Best of the WWF Volume 3 (WF010)

BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 3 (WF010)

After ROWDY RODDY PIPER’S GREATEST HITS came this one, Best of the WWF Volume 3. At this point, through 9 tapes you had a pretty good idea of what was going on, who was on the roster and some of the classic moments/matches from yesteryear. The problem was how do you keep things fresh when you’ve seen all the marquee matchups already? The one thing about Vince McMahon Jr that has been able to keep his company afloat for over 30 years is the ability to create/promote new stars. Vince had bought out Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling based out of Calgary (one of the only promoters that sold out) and had gotten the services of some of their top stars. So this tape will feature the Coliseum Video debuts of The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith) and The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Niedhart). Save for their appearances at WRESTLEMANIA, this will also be the debuts of King Kong Bundy, David Sammartino, The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) and Ricky Steamboat. That’s a grand total of 9 guys that weren’t featured previously. Due to one of the matches taking place in July of 85, I’d venture a guess that this tape was released sometime in the fall of 1985. Cue the Coliseum Video opening montage and Vince himself is our host for the evening. He runs down the entire tape and we get highlights of all the action we’re about to witness. He takes us to our first match, which is from the now stale feud between Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka.

 

Match 1

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka in a Strap Match

Commentator: Jesse Ventura

 We got back to July 20, 1984 for the big strap match between Snuka and Piper. Nowadays a strap match has two guys tied with a strap and the winner is the first to touch all 4 corners. This match, however, will be pinfall wins. As I mentioned before, the whole Piper/Snuka feud was long over by the time this tape was released and we’d already seen them go at it in MOST UNUSUAL MATCHES and of course in Piper’s Greatest Hits. Piper and Snuka are in their standard trunks and Piper slowly slips the strap on. Snuka slaps Piper’s wrist with the strap then to the side of the leg. Piper swings and misses then they both tries to choke each other, leading to a test of strength. Snuka wins it and chokes Piper with it but Roddy counters with the eye gouge. Piper whips Snuka with the strap then catches him in the throat with it. Piper chases the ref out of the way then nails Snuka with the strap. Snuka takes Piper down and chokes him with the strap again. Piper bails to the outside but Jimmy drags him back in. Jimmy sends Roddy off and catches him with the double chops before continually whipping him with the strap. Piper tries to bail again but Jimmy pulls him back in. They trade blows in the center but Snuka gets the advantage with a big chop. Snuka chokes Piper again who fades after a while. Snuka makes a cover but Piper kicks out at two and gets in another eye gouge. Piper unloads with right hands on the ground then starts whipping him with the strap. Piper goes for the headbutt but Snuka no-sells so Roddy goes back to the trusty eye gouge. They trade blows in the corner before Piper rams Jimmy’s head into the buckle which is no-sold. Even Ventura on commentary says that won’t get Piper anywhere. So Roddy goes back to the handy dandy eye poke before sending Snuka through the ropes with a right hand. Piper follows and rams Snuka into the ringpost. Snuka then returns the favor and Roddy gets back inside. Snuka follows and goes to town with chops and a jumping headbutt. Another jumping headbutt drops Piper and Jimmy goes upstairs. Snuka flies off the top with a crossbody for 1…2…THREE and he got him. Wow, Piper did a job….a rarity. Snuka celebrates but Piper cuts him off. Piper chokes Snuka with the strap after the bell until the refs pry him off. Roddy keeps his heel heat while Snuka wins the match. Does a match like this belong on this tape? Piper did a clean pinfall job, that NEVER happens so yes it does.

 

Time of match: 6:06

Winner: Jimmy Snuka by pinfall

 

We move right along to the next match

 

