Superstar Sleeze

I read the above post before I watched the following match and did not know notice him sweating profusely compared to Barry Windham in fact it looks like Shieky Baby is quite the sweaty one. Then again the video quality was not that good. WWF World Tag Champs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff w/"Classy" Freddie Blassie vs US Express (Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham) w/ Capt. Lou Albano They would stick Albano with just any tag team whether he fit the demeanor of the tag team or not. Albano with the All-American boys is just weird. Sheik/Rotundo do a good amateur sequence with Rotundo getting the better of Sheik. Sheik does a great begging off for both Windham & Rotundo and really makes them look good. It always takes me by surprise when Sheik busts out his somersault and misses it. I just never expect to see him do it. Volkoff comes in and gets his arm worked over with a series of quick tags. Volkoff hooks the ropes and Windham crashes and burns on a dropkick. Volkoff is not as good as I was expecting. Sheik is hilarious as he attempts to put on one of the most awkward abdominal stretches given that Windham has like 8 inches on him. Between this and Zuhkov ab stretch, Volkoff matches are the place to go to see poorly executed ab stretches. Sheik hits his gutwrench for 2. WIndham is able to hit a vertical suplex to get the hot tag. Even Rotundo is inspired by this molten MSG crowd and is fired up to deliver some dropkicks. In the fracas, WIndham rams Sheik's head into the steel posts busting him wide open. The US Express realizing how useless Rotundo is actually has him give the hot tag to Windham (literally like a minute after the last hot tag), Windham starts unloading rights on the Sheik's cut. This is brilliant. Windham is playing face in peril and the hot tag in the same match how did Ricky Morton not think of that! Windham hits a bulldog and Volkoff sensing the end is nigh makes the save. Rotundo jumps him and it devolves into a donnybrook and a double countout. I liked this match a good deal. It was very energetic and moved along briskly. Windham and Rotundo played babyfaces really well and Shekik & Volkoff are such classic heels you could not go wrong. I would have enjoyed a little more work from Sheik & Volkoff who have impressed me in other matches. I did not think anyone stood out or anything stood out, but it is just good classic wrestling.

Per usual, I am a week behind in my RAW watching, but I just watched Del Rio vs Ziggler from last week and was really impressed. I was totally buying what everyone was saying about Ziggler's ability to perform as a babyface, but I thought he put in one helluva performances. What I really loved about the layout was that it was not back and forth at all. It was Del Rio in control and Ziggler was hanging on by a thread, but would make you believe he could pull it out with all his hope spots. I have not seen hope spots better timed this year from my recollection. He worked his wicked bumps in such a way to induce sympathy rather than be stooging, comedy spot. My dad totally nailed that his repeated elbow drops would go over huge with live audiences so that they could count along with him. Outside of Cena/Punk, Bryan/Ryback and Bryan/Orton, I have this as my Free TV MOTY with only Cena/Punk really outdistancing it. On a more general note, I cant remember a time period when WWE TV from a wrestling standpoint was this good consistently. There is usually at least one really good match a week now on RAW.

The Islanders (Haku & Sivi Afi) & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan vs British Bulldogs & Koko B Ware - Philly 5/88 Wow, did this feud disappoint as this match was as much of a bore as the Bolsheviks match. The Heenan stuff with Koko at the beginning is what I wanted to see out of Heenan last match. Heenan cowering in the corner -> Koko lays down -> Heenan still apprehensive turns his back -> Koko catches him unawares and sends him into the opposite corner to take the Ray Stevens flip back-first bump. It was all down hill after that. Sivi Afi is a Superfly & High Chief Peter Maivia hybrid ripoff as he has Maivia's tats and Snuka's look. Afi is awkward and lumbering. It is no wonder he lasted for only a cup of coffee. The commentators believe that Sivi Afi is Haku and that Haku is Tama (Toma as it is pronounced). Then the commentators talk how the Bulldogs look like a like. O to be a wrestling commentator in the 80s or any era, actually. You never have to be proficient at your job. Sivi Afi sucked it up in the ring. Haku/Dynamite do their little forearm exchange into a Dynamite headlock into a Haku side suplex, which always looks good. Dynamite hits a hooking clothesline to regain advantage, which in my opinion wastes one of the best spots of the match. It gets very heel in peril at this point with chinlocks. Koko, who is the best worker in this match again, does the best move of the match: a sweet reverse cross body that would make Ricky Martel jealous. Haku for his part jumped into it making it look even better. Dynamite runs into a Haku clothesline and that is your weak, lazy transition to the heat segment where Sivi Afi is super awkward getting into position for anything. Dynamite took a dive to the outside got his head rammed into the railing by Haku and apron by Heenan. Haku hit a couple nice backbreakers while they worked over Dynamite's back and head. Heenan could be doing a lot more to get heat and to really the crowd excited to see him get his ass kicked...oh wait he does not. Dynamite does an excellent block of Haku's suplex attempt with a leg scissors. He hit his suplex. Davey Boy came in hit a back body drop and vertical suplex. He just does not give a fuck anymore. Koko came in and hit two stellar dropkicks that would make Jim Brunzell jealous. His second one was really one of the best I have ever seen. A clusterfuck erupts; Heenan blind tagged himself in and with knucks knocked out Koko for the win. What the fuck? I accidentally watched the Philly match instead of the MSG match, but the finish was the same according to History of the WWE site so I am not watching this borefest again. Bulldogs could not care less. Heenan was not really trying either. Haku was decent. Sivi was actively bad and Koko was pretty sweet. Bring on the Bulldogs/Demolition maybe a tag title shot will wake up the Bulldogs.

Thanks. Too Japanese is a great way to describe them to a fellow hardcore fan, but may lose its meaning with certain people. The British Bulldogs vs The Bolsheviks - 11/87 Primetime Wrestling The Bulldogs did not give one single fuck during this match. Outside of the Dynamite snap suplex on Boris, I do not think worked any sort of story or spots in their shine sequence. It does not help that Boris is a candidate for one of the worst wrestlers I have ever seen. I can't tell if Volkoff is good or if he is just good in comparison to Boris. But believe it or not, 'Ol Nik was the best worker in this match as he worked a great heat segment. He did his bearhug into a pin, he tussled with Dynamite over a suplex attempt that turned into a Dynamite small package and his overhead backbreaker. His headbutts and strikes were great. Boris on the other hand is such an awkward wrestler and put on one of the worst abdominal stretches ever. Gorilla had a field day with that one. Davey Boy came in and no spark. He did his delayed vertical suplex and running powerslam, but not the usual Davey Boy. The finish was Davey Boy hooking of the Bolsheviks' legs on a suplex attempt and Dynamite falling on top for the win. Why the hell are they protecting the Bolsheviks? Borefest and one of the worst matches I have seen. I abhor lazy wrestling. The only good thing to come out of this was it confirmed that Nikolai Volkoff maybe someone worth watching from his prime or at least with Sheiky Baby.

New Dream Team vs The Killer Bees 10/87 MSG I like Valentine enough that I thought this could be good. Actually before the shit finish, I liked the match quite a bit. Valentine did some really excellent wrestling with both the Bees working in a nice fireman's carry by Blair and grabbing a headscissors on Brunzell before tagging out. It was nice to see some actual grappling as a change of pace. Bravo was a little stiff in the ring, but he showed energy and even did a leapfrog. Brunzell played face in peril after Bravo threw him into the Valentine's elbow. I really felt that the Dream Team had the blueprint for how Demolition should work as Valentine has that similar rough and tumble style with a lot of elbows and general rough housing. He is just way more convincing than either of the Demolition, which look like a bunch of cartoon characters as they stomp on the ring. Valentine got kicked off on his figure-4 attempt. TIMBAAAAAAH! They throw Brunzell on the outside and it is Masked Confusion. It is not an inherently stupid gimmick. I think someone who played it off with a little comedic panache like Eddie Guerrero would have made it into a great gimmick. Instead these two white bread wrestlers just seem like dicks for doing this. This is a decent Valentine match, but it shows after a weak 1987 that 1988 does not look too much better for him. I believe he broke up with Bravo shortly after, but with the Hart Foundation & Demolition turning babyface in 1988 and the onset of the Rockers, I think they could have used a Valentine heel tag team to even the sides.

