We pick things up in late April of 1986.
Unfortunately, we missed a lot of good stuff that was cut out between the last tape and this one. Watts told Dick Slater, who held the North American and Television titles, that he had to give one of them up. Slater said he would let his good friend, Buzz Sawyer, defend the TV Title on his behalf. Watts didn’t like that much, so he tricked Slater into signing a match between Sawyer and Jim Duggan on March 16, 1986 for the North American title.
Sawyer lost, of course, and Slater was left without any belt at all. He begged Sawyer to give him the TV Title back, but Sawyer told him to go to hell. Dark Journey was sick of Slater being such a loser, so she dumped him. So there goes Dick Slater from the promotion.
Eddie Gilbert debuted his new tag team — the Blade Runners (Sting and Rock). Gilbert will quickly become a lead heel in the UWF.
Mid-South is beginning the transition to the Universal Wrestling Federation in an attempt to compete with Vince McMahon and Jim Crockett. Jim Duggan’s North American Title will be retired and a tournament is coming up to crown the first UWF Champion.
And with that, we begin.
Your hosts are Paul Boesch and Peter Birkholz for “Houston Wrestling” and Jim Ross, Bill Watts, and/or Michael Hayes for “UWF Wrestling.”
Six-Man Tag: Terry Taylor & The Fantastics vs. Jack Victory & The Sheepherders (w/Lady Maxine).
JIP. Sadness, Part I: Jim Ross is guest commentator and says that you can find wrestling all over the dial. I suppose it’s still true – Raw, SD, Heat, Velocity, Experience, Afterburn. It’s all good. One of the Sheeps hits Fulton with the flag pole. Luke nails him with a chair and the crowd is pissed, including one guy who keeps stalking the ‘Herders with an American Flag. Victory is doing the Rob Conway “turncoat” gimmick. Fulton and Luke knock heads for a double KO. Fulton recovers first and makes the hot tag to Rogers. KATIE-BAR-THE-DOOR! Taylor and Luke wind up in the ring together and Taylor nails the Fivearm. Victory goes up, but Fulton shoves him off the top. Tommy Gilbert finally just calls for the bell at 11:30 (shown). The six men continue to brawl for another five minutes or so. Wild stuff. ***
The Fantastics are pissed at the Sheepherders. They want them in any kind of match.
Brett Sawyer vs. Gustavo Mendoza.
Sawyer wins with a crossbody in a jobber match. (Someone probably no-showed).*ј
“UWF Television”
Your hosts are Jim Ross and Bill Watts.
From the Tulsa Convention Center in Tulsa, Okla. (where it always breaks loose).
We open with footage of Skandor Akbar trying to a light a fireball in Steve Williams’ face with the help of the Blade Runners, but Jim Duggan makes the save.
JR hypes the tournament to crown the first ever UWF Champion. Watts puts over a local kick boxer.
Kamala (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Tracy Smothers. Kamala wins easily with a splash. Smothers would go on to be one of the Southern Boys in WCW. ј*
Korstia Korchenko vs. Perry Jackson.
with a Canadian Backbreaker Drop (De-Railer) ј*
After the match, Korchenko covers Perry with the Soviet Flag. This draws out Steve Williams to make the save. Of course, that draws out The Blade Runners (“Rock” and “Sting”) to attack Williams. But then, that draws out Williams’s partner, Ted Dibiase, to make the save. That’s very 1999 “Raw.”
The following is the setup to one of the hottest segments of all time (and one of my personal favorites in wrestling history).
Watts gets in the ring and voices his disgust over Eddie Gilbert’s antics. He calls Eddie out to the ring. Watts bans the Soviet Flag from the UWF. Gilbert whines about it until Korstia Korchenko and the Blade Runners come back out. Watts threatens to fire them all if they try anything. Dr. Death comes back out, but Watts restrains him. Watts spies Korchenko plotting something in the corner and takes him out with a punch. Dibiase runs back out and the faces clear the ring of the heels. Oh, but it’s far from over, William Watts!
