The SmarK Rant for Pro Wrestling USA – 11.03.84

The SmarK Rant for Pro Wrestling USA – 11.03.84

Carrying on with the bizarre NWA/AWA hybrid “super-promotion” that was supposed to challenge Vince McMahon in 1984. Didn’t work out for them but it’s pretty neat!

Taped from what looks like somewhere in the Carolinas. The credits later show it’s Charlotte, which would make sense.

Hosted by Gordon Solie, a 500% improvement over Jack Armstrong’s phoned in performance in the first few shows.

Jerry Lawler v. Randy Barber

It’s a drastic change in presentation from the last show, as we’re taped in a Mid-Atlantic arena now instead of Memphis, with Tony Schiavone doing ring announcing, and it looks WAY better. Barber hits Lawler with knees in the corner, but Lawler dodges a dropkick and takes him down with a headlock. Barber gets a cheapshot and Lawler delivers one of his own while Gordon clarifies the hybrid AWA/NWA rules: Over the top rope is a DQ, into the ringpost is a DQ. Barber runs Lawler into the turnbuckles, but Lawler pulls down the strap and makes the comeback, slugging him down and then finishing him off with the fistdrop at 3:20.

Ivan & Nikita Koloff v. Rocky King & Don Sanders

Rocky tries a headlock on Ivan and gets dumped on his head as a result, and Ivan puts him down with a back elbow and chokes him out. Over to Nephew Nikita and he drops Rocky on the top rope and just hurls him across the ring, and it’s over to Sanders who also gets wrecked. Sheik Adnan joins us at ringside to watch while Ivan hits Sanders with a backbreaker and puts the boots to him, then drops a knee and brings Nikita back in. That dude was on ALL OF THE STEROIDS in 1984. Save some for the rest of Minnesota, brother! The steroid store called and said they’re running out of stock. Back to King and Nikita plows through him with a clothesline and he’s just a big stupid out of control ox at this point. And Ivan finishes with a kneedrop off the top at 5:00. This had some incredible crowd heat for a TV squash and Nikita was obviously money.

Dusty Rhodes joins Gordon in front of the green screen backstage, promising a “colossal collision” between the USA and Russia down the line. Also he clarifies that he’s never been a modest man. WHAT? THAT’S CRAZY TALK! And then we take a break, and return with Dusty introducing Coach John Heath, who was some kind of amateur wrestling coach and I guess is Gordon’s new color commentator, along with Dusty Rhodes. That’s gonna be quite the team.

Mr. Saito v. Jason Walker

Tony announces him as “Mr Si-a-toh” showing that the gap in knowledge between the promotions was still a real thing. Gordon is of course well versed with Saito already. Saito takes Walker down with a suplex and cross armbreaker, and follows with a backdrop before choking him out. Saito chops Walker down and slams him for two. Heath actually isn’t bad on commentary as far as the technical end of things. Saito with more chops and Dusty can only go “HOO DADDY! HE TORE HIS HEAD OFF, JACKSON BROWNE!” See kids, Jackson Browne was a famous rock and roll singer in 1984. Saito with a double nerve pinch while Dusty puts over the “Greek-o Roman background” and Saito adds a brainbuster and beats on him with fistdrops and the Saito Suplex to finish at 6:10. Long squash but Dusty was delightful on commentary.

Bob Backlund v. Mike Jackson

Oh I bet Bob is gonna give Mike some offense here! They all loved Mike Jackson. Jackson goes for a takedown and Bob hops away from it and takes him down himself. Jackson tries a wristlock and Bob whips him down with a “wing over” according to Heath, and then rides him on the mat and Heath is 100% in his comfort zone calling this stuff. They trade wristlocks and Jackson tries to ride Backlund and gets reversed into a leglock by Bob. Mike kicks out of that, so Backlund takes him down with an armbar and then picks him up and slams him around the ring while holding the arm. Backlund must have been loving this. Jackson counters out of the armbar with a headscissors and they’re at a stalemate again, so Jackson gives Bob a cheapshot on a rope break and slugs him down for two. Jackson with a facelock, so Bob puts him on the top rope and gets his own cheapshot to teach him a lesson. Jackson tries a full nelson and Bob reverses that and wraps him up with the Gedo clutch to finish at 7:54. This was GREAT. I bet if Bob could continue doing this stuff every week he would have stuck around a lot longer because this was obviously what he was passionate about.

Nick Bockwinkel joins us backstage, and he puts over all the great World champions in Pro Wrestling USA, calling them all “Mr.” very respectfully. He admits that he watched a lot of people climb up the hill when he was on top, and he kicked them in the teeth when they got there.

Ricky Steamboat v. Gary Royal

Steamboat takes Royal down with hiptosses and an armdrag, and a monkey flip out of the corner. Royal puts him down with a back elbow and slams him for two. Royal with a cheapshot in the corner and he goes up with a splash, but that hits knees and Steamboat powerslams him and goes up to finish with the flying splash at 2:35.

The Road Warriors v. Steve Miller & Mark Fleming

Warriors were AWA tag team champions at this point, but still very green and working out the finer points of their act. For instance, they had leather chaps at this point instead of their more recognizable gear. They beat on Fleming in the corner and Hawk gets a press slam on Miller and drops a fist for two. More double-teaming in the corner and Hawk puts Miller in a body vice and submits him at 3:10. And the crowd absolutely goes CRAZY for them and gives them a standing ovation for the squash.

The presentation was a night and day upgrade here by moving to Charlotte and having Crockett’s guys produce the show. Hopefully they start doing actual star matches instead of squashes, but I don’t think we’re that lucky. This was a much more entertaining episode but they kinda need to find a point to the show and/or something to build towards because I can see why it died off so quickly as it stands.