One of my favorite lines of Shawn's incredible late 1997 heel run was the night after the Screwjob, "Give me a break Sarge, I just beat a man who believes he is a legend in his own mind." Shawn was so good at getting under Bret's skin during that run. It always cracked me up as he talked circles around Bret and Bret could not doing anything about it well besides make middle school level homophobic jokes. Now, I just want watch Shawn slaughter Bret on the mic.

Demolition vs "Not Yet Fabulous" Rougeaus - Boston 3/88 This was touted as one of the better Demolition matches, but it did nothing for me. I would say the Islanders/Demos was a much better early Demolition match. At first it seems like Demolition will overwhelm the Quebecois, but miscommunication opens up some double teaming by the Rougeaus. Jacques is able to get a double wristlock on Smash. Raymond gets a high cross body to a dead crowd. Ax starts stomping Raymond. Ax grabs a front facelock and Raymond starts ironically chopping down Ax with some blows to the knee. His name is Ax. An attempted monkey flip cots Raymond and the heat segment begins earnest and it is a snoozer. Outside of a Fuji cane shot, it is just some cranking on Raymond's neck; it doesnt help that Raymond is the bland member of his team. Vertical suplex by Raymond and missed elbow by Smash gets Jacques in there, but at this point the crowd does not care about baby face Rougeaus. Jacques slaps on the Boston Crab in Boston and still no pop! How shameless can you get? Ax with a big boot and then a double clothesline gets the duke for the Demos. This was described as a mugging of the Rougeaus, but it felt like the usual tepid Demolition affair. I never felt any sympathy towards the Rougeaus and they demonstrated no pluckiness. The Demolition as lumbering giants just was not menacing at all. In the Islanders match, the Islanders made Demolition seem like monsters because of their urgency on offense and Tama's bumping. Demolition feels like a team that may only be as good as their opponents.

WWF World Tag Champs Demolition w/Mr. Fuji vs The British Bulldogs - SNME 4/88 Demolition is going to encrust Matilda in chrome and mount on their Winnebago when they drive to the Grand Canyon. Seriously, what the fuck? The Wyatts need to listen to some Barry Darsow to really get crazy down. This is a nothing match to re-establish the Bulldogs as the number one babyfaces as Martel was going to take a vacation and their go around the horn to establish the Demos is the Heel Ace of the tag division. The interesting part may be the foreshadowing that Bulldogs may break Demos from their mold Dynamite was going to force his will on the match. This felt like a real struggle with each team looking to give very little to their opponents. Dynamite was the face in peril and took a backbreaker before Davey Boy came in and showed he could match power with Demos. The story seemed like Dynamite would get in a bit over his head, but Davey Boy was the Demos equal in power. Endgame was Matilda chased Fuji to the back. They broke Fuji's cane leaving Jesse to lament the welfare of Fuji and they attacked the Demos with cane. The Bulldogs sure did have a temper. This is the second match where they have grabbed a manager's weapon and attacked their opponents. If they are going to win the titles back they are going to need to keep their composure under stress. I think they need Capt. Lou back to guide them to their second championship run. They never were the same without him. Thats what happens with two British hotheads cant keeps their act together. Heard the Demos/Bulldogs MSG is bitchin as all hell and really looking forward to a great Bulldogs match. Outside their work with the Dream Team, I dont feel like they have gotten there.

This thread is the embodiment of why I love PWO! Where else would you get a poster to write so much and so enthusiastically about Mike Friggin Enos. I am starting to tire of 80s WWF Tag matches. Maybe random midcard WCW wrestlers will be my new thing.

British Bulldogs vs The Islanders 12/87 Superstars Islanders have no floral wallpaper tights and they already look more menacing. Bulldogs in and Matilda goes right after Heenan and Islanders. They are hot because Matilda wont let them back in the ring. Heenan insults the dog and leads a walk out in protest of that mangy mutt being out there. Then he hatches a plan to get back at the dog for embarrassing him. He distracts the Bulldogs allowing the Islanders to really do a number on the Bulldogs including a sweet shoulderbreaker by Haku. Islanders and Heenan make a fast getaway with Matilda. Those dastardly villains surely the Bulldogs will make them pay for this transgression! ------------------------------------------- British Bulldogs vs The Islanders 1/88 MSG I built up the expectations a little too high in my head for this match. I would have this top handful of WWF tags, but it does not touch the first Islanders/Strike Force. Still it is a very good match as the Bulldogs are red hot and the Islanders are showing a much more sadistic, arrogant side. I thought this was the first match, Haku really broke out of his shell and was delivering on the same level as Tama. I have grown to like Davey Boy a bit more than Dynamite and would have liked him to be the face in peril instead of Dynamite. However, Smith's segments at the beginning of the match felt really aimless and were not as tight and meaningful as Dynamite's. Dynamite started this match off hot by attacking at the bell. Tama did his awesome bump back into the ring that someone needs to steal. Dynamite hit a wicked piledriver and then catapulted Tama into Haku. The Smith/Haku segment was decent in establishing two as equal, but I would have liked to see Smith mirror Dynamite's intensity. THEY STOLE MATILDA!!! Heenan has brought a dog collar and leash to remind them in true dick heel fashion. Smith worked a short heat segment off a quick attack by Haku during a tag exchange, which was pretty lame. Dynamite came in and re-energized everyone with his hooking clothesline and kneefrop. In his overzealousness, he ate a double chop from Haku in the corner. I liked this heat segment from the Islanders. I wish there was a better face in peril in there though. They were constantly mocking Dynamite with the dog collar and leash during the restholds. Plus Haku was on fire this segment with his cool back suplex out of the side headlock spot and his sell of a Dynamite headbutt. It was Kawada-esque as he wobbled on jelly legs and fell on his add, but still prevented the tag. Haku was taunting as much as Tama and together they were garnering tons of heel heat. Dynamite hits a double clothesline on the Islanders. Now here is the Davey Boy Smith I have come to love. Double-noggin knocker. Back body drop and then a big vertical suplex. Wicked piledriver, but broken up. Smith hits his big running powerslam and sees the other Islander and gives him a powerslam for good measure. The Garden is rocking. He grabs the leash and collar and starts beating teh Islanders with it drawing the DQ. This had a good heat segment with a great finish. The first the third of the match could have been upgraded and I think with a better face in peril this match would have been a real hidden classic. As it stands, it is a match where the Bulldogs had vengeance on their mind, but got overzealous allowing the Islanders to capitalize. Then Islanders got cocky and handed the match over to the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs could not keep their composure to seal the deal. I think we need a rematch and what better place than Wrestlemania. Lets get that weasel, Bobby the Brain in there so he can take some lumps too! ---------------------------------------------------------- British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware vs The Islanders & Bobby The Brain Heenan - Wrestlemania IV I didn't like this nearly as much as the six-man from last year. The Brain never really got his comeuppance maybe it is to come in the MSG match, but that was a major downer because I was expecting the Brain to make more of an ass of himself. The Brain did ham it up by wearing an attack dog protection suit neutralizing Matilda. Dynamite and Tama started the match off hot with Tama doing his signature bump and then bumping huge onto the ring post. Smith/Haku did their MSG exchange, but Smith added a crucifix pin. Ware came in with a dropkick and a beauty shades of "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell. There was a nice Ware side-headlock and headscissors combo take over by Ware. Koko is on par with Tama so far as MVP on this match as he has really added some energy. Dynamite eats a Haku foot in the corner. Jesse says that Heenan looks like a Chinaman. Its 1988, Baby! Heenan gets some stomps in and Dynamite sells, but he runs for the hills as soon as Dynamite stirs. Ok, they are building for when Heenan gets his ass kicked. Tama had control, but got caught showboating and ate knees on a Vaderbomb attempt. Koko gets the tag and Irish whips Tama into Haku, but he sets too early and Haku makes him pay with a kick. Heenan comes in with a kneelift. It just feels like Heenan is just another heel wrestler instead of the special attraction heel to get his ass whipped. Heenan barley sells Koko's punches, but he does take the wicked Bret bump into the ring corner and then dropkicked into the post. He still feels like he is selling like a wrestler than a manager. It all breaks down and The Islander slam on top of Koko for the win?!?!?!?! Matilda attacks (read: Davey Boy foists and rubs Matilda all over) Heenan in his dog suit. I loved the dog suit and the first five minutes were fun, but those last five minutes dragged. I really wanted to see the Bulldogs take it to Heenan, but nothing doing. I know Heenan would often wrestle as a sub for Bock or Stevens in the AWA. He was actually expected to wrestle not just be a over the top bumping stooge. In the WWF, he was in a different capacity and I think this match would have benefited him doing a lot more stooging. This was a very disappointing match. --------------------------------------- The Islanders vs Demolition - MSG 2/87 Great match! Islanders started with some early doubling teaming to keep Demolition off balance. So that was not a Strike Force thing it seems that is something the Demos preferred to establish their strength and how babyfaces could still capitalize through superior teamwork. Ax/Tama have a good mat exchange with Tama getting the better of it. MSG seemed to dig the Islanders even though they were just a random ethnic babyface tag team at this time. This is the Demo's MSG debut. Haku begins to work on Ax's leg and some good babyface leg work follows. Lots of quick tags and follow up on Ax's leg that never drags. Tama tries to go toe to toe with Ax even in his weakened state that ain smart as he drives Tama head first into Smash's boot. Smash throws Tama out to the floor hard. Tama takes the first of his two man-sized bumps when Ax whips him hard into the railing. The pugnacious Tama fights out of the corner and covers Ax only to pressed out to the floor in a fucking wicked bump. I am such an unabashed Tama mark at this point. What the hell happened to this guy? Ax reverse elbow gets two and Tama bumped huge off that. Tama takes a wicked hot shot. Tama is a great face in peril and heel. I have feel bad he did not make it further. He kicks Ax, who sets too early and MSG is whistling. Haku is in and he is a HOUSE OF FIRE! Headbutts, Dropkick, big thrust kick DOUBLE HEADBUTTS! Tama high cross body only gets two on an Ax save. Donnybrook ensues, ref holds back Haku and Demolition Decapitation grabs the win for the Demos. This is my favorite Demolition match so far and really reinforces how good the Islanders working both babyface and heel. Tama took some huge bumps and both Islanders had great offense throughout the match. Demolition were great for playing antithesis of the Islanders with all their strength and they worked hard to put over the Islanders moves and in turn Tama bumped huge for Demolition makes the Demos look like monsters.

