Recently at the Place To Be Nation, they had a podcast that ran down the best WWF tag teams of all-time in a March Madness style 64-team bracket. The Final Four were all 80s teams, much to my surprise (I expected the Dudleyz, E&C or Hardyz to make it), which I was happy about because it means all these teams are still appreciated. The Final Four were Demolition, The Rockers, Hart Foundation, and the Brain Busters. The first three are reasonable even if I feel that Hart Foundation is vastly overrated. But the Busters! I was shocked they were only in the WWF for one year and outside the Rockers matches are not really remembered. I believe it is one of things where the Busters had been marketed as a great team and their NWA work was conflated with their WWF run. This is what is really interesting to me about old, "famous" wrestling is how these preconceived notions are developed. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard are elite wrestlers with a tremendous resume of great matches, just not in WWF. They were a pretty good tag team in WWF so it is either pretty damning of the WWF Tag Division (which yes pretty much always sucked the meat missile) or conflation with the NWA run. There is one small caveat and that is there are people who did the Demolition that absolutely loved the Busters/Demolition series, which I hated. So if you loved that series and the Rockers series enough, I could see you vaulting them into this pantheon, but these gentlemen did not bring up the Demolition feud at all. To me it is very similar to the Hart Foundation, Bret Hart is a great wrestler and his great singles run is conflated with an excellent tag run with Neidhart. Now, why the same does not ring true for Shawn Michaels/Rockers. I am not sure. I believe it is is because fans really put stock into titles more than they are willing to admit. The Busters & Hart Foundation both have tag title reigns to their credit.
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| O come on, I want to hear the joke too, Brain! |
I say all this because I was a little disappointed in their output. I am not going to begrudge them their kayfabe accomplishments or that they pushed to the top of the tag division. I am speaking as a fan who wants to see excellent wrestling from two of the greatest. They did hit excellent once, but they never really got there consistently. Yes, I have my biases in that I love Southern Tag style wrestling, but there are great WWF-style tag matches. They did have one match I will definitely be ranking in my top ten greatest 80s WWF tag matches with the Rockers at SNME in March of 1989 as it was a really incredible sprint. That being said, I felt like the Busters were usually gobbled up by the babyfaces especially Demolition. I don't mind extended babyface shines (as long as they are fun and not sitting in holds), but these really felt like extended squashes with the Busters just escaping by the skin of the teeth. This is type of work you expect out of the Honky Tonk Man not one of the greatest tag teams in NWA history. Outside of Arn's spinebuster and the hotshot, I can not think one of consistent offensive highspot the Busters had. I did not watch their squash matches so I maybe spike piledriver got used there, but they really only used that on Tito at Wrestlemania V when he was all alone. I am not usually one to say heels need more offense and whine that they being made to look bad. They are the bad guys! They should be inferior to the good guys! It is why they have to cheat and be underhanded. Still there is no sense of accomplishment if your bad guys just feel like jabronis.
If you want to see Arn & Tully at their peak go watch some of their NWA stuff like the excellent Clash I match. Yeah the Rockers stuff is pretty excellent, but you can't beat Arn & Tully in their natural habitat. It was an interesting experiment and there were times that Busters made it work, but there were others when I just wanted my Horsemen back.
Choice Cuts from the Brain Busters:
Brain Busters vs The Rockers - SNME 3/89
Ultimate Warriors vs Heenan Family - Survivor Series '89
WWF World Tag Team Champions Brain Busters vs Hart Foundation - Summerslam '89
Survivor Series '88
Brain Busters vs The Rockers - MSG 1/89
Just Missed the cut
WWF World Tag Team Champions Brain Busters vs Demolition - MSG 9/89
WWF Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior vs Tully Blanchard - 11/89
The Brain Busters vs Rockers - SNME 11/89 2 Out Of 3 Falls
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Team Powers of Pain (Powers of Pain, British Bulldogs, Rockers, Hart Foundation& Young Stallions) vs Team Demolition (Demolition, Brainbusters, Rougeaus, Bolsheviks & Conquistadors) - Survivor Series '88
I am glad there were only two matches done in this style because I have to say I am not a huge fan. I think they are both ery good matches given the circumstances, but there is just too much action and not enough story. In the '87 match, I was trying to separate my issues with the style and give a positive review in spite there was a lot of sizzle, but little steak. I will say this match improves on that match as the storylines are much more interesting highlighting Demos/POP & Busters/Rockers as the next big feuds and the Impossible Dream Team of the Conquisatdors.
