WWF Superstars of Wrestling (September 20, 1986)

 

Original Airdate: September 20, 1986 (taped August 26)

From Providence, Rhode Island; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, and Jesse Ventura

The Dream Team v The American Express: Greg Valentine and Mike Rotundo start, and Greg gets an immediate takedown, but Mike blocks the figure four. Bodyslam, so Brutus Beefcake runs in, but Mike sends him running with a bodyslam for him as well. Mike hits Greg with an atomic drop, and a snapmare sets up an elbowdrop for two. Backdrop, but Greg blocks, so Mike throws a leg-feed enzuigiri, and he manages to reach Dan Spivey. Dan hits a cross corner clothesline, and a bodyslam sets up a legdrop for two. Greg rakes the eyes to allow the tag to Beefcake, and Brutus delivers a pointed elbowdrop for two. Beefcake loses control in the corner, and Mike tags back in, corner whipping Brutus. Things break down from there, and Roseanne Barr the door! Mike gets Beefcake in a fireman’s carry, but the referee is busy trying to break up Greg and Dan, so no count. That allows Johnny Valiant to sneak in, and he nails Mike - just as the referee turns around, and sees it for the DQ at 3:08. Too short to really be anything, but fun while it lasted. ¾*

Gene Okerlund is in the studio for Update, taking a look at the Honky Tonk Man, who can ‘do more than wrestle.’ Sometimes we wish he wouldn’t even do that. For those keeping track, Honky is still a babyface at this point

Junkyard Dog v George Steele v Steve Lombardi and Tony Nardo: JYD and Steele are a weird pairing to me. I get that they’re both ‘animals,’ I guess, but it just doesn’t work for me. Meanwhile, WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage split screens in, and he thinks the only joke bigger than Steele is JYD. Dog with a scoop powerslam at 1:23. DUD

Ken Resnick catches up with the Machines, and they’ve got Hulk Machine with them this week. And he’s even less ‘disguised’ than the others, literally wearing his usual gear, complete with a Hulkamania t-shirt. Hulk doing his usual ‘promo voice’ mixed with a kinda ‘Japanese’ accent is too much

Clips from the August 23 Championship Wrestling, where Roddy Piper interrupted Slick’s visit to the Flower Shop to make overtly racist remarks to him. And it’s treated like a koke, and as if Piper is the good guy. What a time the 80s were

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, and Hercules Hernandez v Billy Jack Haynes, Nick Kiniski, and Mario Mancini: Hercules puts this away with a torture rack in very short order at 1:02. What was up with Haynes getting put in with the literal jobbers? DUD

Resnick catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who is looking for revenge on Paul Orndorff. He still has a little ‘machine’ in him, though, referring to New York as the ‘greatest city in America,’ as opposed to the world. Tokyo, baby

Superstar Billy Graham vignette 

Jake Roberts v Tony Garea: “I wonder what’s in the bag,” wonders McMahon. “I know what’s in the bag: Damien!” Ventura reminds him. Yeah, seriously, it’s hardly a murder mystery novel. Garea gets some brief shine, before eating the DDT at 1:48. DUD

Backstage, Hulk is changing out of his gear, fuming about Orndorff. What is he changing from? He didn’t work! Maybe he’s just a stinky pinky, and needs to change clothes several times a day. I knew a guy like that once. Weighed over 300 pounds, and was required by management to bring a change of clothes to work with him every day

Adrian Adonis hosts the Flower Shop, but the deafening chants of ‘Roddy’ cause him to close up early

Piper prepares to rebuild his Pit set, in anticipation of the ‘battle of the bands’ with Adonis

The Killer Bees v Joe Mirto and Jack Kruger: Jimmy Hart split screens in here, hyping up the Bees taking on his Funks. Kamala makes his way out during the squash, wandering around ringside, but not really doing anything. Meanwhile, the Bees finish with a combo at 2:44. ¼*

Dick Skater vignette. That is one big rebel flag

Don Muraco v Lanny Poffo: Don powers him around early on, until Lanny manages to stick and move a little. Poffo hits a flying moonsault for two, but a bodypress gets caught in a powerslam, and Don adds a kneelift, before finishing with the tombstone at 3:39. ¼*

Resnick catches up with Bob Orton, who is sick of Piper walking around like his shit don’t stink just because he went to Hollywood

BUExperience: This is so, so much better than what JCP was doing on Saturday Night’s. This format is much easier to digest, and the cast of characters is top notch.