The SmarK Rant for NWA Worldwide – 05.17.86

The SmarK Rant for NWA Worldwide – 05.17.86

Originally written 06.28.26

Greetings! If you’re reading this on Monday morning, I was unable to complete my review of Forbidden Door 2026 and had to post this as an emergency stopgap while I finish reviewing the PPV.

Taped from Charlotte, NC on 05.10.86

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & David Crockett

Sam Houston & Wahoo McDaniel v. Tully Blanchard & Jimmy Garvin

This is kind of a crazy match to start the show. Joined with Wahoo fighting off both heels with chops and chasing them to the floor. Back in, Wahoo takes Tully down with a wristlock and controls him on the mat. And then we get a hilarious bit where Tully desperately lunges for the tag to escape, but Garvin struts away because he doesn’t want to face Wahoo. Finally Tully basically forces the tag on him, and Wahoo threatens some chops before Jimmy retreats to think it over. Tully trips up Wahoo and Garvin puts the boots to him and drops some knees on him before sending him to the floor. Sam Houston tries to save his partner, but Garvin and Tully both attack and Sam doesn’t really have any defense against it. Back in, Wahoo manages to tag Houston and he runs wild, allowing Wahoo to chop Garvin and put Sam on top for two. Garvin beats Sam down again, however, and goes to a chinlock. We take a break and return exactly where we left off, with Sam fighting out of the chinlock before running into a knee that gets two. Houston fights back and gets Wahoo back into the ring, and Wahoo takes Tully down with a side headlock. Wahoo gets caught in the heel corner, however, and Garvin comes in with a chinlock. Wahoo fights out of that and makes the tag to Houston, but of course the ref misses it and the heels double-team Wahoo again. Sam gets it on the second try and slugs away on Tully in the corner, but Tuly casually catches him with a kick to the mouth on a backdrop attempt and follows with the boot laces. The heels trap him in the corner and Garvin chinlocks him, but Houston quickly fights up and they collide for a double down. Tully prevents any comeback with a chinlock of his own, but Sam fights out and gets a sunset flip for two. But then he tries a bodypress and Tully nails him with a stungun and then finishes with the slingshot suplex at 13:51. This was a HELL of a match to start the show. ***1/2.

Afterwards, they brawl on the floor, and Jimmy drops Wahoo with a brainbuster on the concrete, which back in 1986 would be enough to have him declared legally dead.

Todd Champion joins David, even though his name was “Todd Bradford” last week when he debuted. Todd’s like “With a last name like Champion I have to prove myself!” Yeah well good luck there.

World TV title: Arn Anderson v. The Italian Stallion

Stallion grabs a headlock, but AA slugs away in the corner. Stallion with a monkey flip out of the other corner, but he went WAAAAAAAHOOOO first and that allows Arn to drop him with a knee. And the gourdbuster finishes him at 2:00. Not exactly a grueling defense there.

The Rock N Roll Express join David, as Robert clarifies that they’re not splitting up, they’re just letting Ricky have some title shots as a solo. Yeah that’s what they said about David Lee Roth as well and look what happened to Van Halen! We ended up with Gary Cherone!

Arn Anderson joins us, talking about how true professionals put in a 60-80 hour workweek so they can be the best. And Wahoo doesn’t deserve a shot at his TV title.

Robert Gibson v. Nikita Koloff

Oh I don’t like Robert’s chances here. Nikita smashes him with shoulders in the corner and follows with a hiptoss, but he stops to go EYAAAAAAAAGH! in triumph and Robert dropkicks him out of the ring. Haven’t we learned already not to yell triumphantly until you’re actually the winner? Gibson with a headlock and they work on that as we take a break. Back with Gibson now trying a full nelson, but Nikita powers out of that and Gibson cradles him for two. Robert with a flying headscissors, but he tries a monkey flip out of the corner and Nikita drops him on his head to take over. Nikita with a backbreaker for two. He tosses Robert and Ivan gets a cheapshot out there, and then Nikita adds another one behind the ref’s back. Back in, Nikita with a bearhug and he squeezes on that and gets two, but Robert claps the ears to escape. So Nikita takes the ref and Ivan trips up Robert for some big heat, and Nikita gets two. Nikita runs him into the corner and chokes him out on the ropes, and puts him down with the Russian Hammer for two. Gibson comes back with a bodypress for two and tries a flying headscissors, but Ivan pops up and knocks Robert out with the chain to put Nikita on top. However, Tommy Young saw that cheating occur, and calls for the DQ at 13:38. Another really good TV match this week. ***. Afterwards the Russians go to destroy him, but Ricky quickly makes the save.

Ric Flair joins David, here to talk about Ricky Morton and how he’s conquered all challengers both in the US and around the world. But still he has to face more challengers, which feels like a conspiracy against him, but he’ll keep doing it anyway because he’s Ric Flair.

NWA World tag team title: The Midnight Express v. Dusty Rhodes & Magnum TA

I thought the James Boys were the #1 contender, not these two jabronis? Dusty quickly cleans house with elbows, but WE’RE DESPERATELY OUT OF TIME as the teams face off and Baby Doll wants Cornette.

I always love the shows as we approach the Great American Bash and this was no exception.