The Islanders vs The Killer Bees MSG 12/86 The Islanders have kidnapped Matilda from the Bulldogs as the Bulldogs have slipped to the #2 face team with Strike Force as the Tag Champs. Since the Islanders ended up losing their feud with the Strike Force in order to maintain their #2 heel status (behind the rising Demolition) they ran a program with the Killer Bees so they could collect some victories. The match was decent, but nothing fantastic it was just meant to reinforce the Islanders position on the card against the JTTS babyface tag team du jour of the WWF. The shine segment is dominated by headlock attempts by the Bees. Tama is his usual excellent self as he tries to sucker Blair into shaking his hand going so far as to "crossing his heart, hope to die, stick in a needle in my eye" routine, but Tama telegraphs the kick too early and Blair hits an atomic drop and Brunzell claps Tama's ears. What the hell happened to Tama. He had so much natural heel charisma and he was no smaller than Savage. He could have had a short program with Hogan and had been a great asset in the upper midcard. The Islanders take over on Blair when Haku hits a sweet back suplex out of a side headlock. The blandness of their match may result from the fact that I am writing Blair's name a lot more than Brunzell's name. Tama is really energetic in the heel heat segment with lots of choking and Haku add one his badass kicks to Blair's head. Blair, the most boring babyface ever, hits a couple flying forearms in there to flying get Jumpin Jim in there. Brunzell is a mild trash can fire which peaks with his dropkick and a beauty on Haku. He gets on the sleeper and end game commences. Blair chases Tama around the ring; Tama whacks Brunzell; ref holds Blair back; Tama hits the flying headbutt from the top on Haku and Haku is rolled on the victory. It is the WWF so there is no reason for a clean heel victory. It only adds extra heat on the Islanders going into their Bulldogs feud to have the finish this way. It was a very decisive Islanders victory. The only real notable thing is how good Tama is at crowd interaction much better than the silent Haku and dont know what happened to him. Drugs? The other notable thing is B. Brian Blair could give Tom Zenk a run for his money in most bland wrestler. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Islanders vs Killer Bees - SNME 3/88 Heenan cracks me up with his Beekeeper Net and Dog Leash to start as him and Jesse play off each other really well. The whole thing that is really holding The Islanders back is their lampshade tights. Brunzell starts off hot with Tama hitting a leg drop and doing a sweet double wristlock takedown into a pin. Does Brunzell have any worthwhile WWF matches? Brunzell misses his patented dropkick when Tama hooked the ropes. Tama heabutts, back rakes and a vertical suplexes his way to a pinfall attempt. A Haku dropkick gets a two and intimidates the ref with the threat of a fist. Brunzell gets an atomic drop in the Islanders' corner, but Tama is able to tag in Haku. Double clothesline and her comes Blair with an atomic drop and a pair of bodyslams. The endgame is Blair has Tama in a reverse victory roll, but Haku clothesline the prone Blair to pick up the victory. For less than 5 minutes of action (it must have been edited because Brunzell ended up with a bloody nose and the Bees seemed sweatier than expected), this was pretty fun and once again keeps the Islanders push going. Cant wait for the Islanders/Bulldogs matches!

