WWE Classics OnDemand 2010

[Gino and The Brain]

Oh My God, you gotta be KIDDING ME!

WWE Judgement Day 2002 wins the popular vote at THIS MONTH'S PYBO???

FUCK! How did THAT happen? Who in God's name would vote for the current WWE crap?

[Erick Von Erich]

At this point, if it wasn't for the old school house shows and World Class, I'd drop the service. I mean, this month's theme is "Rocktober" with highlights of the Rock (again). But they've been dusting off some decent stuff-- like the Stan Hansen/Bruno MSG show from 1977 or so.

Watching that January 1984 Spectrum card, right now. It's about typical for the WWF at the time, but the crowd seems really into it. Even the Rene Goulet- Eddie Gilbert match. Philly shows usually had a hot crowd in the early 80's. I remember them popping like mad for a Bob Backlund-Iron Mike Sharpe match in '83. But they seemed to mellow out around late 1985 or so. Does that sound accurate?

Love the fans' signs in this show. One simply says: "Tito Satana" !

[Erick Von Erich]

Little torqued, as I was set to review the latest World Class episode (early November, 1983), but it was pulled from my system a week before it was supposed to expire. It originally said it was available until 10/19, but it suddenly disappeared on 10/13. A few other shows also disappeared, ahead of time.

It had a Junkyard Dog vs. Kimala match in what may have been JYD's only Sportatorium appearance. He did a few Fort Worth shows, but those weren't recorded. Sure, it was probably a crappy match, but this was before JYD began sliding downhill and it would've been a cool "big time match-up in the territories" before both became bigger (ie: WWF) stars.

[Erick Von Erich]

Yay..it came back over the weekend! So I've reviewed the show and just need to type it up.

Throwing this out for discussion: I've always maintained that most female wrestlers, pre-1998, look like truckstop waitresses. Prime example: Judi Martin. But she's on this show wrestling Princess Victoria-- who's not exactly cosmo material, but she's not truck stop ugly like the rest.

[Erick Von Erich]

Jumped though "Best of the WWF, Vol 10" last night. I think it came out in early 1987. Pretty lame, as it had mostly Boston Garden matches. I think it was:

-Junkyard Dog, Ricky Steamboat & Haiti Kid vs. Hoss Funk, Jimmy Jack Funk & Jimy Hart
Boston. Ended when Hoss slammed Haiti and threw Jimmy Hart on top to get the pin.

Tito Santana vs "Cowboy" Bob Orton
Boston. Big news was that Orton had signed on as Adrian Adonis' new bodyguard. I think Tito won by DQ...but I'm not sure. I guess it was a decent match, work-wise, but it was pretty heatless and just kinda' there.

Machines vs. King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd (w/Heenan)
I like the Machines, dammit!! Good stuff here, as the heels tease dissention and Studd actually gets slammed, easily, by "Big Machine" (Blackjack Mulligan). Ending has Big Machine land his flying reverse elbow on Studd, but Heenan runs in to break the count at 2 and trigger a DQ.

Mike Rotundo & Danny Spivey vs. the Dream Team
Man... in retrospect it seems that BOTH versions of the "US/American Express" weren't really that good. Yes, I'm including the Windham version as well. I look at their matches now and think: "how did these guys ever get over". Anyways, this is the crappier version with Spivey...who blows a few spots and gets rolled up by Beefcake for the pin.

Billy Jack Haynes vs. Brutus Beefcake
Back to Back Beefer Bouts, Bitches! Yes, out of all the matches they had to chose from, they picked TWO Beefcake matches in a row. At least it's from MSG. Again, I forget the finish (scanned through most of this match), but I think BJH won by DQ...or else Beefcake won through Dastardly Deeds. Such great coverage from me, huh?

Haku & Tama (The Islanders) vs. Mr. X and Jimmy Jack Funk
Islanders were still a fairly new tag team, as they don't even have matching trunks. Decent stuff, as X is something of an underrated grappler. Islanders win, although it takes about 15 minutes. Just a weird match to include. I imagine it was there to introduce fans to the "new" superstars, the Islanders.

Roddy Piper vs. AJ Petrucci
A squash match from "Championship Wrestling" and it's apparently Piper's return to the ring. He wrestles with one hand behind his back (tucked in his ass) and easily beats Petrucci.

WWF Year in Review clips-- Piper vs. Adonis
Shows the ending of their initial confrontation, where Muraco, Orton and Adonis all attacked Piper.

Next clip features the famous baseball bat episode, where Piper destroys the Flower Ship and declares the "War has just begun!!"

Then it's a clip from "Wrestling Challenge" (I think) where Piper enters an Adonis squash match and attacks him. Date was November 1986. A whole load of jobbers run down to restore order.

