Best of the WWF Volume 5 (WF017)

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN LOU ALBANO was a personal profile tape that was decent for the most part but now we return to the “Best of” series. Now that the calendar had turned to 1986, a lot of the feuds from the first 4 tapes (not to mention a lotof the wrestlers) were done with and gone. Fresh blood had been brought in from Stampede Wrestling and territories around the country. On this tape will be the original screwjob between Fabulous Moolah and Wendi Richter, some tag team matches, a Mr. Fuji skit and an 8 man tag match from 1983. Is this truly the “best of”? Let’s find out. Cue the 1985 opening and “Mean” Gene Okerlund is our host tonight. He shills the action and sends us to the “Battle of the Islands” between Steamboat and Muraco.

Match 1

Ricky Steamboat vs Don “The Magnificent” Muraco

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura

November 25, 1985 in Madison Square Garden saw Steamboat in the long red tights with black trunks take on Muraco in his standard gear. As Steamboat is getting undressed, Ventura asks Monsoon “Would you buy a car from Mr. Fuji?” Monsoon “No way. I wouldn’t even ride in a car with Mr. Fuji.” The camera pans to Fuji outside smiling deviously, obviously he is up to no good. The bell rings and Monsoon brings up the feud starter where Muraco hung Steamboat with his belt and whacked him with a chair, what a heel! They lock up and Muraco gets in a side-headlock. Steamboat sends Muraco off, leapfrogs twice and karate kicks him in the back which sends Don through the ropes and to the outside. Ricky chases him back in the ring where Muraco begs off. Monsoon “Muraco moves quick for 280 pounds plus”. Muraco backs Ricky into the corner and goes to work with a knee and a chop then a snapmare. A knee drop stuns the Dragon but Ricky rallies with right hands and a snap mare of his own. Steamboat executes the Perfect Neckbreaker then nails Muraco with a bell ringer. Muraco begs off then bails as referee Dick Woerlhe tells him to get back in there. Muraco purposely stalls outside then slowly gets back in the ring. More begging off follows and Muraco goes for a game of mercy…only for Steamboat to unload with karate kicks and chops. A snap-mare is followed by a neck twist. Monsoon “Look at this he’s trying to jerk his head off.”: Please don’t take that out of context. A camera pans to a dude wearing a turban in the crowd and Monsoon doesn’t miss a beat saying we got an international audience here tonight. Ventura scoffs at the neck twist before Muraco rallies with a shoulder block that decks the Dragon. Ricky recovers with a leapfrog, an elbow to the gut and an elbow to the face to send Muraco bailing to the outside again. Don regroups with Fuji as Woerhle gets to a 7 count before Muraco gets back in. Muraco gets a knee in the corner and a big chop. Ricky reverses an irish whip and nails Don with a backdrop then two arm drags. A drop toe hold leads to a chinlock as Ventura admits that Ricky’s dominated the match. The camera pans to a child in the front row and Monsoon says he’s cheering on Steamboat and Ventura scoffs “Hey how do you know he’s not a Don Muraco fan?” Steamboat goes to a pseudo camel clutch before getting a knee to the back. Ricky then grabs him by the beak and snaps it. Ricky goes for the front facelock and Monsoon wonders why Muraco can’t power out of it. Ventura says because the Dragon has him worn down. We get a TAPE EDIT and Ricky still has the hold on. Muraco finally drops Steamboat with a reverse atomic drop and a clothesline. Another clothesline drops Ricky and Muraco goes to work with boots and right hands. Muraco rams Steamboat into the buckle then throws him across the ring into the ring post. Steamboat is busted wide open and Muraco goes to work on the open wound with his teeth and his thumb. Monsoon suggests the ref to stop the match as Muraco tosses him out of the ring. The children in the stands chant for Steamboat as Muraco follows Ricky outside and slingshots him into the ring post. Muraco’s face is covered in Ricky;’s blood and he gets back in the ring to taunt the Dragon. He reaches through the ropes and sends him into the steel steps. Monsoon says to stop the match so a doctor can clear the blood out, my how times have changed. I miss these days when things were still presented as somewhat legitimate. Muraco continues to attack the open wound as Steamboat desperate tries to fight back with chops. Steamboat rallies with chops and right hands in the corner. Muraco reverses a whip and clotheslines him down. Muraco stomps and Monsoon talks about how he and Jesse used to have to clear blood out of their eyes as well. Muraco continues to work over Ricky as the camera pants to Mr. Fuji outside who smiles and enjoys the proceedings. Muraco tosses him outside on the apron and Fuji goes to hit him with the cane. Ricky blocks it and kicks Fuji in the back, sending him to the cement floor. Muraco grabs the cane and Steamboat blocks Muraco from using it. Steamboat nips up and Muraco cleans out Woehrle in the process. Muraco then tries to nail Ricky with the cane but he keeps rolling out of the way. A karate kick to the head drops Muraco and Ricky begins attacking Muraco with the cane. The referee comes to and sees Dragon with the cane, then calls for the bell. Ricky breaks the cane over Muraco’s head and Muraco is now busted wide open. Woehrle tries to stop Steamboat but Ricky sends him flying as well. Using the two pieces of wood for karate, Ricky taunts Muraco then jabs one piece into the head of Muraco like a spike. Finally Muraco bails and the crowd goes wild. Steamboat calls Muraco back in as the bell continues to ring and they brawl to the floor. Steamboat whips him from pillar to post then slingshots him back in the ring. Steamboat continues to wail away at Muraco and chops him in the head. Muraco begs off as Steamboat has the crowd in a frenzy. Muraco slithers out of the ring and raises his arms in victory. We go to The Fink inside the ring who announces Muraco the winner by disqualification. Steamboat caters to the crowd in the ring as we cut here. That was a great match, it told a story of speed vs power and Fuji stayed out of it for the most part. Muraco was always slow and methodical and it worked in the story that was being told. It also didn’t make either of them look bad by having that finish. Also, there wasn’t ONE pinfall attempt the whole match. That shows this wasn’t about who was the best wrestler, this shit was personal. Does it belong on a “best of” tape, yes.

Time of match: clipped

Winner: Don Muraco by DQ

We cut right to the next match

Match 2

The Killer Bees (Jim Brunzel and Brian Blair) vs The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Niedhart) with Jimmy Hart

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Back to September 10,1985 for this tag match which appears to be taken from network television. It used to drive me nuts to see matches like that on tapes because why am I paying money for something I’ve already seen for free? Anyway the Bees are in standard trunks while the Harts are in the black tights today. Bret starts out with Blair as Gene in the voiceover says the match will soon be out of control. I’m about to piss myself in anticipation Gene….anyway Bret ties up Blair and gets a knee to the ribs. Blair reverses a whip and powerslams Bret. Niedhart gets in and eats a powerslam of his own. Bret swings and misses and Brian atomic drops him into Niedhart. Blair caters to the crowd and locks in an armringer. Brunzell tags in and continues with the armbar as Monsoon says that was a mistake to slow down the match. Once again, I miss the days where legitimacy was still intact even though it’s a worked environment. Bret whips Jim off who sunset flips the Hitman for a 2 count. The first two count of the entire tape I might add. An armdrag takeover stuns the Hitman but Bret recovers and gets an elbow to the chin. Niedhart tags in and gets a headlock in as he laughs maniacally. I still say he has the second best laugh in wrestling behind Ted Dibiase. Monsoon hypes up Ventura’s return to the ring for the 6 man tag at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Niedhart locks in a bearhug but a bell ringer stuns Jim. Blair tags in and fires away with right hands. Niedhart swings and misses and Blair hits the ropes only to be greeted with a knee to the back by the Hitman. Referee John Bonello admonishes Bret on the apron as Niedhart pounces on the fallen Brian. Bret tags in as Monsoon and Ventura have a ring ethics chat. Bret nails his patented side backbreaker then drops a leg. Monsoon says the winner of this match should be up there challenging the Dream Team for the tag belts. Would have been nice to see the Harts and Dream Team have an all-heel program but whatever. Bret ties Brian in the ropes but Brian unties himself in time for Bret to crotch himself. Brunzell tags in and nails Bret with a running elbow to the forehead. Ventura says watch for the dropkick, harking back to his AWA days where he and Adrian Adonis used to tag against Brunzell and Greg Gagne. Blair nails Niedhart then covers Bret for a two count. Brunzell sends Bret off and nearly takes his head off with the patented dropkick. He covers for 1…2..nope, Niedhart breaks up the count. Blair runs in and a pier 6 brawl envelops the ring. The Bees get the upperhand but the ref calls for the bell as Bret tosses Brunzell through the ropes and to the outside. Bret clocks him with an elbow from the apron as Niedhart joins the pummeling until Blair saves the day. The 4 men brawl as they re-enter the ring as the ring announcer just stands there confused. The Bees clean out the Harts and they retreat to the back. The official decision is a double dq and the crowd really was into it. Does it belong on a tape like this, not really but it was still fun to watch.

Time of match: 5:07

Winners: No one, Double DQ

We go right into the next match, wasting no time.

Match 3:

The Killer Bees (Brunzell and Blair) and Paul Orndorff vs The Hart Foundation (Hart and Niedhart) and Barry O with Jimmy Hart

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

Gene in the voiceover says the last match resulted in a rematch only we got 6 man action this time. October 1, 1985 saw the Bees seem to have the edge in partners as they chose Mr. Wonderful, the guy who headlined Wrestlemania. Meanwhile, the Harts chose the wrong Orton brother. I guess Bob was busy that day. We’re joined in progress with the Harts and Bees in standard gear while Orndorff has the blue tights on this time. Bret works over Brunzell in the corner before Niedhart assists from the outside. Blair and Orndorff run over and shoo Niedhart away. Jimmy Hart also hid under the ring when Orndorff approached. Bret hits his side back-breaker and the in between the legs boot to the gut. Brunzell tries to tag but Bret brings him to the corner where Barry tags in. Barry has the long red tights and gray trunks on. Brunzell scurries under Barry’s legs and tags in Orndorff who cleans house of Barry and the Harts. Orndorff tags in Brunzell but stays in the ring. He shoots Barry off, holds him up and Brunzell nearly decapitates him with a dropkick. Niedhart takes too long to break up the pinfall attempt by Brunzell…1….2…3 goodnight. Why did they bother to join in progress, that lasted less than a minute. The Bees and Orndorff celebrate as Hart bitches from the outside that he was not the legal man, guess he missed the tag. Bret gets back in to protest before he bails to the back with the others. Brunzell looks like he’s about to puke in the corner as we go to the replay. That was short and doesn’t belong on this tape at all, although it does serve the purpose as a finisher to the tag match earlier…even though neither Hart took the fall.

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winners: Killer Bees and Orndorff by pinfall

No segments, on to the next bout.

Match 4

The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith) vs The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) with Johnny V for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

This match is also from September 10, 1985 although this was a television encounter. The Bulldogs are in the long red tights as Beefcake is in the long blue tights with black polka dots. Valentine is in the blue tights tonight. Davey Boy stares at the champs with his arms folded while Dynamite looks menacing. Bruno says the Bulldogs have a great chance to win the straps. Greg starts out with Dynamite as Vince says the Dream Team hasn’t met anyone like the Bulldogs before. Guess the US Express doesn’t count since Barry Windham was no longer part of the company. Dynamite gets a headlock in as Bruno calls them the “English Bulldogs.” Dynamite uses his deceptive power to drop Valentine with a shoulderblock. Dynamite sends Valentine into beefcake then makes the tag to Davey Boy. Beefcake tags in and gets a wristlock that has Beefcake saying “heyyyyyyyyy”. Beefcake scoop slams Davey but Smith hangs on to the wrist and takes him over. Dynamite tags in with an axehandle off the top to the arm. Davey tags in and does the same thing. Bulldog gets a hammerlock in then rakes the eyes. Bruno “That’s one way to break the hold”  Davey nails Brutus with a dropkick then nails Valentine with one for good measure. A scoopslam on Beefcake is followed by a cover for a 1 as Greg breaks it up. Beefcake tags in the Hammer and they drop Davey with a double back elbow. A cover gets a two and Greg scoop slams Davey. Greg misses an elbow drop and Dynamite headbutts the Hammer then runs over to intercept an interfering Beefcake. He rams Brutus’ head into Greg’s and they both flop. Dynamite sends Valentine off and nails him with a left arm clothesline that staggers the Hammer. Dynamite delivers a backbreaker then covers for 1…2…nope. Vince bitches that the ref was out of position. Dynamite delivers a falling a headbutt but Beefcake breaks up the pinfall. Davey runs in and nails Brutus. The ref turns his head as Dynamite goes upstairs. Johnny V hops up on the apron and the ref turns to see Valiant shove Dynamite off the top. The ref calls for the bell and this one’s over. Beefcake grabs the belts and celebrates outside with Valentine. This was a decent crash style match for TV and it settled nothing in the feud. This would go on until Wrestlemania 2 but for now the Dream Team retain. Does it belong on a tape like this, not really.

Time of match: 4:17

Winners: British Bulldogs by DQ (Dream Team retains)

Next up is what many fans claim to be the only reason to ever watch TNT, Don Muraco and Mr. Fuji. The duo go on TNT and apparently Muraco and Fuji have just come from shooting Fuji General, a take on the popular Mass General soap opera at the time. Muraco runs down the director and script and say he and Fuji were the stars. Muraco calls the director a clown and says he collects garbage. Muraco admits what we’re about to see sucks…except for him and Fuji. We cut to “Fuji General” and the director wants quiet on the set. The director is the same guy who played Dr. Sigmund Ziff in the George Steele angle I don’t want to get into. Muraco makes his entrance in full labcoat with Fuji waiting for him in full lapcoat only he still has his derby hat on. The nurse, Louise, is mad that Muraco has gone back to his wife. Muraco clearly looks up at a teleprompter after every line and its hilarious. Muraco starts hitting on her and looks directly into the camera, giving his lines with no pause or emotion at all. The director shouts cut! The director berates Muraco and demands he shows emotion. Muraco continues doing what he was doing until Fuji walks in who sounds even less emotional than Muraco. Fuji looks at the camera and delivers the lines even worse than Muraco. At one point he’s supposed to yell at him but he has to continue turning around to read the lines. Don just stands there with a huge grin on his face probably doing his best not to laugh. Fuji walks off with the nurse close behind. We cut to a room with Barry Horrowitz in bed where Muraco reads off the prompter again. Barry says he’s doing well as Fuji looks up to read his line and says he’s proud of him. Fuji continues the monotone delivery and the nurse, bless her, delivers her lines with actual emotion. Nurse Peacock (yes that’s the name) tries to throw Fuji out and Fuji says he’s chief of staff and she’s FIREDDDDDD. Barry “No doc, don’t do that.” Muraco consoles the nurse and continues the prompter read. The director cuts again and yells at him to act. He says to stop being a wrestler and to act. Muraco continues the monotone delivery and even he’s trying not to crack up while delivering. The director cuts again and this time Fuji jumps in and starts yelling, Barry hops up and starts yelling and now its mayhem. The director fires Muraco and Fuji while Barry wants a raise. We go back to TNT with Hays and Vince laughing their asses off, which kind of ruins it. Muraco tries to explain himself while Fuji sits there ready to nail Alfred with the cane. Vince “That was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life”.  Does it belong on a tape like this, actually yes. We go from something funny, to something not…the burial of Wendi Richter.

Match 5

Leilani Kai (with Fabulous Moolah) vs Wendi Richter (with Cyndi Lauper and David Wolff) for the WWF Women’s Championship

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

This match was the co-main event of War to Settle The Score. Like I said before, Hogan vs Piper was the only match shown on TV but there was a major undercard for Madison Square Garden. Richter had headlined Brawl to End it All by beating Fabulous Moolah for the title and now, February 18, 1985, she defends against Moolah’s new protégé. We’re joined in progress with Richter in the gold leotard and Kai in the blue bathing suit with white polka dots. Richter has Kai in the corner but misses a charge. Kai sets her up for a double underhook and barely gets her up and over. The cover only gets a 1 count and Kai snapmares her by the hair. Kai drops a leg but Richter puts her legs up expecting a splash. Oops. Kai uses the middle rope to pull the hair until Richter boots her away. Gorilla asks David Wolff who’s hanging out at ringside as usual if Richter has done any special training. Richter avoids a charge and Kai throws herself through the ropes and to the cement floor. How about dodgeball? Moolah comes over to scrape Kai off the floor and Richter kicks her for her trouble. Kai makes to the apron and Richter suplexes her back in the ring. Richter covers but forgets to hook the leg 1….2…nope. Richter slams her face first then goes for a bow and arrow surfboard, only she lands on her back. Luckily referee Dick Woehrle is filling out his AARP card and doesn’t notice Richter’s shoulders down much to the chagrin of Monsoon. Richter goes for the classic surfboard but we get a TAPE EDIT. Sheesh, joined in progress and a tape edit? Richter applies an armbar and takes Kai down with a leg trip. Kai eventually gets to her feet, sends her off but gets a boot to the dome. Kai goes for a front facelock but gets in a blatant choke. Woehrle “Hey are you choking?” What’s Kai going to say ref, yes? Moolah screams for Leilani to break Richter’s neck as Wendi gets the foot on the rope….and Dick doesn’t see it. Moolah pushes the foot off the rope but this time Woehrle catches it and makes Leilani break it. A thrust to the throat drops Richter. Leilani goes for a kick to the ribs but Richter catches the leg and trips her down. The cover only gets a two and a knee to the ear floors Kai. A second kneelift and cover gets a two. Richter hits her with a flying clothesline but the cover only gets two. Richter takes a page from Hogan and delivers a big boot, but Kai gets the foot on the rope during the count. Richter slams Kai and covers as Moolah finally gets ahold of Lauper and starts strangling her on the outside. Gene Okerlund “What the HELL, COME ON!” David Wolff comes over and Richter does too to pry Moolah away. Moolah gets in a right cross that stuns Wendi and Kai pounces. Kai sends her into the buckle and rolls up Wendi as the camera pans to Lauper down outside the ring….for so long that they miss the three count in the ring. Leilani Kai has won it! Moolah gets in the ring and puts the boots to Richter for good measure before celebrating with the new champ. Howard Finkel tells the irate crowd the bad news as Gene says it wasn’t a popular decision. Cyndi and Richter hit the ring to clean house but the damage was done. We cut here and I have to ask why this match was on this tape, but my question was answered in the next match. As for this one, drastically edited for this tape’s purpose but it was a hot angle and the emotion carried the match. Does it belong on a tape like this? It’s a title change, yes.

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winner: Leilani Kai by pinfall (new women’s champion)

Moving right on to the screwjob.

Match 6

The Spider Lady vs Wendi Richter for the WWF Women’s Championship

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

I won’t blow the ending just yet but here’s a bit of backstory. Once again we’ve gone back to November 25, 1985 in Madison Square Garden. Vince wanted Wendi to sign a new contract NOW RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND before the match was to take place. Richter refused and said she wanted to look it over after she got out of the ring. Miffed, Vince gave Spider and the referee some…instructions…before they headed out to the ring. What could that mean? Well we won’t see the match in its entirety as its joined in progress but whatever. Spider Lady is in a full bodysuit with spider webs on it including a mask. Wendi is in the green leotard as Spider Lady kicks her to the floor. Richter boots her when she reaches the apron and delivers a dropkick back inside. A hiptoss has Spider on the run but Richter badly botches a head scissors and Spider just falls on top of her. Richter plays it off like she’s being pinned and the cover gets two. A weak punch by Wendi is no-sold and Spider boots her before ramming her head into the buckle twice. Spider chokes her on the rope then snaps her off. The cover gets a measly one as Spider grabs her by the hair and brings her to the right side of the ropes. Richter sends her off and nails Spider with a left arm clothesline. Here’s the key that this was Moolah. Yes, the posterior gives it away but Moolah had a habit of selling high impact spots by throwing her arms up and falling backwards. Actually think Nick Patrick in WCW. Well she just did that here, any idiot fan could figure it out that its her by now. Wendi covers for 1….2..nope. Spider catches Richter in a small package and the ref counts 1…..2…Wendi kicks out but the ref counts 3.  Monsoon doesn’t notice the 3 and says “Wow was that close.” Finally the bell rings and Monsoon asks what that was for. The ref doesn’t even bother to raise Spider’s arm in victory, he just casually strolls to the corner where Howard Finkel hops up on the apron awaiting instructions. Richter still thinks the match is going on so she rips the mask off revealing it to be Fabulous Moolah. Moolah tries to run away but Richter catches her and delivers a backbreaker. Richter goes for the cover but the ref doesn’t count. Richter still doesn’t know what’s going on so she attacks Moolah who’s been trying to raise her arms in victory as Wendi pounds on her. Richter delivers forearms in the corner as even Howard is confused. Finally the ref awards the title to Moolah and NOW Wendi figures it out. She rips the belt away from Moolah who continues to celebrate as the ref now engages in a tug of war with Wendi. Finally the Fink announces “The winner of this bout and NEW ladies champion…The Spider? The Fabulous Moolah? Wendi then goes apeshit with the belt and starts whacking Moolah with it for real. Moolah makes an attempt to steal the belt away but can’t wrestle it away, taking more belt shots until she says “fuck it” and bails. Moolah is a pretty tough customer to no-sell all that. Richter looks directly into the camera and tosses the belt down like a piece of trash. She mouths something to the camera and if looks could kill, we’d all be dead right now. We cut here and that, my friends, was the ORIGINAL screwjob. The original ending was Richter would win on a count out and pull off the mask, setting up a future feud between the two since Leilani Kai was gone. Behind the scenes, Wendi wanted Hogan money and since ladies wrestling never was (or still) as popular, Vince said no way and put out a contract that was less lucrative. Wendi refused and Vince didn’t want her jumping to the AWA or to one of the other territories with the belt, so he had Moolah doublecross her. Sound familiar? Yeah, it was Montreal twelve years earlier. Same month too. I do have to ask why these two matches were shown on this tape? Was it just to stick it to Wendi? If so, that’s pretty lame considering how much money she drew in the Cyndi Lauper era. I guess the last two matches can be considered the Wendi Richter farewell tour. It’s a shame things ended this way. The women’s belt pretty much died here as well as it wouldn’t be regularly defended until two years later. Thanks a lot Vince. Does it belong on a tape like this? Absolutely, just bad timing.

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winner: Spider Lady by pinfall (new Women’s Champion)

Moving right along to the next match

Match 7

Jesse “The Body” Ventura vs Tito Santana for the WWF Intercontinental Championship

Commentators:  Gorilla Monsoon and Billy Red Lyons (Frack)

No, that’s not a typo. That IS Ventura attempting a comeback in the Fall of 85 after the big 6 man with Piper’s crew against the stinking Hillbillies. Not much is said about it because it didn’t last. This is from the September 22, 1985 card in the Maple Leaf Gardens. Santana is in the red trunks while Ventura is in the long black tights. Santana hands Jesse a rose and Jesse laughs and sticks it behind his ear. No idea what the symbolism was there but no matter. We TAPE EDIT but nothing’s happening, just Ventura stalling. I should point out, Ventura has hosted or commentated on all previous 16 Coliseum Videos but THIS was his first wrestling match shown. Tito backs Jesse into the corner and in typical Ventura fashion, he halts the proceedings to ask referee John Bonello to check Santana’s fist. Billy “He’s never at a loss for words Gino.” Ventura backs Santana away before strutting around the ring. Jesse “That’s how you do it Chico!”  Billy says Jesse shouldn’t call him that. Tito gets a go-behind and Jesse plays it off when he gets to the ropes. Jesse gets the standing wrist-lock but Santana reverses into a hammerlock. Jesse immediately gets to the ropes and he purposely stalls. Monsoon says the capacity crowd at the Maple Leaf Gardens is on their feet even though they aren’t. Jesse applies an armbar and asks “How do you like that Chico?” The older crowd actually chants “Jessie! Jessie!” and he nods his head in approval. Chris Jericho would be totally irate but Ventura loves the affection. Santana goes to the ground and mule kicks Ventura off. Monsoon brings up how Santana got the title back from Valentine at the Baltimore Civic Center in a steel cage match. When is Coliseum Video ever going to show THAT? A small group of children chant “Tito!” but it wasn’t as impressive as the adults cheering for Jesse earlier. Sanatana gets in a headlock and gets shoulderblocked twice before Tito reapplies the headlock. Monsoon says its late in his career to get cauliflower ear. Its funny how Monsoon brings up advanced age as Ventura was 34 years old here. To put it in perspective, Ric Flair was 34 at Starrcade 83 and Randy Savage was 35 at Wrestlemania 3. Stop making it sound like he’s elderly Gorilla! Jesse sends Tito off but gets dropped by another shoulderblock. Ventura drops under Santana twice before delivering a knee to the gonads. Half the crowd cheers and half the crowd boos. Ventura plants a boot to the lower abdomen before continuing to attack the champion. A thrust to the throat drops Santana and he throws Tito through the ropes and to the outside. Ventura caters to the crowd and once again half the crowd boos, half cheers. Tito tries to make it to the apron and Jesse kicks him off. The ref tells Jesse to get back in and Jesse shouts “COUNT ME!” Bonello counts rapid fire and makes it to 7 before Jesse gets back in. Bonello means business folks. Monsoon “We have some of the best referees in the business bar none.” Finally the crowd gets a legitimate Tito chant going. Ventura sneaks outside and rams Tito into the side of the ring. Ventura slides in the ring and poses for the crowd. Monsoon reminds Billy that you can’t win the title on a count out. Tito makes it to the apron and Ventura rams his head into the buckle. Santana gets back in and attempts to rally but Ventura gets a thumb to the eye. Jesse executes a backbreaker and covers for a longgggg two count. Ventura delivers an atomic drop, covers and hooks the leg 1…..2…nope. Jesse puts the boots to Santana as Monsoon says he’s taking too long to put him away. Ventura locks in a bearhug. Santana does the fade then revive routine then nails Jesse with a bellringer. Santana rallies with right hands that drops the Body. Jesse begs off as Santana caters to the crowd before wiping the floor with Ventura. Santana pounds away with right hands then rams his head into the mat. Tito whips Jesse off then drops him with a shot to the ribs. Billy “He’s not calling him Chico now!” Santana goes for the figure four and locks it in the center of the ring. The height of Ventura and the unusually small ring allows Jesse to make it to the ropes. Ventura bails but Tito gives chase to the long ramp leading to the ring. They brawl on the outside and Bonello counts to 10 to end this one. The lights go on as the crowd goes to get some nachos. The ring announcer declares the match a draw as Santana lays the belt in the ring and tells Jesse to come get it. Jesse revs up the crowd and teases getting in, telling the ref to get lost. Jesse gets in the ring but Santana rallies with right hands that sends Jesse outside. Tito grabs the belt and waffles Jess with it a few times much to the crowd’s delight. Monsoon says to go to the replay that shows Tito chasing Jesse to the back. Apparently Jesse had a bad back on top of blood clots which is why he was halfway hunched over the whole match and that’s what led to his permanent retirement not long after this. It’s a shame because he could have had a great feud with Hogan at the time with the Piper feud all but over. Instead, Jesse re-retired and the next big money tour would be with King Kong Bundy. As for this, not bad although Jesse’s psychology didn’t work because half the crowd was cheering his tactics. Does it belong on a tape like this? Considering this is the only Coliseum Video match I’ve seen Jesse in, yes.

Time of match: 10 minutes

Winner: No one, double count-out

No BS, on to the main event.

Match 8

Andre The Giant, Chief Jay Strongbow, Ivan Putski and Rocky Johnson vs The Wild Samoans (Afa, Sika, Samu) and Big John Studd.

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Dick Graham

Look at this hodge podge. We’re at the Philadelphia Spectrum on July 16, 1983 for this THREE out of FIVE falls 8 man tag match. We have a Frenchman, a Pollock, a black and an Italian posing as an Indian against 3 samoans and a plain old white guy. Its kind of funny how Samu would later team with Afa’s son to become the Headshrinkers and later the son would feud with Rocky Johnson’s son. I’m talking about Rikishi and The Rock if you haven’t guessed. Ivan Putski’s son also wrestled for WWF and WCW. This was considered “the old guard” before the Rock and Wrestling era as these were the top heels and faces pre-Hulkamania. Johnson starts out by jabbing Samu as the crowd chants for Rocky. Samu gets in a headlock as Monsoon brings up Johnson and SD Jones have a tag match upcoming in August against Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco (before Snuka turned face). Rocky back drops Samu and dropkicks him. Afa stepped in but bailed out when he saw Andre coming in. Afa enters the ring as Monsoon says “Look at the kissers on the Samoans. I wouldn’t want to be waiting for a bus in a dark alley and have those guys come up and ask for a cup of coffee.” Afa gets an armbar but Johnson does the Ali shuffle and mule kicks Afa down. Rocky flips up as Chief Jay shouts encouragement. Johnson nails Afa with left jabs before he has enough and tags in Studd. Andre gets the tag and Studd immediately tags Sika and bails, only for Andre to grab him and Sika then rams their heads together. Normally Sika wouldn’t sell that but its Andre, whataya gonna do? Afa looks at Andre bug eyed, hilarious. Andre wants Studd as Strongbow comes into to congratulate Andre. Sika staggers in and Andre wipes him out easily. Dick’s whooping is annoying already as Andre whips Sika into the corner where Strongbow tags in. Jay whips Sika off and locks in a sleeper. The referee tries to shoo the other Samoans out and Studd slips behind him to nail Jay. Andre rumbles in and cleans house as Putski and Johnson just stand there. Referee Dick Woehrle calls for the bell as Andre headbutts Afa into the ropes. Johnson whips Samu into Afa and Andre whips Sika into the others. Gary Michael Cappetta hits the ring to find out what’s going on. Gary says at 5:13 of the bout, the Samoans have been DQ’s, Andre’s team takes the first fall. When the mayhem clears, Samu starts the second fall with Strongbow and pounds on him in the corner. Afa headbutts Strongbow down and delivers a falling headbutt. Afa covers for 1….2….3 and that’s it for the second fall, wasting no time in the process. Monsoon says the double headbutt during the confusion earlier did him in. Andre helps Jay up as Capetta announces Team Studd the winner 46 seconds into the second fall. Monsoon says Putski hasn’t been in the ring yet. Sika does a number on Strongbow until he’s whipped right into a giant boot by Andre. Jay covers and gets the 1….2….3 and that’s it for fall 3 just like that. A pier 6 brawl develops with Team Andre cleaning house. Graham whoops and hollers again as Capetta is wearing out the ring steps. 23 seconds into the third fall as Team Andre taking a 2-1 lead. The camera pans to show a fan wearing a rubber Halloween mask then to a lovely BBW. Strongbow and Sika start again and he makes the tag to Putski. Putski cleans house of all 3 Samoans. Putski grabs Samu and rams him into Afa. Graham is reaching David Crockett level of annoying. Putski is finally taken down with a double chop by Afa and Sika. Afa stomps on Ivan then drops him with a headbutt. Samu makes the tag and they double headbutt Putski….right into Andre. Andre cleans house of the Samoans until Studd from the outside snatches him. A right hand by Strongbow puts a stop to that shenanigans. Andre whips Samu into the corner who leaps up and goes for the flying crossbody…only to be met with a giant boot. Andre sits on Samu and gets the 1…2…3 to win the match. Another brawl envelops as the faces clean house. Capetta announces Team Andre the winner as Monsoon says Studd didn’t get in the ring once. The faces leave as the heels try to gather their bearings in the ring. So sick of Dick Graham, he’s worse than Mooney believe it or not. That was a fun match as it was wild and short. Consider it an “end of an era” match since Hulkamania was about to take over. Does it belong on a tape like this, yes.

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winners: Andre’s team 3 falls to 1

The credits roll and this one’s history. Monsoon shills 3 future tapes BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 6, RICKY THE DRAGON STEAMBOAT and GRUDGE MATCHES. As for this one, solid action all around. The winds of change were blowing as we head to 1986 with more of the old guard fading away. By 1986 the only ones left from that 8 man tag were Andre and Studd really. This tape had variety as it had the burial of Wendi Richter, hilarious Fuji hijynx, emphasis on tag team action and NO HOGAN! The champ makes approximately zero appearances apart from the opening credits. All in all I give this a solid 4 out of 5 and recommend it for collectors and historians. The next one after this is Grudge Matches so we’ll pick up there.

The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano (WF016)

Directly after the marathon known as TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS comes this tribute to one of the most colorful managers in wrestling history. This tape was one of the first released in 1986. Lots can be said about Lou Albano both as a manager and as a cross-over entertainer but the bottom line is he’s been entertaining in every single thing he’s ever done. He was instrumental (no pun intended) in the Rock N Wrestling Connection forming with his ties to Cyndi Lauper and as a heel manager he was one of the greats, forming the unholy trio with Grand Wizard and Freddie Blassie. This tape will be highlighting various parts of his WWF career from his heel manager days to his face turn during the MTV crossover. Its interesting to note that THE AMAZING MANAGERS covered all the managers in the WWF going back to the Grand Wizard days but yet Albano was the first to get his own tape. Come to think of it, he was the ONLY one to get his own tape as Bobby Heenan wouldn’t get his own profile for 25 years. Alright let’s stoke it up. Cue the Coliseum Video opening and Gorilla Monsoon is our host today. Gorilla says Albano was one of the most influential managers in history. Monsoon says there’s personalities like Bruno and Hogan that are immortalized but Albano was champion wrestler (with his partner Tony Altomare as The Sicilians) and manager of 15 tag team champions (at the time) and the heavyweight champion (he managed Ivan Koloff the night Ivan defeated Bruno for the title). Monsoon also brought up his real life role as the chairman of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (which is mainly how he turned face). We then go to a sneak preview of a 6 man tag match we won’t see until later which pits Andre, Hillbilly Jim and Lou against Bobby Heenan, Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. We cut this to go to our REAL first match

Match 1

Lou Albano vs Tony Angelo

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Lou Albano

This goes way back to the 1960’s when he was still a heel wrestler working for Vince Sr. Lou himself joins Monsoon on commentary. Angelo is what King Kong Bundy would look like if he lost 200 pounds and he was known as a manager himself. He managed The Monguls Geeto and Beppo (Beppo is more well known as Nikolai Volkoff) and was a manager for Ivan Koloff as well. Here Tony nails Albano with a forearm and snaps him over by the hair. Lou gets to his feet and the chubby Angelo attempts a dropkick that catches Albano in the gut. Albano collapses in the corner and Angelo jumps up and down in celebration. Angelo sets him up in the ropes for what we now know is Shattered Dreams but instead just punches him in the gut a bunch of times much to the crowd’s delight. Lou on commentary says he was a bit heavier in those days than he was at the present time (1986). Instead of kicking Albano in the gonads Goldust style, Angelo continues to kick Albano in the gut repeatedly. Albano breaks free but Tony tosses him through the ropes and to the outside. Albano walks up the steps onto the apron where Tony greets him by ramming his head into the buckle. Albano blades (try getting away with that now) and eats a few forearms upon getting back in the ring. Monsoon says this match predates his alliance with Tony Altomare as Angelo whips Lou into the corner then nails him with a big knee. Tony whips Lou into the other corner but misses the big knee. Lou literally just falls on him and the ref counts 1..2….3 and its over. Lou on commentary says he was lucky to win that one. Albano says Angelo was a great seasoned veteran and in the ring, Lou is so out of it he instinctively reaches for the tag in the corner even though it was a singles match. The ref raises Albano’s hand in victory as we cut here. You’ll notice a pattern is that Lou was kind of a lousy wrestler but he had a gift of gab so to speak, which is why he eventually became a manager. Lou would wrestle most of the 60’s with his partner as The Sicilians with the gimmick being they were mafia connected. That was until REAL Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo paid the two a visit and told them kindly to cease and desist using the term “mafia”. The duo won the WWWF tag team championship but its not recognized for some reason. Ultimately, it was Bruno who suggested to Vince Sr that Albano should be made a manager in 1970. Great idea Bruno, as for the match….it showed Albano get his ass kicked then come out on top, perfect for a heel.

