National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling - Saturday, May 11th, 1985
- The show opens with a clip of Tully Blanchard against a bearded guy. Tully gets some shots in, is about to come off the top with an elbow, the action freezes, and the opening credits roll.
- Today, Ron Garvin, Magnum, Flair. A six-man tag event as well.
- In a presumably non-title match: NWA National Heavyweight Champion Ron Garvin vs. Larry Clark
- Larry Clark may have been the guy against Tully in the opening.
- Garvin with all the offense to start out, with amateur moves.
- Dusty will be talking about his gorilla later.
- Clark with a few cheap shots, and Garvin responds by flattening him repeatedly with right hands.
- Garvin goes back and forth with amateur moves and power moves.
- Garvin really staying on top of Clark.
- Garvin with a half Boston Crab. Don't see that much.
- Hmmm...Clark's tights are riding up. That's nasty.
- Clark with cheap shots, and that just makes Garvin mad. Clark is getting the snot beat out of him.
- Garvin with the sugar hold.
- Elbow drops.
- Knee across the chest from the second rope by Garvin, and it's over.
- Your Winner: NWA National Heavyweight Champion Ron Garvin via pinfall.
- Schiavone interviews Paul Jones, who has Abdullah The Butcher with him. Abdullah The Butcher rocks my world...he really does. Jones blabs about Jimmy Valiant, and Abdullah stares into the camera.
- Schiavone interviews NWA World Television Champion, Tully Blanchard, and The Perfect 10. Tully says that Dusty has to wait in line with all the other contenders, and Dusty has to reprove himself to get a shot.
- "Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez vs. Paul Garner
- Fernandez goes right to work, taking Garner down and working on him on the mat.
- Clean break on the ropes, and Fernandez goes back to work.
- Garner can't get anything going, Fernandez keeps reversing everything.
- Surfboard by Fernandez.
- Gosh...Fernandez' forehead is a mess...not because of anything that's happening here.
- The announcers note that Fernandez was a World Tag Team Champion with Dusty Rhodes until they lost the titles to the Koloffs.
- Fernandez does a patented Anderson move by slamming Garner on the arm. He continues to work on the arm. The announcers theorize that Fernandez is sending a message to the Andersons.
- Damn...that forehead is a mess.
- Fernandez has got Garner on the mat in a variety of arm locks. Fernandez is going to rip Garner's arm off if he keeps this up.
- Whip, double thrust to the chest, Garner's done.
- Your Winner: Manny Fernandez via pinfall.
- Another 50th anniversary wish.
- Boom shadow.
- Schiavone is with Dusty Rhodes...and a banana.
- Oh, man, the gorilla...well, man in a gorilla suit...is back.
- Dusty tells the gorilla that he's flown the gorilla's mother in.
- Dusty brings out someone else in a smaller gorilla suit. This gorilla has a handbag and a hat. The gorillas pat each other.
- This may be where Vince Russo got his inspiration from.
- In a non-title match: NWA/WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs. Ron Rossie
- The announcers talk about Flair's gorgeous robe.
- Rossie with the initial headlock.
- And, that's about it for Rossie...Flair goes to work with basic holds.
- Clean break by Flair.
- With Rossie in a headlock, Flair yells to Crockett, "If you want me to come out here week after week, you're going to have to do better than this."
- Flair working on the left arm. Rossie's missing tooth is very distracting. He should have gotten a bridge like I got a few years ago.
- Flair working Rossie over in the corner...Flair's trying to get Rossie worked up.
- Flair throws Rossie out of the ring and chops him down on the floor.
- Flair off the top rope, and he hits the elbow to the head.
- Rossie's trying to fight back, but he's not getting anywhere.
- Knee drop to the head by Flair, two count.
- Double-underhook suplex by Flair...that's a lot of weight to get over.
- Figure-four leglock by Flair...it's over.
- Your Winner: NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair via submission.
- Schiavone interviews Flair. Flair puts over pro wrestling, ticked that some people don't take it seriously. And he is the champion, not just another pretty face.