Jim Duggan gives a nice heartfelt interview talking about how much he loves the Mid-South Title and wants to be the last man to hold it.
The Fantastics threaten the Sheepherders.
Michael Hayes comes out to replace Bill Watts on commentary.
Ted Dibiase vs. Gustavo Mendoza. Long match considering the participants. Dibiase wins with a sickening lariat and a powerslam. Ñ•*
Jim Ross hosts a tкte-а-tкte with Dark Journey and Lady Maxine. Journey says she’s living life for herself and not for Dick Slater. She’s now out for the top. Ross then turns to Maxine. I should probably describe Maxine. She seems like a girl who was very hot at one point, but the punk lifestyle took over. In fact, she looks a little like Gwen Stefani with a blue Mohawk. Ross presses her on her involvement in Jack Victory’s matches. She says they only mark down “wins” or “losses” in the record books. She says that she wants to win and that’s something she and DJ have in common. DJ interrupts and says that they have nothing in common. DJ finishes by throwing a drink in Maxine’s face and storming out. You tell ’em, DJ!
Recap of the Dark Journey backstage story: Dark Journey was a crack whore who only got her managerial job because she was blowing Dick Slater. When Slater left the territory, Dark Journey got involved with Bill Watts (which is why you see her here despite not really having anything to do). This eventually led to Watts’ divorce. Damn it’s fun to learn “insider” stuff.
Hayes tells JR that women should be barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen.
Victory challenges “a man of Dark Journey’s choice” to a match next week. No one ever said Victory was the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Jack Victory vs. David Peterson. Victory wins with a facebuster suplex. ј*
UWF Tag Titles: The Fantastics vs. Buzz Sawyer & Rick Steiner. The Fantastics won the titles from the Sheepherders, who won them from Doc and Dibiase. At some point, “Rob Ricksteiner” became just “Rick Steiner.” This match goes for about 6 minutes until time runs out. D’oh! *ј
Skandor Akbar says that you’re talking about “the Universe” instead of just “the World.” I guess since Bill Watts runs the Universe, that makes him God? Akbar promises a surprise.
Michael Hayes has words for the Freebirds opponents in the UWF Title Tournament.
Your UWF Title match-ups are:
Jim Duggan vs. Buddy Roberts
Michael Hayes vs. Terry Taylor
Kamala vs. Sting
David Peterson vs. Jack Victory
Terry Gordy vs. Koko B. Ware
Ted Dibiase vs. Rock (Ultimate Warrior)
Dr. Death vs. Korstia Korchenko
Buzz Sawyer vs. Chavo Guerrero
Looks to be some awesome stuff there, including Ted Dibiase vs. Jim Helwig four years before it meant anything.
North American Title: Jim Duggan (w/Koko B. Ware) vs. Korstia Korchenko (w/Eddie Gilbert). This is the last major defense of the North American Title. Duggan tosses a bunch of chairs into the ring as he climbs in. Is the guy in the audience holding both a Confederate Flag and a U.S. Flag just hedging his bets? They brawl a lot. Sweet Sally riding a bicycle backwards Korchenko sucks. This is like Nailz territory. Well, maybe not that bad. He’s no Adam Bomb, though. Koko starts a “U.S.A.” chant. Duggan goes after Gilbert on the apron. Korchenko tries to attack from behind, but Duggan clotheslines him for the win at 4:24 (shown). ј*
Gilbert attacks Duggan with his trusty shovel and the heels do a beatdown. Koko tries to make the save but gets more of the same. Steve Williams finally makes the save for real.
Buzz Sawyer (w/Rick Steiner) vs. Koko B. Ware (w/Chavo Guerrero). They nearly come to blows at the opening. Sawyer complains about hair-pulling to the displeasure of the crowd. Koko gets his usual fired up offense, but we get clipped to Koko in a bearhug. He fights back, but takes a backbreaker. Sawyer goes back to the bearhug so I assume there’s been a lot of work on Koko’s ribs. Koko makes the comeback, but they collide for a double KO. Both men try dropkicks at the same time (a spot I thought originated in Japan). Koko gets two off a backslide. Sawyer tries a suplex, but collapses and Koko gets two more. Steiner apparently interfered a little. Koko hits a flying crossbody block for two as time expires at 8:58 (I’m guessing out of 15:00). Perfectly solid match. **Ñ•
Birkholz interviews Chavo Sr. who has problems with both Sawyer and Steiner.
