WWE Vintage Collection Report (10/26/08)

WWE Vintage Collection Report: 26th October 2008
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund

Welcome aboard to the WWE vault. First off I need to thank reader Steve, who pointed out my minor cock-up in last week’s report. I claimed Jim Powers and Paul Roma were the Wild Stallions when they were actually the Young Stallions. Bill & Ted (of movie fame) were actually the Wild Stallions. What a flick. Today’s archives take us back to two points in the 80s. We have four matches on tap. The first three take us back to December 1988 and to the LA Sports Arena. Ron Tronguard and Superstar Billy Graham are the commentators, as we kick things off with ladies action for a change.

WWF Women’s Title
Rockin’ Robin vs Sensational Sherri
Robin ended Sherri’s 15 month reign as champion in October 1988. This was Sherri’s chance to regain her gold. Joined in progress. Sherri looked different to me with no face paint. Just a thought. Sherri hits a shoulder tackle. Robin gets Sherri to look up, so she can deliver a gut punch. That’s the oldest trick in the book Sherri. Robin briefly works the arm. Robin Irish whips, Sherri avoids a charge and takes control. Sherri slaps on a camel clutch, chinlock then head vice. Sherri rakes Robin’s face and back. Sherri delivers a single leg takedown and leg twist. Robin pushes Sherri off the ropes, Sherri ricochets back with a clothesline. Sherri applies a reverse chinlock followed by a side russian legsweep. Robin comes back with a double leg takedown and several drop down shots onto Sherri’s leg. Robin applies a boston crab. Both go back and forth until Sherri counters out into a rollup for two. Sherri attacks the gut. Robin ducks a clothesline, Sherri ducks a flying bodypress. Sherri stalks before covering Robin for a nearfall. Sherri ducks Robin’s shots and attacks her with forearms. This is until Robin fakes a shot and catches Sherri with punches of her own. Robin tries to put Sherri away with a backelbow and powerslam, but each time, Sherri gets a foot on the ropes. Robin slams and heads up top as Sherri gets up. Robin jumps over Sherri. Sherri levels Robin with a clothesline for two. Robin hits a bulldog off the ropes to retain her title. 1-2-3. Good back and forth opener between two women who could go. Here is Your Winner: ROCKIN’ ROBIN.

We cut to an outside ghetto, where Mean Gene Okerlund is with Slick, (who is holding a boom box) and some tribesmen. From the ashes of the One Man Gang, we see the rise of the African Dream Akeem. As the tribesmen silently shout Akeem and run around, Slick calls this the greatest night in wrestling history. Gene keeps calling Akeem, One Man Gang by mistake. Apparently, Akeem is a new man and can talk. This is because One Man Gang never spoke. Slick and Akeem shuffle out to the sound of Jive Soul Bro as Gene tries to get down. Truly a Wrestlecrap moment. Speaking of Akeem, he’s up next.

Akeem w/Slick vs Koko B. Ware
Koko climbs the corner to punch free from a test of strength spot. Koko turns to frustration and stall tactics, by constantly crawling underneath Akeem and listening in on Slick’s advice. When Akeem corners Koko, we cut to a commercial break. When we return, Koko fights out of a bearhug. Akeem uses punches, knees and boot chokes, before squashing Koko in the corner. Koko avoids a second squashing and ‘birds up,’ even though Frankie isn’t here. Koko staggers Akeem into a corner with flying forearms, a headbutt and dropkick. Akeem avoids a stinger splash, Koko falls down and Akeem squishes him with a splash. 1-2-3. A crap waste of time. Why was lots of Koko’s stalling shown over Akeem’s offense? Oh yeah Akeem’s offense sucked. If this was Akeem’s debut then he showed nothing here. He was much better in Twin Towers mode. Here is Your Winner: AKEEM.

Big Boss Man w/Slick vs Hulk Hogan
The Twin Towers and Slick appreciation show rolls on. Boss Man and Hogan were in the middle of a feud. Akeem would shortly be introduced into it. Boss Man is already in the ring and refusing to let Hogan in. Boss Man is really swinging his nightstick around. I feel the hatred he’s portraying towards Hogan. Hogan tempts Boss Man onto the apron, where Hogan trips him and takes possession of the nightstick. With the nightstick tucked into his yellow shirt, Hogan wellies Boss Man with a chair shot. This is legal as it’s before the bell. Back in the ring, Slick jumps on Hogan’s back, but ends up getting squashed in the corner, by a Boss Man charge. The referee takes the nightstick, as Hogan delivers a back suplex to Boss Man. Hogan handcuffs Slick to the ringpost. While punishing the Boss Man, Hogan constantly goes outside to slap the poor Slickster. Hogan works over the Boss Man with clotheslines, head rams in the corner, a slam and a couple of elbow drops. Boss Man finally turns the tide with a clothesline and spinebuster. Boss Man uncuffs Slick as we cut away for a break. When we return, Boss Man is still in control, as he gets a nearfall from a piledriver. Hogan counters a second piledriver with a backbodydrop out of the ring. Slick pulls Hogan out by the leg. Hogan chases Slick around the outside then back in, where Boss Man is waiting with a clothesline. Boss Man splashes. 1-2-no, Hogan kicks out with authority and begins to ‘Hulk up’. A big boot puts Boss Man outside. Boss Man pulls Hogan out and sends him into the ringpost. Boss Man handcuffs Hogan and pounds on him back in the ring. Hogan avoids a charge in the corner. As Boss Man gets crotched, Hogan breaks free from the cuffs. Hogan quickly hits a clothesline and legdrop to finish things off. 1-2-3. Post match sees Hogan send Slick into the Boss Man, with both heels taking a tumble to the floor. Akeem should have interfered here, as it was the perfect opportunity. Instead we got the predictable Hogan finish. That being said, the match was quite good, considering who was in it. Here is Your Winner: HULK HOGAN.

