WWF Prime Time Wrestling (December 17, 1986)

 

Original Airdate: December 17, 1986

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The British Bulldogs v Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff: From Houston Texas on November 26 1986. The heels stall to start, fuming over the crowd chanting ‘USA’ at them while Nikolai tries to sing the anthem. The dust settles on Davey Boy Smith and Volkoff, and it’s lots more stalling. The heels get Davey in their corner and get control, but fail to properly cut the ring in half, and Smith tags out. Dynamite Kid gets into a criss cross with Volkoff, but gets nailed by Sheik with a cheap shot, and the heels take control. They work on Kid, and Sheik gets the camel clutch on, but Smith makes the save. Sheik tries to stay focused with a vertical suplex, but Kid reverses, and gets the hot tag to Davey. Davey keeps nearly putting Sheik away, but Volkoff keeps making the save. Finally, Smith delivers the running powerslam, but Volkoff saves again, and Sheik is finally able to tag out. Volkoff with an atomic drop, and a press-backbreaker gets two when Dynamite saves. Volkoff tries a bodyslam to stay on Smith, but Kid dives off the top with a flying dropkick to allow Davey to topple him at 13:31. *

Butch Reed v Steve Gatorwolf: From Houston Texas on November 26 1986. Joined in progress here, with Reed in control. Those ring ropes look terrible, and well below the standard you’d expect from the WWF. Reed uses a bodyslam to set up a legdrop and a kneedrop for two, and he goes to a chinlock from there - complete with illegal leverage from Slick. Steve escapes, and makes a comeback, but Reed quickly cuts him off, and delivers a 2nd rope clothesline at 5:21 shown of 5:43. So I guess ‘joined in progress’ is a very relative description. DUD

Ken Resnick catches up with Slick, who has had quite a 1986, but is ready to top it with an even bigger 1987

Gene Okerlund visits Ricky Steamboat’s doctor for the latest update, and he’s recovering, but will never be the same

Randy Savage offers his own thoughts on the injury, suggesting that Ricky learn some sign language, since he can’t talk anymore. Randy is a savage 

Jake Roberts v Dick Slater: From Superstars on December 13 1986 (taped November 19) in South Bend Indiana. Dick shakes off some takedown attempts, and manages to get Roberts into a stepover toehold. Jake escapes, so Slater goes to a toehold, but Jake manages to dump him. Jake is limping around, allowing Slater to block a bodyslam, and deliver a swinging neckbreaker. Slater with a flying elbowsmash for what he thinks is three, but referee Danny Davis informs him that Jake was in the ropes (though he wasn’t until after three). Slater argues, allowing Jake to recover with a short-clothesline. He brings out the snake, and in the shuffle, Slater shoves the referee for a DQ at 4:26. This was mostly storyline, but it was fine for what it was. ½*

Moondog Spot v Dan Spivey: From Houston Texas on November 26 1986. They feel each other out to start, with Spivey controlling. Spot uses hands full of hair to try and turn things around, but Dan is too fiery. Dan tries an avalanche, but misses, and that allows Spot to get control. He delivers a 2nd rope axehandle for two, and a snapmare allows him a chinlock. Spot works him over in dull fashion, until Spivey manages to turn things around, and he goes on the comeback trail. A bodyslam sets up a legdrop for two, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and gets clobbered. Spot looks for a follow up, but Spivey catches him with a bulldog at 9:32. Really dull. ¼*

Adrian Adonis v SD Jones: From the December 14 1986 episode of Wrestling Challenge (taped November 20) in Rockford Illinois. The crowd is all over Adonis with ‘Roddy’ chants, and Adonis takes it out on Jones. But the real Hot Rod joins us before long, apparently having dumped a bucket of water over his head on his way out. Why is he so wet? Roddy just stands in the aisle, glaring (and dripping), and Adonis keeps getting distracted. He manages to fight Jones off, but then Piper hits the ring to attack, drawing the DQ at 2:13. Piper goes nuts on him, and what looks like the entire damned locker room runs in to break things up. Great stuff here. I also liked how Gorilla, from back in the studio, notes that Piper paid Jones the winner’s end of the purse since he caused the DQ. It’s a little detail, but little details are what it’s all about. DUD

Mike Rotundo v Moondog Rex: From Houston Texas on November 26 1986. The timekeeper for this show sucks, consistently ringing the bell well after when the actual action starts. You have one job! Rex works a wristlock early on, but Mike manages to get a side-headlock on, and he works that for a bit. Telegraphing a backdrop gets him clobbered, however, and Rex uses a swinging neckbreaker for two, then goes to a chinlock. It feels so… backwards… to see Rotundo trapped in a chinlock, instead of being the guy sweating all over the babyface. Rex tries a splash, but Rotundo lifts his knees to block, and makes a comeback - finishing with an airplane spin at 9:30. ½*

The Islanders v Don Muraco and Bob Orton: From South Bend Indiana on November 19 1986. Haku and Muraco start, and Don gets an attitude, so Haku dropkicks him into the babyface corner, and the Islanders double up. Tag to Tama, so Don rakes the eyes to escape an armbar, and he tags. Orton stupidly tries a turnbuckle smash, which goes nowhere, so Bob bails. The heels manage to sucker Tama to turn the tide, and they work him over, as Vince McMahon tries to put himself over as a competent amatuer wrestler on commentary. Shooter McMahon over here. Haku gets the hot tag and runs wild, and a backelbow on Orton gets two. Backdrop, but Bob blocks, and tags back to Don. Don comes in with a swinging neckbreaker on Haku, but a criss cross results in a double knockout spot. Both men tag, and Tama runs wild. A bodypress results in both men tumbling out, and it’s a big brawl with all four out there before long, resulting in a double countout at 8:21. ¾*

BUExperience: Not the most exciting of episodes here. There are some good angles floating around, but these dull house show matches are a real chore for the most part.