Terry Taylor rambles about the UWF Title. He was pretty bad at babyface interviews.
“Houston Wrestling”
And we start with a real barnburner…
Gustavo Mendoza vs. Perry Jackson. Yeah, I was being sarcastic. Ross diplomatically says that both these guys are jobbers. Hayes: “I ought to write a book on wrestling. I ought to write a book on rock ‘n’ roll. I ought to write a book on just looking good.” Mendoza works the back before Jackson comes back with your typical 1980’s jobber offense. Mendoza catches him with an elbow and finishes him off with a neckbreaker. Not bad, really. *
Ted Dibiase vs. Gary Young. Gary Young was big in WCCW and has recently jumped to the UWF to try and make a bigger name. Hayes gives a funny take on “second generation wrestlers” and runs down Dibiase’s dad (who had a heart attack in the ring). Dibiase and Young go through some solid-but-static work as Ross and Hayes talk about the Freebirds attack on Dibiase five years earlier. Dibiase finishes Young with a hard clothesline and a figure-four. Young would go on to bigger things. *Ð…
Recap of Watts banning the Soviet Flag leading to a huge brawl. Funny to see Jim Hellwig selling.
Jim Ross interviews Bill Watts and Steve Williams. Watts tells us that Russians are evil cowards. Watts bitches about the U.S.S.R. invading Afghanistan. Yeah! Anyone who invades Afghanistan should…oh, nevermind. He also says the Russians “burn his fanny.” All of this sets up Bill Watts, Steve Williams & Ted Dibiase vs. Ivan & Nikita Koloff along with Korstia Korchenko.
The Sheepherders (w/Jack Victory) vs. Tracy Smothers & Brett Sawyer. Why isn’t it Shepherds? I just thought of that. Smothers does okay, but makes the rookie babyface mistake of charging into the corner and only finding Luke’s knees. The Sheeps take over from there. Smothers gets a hot tag and Sawyer cleans house. For some reason he tags Smothers back in who promptly gets finished off with the double stomach breaker. Ð…*
Kamala is getting ready to wrestle Dave Peterson, but Jim Duggan convinces Peterson to take a hike.
Kamala (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Jim Duggan. Duggan takes it to the outside and uses a table. Back inside, he hits a spear (diving double forearm). Kamala hits the splash, but Duggan kicks out. Kamala tosses the ref leading for Duggan DQ win. That didn’t accomplish much. ј*
I should point out that we are right back to where we started on these tapes with Kamala and Duggan feuding.
Recap of the history of the North American Champions. We get clips of Bill Watts vs. Terry Funk, Watts vs. Grizzly Smith, Watts vs. Bobo Brazile, Magnum T.A. vs. Buddy Landell and Butch Reed vs. Dick Slater. We then see Buzz Sawyer defending the NA Title on Slater’s behalf against Jim Duggan. Duggan wins with a spear.
Jack Victory and Lady Maxine are waiting in the ring to face “Dark Journey’s man.” DJ comes out alone. She says she doesn’t need a man to fight her battles. Journey goes after Maxine and, of course, that goes badly because it’s Victory and Maxine vs. Journey. Maxine slaps her around a bit and Victory slams Journey down to the mat. No match. Either they were running long, or there were some creative problems.
Ted Dibiase replaces Michael Hayes on commentary for the next match. He’s not happy with Hayes’ comments during his matches.
Hayes is scheduled to wrestle Terry Taylor, but instead challenges Dibiase. Dibiase asks Taylor to step aside and Terry obliges.
