WWE Network’s releases in April of Hidden Gems didn’t follow much of a theme: the first week capitalized on WrestleMania time with 80s press conferences and angles leading up to WrestleMania X and XII. Then, the Tom Magee/Bret Hart tape emerged via Tweet, so a Tom Magee match was released. Then, what is possibly the last available episode of Championship Wrestling TV from Leroy McGuirk’s Tri-State territory was next. And finally, a Mid-South SuperShow. It all got back to the joy of the Hidden Gems – weird, random stuff.
WrestleMania 2 Press Conference (WWF 3/4/86)
Before streamlined corporate and city government press conferences, the WWF just kind of winged it with their press briefings for these big pay-per-view arena events they were holding now. What they put up on the Hidden Gems – press conferences for WrestleMania II, III, and IV, shows the progression of the WWF as a company: in 1986 they’re self-produced with a limited audience, in 1987 they’re in Canada speaking two languages with local press, and in 1988 the table is bigger and there’s more A/V going on. All of these are around 30-45 minutes and worth checking out for the curiosity.
For WrestleMania 2, they commit to the multiple locations gimmick as Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura sit on stools in New York, Mean Gene hosts from a podium and Los Angeles, and Gorilla Monsoon both asks and answers questions over the phone from Chicago. There’s footage from the Mania 2 build-up – Bundy beating down Hogan on Saturday Night’s Main Event, Mr. T boxing Cowboy Bob on SNME. Boxing trainer and manager Lou Duva offers his thoughts on Roddy Piper’s boxing odds from New York. Piper is in wild insane dickhead mode, as he was to do, and cuts a strong promo. Hogan and his very red forehead yells at Bundy from LA and tells an insanely convoluted story of children crying in a policeman’s arms when Bundy laid him out on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Bundy wears fantastic dad gear.
Mr. T comes out dressed in a kilt with a rubber chicken, and quickly gets to business: “Before ya throw a question, let me throw this here rubber duck. Alright, now throw the question. Naw – let me go out there and get it” And yes, he threw the duck and went and picked it up and continued on with his promo.
Big John Studd and Andre the Giant appear from LA, while NFL stars Bill Fralic and Jimbo Covert take questions from New York. Andre tries to compare throwing a guy over the top rope and Mean Gene’s attempt to translate is great. Longtime WWF exec Basil DeVito makes an appearance from New York too.
Plus: technical difficulties!
The REAL MEAT here is the Q&A at the end, which does yield some interesting results as Vince McMahon and his inner circle adapt to being guys that will be asked things by a free press.
Vince is asked by Blackjack Brown, who I remember getting scoops from in the early days of the Internet, if he might get in ring with Ventura. Vince brushes it off and says he wasn’t big enough or bad enough to become a wrestler. Jesse meanwhile makes sure he goes on record that he is all for the match.
The NFL guys are asked about clearances for the WWF vs. NFL Battle Royal, and Vince is quizzed about boxing rules for the Piper vs. Mr. T match, the latter of which Vince says will be revealed later in the week. A guy from Tokyo Sports, who gets razzed by Piper, says he was impressed with the press package and asks if WrestleMania 2 will air in Japan. Vince awkwardly answers that they haven’t locked up their foreign broadcasts but there’s a very real possibility it’ll air there on a delayed basis. Then he asks Gorilla to let someone else answer the questions.
Soon Vince is straight-up asked to confirm of William “The Refrigerator” Perry was being paid $150,000, which Vince laughs off by saying that he hopes not or we’d all see the first live heart attack coast to coast on the air. A radio guy asks Gene if there’s a time limit and if the show might go late into the night for the East Coast, a question Gene deflects to Vince, who deadpans “I thought you would.” Vince says there’s no time limit but the longest he’s seen a Steel Cage Match go, because it’s so grueling and whatnot, is no longer than 25 minutes.
It ended up going 10. This is Recommended.
