Cowabunga v. The Galaxian

 

Pretty sure Cowabunga gimmick is played by Mark Curtis. Whoever it is is really awesome here, coming to the ring to "Walk The Dinosaur," getting the crowd going with claps, dancing around to the crowds motions, playing games of repeater with Galaxian, doing karate schtick, et. There is an awesome spot early with Galaxian going for a test of strength and then looking on in annoyance as Cowabunga puts up his constume hand which has all of three fingers. They then follow this up with a spot where the turtle gets Galaxian to do the crane stance ala karate kid which Cowabunga uses as an opportunity to hit a cheap legsweep. Galaxian keeps stalling after every exchange which eventually leads to a big dive to the floor by the turtle. Galaxian has really basic offense, but the turtle bumps well for it and has very strong body language selling considering he's working a halloween costume. Turtle ends up winning with a flip dive. I liked this a lot, particularly the early parts that were slow and filled with bullshit/schtick. This is one of those Freddy v. Buddy Landell matches that some people are going to loathe, though this might have a bit more crossover appeal in the long run given the relatively flashy offense of Cowabunga.

 

Killer Kyle v. Dixie Dy-no-mite!

 

This was played as the powerful big man v. the spunky little guy. The crowd was into it and they did some fun things, but I really felt like this would have been better as a five minute long match at Center Stage than as a nearly ten minute match. I did like Kyle's teased press slam to the floor spot and some of the hope spots were well done, but in order for a match like this to really work you need the heel to be more compelling than he was here.

 

Danny Davis v. Tim Horner

 

Lots of solid mat exchanges early leading to a Horner rope walk and arm drag escape. That was sort of the turning point as Davis starts working heel from there on out, though Horner taking his initial handshake and working an armdrag out of it was sort of odd psych. Very basic match, well worked, but nothing special.

 

Ron Garvin v. Paul Orndorff

 

Pre-match mic work is pretty great here as Orndroff calls every one in the crowd stupid rednecks, and Garvin responds by getting the crowd to start a huge "Paula" chant which Orndorff flips out for. Orndorff steps out of the ring to scream at the crowd and Garvin taps him on the shoulder and tags him which he takes a big theatrical bump for. Orndroff spends the next several minutes stalling and really egging the crowd on as he freaks out epically every time the "Paula" chant starts. They then proceed to work a wristlock/headlock series that runs for several minutes. The crowd stays very hot for all of this and they did some little things to keep it interesting, but it really was needlessly long. This was really slow building in general and then when they got to the point for Garvin to start laying in his big shots, he started doing stupid ass rollups. Who wants to see Ronnie Garvin go for roll ups? Orndorff is not a dynamic offense wrestler at all but I was glad to see him take over as Garvin's selling is always good and Orndorff's interaction with crowd made up for his lack of "MOVEZ." Second offensive barrage for Garvin was much better as he countered a piledriver and immediately started laying in shots which Paul bumped big for. This led to a sleeper and a Garvin Stomp so you get all the staples in at once. Shortly thereafter there is a dumb ref bump dq finish. I liked big parts of this but a match this slow moving needs a better payoff to be a "must see" match.

 

Brian Lee v. Dirty White Boy

 

I really have trouble buying babyface Brian Lee in a conceptual sense, but I really enjoyed him here and Anthony is a great heel. Lee was very strong as the fired up young guy early and DWB is excellent at reacting to that and milking a response from the crowd. On offense he is really deliberate but carries himself so well in the ring that it doesn't feel dumbed down or needlessly methodical. Lee does some great limp bodies selling at times and I thought his comeback, while fairly cookie cutter, but was very well time and well executed. Anthony steals the win with his legs on the ropes. The problem with nominating something like this is that it's the sort of match you've seen done so well so many times that it really needs something to make it stand out and this lacks that. But it was still a good one.

 

Rock N Roll Express v. The Heavenly Bodies

 

Pre-match Corny pleads with the crowd to keep the noise down as Stan Lane is wearing headgear for his busted eardrum. Of course the crowd is molten from that point forward. Lots of misdirection spots early and frustration spots from the Bodies leading to some big bumps. Morton turning down a Lane handshake attempt and doing the "kiss my ass" gesture got a great pop which is why I love house show wrestling in the South. It's the little things that matter. Every thing the R N R's does gets a huge reaction. They do the criss cross spot with Morton leaving the ring and chasing Corny in leading to a Lane/Corny collision which was always one of my all time favorite Midnight Express spots and was really enhanced here by Morton strutting around ringside with his index finger extended to the heavens like he'd just scored the winning touchdown of the Super Bowl. Morton ends up FIP with the heels working the arm, which of course leads to the infamous Southern spot with Pritchard on the apron "accidentally" working over Lane's arm after Morton feeds it to him when his back is turned. Heels work over Ricky some more and they really do some very well executed teaser spots for Morton, with Gibson timing perfectly all of the failed babyface trying to get the refs attention spots that are such a key part of these matches. Morton ends up getting the hot tag after smacking the busted ear of Lane. Finishing run with the racket shot nearfall and the blindside double dropkick was excellent. I get the distinct feeling that almost any match involving these two teams is gonna have a shot at the set.