Match 2

“Cowboy” Bob Orton vs Ricky Steamboat

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

   A year to the day after the first match now sees Steamboat take on Orton. Actually since the match was July 20, 1985 it makes it the most recent one on the tape. Orton’s in the green trunks with Steamboat in the black, plus Orton still has the cast on. Steamboat gives Orton crap about the cast on his arm before the tie up. Steamboat eats a shoulderblock but leapfrogs Orton and armdrags him. Steamboat wrenches the “injured” arm and does a number on it. Ricky whips Orton into the corner and chops him. Orton falls and we get a TAPE EDIT. Steamboat goes back to the arm wringer, blocks a punch and continues to go to town on him. Steamboat wrenches the hammerlock with his FEET and falls backward twice. Ricky continues to work the arm with a kneedrop. Orton recovers and catches Ricky with a boot to the ribs. Ricky reverses a whip but Orton baseball slides right into a big chop from the future Dragon. Another armdrag takes Orton down as Okerlund says we’re witnessing something special. Ricky has the arm-bar locked in but Bob counters with a scoop slam. Ricky quickly recovers and scoop slams Orton. ANOTHER arm drag has the crowd popping and we get another TAPE EDIT. Action resumes with Orton powering out of an arm-bar with a headbutt in the corner. A big forearm is followed by hiptossing Steamboat halfway across the ring. Orton executes a flying head scissors but the second attempted misses and he flails over the top rope to the floor. Orton grabs a fan’s drink and throws it at Steamboat who sells it like he had acid thrown on him. Orton goes on offense as Okerlund says the fan must be pissed without actually saying that. A big punch is followed by ramming Ricky;s head into the buckle. Orton lands another big right and follows it with a facebuster. A knee lift drops Ricky as Orton poses for the crowd and gets a decent pop actually. Orton still sells the arm wringers from earlier (a lost art today) but still catches Steamboat with a right hand. Orton applies a neck wrench and takes Steamboat to his knees with it. Orton snaps the neck then drops an elbow to the throat, but the cover only gets a two. Orton applies a rest-hold and goes to drop the cast on Ricky….but he moves out of the way in time. Orton sells the left arm and Ricky catches him with a chop. Ricky goes for the scoop slam but collapses with Orton on top 1…2..noooo, too close. Orton goes back to the standing chinlock then slams him down. Think of a rock bottom but without going underneath the arm. Orton covers for a deuce then shouts at the crowd “I came this close” and poses. Okerlund says that means nothing and Orton methodically stalks Ricky. They trade blows in the center of the ring before Ricky gets the upper hand with chops in the corner. A big right drops Orton but Bob counters with a punch to the ribs. Orton goes for a piledriver but is backdropped by Steamboat. Ricky goes up to the top rope and delivers the flying crossbody for 1…2..NOOOOOO. Orton becomes the first guy ever to kick out of Steamboat’s finisher. Ricky sends Orton off the ropes and catches him with a back elbow smash. A karate chop to the head is followed by a cover for 1….2…no. Okerlund “Come on Richard, gotta hook the leg.” Orton counters with an inverted atomic drop and throws Ricky over the top rope, but Steamboat skins the cat back in. Steamboat catches Orton with a running enziguri and Orton throws himself over the rope to the floor. Orton gets back on the apron and is met with a right hand. The ref tries to stop Steamboat from attacking which allows Orton enough time to get in an eye gouge. Orton goes to superplex Steamboat outside but Ricky counters by suplexing him back in. Ricky goes for a big splash but Orton gets his knees up. Bob adjusts his cast then goes up to the top rope. Stemboat staggers into a big left forearm off the top. The ref notices Orton used the catch and calls for the bell….WOW! A classic match ends with a cheap ending. The ref raises Ricky’s arm in victory and Orton goes beserk in protest. Orton chases Ricky with the cast but Steamboat ducks under and chops him. A series of chops sends Orton retreating to the back as Steamboat stands tall in the ring. Outstanding showing by both guys and Orton keeps his heat despite the loss.

 

Time of match: An unofficial 11:45

Winner: Ricky Steamboat by DQ

 

Moving right along to the next match.

 

Match 3

“Unpredictable” Johnny Rodz and Rene Goulet vs The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith)

