So it's back to the "international" theme this month.

Watched the 1993 "Global Warfare" tape, featuring Jimmy Hart introducing matches. I'm guessing it was released shortly after WM9. It has a semi-decent Money,Inc vs. Steiners match, but that's about it.

There's supposed to be a WCW show from Korea, but I don't see it listed, yet.

The PTW is from 7/6/87 and is notable since it features the WWF debuts of Ted DiBiase, One Man Gang and Killer Khan. Bam Bam Bigelow is mentioned, but not seen, as Heenan claims to have signed him. Also, Outhouse Jack's push is ended by jobbing to Khan and Tiger Chung Lee actually wins a match! Cleanly, with a tombstone piledriver.

Check out the second hour of the 3/3/97 Nitro if you can. It features Piper's "Family", where a buncha' weirdos tryout in the ring. Rumor/legend is that Goldberg is the third guy out. I couldn't get a clean look at him, but if it is Goldberg, he's minus the tatoo, has hair and is somewhat less bulky.

The second guy is definitely "Horshu", Luther Reigns. The first guy might have been Reno--a guy who was with the Natural Born Thrillaz in 2000. Regardless, the fans just shit all over the segment.

Next week on Nitro: (if memory serves correct) Kevin Nash declares himself Spring Break Cannonball Champion!!

I thought Killer Kahn debuted a few weeks before that? Anyways that Primetime sucked but then Primetime always sucked. Though I laughed at Monsoon pulling the phone cord out before handing the phone over to Heenan.

On other fronts Florida sucked like it almost always does. I just don't get that territory. They have so many talented guys but something just doesn't click for me. It's like the talent suddenly starts sucking once there.

World Championship Wrestling was it's usual awesome self. A good Landell/Fernandez match and the usual energy in the squashes. Though 24/7 needs to start playing the shows their regular shows build to. Now I want to see Starcade 85 and don't have access to it.

The Toronto show was pretty blah. Some okayish matches but I've really started to hate the WWF style pre-1987.

I'll probably catch Global Warfare after work tomorrow.

Since it debutted about a year ago, the only Florida show I've enjoyed was something from 1987 with Bad News Allen (Brown). I'm sure they have some good shows buried in there, so why they keep showing the crap is beyond me.

If you want Starcade '85, I can hook you up with a copy. It aired on 24/7 last year and has all kinds of dubbed-over entrance music, but it's very watchable.

I usually dig Prime Time, so I was okay with it. Gorilla's phone gag was great. I also liked how, thoughout the entire show, the Brain was being "punished" and couldn't use the phone. Everytime I watch those two, I gain greater appreciation for Heenan and how he's able to keep a straight face through all their antics. Gorilla will lose it sometimes, but Brain always stays in character.

Oh yes!!! WCCW is into the big stuff now. Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich!!!

I watched two matches of that WCW in Korea thing and turned it off. What the hell was up with that show?

It's a dead show. Plus, they were in Korea. It wasn't the greatest working environment either.

The crowd was forced to go at pretty much gun point. I mean it's North Korea, what do you expect?

Gasp! A new WCCW episode? I'll have to call up Erick Von Erich and get him to do a recap, ASAP.

Checked out the Maple Leaf Garden show from 9/22/85. It's definitely a combo between the "old" WWF and the newer cartoony stuff. Pretty bad.. but a few things I liked:

-Swede Hanson vs. King Kong Bundy. Swede sucked at this point, but I always like how Gorilla puts him over. When did Swede do a face turn? And why?

-Dream Team vs. Uncle Elmer & Cousin Junior. Junior does most of the work and it's watchable. Dream Team wins with a Hart Attack-like move. Junior reminds me of a larger Dennis Condrey.

-Also thought it was weird that Dino Bravo was around at this time. As a face, no less. He might've been a local, Toronto-only attraction, though. I think the WWF would use regional guys on their house shows up until 1988 or so.

-Chico Santana vs. Jesse Ventura. I got an Evil Smirk when I saw that, once upon a time, Jesse was actually in the ring with the the guy he constantly ragged. They mention an incident on "The Body Shop" between these two. So I'm wondering if they had a little feud going on and if this is where the "Chico" thing came from.

The WWF had just absorbed a Montreal based promotion and were billing Bravo as the WWF Canadian Champion at the time.

I had no idea what was up with it. Was it just a big publicity thing? "HEY! WE'RE RUNNING A (shitty) SHOW IN KOREA! WOO!"?

I didn't crap too much on the Korea show. For a weird, standalone show, it was allright.

I couldn't stand how Bischoff kept trying to put himself over, though. "Very few Americans-- like Muhammed Ali and myself--- have been allowed to visit North Korea". You are not Ali.

Then, "yesterday I stepped out of my hotel for a five mile run..." Don't need the details, chester.He also seemed to shit all over Sonny Ono's commentary.

Oh...check out the TNT from 1/17/86. Features the Bulldogs match where they introduce Captain Lou as their new manager. Also, Adrian Adonis makes his first TNT appearance as "Adorable". He stands up and yells: "yes, I am gay!!!" The crowd boo's him, unmercifully. Booo! Bad gay man!! Funny, because something like that would've been cheered about 10 years later. I give all kinds of credit to Adonis for doing the angle, though. He shows no hesitation to go through with all the antics.

Wow, I never knew they EVER acknowledged Adonis as "gay".

Yeah, I was surprised, too. I thought Adonis's character was just an effeminate cross-dresser or gender-bender.

They show a segment from Piper's Pit where Adonis officially retires his NYC leather jacket and gives it to Piper as a gift.

There's a Bret Hart/Dynamite match from Stampede in the "Shorties" section, this week.

With all the suspensions and troubles, they seem to be heavy on the 80's kayfabe stuff lately. Really, that's the only reason I have the service.

Actually it's Bruce Hart/Dynamite.

Okay, so I had a 1-in-13 chance of being right!

I'm the same exact way. Half the time I find myself not even catching their newer PPV's.

I was wrong about Nitro. While it was a "Spring Breakout" show at Club La Vela, it wasn't Kevin Nash's debut as Cannonball Champion. I sincerely apologize if you watched Nitro expecting to see that. It must be the 1998 Spring Break show, then...so you'll see it sometime in September 2009.

By pure coincidence, Chris Benoit has been absent from the last few Nitros. He's scheduled to be on the next episode (vs. Billy Kidman), so let's see if it's edited.

RAW was awful. Buncha' jobber matches, including Ahmed Johnson vs. Roy Raymond (TV Detective?!!?). It's somewhat significant in the production aspect, though. This is the first show that uses the "RAW is WAR" attitude era intro (the metal tune with Stone Cold walking through a junkyard). They also debut their big jumbotron ramp. Oh yeah, there's also a SID PROMO!!!

But next week (3/17/97): RAW is Midgets!!! I think the 3/17 episode was added,last night.

I've been recording all of the Nitro and RAW episodes (give or take a few) since I've gotten 24/7. But I think I may stop at the end of 1997. Which is probably a good 13-15 months away at this point.


Oh---- that Bruce Hart/Dynamite Kid match sucked. JIP. They fight over an armbar for five minutes until somebody runs in and slams Bruce.