September 27, 1986
From Baltimore, MD
Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino, Jesse Ventura, and Vince McMahon
Tonight, we will have the showdown between Adrian Adonis and Roddy Piper. Plus, the return of Superstar Billy Graham, a surprise from Slick, the featured bout of Tito Santana vs. Jimmy Jack Funk and more.
Mike Kelly vs. "King" Harley Race
Kelly is actually Shane Douglas. Race goes right after Kelly and hits a gutwrench suplex. Race roughs him up in the corner and hits a double underhook suplex before finishing him off with a cradle suplex (1:37).
Thoughts: Race made quick work of Kelly but the crowd was very quiet. Race as the King took a bit to get over.
WWF Update with Gene Okerlund. This week's subject is Ricky Steamboat as they show a ridiculous training video of Steamboat fighting off ninjas.
Ventura is with Billy Graham, who says that Jesse copied his style and that he is in fact the Superstar. Jesse looked shocked at the end.
Bob Bradley vs. Superstar Billy Graham
Graham comes out to "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood and appears to be struggling just to walk down the aisle but makes sure to slap hands with the fans and even kiss a baby on the head. Graham tosses his ring attire in the crowd before the match. Graham tosses Bradley to the floor then knocks him off of the apron with a forearm to the chest then makes Bradley submit to the bearhug when he enters the ring. The crowd pops for the finish (1:22).
Thoughts: I believe that this was Graham's last match on TV. He could barely even walk at this point.
Ken Resnick is with Bobby Heenan, who says he will expose the Machines in Boston. Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy come out and tell Piper that he will pay the price for stepping into the ring with them.
Tony Parks vs. Kamala w/ The Wizard & Kimchee
Kamala tosses Parks around like a rag doll to start. He uses headbutts and chops to rough him up then chokes him out against the ropes as Vince goes off on referee Danny Davis with Jesse sticking up for him. Kamala slams Parks down then gets the win with a top rope splash (2:21).
Thoughts: More continuation of the Danny Davis angle of being a crooked referee. It was obvious that they were going somewhere with this.
Resnick is with Tito Santana, who will be facing Harley Race in Boston. Santana says he is looking forward to the match and that Boston is his town. I was unaware of that. Santana then closes out the promo in Spanish.
And now, it is the showdown between Piper and Adonis. Both the "Flower Shop" and "Piper's Pit" sets are next to each other. The crowd goes nuts for Piper. Adonis asks Bob Orton who is the best host and he says that Adonis has class and that Piper needed him as a backbone. Piper then comes over and calls Adonis ugly and that Orton couldn't hold his jockstrap on his best day. Piper calls Orton a sellout then jiggles the moobs of Adonis as he invites the cameraman to his set and says that Adonis is a disgrace to wrestling and that he took it upon himself to return. Piper then welcomes out Don Muraco and thanks him for doing a job of imitating him. Muraco takes offense to that as Piper make fun of his stutter and wardrobe. Muraco disses his skirt and the fact he wears the same shirt as they go back and forth. Adonis tries to convince Muraco that his show is the best. In the background, Orton and Adonis are huddling as Muraco tells Piper that Adonis is better and that Piper is jealous of him. Piper calls Muraco fat and that leads to Orton and Adonis hitting Piper from behind. Muraco then holds up Piper as it is a 3-on-1 attack. Muraco ties his jacket around Piper's leg as Adonis whacks it with a chair. Orton is destroying the set as Piper is getting absolutely destroyed. Hart is hilariously jumping around as he stuck his head through the face of Piper's picture. Great segment that really jump-started the feud between Adonis and Piper.
Slick promises us a surprise so great that it will "knock sight into the blind." I miss Slick.
William Tabb vs. "The Natural" Butch Reed w/ Slick
Reed attacks Tabb as soon as the bell rings. He catches Reed with a knee smash then takes him down with a flying shoulder tackle from the second rope before getting the win with a gutbuster (1:01).
Thoughts: Tabb was a huge guy, even bigger than Reed, but terrible in the ring. He would actually go on to wrestle as the Black Assasin in Florida, managed by Oliver Humperdink, several months later. Reed looked okay in his debut.
