WWE Vintage Collection TV Report
May 31, 2009
Aired in the U.K. on Sky Sports
Report by Cody Endres, PWTorch contributor

WWE's Vintage Collection show airs in the U.K. and is hosted by Mean Gene Okerlund. They show a varied assortment of older matches every week, similar to WWE's "Classics On Demand" pay subscription service.

-Mean Gene Okerlund welcomes us from WWE Studios. On this week's show, we celebrate Vintage Collection's one year anniversary with some of the greatest superstars ever to set foot in a WWE ring. Hogan, Piper, Savage, and Steamboat are all on deck. First, we'll take a look at two monsters the WWE Universe will not soon forget: George "The Animal" Steele & "The Ugandan Headhunter" Kamala.

1 – GEORGE STEELE vs. KAMALA (w/Kim Chee and The Wizard)

This match is from a November 24, 1986 card at Madison Square Garden. Gorilla Monsoon and Lord Alfred Hayes call the action. Monsoon said both of these men were short of a full deck. Steele is fascinated with Kamala's body paint. Kim Chee distracts Steele and Kamala beats him down. Kamala wants a test of strength, but Steele decides to stomp his toes. While Kim Chee inspects Kamala's hurt foot, Steele stomps the other one as well. The Wizard distracts the referee and tosses Kamala his horn necklace. Kamala hits Steele with the horn to lay him out. Kamala runs the ropes a few times before connecting with a splash onto Steele. With Steele down and out, Kamala climbs to the top rope and hits another splash for the win. After the pin, Kamala hit another splash before Kim Chee was able to settle him down.

WINNER: Kamala in 2:39 of what aired. Short, entertaining match between two oddballs.

[Commercial Break]

-Okerlund said up next is a tag team match he thought he would never see. For years, Hogan and Piper had been bitter enemies. On this night, Hogan & Piper teamed up to take on Heenan's team of Orndorff & Race.

2 – HULK HOGAN & RODDY PIPER vs. PAUL ORNDORFF & HARLEY RACE (w/Bobby Heenan)

This match is also from the November 24, 1986 card at Madison Square Garden and served as the main event. Hogan and Piper clear the ring and throw their t-shirts at each other. Hogan and Piper do some rapid fire tags to work over Race's left arm. Before each tag, Hogan and Piper stare each other down. Race breaks out with a belly to belly suplex on Piper before tagging in Orndorff.

[Commercial Break]

-A video package aired on Randy Orton

Back to the action and Race is now in the ring with Piper. Race connects with his kneedrop and tags in Mr. Wonderful. With Hogan complaining to the ref, Race and Orndorff double team Piper in their corner. Piper no sells a Race headbutt and makes the hot tag to Hogan. Hogan destroys both men and gives them a double noggin knocker. Hogan hits an atomic drop on Race. Lord Alfred calls it a piledriver. Hogan follows up with a running clothesline and his patented legdrop, but Orndorff breaks up the pin attempt. The ref loses control and all four men are in the ring now. Hogan goes after Heenan at ringside. Meanwhile, Race holds Piper for Orndorff to hit him. Piper ducks out of the way and Orndorff accidentally clotheslines Race. Piper immediately covers Race for the win. Orndorff had to stand there awkwardly and not break up the pin since Hogan completely missed his cue on stopping him. Piper bails out and heads to the locker room while the trio of heels attacks Hogan. Hogan fights back and clears the ring.

WINNERS: Hulk Hogan & Roddy Piper in 7:34 of what aired. Decent action. Nice story with the continued hatred between Hogan and Piper.

[Commercial Break]

-The "Please Do Not Try This at Home" video aired

-Back in the studio, Okerlund talked about the dominating tag team of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine. What began as an unlikely pairing, the "Dream Team" went on to become one of the most successful tag teams of their era. Hot on their heels were the Can-Am Connection of Tom Zenk and Rick Martel. Which of these teams will come out on top?

