00:00Gene, if it goes long distance, it's going to go in Hammer's favor.
00:03Both former Intercontinental Champions.
00:05That's right, that's right.
00:06You've done your homework, Gorilla.
00:08They know what it's like to have the gold around the waist.
00:11These two guys also just are the type of guys who, if necessary,
00:16could wrestle for an hour and a half in order to win the gold.
00:19Definitely, but this is only a 15-minute affair.
00:22If you're going to go all the way to the end of this tournament,
00:25you better prepare, be prepared to go a long time.
00:28Beautiful arm drag.
00:30Did you see how deep Steamboat got underneath Valentine
00:32and took him over with that arm drag takedown?
00:35Excellence of execution is the name of the game with Ringing the Dragon Steamboat.
00:39I don't think the Hammer should try to match up hold for hold with Steamboat.
00:42I think he definitely should cheat.
00:44I think the Hammer's at a little disadvantage here.
00:46He has a 15-minute time limit.
00:48Sometimes he doesn't get warmed up by that.
00:50Well, the one good thing he's got going for him,
00:52he's got the mouth of the South Jimmy Hart outside the ring.
00:57The Colonel, Jimmy Hart, now with only the honky-tonk man left with a title in his stable.
01:04There's only a two-count there on the Hammer.
01:07And he could lose that today as well.
01:09Definitely.
01:10Not only the title, it could be air lost.
01:14One count only.
01:15Look at the Dragon moving like Grease Slightly.
01:17Down for a cover again.
01:19Now, you're not going to get Greg Valentine that easy.
01:22This guy's tough.
01:24Oh, the Hammer waiting for him.
01:26Look at this.
01:27Power move by the Dragon.
01:29He doesn't have a clue where Ricky is.
01:32Dropkick right in the back.
01:35Trying to scoop him there in a crucifix right at the end and didn't make it.
01:39Well, so far Steamboat's gone for the pin.
01:41About three or four times been unsuccessful.
01:43Valentine is yet to go for a pinning attempt.
01:46Well, I'm sure he's depending greatly on that figure four leg lock to put guys away with,
01:51Jeff.
01:53And given the opportunity, should he slap it on you and complete the maneuver, forget about it.
01:57Well, you know, one great wrestling expert friend of mine out in California, Barry Blaustein,
02:03he thinks Steamboat's going to take it all.
02:05Barry who?
02:06Barry Blaustein.
02:07Oh, okay.
02:09He thinks the Dragon has taken it all.
02:12He does.
02:12Wouldn't surprise me.
02:15Odds on favorite, I'd say, if anyone questioned anyone in the entire world, would have to be
02:20the Hulkster.
02:22Yeah, the Hulk, you'd have to say, I suppose, is the favorite.
02:25But let's just say he would get by Andre.
02:28What is that going to take away from the Hulk?
02:30That's the big thing in that matchup.
02:32Well, the winner could be the ultimate loser.
02:36You can bet that both of those guys are going to be spent in that match.
02:40Here you see the Hammer doing what he does best, wearing an opponent down right here,
02:45dropping that knee, putting that foot into the throat.
02:49Definitely taking the fight out of the Dragon.
02:51The Hammer dishing out the punishment here as the tide is turning this one up.
02:56Right on the back of the head, right in the external occipital protuberance area.
03:00That'll knock you out to the middle of next week.
03:02A what?
03:04I'll tell you that.
03:04Can you repeat that again, Gorilla?
03:06What is that?
03:07Two count.
03:08Oh, he almost got it.
03:09What you said there, where he got hit.
03:11That little bump on the back of your head.
03:13Ah, okay.
03:17Oh, look at this.
03:18Oh, beautiful backflip right over the back.
03:20And ran face first into the turnbuckle.
03:27The Dragon in great shape.
03:29That was a beautiful move there by Steamboat to avoid that suplex by Valentine,
03:33and now he's got it going his favor.
03:39Oh, the Hammer.
03:40Oh, the Hammer.
03:41Oh, the Hammer.
03:41Oh, he doesn't give it up.
03:42Get out of his face.
03:42Give him some air.
03:43Time seems impervious to pain, Jess.
03:47But right now he's feeling it.
03:49Come on up.
03:49There you go.
03:50The Dragon sinking that arm bar in deeply.
03:52There you go.
03:53There you got it.
03:54There you got it.
03:55It was beautiful.
03:55Hammer.
03:56Oh, inverted atomic drop.
03:59Crushed him with that.
04:00Oh, what a close line.
04:01And there he went down the back of his head again,
04:03or whatever you called that, Gorilla.
04:05External occipital pertubal.
04:07Okay.
04:08Back of the head for all you normal people out there.
04:11Oh, look at this.
04:12Elbow after elbow right in a kisser right between the eyes.
04:18Hammer doing what he does best right now.
04:21Dishing out punishment.
04:22That's right.
04:23Hammer's a rough and tough wrestler.
04:24That's his style.
04:27He asks no quarter, and he gives no quarter.
04:30Look at this.
04:31Just measuring him.
