Prime Time Wrestling - July 28, 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. This week, the Brain is gloating over his reunion with "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. He also pumps up the "King of professional wrestling", Harley Race, and promises a few surprises on tonight's episode. But with so much going on in the World Wrestling Federation, let's get down to ringside for...
Tony Garea vs. "Handsome" Harley Race (w/Bobby Heenan)
Some MSG action, from the past few weeks, as Race is still "Handsome" and not officially the "King", yet. Gorilla Monsoon and Lord Alfred Hayes have the call. Heenan interrupts Howard Finkel's introduction and demands that everybody be quiet while Race is introduced. Cheap heat and something they'd ramp up once Race was crowned. Race attacks as Garea turns his back, clubbing him out to ringside and dropping a diving headbutt on the concrete floor. Some kneedrops from Race, then he tosses Garea back in. Garea tries for a float-over reversal, but eats tunrbuckle. Race then applies his cradle suplex and gets the 3 count pin. The ref counted 2, checked the shoulders, then counted a full 3. Weird. Maybe 2 minutes of "action", as the studio intro segment was longer. Race has been squashing everybody, so it's wasn't necessary to stretch this out longer. Especially considering that Garea was fairly worthless and washed-up at this time.Pedro Morales vs. "Iron" Mike Sharpe
Gorilla and the Brain question Sharpe's credentials. Heenan: "Hamilton's a nice town. I go there in the summer to watch cars rust". Trust me, you don't need a blow-by-blow of this match. Punch, punch, punch, kick, then tumble out to ringside. Sharpe loads something into his forearm brace for a big clothesline, but Morales ducks under and hooks a small package to get the pin. Mild fisticuffs after the bell. When does Morales disappear? Late '86?Ken Resnick Studio Interview with The Junkyard Dog
I must be mutating, because I can mostly understand what JYD's saying. Different interview, as they only talk about the whole "who's the host" thing. JYD mentions that Gorilla should use one of his big hamhocks to back-hand the Brain.The Flower Shop with "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff
Brain mentions that this footage is one of the surprises he cited, earlier. Orndorff is extremely ornery and just shouts. He officially re-introduces Heenan and his manager. A reasonable way to tie-up the Flower Shop/Adiran Adonis connection that spurred Orndorff's heel turn.TNT Flashback: Adrian Adonis with his Personal Florist
Adonis has a buncha' flowers set up on the TNT set and introduces his personal florist, the flamboyant "Mr. Bruce". "Mean" Gene tries to make as many bad homerotic jokes as possible. Mr. Bruce is too nervous and eventually leaves when he's startled by a bee (or, more accurately, a soundbyte of a bee). Terrible segment, all around.Velvet McIntyre vs. Penny Mitchell
Looks like our weekly leftover from a syndicated show. Ah, the good ol' days of female wrestling, when their weights were actually announced. Very animated at the bell, with McIntyre focussing on the arm with some arm-drags, arm-wringers and a legdrop. You can tell Mitchell's the heel, because she makes recurrent use of the HAIR PULL. McIntyre hits a few one-legged dropkicks, but misses a flying crossbody. Mitchell thumps her with a face-first suplex. McIntyre comes back with a reverse roll-up, off the ropes, into a bridge. They ref almost counts three, but notices the shoulders are up. McIntyre then works in a GIANT SWING! Mitchell whips her into the corner, but McIntyre climbs and hooks herself on Mitchell's shoulder for a forward victory roll into a pin. If you exclude the awkward bridge pin attempt, it's one of the better "ladies/girls/women's" matches for the time.Ken Resnick Studio Interview with "Classy" Freddy Blassie
Resnick congratulates Gorilla on receiving a cable ACE award for "host of a documentary". Blassie hints at an upcoming business deal that will net him a load of money-- pretty sure this turned out to the transition to Slick.
