[1985-08-10-WWF-MSG] US Express vs Dream Team

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWF World Tag Team Champions US Express vs Dream Team - WWF MSG 8/10/85

It still smacks me as bizarre every time I see Barry Windham in a WWF ring and he had three separate tenured theres but he just doesn’t feel like he belongs. 
 

This is such great meat & potatoes tag team wrestling. Everyone should study this. This is how you work a tag match make it meaningful. Windham gets an early arm bar and immediately tags to Rotundo so he can crash down on the arm. It was the quick tags that I miss among other things. Valentine works a drop toehold but ends up back in the arm bar. Kitchen sink and Valentine gives the match to Beefcake and he promptly loses control of the match. We get the WWF heel in peril with headlocks. Love how Rotundo and Windham transition on the headlock they make sure it is a secure transfer. When Beefcake goes to the eyes, Windham doesnt play hero ball, he tags out as soon as Beefer Misses the elbow. Smart. Valentine gets the sliding knee on the apron to Rotundo. Excellent heat segment that gets better as it progresses. Lots of double teams. Lots of stiff forearm shivers by The Hammer. Valentine works a proto-BattlArts style they I love. Lots of good hope spots with the crossbody by Rotundo and the small package. Love the kick off of the Figure-4 as Valentine careens to the outside. The piece d’resistance of the heat segment was Valentine stepping on Rotundo’s back on a front face lock. That’s how you make the front face lock interesting! Love how it goaded BW in. 
 

Rotundo back drops out of a Valentine piledriver. Beefcake squanders control and BW is in. They do double face in peril which is a shame as I would rather Windham get the longer face in peril and his house of fire was so short. His punches up to a Valentine from his knees were a thing of beauty. I thought the finish was excellent which sealed the deal for me. Rotundo Airplane Spin into an emphatic FU! Break up the pin. Figure-4 attempt on Rotundo But BW leaps over Valentine for the sunset flip win. Terrific.

It was different than a Southern style tag but still a meat and potatoes which was tight, no holes, AWESOME Valentine heel work and offense with a fun, electric and clean finish easy thumbs up! ****