WrestleMania III Press Conference (WWF 2/27/87)
This one is a stark contract to the WrestleMania 2 press conference: no Vince McMahon, no phone-in questions, and it takes place in Montreal at an actual building with individual people – both press and fans – asking straightforward questions that alternate in English and French prior to a house show headlined by Hulk Hogan vs. Kamala. The WWF did their own thing ala the WrestleMania 2 presser for this WrestleMania too, but the Network’s Hidden Gems have graced us with this special piece of business.
Despite the entire card being rundown, it is also ALL about Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
Andre the Giant waltzing into the room among the commoners in a suit and sitting down at the long conference table is must-see. He was so scary at this point, clearly immobile and you’re not able to understand a thing he says but everything he says is straightforward and to the point, like listening to a story from your grandfather. He doesn’t leave eye contact on Hogan, and actually gives a pretty logical explanation for joining Heenan, saying he needed his wrestling license back and Heenan helped him with a reference when Hogan didn’t.
Hogan, looking glassy-eyed and concerned, goes for character assassination, saying Andre has changed and he simply FORGOT about the license renewal. “One day we would’ve wrestled anyways, you know all he had to do was ask me for a title shot.”
The press questions are again where the magic happens, as it’s kind of sort of kayfabe.
“Will this be a slow careful bout, or is there already animosity between the two of you?”
Andre is asked if he has ever faced anyone like Hogan, and Andre replies Don Leo Jonathan. He also argues with a guy in French.
Hogan is asked if he’d take on Roddy Piper if he doesn’t retire like he says he would. “Would I?” Hogan responds. “I haven’t thought about that. That’s something I’d have to think about.”
Hogan is also asked – grilled actually – about his match with Kamala, as he references that there MIGHT just have been some publicity where his match with Kamala is listed as for the WWF World Heavyweight Title, but Hogan says it MIGHT not happen due to the “WrestleMania situation.” A journalist questions whether Kamala might beat Hulk and change the main event, which Hulk doesn’t even bother to consider: “Ya could get struck by lightning there too.”
The press conference ends awkwardly with one final question, kind of indicative how WWF handled WrestleMania’s back in the day – they always had this massive roster, so guys seen as stars sometimes got left off the card. “So individuals like Kamala and Paul Orndorff, they’re not gonna be wrestling at WrestleMania at all?” “No,” responds the suit at the center of this whole thing that I’ll blindly assume is Basil DeVito. “OK, thank you.” And that’s the end. Again, Recommended
WrestleMania IV Press Conference (WWF 2/3/88)
This right here is a LONG TABLE press conference, hosted by Mean Gene Okerlund. It’s either done at Trump Plaza or at a place that arranged to have a lot of Trump Plaza banners put up. Mean Gene runs down the brackets for WrestleMania IV’s WWF Title Tournament and I am not 100% convinced there is much beyond the first few rows in terms of a crowd listening to it, though the table line-up is impressive: Bobby Heenan, Virgil, Ted DiBiase, Andre the Giant, Mean Gene, Hulk Hogan, Jack Tunney, and a couple of suits I’m not familiar with.
This is really all about Ted DiBiase taking question after question – a youth organization leader calls him out for the angle with the black boy and the basketball, Virgil is asked if he has aspirations beyond bodyguard and DiBiase says he doesn’t pay him to speak, someone asks about Gordon Gecko and DiBiase says he doesn’t have time for movies, and when asked if he’s richer than Donald Trump he says that Trump doesn’t have the character, charisma, or ability that he has, in and out of the ring. Amen.
Blackjack Brown is back and asks about WWF wrestlers visiting schools, which is immediately shot down by Heenan: “That’s the parent’s job, not my job.” Andre is asked about Princess Bride. Someone asks if Hart Foundation can be added to the card and Gene reminds him that just a few matches have been announced (they got the Battle Royal).
