Superstar Sleeze

I cribbed the first half of my name from Graham (Sorry, Dundee). The second half of my name comes from my favorite genre of music: sleaze rock. Well Titans of Wrestling inspired me to say why stop at 1979 why not go even further back. WWF World Heavyweight Champion "Superstar" Graham vs Bruno Sammartino w/Arnold Skaaland - 6/77 MSG This is a perfect match for podcast listening as not much happens but it is an enjoyable tit for tat match. I thought Graham was going to be Ventura-level shit in the ring, but he was not atrocious. His strikes are pretty weak and his bumping at the beginning is really goofy at the beginning. As the match progresses, he sells fatigue, punishment better through just collapsing. His physique would impressive in 2013 nevermind 1977 and Bruno is nothing to sneeze at either. Bruno is actually pretty good in this match even though his strikes are pretty weak, but he displays a lot better fire and energy than I expected. He was moving really well. Graham uses the ropes and the outside to break up Bruno's momentum until he is able to lock on a full nelson. Then in the theme of the match, Bruno says anything you can do I can do better. Bruno slaps on his own full nelson and Graham collapses onto the ropes. Graham then tries a surfboard, but in a spot that would make Baba proud, they do a surfboard test of strength with Bruno applying his own. This time when Graham makes the ropes Bruno delivers a nice knee. Graham actually gets some offense in after a thumb to the throat with some Irish whips and shitty kicks. He grabs a bear hug, but staying true to the match Bruno grabs his own. Bruno ends up on the outside they do a little King of the Mountain before Arnie Bar The Door There Is A Pier-Six Brawl A Brewing and the ref gets caught in the fracas before calling the match out. It was a pretty tepid melee as far as melee goes not that New York was every known for that. Bruno actually looked decent here (dont remember liking Bruno all that much), Graham exceeded expectation of possibly being the shittiest wrestler ever. I like tit for tat matches, but this had absolutely no transitions in it whatsoever. They would just move in between segments as if they existed in a vacuum. Not a match, I would watch again.

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Pat Patterson - MSG 09/79 Cage match I am not a fan of WWF Cage match and even a good one like the Slaughter match is not something I want to watch again. This one is again a pretty mediocre match, but not awful just tedious like most cage matches. They start off with punches and Backlund immediately throws him in the cage. They start off with trading escapes. The one thing, I liked about the Backlund/Slaughter cage match was how concentrated Backlund on bloodying Slaughter before leaving. This match seems more like two guys just trying to win, which I understand is the point, but in a cage match that consists of some boring cage escapes. Whilst they were boring, some of the way their knees were bending did seem awful painful. There is a clip mid-point after they both fall off the cage. I cant tell if Backlund got bloodied somehow else or Patterson punches bloodied him. Backlund catapults Patterson into the cage and that busts wide open. Backlund has some pretty good punches in this, but both seem pretty slow. I know both have another gear, but both seem more committed to just punch it out "dramatically" on his knees. Big atomic drop from Backlund! (Ok I am stretching for high spots). Hey the Patterson Knuckledusters, I am glad there is some continuity. The finish sucked out loud for me with his falling out of the cage on his back. I do not know the booking going forward, but I thought it was a pretty lame way for a face to win. Not a bad match per se, just your typical WWF Cage, which never really does it for me. Cage matches seems more like a restriction for the wrestlers rather than a way to get even more heat.

WWF North American Heavyweight Champion Ted DiBiase vs Pat Patterson - 6/79 Thanks to the Titans of Wrestling for bringing this to my attention as it is the best babyface Ted DiBiase match I have ever seen and a really fun studio match. It is one of those great popcorn match with the babyface dominating and the crowd totally with him in lockstep. The crowd crescendos with those arm-wrenches and the boisterous chants during the knees to Patterson's arm. My younger brother has really made me a crowd reaction mark and I was a real sucker for this work. DiBiase, to his credit, was working with great energy and laying it into Pat's arm. Pat made DiBiase look like a million bucks with a really unselfish performance: bump to outside off dropkick, begging off and selling the arm work. They do a King of the Mountain for the heat segment, which ends quickly with a fired-up Ted (reminding me of Tito Santana) slamming Pat's head into the table and with lots of great punches. Patterson throws DiBiase into the ref and pulls the old knuckledusters out of the trunk to win the title by nefarious tactics. This was a really inspired performance from DiBiase and Patterson both playing their roles in a studio match. However, I would have loved to have seen a MSG/Boston/Philly match with a real heat segment and so I could see the other side of babyface Ted. The fired-up offense is only one part of the equation and would like to see him sell. I am always looking for more Pat Patterson because he seems like such a great wrestler in my limited viewing. -------------------------------------------------------------- WWF North American Heavyweight Champion Pat Patterson vs Ted DiBiase - MSG 10/79 This match is very much in a similar vein to the above match with DiBiase dominating the match with lots of fired-up babyface offense, but coming out on the short-end of the stick. Patterson with lots of stalling early on, which does get irksome because is in excess of 4 minutes. Finally, DiBiase, who is sick and tired of this bullshit, bum-rushes Patterson and goes after his arm again. The crowd seems hot, but not as hot as the studio crowd, but it is pretty similar offense. I like Patterson sell of being slammed into the mat. Patterson ends up eating the post with shoulder, which sets up some abdominal stretches as a possible finish. Patterson rakes DiBiase's eyes and does some choking before DiBiase fires up out of the corner with an eye-rake, nice little FU to Patterson. I love how DiBiase slams the match in frustration during his comeback, which was a really cool touch. He works some hot dropkicks, but whiffs on one. Here comes the kunckledusters, but DiBiase is smartened up to this and blocks it. He blocks that and grabs the knucks, but DiBiase waits too long to use them. Patterson grabs a double leg takedown to flash pin DiBiase. I would have liked DiBiase being so pissed he got DQ'd for using the knucks then you build up either DiBiase's last chance match or a no holds barred match, but maybe this was DiBiase's last match anyways. Booking aside, this was a very good match, but once again would have liked to see more of a heat segment. These types of popcorn matches can only rate so highly for me. They are fun to watch, but lack substance to me. I prefer these type of matches for TV matches or to set up angles. Still, I really liked both of their performances as it is just reinforced their work from the angle.

