WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Mega Matches (1991)
Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover of the tape features Randy Savage and promises a profile on him, while the back features... dancing...??
Sean Mooney hosts from the control center, wearing what I can only assume is something young Vince McMahon grew out of after discovering steroids
Tito Santana is going to educate Earthquake in Spanish. And I guess he did, since Earthquake was another guy who kept the same gear forever. Before, during, and after a tag team run - that's even more impressive than Santana!
Tito Santana v Earthquake: TV taping dark match from October 10 1990 in Cape Girardeau Missouri. Tito tries to grab various hold early on, but Earthquake is way too big for him, and blocks everything. This is a really crummy looking building, like something they'd run in the mid-90s. I guess business was not exactly booming under the Ultimate Warrior. Tito finally manages to slug him down for a wristlock, but once Earthquake gets back to a vertical base, that quickly goes south for him. Earthquake with a bodyslam, but an elbowdrop misses, allowing Santana to latch on with an armbar. Earthquake slugs free, and an atomic drop leads to a bearhug. Tito fights into the corner to get onto the middle rope, giving him leverage to force a break, and he throws jabs. Pair of dropkicks stagger Earthquake, and El Paso puts him down for two. Another dropkick, but he telegraphs it, and Earthquake easily blocks this time. Powerslam sets up an elbowdrop, and it's time for the Earthquake Splash, but Tugboat runs in for the DQ at 7:36. Nothing special, but I enjoyed Santana's psychologically sound approach. ½* (Original rating: DUD)
Big Boss Man's mama is apparently one of 'most prized possessions.' Possessions? Really? That's... interesting...
Ball and Chain Match: Big Boss Man v Bobby Heenan: TV taping dark match from Chattanooga Tennessee on January 8 1991. Heenan does a great bit where he tries to apologize before the match, but Boss Man is having none of it, of course. Poor Bobby is still begging even after the bell sounds, making up a story about how Boss Man's mom is on the phone in the back for him right now, and Boss Man is on the verge of buying it. But of course, he doesn't, so Heenan tries hitting him with the microphone, but that backfires. Boss Man beats him up a bit, and he scores the pin with one foot across Bobby's throat at 2:38. This wasn't really a 'match' (90% of it was Heenan cutting a promo), but it was entertaining nonetheless. Moreso than a proper match would have been. So now Heenan is forced to wear a ball and chain, but WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect makes the save. DUD (Original rating: DUD)
Beth Kato and her younger brother Christian write in requesting Hulk Hogan and Jim Duggan matches. No word on whether Beth is the daughter of the guy from the Orient Express, or if Christian is the future superstar, but probably not, since I'm pretty sure he was a Warrior guy, and Edge was the Hogan guy. But, maybe Beth wanted Hogan and Christian wanted Duggan. They don't make that clear, and it really muddies things, since, obviously, everyone was a huge Hacksaw fan in 1990
Sgt. Slaughter v Jim Duggan: TV taping dark match on November 19 1990 in Rochester New York. Slaughter attacks before the bell, but Duggan fights him off, and a clothesline puts Sarge on the outside. Slaughter beats the count in, where Duggan is waiting with jabs, and a big right sends Slaughter back flipping. Can't say the guy wouldn't sell like crazy for opponents. Duggan tries running the ropes, but General Adnan nails him with the flag pole, and Slaughter takes control. They did a really bad job with that, as the camera missed it nearly completely. Slaughter with a backbreaker for two, but Jim dodges a pair of elbowdrops, and corner whips him. Duggan with a backdrop, but Adnan trips him up to block the three-point stance, again missed by the camera. This time Jim chases after him, and he's counted out at 3:04. Well, that was certainly a waste of time. Afterwards, Duggan responds by disrespecting the Iraqi flag. DUD (Original rating: DUD)
Mooney lets us know to write in and request more matches just like that one. Since he's a sadist, apparently
