Starrcade '87: Chi-Town Heat

{{Short description|1987 Jim Crockett Promotions pay-per-view event}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox wrestling event |caption=VHS cover featuring various wrestlers |name=Starrcade '87: Chi-Town Heat |image=Starrcade87.JPG |tagline=Chi-Town Heat-Glory Bound |promotion=[[National Wrestling Alliance]]<ref name=pwt>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/The_Specialists_34/article_23994.shtml|title=SPECIALIST - 20 Years Ago: Detailed look back at Starrcade '87 with Flair vs. Garvin|first=Brian|last= Hoops|date=2007-12-18|publisher=PWTorch|access-date=2008-05-24}}</ref><br/>[[Jim Crockett Promotions]] |date=November 26, 1987<ref name=pwt/> |liveevent=Y |venue=[[UIC Pavilion]]<ref name=pwt/> |city=[[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]<ref name=pwt/> |attendance=8,000<ref name=pwt/> |buyrate = 20,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrestlenomics.com/resources/wcw-pay-per-view-buys-ppv-buys-ppv-buyrate/|title=WCW Pay-Per-View Buys (1987-2001)|work=Wrestlenomics|date=25 March 2020|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> |event=[[Pay-per-view]] |lastevent2='''''First''''' |nextevent2=[[Bunkhouse Stampede (1988)|The Bunkhouse Stampede Finals]] |event2=[[Starrcade]] |lastevent3=[[Starrcade '86: The Skywalkers|1986]] |nextevent3=[[Starrcade (1988)|1988]] }} '''Starrcade '87: Chi-Town Heat''' was the fifth annual [[Starrcade]] [[professional wrestling]] [[supercard]] [[List of NWA/WCW closed-circuit events and pay-per-view events|event]] produced by [[Jim Crockett Promotions]] (JCP) under the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA) banner. It took place on November 26, 1987, from the [[UIC Pavilion]] in [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]. It was the first NWA event to be broadcast live on [[pay-per-view]], and was also shown on [[closed-circuit television|closed circuit narrowcast]] at 100 different venues, as previous supercards had. This was the first major JCP event to feature wrestlers from the [[Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts)|Universal Wrestling Federation]], which was purchased by JCP shortly before the event.<ref name=pwt/><ref name=slam>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingArchive/dec17_starrcade.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626235742/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingArchive/dec17_starrcade.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 26, 2015|title=Starrcade, the original "super card"|first=John|last=Molinaro|date=1999-12-17|publisher=SLAM! Sports|access-date=2008-05-04}}</ref> The event had a secondary theme, "Glory Bound", referring to Ron Garvin's quest for glory as NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

The [[Card (sports)#Main event|main event]] was a [[Professional wrestling match types#Cages|steel cage match]] between [[Ric Flair]] and [[Ron Garvin]] for the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]]. After the event, Flair [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feuded]] with [[Steve Borden|Sting]]. The event also included a steel cage match between [[Dusty Rhodes]] and [[Lex Luger]] for the [[WWE United States Championship|NWA United States Heavyweight Championship]], a match between [[The Road Warriors]] and the team of [[Tully Blanchard]] and [[Arn Anderson]] for the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship|NWA World Tag Team Championship]], and a match between [[Nikita Koloff]] and [[Terry Taylor]] to [[Championship unification|unify]] the [[WCW World Television Championship|NWA World Television Championship]] and the [[UWF World Television Championship]].<ref name=slam/>

In 2014, the [[WWE Network]] included the previous Starrcades ([[Starrcade (1983)|1983]]–[[Starrcade#1986|1986]]), which had been transmitted via [[closed-circuit television]], alongside the rest of the Starrcades in the pay-per-view section.

