Crockett Cup '86

Legacy Review- From the Vault

Crockett Cup '86

April 19, 1986 from the Superdome in New Orleans, LA

 

The full name for this is the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, but that's a hell of a mouthful so everyone just calls it the Crockett Cup instead. Jim Crockett Promotions, now under Jim Crockett Jr. and in the midst of both a creative and commercial hot streak, cooked this up as a way to honor the company's founder. A (completely fictitious) one million dollar prize was promoted for the tournament's winner. They opened up invitations to the remaining NWA affiliated territories, and even made a deal with Bill Watts' newly named UWF (formerly Mid-South) to co-promote the show and hold it in Mid-South's stadium venue, the Superdome. Very ironic, as almost exactly this time the next year JCP will be buying out a bankrupt UWF. Classic black and gold NXT was paying tribute to this very tournament when they created the Dusty Rhodes Classic. 

 

Later Crockett Cups would be held over two nights, but this first one is crammed all into one day. One show in the afternoon, a break and then another show in the evening. A total of 24 teams were invited, making for an odd looking bracket. Eight teams received first round byes, giving us eight matches in both the first and second rounds.

 

Afternoon Session

 

Unfortunately we only have part of this portion, the first five matches are still unavailable. There's no commentary and all the action is shot from a handheld ringside camera, no hard cam. 

 

Results of the first five matches not on the WWE Vault copy, all first round matchups:

 

Mark Youngblood & Wahoo McDaniel (JCP) def Bobby Jaggers & Mike Miller (Pacific Northwest)

Nelson Royal & Sam Houston (JCP) def CSW Tag Team Champions The Batten Twins (Central States)

Jimmy Valiant & Manny Fernandez (JCP) def Baron von Raschke & The Barbarian (JCP)

"Dr. Death" Steve Williams & Terry Taylor (UWF) def Bill Dundee & "Nature Boy" Buddy Landell (Memphis)

The Sheepherders (UWF) def Los Guerreros (Florida)

 

First Round: UWF Tag Team Champions The Fantastics (UWF) def The Fabulous Ones (Florida) in 13:10- Two legendary southern territory teams here, on different ends of their runs. Fantastics early, Fabulous Ones late. The Fantastics had just returned to the UWF territory, and on their first night back less than a month before this show they defeated the Sheepherders for their first UWF tag title win. The Fabulous Ones are announced as just "The Fabs". Weird. This is also a battle of two bowtie wearing teams. The Fantastics offer a handshake and the Fabs (going with that just because it's easier to type) blow it off to clearly establish themselves as the heels for the night. Fulton starts with future Midnight Express member Stan Lane. They try locking up but it quickly degenerates into jawing and shoving. All four guys stand off before order is restored. Speed run with Fulton completely outmaneuvering Lane. The Fantastics do some arm work while we hear someone trying to sell programs in the arena. A flash roll up attempt from Rogers annoys the Fabs and they complain about a supposed tights pull. Right after that Lane, naturally, uses a hair pull to get Rogers down. Steve Keirn (future Skinner) tags in and also hair pulls into some arm work on Rogers. Rogers does a fancy flippy escape and the Fantastics get control back on Keirn. They keep Keirn down a while with arm work and some fancy double teams. Keirn tries a desperation eye rake but still can't get himself free. The Fantastics are having way too much fun, even swapping without tags behind the refs back to annoy the heels even more. Keirn hits a kick to the back of Fulton's head that sends Fulton over the top and out to the floor! That'll change things. Rogers goes out to check on his partner, then rolls him back in. In contrast to the Fantastics' arm work the Fabs start laying into Fulton with high impact moves. Keirn drops him over the top rope with a nice spit sell. Another straight hot shot from Keirn, then he mocks the Fantastics' strutting around. They're not having as much fun now. Fulton fires back with a couple of right hands but Keirn literally pulls his trunks down to keep him from tagging. That's hilariously blurred out on the official WWE copy. Why that and not all the other ass shots we've gotten. If I ever see Shawn Michaels' or Ric Flair's bare ass again in my life it'll be too soon. Lane hits his signature superkick style back kick. The Fabs work the ref to deliberately toss Fulton over the top to the floor, which would be a DQ under traditional NWA rules. Again Rogers provides the assist and tries to fire his teammate back up. Back in Keirn hits a punch combo and covers for 2. Fulton gets a flash sunset flip on Lane for 2. Keirn wraps up Fulton's leg and tries for a stack up pin, with a handful of tights for extra help. The ref catches that. Fulton/Keirn midring collision. Tag to Rogers! Rogers has dropkicks for everyone. Double noggin knocker. The Fantastics get Keirn caught in a roll up for the pin! Very fun match with two teams that were clearly having a blast working with each other. ***1/2

 

