Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 125: Terry Gordy vs. Hacksaw Duggan (8/3/86)

Seems like yet another match from the TV tapings in Tulsa. Always a great crowd. Dibiase seconds Duggan while Hayes is with his “Big Brother”, Terry Bam Bam Gordy. This match is for the UWF title. Booker Ken Mantell comes out to make Dibiase and Hayes go to the back under threats of suspension and loss of pay. He starts a count and the whole building does it with him. Very cool stuff. No move by move review. We’ll get into nuts and bolts overview stuff.

The UWF belt looks like the ROH belt of today. Guess we know where Sapolsky got the inspiration from. Doesn’t surprise me.

They do a good version of the formula having heel Gordy attack and then get shown up and bail once or twice. This feels like the running of the bulls with these two guys. I don’t like how much Gordy bumps, but again, it was what Gordy did then. He bails out at the right time when the 3 point stance is teased. I liked Duggan going for an early pin in a hot TV match up, but hated that Gordy didn’t kick out at one. When Gordy went for a pin Duggan kicked out. They did do a small tease of Gordy’s lariat and then slowed it down. Gordy does some good work on the knee, but again, gives Hacksaw to much in little ways. I want him as a heel and a big guy to body him around and be stronger with him. They cut out little from the commercial as Gordy had a rest hold on the knee.

The reversal comes after more knee work when Gordy pulls a knee pad down but misses the knee drop. Hacksaw smashes the knee into the steel ring post, but oddly enough Gordy is up and selling more in a woozy way. The no-sell and heat were good, but if the heels coming back could he at least make it like he can’t be hurt or he is but out thought the face in the moment? I wish. Instead Gordy kicks the gut, pile driver, and a two count with an awkward kick out. Fans are still very into this though. Adriatic Spike? Teased, and then done. Very good third gear reversals. One way of the other they’ve gotten “there” in a quicker TV match frame work, though I’m not a huge fan of how the details came out.

Gordy had the spike in as a submission and Hacksaw started to rise up at the peak, and Gordy brought him right back down. Killer good. They do it again and the fans stay with it. Would have been given up on today. Duggan is out. They do a double bump and double count. More crowd noise and hysteria.

This has gotten very good. Gordy up top and Duggan makes him do the Flair bump. Duggan fists, off the ropes and Gordy with a desperation sleeper. Great close up on Duggan here and great announcing.

Duggan with a comeback and lariat. He has little else as he jumps and chops Gordy’s shoulders, but that’s not the poiont. The emotional response is there from the fans, even if Duggan often takes me out of the match with his bullshit.

Duggan beats the man so much he tosses the ref out of his way to keep on Gordy. He has Gordy in the tree of Woe upside down in the corner. He even hits his goofy spear. The original TV broadcast ends and it’s picked up moments later in a segment from the next week of TV. Somehow Gordy ended up tied up in the ropes to the delight of fans. Duggan has looked like he’ll win for a while now and the fans smell the title change.

Crap. RAW or Nitro main event finish. Buddy Roberts runs in, but Duggan comes back (typical) before some masked guy comes in to help him out. It looks like TA in a mask but he may have been in his accident by this time. DQ win for Duggan.

Even with the finish after a great match and even with Duggan’s shenanigans and Gordy’s giving sells, I loved this match and it sucked me in. whenever I start sitting up and typing more when I say I won’t I can tell I’m connected, and I was plugged in for this one. Didn’t Gordy have a match with a face Dibiase from a house show somewhere with a clean finish? I bet Dibiase would make him play strong tough man and be more clever about out-dueling the big heel, which is a match I’d love to see. At least I’ll get more Doc/Gordy on this set. 3 ¾ and 7.6/10.

Match Discussion Here