Time of match: Joined in progress (officially 7:34)

Winner: Lou Albano by pinfall

Match 2

Lou Albano vs Rick Martel

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Lou Albano

We’re at the Philadelphia Spectrum sometime in the early 1980’s and I’ll venture a guess Albano was managing The Moondogs since he’s wearing their colors. Martel enters wearing the red tights. The ref checks Albano first and then when he checks Martel, the dastardly Albano rakes the eyes of Rick. The ref calls for the bell and we’re underway. Lou tosses the dazed Martel through the ropes and to the outside. Albano makes fun of his own ring gear and says he must of spent $1.75 on it causing Gorilla to crack up. Martel staggers to the apron where Lou intercepts him and rams him into the ring post. Since Martel is wearing Tony Garea like tights, I’ll say this was during the Moondogs/Garea and Martel feud of 1981. Albano on commentary says Martel is a great friend now and a great wrestler. Martel gets back on the apron and they repeat the previous sequence. Monsoon makes a goof and says this was from 10 years ago (Martel would have been 20 years old at the time). Martel climbs back in the ring and gets a rake to the eye. Albano rakes the face again with his wrist tape. Monsoon asks how he got the tape and Lou says he had a wrist injury and said “what was it, the tibia? Fibula? Whatever it was” causing Monsoon to laugh. Albano says he weighed 318 here before he showered as Albano in the ring continues to rake the eyes repeatedly. Rick takes wild swings in the corner and Albano goes for yet another rake but this time Martel catches him with a boot to the gut. Rick rams Albano’s head into the buckle then strangles him with the tag rope left over from a previous tag team match. By the way, if this was indeed 1981, Lou would have been 47 or 48 depending on what month it was. Albano rallies with right hands and a blatent choke that Lou barely sells. Martel continues to strangle Lou with the tag rope as Monsoon admonishes the ref for doing nothing. Martel stomps on the fallen Albano until he crawls under the bottom rope and retreats to the back, taking the count out. The crowd is irate but that’s the mark of a good heel to do something cowardly like that. Monsoon says “here we see vintage Captain Lou Albano at his best.” That statement shows why he’s better off as a manager because if he could barely shamble around the ring at nearly 50 years old, having him as a manager was more productive. That match was terrible but what could you do with a mediocre wrestler and a speedster like Martel?

Time of match: 4:05

Winner: Rick Martel by count-out

Match 3

Mr. Fuji and Mr Saito (with Lou Albano) vs The Strongbows (Jay and Jules) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

This is the exact same match shown in TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS so I’ll just repost. This was a 2 out of 3 falls match from July 13, 1982 and here’s a bit of irony. There was a wrestler/promoter from the 30’s to the 60’s named Jules Strongbow, which was the inspiration for the Italian Joe Scarpa to become “Chief” Jay Strongbow in 1970. Fast forward twelve years later and rookie Frank Hill becomes Jules Strongbow, storyline brother of Chief Jay. I wonder what the real Jules would feel about that but he’s long passed away. Jules is in the black singlet and Jay the red. Fuji and Saito are in standard gear but Albano ditches the kimono for a white jacket and jean shorts. Jay Strongbow had been a previous two time WWWF tag team champion and this was his 3^rd title win, first with Jules. People liked to give WCW shit for the ages of their wrestlers, well the Strongbows were new to the tag team scene and Jay was 53 years old. After Fuji and Saito do their pre-match ritual salt tossing, Fuji starts it with Jules. Immediately Saito attacks from behind, allowing for Fuji to reach into his tights. Jules turns around and Fuji nails him with the salt he pulled out. Jay charges in and gets a face full himself. As the ref nearly disqualifies Saito, Fuji delivers a diving headbutt to the gonads. Fuji covers and the ref turns around..1….2….3 and that’s it, just like that. Jay staggers and falls into the entrance way and the heels triple team Jules in the ring. Saito then tosses Jules out of the ring as the announcer makes it official. Albano gets in a few cheapshots outside to both Strongbows. Patterson questions whether the Strongbows can return for the second fall and we go to the instant replay. This was supposed to be 2 out of 3 falls but only the first fall is shown on this tape. Normally I would complain but this is Albano’s greatest hits so masterminding a plot like this keeps the tape rolling.

Time of match: Unknown (only the first fall is shown)

Winners: Mr Fuji and Mr Saito (new WWF Tag Team Champions)

Match 4

Tony Atlas, Tony Garea and Rick Martel vs Mr Fuji, Mr Saito and “Captain” Lou Albano

Commentators: Dick Graham and Frack

Back to the Spectrum on February 20, 1982 to see Albano get in the ring with his tag champs against the former champs Garea and Martel along with Tony Atlas. We’re joined in progress for a 2 out of 3 falls match but this will be the 3^rd fall only and Saito tosses Garea out of the ring. Everyone is in standard gear today. Albano from the outside grabs Garea and rams his head into the side of the ring. Martel chases Lou away and brings Garea back to their corner. Saito nails Tony off the apron with a chop to the throat then drags him back in the ring only to throw him out the other side. Albano comes over and rams his head into the side of the ring again. Tony Atlas comes over and tells the ref Lou is being a pest and of course Albano denies it. Garea elbows Saito upon getting back in then delivers another shoulder. He picks the leg to trip Saito then makes the tag to Atlas. Tony rallies with right hands and a bell ringer before staggering Saito with a jumping headbutt. Tony delivers an overhead press slam and covers for 1…2…nope, Fuji makes the safe. The dumb announcer calls him Garea instead of Atlas. Tony delivers a forearm to the back but Saito sneaks the tag to Fuji. Fuji nails Tony from behind and tags in Albano who does his customary eye rake. Lou nails Atlas with right hands until Tony starts to Hulk Up. Albano retreats to his corner and tags in Fuji, who drops Tony with a chop AND a kick to the throat. A double chest chop drops Tony then he tags in Saito. Atlas goes down on his own but only to roll into his corner and tag in a fresh Rick Martel. Rick goes crazy on Saito and hip tosses him to the other side of the ring. A series of dropkicks is followed by a TAPE EDIT. Now Fuji is in control and he makes the tag to Albano. Two sloppy forearms to the back is followed by one to the head. Another forearm drives Martel into the corner where Rick rallies with kicks to the gut. Albano quells the momentum with a headbutt while the idiot announcer says he had him in a sideheadlock. Lou tags in Fuji who chops him in the corner until Rick crawls under Fuji’s legs and makes the tag to a fresh Garea. Tony goes to work with two one legged dropkicks to the face. Tony whips Fuji off and catches him in an abdominal stretch. Saito comes in to bait Martel so Rick foolishly follows suit only for the ref to tell him to beat it. Saito alertly goes up to the top and nails Garea with a forearm off the top rope. Fuji falls on Tony and the ref counts 1….2….3 and the heels win. Albano kicks Garea for good measure as Ed Derian, who also did boxing rin announcing for the Blue Horizon, announces the heels the victors.

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winners: Fuji, Saito and Albano by pinfall

Match 5

The Soul Patrol (Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas) vs The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) with Lou Albano for the WWF Tag Team Championship in a No-DQ match

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

Reposted from TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. This match was from November 15, 1983 in Allentown, PA. Atlas and Johnson are in matching red tights with the Samoans in their standard gear. We’re joined in progress when Afa has Rocky in a nerve hold and Johnson is powering out of it. Johnson drops him with a shoulderblock. Johnson somersaults under a chop attempt but Afa doesn’t miss a second time. Sika makes the tag and they both stomp away before Sika covers for a near fall. Sika applies a nerve hold before Johnson powers out of it again. Sika puts his head down and Rocky kicks him in it for his troubles. Albano teases going to attack Johnson but referee Dick Woehrle comes over and tells Lou to beat it. Sika tags Afa who clocks Rocky upon entering. Afa whips Rocky off and they collide with both men going down. Rocky goes for a scoop slam but Afa’s too heavy and he falls on top for 1….2..no, that was close. Sika tags in with a kick to the ribs and the cover gets a near fall. Afa goes back to the nerve hold but Johnson powers out of it and makes the hot tag to Tony Atlas. Tony cleans house and rams the Samoan’s heads together. All four men get in the ring and Johnson takes Sika out of the ring with him. Atlas goes for the scoop slam but Afa’s legs takes out Woehrle on the way up. Atlas covers but the refs out so Albano makes his way into the ring. Atlas cuts him off with a headbutt but Afa clocks Tony from behind. Albano grabs a wooden chair outside as Afa holds Atlas for him. Albano winds up but Tony moves and WHAM, Albano not only clocks Afa with it, it gets stuck on his head on the way down. Atlas covers for 1….2….3. and we got new champions. The crowd in Allentown goes berserk as Atlas and Johnson celebrate. Atlas grabs the belts and they pose with them as Afa gets to his feet with the chair still around his neck. The ring announcer gives the good news to the crowd as Afa makes his way to the back bleeding with the chair still around his neck. Vince goes to the replay of what just happened and we cut here. It was a landmark event for this was the first time two blacks would be tag team champions (Sonny King was the first with Jay Strongbow). As I said before, watching in a New York bar that night was an 18 year old college freshman named Mick Foley. Also watching somewhere in Florida was Rocky Johnson’s 11 year old son Dwayne. Wonder if Mick and Dwayne had aspirations for the tag belts? Hmmmm.

Time of match: Joined in progress (8:22 official)

Winners: Soul Patrol by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Next up is a TNT interview with Albano and the former champs. Vince asks Albano if he takes responsibility for the loss and Lou stutters with both Afa and Sika sitting next to him. Vince tries to stir the pot saying Albano must think of them less because they lost and Albano stutters again, then says the Samoans may think less of Albano as well. Before Lou can answer we cut to commercial but when we return, the Samoans are gone and its just Lou. This time Lou is a lot more animated when Vince asks him if he was responsible. This is basically the same segment covered in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS and the short version is he’s not responsible and the Samoans should have been tougher. Albano says the Samoans are crybabies if they come out here for looking for sympathy. Vince asks Alfred if Albano was responsible and Hays says of course. Albano says he should have hit Alfred with the chair which is hilarious. They bicker back and forth before we TAPE EDIT. Albano says he’s got the medulla oblongata of a genius and every psychiatrist he’s been to says he’s got it all together. Vince has the most confused look on his face which makes Albano’s rant even funnier. Vince asks how much money he took from the Samoans and Cyndi Lauper. He at first says she takes 75% but then catches himself and says he takes 50 and she should pay HIM just for being there. He says the Samoans live well and Vince cuts him off.

We go to another TNT interview with Lou Albano but this one is from July 23, 1984. Vince says Albano is pleased with himself and Lou apologizes to Alfred. Lou says TNT is better than the Carson show which is ironic given that TNT is a direct ripoff. He then wants to talk about The Spoiler. Spoiler was originally apart of the Legion of Doom in Georgia (with Road Warriors, Jake Roberts and Paul Ellering) and was last seen at the posedown between Tony Atlas and Paul Orndorff in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS. Albano says Spoiler is 6’4 273 pounds and 7 years prior he got him a ball for him to squeeze repeatedly to enhance his grip strength. Albano says Spoiler can now apply 709.37 pounds per cubic inch which is mumbo jumbo to get Spoiler over as a master of the claw hold. Vince asks how long Greg Valentine will remain IC champion (he didn’t switch over to Jimmy Hart yet as covered in THE AMAZING MANAGERS) and Albano says as long as he (meaning Lou) says so. Albano makes a promise that he’ll take on all comers and defend against the best. He keeps ranting and raving as Vince tries to cut to commercial.

The next interview is from Brawl To End It All with Mean Gene, Moolah and Albano. Reposted from BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 1. Albano rants and raves but calls Fabulous Moolah “often imitated, never duplicated” and ain’t that the truth. Nowadays “divas” are supposed to be beautiful as well as tough. Moolah was certainly attractive in her day but she was absolutely tough as nails. If she was in her prime today, she’d beat the ever loving shit out of every diva on the roster. Hell, this match was the day after she turned 61 years old (happy birthday Moolah) and she’s still in shape and kicking ass. Moolah says hi to her friends AND enemies and that she’ll come out on top. Albano goes to rant again but Gene cuts him off saying Cindy Lauper has Richter ready to go but Moolah scoffs. Albano says she’s held the belt for 12 years and Moolah says “27 years” which causes Albano to apologize. That was no joke either, due to shortage of ladies wrestling and because she was the best, Moolah really did have the belt since the Capitol Wrestling days of 1956.

Match 6

The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) vs The North/South Connection (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Alfred Hays

Captain Lou is the special guest referee for the ultra rare heel vs heel tag team showdown at Madison Square Garden on June 16, 1984. Albano left the Samoans high and dry but the Connection weren’t interested in his services. Albano was chosen as special guest ref with the storyline being would he turn on his former protégés or help them win? Murdoch and Adonis are in standard gear but the Samoans are wearing red tights for this one. Monsoon calls him the greatest walking advertisement for birth control. Albano goes over the rules and calls for the bell. Adrian will start with Sika and they tie up, Adrian backing him up into the corner and delivering a knee to the gut. Sika reverses a whip and backdrops him. Murdoch charges but is backdropped for his trouble. Afa gets in and apparently the Samoans will be working face in this one. They clean house as Adonis throws himself around like a pinball machine to make the Samoans look good. Murdoch gets back in and sticks a thumb to the eye even though Adonis was supposed to be the legal man. Murdoch goes to town with elbows to the head before Sika ducks under a whip and scoop slams him. Adonis charges but he’s scoop slammed as well. Afa gets in and both Samoans scoop slams the Connection. Afa headbutts Adonis who flies over the top rope as the Samoans hit a double clothesline on Murdoch. Sika brings Adonis back in the hard way and he stalks Adonis much to the crowd’s delight. Adonis bails to the floor as Albano doesn’t attempt to make a count. Murdoch sells a knee injury while Albano verrrry slowly starts counting until Sika stops him. Albano restarts the count which gives Murdoch time to recover and get back in. Murdoch consorts with Adonis until Albano comes over and tells Dick to get on with it. The Samoans are consorting with each other so Murdoch runs over and rams their heads together, which they no sell. Both get in the ring and stalk Murdoch who begs off. Albano tells Afa to get lost and that distracts Sika long enough for Murdoch to get in a cheap shot. Dick delivers a bionic elbow to the head, whips Sika but the charge eats knee. Murdoch goes for the tag in the wrong corner and Afa decks him. Sika headbutts Murdoch to the ground then tags in Afa. Afa backs Murdoch into his own corner where Adonis makes the tag. We get a TAPE EDIT and now Adonis scoop slams Afa. He goes upstairs but Afa cuts him off, causing Adrian to crotch himself. A headbutt by Afa sends Adrian spiraling down to the floor. Murdoch staggers into the ring where the Samoans greet him with a double headbutt. Afa makes the cover and Sika drops a running headbutt on Murdoch but all Albano does is shoo away Afa. Sika makes the cover and Albano takes forever to get over there….1………2…….Albano gets up and tells Afa to get in the corner. Sika gets up and Afa gets in to protest. They grab Albano and he calls for the bell. Lou raises Adrian’s hand and the Samoans scream at him. Albano tells Fink that the Samoans have been DQ’d and they go after Albano. Adonis and Murdoch attack from behind and Albano assists in stomping the Samoans. Sika then recovers and the Samoans chase the heels away. They toss down the tag belts left behind to a standing ovation from the Madison Square Garden crowd. They taunt the Connection to return until they do. Sika nails Murdoch with the title but Dick steals it away and nails Afa with it. He retreats with the belts and once again the crowd cheers the formerly heel Samoans. We go to the replay as Monsoon calls it a miscarriage of justice. That was a wild match that I thought was going to be heel vs heel but the crowd was clearly in the Samoans corner. What became of the face turn for the Samoans, nothing really. Afa would leave the company shortly after, leaving Sika to fend for himself in singles action for the next few years.

Time of match: Clipped

Winners: North/South Connection (still tag team champions)

We go to the TNT show where Captain Lou gives love advice. Reposted from Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams. The first letter says her husband is from the old world and doesn’t wear deodorant, which stinks her out. Lou says that’s fine and what she has to do is mix rubbing alcohol, olive oil, witch hazel and shaving lotion then rub it on him to get rid of the stench. Lou says he doesn’t wear deodorant because he doesn’t smell then laughs at himself. Heh, couldn’t even keep a straight face on that one. If you notice a pattern developing is that nobody is taking any of this shit seriously. Heels and faces alike are laughing at themselves and even Vince is laughing along with them rather than at them. The next letter says her husband is too fat and Albano says he can’t stand fat people. Vince asks what he classifies himself as and Lou claims he’s not fat, its an optical illusion. Lou then rants about fat people which I can’t type out to give the rant true justice, have to see it to appreciate it. The next letter says her husband never takes her cowboy boots off and Lou says he’s going to give the Aerosol companies a lot of business. He suggests that the guy put some alcohol in his boots before he puts them on. Also, he doesn’t want to be around when the guy croaks and they have to put him in a box. Hilarious, and Vince goes to commercial.

Now we go to another TNT show which was the beginning of Captain Lou’s face turn. He’s still heel here by claiming he made Cyndi Lauper, the hottest pop star at the time. Vince grills him about making Cyndi and Albano says he discovered her in a bar, taught her everything she knew including how to eat at the dinner table. I can’t give the rant justice; it has to be heard, especially with Vince looking confused at Albano.

Moving on, we go to a Piper’s Pit segment where Albano and Piper share a laugh. This is all progressing from 1984 which leads into 1985 so bear with us. Piper shakes Lou’s hand and Albano calls him “Mister” Roddy Piper. Albano shills Piper as the greatest of all time and wishes he could have managed him. Piper says Albano is the greatest manager not only in wrestling but being able to take Cyndi Lauper from nothing and make her a star. It should be noted that one of the spots reserved for the Roddy Piper poster has been replaced with a Cyndi Lauper poster for this particular Pit. We cut to a different Piper’s Pit but its more of the same mutual admiration society. This time Lou has US Today, The Music Paper, Record and Life magazines in front of him with Cyndi featured. Once again he claims he made her and all her success was because of him. He pulls out a gold record of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and we cut here.

Yet another Piper’s Pit but this one has Cyndi Lauper herself being interviewed. Piper backs up Albano’s claim that he made Cyndi as her manager but Cyndi grabs the mic and says she loves Lou but he’s not her manager. This is the segment covered in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS but this is more of how it began. Piper is confused and asks if she’s calling Lou a liar and Albano makes his appearance. Lou comes in and takes credit for all her success, which Cyndi tells him to stop playing around. Piper starts getting animated as Lou asks Cyndi to tell the world HE wrote “Time After Time” and she says that Lou’s just kidding. Piper smells a rat and says Lou told him he took her from nothing and Cyndi calls BS. Lou tells her to shut up and says all women are slime. Piper backs up Albano and they both get in her face. Cyndi tells them don’t make her mad and Piper says he doesn’t care. Lou calls her a broad and she flips, literally, flipping over the table then attacking Lou and Piper. David Wolff himself runs out to save Cyndi before she kills them. I’d say before they killed her but she’s on the rampage.

Next is a TNT segment where Albano apologizes to Cyndi and begins his face turn. He’s also shed his usual slob clothes in favor of a nice 80’s tuxedo. That’s all this was, 20 seconds of him apologizing.

Next is what brought WWF and MTV into the mainstream. Entertainment celebrity Dick Clark is in the ring at Madison Square Garden and we’re going to have an award ceremony for Cyndi Lauper. Storyline president Jack Tunney is behind him as Clark says she’s done more than anyone to bring rock and wrestling together. Clark presents her with an “achievement award” which is a nice looking trophy. Hulk Hogan, Dace Wolff and Wendi Richter are there for Cyndi and Hogan (of course) picks up the trophy for her. Cyndi then brings in Captain Lou wearing the same tuxedo from the previous apology segment. Lou is getting a charity service award for his work with MS awareness, which is partly how he turned face to begin with. He really was doing behind the scenes charity work for a Multiple Scleroses foundation. To keep him as a heel, they tried the best they could to not mention it until it eventually leaked.  Nowadays WWE goes to great lengths and to a fault to convince their fans that what they do is an act and they’re not really bad guys by doing these “rise above bullying” campaigns and having every single charitable thing milked for all its worth. Back then it was groundbreaking for a heel to be involved in actual charity. You’d never see Roddy Piper at a charity event unless it was to mock someone, and in my personal opinion that’s the way it should be. You want to get Randy Orton over as a heel, have him no-show charity events or have a storyline where he scares the crap out of special needs kids, that’s exactly what most 80’s heels would have done. Enough ranting, back to Lou. Lou accepts his award until Roddy Piper himself appears behind him in his wrestling tights. Piper grabs the mic and says it was him that set this up and he wants to present the award to Lou. So, of course, he smashes it over Albano’s head. Hulk and Wendi are gone so its just Lou, Cyndi, Dick and David Wolff. Piper stomps Albano and Cyndi grabs hold of Piper’s leg so he literally boots her away.  Piper picks up David Wolff and hits a running slam on him. Piper goes to stomp on Albano again with Dick Clark running around like a chicken with its head cut off and unfortunately we cut here. This was the birth of the Hogan vs Piper feud that carried over from 1984 to most of 1985. For you youngsters, think Randy Orton punting Lady Gaga back when Gaga was everywhere in 2009-10.

We cut to TNT with Albano in his tuxedo ranting to Vince. He says he’s ashamed to be a wrestler due to the actions of Piper. He claims he raised over 4 million for the foundation (which is no easy feat back then when there was no social media or cable television for that matter) and Piper ruined it. Albano is incensed that Piper beat up Cyndi and David and thanks Hogan for making the save (which was cut from this tape). Albano says Piper’s gonna pay and we cut here. Unfortunately this was the best face Albano ever got which I’ll explain later.

Now on TNT, its Piper himself gloating about what he just did. He’s wearing his kilt with red jacket and white shirt. Piper mocks Lou’s charity work which makes me have to go on another rant. Due to WWE nowadays being chickenshit afraid of their stockholders, tv sponsors, charity organizations, board of directors and fans with lawyers on standby, edgy stuff such as mocking charities can’t be done anymore, it sucks. The heels are so lame these days that one guy could be number one heel and in national news by simply doing what Piper’s doing. Beating up pop stars and mocking charities would get someone over in a big way now, but because WWE somehow lost their balls, it’ll never happen. Us old school fans can only scoff as Dolph Ziggler is portrayed as a bad guy yet the company goes out of their way to say behind the scenes he’s not so bad, thus killing any real heat. REAL heat is a lost art that may only come back once WWE is finally out of business whenever that may be. Anyway back to Piper, Vince says they raised 4 million dollars causing Piper to scoff and how much of it Lou stole. Out comes an irate Albano who gets in Piper’s face and grills him about calling him a thief. Alfred Hays retreats to the corner as Piper begs off then stands up. He says “put your fluffy little butt right there” as he sits next to Albano and says he carried Albano for years. Albano (correctly) points out he’s been there a lot longer than Roddy has. True that, Albano was managing or wrestling in New York off and on for 20 years at that point while Piper only came over from Crockett earlier in the year. Piper mocks him and Albano flicks him on the nose as someone drops something in the background, the camera sound picked it up. Unfortunately, again, we cut here before it gets really good. This was all to establish Albano turning face and it was really good, but once again it wasn’t to last which I promise I’ll get to later.

Right now we go to a tape exclusive interview with Albano conducted by Monsoon. Monsoon asks Lou where the nickname “Captain” came from and Lou says the captain is supposed to be the leader and save the ship so he dubbed himself that. Gorilla asks how long he’s been active and Lou says 33 years to that point. As the interview goes on, we get a montage of Lou in the ring. Lou says he was a wrestler for 17 years and a manager the last 16. Gorilla asks him where the wrestling world has taken him and Lou answers all over the world. He said the hottest was in Mexico where it got up to 119 degrees and the coldest was a town 50 miles north of Montreal where it was 51 degrees below zero. Monsoon asks who Leonardo Albano was and Lou goes into a promo of how he invented music as a caveman. Don’t believe me? Listen to Captain Lou’s History of Music track on the Wrestling Album. Monsoon “That’s incredible.” Monsoon then asks why he’s managed more tag champions than singles and Lou says its because he himself was a tag teamer and he knows how they work. The next overlapping montage is Albano getting beat up in the Spectrum by Pedro Morales and Andre. Monsoon then asks about how he met Cyndi Lauper and he gives the truth. He also apologizes again for his chauvinist attitude he had before. He then says he’s not a nice guy, he’s still Captain Lou and he’s still going to raise money for MS. That’s where I have to butt in and explain why he somewhat fizzled as a face manager. Most heel managers when they turn face, don’t change much other than attacking and insulting heels instead of babyfaces. Jim Cornette and Paul Bearer were equally entertaining as faces as they were heels. The problem with Lou, whether it be himself or the way the company was at the time, he became more of a cartoon character rather than himself with the volume turned up. His promos became less entertaining because as a heel, he can rant and rave all he wants and it’ll get heat because the fans just want him to shut up. As a face, you sound like a blithering idiot. In other words, he became less entertaining as a face than he was as a heel. Before we sign off with the interview, Albano says he and Cyndi Lauper raised 4 million plus in 1985 and he hopes to raise ten million in 1986. Monsoon thanks him and Albano says if Gorilla ever wants to make the big comeback, come see him. Monsoon says thanks but no thanks, he’s staying retired.

Now we go to TNT where Vince McMahon is wearing a horrible orange suit. He introduces Lou Albano who comes out dressed as a giant pumpkin. Good grief. He does say one funny line as he says “Hope I don’t have to go to the bathroom, I’ll be in trouble. You’ll have a wet pumpkin.” Vince asks where he got it and Lou answers it was custom made in Italy. Vince says a lot of little kids look up to him and he asks if little kids want to dress like a pumpkin, go ahead, just don’t be 300 pounds like he is. He also says his ancestor was the first pumpkin carver in 24 AD. We then go to a horrible skit where Tito Santana is sitting at a hot dog shop and wonders who took a bite out of his hotdog. Lou is working the grill and says he tastes the food before serving it. Santana is a great wrestler but a lousy actor, I’ll pretend I didn’t see that. Back to Pumpkin Lou who says his ancestor was the first pumpkin carver in Rome. Then they cut to Albano who carves a pumpkin for Vince and Alfred. He cuts the top off, reaches in for pumpkin seeds and gunk and throws it at both Alfred and Vince. He cuts out the eyes, the nose and the mouth.  Albano then slices another pumpkin in half and eats the innards as Alfred runs away. I can’t really describe this, you have to see it to appreciate it so let’s move on.

We go to Piper’s Pit where Albano says he’s going to cook spaghetti for Piper and Orton. The funny part was Piper was trying to act a heel but even he chuckled when Albano says he crushed the tomatoes with his feet.  Piper and Orton says they want to eat so Albano says have some wine first. Piper smiles “Ok if you insist.” Albano “Look out stomach here it comes!” Albano works the stove as Piper grabs a hanging sausage and tosses it behind him. Piper asks Orton if he likes garlic and Orton says he’s married. Haha poor Randy. Albano then sneaks in a bunch of hot sauce on the plates of Piper and Orton. Albano serves and says “bon appétit.” Orton and Piper takes bite and both of them spit it all over Albano, who’s cracking up. Piper and Orton gag and spit up all over the table. We cut here and again, early face Albano was the best it got.

We come to the last match of the tape, joined in progress of course.

Match 7

King Kong Bundy, John Studd and Bobby Heenan vs Hillbilly Jim, Andre the Giant and Lou Albano

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

This is a clip from a November 22, 1985 event at Madison Square Garden. Bundy, Jim and Studd and Heenan are in their standard gear while Andre has the red trunks on. Albano is dressed in his manager’s clothes he always wears at ringside. We begin with Bundy missing an elbow drop on Hillbilly. Bundy recovers to kick away at Jim before taking him over with a snap mare. Bundy drops a knee and covers, but Jim kicks out at two. Bundy pounds away at Jim but Jim rallies back with right hands of his own. Jim makes the tag to Andre who backs Bundy down. Andre grabs Bundy by the throat and Jesse bitches that it’s a choke. Monsoon scoffs and says its payback for when Bundy and Studd doubleteamed him earlier that year. Andre strangles Bundy with his own singlet. Andre chops Bundy but King pounds away at him. Ventura says Andre hasn’t been the same since the double-team. Gorilla bitches at the referee for not doing anything as Bundy tags in Studd. Monsoon says neither manager has gotten involved yet. Studd pounds on Andre as Heenan unties the tag rope. Andre knocks Studd and Bundy’s head together but Studd tags Bundy in. Bundy gets in a front facelock and holds it for a while. Andre finally gets to his feet and powers out of it. Studd runs in and nails him which allows Bundy to apply a shoddy looking bearhug. 2 right hands from Andre rocks Bundy who tags in a fresh Studd. Studd pounds away but Andre chops him and tags in Hillbilly. Jim pounds Studd into the corner then pounds away on the second rope. Jim sends Studd into the other corner but a charge by Hillbilly eats elbow. Studd teases a scoop slam but rams Jim into the corner. Bundy tags back in and pounds away as Ventura speculates when the avalanche comes. Bundy snapmares Jim and drops an elbow, A cover gets 1…2..and no. A reverse chinlock is applied. Heenan tags in and pounds away on Jim who doesn’t even flinch. Jim grabs Heenan and headbutts him before tagging in Andre. Heenan retreats and tags in Studd. Bundy drags Heenan back in as the ref disallows the tag to Studd. Andre drags Heenan into his corner where Albano makes the tag. Andre holds Bobby and Albano clocks him with right hands. Heenan begs off and  Albano eggs him on. Heenan rakes the eyes but Albano rallies with right hands. Albano whips Heenan who flair flips over and out. Ventura scoffs “What a tough guy Albano is.” Studd and Andre tag back in. Andre says no way and Heenan is still the legal man so Heenan reluctantly enters only to tag in Bundy. Once again Andre says no and the referee orders Heenan back in. At this point I’m confused and even Heenan hater Monsoon is saying this isn’t right. Heenan stalls and Andre clocks him but he makes the tag to Studd before any further damage. Andre backs Studd into the corner with shoulderblocks. He then traps Bundy with them and then Heenan gets caught too. Hillbilly gets behind Andre and looks like he’s literally raping him up the ass as Andre continues to shoulderblock the heels. At least Albano in the back is safe…ewwwww. Andre and Jim whip Bundy and Studd together. Albano throws Heenan into Andre’s giant boot and Bobby is D-E-A-D dead. Andre makes the cover 1,..2…3 and its over. Andre chases Studd out of the ring and literally kicks Heenan out. Andre, Jim and Albano celebrate as we cut here. Bad match but fun to see Heenan get beat up.

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winners: Andre the Giant, Hillbilly Jim and Lou Albano

The credits roll and this one is history. We got previews for GRUDGE MATCHES, RICKY THE DRAGON STEAMBOAT and BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 6. As for this tape, at least it was interesting. Heel Albano was clearly superior to face Albano and the heel segments/matches were far more entertaining. Face Albano was more of a cartoon character somewhat on par with his goofy depiction in Hulk Hogan’s Rock N Wrestling which I’ll get to another time. Was this tape worth watching though? I’d say yes, it did show a little bit of continuity of his career. Nowadays he’d get a 2 disc blu-ray with over 6 hours worth of footage but back then this 90 minute tape was the best they could do. It was a shame that most of the footage from the 70’s have been lost to time because it would have been great to see more of heel Albano managing various tag teams coming through the territory. The only problem I have is they should have included Butcher Vachon’s wedding because he was HILARIOUS in that, but we already saw it in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS so I guess recycling footage wasn’t their style yet. He, Freddie Blassie and the Grand Wizard were known as the unholy trio and to this date only Albano got his own tape/dvd/etc. Anyway I give this tape 3 out of 5, mostly due to the interviews rather than in-ring work. The next tape after this is BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 5 so we’ll pick up there.

WWF Tag Team Champions (WF015)

WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS (WF015)

Finally we get to see some real important matches…sort of. Most of the WWF tapes so far have been about 90 minutes or so but apparently this will be a two hour package of tag team champions going back to the late 70’s. The WWF champion usually had reigns of years upon years and the Intercontinental championship was invented in 1979-80, but the belts that changed the most were the tag team titles. This tape will highlight various tag team champions but because there were so many of them, the matches will all most likely be joined in progress. It should also be mentioned there will be A LOT of guys on this tape that either you’ve never even heard of or haven’t seen in a long time. I’ll do the best I can to bring the fans up to date on who these guys were. Hell, because the matches are clipped, introducing these guys may take longer than the actual match. This tape was one of the first released in 1986. Alright let’s stoke it up….cue the Coliseum Video opening and we got Mean Gene as our host today. Gene says we’ll be taking a look at TWENTY different matches. Good grief we’ll be here all day. He says we’ll see the recent champions as well as the past. Gene blows the ending to our first match by saying the title will not change hands.

Match 1

The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) vs The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) with Johnny V for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

We begin with the most recent match, and by that I mean it was from September 10,1985. Valentine and Beefcake had dethroned The US Express 17 days earlier in Philadelphia. Valentine is wearing standard blue trunks with Beefcake in the long blue. The Bulldogs are in the long maroon. We begin at the bell with Valentine and Dynamite and Kid puts Valentine in a headlock. Bruno says the Bulldogs have the advantage because they’ve been together longer. Greg sends Dynamite off and Kid blasts Greg with a shoulderblock that sends him crashing through the bottom rope and onto the apron. Dynamite and Greg lock up and Dynamite sends him head first into Beefcake. Davey Boy tags in and here’s an indication of how much steroids each guy was on at the time, Dynamite was more jacked than Davey at this point in 1985. Beefcake tags in and walks into a wristlock. Beefcake goes to punch his way out but Davey alertly takes him to the mat. Beefcake goes for the scoop slam but Davey holds on to the wrist and just flips him over. Dynamite tags in with an off the top axehandle to the arm before tagging back out to Davey who does the same. Davey gets the hammerlock applied but Beefcake rakes the face to escape. Brutus sends Davey off and attempts a back body drop but Davey lands on his feet and floors Brutus with a dropkick. Valentine charges but is greeted with a dropkick as well. Smith gets the scoop slam and cover for 1 then applies a nerve hold. Beefcake powers out of it and tags in Valentine. Beefcake and Valentine execute a double back elbow smash but Greg’s cover only gets two. Greg scoop slams him but misses the elbow drop. Davey makes the tag to Dynamite (which Vince goofs by calling him Davey) who greets Greg with a headbutt. Beefcake gets in but Dynamite cuts him off and rams him head first into Valentine. Dynamite sends Greg off and catches him with a left arm lariat that stuns the Hammer. Dynamite executes a backbreaker and covers for a long two as Vince bitches the ref was out of position. Dynamite does the falling headbutt but Beefcake breaks up the cover. Davey runs over and nails Beefcake as Dynamite goes upstairs. Johnny V jumps up and shoves Dynamite off right in front of the ref, who calls for the bell. Valiant gathers his troops and Beefcake snatches the tag belts from the ref as Howard Finkel announces the Bulldogs have won the match but not the titles. That was very good for four minute crash style and it was more or less a sneak preview of their future Wrestlemania 2 match. The story being told was the Dream Team couldn’t hang with the Bulldogs so they had Johnny V pull all sorts of unsavory tactics to help keep the belts. The Bulldogs got smart and later enlisted the help of Captain Lou Albano to counter Johnny V. As for now, the Dream Team retains in a match that would be perfect for modern day Raw.

