A THREAD IN WHICH WE WATCH AND DISCUSS PRE-95 WCW TV

[PowerButchi]

The theme song of this thread

 

So, there's loads on Dailymotion, TV shows please, not PPV as WCW TV Shows are class. The lower down the alphabet the better too.

 

Anyway, let's get this ball rolling with...

 

 

NWA PRO WRESTLING, APRIL 14th, 1990

 

We start with a pretaped promo with the Steiners, and Scott Steiner has WORDS for Wrecking Crew #2, as they'll be taking each other on later. I'm going to guess one of them will be Al Green as these people were always Al Green. Watch me be wrong. #1 couldn't get it done apparently and now #2 gets the job. Which they'll be doing. Yeah, so our main event is Los Steiners vs Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2. So I was wrong thinking it was Al Green, as I'm pretty sure the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 were Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom. Watch me be wrong, again. It's not a Butch review without critique of attire, and Rick's wearing a fetching "I <3 PAIN" T-shirt.

 

On commentary is LANCE RUSSELL! *Spunk* He's with Jimmy Jam Garvin, a fine colour man, and the Russell/Freebirds combinations on 1990 Pro are some of my favourite announce teams ever, so I'm more than happy with this. Garvin's got a wonderful perm. Jimmy's looking resplendent in a tux and saying "It ain't gonna happen to me this week baby!" over and over again. I think this is during the fun Rock n Roll Express vs Freebirds feud where the RnR would embarrass the Freedbirds every week. Something to do with a gold record. Yes, yes it is. Ricky Morton "Destroyed the film and ruined all the fun for you and the fans". That makes Morton the heel to me. SPOILING OUR FUN. Ha, awesome. Jimmy's handcuffed the master tape to his wrist so we can watch it later and HAVE OUR FUN. It's obvious where it's going, but it's enjoyable so I don't care. Garvin's such a tremendous ham. The tape is of the European Tour, and we're all gonna see it later. And again, it's not going to happen to him this week, baby.

 

 

SIX MAN TAG - BUBBA ROSE, MARK KYLE, BOB COOK vs CAPTAIN MIKE ROTUNDA, NORMAN, ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER.

 

So, the Varsity Club is dead, and now Captain Mike captains a boat. He actually got a boat out of WCW for this apparently. He's got an anchor on his trunks, wears a yacht cap and a windbreaker. Abdullah the Butcher and Norman the Lunatic are announced as his "crew". I think Abdullah's a smidgin miscast in that role. Bob Cook and Mark Kyle are two of the NWA's more used jobbers, and Mark Kyle and Gary Hart have never been seen in the same room at the same time. Abdullah fucks Cook right out of the ring. Actually, he fucks them all out. Hiptoss and dropkick to cook from the Cap'n, and he tags in Norman the Lunatic, whp's sans teddy bears today. Headbutt to Cook and Cook falls into his corner and tags in Kyle. Kyle's quickly forearm smashed to the ground, and Norman tags in "Crewmate" Abdullah the Butcher who I'd assume is the Ship's Cook or something. And he just twats Kyle, standing on him and stuff. He tags in Captain Mike who schoolboys Kyle for two. Pointless schoolboy. Kyle tags in Bubba Rose. Bodyslam and tag to Norman. You know we had the thread of wrestlers who look like they smell? Well, Mike Shaw looked far more fucking pungent as Norman the Lunatic than he did as Bastian Booger. Powerslam, tag to Rotunda, couple of elbows and Rose tags out to Bob Cook. Cook gets some punches and a kneedrop off on Rotunda before tagging Kyle. Rotunda just punches him and brings Norman back in. Leg drop by Norman and a noogie, clothesline and in comes Abdullah. He chucks out Kyle and Norman smacks his head into the post. Norman back in and Kyle tags in Rose and this squash has really outstayed it's welcome now. We're around the 8 minute mark. Tag to Rotunda, he goes up top and hits an elbow and doesn't pin. For fuck sake. Look, I like Norman, but Abdullah and ESPECIALLY MIKE ROTUNDA are two of my least favourite wrestlers ever. Not much less boring than Mike Rotunda, and he's in a fucking near 10 minute squash. Just fuck off ok, just fuck off. Suplex, two count, FUCKING HELL! END! Tag to Norman, bodyslam, Abdullah, bodyslam, running elbow, pin, THREE. FINALLY. FUCKING FINALLY! WHY WAS THIS SQUASH SO FUCKING LONG! TEN MINUTES! TEN!

 

 

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS! CACTUS JACK AND KEVIN SULLIVAN PROMO! YES YES YES! Cactus calls out the three bastards from the last match. These two talk gibberish, but it's entertaining gibberish. Ooooooh! And they're in a match and it's next.