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

  Madison Square Garden, April 22, 1985 and this could possibly be the WWF debuts of the Bulldogs. My father used to say “There’s nothing unpredictable about Rodz, he loses every time!” and Goulet was pretty much ripping off Ted Dibiase in Mid-South with the gloved hand. The Bulldogs are in the long red tights, Goulet and Rodz in standard trunks. We start with Dynamite backing Goulet into the corner then backing off. Goulet gets in a side headlock but Kid scissors out of it. Vince in the voiceover explains Johnny got that nickname by constantly turning on tag team partners. Vince says Goulet was once a great competitor and tag team champion with Tony Garea. Great, a Frenchman and a New Zealie…what a team that was. Dynamite leapfrogs out of an arm-bar and decks Rene with a shoulderblock. Rene leapfrogs over Dynamite and arm drags him but Kid’s athleticism counters the arm drag with one of his own. The crowd pops as Rodz comes in to protest. Davey tags in but eats a shoulderblock from Goulet. Rene charges but Davey catches him with the running roll-up for 1…2…nope, Rodz comes in to grab Davey and fling him over the top rope. Davey leaps over the top rope and dropkicks Rodz into Goulet. Johnny goes into the wrong corner and is met with a right hand from Dynamite Kid. Johnny staggers into a right hand from Davey Boy. Rodz begs off and retreats to his corner before Goulet tags him in legally. Davey gets in a side-headlock but Johnny sends him off the ropes and catches him with a knee to the ribs. Johnny scoop slams him then goes upstairs. Davey quickly gets up and slams him off the top to the center of the ring. Davey Boy goes up to the top rope and nails Johnny with a dropkick. Dynamite alertly sees Goulet sneaking up on Davey and comes off the top himself with a dropkick, sending Goulet crashing to the mat. Dynamite nips up and the Bulldogs ram their opponents’ heads together. Dynamite executes a snap suplex on Rodz then a gut-wrench suplex as well. Dynamite covers but only gets a 2 count as Okerlund says you gotta hook the leg. Dynamite snap-mares Johnny and goes for the rest-hold. Johnny escapes using the thumb to the eye and a right hand to the back of the neck. Johnny rams Dynamite’s head into Goulet’s boot and tags him in. Goulet gets in an axehandle smash to the ribs then scoop slams him. Goulet drops a knee, tags in Rodz and holds him as Johnny comes off the top with a forearm to the back. Johnny gets in a suplex of his own then does a diving headbutt. The sloppy cover only gets 1 ½ and Dynamite powers out of it. Rodz scoop slams him again but misses the diving headbutt. Davey gets the tag but Rodz cuts him off with a low blow. Goulet tags in and gut-wrench suplexes him but the cover only gets a one count. Rene sends Davey off and drops him with a running knee to the mid-section. Rene stomps on Davey then slams his head into the top turnbuckle. Rodz tags in and unloads on Davey in the corner. Johnny floors Smith with a flying back elbow smash but misses the leg drop.  Davey hits his delayed suplex but Goulet breaks up the cover. Dynamite tags in who greets Johnny with a headbutt. Goulet protests so he gets a headbutt as well. Dynamite walks into an eye gouge and Johnny rams him into Goulet’s elbow. Rene tags in and he and Rodz double clotheslines Dynamite. The cover gets 1 ½ and Goulet takes Dynamite over with a snap mare. Goulet pins Dynamite’s arms down but he bridges. Goulet puts his weight on Dynamite but Kid doesn’t budge. Goulet tries it again but Dynamite counters with a monkey flip up that sends Goulet nearly all the way across the ring. Davey tags in who backdrops Goulet but the sloppy cover only gets a two. Rodz gets the tag but Davey moves out of the way so he tries an axehandle but hits nothing. He then walks right into a RUNNING POWERSLAM by Smith who covers for 1….nope, Goulet breaks it up. Davey puts Rene into an airplane spin then tags in Dynamite. Kid goes up top the top then jumps off Goulet to flying headbutt Rodz. The cover gets 1..2…3 and its over. Outstanding match. I expected a 4 minute jobber match to put over the Bulldogs but this was much better. It made all 4 men look good as the right men were put over without making Rodz and Goulet look like fools. Does this match belong on this tape? Normally I’d say no but this was a lot better than expected.