I watched six minutes worth of clips from Bockwinkel vs Andre at Cominskey Park. Holy Shit, was it good. Andre was taking some pretty wicked bumps including one huge one over the top ropes with Bock. It was crazy, but the gist you get from the clips is that Andre is working underneath and it looked surprisingly credible. Andre was selling like a champ for Bock, who had some great offense. I wish we had the complete match, but clips are worth watching. Andre/Hansen is pretty bitchin', but I have never been able to find the Khan match. Do we have footage of Harley vs Andre? Did Flair ever work Andre and do we have footage?

I am about 2/3s of the way in and it just breezes by. Since I just incredible amount of Hart Foundation recently ( as well as I have seen pretty much every major Bret 90s match), I wanted to mention my biggest take home message from his work was that he was ready for "primetime" at the beginning of his WWF tenure. He was the best ring general (case to be made for Bill Eadie) of the tag division and you could tell that he would be a major singles star. I think Loss comparison of the WWF Tag Division to WCW's cruiserweight division is something I never thought of before and a really good way to frame the tag division. That being said Bret Hart was the Rey Mysterio of the division was allowed to mix with the singles stars. If you look at his 1989 tenure, he barely wrestles tag matches. If you just look at PPV matches like I did before, you would think Hart Foundation was still going strong. However, when you look at the loop and the Primetime Wrestling, the majority of the matches were usually draws against the midcard name heels like Mr. Perfect, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, Honky Tonk Man, Rick Martel etc... I do not think it is just hindsight that lends credence to the Bret Hart was wise beyond his years during his tag tenure. There is enough instances that Vince saw this rare talent of ring generalship par excellence in Bret Hart. Vince's restraint whether it was due to prudence or external circumstances when it came to pushing Bret to singles stardom is one of the best slow-burn pushes ever. Loss's point about how Bret would have been the best touring champ of the 90s if there was such a thing is spot on. Maybe, Loss mentions this in the last third or someone else asserts it, but I want to assert that Bret Hart is the greatest "face vs face" wrestler in history. He fuckin rules as a subtle heel in those type of matches. I want to rewatch the Ironman match with Shawn again (have not seen in a couple years) because I think I will like it even more watching Bret Hart heel it up in his usual subtle fashion now that I have noticed how good Bret performs in the face vs face environment. It is that type of elite ring generalship that Flair and Hart share in common more than anything else. When you have two alpha males like that you can see why they butt heads. It is old they are so similar that's why they don't like each other. I will listen to the last hour when I get a chance, but some really good stuff so far.

This is the sprint version of today WWE main event style, but since it is not dragged out and the false finishers are not all finishers it is more exciting than dramatic. Hey, Tito, does not work as pissed off as usual and it is still a great match. This match is really built to showcase Mr. Perfect and his heat segments are way better in this match. If you tack the Tito babyface shine from April on this bad boy you would really have a match for the ages. Tito looks hot to begin with and Perfect takes a big bump off the chop, but this is a lot shorter and Perfect take command early off a telegraphed back body drop. I was not a fan of the transitions in this match they seemed generic and forced there was no logical progression. Perfect busts out his stock WWF offense: his big knee lift and standing dropkick. The chinlock/chokehold with Bobby was excellent. It was a pretty inventive ref bump, I will give that. Tito pours on the false finishes with figure-4, Flying Burrito, second rope clothesline and cross-body. Perfect takes over and the rest of his arsenal is unveiled the rolling necksnap and twisting thing between his thighs. Tito just says it is my turns with some piston punches and then a punch sends Perfect way over the ropes. Here comes the HUGE Mr. Perfect bumps including his famous posting of himself off hair biel and the atomic drop into turnbuckle. They sneak in one more false finish off a clothesline for Tito, before Tito counters the Perfectplex with an inside cradle countered by a Perfect Inside Cradle. That is a way better finish than April match. Perfect looked as good here as he pretty much ever did in WWF outside his work with Bret with really good heat segments and eating Tito's offense like a champ. I liked how he waited until the end to unleash his barrage of bumps. Tito played a fired-up, big move babyface much better than I thought he would and he did not feel that pissed off. I'd probably still have Rockers/POP and Valentine/Garvin ahead of this, but a solid WWF MOTYC for 1990.

So I have a question for everyone that has watched more Tito than me. I want to assert based off what I have watched that he has two modes: pissed off babyface and boring. I think he really has no idea how to work a great match without acting like he needs beat his opponents ass like something was stolen from him. It is a bit weird when he does this and has no feud like with Perfect or DiBiase. I enjoy it helluva lot, don't get me wrong, but it comes across as a bit strange at times. Like the announcers are taken aback that docile Tito has erupted with fiery rage. Especially in the Perfect match where he posts Perfect leg for no particularly good reason. Yes, Perfect is a prick in the storylines, I get that, but what makes Tito a babyface should be a little more restraint until he is slighted. Other babyfaces have more range and can tell different stories based on the heat level without always coming off as pissed off babyfaces. That being said when he wants to wrestle "scientific" he is pretty fuckin' boring see the Don Muraco match (maybe the worst match ever featuring two decent wrestlers) and that Rick Rude match. So am I wrong? Does Tito have different gears besides painfully dull and I am gonna whoop your candy-ass? I would love to see that so please point me in that direction.

