Wooh.....try typing that out everytime you want to talk about this show. In order to keep some modicum of order, and for the general health and well being of everyone, it will just be referred to as Crockett Cup. I mean, we would all be collecting social security if I had to type Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament 87 every single time. Not that social security will be around when I get old, even though a select portion of my paycheck gets appointed to that very cause, but that's something for me to ramble about some other time. Anyway, this is a tournament in which just about every single team that had some affiliation to the NWA participated, with the winner to recieve a big fat pay cheque for 1 million dollars. Well, maybe not every team, but it sure seemed like it. Oh, BTW, when Americans use alternative spellings like "cheque", it's COOL, BABY!!!!! Not really, but let's take a look at YOUR matchlist anyway.......
Superstar Bill Dundee/Barbarian vs. Tim Horner/Mike Rotunda
Jimmy Valiant/Lazortron vs. Shaska Whatley/Teijho Khan
The Russians vs. Brad and Bob Armstrongs
Midnight Express vs. Jimmy and Ronnie Garvin
Big Bubba Rogers vs. Ole Anderson Cage MatchBest of Magnum T.A.----
Wahoo McDaniel vs. Magnum U.S. Title Cage Match
Magnum vs. Kamala the Ugandan Giant U.S. Title
Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum T.A. U.S. Title, I Quit Cage MatchMidnight Express vs. Road Warriors
Rick Rude/Manny Fernandez vs. Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff
Lex Luger/Tully Blanchard vs. the Armstrongs
Midnight Express vs. Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff
Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham NWA World Title Match
Dusty Rhodes/Nikita Koloff vs. Lex Luger/Tully Blanchard
Brought to you from Baltimore Maryland 4/10 and 4/11/1987, and your host is Tony Schiavone (w/mustache).
Superstar Bill Dundee/Barbarian vs. Tim Horner/Mike Rotunda
Clippage!!!! Get used to it. We pick up with Rotunda getting audited (haha) by Dundee and slammed into the rail. Ok, so the audited crack wasnt really that funny. Barbie hits the Kick of Fear, but only for 2. Chinlock, Mike powers out, and a double KO clothesline. Barbie up first with a slam, but misses a diving headbutt. Hot tag, everybody in, and a flying crossbody but ref is distracted. Sleeper by Horner, but Dundee sneaks in and hits him with....something....for the 3. 1/2*
Jimmy Valiant/Lazortron vs. Shaska Whatley/Teijho Khan
More clippage, and we pick up Lazortron dropkicking Khan, and Shaska in. Yes, Lazortron is Hector Guerrero. Poor guy. Heel double teaming, but Shaska hits Khan by mistake. Double atomic drops for both heels, then heel miscommunication leads to them running into each other. D'oh!!!!! Tag to Valiant, but Shaska quickly takes control and tags Khan. Double axe from the middle gets 2. Punches and headbutts, and Valiant does the old man sell. Elbow drop misses and Lazor is in to clean house. All 4 in, Shaska charges, but Lazor reflexively back body drops him over the top rope for the DQ. Eh. *
The Russians vs. Brad and Bob Armstrong
Bob is the old guy for the Armstrongs, duh. I have no clue which Russian is which, so they are hereby dubbed.....yep, you guessed it......Russell and Rusty. Haha. Once again, clippage, as we pick up the Russians hitting a double suplex on Bob. Russell chokes, but Bob fires back. Bearhug by Russell, then a tag to Rusty. Bob ducks a clothesline, and they both hit one for the double KO. Hot tag Brad, a back body drop and dropkick for both. Crossbody on Rusty for 2, but Russell breaks it up. Sleeper, but Rusty has a chain and nails Brad with it......but the ref saw it this time for the DQ. The best laid plans.....*.
Midnight Express (w/Cornette) vs. the Garvin Boys (w/Precious)
This is actually the start of the second round. So, basically, forget the fact that you've only seen 3 matches so far (and clips of them, at that) and pretend like you watched a bunch more. We actually pick up the beginning as the Express are whipped into each other, and then Ronnie and Bobby Eaton play tug of war over Cornette. The Express bail outside, and NOW we get clippage. Inevitable on this tape. Bobby controls Jimmy, and Sweet Stan comes in with a superkick, tag back to Bobby. Back elbow for 2, and we hit the chinlock. Great guys, clip out stuff and give us the chinlock. Tag to Stan, but Ronnie get the tag and has punches for everyone, and a back body drop for Bobby. Outside, piledriver attempt on the floor, but Cornette cracks Ronnie with the tennis racket....and the Garvins get counted out? Over a tennis racket? Ronnie must be a big wuss. * Big postmatch beatdown with lots of crowd heat. Actually, I havent mentioned it, but this crowd is pretty fired up for about every match. Ronnie beats the hell out of Earl Hebner too. I would definately be remiss in saying it's weird seeing him in the NWA....and with hair no less. Some things......
