September 1986

Ric Flair defends the NWA World Heavyweight Title This is a 2 out of 3 falls match, but each fall has a 20 minute time limit. Three 20 minute periods. I believe this is the sixth ever meeting between these two. Gordon Solie tells us that Luger played 5 years on the Green Bay Packers. This is a lie. He spent the entire 1982 season on the injured reserve list and was released in 1983. Never played a single game.... Luger has been wrestling less than one year, he started his career on 10/25/85 and then won the Florida Southern Heavyweight Title from Wahoo McDaniel about 3 weeks later. First Fall-- Bill Alfonso is the referee for this match. …

These two had a pair of singles matches in 1985 which were IMO the best matches to come out of AJPW in 1985 (well, the first one was *technically* for a JPW event, but whatever). This, however, outdoes them both, from the great struggle in the early holds to the escalation into the second half, with intensity and hate throughout. There are some great, great callbacks to their previous matches, both single and tag (I popped for the back suplex on the apron that Choshu used to win their first singles match by countout), and honestly, I think this deserves reevaluation as an early iteration of the King's Road match. The DQ finish is a repeat of their 6/21/85 match, sure, but…

-This is a cage match. This was worked just how it needed to work. The money is in Doc and Gordy. Robert's job is to take an ass kicking and put over Doc strong for the money match. This starts with Doc kicking Buddy's ass. He uses the cage as a weapon. Buddy gets a flurry in. Doc back in beast mode and he finishes with a Stampede . v

The Fantastics have really come across as key components here in Houston. They can be formulatic at times, though I haven't seen a bad or lazy performance. Heels begging off to start. Loved Sting backing into a Tommy Rogers punch. Love seeing Sting heeling it up. It feels like a different world. I love the visual of Fulton and Sting being nose to nose. I'm enjoying the stalling and bull shit early on. I'm enjoying the Fantastics shine. They are making the most of all these moments.Fulton especially is good at milking the moments. Love how they are working with Sting here. Watching Tommy Rogers positon Sting for spots is amazing. Fulton putting himself in holds for Sting t…

WWF World Tag Team Champions British Bulldogs vs Moondogs - Championship Wrestling 9/7/86 I realized that my only major gap in the Bulldogs WWF career was the summer of 86 so basically their title reign. The majority of their title reign was facing three teams: Dream Team (great SNME match in the fall and unfortunately the cage matches didn't make tape), Hart Foundation (I have watched enough of their matches to last me a lifetime) and Sheik & Volkoff (I read my reviews and it didn't sound like that was worth revisiting). I saw they defended against the Moondogs at MSG on July 12, 1986, but couldn't find the match so I settled for this. I don't know if these are t…

Jerry Lawler vs Bam Bam Bigelow - Memphis 9/8/86 Texas Death Match I knew I was watching something special once Bigelow starting working the ribs and Lawler’s selling really kicked in. It was during Lawler’s comeback I realized the greatest David vs Goliath match may be happening before my eyes. I was rooting for the Lawler piledriver to end it so badly. I think this maybe Jerry Lawler’s masterpiece. The Mantell/Funk/Dundee matches he had a great dance partner and are amazing brawls. Here he weaves an amazing story with a green as grass, fresh out the kitchen, Bam Bam Bigelow. Bigelow came here to play and he never once had a mis-step. It is probably depressin…

Aired on NWA Worldwide Wrestling 9/20/86

Arn Anderson defends the NWA World Television Title. Originally aired on NWA Pro 9/13/86

Tatsumi Fujinami, Kengo Kimura, Kantaro Hoshino, George Takano & Shiro Koshinaka vs. Akira Maeda, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Osamu Kido, Nobuhiko Takada & Kazuo Yamazaki - NJPW 9/16/86 Elimination Match Team UWF remains the same from March but there are some pretty major changes on New Japan. I think Koshinaka replacing Ueda is great especially because Koshinaka has great chemistry with Takada. However, no Inoki is a massive drop in star power. George Takano aka the Cobra is not making that up. Stream of consciousness review follows: First Elimination: Fujinami vs Maeda to start this is after their epic bloody war in June. Nice Firemans Carry by Maeda. No commen…