Time of match 4:08
Winners: British Bulldogs by DQ (Dream Team retains)

Match 2:

Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci vs Professor Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji (with Freddie Blassie) for the WWWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

We go way back for this one on March 14, 1978. Tanaka wasn’t yet a Chuck Norris adversary on the big screen and Fuji still had mobility in his knees. As I’ve mentioned before, neither one of these guys were real Japanese. In fact, Tanaka’s mother was part Chinese. For those who didn’t already know, DeNucci was an Italian wrestler who was somewhat over in his day but became more famous for being the one who trained Mick Foley, “Franchise” Shane Douglas and manager turned referee Mark Curtis (he was the head ref of Smoky Mountain Wrestling and later reffed in WCW until his unfortunate death of cancer in 1999). Yes, that’s also the same Dino Bravo who wrestled in the late 80’s and early 90’s only he wasn’t jacked up on steroids or had bleached his hair blonde yet. DeNucci had tagged with his “brother” Dino as Dominic Bravo in the 70’s but the original Dino Bravo was long gone, replaced by the man we know. I don’t know how it happened but Bravo was a legitimate Italian which is why he was teaming with DeNucci but because he became a huge star in Montreal, he was later hailed from Montreal and given the French Canadian gimmick. Tanaka and Fuji are in the long black tights while Dominic is in standard red trunks and Bravo standard Green. We join the match in progress and Tanaka is locking up with DeNucci. Who would have thought this would be Bravo’s Coliseum Video debut years before he appeared regularly. DeNucci takes Tanaka over but Toru recovers and sends Dominic off. Tanaka goes for the big chop but DeNucci blocks it and delivers a forearm to the chest. Fuji tries to sneak in the ring but Bravo notices and threatens to follow suit, causing Fuji to bow his head and return to his corner. DeNucci takes Tanaka over again as Vince says Blassie put the belts on the line because he didn’t consider the Italians to be worthy competition despite the champs losing to the challengers recently in a non-title affair. Tanaka gets up and whips Dominic off, who boots Tanaka in the head when Toru goes for the back drop. Dominic covers but only gets a two count. Tanaka gets in the headlock and they botch something so Tanaka runs off the ropes again only to be rammed into the corner by DeNucci. Bravo tags in and he doesn’t look anywhere close to how he’d look ten years later, and he was already 30 at this point. Although off roids, he’s a much faster worker and he quickly drops a leg and covers Tanaka for a 2 count. Then he sprints to nail Fuji in the corner. Bravo rallies with right hands on both men before we get a TAPE EDIT. Tanaka has a chokehold on Bravo and DeNucci gets in to protest. As the ref is shooing Dominic away, Fuji and Tanaka pull the switcheroo. Obviously the ref falls for it as Bravo begins to power out of Fuji’s nerve hold. The crowd chants for Dino and Bravo escapes with the double slap to the ears (bell-ringer). Dominic does the double knee to the head as the crowd cheers. Bravo dropkicks Fuji and covers for 1…2…foot on the rope. Fuji takes over with forearms to the back but Bravo makes it to DeNucci who tags in. A forearm only enrages Dominic so Fuji tries a bell-ringer of his own. The heels double-team DeNucci in the corner and Tanaka tags in. Toru attacks Dominic but the camera guy is behind Mr. Fuji and I can’t see anything. Dino Bravo interferes which causes referee Dick Woehrle to usher him away and once again Fuji pulls the switch. Fuji unloads with a right hand before tagging Tanaka back in. Once again Bravo gets in, and yes…they pull the switch. Vince says we’re running out of time as Fuji continues to work over DeNucci with chops. Tanaka tags in and picks up where Fuji left off. This time Bravo makes it past Woehrle and attacks Tanaka only for Fuji to come help his partner. They tie Bravo up in the ropes and Fuji tells Toru to finish him off. Tanaka sends Dominic off and goes for the big punch, but Dominic catches the arm and puts him an airplane spin. Fuji runs in and is kicked in the face for his trouble. DeNucci slams him down and covers for 1…2…3 and we got new tag team champions! The fans actually jump the guardrail and untie Bravo but we cut before the new champs are presented with the belts. Ironically this would be the only gold Bravo would ever win in his long tenure. As for the former champs, this was pretty much their last hurrah. According to Blassie’s book, the two men didn’t get along as much as it seemed. Tanaka was the consummate professional while Fuji was the scheming hellraiser who played very mean ribs on people. Most practical jokes were done to get a rise out of people, Fuji took it to a whole different level to where someone could get fired. He’d have a guy’s engine removed from his car so the guy couldn’t make his booking and he would call the hotel of another guy and have his wake up call changed. Blassie claimed in his book that Tanaka was the one who planned out the matches with opponents in the back and had to control Fuji. Kind of ironic given both were in their mid to late 40’s by the late 70’s. After teaming with each other for a few more years in the territories, they went their separate ways. Fuji made his way back to WWF where he would team with Mr. Saito while Tanaka headed for Hollywood and starred in some successful movies. As for this match, standard 70’s action with the quick ending. Interesting to see Bravo work babyface for once.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Bravo and DeNucci by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 3

The Yukon Lumberjacks (Eric and Pierre) vs Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci for the WWWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

Three months after the Italians had dethroned Fuji and Tanaka, they take on the Lumberjacks on June 26, 1978 in Madison Square Garden. Who are these guys? Pierre was a French Canadian wrestler who teamed with Rene Goulet in Dick The Bruiser’s territory (WWA) in the mid 70’s before getting into a legitimate fight with each other, thus, disbanding. By the time of this match he was 39 years old and near the end of his career. Eric was actually American born and Verne Gagne trained Scott Irwin. Irwin was one of the first opponents of a rookie named Dick Blood later known as Ricky Steamboat in 1975. By now he was 26 and teaming with Pierre as a heel tag team. We’re joined in progress with Pierre in the ring with Bravo. Bravo is in the red trunks with white stripe with Pierre in standard black. Eric is also in standard trunks but has a big blonde afro. DeNucci has standard red but no stripes. Pierre nails Bravo with a forearm to the lower back but Dino runs over and nails an unsuspecting Eric off the apron. Bravo rallies on Pierre as well and crawls over to tag DeNucci. Pierre cuts him off and rams him face first into the knee of Eric. Pierre holds him and Eric comes off the top with an axehandle to the back. Eric whips Dino off but Dino executes a perfect sunset flip for 1…2..nope. Again this is NOTHING like the Bravo we’ll later see from 88-91. Bravo tags in DeNucci who Eric cuts off with forearms to the back. DeNucci then rallies with a headbutt and forearms to the chest. Pierre interferes and is met with the same treatment. DeNucci wipes out Eric with a double axehandle to the side of the head and delivers a jumping headbutt. Dominic covers but Pierre breaks up the pin. Dominic gets a knee to the back before raming his face into the mat. DeNuccci stomps on Eric then catches him with a big right hand and another sweeping axehandle. He covers but once again Pierre breaks it up. DeNucci cleans Pierre’s clock then clocks Eric too. Bravo tags in who backdrops Eric then catches him with a flying dropkick. He covers and Pierre saves the day again. DeNucci tags in who sends Eric off the ropes and ties him up in an abdominal stretch. Just when Eric looks to be saying uncle, Pierre once again makes the save. Bravo tags in and executes a Russian leg sweep and covers for 1…2..nope. Bravo tags in DeNucci and sends Eric into a DeNucci airplane spin…only for Pierre to boot him in the ribs. Dino has enough and attacks Pierre on the far side of the ring. The ref then shoos Bravo away only for the Lumberjacks to team up and deliver a double sweeping axehandle to the throat. Pierre makes the cover 1….2….3 its over. The Lumberjacks are the new champions. We cut before any post-match celebrations take place. This was the end of the line for Bravo and DeNucci would split. DeNucci would get a few cracks at Pat Patterson’s new Intercontinental Championship before settling into semi-retirement where he would become a famous trainer. Bravo would bounce around in the early 80’s but would resurface in 1987 as a heel. Interesting to see Dino work face for once in these tag team matches.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Yukon Lumberjacks by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 4

Larry Zybysko and Tony Garea vs The Yukon Lumberjacks (Eric and Pierre) with Lou Albano for the WWWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

5 months after the Jacks won the titles, they took on Garea and Zybysko on November 21, 1978. Garea was already a two time tag champion with Haystacks Calhoun and Dean Ho while Larry was still a year and change away from his famous feud with Bruno. We pick up with everyone wearing standard black trunks although Pierre has grown a beard and let his hair grow out since the last match. Albano wasn’t at ringside when the Jacks took the titles but is very visible at ringside this time. Pierre headlock punches Zybysko and then kicks him in the head. Pierre continues the punch/kick assault until Zybysko counters with a scoop slam. Pierre recovers first and rams Larry’s head into the knee of Eric, who tags in. Garea gets in to get in a shot at Pierre but Eric ignores him and continues to work over Larry. Eric headlock takeovers Larry but the ref is out of position and only counts two. Zybysko crawls over to Garea but Eric cuts him off with a big kick. Larry then crawls through the legs of Eric and makes the tag to Garea. Tony cleans house of both men before whipping Eric into the corner. Garea stomps and punches away before whipping Eric into the opposite corner. Tony charges but eats knee. Eric brings a dazed Garea into his own corner and punches him before Pierre tags in. Pierre starts where Eric left off while Eric catches a sneaky Zybysko and boots him into the corner. The Jacks go for the double whip but the faces dosey-do and nail the Jacks with forearms to the chest. Now this time the faces whip the Jacks into each other. Bruno says he likes what he sees as Garea and Zybysko whip Pierre, but Eric ducks under and Pierre bounces off the ropes….only for Eric to turn around into a charging Pierre. Eric is knocked goofy in the center of the ring while Pierre crashes by the ropes. Garea makes the cover and Zybysko intercepts a charging Captain Lou for 1….2…3 and we got new champs. The crowd goes berserk as Zybysko literally jumps on the fallen Albano before tackling Garea in celebration in the corner. Bruno “My god Vince they did it!” The microphone lowers and the announcer delivers the news. Albano gets pissed outside the ring and throws his shirt at Pierre who shouts at him and throws it back at him. Albano jumps in the ring and the new champs knock him right out of it. Albano whacks Pierre with his shirt again then leaves and we cut here. Zybysko wins his first and only gold in his WWF tenure and it was the end of the line for the Lumberjacks. Pierre outright retired and Eric moved on to another territory where he would form a team with his real life brother “Wild” Bill Irwin…..oh yeah, you may remember (or may not want to remember) him as The Goon. As for this match, not exactly catch as catch can but the fans paid to see the Jacks and Albano get beat up and that’s what they got. So its all good.

Time of match: Joined in progress (officially 9:20)
Winners: Garea and Zybysko by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 5

The Valiant Brothers (Jerry and Johnny) with Jimmy Valiant and Captain Lou Albano vs Tony Garea and Larry Zybysko for the WWWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

March 6, 1979 in Allentown, PA saw Garea and Zybysko defend against the Valiants. As I mentioned in THE AMAZING MANAGERS, “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant contracted hepatitis so they brought in John “The Stomper” Hill to be “Gentleman” Jerry Valiant while Jimmy got treatment. It’s essentially 4 against 2 with the three Valiants and Albano out there. Garea is in the standard red trunks and Zybysko black. Johnny has Jerry Lawler-esque blue and white tights with stars down the sides while Jerry has the same pattern only in black. The first scene shown is Garea putting Johnny into a small package only for Jerry to make the save. Zybysko jumps in and punches Jerry for good measure before leaving. Johnny makes it to his feet and tags Jerry in legally. Garea rams Jerry into his corner and tags in Zybysko who clocks Jerry with a series of right hands. Larry sends Jerry off and delivers a back drop before punching Johnny off the apron. Jimmy goes nuts outside the ring as Larry is whipped off the ropes and botches a leapfrog, actually getting forearmed in the gonads by Jerry. Jerry is actually knocked goofy and Johnny goes to check on him only for Garea to get him and introduce him to a right hand. While the ref is busy shooing Tony away, Jimmy gets in and drags Jerry underneath the bottom rope. Johnny crawls over and covers Zybysko even though there was no tag made. The ref actually counts 1…..2….3 and the Valiants win. Albano gets in and raises Johnny’s arm in victory awhile Jimmy raises Jerry’s hand outside. Eventually all 4 get in the ring and celebrate as the crowd pelts the ring with garbage. We cut here and that was pretty balsy, no pun intended. Not long after this they hacked the Wide off the company name and from then on it was the WWF from April 1979 to May of 2002. Like I said earlier, this was Zybysko’s only gold in his tenure while Garea would find a new partner eventually. As for the Valiants, when Jimmy was ready they actually defended the belts using the Freebird rule even though the Birds hadn’t yet formed. Shouldn’t it be the Valiant rule instead? Clipped match so not worth rating.

Time of match: Joined in progress (official 10:54)
Winners: The Valiants by pinfall (New tag team champions)

Match 6

Tito Santana and Ivan Putski vs The Valiant Brothers (Jerry and Johnny) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

After a 6 month reign of terror, the Valiants put the gold on the line against a makeshift team of Putski and Santana on October 22, 1979 in Madison Square Garden. There’s no Albano at ringside and we begin with Santana in the standard black trunks putting an armbar on Johnny wearing the long purple. Johnny rakes the eyes and locks in a headlock as Jerry taunts the crowd on the apron. Santana whips Johnny off but eats shoulderblock then gets to his feet only to be kicked in the head. Johnny whips Tito into his corner and distracts the ref so Jerry can strangle Santana with the tag rope. The ref turns around and makes Jerry release at once. When the ref gives Jerry a tongue lashing, Johnny takes the time to strangle Tito with the tag rope as well. Once again they take turns strangling Tito until Johnny scoop slams him. Jerry makes the tag and stomps away on the fallen Tito before applying a nerve hold. Santana tries to power out of it but Jerry pulls him down by the hair. Vince says this is the first time the Valiants are defending the straps at the Garden without Captain Lou. Apparently Albano wasn’t managing them anymore at this point. After a long while, Johnny comes in to distract the ref and Santana does the “make the tag but ref doesn’t see it” spot. The ref tells Putski to hit the bricks and the Valiants double team Santana in the corner. Santana goes for another tag and they do the exact same thing. Jerry headlock punches Tito and goes for the front facelock. Santana punches his way out but Jerry mule kicks him down. Jerry whips Tito off but is kicked in the head for his troubles. Santana staggers into the wrong corner where Johnny grabs him by the tights. Putski runs in and clocks Johnny but Tito’s still in there taking a pounding. Johnny comes in without a tag and the ref sees the whole thing but lets Jerry leave. Vince calls the ref on it as Johnny scoop slams Santana. Vince “The referee is confused.” Jerry tags in and asks Johnny to hold Tito…but Santana ducks and Jerry nails Johnny with a forearm. Santana gets the hot tag to Putski and Jerry begs off. Putski then goes to work with rights and a whip to the corner. Putski whips Jerry into the other corner where he throws himself over the top rope and out of the ring. Johnny gets in the ring and is met by a flurry of forearms to the back. Ivan whips Johnny over the top rope to the floor. Ivan poses for the crowd before bringing Jerry back in the ring the hard way. All of a sudden the bell rings for no reason. Even the ref waves it off as Putski makes the tag to Santana. Tito whips Jerry off and he and Johnny both drop down as Jerry continues to jump over both of them back and forth. The bell continues to ring as Jerry finally crashes into Johnny. Santana comes off the ropes with a flying bodypress and the ref counts 1…2….3 and we got new champions, I think. The bell finally rings for good (was the timekeeper asleep or something?). The new champs celebrate as Fink hands them the belts. The crowd pops as Fink announcers the faces as the new champions. We cut here and that was the end of the line for the Valiants. Albano had moved on to manage another team, “Handsome” Jimmy moved on to another territory and soon after this match Jerry would depart as well, leaving Johnny V all by himself until he became a manager. This was the first of two tag title reigns by Santana and the only gold Putski would ever win.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Putski and Santana by pinfall (New tag team champions)

Match 7

The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) vs Ivan Putski and Tito Santana for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

We’re at the Philadelphia Spectrum on April 12, 1980 to see the gruesome Samoans get a crack at the tag belts. We begin with all four men shoving each other in the ring. Putski is in the standard yellow trunks while the others are in their normal gear. The faces get the upperhand with rights until they whip the Samoans together. Santana dropkicks Afa out of the ring and sends Sika into a Polish Hammer by Ivan. Santana makes the cover for 1…2…nope, Sika kicks out. Santana goes to work on the left leg before Putski tags in and picks up where Tito left off. We get a TAPE EDIT and Putski still has a leg-lock on Sika. Putski has a bandage on his head as Vince says Afa hasn’t gotten into the match yet. Right on cue Sika rolls through the hold and makes the tag to Afa. Putski ducks under a punch and applies a full nelson to the surprised Samoan. Sika tries to take a sing at Putski but he moves out of the way. When Sika goes for another chop, Afa had reversed the hold so Sika waffles Afa instead. Tito gets in a few shots at Afa before Putski corners him. Putski whips him into opposite corners before Tito tags in who delivers a forearm uppercut. Putski tags in and nails Afa with a forearm to the ribs. Afa is whipped once again but tosses a charging Putski face first into the corner. Afa punches away at the fallen Putski before dropping him with a headbutt. Afa calls for the head and rams Afa into Sika’s cranium. Sika tags in and delivers a headbutt of his own. Sika whips Putski but Ivan counters with a kick to the face. Putski makes the tag to Santana who rallies with right hands a delivers a flying doubleaxehandle of his own. Would that be called Mexican Power? Afa charges but Santana cuts him off with a dropkick. Tito scoop slams Sika then goes upstairs. Santana comes of the top with a bodypress but rolls around in agony clutching his thigh. Vince says Santana must have missed the mark as Sika continues to attack. Sika delivers the Samoan drop and covers for 1…..2….3 that’s it. Putski was caught completely by surprise and so was the crowd as the Samoans take the titles. Putski claims it was a fast count as Vince says its official. Gary Michael Capetta delivers the bad news to the crowd as the Samoans win the first of their three tag team championships. Santana and Putski would return to singles competition and like I said, that was the first and only gold Putski would win in his 10 years or so with the organization.

Time of match: clipped (7:36 official)
Winners: Wild Samoans by pinfall

Match 8

Rick Martel and Tony Garea vs The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Frick and Frack

This isn’t on the tape but a little bit of history here. On the undercard of Bruno vs Larry aka Showdown at Shea on August 9, 1980, WWF champion Bob Backlund teamed with former champion Pedro Morales to defeat The Wild Samoans for the tag belts. Due to kayfabe rules, the world champion was not allowed to co-hold any other title so the belts were vacated shortly after. The Samoans would defeat Garea and Rene Goulet for the vacant belts on September 8, 1980. Garea wanted another crack at the tag belts and settled on 24 year old Rick Martel, fresh off a stint in Pacific Northwest Wrestling (the Portland territory) as his new partner. This match was for the gold on November 8, 1980 at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Martel is in the standard red trunks as he circles with Afa to start. I have no idea who the commentators are so I’ll just ignore them. They exchange shoves until Martel dismisses him with a wave. Martel turns his back and Afa goes for the axehandle but Rick turns around in time and gets in a punch to the mid-section. Martel gets raked and Afa whips him into the corner but misses the charge. Martel gets in an arm bar and makes the tag to Garea who gets in a knee to the arm. Garea tags back to Martel who leapfrogs Garea onto the arm of Afa. Martel and Garea alternate taking shots at the left arm of Afa until Garea gets in an armbar. The play by play guy says Garea wants the belts back while Martel has never had them before. The color guy says its “now or never” for Garea since he’s in mid-30’s and had the belts 3 times already. My how times have changed, nowadays age is barely mentioned. You think anyone cared how old Edge, Shawn Michaels or Chris Jericho was in high profile matches once they hit 40? Afa sends Garea off who jumps over him and nails Sika on the apron. He turns his attention back to Afa And gets in the armbar. Martel makes the tag with a second rope elbow to the arm. We get a TAPE EDIT and Martel makes the tag to Garea who continues to work over the arm. Afa whips Tony off but eats a series of shoulderblocks but Afa counters the third attempt by tossing Garea over the top rope and out of the ring. Not to go on a rant but it seemed like the WWF was the only one who didn’t have the over the top rope DQ rule, which I always found to be ridiculous as well (the rule that is). Sika slams Garea on the concrete floor as Martel comes over to protest. Referee Dick Woehrle counts but Martel rolls Garea back inside to beat the count. Afa whips Garea arm first into the rope and we get another TAPE EDIT. Garea floors Afa with a shoulderblock, leapfrogs over him and hits a flying bodypress for 1…2…nope. Sika gets in and strangles Garea with the tag rope. Martel gets in to protest and finally the ref makes him break up. Sika goes for the cover but Garea kicks out. Afa tags in and headbutts Tony into the corner. He snap mares him and applies a nerve hold. Martel reaches for the tag but Tony is too far away. Garea finally powers out of it but runs into a shoulderblock. They both drop but Afa tags out to Sika first…only Tony makes the hot tag to Martel. Rick cleans house of both Samoans and backdrops Sika. Garea pops up like no damage was ever done and the faces go to work. They execute a double monkey flip and double dropkick combo. They go for a double whip but Afa manages to reverse and Garea goes crashing into Sika. Afa covers Garea but Martel sunset flips Sika and the ref counts 1…2….3 and its over. Who was the legal man? Who wins it? Afa and Martel both celebrate and the announcers are confused. Gary Michael Cappetta gets in the ring and Woehrle tells him who wins. Cappetta gets on the mic and says the winners….and…NEW…champions, Tony Garea and Rick Martel. Afa and Sika go berserk as Martel and Garea celebrate. The crowd pops as we go to the instant replay. Martel comes over to the announce table and says he was the legal man. He must be right and with that we have new champions. The Samoans would leave the territory for a bit to work for Mid-South, Georgia and Mid-Atlantic but they would be back. As for the new champs, Garea wins his 4th tag team championship and Martel his first.

Time of match: clipped (officially 14:29)
Winners: Garea and Martel by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 9

The Moondogs (Rex and King) with Lou Albano vs Tony Garea and Rick Martel for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

Like I’ve said before, the Moondogs were pretty much a white version of the Wild Samoans and they got a crack at the straps on March 17, 1981. The champs are in matching blue tights with red trim while the Moondogs are in their normal attire. Rex was Randy Colley, a 31 year old rookie who would eventually become the original Smash of Demolition and later Deadeye Dick (don’t ask). King was a 32 year old veteran who worked the Canadian territories as Sailor White. We’re joined in progress with Martel locking in an armbar on King….or at least I think its King. They look exactly alike although Rex was taller. Garea tags in after a kick to the mid-section but runs into a shoulderblock by King. Another shoulderblock floors the Moondog and a sunset flip attempts gets a two count. Martel tags in and he goes to work on the left arm. Patterson calls Garea and Martel a fantastic team. The ref tells Rex to beat it as Martel gets a rake to the face. Rex tags in and gets a running kneelift before executing a side backbreaker. A cover gets a two count and Rex headbutts Martel and rams his head into the corner. King gets in a shot on the outside as Rex rams Martel head first into the corner. Rex goes for the same move but Martel just throws him into the corner. King gets the tag and goes for a face rake. The crowd chants “Let’s go Rick” as Albano tells the crowd to shut up. King makes the tag to Rex and they double team until Garea pounds on King. King and Garea leave as Rex sends Martel off the ropes. Rex puts his head down and Martel kicks him down. Martel goes to make the tag but Rex intercepts him and locks in a headlock. Martel sends him off the ropes and they collide in a double shoulderblock. Rex makes the cover for 1..2…nope. King tags in and stomps on Rick before executing a backbreaker. Another cover gets a near fall and King rams Martel face first into Rex’s knee. Rex tags in and measures him for a forearm to the chest. Patterson says the Moondogs can smell the championship as Rex rams Martel into his corner. Rex shields the ref from vision so King snaps Martel off the top rope. Martel attempts to rallies with boots to the gut but Rex tackles Martel before he can make the corner. Martel stuns Rex with a right hand, crawls under him and gets the hot tag to Garea. Tony rallies with right hands and a back drop. Garea locks Rex in an abdominal stretch but King makes the save with an axehandle to the back. Martel dropkicks King through the ropes and to the outside. Garea then goes apeshit by strangling Rex and tossing the ref to the ground. With the ref incapacitated, Albano sneaks into the ring. Garea delivers a suplex to Rex and Martel cuts off Albano. Unfortunately for them, neither one of them notices King sneak in who waffles Tony with his dogbone. King rolls Rex on top of Tony and beats a hasty retreat. Martel continues to pound on Albano as the ref comes to and sees Rex on top..1…..2…3 and its over. The crowd goes nuts as we cut the celebration to catch the replay. If Garea hadn’t tossed the referee, he wouldn’t have lost. Once again Albano is in control of the tag team titles. End of the line for King as I mentioned in an earlier review, he couldn’t get a work visa so he could no longer wrestle for WWF which was based primarily in America. Garea and Martel would get their re-match but for now Rex and King reign supreme.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: The Moondogs by pinfall

Match 10

Tony Garea and Rick Martel vs The Moondogs (Rex and Spot) with Lou Albano for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

For a brief period after King was deported (in the storyline, they explained his absence by saying he was run over by a car), Rex would have a hodgepodge of partners ranging from Sgt Slaughter to even Hulk Hogan (before he was fired for doing Rocky 3) before settling on Larry Latham, one half of the Blonde Bombers in Memphis with Wayne Farris (later known as Honky Tonk Man). Larry would be redubbed Moondog Spot and continued in King’s place as if King never existed. Garea and Martel got their re-match on July 21, 1981 in Allentown, PA. Garea reverses a whip and uses Spot’s momentum to drag him down. Albano stomps around upset outside as Garea stomps away. Garea does the exact same momentum whip before tagging in Martel who drops Spot with a dropkick. Martel sends Spot off and tags in Garea who executes a back elbow smash. Tony nails Rex for good measure before scoop slamming Spot. Garea drops an elbow and covers for 1….2..no. Martel tags in and comes off the second rope with an elbow to the left arm. Spot manages to make the tag to Rex as Patterson says Spot has a bad arm to begin with. Martel armdrags Rex and locks in an armbar but Rex rams Martel’s head in the corner. Albano chastises Spot outside the ring as Rex puts his head down and eats a boot to the face by Martel. Garea tags in and stomps on the left arm. Rex gets up and sends Tony off the ropes but is met with a shoulderblock. Tony catches Rex with an armdrag who retreats and tags Spot in.who takes a series of armdrags. Martel tags in and drops an elbow on the left arm. Patterson says champs or not, Garea and Martel are the best team he’s ever seen. Rick applies an arm-bar as Patterson says the Moondogs have the advantage because they can get themselves disqualified. Spot makes the tag to Rex who waffles Martel with forearms. Rex charges but crashes into the corner. Martel tags in Garea who drops a knee on the left arm of Rex. Garea continue to work over the left arm until Rex rolls to the floor. Albano kicks Rex in disgust and walks away. Spot enters the ring and Garea nails him with a forearm that knocks the Moondog over the top rope to the floor. Rex is brought in the hard way and Garea makes the tag to Martel who sunset flips over both men. The pin attempt gets 1…2..nope. Martel armdrags Rex and locks in an armbar as Patterson says its easier when the crowd is behind you. Vince says the Moondogs have yet to get an offensive maneuver as Martel makes the tag. Tony comes off the second rope with an axehandle to the left arm while Martel intercepts a charging Spot with a right hand. Garea applies a hammerlock but eats an elbow. Rex charges but runs into a scoop slam followed by a snap mare. Garea misses an elbow drop but makes the tag to Martel who keeps Rex in the corner with an armbar. Rex rakes the eyes and sends Martel off the ropes, but Rick leapfrogs over him only to get a knee to the back by Spot on the outside. Albano rakes the eyes from the outside with the ref’s back turned as Patterson says the Moondogs aren’t looking the same. Rex rams Rick’s head into the corner and tags in Spot. Spot gets in a right hand, rams Rick’s head into the buckle and applies a rear chinlock. Martel powers out of it, tosses Spot into the corner, charges…and runs into the boot of the Moondog. Martel staggers into a second rope lariat by Spot. Spot covers 1….2..no. Rex tags in with a kick to the ribs but Martel clocks him with a big right hand then makes the tag to Garea. Tony cleans house of both Moondogs before hiptossing and dropkicking Rex. Tony makes the tag to Martel but sends Rex off the ropes where he leapfrogs him only for Rex to run into a running roll up by Martel for 1…2..nope, Spot breaks up the count. The ref shoos Garea away allowing the Moondogs and Albano to triple team Martel. Tony breaks free and wallops Rex with a right hook to the gut. Martel brings Spot in the hard way. All four men go at it in the corners before Rex snap mares Garea into the center of the ring. The ref is busy with Spot and Martel so Albano tosses Rex one of the dog bones. Spot comes over and asks for the bone himself but Martel dropkicks Spot into Albano, knocking both of them down. Martel then sunset flips Rex for 1…2..3 and its over. Martel wasn’t the legal man but who cares? The faces’ celebration is cut short as we cut here. Martel wins his second tag team title while Garea wins his 5th. The Moondogs would hang around for a few more years but would never again taste tag team goal. Decent match and the fans got to see what they wanted.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Garea and Martel by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 11

Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito (with Lou Albano) vs Tony Garea and Rick Martel for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

This is the exact same match from BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 2 but I totally forgot, so I reviewed the match a second time. With Toru Tanaka long gone, Fuji teams with a legitimate Japanese wrestler in Saito to form a new tag team. On October 17, 1981 in Allentown, PA they got a shot at Garea and Martel. All four men are in their standard gear while Albano looks ridiculous in a green kimono. Fuji and Saito incite the crowd by doing rituals before the match starts. Fuji and Martel circle to start but Fuji gets the upper hand with some devious tactics. Martel leapfrogs over Fuji and armdrags him. Fuji runs into a scoop slam then two more armdrags before retreating to his corner. Saito tags in and runs into an armdrag and armbar. Garea tags in and goes to work on the left arm as Albano protests. Saito whips Garea off but is dropped by a shoulderblock. Tony uncharacteristically runs into an arm drag but mule kicks Saito away. Fuji tags in who runs into an arm drag and armbar. Tony stomps away at Fuji’s left arm before Martel tags in and picks up where Tony left off. Fuji sends Martel off who counters with a flying bodypress for 1…2…nope. Another arm drag and armbar slows Fuji down as Patterson goes to say something but is cut off. Garea tags in and picks up where Martel leaves off only for Fuji to get in a chop to the ribs. Saito tags in but runs into yet another arm drag. It sounds like a broken record but Garea’s forte was torturing a body part not unlike Ole Anderson. Saito backs Garea into the corner and punishes him with right hands before Saito rams him into the knee of Fuji. The devious one tags in and double chops Tony in the ribs and chops him down before ramming him into the corner. Saito tags back in who kicks Garea down and covers for 1…2..no. Vince says Albano wants badly to be manager of the tag champions again. Saito attacks with chops and a back drop for 1…2..no, near fall. Saito rams Tony into his corner and Fuji tags back in with chops to the throat. Fuji sends Tony off and drops him with a big sidewinding chop. Saito tags in with a kick to the ribs and a thrust to the throat before covering for a near fall. Saito uses the 5 count to choke Garea before kicking at him. Two near falls in a row has Fuji tagging in who just keeps Tony from making the hot tag. Fuji kicks Tony down then double chops Garea at least three times. Saito tags in and comes off the second rope with a double chop to the back. Saito gets a nearfall then chokes down Tony. Martel rushes in and attacks Saito only for referee Dick Woehrle to step in and tell him to hit the bricks, allowing Fuji, Saito and Albano to triple team. Woehrle turns around and tells Albano to beat it as Saito retreats to his corner. Fuji makes no legal tag, he just gets in and applies a nerve hold. Patterson tries to bail out Woehrle saying they “kinda” look alike, nevermind the fact Saito has a full caveman look and Fuji was much thinner. The camera focuses on Martel begging for the tag as the crowd chants for Garea. Tony powers out of it with a series of forearms to the chest and a scoop slam. Tony misses a dropkick and Fuji makes the tag to Saito. He pounces on Tony for a two count. Saito kicks away at Tony and scoop slams before another pinfall attempt gets two. Saito goes up to the second rope and drops a knee, the cover gets 1..2..nope. Saito applies a front headlock as Vince says he’s had the bejesus out of him. Saito rams Tony into the corner and Fuji tags in for some double team only for Martel to barge over and wallop away at the heels until Woehrle shoos him away. The heels triple team Garea in the corner until Saito pulls Tony away and whips him into the opposite corner. Saito charges but misses and Tony makes the hot tag to Martel. Rick unloads on Saito with right hands, an arm drag, a head scissors and a big punch to Fuji for good measure. For whatever reason Tony tags back in and Martel nails Saito in the ribs and Garea sunset flips him for 1…2..nope. Garea whips Saito off where Martel tags him and greets Saito with a dropkick. Fuji interferes but the alert Garea cuts him off with a dropkick. Garea leapfrogs Saito and dazes him with a back elbow smash, Garea backdrops Saito into the center of the ring as Martel goes upstairs. As Woehrle gets Garea out of there, Fuji reaches into his tights for some salt. Just as Martel comes off the top, Fuji throws it in his eyes. Saito rolls through a bodypress and hooks the tights for 1…2….3 and we got new champions. Patterson protests as Martel rolls around in agony. Albano grabs the belts and hands him to the new champs. They pose quickly then get out of dodge before the fans riot. More officials hit the ring to tend to Martel as we go to the instant replay. Vince gets angrier as the replay goes along and we cut here. Garea and Martel would get a few rematches but Martel would leave for the AWA a few months later. Garea would never again wear WWF gold but he’d hang around a few more years. Lot of action in this match, it flowed nicely.

Time of match: 9:48
Winners: Fuji and Saito by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 12

Mr. Fuji and Mr Saito (with Lou Albano) vs The Strongbows (Jay and Jules) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

This is where the tape starts getting out of order. The match we’re about to see is the 2 out of 3 falls re-match AFTER The Strongbows took the belts. This is from July 13, 1982 and here’s a bit of irony. There was a wrestler/promoter from the 30’s to the 60’s named Jules Strongbow, which was the inspiration for the Italian Joe Scarpa to become “Chief” Jay Strongbow in 1970. Fast forward twelve years later and rookie Frank Hill becomes Jules Strongbow, storyline brother of Chief Jay. I wonder what the real Jules would feel about that but he’s long passed away. Jules is in the black singlet and Jay the red. Fuji and Saito are in standard gear but Albano ditches the kimono for a white jacket and jean shorts. Jay Strongbow had been a previous two time WWWF tag team champion and this was his 3rd title win, first with Jules. People liked to give WCW shit for the ages of their wrestlers, well the Strongbows were new to the tag team scene and Jay was 53 years old. After Fuji and Saito do their pre-match ritual salt tossing, Fuji starts it with Jules. Immediately Saito attacks from behind, allowing for Fuji to reach into his tights. Jules turns around and Fuji nails him with the salt he pulled out. Jay charges in and gets a face full himself. As the ref nearly disqualifies Saito, Fuji delivers a diving headbutt to the gonads. Fuji covers and the ref turns around..1….2….3 and that’s it, just like that. Jay staggers and falls into the entrance way and the heels triple team Jules in the ring. Saito then tosses Jules out of the ring as the announcer makes it official. Albano gets in a few cheapshots outside to both Strongbows. Patterson questions whether the Strongbows can return for the second fall and we go to the instant replay. This was supposed to be 2 out of 3 falls but due to tape time constraints, this is all we see of this match although Fuji and Saito would go on to win the match and titles. Why they put this match first is beyond me.

