Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 134: The Fantastics vs. John Tatum & Jack Victory (11/4/86)

This match rules from the first image. It’s Hollywood John Tatum! He’s like a younger Jim Belushi, if Jim was younger and hammed it up with blond hair. I love that guy. His tag partner is Jacko – the journeyman Jack Victory, who was very inspired from the stuff I’ve seen, while in Mid South. The man has always had a gigantic fat ass. The Fantasics take forever, as usual, to get to the ring. Kissing girls and babies as Ross and Hayes on commentary talk about TV time remaining.

It should be mentioned how much the team of Ross and Hayes rule on commentary. The shows have great talent and hot crowds, but it’s the voices of those guys that really tipped the scales over in 1986.

First and foremost this match is fun. The heels show ass, as they say, and sell/pose/cry/whine. The faces look smart , thriow great dropkicks, and use some clever tag team moves. Once they hit the reversal and heel heat it really gets into gear. Bobby Fulton (no shock there) gets his foot grabbed, turns to glare, and then gets dropkicked in the back through the ropes. Victory is outside to catch him and dump him across the rail.

The work the heel heat qickly, but the plus side is the crowd stays hot. Double knock down and crawl to the corners spot. Tommy Rogers in as your house of fire. Four man brawl. Victory “Tullys” Rogers to the floor and they drop elbows on Fulton. The faces make a big comeback, well timed stuff, but with the ref distracted an elbow is dropped on the back on Roger’s head as he pins one of the heels, and the pin is reversed. New tag champs. Tatum and Victory stumble out of the ring with the belts.

It’s tough to do anything that resonates in six minutes or so, but these guys managed to squeeze a full match in, complete with all the fun opening stuff and some good interactions, and it was all wrestled well. The story is there, as was the athleticism. I was impressed. At 6 minutes it won’t be a classic or rank in my top 30-50 most likely, but I liked it a lot. It shows shorter matches don’t have to be rushed. 3 stars and 6.4/10.

Match Discussion Here