Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Papa Shango vs. Jim Duggan

Papa Shango vs. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan - WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/9/93 - 3

This was a King of the Ring qualifying match. There's more smoke coming out of the skull Shango wields while walking to the ring than out of Seth Rogen's trailer on the set of This Is the End. Duggan didn't talk about this match in his book -- I guess we'll see why. It takes three big clotheslines to get Shango off his feet. It's nice to look back and see when Jim had some heft and momentum behind his work. Papa drops a headbutt right into the grapefruits. Speaking of grapefruit, one adorns the cover of Saves the Day's new self-titled album which comes out today. Wonder if Hogan ever confronted Duggan about doing his whole "Hulking Up" routine ad nauseam. This had the sophistication and substance of a Chikara opener but before he became a lumbering dolt working for $80 paydays on the independent scene almost thirty years past his prime Duggan wasn't all bad to watch in the ring, he bumped big for some early Shango punches, was whipping his hair all around while selling, and even ate a kneelift with panache.

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