 

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winners: The British Bulldogs by pinfall

 

We move right along to the next match

 

Match 4

The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Niedhart) with Jimmy Hart vs The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith)

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Alfred Hays

 Things just keep getting better and better. July 13, 1985 saw the first WWF encounter between the Bulldogs and the new heel tag team of The Hart Foundation. Bret Hart’s Coliseum Video debut should be a good one at Madison Square Garden. Vince mentions Bret’s past with the Bulldogs (but without mentioning Stampede) before hyping the Foundation as possible future tag team champions (good call). We get a TAPE EDIT off the bat which edits out the Bulldogs entrance and the opening sequence. The Bulldogs are in the long red tights while the Foundation are in all black with red stripe. Dynamite has Bret in a hammerlock but Hart reverses it. Dynamite runs around the ring and slides down, causing Bret to crash through the ropes and to the outside. Bret goes to regroup with Anvil and Jimmy but we get another TAPE EDIT. Now Niedhart is competing with Davey in a test of strength. Niedhart kicks Davey in the ribs to gain the advantage. Niedhart sends Davey off but Smith flips over Jim and dropkicks him down. Bret tags in and nails Davey with a running knee to the ribs. Bret grabs the legs and kicks Davey in the ribs. Bret rams Smith’s head into Jim’s knee then fires away with right hands. Niedhart tags in and they deliver a double back elbow smash. Niedhart covers but referee Dick Woehrle is too busy chirping at Bret to get out of the ring. Niedhart clubs Davey with a forearm to the chest then delivers a backbreaker…..which allows Bret to come off the top with an elbow. A Demolition Decapitator a few years before Demolition formed. Bret taunts the crowd with his arms outstretched as Niedhart continues to work over Davey. Niedhart gets in a headbutt then an axehandle to the head. Another TAPE EDIT now shows Bret in the ring with Davey. Jim holds him as Bret runs off the ropes, but Davey moves and Bret crashes into Niedhart. Dynamite gets the tag and whips the Foundation together. Dynamite damn near takes Bret’s head off with his trademark hard clothesline (that Chris Benoit later used in his honor) and nails Niedhart with a jumping headbutt. Dynamite backdrops Anvil then slams Bret down by the hair. A falling headbutt stuns Bret and Kid follows with a knee drop. Dynamite whips Bret sternum first into the corner which gets a huge pop from the crowd. Jimmy Hart goes beserk outside as Dynamite covers for 1..2..nope, Anvil makes the save. Dynamite goes up to the top rope and nails Bret with a dropkick before tagging in Davey Boy. Smith executes the running powerslam on Bret and covers for 1….2..nope, Anvil makes the save again. Another damn TAPE EDIT now has Bret in control with an elbow to the head. Bret chokes Davey on the top rope but he sommersaults backwards and dropkicks the Hitman. Davey crawls for the tag but Anvil drags him back into his corner. Bret drops a leg and rams Davey’s head into Niedhart’s knee. Jim gets the tag and Bulldog goes for the sunset flip but the bell sounds. The Foundation retreat as the crowd beats a hasty exit. Bret Hart spoke about in his book that despite Hulk Hogan being the main event, the tag matches were usually on last. Well that was very disappointing, the match itself was at least 20 minutes but we had about 15 of that clipped. Why would they show the Goulet/Rodz match in its entirety but clip this one? It was a good match but too edited for this to be special. There is good news though, the match IS in its entirety on Bret Hart’s 3 Disc DVD compilation but for now this is what we get. Does it belong on this tape? Yes, just not clipped this badly.

 

Time of match: 20 minutes (but heavily edited for this tape)

Winner: No one (Time limit draw)

 

Now we go to a TNT episode where George “The Animal” Steele and Captain Lou Albano visit “Dr. Sigmund Ziff” with Vince McMahon wearing a Barney purple suit. Steele is lying on a green couch and Albano is sitting on the desk. Vince asks why we’re here and Lou rambles about how there’s a medulla oblongata blockage and calcium deposits which causes George to be “The Animal”. Apparently George needs Dr. Ziff to administer psychotherapy. The doc speaks with a phony German accent and says George is pretty much hopeless. First we’re going to try hypnosis as Albano lotions himself. Dr. Ziff says to go back to childhood and Steele bellows “SCHOOL!” Ziff asks what happened “FOOTBALL!” is the answer. Steele says he almost cut someone’s tongue out and the Doc scoffs. To make this nonsense short, when George was 13 years old he was on the football team but the teacher called him a dummy in front of everyone which caused him not to talk anymore. Doctor says when he snaps George out of it, he’ll be normal again. Of course when the Doc snaps him out of it he acts like the usual Animal. Captain Lou has to calm him down. Albano starts ranting and raving that we need more help. We cut to another TNT shows with Dr Ziff, Captain Lou, George and Vince wearing a normal brown suit. Now we’re going to do some electro-shock therapy. Ziff puts a helmet on his head that looks similar to the one Rick Moranis wore in the movie Ghostbusters. Dr. Ziff shocks him and Steele starts smiling. He turns the machine off and George says “How now brown cow?” Albano and the Doc cheer. Ziff starts upping the voltage and Steele starts spazzing. He gets up, runs away and starts screaming “HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY!” Albano starts calling the Doc a quack and we cut here. Stupid but it was to set up the next match.