WWF World Tag Champs Demolition vs Strike Force - Primetime Wrestling 6/88 This match is just a backdrop for the killer angle that writes Martel off. The match was basically laid out the way the earlier matches have been. Strike Force has needed to double up on their moves to gain the advantage. Demolition can not gain the advantage by sheer size so they back Tito into the ropes so Fuji can jab him the ribs. Tito takes a lickin but keeps on tickin to hit the Flyin Burrito. Martel is clicking on all cylinders before a Boston Crab attempt left him prone to being buffeted to the outside. Smash smashed a chair across the back of Martel's head and hit him with Demolition Decapitation. I didn't think this elicited the level of heat it should as this quite the heinous attack, but maybe I am biased as a Martel fan and Strike Force fan. The stuff with Demolition never got out of first gear, but it does not make me any less disappointed that we are nearing the end of the road for Strike Force. The last match is against the Brainbusters at Wrestlemania V. Nothing is forever. Strike Force vs Brainbusters - Wrestlemania V This was a very bittersweet as it was a well-executed end to Strike Force, but I am sad to see them go. The story is rust of Strike Force versus the fluidity of the Busters. Some early flashes of synchronicity dispel this notion as Strike Force gain the upper hand on Arn & Tully including Martel tagging Tito out of a headlock and Tito coming into bulldog Tully. Some team should rip that as a stock spot as it really does demonstrate good synchronicity. This included all the good Arn & Tully standard spots: Martel punching his way out of the Heenan Family corner, the double dropkicks, double figure-4's, Arn taking the Flair press slam off the top rope. Give these two teams 20 minutes on World Championship Wrestling and we would have had one for the ages. However, a miscommunication seeing Tito hit Martel with a Flying Burrito and this led to dysfunction. At this point, you could see how fluid Arn & Tully were at containing Tito. When Tito did break free, Martel walked away coldly. An Arn spinebuster and spike piledriver out Tito out of his misery. Martel cuts your basic heel turn promo about how Tito was riding his coat tails and he was carrying him. If anything good comes from this, it is the Martel vs Santana feud that I have never really watched. This is the type of match WWF really excels it. It is a match that is entertaining but really well laid out in advancing a storyline in such a way that the Brainbusters are propelled to the No. 1 Heel Tag Team spot and Martel's heel turn and the upcoming Santana feud is treated as a big deal.

WWF Tag Champs Demolition vs Strike Force - MSG 4/88 Demolition reminds me a lot of Hart Foundation very structurally solid, but very uninspiring. Hart Foundation is still better to watch because Bret is way better on offense, bumping and selling than these two dudes. My biggest problem with Bret was his super segmented match structure where it would be shine->>transition->heat->transition->finish and outside of the transitions there would be no real sense of struggle. Each team was just playing ragdoll for each other. That was very much the case in the Wrestlemania match between the two. I will say it did get a bit better in this match. My theory did not come to fruition a Martel heat segment did not lead to more hope spots and a more sense of struggle. He did manage to get one more in than Tito, but it was not exactly a fight. The babyface shine segment sees Strike Force overwhelming Demolition with double teams and quickness. They isolate each member. The best spot of the match is early on with Martel slapping Ax into the Boston Crab within first minute while Tito held Smash at bay with forearms, but eventually Smash saw opening due to the ref holding Tito back to hit Martel. Demolition just cant bump. It looks like they have trouble falling down. Ax took a front flip bump off a arm wringer, so I will eat my words. The Strike Force is using the arm bar and wrist locks as their base. Ax uses the Hart Foundation stock transition the blind strike while the face is running the ropes. We get a Martel heat segment, but it is nothing much. Hey, but the Demos listened to me as they take Martel to the outside and he is driven into the apron. There is some decent lower back psychology. Hot tag to Tito, who runs the two Demos into each other. FLYING BURRITO!!! Fuji on the apron, Martel & Ax going at it, Fuji hits Tito with the cane on a figure 4 attempt. I would say this is right with Strike Force/Hart Foundation matches. It is a bit underwhelming, but it peaked early. All four guys were keeping things moving and establishing that Strike Force was the better pure team and would win a fair fight. Even initially, Strike Force was besting Demolition's power offense because they were the better technical wrestlers before the blindside on the rope run. It took underhanded tactics and brute strength for Demolition to win. It is a great story that has just been told better. I have hope for Demolition.

Put me down in the "Id rather watch Martel than Lawler" camp. I need to watch some more Lawler, but I would say I have watched equivalent amounts of the two and I prefer Martel. WWF World Tag Champs Strike Force vs The Islanders - Philly 12/87 These guys could not have a bad match if they tried. Now, this was not nearly as heated and part of that may be they ran most of the angles at the Garden thus the Philly crowd was not as revved and the wrestlers are wrestling this as a normal match rather than a grudge match. The opening sees the Islanders jump Strike Force for a change but Strike Force is able to ram them into each other to establish control. Martel busts out his hurricanarana early to wow the crowd. Tama takes two big bumps one off a Tito dropkick to the floor and the other is his patented belly flop back into the ring. I love that bump. They tease a Martel heat segment. Strike Force works over Haku's leg in ways that would make the Rockers jealous as it never enters heel in peril territory just good babyface shine fun. Tama breaks up a figure four attempt, which these atrocious announcers call a new Strike Force move (they called Haku Sika once and one guy could not pronounce Tama's name). Haku hits Tito with repeated backbreakers while Tama lays the bad mouth down. Tito is such a great face in peril and this does not compare to their other heat segments, but it is still well-done to make you want to see the Martel. Heel miscommunication sees Tama clotheslining Haku and Tito gets the hot tag. Here comes Martel, baby! Martel takes out both Islanders and tags Santana back in. Tito hits the Flying Burrito on Tama and gets him in the Figure-4, but Haku breaks it up. Only to have Martel sunset flip Haku for the win. This was more of a fun match than the more substantial earlier encounters. I would still say these are better matches than the majority of the WWF tag matches I have seen so far. I am actually pretty disappointed how short-lived Strike Force is. I was going to watch the Demolition series and that's about it in terms of notable matches. Strike Force had the potential of being one of the best babyface tag teams of all time. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WWF Tag Champs Strike Force vs The Bolsheviks - SNME 1/88 2 Out of 3 Falls Only in pro wrestling would 300 lbs communist sympathizers be managed by a street wise black man. I just love that pairing as Slick is going on and on about how Gorby paid him a visit to talk strategy. This is way better than I expected and in fact one of the better SNME matches I have seen. I have never watched Bolsheviks in action. I have seen a couple Volkoff matches and I have seen one Zuhkov match against Martel in the AWA, but I was not expecting. They worked a really well-done sprint with everybody getting a chance to shine including Vince who is obsessed with the size of Boris' head. The beginning was perfectly done with Strike Force using frequent tags and quick pinfall attempts to discombobulate the Pinkos. Tito gets a two from a cross body. Once the Bolsheviks are able to get a hold of Tito they take over with their rough and tumble style. A back suplex gets two for Boris. Tito is able to juke n jive around the Bolsheviks to get the hot tag. Martel makes quick work of Zuhkov with the Boston Crab to take the first fall. Strike Force connect with the double dropkick and Martel commits the Cardinal Sin of Wrestling by trying to apply the Boston Crab again. Volkoff breaks it up this time. Now Volkoff shows off his nifty offense with a nice gutwrench and a huge over the head backbreaker. Volkoff is a massive dude. I always seem to forget that. Martel is much better at doing hope spots than Tito. Volkoff drops Martel throat first across the rope and a big kneedrop gets two. They bash heads and it is a race. ARRIBA! It is a Dropkick Fiesta!!! Flying Burrito gets broken up and Volkoff accidentally hits Zuhkov with Slick's cane. Strike Force just keeps rolling in the great matches as the pull the best Volkoff match out of him in this action-packed sprint. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WWF Tag Champs Strike Force vs Demolition - WM IV Strike Force looks like a bunch of chumps following that entrance by Demolition. Demolition is my next target, but I get started a little bit out of order by watching this match to keep up with my Strike Force groove. The most disappointing Strike Force match so far as the Bolsheviks looked a lot better than Demolition. Instead of playing speed against power, Strike Force played up the idea of doubling up their moves as a way to keep Demolition off the balance. I just did not think shine was as good because even the Bolsheviks sold and bumped better than Demolition did for Strike Force. The transition was really well-done with Smash catching Tito in a bearhug and sort of falling back so Ax could catch him in the throat. This match would have been a lot better if Martel was the face in peril because he would added more dynamics and really made Demolition earn while Tito was just content to sell Demolition's power based offense. Demolition was really just using some bland stuff when they could have added some more outside the ring steel railing or post attacks, maybe some Fuji interference, some more double teaming. Tito connects with the flying burrito and makes the hot tag to Martel. Martel gets the short straw as he quickly puts Smash in the Boston Crab. Then we hit end game where Tito knocks Ax out of the ring with the Flying Burrito and then attacks Fuji. Fuji tosses the cane into the ring for Ax to smash Martel in the head. While Tito is preoccupied with Fuji, Smash falls on top to win the Tag Titles. It is a perfectly good finish, but they should have set up Tito's anger towards Fuji better by actually having Fuji participate in the match earlier. Overall, a very disappointing end to Strike Force's title reign. Now I have found title switch matches are generally lackluster as are big supercard matches. So maybe when I watch April MSG match I will see a more game Demolition than the one out there that dragged down Strike Force.

