WWF Championship Wrestling (January 4, 1986)

 

Original Airdate: January 4, 1986 (taped December 17, 1985)

From Poughkeepsie, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

Hillbilly Jim and Cousin Luke v Moondog Spot and Al Navarro: This is Luke’s in-ring debut. I’m half surprised Spot never got in with the rest of the hillbilly stable, considering he wasn’t doing much beyond JTTS duty while Rex was on hiatus. Jim finishes Navarro with a bearhug at 2:35. DUD

Lord Alfred Hayes is in the studio with Update, giving us a look at Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling cartoon. I’ve only seen one episode of it, and not until much later, when I was an adult. I probably would have enjoyed it as a kid, if I had seen it 

Hercules Hernandez v Jeff Crippley: Gosh, Hercules went through a bunch of managers before finally turning on Bobby Heenan, didn’t he? No wonder he became so disgruntled. He’s got Freddie Blassie at this point, and finishes this one up with a torture rack at 3:05. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with Randy Savage, who is excited for his WWF Intercontinental title shot against Tito Santana

Clips of the Land of a Thousand Dances music video, ahead of the Slammy Awards

The Killer Bees v Barry O and Rick Jacobs: Okay, when does Jesse join the commentary booth for these? Because I like Vince and Bruno, but they need a heel in there to play off of, especially Bruno. Dropkicks finish this one for the Bees at 1:56. DUD

Roddy Piper gets why people cheer for guys like Paul Orndorff and Bruno Sammartino: they remind them of women

Randy Savage v Don Driggers: Both announcers wonder why a woman like Miss Elizabeth would want to even be associated with a guy like Savage. Really?! I mean, I get that he’s a heel, but are you fucking kidding me?! They’re basically insulting our intelligence there. Macho with the flying elbowdrop at 1:40. ¼*

Roddy Piper hosts Piper’s Pit, with guest WWF Women’s Champion Fabulous Moolah. I’m surprised they didn't straight up drop this division entirely after Wendi Richter left. Piper wants to know about the rumors of Hulk Hogan asking her on dates, but she denies it. And then Piper lays a big, wet kiss on her to celebrate her rejection of Hulk

Corporal Kirchner v Gino Carabello: Gino gets in Kirchner’s face at the bell, and Kirchner gives him a proper squashing, though Carabello is even allowed to kick out of stuff, so who the fuck was he blowing? Kirchner with a Samoan drop at 1:31. DUD

Clips of more music video nominees ahead of the Slammy’s. ‘Don’t Go Messin’ With a Country Boy’ certainly had the most staying power

The Dream Team v Tony Stetson and Paul Dose: The WWF Tag Team title is not on the line here, fuck you Stetson, you ECW fuck. The crowd chants ‘fruitcake’ at Brutus Beefcake, and the announcers laugh it up, since it’s 1986. Greg Valentine finishes Tony with a figure four at 3:00. DUD

Okerlund catches up with Junkyard Dog, who is excited to be teaming with Corporal Kirchner. Was he not watching earlier? Jobbers are getting stuff in on that guy. Fuck him. Right with Stetson

Okerlund catches up with Iron Sheik, and if loves that flag so much, why does he toss it on the floor all the time? I’m starting to think this guy is not an actual sheik

BUExperience: You can’t really fault this show, even if you can’t really find many highlights, either.