I wanted to continue some of the JCP we watched with today’s Morning Coffee Horsemen series. I found Casey Trussell’s channel and found some early NWA Main Event episodes. For those unaware, JCP started Main Event in response to TBS’s request for fewer squash matches in their programming. The company went so far as to offer a bonus to the talent for working the tapings to raise the quality. Like most WCW shows, they tried really hard early on, but it became less of a priority.
NWA Main Event 1988
Air Date 04/03/1988
Announcers: Tony Schiavone & Jim Ross
The Road Warriors def. Larry Zbysko & Super Destroyer in 3:23
Zbysko was in long enough for Hawk to completely no-sell a Hawk piledriver. Cagematch has Destroyer as Bill Irwin, but this guy didn’t move like Bill Irwin and got squashed until LOD won with a doomsday device. *1/2
US Title Match: Dusty Rhodes (C) def. Ivan Koloff in 6:38
The fans started turning on Dusty in pockets in 1988, but this wasn’t one of those crowds. Dusty played them like a fiddle, and I thought Koloff did a very solid job playing the foil. Dusty won with a high cross off the top. **1/2
Tully Blanchard, Ric Flair & Arn Anderson def. Sting, Lex Luger & Barry Windham in 13:00
All three babyfaces got separate parts of the match to shine, as the Horsemen worked their asses off overall. The match had a couple of hiccups at the end, but was outstanding overall. Tully won when he hit Barry with an object JJ threw in. ***3/4
Rating: 8.5
The main event was excellent, Dusty had a hot match with Ivan, and the Road Warriors had a fun squash. This show was really effective for what they wanted, and the crowd deserves its flowers for making it even better by enhancing the atmosphere.
The Video
NWA Main Event 1988
Air Date 04/03/1988
Announcers: Tony Shiavone & Jim Ross
Powers of Pain def. Tim Horner & Italian Stallion in 4:40.
On the debut episode last week, we got the Road Warriors squashing someone, and this week it was the team they were feuding with, the Powers of Pain. Barbarian pinned Stallion with the diving headbutt. *1/4
Arn Anderson DCO Steve Williams in 9:46
Arn wasn’t a big bruising monster like Doc, so I thought Doc worked it smart by selling in a way that didn’t hurt the match, but also maintained his heat. Arn, of course, did a great job of bouncing around for the snarling bull that is Doctor Death, Steve Williams. I didn’t hate the double counout in this case because Doc losing his mind, slugging it out, and no longer caring whether he won a wrestling match is always a believable finish for a beast like him, and it was a good match. ***
Barry Windham def. Tully Blanchard in 15:33
This match was totally non-formulaic and just a great back-and-forth battle between two of the best of their era. Both men bumped and sold their asses off for the other in front of a crowd that was white hot all night. Doc and Arn came down and got involved to continue that story, and Dusty came out and got involved enough to cost Tully the match on a sunset flip. I liked this better than the six-man tag last week. ****
Rating: 9.5
If you’re looking for promos or even at least a little more in your pro wrestling product than just wrestling, this show may not be for you, but if you’re into the matches, this show was an even better in-ring episode than the debut. There’s also booking continuity with a Horsemen/Barry Windham program that sets up a match for the following week’s show. This show was awesome.
The Video