 

Match 5

“Big” John Studd, Adrian Adonis and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan vs George “The Animal” Steele and The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) with Captain Lou Albano

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

   June 21, 1985 at Madison Square Garden saw this epic encounter as Heenan takes the place of Ken Patera who was off to jail in a match against the former tag team champs and Steele. Barry Windham is in the red tights, Rotundo in the blue with Steele in his normal. Heenan’s got his mini-Andre tights with Studd and Adonis in their standard. Steele starts out with Heenan and chases him out of the ring. Steele chases Heenan back in as Albano confers with him. Heenan hides behind Studd as Adonis gets in. Okerlund “Are we gonna draw straws now?”. Windham tags in and now we’re going to see some wrestling. Adonis runs into 2 armdrags, 4 scoop slams and another arm drag. Adonis staggers into the face corner and gets bitten by Steele in the face. Adonis retreats and tags Studd before bailing to the back. Referee Dick Kroll tells Adonis to get back here. Windham and Studd circle as Albano screams “Yayyyyyy” outside. Studd backs Windham into the ropes and delivers a forearm. Barry runs into a shoulderblock but ducks under the big guy and nails him with a right hand. Barry goes for a slam but Studd blocks it. Barry punches Studd and goes to slam him again but again he’s blocked. The third time almost gets him but John holds onto the ropes and makes it down safely. Studd goes for a back suplex but Barry rolls out of it and catches him with a crossbody. Barry only gets a one count and we get a TAPE EDIT. Windham is dazed in the corner and Heenan tags in. Heenan pounds away but gets whipped horizontally into the opposite corner. Windham pounds away with elbows before whipping him into the opposite corner where he flips backwards out of the ring. Steele chases Heenan until he catches him and rams his head into the steel guardrail. Adonis jumps on him and he eats guardrail as well for his troubles. Captain Lou calms Steele down as Rotundo tags in to go at it with Studd. Rotundo digs into his Syracuse U background and wrestles Studd to the ground. Studd recovers to shove Rotundo into his corner. Adonis tags in to stomp away and then front suplexes him onto the top rope. Adonis boots Mike in the gonads (yes of course I’m serious) then poses. Mike whips Adrian into the corner but a charge eats elbow. Adonis then DDT’s Rotundo (a year before Jake started doing it) and covers for 1….2.nope. Heenan tags in to attack Mike as the crowd chants USA. Windham and Steele interfere and they clean out the heels. Steele bites Heenan and a pier six brawl develops. Adonis crotches himself on the top rope as Studd nails Steele over the top rope. Steele grabs a chair and he clears out the heels without hitting anyone…then clocks the referee. Rotundo and Windham beg and plead for Steele to put the chair down and he throws it out of the ring. Dick Kroll calls for the bell and this one’s over. Captain Lou tries to calm down George as Howard Finkel announces Heenan’s team the winners. The point of this match was to get over the fact that Steele is nuts. It worked. Does it belong on a tape like this? No but that spot where Steele clocks Kroll with a chair was hilarious.

 

Time of match: Who knows, tape edits again.

Winners: Heenan, Studd and Adonis by DQ

 

We now go to highlights of Bruno Sammartino. First, he beats the crap out of Ivan Koloff in a steel cage then we cut to Wrestlemania where David Sammartino, Bruno, Johnny V/Brutus Beefcake’s promos. Then we see highlights of the brawl that develops at the end of the Sammartino/Beefcake match which sets up our next contest, the return of Bruno Sammartino to active duty for a few more matches.

