-Today we take a look at Starrcade '87 from the NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions.
-Starrcade '87 Chi-Town Heat Glory Bound was held Thanksgiving Afternoon & Evening November 26, 1987 from the UIC pavilion in Chicago, IL. There were 8,000 in attendance. It was the first NWA event to be broadcast live on pay-per-view, and was shown on closed circuit at 100 different venues like previous Starrcade events had been. The show did a 3.30 buy rate. This was the first major JCP event to feature wrestlers from the Universal Wrestling Federation which was purchased by JCP shortly before the event.
-Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross welcome us to Starrcade.
-6-Man Tag Match. Jimmy Garvin, Michael Hayes, and Sting with Precious vs. Eddie Gilbert, Rick Steiner, and Larry Zbyszko with Babydoll: It takes a while to get started. Steiner and Sting start. Steiner with a clothesline and then goes to rush Sting, but Sting ducks and Steiner falls to the outside. Sting with a suicide dive to fire the crowd up. Sting throws Steiner in and hits a top rope dropkick. All 6 are in and brawling now. The faces with the advantage. They clear the ring. Hayes tagged in. He beats on Steiner. Garvin tagged in and hit a backdrop. Zbyszko tagged in. A Larry sucks chant goes out. Garvin beats Zbyszko down. Hayes tagged in and hit a back elbow. Gilbert tagged in. They lock up. Gilbert is bumping hard. Sting tagged in. He beats Gilbert. He hits Gilbert with a clothesline. Gilbert with a clothesline of his own. Steiner tagged in. Sting with an arm bar. Garvin tagged in. He gets a sunset flip for a two count. Heels get Garvin in their corner and beat him down. Zbyszko in and gets a slam for a two count. Gilbert tagged in and gets a backbreaker for a two count. Garvin is trying to come back. Steiner enters and overpowers Garvin with a big power slam. Steiner with a bear hug. Garvin gets out, but Zbyszko tagged in. He gets an abdominal stretch. Ten minutes elapsed. Garvin gets out, and Sting tagged in. He cleans house. Gilbert comes in and beats Sting down and throws Sting out. Gilbert gets a two count. He drops a knee on Sting. Zbyszko in and Sting reverses a suplex. Steiner tagged in. Three minutes left. Steiner beats Sting down in the corner. Sting runs Steiner into the ring post to break a sleeper. Two minutes left. Hayes and Gilber tagged in, and the crowd went wild. All six men in. Hayes pins Zbyszko, but his foot was on the ropes. The referee is trying to get the extra men out. Steiner tagged in. He bear hugs Hayes. 30 seconds left. Gilbert in. It's wild, but goes to a draw. They continue to fight until the heels bail. The crowd boos.
-Missy Hyatt welcomes us to Starrcade and runs down some of what we are going to see.
-UWF Heavyweight Championship Match. Steve Williams vs. Barry Windham: Windham is the Western States Heritage Champion, but let's not get into that debacle. Both men look all business. They shake hands. Williams with a slam. He military presses Windham. Windham with a pin attempt, but Williams kicks out. Windham with an arm bar. They fight to the outside. Back in, Windham with a headlock. Williams with a belly to back suplex. Windham with a gut wrench suplex. Williams back to the headlock. Windham with a belly to back suplex, but Williams doesn't let go. Windham finally breaks free. Back and forth. Williams goes for a leapfrog, but doesn't clear Windham and gets hit in the groin. He is in pain. The referee counts Williams, but Windham stops the count. Williams gets to his feet. The referee checks on him. Windham with a side headlock takeover. They trade moves. Williams ducks a crossbody attempt and Windham spills to the outside. He gets back in, and Williams attacks him as he comes through the ropes and gets the pin. The crowd boos.