This was the Rockers & Busters first real big chance on a WWF stage and they really shine by differentiating themselves immediately from the WWF wrestlers. Right from the outset, the Rockers are pushing their speed element as how they will over come the stereotypical bigger guys with the Bolsheviks. Then Tully comes in and immediately starts pinballing off the babyfaces. Then when Tully has to face the prospect of Barbarian, he just struts 'n' strolls over to tag Volkoff. Fuckin Demolition aint gonna stooge for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Who gets the first real face in peril segment: Shawn where he delivered his typically great performance and Marty got to play the hot tag on a Conquistador. You could get a taste as a WWF fan what you were in store for with this new explosive team. After Zuhkov eliminates last year's Cinderella the Stallions, Shawn is able to prove he is the better wrestler pretty much overcoming him with ease, before tagging Marty in for a slingshot sunset flip to eliminate the Bolsheviks. Eventually the Rockers and Brainbusters erupts into a donnybrook that causes both teams to be eliminated as they fight to the back. This set up the hot feud that would take them through the first quarter of next year. The match was showcase for the Rocker's speed and selling and the Busters' bumping and stooging.
Before we get into the other two overarching storylines of the match, I just wanted to talk about everyone else. The long-standing rumor is that the Rougeaus (#3 heel team on the depth chart) were eliminated early to avoid Dynamite doing unspeakable things to Jacques. Based on Bret Hart's recent visit on the Steve Austin show, he admitted Dynamite was a prick willing to take liberties in the ring. In this match, he was able to get his hands on the Rougeaus and nothing seemed stiffer than usual. I would say a clothesline he gave Tully was even stiffer. The Bulldogs were one team that gave kind of an uninspired performance. It was just a lot of offense, but none of it had any meaning and it just became a blur. Of course, they were on their way out having wrapped up putting Demolition over and with no future it explains their meandering performance in this match, but because of how long they were in there it just dragged for me. If you are a action-mark, Bulldogs were probably your favorite team in this match, but for me they did not give me any reason to care about them. The Hart Foundation were in a similar boat, but they not as showcased plus Bret is a way better seller thus was willing to give the heels a little bit. One of my favorite random moments from this match was Barbarian was coming out of an FIP and dissed Anvil by not tagging him and tagged Marty. It had me laughing. I liked the finish to Bret's elimination where he German suplexed Tully, but could not hold him and pinned himself. The Bullodgs finish was pretty good as well with Dynamite crashing and burning on a diving head butt attempt. These two teams provided great action, but without a storyline motivation were just kinda there.
On the heel side, the Rougeaus did not get to show much due to their early elimination. 'Ol Nik looked great in this match busting a nice spinkick twice. Volkoff is not some great lost worker because he was a really solid hand that had a couple high spots hit them well and knew how to lay in his strikes. I definitely like Volkoff after seeing him a couple times. I do not get the Bolsheviks elimination of the Stallions as that could have a great way to give the Busters a good victory instead of the Bolsheviks who were going nowhere. Though maybe it was to make the Rockers look better.
Much like the Stallions & Bees, the Conquistadors played the role of the jabroni team that no one thought would make it. Difference was I got sucked into rooting for the Conquistadors mostly due to Jesse's commentary. It is these two average looking goofs in all gold costumes with generic lucha masks constantly making mistakes but somehow always withstanding all this babyface offense. Jesse & Gorilla were amazed by their resilience. They always were the guys that kept slamming their babyface to close to the wrong corner causing them to take a hot tag, but they never did get pinned. Hell one of them attempted a somersault senton from the second rope, which was the high spot of the match. Now the reason the Conquisatdors stayed in were because after the Powers of Pain heel turn they wanted a team to put the POP over, but I would have lost my shit if they gave the Conquistadors a couple spots before biting dust due to some Fuji interference and a Barbie headbutt.
Now the major story arc of this match is Demolition vs Powers of Pain. Demolition was the only heel team early on that got any offense in as they cutting off people, but their partners would lose the advantage. That is a Demolition hallmark. Barb and Smash went toe-to-toe for a bit. Smash tags out to a Conquistador for takes Barbie's big boot. The Ax vs Warlord encounter has a much bigger feel the commentary puts it over, the crowd erupts and the wrestlers are excited. Demolition double teams, but here comes Barb with a huge flying shoulder tackle. Barbarian had this strange penchant to headbutt a heel back into the heel corner letting him tag out. Barb does a little FIP, which is better than Warlord, but still nothing special. Finally we are down to Demolition & Conquistadors vs the Powers of Pain. Warlord posts his shoulder early and Demolition targets it, but Fuji keeps jumping on the apron so as to give a cane shot, but it would be in the plain view of the ref. So Demolition ignores him and the commentators are like that kooky Fuji. Smash goes to run the ropes, but tumbles through the middle rope not because he is a klutz, but because he has been sabotaged by Fuji. Demolition gets counted out, but Ax is hot at Fuji. Fuji has the gall to push Ax away with cane and when Ax turns his back he gives him a wallop. However Smash is back up and tosses him to Ax who bodyslams him and the crowd erupts and babyface turn completed. POP ignores the Impossible Dream Team of the Conquistadors and helps Fuji up and brings him to their corner. Fuji trips a Conquistador and a Barbie falling headbutt gets the win for a big pop. Heel turn in progress. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Demolition returns to clear the ring and the crowd pops for them I don't think it will take much to complete POP's heel turn.