First Round: Buzz Sawyer & Rick Steiner (UWF) def Koko B Ware & The Italian Stallion (UWF) in 15:05- Very young just getting started Rick Steiner here. He's wearing plan black trunks and nothing else, very much like a New Japan Young Lion. His boots even match. This is just a few months before Ware became the latest established Mid-South/UWF star to jump to WWF, following Junkyard Dog and Jake Roberts. And there'll be more after him. Ware and Sawyer start with Sawyer hitting the first shots in the corner. Ware reverses and hits a backdrop, then dropkicks Sawyer out to the floor. Steiner tries to register his disapproval but also gets knocked to the floor. Ware works a headlock a while despite Sawyer's best attempts to get free. Sawyer finally hits a back suplex hard enough to get out and tags. Steiner comes in with a diving headbutt that Ware dodges. He's a Steiner, falling on his head won't hurt him any. Stallion knocks Steiner around with some move combos. Ware lays into Sawyer with some jabs. Sawyer shows off some agility dodging around Ware, but turns around into a Ware crossbody for 2. Sawyer continues to get nowhere against either the faces. Oh, I just realized Earl Hebner is reffing this match. Still in his JCP days before jumping to WWF, where his twin brother already was. Sawyer tries to trap Stallion in his corner but Stallion quickly gets free. Ware powerslam on Steiner for 2. And back to a Ware headlock on Sawyer. That's been most of the match so far. Sawyer finally manages to hit a flying forearm that sends Ware out to the floor. Steiner distracts the ref and Sawyer suplexes Ware on the floor! The unpadded floor. We all know from his later turn as WCW's lead exec, Bill Watts doesn't believe in floor mats. Sawyer runs Ware into the guardrail for good measure. Great close up shot of Sawyer on his knees in the ring laughing at Ware. The guy working the only camera shooting this has done a hell of a job the whole show so far considering it's all on him. When Ware gets back on the apron Sawyer suplexes him back in for 2. Steiner comes in with that one hold a still learning power heel can always lean on, the bear hug. But then he turns it into an almost classic Steiner belly to belly suplex for 2. Steiner puts the bear hug on again on the mat. Sawyer continues the focus on Ware's back. He shows his veteran heel wiles by getting extra rope leverage for his bear hug. Hebner eventually catches him. Ware roll up for 2! Steiner hits a side suplex for 2 before putting the bear hug back on. Can't fault the psychology. After arm drops Ware tries to slowly fight back up and bell rings free, but is too damaged to follow up or tag out. Another suplex from Sawyer and he goes up top. Ware dodges a splash! Or headbutt, that was a long way away. Tag to Stallion. Sawyer does a nice catch of Stallion mid-leapfrog, hits a powerslam and gets the pin. Pretty solid. Kinda wish the last match had gotten some of this match's time though. **1/4

 

First Round: Black Bart & "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin (w/Precious) (JCP) def Brett Sawyer & Dave Peterson (UWF) in 6:35- Wrapping up the first round. "Dave" is more regularly known as DJ Peterson, mostly in AWA. Bart quickly fires away on Sawyer. He tries to catch a Sawyer crossbody but can't and Sawyer gets a 2 count. Saywer sells Bart uppercuts like he just got hit by Dark Helmet's Schwartz right where Helmet liked to hit people with it. Hiptoss and a couple of flying headscissors from Sawyer. Garvin catches Peterson with a knee in the gut to put him in peril in the wrong corner. Garvin's knee is all wrapped up, he's clearly nursing something. Peterson pretty quickly comes back on Bart and the faces do some arm work on him. A Bart eye rake on Sawyer turns things around again. Sawyer takes a hot shot. Backdrop from Garvin for 2. Clothesline for 2. Bart hits a backbreaker. Sawyer hits a running kneelift on Garvin and both sides tag. Bart takes a Peterson backdrop, but quickly comes back with a slam/legdrop combo. Garvin tags in, plants Peterson with a brain buster, and it's over. Pretty nothing match. 3/4*

 

Second Round: NWA World Tag Team Champions The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) (JCP) def Nelson Royal & Sam Houston (JCP) in 1:50- The second round kicks off with YOUR reigning, defending tag team champions of the world. The Midnights defeated their forever rivals, the Rock N Roll Express, for the titles in February for their first NWA World tag titles win. It's criminal that JCP didn't get more RNR/Midnight matches onto major shows. The Midnights unsurprisingly quickly get beanpole Houston in trouble. Houston manages to catch Condrey with a kneelift and tags out. Old man Royal unloads and we're quickly into a DONNYBROOK. Royal gets Condrey in an abdominal stretch, but Eaton hits him from behind off the top rope and Condrey covers for the quick pin. Good squash to make the champs look good early in the tournament over a perfectly expendable team. 1/2*

 

Second Round: Magnum TA & Ron Garvin (JCP) def Buzz Sawyer & Rick Steiner (UWF) in 5:05- Pretty quick turnaround for Sawyer and Steiner. Magnum is now the NWA US Champ, riding the rocketship JCP strapped him to. Rocketships went a bit slower in the '80s, but he was definitely on one. Garvin and Sawyer start up with some expected rough lockups. Magnum works around Sawyer to keep him in ARMBARs. Garvin does a nice wobble off a Steiner shoulderblock, then puts Steiner down with one hard chop. Magnum comes off the top rope onto Steiner's arm, then fireman carry takedowns him. Steiner uses a hair pull to get Magnum in the wrong corner. Straight bite from Sawyer as he goes completely nuts on Magnum. Sawyer goes wild, Steiner puts on a loose chinlock. Kid's definitely still learning. From the camera angle we can clearly see Magnum calling spots to Steiner while in that. Magnum fights up and runs Steiner into the corner, but gets blocked from tagging out. Suplex from Sawyer for 2. Magnum gets a flash small package for 2. He fights Sawyer into a backslide for 2. Steiner makes another rookie mistake, going for a backdrop that Magnum easily counters, and Magnum tags out. Garvin unloads the Hands of Stone on both heels. Magnum tags in, hits Steiner with a belly to belly suplex, and that gets the win. Just fine for the time they got. **

 

So ends the afternoon portion of the program. Everyone go take a piss, go out and get some fresh air, and come back for part two. Bit of a weird place to stop, having the first two second round matches on the early show, but I guess they were trying to keep the shows roughly even.

