YouTubular: Frankie DeFalco

Although I was only able to find a few matches of Frankie DeFalco on YouTube, I couldn’t resist the special request received via e-mail from reader Lord Darias.

you should do one on Frankie DeFalco…He was a local jobber in the midwest, lived or still does in Milwaukee…I knew him a bit…said he made about $250 for a jobber appearance for the WWF in the 80’s…He told me a good story one time about wrestling Randy Savage and accidentally nailing him in the jaw, well Savage didn’t like being hit by jobbers so physically chased him around the ring and beat the hell out of him before finishing him off with the elbow…I can’t find that video anywhere of that match unfortunately…well just an idea…

Frankie DeFalco vs. Brutus Beefcake
Video Length: 5:43
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This is from “Wrestling Challenge” with Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan on commentary. Heenan is in rare form trashing Beefcake, and therefore getting him over huge. Beefcake and DeFalco lock up with Beefcake flinging DeFalco into the corner. DeFalco walks into a body slam, and I mean literally walls into a body slam, and Beefcake follows with a knee drop. Beefcake picks up DeFalco for a knee lift and then whips him to the far corner for a back elbow charge. Beefcake snap mares him out of the corner and stomps the face. Beefcake signals for the sleeper and applies. Heenan and Monsoon argue over whether it’s a real sleeper or a choke hold. DeFalco is out and now Heenan is flipping out over Beefcake cutting DeFalco’s hair. Beefcake props DeFalco up in the corner and snips some hair off, then he sprays his hair red. Beefcake wakes him up and show DeFalco his new ‘do in the mirror. DeFalco freaks out. Good selling from DeFalco helped get the gimmick over as this was still early into Beefcake’s face turn. ½*

Frankie DeFalco vs. Bad News Brown
Video Length: 2:46
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Commentators are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura from “Superstars.” Brown attacks DeFalco before his introduction is over. He mauls DeFalco while an insert promo plays. Brown is undefeated in the WWF and you beer-bellies sharecroppers can’t do anything about it. Brown snaps DeFalco’s neck off the top rope and then works him over on the mat. Brown hits a chop off the ropes and drops an elbow. Brown pounds on DeFalco in the corner. DeFalco reverses a whip, seemingly on instinct because he looks so out of it, and Brown comes out of the corner with a clothesline. The Ghettoblaster, which is still awesome, wins it. Regular squash from Brown. ¼*

Frankie DeFalco vs. DJ Peterson
Video Length: 7:15
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This is from “AWA Championship Wrestling” with Lee Marhsall and Ralph Strangis on commentary. DeFalco is nicknamed the Thumper by on screen graphic. The AWA: where even jobbers had nicknames. Peterson is making his return to the AWA.

Peterson and DeFalco mix it up before the bell sounds. They lock up proper and DeFalco comes out of it with a hip toss. They repeat the spot and DeFalco is getting cocky. I like the attitude he’s showing here. Peterson comes off the ropes and DeFalco tries another hip toss, but Peterson reverses. DeFalco blocks, so Peterson does a step over and flip and hits the hip toss. DeFalco walks into an armbar and Peterson takes over on the mat. DeFalco powers up and throws Peterson into the ropes. He sets up for a backdrop and Peterson just strolls out of the way. Never seen that counter before. DeFalco is frustrated and Peterson kicks him in the gut. He gets an arm wringer into an arm scissors to take DeFalco to the mat. He works an arm lock. DeFalco makes his feet and rolls Peterson over on his back for a pin. He grabs the ropes for leverage and the referee kicks him off. Peterson breaks the hold and DeFalco makes his feet to push Peterson into the corner. Peterson reverses a whip, but crotches himself when DeFalco moves on a broncobuster try.

DeFalco gets a power slam for two. Peterson reverses a whip and backdrops DeFalco as he comes out of the corner. Peterson with a body slam for two. Peterson gets sort of a high knee into a Thesz Press for two. DeFalco reverses a whip and this time DeFalco misses a charge to bang up his knee. Peterson turns him over into the Scorpion Deathlock, as called by Marshall, and DeFalco taps out. Solid little match with some subtle character work by both men. I would have liked to have seen all the arm work lead somewhere or for the legs to be worked on more heading to the finish. * Eric Bischoff interviews Peterson after the match. He’s returned to the AWA in order to take the world title off of Mr. Saito, who Peterson has a history with in Japan according to him.

Frankie DeFalco, Pete Sanchez and Rick Gantner vs. Harley Race, Hercules Hernandez and Rick Rude
Video Length: 4:32
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Rude is new to the WWF and is replacing Paul Orndorff in the Heenan Family. Bobby Heenan is not with his team. Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino on commentary say Heenan is not there because he’s upset over not winning the managerial rights to Bam Bam Bigelow. Rude takes the microphone and asks the fat men in the audience to be quiet while he takes his robe off so the women can enjoy his body. Jesse Ventura returns from wherever he was at and is miffed that he missed Rude taking his robe off.

A peer six brawl erupts with everyone going at it. Gantner and Sanchez are tossed from the ring and Hercules starts proper with DeFalco. Hercules hits a clothesline and elbow drop. He tags Race. Heenan arrives ringside. Race hits a suplex. He follows with a body slam and tags Rude. DeFalco quickly submits to a Canadian backbreaker. ¼* Too quick for a six man, but it was just to get over the Heenan family.

The 411: As usual, the AWA match was the best with DeFalco getting time to put a match together and get a character over. In the WWF squashes he shows good selling ability and you’ve got to be a team player to let Brutus Beefcake cut your hair and dye it. I’d like to have seen a few more matches, but DeFalco gets a serviceable pass.
Final Score:  5.0   [ Not So Good ]