6/23

Road Warriors vs. Samoan Swat Team

- This was really entertaining. The SST give Animal a sweet double thrust kick and the Samoans bounce all over for the Roadies offense. Too bad the Freebirds interfered before the match could pick up more steam.

 

Wrestling News Network w/ Gordon Solie

 

Jim Ross interviews Ric Flair (EXTRA for Terry Funk feud)

 

Fabulous Freebirds vs. Scott Hall & Ranger Ross

- This is AWA looking Scott Hall. Nothing special here. It doesn't help that Ranger Ross is bad.

 

Funk’s Grill w/ Missy Hyatt & the Steiners (EXTRA)

 

Terry Funk vs. Ricky Santana

- Funk just abuses Santana early on. However, Santana makes a comeback with some chops and punches. He is no Wahoo or Ronnie Garvin. Funk is bumping and bouncing in comic oversell Terry Funk mode. This match has no business on any Best of set.

 

6/30

Sting vs. Ron Simmons

- Simmons is either turning heel or just turned heel. Decent match with Sting winning with a Stinger Splash into a schoolboy pin.

 

Wrestling News Network w/ Gordon Solie

 

Ricky Santana & Brian Pillman vs. Jeff James & Al Green

- Lasts a little longer than normal squashes but mainly a showcase for Pillman.

 

Skyscrapers vs. George South & Trent Knight

- Squash for Sid and Spivey

 

Funk’s Grill w/ Lex Luger

 

Terry Gordy, Jimmy Garvin & Michael Hayes vs. Dr. Death, Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner

- We have a 5 out of 6 UWF reunion. Great double-teaming by the Birds in the early goings. Even Jimmy Garvin seems fired up. Awesome spot as Garvin grabs Eddie's hair while on the outside ring apron. Eddie turns to confront Garvin while Michael Hayes dropkicks Eddie into a Garvin punch. I love how the entire match built up to the inevitable showdown between Doc and Gordy but it ends shortly after with everyone brawling outside. This was super fun and probably a low-level nomination considering the amount of quality stuff that will be on this set.

Road Warriors vs SST

 

This was just a total blast while it lasted. I'd give it an EXTRA for the Ellering angle

 

6/30

 

Terry Gordy, Jimmy Garvin & Michael Hayes vs. Dr. Death, Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner

I'd go with this as a low-end nomination. It had some fun brawling in it. Rick Steiner had some fun comedy spots. With the talent out there it seemed liked it should have been better, but still a lot of fun.

NWA Power Hour 6/23/89

This is the debut episode of the show.

The Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) vs. The Samoan Swat Team (Fatu & Samu) (6/15/89)

This is a total brawl at the bell with the Roadies standing tall. The action was hot and heavy until the Freebirds ran out and attacked the Roadies then the SST took Paul Ellering away and destroyed him with the telephone and a pineapple. The angle was extra material.

Next we get the debut of the Wrestling News Network and the return of Gordon Solie to TBS which featured him talking about No Holds Barred, Eric Embry taking over World Class, & Dustin Rhodes in Florida which blew my mind as a kid.

Then we get Jim Ross interviewing Ric Flair poolside at his house about his comeback. Extra material.

The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy "Jam" Garvin & Michael "PS" Hayes) vs. Scott Hall & Ranger Ross (6/19/89)

The babyfaces give the champs fits early on as the Birds can't do anything right and they have issues with each other also. Birds would use their smarts though to get the advantage and it would lead them to an eventual victory as Gordy would sneak in and got a DDT on Hall behind the ref's back.

Next we get the debut of Funk's Grill with Missy Hyatt where he tries to kiss her in his own way until the Steiners show up.

Terry Funk vs. Ricky Santana (6/20/89)

These two had a wild match in Macon the day before and this is a day later in Savannah and it's just as wild if not wilder as Funk just beats the piss out of Santana on the floor and in the ring before Ricky made his comeback. Ricky had Funk reeling for a little bit as Funk was selling and bumping like crazy. The fans were loving Santana giving it to Funk until Funk backdropped him over the top to the floor. Funk then followed with a piledriver on the mat then tried to do it on the floor proper but Tommy Young pulled him off by the hair. Terry rolled Santana in the ring and pinned him to end it then slapped Young. Funk then beat down some jobbers until the Steiners walked out and Funk thought better of that. This isn't a nomination but I thought this was a blast.

NWA Power Hour 6/30/89

NWA World TV Title: Sting © vs. Ron Simmons (6/21/89)

This is quite the matchup considering what would happen 3 years later with both men. Simmons doing one armed pushups before the match was funny. Simmons is still green at working as a heel but he showed promise with his mannerisms. Decent match between the young lions but nothing special.

Then we get the Wrestling News Network w/Gordon Solie and we all thought it was wild that Solie talked about stuff going on outside the NWA especially WWF.

Brian Pillman & Ricky Santana vs. Al Green & Jeff James (6/20/89)

Pillman FINALLY makes his TV debut here and looks great.

The Skyscrapers ("Dangerous" Danny Spivey & Sid Vicious) vs. Trent Knight & George South (6/19/89)

Total destruction by the Skyscrapers who were making their debut as a team then became cult favorites at the time among a lot of us.

Next we get Funk's Grill with Lex Luger and this is a fun segment as both men do nothing but kiss each other's asses.

The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy "Jam" Garvin, Terry "Bamm Bamm" Gordy, & Michael "PS" Hayes) vs. "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, "Dog Faced Gremlin" Rick Steiner, & "Dr. Death" Steve Williams (6/19/89)

Ross tells the story before the match about how Doc & Gordy had wars in the UWF and hated each other. I know a lot of people shit on the Garvin era Freebirds but this year was their best year easily together and Garvin was reborn as a performer getting away from the Gorgeous Jimmy shit. Steiner was dominant early and they threw a chair in the ring where Steiner stomped it down then pinned it for a 3 count. Jim Ross actually says "sports entertainment" during the match so even the NWA was using that term in 1989. Steiner tries to bite Gordy leaving him open to an attack by Garvin and the Birds triple up on Steiner. Easy night so far for Steiner's teammates as he works the whole early part of the match before tagging in Gilbert who runs wild on the Birds then struts around with Steiner as he sends the Birds scurrying. Garvin would grab Gilbert's hair to distract him so Hayes could dropkick his back right into a Garvin punch which was a nice spot. The Birds then work over Gilbert with Gordy taunting Doc and the GIlbert FIP section was well done as they worked over his bad left knee while Doc tries his best to get at Gordy. Gilbert got the hot tag to Doc who was booked just like Shield era Roman Reigns here and he just went to war on Hayes & Garvin while Gordy watched from the apron. Doc then called Gordy in and the fans were pumped for this one as the hosses battled it out before the match went to the floor where everyone would get counted out. This was a very fun match and I'll co-sign Will's low-level nomination.