 

Evening Session

 

The evening portion opens up with Tony Schiavone in the ring welcoming the crowd to the show and generally hyping things up. He then hands the mic to the voice of Mid-South/UWF, one Jim Ross, making to my memory his first appearance at a JCP show. JR clarifies the rules modifications that have been made for this jointly promoted show. 20 minute time limits in the tournament matches, any draw, double DQ or double countout means a double elimination, teams allowed only "one save" (yeah right), piledrivers or coming off the top rope are "legal moves" (again we know how Watts feels about off the top rope from his stint running WCW), but an intentional over the top rope throw is a DQ (see how long that lasts too). Tony then goes over all the remaining second round matchups, including the two teams that have already advanced. After the National Anthem they turn over to tonight's ring announcer....Bruce f'n Pritchard. Looking about 15 years old. By the way, we do have a hard cam for the evening show so we're not just relying on the one ringside guy. Though, again, he did a hell of a job. Despite Tony and JR being here there's still no commentary.

 

Second Round: The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering) (JCP) def Mark Youngblood & Wahoo McDaniel (JCP) in 6:20- The Roadies got their start in Georgia, then moved to the AWA where they won the first of their world tag titles. They'd been making appearances in JCP as AWA tag champs, including at the first Great American Bash in '85, but right before this show they fully signed with JCP to jump ship. After this show they'd catch a redeye flight for their final AWA match literally the next day at the AWA's big WrestleRock show at the Minneapolis BaggieDome. Two different stadiums in two nights. They've definitely hit the big time. The less said about the Roadies' self-sung entrance music the better. I'll pay the money for JCP to license Iron Man. Wahoo is introduced from Midland, TX for this show instead of the usual Oklahoma. Not too far from my neck of the woods. Animal starts with Youngblood and I do NOT like the kid's chances. As expected, Animal manhandles him. Hawk comes in with a top rope fistdrop and kneelift. Wahoo tags in and he and Hawk have some lockup stalemates before getting into a stifffest with chops. Hawk grabs a headlock and Wahoo does a leg takedown out of it that I'm not sure Hawk was expecting. Slightly odd after that. Knucklelock test of strength. Wahoo goes down then fights free. Animal back elbows Wahoo for 2. Wahoo ducks a clothesline and puts Animal down with a huge chop. Then he tags Youngblood in, which seems like a major tactical error. Hawk flying tackle on Youngblood. Youngblood manages to stagger Hawk with a dropkick, but then Hawk casually ducks a flying back elbow attempt. Clothesline off the second rope from Hawk. HAHAHAHA Wahoo gets in and literally stands there and lets Youngblood get pinned! That's so Wahoo. Personification of old style tough love. Everyone my age had at least one sports coach or PE teacher like that. OK little warmup match for the Roadies. *

 

Before the next match Shaska Whatley, along with manager Paul Jones, comes out and brags about cutting Jimmy Valiant's ponytail off. He also calls Valiant "yellow" and "a white Uncle Tom". I need some clarification on that last one. This is all part of the long ongoing Valiant vs Paul Jones feud, and will be revisited again in this summer's Great American Bash shows. We then have an edit and flash to Valiant yelling at Whatley while refs cart him off. Valiant's tights are yellow and black tonight. Whatley was half right.

 

Second Round: The Russian Team (JCP) def Jimmy Valiant & Manny Fernandez (JCP) in 9:00- I'll give it to Ivan Koloff, that cape is pretty freaking cool. For some reason Eddie Gilbert comes out with the Russians and endorses them to win the tournament. OK then. Nikita Koloff, with a small bandage on his head, starts with Fernandez and wants a test of strength. Fernandez is reluctant, having not verified and therefore not trusting. Little Reagan era reference for you there. Eventually he does knucklelock up. Nikita takes the edge on that and Fernandez has to back up to the corner to escape. When he does he drop toe holds Nikita into some leg work. Nikita manages to reach out and get a tag. Fernandez gives Ivan a back elbow and Valiant hits him from the apron. Sunset flip from Fernandez for 2. After a Fernandez double leg takedown Valiant tags in, gets the ref's attention elsewhere, and gives Ivan a Greco Roman Nut Stomp. Pretty yellow move if you ask me. Fernandez then posts Ivan's now very sore crotch. Double back elbow from the faces for 2. Ivan dodges a Fernandez dropkick and tags out. Nikita drops Fernandez on the top rope. Legdrop from Ivan for 2. Russian bear hug time. In Soviet Russia bear hug you. Fernandez gets free relatively easily and hiptosses Ivan, but is cut off from a tag. Nikita tosses him around some more before putting on his own bear hug. After a tag Ivan tries going up top but Fernandez slams him off, then rolls over to get a tag. Wild Valiant punches on everyone. His punches make the Rock's look subtle. He gets the sleeper on Ivan. Nikita breaks it up and we go DONNYBROOK. Nikita gives Valiant a blindside Sickle from the apron, and Ivan covers for the pin. Not all that bad considering Fernandez pretty much had to carry three other guys. Nikita is improving as he gets more experience though. *3/4

 

Next up, Doc Death Steve Williams and Terry Taylor are in the ring to take a forfeit. They were scheduled to face a team from the short lived Montreal promotion named Lutte, consisting of two guys that will soon be familiar to WWF fans: Rick Martel (who had just dropped the AWA World title at the end of '85) and Dino Bravo. The reason given is Bravo had a sudden onset of appendicitis and had to be rushed to the hospital. Whether that's true or not records don't show, but it being wrestling and all that I'm dubious. Bravo had actually already been working for WWF some before this so there might have been some legal sniping.

