WWF Intercontinental Champion Tito Santana vs Paul Orndorff - St. Louis 9/1/84

 

WWF invades the former capital of the National Wrestling Alliance taking over their TV after Sam Muchnick's retirement left St. Louis vulnerable. It might be happenstance but these two work a very workrate match and I think it has to do with the fact that they are wrestling in the heart of NWA country. Lots of chaining at the beginning and nearfalls down the stretch. As far as the WWF goes these are two of the less gimmicky wrestlers and they wrestle this mostly straight. There is a moment where they break after a chaining sequence and Tito has his dukes up and Orndorff is wheeling back into the ropes. That's the definition of a face and heel right there. Santana and Orndorff are great working the holds and keeping the tempo up. Orndorff shoots Tito off and hits a wicked reverse atomic drop. This must have been a favorite of Tito. Orndorff gets mean knocking Tito out and atomic drop on the floor. Tito is really selling well. A little king of the mountain, an Orndorff favorite perhaps. Lots of good nearfalls down the stretch, back suplex for Wonderful, cross body for Tito had the place rocking. Tito has some really good fired up punches down the stretch. Orndorff did a great jelly leg sell of them before bumping off the last one. Just as I think Tito is going to take this one; Orndorff catches him with a nasty clothesline for two! Bell rings and it is a draw. Wonderful is pissed and I would be too. He had him dead to rites. Very different match than usual for the WWF, heavy on workrate and nearfalls. Nice change of pace, thought these two were great at executing it. ***1/2

Originally aired on WWF All American Wrestling 9/16/84.   Available on the Coliseum VHS, Best of the WWF Volume 2