The angle seemed random mostly likely due to me having not watched the TV. It made sense that Demolition was clearly over ought to be turned face, but it seemed strange that Fuji was just all of sudden hopping up on the ring. If they wanted to do the Fuji/POP in cahoots, why not just have Fuji trip Ax or Smash. I do not think it was the best way to turn POP heel, but the bodyslam was definitely effective in turning Demolition babyface. I will probably never watch this match again as it is wicked fuckin' long, but there is plenty of action and story telling to recommend it to be watched once.
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The Rockers vs The Brainbusters - 1/89 MSG
This match is all about the Busters putting over the Rockers as the hot, new WWF tag team. Double A slaps Michaels and Michaels returns the favor showing he wont back down. Another fun spot is Tully tries to tag out while in a wristlock by having Arn tag his foot, but ref wont allow it. In an excellent sequence. Both the Busters put top wristlocks on Marty, Marty skins the cat; dropkicks the both of them; slams Arn and gives Tully a double superkick. The Rockers are rolling. Tully, sensing things are getting out of hand, feigns extending an olive branch only to kick Marty. Jannetty gets an atomic drop onto Tully, but when Shawn enters the match in the confusion he misses a dropkick, but Shawn is able to get a hurricanrana on Arn and a double dropkick re-establish the Rockers on top. Shawn gives chase to Tully and Arn is lying in wait and Shawn eats a clothesline.
The Busters double team and choke Michaels, but they are not zeroing in one body part. Shawn's punches look so much better here than in the 00s. The Busters are not doing much in the way of spots but they are following up on their advantage. Tully/Shawn do to the bridge into backslide sequence that I have always liked. Shawn must have been over the moon working with Tully and especially doing that sequence. Shawn does the leap for the tag, but Tully catches him and gives him a reverse atomic drop. AA follows up with a spinebuster for 2. AA does his knucklelock sequence and Shawn gets his knees up. They both tag out. Tully is hilarious begging off for Marty. The Rockers get the rocket launcher, but Arn saves. As Marty goes to suplex Tully, Arn grabs Marty leg out from under him and holds down his tassel as Tully gets the pin. That would also be the finish for Rude/ Warrior Wrestlemania V match.
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The Rockers vs The Brainbusters 3/89 MSG
With these four in 1989, the question was how far above great could they get. I have watched this match a couple times and I enjoyed it the most this go around. The Rockers maybe the best babyface shine team in history as they know how to work a really fun opening ten minutes. Not to be out done, few bump, stooge and show ass as well as Arn & Tully. The Rockers do a great sequence of in sync spots with dropkicks and dives to the floor. I loved the transition of Shawn going for a headscissors and then being dropped on his head. You cant really beat Marty as a hot tag and Shawn as a babyface in peril in 1989 as both guys just have their act down. While Tully & Arn are at their best taking all sorts of shortcuts and working over Shawn slingshotting him into Tully's forearm or into the bottom rope throat-first. Marty gets the hot tag and explodes. This leads to a rocket launcher by Shawn before Arn pulls out the ref causing the DQ. The Rockers should have went over unless it was due to the fact they wanted to build Busters to get the belts.
This is an excellent popcorn match that the Rockers excel. It felt more like a Rockers match than the typical Anderson tag match (hyperfocused limb work and extended heat segment). It was a real testament to the Rockers' ability at this time that AA would let them run their match.
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The Rockers vs The Brainbusters - 3/89 Boston
This is the definitely worst match of the lot. Marty may be stoned out of his mind as he works in slow motion during this match and is also working the face in peril. The Rockers work a really deliberate pace, which surprises Tony Schiavone, always weird to hear him commentate on WWF matches and is quite boring. The beginning stuff with Shawn and Tully is pretty good as Tully amuses me. Tully armdrags Shawn and struts over to Arn to celebrate. Shawn armdrags Tully and he crawls to Marty's corner and bitches out. Arn comes in and they do some slugging both looking good. The Rockers do some synchronized dropkicks and Marty barley makes contact. They double hiptoss and double dropkick Arn and he needs up on his ass calling for a timeout. Funny stuff. Arn ends up hitting the post with his shoulder, which results in a long and boring heel in peril segment on Arn's arm. This Boston crowd is nothing like New York and is dead, but I dont blame them. I know Marty blew two spots, but I cant seem to recall what they were. They work Tully's arm and it just goes one. Synchronized figure-4s wake up the crowd and the heels break up with eye-rakes.
