National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling - Saturday, July 27th, 1985
- The DVD set had no DVD for Saturday, July 20th, so I am assuming that was a week off.
- The show opens with a clip of The Midnight Express vs. The Sawyer Brothers in progress, Buzz Sawyer lands on his back on Jim Cornette's tennis racket, we go to the opening credits, and then to Tony Schiavone.
- Schiavone talks about the Challenge Series, and that Tully Blanchard has won the US Title from Magnum TA. Magnum had a bad week...not only did he lose the title, but he was the victim of a "despicable" attack by Ole and Arn Anderson, which we'll see later in the broadcast.
- Awesome...here's Jim Cornette. He's telling a different version than what we just saw with our own eyes at the beginning of the show. He also claims there's nothing unusual about his tennis racket (which seemed to break Buzz Sawyer's back in the opening clip).
- Buddy Landel w/JJ Dillon vs. Pat Tanaka
- Some Flair Struts by Landel...then he starts off with a body slam and a hip toss.
- Apparently, Tanaka is the number-one contender for the Light Heavyweight belt, held by Denny Brown.
- Another hip toss by Landel.
- Landel bows at Tanaka to mock him and Tanaka responds with a back kick to Landel's head.
- Chops by Tanaka. Whip, reversals, and a hip toss by Tanaka.
- Lock up, body slam by Tanaka. Another one. Into the ropes and Landel catches Tanaka with a hot shot onto the top rope.
- Stomps by Landel. Tanaka tossed to the concrete floor.
- Landel to the floor, and Landel clobbers Tanaka on the floor. Landel goes back into the ring, and Dillon tosses Tanaka into the ring.
- Forearm shot by Landel. Stomp to the head. Arm twist into an arm bar.
- Reversal by Tanaka, but Landel forearms him down.
- More blows, body slam, knee to the head.
- Tanaka fights his way out, but Landel comes back with a back elbow.
- Body slam...corkscrew elbow drop...another elbow drop...1-2-3.
- Your Winner: Buddy Landel via pinfall
- Schiavone interviews Ivan and Nikita Koloff.
- Ivan says they are going to win the world tag titles from the Rock And Roll Express.
- Film of the Koloffs double-teaming and destroying Flair at the Bash is shown.
- Commercials.
- Here's Tully with the US Title. He gives props to Magnum TA. My gosh, Tully is well-spoken.
- Buzz & Brett Sawyer vs. Randy Barber and Vernon Deaton
- Buzz's back is taped up from the run-in with Cornette's tennis racket.
- Brett cleans up on Barber. Buzz tagged in...more of the same. Brett tagged in, hits an elbow and Deaton tagged in.
- More beating by the Sawyers, Buzz tagged in, big suplex, where Buzz seems to injure his own back as well.
- Reverse powerslam off second turnbuckle on Deaton by Buzz (which is the move where he landed on the tennis racket versus the Midnight Express). 1-2-3.
- Total squash.
- Your Winners: Buzz & Brett Sawyer via pinfall.
- Schiavone shows the clip of the Andersons beating on Magnum TA. Magnum was in an empty locker room doing a promo about Tully for an upcoming match in Philadelphia. The Andersons run in and beat the snot out of Magnum while the camera continues to film.
- Commercials.
- Now we see film of later that night, when Magnum was supposed to team with Dusty against the Andersons. Dusty comes to the ring confused as to Magnum's whereabouts, because Magnum was beaten and left laying in another dressing room. Dusty asks the ring announcer for five minutes to find Mangum, and the Andersons jump Dusty. Terry Taylor tries to help out Dusty, but he's beaten and thrown out. The beating on Dusty continues. Magnum drags himself to the ring to help out, and he and other wrestlers from the dressing room get beatings for their trouble. Finally, the overwhelming numbers make the Andersons scatter. Magnum is taken out on a stretcher.
- Schiavone points out that Magnum was warned by the Andersons not to be caught without his partner.