Michael Hayes vs. Ted Dibiase. It’s a schoolyard fight from the start, with both guys rolling around on the mat. Dibiase gets to his feet and knocks Hayes down with some punches. I guess I was right on that “running long” comment from the Dark Journey match. Ross tells us we have less than sixty seconds just as time runs out. That is so UWF.
“Houston Wrestling”
The Fantastics hype their Barbed Wire Cage Match with the Sheepherders.
Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs. The Blade Runners (w/Eddie Gilbert). Oh yeah! Here we go! We’re JIP to Dibiase clearing the ring. We get a match-up of Rock and Steve Williams. That would have been an interesting match a few years later. The Blade Runners weren’t much more than Road Warrior ripoffs at this point. Williams shoulderblocks both of them out of the ring. Most of the match consists of Williams and Rock fighting over a shoulderblock. Sting interferes from the outside and Doc winds up the face-in-peril. Sting finally gets a tag after what seems like eons of watching Rock. Doc misses a charge to his own corner, but makes the hot tag to Dibiase a few moments later. Dibiase pairs off with Sting (that would have drawn huge in 1989) and Doc takes out Rock. Dibiase picks up Sting for a slam, but Gilbert comes in behind the referee’s back and dropkicks them over. Sting falls on top of Dibiase, but Dibiase rolls through for the pinfall. Carried completely by Dibiase and Williams. ** Interesting note: Williams was so pissed off by “Rock” doing a weak clothesline on Dibiase that he tagged in and leveled Rock with one of his own and yelled “That’s how you do a clothesline!”
Jim Duggan retires the North American Title in a nice ceremony.
UWF Championship Tournament: Jack Victory vs. Brett Sawyer (5/30/86). Lady Maxine is absent from ringside. Sawyer takes it to him early on and Victory asks for a time out. Boesch pretty much gives away the ending as he says “Sawyer is a dark horse in this tournament. Victory not so much of a dark horse.” Victory grabs a chinlock to burn some time. Sawyer misses a dropkick and Victory…goes back to the chinlock. Sawyer elbows out of it, but misses a crossbody block. Victory finishes with the facebuster suplex. Not exactly a stellar start to the tournament. Ð…*
“UWF Wrestling”
Taped from the Tulsa Convention Center.
Your host is Jim Ross.
Eddie Gilbert comes out. He says that he did a lot of thinking about what Watts had to say. He asks Bill Watts to come back out so Gilbert can show him that he’s really a true American. Watts is busy, though, so Eddie just clears the ring and we finally get under way.
Rick Steiner (w/Buzz Sawyer) vs. Perry Jackson. Kind of cool how they had Sawyer mentoring Steiner, and it worked too because Steiner was one of the top prospects at the time. Steiner powerslams Jackson, but picks him up at two. Steiner delivers a Jackhammer, but picks Jackson up again. Jackson hits a crossbody and a backdrop. That’s like a harbinger of death for a jobber. Jackson goes up top, but Steiner counters to a belly-to-belly suplex for the win. ј*
Chavo Guerrero thinks he has a shot in the tournament. He had a better shot as Chavo Classic.
The One Man Gang (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Ken Massey. Massey looks like one of the Super Troopers. OMG slams him and finishes with a splash. “Say car Ramrod! Say car Ramrod!” ј*
Paul Boesch interviews the always genial Terry Taylor, who was eliminated from the tournament via a time limit draw with Michael Hayes. His interviews have a very Butters-from-South-Park quality to them. “Gee, Mr. Boesch, uh…Hayes was really mean to me and he’s a big stinky poohead.”
Duggan gives an interview before his first match and says he’s the number one seed and he’s got the best shot. Well, that’s the point of seeding.
Jim Ross and Michael Hayes interview Dark Journey. Journey says she’s gonna get Maxine somehow, someway. Hayes calls her back and makes misogynistic comments. Best line: “Hey, I didn’t say I was gonna get divorced and marry you. I just asked if you wanted to take a walk down Badstreet.” Journey slaps him and leaves. Hayes says she’s just playing “hard to get.”
HISTORY TIME!