This time Marty goes for headscissors only have his neck dropped across the rope. Tully hotshots him for go measure and there is plenty of choking to take away Marty's wind. At some point, AA thrusted his hips at Shawn, somebody missed Naitch a lot. All the focus is on Marty's neck. Arn does his knucklelock sequence, but this time he catches himself and parlays it into catapulting Marty into Tully's forearm. Marty does the leap for the tag spot. Marty starts piling on the hope spots with a flying bodypress for 2 and a sunste flip for 2. Jannetty even gets a vertical suplex so Tully punches Shawn, which distracts the ref and Arn dumps Marty over the top rope. Shawn gets the hot tag after Marty gets in some more punches. Shawn is not as good as Marty at the house of fire stuff. Shawn and AA end up outside brawling, but Rockers get back in hit the Rocket Launcher and just like MSG AA pulls out the ref for the DQ.
This is the least of the matches as Marty was blowing spots and looked awful. Shawn looked pretty good, but was not as good as Marty as the hot tag. The Busters were a bit more focused in their heat segments and their antics were great, but were dragged down by that interminable heel in peril segment. I think the Rockers will end up being the best WWF Tag Team, but everyone can lay an egg. We will see how the SNME matches hold up.
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The Rockers vs The Brainbusters w/Bobby The Brain Heenan - 3/89 SNME
What a sprint! I am out of breath just having watched this. This is the match I was really looking for from these guys. Busters blindside early. Tully goes for the kill with his slingshot suplex and Marty counters, but Tully counters into a rollup only for Shawn to cross body block Tully while in the rollup. Busters try to whip the Rockers into each other they do a little do-see-do and knock the Busters out. Crazy good opening sequence as Busters powder. Shawn press slams Arn off the top and it ends up with the Busters taking synchronized superkicks. Shawn hits a nice headscissors on Tully. Arn gets one shoulderblock on Shawn, but Shawn gets a drop toehold on the next one. Heenan pulls down the top rope, which gets him ejected of course he hems and haw to great crowd heat.
Marty actually starts the next segment and Marty goes for the atomic drop, but while hoisted up Tully tags Arn. Arn comes in and smashes Marty. Marty bumps great for that. Marty playing a much more active face in peril. Arn dumps Marty over the top onto the floor. I love when Arn desperately tries to grasp for the ropes on a sunset flip attempt by Jannetty. Tully/Jannetty get to do the bridge/backslide/leap for tag/reverse atomic drop sequence that always looks good. Arn in with a wicked spinebuster and Shawn makes the save. Arn attempts a Vaderbomb attempt and eats knees. Both teams tag. Tully bitches out for Shawn, who does a much better job on this hot tag as the crowd is rocking. Shawn attempts a suplex on Arn, only for Tully to sunset flip Shawn and Arn to blast Shawn. Marty retaliates by diving on Tully. They end up on the floor where they back body drop Tully onto Arn. The result is a double countout. The Rockers get back in the ring and give both Busters a double dropkick for the symbolic victory.
This was such a great sprint as it was bell-to-bell action that got over both tag teams to a national audience. The Rockers played a great high-energy tag team that could not be stopped until the Busters started using underhanded tactics. The Busters worked a tough, rugged style, but worked hard to put over the Rockers. They worked some very intricate sequences for the 80s and they came off great. My favorite match of theirs by far and one of the best 80s tag matches from the WWF.
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Strike Force vs Brainbusters - Wrestlemania V
This was a very bittersweet as it was a well-executed end to Strike Force, but I am sad to see them go. The story is rust of Strike Force versus the fluidity of the Busters. Some early flashes of synchronicity dispel this notion as Strike Force gain the upper hand on Arn & Tully including Martel tagging Tito out of a headlock and Tito coming into bulldog Tully. Some team should rip that as a stock spot as it really does demonstrate good synchronicity. This included all the good Arn & Tully standard spots: Martel punching his way out of the Heenan Family corner, the double dropkicks, double figure-4's, Arn taking the Flair press slam off the top rope. Give these two teams 20 minutes on World Championship Wrestling and we would have had one for the ages. However, a miscommunication seeing Tito hit Martel with a Flying Burrito and this led to dysfunction. At this point, you could see how fluid Arn & Tully were at containing Tito. When Tito did break free, Martel walked away coldly. An Arn spinebuster and spike piledriver out Tito out of his misery. Martel cuts your basic heel turn promo about how Tito was riding his coat tails and he was carrying him. If anything good comes from this, it is the Martel vs Santana feud that I have never really watched.
