Demolition © vs Strike Force Oakland 6/1/88 (Aired PTW - 7/11/88)
Demolition vs Strike Force
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
VR: Strike Force to me were visually the perfect arch rivals for Demolition. Wearing white trunks and boots. their peppy little theme song, completely bland and milquetoast. A really stark contrast to the face paint, the black S&M wrestling gear and heavy metal satanic theme song having Demolition. If tag team wrestling was this living being and was split into a good and evil half. Strike Force and Demolition is what you would have. At Wrestlemania IV Demolition won the tag team titles from Strike Force. They had a bunch of rematches in Philly, Boston and MSG. But they could not beat Demolition.
This match from Oakland California is the big tv rematch. This aired on WWF Superstars and was a huge deal for me because you never got star vs star matches on Superstars and sure as fudge did not get tag team title matches. This is the version from Best of the WWF #17.
Strike Force comes to the ring and there is something in the air that someone is getting hurt. This is going to be the last Strike Force/Demolition match one way or another. Match starts with Martel and Ax. Martel manages to get in the first hit on Ax, Catching him with a flurry of punches. But he gets cocky and Ax beats him down. Strike Force get the temporary advantage with some team work. This match is simular to the Brain Busters matches. Strike Force has no idea how to effectively deal with Demolition. So at most they contain them with arm bars trying to work a plan out. Demolition always regains the advantage. Whether its thru brute Force or with Fuji helping at just the right time.
They get Santana down and really work him over. My second favorite part of the match is Tito just barely dodging an elbow. But before he can get to his feet Ax punts him in the ribs. Ax always seems like the baddest man in any match regardless if he is Ax or the Masked Superstar. Tito gets worked over something good. Great thing about Tito in a tag team is he can hit the flying forearm at anytime to get the big tag. Martel clans house like at wrestlemania. He gets Ax in the Boston Crab like at Wrestlemania. But this time Smash knocks him out of the ring with a big clothesline. This brings in Tito who starts fighting both Demos at the same time. Hebner is trying to seperate Ax and Tito. Fuji has Smash clock Martel with a chair. He held it upside down so it looked really painful. Fuji goes and gets in the middle of the fracas, giving Ax the chance to go help Smash. Fuji and Demolition were a great pairing. They moved like a well oiled machine. The inteference comes across well in this with it looking like the referee was really distracted rather than I can't look at the ring now.
They hit Martel with the Demolition Decapitation on the floor. It looks brutal. Ax's elbow hits Martel's throat before he hits the floor. I have no idea how they did that without really injuring him. Its so brutal you believe it could take him out for nearly a year. Demolition return to their corner like clock work while Martel gets counted out. Watching it I don't blame Rick Martel for betraying Tito. This was his fault. If he had kept his firey temper in check, Martel would not of been
A: Hit by the chair that knocked him out.
B:Injured by the Decapitator on the floor.
Martel looks like he is really hurt. They are not moving him. Oddly their appears to be a little girl dancing in joy as the paramedics put him on a gurney.
MD: Vic was spot on when talking about the first part of the match. Strike Force is just trying to contain Demolition. You'll see that now and again with faces going up against them. They grab onto the arms for dear life because they know if Demolition gets the advantage, they're going to get clubbered to no end. It should be noted that Ax does do a great job selling Martel's flurry of punches early on, ending up draped in the ropes right before he starts pounding back. I also like how Strike Force goes to for cross body block twice. The first time Ax catches Martel only to get knocked over by a dropkick by Tito. The second time, it works. Strike Force is literally throwing themselves at Demolition since they know they can't hold back at all if they're going to have a chance.
Santana makes a great face-in-peril and Demolition lay into him and Martel is pretty good at the fiery babyface after the hot tag. I don't think we can go on enough about how great the Flying Forearm is as a lead in to the hot tag. Anyway, the finish is just amazing. It's got to be one of the nastiest WWF chairshots of the decade. It just looks all wrong and backwards and devastating. There's nothing held back. The angle is just a bit off from what you'd normally see and it's almost unsettling to watch it. Good camera work. And of course, it's followed by the Decapitation off of the canvas. Martel does a great little flip sell on it. This is my first time seeing this match. I started watching WWF a couple of years later, actually, and I'm glad, because I know I would have been a Strike Force fan as a kid and this was such an effective match/angle that I would have been completely and utterly traumatized by it. Good stuff.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 5
Demolition vs The Brainbusters-WWF Tag Team Titles
Uploaded by TSteck160. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
Demolition © vs BrainBusters SNME #21 4/25/89 (aired 5/27/89)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21zrr_de...sters-wwf_sport
MD: This is one of my favorite WWF matches of the 80s. It's just about the perfect mix of match and angle. That is, the angle stems from the work in such a cool, organic way. Let me try to explain.
We start off with an interview with the Brainbusters and Heenan. Tully is awesome, acting all earnest about how Bobby told them they could do anything if they believed in themselves. They're confident having gotten a title shot so early into their WWF run and they're going out to the ring thinking that they're going to win the titles. The Demos get interviewed and they're confident they're going to beat the tar out of the "eggbeaters." They just ran through Fuji and the Powers of Pain at Mania so there's little reason for them to think otherwise.
The match starts and it is ALL Demolition. Tully gets overpowered and beaten around the ring. Arn can do nothing. The initial Busters gameplan is a complete and utter failure. There's some great stooging in here with Smash attempting a double clothesline on Arn and Tully only to have Arn duck but then get nailed a second later. Fun stuff.
The Busters start to cheat like crazy and even then, none of it is working at first. Eventually, however, the eyepokes, the ref distractions, the illegal doubleteams, and the Heenan interference takes its toll and the Busters finally get on top. Once on top, they keep on cheating like crazy. There are over ten distinct acts of cheating in the ten minute match, including one of my favorite things in any match ever. Arn holds down Smash's leg and Tully hits the "Double Axe-Handle off the Top on a Prone Opponent." I swear that, for me, this was like seeing heel Flair hit a top rope move for the first time. It was an instant vindication of every time a heel flies off the top rope with a double axe handle only to have the face get his foot up and nail him. The move actually worked once! Amazing.
Anyway, back to the story of the match. Cheating. Lots and lots of cheating. The Busters came in confident. They quickly realized that on this night they simply could NOT beat Demolition. They weren't prepared. They weren't ready. They weren't doing the damage they needed to do. So the gameplan shifted. Instead of trying to beat the champs. They enraged them. Cheating. Aggravating. Cutting off the tag to Ax however possible, including running around the ring and pulling him off the canvas so that he's not there when Smash finally makes it. You can just see Ax getting more and more furious until finally he storms into the ring, tosses the ref out of the way and that's the match. Totally believable.
Brainbusters beat the champs by DQ. They get the winner's share of the purse. They get a rematch on their terms at a time of their choosing and guess what? When that happens, they win the belts. It wasn't their initial gameplan but the audible works great and it's just an awesome example of how smartly put together wrestling can tell a story all by itself.
VR: This is the first meeting of Demolition and Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. Thinking about it, this would of been the WWF tag champions vs NWA tag champions a year before.
The story here is the Brain Busters can not match Demolition in power or brawling. But problems set in once they realize Demolition are equal in team work too. So you have Arn and Tully trying various methods to wear down Demolition. Tully getting frustrated and trying to trade punches with Ax. Which ends as well as you can expect. At one point Tully gets thrown from the ring on top of Bobby Heenan which looks like it hurt. Henan loses it and tries to fight Demolition with Tully and Arn holding him back.
There are a few no sell spots here. With Smash getting up after an Arn suplex. But what I like about Demolition doing it is it looks like it hurt but they are so tough they are shaking it off.
Eventually the Brain Busters gain control when Smash gets careless. Now the Brain Busters are in control and are working over Smash good. This is basic great tag team wrestling. Smash gets close to a tag a few times but the Brain busters cut him off.
Tully even attacking Ax on the outside before Smash can get past Arn. I actually use to do that on wrestling video games.This makes Ax go nuts and beat up Tully, Arn and the referee causing the DQ. Demolition is not satisfied and beat up the Brain Busters all the way to the back.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 4
Demolition vs. SD Jones-B. Brian Blair
Uploaded by rland1987. - Classic TV and last night's shows, online.Demolition vs S.D. Jones & B. Brian Blair Ontario 6-1-87
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xb4156_de...blai_shortfilms
MD: This is the SD Bees, B. Brian Blair and S.D. Jones (wearing bee pants). Apparently Brunzel is sick with the flu. It's a PTW match that aired the next month. The crowd seems into the fact they get to see a goofy version of the bees, but the announcers smartly point out that there will be no quick-switch shenanigans tonight. Not even the shoddy and corrupt WWF officiating would be fooled tonight. Well... maybe Joey Marella.