I liked this a good bit because Tito is at his best when he makes it into a Catalina Bar The Casa Tijuana Brawl! From what I have seen Tito really just has two modes: pissed off babyface and boring. It seems when Tito is motivated he just makes all his matches into blood feud matches because he knows no other way to make a match exciting. I ain't one to complain because this match comes off a lot better with Tito breaking up some go-behinds with hard elbows. Then following Perfect out to the outside with the chop and back in with a sweet springboard shoulderblock that looked stiff. Perfect is pretty damn good in this match and bumps in a tasteful manner. I dug the transition with Tito tripping over Perfect on a drop-down someone needs to crib that for a PPV main event transition. Perfect save for his working punch looks pretty awful on offense and just taunts. Tito is like fuck this shit and just starts working over the leg wrapping around the ringpost and then going for the Figure-4. Heenan is out and they go with a lame inside cradle after Tito had just been kicking Perfect. Jeez, a little more chicanery would have been nice, just felt anti-climatic. I know you have to save the Perfectplex for the return match so I understand that. Heenan/Perfect just make sense together even if it was at tail end of both careers. Tito ruled this match and carried to the promised land. Mr. Perfect was decent, but nothing stand out. I do love the bump he takes when he gets kicked in the back of the leg, but other than that a blase performance.

Still top 5 though, baby! It is actually kind of surprising how thin the elite US tag teams are. I agree those were two other teams I would put in my Top 5. Tully & Arn have longevity issues and Fantastics while they were great with MX, I can't think of many other tag matches they had were great with different teams. I think those are easier arguments for the Rockers, but I would not begrudge anyone having those teams over the Rockers.

As the guy who threw out the "Top 5" comment, I usually refrain from those comments unless I have actually made a list. I have not even come close to making a list so I feel foolish that I even threw it out there. I will say when I made that declaration only the Midnight Express & Rock 'N' Roll Express were the two teams I would put ahead of the Rockers from the US. I think they are at least in the conversation with any other American tag team ever. However, I do want to give a go at trying to point out why the Rockers are closer to the RNRs than maybe one would think. However, it is 2 am here. So I will give it a go over the course of the next couple days and see if I can get something up by the weekend.

Clearly it stems from their bitchin' 1996 feud, which featured probably the greatest sentence ever uttered, "Is that Embalming Fluid No. 5, I smell?" Goldust from his debut to about when he drops the title to Ahmed is one of the best gimmicks they ever produced. I am abstaining for now until I can think this one out a bit more. At first it seem like Taker in a walk, but then you realize how fuckin' useless he was until about 1996 and how good Dustin was from about 1992-96.

Here comes The Ax! Here Comes The Smasher! Slow day at work, means that I can finally get this blog up. I know that Demolition has been a firebrand on this site. I have to say I fall in the middle. I recognize Demolition's strengths: match layout and more competitive matches with less of an exhibition-feel. However, their matches can meander and fall flat. There are plenty of faults, but they guys should not be dismissed just because they look like their Road Warriors. They should be judged based on their own merits. I would highly recommend their matches against Hart Foundation - Summerslam '88 and against the Rockers 10/88 MSG show as their two stand-out matches. http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/20...es-ax-here.html

One hour in and already this show has really inspired me to watch two really good AA/Dusty matches that I never seen before. The TV Title change to Dusty, while a weird finish, maybe the best Dusty match save for the Backlund one I saw a while ago. I love when a podcast inspires stuff like that. Keep churning them out because they sound great.

I have definitely heard some other nay-sayers for the match and I understand why it is so polarizing because of how overboard they go with pre-match gimmicks. I just happened to really like it as a light-hearted match. Now onto Rockers into the 90s, tag landscape has begun to thin out as Rockers are basically left to anchor the tag midcard against teams like the Orient Express and Power & Glory. You can already feel that tag wrestling is in recession and the Rockers are a part of a dying breed in 1990. WWF Tag Champions Colossal Connection vs Rockers - Primetime Wrestling 3/90 This is just a short TV match to further the angle with Demolition leading into Wrestlemania. Rockers has been programmed with Hart Foundation, but there was to be no Hart Foundation/Rockers Wrestlemania match. You can really see how much bigger Haku has gotten as he really starts to looks more like the power wrestler they were pushing. Shawn & Marty start off with some double team dropkicks which cause Andre to get tangled in the ropes. Andre selling for the little guys. They did not do much with that. Some normal Rockers double teaming, but would get broken up whenever they got close to Andre, which is a great use for him. Haku kicks Marty in the head while Andre holds him and they beat on Shawn until Demolition makes the save and the match gets thrown out. I was expecting a bit more, but still I see how they made the Colossal Connection work given Andre's limitations. He sure liked to sit on people at his age. Nothing to go out of your way to see, but cool to see Andre work the Rockers.