-Scaffold match. The Midnight Express Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton with Jim Cornette and Big Bubba vs. The Rock 'N Roll Express Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson: The MX are the US Tag Champions, but this is a non-title match. It takes a while to get started. They start to climb up. Bubba hits Morton with the Bubba slam before he goes up. MX attacked Gibson on the scaffold. Bubba starts to climb, but Morton gets Cornette's racket and hits Bubba with it, and then Morton climbs up. He hits Eaton with the Racket. He slams Eaton down. They pair off. Gibson is bleeding. Eaton has powder and hits the RNR with it. Double team to Gibson. Morton hits Eaton with the racket. Back and forth. Lane is trying to throw Gibson off. Eaton gets the racket and hits Morton and goes to hit Gibson, who blocks it and the racket goes flying. Lane hanging off the scaffold. Eaton gets the racket again and uses it on Gibson. Gibson gets it and hits Eaton with it as Morton goes after Lane. Lane is kicking at Morton. Morton knocks Lane off. Morton climbs up. Double team to Eaton. They drop him off to win the match. Cornette sends Bubba up the scaffold. He faces off against Morton. Morton hits Bubba in the crotch and the RNR climb down. When the payoffs came for the event. Big Bubba would receive half the amount that the others received despite having climbed the scaffold and the risk of possibly falling off. Because of this, he would leave JCP to show up in the WWF as the Big Boss Man. The crowd celebrates as Morton puts on Bubba's coat and hat.
-Jim and Tony recap some of what we have seen. Bob Caudle interviews Jimmy Garvin, Precious, and Michael Hayes. They are excited to be a part of Starrcade '87. They then talk about the Main Event. Caudle then talks to Steve Williams. He says Barry Windham gave him quite the fight, but he is still the best. Jim and Tony then talk about the Bunkhouse Stampede's coming up in December. They then talk about the TV Title Unification Match.
-TV Title Unification Match. UWF TV Champion Terry Taylor with Eddie Gilbert vs. NWA TV Champion Nikita Koloff: Gilbert and Taylor out first. Koloff is intense as he comes out. The bell rings. The belts are presented. They circle each other. A Nikita chant goes out. They lock up and Koloff pushes off. They vie for position. Taylor with an arm drag. Taylor with a side headlock. Koloff pushes off again. Koloff with a front face lock. They get into the ropes. Taylor regroups with Gilbert. Taylor with a wrist lock. Koloff reverses it. Taylor goes over the top rope to break the hold. Koloff drags him back in, and Gilbert wants to know why referee Earl Hebner didn't break the hold. Koloff works on Taylor's arm. Koloff with a hammerlock. Taylor reverses it. Koloff with a back elbow. He gets Taylor down. Koloff with a two count, but Taylor is in the ropes. Taylor rolls out to regroup again. They trade blows. Koloff with a backdrop. Koloff with a two count, and Taylor rolls out again. Koloff grabs Taylor by the hair to get him back in. Koloff with a corner charge. Taylor gets a knee up and almost gets a pin. Koloff with a hammerlock. Taylor is desperate to get out. He gets to the ropes. Taylor with a thumb to the eyes and attacks Koloff. Koloff goes back to the arm bar. Back and forth. Koloff chokes Taylor. Koloff goes for the Russian Sickle, but Taylor ducks, and Koloff hits the corner. Taylor kicks Koloff's arm, and he falls out. Taylor runs Koloff's arm into the barricade. Taylor runs Koloff's shoulder into the post. A Nikita chant goes out. Hebner gets Taylor away, allowing Gilbert to attack the arm. Taylor attacks Koloff while he is down. Koloff tries to attack, but his arm is hurt. Taylor goes for a sunset flip, but Koloff doesn't go down and hits Taylor with a punch. Koloff reverses a suplex. 15 minutes left. Koloff beats Taylor with corner mounted punches. Taylor gets out with an inverted atomic drop. Taylor covers Koloff with his foot on the ropes, but Hebner sees it. Taylor argues with Hebner, and Koloff gets a roll up for a two count. Koloff reverses a piledriver attempt into a backdrop. Taylor rolls out. Koloff follows, and Taylor attacks Koloff as Koloff was trying to get in and as Hebner was admonishing Taylor. Gilbert attacks Koloff from behind. Taylor puts Koloff in the figure four. He almost gets a pin attempt. Gilbert grabs Taylor's arms for leverage as Koloff tries to hold. on. They get caught, and Henber makes Taylor break the hold. Gilbert attacks Koloff. Koloff grabs Gilbert. Taylor goes to attack Koloff from behind, but hits Gilbert when Koloff moves. Koloff hits the Russian Sickle to get the pin and unify the titles, and the crowd loves it. He holds up both TV titles.
