WWF Prime Time Wrestling (October 9, 1986)

 

Original Airdate: October 9, 1986

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

Bob Orton v Billy Jack Haynes: From New York City on September 22 1986. They feel each other out to start, with Haynes dominating. He knocks Bob out of the ring for a bit, and back in, Haynes gets a headscissors on. Orton makes the ropes, and takes a cheap shot on the break, but misses a legdrop. That allows Haynes an atomic drop, and he claps Bob’s ears, leaving Orton begging off. Orton tries an armbar, but Haynes uses a headscissors to take him back to the ground, and Billy holds it on the mat. Orton powers to a vertical base in the hold, and turns it into a modified airplane spin, causing a break, but damaging himself as well. Both guys stagger up for a slugfest, with Haynes getting the better of it, but Orton throwing a clothesline for two. He tries a pump-splash, but Haynes blocks, and delivers a bodyslam. Haynes with a 2nd rope fistdrop for two, and he gets the full-nelson on, but Orton gets into the ropes with Jimmy Hart’s help. Haynes stays on him with a cross corner whip, but Bob blocks the charge, and uses a leveraged cradle at 9:31. That was the most blatant leverage I’ve ever seen, how could the referee believably miss that?! Fun match, though. * ¾ 

The Moondogs v The Islanders: From New York City on September 22 1986. Gorilla outlandishly notes that it’s a ‘capacity crowd’ despite buckets of empty seats visible opposite the hard camera. This was the opener that night, maybe people were just late? Luckily, by WrestleMania VIII, he’d get better with excuses. The Islanders clean house early, but the Moondogs manage to sucker Haku into their corner, and they double team. A criss cross allows Haku to pop Rex with a headbutt, however, and a sunset flip gets him two. Over to Tama, and the Islanders dominate Spot with quick tags, but Haku gets tripped up. That allows the Moondogs to isolate him in their corner for a bit, but Haku fights Rex off, and Tama tags in to put him in a wristlock. A criss cross allows Spot to pull the top rope down, however, and Tama goes crashing over the top. That’s enough to firmly turn the tide, and the Moondogs work Tama over. Spot misses a dive off the middle to allow the hot tag to Haku, and Roseanne Barr the door! Tama with a flying splash on Rex at 13:34. This was competent, if a little dull. *

Ken Resnick catches up with Iron Sheik and Slick. Was Volkoff on the toilet?

We get clips of a hobbled Roddy Piper walking through the wreckage of Piper’s Pit, before going next door, and bashing apart the set of the Flower Shop with a baseball bat. Great intensity from Piper here. Truly great

Jose Luis Rivera v Steve Regal: From New York City on September 22 1986. Not that Steve Regal, the ‘Mister Electricity’ one. We’re joined in progress, with Regal holding a chinlock. Jose escapes, so Steve pops him with an elbowsmash, and a vertical suplex gets him two. Back to the chinlock, and a backbreaker gets Regal two. Back to the chinlock again, but Rivera escapes, so Regal uses a series of facebusters for two. Regal with a clothesline for two, but a second one misses, and Rivera kicks him in the kisser. Rivera makes a comeback, and he lands a dropkick for two. Rivera with a cross corner whip (nicely sold by Regal) to set up a backdrop, and a bodyslam gets him two. Rivera with a shoulderblock, but he runs into a belly-to-belly suplex at 4:37 shown of 7:53. I won’t rate it since half the match was cut out, but I’ll say that it was super boring most of the way, but picked up nicely in the final bit.

SD Jones v Mr. X: From New York City on September 22 1986. This is another one joined in progress, with Jones in control. X begs off and bails, and X goes to the eyes to turn it around as he comes back inside. X with a cross corner whip, and X follows with an elbowsmash, but it hurts his elbow more than SD’s head. X goes to a chinlock instead, so Jones goes for the mask, and X is forced to break to avoid being revealed. What’s he so afraid of? Like, I know pro-wrestling doesn’t have the greatest reputation in polite society, but own it. Unless it’s, like, a Revolting Blob situation, because if so, then I understand. X continues to dominate, but an avalanche misses, and Jones capitalizes with a bodyslam. Jones comes off the middle rope with a headbutt from there, and that’s three at 5:07 shown of 8:09. We can safely call this one at ¼*

Tito Santana v Harley Race: From New York City on September 22 1986. Pretty deep into that card, and a lot of empty seats are still visible, so I guess this one wasn’t such a hot ticket. And, looking at the card, yeah, it had a pretty weak main event - even if it did feature Hulk Hogan. Santana dominates early, working the arm. Race tries a cross corner whip, but Santana reverses, and Harley takes a bump over the top. Tito follows, but gets clobbered, and Race delivers a headbutt drop on the floor. Inside, Race tries a vertical suplex, but Tito reverses for two. Elbowdrop, but Race dodges, and Harley capitalizes with a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Race adds a kneedrop, then an elbowdrop for two, as he takes control of the contest. Race goes upstairs, but takes too long, and gets slammed off. Santana goes for the figure four, but Harley blocks several attempts, and drops Tito with a piledriver. Race adds a headbutt drop, but Santana dodges, and comes back with fists of fury. A cross corner whip leads to a sleeper, but Race manages a low blow to save himself. Race delivers an atomic drop, but Tito responds in kind, and gets two off of his. Santana with mounted punches, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and gets clobbered. That allows Race a kneedrop, but a flying headbutt drop misses. That knocks him silly enough for Tito to try the figure four, so Bobby Heenan hops onto the apron. Santana takes the bait, and Race schoolboys at 13:31. This was okay, but nothing special. * ½ 

Jesse Ventura catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, and that’s a pairing I which we saw more of. Not much here, just a basic promo on Paul Orndorff not being in his league 

The Hart Foundation v The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers: From New York City on September 22 1986. Jim Neidhart and Raymond Rougeau start, and he goes right at him with fists, but Ray fights him off. Tag to Jacques Rougeau, so Bret Hart comes in without a tag, but the Brothers clean house. The dust settles on Bret and Jacques, as the commentators discuss how there are several other Rougeau brothers we haven’t met yet. I don’t think that ever went anywhere, and I’m kind of surprised they didn’t sell Pierre as a brother later on. Jacques knocks Bret to the outside with a nice dropkick, and he passes to Ray, who grabs a standing side-headlock. Hart escapes, so they criss cross, and Ray uses a shoulderblock. Rollup, but Bret blocks, so Ray dropkicks him over the top instead. Tags all around, and Jim wants to match power, so Jacques wisely tries to wrestle. He grabs a headlock, but Jim quickly escapes, and forces him to match power. That goes badly for Jacques, but Neidhart gets outsmarted, and ends up in a Boston crab. Bret quickly saves, and Jim tags him in to hit Jacques with a combo for two. The Foundation work Jacques over, until Bret misses a 2nd rope elbowdrop, and Ray gets the hot tag - Roseanne Barr the door! Ray gets Jim in a sleeper, but Bret saves, so Jacques chases him around ringside. Jacques ends up getting clobbered out there, allowing the Foundation to double up on Ray, but Jacques comes back with a slingshot sunset flip on Neidhart at 14:35. Good tag psychology, and great execution, especially from the always fantastic Hitman. ** ¼ 

BUExperience: An enjoyable episode this week, with some particularly entertaining banter from Gorilla and Bobby playing a strong supporting role.