home | wrestling | flashback_reviews | wwe | house_shows

WWF @ Phildelphia Spectrum
July 26, 1986

by Scrooge McSuck

If you've followed along recently with our trip through 1986, we're actually near the end of the year, but I found this guy tucked away in a folder and well, you know how much I LOVE WATCHING SPECTRUM WRESTLING, so might as well sit back, grab a red bull, and suffer through another two hours of Dick Graham. We recap last month's happenings where Adrian Adonis interfered in Hulk Hogan's title defense against King Kong Bundy, so tonight, it will be Hogan defending the WWF Title against the Adorable one. We'll also see The Funk Brothers and Tito Santana in action.

Dick Graham and Gorilla Monsoon are sitting at ringside to call all the action, unless otherwise noted. The WWF ran the Nassau Coliseum the same night, headlined by a Battle Royal (thanks to Jake Roberts being unable to appear for his match with Ricky Steamboat), and a C-tour card at St. Mary's Senior High School with the Killer Bees vs. The Dream Team as the only match with any kind of star power.

"Leaping" Lanny Poffo vs. Hercules Hernandez:

Poffo's pre-match poem takes a shot at Adrian Adonis. As usual, the prelim guys don't have their managers with them (we're right around the time where Slick was taking over duties from Fred Blassie, who I can understand why he wasn't making the trips on the road, even if they're in the Northeast). Words are exchanged and Hercules backs Poffo up with several shoves. Poffo with a pair of dropkicks to send Hercules to the floor. Monsoon works in his signature "Boy am I glad to be retired" line as Hercules plays to the crowd. Hercules with a shoulder block and scoop slam. Poffo avoids an elbow drop, nips up, and takes Hercules over, holding onto an arm bar. Hercules buries a knee to the midsection to escape and works Poffo over in the corner. Hercules wastes time flexing and gets rolled up for a near-fall. Hercules quickly regains control, dumping Poffo to the concrete. Poffo fights out of a long chin-lock but misses a dropkick. Hercules hits a diving clothesline and that's good for three at 9:10. This was going fine until the nearly 3-minute long chin-lock. *½

Tito Santana vs. "Ace Cowboy" Bob Orton:

Well this should be interesting, assuming both men are mildly motivated. A decade later, these guys are fighting for the AWF Championship and trying to bring professional wrestling back to its roots. There's a sign in the front rows that reads "Chico Your Washed Up". Excellent grammar from the fine folks in Philadelphia. They lock-up immediately and Orton can't wait to throw some right hands. He dumps Santana and does his best to keep him on the floor, but Santana sweeps the legs and uses the post to punish Orton's lower-body. Back inside, the fired-up Santana continues dishing it out. Orton goes to the eyes to create separation and drops a pair of elbows across the throat. Santana fights to his feet, but a handful of hair keeps Orton in control of a chin-lock. Orton cuts off another attempt with a hair pull and short-clothesline for a near-fall. You can tell this is the night off version of a Bob Orton match. "Orton has barely cracked a sweat" is not something you should call attention to, Graham. Orton with headbutts and knees to the midsection.

Every time Santana starts teasing something, it's killed quickly. Orton with a slow climb to the top and he gets straddled across the turnbuckle. Santana gives Orton a little taste of his dirty tactics. Orton with a handful of tights, launching Santana out of the ring. Orton with an inverted atomic drop on the floor. He sets Santana across the top turnbuckle for the super-plex, but Santana knocks Orton down and dives off the second rope with a flying forearm. Santana with the Figure-Four but Orton gets to the ropes for a break. Orton powders and Tito brings the fight to the floor. Orton yoinks a drink from someone sitting at the table and throws it in Santana's face, then twists up the cup and digs it into Tito's eye! That's a great spot. Orton brings Santana over the ropes for a suplex and drops him across the top rope. Santana reverses a whip across the ring and unloads with rights. Orton slides out of a piledriver, jamming Santana's knees with his shoulders. Monsoon just assumes it was a low-blow and complains about the referee. Santana counters a slam with an O'Connor Roll for a near-fall. Santana gets the better of a slugfest and the bell rings at the random time of 18:23 for our Time Limit Draw. At least the second half picked up, because the first 10-minutes or so were some casual Sunday afternoon efforts. **¼

Cousin Luke vs. "Handsome" Harley Race:

