Post by hbkshawn88 on May 14, 2013 11:03:53 GMT
Wrestling Challenge from 9/7/86
Monsoon, Ernie Ladd and Luscious Johnny were the hosts, Ladd and Johnny V were adequate, not great. Monsoon had a decent head of hair. Lord Alfred Hayes was the ring announcer, and he used the British pronunciation of 'schedule' which delighted me to no end.
First match was US Express (Spivey and Rotundo version) vs Magnificent Muraco (w/Fuji) and one of my all time favorite jobbers, Iron Mike Sharpe. I always thought the Spivey/Rotundo edition called themselves the American Express, maybe that was later. I love Mike Sharpe yelling the entire time, always fun. Superstar Billy Graham did an inset promo during this otherwise unassuming match won by the US Express with a silly bit involving a small package being rolled around.
IC Champ Randy Savage cuts a classic Savage interview telling people to quit applauding Elizabeth.
Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy Hart and Cowboy Bob Orton in a pink cowboy hat) vs. Tommy Sharp was a pretty basic squash. Adonis was looking really out of shape here, but boy he could still move around the ring quickly. The inevitable 'faggot' chant went up a couple times, and they used this match to further Danny Davis' heel turn, as he played the corrupt ref.
That last match had an inset promo by Orton, and now we have an interview with Orton. They were really pushing the Orton/Adonis/Hart relationship here, and Orton tore down Roddy Piper, saying things like he never paid as much, better perks with Adonis and Hart, Piper stopped sending checks once he moved to Hollywood, etc. Good stuff.
Next we had Koko B. Ware vs. Bob Bradley. Bradley got a lot of offense in, this was a pretty even matchup. On the stick, they were pushing Koko as a new sensation, but the match didn't do much for him. No Frankie yet, and Koko's inset promo was cool cause he had a classic boom box on his shoulder. Also interesting to note was the female ref, and Ladd and Johnny V had a nice exchange about her with Ladd calling her sharper than most of the men and Johnny banishing her to the kitchen.
Another interview regarding the Orton/Adonis/Hart trifecta, this time with Jimmy Hart. He pushes his whole family as well, which according to him at this time included Hoss and Jimmy Jack Funk, Hart Foundation, and Orton and Adonis.
My favorite segment of the night came next, it was Paul Orndorf (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. Troy Martin (Shane Douglas.) The match itself wasn't much as Orndorf brutalized Martin in and out of the ring. But after Martin's introduction, 'Real American' started playing and I, as did the crowd, got sucked in to marking out for Hogan. Awesome heel move by Heenan playing that song. On the stick they pushed how Orndorf sold out Hogan. AND the inset promo was a rarity indeed... it was a Honky Tonk Man face promo talking about how Orndorf is shaking like a leaf on a fuzzy tree, etc. Quite frankly, it didn't really sound any different than his heels promos from later. Orndorf hits a great looking running dropkick and a wicked piledriver to mercifully end this match.
We see a portion of a Snakepit featuring the re-debut of Kamala with The Wizard (King Curtis Iaukea) and Kim Chee (probably the Brawler.) The Wizard was yelling and going on and on, and the look on Jake's face was priceless... he kept grinning but reading between the lines he wanted Iaukea to shut the hell up and let him have a word in.
Next we saw the coronation of Handsome Harley Race to become King Harley Race. A who's who of 80's heels graced the ring... three guys I didn't recognize (one of which resembled Bruiser Brody), the Moondogs, Nikolai and Iron Sheik, Hoss and Jimmy Jack Funk, Bundy and Studd, Muraco and Fuji, Adonis and Orton, Hart Foundation, Jimmy Hart, Johnny V and the Dream Team (Beefcake and Valentine), Bobby Heenan, Slick, Freddie Blassie. Lord Littlebrook led Race down to the ring, and Heenan read the scroll. Fun stuff. Best part was afterwards, Studd and Bundy carried Race on their shoulders, and Harley looked really uncomfortable.
Final match was WWF Tag Champs British Bulldogs (w Captain Lou) vs. Moondogs in a non-title affair. The Moondogs actually got most of the offense in on this one as they worked a solid heat segment on Dynamite. There was some mis-timing as the Moondogs ambushed the Bulldogs from behind to begin, each one taking their respective Bulldog to opposite corners. Davey finally got the upper hand and started to whip Rex towards the other corner, but Spot still had the upper hand on Dynamite. They had to make a quick fix then got it right. Gorilla really pushed the Mania 2 match with the Dream Team during this bout, which I appreciated.
Show ended with a Jake Roberts interview, and part way through the Macho Man joined him, and together they cut a fantastic promo, with Jake's cryptic deadpan delivery a perfect foil for the strange machinations of Randy Savage.