mobanmarketWWE Vintage Collection Report: October 23rd 2011
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Jack Korpela
Monsoons, Tornados, Hurricanes and Storms are just some of the Natural Disasters which make up this week’s show, focusing on superstars patterned and named after some of nature’s most destructive elements. In the absence of Mean Gene, once again, Jack has our back. Let’s begin!
WWF Championship Wrestling: February 19th 1983
$10,000 Body Slam Challenge: Big John Studd w/Classy Freddie Blassie vs Gorilla Monsoon
Monsoon was officially retired, but still made sporadic appearances. Blassie has the money in his hand. Studd talks trash as Monsoon circles him, ignoring a hand shake, while cheekily reaching out at the money. Studd stalls for time and blocks Monsoon’s first three slam attempts. A fed-up Monsoon shoves Studd to the corner, giving him the leverage to scoop him up. Studd grabs onto the ropes, giving him the momentum to fall on top of Monsoon. After the bell, Studd rubs it in by dropping elbows and putting the boots to Monsoon. Pedro Morales and Tony Garea run in, prompting Studd to leave. Andre the Giant would finally be the man to slam Studd. Winner: BIG JOHN STUDD.
WCW Monday Nitro: September 16th 1996
Glacier vs Big Bubba Rogers
Ray Lloyd aka Glacier was a martial arts expert loosely based on the Sub-Zero character from Mortal Kombat. This is his Nitro debut against the former Big Boss Man, who had been running down Glacier in prior interviews. Synthetic snow and blue lasers decorate the arena during Glacier’s entrance. After utilising several takedowns, kicks to the gut and a judo throw, Glacier busts out a brogue kick. Rogers cowers to the corner as he avoids multiple spinning wheel kicks. Rogers suckers Glacier in for a throat shot and manages to catch him with a big spinebuster. Rogers chooses to mock Glacier’s mannerisms, prompting Glacier to pop up, sweep the leg and land a roundhouse hook kick to the face. Glacier avoids a corner charge and knocks Rogers out with a spinning side kick for the 1-2-3. Winner: GLACIER. A victim of stop-start booking and indecisiveness ruined what could have been a good gimmick, as Glacier bounced around the company for three years, until being quietly released in late 1999.
WWF House Show: October 28th 1991
Texas Tornado vs Big Bully Busick
Bully’s manager Harvey Wippleman is conspicuous by his absence here at MSG. Bully was famous for his bowler hat, cigar and bushy moustache during his cup of coffee run in the WWF. Tornado wins an early test of strength until Bully takes a shortcut with a kick to the gut. Tornado stops Bully from pinning his shoulders down, powers up, escapes a sleeper, but falls victim to a clothesline. Tornado misses a corner charge and jars a shoulder. Bully slams, comes off the second rope, but gets caught in the Von Erich claw. Tornado pulls Bully away from the ropes, and goes for his Tornado punch, but Bully counters with a punch of his own. Bully attacks Tornado with a bearhug, backelbow, clothesline and sleeper. Tornado backs Bully to the corner. Bully eats a boot on a charge, and is dazed long enough for Tornado to hit his patented Tornado punch for the 1-2-3. Winner: TEXAS TORNADO.
WCW Saturday Night: June 1st 1996
Fire & Ice (Scott Norton & Ice Train) vs The Blue Bloods (Squire David Taylor & Earl Robert Eaton)
Fire and Ice joined forces after knocking each other out with clotheslines during a match. Taylor briefly gets the upper hand on Ice at the start with uppercuts and a dropkick. Fire and Ice come back with a double tackle. Eaton eats a clothesline, followed by several battering rams from Fire and a hiptoss out of the corner. Eaton manages to catch Fire with a neckbreaker, but the Blue Bloods can’t manage to mount any prolonged offence on their opponents and the match saunters on for several uneventful minutes. Ice forces Taylor onto his knees with a test of strength then stamps on his hands. Eaton takes a couple of avalanche splashes in the corner. Taylor dodges an avalanche and locks in a full nelson on Ice. Eaton lands a shot from the top rope. Eaton holds Ice for Taylor to do the same, but Taylor takes his own partner out after Ice moves. As Fire sends a shocked Taylor over the top rope, Ice nails a splash on Eaton to mercifully end this strung out match. Winners: FIRE & ICE.
