Superstar Sleeze

Lol! I popped for that one! I think I may actually get to that before New Years. We will see!

The Rockers vs Powers of Pain w/Mr. Fuji - MSG 1/90 This could be my favorite match of all time. It is such a perfect David vs Goliath match. Marty Jannetty gives one of the greatest performances of all time. This one has been pimped in the 1990 yearbook and very rightfully so. This is the Rockers' David vs Goliath masterpiece. They have the incredible sprint against the Brainbusters, a dramatic "face vs face" tag match with the Hart Foundation, a wicked entertaining light-hearted match with Rougeaus, a speed vs power Championship match with Demolition, bloodbath against Rose & Somers and an ultra-hot PPV opener against the Orient Express. (Yes, I mention this all to build to upcoming post on why the Rockers are worthy to be in the discussion with the Rock n Rolls). This takes on a different dynamic than the Demolition. The Demolition match reminded me how the RnRs wrestled the Russians it was speed versus power, but not necessarily size. In those matches, the heel teams use their power to attack specific body parts and work holds. This match worked more like a David vs Goliath spotfest (I mean that in a good way). The Powers of Pain are just throwing out all these badass bombs to defeat the Rockers. The Rockers are attempting to overcome pure power and are treated more like smaller wrestlers in this match. Out of all their classic matches, this has to be the most surprising because Powers of Pain really did suck. Look, Barbarian has the raw talent, but did not seem to pull altogether into one solid match until this match where he looked like the next big power heel in the WWF. Hell, the fuckin' Warlord looked great in this match. Jesus, if that is not an achievement I do not what is. Barbie chucks Shawn around early to establish the power advantage. Marty crossbody blocks Shawn on top of Barbie to demonstrate that the Rockers will need to use teamwork and tricks to overcome this power advantage. The Rockers clear the ring with a series of double teams done continuing the theme of teamwork including a Marty dropkick to help Shawn over on a rana and they tabletop Warlord. When they cleared the ring with the double dropkicks and double superkicks. The crowd went nuts. Such a hot moment. I really loved the dropkick/tabletop combo. That was my favorite spot of the shine. Warlord catches Marty with a wicked powerbomb eventually the Rockers were going to get caught and POP made them pay. Let the shit kicking commence. HOLY SHIT! The height that Marty takes on that back body drop needs to be seen. I marked out so hard for that again. I totally forgot about that. Holy shit now they just throw Marty up in the air and let him land hard on the canvas. It should be noted that Marty's ribs are taped so this gives the POP something to focus on while they beat the ever loving shit out of him. Barb hits a wicked headbutt on Marty's back. KICK OF FEAR sends Marty to the outside to take a cane shot from Fuji and Barbie rams him back first into the post. Marty shows his dogged determination by throwing ineffectual punches at Warlord's chest. Marty is starting build a little momentum but keeps getting quashed. He really needs to tag. BARBARIAN HITS A MASSIVE POWERSLAM AFTER CATCHING MARTY! This match rules! This onslaught ends when Barb missed second rope elbow. Shawn sunset flips Warlord, but Marty clothesline him, it is all about teamwork! In all the chaos, Shawn gets tripped by Fuji's cane and as he is getting up Barbie stops him in his tracks with an elbow for the win. Shawn in a fit of rage (Shawn temper tantrum? No way, right?) dropkicks Fuji, but Powers of Pain take control and beat the ever-loving shit out of Marty with the cane and a Hart Attack. I love this match in a string of great Rockers performances this one stands out for how concentrated they were on telling the teamwork story and how great Marty was at eating all the POP offense. For one match, Barbarian took all this athletic spots finally lived to his potential with some great work throughout the heat segment into the finish. Killer match right up there with Rockers best stuff and a contender for best Hulkamania Era WWF tag team match. Easily the WWF Match of the Year of 1990. ****1/4

WWF Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect vs Roddy Piper - MSG 12/18/90 Been meaning to watch this for years because it is such an interesting match on paper. You never hear any talk about the Perfect vs Piper feud or any of their matches. Then when you do a little digging you find a lot of people see this as the WWF Match of the Year for 1990 (a pretty weak year admittedly). The other reason I was curious is because neither one of these men are offensive dynamos so I was curious to see what a match between these two would look like. Well it is filled with shenanigans and gaga so I fucking loved it! I love a lot of hijinx and this match was chock full of that. It felt very Memphis. Piper spits and smacks Perfect in the face and just rag dolls him for the first five minutes or so. Perfect loves being thrown by his hair. This features a lot of hair pulling and hair biels. Perfect is bumping like a madman for Piper. Piper hits him with a chair and feigns a ball shot only to poke him in the eyes. This is really great. My favorite part is Piper blocks a ballshot by catching Perfect's arm mid-swing. This needs to be done more often. Perfect is so overwhelmed. He has the perfect face throughout just one of "what the hell did I get myself into" and I loved him his slumping back into the ropes. The double clothesline is a pretty trite way to level the playing field. Perfect cements his advantage by exposing the turnbuckle and slamming Piper's head into it. Yep a lot of gaga! Hennig jabs the chair into Piper's head. I love their flagrant disregard for the rules. We dont have any offense so we just use gimmicks liberally and I love it because it feels exciting and fresh. Perfect applies a long sleeper. Then we get a lot of nearfall trading which I actually didnt care for. I much rather them continue to basically do a Rat Boy vs Rat Boy match rather than a low-rent Misawa vs Kawada. The kneelift spot was weird. It looked like neither really connected. So did Perfect miss or did Piper no-sell and hit his own. Perfect hitting the Fisherman Suplex and Roddy kicking out is so Piper. The finish sucked. Piper shakes the ropes and Perfect gets crotched and counted out while on the top rope. Yes thats technically a countout, but I think a bump to the floor and then a ten count would have been better. They do some gaga post-match with belt with both men playing tugging of war and then Piper swinging it around. Piper wins this fight and leaves the belt with Perfect. Highly entertaining match back when pro wrestling was about entertaining via fun rather than MOVEZ! So you know I dug this. Piper was on fire and had that wild eye look. I loved his rulebreaking abuse of Perfect. Perfect sold and bumped his ass off. As a cheater vs cheater match this was great and people really should see it. Finish was too lackluster for me to call this great. ***3/4

