wrestling / Video Reviews
Universal Wrestling Federation (10.18.1986) Review

-Originally aired October 18, 1986.
-Your hosts are Jim Ross & Michael Hayes.
“Nature Boy” BUDDY LANDEL vs. JEFF RAITZ
-Landel returns to the area, now as a “national television star” because of his appearances on the Superstation. Knee and a chop by Landel. Reitz fights back and powerslams him. Landel goes to the floor to get his bearings, and it works because he gets back in there, applies the chinlock to wear Raitz down, and then finishes with a figure four. Hold on, checking…14. This run lasts 14 matches for Buddy.
JACK VICTORY (with Missy Hyatt) vs. JUMPIN’ JOE SAVOLDI
-Victory applies a standing side headlock, then sends Victory into the ropes for a bodypress. Victory tries to mount some offense but Savoldi keeps him on the mat and keeps the side headlock clamped on as the commentators marvel that there’s only been ONE UWF champion so far in the company’s history. Gordy’s been champion for like two months, he’s not Bruno or anything.
-Victory “smells victory” according to Michael Hayes, so apparently he didn’t wear deodorant to the building, but he takes over with a snap suplex. He tries the move again but Savoldi reverses. Meanwhile, Eddie Gilbert strolls to the ring, wearing a nice shirt and carrying a giftwrapped box. He gives it to Missy–the box, specifically–while Victory blocks a monkey flip and comes off the second turnbuckle with an elbow for three.
CHAVO GUERRERO vs. GORGEOUS GARY YOUNG
-Criss-cross goes nowhere as up-and-comer Young makes a show of putting on the brakes and lying on the mat to stop the move that Chavo was planning. Young misses a dropkick and Chavo dazes him with a savate kick for two. Commentary mentions the next TV taping happening at Cowtown, with tickets available at Billy Bob’s Box Office, which is setting just the right tone for your nationally expanding company.
-They do a bridge sport, with Chavo thrusting his crotch downward to try to break the bridge, and it’s a spot that’s been done a million times but a bunch of fans audibly laugh at the sight of it, which is an interesting hazard when you’re performing at a time when a bunch of new fans are just learning what this stuff is.
-Michael Hayes reminds us that we don’t use instant replay in the UWF, so nobody is taking the TV Title away from Buddy Roberts. We get a replay of the pinfall–and again, ONLY the pinfall, we are never ever going to see this match for whatever reason. Also, this time around, I notice that the referee is Tommy Gilbert, so again, Tommy is involved in another shitty, heel-favoring finish.
-We rewatch the during-the-commercial melee from the Heavyweight Title match last week. If they had any guts, they’d leave in JR complaining about the smell near the commentary area, but no, they had him record actual commentary.
MISSING LINK & GENTLEMAN CHRIS ADAMS (with Dark Journey) vs. ONE MAN GANG & SAVANNAH JACK (with Skandor Akbar)
-At some point when I wasn’t looking, they decided his name is Skandor and not Skandar. Brian Adias and Mike Rotundo are unavailable for comment.
-Adams does some dazzling flips and throws punches to daze Gang. Link comes in and headbutts him from every direction while Michael Hayes mentions Adams’ fondness for the top rope and turns the knob to ILLEGAL for the promotion this week.
-Savannah Jack comes in and traps Link in the heel corner for some chicanery. Gang tags back in but misses a corner charge. Adams comes in with his own headbutt, having learned something from hanging out with Link, then takes Gang off his feet with a clothesline. Leroy Brown enters the ring as Akbar gets on the apron, and everyone is wondering why the referee won’t call for the bell, but then he does just that as Adams drags Akbar into the ring. Post-match, Akbar throws a punch at Adams but connects with Jack. Felt like they were only just getting warmed up when the match ended.
-Back from commercial break, Akbar and Savannah Jack are arguing in the ring. Akbar calls him “boy” and Savannah isn’t having that. He stands up to Akbar, and Akbar is alarmed enough that he backs down…then hits Savannah and orders his men to attack. Gang and Brown assault Savannah Jack, but Jack makes his own save and clears the ring. SAVANNAH JACK, COME ON DOWN! YOU’RE THE NEXT ATTEMPTED REPLACEMENT FOR THE JUNKYARD DOG!
COUNTRY WHIPPING MATCH: TED DIBIASE & TERRY TAYLOR vs. FABULOUS FREEBIRDS
-It’s Buddy Roberts and Michael Hayes, who attack with belts as as their opponents are getting in the ring, but Ted & Terry whip ’em right back and send them scurrying to the floor. DiBiase lights up Roberts, who tags Hayes, who really doesn’t want to be in there. More whippin’ on both Freebirds before Taylor tags in and clotheslines him for two.
-Roberts rakes the eyes and tags Hayes in. Hayes whips away, but Taylor escapes and tags in DiBiase. DiBiase just goes nutzo on both Freebirds with his strap. Roberts rakes the eyes so hard that DiBiase loses his strap, and the referee just picks up the strap and throws it to the floor instead of making sure that DiBiase gets it back, which seems like a bad call for this match.
-DiBiase hits Roberts so hard that he loses his strap, which makes it fair, and a powerslam gets two. We pause for commercial.
-Back from the break, the whipless DiBiase is being whipped by the sufficiently enwhipped Michael Hayes, and the Freebirds gang up to strangle and stretch him. Hayes loses his strap along the way, and I’m fascinated by how the story of this match is “All four guys gradually lose interest in the stipulation.” DiBiase throws a double clothesline and makes the hot tag to the last strap standing, Terry Taylor takes on both opponents, loses his strap because of course he does, but then bodypresses Roberts for the sudden three-count. Good but overall odd match. And I don’t even blame the guys that much. It’s hard to do a fake lash with a belt and I’m guessing they really WERE saying “screw this” in mid-match.
-We have a brawl after the match, with Hayes and Taylor going to the floor. Hayes throws Taylor throat-first into the barricade. And with Taylor unable to help his partner, the Freebirds steal DiBiase’s black glove and wallop him with it.