WWE Raw: March 31st 2003
Triple H w/Ric Flair vs The Hurricane (Non Title)
This match comes just 24 hours after WrestleMania 19, where HHH defended the World Title against Booker T. Hurricane had some momentum after upsetting the Rock in a pre-Mania bout, thanks to help from Steve Austin. HHH blocks a chokeslam and gives the resident superhero a spinebuster. Hurricane escapes a suplex, pushes HHH to the corner and catches the Game with a neckbreaker. Hurricane follows up with a pair of clotheslines and scores nearfalls from a shining wizard and tornado DDT. Flair pulls Hurricane’s leg, only to eat a dropkick through the ropes. Hurricane delivers a chokeslam, but the referee is late counting thanks to Flair, who pulls Hurricane off HHH at two. Hurricane goes out to deck Flair, then goes airborne, hitting HHH with a cross body for another two. Both the Eye of the Hurricane and the Pedigree are countered. Hurricane attempts a Pedigree, only to get a slingshot into the corner. Hurricane reverses a slam into the Eye of the Hurricane for two. HHH misses a corner charge. Hurricane has the crowd chanting for him, but misses a blockbuster, allowing HHH to nail the Pedigree for the 1-2-3. Holy unselfishness Batman! HHH makes Hurricane look like a bona fide threat before beating him. Winner: TRIPLE H.
WCW Thunder: August 2nd 2000
WCW Cruiserweight Title: Lance Storm vs Juventud Guerrera
Team Canada leader Storm was the first triple crown WCW champion, holding the U.S, Hardcore and Cruiserweight belts. Storm renamed all three titles in honour of Canada. Commissioner Ernest Miller put Storm in three title matches in one night, with this being the first for the renamed 100kg and under championship. Juvi is representing the Filthy Animals. Outside interference has been banned. Juvi turns a flapjack into a dropkick in mid-air, then has Storm reeling after a spin kick and headscissors takeover. A Juvi Driver puts Storm on the outside. Juvi connects with a somersault dive, but whiffs on a cross body. Juvi’s tilt-a-whirl headscissors finds the mark, before Storm elevates the Juice onto the apron. Juvi hangs Storm up on the top rope and gets nearfalls from a springboard splash and top rope Frankensteiner. Juvi misses a corner charge, elbows out of a waistlock, then lands on his feet to prevent a german suplex. A wheelbarrow front bulldog puts Storm back down. Juvi goes for the 450, managing to land on his feet when Storm moves. Both duck clothesline attempts. Juvi blocks a back suplex attempt and drops Storm on his head with a Death Valley Driver. Juvi gets on Storm’s shoulders, but Storm drops down and hooks the Canadian Maple Leaf (single leg boston crab) in the middle of the ring and Juvi taps out. Winner: LANCE STORM. Storm would win all of his three matches on this night, successfully defending the Hardcore title against Norman Smiley and the U.S title against the Cat. All three matches were won with the half crab. This was enjoyable to watch.
WWF Wrestling Challenge: November 3rd 1991
The Natural Disasters w/Jimmy Hart vs The Rockers
To my knowledge this is the first and only TV meeting between the two teams. Michaels is cornered by Typhoon and has to bite his way out of a bearhug. Jannetty comes over the ropes with a flying kick to Typhoon, who staggers backwards, falling over a crouched Michaels. The Rockers make a wish on Typhoon’s legs. Jannetty skips outside when he finds himself in the wrong corner, then slides back in underneath Earthquake’s mammoth legs. Jannetty misses a corner charge, enabling Earthquake to slam. Michaels grabs a leg to stop Earthquake from hitting his vertical splash finisher. Typhoon misses an elbow drop, which gives Jannetty an opening to tag out. The Rockers work over their opponents in the corner. Earthquake catches Jannetty after he leaps from Typhoon’s shoulders. Michaels jumps off the second rope to send Jannetty on top of Earthquake for a one count. As Michaels works over Earthquake, Jannetty inadvertently dropkicks Typhoon into his path, resulting in Michaels getting sandwiched in the corner. Whoops! Jannetty makes another mistake when he opts to chase trash talking Jimmy Hart to the back, leaving his partner easy pickings for two Natural Disaster splashes for the 1-2-3. Winners: THE NATURAL DISASTERS. Jannetty comes back out to aid his wounded partner, who’s rolling around in pain, clutching his ribs. An angry Michaels refuses a stretcher and goes crazy chasing referees out, before leaving the ring with Jannetty’s help. The Rockers were heading for splitsville and the seeds of discontent continued to be sewn over the coming weeks.
Phewph! They sure managed to cram a lot into this week’s show. A random theme, but fun to watch.
That’s all for this week. More classic matches and moments from the WWE vault on Sunday.
Any comments or discussion points drop me a line at shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
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