Shown on Sky Sports 3 in the U.K.

By Stephen Lyon.

Introduction:

Mean Gene Okerlund opened the show, announcing that this week, all five matches would be from October 1986, and more precisely, the October 20th, 1986 house show at Madison Square Garden, New York. The announcers for this show were Gorilla Monsoon, Gene Okerlund and Lord Alfred Hayes.

1) Dynamite Kid (w/Matilda the dog at ringside) beat Jim Neidhart in 5:49 with a roll up. This match was joined in progress, although most of it aired. Neidhart weaselled out of a test of strength with Dynamite at first. DK took down Neidhart with a leg scissors, then slapped on an armbar on the Anvil. Neidhart came back and threw DK to the outside, where he slammed him on the concrete. Back in the ring, Neidhart pounded on Dynamite’s back, but missed a second rope splash when DK moved. DK nailed Neidhart with a top rope dropkick, but then missed a running charge at Neidhart when he bounced into the ropes. Neidhart thought DK was outside the ring, but DK had managed to untangle himself from the ropes, and rolled up Neidhart for the pinfall win. Lord Alfred Hayes on commentary proclaimed this as an upset victory. Afterwards, Dynamite brought Matilda the dog into the ring and celebrated. This was an okay match, but nothing spectacular.

2) Jacques Rougeau defeated The Iron Sheik in 7:29, after a sunset flip. Sheik stalled early in the match, getting a lot of heat at ringside. Jacques dominated the match, hiptossing Sheik and giving him an atomic drop into the corner. Sheik came back by kicking Jacques in the throat with the toe of his trademark pointy boot, then slapping an abdominal stretch on Jacques. The crowd bizarrely chanted “USA!” at this point, as the French-Canadian, Jacques struggled to break the Iranian Sheik’s hold. Sheik got a two count after a gut-wrench suplex. Sheik spat on Jacques, then threw him to the outside. Jacques came back and did a sunset flip over the ropes and pinned Sheik to win the match. In a funny moment, after the match Jacques slapped hands with the happy fans at ringside, apart from this one guy, a heel fan dressed like the Iron Sheik, who simply shook his head in disgust at Jacques.

3) Greg Valentine pinned Davey Boy Smith in 12:57. Only the last five minutes of this match aired. Smith had Valentine in a boston crab, but Valentine made the ropes. Smith gave Valentine a vertical suplex, but the Hammer came back. After a series of elbows, Valentine put Smith in a figure four leglock. After a struggle, Smith made the ropes. The finish came when Valentine rolled up Smith near the ropes and held on to the top rope for leverage for the win.

4) Bret Hart defeated Raymond Rougeau in 8:34. This was joined in progress, but most of the match aired. Hart was still a heel here. He stalled early on, before giving Rougeau an inverted atomic drop, a backbreaker, and placing him in lengthy headlock. The announcers spoke about how Bret’s father Stu Hart didn’t approve of Hart’s heelish antics. Rougeau came back and gave Hart a piledriver, which got a two count. Rougeau gave Hart an atomic drop into the corner, but Hart rolled up Rougeau for the pin, winning with his feet on the ropes. This was a good match.

5) In a 22 man, eleven Tag Team Battle Royal, with the winners supposedly winning $50,000, The Islanders (Haku & Tama) won the match in 10:20. Other tag teams in the battle royal were the Hart Foundation, the British Bulldogs, the Killer Bees, the Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake & Greg Valentine), King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd, the Moondogs, the Machines, Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik, Mike Rotundo & Special Delivery Jones, Chief Jay Strongbow & Steve Gatorwolf. This was standard battle royal fare, with the rules being that if one tag team member was eliminated, their tag team partner had to leave the match too. Final four saw the Islanders and Bundy & Studd square off. Bundy gave Tama a running splash in the corner. Studd held Tama, whilst Bundy ran towards him. Tama moved, and Bundy accidentally knocked Studd over the top rope, resulting in the surprise win for the Islanders. Big crowd pop for this match finish.

Closing thoughts: Not much of a show this week. Hart vs Rougeau was easily the best match on the show. The battle royal match was okay in the terms of nostalgia. The other matches were decidedly average.

Match Results:

1) Dynamite Kid (w/Matilda the dog at ringside) beat Jim Neidhart (MSG, 20/10/86).

2) Jacques Rougeau defeated The Iron Sheik (MSG, 20/10/86).

3) Greg Valentine pinned Davey Boy Smith (MSG, 20/10/86).

4) Bret Hart defeated Raymond Rougeau (MSG, 20/10/86).

5) The Islanders (Haku & Tama) won a 22 man, eleven Tag Team Battle Royal, supposedly winning $50,000 in the process (MSG, 20/10/86).

Please note: I DO NOT sell DVDs or tapes of any of these shows. Sorry!

I hope you enjoyed this week’s report. For other reports like this one, be sure to check it out my website archive at http://www.classicwrestlingreports.com .

It’s no longer updated, but this website carries all of my previous WWE Classics tv reports that have been featured on the old WrestlingObserver.com website.

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Until next week, have a good week.

Stephen Lyon,
St Helens, England, U.K. {plug}