Time of match: 47 seconds (first fall only)
Winners: Fuji and Saito by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 13

The Strongbows (Jay and Jules) vs Mr Fuji and Mr Saito for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

If we were running in chronological order, THIS should have been first. This was from Madison Square Garden on June 28, 1982 and Ivan Putski is the special guest referee. Everyone is in their standard gear like the match we previously saw. Saito and Jay lock up and Saito gets a quick upper hand with chops. Jay ducks under one, slides under another and nails Saito with a big chop of his own. Strongbow gets Saito agitated by running away every time Saito rears back for a chop, then slides under him before delivering another chop of his own. Strongbow poses for the crowd before we get a TAPE EDIT and now Fuji has Jules in a nerve hold. Jules breaks out of it and tags Jay who does the “hey-how-are-ya” stomp (think Hulk Up) before going on the warpath (chop, knee, dance, another knee). Fuji counters with a thrust to the throat, whips him off and delivers a big foot to the chest (would be a big boot but he’s barefooted). Fuji covers for 1…2…nope. Saito tags in and picks up where Fuji left off, dropkicking Strongbow sideways. Saito covers for 1…2..nope. Fuji tags back in and he kicks Jay in the chest before delivering another big foot. Fuji runs off the ropes but misses the running senton. Jay covers and Putski checks the shoulders, oblivious to the foot on the rope……1…..2…3 and we got new champions. Jules hits the ring and celebrates as obviously a finish like this would lead to a re-match. Still, at 53 years old, Jay Strongbow has tag team gold again. I’m sure the boys in the back were pissed a rookie like Jules is wearing tag team gold but that’s the way it is sometimes.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Strongbows by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 14

The Strongbows (Jay and Jules) vs Mr Fuji and Mr Saito for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

Finally we’re back in chronological order. Mean Gene on the voiceover tries to make it sound like this match was a re-match of the last one but it really wasn’t. This was from October 26, 1982 and this time the only change in ring attire comes from Jay who’s wearing a black singlet instead of red. Jay bites the hand of Saito and does the same routine of sliding under to avoid a chop only to nail Saito with a chop of his own. Strongbow catches Saito with a double tomahawk chop and covers for 1…2..nope. Jules tags in and nails Saito with a running forearm then a chop in the corner. He covers but only gets two. He makes the tag to Jay and whips Saito into a big chop from Jay. Chief sends Saito off the ropes and catches him with a sleeper hold. Fuji makes the save before Saito gives up and tags in. Jay makes the tag to Jules who sends Fuji off and drops him with a big chop. Jules goes on the warpath with falling chops before getting chopped in the side of the leg. Fuji delivers a falling headbutt before tagging in Saito who Vince calls a silver medalist, bringing up his legitimate amateur past. A kick to the face and cover gets a two count as Saito delivers a Russian leg sweep. A cover only gets one and he rams Jules into the corner. Fuji tags in and kicks away before chopping Jules into a tag from Jay. Fuji alertly cuts him off and chops him several times, including a big chop. Fuji tags Saito who makes a quick cover for a near fall. Saito sends Strongbow off the ropes and kicks him full force in the ribs. He covers for 1…2..nope. Saito continues to stomp and kick away before Jay comes off the ropes with a Thesz press for 1….2…3 and just like that its over. First time I’ve seen a Thesz press done by anyone other than Steve Austin in WWE and it wins the Strongbows the tag team titles. So what happened to the Japanese tag team after this? They hung around for a while before Saito got in trouble for throwing a boulder through a window and beating up cops with Patera. Fuji would eventually become a wrestling manager. New champs in a match either short or clipped for time constraints

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Strongbows by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 15

The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) vs The Strongbows (Jay and Jules) for the WWF Tag Team Champions

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

Fresh off their tour with Mid-Atlantic, the Samoans are back in New York (that’s what the territory was called) to take on the Strongbows on March 8, 1983 in Allentown, PA for the tag belts. Everyone’s in their standard gear for this one and the first thing we see is Sika choking Jules Strongbow against the ropes. Afa sends him off but puts his head down and gets kicked for his troubles. Jules makes the tag to a balding Jay…seriously, he’s cut his hair since the previous match and because he’s balding, it looks like he went from 44 to 54 overnight. Old or not, Jay comes in and delivers a big knee lift that floors Afa. Afa gets to his feet, lands a chop and rams Jay headfirst into the cranium of Sika. Sika tags in and chops Jay in the throat before headlock punching him. Jules thinks he’s made the tag but he doesn’t, so when the ref tells him to beat it, the Samoans double team poor Jay. Sika leaves the ring but Afa was further away from Jay so Chief makes the tag to Jules. The younger of the two rallies with right hands and big chops. Sika interferes but he’s cut off by Jay. All four men are in the ring but the Samoans double headbutt Jay over the top and out. Jules tries to hold his own against both Samoans but is overtaken and double clotheslined. Albano stomps on Jay outside the ring as Afa annihilates Jules with a samoan drop. He covers for 1….2…3 goodnight Strongbows. The Samoans win their 3rd WWF tag team championship. The crowd pelts the ring with garbage as Albano celebrates with the new champs. Patterson complains and we cut here. End of the line for Jules Strongbow as he would leave shortly after and Jay became a semi then fully retired road agent.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Samoans by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 16

The Soul Patrol (Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas) vs The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) with Lou Albano for the WWF Tag Team Championship in a No-DQ match

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson

This is the exact same match covered in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS only this will be more than just a clip. This match was from November 15, 1983 in Allentown, PA. Atlas and Johnson are in matching red tights with the Samoans in their standard gear. We’re joined in progress when Afa has Rocky in a nerve hold and Johnson is powering out of it. Johnson drops him with a shoulderblock. Johnson somersaults under a chop attempt but Afa doesn’t miss a second time. Sika makes the tag and they both stomp away before Sika covers for a near fall. Sika applies a nerve hold before Johnson powers out of it again. Sika puts his head down and Rocky kicks him in it for his troubles. Albano teases going to attack Johnson but referee Dick Woehrle comes over and tells Lou to beat it. Sika tags Afa who clocks Rocky upon entering. Afa whips Rocky off and they collide with both men going down. Rocky goes for a scoop slam but Afa’s too heavy and he falls on top for 1….2..no, that was close. Sika tags in with a kick to the ribs and the cover gets a near fall. Afa goes back to the nerve hold but Johnson powers out of it and makes the hot tag to Tony Atlas. Tony cleans house and rams the Samoan’s heads together. All four men get in the ring and Johnson takes Sika out of the ring with him. Atlas goes for the scoop slam but Afa’s legs takes out Woehrle on the way up. Atlas covers but the refs out so Albano makes his way into the ring. Atlas cuts him off with a headbutt but Afa clocks Tony from behind. Albano grabs a wooden chair outside as Afa holds Atlas for him. Albano winds up but Tony moves and WHAM, Albano not only clocks Afa with it, it gets stuck on his head on the way down. Atlas covers for 1….2….3. and we got new champions. The crowd in Allentown goes berserk as Atlas and Johnson celebrate. Atlas grabs the belts and they pose with them as Afa gets to his feet with the chair still around his neck. The ring announcer gives the good news to the crowd as Afa makes his way to the back bleeding with the chair still around his neck. Vince goes to the replay of what just happened and we cut here. It was a landmark event for this was the first time two blacks would be tag team champions (Sonny King was the first with Jay Strongbow). As I said before, watching in a New York bar that night was an 18 year old college freshman named Mick Foley. Also watching somewhere in Florida was Rocky Johnson’s 11 year old son Dwayne. Wonder if Mick and Dwayne had aspirations for the tag belts? Hmmmm.

Time of match: Joined in progress (8:22 official)

Winners: Soul Patrol by pinfall (new tag team champions).

Match 17
The North/South Connection (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch) vs The Soul Patrol (Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Gene Okerlund

Reposted from BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 2. We go back to April 17, 1984 to see if two white guys can defeat the popular black tag team champions. Behind the scenes there was a lot going on which I’ll get to at the very end. Speaking of very end, Rocky Johnson was 4 months away from turning 40 which ironically would be the end of his WWF career. Atlas was a full 10 years younger than Rocky. Dick was 37 and Adonis was 29 so these guys were a good group of veterans. Monsoon tells us Rocky Johnson used to spar with Muhammad Ali (hence why Rocky did the Ali shuffle) as the champs enter. Adonis and Murdoch are in the black tights and both champs are in red although Johnson has white stars on his. Murdoch gives Atlas shit as the bell rings. It’ll be Johnson and Adonis starting things off here. Monsoon in the voice over tells us while Adonis and Murdoch have inferior physiques, they’re the superior wrestlers with eons of experience. It’s a study in contrast how Murdoch and Adonis represented the old school wrestlers while the others represented the incoming bodybuilder era. Adonis runs into a series of armdrags and Murdoch interferes to receive the same treatment. Murdoch retreats and Adonis eats another armdrag into an armbar. Adonis reaches his feet, trips up Johnson, gets pushed into the ropes but cartwheels away from the monkey flip attempt. Adrian runs off the ropes but right into a scoop slam. Adonis is in the wrong corner so he gets tagged with a right hand by Atlas. Rocky takes him over with another armdrag and turns into an arm bar. Adonis scoop slams Johnson and makes the tag, but Murdoch runs into another armdrag. Atlas tags in and picks up where Rocky left off. Murdoch nips up, they exchange armbars and Okerlund wonders how Murdoch nipped up like that. Murdoch backs Tony into the corner and unloads with right hands. Atlas whips him into the opposite corner but a charge eats elbow. Murdoch rams Tony’s head into Adrian’s knee and tags him in. Adonis unloads with left fists and forearms all over Atlas. Murdoch tags in and together they deliver a double back elbow smash. Dick gets in a few more shots before Tony lands in a big haymaker followed by a headbutt that sends Murdoch flying. Atlas staggers into the wrong corner where Adonis snaps him throat first off the top rope. Dick drops an elbow and makes the cover but Tony powers out and sends Murdoch on top of referee Dick Kroll. Tony delivers a headbutt to the gut and Dick tags Adrian back in. Atlas nails Adrian with a jumping headbutt then makes the tag to Johnson. Rocky dropkicks Adonis down as Murdoch interferes and gets met with unfriendly right hands. Atlas gets back in and the champs whip the Connection together. Murdoch sprawls out of the ring while Johnson turns Adonis over into a Boston crab. Kroll shoos Atlas out of the ring giving Murdoch enough time to get in a boot to the back of the head of Johnson. Atlas sends Murdoch flying over the top rope with a right hand then takes off in hot pursuit. Johnson headbutts Adrian over the top rope as Murdoch climbs on the apron. Atlas intercepts him and lifts him up in a gorilla press for Johnson to get some shots in. All of a sudden Adrian catches Johnson with a running roll up for 1….2…3 AND WE GOT NEW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS! Okerlund “Ohhhh no! You have gotta be kidding me!” Adonis and Murdoch celebrate in the corner with the belts as Johnson is irate at himself. Okerlund “I am in shock!” The ring announcer confirms it as the bad guys get a loud cheer from the crowd despite Vince’s claim to otherwise. Racism was still rampant no matter what anyone says. We go back to the instant replay to see Adonis get the cover (and it was a clean one too, no tights pulling). So as I was saying earlier, there were a lot going on behind the scenes. According to Atlas, he and Johnson didn’t get along. One time Rocky went as far as to leave Tony behind at the hotel so he would miss his booking. Realizing that as over as they were on television, Vince simply couldn’t have his tag champs wanting to kill each other so he took the belts off them. Rocky’s career in the WWF would soon draw to a close with Atlas chugging on for a few more years.

Time of match: 4:58
Winners: Adonis and Murdoch by pinfall (New WWF Tag Team Champions)

Match 18

The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) with Lou Albano vs The North/South Connection (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentator: Vince McMahon

The new kids in town, Mike and Barry got their title shot on January 21, 1985. Both came up from Florida and 24 year old Windham was a second generation wrestler with his father being Blackjack Mulligan. The 26 year old Mike was a varsity wrestler at Syracuse U who’d later marry Barry’s sister. Mike’s son eventually became a cult leader but we’ll get to that another time. Albano has turned face by this point and allied himself with the Express. We’re joined at a badly lit Hartford Civic Center (must be the house show camera footage) with Murdoch pounding away on Rotundo. Mike rallies with right hands until Dick makes the tag to Adonis. Mike goes to make the tag but Dick stops him by pulling his tights all the way down. Gene’s voiceover makes no mention of it as the ref tells Murdoch to beat it. Adonis picks him up in a suplex position and drops him on the top rope. Adonis taunts the fallen Rotundo and scoop slams him. Adrian sprints across the ring and Mike backdrops him over the top rope to the floor. The alert Adonis pulls Barry off the apron so Mike can’t get the hot tag. Adonis rams him into the guardrail as Murdoch gets in a cheap shot inside the ring. Barry makes it back to the apron but Adonis tags in Murdoch. Dick scoop slams Mike then goes for the Boston crab. Mike kicks him into the corner and crawls his way over to make the hot tag. Windham comes in like a house of fire and cleans house of both men. Windham whips Adrian into the corner then rams their heads together. More right hands has Murdoch staggered before he falls to the mat. Windham goes for the bulldog but Adonis cuts him off with an axehandle to the head. Rotundo gets in but Murdoch cuts him off with a boot to the ribs. All four men go at it with Mudoch getting a snap mare to Rotundo while Windham and Adonis go at it outside the ring. Barry sends Adrian into the ring post and slides into the ring. Barry sunset flips Murdoch (they were the legal men) for 1…2…3 and we got new tag team champions. The Express celebrate in the ring and we cut here. Talk about the changing of the guard, the new guys were coming in and Dick Murdoch was leaving. Adonis would wrestle most of 1985 in singles while the Express remained centered around the tag belts. Murdoch wouldn’t appear in the WWF for exactly 10 years.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Express by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 18

The Un-Americanz (Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik) with Freddie Blassie vs The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) with Captain Lou Albano for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

This was from WRESTLEMANIA 1 and the intros are skipped for this tape’s purposes. Everyone but Sheik is in standard gear while Sheik has on these plaid groin covers. Rotundo starts off with Sheik when the bell tolls as Ventura says you’ll see dead world series and superbowls but not Wrestlemania….yah wait until Wrestlemania 11. Rotundo hits an armdrag, dropkick, a scoop slam and a headlock takedown as Ventura shills. Windham makes the tag and hits an elbow from off the top rope then hits a boot to the mid-section. Sheik backs Barry back in the corner and Volkoff holds, but Windham escapes and Sheik dropicks Volkoff instead. Volkoff tags in and the camera shows an instant replay of the dropkick before going back to live action where Rotundo hits a back elbow smash. IRS…er Mike locks in an arm-bar then tags in Windham who once again comes off the top onto the elbow. Rotundo follows with the same elbow drop before Nikolai takes over and rams Rotundo’s head into Sheik’s legendary loaded boot. Sheik backdrops Rotundo and hits an elbow drop for 1…2…nope, near fall. Iron Sheik executes a gut-wrench suplex and covers for a deuce before Rotundo blocks a snap suplex and hits one of his own. Nikolai tags in and drops him throat first on the top rope as Blassie shouts “Kick em!” Rotundo switches out of a hammerlock as the crowd gets a USA chant going. Mike hits a sunset flip for 1..2…noooo, Volkoff quickly gets up and puts the boots to him. Volkoff hits a knee to the mid-section and boots before ramming Mike’s head once again into Sheik’s boot. The heels double team Rotundo before Sheik applies an abdominal stretch as the camera pans to Blassie and Albano trading invectives. Rotundo escapes and Volkoff tags in but Mike finally makes it to Windham, who fires away at Nikolai with fists and a dropkick. Windham hits the bulldog and covers for 1..2…nope, Sheik cuts him off. Rotundo gets in and dropkicks Sheik to the floor but Blassie sneaks the cane into Sheik’s hands. The ref is distracted by Rotundo as Sheik breaks the cane over the back of Windham who crumbles to the floor. Nikolai rolls him over and covers for 1….2…3 and we got new tag team champions. Iron Sheik becomes the first superstar since Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales to be both World champion and Tag champion in their careers. Howard Finkel announces the heels as the new champions as Sheik grabs the mic and says IRAN NUMBA VUN! We go to the instant replay and cut afterwards. Even though the Express would get their rematch, this would be Rotundo’s last Wrestlemania until appearing as IRS at 8 and Windham wouldn’t make another appearance until 13.

Time of match: 6:51
Winners: The Un-Americanz by pinfall (New Tag Team Champions)

Match 19

The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) with Lou Albano vs The Unamericanz (Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff) with Freddie Blassie

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartno

The re-match from Wrestlemania held June 17, 1985. This time everyone dons the red tights except Rotundo. Windham applies a headlock, flips over backwards but Volkoff catches the leg and trips him up. Barry counters by kicking him off. Volkoff cartwheels away (not bad for a 37 year old) only to be dropkicked by Windham. They tie up and Volkoff gets the upperhand with forearms to the chest, only he’s in the wrong corner and Barry makes the tag to Rotundo. Mike schoolboys Nikolai for 1…2..nope. Bruno says its not going to be that easy. Volkoff gets the upperhand with forearms before Mike applies a headlock. Nikolai shoots him off and Sheik catches Mike with a knee to the back. Nikolai stomps away then makes the tag. Sheik sends him off and delivers a perfect backdrop before landing a series of kick to the ribs. Blassie tells Sheik to send him into Nikolai’s boot and he does. Sheik sends Mike off and devastates him with a big throat thrust. Sheik covers for a long two count then scoop slams him. Bruno says if Mike can’t make the tag this one’s over. Sheik executes a gut-wrench suplex and goes for the camel clutch. Sheik gets it on but Windham makes the save much to Blassie’s chagrin. Vince confuses Rotundo for Windham as Barry blocks a suplex and turns it into an inside cradle. Nikolai runs in and turns Sheik over in direct view of the ref so the ref tells him to get lost. This gives Windham the time to turn Rotundo back over and the ref turns around 1…..2…..3 and we got new champions!!!! Albano gets in the ring and celebrates as Blassie gets in to protest. We cut here before any kind of celebration. They were running out of tape time so this match was drastically edited, but it was a good solid 4 minutes I’ll say. Sheik and Volkoff would hang around the company in various capacities over the years but never would again taste championship gold.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: US Express by pinfall (new tag team champions)

Match 20

The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) with Johnny V vs The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) with Lou Albano for the WWF Tag Team Championship

Commentators: Dick and Gorilla Monsoon

We’ve made it to the final match on the tape, talk about a long journey. August 24, 1985 in the Philadelphia Spectrum saw the Express defend against the makeshift team (at the time) of Beefcake and Valentine. Beefcake managed by Johnny V and Valentine by Jimmy Hart. We’re first shown Beefcake making the tag to the Hammer with Rotundo sprawled inside the ring. Everyone’s wearing standard trunks except for Beefcake of course. Hammer misses a few elbow drops and Rotundo gets the hot tag to Windham. Barry cleans house as Dick whoops and hollers again, ugh. Barry lands a dropkick on Valentine then turns his attention to a charging Beefcake. Barry whips him off and dropkicks him. Barry continues to nail both guys until he tosses Beefcake out of the ring. Barry calls for the bulldog and hits it on Valentine. He covers for 1…2…NOOOOO. Hammer kicks out and Barry calls for another one. Barry goes for another bulldog and nails him again with it. Valentine is D-E-A-D but Beefcake makes the save after a pinfall attempt gets two. Rotundo intercepts Beefcake and they trade right hands until the ref tells Mike to get lost. Johnny V hands something to Beefcake who proceeds to rub whatever he was handed into the eyes of Windham. Albano climbs up on the apron to get Rotundo to notice but its too late. Barry withers around in pain and Hammer drops the obligatory elbow on him, then covers for 1..2…Rotundo can’t make the save…3…its over. Dick can’t believe it as the Dream Team wins it. We go to the replay and this tape is over….finally. Too short but we were running out of tape so it was expected. Should be noted that the makeshift team ended up lasting 2 ½ years before Dino Bravo (shown earlier on this tape) replaced Beefcake but that’s a story for another time. Barry Windham would leave shortly after this match and head back to Florida. Rotundo bolted for the AWA (where he teamed with Windham for a one shot reunion) before he returned to the WWF and was briefly paired with “Golden Boy” Dan Spivey as the New US Express. Many claim this was a complete mis-match. Wrestlecrap.com’s RD Reynolds (cheap plug) said that Spivey looked too much like a serial killer (foreshadowing his later Waylon Mercy run) and instead of girls having posters of Windham on their walls, it was more like Spivey having girls hung to his wall or something similar. Bottom line was the team didn’t work and Rotundo went back to Florida in early 1987. Windham would resurface as The Widowmaker in 1989 while Rotundo would return in 1991 as IRS.

Time of match: Joined in progress
Winners: Dream team by pinfall (new tag team champions)

The credits roll and this one’s finally over. We get previews for GRUDGE MATCHES, RICKY “THE DRAGON” STEAMBOAT and BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 6. Its funny how tapes back then came in 3’s so while this tape was released, 2 others were as well with 3 more on the way. As for this, what a chronicle. Most of the matches were edited to fit on this tape so at least the action never got boring. After all, with TWENTY matches not all of them can be classics. Its also interesting to point out that a lot of the guys featured on this tape were in other territories at the time. By 85, Larry Zybysko was in the AWA, Lumberjack Eric was in Georgia, Jimmy Valiant was in Mid-Atlantic, Dino Bravo was somewhere else and other guys were in different promotions. Compare that to 5-6 years later when Vince started acting like guys never existed if they went elsewhere or presented them as complete newcomers when first joining. Case in point, when Dino returned as the French Canadian strongman, his past with DeNucci was never mentioned. When Rick Martel returned from the AWA as one half of the Can-Am Connection, his past with Tony Garea was never mentioned. Both Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo would return to the WWF years after they departed as the US Express and their reigns were never mentioned. Unrelated to this tape but relevant to the topic, when Ricky Steamboat came back to the WWF in 1991 after his trio of classic matches with Ric Flair in WCW, Vince instructed his announcers to refer to him only as a newcomer called The Dragon without mentioning his past in the NWA or just 4 years earlier when he was WWF IC champion! So for a tape like this to be produced, either Vince didn’t have his inflated ego just yet or he didn’t give a damn back then. Either way this tape was a good history lesson of the tag team championship….at least from 1978. There are youtube videos of the some of the tag title changes BEFORE this tape from 77 but most of the footage has been lost to time. I have to give this tape 4.5 stars out of 5. It was a great chronicle of the tag titles that featured so many wrestlers long forgotten and some classic moments. The .5 off is because they had to drastically edit the matches to fit on this one tape. Nowadays they have the luxury of 2 disc blu rays but back then you had 2 hours on a VHS and that’s it. So I understand why they edited it, but it still sucks. The next tape after this is THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN LOU ALBANO, this should be interesting. As for this tape, get it if you can as it’s a great history lesson.

The Wrestling Classic (WF014)

THE WRESTLING CLASSIC (WF014)

 

  What’s that you say, what exactly is Wrestling Classic? Believe it or not this was the first ever pay-per-view released by the World Wrestling Federation. Since Wrestlemania 2 was months away Vince decided to put together a wrestling tournement not unlike the King of The Ring house shows that were taking place in Massachusettes/Rhode Island. The only difference was pay per views had a time window whereas house shows could go all night. This tournament would be the first and last of its kind, although it gave the basic premise for the Wrestlemania 4 title tournament, later on moving King of the Ring to pay per view and of course the Deadly Game tournament in 98. Cue the Coliseum Video opening and Vince himself is our host for the evening. Vince shills the action then sends us over to Alfred Hays and some woman named Susan to check out the brackets. Most are face vs heel but the two matches that aren’t are a face encounter between Ricky Steamboat and Davey Boy Smith and a heel encounter between Moondog Spot and Terry Funk. The main event would be a one on one encounter between “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and WWF Champion Hulk Hogan….the war that didn’t settle the score.

 

NOVEMBER 7, 1985

ROSEMONT HORIZON

CHICAGO, IL

           

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura

 

 Apparently we get some highlights before we get started of who faces who and what not. The competitors draw names out of an actual fishbowl….weird. Ricky Steamboat draws Davey Boy Smith of the British Bulldogs and acts surprised even though he clearly knew. Miss Elizabeth draws Ivan Putski as Randy Savage’s opponent and Macho Man yells at her. Mr Fuji draws Tito Santana on behalf of Magnificent Muraco and laughs….FINALLY lets go to ringside to get the night started.

 

 

First Round Match 1

 

Corporal Kirchner vs Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart)

 

 28 year old Corporal Kirchner was brought in the WWF to be the face militant of the company since Sgt Slaughter bolted for the AWA, which was in the middle of their last boom period. This is also Kirchner’s Coliseum Video debut. 31 year old Adrian Adonis had begun to pile on weight even though he still could bump and sell like he did 100 lbs ago, which led to his infamous Adorable gimmick. Kirchner had a reputation of being a very stiff worker inside the ring and Adonis is no slouch either so lets see how this turns out. First round matches have a 10 minute time limit so these 8 matches should breeze by…..hey wait, I just noticed there are no turnbuckle pads on the turnbuckles, what the hell? Anyway, they lock up as Gorilla mentions the tag team title reign of Ventura and Adonis (no love for Dick Murdoch apparently), then Adrian wrestles Kirchner into the corner. Kirchner arm drags Adonis twice before applying a standard headlock, which is countered into a back suplex. Adrian goes on offense with left elbows and a snap mare then drives an elbow into the chest area. Adrian applies a rest hold before Kirchner powers out of it in the corner. Kirchner goes for a suplex but Adonis counters it into a double arm DDT, innovative for the time period. Adrian covers for 1….2….3 and that’s it, Adonis advances to the second round. Short and sweet, damn that DDT was ahead of its time.

 

Time of Match: 2:37

 

Winners: Adrian Adonis by pinfall

 

 

 There is no segment, on to the next match.

 

 

 

First Round Match 2

 

“British Bulldog” Dynamite Kid vs Nikolai Volkoff

 

  Dynamite looks ready to roll in singles action but before the match starts, Nikolai demands the mic in order to sing the Soviet National anthem. Nikolai belts out the tune as Dynamite Kid has enough by the end and goes upstairs. The bell rings when Volkoff is done and Dynamite comes off the top with a dropkick then covers for 1….2…3 holy crap that was fast. Nikolai still had his shirt on and his hat in his hand while being pinned, guess Dynamite needed to save his strength for the next round. 8 seconds is all it took…..can’t really rate a match that short but it was entertaining to see Volkoff get nailed just like that.

 

 

Time of match: 8 seconds

 

Winner: Dynamite Kid by pinfall

 

 

 

First Round Match 3

 

“Polish Power” Ivan Putski vs “Macho Man” Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth)

 

 Talk about a passing of the torch match. 44 year old Putski’s career was winding down while 33 year old Savage had just begun in the WWF. Savage enters to Pomp and Circumstance being the first wrestler to enter to music all night as Jesse makes fun of his former rival Putski. The bell rings and Putski chases Savage out of the ring before he gets back in. Savage goes for a quick full nelson but Putski counters and spits his in his face as Ventura scoffs. Savage bails to the outside and moves Elizabeth around for no reason then climbs back in the ring. Savage locks up with a side headlock but runs into a shoulderblock. Putski poses to the crowd’s delight as Savage throws him into the corner…cept Putski counters by ramming Randy headfirst into the turnbuckle tape. Savage rakes the eyes then goes on offense but Putski counters with a headlock/punch combo. Ivan hammers away with big right hands and whips him into the corner where he continues to fire away. All of a sudden Savage scoops the leg and puts his feet on the ropes (the Flair pin) for 1….2….3 and Savage wins it. Putski and Gorilla scoff as Ventura says “He outsmarted em Gorilla!”

 

 

Time of match: 2:46

 

Winner: Randy Savage by pinfall

 

 

There is no segment, moving right along to the next match

 

 

 

First Round Match 4

 

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith

 

 Now this is a little more like it. The first 3 matches have all been mismatches talent wise so lets see if this can be salvaged. They shake hands to show good sportsmanship before locking up as Ventura says there could be a heel turn in the works. Its funny because Steamboat in his entire 20 plus years in the business NEVER worked heel while Davey Boy wouldn’t turn heel for another 10 YEARS. They go through standard go-behinds before Davey hiplocks Steamboat to the ground. Davey Boy back drops Ricky in a pinfall position for 1….2…nope, Dragon bridges out of it and turns it into a backslide for 1…nah. Steamboat runs off the ropes into a overhead press slam. Davey covers for a near fall then applies a front headlock as Ventura says Stemboat’s giving up a lot of strength to Bulldog. Davey hits another overhead press slam for another 2 count as Monsoon scoffs at Davey for not hooking the leg. Davey goes for a suplex but Steamboat counters with a delayed suplex of his own…..Davey Boy’s trademark. Ricky goes for a splash but Bulldog gets the knees up to counter. Davey Boy executes two standing dropkicks which send Steamboat into the ropes. Bulldog goes for a third dropkick but Ricky moves out of the way and Davey Boy crotches himself on the top rope. The ref runs over, checks on Davey and calls for the bell……what the hell? Steamboat also goes and checks on Davey Boy as the ref awards the match to Dragon…..first and last time I’ve ever seen a match end this way. Cheap ending but it was a good match for a 3 minute crash style.

 

 

Time of match: 2:54

Winner: Ricky Steamboat by stoppage

 

 

 There is no segment, on to the next match

 

 

 

First Round Match 5

 

Junkyard Dog vs The Iron Sheik

 

 Sheik is wearing his standard wrestling trunks rather than those plaid groin-covers he wore at Wrestlemania….and he immediately attacks JYD with his ring robe while still wearing his turban. Sheik continues to fire away on JYD and eventually strangles him with the turban. Sheik gives the arm and the elbow to the fans, allowing JYD to recover. Dog no-sells a few blows before going to town with right hands and a headbutt. Sheik bows to JYD but he’ll have none of that so he headbutts him again. Sheik bails to regroup then gets back in the ring before applying a full nelson. JYD powers out of it and hits a very sloppy looking clothesline then covers for 1…2..nope. JYD snap mares Sheik and goes for the falling headbutt but Sheik rolls out of the way. Sheik calls for the Camel Clutch and applies it, Monsoon says its over but the Dog manages to stay on his knees, where eventually Sheik lets go. Sheik doesn’t know what to do next so he fires away in the corner, the ref steps in so Sheik shoves him out of the way. Both Monsoon and Ventura say that’s a bad idea to push referees and Sheik does it again, then right on cute JYD hits a big headbutt and covers for 1….2…3 and this turd is finally over. JYD sure is loved by the fans and Sheik has a great amateur background but they don’t mesh well at all, maybe it was the time limit but either way it sucked…next.

 

 

Time of match: 3:27

 

Winner: Junkyard Dog by pinfall

 

 

There is no segment, on to the next match

 

 

 

First Round Match 6

 

Terry Funk (with Jimmy Hart) vs Moondog Spot

 

  Terry Funk in a WWF ring? Talk about a welcome rarity, and he’s bringing Moondog Spot with him! The Moondogs were basically American versions of the Wild Samoans in terms of crazed lunatics. They had their run in the early 80’s but were old news by this point. Funk gets on the mic and says he doesn’t want to wrestle Spot while Spot says he doesn’t want to wrestle Terry. Funk says they should both leave and have a draw so Spot complies. They make their way to the back when Funk doublecrosses Spot and runs to the ring. Spot catches him in time and pulls Terry off the apron. Spot charges and Funk backdrops him into the ring where the ref completes the count…….oh my god. Terry Funk, the hardcore legend former NWA and eventual ECW Heavyweight champion….jobbed to Moondog Spot. I think I’m gonna hurl, Funk is irate and he beats up Spot after the bell. I wonder what WWF fans in 1985 thought when they saw Spot being put over instead of Terry Funk, because in 2014 it looks really stupid.

 

 

Time of match: 31 seconds

 

Winner: Moondog Spot by count out

 

 

There is no segment, on to the next match

 

 

First Round Match 7

 

WWF Intercontinental Champion Tito Santana vs The Magnificent Muraco (with Mr Fuji)

 

  After the last two steaming piles, maybe this one will be good with both workers in their prime. Tito is the current IC champ but his title is not on the line, only a spot in the next round. Muraco pushes the action with his superior muscle strength to start. Muraco beats on Santana as Ventura questions why Santana is even in the tournement because if he gets hurt, he’ll have to forfeit the title. Muraco is a former champ himself and he continues to control the match with right hands until Santana executes a flying bodypress out of nowhere for 1…2..nope. Muraco comes back with right hands but Santana applies a sunset flip for another 2 count. Muraco appears to be attempting a Stone Cold Stunner but Tito counters with a backslide for another near fall. Santana whips Muraco in the corner and he Flair Flips back into the ring. Santana works over the arm and applies an armringer for a bit. Muraco counters by bodyslamming Tito throat first on the top rope then working him over with knee drops. Muraco clotheslines Santana, drops an elbow then drops a knee before the cover gets a 2 count. Muraco continues to fire away with forearms then hits a powerslam. Muraco goes to hook the leg but doesn’t and instead covers just the shoulders for 1…2…3 and that’s it. No wait, apparently Santana got the leg on the ropes and the referee notices thus negating the pinfall, way to give away the finish Muraco! Santana pounces and delivers a small package on Muraco for 1..2…..3 and there’s your real winner. Ventura doesn’t have a clue to what’s going on and Monsoon has to point out that Santana’s foot was on the rope. That was a good 4 minutes although I agree with The Body that it was a cheap ending.

 

 

Time of match: 4:19

 

Winner: Tito Santana by pinfall

 

 

We go to Mean Gene who’s with Bobby Heenan and the gist of this is that since none of his men such as King Kong Bundy are in the tournement, he’s put a 50,000 dollar bounty on the head of Paul Orndorff. He is quite sure someone will collect it, hmmmmm didn’t Harley Race do the same bit 2 years earlier against Ric Flair?

 

 

First Round Match 8

 

“Mr Wonderful” Paul Orndorff vs “Cowboy” Bob Orton

 

 The first high profile match of the night as these 2 used to be part of Piper’s crew until the Hot Rod and Orton left Orndorff for dead at Wrestlemania. Orndorff and Orton chain wrestle to start as Paul goes for the injured arm of Orton. Paul executes an atomic drop which sends Orton shoulder first into the ringpost. Orndorff continues to attack the injured arm covered by the infamous cast until Orton catches him with a headlock takeover. Orndorff headscissors out of it then arm drags Orton before continuing to work over the left arm with a leglock snapback…..impressive. Orton begs off in the corner but Orndorff has none of it but the charge eats knee. Orton drops a few knees and hot shots Paul off the top rope, then continues to stomp away. Orton resorts to a punch kick offense until Orndorff attempts a sunset flip….which Orton counters with more punches. Orndorff eventually hooks the tights to get the flip for a near fall, then Orton goes to the rest hold. Bob applies a head scissors and after a while Orndorff flips over, but Orton bridges then turns it into a backslide for 1….2…nope. Orton goes for a flying head scissors but Orndorff moves causing Bob to crotch himself on the top rope. Why did Bulldog get the shaft and not Cowboy Bob? Orndorff gets his second wind and takes over with right hands before catching Orton with a back elbow smash. Paul rams Orton’s head into the mat then punches Bob over the top rope to the floor. Back inside Orton re-adjusts the cast on his arm and waffles Orndorff with it right in front of referee Dave Hebner. Hebner calls for the bell as Orndorff wins it by DQ and advances to the next round. Guess Heenan’s 50 grand will have to go to someone else because Orton has failed.

 

 

Time of match: 6:30

 

Winner: Paul Orndorff by DQ

 

 

We go back to Vince and Alfred who go over the second round brackets. Adrian Adonis will take on Dynamite Kid which should be awesome. Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat…..no need to tell you that’s gonna rule because you already know. Moondog Spot vs Junkyard Dog…ugh. Last is a face vs face encounter between Tito Santana and Paul Orndorff which also should be good….the next round has a 15 minute time limit so the matches should…keyword SHOULD be long and exciting to watch. Lets go back to ringside

 

 

 

Quarterfinal Match 1  (Match 9 overall)

 

 

Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) vs Dynamite Kid

 

 Now here’s a match I’d never thought I’d see, but I won’t complain. They lock up and Dynamite runs into a shoulderblock before arm dragging Adrian twice in about 3 seconds, damn he’s quick. Adrian retreats to the outside and regroups with Jimmy before getting back in. Adrian goes to work on offense with shots and an elbow to the dome then slingshots him into the corner. Jesse figures out the next match is Savage and Steamboat so he bails to go talk to Savage….wtf is that about? Monsoon’s left all alone meanwhile Adrian covers for only a 1, for a second I thought Ventura was going to interfere on his former partner’s behalf but instead he actually does leave the ringside area. Adrian catches Dynamite with a suplex then covers for another 1 count then applies a rest hold as Monsoon says how Ventura was supposed to be a future tag team partner of the Macho Man…..good thing that never happened. Dynamite eventually powers out of it with a back suplex but misses the headbutt attempt. Adonis works over the left leg and applies…the sharpshooter? Wow, the sharpshooter in 1985 no less, Bret was still in Stampede while Sting was a Bladerunner out in Memphis, props to Adonis. Dynamite makes it to the rope so Adonis lets go then throws him into the corner then charges into a beautiful sunset flip by Dynamite for 1….2..nope, Adonis kicks out in time. Adonis goes back to work on the left leg then goes for a bulldog but instead is thrown shoulder first into the ringpost by Kid. Dynamite drops a knee then clotheslines him down, then runs up the ropes (10 years before Rob Van Dam and Sabu) and delivers a flying knee drop. Dynamite covers for 1….2..negative, Adonis gets the shoulder up. Dynamite delivers a snap suplex and another falling headbutt. Jimmy Hart hops on the apron distracting Dynamite long enough for Adrian to deliver a running roll up for 1…2. nope, Dynamite kicks out and Adonis runs right into Hart. Dynamite covers a fallen Adrian for 1….2…3 and Dynamite wins it. After the match Hart protests that his foot was on the rope, which the camera shows Adonis wearing boots with the New York Yankees logo on them, no wonder he lost haha. Adonis throws a temper tantrum in the ring as Monsoon goes to the replay, that was fun. That was a good match but it was too short, perfect crash style but this is NOT supposed to be crash style.

 

 

Time of match: 5:28

 

Winner: Dynamite Kid by pinfall

 

 

We go to Gene Okerlund who’s with Jesse Ventura. Jesse says he’s working with Savage and Elizabeth and preparing him for the rest of the tournement. I guess they wanted Ventura to become a future tag partner for Savage but with Jesse unable to work around his career ending Illness and the fact Savage was way too good on his own, it never happened.

 

 

 

Quarterfinal Match 2 (Match 10 overall)

 

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs “Macho Man” Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth)

 

Now we’re really talking, even though they have a 15 minute time limit this should rock the house. Before the match Savage sticks a finger into Ricky’s face who slaps it away then Savage runs and hides behind Elizabeth, heh what a heel. Stemboat turns his back so Savage attacks him from behind while still wearing his headband and cape. Steamboat slides under Savage and chops him through the ropes to the outside. Randy pulls Ricky out and brawls with him outside before they roll back in. Savage takes over on offense with right hands in the corner until Steamboat counters with a head scissors over the top rope to the floor.  Steamboat chops Savage on the floor then atomic drops him to the concrete. Ricky throws him inside then hits his karate chop to the chest of a running Macho Man. Savage ducks under a second chop and delivers a back suplex as Ventura makes his way back to the commentating table. Savage goes upstairs but Ricky catches him in the gut with a right hand then delivers a knee lift. Steamboat unloads with a series of fists drops then suplexes Savage halfway across the ring. Steamboat goes upstairs and hits THE FLYING CROSSBODY for 1…2…thre…no wait, Savage kicked out at 2. Ventura is openly cheering for Savage and Steamboat chops and punches Savage to the ring apron. Savage reaches into his tights for a Foreign Object and when Steamboat goes for a back suplex, Savage nails Ricky with whatever he had. Savage covers for 1….2…THREE???? You gotta be kidding, that was WAY too short for 2 guys as talented as they were. It was going good too, damn…..should have been much longer. Monsoon says that Ventura gave Savage brass knuckles in the back as Ventura scoffs.