- There's an interview with Magnum all bandaged up immediately after he got medical care. As you might imagine, he's planning on getting even.
- Nikita Koloff vs. Black Cat
- This isn't going to be pretty.
- Black Cat slips away on the first two lock ups, but that just angers Koloff.
- Toss, ram, toss, ram. As Schiavone says, "It's like the Black Cat is a rag doll."
- Black Cat with a brief comeback, but that doesn't last long.
- More clubberin', Russian Sicle, 1-2-3.
- Your Winner: Nikita Koloff via pinfall
- Schiavone brings out the World Heavyweight Champion, Ric Flair. Say what you want, but even back then when heels were supposed to be hated, the crowd loved Flair.
- Flair is incensed about the Koloffs showing that film. Flair may not like Race, Rhodes and Magnum, but he respects them. Flair is going to get even with Nikita.
- Flair storms off, and here comes Jim Cornette to introduce...
- The Midnight Express (Eaton & Condrey) vs. Sam Houston and Joe Lightfoot
- Houston with the early advantage on Eaton, but it doesn't last long. Some good double-teaming, and then Condrey is tagged in.
- Condrey beats on Houston, and Eaton is tagged in.
- Houston with a brief comeback, but Eaton comes back. Condrey tagged in.
- Houston's taking a beating. Eaton tagged in.
- Houston eventually fights his way out and tags in Lightfoot.
- Lightfoot is house afire!
- Lightfoot and Eaton start criss-crossing, and Eaton tags Condrey in without Lightfoot noticing. Condrey simply comes in and knees Lightfoot in the gut as Lightfoot is criss-crossing. Now that, my friends, is awesome tag team wrestling.
- Short clothesline by Condrey, Eaton is tagged in to deliver a dropkick from the top rope. 1-2-3.
- As a funny side note, after Lightfoot is dropkicked to the mat near his own corner, he schooches himself to the middle of the ring so it's not possible for him to tag out to Houston.
- Your Winners: The Midnight Express via pinfall
- Schiavone interviews Tully Blanchard about Magnum's happenstance. Tully says that Magnum shouldn't have gotten out of bed that day. Tully says that Magnum is tough, but no one is shaking because of what Magnum said.
- Terry Taylor vs. Larry Clark
- Clark with the early advantage, but Taylor comes back quickly.
- A flying forearm by Taylor, and then a flying body press from the top rope by Taylor. 1-2-3.
- That was short.
- Your Winner: Terry Taylor via pinfall
- Schiavone interviews the Sawyer brothers. They show the clip from the opening of the show again, and the Sawyers, understandably, have a different view of the situation than Cornette.
- The Sawyer Brothers are going after Cornette.
- In a Title Match: NWA Heavyweight World Television Champion Dusty Rhodes w/Baby Doll vs. Arn Anderson in a Superstation Championship Challenge Series match
- Dusty with the early advantage...he's angry. And Arn is begging off.
- Baby Doll is a distraction outside the ring, and she and Dusty have unpleasant words.
- Dusty with an elbow to the knee and a toe hold.
- Station break.
- Arn gets out of the hold with punches to the head. Dusty comes back with a shin breaker and he goes back to the toe hold. Again, Arn punches his way out.
- Now Arn with punches and kicks. Arn begins to work on Dusty's left arm.
- Arn continues to work on the left arm, with some illegal hair pulls to maintain the hold.
- Dusty reverses, but Arn comes back with a head butt.
- Dusty regains the advantage. Blows, body slam, dropkick to the face (!), and Dusty goes to the rear chinlock.
- Arn regains the advantage in the corner, and Arn kicks Dusty outside the ring.
- Arn with a few punches on the floor, and he rolls back in.
- Dusty comes back in and receives a few kicks for his trouble.
- Arn with the hammerlock on the mat. Baby Doll is cheering Arn on, which is hilarious because she came in with Dusty.
