ROCK N ROLL EXPRESS (C) VS. THE HEAVENLY BODIES

For those who don't know, Jim Cornette LOVES the 1970's – 1980's wrestling era. I say this as a fan of the guy and someone who agrees with him more than it can sometimes be safe to admit, but he tries to live there as much as possible. During this time he was on the writing team of WWF and also ran a company called Smokey Mountain Wrestling. He was able to use this dual-role to get Smokey Mountain wrestlers time on national television, giving us this match involving a young upstart team called the Rock 'n' Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson.

Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon are on commentary for this match. The man himself, James E. Cornette is out first to introduce Dr. Tom Pritchard and Jimmy Del Rey, the Heavenly Bodies. In a crazy statistic, this is Rock n Roll Express' WWF pay per view debut. The challengers jump the Express as they get in the ring and clear house, before bringing in Gibson the hard way. Ricky Morton fares better, countering their attempt and sending them both out to the floor, but it seemed to take forever. He makes up for that flying through the ropes with a double clothesline on to his opponents as Gibson holds the ropes open. Jim Cornette has an entirely calm reaction to recent events.

Rock 'n' Roll Express © VS. Heavenly Bodies

(Smokey Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Championships)

WWF Survivor Series 1993 (24^th November 1993)

Robert Gibson and Jimmy DelRey start the match properly, they lock up and Del Rey counters a headlock by sending Gibson into the ropes. JR says this feud started 10 years ago, so I'm presuming it bounced around the final territories, anyway `The Gigillo' goes prone then lifts Gibson over but he lands on his feet. Gibson grabs another headlock and runs up the turnbuckles, landing behind Del Rey, who turns around into a hip toss and a headscissors takes him down. Ricky Morton tags in and Jimmy Del Rey runs into a double back elbow. Dr. Tom Pritchard is tagged in, he shouts that they're champions so he's either confident or confused. He sends Morton into the corner and hammers him with right hands. Ricky Morton blocks a hip toss so Pritchard goes to the headlock, but is sent off the ropes. Morton goes prone, then Pritchard almost didn't duck enough for the leapfrog. Both Heavenly Bodies are hit with a hip toss which Monsoon (a former wrestler) calls a hip block. Ricky Morton with another hip toss for each challenger, Jimmy Del Rey tries to superkick Morton but hits his partner!

The miscommunication allows Gibson to tag in, but I'm not sure the referee saw it. Del Rey is sent into the corner, followed by his partner. They each get monkey flipped out of the corner and stereo atomic drops cause them to knock each other down. Rock `n' Roll Express row the boat, pulling at their ankles. Ricky Morton kicks at Pritchard's knee when they're left in the ring, tagging in Gibson who hits a slingshot knee drop. Gibson works a standing toe hold as he tags back out. R`n'R get a double leg snap and Gibson knocks Del Rey from the apron as we see Mr. McMahon and Bobby Heenan, the radio announce team. The Rock n Roll Express keep double-teaming Pritchard, working on his leg and knocking Del Rey to the floor. Ricky Morton tags back in, but his leglock is cut off and Pritchard tags out. Jimmy Del Rey takes Morton to the corner. He irish whips Morton across the ring but Gibson throws himself over the corner to protect his partner. Ricky Morton goes to send Del Rey into the corner but sees Pritchard attempt the same move and switches direction. Rock 'n' Rol Express send The Heavenly Bodies into each other but they avoid a collision, so Rock n' Roll Express get the noggin knocker and send the challengers out to the floor.

I hear a fan chant boring to this match, I can't disagree on the whole, but it does have moments. Jimmy Del Rey tags straight out, Pritchard and Morton lock up and Morton forces Pritchard into the corner. A battle for an irish whip sends Pritchard into the corner they came from. Ricky Morton ducks too early and eats a sitout powerbomb. Tom Pritchard tags out and slams Ricky Morton, I argue he should have covered then and brought it home. Jimmy Del Rey moonsaults out of a back suplex position from his partner for a nearfall. Del Rey sends Morton off the ropes into a back elbow and taunts Gibson, bringing Pritchard in without a tag. He chokes Morton as the referee tries to keep Gibson on the apron. Ricky Morton is sent through the ropes, bringing in Robert Gibson as Jim Cornette brings Morton to his feet. Jimmy Del Rey hits a moonsault to the floor from the middle rope and Morton is dumped back in the ring. Tom Pritchard covers but Morton still kicks out before 3!

Dr. Tom Pritchard hits Morton in the corner with right hands, but Morton fires back, taking it to the other side of the ring. Pritchard reverses an irish whip and hits a powerslam on a staggering Morton for another nearfall. Morton is sent into Del Rey's boot in the corner before the Heavenly Bodies make another tag. Del Rey hits a vertical suplex and a pair of knee drops then knocks Gibson off the apron. Gibson provides the distraction for another switch as Pritchard hits a running neckbreaker as Del Rey has Morton in a sidewalk slam. Pritchard covers for a nearfall, going straight to a chinlock. It's nice to see some things stay constant in wrestling. Pritchard brings Ricky Morton back up to his feet and hits a suplex, but JR said he wanted more delay in it, before tagging in Del Rey. They hit the Trash Compactor, Pritchard holds Ricky Morton as Del Rey leg drops him from the top rope. You may know it as America's Most Wanted's move, the Death Sentence. It only got the Heavenly Bodies a nearfall this time.

Ricky Morton counters a powerbomb with a hurricanrana, sloppily pinning Del Rey but only getting 2. Jimmy Del Rey cuts off any chance of momentum with a right to the back of Morton's head and tags Pritchard back in. He sends Morton off the ropes but an inside cradle gets Morton a 2 count, but again is attacked before he can do anything more. Jimmy Del Rey tags back in and hits a moonsault to Ricky Morton, who was being held up by Pritchard. Robert Gibson breaks up the pin and saves the match. Ricky Morton is sent into the ropes by the Heavenly Bodies but hits them both with a DDT, making the hot tag. Robert Gibson dishes out right hands for both Heavenly Bodies, then sends Del Rey across the ring and hits a back body drop. Pritchard catches the kick but Gibson busts out the enziguri. He covers but Jimmy Del Rey breaks it up. Ricky Morton is back in the ring and he rolls up Jimmy Del Rey. Tom Pritchard sends Morton over the top rope, which would be a disqualification in Smokey Mountain Wrestling, but isn't in this match. That is enough to confuse the 15-year veteran, Robert Gibson and he gets jumped from behind by Pritchard. Ricky Morton hits a cross body from the top rope on Del Rey but Pritchard breaks up the pin. Jimmy Del Rey is finally sent out of the ring as Gibson slides in, Morton is sent off the ropes but sketchily leapfrogs over Pritchard. The Rock `n' Roll Express hit a double dropkick, but Pritchard kicks out! Ricky Morton hits Cornette from the apron in one of the best manager bumps I've seen in a while and the referee misses Gibson's second cover in the carnage. Jimmy Del Rey hits Gibson with the racket from the top rope and Tom Pritchard rolls over for the win.

WINNERS: THE HEAVENLY BODIES (NEW SMW Tag Team Champions)

I mentioned at the moonsault to the outside that they should have ended the match there. I was wrong about that but just to kick me in the balls they over-did the ending. I think this match could have been a lot better if it was cut down a bit, chop a few minutes off and spread out the false finishes, it would feel a lot smoother. No leapfrog attempts either. As a match it's ** ½ stars, but personally I'd rate it 3/10