We get an announcement that the Rock N Roll Express has to pull out because of the injury to Ricky Morton. The crowd does NOT like that.
Big Bubba Rogers vs. Ole Anderson Cage Match
Well, what the hell can you say about this kids? It's Big Bubba, it's Ole, and it's in the confines of a steel cage. This thing has suckitude written all over it......but, as your fearless reviewer, I shall try to be as objective as I can. Granted, I have never guaranteed objectivity, but I try to be fair to every single match no matter how badly I think the guys suck. I shall do my best here, because frankly I've never liked either guy. BTW, Big Bubba is fuckin fat as shit here......I feel alright phrasing it that way, because at least now as Big Bossman he's actually pretty well built for his size. Anyway......Ole dominates to start, and then we have clippage. My guess is he dominated with some really boring offense for way too long, and they wanted to spare us. Then again, they clipped Flair/Windham on this same tape, so you never know. We come back to Bubba controlling and choking, then he slams Ole's face into the cage and wipes the cage with it. Ole bleeds. Corner charge by Bubba meets nothing but foot, and Ole fires back with rights. Well, firing back might be a little strong.....he punches alot.....then both guys stand around alot. Bubba decides he actually wants to earn a paycheck and chokes Ole with his suspenders. Bubba up top (!????!) and misses.....something. Ole with just about the worst piledriver ever, but it's enough to keep Bubba down for the 10 count. 1/4*, mostly because I gotta give it something.
If you happen to care, that was the main event to end the first day......they sure as hell wrapped it up with a crowd pleaser there, didnt they?
Then, for some reason that I cannot begin to fathom, we're gonna see the best of Magnum T.A......now personally, I would rather see actual COMPLETE matches on a tape that is supposed to be about a tag team tournament with a superhot crowd, but what the hell do I matter. I can't review what doesnt exist, so on to the greatest of Magnum T.A........
Magnum T.A. vs. Wahoo McDaniel
This is in a cage for Wahoo's U.S. Title. Wahoo is an evil Native American right now......smell the buyrate. I have no clue what show this match came from........anyway, let's get rolling with an armdrag and lots of stalling. Trading side headlocks, but Wahoo gets a double leg cramp, then chops. Magnum with rights, but Wahoo stops that with an eyerake and more chops. Chops? By a Native American? Perish the thought......Wahoo throws Magnum into the cage, but Magnum takes over with punches. Working the armbar, and a dropkick gets 2. Small package for 2 by Wahoo, but Magnum comes back with a back elbow and throws Wahoo into the cage. Pounding by Magnum, but Wahoo uses Magnum's momentum and sends him into the cage. Worked before, let's do it once more. More chops, which yield about five 2 counts. Slam for 2. He says hello to Magnum's foot on a charge, but still gets a small package for 2. Magnum with lots of rights, and Wahoo with a bunch of heel tactics as this match has slowed down. Magnum takes over with kicks and Wahoo tries to get the hell away by climbing the cage, but Magnum catches him and gets a super belly to back....for 2. Wahoo somehow comes back with chops which get 2, but Magnum is right back with a backbreaker and elbows. Wahoo goes for a shoulderblock, and of course runs directly into Magnum's finisher, the belly to belly, for the 3. *** Crowd just explodes. It wasnt as bad as I feared it could be, and I even enjoyed it a little.
