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Tremendous Tirades: The Great American Bash 1985

April 9, 2005 | Posted by Larry Csonka
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Tremendous Tirades: The Great American Bash 1985  

The Great American Bash 1985

July 6th, 1985

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte Memorial Stadium

Attendance: 32,000

(Approx time 60 min.)

The card was as follows:

Dog Collar Match: Jimmy Valiant vs. Paul Jones

Six man Tag Team Match: Manny Fernandez, Sam Houston, and Buzz Tyler vs. Billy Graham, Konga the Barbarian, and Abdullah the Butcher

Buddy Landell vs. Ron Bass

National Tag Team Title Match: Ole and Arn Anderson © vs. Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater

NWA vs. AWA World Tag Team Title Match: Krusher Khruschev and Ivan Koloff NWA © vs. The Road Warriors AWA ©

United States Heavyweight Title Match: Magnum TA © vs. Kamala

NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair © vs. Nikita Koloff (David Crockett special referee)

Steel Cage: World Television Title Match : Tully Blanchard © vs. Dusty Rhodes

Matches are clipped on this as this is the Pro Wrestling Illustrated “Ringmasters” version. I have NEVER opened the plastic on this VHS tape, and do so for this review. I have no clue what all is included. Let’s get to the show!

We have a stadium overview, and they say 32,000 are in attendance. Jim Crocket Promotions brings you The Great American Bash.

Gordon Solie welcomes us and introduces PWI’s editor Bill Apter. Apter says that this show was the highlight of the year for Crocket promotions. They start us with a short view of the problems between Buddy Landell and Ron Bass. Bass had been under Dillon’s management, but had a falling out when Landell came into the picture and Dillon spent more time mentoring him.

“The Outlaw” Ron Bass vs. “The Nature Boy” Buddy Landell w/”The Manager of Champions” JJ Dillon

JIP with Landell kicking away at Bass. Landell tosses Bass to the floor and Dillon tosses him to the railing. Landell to the floor with chops and back in the ring. Dillon over again and rakes his back. Landell back to the outside and rams Bass’s head off of the ring bell! Then he chokes him with a power cord. Landell back in the ring and the ref counts on Bass. Clip ahead to them battling on the outside and Landell with the advantage. Bass blocks a right and rams Landell to the steel! Back in the ring and Landell begs off. Boots by Bass and right hands again. Corner whip and another right. Clip ahead to a knee to Landell, and then an elbow drop for 2. Bass mounts Landell and fires away with rights. Then rams his head off the mat. Landell to the floor for a breather and Bass chases. He nails Landell, and chases Dillon. Landell back in and so is Bass. Bass unloads with right hands on Landell. Another and Landell is down. Landell up and fires back and Bass is pissed and there’s the bell. The time limit expired and Landell attacks but Bass chases him off and grabs Dillon! IRON CLAW! Landell pulls Dillon out.

Time Limit Draw, 4:48 shown.

Gordon Solie discusses the national Tag Title match. He says Ole and Arn would prove why they were called “The Minnesota Wrecking Crew.”

National Tag Team Title Match: Ole and Arn Anderson © vs. “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater

Sawyer and Slater attack before the bell. They are laying out the Anderson’s and the match is underway. Arn sent to the floor and Ole misses a belt shot. Arn gets atomic dropped on the outside as Slater and Sawyer pound away on Ole. Clip ahead to Arn and Slater going at it. Fore arm shot to Arn, then to Ole! Clip ahead to Ole with an Anderson arm bar on Slater. Slater to his feet and takes Ole down. Arn in to take him down and a tag is made. Arn back to work on the arm. Ole up top…tossed off by Slater! Sawyer tagged in and all 4 men are in! Clothesline to Arn by Sawyer, he covers but the ref tries to get Slayer out and Ole drops an elbow on Sawyer. Ole covers and that’s it.

The Anderson’s retain, 3:20 shown.

Bill Apter calls the 6-man tag match the “biggest” match literally at the Bash.

“The Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez, Sam Houston, and “Avalanche” Buzz Tyler vs. Billy Graham, Konga the Barbarian, and Abdullah the Butcher

Tyler and the Barbarian in to start. Right hand by Tyler. Houston and Fernandez nail him as well. Lock up and Fernandez tagged in. Chops to Fernandez, but an elbow to Barbarian. Chops by Fernandez. Float over then a cross body by Fernandez for 2! Graham in and he and Butcher beat on Houston. Tackle to Houston and he’s down. Another tackle by the Butcher. Barbarian in and a head butt to Houston. Yakuza to Houston and then a slam. Leg drop by Barbarian and a tag to Butcher. He chokes Houston out on the ropes. Houston sent to the floor and Butcher is after him. He whips him over the railing and Houston is in trouble. Fernandez helps him up and Graham back in. He nails Houston and tags Butcher. Press slam by Barbarian and then a shop off the ropes. Tag to Graham. Cross body by Houston for 2 and EVERYONE is in! Fernandez and Barbarian to the floor. Houston rolls up Graham and that’s all!

