Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: September 26, 1987 (taped 09/18)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Marc Lowrance
Who’s the latest newcomer? Can Borne topple Perez to earn a title shot? Can the Simpson brothers climb the mountain to achieve glory? Will Adias make a comeback after what happened last week? What’s on Hart’s mind this week? Lots at stake this week, so come in and get ya some!
Opening montage.
Match 1: Brian Adias (w/o the Ninja) versus Vic Steamboat
Highlights:
- Lowrance apologized for the haphazard style of broadcasting from last week, and Adias sported a cast due to Kevin’s breaking the Dim Chang hand thus “nullifying it.”
- For those curious, the Sportatorium looked quite empty AGAIN. More on this later.
- When he blocked a hip toss, Steamboat fed Adias one of his own.
- Borne joined the broadcast table for this match.
- As Adias dealt him a knee to the midsection, he gave Steamboat a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Borne drops the BIG NEWS that Iron Sheik joined the WCWA.
- After Adias rolled up Steamboat, he got 2.
- Referee John Keaton admonished Adias about his shenanigans while Borne ran down Sheik.
- While Steamboat scored with a cross body block, he got 2.
- He gave Adias a cross corner whip and followed with chops.
- Rebounding with a shot to the midsection, Adias got 2.
- Steamboat attempted another cross body block, but Adias evaded him.
- Soaring between the ropes, Steamboat got his left leg caught in the ropes.
- Adias joined him on the floor and rammed him face-first into ring announcer Ralph Pulley’s table.
- Positioning Steamboat against the ring post, Adias swung his broken hand, missed Steamboat, but HIT THE POLE.
- With Steamboat and Adias battling on the floor, Keaton called for the bell.
- The match ended in a double countout at 6:26.
Rating: **
Summary: A bit disjointed, but I can see future matches between the two being better than this encounter.
POINT OF ORDER: For those unaware, back on May 26, 1987, Sheik was riding in a car with “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, arrested for cocaine possession, and placed on probation by the WWF. Since he couldn’t compete on TV for them, he took other bookings including this stint in the WCWA. In a funny yet quizzical part of the story, Duggan was quoted as saying “we had drive-thru liquor stores in Louisiana. I didn’t know you couldn’t drink and drive in New Jersey.”
Match 2: The Mexican Connection versus the “Thumper” Frankie Lancaster & “Playboy” Vince Apollo (w/ Cowboy Tony)
Highlights:
- Kerry joined the broadcast table for this match.
- As the heels gave him a cross corner whip, Villalobos leaped to the second turnbuckle and floated over them.
- He sprinted to the opposite corner, leaped to the second turnbuckle, and scored with a cross body block to Apollo for 2.
- When all four wrestlers were in the ring, the heels whipped the Mexican Connection toward one another.
- The Mexican Connection performed a do-si-do, and the heels were both clobbered and dropkicked.
- After Lancaster tagged in, Villalobos fed him a sunset flip for 2.
- According to Lowrance, Eric Embry went “to South Africa and won the light heavyweight wrestling title of the world.” Methinks he didn’t leave his living room sofa.
- Madril tagged in while Kerry lied worse than a politician turned used car salesman.
- While a criss-cross occurred, Madril nailed Apollo.
- Tags were exchanged on both sides, and Lancaster belted Villalobos so hard the latter fell through the ropes to the floor.
- Backdropping Villalobos, Lancaster landed a leg drop, brother.
- He suplexed Villalobos and got 2.
- Tagging in, Apollo slammed Villalobos and followed with a back elbow.
- Lancaster tagged in, gave Villalobos a cross corner whip, but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Getting another turn, Madril popped Lancaster like a balloon in a room filled with cats.
- He launched a flying shoulder block and got 2.
- Hooking an O’Connor roll, Madril got 2, yet Tony jumped into the ring to thwart the pinfall.
- Referee John Keaton called for the bell, and the Mexican Connection won by DQ at 6:58.
Rating: **
Summary: You could smell the DQ coming a mile away, but what does Tony have in his saddle bag this week?
The heels send Villalobos into Tony who clotheslines him with a bull whip. As Tony sends him across, the heels double-clothesline Madril with the whip. Tony whips Villalobos until Kerry exits the broadcast table and storms like a ring like a man possessed. As Kerry leaves the ring in marvelous condition, the Dallas faithful chant his name.