Just rewatched Demolition/Rockers from 1988 because I thought I short-changed it even though I did write a pretty positive review. On rewatch, it was a really incredible match and it really lends further proof to my belief that Demolition was actually a great heel team and just were not a very good babyface tag team. I believe that the monster face is the toughest role to play in wrestling and it just not something Demoltiion could pull off in a way that was entertaining to me even though they were quite over with the live crowd. On the rewatch, I loved, loved the shine Rockers were cutting a tremendous pace and Demolition really made them work for it. The heat segment was excellent Shawn was selling Demo's stuff well and Demos were hyper-focused on the back. Shawn is out to lunch if he thinks Demos did not give him enough because they got plenty way more than the Busters and the finish was great as putting Rocker over only to lose to a Demolition double team. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team Powers of Pain (Powers of Pain, British Bulldogs, Rockers, Hart Foundation& Young Stallions) vs Team Demolition (Demolition, Brainbusters, Rougeaus, Bolsheviks & Conquistadors) - Survivor Series '88 I am glad there were only two matches done in this style because I have to say I am not a huge fan. I think they are both very good matches given the circumstances, but there is just too much action and not enough story. In the '87 match, I was trying to separate my issues with the style and give a positive review in spite there was a lot of sizzle, but little steak. I will say this match improves on that match as the storylines are much more interesting highlighting Demos/POP & Busters/Rockers as the next big feuds and the Impossible Dream Team of the Conquisatdors. This was the Rockers & Busters first real big chance on a WWF stage and they really shine by differentiating themselves immediately from the WWF wrestlers. Right from the outset, the Rockers are pushing their speed element as how they will over come the stereotypical bigger guys with the Bolsheviks. Then Tully comes in and immediately starts pinballing off the babyfaces. Then when Tully has to face the prospect of Barbarian, he just struts 'n' strolls over to tag Volkoff. Fuckin Demolition aint gonna stooge for you. Who gets the first real face in peril segment: Shawn where he delivered his typically great performance and Marty got to play the hot tag on a Conquistador. You could get a taste as a WWF fan what you were in store for with this new explosive team. After Zuhkov eliminates last year's Cinderella the Stallions, Shawn is able to prove he is the better wrestler pretty much overcoming him with ease, before tagging Marty in for a slingshot sunset flip to eliminate the Bolsheviks. Eventually the Rockers and Brainbusters erupts into a donnybrook that causes both teams to be eliminated as they fight to the back. This set up the hot feud that would take them through the first quarter of next year. The match was showcase for the Rocker's speed and selling and the Busters' bumping and stooging. Before we get into the other two overarching storylines of the match, I just wanted to talk about everyone else. The long-standing rumor is that the Rougeaus (#3 heel team on the depth chart) were eliminated early to avoid Dynamite doing unspeakable things to Jacques. Based on Bret Hart's recent visit on the Steve Austin show, he admitted Dynamite was a prick willing to take liberties in the ring. In this match, he was able to get his hands on the Rougeaus and nothing seemed stiffer than usual. I would say a clothesline he gave Tully was even stiffer. The Bulldogs were one team that gave kind of an uninspired performance. It was just a lot of offense, but none of it had any meaning and it just became a blur. Of course, they were on their way out having wrapped up putting Demolition over and with no future it explains their meandering performance in this match, but because of how long they were in there it just dragged for me. If you are a action-mark, Bulldogs were probably your favorite team in this match, but for me they did not give me any reason to care about them. The Hart Foundation were in a similar boat, but they not as showcased plus Bret is a way better seller thus was willing to give the heels a little bit. One of my favorite random moments from this match was Barbarian was coming out of an FIP and dissed Anvil by not tagging him and tagged Marty. It had me laughing. I liked the finish to Bret's elimination where he German suplexed Tully, but could not hold him and pinned himself. The Bullodgs finish was pretty good as well with Dynamite crashing and burning on a diving head butt attempt. These two teams provided great action, but without a storyline motivation were just kinda there. On the heel side, the Rougeaus did not get to show much due to their early elimination. 'Ol Nik looked great in this match busting a nice spinkick twice. Volkoff is not some great lost worker because he was a really solid hand that had a couple high spots hit them well and knew how to lay in his strikes. I definitely like Volkoff after seeing him a couple times. I do not get the Bolsheviks elimination of the Stallions as that could have a great way to give the Busters a good victory instead of the Bolsheviks who were going nowhere. Though maybe it was to make the Rockers look better. Much like the Stallions & Bees, the Conquistadors played the role of the jabroni team that no one thought would make it. Difference was I got sucked into rooting for the Conquistadors mostly due to Jesse's commentary. It is these two average looking goofs in all gold costumes with generic lucha masks constantly making mistakes but somehow always withstanding all this babyface offense. Jesse & Gorilla were amazed by their resilience. They always were the guys that kept slamming their babyface to close to the wrong corner causing them to take a hot tag, but they never did get pinned. Hell one of them attempted a somersault senton from the second rope, which was the high spot of the match. Now the reason the Conquisatdors stayed in were because after the Powers of Pain heel turn they wanted a team to put the POP over, but I would have lost my shit if they gave the Conquistadors a couple spots before biting dust due to some Fuji interference and a Barbie headbutt. Now the major story arc of this match is Demolition vs Powers of Pain. Demolition was the only heel team early on that got any offense in as they cutting off people, but their partners would lose the advantage. That is a Demolition hallmark. Barb and Smash went toe-to-toe for a bit. Smash tags out to a Conquistador for takes Barbie's big boot. The Ax vs Warlord encounter has a much bigger feel the commentary puts it over, the crowd erupts and the wrestlers are excited. Demolition double teams, but here comes Barb with a huge flying shoulder tackle. Barbarian had this strange penchant to headbutt a heel back into the heel corner letting him tag out. Barb does a little FIP, which is better than Warlord, but still nothing special. Finally we are down to Demolition & Conquistadors vs the Powers of Pain. Warlord posts his shoulder early and Demolition targets it, but Fuji keeps jumping on the apron so as to give a cane shot, but it would be in the plain view of the ref. So Demolition ignores him and the commentators are like that kooky Fuji. Smash goes to run the ropes, but tumbles through the middle rope not because he is a klutz, but because he has been sabotaged by Fuji. Demolition gets counted out, but Ax is hot at Fuji. Fuji has the gall to push Ax away with cane and when Ax turns his back he gives him a wallop. However Smash is back up and tosses him to Ax who bodyslams him and the crowd erupts and babyface turn completed. POP ignores the Impossible Dream Team of the Conquistadors and helps Fuji up and brings him to their corner. Fuji trips a Conquistador and a Barbie falling headbutt gets the win for a big pop. Heel turn in progress. Demolition returns to clear the ring and the crowd pops for them I don't think it will take much to complete POP's heel turn. The angle seemed random mostly likely due to me having not watched the TV. It made sense that Demolition was clearly over ought to be turned face, but it seemed strange that Fuji was just all of sudden hopping up on the ring. If they wanted to do the Fuji/POP in cahoots, why not just have Fuji trip Ax or Smash. I do not think it was the best way to turn POP heel, but the bodyslam was definitely effective in turning Demolition babyface. I will probably never watch this match again as it is wicked fuckin' long, but there is plenty of action and story telling to recommend it to be watched once.

