TCW II: It Takes Two, Night One Recap

TCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament - Round One

The Road Warriors vs. Johnny Valentine and Scott Taylor
Animal defeated Scott Taylor via disqualification at 4:22. *

The Road Warriors looked almost mortal, especially against Valentine, who hit Hawk with two ATOMIC SKULLCRUSHERS, but couldn't keep him down. In a surprising finish, Scott Taylor lost his temper in a brawl on the outside and hit Animal with a blatant chairshot, leading to the DQ.

Post-Match: As the bell rang, Animal no-sold the chair shot with fury in his eyes. Taylor thought about swinging it again, but he dropped the chair instead and booked it to the back. The Road Warriors followed after him, leaving Valentine to shake his head and walk back to the back with Lord Ewan.

The Bolsheviks vs. Lenny Lane and Ron Hutchinson
Lenny Lane defeated Boris Zhukov via submission (Boston Crab) at 1:04. *

In an absolutely shocking result, Lenny Lane used an early opening to take Zhukov down and lock him in the Boston Crab. Hutchinson cut off the save, and Zhukov had no choice but to tap out.

Chaz Taylor and Tugboat Taylor vs. Diamond Dallas Page and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan defeated Chaz Taylor via pinfall (piledriver) at 3:34. *

Tug got a quick pin attempt on Duggan with power moves at the start of the match, but his team took over from there and marched to a quick, easy victory.

The Original Midnight Express vs. The Midnight Express
Stan Lane defeated Dennis Condrey via pinfall (RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP) at 13:11. *1/2

What should have been a great match was marred by outside shenanigans, with much of the action focused on Bruiser Brody chasing Jim Cornette around and eventually away from ringside. With their general gone (and Heenan still with his men), Rose and Condrey eventually took the fall in the first round of what's sure to be an epic rivalry.

Vanity (Adrian Street and Gorgeous George) vs. Sam Houston and Wild Bill White
Gorgeous George defeated Sam Houston via submission (SPINNING TOE HOLD) at 1:24. 1/2*

This match was dominated by Gorgeous George while Street and their valet preened outside the ring. After toying with Houston for a minute, he put him down with a big scoop slam and applied his finisher to get the tap out victory.

King Kong Bundy and Ivan Koloff vs. The Valiant Brothers
Jimmy Valiant defeated King Kong Bundy via pinfall (BOOGIE WOOGIE ELBOW) at 15:04. ***

The Valiant Brothers showed outstanding tag team unity in this match, using their teamwork to overcome the power advantage of the other side. Slick did his best to distract the referee, but the Valiants were relentless, eventually dropping Bundy with a DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE and a BOOGIE WOOGIE ELBOW to keep him down for good.

"Dr. Death" Steve Williams and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase vs. Terry Gordy and Tully Blanchard
Ted DiBiase defeated Tully Blanchard via submission (COBRA CLUTCH) at 38:34. ****1/2

Gordy and Williams started off the match with a handshake as a show of mutual respect and a nod to their history, which infuriated the already agitated Ted DiBiase on the apron. "What are you doing? Get in there and do what you're paid to do! Take his head off!" Williams threw a quick glare at DiBiase, then charged his old partner to start off a barnburner.

For more than half an hour, the four men exchanged their best. At the match's end, Williams survived Blanchard's SLINGSHOT SUPLEX twice then rolled to the outside to catch his breath. Blanchard lined him up against the ring post and went for a big forearm, but Williams ducked the blow, leaving Blanchard to hit the post. They both rolled in slowly, but DiBiase got the tag, and quickly locked Blanchard into the COBRA CLUTCH, making sure to lock that same arm up in the old. Blanchard tapped immediately from the pain.

The Rock and Roll Express vs. The Machines (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine)
Ricky Morton defeated Greg Valentine via pinfall (dropkick) at 14:22. **1/4

It was a great, back and forth matchup, but the tag team expertise of the Rock and Roll Express was too much for the inexperienced pairing of the Machines. Valentine was tough, but a series of big dropkicks ended with one catching him flush on the jaw and leaving him down for a three count.