For our Main Event we switch gears to the Philadelphia Spectrum. It’s February 1983 and the commentators are Gorilla Monsoon and Dick Graham.

Playboy Buddy Rose, Mr Fuji, ‘The Crippler’ Ray Stevens, Superstar Billy Graham & The Magnificent Muraco vs
Rocky Johnson, Salvatore Belomo, Pedro Morales, Superfly Jimmy Snuka & Andre The Giant
This is one of the largest Main Events I’ve ever seen. This was a three out of five fall, ten man, tag match. We pick things up during the first fall. Belomo gets real dizzy following airplane spins from Muraco and Rose. After being briefly worked over, Belomo tags in Snuka, who headbutts his way through Stevens and Muraco. Muraco receives quick fire punches from Johnson, before an Andre headbutt makes Muraco wear the ropes like a tie. Thankfully, Muraco manages to free his neck from the unforgiving ropes. That looked painful and scary to watch. Andre and Belomo work over Muraco’s arms with a surfboard. Belomo soon finds himself in the wrong corner. Belomo goes on a roll with a dropkick and shoulder tackle to Fuji. However, the crafty Fuji manages to catch the onrushing Belomo with a belly-to-belly suplex, to win the first fall for his team. Belomo starts the second fall and is worked over by the heels. Rose delivers a vertical suplex, while Muraco slingshots him into a Fuji chop. Fuji pulls Belomo up after a suplex, not wanting a cover, as the crowd want Snuka in. As Fuji lifts Belomo up, Snuka dropkicks Belomo on top of Fuji to score the pinfall and level things up at 1-1. Belomo briefly starts the third fall before he manages to get the hot tag to Snuka. Snuka quickly leapfrogs over Rose and hooks him into a sunset flip. 1-2-3. The face team now have the advantage. Both teams talk tactics before heading into the fourth fall. Rose gets a side headlock and shoulder tackle on Snuka. Snuka comes back with leapfrogs and a stinging chop. Andre and Fuji are next to tangle. Fuji initially begs on his knees, before stinging Andre with a karate chop to the ears. Muraco comes in and foolishly heads up top. Andre catches him and throws him to the mat. Andre chops Muraco down in his own corner. Muraco tags in Rose who gets brought in the hard way by Andre. Andre uses Snuka’s head to daze Rose. A big boot puts the Playboy down and Andre sits on Rose to ensure the winning 1-2-3. The face team take this 3-1. Good nostalgia and a heated bout, despite some of the dicey work. Here Are Your Winners: ROCKY JOHNSON, SALVATORE BELOMO, PEDRO MORALES, SUPERFLY JIMMY SNUKA & ANDRE THE GIANT.

Okerlund wraps things up to end the show.

Best match: The Main Event for nostalgia reasons, although the women’s opener deserves a mention.
Worst match: Akeem vs Koko B. Ware.

I wasn’t keen on the small Akeem portion of the show, but apart from that I can’t complain. I really enjoyed the Main Event throwback. Ten Man tags are rarely done these days. This week, less (in terms of matches) was indeed more, so I’ll give this show a thumbs up.

Cyber Sunday picks and winners:

SHELTON BENJAMIN vs R-TRUTH (R-Truth by DQ)
CRYME TYME vs JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ (Cryme Tyme)
MATT HARDY vs EVAN BOURNE (Matt Hardy in the match of the night)
SANTINO MARELLA vs HONKY TONK MAN (Santino Marella in the funniest match of the night. Hopefully we get the Haas impression and the real guest)
DIVAS COSTUME CONTEST (Kelly Kelly)
REY MYSTERIO vs KANE, NO HOLDS BARRED (Rey Mysterio)
UNDERTAKER vs BIG SHOW, LAST MAN STANDING (Undertaker)
TRIPLE H vs JEFF HARDY (Triple H….yawn…yet again. His superman act is wearing thin)
CHRIS JERICHO vs BATISTA w/Ref STONE COLD (Chris Jericho after stunners galore)

If anyone wants to sound off, chew the fat or talk wrestling get in touch. Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.