Swede Hanson vs. King Kong Bundy (w/Jimmy Hart)
MSG flashback from spring 1985...for no real reason. They trade slaps, then Swede cinches a headlock. Swede tries for a shoulderblock off the ropes, but Bundy no-sells. Swede eventually no-sells Bundy's shots to the dome, then pounds him into the corner. He goes for an Irish whip into the oppsite corner, but Bundy reverses it into the AVALANCHE. Bundy bounces off the ropes and drops an elbow to get the 3 count. Just a basic Bundy squash, but the fans seemed to dig Swede.George Wells & "Leaping" Lanny Poffo vs. Johnny K-9 & Rusty Brooks
Another syndicated leftover...but it's the same exact match from all of three episodes ago! You'd think Poffo and Wells were Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant; vital components to the company; with the way they're constantly on this show.Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart (w/Jimmy Hart)
From Boston Garden in March 1986. I think this match was on the Bret Hart DVD, but don't hold me to that. Joined-in-progress, with Steamer reversing a hip-lock, then his deep armdrags. Hart goes for a reverse atomic drop, but Steamboat flips out of it and hits a reverse thrust-kick. Hitman's back with a reverse neckbreaker, legdrop, headbutts, kick to the gut and whipped to the drops for a clothesline. Steamboat sells it and tumbles out to ringside. Hart suplexes him back in from the apron for 2. Side headlock rest hold, but it turns into a brawl. Steamboat's slam attempt fails, as Hitman gets another 2. Hitman goes for a side backbreaker, but Steamboat flips out and slams him. Splash off the ropes, but Hitman gets his knees up. Outside, where Hitman slams him on the wooden floor. Steamboat staggers back in and gets slammed for a near 3 count. Side backbreaker from Hitman, but his follow-up second-rope elbowdrop misses. "Karate chops" from Steamer and a clothesline for 2. Belly-to-back suplex gets another 2. Steamer chops him into the corner, but Hitman reverses an Irish whip and sends the Dragon into the ref. Hitman's quickly off the ropes with his flying clothesline, but there's nobody to make the count! Ref revives and they do a quick criss-cross sequence. Hitman goes for a flying bodypress, but Steamboat reverses it and scores the 3. Pretty decent match and I'm almost tempted to track down the full version. Almost... gots things to do, watch and eat.Steel Cage Match: Tito Santana & Bruno Sammartino vs. "Macho" Man Randy Savage & "Adorable" Adrian Adonis (w/Elizabeth & Jimmy Hart)
Back to MSG, as Howard Finkel clarifies the rules: you can win only by getting out through the door or over-the-top to the floor. Both guys from a team need to make it out, to win. Sure, that's typical, but sometimes the WWF would allow pinfalls. This is a return match from a regular ol' tag team match between the guys. Obviously, it's to milk the Savage/Santana feud, but I believe Bruno had issues with Savage, too (or maybe that was later in the year). I think Savage and Adonis kinda' became pals on the Flower Shop...and because they're both heels, of course.Heels with a "Pearl Harbor Job" right as the good guys step through the door. Back-and-forth brawling, with all four guys trading off. Savage tries for the door early, but Bruno grabs his tights. Chico tosses Adrian, face-first, into the cage. This cage is sort of a combo between the "big blue bar" model and the usual chain-link fence. Savage gets pulled down from the top and Bruno chokes him with one of Adrian's scarves. More pummeling and halted escape attempts. Adrian gets the obligatory wrestling move with a suplex on Chico. Adrian has both feet on the top of the cage, but gets pulled down and crotched by Bruno. Savage picks up Chico for a slam, then darts him into the cage, cueing the blade job. Adrian later does the "cheese grater spot" on Chico's mug. Savage goes for a top-rope double axe-handle, but Chico thumps him in the bread basket. Adrian claws at the wooden steps, ripping off the top of one while Bruno pulls him back in. Chico tosses Savage, face-first, into the cage for another blade job. Adrian goes all the way to the top of the cage, but misses a kneedrop onto Bruno. More thumping, until Savage accidentally falls onto Adrian. Chico climbs over the top, while Bruno runs out the door as they score the win. Just a basic cage brawl, but the fans seemed to be into it.
Wrestling fans, that wraps it up, but Heenan has another surprise-- he claims to have footage of a "new Korean star", then admits to it all being a lie and stringing everyone along.
Why'd You Watch This?:
The cage match is entertaining and a nice nugget to give the fans. Steamboat/Hart is much better-than-average, but it's only half-a-match. The rest is just filler, once again.
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