 

Second Round: The Sheepherders (w/Jack Victory) (UWF) def The Rock 'N' Roll Express (JCP) by DQ in 8:10- Quite the contrast in styles and appearances here. The RNR Express are slightly over. As usual the Herders want everyone to salute the Kiwi flag before the match. The Express respond by getting Old Glory out. Gibson starts out with Luke. He quickly gets trapped in the heel corner and Morton has to come in to help him out. Luke takes a crazy bump off a double team and goes out for a think. Back in the days the Herders could actually bump, which was pretty much gone by their WWF Bushwhackers days. Luke gets a blind tag to Butch, who blindsides Gibson. Then Luke pulls the same trick tagging back in. Dude, you're getting outsmarted by the BUSHWHACKERS. Might need to go home and rethink your life. Gibson gives Luke some buckle shots to come back and tags out. Dropkicks from Morton send both Herders back out to the floor. Back in Morton absorbs some Luke shots before hitting a crossbody for 2. Then Morton does the same thing with Butch, except this time it's a sunset flip. Pretty paint by numbers match so far. Luke dodges in the corner and Gibson posts his shoulder. The Herders immediately go to work on it. Gibson gets tossed to the floor and his shoulder is run into the post again. Slam from Luke back in and he hits a diving....open hand slap something for 2. Gibson manages to leapfrog over Butch, hit a dropkick, roll over and get a tag. Morton takes both Herders out and it's quickly bonzo gonzo. Double dropkick from the RNR. Victory comes into the ring with the flag but Morton cuts him off. He gets the flag and hits Victory with it! Hebner calls for the bell. He DQ'd the RNR! For hitting Victory with the flagpole? He's not even in the match! And he brought it in there in the first place! Pretty poor reffing there, I have to say. WWF might have needed to remedial train him after he jumped. That is NOT a popular decision in the Superdome, with a pretty loud "bullshit" chant. The RNR Express out of the tournament after just one match (they had a bye) is a massive upset. The match was OK enough minus that result, though under 10 minutes is barely enough time for the RNR Express to get loose and really into a groove. **1/2

 

Second Round: The Fantastics (UWF) def Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (w/JJ Dillon) (JCP) in 11:02- The original version of the Four Horsemen formed just after Starrcade '85 (Flair, Blanchard, Arn & Ole Anderson with JJ Dillon managing), so this is very early days for Arn and Blanchard teaming together, working their way toward the legendary team they'll become. Arn is also in his first of many reigns as NWA TV champ, while Tully is carrying the soon to be defunct NWA National title, the top title of the former Georgia territory JCP had recently bought out. This is another match we join sort of in progress. Before intros, but with the Fantastics on the floor with a chair having some words with Blanchard. The classic silver NWA TV title belt is now here, that thing is so damn sweet looking. Rogers and Blanchard start out and quickly get into a full on slugfest. HUGE right hand from Rogers that wobblelegs Blanchard. Blanchard quickly backs into his corner to regroup. Another slugfest slowly ensues and both guys do some fancy blocks and counters out of atomic drops. Rogers hits a dropkick and Blanchard slides out. Dillon calls for a time out, then Blanchard tries to tag out to Arn from the floor but Hebner is having NONE of it. That's better reffing. Hebner fast counts Blanchard to try to get him back in, then Rogers says never mind that and flips him back in. The Horsemen try to sucker Rogers into their corner, but the Fantastics are one step ahead of them and everyone stands off in the ring. Arn does legally tag in this time. Big shoulderblock from Arn on Rogers. That gets Arn on offense for a bit, until Rogers gives him a hiptoss and a couple of dropkicks. The Fantastics strut around in the ring while Arn regroups on the floor. Fulton tags in for the first time. He and Arn jockey with each other. Fulton quickly reverses an Arn hammerlock. Arn tries to find an escape but can't so he takes a rope break instead. Again the Horsemen look for a double team opportunity but are denied. Blanchard tags in and gets some hard shots in on Fulton. "Arn, give me a knee!". Arn does and Fulton is run into it. While Blanchard antagonizes Rogers Arn tosses Fulton to the floor. Dillon gets a cheap stomp in. Fulton comes back in with a sunset flip for 2. Arn quickly drags him back into the Horsemen corner. Fulton fires some comeback punches on Blanchard so Blanchard tights pulls him out to the floor. Arn comes over and gives him an eye rake with his boot laces. Fulton staggers around half blind on the floor after that. Back in Arn hits the World's Greatest Spinebuster! But as usual he takes slightly too long to cover and Fulton kicks out. More comeback punches from Fulton but Arn grabs a toe hold to keep him from tagging. Big punch from Blanchard and he tries to leverage Fulton down for a 3 count. Again Fulton gets tossed to the floor. Blanchard hooks up for a suplex on the floor but Rogers comes over to make the save. Arn comes over to get Rogers occupied and Blanchard tries again. Fulton slips out of it and pops Blanchard! Back in Blanchard pulls Fulton's trunks down to prevent a tag. No blurring this time. I guess the kids have already gone to bed. Fulton dodges an Arn charge in the corner and makes it to Rogers! Backdrop on Arn. One for Blanchard. Arn counters another backdrop attempt into a front drop suplex! Fulton just saves the pin. Arn lifts Rogers up to slam him. Fulton dropkicks Rogers in the back onto Arn, and Rogers gets the pin! Phenomenal match. The Fantastics have been gold all tournament so far, and you can already see Arn and Blanchard rounding into form as one of the greatest teams of all time. Pretty much everything The Revival/FTR does is an extension of what Arn and Blanchard started. ****1/2