This is the type of match WWF really excels it. It is a match that is entertaining but really well laid out in advancing a storyline in such a way that the Brainbusters are propelled to the No. 1 Heel Tag Team spot and Martel's heel turn and the upcoming Santana feud is treated as a big deal.
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| Timeless |
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Babyface Demolition has been pretty wretched. They just gobble up their opponents and it turns most of their matches in extended squashes. It was ok when they were heels because they made the babyfaces work for it, but the babyfaces would eventually get one over on the Demos by using double teams. Also, the whole overwhleming power was a great obstacle for babyfaces to overcome. Now they are babyfaces, we just get the heel in peril stuff, but done even worse with the Demolition just dominating their opponents. Of course when it is time for the heat segment, it is not like Ax or Smash exactly scream "sympathetic" and neither is very good eliciting that reaction. Did Eadie or Darsow ever work babyface at any other point in their career. I know the gimmick was just to go out there have them mow down the heels, but I have not really enjoyed it. I hate to sound so negative about this because I love the positive culture that this board fostered towards all wrestling, but I got to call a spade because when I am not enjoying Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, something has got to be up. Demolition treated the BrainBusters like two jabronis that were lucky to unseat them. I am not screaming from the mountaintop for heels to look good. Heels are supposed to be inferior to babyfaces (unless they are monsters) thats why the cheat and play dirty, but the Busters were just the Demos rag dolls. I look up and see all the praise for the Busters matches and I am just not seeing it. I totally welcome a conversation on this.
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WWF Tag Champs Demolition vs The BrainBusters w/Bobby "The Brain" Heenan - SNME 5/89
This story of this match is that Busters are totally outgunned by the awesome might of Demolition unless they cheat. Arn & Tully do a good job putting over that they do not want to be double teamed by Demolition, but in their caution they often pay the hard way. The first moment of cheating sees Tully bury a need in Smash's back, but he pops back up from vertical suplex. Ruh roh, Busters! They do some regroup with The Brain, but to no avail as Ax still catches Tully off the top and plants him in the corner (a favorite spot of the series). After some more clubbering, Double A is able to get a chop block during a Smash double choke. Tully hotshots Smash and Arn follows up with a spinebuster but gets flinged off with authority (another favorite spot of the series). Smash and Arn punch each other at the same time. To prevent the hot tag, Tully pulls Ax off the apron and AA clocks Ax. Melee ensues leading to Demolition getting DQ'd because Ax loses his temper and throws a ref.
This is a pretty effective angle. The Busters come across as effective nuisances and they establish Demolition as almighty, indomitable badasses. You can understand that Busters getting a rematch because they did technically won the match and Demolition wants to get their hands on the Busters.
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WWF Tag Champs Demolition vs The BrainBusters w/Bobby "The Brain" Heenan - 2 Out of 3 Falls SNME 7/89
This is the match made the Busters look like absolute chumps as they were barely on offense in their own title victory. This felt like an extended squash with a swerve finish with the jobbers winning. The first fall is Demolition destroying the Busters at every turn. Any time, the Busters even think they have one over on Demolition they get stymied immediately by Demolition. McMahon does a job putting over the reason that the Busters cant sustain any offense with Demolition because they are trading blows with Demolition. Tully dropkicks Arn onto Smash, hey wait isn't that a babyface spot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) But they can not capitalize on that because Ax grabs Tully's hair yanking him down allowing Smash to hotshot Arn to pick up the first fall. So clearly, Busters need to regroup and devise a new strategy because Demolition is too much for them.
Second fall is pretty piss poor. Demolition capitalize on their advantage, but Double A thumb him in the throat. The Busters actually work over Ax's throat for a bit with Heenan getting a slap in. But God forbid, Demolition look weak, before you know it, Ax gets the hot tag. Smash mows down the Busters. Demolition is out of control and won't stop double teaming. They climax with Demolition Decapitation, but the ref calls the bell for excessive double teaming. Andre is out. That's fucking rich. Demolition lost the fall because they are too damn awesome. I have felt that Demolition has been a pretty selfish team, but that is some serious ego-stroking.
Well since Demolition did not actually take any punishment in that fall, they are again pressing their advantage tossing Tully over the top rope. Tully whips Ax into Arn's head and everyone is woozy. They reinforce this with Arn doing his head collision spot with Ax in the corner. They both tag out. Tully bitches out to Smash. All Hail the Mighty Demolition! Gimme a break. Tully takes his wicked bump over the top turnbuckle. Ax hits Tully from behind allowing Smash to hit Arn. The Brain detains the ref and Andre slides in a chair and Tully wallops Smash to pick up the victory. No heat segment and no sustained offense from the Busters the whole match.
