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PeteF3

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  1. PeteF3
    I would never, ever have taken Moondog Spike for such a bump machine, but he's good for at least one insanely reckless fall to the floor in each of these matches. This is a complete match that goes for some considerable length, and is so balls-to-the-wall that I can scarcely describe it. Tables are flung about like weapons, stiff chairshots, the bell gets used, the bones make an appearance...finally Paul Neighbors is abused by both teams and Frank Morrell comes out to stop the match and gets absolutely brained with a chairshot from one of the Moondogs. Eddie Marlin unsuccessfully attempts to break things up, and Jerry Lawler hits Richard Lee with a fireball. And we're out. Don't think it made the Yearbook but Lee cut an absolutely riotous studio interview either this week or next, in full mummy regalia and crying his eyes out about how even though he's never done anything wrong in his life and never hurt anyone, Lawler has permanently disfigured him.
  2. PeteF3
    The one at the tail end of '91, DEFINITELY. I don't know if the matches would have been any good but Tatanka as an anti-American heel trying to take out Duggan and Slaughter sounds awesome on paper. They're going for the same vibe here as the El Matador vignettes, but these are better, with a bit better delivery from Tatanka.
  3. PeteF3
    Love that Royal Rumble poster--I know they brought it back for 2001, they need to do it again. Flair and Piper are new champions, while the LOD has a "successful title defense," an interesting euphemism for "loss by countout." Speculation abounds about Flair's challenger at WrestleMania VIII. Flair and Perfect gloat, with Flair oddly underselling his own performance--"We wrestled for 54 minutes!"
  4. PeteF3
    This didn't seem like one of the high-end 6-man tags, but consider what that means. That said I liked a number of Clash matches more than this. Jumbo is pretty spectacular here and Misawa, after several matches as a background force, finally gets a long FIP segment and a chance to unload and elbow the fuck out of people. Kobashi gets a really great closing stretch with Taue, getting a bunch of hot kickouts before succumbing to a second Golden Arm Bomber. Kobashi's still the #3 man jobbing to Jumbo's #2, so that makes some sense particularly with Kikuchi absent.
  5. PeteF3
    This thread feels empty without any mention of Pat Tanaka.
  6. PeteF3
    This was a good match, but it didn't quite hold up in the face of the awesomeness we got earlier in the show. As much as I liked Schiavone in his role, Ventura is a breath of fresh air here--and so far he hasn't missed a beat. Jesse was always way into it whenever Rude was wrestling, anyway. Wonky finish that Jesse rightly loses his shit over, and we get a chaotic post-match angle with Steamboat eating two Rude Awakenings and some shots from Paul E.'s belt while Austin and Dangerously pick off the security guys who try to break this up.
  7. PeteF3
    I called the Freebirds' entrance at WrestleWar, with DDP and Big Daddy Dink, professional wrestling at its least cool. Well, that entrance was Jimi Hendrix at Monterey compared to this. The song is so awful and Hayes' soft-shoe routine so mystifying that even WWF-level production values probably couldn't save it. This doesn't even have the camp value that Rhythm & Blues did. I believe we're mercifully approaching the end of this "New Freebirds," and none too soon.
  8. PeteF3
    I don't think this match was worthy of the $5000 bonus that it got in the wake of the previous tag match, but I thought this was pretty great, actually. I'm not ashamed to admit that I marked for Van Hammer shooting sparks out of his guitar in Cactus' face to start the match, and then he follows up with some cool dives for some quick near-falls. Cactus of course takes some hellacious bumps and Hammer is at least doing what he can to keep up. Cactus really was the master of the falls-count-anywhere stip--one staple of his matches that I love, love, LOVE is that the matches are basically worked the same way regardless of where they go. It's a standard match that simply can't be contained by a ring, so we get counters and reverals and even a small package on the rampway. The rampway itself helps out because it allows them to work rope-running spots on the floor. The brawl goes into a rodeo holding area and Cactus attempts to stab Van Hammer with the horn of a bull skull, before a cowboy-hatted Abdullah swings wildly with a shovel and conks Van Hammer to give Cactus the win. The brawl continues and Missy Hyatt, whose presence here during the match was utterly pointless, goes for a swim. This may lose some effect in the wake of the Hardcore stuff to come but I think this more smartly worked than all but maybe a handful of late-'90s bouts.
  9. PeteF3
    Cheesy announcement of the World title match for SuperBrawl, with Schiavone gushing over the match before Luger's opponent is even announced. But Frey responds with a bombshell--out to announce SuperBrawl II is JESSE VENTURA. I know there's been debate over Jesse's performance in WCW, but a.) the TV announcing has suffered greatly with Ross and Schiavone calling most of the shows by themselves, and b.) Ventura was showing no signs of slowing down when we last saw him in August of 1990. WCW made a lot of empty moves that wasted money but this definitely comes off as a big deal. Still, I'm not a fan of Jesse and Sting high-fiving. Luger cuts a pre-taped promo remarking on his seclusion--or his "champion's prerogative." Or, in another more accurate way, his contractually limited number of dates has run out due to him being forced onto more live shows with Flair's departure. Luger even with a shirt on has noticeably ballooned to ridiculous, WBF levels. I don't know if Frey was the long-term answer at the top or not, but from a pure artistic standpoint WCW continues to revitalize itself.
