Great matches before they joined Hulkamania WWF
May 27, 2020 18:29:55 GMT
Baker, Da Gr8t I Is, and 1 more like this
Post by Strobe on May 27, 2020 18:29:55 GMT
This is a thread to find, share and discuss great matches by workers before they joined Hulkamania-era WWF. It is mainly targeted at workers who never came close to matching their best stuff from elsewhere. So while many would point to Piper and his Dog Collar match with Valentine, I still think he had some good-to-great matches in the WWF and, since I am lower on the Dog Collar than most, I have his Bret match on the same level as it. Don't not include Piper or anyone really, but just know that the genesis of this thread was thinking about the likes of Duggan, who might not have even sniffed *** in a singles match in his entire WWF run (although I haven't seen the 1993 HBK lumberjack match in a while, maybe it came close), yet has two absolute nailed-on classics in my eyes. Here are my reviews from the match review thread.
I guess we should also use this thread to try to find the best of these guys from their WWF runs as well and see if there are hidden gems. DiBiase has that great Duggan match there, which I don't think he got near in the Fed. But does he have a great Savage house show match? Or how about his best stuff with Bret?
Unfortunately we only have the clipped version, about half the match, of the Meltzer ***** Sheepherders bout against The Fantastics at the 1986 Crockett Cup. But do we have any classic Sheepherders matches in full on tape?
Is there a great Dino Bravo match? Or a great Bad News Allen match? Or One Man Gang?
Is there a classic Wayne Ferris match? I've never actually watched the Concession Stand Brawl, do we have it in full?
Is there a great King Tonga match from his Florida, All Japan or AWA days?
I'd be surprising, but is there a great Boris Zhukov match?
Can we SHOCK THE WORLD and find a great Fred Ottman match from Georgia, Texas, Memphis or Florida?
MSW (3/22/85)
"LOSER LEAVES TOWN, TUXEDO, COAL MINER'S GLOVE ON A POLE, STEEL CAGE" MATCH
Ted DiBiase vs. 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan
Duggan is in the ring ready to go, while DiBiase looks nervous, pacing outside the cage. The ref warns him that he needs to get in and starts a count which the crowd joins in with. DiBiase gets inside the cage but is still looking very apprehensive. The ref tries to check DiBiase's tuxedo for weapons, which he resists at first but eventually relents to. Duggan is happy to oblige and turns his back and places his hand on the ropes, evoking the image of a police frisk, fitting with his everyman persona. All these little touches before the match starts add so much. DiBiase tries to take advantage with a Pearl Harbor but Duggan knew it was coming (perhaps that's why he positioned himself as he did, to entice DiBiase in) and is all over Ted with a series of punches. DiBiase tries to bail but the cage is blocking his path and he gives us a great look of fear as he realises he is stuck with Hacksaw and none of his friends can come help. DiBiase gains the advantage by begging off and asking for a time-out before leveraging Duggan headfirst into the cage. More driving him into the cage busts him open and DiBiase goes to work on the cut with a series of punches, removing Duggan's jacket in the process. With Duggan down, he removes his own jacket and tries to go for the glove for the first time. He is stopped but once back down, DiBiase pulls Duggan's shirt over his head (Duggan's bloody head staining the shirt is a tremendous visual) and rams him into the cage again. 5 minutes in is announced and this match has already had so much. Excellent fist drops from Ted and he goes for the glove again, but a rage-filled Duggan is up and it is his turn to use his shirt to his advantage, choking DiBiase with it. The blood is all over Ted's shirt as well and it looks great. The two men are slugging it out before DiBiase hits a piledriver and another fist drop. DiBiase goes for the glove again but Duggan has just enough energy to get to his feet and crotch DiBiase before falling to the mat again to recuperate. Both men are up again quite quickly. This is fast and furious. This is no ordinary match. This is super personal and the loser is leaving town for a while. Duggan regains the advantage and rips Ted's shirt before ramming him into the cage. One more knockdown and now Duggan goes for the glove and gets it. DiBiase is going to get what is coming to him, but he had sneakily stored powder on his person and blinds Duggan with it and gains possession of the glove. But he misses twice before a double knockdown. What a battle. DiBiase goes for a second-rope fist drop with the glove but Duggan moves. Duggan grabs the gloved hand and smashes it into the buckle numerous times to help remove and regain it. Now that Duggan has the glove again, he taunts DiBiase and has an all-time classic crazed expression on his blood covered face as Ted backs off and then tries to scale the cage to safety. Duggan pulls him down, irish whip and BAM. Jumping coal miner's glove punch right in the face and Hacksaw keeps a cool arm down pose after the punch. The jump and the post-punch pose just make it such a memorable visual - the type of flourish that is such an enhancer. 1-2-3 and Duggan has vanquished DiBiase from Mid-South for now. Great heel performance, great face performance and each part of the gimmick was utilised fantastically. All-time classic and less than 10 minutes from first punch to the pinfall.