Magnum vs. Kamala
Oh shit. Less said the better, so onto the match. Kamala jumps Magnum quickly, but Magnum gets a crossbody and rights, and Kamala bails. Back in, and Kamala takes over with chops, biting, and choking. This is so slow. Tittie twister (and I am NOT kidding) gets a 1 count, then a 2. Choking, and I believe we have clippage, because the next shot is of Magnum bleeding. Back to the Tittie Twister, and a fat ass splash gets 2. Chops, another fat ass splash, but Magnum starts coming back, which leads to Kamala going right back to the Tittie Twister. We hold this for a LONG time, and it gets 2 counts. Magnum powers up with rights, but Kamala just does more choking. Wow, that's exciting. Magnumania kicks in as Kamala misses an avalanche and Magnum gets a slam and the belly to belly to retain. Uh....3/4*
Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum
This is the famous I Quit Cage Match that occured at Starrcade 85......Rights and armbar takedown for Magnum, and they brawl on the mat. European uppercuts, and they trade rights until Tully goes down. Magnum rubs Tully's face into the cage, but Tully returns the favor, then we hit the chinlock. Magnum is bleeding decently enough here. Magnum powers out of the chinlock into a stungun and we have clippage. Big rights by Magnum, and he shoves the mic in Tully's face, but he won't quit. This just pisses Magnum off and he starts beating the hell out of him with the microphone. Tully's bleeding alot now. Magnum keeps shoving the mic in Tully's face until Tully fights back and they scratch and claw at each other, and they just start choking the shit out of each other with the mic cord. Theyr'e both on their knees throwing rights now. Mic again in Tully's face, so Magnum goes to the 10 punch in the corner, but Tully comes back with a nasty atomic drop. Ouch. Tully just SLAMMING the mic into Magnum's head, and those do NOT sound good. It's getting pretty vicious, especially by 1985 standards, and the crowd is noticeably abuzz. Tully knees Magnum in the nuts, then just tosses Earl away like a little girl, then an elbow drop. A wooden chair is tossed in by Baby Doll on the outside, but most of it breaks apart when it hits the mat. Tully is unfazed by this and just grabs a piece of the leg and tries to stab Magnum in the throat with it, as Magnum barely fights it off. The crowd is pretty much in shock. Tully kicks Earl away again, and goes all vampiric as he tries to drive the stake right into Magnum's throat. Tully going for the eye next, and the crowd is horror. Magnum finally gets away and fights for the stake, and finally drives it right into Tully's forehead (or eye maybe), and you damn well better believe that gets the I Quit. **** for what we saw, I think about 6 or 7 minutes was cut out of the middle of match at the clippage.
Conclusions for the best of Magnum......well, if you can't look past the basic 1985 offense of Magnum and Co., then this section will put you to sleep. If you watch it late at night, it still might put you to sleep. Magnum and Wahoo is fairly watchable, Kamala is just mindnumbingly boring. Magnum and Tully is just something to behold though, especially the last few minutes with them slamming the mic into each other's faces and the stake. Actually, I am not a big fan of Magnum at all, so the first few matches were pretty difficult not to fast forward through.
Anyway, back to the tourney......
Midnight Express vs. Road Warriors
Holy shit, here we go. Of course we have clippage, and we get a big powerslam by Animal for 2. Animal hits Stan wit da SICILIAN ELBOW!!!!! to send him outside, where Cornette uses the million dollars as the proper motivation to continue. Tag to Hawk, who hits a gutwrench and flying clothesline, but Bobby breaks it up at 2. Heel beatdown, and Bobby chokes Hawk with his tape. Bobby officially in now and Hawk takes a beating from both heels. Running knee by Bobby and Stan tosses Hawk over the top rope, but ref didnt see it. Crowd is just screaming bloody hell for that. Back in, and Stan holds Hawk for a racket shot by Cornette. Hawk fires back on Bobby, but Stan hits a legdrop. Middle kick, but Hawk shows his disaproval with a BIG kickout. Bobby tastes sole on a charge, hot tag Animal as he cleans house. Back body drop and dropkick for Bobby as the ref gets bump, and everything just turns into a huge clusterfuck as everyone gets involved and the crowd is just screaming their damn fool heads off. Huge shoulderblock by Animal, and Cornette tries to hit him with a fireball, but Ellering pulls him away just in time. Ellering gets the tennis racket, he and Animal clean out the ring......but the ref sees it for the DQ. **3/4 Crowd is about on the verge of rioting at that decision. LOUD and LONG bullshit chant, but the Road Warriors pacify their bloodlust and beat the holy hell out of everyone within arms reach, including the ref. Just ridiculous heat for this matchup.
