[1986-02-08-WWF-Boston, MA] Bruno Sammartino vs Roddy Piper (Cage)

[SmartMark15]

Piper starts out the match by hanging some posters of football players. No idea what the context for that is, I went into this match totally cold. Bruno comes in and is still incredibly over. The crowd were incredibly hot for Bruno and everything that he did. He comes in and tosses Piper into all four walls of the cage and busts Piper up early. Bruno rips up the posters and shoves them down Piper's throat and trunks which I thought was kind of funny. Then you have the attempts to escape the cage and it plays off a little more naturally than usual in this match. I thought the struggles to get out the door were actually quite fun. It's fun to see Piper ragdoll and sell for Bruno, literally showing ass for the guy. Thought the little things Piper did like low blowing Bruno to keep him from getting out or thumbing Bruno's eyes as he came back in were really good heel tactics. Ended on a great finish with Bruno low blowing Hot Rod off the cage and then nailing him with a chair as he struggled to get out. Fun stuff all around!

 

***3/4

[Superstar Sleeze]

Roddy Piper vs Bruno Sammartino - WWF Boston 2/8/86 Steel Cage

Entertaining Cage match not as good as the Bruno tag team Cage later in the year but this is good craic. Piper hangs up Chicago Bears posters in Steel Cage as the Bears had just demolished the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The shine and the finish were the best parts of this show. Bruno unloads a Can of whoop ass to start. Bloodies Piper on the cage. Makes Piper eat Refrigerator poster and wipes his ass with the McMahon poster. Tears off his shirt and chokes him with it. Bruno had enough with this loser and goes to leave but Piper ball shots him. Piper’s heat segment keeps it from being great. Just not enough oomph. I loved the Bruno punch that Piper bumped backwards into the cage. Lots of tussling at the door. Piper goes to leave but now Bruno gets ballshot love the symmetry. Bruno needs a wooden chair to bash Piper to break free for the win.

Great shine and finish make this an easy recommend but wish the middle had se more fire. *** 3/4