WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat (1986) (Version II)

 

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat (1986)

Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover features Ricky Steamboat... working a clawhold. I can feel the star ratings bubbling up

Gorilla Monsoon hosts from the control center

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Greg Valentine v Ricky Steamboat: From New York City on June 21 1985, and aired on Prime Time Wrestling on July 9 1985. They spend some time sizing each other up, and they fight over the initial takedown, won by Steamboat. Ricky with a series of chops to send Greg running, and Steamboat catches him with a snapmare into a chinlock once Valentine climbs back in. Greg escapes, and dumps Steamboat to the outside, but Ricky fights back in with a flying tomahawk chop for two. A bodyslam sets up a splash, but Greg gets his knees up to block. That allows Greg a kneedrop, and he starts working the challenger’s leg. Figure four, but Steamboat hooks a cradle for two to block. Steamboat adds a bodyslam, but Valentine topples him for two, and dumps him to the outside again. That gets Steamboat fired up, and he comes back in hot - getting a slugfest going. Steamboat wins it with a knife-edge chop, and another chop is worth two. Steamboat with a series of strikes to set up a tomahawk chop drop, and a flying bodypress gets him two. Greg fights back with a side suplex, and a pair of elbowdrops get him two, as the crowd chants for the challenger. Greg tries for the figure four again, but Ricky blocks, and unloads another series of strikes. A dropkick sends Greg over the top, and Jimmy Hart goes to help him back in, but they’re too slow - Steamboat getting the countout victory at 11:44 shown of 14:20. There was some very minor clipping here, but nothing disturbing to the integrity of the piece. * (Original rating: * ½)

On an episode of the Body Shop, Jesse Ventura had Ricky on as a guest, and Jesse accuses him of using illegal martial arts moves. Between making racially tinged insults

Clips of Gene Okerlund going to a Japanese garden with Ricky, who shows off his training regimen. Which involves ninjas. Poor Okerlund is sweating like a pig here

No Holds Barred Match: Ricky Steamboat v Brutus Beefcake: From Toronto Ontario Canada on May 26 1985. Beefcake attacks before the bell, and chokes Ricky down on the apron. To the outside, Beefcake sends him into the guardrail, and he uses Ricky’s own karate black belt to choke Steamboat with. Inside, Beefcake continues putting the hurt on him, and a corner whip has Ricky rebounding into a clothesline. Beefcake with a pointed elbowdrop for two, so Ricky tries a slam, but Beefcake topples him for two. Ricky throws chops to shake him off, but misses a clothesline, and Beefcake hits one of his own. Steamboat manages a snapmare, but Beefcake counters a bodyslam to a bridging side suplex for two. Beefcake hammers on him, and takes Ricky to the outside for a bodyslam on the floor, but Steamboat beats the count in. Beefcake welcomes him with a piledriver, but Steamboat uses a backdrop to block, and Ricky makes a comeback. Ricky with a flying bodypress for two - so close that the house lights even come up, as if the fall occurred. Great touch. Beefcake tries a corner splash, but misses, and Steamboat keeps running wild. That gets Johnny Valiant involved, and he sweeps Ricky from the outside, allowing Beefcake to topple him for the pin at 10:56. But the referee then calls it off, as he saw the interference from Valiant. Beefcake argues, allowing Steamboat to recover with a schoolboy at 11:28 shown of 14:27. ¾* (Original rating: ¼*)

A look at the Steamboat/Don Muraco feud, via an appearance from Muraco on Tuesday Night Titans

Mr. Fuji v Ricky Steamboat: From the September 14 1985 episode of Championship Wrestling, taped in Poughkeepsie New York on August 20 1985. Steamboat runs in and chokes Fuji down with a belt to kick start things, apparently still hot about Fuji and Muraco trying to hang him not long before this. Gosh, some people and their grudges. Ricky goes to town, until Fuji is able to pop off a shot down low, and a series of strikes lead to a headbutt drop to the groin. Fuji with a chop, and he goes to a nervehold, but Steamboat starts to stir. He fights up with a flying bodypress for two, but Fuji blocks a splash with his knees. Side suplex, but Ricky counters to a schoolboy at 4:07. Afterwards, Muraco sneak attacks Steamboat, laying him out in the aisle. ¼* (Original rating: DUD)

