ESPN Classic has been showing Herb Abrams UWF from 1-2 am on weeknights.

I'm glad you told us.

1-2am equals "11-12" here in the Greatest TV Time Zone in the Country. That's perfect late night viewing time for me. I think "Cheap Seats" is following it at 12 (or 2am).

Yeah, I actually read about this yesterday. I'm promptly DVRing them all. Abrams is the most entertaining idiot ever. Nothing like a promotor who's virtually insane from drug use that managed to actually get a show on ESPN.

Am I correct, in that SID swings by the UWF for some fun?! Plus Boris Zhukov and his gigantic melon?

I know virtually nothing about the 90's (non-Watts) UWF, so I'm kinda' psyched up to watch, tonight.

Appearances last night:

Paul Orndorff
Steve Williams
B Brian Blair
Lou Albano
Dan Spivey
Billy Jack Haynes

Oh yeah and the really old episodes have Abrams and Bruno Sammartino doing commentary. It's shitastic.

Yeah, when I heard they were the shows with Bruno on commentary with Abrams I was fucking psyched.

I'll be catching these on my DVR tonight after work.

Ehhh... I noticed that they're out of order and full of mostly jobber squashes. No interviews or anything, either. Also looks like the shows themselves have the original ESPN 2 graphics, circa 1994. With the sketchy logo and everything.

I got a chuckle out of John Tolos saying that they were "sold out", when you could see that the second level of the high school gym was vacant.

Some of the shows have interviews. The 1 am episode from a few nights ago had several interviews.

Just an interesting little note. Bob Orton made reference to Randy Orton on last night's show.

I caught Dr. Death vs. Orndorf on last night's show. Really wasn't too bad, all things considered. There was a discrepancy with the edittng, though. They talked about "let's look back at a confrontation these two had, awhile back".. there was a cut in the feed, then the match started. It took me about two minutes into the match until I realized: "Oh, there was NO flashback...this is the actual match".

Also a VERY awkward jobber match with Billy Jack Haynes. Haynes drops a routine elbowdrop and the ref counts three. Haynes goes on, like nothing happened, until the ref grabs him and tells him that the match is over. I forget who the jobber was, but he has to be the biggest wuss around, jobbing to a simple ELBOWDROP.

I also though Haynes looked a little like Barry Horowitz in that match!

Hey! Ultimate Warrior jobbed to an elbow drop at the 1991 Royal Rumble, and he isn't a wuss!

Yes....yes he is.

I managed to watch a bit of a couple of episodes on my DVR this morning and I was lovin it. Fucking terrible wrestling that's the most unintentially funny shit I've ever seen.

The announcing is seriously some of the worst shit I've EVER heard.

That was a Sgt. Slaughter elbowdrop, though!

Slaughter Elbow > Haynes Elbow



Speak not of those random and oftentimes inconsequential things which reflect detrimentally upon those who normals know and address as "The Warrior".

I didn't catch a date to start, so I hopefully I will.

The Black Harts w/ Luna v Jobbers
Captain Lou Albano and someone on commentary. Now clue who anyone is yet. The Black Harts kind of look demolition-esque, especially one of them who is shaped and moves like Ax. Dusty Wolf is one of the jobbers. I know now that the Black harts are named Apocolypse and Destruction. Some big fatty tags in, but takes a decent bulldog as a very chubby Luna looks on. I should mention that this shit is OUTSIDE at Universal Studios, Florida, and you can actually see the big Nickolodeon building just sitting there in the background. Its fucking hilarious. Fatty jobber's name is Big Bobby, out of Boston, Mass. One of the Black Harts hits a spinning heel kick as I'm a bit surprised. Double team by the Harts now for a double shoulderblock (Demolition?) for a two count. A quick google tells me nothing about the Black Harts. And they hit AMW's finisher on the fat guy for the win. Except the motherfucker couldn't hold him, and just set him down on the mat. Pa-fucking-thetic. * It wasn't horrible. The music of the Harts was quite familiar, but I can't place it.

