Hey guys, welcome back to the Prime Time Review. I’m back with more Prime Time Wrestling. I had hoped to work on 1987 next, but I wasn’t able to get the set yet, so I’m moving on to 1988 until I do. I don’t want to deprive everyone of Prime Time goodness while I wait for the 1987 footage. Once I get the ’87 stuff, we’ll go back and work on that. Until then, join some 1988!
Prime Time Wrestling 1/04/88
– Before I start the show, you’d figure they could change the opening video by now. Lots of outdated 1985 footage in here. Then again, some things are better left untouched, and that’s why we’re off with Gorilla & Bobby in the studio!
– Gorilla talks about today’s “lineup”, and immediately Bobby thinks he’s talking about Ken Patera. Get it, Police Lineup. 😉
Match #1: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan v. Sika: This match is from MSG 12/26/87, never seen this ref before. I can’t say much for Duggan’s “work ethic” in the WWF, but he was one of the most OVER people of his era. We get an extra treat as not only are Bobby & Gorilla the Prime Time hosts, but they’re doing commentary on this MSG show, along with Alfred Hayes. After some screwing around to start, Duggan works the arm of Sika. The Samoan eventually fights back with some general heel “cheat” tactics, but Duggan doesn’t seem to want to sell. Hacksaw goes back to the arm of Sika and even pulls his hair. Sika again escapes and goes after Duggan, but I’ll be damned if Hacksaw just doesn’t want to sell. Jim calls Sika a “SON OF A BITCH” and knocks him to the apron, then mounts Sika for 1o punches. Sika takes back over with a reverse chinlock, but Duggan right back again. The two men collide center ring, Duggan surprises Sika with a sloppy Small Package for a 2 count. Duggan pulls Sika’s trunks for a Sunset Flip and another 2. Sika chokes and chops on Duggan until Hacksaw retaliates with a clothesline. Sika gets back up and runs right into a 3 Point Stance Clothesline and Duggan gets the pin just like that in 9:14. Rating: They dragged out a squash here, not sure what all that cheating from Duggan was about. 1/2*
Match #2: Dino Bravo (w/Frenchy Martin) v. Hillbilly Jim: This match is from the Spectrum in Philly 12/5/87. Bravo is with Frenchy here, only a week or so after the Survivor Series where he was still with Johnny V. They say the match is in progress, but we haven’t missed anything but the bell, unfortunately. Dick Graham & Craig DeGeorge on commentary, how’s that for a duo? The two men feel each other out and big Jim gets the advantage. Bravo cuts Hillbilly off and works him over in the corner. Jim finally counters with his trademark a headscissor lock in the corner and Dino powders out of the ring. Dino flexes for the fans to no response, Hillbilly does the same thing and gets a mild pop. They try a test of strength and when Jim gets the best of things, Bravo tries some cheap kicks. Hillbilly surprises everyone with a monkey flip! (it was actually nice) Jim gets Bravo in the corner but Dino takes over after an inverted atomic drop. Hillbilly fights out of a chinlock but Dino gets right back on top, and Frenchy even gets in a cheap shot. Bravo hits the SIDE SUPLEX but doesn’t make the cover. Dino goes for a big elbow, but Jim moves out of the way. It’s COMEBACK TIME! Jim fires it up, but the crowd isn’t all that excited. Hillbilly hits a NICE BIG BOOT. Frenchy jumps up onto the apron and distracted Jim, Bravo lands a knee into the back of Hillbilly and steals the win in 9:00. Rating: Not a whole lot here, a lot of feeling out, a short heat spot, and Hillbilly’s less than desirable comeback. Jim did hit a couple of good looking moves, for that I’ll give the match 1/2*.
– WWF Update: Where is Matilda the Bulldog? Craig DeGeorge introduces video footage from last week of the Islanders & Bobby Heenan stealing Matilda from ringside during a match involving the British Bulldogs. The Bulldogs chase after, and slip and fall, lol. The Islanders left with Matilda.
– Interview with Bobby Heenan & The Islanders. Heenan swears he doesn’t know where Matilda is. The British Bulldogs rebut, they don’t believe what Heenan says, they know he has Matilda. The Bulldogs BEG for Matilda back, so that they can continue abusing the dog and pumping it full of steroids.
– President Jack Tunnery responds. Tunney is disgusted, and if Matilda is not returned within one week’s time, “appropriate actions will be taken. Seriously, do you think the Islanders & Heenan could do anything worse to that poor dog than what the Bulldogs used to do to it? If anything, Bobby did the dog a favor.
Match #3: Jacques & Raymond Rougeau v. The Conquistadors: From MSG 12/26/87. The Conquistadors are Jose Estrada & Jose Luis Rivera, or we can just refer to them as Jos-A and Jos-B. 😀 What you have here are 4 underrated guys by WWF standards that know how to have a good match. Raymond cleans house early on both. Jacques does the same, hitting a blind monkey flip and clearing the ring once more. The Conquistadors tie Jacques up in the ropes and work him over, Ray comes out of nowhere and dropkicks Conquistador Dos to the outside to the surprise of the crowd. The other Conquistador charges at Jacques, but Jacques frees himself from the ropes and drops down out of the way, resulting in Conquistador Uno flying out of the ring, clearing the top rope and hitting a suicide plancha on his own partner, Dos, on the floor. THE CROWD COMES ALIVE! Great spot, and hard work by the golden boys. The Rougeaus with some great double teaming to follow, even popping the crowd with a fake heel tag, and illegal switch. The Conquistadors finally get Jacques in their corner and get some heat on him, nice crisp moves.
