Goody Bag 89: Browser

 

Mr. Perfect v Dusty Rhodes: From Detroit Michigan on February 23 1990, in a dark match from The Main Event III. American Dream continues to be an absolutely epic theme - some things never change. Posturing to start, dominated by Dusty. Perfect does all kinds of pinballing around for him, before finally sweeping the leg, and bashing it into the post to turn the tide. Perfect works the leg, but Dusty reverses a figure four, though Perfect makes it to the ropes. Perfect charges as they get to a vertical base, but Dusty sidesteps, and Perfect ends up with his head tangled in the ropes. Dusty tags him with a backelbow, so Genius hops onto the apron to distract him, allowing Perfect to recover. Unfortunately for Perfect, he himself gets distracted, by Sapphire, and Rhodes schoolboys at 9:12. Super basic, and not very exciting, but not without merit. ½*

The Harlem Knights v Mike Bell and Tony Devito: A TV taping dark match from Portland Maine on May 5 1993, in a tryout for the future Men on a Mission. They’ve got a different name, and red/black gear, but they’re already doing the arm swinging and ‘hey, ho’ gimmick. Considering Jim Duggan was still in the promotion, I’m surprised no one told them to cool it with the ‘ho’ stuff. The Knights with a combo at 4:19. This was every Men on a Mission squash you’ve ever seen. It wasn’t particularly impressive as a tryout. DUD

Undertaker v Steve Austin: From New York City on August 9 1996. Posturing to start, dominated by Undertaker. This is really interesting footage, which appears to be a mix of the handhelds at ringside, and fancam footage from the stands. Undertaker hits the ropewalk forearm, and he chokes Steve in the corner, but misses an elbowdrop. That allows Austin to pounce on him, and he bootchokes Undertaker in the corner. Austin goes to work, and delivers a piledriver for two. Steve tries a tombstone, but gets reversed, and that looks to be it, but Mankind runs in to attack Undertaker for the DQ at 9:07. Their chemistry was always all over the place, but they’d have better matches later on. And worse ones, too. ½*

One Man Gang v Flash Flanagan: Dark match from a RAW is WAR taping on February 3 1998 in Evansville Indiana. Gang had seen better days by this point, looking old and small, but he still gets a nice nostalgia pop. Gang unloads, but gets reversed into the corner, and Flanagan dives with a missile dropkick for two. Flanagan with a pair of clotheslines, but a third one gets countered with a sidewalk slam. Gang looked like he nearly dropped him on that one. Gang hammers away, but Flanagan gets fired up, and manages a ten-punch, then a springboard dropkick. He gets Gang into the corner for a corner splash, and a dropkick finds the mark. Another charge in the corner, but Gang blocks this time, and delivers a clothesline. That allows Gang a corner whip to set up an avalanche, and a bodyslam sets up a splash at 6:09. He doesn’t even get a pop for the pin, as everyone got sick of seeing him already. Not surprisingly, this tryout did not lead to a new gig for Gang. DUD