Blair starts out quickly. He's been up against the Demos a few times by now and knows he's at a disadvantage without his usual partner. Most of it barely phases Ax and when Smash comes in, he tags to SD and they start doing frequent tags and going after the arm. Even at this point, there's the sense of the inevitable. The faces are keeping control however they can. It's nice to note that whenever they're going for a doubleteam, Smash isn't just standing around waiting for it like a lot of guys do. He's struggling and trying to get out. After a few minutes, Blair makes a mistake, Ax gets in a cheapshot from the outside and the Demos take over.
Quick tags. Lots of clubbering. Keeping Blair in their corner. Eyerakes if he starts to fight back. Demos in control. A choke on the top rope brings SD in only to distract the ref allowing for more double teaming. Heel tactics galore. Blair fights out of a neckvice/chinlock and hits a sunset flip only for Ax to beautifully tag Smash in on the way down. Great timing and execution. The clubbering continues with Blair cut off at every opportunity. Both the crowd and SD are getting hotter and hotter at this point. Like in the May Bees match, Blair hits the Flying Forearm but this time the Demos are ready for it, with Smash slowing him down long enough for Ax to come in and distract the ref so he misses the tag. But Blair will not give up and a few moments later, a mistake by Ax allows him to make the hot tag.
SD comes in and fights off both guys, with Blair recovering enough to join in. Blair and Ax go to the outside while SD gets smash into a sleeper in the ring. Blair's too beaten down at this point, however, and Ax is able to get back into the ring and just crush SD with his killer clothesline from behind. In 1987-88, no one gets up from that and the Demos pick up the win. I wasn't sure what to expect from this match giving the makeshift subbing but it was actually pretty good. SD and Blair worked well together early on and SD played the irate face on the apron role well too. Blair took a real beating and the finish was well executed. Good match.
VR: Special Beeliverly vs Demolition June 87
This match was suppose to be the Killer Bees vs Demolition. But Brunzell was doped up or dieing or something. So we get SD Jones as an honorary Killer Bee for the night.
The match starts with Ax clubbering Blair and this is the Demolition we know and love. Blair fires back so Ax tags in Smash. With Blair tagging in SD. I get the feeling that Blair was really reluctant to tag SD. Both in a shoot and story context.
SD tries running over Smash with a shoulder block but no go. Tries again with similar results. This time he hit a big coco butt and that stuns Smash. SD tags back in B.Brian Blair. Blair trips getting in the ring. The ropes are really loose. Blair and Jones try for some Killer Bee esque double teaming, but they are not really a smooth team.
Demos get the advantage and from here really work over Blair. This is more a Demolition match. Demos working over Blair with clubbering and some chinlocks. More a head wrench really. When Demollition does this it looks like they are trying to twist the guys head off.
Los of good solid tag work here. They cut off the hot tag a few times. One time SD helps by running in to help Blair. Which i think was done to show SD and Blair are not a regular team.
Blair finally gets the hot tag and SD goes after Smash while Blair jumps AX. SD puts Jones in the sleeper while the ref forces Blair to his corner, giving AX the chance to clothesline him in the back of the head for the win.
Im not going to sit here and say this was a great match or even very good. But its a good solid match and would of been really bad against any other team in the world.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 3
Demolition vs Killer Bees - 5/18/87 - MSG
Killer Bees vs. Demolition
Uploaded by Stinger1981. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
VR: Been putting off watching this. Not the biggest fans of the Bees and 87 Demolition usually feels off. But I decided to watch.
Demolition don't have Fuji with them for this. Killer Bees dominate the first half of the match. Its that supposed bizzaro heel in peril format certain types gripe about. But its good solid tag work from the Bees. First working over Smash's knee before Ax tags in
and his knee gets worked over. Ax does a great job selling his leg being hurt. While B.Brian Blair does a nice looking figure four. Ax can't even walk at this point.
This is very unusual for a Demolition match as they did not put up with this nonsense by the end of the year. They get the advantage when Smash drops the big elbow on Blair while he keeps Ax in the figure four.
Now Demolition are firmly in control. But its still not quite Demolition. Very little clubbering. Just keeping Blair grounded with a head twist and a painful looking Chin lock. By 88 Demos really mixed it up in matches.Ax has a look of sadistic glee once he gets back in the ring.The good thing about the old WWF was they had a great tier system where guys had time to figure out what works and what does not. Before getting the really big push and without getting labeled a jobber.
Really neat spot where Blair leap frogs over Smash and does a backslide. Going with this thing where Blair keeps trying to get the quick win instead of the tag. Great sequence of Demolition working over Blair.
Blair takes a page out of Tito Santana's book with the flying Beerito and tags in Brunzell. Brunzell hits the best dropkick ever. A dropkick like that should be a finisher. He rolls up Smash but gets kicked in the head as the Demos switch places for the win. The Bees are hoisted by their own petard.
Demolition are still a work in progress at this point. Lots of unDemolition stuff here. Not much clubbering and too much faces on offense. Later in the match it bugged me how often Blair was whipped into his side of the ring. Something prime Demolition would ever do.
Still a really solid tag team match.
MD: This is one weird match and I can't say I love it as a whole. There are some specific parts that I think are great though and I want to talk about those. Yes, the Bees are on top for the first half of the match but it doesn't bug me in the least. In this case, it's not just just formula or "warming the crowd up" as people sometimes claim with WWF tags from the 80s. It's actually the story of the match and it's a smart one. The Bees come in with a killer strategy. They're going to work on the legs of Demolition. And when Smash makes it out after they work on his legs for a while, they immediately put Ax in a double spinning toe-hold and it's completely believable when the legwork continues. I do wish that it played a bit more of a role in the second half of the match, though. In general, though, of all the heel Demolition matches I've seen so far, there haven't been many where the faces really went after a bodypart like this. Once again, Demolition works a completely different style of match. I shouldn't be surprised at this point.
They did a great job of wearing down Blair in the second half of the match though there's some stuff like the extended chin lock that you don't usually get out of Demolition matches. The finish is great as the Demos do a switch of their own with Ax keeping his face buried in the mat so the ref can't tell he's not Smash. A taste of the Bees own medicine.
Killer Bees vs. Demolition
Uploaded by Stinger1981. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
VR: Been putting off watching this. Not the biggest fans of the Bees and 87 Demolition usually feels off. But I decided to watch.
Demolition don't have Fuji with them for this. Killer Bees dominate the first half of the match. Its that supposed bizzaro heel in peril format certain types gripe about. But its good solid tag work from the Bees. First working over Smash's knee before Ax tags in
and his knee gets worked over. Ax does a great job selling his leg being hurt. While B.Brian Blair does a nice looking figure four. Ax can't even walk at this point.
This is very unusual for a Demolition match as they did not put up with this nonsense by the end of the year. They get the advantage when Smash drops the big elbow on Blair while he keeps Ax in the figure four.
Now Demolition are firmly in control. But its still not quite Demolition. Very little clubbering. Just keeping Blair grounded with a head twist and a painful looking Chin lock. By 88 Demos really mixed it up in matches.Ax has a look of sadistic glee once he gets back in the ring.The good thing about the old WWF was they had a great tier system where guys had time to figure out what works and what does not. Before getting the really big push and without getting labeled a jobber.
Really neat spot where Blair leap frogs over Smash and does a backslide. Going with this thing where Blair keeps trying to get the quick win instead of the tag. Great sequence of Demolition working over Blair.
Blair takes a page out of Tito Santana's book with the flying Beerito and tags in Brunzell. Brunzell hits the best dropkick ever. A dropkick like that should be a finisher. He rolls up Smash but gets kicked in the head as the Demos switch places for the win. The Bees are hoisted by their own petard.
Demolition are still a work in progress at this point. Lots of unDemolition stuff here. Not much clubbering and too much faces on offense. Later in the match it bugged me how often Blair was whipped into his side of the ring. Something prime Demolition would ever do.
Still a really solid tag team match.
MD: This is one weird match and I can't say I love it as a whole. There are some specific parts that I think are great though and I want to talk about those. Yes, the Bees are on top for the first half of the match but it doesn't bug me in the least. In this case, it's not just just formula or "warming the crowd up" as people sometimes claim with WWF tags from the 80s. It's actually the story of the match and it's a smart one. The Bees come in with a killer strategy. They're going to work on the legs of Demolition. And when Smash makes it out after they work on his legs for a while, they immediately put Ax in a double spinning toe-hold and it's completely believable when the legwork continues. I do wish that it played a bit more of a role in the second half of the match, though. In general, though, of all the heel Demolition matches I've seen so far, there haven't been many where the faces really went after a bodypart like this. Once again, Demolition works a completely different style of match. I shouldn't be surprised at this point.
They did a great job of wearing down Blair in the second half of the match though there's some stuff like the extended chin lock that you don't usually get out of Demolition matches. The finish is great as the Demos do a switch of their own with Ax keeping his face buried in the mat so the ref can't tell he's not Smash. A taste of the Bees own medicine.
