Back again with another episode of Prime Time Wrestling from 1988. We continue on with…
Prime Time Wrestling 1/18/88
– The Brain and the Brawns are hosting, that’s the weasel and the gorilla for those keeping score. We’re 6 days out from the first ever WWF Royal Rumble, but first we have to make it through another edition of PTW!
Match #1: Special Delivery Jones v. Sika “Le Terrible”: We go back to Paris, France yet again on 10/23/87, Bobby & Gorilla are doing the voiceover work. Sika is apparently “terrible” in France, actually by 1988 he was le terrible just about anywhere. SD Jones enters the ring to Koko’s “Piledriver” theme. Well isn’t that stereotypical. Sika almost immediately works a nerve hold. Jones breaks free with some headbutts and neither man wants to sell, hard heads and all. Sika goes back to the “offense” and I use that term loosely. Sika is over as hell though, crowd loves him, but it was the first WWF card in France so everybody was over. Sika shoots Jones off, misses a clothesline, goes for a backdrop, SD counters with a nice looking Sunset Flip for the win in 4:02. Well that was nothing, but at least they didn’t drag it out. DUD
– Back on the set Gorilla informs Bobby that the Bulldogs will be on the show today. They discuss the Bulldogs/Islanders issues and Bobby talks about his attorney “Lance”, lol.
Match #2: WWF Women’s Champion Sensational Sherri v. Rockin Robin: From MSG, 12/26/87, Gorilla, Bobby & Alfred Hayes on commentary. Robin works Sherri’s arm as we gets going and does a pretty good job with it, save for a sloppy short-arm scissors. Sherri battles back and pitches Robin out of the ring. Robin crawls under the ring and sneaks out the opposite side and dropkicks Sherri from behind, sending the champion out of the ring. Robin chases Sherri around ringside and drags her back in by the hair. Robin with a nice looking flying lariat. Sherri reverses a whip into the ropes, tries for a hiptoss but Robin hooks her for a Bulldog. I’ll be f’n damned, Robin is looking REALLY GOOD here. Robin sits Sherri on the second rope and slams her to the mat. Robin misses an elbow from the second rope and the two ladies exchange punches on their knees. Robin regains control and slams Sherri into position. Robin goes to the second rope for a splash but Sherri gets her knees up. Actually Robin aims for where Sherri’s knees were BEFORE Sherri brought them up, so Robin ends up landing on Sherri’s boots, but whatever. Anyway, Robin gets the wind knocked out of her and Sherri covers for the win. Up until that blown finish Robin looked the best I’ve ever seen her. She can thank Sherri, I’m sure. Even though Sherri barely got any offense in, the match was well paced and good throughout. *
– Studio convo. Bobby Heenan informs us, after weeks of saying he’s going to be the host of the Royal Rumble that he won’t even be there at all. It seems Ted DiBiase has set Bobby up with a trip to Barbados for the weekend instead. Gorilla gets on the phone to find a new co-host for the event. I don’t believe EITHER of them wound up doing the commentary. Pretty sure it was Jesse & Vince.
– WWF Update: Craig DeGeorge announces that for the first time since WrestleMania III, Hulk Hogan has agreed to defend his WWF Title against Andre the Giant on 2/5/88 on NBC. A clip is shown of the controversial cover where Andre may have gotten a 3 count against Hogan during their Mania 3 match. A clip is then shown from the recent attack at SNME when Andre choked Hogan down to the mat. A recap of Andre promising to deliver Ted DiBiase the WWF Title after he defeats Hogan is shown to close the segment. Back in the studio, Gorilla mentions that this Sunday at the Rumble, Andre & Hogan will have a contract signing for their meeting on February 5.