Pro Wrestling Love is back! Yes, Pro Wrestling Love makes its triumphant return right before Christmas to give you plenty to enjoy on Christmas Day. This volume is basically a tribute to the creative genius that is Brock Lesnar as three of his matches make it. In addition, we have the classic Eddie Guerrero vs JBL bloodbath and in my opinion the ultimate feel good moment in WWE history as Eddie Guerrero wrestles Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship. All this and much, much more in Pro Wrestling Love vol. 20! https://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2018/12/pro-wrestling-love-vol-20-best-of-wwe.html

World Heavyweight Champion Triple H vs Shawn Michaels - RAW 12/29/03 I promised a more fleshed out review of this classic and away we go, three years after the fact. I watched this match live in a hotel room in South Carolina and I will never forget that. Even at 14, I knew I saw something special. First 15 minutes: This is the best 80s NWA Touring Match to not take place in the 80s. It is Triple H doing his best Ric Flair impersonation (and I mean that with respect & admiration) against the literal hometown hero in Shawn Michaels (this takes place in San Antonio). Shawn Michaels outwrestles Triple H early. I am a mark for people holding onto their headlocks through a shove off. Shows struggle and grit. Nice job, Shawn. Triple H takes some big bumps for Shawn. HHH was very keen on throwing Shawn to the outside to reset and gain some space. However, on the first attempt this led to a skinning of the cat headscissors that brought Trips to the floor. Shawn hams it up with a Flair strut and the crowd is going wild. Flair gets pissed. Shawn decks him. Then it is an Asai reverse crossbody. It is cookin' San Antonio. Some other great spots in this red-hot shine are Triple H blocking a hiptoss so Shawn switches arms to the armdrag. That should be cribbed. It is shows resilience and the ability to think on your feet. Another spot that should be cribbed is Triple H is straddling the ropes and Shawn casually kicks the middle ropes into his balls. Triple H is pissed and Shawn wins another slugfest. This may not be Flair vs Garvin, but I like the frequency of the slugfests because it gives it a feel of struggle and it gives Shawn a bunch of mini-battles to win. Shawn takes a massive back drop over the top rope to floor to begin the heat segment as we go to commercial. Damn good heat segment. Lots of focus on the back, plenty of hope spots that make you believe Shawn is still in it and strong cutoffs. I like Shawn trying to punch his way out trouble because that had been working, but Triple H nails a backbreaker. Shawn is so tenacious. Triple H hurls him outside the ring and whips him hard into the steel steps. Both guys are playing their roles perfectly. Long abdominal stretch with Flair pulling on Triple H. They do that great Tommy Young spot where he breaks their clasp with a kick and Shawn hiptosses out. Triple H hits his massive high knee to cut off, but lands awkwardly. Great selling here from Triple H. It is just enough to clue you in that something is up, but not too much that it hurts the flow of the match. Shawn nails a kneecrusher and goes for the figure-4. It is really feels like 1986, baby! Flair rakes the eyes. Really great shine to open just chock full of fun spots. The heat segment was rock solid, but they added the wrinkle here with Triple H, the heel is the one with the injury. How will the back half of the match go? Back half: They built to an awesome crescendo in this. Like I said earlier I do like the frequency of the slugfests. It is action that means something rather being in a hold or just doing another highspot. They are mini-battles that advance the plot and show Shawn's pugnacious attitude. I really liked the testicular abuse that Triple H underwent. It is the perfect bit of 80s camp and lightheartedness that keeps the match entertaining. Today's pro wrestling is missing the gaga as Steve Austin would call it. Shawn accidentally falling and headbutting Triple H in the balls or the repeated inverted atomic drops were great. I love HHH Brody'ing Shawn on those. He did not take a bump instead he fed for the Flying Burrito to get the maximal effect out of that spot. Kudos to Triple H on a wise decision. Flying Elbow Drop! Tuning up the band and here is more gaga! We get a ref bump and the Championship belt shot...1-2-NO! Ref bump again! HHH exposes the turnbuckle but per Pro Wrestling #57 he who sets up the spot must take the spot means that HHH eats the unforgiving steel and is bleeding. Eric Bischoff, who I am 99% sure is a heel, comes out and counts 1-2-NO for the Hometown Kid! Shawn blocks the inverted atomic drop out of the corner, landing on his feet and decks The Game for 1-2-NO! Bischoff actually has a really good cadence and form. He is light years better than Hebner. HHH hits his facebuster for his nearfall. The finish see Michaels do the Flair Flip on the exposed turnbuckle, sell the back, BANG SWEET CHIN MUSIC! He falls into the cover and his shoulders are down to. 1-2-3! DRAW! Great Dusty Finish as San Antonio explodes as they think Shawn Michaels had won and Michaels sells the moment really well. Normally I hate Dusty Finishes, but this match was so 80s it just needed that Dusty Finish to make it feel extra nostalgic. , Michaels was the plucky Hometown hero firing away punches and going for broke. Triple H bumped and sold his ass off for Michaels. They really built to the finish well and there was a ton of gaga to hold you attention. Just the perfect 1980s NWA Touring match ****1/2

Strike Force vs The Islanders - 10/87 MSG 2 Out of 3 Falls I couldnt find this one either. 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. ****1/4

Strike Force vs The Islanders - 9/87 MSG This is the most heart-breaking of the matches I can no longer find. This is my favorite of the awesome Strike Force vs Islanders feud. 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. ****1/2

Rick Martel vs Haku - 8/87 MSG I couldnt find this match either. My review from five years ago. 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 rop 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. ***1/2

Rick Martel vs Tama - 7/87 MSG I cant find the match online anymore. This is my review from five years ago. I dont know that I would vote this over either Savage vs Steamboat matches or the Jumping Bomb Angels vs Glamour Girls match, but this is an insanely great match that if you can find it you must watch it. 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 (cartwheel) 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 frustarted 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 teh 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. 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! ****1/2