 

 

CACTUS JACK/KEVIN SULLIVAN vs KEITH HART/POWERHOUSE TIM PARKER

 

No, not that Keith Hart. Powerhouse Parker is one of the first WCW guys, well jobbers, I ever saw on an episode of NWA Power Hour on Sky. I think he was against One Man Gang. Kevin Sullivan squashes are always great, so I expect nothing less here. And true to form Sullivan starts quick, mullering Parker in the corner. Garvin on commentary claims Sting is retiring due to his bad knee and Lance gives it his patented "Will you stop?" and has a go at Garvin for starting rumours. Fantastic announce team. Jacks in and continues the pounding. Cactus misses a shoulder charge, Parker tags in Hart who goes up top and comes down with a missile dropkick. A dropkick for Sullivan and he's ON FIRE. Running elbow for Jack and a back body drop. VICTORY ROLL by Hart, and it gets 2 and they're making him look really good here. Goes for another, but Jack drops him face first on the turnbuckle. Jacks hands Hart in a tree of woe over the security rail and Sullivan puts it to him. Jack keeps working voer Hart in the centre of the ring, followed by a back suplex. Sullivan's tagged in and keeps the energy up with a pounding. Throws Hart outside the ring, whereupon Jack gives him a russian legsweep to the concrete. Back in the ring, where Sullivan hits a back body drop, tags in Cactus, and a piledriver is delivered. He pins, but pulls Hart up on 2. He goes on top, but MISSES a big elbow. Hart tags in Parker. And Powerhouse is a HOUSE OF POWER, for all of 3 seconds before Jack just chucks him out of the ring. Running flying clothesling from the apron to the floor. Sweet! Tag to Sullivan. Punch to the face, double stomp, and that's stumps. Now, that's a far better squash. Perfectly enjoyable.

 

 

PRETAPES - Flair and Woman and up first. Flair does his stock interview, and that's not a bad thing. He's putting his NWA title on the line against Sexy Lexy Luger. This is going into the fine cage match they had at Capital Combat. Anyone who says Lex Luger was shit is an idiot who's opinion shouldn't be taken seriously. Especially from 1988-1991. Lex Luger retorts saying "It's a new era in Pro Wrestling. It's the Big Man Era." and I can see Vince McMahon's yoghurt rifle getting tumescent from here. "It's a big man's sport, and you're looking at the best of the big men!"

 

 

IN RING INTERVIEW - Lance Russell is joined by Road Warrior Hawk. Doom are causing the Roadies problems, and Hawk's not having it. Doom's using weapons, and Hawk doesn't blame them as he'd use weapons against him and Animal do to stand a chance. It's a hard timer being a Road Warrior, but it's harder times facing them. And here come Doom to attack. As you fans of Memphis know, attacks like this are where Lance Russell really shines. Hawk takes control at first, but the numbers are soon too much for Hawk and a beating ensues. On the house mic, "HEY! WE'RE NOT GONNA SIT BACK AND WATCH THREE KILL ONE MAN, LET'S GO TO COMMERCIAL AND GET SOME HELP OUT HERE!". Lance Russell is great. Great, great, great. Best announcer ever, he skullfucks Jim Ross. Doom hit a stuff piledriver. "WE NEED SOMEONE TO COME OUT HERE AND HELP HIM FOR CRYING OUT LOUD". Finally the Steiners come out for the save.

 

 

DOOM w/ Theodore R. Long vs "FROM EUROPE" ZAN PANZER/RIC FARGO.

 

Yes, Zan Panzer hails "From Europe", which is up there with Black Blood's "A little town in France". He also sports luminous pink attire with mask. He looks like a highlighter pen. Ric Fargo isn't one of the Fargos. Doom's music is great. Two big black chaps with rage in their eyes, and all manner of white women fucked in front of their weedy husbands, but they come out to light saxophone diddling.

 

FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE -

 

Doom are going to fucking kill them here. I love Doom. Two big bomb throwing motherfuckers. I ain't a Butch Reed Mark for nothing. Garvin starts blaming Lance Russell for Doom just piledriving Hawk saying he sttartted it, and Russell says he refuses to accept that off someone with a stupid videotape handcuffed to their arm. "HEY! IT'S NOT STUPID! THAT'S OUR CONCERT ON THERE!". Ron Simmons pushes Zan Panzer over, and Garvin claims the crowd are chanting "Theodore R. Long!". Lance claims it sounds more like Peanut Head, but Garvin's not having it.  Simmons is clubbering Europe's Own Zan Panzer, and hits a bodyslam. Leg drop, and tag to MY MAN Butch Reed. Back body drop by Reed. Panzer punches, Reed doesn't sell, and introduces the European into the turnbuckle. Verticle suplex, and Reed starts twatting fargo on the apron.

 

Garvin: Doom are my favourite team, I gotta tell you.

Lance: Oh, you and your taste!

 

While Reed beasts Panzer, garvin claims that his concert has 35 cameras and 500,000 lazer lights and we're gonna see it later. In comes Fargo to a beating by my man big Butch. In comes Ron Simmons, Doomsday Device using a shoulder block instead of a clothesline and that's three. Perfectly serviceable squash.