==Storylines== [[Image:Starrcade-1987-Garvin.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ron Garvin]] as the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship|NWA World Heavyweight Champion]]]] The event involved wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and [[Narrative thread|storylines]]. Wrestlers portrayed [[Heel (professional wrestling)|villains]] or, [[Face (professional wrestling)|heroes]] in the scripted events to build tension and lead to a wrestling match.<ref name="HSW">{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|work=HowStuffWorks, Inc.|date=13 January 2006 |publisher=[[Discovery Communications]]|access-date=2015-11-15}}</ref>

Starrcade was headlined by [[Ric Flair]] and [[Ron Garvin]] for the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]]. Garvin went into the event as champion after a short reign because Jim Crockett wanted the drama of a Flair title win at Starrcade.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jim Ross On Why Ronnie Garvin Beat Ric Flair For the NWA Title in 1987 |url=https://wrestlingnewsplus.com/news-jim-ross-on-why-ronnie-garvin-beat-ric-flair-for-the-nwa-title-in-1987-if-flair-wanted-garvin-to-win-because-he-wasnt-a-threat/ |website=WrestlingNewsPlus |date=2015-10-14 |access-date=2026-03-01}}</ref>

[[Jim Crockett Promotions]] had previously aired [[Starrcade]] on [[closed-circuit television]] while the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF) aired its events on [[pay-per-view]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/The_Specialists_34/article_24960.shtml|title=Nostalgia Review: The History of WrestleMania: The Beginning, The Risk, A look at the main event of every WrestleMania|first=Brian|last=Hoops|date=2008-03-30|publisher=PWTorch|access-date=2008-05-26}}</ref> The 1987 Starrcade was the first pay-per-view event of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]]. To compete, the WWF introduced the [[Survivor Series (1987)|Survivor Series]] event, and held it on the same night. The WWF warned pay-per-view providers that if they carried Starrcade '87, they would not be allowed to carry [[WrestleMania IV]]. As a result, few of them carried Starrcade, which drew a 3.30 buy rate compared to Survivor Series with a 7.0 buy rate.<ref name=pwt/><ref name=411mania2>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/66884/|title=The Furious Flashbacks – NWA Starrcade 87|date=2008-03-14|publisher=411mania|access-date=2008-05-24}}</ref>

==Event== {| class=wikitable style="font-size:90%; margin: 0.5em 0 0.5em 1em; float: right; clear: right;" |+ Other on-screen personnel !Role: !Name: |- |rowspan=2|Commentator |[[Jim Ross]]<ref name=411mania2/> |- |[[Tony Schiavone]]<ref name=411mania2/> |- |rowspan=3|Interviewer |[[Bob Caudle]]<ref name=411mania2/> |- |[[Missy Hyatt]]<ref name=411mania2/> |- |Jack Gregory |- |rowspan=2|[[Referee (professional wrestling)|Referee]] |[[Earl Hebner]]<ref name=411mania2/> |- |[[Tommy Young]]<ref name=411mania2/> |- |Ring Announcer |Tom Miller |} The pay-per-view opened with [[Eddie Gilbert (wrestler)|Eddie Gilbert]], [[Rick Steiner]], and [[Larry Zbyszko]] taking on [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]], [[Michael Hayes (wrestler)|Michael Hayes]], and [[Jimmy Garvin]]. Sting, Hayes, and Garvin had the early advantage until a [[Powerslam#Front powerslam|front powerslam]] from Zbyszko on Garvin. Sting tagged in and fought off Zbyszko, Gilbert, and Steiner, but Zbyszko [[Professional wrestling attacks#Eye rake|raked his eyes]]. Zbyszko, Gilbert, and Steiner had the advantage until Hayes executed a [[Pin (professional wrestling)#Small package|small package]] on Gilbert. As Hayes had Gilbert in the [[Professional wrestling holds#Sunset flip|sunset flip]], the match ended in a time-limit draw.

Next, [["Dr. Death" Steve Williams|Steve Williams]] defended the [[UWF World Heavyweight Championship (Bill Watts)|UWF Heavyweight Championship]] against [[Barry Windham]]. The match went back and forth until Williams applied a [[Professional wrestling holds#Side headlock|side headlock]]. After breaking the hold, Williams attempted to jump over Windham, but Windham's head hit Williams in the groin. Windham leaped at Williams but fell out of the ring, as Williams avoided his opponent. After Windham came back into the ring, Williams pinned Windham with an [[Pin (professional wrestling)#Oklahoma roll|Oklahoma roll]] to retain the title.