3 – THE DREAM TEAM (BRUTUS BEEFCAKE & GREG VALENTINE w/Johnny V) vs. THE CAN-AM CONNECTION (TOM ZENK & RICK MARTEL)

This match is from the January 19, 1987 card at Madison Square Garden. The match is joined in progress with The Can-Am Connection dominating Valentine. The heels soon take the advantage and work over Martel. Martel surprises Beefcake with a backslide for a nearfall. The Dream Team regains control and continue to pummel Martel.

[Commercial Break]

-A video package aired on Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes of Legacy

Returning from the break Valentine has Martel in a front facelock. Martel manages to get to his feet, but Valentine sinks in an abdominal stretch. Beefcake tries to hold Martel's shoulders down repeatedly for a pin. Martel bridges out each time. Valentine and Martel double clothesline each other. Martel gets close enough to tag in Zenk, but Beefcake distracts the ref so he misses the tag. All four men are now battling in the ring. Valentine tosses Martel to the floor before putting Zenk in the figure four leglock. Martel climbs to the apron and slingshots himself over the ropes with a splash onto Valentine for the quick win.

WINNERS: The Can-Am Connection in 9:47 of what aired. Good match from when WWE had a decent tag division.

[Commercial Break]

-A video package aired on Shawn Michaels.

-Okerlund hyped the main event of this week's show as a six-man tag team elimination match pitting the team of Randy Savage, Harley Race, and Adrian Adonis against Roddy Piper, Junkyard Dog, and Ricky Steamboat. Before there was a Survivor Series, this next match served as a sign of things to come.

4 – SAVAGE/RACE/ADONIS vs. PIPER/JYD/STEAMBOAT – Six-Man Tag Team Elimination Match

This match was the main event from the February 23, 1987 card at Madison Square Garden. Monsoon explained that this match was set up as a preview for WrestleMania III. Slick joined Monsoon on commentary and claimed that JYD cannot read or write. Monsoon called Slick a liar. Slick said the only reason Monsoon called him a liar was because he is a church member and won't fight him. Savage climbed to the top rope, but Steamboat distracted him. JYD headbutts Savage and tags in Steamboat. Adonis and Piper have a brief confrontation. The match breaks down and all six men are brawling in the ring. The referee restores order as Race & Adonis hit Piper with a double suplex. Piper and Adonis exchange sleeper holds. Adonis elbows JYD in the head, but JYD no sells. Another brawl breaks out around ringside. The bell rings and ring announcer Howard Finkle explains that the two legal men – Adonis and JYD – had been counted out during the brawl so both are eliminated.

[Commercial Break]

-A video aired hyping the Extreme Rules PPV on June 7

Steamboat small packages Race, but the ref isn't paying attention. Savage sneaks in and reverses the small package in Race's favor. The ref counts the fall and Steamboat is eliminated, leaving Piper to battle two men. Piper unloads on Race and Savage interferes to break it up. Savage chokes Piper over the top rope. Savage with a double axe handle of the top for a nearfall. Race tags in and hits a powerslam for another nearfall. Race holds Piper and signals for Savage to climb the ropes. Savage jumps off and accidentally hits Race with a double axe handle after Piper moves. Piper covers Race to eliminate him. We're down to a one on one match. Slick says this was horrible officiating and claims Race got a shoulder up. Piper connects on Savage with a running bulldog. Savage begs off and offers a handshake, but Piper bites his fingers. Piper attempts a sunset flip and Savage punches him in the face. Savage begins to work over Piper's throat to set up his top rope elbow drop. Both men knock each other down with shoulder blocks and Savage falls to the floor. Piper plays opossum in the ring while Savage climbs to the top rope. Piper moves out of the way of Savage's elbow drop and small packages him for the victory.

WINNER: Roddy Piper in 15:24 of what aired. Great main event.

-Okerlund thanks us for watching and hopes we've enjoyed the past year of classic WWE action. See you next week.

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