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Nobuhiko Takada vs Shiro Koshinaka - NJPW 9/19/86 I thought this was a clear step back from their awesome August encounter. I didnt think it was heated or uncooperative. I didnt Koshinaka struggles as hard in the leglocks and I didnt think Takada had as much of a killer instinct. They each tag each other with a slap in the beginning. I didnt think it was as goof as August. Takada throws a couple nice kicks but is mostly working single leg/back heel trips into leglocks or armbar takedowns. Koshinaka tries to work toeholds, but rides too high and Takada counters into an armbar. After a couple times around the merry-g-round, Koshinaka …

First Round of the WWC Universal Title Tournament

First Round of the WWC Universal Title Tournament

First Round of the WWC Universal Title Tournament

UWF Heavyweight Champion Terry Gordy vs Dr. Death - UWF TV 9/15/86 Jim Ross informs us that Gordy has returned from the Orient and Doc from the hospital courtesy of a Freebird piledriver on the floor. This definitely has more of a feel of a revenge match. Doc takes the majority of the match especially the first 8 minutes where he just kicks Gordy's ass. I like the amateur beginning and once Doc has control of the match he really throws him around. Gordy did go after the neck at some points, but Doc would almost immediately counter. Doc was clearly supposed to be perceived as the better wrestler. Doc was not great conjuring up that belief that he really wanted to kick …

Dataintcash delivers again!! Here is two of the all time greats popping up with a previously unseen match which is the earliest footage we have from either guy. It is a little strange to watch a pair of consummate rudos work this kind of fast paced juniors style, but no surprise, they are really great at it. Two pretty solid initial falls with Fuerza doing some especially nifty armdrags where he never loses contact with the arm, and then a final nutso fall. Fuerza takes his signature bump to the floor at warp speed, and Casas follows it up with an out of control tope. They then exchange electric chair drops and bow and arrow counters, before Casas hits a Rita Romero slam …

Semi-Finals of the WWC Universal Title Tournament

This is not part of the Tournament, Windham and Zukhov were both eliminated in the first round

Ric Flair defends the NWA World Heavyweight Title

Terry Funk vs Rick Martel - WWC 9/20/86 Funk worked one of the best possible schitck matches here. Totally front loaded this with a lot of comedy, which was entertaining. I marked out when he hurled the chairs into the stands only to realize there was a net. It was definitely the Terry Funk show, which is a little disappointing because Martel is such a great worker. Funk using the old trick knee into a ballshot was a great transition and loved the piledriver on the baseball field. Martel got to show his fire late into the match with the highlight being piledriving Funk on baseball field with a chair horse collared around him. Martel ate mat on his finish and Funk won …

I like Missy using the Gucci purse. Loved Journey's revenge spot with the purse. Journey looks to be stiffing the shit out of Missy. A perfect finish to tease a break up. The crowd was hot. They did what they needed to do.

This is a cage match and is worked how you're suppose to work a cage match. It starts off with a little shine for Doc. Hayes quickly puts Doc into the cage a couple of times. Hayes gets the brass knucks and just bloodys up Doc. He's working the cut like any good pro wrestler would. So Hayes focus is the cut. We even see a bulldog from him. Again the focus is on the cut. Doc fights back, and now Hayes is tasting the cage. He's all bloodied up and now Doc is punching the holy hell out of the cut. He's grating Hayes forehead onto the cage. Doc Finishes him off with a flying shoulder block. Now Gordy enters the cage and he is beating on Doc. Dibiase enters the fray to even th…

This is for the UWF title. Battle of the bulls. Loving both guys throwing hands. Gordy with an early advantage. I really liked how they milked OMG finally taking a bump. I absolutely loved Akbar's trip to set up OMG's heat. Gordy is busted open. I'm a fan of blood, but here it feels kind of not earned. I do like OMG working the cut though. Gordy throwing huge bombs in a comeback. OMG is now busted open himself. The ring breaks. Akbar in. 2 bloody ass mofo's throwing bombs, and using the ring. Their was a lot to like. Though my expectations were way high. 2 3/4*

This is 2 out of 3 falls. Houston loves them some Fantastics. We get an early shine with both heels stooging and setting up payoffs. The test of strength with Sting sets up the heat.Gilbert was great setting up a distraction for a Sting spot. Fulton was great here as a FIP. Hot tag and Rogers is on fire.Eventually though the heels cheating pays off. The 2nd fall starts with the heels beating down Rogers. They really milk the drama here. Roger's . Fulton gets in and steals the fall. 3rd fall and it's for all the marbles. Slugfest, then a big cross body sends both to the floor. A great double pin is teased, but it's only a 2. The Fantastics hit a top rope Hart Att…

From the WWC Anniversario Show