Again from my personal stash.

 

This starts with Ken Mantell coming out with Bruiser Brody & Kerry Von Erich demanding that Terry Gordy & One Man Gang come to the ring now to start their match as they can’t hold the match off any longer.

 

Bruiser Brody & “Modern Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich vs. Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy & One Man Gang (12/30/85)

 

This is nothing but a brawl to start as all four men pound each other until Brody gets the Gang’s chain and runs the heels out of the ring. The match would finally go normal with Kerry very quickly becoming the FIP taking a beating from the heels as Gordy would hit a big piledriver followed up by a fucking stiff clothesline that Kerry did a flip over. Kerry would duck another one though and locked on the iron claw before Gang attacked him which would bring in Brody setting off the 4-way brawl. Kerry would knock Gordy over the top rope with the discus punch before going after Gang who brought the chain in the ring. Gang would then assault Rick Hazzard as he choked Brody with the chain as the other two brawled. Kerry would end that though by backdropping Gang over the top rope and the heels would just walk away for a DDQ finish. This was fun but it wasn’t much of a match per se.

 

Then we get a promo by Chris Adams about Gino turning heel on him then clips of the history of the Dynamic Duo.

 

Next are promos for the Fort Worth show on 1/27/86 with Sunshine, Pringle, Rude, & Gang.

 

2 out of 3 falls: Buddy Roberts & “Ravishing” Rick Rude vs. Brian Adias & Iceman King Parsons (12/23/85)

 

Roberts & Rude is an odd pairing and Adias/Iceman have a history together being American Tag champs 2 years earlier. The first fall is all about Roberts getting his ass kicked by the faces until he would finally get the tag to Rude who would start the control section on Adias with both heels taking turns working him over. Iceman would get the hot tag and cleaned house on both heels as the fans went nuts but Rude would nail him with a clothesline out of nowhere to take the 1st fall. Iceman would continue to be dominated as the 2nd fall began with both heels taking turns on him in what seemed like forever before Iceman would hit the Butt Butt on Rude after ducking a clothesline attempt to win the 2nd fall. Iceman carried the momentum from the last fall to the 3rd one but this would become a battle of sleeper holds as Roberts would put one on Iceman, Iceman on Roberts, Adias on Roberts, then Adias on Rude before Iceman would get the tag and started throwing bombs on Rude. Rude would fight back before missing a diving fistdrop off the top rope allowing Iceman to get the hot tag to Adias. Adias comes in a house of fire on the heels before Roberts would get the blind tag and hit Adias with a flying elbow off of the top rope to the back of Adias’ head to get the win. This was a long match and was pretty good so I’m throwing this on the block as a low-end nomination.

 

Then we get promos by Kerry, Tatum, Missy, & Freebirds regarding the Fort Worth show on 1/27/86.

 

Next is a history of Sunshine/Missy.

 

Then we get clips of the Freebirds returning to World Class jumping the Von Erich’s followed up by clips of their Christmas match at Reunion Arena that still wasn’t in full.

 

World Class TV Title: Mark Youngblood © vs. Buddy Roberts (2/3/86)

 

This begins Buddy Roberts’ greatest year as a wrestler I think as he had some really solid matches in UWF later in the year but this one was also pretty nifty as Buddy bumps and sells all over the place and there are some cool spots here you didn’t see much at the time like the dueling body scissors where the man lifted you up while sitting on your ass and dropped you back down hard. Buddy pulled off a great counter as he worked his way back to his feet and turned over Youngblood into a Boston Crab showing some strength. Youngblood looked good here as well chopping Buddy all over the place but Buddy would just kick the shit out of Youngblood as he went for a backdrop to change the momentum. Youngblood would come back though with more chops before Buddy would break out a swinging neckbreaker to win the match. This was a lot of fun and I’m throwing this on the block.

 

Brody then comes out and cuts a promo about his chain match with One Man Gang the previous week in Fort Worth that ends up with the Freebirds jumping Brody until The Missing Link makes the save.

 

Jerry Allen (Jerry Oske) vs. The Grappler (Len Denton) (2/3/86)

 

This match wasn’t really much of anything and went to a draw.

 

Tatum & Missy then cut a promo in the ring with Marc Lowrance about Sunshine then the Grappler cuts a promo about defending his Texas title which is funny since he just went to a lackluster draw with Jerry Allen and the Freebirds close it out.

 

2 out of 3 falls: Brian Adias vs. Jack Victory (2/3/86)

 

This was okay but again nothing special.

 

Then we get promos by Lance, Adias, & Sunshine about future shows.

 

Chain Steel Cage Match: Bruiser Brody vs. One Man Gang (1/27/86)

 

This is an interesting concept as the wrestlers are chained together inside the cage and the winner must unchain himself and leave the cage. Brody bleeds profusely here as both men just beat on each other with the chain but after about 6 minutes, Brody would unhook himself and walked out of the cage. Freebirds then jumped Brody after the match and it was a mugging in the cage until the Von Erichs could make the save. This was criminally short but I think this should be on the set somehow maybe as an extra.

 

Lance Von Erich vs. “Hollywood” John Tatum (2/3/86)

 

Michael Hayes does color commentary here and is great as usual. The match was okay but TV time ran out before the end.