I know this is a very polarizing match, which is why I waited to do a review for it because I wanted to really do a well-written review. I absolutely love this match. I don't want to say it as good RnR/MX at Wrestlewar '90, but really is not far off. The opening match histrionics all through the Rockers changing off and the ref asking the crowd was hilarious. Pro wrestling can be a lot of things, it can be a violent brawl, a great championship match, but for a light-hearted match, this is pro wrestling. I just had a huge smile on my face. Then I thought the Shawn FIP was really dramatic and the best the Rougeaus ever looked in the WWF by far. I love, love this match. I have Survivor Series '88 and Rockers/OX to do, but hopefully I will watch it again soon.

My short answer to that is the LOD signing really fucked them and unless you want to wait on that break up then there was no time to give them belts. These external forces should not be held against them. Since Chad sort of brought this up in his response to my comments on his article on WWF Tag Wrestling, I will give my answer here. He believed that Rockers could have had their tag title from the phantom win in October 1990 through Wrestlemania VII and this is really their only feasible window. Demolition were the anchors of the tag division and a direction that Vince was more comfortable going in. Even though with Martel/Zenk and once Zenk left with Santana, he tried to go with a traditional pretty boy tag team, but given Vince's philosophy on wrestling, you know he felt that was too traditional "rasslin'" and that Demolition much like Warrior really captured what his audience wanted and the direction he wanted to go in. Since Demolition as turned babyface, there was nowhere in 1989 that Rockers could win the the titles. In 1990, it was already foregone conclusion based on what he see in 1989 that Bret was going to be pushed to the I-C title, but with Eadie retiring they needed a babyface anchor tag team. However, the LOD came in around Summer of 1990 so everyone knew that for the next year it would be just lame duck champions. The Nasty Boys were excellent heel transition champions for LOD. So basically, the window for the bridge from Demolition to the Nasties was Summerslam to Wrestlemania VII. I believe it did make more sense for Bret Hart to hold the tag titles in this period because the fans would identify him as a winner and as a champion so that it would be easier to transition him to the IC belt. Shawn and Marty were hardly sure things at this point from singles and obviously Marty flamed out due to the dreaded personal demons. The Rockers were excellent in delivering those fast-paced tag matches that gave the card some more breadth. They always played an excellent number 3 babyface tag team to Hart Foundation, Demolition and LOD. Yes, the Hulkamania era coincided with the most loaded the tag division has been in the WWF, but what is shocking going through all these matches is how much each year they were just hanging on by thread. Each year, they reloaded just in a nick of time before the division imploded finally in 1991. A lot of problems later on stemmed from stacked the babyface side was Demolition (1989), Hart Foundation, Rockers and LOD (1990) and how undermanned the heel side was. The heel side was so undermanned in 1989 that Bret Hart worked singles pretty much the entire year against Mr. Perfect. It was twofold Vince was grooming him, but on the same token there really was not team for the Hart Foundation to wrestle. The Rougeaus had been done to death and Brainbusters were the Demo's foils. That is why you see the short-lived Hart Foundation/Rockers program to bridge Harts to Demolition because the roster was just that thin at that point. Now the whole point of that preface was to explain the Rockers did the best they could given the circumstances around them. You can't blame them for not getting over because they did get over. You can't blame them for not getting pushed because there were external forces outside their control. The LOD signing really fucked them. The tag division in WWF was always there to add variety, not to draw. So Rockers never had time on their side because they were going to be pushed as singles stars. Thats why the metric of why you didnt get pushed as a singles star should not be applied to tag teams in WWF especially when tag teams had singles potential. I would argue from a pure match quality point of view that the Rockers are a Top 5 North American tag team with ease and if you want to add drawing and those metrics I still think they would be in top ten in North America.