 

Second Round: Giant Baba & Tiger Mask (All Japan) def Black Bart & "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin (w/Precious) (JCP) in 6:05- This is Tiger Mask II, All Japan legend Mitsuharu Misawa. Baba was a legend in his time but he's getting into Jimmy Valiant levels of past it at this point. Needless to say the deep south crowd isn't much interested in the Japanese team at the start. Probably a lot of WWII vets in the audience. TM starts with Bart. Bart hits a chop on a rope break that TM doesn't appreciate. Someone in the crowd shouts "That was an open hand, referee, nothing wrong with it!". Yeah, but it was on the ropes. When he has the option TM does not take a shot on the ropes. They knucklelock for a test of strength that the larger Bart has the edge on. TM escapes into an arm wringer. Bart reaches back and tags out. Now this is a matchup I'm much more interested in seeing. Garvin and TM trade some arm counters with TM adding a bit of '80s flippydo. Speed run. TM hits a dropkick and Garvin slides out. But unlike everyone else tonight, TM doesn't care and he immediately gives Garvin a baseball slide that sends him into the guardrail! Now the crowd is getting behind TM. TM teases a dive but handsprings back into the ring to another appreciative ovation. Precious is absolutely beside herself that TM went so far to hit Garvin on the floor. Both sides tag and now we have to deal with Baba. I compared him to Valiant, but the more accurate comparison might be Great Khali. That's pretty much Baba's offense. After some chops he gives Bart a Russian leg sweep. The heels get some shots in on Baba but he puts Garvin down with a big overhand chop. Baba hits Garvin with a piledriver. Good thing they were declared legal tonight. But when Garvin falls it's right into his corner and he tags out! Poor ring awareness from Baba there. TM hits Bart with a backdrop. Bart fires back with uppercuts. Suplex on TM from Bart, then Garvin tags in and covers for 2. TM gets stuck in the heel corner and takes some chokes there. Garvin small packages TM for 2. TM fires back with some strikes. Baba tags back in with some shots on Garvin. He barely manages to hit the ropes right then nudges Garvin. Garvin sells it like he got hit by a truck. Baba shoulderblocks wobble Bart. A double hand chop puts him down. TM hits a crossbody off the top rope. Garvin breaks the pin up. Baba "big" boot on Bart and that gets the pin. TM got to hit a few cool moves but there was nothing happening here outside of that. 3/4*

 

That wraps up the second round and we move straight into the quarterfinals. 

 

Quarterfinals: The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering) (JCP) def The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) (JCP) by DQ in 10:30- You have to figure this is a preview for an NWA tag title match somewhere down the line. Animal starts off with Condrey. A shoulderblock try doesn't move Animal an inch. More speed and Animal hits a back elbow, then a dropkick. Condrey gets the hell out of town. Hawk tags in and Condrey wants to get in a pose off with him. That's a losing proposition. Hawk fights off both Midnights and gives them a double clothesline. Another roll out to regroup. Back in Condrey eye rakes Hawk and gives him a piledriver. Hawk actually sort of sells it. For a second, then he stalks behind Condrey and headbutts him. Eaton finally tags in for a try. He turns on the jets, sees a Hawk clothesline coming, grabs the ropes and makes a very quick escape. Animal comes from behind and presses him back in, then Hawk runs him over to knock him back out! Condrey gives it another go with Hawk, and pulls off an eye rake into a slam. The Midnights quickly set up for a rocket launcher, but Hawk is already up. He catches Eaton and tosses him away. Shoulderbreaker on Eaton. Fistdrop. The Roadies double backdrop Eaton. The heel go out to regroup for the 5th or 6th time this match. I've lost count. Condrey suckers Hawk in so Eaton can hit Animal from the corner. Again Animal quickly shrugs it off and powerslams Condrey. Cornette gets desperate and trips Animal from the floor! The ref saw it and calls for the bell. The champs are out of the tournament without having to take a real loss. The whole match was the Midnights running away from the Roadies' overwhelming power game and the Roadies no selling what few moves they took. I suspect that was more about setting up a future tag title feud than serving the tournament. *1/2

 

