WWF Prime Time Wrestling (July 7, 1986)

Original Airdate: July 7, 1986

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd v Jim Powers and Michael Saxon: From Poughkeepsie New York on January 7 1986. Vince McMahon makes a point of clarifying that it’s ‘Michael Saxon’ not ‘Michael Jackson.’ Was he ever hip? This is a total squash, ending in Bundy avalanching and elbowdropping Saxon at 4:15. DUD

Gene Okerlund is on location in Japan, where he has located Giant Machine and Super Machine. This is a really fun segment, with Giant and Super playing it totally straight, pretending to be two 'Japanese wrestlers,' and Gene not digging too deep. Much to the frustration of Heenan back in the studio, of course

Leilani Kai and Black Venus v Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo: From Poughkeepsie New York on March 11 1986. Gorilla openly notes that Asuka and Nagayo ‘almost look like twins,’ likely simply because they’re both Asian. And he keeps harping on it over and over again, too. Oh, 80s. Kai’s someone I’ve seen wrestle a bunch of times, but still wouldn’t be able to pick out of a lineup if my life depended on it. Bridging German suplex puts Venus away at 7:41. This was quite boring. ½*

Ken Resnick catches up with WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage, who is still fuming at George Steele and Tito Santana 

On Tuesday Night Titans, Gene brings out a psychiatrist to try and analyze Randy Savage, and that one just writes itself. Very funny segment, with Macho just selling the hell out of it

Billy Jack Haynes v Frank Marconi: From Toronto Ontario Canada on June 1 1986, and we’re joined in progress, with Haynes holding a chinlock. Cut right to the best part, I see. The announcers note that Haynes is a ‘neck man,’ which might have been Billy Gunn’s original Attitude Era gimmick if Vince wasn’t so averse to recycling. Haynes with the full nelson at 4:00 shown. I have no idea how long the full match was, but I think we can safely call this a DUD

Resnick is with Jake Roberts, and he’s disgusted at what Jake did to Ricky Steamboat on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Interesting how slowly angles moved in those days, as we’re over two months removed from that SNME, and we’re getting an interview that would happen on the next show (or even later in the very same show) today

Harley Race v SD Jones: From Toronto Ontario Canada on May 4 1986. Jones sinks his teeth into a headlock to start, but Race escapes, and piledrives him for two. Harley takes control from there, working Jones over, and a swinging neckbreaker gets him one. Race with a gutwrench suplex for two, and a vertical suplex is worth two. Race drops an elbow for two, so Jones starts throwing fists, but Race railroads him into the corner. Race pops him with a headbutt, and a snapmare sets up a 2nd rope headbutt drop for one. This referee is really annoying me with his slow counts. Jones makes a comeback out of nowhere, but Race cuts him off with a front-powerslam at 4:45. Short and inoffensive. ¾*

Pedro Morales v Barry O: From New York City on August 10 1985. Pedro chases him out of the ring to start, and Barry does some stalling. Barry manages to get a chinlock on, but Pedro doesn’t want to stay down, so Barry chucks him over the top to make a point. Barry sends him into the post on the way back inside, but Morales gets fired up, and makes a comeback - finishing with a backbreaker at 5:02. ¼*

Lanny Poffo and George Wells v Rusty Brooks and Johnny K-9: From Poughkeepsie New York on February 18 1986. Poffo does his usual eye popping stuff (like a springboard dive to the outside), and Wells finishes at 3:59. Someone order the squash? ¼*

The Hart Foundation v The Killer Bees: From Toronto Ontario Canada on March 23 1986. Bret Hart starts with B. Brian Blair, and Hart takes him into the corner, but Blair fights him off before the Hitman can unload. Blair with a side suplex for two, and oh gosh, we’ve got the same terrible referee we had for the Race/Jones match. Tag to Jim Neidhart, who tries power, but Brian catches him with a bodypress for two, then passes to Jim Brunzell. Brunzell works the leg, and he tags back to Blair for a double team to the leg. The Bees work on Anvil’s leg, until he manages to tag Bret - who promptly ends up in a toehold. Blair applies a figure four to look for the win, but Anvil saves, and Bret uses the reprieve to tag out. Bret takes a cheap shot on the way out, and that’s enough to put the Foundation firmly in control, cutting the ring in half on Brian. Miscommunication allows the hot tag to Brunzell, and he runs wild! Bret gets pinballed between the Bees, and Brunzell plants a dropkick for two. Brunzell with a suplex, but Neidhart breaks up the pin attempt, and Roseanne Barr the door! The Bees whip the heels into one another, and they go for the kill on Bret, but a cheap shot from Neidhart allows the Hitman to pin Brunzell at 15:22. This was solid tag team goodness. * ¾ 

BUExperience: This was a weird episode, with lots of recycled matches from other shows, and kind of all over the place as opposed to from one or two live events. And ‘weird’ is not necessarily an issue, but there was nothing ‘good’ in this weird.