“The Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez, Sam Houston, and “Avalanche” Buzz Tyler win, 4:57 shown.

Solie says that sometimes in a greedy quest for victory, a manager will over step and have to pay. They say Paul Jones attacked Jimmy Valiant. Jones was a former wrestler and accepted the challenge. Apter says this was a Dog Collar match and Jones insisted that the Butcher second him and Valiant selected Buzz Tyler.

Dog Collar Match: Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant w/ “Avalanche” Buzz Tyler vs. Paul Jones w/ Abdullah the Butcher

Jones tries to have the Butcher fight for him, but it doesn’t work. Clip ahead to Jones busting open Valiant with the chain. Repeated shots by Jones. Valiant fights back and we jump to Valiant getting beat down some more. Jones pulls him around but Valiant up! Clip ahead to Valiant ramming Jones off of the post. Ahead again to Valiant beating on Jones’s head and Jones is bleeding. Sleeper by Valiant! Butcher in and Valiant after him. He runs into the Butcher! Elbow by Valiant and that’s all! The Butcher attacks with the spike and Tyler is in with a chair and clears the ring.

Valiant wins, 2:50 shown.

Solie says that this match was like World War III as the Russians took on the Road Warriors.

NWA vs. AWA World Tag Team Title Match: Krusher Khruschev and Ivan Koloff NWA © vs. The Road Warriors w/ Paul Ellering AWA ©

The Warriors storm the ring and take the Russians to the floor. Clip ahead to a boot by Hawk. Back drop to Ivan. Right hands, off the ropes…power slam! Clip ahead to Ivan beating on Hawk. Boot to Hawk and up top Ivan goes…Hawk has him! Tosses him off! Chop to Ivan. Fist drop! Slams Ivan face first. Chops to Ivan now and a snap mare to Hawk. Hawk up…and he chokes out Ivan and then bites him. Press slam on Ivan! Tag to Animal and he covers for 2. Headlock on Ivan and he tries for a tag. Clip ahead to Ivan with a bear hug on Animal. Khruschev nails Animal from behind. Tag to Khruschev. He nails Hawk now and then back to Animal. Animal to the corner and a tag to Ivan. Chops to Animal and then a boot to the chest. Shoulder blocks to the ribs of Animal. Tag to Khruschev and he snap mares Animal down. Clip to Khruschev taking Animal off the ropes…double clothesline. Both men are down. Tag to Ivan. Hawk tagged as well! Back drop to Khruschev! Boot to Ivan. Rights to Ivan now, boot to Khruschev. Clothesline to Ivan! Covers for 2 as Khruschev saves. All 4 men are in. Hawk has Ivan for a suplex…he hand shim off to Animal for a top rope power slam but Khruschev nails him with a chair and they tumble to the mat! Hawk has the chair and NAILS Khruschev! He then nails Ivan. The match is called as they continue to brawl. Ivan is busted open. Double clothesline to Khruschev who is busted open as well.

Double DQ; no title changes, 7:55 shown.

Bill Apter puts over Kamala as Magnum TA’s biggest opponent. They put over Magnum as a huge future star, and credit his success to the belly-to-belly “soufflй” as Solie loved to call it. They show highlights of Magnum using it on various opponents. Solie says Kamala is unorthodox.

United States Heavyweight Title Match: Magnum TA © vs. “The Ugandan Giant” Kamala w/Skandar Akbar

Kamala attacks before the bell and Magnum is in trouble. Cross body by Magnum and Kamala is down. Right hands to Kamala by Magnum and we clip ahead. Kamala in control with chops to the head of Magnum. He bites Magnum now and the ref breaks it. Choking Magnum now and Kamala is in total control. Magnum is bleeding and Kamala locks in the dreaded nerve hold. Kamala chokes him out as Skandar occupies the ref. BIG SPLASH and Kamala gets 2! Chops to Magnum, off the ropes…BIG SPLASH! Magnum fights to his feet and is getting fired up. Kamala misses the corner splash! Boots by Magnum. Drop kick to Kamala, another and a 3rd takes Kamala down! Akbar is in the ring now and that’s a DQ! Magnum has him and Kamala charges and nails Akbar! Slam on Kamala! Magnum nails Akbar again! Kamala attacks…BELLY TO BELLY on Kamala!

Magnum retains, 3:59 shown.

Bill Apter says that no new comer has had as much controversy as Nikita Koloff. Solie says Nikita is deadly, and craves superiority. The world was stunned as Ivan delivered a message from the Kremlin. “He says Nikita was chosen to be the champion.” Nikita training clips run. They say the road back to Russia was to be paved in gold, Ric Flair’s gold. The Koloff’s run down David Crocket. Flair told the NWA board and asked for them not to be suspended. We see Flair attacking Koloff. Crocket was to be the special ref.

NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair © vs. Nikita Koloff w/Ivan Koloff (David Crockett special referee)

Flair arrives in style in a helicopter with a red carpet entrance.

Lock up and Flair tossed down. Lock up again and the same. A 3rd time and Flair down once again. Clip ahead to Flair fighting off Koloff but Koloff with a headlock. Flair with shoulder blocks and chops. Hip toss to Koloff. Lock up as we clip ahead and Flair shoulder blocks him but Koloff gets the Russian Hammer choke. Bear hug to Flair. Clip ahead to Flair fighting out of the bear hug and Flair gets an atomic drop. Boots to Flair. Chops to Koloff and Koloff is rocked. Right hand and Flair drops though. Back suplex by Flair. Figure four by Flair is locked in! Koloff tries to fight out and rakes Flair’s eyes. Clip ahead to Koloff stalking Flair. He picks up Flair and slams him down. Corner whip and Flair flips over and to the ground. Koloff out and sends Flair to the post. Clip to Flair bleeding and Koloff covering for 2. Again and only 2. Off the ropes…RUSSIAN SICKLE! Koloff stalls and then covers for 2! Flair fights out of the bear hug and then falls down. Boot to Koloff as Flair bleeds more. Koloff to his feet and Flair fights back more! Roll up and Flair gets 2! Chops to Koloff now and Koloff down. Flair mounts him and punches away! Suplex on Koloff. Elbow drop by Flair and covers for 2. Chops to Koloff again in the corner. Right hands now and Flair is in control. Flair is rocking him and then Koloff chokes out Flair. Again and Crocket tries to break it up. Crocket pushed down! Ivan in and he nails Crocket! A fan runs in and ATTACKS NIKITA! Security clears the ring and Flair corner flip and up top…totally muffed cross body as Koloff drops him and Flair gets a cover and 2 anyway. Chops again to Koloff. Boot to Koloff now and chops and rights. Flair drapes Koloff over the ropes and pounds away. Koloff with a suplex try, but Flair falls on top and gets the 3! Ivan in and he’s upset. He attacks Crocket. They now double-team Flair and Koloff up top…Back drop Sickle combo! Sam Houston is in and gets beat down. Some other scrubs run in and get tossed. SICKLE to Flair and he goes to the ground. Some wrestlers check on Flair and

Flair retains, 13:40 shown.

They say that Tully is the longest running TV Champ ever and show him getting out of a private jet with Baby Doll. Solie says she gets too involved. Apter says that Dusty has held the NWA Title on 2 occasions. He says Tully and Baby Doll tried to blind him. Tully FIRE BALLS DUSTY! Dusty promo, he says everyone was shocked. He has all of his life cared for wrestling. He has faced adversity and overcome it. He doesn’t want them suspended. He will be the judge, the jury and then the hangman. Solie says this could only be settled in a steel cage and Tully put Baby Doll on the line for 30-days.

Steel Cage: World Television Title Match: Tully Blanchard © w/Baby Doll vs. Dusty Rhodes

JIP with Dusty working Tully’s leg. Dusty with a single leg lock on Tully and Tully fights out. Dusty whipped to the cage. Tully with a 2nd rope elbow drop. Another elbow drop and Dusty rammed again into the cage. Arm bar by Tully and Dusty is bleeding badly. Dusty fights out and Tully drives an elbow to the bloody head of Dusty. Dusty back with elbows and Tully down. Tully to the cage! Dusty grates his face off of the cage now! Tully is busted open and Dusty grates his face again! Suplex reversed by Tully, clothesline by Dusty for 2. Head butt for Dusty and now a figure four! Tully fights and pulls the ref down. Tully tries and turns the hold and Tully gets the ropes. They get to their feet and Tully with elbows to Dusty. Dusty back with elbows now, BIONIC EVEN! Back drop to Tully who goes over the top to the cage. Tully climbs to escape and Dusty follows! They battle on the top rope! Head butts to Tully and he goes down after an elbow. Dusty missed a top rope elbow and Tully gets something from Baby Doll. It’s the loaded elbow pad! Tully in…PILE DRIVER by Dusty and that’s all! The crowd goes wild! Dusty grabs Baby Doll and takes her away.

Dusty is the NEW TV Champ and wins Baby Doll for 30-days, 6:25.

Solie and Apter thank us for joining us, and they’ll see us at the matches.

The 411: Fun tape. I think we are really lucky that we can buy full PPV’s on DVD so soon after they happen. These were about all you could get back in the day. It’s a fun hour and gives you a good over view of the show. If you can actually find this and cheap, pick it up for a look at the classic NWA.
 
Final Score:  5.0   [ Not So Good ]  legend

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