The Power Twins w/John Tolos v Jobbers
Holy fucking SHIT! Its Coach! I have never seen him in another wrestling capaticy other than with Mr. Perfect. Other commentary is Craig DeGeorge. And the Power Twins (who I don't know as of yet) came out to Rock You Like a Hurricane, which is awesome. Theres like, maybe 100 people just sitting around on lawn chairs out here. Hilarious. They're plugging some PPV but the audio is so bad that I can't tell what they're plugging. Jobbers are a white guy in Camos and a black guy. Two of them face off in the center as I look around and realize that my estimation of 100 people might've been too high. They talk about John Tolos' whistle around his neck as I mark out. Coach totally sucked, but its awesome to see him. The commentary is horrible. Lou Albano just said "Why do't they call him the coach, since he always has that whistle around his neck". Pay the man royalties Vince. The Power Twins are apparently named Dave and Larry. They suck. I can't even call any action cause nothing is happening. Oh wait, a double suplex, and double elbow drop. For the pin. DUD More Rock You Like a Hurricane makes me happy though. This shit is hilarious.

The Lynx v Jobber
The Lynx is out next. He's wearing a purple and yellow outfit, and a purple mask with little cat ears on the top. He's the first guy to look legitimately in shape. Maybe he's Battle Kat? No clue. He shakes hands with Jobber, who hasn't got a mention yet as far as a name. Armdrags to start, as these people brought the working boots. Woah, Lynx busts off a sweet little exchange ending with a legwhip takedown. I'll have to google some of these names afterwards to see who the fuck these guys are, cause I have ZERO knowledge of the UWF. Monkey Flip out of the corner, and the jobber lands on his feet and then blasts Lynx with a lariat. If Lynx were a little shorter, I'd say he could be Eddie. "Big V" I think they're calling the other guy, hits a diving headbutt off of the top, kind of. Benoit he is not. Lynx misses a snap kick, looking a bit RVDish. Too big though. Lynx with a kneelift, and a spin kick to the midsection, and then misses an elbowdrop. I have to imagine the matches at Cage's wrestling school are better than this. Oh shit yeah!!! Delay Piledriver by Big V, but its reversed by The Lynx. I was pumped to see a good old fashioned Piledriver. They tell us that a big 6 Man Tag is coming later, as the two guys in the ring blow a spot and nearly kill The Lynx. I think I heard him mention B Brian Blair, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Colonel DeBeers. We shall see. Snap suplex by The Lynx, and he climbs up in the corner. Big V pulls him off into an atomic drop, and then a knee lift. Lynx with a clotheslne, and goes up top again. Moonsault over the standing Big V, a few exchanges, and a sloppy rollup by The Lynx for the win. I hope for my sanity that he wasn't anyone good......cause he sucked. DUD

Main Event? Bam Bam Bigelow, B Brian Blair, Paul Orndorff v Bob Orton. Boris Zuchov, and someone else
Blair and Zuchov start off. Despite the "star power" the crowd doesn't care. Bam Bam looks very young, and very fat. The heels are all just a bunch of fat guys other than Orton so I can't really tell whats going on. Rusty Brooks is apparently the 3rd fat heel? Orndorff throws him into the ropes, whiffs on a dropkick, but the guy sells anyway. Bam Bam tags in, hits a headbutt into the spine, and then a big elbow. Bam Bam with a suplex on the big dude, and the crowd kind of pops for the first time. Bammer with a snap mare, and a headscissor, quick exchange into a cover. Blair tags in, goes to the middle rop, and hits an elbow. Faces are dominating this thing. Orton tags in, as they take a break in the middle of the match? We come back from the break with Orton controlling, just like watching a WWE show today! The heels have Blair in the corner, and they're doing absolutely nothing. I just keep watching the Nickolodeon Studios in the background and wondering if any Double Dare is being taped. Can't believe I still haven't got a date on this thing. Bam Bam does a "missed tag by the Ref" spot, but the crowd just sits there confused. Wow, they just keep working on Blair. Zuchov with a bear hug, as I plead with B Brian to make a damn tag and end this match. Blair finally hits the tag to Bigelow, and I see at least one person clapping in the audience. Two fat guys running into it, and Bammer hits a falling headbutt for two. Orton tags in as we have a shot at some legitimate action, but Orton just shoves him into the corner and slaps on a 20 minute chinlock. Just kidding! He tags back out to Zuchov, and oh shit, its Pier Six brawl. Bam Bam hits something while the camera misses it, and makes the pin. Orton has a chair, but Orndorff takes it away. I guess the match ended. * for....sweat.

