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Guest TSMAdmin

Best of the WWF Vol. 3

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Guest TSMAdmin

DVD OF THE WEEK

 

Christopher Guest is most well known for his improv movies. Basically, Guest would think of a concept for a movie and not write a script for it. Instead the actors themselves would make up the lines on the spot. Waiting For Guffman was Guest's second of three movies. The movie is set up as a documentary about a small town play. The thing is all the performers in the play are HORRIBLE, but they all think they are awesome. In the end the movie is very funny with a bit of a sad ending. 7/10 The DVD has a ton of additional footage and a great commentary with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy (Stiller's Dad from American Pie). Originally over 90 hours of footage were filmed for the movie, so the additional scenes are pretty funny. Overall 9/10.

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK

 

Raw- Neither great nor horrible, so I can't complain. I'm glad to see some new faces in the main events and the Lesnar-Heyman-Dreamer-Van Dam segment was gold. The mixed tag match was easily the worst WWE match in years and that is saying something. I still don't understand why Flair was wasted in a match with Richards. If the bookers don't have plans for him they just shouldn't use him. It's not like anyone thought Stevie had a chance in hell of beating Flair anyway. Goldust dancing with Booker was the highlight of the show though. I think I'll give Kevin Nash his own paragraph this week.

 

Kevin Nash- I find the whole injury situation VERY FUNNY. I almost always laugh when someone gets hurt. One of my personal quotes is of course "It's funny until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious", but I laugh at Kevin Nash more because of the irony than the injury itself. Since getting signed, Nash would have spent a total 13 months out once he is fully rehabbed while only wrestling for 2 months! One of the good things that will come out of this is hopefully the elevation of Mike Sanders. I don't really know much about Sanders, but I'm just happy to see new faces on WWE TV. Kevin, karma is a bitch. Get used to it.

 

SmackDown!- This was on par with Raw, which is saying something for Paul Heyman’s booking ability. He has really salvaged this show considering how much damage was done to it months ago. I also find it interesting that this streak of watchable SmackDowns! started when John Cena debuted. Coincidence? I think not. Cena has done a lot for the show. He has all of the characteristics that the rest of the new wave of wrestler’s lack and I think the WWE notices that.

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers: By the Way- Great CD. I’m a huge Chili Peppers mark and this is no Blood Sugar Sex Magik, but it still kicks ass. By the Way has been played on the radio more than any song on the disc, but there are still many other great (maybe even better) tracks like Dosed, Can’t Stop, Throw Away Your Television, Cabron, On Mercury, and Minor Thing.

 

TAPE OF THE WEEK

 

Best of the WWF Vol. 3

 

Thankfully my version of this tape clips a few of the really bad matches and one possible good one. The missing matches include The British Bulldogs vs. Rene Goulet & Johnny Rodz (April 22, 2985), David Sammartino vs. Brutus Beefcake (WrestleMania), King Kong Bundy tries on wigs (TNT), and King Kong Bundy vs. Tony Garea (June 21, 1986) in a match that was 10 minutes+. So THANK YOU Tim Noel for helping me keep my sanity while reviewing this tape.

 

Fijian Strap Match: Jimmy Snuka vs. Roddy Piper ~ July 20, 1984

This is a continuation of the feud these two started on the Best of the WWF Vol. 1. Jesse Ventura is the lone commentator here. Snuka starts with some quick slaps with the strap. Piper swings the strap, but Snuka ducks. Test of strength goes nowhere. Snuka chokes Piper with the strap. Piper comesback with an eye gouge and a good ol' whipping. Snuka catches Piper with a double leg takedown and goes back to the choke. Piper tries to leave, but Snuka pulls him back in. Snuka whips him a bit and once again Piper tries to leave. They trade punches. Snuka connects with a fijian chop and a chokes Piper some more. Snuka covers for 2. Piper with a thumb to the eye and he hammers Snuka down to the mat. Piper whips him and hits a headbutt. A slugfest results and they end up on the floor. Snuka goes headfirst to the post, as does Piper. Back in, Snuka hits some fists of fury and a few BIG headbutts. Snuka wins it with a crossbody off the top. (7:55) *1/2 Piper attacks Snuka from behind and you guessed it...chokes him with the strap. How creative. This match by the way is one of the very few that Piper actually jobbed clean in.