Afterwards, there’s footage of Hogan in front of a Trump Plaza backdrop doing a very subdued media interview. He says a movie’s coming soon and discusses the infamous twin referee’s angle. He’s asked if he has any message for the young fans: “Yeah brother. Same standard… keep saying the prayers and eatin’ the vitamins.” There’s more cool footage of DiBiase, Virgil, and Andre doing the same thing afterwards too. Mostly Recommended
Under the Shadow of Darkness – El Matador vs. Papa Shango (WrestleMania IX Dark Match 4/4/93)
For a match between two struggling undercard acts, this has got a lot going for it. Since WrestleMania IX was Jim Ross’ first show with the WWF, this match that preceded the broadcast of WrestleMania IX is JR’s WWF commentary debut. It’s got a great aesthetic too, with the classic outdoors WrestleMania IX set but empty seats scattered about. JR can be heard saying, “OK Bruce, I’ll work ’em then” early on. The crowd is lightly excited for Tito, who takes heat and fights back and blah blah blah. They do some decent but half-speed rope-running. The flying forearm comeback still gets over a bit, and a missed elbow from the top by Shango gives Tito the win. A sloppy but serviceable opening dark match. *3/4 Mildly Recommended
Luger’s Golden Opportunity – Lex Luger is introduced as WWF Champion (WWF Superstars Taping 2/22/94)
This is a weird deal, a segment that at first reads like something set to air after WrestleMania X in an alternate universe where Lex Luger emerged the WWF Champion, but it isn’t that. It’s just a few minutes of TV hijinks on the road to WrestleMania, where Luger will challenge Yokozuna ffor the WWF Title. Vince McMahon interviews Jim Cornette, who is holding the WWF Championship on his shoulder and cuts a promo on Luger, saying he’s a bum and a coward and no good and isn’t gonna beat Yokozuna, and if he was here he’d not only tell him to his face but he’d slap him too.
So Luger shows and Cornette cowers. Luger then wonders aloud what it’d be like to see the WWF Championship around his waist, so Vince actually physically straps it on him, then suggests the ring announcer get used to what it might sound like after Mania. So Luger enters and they do the whole thing: “Ladies and gentleman… the NEW World Wrestling Federation Champion, Lex LUUUUGER!” It went nowhere, but a wacky experience. Mildly Recommended
From Miami to Hollywood – Rowdy Roddy Piper/Razor Ramon Promo to set up a Miami Backlot Brawl (WWF Superstars Taping 2/20/96)
This is another one from a kind-of alternate universe, but in this case it truly went unaired because it was an angle to setup something that didn’t happen: Razor Ramon vs. Goldust in a Hollywood Backlot Brawl at WrestleMania XII. Razor asks kayfabe WWF President Rowdy Roddy Piper to setup the match, and even though this went nowhere, soon-to-leave-giving-no-F’s Razor Ramon going toe-to-toe on the mic with always-on Roddy Piper is a treat. “Let me tell you somethin’, little Bambino, huh… I was fightin’ when Mrs. Chico was puttin’ diapers on you.” Razor meanwhile goes a little less subtle: “I’ve seen your movies. You’re moving to Tinseltown. You’ve got your skirt on. I guess you and Goldust… think the same way.” Razor also ask the crowd if they’d want their kids to have Goldust as a babysitter, eliciting BOOOO’s. This all leads to Piper slapping Razor, setting up what might’ve been a way more intriguing matchup.
Regardless, Razor whispers in Piper’s air what he wants, a match on his home turf in Miami – and Piper OK’s it, though he’s CONFLICTED, as Vince McMahon explains: WrestleMania is in Anaheim, on the other side of the coast from Miami! My GOD! Piper demands a satellite and nobody seems all that excited. This all led to Razor not even wrestling at Mania, as Piper took his place against Goldust in a Hollywood Backlot Brawl, a bit closer to Anaheim than Miami. Mildly Recommended
The Mystical Magical Magee – Ted DiBiase vs. Tom Magee (WWF Wrestling Challenge Taping 12/7/88)
April was the month where MageeMania finally took off, as the Hidden Gem of all Hidden Gems in a post-Last Battle of Atlanta world, Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee, seemed to be unearthed by Hart’s archivist Mary-Kate Anthony. The week she showed a picture of the tape and brief video clip on Twitter, the WWE Network cashed in on Magee Fever by uploading not quite that match, but another previously unseen bout at a Wrestling Challenge taping in Vancouver, BC, between Magee and another respected wrestler, Ted DiBiase.