The third match was a [[Professional wrestling match types#Scaffold match|Skywalkers match]] between [[The Midnight Express (professional wrestling)|The Midnight Express]] ([[Bobby Eaton]] and [[Stan Lane]]) (accompanied by [[Jim Cornette]] and [[Ray Traylor|Big Bubba Rogers]]) and [[The Rock 'n' Roll Express]] ([[Ricky Morton]] and [[Reuben Kane|Robert Gibson]]). The match started with Rogers attacking Morton, as Gibson was double-teamed on the scaffold. Rogers attempted to climb the scaffold, but Morton attacked him, Lane, and Eaton with Cornette's [[Racquet|tennis racket]]. Eaton fought back by throwing [[Powder (substance)|powder]] at Morton and Gibson. The teams went back and forth until Lane climbed under the scaffold. Morton followed and pushed Lane off. Morton and Gibson attacked Eaton until he fell, and The Rock 'n' Roll Express won the match.

After this, [[WCW World Television Championship|NWA World Television Champion]] [[Nikita Koloff]] faced [[UWF World Television Championship|UWF World Television Champion]] [[Terry Taylor]] (accompanied by Eddie Gilbert) to [[championship unification|unify]] the titles. The match started with Koloff targeting Taylor's left arm. Taylor gained the advantage by sending Koloff's head into the guard rail outside. Taylor then targeted Koloff's left arm and shoulder with the use of the ring post. Gilbert attacked Koloff's left knee with a [[Folding chair|steel chair]], and Taylor applied the [[Professional wrestling holds#Figure-four leglock|figure four leglock]]. After Taylor accidentally knocked Gilbert off the apron, Koloff performed a [[Professional wrestling attacks#Lariat|Russian Sickle]] and pinned Taylor to unify the titles.

In the fifth match, [[Tully Blanchard]] and [[Arn Anderson]] defended the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship|NWA World Tag Team Championship]] against local favorites, [[The Road Warriors]] ([[Road Warrior Hawk|Hawk]] and [[Road Warrior Animal|Animal]]). The Road Warriors took the early advantage. As Hawk had Blanchard in the [[Professional wrestling holds#Gorilla press|gorilla press]], Anderson attacked Hawk's left knee, which the champions continued to target with the use of the ring post and a chair. Anderson attempted a [[Professional wrestling attacks#Seated senton|seated senton]], but Hawk raised his knees and hit Anderson's groin. The Road Warriors regained the advantage, and Blanchard knocked referee [[Tommy Young]] outside the ring. Animal threw Anderson over the top rope with a [[Professional wrestling throws#Back body drop|back body drop]]. The Road Warriors then performed a [[Doomsday Device (wrestling)|Doomsday Device]] on Anderson, who was pinned by Animal, with replacement referee [[Earl Hebner]] counting the pin. However, the original referee reversed the decision and disqualified the Road Warriors for throwing Anderson over the top rope. Blanchard and Anderson won the match and retained the title.

[[Image:Starrcade-1987-Flair.jpg|thumb|right|160px|[[Ric Flair]], after winning the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] for the fifth time]] Next, [[Lex Luger]] (accompanied by [[J. J. Dillon]]) defended the [[WWE United States Championship|NWA United States Heavyweight Champions]] against [[Dusty Rhodes]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Cages|steel cage match]]. [[Johnny Weaver]] held the key to the cage. Rhodes would be suspended in storyline for 90 days if he lost. The match went back and forth until Luger sent Rhodes headfirst into the cage and ground his head against it. Luger attacked Rhodes's left arm until Rhodes fought back and applied the [[Professional wrestling holds#Sleeper hold|sleeper hold]]. Dillon attacked Weaver and took the key. As the referee attempted to prevent Dillon unlocking the door, Luger ran into him, and Dillon threw in a chair. Luger attempted to pick it up, and Rhodes performed a [[DDT (professional wrestling)|DDT]] on the chair. Rhodes then pinned Luger to win the match and the title.

In the main event, [[Ron Garvin]] lost the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] to [[Ric Flair]]. Garvin had the early advantage with [[Professional wrestling attacks#Forehand chop|forehand chops]], mounted punches, and the [[Professional wrestling attacks#Stomp|Garvin Stomp]]. After exchanging chops, Flair hit Garvin with a [[Professional wrestling attacks#Low blow|low blow]] and an [[Professional wrestling throws#Inverted atomic drop|inverted atomic drop]]. Flair targeted the left leg, hit a [[Professional wrestling throws#Shin breaker|shin breaker]] and applied the figure four leglock. Garvin fought back after blocking Flair's attempts to send him headfirst into the cage. Garvin hit Flair into the cage, applied a figure four leglock, and performed a [[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Plancha|diving crossbody]]. Garvin punched Flair, who countered with an inverted atomic drop. Flair then reversed an [[Professional wrestling throws#Irish whip|Irish whip]], sent Garvin headfirst into the cage, and pinned him to win the match and the title.<ref name=pwt/><ref name=411mania>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/64822|title=Going Old School: Starrcade '87|first=Matt|last=Adamson|date=2008-02-03|publisher=411mania|access-date=2008-05-24}}</ref>