Strike Force vs Islanders - WWF Boston 10/03/87 I couldnt find any of the classic Strike Force vs Islanders matches I have reviewed. So I decided to check this out. Man, I have I said many times, many ways, Tama should have been a heel megastar. He is such a cocky asshole. He takes three king-sized bumps early. The biggest is off a dropkick over the top rope to the floor and then over the railing. Martel is such a joy to watch. He is always high-stepping his way into your heart. Tito Santana is a great blood feud worker. I loved him just punching Tama right in the face on a leapfrog. The heat segment is set up nicely by Martel knocking heads with Haku and falling back into enemy territory. Tama chokes him with the tag rope. Tama is the biggest douche and the best part is that he spits at Tito. Some really great Islanders offense paired with great heel tactics like slamming Martel's head into a ring post and a dropkick & shoulderbreaker by Haku. Haku misses a somersault splash. HERE COMES TITO! Big back body drop on Tama, he was up in the rafters! FLYING BURRITO! Haku makes the save. Strike Force double dropkick! Strike Force looks poised to win as Tito wraps Tama up in a figure-4, but as the ref is sending Martel out, Haku hits a king sized diving headbutt on a prone Tito. Haku pins Tito to win. Typically great Strike Force vs Islanders match not as good as their MSG classics as this is a bit shorter, but it is the three of the best workers of all time just ruling the ring. God I love Tama! ****

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. The best tag match of Hart Foundation's heel run. ***3/4

WWF Womens Tag Team Champions Glamour Girls vs Jumping Bomb Angels - MSG 11/24/87 Holy shit! Hart Foundation & British Bulldogs eat your hearts out, this is how you do a workrate match in the 1980s. You expect the MSG crowd to shit all over this, but they come out so blazing hot that all four women are immediately over with the Garden. I know watched this for Tag Teams Back Again, but this match blew me away all over again. It was the perfect combination of workrate and babyface/heel dynamics. I have no clue which Japanese girl is which and in fairness I have a hard time keeping track of the Glamour Girls. I just know Judy Martin as the woman with the Kick of Fear! The babyface shine is so amazing and in 1987 it was downright revolutionary. This is my point that it is not about the moves, it is about the energy and emotion. The moves the Jumping Bomb Angels used here would be passe now, but what makes this timeless is the energy and excitement with which they are hit. Those flying high knees and crossbodys are hit with such vigor that you are pumping your fist with all these New Yorkers. New York loses its shit for the top rope kneedrop and then top rope lucha armdrag. It was exhilarating. The Glamour Girls were great at stooging and acting discombobulated with all the powdering. They were also good at attacking first and forcing the Jumping Bomb Angels to overcome their offense. The transition to heat was great with one of the Jumping Bomb Angels missing a HUGE Top Rope Senton. The Glamour Girls were the perfect heels once they got control they stuck with hair pulling and choking. This heat segment had all the trappings of a great tag team match. Man, New York lost its shit on the false hot tag. They were pissed. They got even louder when one Jumping Bomb Angel saved the other from the Scorpion Deathlock. The ref held her back and that Angel was just going off on the ref. The crowd was molten hot! I love how into the match the Japanese girls were they. They really sold their emotional investment. Lots of good hope spots that kept you believing. I liked the ankle pick and all the roll ups. The best were the bridges out of the pins it really put over the strength and athleticism of the Jumping Bomb Angels. The Glamour Girls go for a JBA Sammich but the Japanese girl ducks and The Glamour Girls collides. HOT TAG! OH SHIT! Its on! I loved the stereo bridges out of the pin attempts and then throwing the Glamour Girls together. DOUBLE MISSILE DROPKICK! MSG LOST THEIR FUCKING MINDS! I AM RIGHT THERE WITH THEM! JBA COUNTS WITH HER OWN HAND! 1-2-3! IT DOESNT COUNT! 1-2-JUDY MARTIN BREAKS IT UP AND POWERBOMB! POWER-FUCKING-BOMB! 1-2-3 for the Glamour Girls! WOW! There is some sloppiness in the JBA's offense and the rollup constantly being the hope spot got a little old, but still HOLY SHIT WOW! The energy level was great, I loved the heat segment and that finish run is one of the best all time. This is a pretty famous match, but if you have not watched it, you got to do it. It is definitely one of the 100 best WWF matches of all time. ****1/2

Roddy Piper & Bob Orton vs Paul Orndorff & Bruno Sammartino - WWF Philly 9/28/85 KAL RUDMAN BAR THE DOOR! THERE IS A PIER-SIX BRAWL A BREWIN~! Wow! This was raucous mayhem. It is no surprise after watching this why ECW took off in Philly. These fans were lapping up this brawling with a spoon. All that was missing was the blood and I got to imagine they were saving that for next month. Dont know too much of the story, I know this was after Mania I when Mr. Wonderful had turned babyface and he was clearly outgunned 2-on-1 against Piper & Orton. So he got some back-up in the form of the Living Legend, Bruno Sammartino. This is an out-and-out brawl. It is basically a Texas Tornado match. It was a melee to start and just kept going. Tons of great bumping and stooging from the heels that made the faces looks great. I think my favorite spot was Wonderful grabbing the cast of Ace Orton and slamming it into Piper's head. I just thought of another one near the end when Wonderful is choking Piper out with the tag rope and Piper is so out of it he can not even eye poke him. I love how the heels needed to blatantly cheat to get an advantage: go for the eyes, the cast or the tape from the cast. Tons of brawling ringside. Some good heat on Sammartino by using the sleeper. I loved Wonderful saving once and then Bruno just going for the eyes. Fight fire with fire. The end of the match I thought we were going to get blood when Wonderful went off the post, but nada. Then Sammartino got slammed in the back of the head. The babyfaces get counted out and then throw a bunch of furniture in the ring to clear out Piper & Orton. Perfect match to get you pumped for next month's match, which I believe is a cage match and I bet a blood bath. ***1/2

Hi Paul, I updated the review to note that the majority of the review was written in 2013 but I just watched it last night and some different thoughts on it.

