CWF 1983-87 #1

Mike Graham vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (3/27/85)

 

This is a special challenge match and we get some good amateur style matwork early on which is made better by Coach John Heath doing the color. Mike dominates the early part showing his amateur prowess but Flair would soon gain the advantage using short cuts and roughhouse tactics. Mike would come firing back with some good punches and had Flair reeling turning this into a back and forth slugfest seeing Flair juice from an old wound. Bill Alfonso would get bumped on an O'Connor Roll attempt by Graham who would eventually lock on the Eddie Graham figure-four on Flair before Jesse Barr would run in for the DQ. The heels work over Graham until Wahoo McDaniel runs out to start a wild 4-way brawl. Fun match that was going towards a possible nomination before the screwy finish.

 

Kendall Windham vs. Sean Royal (11/4/86)

 

This is JIP with a very young Royal facing a bandaged up Kendall. Solie saying that Kendall was a 2-time Texas Golden Gloves champ is funny. Hacksaw Higgins would run out which would bring out Barry Windham to make the save.

 

Then we get clips of a brawl between the Windham's and Ed Gantner/Higgins which is followed up by a promo with the Windham's.

 

Ron Simmons vs. Chris Champion (11/4/86)

 

This is also JIP with the two young lions going at it. Champion shows potential while Simmons was green as grass but had the look. Ron Bass comes out and interferes but Big Ron still wins and he cuts a promo afterwards which is also followed by a Simmons video of him playing in the USFL then training with Hiro Matsuda.

 

The Sheepherders come out next for a promo with Sean Royal carrying the flag and they want to destroy the Fabs.

 

The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane) vs. The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams) (11/4/86)

 

Keirn's mullet here is glorious. This is a brawl at the bell with the Fabs running wild over the Sheeps before it turns into a normal match. Luke would miss a running knee into the corner allowing Keirn to lock on the Eddie Graham figure-four but the referee gets distracted which allows Butch to attack Keirn which starts the heel domination. Luke would miss a diving body press off the top rope allowing Keirn to get the hot tag to Lane who takes on both Sheeps before locking on the sleeper on Luke but Butch would attack him. Keirn comes fighting back and the 4-way brawl was on which spills to the floor with Royal helping Butch post Lane while Keirn has his own sleeper on Luke. Butch then gets the flagpole and attacks Keirn with it but the DQ isn't called for some reason. Keirn would fight to get the pole and he used it on Butch then threatened the referee who then raised their hands. The ref missed his spot the way it looked and the finish was screwy but still this was a fun little sprint.

 

Canadian Lumberjack Match: Lex Luger vs. Outlaw Ron Bass (11/4/86)

 

Luger was wearing long tights during this stage of his career and the lumberjacks get shots in on Bass early after a Luger atomic drop sends him to the floor. TV time runs out very early in the match.

 

Hector Guerrero vs. Jack Hart (3/27/85)

 

Barry Horowitz is Jack Hart of course and he is working his loser gimmick with Percy Pringle as his manager. There were some awkward spots here especially on Hart's side. Percy pulls Hector's feet out from under him and Hart gets the pin but Bill Alfonso sees it and says the match continues so Hector rolls up Jack with an O'Connor Roll to win. Jack is pissed at Percy afterwards and they get into it verbally.

 

Jay & Mark Youngblood vs. Mike Golden & Wild Bill Irwin (3/2785)

 

This was worked a fast pace with both teams trading the advantage back and forth. Irwin was throwing some hard stomps on Mark while the Youngbloods fired off some hard chops. Youngbloods used a double dropkick followed up by a double-team slingshot body press to win a decent little match.

 

Next we get clips of Mike Graham vs. Ed Gantner & Sir Oliver Humperdink from 2/17/87. This is followed up by a hilarious promo from Gantner talking about all the famous women that want to date him and that he is running a contest for women to write 25 words or less to get a dream date with him.

 

Then we get a promo from Scott Hall about The Sheik coming to Florida with clips of him throwing fire on Sailor Art Thomas from 15 years earlier.

 

Next we get Coach's Corner with Kevin Sullivan & Sir Oliver Humperdink which features a crazy Sullivan calling out Bruiser Brody who is coming back to Florida. Sullivan is also trying his best to make Coach John Heath laugh talking about him practicing wrestling holds with Adrian Street. (2/21/87)

 

Tombstone vs. Black Magic (Norman Smiley) (2/21/87)

 

Tombstone is managed by Paul E. Dangerously in his very first managerial role and this dude was jacked but he sucked in the ring. Smiley was destroyed.

 

Then we get a promo from Adrian Street from Continental about coming in to work against Jack Hart. This is fun.

 

The Southern Boys (Steve Armstrong & Tracy Smothers) vs. The New Breed (Chris Champion & Sean Royal) (2/21/87)

 

I wish we had more matches from these two teams who had a fun feud in CWF at this time. TV time would run out before the end of the match.

 

Florida TV Title Tournament - Semifinals: Lex Luger vs. Hector Guerrero (2/19/86)

 

Luger is still green but improving in the ring and working against guys like Hector was definitely good for him although he basically mauled him. Tommy Wright was working as a referee here which was interesting since he was doing good in Memphis a few months earlier.

 

Next we get a promo from Blackjack Mulligan about his war with Sullivan's family with a taped promo from Sullivan before it. Superstar Billy Graham also sends in a taped promo as well. (2/19/86)

 

Then we get clips of Barry Windham vs. Flair from Battle of the Belts II.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & Kevin Sullivan vs. Bill & Randy Mulkey (June 1987)

 

This was during Sullivan's meltdown period where any time that Blackjack Mulligan was around Sullivan would act like a maniac. The Mulkey's would get destroyed here of course. The heels would confront Mulligan after the match and it broke down into a brawl with Mulligan getting the iron claw on Dory as Sullivan was going completely nuts. Dory would then get a steel chair as Mulligan had Humperdink in a claw and whacked Mulligan before being run off.

 

Mike Graham & Steve Keirn vs. Tahitian Prince & Teijho Khan (June 1987)

 

Tahitian Prince was Samu and Teijho Khan well you know. This was okay for what it was.

 

Sullivan then comes out ranting and raving about Dusty coming back to Florida to help Mulligan while Sullivan said that he can't get any help or sleep. Sullivan said that must get some help.

 

Next we get an episode of Global Wrestling which was Ann Gunkel's ponzi scheme working with Eddie Graham first then going to GCW a little later in the year. Ann Gunkel's Global = Jeff Jarrett's Global in many ways.

 

Dusty comes out for a promo talking about Roddy Piper who is in CWF for a couple of weeks and he said that he teamed with Piper in the past because he had to save him from beatings. Dusty is great here. (2/9/83)

 

Kevin Sullivan vs. Raul Mata (2/9/83)

 

This is a total squash.