Superstar Sleeze

Sgt Slaughter vs Iron Sheik - WWF, MSG 6/16/84 What some call the greatest match in WWF history, still lives up to the hype. I have seen this before as I have seen all the Slaughter/Sheik matches before, but never in one day and man what a helluva series. This took the May Match and just amplified everything hundredfold. Slaughter charging to the ring with the helmet and blasting Sheik was the perfect opening shot. Slaughter using his swagger stick (always found that to be an oddly sexual name for it) to beat Sheik and then headbutting him with the helmet on was a great babyface shine. Slaughter takes his usual nasty spill over the top turnbuckle onto the floor. He really lets it all hang loose on that bump! Sheik bounces a chair off Slaughter's back and then whips him like a dog. I love a good belt whipping. Sheik is choking him with the belt and whipping him with the riding crop. That's awesome. Slaughter bucks him off to the floor and now Slaughter has the belt! Payback is a bitch, Sheik! Sarge is still quite disoriented and beaten up from the Sheik's devastating attack. Sheik is looking to destroy Sarge by ramming his head into the loaded boot after several attempts he gets it and we get that big bladejob from Sarge. Here comes the Sheik's spit. There needs to be more spit in pro wrestling. It is fucking gross and you immediately hate that muthafucka for doing it. Sarge takes his patented bump over the turnbuckles again. This is an absolute ass kicking. Slaughter in a last ditch effort loads his boot and comes crashing down on Sheik's head busting him open. Finally, The Iron Sheik bleeds! U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! Big windup and an uppercut gets a massive pop, but only a two count. Both men are absolutely spent. I say it a lot, all wrestling fans say it a lot, Triple H says it way more than all of us, but this is a WAR~! They are both just collapsing, but each man has too much pride to let their shoulders stay down for three. Sheik gets one last string of offense: two big suplexes and when neither one win him the match. He looks to end the match and possibly the career of Slaughter with his boot. He takes the boot off and loads against the turnbuckle. A wild swing and a miss! SLAUGHTER CANON! HE NEARLY TOOK OFF HIS HEAD! The boot goes flying and someone tosses it back in. They both crawl for the boot and it is Slaughter that gets it. LOVED THAT SPOT! Sarge loads up the boot and clobbers Iron Sheik for 1-2-3! HUMONGOUS POP! Awesome match! Loved how it built around the boot and paid off all the boot-related offense in the earlier matches. One of the biggest disappointments in WWF wrestling of the 80s is the lack of quality, violent heat segments. This match was the exception as Iron Sheik beat the living shit out of Sgt Slaughter. Slaughter earned every inch of that comeback. The selling down the stretch is magnificent and the crowd is molten. I dont know if it is the best match in WWF history, but it is currently in my top 5 with Cena/Umaga, Hart/Austin (I Quit), Hart/Hart (WM X) and Savage/Warrior. Awesome, awesome brawl! *****

Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik - WWF, MSG 5/21/84 They slowed down the match but did not sacrifice hatred one bit. Again, most wrestlers would be over the moon to have this be their blowoff match and Slaughter and Sheik are just getting started. I loved the beginning of the match with Sheik spitting and slapping Slaughter and Slaughter just needed one slap to level him. Slaughter tortures Sheik much to the joy of the MSG crowd again. This time he adds the fun wrinkle of loading his boot up and driving it into the face of Sheik. Danny Davis is forced to check boot, but Sarge plays these moments off great. Sheik is so great at just being a total chump wuss when it is necessary to really get the babyface over. Slaughter takes his wild out of control bump over the turnbuckles into the post and crashing to the floor. Sheiky Baby immediately pounces, grabbing a chair and slamming it across his back. Great spot! Slaughter's selling of pain and perseverance is some of the greatest work in the history of pro wrestling. I can't do it justice with words just watch the match if you have not already. The main story now is Sheik wants to drive Sarge's face into his loaded boot. Slaughter avoids it on the first go around, but Sheik finally pays it off and Slaughter is gushing blood. The crowd immediately breaks into U-S-A! chants to exhort on their hero. Sheik claws and gnaws at the open wound building to that red hot comeback. They do the suplex struggle spot, which Slaughter wins to a big pop. His hulk-up gets a huge reaction and he drills Sheik with the Slaughter Canon. In April, he clobbered Sheik with his boot. Now in May, he wants to Sheik to taste his own medicine and be beat senseless with the Sheik's own boot, the very boot that busted him wide open. The ref just doing his job tries to pull Sarge off and this triggers a Double DQ as both wrestlers shove Danny DAvis. Slaughter is able to get the boot off, but the midcarders stop it from happening. Slaughter cuts a money babyface promo while wearing the crimson mask and climaxing with him reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Wow! If that does not make you want to see the Bootcamp match, I don't know what will. They set up perfectly for the payoff of Slaughter nailing Sheik with the boot. Sheik has not gotten color yet so they have that to pay off. Sheik has been an absolute dick in these matches so you want to his head get torn off. It is totally different than Flair/Steamboat, but it is right up there as a really awesome three match series. Maybe the best blood feud three match series. Incredible stuff. ****1/2

Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik - WWF, MSG 4/23/84 Slaughter's babyface turn is one of the most perfectly executed in history. I had seen it before, but watching it again recently just really hit home for me. Sheiky Baby was having a match with Eddie Gilbert and the Allentown crowd was chanting for Slaughter because of a standoff they had a week or so prior. Sheik applied the Camel Clutch and then spat upon his fallen opponent and Slaughter just erupted into the ring to chase him off. The place came absolutely unglued. Slaughter delivered the patriotic promos of all patriotic promos and then the Pledge of Allegiance. Wow, when the crowd started reciting with him that's fucking powerful. Not to be outdone, but the MSG crowd was absolutely roaring for this match. I don't think they ever sat down for one second for this fiery bout. This was a fantastic first match in a series. Jesus. most wrestlers wish their blowoff was this good and this heated. Sheik charging the ring only to get his ass kicked was awesome. Slaughter tears the Keffiyeh and throws it to the crowd. He spits on Sheik and just generally tortures him to the delight of the bloodthirsty MSG crowd. The money is always in the comeback and Slaughter goes charging in, but is caught by the pointed boot of the Iranian. Sheik is an excellent heel constantly kicking Slaughter in the throat and choking him. He bashes him into the metal turnbuckle and busts Sarge wide open. It is a Sheik match so he can't resist the gutwrench suplex, but he is being a mean bastard by going after the throat. When Slaughter blocks the suplex and hits his own and then makes his no selling comeback. Wow! MSG crowd is insane. Slaughter Canon! That's not enough he wants to clobber him with his boot. The ref tries to stop it and eventually Slaughter goes to town which draws the DQ and Sheiky Baby makes a hasty retreat. In the back, there is a Kal Rudman sighting! They have a really good pull apart brawl! One of the best first matches in a series in history, excellent match and crazy sustained crowd heat. ****1/4

Ricky Steamboat vs Magnificent Muraco - WWF, MLG 9/22/85 Lumberjack Match Ricky Steamboat was fucking over in Toronto! Holy shit! Huge Steamboat chant during the heat segment. Every offensive move was met with a pop. When he won, you would have thought the Leafs had one the Stanley Cup! I don't know if this match took place before or after the hanging angle (highly recommend watching that before any Steamer/Muraco match to get some context). The Steamer came out cooking and a really hot start. Muraco was bumping and stooging. They did well establishing Lumberjack match stip. Besides a long nerve hold, I thought we got good Muraco tonight as he seemed very energetic possibly vibing off the hot Toronto crowd. I really liked the Asiatic Spike from the top and his shoulderbreaker. The finish was fun with Steamboat popping Ace Orton on the apron and then running Muraco into him for the win. Looking forward to more matches in this feud. ***

WWF Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine vs. Tito Santana - WWF, Baltimore 7/6/85 Steel Cage Match YES! I FINALLY FOUND IT! I loved watching the Valentine/Santana matches about two years ago, but couldnt find the big steel cage blowoff. The whole Valentine breaking Tito's leg only for Tito to learn the figure-4 to do the same to Valentine is one of the best damn angles I have ever seen. I have been watching a lot of WWF, but no Valentine so far. My God, he is playing a whole different game. He absolutely crushes Tito with those blows. The cage seems weird or maybe it is just Tito was super awkward trying to climb the cage but it seemed both men were having a hard time climbing it. I loved how they were just constantly beating the shit out of each other near top of the cage or the door. It was nasty and gritty. Valentine was dropping the hammer down on Santana with a big clubbering blows, but couldnt get Tito eat steel. Tito did not get much of a shine he was revved up but Valentine really blasted him to start. Tito was great fighting from underneath. There were some really awkward falls that added to the realism of the fight for the Intercontinental Championship. The amount of struggle in this match just blows everything out of the water in WWF at this time. I love the Hogan popcorn matches, but those are fun like a summer blockbuster. This is the Oscar film. Valentine clobbers Tito when he tries to get out. I mean he is just reigning the blows down on Tito. He is going to apply the figure-4, but Tito kicks off. Valentine is so awesome. FLYING BURRITO~! It was a beauty really nailed him in the forehead and great bump by Valentine. I was starting to think Tito of Savage is the best WWF worker but Valentine has reminded me why he is right there. Santana droptoehold stops Valentine. Valentine hotshots Tito into the cage. Nasty. Now he is just ramming him into the cage. TI-TO! TI-TO! TI-TO! The Hammer is brutalizing him and Santana is showing his worth a selling, underneath babyface. Tito lunges at the last minute to stop Valentin from getting through the door and once again it is a gritty struggle at the door. VALENTINE FUCKING SMOKES TITO! THEN TITO PUNCHES VALENTINE SO HARD HE SMACKS THE BACK OF HIS HEAD INTO THE CAGE! AWESOME! Hammer tries figure-4, but shoved off into the cage. Santana climbs the cage from the center and again it seems like the cage is further away from the ropes. Valentine gives up on trying to stop Santana and tries to beat him out the door. TITO SLAMS THE DOOR SHUT ON VALENTINE'S HEAD WITH HIS FOOT! Best cage match finish ever! Totally lives up to the hype. My two favorite WWF wrestlers having a total war for the Intercontinental Championship in a Steel Cage with the best steel cage match finish ever! ****1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Terry Funk - SNME 1/4/86 It was the Best of Terry Funk in this match as he squeezed all his favorite 1985 spots in one entertaining blockbuster against the Hulkster. I thought this was the better, more refined match from their Philly outing. A lot of the same spots but better organized and they were on the same page. For instance, late in the Philly match after a clothesline, Hogan was clearly thinking elbow drop for the flex and pop. Funk wanted to sell and feed for another bump. Who's right, probably Hogan, but now they were firing on all cylinders. I loved the Funk throwing in a chair and Hogan sitting down calling him out. Real fun stuff. The Floridian in the Hawaiian shirt was super into this match and I loved it. It was the tape choke into the piledriver for Funk's big spots. They ran a good false finish with Hart jabbing Hogan with the branding iron on a suplex attempt from apron to the ring, but Hogan got his foot on the ropes. AXE-BOMBAH~! Hogan defeats the Man from The Double Cross Ranch. Really tight, strong SNME match. ***1/2 Edit: Rewatched this as part of rewatching Full SNME episode. Increased star rating.

