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The SmarK Rant for Pro Wrestling This Week – 08.08.87

By Scott Keith on 18 April 2025

The SmarK Rant for Pro Wrestling This Week – 08.08.87

We are joined in the cold open by crazy Japanese bastards kicking the shit out of each other and then TOMMY RICH’S CROTCH. If that’s not pro wrestling in a nutshell…

Your hosts are Joe Pedicino & Gordon Solie

Starting with the UWF, with a match declared one of the greatest ever on TV by Pedicino.

Western States Heritage title: Barry Windham v. Dick Murdoch

I’m trying to source UWF TV from my people so I can start reviewing that, by the way. We’re joined with Windham working on the leg and putting Murdoch into the figure-four with time apparently running out on the show. Murdoch makes the ropes and puts Barry down with a back elbow to set up the brainbuster, but Eddie Gilbert takes the ref and the time expires while Murdoch tries to go for the pin, at 2:45 shown. Not sure what Eddie’s involvement with either guy was at that point, to be honest.

Off to the AWA, for an arm wrestling tournament (sort of).

Kevin Kelly v. Tommy Rich

This is an arm wrestling match, and we certainly know that Tommy can bend his elbow when he needs to. They do the deal where Rich has to make a babyface comeback, but Sherri steps in and slaps him to cut it off, so Tommy attacks her and tears her dress off, leaving her in what is supposed to be underwear but is essentially a bathing suit. Sherri was already gone to the WWF by the time this aired.

The Danger Zone with special guest Mitch Snow from the AWA. Yes, THAT Mitch Snow! Actually I don’t really know who it is. Paul E. puts himself over for a bit and then Snow walks off.

Off to Wild West Wrestling for a mixed tag…

La Serenita, Wild Bill Irwin & The Missing Link v. Gato Vera, John Tatum & Jack Victory

The ladies, who are obviously imported from Mexico, do some basic stuff for a bit and then we cut to later in the match with Irwin & Link making a babyface comeback on Tatum & Victory and clearing the ring and the match just kind of ends at 2:20 shown.

To the WWF, where Bobby Heenan has introduced Ravishing Rick Rude to the Family, and as noted earlier, Sherri Martel has debuted and won the Women’s title from Fabulous Moolah. No footage this week of either.

Off to Portland…

Mike Miller v. Super Ninja

The Ninja is working on behalf of Rip Oliver, although of course Rip would work AS the Super Ninja for an SNME appearance against Ultimate Warrior a year later. Miller makes a comeback, but Oliver runs in and hits him with a chair to draw a DQ at 0:30 aired.

To Memphis, where we take a MUSICAL LOOK at the tournament to determine the new Southern tag team champions, with a finals of Badd Company v. Jeff Jarrett & Billy Travis.

Southern tag team title final: Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond v. Jeff Jarrett & Billy Travis

Joined with Jeff getting double-teamed in the corner and Tanaka hits him with a pair of superkicks, but Jarrett pops up and slugs back with some GREAT Memphis punching. And the manager tosses powder at Jeff, but he ducks and hits Tanaka, putting Jeff on top for the pin at 1:44 shown. Man Jeff was such a high level babyface for so long that it’s astonishing he never really went back to it again after his WWF debut.

Off to Continental…

Dutch Mantel v. Mr. Olympia

Olympia was still around in 1987? Joined with Olympia fighting out of a chinlock and making the comeback with a hiptoss for two, but he slugs away in the corner and the ref manhandles him in an effort to stop it. So Dutch accidentally knocks the ref out with a lariat and Olympia gets a pair of visual pinfalls on Dutch. This allows Dirty White Boy to run in, clothesline Olympia over, and put Dutch on top for the pin at 2:00.

To World Class…

Texas title: Al Perez v. Tony Atlas

This was the wacky period where Atlas was cosplaying in a Superman outfit for some reason, and he slugs away in the corner. Perez gives the microphone to Al and Tony steals it away and gets some shots with that and the match is thrown out at 1:30. Atlas looked SO BAD here.

Sound-Off! With Boni Blackstone!

Some dork fan wants to know how successful Jesse Ventura was when he was a wrestler. She doesn’t really answer the question. Another doofus complains about squash matches.

To Central States…

Ox Baker v. Rip Rogers

Yes, Ox Baker’s inexplicable push continues in 1987. Rip beats him down for two as the announcer declares that this is just a small taste of the wrestling action you’ll see at their shows live. Well thanks for the warning then. Ox makes a comeback as the valets run in, but Bobby Jaggers attacks and the valet turns out to be one of the Batten Twins in a wig in a weird angle. Well OK then.

PWI Report with Bill Apter

First up, TOP TEN TAG TEAMS!

  1. The Road Warriors
  2. The Hart Foundation
  3. The Rock N Roll Express
  4. The Midnight Express
  5. The British Bulldogs
  6. The Lightning Express
  7. The Sheepherders
  8. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson
  9. The Fantastics
  10. The New Dream Team

I would certainly question a couple of those inclusions. Like you have this murderer’s row of 80s tag team elite and then you stick DINO BRAVO at the bottom of the list and invalidate the whole thing. You never go full Bravo!

AWA Top Ten!

  1. Curt Hennig
  2. Greg Gagne
  3. Nick Bockwinkel
  4. Larry Zbyszko
  5. Wahoo McDaniel
  6. Jerry Lawler
  7. DJ Peterson
  8. Tommy Rich
  9. Kevin Kelly
  10. Jimmy Snuka

Next up, Bill has a scouting report on Bam Bam Bigelow. He’s pretty good, I guess?

Mat Classic: Tony Marelli & Antonio Leoni v. The Garibaldi Brothers

From 1958. Not sure which promotion but it seems like the mob was probably getting a piece of the action. The heels double-team young Leo until the ref calls for the DQ at 1:00 shown.

To the NWA, where Sean Royal is back from his futuristic broken arm.

Sean Royal v. Rocky King

Not sure why Royal was doing a singles match at this point. Royal beats King down and quickly goes up to finish with a flying knee at 1:23 shown. The New Breed were great and shows tons of promise, but Royal just never recovered from that injury.

Next up, WWC in Puerto Rico…

World tag team title: Mark & Chris Youngblood v. Mr. Pogo & TNT

Joined with TNT holding a chinlock on Chris, but Mark gets the hot tag and throws chops until it breaks down and TNT gets a shot from the middle rope for the pin and the titles at 1:30 shown.

International match: Tatsumi Fujinami v. White Panther (?)

Gordon doesn’t actually identify the opponent but just calls him “a white panther”. I think it’s pretty clearly Shiro Koshinaka, actually, but I can’t pin anything down as far when it actually happened and what the context was. He hits Fujinami with a brainbuster for two, but Fujinami traps him and PROCURES THE CHICKENWING to finish at 1:30 shown. This seemed like a HELL of a match and I want to know more about it. New Japan World doesn’t seem to have footage of it either.

And the Wrestler of the Week is Sherri Martel, complete with the footage of her winning the title from Moolah.

Well aside from Sherri pulling a Rick Rude and appearing in two places at once this week, it was a pretty quiet week for wrestling.