Universal Wrestling Federation (8.15.1987) Review

-Going into this week’s episode, some of the news tidbits from the Observer…Referee Carl Fergie left the promotion and headed back to Memphis; Terry Taylor has been cleared to wrestle again, but just in case, he’s working a really limited style that doesn’t require much movement of the torso; and Hacksaw Jim Duggan was backstage at this taping, possibly looking for his old job. Ponder this, by the end of the month, Duggan pretty much had a choice–go back to the UWF, or accept the job offer from the guy who fired him two months ago and has a reputation for being vengeful, and he decided to roll his dice on the vengeful guy.

-Cold open: The Midnights’ shocking Tag Team Title win from last week. Worth noting that they’re sticking a toe in the water with rebranding this show as just “Universal Wrestling.”

-Originally aired August 15, 1987.

-Your hosts are Jim Ross in a tuxedo and Magnum TA wearing my uniform from elementary school.

-We go to the WTBS studio to watch Ron Simmons wrestle the Gladiator again, because apparently Ron Simmons has wrestled zero other matches with a camera present.

STING vs. MIKE BOYETTE
-Mike Boyette is now 0-99, and we get a head-in-a-box promo from him declaring that he can’t lose tonight. His new haircut has already guaranteed that, he has something similar to the Roadie’s hair if he was never dry at any point in his life. Also, he’s in a completely tin room and you can barely understand any of it, which JR basically points out after it’s over.

-Slam and a fist drop for the pin, as Sting is now getting the Magnum TA booking, where a push means winning in 10 seconds. Boyette is now 0-100.

-We watch the Midnights win the Tag Team Title again, as this episode is starting to feel like they didn’t get enough done at this TV taping.

-Magnum announces that as a result of the controversy, the UWF will be hosting a series of rematches between the Expresses.

-Jim Ross talks to Sting, who’s tired of the backstabbing! He wants Terry Taylor, Eddie Gilbert, AND Rick Steiner. He might have a partner, and he might be alone.

RICK STEINER vs. BOBBY HOWELL
-Jim Ross is workshopping “The Gremlin” as a nickname for Steiner this week.

-German suplex by Steiner. Steiner just dismantles the youngster and finishes with a belly-to-belly.

BARRY WINDHAM vs. ANGEL OF DEATH
-Barry is now the Western States Heritage Champion, but not in this match, which is two months old.

-Atomic drop by Windham. Snapmare takedown by Windham and they fight for a pin. The commentary team is an odd dynamic, with Michael Hayes and Magnum TA, and neither one seems sure which one is play-by-play and which one is color.

-They go into the corner and Angel gives Windham a slap, goading him into chasing him around the ring so Angel can give him some boots as he heads back inside. Elbow by the Angel misses. Windham clotheslines Angel, who considers the impact of it for a moment before deciding that he will propel himself over the top rope, and Hayes even says on commentary “I’m not sure if Barry actually knocked him over the top rope or if he went out on his own” because it looked so bad that you couldn’t cover it.

-And then we cut to a Dusty Rhodes video montage. That’s cool, I didn’t care about seeing who won that match or anything.

-Steve Williams cuts a promo in the Shitty Acoustics Annex of this particular arena. I heard “SOB” and I heard “fight,” the rest is up to you.

HANDICAP MATCH: BIG BUBBA ROGERS (with Skandar Akbar) vs. RON ELLIS & CRAIG WHITFORD
-The cannon fodder back Bubba into the corner, but it just gives him leverage to shove both of them off the ropes. He takes Ellis out to the floor and rams him into the barricade, then heads back in and gutwrenches Whitford. Bubbaslam, and Bubba pins both opponents at once.

-Postmatch, Akbar warns that Bubba is hungry.

-The Ric Flair montage again.

-YES THEY ARE RERUNNING THE PRESS CONFERENCE. “You’re gonna catch these hands!” Chris Adams says to the chair that comes toward his face. Adams writhes on the floor in agony, as the impact of the padded chair on those hands may prevent him from ever playing his cherished Casio keyboard again.

TV TITLE: EDDIE GILBERT (Champion) vs. BRAD ARMSTRONG
-Eddie stops the ring introductions to correct the announcer and point out that he’s supposed to start with the challenger.

-Armstrong clamps on a side headlock. Eddie tries a takedown but doesn’t get anywhere with it. We pause for a break and come back with a bodypress from Brad. Backslide by Brad gets two, then he gets to work on the arm. A big right from Brad sends Eddie staggering out to the floor as we pause…

-For another Ric Flair montage.

-And a Fabulous Freebirds music video. You know, when you’re presenting the illusion that this show is live or something close to it, interrupting it for this stuff seems like you’re sticking it to your fans by making them miss the match. There’s a time and a place for montages and music videos but NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MATCH.

-I’m actually halfway surprised that they came back to the match. Armstrong is working the arm again, but Armstrong runs the ropes and gets launched out to the floor. Eddie rams him into a table.

-Two-minute warning as Gilbert rams Armstrong from turnbuckle to turnbuckle. Armstrong reverses one shot and then dropkicks Eddie for a two-count. Backdrop countered by a kick from Eddie. Eddie goes for a corner charge, Armstrong moves, and Eddie runs knee-first into the turnbuckle. Armstrong applies a figure four, but Terry Taylor runs in and attacks Brad for the DQ. Good match up to that point.

-After the bell, Eddie and Terry make the big announcement that they are challenging the Lightning Express for the UWF Tag Team Title.

4.8

The final score: review Poor

The 411

Not a great show, but with production getting actively worse--bad audio and sloppily assembled segments--there's definitely a feeling of "We don't care anymore" starting to seep in now.