The July 2019 Hidden Gems were delayed here at Happy Wrestling Land because of that godforsaken two weeks where WWE Network got an update and the Hidden Gems were removed, unclear if they were even returning. I wasn’t caught up, and so this sat. And sat and sat and sat. But now we are here, to discuss the July Hidden Gems drops from what I assume was a very busy WWE Network team: two full Great American Bash shows, two ECW wrestler dark matches vs. the future Scotty 2 Hotty, three ECW tapes preceding the earliest footage of ECW on the Network, and a Pro Wrestling USA show headlined by the likes of Sgt. Slaughter and Bob Backlund.
Great American Bash 1986 Charlotte (JCP 7/5/86)
“Are ya ready for some WRESTLING!!!” The Great American Bash 1986 is the tour I’d point to when someone’s talking 80s wrestling being awesome, absolutely stacked shows promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions with the Four Horsemen, Rock & Roll Express, The Russians, Dusty, Magnum T.A., the Road Warriors, and The Midnight Express ALL in their primes. Everything is sanctioned by the NWA which, as the hilariously aggressive ring announcer reminds you, is the major league of professional wrestling.
The wrestlers are great, the hierarchies are clear, the crowds are hot, and the venues are unique. In this case in Charlotte’s Memorial Stadium, there are around 12 rows of seats around ringside and then packed bleachers far back, like some Saudi show. There’s a charm to it, with fans running across freshly mowed grass to catch a close-up glimpse of the wrestlers. Earl Hebner and Tommy Young referee most of the matches, and camera shots alternate between a close-up ringside cam and a really wide cam showing off the crowd. And aside from some SKYDIVING to kick off the show, it’s all WRESTLING. ALL PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.
1. NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Denny Brown [c] vs. Steve Regal: Poor Denny in his big robe gets booed and he looks peeved, until they see the other guy with his grimy beard and dirty blonde hair nicknamed Mr. Electricity and the babyface/heel dynamic becomes clear. Outside of an awkward bump off a forearm from Denny, this is a very solid match that manages to stay interesting despite the insane decision to have the show open with a 15-minute draw. Regal’s satisfaction and strut off a bodyslam, followed by Denny firing back with like 20 bodyslams of his own, is pretty incredible and encapsulates the vibe of what was happening here. ***
2. Robert Gibson vs. Black Bart: Black Bart is the current Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion, and he is taking a flying headscissors from Robert Gibson while the crowd chants ROCK AND ROLL before he settles things down and plays a classic 80s fat heel – nothing he does is special but everything is straightforward. He drops Gibson over the ropes and just stares at the crowd. He hits a back body drop, casually follows up with a fist drop, then moves on to a choke. SIMPLE. Gibson is finally able to do a few cool punch blocks in the corner and rallies back to the crowd’s delight before a springboard crossbody for 3 gets them jumping up and down. Ideal preliminary wrestling. ***
3. Nelson Royal & Sam Houston vs. Ole Anderson & Arn Anderson: This is a Special Challenge Match, and it hadn’t hit me until now how old Nelson Royal looks. The Andersons, a combined 500 pounds, Arn the current TV Champ, reek of dominance. Arn shoulder tackles Houston and turns to Royal with a stare that reads, “Look at your BOY.” Royal ends up taking heat for a while and because it’s The Andersons it’s great old school stuff where they relentlessly target the arm. Houston’s hot tag is as spit-fire as you want, throwing dropkicks and back elbows with reckless abandon and no plan in sight. Amazing finish – a bulldog by Houston gets 2, Royal runs in the ring to stop Ole, Houston ducks an Arn punch and rolls him up, but the referee pushes Royal back and Ole drops a forearm on Houston off the top. The crowd is both disappointed and satisfied, disappointed at the heels stealing the win but satisfied at the cleverness of that steal. Ole screams, “RHODES! RHODES! RHODES!” into the camera as it fades out. ***
4. Bunkhouse Match: Manny Fernandez vs. Baron von Raschke w/ Paul Jones: Because it’s a Bunkhouse Match, we get the visual of The Baron in a bright yellow t-shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots. We also get Manny bleeding, firing back, and whipping Baron with a belt, all while wearing kneepads over his jeans. He pulls the yellow shirt over Baron’s head and Baron’s jeans almost fall down. Manny takes an INCREDIBLE, legit must-see missed crossbody bump over the top to the grass floor and Paul Jones stomps away. Baron tries to bring Manny back in with a bodyslam, but is countered with an inside cradle for 3. Nothing pretty, but a fun mess that brought more variety to the show. ***
5. Indian Strap Match: Chief Wahoo McDaniel vs. Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin w/ Precious: “Listen carefully, fans…” begins the ring announcer as he explains the Indian Strap Match rules. Jimmy Garvin is legendary in his sparkly pants and overalls, as he takes a knee and flexes so Precious sprays the perfume or whatever around him. Then she slowly pulls off his pants to reveal his white tights before they make out and the crowd just loses their minds. Garvin stalls and struts, so Wahoo whips him and almost gets Precious too. Then Wahoo accidentally trips on a cameraman outside, which adds to the match as Garvin POUNCES on him and Wahoo ends up bleeding. Then Garvin bleeds. Garvin takes a great Flair bump off the top when Wahoo pulls the strap down, and then Wahoo drags his ass around to each corner. Precious pulling on Wahoo’s singlet and slapping him in the face as he drags Garvin to the final corner is amazing stuff. A quick match, but high-quality entertainment. ***
6. Taped Fists Match: Ronnie Garvin w/ Chief Wahoo McDaniel vs. Tully Blanchard w/ JJ Dillon: This is tremendous, with Dillon and Blanchard playing it straight as they walk to the ring showered in boos and JJ’s carrying a towel and bucket like this is serious. Cody Rhodes drives Garvin to the ring in a golf cart that Wahoo, wiping blood from his forehead, rides shotgun in. This is listed on the card as a Boxing Match but announced as a Taped Fists Match. Either way it’s got 10 3-minute rounds with 15-second rest periods, which really seems like an incredibly short period for rest. Either way, it’s tremendous – Garvin immediately knocks Tully out and Tully gets up all dazed but ready to go, then bumps and stumbles around like a wrestling genius while trying and failing to get in shots of his own. When he finally finds an opening, he dunks a bucket of water over his own head to recover. Both guys bleed, and the look on Garvin’s bloody enraged face as he walks through Tully’s flurry of punches is incredible.