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Terry Funk - WWF, Philly 12/7/85 It is pretty crazy that Vince ended up with every NWA World Heavyweight Champion (save for Tommy Rich) from Dory Jr. through Flair running around in his territory. It is always interesting seeing what a Jack Brisco or a Harley Race ended up doing in the incredibly different WWF. Terry Funk was no different and it sometimes borders on surreal to see him in the WWF ring, but especially so against the Hulkster. Funk is also one of the few Hogan opponents that got Hogan to incorporate his spots and work more his style of match. No doubt because Funk was a more respected wrestler and someone that Hogan could trust. Funk worked three different criss cross spots all in a row that were each hilarious. First is a favorite of mine, the running so hard that you fall over the ropes. The next I had never seen with Hogan repeatedly stepping him on the drop down and the finally is his perpetual criss cross spot. Funk continued his terrorizing of ringsiders including Gorilla Monsooon. Hogan was very entertaining during the shine. I loved him laying a couple elbows down on Funk's hat. I find Hogan on offense a lot more fun than Hogan selling. I think that's usually my major malfunction during his matches. He is clearly putting in the effort during his heat through selling, but his inability to bump and the fact that he never really gets that beaten up hurts the drama. Funk hits a piledriver and a sleeper for his big spots before the Hogan comeback. There seemed to be some miscommunication with Hogan clearly wanting certain spots, but Funk wanting to do things his way. Eventually Hogan gets the megaphone and blasts Funk. Post-match, Funk does brand Hogan! Hogan and a steel chair send them packing, but surprised Hogan got branded. Fun Hogan title defense with some really good classic Funk spots.

Terry Funk vs Mr. Wrestling II - WWF, MSG 11/25/85 There are two thing I love in professional wrestling and that is a damn good knee lift and a booty-shakin' babyface. Needless to say, I love this match and I love Mr. Wrestling II. Terry Funk gave even more of this match to Mr. Wrestling II. He was working like Randy Savage circa 1997, which one my all-time favorite heel acts. He expanded his terrorization of ringsiders from just Mel Phillips (who Jimmy Hart TACKLED!) TO Howard Finkel and a hapless photographer. When he tried to bully the ref, he shoved back to a huge pop! Hmmmmmmmmm...when it works it works! The whole story of this match was that Terry Funk was a very frustrated man. Wrestling II was floating like a butterfly avoiding him and booty-shaking at every turn and then he would sting him like a bee with that knee lift (there was a huge one on the apron with a great Funk sell). I like that way of working a clear main event (Funk was going on the loop with Hogan) against a vet babyface. Let me him frustrate the heel get in some entertaining spots but when it gets down to business the cheating heel will come out on top. Funk rammed him into the railing and applied sleeper, which would have been the perfect set up for branding, but II fought out. Two did get a nice little rally late into the match, but ran into a hard knee for the finish. Very entertaining match again from Funk and probably the last good match of Mr. Wrestling II's career Hell that might have been his last match. A great one to go out on! ***1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Ken Patera - WWF, Philly 5/85 Anyone who has watched Hogan in his prime and still does not think Hogan can work; just does not like fun. Hogan is just so friggin' entertaining in these matches. Yeah they are no Flair classics, but they are just great popcorn, action blockbusters. All the facial expression and flexing are so much fun. This spot had my single favorite spot that I have seen in months: Patera was pissed that had gotten shoved off in a coller elbow tie up so he comes charging at Hulk who drops down thus Patera runs into the turnbuckles and as he ricochets Hogan tabletops him! I marked out so hard for that. Hogan double noggin knocker on Patera and Heenan to a huge pop. Test of strength and Patera gets him down with kicks. Hogan powers up and lifts him in the hold to the top turnbuckle and then he rams into the post. The crowd is just loving this. This was a rare challenge for Patera as usually Studd, Piper and Orndorff were the rivals of Hogan with Patera focused on Andre. Suplex struggle and Hogan wins that one and just great histronic selling by Hogan after that. I wish Patera got some more challenges because as a big bumping heel that could match strength with Hogan, it was a cool combination of talent that Hogan did not get a lot of. Eye rake by Patera and then double axe handle for two. HULK UP! Heenan trips Hogan before legdrop and Patera runs into the Brain. Roll up does in Kenny P. Very entertaining Hogan title defense. I would imagine Patera' incarceration is why he did not get more title shots. It is too bad they would have had a great series. I think Patera would have been my choice for Wrestlemania II. Really fun.

Terry Funk vs Lanny Poffo - WWF MSG 7/13/85 Hot damn, I forgot how well Funk laid in his offense. This was a classic roughhouser vs gymnast match with a hint of NWA Championship title defense. Funk was awfully selfess in this match. He started off with his usual WOAH NELLY grab of the ropes on a criss cross that is such a great spot. Then he added a tangled up in the ropes spot and a big bump through the ropes on an atomic drop. He would pound away at Lanny with some serious blow, but Lanny was able to show some real cool offense and get this MSG crowd behind him. I really liked his standing arm stretcher and even busted out the moonsault. Funk went for the spinning toehold in the middle of the match, but Poffo kicked him off. Funk stopped him in his tracks with a couple stiff headbutts, but ended up flopping on his kiester through the ropes after that. In addition to the moonsault, they did a suplex from the ring to the floor. This is really mind blowing stuff for 1985. Funk his a great spinning delayed vertical suplex, but only got two. He then pushed the ref and cowered. Hmmmm...this was followed up by a flip into the turbuckles where he ended up on his belly on top tunbuckle for Poffo to do some leg press. I was very entertained by all this, but with all this floppin', flippin and ref pushin, I mean where's the psychology Poffo is a nothing happening JTTS why he is giving him all this. I am just being a wise ass. Flair or Funk, I don't care if people complain or if people are consistent. I just care that the wrestling is entertaining. This match kicked ass. Just as the crowd was really getting behind Poffo after the moonsault, Funk slapped on the sleeper for the win and there was an audible reaction for Lanny to make a comeback. Funk pretty much made them a popular midcard babyface if they wanted it just in one match. That's pretty incredible. Then Funk knows it is his duty to revive him after the sleeper so he brands him in the chest that ought to wake his ass up. Really great veteran vs young wrestler match. ***3/4

