The Name on the Marquee: NWA World Championship Wrestling (10.4.1986)

-Originally aired October 4, 1986.

-Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & David Crockett. The Andersons are already out there, looking incredibly antsy about something. “The Horsemen” isn’t just a cool name it’s a way of life. Arn was born and raised in it. And Dusty, don’t forget, there’s still three months left in 1986, and you ARE outta here by the end of the year because Ole promised it.

MAGNUM T.A. vs VERNON DEATON
-Since we’re now very close to the tragedy, I wanted to throw the floor open to anyone who’s watched the documentary. Is it worth a look?

-Belly-to-belly gives David Crockett a serious case of O-face and Magnum gets the win.

-Paul Jones & Baron Von Raschke are here. Manny Fernandez hasn’t accepted the offer yet, but he WILL, Paul is sure of it. He’s also getting a lot of shocked looks from people lately because he got the services of Rick Rude, but he’s just that good at managering, dad gummit. Baron Von Raschke cuts a really funny promo where he threatens to take Dusty Rhodes’ title, but visibly hesitates because he can’t remember which belt Dusty currently holds.

-Jimmy Valiant is here, and for some reason, he’s talking like Manny Fernandez already turned heel, even though Paul Jones made it clear he hasn’t. He tells a batshit loony story about seeing Dolly Parton in the balcony at a recent event and then walks off.

“Ragin Bull” MANNY FERNANDEZ vs MIKE SIMANI
-Manny works the leg as the commentators’ microphones have apparently come unplugged and nobody has noticed. Flying burrito gets the win.
-Bill Dundee cuts a promo about his uncle, Crocodile Dundee, and says Sam Houston had better watch out for him. Or Buddy Landel. He sort of weaves back and forth between those thoughts. Buddy actually acknowledges leaving the promotion a few months ago for “an attitude adjustment,” but he promises he’s back full time.

TIM HORNER vs RANDY MULKEY
-Mat wrestling exhibition goes Horner’s way. Horner slams Mulkey and elbows him down. Mulkey starts to fight back, but runs into a powerslam, and the natural bridge finishes.

-Robert Gibson is here to give his good friend Tim Horner some rub. Horner’s happy to be here.

TULLY BLANCHARD & THE ANDERSONS (with JJ Dillon) vs ROCKY KERNODLE, BILL TABB, & CHARLES FREEMAN
-Arn starts with Kernodle. Kernodle hiptosses him and tags in Bill Tabb. All of the Horsemen are smaller than Tabb but just completely dominate him. Elbow off the top by Tully. Tabb fights his way over to the corner and tags in Freeman. Freeman is immediately tossed to the floor as JJ Dillon says that the number of titles held by the Horsemen right now doesn’t accurately reflect how great they are, and he declares the whole group to be at the peak of their careers.

-Tully attacks all three of his opponents, and a double gourdbuster (really just a regular gourdbuster, with Tully holding the guy’s leg so he can look like he’s helping) gets the win.

-Dusty Rhodes is here. Defending the TV Title and the Six Man Tag Team Title all over the country is a real chore, but if he can do that night after night, then who thinks Ole is gonna take him out. Paul Jones’ Army taunts him from the ring, and Dusty tells them to come get some before storming off.

BARON VON RASCHKE & SHASKA WHATLEY vs BILL MULKEY & LEE PEAK
-Shaska works Mulkey’s arm and slugs away in the corner. Paul Jones formally accepts the offer from Dusty Rhodes, but won’t say which of his men Dusty will have to deal with. Tony delights the Star Wars fans everywhere by mentioning that Paul Jones and his men travel in numbers. Marching single file, I’m sure.

-Peak gets thrown out to the floor and dedicates his superplex to Dusty Rhodes to finish things.

-Jim Cornette’s here with an update from the CNN newswire. Hawk has been arrested for stealing a purse, Animal was arrested for selling pencils without a license, and Paul Ellering was hit by a truck while waiting in line for his unemployment check. Cornette actually calls the Rock & Roll Express “Punky & Hoot,” which amazes me because I didn’t realize those nicknames ever made it past the locker room.

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (with Jim Cornette) vs KEITH PATTERSON & RANDY BARBER
-Express gangs up on Patterson. Eaton slams him into place and comes off the top with the knee. Barber tags in with a really funny look on his face, and even Crockett points out that the poor jobber looks like he knows what he has to deal with now. Rocket launcher finishes quickly because it’s a short show this week.

-Ric Flair says guys like Eaton & Condrey don’t grow on trees. They are true world champions in the sport of professional wrestling. Flair doesn’t like to admit it, but guys like Dusty, Magnum, the Rock & Rolls, and Dick Murdoch are the top wrestling talent in the entire world…which is why Flair is so proud to be the reigning champion above all of them, ruling over “a $3 billion company.”

-Magnum TA thinks Jimmy Garvin is a great wrestler, but he’s tired of hearing all the talk about what Garvin wants to do with him. If he wants a match so damn bad, Magnum’s ready.

RON GARVIN (Mid-Atlantic Champion) vs GARY ROYAL
-Royal backs Garvin into the corner and knees him, but Garvin ain’t in the mood this week and just puts him down with one punch to end it immediately.

-Jimmy Garvin conveniently arrives a few minutes too late and says he’s ready for action.

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

It's tough to review the short episodes of this show, because they're crap, but you kinda get why and it doesn't feel right blaming anybody on the show for it. Still, you're not missing anything if you skip this one.