 

Match 6

“Luscious” Johnny Valiant and Brutus Beefcake vs Bruno and David Sammartino (with Arnold Skaaland)

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Alfred Hays

  49 year old Bruno comes out of retirement to team with his son at Madison Square Garden on May 20, 1985. The Sammartinos are both wearing black trunks. Brutus wears his goofy getup with Valiant in black tights with a green headband. The heels stall…and stall…and stall some more. Monsoon makes the comment Bruno looks better than ever because he never really had serious injuries throughout his career and all he’s done is train and run since his retirement. There’s your main issue why Bruno is still kicking at nearly 80 years old today while a lot of people ½ and some 1/3 of his age dropped dead from years of drug, steroid and alcohol abuse. As Bruno and Johnny tie up, Monsoon questions how much rust Bruno has on him. Funny how Johnny V has been more of a manager than a wrestler but Gorilla doesn’t question him. Bruno shoulderblocks Johnny and boots him in the head. 2 arm drags sends Valiant bailing to the outside as Beefcake comes in and gets rammed into the turnbuckle head first. A big right hand sends him out as the crowd pops. Bruno reaches through the ropes and rams the heels’ heads together. Monsoon says he’s still got it as Valiant and Beefcake regroup. Valiant gets back in and gets in the trusty eye gouge but charging from the corner is met with a back drop. Bruno’s arm drag is followed by an arm wringer as David tags in. Valiant gets to his feet and sends David off but the younger Sammartino drops him with a shoulderblock. David runs into a scoop slam but he counters with one of his own. David armdrags Valiant and works the arm until Johnny makes it to his feet. Johnny runs into a shoulderblock but David runs into a hiptoss. Johnny misses an elbow drop and walks right into an armdrag. Beefcake tags in and gets caught in an arm wringer. David turns it into a hammerlock and tags out to Bruno. Bruno takes Beefcake down with it and does his wrench of doom (he continually wrenches the arm) he trademarked in the 60/70’s. Monsoon says he can’t how many times Bruno did it to him and Hays says he did it to him too. David tags in and takes over, doing the same thing. David goes for the arm bar pin but Valiant breaks it up. Beefcake stomps him in the ribs and makes the tag to Valiant who comes off the top rope with a forearm to the back. Valiant sends David off but he gets caught with a boot to the head and David tags out to Bruno. Johnny begs off but Bruno attacks in the corner with lefts and rights. Bruno sends him off and kicks him in the ribs, staggering Valiant in the wrong corner where David greets him with a right hand. David tags in and goes to work with right hands while Bruno holds him. Valiant gets in a few right hands and rams his head into the buckle (he’s overselling everything). Valiant chokes him on the second rope and Beefcake gets in a forearm on the outside. Valiant whips David into the knee of Beefcake. Brutus tags in and executes 2 consecutive backbreakers before dropping a forearm to the jaw. Brutus executes a snapmare and tags in Valiant who scoop slams him. Johnny whips David in the corner and hits a sloppy looking kick. Valiant whips David in the opposite corner but misses the charge. David schoolboys Valiant for 1….2…3 good night. It was actually a fast count by the ref and even Beefcake complains. The ref raises the Sammartinos arms in victory and we cut here. This was one of the last high profile matches for David for he felt he was being used just to get his father back in the ring and his father felt the same. This marked a string of 3 years where David would be hired, fired, re-hired, re-fired as Bruno was forced to accept more bookings than he wanted to. Does this match belong on a tape like this? Normally no but we got Bruno in the ring who really was the best for about 20 years.

 

Time of match: 9:08

Winners: The Sammartinos by pinfall

 

Now we go to a god awful TNT skit from April 26, 1985 where King Kong Bundy tries on wigs, I’ll explain why its awful shortly. Bundy is shirtless and wearing sandals with Jimmy Hart wearing a zebra striped suit. Vince asks if he’d like to have more privacy and Bundy says absolutely. He doesn’t want to take pictures with kids or sign autographs, just wants to be with his crew. Vince asks if he’d like to go incognito and Bundy rolls his eyes and says “I wish.” Vince says Alfred has been trying on wigs and suggests Bundy do as well. Bundy asks Jimmy if he should and Hart says “take a shot.”  Vince hands him a gray one and Bundy says no. He hands him a black one and he puts it on. Hart says it doesn’t match his eyes. Bundy tries on a brown mullet and Hart says “its not you.” Finally he tries on a permed brown one that fits but Alfred laughs. Bundy goes beserk and screams at him that he’ll break him in half. Bundy and Hart storms off as Alfred continues to laugh. Why is this god awful? They tried to make Bundy look silly and “have a personality” by doing this shit, but what it does is kill the character. Bundy was supposed to be a human wrecking machine and booking him as a monster would get him over, not have him try on wigs. Fans want to see Bundy slaughter babyfaces, not make an ass out of himself on TNT. The company never learned its lesson, killing off Goldberg before he started nearly 20 years later in almost the same fashion. On to the next match before I vomit.

