WWF Coliseum Video Collection: 2nd Annual Battle of the SuperStars (1991)

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: 2^nd Annual Battle of the SuperStars (1991)

Coliseum Video compilation, hosted by Sean Mooney as George C. Scott in Patton – down to a shot for shot recreation of the opening scene. The cover of the tape features Roddy Piper, and advertises a profile on Jim Duggan – promising to delve into his childhood, and find out what makes Jim Duggan tick. No wonder I never saw this one on the shelves as a kid – didn’t really browse the horror section.


WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Mr. Perfect v Roddy Piper: From a TV taping, February 1991. Perfect makes the mistake of messing with Piper's kilt, and gets killed, of course. Proper slugfest goes Roddy's way (including the always awesome bit where Piper sets the referee gently on the top turnbuckle first to keep him out of the way), and the champ ends up on the floor. Piper literally drags him back in, and gives him a hairpull slam before crotching him on the post. Perfect manager Bobby Heenan gets involved to try and turn things around, but Piper just keeps unloading - tearing Perfect's tights with his brutality. With his pants literally around his ankles (he had short tights on underneath) Piper has an easy time tripping the champ up, but Perfect uses the tights against him - choking. Double knockout sees Perfect up – and his first order of business if putting his damn tights back on. Second order: stomping the shit out of Piper. Standing dropkick leaves Piper in the ropes, and Perfect tears off the top turnbuckle to properly bash his brains in, but Piper counters a suplex with a bodypress for two. Small package gets two, and a sunset flip for two. Swinging neckbreaker gets two, but the referee gets bumped - allowing Perfect to use the exposed corner. Perfectplex, but Piper kicks out at two, so Perfect takes him back to the exposed corner - only to get reversed. Piper goes ballistic with closed fists, and crotches Perfect on the exposed buckle - but it knocks him to the floor, and Piper gets the countout victory at 12:17. Classic? No. Fun? Really fun. I'd have loved to see a proper program between the two. **

The Nasty Boys v The Bushwhackers: From a house show, January 1991. Brian Knobs starts with Luke, and it's slugfest'a'palooza (an Italian slugfest with non-Italians; basically Jersey Shore). It quickly triggers a four-way brawl, and the 'Whackers clean house - the dust settling on Jerry Sags and Butch. The usual Bushwhackers formula of 'get killed, but do goofy double-teams to turn the tide' is used heavily, as the Nasties easily dominate them - but run into tricks like butt-biting or licking, and get cleared out of the ring. Repeat until the Nasties catch Butch with a double-team of their own, and Knobs pins Butch at 7:49. DUD - which is actually a pleasant surprise, as I was expecting negative stars. The insane thing is that this match was by 'fan request.'

Bret Hart v The Barbarian: From a house show, November 1990. Bret with a standing side-headlock right away, but Barbarian powers out, and levels him with a clothesline. He hammers him with headbutts, but a 2^nd rope elbowdrop misses, and Hart fires a series of closed fists. Inverted atomic drop, and a ten-punch count set up a Russian legsweep. 2^nd rope elbow for two, and a well executed hangman's clothesline gets two. Bodypress, but Barbarian counters with a powerslam for two, and a backdrop - but Hart manages a sunset flip for the pin at 4:09. Surprisingly short for a house show match from the era (or not, considering it was their second show of the day - the first hundreds of miles away), but completely competent - particularly Hart's always excellent job of selling. ¾*

Jake Roberts v Kato: From the same taping as Perfect/Piper - February 1991. They trade armbars to start, with Jake controlling, so Kato tries to rake the eyes - only to get punched square in the jaw. Jake takes him back into the armbar, so Kato tries an enzuigiri, but misses, allowing Jake to try for the DDT - but Kato hits the deck and bails to regroup. They repeat that spot a couple more times, so Kato has tag partner Tanaka run interference - but Jake shrugs them off. Blind charge misses, allowing Kato manager Mr. Fuji to get in a cheap shot, leaving Jake on the floor to take the count. He just beats it in, but takes an elbowdrop for two, and gets caught in a chinlock. Jake with a series of jabs to break things up, and a short-clothesline sets up the DDT - but Tanaka breaks it up while Fuji distracts the referee. Kato tries to turn the tide, but walks into the DDT anyway - only to have Tanaka save again, but this time the referee sees it, and we have a disqualification at 7:03. Didn't care for the ending, but it was fun otherwise - these two clicked well. *

