Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: February 27, 1988 (taped 02/12)
Attendance: 3,800
Hosted by Marc Lowrance
Will Taylor take the title off Perez? What do Kerry, Adams, and Gordy have to do with it? Can the Fantastics and Grundy overcome Tatum, Victory, & Thing? What’s going on with Hayes? With all this excitement…
In the cold open, we revisit the aftermath of last week’s main event where the Freebirds dominated the Von Erichs and Adams until Kevin got freed from handcuffs and chased them off.
Match 1: Jason Sterling versus Bob Owen
Highlights:
- Sterling leaped to the second turnbuckle, floated over Owen, and took him down with an arm drag.
- When Lowrance described a Texas Round-up match, he basically entailed a match quite like the WWF Royal Rumble.
- Owen landed a fist drop and followed with a back elbow.
- As he dealt Sterling a knee lift, Owen split him in two with a backbreaker for a 2-count.
- Sterling avoided a back drop by leaping onto Owen’s back and hooked an inside cradle.
- 1-2-3.
- Sterling won at 3:49.
Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for Sterling. Besides an independent circuit match four months later, this match marked sayonara for Mr. Owen’s career. Unfortunately, he passed away in February 2013. RIP Bob Owen.
Prior to the next match, Apollo grabs the microphone and encourages Thing to perform his war dance.
Somehow, I don’t think that was it.
Match 2 (six-man): The Fantastics & Solomon Grundy versus “Hollywood’ John Tatum, the “Heartthrob of New Jersey” Jack Victory, & the Real Thing (w/ “Playboy” Vince Apollo)
Highlights:
- Victory planted Fulton with a pair of elbow smashes and followed with a cross corner whip.
- As Fulton connected with a flying headscissors, Tatum intervened only to get stymied.
- Tatum returned, but Fulton hooked a sunset flip for 1.
- When Thing tagged in, Fulton slid between his legs and tagged out.
- Grundy gave Thing a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- After Tatum tagged in, Fulton distracted referee Rick Hazzard.
- That enabled Thing and Tatum to unload a double back elbow to Fulton. SNEAKY!
- While Thing scored with a lariat, he missed a fist drop.
- Grundy gave Thing another cross corner whip and followed with an avalanche.
- Tagging in, Victory clotheslined Grundy and landed an elbow drop.
- Rogers tagged in and dropkicked Victory over the top rope to the floor.
- With Victory down, the Fantastics conducted a meeting of the minds between Thing and Tatum in the heel corner.
- Fulton tagged in and dealt Victory a knee lift for 1.
- Due to Thing’s distraction of Hazzard, Tatum nailed Fulton. Evil!
- Grundy further distracted Hazzard allowing the heels to triple-team Fulton. How dastardly!
- Taking his turn, Thing ate a knee lift from Fulton.
- He guillotined Fulton with the top rope and tagged in Victory.
- Since Victory continually distracted Hazzard, Thing got his licks in on Fulton. Nefarious!
- Victory got 2.
- Giving Fulton a cross corner whip, Victory came up empty on his follow-through.
- Tatum tagged in, but a mid-ring collision occurred.
- Hot tag Rogers.
- Backdropping Victory, Rogers baited the heels into the ring.
- All six wrestlers were in the ring, and Rogers hooked a crucifix on Victory for 2.
- In the meantime, Apollo jumped onto the apron only to get decked by Fulton.
- Tatum shielded Hazzard so that Apollo could mount the top turnbuckle.
- Subsequently, heel miscommunication led to Victory flat on his back in the middle of the ring.
- Rogers dropkicked Apollo out of the ring and pinned Victory.
- As a result, the Fantastics and Grundy won at 10:35.
Rating: ***
Summary: Yet another banger from our beloved Fantastics as they overcame numerous referee distractions and heel chicanery to score the victory.
In the ring, Lowrance interviews Kerry who absolves Michael Hayes of anything Freebird-related and welcomes him to join the war against them. He also believes that he can be World champion. Methinks Hayes wouldn’t join a war for one reason, and one reason alone…
We revisit last week when Hayes calls for peace between the Von Erichs and Freebirds. Next, we head to Fort Worth where Hayes plugs his March 4 concert at the Sportatorium. Hart, with Perez alongside him, interrupts Hayes to besmirch his musical abilities. Taking exception, Hayes stands his ground. Perez gets in his face and advises him to exit. Although he says he’ll leave, Hayes beats up both Hart and Perez to a MONSTER reaction from the Ft. Worth faithful. The numbers game catches up to Hayes until Gordy and Roberts chase them off.
Promo airs for THUNDERDOME. Catch it when it comes to your area!
Prior to the main event, “Gentleman” Chris Adams steps into the ring, grabs the microphone, and addresses Taylor. He turns his attention to Perez about the World title, but Gordy also enters the fray. As he takes the microphone, Gordy stakes his claim to a World title shot. Adams nails Gordy, so Perez blasts Adams.
While Hart protects Perez from Taylor, Gordy applies the Asiatic spike to Adams.
Kerry joins the party and brawls with Perez. With a discus punch, Kerry sends Perez reeling over the top rope onto ring announcer Ralph Pulley’s table. Gordy charges him, but Kerry dumps him over the top rope knocking down a cameraman.
Meanwhile, Taylor assists Adams to his feet. Since he can’t resist temptation, Taylor knocks Adams silly. WE HAVE A HEEL TURN! As he piledrives Adams twice, Taylor punishes Adams. Referee Bronko Lubich tries to intervene, but Taylor shoves him down. Ultimately, Kerry returns to chase off Taylor to end the show.
Conclusion: Chaos prevails yet again in the main event due to Taylor’s unprovoked attack upon Adams. Hayes’ musical career might need a hiatus so that he can deal with Perez. Also, the Fantastics energized the Dallas faithful like always and secured a victory over their archrivals Tatum and Victory with Thing in tow.
Next week, Taylor battles the “Maniac” for the Texas title!
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 03-05-88!
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