Rick Rude/Manny Fernandez vs. Dusty/Nikita Koloff
We pick up a crossbody by a relatively svelte looking Dusty, and it gets 2. Slam and elbows. Manny comes back with some kneedrops right on the throat and choking. Rude posts Dusty as the ref is distracted, and a back elbow gets 2. Rude in, and he RANGS Dusty's belly. Inside joke, email me if you want to know. Slam and top rope knee drop get 2. Manny in, more headbutts as Dusty tries to fight back. SLEEEEEPAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!, but Dusty fights out and gets a flying (relatively of course) clothesline. Manny with a crossbody, but Dusty rolls through for da 3. *1/2
Lex Luger/Tully Blanchard vs. Bob and Brad Armstrong
Let's go right into the exciting portion of the match as Lex hits the armbar. Woo hoo. Tully in and promptly misses a charge, which lets Brad hit a missile dropkick for 2. Whip, and Jo Jo Dillon lowbridges Brad. Lex and Jo Jo put the boots to him outside, and sets up a date with the railing for him. I don't see a future for that pairing. Tully with forearms as we head back in, and a belly to back. Luger in, SICILIAN ELBOW!!! only gets 2. You can overhear the announcer saying that 15 minutes has gone by. Suplex, but Brad gets his foot on the ropes. Funny moment as Luger just brushes Brad's foot off the ropes and covers again, but Earl won't count. Tully back in with a stiff-looking punch to Brad's face. Corner whip, but Brad reverses and fights for a backslide, eventually getting it. Atomic drop, and Lex and Tully collide. Hot tag Bob, and punches and chops for everyone. All four inside as Brad dropkicks Lex and Bob slams Tully, but Earl is out of position. Jo Jo is on the apron and combines with Tully for a double clothesline which gets 3. ** Decent match, but brutally clipped to about 5 minutes.
Dusty/Nikita (w/neckbrace) vs. Midnight Express
Nikita is totally sporting the Steve Grogan look tonite. Think football if you don't get that reference. Or email, I don't get enough emails. We pick up Dusty hitting multiple Dream elbows for everyone, including Big Bubba as he tries to interfere. Dusty struts and dances and the Express stall. Cool moment as you can clearly hear Bobby tell Bubba "Don't do that, we could get DQ'ed." Back in, Nikita goes to the armbar on Stan, then a top wristlock which Bobby breaks up. Tag to Bobby for a snapmare and elbow drop. Stan comes back in for a swinging neckbreaker and leg drop. The heels choke on Nikita and get 2. Bobby hits the chinlock, really wrenching on Nikita's neck to take advantage of the injury. Nikita powers up, and Stan comes in on a false tag to drop Nikita across the top rope. Bobby chokes Nikita with Cornette's racket. Nikita finally comes back with a shoulderblock for 2. Bubba tries to interfere, but Nikita dodges and hits the Sickle for the 3. **1/4
Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham NWA World Title
For those of you who can't remember, Barry was seriously over at this time. No, I'm not kidding. We cut right to Barry nailing Flair in the stomach, and then they trade chops and punches. 10 punch by Windham. Hiptoss, but a dropkick misses and Flair slaps on the figure 4. He holds the ropes, as always, and talks smack on Windham the whole damn time. HAHA!!! Flair and Tommy Young get into a shoving match after Tommy catches him pulling the ropes. Corner whip, but Windham roars out with a big clothesline. Flair with the BEG OFF OF DOOM, then kicks Windham right in the pills. Flair hits a back elbow to send Windham over the top to the outside. No-DQ for going over the top, for some reason. Flair tries a piledriver outside, but Tommy Young breaks it up and warns Flair he'll DQ him right there. Schiavone actually right on the ball here as he confirms that it would be a DQ. HUGE chop by Flair. Windham slingshots back inside and gets a sunset flip for 2. Backslide gets 2, and trading punches leads to Flair going down again for 2. Windham beats the hell outta Flair, and a nice stalling vertical from the apron inside gets a hot 2 count. Windham misses....something....off the top and both are down. Flair goes for the figure 4, but Windham counters into a small package for 2. Shoulderblock, but Flair comes right back with a sleeper. Windham uses the turnbuckle to counter, and punches send Flair over and out, again no DQ. Maybe I just didnt hear them saying it was no-DQ or something. Windham follows and introduces Flair to several guardrails. Piledriver attempt, but Flair hits the back body drop. Back in, and Flair goes up top, even though this never ever hits........OH MY GAWD, HE HIT A FLYING CROSSBODY!!!!!! What in the hell just happened, did I enter into an alternate dimension? Now, for YEARS I have told people that I know I have seen Flair actually hit a move from the top rope, but nobody believed me. But I have the proof RIGHT HERE!!!!! Still, as rare a moment as this is.....Windham rolls through for a superhot 2 count. Even when Flair hits it he can't win.