- In a non-title match: NWA U.S. Heavyweight Chamption Magnum TA vs. George South
- Lock up, trade of arm locks.
- Big hip toss by Magnum, drop kick, arm drag.
- South is whipped into the corner, South jumps to the second rope and jumps right into a belly-to-belly suplex when Magnum catches him in mid-air. It's over.
- Your Winner: NWA U.S. Heavyweight Champion Magnum TA via pinfall.
- We go to Jimmy Valiant declaring war on Paul Jones' army. He's not taking any prisoners. He now has face paint.
- Nikita Koloff vs. Kent Glover
- There's a couple high-school-aged kids in the audience waving little American flags, and it's getting Nikita mad.
- Koloff is manhandling Glover. Knees, back elbow off the ropes. The fans are after Nikita, and it's not really making Glover's life any easier.
- Glover's head into the turnbuckles. Shot to the throat by Nikita, big hip toss, snapmare, into a seated headlock.
- Big clubbing blows and a big slam by Nikita.
- To his credit, Glover keeps trying to fight his way out, but he's not having much success.
- We get to see the "gorilla".
- Chokes by Nikita on the mat. The "gorilla" is not happy. Apparently, the gorilla is aware of when rules are being broken.
- Big Russian Sicle by Nikita Koloff, 1-2-3, it's over.
- Your Winner: Nikita Koloff via pinfall.
- We go to an interview with Manny Fernandez and Thunderbolt Patterson. Fernandez yells his piece, looking into the wrong camera the entire time. Patterson is much more soft-spoken. Not a particularly useful interview, but at least it was short.
- Buzz Sawyer, Pez Whatley & The Italian Stallion vs. Bob Roop, Ole Anderson & Arn Anderson
- Bet you anything that it's Italian Stallion who gets pinned.
- This is a strange match, putting Bob Roop with the Andersons, who are hot in a feud, and the three guys on the other side are not obviously related in any way. I'm curious if this is going to go anywhere.
- Arn vs. Buzz Sawyer and his fuzzy boots to start.
- Arn and Sawyer go back and forth to start, and Sawyer almost pins Arn with a Sunset Flip. Roop and Whatley are tagged in.
- Roop with the early advantage, Whatley comes back. Arn tagged in and Whatley tags The Italian Stallion.
- Arn and Stallion mix it up a bit, and Ole is tagged in.
- Ole starts taking Stallion apart, and Arn is tagged in.
- Arn brings Stallion into no-man's land, and Roop is tagged in.
- Stallion with an early advantage, but Roop ends that with a belly-to-back suplex.
- Arn tagged in, Whatley tagged in. Whatley is house-a-fire, taking everyone out. Sawyer tagged in, he beats up Arn, Stallion tagged in, and he is taken into the wrong corner. Ole tagged in.
- Stallion returns the favor, and brings Ole to his corner.
- Sawyer tagged in, Whatley tagged in, Arn tagged in...fast and furious here.
- Roop tagged in, with a backbreaker on Whatley. Ole in, and Italian Stallion is tagged in. Stallion is house-a-fire...wow, he slams BOTH Andersons, and headbutts them into each other. Not what you'd expect.
- After the commercial break, we come back and Bob Roop has The Italian Stallion in an armbar.
- Arn tagged in, he continues working on the left arm.
- Stallion tries to fight his way out, but Arn tags Ole in.
- Wow...Ole really is really a grumpy old man that likes to beat people up.
- Roop tagged in. More work on the left arm.
- Arn tagged in...more punishment on the arm. The crowd is chanting for The Italian Stallion.
- Ole tagged in. The punishment continues. The match has definitely slowed down.
- Roop tagged in. Roop uses his height, pulling Italian's arm over his shoulder, causing Stallion's own weight to cause more damage.
- Arn in...more punishment on the left arm.
- Ole in...more punishment on the left arm. Ole likes using the ropes for leverage. The ring has been effectively cut in half with Stallion not being able to get to his corner to tag out.
- Stallion tries to fight his way out, but Ole pulls him into no-man's land and Roop is tagged in. More punishment.