They run a Texas Death Match finish, as Garvin catches a Tully dive off the top with a PUNCH, and both guys are counted down for 10. It’s announced their MUST be a winner, so the first guy to his feet wins, and immediately the entire stadium is INVESTED. Dillon jumps into the ring and tries to wake up his man by waving a towel over him, while Wahoo dumps water on Garvin which more than anything gets blood all over the place. Dillon waves and waves the towel but Garvin gets up first to a massive pop. A little silly but such good 80s fun. ***1/2
7. Double Russian Chain Match: The Road Warriors w/ Paul Ellering vs. The Russians (Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff): This is a short match, but all about the visuals – Hawk’s spiked jacket, two hairy jackasses opposite two bodybuilders from the future, each pair binded by a chain. Some ugly, heated brawling ends when Ellering pushes Ivan off the top rope and crotches him, which gets the Warriors the 3. **1/2
8. Hair vs. Hair: Jimmy Valiant vs. Shaska Whatley w/ Paul Jones: “Fans, the loser of this match gets his head shaved in the ring” – as if the crowd wasn’t going nuts already or something! This match was such 80s pro wrestling – Valiant does the thing where he sells, Jones does the thing where he cheats, Shaska Whatley does the thing where he’s fine. Valiant bleeds like it’s written in his contract and Pez locks him in a chinlock as it flows down Valiant’s forehad, screaming “HE DEEEAADDD!!!” Sashka’s shit talk is great actually – he screams “I GOT HIS ASS!” before he does a little dance and misses an elbow drop, which Valiant gets a comeback off of before The Baron runs in followed by Manny Fernandez which leads to a Valiant win and an absolutely THUNDEROUS reaction. Classic head shave reaction by Shaska too. **3/4 match but just incredible stuff all around.
9. Steel Cage Match: Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T.A. & Baby Doll vs. The Midnight Express & Jim Cornette w/ Big Bubba Rogers: Jim Cornette is in his goofy bright red full bodysuit and cowering away as The Midnights bump for then beat on Magnum T.A. Magnum is real good here, all dazed and bleeding but still trying to get a shot in before collapsing into the ropes. Eaton also takes a few bumps for the ages. This has got blood, brawling, and Baby Doll getting her hands on Cornette and punching him in the face for a 3-count. An incredible circus of wonderful wrestling bullshit. Dusty gets beat up by Big Bubba and The Midnights afterwards. ***1/4
“Fans, be sure to remember, after our final event coming up, we will have fireworks, right here at Memorial Stadium.”
10. Steel Cage Match – NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair [c] vs. Ricky Morton: Amazing dynamic, amazing wrestling. Morton is wearing a faceplate because Flair rubbed his face in concrete but still comes out to shrieks from at least several hundred women, before Flair arrives in a fucking HELICOPTER and a red carpet is rolled out for him as he walks down to the classic theme song, chewing gum in his pink robe with the World Heavyweight Championship around in his waist. It is INCREDIBLE.
“OK, this is a title match… Ric, leave the face alone,” says Tommy Young before the bell as if Ric is going to play along with that. Morton is a young babyface main eventer waiting to happen here, coming at Flair with unmatched fire and going after FLAIR’S face as revenge. Headlock takeover, headscissors, Ricky Morton Flair’s face in the mat, pulls on his nose, Flair yells OH SHIT, then one chop from Flair backs Morton away as Flair stares him down. It is INCREDIBLE.