 

 

Time of match: an unacceptable 3:26

 

Winner: Randy Savage by pinfall

 

 

There is no segment, on to the next match.

 

 

 

Quarterfinal Match 3 (Match 11 overall)

 

Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot

 

   The match starts and there’s no referee, what the hell? Spot attacks JYD and knocks him down then goes up to the second rope but misses the splash attempt. Dog headbutts Spot a few times from the ground then delivers a real headbutt. Dog covers and looks around for the ref but there isn’t one so he counts 1…2….3 himself. Dog angrily walks out of the ring and I guess its official but Monsoon says otherwise until Spot himself leaves so Monsoon says the judge at ringside made it official…..whatever. Ventura says “I’ve seen it all now Gorilla” yeah no kidding, that’s pretty bizarre to not have a referee in a match. The first and last time I’ve ever seen that happen, I can’t even rate the match it was so weird, you be the judge.

 

 

Time of match: 31 seconds

 

Winner: Junkyard Dog by pinfall

 

 

 We go to Mean Gene who’s with Heenan again, this time Heenan’s downtrodden since Orndorff survived the first round. Mean Gene says that since Paul’s facing the face Tito Santana that he won’t be giving out 50 grand but Heenan says ya never know. Heenan then says that Piper will be the new champ since Hogan is “tired” from basically wrestling non stop as champion for the past 2 years.

 

 

Quarterfinal Match 4 (Match 12 overall) “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff vs Tito Santana

 

 Here we got a face vs face encounter with two great technicians, maybe this match will approach the 15 minute mark. They shake hands to start then tie up as Jesse says Tito may turn on Orndorff….wouldn’t it make sense for it to be the other way around? Tito goes for the side headlock as Jesse notices a bandage on Santana’s thigh and speculates that Muraco may have done something to him. Santana continues to work on the headlock before Orndorff powers out of it only to be head scissored by the IC champ. Santana holds him there for an unusually long time as Ventura says that the REAL Paul Orndorff may show up, referring to the heel he portrayed for a year and a half. Orndorff flips over and the ref covers 1…2..nope, near fall. Orndorff chain wrestles into a hammerlock then chicken wings it to the ground, looks painful. Santana gets to his feet and reverses the hammerlock until Orndorff makes it to the ropes to break the hold. Ventura says its just a matter of time before Orndorff goes to his cheating ways as they tie up again then Santana clean breaks when they roll into the ropes. Tito applies another headlock but Orndorff delivers an atomic drop that injures Santana’s thigh. Santana limps around as Paul looks to be concerned about Tito;s health until he applies a drop toe hold to the injured leg. Lot of mat wrestling so far, which is a welcome sight to some of the matches that went far too short, the crowd boos but I don’t care. Santana goes for an elbow drop/leg lock combination before Santana gets to his feet. They tie up as Orndorff backs Santana to the ropes and delivers a forearm that knocks Santana out of the ring, guess Ventura’s right about Orndorff’s heel tactics shining through. They trade blows outside the ring as Santana throws Orndorff into the ringpost, but then the referee counts them both out..you gotta be kidding me! The match was just getting good. Not only are both men out of the tournement, but they ruined the story by having Orndorff turn with 10 seconds remaining in the match. Who booked this damn thing, George C Scott?

 

 

Time of match: 8:06

 

Winners: None  (Double countout)

 

 

 We go back to Hays and McMahon who go over the rest of the brackets. Savage will face Dynamite in the semi-finals while JYD has a bye all the way to the final match, well that’s stupid. Why wouldn’t Savage have the bye to set up a face longshot against rested heel finals? Oh well, we get Savage and Dynamite so I’m not complaining. Piper makes his way to the ring with a bagpipe band as we go over to Mean Gene for an interview with Hulk Hogan himself. Total count….Dude: 0, Brother: 3, Jack: 0, Man: 2, if you took the under then you win.

 

 

Match 13

 

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs Hulk Hogan for the WWF Heavyweight Championship

 

  The big re-match from the war that didn’t settle the score, Hogan and Piper one more time. Finkel says there’s a one hour time limit…..HAHAHAHAHA! None of the matches have reached 10 minutes so this ain’t goin anywhere near an hour. Piper throws Hogan outside then Hulk pulls Piper out then throws him into the steel guardrail. Hogan chases Piper inside the ring where they exchange eye rakes, fists and knees….a sheer contrast to what we just saw between Santana/Orndorff. Hogan clothesline Piper in the corner as Roddy does a Valentine Flop, then Hulk continues to fire away with rights and a back suplex. Hogan drops a series of elbows then Hulk returns to the punch kick offense in the corner. Piper answers with punches and kicks then climbs the second rope….then jumps into a bearhug. Piper gets the finger to the eye to get out of the bearhug then continues to punch away before covering for a one count. Piper sends Hogan off the ropes and catches him with his SLEEPER HOLD….champ’s in big trouble, Hogan actually grabs the top rope but the ref doesn’t make Roddy break the hold meaning either Hogan screwed up or the ref is blind, maybe both. Hogan fades as Ventura says we’re gonna have a new champion then the ref lifts the arm..1…..2…noooooo, Hogan revives right on cue. He runs over to the ropes with Piper still on his back and they topple to the floor together. Hogan throws Piper into the ringpost then Hulks Up on the outside of the ring before chasing Roddy back inside. They trade blows in the center of the ring before Hogan delivers a sloppy big boot that doesn’t even knock Roddy off his feet. Hogan executes an atomic drop then goes for a clothesline but Piper moves and Hogan crashes into the referee…D’OH! Piper goes outside and grabs a steel chair…10 years ahead of its time, then waffles Hulk with it.  Piper goes to hit him again but Hulk takes it away then nails Roddy with it. Hogan puts Piper in the sleeper until out of nowhere Bob Orton hits the ring and lays waste to Hogan. Orton and Piper doubleteam Hogan until Paul Orndorff of all people runs in with the chair to save Hogan. Hogan and Orndorff celebrate in the ring as the heels make their exit, wow that was tough to sit through but at least it was short. The one match I’m actually glad that it was short, hopefully the next match will be long.

 

Time of match: 7:07

 

Winner: Hulk Hogan by DQ (Still world champion)

 

 

 

Semi-Final Match  (Match 14 overall)

 

“Macho Man” Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) vs Dynamite Kid

 

  Maybe now that we’re nearing the end of the night the matches will actually go at least 10 minutes, because both these guys rule. Savage enters with a different robe, foreshadowing his Wrestlemania 4 tournament performance. Ventura scoffs at the fact JYD has a bye while Monsoon scoffs at Savage for using Elizabeth as a shield and even Jesse can’t back that disgusting display (for 1985) up. Nowadays women get hit with chairs and chainsaws but in 1985 if you so much as poked a female in the stomach it was a big deal. Savage ties up with Dynamite in a nice feeling out sequence where Savage goes behind with a 2 point take down and Dynamite tries to turn in. Savage rides but eventually Dynamite escapes which causes Savage to go outside and stand on the guardrail….Macho Madness at its finest. They tie up in the ring and roll around the ropes all the way around the ring before Savage gets a sucker punch in.  Savage rams Dynamite head first into the turnbuckle then delivers an elbow to the temple. Dynamite rallies with right hands and a sideheadlock into a shoulderblock sequence. Dynamite hits a back bodydrop and a flying crossbody but they roll into the ropes so there’s no count. Dynamite goes for a sunset flip but Savage drops down on him to counter the hold. Gorilla says Dynamite is in better shape than Savage but just by looking at them I have to disagree, Savage was ripped back then and Dynamite was about 20 lbs over what he should have weighed, too much muscle on a small frame. Dynamite goes for another crossbody but missed that one before doing a double clothesline spot. Savage goes upstairs but takes too long and Dynamite dropkicks him down into the turnbuckle. Dynamite climbs up and does a superplex that the crowd pops then they both cradle each other on the ground. The ref counts 1….2…..3….and the match is over, the tape clearly shows Savages right shoulder off the mat so Randy is announced the winner. Ventura creams his pants as once again a potentially awesome match is crammed into 5 minutes, dammit. Savage is literally carried out of the arena by the security staff to show how exhausted he is.

 

 

Time of match: 4:52

 

Winner: Randy Savage by pinfall

 

 

We go to Mean Gene in the locker room, literally. He catches up with Orndorff and Hogan who rant and rave about Heenan, Piper and Orton.  Total count  Dude – 0  Brother – 1  Jack – 0  Man – 6  so if you took the under then you win…..barely

 

 

Finals (Match 15 overall)

 

Junkyard Dog vs “Macho Man” Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth)

 

JYD’s wrestled 2 matches and were both a breeze while Savage had to win 3 matches against awesome workers such as Dynamite and Steamboat, the last one only minutes before. Usually its the face that’s exhausted going into the finals but for some reason Savage is the longshot compared to the well rested Dog. Savage uses Elizabeth as a shield and JYD corners the both of them. Jesse Ventura “JYD looks like he’s gonna punch Elizabeth *sarcastically* What a man he is!”. Savage bails to the outside and grabs a chair as the bell rings to officially start. Savage throws the chair at the Dog who catches it then rams his own head into it…heh. Dog taunts Randy until he gets in the ring verrrrrrrry slowly 90 seconds after the bell. They lock up and JYD heaves Savage across the ring twice. Randy goes for a scoop slam but can’t get the JYD up, guess Savage isn’t as Macho as we think. JYD delivers a headbutt to the small of the back then a delayed atomic drop. JYD locks in a bearhug as Jesse scoffs at Savage wrestling 4 times before Mean Gene Okerlund joins the commentary team for some reason. Dog delivers a forearm and headbutts to the back as Gene says alls fair in love and war. Savage gets caught in the ring ropes as Dog headbutts him from inside. Dog runs into a left arm clothesline by Savage that he barely sells. Savage covers but Dog powers out of it at 2 then Savage throws him through the ropes to the outside. Randy goes upstairs and delivers the double axehandle to the floor. Savage rams Doggie into the ring post then goes upstairs where he delivers another axehandle to the floor. Savage picks up a chair and whacks Dog with it while referee Dave Hebner stands there and watches. Gene Okerlund asks why Savage isn’t disqualified as am I but whatever, the match continues. Savage chokes JYD on the guardrail then drops an elbow as the crowd boo’s before sending Doggie back in the ring. Savage climbs upstairs but he’s gone to the well too often as JYD catches him with a punch to the midsection. JYD does his doggie headbutts and Savage sells like crazy before Randy begs off. JYD delivers a normall headbutt and Savage gets tied up in the ropes Andre style. Savage is untied then rakes the eyes to stop the momentum, then he charges but JYD backdrops him over the top to the cement floor. The referee counts but Savage can’t make it back in….that’s it, JYD wins by a count-out as Ventura scoffs. Savage carried that match, plus along with his other matches against the likes of Dynamite Kid was probably the main reason for giving him the Intercontinental Championship.

 

 

Time of match: 9:33

Winner: Junkyard Dog by count-out

 

 

Mean Gene hits the ring to get a word with our first (and last) Wrestling Classic champion Junkyard Dog. Dog goes to answer a question when Jesse “The Body” Ventura gets in the ring and gets bent out of the shape, ranting how the Dog didn’t wrestle as much as Savage. Randy gets helped to the back as JYD chases Ventura out of the ring as Monsoon starts laughing at him. We go to McMahon who signs off and that’s the end of the show.

 

 

 Well that was horribly done. They had AWESOME talent in this tournament and the matches were way too short to be considered “Classic”. This actually would have been a great Raw event from the late 90’s in terms of crash style (Like the IC title tournament Ken Shamrock won) but as a pay per view this was NOT worth however much it cost back in the day. Eventually Vince would try it out with longer matches such as the Wrestlemania 4 version before settling on the King of the Ring format in 1993. This was the prototype for future tournaments but it was way too rushed, this may be the first and only time I’m complaining the matches were too short rather than too long. I’d give this tape 2 1/2 stars out of 5, make no mistake most of the matches weren’t bad and talent wise, this was the best it got for the WWF in 1985 but everything was too short. The next Coliseum Video release after this is TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS…..sort of. Actually we’ll be catching the three tape “collector’s series” set beginning with WWF’S GREATEST MATCHES. As for this one, buy this tape if it’s at a yard sale or cheap but certainly don’t break the bank for it.

Best of the WWF Volume 4 (WF013)

                                                BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 4 (WF013)

 COUNTRY BOYS was an epic disaster that raked the eyes of any wrestling fan whoever had the displeasure of witnessing it. Hopefully this installment of Best of the WWF will be easier to sit through. Looking at the card, its not much. Like I said in previous reviews all the hot 1984-85 angles were done by the time Country Boys came out so it was time for something new. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem like the “something new” with several matches being from several years earlier. Oh well, let’s stoke it up. Cue the Coliseum Video opening and Vince McMahon is our host today.

 

 

Match 1

“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff vs “Rowdy” Roddy Piper

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Alfred Hays

 July 13, 1985 at Madison Square Garden was the date for “The Match of Honor” which is hullaballo for a grudge match between Piper and Orndorff. As everyone knows, Piper and Orton left Orndorff to rot at Wrestlemania and neither side were too happy about it. Orndorff turned face to battle Piper and for some reason it took almost 4 months to get them in the ring. Vince does the voice-over before the match starts and quotes Piper saying “I made a mistake; I thought Paul would have more guts.” Piper was asked if he made a mistake turning his back on Orndorff, but in typical Piper fashion he’s saying he made a mistake choosing him to begin with. Piper’s by himself as Orndorff is introduced in slow motion. Once in the ring, Paul goes beserk and Piper equally throws a tantrum. People pelt the ring with garbage as Orndorff sheds his red robe. Piper is not amused by Orndorff’s standard red trunks and he attacks at the bell. The alert Mr. Wonderful ducks and Piper crashes into the corner, spins around and is greeted with right hands. The crowd erupts as Orndorff decks Piper with a right hand, who bails as the bell finally rings. Paul rams Piper’s head into the guardrail. Piper rolls inside but Orndorff goes upstairs and catches Piper with a forearm to the neck. Piper sells it like Captain Kirk screaming Khannnnnnn before Orndorff staggers him with a big right hand. Orndorff drills Piper’s head into the mat before locking in an arm-ringer. The crowd settles down as Monsoon hypes up Orndorff as Piper slaps Paul across the face. Roddy tries to ram Paul’s head into the buckle but Orndorff refuses to let go of the arm. Orndorff drops him to the mat with a hammerlock, ties the arm around his leg and falls backward. Piper begs off but Paul goes back to the arm-ringer. Wonderful whips Roddy to the buckle but a charge eats a knee to the face. Roddy sells the arm but delivers a running knee to the face. A scan of the crowd shows many of them have Hogan foam fingers. Piper continues to sell the arm ringer but continues to go to work on Orndorff with right hands. Orndorff ducks under a right hand and catches Piper in a back-slide for 1…2..nope. Piper shows Orndorff his two fingers before giving him a 3 stooges eye poke which has a little kid in the front row cheering. Monsoon “Talk about conceit!” Piper kicks Orndorff out of the ring as he still sells the arm ringer, a lost art today. Piper taunts the crowd then stops onto the apron to kick at Orndorff. A sign in the crowd saying “Orndorff Smokes The Piper” apparently fires Paul up as he pulls Piper off the apron and goes to town with right hands. Paul goes for a bulldog on the floor but Piper shoves him into the ring post, causing Paul to crash into the officials at ringside. The one armed Piper lets Orndorff back in and gets in a front face-lock. Piper turns it into a high school style pin but Orndorff powers out of it with right hands. Piper takes him back down with a headlock take-over but Orndorff scissors him only for Piper to flip over for 1….2..nope. Orndorff bridges out into a backslide but Piper is too far into the ropes for a count. Piper and Orndorff trade right hands but Paul gets the upperhand with a big uppercut that has Piper doing Fred Sanford jabs before falling backwards. Orndorff drops an elbow before Piper gets to his feet where Paul continues to rally with right hands. Paul goes for the crossbody but the momentum carries both men over the top rope to the floor. They brawl on the outside but Paul makes it in and grabs Piper by the hair. Paul rams Piper head first into the apron again and again. Wonderful brings Piper in by the hair and snaps him down to the mat as the crowd erupts. A sign in the crowd says “Rowdy Roddy Pipsqueak” as Paul goes upstairs. The crowd erupts as “Cowboy” Bob Orton finally makes his appearance and throws Paul off the top. The referee doesn’t call for the bell, only for Orton to hit the bricks. Orton goes to hit Paul with the cast but Orndorff catches him with right hands first. Soon, Piper grabs Paul by the leg and the heels double-team Orndorff. Orton levels Orndorff with the cast as the ref finally calls for the bell. Piper punches the ref but the ref no-sells it. Piper chases him around before Piper gets to his knees, busted wide open. Orton and Piper double-suplex Orndorff as the bell continues to ring. Alfred calls for someone to come help as the heels continue to double-team Orndorff. The crowd erupts as the British Bulldogs hit the ring but the heels hold their own. Piper and Orndorff fend off the Bulldogs but Orndorff gets to his feet, allowing the heels to retreat without a mark on them. The dogs tend to the bloody Orndorff as ring announcer Howard Finkel announces Orndorff the winner. That was a wild brawl that settled nothing, perfect for a feud starter. Unfortunately because Piper would be busy with Hogan for the rest of 1985, Orndorff and Piper never really had their own blowoff. This match was hot and not much to complain about really. Does it belong on a Best of, yes.

 

 

Time of match: 8:43

 

Winner: Paul Orndorff by DQ

 

 

 

 

Match 2

 

“Cowboy” Bob Orton and Don “Magnificent” Muraco (with Mr. Fuji) vs Hulk Hogan and Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

 

 We go back to May 18, 1985 in the Boston Garden for this one. Useless information but the Garden was available because the Boston Celtics were playing Game 3 of the Eastern Finals in Philadelphia that same night. This should be one of the final Coliseum Video showings for Snuka (in this era anyway) as he was most likely gone at the time this tape hit the shelves. Everyone is in their standard gear. The heels try a Pearl Harbor job but Hogan and Snuka fight them off. Hogan sends Muraco flying and a jumping head-butt by Snuka has Orton bailing to the outside. Hogan chases Muraco outside as Snuka catches Orton and tosses him back in.  Orton begs off when Snuka gets back in as Hogan catches Muraco and throws him inside. Mr. Fuji retreats to the other side of the ring. Orton and Muraco go back to back and beg off but Hogan rakes the eyes (because he’s such a role model) of Muraco and Snuka snapmares Orton. Okerlund says the match is like a texas tornado because the incompetent referee has yet to usher two of the guys out of the ring. Hogan rams Muraco into the buckle as Snuka works over the “bad” arm of Orton. Muraco and Hogan finally leave as Orton leapfrogs over Snuka but turns around into an arm-drag by Snuka. Hogan makes the tag who comes off the second rope with an axehandle to the bad arm. Somebody tries to throw garbage in the ring and misses completely as Hogan continues to work over the left arm of Orton. Hogan sends Orton shoulder first into the ring-post as Hogan spits at Muraco. Hogan tags in Snuka who comes off the top rope with an axehandle to the shoulder. Monsoon brings up that Orton originally hurt his arm at the hands of Snuka (and it never healed apparently). Snuka locks in another arm-ringer and tags in Hogan. Orton whips Hulk off who promptly boots him in the head. Hogan stomps on the left arm before sending Orton off the ropes where Orton counters with a knee to the ribs. Hogan no-sells and trades blows with Orton before raking the eyes. Hulk delivers an atomic drop and Orton desperately clings to Hogan before falling into his own corner where Muraco finally tags in 3 ½ minutes into it. Muraco stomps away at Hogan as Orton sells the arm-wringer on the apron. Don gets the upper hand as Fuji smiles in approval outside. Muraco throws Hogan head first into the buckle as Orton gets in a few cheap shots. We get a TAPE EDIT and now Orton is in the ring with Hogan. Orton delayed-suplexes the champion and takes too long to cover, getting a 1. Orton drops an elbow on Hogan and Muraco gets in to make sure Hogan doesn’t make the tag. Muraco goes to work before he and Orton deliver a double elbow. Orton leaves even though Muraco never tagged in. Wow, this ref sucks. Muraco makes the cover but Snuka makes the save. Hogan reverses a whip into the corner and clotheslines Muraco into the center of the ring. Hulk makes the hot tag to Snuka who unloads on Muraco and Orton. A double headbutt sends Orton staggering. A normal headbutt nails Muraco. Snuka scoop slams Muraco and goes upstairs as Fuji distracts the referee. Snuka goes for a crossbody but Orton catches Jimmy with the cast on his way down. Orton runs over and drops Hogan to the floor with a right hand. Muraco crawls over and makes the tag and Orton talks the dazed Snuka. Jimmy is busted wide open as Orton nails him with the cast, smearing blood on it. Muraco attacks Hogan on the outside and rams him into the ring post. Orton continues to work over Snuka inside the ring. A right hand drops Snuka as Okerlund oversells the blood. Orton drops Hogan off the apron again as we get another TAPE EDIT. Now Orton’s got Snuka in the corner but a reversed whip leads Orton getting nailed with a big chop. Snuka crawls over and makes the hot tag to Hogan. Hulk cleans house of Orton and Muraco but the heels get the advantage when Orton uses the cast to drop Hogan with it. Orton and Muraco double-team until the referee calls for the bell. Hogan ducks under a double clothesline and Hulks Up. The heels turn around and Snuka…uh…Snukas Up. A pier 6 brawl develops but Hogan and Snuka whip the heels together. Muraco and Orton bail to the back as Snuka gives chase. Hogan joins him and as Okerlund says they’re going to take this to Causeway Street. Even the fans start brawling in the front row as Boston’s finest hustle to quell the rowdy fans. Hogan and Snuka make their way back to the ring as the ring announcer announces them the victors.  Well that was wild and bloody but the non-finish accomplished nothing. I always had a pet peeve of seeing too many DQ’s on a videotape because we can watch DQ finishes for free on Superstars or Wrestling Challenge, why did we need to pay money to see that on video? Ah well, at least the babyfaces get the duke. Does it belong on a tape like this, yes.

 

 

Time of match: Clipped

Winners:  Hogan and Snuka by DQ

 

 

Match 3

 

20 Man Battle Royal

 

Commentators: Vince McMahon

 

  Back to June 26, 1982 in the Philadelphia Spectrum and we got Greg Valentine, Pedro Morales, Jimmy Snuka, SJ Jones, Baron Mikel Scicluna, Jay and Jules Strongbow, Ivan Putski, Tony Garea, Adrian Adonis, Johnny Rodz, Tony Atlas, Blackjack Mulligan, Charlie Fulton, Mr. Fuji, Mr. Saito, Swede Hanson, Laurent Soucie, Jose Estrada and Steve Travis. I know what you’re thinking, who the hell are Travis, Hanson, Soucie and Estrada?  Estrada is the most famous of the four as he was one half of the original Los Conquistadors (with Jose Luis Rivera). Hanson was basically WWF’s version of Stan Hansen although he was a 30 year ring veteran himself at the time. Travis was “Quick” Rick McGraw’s old tag team partner and Soucie was a Dungeon dropout although he was an NCAA All-American in freestyle wrestling in 1975. Its bedlam as all 20 guys go at it with Valentine sneaking by SD Jones. If you hadn’t noticed, most of the battle royals covered are about 15 real starts with 5 jobbers/outside talent thrown in. Adonis has Jones all tied up as Atlas pounds on Valentine. Johnny Rodz tries to dump Jay Strongbow as Jules rakes the face of Scicluna. Rodz then tries to dump Jules next but Jules chops out of it. JIMMY SNUKA, of all people, is the first to go courtesy of Morales and Putski. Saito attacks Garea as Morales pulls Adonis out of the ring, neither appeared to have gone over the top though. Atlas and Saito go at it. Morales and Adonis get back in as  Saito attacks Putski then goes for Morales. IVAN PUTSKI and BLACKJACK MULLIGAN eliminate each other. Hanson and Soucie double-team Jones but Atlas makes the save. Jay Strongbow nails Hanson as Mulligan continues to stomp around at ringside. Jay nails Fuji as Valentine looks for someone to hammer. Hanson nails Soucie in the back as Vince says its “every man for himself”. Saito ducks a charge and TONY GAREA is gone. Sheesh, none of the jobbers are out yet and we’ve lost 4 stars already. Saito then goes after Valentine but Greg tells him to get lost because he’s got Morales, so Saito goes after Jay Strongbow instead. The Strongbows team up and dump MR. SAITO as Fuji’s save attempt fails. Rodz nails Adonis as Soucie and Scicluna go at it. Without Andre, I can’t really pick a winner other than maybe Valentine, which is a good thing because it’ll be interesting to see who really does win. Fuji goes after Jules Strongbow as Morales and Jones catch a breather in the corner. Atlas clocks Rodz as Jones then chokes Valentine on the ground. Steve Travis attacks Hanson. Charlie Fulton holds Jules but Strongbow ducks and Adonis clobbers Fulton instead. Scicluna pounds on Atlas but then sells his hand like he broke it over Atlas’ cranium. Soucie pounds on Valentine but Greg double leg pickups the former collegiate wrestler. Jules clubs away at Hanson as Scicluna gets in a punch to the throat of Chief Jay. We get a TAPE EDIT and STEVE TRAVIS is no longer with us. Now Rodz is choking Jones. Tony Atlas comes over to assist Jones as Adonis clocks Valentine by accident. Morales catches Adonis with a left who nearly flies over the top. Another shot has Adonis doing a 360. Mr. Fuji dumps JULES STRONGBOW and Chief Jay is mad. Jose Estrada assists Jay in dumping MR. FUJI but then Estrada assists Fuji from the outside to get rid of JAY STRONGBOW. Two days after this, The Stronbows would defeat Fuji and Saito for the WWF Tag Team Championship. As for now, 8 of 9 guys eliminated were stars so the jobbers are standing tall so far. Soucie headbutts Valentine in the ribs as Adonis does his reverse-Andre spot. Estrada and Soucie pound on Adrian then turn their attention on each other as Adrian slinks back in. The camera pans to the outside where the refs can’t seem to get the Strongbows to leave and then the camera pans back to the ring only to see SWEDE HANSON standing outside doing nothing, I assume he’s been tossed but the cameras missed it. Estrada and Rodz double team Atlas. Scicluna tries to dump Jones as Atlas and Rodz go at it in the center. Adonis, Estrada and Valentine team up and dump PEDRO MORALES. A scan of the ring shows Estrada, Valentine, Jones, Scicluna, Adonis, Fulton, Rodz and Soucie. Adonis atomic drops Fulton as McMahon says Soucie throws punches like a girl. Ha! Fulton pounds on Adonis until Adrian can take no more and dumps CHARLIE FULTON. Atlas delivers a jumping headbutt to Scicluna as a camera shot shows Valentine busted wide open. Valentine rallies on Scicluna and drops an elbow on him. Atlas ducks a shoulder and JOHNNY RODZ is out as Adonis tosses LAURENT SOUCIE out. A dropkick by SJ Jones sends JOSE ESTRADA over the top and out. Jones then tosses BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA and we’re down to four. Jones, Atlas, Adonis and Valentine. Jones and Atlas high five as it looks like a tag match from here on.  Adonis tries to clear the blood from Greg’s eyes. Atlas and Jones go back to back as the heels stalk. Adonis and Valentine crash into each other when the faces move out of the way. Atlas delivers a jumping headbutt and Valentine flops before begging off.  Atlas and Jones whip the heels together. Adonis walks into a jumping headbutt by Atlas. Valentine gets the upper-hand on Jones as Adonis powerslams Atlas. Valentine executes a running backbreaker as Adonis goes up to the top. Adonis nails a flying elbow drop as Valentine tosses Jones through the ropes, not over the top. Valentine stomps on Jones as Adonis locks in Goodnight Irene (his sleeper finisher) on Atlas. Jones catches Valentine with a headbutt that sends Greg into an Andre spot. Atlas powers out of the sleeper and uses the momentum to send ADRIAN ADONIS over the top and out. Atlas crumples to the mat as Jones pounds on Valentine. Greg unties himself and chokes Jones into the ropes. Valentine hammers on Jones then Atlas but Atlas gets the upper hand with a jumping headbutt. Valentine flops and begs off as Vince says you have to give credit to Valentine for getting busted open and now dealing with a two on one assault. Atlas headbutts Valentine into the ropes and Jones dropkicks him…..nowhere. A second dropkick finally sends GREG VALENTINE over the top and out, there goes my pre-match prediction. Down to the two babyfaces as they lockup….before hugging. We edit to a coin flip…yes, a coin flip. Believe it or not, Jones and Atlas refused to fight each other so they agreed to determine the winner on the flip of a coin. The ref picks up the coin and raises Tony Atlas’ hand in victory. Jones was better off trying to dump him out. Atlas gives him the obligatory press slam (gently of course) to the apron to signify the end. Ring announcer Gary Michael Capetta announces Atlas the winner as Jones gives him the congratulatory handshake. A creative way to end a battle royal but it wasn’t the last time one would end like this. 7 years later in WCW, the Skyscrapers were involved in a battle royal and when they were the final two, they agreed simply to split the money 50/50. Jones deserved a win for a change but instead Atlas gets the duke. Does it belong on a tape like this, yes.

 

 

Time of match: Edited

 

Winner: Tony Atlas

 

 

  Our first non-match segment involves a montage of the various finishing moves of WWF guys at the time titled “SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE. At first, Barry Windham (or “Wyndahm” in the graphic) delivers a bulldog to Nikolai Volkoff at WRESTLEMANIA. Ricky Steamboat hits Valentine with chops and a dropkick with his finisher called “Karate”…yes of course I’m serious. No love for the flying cross-body. Brutus Beefcake delivers a backbreaker to David Sammartino. Apparently he wasn’t using the sleeper yet. Paul Orndorff bridges on Roddy Piper from the match we saw earlier and his finisher is called “Strength”. Sheesh, no love for the piledriver. Finally a real finisher as we see Iron Sheik putting the camel clutch on Hulk Hogan in their famous world title match. Hilbilly Jim catches Rene Goulet in a bearhug…ugh, guess the stench from Country Boys followed us to this tape. Stan Hansen catches Bruno Sammartino with “the lariat” which he actually did use. Bruno’s is simply “all the right moves” as we see him dominate Larry Zybysko, Bruno never really had a distinct finisher which is a lost art today. Hogan makes his appearance beating up Dave Schultz with “the clothesline and the elbow” Wow, no love for the leg drop? Greg Valentine drops “the elbow” on Tito Santana before putting the figure four on Jim Powers….finally a real finisher. Bob Orton does a “superplex” and King Kong Bundy does the avalanche to Tony Garea.

   Now we go to “interesting walks” where Brutus Beefcake struts away from Hulk Hogan. Hogan then mocks him as well. Jesse Ventura drops a knee on Ivan Putski before strutting. Jimmy Snuka does the Superfly splash and its apparent all the footage they’re using is from previous videos. The British Bulldogs use “acrobatics on the Hart Foundation. Guess Powerslams and Diving headbutts are for the birds. Alright I’ve seen enough, on to the next match.

 

 

Match 4

 

Andre The Giant vs Killer Khan in a Stretcher Match

 

Commentator: Vince McMahon

 

   No, not THAT match. This is the return bout. For those who don’t know, Andre was legitimately hurt in 1981 and Killer Khan got the storyline credit but “breaking Andre’s ankle”. This was the “return” match on November 14, 1981 in the Philadelphia Spectrum. Andre is wearing the blue tights with Khan in the black. Ring announcer Gary Michael Capetta gives the rules to the crowd as Vince in the voice-over says the first one to place the incapacitated wrestler on a stretcher wins. The stretcher itself is a dead give-away of who wins as its fit for a normal sized person. There’s no chance in hell Killer Khan would be able to get Andre on it without it crumbling underneath him. Vince brings up the infamous match at Boston Garden where Andre was originally hurt. Andre headbutts Khan who bails to the apron but Andre brings him in the hard way. An overhand chop rocks Khan and a knee lift sends Khan bailing to the outside. Andre reaches through the ropes and brings him back in. A right hand staggers Khan and Andre whips him off the ropes where he delivers a giant boot to the head. Andre sits on Khan, moves the referee back and calls for the stretcher. Khan kicks the stretcher away then goes for Andre’s ankle. Andre catches him, grabs the tights and does a Terry Funk style piledriver. Andre misses a falling headbutt. Khan stomps away then ties the “injured” ankle into the ropes and kicks away at it. The ref tries to free the leg but why, its supposedly no dq? Khan yells in between boots to the injured leg. Andre grabs the tights and pulls him down but Khan recovers to drop a knee on the giant. Khan drops another knee and calls for the stretcher. Vince says its over as the ref, stretcher man and Khan try to roll Andre onto the stretcher. Andre is rolled onto the stretcher but wakes up, hops up with the stretcher and threatens to hit Khan with it. Andre does indeed clock Khan with it then goes to town with the giant offense. Andre kicks the stretcher out and we get a TAPE EDIT. Andre stomps on Khan and sits on him twice. The ref calls for the stretcher and tries to roll Khan on it but Khan resists. Then Andre gets mad and sits on him a bunch of times. The ref once again calls for the stretcher and again Khan resists.  Andre pounds on Khan in the corner as Vince praises Killer’s fortitude. Andre does his legendary hiptoss and follows with a big splash. The ref waves off Andre and calls for the stretcher again. This time Khan is lifeless as the ref and the aide get him on the stretcher then take him away. Andre wins it even though it was the ref that made the call. Modern stretcher matches have the wrestlers pushing each other past the finish line, back then you had to incapacitate your opponent and the ref made the judgement call. By the way, was Killer Khan really a Mongolian? Hell no, he was Japanese. Bad match but fun for historical purposes, it belongs on here.

 

Time of match: Who cares?

 

Winner: Andre The Giant

 

 

Match 5

 

Andre the Giant vs Big John Studd in a steel cage match

 

Commentator: Gorilla Monsoon and Dick Graham

 

 This one is joined in progress from September 24, 1983 at the Philadelphia Spectrum. You’ll notice a pattern is that most WWF shows were centered in 3 areas. Old timers considered the territory “New York” but really it was the northeast triangle of Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Dick Graham of PRISM Network joins Monsoon for this one. Studd is busted open already as Andre sends him into the cage. Andre rams John’s head into the cage and whips him off the ropes but Studd ducks under the giant boot. John stuns the giant with a clothesline. Studd hits a double axehandle that sends Andre to the mat. Studd crawls for the door but Andre catches him and drops a leg on the back of his neck. Andre goes for the door but John grabs a hold of the leg. Andre makes John let go by simply sitting on his head, ouch. Andre slams bodyslams Studd that Monsoon says is worth 10 grand. Andre goes to the second rope and does the Whoopie Cushion on Studd. John isn’t getting up and Andre waves to the crowd as he walks out the door. Andre wins and he turned Studd into a pancake in the process. Its funny how wrestling angles are booked on flat out lies sometime. Wrestlemania 1 was booked that Andre couldn’t slam Studd and he’d have to retire if he couldn’t. This match held 2 years earlier showed Andre slamming him with ease and winning the match no problem, good thing it wasn’t shown on tv. Too short to rate but its nice to see Andre on his last legs before he became the lumbering giant we all saw in the mid 80’s. Does it belong on here, unedited yes.

 

 

Time of match: Joined in progress

 

Winner: Andre the Giant

 

 

Match 6

 

Andre the Giant (with Captain Lou Albano) vs King Kong Bundy (with Jimmy Hart)

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

  We’re at Madison Square Garden on September 23, 1985. This is supposedly called “The Colossal Jostle” and its got a big time feel to it with Monsoon and The Body on commentary. Remember in THE AMAZING MANAGERS where Bundy and Studd beat the crap out of Andre? Well this was the revenge match so to speak. Bundy was climbing up the card and this was before the Adonis and Link for Bundy trade Hart and Heenan pulled off. Bundy is in the ring while Captain Lou leads Andre to the ring. Andre is in the red tights with Bundy in standard black. Lou dances around the ring as Ventura says this is the biggest test in Andre’s career. Monsoon brings up the Maple Leaf Gardens incident as Andre and Bundy roll around in a tie up. Andre has Bundy in the corner and delivers a giant chop to a huge roar from the crowd. Andre chokes Bundy in the corner and Ventura bitches. Andre hits another chop and Bundy bails to the outside. We get a TAPE EDIT and now we’re really far into the match as both men are sweating profusely. They trade blows in the center of the ring before Andre unloads a headbutt that sends Bundy through the ropes and to the outside. Nailing a chair next to Monsoon’s announce table. Jimmy Hart frantically jumps up and down to get Bundy back in the ring. Ventura “I felt the floor shake on that one!” Another TAPE EDIT has Bundy back in the ring nailing Andre in the back with forearms. Bundy has Andre down in the corner and chokes him in the corner with his boot. The crowd chants for Andre as Bundy continues to stomp away on the fallen giant. Monsoon bitches at the referee since he won’t make Bundy release the chokehold on the ropes.  Andre reaches out and grabs Bundy’s left leg and makes it to his feet in the corner. Andre shoulderblocks Bundy in the corner and Monsoon bitches again. Bundy whips Andre into the corner but the avalanche attempt eats boot. Andre sits on Bundy….but wait! BIG JOHN STUDD hits the ring and lays waste to Andre, causing the dq finish. Andre headbutts Studd and chokes him in the corner but Studd moves out of the way and Bundy avalanches Andre. Captain Lou gets nailed for his trouble. Andre bails to the outside and grabs a chair, smashing the announce table and gets in the ring. Studd and Bundy bail to the back with Bobby Heenan and Jimmy in tow.  Captain Lou grabs Howard Finkel’s mic and screams to “get em out here!” The heels stay put and Andre is your winner by dq. Andre screams at referee Dick Woerhle but that’s it.This was the start of the angle which led to the trading of Bundy from Hart to Heenan. The match was way too clipped, all it was was the ring introductions, a big headbutt and the non-finish. Does it belong on here, once again unedited yes.