Match #3: – Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid v. Gino Carabello & Brian Costello. This match is from WWF Superstars taped on 1/5/88, from Huntsville, AL and the Von Braun Civic Center. The Dogs are sporting “Matilda” shirts, bet those sold like hotcakes. Great little touch as they reserve the stand at ringside for where Matilda usually sits, even though there is no dog. The visual was to draw sympathy. Little things like that is what made WWF so good. Vince thinks the Bulldogs are off their game without Matilda, while Ventura thinks they’re more vicious. Poor Bruno is forced to discuss the dog-napping angle. Dynamite finishes Carabello off with a back suplex from the second rope in 3:19. Bulldogs worked aggressively and looked good so I’ll give it 1/4*
– During the match, Bobby Heenan and the Islanders show up on the interview stage. Craig DeGeorge interviews them immediately following the Bulldogs match. Haku has an invisible dog leash and a bowl of dog food. The Bulldogs make it to the stage for a brawl, but Bobby Heenan informs them that Matilda has been returned and that they better go to the locker room and Jack Tunney will tell them where they can find their dog. For some reason, the Bulldogs believe the weasel of all people. In this instance he’s telling the truth, but why the hell would they just believe him without proof? Heenan announces that the Islanders have been reinstated. There was a nice touch to the interview segment with Haku pretending to slap and kick the invisible dog. Wonder how PETA handles that?
Match #4: The Killer Bees, Junkyard Dog & George “The Animal” Steele v. The Bolsheviks & The Conquistadors. This match is from the WWF Superstars taping on 1/5/88, from Huntsville, AL and the Von Braun Civic Center. Well if this match doesn’t have glorified jobbers written all over it, I don’t know what would. It’s still pretty cool to get something like this. Slick is still with the Bolsheviks, he hasn’t given up on them yet. Russian National Anthem follows. The entire face team are wearing Bee masks to the ring. The “Animal Bee” has some fun with the heels to get things going. Brunzell takes over with some good wrestling on one of the Conquistadors. Blair tags in while the Conquistadors make an illegal switcheroo spot outside. The Conquistadors have a couple of mistimed comedy spots where they collide. Fans chant for JYD. “JYD Bee” Tags in. Wouldn’t “JY-Bee” make more sense? JYD & Brunzell work over a Conquistador. Brunzell locks in a Figure Four but Boris breaks it up. Nikolai takes over, and the heels work over Jumping Jim in the heel corner. Brunzell makes a leap to his corner and make the tag to JYD, but the Dog takes a beating next. JYD takes a quadruple team beating in the corner. Referee misses a tag to George Steele and JYD ends up back in the heel corner. Zhukov holds JYD from the apron and a Conquistador charges, JYD moves and Conquistador hits Boris with a high knee. JYD finally gets a hot tag to Steele. George barely does anything before the Bees tag in with a double hiptoss on the Conquistador. JYD tags back in, Conquistador leapfrogs over the Dog, but turns right into a big THUMP and it’s all over in 10:33. I entered this thing with an open mind, the Conquistadors were pretty good, the Bees could be okay, factor in some commentary and I thought they could pull out a star. I was wrong. This wasn’t very good at all. 1/4*
– Gene Okerlund FINALLY gets it right! He calls it the “ROYAL RUMBLE”, instead of the Rumble Royal. Gene acknowledges that he’s been calling it by the wrong name, and then blows it off as if the name isn’t important. Gene interviews Dino Bravo & Frenchy Martin. Gene goes back to calling it the Rumble Royal. Get sober, dude. Martin discusses Bravo’s plan to set the world’s bench press record. Frenchy says Dino is going bigger than 705 lbs on the bar. Dino promises to set the record AND win the “Rumble Royal”.
– After a commercial break, we go to a Special Report in regards to Dino Bravo setting the World’s Bench Press Record at the Rumble. As if one interview wasn’t enough, we get another from Frenchy & Bravo, this time in French. We are also reminded of the Ladies Tag Team Title match, and get words from Jimmy Hart with the Glamour Girls, the Jumping Bomb Angels respond in Japanese. Craig DeGeorge translates what they said thanks to an “interpreter”.
Back in the studio, Bobby does his own Japanese translation. He claims the Angels said “Hold the Eggroll, extra sweet & sour”. Monsoon shakes his head while smiling. Bobby says the firls are going to be the Limping Bomb Angels when they limp back to “Squid City”.
Bobby & Gorilla discuss the Rumble match. Monsoon foreshadows the 1989 version of the match by speculating that “The King” Harley Race will buy #20.
– A short vignette of newcomer Bad News Brown, who lets everyone know there’s no more good news, from now on there’s only BAD NEWS! Mutha-sucka.
