The SmarK Rant for World Championship Wrestling – 11.29.86

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The SmarK Rant for World Championship Wrestling – 11.29.86

Thankfully they seem to have ironed out the dating issues with these shows.  So now we pick things up the week after Starrcade 86!

Taped from Atlanta, GA

Your hosts are Tony & David

Jimmy Garvin joins us to start, and he’s coked up to high heaven and ready for the Bunkhouse Stampede.  He’s not even wearing sequins!

Superstar Bill Dundee v. Alan Martin

The crowd apparently wants Sam Houston for reasons I can’t fathom. It has to do with the, uh, super-hot Central States title situation that all the kids are talking about, contested between the midget and the beanpole.  Dundee tosses Martin and works on a hammerlock in the ring, then finishes with a cannonball off the top at 2:19.

Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express are slightly less energetic than Jimmy Garvin, but he’s still pretty hyped about the Bunkhouse Stampede. Also, they’re not done with the Road Warriors. Man, that was a historically one-sided feud, wasn’t it?

The Midnight Express v. The Mulkey Brothers

Dennis tosses a Mulkey right into Bubba’s arms in a well-timed spot, and Bobby beats on him with a suplex.  Over to Bill and he also takes a ride, but this time Bubba just lets him hit the floor.  Back in, Bobby slugs him down and drops the flying elbow, but toys with him for a while as he makes the pin attempt.  The Express double-slingshots Bill out of the ring again as they continue to demonstrate their talent for throwing guys out of the ring.  Back in, Condrey suplexes Bill onto Bobby’s knee and Bobby pins him with one foot at 4:00.  I love how the Express was telling a story about prepping for the Stampede by practicing throwing the Mulkeys out of the ring in different ways.

Brad Armstrong is way less excited about the Bunkhouse Stampede, but he would appreciate the money.  Bob Armstrong does a surprise walk-on cameo and Brad leaves to go hang out with him.

The Barbarian v. Paul Garner

Garner gets some brief offense, but walks into a big boot in the corner, and Barbarian puts him down with another one, then just keeps kicking him in the head until he drops.  Barbarian wields the clubbing forearms and a DROPKICK, showing his science.  Diving headbutt finishes at 2:45.

Shaska Whatley, who is apparently now talking for Barbarian, cuts a crazed promo on his friend’s behalf.  Can you dig it, sucka?  Oh man, WWE is gonna sue him retroactively for that one.

Tim Horner v. Art Pritts

Horner works the arm on the mat for a while and finishes with a rolling cradle at 2:50.

The Kansas Jayhawks are psyched because they can bring their 2×4 and whip into the ring for the Bunkhouse Stampede matches.

Don Kernodle v. Randy Barber

Kernodle tosses Barber around and gets a neckbreaker for two.  Powerslam and flying clothesline finish at 2:50.  Speaking of finished, Kernodle disappeared from the sport for nearly twenty years after this squash.  He apparently retired to a real job and won $10,000 on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Jim Cornette is sick of being called Pumpkinhead, and he steals an inflatable pumpkin from a fan and pops it with his tennis racket to demonstrate his rage.

The Kansas Jayhawks v. Bill Tabb & Bill Brown

Jaggers drops elbows on Brown, who might be one of the worst jobbers they’ve thrown onto these shows.  His selling is TERRIBLE and he mostly flails around like a ragdoll, acting like a clown.  Over to Bill Tabb, who I am once again shocked never got a deal because he looks like a star.  The Jayhawks continue double-teaming him with more punchy-kicky stuff while the announcers talk about an angle with Bob Armstrong getting attacked by Garvin & Dundee earlier in the show.  Uh, why didn’t we see that?  Double-team clothesline finishes at 3:38.

Brad and Bob Armstrong are out to issue a challenge to the cowards who attacked him earlier.  Seriously, why didn’t we see that angle?  That’s pretty important considering we got the setup and then the fallout.

Bob & Brad Armstrong v. Bill Dundee & Jimmy Garvin

Big brawl to start and the Armstrongs hit the heels with kneelifts and chase Dundee out of the ring, and that’s enough for them as they take a walk and demand the ref restore order.  Garvin gets a cheapshot on Brad to take over and Dundee hammers away in the corner, but Brad gets a sunset flip for two on Garvin as Dundee uses his one save. So in theory another save would be a DQ if they ever enforced that. Brad with a dropkick on Dundee and Bob comes in full of HOT FIRE on the heels, which Brad never showed.  The heels double-team Brad again and get Bob out of there, then cut the ring in half and cheat like crazy in the corner while Bob argues with the ref.  And of course the angrier Bob gets, the more they beat on Brad.  Garvin with a snapmare for two and he hits the chinlock as we take a break.  Back with Brad working on Dundee’s arm on the mat, and the Armstrongs switch behind the ref’s back, but poor Brad gets beat up again and put back in a chinlock.  And then Precious takes the ref, allowing Dundee to spray Brad in the face with perfume for two.  Brad gets fired up off that, but Dundee hits him with a forearm from the middle rope for two and it’s back to the heel corner for Brad.  Dundee slugs him down for two and Garvin goes back to the chinlock.  He stops to lip off to Bob and Dundee goes up with the cannonball, but it misses.  Garvin cuts off the comeback again and Dundee goes up and misses a top rope legdrop, and Brad follows with a missile dropkick for two.  Bob can take no more and it’s BREAKING LOOSE IN TULSA, as the Armstrongs clear the ring and the ref calls it a no contest at 15:09.  Really good tag match with a fired-up Bob carrying the drama and Brad acting as a fine babyface-in-peril.  ***1/2

Next week:  Something big happens on this show for once!