The SmarK Rant for UWF Power Pro Wrestling – 01.17.87

The SmarK Rant for UWF Power Pro Wrestling – 01 17.87

Originally written 12.13.25

Continuing my quest to review stuff other than Superstars for a week! I’ve got this, Uncle Herb, maybe some more SMW, AWA, maybe an episode of Pro Wrestling This Week, all kinds of good stuff to change it up a bit. Probably that AEW Dark episode on Tuesday too.

I’ve asked Richard for more UWF TV, but this Power Pro run seems to be the only stuff readily available at the moment. I’ll take it.

Taped from the historic Cowtown Coliseum, next to Billy Bob’s Stockyards, in Ft. Worth TX!

Your host is Jim Ross

Gary Young v. Jack Victory

Victory gets a backdrop out of the corner, but Young counters to a sunset flip for two and Victory claims a pull of the tights and walks around the ring trying to convince the front row. Young with a rollup for two and Victory complains about the tights again and then throws Young to the table outside to take over. Back in, Jack puts the boots to him, but Young makes a comeback and slugs him down to set up a bodypress for two. But then he tries another one and Mike George pulls down the top rope, allowing Victory to get a cheapshot and finish with a gourdbuster at 4:04.

Meanwhile, JR chats with Don Walton from the local newspaper, as he features a centerfold of Dark Journey and promises one of Missy Hyatt coming up.

Eli the Eliminator v. Jeff Raitz

Eli puts the boots to Jeff in the corner and suplexes him for two. He follows with the most terrifying looking tombstone I’ve ever seen outside of the famous Owen one, absolutely bouncing poor Raitz off the mat right on his forehead and hopefully not breaking his neck in the process.

Meanwhile, JR chats with Chavo Guerrero and Dr. Death, who will be facing the Freebirds in the main event tonight. Doc wants no more talking and more opening of cans of kickass. Even though he can’t say that on TV.

Meanwhile, General Skandor Akbar shows footage of Ted Dibiase challenging One Man Gang on the main UWF TV show, which results in the Gang coming out and beating the shit out of him and busting his eye open. Gang goes up for a 747 splash, but it misses and Dibiase pins him with a cradle to win the impromptu match, no doubt making him into the #1 contender to the UWF World title. Back in the arena, Akbar promises to make “Debussy” crawl and beg for forgiveness, like he did years ago when Dibiase betrayed him the first time. Ooo, nice callback.

One Man Gang v. Jeff Gaylord

Interesting to see Gaylord as a TV enhancement guy just before he started breaking out a bit. Gang pounds on him with elbows and squashes him in the corner and then finishes with the big splash at 1:50.

Meanwhile, we get clips of Sting & Eddie Gilbert v. The Fantastics, as Tommy gets a hot tag and cleans house, until Terry Gordy comes out and decides to destroy the Fantastics, hitting Rogers with a piledriver as awesome as Eli’s was terrifying. Tommy’s sell was incredible. And then Gordy does a promo promising to run through Doc and get his UWF title back.

Terry Gordy & The Angel of Death v. Chavo Guerrero & Steve Williams

So this was supposed to be Buddy Roberts, but Michael Hayes basically says they changed their mind and they want Angel of Death instead. I’m not sure why, but that’s a choice they made. The babyfaces clear the ring as Gordy takes a huge bump in the corner and over the top, prompting Michael Hayes to blame Sunshine. Chavo hits Gordy with a shot to his ridiculously braced and wrapped knee and goes to work on it. Doc pulls him out of the ropes and cranks on a toehold, and then Chavo comes off the middle rope with a kneedrop to the leg. Over to the Angel, who comes in with a backdrop on Chavo and uses some clubbing forearms, but Doc puts him down with a clothesline. Gordy comes in and Doc hits him with a german suplex for two. We take a break and return with Gordy clubbing Chavo down, and Angel sends him to the floor and puts the boots to him. Angel with a bearhug on Chavo, before Gordy drops an elbow and suplexes him for two. Chavo fights back with an enzuigiri, but Gordy tries a piledriver and Chavo backdrops out of it and makes a false tag to Doc while the ref is distracted. So the heels of course immediately toss Chavo over the top rope, allowing Hayes to run him into the post while Doc freaks out and brawls with Gordy until the ref calls for the DQ at 12:00. Gordy takes a swing with a chair and hits the Angel by mistake, allowing Williams to come back and clear the ring with the chair. Really good TV match. ***1/4

Meanwhile, JR chats with Eddie Gilbert and Rick Steiner, as Eddie promises Missy that they’ll bring all the belts home to her, so she can buy a nice sailboat or whatever. Rick Steiner playing an arrogant heel is kind of a funny fit.

And Jim Ross wraps it up for another week, and next week we’ve got Michael Hayes v. The Missing Link and more!

This was obviously the B-Show for the UWF at the time but it’s still a nice comforting bowl of chicken soup for the wrestling fan’s soul.