Talk about it here.

Last few minutes. This is included primarily because of the funny backstory. David Crockett apparently went to buy belts for the match, and couldn't find any, so he went to a sex shop and bought some cat-o-nine-tails instead. So this is a SEX TOY STRAP MATCH.

Ah, the infamous dildos strap match. The Freebirds were so lazy and bad during this period that they could even have a bad match with teh Rock'n Roll, but the gimmick actually saved this one, as their were whipping each other quite stiffly with their... well, dicks.

Jerome, that is not what a cat o nine tails is.

The S&M toys are barely used and this isn't much of a match despite the best efforts of Ricky and Robert.

This didn't look very good from the clips and the straps were practically an afterthought.

Hayes, what an idiot. He hits the DDT and then randomly wants to go for a second one and deservingly gets rolls up by Morton. I didn't even notice the garbage stuff going around this match. Ha.

I did think it was weird that Ricky Morton was beating up Jimmy Garvin with a cat o nine tails.

 

Since this is only shown in clip form, just wanted to mention how much of a breath of fresh air Bob Caudle is on commentary. He and Ross have an easy charisma together. Was he only doing PPVs at this point? WCW seems to have a lot of announcer depth if Bob Caudle is only doing PPVs. They have Ross, Caudle, Schiavone, Lance Russell, I think the Chrispy Cruiser might still be around at this point...and that's not to mention the good color guys they have, like Cornette, Paul E, Hayes, and Funk if he's still around (I want to say at this point he might be gone). Say what you will about WCW in 1990, but for the most part, their shows are well-wrestled and have great commentary.

I really wish this was on in full. Among the many defining images in pro wrestling is Michael Hayes selling being whipped and if memory serves the bulk of the whipping action is early on and produces some good bits of psychology working that gimmick into the match. And after hearing that the whips were actually bought at a sex shop I'm all the more adamant that this should have been on in full.

Also, seriously David Crockett, how hard is it to buy belts? You couldn't find a men's clothing store or a fucking Walmart or K-Mart or even a mall? I know the preponderance of big box stores today may be affecting my viewpoint, but seriously, it had to be easier to find a place that sold belts than a sex shop.

From what was on here (which is all we have to go by), David might as well have saved his time and energy buying those whips. When I sit down to watch a strap match, I want the straps to be used from start to finish. It might have helped alleviate my disappointment if the rest of the clip hadn't been markedly inferior to the three-fall match from TBS a month earlier, which itself was only really good in the second fall.

 

I know Hayes was too good verbally to really bury, Buddy Jack was retired, and Gordy was in Japan full-time, but there had to be something they could have done with the Freebird name that was better than this. Thank God it gets better for Ricky and Robert as the year progresses.

Wait what is this about whips? This is a strap match of some kind? This is as a result of the freebirds whipping the rnr with the belt on tv right? This is another match I've seen several times and I don't remember anything about whips or belts.

Freebirds with the heat on Ricky Morton which included seeing him take an impressive little bump through the ropes to the floor when Garvin tossed him outside. Morton blocks a Hayes bulldog attempt, freeing himself and making the tag to Gibson. All four men end up in the ring and Garvin again tosses Morton to the outside. Hayes with a DDT on Gibson, but he starts strutting and celebrating instead of making the cover. Morton posts Garvin and Hayes goes for a second DDT, but this time Morton comes off the top with a sunset flip for the win. Ricky gets a few shots in with the strap on the ‘birds before they get out of there.

 

Nice finish to this but that was about it.

Not a fan. Freebirds need to go away fast.

Another match that I wasn’t totally in love with. I’m not that big on the Rock N Roll Express as other fans of the era are - they are very good (calm down) but I prefer many other teams - and I’m indifferent towards the Freebirds of any kind. The stipulation allowed for both teams to coast and use it as a crutch. The freebirds dominate, then get their comeuppance before losing to a flashy pin by Ricky Morton. A bland match as you can have with these teams. **1/2