And the show ends. The copyright on it drops an MCMXCV, and its on the original old school ESPN logo, which puts it in 1995. However, no chance this shit was 1995, so who the fuck knows when this was from. That was actually fun.

Hey, there's two of them on, so why not take a shot at another.

This one starts indoors, and the commentators are Craig DeGeorge and Bruno Sammartino. Thank god! A date! We get a flashback from Nov 26, 1990 where Bob Orton attacked B Brian Blair, and the chick that was with him. Now we're getting THIS match as a result.

Bob Orton v B Brian Blair
Blair has his chick and Captain Lou Albano with him, and Orton is seconded by COAC, John Tolos. Apparently Blair's chick is named Honey, which luckily is a slightly more effeminate name that B Brian Blair. But only slightly. Blair blocks a punch and nails a few hard rights on Orton. I should mention this show is indoors as opposed to the last one, and there is actually a crowd to speak of, and they're making noise. Blair hits a suplex for a 1 count. It literally looks like a Bingo Hall, and I'm hoping the mention where this is from. The ring apon cover is a bright green tarp. And we take a break in the middle of the match. Come back with Orton in control on the mat with a bearhug. Like father like son. Sorry, I keep having to go to the well with that joke, cause it is about the only connection I have. Albano and Coach are mouthing off with each other at ringside. Sammartino is trying his best to call the action in the ring, but keeps tossing a "I think" or "it kinds of looks like" onto each call. Blair slaps on a hammerlock on the mat and hits a series of knees as the announcers talk about it being a terrific matchup. Sammartino detailing us the intricacies of the front face lock as Blair does NOTHING, even as the face. Orton hits a inverted atomic drop as the crowd shows indifference. It looks like they're at the N.Y. Penta Hotel, according to a banner I caught in the background. So it isn't even a Bingo Hall, its like a convention area of a hotel. Orton hits a slingshot bottom rope decapitator thing that actually elicits a reaction from the crowd, and follows it up with a seres of back rakes. Orton drops him over the top with a stungun, and we actually have some action. Orton hits the ropes and drops a very sweet elbow drop, looking very Randy like with his slow kneedrop off the ropes. He pulls Blair through the apron and drops and elbow, knocking him to the floor, almost pulling the green tarp off of the apron. ANOTHER break. Whatamatch! Coming back from break, Blair is still down on the outside. Tolos gets a cheap shot in. Orton to the top rope! and leaps off with a elbow drop onto Blair as he gets back in the ring. Tolos blows the whistle and the crowd goes completely silent instead of giving him any heat. I desperately need this match to end just so I can take a paragraph break. Orton being very deliberate, and nailing some elbows right to the face of Blair. But Blair throws him to the outside. Albano hits him, and Honey almost hits him with some stick she is carrying. Orton back in, and Blair is energized, and hits some punches, a back rake, and a pke to the eye. Orton is flailing like Curt Hennig, but Blair gets a 2 count. Orton gets reversed going for a pildriver, and Blair slaps on a SHARPSHOOTER!! Called a Scorpion Deahlock by Sammartino. The ref is distracted and Tolos gets in the ring and hits Blair with a shoe. He tosses Orton on top, but then Albano sneaks in and puts Blair on top. The ref is occupied with Albano and Tolos, as Orton and Blair lumber in the corner. Orton puts Blair onto the middle rope, setting up a superplex. Honey sneaks into the ring, and she just hit Orton with the stick, which apparently is a cattleprod. Orton freaks out, and Blair hits a top rope sunset flip, but Orton kicks out. Should've been the finish. Orton pulls out some brass knucks, but Blair nails him, takes the knucks, punches Tolos and gets DQed. LAME! ** This wasn't horrible.

