NWA (JCP) World Championship Wrestling (December 21, 1985)

Original Airdate: December 21, 1985 (taped December 15)

From Atlanta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and David Crockett

Ole Anderson v Bob Wayne: Though there are a few exceptions, the JCP guys had such unimaginative gear during this period. Just basic tights with a few random stars or lightning bolts printed on them. I get that people talked about the WWF like it was a circus compared to the ‘serious’ NWA - and they have a point about that - but at least their shows were eye-catching. This is just grizzled underwear fights. Ole works the arm for an eternity, and finishes with an armbar at 4:31. Definitely no mistaking this show for a circus. DUD

Barbarian and Paul Jones stop by to angle for a spot in the NWA Television title tournament

Nikita Koloff v Tony Zane: The announcers suggest Zane try to use speed to get away from Koloff. Great strategy! I mean, not for winning wrestling matches, but, you know, if it was some sort of running race, or something. Zane tries winning a slugfest, and you can guess how that goes for him. If you can’t: not good. “Tony Zane really having a tough time,” notes Schaivone. Maybe he should try the running. Koloff with a clothesline at 2:57. Yawn. DUD

NWA United States Champion Magnum TA and Dusty Rhodes swing by to do their usual crying about NWA World Champion Ric Flair and his pals

Barbarian v Richard Dunn: You know, we all made fun of the the WWF for their sound sweetening, but man, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Watching these boring squashes, one after another, with barely any crowd response aside from a few catcalls from time to time… it’s so sleepy and unengaging. And small time, too. Barbarian with a flying headbutt drop at 5:02. DUD

Tully Blanchard stops by to let us know that he’s at the apex of his career. But he’ll really be at the top once he gets that NWA TV title! Nothing says ‘apex’ like the third most prestigious title in the second most prestigious promotion! 

Krusher Kruschev v Bill Mulkey: Kruschev is the NWA Mid-Atlantic champion, but this is non-title. Kruschev with a clothesline at 1:56. At least it was quick. DUD

JJ Dillon also wants to talk about the TV title tournament! Apex! Apex!

Tully Blanchard v Vernon Deaton: The announcers do a good job of putting over Blanchard’s mindset since losing the US title at Starrcade, talking about how losing the gold is a huge drop in income, beyond just prestige. I love when they talk about stuff like that, it makes it feel like a real competitive sport, with real stakes. Blanchard with a slingshot suplex at 4:31. We’ve broken the dud streak! ¼*

NWA National Tag Team Champion Arn Anderson also wants some APEX! This whole episode feels like the Randy Orton origin story, or something

Sam Houston v Kent Glover: This is, maybe, the most boring squash imaginable… that’s somehow even more boring in practice. Your nightmares are only the beginning! “Every time he gets in that ring, he thinks, ‘well, it could happen again.’” You know, sometimes wrestling can be over scripted, but there is such as thing as under scripting, too. Houston with a bulldog at 6:12. This is what Liz Lemon might call a ‘blergh.’ DUD

NWA World Champion Ric Flair joins us, and man, this guy is outclassing everyone else on this show before he even opens his mouth. And then once he does, forget it. If he’d jumped to the WWF at this point, JCP would have been out of business within six months

Ron Garvin and Manny Fernandez v Black Bart and Thunderfoot: Ron and Bart start, and Bart tries to stay on the ropes to avoid a takedown, but Garvin manages one anyway. Ron works the leg, and he passes to Manny for a well executed headbutt drop to the knee. Thunderfoot catches a tag, but Manny wins a criss cross with a backelbow, so Thunderfoot bails to avoid having his leg worked as well. Back in, Manny gets a takedown on him anyway, and he holds a stepover toehold. Thunderfoot makes the ropes, and he bails again to buy time. He passes back to Bart, but Manny quickly clobbers him, and Ron tags in with a crucifix cradle for two. Ron works a headscissors from there, but gets clobbered, and Thunderfoot comes in to chinlock him. The heels work Ron over, but Manny tags in, and turns the tide. Back to Garvin too soon, and he loses a slugfest with Bart, allowing the heels to get control again. They go back to cutting the ring in half, but another tag to Manny turns it back around. Here’s a thought: maybe don’t let Ron tag Manny in? Just try it! Bart manages to suplex him to set up a kneedrop, and it’s choke time to wear Manny down. They work Manny over now, until Bart misses a 2nd rope legdrop, and Ron hits Thunderfoot with a flying sunset flip at 15:34. This wasn’t poorly worked, just way too long for what they were bringing to the table. This was a seven minute match stretched out to fifteen, and it hurt it a lot. *

Ric Flair comes out to congratulate Jim Crockett on being such a great promoter that he couldn’t find anyone for Ric to beat on TV all year. But maybe in ‘86. But lucky for Flair, Ron Garvin is still hanging around, and he’ll take Flair up on that. “Put your belt where your mouth is. You probably don’t have any money left, you probably spent it all.” He’s shooting! Flair accepts, and we have a title match next week. Plus Magnum TA defending the US title against Ole Anderson! That’s quite the lineup, actually!

The Rock 'n' Roll Express v Randy Mulkey and Larry Clarke: The NWA World Tag Team title is not on the line here. That Express, always ducking the contenders. Ricky Morton with a sunset flip to wrap up a boring squash at 6:53. DUD

Magnum TA v George South: The NWA United States title is not on the line here. Magnum is fired up, and finishes with a belly-to-belly suplex in a brisk 0:26. DUD

Arn Anderson v Josh Stroud: Josh manages to get a headlock early on, and he gets some control, but that just makes Arn mad, and Anderson dismantles him. Gourdbuster ends it at 4:26. DUD

Not satisfied with just one dedicated whine session per show any longer, Dusty Rhodes shows up to complain about Ric Flair and friends again

Ivan Koloff v Don Turner: “There you see the American flag. The Russians have theirs, and we have ours.” That’s hard hitting journalism. Koloff with a clothesline at 3:57. DUD

Flair is back to close the show, and he’s going to beat up Ron Garvin so badly next week that people are going to start confusing him with Dusty Rhodes

BUExperience: … but next week sounds like it’s going to be great, though.