Views from the Hawke’s Nest: NWA Starrcade 1987 – Chi-Town Heat

November 26, 1987

Chicago, Illinois

Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Jim Ross

 

Eddie Gilbert, Larry Zbyszko & Rick Steiner (w/Baby Doll) vs. Sting & The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin & Michael Hayes) (w/Precious)
Sting actually hit an early plancha on Rick that the cameraman completely missed. The babyfaces cleared house for a few minutes. It was delightful. Garvin eventually got isolated and then worked over. He got free from Zbyszko and then tagged out to Sting. Sting briefly made a comeback, but he got cut off and then worked over as well. He too eventually freed himself while Zbyszko was in there. Hayes tagged in, and the match then completely brown down. Hayes got a pinfall, but Larry was in the ropes. The match then went to a time limit draw.

This match was going so well, and then it went way too long and ended in a time limit draw. It doesn’t make the match awful, but this could have been so much better if they shaved five minutes and gave it a finish. Time limit draws are not ideal for openers.
Match Rating: **1/2

 

Steve Williams© vs. Barry Windham [UWF Heavyweight Championship]
The crowd did not have much patience for this one. The most notable thing to happen early on was Dr. Death doing a leapfrog but Windham ran into his dick. That knocked Dr. Death out of commission for a minute or so. They got back going, and Windham spilled to the floor on a failed crossbody attempt. Windham got back in the ring, but Williams caught him in a pinning combo: 1…2…3

Wow, this fell apart might fast and came off quite terribly when all was said and done. After the first few moments, you would think they were on their way to a good match. That was foolish thinking on my part. The story idea was that Windham gave Williams time to recover after he hurt his dick, but Williams didn’t give Windham time to recover after spilling to the floor. A neat idea, but it not make for a fun match! This is not what I want from pro wrestling.
Match Rating: ¼*

 

The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) (w/Big Bubba Rogers & Jim Cornette) vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) [Scaffold Tag Team Match]
In order to win, you have to send both of your opponents to the mat before the other team does it to you.

Big Bubba attacked Morton in the ring, while everyone else climbed up on the scaffold. Gibson got worked over by Eaton and Lane. Ricky hit Bubba with the tennis racket and then made the save on the scaffold. Eaton and Gibson were busted open. Eaton and Lane used salt to throw in Gibson’s eyes. The teams battled more on the scaffold for a while. Lane took a fairly safe bump to the mat while hanging on the rungs. So, he was the first person eliminated. Eaton tried to hang on, but he was eventually kicked to the mat.

Cornette ordered Big Bubba to climb the scaffold after the match. Bubba got hit in the crotch though, and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express climbed down. They then stole Bubba’s hat and coat. Jerks.

They dragged out the first elimination too long, but this far exceeded my expectations. It should be noted though that I thought it would be awful. Instead, it was a mildly entertaining affair!
Match Rating: **3/4

 

Jimmy Garvin cut a backstage promo. It came across like a deleted SNL Will Forte promo skit. Fantastic unintentional comedy. Dr. Death then cut a promo about how important his UWF belt is. As far as I know, the belt would be phased out within a month.

 

Nikita Koloff vs. Terry Taylor (w/Eddie Gilbert) [NWA World Television Championship/UWF Television Championship Unification Match]
Taylor could not get much going for a while. Koloff used an armbar to maintain control. Taylor retreated to the floor at one point, but Koloff went right back to work on the left arm. Taylor avoided the lariat, and Koloff crashed into a turnbuckle to cut himself off. Taylor then worked him over. Such an odd match. Taylor targeted the left arm in fact. I can dig that. Koloff fought back. Gilbert hit Koloff with a chair to the knee, but the cameraman missed it. Taylor then went after the injured knee. Figure four. Gilbert helped Taylor leverage the submission. Koloff survived though. Taylor accidentally knocked Gilbert off the apron. Lariat from Koloff: 1…2…3!!!

