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What the HECK?/Intro- WWF Rarities 1
This is a custom compilation tape I picked up in a rare trade about two months ago.
Contains stuff that I was curious about or always wanted to see, from 1987 to 1992.
Aside from two or three matches, I think most of this stuff is pretty rare.
It was compiled from roughly 20 different sources, so the video quality ranges
from Decent to Incredibly Crappy.
Match 1: Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell & B. Brian Blair) vs. Kamala & Sika (w/Kim Chee)
As much as I liked the Bees, I have exactly zero of their tag matches on tape.
A PTW match from Maple Leaf Gardens, a few weeks before WrestleMania 3.
Announcers are Gorilla Monsoon, Johnny V and Jimmy Hart. Johnny punctuates
almost every comment with "and I'll tell ya what..". Bees go to work on Sika's arm and take
turns tagging in and out. Kamala comes in and they do the same. Blair tries to slam Kamala
but falters. Kamala slams Blair and the heels beat on him for a few minutes.
Johnny V and Jimmy wonder about the whereabouts of the Wizard...until Gorilla
mentions that the Grand Wizard sold his contracts to Mr. Fuji. Umm...pretty sure
that Gorilla's confusing his Wizzes, there. After a few minutes,
Sika whips Blair to the ropes and bounces
from the other side. Blair makes a blind tag to Brunzell and drops to the mat.
Sika walks right into a Brunzell dropkick and gets pinned. Fun for what it was.
Match 2: Elimination Match:
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Junkyard Dog & Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs.
"Adorable" Adrian Adonis, "King" Harley Race & "Macho Man" Randy Savage
An MSG exclusive with Gorilla and Slick on the call. Like a Survivor Series
match, with the elimination rules. Probably the final MSG
show before WM3, since ring announcer Howard Finkel
mentions that this is to be Piper's final match in the building. Piper starts with
Savage, slugs all the heels and tags Steamboat. Savage bails, then comes back
in to receive some deep armdrags and several chops. JYD and Race tag and
the Dog chases Race with his rolling heabutts. Savage and Steamboat return and
give a snippet of their upcoming WM3 match. Adonis finally tags in to hit
a belly-to-back suplex on Steamboat. Piper is tagged in and Adonis hightails it.
All six guys come in the ring, until the ref restores order, but not before
Adonis and Race hit a double-suplex on Piper. Adonis hooks his "Goodnight Irene"
sleeper on Piper, but Piper leads him into the turnbuckle. PIper with his own
sleeper until Race saves. Both guys tag out, an JYD comes in to slam Savage for
a 1 count. Adonis and JYD start trading punches and tumble out through the ropes.
All six guys brawl at ringside and Piper gets a chair on Race. Bell rings as
JYD and Adonis- the legal men- are both counted out.
Standard tag match now as Race and Savage work over Piper. Piper reverses a Race suplex attempt
and tags Steamboat. Steamer chops away and bings Piper back in for a double clothesline.
Steamer comes off the top with another chop and hooks a small package.
Ref is distracted by Piper, so Savage sneaks in, reverses the small package and
Race pins Steamboat! Steamboat comes over to high-five Piper before he leaves, and
the crowd gets fired up.
Piper punches Race over the top rope. Race executes a hilarious flip and lands up-right in
a ringside chair. Savage comes in with a top rope double axehandle for a
2 count. Piper tries fighting off both guys, but Race slams him. Race holds
up Piper for a toprope axehandle from Savage. Piper slips out and Race gets nailed.
Piper quickly hooks Race to score the 3 count.
Piper whips Savage into the exiting Race and hits a bulldog. Savage blocks a sunset flip
attempt by Piper, clotheslines him and gets a 2. Both uys bounce off the ropes
and send each other to the mat with shoulderblocks. Piper lets the crowd know
that he's okay, and starts playing possum. Being EVIL and all, Savage is unaware and goes up top
for the flying elbow. Piper rolls out of the way, Macho eats canvas, and Piper hooks
a small package to win! Fun way to build heat for three upcoming WM3 matches. Notice that
nobody pinned their nemesis? Low video quality, but a cool match.