Eddie Gilbert comes back out and asks again for Bill Watts to come to the ring. Watts comes out this time. Gilbert says that he just carried the flag around to try and make money. Gilbert says he will never manage the Russians again, but he will manage the Blade Runners. He hands the flag to Bill Watts and apologizes. Ah, how sweet. Of course, the Koloffs and Korstia Korchenko attack Watts from behind. They take turns whipping him with the chain. Steve Williams and Ted Dibiase try to make the save, bu they are intercepted by the Blade Runners in the aisle. Just to add insult to injury, Gilbert takes the Soviet Flag and drapes it over Watts’ prone body. Erik, Micah, and Joel Watts (Bill’s three sons) come out and get him some medical attention. THIS is the reason you watch the UWF
Jim Ross voices his disgust over Gilbert’s actions.
Steve Williams vs. Gustavo Mendoza. Williams comes out to “Born in the U.S.A.” and tears into Mendoza because he’s so angry about what just happened. Williams finishes with the Oklahoma Stampede. Got the point across. ј*
Ross and Frank Dusek talk about Watts and the Gilbert situation.
The Fabulous Freebirds vs. Ted Dibiase & Terry Taylor. This throwaway match serves as a lynchpin for the booking of these guys. Dibiase had heat with Hayes from his comments about Dibiase’s father. Taylor and Hayes eliminated each other from the UWF Title Tournament. Buddy Roberts is just along for the ride, but he’ll be important later. Roberts and Dibiase start. Dibiase tells Hayes he wants him to start. Hayes says, “Lemme think…nah.” Dibiase locks in a wristlock on Roberts and forces him to tag Hayes. Well, that’s one way to do it. Dibiase backdrops Hayes and knocks him out of the ring with a punch. Finally, Roberts and Taylor tag in and we get some wrestling. Dibiase corners Hayes, but takes a knee to the face to play face-in-peril. The Freebirds work over Dibiase, but he makes the comeback. Hayes tries to tag out to Taylor and that doesn’t work out so well for him. Hayes drags Dibiase out to the floor and tries to piledrive him on the concrete. “Just like Atlanta, Georgia!” Jim Ross exclaims, referring back to when the Freebirds broke Dibiase’s neck over three years earlier. Taylor makes the save. Crowd is super hot by now. Taylor gets the hot tag and we get a pier six brawl. Taylor rolls up Roberts in all the excitement. With the ref tied up with Dibiase, Hayes sneaks in, clobbers Taylor and puts Roberts on top for the victory. But wait, Carl Fergie comes out and tells the other ref what happened so we get a reversed decision. Fun and fast-paced formula match. ***Ñ•
Jack Victory swears up and down to Paul Boesch that he gave Maxine the night off. She is not, I REPEAT NOT AFRAID OF DARK JOURNEY!
Hayes, Gordy, and Roberts guarantee that at least one of them will win the UWF Title.
Ivan & Nikita Koloff (w/Eddie Gilbert & Korstia Korchenko) vs. The Fantastics. Eddie Gilbert (huge heel heat) tells the crowd you don’t mess with Russia. I’m in awe of what a great heel he was. All four heels jump the Fantastics as they enter the ring. It’s four-on-two, which goes badly for Fulton and Rogers. And then…Steve Williams and Bill Watts run out. Watts’ head is bandaged, but he has a baseball bat and goes wild on the Russians. Jim Ross nearly has a coronary and so does everyone in the crowd. Awesome, AWESOME stuff.
This was to the UWF what Nash lawn-darting Rey Misterio into the trailer was to Nitro or Austin jumping Bret in the ambulance was to Raw. Quite simply, the pinnacle of what a wrestling show has to offer.
UWF Championship Tournament: Buzz Sawyer (w/Rick Steiner) vs. Chavo Guerrero (5/30/86). JIP to Sawyer holding Guerrero in a bearhug. Chavo fights out of it, but Sawyer nails him with a powerslam. Sawyer takes forever to go up and Chavo avoids a bodysplash. Chavo hits a flying crosschop, but Steiner pulls him out. Sawyer and Steiner collide on the apron. Sawyer tackles Chavo and they both go over the top rope. They fight until they both get counted out. Both men are eliminated from the tournament. Ñ•*
Peter Birkholz interviews Eddie Gilbert. Bill Watts and Steve Williams will join Dusty Rhodes against the Koloffs and Korchenko in a “Street War” on June 13. Eddie talks about how smart he is.