This has no commentary, so might have been a dark match. Magee is sporting his long curly hair and white tights, and leaps over the top rope to no music. It might be important to note that the sound goes out on this clip for about 10 seconds after the bell rings, and stays that way for a few minutes before resuming for the finish. Magee does appear to get a pop for shoving DiBiase down, and does a whole lot of fist pumping and nodding in excitement over how good he seems to be doing. The legend surrounding the Bret match and Vince McMahon apparently saying Magee was his next Hulk Hogan is fascinating, but it misses an analysis of what Magee is like as a wrestler – and he’s honestly not bad. There are just bad parts. He’ll do these impressive hops or backflips that look like legitimate parts of the match, then throw the all-time worst mule kick or do a really awkward cross armbreaker takedown.
It’s interesting to watch, and DiBiase selling and bumbling around to silence is kind of good too. Magee rallies for a comeback before he’s caught with a powerslam for 3. No good but interesting to see prime heel DiBiase working this blank slate of rock hard potential. *3/4 Recommended
Leroy’s Lasting Legacy – Championship Wrestling TV (Tri-State 8/12/78)
God bless WWE Network – we’re going from Tom Magee doing cartwheels to an episode of late-70s Championship Wrestling TV, from the booming Bill Watts-booked Leroy McGuirk Oklahoma/Tri-State territory that was basically Mid-South a few years before Watts cut McGuirk out and started actual Mid-South. God bless.
The thing about Watts-booked TV is how tight it is. The matches are all quick and to the point, and every minute of time is maximized whether in or out of the ring. Cowboy Bob Ellis cuts a promo on Outlaw Ron Bass, Bass shows up in a squash later. Paul Orndorff and Ray Candy are challengers for the North American Title, so they get back-to-back squashes. Orndorff and Ernie Ladd are feuding over the North American Title, so they both squash Bill Irwin. A new foreign heel is introduced. Bill Watts builds a world of wrestling kayfabe strategy on commentary. Mike George was been fined for using a chair on Jerry Brown last week. Superstar Jose Lothario is in the main event. This is all in one hour of TV!! Not a lot ACTUALLY happens and yet it’s an economically perfect episode of wrestling TV. Maybe this isn’t ideal week-after-week… but maybe it is. Plus, MIDGETS!!!
The classic Mid-South intro and theme plays to open what is apparently one of the last surviving episodes of this late-70s McGuirk-promoted territory. Boyd Pearce hosts and is on commentary, and because Watts is booking the show starts with 5 minutes of SETUP.
McGuirk joins Pearce to talk about attending an NWA convention where Harley Race was recognized as NWA World Heavyweight Champion and Nelson Royal as World Jr. Heavyweight Champion. There was some controversy around Royal’s coronation, as “this Mexican wrestler” (Al) Madril had hepatitis so couldn’t defend the title, thus Royal regained the title via forfeit. “A champion must defend the title against the fella that he took it from within 30 days, Boyd,” McGuirk explains. PLUS, the North American Heavyweight Title has its’ own controversy – Paul Orndorff has been stripped of it due to tape review, something that McGuirk doesn’t think would’ve happened back when he wrestled because they didn’t have instant replay. So Ernie Ladd has the title back.
McGuirk gets in one final plug: “For all the little kids, stay with us, because we’ll have the popular little midget stars – four of ’em!”
