WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Wrestling Tough Guys (1990)

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Wrestling Tough Guys (1990)

Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover features Warlord clotheslining a Bushwhacker, while the back promises us stars, while showing us jobbers 

Sean Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes host from the studio, with Mooney trying to play a tough guy by dressing like Hulk Hogan and adopting Randy Savage’s mannerisms. I’m pretty sure I tried that same trick in fifth grade, and it didn’t work then, either

Jim Duggan v Boris Zhukov: From Prime Time Wrestling on April 30 1990 (taped April 4) in Glens Falls New York. The sound sweetening is off the charts ridiculous here. Like, the crowd is barely moving, but it sounds like we’re in the middle of Hogan/Rock at WrestleMania. It’s so bad I have to turn down the TV. Duggan dominates him to start, until Zhukov ends up on the outside for some stalling. Hacksaw tries a headbutt as Boris comes back in, but that backfires on him, and Zhukov slaps on a chinlock. Jim gets dumped to the outside for a bit, and Zhukov puts the boots to him as Duggan rolls back in, then works a bearhug. Duggan fights free and manages a ten-punch in the corner, and a cross corner whip rebounds Zhukov into a clothesline. Jim with a second clothesline, and the three-point stance looks to finish, but Nikolai Volkoff distracts the referee. Duggan goes after him, allowing Zhukov to grab the 2x4, but it backfires on him, and Jim covers at 4:46. Total junk, but inoffensive. DUD

Haku v Ron Garvin: From Prime Time on June 11 1990 (taped May 14) in Madison Wisconsin. I’m kind of surprised to see Garvin here. I guess I was under the impression that he left the promotion not long after Royal Rumble ‘90, but a quick check shows that he actually stuck around all the way until near the end of the year. Haku wins a slugfest, but Garvin stomps his way out of a wristlock, and he unloads a ten-punch count. Haku escapes with an inverted atomic drop, and they trade stiff chops in the corner - won by Haku. Garvin responds by biting him in the eye, so Haku sticks him with an elbow to the jaw, and then chokes him down. Haku tosses him to the outside for a smash into the apron, but they’re not mindful of the count, and it’s a cheap double countout at 5:49. The finish was really terrible and nonsensical, but it was fun watching them brutalize each other here. ½*

The Powers of Pain v The Bushwhackers: From Prime Time on January 22 1990 (taped October 8 1989) in Toronto Ontario Canada. Barbarian gets sick of the Bushwhackers dancing around, and attacks Butch to kick start the match. Butch fights him off and grabs a side-headlock, but Barbarian powers out, and they stop to play to the crowd for a while. Meanwhile, Gorilla Monsoon runs down all the big teams that were in the WWF at the time, and boy, it really was the golden age of tag team wrestling in those days. The Bushwhackers use a combo to trip Barbarian up, and the dust settles on Warlord and Luke, as Monsoon notes that the ‘Whackers are less interested in wins and losses than in just having fun. It’s not a children’s birthday party! Warlord works a bearhug as the Powers cut the ring in half on Luke, but he manages the tag to Butch… who quickly ends up on the outside to eat some post. The Powers go to work on Butch instead, until Barbarian misses a 2nd rope elbowdrop, and Luke gets the tag - Roseanne Barr the door! Battering rams put both Powers down, so Mr. Fuji comes in with the cane, and there’s your DQ at 9:16. Really boring stuff, and with a bad finish to boot. -¼* (Original rating: -*)

Akeem v Hercules: From Portland Maine on Prime Time, aired September 25 1989 (taped August 30). Akeem pounds him into the corner, but Hercules reverses a cross corner whip, and unloads a ten-punch on him. Big right hand sees Akeem do an exaggerated sell that ends in him on the outside, and holy shit, literally everything about both the Akeem and Slick characters would get everybody in the promotion canceled in 2021. Back in, Hercules wins a slugfest, but he stupidly goes for a bodyslam, and Akeem is able to pound him down for a ropechoke. Slick gets in some cheap shots, of course, but Akeem misses an avalanche, and Hercules makes a comeback. He goes for the kill, but Slick pulls down the top rope as Hercules bounces off of them, and he spills over the top for the DQ at 5:00. Boy, this sucked. DUD (Original rating: DUD)

Tito Santana v Dino Bravo: From Prime Time on January 8 1990 (taped December 14 1989) in Hamilton Ontario Canada. They take turns playing to the crowd to start (with Tito getting some truly great reactions), until Dino gets annoyed, and decides to walk. Back in for the initial lockup, and Dino pounds him, but Santana gets the better of a criss cross with a bodypress for two. Hiptoss and a dropkick put Bravo on the outside, and he stalls out there for a bit. Tito works a wristlock once Bravo gets back in, until Dino manages an inverted atomic drop, and he adds an elbowdrop for two. Bravo works a reverse chinlock, until Tito hooks a backslide for two, but Bravo puts the boots to him to prevent a comeback. Gorilla gets an unintentionally funny line in, noting that he hated being put in reverse chinlocks, and would try to escape them as quickly as possible. As opposed to other holds that he would enjoy? Dino goes to a bearhug, but Tito slugs free, so Bravo bodyslams him. He goes upstairs for a flying axehandle, but Santana gutpunches him to block, and it’s comeback time! Jumping forearm looks to finish, but Bravo counters with a sidewalk slam at 11:17 - in the only clean finish of the tape. And it was a nice finish, too. ½*

Back in the studio, Mooney returns from trying to be tough in the gym, and he’s sporting a neckbrace, which Hayes thinks is the funniest thing in the world, of course

BUExperience: Just a bunch of boring Prime Time matches. Certainly not a good addition to your Coliseum collection.