Gorilla: Jacques has that ‘I don’t know where I am’ look on his face right now
Heenan: Well he’s Canadian
Something so simple, it’s in the delivery. Jacques finally counters a Conquistador with a big back suplex and the HOT TAG TO RAYMOND! Great fire up offense by Raymond and good bumping by the masked pair. The Rougeaus toss one Conquistador out of the ring and Raymond slams the other into the corner. Jacques goes up and the Rougeaus hit an assisted Somersault Senton from the top rope for the win in 13:30. The Conquistador was so close to the corner Jacques just about had to tuck and fall immediately, the commentators even made mention of it. Rating: This was what an undercard tag match should be. Good spots, far more entertaining than you might think. Not a whole lot past the usual formula, but these guys wanted to make it fun. **1/2.
Match #4: WWF Ladies Champion “The Sensational” Sherri v. Velvet McIntyre: From Paris, France 10/3/87. Velvet clears Sherri out of the ring early and brings her back in the hard way. Some fun ladies spots, with Sherri screaming throughout. Crowd eats it up as Sherri powders a second time. Velvet’s just all over Sherri with some really good looking offense. Sherri takes over after a hair pull and a choke. Now McIntyre takes some great looking bumps, this girl truly had it. Velvet takes back over and drives Sherri’s face into the mat repeatedly before they work into the body scissor spot. Velvet with the Kiwi Roll but the ref is out of position, incompetence. Sherri finally escapes the body scissor by pulling Velvet completely off the mat by her hair. Sherri with a stiff kneelift and ties Velvet in the tree of woe. Sherri works Velvet over in the corner, but Velvet counters with a sunset flip for a near fall. Sherri back on the offense with a standing Flapjack. McIntyre comes back, spinning side kick and a STIFF flying kick to the chest. McIntyre with the GIANT SWING! Sherri kicks out on 2. McIntyre misses a second rope reverse body block a la WrestleMania II, and Sherri tries to take over. McIntyre ducks a clothesline and hits a body block, but Sherri uses the momentum to carry over on top and Sherri gets the pin in 14:30. Rating: For an 80’s Women’s match, you really couldn’t ask for better. Velvet in particular was great. **1/2.
– Mean Gene Interviews “The Outlaw” Ron Bass about the upcoming “RUMBLE ROYAL”. That’s what Gene repeatedly called it. Bass promises that Miss Betsy (his bullwhip) will be there, and then calls the event by it’s real name “Royal Rumble”. An interesting note, Bass keeps mentioning “30 wrestlers” in the match, I found that interesting since 1988’s only ended up having 20. Gene continues to call it “THE RUMBLE ROYAL” just as we’re shown a “ROYAL RUMBLE” logo. Gene loved his cocktails, still does from my understanding.
Match #5: Special Delivery Jones v. “Iron” Mike Sharpe: From MSG 12/26/87. If there was ever a match I wish was joined in progress, it’d be this one. Mike Sharpe with a shitty leapfrog and an even shittier missed dropkick. Lots of yelling from Sharpe and screwing around outside the ring. No luck in the ring either and Sharpe goes back outside and sits in a chair and falls backwards in it, MOVE OF THE MATCH RIGHT THERE. Jones has Sharpe tied up in the ropes for some fun. SD tries a backdrop but Sharpe whacks him with the loaded forearm band, but it doesn’t keep SD down. Jones headbutts Sharpe and covers but Mike’s leg is on the ropes. Sharpe tries a clothesline, SD ducks, then Iron Mike pulls his arm back and slugs Jones upside the head with his forearm band for the merciful victory in 7:00. Rating: Little action, almost no offense from Sharpe, and then they took it home. Way too much stalling, but I’ve seen these guys go longer and look far worse. 1/4*
– LOL, immediately following the match, Bobby Heenan is on the phone “Yes, yes he did win a match!”. Heenan claims people are calling in, they can’t believe Mike Sharpe won a match! ”
Match #6: Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Oliver Humperdink) vs. King Kong Bundy (w/Bobby Heenan): This match was taped at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, IA on 11/17/87. These guys go right at it. Ventura, Vince, and Bruno on commentary. Jesse knows that we won’t see any hair pulling. Bundy isn’t able to move Bigelow, and Bam Bam the same. Bigelow tries a second time and tackles Bundy to the mat! Bundy reverses an Irish Whip but MISSES THE AVALANCHE! Bigelow follows up with an elbow drop for 2. Bundy just about takes Bammer’s head off with a clothesline! Heenan shows up at ringside as Bundy clotheslines Bigelow for the floor. Heenan tries a cheap shot on Bam Bam, but is scared off by Humperdink. Bigelow keeps trying to fight his way back in but Bundy keeps knocking him off the apron. Finally, Bigelow slides in but takes another nice clothesline from KKB. BUNDY MISSES FTHE SPLASH, BUT BIGELOW FOLLOWS UP WITH HIS OWN SPLASH! 1! 2! 3! A quick count by the referee, but Bigelow wins in 3:49. Too short to be anything special, but it was good for what it was. 1/2*
– Back in the studio we close the show as Bobby complains about the fast count and makes fun of Bruno Sammartino. Gorilla can’t help but to laugh loudly at Bobby’s impression of Bruno. Heenan pretends to have a convo with “Pizza Face” Sammartino on the phone. Fun stuff!
Final Thoughts: Nothing special on this episode. A couple of okay matches, the Bam Bam match was short and fun, the rest of the matches I’d advise to pass on. The studio stuff was equally as entertaining as the best matches, so take that for what it’s worth.
Match of the Night: Toss up between the Ladies Match (Sherri & Velvet) and the Rougeaus vs. Conquistadors. Both were good TV matches.
The referee in the Duggan vs. Sika match is Jeff Bartfield, son of Danny Bartfield. Jeff is still around, working as an executive for a liquor company (as of 2017).