 

Match 7

King Kong Bundy (with Jimmy Hart) vs Tony Garea

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

  June 21, 1985 saw Bundy take on Garea at Madison Square Garden. This was the match highlighted in BIGGEST, SMALLEST, STRANGEST, STRONGEST but I assume this will be the complete match. Garea and Bundy are both in standard gear while Jimmy Hart is in a loud blue zebra striped jacket. Okerlund asks why Hart carries a “bullhorn” to the ring. They tie up and Bundy heaves him into the ropes before posing for the irate crowd. Garea goes to the apron to kick at Hart and Bundy protests. Back inside, Bundy heaves him into the ropes again. Okerlund makes note that Garea was a 5 time tag team champion as Tony gets in a side headlock. Bundy sends him off and drops him with a shoulderbreaker. Garea gets up and runs into another one as Okerlund says “Tony please, its like running into a brick wall.” Garea goes off the ropes and this time starts punching and kicking the big man. Garea attacks with right hands in the corner but a big forearm by Bundy stops that. Bundy sends him off the ropes and floors him with a back elbow smash. Bundy goes for the big elbow but Tony rolls out of the way. Garea gets a single leg takedown and works over the left leg. Tony stomps him in the midsection and Bundy retreats to the corner. They circle before Bundy gets in a forearm and rams Tony’s head into the top turnbuckle. Bundy gets a knee to the lower back and stands on him, causing Jimmy Hart to laugh. Monsoon makes his famous “Go on down to the stockyards and hang on a meat scale” that he uses to describe big men. We get a TAPE EDIT and now Bundy has Garea in a rest-hold. Bundy lets go and clubs him with a forearm before staggering him into the ropes. Garea counters with a dropkick and a shoulderblock that staggers Bundy. A second and third shoulderblock drives Bundy into the corner. Garea tries to whip him to the opposite corner but Bundy reverses it and hits the AVALANCHE. Garea crumples to the mat like a dead deer and Bundy hits the big splash for 1…2..3 to win it. Bundy almost literally squashes Garea to get him over as a future star. Hart jumps into Bundy’s arms as we go to the replay. Does this match belong on the tape? Not really, but its purpose is to show that Bundy is a mean looking fella. THAT is how you book Bundy, not by having him try on wigs.

 

Time of match: Another damn tape edit

Winner: King Kong Bundy by pinfall

 

On to the final match of the tape.

 

Match 8

18 Man Battle Royal with $30,000 on the line

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Gene Okerlund.