Soup, great article as you definitely did way more research than someone who normally laments the death of tag wrestling. Not saying I would expect anything else, but given what constitutes wrestling journalism in some parts this is really well-done. As you know I am plowing through the 80s "Golden Age" of the WWF Tag Division, but I have been more focused on the quality, not the placement of the matches so that was interesting to read. Demolition was definitely the Ace of the WWF Tag Division and positioned to be their best draw. People tend to overrate Hart Foundation team, but especially as a draw like they were someone how the biggest tag team of the 80s. Which brings to my first quibble, Bret Hart was not really treated as a tag specialist in 1989, in fact you would be hard pressed to find many tag matches. He worked Honky, Mr. Perfect (for most of the year) and Bravo in house show programs. On TV, he had draws with Valentine & Martel and a double countout with DiBiase. Besides the top two heels, Savage & Rude, who he did not interact with he always got at least one inconclusive finish with them. He only worked tag matches at Wrestlemania, Summerslam, and a short Primetime Wrestling program with the Powers of Pain. Vince realized with Eadie retiring and the IC title tied up, it was best to move Bret back into the tag division and began the Hart Foundation's program with Rockers, which led to them getting the belts off Demolition. Point is maybe Vince wanted to repush the idea of Bret as a tag wrestler so that's why the commentary was the way it was, but Bret was basically a singles wrestler in 1989 in everything, but name only. My next quibble is no mention of Warrior & Road Warriors vs Demolition, which was from my understanding a big main event program in the Fall of 1990. I understand the Road Warriors were main event acts in the AWA & NWA (something you could have added to bolster your case). I feel like this was Vince showing LOD that he would treat them as main event acts too. However, I felt because of how tag wrestling was viewed in WWF, instead of pushing Road Warriors, this buried Ultimate Warrior when he was especially vulnerable in his nascent run with the belt. I was going to actually make a whole Ultimate Warrior thread about this once I watch the matches. Questions are was Warriors vs Demolition the main event program of Fall 1990? Did it draw? Were the pops good? Did it harm Warrior? I have Demolition vs Rockers from 1990 to finish. I was thinking of doing Demolition vs Colossal Connection next, but I think I will just jump to this now.

That main event angle sucked this week. It is incredibly demeaning to Daniel Bryan. I get what they are going for plucky babyface has to face monster heel, but instead this time the "monster heel" is a reluctant babyface. The big problem is that wrestling matches are competitions to negotiate pinfalls and submissions not contests to see who can maim someone. No was forcing Show to maim Bryan from the outset they just wanted him to wrestle Bryan. Jeez, why doesn't Big Show have these misgivings all time. Then the way acted like "Dont make do this, Daniel", well way to shit on Daniel. NOW when HHH made Show do his KO punch to Bryan that is something to get worked up about. That was having your hand forced. Still pretty sucky way to end RAW after two hot weeks. The Cody stuff was well-done, but I don't think it was as hot as someone else. I think it sets up him nicely in the upper midcard, but did not catapult him into rarefied air. Could be wrong, but just feelings from now. Ryback/Ziggler was excellently done. Here's something that drove me up a wall for ever and I keep meaning to post, but I fucking hate the video game cut scene before the Wyatts come out. You are coming out to wrestle not participate in the next level of some lame video game.

Van Halen is my favorite band of all-time. I think Roth is hands-down the greatest front-man of all-time. The idea that Roth loves pro wrestling is surreal, but makes so much sense at the same time. 80s Metal and pro wrestling are like apple pie and ice cream to me they just go together. I think wrestling is getting back to where it should be and there is hope, but sadly it does not seem like Metal will ever get its act together. I cant wait to listen to this podcast.

Belinda Carisle is a total fox. Just like any genre of music, movie or what have-you there is going to be good Go-Go matches and bad Go-Go matches. The style seems to be derided here because there has been a backlash against 21st century wrestling and how it grew out of 1990s wrestling. It evolved in a way that accentuated that offense, high-risks and highspots is all fans cared about thus lets cram more of that shit in and have less "filler". All killer, no filler so to speak. I agree this style well done over 30 minutes kind of blends together throughout the match and leaves you in sort of haze of inane big spots. I watched some Angle recently against one of my favorite 21st Century workers, AJ Styles. The problem is not so much the pace, but how they transition. There is no struggle in the transitions. The transitions feel arbitrary and very video game-esque. Like I finally mashed "Square" enough to break my brother's grapple and now I get to be on offense rather than an organic flow through the match. I like matches with struggle, the sense that two people are competing for a victory rather than competing to pop the crowd. In TNA, moves are over, in what I like, wrestlers are over. In the Go-Go matches can have a sense of struggle, but the ones bereft of that subject tended to be deemed with this pejorative as opposed to the ones well-done, which are just heralded as great matches. End of the day like most everything, it comes down to execution some people just execute this style better and others use it as a crutch so as to not have to think too much.

