Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: September 27, 1986 (taped 09/19)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Bill Mercer
Who is the new WCWA World champion? How does he make a grand entrance? Can the Von Erichs retain the World Six-Man titles? What’s up with Warrior? You might want to sit down for this episode because…
Opening montage.
During Mercer’s introduction, he announces that BLACK BART has captured the World title.
Match 1: The US Express versus the Grappler & Spike Johnson
Highlights:
- For those unaware, I have NO CLUE who Johnson is. It takes true talent, or lack thereof, to be completely unknown in today’s world.
- Brad tagged in, blocked a hip toss, and fed Grappler one of his own.
- When Bart tagged in, he mounted the top turnbuckle and lowered the boom onto Grappler.
- Johnson tagged in, but Bart took him down to the mat.
- As Grappler distracted referee Ralph Pulley, Brad illegally switched with Bart much to the delight of the Dallas faithful.
- Grappler continued to complain, so the US Express switched again. Crafty!
- After Brad tagged in, the US Express split Johnson’s uprights and dealt Grappler a double fist to his masked noggin.
- Johnson gained the advantage thanks to a third Grappler distraction and launched Brad across the ring.
- While he delivered a lariat, Johnson slammed Bart.
- Grappler tagged in and suplexed Bart for 2.
- Clotheslining Bart, Grappler tagged out so that Johnson could blast Bart with a knee lift.
- Bart rebounded with a dropkick, but Johnson dumped him with a gutwrench slam.
- To a chant of “U-S-A” by the Dallas faithful, Johnson mistimed eating a dropkick. Yikes!
- Johnson tried to compensate with a backbreaker and tagged in Grappler.
- Hot tag Brad.
- Upon backdropping Grappler, Brad dropkicked him.
- Johnson tagged in, and it took two dropkicks to take him off his feet.
- Obliterating Brad with a backbreaker, Johnson pinned Brad at 6:03.
Rating: *
Summary: Whew! This Johnson kid is RAW, and I don’t mean the Monday night show.
In a pre-taped interview, “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe, proprietor of the World Famous Monster Factory, introduces his prized pupil—the Crusher. No, not the beer-swilling, cigar-smoking, polka-dancing bear from Milwaukee. It’s Bam Bam Bigelow who mugs for the camera.
Match 2: Steve Simpson versus “Killer” Tim Brooks
Highlights:
- Mercer plugged the Cotton Bowl Show on 10/12, and Brooks tossed Simpson to the floor.
- As Simpson grabbed him by the boots, he crotched Brooks on the ring post. Afterward, Brooks couldn’t sing like his long-lost cousin Garth but probably sounded more like his long-lost uncle Mel.
- Simpson gave Brooks a cross corner whip followed by a monkey flip.
- When he leapfrogged Brooks, Simpson hooked a sunset flip.
- 1-2-3.
- Simpson won at 4:58.
Rating: *
Summary: Slow start, but once they got the engine running, the match took off.
Match 3: Bruiser Brody versus Perry Jackson
Highlights:
- Joined in progress, Brody fed Jackson a big boot.
- Jackson rebounded with a knee to the midsection, gave Brody a cross corner whip, but ate boot on his follow-through.
- When Brody landed a back elbow, he got 2.
- He slammed Jackson and scored with a flying knee drop.
- 1-2-3.
- Brody won at 3:20 shown.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Brody.
Following a commercial break, Black Bart sat atop a horse at ringside. According to Mercer, Black Bart defeated “Gentleman” Chris Adams “out on the west coast.” Is that anywhere near Rio De Janeiro? Regardless, Black Bart, dismounted, wore the World title belt around his waist, and joined Mercer for a very brief interview.
Match 4 (non-title): WCWA World champion Black Bart versus Steve Doll
Highlights:
- Yes, for those of you who are wrestling historians, this was the SAME Steve Doll who wrestled during Scott Hall’s infamous return to WCW in 1996.
- Black Bart suplexed Doll before feeding him a knee lift.
- As he backdropped Doll, Black Bart rammed him face-first into the mat.
- He guillotined Doll across the top rope and tossed him to the floor.
- When he dealt Doll a lariat, Black Bart slammed him.
- He mounted the second turnbuckle and launched a flying leg drop.
- 1-2-3.
- Black Bart won at 3:39.