Final clip is from the NEW and improved Piper's Pit in December 1986. Jimmy Hart's the guest, but when Piper starts choking him, Adrian Adonis attacks from behind and puts Piper out with a sleeper. I never really noticed that Piper had a NEW version of the Pit set for his 86-87 run.

Roddy Piper vs. Magnificent Muraco (w/Mr Fuji)
Piper wins, but only after a long, blading brawl with Muraco.

So the only real attraction here is the Piper stuff. However, you can probably find full versions of that stuff elsewhere. The Machines match is good...but the rest is junk.

[Erick Von Erich]

Watching PTW from 11/29/88 right now. Heenan is ecstatic because a "college paper; the youth of America" has a cover story of "Bobby Heenan for President". He holds the paper up and it's The Onion. Pretty cool, because I never knew that The Onion was around, back then. It must have been their first year or so.

[Gino and The Brain]

Hey, guys. I'm back on the winning track, as this month's PYBO is WWF Survivor Series 1995. Headlined by the classic WWF Title match where Bret Hart won the title from Diesel. (Kevin Nash)

[Erick Von Erich]

Is that the one with Chuck Norris?

[Gino and The Brain]

No, this is the following year. The night that Diesel finally got shut down, and The Hitman got back what's his.

[Scrooge McSuck]

Bret winning the belt was the only highlight of that run for him. Other than a poorly promoted IYH main event with the Bulldog, Bret was subjected to horrible matches that made him look pathetic, in cop-out matches with the Undertaker on the Rumble PPV and an episode of Raw, the casge match with Diesel at an IYH, and I'm sure there was another match where he was turned into Hunter Hearst Helmsley's bitch on a Raw. Really made him look good, leading up to WM XII.

[Gino and The Brain]

God, talk about last month's PYBO picks being crap. Next month's picks are even worse. Check this shit out.

The DX PPV from 1997 (AGAIN!)
Armageddon 2003
Armageddon 2006


Good God, I think I'll pass.

[Scrooge McSuck]

Excuse me while I throw up in my mouth a little.

Honestly, I cannot name half the stuff on either of those shows. DX had HBK making Shamrock look like shit, Armageddon 2003 had Trips going over Goldberg (I think), and to hell if I remember 2006.

[Erick Von Erich]

Checked out another episode of Prime Time, yesterday. From the first week of December, 1988. "Feature match" was Chico Santana vs. Greg Valentine with Rod Trongard and Freddy Blassie on commentary. Freddy violated the Sean Mooney Rule and mentioned the long history between the two, including how Valentine broke Chico's leg. Of course, he also cited both as former "champeens."

Other matches included Ken Patera vs. Ron Bass (might have been Patera's final WWF TV appearance) and Curt Hennig vs. Paul Roma. Plus a buncha' repeats from the syndicated shows.

This episode was also notable because it was the first apperance of the "Bobby Heenan Fan Club", the Rosatti Sisters and their friend. Who would eventually be known as "The Oinkettes". They give Heenan a stuffed "dingbat" and a weasel nose. Gorilla gets a can of "Bullshit Repellent" (which is blurred out, obviously). Also funny because Gorilla starts cracking up at various times.

[Erick Von Erich]

Watched a Maple Leaf Gardens show, yesterday, from January 11, 1987. It‘s main evented by Hogan vs Kamala in a steel cage...and that‘s the ONLY reason to watch it. Hogan blades and obviously wins....then exits the cage and slaps his belly, a la Kamala.

A few interesting notes on the rest of the card, though:
-Jake Roberts wrestles King Kong Bundy to a no-decision. Weird, because the announcers make a big deal out of how Jake‘s being cheered. I always thought that he wasn‘t booked as a face until Honky Tonk Man brained him with a guitar in February 1987. Since the card was probably announced in late November or so, I‘m curious to know when his bookings switched from heel to face.

-Honky Tonk‘s on the show, but he‘s “injured“ and turns his match over to Johnny V. Thus, Johnny V vs. George Steele happens...and it‘s as bad as you‘d think. Thankfully it only lasts about 30 seconds, until Honky is miraculously cured and attacks. Honky‘s heat is off the scale-- the fans HATE the guy. Like Jake, I‘m curious when his bookings were switched (I know he was challenging Savage, as a face, in October 1986).

- JYD fills in for Dynamite Kid as Davey Boy Smith‘s partner against the Harts. They shoulda‘ been billed as the “Junkyard Bulldogs“ or something cute.

-Plus you‘ve got some lame matches with Paul Roma, Jose Luis Rivera and the usual cast of clowns. The Spivey/Rotundo version of the US Express is on hand. Have to say that I‘m starting to hate them.

[Scrooge McSuck]

I was never a big fan of Windham/Rotundo, but Spivey was pretty awful, and him and Rotundo had very little chemistry as a team, back when that was actually a factor in how good tag teams were considered.