Prime Time Wrestling - September 29, 1986
by Erick Von Erich
Hello again, everyone, it's time for more torture....errr, more Prime Time Wrestling with Gorilla Monsoon and your host, Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. This episode is listed as "September 29" on WWE Network, but it apparently aired on September 30. There was some banter on last week's show that Prime Time would be on a different night, this week. On tonight's show, we'll not only see the recent skirmish between Adrian Adonis and Roddy Piper on "The Flower Shop", but the Brain has yet another "surprise" for viewers. He won't reveal it yet, as he wants to allow time for "grandma to get the popcorn" and for the audience to settle in. But with so much going on in the World Wrestling Federation, let's get down to ringisde for..
Cousin Luke vs. "Ace/Cowboy" Bob Orton
Looks like all of tonight's matches are from Boston Garden with Gorilla and Lord Alfred Hayes on the call; unless otherwise noted. Only a few weeks old, as this took place on September 6 and I'm a little surprised, because I thought Cousin Luke had disappeared from the roster ahwile back. I think this is the second "Cousin Luke", too. Hey, looks like he's wearing some Converse Chuck Taylors! Orton misses an elbow into the corner, so Luke gets some running forearm shots and a slam for 2. A Bearhug Happens, courtesy of the hillbilly. The Society of Resthold Haters makes their presence known. Orton goes to the eyes and drops him with a clothesline. Basic punches from Orton and Luke does the same. Like thumps him into the corner and hip-tosses him across the ring. Whip to the corner, but Orton gets his knee up, scoops the legs and grabs the pin. 90% punchy/kicky is a waste of Orton, but this was maybe 4 minutes.
The Flower Shop vs. Piper's Pit
Re-broadcast from "Superstars of Wrestling", but it's a good one. The Pit and the Shop both have their full set-ups, right next to each other. Piper gets a huge response from the crowd, which Vince McMahon acknowledges, so you know he's a full-blown babyface, now. Right before Piper grabs the mic, Jimmy Hart cuts him off, hollering an introduction for "Adorable" Adrian Adonis and the Flower Shop. Adonis's guest is his "super bodyguard of 1995", Bob Orton (in his new pink cowboy hat). Orton kisses up to Adonis and runs down the Pit and Piper. Piper invades and gets the camera back to his side. He proclaims "the boss is back" and that Adonis is a disgrace to the sport of wrestling. Then he brings out his guest, the Magnificent Muraco, who sometimes filled in as host of the other Pit replacement, Jesse Ventura's "Body Shop". Piper calls him an imitator and things eventually break down when he uses the term "Fatso". Adonis and Orton run over and it's time for a 4-way beatdown on Piper. Adonis even breaks a flowerpot on Piper's head, before they all attack his legs with a chair and destroy the Pit's set. Piper twitches like he just had a lobotomy without sedation. Massive heat for this segment.Sivi Afi vs. "The Duke Of Dorchester" Pete Doherty
Cuz' it just wouldn't be an 80's Boston show without Doherty. Gorilla mentions that Afi now wants to be referred to by his "native name, Toma" and is now hanging out with the former King Tonga, Haku. Doherty gets in a shotand delivers two slow vertical slams. Afi gets his own slam, a dropkick and some chops while Duke sells like crazy. They hits the ropes, allowing Afi to leapfrog over and hit a dropkick to send Duke to the floor. Afi hooks him into something resembling an STF, but it's soon headlock time. Backdrop and headbutt get 2 for Afi. Afi hits the turnbuckle and Duke is a house-a-fire with the dreaded ear-bite. Lame wrist-tap, err, clothesline and a leg-drop from Duke. Duke misses some kind of sitdown splash into the corner. Afi goes to work with a gut-wrench suplex, double knife-edges, slam and then a top-rope flying bodypress to get the pin.In the studio, Gorilla asks Heenan to take over, as he has a very important phonecall. Heenan teases that his surprises will involve some embarassing footage of Gorilla.