Match 3: WWF Intercontinental Championship:
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Honky Tonk Man (w/Jimmy Hart)
Not a rarity. I just requested this match because I had never seen it. How popular was
Steamboat? Consider that his theme music got the crowd fired up... theme music by
the Alan Parsons Project!! That's like a modern day wrestler coming out to a
David Bowie song. Honky attacks as the bell rings, and throws Steamboat over the top.
Steamboat does his "Skin-the-cat" manuever to come back in, but not before smacking Jimmy Hart with
his leg. Honky charges and is backdropped out. Steamboat brings him back in with
a belly-to-back suplex. Steamboat chops away, then rolls up Honky out of the corner for 2.
Honky kicks him to the turnbuckle, takes over and works the neck. Honky misses an elbowdrop
off the second rope and Steamboat is back in command with a reverse kick to the jaw.
Steamer puts his head down, so Honky kicks and tries the Shake, Rattle N'Roll. Steamer
backdrops him and comes off the top with another chop. Steamer covers, but the ref is
distarcted with Jimmy Hart. Steamboat drags Honky over to the ropes, dropkicks him and
hooks a small package. Honky counters by grabbing the ropes and scoring the
surprising pin. Honkytonk is the new champ and the boos start immediately!
Match 4: Ivan Putski vs. "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil)
MSG match with Gorilla Monsoon, Lord Alfred Hayes and Nick Bockwinkel (!) on the
call. Probably from November 87 or so, and this might be DiBiase's MSG debut as
the Million Dollar Man. DiBiase grabs the nifty overhead house microphone and
talks about how he considered buying Madison Square Gardens. He sez he later backed out of the
deal when he realized that it would include the Knicks and the Rangers.
"Just a buncha losers...like all you people!" Crowd hates that! Collar to elbow tie-up
as the match gets underway. Putski tries for a wristlock, but bitches about DiBiase pulling
his hair. DiBiase stalls, ducks out to the apron and argues with the crowd.
Putski chases him out, punches away and throws him back in. Putski with an atomic drop
and sends DiBiase to the ropes for a "polish hammer" (double axehandle). DiBiase tumbles out
through the ropes, gets upon the apron and is flipped back in by Putski.
Putski sends him to the ropes again, but DiBiase reverses, sends Putski to the ropes
and nails his turnaround powerslam to score the 3. One wrestling move wins
the match for DiBiase? FIX! Maybe Putksi "had a price for the Million Dollar
Man.. mooowahahahahahahaha!"
Match 5: Hulk Hogan & Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Oliver Humperdink) vs. "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase & Andre the
Giant (w/Virgil)
Low quality video and audio... but I think it's from Boston Gardens with Alfred Hayes and..
Somebody Else on the call?!! This is about 24 hours removed from the February 1988 Main Event
prime time special, so DiBiase has the belt and is introduced as the NEW WWF Champ!
Ring Announcer Mel Phillips scares the hell out of me by mentioning that this
match has a one hour time limit! Four way brawl to start, and Bigelow whips DiBiase into
Hogan's boot. Bigeow follows up with an atomic drop and a clothesline. Tag to Hogan and the
place is... yo, Off Da Hook, DAWG! Fun sequence where DiBiase ping pongs between
Hogan's punches and Bigelow's headbutts. Bigelow is tagged back in and they hit a double
boot on DiBiase. DiBiase bumps like crazy. Bigelow off the ropes with a diving headbutt.
Hogan and Andre tag in and the heels take over. Andre headbutts, stomps and chokes away.
DiBiase returns and takes Hogan to the mat with a chinlock. Hogan elbows his way out.
Both guys are knocked down after a double clothesline. Bigelow tags in, punches,
clotheslines and press-slams DiBiase. He tries for anothr headbutt off the ropes, but Virgil
trips him. DiBiase clotheslines him and goes upstairs. Bigelow catches him off
the top turnbuckle and tags in Hogan. DiBiase is whipped to the ropes for
a big boot and Andre waddles in. Special Move Time as Andre gets caught in the ropes.
