WWE Vintage Collection Report (11/29/09)

WWE Vintage Collection Report: 29th November 2009
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund

Welcome aboard. Today’s show is all about classic WWF action with some of the “finest of the 1980s.” Four matches are on hand, including a couple of Intercontinental Title tussles.

Happy 67th Birthday Mean Gene Okerlund. Let’s begin.

Madison Square Garden - June 21st 1985
King Kong Bundy w/Jimmy Hart vs Tony Garea
Joined in progress, with Okerlund joining Gorilla Monsoon in announcing. Bundy is billed at 400lbs. Monsoon reveals he tipped the scales at 440lbs at his heaviest. Garea fails to budge the mammoth Bundy early on, so he opts for a single leg takedown and works over one of Bundy’s massive legs. Bundy thwarts a second leg dive by pounding Garea down, standing on his chest and choking the veteran New Zealander several times in the ropes. Bundy applies a chinlock, as Okerlund urges the referee to check that it isn’t a choke. Bundy releases and Garea staggers him with a dropkick and a couple of tackles. Bundy reverses an Irish whip, then crushes Garea with an avalanche in the corner. Bundy pins Garea following a falling splash. Winner: KING KONG BUNDY. This was ploddingly slow and boring for the most part.

Kiel Auditorium, St Louis, Missouri - September 1st 1984
Intercontinental Title: Tito Santana vs Paul Orndorff
This battle between two Hall of Famers is also joined in progress. Vince McMahon is the sole announcer. Santana was enjoying a six month reign as champion. Orndorff takes control with an inverted atomic drop before kicking Santana to the floor. Orndorff delivers an atomic drop on the floor leading McMahon to state that Santana’s left shoulder is bleeding. It isn't. Orndorff snaps Santana’s throat across the top rope then punishes the shoulder area. Orndorff stops to pose for the riled up crowd who are chanting “Paula” at him. Orndorff’s attacks are risking a DQ, as the referee constantly reprimands him, but Orndorff is clever with his tactics. After blocking a sunset flip, Orndorff applies a chinlock with his knee wedged into Santana’s back. McMahon speculates on Orndorff’s hands slipping down onto Santana’s windpipe. Santana elbows free, so Orndorff quickly delivers a back suplex. Orndorff argues a nearfall, allowing Santana to nearly win it with a cross body. Orndorff goes back on the offensive until Santana gets his knees up to stop a second rope dive. Santana slams, then slingshots Orndorff into the corner. Orndorff instinctively plants Santana with a clothesline to kill his momentum. Santana reverses an Irish whip, but runs straight into Orndorff’s knees and falls back. Orndorff covers, but the bell goes to signal a time limit draw. Orndorff is angry at the decision as he grabs the belt, until the referee hands it back to Santana who’s selling the effects of the match on the outside. McMahon states that Santana was “saved by the bell.” Winner: DRAW. Santana was one of the best at selling punishment and inserting hope spots at the right time to keep the crowd alive and behind him. Despite Orndorff’s strong showing, it was Greg Valentine who ended up beating Santana for the title a few weeks after this.

Madison Square Garden - January 21st 1985
Texas Tornado Rules: Rowdy Roddy Piper & Cowboy Bob Orton vs
Superfly Jimmy Snuka & The Junkyard Dog
The Texas Tornado stipulation means all four men are in the ring at the same time. The entire match airs and is called by the team of Gorilla Monsoon and Mean Gene Okerlund once more. Before we begin, a graphic pops up telling us that the match is being brought to us by WWEClassics.com. Orton and Piper are sent into one another a couple of times. JYD gets on all fours to headbutt Piper. Piper recovers to send Snuka into the ringpost. JYD is briefly double teamed. Snuka bangs Piper and Orton's heads together. Piper botches going over a crouching JYD, before all four tussle on the floor. Back inside, Piper and Orton utilise double chinlocks then sleepers. Both JYD and Snuka sink to their knees, spending several minutes trying to link hands. They finally link, pulling Piper and Orton into each other. JYD sends Orton upside down into the corner. Piper kneelifts JYD, before Snuka is given a double slam. Piper bites at JYD in the corner, while Orton misses a top rope splash on Snuka. (Orton was way off, taking a horrible dive onto Snuka’s knees). Snuka and Piper spill outside, where Piper sends Snuka into the ringpost once more. Piper trips JYD as he runs the ropes, Orton drops a knee into the back then picks up the victory. The crowd boo the finish as officials separate the four on their way to the back. Winners: ROWDY RODDY PIPER & COWBOY BOB ORTON. This was a disappointing effort, with a prolonged rest period in the middle and a very weak finish.

Madison Square Garden - January 22nd 1983
Intercontinental Title: Pedro Morales vs The Magnificent Muraco
Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon are the announcers for today’s Main Event which airs in its entirety. The two were involved in a heated feud, with this being a return bout following a double DQ in the last meeting between the two. Muraco attacks Morales before Howard Finkel is done with the ring introductions. Morales retaliates by ripping the front of Muraco’s shirt off and whipping him with the Intercontinental Title. Morales rips off the rest of Muraco’s shirt, wraps it around his neck and tosses the Magnificent one to the mat. Muraco has the first of many timeouts to frustrate his opponent, with Morales foolishly obliging according to the announcers. After being sent to the floor and falling off the apron, Muraco sneaks underneath the apron to prevent a Morales top rope attack. Monsoon puts over Muraco’s ring presence as Morales is forced into a rethink. As Morales ties up an arm, Muraco sneaks in a low blow with his leg. Muraco chokes Morales with remnants of his ripped shirt. Morales sends Muraco to the corner. Muraco avoids a charge and Morales crashes knee first into the corner. Muraco goes after the leg, snapping it back after a dive from the second rope. Muraco applies a figure four. Morales taps out, but back in the day, you had to verbally give up and Morales's tapping is construed as looking for momentum. Morales briefly reverses the hold until both slump along the bottom rope. Morales, heavily favouring his knee, kicks off a second figure four attempt to post Muraco's shoulder. Morales manages to deliver a backbreaker across his bad knee which shocks Monsoon. “I thought he had a bad knee?” Morales turns Muraco into a Boston Crab, but he can’t keep it applied because of his bad knee. Morales tries to slam Muraco (coming off the ropes) but his knee buckles, Muraco falls on top, gets the pin and bags the title. Winner: THE MAGNIFICENT MURACO. As Muraco hoists his title in the air, Morales gets his knee tended to in the ring by an official. McMahon puts over Morales’s pride, while Monsoon praises his gallancy and heart, stating anyone else would have stopped the match. However, according to Monsoon, it was Morales’s refusal to quit which ultimately led to him beating himself. There was very little wrestling, but both sold each shot tremendously and displayed great psychology.

The two Intercontinental Title matches were the two best things on this week’s show. To quote Okerlund’s closing notes, join us for another “Scintillating” edition next week. Shaun.

Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.