Jimmy Jack Funk vs. Tito Santana
Santana works the arm to start. We then get to listen to Pedro Morales and Miguel Alonso on Spanish Commentary as Jesse offers to translate and tells us that they are wondering when the tequila sunrises they ordered are coming. Santana hits an atomic drop and a dropkick as Funk rolls out of the ring. Funk comes back in and drops Santana throat-first on the top rope then roughs him up. Swinging neckbreaker gets two. He tries another neckbreaker but Santana twists out and hits a suplex. Santana slugs away then makes Funk tap to the figure-four leg lock (3:31).
Thoughts: This match, to me, signaled the end of Tito & Pedro as a duo and focused on Tito as a singles wrestler. Poor Jimmy Jack as he was without Jimmy Hart and the writing was on the wall for him at this point.
Resnick is with Super & Big Machine. George Steele comes out and this leads to a goofy segment revolving around Steele, ending with all three men right in front of the camera.
Backstage, Billy Jack Haynes and the Islanders are holding back Piper, who is on the ground battered and bloodied and tossing around chairs.
Next week in action will be Paul Orndorff, Randy Savage, and the debut of the Honky Tonk Man. Plus, Jesse Ventura will interview Hulk Hogan and an update on the condition of Roddy Piper.
Final Thoughts: Fun show. The Adonis/Piper stuff was great. We got the return of Graham and the debut of Reed. They also continue the angle with Danny Davis and pushed the Machines feud, which was just not getting over without the involvement of Andre. Everything else here was fine as well, especially the much improved commentary with the addition of Jesse Ventura. He really made the broadcast lively.
From Baltimore, MD
Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino, Jesse Ventura, and Vince McMahon
Tonight, we will have the showdown between Adrian Adonis and Roddy Piper. Plus, the return of Superstar Billy Graham, a surprise from Slick, the featured bout of Tito Santana vs. Jimmy Jack Funk and more.
Mike Kelly vs. "King" Harley Race
Kelly is actually Shane Douglas. Race goes right after Kelly and hits a gutwrench suplex. Race roughs him up in the corner and hits a double underhook suplex before finishing him off with a cradle suplex (1:37).
Thoughts: Race made quick work of Kelly but the crowd was very quiet. Race as the King took a bit to get over.
WWF Update with Gene Okerlund. This week's subject is Ricky Steamboat as they show a ridiculous training video of Steamboat fighting off ninjas.
Ventura is with Billy Graham, who says that Jesse copied his style and that he is in fact the Superstar. Jesse looked shocked at the end.
Bob Bradley vs. Superstar Billy Graham
Graham comes out to "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood and appears to be struggling just to walk down the aisle but makes sure to slap hands with the fans and even kiss a baby on the head. Graham tosses his ring attire in the crowd before the match. Graham tosses Bradley to the floor then knocks him off of the apron with a forearm to the chest then makes Bradley submit to the bearhug when he enters the ring. The crowd pops for the finish (1:22).
Thoughts: I believe that this was Graham's last match on TV. He could barely even walk at this point.
Ken Resnick is with Bobby Heenan, who says he will expose the Machines in Boston. Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy come out and tell Piper that he will pay the price for stepping into the ring with them.
Tony Parks vs. Kamala w/ The Wizard & Kimchee
Kamala tosses Parks around like a rag doll to start. He uses headbutts and chops to rough him up then chokes him out against the ropes as Vince goes off on referee Danny Davis with Jesse sticking up for him. Kamala slams Parks down then gets the win with a top rope splash (2:21).
Thoughts: More continuation of the Danny Davis angle of being a crooked referee. It was obvious that they were going somewhere with this.
Resnick is with Tito Santana, who will be facing Harley Race in Boston. Santana says he is looking forward to the match and that Boston is his town. I was unaware of that. Santana then closes out the promo in Spanish.