****¾
"LOSER LEAVES TOWN, TUXEDO, COAL MINER'S GLOVE ON A POLE, STEEL CAGE" MATCH
Ted DiBiase vs. 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan
Duggan is in the ring ready to go, while DiBiase looks nervous, pacing outside the cage. The ref warns him that he needs to get in and starts a count which the crowd joins in with. DiBiase gets inside the cage but is still looking very apprehensive. The ref tries to check DiBiase's tuxedo for weapons, which he resists at first but eventually relents to. Duggan is happy to oblige and turns his back and places his hand on the ropes, evoking the image of a police frisk, fitting with his everyman persona. All these little touches before the match starts add so much. DiBiase tries to take advantage with a Pearl Harbor but Duggan knew it was coming (perhaps that's why he positioned himself as he did, to entice DiBiase in) and is all over Ted with a series of punches. DiBiase tries to bail but the cage is blocking his path and he gives us a great look of fear as he realises he is stuck with Hacksaw and none of his friends can come help. DiBiase gains the advantage by begging off and asking for a time-out before leveraging Duggan headfirst into the cage. More driving him into the cage busts him open and DiBiase goes to work on the cut with a series of punches, removing Duggan's jacket in the process. With Duggan down, he removes his own jacket and tries to go for the glove for the first time. He is stopped but once back down, DiBiase pulls Duggan's shirt over his head (Duggan's bloody head staining the shirt is a tremendous visual) and rams him into the cage again. 5 minutes in is announced and this match has already had so much. Excellent fist drops from Ted and he goes for the glove again, but a rage-filled Duggan is up and it is his turn to use his shirt to his advantage, choking DiBiase with it. The blood is all over Ted's shirt as well and it looks great. The two men are slugging it out before DiBiase hits a piledriver and another fist drop. DiBiase goes for the glove again but Duggan has just enough energy to get to his feet and crotch DiBiase before falling to the mat again to recuperate. Both men are up again quite quickly. This is fast and furious. This is no ordinary match. This is super personal and the loser is leaving town for a while. Duggan regains the advantage and rips Ted's shirt before ramming him into the cage. One more knockdown and now Duggan goes for the glove and gets it. DiBiase is going to get what is coming to him, but he had sneakily stored powder on his person and blinds Duggan with it and gains possession of the glove. But he misses twice before a double knockdown. What a battle. DiBiase goes for a second-rope fist drop with the glove but Duggan moves. Duggan grabs the gloved hand and smashes it into the buckle numerous times to help remove and regain it. Now that Duggan has the glove again, he taunts DiBiase and has an all-time classic crazed expression on his blood covered face as Ted backs off and then tries to scale the cage to safety. Duggan pulls him down, irish whip and BAM. Jumping coal miner's glove punch right in the face and Hacksaw keeps a cool arm down pose after the punch. The jump and the post-punch pose just make it such a memorable visual - the type of flourish that is such an enhancer. 1-2-3 and Duggan has vanquished DiBiase from Mid-South for now. Great heel performance, great face performance and each part of the gimmick was utilised fantastically. All-time classic and less than 10 minutes from first punch to the pinfall.