==Aftermath== [[Ron Garvin]], who had a reign of two months as a [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship|NWA World Heavyweight Champion]], never regained the title. He then joined his stepson Jimmy in a feud with Kevin Sullivan that ran until the 1988 Great American Bash. [[Ric Flair]] remained NWA champion for over a year.<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://nwawrestling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=101|title=World Heavyweight Championship|publisher=National Wrestling Alliance|access-date=2008-05-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618213738/http://127.0.0.1//|archive-date=2012-06-18}}</ref> In early 1988, [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]], who was rising to stardom, challenged Flair to a match at [[Clash of the Champions I]]. Flair accepted, and fought Sting for 45 minutes to a time-limit draw, making Sting a top star.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sentinel-echo.com/opinion/local_story_095110931.html|title=Direct Kick: Flair will always be 'The Man'|first=Denis|last=House|date=2008-04-04|publisher=The Sentinel Echo|access-date=2008-05-24|archive-date=2008-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610022429/http://www.sentinel-echo.com/opinion/local_story_095110931.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/46989/The-Top-Ten-10.31.06:-Sting-Matches.htm|title=The Top Ten 10.31.06: Sting Matches|first=Julian|last=Williams|date=2006-10-31|publisher=411mania|access-date=2008-05-24}}</ref> Sting wrestled many more matches against Flair, as well as the other members of the [[Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)|Four Horsemen]], and their rivalry continued for over ten years.<ref>{{cite web|first=John|last=Milner|author2=Kamchen, Richard |url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/flair.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522073933/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/flair.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 22, 2015|title=Ric Flair|date=2004-11-18|publisher=SLAM! Sports|access-date=2008-05-24}}</ref> The Road Warriors feuded with the Four Horsemen through most of 1988.

At the end of 1987, the [[Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts)|UWF]] was closed and its titles retired. Lead UWF announcer Jim Ross joined the [[WCW Saturday Night|World Championship Wrestling]] announce team with Tony Schiavone and David Crockett.

Larry Zbyszko and Baby Doll joined forces and went after Barry Windham's Western States Heritage title, which he won at the Bunkhouse Stampede in January 1988, then went after Dusty Rhodes' United States Heavyweight title in an angle where Baby Doll (Rhodes' valet in 1986) had "incriminating photos" that she was going to use to force Rhodes to defend his title, but Baby Doll was fired and the angle was scrapped. Zbyszko held the Western States title until he went to the AWA at the beginning of 1989 (after JCP was sold to Ted Turner).

Meanwhile, Nikita Koloff lost his NWA World TV Title to [[Mike Rotunda]] in January 1988. He dropped down the card during his wife's illness, appearing less and less on TV, and took time off in November 1988 to care for her until her death in 1989.

Rhodes retained the United States Heavyweight title until April 1988, when he was stripped of the belt and suspended for 120 days after attacking NWA President [[Jim Crockett Jr.]] at a taping of [[WCW Saturday Night|World Championship Wrestling]] when Tully Blanchard assaulted [[Magnum T. A.]] and Rhodes came to his defense, hitting Blanchard repeatedly with a baseball bat, then inadvertently hitting Crockett when he intervened. Lex Luger was kicked out of the Horsemen after blaming J. J. Dillon for losing the title, and teamed with Barry Windham to capture the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship|NWA World Tag Team titles]] from Blanchard and Anderson. Windham then turned on Luger to join the Horsemen, capturing the vacant United States Heavyweight title in a tournament and feuding with Rhodes, who never held another NWA title.

The Road Warriors moved on to a feud with Paul Jones' new team, the [[Powers of Pain]] (Warlord and Barbarian), during which Road Warrior Animal's orbital eye socket was injured during a "test of strength" weightlifting contest, which forced the Warriors and Dusty Rhodes to vacate their [[WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship|NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship]], which was won by the Powers of Pain and [[Ivan Koloff]]. The feud lasted until the summer of 1988, when the Powers of Pain left for the WWF after refusing to work a series of scaffold matches with the Warriors during the Great American Bash.