- Arn tagged in. Italian Stallion has Arn in a small package, but Ole makes the save. That causes all six men to come into the ring.
- Pandemonium in the ring. Italian Stallion hits a powerslam on Arn and has him pinned, but the ref's back is turned as the ref is getting Buzz Sawyer out of the ring.
- Ole sees the opportunity and comes off the top rope with a knee to the back of the Italian Stallion's head.
- Arn rolls out and Ole gets the cover even though Arn is the legal man. 1-2-3.
- Your Winners: Bob Roop, Ole Anderson & Arn Anderson via pinfall
- Sawyer and Whatley protest the decision, but it goes nowhere.
- As six-man TV matches go, it wasn't bad, but from a storyline perspective, it was totally meaningless unless the Andersons and Roop are going to challenge for the six-man tag belts at some point.
- Flair's here, wearing his belt. Flair refers to the Andersons as his cousins, and puts them over. Flair talks about how professional wrestling is the greatest sport in the world, and NWA is the best organization.
- Thunderbolt Patterson vs. Randy Barber
- My gosh...I think I've said this before but Barber really looks like a transporter accident with Buzz Sawyer and Arn Anderson.
- The announcers say that the issue between Patterson and Ole Anderson needs to be settled.
- Patterson with an armbar on Barber's left arm.
- Different holds on the left arm...really putting it to Barber. Maybe Patterson is sending a message to the Andersons.
- Whoo hoo! Buddy Landel will be on later in the show. Cool.
- Clean break by Patterson on the ropes.
- Eye rake by Barber, which ticks off Patterson.
- Flurry by Patterson, whip into the ropes, double thrust, 1-2-3.
- Your Winner: Thunderbolt Patterson via pinfall.
- That didn't last long.
- Schiavone interviews JJ Dillon. Dillon gives reluctant props to Flair, but Dillon says that Nature Boy Buddy Landel is casting a long shadow on Ric Flair. Dillon claims that movie producers are clamoring for Buddy Landel.
- A video is shown of Dillon and Landel watching Ric Flair on TV and looking for weaknesses.
- The video can be found here on YouTube. Thanks to Rik G, DDT Digest's number-one fan in Belgium, for the link. Oddly, there are a couple minor differences between the one on YouTube and the one that was broadcast. The music is different. Seeing as the one on YouTube is a WWE version, my guess is that the WWE changed the music to avoid paying royalties. Second, the version on YouTube does not have Landel calling Flair out at the end. No idea why that was changed.
- The video is hilarious. Landel is in a suit and Dillon is in a tuxedo, but there are in a cheaply paneled rec room, watching a portable TV. Every time Dillon touches Landel, Landel foppishly brushes it off. Obviously, Landel is not interested, and he finally says that Ric Flair bores him. On cue, a "lovely lady" (very 80s looking) comes in and pours champagne for Buddy as the song "Smooth Operator" starts to play. Another lady brings in a snack and feeds Buddy strawberries as JJ is obviously frustrated. Buddy leaves with the girls and Dillon in a limo. They go into a club with Dillon obviously frustrated. Buddy is shown working the two ladies, all in slow motion as Dillon looks on disapprovingly in the background. Landel ends with "I've only got one thing to say. Ric Flair, move over! There, I said it!"
- I don't know if the production values were purposely that bad or not, but that was HILARIOUS!!! I really miss the cheesy 1980s NWA production values.
- I remember an article in one of the Apter-type mags back in the day about Buddy Landel, and it pretty much mirrored the video they just showed. Buddy thought he was a high-roller like Flair, and the article showed him to be real cheapskate wanna-be. Great stuff.
- Magnum TA is here for an interview with his US Heavyweight belt, wearing blue jeans, but no shirt. Yeah...that's not pandering to the ladies. Magnum talks about how great the competition is. Crockett brings up Flair's ploy last week which, as you might expect, brings out Ric Flair. Flair tells Magnum to show respect, and to sign his name on the dotted line if he wants a shot. He tells Magnum that he needs to go 60 minutes with Flair if he wants to be a star in this sport. Magnum says that Flair backed down last week...not him. Magnum says that when he gets his chance, he will show Flair what he's capable of. Flair preens and lives. Magnum is pissed.
