WWF Championship Wrestling January 11th, 1986

January 11^th, 1986

Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahon

Tonight, the Junkyard Dog will team up with George “The Animal” Steele. Also in action are Tito Santana & Pedro Morales, Ricky Steamboat & King Tonga, Terry Funk, King Kong Bundy, and Don Muraco. Also, Roddy Piper will be here to host “Piper’s Pit.

AJ Rizzo & Moondog Spot vs. Junkyard Dog & George “The Animal” Steele w/ Capt. Lou Albano

The faces attack the heels to start as the action spills outside, with Steele biting Spot. Albano pulls Steele away and the match settles down. JYD is in the wrong corner and Steele runs in and breaks it up then comes back in again very shortly after that as the match breaks down yet again. Steele beats on Rizzo and grinds his face into the mat then tags JYD, who works a neck vice. He then slams him and gets the win with a falling headbutt (3:22). After the match, Steele goes after Spot outside of the ring then goes back in the ring to dance with JYD and Albano

Thoughts: The match was all over the place but they are pushing Steele heavy, even more than JYD at this point. The crowd digs is crazy antics but remain bored during the matches.

WWF Update with Lord Alfred Hayes. This week, he talks about the feud between Ricky Steamboat and Don Muraco. We are shown a clip of Steamboat beating a jobber with a flying body press.

Mike Saxon vs. Terry Funk w/ Jimmy Hart

The crowd starts an “asshole” chant aimed at Funk, which Vince no-sells on commentary by stating he cannot make out what the crowd is saying. Funk attacks Saxon as he takes off his jacket and stomps it before tossing that and Saxon to the floor. Saxon chases around Hart after he hit him but gets taken down by Funk. He chops him down as the crowd starts up another asshole chant. They go back inside the ring where Funk uses JYD’s crawling headbutts then slaps him around before putting him away with a sleeper (2:57). After the match, Funk brands Saxon.

Thoughts: Funk was loathed by this crowd and he heeled it up big time here. I loved the spot where he used JYD’s headbutts. It is such an easy way to get heel heat by stealing the moves of your enemy.

Gene Okerlund is with Tito Santana, who will defend his Intercontinental Title against Randy Savage in Boston tonight. Tito cuts a promo that is just terrible. He flubs his words and says that it will be a cold day in hell before he hands over his IC Title to Savage.

Another plug to vote for the Slammy Awards. Man, these were tiresome.

Tito Santana & Pedro Morales vs. Al Navarro & Steve Lombardi

Tito hiptosses Lombardi then stomps him as he attempted a monkey flip. Tito tags Pedro, who works the arm. Lombardi backs him in the corner but Pedro comes back with a backdrop and a slam. Navarro tags and backs Pedro into the ropes then breaks cleanly. Pedro works a hammerlock but Navarro backs him into his corner and tags Lombardi. Pedro suplexes him as both men are down but Tito tags first and runs wild then makes Navarro submit to the figure four leg lock (2:58).

Thoughts: The crowd still loves Tito but since he has been relegated to tag matches on TV, the IC Title started to feel de-valued. He really has not had a feud since regaining the belt from Valentine in the Summer.

Okerlund is with Bruno Sammartino, who will be teaming with Paul Orndorff to take on Roddy Piper & Bob Orton at the Boston Garden. Bruno talks about how Piper and Orton cannot hide then Orndorff storms on the set and shows of his cast as he rants about beating them tonight.  

Handicapped Match

Jeff Cripley & Paul Dose vs. King Kong Bundy w/ Bobby Heenan & Big John Studd

Both men attack Bundy but he brushes them off with ease. He beats the shit out of both guys then slams Cripley onto Vose then puts them away with a splash for the five count (1:57).

Thoughts: The mega-push for Bundy continues as they make him look dominant. This push will continue for a few months.

Piper’s Pit with guest Jimmy Hart. Jimmy is holding a bag and tells us that he has a surprise. He then brings out the new “Adorable” Adrian Adonis, who comes out holding his leather jacket with bows all over his hair. Piper asks him about his new look and Adonis says that he has been tough his whole life and can wear what he want. He then says that he has “jumped out of the closet,” with Piper repeating the line, and says that he is from New York City and can do whatever he wants. He says he is retiring his leather jacket and gives it to Piper, who is excited. Adonis closes by mocking the Rockettes and telling them to eat their heart out. And this was the big start of the “Adorable” character.

Don Muraco w/ Mr. Fuji vs. Joe Williams

Muraco beats Williams down then hits a suplex as the announcers make fun of Williams’ slight physique and inexperience. He then tosses him to the floor as the crowd starts a “beach bum” chant. Fuji knocks down Williams behind the referee’s back then Muraco brings him back into the ring for some more punishment until he finally puts him away with the tombstone piledriver (2:37). After the match, Vince questions if Williams will ever step foot in a wrestling ring again.

Thoughts: Muraco actually looked motivated here but his weight gain was massive, even to the point that Vince was calling him out for having “stretch marks.”

Yet another reminder to vote for the “Slammy Awards.”

Ron Shaw & A.J. Petruzzi vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & King Tonga

Tonga locks up with Petruzzi, who works the arm. Tonga breaks free then chops him down. He knocks him down again then tags Steamboat. The fans applaud Ricky who works an arm wringer. Petruzzi hits a slam but Steamboat goes back to work and the faces take turns working on the arm. Tonga hits a back suplex then Petruzzi rolls away and tags Shaw. Tonga headbutts him as Vince puts over his toughness and strength. Steamboat tags as Petruzzi hammers away. Steamboat fights back and tags Tonga, who hits a thrust kick then takes him down with a clothesline. He then tags Steamboat who puts him away with a flying body press (4:02).

Thoughts: They really tried to push Tonga here, giving him a majority of the offense. The announcers also put over his strength and toughness throughout the match but the fans still did not care and to be honest, Tonga did not have the charisma to pull off the babyface role the company wanted at this time.

Gene Okerlund brings out Roddy Piper and Bob Orton. The Cowboy says that Orndorff made a mistake by stepping back into the ring with them and calls him out for wearing a cast. Piper says the only thing he hasn’t touched upon with those two are their mothers and that they are just plain idiots for showing up in the ring to face them.

Next week, we will have an update about George Steele being in love with Elizabeth. Plus, we will see the “Peace Match” between Corporal Kirchner and Nikolai Volkoff from “Saturday Night’s Main Event. Plus, Ted Arcidi, Junkyard Dog, Bret Hart, and Ricky Steamboat & King Tonga.

Final Thoughts: A solid show. They dropped a bombshell with Adonis and began to heavily re-push other talents like Bundy and Steele. And with the pushes should come new feuds, as what they have going on now is starting to run out of steam.