Ken Resnick Studio Interview with King Kong Bundy & "Big" John Studd
A.K.A "The Team That Cannot be Slammed". Bundy shouts some threats, directed at Gorilla. Studd claims that they've put away Hulk Hogan and sent Andre the Giant packing... which makes Studd look like an embecile, because he's been trying to prove that Andre is one of the Machines.The U.S. Express vs. The Hart Foundation
(Mike Rotundo & "The Golden Boy" Danny Spivey vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart & Jim "The Anvil" Nedihart)Despite being called "The American Express" in past weeks, they're back to the "The U.S. Express". I'm sure Brad and Bart Batten were contemplating legal action. Hart and Rotundo grapple away to start. To the ropes, as Rotundo gets the upper hand with a shoulderblock, hip-toss and an armdrag. Hart tries a reverse roll-up out of the corner, but he eats turnbuckle. Catapult into Spivey, who comes in to apply the dreaded side headlock. They hit the ropes and Hart tries a leapfrog... but Spivey didn't duck enough and it turns into an awkward blown spot. Spivey doesn't manage to screw up a slam, allowing Hart to roll away and tag Neidhart. Hart looks a little peeved (more than usual) and takes a ringside walk. Neidhart no-sells a shoulderblock, but Spivey delivers a reverse hip-lock and an atomic drop. Step-over toehold (which is a nice yoga stretch. Just sayin') and the Express makes false tags. They work over Neidhart's legs for a few minutes. Spivey returns and performs a weak Boston crab. Hart makes the save and Neidhart takes over. Vintage Hart double-team and ref distraction, including the ol' tag-rope choke. Neidhart and Spivey both hit the mat after a collision, cueing the lukewarm tag to Rotundo. Flying BEARD PULL and atomic drop from Rotundo. More double-Harts, with their decapitation move, this time. Rope bounce, as Hart gets in his backside kick. Rotundo gets pummelled and headlocked for a good 10 minutes. All four guys are in, briefly, as Spivey cleans house....errr, dusts a few things. Spivey with a charging corner clothesline, the hits the bulldog on Hart. Cover...but Anvil enters and the bell rings at 2 for a "30 minute time limit draw". "Hitting the finsher as time expires" is a pretty tired finish. This was the definition of "filler". Hart's reaction to Spivey's botch was the only thing of any interest.
Pedro Morales vs. Rene Goulet
Yes, this is happening. Gorilla pisses off smark fans, as he mentions Morales won the Intercontinental title from Pat Patterson (he actually beat Ken Patera and Don Muraco for his two IC reigns). Gorilla also repeats his "joke" about how Goulet, with his one glove, is the "Michael Jackson of the World Wreslting Federation"...so I'll repeat my "joke": "does that mean he likes little kids"? Hey-oh. Goulet's headlock takedown is countered into a body scissors, then more headlockin', armbarrin' and punching. That's about how this goes, although they work in some duckin' and dodgin' through the ropes, so Morales can roll around on the floor. Gorilla gets all excited when Goulet applies the "Dreaded French Crouissant Crush", which is a trapezeus hold. Morales starts to finish things off with a backdrop and atomic drop. Goulet is whipped into the corner and does his verison of the "Flair Flip", even leaping off an adjacent turnbuckle. Morales then rolls him up from behind, off the ropes and scores the 3.Ken Resnick Studio Interview with Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Resnick gets in a plug for the WWF's new TV presence, including "Superstars", "Spotlight" and "Challenge"--which features the new Snake Pit segment. Jake says that Ricky Steamboat will not be a guest on the Snake Pit, but he could be a sacrifice. He then throws out a warning to Hulk Hogan as the interview ends. In the studio, for no real reason, Gorilla feels that Jake has "gone soft on us". Maybe that's foreshadowing his face turn, but who knows?WWF Tag Team Championship:
British Bulldogs (c) vs. Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik (w/Slick)
Whole buncha' trash is thrown into the ring as Nikolai sings. About a 6 on the "nWo Bash at the Beach Meter". Stall job to start as the ref and wrestlers try to casually clean the ring. Davey Boy Smith leads a quick "U-S-A" chant...because they're the British Bulldogs. Sheik and Smith start with some basic grappling. Shoulderblock off the ropes, hip-toss and a slam from Smith. Dynamite Kid tags in, works an arm-wringer, then an atomic drop and a slam. DK puts his head down and eats Pointy Sheik Boot. Commerical break and we come back with maybe a few minutes clipped, as Sheik throws DK out to the floor. Backdrop from Sheik gets 2. Volkoff comes in to show off his arsenal of stomps. Irish whip, knee to the midsection, but Volkoff misses a clothesline, allowing DK to make the hot tag to Smith. Smith is a "house of fire" with the ol' double noggin' knocker, then a bearhug on Volkoff. Sheik "accidentally" kicks Volkoff and gets his own bearhug from Smith. Sheik gets in a cheapshot and they work over Smith for a quick minute, then the Camel Clutch is applied! DK barges in to make the save and all four men brawl. Smith hooks a small package on Sheik, but Volkov sneaks in and reverses it. The ref ushers Volkov out, and turnabout is fair place as DK runs in and re-reverses the small package. Smith pins Sheik to retain.
In the final studio segment, Heenan prepares to reveal his "surprise"-- supposedly some wacky footage of Gorilla, but instead we get the ending of WrestleMania II, when Hulk Hogan battered Heenan around the cage. Heenan has a conniption as his plan backfires. Oh, and next week we'll be airing on Thursday.
Why'd You Watch This?:
If last week's episode was an "F", this is a "D+". Even though it was clipped, Bulldogs/Sheik & Volkoff was fun; especially the heat for the heels. All the other PTW eclsuive content is 100% forgettable. Only true highlight was the Piper's Pit/Flower Shop segment, but it was a re-run from "Superstars". I would've preferred sitting through 40 minutes of "Superstars" rather than this show.
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