Hogan drops the leg and pins DiBiase. Faces toss chairs in the ring, take a seat
and pose for the fans.
Match 6: Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Andre the Giant
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"Lotta drama here.." |
From June 1988 in MSG. Heenan leads Andre down to ringside, but leaves after the intros.
I think Heenan had an upcoming "Weasel Suit Match" on this same card. Roger Kent,
Lord Alfred Hayes and Superstar Billy Graham provide the audio.
Hayes and Kent talk about Andre's size... Graham counters with: "yeah, but
take a look at the man he's facing! He has TATOOS... on his HEAD! Not just one,
but THREE...with FLAMES on 'em, brother!" Wow, good thing Bam Bam didn't
have any piercings, then he'd be the baddest Mofo in the Unvierse, Superstar!
Bam Bam circles around the Giant, until Andre grabs him and starts choking. Kent
mentions that Andre's dad was 7 foot 8 (would that be Big Show's Grandpa?).
Andre drags Bigelow to the corner and drops ass on him seven times.
Sends Bigelow to the ropes and misses a boot. Bigelow counters with a clothesline
and knocks Andre into his Special Move - arms caught in the ropes. Bigeow elbows him in
the noggin, until Andre escapes and applies a bearhug from his knees. This lasts over
5 minutes...no exaggeration. Superstar breaks in with "Lot of drama here, Lord..
LOT of drama!" Bigelow fights out and heabutts Andre into the corner.
He charges, but Andre gets his foot up, nails him in the head and drops an
elbow to score the pin. After the bell, Andre chokes Bigelow with his
tunic strap until "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan runs in. Oh well, at least the video/audio
quality was decent.
Match 7: Blue Angel vs. Barry Horowitz
From August 88 in Los Angeles. One of the
GUEST COLUMNISTS did this match in more detail...but goshdarnit, this turns out to
be the best match on this tape, so humor me.
Blue Angel became the Blue Blazer about three weeks later
and finally became plain ol' Owen Hart three years later. I guess they had to change the
Blue Angel moniker for fear of a lawsuit by the Navy stuntplane team. Angel works on the arm
throughout the match. Woos the audience as he reverses a Horowitz armbar by climbing to the
top rope and flipping over. Angel gets a hammerlock and works it into a suplex.
Horowitz leapfrogs an Angel charge and hits a nice reverse thrust kick.
He drags himto the apron, drops an elbow and catapults him into the bottom rope.
Kneelift from Horowtiz gets a 2. Angel is irish whipped to the turnbuckle, where
he hits a good THUNK (copped from big bro Bret, no doubt).
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Horowitz hooks in a
3/4 nelson into a pinning combo for another 2. Tries again with an underhook suplex.
Quick comebakc by Angel, but Horowitz gets a backslide for 2.Angel is whipped to the
corner, climbs to the second turnbuckle, twists and hits a flying bodypress for
2. Sunset flip gets another 2 for Angel. Horowitz hooks an abdominal stretch and
shifts into another pin attempt, then follows up with grapevine suplex.
Horowitz goes up top and gets caught. Angel tosss him and comes off the top with
a dropkick. Suplex, 2nd rope kneedrop and a backbreaker score a 2 count for Angel.
European uppercut, a powerslam and then a top turnbuckle moonsault scores
the pin for the Blue Angel. Wasn't called a moonsault back then, so I think the
announcers called it a "top-rope flip into a splash".
Match 8: WWF Championship - Harlem Street Fight:
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (c)(w/Elizabeth) vs. Bad News Brown
YES! Bad News! What would be known today as a "hardcore match". From about December 1988,
although the commentary tam of Tony Schiavone and Lord ALfed Hayes was obviously
added in, later (considering that Tony didn't come to the WWF
until early February 89). To Macho Man, I suppose "street fighting attire"
meant pink elbow pads, flowery pants and a neon-yellow weight belt! Bad News is wearing
bicycle shorts and a...Mets shirt?! Well, Mets don't exactly scream "street tough", but
Bad News could wear a Winnie the Pooh t-shirt and nobody would mess with him!