[[Big Boss Man (wrestler)|Big Bubba Rogers]] left the NWA to join the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] as the "Big Boss Man" where he had high-profile feuds, most notably with [[Hulk Hogan]].

After Starrcade was outperformed by [[Survivor Series (1987)|Survivor Series]], [[Jim Crockett Promotions]] (JCP) and the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF) continued to compete. When JCP held the [[Bunkhouse Stampede (1988)|Bunkhouse Stampede]] [[pay-per-view]] event in January 1988, the WWF held the [[Royal Rumble (1988)|Royal Rumble]] event, a television special, on the same night as Bunkhouse Stampede. In return, JCP held the first Clash of the Champions, also a television special, on the same night as [[WrestleMania IV]]. Clash of the Champions was a success, and drew a large cable rating.<ref name=411mania2/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/71691|title=Shining a Spotlight 3.27.08: Clash of the Champions|first=Michael|last=Weyer|date=2008-03-27|access-date=2008-05-24|publisher=411mania}}</ref>

==Results== {{Pro Wrestling results table |results = <ref name=411mania/> |match1 = [[Eddie Gilbert (wrestler)|Eddie Gilbert]], [[Larry Zbyszko]] and [[Rick Steiner]] (with [[Baby Doll (wrestler)|Baby Doll]]) vs. [[Jimmy Garvin]], [[Michael Hayes (wrestler)|Michael Hayes]] and [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] (with [[Precious (wrestling)|Precious]]) ended in a time-limit draw |stip1 = [[Tag team|Six-man tag team match]] |time1 = 15:00 |match2 = [["Dr. Death" Steve Williams|Steve Williams]] (c) defeated [[Barry Windham]] |stip2 = [[Professional wrestling match types#Variarions of singles matches|Singles match]] for the [[UWF Heavyweight Championship]] |time2 = 06:50 |match3 = [[The Rock 'n' Roll Express]] ([[Ricky Morton]] and [[Robert Gibson (wrestler)|Robert Gibson]]) defeated [[The Midnight Express (professional wrestling)|The Midnight Express]] ([[Bobby Eaton]] and [[Stan Lane]]) (with [[Big Boss Man (wrestler)|Big Bubba Rogers]] and [[Jim Cornette]]) |stip3 = [[Professional wrestling match types#Scaffold match|Skywalkers match]] |time3 = 10:23 |match4 = [[Nikita Koloff]] (NWA) defeated [[Terry Taylor]] (UWF) (with Eddie Gilbert) |stip4 = [[Championship unification|Unification match]] for the [[WCW World Television Championship|NWA]] and [[UWF World Television Championship|UWF]] World Television Championships |time4 = 18:58 |match5 = [[Tully Blanchard]] and [[Arn Anderson]] (c) (with [[J. J. Dillon]]) defeated [[The Road Warriors]] ([[Road Warrior Animal|Animal]] and [[Road Warrior Hawk|Hawk]]) (with [[Paul Ellering]]) by [[Professional wrestling#Disqualification|disqualification]] |stip5 = Tag team match for the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship|NWA World Tag Team Championship]] |time5 = 13:27 |match6 = [[Dusty Rhodes]] defeated [[Lex Luger]] (c) (with J. J. Dillon) |stip6 = [[Professional wrestling match types#Cages|Steel Cage match]] for the [[WWE United States Championship|NWA United States Heavyweight Championship]]<ref name=pwt/> |time6 = 16:28 |match7 = [[Ric Flair]] (with J. J. Dillon) defeated [[Ron Garvin]] (c) |stip7 = Steel Cage match for the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]]<ref name=pwt/> |time7 = 17:38 }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/64822 Starrcade 1987 review at 411mania] *[http://wcwrules4lyf.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/starrcade-1987/ Starrcade 1987 review at The Powerdriver Review]

{{1987 JCP pay-per-view events}} {{NWAPPV}} {{WCWPPV|Starrcade}}

[[Category:Starrcade]] [[Category:Professional wrestling shows in Chicago]] [[Category:1980s in Chicago]] [[Category:1987 in Illinois]] [[Category:Events at UIC Pavilion]] [[Category:November 1987 in the United States]] [[Category:1987 Jim Crockett Promotions pay-per-view events]]