WWF House Show- MSG (12/17/79)

1 Larry Zybyzsko v. "Bulldog" Dick Brower- 3
Okay, let's rip on Larry to start this out; he's got the Eric McCormack from That 70's Show hair going and actually isn't pudgy for once in his career. Both guys start out throwing fist-a-cuffs and Bulldog is a mean snot. Really gouging, angle punches into Larry's ribs. The match goes in the direction of Larry trying to throw Bulldog and outwrestle him while he just wants to fight. This was a quick opener and the crowd seemed into it.

2 Seiji Sakaguchi/ Riki Choshu v. "Bad News" Allen Coage/ JoJo Andrews- 3
A really young Bad News Brown and a really young Choshu- this should be interesting. Choshu is fast and really stiff, throwing body slams with a little extra emphasis on both guys. Vince( who's commentating solo) brings up Bad New's judo experience without really being specific, which we see a little of. He and Choshu have several brief skirmishes where they are testing each other. Seiji is too old to give a shit and only throws a few worthy forearms and JoJo, not much sticks out except him being pummeled by Choshu. You could see his star potential in this match.

3 Johnny Rodz v. Mike Graham- 2
Another brawler v. wrestler match with Graham really looking coked out. His singlet is worn and dirty as if he just went through a collegiate meet using it before he got to his match at the Garden. Rodz is one of the most out of shape guys and looks like a Puerto Rican. His brawling is slower and less stiff than Bulldog so already he's looking like crap. His heel antics are super over though so it's surprising that Graham gets the win with a really sloppy Figure four.

4 "The Fabulous" Hulk Hogan v. Ted Dibiase- 4
The heel Hogan....here's some food for thought: His daughter Brooke and the want to put his sausage in her was far from Hulk's mind here because Dibiase was working him pretty well. You could see they wanted Hogan to be a big deal with Blassie as his manager and the robe. He works some normal scientific stuff with Dibiase including armdrags and such and while he manages to get it done, he looks so odd doing it because he's quite a large dude (Linda is contesting that point in the divorce). They give this some time and as plain Jane as he is here, you can see Dibiase has talent. The match ends in lackluster fashion after a long build so pretty blase and by the numbers. They would have a much better series later on in their careers.

5 Bob Backlund v. Bobby Duncum (Texas Death Match)- 4
Duncum is an ornery looking outlaw who doesn't measure up in the annals of big, brawny Texan brawlers. He doesn't posess that wildness because Backlund tames him over and over again in this one. They have a good chemistry but this match really drags on too long, even during the last section they go outside where Backlund gets the best of him in a quick melee; seems like they were just doing that to extend this for another 6 minutes. The finish went really well though and this seemed like a feud ender. Backlund delivers quite a nasty piledriver somewhere near the middle that almost made me spit out my grilled cheese.

6 The Great Hosseuin (Iron Sheik) v. Antonio Inoki- 5
This was a fun one. I've been digging a lot of Inoki's stuff recently and this one was somewhere in the middle. His chops were on target and sounded like dead mackerel thrown down on concrete. Sheik was fighting him tooth and nail and not letting him get over for too long of a time. Both guys were fun to watch throw some suplexes on the other's eyesore body. Vince is such a prick in this one (and the whole show for that matter) as any time there's a potato or a stiff shot, he bursts out laughing and tries to contain it. It's the only time you get a real emotion during the broadcast portion of this show. Needless to say there were quite a few of them here. This loses steam towards the end as both men look worn out and dog tired. A DQ finish doesn't help it either.

7 Harley Race v. Dusty Rhodes- 5
Not sure if this was already reviewed on the Dusty package, but we'll go for it anyways. Vince liked Dusty and MSG was chanting his name during this. Race's offense was dead on with bludgeoning impact; every telegraphed punch and bone chipping kneedrop. Both men were at the top of their game at this time, but they didn't flow as well as Dusty and Flair did. Race's style is completely different and he doesn't speed up for anybody even though he and Dusty work some great rope stuff like Race's flying knee to the face. Non-finish; seems strange this was in the middle of the show.

8 Pat Patterson v. Dominic DeNucci- 3
Patterson had a lot of heat and McMahon tried to elude since he's from San Fran town and wearing a light colored jacket that he liked dude's parts more than women's parts. DeNucci looked like Bela Lugosi (today) and everything Patterson did looked strange from his tie ups to his back bumps. I swear he slicked his hair back with cum. He threw a bomb ass dropkick though.

9 Tatsumi Fujinami v. Johnny Rivera- 6
Best match of the show. This was straight from New Japan Juniors division circa 1980's. Both guys were rolling around the mat like baby monkeys at the zoo, going from hold to hold, and switching and transitions. Both men were exceedingly fast too. This was a fun way to kill 12 minutes or so and the match ended with a German suplex Hitler would have been proud of.

10 Tito Santana/ Ivan Putski v. Swede Hanson/ Victor Rivera- 4
The heel team consisted of Victor "what nationality am I?" Rivera and Swede "I just boned my sister" Hanson. Vince mentions the heel team has never teamed before yet this was a World Tag Title match main eventing at MSG?
OH FUCK! Putski's stiffer than all hell and is so fucking roided up, he looks like Abobo. He decks Hanson in the mouth and drops him, one shot. Then just kicks his head repeatedly into the mat like he's literally trying to kill him. They can't get him up to do anything. Putski tags out to Tito; this should be some nice clean DAMN! He's ramming his face into the mat, over and over again. I think they're trying to give him brain damage. Maybe he boned their sisters. They eventually finish the makeshift combo off after a few minutes after Tito played the damsel in distress role. Putski's a murderer.