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Adrian Adonis - WWF, Philly 7/26/86 I don't think you can make an argument that Adonis was the number one heel of 1986 for WWF (Orndorff's monster late 86 puts him over the top), but I think he would be my choice for most important heel. In the summer of 1986, he was Randy Savage's tag partner against Tito Santana & Bruno. Simultaneously, his Flower Shop took over as the premiere WWF talk show and thus he became the lead shit-stirrer. He was the instigator of the dissension between Hogan and Mr. Wonderful. Shortly after this big summer, the Flower Shop vs Piper's Pit feud erupted. I watched pretty much that whole thing unfold week by week last night and that was some great TV. I have to say Piper came off as a huge prick in that entire build and I was pretty glad when Adonis, Orton and Muraco beat his ass down. Long Live The Flower Shop! I loved Jimmy Hart's introduction of that. For all his great character work, this match was really not much. Adonis had some really good bumps at the beginning. The Flair Flip was to be expected, but once that got Jimmy Hart involved, I loved his out of control bump over the ropes only to be tied into the ropes. The megaphone turned the tide. The heat segment seemed really lackluster. Lots of spot-rest-spot and Adonis was not really connecting. After two suplexes, he applied Good Night Irene. Hogan going the finger wag out of a sleeper is always badass! Hulk-Up! Loved him sending Jimmy Hart like a missile off the top rope onto Adonis. Legdrop 1-2-3. One of the more routine Hogan matches of the era. Hogan had an interesting 1986. He began the year finishing out the Savage series at MSG and worked a couple more matches with Savage most notably Detroit and Boston. He had the cage match with Bundy at Mania 2, but he did not seem to have much of a loop with Bundy. Instead focusing on a lot of tag work, he would team with Hillbilly Jim to face Bundy & Studd or with other faces like Steamboat to combat Muraco & Fuji or help out JYD in his wars against the Funks. Before the Orndorff feud got kicked off, he went around the loop beating Studd, Bundy, Muraco and Adonis, but not with any regularity of one opponent of the three. Once the Orndorff feud started in earnest in August, it pretty much did not let up, but he continued to have big tag team matches as a part of the Machines and with Piper. In December, we see the program that would carry him into 1987 start with Kamala. 1986 was a hot year for WWF midcard (Savage/Santana, Steamboat/Jake The Snake) and tag team (Dream Team/Bulldogs), but seems like a down year in terms of main event. I need to see the Hogan/Orndorff angle and the Big Event match. Orndorff is probably my least favorite Hogan opponent, but I am keeping an open mind.

WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs Tito Santana - WWF, MSG 4/22/86 No DQ MSG was cookin on the 22nd of April, 1986, BABY! This time there would no way for the Macho Man to intentionally disqualify himself because it would be a No DQ match. I have to say this is right up Chico's alley. He can throw hands with the best of them and Savage is going to have to break the rules and show himself to be without scruples. He demonstrated right off the bat when he was willing to throw Liz down to distract Tito long enough to cheapshot him. It did not last for long as Tito nailed this cheapshot artist as he came off the top rope and the Macho Man crumpled to the mat. They took to the outside where as Savage tried to escape into the crowd Santana blasted him with a chair. It was hilarious that no one informed the announcers this was a No DQ match. Savage pushed Tito shoulder-first into steel post out of desperation. Savage followed up with his usual full-court press flying around from all sides and angles. On the outside, the Macho Man wanted to smash a chair over Tito's head, but this would lead to his downfall a couple times. In the HOLY SHIT bump of 1986, Savage does a double axe handle to the floor and takes a chair to the abdomen. OW! Santana beat the shit out of him and there was no escape for the Macho Man. He raked the eyes on the figure-4 and Tito followed him out rammed him into the post, which busted him open. Savage performed some kick ass selling in this match, but he really kicked into the next level on this finish stretch. They work a crazy awesome stand up boxing match that would have drove the Mid-South Coliseum bonkers. Savage channels his 1997 self and nails the ref. Savage being a total, unrelenting dick to refs is pretty much my favorite thing ever. Santana hits the Flying Burrito, but there is NO ref. This is bogus! Of course, Santana tries to revive the ref, but Savage goes to his favorite bloody brawl escape with the title finish the reversal of the O'Connor Roll and yank the tights. First he yanked the ref onto Tito to get the DQ win and now he has nailed a ref to avoid being pinned. How can this Macho Menace be stopped? I think they need a troubleshooting referee. A man that will walk tall and not take any shit. They need "Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino. That's what they would get. Awesome heated brawl from these two. I had seen their Maple Leaf Gardens matches and remember them being similar. This had probably one of the best finish stretches of the late 80s WWF. The beginning was great, but I was not feeling it was at a fever pitch and they built to it more, which is fine, but I think that stops it from being one of the all-time classic brawls in wrestling history. ****1/4

WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs Tito Santana - WWF, MSG 3/16/86 I have seen the title switch in Boston plenty of times and I think it is a good, but not great match. I know I have seen some of the follow up stuff, but I am little fuzzy. They had quite the series at MSG working five straight shows together with this being the kick off match. Tito was robbed of the title by some shoddy officiating and a foreign object so you know he is going to be hot as hell. Macho Man realizing this gets on his bike early. He is in full Memphis mode for this match. I loved him jumping in the ring, sprinting through the other side and arming himself with a chair against the fists of fury of Tito Santana. Tito eventually catches up to Savage and lets him have it. Tito would have fucking awesome in Memphis. He is up there for my favorite shine worker ever. Savage is great at selling being overwhelmed and that general fear of losing the title. The nervous energy of Savage really keeps you on edge. I like the duality of the atomic drop being a babyface move and the inverted atomic drop as a heel move. I never really noticed that before, but they showed that here in this match. Usually, Savage does not work on top for long, but in this match we actually get a chance to see work a sustained heat segment and he was quite good. Savage is not a wrestler with a ton of moves or offense in general. He spaces them out well and is able to use his jabs and nasty strikes for maximum damage. It helps that Tito was the one selling. Tito gets a hope spot of trying the figure-4 before being yanked out by tights to crash to the floor. It was actually by playing king of the mountain that Savage worked a strong heat segment (Big Tito chants). Savage has an underrated bodyslam. It is not Jumbo-level, but it is very good. He crashes and burns on the elbow drop. Here comes the big Tito rally. Savage tries his best to escape it (eye rake on figure-4, powder), but Tito will not be denied as he hits the Flying Burrito. He applies the figure-4 and MSG goes apeshit for Tito! Savage yanks the ref onto Tito to draw the DQ. This was a really entertaining, heated match for the IC title. The finish is perfectly suitable to set up the No DQ match. Both guys played their roles to a tee. This is exactly what you expect from Tito and Savage, quick pace, lots of punches and great heat. ***1/2

I am loving you loving this! Check out AJ vs Abyss from Lockdown and AJ vs Daniel from December 2009 PPV for more badass AJ Styles performances that I think are right there with this one.

Ricky Steamboat vs Jake Roberts - WWF Big Event 8/28/86 SnakePit Match ("No DQ" Match) Again, they had a different match from the previous outings with this being their big blowoff brawl in front of a massive Toronto crowd. WWF will never be known for their brawls like a Southern territory would be, but this is still time period where they could have them with blood and all the fixins. They play off the SNME angle where Jake The Snake heads him off getting to the ring and looks to hit the DDT on him early, but Steamboat is able to fight through this with chops. What's funny about this is that Jake is wearing this purple sequined robe that makes him look like a white trash, washed up magician. In another funny moment, they were talking about how tall Jake was and he is pretty deceptively tall. Like you don't think of Jake the Snake in pantheon of tall wrestlers, but he dwarfed Steamboat. They were saying he had long arms and long legs. Then I swear Johnny V added "He has a long peck too." All this humor was great because the match actually started off pretty slow with Steamboat working the arm. It was solid work, but it was not setting the world on fire. Actually that's what I expected out of these going into these matches, but I was happily proven wrong. Things really got going once Jake took over on the outside. He was kicking some ass until The Dragon got a hold of chair and actually laid a pretty good one in on him. Steamer hit the big flying chop, but did not get the win. I think that was Steamboat's downfall in these blood feuds. He did not have that one move that could really serve as the Grand Finale. Jake whipped him into the buckles and Steamboat tumbled to the outside. Jake was great on the outside and catapulted him into the post. We get blood BABY! Jake kicks some ass hits his big moves (short arm clothesline, gutbuster), but not the DDT so you know he ain't winning. The finish is so lame. It is the heel clearly pinning the babyface in a way to get rolled up. It is a fine spot, but as a match finish super lame. Steamboat needed a better finish. It was a pretty solid brawl, but nowhere as good as the Boston matches. ***1/2

Ricky Steamboat vs Jake Roberts - WWF Boston 8/9/86 They wrestled a totally different match this go around and one that I thought is pretty unique overall. Jake Roberts is definitely a low risk, conservative type wrestler. He does not have much in the way of flashy moves or bumps. He bides his time and measures the moment. He transformed this into a really interesting strategy of blocking Steamboat's chops at every turn. This frustrated the Dragon and stymied his uptempo game. The Snake played into the dickishness by reminding everyone how smart he is for formulating this strategy. There were times where it looked like Steamboat would be able to goad him into his game like a quick slugfest or a criss cross but both times Jake remembered his game plan and refused to be suckered into it. Jake planned on leveraging this counterwrestling strategy by attacking the arm, which would negate the chop. Overall, this was a much better plan than his last outing in the Garden, which was high-risk counterwrestling waiting for the right time to use Steamboat's momentum against him. Eventually, Steamboat was able to break down Jake's defenses, I think the best example was when Jake went block high and Steamboat hit low to set up a chop flurry. Steamboat really started to get on a roll. I thought this paid off the first part of the match perfectly. Then they upped the ante when Steamboat hit his left hand on the post going for a chop. What a perfect transition! What ensued is why I love pro wrestling. Steamboat milking the hand injury for all its worth. Jake giving into his tortuous inclinations. He was smashing that hand into everything and working it over. It was just awesome. Steamboat trying to use other body parts come back, but Jake going right back to the hand. Jake The Snake wanted to choke Steamboat and this was his flaw when he deviated from his game plan. It led to Steamboat snapping Roberts' throat over the top rope. I liked the symmetry there. Steamboat basically fought back with one hand in a really thrilling comeback where he hurled Roberts into the barricade and table. I am really liking violent Ricky The Dragon. I really liked the Snake's selling. Steamboat continued his barrage even hitting his big karate flying chop. I did think the finish was a misstep. Roberts sent The Dragon into the ref and then got two visual pins on the Dragon, short arm clothesline and then gutbuster before Roberts frustrated with no ref was rolled up for the loss. I feel like the finish does no one any favors. If the plan was to advance Jake The Snake up a rung to face, Hogan, which I think he earned with these great performances then just let him win, don't make slip on the banana peel and even a loss would not kill him. How does that help Steamboat who is trying to gain revenge and all he gets is a roll up. On top of that, Jake still gets to plant him with a DDT. This was a very protected finish for Jake The Snake. I usually don't let booking cloud my judgment of a match, but even just on face value, it is a very unsatisfying finish. Really badass and unique stuff in this match and up until the finish an absolute classic. ****1/2