  10. PeteF3
    What an oddball heel team, the Wyoming cowboy teaming with the Taylor-Made Man. Did Steve get shitcanned or was he hurt? It's a meaningless tag match with two teams completely thrown together, but you have two elite workers in Pillman and Tracey, a perfectly serviceable worker in Taylor, and Bagwell...well, he's kept out of the way. What you get is a fucking awesome tag match. In a way it's just as much of a spotfest as the opener, but instead of big bombs it's based on high-flying, strikes, and great intricate tag sequences. The chain of moves from Pillman's spinning headscissors to the double dive to the floor is absolutely goddamn gorgeous tag wrestling, from all four guys. Bagwell shows some fire but also blows a few things--still, he's definitely someone with potential and I don't think he was overpushed at this point. This is as good as Taylor has looked since the Arn series, working in a completely different style.
  11. PeteF3
    Yes, I am a sucker for the Steiners throwing people around the ring. Even if it's spotty, and even if it's counterproductive to have two big monsters flying through the air. In fact, I'm just as much of a fan of two big beefy guys like Vader and Hughes taking big bumps. Vader goes up easily for most of the Steiner suplexes but Hughes, with one move, puts himself into contention for that "Best taker of backdrops" thread. Great choice for an opener.
  12. PeteF3
    This is probably my favorite of the Jumbo/Kawada series, because this is the first match where it feels like there's a real possibility that Kawada can win. Kawada asserts himself from the beginning, both with his opening kicks and not backing down after almost being slapped into unconsciousness, and the big German suplex kicks off an incredible stretch run. There's a palpable feeling that if Kawada could have just hit that power bomb, he would have taken the match. Kawada fights mercilessly to apply a Stretch Plum and Masa Fuchi is awesome on the outside selling this, teasing that he's just this close to throwing the towel in. Unfortunately Jumbo counters and despite a few comeback teases, that power bomb never comes. But Kawada had Jumbo on the ropes and also got to kick out of the first backdrop suplex--I have a feeling, however misguided, that Kawada would have gotten that pinfall on Jumbo not too long after Jumbo's illness aborted his career.
  13. PeteF3
    I'd say this is easily the best of the pre-00s Rumbles. Ric cuts a much more low-key Coliseum Video promo before the match, which was a pleasant addition. Meanwhile we get a montage of other promos, and Repo Man hilariously sticks out like a sore thumb in-between shots from Undertaker, Jake, Savage, Sid, et al. It's an historic performance from Flair, who probably has never had a 60-minute broadway like this--no chance to work armbars or chinlocks for 5 minutes at a time. Literally every two minutes a new guy was coming out who was going to toss Flair around. On top of that, you had a few other subplots like the big Jake/Savage showdown and Hogan more or less blowing off the Undertaker program. And afterward, the first major crack in Hulkamania appears, as Hogan is roundly booed during his confrontation with Sid--and for good reason. Sid only played by the rules and Hogan threw a fit the same way he always did whenever he lost. Is this the Rumble with the most potential favorites, at least from a kayfabe standpoint? It wasn't inconceivable for any one of Hogan, Flair, Savage, Sid, or Undertaker to walk out with the title, which seems like a lot. Not to mention other dark horses like DiBiase, Piper, and Jake. I even love Monsoon going nuts for Martel's draw, getting a number in the 20's after going 53 minutes the previous year. I miss things like that.
  14. PeteF3
    Rare footage of the Mountie's title victory, which I believe only appeared on the Coliseum Video version of the Royal Rumble and on the Anthology. Piper's pre-match promo is one of my favorites of his, one of his few outwardly comedic promos that's actually funny. Nothing match, but Piper's victory celebration (and Fink's announcement, of course) is a legitimate chill scene.
  15. PeteF3
    I'm somewhere in-between here and everyone else. A lot of the opening was good but not spectacular, and I actually thought Kid, for the first time, looked like a 20-year old rather than the PWA/Global guy who looked experienced way beyond his years. His matwork with Silver King (or was it Texano?) was quite good. Still, once the mask-ripping started this went into a fucking awesome finishing stretch. Lynn worked a long sequence with Los Cowboys where he looked awesome, doing the Kato Kung Lee ropewalk spot and climaxing with a great Lightning Kid dive onto all three guys.
