Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 132: Terry Gordy vs. Dr. Death (9/28/86)

They put a lot of people in a bull ring in Little Rock, Arkansas. They even put in two side by side rings. War Games? It wasn’t even done yet (first War Games was ’87). I’d guess a battle royal, back when that was a big draw still. Duggan comes out before Doc and Gordy square off again. He wants the winner. In those days that meant Gordy wins automatically unless a big turn was coming. Duggan would play the Eugene character if he came around today. What a dope.

Duggan is to self involved of a babyface to leave for some reason so Michael Hayes comes out to try and make him. This touches off a brawl between all four men, with Skandor Akbar’s traveling circus of monsters of the week (One Man Gang and some giant Mr. T-looking dude) comes out to get Duggan.

Man I hate the top babyface role in most every 1980s promotion. Even today they suck. The heel is almost always a nicer guy even in a worked sense. Somewhere in here Jim Ross curses (raw tape as he was in commercial and said “shit”. Great moment) and Hayes breaks Doc’s arm over the steel outside barricade. The fans chant “USA”, I guess because those chants will help heal Doc in storyline fashion.
Visually it looked like a great heel attack/injury angle. Doc gets carried to the back. Ross tells us it’s the elbow that’s hurt. As he talks Doc’s music hits. We go to the ring. It’s taped up and Gordy goes right at it.

Gordy mostly works over the arm in a dull fashion, but it’s Doc that makes the match with his spirited comebacks. He jabs, head butts, hair pulls, and spears Terry Gordy every time he’s down. Crowd eats it all up. Every hope spot has a lot of purpose and impact. Gordy sells them well too.

Gordy on offense is arm bars and short arm scissors. Its okay, but not what I watch Gordy for. He’s at least focusing it all on the injured elbow.

Doc’s midpoint comeback ends with a shoulder in the top turnbuckle. Gordy goes back to the short arm scissors. His pissed off looks as he got up from selling were really believable. Between his arm work and Doc’s comebacks I should love this, but I’m finding it dull because Gordy is completely grounded in a less-is-more offense.

They do a double clothesline and double-ten count for the end of match comeback. Gordy goes to the top, which has no logical purpose or sense, but past that it’s a small flaw. He bumps off and I notice that Doc really has not used that injured arm in this comeback or match. Very nice. Shoulderblock from Doc and Gordy is on his ass. A Football tackle sends Gordy down again. Piledriver while selling the arm. Doc hits it and pauses a while as he can’t cover because he’s a bit out of it. Match is getting really good. Two count on Gordy. Doc kills Gordy with a clothesline. Sells a few moments, which leads to only a two count.

Gordy goes upside down into the turnbuckle! Ouch. A bunch of nearfalls and a hot crowd. Hayes is out to distract. Gordy puts on the brass knuckles and pops Doc with the fist/object. Gordy wins!

Maybe it’s because I’m such a Gordy/Doc mark, but their matches always build to a strong crescendo before the finish, and the finish is usually satisfying as well. This one was an angle/storyline based match, but the feud needed one of these. Nice to see them work this out a bit different. Doc was on another level here. 3 ½ and 7/10.

Match Discussion Here