This classic Paul Orndorff squash match from 1984 was recently posted to YouTube. His victim in the long blue tights and super tall white boots is Billy Travis, selling like a champ in his Rookie Jobber days.
The outcome of this mismatch is obvious, so the audience entertains itself by teasing Orndorff, calling him “Paula” and taunting him. This just pisses him off even more.
Orndorff is just spectacular, totally jacked and granite looking. This is when I really was awed (and kind of frightened) by him. His constant Roid Rage seemed so real and scary.
And Travis sells nicely, flopping around gamely, convulsing his body like a fish out of water. I dig his super-hero tights with the white stars paired with those knee-high gogo boots.
The gimmick of the match is the anger felt by Orndorff as the crowd mocks him and teases him.
He takes out his rage on the helpless jobber, punishing Travis for each insult he hears from the audience.
I learned in middle school that the more you react to teasing, the MORE the bullies will want to pick on you. It will be fun for them to watch you go nuclear. So you need to play it cool and they’ll leave you alone. But Paul Orndorff never learned this lesson. The more they taunt him, the more ruthless and outraged he acts, as if the jobber’s suffering will silence the crowd. But instead, they Boo and Jeer even louder, and Orndorff gets even hotter.
In these Angry Heel matches, the Heel becomes an instrument of torture that the audience controls. The more they upset him by taunting him, the worse the jobber is harmed.
So the sadistic fans get more of what they crave (cute jobber suffering) by opening their mouths to upset the Heel.
Eventually the dominant Alpha Male gives the crowd what they really want — the devastating Pile Driver. Young Travis is hoisted into position, his awesome white boots kicking around in mid-air.
Oh no, this poor kid is doomed. Part of me wished the loud-mouths in the crowd would stop teasing Orndorff — stop calling him by a girl’s name. They’re just pissing him off, and poor Billy is gonna pay the price!
But then part of me was enthralled by the danger, cruelty, and utter brutality of Orndorff’s spectacular Killer Move. Get him, Paula! Hurt him, you bitch!
Mr. Wonderful drops on his ass, driving his jobber onto the top of his head.
Actually we can see Travis tuck his chin to protect his spine, absorbing the impact with his shoulders and upper back.
Good — I’m glad Travis is clearly safe, I never wanted him to REALLY get hurt. But I can still fantasize about the impact of the Pile Driver, as if the big swole Heel really did destroy the poor kid. I get the pleasure of witnessing the sadistic violence without feeling the regret or concern that any jobbers were harmed in the filming of this match.
When the fans in attendance boo the winner rather than celebrate his greatness, Orndorff reacts by scraping his boot on the kid’s face!
The relentless fans continue to incite Orndorff’s anger, and Orndorff plays along, prolonging the torture!
Orndorff left the ring and started walking to the locker room. But the crowd gave him shit, so he CLIMBED BACK IN THE RING TO PUNISH THE BEATEN MAN EVEN MORE!!
Here he body-slams Travis after already breaking his neck in the Pile-Driver! Mmm, heaping on more abuse after the match always gets me off.