The British Bulldogs vs The Hart Foundation - 9/85 Very Good match! This one had the better shine than the July affair (agreed, that the shine of this was fantastic). The Hart Foundation really milks it and the Bulldogs are bringing their A game offense with Dynamite's catapult, Davey Boy's powerslam and victory roll. Bret does his knee lift to seemingly set up Davey Boy for a heat segment, but it is a pysch out as Dynamite comes in. Only this time, for Dynamite to run the ropes and take a blind knee to the back (a Hart Foundation staple). Dyanmite really throws himself into the bumps thats the good thing, but apparently thinks selling just consists of laying motionless. Bret hits his bodyslam on the outside. Bret and Davey Boy do a good chase sequence, which breaks up the heat segment nicely. The transition is the same as the previous match with Bret tying up Dynamite in the ropes and Bret eating ropes. I would be remiss to mention that they botch the Bret backbreaker->DK flip out->DK backbreaker spot, but thankfully they don't redo the spot. Davey Boy comes in and cant stop Irish Whipping people. The Hart Foundation love having their opponents Irish Whip Bret into Anvil or vice versa. That's the first time I have brought up the Anvil that just seems wrong because he has been entertaining, but I guess nothing noteworthy so far. Davey Boy hits his gorilla press slam, but the Hart Foundation counters into Demolition Decapitation and then a top rope version of the Hart Attack. However, while the ref was distracted Dynamite comes flying off with a diving headbutt and rolls Davey Boy on top. I can see why this match gets a ton of love. It feels very 90s workrate but ten years prior. You can see how much Stampeded influenced Jushin Liger & NJPW Juniors and the 90s WCW Workrate crew. I thought it was a ton of fun, but as usual needed more struggle. ***1/2

WWF World Tag Champs British Bulldogs vs The Hart Foundation 11/1/86 Editor's note: The majority of this review was written in 2013 but I watched it again recently and updated my thoughts. How much a difference five years makes? I thought the finish sucked the meat missile in this one, but five years ago I thought it added drama. I thought it was way too slow and plodding. Davey Boy was just hanging on the apron forever. The rollup was so slow. Just contrived all around. Last time we saw these teams face off was about a year ago. The Bulldogs have wrested the titles off the Dream Team in a fantastic and defended the title against the teams ye likes of Sheik & Volkoff. While the Hart Foundation matured as a team against the Killer Bees in some fun matches. The Hart Foundation trap Dynamite in the corner, but the fights out, which is one of my favorite early shine spots. Now we do Davey Boy vs Anvil, but Bulldog can't budge the Anvil and ends up taking a powerslam. This begins the heat segment a little bit earlier than I was prepared for. Yeah the shine was pretty lackluster and so was the transition The heat segment is a Best Of Hart Foundation spots collection. They are all there for your enjoyment: Anvil slingshotting Bret over the ropes, Demolition Decapitation, the blind knee to the back, Bret's bodyslam on the concrete, Bret irish whipping Anvil into his opponent. I like the Hart Foundation offense just fine, but have three major qualms. First, it made the match totally about the Hart Foundation. It felt like the Bulldogs were just any opponents taking the Hart Foundation's offense. It could have been the Killer Bees, Islanders or Rockers. I like when matches utilize the differences to make a unique match that only these two teams could have. Bret just seemed like he wanted to do "plug and play" in this match. Second, Davey Boy is no Ricky Morton. This could have been Bret eating him up, but some of the onus has to be on him to perform hope spots and make people notice him and not just be a rag doll out there. The first two points culminate in my last point, I hate how this match had no sense of struggle. When wrestling matches become exhibitions, they lose their gravitas. Exhibitions are useful in wrestling for getting over offense or gimmicks, but in title matches against established opponents I expect a sense of struggle towards victory, not neatly defined "my segment, your segment". That is what the Dream Team matches so much better is that there was a sense of struggle in the Wrestlemania and 2 Out of 3 Falls match with both teams working hard to overcome the other. I kept my complaining from five years ago in there because I do agree with myself, but that is a little harsh. The Hart Foundation had cool offense and it was nice just to see them bust out all their moves. Davey Boy did have some hope spots so it was not a total squash. Bulldog is able to pick up Bret and crotch him on the ropes (this is a GREAT transition!). Dynamite comes in and supplies the Bulldog offense for the match: hooking clothesline, snap suplex and diving headbutt. I loved the Bulldogs' arsenal against the Dream Team and think it was criminal that they didn't get to show it off here. Anvil wipes out the ref and tries to cheat to get Bret to win with lots of dramatic (2018 Martin: Slow) two counts. Before Davey Boy rolls up Anvil for the pinfall after an exaggerated count. Great showcase of the Hart Foundation offense nothing more, nothing less. ***

The Rockers vs The Brainbusters - 1/89 MSG This match is all about the Busters putting over the Rockers as the hot, new WWF tag team. Double A slaps Michaels and Michaels returns the favor showing he wont back down. Another fun spot is Tully tries to tag out while in a wristlock by having Arn tag his foot, but ref wont allow it. The babyface shine throughout is a really great combination of the Rockers' high octane offense and the BrainBusters' stooging. In an excellent sequence, both the Busters put top wristlocks on Marty, Marty skins the cat; dropkicks the both of them; slams Arn and gives Tully a double superkick. The Rockers are rolling. Tully, sensing things are getting out of hand, feigns extending an olive branch only to kick Marty. Jannetty gets an atomic drop onto Tully, but when Shawn enters the match in the confusion he misses a dropkick, but Shawn is able to get a hurricanrana on Arn and a double dropkick re-establish the Rockers on top. Shawn gives chase to Tully and Arn is lying in wait and Shawn eats a clothesline. I really like how it took a couple moves for the Brainbusters to earn their heat segment. Shawn Michaels did not just succumb at the first sign of trouble. He registered the pain and lost a step, but it was AA's clothesline on the outside that did him in. The Busters double team and choke Michaels, but they are not zeroing in one body part. Shawn's punches look so much better here than in the 00s. The Busters really did a great job during their heat segment, but I thought Michaels' selling was next level and really the hook & draw of this match. Tully/Shawn do to the bridge into backslide sequence that I have always liked. Shawn must have been over the moon working with Tully and especially doing that sequence. Shawn does the leap for the tag, but Tully catches him and gives him a reverse atomic drop. AA follows up with a spinebuster for 2. AA does his knucklelock sequence and Shawn gets his knees up. They both tag out. Tully is hilarious begging off for Marty. The Rockers get the rocket launcher, but Arn saves. As Marty goes to suplex Tully, Arn grabs Marty leg out from under him and holds down his tassel as Tully gets the pin. That would also be the finish for Rude/ Warrior Wrestlemania V match. I thought this was an excellent, action-packed Southern tag match that would have not looked out of place in Crockett at all. ****1/4

