WWE Vintage Collection Report: August 19th 2012
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
Oh Canada! It’s off to the land of the Maple Leaf for our penultimate stop in the “Best in the World” series, as we showcase some of Canada’s strongest men, serious athletes and famous families. Let’s begin, eh!
WWF Prime Time Wrestling: July 25th 1988
Dino Bravo w/Frenchy Martin vs Sam Houston
Frenchy is parading a sign saying “USA is not OK.” Bravo bores the pants off everyone with three chinlocks. Houston comes back with a spinning tackle. Frenchy causes a distraction, Houston avoids a sneak attack, but falls victim to Bravo’s patented sidewalk slam. Much like Frenchy’s sign, this match wasn’t ok. An absolute DUD to start us off. Winner: DINO BRAVO.
WCW Nitro: July 31st 2000
WCW Cruiserweight Title: Lt Loco w/General Rection & Cpl Cajun vs Lance Storm
Lt Loco is Chavo Guerrero during his Misfits in Action tenure. Reigning Hardcore and U.S champion Mr Storm asks us all if he can be serious for a minute and renames the Hardcore title the Saskatchewan Hardcore International title. Furthermore, during his matches, Storm wants WCW to be called World Canadian Wrestling. Storm says it’s not his fault that Canadians have dominated this sport and says the fans shouldn’t blame Canada but themselves. The Misfits interrupt the playing of the Canadian National Anthem. Loco hits Storm right off the bat with a springboard tackle, tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and headscissors. Storm elevates Loco onto the apron. Storm hangs Loco up on the top rope and dropkicks him to the floor. The other Misfits join the commentary team as Storm briefly works Loco over in the corner. Loco comes back with a tornado DDT, dropkick and flapjack. Storm reverses Loco to the corner. Loco tries a backflip to evade Storm, but lands awkwardly on his knee. Storm goes on the offensive, but gets caught in a double leg cradle for two. Storm attempts the Canadian Mapleleaf (single leg Boston crab) only for Loco to sit on top for another nearfall. Storm stops a back suplex and goes for a powerbomb. Loco attempts a Frankensteiner, but gets caught in the Mapleleaf and quickly taps out to give Storm three titles. I miss Lance Storm. A needless post-match burial on the new champion by Kevin Nash has thankfully been edited off. Winner: LANCE STORM.
WCW Thunder: January 15th 1998
Chris Jericho vs Eddie Guerrero
The winner has been promised a Cruiserweight title shot at Souled Out. A pre match Jericho promo has been edited out. Neither man can be considered a fan favourite at this point. Eddie doesn’t fall for Jericho’s fake handshake/cheapshot clothesline and surprises Jericho with a lariat of his own. Eddie drags his boots across Jericho’s face, before taking him down with a flying backelbow and basement dropkick. Eddie lands on his feet from a suplex reversal. Jericho blocks a rollup attempt and drops Eddie throat first across the top rope a couple of times. Eddie counters a suplex with a dropkick to the knee to shift the momentum once more. Eddie applies a rope assisted abdominal stretch, which referee Little Naitch fails to spot. Jericho comes back with a flapjack. Eddie turns a powerbomb into a sunset flip for two. Eddie clotheslines, then applies a surfboard style chinlock. Jericho screams as Eddie stretches his arms out. A botched vertebreaker nearly breaks Jericho’s neck. Jericho prevents a superplex by pushing Eddie off the ropes. Eddie gets his arms up to block a double axehandle. Both exchange standing switches. As Eddie spins over Jericho to try a hurracanrana, Jericho traps him in the Liontamer for the submission. This was as good a five minute match as you’ll get. Winner: CHRIS JERICHO. Rey Mysterio would win the Cruiserweight title from Juventud Guerrera later in the show, but would drop it to Jericho at Souled Out. Jericho would then attack Rey’s knee with a toolbox, putting the masked man on the shelf for several months.