Match #5: Dino Bravo (w/Frenchy Martin) v. Jerry Allen. From the Boston Garden 1/9/88 with Gorilla & Bobby on commentary. Oh great, even more Dino Bravo. It just doesn’t end. Allen was a well put together guy, he was a prospect at one point in the WWF but never evolved above a high end jobber. Allen actually had a run in 1985 in Memphis where he feuded with (and defeated) Randy Savage. Bravo in complete control, some basic Dino offense and then a chinlock. Gut wrench suplex by Bravo about dumps Allen on his head. Dino misses an elbow and Allen makes his short comeback with a body block and some punches. Allen with a whip into the corner, but runs into a foot from Bravo. Dino follows up with the Side Suplex and the win 3:36. Even short, this wasn’t very good at all. A complete squash. DUD.
– Throughout the show, Gorilla Monsoon is on the phone trying to get a hold of Jesse Ventura to replace Bobby for the Royal Rumble. “Ventura” finally calls back and accepts the invitation to call the event.
Gorilla: You know, maybe I’ll have the Body come back and take over this chair with you gone Brain. You know, I called this program with the Body in this chair for a number of years.
Heenan: You guys sat in the same chair?
Gorilla: No
Simple things. LOL
Match #6: Billy Jack Haynes & Ken Patera v. Hercules & “The King” Harley Race (w/Bobby Heenan). (Tapes 1/6/88 in Nashville, TN from Municipal Auditorium). Vince McMahon & Nick Bockwinkel on commentary. Haynes main events the program for the second week in a row. Let’s hope this match is better than the last. Patera starts off and works over the Heenan Family. Race takes some nice bumps. Patera tags to Haynes, and Hercules wants out. Race takes over on Billy Jack with a headbutt and now Herc wants back in. Hercules tries to work over Haynes, but Billy turns things around. The faces work on Hercules until Ken finds himself in the heel corner. Race with a piledriver on Patera for 2. Ken finally escapes and hot tags to Haynes. Billy & Hercules have a nice exchange of speed and agility as Haynes runs the ropes and Hercules tries everything from leapfrogs to clotheslines. Herc finally nails Hayens with a big clothesline and the heels go back to work. Hercules tosses Haynes to the floor, and Race works on him outside. Double clothesline by the Heenan Family as they take a commercial break.
Gorilla shows off the brand new Hulk Hogan light switch. Bobby says he has them all over his mansion in Beverly Hills, that was he can walk around all day and put out Hogan’s lights. LOL
Back to the match. Race drops a head butt from the second rope onto Billy. Hercules locks on the FULL NELSON, but it’s not all the way on. Haynes escapes, but Herc tries to reapply. Billy finally escapes and the two men hit each other with a double clothesline. Hot tag to Patera. Ken works on both Heenan Family members. Race breaks up a cover and tags in. Harley works on the injured arm of Patera, but Ken escapes and hot tags back to Billy Jack. Hercules also tags back in. HAYNES PRESS SLAMS HERCULES and calls for the Full Nelson! Haynes locks Herc in the Full Nelson, but Race jumps off the top with a nice clothesline on Haynes. Hercules grabs his chain and nails Haynes with it drawing the DQ in 15:16. * 1/4
– Back in the studio Gorilla explains that the previous match was dedicated to a WWF fan who recently passed away by the name of Tommy Vincent. I don’t know if that’s a rib on somebody, but if it isn’t then I’d be insulted. A final reminder to watch the Royal Rumble and we’re off the air.
Final Thoughts: The first half of the show sped by. It was really flowing fast. But like a bad episode of Raw, things are running smooth and they start throwing crap out there and starts to make the show drag. Everything was moving fine up until that 8-Man tag, and it really never got going again. The main event wasn’t completely terrible, Hercules reminded us of how good he really was and that he wasn’t just a muscle-bound turd, like Dino Bravo. There was too much Dino here, but Vince seemed to like him and they took this bench press thing pretty seriously. There’s nothing here that absolutely requires viewing, Heenan with a few good one-liners and the ladies title match was actually decent, but I can’t recommend you go out and watch this episode. If you do for some odd reason, I’d recommend you watch the first half, and fast forward to the main event.
Match of the Night: Haynes & Patera v. Race & Hercules has the edge over the Sherri vs. Robin match here. There was just more content and story telling. The ladies match was just all Robin and Sherri sneaking out with the win.
Not much else to say. It was a show.