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin - 10/89 MLG Well this match did not sneak up on me as I knew how much I liked the Royal Rumble match. This is one of those "Katie Bar The Door, Pier-Six" Brawls, just a drag-out, burn-down, bare-knuckle slobberknocker. You can count the "wrestling moves" on one hand, but who gives a fuck because they bring the heat with every blow. Gorilla tells me Valentine is the one who asked for Garvin's reinstatement after he retired him. Lord Alfred says if he gets his ass handed to him that he would be "hoist on his own petard", which I had seen elsewhere and now know what it means. Who says wrestling can not be educational? biggrin.gif They lock up and Garvin wins a shoving contest in the corner. Then it turns into a boxing match with Garvin getting the better of that. Valentine tries coming in full bore with some vicious blows and chops, but Hands of Stone cannot be denied, well until Valentine gets a kick that may have been low. Valentine capitalizes on this immediately with elbows, but Garvin spreads his leg on a piledriver attempt. When Gorilla says look at that spread I get a chuckle out of it. Valentine piledrives him anyways, but only gets two. Here comes Garvin again with punches and chops; he attempts a pin after a headbutt/splash combo. Valentine backdrops Garvin on piledriver attempt, but Garvin tries a sunset flip however his legs are too short. Lord Alfred had a good laugh over that one. Garvin Stomp! The Sharpshooter gets blocked by an eye-rake and Valentine tosses him to the outside, we play a little King of the Mountain as Valentine sledges and elbows him. Garvin grabs a sleeper but he is just too damn short. He pokes him in the eyes and gnaws on his forehead. He goes for the kill with the Sharpshooter, but Valentine punches his way out. Garvin walks into a shinbreaker and Valentine applies his figure-4 leglock. Garvin makes the ropes, but is selling the leg for all it is worth. Valentine going for his second rope elbow gets caught and eats a press slam by a debilitated Ronnie Garvin. Garvin removes the shinguard and threatens to strike the Hammer with it, but in the confusion gets rolled up. Garvin beats him down the aisle way with the HeartBreaker. This was an ugly, brutal wrestling contest and I loved it. I will say that stand up wrestling matches like this are not my absolute favorite, but I do liked them every once and a while. This was a great change of pace from 80s WWF tag scene. I can only think that Savage, Backlund and Santana are serious contenders against him for best worker in the WWF 80s. Backlund obviously is missing half of the decade, but he did run on top for the whole first half. I have watched enough Santana to know he can have a few borefests or clunkers even though his stuff with Valentine, Savage and the Islanders is some of the best stuff of the 80s. Savage was not with the company as long as Valentine and Santana, but he obviously had some great stuff and in addition had a main event run. I am sure if started watching Savage again in earnest I would say he is the best, but Valentine is hard to deny with so many great performances. ****1/4

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Blue Blazer - 4/89 Boston WOW! I did not expect this match at all. Pretty much all the pre-94 Owen I have seen has been pretty disappointing as many have pointed out he works too much like a gymnast. He starts off with a backflip off the top turnbuckle and I expected much of the same throughout the match. Instead, we got a hard-hitting, focused and well-paced match. This is the type of match that convinces me that Valentine is the best WWF worker of the 80s. He really wrestles a smart match that makes the Blazer look incredible. The Blazer was a pretty cool gimmick and could have really cashed in on the superhero craze that is going on right now. Blazer targets Valentine's left arm with armdrags and wristlocks. He gets a nearfall with a cross body block. Blazer has dizzied Valentine with his speed and this is some of the best ground game I have seen in 80s WWF. Valentine is able to send the Blazer crashing to the outside. Valentine comes off the apron with a double axe handle. Owen sucks at selling as he kind of staggers around the outside and is not evoking sympathy rather just looks confused. Hammer plays King Of Mountain keeping Owen at bay with elbows and knees. Valentine hits him with a backbreaker and stomps. He wrenches his knee in the corner and he delivers vicious forearms. Blazer mounts a comeback with a second rope dropkick TIMBAAAAAH. Blazer fighting fire with fire using European uppercuts. He crashes and burns on a dropkick when Valentine hooks the ropes. Valentine realizing that the Blazer is for real wastes no time trying to apply the figure-4 but fails on all three occasions eventually crashing to the outside. Blazer seizing this opportunity works through a series of nearfalls attempting to secure the victory with a series of high spots including a missile dropkick and a top rope elbow drop. On his last move from the top, Valentine catches him and slams him for the victory. I loved this match! It really felt like two wrestlers struggling working hard to secure a victory. Blazer was able to focus on Valentine's arm early, but Valentine was able to throw him to the outside and deliver some heavy blows, but that does not phase Blazer enough. Valentine regains the advantage tries to go in for the kill, but the Blazer is persistent. The Blazer would not let up with a barrage of moves. Eventually the ring veteran Valentine snaps him up to get the win. It was just a really well-constructed match that was executed beautifully. One of the best matches I have seen from the WWF 80s era. ****