The ring announcer, whose name escapes me, has such a grandpa gravitas, with his big glasses and thin mustache and receding hairline. “In the red corner…”
1. Paul Orndorff vs. Bill Irwin: Noticeably skinnier but still well-built Orndorff locks up with the future Wild Bill Irwin, who’s a total enhancement scrub. McGuirk leaves the announce table during some armbars and Watts joins the show. Orndorff impressively kind of lands on his feet off a back body drop, Irwin does a goofy brag, and Orndorff locks in a full nelson so Irwin can do an even goofier sell to end it. Fake, dumb, brilliant. *1/4
2. Ray Candy vs. The Challenger (Atlanta): The Championship Wrestling show occasionally threw to footage from Georgia Championship Wrestling in Atlanta, precursor to Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling but at this point simply a territory that shared talent with McGuirk and Watts. The way they intro this match, Ray Candy vs. the challenger, it appears to be a title match of some sort, but no – Ray Candy’s opponent is legit just a masked guy named The Challenger. Candy rides him, takes 10 seconds of heat, fires up with forearms, soaks in WE WANT THE MASK OFF chants, and does a headbutt to win. *
Boyd Pearce tells us that Orndorff and Candy are “lined up and primed up” to challenge Ladd, and I sweat Watts scratches his nose to cut.
Cowboy Ron Bass is interviewed in the ring and it’s explained that he and some old running buddies turned on Cowboy Bob Ellis and gave him a haircut.
Old Cowboy Bob Ellis is interviewed in the ring, and it’s explained that his old pal Cowboy Ron Bass joined some old running buddies and turned on Ellis and shaved his head. Ellis removing his cowboy hat to reveal his bald head is JARRING. He tells a story of Uncle Frank trusting a mountain lion and getting eaten. RIP, Uncle Frank.
3. Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Ali Bey the Turk: Watts reminds us that Cowboy Ellis just told us why he’s here – he’s a man on a mission. God damn right. Incredible character building. Turk wrestles barefoot and throws palm strikes. There’s a charm to the stilted grappling of this match, though it’s also just kind of light and not good. After brief jeopardy, Ellis wins with a bulldog. *
4. Ernie Ladd vs. Bill Irwin (Atlanta): Back to Atlanta, where Bill Irwin now gets to be the job guy for Ladd, who does tossing bodyslams, leg drops, throat jabs… all the good stuff. He pulls Irwin up on a certain 3-count, then finishes him for good with a double leg drop. *
Rock Hunter with Siegfried Stanke in-ring interview… Rock Hunter, a great wrestling name if I’ve ever heard one, who was once a wrestler, is now a guider for a guy named Siegfried Stanke, which sounds like Zeikfried Stanky, and is a bad wrestling name if I’ve ever heard one. Thankfully, he does push-ups and squats as Hunter rants about how American wrestlers aren’t dedicated to training, and Rock’s gaggle of foreigners only want to train because they’re all about WINNING. He has apparently procured the contract of Stanke’s partner HISS as well. Hunter in his suit gives a heck of a TV pitch: “I think that Stanke will be appearing very shortly in some singles engagements that should interest you somewhat.”
5. El Mongol vs. Wade Holt: I think I’m in better shape than Wade Holt. El Mongol is, unsurprisingly, from Mongolia. And… I mean Christ. Watts immediately buries Holt, saying you can just look at his body and see he can’t do what Stanke did. Just as he says this Holt miraculously armdrags Mongol three times. A double palm strike thing that probably hurts not a lick but sure looks good wins it. A weird but bad match. DUD
6. Outlaw Ron Bass vs. Randy Brewer: Now that Ron Bass has been outed as a jackass, here he is to squash young up-and-comer Randy Brewer. Bill Watts brilliant breaks down jobber kayfabe: “These kids come out there and they try and they just barely… the experience is what cuts ’em down.” He wonders aloud if Brewer might be about to bloom like young Bryan Blair, while again Brewer just kind of owns his bigger opponent with armdrags and bodyslams. He eventually runs into a boot and gets dropped with a crap bodyslam for 3. A typical short TV match, but some of the early stuff was as compelling as the wrestling got on this show. *1/4
7. Jose Lothario vs. The Brute: This is the big main event built up all show as one that could main event anywhere in the country. Not sure about that, BUT, Jose is a fine old man babyface and I was thoroughly entertained by Watts analyzing his strategy opposite the last match, commentating that he was prepared when the Brute teased a clean break, while young fellas like Randy Brewer might not know how to handle that type of thing yet. Brute misses a diving headbutt, takes an awkward back bump off a punch, and THE ASSASSIN runs for a DQ. *1/4
Watts continues to put over the territory, explaining that they’re putting their best foot forward on TV with main events like Lothario vs. The Brute and Lothario vs. Ladd. He thanks McGuirk for choosing to do things this way, and says the results are clear as fans are flocking to arenas. Lothario vs. Ladd and U.S. Tag Champs Bobby Jaggers & Jerry Brown vs. Ray Candy & X area advertised for next week.
