The Samoan Swat Team vs Cougar Jay & Jerry Price NWA WCW World Wide Wrestling 07-21-1989
I miss the PWI Almanac
For those who don't recall it, starting in the late 90s Pro Wrestling Illustrated released a yearly almanac. I thought that was implied by calling it the PWI Almanac, but since you begged me for clarification. For a giant wrestling nerd like me it was great, because it featured every PWI 500 ranking ever, every champion of every company ever, every PPV result ever, and tons more I'm forgetting and don't feel like researching. I read that thing constantly. That's back when I was one of them there readers. I didn't want to talk to my family because I was a pre-teen, so I would bring my PWI magazines or PWI Almanac to the dining room table and just read it. I just was constantly thumbing through it. My dad actually once yelled at me for taking too much time in the bathroom. It dawned on me years later he thought I was masturbating, when it actuality I was just taking my time pooping and reading WCW PPV results. I WASNT JERKING OFF I WAS READING ABOUT CHARLIE NORRIS DAD
So because of the Almanac there are names and shows that suck with me that wouldn't otherwise. The main show that always fascinated me was Starcade 1989. Starrcade 1989 had a very unique format, as instead of a traditional PPV it was essentially built around a singles and tag team Round Robin tournament. I've never seen the show so I have no idea if it's good, but reading it it fascinated me. It featured The Steiners, The Road Warriors, Doom , and The Samoan Swat Team. Wait, who the hell are The Samoan Swat Team? Were they cops who didn't wear shoes? I had no idea who the hell they were, and it's not like it was easy to find that info our back then. I just had to assume it was some tag team that had a short WCW run in 1989. I didn't realize that The Samoan Swat Team were The Headshrinkers for a long time. I loved The Headshrinkers man, so sometime around the advent of YouTube I got curious and decided to see what The Samoan Swat Team were all about.
This blog doesn't exist without The Samoan Swat Team
I love The Headshrinkers and I'm excited to compare and contrast them vs The SST, but The SST are probably the greatest squash match team of all time. Rob Naylor used to make comp tapes and would also have a list of "Wimpy Matches", hence the blog name. I remember one time it was pretty much exclusively SST matches. They are absolutely insane. The Headshrinkers were great, but from what I've seen of them in NWA, The SST were the fun kind of reckless. Not drunk driving reckless, but drunk golf cartsdriving reckless.
Tonight we flash back to 1989 and an edition of NWA/WCW World Wide Wrestling. Real catchy program title. The Samoan Swat Team of Fatu and Samu are taking on the jobber dream team of Cougar Jay and Jerry Price. . The Samoan Swat Team entrance is absolutely legendary. They emerge from the smoke as The Halloween Theme plays. No not Monster Mash, that's the unofficial Halloween theme. If you go to a Halloween party and they don't play Monster Mash at least three times then that party sucks. Graveyard Smashes aside, The SST look like killers. Speaking of Killers, Paul E Dangerously is here. He didn't kill anyone, just Shane Douglas' credit score. The SST rush the ring, beat up Cougar and Price and gives Paul E a chance to cut a promo hyping up War Games. Cougar and Price make the mistake of still trying to wrestle so the SST kick their ass. Cougar Jay tossed to the outside, and Jerry Price left alone.
This isn't Hyperbole
This isn't a lie
What happens next might be the craziest wrestling move of all time
The SST whip Price into the ropes and DELIVER A BACKBODY DROP SHO HIGH PRICE FLIES INTO THE ROPES AND BOUNCES ONTO HIS HEAD. ITS AMAZING HE CAN STILL WALK. It's also crazy to realize, they were pretty fucking close to just throwing him out of the ring. SOMEHOW LANDING ON HIS NECK IN THE RING WAS THE BETTER OPTION. It's made even better by Paul E's sincere cackling of laughter on the outside. Well, the referee stopped the match. Nope this was the 80s, let's keep this going. TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS MOTHERFUCKERS. Samu brings Price up the ropes and DOES A SECOND ROPE BACKDROP ONTO A MAN WHOS NECK CANNOT BE ATTACHED RIGHT NOW. Fatu climbs the top rope and delivers a big splash to Price for the win. Poor, Poor, Poor Jerry Price. Post match The SST hit them with Pineapples. I know wrestling bookers who use subtly and their all cowards
Holy Shit.
The Jerry Price bump alone makes it Hall of Fame squash worthy, but following it with a second rope backdrop threw it over the top. The SST may be the greatest squash match tag team of all time and it'll be fun watching them throughout the project. This is must watch. Thank god for whatever medical sciences kept Jerry Price alive, because I would swear he was dead here.
TLDR Review
RIP Jerry Price. We knew him well. Actually this is only match of his I ever saw
If you're interested in more condensed version of my thoughts, You can check out my Twitter where I talk about wrestling or stress out during Boston Celtics games. Hell, I'll even take suggestions for matches you want to see reviewed. You can also check out my Youtube where I make weird videos where I put on wigs in front of a camera to mask my true identity.