Friday, April 09, 2010
Untilted Demolition Project Day 2
Colossal Connection vs Demolition-WWF Tag Team Titles
Uploaded by TSteck160. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
MD: So here's another opinion I can't shake. I think that late 80s Andre is just amazing as a worker. He was completely immobile but he had an incredible presence and he worked so, so smart. He couldn't do much so he made sure everything he did do mattered as much as humanly possible within the psychological context of the match. That's worth a million bucks, right there. I don't think there's anyone in the world that thinks more highly of the SNME Warrior/Andre than me. I think that match won the WON Worst Worked Match of the Year in 89 and that's just absurd. It had a great story and was so smartly worked. It's aged great.
BUT we're talking about Demolition here. We're talking about Demolition vs Andre and Haku. I'm sure we'll cover the Colossal Connection Title Win Squash because it's a remarkable and unique Demolition match. This is very shortly thereafter and the Demos want revenge. This is late era Andre and guess what, it's a really smart, really fun match. Of course it is.
The story of the match is simple. The Demos want revenge. The Demos want their titles back. They're the well-oiled machine. The Colossal Connection is something else. They play on the fact that Andre is increasingly immobile, that he's the ultimate weapon to be used at exactly the right time. Haku is to stay in the match until it is absolutely necessary to tag in the force of nature that is Andre. Their teamwork is not smooth. It is not supposed to be smooth. They're still nigh-unbeatable. There's actually a Colossal Connection/Rockers match out there that shows this off beautifully. In that match, the Rockers are doing fine vs Haku and die instantly and dramatically the second Andre gets tagged in. Ax and Smash are NOT the Rockers however.
So Haku tries to fight them off from the get go and he does pretty well with strikes and kicks until the Demos get him into their corner. The thing you have to understand about Demolition doubleteams is that for the most part they're not going to do fancy moves. What they are going to do are lots of quick tags where they come in and beat on their opponent as much as possible. Poor Haku gets this in droves. There's a great moment in here where Smash taunts at Andre and Andre makes this awesome bestial nose in response.
Anyway, Haku hits an awesome kick counter out of an arm-wringer and makes the tag to Andre who promptly misses a big butt drop. He's down and Demos take right back over. Quick tags and clubbering to a prone Andre. Andre in 89 was presented as an absolute force of nature. If he touched you, your internal organs blew up. It was awesome, trust me. It's awesome here. Demos clubber. Andre gets in a kick. Demos fall. Demos come back in to clubber. Andre hits a punch from the ground. Demos fall. And repeat. Eventually, Andre makes it up and tags in Haku allowing the Colossals to take over for a while, until Haku misses an Andre-assisted Splash in the corner on Ax. Andre is just sensational here. He had pinned Ax into the corner with his body and slowly walks away as Haku charges in only to miss. Andre, however, is doing this weird little dance and laughing at Smash, thinking that the move was successful. Every little thing he did at this point was just gold.
The hot tag that follows leads us eventually into a big brawl and finish. Andre hits the headbutt of doom on Smash, knocking him to the outside for the countout. Demos get their heat back by decapitating Haku after the match, keeping the feud building towards Wrestlemania VI. Really fun match and wildly different from yesterday's match. Great presence all around.
VR: I have vivid memories of the match where Andre and Haku won the tag belts. It actually happened only twenty miles away. Andre and Haku destroyed the Demos with little effort and won the tag team titles. I was use to bad guys winning titles. Just that summer Demolition lost the tag titles to Bobby Heenan's Brainbusters. But in those cases the heels always cheated and pulled a fast on. In this case Andre and Haku just beat up Demolition like they were Gary Stambough and Duane Gill. For an 8 year old Demolition fan that was just scary.
This is the rematch from Madison Square Garden. The match is telling a pretty clear story. The Demos are trying to end the match as quickly as possible. The key to this is Haku. So Ax and smash stay on him and stay on him pummeling him so he can't tag Andre. But Haku is a tough guy and he will eventually get the advantage and does when he tags Smash with a side kick and finally tags in the Giant.
Smash is still able to dodge the Andre butt crash. Tags in Ax and Ax starts pummeling Andre. Again there is some desperation here. Demolition knows if Andre gets to his feet they are in trouble. One Andre strike equals ten normal ones.
Eventually Andre tags Ax with a good one and The Connection have the advantage. It seems like a light came on and they know they are going to have to use team work to win.
Haku knocks the wind out of himself on an attempted double team. Smash comes in as a house of fire beating up both Haku and nails Andre once or twice. The referee is trying to get Ax off of Haku which allows Andre to headbutt Smash and knock him to the floor causing a count out.
After the match Demolition attack Andre and Haku. Knocking the Giant to the floor and giving Haku the Demolition Decapitator elbow and counted to three.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 1
Demolition vs Rockers Madison Square Garden
Demolition vs The Rockers-WWF Tag Team Titles
Uploaded by TSteck160. - Discover the latest sports and extreme videos.
Victator:When talking about Strike Force vs Demolition I say that visually Strike Force were the perfect rivals for Demolition. The Rockers fit into this mold too. But not for being white bread and plan. Here its more the youthful high energy and speed vs the brawling and power of Demolition. This match is why Pro Wrestling is he best.
The match works really well in the context of Demolition's 1988. From the start of the year they have destroyed teams like the Rougeaus, the Bulldogs and Strike Force with relative ease. In the summer they killed Rick Martel. At Summerslam they even beat the Hart Foundation. So it seems obvious the Rockers are going to be destroyed with Demolition taking them lightly.
At first Ax Lays out Shawn with clubbering. Shawn runs off the ropes with a great looking cross body but Ax catches him. I love the way he slams Shawn. Like he is just throwing him across the ring. Shawn starts firing back on Ax and Ax has this look of shock and anger that the pretty boy would dare fight back. the Rockers keep Demolition off balance with their speed and technique. As Matt said even now its striking how fast paced this match was. They are going 100 miles an hour and Demolition is keeping up. Doing lots of quick tags and arm wringers.
Compared to the Strike Force or Bulldog matches, its shocking to see Demolition selling this much for the Rockers. Smash is bouncing all over the place. Smash is really great at stooging in a way Ax can't. Love this section with ax taking all these dropkicks. Getting up and swinging wild at Marty with him ducking each one then coming back with more.
Later Ax comes in and the Rockers start using the same tactics with him. Before Ax ends the nonsense with a violent looking headbutt. Demolition now have the advantage and are really working Marty over. Marty flies across the ring off of one punch and Smash sells it hurting his hand. They are just whipping him from pillar to post. Marty get a nice looking flying back elbow and gets Shawn in. After a brief flurry of offense, Ax pulls him out of the ring. Again I have to put over how fast Shawn Micheals is. He looks like he was in a car wreck going to the floor.
The Rockers disadvantage here is not matching the Demos power and experience. Smash puts Shawn in the Boston Crab an tags in Ax. I love how Ax calmly walks in and drops a hammer across his back. Now Shawn is in trouble because Demolition are not using just brute force. But are methodically taking him apart.
Shawn finally gets the hot tag. Marty fights both of Demolition alone. Shawn joins him and the Rockers hit a great sequence of double teams concluding with the Rocket Launcher for a very near fall. This crowd is super hot. Going nut for everything. You can believe the Rockers could win the belts.
The finish is great because its clean. Demolition does not cheat they just out team the Rockers and catch Marty with a big clothesline to the back of the head.
Matt D: This is just a really great match. There's not too much to talk about in the way of background. The Rockers started their second stint in the WWF in June of 1988. Demolition was closing in on the face turn at Survivor Series 1988. Fuji is at ringside and he always works really well with the Rockers. Jannetty's said that Fuji was sort of a evil mentor in the ways of backstage pranks for them, and the chemistry shows over the years.
The most remarkable thing about the match is how it seems to start in super fast forward. The Rockers are just moving amazingly fast and Ax is keeping up and selling and stooging perfectly, going just as fast himself. Even twenty plus years later it's downright striking to watch. From there it moves on to the Rockers trying to work over Smash's arm with some really great double-teaming, doing anything they can to equalize the Demolition strength. It's back and forth for a bit until the rope is pulled down and Michaels takes a really nasty bump to the floor. When they get him back in, the story becomes about working over his back, injured in the fall, including a lengthy Smash Boston Crab. Despite how much the speedy beginning stands out, I think my favorite single part of the match is when Smash finishes the hold and tags in Axe. One of the announcers(check who) talks about the damage done to the Lumbar region and Smash, coming out to the apron, hears him and shouts. "It's not a Lumbar. It's HIS BACK!" making for a really funny moment.
Eventually Michaels gets out of a bearhug and makes the hot tag to Jannetty who comes in with punches and the Rockers' quick comeback leading to the finishing segment. The Rockers hit the non-rocket launcher and despite knowing better, I think the match might be over for a moment (and the crowd is SURE of it), until Ax breaks up the pin. The finish comes shortly thereafter when Smash gets Jannetty into a bearhug, bringing him over to the corner where Ax just destroys him with a punch/clothesline. It's a totally believable and nasty finish. Just a knockout blow.
