Anniversario 1986

They had a nice ceremony to start with all of the guys coming out with women holding flags from their home countries.

Universal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Quarterfinals: Carlos Colon vs. Boris Zuhkov (9/19/86) Carlos was vicious working over Boris' left arm but Boris would fight back even opening up an old cut on Colon's head. Colon though comes firing back and gets the win with a sunset flip. Crowd was molten hot here for Colon and that definitely added to this. Fine match.

Universal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Quarterfinals: Abdullah the Butcher vs. Giant Baba (9/19/86) WILD seeing Baba wearing blue tights. Baba jumps Abby on the floor to start the match and cracks him over the head with a wooden chair which brings out the juice. Baba starts pounding on Abby before Abby would fight back breaking out the fork as Huracan Castillo & Gary Hart get into a verbal battle on the floor which allows Baba to regain the advantage. The battle went back to the floor where Abby pounded Baba's head on the table then beat him back in the ring for a countout win. This was a fun little brawl. U

niversal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Quarterfinals: Terry Funk vs. Barry Windham (9/19/86) Funk is wild to start as after some spirited action he drops the floor and throws ringside chairs in the ring. Funk would go to the floor baiting Windham which he was successful in doing as he posted him then gave him two piledrivers right on the concrete. Windham is really good here at bumping hard for Funk and selling for him especially the nutshot. Funk then threw his awesome headbutts before colliding with Windham's head which sent Funk to the floor. Windham would then return the posting favor to him before joining him for a fun little slugfest. Windham would send Funk back to the ring where he hit his own piledriver for a nearfall before throwing Funk back to the floor where he would give him two piledrivers there for good measure. Windham took the action back to the ring where he tried to put Funk away numerous times but Funk kept kicking out. The stretch run here was good as Windham was going balls out with nearfalls along with pounding his head into the turnbuckles as Funk sells his ass off. Funk eventually got his head stuck in a ringside chair until Windham would punch it off of him in a cool spot. Funk would almost get Barry as he took his legs out and pinned him with his feet on the ropes but he was caught by the referee. Windham came back hitting a lariat but Funk would get his foot on the ropes then got an O'Connor Roll using the tights for leverage to win. Total blast and a definite nomination.

Universal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semifinals: Terry Funk vs. Rick Martel (9/20/86) Funk is awesome early selling his ass off for Martel's quick jabs and getting his head pounded into the corner. Funk would then go on offense throwing some great punches before going up top where he just crotches himself on the top rope and does this amazing sell job on the turf where the crowd goes nuts and Funk answers back throwing chairs into the crowd. Funk comes back in wanting to shake hands which Martel refuses to do but the ref obliges which was funny. Funk was tremendous here taking a side headlock by Martel as he was moving all over the ring making this seem like it was breaking his neck before locking in one of his own which was just a setup for him to kick Martel right in the balls then begging off which was awesome. The battle went to the turf where Funk would piledrive Martel right on the ground with Martel selling like he was dead. Funk would pound on Martel outside before he could get back to the ring where Funk locked on a sleeper. Martel fought back to free himself so Funk would start choking him with tape to neutralize him this time but Martel would get the tape himself before locking in his own sleeper which took both men over the top rope to the ground. Funk would wear a wooden chair around his neck even as Martel gave him a piledriver before going back to the ring. Martel missed a slingshot plancha from the apron to the ring before Funk threw him back to the floor with Martel trying to get back into the ring with a sunset flip but Funk cuts it back while holding the ropes to win. This was a great one man show by Funk with Martel being good in his role and this is a fairly easy nomination to me.

Universal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semifinals: Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher (9/20/86) Again it's great seeing Flair, the Funks, and all the other heels just hanging out in the dugout watching the action. Abby pounds on Colon early and often using his fork to bring out the juice and this feels like a WWC match already. Colon would make his comeback and the fans go nuts as he gets the fork and busts Abby open then just beats his ass bloody before kicking him in the balls. The blood is pouring here as Abby is doing the Terry Funk in the ropes spot where he gets punched and keeps coming forward. Colon is great here using headbutts and punches along with biting to bring out the juice as the crowd continues to go nuts. Colon then works over the left leg setting up the figure-four but Abby gets free a couple of times before Gary Hart hands him something that he jabs Colon with in the balls. Colon recovers quickly though and goes back to work on Abby even hitting a suplex then jabbing him in the neck with a fork to win the match. Gary Hart then gets beat up until Abby uses a cane on Colon which would bring out Atlas & RPM's to make the save. This was very fun watching these two bleed all over the ring and it is matches like this that made WWC what it was. Easy nomination.

Barry Windham vs. Boris Zuhkov (9/20/86) Windham dominates from the start working over Boris with punches until Boris caught him with a big clothesline out of the corner. Boris then goes after Barry's neck before sending him to the grass where the brawl would continue featuring Boris slamming Windham right on the dirt. Boris stays on offense but I'm distracted by watching the heels sitting in the dugout just hanging out and bullshitting especially Flair hanging with the Funks. Windham makes his comeback but Boris would cut him off keeping the offense going until Barry would catch him with a desperation sunset flip out of the corner to win. Windham was good here and Boris was just okay but this isn't a nomination to me.

Universal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Finals: Carlos Colon vs. Terry Funk (9/21/86) Funk bumps like a maniac as soon as the match starts so this should be fun. Colon throws some solid punches and uses his headbutt to subdue Funk early until it goes to the outside where Funk piledrives Colon on the wooden deck around the ring. Funk then throws his great punches before posting Colon bringing out the juice which Funk goes to work on immediately. Funk locks on a sleeper before Colon uses his ass to break free from causing Funk to sell like he got shot in the ribs. Colon then starts bashing Funk's head on turnbuckles all over the ring with Funk selling like a madman before the action goes back outside where they brawl around for a while. Colon gives Funk a taste of his own medicine as posts him then piledrives him on the wooden deck. Funk comes back in the ring selling the nutshot he received on the floor big time with Colon just firing punches until going to work on the left leg setting up the figure-four. Funk flails his arm like a helicopter until finally getting the ropes to break the hold. Dory would come in the ring hitting Colon with his cowboy boot as his brother is selling his leg injury as the ring is being pelted by trash. This then turns into a headbutt battle which was great before Colon locked in an inside cradle to win the title. Rain starts pouring down as the finish comes and this was great fun with Funk being awesome as usual. Easy nomination.