 

World Class TV Title: Buddy Roberts © vs. Brian Adias (2/10/86)

 

I liked the armwork early on by Buddy that Adias would counter out of by biting him on the back of the leg and I also liked the headscissors work by Adias with Roberts trying to MUGA himself out of it before getting to the ropes. Joe Rinelli starts the minute by minute countdown so they are working towards a draw as Buddy locks on a sleeper hold. Roberts would go for a bulldog but missed allowing Adias to make a comeback trying to get a pinfall on Buddy before time elapsed. Adias goes for various cradles and the like to get the win but the time runs out with Buddy being saved by the bell. This was a good match but of the Roberts singles matches on here I liked the Youngblood one better. Not enough for a nomination.

 

Then we get promos in the ring by The Grappler about various topics.

 

Iceman King Parsons vs. The Grappler (Len Denton) (2/10/86)

 

This match was fine but it just missed something for me. Iceman gets the win using a small package on Grappler as he tried to load the boot and Grappler sure doesn’t win much as the Texas champ.

 

Then we get promos by Gordy, Roberts, Iceman, Tatum, & Missy about various topics.

 

2 out of 3 falls: “Hollywood” John Tatum vs. Mark Youngblood (2/10/86)

 

The disc runs out before the 1st fall ends.

Disc 1:

 

That was a really funky intro. I want to see that make the set in some capacity.

 

Bruiser Brody & "Modern Day Warrior" Kerry Von Erich vs. Terry "Bamm Bamm" Gordy & One Man Gang (12/30/85)

 

Agreed that this was really fun but probably not a nomination.

 

Sunshine Interview

Pringle & Rude Interview

One Man Gang Interview

 

I think there's a case for this segment as an extra. Sunshine's promo is good, though it probably wouldn't go on by itself. But Pringle & Rude were a great combination, and they are a real hoot here. And then the Gang's promo is just crazy. "YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT MY ARM OFF, BRODY!" If anyone can make a gif of him spinning around while talking about how they're going to be surrounded by a steel cage, I'd appreciate it as a late Hannukah/early birthday present.

 

2 out of 3 falls: Buddy Roberts & "Ravishing" Rick Rude vs. Brian Adias & Iceman King Parsons (12/23/85)

 

I don't know if this was quite good enough to justify the length, but it was still great, and I will second the nomination. Roberts is at his old-school heelish best here. Loved the bit with his kidney punches early on. Rude might be an odd partner for him, but they meshed well, and Percy Pringle was a riot at ringside as always. Iceman came up with another big performance here, and even Adias looked solid.

 

Kerry Von Erich Interview

Missy & Tatum Interview

Freebirds Interview

 

Another good round of promos. The first two are fine but inessential, but the Freebirds' promo should be an extra.

 

World Class TV Title: Mark Youngblood © vs. Buddy Roberts (2/3/86)

 

I enjoyed this, but the finish felt kinda abrupt. This was worked kinda like a pocket version of Baba/Destroyer, and I liked that, but that's a kind of match that calls for more time and/or a 2/3 falls stip. I'm going to say "no" to this.

 

Bruider Brody Interview

 

The Freebirds run in, but The Missing Link drives them off. Good little angle.

 

Jerry Allen (Jerry Oske) vs. The Grappler (Len Denton) (2/3/86)

 

Unremarkable.

 

Disc 2:

 

Missy & Tatum Interview

Grappler Interview

Freebirds Interview

 

Those Freebirds sure can cut a promo, can't they? I think Buddy might actually be the best micworker at this point, talking about how he's getting in great shape carrying all those belts around. Hayes actually gets his wires crossed, putting down Missy Hyatt after she had talked up how "Fabulous" the Freebirds were, while Gordy remembers that they're actually going to be teaming with Tatum soon. Maybe sometimes scripting promos is a good thing.

 

2 out of 3 falls: Brian Adias vs. Jack Victory (2/3/86)

 

Oh, God, not a 2/3 falls Brian Adias singles match! Jack Victory is there to help it along, but still, this is excruciatingly dull. I was more interested in the LensCrafters commercial than this.

 

Chain Steel Cage Match: Bruiser Brody vs. One Man Gang (1/27/86)

 

Interesting gimmick, although I don't recall them saying anything about having to take the chain with you when you left until Gang tried to do just that. Match was good, but kind of a let down. Gang didn't seem as fired up as I'd have hoped. Not a nomination, and probably not an extra, either.

 

World Class TV Title: Buddy Roberts © vs. Brian Adias (2/10/86)

 

I liked this more than Kris. Buddy seems to bring the best out of Adias, and he was great heeling it up and stooging for him. This also didn't have the pacing issues of the Youngblood match, as the last five minutes picks up the tempo enough that it feels right for a 15-minute match. I am going to throw it on the block.

 

The Grappler Interview

 

Denton was a pretty damn good interview. "When you're the greatest wrestler in the world today, they don't call you a great wrestler. They call you 'The Grappler'. Beat me if you can! Survive if I let you!" Probably falls a little short of extradom, but I liked this a bunch.

 

Iceman King Parsons vs. The Grappler (Len Denton) (2/10/86)

 

Good but not great bout.