The Furious Flashbacks – The 100 Greatest WWF Matches of the 80’s Vol 4

Posted by Arnold Furious on 01.02.2009

And speaking of stuff I started ages ago and forgot to finish...

The Furious Flashbacks – The 100 Greatest WWF Matches of the 80’s Vol 4

And speaking of stuff I started ages ago and forgot to finish…

Oddly enough I’ve had this requested several times since I did Volume 3. But it happened to slide to the back of the old ‘review shelf’ and as a result I’ve never gotten around to it. But seeing as I’m now a little strapped for cash I’m looking for shit to review and look what’s on the back of the shelf there! On tap for Volume 4 are…

1.Honky Tonk Man vs Ricky Steamboat (8/22/87 MSG)
2.Glamour Girls vs Jumping Bomb Angels (11/24/87 MSG)
3.Jake Roberts vs Ted DiBiase (4/24/89 MSG)
4.Greg Valentine vs Ron Garvin (9/30/89 MSG)
5.Fabulous Rougeau Bros. vs Rockers (10/10/89 London, England)
6.Strike Force/British Bulldogs/Rougeau Brothers/Young Stallions/Killer Bees
vs Hart Foundation/Islanders/Bolsheviks/Demolition/New Dream Team (11/26/87
Richfield, OH Survivor Series)
7.Powers of Pain/Hart Foundation/British Bulldogs/Young Stallions/Rockers vs
Demolition/Conquistadors/Brainbusters/Rougeau Brothers/Bolsheviks (11/24/88
Richfield, OH Survivor Series)
8.Bob Backlund vs. Hulk Hogan (4/8/80 Philadelphia, PA)
9.Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko (4/8/80 Philadelphia, PA)

IC title – Honky Tonk Man (c) v Ricky Steamboat

This is a lumberjack match. HTM has his manager “Colonel” Jimmy Hart out here so his charges are making up the heel lumberjacks. Steamboat has George Steele out there giving him support. They start out with Steamboat skinning the cat to survive a trip over the top and what follows is Steamboat throwing HTM out of the ring ALL THE TIME. This allows the lumberjacks to get involved. HTM sells like crazy, begs off and tries to bail…but George Steele won’t even let him go through the ropes before pushing him back in. The tide is changed by the Islanders tripping Steamboat only for one of the babyfaces to trip HTM and Steamboat gets a roll up…for 2. Crowd thought that was the finish. Back suplex for 2. They run a spot that looks like a fucked up monkey flip and Steamboat takes some heat off the back of that. Crowd are so hot here. They’re popping everything hard and cheering for Steamboat when he gets behind. Steamboat gets odd spots like crossbodies to get near falls but it’s mostly HTM giving him a beating. Steamboat gets a second wind though and starts throwing HTM around. The crowd is going crazy still because it’s been pretty much constant action. Hart is up on the apron with HTM down Steele jumps in there and declares Steamboat the winner. Dumbass. Steamboat takes his frustrations out on Hart but that allows HTM to blast Steamboat with the megaphone to retain. ***1/4. Wall to wall action but somewhat hindered by the gimmick.

Glamour Girls v Jumping Bomb Angels

Glams are Judy Martin & Leilani Kai. The Angels are Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki. The Angels are not only two of the best women’s wrestlers ever to set foot in a WWF ring but also one of the best tag teams, not women’s teams but tag teams full stop, ever. The crowd love them too. Some of the shit they do is light years ahead of everyone in the company. Flipping to avoid clotheslines, doing flying knees, bridging out of pins etc. And the crowd roars with every piece of offence. So naturally the Glamour Girls give them the vast majority of the offence because the crowd pops everything. Martin does a great job selling as she takes monkey flips and sunset flips and generally looks confused, in character. The Angels are able to make frequent tags and even use the ropes. That backfires though as Yamazaki misses a senton and that’s where the heels get their double teaming going. Naturally it’s all illegal but Kai figures she has the better of things on the mat and takes Yamazaki apart down there where there are no flips. The heels ‘no tag’ switch but they do look very similar. Martin tries for a Gory Special but Yamazaki counters into another sunset flip…and the ref misses the hot tag. BOOO! Yeah, it’s formula but its so over. Yamazaki gets another sunset flip but Kai dives in to make the save. Martin with a SHARPSHOOTER! Tateno tries to make the save but the ref sees her comnig and Yamazaki gets another 2 on 1 beating behind the ref’s back. HOT TAG! Tateno crossbodies both girls and starts flying around. Kai takes a shotgun dropkick. Flying clothesline gets 2. Kai saves by grabbing the referee. Monsoon wants a DQ as everyone piles in and the Japanese do a little do-see-do action but both miss their dropkicks. Kai finds herself isolated and DOUBLE MISSILE DROPKICKS! Martin has the ref, which is a huge save because Kai is down for about 10. POWERBOMB on Yamazaki and the Glamour Girls get the pin! ***3/4. That was awesome. How to run tag formula 101 with added high flying babyface action.

