[2001-02-24-SSW-10th Anniversary Show] Death & Destruction (Roger Anderson & Frank Parker) vs Ricky Harrison & Beau James

[GSR]

The finals of the Anniversary Show Tag Team tournament.  Beau James has been taken to the hospital after being bloodied up by the Batten Twins earlier in the night so Harrison is going solo, still wanting to take on the eight time SSW tag champions.  As we’re about to start James returns, head all bandaged.  Folk are trying to talk him out of wrestling but tonight is a celebration, so he’s going nowhere and climbs up onto the apron.  Harrison with a hiptoss and a couple of dropkicks, not only taking his nickname from the Rock & Roll Express but also his move set.  No idea if he claims to be some relation but ‘Ruthless’ Roger Anderson does bear a resemblance to Ole and seems to have modelled himself after him.  James tags in and soon has the cut reopened, Parker & Anderson double teaming him in their corner.  D&D continue to beat and pound away on Beau, Harrison in to break up the pinfall attempt.  As if this couldn’t get any more 80s NWA, Parker loads a boot Thunderfoot style.  James starts firing back from his knees, gets to his feet, throws more rights and makes the tag.  Harrison takes care of business until D&D block a noggin knocker.  They pick him up for their finisher (which looks like the old Don Kernodle & Ivan Koloff one) when Beau kicks the knee of Parker, Harrison collapsing on top.  The referee counts the three, Anderson celebrates thinking they’ve won, but in fact Harrison got a shoulder up and it was him he counted to the mat.   Harrison ends up running the heels off with a chair as they attack the official post-match.  A bloodied Beau does his best Ian Rotten impersonation, addressing the fans, thanking them for their continued support and hoping they’ll be back for the next show as they can’t do this with out them.  He even gets a bit emotional in his speech, bringing up the likes of Junkyard Dog and Mark Curtis who have passed, saying how it was guys like them who helped build the company.

Abrupt finish aside, a better watch than the Beau James match we saw last year, although he doesn’t seem to be able to do much but bleed, talk and throw a good punch.  I do get an 80s NWA vibe here, certainly as an influence, and it feels different to everything else that is going on in the U.S., a throwback if you will, which is not necessarily a bad thing.