This is the end. My only friend, the end.
Honestly? The Hidden Gems were kind of just becoming a destination for full old shows from the 80s and 90s. Some good, some not. Haven’t been a lot of Gems lately, if you know what I am saying. Lot of content out there folks. Go look at the other content.
At The Omni after The Last Battle of Atlanta (GCW 11/6/83)
Way back in 2016 the WWE laid their cards on the table and released what had become a legendary hidden gem of wrestling lore, a Buzz Sawyer/Tommy Rich match held in a Steel Cage with a roof on top that was dubbed The Last Battle of Atlanta, an epic early 80s title for a show if there ever was one. It ended up good, perhaps not as epic and violent as had been rumored, but a good crazy match and an example of the possibilities of this streaming platform available for $9.99 a month.
This is the follow-up, the first show for GCW at The Omni in Atlanta after the Last Battle of Atlanta. Buzz and Rich have presumably moved on from each other and a bunch of familiar faces are working their stuff out before they transition to the WWF, WCW, or whatever Abdullah the Butcher liked to do. There’s no commentary, and the only thing missing is the Pat Rose vs. Les Thornton opener.
1. Chief Joe Lightfoot vs. Brad Armstrong: This goes over 10 minutes which should be a federal crime. Lightfoot, an Italian man from Canada playing a Native American, is calling the match and they are trading all kinds of weak holds. Brad bumps enough then wins with an inside cradle to a big pop. Like a really really big pop. So big that it turned this from a bore to a match that maybe worked. *3/4
2. NWA National TV Title: Ron Garvin [c] vs. Jake Roberts w/ Paul Ellering: Young Ron Garvin is a basic babyface in gray tights with an absolute MOP of blonde hair. Jake is accompanied by blondie Ellering pre-shave and post-Ole Anderson asskicking. These two pace out a good enough 10-minute draw, with Jake selling an armbar like Jake and working an armbar like Jake. **1/2
3. Jimmy Valiant vs. Great Kabuki w/ Gary Hart: This isn’t a pretty match, but it is also a pair of characters. The Boogie Woogie Man gets on the mic before the match and screams at Hart to get OUT. Then, lots of holds. Valiant blades. Ref bumps. Kabuki gets thrown off the top. Valiant hits him with a watch or something. Crowd had fun. **
4. Buzz Sawyer vs. Abdullah the Butcher w/ Paul Ellering: What a pairing. Buzz goes after Paul, then Abby attacks and Buzz blades and sells. He grabs a spike and when Abby whips him into the ropes he fires back with the spike to Abby’s forehead. Abby blades too and the blood just flows. There’s choking, there’s grabbing, and the bell rings as they continue brawling. Each guy just choking each other on the mat is a SIGHT, though your enjoyment of it likely depends on your tolerance for what amounts to two creeps scrambling on a dirty mat. They brawl into the crowd, then Buzz storms back and slams the mat. Cool deal but no good. **3/4
“Ladies and gentleman, at this time we’ll take a brief intermission – a brief intermission ladies and gentleman. … I have here at ringside a pair of glasses… I have here at ringside a pair of prescription glasses, ladies and gentleman.”
5. NWA National Tag Team Title: The Road Warriors [c] w/ Paul Ellering vs. Dusty Rhodes & Brett Sawyer: Dusty does his thing here and it’s solid for it, while Hawk and Animal aren’t above selling big for him and even treat scrappy Brett half legitimate. There’s a LONG bearhug on Brett before Ellering gets involved and everybody gets in the ring for a double DQ. The Warriors and Ellering put the boots to Dusty and Brett before Buzz runs out all bandaged up and awesome for the save as Jake the Snake shouts outside at Ellering to escape to the back with him. There’s a ton better, but this was got hot. **3/4
6. Tommy Rich vs. Ted DiBiase: These boys just go at it to kick-off a new feud and it’s half gritty and cool and half real boring. Rich works a headlock, DiBiase beats him up, and before long Rich gets cut and some guys run in and Rich fights them off but they’re friendly and just want him to stop fighting and bleeding all over himself. The brawling continues. ***a
Hot crowd and atmosphere, in-ring not so much. Not Recommended
Sunday Night Slam: November 1994 (WWF 11/20/94)
This show was taped on November 8th at the Fernwood Resort & Country Club in Pennsylvania and aired on November 20th a few days before Survivor Series. Headline matches for Survivor Series ’94 were Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund for the WWF Title and The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna in a Casket Match with Chuck Norris as Guest Enforcer. It wasn’t great, but I have zero bone in me that does not appreciate that Bob Backlund run.