Rating: ½*
Summary: Showcase match for the *COUGH* new World champion.
Following the match, Black Bart grabs his branding iron from ringside and brands Doll on the chest.
POINT OF ORDER: I understand that WCCW didn’t want to besmirch Adams as he had been a long-time money-making veteran but transitioning the title via phantom victory “over on the west coast” is not the best way to transfer the title. WCCW should have paid attention to the AWA earlier in the year when they transitioned the World title to Nick Bockwinkel. Instead, they should have built a #1 contender’s match and held it for the title at the Cotton Bowl.
Match 5 for the WCWA World Six-Man titles: Kevin, Mike, & Lance Von Erich (champions) versus the Dingo Warrior, “Maniac” Matt Borne, & “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer (w/ Percy Pringle)
Highlights:
- Mike reversed a cross corner whip and monkey-flipped Sawyer.
- When Mike dropkicked him, Sawyer flew between the ropes to the floor.
- Tags were exchanged on both sides, and the Dallas faithful waived pink handkerchiefs at Pringle.
- As Kevin dropkicked him twice, he fed Borne a flying headscissors.
- Mike tagged in unbeknownst to Borne and dropkicked him.
- After he whipped Borne into the corner, Mike backdropped him.
- Borne used momentum and the trunks to send Mike reeling into the heel corner.
- While Warrior tagged in, he slammed Mike and landed a series of elbow drops.
- He whipped Mike off the ropes but also sent Borne flying off the apron and into the front row. Oops.
- Slamming Mike, Warrior mounted the second turnbuckle but mistimed a flying splash. D’oh!
- Sawyer tagged in, but Mike caught him with a cross body block for 2.
- Dealing Mike a backbreaker, Sawyer tagged out to Borne.
- Immediately, chaos ensued due to Kevin’s brotherly protection of Mike.
- Escaping another slam, Mike tagged out to Kevin who gave Borne a cross corner whip and pounded Sawyer.
- Lance tagged in, mounted the top turnbuckle, and launched a flying elbow drop for 2.
- Suplexing Borne, Lance got another 2.
- Borne leapfrogged him, but Lance scored with a cross body block yet couldn’t get 3.
- Tagging in, Sawyer got trapped in a backslide by Lance for 2.
- Lance dropkicked Sawyer, and Kevin tagged in.
- Missing an elbow drop, Kevin ate a clothesline from a freshly tagged Warrior.
- Speaking of Warrior, he mounted the second turnbuckle but missed a flying splash.
- Kevin tagged in, mounted the top turnbuckle, and hammered Warrior with a flying elbow smash.
- Landing a knee drop, Kevin got 2.
- Borne tagged in but got slammed by Kevin.
- Joining the match, Mike backdropped Borne again. No Connie DeSapio jokes please.
- Tags were exchanged on both sides again, and Kevin along with Mike nailed Warrior with a double dropkick. Woohoo!
- Eating another dropkick from Kevin, Warrior was unable to tag out due to his partners’ reluctance. What’s up with that?
- Kevin slammed Warrior and connected with a splash for 2.
- Again, reluctance on the part of the World tag team champions prevented Warrior from tagging out. This is no accident.
- Mike tagged in and backdropped Warrior.
- Reaching for the tag, Kevin mounted the top turnbuckle and soared with a cross body block.
- 1-2-3.
- Kevin, Lance, and Mike retained at 11:17.
Rating: ****
Summary: One of the better matches of the year as the Von Erichs took to the air to defeat their challengers. Of course, it didn’t help that the challengers employed mutiny upon one of their own.
After the match, Pringle berates Warrior until Warrior steals his cane and jabs it at his feet. He clotheslines Pringle out of the ring and breaks the cane in two. To the tremendous approval from the Dallas faithful, Warrior dismantles the World tag team champions. WE HAVE A FACE TURN!
Conclusion: If World Class wanted to shovel the mess that is Black Bart as World champion under the rug, turning Warrior babyface was a great way to do it.
With Mike’s weaknesses disguised in a six-man man, the main event sent the Dallas faithful home happy after pulling their hearts out with the new champion. Also, Black Bart, Simpson and Brody won their matches, but stay away from that opener.
Next week, the World tag team champions square off against Zulu & Doll. In the main event?
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 10-04-86!
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