WWE Vintage Collection Report: 14th September 2008
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
Welcome aboard. This week, we go back to the Boston Garden (site of WrestleMania XXIV) for action from February 1986. Four matches are on hand and the commentators are Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura. Let's get things started.
George "The Animal" Steele vs Tiger Chung Lee
Steele was the 1980s version of Eugene. A hairy, turnbuckle eating superstar is what Okerlund referred to him as. At this point, Steele was under the tutelage of Captain Lou Albano, who is conspicuous by his absence. Steele chases Tiger outside to start. Tiger thwarts a running bulldog by sending Steele to the corner. Tiger puts the boots to Steele, who slides out of the ring. Steele pulls away the wooden barricade and props it up against the ring. Tiger throws Steele's head into it. The referee passes the barricade back to officials to re-assemble. Steele pulls something out of his tights and hits Tiger with it. Steele conceals the weapon from the referee by scaling the corner and putting it in his mouth. Steele then hits Tiger with one of his own sandals several times. Steele starts to chew at a turnbuckle. Tiger jams a high knee into Steele's back. Steele absorbs blows and comes back with some shots of his own. Steele throws Tiger over the top rope and goes back to chewing the turnbuckle. Tiger hits another high knee. As Tiger gets tied up with the referee, Steele loosens the second turnbuckle, exposing the steel. Steele rams Tiger's head into the steel, knocking him out for the winning pinfall. 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: GEORGE "THE ANIMAL" STEELE. A short showcase of Steele's antics. Bordering on a comedy match.
Big John Studd vs Hillbilly Jim
Studd and King Kong Bundy had tried and failed to take out Hillbilly Jim, who was back following a leg operation. Studd backs Jim to the corner. Jim blocks a chop and retaliates with headbutts. Studd backs away. Jim goes for a slam, but Studd is too close to the ropes and he steps outside to take a walk. Back inside, Jim does a cartwheel to provide the only highlight in this stall based match thus far. Studd grabs Jim's arm and applies an armbar. Jim tries to muscle out but Studd keeps it applied. Jim lands punches and a headbutt, but Studd clubs the chest and hits a double axehandle to the back to regain control. Studd delivers a slam, some stomps and thrusts in the corner, before catching Jim in a bearhug. Jim breaks free with an elbow to the head and headbutt. Studd knees the gut. Jim catches Studd coming off the second rope with a gut punch. Jim lands punches and headbutts. Jim tries the slam, but again Studd grabs the ropes and goes outside. Jim follows him out to brawl. Studd blocks a third slam atttempt, before Jim throws Studd shoulder first into the ringpost. Jim rolls back inside to just beat the count. Here is Your Winner via Countout: HILLBILLY JIM. This match was a snoozefest and moved in slow motion. Very boring.
Intercontinental Title
Tito Santana vs Macho Man Randy Savage w/Miss Elizabeth
Santana was enjoying his second reign as champion, having defeated Greg Valentine in a cage match. Okerlund sort of spoils the outcome of this match in his pre-match notes, but I won't let on. Both men receive their fair share of boos and heel it up a bit during the match. Santana definitely wasn't the white meat bayface he'd later become. The only person who received cheers was the beautiful Elizabeth, who looked immaculate as always. Santana throws his shirt at Savage. Some stalling to begin. Three lockups lead to a stalemate. Santana reverses a waistlock, leading to Savage taking a break. Santana counters a side headlock takedown, with a headscissors. Savage thumbs Santana in the eye and cowers outside. A funny moment sees Savage argue with a lady being led away by security who's dressed like him. This is before Santana comes out to brawl with Savage. Back inside, Santana meets Savage coming off the top rope with a gut punch. Santana slams and goes for his patented flying elbow, but Savage gets out of dodge, and Santana puts the brakes on. Savage baits Santana into a sneak attack, but Santana catches a kick and spins Savage into an atomic drop. In desperation, Savage goes to the eyes. Savage hits a double axehandle, clothesline and double axehandle from the top rope. Savage throws Santana through the ropes before landing another double axehandle from the top rope. Santana fights his way back in from the apron, and hits a standing elbow from the second rope. Santana Irish whips, but Savage gets his feet up on a charge. Santana throws Savage onto the referee to get out of a cover. As a result, the referee is slow to count Santana's small package on Savage. Santana runs into a backelbow, Savage misses a kneedrop and immediately favours his knee. Santana softens it up with kicks before cinching in the figure four. Savage twists and turns before getting to the bottom rope. Savage goes to the apron, but Santana suplexes him back in. Santana attempts the figure four again, but Savage kicks him off. Savage goes out to the apron, Santana grabs a leg, but the referee intervenes. During this, Savage pulls an object from his tights. Santana advances and ducks Savage's swing. Santana goes to back suplex Savage back in, but Savage clocks Santana with the object. Savage lies on top of Santana for the cover. 1-2-3. New Intercontinental Champion. Post match sees Savage throw the object outside of the ring to a cameraman. The crowd boo, but the decision stands, as the referee tends to an unconscious Santana. Here is Your Winner: MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE. Thoroughly enjoyable, with some great psychology on show towards the end. I miss Savage and can't wait to meet Santana at a convention in January.
Martial Arts Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs The Magnificent Muraco w/Mr Fuji
Main Event time. Steamboat had just come off of a series of matches with Mr Fuji, one of which included a Kung-Fu challenge. Steamboat puts on his black jacket, but Muraco refuses to wear his white one. Fuji prods the referee with his cane to intimidate him. Muraco wants to swap jackets, but Steamboat throws the white one at Muraco, who finally relents and puts it on. Muraco stalls for ages and spends most of the match doing so. Steamboat delivers two enziguiri kicks. Muraco makes two trips outside. Steamboat starts to punch the gut, Muraco throws him down by the hair. After getting advice from Fuji, Muraco throws Steamboat down a second time, then takes a bow. Steamboat comes back with a side headlock, knife edge chop, hiptoss and slam. Steamboat utilises a long side headlock takedown. Fuji trips Steamboat coming off the ropes. Muraco misses an elbow drop, allowing Steamboat to slam and sit on another side headlock takedown. Steamboat switches to a dragon sleeper, then a regular sleeper. Steamboat pulls up Muraco's jacket to choke him. Muraco uses his strength to get Steamboat up on his shoulders and deliver a samoan drop. Back from a commercial break, Muraco is beating on the now bloodied Steamboat. Muraco sets Steamboat up for his patented piledriver, but Steamboat uses both his legs to clap Muraco in the head. Steamboat uses a variety of reverse knife edge chops and punches to stagger Muraco. Steamboat drives Muraco's head into the mat then hits a chop from the top rope. Muraco sends an advancing Steamboat over the top rope. Steamboat hangs on, catching Fuji in a headscissors kick, on his way to skinning the cat back in. Steamboat slips behind from a suplex attempt, before rolling Muraco up off the ropes for the 1-2-3. The crowd go wild. The constant stalling hampered the match for my enjoyment. Pretty much most of Muraco's offense was edited out so it came off like a Steamboat squash, which it certainly wasn't. Steamboat would go on to have a legendary feud with Randy Savage which culminated in Steamboat's win at WrestleMania III. Here is Your Winner: RICKY "THE DRAGON" STEAMBOAT.
Okerlund wraps things up to end the show.
Best match: Tito Santana vs Randy Savage.
Worst match: Big John Studd vs Hillbilly Jim.
Show verdict: Thumbs in the middle. A mixed bag. Savage and Santana saved the show from being a thumbs down. See you next week. Shaun.
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.