Quarterfinals: The Russian Team (JCP) and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams & Terry Taylor (UWF) 20:00 time limit draw- Eddie Gilbert is with the Russians again. I think there was some angle going on with him but it was outside my usual territory viewing. Taylor and Ivan start. Taylor cranks arm wringers and Ivan pulls hair. Monkey flip from Taylor, followed by a dropkick. Ivan tries to pull Williams' hair but Williams is having none of it. Big delayed press slam from Williams on Ivan with multiple presses. Williams is probably one of the more underrated physical specimens in wrestling history. Dude was a pretty legit freak for the time. The faces continue some basic arm work on Ivan. Ivan tries a charge and posts his shoulder. Nothing going right for him so far. Nikita keeps distracting the ref so Ivan doesn't get pinned. Ivan finally gets a couple of kicks in on Taylor, but misses an elbow drop on the bad arm and Taylor armdrags him back down. The pummeling on Ivan's arm continues. At near the 10 minute call he uses a ref distraction to eye rake Williams and finally tag out. Nikita and Williams pose down. After a long staredown we get some lockup stalemates. Nikita tries to hair pull out of a headlock but can't find an opening. Shoulderblock standoff. Another one. Nikita poses and Williams shotgun dropkicks him out to the floor! Fantastic. When Nikita gets back in he wants a test of strength. Williams slowly locks up into it. Neither guy budges an inch and it ends in another stalemate. Nikita gets Williams in the Russian corner and they both pepper him with clubbing blows. Ivan snap mare/legdrop combo for 2. The Russians quick tag on Williams as we get to 5 minutes left. Williams lifts Ivan up and deposits him on the top rope, then slams him off. Weird bit where both guys swing kicks and both go down. Ivan hits a swinging neckbreaker. The Russians use front facelocks to try to wear Williams down. Williams comes back with a powerslam on Ivan for 2. Tag to Taylor! Ivan weathers the hot tag storm and kicks Taylor down. Slam from Nikita and he tosses Taylor out, all the way into the guardrail. Ivan gives him a guardrail shot. Williams helps Taylor back in. 2 minutes left. Nikita drops Taylor on the top rope. Speed run and Taylor gets a crossbody for 2. Nikita gets the bear hug on. One minute left. Taylor fights over and gets a tag, but the ref didn't see it! Ivan hits an elbow off the top rope for a long 2. 30 seconds. Taylor gets a small package on Ivan for 2. The Russians keep Taylor from tagging, but the bell rings for the time limit. Both teams are eliminated. The fight continues after the bell, with Gilbert and his big Russian heavy I never caught his name helping. Damn fine time limit draw there. You knew Williams and Taylor could bring it, but the Russians kept up with them the whole way. Williams and Nikita in particular had some very fun power vs power stuff going on. ***1/4

 

Quarterfinals: The Fantastics (UWF) and The Sheepherders (w/Jack Victory) (UWF) double DQ in 15:45- The Fantastics have been doing the Randy Savage one night tournament thing of changing into new gear between each match. Once again we get flag shenanigans before the match. The Fantastics go so far as to go out, take Pritchard's mic, and leads the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Sad to say that'd probably get them massive heel heat in more than a few cities in the modern US. As soon as they're done the jump the Herders in the ring! 2v2 brawl to start and the Fantastics clear the ring, then strut a bit. Reset with Fulton and Luke. The Herders again use trapping holds and quick tags to get Fulton isolated early. It's all high impact early from the Herders, no wear down holds to be seen. Fulton tries a shoulderblock that fails, but then manages to monkey flip Luke and give him a couple of dropkicks. Butch comes in and takes dropkicks as the Herders go to the floor to regroup again. Back in Rogers drop toe holds Luke into a headlock. Speed run and Rogers gets a super flippy sunset flip for 2. Butch tags in, gets knocked around like crazy, and quickly tags back out. Luke then again gets the edge on Fulton. Full on Fulton/Luke slugfest. Fulton ducks a punch and atomic drops Luke into the Herders corner, knocking Butch down too! So far the Fantastics have done a great job of adapting to the Herders more brawling style, working more that kind of match. Butch uses a top wristlock fight to eye rake Fulton and toss him to the floor. Fulton dropkicks Butch on the floor! Full 2v2 brawl on the floor with Fulton taking a post shot and Luke almost knocking the barricade down getting run into it. Luke gives Fulton one more post shot for the road and Fulton is bleeding. First one tonight, that took a while. Fulton wobbles around on the floor for a while, but back in manages to catch Butch with a clothesline. The Herders just barely prevent a tag to keep bloody Fulton in peril. Luke bites on the cut and pounds Fulton back to the floor. Barricade shot for Fulton and he looks just this side of dead. Coming back in Fulton catches Luke with some wild kicks from the mat. He tags out to Rogers, but Butch had the ref distracted and he didn't see it. The Herders try a double team with the flagpole but Fulton runs them into it! Tag to Rogers! He pounds on a now also bleeding Luke. Ax handle off the second rope. Another one. We go full EVERYONE IN THE POOL again. The ref gets knocked out of the ring as the brawl goes on. The whole thing degenerates into a fight, Luke and Rogers in the ring, Butch and Fulton on the floor with Victory also trying to get involved. They get Fulton down, then Butch takes a part of the flagpole off and hits Rogers with it in the ring. The Herders lay into Rogers with it until Fulton makes a save and the Fantastics give the Herders a piece of their own medicine. As that's going on a second ref has come out to try to revive the match's ref. The bell rings and the match is thrown out, too chaotic to be allowed to continue. For the second straight match, both teams are eliminated. No one cares and keeps fighting. Finally the Herders decide they've had enough and leave. Another brilliant Fantastics match. It was going great before the ref bump and degenerating into a bar fight, with a proper finish it'd be even better. ****

 

