The SmarK Rant for WWF Superstars – 10.18.86

The SmarK Rant for WWF Superstars – 10.18.86

Originally written 04.26.26

Taped from Syracuse NY on 10.06.86

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino & Jesse Ventura

Hercules Hernandez v. SD Jones

Herc beats SD down in the corner while Danny Davis lets it go and Vince is HORRIFIED at his inaction. Herc slugs him down while we get an inset from Mike Rotundo, who reveals that Danny Spivey is recovering from knee surgery. I don’t think anyone was actually asking about him, but OK. Herc clotheslines Jones and drops an elbow on him while Vince and Jesse do a bit about “elocution” and “execution”, but SD fights back until Herc puts him down with a backbreaker and finishes with the torture rack at 3:14. Herc would shortly be traded to Bobby Heenan and repackaged for Hogan.

UPDATE! WITH MEAN GENE OKERLUND!

FINALLY we have the new Update set at least. We take a look at Muraco and Orton hanging out at home and watching tape of themselves beating up Piper on the Flower Shop.

Meanwhile, Canadian legend DINO BRAVO announces that he’s coming to the WWF and he’s going to be managed by Johnny V.

Dino Bravo v. Tony Parks

And here he is, albeit with dark hair still. Bravo hits him with a gut wrench and drops a leg on him before dropping him on the top rope, and then an atomic drop puts Parks on the floor. Back in, Parks tries to fight back and Bravo clotheslines him out of the corner and hits him with a butterfly suplex before tossing him out to the floor again. “What a tremendous job Johnny V has done in poisoning his mind. I approve!” notes Jesse. Back in the ring, Bravo with a dropkick and a back suplex to finish at 2:28. Bravo was still shaped like a normal human being at this point and he absolutely wrecked the jobber and was pretty impressive, actually. Parks did a good job selling like a ragdoll for all his offense as well.

The Killer Bees v. Tiger Chung Lee & Bob Bradley

The heels double-team Brunzell to start, but Jim hits Bradley with a high knee and the Bees go to work on him. Blair with a powerslam and he drops a knee on him. Bees with a double elbow and Blair gets a back suplex while Vince continues his paranoid ranting about Danny Davis. He’s not even the referee in the match! Bob tries a splash on Blair and hits the knees, and Brunzell comes in and finishes with a dropkick at 2:34.

The Natural Butch Reed v. Ricky Hunter

Thankfully Reed’s hair is a little more under control after his debut. Jesse notes that you only get hair like that from hours and hours of sunbathing. Reed takes Hunter down with a headscissors, but Ricky reverses out of that, so Reed gets a cheapshot and runs him into the corner before putting the boots to him. Reed drops a fist for two and goes to a chinlock, but Hunter fights out of it, so Reed puts him down with a high knee and finishes with a flying clothesline at 3:00.

Piper’s Pit makes its official return, with special guest Jimmy Hart. Jimmy has gifts, like a crutch, a Hawaiian lei from Don Muraco, a pair of panties from Mr. Fuji for him to wear under the skirt, and a cowboy hat from Cowboy Bob Orton. Plus a rope for Piper to go hang himself with. You will note there are no presents from Adrian Adonis here. Piper is mildly amused, but then puts Jimmy in a chair and makes him close his eyes so Piper can deliver his own present. Which turns out to be hogtying him with the rope and then returning the presents (“It’s probably the only lei you’re gonna get”) before forcing him to gargle mouthwash and then spit it into Orton’s cowboy hat. And as for his “bad leg”, he hops away on it to show that reports were exaggerated.

Meanwhile, we take a look at Hillbilly Jim playing guitar for his granny. This was an old segment from his early time in the promotion that they didn’t air until here for some reason, and they actually recycled it on a Coliseum Video as well later on.

Ricky Steamboat v. Iron Mike Sharpe

Mike grabs a headlock and counters a leapfrog with a slam, before loading up the forearm gimmick and levelling Ricky with it. To the floor for a beating out there as Steamboat is selling big for Iron Mike, but he comes back and runs Sharpe into the post before heading back in the ring for a flying chop that gets two. Steamboat with a hiptoss and chop for two. Sharpe catches him with a clothesline out of the corner for two, but Steamboat fights back and chops him down again before finishing with a flying bodypress at 3:00. Nice little match there. Maybe Steamboat will get an Intercontinental title shot out of it sometime soon!

NEXT WEEK: Koko B. Ware! Sheik & Volkoff v. Santana & Morales! Jake Roberts! Mr. Wonderful!

Thankfully the lights were much brighter this week.