Sawyer is up next and yells about Chavo Guerrero and “stupid looking’ Mexicans.” A return bout has been signed between Sawyer and Guerrero for June 13. This time, no DQ and no countouts.
UWF Championship Tournament: Michael Hayes vs. Terry Taylor (5/30/86). JIP. Well, we already know how this one turns out. Hayes struts around a lot. No wonder it went to a draw. Taylor hiptosses Hayes and armdrags him out of the ring. Hayes complains about tight-pulling. How could you, Terry? Birkholz and Ross demonstrate unbiased commentary by encouraging people to bring American flags to show the Russians. Taylor burns up a lot of time with a headscissors. After about four minutes in the hold, Hayes makes the ropes. Hayes misses a kneedrop. Taylor finally starts going after the legs to set up for the figure-four. Clipped ahead to Taylor desperately trying to get out of a sleeper hold. Taylor counters to a jawbreaker with :30 left. Taylor sunset flips Hayes, but it only gets one. They slug it out as time expires. Both men are eliminated. Pretty boring. *
Wait a minute! Taylor, Hayes, Sawyer, and Guerrero didn’t make it to the second round, but JACK VICTORY did?!
UWF Championship Tournament: Kamala (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Jack Victory (5/30/86). Here’s an interesting match up. Both guys are heels, so the crowd is pretty quiet throughout. The few fans who are cheering are cheering for Victory because he is the underdog. Kamala hits a lot of chops. Victory punches Kamala back into the corner…but wait! It’s Dark Journey. She jaws with Victory long enough for Kamala to knock him down and finish with the splash. 2:08 is the announced time. ј*
Stan Hansen Video: Hansen was the AWA Champion at this point and the June 13 show would feature him defending the AWA Title against Nick Bockwinkle.
Buzz Sawyer has words for Chavo Guerrero. He gets so mad at one point that his mouth doesn’t move while he talks. Hard to believe he was on drugs.
Chavo Classic responds that he’s not a mad dog, but he will lower himself to Sawyer’s level if he has to.
Nick Bockwinkle Video: More hype for the epic Hansen vs. Bockwinkle showdown.
“UWF Wrestling”
Your hosts are Jim Ross and Michael Hayes.
Hayes tells Ross that Dark Journey has sent him a letter of apology. Apparently, she really wants him, but promised her mother that she wouldn’t get involved with a married man. Now, THAT’S funny.
Kamala (w/Skandor Akbar & the One Man Gang) vs. Mike Reed. Big boot—uh, foot and a pair of splashes finish Reed. Didn’t cut out a thing. ј*
Recap of the Gilbert/Watts feud.
Watts gives an interview from his ranch. He is pissed off because America plays by the rules while the rest of the world (Russia, Vietnam, Libya) doesn’t. That’s one way of looking at things. Watts says he won’t play by the rules when he faces the Russians.
Korstia Korchenko & the Koloffs (w/Eddie Gilbert) vs. Jeff Gaylord, Ken Massey & Perry Jackson. Gilbert makes fun of Watts before the match, specifically about him belonging in an old folks’ home. Gaylord was a former U.S.W.A. star and WWE prospect. Nikita finishes Massey with the Russian sickle (lariat). ј*
Bill Watts and Dusty Rhodes talk about being bullies in school and beating kids up. What kind of bully talks with a lithp?
Freebirds Music Video: Set to ZZ Top’s “Can’t Stop Rockin’.”
Gilbert and the Russians voice threats for Bill Watts. Nikita is the only believable one.