Solid, exciting match all around. The transitions are believable. The work is logical. The crowd's really into it. The finish looks great. This is a totally slept upon match and it's a shame. More of a shame is that the Rockers actually get better over the next couple of years, but by the time Demolition are heels again, Ax is more or less out of the equation and the team is a pale reflection of what it is here.
Demolition vs The Rockers-WWF Tag Team Titles
Uploaded by TSteck160. - Discover the latest sports and extreme videos.
Victator:When talking about Strike Force vs Demolition I say that visually Strike Force were the perfect rivals for Demolition. The Rockers fit into this mold too. But not for being white bread and plan. Here its more the youthful high energy and speed vs the brawling and power of Demolition. This match is why Pro Wrestling is he best.
The match works really well in the context of Demolition's 1988. From the start of the year they have destroyed teams like the Rougeaus, the Bulldogs and Strike Force with relative ease. In the summer they killed Rick Martel. At Summerslam they even beat the Hart Foundation. So it seems obvious the Rockers are going to be destroyed with Demolition taking them lightly.
At first Ax Lays out Shawn with clubbering. Shawn runs off the ropes with a great looking cross body but Ax catches him. I love the way he slams Shawn. Like he is just throwing him across the ring. Shawn starts firing back on Ax and Ax has this look of shock and anger that the pretty boy would dare fight back. the Rockers keep Demolition off balance with their speed and technique. As Matt said even now its striking how fast paced this match was. They are going 100 miles an hour and Demolition is keeping up. Doing lots of quick tags and arm wringers.
Compared to the Strike Force or Bulldog matches, its shocking to see Demolition selling this much for the Rockers. Smash is bouncing all over the place. Smash is really great at stooging in a way Ax can't. Love this section with ax taking all these dropkicks. Getting up and swinging wild at Marty with him ducking each one then coming back with more.
Later Ax comes in and the Rockers start using the same tactics with him. Before Ax ends the nonsense with a violent looking headbutt. Demolition now have the advantage and are really working Marty over. Marty flies across the ring off of one punch and Smash sells it hurting his hand. They are just whipping him from pillar to post. Marty get a nice looking flying back elbow and gets Shawn in. After a brief flurry of offense, Ax pulls him out of the ring. Again I have to put over how fast Shawn Micheals is. He looks like he was in a car wreck going to the floor.
The Rockers disadvantage here is not matching the Demos power and experience. Smash puts Shawn in the Boston Crab an tags in Ax. I love how Ax calmly walks in and drops a hammer across his back. Now Shawn is in trouble because Demolition are not using just brute force. But are methodically taking him apart.
Shawn finally gets the hot tag. Marty fights both of Demolition alone. Shawn joins him and the Rockers hit a great sequence of double teams concluding with the Rocket Launcher for a very near fall. This crowd is super hot. Going nut for everything. You can believe the Rockers could win the belts.
The finish is great because its clean. Demolition does not cheat they just out team the Rockers and catch Marty with a big clothesline to the back of the head.
Matt D: This is just a really great match. There's not too much to talk about in the way of background. The Rockers started their second stint in the WWF in June of 1988. Demolition was closing in on the face turn at Survivor Series 1988. Fuji is at ringside and he always works really well with the Rockers. Jannetty's said that Fuji was sort of a evil mentor in the ways of backstage pranks for them, and the chemistry shows over the years.
The most remarkable thing about the match is how it seems to start in super fast forward. The Rockers are just moving amazingly fast and Ax is keeping up and selling and stooging perfectly, going just as fast himself. Even twenty plus years later it's downright striking to watch. From there it moves on to the Rockers trying to work over Smash's arm with some really great double-teaming, doing anything they can to equalize the Demolition strength. It's back and forth for a bit until the rope is pulled down and Michaels takes a really nasty bump to the floor. When they get him back in, the story becomes about working over his back, injured in the fall, including a lengthy Smash Boston Crab. Despite how much the speedy beginning stands out, I think my favorite single part of the match is when Smash finishes the hold and tags in Axe. One of the announcers(check who) talks about the damage done to the Lumbar region and Smash, coming out to the apron, hears him and shouts. "It's not a Lumbar. It's HIS BACK!" making for a really funny moment.
Eventually Michaels gets out of a bearhug and makes the hot tag to Jannetty who comes in with punches and the Rockers' quick comeback leading to the finishing segment. The Rockers hit the non-rocket launcher and despite knowing better, I think the match might be over for a moment (and the crowd is SURE of it), until Ax breaks up the pin. The finish comes shortly thereafter when Smash gets Jannetty into a bearhug, bringing him over to the corner where Ax just destroys him with a punch/clothesline. It's a totally believable and nasty finish. Just a knockout blow.
Solid, exciting match all around. The transitions are believable. The work is logical. The crowd's really into it. The finish looks great. This is a totally slept upon match and it's a shame. More of a shame is that the Rockers actually get better over the next couple of years, but by the time Demolition are heels again, Ax is more or less out of the equation and the team is a pale reflection of what it is here.
Untitled Demolition Project
On the internet, you can get into an argument about anything. With the Internet Wrestling community, that's doubly true. No matter what the topic, you'll find someone who takes the opposing viewpoint. There is no consensus, ever. Yet despite this, when we try to argue that Demolition was an excellent, premier tag team, people just pass by our statements as if they were never there. It goes so far away from conventional wisdom that people don't even register the comment as making sense. It's gobbledygook to them. It's madness. Everyone knows that Demolition was just Vince's third rate Road Warriors rip-offs, an embarrassment that shows the ignorance of the Northeastern wrestling fans with whom they were so over. They had cool music, the great Royal Rumble moment, and their best match is obviously a twenty-man Survivor Series elimination match where they were just faces in the crowd. Oh! And wasn't Moondog Rex good? That's all there is to say, right? Wrong, and we intend to prove it.
In this project, we're going to be looking at a number of Demolition matches and breaking them down in an attempt to show just how good the tandem of Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow were. We'll touch upon Brian Adams too at some point, I'm sure, and we'll do so with as open a mind as possible. To me, a good wrestling match is all about having a good story executed well, and you'll find that tenet all over the Demolition matches we're going to look at. There is just a ton of material out there against a ton of different opponents. They had lengthy face and heel runs at the top of the card and we have PPV, SNME, MSG, Toronto and Boston shows to draw from, with squashes and shorter matches the syndicated shows on top of that.
This isn't nostalgia and it's not just a desire to be contrary. Despite being in a key age group for having grown up with Demolition, Vic and I come from different ends of the spectrum. I'm Northern. He's Southern. I only liked little fast wrestlers as a kid. I hated all the big guys (Hogan, Duggan, Bossman and whoever else too) and had a Rockers pin to prove it. Vic followed the WWF's faces much more. He had an emotional attachment to Demolition that I didn't. Given that I also came in a few years later than he did, they were just the guys who needed 3 people in order to face the Hart Foundation to me. Since then, however, I've gone back and watched as much late 80s/early 90s WWF as possible and have learned to watch things in context and with an open mind. If you told me as a kid, or in the height of my snarkyness ten years ago, that I'd be going around touting some of the things I do, I would have called you crazy. It's amazing what you can see with an open mind. Even so, I can't imagine anyone who knows how to appreciate this era and style of wrestling quite like Vic.
It's fully our intention here to toss as much evidence out there to make our point, and hopefully to get people talking and thinking about Demolition's work. Hopefully we'll bring some good, enjoyable matches to everyone's attention in the process and have some fun doing it.
In this project, we're going to be looking at a number of Demolition matches and breaking them down in an attempt to show just how good the tandem of Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow were. We'll touch upon Brian Adams too at some point, I'm sure, and we'll do so with as open a mind as possible. To me, a good wrestling match is all about having a good story executed well, and you'll find that tenet all over the Demolition matches we're going to look at. There is just a ton of material out there against a ton of different opponents. They had lengthy face and heel runs at the top of the card and we have PPV, SNME, MSG, Toronto and Boston shows to draw from, with squashes and shorter matches the syndicated shows on top of that.
This isn't nostalgia and it's not just a desire to be contrary. Despite being in a key age group for having grown up with Demolition, Vic and I come from different ends of the spectrum. I'm Northern. He's Southern. I only liked little fast wrestlers as a kid. I hated all the big guys (Hogan, Duggan, Bossman and whoever else too) and had a Rockers pin to prove it. Vic followed the WWF's faces much more. He had an emotional attachment to Demolition that I didn't. Given that I also came in a few years later than he did, they were just the guys who needed 3 people in order to face the Hart Foundation to me. Since then, however, I've gone back and watched as much late 80s/early 90s WWF as possible and have learned to watch things in context and with an open mind. If you told me as a kid, or in the height of my snarkyness ten years ago, that I'd be going around touting some of the things I do, I would have called you crazy. It's amazing what you can see with an open mind. Even so, I can't imagine anyone who knows how to appreciate this era and style of wrestling quite like Vic.