  16. PeteF3
    I honestly think this holds up as a very good gateway match for lucha novices, at least if they're willing to watch a Benoit match. Lots of hate between Santo and Casas, and it's based more around that and big dives rather than matwork or their exhibitiony UWF stuff. Plus there's some Southern-style cut-offs and FIP work sprinkled in. Benoit looked fine, and looking back on it now I think he stood out more than Villano III did. Villano's big contribution was biting and clawing at Casas as Santo held him up in the surfboard, which was cool but about the only thing he did that I can remember.
  17. PeteF3
    Yet another strong match, with even Bagwell looking good. Rude of course gets in his atomic drop sell but also does a little Lord of the Dance jig when trapped in a wristlock that's pretty amusing. Great build to the Rude/Sting confrontation, with tremendous heat for Paul E. and Eaton holding Rude back when Sting tags in. Standard DA finish, but the Alliance is looking strong having gone over in a majority of their matches so far.
  18. PeteF3
    I don't think Schiavone would have gotten my vote for an '80s announcer, but he was SO clearly better than Ross in 1991 that I have absolutely no issues with thinking that way. I liked the dog collar finish, too. Valentine was about to drop an elbow from the second turnbuckle, and for 1983 that's a perfectly high-end "big" move for the time, before Piper yanked him off and cradled him up with the chain.
  19. PeteF3
    Another crazy match, even though it starts off almost like a note-for-note remake of the previous Monday's match. Still some crazy weapons shots and the ringside area is torn to shreds. Cheapo finish as Richard Lee trips up Fuller and holds his leg down for the pin, which is something you'd probably see early in the series rather than the swan song for the Jarrett/Fuller team. Now it's Lawler & Jarrett against the Moondogs. Ricky Hutchens' back is completely fucked as a result of a Moondogs squash earlier in the show. Jarrett is still pretty spotty (hah) on the mic, but Lawler is as great as usual.
  20. PeteF3
    The Warrior has been Stalinized from history, but I'm surprised to see acknowledgment of the MegaPowers explosion considering Savage was a babyface now. Even the Slaughter footage sort of undermines what they were trying to do with him. Still a very cool little historical piece that the WWF didn't typically go for. Hogan whines about that nearsighted Jack Tunney, ignores Ric Flair, and calls out Savage and Sid Justice instead.
  21. PeteF3
    Horrifically geeky addendum: two publicity photos of the Mountie with the Intercontinental belt. But he's carrying his souped-up, "Great American Scream Machine" shock stick that didn't make an appearance until later this year for the Slaughter feud. Were they seriously planning to have the Mountie regain the title at Survivor Series, where he was originally scheduled to challenge Davey Boy? I can't believe that they'd put him back in serious title consideration when he'd been sliding down the cards, but it's a pretty odd photographic choice otherwise.
  22. PeteF3
    Reading through the Observers of the time, here's how this whole weird situation went down, according to Meltzer: WCW did make a play to sign away Bret Hart and have him appear with the Intercontinental title on television or on a Clash, as payback for Ric Flair bringing the NWA World belt to WWF TV. However--the decision had already been made that the belt was going off Bret, and probably going to Piper somehow. Piper's Funeral Parlor appearance at the tail end of '91 bears that out. If anything, this strengthened Bret's desire to jump (which was real). But as it turned out, Bret's contract contained a rollover clause, and by the time Bret and WCW had reached an agreement, the rollover had already taken effect. As a result, this Update sort of hedges its bets with regard to Bret--it could be taken as a Hart burial or he could be seen as being protected due to the fever angle. Okerlund recounts Mountie's post-match attack and Piper's rescue. Piper now becomes the first man to receive shots at the Intercontinental and WWF titles in the same night. As Matt said, this concept really seemed like the biggest thing in the world--it wouldn't mean a thing today.
  23. PeteF3
    Lawler has now interjected himself into the Moondogs feud, and one of the craziest brawls ever results, with trash cans thrown all over the place and Lawler whipping brooms around like they're oversized ninja stars. Between the food and drinks getting spilled and the cuts, this brawl seemed like a rash of broken ankles and infections waiting to happen. One of my great wrestling regrets is never seeing anything like this in a live setting.
  24. PeteF3
    If you like kicking, then this is the match for you. Flynn goes high, Sano goes low. There are a few suplexes and some other broad spots that bely these guys' pro-style background, with Flynn attempting one enzuigiri too many in the end. Not really a high-end shootstyle match but one I liked more than some others I've seen on the Yearbooks.
  25. PeteF3
    Who's Next The best of--oh come on, how did it take this long for this one to get mentioned? In a Silent Way A compendium of promos from Bobby Eaton, The Missing Link, Dean Malenko, pre-Barber Brutus Beefcake, and The Sheik. 3 Feet High and Rising The best high-flying matches of Mascarita Sagrada. Power, Corruption, and Lies Documentary-style footage of NWA board meetings. After the Gold Rush Compendium of 1987 World Class, 1986-91 AWA, 2000 All-Japan, and '90s Memphis and Portland. Bee Thousand Eight 2-hour discs of the Killer Bees, with a 40-minute bonus disc.
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