PLEASE GOD, LET THIS BE SHORT. Harley has already won the King of the Ring Tournament, but we're about a month away from giving him the "King" gimmick on Championship Wrestling. Monsoon with the "doesn't have a lot of money tied up in ring attire" line. I don't trust a hillbilly that wears sneakers. Lockup and Race with a side headlock. Whip to the ropes and Luke with a hip toss as Monsoon mentions Heenan wants Race to be referred to as the King. Whip and Luke with a big ol' clothesline. Race with headbutts in the corner, followed by a measured knee across the forehead. The action spills to the floor, with Luke being rammed into the table, knocking it over in the process. NOT THE TV MONITORS! Race keeps Luke out on the apron, hanging him across the top rope on several occasions. Race finally brings him back in with a suplex, but misses a flying headbutt. Luke with a whip and axe-handle smash. Race withstands some punishment, cutting Luke off with a headbutt to the midsection, and following with a piledriver. Crowd is not interested in this. Luke slams Race off the top rope, but misses a splash. Race with a delayed Fisherman suplex for three at 7:18. No heat, but it was decent, and possibly the best hillbilly match I've seen from the mid 80's WWF family. **

Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik vs. Hoss & Jimmy Jack Funk (w/ Jimmy Hart):

I love a random heel vs heel match-up! Volkoff and Sheik do their routine, and Sheik demands the crowd not chant U-S-A, so I guess we're getting the Funk Family as the babyfaces, unless both teams decide to stay in their heel roles. Hoss (Dory Jr) and Iron Sheik start. That's an interesting little match-up. Locking up the ropes, Hoss ducks a cheap shot and sends the Sheik to the floor. Back inside, Sheik with a side headlock and shoulder block. Hoss with a hip toss and slam. Sheik gets caught in the corner, and the crowd approves of Jimmy Jack choking Sheik with his rope. Jimmy Jack with a scoop slam and fist drop. Sheik telegraphs a boot and pays for it with a delayed atomic drop. Now it's Volkoff dumped to the floor, with Jimmy Jack adding some punishment at ringside.

Back inside, Volkoff refuses to take a double slam/suplex, because he's already bumped once in this match. Hoss gets sent to the corner and Sheik comes in with a clothesline. Hoss quickly shrugs things off and tags in Jimmy Jack, who is cut off immediately with a back suplex. Whip and Sheik with a double thrust to the throat. Volkoff slaps on a bear-hug for like 5 seconds, then it's time for Sheik's abdominal stretch. Hoss makes the save as Gorilla comments on the poor technique. Hoss with a piledriver but Volkoff saves. Sheik with a gut-wrench suplex and the Camel Clutch, but Jimmy Jack saves. Double under-hook suplex from Hoss. He turns Sheik over with the Texas Cloverleaf, and Volkoff saves again. Heck breaks loose, Jimmy accidentally bops Hoss with the megaphone, and Sheik covers for three at 7:58. No real face vs heel flow. Not even much heel vs heel. Just stuff happening, which I found disappointing. It wasn't bad, but nothing really stood out, either. *½

Dog Collar Match: The Junkyard Dog vs. The Magnificent Muraco (w/ Mr. Fuji):

They set this up at last month's show, where they went to a Disqualification finish, and a local promoter was brought in to make the announcement for the rematch and with the gimmick attached. Mel Phillips has taken over duties as the ring announcer. I don't understand ringing the bell when we have three minutes of farting around before Muraco puts the chain around his neck. Fuji tries to whack JYD with his cane, but the plan backfires. JYD whacks Muraco as well and forces the collar around his neck. Muraco tries to bail, but the Dog yanks him back to the center of the ring. JYD climbs over the ropes and pulls back on the chain from the arena floor. JYD's not wearing his chain now, but that's OK, because Muraco hits him with a low blow. I rewound the video and JYD was never wearing a collar, he just had the chain around his neck in a loose knot. JYD starts a comeback but Fuji trips him up. Muraco goes for a flying nothing and is smacked in the face with the chain for three at 6:13. Fuji jumps in immediately to attack with the cane, but JYD isn't selling and chases them away seconds later. I'll give them credit for actually doing a pin-fall finish. *

Mike Rotundo & Danny Spivey vs. The Moondogs:

I've seen far too much of the (stop calling us the) American Express lately. The matches aren't BAD, but as a team, they do nothing for me, and are part of that group of 1986 that feels like a replacement to someone more popular (and talented). Monsoon says Captain Lou is conspicuous by his absence. To my knowledge, he NEVER appeared with Rotundo and Spivey. He was barely making appearances with the Bulldogs at this point. Rotundo and Rex start. Lockup to the ropes and a clean break. They jockey for control and Rex shoves Rotundo to the canvas. Rotundo pops right up, takes Rex over with a hip toss, and follows with a dropkick. Spivey and Spot go through a standard international, with Spot left in frustration. Rotundo back in, taking over both Moondogs with a flurry of arm drags. Spivey and Rotundo take turns working over the left leg of Rex. Spot tags in and finds himself in the same predicament.