It's fully our intention here to toss as much evidence out there to make our point, and hopefully to get people talking and thinking about Demolition's work. Hopefully we'll bring some good, enjoyable matches to everyone's attention in the process and have some fun doing it.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Memphis Wrestling: June 7, 1980
I saw this on youtube this morning and really wanted to share it. Memphis is really the best. Anytime i see a angle on youtube I always want to watch the match that follows.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Big Daddy V Daycare
Would of been a great movie.
Saw this randomly today. This is before Cyber Sunday 2007. These are the three contenders to CM Punk's ECW championship. Its obvious Morrison and Miz can't handle V by themselves so they form an allience until Morrison throws Miz into V. This is just a fun squash. Made more funbecause its M8z and Morrison getting destroyed. V eventually takes himself out on the turnbuckle. Morrison and Miz start fighting eachother. Guess figuring its easier to fight eachother than finish Big Daddy V.
V gets back in and destroys both guys as easily as he was beating jobbers in July finishing Miz off with the big elbow.
In the end Miz got the title shot proving DEMOCRACY DOES NOT WORK.
Saw this randomly today. This is before Cyber Sunday 2007. These are the three contenders to CM Punk's ECW championship. Its obvious Morrison and Miz can't handle V by themselves so they form an allience until Morrison throws Miz into V. This is just a fun squash. Made more funbecause its M8z and Morrison getting destroyed. V eventually takes himself out on the turnbuckle. Morrison and Miz start fighting eachother. Guess figuring its easier to fight eachother than finish Big Daddy V.
V gets back in and destroys both guys as easily as he was beating jobbers in July finishing Miz off with the big elbow.
In the end Miz got the title shot proving DEMOCRACY DOES NOT WORK.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Great Muta post
One of my all time favorite acts in wrestling is the Great Muta in 1989. When you had him managed by Gary Hart and with Dragonmaster as the bodyguard. Plus his association with Terry Funk. He really seemed like ne of the scariest guys in wrestling. Anytime somebody beat him it seemed like a huge upset. Once he beat Sting for the TV title I thought he could beat the ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan.
This is another post but Terry Funk trying to smother Flair with a plastic bag horrified me when I was 8. I have not watched a lot of this stuff since it aired. So in some ways this is brand nw to me. This stuff still looks unique even today. But thats probably more of how wrestling has changed in 20 years.
Great Muta vs Italian Stallion
When I was a kid Itallian Stallion was one of my favorite job guys because he looked like he might actually win. Every week I always wanted one of these guys to beat the heel. Especially of it was Dino Bravo.
Anyway Tommy Rich was injured by Lex Luger so Stallion is taking his place against Muta. This match has some really good mat wrestling. I had no idea Stallion was good. I mostly know him now as a scum bag who would rip off indy wrestlers and breaking the Hardys into wrestling.
Lots of good reversals here with Muta always being one step ahead. Keeping Stallion on the mat with various holds from the STF to arm bars to leg locks. Nar the end there is a sequence where Stallion bust out a release German suplex that you did no see much in 1989. Stallion has a flurry of offense, befoe Muta gets the Muta Lock on out of nowhere. Stallion manages to hang on for a minute before submitting.
Great Muta vs Doug Gilbert Wrestle War 89
Doug is subbing for Junkyard Dog. JYD vs Muta would of been an interesting match. Anyay Muta is still new so he just squashes Doug and Eddie comes to ringside to support his brother. Is annoying my ondemand was messed up all of last month so I missed most of the Muta matches.
Arn Anderson vs Great Muta
Great Muta vs Arn Anderson-WCW Television Title
Uploaded by TSteck160. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
This one of the matches I got to see last month. I remember watching this on a Friday night in Guntersville when I was eight years old. Arn had just returned from the WWF and I thought he was going to get destroyed by Muta.
The story of the match is Arn being initially bewildered by Muta, having never faced anyone like him. Everything he does Muta has some weird counter for. Also Buzz wayer and Dragon Master are at ringside taking the place of Gary Hart. Ross aying "Are there any good looking oriental guys." Knowing full well Muta is a babe.
Over time in the match rn starts figuring out Muta and now its Muta trying to figure out a ay to counter Arn. Arn hits a great spinebuster. Which causes awyer and Dragonmaster to run interference but Arn still survives and gets the win. I think this is the end of Muta as a regular.
This is another post but Terry Funk trying to smother Flair with a plastic bag horrified me when I was 8. I have not watched a lot of this stuff since it aired. So in some ways this is brand nw to me. This stuff still looks unique even today. But thats probably more of how wrestling has changed in 20 years.
Great Muta vs Italian Stallion
When I was a kid Itallian Stallion was one of my favorite job guys because he looked like he might actually win. Every week I always wanted one of these guys to beat the heel. Especially of it was Dino Bravo.
Anyway Tommy Rich was injured by Lex Luger so Stallion is taking his place against Muta. This match has some really good mat wrestling. I had no idea Stallion was good. I mostly know him now as a scum bag who would rip off indy wrestlers and breaking the Hardys into wrestling.
Lots of good reversals here with Muta always being one step ahead. Keeping Stallion on the mat with various holds from the STF to arm bars to leg locks. Nar the end there is a sequence where Stallion bust out a release German suplex that you did no see much in 1989. Stallion has a flurry of offense, befoe Muta gets the Muta Lock on out of nowhere. Stallion manages to hang on for a minute before submitting.
Great Muta vs Doug Gilbert Wrestle War 89
Doug is subbing for Junkyard Dog. JYD vs Muta would of been an interesting match. Anyay Muta is still new so he just squashes Doug and Eddie comes to ringside to support his brother. Is annoying my ondemand was messed up all of last month so I missed most of the Muta matches.
Arn Anderson vs Great Muta
Great Muta vs Arn Anderson-WCW Television Title
Uploaded by TSteck160. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
This one of the matches I got to see last month. I remember watching this on a Friday night in Guntersville when I was eight years old. Arn had just returned from the WWF and I thought he was going to get destroyed by Muta.
The story of the match is Arn being initially bewildered by Muta, having never faced anyone like him. Everything he does Muta has some weird counter for. Also Buzz wayer and Dragon Master are at ringside taking the place of Gary Hart. Ross aying "Are there any good looking oriental guys." Knowing full well Muta is a babe.
Over time in the match rn starts figuring out Muta and now its Muta trying to figure out a ay to counter Arn. Arn hits a great spinebuster. Which causes awyer and Dragonmaster to run interference but Arn still survives and gets the win. I think this is the end of Muta as a regular.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
ChrIstian in TNA
Been wanting to seek out Christian TNA matches.
First was Sting vs Christian vs Angle
Audio sucks later on.
Angle vs cage vs sting (sacrifice 2007)
Uploaded by wwemanic6000. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.
Lots of people seem to hate three way matches. As long as their is a good reason for it I like them. Im wondering where the Sting sucks talking point came from. He has lost a step or two since his prime but he can still go when he feels like it. I thought the German superplex combo was neat and liked the attempted double ankle lock.
I think the finish was hated at the time. I though the simultaneous pin/tap out was cool.
Angle/Christian from 2008
Best part of this was seeing the beta version of the Christian/Swagger series. This was not like a lot of Angle matches. All of the spots were built up. So when Angle hit the belly to belly in the ring it mattered. Then you had Christian getting cut off every time he attempted the frog splash. Til the last attempt when he hit it for a near fall.
Lots of teases of the Angle Slam and the Kill Switch, without actually hitting them til the end resulting in a stale mate.
Christian put Angle in the nastiest looking Texas Cloverleaf I have ever seen. He should be using that as a finisher.
Because its TNA the match had to end with a run in with AJ Styles turning on Christian for whatever reason.
First was Sting vs Christian vs Angle
Audio sucks later on.
Angle vs cage vs sting (sacrifice 2007)
Uploaded by wwemanic6000. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.
Lots of people seem to hate three way matches. As long as their is a good reason for it I like them. Im wondering where the Sting sucks talking point came from. He has lost a step or two since his prime but he can still go when he feels like it. I thought the German superplex combo was neat and liked the attempted double ankle lock.
I think the finish was hated at the time. I though the simultaneous pin/tap out was cool.
Angle/Christian from 2008
Best part of this was seeing the beta version of the Christian/Swagger series. This was not like a lot of Angle matches. All of the spots were built up. So when Angle hit the belly to belly in the ring it mattered. Then you had Christian getting cut off every time he attempted the frog splash. Til the last attempt when he hit it for a near fall.
Lots of teases of the Angle Slam and the Kill Switch, without actually hitting them til the end resulting in a stale mate.
Christian put Angle in the nastiest looking Texas Cloverleaf I have ever seen. He should be using that as a finisher.
Because its TNA the match had to end with a run in with AJ Styles turning on Christian for whatever reason.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Scott Hall vs Big Sal.E.Graziano
Scott Hall was in ECW for one night in late 2000. One against Justin Credible and one against Big Sal Graziano. Hall looks really motivated to here, more than he did in his last WCW appearances. Hall just a really good job of selling Sal's siza adavantage and works your basic WWF B show main event. Attempting to the body slam few times before hitting it out of nowhere. Starting a holy shit chant. It was really shocking since its the only time Sal ever got off his feet. It was more Sal slamming himself but still a cool visual. Now the run ins start from the FBI with Hall hitting the fall away slam on Guido and would hit the Outsider's Edge on Mamaluke until Sal hits him from behind and hits the Banzai drop for the win.
