This is the final new episode of 1981, as next week is a best of 1981 episode. I’m still recapping that since we only started a few weeks ago, they should be mostly new stuff. Last week we ended with the Sheik stalling to avoid doing the Persian Club Challenge, after Paul Ellering did fifty reps. This week Sheik has to complete the challenge and do one hundred reps. Also this week Bob Orton and Bob Roop team up in action. Let’s go to the ring.
We’re welcomed to the show by Lloyd Pierce, and this week he is joined by Cowboy Bill Watts! Lloyd says we will see Ted DiBiase in action among others, but first the Iron Sheik and his Persian Club Challenge. Bill says the mail in challenge is almost up, as it ends at the start of the new year and people have picked some amazing matches.
1. Jerry Novak & Rick Ferrara v. Mike George & Carlos Zapata
Zapata filling in for the Junkyard Dog, who’s having knee issues as George and Ferrara start out with George in control. In the ropes and Ferrara gets a shot in, tagging in Novak and they double team George. Ferrara looks so small compared to Novak, as George is in trouble early. Zapata comes in to save and Novak tosses him to cement and Ferrara slams him down hard. More double teaming on George as the ref loses control, George able to fight back and sends the heels into each other. Dropkicks send Novak out and another gets a pin on Ferrara.
1. Mike George & Carlos Zapata defeat Jerry Novak & Rick Ferrara
They recap Ellering doing the Persian Club Challenge from last week. In the ring is the Sheik, Akbar and Ellering, as Sheik is ready to do the Challenge. Sheik does over on hundred reps and wins the challenge, Ellering says last week he did fifty and this is a new week. Ellering says he wants do it again this week, Akbar agrees, Ellering brings up the hostage situation in Iran from last year, which is pretty tasteless to use in an angle. Sheik and Akbar stand back as Ellering hoists up the Clubs and begins anew. At fifty two Sheik jumps Ellering and just unloads on him. Referee tries to break it up and gets tossed to the floor, Sheik locks on the Camel Clutch as Akbar waves the Iranian flag. Ellering powers out of the Clutch, but Sheik stays right on him. Ellering comes back with a slam. As Ellering goes for the neckbreaker Akbar drives the flag into his midsection. Sheik nails a gut-wrench suplex on Ellering and a vertical suplex, as he lays a beating on Ellering. Another referee comes out and they finally get Sheik and Akbar out of the ring, leaving Ellering laid out.
2. Paul Orndorff v. Brian Blair
They lockup and neither can get the advantage, as Watts talks about the attack on Ellering. Watts says since it wasn’t a sanctioned match no fines can be levied on Sheik for the attack. We see Roop at ringside watching Orndorff, who he’s been training. Orndorff takes down Blair, who counters with a headscissors and Blair almost pins Orndorff. Orndorff counters to a leg grapevine and cranks away on the knee. Blair reverses to a hammerlock and begins to work the shoulder. Orndorff powers up but Blair with a dropkick and into an armbar. The announcers talk about next week being a best of episode with highlights of matches. If it’s just clips I’m not going to bother, but if it’s the full matches that might be fun. Orndorff uses his power to take Blair over, but Blair quickly back to the arm. Orndorff pulls the hair and shoots him in, Blair goes for a rollup but Orndorff holds the ropes sending Blair crashing to the mat. Orndorff quickly stomps away on Blair, then smashes his head into the turnbuckle. High knee, ala Harley Race, from Orndorff and goes to send him into the buckle but Blair reverses and unloads on Orndorff. Great back and forth action, as Orndorff catches Blair off the ropes with a powerslam. Figure Four attempt and Blair kicks him off, Orndorff then goes for a suplex but Blair reverses it as the crowd explodes. Blair locks on the Figure Four as Roop jumps to his feet and screams at Orndorff to reverse the momentum and pressure. Orndorff able to turn it over and Blair screaming in pain but trying not to submit. The ref calls for the bell, but Blair screaming he doesn’t quit, as Orndorff refuses to release the hold. ***1/2 a really good match with an ending that really put over the Figure Four.
2. Paul Orndorff wins over Brian Blair via ref stoppage ***1/2
3. Mike Boyer v. Ted DiBiase
Ted quickly tries for a rollup into the ropes, and they lockup up with a clean break in the ropes. Top wristlock from DiBiase sends Boyer to the ropes, waistlock takes Mike down and Ted into the front facelock now as he outwrestles Mike. Boyer gets a shot in on the ropes and just hammers DiBiase in the corner but Ted blocks a snapmare and sends Mike to the corner. Back body drop and a perfect dropkick from Ted, followed by the powerslam into the Figure Four for the win.
3. Ted DiBiase crushed Mike Boyer
4. Mike Bond & Frank Monte v. Bob Roop & Bob Orton Jr
Roop starts with Bond and takes him down easily, but Bond comes back and Roop tags in Orton. Sunset flip from Bond gets a near fall, Bond tags in Monte who nails Orton with the shoulderblock. Roop back in and overpowers Monte to the corner, but Monte fights back with a nice dropkick sending Roop to his corner where Orton tags himself in. Orton with a shoulderblock but then runs into a powerslam, Roop climbs the ropes, and Bond goes after him drawing the referee’s attention. This allows a double team on Monte, and Roop comes in and goes for a slam, but Monte with a rollup, too close to Orton who tags himself in again and drops a leg on Monte. He tosses Monte aside, and Bond comes in and takes on both men. Criss cross and a blind tag as Bond rolls up Orton, but Roop is the legal man and stomps on Bond. Tag to Orton as Roop holds him in a backbreaker, Orton drops an elbow across the chest of Bond. Piledriver from Orton scores the win.
4. Bob Orton & Bob Roop defeat Mike Bond & Frank Monte
5. Ed Wiskoski v. Tommy Renesto Jr
Tom charges at Ed, who catches him in quick powerslam then drives Tom into the turnbuckle. Ed just smothers Tom with a series of shots and stomps, as Tom is getting destroyed. Tom tries to fire back but Ed rams him into the turnbuckle again and drives a knee to the back. Snapmare from Ed followed by a huge slam and cover gets two. Ed gets sent to the corner and Tom charges, right into a big boot. Ed nails an Atomic Drop and then the side backbreaker over the knee for three.
5. Ed Wiskoski destroyed Tommy Renesto Jr
6. Don Serrano v. Iron Sheik
Sheik jumps Serrano during the introductions and tosses him from the ring. Ellering charges the ring and attacks Sheik drawing the disqualification win from Sheik. Ellering unloads on Sheik, smashing him into the turnbuckle followed by a backdrop. Sheik begs off and Ellering is relentless all over him. Akbar pulls Sheik out and they bail out.
6. Iron Sheik over Don Serrano by disqualification
MATCH RECAP
1. Mike George & Carlos Zapata defeat Jerry Novak & Rick Ferrara
2. Paul Orndorff wins over Brian Blair via ref stoppage ***1/2
3. Ted DiBiase crushed Mike Boyer
4. Bob Orton & Bob Roop defeat Mike Bond & Frank Monte
5. Ed Wiskoski destroyed Tommy Renesto Jr
6. Iron Sheik over Don Serrano by disqualification
A fantastic episode this week with a surprisingly good match between Orndorff and Blair. Great action plus the feud between Ellering and Sheik escalated and should build to a great contest. What a way to end the year. The next episode is just highlights so I’m not going to bother with that, so we have come to the end of 1981. Looking forward to what 1982 is going to bring us, as we lose WWF in two months, but we do have World Class from Texas starting up. Should be a great year.
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