This opens on the hard cam with Jim Cornette getting in the ring, then cuts to the classic New Generation/Linda McMahon theme before Gorilla Monsoon and former Fabulous One Stan Lane run down the show. Monsoon as the Lawler to Stan Lane’s Cole is weird.
1. The Smoking Gunns vs. The Heavenly Bodies w/ Jim Cornette: One of those high energy mid-90s WWF matches where the in-ring isn’t particularly pretty but they keep it moving and the crowd is stoked to be there. Bart takes a pretty brilliant crazy-looking but ultimately safe bump to the floor to setup heat, and the Bodies provide a better than usual beatdown before a Billy hot tag takes us to the finish. ***
There’s a Bret Hart/Bob Backlund feud recap here and I have vivid memories of this, one of the first stories I remember following as a kid on Monday Night RAW versus a Coliseum Home Video. It wasn’t what the people wanted, but psychotic Backlund back with a new submission finisher to reclaim his championship in an era that has passed him by was a hell of a wrestling angle.
2. Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette vs. John Chrystal: Yoko hits the fella with Like two moves, then a uranage for 3 and walks away. Not even a Banzai. Amazing. *
Todd Pettengill provides a Survivor Series Report which is a hard sell to call your Pay-Per-View provider and a rundown of Taker/Yoko and Bob/Bret feuds.
3. British Bulldog vs. Owen Hart: Owen does the Queen wave on his way to the ring and immediately begins untying the turnbuckle, then when Bulldog pushes him away HE raises his arms as if he got the better of it. He’s also great at bumping around, taking armbars, and cutting Bulldog off. The legend. Good match between the two Stampede boys. ***1/4
Not Recommended but not bad or anything.
Survivor Series Showdown 1992 (WWF 11/22/92)
This show was taped on October 26th at the Springfield Convention Center in Springfield, IL and aired on November 22nd, a few days before Survivor Series and Thanksgiving. Survivor Series ’92 was headlined by Bret Hart vs. IC Champ Shawn Michaels for the WWF Title, The Undertaker vs. Kamala in a Casket Match, and Ric Flair & Razor Ramon vs. Randy Savage & Mr. Perfect.
As usual, we’ve got squash matches and promos… but we’ve also got an hour afterwards of dark match footage, complete with the little clock at the bottom of the screen. This stuff actually opened the show and was taped before the matches for Survivor Series Showdown, and while there’s nothing must-see it’s always cool to see prime time WWF guys working dark, especially so many in a row.
But first – the actual Survivor Series Showdown show, hosted by Gorilla Monsoon and a very fired up Bobby Heenan.
Ric Flair and Razor Ramon open with a promo – always an odd pairing, but if not booked by Vince and Flair wasn’t headed out, maybe it could’ve been something?
1. Tatanka vs. Repo Man: Tatanka has got to be pissed – I see a child with a foam tomahawks and think there’s a big run he missed out on in 90-91. Repo Man tries to block a sunset flip with a punch and misses and damnit if he doesn’t sell the heck out of it. Otherwise – armbars. A Samoan drop for 3. *1/4
They show Randy Savage announcing to Bobby Heenan and Mr. Perfect on Prime Time Wrestling that he has chosen Mr. Perfect as his partner to face Ric Flair and Razor Ramon, which goes from Perfect laughing it off to turning on Heenan and agreeing. Heenan committed to a stiff slap on Perfect, and his immediate beg-off with “I didn’t mean to hit ya” is brilliant work.