WWF Tag Champs Demolition vs The Rockers MSG 10/88 "Stay in one place" - Smash barking at Marty Jannetty and that encapsulates the beginning of the match. I had very fond memories of watching this five years ago and this remains the best Demolition match ever and one of the best WWF Tag Team matches of the era. I know I gave a crazy monster rating to one of the Jumping Bomb Angels vs Glamour Girls matches which I need to rewatch, but I think this is the WWF Match of the Year for 1988. This is the compressed version of the RnRs vs the Russians (well without the babyface title change) as this is one of the better speed vs power tag matches, but it is not just that. Demolition being outquicked is only one part of their match formula. The other is that the babyface always have to double up their moves. I love Smash barking "Stay in one place!" to Marty. It might be the most Darsow has ever added to any of his tag matches. I do like the wrinkle of Demolition matches where it does seem like from the outset that all the babyface teams will overwhelmed immediately only for face teams to find an initial way around it. In this case, it was the rapid arm work as they trapped Smash in their corner. They really made sure to move as quickly as possible. The crowd was really going bonkers for this and this was just a month before Demolition's babyface turn, which really shows how fast the Rockers got over. Marty does a quick FIP, but the real fireworks start when Shawn crashes and burns to the floor when Ax holds down the top rope. Demolition demonstrates a real singular purpose in attacking Shawn's lower back with the Boston Crab, sledges and bearhugs. This is the part of the match, which was psychologically sound, but it was Shawn that took it to the next level with great selling. What is so great about the Rockers is that their is not a huge gulf in talent between the partners. Shawn's FIP is as good as Marty's hot tag. Now we see that Rockers are not only keeping Demos outbalance with quick work, but lots of doubling up of their moves: double dropkicks, double slams, double clothesline. Rockers look like they are going to get the pin, but Ax breaks it up. Ref detains Michaels and Smash carries Marty over to be punched in the face by Ax for the pin. This has all the usual Demolition motifs: babyfaces initially overwhelmed, they use their speed & double team moves; heel transition spot; Demos beatdown; go home. This is definitely the best Demolition match because the Rockers are best suited for this role. The Rockers had the high-octane offense and the selling chops to really bring the best out of the Demolition formula. The arm-wringer beginning was amazing. I thought the transition to Shawn heat segment was awesome and a really great bump from Shawn. The finish sequence had me pumped. I was right with MSG thinking that the Rocket Launcher from the top by Marty was going to bring home the gold for the Rockers. Amazing match that really should be seen to appreciate a really good power vs speed match. ****1/4

Rick Martel & Fabulous Rougeaus w/Jimmy Hart & Slick vs Tito Santana & Rockers - Summerslam 89 It is Quebec's All-Star has been assembled to crush Tito Santana and his allies, The Rockers. If you add Dino Bravo, you would have a pretty badass Survivor Series Team. Also, they should have stuck Martel with Hart. He had all the other Quebecois at this point and he has the bitchin as all hell Quebec jacket. The story is cntered Ricky and Tito after the fallout from Wrestlemania V. From my understanding, they were running an angle around the horn where Martel would attack Tito from behind during his entrance. The referee would rule that the bout would have to take place later. Then Martel would usually win a short match (under minutes) by some sort of nefarious tactic. I was pretty disappointed to discover this because I was excited for a bevy of 10+ minute Tito vs Martel matches. At Summerslam '89, STRIKE FORCE EXPLODES~! The babyfaces start off hot with some double teaming. The Rockers slingshot Tito who does a cross body on Raymond and Martel. The Meadowlands is rocking for this match. The first bit of Martel we see if him high stepping while punching Marty. The announcers inform me he does a cartwheel, but the camera work is a bit shoddy. Gone are all the cool spots, in their place is a cocky heel with a great right. Tito gets the tag and Martel fucking dives out of the ring to tag Raymond. Tito gets distracted by Jacques allowing for Raymond to hit a high knee from behind.This is one of better Tito face in perils I have seen as everyone worked really well here. Ricky Martel helps do a double hotshot onto Tito and now he comes in. Tony is indignant about the abject cowardice of Martel while Jesse defends him. This is actually some pretty good stuff between the two. Tony blows every WWF announcer out of the water at this point as he sound genuinely excited about the product and makes you believe in all of Tito's hope spots. Jacques lets out a big "Woo-hoo" after a sweet dropkick. When Tito starts to mount a comeback on Martel, Jacques runs over and pulls his hair so that Martel can reestablish his advantage. "SUNSET FLIP!" by Tito and the crowd loves Tito. Raymond applies a Boston Crab and Jacques with a big knee drop on Tito as the crowd gasps, but it only gets two. . The crowd chants for Tito during the abdominal stretch. Desperation cross body by Tito for 2 on Jacques. Jacques accidentally hits a high-knee on Raymond while Tito got out of the way. Shawn is in and cleans house on all three men. Katie bar the door because a pier-six brawl has erupted. TITO BLASTS MARTEL WITH A FLYING BURRITO!!! In the confusion, Martel clobbers Marty on a rollup-attempt to win the match. It is clear that Vince had big plans for Martel as he is letting him pick up wins in the Tito feud albeit protecting Tito with the surrounding angle and Martel picked up the win here. This is a really fun popcorn match where the Nordiques play excellent dastardly heels who use every trick in the book to keep Tito down. Martel is reveling in besting his former partner Tito. However, one of these nefarious tricks backfires on the Nordiques allowing for the Rockers to come to aid of their friend. Tito getting to hit Martel with his finish was supposed to be the feel-good climax, but future booking plans necessitated that Martel be kept strong while Tito was beginning his descent down the card. Martel is a fun heel with all his antics, but do miss his big spots. This is one helluva performance from Tito and the Rougeaus really hit their stride in 1989 after some awful years. It is too bad tag wrestling was pretty much dead in the water in a scant few months. This is a fun match that people should check out if they never had. ****