Match begins and Bad News immediately tosses a chair in the ring. The tosses Savage outside
and smashes him into the table. Trademark News Spot: he sets up Savage on the post, but
Savage ducks and Brown punches the post. Svagae comes off the top with a double
axehandle and throws him back in. Savage rips off his weight belt and starts whipping
Brown. Savage then goes upstairs, WITH the chair.
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Brown blocks and beats away.
Brown rolls out, brings in a table and sets it up in the corner. "E-C-"..oops,
about six years early. Savage reverses an irishwhip, sending Brown AND the
ref into the table. Table breaks and ref is out. Brown hits the Ghetto Blaster on Savage,
but the ref isn't there. Brown wakes up the ref, then slams Savage. He covers again, but
the ref plops to the mat and can't make the count! Dammit! He tries to slam Savage again, but
this time Savage slips out and hooks a backslide. A second ref appears out of nowhere to
make the 3 count for Savage! Oh sure, the balck man covered the champ TWICE, and no ref was
around. But the White man covers ONCE and the ref IMMEDIATELY runs in!
I smell a conspiracy!! Bad News beats the crap out of
both refs until Savage regains his senses and attacks. The two go at it, as Paul Roma,
Ronie Garvin, Terry Taylor, Danny Davis, Iron Mike Sharpe and Greg Valentine run out
to break things up. Bless you Bad News...those beer-bellied share-croppers screwed you out of
the title!
Match 9: Ultimate Warrior vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage
From MSG right before WM5. Rod Traumgard and Lord Alfred Hayes have the call.
99% sure that this was a dual non-title match. Warrior is insanely over
at this point and Savage was the freshly declared TOP HEEL, so
crowd is into this. Brawl to start until Warrior sends
Savage packing with a shoulderblock off the ropes. Warrior follows him out and
gorilla-preses him back in. Savage knees Warrior in the back to send him out.
Savage comes off the top with a double axehandle, throws him back in,
and clotheslines Warrior on the top rope. Savage chokes, drops a knee and
gets a 2 count. Savage with a chinlock and clothesline for 2. Another top rope
double axehandle gets a 1 count. Warrior reverses an overhead suplex and scores
2. "Ravishing" Rick Rude moseys out and tries to distract Warrior by posing.
Warrior with an atomic drop and a cover, but Savage gets his foot on the ropes.
Warrio jaws at Rude and Savage underhooks his from behind for a quick 2.
Warrior comes off the roeps for a splash, but Savage blocks with his knees.
Savage pounds away as Warrior slowly starts shaking the ropes.
Warrior hears the voices of all the Warrior Who Hath Gone Before
and Are Not Currently Presiding and makes a comeback. Two clohteslines and running
power slam sned Savage to the mat. Warrior then runs out to brawl with Rude.
Savage revives, drops an axehandle and makes it back in the ring to win by
countout. Warrior clears the area and sends the heels scurrying. Top-notch
for a Warrior match.
Match 10: Blue Blazer vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (w/Jimmy Hart)
More MSG, probably circa April 1989. Valentine stalls and Blazer decides
it's CLAPPY TIME. Blazer with an armbar, then comes off the ropes with
a high crossbody for 2. Valentine hits him with reverse knife-edges and
whips him into the post. Blazer retaliates with his own chops, goes back to
the arm and takes Valentine to the mat. Blazer hits a few shoulder blocks off
the ropes, until Valentine doges and sends him flying outside.
Valentine drags him to the apron, ties him in the ropes
and pounds away. Brings Blazer in for an inverted atomic drop and a
diving headbutt to
the mid-section. Valentine goes for the figure four, but Blazer kicks him
to the ropes. Once more, and this time Blazer hooks a small package for 2.