The only heat segment lasted about a minute in the second fall. This was an extended squash that was awful. If you want to claim there was any internal logic, the only logic to claim is that Demolition are the omnipotent, almighty tag team and they can only lose to their own awesomeness or from a chair. That was one of the worst matches, I have ever seen during this project.
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| WWF World Tag Team Champions |
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WWF World Tag Team Champs The Brain Busters vs Hart Foundation - Summerslam '89 Non-title
Non-title due to this match being signed before Busters' title victory. The Busters just loved to bump and sell for WWF babyfaces. Maybe, it was not Eadie's fault at all, it may just be how the Busters wanted to work. Like I am not a person to claim heels need to be a faces level because they really should not. The babyfaces should be better except the heels utilize nefarious tactics, but at the same time heels should not be out and out jabronis. I didn't mind this match as much because we do get a heat segment (on Anvil, weird), but still the Hart Foundation gobbled them up. At first, I felt a bit hypocritical for enjoying this match a lot more than the Demolition matches especially after raising such a big stink. At the end of the day, I rather watch Bret Hart's offense than Demolition's offense. I still don't think it is one of the elite tag team matches of 80s WWF, but it is still very good. I would actually put it around the Summerslam '89 six-man tag in terms of quality.
The Hart Foundation establishes the arm-based attack on both Busters each time they come in. The best spot of this segment really encapsulates Bret and something I never really thought about. Arn executes a drop toehold into a hammerlock, but rides high and Bret counters to a headlock. Bret just has this look on his face that was just like one big eye-roll and I immediately thought of Tenryu. Bret is amazing at displaying contempt for his opponents. He is one of the few wrestlers that is not only condescending on the mic, but is actually condescending in the ring also. Bret does an excellent top wristlock bridge transitions into the Busters double top wristlock spot that always gets a huge pop. Arn blindsides Bret, but this was not the transition as Bret is back on offense. However, Arn pulls Tully out of the way and Anvil eats the turnbuckles. We get the Anvil FIP, which is weird and no spinebuster. It is decent stuff, but you know it can be better. They do Arn's head collision spot and Bobby's facial expression that makes it. Then the Hart Foundation sliding knee on the apron is the transition. After watching basically every major Hart Foundation match, I marked out that Bret did that to transition. I have watched this match twice before and I never even batted an eye. This time I was like "Of course that was the transition. That's genius!" Bret kicks some serious Tully ass and then runs through Tully. It is breaking loose in Tulsa and Anvil is slingshotted in (love that spot) and then slams Bret onto Tully. Heenan distracts the ref and Arn second-rope elbow costs Hart Foundation the match as AA gets the pin. The nice little touch is he uses Bret's arm to cover his head so that ref won't notice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
This is a really fun match, but like a lot Hart Foundation matches I have watched, but it feels mechanical and exhibition-y at the beginning. However, it is still a fun match that is enjoyable. I am just happier with the idea that Bret Hart vs AA & Tully exists more than it in practice. I know one of the things that people go after the Rockers for not having that money feud, but Hart Foundation did not have one from 1988-1991 that's pretty incredible. It was just how WWF tag scene was booked with Demolition going from POP, Towers, Busters, Colossal Connection, but they pretty much leave all the other tag teams to float in the wind. With that match, I close the book on Hart Foundation and Busters. I just have some Demolition and Rockers matches to finish up. Maybe I will sneak in some more Valentine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
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WWF Tag Champs BrainBusters vs Demolition - MSG 9/89
It is disappointing that Busters only worked Demolition, the Rockers and Bushwhackers in meaningful programs. I would have liked to see them with some more varied opponents. This is definitely the best match out of the bunch. On the Demolition sliding scale, it is one of their best matches. This one has a wild start with the Demolition out for blood as they do not take off their hoods before clearing the ring. Just to make it clear, I think this was a very proper response to them losing their titles to underhanded tactics. I just wish they would show some more vulnerability later on the match. I like the spot a lot where Tully is layed out on the top ropes and gets clubbered. We get some chinlocking with some switching without tagging. Demolition living on the edge! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I will say this is the most energetic clubbering I have ever seen out of Demolition if it was always like this, I would like them a lot more. Smash sets too early and Arn gives him an elbow for good measure. Tully follows up with and elbow and Arn with a spinebuster. Sustained offense by the BrainBusters, Whaaaaaaaaaat? Smash hits an atomic drop on Arn sending him into Smash's boot. Ax back in and he is chinlock-happy.