WWF Tag Champs Demolition w/Mr. Fuji vs The British Bulldogs - MSG 7/88 If you told me, "Sleeze, there are going to be 3 extended heat segments in this match and you will like it" I would have said "Dont apply to work for Miss Cleo." But shockingly enough I liked this match a good deal. I would say it is one of the better Demolition matches, just falling short of Summerslam '88 match and about even with the Islanders match. This match really encapsulates what is said about Demolition forcing their opponents to work for their offense. There is a real sense of struggle and urgency in this match that you do not find in the Hart Foundation and Bulldogs matches. The beginning of the match really felt like four titans just blasting each other to get the victory. The Bulldogs controlled the more powerful Demolition by using wristlocks but were not afraid to throw some bows at the Demos. The Demos never just lay down and took the offense they made sure to get their shots in to let the Bulldogs know they were still there. Davey Boy ends up going to the outside and then getting run into the steel post. Ax gets a little lazy here with vulcan nerve pinch. Davey Boy was prone to an attack and would have liked to see Demolition press their advantage. When Davey Boy elbows out of a chinlock, Ax gives him some shots for good measure and then Davey Boy punts him on a telegraphed back body drop. It is little things like that convey a sense of struggle. Dynamite in and he and Ax miscommunicate on a clothesline and he hits his snap suplex, but he gets hit in the back of the head by Smash while running the ropes. His back gets ran into the apron and he becomes the Face In Peril. Smash suplexes Dynamite back into the ring. Dynamite with a wicked clothesline and here comes Davey Boy. Davey Boy hits one of his impactful dropkicks, but gets the back body dropped and again becomes the face in peril. The Bulldogs just can not sustain any offense against the powerful machine known as Demolition. Demolition is eating them up, but the Bulldogs are putting up more of a fight and are not just mailing this one in like the rest of 1988. At one point, Davey Boy just starts throwing shivers and actually gets a nearfall on Ax. It feels like a fight. Smash's backbreaker gets two. Smith gets his feet up in the corner. Dynamite in and he gets a wicked clothesline and a wicked flying headbutt. He takes the Bret Bump in the corner. It feels like the Bulldogs are wrestling like individuals and Demolition wrestles like a team and thats why the Bulldogs can not sustain offense. Davey Boy mows down Demolition by himself. He gets his running powerslam and the ref just stops counting at 2 and the crowd goes bonkers thinking the Bulldogs have won the title. The ref goes to break up an Ax/Dynamite fight only to get clobbered off camera. Smith has Fuji by the collar (better than the time Fuji just no sold all of Neidhart's punches) and Rougeaus come in and hit him with the cane allowing Demolition to pick up the victory. The Rougeaus interference set up the Summerslam match, but was there an rhyme or reason to it? This match more so than any other WWF tag matches felt like a fight, but again I wish Demolition would press the advantage in their heat segments. If they did that, I think I would rate them among the best of all time. I loved the sense of struggle the constant little shots each team gave each other. Another interesting thread that was woven through the match was that Demolition really wrestled as a team and the Bulldogs wrestled as individuals. You would often see one Bulldog attempt to overwhelm both members of Demolition because they got the dug into early hole by the heat segment. They could not escape from this vicious cycle. Since most tag matches have maximum 2 heat segments by drawing out to three it really demonstrated how the first heat segment can cause a perpetual cycle of the babyface team having to fight underneath. One of the better WWF tag team matches of the era and actually a contender for match of the year for WWF in 1988 because it was such a weak year for WWF. ***3/4

WWF Tag Champs Demolition w/Jimmy Hart & Mr. Fuji vs Hart Foundation - Summerslam '88 This is a battle between the two best in-ring generals of the WWF Tag Division: Ax & Bret. However, Bret proves that his will is indomitable and this is most definitely a Hart Foundation match. Demolition's trademarks of their opponents needing to double up, their early strength advantage, aimless beatdowns are nowhere to be found. Instead they are replaced by Bret and Anvil having their way with Demolition until Bret runs his shoulder into the post giving Demolition a focused attack. The beginning of the match is only interesting insofar that it sets the mood that the Hart Foundation is in control and the Demolition have no strength advantage. Anvil eats a knee while running the ropes ala the heel Hart Foundation. That is a short heat segment, before Bret's shoulder eats the post. Bret is a great sympathetic face in peril as the Demolition is relentless on his shoulder. This is the best Demolition control segment so far because their focused attack and being very active in it. Bret gets a clothesline for the false hot tag and then a boot to the face on a charge. Anvil is hot tonight! He dropkicks and slams Demolition at will clearing them from the ring. In my favorite spot of the match, Bret slingshots Anvil over the top rope onto Demolition on the floor. Anvil gets a running powerslam for 2. They do the Anvil slingshot into the corner and that only gets 2. A Bret backbreaker gets 2 and Ax saves. Fuji is on the apron and takes about 7 Anvil blows without flinching until Ax can finally hit Bret with Hart's megaphone. Way to make Anvil look like a chump, Fuji. Besides Fuji no-selling all of Anvil's punches, this was way better than I expected because I always thought Summerslam '90 match kinda sucked. The beginning could have been helped by using some of Eadie's touches. It was a blase shine, but the heat segments and the finish run was great. However, the heat segment and the stretch were all very entertaining and worked well. So far this was the Anvil's best performance. In a very weak in-ring year for the WWF, this is a match of the year contender. ****

