Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: November 8, 1986 (taped 10/24)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Bill Mercer
Can Lance and Casey earn a title shot by upsetting the World tag team champions? How will the Youngbloods fare against Larry Sharpe’s monsters? What’s on Warrior’s mind this week? Are you ready for some Texas ‘rasslin’?
Opening montage.
Match 1: Black Bart versus Perry Jackson
Highlights:
- Jackson scored with a cross body block and got 1.
- When Black Bart clotheslined him, he worked on Jackson’s left arm.
- He leg-dropped the arm, slammed Jackson, mounted the second turnbuckle, and launched a flying leg drop.
- 1-2-3.
- Black Bart won at 5:04.
Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for the former World champion.
From Fort Worth, Marc Lowrance interviews Mike and Lance Von Erich. Mike wants to “take care of” Adias “any place, anytime, any way.” On another note, Lance describes the damage caused to him by Borne and Sawyer and wants to battle them either alone or with a partner. Lance gets his wish in the next match.
Match 2 (non-title): WCWA World tag team champions “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer & “Maniac” Matt Borne (w/ Percy Pringle) versus Lance Von Erich & Scott Casey
Highlights:
- Casey hip-tossed Sawyer and followed with a dropkick.
- As Borne jumped into the ring, Casey chased him away.
- In an inset promo, Warrior set his sights on the World tag team titles. At least that’s what I thought he said.
- Nevertheless, Borne tagged in, gave Casey a cross corner whip, but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Casey slammed Borne and tagged in Lance.
- When Lance mounted the top turnbuckle, he lowered the boom onto Borne.
- Lance clotheslined him and followed with a vertical suplex for 1.
- After Sawyer tagged in, Lance hooked an arm bar but wouldn’t let go.
- Sawyer rebounded with a back elbow but missed an elbow drop.
- While Sawyer fed Lance a backbreaker, Borne tagged in but missed a diving head butt.
- Mercer shilled the upcoming Thanksgiving spectacular but neglected to announce any featured matches. Odd.
- Tagging in, Casey dropkicked Borne but fell victim to a Samoan drop.
- Borne dealt him an elbow drop and got 1.
- Rejoining the match, Sawyer clotheslined Casey.
- Borne tagged in, landed another pair of elbow drops, and got 2.
- Slamming Casey, Borne mounted the second turnbuckle and launched a flying knee drop.
- Sawyer tagged in and suplexed Casey.
- Delivering a pair of elbow drops, Sawyer hooked a gutwrench suplex.
- He mounted the second turnbuckle, leaped, but there wasn’t any water in the pool.
- Hot tag Lance.
- Backdropping Sawyer, Lance gave him a ten-punch count-along.
- All four wrestlers were in the ring, and Pringle jumped onto the apron.
- Upon nailing Pringle, Lance unceremoniously brought him into the ring.
- Pringle’s involvement caused referee Rick Hazzard to be preoccupied, so Borne brought a chain into the ring and blasted Lance with it. How dastardly!
- With the evidence removed from the crime scene, Sawyer covered Lance.
- 1-2-3.
- Sawyer and Borne won at 9:59.
Rating: ***
Summary: Chicanery by the heels allowed the champs to leave another mark on Lance.
After the match, Warrior approaches the ring, and David Manning soon follows him. Manning spoke to Hazzard who, in turn, reversed the decision. Meanwhile, Casey and Borne battle on the carpet until Borne gets the better of him by making Casey HIT THE POLE. Sawyer and Borne attack him, but Warrior chairs a meeting of the minds between them. The Dallas faithful showers him with a “Din-go” chant to end the segment.
Match 3: Steve Simpson versus Mike Reed
Highlights:
- During Simpson’s introduction, Lowrance mentioned that he’d just been interviewed. As you might recall, that interview occurred “last week.”
- Simpson blocked a hip toss and fed Reed one of his own.
- When he slammed Reed, Simpson landed an elbow drop but missed a second attempt.
- Reed slammed him twice, but Simpson rebounded with his own slam.
- As he dealt Reed an elbow drop, Simpson got 1.
- He gave Reed a cross corner whip and followed with a monkey flip.
- After he gave Reed another cross corner whip, Simpson backdropped him.
- He mounted the top turnbuckle, but they botched a cross body block.
- Nonetheless, Simpson pinned Reed at 7:08.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Simpson, but Reed, as an experienced enhancement talent, should have been in better position for the finish.
Match 4: Bruiser Brody versus Spike Johnson
Highlights:
- Brody fed Johnson a back elbow while Master Gee cut an inset promo on Brody as well as the Von Erichs. At least he’s more coherent than Warrior.
- As Johnson stood on the apron, Brody dealt him a big boot sending him reeling down to the carpet.
- A chopfest ensued until Brody reversed a cross corner whip and delivered another big boot.
- 1-2-3.
- Brody won at 4:08.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Brody.
From the studio, Lowrance interviews Warrior who unfathomably cuts a more coherent promo than his earlier effort. Warrior isn’t scared of any Butchers, Mad Dogs, Maniacs, or Crushers.
Match 5: The Youngbloods versus Crusher Yurkov & Zulu Khalafi (w/ “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe)
Highlights:
- This is the main event?
- Chris tagged in, and the Youngbloods fed Zulu a double back elbow.
- When Chris missed a dropkick, Crusher tagged in and launched a lariat.
- He dealt Chris a facecrusher while the Dallas faithful clamored for vegetable shortening.
- As he slammed Chris, Crusher landed an elbow drop.
- Mark tagged in, but Crusher somersaulted away from a Youngblood double-team. Nifty!
- After he bulldozed down both Youngbloods, Crusher fell victim to a schoolboy from Chris.
- Mark got 2 from it, so Chris gave it the old college try and got 2 as well.
- While the Youngbloods scored with a double dropkick, Mark evaded a charging Crusher who flipped over the top turnbuckle, migrated to the apron, mounted the top turnbuckle, and flattened Mark.
- 1-2-3.
- Crusher and Zulu won at 5:21.
Rating: *
Summary: A whole lot of promise in the ring but also a whole lotta inexperience.
Conclusion: Since the Dusty finish had ruined quite a few main events, I understand WCWA’s reasoning behind putting it second rather than last; however, the “main event” ended up being a bunch of young guys trying to figure out how to work.
My recommendation for this episode is to watch the Mike/Lance interview followed by the Lance/Casey versus Sawyer/Borne match and SHUT IT OFF.
Next week, Kevin battles the “Maniac.”
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 11-15-86!
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