And now, it is the showdown between Piper and Adonis. Both the "Flower Shop" and "Piper's Pit" sets are next to each other. The crowd goes nuts for Piper. Adonis asks Bob Orton who is the best host and he says that Adonis has class and that Piper needed him as a backbone. Piper then comes over and calls Adonis ugly and that Orton couldn't hold his jockstrap on his best day. Piper calls Orton a sellout then jiggles the moobs of Adonis as he invites the cameraman to his set and says that Adonis is a disgrace to wrestling and that he took it upon himself to return. Piper then welcomes out Don Muraco and thanks him for doing a job of imitating him. Muraco takes offense to that as Piper make fun of his stutter and wardrobe. Muraco disses his skirt and the fact he wears the same shirt as they go back and forth. Adonis tries to convince Muraco that his show is the best. In the background, Orton and Adonis are huddling as Muraco tells Piper that Adonis is better and that Piper is jealous of him. Piper calls Muraco fat and that leads to Orton and Adonis hitting Piper from behind. Muraco then holds up Piper as it is a 3-on-1 attack. Muraco ties his jacket around Piper's leg as Adonis whacks it with a chair. Orton is destroying the set as Piper is getting absolutely destroyed. Hart is hilariously jumping around as he stuck his head through the face of Piper's picture. Great segment that really jump-started the feud between Adonis and Piper.
Slick promises us a surprise so great that it will "knock sight into the blind." I miss Slick.
William Tabb vs. "The Natural" Butch Reed w/ Slick
Reed attacks Tabb as soon as the bell rings. He catches Reed with a knee smash then takes him down with a flying shoulder tackle from the second rope before getting the win with a gutbuster (1:01).
Thoughts: Tabb was a huge guy, even bigger than Reed, but terrible in the ring. He would actually go on to wrestle as the Black Assasin in Florida, managed by Oliver Humperdink, several months later. Reed looked okay in his debut.
Jimmy Jack Funk vs. Tito Santana
Santana works the arm to start. We then get to listen to Pedro Morales and Miguel Alonso on Spanish Commentary as Jesse offers to translate and tells us that they are wondering when the tequila sunrises they ordered are coming. Santana hits an atomic drop and a dropkick as Funk rolls out of the ring. Funk comes back in and drops Santana throat-first on the top rope then roughs him up. Swinging neckbreaker gets two. He tries another neckbreaker but Santana twists out and hits a suplex. Santana slugs away then makes Funk tap to the figure-four leg lock (3:31).
Thoughts: This match, to me, signaled the end of Tito & Pedro as a duo and focused on Tito as a singles wrestler. Poor Jimmy Jack as he was without Jimmy Hart and the writing was on the wall for him at this point.
Resnick is with Super & Big Machine. George Steele comes out and this leads to a goofy segment revolving around Steele, ending with all three men right in front of the camera.
Backstage, Billy Jack Haynes and the Islanders are holding back Piper, who is on the ground battered and bloodied and tossing around chairs.
Next week in action will be Paul Orndorff, Randy Savage, and the debut of the Honky Tonk Man. Plus, Jesse Ventura will interview Hulk Hogan and an update on the condition of Roddy Piper.
Final Thoughts: Fun show. The Adonis/Piper stuff was great. We got the return of Graham and the debut of Reed. They also continue the angle with Danny Davis and pushed the Machines feud, which was just not getting over without the involvement of Andre. Everything else here was fine as well, especially the much improved commentary with the addition of Jesse Ventura. He really made the broadcast lively.
Man, watching this I kind of wish Superstar had been healthier. You can tell just by the commentary that Vince was a huge, *HUGE* Superstar mark and a healthy Superstar eventually playing off against Hogan or Savage would have been crazy stuff.
ReplyDeleteA year or what later, after surgery (shown on Superstars) Graham returned with even better fitting entrance theme (JC Superstar). It was one of the first shows I saw. I really liked Superstar, he certainly had something special. Recently I watched some of is matches is in the finale stage of his career. Too bad he really had detoriated by then in the ring.
ReplyDeleteI missed your review of ROH All-Star Extravaganza. Did that get posted?
ReplyDeleteIt got delayed but I should have it up Wednesday afternoon or evening .
ReplyDeleteExcellent.
ReplyDeleteDragon/Styles was an awesome match
ReplyDeleteSo was the main event six-man with Otani.
ReplyDelete