WWF World Tag Team Champs The Brain Busters vs Hart Foundation - Summerslam '89 Non-title Non-title due to this match being signed before Busters' title victory. The Busters just loved to bump and sell for WWF beabyfaces. This is a very much a bump 'n' run and stoogefest from the Busters. Maybe, it was not Eadie's fault at all, (reference: I hated Demolition vs Brainbusters with a burning passion), it may just be how the Busters wanted to work. Like I am not a person to claim heels need to be a faces level because they really should not. The babyfaces should be better except the heels utilize nefarious tactics, but at the same time heels should not be out and out jabronis. I didn't mind this match as much because we do get a heat segment (on Anvil, weird, they probably wanted to shine up Bret Hart), but still the Hart Foundation gobbled them up. At first, I felt a bit hypocritical for enjoying this match a lot more than the Demolition matches especially after raising such a big stink. At the end of the day, I rather watch Bret Hart's offense than Demolition's offense (which is a totally fair point 2013 Martin, you dont need to defend yourself). I am going to disagree with 2013 Martin and say this is actually one of the better tag team matches from this era.. I would actually put it around the Summerslam '89 six-man tag in terms of quality (I did really enjoy Marte/Rougeaus vs Santana/Rockers, I should probably rewatch that). A lot of people call this heel in peril, but I still thought this was a shine through and through because it was fun. A heat/control segment plods more and is more of a breakdown to get ready for a run. This is an uptempo shine that the crowd popped for and the Busters really stooged for. I really liked how badly Arn wanted the tag out and really fought for it. Building to a tag before the hot tag is an underutilized device in tag team wrestling. When Bret Hart did the Rock N Roll/Rockers did the spot of skinning the cat out of the double top wristlock and decking both Busters, the crowd went fucking nuts. I mean I think it is one of those things because I have not watched this style in a while that really brought a smile to my face even though I have a million times, a million ways. Also, Tony Schiavone added a ton on commentary. He is so fucking good and he is right at home calling an Arn & Tully match. The Hart Foundation establishes the arm-based attack on both Busters each time they come in. The best spot of this segment really encapsulates Bret and something I never really thought about. Arn executes a drop toehold into a hammerlock, but rides high and Bret counters to a headlock. Bret just has this look on his face that was just like one big eye-roll and I immediately thought of Tenryu. Bret is amazing at displaying contempt for his opponents. He is one of the few wrestlers that is not only condescending on the mic, but is actually condescending in the ring also. Bret does an excellent top wristlock bridge transitions into the Busters double top wristlock spot that always gets a huge pop. Arn blindsides Bret, but this was not the transition as Bret is back on offense. However, Arn pulls Tully out of the way (way too telegraphed Arn was holding Tully's wrist forever) and Anvil eats the turnbuckles. We get the Anvil FIP, which is weird and no spinebuster. It is decent stuff, but you know it can be better. They do Arn's head collision spot and Bobby's facial expression that makes it. Then the Hart Foundation sliding knee on the apron is the transition. After watching basically every major Hart Foundation match, I marked out that Bret did that to Arn Anderson (I marked out all over again in 2018 because I forgot about it). I have watched this match twice before and I never even batted an eye. This time I was like "Of course that was the transition. That's genius!" Bret kicks some serious Tully ass and then runs through Tully. It is breaking loose in Tulsa and Anvil is slingshotted in (love that spot) and then slams Bret onto Tully. Heenan distracts the ref and Arn second-rope elbow costs Hart Foundation the match as AA gets the pin. The nice little touch is he uses Bret's arm to cover his head so that ref won't notice. This is a really fun match. I enjoy babyfaces blowing out the heels early so I was entertained. I know one of the things that people go after the Rockers for not having that money feud, but Hart Foundation did not have one from 1988-1991 that's pretty incredible. It was just how WWF tag scene was booked with Demolition going from POP, Towers, Busters, Colossal Connection, but they pretty much leave all the other tag teams to float in the wind. Long shine, a very blase heat segment, but a strong finish make this an easy thumbs up. ****

The Ultimate Warriors (Ultimate Warrior, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, The Rockers) vs The Heenan Family (Andre The Giant, Arn Anderson, Haku & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan) - Survivor Series 1989 Everyone is riding the white lightning in the opening promo. I have no clue how anyone could focus on a promo with Warrior grabbing their heads. He ends the promo with Shawn and Neidhart between his biceps. We need more gibberish promos (no, Bray Wyatt does not scratch that itch). I love the WOYAH~! This is a fun, WWF-style match and my favorite Survivor Series match (not that I have seen many). It is action-packed, but it tells a clear story and everyone plays their roles perfectly. Andre is the Heenan Family's big weapon and Gorilla even states to the effect that the Weasel can only hide behind the Giant if worse comes to worse only to have the Warrior summarily eliminate right at the outset via countout. The look on Arn's face says it all: "We're fucked." However, Arn and Haku make the best of it. They eliminate the Anvil in a decent segment with a crescent kick. Arn & Haku could have been a great tag team as they matched up with the Rockers well. I loved Warrior pacing up down the ring like a man possessed. Hidden highlight was Warrior actually propelling Shawn off the top rope while they were doing Rockers quick tag routine. I liked how the Rockers blocked the suplex with one catching the other and double superkick both Arn & Haku and friggin' Warrior just stands there ominously in the background. Heenan lived up to his moniker "The Weasel". He tags in when Marty is down, but when Marty hits him back he immediately hightails it out. I really liked the sequence that eliminated Marty: Arn blind knee during a criss-cross, Haku crescent kick (eliminated Anvil), Heenan gets some licks and pins Marty. Arn & Haku get trapped in Warrior bearhugs, but manage to get out and gain the advantage on Shawn. I am not a huge fan of lots of rope running in a match and WWF definitely has more criss cross sequences than any other promotion. Even though I don't like it, credit where credit is due this is all really friggin' great rope running by Shawn, Haku and Arn. I loved the Warrior-assisted Rocket Launcher on Haku, which I could believe was not a finish. Only for Haku miss a springboard reverse cross-body (it looked bitchin') and Warrior propelling Shawn off the top to securing a pin. We get our first taste of dissension in the Heenan Family during a sunset flip saying that Heenan was not helping. Arn is able to hit his spinebuster to eliminate Shawn. They do a short heat segment on Warrior, which is not Warrior's forte at all before Warrior sends Arn into Heenan on the apron. Gorilla press, splash, crowd is going wild and it is rubber pants time for Bobby Heenan. Heenan busts out the Ray Stevens bump in the corner and the fans lap up as Warrior revels in beating the Weasel after Wrestlemania V and all the shit he has put him through. This is a match that the WWF excels at the babyfaces dominate and the whole is a crowd-please affair. You see the Heenan Family lose their big weapon, but they pick off some easy fodder. Then you some great tag work before settling down into main event: The Brain & The Enforcer vs The Ultimate Warrior. They keep it short and sweet manage to pay off Heenan Family dissension and Warrior sending the family home happy. Great popcorn match! ****