Boston Garden (11/7/87)
This is a matinee show so don’t be surprised if the matches are a bit on the quick side. They still had to fly to Philly for the evening show. Gorilla welcomes us, and we head to ringside.
Match #1: Dino Bravo (w/Johnny Valiant) v. Brady Boone: Bravo shows a power display early on, but Boone fires back with a dropkick for two. Brady works over Dino’s arm. Boone gets an Irish whip but Bravo bounces out of the corner and hits a flying clothesline for two. Bravo with a bear hug, so I’ll take the time to note that Gorilla Monsoon and PETE “Mother Frickin” DOHERTY are the commentators. Brady breaks the hold but Dino nails his Side Suplex but doesn’t cover. Bravo tries a knee drop from the top rope but misses. Boone fires back with a spinning elbow and an Irish whip into the corner. Brady charges in but nobodies home, allowing Dino to deliver a back suplex for the pin at 5:00 even. Rating: Thankfully short. After he started taking the juice Dino just SUCKED, to put it nicely, 1/4*
– Young Stallions are interviewed by Gorilla. They appear to be deer in headlights, Roma’s trying to remember his lines and Powers just stands there with a creepy smile, never changing his facial expression.
Match #2: The Young Stallions (Roma & Powers) v. Bolsheviks (Volkoff & Zhukov): Nick Bockwinkel joins the Commentary team, oh boy this has just gotten even better. Zhukov just made his debut on WWF TV the week prior, The Stallions are using Jimmy Hart’s “Crank it Up” song as their theme because, well, they were being pushed and needed music. Somehow a heel singing a faces song worked for them. The Bolsheviks attack the Stallions but the Stallions reverse some Irish whips and send the Bolsheviks into each other. Volkoff spills to the floor while the Young Stallions works over Zhukov in the ring for a while. Zhukov counters a headlock and back suplexes Jimmy Powers enabling Boris to make the tag. In comes Volkoff who misses a knee drop on Powers and Jimmy hits a dropkick for two. Roma gets a headlock on Volkoff and gets sent off the ropes into a knee from Zhukov. The Russians work over Roma’s back for a bit with very boring bear hugs and the like. Volkoff places Roma in the corner and charges in but no one is there and both men are down. Nikolai tags in Boris and Roma finally gets the tag to Powers. Jimmy is a house-o-fire…for about 10 seconds. Powers gets a backdrop on Boris for two as Nikolai breaks the count. All 4 men are back in, the Stallions try a double Irish whip but the Bolsheviks reverse and send the Youngun’s into each other. Roma falls to the floor while Powers takes a double clothesline. Zhukov follows up on Powers with a crappy looking double axe handle or a head butt or something (the commentators aren’t even sure) for the pin at 11:24. Rating: 1/2* at best
– Mr. Fuji is with his Killer Khan, Khan says something in Mongolian, Gorilla asks what does that mean, Fuji says “Gangster”. WTF?!? Ohhhhhhhh Kay. And the interview ends.
Match #3: Brutus Beefcake: v. Greg Valentine (w/Johnny V): We have a montage of jokes going on between Gorilla/Bockwinkel/Doherty at ringside but nothing close to as good as Bobby Heenan comedy. Brutus gets the upper hand to start and Hammer is taking his slow falling bumps time after time. Valentine regroups on the floor. Back inside Brutus takes a charge at Greg but Hammer gets out of the way and Beefcake rams himself into the corner. Valentine now in control applies a chin lock. Brutus gets out only to be nailed with a shoulder breaker for two. Valentine starts slugging at Brutus and Beefcake starts firing back. Beefcake throws in a back elbow and tries for a backdrop but the Hammer telegraphs it. Valentine tries a suplex but Beefcake reverses it. The Hammer slaps on the Figure Four but Beefcake gets to the ropes for the break. Valentine tries the Figure Four again but Beefcake kicks him off into the corner. Hammer then tries an elbow drop but misses. Brutus comes back with a big boot and the Hammer takes a powder. Brutus chases Valentine around ringside and the Hammer is back in first. Valentine back suplexes Beefcake back into the ring with a bridge for a pin, but Brutus gets his shoulder up and ends up pinning the Hammer instead at 10:11. After the bout Beefcake slaps a sleeper hold on Valentine, but fellow Dream Team partner Dino Bravo makes the save. The Barber begins to fight both men, and their manager off & the New Dream Team & Johnny V. head to the back. Rating: Pretty weak match, but the finish wasn’t bad. 3/4*
– Monsoon interviews Oliver Humperdink & Bam Bam Bigelow who talk about their upcoming match against Khan, they also speculate what he means by “Gangster”.
