The SmarK Rant for Pro Wrestling This Week – 06.20.87

The SmarK Rant for Pro Wrestling This Week – 06.20.87

Man, Wrestle Dynasty is on WAY too late for me to stay up, and OF COURSE the very first episode of AEW Collision on the new USA Network failed to record for me because they changed the title to “All Elite Wrestling Collision” and my DVR thought it was a totally different show. So let’s just do some Pro Wrestling This Week instead and head to bed.

We’re skipping ahead a few weeks again because apparently that’s what’s out there.

Hosted by Joe Pedicino & Gordon Solie

Starting out in the Central States…

Central States title: Bulldog Bob Brown v. Rufus R. Jones

Joined with Rufus hitting Bob with shoulderblocks, but Brown puts him down, only for Rip Rogers to come in and accidentally hit Bob with a handful of powder, allowing Rufus to get the pin and win the title. Rip of course immediately lies about his involvement and wipes away all the powder on his hands, protesting his innocence to Bob, but Bob rams Rip into his valet and leaves. I thought Bob was gone from that territory and off to ruin Stampede by then, but I guess it’s later in the year.

Next up, we head to the UWF.

Terry Taylor v. Sting

Sting was breaking away from Eddie Gilbert for his first babyface turn, and Eddie waits until Sting is making his comeback and the ref is bumped, and then gives Taylor a cowboy boot and Terry accepts the help and knocks Sting out for the pin. Sting of course realizes what has gone down, and beats the hell out of Eddie to cement his tur, and he never looked back. And then Chris Adams makes the save, in the midst of his feud with former tag team partner Terry Taylor, and we get the switcheroo as Taylor & Gilbert align and Chris Adams & Sting are now a team.

Off to Puerto Rico, as the Youngblood Brothers do a promo as the WWC tag team champions, which is apparently exclusive to this show! Also the brothers show all of Jay Youngblood’s promo skills and less.

Next up, Portland.

Rip Oliver v. Mike Miller

This is a grudge match from the babyface turn for Miller that we had been following for the past few shows, and Miller beats on Rip with a clothesline, but the ref is bumped on a slam. So Oliver’s crew hits the ring and they’ve got a CHLOROFORM RAG because it’s still 1987, and the unconscious Miller gets put into a dress and made up all pretty with lipstick.

Next up, we get a promo from Bobby Heenan and Mean Gene, as Brain does a promo for an MSG show talking about a match with Hillbilly Jim and Little Beaver in his corner, and Bobby NEARLY cracks Gene with “bring all the Beaver you want to the ring” before Okerlund pulls it together. Not sure if this was actually part of the show but I’m glad it was there.

Off to the AWA…

AWA Women’s title: Sherri Martel v. Madusa Micelli

Sherri was bound for the WWF, so I’m guessing it’s time to switch the belt. Joined with Sherri necking Madusa on the ropes for two. Jackknife pin gets two. Madusa fights back with knees and a slam for two, but time expires and it’s a TV time limit draw so I guess this wasn’t the switch. Turns out that Sherri never actually dropped the title and just left as champion a couple of weeks after this, and then it was left vacant for six months before they finally did a deal and put it on Madusa. Well that sounds about normal for Verne. Oh and then they clarify that it wasn’t actually a draw, it was a DQ because Sherri punched her in the coochie. Well that’s nice.

Sound Off! With Boni Blackstone!

A fan writes in to protest that the British Bulldogs were taken out of the PWI Top 10 after having the title STOLEN by the Hart Foundation. Geez, it’s been five months, get over it. Also Boni advises some kid who writes in to become a pro wrestler, even though he’s only 5’7”. Don’t listen to her, kid. Your dreams are stupid.

Back to the WWF promos, with Magnificent Muraco this time, as he’s sick of carrying Bob Orton in a tag team. Gene points out that Muraco is being very backhanded in his “compliments”, calling him old and washed up and a literal piece of garbage, and Muraco indeed wants a match with Orton to settle his beef.

Off to the WWF for real now.

Intercontinental title: Ricky Steamboat v. Honky Tonk Man

Yup, it’s the historic upset as Jimmy Hart takes the ref and they do a cradle in the ropes, resulting in Honky grabbing the ropes and ending up on top to win the title, thus kicking off months of annoying everyone.

Bill Apter sits down with Captain Lou Albano, discussing his wrestling career and then move into managing. He apparently films all his matches and watches them back, so Captain Lou was truly the father of the WWE Network.

Mat Classic: The Kiwis v. Keith & Bret Hart

They claim this is from 1974 in Stampede but it’s more accurately from April 1979 since Bret didn’t even start until 78. The Kiwis, Sweet William & Crazy Nick, are the team later known as the Sheepherders. Joined with the Harts double-teaming William (Luke) but Keith gets trapped in corner and the Kiwis take over. William goes up and Keith slams him off and puts him in a Boston crab, but Nick (Butch) saves with a cheapshot behind the ref’s back and William falls on top for the pin. Not really a classic but a good tag match, and it’s funny to see the Sheepherders with relatively long hair and acting like normal people.

Meanwhile, Fritz Von Erich sits down and discusses the origins of the clawhold, and we get footage from the 60s as he works on his opponent with a stomach claw until he quits.

Gary Hart introduces us to Boy Tony, a very confused Tony Falk challenging gender roles in Memphis.

Speaking of Memphis…

The Memphis Vice v. Shima & Helo

From the Mid-South Coliseum and I’m not familiar with the heels but they appear to be of the evil Asian variety. Jerry Bryant takes various chops and sells for them while I look into it, and the heels are actually Akio Sato & Ricky Fuyuki. Well OK then. Hard to tell because Sato with long hair looks nothing like himself. Bryant steals the heel’s kendo stick and pins Helo for the win.

Off to the NWA next…

Apparently there’s some kind of new match coming up at the Great American Bash with two rings but we don’t know the details yet. I’m intrigued!

World TV title: Tully Blanchard v. Dusty Rhodes

This is the $100,000 challenge match to pay off that angle, joined with Dusty putting Tully down with a sleeper and hits him with a slingshot suplex for an apparent pin. But Tully’s foot is actually in the ropes, so JJ Dillon just grabs the bag of money and leaves with it, but Dusty chases him out while Tommy Young tells him to come back and continue the match, and then counts Big Dust out and awards it to Tully. Yup, it’s a Dusty Finish in a Dusty match.

And then Gordon and Joe throw Tommy Young under the bus for making the call! You leave him alone!

Next up, we go to Mexico for a trios match in the WWA, which involves Mondo Guerrero and El Santo but no one else I know, and the commentary is of course in Spanish, but guys are flying around and it seems fun. Mondo wins with the Gory Special.

Continental Junior Heavyweight title: Tom Prichard v. Scott Armstrong

Speaking of fast action, we go to Alabama for this, joined with Armstrong working the arm, but Dr. Tom sends him to the apron and goes to a facelock to take over. Scott reverses him to a suplex, but Tom catches a superkick, so Armstrong rolls him up for the pin and the title. And this is enough to earn him Wrestler of the Week, despite the Honky Tonk Man making history and all.

Another very enjoyable walk down memory lane, despite some gimmick choices that would be a tad questionable these days.