10/28/91 – Madison Square Garden
As you recently saw with my Clash of the Champions XIV review, I'm expanding “Random Network Reviews” a bit. It started as just Pay-Per-Views but I've added Clash of the Champions, Saturday Night's Main Events and Old Schools from the WWE Network to this section. I picked out my first Old School card and it's from a time period that I thought was pretty cool. October of 1991 and this show is from my favorite wrestling venue, Madison Square Garden. Looking at this card, I think it has some potential to be a fun viewing for me and I hope it goes well.
The intro video that the WWE Network has put together for their “Old School” vault is cool. I'd like it if they turned this into a “Live Event” section so we could get some recent live events too. The commentary team tonight is Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan and Lord Alfred Hayes.
Big Bully Busick vs. Texas Tornado
If you are unsure of who Busick is, just know that he has one of the best mustaches in the history of our sport. Yes, I went Tony Schiavone there. Tornado knocks him down after a feeling out process and the crowd really likes him. He whips Big Bully into the corner and hits a hip toss coming out of it. A test of strength is won by Tornado until Busick uses a cheap shot. The announce team promotes the upcoming Survivor Series event. Big Bully's offense seems to be exactly what it should be and that's power. He works over Tornado with a clothesline and some clubs before hitting a scoop slam. Bully mistakenly climbs to the second rope and Tornado TOTALLY TELEGRAPHS that he's going to counter this. Once Bully jumps, Tornado catches him with a sloppy looking Claw that he's able to break with the ropes. The crowd has quieted significantly and Bully applies a sleeper hold. Tornado breaks it in the ropes and hits the big Tornado punch to win.
Winner: Texas Tornado in 7:05
Boring opener as they killed a crowd that was pumped for the Texas Tornado. It also went too long. *1/4
The British Bulldog vs. Irwin R. Schyster
Before the match, IRS calls out the people of New York for their tax cheating ways. Surprisingly, in the early goings, IRS is in control. Bulldog gets sick of that and slams IRS around a few times before hitting him with a big running clothesline. IRS takes a breather or two as he stalls for a while. Bulldog impresses with a leapfrog, causing IRS to take yet another breather outside. Apparently, Irwin was undefeated at this point. He does a far less impressive leapfrog and Bulldog dropkicks him outside, where Irwin regroups again. Way too much of that right now. We get a little wrestling sequence back inside that IRS wins with a head scissors and he uses the ropes for leverage. IRS uses Bulldog's momentum later and sends him outside, though it looked sloppy. Time for another rest hold as IRS uses the abdominal stretch and again holds the ropes for leverage. A leg drop gets Irwin a near fall. Bulldog gets sent outside AGAIN. There's been more standing around than anything in this match. Want to know what comes next? ANOTHER REST HOLD. IRS puts him in a headlock and uses the ropes again. He hits a kitchen sink for two and again goes for a headlock. My goodness, why is this so damn long? Bulldog fights out but takes a shoulder block. IRS continues to take his time and doesn't pin. Bulldog finally knocks IRS outside and they announce that there's less than three minutes left in the time limit. Oh my god this is going to go to a draw. They continue to stall and the time expires.
Time Limit Draw at 20:00
It's clear now why they stalled so damn much. This was terrible. A whole lot of nothing was going on and it featured way too many nonsense rest holds. Couldn't this have had a 10 or 15 minute time limit? DUD
They tease five more minutes, but I forever love IRS for backing down and leaving.
Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart vs. The Mountie w/ Jimmy Hart
Neidhart calls Mountie a jailbird before the match because the last time the WWF was in MSG was for SummerSlam '91 and the Mountie got arrested. Neidhart wants to wrestle but Mountie kicks him in the gut. He goes to slam the Anvil, but realizes that it's a dumb idea. Anvil scoop slams him three straight times and we get another heel who decides to stall outside. Mountie challenges Neidhart for a shoulder block and gets run down. He goes for it again and wisely drops down but still gets hip tossed. He goes outside for consultation again and then uses a distraction from the Mouth of the South to get in the driver's seat. Mountie now uses underhanded tactics to get the crowd to continue to boo him. Anvil ducks under two leapfrogs and slams Mountie's face into the mat before following with a backdrop. Neidhart misses a knee and runs into the corner, allowing the Mountie to roll him up with a handful of tights.
Winner: The Mountie in 11:18
The best match of the night so far, but that's not saying much. There was still too much stalling, but they both played their roles well. **
Ric Flair w/ Bobby Heenan vs. Roddy Piper
How cool is it that Ric Flair walked around with the WCW World Title during this time? Flair does a clean break to start and lets out a hearty “woo!” He does another and Piper spits at him. This is Flair's first ever match in Madison Square Garden, which is pretty historic. Flair was in control in the early goings until Piper rallies. The crowd is really into this one as they spill outside. Back inside, Flair uses a thumb to the eyes to take back control and drops a knee on Hot Rod. Piper uses a rally and a big kitchen sink to change things yet again. Flair begs and backs away into the corner, so Piper delivers ten punches there. He goes for a bulldog and WHAT A SURPRISE, gets shoved right into Earl Hebner. A second official comes out and Flair argues with him, allowing Piper to roll him up for two. They trade chops in the corner and Flair does his signature bump. With the referees both preoccupied, Flair whacks Piper with a steel chair and covers. Somehow, Piper kicks out and gets Flair in the Sleeper Hold! Flair quickly counters with a back suplex though and climbs up top. Because it's Flair, this of course fails and he gets slammed to the mat. Piper eats a bunch of Flair chops that have no effect and hits a neckbreaker. Piper tries to use a chair but gets stopped, so Flair levels him and pins him with his feet on the ropes.