Jack Victory (w/Lady Maxine) vs. Brett Sawyer. Hayes lets us know that Dark Journey isn’t out there going after Maxine because she’s sitting at home by the phone waiting for him to call. This is a rematch from the UWF Title tournament. Maxine interferes and chokes Sawyer on the ropes. Victory charges into the corner but Sawyer raises the knees. Sawyer gets a pair of dropkicks, but misses a third. Cue the DJ! Yes, it’s Dark Journey! She comes out and argues with both Victory and Maxine, giving Sawyer enough time to sneak in and toss Victory over the top rope for a DQ. That gives Journey free reign to attack Maxine. They go at it for a bit until Victory is able to pull Maxine out of the ring. Nice of Sawyer to sacrifice the match, but not terribly bright. I’m not a huge fan of the WWE’s schoolboy finish, but it beats this. ј*
Highlights of the UWF Title Tournament:
Terry Gordy takes out Steve Williams with brass knuckles.
Terry Gordy defeats Ted Dibiase with help from Michael Hayes.
Skandor Akbar offers Ted Dibiase $25,000 to turn on Jim Duggan and rejoin Devastation Inc.. Dibiase says he’ll do it for $50,000. Akbar agrees.
Jim Duggan defeats Kamala when Dibiase double-crosses Akbar (of course, setting up Dibiase vs. Kamala for the next big show).
This all sets up Jim Duggan vs. Terry Gordy in the finals, which I’ll get to in a moment.
UWF Television Title: Buzz Sawyer (w/Rick Steiner) vs. Terry Taylor (w/Chavo Guerrero). Taylor grabs a headlock and they work off that to open. Taylor dropkicks Sawyer, who goes flying over the ropes. Ref rules it was unintentional. Back in, Taylor goes for a crossbody block, but Sawyer ducks and Taylor falls to the outside. Sawyer misses a bodysplash. Steiner trips Taylor triggering a big brawl between Steiner and Guerrero. Sawyer tries to suplex Taylor, but it’s reversed to a small package for the win. Winner and new Television Champion: Terry Taylor! About as good a match as you can have in five minutes. ***Ð…
The Freebirds say they will take out the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express.
Thanks to his TV Title victory, Terry Taylor is the number one contender for the UWF Title.
Magnum T.A. Video: I don’t know if this was to promote him as a wrestler, or an audition for “Queer as Folk.”
$100,000 UWF Championship Finals: Terry Gordy (w/Michael Hayes) vs. Jim Duggan (5/30/86). The One Man Gang comes out and challenges the winner. Duggan tells him to bring it. OMG attacks Duggan as the Freebirds back off. Duggan and the Gang brawl on the outside. Gang rams Duggan’s head into the ringpost, cutting him open severely. The brawl continues for a few more minutes. Finally, they get the OMG out of there. Gordy and Hayes demand the title right then and there, but the UWF officials give Duggan a five-minute injury timeout. Duggan returns with a big bandage on his head and we’re finally underway. Gordy goes right after the wound, but Duggan is able to kick out of his cover. Gordy tries to finish him with a piledriver, but Duggan fights back and hits the 3-point charge. Duggan charges again and getting tossed to the outside. Michael Hayes takes the opportunity to toss Duggan into the ring steps. Gordy finishes Duggan with a piledriver. **
Great angle to start off the UWF era and set up angles for months to come. People hate the Freebirds anyway, and the fact that they got a big break from the One Man Gang makes people hate them even more. Of course, it also sets up One Man Gang vs. Jim Duggan for a de facto #1 contenders grudge match. After that’s over, of course, fans can then say, “Let’s see how Gordy does against a healthy Jim Duggan.” Good, solid “Point A” to “Point B” booking. (Btw, Duggan was legitimately injured here. So badly, in fact, that he developed blood poisoning and wound up missing several weeks of action).
The One Man Gang vs. Perry Jackson. OMG corners Jackson and shouldertackles him into the turnbuckle. Gang tosses Jackson to the outside and hits him with a chair for the curious disqualification. ј*
Jack Victory (w/Lady Maxine) vs. The Missing Link. Victory tries to jump Link as he gets in. Link uses his head to battle back and Victory bails. Victory, like an idiot, tries to headbutt Missing Link. Maxine gets on the apron and distracts Link for a bit. Victory tries to choke link instead. Dark Journey comes out and distracts Victory long enough for Missing Link to jump him from behind and get the pin. *
Dark Journey and Lady Maxine get into a catfight after the match.