WWF Title Flag Match: Sgt. Slaughter v Jim Duggan: From a house show, March 1991. Duggan brings a fatigue-clad Hulk Hogan with him (this is just pre-WrestleMania VII), probably to try and help lend some star power/credibility, since this midcard stuff was actually the main event of the card - and at Madison Square Garden, no less. Slaughter goes for the precious 2x4 (it's not just a piece of wood, it's SENTIMENTAL WOOD!!!), and gets murdered in the corner for his troubles - bailing to the floor to regroup with General Adnan. Back in, Duggan throws the champ around, but gets kicked in the kisser off of a backdrop attempt, and Slaughter chokes him in the ropes. Slaughter with a sleeper - but, really, where's the fun/skill in choking out a mentally retarded man-child? Duggan agrees, and makes his O-face before bashing Slaughter into the corner to break, but gets caught with a barrage of boots. Backbreaker gets two, and a flying kneedrop gets two. Hogan tries to get a 'USA' chant going, but instead gets kicked in the back of the head by Sarge - so he retaliates by shoving him off of the top rope on a second flying knee attempt. That draws Adnan into things, and we have a chase - suckering Hogan into a chair shot from Slaughter. Sarge chokes him with an electrical cable, too, before deciding to get back to that whole 'title defense' thing. He hooks Duggan in the Camel Clutch, but Hogan breaks it up with the 2x4, but Adnan runs in for a DQ when Duggan covers at 14:12. This was more about promoting Hogan/Slaughter than anything else, though Hogan's agenda (even kayfabe) doesn't make much sense, as he'd already signed to wrestle Slaughter at WrestleMania - if he loses the title here, Hulk loses his shot. ¼* - but entertaining.

Jim Duggan v Smash: From a TV taping, April 1991. Smash outsmarts Duggan (no!) to get him into the corner, but Duggan starts throwing clotheslines to put the Smasher on the outside. Duggan keeps overpowering, but a cheap shot from Mr. Fuji (is there any other kind?) turns the tide, and Smash hooks a headvice. Into the corner, but Duggan's totally 'TARDING UP!! Ten Punch Count! Clothesline! Bodyslam! 3-Point Stance! 6:12! Really dull, punchy-kicky stuff. DUD - bordering negative stars.

WWF Title Match: The Ultimate Warrior v Randy Savage: From a TV taping, October 1990. Warrior charges in with a barrage of closes fists, and a series of clotheslines. Press slam/ splash combo finish at 1:31. Warrior didn't even bother painting his face - this was basically here so that they could advertise Warrior/Savage on the video box. Still, makes you wonder what Savage's problem was - he was begging Warrior for a title shot during this period (leading to him costing Warrior the title to Sgt. Slaughter at the Royal Rumble), and Warrior totally obliged. Not his fault Savage Luger'd it. DUD

Tugboat v Ted DiBiase: From a TV taping, January 1991. Tugboat overpowers him in the early going (actually, just 'the going' - let's not limit ourselves), but gets suckered into a chase (if Tugboat didn't move very fast, it's 'cause Tugboat didn't have to move for anybody) and rammed into the steps. Inside, DiBiase chokes him in the ropes, and a series of fistdrops hit. More choking, but a whip into the post gets reversed, and Tug is a boathouse of fire - but he stupidly turns his back on DiBiase, and gets hooked in the Million Dollar Dream. Tug manages to power out, but misses a blind charge, and DiBiase schoolboys him (INCOMING!!) for the pin at 6:41. Just going through the (not particularly smooth) motions. DUD

Six-Man Tag Team Match: The Warlord and Power & Glory v Davey Boy Smith and The Legion of Doom: From a TV taping, January 1991. Paul Roma starts with Hawk (Really, heels? 'Pretty' Paul Roma's the guy you chose to start with one of the Road Warriors?), and predictably gets slammed around. Dropkick puts Roma on the outside, but a cheap shot from Hercules allows him to return fire with a dropkick of his own. Hawk still shrugs him off for neckbreaker, and he tags Animal to work the arm - so Roma rakes the eyes, and tags Warlord. Power-stalemate ends with Animal catching him with a diving clothesline, so Warlord bails to Hercules - but he gets more of the same. Tag to Davey Boy for a backelbow, but he eats boot off of a backdrop, and Warlord drops a series of elbows. Criss cross ends with Davey going for the Running Powerslam - but Roma hooks the leg to break it up, and the heels cut the ring in half. Warlord with a Full Nelson (his finisher), but Davey hangs on until the cavalry comes in, and we have a full on six-way brawl - ending in a double disqualification at 7:15. These guys were all booked against each other for WrestleMania – were you expecting a different ending? Nothing particularly notable, but made good use of quick tags, and didn't overstay its welcome. ¼*

BUExperience:  No lost gems, but overall fun stuff – from Piper/Perfect, to the always amusing Mooney's Patton bit. A good addition to your Coliseum Collection.