The way this whole show is filmed allows for more close-up shots of the action as well as some great audible trash talk. Flair is an all-time potty mouth, while Tommy Young is getting progressively more and more pissed off. Flair eventually takes off Morton’s face protector and PUTS IT ON, then rubs Morton’s face in the cage which leads to some classic Morton selling as Flair goes to work, eventually pinning him for 3 with his feet on the ropes. Rabid crowd, classic Flair tile performance, classic Ricky Morton selling, and a whole lot of face-grabbing – yeah-baby. ****1/4
The fireworks are coming, buy your souvenirs and t-shirts!!!
Tons of classic acts during peak Jim Crockett Promotions – Highly Recommended.
Great American Bash 1986 Greensboro (JCP 7/26/86)
This Great American Bash show has a more traditional arena setup and no skydiving, but there is a MASSIVE amount of room between the ring and the front row. The Bash took a GOAT mid-80s JCP roster and made it so every match had conflict and thus the crowd was going crazy for everything. Also, SO MUCH BLOOD. They kind of gave the whole house away with this tour, but what a tour.
1. Sam Houston vs. Steve Regal: The crowd is excited for the very popular, young Sam Houston, folks! This is classic good guy vs. bad guy stuff, with every bump milked for maximum effect and surrounded by great timing and reactions. The suitably sleazy Mr. Electricty does a leapfrog, flashes a smile, and the crowd pops because Houston has stopped short behind him and is waiting with a bodyslam. There’s a close-up shot here of Houston selling a chinlock that is kind of high art too. Houston in this era is a classic babyface but Regal might’ve been more standout too – his cockiness, begging off on defense, and most of all the way he just LEAPS into his corner bumps is all so good. Great opener. ***1/4
2. Denny Brown & Italian Stallion vs. Black Bart & Konga the Barbarian: This is an OK match with some great bits from a real cast of underrated characters. Denny Brown always had this look on his face like he is amused at how not over he is. Black Bart lets out a big YAAAAOOWWW when taking an arm wringer that is so good. Young Barbarian does a great gorilla press slam and big boot. And when Denny Brown tags in Italian Stallion after Bart missed a top rope legdrop, Italian Stallion gets one of the biggest damn pops he ever got. Then he loses. Good solid fun. **1/2
3. Loaded Glove On A Pole Match: Manny Fernandez vs. Baron von Raschke w/ Paul Jones: Paul Jones was announced in the previous match as being in Barbarian’s corner, but was not there. For The Baron he is here though, and he is wearing a t-shirt and tights because he’s working later too. This was a a match handicapped by the pole gimmick, but I will tell you what: the crowd was ALL ABOUT THAT POLE CLIMBING. Besides that though, Baron worked over Manny with some real bad stomps before he got the Loaded Glove and held it up to a reaction of generalized disappointment. Manny ducks a shot and hits the Flying Burrito (their name not mine) for 3. This didn’t hit the level of their Bunkhouse Match on the previous show, though it had its’ charm here and there. **
4. Indian Strap Match: Chief Wahoo McDaniel vs. Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin w/ Precious: “Please do not smoke while Gorgeous Jimmy is wrestling” – BOOOOOO. Ah, the past. Wahoo whips Garvin pre-match, then when Precious bitches him out he whips her too to a massive pop. This was pretty similar to the last match, without the cameraman bump. Both guys bleed, then Garvin gets pulled with the strap off the top rope and Precious slaps away at Wahoo as he walks from the third to the fourth turnbuckle. It might’ve been as good as the first, but with the smaller crowd and lack of cameraman bump it didn’t feel like it. **1/4
5. Taped Fists Match: Ronnie Garvin w/ Chief Wahoo McDaniel vs. Tully Blanchard w/ JJ Dillon: The visual of Wahoo accompanying Garvin wearing a blood-stained towel is too good, just too good. This is the same deal as the last show – ten 3-minute rounds and 30-second rest periods. Tully gets knocked down before the bell, just like last time, then keeps getting knocked on his ass as JJ looks disappointed. Tully is generally just OUT through the first few rounds and it’s hilarious, what a pro he was. There’s a very cool spot where Tully falls and bounces off the ropes, but Garvin holds him up so he doesn’t fall and stares at the crowd as he sets up another punch. JJ throws Tully a foreign object, Wahoo throws JJ into the post, JJ BLEEDS, Tully socks Garvin with the foreign object and they both collapse before Tully gets up at a 9-count at the end of Round 4. “Fans, the winner of the match… RONNIE GARVIN!” * Pop * “Correction… correction, I’ve just been informed by referee Earl Hebner, Tully answered the 10 count, Tully Blanchard is the winner.” One guy claps. Good chaotic fun. ***1/4
6. NWA World Tag Team Title #1 Contender Match: The Rock & Roll Express vs. Ole Anderson & Arn Anderson: This is a Special Challenge Match to determine the #1 Contender’s for the NWA World Tag Team Titles and BY GOD is it special, a beautiful concoction of top-tier tag teams. The Rock & Roll’s are throwing dropkicks, The Andersons are getting outsmarted, the crowd’s hot and chanting ROCK & ROLL, and EVERYBODY’s sweaty.