04:32Giving him some of his own medicine with those knife edges, Jess.
04:36Valentine better be careful.
04:37He's been out on that floor, and the referee's got a count going.
04:41Hammer, well-experienced, better in it.
04:44Arms back inside with plenty of time to spare,
04:47but moved in very slowly.
04:50Gave the hammer.
04:51He gave Ricky a chance to get off a shot,
04:54but it didn't do much good because there wasn't much behind him.
04:57Is that a shot of my friend Donald Trump?
04:59I believe it was.
05:00He got off of it very quickly.
05:02Oh, look at those reverse knife edges.
05:05The hammer's down.
05:07One, two, no.
05:10Close, but no cigar.
05:14Oh, he caught him.
05:16Whoa.
05:16Whoa, was that close?
05:17That was two and three quarters right there.
05:19Steamboat almost got caught.
05:21He overcompensated.
05:22Came out the back door in a hurry, and right at the last split second.
05:25Look at those short forearm smashes by the hammer.
05:29Oh, look at this.
05:33Going to work on the breadbasket.
05:35Well, the dragon's not breathing any fire right now.
05:38Absolutely not.
05:40Valentine, you know what this is.
05:41He's setting up for the figure four.
05:43He's going to punish him a little bit more first.
05:47Wham.
05:47Whoa.
05:50That'll stretch the hamstrings.
05:52Certainly will.
05:53There it comes.
05:54He didn't complete it.
05:57Hammer rammed face first into the turnbuckle.
05:59I don't think the dragon's got a whole lot left.
06:02Whoa.
06:03He's got enough to get back to his...
06:04Whoa, are they laying those chops in?
06:09This will separate the men from the boys right here.
06:11I think if it gets to a chopping mat, Steamboat's got the advantage.
06:15But there's a good solid forearm by Rick Valentine.
06:18Whoa, he nailed it.
06:21Valentine on rubber legs.
06:23Bang.
06:23Look ahead, her face first.
06:25Just turn him over here, Rick.
06:27Don't be cheering for nobody, Derrilla.
06:30Turn me all over.
06:30You're supposed to be unbiased.
06:32I get enough of that from McMahon.
06:34I'm just giving him a choice of moves to do, Jess.
06:36Wow, there was a classic thumb to the eye.
06:39That'll stop anybody.
06:40Oh, look at this.
06:41Shoulder breaker, perhaps.
06:43Yes.
06:45Could be all over here.
06:47Two counts.
06:47Well, he reached back and hooked the leg too late, Jess.
06:50Yeah, I can't believe the resilience of Ricky the Dragon Steamboat.
06:54The colonel screaming into that megaphone.
06:56Where's he going?
06:58High-risk move here for the Hammer.
07:01He nailed it.
07:03Now go for the figure four.
07:06Now's what he should go for, Derrilla.
07:08I believe it's the beginning of the end here, perhaps.
07:10Big smile on the kisser of the colonel.
07:15If he cinches it, he's in the middle of the ring.
07:18He grabbed a handful of hair and stopped it.
07:23Steamboat had enough.
07:24I think Steamboat's strictly on instinct right now.
07:26What a battle.
07:28One, two.
07:30Cracking time after time face first down into the canvas.
07:36Referee warning Steamboat about grabbing the hair.
07:39These two really battling it out for the privilege of going into the next round.
07:44Beautiful flying elbow.
07:46He caught Valentine flush on the jaw with that elbow.
07:51Dragon trying to pull it all together here.
07:53Steamboat looks like he's going to the top now.
07:56A dragon, a high flyer.
07:59Perched up there on the top turnbuckle.
08:03Bombs away.
08:04Oh, he nailed it.
08:08Over for the ever.
08:11No.
08:12Whoa.
08:12The hammer comes out the back door.
08:18Both of these guys in trouble, Jess.
08:20Three, four, five.
08:24Chant going out by this capacity crowd as the hammer continues to be rammed into that top turnbuckle.
08:32Whoa, wait a minute.
08:33Wait a minute.
08:35Referee stepping in between.
08:36The dragon didn't like it.
08:39That's right.
08:40Ricky the dragon Steamboat better learn right away.
08:42You don't put your hands on official.
08:44That's a disqualification.
08:46Well, referee shouldn't have stepped between them.
08:48It's the count.
08:49Yes, but they were also in the ropes, Gorilla.
08:52His job is to break the ropes.
08:53Oh, crossbody.
08:54The hammer turns it over.
08:55He got it.
08:56Oh, he got it.
08:58Might have been a handful of tights.
09:01But nevertheless, he got the three count.
09:04That doesn't matter.
09:05The referee's got to call it the way he sees it.
09:07If he didn't see the tights, it'll stand as is.
09:09That decision is going to stand right there.
09:12Greg Valentine advancing forward into the second round of the championship tournament.
09:19Pulling out all the stops.
09:22Beautiful maneuver.
09:24On the part of the hammer as he just changed the momentum around.
09:29And the dragon, you can back it.
09:33He's a little bit disillusioned, Jess.
09:35She's got to feel real.
