Down Along the Cove Piper Spied His True Love Comin' His Way. He said, "Lord Have Mercy, Mama, it Sure is Good to See you Comin' Today"

Roddy Piper, Rick Martel, Dutch Savage & Stan Stasiak v Buddy Rose, Sam Oliver Bass & The Sheepherders (Portland, 1/5/80) - GREAT

The first fall of this ruled. It got lots of time, built well, let the big personalities shine, it was really the Portland TV main event formula at its best. Early on the heels get ping ponged around the ring, then they swarm Piper off a pin attempt and Piper is his usual awesome self being worked over. He has that ragged sort of selling where everything feels scrappy and his ability to generate sympathy is quite extraordinary. After the hot tag there's a lengthy arm work section and Rose is amazing during this, even leaving the match to go backstage and get his elbow strapped up. They kind of tease the idea that the elbow pad might be loaded, the way he clearly makes an effort to hit an elbow off the top despite never really using that move otherwise, but they don't make a major deal of it. A bit of subtlety and all that, rather than Michael Cole battering you about the head with it. Really cool bit where Piper gets raked in the eyes while applying an armbar and sells it by blindly trying to make a tag to one of his partners. The second fall maybe drags a little and peters out a bit towards the end, but still has plenty of good stuff. Piper takes another stint in peril and of course rules again. Love him trying to match strength with Bass only to be overpowered, then trying to slam him only to fail and eat one in return, but he keeps at it and WILLS himself to endure a greco-roman knuckle lock and hit a couple quick dropkicks. He was over like a bastard in Portland and felt like a truly massive star. Also loved the idea that the babyfaces can and will match shithousery with the heels, and for the majority of this you had Sandy Barr frantically trying to keep things from breaking down. Heels tiptoeing almost cartoonishly into the ring for blindsides, the babyfaces making phantom tags while Barr is ejecting one of the Army, just all sorts of shenanigans. Best bit overall might've been the quadruple running noggin-knocker spot where Sandy almost gets caught in the middle. Bonnema on commentary shouting "Sandy, get out of the way, you'll be killed!" was perfect. And so was Portland. 

Complete & Accurate Hot Rod