Match #4: Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Humperdink) v. Killer Khan (w/Mr. Fuji): Khan is just about out of the WWF at this point, while Bigelow is in the midst of his initial push with the company. Khan does his Yokozuna stance and Bigelow retorts with a cartwheel to start. A slap contest follows and Bammer atomic drops Khan, sending the Killer to the outside. Killer regroups and comes back in chopping & choking away at Bigelow. Mr. Fuji tries to get involved but Humperdink scares him away. Bammer make a quick comeback with a few slams an head butts. Khan feels threatened so he goes to spew the green mist, only Bam Bam ducks it and the two seem to stand there forever (someone must have forgotten their spot) before Bigelow nails a dropkick to ground the Mongolian. Bigelow hits a big splash from there and it’s all over at 7:24. Rating: Looked good on paper, but the match never really got started IMO, 1/2* at best.
Match #5: Intercontinental Champion Honky Tonk Man (w/Jimmy Hart) v. Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth): Savage hates Honky at this point for many reasons, and Savage jumps him to start off on the floor, introducing Honky to the ring post and the wooden steps. Honky tries a weak comeback and Macho has none of it. Savage begins to chase Jimmy Hart around ringside while Hart pitches Honky the megaphone. Back inside Macho goes for a flying double axe handle but Honky cracks him in the ribs with the megaphone to take control. HTM hits a middle rope fist drop (ala his cousin Jerry Lawler) for a two count. Honky Tonk now turns his attention to Elizabeth at ringside. Honky goes after Liz and Macho sees it. Savage is pissed off and rolls out of the ring to attack the HTM. On the way back in Jimmy Hart grabs Savage and Honky tries to nail him only Macho ducks and Honky hits Hart instead. Macho climbs to the top and hits a flying double axe handle. Savage tries for another move but the two collide and Macho falls to the floor. Honky follows him out but Macho gives HTM & Jimmy Hart a double noggin’ knocker, all the time the referee is counting them out. Honky tries to make his way back into the ring and Savage aids him by nailing him with the megaphone. Honky beats the count at 7:26 and retains the IC strap yet again as Macho is counted out. Macho Man is pissed off and disposes of the referee, Jimmy Hart and the HTM after the bout and steals the IC belt to celebrate, despite actually losing the bout. Rating: Extremely short for a Main Event match but lead to a rematch the following month. Still only a *
– The Demolition are interviewed and say they will finish the job they started on Haynes and Patera, tonight!