****¾
MSW (11/11/85)
'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan vs. Buzz Sawyer
Duggan just beats the holy hell out of Sawyer all around ringside - punches, smashing him into the railings, posing, swearing like a sailor, staining the outside with Buzz's blood. Sawyer gains the advantage with a low blow, gets revenge by busting Duggan open and smashing him headfirst into the railings and bites the cut. He tries to kill him with a table but Duggan avoids and this is just an all-out war. Having been bitten before, Hacksaw responds in kind by biting the cut of Sawyer - he knows how to play dirty too. Duggan makes a turnbuckle block stop get over huge just with a loud "ooooooohhhh" After being knocked out the ring, Sawyer goes to leave and the crowd is pissed at that. He eventually returns and attacks Duggan from behind. The match gets thrown out and we get the greatest post-match ever (move over Savage/Liz Mania VII) as they continue going after each other. Some of the locker room come out to stop the madness but after Buzz is dragged backstage by his pals, Duggan makes his way back and it continues all over the backstage area. You like hate in your pro wrestling? This is for you. We finish with Hacksaw telling Sawyer to "kiss my fucking ass" while Buzz is screaming Duggan's name in increasingly primal wails. Keep your Kenny Omega ****** matches, I'll have more Mid-South Jim Duggan please. Each time I watch this whole deal, I love it even more and my rating may actually be doing it a disservice.
****½
'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan vs. Buzz Sawyer
Duggan just beats the holy hell out of Sawyer all around ringside - punches, smashing him into the railings, posing, swearing like a sailor, staining the outside with Buzz's blood. Sawyer gains the advantage with a low blow, gets revenge by busting Duggan open and smashing him headfirst into the railings and bites the cut. He tries to kill him with a table but Duggan avoids and this is just an all-out war. Having been bitten before, Hacksaw responds in kind by biting the cut of Sawyer - he knows how to play dirty too. Duggan makes a turnbuckle block stop get over huge just with a loud "ooooooohhhh" After being knocked out the ring, Sawyer goes to leave and the crowd is pissed at that. He eventually returns and attacks Duggan from behind. The match gets thrown out and we get the greatest post-match ever (move over Savage/Liz Mania VII) as they continue going after each other. Some of the locker room come out to stop the madness but after Buzz is dragged backstage by his pals, Duggan makes his way back and it continues all over the backstage area. You like hate in your pro wrestling? This is for you. We finish with Hacksaw telling Sawyer to "kiss my fucking ass" while Buzz is screaming Duggan's name in increasingly primal wails. Keep your Kenny Omega ****** matches, I'll have more Mid-South Jim Duggan please. Each time I watch this whole deal, I love it even more and my rating may actually be doing it a disservice.
****½
I guess we should also use this thread to try to find the best of these guys from their WWF runs as well and see if there are hidden gems. DiBiase has that great Duggan match there, which I don't think he got near in the Fed. But does he have a great Savage house show match? Or how about his best stuff with Bret?
Unfortunately we only have the clipped version, about half the match, of the Meltzer ***** Sheepherders bout against The Fantastics at the 1986 Crockett Cup. But do we have any classic Sheepherders matches in full on tape?
Is there a great Dino Bravo match? Or a great Bad News Allen match? Or One Man Gang?
Is there a classic Wayne Ferris match? I've never actually watched the Concession Stand Brawl, do we have it in full?
Is there a great King Tonga match from his Florida, All Japan or AWA days?
I'd be surprising, but is there a great Boris Zhukov match?
Can we SHOCK THE WORLD and find a great Fred Ottman match from Georgia, Texas, Memphis or Florida?