Mutoh is probably the most famous Japanese wrestler in America except maybe Jushin Liger and Yoshi Tatsu (I keed, I keed) though I believe most people seem to be down on his work. I presume there are some Muta marks as the gimmick definitely lend itself to creating some buzz as The Great Muta is a wicked cool gimmick. I find his matches to be really polarizing and maybe it deals with how much effort he puts in. But I think he just has a weird sense of psychology. It is hard to place your finger on, but there is something off-kilter about most Muta matches. It is usually he is trying to hard to be clever like when he goes under the ring. Usually his best matches are his straight ahead bloodbath brawls with Hase and Tenryu. In 2001, he revamped his gimmick and how he wrestled. There have been plenty of wrestlers that have reinvented how they look, but very few in their advanced age totally changed their working style like Mutoh did. Gone were a lot of the gimmicks and hijinx and replaced was a barrage of dropkicks to knee and dragon leg screws. I appreciate the hyper focus of his attack in these matches and I think they hold up well. It is like how Loss was saying on the 1990 podcast that they pissed away 3 months of vignettes for Rude because a change in working style was not accompanied by a stylistic change in the ring. Much like Sasaki, I have not seen much of post-2001 Muta, but what I have seen I have really liked. Keiji Mutoh vs Toshiaki Kawada - Champions Carnival 04/01 I have seen their Triple Crown Match from 2002 and remember liking that even though it did not make the voting list. So I was pretty excited to see this and this did not disappoint. The one thing you can expect from Mutoh is you will not get a lot of those macho pissing contests that can dominate heavyweight puroresu in the 2000s. This is wrestled more in the vein of traditional Strong Style. Kawada was definitely the best suited of the King's Road guys to perform in NJPW as he can hold his own on the mat. They jockey for some holds with Muto having a slight edge. The story early seems to be Mutoh knowing he can't out-strike or out-power Kawada so he tries to leverage his ground game into an opening. However, he is unable to avoid the DANGEROUS~! kicks from Kawada, which are all targeted at Mutoh's head and neck. On second watch, I realized that this control segment went on for 10 minutes where Mutoh just got his ass handed to him. I actually appreciated this segment more on how well Kawada worked this and did not get off track. Muto did his best selling in this segment really forcing you to observe how concentrated Kawada was on damaging his neck. Kawada even mocked Muta a bit with his run down the ramp doing a Kawada Kick to Muta's head. Even though, Kawada was in control of a lengthy time, Mutoh still made it feel like a struggle by mixing in a tasteful amount of hope spots. Kawada was able to hit the powerbomb on his second attempt, but Mutoh kicked and rolled to outside. Tired of getting his ass kicked, he grabs a chair from a fan, but ref stops him from bringing it in and the fans applaud (well that is different from America). Mutoh blocks the enziguiri and wastes no time capitalizing with dropkicks to the knee and arm. You have credit Muto getting over dropkicks as a legitimate setup move. Muto is nullifying Kawada's biggest weapon while at the same time putting himself into a position to win by submission. There is nothing Muto really does better than Kawada and he knows that, but if he can take away Kawada's legs then he can win the match. Kawada blows Mutoh out of the water with his selling throughout the home stretch. For whatever reason, Kawada was just fucking on in this match as he is making Mutoh's offense look like a million bucks. The dragon leg screws and figure-4 look devastating while Mutoh seems focused just on doing his offense. Kawada gets the stretch plum going back to the head/neck, but misses a knee drop (OW!). Muto wastes no time again, but this time all the dropkicks are focused on the arm. They trade cross-armbreakers, but once again Kawada outshines Mutoh in the selling. Kawada with a relentless flurry on lariats before Mutoh blocks them. Mutoh wrenches his leg with another dragon leg screw. His Shining Wizards more like they are pushing Kawada over rather nailing him with a high velocity impact, but to his credit Kawada does his best loopy sell of them. ****1/2 It is a little bit slow to start and there are some times in the Kawada control that lose their place a bit. However, once Mutoh hits his first dropkick this match goes to another level with one of Kawada's best individual performances. While Mutoh could have been better at selling and really putting some energy into his offensive strategy was excellent. I prefer this sort of straightforward wrestling match to macho pissing contest matches. So I have it behind only Tenryu/Sasaki so far.

I have been away in Quebec (it was Tres Bitchin as the French would say) and just got home from a disappointing Tigers loss to the BoSox, but alas it is time for another installment in this series as it has been way too long. The Bulldogs disappointed me to an extent. When they were healthy their offense was top notch, but structure was not always there. That being said the Dream Team/Bulldogs is one of my favorite WWF Tag Programs and really displayed what a motivated Bulldogs could do. After the Dynamite injury, they pretty much went into the shitter having a disappointing program with the Islanders. Though they did manage to have a pretty good match with Demolition before they exited for Japan. http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/20...-1985-1988.html