- Arn continues to work on Dusty's left arm. Dusty eventually headbutts his way out and gives Arn a pair of double axehandles to his head.
- Arn with a whip to a double knockdown. Dusty is up at 7.
- Dusty with a suplex on Arn, but Dusty hits hard as well. Both men down. Dusty is up at 8.
- Dusty with punches, and Arn is down. Body slam by Dusty.
- Dusty in football position..he does a running tackle on Arn, which knocks the referee out.
- Dusty with the figure-four leglock, and heeeeere comes Ole! Stomps to Dusty to break the hold, and then an elbow drop by Ole on Dusty.
- Ole slips out of the ring to throw the referee back in. Arn covers Dusty...1...2...Dusty powers out, tossing Arn onto the referee, knocking the referee out again.
- Arn with punches on Dusty's head...Dusty flings Arn by the tights into the referee, knocking the referee out a third time.
- Dusty to the top rope. Arn is staggering. Dusty lands an elbow from the top rope and covers.
- Magnum TA slides in and does the three-count!
- As Magnum raises Dusty's hand, Ole comes in from behind with a double axe handle and vicious knee to Magnum's back. Ole gives Dusty a few shots for good measure.
- The Andersons try to break Dusty's arm, but Magnum pulls Ole off the top turnbuckle and slams him.
- The Andersons attempt a comeback, but with the odds now even, they get out of Dodge.
- Magnum and Dusty try to goad the Andersons back for a fair fight, but no dice.
- As Dusty leaves, he grabs Baby Doll by the hair and shoves her away.
- Your Winner: Dusty Rhodes by disqualification, I think.
- Schiavone interviews Magnum and Rhodes at ringside. Magnum's face is a mess, and they are livid!
- A 50th anniversary announcement.
- Abdullah The Butcher vs. George South
- For gosh sake...27 years later, I think both these guys are still wrestling.
- Match was already underway.
- Abdullah with kicks, stomps, thrust to throat, body slam.
- South attempts a comeback. No effect.
- Shoulder block, punches...Abdullah methodically taking South apart.
- Choke...Abdullah stands on top of South.
- Another attempted comeback by South. That earns South a nerve hold.
- Another blow to the throat, body slam, big elbow drop. 1-2-3
- Pretty much a squash.
- Your Winner: Abdullah The Butcher via pinfall
- Here's Schiavone with the unpredictable Dick Slater. Slater voices his support for Magnum TA and Dusty Rhodes, and he calls out Kevin Sullivan.
- Commercials.
- Now, here's Schiavone with Kevin Sullivan. Sullivan says that Slater doesn't have the power to come back from him. Sullivan says that Slater is not Dusty Rhodes and not Magnum TA.
- Jimmy Valiant and Pistol Pez Whatley vs. Jim Jeffers and Donald Ross
- Oh, dear God, no.
- Whatley is clowning along with Valiant before the match.
- Whatley vs. Jeffers to start.
- Whatley goes to work...Ross attempts to jump in but it doesn't work out for him.
- Valiant tagged in. In addition to choking Jeffers, Valiant kisses the referee. Dear God.
- Whatley tagged back in. Double back elbow, headbutt by Whatley. Ross tagged in.
- Arm drag, arm bar by Whatley. Whatley looking to tag out and Valiant is too busy playing to the crowd. Valiant is really is not a good tag team partner.
- Ross is in the wrong corner. Valiant tagged in, Whatley tagged in. Whatley with a gut wrench suplex for a two-count.
- Valiant tagging back in. Ross' head slammed into the top turnbuckle. Whatley tagged back in. Double axehandle off second turnbuckle. Two-count only. Jeffers tagged back in.
- Arm twist, Valiant tagged back in. Ross tagged back in. Whatley tagged in. Flying headbutt.