Bret Hart v Barbarian: From a house show on November 24 1990 in New York City. The stupid referee holds up Bret's tag title belt as if it's on the line here. He's not one of their usual referees, and it shows. Hart grabs a headlock at the bell, so Barbarian whips him into the ropes to escape, and throws a clothesline. Barbarian puts the boots to him, and a headbutt follows, then a bootchoke in the corner. Barbarian with a bodyslam to set up a 2nd rope elbowdrop, but Hart dodges, and he starts making a comeback. This referee continues to suck, getting in their way at every turn. Surprisingly, Gorilla Monsoon doesn't even say anything. 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop gets two, and a clothesline is worth two, and now even Bret is starting to get annoyed with this official. Barbarian comes back with a powerslam for two, but he telegraphs a backdrop, so Hart tries a piledriver. Barbarian counters by finishing the backdrop, but the Hitman counters again with a sunset cradle at 4:08. ½* (Original rating: ¾*)
Mooney may have COVID
Rhythm & Blues v The Bushwhackers: From Wrestling Challenge on November 4 1990 (taped October 10) in Cape Girardeau Missouri. The heels attack before the bell, but the Bushwhackers come back with their usual ass biting, and they hit Honky Tonk Man with the Battering Ram. The dust settles on Honky and Luke, and Greg Valentine quickly takes a cheap shot to get control. R&B work Luke over, until Butch gets annoyed, and just comes in swinging Honky's guitar for the DQ at 4:06. Okay then. DUD (Original rating: DUD)
Mooney hopes we had our VCR running during that last one. Wouldn't everyone? These were sold as VHS tapes
Hulk Hogan v Dino Bravo: TV taping dark match on August 8 1990 in Providence Rhode Island. The crowd is losing their shit for the Hulkster here. Say what you will about him as a worker, but that's a guy who knew just how to connect with a crowd, in a way Warrior couldn't at that level. Which makes it all the more difficult to believe how incredibly bad he was at reading a room just a few years after this in WCW. He has Big Boss Man in his corner, while Dino has Earthquake. Lots of posturing to start, and Hogan uses a backdrop, then a pair of elbowdrops. Bodyslam sends Bravo bailing, as I notice that they're blurring the Superstars of Wrestling banners over the ring, which is nuts considering this isn't even being promoted as that show. You really can sue anyone for just about anything these days, huh? Back in, Dino works a wristlock, but Hulk reverses, and backelbows him into the corner for a ten-punch. Hogan's tan is just outrageous here. Earthquake trips him up as he runs the ropes to allow Bravo to turn the tide, and he goes to work with his array of punches and kicks. Hulk ends up on the outside for Earthquake to abuse, and Dino slaps on a bearhug to go for the win, wearing him down for the sidewalk slam, but it just triggers the HULK UP!! Fists of Fury! Big Boot! Legdrop! 8:38. Kind of crazy that everyone involved in this (including the referee) would be dead within sixteen years, but Hogan is still around over thirty later. And Hogan is older than almost everyone else by a decade! ½* (Original rating: DUD)
At home with Hillbilly Jim! Not sure if that's his actual house, but if it is, it's probably what inspired Hall and Nash to jump to WCW in '96. Inside, his Granny is watching TV, and Jim shares his good news: he won his first wrestling match! Um, how long has it been since he's seen his grandmother? After that, Hillbilly decides to get naked. In his kitchen. So he can wrestle a tire. Also in his kitchen. This was silly and embarrassing. And awesome
Davey Boy Smith v Haku: House show action on October 19 1990 in New York City. Joined in progress with Bulldog working an armbar, but Haku fights him off in the corner, and delivers an inverted atomic drop. Haku goes to work, but Bulldog wins a criss cross with a bodypress for two, and a crucifix is worth two. Haku fights back with a piledriver for two, and he works a chinlock. Davey fights free, so Haku goes to the eyes, and dumps him to the outside. Davey beats the count, so Haku backdrops him for two, and stretches him by pulling his braids back into a surfboard. That was pretty creative. Sleeper, but Bulldog fights free, so Haku corner whips him for two. He puts the boots to Bulldog until Smith falls out of the ring, but Davey manages a side suplex for two on the way back in. Criss cross results in a double knockout spot, but Bulldog recovers first, and he covers for two. Bulldog slaps on a sharpshooter, but Haku is in the ropes, so Davey tries a backdrop, but Haku blocks. He unloads with headbutts, and a shoulderbreaker is worth two. Dropkick, but Davey dodges, and he comes back with a backdrop. Alliteration! Hanging vertical suplex gets two, and the Running Powerslam finishes up at 15:54 shown of 19:34. This wasn't bad, but would have been better served as a peppy ten minute match, instead of plodding along for twenty. ** (Original rating: ¼*)
Back in the studio, Mooney appears to have traded his jacket for one of Vince's newer ones
Randy Savage is the world's most aggressive candy-striper