Quarterfinals: Magnum TA & Ron Garvin (JCP) def Giant Baba & Tiger Mask (All Japan) in 13:12- With the double double elimination the semifinal round will now be bypassed entirely and the winners of this match will face the Road Warriors in the finals. Or if we get yet another double elimination the Roadies automatically win the whole thing. Hell of a one night tournament time saver. Garvin starts off with TM. Quite the contrast in styles here. They spend a bit trading off hammerlocks and arm wringers. Garvin gets a leg takedown and puts on a half crab. TM takes a rope break. Magnum runs over TM with a shoulderblock and works headlocks. Garvin tries a flash roll up for 2. TM takes another rope break and has been surprisingly thoroughly outwrestled so far. He gets some elbow shots in on Garvin and tags Baba in. Someone in the crowd shouts something about "slow motion" and yup, that's Baba. Honorable Baba won't hit Garvin while TM is holding him so TM just lets him go. Baba does some arm work on Garvin. He actually manages an armdrag. Garvin reverses on the mat and pulls Baba's tights to get him into his corner. Heeling it up a little. Baba puts Mangum down with a chop. TM dropkick on Magnum. Slam/elbow drop combo for 2. Magnum blocks a suplex and hits his own. Baba grinds Magnum down with a front facelock. Another TM dropkick for 2 as it really feels like Misawa is dogging it. To that point he sticks with a grounded chinlock and front facelock. Magnum shows off some impressive strength by using that to lift TM up almost all the way into a suplex, but he settles for an almost inverted atomic drop instead. Sunset flip from Magnum for 2. Baba tries a roll up into leverage pin attempts. Then he seemingly almost lets Magnum back him into his corner to tag out to Garvin. Very, very bad night for Baba as far as tag team tactics go. Garvin comes in with Hands of Stone chops that Baba barely sells. He gives Garvin some overhand chops. This time he'll hit Garvin as TM holds him. That brings Magnum in for a DONNYBROOK. The Japanese team are whipped into each other. TM goes down, Baba doesn't. Magunm dropkicks Baba over Garvin and Magnum covers for 2. TM hits a crossbody on Garvin for 2. TM finally starts breaking out the good stuff, cartwheeling over Magnum off the ropes and hitting a dropkick. Senton from TM for 2. He goes up top and tries a crossbody, but Magnum catches him into the belly to belly suplex for the pin! Great finish to a pretty terrible match. It was a bit of a mess as neither team seemed sure who was supposed to be the faces or the heels and kept trying to split the middle. Plus the continued presence of washed up Baba, who gets an earful from the crowd on the way out. *1/4

 

While the teams in the finals get ready, we've got two singles title matches on the docket to give this show a little more pizazz. And not just any titles, the top UWF title and the biggest one of them all.

 

UWF North American Heavyweight Championship: "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan (c) def Dick Slater in 10:07- The North American title had been the top territory title when Mid-South was still Mid-South. This is in a weird gap where the company name had been changed to UWF, but the title hadn't morphed into the UWF Heavyweight title just yet. JR takes over as ring announcer for this match. And puts a bit of wellie into it. Duggan hits the first shot on a corner break and gets told off by Hebner. More corner shots from Duggan and a clothesline. Slater pulls hair out of a top wristlock fight but misses an elbow drop. He's breathing so damn hard they can hear him in Baton Rouge. Duggan counters a backdrop attempt with an elbow to the back of the head. He gets Slater draped over the corner and hits another couple of elbows. Slater tosses Duggan out to the floor. He backs Duggan into the guardrail and that section collapses! Good thing the seats are a bit further back. Back in Slater continues to wear down Duggan. Duggan fires back with punches that send Slater out. Duggan chases him around and Slater catches him coming back into the ring. He grabs the mic and hits Duggan with it, as far as the cord will stretch. Swinging neckbreaker for 2. Duggan fades down off a chinlock and we go to arm drops. Slater lets go and hits a Harley Race style diving headbutt. He tries coming off the top rope but Duggan catches him. Duggan starts firing back with jabs. Slam/kneedrop combo for 2. Slater dodges an atomic drop and hits a running elbow for 2. Duggan's kickout sent Slater on top of Hebner, then he knees Hebner in the back for good measure. Slater dodges a Duggan charge in the corner and tries up top again. A diving elbow hits. He drags Hebner over, but Duggan kicks out. Duggan backdrops out of a piledriver attempt. Slater ties Duggan up in the ropes. Hebner backs him up. Duggan gets free, hits the 3 point stance tackle, and it's over. It got OK by the end but both guys were phoning it in pretty bad for most of it. **

 

