Ryan Navigates '90 - #54 (7/16 - 7/20)
A title change, more Boss Man slander, and entertaining mixed-tag action!
Good day!
Welcome to a somewhat-abbreviated edition of the Navigation. We’ll only be taking a look at three segments today, so it’ll be a breezy read this time around.
We’ll have more shenanigans from Ted DiBiase in Cobb County, a title change in All Japan Pro Wrestling, and a rematch of the July 4th mixed tag from Dallas.
MONDAY, JULY 16th
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
Once again, we join “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and Virgil down in Cobb County, Georgia in their extended quest to dig up dirt on the Big Boss Man. This time, he’s in Boss Man’s old neighborhood (“Cobb County CLASS”). He beckons a young fella over, who tells Ted that the kids never liked playing with Boss Man.
Apparently, Boss Man likes to beat up on little kids. Well, that’s just rude. According to Vernon (I don’t think we get his name, but I’ll just call him that), Boss Man is the neighborhood bully. DiBiase says it’s another shining example of Boss Man always being an obnoxious bully, and everyone in Cobb County still has a price for the Million Dollar Man!
DiBiase continues to play his role well, but this segment came off much flatter than the others. The point’s been made, guys. I think we’re ready to move on.
THURSDAY, JULY 19th
AJPW Summer Action Series 1990, Night 11
We pick things up for the last few minutes of the Miracle Violence Connection (Steve Williams & Terry Gordy) (c) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & The Great Kabuki for the AJPW World Tag Team Championship. Big Steve hits the Oklahoma Stampede on Kabuki, but Jumbo breaks up the pin to a big pop.
Bam Bam tags in and methodically pounds away until Kabuki catches a boot and slaps him! It’s HOT TAG JUMBO, who fires up and hits the JUMPING KNEE on both gaijin! Lariat to Gordy! Lariat to Doc! Gordy and Williams swiftly recover and overwhelm Jumbo with a double-shoulderblock for two.
Gordy tries for a powerbomb, and finally hits it after a couple of rebuffed attempts. Kabuki interrupts the cover, then Williams, among the pandemonium, scoops Tsuruta for the Oklahoma Stampede. However, Stan Hansen, fresh off of his WCW “suspension”, comes out and trips Doc up, allowing for a near-fall from Jumbo!
A distracted Dr. Death takes a jumping knee from behind, then Tsuruta hits a backdrop driver for a VERY close two. Williams regains control, but he misses a corner charge! Another backdrop driver from Jumbo gets the three and the titles!
The action we got was pretty decent for the most part, and the crowd was hot for Jumbo. Per Cagematch, the full match ran around 31 minutes.
The Hansen interference was retaliation for Williams costing him the Triple Crown against Gordy a couple of days prior. Essentially, Hansen went for the lariat, but Doc tripped Gordy up, causing Stan to miss. Gordy then capitalized with a lariat of his own to win.
This would be Jumbo’s sixth reign with the AJPW World tag belts and Kabuki’s first (and last). However, the title run abruptly ended after a paltry eight days as Kabuki said “k-byeeeeeee” to AJPW and jumped ship to Tenryu’s Super World of Sports (SWS). The world tag titles were held in ABEYANCE until December, when they were won back by the Miracle Violence Connection.
FRIDAY, JULY 20th
USWA Challenge (Dallas)
“Stunning” Steve Austin & Jeanie Clark vs. “Gentleman” Chris Adams & Toni Adams - This is, of course, a rematch of the mixed tag from the 4th of July show that generated much controversy. I’m hoping for a much better match here.
It starts off wild with Chris immediately dispatching Austin from the ring while the ladies brawl it out. Tony Falk, who is rapidly becoming one of the more annoying referees I’ve ever seen, grabs the house mic and tells the ladies to stop their catfighting, or there won’t be a match.
The Gentleman again yeets Austin from the ring as things start to finally settle down a bit.
Toni wants to start off, but Jeanie refuses, so the guys have at it, with Austin flinging himself out of the ring and generally getting pummeled by Adams. Chris downs Steve with a lariat, but Austin counters a piledriver with a back body drop to assume control. The fans are INTO this one, chanting “GO, CHRIS, GO!” at Toni’s behest.
Austin cockily covers Chris after a gutwrench suplex for two, then it’s onto the sleeperhold. Chris powers out, snagging some hair for the assist. Now it’s Adams’ turn to lock in the sleeper! Jeanie breaks it up, and Austin again sleeperholds Chris off the distraction.
Adams attempts to power out, but Austin now grabs some hair to block the counter as Toni chases Jeanie around ringside (with both slipping in the exact same spot). Percy Pringle takes potshots at Toni and Chris Von Erich on commentary as Chris fights out of the sleeper and bowls Austin over with a shoulderblock. However, Austin snuffs out the comeback attempt with a lariat.
Jeanie tags in and chokes and slaps away at Chris…until the Gentleman picks her up and ties her up in the ropes! NEVERMIND THAT SHIT, HERE COMES TONI! She gets some uncontested slaps…until a boot to the injured ribs halts that flurry. Now it’s a slugfest between the ladies! Jeanie tags out after a few seconds, but Austin ends up eating a superkick from Chris to send him to the outside!
Austin bumps all over the floor and gets crotched on the ring barrier post, then Adams deposits him back into the ring for a Boston Crab!
The women come in and scrap on the mat, rolling to the floor. As the melee ensues on the outside, Percy gets blasted with an errant slap from Toni! An incensed Pringle holds Toni for some free shots from Jeanie as the match is thrown out.
The Gentleman is tied up in the ropes as Chris Von Erich emerges to counteract Pringle! Austin decks the young Von Erich from behind as Jeanie continues beating away at Toni. Jeff Jarrett comes to the rescue, slugging away at Austin and Pringle!
However, Iceman King Parsons quickly comes out to get some of Double J! It’s absolute bedlam out there.
Chris Adams snatches a chair and blasts Austin, clearing the ring in the process.
*** - This was a stark improvement over July 4th as the action was much more varied and interesting. The chinlocks/sleepers didn’t feel as endless. Austin continues to look raw, but capable, while Chris Adams is doing an incredible job of holding everything together. The interactions between the women were again electric, Toni got some good revenge shots in on Jeanie, and the injured ribs coming into play is a great psychological touch.
Yes, it’s another inconclusive ending, but it still leaves the fans wanting more, and tying the Chris Von Erich/Percy Pringle and Jeff Jarrett/Iceman Parsons feuds into this segment made for a highly entertaining overall package.
THE TUGBOAT TRIBUNE
As always, the news comes courtesy of Dave Meltzer and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
In Dallas, Rod Price returned as a “fan” and attacked the outgoing Kerry Von Erich, causing him to drop his Texas title to Angel of Death.
This would be the very last USWA feud for Kerry before his jump to the WWF. The blowoff match is set for July 20th, but Kerry is set to work the WWF tapings on July 16th, so there may be a conflict, to say the least.
Vince McMahon is looking to throw his promotional hat into the ring of competitive bodybuilding!
Yeah, this will end well.
“The Model” Rick Martel has been missing dates, and the reason isn’t entirely clear.
Junkyard Dog and Lex Luger allegedly got into a bit of a backstage brawl after a house show in Canada.
Apparently, JYD tripped while getting a hot tag from Luger, and everyone, including Lex himself, laughed at him.
JYD allegedly got the best of that scrap.
NEXT TIME: Manami Toyota vs. Bull Nakano, SummerSlam updates, more Memphis mayhem, plenty from USWA Dallas and WCW, and more!
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