Burning Hammer DVD Review #21

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WG: Before They Were Famous
Compilation Tape

--Another in the Wrestling Gold series, this one consists of matches from future ECW, WCW, and WWF wrestlers back when they competed in SMW.

--Taped from all over the place

--Your hosts are various people on the original footage, and Jim Cornette & Dave Meltzer on insider commentary

--Headbangers V. Flash Flanagan, Chris Michaels. This was one of the Bangers first matches in SMW, and one of their first matches after unmasking and shedding their Spider personas. Bangers bail to the outside, so Flanagan follows them out with a Corkscrew Plancha. Bangers hit a SWEET~ Vertical Suplex/Splash off the top-rope combo on Flanagan. Mosh waits for Flanagan to get on the apron and hits his SWANK~ Springboard Clothesline to the outside. Bangers post Flanagan in the corner with a wishbone. Mosh gets the pin on Michaels at 11:39 after the Bangers hit their SWANK~ Stage Dive (Mosh hits a Powerbomb while at the same time Thrasher hits a Guillotine Legdrop.) *** Good tag wrestling, Flanagan was good as usual, and the Bangers were really on their game, and matches like this show how bad the WWF dropped the ball with them.

--Paul Miller V. Bob Holly. Miller's never done much of anything, and Holly is the same asshole that currently resides in the WWE today, but at this time he was known as ÒHollywoodÓ Bob Holly. Holly gets the pin at 3:29 aired with a Missile Dropkick. 3/4* Squash match.

--Jerry Lynn V. Killer Kyle. This was right around the time when Lynn was making a name for himself on the Indy scene with his matches against Lightning Kid. Kyle gets the pin at 2:35 aired after hitting a Bearhug-Spinebuster combo move. 1/2* Squash match.

--Dark Secret V. Dixie Dy-No-Mite. Secret & Dixie are two masked wrestlers, Secret is Road Dogg and Dixie is his brother Scott Armstrong. Secret is wearing a mask because he was very green here, and also because he was still an active member of the United States Marine Corps at the time of this match. Dixie was under a mask because of the ongoing Bob Armstrong Commissioner angle. Dixie gets the pin at 2:35 with a Superkick. 1/4* Nothing match.

--International Match: Crash the Terminator V. Miguel Perez Jr. Crash is the future Hugh Morrus & Bill DeMott, while those who don't follow Puerto Rican wrestling will know Perez from his stint in the WWF as a member of Los Boriquas. No real reason for the match, Crash & Perez both wanted US TV exposure so SMW gave it to them. Perez comes off the top-rope with an Armdrag, and Crash counters with a Springboard Clothesline for a 2 count. Powerslam by Crash gets 2. Crash misses a Moonsault Press and Perez hits a Missile Dropkick. Perez follows that up with a motherfucking SWANK~ Space Flying Tiger Drop (Handspring Moonsault Bodyblock to the outside.) Kevin Sullivan & Nightstalker come out and attack both men to make the match a no-contest at 5:00. **1/2 Match was rocking while it lasted with some real cool shit from both guys.

--Kevin Sullivan, Nightstalker V. Brian Lee, Tim Horner. Nightstalker would be better known under his other identities, Adam Bomb, Wrath, and Bryan Clarke. Horner gets the pin on Nightstalker at 6:57 after Tasmaniac accidentally hits him with a Money Shot (Splash off the top-rope.) * Okay match, but nothing special.

--Tasmaniac V. Robert Gibson. Tasmaniac is the future Taz back when he still dressed like a jungle monkey. Gibson gets the pin at 4:01 with a Bulldog. 1/4* Nothing match.

--Chris Canyon V. Brian Lee (W/Tammy Fytch). Canyon is better known around the world as the master of the Kanyon Cutter, Kanyon. Da Meltz brings an interesting fact about Canyon, he was trained to wrestle by Fabulous Moolah. Lee gets the pin at 2:09 with a Kneedrop off the top-rope. 1/4* Squash match.

--SMW United States Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: Louis Spicoli V. Chris Candido (W/Tammy Fytch). Spicoli spent some time in Mexico as Madonna's Boyfriend, and in WWF as Rad Radford, along with wrestling in both ECW and WCW before his death in the late 90's. Spicoli goes all out in the first couple of minutes, unleashing a plethora of high flying moves culminating in a Frankensteiner. Candido gets the pin at 6:05 with a Jackknife Rollup after interference from Fytch. * Okay match, it was completely dead in the middle portion thanks to Spicoli gassing himself out in the first minute.

--Thrillseekers V. Infernos. Seekers are Chris Jericho & Lance Storm, while the Infernos are a pair of masked wrestlers, Fire, career jobber Anthony Michaels, and Brimstone, future Disciple Of Synn member Damian. Storm gets the pin on Brimstone at 3:00 after the Seekers hit him with Stereo Missile Dropkicks. * Okay match, but nothing special.

--SMW Tag Team Championship Match: Gangstas (W/Posse) V. Rock 'N' Roll Express. The Gangstas Posse consists of a couple of guys who I don't know. Gibson gets the pin on Mustafa at 8:02 with a Sunset Flip after a Morton Dropkick. 1/4* A whole lotta nothing, wait, there was something, stalling.

--D-Lo Brown V. Steve Armstrong. Brown is very young and very heavy at this extremely early stage in his career. Armstrong gets the disqualification win at 4:31 when the Gangstas come down to the ring and attack him. 1/2* Some decent basic stuff that went nowhere.

--Boo Bradley (W/Tammy Fytch) V. Cactus Jack. Bradley would go on to wrestle as Xanta Clause in the WWF and Balls Mahoney everywhere else. Both men fight on the outside for a double count-out draw at 4:18. 1/2* Pretty pointless match.

--Eddie Gilbert, Unabomb V. Rock 'N' Roll Express. Unabomb is the future Isaac Yankem D.D.S. & Diesel II, but he would go on to his greatest fame in the WWF/E as Undertaker's brother Kane. This would also be Gilbert's last match in the United States before his death in Puerto Rico. Express get the disqualification win at 6:07 when Gilbert tosses Gibson over the top-rope. 1/2* Stall-o-rama, there was almost nothing but stalling.

--Al Snow (W/Unabomb) V. Ricky Morton (W/Robert Gibson). Amazingly enough despite the fact that Snow had been one of the best independent wrestlers in the business for around twelve years at this point his stint in SMW was his first exposure of any kind on TV. Morton labels Snow with a series of Punches early on, so Snow has to run to Unabomb for protection. Unabomb slips a pair of brass knuckles to Snow who promptly busts Morton open with them, and then further works open the cut with boots to Morton's forehead. SWANK~ series of blocked Punches leads to a Morton Backslide for a 2 count, which was in the middle of a real good pinfall reversal sequence. Snow gets 2 with a Powerslam. Snow moves out of the way of a charging Morton and sends him flying into the turnbuckles. Snow misses a Mega-Hertz (Lionsault off the top-rope) attempt which allows Morton a chance to go back on offense. Snow brings the brass knuckles back into play, but this time, after a bit of a struggle, Morton wrenches the knucks away and lays out Snow for the pin at 11:22. ***1/2 Real good match, everything was crisp, and Morton, as usual, was great as the babyface in peril. Snow did get a little loose with the psychology late in the match, but otherwise a real good match and a real good performance from Snow.

--Final Flash: So-so card this time around, but Cornette & Meltzer were once again great on commentary. Wrestling wise there was a good opening tag match, and a real good Morton/Snow match to end the DVD, along with a surprisingly good match from Crash the Terminator & Miguel Perez Jr., which all make this DVD worth at least a look.

Mildly Recommended

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