-NWA World Tag Team Championship Match. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard with JJ Dillon vs. The Road Warriors Hawk and Animal with Paul Ellering: The Road Warriors are in their gimmick hometown and they get a tremendous pop when they come out. The Horsemen look all business. Hawk and Anderson start. Hawk grabs Anderson by the throat. Anderson breaks with a knee. He goes up top, but gets slammed off. He rolls out to regroup with Blanchard and Dillon. Anderson gets back in. Anderson with a side headlock. Hawk powers out. Anderson rolls out again. He gets back in as Blanchard and Dillon square up outside with Animal and Ellering. Referee Tommy Young breaks it up, though. Blanchard tagged in, and Hawk overpowered him. He bounces around for both Road Warriors as Hawk and Blanchard then go out and fight in the aisle. Hawk throws Blanchard in. He hits a dropkick for a two count. Animal comes in and catches Blanchard with a power slam as Blanchard was coming off the top rope. Anderson tagged in. Anderson attacks Animal in the corner. Animal with shots to Blanchard and Anderson. Hawk tagged in. He catches Anderson with a bear hug. Blanchard tagged in. Hawk overpowers a double team attempt, tags Animal in, and throws Blanchard into Animal's arms, and Animal gets a bear hug. Animal with an inverted atomic drop. Back and forth. Blanchard is selling his ass off. Anderson tagged in. Anderson with a side headlock. Animal with a backdrop. He military presses Anderson. Hawk tagged in and slams both heels. Heels double team Hawk. Blanchard attacks Hawk's knee. They get Hawk outside and continue the assault. Blanchard attacks Hawk's leg with a chair. He gets Hawk back in for a two count. Blanchard attacks the leg some more. Anderson tagged in and continued the attack. Hawk kicks Anderson away. Blanchard tagged in. He puts the figure four on. Anderson tagged in. He can't get the pin. Hawk gets his knees-up on an attack, and Animal tagged in. He cleans house. All four men are in, and referee Tommy Young takes a hard bump to the outside. Anderson backdropped to the outside. They then hit the Doomsday Device on Anderson, and referee Earl Hebner counts the pin, and it looks like we have new Tag Team Champions, but looks can be deceiving. Watch them kill the town, folks. Young comes in and disqualifies the Road Warriors. They leave with the belts as a bullshit chant goes out.
-Jack Gregory and Magnum T.A. talk about what we just saw and then discuss the upcoming matches.
-Bob Caudle talks to Nikita Koloff. He says Terry Taylor is a great wrestler and gave him a good match. Now he is the unified Television champion and is now looking to be the World's Champion. Caudle then talks to JJ Dillon. He talks about the last match and the matches yet to come. He says Lex Luger is the perfect athlete, and he has the perfect plan. Jim and Tony then talk about the next match.