Winner: Ric Flair in 11:59
Not bad at all. Both guys tried their best and the crowd was red hot. The main issue was the abrupt and out of nowhere finish. **3/4
Roddy Piper uses the chair and takes out the referee and Ric Flair after the match. Cutting backstage, Sean Mooney interviews Flair. He continues to call out Hulk Hogan because he's the real World Champion. Man, Flair/Hogan should've happened at WrestleMania XIII, but whatever. Macho Man/Flair was awesome.
The Big Boss Man vs. Colonel Mustafa
HES THE IRON SHIEK, I DONT CARE WHAT YOU SAY! Oh great, as if he didn't bore me enough earlier, IRS comes out and claims that Boss Man shouldn't be allowed to wrestle because he's a tax cheat. The Iron Sheik uses that distraction to club away at the Boss Man, but he fights back and delivers ten punches in the corner. I believe that I just saw Fred Savage, or whichever one was from the Wonder Years in the crowd. Sheik uses some sort of weapon from his boot on Boss Man. Commentary has completely ignored this match as they are just talking about Flair and Hogan. Despite Sheik's cheating, he gets caught in the Boss Man Slam and stays down for the count.
Winner: The Big Boss Man in 4:54
Nothing match. Was used as filler after the Flair/Piper match. *
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Bret Hart (c) vs. The Berzerker
Bret is sporting his fantastic pink jacket and Gorilla Monsoon mentions that he's never seen the Berzerker pin anybody which is funny. He attacks Bret at the bell as the crowd goes “Huss! Huss!” Bret hits a series of dropkicks and the last one knocks Berzerker outside. He runs back in but gets clotheslined right back out, only to run in and get an atomic drop that takes him outside. The challenger uses a headbutt to turn the tide and commentary has now decided to turn the discussion to Berzerker's Ugg like boots. Berzerker is in control because who would give Berzerker offense and make him look good? BRET HART THATS WHO! Berzerker misses a second rope leg drop like an idiot but hits a big kitchen sink, which was apparently a popular move in 1991. REST HOLD TIME! Berzerker hits a piledriver but Bret kicks out. He is really dominating this match but misses a shoulder block and Bret crotches him on the top rope. Ever the technician, Bret tries a small package and gets two, followed by the best backbreaker in wrestling history. Second rope elbow earns him a near fall though. Just like he would in the future against guys like Diesel and the Undertaker, he targets the legs. He goes for the Sharpshooter but Berzerker blocks it. When they get up, Bret uses a crucifix to retain.
Winner and Still Intercontinental Champion: Bret Hart in 10:18
Would've been better if the Berzerker didn't control things. Bret sold like a champ though so that helped. **1/2
El Matador vs. Hercules
According to Gorilla, this is the debut of El Matador. He starts the match by goading Hercules into charging at his Matador cape or whatever they're called. Matador and Hercules run the ropes and Matador hits a drop toe hold. OLE! They go in the corner and Chico Santana reels off a few of the ten punches and gets a near fall with it. OLE! Hercules is tired of these games and clotheslines the jalapenos out of Santana. Am I racist for throwing out all of these OLE and jalapeno references? No because his finisher was the flying jalapeno. He applies every powerhouse heel's favorite submission, the bearhug! He fights out but gets clotheslined down anyway. Bearhug is back on. Matador fights out again, OLE! The Flying Jalapeno is hit but Hercules is too close to the ropes. Matador hits a flying forearm to the back of the neck and wins.
Winner: El Matador in 9:11
Decent little filler match. Again, a bit too much rest time with the bearhug but it kept my interest. **
WWF Tag Team Championship
The Legion of Doom (c) vs. The Natural Disasters w/ Jimmy Hart
This should be a barn burner, also known as a brawl that's not going to be the best worked match of the night. I could be wrong. We get multiple tests of strength in the early goings as LOD are really good at keeping up with the much bigger Natural Disasters. Animal knocks down Earthquake with an impressive shoulder block. Earthquake puts on a bearhug, big surprise, but actually does surprise me with a belly to belly suplex. Things stall heavily with, you guessed it, another bearhug. Earthquake should've won with a slam as Hawk was late to break up the count and the referee had to stutter. Hawk gets the hot tag and fires away, even hitting a dropkick. The Natural Disasters are near victory but things break down and they toss the referee out of the ring, resulting in the disqualification.
Winners via disqualification: The Legion of Doom in 8:02
Kept relatively short and featured some hard hitting stuff, so that was fine. **
Hawk clears the ring of the Natural Disasters and helps Animal up to close the show.
Overall: 3/10; Poor. Maybe because it was a non-televised event, but guys didn't seem to bring their A game. The best match was under three stars and British Bulldog and IRS bored me to tears. It could've been worse though as a few things clocked in around two or so stars. Next time on “Random Network Reviews” I take a long look at WCW Hog Wild 1996!
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