Monday, August 24, 2009

Championship Wrestling from Florida- 04/21/1976

1. Tom Jones v. Great Mephisto- 3
2. Haystacks Calhoun v. Jim Dalton/ George McCurry- 1
3. Missouri Mauler v. Bill Drummell- 3
4. Thunderbolt Patterson/ Billy Robinson v. Roger Kirby/ Karl Von Steiger- 4
5. Jerry Brisco/ Abe Jacobs v. King Curtis/ Frank Goodish- 3
6. Steve Keirn v. Bob Orton jr.- 4

What an interesting show this was, Gordon Solie hosted in a pink Velour jumpsuit and was his usual stoic self throughout. Opener was only interesting for Mephisto having some nasty knees and Jones desperately trying to look like one of the Temptations. Calhoun was a bloated mess, god bless his jobbers as they did try but there wasn't much to work with here. I hated this didn't have a finish; he just threw them on the ground and laid on top of them. Mauler was apparently responsible for paralyzing Dusty Rhodes' face at the behest and money of Terry Funk (both of which superstars cut entertaining interviews with Gordon) but he looks like a sweaty custodian. Surprisingly I'm guessing Mauler could work in his younger years, he's got insane movement for an older guy and is really energetic on his sells. He got a lot of of Drummell, who looked ready to go home and face his overweight wife and 3 kids rather than have to deal with this old bruiser. Robinson is a treat to watch, I've discovered over the last few years, guy worked the British style like no other. He outclasses both his opponents easily here and pulls off some transitions that probably only .1% of wrestlers today could. Patterson is a unique specimen as well; really charismatic but punches are a tad odd. Goodish became Bruiser Brody but was unusually tame in this match. Brisco looked like shit and I don't buy him being a legendary wrestler for one second, no matter how much he tries to cram it down people's throats. Main event was entertaining, just too short for my liking; Orton was a hell of a hand, and I see a lot of Randy's movements just thirty years earlier, his talent was in the genes for sure. Keirn actually keeps pace with Bob too and they do a number of nice sequences, but rely too heavily on the standard headlock stuff when they probably don't need to. Overall this was enjoyable to see something from a different era and it was actually more entertaining than half of the Guest Hosted Raw's.

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