WWF Unforgiven: September 23rd 2001
Intercontinental Title: Edge vs Christian
Christian’s jealousy towards his “brother” came to a head a few weeks prior, when Christian attacked Edge with the King of the Ring trophy, then laid him out with a one man Conchairto. Edge gets the better of an early brawl until Christian bails to take a walk. Edge gives chase and another slugfest ensues in the aisle. Edge slingshots Christian into a prop at the top of the stage, then drags him back to the ring by the hair. Christian’s head meets the turnbuckles repeatedly. Christian begs off, suckering Edge in close enough to post him in the corner. Christian tosses Edge into the guardrail and ring steps. Christian yells at the “son of a bitch,” Edge to get up. Christian stays on the offensive with an inverted backbreaker, several hair biels and a powerslam. A desperate Christian pounds away on Edge’s head and chokes him on the mat.
Edge prevents a superplex by shoving Christian to the mat. A bridging german suplex by Edge (who has a cut under his left eye) gets a nearfall. Edge misses a spear and crashes into the corner. Christian lands a dropkick, but can’t put Edge away and the two brawl some more. Both cancel each other out with simultaneous cross bodyblocks. Christian mounts Edge in the corner, only to get pancaked to the mat. Edge follows up with a pair of clotheslines, a backbodydrop and a couple of hair biels (as a receipt for earlier.) Edge blocks an inverted DDT and Unprettier to hit the Edge-O-Matic for a two count. Christian tosses Edge over the top rope. Edge crawls under the ring to pop up from the other side and surprise Christian with a high cross body for another two count. Christian avoids a clothesline and Edge stops himself from ploughing into the referee. Christian hits a spear. 1-2-kickout. Frustrated, Christian brings in two chairs and sets up for a Conchairto. Edge trips Christian to turn the tables. As Edge raises a chair over his head, the referee disarms him, allowing Christian to use the other chair to low blow Edge. Christian gets the 1-2-3 to take the Intercontinental title. Winner: CHRISTIAN. Edge would regain the title the following month, while Christian would go on to defeat Bradshaw for the European title a few weeks later.
WWF Live Event: September 10th 1988
The Hart Foundation vs The Fabulous Rougeaus
The Harts toss in a pair of rubber frogs to distract the Rougeuas long enough to get the jump on them. Raymond gets worked over. Anvil allows Raymond to get close to a tag, before yanking him away and laughing. Bret drags Raymond by the trunks to the Rougeau corner and makes him tag out. Jacques offers a handshake. Anvil hooks Jacques from behind to give Bret some free shots to the gut. While Raymond is out on his back recuperating, the Harts have some fun double teaming Jacques in their corner. The tide turns when Bret irish whips Jacques and runs into a boot to the face.
We return after a break to see Jacques hit Bret with a flying backelbow then sit on a camel clutch. Raymond puts his head down early and Bret telegraphs a backbodydrop with an elbow smash. Anvil gets a hot tag and busts out a dropkick to Jacques. Anvil sends Jacques flying with a backelbow and backbodydrop. Anvil taunts Jacques with the offer of a tag, before booting Raymond and banging the Rougeaus’ heads together. The Harts take a page out of Demolition’s playbook, hitting their Decapitation finisher on Jacques. Instead of going for the cover, Bret goes after Raymond. The Harts set Raymond up for the Hart Attack, but Jacques pushes Earl Hebner into Bret’s path and Hebner gets bumped by the Hitman in mid-flight. Bret goes after Jacques with a dropkick and backbreaker, then traps him in a Boston Crab. Meanwhile, Anvil has Raymond neutralised in a bearhug as a second referee Joey Marella runs out and calls for the bell. The Rougeaus are disqualified for Jacques’ actions. Bret helps Hebner up, as the Rougeaus dispute the decision on the floor. Winners via DQ: THE HART FOUNDATION. This was a good match and deviated from the paint-by-numbers house show style bout, as evidenced by the Harts during the first half of the match.
We wrap up the “Best in the World” series with a final region next week.
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