It was pretty shocking to see Scott Hall job to Sal graziano but I guess it was a way to make sure Hall wanted to play ball in ECW. In any case the company was dead by January.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Sandman vs Konan times 2
Sandman vS Konan House Party 96
I had wanted to see this for years and it did not disappoint. One big thing is the fans really hate Konan. I mean really, really hate him. Creates a great atmosphere when Konan starts playing heel. The match starts with Konan out wrestling Sandman on the mat. Sandman loses it and starts brawling eventually beating Konan to a bloody pulp. This match has the famous image of Sandman caning Konan. Eventually Rey Mysterio tosses Konan a cane of his own, and he canes the piss out of Sandman. They do the Rocky 2 finish. A really good match and it does a good job of building to all the big spots.
Sandman vs Konan House Party 1996
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.
Sandman vs Konan 10-06-95
Sandman vs Konnan (10695)
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
This is from a Best of Fancam 95 comp. This match has more of a traditional face/heel dynamic. Its kind o a beta version of the House Party match. Konan dominating using mat wrestling and Sandman getting the advantage with dirty tricks. Sandman was a top rate heel in 95. But he was so good you had to love him.
Sandman takes a mid match smoke break which gives Konan the chance to attack. He takes Sandman's cigarette and starts smoking. Woman tries to hit Konan with Sandman's cane, but Konan takes it. Konan starts pummeling Sandman. Sandman pokes Konan in the eye. Then Woman tosses him his backup cane. Match is a no contest after both guys hit the ref with canes.
I had wanted to see this for years and it did not disappoint. One big thing is the fans really hate Konan. I mean really, really hate him. Creates a great atmosphere when Konan starts playing heel. The match starts with Konan out wrestling Sandman on the mat. Sandman loses it and starts brawling eventually beating Konan to a bloody pulp. This match has the famous image of Sandman caning Konan. Eventually Rey Mysterio tosses Konan a cane of his own, and he canes the piss out of Sandman. They do the Rocky 2 finish. A really good match and it does a good job of building to all the big spots.
Sandman vs Konan House Party 1996
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.
Sandman vs Konan 10-06-95
Sandman vs Konnan (10695)
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
This is from a Best of Fancam 95 comp. This match has more of a traditional face/heel dynamic. Its kind o a beta version of the House Party match. Konan dominating using mat wrestling and Sandman getting the advantage with dirty tricks. Sandman was a top rate heel in 95. But he was so good you had to love him.
Sandman takes a mid match smoke break which gives Konan the chance to attack. He takes Sandman's cigarette and starts smoking. Woman tries to hit Konan with Sandman's cane, but Konan takes it. Konan starts pummeling Sandman. Sandman pokes Konan in the eye. Then Woman tosses him his backup cane. Match is a no contest after both guys hit the ref with canes.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Terry Funk vs Tommy "Wildfire" Rich
Did somebody say "FAAAARRRREEED UP!!!"
Tommy Rich is a guy Ive grown to love over the last few months. first seeing what a good worker he was in WCW. Now. as a personality in ECW. He generates huge heat and is capable from going goofy to serious on a dime.
This match was set up after Tommy Rich ambushed Tommy dreamer and Terry Funk at the last area show. Rich and Ricky Morton had lost their ECW debut match to the Gangstas that same night.
Anyway guess Rich was in a bad nws and beat Terry Funk to a pulp and dumped Tommy off the streacher the Triple Threat had out him on. He also beat Terry Funk up with a chair.
his lead to a match at Crossing the Line 97. Rich is just despised by the fans. He attempts to run away but Terry catches him and beats him all over the ring. before long Rich is bleeding. On the outside Terry starts working over Tommy's knee with a chair. Back in the ring Terry is sitting in a chair while slapping and berateing Rich. I should say here that Rich has a striking resemblence to 2003 Ric Flair.
Tommy starts fighting back with some great looking punches and its getting a face reaction. Rich throws him into a table then into the front row and hits Terry with a chair. Terry retreats up the top rope and crotches himself. Rich works over Funks knee tangled in the ropes then hits him with four hard clotheslines.
He hits Funk with some DDTs and hits the ref with one for good measure. Rich is now working over Funks knee with a chair. I love how content Rich looks. Terry starts fireing off some awesome ounches and headbutts at Rich. Tommy responds with a sweet headbutt of his own that knocks them both down. Rich tries a spinning tow hold but Terry fights out of it and hits a huge knee into Wildfire's balls. He gets the spinning toehold on for the win.
Tommy Rich is a guy Ive grown to love over the last few months. first seeing what a good worker he was in WCW. Now. as a personality in ECW. He generates huge heat and is capable from going goofy to serious on a dime.
This match was set up after Tommy Rich ambushed Tommy dreamer and Terry Funk at the last area show. Rich and Ricky Morton had lost their ECW debut match to the Gangstas that same night.
Anyway guess Rich was in a bad nws and beat Terry Funk to a pulp and dumped Tommy off the streacher the Triple Threat had out him on. He also beat Terry Funk up with a chair.
his lead to a match at Crossing the Line 97. Rich is just despised by the fans. He attempts to run away but Terry catches him and beats him all over the ring. before long Rich is bleeding. On the outside Terry starts working over Tommy's knee with a chair. Back in the ring Terry is sitting in a chair while slapping and berateing Rich. I should say here that Rich has a striking resemblence to 2003 Ric Flair.
Tommy starts fighting back with some great looking punches and its getting a face reaction. Rich throws him into a table then into the front row and hits Terry with a chair. Terry retreats up the top rope and crotches himself. Rich works over Funks knee tangled in the ropes then hits him with four hard clotheslines.
He hits Funk with some DDTs and hits the ref with one for good measure. Rich is now working over Funks knee with a chair. I love how content Rich looks. Terry starts fireing off some awesome ounches and headbutts at Rich. Tommy responds with a sweet headbutt of his own that knocks them both down. Rich tries a spinning tow hold but Terry fights out of it and hits a huge knee into Wildfire's balls. He gets the spinning toehold on for the win.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
ECW uploads
Mike Awesome vs Sabu
This is a match I wanted to see for a long time. Because Awesome and Sabu are two of my6 all time favorites. Was disappointed to see it was so clipped up. The match starts with Sabu trying to take Awesome out by his feet. Awesome attempts to do the same to Sabu but sabu is too fast. They start trading punches with wesome grabbing Sabu and driving him into the turnbuckle. Awesome then hits a running shoulder tackle to knock Sabu to the floor. I liked the way Sabu flew to the floor like he was shot. Awesome gets ready to do his running placha but Sabu dives into the front row to avoid it. But Awesome springboards off the top to the front row.
The match then cuts to Sabu missing a moonsault. Awesome grabs Sabu and hits a gourdbuster across the top rope. He then hits a big clothesline with Sabu flying to the floor. this time he hits the running plancha. But 911 gets involved and starts choking Awesome. Sabu comes off the top onto Awesome who is prone on a table. I think Awesome moved but its hard to tell. Whatever it is it gets Sabu the win.
Rhino vs New Jack November to Remember 2000
This match had a build up that I loved. Rhino fucked up New Jack on a few occasions. New Jack had managed to get at Rhino once or twice. New Jack cut this great promo on the last episode of ECW on TNN. Where he promised that after he beat Rhino he was going to put him in a mini skirt and stiletto heels and pimp him up and down main street. Rhino had the elegant reply where he promised to tear New Jack's guts out and bathe in his blood.
Now honestly the match did not live up to its promises of male prostitution and ppv disemboweling. In fact its pretty tame fora New Jack brawl. What it does have is a finish I love.
Rhino despite being champion comes out first. Jack comes out wearing his formal wresting gear along with his good pacifier. Instead of doing his normal rush to the ring. He seems very calm. Casually tossing weapons into the ring. the match is most hitting Rhino with various weapons. With one cool spot of Jack doing his running chair attack from the apron to Rhino at ringside.
Rhino pulls the ref in front of him to avoid a garbage can. Heel ref Danny Daniels hits the ring only to be stapled by New Jack. Jack takes out the guitar to play a tune on Rhino's head.
I love what happens next. Rhino just no sells it. New Jack actually gets scared having no idea what to do now. Rhino finishes him very quickly.
PG-13 vs the Dudleys Hardcore Heaven 97
PG-13 are one of the great unsung acts of the 1990's. Being a fixture of the USWA and multi time tag team champions. JC Ice is the son of Memphis legend Bill Dundee. Wolfie D is just an all around good wrestler and brawler. Unfortuneatly they are most famous for being destroyed by the Road warriors in a minute on a 97 episode of Raw is War. Gotta love their attitude. Instead of pouting they go in and take the biggest asskicking possible. After that they moved to ECW.
