VQ - Excellent (24/7)

 

1. Tony Atlas vs. Steve Lombardi

This was real by the numbers and didn't give us anything special. Atlas got in some arm drags and an ass ram into Lombardi's chest. Lombardi didn't do much at all but fuck up applying a side headlock and put in a long reverse chin lock and throw some average looking uppercuts. Atlas came back out of the reverse chin lock and smashed Lombardi's head into the turnbuckles which had very little padding. He then body pressed Lombardi and slipped on his attempt to cover but composed himself and got the win. This was really just a simple and basic match with nothing to it.

 

2. Cpl. Kirschner vs. Tiger Chung Lee

This was better than it should have been but pretty much has the same value as the previous match. Lee took control early and put in a reverse chin lock. He got in a chop from the second turnbuckle and just sort of half-heartily worked over Kirschner. There was a few good cut off spots including a near fall with a sunset flip by Kirschner. It looked like they botched the finish terribly so they tried again and Kirschner eventually won by ducking a chop from Lee and hitting a clothesline for the pin. Again, this was basically an average wrestling match with a botched finish and everything was just there.

 

3. Ricky Steamboat vs. Moondog Spot

This was yet another by the numbers match on this show. Steamboat threw some chops and gave Spot a back body drop. Spot put in a side headlock and kicked and punched Steamboat a few times. Steamer fought back with some chops, got a near fall, then hit a few more karate chops and an enziguri to the back of Spot's head for the win. This was just an average run of the mill match. There was nothing special to write home about.

 

4. Wendi Richter vs. The Spider Lady (WWF Women's Title)

This actually wasn't terrible. It certainly wasn't great but there was some good stuff in this. The start of this stunk because the Spider Lady took a really slow and terrible bump off of a slingshot. Things got a little better though when Wendi put on a surfboard then Spider Lady took control and started biting Wendi's arm and stomping on her hand and shit. The Fabolous Moolah and Cyndi Lauper were at ringside for this and got into a fun little confrontation on the floor as Moolah was choking Wendi who was on the ropes. Wendi fought back and got a near fall off of a suplex and hit a second rope cross body to retain her title. This was a fun little match and I loved Spider Lady being a total bitch. It was decent for what it was.

 

5. Hulk Hogan vs. Big John Studd (WWF Title)

This wasn't a good match but it has the novelty of a driving rainstorm starting in the middle of the match because they were wrestling in an outdoor baseball stadium in San Juan. As far as the match goes it started off with both guys feeling each other out and locking up several times. They finally went into a test of strength spot and Studd had the advantage. Hulk powered back and gained the advantage then let go and stomped on Studd's hands. However, Studd got Hulk in a bear hug and held for pretty much the rest of the match. Hulk slipped under and got on his own bear hug but Studd raked him in the eyes and re-applied his bear hug. The rainstorm started during Studd's second bear hug and one could tell the rain was coming because fans started bringing out their umbrellas. Hulk did eventually fight out of the bear hug and gave Studd an atomic drop who then slipped on the wet mat. The brawled on the floor and Studd tried to ram Hogan's head into the ring post but Studd was posted instead after Hulk pushed him into the ring post. Hulk made it back into the ring before the ten count and retained his championship by count-out. Studd was pissed and just left. Hulk celebrated his victory in the rain afterwards. This isn't a good match but it was interesting to see a driving rainstorm occur right in the middle of the fucking match.

 

6. The Killer Bees vs. "Iron" Mike Sharpe/Barry O

These fuckers got drenched and the rain was going down even harder by this point. The fucking ring was literally flooded. Nothing really happened at all in this match and these guys can't be blamed for that. It was raining so fucking hard and honestly it was a hazard to even be wrestling a match it was so bad. Mostly they just locked up, did some arm wringers, punches, and kicks. Blair did headbutt Barry O after Barry O was swung into him by Brunzell. That was the biggest spot they did in the match. The Killer Bees won when Brunzell pinned Barry O with an inside cradle. They couldn't do anything at all in this and there's no way I can justifiably review this match because honestly they didn't really do anything.

 

7. Tito Santana vs. Randy Savage (WWF IC Title)

This didn't have a chance to be great. Once again, the weather eliminates any chances for a great or even good match. However, I did like the psychology in this. Tito had the advantage early and got punches in then put Savage in an arm bar for a minute. Savage stalled several times early on but after he got out of the arm bar he picked up a piece of debris the crowd through on the outside of the ring on the tarp and hid it in his knee pad. I guess they were asked to make the match interesting because they were so limited so Randy used a page out of his Memphis days and hid a foreign object. They did the whole deal where Tito notices Savage is hiding a foreign object and the ref checks him for it several times. Tito is fed up and just goes right after Savage and bangs his head on the turnbuckle. Savage gets out the hidden foreign object and jabs Tito in the mid-section and ribs with it. Savage takes a few shots at Tito's mid-section but Tito fights back with punches in the corner. Savage then retaliates and goes for a body slam but Tito reverses it into a small package to retain his title. Savage can't believe it after the match and Tito celebrates his victory. I enjoyed the Memphis hidden foreign object psychology by Savage in this. I thought it was a smart and effective way to do a match in that particular situation. Still, it wasn't anything special and that's a disappointment because it's obvious these two can go when they're in the right conditions to do so.

 

8. Pedro Morales vs. The Spoiler

Pedro won in a little over a minute. He and the Spoiler traded punches until the Spoiler got the advantage and really pounded on Morales in the corner with some nasty clubs and forearms. Pedro fought back though and knocked Spoiler down with a nice punch then got him in a small package to get the win. This was fine for what it was. It was a quick match to give Pedro the spotlight to end the show. That was alright with me.

 

Final Analysis

This was an extremely by the numbers, run of the mill show that was further damaged by driving rainstorm. The rainstorm definitely was a novelty but man there wasn't a thing that was even remotely great on this show. I did enjoy Savage using some Memphis psychology with the foreign object shtick but this wasn't too exciting of a show at all. EDIT: After discussion, Let's make the Hogan-Studd match an EXTRA starting JIP with Studd's bear hug right before the downpour.

Having seen Hogan/Studd before, it strikes me as something that should definitely be an extra.

It's funny you should say that because I was contemplating that for the novelty aspect of it. The problem was I didn't know where to start into the match. Now that I've thought about it, maybe we start it at the bear hug when the fans begin to put their umbrellas up and not a minute later one realizes it's fucking pouring down rain in the middle of the match.

I'm with Loss, there needs to be something from this show as an extra and Hogan-Studd starting right before the downpour is probably it. Though the Killer Bees tag is also pretty amusing, as are Gorilla Monsoon as ring announcer and Cyndi Lauper working THIS of all the non-MSG house shows after being away for 5 months (Cawthon has no appearances for her between the first SNME and this show).

Yes, Lauper's appearance was definitely a "WTF?!" moment for me. It is totally bizarre that this is a non-MSG show that she was a part of.