8. Butch Cassidy & Cowboy Lang vs. Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook: The show ends with NWA World Midgets Champ Little Tokyo teaming with Lord Littlebrook against Butch Cassidy & Cowboy Lang, a match comprised of guys who would eventually head to the WWF. This is the usual, though Tokyo goes up HIGH for an atomic drop. After a few minutes, TV time runs out. So long, folks! N/A
Patience is necessary, but this is a Highly Recommended episode of well-booked wrestling TV.
Mid-South Wrestlefest 1985 (7/28/85)
I loved this show. There’s a few great matches, a lot of great characters, and the atmosphere is magnificent: a good old-fashioned outdoor stadium with scattered empty seats, daylight with a bright blue sky, no commentary, and a ringside cam that not only provides documentary footage of mid-80s Oklahoma locals in the front rows but a compelling up-close human look at all these mid-80s wrestling legends, from One Man Gang and Eddie Gilbert to Dusty Rhodes and Kamala.
1. Al Perez vs. Mark Ragin: This match fascinated me. It is such an opener. There’s the most respectful straight-up matwork complete with struggles for controls and handshakes and random armdrags and leapfrogs peppered in. The crowd randomly encourages Perez with calls of, “Come on, Al!” He wins with a German suplex hold. This is just such an earnest bunch of hold trading, I swear. Like a Young Lions match or something. ***
2. Wendell Cooley vs. One Man Gang: If the “Come on, Al!” matwork wasn’t enough, seeing classic character One Man Gang / Akeem up-close in this environment really cemented how great this environment was. He’s so menacing but also looks like such a work-in-progress indy wrestler up close. He yells HOOOO and the crowd boos. The trash talk continues as the referee checks him for foreign objects: “YOU DON’T GOTTA WORRY ABOUT ME – you check HIM!” “I know the rules, idiot.” He continues to be a loud-mouth for the rest of the match and is effective at knocking Cooley down and cutting him off and whatnot. Cooley tries a crossbody and they screw up OMG catching him, so he just clotheslines and splashes him for 3. **
3. Brickhouse Brown vs. The Barbarian (John Nord): Rookie year future Berzerker John Nord applies holds on the popular Brown, who fights back a fit before he passes out to a full nelson. Then Barbarian does frog hops. *
4. The Fantastics vs. Eddie Gilbert & Jerry Gray: Despite a lot of efforts from people on the Internet, the Fantastics continue to be the forgotten great tag team of the 80s, and this match is one of many examples of their talent. Rogers in particular so exceptionally good with his timing, the way he holds onto the ropes waiting to fire a dropkick off at just the right moment is bliss and should be studied by all the wrestlers ever. Hot Stuff Eddie meanwhile is milking everything and being a goof. The crowd’s chanting JERRY’S GOING DOWN, EDDIE’S GOING DOWN, and armdrags are being thrown all over. Rogers milks one of the chants by putting his arm around and chanting with an old lady, which is brilliant. Fulton sells his ass off for a bit before an amazing Tommy hot tag, which leads to him jumping over Fulton for a sunset flip on Gray to win the match. The camera pans to an excited lady, shirtless guys in cowboy hats, and a dude yelling “GET YOU SOME!” Hell yeah. ***3/4