The Dudley Boys are one of my favorite acts in wrestling ever. Not nessicarily a favorite tag team but just a great gimmick. Its past time somebody ripped it off. The gimmick being a large family of brothers of various colors, shapes and sizes. I think the unseen Daddy Dudley was a traveling salesman. By 1997 the Dudley act had involved into being four Dudleys (D-Von, Bubba Ray, Big Dick and Sign Guy), Bubba and D-Von after a long brother vs brother feud were now a team. Big Dick was the muscle and Sign Guy was the luggage. In addition to that they had gotten an announcer/manager in Joel Gertner.
The story to this match was the Dudleys had lost the tag team titles to the Gangsta's (Nw Jack and Mustafa) the month before. The Dudleys attacked the Gangstas and injured both of them.. If the Gangsta's could not defend the belts at Hardcore Heaven 97, the belts would be awarded to the Dudleys. The Dudleys would have to defend the belts against the newly arrived PG-13.
The Dudleys are joined by porn star Jenna Jameson. Gertner's line of the night "This bout is for the ECW tag team championship. Your referee is...... Bald." The camera cuts to an enraged John Finnegan.
PG-13 come to the ring. J JC Ice says that Mama Dudley is a ho. Ice is clearly not well versed in Dudley history. This upsets D-Von quite a bit. He then implies Bubba has a weight problem. Which sets Bubba off. Finally he tells Jameson he is willing to do her and to meet him at the Days Inn.
Match starts with Wolfie outwrestling D-Von getting a quik tag to Ice and hitting a nice atomic drop/clothesline combo. Ice and D-Von start crisscrossing the ropes and Ice slides out the floor and kissses Jameson. I think Jamie Dundee is the only guy in this match, Jameson could credibly fear getting a diesease from.
Now its Bubba and Wolfie going at it. Bubba overpowers Wolfie at fist. but Wolfieflips out of an attempted atomic drop and hits a hurracanrana and drops Bubba with some punches. Bubba ducks an attempted Wolfie D crossbody. There is this bit where D-Von grabs Wolfies arm and works it over in the corner while Bubba distracts the ref. This happens a few times before Wolfie throws Bubba into the corner and D-Von not looking works over Bubba's arm. The Dudleys start arguing distracting PG-13 long enough for Big Dick to double chokeslam Ice and Wolfie. Too bad the crappy production team misses it.
Dudleys are no in control. Mowing down Ice with a double shoulderblock. Followed by Bubba spitting on Wolfie. Ice flips out of an attempted backbody drop and starts hitting Bubba only to be tripped up by Jenna Jameson. The Dudleys control the match with some nice tag team wrestling. Ice kicks Bubba in the balls and DDT's D-Von to tag in Wolfie D.
Wolfie cleans house with a dropkick on both Dudleys and hitting D-Von with a sitout powerbomb. Bubba breaks up the pin and goes to the ropes but JC Ice has Bubba by his overalls. Long enough for Wolfie to hit a top rope bulldog.
Ice gets caught by the Dudleys on an attempted pescado but Wolfie knocks down everyone with a running senton.
They throw the Dudleys inside but Wolfie messes up and gets caught with 3D.
This is a match I wanted to see for a long time. Because Awesome and Sabu are two of my6 all time favorites. Was disappointed to see it was so clipped up. The match starts with Sabu trying to take Awesome out by his feet. Awesome attempts to do the same to Sabu but sabu is too fast. They start trading punches with wesome grabbing Sabu and driving him into the turnbuckle. Awesome then hits a running shoulder tackle to knock Sabu to the floor. I liked the way Sabu flew to the floor like he was shot. Awesome gets ready to do his running placha but Sabu dives into the front row to avoid it. But Awesome springboards off the top to the front row.
The match then cuts to Sabu missing a moonsault. Awesome grabs Sabu and hits a gourdbuster across the top rope. He then hits a big clothesline with Sabu flying to the floor. this time he hits the running plancha. But 911 gets involved and starts choking Awesome. Sabu comes off the top onto Awesome who is prone on a table. I think Awesome moved but its hard to tell. Whatever it is it gets Sabu the win.
Rhino vs New Jack November to Remember 2000
This match had a build up that I loved. Rhino fucked up New Jack on a few occasions. New Jack had managed to get at Rhino once or twice. New Jack cut this great promo on the last episode of ECW on TNN. Where he promised that after he beat Rhino he was going to put him in a mini skirt and stiletto heels and pimp him up and down main street. Rhino had the elegant reply where he promised to tear New Jack's guts out and bathe in his blood.
Now honestly the match did not live up to its promises of male prostitution and ppv disemboweling. In fact its pretty tame fora New Jack brawl. What it does have is a finish I love.
Rhino despite being champion comes out first. Jack comes out wearing his formal wresting gear along with his good pacifier. Instead of doing his normal rush to the ring. He seems very calm. Casually tossing weapons into the ring. the match is most hitting Rhino with various weapons. With one cool spot of Jack doing his running chair attack from the apron to Rhino at ringside.
Rhino pulls the ref in front of him to avoid a garbage can. Heel ref Danny Daniels hits the ring only to be stapled by New Jack. Jack takes out the guitar to play a tune on Rhino's head.
I love what happens next. Rhino just no sells it. New Jack actually gets scared having no idea what to do now. Rhino finishes him very quickly.
PG-13 vs the Dudleys Hardcore Heaven 97
PG-13 are one of the great unsung acts of the 1990's. Being a fixture of the USWA and multi time tag team champions. JC Ice is the son of Memphis legend Bill Dundee. Wolfie D is just an all around good wrestler and brawler. Unfortuneatly they are most famous for being destroyed by the Road warriors in a minute on a 97 episode of Raw is War. Gotta love their attitude. Instead of pouting they go in and take the biggest asskicking possible. After that they moved to ECW.
The Dudley Boys are one of my favorite acts in wrestling ever. Not nessicarily a favorite tag team but just a great gimmick. Its past time somebody ripped it off. The gimmick being a large family of brothers of various colors, shapes and sizes. I think the unseen Daddy Dudley was a traveling salesman. By 1997 the Dudley act had involved into being four Dudleys (D-Von, Bubba Ray, Big Dick and Sign Guy), Bubba and D-Von after a long brother vs brother feud were now a team. Big Dick was the muscle and Sign Guy was the luggage. In addition to that they had gotten an announcer/manager in Joel Gertner.
The story to this match was the Dudleys had lost the tag team titles to the Gangsta's (Nw Jack and Mustafa) the month before. The Dudleys attacked the Gangstas and injured both of them.. If the Gangsta's could not defend the belts at Hardcore Heaven 97, the belts would be awarded to the Dudleys. The Dudleys would have to defend the belts against the newly arrived PG-13.
The Dudleys are joined by porn star Jenna Jameson. Gertner's line of the night "This bout is for the ECW tag team championship. Your referee is...... Bald." The camera cuts to an enraged John Finnegan.
PG-13 come to the ring. J JC Ice says that Mama Dudley is a ho. Ice is clearly not well versed in Dudley history. This upsets D-Von quite a bit. He then implies Bubba has a weight problem. Which sets Bubba off. Finally he tells Jameson he is willing to do her and to meet him at the Days Inn.
Match starts with Wolfie outwrestling D-Von getting a quik tag to Ice and hitting a nice atomic drop/clothesline combo. Ice and D-Von start crisscrossing the ropes and Ice slides out the floor and kissses Jameson. I think Jamie Dundee is the only guy in this match, Jameson could credibly fear getting a diesease from.
Now its Bubba and Wolfie going at it. Bubba overpowers Wolfie at fist. but Wolfieflips out of an attempted atomic drop and hits a hurracanrana and drops Bubba with some punches. Bubba ducks an attempted Wolfie D crossbody. There is this bit where D-Von grabs Wolfies arm and works it over in the corner while Bubba distracts the ref. This happens a few times before Wolfie throws Bubba into the corner and D-Von not looking works over Bubba's arm. The Dudleys start arguing distracting PG-13 long enough for Big Dick to double chokeslam Ice and Wolfie. Too bad the crappy production team misses it.
Dudleys are no in control. Mowing down Ice with a double shoulderblock. Followed by Bubba spitting on Wolfie. Ice flips out of an attempted backbody drop and starts hitting Bubba only to be tripped up by Jenna Jameson. The Dudleys control the match with some nice tag team wrestling. Ice kicks Bubba in the balls and DDT's D-Von to tag in Wolfie D.
Wolfie cleans house with a dropkick on both Dudleys and hitting D-Von with a sitout powerbomb. Bubba breaks up the pin and goes to the ropes but JC Ice has Bubba by his overalls. Long enough for Wolfie to hit a top rope bulldog.
Ice gets caught by the Dudleys on an attempted pescado but Wolfie knocks down everyone with a running senton.
They throw the Dudleys inside but Wolfie messes up and gets caught with 3D.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Some ECW matches
Kid Kash vs CW Andreson N2R 2000
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.
