Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: October 11, 1986 (taped 09/05)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Bill Mercer
Can Kevin and Mike zap the power that is Rude and Warrior? Who makes his WCCW debut? And what in the blue hell happened to Zulu? Grab a snack and enjoy some ‘rasslin’!
Opening montage.
Mercer hosts the show from the control center. That’s a new twist.
Match 1: Steve Simpson versus “Maniac” Mark Lewin (w/ Gary Hart)
Highlights:
- Lewin played “hide the foreign object” with Hart who jumped onto the apron.
- When Hart distracted referee Bronko Lubich, Lewin BLASTED Simpson with the foreign object. SNEAKY!
- The match segued to the floor, and Simpson hammered Lewin with a steel chair.
- As Lewin rebounded by ramming Simpson face-first into Lowrance’s table, he made Simpson HIT THE POLE.
- Lewin sent him head-first into a barricade post, but Simpson came back to make him HIT THE POLE.
- After he slammed Lewin on the floor, Simpson valiantly tried to re-enter the ring.
- Lewin stopped him, and they battled to a double countout at 1:52.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Lewin wanted no part of a wrestling match with Simpson. Instead, it was a brawl without a winner.
After the match, the melee continues up the aisle until the commercial break.
Match 2 (non-title): WCWA Brass Knuckles champion Abdullah the Butcher (w/ Gary Hart) versus Brian Adias
Highlights:
- Abdullah headbutted and shoulder-blocked Adias from the center of the ring to the floor. Where’s coach Landry to sign him up for the offensive line?
- As Abdullah snared him in a trapezius hold, Adias escaped and nailed him with the heavy artillery.
- Abdullah retaliated by jabbing him in the throat and tossing him to the floor.
- When Adias attempted a ten-punch count-along, Hart distracted referee Bronko Lubich.
- That allowed Abdullah to choke Adias with some tape. How dastardly!
- After he landed an elbow drop, Abdullah pinned Adias at 5:08.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase “match” for Abdullah while Adias continues to slide down the card.
We revisit the 9/27 episode when Warrior became a babyface thanks to Sawyer and Borne. Afterward, Warrior cuts a coherent promo on them in Fort Worth. He’s seeking revenge with Simpson by his side. Suddenly, Sawyer and Borne storm the ring to double-team him. Warrior takes control until Sawyer annihilates him with a cowbell. As they tie a chain around Warrior’s neck, Pringle taunts him. Finally, Simpson brings a chair with him to chase the heels away.
Prior to the next match, Sharpe intercepts the microphone and offers Zulu a job. Zulu refuses, and Sharpe instructs Crusher to “show no mercy.”
Match 3: Crusher Yurkov (w/ “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe) versus Zulu
Highlights:
- This match occurred on 9/29 in Fort Worth.
- When Zulu applied a side head lock, Crusher tossed him across the ring. Impressive!
- Crusher hip-tossed Zulu who did NOT sell it well.
- Following a clip, Crusher dropkicked Zulu, and Sharpe gave him hell for it.
- Nevertheless, Crusher landed an elbow drop and picked up Zulu at 2.
- Crusher slammed Zulu and obliterated him with a leg drop.
- As he fed Zulu a back elbow, Crusher took him down and got another 2.
- After a second clip, Crusher sent Zulu to the concrete floor, and Sharpe grabbed and gave him some unsolicited advice.
- Upon his return, Zulu headbutted Crusher.
- He gave Crusher a cross corner whip and headbutted him again for 2.
- While Crusher suplexed Zulu, he got 2.
- He headbutted Zulu but suffered the worst of it.
- With a modified belly-to-belly suplex, Crusher earned another 2-count.
- He dealt Zulu a diving head butt, flattened him with another leg drop, mounted the top turnbuckle, and launched a flying splash.
- 1-2-3.
- Crusher won at 7:28 shown.
Rating: *
Summary: This was EXTREMELY early in Bigelow’s career, and Zulu wasn’t the proper opponent to showcase him well. However, the flying splash was rather spectacular.
Following the match, Sharpe enters the ring and chews out Zulu. Remarkably, it appears that Zulu may want Sharpe to second him going forward. Later, Sharpe, along with Crusher and Zulu Gadafi, announces that “the new Zulu” will square off against Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat at the Cotton Bowl.
Match 4: Kevin & Mike Von Erich versus “Ravishing” Rick Rude & Warrior (w/ Raven)
Highlights:
- During a test-of-strength, Kevin climbed the ropes and fed Rude an arm drag. Splendid!
- Mike tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and lowered the boom onto Rude.
- As Mike whipped him into the corner, he followed with a knee to the midsection.
- Kevin tagged in, mounted the top turnbuckle, and lowered even more boom.
- When Warrior tagged in, he applied a bear hug.
- Kevin escaped, but Warrior reapplied it.
- After Warrior dealt Kevin a belly-to-belly suplex, Rude tagged in and hooked an abdominal stretch.
- Kevin escaped with a hip toss, mule-kicked Rude, mounted the top turnbuckle, and trapped him in an Iron Claw.
- While referee Ralph Pulley was checking on him, Rude BELTED him. Nefarious!
- Kevin tossed Rude down to the floor, and Pulley called for the bell.
- As a result, Kevin and Mike won at 8:41.
Rating: ***
Summary: Crappy finish to a hot match. Methinks Rude pled with Fritz not to be pinned on TV before leaving for JCP. Yes, this was his final WCWA appearance.
Afterward, Warrior objects to Rude’s selfishness by shoving him. He chokes Rude who scurries away with Raven. The Dallas faithful celebrates with a “Ding-o” chant. Before Rude leaves, he hoists the steps onto the apron. Warrior drops a chair and lifts the steps with one arm. Amazing!
Prior to the end of the episode, Kevin joins Mercer in the control center. Mercer announces the World title bout between Black Bart and Kevin for the Cotton Bowl. As Kevin mentions Kerry’s achievement of the World title from two years ago, he says “now it’s my chance.”
Conclusion: Ever the heel, Rude finds a way not to get pinned in his final Sportatorium appearance. Warrior’s face turn continues as he joins Simpson to battle the World tag team champions. I’ll give WCCW credit for doing at least something with Zulu. While Abdullah continues to be a menace, Crusher makes his debut and dazzles despite his rawness.
Next week, Black Bart defends the World title against Kevin at the Cotton Bowl.
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 10-18-86!
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