Since I have been watching a ton of 80s WWF Tag matches, I would say as of today 1. Strike Force 2. The Islanders 3. British Bulldogs 4. Dream Team 5. Hart Foundation

I just want to preface this with that I am really appreciative that there is such a great resource here to help guide me through my wrestling watching as I try to catch up to all the great stuff everyone here has seen. That being said, I wanted not just to take in this knowledge, but also contribution. My contribution is the Rick Martel (eventually Tito Santana) vs The Islanders. Maybe, somebody has already pimped this, but not to my knowledge. I am pimping this as one of the best storylines in and out of the ring WWF ever did during the Hulkamania. This series was the series that really cemented Martel in my mind as one of the elite wrestlers of the 1980s and one of the best natural babyfaces of all time. The Islanders vs Can-Am Connection -Superstars 6/87 The AWA had the Rockers, the NWA had the Rock N Rolls & Fantastics, WWF took their stab at the pretty boy babyface tag team with the Can-Ams. After two years of the Bulldogs on top, the female fans must have been certainly grateful. Strike Force obviously turned out to be a better end game because you are substituting Tito Santana for Tom Zenk, but I actually believe the Can-Ams would have been a great act too. I mean if Valentine could wrestle matches basically by himself while Beefcake stood on the outside I think Martel would have been just fine. The Islanders are still faces at this point, but have been wrestling more aggressively against fellow face acts like the Rougeaus and Killer Bees. Bruno fucks up worse than Heenan at Bash at the Beach when he says isnt this match where Heenan said he would unveil his new tag team. Vince was all like well Harley Race and Hercules are tagging later on tonight, damnit Bruno. Tama looks like one scary muthafucka. Haku actually looks pretty gentle, not intimidating at all and positively thin. Haku vs Martel starts off awesome with some great Martel offense: reverse cross body block and hurricanarana. Zenk comes in and does his usual blase stuff. My favorite spot of the match is Zenk telegraphs a back body drop and Haku kicks him with so much momentum he actually walks through it. At this point, Heenan comes out and distracts the Can-Ams. The Islanders bum rush The Can-Ams whipping Martel head first into the steel post and doing their dreaded double standing headbutt. Tama whips Zenk to the outside and delivers the headbutt from the apron. The Islanders win by countout. This was a wicked effective angle for TV. It immediately gives the Islanders a ton of momentum to have Heenan as their manager and to really beat up the Can-Ams. This gives the Can-Ams the first angle where they will be seeking revenge. The best part is that Zenk ends up leaving so the angle gets even better once Tito gets involved. It was so well-executed that I actually wanted to watch the whole angle play out at MSG. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick Martel vs Tama - 7/87 MSG Zenk has departed the WWF and thus Martel has activated AWA World Champion mode. He says he would wrestle the two Islanders himself (in separate singles). Throughout this match, if you did not know any better it felt like it was of his really high end AWA World Championship defenses. Martel is such an offensive dynamo and Tama is trying his best to break it up anyway he can with underhanded tactics. Martel is looking for revenge for Superstars and that fire conveyed really well here. For those who have trouble keeping the Samoans straight (I think that is everyone), Tama is Rikshi's twin and Haku is unrelated and from Tonga much like The Barbarian. Haku & Tama double team Martel to start, but he explodes with a double clothesline that gets the crowd going and sends the Islanders to the floor. Tama keeps trying to break Martel's momentum: putting himself in the ropes, pointing at his clenched fist, not giving him clean breaks, but Martel is too much to handle and eventually gets a hold of Tama's leg. They break up the leg work with some fun stuff as Martel outsmarts or outquicks (nice cartwheel, Martel) him at each turn to get him back into a toehold or leglace. The way Martel is working this with all this energy just makes it feel so pertinent that he win. Tama sells the knee work very well. The one thing about wrestling barefoot you better not have sensitive feet. Eventually Martel lays a little too far back and Tama has the chance to lay some shots in. Tama still selling gets caught with a shinbreaker and Martel grabs Tama by the feet while he is holding the bottom ropes giving him the ol' heeve ho. This has been some really excellent stuff so far with Martel wrestling more like a World Champion than an upper mid carder in the tag ranks. Martel drops all his weight on Tama's knee before going into the spinning toe hold as he gives Tama his back that is enough to push him off and send him crashing to the floor. That was such a good transition spot. Tama, still selling the knee, takes Martel and runs him headfirst into the steel ring post. Haku adds some shots for good measure. Tama hits his flying reverse elbow, but he is still selling and is frustrated with only a two count. Tama knows he needs to contain Martel's explosiveness slaps on a Vulcan Nerve Pinch. Martel hope spot is ended by a Tama knee lift who immediately winces in pain and tries for another cover off the knee drop. Much like Martel using a toe hold as his base, Tama is working the Vulcan Nerve Pinch. At this point, both guys are in such a groove that they still have me enthralled with their energy in the hold and another hope spot. This time Tama punches Martel in the face on his sunset flip. A Tama clothesline gets two and it is back to the nerve pinch. This time it looks like our French Canadian hero is fading. The Garden just wont let him die and a third time is a charm...Martel crashes and burns on his reverse cross body and now Tama is just relentless with the stomps and tosses Martel to the outside. He rams Martel's head against the apron. Martel just keeps coming. Haku now rams him headfirst into the ramp. This match is so fuckin good. Tama brings Martel in with the vertical suplex and Martel kicks out again. YOU CANT HOLD DOWN RICKY MARTEL!!!! Martel ducks a clothesline and hits a kneelift on Tama. Tama with some more, but Martel is coming back with strikes. Tama bodyslam and misses the diving headbutt. Lefts by the southpaw, Martel and a back body drop. ITS RICKY MARTEL TIME, MUTHAFUCKAS!!! Tama begs off and Martel connects with the reverse elbow that sends Tama to the floor. Martel gives Tama a taste of his own medicine ramming his head into the apron. Now he jerks the ropes so that Tama does a belly flop into the ring. That was a frigging awesome spot. Tama is now tied up in the ropes and Martel does a running headbut to Tama's midsection. Haku helps him get out, but Martel catapults Tama into Haku. This only gets 2, surprisingly, great false finish. Martel reverses a crossbody into a pinning combination. Martel celebrates like he just won the World Title. The dastardly Islanders double team and where is Tom Zenk?!?!?!? That coward. Islanders hit their double headbutt. The refs try to break up this mugging, but Islanders are relentless. Ricky, dont be a hero! You need to find a friend in arms to combat these nefarious Islanders. This is a strong WWF MOTYC for 1987 and I think I might vote it over Savage/Steamboat right now. This is truly an incredible match on par with Martel's AWA matches against Bockwinkel, Saito and Jumbo and a real testament to Martel's natural babyface charisma and his relentless work ethic. This did not feel as segmented as so many 1980s WWF matches, but a true struggle where they constantly mixed in hope spots with their sound psychology. I can not wait for the next chapter in this feud. ARRIBA! