WWF Prime Time Wrestling (July 21, 1986)

Original Airdate: July 21, 1986

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

Brutus Beefcake v Billy Jack Haynes: From New York City on July 12. Beefcake with a sneak attack, and he pounds Billy into a backbreaker right away. Brutus works him over, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and a 2nd rope fistdrop gets dodged. Billy with a sunset flip for two, so Beefcake rattles him with a turnbuckle smash. He tries a vertical suplex, but Billy reverses, so Beefcake takes him down for a stomp to the groin. Beefcake with a side suplex for two, but Billy topples him for two to block a bodyslam. Beefcake cuts him off with a clothesline for two, and a turnbuckle smash rattles Haynes, but Billy still manages to win a criss cross with a clothesline of his own. Haynes makes a comeback, and a 2nd rope splash gets him two, so Johnny V trips Billy up, but the referee sees it, and calls for the DQ at 6:28. This was fine for what it was. Not especially strong work, but they kept it moving, instead of doing a resthold exhibition. * ¾ 

Tony Atlas v Lanny Poffo: From New York City on July 12. Feeling out process to start, dominated by Atlas. Poffo gets in his face, so Tony gets back in his, and bodyslams Lanndy. Poffo manages a hiptoss and a dropkick, but Tony fires back with one of his own. Both guys pop up with another dropkick, and both guys miss, leaving both men looking up at the lights. They slug it out, which goes better for Atlas, but Lanny hangs with him. Atlas takes him to the mat in a chinlock, until Poffo fights to a vertical base, and manages to hammer Tony into the corner. Corner whip, but a charge misses, and Atlas hooks a backslide at 13:20. I don’t dislike babyface matches, but this was a really boring version of one. ¼*

Ken Resnick catches up with the American Express, and man, even Mike Rotundo’s voice doesn’t work as a babyface

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The British Bulldogs v The Moondogs: From NYC on July 12. Davey Boy Smith starts with Moondog Spot, and Bulldog dominates that one. Tag to Dynamite Kid, and he barrels into Spot with a shoulderblock, which Spot sells like mad before passing to Moondog Rex. Rex comes in hot, but runs into a double team, and Smith takes him to the mat in a wristlock. Back to Kid for a headbutt and a headlock, so Rex tags out, but Spot walks right into a kneelift from Smith, followed by a bodyslam for two. Spot manages to grabs a headlock to allow a tag out, and Rex is able to clobber Davey a little to turn the tide. Smith manages to win a criss cross with a bodypress for two, however, and an inside cradle follows for two. Tag to Spot to try his luck with a headlock, but Davey counters to an armbar, and passes to Kid to wristlock him. Spot headbutts him in the stomach to force a break, so Kid uses a sunset flip for two, but fails to cut the ring in half, and Rex catches a tag. Kid is ready with a hammerlock, but Rex clobbers him in the corner to escape. High knee in the corner, but Kid dodges, and Smith tags in to help wishbone Rex. Fitting. Smith with a standing grapevine, but Rex manages to fight free, so Davey shifts to a leglock instead. Rex escapes and tags, but Smith immediately sweeps Spot into a leglock as well. Like a dog with a bone, that guy. Tag to Kid for a leglock of his own, and a cross corner whip works, but the charge in does not, and that’s finally enough to turn the tide for the challengers. They work Kid over, until Davey catches a tag, and bodyslams Rex. Rex wisely dumps him to the outside to buy time, and the challengers manage to get control of their new victim. They cut the ring in half on Davey, until Kid catches the hot tag, and he runs wild. He takes Spot out with a clothesline to set up a flying kneedrop, but Rex breaks the pin, so Smith comes in, and Roseanne Barr the door! Finish sees Kid dives over Smith, Rex, and the referee with a flying bodypress on Spot at 19:06. I thought it went on for a bit too long, but it was a solid tag match with a cool finish. ** ¾ 

On Tuesday Night Titans, Iron Sheik teaches Nikolai Volkoff how to ride a camel. With less than stellar results. This wasn’t great, but very much of this era. That camel was quite terrifying, actually

SD Jones and Paul Roma v Mike Brown and Paul Berger: From Poughkeepsie New York on June 24. Brown is dressed like 1993 Crush here. Really early on Roma’s career here, and I guess I never realized that he actually started out in the WWF. No wonder he developed an attitude later on. Jones slams Roma onto Brown for the pin at 4:50. Way too long for such a dull squash. DUD

Resnick catches up with Don Muraco and Mr. Fuji so he can accuse Fuji of going senile

On the Flower Shop, Adrian Adonis riles Paul Orndorff up by pointing out how much more money WWF Champion Hulk Hogan makes. That leads to Hogan showing up at the Shop the next week to tell Adrian to stay out of their business. Then the next week, Bobby Heenan joins Orndorff in the Shop, where he challenges he and Hulk and behalf of King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd - all while calling him ‘Hulk Jr.’ So Paul wants to accept, and he says he’ll call up Hulk right now, and of course, Hogan would answer because they’re best friends. So Orndorff goes backstage to dial, but Hulk is busy lifting weights, and blows him off. Paul storms back out to the commentary position, and he’s fuming about it. The next week, both Hulk and Paul appear on the Shop, and Paul wants to call the shots: yes, they’ll face Studd and Bundy, but they’ll face the Moondogs first. Hulk is surprised, but wants to let Paul have his moment, so he’s cool with it. Good recap of the slow burn angle thus far, especially since none of this was playing out on Prime Time

Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff v King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd: From Championship Wrestling on July 19 (taped June 24) in Poughkeepsie New York. Orndorff wants to start against John, and he’s towered, but holds his own in a slugfest. John tries a bodyslam, but Orndorff blocks, and hooks a sunset flip for two. That allows Paul to grab a standing side-headlock, but John’s size is just too much, and Studd whips him into the ropes. Orndorff manages a hiptoss anyway, so John tags out, and Bundy blasts Orndorff with a backelbow. Splash, but Paul dodges. Avalanche, but Paul dodges, and Bundy is stunned. Tag back to John, but Orndorff is getting cocky now, and stupidly tries a bodyslam. That ends badly, but Paul stays focused with a dropkick, so Bundy comes in, but Orndorff has one for him as well. Both heels bail, and after dominating the board like that, Paul is finally cool with tagging out. Hulk comes in with right hands on John, and a cross corner whip allows him a bodyslam! The reactions for this are off the charts. Meanwhile, Orndorff is looking annoyed that Hulk pulled off the bodyslam he couldn’t. But I’m sure he’ll get over it. Hulk hits John with an atomic drop next, and a cross corner clothesline connects. Again, but Studd rocks him with a clothesline of his own to block, and Bundy catches the tag. The heels work Hulk over, and a headbutt knocks Hogan into Orndorff - Paul taking a spill off of the apron as a result. The heels double team Hogan from there, but the referee objects, so they shove the official aside for the DQ at 6:30. Well, you weren’t really expecting a clean finish, were you? Afterwards, the heels continue to brutalize the Hulkster, and Orndorff doesn’t exactly rush in to make the save. He does eventually help, but then shocks the world by nailing Hogan with a short-clothesline after helping the world champion to his feet. Paul adds a piledriver from there to cement the heel turn, and the boos are deafening. He’s not satisfied, however, and waves Bundy and Studd back in the finish the job, but a bunch of babyfaces run in to save before they can do any damage. Then backstage, Orndorff hangs out with the Heenan Family, with Adrian Adonis stopping by to congratulate him for his behavior as well. This was great stuff. * ¼ 

BUExperience: This was a strong episode, especially with not only the huge Orndorff heel turn, but lots of the buildup there as well.