Kid Kash vs CW Anderson November 2 Remember 1999
CW Anderson, Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger are beating down Joey Mathews and Christian ork. Which brings out Kid Kash for the save. This is a really hot crowd. Kash runs across the ring and does that thing where he leaps off Jim Molinox(how ever you spell it.) to the outside in a spectacular dive.
There are things you could pick apart here if you wanted to, but I can't say I care. These guys went a 100 miles an hour and put on a great show. Like CW destroying Kash's arm with a bunch of cool stuff. Kash did not sell it for too long but it was hard to notice since they were back at it again. Lots of back and forth over the top stuff. One thing I like was that both guys were selling all the big spots and not popping up immediately.
Later CW bust out a delayed superplex which looked amazing. After that there is a near fall sequence concluding with CW hitting the spinebuster which still does not put Kash down. CW is one of two guys this decade who could make the spinebuster look like a finisher.
Kash goes for the money maker but CW blocksm but Kash reverses into the finish.
Loved this match. These guys should of become more than they did. Its just really bad timing with ECW closing then WCW following three months later. These guys were not established enough to get into the WWF and then the WWF had the combined WWF and WCW rosters including the top ECW guys.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Taz vs Sabu 10-31=97
I uploaded this a long time ago and am reuploading it because it rules.
http://rapidshare.com/files/286490292/Sabu_vs_Taz_10-31-97.wmv
The match starts off with some good brawling thru the crowd. They get back to the ring and Sabu starts working over Taz's knee. Taz in return goes after Sabu's arm. Really good back and forth mat wrestling.
They do a section of spot stuff with tables to satisffy the fans and their is an act of god where the table collapses. But they recover quickly and Sabu puts Taz thru the table. Later Taz puts Sabu thru a table. After that they are back in the ring with sabu still trying to take out Taz's leg.
The match shifts to them brawling around the arena again. What i love about this is it all happens organically. They are actually brawling thru he crowd rather than Taz pulling Sabu by the hair.
By the end of it they are doing this thing where Sabu continues going after Taz's leg, because anytime he tries to fight him directly Taz fucks him up with a suplex. abu comes up with a couple of ways out of the Tazmission. Only once doing the shitty ball shot that every WWF Taz match ended with.
Sabu even locks on a nice figure four at one point. By the end they are on their knees trading blows as the bell rings.
No idea why ECW did not put this on their tv show. People would still be talking about it today.
Bill Alfonzo is a super underrated manager. Gets his guys over without making himself the center of attention and is a big help in smoothly tossing Sabu and RVD weapons.
RVD was doing his Sabu doppelganger bit which always rules.
Eliminators vs Bruise Brothers
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
Bruise Brothers vs Eliminators Hardcore Heaven 96
Its suppose to be the Gangstas last title shot but the Gangstas are mugged by the Samoan Gangsta Party and mauled by the Bruise Brothers. The Eliminators take offense and tell them to take the Gangsta's ass kicking. What results is a cool brawl with Saturn unloading a stiff hrust kick into a Harris twins jaw. Saturn and Kronus get chunked into a table. The Gangstas return and a big fight ensues.
http://rapidshare.com/files/286490292/Sabu_vs_Taz_10-31-97.wmv
The match starts off with some good brawling thru the crowd. They get back to the ring and Sabu starts working over Taz's knee. Taz in return goes after Sabu's arm. Really good back and forth mat wrestling.
They do a section of spot stuff with tables to satisffy the fans and their is an act of god where the table collapses. But they recover quickly and Sabu puts Taz thru the table. Later Taz puts Sabu thru a table. After that they are back in the ring with sabu still trying to take out Taz's leg.
The match shifts to them brawling around the arena again. What i love about this is it all happens organically. They are actually brawling thru he crowd rather than Taz pulling Sabu by the hair.
By the end of it they are doing this thing where Sabu continues going after Taz's leg, because anytime he tries to fight him directly Taz fucks him up with a suplex. abu comes up with a couple of ways out of the Tazmission. Only once doing the shitty ball shot that every WWF Taz match ended with.
Sabu even locks on a nice figure four at one point. By the end they are on their knees trading blows as the bell rings.
No idea why ECW did not put this on their tv show. People would still be talking about it today.
Bill Alfonzo is a super underrated manager. Gets his guys over without making himself the center of attention and is a big help in smoothly tossing Sabu and RVD weapons.
RVD was doing his Sabu doppelganger bit which always rules.
Eliminators vs Bruise Brothers
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
Bruise Brothers vs Eliminators Hardcore Heaven 96
Its suppose to be the Gangstas last title shot but the Gangstas are mugged by the Samoan Gangsta Party and mauled by the Bruise Brothers. The Eliminators take offense and tell them to take the Gangsta's ass kicking. What results is a cool brawl with Saturn unloading a stiff hrust kick into a Harris twins jaw. Saturn and Kronus get chunked into a table. The Gangstas return and a big fight ensues.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Matches from thunder 3/22/2000
Tank Abbot vs Fit Finlay
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
Uploaded by Moonshame. - Basketball, baseball, pro wrestling and more sports videos.
First match is Tank Abbot vs Fit Finlay. They first show clips of Tank Abbot knocking Doug Dillinger and Barbarian on Nitro. I thought it was a nice touch to show it took two punches to take out Barbarian. Abbot gets on the mic and issues an open challenge. Which brings out Fit Finlay. I miss Finlay's badass WCW theme. He gets in the ring and for about three or four minutes they have a really good hard hitting match. Finlay gets distracted by the ref for a second and get knocked down by Abbot. Just then Meng's music starts, Finlay has gotten to his feet and knocks Abbot out of the ring and Meng attacks Abbot. We then cut to Sid and Hulk Hogan brawling in the back. Gene Okerland comes to the ring to interview Finlay. Finlay says he will beat respect into Tank Abbot. Now Sid and Hogan are brawling to the ring. Security separates them and Sid slides into the ring. Finlay shoves Sid and is choke slammed for his trouble. Hogan and Sid go back and forth and im really impressed with how Sid is heeling it up here.
Hulk Hogan vs Dustin Rhodes
This is a match I had completely forgotten about. I have to say I really liked Hulk's run in late 99/early 2000 WCW. He was working as hard as he could to get guys over even if he was broken down. He could also be relied upon for a good brawl. This match is a good example. Dustin is working an American Nightmare gimmick.Which really suited Dustin. He did agreat job playing the slezy cowboy gimmick. He looked better than he had since returning to WCW. He had just finished a feud with Terry Funk that featured the chicken punch. Funk put his fist up a frozen chicken anus and would punch guys.
Dustin challenged Hogan earlier in the show for attacking him Monday. Hogan and Dustin work well together and if this had taken place a few years earlier it could of been really good. Dustin has some great looking punches as usual. Most of the match is him working over Hulk. Hogan finally gets the Hulk UP. Dustin slides under the big boot and hit a clotheline. He then grabs the cowbell and starts beating Hogan with it. He punches Nick Patrick for good measure. He leaves the ring content with the DQ. But Patrick refuses to give him the easy way out. He says if Dustin does not return by the count of ten he is suspended. Dustin runs to the ring only for Hogan to hit the big boot and leg drop which seemed really rushed. Which is odd for a taped show.
I think kevin Sullivan's 2000 tenure of booking WCW is underrated. Most people just talk about Big T. Most people forget hat the roster had been gutted hen Eddy, Malenko, Saturn and some guy left. Not to mention Rey Mysterio being injured and different guys awol or injured. I think by the time he was done he had gotten WCW back on the right track. He did a good job with what he had.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Taz vs Lance Storm July 1998
Good little tv match. Lance Storm comes out and declares the FTW belt does mean shit and Taz object. Storms ounches and kicks are really weak looking. But the match has some nice looking suplex counters from Taz. storm gets some nice looking top rope offense. Finish is of course the Tazmission.
Vader and Arn Anderson vs Stars and Stripes
Stars & Stripes vs. Vader & Arn Anderson
Uploaded by Stinger1981. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.
I watched this as part of the Vader project at Wrestling KO. Damned if this is not really good. Its not really your traditional Vader tag. Still really good tag match. Bagwell and Patriot were really good in this. Great selling and everything they did looked good. One cool thing was Arn and Vader had some double teams. Like Arn slingshotting Bagwell into a Vader chokeslam. Ric Flair had just been reinstated and came to ringside. He is so rabid for action he starts strangling Patriot.
Vader, Arn and Flair were a great heel trio. People were clammoring for a fourth member to make it officially the Horsemen. But I think a fourth guy would of threw their chemistry off.
Back to the match. Patriot is the face in peril for most of the match. He keeps getting comeback but is so pumped up he forgets to tag and goes back on the attack. Cool spot with Arn hitting the drop toehold as Patriot charges him. Vader runs in and crushes him wih an elbow.
Finishing sequence is great. With Stars and Stripes hitting some great dropkicks, including a big double dropkick to knock Vader out of the ring. Bagwell hits Arn with a perfectplex but Vader hits the big splash and Arn pins Bagwell for the win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)