I will speak on this in a bit, but I don't have many quibbles with what you said. Rick Martel w/Slick vs Bret Hart - Primetime 10/89 Martel getting funk with Slick is pretty much why wrestling is better than any form of entertainment. We start early with Martel showboating and dancing. Bret is just shaking his head. Martel cartwheels out of a back body drop attempt and does his little dance. TREMENDOUS~! They do some counter wrestling and Martel proves hes still got it with a cool drop toehold. I am a drop toehold mark. Once again Martel parade s himself. Martel again floats over on Bret in the corner and goes to showboat and Bret has enough and levels him with a clothesline. Fucking brilliant opening that paid itself off excellently with a clothesline. Bret works over the arm and everything loosk crisp as always. Martel is game and keeps him moving and is selling well. Martel thumbs him in the throat, a heel Martel staple, to set up his heat segment, but we dont get all of it because of commerical. Fuck. Martel is just relentlessly working over the back with strikes and a Camel Clutch and lots of well-timed showboating. Incredible struggle over the Boston Crab. Martel tries put it on three times gets spun out twice and each time adds an elbow or backbreaker before he can get it on. I love that sense of struggle really puts over Martels' finish, Bret's will to win and Martel as a wrestler. On each failed attempt, Martel gets frustrated. Just really great work again. Bret makes the ropes, but Martel thinks he has won, before getting more frustarted. Bret powders as Martel does jumping jacks. Ruh roh, pride before the fall. Martel clotheslines the ringpost when he tries to follow Bret out. Bret starts hitting his stock offense and is going for covers after each move trying to get the victory at any moment. Martel takes an excellent over the top turnbuckle and Bret is just pouring on the pinfall attempts. Bret blocks the atomic drop and gets his own. He hits a dropkick as time runs out and it is a draw. The draw was the standard 1989 singles finish for Bret Hart, who really being put in a ton of singles matches with the mid-card heels to build his credibility. Bret's push to the top is the greatest slow-burn push ever by McMahon. I loved the beginning and the middle of this match and the finish was fun, but not at the level of how good the rest of the work was. One of the best Bret singles matches of 89 and a great Martel match. Rick Martel w/Slick vs. Tito Santana - SNME 11/89 Lots of "gettin' funky" here with Martel and Slick and then Dusty with cop hat and polka dots all very funny. Martel came out with his Survivor Series team (Twin Towers & HTM) and so Santana said two can play at that game and whistled for his gang (Dusty, Rooster, Beefcake). Can't say I am waiting with bated breath to watch those 8 clash. I will say as most people know this is one helluva SNME sprint. This right up there with Rockers/ Busters as a great SNME sprint as they really come off as two guys that really hate each other. There is sometimes I disconnect in the intensity in the ring in WWF with the hatred surrounding the match. Martel actually initiates instead of being a chickenshit, but Tito catches his foot and swings him around for an atomic drop and a clothesline sends him outside the ring. Now, back in the ring, Martel bitches out for Santana who is cocked and loaded. Tito gets a series of near falls before Martel pulls Santana's tights sending him into the corner. This is when Martel's little dance in between punches is just so great. Tito hits the Flyin' Burrito, but Slick distracts and they tease a Melee. Back from commerical, Martel is working over the back and Martel is really good at showboating. There is something about rather than taking away from the action really adds to how much you want Tito smack this arrogant ass around. There is a epic backslide struggle that Martel loses and his facial expression while going down is priceless. Martel applies the Boston Crab, but Tito makes the ropes. Martel gets a backbreaker (one of his favorite moves as a heel and really smart set-up for the Crab). Martel goes up top, but Tito shakes the ropes and he crotches himself and once again his facial expression is awesome. Tito pounds away before signalling for the Figure-4. This time Tito clocks Slick. Melee ensues. Great energy in this match, I like the work a little better in their Main Event '90 match, but energy and spirit make it a pick 'em between the two. Rick Martel vs Marty Jannetty - Survivor Series Showdown 1990 Before the match they show the Martel/Jake angle, which is really excellently done and I actually like Jake coming back with a "glass" eye. The problem is he would have had to sell for the rest of his career, but could have been a cool calling card of his. Martel and Jannetty will be on opposite Survivor Series Teams as Martel's aptly named Visionaries (Vince how you slay me!) take Jake's Vipers. Martel wusses out at first to make Marty look good. They trade moves each doing Jumping Jacks after the move to show each other up. Not on the level of the Rockers/Rougeaus, but some fun opening stuff. Martel gets a knee lift. I am a mark for the knee lift just a great move that works in so many contexts. Martel works over Marty's wind by attacking his throat before charging in with a knee into the the turnbuckle. I will say the one thing holding the Rockers back was that they were not very good at working holds. Martel is better about keeping things moving, but Marty and Shawn were not at their best doing toeholds. So while Martel kept this decent, it did kind of drag here. Martel goes back to the thumb to the throat, one of his favorites. Jannetty counters into a shinbreaker, well-played, another favorite of mine. Jannetty goes for the spinning tohold, but gets kicks to the outside, which starts Martel's heat segment. Martel like always is targeting the back for his Boston Crab. He is such a smart worker. Jannetty catches him coming off second-rope hits his usal babyface comeback offense: reverse elbow and a wicked knee lift. But Martel uses Marty's momentum against him by sidestepping him sending him crashing to the floor. Jannetty, disoriented, misses a slingshot splash and Martel wins. Interestingly, not as definitive as his victory over Santana would be and in fact there was a lot of heel in peril here. Jannetty did a fine job working over the leg and it was a solid match, which they worked in a reason for nicely. Nothing to go out of your way to see, but a decent match nonetheless. Rick Martel vs Tito Santana - Main Event 11/90 Martel has dropped Slick and now has what I consider the more classic "Model" look with atomizer and the button that says "I Am A Model" as opposed to just the sweater tied around his neck. I prefer wrestlers with long hair as makes selling and bumping better so I do prefer Martel with longer hair than what he adopted in 1992. Tito is Tito. Besides, RVD cant think of a guy who never changed his look for as long as Tito. We do a little King of the Mountain to start with Martel sending Tito crashing as Martel is definitely position higher on the card than Santana at this point. Martel in his overagression wraps his arm around the ringpost giving Tito an easy bullseye. Tito is all over his arm with some good energetic arm work. Martel is always good for keeping holds moving and never just letting them rest. Tito constantly going for falls. I love the mentality that shows Tito is always trying to win it is great way to remind people it is a competition. Not to get on a tangent, but it is something Bret is really good at it in his matches. Martel does the smae leverage move as the year before to start his heat segment. Martel loved the thumb to the throat which si a great nasty heel move. Martel with one backbreaker feigns going up top, but says nah lets give him one more for good measure. Now he goes to the top, but gets crotched again. Pride before the fall, brutha. Tito is hot and looks to be on comeback trail. Before the absolutely tremendous finish: Tito blocks an atomic drop, picks the leg and goes for a Figure-4 reversed into an inside cradle, and then Martel grabs the Boston Crab for the submission victory. I enjoyed the work a lot in this and the finsh was superb. A heel going over in the WWF clean as a sheet by submission thats a pretty Holy Shit! moment. I believe it is indicative of how high McMahon was on Martel at the time pushing him in the 3rd biggest program of Wrestlemania VII against Jake The Snake.

This podcast could not have come out at a better time. I have a 5 hour drive to Montreal ahead of me by myself. Now I get to ride with my favorite wrestling fans and also Steve Austin & Scott Hall.