Superstar Sleeze Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Randy Savage & Adrian Adonis vs Tito Santana & Bruno Sammartino - WWF, MSG 7/12/86 Steel Cage Match As we saw in the excellent April No DQ match, that Savage was able to turn that to his favor by nailing the ref to avoid being pinned. It is not that we needed No DQ per se, what was really needed was a troubleshooting ref. Now who in the WWF could walk tall against the Macho Menace. Enter The Living Legend Bruno Sammartino. In May, Tito had a rematch with Savage for the IC Title with Bruno as special guest ref, but Adrian Adonis ran in and helped his newfound friend. This was at the height of Adonis' role in WWF stirring shit with Hogan/Orndorff and right before Piper's return. The next month in June they have a really fun tag match where the babyfaces beat the shit out of the heels before they run away. Finally in July, so no could run away and no refs would needed and once and for all Bruno & Tito could exact some revenge they put these four in the confines of the STEEL CAGE! This was some really high end month to month booking by Vince & Co. It climaxed with an absolute barnburner of a cage match. Savage & Adonis sell the Pearl Harbor attack by keeping their ring attire on and then jumping them. Adonis kicking the shit out of Bruno with a pink scarf on is awesome. The babyfaces don't stay down for long and Bruno starts kicking Savage's ass while still in his ring attire. Bruno's punch and kick is perfect for this violence of the steel cage. Savage tries to escape, but Bruno holds him back. Adonis eats the cage. He tries to leap over Bruno and Savage to get out the door, but ends up in the top turnbuckle. Savage is choked out by Bruno on the top rope. Savage is able to kick some Tito ass and tries to scramble over the top. Bruno is on Macho Man duty. Adonis tries to take advantage by leaping out the door again. Adonis is able to pull Tito down. This has been total chaos. The heels desperately trying to get out is so entertaining. Savage ends up upside in the turnbuckles and that is the first time I have seen take that bump. Adonis is able to hit a suplex and Macho Man has just been getting his ass kicked. As Bruno is distracted by trying keep Adonis from escaping, Macho Man tries to crawl out the door, this is hilarious. Santana is able to grab the boot while Bruno drags Adonis down and crotches him on the top rope. Bruno is a one man gang in here! Savage lawn darts Santana into the cage! Adonis eats the cage! Santana is busted! Adonis rakes Tito's face into the cage. Bruno and Savage fight over who is going into the cage. Bruno has been saving Tito this whole match. Bruno whips Adonis into the door and almost a mistake. Santana catches Savage coming off the top rope. Adonis rips the top board off the steps being dragged back in by Bruno. Tito starts ramming the Macho Man hard into the cage repeatedly and he is busted! Santana tries to escape. Adonis takes the Blackwell bump but all the way off the cage!!!! HOLY SHIT! HE COULD HAVE KILLED BRUNO! Remind me to never call Bruno old because he is kicking ass! Savage has one foot over the top. Santana blasts Savage off the top colliding with Adonis and then Bruno throws Savage into the cage for the definitive victory.A total blast! The heels were excellent in this. They were selling how badly they were getting beaten by constantly trying to run for their lives. The babyfaces were perfect ass kickers. Tito definitely did more selling as Bruno showed no weakness. I love steel cage tag team matches. This was another bloody, violent and excellent one. ****1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrainfollower Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Honestly I'd argue this is the greatest cage match in WWF history. Any arguments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted November 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 I prefer Valentine vs Santana from Baltimore in 85 (I think it is super close between this and the above tag match). I have not seen Backlund/Slaughter from '81 in Philly in forever, but thats a contender. Then depending on how you feel about Hell in a Cells (whether they are to be considered cage matches), I would have HBK/Taker over this also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul sosnowski Posted March 22, 2017 Report Share Posted March 22, 2017 I just watched this for the first time in many years. It was really great, but not the best WWE cage match ever. I have a problem rating a match so high that goes less than 10 minutes. Available on the Network, Vault, Home Video Classics, 1986. "Inside the Steel Cage". Starts at 24:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RingoPlaysDrums Posted March 28, 2021 Report Share Posted March 28, 2021 Great chaotic 10 minute match. It did end a bit abruptly for me as I went into it not knowing the length. Adonis's performance is notable. I liked him making a run for it early on as soon as he gets sent into the cage for the first time, desperately ripping off the top step and just suddenly JUMPING off the top of the cage onto Bruno. Crazy stuff. The finish was quite well done too. Tito's already on his way out and Bruno sees the chance (so that he doesn't risk leaving Tito alone with the heels obviously) and runs out the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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