There’s so much great subtle tag stuff here like Arn talking strategy with Ole while covering his mouth, or Arn setting up a heat segment by headbutting Ricky in the face. The Andersons can’t seem to get anything going as The Rock & Roll’s work their legs here and there which leads to double figure-fours later on and a HUGE reaction. Ole loses it after this and goes after Ricky’s face, including using a camera strap to do so.
The 20-minute time limit starts counting down and the crowd is losing their minds. Arn drops a knee – “YEAH!” – Ricky kicks out – “DAMN!” Ricky hits a crossbody and gets an earth-shattering hot tag to Robert with 30 seconds remaining. Robert gets a sleeper hold on but the bell rings for the draw. They were handicapped by having to end in a draw but this is still classic stuff. ****1/4
7. Hair vs. Hair: Jimmy Valiant w/ Manny Fernandez vs. Paul Jones w/ Baron von Raschke : We fade in to Jimmy Valiant screaming, “BALD HEADED GEEK! BALD HEADED GEEK! PAUL JOOONES, YOU WILL BE! A BALD HEADED GEEK TONIGHT!” The crowd is practically orgasming. This is a 5-minute match that gets right to the point: Valiant bleeds literally seconds in, then basically blades Jones with Jones’ own foreign object. Jones gets a loaded glove on, but Valiant has one of his own and nails him with it. Valiant pins Jones, Baron runs in to stop the count, then during the chaos Shaska hits Valiant with a chair and puts Jones on top of him for the 3. The HEAT, man, THE HEAT!!!
Denny Brown and Italian Stallion run out to protest, and Valiant is distraught but accepts his fate as he puts a chair down and motions them to DO THE DAMN THING. If anything this post-match is must-see for the absolute boiling hot anger in Valiant’s eyes as his head his shaved. Tom Miller’s deadpan delivery after all this of, “The barber… was former wrestling great Sandy Scott” is incredible, and it gets some red hot boos. The shots of Paul Jones and his Army (Raschke, Shaska, Barbarian) all bloody and laughing hysterically is amazing. ***1/2
8. Best of 7 Series – NWA U.S. Heavyweight Title: Magnum T.A. [c] vs. Nikita Koloff w/ Ivan Koloff: This is Match #4 in their Best of 7 series, featuring the VASTLY POPULAR, Magnum T.A.! These big strong boys do some pretty great heavyweight rope-running early before Nikita starts working over the vastly popular United States Heavyweight Champion. Magnum looks at Tommy Young as he calls for Nikita to break clean like, “You know he isn’t gonna do it, right?” And he doesn’t. Nikita will do his fair share of chinlocks, but Magnum will sell his ass off and cut a nasty bladejob. He sits outside in a pool of his own blood as Nikita yells at Tommy Young before Magnum sunset flips his away back in for what feels like a near fall but is actually a 3-count. U-S-A! Great visual post-match of Magnum just walking to the back immediately after the fall is called, all pissed and bloody and victorious. ***1/4
9. Steel Cage Match: The Road Warriors & Baby Doll vs. The Midnight Express & Jim Cornette: Cornette does the usual Midnight intro, but is especially gleeful as the ring announcer gives him one of his own. He challenges Baby Doll, “you big fat pig,” to go one-on-one with him before the match starts. His challenge is rejected, and we’re treated to 10 or so minutes of the Midnight’s bumping around and making asses of themselves before Corny tries to escape and gets socked again by Baby Doll for 3. ***1/4
10. Steel Cage Match – NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair [c] vs. Dusty Rhodes: Dusty gets straight up in Flair’s face as he enters, ready to fuckin’ DANCE. Dusty struts, Flair flops. Flair WOOO’s, Dusty bleeds. Flair tells someone to keep their mouth shut, Dusty explodes with a clothesline and launches Flar into the cage. Flair bleeds, Dusty swivels. Flair flops, Dusty reacts. Flair crossbody, Dusty kicks out at 2. Dusty throws Flair into the cage, Flair kicks out at 2. Flair misses an elbow, Dusty inside cradle, Flair does not kickout. DUSTY RHODES WINS!
“Ladies and gentleman… ladies and gentleman… the WINNER, and NEEEW World’s Heavyweight Champion… the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes!” Miller’s voice cracks at American Dream, and the crowd is ECSTATIC. Magnum and Baby Doll run out to celebrate, followed by all the babyfaces as Dusty hugs the title on the second rope. It’s a good match between two stars, but I’m giving it an extra quarter star for the pop for that win. The reign wouldn’t last long, but what a moment. ***3/4
A similar show to the Charlotte one, but maybe a little lesser than. Also, no skydiving and helicopters. Still, Recommended
The Path of the Suplex Machine – The Tazmaniac vs. Skippy Taylor (Scott Taylor) (WWF Wrestling Challenge Dark Match 5/5/93)
Hailing from the dojos of Tazmania, the future Tazz low key rolls in the ring under the bottom rope and jumps up and down, stomping his feet. He’s taking on perennial enhancement talent Scott Taylor, who’d find his break eventually. Tazmaniac hadn’t even appeared for ECW yet – he’d debut against Sabu six months later, wrestle Tommy Dreamer the next night, and the rest is history. Before that though, he was taking really shitty arm wringers and a very careful backflip off his back from the future Scotty 2 Hotty. Taz is aggressive, but still comes off as a goof, like he’s playing aggressive in a student film. He does some OK cut-offs, before hitting an overhead belly-to-belly for 3. He throws Skippy out of the ring and slides under the bottom rope, just the way he came. *1/2 but Recommended, as it’s 5 minutes and cool as hell.
