Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Starrcade '87, nicknamed 'Chi-Town Heat', originated from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago on Thanksgiving day (November 26). This was the very first NWA / WCW pay-per-view event and it went head-to-head with the WWF's first ever Survivor Series (most cable companies only aired the WWF event, however).

This show is notable for many many reasons. It included many stars from NWA affiliate UWF (Sting, Dr. Death, Eddie Gilbert, Terry Taylor, etc), it had two big steel cage matches where titles were on the line, and it included the second NWA scaffold match (one year after the first).

8,000 fans were on hand for, for the times, one heck of a show.

Sting, Jimmy Garvin, and Michael Hayes vs. Eddie Gilbert, Rick Steiner, and Larry Zbyzsko
The opening match, a six-man tag, featured several stars from the UWF teaming up with NWA talent. The major feud in this bout was between Sting and Eddie Gilbert / Rick Steiner, as all three men were a successful team in the UWF until Sting turned face. Sting, alongside the future Fabulous Freebirds, take it to their opponents but the end desicion is a time-limit draw after 15 minutes of action. Sting would go on to become WCW's top star in the 90s, Garvin and Hayes would form the new Freebirds in 1989 and hold the world tag team championship, while Steiner would begin tagging with his brother Scott a year later and go on to become one of the best tag teams in history. **

UWF Heavyweight Champion 'Dr. Death' Steve Williams vs. NWA Western States Heritage Champion Barry Windham
This match, for the UWF crown, was a match between good friends. These two put on a physical contest for 7 minutes before Windham attempts a leap frog and accidently meets a low blow from Williams - leading to a successful title defense for the champion. For those who have seen Konnan vs. Eddie Gurrero at Uncensored '96, it is the same finish. The champion didn't mean to do it, but once it happens he picks up the easy win. Windham would lose the Western States title to Larry Zbyzsko in January, then join the 4 Horsemen in April. ***

Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. NWA U.S. Tag Team Champions Midnight Express (non-title Scaffold Match)
This was the second Starrcade to feature a scaffold match. Starrcade '86 saw the Road Warriors facing the old Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey). The new ME (Eaton and Stan Lane) went up against the R'n'R in the climax of a feud that had lasted more than 6 months. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson were the tag team champions during July's Great American Bash tour, and successfullly defended the gold against the ME. In the fall, an attack from the ME left the R'n'R easy prey for Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard as the 4 Horsemen 'stole' the championship. A scaffold match is not much to look at - four men battling atop a contraption 20 feet over the ring - the first man to send his opponent to the mat wins. Usually the men spend the whole match crawling so as not to accidently fall off. The R'n'R put their opponents away at 9:35, and then easily deal with Big Bubba (WWF's Big Bossman) when he climbs up to meet them. ***

NWA TV Champion Nikita Koloff vs. UWF TV Champion Terry Taylor - Unification Match
Both titles were on the line in this match. The winner would walk away with both championships. Taylor and Koloff, great wrestlers in their own right, put on a very good technical bout - with a good amount of right hands and clotheslines added in. Koloff, a man who held every major title in the NWA aside from the heavyweight crown, walks out the winner at 18:55. ****

NWA World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard vs. the Road Warriors
Great match with a classic ending. These four men use great tag team wrestling, mat wrestling, and outright brawling for nearly 15 minutes. The Road Warriors, at this time, had not held the NWA titles - but were former AWA Tag Team Champions. Many expected them to walk out with the gold in their hometown of Chicago - however the champions hold on to the belts in a very controversial call. Despite the fact the challengers had scored the pinfall, the referee awards the match to the champions because of a over-the-top rope disqualification moments prior to the finish. This is what is often referred to as a 'Dusty Rhodes finish', meaning that Rhodes - at this time a booker for the NWA - scripted the finish. Future controversial calls were made at such events as the Great American Bash '88 - as a bloody Lex Luger has World Champion Ric Flair unconcious in the Torture Rack submission hold and the bell is sounded and match awarded to Flair merely because Luger is cut. ****

Dusty Rhodes vs. NWA U.S. Champion Lex Luger (If Rhodes loses he cannot wrestle for 90 days; steel cage match)
Luger had held the title since July, after defeating Nikita Koloff in a similar cage bout. Rhodes eventually picks up the big win at 16:23 after giving the champion a DDT onto a chair that Luger's manager - JJ Dillon - had thrown into the ring. ****

NWA World Champion Ron Garvin vs. Ric Flair (steel cage match)
Garvin had won the title in September in a cage match in a show from Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. Many refer to Garvin as the worst world champion of all time mainly for the fact that 1) he was not a credible champion...he never held another title in his NWA years and 2) he never successfully beat anyone after winning the belt. This was his first and only title defense and the crowd, although Flair was a heel at the time, is very pro Flair. The two men put on a much better contest this time around than they had in Detroit. Flair steps out of the way as Garvin leaps at him - and the champion hits his head on the steel cage, knocking him out. Ric Flair regains the heavyweight crown at 17:25 and takes one more step in his legendary career. ****

This is a good show full of classic hard-fought wrestling. No flying off the top rope or over the ropes to the floor - but plenty of stiff clotheslines, powerslams, suplexes, and submission holds.

Recommended.


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older