 

 

"And now to another cheery soul, here's some words from Ole Anderson" HA! Ole says Sting should announce that the Horsemen have beaten him and he should retire. 

 

 

NWA WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES - THE STEINERS © vs MINNESOTA WRECKING CREW 2.

 

The crew are masked, but it does appear to be Enos and Bloom. These two teams had a fine match to kick off Royal Rumble 1993, so I'm hoping for more of the same here. The Steiners used to wear some amazing singlets. Lance declares them "Neon Athletes" as they shine so brightly atop the NWA. Back body drop on one of the crew members, they're masked so I ain't gonna try and tell them apart. Scott with an atomic drop and bodyslam. The crew take over with a fistdrop and kneedrop, but Scott hits the Tilt a Whirl. Rick and Scott each slam a crew member and the crew bail. Powerslam by one of the crew on Rick, kneelift, Irish Whip, REVERSED, STEINERLINE! That crew member tags out and the incoming one is met by a knee to the gut and a tag to Scott who hits a kneelift. Other crew member is tagged in and is hit with another Steinerline. Scott poses but is thrown between the ropes where he is set upon by both members. They twat his arm into the ring post. Garvin decides it's Scotts fault. "He has no place on the floor. he should be in the ring wrestling LIKE HE'S SUPPOSED TO. But Nooooooo... He's outside trying to stir up trouble.". In the ring again and his shoulder is beaten into the turnbuckle. Shoulderbreaker on Scott. Crew do a switch, Hammerlock bodyslam. Crew continues to work the hammerlock. Scott does like a shiranui into a schoolboy and it's AWESOME, but it's in the ropes. Damn, that was good. Bodyslam on Scott and the beating continues. Irish Whip, reversed, FRANKENSTEINER OUT OF NOWHERE! No pin, hot tag to Rick. STEINERLINE! Powerslam, but the pinfall is broken up by the other crew member. One crew member holds Rick for a clothesline but Rick moves and the holder takes a tumble to the outside. German suplex, and THAT'S THREE. Fine match. All action, and a quality 4 minute sprint.

 

 

Pretape - Jim Cornette has words for "Cryin' Brian and his partner Tom Stink". Tom Stink made me laugh far more than it should have. The Midnights want their US Titles, and Brian and Zenk and "An insignificant zit on the hide of humanity". Cornette's a great promo, it's easy to forget that when you think about how much of a past it, rent-a-gob, dickhead he is these days. That's followed by a graphic for the STING COLOURING CONTEST! ACE!

 

 

THE MAIN EVENT - FOOTAGE OF THE FABULOUS FREEBIRDS EUROPEAN TOUR

 

We've waited all hour for it, but here it comes. The footage of the European tour. Lance says he wants to show Garvin up as he's gone on about it all hour, so give Lance the tape so we can see the footage of the European Tour. Hopefully featuring Europe's Own Zan Panzer. Garvin says he needs to build it up first as there's 36 cameras, 500 lazer lights, 112,000 SCREAMING FANS. Lance is losing patience and just wants the tape as we're running out of time. Garvin says "Be Patient!" in a very funny manner and checks his pocket for the keys to the handcuff and OH NO... HE'S LOST THE KEY! HAHAHA! He accusses Lance of pickpocketing him and being a thief to more wondrous Lance indignation. "If it wasn't hooked to your shoulders you'd probably lose your head as well". Lance plugs next week, tells Jimmy they're going to have words about this when the cameras are off and the show ends just as Lance goes "WILL YOU GET YOUR HANDS OUT OF MY POCKETS!". Tremendous!

 

Anyway, good show. The first sqaush was like pulling teeth, the rest was fun though and Garvin and Russell are a brilliant announce team. Fun, fun, fun. If you'd like to watch the show yourself it's at http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x29q38l_nwa-pro-april-14-1990_sport

[Egg Shen]

great shout Butch, this is an era i know little about so i'll read along, keep the links coming

[Linus]

Was this an hour or two? That's a lot to pack into an hour, if the former.

 

The Minnesota Wrecking Crew were Enos & Bloom. The Wrecking Crew - who were from anywhere but Minnesota, you can assume - were Al Greene & Marc Laurinatis.

 

I love shows like this. Shows like this are what built wrestling and what would continue to build wrestling if they weren't so intent on spunking their load on two- and three-hour SPECTACULARS, instead of saving that stuff for PPV.

 

I will follow this thread with interest. And maybe even contribute. I watched a Loch Ness match for the $tewStyle Memorial RIM and it whet my appetite. Whet, I say!

[PowerButchi]

One hour.

[garynysmon]

I'm at work right now so can't watch a show at the moment, but there's no way I can click 'back' without stating how much I loved Doom's theme 

[Psygnosis]

Keep it up! Great read.

[quote the raven]

Was it around this time doom went from masked jobbers to main events