Valentine tries again and
is kicked out to the floor. Blazer punches, hits a dropkick
and comes off the second rope with a elbow for 2. Backbreaker gets another 2.
Top-rope dropkick connects, but Valentine has his foot on the ropes.
Blazer suplex keeps Valentine one the canvas. Blazer
comes off the top, but valentine catches him, slams him, grabs the
tights and scores the pin. Good match and interesting- because I
believe this was one of the few times Valentine won a match in
1989 without a dispute from Ronnie Garvin!
Match 11: Hart Foundation vs. Twin Towers (w/Slick)
(Bret "Hitman" Hart & Jim "The Anvil" Nedihart vs. Big Bossman & Akeem)
Taken from a special "Fan Favorites" Coliseum Video, originally taped
around May 1989. Tony and Alfred again. Anvil and Bossman trade shoulderblocks
to get things underway. Anvil plants a dropkick on Bossman, then works the arm
and chows down! Hart tags in and tries a bodypress off the ropes. Bossman
catches him and slams. Akeem tags in and misses a jubbgutt elbow drop.
Hart jumps off to the second turnbuckle andlands a flying elbow for 2.
Hart works Akeem's arm and sends him to the ropes where Anvil trips him!
Hart hooks a piggyback sleeper, but Bossman smacks him in the back.
Evil juggbutts work over Hart for the majority of the remainder. Hart gets
a sunset flip, but Akeem squashes him. Towers hit a double avalanche on Hart into
the turnbuckle and continue to smack him around. Bossman tries a flying
splash in the corner, but Hart dodges and Bossman crotches himself
on the turnbuckle. Hart finally tags Anvil just as Bossman tags Akeem.
Anvil cleans the ring and brings in Bret for a double dropkick on Akeem.
Anvil slingshots Hart from the apron for anotehr 2 on Akeem.
All four guys enter and take their brawl to ringside. Hart slingshots himself
over the top rope onto Bossman. Akeem rolls back in to beat the ref's count and
Towers win by countout. Afterwards, the Harts clear the ring with Bossman's
nightstick and handcuff Slick to the ropes for Managerial Beating #2,016.
Match 12: Cage Match- "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs. "Ravishing" Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan)
From MSG in December 89, with Gorilla Monsoon and Hillbilly Jim calling the
action. Special stipulation includes 3 ways to win: out through door, climb over to the floor,
or pin your opponent inside the cage. After giving a shout-out to all the
"inner city sweathogs", Rude attacks Piper as he enters. Piper fights back,
starts whipping Rude with his belt and throws him head-first into the cage.
Rude tries climbing, but Piper pulls him down and tosses him into the cage again,
drawing a blade job. Piper then tries to scale, until Rude yanks him down, crotching
Piper on the ropes. More brawling and Rude tries to crawl out the door. Piper
grabs his ankle as the door opens. Heenan tries pulling his man out, resulting in
a Rude tug o' war. Piper yanks Rude's tights down, and Rude then decides it's okay
to work the REST OF THE MATCH with a plumber's crack. Referee Danny Davis (!) arrives
to shoo Heenan away from the door. Brawl inside the cage and Rude hits his
Rude Awakening neck breaker. Both guys then slowly climb up the side, brawling all
the way, and hit the floor at the same time! Ref delares that a winner MUST
be decided, so the match is re-started! back in, Rude snapmares Piper
and hits a knee. Rude goes up to the top of the cage
(pull your pants up, dorkus!!) and flies off with a fist-drop for 2.
Rude pildervier, and goes upt op again. Piper shakes the cage and Rude's
legs get caught between the cage and the top wire. Rude is hanging upside down
while Piper tries to exit through the door. Heenan runs over and slams the door on
Hot Rod. Ass-crakula, errr...Rude recovers and jumps down for a 2 count.
Belly-to-back suplex from Rude and Heenan tosses him a set of brass knuckles.