POST MATCH the Angels beat the crap out of Kai for her cheap shot and chase Jimmy Hart out of the ring.

Jake Roberts v Ted DiBiase w/Virgil

Ted does some great early begging off and then realises he’s hiding in the corner with the snake and runs to another one. Heh. Tony Schiavone on commentary. That’s just wrong. This feud came about when Ted injured Jake’s neck but that hasn’t come into play in the early going. Jake, as per usual, tries for an early DDT but Ted knows it’s coming and bails. I like Jake’s psychology with his finisher. Why wouldn’t he want to go for it early and just end the match? Ted decides to get on Jake’s nerves with some hair pulling. Jake finds himself thrice frustrated because of that; because of Ted’s cheating, the referee’s inability to see it and Virgil’s presence at ringside. Jake tries for another DDT but Ted bails on it again. Jake gives the heels the old double noggin knocker and it looks like Virgil’s pissed off. Ohhh, Virgil’s angry…I’m SOOOO scared. You’ve got a pink waistcoat on, mate. The distraction works though and Ted jumps from behind. A long chinlock spot follows. MILLION DOLLAR DREAM! Announcers don’t notice it. Damn you, Tony, you really are fucking worthless as a play by play man. Jake gets the ropes to survive. Jake gets all fired up having survived the hold and hits the short arm clothesline. The crowd are rabid and want the DDT but Virgil grabs his leg. Come on, ref! That’s a blatant DQ. Jake opts for cheating himself by pulling Ted’s tights on a roll up to win. ***1/2. Great fun.

POST MATCH Virgil comes in for the 2 on 1 beatdown. Jake gets Damien out of the bag though and Ted runs off. Virgil tries to run off but Jake catches him. GAY BASHING!

Greg Valentine w/Jimmy Hart v Ronnie Garvin

And it was going so well. I’ve never gotten the appeal of Garvin. He’s just this big stiff who can’t sell or bump without looking like a total goof. I’ve never seen a good Ronnie Garvin match. Even when he was working Flair it seemed like a bad Flair match. And don’t get me started on the Garvin Stomp. They don’t even have good commentary on this match…it’s Tony Schiavone and Hillbilly Jim. Hammer is deteriorating by the late 80’s and Garvin didn’t have much left. His short WWF run was practically the end of his career. Hammer spends most of the match outside the ring stalling for time or baiting Garvin into a brawl. And Garvin has those HANDS OF STONE so Hammer gets nothing. The only good thing about this match is how ridiculously stiff Garvin is, which provides the crowd with a good deal of entertainment. Hammer’s selling comical for the majority of the match, which is also good for chuckles. Face bumps ala Flair at one point, which provokes a “WHOO” out of Hillbilly Jim. The problem with having so much stiff striking in the match is that whenever they do anything else it looks completely tame by comparison. Like Hammer throws a bunch of stiff chops and then does a lame elbow drop and hooks a lame chinlock. The crowd is really only getting off on the strikes…and who can blame them? But the striking is good and a pre-cursor to more modern fighting styles like Low-Ki or Samoa Joe. But they only have the striking and not the grappling to go with it. And there’s that rubbish Garvin Stomp. Thanks a lot Ronnie. He goes for the figure four to follow up but Hammer pokes him in the eye. Hammer goes after his own submission with a shinbreaker to set up. Garvin punches him in the face when Hammer tries to follow up. Jimmy Hart gets all excited and jumps on the apron so Garvin kicks Hammer into him and gets the roll up…for 2. Crowd thought that was the finish. Garvin tries for a piledriver but Hammer backdrops out of it. Hammer with a sunset flip but Garvin punches him in the face, again, for 2. And they trade again! Hammer goes up top but Garvin throws him off. And they trade again! Garvin tries a sunset flip but Hammer sits down and grabs the rope for the pin. And the ref somehow misses that. Urgh. Horrible finish. ***. Probably the best singles match of Ronnie Garvin’s career and one hell of a fight.