 

 

Time of match: Clipped

 

Winner: Andre the Giant by DQ

 

Match 7

 

Ricky Steamboat and Tito Santana vs The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) with Jimmy Hart

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

   We’re at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto for this pre-Dream Team match on April 21, 1985. The next 2 ½ years are a little weird as Valentine would be managed by Jimmy Hart for solo matches but by Johnny V in tag team action. Valentine is the current Intercontinental champion and Santana was still number one contender. Steamboat and Beefcake are the throw-ins. Steamboat is wearing short blue tights which is weird because he usually wore long ones in his WWF run. Santana is also wearing standard blue trunks as Beefcake and Valentine are in black. Steamboat and Beefcake start as both Ventura and Monsoon praise Greg’s work as IC champ. They tie up and Steamboat leapfrogs twice and hiptosses Beefcake before hiptossing a charging Beefcake. The heels bail but Steamboat takes off in hot persuit. Ricky throws Beefcake back in but slingshots himself back in with a karate chop that drives Brutus backwards into a right hand from Santana. Ricky drops Beefcake with a chop then nails Valentine on the apron with one as well. Ricky sends Brutus into a knee from Santana. Tito tags in and they deliver a double back elbow smash before Santana drops Valentine again outside. Tito does the “ring my bell” double knee smash and Beefcake throws himself to the ground. Monsoon mentions a one hour time limit as Santana slaps on a front headlock. Ventura says if the quick pace continues it will come down to conditioning.  Beefcake makes it to the ropes and Tito must release. Beefcake consorts with Valentine and Tito yells at Greg to get in the ring. Greg refuses as Monsoon brings up the history between Valentine and Santana. Beefcake gets a thumb to the eye and scoop slams him. Valentine tags in but misses an elbow drop, the crowd pops when Santana unloads with rights and lefts. Greg bails to the ramp and the referee stops Santana from going after him. Back inside Ventura speculates a title shot would be in order if the faces win although a tag title shot as well, foreshadowing perhaps? Valentine gets the upperhand with forearms and elbows before a snapmare and knee drop.Santana rallies with forearms but Greg counters. Santana ducks under an elbow and drops Greg with a clothesline. Santana whips Valentine into a chop by Steamboat. Santana motions for the figure-four but instead delivers a headbutt to the mid-section. Now Santana goes for the figure four but Valentine blocks it. Valentine gets a kick to the mid-section and drops and elbow. A cover gets 1….2..nope. Greg delivers a shoulderbreaker and bitch slaps him. Brutus tags in and chokes down Tito. Ventura says you got a 5 count to use. A rake of the face stuns Santana and Beefcake has the ref distracted for Valentine to do a number on Tito from behind. Jesse “Whether you like it or not, its called teamwork.”  Beefcake scoop slams Tito but misses the elbow drop. Santana crawls over to his corner but Valentine nails Steamboat off the apron. Two security guards make their way to the barrier to make sure no one climbs over while Ricky is on the floor. Valentine wails on Tito in the corner and scoop slams him as Beefcake sneaks over to wail on Steamboat on the outside. Valentine locks in an arm ringer as the crowd chants for Tito. Beefcake tags in and locks in a headlock. He looks over at Steamboat and tells the ref to go check on him. The ref refuses so Beefcake baits Ricky in the ring and he foolishly falls for it. Valentine nails Santana from behind as Beefcake turns around. Santana tries to crawl to his corner but Brutus stops him until Tito alertly goes underneath the legs and makes the hot tag to Ricky. He goes up to the top and Brutus watches him the whole way without doing anything. Steamboat delivers the big karate chop then unloads on Valentine. Steamboat drops them both then rallies with chops. Steamboat cleans out Valentine then snap suplexes Beefcake. A diving knife edge stuns Beefcake then locks in the sleeperhold, ironic. Beefcake gets a thumb to the eye and tags in Valentine. A karate chop stuns Greg but the Hammer gets a thumb to the eye. A stomachbreaker is followed by a cover for 1…2..nope. Beefcake tags back in for a double whip into the corner before Greg tags back in deliver an inverted atomic drop. Valentine tags in Beefcake and they double team Ricky. Beefcake drops Steamboat with a clothesline but the sloppy cover only gets two. A blatant choke is followed by Valentine tagging in with an off the top rope hammer smash. A second rope elbow to the neck is followed by a knee to the hamstring. Valentine goes for the figure-four but Steamboat cradles him up for a 2 count. The heels try to trap Ricky in the corner but he fights his way out, somersaults and tags in Santana. Tito comes in and rallies with right hands to both men before following with a double noggin-knocker. Beefcake runs into a forearm (not the flying one) and Tito waffles Greg with the actual flying forearm. Tito makes the cover but Brutus makes the save. Steamboat comes in to protest and Beefcake throws him through the ropes and to the outside. The heels double team Santana inside the ring until Steamboat makes it to the top rope and drops Beefcake with a big karate chop. Valentine goes for an atomic drop but Santana catches the leg and applies the figure four. Steamboat stands guard and Valentine gives it up….it’s over. Steamboat chases Jimmy Hart away as the ref raises their arms in victory. That was pretty good and not too formulaic. It’s interesting to see the Dream Team pre-Johnny V even though they did the job here. By the end of the fall they would be tag team champions and Santana would be IC champion. Also, it’s interesting to see Steamboat in short tights as I’ve never seen that in his WWF run. All in all it was great to see the match from beginning to end without clips and cuts, which doesn’t sound like much, but compared to everything else that’s clipped it’s a breath of fresh air. Does it belong on here, yes.

 

Time of match: 15:33

 

Winners: Santana and Steamboat by submission

 

 

The credits roll and this tape is over. We get sneak previews for BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 5, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN LOU ALBANO and TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. All in all it wasn’t a bad tape all things considering. Once again the clips ruin some of the matches but the overall tape was good. It’s interesting to see what they thought qualified for “Best of” matches but for the most part they’re right on the money. The opener and ending matches were outstanding and the battle royal had a unique finish. Hogan made his one appearance while Andre has three in a row. At this point the winds of change were about to blow as 1985 turned to 1986, technology would improve as some tapes would be longer than 90 minutes. The next tape after this one is the 1^st pay-per-view the company ever produced, THE WRESTLING CLASSIC. As for this one 3.5 out of 5. Point and a half off for the edits.

Wrestling’s Country Boys (WF012)

WWF WRESTLING’S COUNTRY BOYS (WF012)

 

I’ll never understand Vince McMahon’s obsession with hillbillies over the years. From Haystacks Calhoun to The Godwinns to the modern day Wyatt Family (more Devil’s Rejects then country bumpkins but still), for some reason or another Vince always loved his wrassin’ southerners. This tape would highlight the trio of hillbillies that came to the WWF in 1985 including Hillbilly Jim, Uncle Elmer and Cousin Junior. Hillbilly Jim was the real star the company was trying to push but circumstances I’ll get into later moved him to a brief managerial role of Elmer and Junior. Where to begin…well they were babyfaces and because Jim and Elmer were well over 6’6 they were one of the few along with Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant that could stand up to King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd without getting smushed. Also, this tape was yet another unique concept. Usually profile tapes were reserved for the top stars but these guys were nowhere near the top of the card. What this represented was if you went to the WWF, no matter where you were on the card, you’d be getting tv time and exposure. Roberto Soto was a midcard star for the Fuller territory around the same time but he wasn’t highlighted in VHS tapes or given his own music video like “Exotic” Adrian Street. For Vince to highlight Jim’s gang opened the door for everyone to get exposure which in turn drew more money. Bill Eadie (Ax) said in a shoot interview everyone on the card draws money one way or another depending on how they are booked, the better they’re booked and the more money they’ll draw. So with that set, let’s start the tape. Cue the Coliseum Video opening and “Mean” Gene Okerlund is our host tonight. He shills the gang and takes us to Hillbilly Jim’s debut as a Hulk Hogan ally.

 

If I remember correctly this was December of 1984 and this will be somewhat similar to the Hogan/Okerlund training sessions only Jim’s not as useless as Mean Gene. Before we get started, I should point out Jim was no raw rookie like he was portrayed on WWF television. He was wrestling for Jerry Jarrett in Memphis under the moniker Harley Davidson before signing with WWF. He was brought in as a Hogan fan and eventually saved Hogan from a beatdown. Hulk agreed to train Jim for the ring. We begin in Hogan’s kitchen where he’s prepared a protein shake for breakfast. Jim is mad because he expected pancakes, grits and eggs. He takes a swig of the shake and nearly gags as Hogan obviously likes it.  Hogan convinces him to finish his glass and after a long protest, Jim finishes it by holding his nose. It should be noted that Hogan is wearing jeans and a tie-dye shirt instead of the spandex he wore for Okerlund’s training. Now we head to the gym for a montage of Jim being unable to do anything right. The “generic stock theme” overdubs as Jim can neither bench press, squat or row even with Hogan showing him how to do it. The recurring theme is Hogan repeatedly trying to rip Jim’s hat off his head. After about a minute of Jim’s montage where he can’t do anything right, now we’re in a ring for some wrestling training….and Jim trips just getting into it to show just how clumsy he is. Hogan is now in workout sweats, yellow boots, a blue tank while Jim has the same outfit on as always. Hogan rips Jim’s hat off and throws it aside again “Get that hat off, geez!” Jim repeatedly asks about wrestling and Hogan yells at him that we’re here to get in shape first. They start doing jumping squats and Jim can’t hang with the Hulkster at all. Hogan then does some balance pushes and Jim is totally off-balance. Hogan then asks him to simply run off the ropes and shows him how. Jim then stumbles, bumbles and trips all over the ring as Hogan tries not to laugh at him. Jim asks if they can wrestle yet and Hogan says no but hypes him up saying the more training they do, the better he’ll be. We then go to a second montage with the “generic stock theme” and Jim shows a little bit of improvement this time around but is still off-balanced. Once again Hogan continues to rip off Jim’s hat before every workout. Now we’re back in the gym and Hogan sheds his blue tanktop for a pink one as Jim is still in the same overalls (he better be washing them regularly) but they have a friend with him this time around. A.J. Petruzzi, jobber extraordinaire is here to help Jim with some wrestling holds. Hogan asks Jim to hit the ropes and Jim does it correctly but Hogan says he’s still not ready to wrestle. Hogan says its time to learn some wrestling holds. Hogan “Just because you beat a bear in a circus, how are you going to beat a wrestler?” Jim says “Like this” and he puts poor AJ in a bearhug. Hogan pries Jim off of AJ and he crumples to the mat. Jim is apologetic but Hogan says he’s not in shape and not ready to wrestle. Hogan says he’ll get him a match anyway and we go to Jim’s debut.

 

 

Match 1

 

Hillbilly Jim (with Hulk Hogan) vs Terry Gibbs

 

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

 

   We’re joined in progress for Hillbilly Jim’s debut match in December of 1984, a few weeks after the training vignettes started. Jobber extraordinaire Terry Gibbs will be the sacrificial lamb for Jim today. Gibbs has him in a front facelock but Jim picks him up off the ground and sits him on the top turnbuckle. Jim backs off and Gibbs looks around confused. Gibbs runs off the ropes but runs into a shoulderblock. Gibbs tries it again and gets dropped. A third attempt is met with a scoop slam by Hillbilly. Gibbs rakes the eyes then pounds away with right hands, chops and forearm shots. Vince shills Gibbs saying he’s a veteran of the ring and veterans know how to handle adversity. Gibbs lands a running forearm to the back, a boot and a forearm but can’t slam him. Jim then slams Gibbs with one arm and catches Gibbs with a bearhug. Gibbs quickly submits and Jim wins it. Hogan runs into to celebrate with Jim and the crowd pops. Bad match but the purpose was to draw interest in the Jim character and having him win his first match with Hogan by his side establishes him as a future prospect.

 

 

Time of match: Joined in progress

 

Winner: Hillbilly Jim by submission

 

 

We now go to a third montage with the “generic stock theme” and Hogan is still obsessed with Jim’s hat. Now Jim is bench pressing, squatting and rowing perfectly fine. Back to the training ring, Hogan is wearing his yellow tanktop and he and Jim are tying up. Hogan brings in AJ to show Jim the many ways to escape a hammerlock. Hogan does a go behind, a single leg takedown, a drop toe  hold and a snap mare. When AJ puts a hammerlock on Jim, he can’t escape until he uses pure power to get out of AJ’s grip. Hogan says he’s one of a kind and he’s got a present for Jim. He has a pair of black boots and says these were the boots he wore for 6 months before he won the WWF championship. Complete hogwash but Jim’s got his first pair of boots. Jim’s reaction to the boots is a big cartwheel and putting Hogan in a bearhug, damn near killing the Hulkster. On to the next match.

 

 

Match 2

 

Rene Goulet vs Hillbilly Jim

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

 

 This was from the undercard of War to Settle the Score on February 18, 1985. Even though the live MTV broadcast only showed Hogan vs Piper, the MSG fans got to see a full show. Jim makes his entrance and is awestruck by the crowd, really playing up his character. He walks around the ring waving at the fans until Howard Finkel tells him to get in the ring (haha). Jim gets in and we’re shown some of the dignitaries in the crowd here for Hogan vs Piper such as Andy Warhol, Danny Devito and Joe Piscopo. Oh, you don’t know who Joe Piscopo is? He and Eddie Murphy almost literally saved Saturday Night Live in 1980 when the original, hall of fame cast left and a whole new crew had to be hired. Without those two the show may have been cancelled, robbing us of those wonderful years of Adam Sander, Chris Farley and David Spade years later. Anyway back to the match, the camera shows Jim wearing the boots the Hulkster gave him. Jim sheds is jean jacket as the bell rings. Goulet shows off his studded glove and Jim taunts him with a handkerchief. The ref makes Jim take his hat off (everyone’s against the hat this tape). Goulet sheds the glove and his ring jacket and FINALLY we get underway. Jim goes for a handshake but Goulet blows him off. Jim then chases Goulet over the top rope and out of the ring. Gene “Hillbilly Jim, instant charisma!” Whatever you say Gene. They tie up and Jim heaves him halfway across the ring. Goulet gets in a side headlock and Jim can’t counter, showing his inexperience. Finally Jim sends him off the ropes and drops him with a shoulderblock. Jim poses for the crowd as Monsoon approves. Jim applies a sideheadock and Goulet tries to whip him but can’t. Jim rings the headlock and Goulet tries to whip him but again almost bulldogs himself. Goulet grabs the hair so Jim punches him, then applies it again. Goulet the veteran makes it to the ropes so Jim must break….not so fast, Jim pulls him away from the ropes and the ref lets it go. Goulet tries to bail over the top rope but gets his feet caught the top rope. The ref demands Jim release the hold and Jim complies…causing Rene to crash fact first on the mat. Jim cartwheels to Okerlund’s delight as Goulet reaches into his tights. He balls his hand into a fist then nails Jim with it. Goulet pounces on Jim in the corner and chokes him across it. Rene mounts the second rope and pounds away on the big guy. Goulet bites him in the face and the side then poses for the irate crowd. Gene says he’s opened up a can of worms and Jim stalks Goulet. Jim rallies with a boot and forearms to the back before finishing with a headbutt that sends Goulet crashing on the top rope. Jim headbutts him again then whips him into the corner where he Flair flips over and runs up to the top rope on the other side of the ring. Rene leaps…right into a bearhug from Jim. Goulet gives up and Jim’s your winner. Jim gets a decent pop from the crowd as we go to the instant replay. Fink announces Jim the victor and Goulet starts mouthing off to the fans. Rene continues to mouth off and its revealed his target is MR T! T chases Goulet away and we cut here. This may seem like a bad match but everything was done with a purpose. The story was Jim was a rookie in the ring with a crafty veteran and had to use his size and strength to his advantage. The headlocks, the “foreign object”, the failed whip attempts…every spot meant something and caused a reaction from the crowd. Just because two Ring of Honor “workers” can execute triple sommersaults into a frankensteiner one after another doesn’t mean the crowd will react when no selling is involved. Tell a story and the fans will take notice.

 

Time of match: 7:27

 

Winner: Hillbilly Jim by submission

 

 

This was supposed to be the start of a big push for Hillbilly, but it came to a crashing halt a few days later in San Diego when Jim was ringside for a Hogan match against Brutus Beefcake. Jim was chasing Brutus around the floor when Jim tripped and fell, shattering his leg. With modern day surgery and rehab, he would have been out for a month or two but in 1985 he was gone for at least 6 months. In the meantime he had nothing to do so creative had him become a manager. Hogan didn’t need a manager and nobody else would have connected with a country bumpkin, so now what? Have no fear as plan was in motion to bring in MORE HILLBILLIES! Yayyyyy!  We’re now treated to a June 1985 episode of The Body Shop…what’s THAT you ask? Well for some reason Vince thought Tuesday Night Titans and Piper’s Pit weren’t enough for talk shows so they gave Jesse Ventura his own show. A few weight benches, a white wall with pictures of Ventura and Jesse himself was essentially the set. It made sense for someone who can cut a good promo like Jesse to get his own show but they already had one heel show with Piper, why did they need another? Then again it was always like that, 10 years later Jerry Lawler had The King’s Court while Shawn Michaels had Heartbreak Hotel. Anyway Jesse brings out Hillbilly Jim who’s not on crutches but wearing a walking cast. Jesse asks who hurt him and Jim answers Brutus Beefcake and Johnny Valiant. Jesse replies that they’re friends of his. Jim thanks the fans and says he’s going to come back. He requests to bring out his uncle Elmer from Philadelphia, Mississippi and Ventura scoffs. Now Jim is taller than Jesse but when Elmer comes out, he towers over Jesse. Ventura turns around and steps back with a “holy shit” look on his face. Uncle Elmer was actually 47 year old ring veteran Stan Frazier who had been working the territories since the early 70’s. He was most popular in Memphis where he had 20 different gimmicks such as The Giant Rebel, The Convict (Nailz pretty much was a ripoff of this) and Kamala 2 which was basically Stan doing the Kamala gimmick despite being white instead of black. Elmer has on overalls that go knee-high, a white t-shirt and a ridiculous hat. Jesse stutters and says “YOU’RE uncle Elmer?” Elmer “Dat’s right I’m Uncle Elmer!” Jesse turns to Jim “He’s a pretty big boy.” Turns to Elmer “I bet you like to eat doncha.” Elmer “I eat a lot!” Jesse “Do you wrestle?” Elmer “I scuffle! You know what scuffling is boy?” Ventura “No.” Elmer “Its what you call rasslin!”  ….and we cut there. Overall the segment was supposed to accomplish two things, bring us up to date on the whereabouts of Hillbilly Jim and debut Uncle Elmer. It did….people complain that this segment but honestly, shut up.

 

Now we’re getting somewhere as we go back to June 17, 1985’s Piper’s Pit with Piper and Cowboy Bob Orton in tow. Piper asks the crowd if they missed him and is met with a chorus of boos. Piper claims he was on vacation and that he wants to talk to Hillbilly Jim, who gets a huge pop when he makes his appearance. Piper actually kicks the cast on the leg of Jim and asks why he’s not man enough to take it off and wrestle. Jim says he’s going to take care of things and he wants Piper to meet someone. Piper grabs the corncob pipe of Jim and says he’s a blithering idiot. Jim grabs the pipe back and reiterates that he wants Piper to meet someone. Orton inches his way over to Jim as Piper says he doesn’t want to meet anyone. Jim realizes he’s being cornered by Orton and Piper and shouts for Uncle Elmer. After a few seconds Elmer walks out only this time he’s wearing a navy blue shirt under his overalls. Orton backs up a bit and looks him up and down as Piper has an “oh shit” look on his face.  Piper “Welllll any friend of yours is a friend of mine” and he pats the guy on the shoulder. Elmer “Get yo hands off of me boy!” Piper rings the cowbell hanging on Elmer’s neck and asks if he’s been milked today. Unfortunately we cut right then and there before the confrontation. Eventually Piper and Orton would wrestle the Country Boys but not today. Now we go to an Uncle Elmer match.

 

 

Match 3

 

Tiger Chung Lee vs Uncle Elmer

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

 

  July 20, 1985 at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD saw Elmer take on the man who can’t break bricks. Both are wearing their standard gear. Elmer makes his entrance with overdubbed banjo music and he shakes the hands of everyone at ringside until Chung Lee reaches over with his kendo stick and knocks the hat off Elmer’s head. Haha, that was legitimately funny. Elmer makes his way into the ring but Lee clobbers him with the stick as he enters. Lee punches and kicks Elmer who barely sells anything. Lee stomps him in the corner then chops him in the chest. Elmer lands an overhand right and Lee backs off. Elmer waves his arm around and Lee bails to the outside. Lee climbs back in only to be chased out by Elmer again. Elmer takes Lee to the mat with a headlock takedown but Lee pops up first and kicks at Elmer. Even Monsoon makes fun of him for lack of agility. Lee applies a nervehold but Elmer rallies with 2 right hands. Elmer whips Lee into the corner then back to the original corner. Lee staggers into a backdrop. Elmer does the worst looking legdrop I’ve ever seen. Hulk Hogan 5 years from NOW if he’s still alive could probably do a better one. All Elmer did was drape his leg across Lee’s chest and fall on his ass. Elmer gets a sloppy cover for 1….2…3 and its over. Its fairly obvious Elmer was too old and too slow to put on a decent match so they were kept short and sweet. The ref raises Elmer’s arm in victory and we get more overdubbed banjo music as Elmer goes over to say something to Monsoon and Okerlund before resuming shaking hands with the fans. What a fan favorite!

 

Time of match: 2:23

Winner: Uncle Elmer by pinfall

 

 

We segue right into the next match

 

 

Match 4

 

Uncle Elmer (with Hillbilly Jim) vs Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan)

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Lord Alfred Hays

 

   Now for some real competition. Every match so far has been squash or one sided but now Elmer’s in there with one of the top heels in Studd. August 10, 1985 in Madison Square Garden was the scene for this “beauty” as Monsoon calls it. Jim and Elmer make their entrance to more overdubbed banjo music. Elmer jostles Howard Finkel then shakes his hand. Elmer and Jim wave and shake hands ringside as Monsoon says Jim will be back real soon. Elmer makes his way into the ring and Studd PEARL HARBORS him. Studd stumps on the fallen Elmer as some yahoo keeps ringing a cowbell. Studd continues to stomp away before taunting the crowd. Jim tries to rev up the crowd and its HIM that keeps ringing the bell. MORE COWBELL! Studd drags Elmer to his knees and delivers some forearms to the back. Studd backs Elmer into the corner with forearms before Elmer rallies with roundhouse rights. Studd staggers into the corner and Elmer avalanches him. Elmer calls for another one, whips him to the other corner and avalanches him again (this would later be used on the future opening Coliseum Video montage). Elmer motions that he’s going to slam Studd and goes for it…only for Heenan to run in and nail Elmer for the DQ. Heenan and Studd pound on Elmer as Jim gets in behind them. Jim grabs Heenan by the throat but turns his back on Studd who waffles him from behind. Heenan and Studd pound on Jim but now its Elmer’s turn to make the save. Elmer nails Studd in the back with a forearm then chokes Heenan in the corner. Jim rallies with right hands on Studd then headbutts him twice. Elmer clears out Heenan with a right hand as Jim and Elmer shakes hands in the ring. The country boys chase Studd and Heenan and finally the bell rings. The ref raises Elmer’s arm in victory as Heenan holds Studd back from getting back in. Fink gets on the mic and announces Elmer the winner by DQ. Jim and Elmer celebrate in the ring as we get more overdubbed banjo music. Jim and Elmer dance like idiots in the ring and we finally cut. Same as the previous match, short and sweet but still highlights a glaring hole. Fans wanted to see Jim and we had Elmer stinking up the ring for 2-3 minutes.

 

 

Time of match: 3:32

 

Winner: Uncle Elmer by DQ

 

 

  Now we go to TNT for a family BBQ with Jim and Elmer. Jim sings a country song (not that bad actually) with Elmer and plays an acoustic guitar as well. Elmer is wearing a red undershirt this time.  Seriously its not that bad compared to Lou Albano’s warbling on the Wrestling Album, Stephanie McMahon singing Wind Beneath Our Ring and Steve Austin singing I am the Champion. ROH marks may complain but TNT was supposed to be for shit like this so what the hell do you want? We cut to Vince looking as “country” as he could get sitting at a picnic table next to Alfred who actually looks like a real cowboy with Jim and Elmer on the other side of it. Vince asks what we got here and Elmer answers cornbread, mustard and his favorite….bbq possum. Alfred reaches for some and Elmer slaps his hand away. Elmer says you’re supposed to ask first, it’s the “countrified away to do it.” Elmer “If you ain’t countrified then you ain’t nothin.” Jim tells everyone to take their hats off to say grace. “Good food, good meat, thank you Lord cause we gonna eat.” Vince laughs and its chowed time. Alfred asks for a tomato, which he pronounces to-mot-to. Jim “Who?” Elmer “We don’t have no tacos.”  Jim makes Alfred a possum burger and says “Mr McMahon I’m gonna make you one too.”  Alfred asks for some hot tea and Elmer says “We don’t got hot tea, we got cold tea and buttermilk.” He pours Alfred a glass of milk and he refuses to drink it as Jim hands Vince a burger of his own. Jim proposes a toast and they clink their glasses together. Alfred takes a sip of milk and gags. “That is sour milk!” Elmer “That’s not sour milk that’s buttermilk!” Jim takes a huge bite of possum burger as Elmer says the trick with buttermilk it to put bits and pieces of cornbread in it. Alfred “That is disgusting!” Elmer mixes the bread and milk together and Jim makes Alfred eat a burger. Alfred finally takes a bite…of the tomato hanging from it. Elmer “I’d like to have you down to my pig pen, you’d make my hogs cry!” We cut here before Vince tries any of the culinary efforts. I’ll pretend I didn’t see that…..moving on.

 

 

Match 5

 

Cousin Junior (with Hillbilly Jim and Cousin Junior) vs Ron Shaw

 

Commentators:  Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura

 

   Jim was out with an injury and Elmer was an immobile old timer so Vince decided to add a THIRD member to the team. Unfortunately rather than bring in a workhorse and give him the hillbilly gimmick, they brought in 25 year old Lanny Kean (who had broke into the business in Kentucky 2 years prior) to play pretty much the same role as Elmer. Junior makes his Coliseum Video debut here and the match itself is from August 20, 1985. He’s the shortest of the three hillbillies. He’s dressed as Hillbilly Jim though, overalls with no shirt underneath. Junior brings a paper bag and a horseshoe wrapped on a chain into the ring. He taunts Shaw with the horseshoe and makes Elmer take a whiff of whatever’s in the bag. Elmer turns away disgusted so I can only assume Cousin Junior brought horse shit to the ring…..wow. The bell rings and Junior shakes hands with Elmer and Jim before they exit as Vince hypes up Elmer’s upcoming wedding. Oh that will be covered shortly I’m afraid. Jesse “My God who would marry HIM?” Vince “Elmer…well he’s a handsome man” Jesse cracks up “Is he marrying a sow?” Junior starts spazzing in the ring and Shaw bails to the ring apron. Vince says she’s actually a very attractive young lady and they’ll be married within the month. Back inside Junior spazzes again as Jesse says he hopes he doesn’t have to be a part of the wedding. Ventura points out Junior’s not wearing boots. Indeed, he’s wearing just socks. Shaw locks in a headlock but Junior whips him off and delivers a pathetic looking clothesline. Junior then gets on his hands and knees then mule kicks Shaw….wow. Junior makes the cover 1…2…3 and that’s it.  You call that wrestling? I call that craptastic. I feel bad for Ron Shaw for having to sell for him and the fans that had to see that. Shaw pounds the mat in frustration as Fink announces Junior the winner. Junior brings the bag of horse shit in the ring and he and the hillbillies dance to that overdubbed banjo theme again. Once again I’ll pretend I didn’t see that.

 

 

Time of match: 1:20

 

Winner: Cousin Junior by pinfall

 

 

 We segue right into the next match

 

 

Match 6

 

Adrian Adonis vs Cousin Junior (with Hillbilly Jim)

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Alfred Hays

 

  The only reason I’m not ready to puke in a barrel at the sight of another Junior match is he’s got Adrian Adonis with him, one of the best bump takers in the business. The date is September 14, 1985 and we’re at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD again. Monsoon mentions Adonis has put on 20-25 pounds in the last few months (which led to his most famous gimmick) but is still a dangerous ring veteran. Monsoon calls Adonis’ new finisher the reverse piledriver…which it was just a double arm ddt (which Jake Roberts hadn’t perfected yet).  Jim rings that incessant cowbell again which causes the referee to tell him to shut up so the real bell could ring. Adonis runs right into an armdrag and already this match is 100 times better than the previous one move into it. Monsoon says the ref should be a violinist as Adonis runs into two more armdrags as Adrian protests. The crowd chants “You fat pig” and Adonis gives the “kiss my ass” sign. Adonis backs Junior in the corner and delivers a series of knees to the midsection.  A left elbow dazes Junior but he reverse whips Adrian out of the corner and into a backdrop. Junior scoop slams Adrian twice then takes him over with another arm drag.  Adonis bails…right into Hillbilly Jim so Adrian staggers backwards away. Jim winds up his cowbell as Adonis trashes the crowd. Junior consorts with Jim as Adonis taunts the crowd after being serenaded with another “you fat pig” chant. Junior goes to consort with Jim again but Adonis sprints across the ring and nails him with an axehandle to the back. Let’s see a “fat pig” run like that! Adonis kicks Junior in the gut then in the chest. Adonis methodically stalks Junior then kicks him in the chest again. Adonis drops an elbow to the sternum then taunts the crowd again. The crowd chants again and Adonis pretends not to hear it before dropping another elbow. Adonis covers and Monsoon mistakes Junior for Uncle Elmer for 1……2…no.  Adonis snap suplexes Junior and covers for another 2 count. Adonis rakes Junior’s face with his boot then jumps on him ass first on the second rope. Adrian taunts the crowd again as Jim rings the bell again. Adonis drops Junior with a big left hand and chokes him on the second rope in front of Hillbilly. Adonis goes for another ass drop but Jim pushes Junior out of the way and Adonis crashes into the second rope. Junior rallies with side kicks but Adonis rallies with his own offense. Adonis ties Junior up in the top rope Andre style and chokes him until the ref calls for the bell. Adonis apparently didn’t hear the ref count to 5 with the cowbell constantly ringing so good work by Hillbilly. Adonis pounds on the defenseless Junior until Jim gets in the ring and waffles Adonis with the cowbell….that’s a better way to use it. Adonis bails to the back as Mel Phillips announces Junior the victor. Now that was more like it! As pathetic as it sounds, this was the best match on the tape. Had slightly better action than Goulet/Jim from earlier. Again, it was mostly Adonis but Junior kept up nicely.

 

 

Time of match: Joined in progress

 

Winner: Cousin Junior by DQ

 

We segue right into the next match.

 

 

 

Match 7

 

Moondog Spot vs Cousin Junior (with Hillbilly Jim)

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

   Oh wow, not many fans would know this but Junior would eventually become a Moondog himself. He wrestled as Moondog Cujo in the USWA.  As for now, we’re in trouble as Spot and Junior wrestle almost the same style. The fashion expert Ventura says its obvious neither of the participants spent any kind of money on their ring attire. Junior with the overalls and Spot with the jean shorts. We’re back at the Cap Centre only this pre-dated the Adonis match by a month, August 17, 1985. Why couldn’t they go in chronological order? Junior has the horseshoe around his neck and Spot has the dog bone in his hand. Referee Dave Hebner has trouble getting Jim out of the ring as we start the match. Junior puts the shoe into the bag of crap and we’re taking forever to start here. Junior spazzes in the ring but Spot being as insane doesn’t bail like Ron Shaw did. Junior stalks Spot then consorts with Hillbilly. They stare at each other insanely before Junior spazzes and Spot finally bails. We’re two minutes in and we haven’t seen one hold yet. Back inside Junior spazzes again as Monsoon notes that nothing is happening until Spot finally gets a headlock in. Junior whips Spot off and a shoulderblock goes nowhere. Junior goes for a bearhug but Spot makes it to the ropes. Spot taunts the crowd but they’re asleep. Junior turns his back and Spot goes to attack but Junior back kicks him. BRILLIANT! Spot begs off but Junior drops him with a double knee lift. Monsoon mentions Spot is the only Moondog left as Rex and King have departed. That may not be entirely true as Rex later resurfaced as the original Smash of Demolition.  We get a TAPE EDIT as Junior gets in another back kick and Spot begs off. Junior kicks at Spot in the corner then wipes his forehead with the handkerchief he’s had in his back pocket. Junior kicks at Spot again and Spot just flops down. Junior delivers a big splash then covers for 1….2.nope, Spot kicks out. Spot begs off again as Junior greets him with a big right hand. Spot windmills down and Junior covers for 1..2..nope. Spot executes an inverted atomic drop but stupidly goes after Jim on the floor. Jim taunts him and Junior gets in mule kick position. Unfortunately the idiot cameraman misses the kick completely as its fixated on the crowd. The camera pans back in the ring as Junior covers for 1….2….3 to win the match. Jim and Junior celebrate as Spot grabs his bone. Unfortunately we cut here just as some extracurricular activity was about to commense. Another match I’m going to pretend I didn’t see. Just as I thought, two similar styles that didn’t mesh well.

 

 

Time of match: An edited 5:58

Winner: Cousin Junior by pinfall

 

 

Rolling right along to the final match of the tape.

 

 

Match 8

 

Uncle Elmer and Cousin Junior (with Hillbilly Jim) vs Barry O and Jerry Adams

 

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura

 

   This was briefly highlighted on WRESTLING’S AMAZING MANAGERS but we get the full match this time. September 10, 1985 saw Bob Orton’s brother and jobber Jerry take on Jim’s crew. Barry O is in the long blue tights, while Jerry has lighter blue tights only with a white stripe. Jim leads his crew out to the same damn overdubbed banjo theme and unfortunately for us, Elmer is not wearing his white undershirt so you can see his underwear clearly. The Hillbillies dance in the ring as even the ref looks disgusted. The bell rings as Jim tells Barry to get lost.  As mentioned, Vince hypes up the upcoming Manager of the Year award ceremony which was previously covered so no need to get into that again. Junior grosses Elmer out with the bag of shit again but Jim quickly grabs it and makes his exit. Elmer starts out with Barry and Elmer throws him into the ropes. Barry tries a top wristlock as Jesse claims the only people that will vote for Jim will mark x because they can’t spell his name. Elmer tosses Barry into his corner but Orton is undaunted. Jesse makes fun of the hillbillies for their wardrobe again as Elmer backdrops Orton into the center of the ring. Junior tags in and works the top wristlock until dropping Orton with a shoulderblock. Junior goes for another one but Orton catches him with a side backbreaker, Adams tags in who catches him with forearms to the face before he’s back kicked by Junior. Orton protests and Junior kicks him too. Junior whips Adams into a belly bump by Elmer which causes Jerry to fall like a dead deer. Junior  hits the Aftershock 4 years before it was called that for 1…2…3 and its over.  Ventura says he has to give credit for that was better teamwork than he expected out of them. The team put their hats on and celebrate in the ring before we cut. Another damn jobber match and its nice to see the forgotten Orton in the ring. Ever wonder why Orton never got the spotlight his brother or his nephew did? He was the one who blew the whistle on the Terry Garvin and Pat Patterson sex-capades with ringboys, but that’s a story for another day. As for this match, pfft!