Tully elbows Ax in the back while he is chinlocking setting the table for the heat segment. They do some standard double team cheating. Ax catches Tully coming off the apron and sends him into the post. Ax and Arn collide heads in the middle of the ring. Tully grabs Smash off the apron preventing the hot tag. Arn goes to the middle rope, but they kinda blow the spot and Arn just wipes himself as Ax is not really in position to punch him the gut. Smash runs amok hitting everything with a pulse save for the referee, he is the cooler head of Demolition. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Demolition execute a double hot shot, but the Busters pull out the ref like in the Rockers match.
This is a much better structured match because Demolition was willing to display some vulnerability. I am not asking for the Demos to be the Rock n Rolls, but they got to meet me halfway. They were just swallowing the Busters alive. This is perfectly fine because Demolition look like the superior team, but the Busters looked like they did some damage to the Demos. Demolition should be presented as the superior team that wrongfully got the belts stolen, but the extent they were going in dominating the Busters makes for unentertaining wrestling.
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WWF Tag Champs BrainBusters vs Demolition - Superstars 11/89
The Busters have learned and try to double team early, but are overwhelmed. Tully gets laid out on the top turnbuckle and clubbered. Arn takes a reverse atomic drop into Ax' boot. Tully clips the knee on a Smash suplex attempt and giving the Busters a chance to choke and double team. Ax breaks up Arn's spinebuster, weird that move is protected now. Smash reverses a Tully suplex. Ax demolishes the competition and they finish with Demolition Decapitation.
This was a perfect match to end this series. Everything was building to have Demolition run through the Busters. The whole series is that Demolition is in a whole another league than the Busters. They just mow through them and pick the title back up. I am a sucker for babyfaces crushing the heels in 5 minutes to take the titles after a chase. It is a fun ending.
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| WOYAH~! vs SUPERBRAT~! |
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WWF Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior vs Tully Blanchard w/Bobby Heenan 11/89
It was disappointing that the Busters pretty much only exclusively worked tags against the Rockers, Bushwhackers and Demolition. I would have liked the odd singles match from Tully or Arn. I liked this match a bit more than I thought. Though WOYAH~! is a guilty pleasure of mine. I find his antics and his general in-ring presence wildly entertaining. Tully starts off trying to lock up with the Warrior who just keeps shoving this peon off. Cut to The Brain immediately saying you set the pace. So Tully takes a moment, regains his confidence and he extends his hand. Warrior grabs his hand so hard he sells it. I love it! He jumped onto the apron if Warrior was smart he would have brought him over the ropes and let him drop. Tully thumb to the eye. Warrior no-sells. Tully takes his shoulder first bump over turnbuckle and then he goes flyin back over the the top rope when Warrior side steps him. Tully is basically working this match himself and he is great. Tully and The Brain try to hightail. Warrior in an impressive feat of strength carries Tully in a military press back and tosses him through the second rope. Warrior with a double axe handle off the top, but Stinger Splashes the turnbuckle when Tully moves out of the way. Tully with a bootscrape and choking. Warrior eats knees on a Warrior Splash and then misses an elbow. Finally, he catches Tully off the top with a powerslam. He goes for the gorilla press slam, but Arn comes out in clipping the knee. The Rockers & Neidhart send the Heenan Family packing and then Andre comes out for the staredown.
Warrior always has a great presence and he actually moves around the ring pretty well. This is a wicked entertaining popcorn match. I think these guys could have had some really fun 15 minute matches. It just seemed like Demolition the Warrior was not terribly interested in selling for Tully as he was constantly getting in hope spots, but that may have just been a function of the match. Fun stuff. This is pretty much the end of Tully as he fails a drug test that propels him out of the business. He would do some spots for ECW and at Slamboree.
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The Ultimate Warriors (Ultimate Warrior, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, The Rockers) vs The Heenan Family (Andre The Giant, Arn Anderson, Haku & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan) - Survivor Series 1989
Everyone is riding the white lightning in the opening promo. I have no clue how anyone could focus on a promo with Warrior grabbing their heads. He ends the promo with Shawn and Neidhart between his biceps. We need more gibberish promos (no, Bray Wyatt does not scratch that itch). I love the WOYAH~!
