Prime Time Wrestling 10/21/86
Your Hosts are Gorilla Mushroom…I mean Monsoon, and Bobby “The Weasel” Heenan.
Match #1: Don Muraco (w/Mr. Fuji) v. Cpl. Kirschner: This match is from the Maple Leaf Gardens 9/28/86. Muraco is sporting a really nasty looking beard by this point. Kirschner takes Muraco down but misses a forearm drop from the middle rope. The Magnificent one takes over with a swinging neckbreaker. Muraco gets a suplex for two then feeds Kirschner to Fuji on the outside. Fuji works over Kirschner quite a bit before Muraco pulls him back inside. Don works over Kirschner for a while until the Corporal ducks a clothesline and hits Muraco with one of his own. Kirschner atomic drops Muraco to the floor. As Kirchner suplexes Muraco back into the ring, as they land on the mat Muraco rocks his legs back and hooks Kirschner into a small package for the pin at 8:52. Rating: A lot of down time during this match makes it a DUD
Match #2: IC Champ Greg Valentine (w/Jimmy Hart) v. Junkyard Dog: This is obviously an older bout as Valentine is the IC Champion. I believe this match is from the Meadowlands, somewhere around March of 1985. Dog goes to work on Hammer nailing head butts, driving Valentine to the floor. Back in JYD gets a wristlock on Greg. Not much happening as we go to a commercial break. Upon return from commercials JYD & Valentine collide, knocking one another down. Valentine is up first and tries for the figure four but JYD kicks him off and right into Jimmy Hart who was standing on the apron. The Dog rolls up the Hammer for a two count, an inside cradle gets 2 as well. Jimmy Hart pops back up on the apron and JYD tries to drag Hart into the ring. With the Dog distracted, Valentine hits a knee from behind and covers while Jimmy Hart holds the Dog’s feet down for the win at 9:17. But wait the referee has noticed Hart was holding JYD’s legs down as the heels head to the back. This causes the ref to restart the match and count Valentine out at 10:30. Winner by count out the JYD, this was also similar to the finish at WrestleMania. Rating: An okay little match 3/4*
– Ken Resnick talks to the Killer Bees, Brunzell is wearing the Bee Mask. They make buzzing sounds. Yes, they BUZZ. That’s about all.
Match #3: Paul Roma & Special Delivery Jones v. The Menace & Jim Haley: This was taped somewhere between June & September of 1986, during which time Roma & Jones frequented as a team. Roma & SD work over the Menace, Jim Haley comes in, ditto on him. Haley tries some right hands on Jones but SD no sells it to see what it feels like to be on the other end of a match for once. The faces work over Haley’s arm and then Roma hits a powerslam out of nowhere at 3:46. Rating: A squash match which shows there are different levels of jobbers. DUD
– In the studio, Gorilla asks what Heenan stuck under Orndorff’s nose to get him to turn on Hogan. What indeed Gorilla.
Match #4: Nick Kiniski v. Steve Lombardi: This is from MSG 9/22/86. Lombardi is the future Brooklyn Brawler, Nick is the son of former NWA Champion Gene Kiniski. Nick Kiniski gets some basic baby face moves early on and works on Lombardi’s arm. Lombardi gets the break and Kiniski tries for a reverse body block but no one is home. Steve gets some basic heel cheat moves in i.e. eyes across the rope. Lombardi with a chin lock and Kiniski fights out, only to have Steve throw him over the top rope to the floor. Back inside Lombardi misses a charge into the corner and Kiniski is back up. Nick gets a backdrop, hiptoss & a dropkick in. Lombardi reverses an Irish whip but Nick leapfrogs over a backdrop attempt by Steve and nails a German Suplex on Lombardi for the win at 8:59. Rating: Kiniski didn’t last that long, he just really didn’t adapt to the WWF way of things. Match was decent. 1/2*
– Ken Resnick is with Don Muraco. The Magnificent one has nothing good to say about Roddy Piper.
– Piper’s Pit returns with an all new look, after a few weeks hiatus. This is due to Adonis, Muraco & Orton destroying his old set and injured Hot Rod. Piper’s guest is Jimmy Hart. What an IDIOT Hart must be to show up on Piper’s Pit, by himself, after what just recently went down. Hart comes baring gifts. Jimmy Hart gives Hot Rod a crutch, a Hawaiian Lei from Muraco, panties from Mr. Fuji, a pink cowboy hat and a Noose from Bob Orton. Piper in retort says he has a present for Hart. Piper ties Jimmy Hart up in a chair, sticks all of the gifts on Hart, pours a bottle of mouthwash in Jimmy’s mouth and makes him spit it into Orton’s cowboy hat. In closing Piper hops away on what was thought to be his “bad leg”.
– A segment entitled “Working out with Mr. Wonderful” is shown. It’s pretty much what it sounds like.
Match #5: Hulk Hogan & Junkyard Dog v. Terry & Hoss Funk (w/Jimmy Hart): Straight from the Boston Gardens 3/8/86. Hoss is Dory Jr. of course. JYD wraps the chain around Dory’s neck to start while Hogan takes a cheap shot to the fans approval. Hogan rams Terry into JYD’s head and the Funks spill to the floor. Dory gets bumped around by the Dog & in comes Terry who misses a charge. We get a weird spot that starts off as a crisscross but ends up with only the Funk Brothers both running the ropes, kinda funny. Dory whips Hogan into a buckle but Dog makes the save. Hogan goes to whip Dory into a corner and Terry makes the save, only Dory reversed and Terry accidentally saves the Hulkster. This is an old Midnights/RnR Express spot that looks great when done correctly. Terry’s crazy man comedy is some of the best. Hogan slams both Funks repeatedly. Hulk goes after Terry on the floor but is hit with a chair and the Funks take over…but not for long. Hogan no sells Terry’s punches and tags in the Dog. JYD is on fire until he misses a head butt and the heels finally take over, 8 minutes into the match. Terry makes some unwise moves, allowing JYD to tag in Hogan. The Hulkster goes nuts on the Funks and Terry is selling like whoa! The ref gets distracted with the Dog, allowing Terry to choke Hogan out with some tape. Hogan gets tossed to the floor and while the referee is distracted by Jimmy Hart, the Funks hang the JYD over the top rope. Hogan comes out of nowhere and clotheslines Terry while he was hanging the JYD for the pin at 11:35. JYD puts on a Hulk Hogan Halloween mask and the duo pose…SCARY! Rating: Finish was kinda outta nowhere, but it was a decent Hogan/JYD match **
Final Thoughts: With thousands of hours of footage, I didn’t care for the fact that there were two JYD matches on the show, but with the good come the bad. JYD’s matches were actually the best matches on the show, with help from his opponents. Match of the Night: Hogan & JYD v. The Funks