Too Extreme – Sabu vs. Scott Taylor (WWF RAW Dark Match 10/18/93)
SABU IS GOD, Exhibit 4. This is something else, as Sabu makes his first appearance before a RAW taping and it is pretty obvious that nobody watching the New Generation WWF in the early 90s had ever seen anything like this. As Fink is doing introductions, Sabu dashes under the bottom rope and immediately starts hitting the ground, plotting his attack. The bell rings and Sabu just lunges at Taylor and keeps picking his leg like an animal, before doing a slingshot legdrop and grabbing a front facelock… I mean he is just ON him.
In contrast to the previous match, Sabu does the backflip off the back spot perfectly, before he spin kicks Taylor out of the ring and pops the crowd with a somersault pescado before the Asai moonsault into the guardrail that freaks everybody out. Seriously, people here just start YELLING with fervent excitement. Taylor follows this up with some basic fire-up offense but the crowd already knows what’s up. He DOES do a somersault legdrop to Sabu’s back that pops them, but is brought back to earth with some guys yelling, “You suck, buddy! You suck!” Taylor climbs to the top rope but Sabu stops him to a POP, and after some tomfoolery hits a FRANKENSTEINER. He stops the cover at 1 and does a really shitty springboard armdrag before hitting the Arabian press for 3.
The crowd literally gives Sabu a standing ovation and he responds by pushing the guardrail at some poor kid and walks off to what should’ve been billions of dollars if he wasn’t so fucking crazy. You can hear people yelling by the entrance way at him and I’m so curious as to what he was doin’. Probably being crazy or something. F a star rating, Highly Recommended
The Best of ECW 1992 Volume 1 (ECW 7/14/92)
Tod Gordon founded Eastern Championship Wrestling in early 1992 and as a way to capitalize on some of the names he was bringing in, put out some tapes of what they were doing in Philadelphia before he got a TV deal and Paul Heyman as a booker and went EXTREME~! This Best Of tape, just like the next one, is four matches from one or two shows. Sometimes, something vaguely historical happens. Other times it doesn’t. This Volume 1 tape features wrestling at a legit sports bar, The Original Sports Bar to be exact, as a little under 300 people viewed notable moments like a Jim Neidhart and Don Muraco brawl, The Super Destroyers becoming the first ECW Tag Team Champions, and Jimmy Snuka winning the ECW Heavyweight Title.
On commentary is a wonderful rambling man who is not afraid to loudly clear his throat, and some other guy who sounds like Joey Styles but with a vendetta.
1. Ironman Tommy Cairo vs. Damien Stone (7/14/92): Damien Stone is a completely unrecognizable at first glance (also due to tape quality) Little Guido, who does muscle poses and stuff opposite Cairo playing a basic babyface with armdrags and stuff. There’s some illusions to the “hardcore” aesthetic that ECW would become none, as the commentator – who I do not know the name of but wish I did – is beside himself after a bodyslam outside: “there’s no padding on those floors, man!” Cairo drops Stone with a ridiculous powerbomb on his head for 3. *1/2
“That’s another thing you see on independent cards like this… in ECW, you don’t see any of these matches on other TV where, some big star goes against some guy you’ve never heard of.” SHOTS FIRED!