We come back from break with a promo in front of a green screen!! David Sammartino is in front of a FURY HOUR logo, and is cutting a promo on Ivan Koloff. He may not be the biggest man in pro wrestling, but he guarantees you he is the most fit, and the most dangerous.

Ivan Koloff v David Sammartino
Koloff brings a chain to the ring and slaps it around, and Sammartino gets an intro and even a pop. He comes out to fucking POISON by Bel Biv Devoe. Awesome. He's my new favorite wrestler just for that. Shit is all out of order as they just said that coming up we have Blair v Orton. Sammartino locks up, but Koloff takes him down, reversed into a hammerlock, and they tie up into the ropes. Bruno talks about how he wrestled Koloff, which is never a good thing. Sammartino shows a little bit of spunk with a flip out of an armbar, and a double boot to the face. I see a banner for the UWF Hotline in the background. What the fuck would ever inspire you to call that shit. Some pretty basic chain wrestling as DeGeorge tells us that David works as a fitness trainer in his spare time. Beats a Race Car Driver I guess. Koloff takes him down to the mat as the crowd just looks bored as shit, and there are maybe 500 of them left. MAYBE. Its a weird looking demographic too, as a lot of guys in suits and shit. Its like they were in the hotel and just walked over to this convention area and saw some rasslin. David takes control of a missed shoulderblock in the corner, and works on the arm. He sets up a single-arm DDT, but they cut to break, so I'll never know if he hits it. David still working on the arm coming back from break, an hits a horrible hiptoss. David's a ball of fire, with an armdrag into an armbar. Koloff gains the upper hand again, trapping David in a headscissors. David does the Austin Aries headstand escape, but gets caught again by Koloff. David is wrenching on a hammerlock like he expects it to get the win. This damn match better have a finish after that last jew DQ. David with a series of chops (no Woos) and then slides into a backslide for a near fall. But he keeps the arms hooked, and pulls him back again for another 2 count. Backrakes from Koloff. Seriously, that move was THAT popular? Koloff takes him down and puts his shin over his throat, but the ref breaks it, and Koloff picks him up and puts on an abdominal strain. This match sucks. Seriously, bring back Lynx. Koloff backdrops David, and then hits a splash. It almost gets the pin, and nobody cares still. David whips him into the buckle, but Koloff scoops him, and puts the feet on the ropes. NO! Not this way! Damn you Ivan Koloff!! But the ref sees it and stops his count. They go to the outside to brawl, and I sense a double countout. They both try to get in, and pull the other one down. They make it to the apron, and Koloff backdrops him sloppily into the ring, and the ref rings the bell? I think Koloff just got counted out while on the apron, which would be like a first ever. And yes, thats exactly what happened. DUD

And it ends, very abruptly. This one sucked. I hope Monday's is from Universal again.

Someone needs to record this shit for me! I'll pay good money, too!

Scrooge you've been PM'd.

Not to nitpick too much, but being counted out while on the apron is nothing unusual. See: WrestleMania IV where it happens to Bam Bam Bigelow. A few episodes back in my World Class recaps, someone got the same treatment. It's a decision that pops up every so often in old school 'rasslin'. Which is why, in some matches, you'll see the ref begin a count as soon as a guy hops outside the ropes and climbs the turnbuckles for a big splash or something.

World Class even had the distinction of a 10 count while on the apron, and a 20 count while on the floor. I'm sure other promotions had a similar rule.

Me thinks Bruno agreed to work for them so he could secure a job for his son David.

Me thinks your right.

And David is a really shitty worker. Really the only thing going for him is his last name. At least Greg Gagne was a decent singles wrestler and a great tag team worker.

David NEVER had a thing going for himself. NEVER.

I would take David over Greg Gagne any day of the week.

