The Name on the Marquee: WWF Prime Time Wrestling (7.21.1986)

-Originally aired July 21, 1986.

-Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan. I’m enjoying these, but I do think it would be neat if the Network uploaded some of Jesse Ventura’s episodes because Gorilla & Jesse were a good team, too.

BILLY JACK HAYNES vs. BRUTUS BEEFCAKE (with Luscious Johnny Valiant)
–From MSG.

-Brutus attacks from behind and unloads on Billy with everything. Minor distraction: Billy Jack bought the cheapest wrist tape ever, and it actually unravels and falls off his wrist while he’s bumping.

-Billy Jack rolls out of the way of a second-rope forearm and tries to finish early with a sunset flip, but it only gets two. Brutus tries to get his momentum back with a suplex, but it gets reversed. Brutus tries a back suplex instead, targeting the external occipital protuberance, and that dazes Billy Jack…moreso.

-Uppercuts and a clothesline by Beefcake get two. Billy Jack gets fired up and gets his own clothesline for two, and Billy gets his second wind—really his first wind, since Beefcake is dominating this thing—and lays a beating on Brutus. Luscious Johnny gets desperate and trips up Billy Jack from the outside, but he gets caught and Brutus is DQed. Crappy ending and Billy Jack looked like a jobber.

–Gorilla excitedly announces that we’re about to see a purely scientific match. Bobby tells everyone that this is going to be a good opportunity for the fans to get up and make some popcorn.

LEAPING LANNY POFFO vs. “Mr. USA” TONY ATLAS
-From MSG. Poffo reads a funny poem before the match, explaining that he won’t throw Frisbees tonight because the airline lost his luggage. He offers some words of praise for Tony, so we know good sportsmanship is in play here.

-Atlas tries an arm wringer, and Lanny does a backflip to reverse it. Atlas learns from that and takes Lanny down to the mat before doing it again, but Lanny sweeps the leg and gets back to his feet. Story for this one is a good one, where Tony wants to work the arm, he tries a way to do it, Lanny figures a way out of it, and Tony goes back to work on the arm, doing something different each time to stop Lanny from doing it again.

-They criss-cross and Lanny gets launched across the ring with a hiptoss. Drop toehold and an armbar by  by Atlas. Suddenly both of them look upset about something and it’s a staredown. They trade shoves and Tony finally breaks the staring contest with a hard slam. Lanny puts his dukes up, which the commentators declare a giant mistake in this situation. They dropkick each other as we pause for commercial.

-Back from the break, Heenan declares he doesn’t care who wins and refuses to watch the rest of the match. Atlas headbutts Poffo and Poffo fires back with an uppercut. Gorilla and Lord Alfred have a discussion at ringside, trying to figure out which one of them finds Terry Garvin more annoying.

-Hammerlock by Poffo. Tony turns it into a top wristlock and uses it to push Poffo into the corner, and then gives him a hard slap. Lanny gets pissed and charges him. It’s a trap because Tony immediately lifts him into a bearhug and rams him into the corner. Lanny fights back with hard punches and they trade Irish whips. Lanny charges, Tony leapfrogs and lets him crash in the corner, then catches Lanny with a backslide to finish abruptly. Lanny raises Tony’s hand to show no hard feelings. Really good match that held my attention despite having absolutely no flash to it.

-Heenan says this was the most humiliating loss of Lanny Poffo’s career. He just lost to a man with the IQ of an ice cube. Gorilla congratulates Bobby, saying that according to recent statistics, more TVs have been sold since Bobby Heenan joined “Prime Time” than at any other point in history. “I sold my TV, my neighbor sold his…”

-Ken Resnick talks to the American Express. They give 110% and they want to take on the best and get to the top.

TAG TEAM TITLES: BRITISH BULLDOGS (Champions, with Captain Lou Albano) vs. MOONDOGS
-From MSG.

-Davey Boy & Spot start. Fists are exchanged and Spot gets overpowered quickly. Dynamite tags in and shoulderblocks Spot down. Rex comes in to try his luck and eats a double-shoulderblock. Rex tries an arm wringer but Davey Boy flips out of it and turns it into a wristlock. Irish whip and Dynamite tags in and applies a side headlock. Davey Boy tags in and applies a front facelock, but Rex is able to make the tag, and in comes Spot. Spot takes a high knee to the face and a slam by Davey Boy gets two. Rex tags in and has better luck, putting the boots to Davey Boy while Captain Lou ignores the match and mugs at the camera.

-Rex splashes Davey Boy for two. Neckbreaker gets two. Spot tags in and drops a knee for two. Irish whip is reversed by Davey Boy, but a shoulderblock wipes out both men. Spot recovers first and makes the tag. Front facelock by Rex and the Moondogs double-team Davey Boy. Another knee by Spot gets two. Rex tags in and slams Davey Boy down. Splash off the second rope is countered by Davey Boy’s knees. Spot makes the tag and blocks Davey Boy’s attempt at a tag. Davey Boy gets a sudden bodypress for two and Spot tags out. Rex tries a suplex on Davey Boy and we get a most interesting moment if you turn up the volume during this match…

-We’re at MSG, so the commentators at the table right up against the ring. The heels are in the corner near their table, so during this tag match, the commentators are face-to-ankle with the heel on the apron. So as Alfred & Gorilla are talking and Spot is standing right in front of him, you hear the unmistakable sound of flatulence on the headset mics, and Alfred breaks up. If you have this tape, listen to this portion and listen carefully. It will change your life.