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick Martel vs Haku - 8/87 MSG Both Islanders play King of the Mountain and won't let Rick Martel into the ring. Ricky is like two can play at that game and goes to back to bring out Tito Santana! STRIKE FORCE, BABY~! This angle has been excellent and the addition of Tito as Martel's partner due to Zenk's departure only makes it better. Gorilla explains that during of the Islander's 2 on 1 muggings of Martel, Tito made the save from the Spanish Announce Team. After a great 3 year run anchoring the upper midcard, it only made sense to use Tito in a new capacity as he stil something to give as a major babyface player. The British Bulldogs were withering in the face of injuries, so by pairing the recently AWA World Heavyweight Champion and recent WWF Intercontinental Cheampion made Strike Force an instant babyface superteam. The Islanders started off as their establishment feud with the Hart Foundation & Bulldogs wrapped up their feud. Strike Force went over the Hart Foundation to establish themselves as the number one babyface tag team only to drop the titles at Wrestlemania IV to establish Demolition as the lead heel team. Man, I miss this Vince, just really simple, but highly effective booking. In the summer of 1987, Rick Martel is my pick for the best wrestler in the WWF. As I mentioned in the last match, he is working as if he is still the AWA World Champion, who is hot at the heel's underhanded tactics. Martel & Haku begin the match off hot with a BIG Martel cross body block. Martel just starts throwing hands because he aint gonna take it, anymore! My favorite aspect of this match is the sense of struggle as both men are constantly attacking each other, but not in a way that is hapahazard or chaotic. One examples is early when Martel sets early for a back body drop and Haku pounces leading you to think Haku will capitalize, but Martel cartwheels out of a Haku back body drop and hits a hurricanrana, which he punctuates with some punches to Haku's skull. When Haku takes over, he does have to work very hard to keep Martel because Martel just wont stop moving forward. He uses a chinlock effectively and follows up with a back suplex. However when Haku gets a bit careless and gives Martel that separation by Irish WHipping him into the corner, Martel responds with reverse cross-body off the second rope. That is the story of this match, Haku has to stay on top of Martel. One lapse in Haku's offnese and Martel will explode. In a desperation maneuver, Haku grabs Martel's trunks and throws him out of the ring. Martel seems more pissed that hurt on the outside. Haku brings Martel in the hard way with a vertical suplex. Haku misses his second rope headbutt and here comes the signature Martel left and Martel is on fire. Martel gets cocky trying the rana again, cardinal wrestling sin, Haku dumps him headfirst onto the top turnbuckle for his infraction. Haku with a diving headbutt only gets two and he drapes him over the second rope to choke him. Tama hits the prone Martel with a chair. In a rare WWF mistake, we actually miss the pinfall as we focus on the proud Tama. Tito rushes to the ring to make the Islanders pay for their transgressions and ensure Martel's safety as he actually does a stretcher job off the chair shot. They have put some serious heat on this feud and have really built their first tag encounter well. I am sitting here twenty five years in the future and I can not wait for the first Strike Force vs Islanders match. -------------------------------------------------------------- Strike Force vs The Islanders - 9/87 MSG Holy shit! How has no one ever told me of this match before. This match was an instant classic for me and currently one of my favorite matches. Before the match (shown on MSG Classics), Mean Gene shows a clip from Superstars where Tito gets assaulted by the Islanders due to him saving Martel from an earlier attack. So it is now personal between all four men. They do not wait for the formal ring introductions as Strike Force storms the ring and KATIE BAR THE DOOR BECAUSE THERE IS A PIER-SIX BRAWL A BREWIN!!! Islanders bail and Heenan leaves his hand on the apron and Strike Force stomps each hand. Then Martel brings in Tama the hard way who does a belly flop into the ring. A Martel dropkick send Tama over the top rope. I am loving every bit of this and so is the Garden. Tama asks for time out, bitch please. Martel ducks a corner shot and he levels him. They set up the arm bar as the base of their attack with Tito coming off the ropes with an elbow to Tama's elbow and then swiftly knocking Haku off the apron. Tito leapfrogs over Tama and then turns around leveling Tama with a clothesline. Tama breaks up the armbar with headbutts and he tags Haku in. Haku promptly misses his big elbow. Time for him to play pinball for Strike Force. Once again, the armbar is the base with Martel using his speed. This is the best face shine sequence I have seen save for the MX/RNR Wrestlewar '90, which is also wicked fun. All good things must come to an end and while the ref's back is turned, Tama comes off the top rope with an illegal forearm on Tito to set up the heat segment. Tama hits a wicked reverse elbow. The Islanders do all the good stuff: double teaming, choking with the tag rope, and false hot tag. Haku hits a monster superkick, but Tito kicks out at two. Haku goes for the kill with a SOMERSAULT SPLASH, but misses. TITO MAKES THE HOT TAG!!! THE GARDEN EXPLODES! ITS RICKY MARTEL TIME, MUTHAFUCKAS!!! He is one man wrecking crew, but as he has Tama in a pinning predicament Haku blasts Martel with the ref distracted. Haku vehemently chokes Martel with his foot. Tama had Martel scouted on his reverse cross body. Martel has been watching his share of film too and avoids the second rope headbutt. The ref busy with keeping Tito out of the ring allowed Haku to hit Martel with a headbutt and throw Tama out to get the pin. I loved this match. It was bell-to-bell action with great face/heel dynamics. When you have watched the whole angle progress you just couldnt wait to see Strike Force manhandle The Islanders that is what you get in the outset. The Islanders are no slouches in the offense department and really work a solid heel tag team. They could be a bit more vicious and there were times they were, but this is late 80s WWF so given the circumstances it was good enough. Santana and Martel are two of the best babyfaces of all time and holy shit is Rick Martel a MONSTER hot tag. I have this as my favorite 80s tag team match topping the Bulldogs/Dream 2 Out Of 3 Falls SNME match. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strike Force vs The Islanders - 10/87 MSG 2 Out of 3 Falls Strike Force try to start off early, but the Islanders are wary of this and bail. Bock is on commentary again and does not know what to make of it when Gorilla posits that The Brain maybe in drag somewhere in the building. Neither do I, Bock. Was there an angle at the time? There is obviously the Weasel Suit, but I know nothing of drag. Anyways, Strike Force starts off hot with Strike Force controlling the action. They use a headlock as a base in this match. Tito hits a pretty sweet Thesz Press that only gets two. Haku catches Martel with a back suplex while in the headlock shades of Mr. Saito. Tama and Haku do some double teaming on Martel. Martel is a lot better than most WWF babyfaces in working underneath by mixing in hope spots. He tags in Tito who immediately goes in for the kill with the Figure-4. However, the Islanders break it up. Haku sends Tito crashing to the floor and as pay back attacks Tito's right knee. THIS AINT MEXICO, HAKU!!! Tama follows this up by stomping the left knee. This leads to a continuity problem the rest of the match as Tito & Haku are on the same page with the right knee psychology, but Tama works over the left knee. The knee psychology is sound and refreshing in this match up. Tito maybe a bit better at selling than Martel as he is really milking this injury. The Islanders are really relentless making this a very dramatic segment. Martel gets fed up with this, but inadvertently allows The Islanders to hit their double diving headbutt to pick up the first fall. There should be a short respite in between the falls, but the Islanders want to keep the full court press on Tito's knee. So Martel stands over the fallen, hurt Tito challenging to take both the Islanders on at the same time. It is just a great visiual and I am a total sucker for things like this as it is such great drama. The second fall is wicked short as they work on the knee briefly before Martel reverses a cradle attempt for Strike Force to even it up. THE CROWD ERUPTS!! The babyface cheating is justified by the Islanders being total assholes constantly blindsiding Tito and Martel throughout the build-up. They do same angle during the respite. Haku just slaps Tito around a bit to start. At this point, Gorilla notices the leg discontinuity, he claims that Haku is the one who fucked up by going after the right leg even though Tito had been selling the right leg. But like most Americans, he was accustomed to left side work so did not notice that Tito was selling the right leg. The Islanders go for the kill with the double headbutt, but Thou Shalt Not Hit The Same Spot In The Same Match In America. ITS RICKY MARTEL TIME, MUTHAFUCKAS~! THE GARDEN IS ROCKING!!! Backdrop, strikes, reverse crossbody. Haku thinks he has Martel, but YOU CANT HOLD DOWN RICK MARTEL and he moves out of the way causing Tama to send Haku crashing to the apron and Martel to get the reverse sunset flip victory. STRIKE FORCE WINS!!! Martel does his usual I just won the World Title celebration! I would say this is below the September tag match, which just had so much more action and really showed how much Strike Force wanted to pummel The Islanders. I liked the drama with Tito's knee, but it just felt a little too compressed. Plus I would have liked a little bit more definitive ending like a Boston Crab or cross body block to really put Strike Force over. That being said, they had the Garden with them every step of the way. This series has had incredible heat. This would be my WWF Feud of the Year and best Tag Feud I have seen from 80s WWF. This is just really classic stuff and just a great representation of why Martel was a such an incredible wrestler in the 80s.