-NWA United States Championship Cage Match. Lex Luger with JJ Dillon vs. Dusty Rhodes: If Rhodes loses, he can't wrestle for 90 days. Luger out first. Rhodes with a great ovation when he comes out. Johnny Weaver will hold the key to the cage. They lock the cage. The bell rings, and they circle each other. They lock up and drive to the corner. They break and trade blows. Luger tries to intimidate Rhodes. Rhodes mocks Luger. They lock up again. Rhodes unloads on Luger and hits the Bionic Elbow. He puts on the Weaver Lock, and Luger gets to the ropes immediately. Luger with a side headlock. Rhodes counters with the Weaver Lock again, and Luger again gets to the ropes. Luger with a snap mare. He goes to drop an elbow. Rhodes moves and gets an arm bar on. Luger tries to get loose. Luger gets to the corner. Luger misses a corner charge, and Rhodes goes back to working on the arm. He gets Luger down. He stomps on the arm. Rhodes beats Luger down in the corner. Luger comes back and kicks Rhodes down. He runs Rhodes into the cage. Luger gets a two count. Rhodes is busted open. Luger continues the assault. Luger drops an elbow for a two count. Rhodes reverses an Irish whip and gets a dropkick. Luger signals for the Torture Rack. He goes for it, but Rhodes grabs the cage. Luger chokes Rhodes on the ropes. He gets a two count. He puts a wrist lock on Rhodes. Into an arm bar. Rhodes tries to get out. Luger brings Rhodes back to the mat. Rhodes gets back to his feet. Luger takes him back down. Rhodes again gets back to his feet. Luger beats Rhodes in the corner. Rhodes comes back with an elbow. He gets a two count. Luger misses a clothesline, and Rhodes gets the Weaver Lock on again. JJ nails Weaver and takes the key. He tries to get in. Hebner comes over and tells him to get away. Hebner then gets hit accidentally. JJ throws a chair in the ring. Luger goes to grab the chair, and Rhodes DDTs Luger on the chair and gets the pin to become the new US champion. The crowd cheers. Rhodes grabs the title and leaves.
-Tony and Jim talk about the main event and Tony is so good here talking about 5 years ago a man walked into the cage at Starrcade a challenger and walked out the champion and that man was Ric Flair. Tony asks if it can happen again.
-Cage match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Ronnie Garvin vs. Ric Flair: Flair out first, and he gets some cheers. Garvin comes out looking serious. Tom Miller makes the introductions. The bell rings, and they lock up. They drive to the corner and break. They chop each other. Another lock up and break, and they go back to chopping each other. Flair chopped down and backs off. Garvin with a side headlock. He goes back to chopping Flair. Garvin with a corner whip and backdrop. He gets a headbutt and an arm bar. Garvin with corner mounted punches. Garvin with the Garvin Stomp and the kids in Bristol are jealous. He rakes Flairs back. They trade chops again. Flair with a low blow to Garvin. Both men down. Flair with an inverted atomic drop. He beats Garvin in a corner. He snap mares Garvin out of the corner and gets a two count. Flair goes back to attacking Garvin in the corner. Flair with the figure four. Garvin is fighting the pain. Flair uses the ropes for leverage. Referee Tommy Young is checking on Garvin. Garvin reverses the figure four, and Flair gets to the ropes. Garvin tries to get up, and Flair attacks him again. Flair chops Garvin in the corner. Garvin runs Flair into the cage repeatedly. Garvin attacks Flair. Garvin bites Flair. Flair is bloody and climbs the cage. They battle on the top rope. Garvin beats Flair in the corner. Flair goes up top, but gets caught and slammed off, so TASIYDAH. Garvin with the figure four. Flair fighting the pain. Garvin gets a two count. Flair gets to the ropes. Garvin goes back to attacking the legs. He chops Flair in the corner. Flair ran into the cage. Garvin with a crossbody for a close two count. A backslide gets another two count. Garvin chops Flair, who is trapped between the ropes and the cage. They climb the cage again. Garvin headbutts Flair, who crotches himself on the top rope. Garvin goes for the sunset flip, but Flair drops down and grabs the ropes. Young catches Flair, and Garvin rolls Flair up for a two count. Garvin chops Flair in the corner. He follows it up with corner mounted punches. Flair with an inverted atomic drop and slams Garvin into Young. Garvin with a knockout punch for a two count. Garvin ran into the cage and Flair gets the pin to become the NWA champion. Flair grabs the title and leaves the cage and walks out with JJ and Jim Crockett. Tony and Jim recap what has happened and sign off from Chicago.
-End Credits.
-Final Thoughts: Not a bad show, but the beginning of the end for JCP.