  We go back in time to February 10, 1984 for this epic battle royal. This is also 18 days after Hogan took the title from Iron Sheik. The participants are Masked Superstar, Moondog Rex, Samu, Mil Mascaras, “Dr. D” David Schultz, Bob Boyer, Mr. Fuji, Tiger Chung Lee, Ivan Putski, Big John Studd, Tony Atlas, Paul Orndorff,  Rocky Johnson, Adrian Adonis, Jimmy Snuka, Dick Murdoch, Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. As I said earlier Mil Mascaras was the Hulk Hogan of Mexico in terms of staying at the top of the card and refusing to job no matter how old he was. Bob Boyer is the only jobber in the match. We join in progress and SCHULTZ has already been eliminated. Orndorff attacks Masked Superstar as Andre and Studd go at it. Hogan nails Adonis with an elbow as Putski nails Fuji with a punch. Murdoch then pounds on Andre as Rex attacks Hogan. Hogan grabs REX, points at the floor and tosses him over the top and out. Adonis comes off the top with a forearm to Orndorff. Andre headbutts Samu who does his “head caught in the ropes” spot. Johnson gets in a punch to Mascaras as Studd and Superstar go at it. Chung Lee attacks Orndorff from behind as Fuji and Adonis double-team Hogan. Adonis goes upstairs but Hogan slams him off. Andre big splashes Boyer and a huge pig pile with everyone in the ring flattens the poor guy. Mil Mascaras is able to stand on top of everyone to show off. Once everyone breaks up, Orndorff stomps on BOYER as the refs try to drag him outside. Apparently the refs say he can’t continue so he’s out of there. Studd wanders outside the ring then chokes Andre from the apron. Murdoch and Adonis has Hogan halfway out but Putski makes the save. Adonis hammers away on Hogan but he Hulks Up on him. Boyer is shown being carted off on a stretcher and we miss Tiger Chung LEE getting tossed out. Murdoch and Adonis pound on Hogan as Studd wanders around outside again. Orndorff nails Johnson from behind as Andre punches Atlas. Tony dumps Masked SUPERSTAR but he pulls a sore loser and pulls out ATLAS as well. Rocky nails Murdoch but Samu nails him from behind. Johnson ducks a charge and ORNDORFF goes over the top and out. Murdoch knees him in the back but he goes through the ropes. Orndorff grabs him and rams him head first into the ringpost. Johnson is busted wide open as Orndorff continues the assault on the floor. Orndorff shoves the referee out of the way and throws Rocky back in the ring before making his loud exit. Back inside Murdoch and Adonis double-team Johnson as Studd bails to the outside again. I scan the ring and noticed Johnson, Murdoch, Adonis, Putski, Fuji, Samu, Andre, Hogan, Mascaras and Studd still with us……SNUKA is nowhere to be found so obviously he’s been thrown out at some point and everyone missed it. Johnson goes into beast mode and rallies with right hands on Murdoch, then Adonis. Johnson headbutts  Adonis then drops Samu with punches. Johnson ducks as SAMU misses a crossbody and flies over the top and out. JOHNSON and MURDOCH trade punches before they both topple over the floor and out. They trade blows on the outside before Murdoch bails to the back. We’re down to 7 men as Mascaras and Putski try to dump Studd, Andre pounds on Fuji and Hogan goes at it with Murdoch. Hogan ducks a charge and ADONIS goes over the top and out. At the same time Andre dumps FUJI and Studd uses body scissors plus his long reach to tip MASCARAS over and out. Down to the final four, Andre and Hogan go at it as Studd pounds on Putski. Andre drops Hogan with a chop as Studd backdrops PUTSKI over the top and out. Hogan and Andre try to eliminate each other so Studd comes from behind and shoves them. ANDRE grabs hold of HOGAN and Studd dumps them both to win the match. Wow, who saw THAT coming? Andre gets back in to chase Studd out of the ring. Andre chases Studd in the ring to go one on one with Hogan. Studd bails and he’s cornered by the duo. Studd tries to escape but they pull him out of the ring. Andre and Hogan double team Studd until he manages to break free. Hogan raises Andre’s arm but Studd is the winner. Even though Hogan and Andre got the cheap face heat at the end, bottom line was Hogan was eliminated fair and square for once without pulling a sore loser. Still don’t know what happened to Snuka, he was there one minute and gone without a trace. Anyway, does this match belong on this tape? For the double fact Andre lost a battle royal and Hogan was eliminated fairly, I’d say so.

 

Time of match: Edited and joined in progress (real time 13:28)

Winner: Big John  Studd

 

The credits roll and we’re done here. We get a graphic for WWF HOME VIDEO SERIES at 430 West 54^th Street, New York, NY 100019. Send them a letter today and see what happens. Now we get previews for BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 4. THE AMAZING MANAGERS and WRESTLING’S COUNTRY BOYS. Well that was a thrill ride, we had everything from TNT skits to battle royals, strap matches and the return of Bruno. It was a decent tape that highlighted the now changing WWF. Some of the guys from 1984 were no longer there except only in archived matches such as David Schultz, Dick Murdoch and others. The Harts, Bulldogs, Steamboat and others were kicking off a new era with the Rock N Wrestling angle beginning to wind down. As for the tape itself, I give it 3.5 stars out of 5. The points off are for clipping the Bulldogs/Hart match to almost unbearable levels. The next tape after this is THE AMAZING MANAGERS so we’ll pick up there.