Rick Martel (eventually Tito Santana) vs The Islanders is the best Tag Team feud if not the best feud of the Hulkamania era. It had excellent heat throughout with Martel first saying he would fight The Islanders alone due to Zenk departure in singles matches, but he would keeping getting mugged after the matches. So eventually Tito joined him to form Strike Force and then Tito would get assaulted 2 on 1. Not only was the build great and it had the Garden rocking for every match, but the Martel singles and the tag matches were some of the best quality WWF matches in that era. Outside of Steamboat/Savage, I really cant think of a feud that delivered both in and outside of the ring as well as Strike Force vs The Islanders in the late 80s WWF.

Basically, Mrs. Piper thought Flair spent too much time carousing around town with his fans when he ought to be at home spending time with the kids of his fourth wife. Is Fifi The Maid his current wife? Anyways, her plan was to make him go to the grocery store incognito so that he could get a taste of normalcy. This seems fine but then they slapped that ridiculously fake mustache on his face. My parents thought that was a howl though so maybe that was the idea. Flair was selling the show for all its worth. My favorite line was "I just bought ham. I don't even eat ham." that made all of us laugh. Piper seems a pretty cool dude when he is subdued and not a total spaz. Flair has all the problems that we know. Piper's problems is that he is a bit of a cheapskate and he lets his wife do all the chores around the farm/ranch.

Since I went through most of first Bret's heel run, the singles match of choice is definitely the Savage SNME match. The only thing I have seen pre-1988 from him that I would rate 4 stars. Granted, I have seen zero Stampede. From his heel tag work, there is Strike Force match from MSG I just watched, which I thought was really good, a good Rougeaus match from Boston, the Islanders match from MLG and a Bulldogs match. Going back and watching this stuff, the Hart Foundation/Bulldogs has to be up there with Dynamite/Tiger Mask as one of the most overrated series in wrestling. The Bulldogs were much better against the Dream Team and I liked the Hart Foundation as faces though I have to review those matches again at some point. I have mentioned this before, but Bret comes off as a great worker destined for big things that is being reigned in. I understand the arguments that other wrestlers have done more with 10-12 minutes and short time should not be a hindrance, but I think when you look what is being asked of him by Vince he delivered in spades time in and time out.

The one thing 80s wrestling has going for it is that it is short. Between watching those AJ matches and then writing the reviews, the time consumption is just too much. I wanted to finish the Bulldogs WWF career and the Hart Foundation up to the babyface turn so I am going to back to those projects. WWF World Tag Champions Hart Foundation vs Strike Force - 11/87 Superstars This is the quintessential Hart Foundation match as it is very neatly segmented over 10 minutes with emphasis on the heat segment. Strike Force looks like they are off to the lawns of Wimbledon with their all white outfits, but instead took a detour to trade hands. Looks can be deceiving as we all know Martel and Santana are two of the best. I have really enjoyed Martel's work in the AWA against the likes of Bock, Jumbo and Saito. I was looking forward to his performance, unfortunately, in such a short match he was limited to the hot tag. He did get in a nice dropkick at the beginning that popped the crowd. Tito came in and slugged it out with Anvil before eating the classic blind knee to the back while he was running the ropes. We enter the heat segment, which takes up the majority of the match, which is well executed. The Hart Foundation cheat effectively with chokes and throws to the outside by the ref's back. They hit their secondary finisher (Demolition Decapitation), but that is not enough. Bret ends up taking the Bret Bump to quite the pop and the crowd is whipped into frenzy for Martel. This is what I have been waiting and Martel comes in hits his reverse cross body block off the second rope, which Bret breaks up. Strike Force retaliates with a double slam and Martel puts him in the Boston Crab for the win. I just watched a ton of 1996 WCW with the likes of Benoit, Eddie, Malenko and Jericho. I was dizzy with the all the offense being thrown out and the lack of structure. Then I watched this and while it was comforting to me to see someone really heel it up. The structure was just too neat. There were no Tito hope spots. There was no sense of struggle. It was just we are going to execute shine->heat->comeback and that's it. It is four pros and the match was fine and entertaining. Yet it left me wanting more. The green is always greener on the other side. I cant get no satisfaction. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WWF World Tag Champs Strike Force vs The Hart Foundation - 11/87 MSG From what I have seen, this is the best match from heel run of the Hart Foundation. It should come as no surprise as Tito Santana & Rick Martel are not two of the best babyfaces of the 80s, but of all time. Plus this had Bock on commentary!!! I did not know Bock was ever in the WWF. He had no singular gems that stood out just added a lot of intelligence to usually bereft of intelligence WWF commentary team. The early story of the match told very well by commentary was that Bret is a technical wizard, but can be a mental marshmallow in there. Once things start going against him he is too easily rattled. After some early successes against Martel, he takes two armdrags and bails to the outside tagging Anvil. It was a nice little story early. Strike Force work the headlock against the Foundation. Martel executes a headlock on Bret that would make Backlund jealous. Before it gets too entrenched in "heel in peril", Tito executes a small package and that brings him too close to Hart corner. Bock thought that was awfully dumb. Tito takes some offense before Bret takes his signature bump into Tito's knee this time, which was a cool variation. Martel is a house of fire. He definitely one of the best at throwing strikes with both hands. Too often wrestlers try to use their off-hand and those are the strikes that look wicked awful. However, his zeal betrays him as Anvil holds down the top rope and he tumbles over onto the exposed concrete. Anvil whips him back first into the railing and Bret follows up with a backbreaker. Everything is against Martel's ribs & lower back with an Anvil bearhug. There are more hope spots than usual in a Hart Foundation match. Martel got a Oklahoma roll and he was really working to get out from underneath the Hart Foundation onslaught. Bret was going to what would become his stock moves: 2nd rope elbow and vertical suplex with of course liberal choking and switching. They do a great false tag with Martel firing up out of the corner only for Bret to pick his ankle right before he can get to Tito. Martel is able to whip Anvil into the ropes which sends Bret on the apron flying to take the Pillman bump on the railing. Now Tito is in and he clocks the Anvil with the flying forearm and Bret comes in only to elbow his partner. Strike Force hits a double clothesline and Martel goes for the Boston Crab on the big man, but nothing doing as Bret breaks it up. Tito with the Flying Burrito on Bret. Then they whip the Hart Foundation into each other Boston crab this time locked in on the Anvil, but Bret blindsides him with the megaphone drawing the DQ. Harts lay a beating on them post-match. This match was all-action for about 15 minutes with both teams playing their roles excellently. Strike Force looking to overcome the cheating of the Hart Foundation with their speed and heart. The Hart Foundation look to take back their titles by any means necessary. I was going to say this was the best WWF Tag of the 85-87 era, but then I remembered some of Bulldogs/Dream Team matches being better. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy Savage & Tag Champs Strike Force vs IC Champ HonkyTonk Man & Hart Foundation - Steel Cage 3/88 Boston Garden This match was too intriguing for me to pass up. Plus I am a sucker for Savage matches that I have never watched before. Besides the famous HonkyTonk/Savage SNME match, I do think I have ever seen the HTM in action. It is so weird seeing Santana & Savage on the same team. The match starts off hot and everybody is using Strike Force's t-shirts to choke each other out. Anvil looks to escape through the door, but Tito punches him in the face a couple times and leaps over him, which would be a decent finish to a cage match. Anvil takes this opportunity to also waltz out. Martel throws The Hitman hard into the cage in one of the best spots of the match. The babyfaces whip the heels into each other and they take this opportunity to try to escape together. However, Savage is too slow and is caught while Martel escapes. This leaves Savage alone with two people in the ring. I liked the psychology of that as it was the best time for both babyfaces to try to escape as opposed to Martel just randomly leaving Savage high and dry. Hart exclaims "Piece of Cake!" and Lord Alfred thinks he said "Watch the Gate!". Gorilla not missing a beat jumps on him for that one as I have a chuckle. Hart leaves and Honky Tonk looks to have a little bit more fun with his arch-nemesis only for Savage to get his second wind and start taking it to Honky. Honky tries to go over the cage, but Savage pulls his back in by his greased up Johnny Bravo quaff. They do the spot where the guy lays on the top rope and someone kicks him in the guy only Honky is laying across the cage. That is one of those spots that looks cooler in your mind than it did in execution. A spot that never fails is Honky crotching himself on the top rope and Savage climbing over the cage for a victory. It was a fun match with good psychology one inventive spot: HTM lay across the cage while Savage kicks him. It was much better once it became more focused on Savage's struggle to overcome the odds. As such, this is more of a Savage showcase than a Bret match. It does display how amazing Savage is as a babyface in peril and how his comebacks really whip up the crowd. You could feel Savage is being positioned as the lead babyface for the year.