This is a fun, WWF-style match and my favorite Survivor Series match (not that I have seen many). It is action-packed, but it tells a clear story and everyone plays their roles perfectly. Andre is the Heenan Family's big weapon and Gorilla even states to the effect that the Weasel can only hide behind the Giant if worse comes to worse only to have the Warrior summarily eliminate right at the outset via countout. The look on Arn's face says it all: "We're fucked." However, Arn and Haku make the best of it. They eliminate the Anvil in a decent segment with a crescent kick. Arn & Haku could have been a great tag team as they matched up with the Rockers well. I loved Warrior pacing up down the ring like a man possessed. Hidden highlight was Warrior actually propelling Shawn off the top rope while they were doing Rockers quick tag routine. I liked how the Rockers blocked the suplex with one catching the other and double superkick both Arn & Haku and friggin' Warrior just stands there ominously in the background. Heenan lived up to his moniker "The Weasel". He tags in when Marty is down, but when Marty hits him back he immediately hightails it out. I really liked the sequence that eliminated Marty: Arn blind knee during a criss-cross, Haku crescent kick (eliminated Anvil), Heenan gets some licks and pins Marty.
Arn & Haku get trapped in Warrior bearhugs, but manage to get out and gain the advantage on Shawn. I am not a huge fan of lots of rope running in a match and WWF definitely has more criss cross sequences than any other promotion. Even though I don't like it, credit where credit is due this is all really friggin' great rope running by Shawn, Haku and Arn. I loved the Warrior-assisted Rocket Launcher on Haku, which I could believe was not a finish. Only for Haku miss a springboard reverse cross-body (it looked bitchin') and Warrior propelling Shawn off the top to securing a pin. We get our first taste of dissension in the Heenan Family during a sunset flip saying that Heenan was not helping. Arn is able to hit his spinebuster to eliminate Shawn. They do a short heat segment on Warrior, which is not Warrior's forte at all before Warrior sends Arn into Heenan on the apron. Gorilla press, splash, crowd is going wild and it is rubber pants time for Bobby Heenan. Heenan busts out the Ray Stevens bump in the corner and the fans lap up as Warrior revels in beating the Weasel after Wrestlemania V and all the shit he has put him through.
This is a match that the WWF excels at the babyfaces dominate and the whole is a crowd-please affair. You see the Heenan Family lose their big weapon, but they pick off some easy fodder. Then you some great tag work before settling down into main event: The Brain & The Enforcer vs The Ultimate Warrior. They keep it short and sweet manage to pay off Heenan Family dissension and Warrior sending the family home happy. Great popcorn match!
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The Rockers vs The Brainbusters w/Bobby The Brain Heenan - 11/89 SNME 2 out of 3 Falls
This is a pretty good match in the Rockers series. I would put it below the January MSG match and the barnburner 3/89 SNME match.
There is dissension in the Heenan Family due to the Busters' loss of the tag belts and whether Heenan is meaningful to the success of the team. Marty gets wrist control and Tully tries to use some hair to get the advantage, but Marty keeps kipping up. Marty attempts a sunset flip, but Tully holds onto Arn and Shawn comes crashing down on Tully's back. The Rockers go up 1-0 quickly and Heenan is irate and berates the Busters. Heenan shoves Tully and realizes his mistake and powders.
Rockers hit synchronized superkicks to start second fall and Heenan deserts his own tag team. Well soon he will fashion a new one out of his current clients in the form of the Colossal Connection. I am actually intrigued to watch some Colossal Connection matches. Rockers were really hit and miss with their double dropkick they did not always connect together, They were really good at the double kip-up. Lots of double teaming from the Rockers before Shawn gets dropped over the top rope on a headscissors. I like that transition spot so I dont mind seeing it 3 times, now. Tully gets pin to even it up.
Marty tries to guard Shawn as he is gasping for breath. They clear Marty out and AA gets a wicked spinebuster for 2, but Marty saves. Arn does his knucklelock sequence and ends with Shawn being catapulted into Tully. Tully throws Shawn over the top rope onto the floor. Shawn is on jelly legs, but manages blocking being sent into the post on the apron. He hits a cross body block off the top for two. Arn in and he hits Marty to prevent tag. Marty punches Arn and his head rocks back and collides with Shawn's. That was a pretty well-done execution of that spot. Marty tags in after Shawn crawls under AA's legs. Marty is a house of fire, but gets caught by being outnumbered. Arn sets Marty up for the spike piledriver, but Shawn knocks Tully off the top and hits a cross body block off the top to win the match.
This is the Brainbusters farewell as they finally put the Rockers over clean as fresh laundry. It was a fitting ending and pretty good much for the time allotted to it just under 10 minutes. I will say 2 out of 3 falls matches on SNME are a pet peeve of mine because multiple falls do not normally occur inside 10 minutes unless it is under these rules. It is the Rockers/Busters it is still a pretty good match.
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The BrainBusters in their short stay with the WWF managed to have one of the best tag feuds in WWF (the Rockers), win the Tag Titles feuding with the Aces (Demolition) and then Arn worked in one of the best Survivor Series matches. This is definitely a run that bolsters their case as an all-time great tag team, it is just not all-time great WWF run.
Nice blog
ReplyDeleteAmazang
Good work
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