Randy Savage v Jim Duggan: House show action on October 28 1989 in New York City. Macho attacks while the referee is trying to get the 2x4 away from Duggan, but Hacksaw fights him off. Jim unloads in the corner, and delivers an atomic drop, allow while Macho sells like crazy. Queen Sherri helps out by pulling down the top rope, however, and she sends Jim into the post. She's a great lady. The tape actually jumps back at this point, replaying parts, at least on the Network version. I don't see any notes about it in my original review, so it's probably just a Network specific issue. Savage with a flying axehandle on the floor, and he covers on the way in, but Duggan is in the ropes. Randy responds by snapping his throat across the top for two, and a flying axehandle is worth two. Kneedrop gets two, but a straddling ropechoke misses. That allows Jim to try an elbowdrop, but Savage dodges. He dives with another flying axe, but this time Hacksaw is ready with a gut-punch, so Macho goes to the eyes. He tries a charge, but Duggan backdrops him over the top anyway, and he chucks Randy into the first row for good measure. Back in, Jim uses a bodyslam to set up a kneedrop, but the referee is distracted by Sherri, and the count is delayed. Jim stays on track with a big right hand, but Sherri puts her man in the ropes at two. Duggan still stays focused with a shoulderblock, but a second one misses, and he hits the turnbuckles. That allows Savage a clothesline, but Jim dodges the Flying Elbowdrop! He makes another comeback, but the three-point stance knocks Macho to the outside. Duggan drags him back in, but that allows Sherri to attack, and Savage capitalizes on the distraction with a high knee. Bodyslam, so Jim counters with a cradle, but the referee is down, so no count. Boy, they're really going out of their way to give Duggan a bunch of visual pins on Randy here. Clothesline sets up another visual pin, so he goes to revive the official, allowing Sherri to pass Savage a weapon. He nails Hacksaw with it, and the dazed official recovers to count... two! That was a great dramatic near fall! Duggan looks to turn it into another comeback, but Randy suckers him into a leveraged cradle, and the referee is too battered to notice - counting the pin at 16:04. I wasn't expecting much here, but they built this into one heck of a match by the end. Sherri was awesome here too, as usual. ** ½ (Original rating: * ½)
We get clips of Randy Savage's appearance on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, which is apparently a real thing that happened. And it's pretty entertaining
Cage Match: Ultimate Warrior v Randy Savage: From a house show on January 21 1991 in New York City. Man, they ran the Garden, like, every week in those days, didn't they? Warrior runs out and beats him up outside of the cage before the bell, and in we go so he can deliver a few inverted atomic drops. Warrior with a long series of clotheslines, as Sherri loses her shit outside the cage. I can't blame her, that kind of poor work rate puts me on edge too. The distraction allows Savage to send him into the cage to buy recovery time, and a thumb to the eye buys him a little more. Macho capitalizes with a clothesline to the back of the head, but Randy is still pretty battered from earlier, and he doesn't have much follow-up. He's selling HARD for a match that's three minutes deep here. Both guys charge for a double knockout spot, and Randy rolls over to make the cover for two - the referee sprinting in to count. Kind of weird that suddenly they're allowing pinfalls. I don't think even Macho was expecting a count (looked like he was doing it to show how dazed he is), and it's odd that the official read it that way. And even stranger that he then immediately goes back to the outside. If pins are going to count, shouldn't he stay inside? Macho with an extended bootchoke, and a bodyslam sets up the Flying Elbowdrop for two. Why even bother covering when you know the referee needs to waste time getting into the cage to count? No matter, Warrior makes his comeback, but a splash hits the knees, and Macho climbs over the top. He makes it all the way down the outside of the cage, but Warrior grabs him from through the bars, and forces him back up. That was a pretty great escape tease there, with Randy getting inches away. Sherri responds by going into the cage to attack Warrior, and her efforts force him to loosen his grip - allowing Randy to fall to the floor at 9:39. This wasn't in the same universe as their two pay per view outings, and wasn't even really very good either, with both guys doing the same few moves over and over again, and a pretty slow pace. The finish was well done, though. ½* (Original rating: ½*)
Back in the studio, Mooney has stopped making sense
BUExperience: Nothing of real note here, but I found it generally entertaining.
A decent addition to your Coliseum Collection
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