2. Marty Jannetty vs. Brooklyn Brawler: Doink is walking around in the crowd, unnamed for now. This match is nothing but the crowd LOVES Marty Jannetty. *
3. WWF Intercontinental Title: British Bulldog [c] vs. Shawn Michaels (SNME 11/4/92): Shawn Michaels just free wheels on commentary over what ends up the entire Bulldog/HBK match from what ended up being the last Saturday Night’s Main Event for years. It’s a good match, a little to WWE-ey and formula to go full tilt but effective and historically significant. HBK reverses a superplex by shifting his weight and landing on Bulldog with a crossbody to win the title. ***1/4
4. Kamala w/ Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee vs. Red Tyler: Harvey’s scummy intro for Kamala is nice. This is like an actively bad squash, as 1992 Kamala was especially committed to not making any move look good, but with the Kamala gimmick comes this built-in thing where stuff like that kind of adds to the weirdness and experience. Anyways, a crappy spin kick and crappy chop to the throat ends poor ginger Red. *
The Undertaker building a customized casket for Kamala is embedded in my memory, and the Survivor Series Showdown makes sure of it. Paul Bearer was ON with these promos.
A recap is shown of The Nasty Boys turning babyface by attacking Money Inc. after Jimmy Hart screws them out of the Tag Titles. Money Inc. wins the Tag Titles from the Natural Disasters, then the Nasty Boys throw poor Jimmy off the stage onto Money Inc. as we head to THE SURVIVOR SERIES!
5. Earthquake vs. IRS w/ Jimmy Hart: It’s possibly I could appreciate this match, considering Quake always went SO hard on rope running. Counterpoint: IRS is on offense for a long time. And when Quake is on offense, he goes with a bearhug. I guess IRS flying going over the top rope later on gets over. They also do a slow-mo of Quake’s ass hitting DiBiase and circle it on the screen, which I thought was worth mentioning. 1/4*
6. Big Bossman vs. Barry Horowitz: That Nailz attack on Bossman totally got me as a youngin’, then it very quickly got dumb. Actually, I might be able to tie Nailz to breaking kayfabe for my young eyes. Maybe. Barry Horowitz on the other hand ALWAYS got me, a consummate professional. He does the favors for Bossman here, then Nailz cuts an insane promo. *
7. The Headshrinkers vs. Randy Fox & Royce Royal: The Headshrinkers scare their opponents with their sticks. There’s also a spot with a booger. *
Survivor Series Showdown 1992 ends with a longform interview in a FIELD with Vince McMahon, sporting the LEGENDARY Carolina Panther blue windbreaker, interviewing cool guy Bret Hart about Survivor Series and his career and being a fighting champion and all that. It’s cheesy, it’s creepy, it’s weird, and it’s kind of an alright stupid serious wrestling thing.
The show goes off the air, but now – it’s Survivor Series Showdown AFTER DARK!
8. Big Bossman vs. Nailz: Ah, dark matches. This is mostly Bossman laying outside after he’s thrown into the stairs. A lame cheapshot to the throat wins it for Nailz. The crowd liked Bossman but this was a minimal performance. DUD
Jimmy Garvin, still sporting the hair but no longer labeled Gorgeous, emerges from the curtains as a few fans in the crowd recognize him with disgust. This seems to be Garvin straight-up auditioning for the heel color commentator spot, going back-and-forth with Mean Gene. He starts things off by asking Gene if his girlfriend got his driver’s license back and I’m not sure they ever get a groove from there. Didn’t seem right. He didn’t get it.
9. WWF Title: Bret Hart [c] vs. The Mountie: Mountie sings, Mountie talks shit, Bret throws two right hands and a German suplex holds for 3. Brilliant. **
10. Virgil vs. Bam Bam Bigelow: Virgil works an armbar, Virgil falls outside, Bam Bam argues with ref, DQ. OK then. Highlight is Bam Bam talking shit to the camera after. “This is bull!” DUD
11. Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Razor Ramon: Macho’s a house of fire, Razor works a knee, and the crowd mostly stay into it because they like these guys. Savage hits an axehandle to the floor and Razor wins via countout, then attacks Savage after the match. Boo. **
12. WWF Title: Bret Hart [c] vs. Papa Shango: Ah Bret, such a fighting champion. Papa very slowly, deliberately, attacks him, then Bret pops in his comebacks. He goes for a quick win too – CALLBACKS. This is so spectacularly solid, so perfectly serviceable with a green but imposing challenger to The Champ’s reign. **
13. Ultimate Warrior vs. Nailz: A straight-up squash for spraypainted overall era Warrior. He chains his moves together alright, I’ll tell you that! *
1992 was filled with characters, but this stunk. They could’ve just uploaded the Jimmy Garvin tryout. Not Recommended