Ricky Steamboat vs Jake Roberts - WWF Boston 6/27/86 I really enjoyed this match! These are two wrestlers that I have been a little down on, but I thought they weaved a great story in this match. I think a lot of my issues with Jake The Snake was twofold. One was not watching enough Jake to get him and understand him. Since he is not a pure power or speed guy, it does not immediately leap off the page. On top of that, a lot of what I was watching was babyface Jake The Snake and I don't know if that's where Jake excels. From watching this and watching the SNME angle shot before this where he jumps Steamboat, cracks his head on the concrete with the DDT a couple times and lays the snake on The Dragon that Jake the Snake the heel enjoys torturing and humiliating his opponent even more than winning. On the flip side, Ricky Steamboat is pissed that he had been injured by The Snake and was red hot this match. Steamboat has a bit of a different way of showing violence and part of that is because of who Steamboat is (we know he is not the world's flashiest person) and the sanitized WWF environment. He wears his anger on his face and how quickly he is moving rather than the his moves per se. Steamboat comes out hot looking to avenge being shown up and hurt at SNME, but one thread of this match is that his overzealousness catches him. By attacking Jake on the outside when he tries to get back in the ring, he catches a wicked knee lift. Jake immediately wants to replicate SNME with a quick DDT and presumably place the snake on him. Once could be a fluke and twice would show Jake is the man. Upon trying the DDT, Steamboat starts firing off chops and even a really heated belly to belly. I struggle sometimes with how I feel about wrestlers that really take time to signal to their audience what they are going to do. On one side, the wrestler should be in the moment and just execute. On the other, it is a powerful took to make the audience aware something big is going to happen and therefore more likely to pop because they won't miss it and are now anticipating it. I think Steamboat worked that fine line perfectly. It was especially apropos when Roberts was caught in the ropes. This gave time for Steamboat to measure his man thus getting the crowd involved and deliver a ferocious chop. I loved Steamboat's urgency going through the ref's leg just to get another chop. Soon we see how Steamboat's urgency comes back to haunt him as when he slides through Jake's legs he gets popped. Jake was showing a bit more energy here than he has in past performances, but his menacing, stalking aura is more suited to be a heel. I really his goading the struggling babyface to hit him in the face spot. It is such a dick thing to do and it is just so abusive father-ish to me. C'mon you want to hit me, but you can't, boy. It is just mean. That's the humiliating and torturing of Steamboat. There was one other time when Jake could have gone for the win and instead choose to punch Steamboat in the head more. There were other times when he reverted to a more normal heel especially how he reacted to Steamboat coming out of the sleeper. Steamboat's selling was HUGE in this and I was absolutely digging. I loved him being hurled over the top and just letting himself end up in what ever shape he did on the apron. He was a mess. Jake got a little cocky going for the snake and ended taking a big single leg pick up bump off his knee lift. Steamboat came ALIVE! Again, Jake was lying in wait and Steamboat overzealous ate knees on a splash. Steamboat rolled towards the apron where Jake successfully hit his knee lift. Roberts followed the Dragon, but was shoved into the post. Just as Steamboat was going to come crashing down on Jake the Snake with his flying chop the match was called off with Steamboat being counted out. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They have a pretty heated post-match brawl with Jake The Snake looking to hit the DDT (he bladed really obviously on camera and it was funny trying to hear the announcers explain why he is bleeding), but Steamboat freeing himself and hitting the flying karate chop. I really loved the juxtaposition of the two energies of this match. Steamboat was firey and avenging. Roberts bided his time, struck at the right moment and then stalk and tortured his prey. This is really the type of match that WWF excels in more than probably about any promotion in history. It was very much more character-driven than it was victory-driven. I think that hurts a lot of WWF matches, but when they really knock it out of their park in their style, it is really fun to watch and really expands the breadth of what pro wrestling is and can accomplish. ****1/4

JERRY CALHOUN REFFING! Total Mark Out!

Yeah, your first point is so correct. I usually watch with my brother (he is at college now) and now incidentally my friend started watching wrestling at the beginning of 2014. So he came over and we were talking. He was like that was a pretty damn good show. In the back of mind, I was like thats because we talked straight through Rollins/Kane and Ryback/Owens. It definitely makes for a more fun product. I will leave watching kickass Tito Santana for myself to watch. I already stated Nikki Bella is fucking awesome. The only other thing I wanted to note was "Caucasian Kamala" and Bubba Ray following up with the belly slapping was the best thing in wrestling all year.

