Prime Time Wrestling - June 2, 1986
by Erick Von Erich
Hello again, everybody, it's time for Prime Time Wrestling with Gorilla Monsoon and your host, Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. Yup, for the first time, Heenan is admanant that he's the host of the program. Gorilla laughs him off, but Heenan continues. He cues up the opening graphics, which still say "Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura", then complains to production that it should be his name, up there. The duo then runs down a few matches we'll see tonight, including the appearance of one "Psycho Capone". Who the? What the? But with so much going on in the World Wrestling Federation, let's get down to ringside for...
Magnificent Muraco (w/Mr. Fuji) vs. "Golden Boy" Danny Spivey
Looks like tonight's matches are all from the Boston Garden with Gorilla and Lord Alfred Hayes on the call. Muraco stalls, getting the crowd to start a "beach bum" chant. Spivey gets the early advantage, delivering a slam. Muraco pounds him into the ropes, then tosses him outside. Muraco then KILLS Spivey by throwing him through TWO wooden ringside barricades! Well, he would go on to be one of early ECW champions, after all. Back inside, where they hit the ropes and Spivey makes a comeback with a stiff clothesline. Spivey's drop-kick sends Muraco over the top rope, right onto the announcer's table-- barely missing Alfred, but taking out technician Nelson Sweglar. They fight over a suplex on the apron. Spivey wins and plexes Muraco in... but they both suddenly kick their legs up as Muraco hooks a cradle to get the 3 count pin. Started out fairly well, but the ending looked very coordinated and not organic, at all.Tony Garea vs. Mr. X
As Gorilla throws it to ringside, Heenan corrects him, in that this match is actually joined-in-progress. "Who's the host?!" To which Gorilla responds: "even a blind pig can find an acorn". X works a reverse chinlock and a headlock for a good chunk of time. X with a slam and a legdrop for 2. Garea makes a brief comeback, but puts his head down. More headlocking. The Confederation of RestHold Haters have made their way to Boston and make sure to let 'em have it. Gorilla goes into talking about his ring experiences, including a 92 minute match with Bruno Sammartino; wherein Gorilla says he was so dehydrated that he was licking the sweat off of Bruno's body. Ewww. Garea finally gains momentum when X misses a springboard splash off the ropes. Garea with an atomic drop, then sweeps the legs to deliver a catapult and a series of noogies. Garea with a hip-toss, two drop-kicks, then he rolls up X off the ropes with a reverse cradle to get the 3. Not surprising, but Garea was really showing his age, here. I believe I've now fulfilled my Tony Garea Match Watching trophy for the year.Studio Interview with "Luscious" Johnny Valiant and the Dream Team
Ken Resnick brings in the former tag champs, Brutus Beefcake and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Luscious John babbles basic stuff: they're mad and want the belts back. Valentine ends everything with a big group hug of team unity, squishing Resnick in the middle. Yeah, Greg Valentine stole the promo.
"Leaping" Lanny Poffo vs. Psycho Capone
Who?! Quick Googlin' says that Capone was trained by "Killer" Kowalski and was only around for 3 matches. Joined-in-progress, with Poffo using a drop toe-hold. Poffo nails a flying kick and keeps sticking his boots into Capone's face. Backdrop from Capone and he celebrates a little too much. Capone goes for a headlock takedown, but Poffo immediately works it into a reverse chickenwing. Gorilla and Alfred completely destroy Capone on their commentary. Poffo beats away and drop-kicks Capone to the floor. Capone returns via the stairs and rubs Poffo's eye on the ropes. Another drop-kick from Poffo sends Capone back out, barely missing Nelson Sweglar, this time. Back inside, Poffo with a scoop slam, then a top rope senton splash. Another slam from Poffo, then he connects with his middle-rope moonsault. He goes for the pin, but Capone is fairly uncooperative and muscles out. So Poffo slams him, yet again, then hits a slingshot senton splash for the pin. Back in the studio, Heenan says Capone's no longer wrestling and is working at LaGuardia, letting jets land on him. Very odd match, as it was a squash for Poffo and Capone was completely buried in more ways than one.