Piper blocks a punch, steals the 'knucks and K-O's Rude. Piper
easily walks out the door and wins the match. In a small glitch,
RUDE's music plays for about 2 seconds. Rude FINALLY pulls up his drawers.
Match 13: WWF Intercontinental Championship:
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (c) vs. Repo Man
An MSG match with Gorilla and the Brain from February 1992.
Repo walks out, fakes a hug to woman at ringisde and steals her watch!
Piper is introudced and talks to the same broad... it's no longer about titles or
respect...it's about a STOLEN WATCH! Basic brawl, including two
Shemp Stooge eye-boinks from Piper. Match goes OUTISDE THE RING for a bit, where Repo
sends Piper to the steps and the post. Back in, Piper hops out of Repo
backdrop attempt and hooks a sleeper. The two stumble to the corner, where
Repo tries to grab his tow-rope and hook. Ref steps in, and Piper
"accidentally" nails Repo with the hook. Repo is knocked out, but to make it
look legit, Piper drops an elbow on him. Piper wins by pinfall and
the lady is reunited with her watch. Weak ringwork, but a humorous match.
Match 14: Hulk Hogan & "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs. Ric Flair & Sid Justice (w/Harvey Whippleman)
Hogan and Piper as a TEAM?! Blasphemy! From a special "Battle of the Superstars"
Coliseum tape, sometime in February 1992. Piper has the IC belt and Flair has the WWF
belt. Piper and Flair start out with reverse knife-edges, and a "woooooo" from Flair!
Piper gets a backdrop, kneelift, Shemp Stooge eye-boink andclimbs the turnbuckle
to deliver 12 shots on Flair. Flair is whipped the the turnbcukle, where he does his trademark
FLIP, walks the apron and right into a Hogan boot! Hogan and Justice tag in and
do a quick staredown. Justice beats way on Hogan, who sells like crazy. Piper tags in,
takes Justice to the mat and gets a leg scissors. Justice flips out of it into an
upright position. Clothesline and kicks from Justice. Flair is back to deliver an
inverted atomic drop on Piper and tosses him out. Justtice meets him with a chair and throws
him back where Flair covers for 2. Flair goes up top, but Piper is up. "Noooooo! Noooo!"
as Flair is tossed across the ring. Hogan comes in to deliver a backdrop, big boot and
the legdrop! Ref is distracted by Piper, allowing Justice to smack Hogan with
a chair. Hogan starts Hulking Up against Flair until a four-way brawl errupts.
In the confusion, Hogan clotheslines Flair from behind and pins him.
Everyone's happy, so Hogan invites Piper into the ring for some posedown fun.
Why'd you Tape This?
With the exception of Angel/Horowitz, these are all PPV-caliber matches. Some pretty rare stuff that should have been shown on TV during its time. I know the MSG
stuff was shown as it happened... but only on the East Coast! I'm still ticked that these
shows were unavailable in the wastelands of Denver. MSG was where all the decent feuds and matches took place. Out here, we were always stuck watching countless jobber matches on "Superstars" and "Wrestling Challenge". Saturday Night's Main Event and the occassional Primetime Exclusive were the only time we got to see non-jobber matches. Where was the good stuff?!! If I had been able to pick up the MSG network from 1988 to 1992, my Rasslin' Tapes would have numbered in the 30's or 40's!
Since this was a custom tape job, you can probably see the kind of stuff I dig. Piper, Blue Blazer, DiBiase...even Repo-Man! The video quality varies, so if you request a tape trade, don't be expecting clarity. This tape runs about 3-4 hours, and I have another 6 hour tape
sitting around. It contains the first Royal Rumble, the 1988 Main Event and parts of the
1990 Toyko Egg Dome Supercard. A few other odball matches are inserted, in between.
Don't hold your breath for this one, though... I may go back to doing
Rasslin Tape 17.
In the meantime, you can
still e-mail me your own
rasslin' reviews
or you if ya' wanna see these matches on YOUR TV you can
set up a trade for this tape!
Comment about this article: email me or visit the NEW ES Board!
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