JCP February-April 1984

This starts with the end of the Mosca Jr./Ivan match from 2/22/84.

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Semifinals: "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (2/22/84)

 

There is some good hard hitting back and forth action here with Valentine working babyface still being fun to me. Good selling on both men's part here especially Slater before a really crappy finish as they brawled to the floor and Slater got a full-nelson on Valentine before tossing him aside to beat the count in the ring. If there was a better finish this could be a nomination.

 

Next we get Flair & Wahoo shilling the Starrcade 83 color program that they were selling via mail and this is great. Extra material.

 

Then we get clips of Ernie Ladd squashing Bubba Smith (Douglas) before Rufus R. Jones runs out to make the save. Rufus vs. Ladd matches had to be horrific.

 

Next we get a Jimmy Valiant narrated video announcing his return with him in the streets playing his harmonica and Muddy Waters blasting in the background. He announces that he will put his hair on the line against Assassin #2's mask for Boogie Jam 1984 which took place in various cities. This also features the debut of Big Mama as she gets in Valiant's Cadillac while Beat It by Michael Jackson plays. Slam dunk extra.

 

Then we get a promo from Junkyard Dog about coming home to the Carolinas for the Boogie Man Jam. (2/29/84)

 

Paul Jones & Assassins are out next talking about Valiant being in the gutter before JYD comes out with a wheelbarrow saying that he is going to take out the trash which angered Jones who slapped JYD. JYD then nailed Assassin #1 with a soupbone for good measure. JYD in JCP a couple of years earlier could've been huge and he was still a big deal here at this time. Extra material. (2/29/84)

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Semifinals: Mark Youngblood vs. Assassin #2 (2/29/84)

 

These guys feuded under different names 2 years earlier in Central States. Just a match and kinda boring although Youngblood cheating to win by using the ropes was funny. Assassin #1 would join his partner in destroying Mark after the match.

 

Flair is out next for a promo where he talks about how he wishes he could be around more to help Valiant in his war against the Assassins but being NWA champ prevents that. (2/29/84)

 

Then we get a promo

 

Brickhouse Brown vs. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd (2/22/84)

 

Rufus is watching from ringside as Ladd pounds on the young jobber Brickhouse then distracts Ladd so Brickhouse could get a flash pinfall to win the match. Ladd then destroys Rufus after the match.

 

Rufus then cuts a promo saying that he will put up $1,000 if Ladd would face him in a match.

 

Ladd then cuts a promo on Rufus where he rips him up and down and this is funny.

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Finals: Mark Youngblood vs. "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater (3/7/84)

 

Slater jumps Youngblood at the bell and on the floor before Tim Horner comes out to help Youngblood to the back but Mark says no way and comes back to the ring where he takes more punishment from Slater. Slater is relentless working over Mark with the crowd going nuts for Mark wanting him to fight back and he does but Slater cuts him off fairly quickly. Youngblood is good here selling the beating and just as good with his hope spots. Slater brings Mark back in the ring from the apron with a backdrop suplex hold but his shoulders stay down as Mark gets one up to get the win. The fans are nuts for the finish seeing Mark beat the top heel in the promotion even in a flukish way. Good for what it was but not a nomination.

 

Junkyard Dog & "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. Bobby Bass & Kurt Von Hess (3/21/84)

 

Easy win for the faces.

 

"Pride of the Carolinas" Don Kernodle & "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Angelo Mosca Jr. (3/21/84)

 

Tully Blanchard is on commentary and he is new in the area. Dory's deal here is he is working as a mentor for Angelo. Angelo starts out strong working over the heels before bringing in Dory who rolls around on the mat with Kernodle for a minute before tagging Angelo back in the ring. Mosca continues to do work then tags in Dory who comes in for a minute then tags right back out with David Crockett saying maybe just Dory is having a bad night. Mosca meanwhile is dominating the heels before Dory accidentally hits him with a running forearm then shoves him blaming him for the mistake. Dory then jumps off the apron walking around on the floor and leaves Mosca alone in the ring. Mosca would climb up top with Gary Hart throwing him off allowing Kernodle to cover him for the win. Dory then jumps back in the ring and attacks Mosca slapping him before leaving the ring. Fun angle and extra material.

 

Next we get clips of a Briscos/Youngbloods match where the Briscos try and break Mark's leg like they broke Jay's leg over a year earlier.

