wrestling / Video Reviews
Universal Wrestling Federation (10.11.1986) Review

-Originally aired October 11, 1986.
-Your hosts are JR and PS.
GENTLEMAN CHRIS ADAMS vs. GUSTAVO MENDOZA
-They have two rings again this week, but the arena is more brightly lit and they have an odd problem. With the handheld cameras shooting the guys during their intros, the stands look full. But the section facing the hard camera is EMPTY. They appear to have sold every seat in the building except the ones that will be visible for most of the episode. Adams enters to “Eye of the Tiger,” and the crowd is UNGLUED when they first hear it, thinking Hulk Hogan is showing up.
-Adams wins a fist fight in the opening moments. He applies a side headlock. Mendoza breaks free and sends Adams into the ropes, but Adams comes right back at him with a superkick and gets the three-count right away.
This week’s UWF Top Ten:
#10. Hollywood John Tatum
#9. Chavo Guerrero
#8. Missing Link
#7. Michael Hayes
#6. Terry Taylor
#5. One Man Gang
#4. Steve Williams
#3. Ted DiBiase
#2. Jim Duggan
#1. Buddy Roberts
-The fact that one Freebird is now first in line for another Freebird’s title is not addressed at all because it’s 1986 and they didn’t book like that.
UWF WORLD TITLE: TERRY GORDY (Champion) vs. “Dr. Death” STEVE WILLIAMS
-This is a rematch stemming from the double pin a few weeks ago.
-Hacksaw Jim Duggan heads to the ring and demands a microphone so he can challenge the winner to a title match. JR throws it to commercial, but it appears that this is an unedited master copy of the episode, so we get the commercial break action. Michael Hayes leaves commentary to pick a fight, and Duggan’s up for that, so before the match even starts, Duggan & Williams are brawling with the Freebirds on the floor. Skandar Akbar and his troops suddenly arrive, with One Man Gang and Leroy Brown targeting Duggan and overpowering him while the Freebirds appear to injure Doc’s arm on the floor.
-If, at this point, you’re thinking, “Well, Adam, if they’re doing an angle, this clearly isn’t an unedited master tape, this is how it aired,” let me also point out that during everything that just happened, the only thing Jim Ross says is “Shit…what stinks?”
-And then once JR is on camera, he snaps right into things and says all kinds of chaos happened during the commercial break and the tape machines were rolling, let’s go to the footage!
-After a review of the footage, Dr. Death’s entrance theme strikes up and he’s headed right back to the ring with his arm taped up, because he is not missing this title shot!
-So naturally, Gordy is all over the arm to start. Mildly interesting–it appears that they actually went to the trouble of moving the hard camera after the first match!
-Williams has some fight left in him and tackles Gordy with the good side of his body, but Gordy shakes it off and goes right back to the arm. Doc throws punches and shoulderblocks with his good side, but misses a corner charge and now he has no good sides. Gordy goes back to the arm as JR throws it to commercial, and they must have told the guys in the ring it’s a commercial break because Gordy gets COMFORTABLE with his armbar for the next two minutes.
-Back from the break and pretty much right on cue, Dr. Death gets out of the hold, but they collide on a double clothesline and both men are wiped out. Gordy legally or illegally goes to the top rope but Williams slams him off. Headbutt and a tackle by Williams by Doc. He goes for the piledriver and manages to do it with one good arm, but Gordy kicks out at two since a one-armed piledriver isn’t fully effective, as JR explains.
-Clothesline by Doc gets another two. Gordy rakes the eyes and tries an Irish whip, but Williams reverses it and Gordy hits the corner upside-down. Williams gets up the beating as Michael Hayes heads back to ringside. He gets into the second ring and challenges Doc to a fight while Gordy pulls a weapon out of his tights. Gordy knocks Williams out cold and pins him to retain the title. JR is disgusted by these typical Freebird shenanigans. Good dramatic battle.
-Eddie Gilbert takes over on commentary.
ICEMAN KING PARSONS & THE MISSING LINK (with Dark Journey) vs. HOLLYWOOD JOHN TATUM & JACK VICTORY (with Missy Hyatt)
-Gilbert says he’s pulling for Parsons and Link because Tatum and Victory are screw-ups who cost him a title.
-Iceman fights both opponents himself, clearing the ring, and Eddie is having the time of his life on commentary. Back in, Tatum is so dazed that he walks to the wrong corner and gets headbutted by Link. Iceman cleans house again as we pause for another time-out. The commercial break ends up being the high point of the week as JR and Eddie amuse each other by seeing who can do the best John Wayne impression.
-Back from commercial, JR is back “on” but when he throws it to Eddie for his thoughts, Eddie suddenly does a John Wayne impression and JR breaks very briefly before Eddie gets back on track.
-Tatum takes over and snap suplexes Iceman for a two-count. Iceman whips Tatum but misses the corner charge and he’s wiped out. Hot tag to Link, and he cleans house with headbutts as Eddie openly cheers for him. Missy tries to interfere from the floor, and Dark Journey chases her into the ring, and we have a valet brawl as we are DESPERATELY OUT OF TIME WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!