- Magnum leaves, which brings out Dusty...and his gorilla. Dusty says that he and the gorilla are going to beat the Koloffs for the World Tag Team Championship. Dusty hugs the gorilla and they walk off with their arms around each other. Nice job, Dusty...on the heels of some championship drama, be a goofball.
- Krusher Khruschev w/Ivan Koloff vs. Alan Martin
- Someone in the crowd gave Alan Martin an American flag to wave. Hmmm...that's probably not going to work out too well for him.
- Fans are singing the National Anthem.
- Khruschev goes right to work.
- Slams, backbreakers...looking pretty painful. Khruschev taunts the crowd.
- Bearhug by Khruschev, but he's distracted by the gorilla running around the ring.
- Dusty takes the gorilla offstage with a chain. Ivan acted scared of the "gorilla". That's just silly.
- Chinlock by Khruschev, which gets the crowd chanting "boring".
- Khruschev pitches Martin from the ring, and Martin does not land well.
- That doesn't slow down the beating outside the ring, though.
- Back in the ring, the punishment continues. Man...I'd hate to be Martin right now.
- Big clothesline and then choke by Khruschev.
- Throat drop across top rope.
- Stomps.
- Whip, and the Russian Sicle.
- Cobra Hold, and it's over.
- Your Winner: Krusher Khruschev via submission.
- Abdullah The Butcher w/Paul Jones vs. Mack Jeffers
- Crockett and Schiavone call Mack "Mark". Either they are wrong or the graphic was wrong.
- Abdullah goes right to work, manhandling Jeffers.
- Abdullah has the pointed toe wrestling boots like the Iron Sheik, although Abdullah's boots aren't the Iranian colors.
- Jeffers has been pitched from the ring twice already.
- Big clubbing blows by Abdullah, punctuated with thrusts to the throat.
- Abdullah stands on Jeffers' back with all his weight. Ouch.
- Paul Jones gets in two shots with his cane behind the referee's back.
- Modified camel clutch as Abdullah bites the rope for leverage. Never seen that before.
- Eye gouge. More clubbing blows.
- Jeffers thrown out of the ring again.
- Back in the ring, Jeffers whipped into the ropes, and a big clothesline. Big elbow drop, and it's over.
- Your Winner: Abdullah The Butcher via pinfall.
- Schiavone interviews NWA World Television Champion Tully Blanchard, who has Baby Doll with him. Tully says we are about to see why he is a world champion.
- In A Title Match: NWA World Television Champion Tully Blanchard w/Baby Doll vs. Jim Jeffers
- Baby Doll talks trash to Jeffers before the match.
- No handshake to start the match.
- Tully starts with the head games right away.
- Several clean breaks by Jeffers.
- Tully with an ankle lock and trash talk and slaps to the back of Jeffers' head.
- Blanchard with a slap to Jeffers' face on a break.
- Tully with a shinbreaker to get out of a headlock.
- Clean break by Tully in the ropes.
- Slap by Tully...he's totally getting under Jeffers' skin.
- The announcers note that they get a lot of letters from fans saying that they like Tully Blanchard.
- Tully with some holds to weaken Jeffers.
- Baby Doll gets a shove in when Jeffers is thrown out of the ring.
- Jeffers climbs back in, and Tully hits the slingshot suplex and gets the pin.
- Your Winner: And still NWA World Television Champion, Tully Blanchard via pinfall.
- Schiavone interviews Ole & Arn Anderson. Schiavone claims that the Andersons cheated in the match earlier. Arn takes exception to that assessment. Ole gives props to Tully. Among other things, Ole says "Up yours!" to Thunderbolt Patterson. Ole claims they are going to "getting rid of" Patterson.
- And that's all she wrote.
- The Good: The Buddy Landel video was absolutely hilarious!
- The Bad: Another ridiculously short Magnum TA match.
- The Ugly: This ridiculous angle with the gorilla.