Rockers v Brainbusters

The Rockers v The Brainbusters (WWF, 1/23/89)

By god what a bitta the tag wrestling. I know that Shawn Michaels is not a likeable individual and a deeply flawed pro wrestler and that Marty Jannetty is probably a psychopath, but when people I tend to agree with on lots of pro wrestling discussions tell me I'm crazy for thinking the Rockers are on par with teams like the Fantastics and Fabulous Ones, I can't help but think THEY are the ones smoking crack, not me. Perhaps they're simply blinded by seething CONTEMPT for the Heartbreak Kid and I am in fact the only one capable of impartiality. Perhaps. Or they just don't like WWF tag wrestling very much and sure, I get it. But this was a southern style tag that happened to be in New York rather than Atlanta and I thought it was way up there with the very best southern style tags from any combo you want to throw at me. The early shine rules and one of my favourite things about the Rockers is how they obviously put a ton of thought and creativity into double teams. Being in there with Arn and Tully does not hurt one bit and the timing on everything was just perfect, the wrestlers' reactions exactly what you'd expect for who they are. Arn slaps Michaels in the corner so Michaels comes back with some punches, backs Arn into the corner and of course slaps him, and Arn has the nerve to be indignant about it. Lots of parts where all four of them are in the ring and it's all smooth enough that nobody ever needs to stand around waiting for the next part of the sequence to happen, so you never feel like what you're watching actually IS a sequence of spots and pre-planned moves. Even Hebner (or HEEbner as Trongard calls him and I will now be doing the same thank you very much) looks halfway competent and doesn't get lost trying to keep up and I'm 100% putting that on the wrestlers making it actively difficult for him to fuck anything up. There was one sequence that had Tully attempt his slingshot suplex that Michaels slips out the back of, an attempted double suplex by the Busters that's turned into a double superkick after Jannetty makes the save, then Arn took a fucking hurricanrana clean on the top of his skull like one of those Dragon Gate juniors and I fell out the bed. The transition is one of my favourites as the Busters get lamped up and down the place for the umpteenth time, but on this occasion Arn stays down on the floor and hides beside the apron. Tully then baits Michaels into chasing him around ringside and as he rounds the corner goes for a clothesline, which Michaels ducks only to get wasted by Arn instead. The heat segment is pretty much 10/10 stuff. Jannetty is one of the best ever at making it look like he REALLY wants to tag in and works the apron like a maniac, nearly falling head-first into the ring making a leap for that tag just as Arn snatches Shawn out the air, the timing on a cut-off spot that most teams don't nail being absolutely nailed. Michaels really shines during all the hope spots, Arn works surly as a bastard and hits the amazing spinebuster cut-off, and Blanchard (or Blanch-ARD as Lord Al calls him and I will now be doing the same thank you very much) is the best weasel bastard there's ever been. Seriously, how did it take me until like 2019 to realise that Tully is a top 25 wrestler of all time rather than top 75? Arn using the tassels on Jannetty's boots to keep his foot pinned down is an incredible bit of improv at the finish as well. This whole thing was phenomenal. I thought it was one of the handful of best WWF tags ever when I last watched it, and honestly this time I could see an argument that it's #1. The tag team wrestling is the greatest.