5. Captain’s Match: Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. Ted DiBiase: The HEAT that Ted DiBiase elicits for his entrance is incredible, and the way he stares them down and soaks it in with his hands on his hips is awe-inspiring. Jake meanwhile gets calls for the DDT as soon as he enters. Seeing these two guys a few years away from giant superstardom in such a candid environment is very cool. If familiar at all with these two, you know it’s all about the punches and the selling and the timing and it certainly was here. The crowd buzzes as DiBiase punches away at Jake, before rally and a wild ref bump where Jake doesn’t hold back colliding with the poor guy. DiBiase grabs his boot and puts something in his glove, but Jake quickly DDT’s him and the ref recovers for 3 and everybody rejoices. AWESOME finish, classic feel-good stuff. The referee soon notices the foreign object and questions Jake, who has the crowd behind him as he pleads his case… and the referee accepts it. “The winner of the match, Jake The Snake Roberts… and the DDT.” ***1/2
6. Hacksaw Butch Reed vs. Dirty Dutch Mantell: Dirty Dutch Mantell right here is everything: cowboy hat, carrying a whip, black beard, black long hair, black singlet with a super hairy back. Hacskaw Butch and his headband meanwhile are all fired up and ready to scrap, as he climbs into the ring with a CHAIR. This is fine but I couldn’t shake how similar and lower grade this was compared to the last match: cocked punches, backing away spots, a heel bump or two before he works over the good guy. They even run the same ref bump! Butch eventually PUMPS HIS FIST and drops a gorilla press slam for 3. ***
Can’t shake how similar it was to the last match, and they run the same ref bump, but Butch actually gets a shot with the whip in but Butch kicks out. Butch hits a flying clothesline, PUMPS HIS FIST, then drops Dutch with a gorilla press slam for 3. ***
7. Cowboy Bill Watts, Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Dick Murdoch vs. Kareem Muhammed, Kamala & Skandor Akbar: The only thing you need to know about this match is that JIM DUGGAN AND DICK MURDOCH SHOW UP IN A FUCKING MONSTER TRUCK CARRYING AMERICAN FLAGS.
You should also know it’s 10 minutes of silly fun. Akbar tries to get out of the match by saying his arm is hurt, introducing The Nightmare (a masked Moondog Rex) as his replacement. Watts calls out Akbar and his shit, and it leads to the heels getting cleared before a promoter I should probably know reminds Akbar he signed a contract to wrestle. While this is happening, Hacksaw Jim Duggan jumps up and down clapping. Then everybody brawls and it’s not pretty but what you’d call a crowd pleaser. The good guys punch away, Murdoch takes heat, the good guys punch some more. Hacksaw rams himself into Kamala, which sets up a Watts powerslam for 3. ***
8. NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair [c] vs. Dusty Rhodes: The ringside close-up shots of THESE guys is very cool. But to be honest the match is kind of crap. I always go back-and-forth on this pairing – their biggest matches aren’t great, but exchanges they’ve had on smaller shows are some of the coolest things in wrestling ever. And they use the exchanges they’re known for to give the crowd a good time here – working holds, throwing progressively elbows and chops, DU-STY chants. Flair isn’t able to fully get himself over the top for the corner flop deal, which I guess makes this a little notable. They do another ref bump before Dusty gets DQ’d for it. **3/4
9. Mid-South North American Heavyweight Title: The Champion [c] w/ Eddie Gilbert vs. Chief Wahoo McDaniel: Jim Ross says Dusty vs. Flair is the end of the wrestling portion, but tacked onto this is a random Wahoo title challenge against The Champion, who was really the Challenger. I think this was some gimmick with the radio people. It’s a 5-minute match where Wahoo sells, then does a low blow behind the ref’s back. Eddie Gilbert valiantly runs in and Wahoo runs him off with his cane. No idea. *
There’s some downtime here and there, but this is Highly Recommended – if anything, a great snapshot of the era right as the WWF was really getting cooking.