- Valiant tagged back in. Big elbow. 1-2-3
- Your Winner: Jimmy Valiant and Pistol Pez Whatley via pinfall
- Schiavone interviews Ric Flair again. Flair apologizes for his behavior earlier in the show. Ric is now Slick Ric again. The girls don't need to Disneyworld to ride Space Mountain.
- Jim Crockett Jr appears to announce next week's Championship Series match...US Tag Team Champions Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes vs. Soutern Champion Rick Rude (spelled "Ric Rudd" in the graphic) and Florida Champion Jack Hart.
- One last "Whoo!" for good measure.
- Bob Roop vs. Rocky King
- Mat wrestling to start. No advantage.
- More mat wrestling. Whatley is in the inset saying good things about Rocky King.
- Bob Roop has a minor advantage. Another clean break.
- More amateur-style wrestling. Another clean break.
- Belly-to-belly suplex by Roop. One count.
- Clean break on the ropes.
- I imagine this is what professional wrestling back in the 1930s was like.
- Rocky King looks a lot like a young Booker T.
- King with armbar, which Roop reverses into a slam, which King reverses into a sort of monkey flip.
- That incenses Roop, who starts savagely beating King. Roop hits a shoulderbreaker, and it's over. 1-2-3
- Your Winner: Bob Roop via pinfall
- Roop continues the beating after the match, and Whatley jumps in to protect King. That brings Sullivan out to ringside, and Sullivan seemingly puts Roop into a trance as Roop slowly walks out of the ring.
- Whatley helps King up and leads him out of the ring.
- Schiavone has the Koloffs again. The Koloffs find Flair's apoplectic tirade funny. Ivan thinks that the girls, the Rolex watches and the partying are the reason why Flair is going to be defeated. Nikita: "Ric Flair, beware."
- NWA World Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Rock-and-Roll Express vs. Terry Flynn and Mike Nichols
- Presumably, this is a non-title match.
- Gibson vs. Flynn to start. A few amateur holds, and Morton tagged in.
- Arm lock. Gibson tagged back in. More arm twisting. Nichols tagged in. Gibson with a full nelson on Nichols.
- Morton tagged in. Snapmare into more throws and mat wrestling.
- Gibson tagged in. Gibson's and Morton's styles are very similar.
- Morton tagged in. Double-team move. Dropkick by Morton.
- Gibson tagged in. Now working on ankles and knees.
- Morton tagged in. Still working on Nichols' left leg. Nichols able to tag out.
- Gibson tagged in. Double-team blow to midsection from Morton and kneelift from Gibson. Double-dropkick. 1-2-3
- Your Winners: The Rock-and-Roll Express via pinfall.
- Schiavone interviews The Rock-and-Roll Express. Their interview styles are very different. Gibson is relatively soft-spoken and sincere. Morton is a lot of hot air.
- NWA US Heavyweight Champion Tully Blanchard vs. Mack Jeffers
- I have a feeling that this isn't going to last very long. Presumably, this is a non-title match. If for no other reason, the ref didn't hold the belt up and show it to the crowd before the match.
- Lock ups, and Blanchard keeps shoving Jeffers off.
- Headlock, snapmare by Blanchard.
- Headlock by Jeffers into a hammerlock on Blanchard on the mat.
- Blanchard works his way into a reversal.
- Blanchard keeps working the hammerlock on the mat until the ref calls for a break because Jeffers is under the ropes.
- Blanchard with punches and forearms, and he ends it with a slingshot suplex. 1-2-3
- Your Winner: NWA US Heavyweight Champion Tully Blanchard via pinfall
- Schiavone ends the show noting that the major story this week was what happened to Magnum TA.
- The show ends with a replay of Magnum laid out in the ring after he tried to make the save on Dusty.
- The Good: With the Andersons' attack on Magnum TA and Tully Blanchard taking Magnum's belt, we see the seeds being sown for the Four Horsemen.
- The Bad: Joe Lightfoot scooching himself further from his partner so that he couldn't tag out.
- The Ugly: As usual, Jimmy Valiant.