Corner whip and Flair flip outside. Windham follows, but Flair just crushes him with a ballshot. After a few moments of respectful silence for the death of Windham's nuts there, Flair goes for a suplex inside, but Windham floats over and gets a sleeper. Great fuckin psychology here as Flair tries to use the same counter that Windham used earlier in the match, but Windham just shoves him chest first into the buckle, then goes right back to the sleeper. Flair almost gets out as he desperately paws at the ropes but can only brush them with his fingertips. He's almost gone, but at the last second he remembers he has a leg and puts it on the ropes to break. Nice stuff there. Windham stays on Flair and drags him to the middle, but Flair gets the knees up on a splash attempt. BIG chop, Flair goes upstairs, but the streak ends at 1 and the world returns to its natural form as he gets slammed off. Windham hits the figure 4 as the crowd goes apeshit, but Flair reaches the ropes. Powerslam gets 2. Windham goes for the figure 4 again but Flair blocks this time. Trading punches leads to Flair hitting a crossbody which sends both guys outside. Trying to post Windham, but no.....back in, Windham up top, and a missile dropkick gets the 3!!!! BUT WAIT!!!!.....Flair's foot was on the ropes, and Tommy Young realizes it and orders the match to restart. Windham goes right back to work after some suitable swearing, and a big clothesline only gets 2 as Tommy sees the foot on the ropes this time. Beautiful stalling vertical by Windham, which is impressive at this stage in the match. Flair reversal sequence ends in a backslide that gets 2 for Windham. Windham flips out of a belly to back to get a rollup for a superhot 2, but Flair reverses that to his own and grabs as much trunks as someone can possibly have to get the 3. Wow. ****3/4 Incredible match, only gets bumped down because of the clippage.
Dusty/Nikita vs. Lex/Tully
Now, if you check the PWI, you might notice that Giant Baba and Takagi got to the semi-finals......but that must not have been important to Big Dust, because their entire existence is wiped out on this tape. Well, except for the clip previews at the beginning of the tape. Now, call me crazy, but you would think that a tape billed with a title that includes the words "Tag Team Tournament" would have the team that got to the semis. Magnum T.A. is out at ringide, broken arm and all, to lend his support to Big Dust. I would also not be able to forgive myself if I didnt mention one of the stupidest things I've ever heard an annoucer say, as he says the match must go to A finish. Nothing special, just as long as it gets finished. Well no shit......then again, that could have been an important stipulation when the NWO was around. Anyway......
We again start in mid-match (can't we even see the whole version of the FINAL MATCH!?!?) with Nik beating up Tully, and hits a clothesline. Another sends Tully over and out (Again, no-DQ for going over the top, I'm confused). Luger and Jo Jo jump Nik and throw him into the railing. Jo Jo takes off Nikita's neckbrace as Luger rolls him inside. Luger tags himself in and goes right to work with punching and choking. Tully in with a knee for 2, and a swinging neckbreaker for another 2. The heels cheat like hell and choke the shit out of Nikita. Nikita fires back on Tully, but Tully gets a slick little tag to Luger, who comes back to control with a clothesline. Cheap shot on Dusty to draw him in, and more heel beating. Tully tosses Nikita outside and Jo Jo takes off his shoe and cracks Nikita with it. Again, I've never understood the logic of taking off your shoe to hit someone with. Is the wrestling world trying to tell me that you can generate more force by swinging your shoe with your arm then by using the force of your legs to kick someone with? I know wrestling is a place to suspend disbelief, but some things are just so stupid it's ludicrous to think of. Back in and Tully hits elbows and knees, then slingshots Nikita against the bottom rope. I love that spot. Double axe misses, and both men are down. Dusty finally gets the hot tag, and Dusty hits about 15000 Dream elbows before hitting a couple running shoulderblocks. Going agian, but the 3rd misses and he goes outside where Luger can kick him around. Meanwhile Tully accidently nails Jo Jo with the shoe as Dusty posts Luger to get away. Tully going for a piledriver on Nikita, but Dusty hits a crossbody that gets the 3. **1/2.
We close out with Mrs. Crockett Sr. and Jim Jr. presenting Dusty and Nikita with the Crockett Cup and the million dollar paycheck.
Official Grade-- C+. Despite the fact that we get most of two ***** classics, I cannot in good conscience go above a C for a tape with every single match being clipped. This is a tournament that was completely deserving of a four hour tape. It's just too bad Turner felt they had to clip it, as these matches are just unmercifully clipped at times, which annoys me to no fucking end. Also, what about Baba and Takagi? They could've had at least one match from Baba and Takagi, who apparently never existed despite making the semis. This is a pretty difficult tape to find, and even though I gave it a C+, it's still a show that any fan wrestling can enjoy. There's also an uncut version of this show, but that thing is damn near impossible to find in any kind of decent shape.