Posted May 7, 200916 yr comment_5439233 Mark Youngblood vs. Jerry Allen Decent enough technical match between two babyfaces. Jerry Allen's Psicosis bump near the end was crazy. Rick Rude vs. The Missing Link These two match up really well, which isn't surprising since Rude can be a great stooge and Link is a guy who gives his opponents ample opportunities to stooge off of him. So many headbutts in this match, and Link finds so many cool ways to do them, too. Really liked when Rude had clubbed Link down, and he was on his knees before him, so Link just dropped his head on Rude's feet. He also breaks out a really nice Mark Henry-style powerslam. Rude's own offense looks nice, and he does a good job getting over as the guy using his wits to stay on top of the wild and unpredictable Link. Good bit early where Link is hopping around like a maniac, and Rude is visibly put off, but then he starts hopping towards Rude and hops right into a kick to the midsection. Link is not the most dynamic seller here, but I don't think he's really holding things back much. This also has the ridiculous, over-the-top managerial stylings of Percy Pringle, which I am starting to develop a fondness for. The finish is pretty smart as far as World Class non-finishes go, further establishing the new rules for the newly-minted WCWA World Title, and illustrating the consequences of Pringle getting Rude DQ'd if this had been a title match. WCCW music video ("You Might Think") I liked this video, but it was...kinda odd. I mean, if nothing else, it was a video for World Class in general that aired in 1986, but mainly featured footage from 1983 and 1984, with a lot of focus on guys no longer in the company. I mean, one of the recurring bits in the video has them take still shots of different people, and have the camera pan around over them in time with the main riff, ending in an extreme close-up. But at one point, they do that with Killer Khan (no longer in the company), King Kong Bundy (about to main event WrestleMania 2), Jimmy Garvin and Precious (who were with Crockett), Kamala (who was with the WWF), a fan (who I guess might have still been a fan), Gino Hernandez (who was dead), and Ric Flair (who was NWA champ at a time when they were trying to build up their own World Title) in succession, and you kinda wonder what they were thinking. That said, timing and some...unfortunate close-ups aside, I actually kinda dug this. Sort of felt like the 1986 MTV-era version of a good YouTube tribute video, I think it might have a place as an extra. Steve Regal vs. Mike Reed Inoffensive. Chris Adams Interview Another well-done interview for an angle that couldn't really go anywhere for obvious reasons, as Bill Mercer goes across the pond to see how Chris Adams is doing and get a cup of tea from Jeannie Clark ("if you don't drink it, it will get...no, I'll save it for my next husband"). Possible extra material. The Missing Link vs. Buddy Roberts A little girl in the audience gives Link a stuffed bunny rabbit, and it is the most adorable thing ever. Match is pretty good. Roberts dominates, but once Link gets control, Buddy walks out, and that's all there is to it. Rick Rude vs. Kerry Von Erich This is kinda interesting in that it's a non-title match, and yet, it's the first match of the WCWA World Title era that actually feels like a real World Title match. I'm sure a lot of that is owed to Rude's opponent being unarguably the biggest star in the promotion, and one of the best big match performers of his day. On a certain level, I think it also helps that Rude and the Von Erichs aren't really feuding at this point. It's not worked as a grudge match, but as something more akin to Rude an NWA Title fight, with Rude playing the arrogant touring heel champ and Kerry as the local babyface star. The whole purpose of the match, of course, is to illustrate the difference between an actual NWA Title fight - where Ric Flair can get DQ'd and run off without having to face any real consequences - and a WCWA Title fight - where Rude can't run off to another territory, and where he won't actually be able to get away with getting DQ'd in a title match. This match is World Class giving the fans the kind of big title match that they've come to expect, but in the form of a non-title match, because an actual WCWA World Title match is going to have all this action and be decisive (go figure). Fortunately, this does deliver on the "action" front. It starts off with pretty straightforward technical exchanges won by Kerry and a lot of heel stalling by Rude before Kerry misses a dropkick and Rude takes over, starting the action in earnest. Both guys do some quality brawling, and there are also some neat throws in here. Rude has a good atomic drop and a pair of suplexes, and Kerry counters a camel clutch into probably the best looking electric chair drop I've ever seen. Then they get into the story of Kerry's injured left hand (the Freebirds had jumped him in a diner parking lot). Pringle, who is awesome here as usual, jabs the hand with his cane while the ref isn't looking (teasing the DQ again, but not actually getting it), and Rude goes after it. Kerry is still able to apply the claw with his right hand, though, and Rude not only blades off of it, but foams at the mouth off of it as well. The finish, with Rude chucking Kerry over the top rope to get DQ'd, is a little sudden, but again, establishes the impending threat of getting DQ'd in an actual title match, and the body of this match is definitely good enough for me to put it on the block.
November 12, 200915 yr comment_5445797 Mark Youngblood vs. Jerry Allen This is a good solid bout between the 2. Rick Rude vs. The Missing Link I thought both men worked well together. Rude's selling of Link's headbutts to the arm was awesome. The Link's headbutts to Rude's feet was fun. This was a good bout. The Missing Link vs. Buddy Roberts This was fine for what it was. Rick Rude vs. Kerry Von Erich I dug this and it feels like a nom. The bout had good heat and both men worked hard here. KVE was awesome with his charisma. This had a World Title bout feel to it. KVE did a great job of bringing Rude up. Rude bumped hard for KVE. Plus we get the added bonus of Rude puking in the ring. I'm guessing from being blown up. A good bout, and a nom.
January 4, 201015 yr comment_5446877 Again hitting stuff I haven't seen. Jerry Allen vs. Mark Youngblood (2/21/86) A rare babyface match on TV that was decent. The Missing Link vs. "Ravishing" Rick Rude (2/21/86) This is a non-title match. Link is starting to get over good as a babyface with Sunshine hanging around and his style actually works being a face. Percy would pop him with his stick for a really shitty DQ finish in a very short match which the finish had a little merit to it because of the new rules regarding their titles. Definite no from me on a nomination.