Gotta love Garth Brooks being the pre-show music in West Virginia.

 

Cowabunga (Mark Curtis) vs. The Galaxian (9/7/92)

 

Not sure if this is Danny Davis as the Galaxian or what. Curtis is really fun as Cowabunga here which his dancing and strutting around then doing the mirror sequence with Galaxian like Tigger on Winnie the Pooh. Both guys worked the schtick well here and the fans were loving it which made it better. After the horseshit, Cowabunga took out a stalling Galaxian on the floor with a nice plancha from the top rope but Galaxian would come back and went on offense which was made by his taunting of Cowabunga where he was a total dick. I loved the spot where Galaxian used his headbutt but he sold like he killed himself doing it which started the Cowabunga comeback. Cowabunga would hit a flip dive off the top rope which ended up being a kick to the head to get the win and this was a fun little match. I'll push it forward because it was fun but I don't know if it will stay on the set.

 

Dixie Dynomite (Scott Armstrong) vs. Killer Kyle (9/7/92)

 

Kyle coming out to Green Onions by Booker T & The MG's is awesome. Dixie was good here but Kyle was just a plodding big man who didn't do anything special plus this went longer than it should have.

 

"White Lightning" Tim Horner vs. "TNT" Danny Davis (9/7/92)

 

This is a babyface match but I'm gonna guess that Davis becomes the heel here. They start scientific for a bit but sure enough Davis would kick Horner out of a handshake with Davis going into stalling trying to still be a friend but take a cheapshot mode. Once the psychology was setup the guys worked a fairly solid but unspectacular match. Horner would eventually sneak in an inside cradle to get the win. Good match but not enough for a nomination.

 

"Hands of Stone" Ronnie Garvin vs. "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff (9/7/92)

 

Orndorff does his usual call fans rednecks micwork before the match and they hate him for it. Garvin would counter back getting the fans to chant "Paula" which of course angered Orndorff. Orndorff hems and haws around early on with the Paula chants pissing him off as the crowd was into this one. We get a pretty long headlock section next but the crowd stays with them throughout mainly because Garvin was really good here in his movements and selling. Garvin would eventually fight back and started pounding Orndorff with punches then throwing his head into all three turnbuckles in the corner before a nut shot. Garvin then hit his jumping headbutt before teasing a kick to the groin which led to a jackknife cradle for a nearfall. Garvin then teased a piledriver but Orndorff countered with a backdrop and the crowd was stomping their feet here for Garvin but he was met with a headbutt to the groin by Orndorff to take him down. This was now turning into a war of atrition with Orndorff using his elbows and forearms trying to set Garvin up for the piledriver which he attempted but Garvin countered with a backdrop of his own and a punch to the face. Garvin then starts teeing off on Orndorff with awesome punches sending Orndorff to the floor where he ran around the ring before returning and getting caught in a sleeper. Garvin lays him out so he follows with the GARVIN STOMP before sitting on his chest for a nearfall as Orndorff got his foot on the ropes. They would go back and forth until Garvin threw Orndorff into the referee by mistake pissing off Paul who shoved the referee and as Garvin had a schoolboy locked on the referee called for the bell for a FUCKING DQ. The fans go nuts as Garvin won but that was a fucking brutal finish to damn fun match. This would've been a nomination if not for that bullshit finish.

 

SMW Heavyweight Title: "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony © vs. "Primetime" Brian Lee (9/7/92)

 

This starts out slow early with DWB stooging around for Lee who did a good job here getting the crowd behind him but his work wasn't so hot as he was pretty vanilla. DWB walks off at one point so Lee grabs the belt and parades around the ring which brings him back and Lee lays down on the mat begging him to get him which was a fun spot. Lee would miss a running shoulderblock in the corner and tumbles to the floor so DWB immediately works on the shoulder mixed in with some solid punches. DWB looks good here with his nice DDT and strikes and Lee does a good job of fighting back hitting a DDT of his own to start his comeback. Lee looks a lot like Luger here with the way he works his comeback but Anthony would takes his legs out from under him and pinned him using the ropes. This was a decent to good match but not a nomination.

 

The Rock n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) vs. The Heavenly Bodies ("Sweet" Stan Lane & Dr. Tom Prichard) (9/7/92)

 

This is one of the early matchups between these teams. The fans are nuts here for everything and all four men are great at what they do as they work good together and against each other plus you throw in Cornette who is fantastic in his role which seals the deal. After a long section of the Bodies taking punishment and stooging around we finally get the Morton FIP section which is great then we get the comeback/hot tag and good finish. This is a very easy nomination.