The thing with David is that he was brought in as a clone or "new generation" of Bruno. He tried his best to mimic Bruno's antics, but it didn't work. For instance, last month's MSG from 1984 on WWE 24/7 had David absorbing punches and daring his opponent to hit him more...something Bruno would often do.

At least with Greg Gagne, he was allowed to develop as a tag teamer, then a midcard guy (sorta' what Mad Dog was saying). I dunno', maybe they should've slapped David into a tag team with a guy like Rick McGraw, initially?

Don't get me wrong, David sucked...but I can't think of anything that makes me turn a channel faster then Greg Gagne in the headband and all, trying to pull off the R&R express thing. He looked like an aging Greg Brady.

I don't care much for Greg but he was at least a competent worker. I can't even say that for David.

I've been thinking about the worst promotion ever and Herb Abrams UWF is really making a push to be one of the worst ever. If it wasn't for XPW I would say it's easily the worst thing ever.

WSX laughs at your statement. LAUGHS!

I don't know if it's technically fair to label an entire promotion as the worst of its kind. Some promotions weren't around very long, never found a groove, and as such can't be judged as being "good" or "bad".

Worst thing I've personally seen on TV would be some crappy fed from 1990, called "IWF" or something. It featured a heel Tony Atlas as the main dude, plus Mondo Kleen (Damien DeMentio) and guys like Thunder and Lightning, The Mighty Thor and someone called "Crocodile Bundee". It was filmed at Universal Studios... but I can't remember if it was the Orlando or California location.

In between matches, the wrestlers would go out into the Universal theme park, in-character, and harass either fans or the park's "cast members". I remember something about Mondo Kleen trying to rip the bumper off of the "Blues Mobile", then arguing with a Joliet Jake stand-in.

I guess my annoyance with the UWF is they had the talent to make it work. Steve Williams, Paul Orndorff, Brian Blair, Billy Jack Haynes, Dan Spivey and Bob Orton Jr. was a good nucleus of guys to build around. I don't think even SMW had that strong a core of guys when they started.

Yeah, but Abrams was a coked out money mark. I've always kind of felt bad for the guy because he did care about wrestling, he just was too fucked up to get it done.

UWF had potential but at that time they were clearly trying to compete with the WWF which would NEVER have happened regardless of who he had on his roster.

Yeah, competing with the WWF was a bad move. They could've hung around as a regional promotion with the talent they had though.

SMW didn't have that much "big-time" talent. The bigger names they did have were completely over the hill. However, it was booked well, and they played to their audience. Most promotions could stand to take a lesson from that.

I'm actually a bit saddened by the fact that this is the last week they'll be showing these. I've been enjoying the hell out of them since the start.

SMW was an amazingly booked company. I'm only 6 weeks into it and you can already appreciate how they book things. They use a good mix of over the hill national stars like Ivan Koloff and Robert Gibson and big name regional stars like Jimmy Golden and Ron Wright.

What?! That stinks. But ESPN 2 shuffles their lineup quite often. I'm sure they'll be back before the year's over. Or at least in a different time slot.

To answer a comment E' made earlier, that was IWCCW (the company you weren' sure of), if I'm not mistaken. It was balls as balls could be. I was 6-7 years old and remembered going "man, this sucks" and I ate up EVERYTHING back then about wrestling.

Research says that's right. But I'm pretty sure they billed themselves on-screen with only THREE letters, though. Either "ICW" or "IWF". After checking, I'm pretty sure the Universal Studios junk I saw was in spring/summer 1990.

Read More About it at Wikipedia

I don't think I ever saw "Crocodile Bundee" in a match. I just remember seeing a few short vignettes with him. Crap like: "g'day fans...I'm hoping to come ta' da' IWF and put on a show for ya'...mate!" Nice of them to work in authentic words like "g'day" and "mate"

I hope so because even though the wrestling is god awful, it's been one of the most entertaining things I've seen wrestling related in sometime.

Herb Abrams was insane and I fucking love the guy for it.

:(