The Moondogs start working over Spivey, after almost 8-full minutes of being on the receiving end of the punishment. Rex plants Spivey with a slam, but misses an elbow, allowing Rotundo to get the tag. He runs hot for a moment, but he ends up being the true face-in-peril. Rex with a hangman's neck breaker for two. Rotundo tries fighting to his corner while trapped in a front face-lock, but the Dogs cut him off. Spivey tries helping out, but the referee sends him back to the apron. Rotundo dives through a double clothesline attempt, but Spot keeps him in their corner. Rex with a loooooooong front face-lock teasing another false tag spot. Rotundo dives through the clothesline spot again, this time knocking Rex and Spot together. The referee misses the tag AGAIN. Rex with a near-fall, coming off the ropes and driving Rotundo into the canvas. This heat segment is just dragging. Spivey FINALLY gets the hot tag and runs wild with left hands. DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER. Clothesline and leg drop to Rex gets a two-count. Heck breaks loose with all four men in the ring and Spivey hits Rex with a body press for three at 19:43. This felt long for the sake of going long. This could have been a more entertaining match with 5-6 minutes trimmed. **

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match: "Macho Man" Randy Savage (c) (w/ Elizabeth) vs. George "The Animal" Steele:

Sweet Jesus, how many matches have I watched between Savage and Steele over the years? Steele rushes in the ring and chases Savage out. Savage gets in Monsoon's face at ringside and Monsoon is HOT about it. "I'm sure he knows I'm retired. Pick on someone your own age!" The bell rings and Savage powders again. Savage starts yelling at Elizabeth for the cheap heat and has more words for Gorilla. They finally make contact, with Steele grabbing a double choke lift. Savage digs into his trunks for the Memphis Special and goes after the eyes of the Animal. Steele fights back with rights but Savage goes to the eyes again. Savage with a flying axe-handle for a two-count. Whip and Steele counters a clothesline by biting the arm. Steele wrestles away whatever gimmick Savage pulled from his trunks and uses it on him in full view of the referee, drawing the cheap Disqualification at 5:30. After the match, Steele brings a few fans into the ring to tear up some turnbuckle. Nothing burger with sweaty onions. ZERO STARS

WWF Heavyweight Championship Match:
Hulk Hogan (c) vs. "Adorable" Adrian Adonis (w/ Jimmy Hart):

I don't know if this is going to be any good, but it's a unique match-up we didn't see very much. As mentioned, it was last month in the Spectrum where Adonis ran in on Hogan's title defense against King Kong Bundy. Hogan is sporting white trunks tonight. It was becoming increasingly rare for him to wear anything but yellow at this point, but it goes well with the shirt tonight, so no issues. Adonis slaps Hogan across the face with one of his gimmicks, so Hogan throws him across the ring and chokes him with pieces of his ribbon. Adonis with a cheap shot in the corner and Hart sprays Hulk in the face with perfume. Hogan avoids a splash and unloads with rights. Whip to the corner and Adonis takes the big bump to the floor. Hulk drags Adonis and Hart into the ring and gives them a DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER. Hart is sent to the floor with an atomic drop. Adonis from behind with the megaphone for a near-fall. He dumps Hogan out of the ring and rams a steel chair across the throat. Referee Joey Marella seems cool with it. I guess since it's outside of the ring, it's all legal.

Back inside, Adonis with a suplex and forearm smash across the chest for a two-count. He takes Hogan over with a second suplex for another near-fall. Adonis with the sleeper hold in the center of the ring. Hogan keeps the right arm in the air to let everyone know he's still in this, brother. Adonis throws Hogan back to the canvas and climbs the ropes. He meets the knees on a flying splash and it's time for Hogan to start his comeback. He shrugs off several blows and throws a series of rights. Whip and Adonis smacks his shoulder on the post. Hogan with a big boot. Hart climbs the ropes and gets thrown onto Adonis. Hulk comes off the ropes with the leg drop to retain at 9:19. We needed 20 minutes from a prelim tag match and couldn't get 10 from the Main Event? OK. Match was solid, if unspectacular. Feels like the theme of the night. **½

Final Thoughts: What an interesting night at the Spectrum. Nothing was really that good, but only a match or two were what I consider junk (and one of them was 5-minutes long, so not nearly as bad of a foul). I guess the selling point comes down to the uniqueness of the card, which features Hogan defending against Adorable Adrian, and a heel vs heel encounter with the Funk Family 2.0 against Sheik and Volkoff. If you like the era, it's decent enough to pop in and skip around for what tickles your fancy, but nothing to really go out of your way.

Sound Off!
Comment about this article on Da' Wrestling Boards!