2. Jim Neidhart vs. Sal Bellomo w/ Stevie Wonderful (6/23/92): This is just a few minutes long – Neidhart is all fired up and goes after both Sal and Stevie, highlighted by big Sal taking a big back body drop and Neidhart taking the worst Bret Hart corner bump of all time. After the match Don Muraco runs out and attacks Neidhart, which is sold as shocking. “I’m paid to talk and say things, but I don’ know what to say! Don Muraco turned on… Neidhart.” Engrossing. *
3. ECW Tag Team Title Tournament – Final: The Super Destroyers w/ Hunter Q. Robbins III vs. Nightbreed (Max Thrasher & Glen Osbourne) (6/23/92): The thing about The Super Destroyers is that they were this monster kind of tag team, a hillbilly kind of Super Machines type of team that wore masks, but in a lot of these early matches they’d mostly work their opponent’s leg for an obscene amount of time. It was just the oddest thing. Poor Glen Osbourne gets that treatment here, and commentary is at a loss. There’s a cough, followed by “Not too much action right now.” After a while, “I don’t know, man. The Super Destroys are in charge, obviously.” They sure are. For a WHILE. A nasty elbow drop that turns into a kind of senton bomb because of the low ceiling sees the Destroyers become the first ever ECW Tag Team Champions. What a start. DUD
4. ECW Heavyweight Title: Johnny Hotbody [c] w/ Don E. Allen vs. Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka (7/14/92): Snuka’s WWF theme is booming through the PA system is a mood. Hotbody is sporting an amazing close-fade mullet and getting big HOTBODY SUCKS chants. The first five minutes are stalling that result in alternating BORING and HOOO HOOO HOOO chants for Snuka. Tod Gordon, referred to on commentary at first as Tod Rundgren, comes out and tells Hotbody that he loses the title if he’s counted out. Somehow, some way, these guys go twenty minutes and do abso-fucking-nothing. It’s honestly kind of impressive to watch play out. Snuka no-sells getting his head slammed in the buckle and takes a couple German suplexes, and honestly those are your highlights. A Superfly Splash wins him the title, and begins Snuka’s second reign with the title. *3/4
I wish I could say watch this to see the weirdness of early ECW inside a sports bar but it really is just not worth the time. Not Recommended
The Best of ECW 1992 Volume 2 (ECW 10/24/92)
This is advertised as ECW Bloodiest’s Matches, but 3 of the 4 are from the same show, October 24, 1992 at the Chestnut Cabaret in front of 225 moderately excited fans. A new guy named Bob Smith is on commentary with Stately Wayne Manor, a name associated with early ECW and eventually Power Slam magazine, who makes a bunch of horrible “edgy” jokes on commentary throughout about Woody Allen and daycare and the like.
1. Tony “Hitman” Stetson vs. Johnny Hotbody (10/24/92): The everlasting Stetson/Hotbody feud and eventual tag team was a constant during early ECW TV, but was really hot and heavy here. The ECW of October versus the one of April seems a little bit more confident. Hotbody again stalls, again gets HOTBODY SUCKS chants, and they soon end up in the crowd where Stetson gets busted open. Hotbody hammers at the wound as commentary brags about there being no “namby pamby” pretty moves here in the ECW. The hard cam can’t quite follow them all the way into the crowd, where Hotbody gets slammed on the floor and is thrown over the bar. After 15 minutes the match is thrown out as a double countout. **
2. The Hell Riders (EZ Ryder & HD Ryder) vs. Kodiak Bear & Canadian Wolfman w/ Cosmic Commander (10/24/92): What a line-up of names. There isn’t much here, but it does see Stetson and Hotbody brawl back to ringside, where it’s announced they’ve been fined a thousand dollars apiece to zero reaction. HD throws a nice lariat, then Wolfman gets handed a foreign object and pins him. *
3. Russian Chain Match: Ivan Koloff vs. Ironman Tommy Cairo (10/24/92): Uncle Ivan is skinny and old and rolls under the bottom rope to get in the ring. The chain seems weak, the chain shots feel light, and Uncle Ivan does some crappy stomps. Through it all though, he bleeds buckets and takes a somersault bump off the top when Cairo pulls him down because he is a professional. He also puts Cairo over, because he is a professional. *3/4
4. Lumberjack Match: Tony “Hitman” Stetson vs. Sal Bellomo (8/12/92): I was convinced we were getting the Snuka/Muraco ECW Title match from the October 24 show with a Snuka heel turn post-match but NOPE, we’re getting this match from August. Stetson bleeds a bunch, which I gets fits the tape theme, and Bellomo takes a vaguely impressive bump outside. The Sandman runs in to help Bellomo, then out comes JT Smith and everybody else. A table, a ladder, and chairs are brought in for some FORESHADOWING, then Stevie Wonderful gets knocked around. *
Another underwhelming Best Of only worth seeing for curiosity sake, ala completing the journey of this organization if you like me began with the ECW Hardcore TV. Not Recommended
ECW TV Pilot (ECW 11/28/92)
Before ECW Hardcore TV began in April 1993 on SportsChannel, Tod Gordon pitched his brand of wrestling with a TV pilot in November 1992 hosted by early ECW commentators Jay Sulli and Stevie Wonderful. They run down the card, with Sulli looking confused as ever, but like an endearingly nervous boy in his bright red suit. He throws to Stevie for low rent color commentary one-liners. ECW mainstay Jim Molineaux is the referee, and they’ve loaded this show up with CHAMPIONSHIP matches. The audio/video quality is more refined, and the lights in the crowd are down now. The graphics synonymous with the first few years of ECW TV are present as well.
