[1977-06-27-WWWF-MSG, NY] Andre the Giant & Chief Jay Strongbow vs Ken Patera & Nikolai Volkoff

[Kronos]

2/3 Falls, 16:25

 

Oh man, this one starts out fun! Andre lifts Strongbow into the ring (to not muss his headpiece?). Jay apparently has a major beef with Capt Lou and eventually chases the manager out of the ring and back to the locker room. I have never seen Strongbow this energized.

 

From there, it's just awesome moment after awesome moment: Andre stealthily tagged in while Patera showboats. Strongbow coming off the ropes and sliding between Volkoff's legs to tag Andre. Patera and Volkoff fighting each other outside the ring, following the first fall.

 

Patera does an extended sleeper, which could be boring as heck. But Volkoff does some stooging to distract the ref, and Andre is able to reach half way across the ring and tag Strongbow's foot. They keep a resthold segment interesting until Andre gets a hot tag. In the second fall, Patera and Volkoff continue the arguing I mentioned above. Incidentally, Volkoff throws some nice-looking punches.

 

Not saying much since I haven't seen many, but I have never seen a better match from Strongbow. If this is how he acted in his younger, less lazy years, then it's no wonder the crowds loved him so much. Volkoff, too, I only really know from his broken-down comedy villain years in the mid-80s. It's a treat to watch him mobile and motivated.