SNME 1-4-86

I'm quite a bit behind on Wayback Playbacks - but the SNME eps are always a blast. Hogan is making protein shakes on the beach or at a water park. Gene goes into convultions after having the shake. Piper AND THE OTHER BAD GUYS LOOK AT BABYFACES HAVE FUN IN THE POOL. We go to the Sundome which is very yellow and green and we get a PEACE MATCH between  Kirchner and Volkoff. JYD and Steamboat face Fuji and Muraco, while Steele faces Savage and Hogan faces Terry Funk. Jesse Ventura is out here in gear to team with Piper and Orton to face the hillbilies. Jesse says that he's the only announcer who is man enough to get into the ring. Heenan replaces Ventura tonight, and Heenan replaced Jesse in both the WWF and WCW as well. Gene interviews Piper and Orton in the aisle, and it looks great because the fans are so alive. The heels are out first and we see the hillbilly wedding being spoiled by the heels.

Hillbilly Jimmy, Uncle Elmer, and Cousin Luke are here. Jesse looks a bit out of shape here, but is still in shape. Elmber hits big club shots and we get some hilarious selling here from Jesse. A HEADLOCK SLOWS THINGS DOWN. Knee to the gut to Jim before Piper comes in to face Junior. Luke shakes his hand and clubs him before the heels hit a double elbow. Ventura clubs him and walks on him. Piper slaps away before Ace hits an elbow off the second rope. Hillbilly Jim gets a tag, but the ref misses it. A Piper fan goes crazy with everything he does and Elmer is in and clubs away. A bearhug is met with an eye rake. Piper slugs Jim and then the heels triple team him to the joy of an old guy in the crowd. The heels win with a Piper sleepr and Jesse meets with Bobby again.

Jimmy Hart was branded by JYD last time, so now they'll settle the score in a waterslide contest. Jimmy is in his 40s here and looks 25. JYD wins it and this offends Jesse and his speedo. Terry Funk says he wants to be in SI and we see clips of Funk hitting him with a branded iron and HOGAN LOSES BY COUNTOUT AND BRANDED. Hogan says he's bringing JYD with him to make sure Jimmy Hart isn't involved. Terry Funk quit due to non-stop matches with JYD. Hogan is in Superman blue and red. JYD forces Hart into a chair and we get a red, white and blue Hulkster graphic - that's a small thing, but tells you his character in literally a second.

Hogan vs. Funk was a big ratings-getter and we get a unique back and forth corner whip and a big corner lariat. A fan has a bedsheet with some shockingly-good graphics on it. Terry eats an Irish whip and goes chest-first in before being clotheslined over the top. Terry ducks down and we get another spot I haven't seen before - Hogan running on his back every time he inches closer to the ropes, Terry making it to the ropes and then falling on some chairs on the floor. Terry throws a chair in and Hogan sits on it. Terry chops away in the corner and then gets flipped in the corner. Terry mule kicks in the balls and Vince says he was aiming for the shins. Terry goes up top and Hogan shakes the ropes and this forces him to jump forward and crotch himself. AXE BOMBER and a big elbow hit. Hogan is shoved into the rope and Jimmy pulls the ankle, so Jimmy hides between JYD and Hogan under the ring. Terry chokes him with the tape and makes it look like a sleeper. Terry hits a piledriver for 2. Terry hits his punches, but Hogan Hulks up. Punches and a big back elbow lead to the boot. Terry gets 2 and thinks it's due to the ref tapping his back, but an axe bomber hits and ends it.

Terry throws a chair in the ring and puts his dukes up to the fans, who cower. TERRY FUNK DRAGS JIMMY OUT OF THE BUILDING. How awesome. Gene and Hogan are mid-ring and we get a promo. We get a video on Steele showing his face turn and TNT skits. Steele is in a very large speedo while Lou Albano is near him and there are some hot models nearby. Jesse and Savage are with Liz, who looks terrified and then Randy just tosses her in the water. Macho comes down in an incredible robe and Liz's dress matches. George touches Liz and Lou tells him to get away. Randy comes over and yells at Liz and threatens to slap her. And this was just their TV life...yeah that sure was a healthy life for her I'm sure.

Steele does his wacky mannerisms and a dude in a Hawaain shirt is doing them too! Savage is tossed over the top The SNME logo remains great even today and we get a lot of nothing that is great due to Savage. Steele punches and kicks him before a brawl on the floor. Savage uses Liz as a shield and Steele goes to see if she's okay. Surprisingly, Savage doesn't boot him - but does it mid-ring. Buckle is destroyed and Steele drapes his neck over the rope and Savage jumps 3/4 of the ring to hit an axehandle and win. Very impressive-looking finish - so it had that going for it.

Gene and Hogan are outside and Gene is dancing to music. We get a highlight reel of '85 and man was the Piper-Mr. T staredown incredible. We get an upskirt of Liz for Halloween. Hogan plays bass and hillbillies dance. Piper breaks a record over Albano to cause a riot and we see Piper vs. Orndorff. and the Dream Team win the titles. We get a shot of Vince and Jesse in a darkened area before Gene interviews Blassie and Volkoff. Sheiky's gear is still great today. We get a video of Corporal Kirschner doing skydiving and dressed like Rambo.

Nikolai sings and they get water thrown on them. Hopefully water. Kirschner gets the ROTC intro. We get a clean break from the evil Russian and the fans have figured out to put the banner against the seats. Long headlock because of course. Long takedown from Volkoff leads to BACK BRIDGE CRADLE for 2. Well, didn't see that coming. HE DOES A CARTWHEEL AND A SHOULDERBLOCK. This is more movement than I ever remember him having. Makes me want to watch some of his stuff in Mid-South. Big kneedrop ends it and wins for Nikolai. A woman is overjoyed at the win by the evil Russian. We get a silly spot where he goes to slam Sheiky while Volkoff goes to attack him, but Volkoff just has to stop it. We get clips of Muraco beating up and hanging Steamboat.

 

Muraco lounges around and teams with Fuji, oh joy and Fuji jokes aboiut eating dogs. Steamboat is in his gi and looks great. JYD says some stuff about being on the side of the kids and wanting to be a role model. Steamboat is in black trunks over red tights - which looks bizarre. JYD slams Don down and misses the headbutt. Fuji gets some stuff in before JYD hits some shitty armdrags. Eye poke brings Don back in who drops an elbow. Fuji hits a headbutt to the balls. Steamboat flails his arms around to somehow help him get a tag, and he hets a tag. Big chops and punches for everyone and lands Inoki's head kick. Steamboat gets the dive, but Fuji kicks him to beak it up. JYD comes in and headbutts Fuji to win. Wow was this sloppy and bad. We get tons of filler with Jesse and Vince.