 

NWA World TV Title: Mark Youngblood © vs. Tully Blanchard (3/28/84)

 

Funny seeing Paul Jones manage Tully here. Some good back and forth action to start before Mark would climb up top trying to bring Tully back in the ring and would get his left leg caught in the ropes allowing Tully the window to attack the leg. Tully would then follow up with a gourdbuster for a nearfall as he was trying to put Mark away but Mark would fight back firing off some chops. Mark would trap Tully in the corner but Tully would pull Mark headfirst into a turnbuckle before Mark would come back with a backslide for a nearfall. Paul Jones though distracted Stu Schwartz and as Mark went to argue Tully would knee him in the back then pinned him with Jones pulling Mark's foot off the bottom rope. Good little match but not a nomination.

 

Then we get the awesome video for The Great Kabuki and this is a definite extra.

 

Next we get a promo with David Crockett pressuring Paul Jones and Assassin #2 to unmask with Jones ripping Assassin #2 for being a weak link. Jones accepts a steel cage match to face Valiant down the road but he thinks he is talking about Assassin #1 not himself even though Crockett clearly said it was Jones. Paul goes nuts after signing it and then #2 has to take his mask off revealing Hercules Hernandez. Assassin #1 & Jones then destroy Herc afterwards for good measure. Extra material.

 

NWA World Tag Titles: Chief Wahoo McDaniel & Mark Youngblood © vs. Jack & Jerry Brisco (4/4/84)

 

The champs run wild at the start taking it to Jack then Jerry after he tags in. Mark would really wrench in a headlock on Jerry who would work his way to his corner so Jack could come off the top to break it up. Jack would come in and he worked a reverse chinlock as the fans go nuts for Mark wanting him to tag in Wahoo which he finally does. Wahoo comes in and cleans house on both Brisco's until Jerry would use roughhouse tactics to weaken him allowing the Brisco' to get the advantage back. Mark would get the hot tag though and he would start firing chops again with the champs firmly taking the advantage beating down Jerry. The match would soon break down into a 4-way brawl before Jerry threw Wahoo right into Jack's head which looked like it hurt like a motherfucker as Jack flew off to the floor. Wahoo tried to get up on the pinfall not remembering it was supposed to be the finish and it took two attempts to make the count. I dug this match a lot and the finish was quite interesting so I think this is a nomination.

 

Then we get a promo from Ricky Steamboat at his home and he accepted Jim Crockett's offer for the match against Flair explaining that it was his dream to be world champion. Extra material.

 

Next we get the Starrcade 83 video.

 

Junkyard Dog vs. "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater (4/11/84)

 

Tully comes out immediately and gets in JYD's face so JYD throws him in the ring and hits him with the big Thump. JYD then rips Tully's clothes before Slater runs back in as Roughhouse Fargo has let everything go so far. The battle goes to the floor where JYD gets the advantage then hits the big Thump for a nearfall but Slater gets his foot on the rope. Tully then comes back out and attacks JYD causing the DQ and it's 2-on-1 but Slater accidentally hit Tully and JYD made his own save. Fun segment.

 

Then we get clips of a Briscos/Youngbloods match from Charlotte with Briscos getting beaten then Wahoo running out only to get attacked by Slater.

 

Next we get the Adrian Street video for Imagine What I Could Do To You as he was coming into the area.

 

Then we get another version of the Kabuki video.

 

Rufus R. Jones vs. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd (3/14/84)

 

Ladd accepts Rufus' $1,000 for wrestling him then walks out of the ring with Gary Hart then cuts a great promo talking about how stupid Rufus is before Rufus finally runs him back towards the ring. Rufus then attacks Hart and brawls with both heels in the ring. This is pretty hilarious.

 

Next we get the Steamer video set to Old & Wise by Alan Parsons Project followed up by clips of Steamer making his return in Greensboro on 3/17/84 with the fans going nuts. Slater then comes out whining about Flair again.

 

Junkyard Dog vs. The Great Kabuki (4/4/84)

 

JYD has his chain to counter Kabuki's karate knives. Crowd loved JYD but this wasn't very good then you add in the DQ finish with Gary Hart but at least Kabuki sprays red mist in JYD's face.

 

Then we get a promo from Street which was interesting to say the least.

 

Next we get a Tully Blanchard video which is a day in his life and this is really good. Extra material.