FRITZ’S SCRAPBOOK: Fritz talks about the Labor Day Star Wars card and the Simpson brothers’ victory to capture the World tag team titles. We head to Fort Worth, and the Simpson brothers double-dropkick Embry. As Shaun hooks a victory roll, he gets 2. All four wrestlers were in the ring until Embry dumps Shaun outside. After a BUSTED OPEN Lancaster catapults Steve into the top turnbuckle, Shaun returns and HAMMERS Embry for the pin and the titles. To say the Fort Worth faithful went crazy would be an understatement. THEY LOST THEIR DAMN MINDS!
According to Fritz, Steve suffered a “detached retina” during the match. He had successful surgery to repair it and is recuperating just fine. Upon mentioning the Cotton Bowl spectacular on 10/17, Fritz mandated the titles be defended.
Send your cards and letters in support of:
Steve Simpson
P. O. Box 57589
Dallas, TX 75207
GARY’S CORNER:
No, I didn’t overthrow the episode. Gary Hart requested equal time and commandeered Kerry’s Korner. As Hart taunts the WCWA faithful about Perez’s becoming World champion, Perez himself plans not only to keep the World title but also attain the World tag team titles alongside the Iron Sheik. Speaking of whom, Sheik rattles off his accolades before declaring himself, Perez, and Hart all “#1.”
Prior to the next match, Sheik requests to sing the Iranian national anthem, and Hart implores the Dallas faithful to respect him. Sheik sings then berates the Dallas faithful for booing him.
Match 3: The Iron Sheik (w/ Gary Hart) versus Sal Oliveras
Highlights:
- For those unaware, Oliveras wrestled in WCCW back in ’82.
- KEGL radio personality John Roberts joined the broadcast table for this match.
- When Sheik clotheslined Olivares, Lowrance mentioned Sheik’s achievement as a former WWF champion.
- Sheik fed Olivares a gutwrench suplex and picked him up at 2.
- As he dealt Olivares a release German suplex, Sheik trapped him in a camel clutch.
- Olivares submitted; thus, Sheik won at 1:42.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for the newcomer.
After the match, Sheik removes the Iranian flag from its pole and drapes it over Olivares. He grabs the microphone again and blathers almost as bad as “Hollywood” Hogan.
Prior to the main event, Hart grabs the microphone and chastises Borne for his earlier commentary against the Iron Sheik. Borne states that after he finishes off the World champion, he can wrestle Sheik.
Match 4 (non-title): WCWA World champion Al Perez (w/ Gary Hart & the Iron Sheik) versus “Maniac” Matt Borne
Highlights:
- Brian Adias joined the broadcast table for this match.
- As Adias claimed that despite the hand being broken, Dim Chang had not been nullified.
- Borne fed Perez an atomic drop, and the Dallas faithful belted out a “go, Matt, go” chant for him.
- When Perez dealt him a pair of shots to the midsection, he slammed Borne.
- Perez missed an elbow drop, so Borne retaliated with a knee lift.
- After he gave Perez a cross corner whip, Borne backdropped him.
- He delivered a lariat and got 2.
- While Perez’s kickout sent him atop referee Bronko Lubich, Borne tossed the World champion over the top rope to the floor.
- With Perez on the apron, Borne suplexed him back into the ring.
- Lubich remained down on the mat, so Borne could only earn a false pin.
- Jumping into the ring, Sheik attacked Borne.
- Lubich saw the interference and called for the bell.
- As a result, Borne won by DQ at 6:40.
Rating: *
Summary: More angle than match as Borne’s attention will be directed away from Perez and toward Sheik.
Following the match, Perez holds Borne, and Sheik loads the boot before kicking him. How dastardly!
Conclusion: Quite the introduction for Sheik as either he or his name was plastered all over the episode. Also, it was awesome to see Kerry return to the ring albeit to make a save.
The victory by the Simpson brothers allows Embry to return to singles action. The decision in the Adias-Steamboat match makes sense as Adias is a headliner who should elevate Steamboat but not lose.
EDITOR’S NOTE: I’ve seen the documentaries made about WCCW and the Von Erichs. On one of them, a fan was quoted as saying: “They lied to us!” Well, I just thought that fan was wrapped up in the world of kayfabe.
On the other hand, the proof is in the pudding, RSG-ites. For the second consecutive taping since Fritz publicly fired William Vaughn and outed him for not being a real Von Erich, the WCCW fans speak with their dollars and don’t show up en masse.
Coming around the corner for the promotion is the Cotton Bowl followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas. Fritz had better pray these shows which help to spawn Kerry’s comeback bring the fans back, or this promotion won’t see 1989 very brightly if at all.
Next week, Sheik squares off against Madril!
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 10-03-87!
Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).