Match #6: The Demolition (w/Mr. Fuji) v. Billy Jack Haynes & Ken Patera: Haynes & Patera take control early with a lot of sloppy double teaming on Smash. They’re as sloppy as Jeff Hardy on acid in the WWE, only Jeff was wayyy better. Ax tries to help his partner out but Haynes hits him with a horrible dropkick instead. Haynes hits the ropes for a move but is tripped up by Mr. Fuji, allowing Smash to clothesline the living crap out of Billy Jack. Ax is tagged in and takes over on Haynes. Basic Demolition heel offense for a bit but Ax misses an elbow drop and Haynes tags in Patera. Ken works over Ax for a bit but runs into a boot and now the Demos are clobbering the World Strongest boulder thrower. If tossing cops was an Olympic event, Kenny would’ve gotten the gold. This is after Ken’s arm injury so Ax works over Patera’s injured arm. Smash comes in but gets clotheslined by Patera and Ken tags in Haynes. BJ works over both Demos for a bit and nails Smash with a powerslam and a suplex for two. Haynes slaps on the Full Nelson but Fuji breaks it up, which brings in Patera & Ax. All 4 men are going at it and Patera shoves the ref aside. Fuji throws the cane in and the Demos use it on Patera’s bad arm. Haynes gets the cane away from Ax and chases Demolition out of the ring. The ref calls for the bell and we get a double Disqualification at 7:21. Rating: 3/4*, nothing to add
Match #7: Hercules v. Ivan Putski: Putski would return now & then at the “big” house shows, usually to put over younger talent. Putski wants a handshake but Herc is reluctant. Finally, Herc shakes Ivan’s hand but Putski squeezes Herc’s instead, and the Mythological one gets punked out. Putski is BEYOND roided up here BTW. A few lock ups go nowhere and Ivan finally begins working Hercules over with a series of right hands. Herc finally rakes the face and goes to work on Ivan. Hercules applies a bear hug on Ivan but Putski breaks it and puts Hercules in a bear hug of his own. Herc gets to the ropes for the break. Putski charges at Hercules and right into a backbreaker for the pin fall completely OUT OF NOWHERE (although I’m not complaining) at 5:45. Rating: Nothing here at all, a LOT of stalling, horrible finish as well, DUD
Match #8: Junkyard Dog v. Virgil (w/Ted Dibiase): The match is supposed to be JYD v. Dibiase but Ted comes out on crutches, faking an injury. Dog jibber jabs with Dibiase, allowing Virgil to attack from behind and the match begins. Virgil and Ted start off by taking turns choking away at the Dog behind the ref’s back. Virgil drops the THUMPer with a few jabs and goes for a fist drop from the top only falls right into one of JYD’s right hands. That’s the first time I’ve seen that move, instead of a boot Virgil falls into a fist?!? The Dog “Juke’s Up” and levels Virgil with some right hands. JYD goes for the THUMP Powerslam but KO’s the referee in the process. This allows Dibiase to whallop JYD with a crutch while the ref was down and place Virgil on top of the Dog for the very quick win at 2:53. No pun intended here but the JYD was in the WWF dog house at this time so it was some what expected. Rating: Complete DUD, far too little offense to be called a match really.
Match #9: Tag Champions Strike Force v. The Islanders: There was some form of a schmoz the month before so this time we have two referees in charge of this return match. There’s no Bobby Heenan at ringside so the Island Boys are on their own tonight. Strike Force work over Haku to start but Martel goes for a backdrop and Haku levels him to take over. Haku tries a body block but Martel ducks it which eventually gets Haku in position to make the tag. In comes Tama, who in turn, winds up having Strike Force work him over for a bit. We get some distraction towards the ref and the Islanders quickly double team Santana to take control of the bout. A few close tags by Santana while in a front face lock but the Islanders force him back into their corner for some more double teaming. Haku pitches Tito to the floor for a bit. The ref is distracted with Martel wanting in the ring badly, allowing the Islanders to set up Tito for a double team. Tama holds Santana in place as Haku throws a Thrust kick, but Tito ducks and Haku nails his own partner. Tito makes the hot tag and Martel is in with a backdrop on Haku, and then slingshots Haku into Tama. Santana comes in and hits a flying forearm on Haku for two. All 4 men are in and while referee #1 is with Martel & Tama in the corner, Santana small packages Haku and referee #2 slides in to count the pin at 10:09. Rating: One of the better matches of the night, that’s for sure. *3/4
Final Thoughts: Every match seemed rush, and probably were, seeing as though this was a matinee show and the workers had to be in Philly for a show at the Spectrum by the evening. A lot of the finishes even came out of nowhere without much build. Definitely not a show for anyone who wasn’t a fan of this time frame, but I still found some enjoyment in small portions of the event. The title matches were decent, but the rest of the card was more than lackluster.
Match of the Night: Islanders v. Strike Force