Tito Santana vs "Outlaw" Ron Bass - WWF MSG 8/22/87 The first ten minutes of this is just a fantastic shitkicking by Tito Santana. If you want to see Tito in his element watch the beginning of this match and you will understand Tito works his matches. At the previous MSG show, Bass pulled a Bray Wyatt and randomly attacked Tito with his whip named Betsy. This is why Tito is so pissed off. This is one of the best shines I have ever seen. Tito just hammers right away as soon as he gets in the ring. Bass cant even get his jacket off. Bass ends up on the outside so Tito picks up a chair and smashes into his head. ARRIBA! There is an awesome standoff with Bass grabbing his whip and Tito picking up a chair. The crowd is loving all this and I am eating it right up. This is my first Ron Bass match and while he looks like a Stan Hansen ripoff he does not wrestle like a Stan Hansen ripoff, which is unfortunate because Stan Hansen vs Tito Santana sounds FUCKING AWESOME! Bass coming from the Florida/Mid-Atlantic territorities has a lot of Flair in him. Begging off and the press slam off the top. He is a very plain wrestler. He is perfectly adequate at everything, but does not bring anything unique to the table. His transition is to yank Tito by the tights who tumbles out to the floor. He uses objects outside well to punish Tito. I loved the crotching on the railing have not seen that in WWF before looked painful. Pretty standard heel offense at the time and worked a couple restholds. Tito had some nice hope spots. The big finish run saw Tito kick some ass before Bass kicked off a figure-4 attempt. Santana did nail a picture perfect Flying Burrito as the time limit expired. Santana wants five more minutes, but that pussy Bass will have none of it. Great Santana performance that made for an ultra heated match. A great WWF draw leave it to Tito to do seemingly the impossible. ****

Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs Bret "Hitman" Hart - SNME 11/87 Unless I am forgetting some Rockers match, this is definitely my pick for best match in SNME history (Rockers/Busters match is close). Make no mistake about it, this is the Randy Savage show and one of the few times in his whole WWF career where Bret takes a backseat to someone in a match. As much as we can debate whether this is Bret's coming out party, this is definitively Savage's coming out party as the number two babyface in the company. Thus it is only logical that Savage is the star of the match, but that being said, there are very few heels at this point in time in the promotion that could have delivered the same performance as Bret did in this match. I think that is really when a match transcends into something special is when both wrestlers are crucial to the success of the match in such a way no other wrestler could take their place. To state in the converse fashion, neither wrestler feels like a generic, warm body to partake in the routine of someone else's match. Savage is not a fan of extended segmenting in his matches especially he likes short babyface shines when he is a babyface. What I like about this is that adds a sense of struggle in a way that most WWF matches lack. Bret is almost getting in "heel hope spots" during the shine just to spice things up. They establish Macho Man will have plenty of extracurriculars to concern himself early especially how the Honky Tonk Man and the Harts treated Elizabeth on the last SNME. This is also the first instance of the rather proliferate Bret bump off the apron onto the guardrail that I have noticed. One thing I love in my wrestling is urgency. Has there ever been a more urgent North American wrestler than Savage? I loved how he kicked Bret on the telegraphed back drop. He seemed so out of control. Savage crashes and burns on his double axe-handle to the guardrail. Bret delivers a piledriver that would make Bob Backlund proud before ramming his shoulder back into his post. Savage does a mini-control segment before being back dropped over the top rope and onto the floor. That was a crazy high bump. Thus begins Savage's Emmy campaign. If you have force me, I would say I prefer Savage' knee selling over Toshiaki Kawada's by a hair. Savage is just so excellent on fighting on one leg. Elizabeth helping Savage take off his boot is such a nice touch. Bret is in his element working over the leg and does a fantastic job. I don't think there was anyone on the WWF roster that could have pulled that role off and I don't think anyone could have sold as well as Savage. It was just a perfect confluence. They work this to such a fever pitch that crowd pops huge for Savage's desperation inside cradle off a bodyslam attempt to win. An excellent match that illustrates how the WWF style had the potential to deliver powerful stories even if they didn't always. I loved this match and I think it is a harbinger of Bret's future and a testament to what Savage could be as a babyface. Perfect TV match. ****1/4

WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat - Wrestlemania III History beckons the Macho Man! One of the all-time great promos and singular lines in pro wrestling. I had forgotten that during the Steamboat promo that they do mention this is the Dragon's last shot, which is only further proof why the match was worked the way it was and the correct way to go about it. I always loved how they weaved in the George Steel story into this match. I love how Savage moves Liz away from Steele because of what happened at the last SNME where he kidnapped her. Well-played spot. The finish is just awesome with Steel saving Steamboat from the bell. It is too bad that Savage could not get himself to be hit with the bell a little bit more convincingly. Much like Hogan vs Andre, this match has been talked to death and I don't have a completely revolutionary fresh take, but I did enjoy this match more than I ever have in the past. The first time I watched this was probably about ten years ago and I hate to admit I was pretty underwhelmed. It just seemed like guys moving really fast, but without much substance to it. This match for me at least has gotten better with each subsequent watch and I really enjoyed it this time around. The Toronto match really helps put things into perspective. I highly recommend watching the Toronto match before this one to get the full experience. In fact, I would imagine if you go back and watch 2 or 3 of their 86 matches it would help even more. It is actually surprising how many spots are similar to Toronto but they work them in different fashions, but it is still organic. They even played off the Toronto finish with Savage reversing a O'Connor Roll, but this time Steamboat kicked out. I think there are times when Steamboat does show aggression that have been brushed over like the choke on Savage at the beginning and the aggression of his chops. Savage is a particularly nasty heel in this and in general that is his style. He takes shortcuts and uses nasty short strikes to keep his opponents at bay. The eye rake when Steamboat was unleashing all that karate popped me. I really loved his use of the high knee in this match. It was a well-delivered attack and it was always to the back. Great dick move. Around this time, he decks Steamboat in the midst of the skin the cat and Jesse delivers my all time favorite line "You have to get up pretty early in the morning to get one up on the Macho Man." This is a type of feud that I think could benefit wrestling more and that is the one-sided hate feud. Steamboat hates Savage and that's clearly evident. Savage does not actually hate Steamboat. He is lashing out in fear of losing the title. It makes sense for Savage to cheat like a muthafucka and go for a ton of pinfalls. Steamboat does actually work aggressive at times, but this is tempered by the fact that this maybe his last shot for the IC title. Do they move too fast in this match? Yes and no. I think this match is very influential on the current style used today. Pack in a ton of action and lots of nearfalls at the end = This Is Awesome chants. I think they move way too fast at the beginning. There are way too many momentum shifts and there is very little rhythm. it does not feel like a struggle. I would say around the high knees that match settles into a nice structure with Steamboat fighting underneath due to Savage's cheating. I actually dig the urgency of Steamboat's nearfalls. It is a really heightened sense of drama. I think during the finish the speed at which they were going was warranted and was a boon to the match. Overall, I thought they moved a bit too quickly early on, last half was wicked hot. It was downright revolutionary for the WWF at the time. Those nearfalls were wicked hot. You always think of the one after the karate chop near the ropes that gets a monster pop because everyone thought Steamboat had won. I also did not think there was one consistent thread through the entire match like a real cool overarching story. I am sticking the Toronto match ahead, but this is a badass match and very, very important in the history of wrestling for how it influenced the fans, wrestlers and the promotion. ****3/4

This is Nikki Bella's world and I am just glad to be living in it! Another awesome match! I hope we get a Nikki/ Sasha or even better a Nikki/Becky feud

Tito Santana vs Butch Reed - Primetime Wrestling 5/12/87 After the Savage feud and before being drafted into Strike Force, Santana was in a weird limbo as someone who still had some starpower, but was not going to be pushed anymore. They stuck him in a lot of interested, fun midcard matches that went to a draw. This resulted in matches with Butch Reed and Ron Bass, who at this point in their careers were not having great matches, but with them being heralded as hidden gems. I have not yet seen the Ron Bass (never seen a Ron Bass match actually). The Reed match was actually pretty damn good for what looked like a broken down Butch Reed. Kids don't go to Central States. You will not come out the same man. Reed seemed slow and worn out. He made up for his loss in energy with a lot of fun heel chicanery. Santana as always brought the fire. What was with The Natural gimmick? Why did Reed bleach his hair? Was this a play off something? A rib? The beginning of the match was just a series of payback spots by Tito. Everytime Reed tried to cheat, Tito responded with a punch and falling to the outside. On the third time, Slick realized Reed needed something to break the pattern and gave Reed a foreign object. Jesse The Body loved giving DeGeorge a hard time. Reed plays hide the object from the ref. Bruno asking why Reed's fist is closed and Jesse retorting Tito hand has been closed this whole match was hilarious! Tito stomping Reed's hand also led to a funny exchange with Bruno saying it is ok with the flat of the boot. On a ref break, Reed clobbered him with object. There needed to be more Jesse/Bruno commentary. Reed goes for choking offense and this leads to a Tito chant in Anaheim. I am so glad got one more run in Strike Force, he had plenty left to give. I am really looking forward to rewatching Strike Force vs Islanders feud for Tag Teams Back Again. Tito starts firing up with rights, but Reed yanked him out of the ring by the tights to stymie Tito. Santana selling like a champ outside the ring. Reed bashes his head into the post while Slick distracts the ref. Well-orchestrated! I like Bruno chastising Jesse for calling that clever when it was illegal. I love a strong babyface voice on commentary, we need more of that. Reed chinlock. If it was a Reed headlock, I would believe it to be a match ender. Tito tries to get running, but Butch hits a big high knee. I like the high knee as a cutoff, always one of HHH's better spots. Rollins using that instead of Sling Blade would be cool. PILEDRIVER! Bruno is totally baffled that Tito kicked out of the piledriver. Santana drives Reed into the turnbuckles to stave off the next piledriver. Reed calls upon Mid-South buddy DiBiase for the punch in gut and somersault spot. Huge reaction for Santana clobbering Reed! i love Tito! Figure-4! Reed made the ropes, damn! Quick uppercut by Reed and the match goes to a draw. Weird that Reed was on top for the draw, expected it to be during the figure-4. FLYING BURRITO!!! There we go send those fans home happy. Good Tito performance featured quality selling and his trademark fire. Reed was a shell of himself, but had enough tricks up his sleeve to keep it fun. ***1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant - Wrestlemania III My favorite running gag of Titans was Parv always asking after every Hogan/Andre 1980 match how it compared to Wrestlemania III and finally Pete got wise and watched it. It always got a laugh out of me. I don't really have a new take on this match. I sit right where pretty much everybody who has watched this match. It feels enormous, but it is not a good match. I really wanted to be able to construct an argument for it, but it is not there. It is amazing Andre competed for another three year after this because he looked to be in a lot of pain. I did really like Hogan's selling in this and the general back psychology that resulted from him trying for the bodyslam too early. That bearhug was just long and what followed was pretty lame. Detroit just loved Hulkamania. Hulk Hogan was just so perfect for the 1980s America. The clothesline that knocked Andre off his feet got a huge pop and that bodyslam was awesome. A great spectacle, but too late in Andre's career for a great match.