 

 

Time of match: 2:27

 

Winners: The Country Boys by pinfall

 

 

We now go to the most famous segment in the hillbillies history. We go to the October 3, 1985 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event for Uncle Elmer’s Wedding. The ironic part is this was an actual, honest to goodness wedding. The New Jersey State Athletic Commission prohibited a phony wedding so this had to be for real. Luckily Elmer’s wife was gracious enough for this to be turned into a spectacle. Elmer’s wearing his ring gear only his hat has buttons in it and he’s got a candy cane colored tie on. Good grief, at least Butcher Vachon wore a tux in his wedding covered in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS. Actually, unlike at Butcher’s wedding, Captain Lou Albano is wearing a nice tux in this one. Okerlund is playing the organ as Jesse Ventura calls him the phantom of the opera. By the way, Jesse was on fire during this whole segment. This will be clipped for this tape’s purposes but down the line, the whole segment will be covered and you’re gonna love Ventura’s commentary. The bride (Joyce) makes her way to the ring and she’s not ugly at all. Vince “She’s beautiful” Jesse “Bah, she’s beautiful huh? Let me tell ya something, Mean Gene plays like the phantom of the opera too, you hear the bad notes in there?” Vince says Elmer must be nervous and Jesse retorts that Joyce should be nervous. “Can you imagine this lady is going to spend the rest of her life with this guy. Can you imagine McMahon, waking up in the morning after a hard day’s work and THAT’S laying across from you?” The camera shows Andre and Hogan as the ring guards, at least Hogan has a dress shirt and jeans on as Andre’s in his red ring trunks. Both Junior and Jim are wearing the same candy cane colored ties Elmer has on. The camera pans to the flower girls and Vince says that’s nice. We get the TAPE EDIT right to Roddy Piper’s protest. That’s right, after the vows were made, Piper made a grand entrance to heckle the proceedings. Piper says there’s no room for romance in wrestling (which gets a decent pop from the likely bored crowd) and he objects. Piper says there’s no room for a pig farmer to marry anything during a wrestling match. Damn, stop being logical Piper, the crowd’s cheering you! Piper “I say you stink! (Points to Elmer) You stink! (points to Hogan) and the whole damn wedding stinks!” Hogan steps through the ropes and Piper bails as the minister tries to calm the crowd down. The minister says you may kiss the spouse as Vince says “Alright!”. Elmer kisses Joyce as Ventura says its like two carp in the Mississippi River going after the same piece of corn. Jim gives Joyce a hug and Vince tries to end the segment only he’s interrupted by Ventura “Where’s the slop bucket, I’m getting sick.”  We cut here and it’s a shame this was edited because Ventura had some more one liners in it. What did this lead to? It led to the Country Boys taking offense to Ventura’s comments which led to Jesse getting back in the ring. Wish they would have shown the 6 man tag match between the hillbillies and Piper, Orton and Ventura but oh well.

 

That’s it for this tape as the credits roll. Afterwards, Mean Gene shills the previews for BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 5, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN LOUIS ALBANO and TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. As for this tape, you have my condolences for having to sit through all that. Coliseum Video’s first (and not the last) stinkeroo couldn’t really be helped. It was an interesting concept to highlight the mid-carders but unfortunately their choice was pretty bad. Jim by himself was tolerable but Elmer was at the end of the line and Junior just did not fit at all. They tried to make a Freebirds like stable with Jim being the star, Elmer being the muscle and Junior being the workhorse but that failed miserably. This tape was supposed to highlight the Country Boys but in essence it was the beginning of the end. Junior was let go shortly after this tape was released and there are a bunch of different reasons why. Elmer hung on a bit, appearing at Wrestlemania 2 in April of 1986 but was eventually gone. Jim was due for a big push but breaking his leg put the kibosh on that. By the time Jim returned, Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat would become the two best workers the company plus the Stampede boys (Harts and Bulldogs) would take over the tag team division. The bloom was off the rose and Jim settled into a midcard role for the next 3 years. As for this tape, it belongs in Cousin Junior’s bag of crap to be honest. None of the matches were any good with some bordering on awful and the best segment was dramatically clipped. Still, the purpose was to put over new talent and it did just that, just didn’t go as planned. The next tape after this is BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 4 so we’ll pick up there. As for this…..1 star out of 5 and don’t pick it up unless you’re a hillbilly or trying to complete a collection.

Wrestling’s Amazing Managers (WF011)

WWF WRESTLING’S AMAZING MANAGERS (WF011)

 

Following BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 3 comes this unique tape. As I said before World Class Championship Wrestling set the standard by highlighting heels as well as babyfaces. The WWF then beat everyone to the punch by highlighting its managers in this one. Up until the 1990’s managers were just as important as the wrestlers because they could draw heat on themselves and the guys they managed. Managers could be wrestlers that were getting old but could talk (Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie, Bobby Heenan) or they came from outside the business but could talk better than anyone (Jimmy Hart). Back then managers were abundant in territories and promotions but they have all but died off today. It’s a shame because guys like Shelton Benjamin who couldn’t really talk could have used someone like Jimmy Hart or Jim Cornette to get him over. Not everyone needed a manager, they could talk just fine on his own, but the manager gave him that certain x-factor to be hated even more. Mr. Perfect is the…perfect example shall we say. He could cut a promo by himself but put Bobby Heenan with him and the chemistry was great. Of course this is all in hindsight, today we go back to 1985 to look at the managers of the World Wrestling Federation at the time. We begin with the Coliseum Video opening and we are hosted by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Unfortunately his sense of humor and style are replaced by him reading off cue cards.  He says we’re going to highlight Captain Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie, Hillbilly Jim, Johnny V, The Grand Wizard, Jimmy Hart, Mr. Fuji, Heenan himself, Fabulous Moolah, Miss Elizabeth and Cyndi Lauper. He references the October/November issue of WWF Magazine (which was bi-monthly at the time) which highlighted the managers. If that issue was already out in the streets that means this tape is definitely between November-December 1985.

 

We begin with Don “The Magnificent” Muraco sunbathing on a beach with 3 bikini clad girls giving him a rubdown. Heenan’s voiceover explains Don trains well until Mr. Fuji and after a highlight of Muraco running through a pagoda, he’s shown back on the beach with his arms around the ladies next to Mr Fuji (in full derby hat and coattails). Muraco says he’s got prettier women, a prettier country (didn’t know Hawaii was its own country) and he’s better looking. Fuji chimes in saying Muraco is the best before we get to our first match.

 

 

Match 1

 

Junkyard Dog and Ricky Steamboat vs Mr Fuji and Don “The Magnificent” Muraco

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

 August 17, 1985 in the Capitol Center in Landover, MD was the date for the semi-retired Fuji to step in the ring with his protégé against a makeshift team of two popular stars in the Dog and Steamboat. Dog is in the red tights, Steamboat black, Muraco and Fuji in standard. The heels cut the faces off as soon as they hit the ring. Fuji has Steamboat in one corner and Muraco with Dog in the other. The faces reverse whips and sends Muraco and Fuji into each other. Steamboat pounds on Fuji while still wearing his karate gi. Ricky takes his black belt off and chokes Fuji with it. Finally Monsoon and Ventura can be heard on commentary. Its funny because up to this point in the previous 10 videos, this announce combination had yet to be used. This has the feel of Wrestlemania (they did 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 together) to it with them on commentary. Dog does his doggie headbutts on the ground to Muraco. Monsoon references Muraco choking out Steamboat with the belt on a previous show. Steamboat then sets his sights on Muraco while Dog stalks Mr. Fuji. Steamboat throws Muraco off the ropes then chokes him with the belt before whipping him with it. Finally referee Dick Woehrle pulls the belt away from Ricky and Steamboat takes his gi off. Monsoon and Ventura ask if the bell ever rang and obviously it didn’t.  Steamboat unloads on Muraco and sends him through the ropes and to the outside. Ricky follows him to the floor and throws him into the ring post. Dog drops Fuji in the ring as Ricky sends Muraco over the steel guardrail with a right hand. Junkyard doggie headbutts Fuji on the ground inside the ring as Steamboat chucks Muraco into the third row. Dog bites Fuji in the ring which causes him to bail to the outside as Steamboat runs into the ring and jumps out of it on the other side to chase Fuji down. Steamboat atomic drops Fuji on the floor as Dog comes over to clock Muraco who had made his way back to ringside. Dog tosses Muraco back inside as Steamboat makes his way to the top rope. Ricky catches Muraco with a flying karate chop then drops another one on him. We get a TAPE EDIT and both Muraco and Steamboat are dazed on the floor. Muraco makes his way over to tag Fuji as Steamboat crawls into the wrong corner. Fuji stuns Steamboat with his own karate chops and a scoop slam. Fuji does a falling headbutt to the gonads and is NOT dq’d for it showing how in the 80’s, anything goes really. Fuji makes the tag to Muraco who drops Steamboat with a clothesline. Muraco throws Ricky into his corner and distracts Woehrle and the Dog long enough for Fuji to choke Steamboat in the corner. Ventura shills the intelligence of Muraco to stand in front of Woehrle so Fuji can go to work. Muraco makes the tag who continues to chop away at Ricky. Fuji goes for the nervehold and we get another TAPE EDIT to Steamboat making the hot tag to JYD while Muraco is in the ring. Dog unloads on Muraco in the corner and drops an intruding Fuji as well.  Dog rams their heads together and decks Muraco with a clothesline. Steamboat cheers from the second rope as Dog covers Muraco for 1….2…no, close but no. JYD executes a Russian leg sweep  but the cover only gets two. JYD drops Muraco twice with shoulderblocks but is nailed from the back by Fuji with a karate kick. Dog crumples to the mat and Muraco drops a series of elbows on him. Muraco senses victory and sends Dog off but eats a boot to the head (yeah yeah) for his trouble. Steamboat gets the hot tag and unloads on Muraco with chops and right hands. Steamboat staggers Muraco into the corner where Fuji gets the blind tag. Steamboat sends Muraco off who ducks under a chop, but Steamboat leapfrogs over him. Fuji reaches into his tights for salt but Steamboat dropkicks Muraco into Fooj and the salt flies everywhere. Steamboat sunset flips Fuji and Woehrle is smart enough to know he’s the legal man…1….2…3 and its over. After the match Fuji and Muraco get Dog tied up in the ropes and they go to work on Steamboat. They both lock in a nerve hold until Dog breaks free, grabs his chain, enters the ring and cleans house. Muraco and Fuji bail as we end it there. Bad match due to the drastic editing and it didn’t highlight Fuji at all, which was supposed to be the point.

 

 

Time of match: Who knows

 

Winners: Ricky Steamboat and Junkyard Dog by pinfall

 

 

Next up is “Luscious” Johnny Valiant. We’re shown an interview on TNT with Vince interviewing Valiant with protégé Brutus Beefcake next to him. Vince asks Johnny why Beefcake chose him and not the other managers around. Johnny cuts a promo saying Beefcake knows talent and has good taste. Vince asks him why Beefcake is so successful and Johnny says the combination of the two. Johnny “Nobody’s going to give him a bum steer while I’m around.” That could be taken the wrong way easily. Anyway let’s see Johnny in the ring.

 

 

Match 2

 

“Luscious” Johnny Valiant vs Steve Lombardi

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

  This is actually from the same card as the first one in the Capitol Center on August 17, 1985. Lombardi is now known as Brooklyn Brawler although he’s always been a jobber. Heenan brings up how Johnny and JERRY Valiant won the WWF tag team belts in 1979. I can’t make this up, they brought in veteran John “The Stomper” Hill to become Jerry Valiant to replace “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant after Jimmy contacted hepatitis. Then when Jimmy recovered, they defended the belts as a six man using the Freebird rule until Jerry left the company. Lombardi is in the back trunks while Valiant dons the long black tights. Valiant threatens the crowd  before locking up. A go-behind by Lombardi is countered with a right hand by Valiant. Johnny chokes Lombardi on the second rope, goes outside and grabs a camera cable. He chokes him with it and the ref does absolutely nothing. Back inside Valiant tosses Lombardi through the ropes and to the outside. Valiant moves Monsoon’s tv monitor and rams Lombardi face first into the announce table. Johnny chokes Lombardi on the guard rail and rams his head against it. Ventura says he hasn’t seen Valiant wrestle in a while but he’s glad that Johnny V is the same heel Jesse remembers. Johnny climbs on the apron and kicks Lombardi back into the steel. Johnny brings Lombardi into the crowd and slams him on the concrete floor to a big pop. As Valiant makes his way back to the ring and poses, you would think HE’S the babyface judging by the crowd pop. Valiant gets back in the ring but the referee doesn’t count at all. Lombardi hobbles back to the ring, pulls Valiant underneath the bottom rope and clocks him with a right hand. Lombardi rams Valiant’s head into the steel and chases him back into the crowd then scoop slams him on the concrete. Lombardi runs back to the ring but Dick Woehrle refuses to count out Johnny. Valiant stumbles back to ringside but Lombardi catches him with forearms to the chest. Steve rams Johnny into the buckle then brings him in the hard way. Lombardi rallies with right hands but Valiant reverses a whip and sends Steve into the corner where Johnny clotheslines him down. Johnny drops an elbow and covers for 1..2….3 and its over. After the bell Johnny throws him through the ropes and to the outside as the announcer gets in to announce Valiant has won. Why couldn’t they have done something similar for Fuji instead of showing him jobbing to Steamboat? Oh yeah, he’s asian and Valiant is white.

 

 

Time of match: 4:34

Winner: Johnny Valiant by pinfall

 

 

Let’s go back in time to see a younger, much slimmer Muraco being managed by the flamboyant Grand Wizard of wrestling. Vince McMahon in a blue suit interviews Wizard (who’s wearing pants with one pantleg yellow and the other green) and Muraco at ringside. Muraco is in standard blue trunks with a blue warmup jacket. Wizard says he and Muraco are together as a team. He says it’s the fans honor and privilege to get to see Muraco here. He says that not only is Don the best surfer but also the best wrestler. Wizard sends it to Muraco who calls himself not only an athlete but an artist as well. Muraco says he’s the greatest wrestling machine and he’s given up surfing to be the best wrestler. Muraco cuts a decent promo before sending it back to Wizard. Muraco sheds his ring jacket to show is good physique but it was nowhere near what he would later become. Vince asks why he aligned himself with Wizard and Muraco says he needed someone intelligent. He says he needed Wizard to help him hurt people and to break his opponents. Don gets some heel heat by saying the fans know about suffering since they live in this “dirty area”. Wizard closes by saying that Muraco will take on all comers and we cut here. I didn’t get to describe Wizard much in BIGGEST, SMALLEST, STRANGEST, STRONGEST other than the type of manager he was. His real name was Ernie Roth and he was never a wrestler himself. He was famous for being the mouthpiece of The Sheik (Eddie Farhat, not the Iron) during the territorial era. Eventually he made his way to New York and became one of the “unholy trio” of heel managers along with Captain Lou and Freddie Blassie. There’s a famous picture of the three of them behind a teenager named Paul Heyman, who would become a great heel manager of his own. Unfortunately Wizard died of a heart attack on October 12, 1983 at the age of 57, robbing the world of one of the greatest heel managers ever. After he died, Muraco would then take on Mr Fuji as his manager while Ernie’s other protégé, Sgt Slaughter, would salute his empty corner for a while.

 

Now its Freddie Blassie’s turn. We’re shown The Unamericanz promo at Wrestlemania 1 but Heenan talks over it. Onto the actual match from Wrestlemania.

 

 

Match 3

 

The Un-Americanz (Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik) with Freddie Blassie vs The US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo) with Captain Lou Albano for the WWF Tag Team Championship

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

 This match is clipped for this tape’s purposes. We pick up at the point where Volkoff hits a knee to the mid-section, boots him on the ground and rams Rotundo’s head once again into Sheik’s boot. The heels double team Rotundo before Sheik applies an abdominal stretch as the camera pans to Blassie and Albano trading invectives. Rotundo escapes and Volkoff tags in but Mike finally makes it to Windham, who fires away at Nikolai with fists and a dropkick. Windham hits the bulldog and covers for 1..2…nope, Sheik cuts him off. Rotundo gets in and dropkicks Sheik to the floor but Blassie sneaks the cane into Sheik’s hands. The ref is distracted by Rotundo as Sheik breaks the cane over the back of Windham who crumbles to the floor. Nikolai rolls him over and covers for 1….2…3 and we got new tag team champions. Sheik becomes the first man since Pedro Morales to be World champion and tag team champion. We’re shown the instant replay of the victory and we go to the post-match interview. Mean Gene interviews the new champs and scoffs at Blassie for using the cane. Freddie “Cane? What cane? I didn’t have no cane!” Heenan’s voiceover says “Ahhh Freddie, a little white lie.” before Sheik and Volkoff finish their interview.  I personally would have shown Sheik beating Backlund for the WWF title but I guess it was already seen on video so this match was something new I guess.

 

Time of match: An edited 2:16

Winners: Sheik and Volkoff by pinfall (new Tag Team champion)

 

   We head right on in to the next match.

 

 

Match 4

 

George “The Animal” Steele (with Captain Lou Albano) vs Nikolai Volkoff (with Freddie Blassie)

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Alfred Hays

 

   July 13, 1985 in Madison Square Garden saw this unique matchup of the unpredictable Steele against the big Russian. Volkoff sings the Soviet Union anthem and is pelted with garbage until Steele and Albano hit the ring to stop the singing. Steele chases everyone including Howard Finkel out of the ring. Volkoff and Blassie are irate outside the ring as Steele taunts them from inside. Albano calms down Steele and George takes his t-shirt off. Albano exits as the bell dings and we’re under way. Volkoff taunts the crowd and George himself as Steele just looks at him. Steele does the Animal taunt that sends Nikolai bailing for the apron to consult with Blassie. More Animal taunting sends Volkoff  bailing for the apron again. Back inside Blassie distracts George long enough for Nikolai to get a boot to the gut in the corner. Nikoali unloads but Steele rallies with forearms to the back. Steele bites Nikolai on the nose and stuns the Russian. Nikolai recovers and stomps Steele in the corner. A running stomp and a knee drop sends Steele to the mat before Nikolai gets in a few more stomps. Steele nails Volkoff with a sucker punch to the gonads and the ref misses it. Monsoon says it should have been a DQ and Steele then bites open the top turnbuckle, his signature. Alfred “He’s going for his favorite junk food.” Wow, a funny one liner from Alfred. He was actually good in the 80’s commentaries, how’d he get so boring in the 90’s? Steele grabs a handful of stuffings and rakes Volkoff in the face with it. Steele applies a headlock but is distracted by Blassie again allowing Volkoff to nail him with forearms to the back. Albano hops up on the apron to protest which allows Blassie to nail George in the ribs with his cane three times. Nikolai continues to attack Steele inside the ring as Albano confronts Blassie outside of it. Nikolai chokes George in the corner as Blassie nails Albano in the back with the cane. Steele bails to the outside and Blassie nails him with the cane. Steele stalks Blassie by the announce table but Volkoff nails him from behind and sends him into the steel guardrail. Nikolai nails George with forearms while Albano can take no more and rakes Blassie’s eyes. Blassie and Volkoff bail to the back as the bell rings, signaling a double count-out. Steele and Albano give chase as Howard Finkel announces the decision. Some fans wondered why Blassie didn’t take a bump or two and the answer was Blassie was 67 years old with bad knees at the time. Funny how Albano was 50, Steele was 48 and Nikolai was the youngest at 37. Blassie wrote in his book that Albano was like his little brother so it must have been fun to work with him in this one. Bad match but it highlighted the managers so it served its purpose.

 

 

Time of match: 4:17

Winner: No one (Double countout)

 

 

Let’s switch gears to the “Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart. We’re on the set of TNT with Jimmy and his new protégé Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. Valentine was previously managed by Lou Albano until Captain Lou turned face and the heel Valentine went with Jimmy, the new man in town fresh from his tour of the Memphis and Georgia territories. Greg is wearing a leather jacket, jeans, t-shirt, aviators and his IC belt while Jimmy has flamboyant shoes that Vince himself has the camera zoom in on. Valentine brings up Jimmy’s legitimate past with The Gentrys and their number one song “Keep on dancing”. He says Jimmy is REAL rock n roll, not the rock n wrestling that was going on at the time. Valentine says he knows Lou Albano is nothing but a slob and Lou was bringing him down. Vince asks what will happen at Wrestlemania when Valentine meets JYD (this must have been recorded before the first Wrestlemania). Jimmy hypes up Dog and says he’s going to use Another One Bites The Dust as his entrance theme but he and Greg will be playing it at the end after they win. Greg says JYD is the “baddest black athlete” a much more tuned down promo than his more infamous one that’s for sure. Valentine hits himself in the head with the belt to show how tough he is and he can withstand the Dog’s headbutts as Jimmy tries to stop him. Valentine says he’s been champ for 6 months and his win over Tito Santana was no fluke. He calls himself the best champion and not that “chump” Hulk Hogan. He says he and Jimmy will be together for a long, long time. That was no BS, they were together for 5 solid years before Valentine split from Jimmy and still lasted another year without him. Valentine left in 1992 and Hart left in 1993, 7 and 8 years respectively. Paul Heyman was  with Brock Lesnar for 6 months in 2002 and CM Punk for a little under a year between 2012-13, compare that with Hart and Valentine together for 5 years. Anyway, Vince asks Jimmy why Greg is so confident and Jimmy says he’s got Valentine in great shape. He claims Greg was 265 pounds when he was with Lou and now he’s 250 pounds under his tutelage. Vince asks Jimmy if Greg doesn’t win, would he take credit for the loss. Jimmy scoffs and puts his hands over Greg’s ears saying “don’t even talk like that.” Haha! We end as Jimmy and Greg proclaim victory for Wrestlemania.

 

Switching gears again to Cyndi Lauper. The hottest female pop star was managing Wendi Richter for a while and now we’re shown highlights of Richter’s battle with Fabulous Moolah from Brawl To End It All. Its heavily clipped to just 2 minutes and not worth going over again. Basically Richter beats Moolah and she selects Leilani Kai as a protégé to get the title off of Wendi, which she eventually does. Now we go to the Wrestlemania 1 pre-recorded interviews. Okerlund interviews Lauper and Richter then Cyndi in her thick Brooklyn accent she’s gonna get her hands on Moolah. Richter says she’s gonna get her belt back as the camera cuts off allowing Moolah and Leilani to enter. Moolah is wearing flamboyant glasses and Okerlund says don’t tell Ventura about them so he doesn’t get any ideas. Leilani says she’s going to beat Richter by any means necessary. Now we cut to highlights of the women’s match and once again its heavily clipped and not worth repeating blow for blow. Richter pins Leilani to win the women’s title.

 

Switching gears to Bobby Heenan. We’re shown the pre-recorded interview for Wrestlemania…..wow. This whole tape was centered around Wrestlemania before and after it seems. Studd and Heenan enter with the duffel bag of money and its funny to see Okerlund try to stick his hand in as Heenan swats it away. Heenan “There’s only 2 people that are gonna see this money, me and Studd….make it 3, the teller at the bank when we deposit the money.” We’re shown the end of the Wrestlemania match where Andre slams Studd, grabs the bag of money, throws some of it around and watches it get stolen by Heenan. Now we’re going to TNT where Bobby Heenan gives love advice. Remember BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS where Blassie, Albano and Johnny V did it? Now its Bobby’s turn. Bobby is wearing a fresh white suit with a heart for his lapel while Vince looks to be in gray corduroy. Bobby says he doesn’t usually do this as Vince says no one has done it and this is the first time. So Bobby was first huh? The first letter says wrestlers are supposedly great lovers and asks why that is. Bobby says its true and wrestlers are the second best lovers in the world. Vince asks who’s first and Bobby answers the managers. Vince “I should have known that” The next question comes from a 69 year old lady who says her husband doesn’t want her anymore and asks what can she do. Bobby says to hop out of the rocker, rip off the wool shawl she’s wearing, take the bun out of her hear, take the corrective hose off and put on some cologne. Heenan says “You know the cologne ‘evening in Paris’ well hers is probably ‘afternoon in the Bronx’. Bobby says he finds this boring and Vince says these are legitimate questions. Vince says the final letter reads that the woman’s husband has a 6 inch…scar on his face that’s a turnoff. Vince cracks up and can’t complete the letter, even the background camera guys can be heard laughing. Vince composes himself just long enough to finish asking what the wife can do to overcome the 6 incher. Heenan cracks a smile but still remains in character as Vince continues to crack up. Bobby “The way she writes and the way she talks about her husband, she should be thankful her husband has 6 inches of anything. On his face, in the back yard or in the garage.” This causes Vince to crack up again but then composes himself to ask that wrestlers have scars, even Heenan. Bobby answers he’s not after old ladies or this one complaining about looks. Vince asks what she can do and Heenan answers that she can wear blinders or glasses or put a bag over his head. Haha! Vince says we’re through here and we’ll be back with the Iron Sheik next. That could have been the harem party covered in Bloopers but its not shown on this tape. On to the next bout.

 

 

Match 5

 

Andre the Giant vs “Big” John Studd with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

 

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

 

  This looks to be the exact same arena as the other matches on this tape but Monsoon says we’re in Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada to see the giants battle it out. We’re joined in progress as Studd and Andre are locked up. Studd works over the left arm as Andre grabs the hair and headbutts him. Another headbutt stuns Studd but John counters a backdrop by dropping the giant with a kick to the head. Studd drops two elbows as Heenan hops up on the apron with a pair of scissors. He hands Studd the scissors but Andre grabs Studd’s wrist and bites it. Andre headbutts and chops Studd then kicks Heenan who attempts to retrieve the scissors. Andre punches him out of the ring and grabs the scissors. He grabs Studd, punches him and slams him to the mat. He goes to cut Studd’s hair as Ventura scoffs….but have no fear Jesse for Bundy is here. King Kong Bundy makes his way to the ring and nails Andre just as he’s finished cutting a strand of hair off. Bundy repeatedly nails Andre with forearms as Studd gathers his bearings. Andre tries to fight back but Studd tackles him to the ground, allowing Bundy to land a big splash. Studd continues to hold the legs and Bundy splashes Andre again….and again. The ref tries to get Bundy out of there but to no avail as Heenan whips Bundy who splashes Andree for a 4^th time. Cousin Junior, Rick McGraw, The Killer Bees and Lanny Poffo (none of which have yet to appear on video at this point) hit the ring to save Andre. Studd is irate at Andre cutting a bit of his hair as Bundy and Heenan try to calm him down in the entrance way. Bundy was fast becoming a monster heel and this match is what set up the big Saturday Night’s Main Event showndown between Andre and Hogan teaming against Bundy and Studd. By the way, “Quick Draw” Rick McGraw passed away on November 1st, 1985 shortly before this video was released. A shame he went so soon.

 

 

 

Time of match: Joined in progress

 

Winner: Andre the Giant by DQ

 

 

Now for one of the most famous and important segments in wrestling history. Free agent heel “Macho Man” Randy Savage has entered the WWF and is looking for a manager, marking this as his first appearance on Coliseum Video. He had been signed away from Memphis and he was last seen losing a Loser Leaves match to Jerry Lawler on June 7^, 1985. We’re shown the July 19, 1985 episode of WWF where Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart and Freddie Blassie make their pitches to sign the Macho Man. Bobby shakes Randy’s hand and hypes him up as the most sought after star. Bobby claims he’s the number one manager which causes Jimmy Hart to laugh at him and Blassie to point out that Paul Orndorff fired him on live tv (without mentioning Orndorff by name). Heenan was supposed to be Orndorff’s manager despite his run with Piper so when he and Piper split, he and Heenan split as well. Heenan brings up how The Unamericans lost the WWF tag belts (back to Windham and Rotundo also not mentioned by name) while Blassie counters that at least his crew had them. Savage himself is the voice of reason to clam the heel managers down. Heenan asks if Randy likes the way he dresses and his style of living and says he can improve it. Heenan’s sales pitch is that he can make Savage a rich man soon and Randy says “He’s got a pojnt. This guy here is smart!” Heenan says that they should sign up and go but Jimmy and Freddie stop him. Jimmy Hart speaks next and says opportunity has knocked. Jimmy’s sales pitch is that while everyone else is spending money hand over fist, he can SAVE Savage a lot of money by shopping at K-Mart. Normally this is a ridiculous sales pitch but because Jimmy is so entertaining he pulls it off and has Savage almost convinced to sign up. Bobby “You wanna go shopping a Beverly Hills with me or go shopping at K-Mart with Jimmy?” Jimmy “Shop at K-Mart baby, save your money.” Savage “They’re confusing me man.” Vince says “I guess Jimmy is agreeing to work for less money” and Jimmy agrees. Hart brings up how he’s managing Bundy, Valentine and the Hart Foundation and Savage would be an excellent addition. Heenan “That’s a birdcall you just heard, its called cheap.” Savage says Bobby as a sense of humor and Jimmy counters with “10,000 comedians are out of work and Bobby’s trying to be one.” Finally its Blassie’s turn. He says he’s the only one who’s managed a world champion and he can get Savage as many diamonds as he wants. He pulls out a huge wad that looks to be 3 grand in cash and say that would be Randy’s walking around money. He guarantees Savage would make more money than ever and would be wearing outlandish attire to the ring. Jimmy laughs at Blassie as Savage takes his shirt off and poses for everyone. Blassie says he’ll pay 25% more than anyone else and won’t take a penny until Savage is world champion. Savage says that sounds good as Vince says we’re cutting to commercial. We then cut to Savage’s match which sets up which manager he chooses.

 

 

Match 6

 

Jim Young vs “Macho Man” Randy Savage with Freddie Blassie, Jimmy Hart, Mr. Fuji, Johnny Valiant and Bobby Heenan

 

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino

 

 We finally find out who Randy’s manager is….right after this squash match from July 30, 1985. Savage has all the heel managers with him as he makes his entrance wearing the green tights. Savage starts with an arm drag and a distraction by the bevy of managers has Young’s back turned long enough for Randy to get in a knee to the back. Randy throws him out of the ring and goes up to the top rope where he hits the flying axehandle. Randy tosses Jim back in and delayed suplexes him to the center of the ring. Savage goes upstairs and drops the FLYING ELBOW. The cover gets 1…..2….3 good night. Simple squash which served its purpose.

 

Time of match: 1:14

 

Winner: Randy Savage by pinfall

 

 

After the match, all the managers gather in the ring as Savage grabs the mic. He thanks everyone for their support and shills each and every one of them. Savage then says he’s the future WWF world champion (good call) and his manager is behind the door. He’s pointing toward the entrance of the arena meaning his manager is NOT amongst the heels in the ring. A spotlight shows on the orange double doors and Savage says “Here…SHE comes.” The doors open and out walks an absolutely gorgeous lady. Even Bruno on commentary is taken aback by her looks and of course Vince drools over her. Savage shows her off around the ring and all the managers nod in approval. Savage exits with his new valet before she even gets a name. As if you couldn’t guess, that was 24 year old Miss Elizabeth, Randy’s real life wife. There had been several valets in the territories such as Baby Doll, Sunshine, Lady Alexandra, Prescious, Woman, Dark Journey, etc but the WWF never really had one…until now. Savage dropped a bombshell by forgoing the male managers for a valet, one that he kept for the next 4 years.

 

From the beautiful to the ugly, we go from Miss Elizabeth to the hillbillies. They get their own tape which happens to be the next one in line so I’ll explain in more detail who they are on that one. Right now we’re shown highlights of their debut. September 10, 1985 saw Jim lead his “uncle” and “cousin” to the ring to tackle “Cowboy” Bob Orton’s real life brother Barry and jobber Jerry. I’ll tell the whole story on the next tape but the short version is Hillbilly Jim broke his leg while chasing Brutus Beefcake around ringside during a match. While he was recovering, Uncle Elmer and Cousin Junior took his place in the ring while Jim became the manager. Elmer was ring veteran Stan Frazier and Junior was rookie Lanny Kean who had spent 2 years in Kentucky. All 3 hillbillies are wearing overalls although Elmer’s only go down to his knees while the other two have full body overalls. They jug dance in the ring to overdubbed jugband music as a short Kevin McHale lookalike claps in the crowd. Jim makes his exit as Barry shouts invectives at him. Vince makes note that Hillbilly Jim was in the running for manager of the year which will be decided after the match. Vince asks Jesse who he thinks and Jesse goes with Bobby Heenan for trading The Missing Link and Adrian Adonis for King Kong Bundy. Let’s rewind a bit shall we? Dick Murdoch had left the company leaving Adonis all alone. The Missing Link started in the WWF in May of 1985. One month later, Heenan Family member Ken Patera was convicted of the assault charge that happened the year prior and was sent to prison. Heenan took Adonis to make up for the loss of Patera but his style didn’t fit with Heenan. With Jimmy managing The Hart Foundation, Bundy and Greg Valentine and Heenan down to just Studd, Adonis and Link, the two managers made a trade that sent Bundy to the Heenan Family and Link and Adonis to Hart’s First Family. Now Jimmy had The Foundation, Adonis, Link and Valentine while Heenan had just Studd and Bundy, but the two were the 2 biggest guys in the company behind Andre so it looked to be an even trade. Link left the company a month later and Greg Valentine somehow went from Jimmy Hart to Johnny V. Valentine teamed with Brutus Beefcake to become The Dream Team, which dethroned The US Express for the tag belts shortly before this match. Which brings me to my next point was so much turnover happened in the middle of 1985 that tapes like this were a double edged sword because the casual fans were confused as they were seeing Valentine with Jimmy Hart one minute then Greg with Johnny V the next. The segment cuts after a few shoulderblocks by Elmer on Orton. The actual match will be featured in the upcoming tape so I’ll review it then without the rant I just typed out.

 

Now back to TNT with Vince interviewing Jimmy Hart and Freddie Blassie the same night as when the two of them (along with Heenan) tried to acquire the services of Randy Savage. Vince tries to cause dissention between the two managers but they poo-poo that idea. Hart blames Heenan and Blassie says Hart’s like a brother to him. Vince stirs the pot by saying Blassie called Hart a cut-rate manager and Blassie says to Jimmy not to listen to Vince and Captain Lou is a slob (a reference thrown out of nowhere but still funny). Vince says Albano could win manager of the year and Hart says if he does, he’ll demand a recount. Vince asks what it would mean to Freddie if he won and Freddie tells Alfred (who’s off-screen) to shut up. He says it doesn’t matter if he wins as long as the women stops sending him love letters. Vince asks Jimmy what it would mean to him and Jimmy says it would be the greatest day of his life. Jimmy says he IS a cut-rate manager as he saves money for him and his clients. He brings up a great point about baseball players getting paid so much just to get hurt. We cut right there and the purpose of this was to set up the next segment where the 1985 Manager of the Year is revealed.

 

September 10, 1985, the same day as the hillbillies/Barry O showdown saw the manager of the year ceremony take place. King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd stand guard outside the ring while Bobby Heenan, Captain Lou and Hillbilly Jim stand next to the trophy with “Mean” Gene Okerlund our MC for the evening. Okerlund says the WWF has received one million votes and thanks the fans but Heenan grabs the mic. Heenan reels off the heel managers and says they all gave up their votes for Heenan to win. Added with Heenan’s votes alone, Heenan gets 519,711 votes. Bobby proclaims himself the manager of the year and grabs the trophy. Hillbilly Jim asks how many votes he has and Okerlund answers he has 316,428 votes. He asks how many Lou has and 314,166 is the total. Jim then gives up his votes to Lou which means…oh yes…CAPTAIN LOU ALBANO has won the 1985 WWF Manager of the Year award. Heenan goes beserk as Jim congratulates Captain. Heenan then nails Albano with the trophy as Okerlund hightails it out of there. Studd and Bundy hit the ring and suddenly Jim is down 2 against 1. Studd tackles Jim and Bundy splashes him again and again like we saw with Andre earlier in the tape. Heenan smashes the trophy. Bundy splashes Jim again but finally Junior and Elmer make their appearance. The Heenan family bail to the back as the hillbillies tend to Jim and Albano. Great way to maintain heel heat by Heenan’s crew.

 

Before we get to our next part, Heenan calls Albano a blob and says a future tape is on the way highlighting Albano. I’ll get to that in the future but for now we go back to a TNT interview back when Lou was a heel. Vince asks why Albano isn’t managing the tag team champions and Lou answers his team will be champions again. Albano brings up his appearance in Cyndi Lauper’s videos and takes credit for making her a superstar. Lou “I made her, because what woman ever made it on her own, heh heh.”  Vince suggests that his recent foray into music has rendered him ineffective as a wrestling manager and Albano scoffs. He says the Wild Samoans blame him for losing to the Soul Patrol but he says the Samoans should have won. Lou claims that Cyndi is schizophrenic but he can handle it which causes Alfred (off-screen) to laugh. He claims he has a high IQ of 157 and he has a genius brain. Vince asks Albano how much money he takes from Cyndi and the Samoans and he claims Lauper should be paying HIM for his services which causes Vince to cut right then and there. I don’t know why but heel Albano was always 100 times funnier than his cartoonish persona as a babyface. On to the final match on the tape.

 

 

Match 7

 

Captain Lou Albano and Afa vs Andre the Giant and Pedro Morales

 

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson(??)