-Meanwhile. Davey Boy makes the hot tag and Dynamite unloads on everything in sight. Hard clothesline topples the gaseuous spot. Diving headbutt from the top rope nearly finishes, but Rex sends Dynamite over the top rope. Davey Boy & Rex go to battle in the ring, while the two legal men lay around playing dead. Spot suddenly recovers and stands up, but Dynamite goes to the top rope, jumps over Davey Boy & Rex, and lands on top of Spot for the three-count to retain. Great finish, good match.

 

TNT: HOW TO RIDE A CAMEL
-Iron Sheik teaches Nikolai Volkoff how to ride a camel in the parking lot outside the studios.  The camel makes a really odd noise at soon as Nikolai climbs aboard, and the camel absolutely will not stand up with Nikolai on top of him. Mean Gene worries that Nikolai is “about to take a bump” and everybody completely cracks up at this camel’s stubbornness. Nikolai gives up and Sheik calmly offers to get on instead, and the camel gets right up and walks around calmly.

SPECIAL DELIVERY JONES & PAUL ROMA vs. MIKE BROWN & PAUL BERGER
-From Poughkeepsie.

-Jones starts with Berger and works the arm. Brown tags in and Jones works his arm. Roma gives him a hard shot to the gut and slams him. He clamps on a headlock and Gorilla is looking for absolutely anything to talk about while calling this match.

-Berger takes the brunt of the punishment, and SD surprises everyone with a flying hammerlock, but he can’t finish Berger off with it. Headbutt by SD and Berger is almost out cold. SD press slams Roma on top of him and that’s enough for three.

-Ken Resnick talks to Mr. Fuji, and Resnick makes fun of him for not being able to read cue cards during his “TNT” comedy routine. Don Muraco tells an elaborate story about an electrical storm breaking Fuji’s concentration. Muraco lashes out at Hulk Hogan, Tito Santana, “and all the other gooks,” and says Ken probably wants to slip them a little tip.

THE FLOWER SHOP
–A highlight reel of previous segments with Hulk Hogan, Paul Orndorff, and Bobby Heenan, leading up to this week’s feature.

HULK HOGAN (WWF Champion) & “Mister Wonderful” PAUL ORNDORFF vs. KONG KONG BUNDY & BIG JOHN STUDD (with Bobby Heenan)
-Cute bit during the introductions: Bobby Heenan tells Howard Finkel to introduce him as “Manager of the Year” and Finkel just looks at him and shakes his head no.

-Orndorff insists on starting the match. He fires a series of right hands at Studd, and Studd backs off instead of fighting back. Orndorff pulls the tights and manages to sunset flip Studd, but Studd kicks out at one. Orndorff hiptosses him, and Studd decides he’s done and brings in Bundy.

-Bundy elbows Orndorff down right away and tries a splash, but Orndorff rolls out of the way. He suckers Bundy into trying for the avalanche and gets out of the way, causing Bundy to crash. Orndorff’s on a roll, so he decides to go for the $15,000, but he can’t slam Studd. He does manage to clear the ring with dropkicks, though, and the fans are going nuts for him.

-Orndorff, satisfied that he’s proven himself after the past two weeks, FINALLY tags Hogan. Slugfest between Hogan and Studd. Hogan wins that fight and then immediately bodyslams Studd, taking time out to celebrate the achievement, and Orndorff is visibly upset about it on the apron, not that Hulk would notice it. We pause for commercial…

-And we return to Hulk atomic dropping Studd, whipping him, clotheslining him, and chopping him. Hulk is OWNING this match. Studd finally takes him off his feet with a clothesline, and Studd & Bundy have had it. They double-team the starch out of Hulk while Orndorff begs for a tag on the apron. Hogan rakes Bundy’s eyes and Bundy is dazed long enough that Hogan can clearly get to his corner and tag out, but he chooses to be a hero instead and fights both opponents even though he’s hurt. Studd knocks Hulk backward and Hogan accidentally knocks Orndorff off the apron.

-Studd & Bundy keep double-teaming Hogan and they knock the referee out of the ring for good measure. Orndorff is dramatically selling the blow to the head he sustained before finally coming into the ring, where he manages to clear the ring with just two punches. He helps Hogan back to his feet and leads the crowd in a round of applause for his heroic effort.

-And then he clotheslines Hogan and finishes him off with a piledriver.

-Hogan lays in a heap and Bundy & Studd get back into the ring to do more damage, but the American Express, Tonga, and Afi come into the ring to protect the Hulkster. Heenan leads everybody out of the ring and takes Orndorff back to the heel locker room, where Adrian Adonis congratulates Orndorff. Studd, Bundy, and Heenan all tell him that he truly is wonderful, and they chant “Wonderful” for him.

 

8.3

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Another really strong episode; Poffo/Atlas was a pleasant surprise, the tag title match was excellent, the TNT stuff was funny, the feature match and the video highlights were a great little time capsule. Thumbs way up!