NWA (JCP) World Championship Wrestling (February 21, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: February 21, 1987

From Atlanta, Georgia; Your Host is Tony Schiavone

Jimmy Valiant v Thunderfoot II: The crowd seems to appreciate Valiant, though I can’t, for the life of me, understand why. He has no appeal as a worker or as a character, at least to me, but maybe it’s a cultural thing in the south, or something. Jimmy with an elbowdrop at 4:19. Afterwards, Valiant swings by the desk to sexually harass poor Tony. DUD

NWA World Tag Team Champions Rick Rude and Manny Fernandez are out, and they’re the number one seeds in the Crockett Cup, and not even sweating the competition. Yeah, that’s accurate, they looks pretty dry

Brad Armstrong v Larry Stephens: Armstrong is a guy I always appreciated (even as a kid), and probably should have become a bigger star, but sadly never did. Brad with the Russian legsweep at 5:57. This was really long for a squash. DUD

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express are out to show off some racist looking t-shirts

We look back at a recent match pitting Ron Garvin and Barry Windham against the Midnight Express, that ends in Jim Cornette throwing a fireball in Garvin’s face, and a big injury angle. A damn good fireball, and they sell this to the max, with all the babyfaces running out, and even Jimmy Garvin joining to help get Ron out of the ring, since this is beyond babyface/heel lines. The camera following them to the back and all the way to where they get Ron into a car to go to the hospital is another great touch here

Bob Armstrong and Brad Armstrong are out, and they’re excited about the Crockett Cup, sure, but even more worked up over what Cornette did to Garvin. They killed the American Dream! Uh, I’m pretty sure Dusty was still alive at that point, but I don’t know, we haven’t seen him yet this week, I can’t verify 

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Ivan Koloff, Dick Murdoch, and Vladimir Petrov v Tommy Angel, Davis Isley, and Rick Sullivan: Murdoch scores the pinfall here at 3:53. Afterwards, they swing by the desk so Ivan can do his usual rambling. The Murdoch turn was really well done, but I feel like they haven’t given it enough focus since. DUD

Rick Rude and Manny Fernandez v Rikki Nelson and Alan Martin: The NWA World Tag Team title is not on the line for this. Manny scores the pinfall at 1:05, which is a good length for a squash, take note, Brad. Afterwards, they continue beating up the jobbers, until the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express make the save. DUD

Ole Anderson is out to talk about what it takes to be a Horsemen

Tim Horner v Randy Barber: Horner with a bridging cradle at 3:54. A pretty competitive squash, it wasn’t bad. ¼*

NWA United States Champion Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes are out to throw some gasoline on the Dick Murdoch fire

Lex Luger and JJ Dillon are out to explain how Lex fits in with the Horsemen. They already have experience, skill, and strength, and now they have youth

Big Bubba Rogers v Kent Glover: Glover almost looks like a smaller Bubba. Rogers with a scrapbuster and an arrogant pin at 0:29. He didn’t really have very good/smooth execution on the finisher yet, but he'd get great at it later on. Afterwards, he swings by the desk, but Jim Crockett is out to announce that Jim Cornette is banned from all events due to the fireball incident. That’s racist against Memphians! DUD

Ron Garvin has an eye patch, and a nasty burn all over the right side of his face, but his spirit isn’t burned, and he’s swearing revenge on Cornette. They did a great job with the makeup here, and Ron cuts a fantastic promo. It’s also revealed here that Jimmy Garvin is his brother, and Ron is counting on Jimmy to back him up in his quest for vengeance 

The Midnight Express v Randy Mulkey and Zane Smith: The Express make short work of the jobbers at 0:34. DUD

Mike Rotunda is out to make his debut. He’s an amatuer star, and immediately takes a stand on Ron Garvin’s side, thus positioning himself as a babyface. As long as you pay your taxes, I guess. He also thinks Barry Windham is pretty cool

NWA Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Denny Brown v Rocky King: That’s a nice looking belt. Brown dominates on the mat to start, but King comes back with a bodyslam, and then throws a dropkick for two. Brown hides out in the ropes to break the momentum, and he tries a takedown into a headlock, but King fights free with a headscissors. Back to a vertical base, and King grabs a standing side-headlock, so Brown forces a criss cross, but King wins it with a hiptoss. An armdrag allows King an armbar, so Brown tries another criss cross, but Rocky hits him with a bodypress for two, before taking it back to the armbar. King with a corner whip into a backdrop for two, and he armdrags back into the armbar from there. Brown slugs free, and manages a butterfly suplex for two, then a bodyslam to set up a kneedrop for two. Turnbuckle smash, but King no-sells, and dropkicks him for two. A shoulderblock follows, but another one misses, and Brown slams him. Again, but King counters to a rollup - reversed by Brown at 6:38. Basic, but solid. The finish got messed up, though, as the first slam was supposed to lead into it, but King looked like he forgot the spot, and just kind of crashed to the mat before they repeated it. ¾*

Bill Dundee declares himself the King of Memphis, and dares anyone to prove him wrong. I sure hope he stands up to that racist Jim Crockett on their behalf! 

Baron von Raschke v Brodie Chase: ‘Brodie Chase’ is such a great name to waste on a jobber. Baron with the clawhold into a pin at 1:50. DUD

NWA Television Champion Tully Blanchard is out to flash some more cash. And laugh at Garvin’s misfortune 

Eight-Man Tag Team Match: Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, and Lex Luger v Bob Armstrong, Dutch Mantel, Ricky Lee Jones, and Eddie Roberts: Why wouldn’t Brad be in this? Probably more racism. He’s not technically from Memphis, but he probably visited Memphis at some point, and that’s likely enough for that bigot Crockett. The Horsemen get the win, with Ole scoring the fall by submission at 4:45. ¼*

BUExperience: The Garvin angle was tremendous, and while everything else was pretty average, that was enough to buoy this one - even without an appearance from the always entertaining Ric Flair.