I thought the effort and intentions were good here, but they did not work a match that interests me much. Koloff worked over Taylor’s arm for at least ten minutes, and there was no real payoff to that in any substantive way. That’s just not in line with my tastes for wrestling. If you’re going to work a limb, conclude that story. Solid match with a fantastic finish nonetheless.
Match Rating: **1/2

 

Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (w/JJ Dillon)© vs. The Road Warriors (Road Warrior Animal & Road Warrior Hawk) (w/Paul Ellering) [NWA World Tag Team Championships]
This could be awesome.

The Road Warriors obviously completely dominated for a while. Arn eventually chopped down Hawk’s left knee, and the champs picked the knee apart for a while. Animal escaped after a few minutes. Animal ran wild for a hot second until Tully tripped him from the floor. The match broke down, and there was a ref bump. DOOMSDAY DEVIVE TO ARN: 1…2…3!

Dusty Finish time: the injured ref recovered and ruled that since Arn went over the top rope, the champs retained via disqualification.

AWFUL finish. The highlight of the match was the Road Warriors throwing the champs around for a few minutes as you would expect. The heat segment was logical, but there was no payoff to the legwork. Then the finish happened. A disappointing match for sure.
Match Rating: **

 

JJ Dillon cut a promo about how much it meant to him that Luger defeat Dusty. He assures us that the Horsemen have the perfect man in Luger and the perfect plan to defeat Dusty.

 

Lex Luger (w/JJ Dillon) (c) vs. Dusty Rhodes (w/Johnny Weaver) [NWA United States Heavyweight Championship vs. Career Steel Cage Match]
Weaver has the keys to the cage at ringside.

Dusty had some success early on. Dillon did not look pleased at ringside. Dusty went for the Weaver Lock, but Luger got to the cage Dusty went for the Weaver Lock again, but Luger avoided it again. Dusty went after the left arm. Luger came back, and Dusty got busted open. Luger went for the Rack, but he could not get Dusty set. Luger went after the left arm. Dusty fought back with punches, an elbow, and a DDT. THE WEAVER LOCK. There was some tomfoolerly. Luger hit the ref, and Dillon threw a chair into the ring. DUSTY HIT A DDT ON THE CHAIR: 1…2…3! New champ!

The finish got over big, but there were not many highlights other than that. It seems like a lot of people found this match to be boring. I can understand that, and I can see myself getting sick of Dusty after a few more matches. However, I have never watched a ton of him in a row, and I can handle his methodical matches in small doses without being bored. Needless to say though, these two were not ideal opponents for each other.
Match Rating: **1/2

 

Ronnie Garvin (c) vs. Ric Flair [NWA World Heavyweight Championship Steel Cage Match]
Garvin was in control early on. It was whatever. Things picked up with THE GARVIN STOMP. Flair hit a low blow to slow him down. Flair worked Garvin over for a while. He applied the figure four. In a weird bit, Flair used the ropes for leverage behind the ref’s back as if that was cheating in a cage match. Garvin reversed the pressure, and Flair got to the ropes…the referee broke it up…in a cage match. Garvin made a comeback. He tossed Flair into the cage a lot and even bit Flair. He even applied a version of the figure four. Holy shit. It’s only been fifteen minutes. Flair fought back. Garvin caused Flair to crotch himself. They did a decently hot sequence over a sunset flip. Garvin hit the knockout punch: 1…2…NO! Flair hot shotted Garvin into a beam of the cage: 1…2…3

I thought this match was crazy boring for the main event of the company’s biggest show of the year. I have not watched nearly enough Garvin to have an informed opinion on him, but I really have not found him entertaining in the few matches that I’ve seen of his.

Match Rating: **

 

Watch some WCW for free!

Hulk Hogan & Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger & Sting

Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio

Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

Goldberg & Ric Flair vs. Hollywood Hogan & Kevin Nash

Bret Hart vs. Lex Luger

Blitzkrieg vs. Juventud Guerrera 

Blitzkrieg & Kaz Hayashi vs. Silver King & Psicosis

Chris Jericho vs. Alex Wright

Eddy Guerrero vs. Chris Jericho

Eddy Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko

Eddy Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero

Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio vs. Jushin Liger

Scott Steiner vs. Mike Awesome

Booker T vs. Curt Hennig

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Curt Hennig

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

I'm going to be sporadically going back and watching the NWA/WCW PPVs/Clash of Champions events from this time period. Luckily, things get better after this one.