 

Ricky Steamboat vs. Bob Orton, Jr. ~ July 20, 1985

I already covered this match in my Best of the WWF Vol. 6 review except this version of the match has 3 minutes clipped off of it. Since I don't feel like doing the PBP all over again because of 3 minutes, here is my PBP from two weeks ago. Gene and Gorilla are at ringside for this one. Steamboat works on Orton’s already injured are like a MOFO for a pretty long time. Orton finally gets some offense with a bodyslam. Steamboat hits a slam of his own and goes back to the arm. The crowd is really into this one and the heat adds to the match. Orton tries to escape from the armbar with a hiptoss, but Steamboat keeps the hold on. Looked pretty painful. Orton finally escapes with a headbutt and a huge hiptoss out of the corner. Orton catches him with a flying headscissors. Orton charges at Steamboat, but ends up flying over the top to the guard rail. Orton takes a fan’s soda and throws it in Ricky’s face. Back in, Orton catches Ricky with a facebuster and a kneelift. Orton applies a neck wrench and spins Steamboat’s neck like a corkscrew, ala the Giant at Fall Brawl 1995. Orton drops an elbow to the throat for 2. Orton misses a falling forearm and gets WHOOO BY GOD CHOPPED by Steamboat. Steamboat picks him up for a slam, buy Orton falls on top for 2. Orton hits a Rockbottom like move for 2. Steamboat comesback with about a dozen knife edge chops. Orton goes for a piledriver, but Steamboat backdrops him. Steamboat comes off the top with a crossbody for 2. Fistdrop for 2. Orton delivers an inverted atomic drop out of nowhere. Steamboat skins the cat and catches Orton with an eniziguri, sending him to the floor. Ricky suplexes him back in. Steamboat goes for a HUGE splash, but Orton gets the knees up. Orton loads his cast. Orton hits Steamboat with his cast off the top rope, so the ref calls for a disqualification. (14:04) ***1/2 After the match, Steamboat gets his revenge and Orton hightails it. GREAT MATCH!

 

The British Bulldogs vs. The Hart Foundation w/Jimmy Hart JIP ~ July 13, 1985

The match is joined as Dynamite throws Hart to the floor. CLIP to Bulldog and Neidhart in a test of strength. Anvil gets a few knees in and goes for a backbody drop, but Bulldog rolls off his shoulders and dropkicks him. Bret tags in and connects with a kneelift and a kick to the groin. The Anvil tags back in. Neidhart gets the Bulldog with a backbreaker as Bret comes off the second rope with an elbowdrop. CLIP to Bret accidentally running into Neidhart. Dynamite gets the hot tag and dismantles the Hart Foundation. The match finally settles down when Bret goes sternum first to the corner for 2 as Neidhart saves. Dynamite comes off the top with a missile dropkick and tags the Bulldog. Davey gets Bret with the running powerslam. He covers, but Neidhart pulls him off of Bret. CLIP to Bret choking Davey on the rope. Bulldog comesback with a dropkick, but Neidhart stops Dynamite from tagging in. Neidhart himself tags in and we are out of time. (5:20) ** The match was hacked up too much to really mean anything.

 

Captain Lou Albano takes his charge, George Steele, to a shrink. The doctor tires hypnotizing Steele in the hopes of raising his IQ, but they don't get very far. A few weeks later Albano takes Steele back for shock therapy. At first the therapy works and Steele is able to intelligently say, "How now brown cow." The doctor gets a little carried away though and increases the voltage, thus reversing the original effects of the procedure. The segment ran way too long at about 10 minutes. 0/1

 

Adrian Adonis, John Studd & Bobby Heenan vs. Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo & George Steele w/Capt. Lou Albano ~ June 21, 1985 (Madison Square Garden)

Gorilla and Gene are on the mic for this one. The match starts with Steele chasing Heenan. Adonis and Windham both tag in. Barry gets a few armdrags and some slams. Adonis ends up in the face corner and gets bit by Steele. Studd tags in. Windham tries to slam him, but Studd hooks the top rope. Windham flips out of a belly-to-back attempt and hits a crossbody for 2. CLIP to Heenan tagging in. Heenan takes a WICKED bump to the floor. You could always expect that from Bobby. Steele chases Heenan around the ring. Adonis tires to save Heenan, but Steele sends both heels face first to the rail. Studd and Rotundo tag. Rotundo works the arm. Studd tags Adonis, who gets Mike with some boots in the corner. Adonis pulls out a slingshot suplex. Shades of Tully Blanchard...Rotundo charges into an elbow from Adonis. Adonis gets 2 off a DDT. Heenan tags back in and gets few shots in. Triple team in the heel corner. Steele attacks Heenan from behind and bites him. A pier six brawl breaks out. Steele brings a chair in the ring and nails the referee with it. OK, THAT made sense. (8:59) 1/4* Albano consoles Steele.