1. Ironman Tommy Cairo vs. King Kaluha: But first, as always, Tommy Cairo. The fans chant QUEEN at Kaluha, who’s face is covered white powder, a joke too easy to make. Cairo takes a hilariously careful front flip bump off a clothesline to the back of his head, and that’s really all I have to say about this match where Cairo babyfaces it up and manages a sunset flip for 3. He plugs the SportsChannel and mentions his Ironmaniacs in his post-match ringside promo, where he’s sold as undefeated: “Be proud, and stand tall, most of all remember – never surrender, baby!” … I’m here for some gold, baby, and I represent the people! Never surrender!” Jesus Christ. *1/4
2. ECW Tag Team Title: The Super Destroyers [c] w/ Hunter Q. Robbins III vs. Larry Winters & Jimmy Jannetty: One match of the Super D’s going to town on a leg was too much, TWO matches is robbery. The challengers do some basic babyface work with wristlocks and quick tags in-and-out, as well as a double dropkick that prompts Sulli to blurt out that they’ve seen that a few times that evening. Destroyer #1 does a spin kick to the back of Jannetty’s head that Jannetty takes a hilarious back bump off of. Later, Jannetty himself throws a spin kick so bad that D doesn’t dump. Winters pins one of the Destroyers after a double clothesline and the bell… rings… and Winters & Jannetty… celebrate… until the match is ruled a 10-minute time limit draw. Jesus Christ. DUD
Glenn Osbourne, the ECW Television Champion, cuts a promo before his match with Jimmy Snuka where he’s trying really hard at the Road Warrior Hawk/Ultimate Warrior voice but the problem is he looks like Quiet Storm. Jimmy Snuka meanwhile is the latest acquisition to Hunter Q. Robbins III’s DARKSIDE INC and is wearing a do-rag, sunglasses, and chewing an apple that he lets drip out of his mouth as Stevie Wonderful interviews them. It is as amazing as it sounds.
3. ECW TV Title: Glenn Osbourne [c] vs. Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka w/ Hunter Q. Robbins III: Before the bell, Snuka suggests the championship is simply handed over to him like he’s some kind of asshole. Osbourne gets the crowd chanting stuff as Snuka does what he did best in the ECW – stand around. There are a lot of armbars here. A lot. Snuka gets some extended offense and man oh man does this company need to sign Paul E. Dangerously or something. The ref gets bumped, a powerslam by Osbourne gets a visual pin, then Snuka does a reverse cradle with bridge for 3 and the title. The referee however PROTESTS, which leads to Snuka getting DQ’d and Osbourne keeping the title. Jesus Christ. *1/2
4. ECW Heavyweight Title: The Sandman [c] w/ Peaches vs. The Kodiak Bear w/ Cosmic Commander: There was a reference to Rockin’ Rebel challenging earlier in the show, so the plot’s been lost already. The Sandman is rocking the surfboard, The Kodiak Bear is rocking the… dirty bald guy look. Kodiak attacks from behind, Cosmic Commander chokes and stomps Sandman, Sandman does a crappy leapfrog, Sandman grabs the Commander, Rockin’ Rebel sneak attacks Sandman from behind and bodyslams him on the concrete, all to setup… A BEARHUG? Then a shit comeback, concluding with a shit missile dropkick. *1/2
After three episodes of this stuff, 1992 ECW was objectively bad. But you also can’t look away because it’s so terrible, and because it did eventually bridge into something special. Plus, maybe someone will screw something up like Jimmy Jannetty. Either way, Not Recommended
Meadowlands Mayhem (Pro Wrestling USA 4/19/85)
The Frankenstein’s Monster of an attempt at herding off the WWF between Verne Gagne and Jim Crockett continued with this Pro Wrestling USA show, taking place at frequent WWF stop the Meadowlands Arena and headlined by two of Vince’s recently departed top guys a few weeks after the first WrestleMania.
There’s a big pop for the Ugandan Death Match, as rules and regulations are laid out for the crowd: don’t smoke and don’t throw shit. The Star Spangled Banner… is CUT, and I’m not sure who’s on commentary but former WWF ref Dick Woehrle is officiating the matches. There was an AWA World Tag Team Titles match that was cut between The Road Warriors and The Hennig Family, which probably would’ve helped the card a bit.