The Rockers v Fabulous Rougeau Brothers

Scheme Gene has the Rockers for a pre-match interview. Shawn looks like a total fag. They certainly get the crowd going though and superkick both the Rougeau’s out of the ring before the bell sounds. Jacques demonstrates a nip-up and wants Marty to do one too. So he does. YAAAY! Crowd are easily pleased. Jacques flips into the ring. BOO! He wants Marty to do it. Who is this guy? Marty does it too. YAAAY! Now Shawn has his own move; moonsaulting onto his feet. YAAAY! This isn’t fucking gymnastics! Jacques’ selling of fear going up top is hilarious. The Rockers rather unsportingly shake the ropes and Jacques gets crotched. Can we start the match now? Sweet. Jacques gets picked off and embarassed by the quicker Rockers. Raymond suffers much the same fate thanks to considerable double teaming. Shawn kicks Raymond in the balls at one point, which is a little harsh. They also do a no tag switch. They’re babyfaces wrestling heel! What’s going on? They do two more no tag switches infuriating Jimmy Hart. The Rockers couldn’t really be heels though. They’re too showy! They cheat and people cheer! “You’re all a bunch of cheaters” – Hart. There’s only two of them. That’s a pretty small bunch. Shawn eventually gets picked off and Jacques takes out his frustrations on Shawn’s spine. Jacques superkicks him over the top rope in a spot of revenge for the opening of the match. “Savartey kick” according to Lord Alfred Hayes. Good job Bischoff isn’t on commentary. That would have been a front leg back kick or something. The Rougeau’s work that back like a pair of motherfuckers. The heat is pretty dull and the only period of boredom during the match. It gets extended too. Lots of back-work. Not quite enough reaction. It only gets loud when Shawn is approaching the tag. HOT TA…the ref misses it! They’re sure running that formula, huh? HOT TAG! Marty goes nuts! MR WRESTLING II KNEELIFT! CHEAPSHOT TO JIMMY HART! Backslide! It’s over but the ref is distracted so Jacques kicks out. Raymond trips Marty up and Jacques hits a piledriver but Shawn runs distraction. MEGAPHONE IN! The ref sees that though and throws Raymond out. Shawn grabs the fallen megaphone and NAILS Jacques with it for the pin! ***1/2. I could have lived without such a lengthy heat segment but the Rockers heel-ish work was truly bizarre to watch. I can understand why people rate the match so highly.

I’ve done this next match before so I’m lifting the PBP from my Survivor Series ’87 review.

Hart Foundation/Demolition/Dream Team/Islanders/Bolsheviks v Strike Force/Young Stallions/British Bulldogs/Rougeaus/Killer Bees

Martel and Volkoff start. Martel gets beaten down but fires up on Zhukov. In comes Santana to hit the Flying Jalapeno and the Bolsheviks are history at 1.43. No loss there. Ax comes in to beat down Santana. Multiple tags made (it’s weird seeing this many guys on the apron you almost can’t get an Irish whip off). The babyfaces play smart and keep Ax, Dino Bravo and then Smash in the babyface corner. Killer Bees work some double teams on Haku. Roma comes in and gets beaten down by the heels. That’s all Roma’s good for so that’s no shocker either. He tags in Jim Powers who gets much of the same treatment. Jacques Rougeau misses with a crossbody after tagging in and Demolition’s Ax pins him for 3 at 5.47. In an absolute travesty Ray Rougeau never even set foot in the ring. Perhaps he was injured? The babyfaces get the advantage again only for Jim Powers to get isolated again. Anvil holds him up for Haku to double axe handle him off his shoulders for 2. Roma comes in for another beating. Greg Valentine in to give him the shoulderbreaker for 2. Vertical suplex gets 2. Bravo in with a gutwrench suplex for 2. Roma manages to tag out and Dynamite Kid comes in to sell for the Demos. The heels give him such a shoeing the referee has to get involved, Smash shoves him off and that’s a DQ at 9.11. Demolition are gone but didn’t have to job in the process. Bret in for the 1st time and he piledrives DK for 2. Good God Bret v DK is awesome in 1987. Tama-Powers and Tama misses with a splash off the ropes. Martel comes in like a man possessed and slaps on the Boston crab only for Anvil to get the blind tag and Pearl Harbour Martel for 2. Santana in and he hits the Flying Jalapeno on Anvil but Bret drops an elbow to save. That’s enough for a fall on Santana (some elbow!) and Strike Force are eliminated at 12.02.