Watching Benoit unload his offense on Sting seemed weird to me. I started watching wrestling in August of 1997 and I really bought into the Glass Ceiling I never know Benoit even faced Sting at this point. I really dug it and thought they had good chemistry. One point when Sting was coming back on Benoit and it was some the most vicious stuff Id seen from him outside of the Vader matches. Would like more Savage and Luger in the match, but Sting looked really good. I guess that is what next week is for. I thought Luger delivered one of his better promos but he always sounded like suffered from severe dry mouth so the bar is pretty low for him. Savage was awesome per usual. Then we had Sting the Astrologer, what the fuck, dude. Though I cant believe a Fortune Teller/Astrologer gimmick has not been done in wrestling. It would be a perfect manager gimmick.

I was a little underwhelmed by the match. Luger seemed to be in full on lazy WCW babyface mode. Take heat for the whole match and then comeback with a couple moves. Bubba looked gassed halfway through. Hogan's promo ruled. I really liked Nitro's format at this point as it was still very wrestling-oriented and used the matches to explain why people were in the ring to talk rather than just randomly having people walk out. Like last RAW before the PPV, where they were advertising Cena/Ryback Face-TO-Face. It is a live show how do you know that it is going to happen? Why should it happen? Matches should be booked, but promo segments for the most part should be motivated by matches. Hogan's promo was also bitchin as all hell.

Double A's heat segment was actually pretty good. But it felt old-school in this match as opposed to the norm. You felt distracted the entire match by looming appearance by The Outsiders. Incredible promos by Sting & Macho Man.

After watching a slew of classic matches with likes of the Rock N Roll Express, Vader, Sting, Benoit, Windham, Blanchard, I decided to go back to AJ Styles. I was a little worried he would not hold up. WHO AM I TO DOUBT AJ STYLES???? TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels - Final Resolution 2009 Daniel puts in a career performance and AJ puts on a performance that is on par with his best. This match is worked so much differently than most TNA matches as they let spots breathe, use strikes effectively to set up spots and has psychology. I was really floored how friggin good this match was. The story is how AJ would overcome Daniels' combination of ruthlessness and familiarity with his moves. Daniels takes advantage of two early rope breaks to take cheap shots at Styles. He also is able to counter an AJ kip up by sitting down on an armbar and pick an ankle on a criss-cross spot because he knows AJ just that well. They really work the mat effectively I wish they would work this way more often. When AJ does take control because Daniels gets cocky he really lets the fists let and talks some trash to Daniels. Hate in a TNA match??? Whaaaaaattttttt? When Daniels regains control, he sets up AJ to get smacked with a chair and as the ref discards that chair he Rock Bottoms AJ through an chair. This sets up the back psychology and a really fuckin good heat segment. AJ gets a hope spot and goes up top to capitalize, but Daniels wails on his back. Then Daniels manages to hoist AJ up and basically do a backbreaker but use the top turnbuckle as his knee. If you are going to do innovative spots, then at least make them violet and that fit in perfectly. AJ re-establishes control by hitting a nasty powerbomb on Daniels onto the floor when Daniels tries to hit a huricanrana. AJ follows up with more strikes and trash talk. This does not feel like a TNA match at all and the TNA crowd does not how to react. Daniels uses AJ's own momentum against him crotches him on the ropes. Now Daniels is using some wicked open hand palm strikes. They fuck up a super Franeknsteiner. They fight over a suplex and AJ hits a wicked brainbuster. They struggle over Styles Clash; AJ kicks him the back and Daniels with open hand strikes. Daniels rakes the eyes to set up BME. AJ gets a catapult and then follows up with a Styles Clash kickout. AJ gets set up on top ropes; Daniels hits a big palm strike; goes for another super Frankensteiner this time he eats a super Styles Clash. This match unlike most TNA matches actually followed the story of the angle. It was two wrestlers pissed off at each other trying to prove they were better than the other. Daniels was great at heeling it up and he left most of the goofy moves at the door. He was out to use his guile and experience to best AJ. He started off really working the arm well before zeroing in on the back with ferocity rarely seen in TNA. AJ is such a great babyface at both selling and those fiery comebacks. His punches were really on point and he too did not work all his usual offensive spots and instead focusing on executing moves that fit the match and would finish his opponent. I liked the finish a lot because it combined smart escalation (Top Rope Styles Clash) with Daniels going to the well once too often (2nd attempt at Super Frankensteiner). Elite AJ Matches 1. TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels - Final Resolution 2009 2. AJ Styles vs Abyss - Lockdown 2005 3. X-Division Champion AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe - Turning Point 2005 4. X-Division Champion Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels - Against All Odds 2006 5. TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe - Turning Point 2009 6 TNA World Tag Team Champions America's Most Wanted vs AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels - Slammiversary 2006

I remember picking up the Benoit DVD as soon as it came out and I was totally awestruck by this match. This is SPEED personified. There are other workers that could execute these moves, but I do not think anybody could execute these moves at this speed and intensity as cleanly. The arm psychology was perfect with Eddie as the face and Benoit the aggressor and played into the finish so well. It is one of my favorite matches of all time and I would probably pick it as the Best Nitro Match Ever.