NWA World Heavyweight Championship: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (c) def "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes (w/Baby Doll) by DQ in 22:15- A major change came to the NWA World title in early '86. Out was the 10 Pounds of Gold, in was the brand new Big Gold Belt. This is its first appearance at a really major show. Dusty thought he had the title won at Starrcade, but the decision was later reversed due to Dusty knocking the ref down during the match. JR announces legendary Houston promoter Paul Bosch, who'll be the ring announcer this match. Baby Doll recently turned face after being "abused" by her former wrestler Tully Blanchard. Truth is there was no room for two managers in the Horsemen, much less a female one. Lots of jockeying on a corner break and Tommy Young yells "All right, all right, all right!" at them. I thought it was funny. These are the kinds of things that no commentary/only ringside mics shows can catch. Flair tries his hammerlock workaround but Dusty was ready for it and cranks Flair's arm. Top wristlock fight with Baby Doll shouting "PUSH! PUSH HIM!" at the top of her lungs. Flair backs Dusty into the corner, tries some shoulderblocks (too much padding there) and hits the first chops. Dusty reverses for his own chops. Flair walks into jabs and goes down. We get a little flip, flop and fly and Flair goes out for a think. Back in Dusty hits a shoulderblock, then suckers Flair into an elbow. Flair literally stops selling to get up and shout "SHUT UP!" at Baby Doll. Probably what a lot of people were thinking. Flair sells Dusty cranking a knucklelock to the cheap seats. Flair starts getting some offensive momentum and hits the snap mare/kneedrop combo with Baby Doll shouting at Dusty to move out of the way. That's very helpful, thanks. "WOOOOOO!" and another kneedrop. Flair tosses Dusty out to the floor. Dusty's bleeding. Off the kneedrops? Seems excessive. Looks like it might be the same area cut around the eye that forced their Starrcade '84 match to be stopped. Dusty hulks up off punches back in. More Flair chops and another snap mare. This time Dusty dodges the kneedrop. He drags Fair across the ring and posts his crotch. Flair begs off. In the corner Flair tries the double leg takedown leverage pin but Young catches him. Another elbow from Dusty. He starts working on Flair's knee. Flair eye rakes to get free. Flair gets a sleeper on! Arm drops and Dusty fights back up. He runs Flair into the corner. Flair Flop! Flair finally targets the ankle that he and the not quite yet Horsemen broke the previous fall before Starrcade. Figure four! Dusty fights and reverses it. Dusty tries for Flair's legs but Flair pulls himself out to the floor with the ropes. Post shot for Flair! His turn to bleed. Flair sunset flips back in but Dusty blocks it. Mounted punches from Dusty. Flair Flip! He falls into the tree of woe! Young pushes him free. Flair runs into a clothesline for 2. Dusty gets a sleeper on. Flair tries for a rope but can't get a full grip on one. He goes down and Dusty covers. Flair just barely gets a foot on the rope before 3. Flair gets on the apron and Dusty suplexes him back in for 2. Another clothesline from Dusty. Dusty figure four! He gets a couple of near falls off of it. Flair gets a second wind and manages a rope break. "AH GOD!" and Flair begs off again. Dusty stays on the leg. Flair hits a gut punch and elbow to put Dusty back down. Flair goes up top. That never works. And, of course, Dusty slams him back down. Big tackle from Dusty and Flair backs into Young, sending him FLYING out of the ring! Dusty gets a small package but there's no ref. Baby Doll tries to revive Young. Flair takes Dusty's boot off and hits him with it. He drags Young back in. Dusty kicks out! Baby Doll gets on the apron. Flair RUNS over and accosts her! I can't tell if they're fighting or if Flair's trying to kiss her. Or both. Dusty gets his boot and hits Flair with it, drawing the obvious DQ. Sucker. Then he hits Young with the boot for DQ'ing him. Perfectly standard Flair/Dusty match. Good but not top shelf stuff. ***1/2

 

Crockett Cup Finals: The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering) (JCP) def Magnum TA & Ron Garvin (JCP) in 9:18- Tony takes over as ring announcer for the main event. We get a shot of the trophy at ringside, and it's actually pretty damn nice. Hopefully not about to get wrecked as usual in wrestling tradition. Animal and Magnum start. Long speed run. Animal hits a hiptoss, Magnum responds with an armdrag and dropkick, stalemate. Both teams do some back and forth stuff and tag with neither having a clear advantage. Garvin tries a chop on Hawk. I think Hawk liked it. He and Minoru Suzuki, that kind of stuff just turns them on. Hawk lays in shots on Garvin in the corner. Press slam from Hawk. Garvin dodges a fistdrop off the second rope and wraps up a small package for 2. More Hand of Stone chops. Garvin bites Hawk! Both teams heeling it up a little in this face vs face matchup to show how much they want to win. Magnum hits a dropkick on Hawk for 2. He hooks on a front facelock. Hawk casually scoops Magnum up and deposits him in the Roadies' corner. Animal lays in hard shots to Magnum's back. Probably feeling like he was in a car wreck. Too soon? Bear hug from Animal. Hawk hits a gutwrench suplex for 2. Another gutwrench lift into a Canadian backbreaker, then Hawk just drops Magnum on his shoulder. That gets a pretty big reaction from the crowd. Cover for 2. Big boot from Hawk. Magnum tries to fight out of a chinlock but Animal hair pulls him back down. Magnum tries a sunset flip on Hawk but Hawk's having none of it. Headbutt from Hawk, followed by a fistdrop. Powerslam from Animal for 2. He continues pounding on Magnum's back. Magnum hits the belly to belly suplex outta nowhere! Hawk just barely breaks the pin up! Both sides tag. Hard headed Hawk and Garvin trade headbutts. Garvin tries for an abdominal stretch but Hawk fights it off. Hand of Stone punch! But Garvin hurt his own hand on Hawk's rock hard cranium! It's so bad Magnum runs in to check on him. While Hebner's getting him out Animal clotheslines Garvin! Cover and Animal gets the pin to win the match and the tournament! After the bell Garvin is still nursing is hurt hand. Perfectly solid final for a one night tournament. ***

 

The trophy, thankfully, does not get busted up. It'd turn out they'd need it for future years. Mrs. Jim Crockett Sr., as well as Jim Crockett Jr. and Bill Watts, join us for the official trophy presentation. Mrs. Crockett congratulates the winning team, the "Road Runners". HAHAHAHA. Poor woman had no idea what was happening. Hawk shows off the one million dollar check that is completely and totally legitimate take it to the bank tomorrow.

 

Meep meep. 

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- First things first, at 4 hours long it's definitely a beast. That aside, the whole thing hangs together really well and is a fun watch. I absolutely recommend having something alongside to help explain the background of each team and bigger picture in the absence of commentary if you're not already familiar with this period. Of course I took care of that for you right here, but if you choose another source so be it. I'm not bitter, lots of good ones out there. It's a great showcase of the tag team style so popular in the south in the '80s, and you can almost never go wrong with any peak era JCP. It's also an opportunity to see why the largely forgotten Fantastics were a legitimately all time great team. Now get ready for next year's Crockett Cup, which is even longer.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B