The SmarK Rant for UWF Wrestling – 01.24.87

The SmarK Rant for UWF Wrestling – 01.24.87

Originally written 12.23.25

Luckily Richard has a few episodes of the REAL UWF TV show instead of just Power Pro, so this week’s episode features the A-show.

LAST WEEK ON POWER PRO: Missy Hyatt and Dark Journey get into a brawl and it goes badly for Missy. So we hear from Eddie Gilbert, who isn’t gonna take this shit.

Taped from Tulsa, OK

Your host is Jim Ross

Chavo Guerrero v. Art Crews

Art was a guy who kicked around the Mid-South days and Portland and was usually a decent hand. Crews beats on Chavo, but gets taken down and put into an armbar, and Chavo gets a bodypress for two. Chavo works a leglock, but Art tosses him to the floor and gets some shots out there. Back in the ring, Chavo fights back and chops him down with his HISPANIC TEMPER and even gives the ref a leg kick in frustration when Crews won’t engage fast enough for his tastes. Crews tries to toss him out of the ring, but Chavo hangs on and skins the cat, and then finishes with a rana at 4:00.

Eli the Eliminator v. Jeff Gaylord

Man, I just found out a little while ago that Jeff was kind of a piece of shit after the end of his wrestling career. Apparently the business chewed him up and spit him out. Eli beats on him and puts him down with an elbow, and then finishes with his godawful tombstone at 2:20. Also Skandor Akbar doesn’t want Eli referred to as “the Eliminator” anymore. Duly noted.

Skandor Akbar joins JR and HE CALLS HIM ELI THE ELIMINATOR, thus contradicting himself in the very next segment. What a heel. So Eli and Wild Bill Irwin are apparently a team now, which is why Eli (not the Eliminator) is wearing jeans and a leather vest like a cowboy I guess.

Meanwhile, the Freebirds present their own personally edited video package, with Terry Gordy forfeiting the UWF title to One Man Gang and kicking off a feud between the Freebirds and Devastation Inc. So then the Birds return the favor by attacking Jim Duggan and Terry Taylor last week, and then proclaiming themselves the new tag team champions. Oddly enough, Jim Duggan was so badly injured that he left the UWF and never returned, going into retirement as far I know. But seriously, this set up a tag team title tournament with some all time crazy twists and turns.

Michael Hayes chats with Jim Ross, who clarifies that the Freebirds’ version of the tape was heavily edited and in fact they are not the new tag team champions.

Meanwhile, last week on the show, the Freebirds all attack Savannah Jack and drop elbows on him into oblivion, until Iceman Parsons makes the save. And Michael Hayes decides to steal the UWF TV title while he’s there, using the legal precedent of Finders v. Keepers.

Savannah Jack v. Ken Massey

Jack has in fact retrieved the TV title back from Michael Hayes. Jack with a hiptoss for two and he follows with a backdrop, and then hits him with the superkick to finish at 0:20.

Ted Dibiase v. Mike George

But first we recap some of the times that One Man Gang has tangled with Dibiase, leading up to Dibiase becoming the #1 contender to the UWF title, culminating in Dibiase winning an impromptu match two weeks ago with a sugar hold cradle to pin the champion. Michael Hayes, on commentary, clarifiies that the Freebirds don’t care who has the UWF title because they’re happy to beat up whoever ends up with it. George works a facelock on Ted to start, and they trade hammerlocks until Mike takes him down with an armbar on the mat. George hiptosses out of that, but he misses an elbow and Dibiase controls him with a headlock on the mat. George fights up and slugs out of it, but Dibiase fires back as we take a break, returning with Dave Meltzer’s favorite wrestler Jack Victory at ringside now while George takes over with a high knee for two. George with a fallaway slam for two, but Dibiase fires back again before missing a blind charge and running into George’s knee. George with a kneelift and kneedrop, but Dibiase gets a sunset flip for two. Ted with an atomic drop, but George headbutts him down, and then charges and headbutts the corner to knock himself loopy. Dibiase fires back with an elbow from the middle rope and drops an elbow to make the comeback. Ref gets bumped on a dropdown and that brings Victory in for a double suplex, but they go to revive the ref for the count and that allows Ted to load up the ISOTONER OF DEATH and knock George’s lights out at 10:40. Maybe Jake Paul should have used one of those. Really good TV match. ***1/2. That brings out One Man Gang for an attack, but Dibiase hits him in the ample midsection with the loaded glove and chases him off. Dibiase as a top level was SO great in 1987, especially with the evil glove being used for good, and then he jumped to the WWF and never worked babyface again for the rest of his career. Crazy.

The Freebirds chat with Jim Ross, talking about adding Sunshine to the group to keep the women off Michael Hayes, and Angel of Death as a temporary substitute for Buddy Roberts. Buddy would have been off in World Class for a while if I’m remembering correctly.

And JR and Hayes recap the goings on for the episode to wrap things up.

NEXT WEEK: The Fantastics & Dr. Death v. The Freebirds!

Man what a fun show. Too bad Crockett wrecked it so completely but there’s still a lot of months left before that happens at least.