King Tonga vs. Tiger Chung Lee
Once again, JIP'd, with Tiger working a leglock. Last episode, I was thinking: "huh, Tiger kinda' reminds me of Haku"...so here we are. They work their way to the corner, where Tiger keeps kicking the legs. Tonga blocks a single leg takedown with a wasitlock. Verne Gagne is happy, but the Confederation of RestHold Haters is not. Tonga goes all choppy/kicky, then grazes Tiger with a drop-kick and delivers a reverse atomic drop. Step-over toehold from Tonga to kill some time. Back on their feet, they trade blows with Tonga getting the advantage, then back to the leg again. Tiger breaks the hold by hooking Tonga's face with his leg, then thumping it several times. Choppy/kicky time for Tiger as he gets a 2 count. They hits the ropes with Tonga missing a clothesline, then leapfrogging and blasting Tiger with a reverse thrust kick to get the pin.Studio Interview with Jimmy Hart, Hoss Funk and Jimmy Jack Funk
Resnick talks about the rumors of Jimmy Jack beating up people in Texas bars. No mention of Terry Funk, so I think he's already hit the road. Very basic stuff, as it looks like Hoss is reading directly off a cue card. By the way, where was Terry Funk from 1986 until he attacked Ric Flair in 1989? Japan? Surely it didn't take that long to film his part in "Roadhouse".British Bulldgos vs. Hart Foundation (w/Jimmy Hart)
(Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart & Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart)Gorilla bills this as a "Prime Time Extra", as it's not from Boston and it looks like it was recorded during a recent "Championship Wrestling" episode. Non-title, too, apparently. Bulldogs start hot as Davey hits an atomic drop on Hitman, who then wanders over to the opposite corner to meet a headbutt from Dynamite. They work on Hitman a little bit, but he rolls away and tags in Anvil. Anvil goes for a slam, but Davey blocks and delivers his own. Anvil with a series of kicks on Dynamite and the Harts do their version of the Demolition Decapitation. Hitman with some Euro-uppercuts on Dynamite, elbowdrop, a side backbreaker, but he misses an elbow off the second turnbuckle. Hot tag to Davey, who backdrops Hitman, knocks Anvil off the apron, then delivers the running power slam on Hitman. Anvil enters to break the count, then all four guys enter the ring. The Harts manage to catch Davey in the Hart Attack bearhug/clothesline combo, but instead of the referee making the count, he disqualifies the Harts for illegal double teaming. Less than five minutes, overall, but it's not like these teams wouldn't meet later. Was this one of the first Bulldogs/Harts matches aired nationally? I wouldn't be surprised if they had at least one MSG or Boston match that snuck onto Prime Time, previously.
The Mating Game with the Hart Foundation and Jimmy Hart
A re-broadcast from TNT to fill time. More accurately, somebody in production thought this segment was hilarious and that it had to be re-shown. "Is this the one where Anvil makes out with Moolah"? No, it's worse. Vince McMahon does a decent job of playing game show host, with silly introductions for all three guys. Did you know: Bret Hart holds the record for most unpublishable letters sent to the Playboy magazine advice column? The bachelorette is named "Phoebe Zimmerman", a fairly normal looking broad. With a toothy grin and big eyes, at first glance, I thought "Phoebe" might have been a young Stephanie Wyant with 80's blonde hair, but I don't think that's the case. Bret gets a little saucy by saying he can last all night long in the bedroom, then talking about his "tongue wrestling" abilities ("I can lick my eyebrows"). Anvil compares himself to the Chernobyl meltdown, saying he'll be a "maximum climax of explosion". Anyways, Phoebe is turned off by all three guys and bails. A replacement, "Yolanda Jones" comes in. Some broad decked out in a green afro and a mole on her face. She immediately chooses the Anvil as they win the dream date of a trip to Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania. Har har. Yolanda says she'll give Anvil the full $10,000 cash reward for a successful date, so he agrees.Not really all that funny, as it dragged on forever. They played it up as if "The Mating Game" was a long running game show, but you REALLY had to suspend your disbelief, there. What was the purpose? To show the Harts as clowns? I get that it was supposed to be spoof... but of a canceled game show? Really didn't make a lot of sense. Logic in Wrestling, I guess.
Ted Arcidi vs. Big John Studd
Back to Boston, as the crowd goes bananas for their "hometown hero", Arcidi. Studd stalls, until starting the Penultimate Knucklelock Challenge. Arcidi powers up and lifts Studd up for a slam (big pop), but Studd grabs the top rope and knees him in the stomach. Studd clubs him to the corner, until Arcidi begins fighting back with forearm shots. Really, that's his move-- the forearm shot, as it's all he does in this match. Oh, there's a double axehandle. He whips Studd to the ropes for a backdrop attempt, but puts his head down. Studd kicks him and Arcidi does a slow flip over the top rope to the outside. Studd won't let him abck in, until Arcidi scoops his legs and pulls him out. They brawl to a lame double countout decision. Both guys eat ringpost in what I guess would be the highspot of the match. All the stories you've heard about how bad Arcidi was? They're absolutely true.One final studio segment with more playful "host" banter and we're out!
Why'd You Watch This?:
If you look up the Boston Garden show, you'll see that it was complete dog-crap, yet this episode of Prime Time made it somewhat bearable. The last 30-40 minutes is spent on the wretched "Mating Game" and Arcidi/Studd, which leaves an awful taste in your mouth. Err, eyes... err, whatever. The star power went up a little bit this week, with Muraco, Studd and the Tag Team Champions... but this is still an overall bad show.
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