Well good luck with THAT. 

The Windhams join David, along with new manager JJ Dillon, and Barry notes that his brother has seen the light and joined the Horsemen.  He’s kind of a counterfeit Horsemen, you might say. 

Barry Windham & Kendall Windham v. Keith Steinborn & ???

The Windhams double-team Steinborn and work the arm repeatedly, and Kendall chicken-wings it and cranks on it until he tags out to the other guy, who is apparently named “Holliday” but I don’t have a first name.  And they kept cranking on his arm until the ref stops the match at 2:50.  But this annoys new heel Kendall, who wanted to make him suffer and quit. 

Butch Reed v. Max MacGyver

I feel like Max will figure out a way to win this one, possibly involving using spare parts to create a solution.  Reed whips him around and beats on him with shoulders in the corner before hitting him with a hiptoss and a backdrop.  And the flying clothesline finishes at 1:27.  For those keeping track, the Four Horsemen were basically Ric Flair, Butch Reed and the Windhams at this point.

Butch Reed joins Magnum and feels like he can flex with Lex Luger, and Eddie Gilbert should not shuck and jive with him.  He’s here for a reason, not a season.  Ironically he stuck around for quite a long time, in fact. 

Michael Hayes & Junkyard Dog v. The Russian Assassins

They all brawl to start and Hayes slugs away on #2 in the corner, but Paul Jones hooks the leg and #1 drops an elbow on Michael.  Kind of sad that times were so tough for the NWA that we couldn’t even get legit Russians from Minnesota and had to resort to masked Jack Victory Russians instead.  Hayes comes back with a bulldog on #2 and JYD gets a hot tag and runs wild.  Well, “runs” is stretching things with JYD.  And Jones trips him up as well and it’s a DQ at 2:38.  It was reaching for ***** there but the finish brought it down to a DUD.  Maybe next time.

Afterwards, Hayes and Dog want Paul Jones in the ring.  I’m good with him staying out.

Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotunda v. ???

No idea who these jobbers are.  Rotunda throws one of the guys around with a suplex and Sullivan rams the other guy facefirst into the mat a bunch of times.  Mike with another suplex and Kevin with the double stomp to finish at 1:33. 

Afterwards, David talks with the Varsity Club, and Kevin tells a story about drinking in a saloon and seeing “a couple of hussies” and then discovering that they were actually quite ugly without their makeup.  And that’s what the Road Warriors are, UGLY.  So Kevin is gonna open up their face, pull their heart out, and then jump down their throat and pull their face off.  Well that escalated quickly from “having a few beers at the saloon”.  Also Mike is getting his title back from Rick Steiner after making him suffer for a while. 

Ric Flair joins us and complains about losing to a mystery man who turned out to be Rick Steamboat, and he’s calling his lawyer to complain.  “You were ready to retire and be a father, WHAT IS IT WITH YOU?!?”  Flair accuses Steamboat of being unfulfilled and never being the man he wants to be.  Until he wins the World title, which will never happen. 

Al Perez v. Agent Steele

Perez takes him to the floor and drops him on the railing, and back in for a legdrop before tossing him out to the floor again while David and Tony discuss Steamboat v. Flair.  Perez slams him on the floor and back in for a backdrop before beating him down with forearms and then finishing with the helicopter slam at 2:25. 

Next Week:  Ricky Steamboat joins us!  Paul Jones is actually getting in the ring to face Michael Hayes, in some form! 

Ok this is gonna be a fun year, I can tell.