Powers in to get isolated again and the Islanders beat him up. Valentine takes his turn to give Powers a beating. Next in is Anvil and he dumps Powers on the ropes. Haku in to kick Powers down. Then he hauls him up into a backbreaker for 2. Hammer back in and Powers blocks a suplex to hit one of his own. Hammer takes exception and dumps Powers on the ropes again. Bret in and he hangs Powers in the corner before laying into him. This brings in the babyfaces to protest. The beating continues on Powers with Bravo hitting a sideslam. Hammer in but he can’t hook the Figure 4 and in comes Roma. Hammer tries for the Figure 4 on Powers again not spotting the tag only for Roma to jump into a sunset flip. So Powers survives 5 minutes of beating only for Roma to sneak in and pin Greg frickin’ Valentine? Apparently so and the Dream Team are gone at 17.07. Killer Bees work over Anvil and get an inside cradle for 2. Brunzell brings the high knee for 2. Anvil survives a quick beating and in comes Bret. The Killer Bees work him over as well though going after the leg. Bret counters and brings in Tama. Roma is back in there and he gets worked over AGAIN. Brunzell legdrops Haku for 2. Roma back in to fight Bret and Bret even makes Roma look good. Back suplex from Bret gets 2. Haku comes in to give Roma a kicking. Haku and Anvil break out the dropkicks. Powerslam from Anvil gets 2. Brunzell gets a hot tag. The Stallions are in a horrible way on the outside just lying around like chumps. The Islanders try to help Bret but screw up and Brunzell pins Bret on an inside cradle to eliminate the Harts at 23.56. Haku gets pissed off with himself and pounds Brunzell for his celebrating.

Hang on – when were the Bulldogs eliminated? Damn clipping. Haku hits Brunzell with a shoulderbreaker for 2. The Islanders break out the NERVE HOLDS. I hate those. I think it’s all the years of Yokozuna matches that were more nerve hold than match. Brunzell connects on a sunset flip for 2. Brunzell sure is ugly. Haku suplexes him for 2. Hot tag to Jim Powers however. Well, I say “hot” but that’s just a term in this case. Roma in for the powerslam. That gets 2. Roma promptly gets his ass whipped. Blair gets in and Haku kicks his ass too. Brunzell comes back in for the fruity prancing and he dropkicks Tama for 2. The Bees do the wearing a mask switch, which was so, so, so lame and sunset flip Tama for the finish at 30.43. He doesn’t even look like him! What referee would make that mistake? ****. Otherwise a very entertaining half an hour of wrestling. Stacks of talent in this. Shame the Bulldogs got ditched so unceremoniously. I’d have rather have seen the Harts finish the match too. Your SURVIVORS are the Killers Bees and the Young Stallions. Who’d have thunk it at the start of the match.

I’ve also reviewed this match previously in my Survivor Series ’88 review. So here’s that PBP.

Powers of Pain/Hart Foundation/British Bulldogs/Rockers/Young Stallions v Demolition/Fabulous Rougeaus/Bolsheviks/Brain Busters/Conquistadors

Now this is a big ass match! Check out some of the talent on the babyface side! Bret, Shawn, Bulldog, Dynamite Kid AND Paul Roma! If anyone is eliminated the entire tag team is gone. Heenan, Fuji and Slick in the heel corner. Davey Boy overpowers on the Rougeaus. Shawn gets in and isolated however and does a stand up selling job. Jannetty in though for the double teaming only for him to get isolated as well. Tully in but he gets dropkicked a lot. Jacques in but he misses with a crossbody allowing a pin for 2. Dynamite Kid in with a snap suplex for 2. Powers in to dish out a dropkick but that brings in Smash to take over for the heels. Jacques snipers Powers with a dropkick for 2 but Bret gets a tag after that. Jacques gives him a back elbow but on attempting to follow up Bret just rolls him up for the pin at 5.36. Rougeaus are sent packing.

Volkoff comes in but Bret gets on his arm leading to Roma coming in. He hits a crossbody off the top for 2. Niedhart in with a dropkick but Volkoff throws him into the heel corner. Quick tags on both sides and that leads to the Powers of Pain battling Demolition. Uno tags in but gets Warlord’s boot in his face. Bret-Smash as the tags continue at a pace. Demos both pound on Bret. Tully comes in but Bret takes him down with a neckbreaker drop and tags Shawn in. Shawn gets isolated and pounded again. Volkoff gives him a press backbreaker. Arn in – SPINEBUSTER! That gets 2. Dos in to make a mess of things and Jannetty gets the tag and a powerslam. Jannetty breaks out the awesome on a spinning hip toss escape. Volkoff in and Jannetty takes him down too. Davey comes in to slam Volkoff who kicks out WITH AUTHORATAH! Tully in to drop some elbows but Davey gets out. Uno in to get his ass kicked by Warlord. Ax tags in again and it’s ON! Demos try to pick Warlord off with double teams but he trips Smash up and Barbarian beats on him. Tully in but he gets dropped on the rope and powerslammed by Anvil for 2. DK in with a wicked lariat. Tully throws him outside though and Arn capitalises. Zhukov screws up a knee drop though allowing a tag to Powers. He hits a crossbody but Zhukov rolls through it and pins him at 15.34. HAHAHAHA. Powers, you suck. Pinned by Boris Zhukov. At least it wasn’t Dos, I suppose.

