PeteF3
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Everything posted by PeteF3
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I really don't think turning Sarge back into a babyface was an impossible task. Like I said earlier, I was always expecting it to happen in the back of my mind anyway. The heel character only had so much shelf life. But holy shit--Arlington National Cemetery?? Sarge cutting a wrestling promo (and it doesn't mean shit that he's talking about not wrestling again--it's a fucking wrestling promo) in this setting, with shots of tombstones as "Taps" plays...this is WORSE than the Gulf War shit. Assuming it's not a mock-up or public domain stock footage I'm completely floored that the Army would allow this. Fly is right. Sarge needed to be off TV for longer, and then make his surprise return while Mustafa and Adnan are destroying Jim Duggan. Cut more promos like the one with Gene and fewer while exploiting the dead. -
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Normally I wouldn't really think Flair and Cornette would go that well together, as great as they both are. But with Cornette here, Flair would really come off as more of an "outsider." Plus Cornette wasn't quite as established to WWF audiences as the buffoon Heenan had become. Heenan is a genius but his act, and Gorilla's treatment of him, has tended to undermine Ric.
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I know there was little control over these things, but man, London was about the last possible ideal spot for Flair to make his in-ring WWF debut. Both guys work hard, but the figure four is just a routine mid-match hold and Flair eats a bunch of near-falls before getting a cheap victory with a rollup and tights grab. I won't hold the WWF fully responsible because that's just how Flair rolls, but for a practical debut match in front of an unfamiliar audience that was SO not the way to lay this match out. This needed to end with Flair taking Santana's knee apart and getting a submission win. It would also have the benefit of not giving Monsoon anything to bitch about. Other than playing up the "patented figure four" he doesn't do jack shit to get Flair over.
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Schiavone goes all-out to get Josh over as a wrestler, and he's incredibly detailed about it without being over-the-top. That in the middle of it, Josh throws in an armbar takedown when Austin attempts a clothesline is just icing on the cake. There is some great armwork here and a few cool payback spots too, plus some good bumps from Josh. And then ANOTHER lame-as-hell finish as Austin is disqualified for a fucking ringpost shot. These are hair-tearing at this point, like the late part of the AWA set. Which is a shame because I was really, really liking this. I know he's 1/3 of the prestigious 6-Man Champions but why do we need to protect Josh, exactly?
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Pillman is set to face Thomas Rich, but when Morton trash talks about the Light Heavyweight title tournament final, he gets swapped in. It's Morton as a heel against the guy who maybe should have been his '90s heir apparent, and it's as good as it sounds. Until an absolutely idiotic finish. I mean, with a PPV match a month away I knew there was no way this was ending in a pinfall, and that's fine. But Randy Anderson not being able to tell Morton and Rich apart is the height of idiocy, it doesn't matter what the originally signed match was. Pillman gets triple-teamed afterward in a very well-done beatdown. Rich and Taylor do a spiked gutwrench power bomb and then hold Pillman so Morton can leap off the top onto his knee. Morton really is channeling Flair in his heel role. I'm heartened to see the York Foundation back on the Yearbook--they're really everything a mid-card heel stable should be.
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Cactus hypes a tag cage match against Sting & Rick Steiner while Abdullah eats paper, Ross' microphone, and Cactus' hair. "Can't you control him, please?" "HELL NO, I can't control him, and why would I want to? Can't you see that violence can be beautiful?!" Cactus follows with the line about the lump in Sting's throat not being emotion, but his liver.
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Holy fuck, these guys needed to be muscle for Mr. Backlund in 1994 and '95. It's the same gimmick, but played without a hint of comedy. This interview could have melted Vince Russo and Kevin Dunn's faces off, as Arn talks about how teams of the '90s are concerned with making great entrances while the Enforcers concern themselves with entering and succeeding. It sounds way better than I typed, believe me.
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Another great angle in the middle of a WWF hot streak. It's great to see a WWF heel back up what he says. Flair cheapshots Piper with the belt and goes to town on him, and they make sure to mention that Savage can't intervene as he's on probation for trashing Tunney's office. Then the big moment as Vince McMahon eats an accidental chairshot and takes the first bump most fans had ever seen him take. I never get tired of scenes of chaos with no commentary. Hardcore angles and storylines intersecting with one another--this period is possibly the most Southern in WWF history, at least pre-1997.
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This one is different. The connection between becoming a matador and attaining success in the WWF could make some sense if there were a Ross or someone who could really get the athletic requirements over, but it just comes off as spurious and lazy here. Santana's narration isn't helping matters.
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Jake has to have some sort of Funeral Parlor guest appearance record. And there's still more to come. Roberts informs the children of America that their parents are liars and that their night time fears are all real. All while holding a cobra and flicking at its head. That's a heel for you. Jake declares that once bitten, "you are no more," which had to be a conscious shot at the Ultimate Warrior. He finishes with threats towards Sid Justice, his second ill-fated feud since turning heel. Another strong promo, but we ain't seen nothing yet.
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Whether they were for shoot purposes or not, the ref wearing protective goggles and bumping for each explosion are great visuals. Each explosion is a jolt to the viewer's system and are sold great by everyone, if you want to call it selling. It's the standard Onita story of getting mutilated and making a big comeback around headbutts, then power bombing his opponent into oblivion, but it's executed as well as any of the others and is another great FMW spectacle.
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Dangerously compares Hughes to Lord Byron in what has to be a first in the history of wrestling commentary. Hughes is full of surprises--he takes some fine bumps and unleashes a dropkick, a sleeper, and a figure four(!!) which is worked really well thanks to Race. This should be his career match, at least in singles. Windham bleeds(!!!) but comes back with a big lariat off the turnbuckle to send Hughes to the floor, and then he goes after Race. Windham is about to put Race's face into the concrete when Luger clobbers him with a chair and Windham is triple-teamed and left laying--Ron Simmons is speaking at another Boys & Girls club and is unable to help. This is the hottest segment of the Luger title run yet. Hughes actually looks like a star in the making here, it just wasn't to be.
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Beefcake puts Flair over big-time by mugging in his barber's chair and pretending to nap. At least it gets Heenan on the stick for this interview, despite the setting. Quick and to the point, touching on the same stuff as before. Flair's music kicks up and it seems they wanted to cut him off early.
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Slaughter is made up to look like he's been living in a survivalist compound ever since SummerSlam. Okerlund is on location, telling Slaughter that he got what he deserved. Slaughter agrees--he wanted to become WWF Champion at all costs. Slaughter lost his friends, family, and country when he lost his WWF title. The only one of those that he can get back is his country. I know this is going to get worse before it gets better. I know it's a blatant attempt at retconning Sarge's entire MO. I know it's a big reset button getting hit on his storyline. But this segment and this segment alone was really, really good. And at the time, I truly never thought the heel Slaughter would be permanent. The only two options the WWF had with him was either a babyface turn, a release, or a front office position. Being as Sarge still had something to offer in the ring I have to say the first option was the best of the three. And at least at first, they went about it in the most effective possible way.