 

Bruno Sammartino & David Sammartino w/Arnold Skaaland vs. Brutus Beefcake & Johnny Valiant ~ May 20, 1985 (Madison Square Garden)

I have reviewed way too many Sammartino matches in the last week. Brutus was much cooler as a heel without the barber gimmick. This match is a result of the whole WrestleMania fiasco, which is also on the full version of this tape. Gorilla and Alfred can't believe that Bruno is still in such great shape after being retired for 5 years. Then again, Bruno was always a little chunky. A lot of stalling from the heels here. David starts the match with some arm drags to Valiant, who ends up on the floor. Brutus tries to get some of David, but he also gets his ass handed to him. David with a double noggin knocker on the floor. Valiant takes his time getting back in. Meanwhile, David tags out. Bruno hits a quick backbody drop and works the arm. David is back and goes back to the arm. Valiant fights out and they trade slams. David with the arm drag -> armbar sequence. Valiant comesback with a hiptoss and misses an elbowdrop. Beefcake tags, but doesn't have much luck. Bruno comes in and does his trademark counting hammerlock thing. David does the same. David drops a knee to Beefcake's elbow for 1. Valiant attacks David from behind. Valiant tags in and comes off the top with a forearm to the back. Bruno gets the HOT tag and works on Johnny in the corner. Bruno holds Valiant for some punches courtesy of David. Valiant comesback with a choke on the rope. Beefcake tags and hits two backbreakers. Valiant is back and the heels doubleteam. David scores a quick rollup for the pin. (9:10) * I was expecting much worse. Fortunately, this was pretty much the end for both David and Bruno in the WWF. Bruno went on to commentate for Herb Abrams UWF. Now that's career advancement.

 

$30,000 18-Man Battle Royal JIP ~ June 1984

The participants are as follows: Masked Superstar, David Schultz, Ivan Putski, Moondog rex, Bob Boyer, Big John Studd, Samu, Mr. Fuji, Tony Atlas, Mil Mascaras, Tiger Chung Lee, Paul Orndorff, Rocky Johnson, Adrian Adonis, Jimmy Snuka (who will be featured on Confidential this week!), Dick Murdoch, Hulk Hogan, and Andre the Giant. We join the match as Schultz gets eliminated. Studd pulls a Lawler and refuses to get in the ring. Hogan dumps Moondog Rex. Meanwhile, Andre eliminates Samu with a BIG headbutt. Funny spot as Fuji gets stuck in the ropes and Andre chokes the hell out of him. Studd finally gets in the ring. A pile up on Andre ends up really being a pile up on the token jobber Bob Boyer. Boyer has to stretched out of the ring. While all this is going on Tiger Chung Lee ends up on the floor. Studd walks through the middle rope and chokes Andre from the apron. Murdoch and Adonis almost have Hogan out (!), but Rocky and Putski save. I guess they were kissing Hogan’s ass in hopes of a title shot. Right. HULK UP leads to Adonis getting punched over the top. Studd is still wandering outside the ring, so the officials force him to get back in the ring. Somehow Masked Superstar, Mil Mascaras and Tony Atlas all eliminate each other. Orndorff gets eliminated and pulls Rocky Johnson through the ropes. Orndorff sends Rocky into the post twice. Rocky blades and is all fists of fury when he gets back in. Studd once again leaves through the middle rope. Rocky ducks a Fuji crossbody causing Fuji sail over the top. Murdoch pearl harbors Rocky and they both tumble out of the ring. I can’t really read my notes, but judging from process of elimination, Hogan eliminates Snuka next. Final Four: Hogan, Andre, Studd and Putski. Studd and Putski pair off, as do Hogan and Andre. Studd dumps Putski and then eliminates both Hogan and Andre, who were fighting each other near the ropes. Mean Gene starts BOOING. (8:13) *** Hogan and Andre get revenge on Studd. The finish of this match was recycled for the Royal Rumble of 92. Fun match on a whole with a lot of stuff going on in and out of the ring.

 

THIS IS IT

 

Another good installment of the Best of the WWF series here. Then again I didn’t have to sit though 10 minutes of Bundy-Garea. I bought the first three Best of the WWF tapes from Wrestling Power on a comp. I have yet to watch Vol. 2, but it looks like most of the crap has been clipped off this tape, so maybe the same goes for that one. If you are interested in the comp here is the link: Wrestling Power

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Next Up: Confidential on Sunday and if I’m feeling really ballsy next week there is a slim chance of you getting a review of Road Wild 99. Otherwise, I’ll take a safer route and review another Coliseum video.

 

Retro Rob

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