Shawn in to go to work and he drops a fist for 2. Barbarian hits him with a shoulder tackle and calls in Tully. He doesn’t want to know so Volkoff comes in instead. Tully is more than happy to choke Barbarian once Volkoff has a foothold however. Ax comes in to clubber at Barbarian. He doesn’t stay down though and Shawn comes in going after Zhukov. He blind tags to Jannetty who promptly jumps in with a sunset flip to pin the big Russian at 18.18. Those sneaky Rockers.

Arn takes exception and singles out Jannetty for a beating. Dos almost takes a pin off a sunset flip as well however. Uno gives him a big backdrop to make up for it and Jannetty is taking an ass kicking. He manages to tag Davey in and he battles Tully. Davey does his upside down corner sell. Harts decide it’s time to beat up some masked wrestlers and get a near fall with a knee drop/backbreaker combo. Rockers in to pick on Dos as well. DK in with a snap suplex and the Bombs Away gets 2. Backbreaker gets 2. Barbarian in to pick on Dos some more with a powerslam and an elbow drop. Barbarian is dumbass though and lets him tag out after a 3 minute beating. Tully suckers Barbarian and cheap shots him. Demos in to clubber at him. Dos is back in briefly with some FORWARD ROLLS! YEAH! If that doesn’t scream lucha-libre then nothing will. Arn makes a mistake and Anvil comes in. Arn clocks him with that Anderson left and Tully hits a crossbody for 2. Bret comes in with a backbreaker on Tully and he’s excellently executing him. Bret hits a German suplex and that puts Tully away at 27.08. BUUUUUUT. Tully got his shoulder up and it was Bret that was pinned. Harts are gone.

DK picks off Tully with a TOMBSTONE…for 2. Shawn in but the Brain Busters double on him and that brings Jannetty in for a brawl. The referee’s can’t control this at all with the 2 teams just wailing on each other. Double superkick from the Rockers but the call is clear – both teams are disqualified at 28.53. Their battle continues on the floor, which is far more interesting than the match so we get to follow that fight.

DK is in there and getting beaten up meanwhile. Uno misses with a Swanton bomb. That allows the Powers of Pain to beat on him. Barbarian lets him tag out, again. Jesus, what a numpty. Davey powerslams Dos for 2. Ax comes in but Davey gives him the crucifix for 2. Smash in but Davey gives him a jawbreaker. Ax back in and Davey cuts him down with a clothesline. Dos gets the tag and Davey press slams him. Davey is kicking ass here. Running powerslam and that should be it but he tags in Barbarian. He lets Dos tag out, AGAIN. Jesus Christ Almighty. Way to make yourself look like a complete dumbass, ya butt monkey. DK in to give Uno a gutwrench suplex for 2. Warlord legdrops Uno but they still haven’t pinned him. Smash comes in but DK gives him the snap suplex. DK misses with the FLYING WOLVERINE and Smash hits a frickin’ clothesline for the pin at 36.19. Well that’s all the good teams gone.

Demos have the advantage with Los Conquistadors still out here but it’s only a matter of time before one of them is counting lights. Warlord manages to injure his shoulder and Ax goes to work on it. Fuji calls for the EVIL FOREIGN INTERFERENCE! Demos continue to work over Warlord’s injured arm. Fuji’s interference causes Smash to fall outside and he gets counted out at 39.50. Fuji turns on Demolition post fall because they take exception to his general idiocy. Demos pound him. Of course all is not as it appears.

Meanwhile the Powers of Pain bail to check on Fuji causing their turn. But there’s still Los Conquistadors to deal with. Fuji trips Dos with his cane and Barbarian headbutts him for the pin at 42.24. ****. Long one and it started dragging as soon as the better teams started going out. But the first half an hour was great.

POST MATCH – Powers of Pain celebrate with Mr Fuji and the fans get confused until Demolition run back out to here to take them out. Crowd is still confused thinking Fuji has turned babyface even though he cheated. Not the most well executed double turn in the history of wrestling. It’s not exactly Bret-Austin.

And that’s all for Volume 4 as rather curiously the last two bouts are missing off the DVD. Not the first time it’s happened during the set though so I’m not really shocked.

The 411: I dig these sets. They show that the 80’s WWF wasn’t such a terrible place as many remember it. It had varied undercards and even some great women’s tag team wrestling. How about them apples? Thumbs up for the whole thing. More of these to come…soon!

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]