Prime Time Wrestling 11/11/86
– Heenan & Gorilla kick off the show complete with a Bobby Heenan LJN figure and a stuffed Gorilla on their desk. All matches are from MSG 10/20/86. All matches are singles bouts involving tag team superstars.
Match #1: The Iron Sheik v. Jacques Rougeau: Sheik attacks Jacques to start, but Rougeau fires back and Sheik takes a powder. Back inside Jacques delivers a standing dropkick, hiptoss, an atomic drop and a kneedrop for two. Rougeau tries a backdrop but Sheik kicks him in the throat with the loaded boot. Sheik backdrops Jacques and applies an abdominal stretch. Rougeau breaks out but Sheik gets a gut wrench suplex for two. Jacques reverses a suplex but Sheik pitches him to the floor. Rougeau returns with a sunset flip into the ring on Sheik for the pin however at 7:30. Rating: Not bad at all *3/4
Match #2: Mike Rotunda v. Jim Brunzell: We have a baby v. baby match here joined in progress, but not too far in. Not much here, basic face v. face stuff. Brunzell applies an abdominal stretch incorrectly but Rotunda reverses it. Jumping Jim breaks out but the two crack heads. Back up Brunzell slaps on the sleeper but Mike gets out. Both men fall over the top rope to the floor and are both counted out at 5:04 after fighting to keep one another out of the ring. Rating: Would’ve been more possibly if complete. *
Match #3: Greg Valentine v. Davey Boy Smith: Valentine gets in a back breaker early in the contest and applies a bear hug. Smith breaks out and puts the Hammer in a bear hug of his own. Valentine eventually gets out of the hold and regains control of the bout and throws Davey to the concrete. Smith returns to the ring only to be greeted with a shoulder breaker and a suplex. DBS finds a way to get an inside cradle for two but the Hammer gets right back on top of Smith. Valentine begins to work over Davey’s leg but Smith finds a way to regain control and applies a sharpshooter submission hold. The Hammer gets to the ropes for the break but Smith stays on top with a delayed suplex and the running powerslam for two. Davey chases Valentine around the ring but Hammer suckers him back into the ring and hits an elbow drop. Valentine applies the figure four but Smith gets to the ropes. Davey gets on top of Valentine but the Hammer double legs Smith and covers him, using the ropes for leverage and the win at 12:34. Rating: Very good **1/2
– Ken Resnick is with the Hart Foundation. They get Resnick to call the British Bulldogs’ mascot a “Bitch”. Resnick would later claim that this promo was one of the main reasons he was released by the WWF.
Match #4: Moondog Spot v. SD Jones: Not much going on to start. SD gets a weak body slam but Spot cuts him off with a clothesline and a middle rope fit drop. Spot goes to one of his favorite moves next, the chin lock. Jones breaks the hold so Spotty sends him to the floor. Now inside again Spot gets a suplex and a kneelift on Jones. SD has enough finally and ties Spotty up in the ropes. SD gets an Irish whip but Spot catches him with a knee. Moondog tries an elbowdrop but misses. SD nails a standing head butt for the ridiculous pin. Rating: SD got like no offense, then won with a friggin headbutt, what’s that about? 1/4*
Match #5: Nikolai Volkoff v. Haku: Volkoff begins to sing the Russian Anthem but Haku attacks. Nikolai returns the favor but nailing Haku with a Russian Sickle if I ever saw one. and a kneedrop only gets him one. Nikolai pitches Haku to the outside (ever notice this happens in EVERY SINGLE match back then?). Much like African Americans, Islanders also have very hard heads, so Haku no sells some turnbuckle shots but Volkoff cuts him off with a foreign object. Moments later Volkoff misses a charge and Haku rolls him up for a rather quick win at 4:36. Rating: DUD, really not much else to say.
Match #6: Tama v. Moondog Rex: Tama uses some fancy footwork at first but eventually goes to the chin lock. Rex breaks out but Tama ties him in the ropes. Tama takes a charge but Rex moves and Tama falls to the floor. Moondog suplexes Tama back into the ring and applies a bear hug. Tama gets out and fires away with dreaded Samoan chops on Rex. Tama gets a backdrop and hits a top rope body block for the pin at 8:19. Rating: Okay, but not great 1/2*
Match #7: The Dynamite Kid v. Jim Neidhart: The Kid gets some flashy offense early on but the Anvil takes control and drops Dynamite on the floor. Back inside Anvil misses a splash and the Kid hits a missile dropkick. Dynamite charges at Anvil but Neidhart moves. The Kid somehow catches himself on the ropes and back flips himself back inside the ring (not skinning the cat) and rolls Anvil up from behind for a win at 5:49. Rating: Kind of quick but there were 11 matches on the MSG card. 3/4*
Match #8: King Kong Bundy v. Super Machine: The Machine is Demolition Ax/Masked Superstar. The Machine’s theme music SUCKED BTW. Machine gets a cross body for a near 3 count to start. Bundy floors the Machine but misses an elbow drop. KKB then tries a backdrop but gets nailed by the future Ax. Machine tries another cross body but Bundy catches him and gives him a back breaker. Machine attempts a comeback but Bundy reverses an Irish whip and hits the Avalanche in the corner and covers for the pin at 3:16. The Machines gimmick was on it’s deathbed, but we would soon see Demolition debut. Rating: Really Nothing, DUD
Thoughts: The show started off great but the middle really dropped the overall rating dramatically. Still some good matches.
Match of the Night: Greg Valentine v. Davey Boy Smith.