1. Bobby Duncum vs. “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe: Rose looks hungover, wearing sunglasses indoors and rocking a velvet red bath robe. He could be the inspiration for Louie Anderson on Baskets. A hyped up radio announcer does the introductions for this match that goes around 5-minutes and has the occasional highlight, mostly involving Larry Sharpe taking some bump his body tells you he shouldn’t be able to do. Duncum wins with a bulldog that really seems like it’s just an elbow drop on top of Sharpe’s head. *1/4
2. Tom Zenk & Steve Olsonoski vs. The Samoans (Afa & Sika) w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink: I know it happened so much but it can still feel a little weird to see the Wild Samoans outside the WWF. It is not a big AWA or AWA-affiliated full show without Steve-O somewhere on the undercard, the perfect kind of generic midcard guy that was an AWA mainstay throughout the 80s before retiring after a little over 10 years. He now acts as a financial advisor, a true wrestling success story. He throws an elbow at one of the Samoans heads and hurts himself. There’s a lot of shtick like that here, with the babyfaces unsure how to approach these guys. Steve-O tries to stop the cover off a Samoan drop but Zenk gets pinned anyways. Not any good but effective as far as putting them Samoans over. *3/4
3. Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Kendo Nagasaki: No matter how cool Kendo Nagasaki walking through the dark in full samurai garb is, directly after it’s announced that Dusty Rhodes was injured last night and will not be here. The crowd is not happy and doesn’t seem completely satisfied as it’s hastily announced that the promoter has arranged a replacement: Jim Duggan. Duggan stands with confidence opposite Nagasaki, who without his costume is just this pasty bald creepy clown man. He gets a punch or two in but mostly bumps around Duggan before going down to the spear pretty quick. A real steamroll over the “Dusty isn’t here” announcement. *3/4
4. Baron von Raschke vs. Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin w/ Precious: This show seems to be pieced together from a few different reels of footage as the camera angle here is different and there’s no commentary. Garvin begs off to start, then applies a LONG chinlock, which is redeemed by the insanity that follows as Raschke does an incredible fight out of said chinlock and then GOOSE STEPS through a flurry of Garvin punches. You know, the goose step, the classic babyface taunt. Raschke applies The Claw and Garvin’s fumbling around for it is tremendous. Precious distracts the Baron soon after and Garvin strikes with a foreign object after for 3. **1/2
5. The High Flyers (Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell) & Tonga Kid vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael PS Hayes, Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts): The Fabulous Freebirds are full Freebirds here: sparkly Confederate flag jackets, Hayes strutting around, Gordy being crazy. This match definitely had its downtime but the Freebirds selling for the ultra-basic babyface shtick is good stuff. Gagne is serious as heck and Tonga Kid, who I think might be the WWF’s Tonga Kid who was about to head back and team with Haku but could also be Samu, is REAL fired up. The match is eventually thrown out after a big melee, while a young Paul Heyman can be seen taking photographs. “We came up North to beat some Yankees, and this is how we’re treated!?” Gordy is INCENSED. ***1/2
6. AWA World Heavyweight Title: Rick Martel [c] vs. King Tonga: Nick Bockwinkel is in the ring for the introductions decked out in a suit and sunglasses, directing an announcement that he is here to make a challenge to the winner of this match. He shakes Tonga’s hand, then denies Martel the same. Meanwhile, The Masked Superstar is informed he doesn’t have a manager’s license and thus cannot manage Tonga and is ordered to the back. He shoves Martel though, and the distraction leads to a sweet attack from the future Haku to kick off the match.
And then the match begins. And it’s mostly Martel working an armbar. And not an interesting armbar either. Just an armbar. The crowd gets so restless on the first one, that they are SO bummed when Martel gets the better of Tonga on a sequence and locks on another. After a bit more of this they’re about to riot when Tonga takes over and his first order of business is a reverse chinlock. There’s an audible sigh of disappointment when Martel’s cradles don’t end it, and the 10-minute announcement is horrifying as it had felt like 30. Martel does a piledriver, a suplex… and then an abdominal stretch in the most astounding example of tone deaf I have ever seen in professional wrestling. A crossbody finally ends this bullshit. DUD
6. Ugandan Death Match: Kamala w/ Skandor Akbar and Billy Robinson vs. Sgt. Slaughter w/ Baron von Raschke: What a line-up of featured players and managers, man. This is basically Texas Death Match rules – if you can’t answer a 10 count, you’ll be taken out by a stretcher. I’ll tell you what: Baron von Raschke in full USA garb with the flag and sunglasses and his own t-shirt is the American Dream.
Kamala selling for Sarge’s early clubbing is great, but this eventually settles into Slaughter selling a bunch and it’s just OK. Lots of hammering and choking, bleeding and firing up. All the seconds get involved and Robinson PILEDRIVES Sarge on the floor, which gives Kamala the victory. It’s a 30-count on the floor and 10-count in the ring, I think? I don’t know. Sarge grabs the stretcher and attacks everybody and says he won’t wrestle in the Meadowlands again unless he gets “his match” which kind of just confuses the crowd. Commentary explains it. God damnit, Pro Wrestling USA. **3/4
7. AWA America’s Title: Larry Zbyszko [c] vs. Bob Backlund: An intriguing match on paper, but a real pile of garbage, as they speed it up here and there but mostly work the Backlund headlock shtick. Luckily for them this match actually went on before the Martel/Tonga one, but it’s still rough, prompting commentary to exclaim: “I have to say, the crowd quieter than it’s been all night.” Larry sets up a dropkick but Backlund hangs onto the ropes, then Larry goes up real high on an atomic drop. Larry with a sunset flip, Backlund with a piledriver, Backlund with a Crossface Chickenwing but Larry grabs the ropes. Backlund slams Larry’s face in the mat a few times before Larry throws him over the top for the DQ. Backlund gets revenge afterwards, just like everybody got revenge after their match, but like the others it doesn’t make up for the shit finish. Or the shit match. *3/4
Fun Freebirds 6-man, otherwise – god damnit, Pro Wrestling USA. Not Recommended