Peter Birkholz interviews the Freebirds. Gordy says he kicked his girlfriend out of the house so he could sleep with his UWF belt. Now, that’s a funny line.
Eddie Gilbert comments on the upcoming Watts vs. Korchenko match. If Watts wins, he gets five minutes with Eddie Gilbert. If Korchenko wins, Gilbert can give Watts five lashes with Watts’ own belt.
“UWF Wrestling”
Your hosts are Jim Ross and Michael Hayes.
Hayes gives Ross the letter of apology that Dark Journey sent to him. Jim notes that it looks a lot like Hayes’ penmanship.
Steve Williams vs. “The Shadow.” Not sure who “The Shadow” is. I have a theory that it’s Erik Watts, though. He wrestles like a North American trying to look like someone from Japan, though. Doc finishes him with the Stampede. Ð…*
Referee Tommy Gilbert (Eddie’s father) says that cannot continue to be a UWF referee due to the actions of his son. He offers his resignation.
Bill Watts responds that he understands Tommy’s position, but says that he will not accept Gilbert’s resignation because Tommy is such a great official. Watts promises to “grow Eddie up” and says that if Tommy can bare to watch it, he’s a real man.
The Blade Runners & Korstia Korchenko (w/Eddie Gilbert) vs. Jeff Gaylord, Perry Jackson & Brett Sawyer. Eddie “Awesome” Gilbert unveils something to the crowd — a huge blowup photo of Bill Watts lying underneath the Russian flag. You almost get the feeling he’s trying to rub it in. Sting finishes Jackson with a splash. ј*
I should also point out that the Blade Runners have the best entrance music in Mid-South.
Highlights of Terry Gordy in All Japan and a retrospective of his career.
Tommy Gilbert responds to Watts declining his resignation. Tommy says he hopes Watts can straighten out his son. If this were the WWE, he’d offer to referee the match himself and we all know where that would go.
Ted Dibiase vs. Buzz Sawyer. Dibiase gets on the mic before the match and says the “P.S.” in Michael “P.S.” Hayes stands for “Prissy Sissy.” If nothing else, the Attitude Era gave us better insults. Sawyer jumps Dibiase from behind but misses a charge in the corner. Dibiase grabs an armbar to soften the arm further. Sawyer delivers a backbreaker, but Dibiase holds on to the armbar. That’s pretty cool. Sawyer finally bites Dibiase to make him let go. Sawyer counters a leapfrog to a powerslam. Sawyer knocks him to the outside and works the lower back. Back in, Sawyer locks in a bearhug to exploit the lower back. Dibiase starts to fight back, so Sawyer converts it to a wicked belly-to-belly. Dibiase avoids a headbutt regain the advantage and reverses a leapfrog to a powerslam (the same way Sawyer had done). This time it gets three. Stellar TV match. ***ј
Jim Ross comes out to draw the winner of the UWF trivia contest. Which UWF star was called “Moose” as a child? He originally wrestled as “The Convict.” His favorite match is the partial title of an award-winning movie and his finishing maneuver has felled many an animal. Give up? It’s Jim Duggan. Thanks for playing. JR draws the name and reads her full name and address to the crowd. Good God. That can’t be a good idea. Why not tell everyone that she left her door unlocked too?
And there’s your tape.
Final Thoughts: This is from the UWF’s most fondly remembered era. Watts knew exactly how and when and where to push the right guys. Sure, he pushed himself, but he did it in a way that got other people over as well. Eddie Gilbert became one of the most hated men in the South. While the angle was certainly jingoistic, it worked, and that’s the bottom line. This tape — along with the next — is the best that mid-eighties wrestling had to offer.
High recommendation for UWF/Mid-South Tape #8 from Golden Boy Tapes
J.D. Dunn
