WWF Coliseum Video Collection: George The Animal Steele (1987)

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: George The Animal Steele (1987)

Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover features George Steele being an animal

Gorilla Monsoon hosts from the control center

WWWF Title Cage Match: Bruno Sammartino v George Steele: From Philadelphia Pennsylvania on July 25 1970. Interesting! This is less a cage in the way we know it today, and more just some chicken wire. It doesn’t look particularly brutal, and it certainly isn’t climbable. Joined in progress, with Steele in control, putting the boots to Sammartino in the corner. It’s amazing how this match was 17 years old when this tape came out, but George looks about the same. Hell, George still looked about the same for years after 1987, too. Bruno makes a comeback and beats Steele from pillar to post, then walks out the door at 2:06 shown of 18:34. It would have been nice to see this in complete form. 

George Steele v Gorilla Monsoon: From New York City on August 27 1973, with Darkwing Duck purple mats! Also joined in progress, with George putting the boots to Monsoon. Steele with a variety of chokeholds, until Gorilla finally comes back with a bearhug. George resorts to a weapon, but Monsoon gets hold of it, and chases Steele out of the ring - winning by countout at 4:50 shown of 12:22. Too much was cut here to rate, but what was left was super dull. 

Randy Savage v George Steele: From Saturday Night's Main Event on January 4 1986 (taped December 19 1985) in Tampa Florida. While Savage is busy yelling at some fan, Steele makes advances on Elizabeth before the bell, and that does not sit well with the Macho Man once he notices. Of note, a pre-fame Dean Malenko is the referee for this one. Kind of weird to think that it would take him a full ten years after this before he found success in the big two. Steele chases him out of the ring, and bites him once he's in. Savage takes an over the top bump to the outside, but Steele gets distracted by Elizabeth, and as a result, loses the high ground. Savage clobbers him on the way back in, but walks into a bodyslam - only for George to get busy with the turnbuckle pad rather than finish him. That (and another timely distraction from Liz) allow Macho to finish with a flying axehandle at 4:06. These two wrestled roughly a million times in 1986, and despite being their first meeting, this was about on par with every other match they had. I'd have preferred Savage wrestled the referee, frankly. ¼*

From Tuesday Night Titans, George goes to the doctor to be normal. I’ve always found the TNT skits stupid, and this was no exception for me

Also from TNT, Randy Savage and Elizabeth are guests, but Randy’s ranting about Hulk Hogan is interrupted when Liz gets flowers delivered to her from Steele

Another segment with Steele at the psychiatrist from TNT, where the doctor has moved on to shock treatment, which makes George speak in complete sentences 

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Randy Savage v George Steele: From Boston Massachusetts on September 6 1986. Macho tries attacking with the belt before the bell, but Steele sees it coming, and bodyslams the champ. Steele tosses him over the top to really stick it to him, and the Animal poses with the title belt as Randy fumes. Steele forces him back inside for more abuse, and Macho is pinballing around for him. Finally, Randy produces a weapon from inside his tights, and he pops George with it to turn the tide. Macho goes to work in the corner, and a flying axehandle gets him two - Randy bumping to the outside on the kickout. He sneaks under the ring and comes out on the other side to allow him to sneak on Steele with a high knee, but George blocks a sleeper by biting the arm. Randy responds by dumping the challenger to the outside, but now Steele is irate, and he throws a chair into the ring. Savage bails, so Steele chases, but gets reversed into the guardrail. Steele responds by bringing three chairs into the ring, and he whacks Randy with one this time, drawing a DQ at 5:29. Not good as a workrate match, but legitimately fun, and didn’t overstay its welcome. Nothing wrong with that. ¾*

Demolition v George Steele and Junkyard Dog: From New York, airing on Prime Time Wrestling September 17 1987 (taped August 22). Ax and Dog start, and Ax hammers on him, and delivers a bodyslam. Elbowdrop, but Dog dodges, and George helps by biting Ax in the face - leaving Steele with paint all over him, in a funny bit. Tags all around, and Ax distracts Steele to allow Smash a sneak attack. Demolition gang up in their corner, but a clothesline from Smash gets blocked when Steele bites the arm. Tag to Dog for a wristlock, and a punch drops Smash for two. Dog goes to an armbar, but Smash wrestles into his home corner, and tags. Ax works a chinlock as Demolition takes control, and they casually double team Dog. Steele responds by nailing Smash with a chair, but the referee sees it, and calls a DQ at 5:23. Not a lot here. ¼*

From Saturday Night’s Main Event, 'Jungle' Gene Okerlund is on safari (at the Detroit zoo), in search of George 'The Animal' Steele. He finds Steele among the camels, and tours around looking at all the animals with him, while Steele acts like a moron

George Steele v Sika: From New York, airing on Prime Time on October 1 1987 (taped September 21). Steele charges in, but gets clobbered, and Sika unloads. Mr. Fuji gets some cheap shots in for good measure, but Steele fights him off, and starts throwing chairs in. Sika grabs it as George is climbing in, however, and he smacks Steele for the DQ at 2:58. Well, at least it was quick. DUD

Harley Race v George Steele: From Rockford Illinois, airing on the September 24 1987 episode of Prime Time (taped September 16). Gorilla proclaims that this is a Coliseum exclusive, and never before seen anywhere, despite airing on TV just months before the tape came out. Odd announce team of Bruce Prichard and Mike McGuirk on commentary. Race gets control, but misses a 2nd rope headbutt drop, as Mike tries stealing Gorilla’s line about Excedrin headaches, but totally messes it up. Steele with a corner whip to send Harley flipping to the outside, and George forces him back inside. Steele with some biting, but Race dumps him over the top to shake it off. Steele pulls Race out after him, but gets reversed into the timekeeper’s table. George responds by coming in wielding a chair, but Hercules runs in to attack Steele for the DQ at 4:02. Race was selling like crazy to keep this engaging, but it was a junk match. ¼*

More from TNT, as Vince McMahon is hanging out with Adrian Adonis as Adrian tries on various dresses, when George shows up to commit a little hate crime

Honky Tonk Man v George Steele: From Superstars on October 24 1987 (taped October 6) in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Honky's WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line. Too right! Steele was not remotely deserving of a shot by this point. Though, you’d think this would be Steele/Adonis after that last segment. Steele knocks him around for a bit, so Jimmy Hart trips him up. That sets Steele after him, but that allows Honky to get the megaphone. He bashes Steele with it behind the referee’s back, but then George steals the weapon and returns fire in full view of the official to draw a DQ at 1:30. DUD

Steele hangs out at the WWF Ice Cream Bar factory, in what I’m sure was quite the treat for those poor assembly line workers

George Steele v Danny Davis: From Boston Massachusetts on June 6 1987. Davis with lots of stalling, literally minutes and minutes of it. Finally, he grabs a weapon and pops Steele with it to take control, but George comes back with a series of bodyslams, spamming them like he’s Brock Lesnar. Danny bails, and decides not to bother, walking out at 8:35. A total Memphis match. DUD

BUExperience: I’ve never liked George Steele, and boy, this didn’t do much to change that opinion. Shitty match after shitty match, DQ after DQ, this was one of the worst tapes they ever made.

Not a good addition to your Coliseum Collection.