Don Muraco v Ricky Steamboat: From Landover Maryland on January 18 1986. Ricky gets fired up and wins an exchange to dump Don to the outside right away, and Muraco stalls out there. Inside, Don suckers him into a test-of-strength, and clobbers Steamboat into the corner. Cross corner whip, but Steamboat reverses, and catches Don with a backdrop on the rebound. Don bails, and stalls some more to break Steamboat’s momentum. There’s a dude in the crowd smoking a pipe! What a time 1986 was! Muraco tries a cheap shot on the way back in, but Steamboat fights it off. Steamboat unloads, but the referee intervenes, and Don uses the opportunity to take a shot. Don with a Russian legsweep to set up a kneedrop, and a snapmare sets up a catapult under the bottom rope. Don with a few bodyslams, and a clothesline knocks Steamboat out of the ring. Don drops him across the rail out there, and Muraco clobbers him with a clothesline as Ricky climbs back in. Another one, but Steamboat ducks, and throws a clothesline of his own! Don tries to salvage things with a trip to the top rope, but Steamboat slams him off, and adds a bodyslam. Ricky goes on the comeback trail, but the stupid referee keeps pulling him off Muraco. Steamboat ignores him, and goes up for a flying tomahawk chop, then steals Fuji’s cane away from him. The referee has a problem with that as well, the prick. So Ricky goes after Don, sans cane, but Fuji has passed Muraco a weapon, and he pops the Dragon with it for the pin at 12:25. This was fun. * ½ (Original rating: * ½)

A look at Steamboat on Piper’s Pit, with Roddy doing the usual insult comic routine, but Ricky pissing him off right back by calling him ‘Rodney’

Wrestling Classic Tournament First Round Match: Ricky Steamboat v Davey Boy Smith: From the Wrestling Classic, November 7 1985 in Chicago Illinois. They feel each other out a little to start, and it turns into a criss cross - won by Smith with a hiptoss. Davey with a backdrop driver into a pin, but Steamboat bridges up at two, and hooks a backslide for two. Smith responds with a press-slam for two, and he grabs a front-facelock, but Steamboat blocks a bodyslam attempt. Davey regroups with another press-slam for two, and he goes back to the front-facelock to wear the man down. Suplex, but Ricky reverses, and tries a kneedrop, but Davey gets his knees up. Smith with a well executed dropkick, and a second dropkick connects as well, so he tries a third, but Steamboat sidesteps. That causes Smith to crash into the ropes in dramatic fashion, and the referee stops the match at 2:54. This was about as solid as a three minute match could be (especially for this era), but it felt like they were just getting it out of first gear when time was up. * ¼ (Three review average rating: 1.33)

Wrestling Classic Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Randy Savage v Ricky Steamboat: From the Wrestling Classic, November 7 1985 in Chicago Illinois. Savage with a sneak attack, but Ricky outmoves him to avoid a follow up, and Macho ends up on the outside. Steamboat follows, but Savage wins an exchange out there, and pounds Dragon into the corner on the way in. Steamboat manages to dump him over the top to shake that off, and Ricky follows to the outside to hammer the man. Steamboat with an atomic drop on the outside, and he nails Savage with a knife-edge on the way back in. Again, but Savage ducks, and side suplexes him. Savage goes up with a flying axehandle, but Steamboat blocks, and throws a kneelift to set up a trio of fistdrops. Steamboat vertical suplexes him, and a flying bodypress gets him two. Steamboat with a barrage of chops, so Macho pulls a weapon out of his tights, and nails Steamboat with it during a side suplex attempt - Savage toppling Dragon for the pin at 3:25. This was way too short, but they were working here. You know, I think these two could have a really great match if they were given a few more minutes. These guys had incredible timing and ring presence. * ¾ (Three review average rating: 1.75)

BUExperience: You really can’t complain here. Some fun matches, some fun skits, a good subject - and a good addition to your Coliseum Collection.