 

   We go back in time to August 23, 1980 at the Philadelphia Spectrum to see Afa and Lou challenge the team of future and past WWF champions Andre and Pedro. Was Sika out sick that day or something? Andre is in the blue tights, Pedro in bright orange with Afa in his standard with Albano wearing a similar style to Afa only blue instead of black. Andre sneaks over and rams Afa and Lou’s heads together and Afa barely sells it while Lou just stomps his feet, dances and exits the ring…..wow. We get a TAPE EDIT and now Afa is backing Pedro in the corner where Albano chokes him from behind. Afa goes for the big left hand but Morales moves and Albano takes the punch. Albano gets in the ring and shouts “What the hell you doin?” The unnamed announcer says “heck” to cover up for Albano’s 1970’s curse in case children were watching. Afa pleads his case but Lou leaves and we get another TAPE EDIT where once again Afa backs Morales into their corner. Afa pounds away before Albano tag in. Lou attacks with right hands but when he gets hit, he bails and tags in Afa. Morales grabs Lou by the hair before Afa stops him with a headbutt. Another TAPE EDIT has Albano tagging back in with a forearm to the back of Morales. Another forearm is followed with a scoop slam but Morales takes him down and tags in Andre. Albano retreats to his corner and tags in Afa. Andre greets Afa with a giant punch and a giant boot. The announcers continue to laugh rather than commentate. Andre does his ass spot which causes more laughter then Andre stands on Afa’s hair. Andre puts his head down and eats a kick to the head. Afa drops the giant and chokes him on the second rope. Afa nails Andre with a headbutt before locking in a nerve hold. Andre counters but Albano tags in. Lou kicks away at Andre until the giant stands on his foot. Andre headbutts Albano twice which causes Lou to stagger in the wrong corner. Andre rams Lou’s head into the buckle then tags in Morales. Lou is busted open and Morales cleans house. Morales rams Lou’s head into Afa’s and Albano tippietoes out of the ring and to the back leaving Afa all alone. Morales whips Afa into the giant boot of Andre then makes the cover for 1…2…3 and its over. Terrible, clipped match and all it did was make Albano look bad. Still, there’s no “best of” in the title so the lack of good matches is somewhat expected.

 

 

Time of match: Who cares?

 

Winners: Andre and Pedro by pinfall

 

 

The credits roll and afterwards we get Gene Okerlund this time narrating the previews for BEST OF WWF VOLUME 5, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN LOU ALBANO and TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS. Guess THE WRESTLING CLASSIC gets the shaft. As for this tape, it was mostly a mess. They had to cram about 7-8 managers into an hour and a half and just as easily could have devoted the entire tape to a few of them. Hell, Captain Lou gets one all to himself very soon. A shame Bobby Heenan didn’t get his own for another 25 years (and even then it was a lackluster dvd). Still, the purpose was to highlight the managers and it did just that. Not much more you can ask for. Back then male managers were just as important as the wrestlers they managed and that’s why these guys were legendary. I give it 3 stars out of 5 with 2 points off for lack of good matches and it was a production mess at some times. The next tape after this is WRESTLING’S COUNTRY BOYS so we’ll pick up there.

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.

Rowdy Roddy Piper’s Greatest Hits (WF009)

ROWDY RODDY PIPER’S GREATEST HITS (WF009)

After BIGGEST, SMALLEST, STRANGEST, STRONGEST comes the profile tape of the one and only “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. A trend had started in World Class Championship Wrestling a few years prior of highlighting the heels as much as the babyfaces. The Fabulous Freebirds even got a legendary music video out of it. Over in the WWF, this would be the first time a major heel would get his own profile tape. After Hogan and Andre, the top bad guy was Roddy Piper and this would be highlighting his greatest hits I would imagine. Cue the 1985 opening montage before being welcomed by “Mean” Gene Okerlund who’s our host today. He brings up the 2 previous profile tapes (HULKAMANIA and ANDRE THE GIANT) and says this one’s different because he and Piper don’t get along (kayfabe). Gene complains about the title of this tape and runs him down. We are then shown a few still highlights of Piper before Gene sends us to our first Piper’s Pit.

Before I get started, talk shows in wrestling have been commonplace but the most prolific (and many consider to be the ONLY good one) was Piper’s Pit. There was Buddy’s Corner hosted by Buddy Rogers a few years earlier but other than Jimmy Snuka turning face, you had a general idea of what kind of a show it was. With Piper’s Pit you had no idea what was going to happen on the show. Would the babyface interviewed get beat up, would Piper get beat up, would he go nose to nose with a heel or support him, who knew? He was so entertaining on the mic that the show became a phenomenon and many tried to recreate it. There was Jake Roberts’ Snake Pit, Reo’s Roundup (Brother Love doing a Dusty Rhodes impersonation), Jerry Lawler’s King’s Court, Shawn Michaels’ Heartbreak Hotel, Dude Love’s Love Shack, Carlito’s Cabana, Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel, Brutus Beefcake’s The Barber Shop, Edge’s The Cutting Edge, Christian’s The Peep Show, The Brother Love Show and on and on. Save for a few moments when Honky Tonk Man bashed Roberts in the head with a real guitar on Snake Pit and Shawn Michaels throwing Marty Jannetty through a window on The Barber Shop, nothing of real importance or excitement happened on these other shows. Meanwhile on Piper’s Pit, something new and exciting would happen every week. Our first one goes back to March 1984 with Piper interviewing Andre the Giant. Piper asks Andre where he comes from and Andre doesn’t answer. Piper asks if he speaks English and then asks very slowly where Andre comes from. Andre “Its none of your business.” Piper then apologizes and will try to ask easier questions then says Andre has a big body but teeny tiny brain. Piper asks Andre if John Studd slammed him and Andre answers “never”. Piper repeats the question and Andre fires back “Do you understand English or not, I already said no one time.” Piper gets heated and says he can slam Andre as the big guy gets up and grabs Piper by his shirt, lifting him off the ground. Piper tried to get his shirt off but Andre rips it off and throws him off the set before leaving. Piper goes beserk but the mic misses a portion of what he says. Piper then challenges Andre and says “YOU DO NOT THROW ROCKS AT A MAN WHO’S GOT A MACHINE GUN!” Mean Gene’s voiceover says after that incident, a confrontation would be inevitable and we’re sent to our first match.

 

Match 1

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Dr D” David Schultz vs Andre The Giant and “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Pat Patterson

   March 20, 1984 in Madison Square Garden, a year and 11 days before Wrestlemania 1. The two top heels go after a formidable tag team to be honest. Why Andre and Snuka never got a run at Adonis/Murdoch or the Samoans I don’t know. Snuka and Schultz are in their normal gear while Piper dons the green tights and Andre in the red. We start out with Andre as Piper pats David and says go get em…hahahaha. A smiling Andre backs Schultz into the ropes and he begs off. After a TAPE EDIT, Piper tags in. Piper stalls to tease the crowd before tagging Schultz back in. David gets in a side headlock but gets sent off the ropes, Andre drops down and sticks his ass up. Schultz runs into it (like Muraco in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS) and crumples to the mat like he ran into a brick wall. Patterson jokes that Snuka is probably saying “What a great partner, I don’t have to do nothing.” Piper gets him on his feet and shouts more words of encouragement. Schultz then attacks Andre from behind and goes to work in the corner with punches and eye rakes. Piper screams for the tag and gets it before picking up where D left off. Piper throws more punches but Andre doesn’t sell any of them before delivering a big punch of his own that sends Piper flying backwards. Piper charges into the corner to throw more punches where another Andre punch sends him staggering into the ropes. Undaunted, Piper continues to unload in the corner before a giant headbutt spirals Piper into the corner where D tags back in. Schultz continues to attack in the corner with chops and axehandles but the big guy barely sells anything. Andre nails Schultz with a punch then whips David into the opposite corner. Andre charges and shoulderblocks his opponent in the corner. Andre goes for another shoulderblock but eats knee. David drops and elbow but the nonchalant cover gets 1. Dave goes for another elbow but Andre gets the boot up. Piper interferes and referee Dick Woehrle holds him back as Snuka gets in to chase him away. Unfortunately for Jimmy when Woehrle tells him to beat a hasty retreat, Piper slips on some brass knuckles and wallops the big guy. Schultz tags Piper back in who hides the knux and stomps away on the fallen giant. Andre is busted wide open as D tags in to continue the beating. Piper tags back in and he goes to work on the open wound.  The heels make frequent tags to pound on Andre as Monsoon goes nuts on commentary. We get a TAPE EDIT and now a group of EMT’s are tending to Andre on the ground. Is the match over? Nobody is saying a word even though Piper is sitting on the top turnbuckle with D next to him. Police offers and EMT’s get Andre to his feet and proceed to assist him to the back. Piper and D raise each other’s hands in victory but Snuka gets in and says he’ll take them both on to a huge pop from the crowd. Monsoon says it’s the referee’s decision and he circles the ring much to the crowd’s delight. Woehrle asks Piper if he’s down with that and he says yes. Piper and Snuka lock up and Roddy drops Jimmy with a shoulderblock. 2 leap frogs and a big dropkick by Snuka floors Piper. Snuka attacks Schultz in the corner and Piper as he comes over to complain. Jimmy chops Piper and unloads with right hands on the ground. Jimmy cuts off a charging Schultz then rams him into Piper. Snuka rams Piper’s head into the top turnbuckle. 2 jumping headbutts drop both the heels and  goes to inflict more damage on Schultz but Piper stops the momentum with an eye poke. Roddy delivers a headlocked punch as D finally makes it back to the apron. A TAPE EDIT now has Piper decking Snuka with a knee lift but Snuka powers out of the attempt. Schultz tags in to deliver a forearm to the fallen Snuka. A cover by Schultz gets a 2 count and Snuka begins to revive. The crowd pops as Andre lumbers back to ring sized all taped up like a mummy. Andre charges into the ring and rams D and Roddy’s heads together. A giant punch sends Roddy out of the ring and a giant boot drops D inside. The ref has lost complete control as Andre delivers another giant boot to the doctor. Piper climbs on the apron only to be chopped off by Snuka. Andre chops Schultz who ironically does the Andre tie up into the ropes. Andre goes to slingshot Jimmy into the heels but they bail to the back. Andre rumbles to the back to give chase as the bell rings. Howard Finkel gets on the mic and announces Piper and Schultz win by disqualification. Huh? Monsoon scoffs and Patterson tries to reason that Andre came back when he wasn’t supposed to. Either way some biker chicks in the front row nod in approval as Schultz and Piper get the duke. Now this would have been a big time main event on a pay per view but ppv wouldn’t be an option for another year and a half. Great drama in this one even if it wasn’t catch-as-catch can. The internet geeks can stick it because drama and emotion mean a hell of a lot more than triple frankensteiners into sunset flips. One last thing of note, for once WWF lagged behind WCW. The combination of Bob Orton, Roddy Piper, David Schultz and Paul Orndorff would tag together and go after the common enemy in Hulk Hogan. Doesn’t this sound similar to a certain group of 4 heels that didn’t like Dusty Rhodes a year later in Mid-Atlantic? Yup, WWF had their own 4 Horsemen with Piper playing the role of Ric Flair a year before Flair’s crew formed. Unfortunately Vince missed his chance to cash in on the first heel supergroup but that was good news for Crockett. What might have been huh?

 

Time of match: Joined in progress

Winners: Piper and Schultz by DQ

 

 Now for arguably the second most famous Piper’s Pit where he interviews preliminary jobber Frankie Williams. Piper asks here he’s from and Frankie answers Columbus, Ohio. Piper says he’s never lost a match there and asks if he’s ever lost a match. Frankie says “Yeah.” Piper claims he’s never lost a match his whole career and says he can’t comprehend losing because you lose your edge, then goes on to say Frankie is the opposite as he’s never seen the guy win a match. Piper says he lacks the guts, he’s a coward and he should be making pizzas but Frankie cuts him off in broken English saying he’s not a coward. Piper tries to calm him down but Frank has none of it and says he’s always inside the ring no matter what and he’s not afraid of anyone. Piper “Ya got no room for nobody but you’re a lousy wrestler, its as simple as that!” Frank “I may be a lousy wrestler but I’m still in there, I’m not afraid of nobody…ahhh!” At this point Piper gets up and knocks Williams out of his chair and to the ground. Piper hammers away as Vince McMahon scoffs on commentary. Piper beats him up and throws him off the set. He sticks his face in the camera “Just when they think they got the answers, I change the questions!”  Once again this shows that Piper’s Pit was must see tv because you had no idea what the crazy bastard would do next.

Now Gene sends us to one of the more famous segments that led to the first Wrestlemania. Gene talks over Vince wearing a hideous beige suit and Alfred in a 70’s tuxedo. We are shown backstage at War To Settle The Score and Piper is behind Mr. T. War to Settle The Score was the sequel to Brawl To End It All on MTV. While Brawl was Richter vs Moolah with Cindy Lauper involved, this was Hogan vs Piper in their first big time encounter. Piper creeps up behind Mr. T and says “I know its Mr. T because its written on the back of your chair and I’m assuming its there so you don’t get lost!” Mr T starts to rise and Piper continues “You guys portray bad guys on your show and I would know as I’m a bad guy in real life so how does it feel to be portraying guys like myself?” Mr T “Boy you ain’t nothing man.” Piper and T go back and forth arguing who’s real and who’s phony which is hilarious considering one’s a pro wrestler and the other is an actor. Not to say Piper’s not a tough guy as he’s a former golden gloves boxer but still. Mr T says Piper only fights wimps and Piper counters that the only wimp he knows is Dave Wolfe, Cindy Lauper’s manager. T complains that Piper beat up Lauper and Piper says he’s an equal opportunitist. He makes fun of T’s shaved head and Lauper’s dye job then says the children of America must be sick to look up to him. T snaps and gets in Piper’s face. T’s manager or bodyguard holds him back and Piper points a finger saying “Don’t you mess with me man!” We cut there and now we get to the actual match from War To Settle The Score.

 

Match 2

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper (with Bob Orton) vs Hulk Hogan (with Cindy Lauper, Dave Wolfe and Lou Albano) for the WWF Heavyweight Championship

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Gene Okerlund

   The War To Settle The Score, February 18, 1985 in Madison Square Garden. The second of the big MTV wrestling shows following Brawl To End It All. Basically it was an hour and a half long special on MTV centered around this one match where everyone from wrestlers to media personalities alike weighed in on the match. The heels backed Piper while guys like Danny Devito, Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister and babyfaces backed the Hulkster. Roddy Piper makes his grand entrance with a bagpipe band and “Cowboy” Bob Orton in tow with his arm in a sling. After getting injured recently before this match, Orton would go on a long legendary angle where he’d wear a cast on his arm. Piper is wearing a Hulkamania shirt and carrying an electric guitar. Howard Finkel gives way to NBC sports announcer Bob Costas to announce Hogan’s entrance. Piper smashes the guitar and berates the already irate crowd. The crowd heaves garbage at him as he does the I Love You sign. For this VHS tape we get some generic stock music as Cindy Lauper, Dave Wolfe, Captain Lou and Hogan make their entrance, in the actual MTV broadcast it was Eye of the Tiger. No idea why Vince paid royalties for WRESTLEMANIA to use Eye of the Tiger but not this tape. Mr T himself is sitting at ringside and he psyches up Hulk before he gets in the ring. They tear their entrance gear off and trade blows in the center of the ring to begin. Hogan gets the upper hand with an eye rake but Piper tackles him and lands more punches to the head. Hogan then rolls on top to deliver his own series of punches. On their feet, 2 big right hands sends Piper into the corner. Hogan whips Piper into the opposite corner and delivers a back elbow smash. Piper flops down and begs off before getting caught in a scoop slam. Hogan follows another scoop slam with a running elbow drop. Okerlund names all the celebs at ringside as Hogan bites Piper in the head. Roddy reverses a whip and clotheslines Hulk in the corner. Piper makes the cover but referee Dick Woehrle takes forever to make the count so Roddy only gets two. Piper gets a running stomp to the head then follows with another. Piper goes for a cover but only gets 2 as Gene bitches about a choke that wasn’t there. Piper double chops Hogan in the throat which sends the Hulkster down. Piper sends Hulk off and catches him with the sleeper! Piper has it synched in as again Gene and Gorilla bitches about a chokehold. Hulk does the fade then revive routine and Hulks Up. Gene makes spaz noises as Hogan runs to the corner, ducks and rams Roddy’s head off the top turnbuckle. Piper attacks with an axehandle to the head and an eye rake. Roddy chokes Hogan on the top rope and when Woehrle pulls him off, Orton takes over from the outside. Hogan grabs Orton by the hair, grabs the injured arm and rams it off the steel ringpost. Piper turns around into a right hand and a series of left jabs. A big right hand decks Piper and he begs off. They trade eye rakes before Hogan nails Piper with a clothesline. “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff makes his appearance to take Orton’s place apparently. Hogan executes an atomic drop and another right hand. Hogan goes for another atomic drop but Piper counters with a forearm to the head that knocks Hogan into Woehrle. Dick is out cold and Piper takes advantage by holding Hogan down for Orndorff to jump off the top with a kneedrop. Piper and Orndorff stomp away at Hogan before Piper notices Lauper on the apron. Orndorff continues to attack, ignoring Piper trying to stop him.  Finally Hot Rod gets Orndorff’s attention and they slowly stalk Cindy. Piper knocks Cindy’s hat off as Mr T hops the railing to save the day. T gets Cindy out of there as Piper taunts him. Piper challenges him to step in the ring and he does. Gene “I don’t know his background as a wrestler” Monsoon “He doesn’t belong in there Gene”. Taken from the guy who put Muhammad Ali in an airplane spin, he’d know. T enters the ring but Orndorff grabs his foot from the outside allowing Piper to knock him down with a clothesline. Piper and Orndorff put the boots to Mr T as Hogan finally wakes up. The champ Hulks Up as Mr T gets to his feet and they chase Orndorff and Piper out of the ring. Orton returns and the 3 heels are restrained by NYC police officers from getting back in the ring. Pandemonium ensues as security guards and police officers alike  try to separate the two factions. The heels finally retreat as Hulk and T shake hands. Howard Finkel gets on the mic: “Ladies and gentleme….: Hogan cuts him off “PIPER! ORNDORFF! GET YOUR BUTTS BACK IN HERE!” Fink “Ladies and gentleman, the winner of this bout as a result of a disqualification, HULK HOGAN!” We cut the segment here, well that was interesting wasn’t it? Pretty much the first Wrestlemania began with this match. In the live event, the next 15-20 minutes centered around backstage interviews so for this tape, better to cut now. The match itself was high impact intensity just like the first one with very little mat wrestling.

 

Time of match: Never given

Winner: Hulk Hogan by DQ (still WWF champion)

 

Now for one of the best done Piper’s Pits of all time. Roddy Piper in a suit and tie is by himself on the set. He starts by ranting about how stupid Hogan, Albano, Lauper and Andre are and now he needs someone with intelligence. He then hypes up his guest as the greatest wrestler of all time and introduces….”Rowdy” Roddy Piper. Thanks to a great editing job, Piper will be interviewing himself. You can’t even tell its fake actually. Guest Piper is wearing his standard Hot Rod t-shirt and kilt. He sits down with his legs spread and luckily he’s wearing his blue wrestling tights underneath. He pushes his kilt down and says “Sorry grandma.” Host Piper  “It’s a pleasure to have you here.” Guest Piper “Especially the bathtub.” Host Piper asks if he’d ever thought he’d have this kind of success growing up and Guest Piper says of course. Host Piper asks if he had any idols or mentors growing up, Guest Piper answers Frank Zappa. He says he didn’t have any real idols or mentors because there’s nobody better than him at anything. Host Piper asks if he has any special diets and Guest Piper answers frog legs. Host Piper says he’s got a letter here from Hulk Hogan’s mom and Guest Piper says “Asking for money again?” Host “Dear Mr. Roddy Piper, please would you stop beating up my son. Spelled s-o-o-n. He wakes up in the morning screaming your name. Spelled n-a-m. Would you please leave my son alone as it makes him look very bad, him crying and holding on to my ankles. Being as he’s the world’s champion.” Guest Piper “Why didn’t Mrs Hogan teach her son the same kind of honesty that she has? She was walking down 42^nd street the other day with the rest of the bag ladies.” He also says Hogan has roots except for the front of his head where there are none. Host Piper asks if Guest Piper ever had any disappointments and Guest answers his dog got run over when he was 6 and sarcastically says “yeah that really hurt my career.” Other than that he says, he’s the cats ass. Yes, those were his words. Host Piper asks how he copes with all the women chasing him around and Guest Piper answers he’s got a 12 foot bullwhip and he uses it when they want to leave. “What does it say on my t-shirt? It doesn’t say Dumb-rod…it doesn’t say limp-rod…it says HOT Rod.” Host Piper asks if Guest Piper will do any feature films and Guest answers the morons in Hollywood are trying to keep him out. “When Eastwood shoots a gun, someone gets killed. When I shoot a gun, someone gets pregnant.” Edgy stuff for 1984-85 I must say. Ironic as he’d leave the business 2 years later to act in movies. Piper breaks the 4^th wall and talks to the audience saying they paid good money for this tape and they’re getting their money’s worth. Guest Piper says it pisses him off (again edgy for 85 standards) that other people are successful because of him. Guest Piper says if you’re having trouble getting your wife pregnant then get her a candlelit dinner, warm the bed up nice and then give him a call. Host Piper says its been a true pleasure but time’s up, Guest complains saying its his tape. Guest Piper says Host Piper is the only man he’d never fight as we cut there. Pretty revolutionary for the time period and it makes sense. Piper was booked as this complete asshole and the only one who could interview him was himself really. Nowadays when someone plays a heel, its carved into fans heads that he’s only playing a character. Back then fans really felt like Piper was a grade A quality dick, and business was better because of that.

Mean Gene takes us back to just before Wrestlemania where Piper and Orndorff are training for the big match at Mid-City Health Club For Men (name was changed later for political reasons to Mid-City Gym). Piper is in a full sweatsuit while Orndorff is in just workout shorts and sneakers, both are sitting against the wall with Orton in full cowboy mode standing by. Okerlund asks what they’re doing and Orton says they’re meditating. Okerlund gets down to ask Piper what he’s doing and Roddy just hisses at him. He goes to Orndorff next but he’s not moving either. Orton then wakes them up and they get mad at the sight of Okerlund. Orndorff says he has no business being there as Okerlund tries to save face by saying its his job. We cut to a different room where Orndorff is powerlifting a barbell. Okerlund tries to narrate but Piper tells him to get lost. Okerlund asks Orton to be the voice of reason (ironic) and Bob says its supposed to be a closed workout. Orton shills Orndorff’s lifting skills.  Gene says he’s impressed and Orndorff scoffs at him. Then he and Piper grab weight lifting belts and stalk Okerlund with them. Paul “We told you not to come”. Next we see Okerlund getting the heave-ho courtesy of Orton and Orndorff. A bystander tries to help Gene and he gets attacked by the two as Piper stands by laughing. A few bystanders laugh at the proceedings and one shouts “He’s a stuntman!” Gotta love how in New York fans knew it was part of the show, meanwhile in Louisiana the Midnight Express would get knives pulled on them if they were shooting something similar.

Now we fast-forward after Wrestlemania to a TNT segment where Orton and Piper visit the doctor. Yes of course I’m serious. Vince McMahon in a light pink suit with “Doc Stevens” as Piper and Orton enter. Piper is in full wrestling gear while Orton is dressed casual. I know this is just a set on a tv show but can you imagine in real life going to a legitimate doctor dressed like Piper is? Yes he’s got the t-shirt and kilt on, but still. Doctor Stevens looks at an x-ray of Orton’s original injury and says the bones didn’t break the skin when the compound fracture happened so they should be healed by now. Orton claims the arm still hurts while the doc looks at a brand new x-ray. He says the arm is completely healed as Piper leans in for a closer look. Piper “That ain’t his x-ray! Look at the length of the arm, his arm don’t look good like that.”  Vince then asks the doctor to check out Orton’s arm right here on the spot and Orton tries to protest. Orton lies down and Piper protests that “Why does he gotta lie down if you’re only checking his arm?” The doc wants to test some things and he hits the bottom of his elbow to test reflexes. Orton reacts too early and the doc is now convinced he’s fine. The doc says there’s nothing wrong with him as Piper starts quacking, causing Orton to laugh. Piper does it louder while the doc tries to talk which causes Vince to laugh himself. Once again proof that nobody takes anything seriously on the show. Vince tries to narrate the ending but everyone talks over each other M*A*S*H style. Now that was funny on Piper’s part.

We can’t have a greatest hits tape without the most famous Piper’s Pit segment could we? Of course it’s the one with Jimmy Snuka. Its basically the same clip from BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 1 so I’ll just re-post. We’re at the part where Piper tells Snuka to put the microphone in Jimmy’s little greasy paws. Piper then says he’s going to make Jimmy feel at home, he picks up a pineapple from a brown paper bag. My favorite line “This pineapple is like the women from the Fiji Islands, long busty hair on top, round on the bottom.” Piper then pulls out a bunch of bananas and taunts Snuka with them. Piper with coconuts: “Here we go….one coconuttttt….two coconuttttttt…four coconutttts, ya wanna be a big shot? Ya know what, the only thing I didn’t get. I didn’t get a tree for you to climb up and down like a monkey, like ya wanna do. You want to be a big shot, I’ll get you a tree next time!” He then throws a banana in Snuka’s face and finally Jimmy speaks, softly. “Are you making fun of me?” Piper: “Am I making fun of you? No sir! No Sir!” At this point Piper smashes a coconut over Snuka’s head that sends him sprawling into the cheap Piper’s Pit set, knocking it down. Piper grabs a banana, kicks the set off Snuka and begins rubbing it in his face. Piper gets another banana, spits at him, then rubs another one in his face. Piper then takes his belt off and whacks Snuka in the back as a little box in the corner with a smiling Piper is shown. This must be the TNT replay of the incident rather than the actual broadcast. Piper keeps whipping Snuka repeatedly and taunting him to get up. Finally Snuka gets to his feet, screams in rage and chases Piper behind a locked door. Snuka pounds on the door but can’t get it open as Tito Santana and 2 others pry him away.

Now we cut to the TNT program where Piper was watching himself beat up Snuka. Vince is wearing a beige suit, Piper his normal kilt/shirt and Alfred in a hideous beige 70’s tux. Vince says it was a disgusting display and Piper cuts him off and says “I’m the legend destroyer”. 20 years before his bodyguard’s son became the legend killer. McMahon bitches that Roddy never gave Snuka a chance to speak and Piper points to Alfred and says Snuka is a bumbling idiot that doesn’t say anything like Alfred here. Piper says Snuka was lucky he didn’t get beat up more and he destroyed the legend. “I don’t care what you say (points to Vince) and I don’t care what you say (points to Alfred).” Alfred softly chimes in “I say this man without dignity. He adds nothing to the program.” Piper gets steaming mad and slaps Alfred across the face before storming off the set. Shocking how Vince didn’t have Alfred manage Snuka for the inevitable match but a match was in store. Let’s get to it.

 

Match 3

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka

Commentators: Gene Okerlund and Alfred Hays

 May 25, 1984 deep in the heart of St. Louis (idiot Okerlund says we’re in Minneapolis but we’re not) in the Kiel Auditorium saw these two battle it out. To add the venue, former St. Louis wrestling legend Lou Thesz would be the special guest referee. It was due to the NWA refusing to take the world title off of Thesz which spawned not only the WWWF (Vince Sr wanted Buddy Rogers as NWA champ) but the AWA as well as Verne Gagne wanted his turn with the NWA belt but never got it. In BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 1, Snuka vs Piper took place in August so this match on this tape predates that one. Snuka enters wearing a red robe but sheds it outside before entering, Piper removes his kilt to reveal the blue trunks. Thesz tries to keep them apart but Roddy attacks before the bell.  Piper punches him around the ring before ramming his head into the buckle. A right hand drops the Superfly before a double-chop to the ear disorients Jimmy, Piper gets in another right hand but Snuka rallies in the corner with kicks and a chop. Snuka chases Piper around the ring and he bails, much to the chagrin of the irate crowd. Roddy calls for timeout but Lou tells him to get back in. Back inside Snuka chops the Hot Rod until he begs off. He chokes him in the corner but when Thesz tries to pull him away, Piper gets in a knee to the gonads. Thesz threatens to disqualify Piper but the match continues. Roddy gets an inverted atomic drop then does the “I love you” sign to a chorus of boos. A knee lift drops Snuka and the cover only gets a 1. Piper complains about the count allowing Snuka to block a right hand and land one of his own. A chop and a right hand send Piper to the outside. This time Snuka follows only for Piper to grab a steel chair and nail him in the back. Thesz doesn’t DQ Piper and Hot Rod kicks away before getting back in the ring.  Piper continuously breaks up Lou’s attempt to count Snuka out so Thesz finally shoves Roddy away. Piper leans through the ropes and rams Jimmy’s head into the ring. Back inside a shoulder block drops Snuka but then Jimmy goes through his offense (2 leapfrogs and big chop) that sends Piper flying out of the ring. Snuka follows and rams Piper’s head into the ring bell. Jimmy grabs a chair and nails Piper in the head with it with no DQ called. Back inside Piper begs off but Snuka gets in a right hand and a jumping headbutt. Snuka goes for the running headbutt but Piper pulls Thesz in the way at the last second. Lou goes down but Snuka rallies with a chop and a backbreaker. Snuka goes up to the top rope and hits a flying crossbody. He goes back upstairs but Piper rolls on top of Lou. Piper rakes the eyes of Jimmy then takes Lou’s belt off. Roddy whips Snuka with the belt then chokes him with it until Thesz pries him off. Piper and Lou go nose to nose but Lou backs off, allowing Piper to clock him. Snuka grabs the belt and pelts Roddy with it with Thesz threatening to get a few shots in as well. Piper bails to the outside and heads for the hills. Thesz counts Roddy out and Snuka wins it. Fink announces Snuka the winner as Lou raises his hand in victory. Never thought I’d see Lou Thesz in a WWF ring but here he was. We go to the instant replay where Piper throws Thesz into Snuka’s running headbutt. Okerlund says “Piper pulling every bag out of his bag of tricks”….wow he’s worse than Alfred. Great, intense match with non-stop action actually.

 

Time of match: 6:53

Winner: Jimmy Snuka by count-out

 

Next we cut to a Roddy Piper promo where he’s holding a manila envelope. He says he’s going to read a letter, “Dear Mr Piper, I’m writing to ask your forgiveness for the actions of Jimmy Snuka. Please do not beat him up anymore as he’s a great man and he’s hurt. Sometimes he cries at night, I know, I can hear him. You see, he’s my dad. I love him very much, please don’t hurt him anymore.” He then crumples the letter and spits but Mean Gene cuts us off before Piper can finish the promo….what the hell? By the way, this was all a sham but if Jimmy’s 13 year old son really did write that letter, why didn’t the future Deuce beat the crap out of Piper whenever the legends were on Raw or Smackdown? Then again most younger fans would have been wondering why Deuce and Domino are beating up Piper and virtually none of them would have seen this segment.

Along the line, Piper “injured” Snuka and it opened the door for 19 year old Tonga Kid to get his first big push. Btw, Tonga Kid is the real life twin brother of Rikishi (although they are not identical) but he was billed as Snuka’s cousin. We go now to Piper’s Pit where Piper interviews the Kid and Roddy is wearing a t-shirt that says “Legend Killer” written on the back, he had Randy Orton beat by 20 years. Piper runs him down saying he’s wearing a “silly little skirt” and asks him why he’d wear one. Tonga lifts up Piper’s kilt and says “Well its obvious why you wear yours.” Oh snap! He cuts a promo saying just because Piper beat Jimmy doesn’t mean he can go through him. Piper counters saying he can and Tonga says “You broke Jimmy’s neck because you got lucky, why don’t you try and break my neck?” Tonga challenges him but Piper nonchalantly walks off as Tonga says he doesn’t impress anyone. The segment cuts here though and the match would be next. Before we go any further its time to play Six Degrees. After Piper was done with Snuka, he would face Tonga Kid. After he was done with him, he’d become number 1 heel by going after Cindy Lauper, Captain Lou, Mr T and Hogan. 2 years later he’d be in the movie Body Slam teaming WITH Tonga Kid while being managed by Dirk Bennedict, who played Faceman on A-Team which also starred Mr. T. Guess who was managing the heel tag team in the movie, Captain Lou Albano. Unrelated but The Barbarian/Headshrinker Sione and Teijho Khan (of Paul Jones’ Army fame) were the heel tag team in the movie. Funny how things work out in the wrestling business, let’s get to the match.

 

Match 4

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs The Tonga Kid (with Jimmy Snuka)

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and ???

    December 1, 1984 in the Philadelphia Spectrum saw Piper go it alone against Tonga (No Schultz, Orton or Orndorff…weird) . Snuka is wearing a yellow jumpsuit with Tonga Kid written on the back. Tonga himself is wearing zebra striped trunks and is barefoot. The bell rings and Piper charges quckly but goes knee first into the corner. They trade blows in the center of the ring before Tonga gets the advantage with a jumping headbutt. Jesus can’t he do something original? Its like watching a Jimmy Snuka match so far. Piper tries to bail but Tonga catches him and pulls him back in over the top rope by the hair. Monsoon’s color man keeps screaming wooooo like he’s Ric Flair the whole match. 2 headbutts and a right hand send Piper staggering into Snuka’s corner where he freezes, allowing Tonga to bring him back in. Piper begs off before getting a thumb to the eye. A right hand floors Tonga and Piper executes a backbreaker. The first cover of the match gets a long 2 count as Piper goes back to a right hand. Tonga inexplicably gets up and starts moonwalking before rallying with right hands. A side headlock attempt is thwarted by a Piper back suplex. Piper follows with a blatant choke and rakes him  off the top rope in front of Jimmy. Piper spits at Snuka  and nails Tonga with a right hand. A double chop to the ears stuns Tonga and Piper gets in a front headlock. A TAPE EDIT now shows Tonga powering out of it. Tonga gets a snap suplex on Piper and nails him in the ribs with a punch. Piper rams Tonga into the top turnbuckle and he no-sells it (just like his twin brother would do for 20 years). Tonga no sells it and moonwalks away. Piper tries to bail but Tonga catches him. More right hands follow that send Piper through the ropes and to the outside. Again, add in the leapfrogs and big chop and this is like watching a Snuka match. Piper pulls Tonga under the bottom rope as a popcorn vendor strolls by. Piper sends Tonga into the ring post and whacks him with a steel chair. Snuka comes over to investigate and Piper runs away. When Snuka turns his back Piper runs over and nails him. Piper tosses Tonga back inside but Snuka leaps over the top rope and stalks Piper. They trade blows as referee Joey Marella just stands there watching. All of a sudden Bob Orton Jr runs-in and evens the odds. Marella calls for the bell as a brawl ensues. Piper and Orton drop Tonga but Snuka rallies. Tonga revives and the babyfaces clean house, chasing Piper away. Ring announcer Mel Phillips (wearing an absolutely awful blue 70’s tuxedo) announces the match a draw. A high impact 5 minutes that set the tone for the next (and final) match on the tape. Tonga looked like a cheap Snuka knockoff here which is probably why he would be released shortly after this angle would complete. The word on the street was the big payoffs he was getting from working with Piper went to his 19 year old head and had to be fired to be taught a lesson in humility. Not sure if that’s true but it would make sense as he would resurface in 1987 as Tama the Islander, nowhere near the top of the card as he was in 1984.

 

Time of match: 5:12

Winner: No one (Double DQ)

 

Match 5

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton vs “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and The Tonga Kid

Commentators: Gene Okerlund and Gorilla Monsoon.

  Madison Square Garden, December 28. 1984 exactly 4 weeks after the last match took place. The heels enter first with Snuka and Tonga in matching red samoan entrance gear following shortly after. The faces rush the ring and clear out not only Piper and Orton but Howard Finkel as well before he’s finished the introductions. Tonga’s in the pink tights as Jimmy’s not in his standard leopard print trunks but rather multicolored trunks. Piper’s in his standard blue with Orton in the red trunks. A brawl develops as the bell rings with the faces getting the upper hand. Tonga and Snuka whip Piper and Orton together. Orton goes down but Piper stays on his feet. A jumping headbutt by Jimmy floors Piper and Orton walks into a jumping headbutt by Tonga. Orton clears and Tonga gets in a wristlock on Piper (big improvement over the first match). Piper begs off as Tonga really synchs it in. Piper sends Tonga off who somersaults under a back elbow from Piper and catches him with a crossbody for 1..2….no. Tonga armdrags Piper and locks in the armbar before dropping a leg on him. Nice to see some actual wrestling ability in here. Snuka taunts Piper from the outside but Roddy overpowers Tonga and tags in Orton. Bob eats a few armdrags but nails the rookie with a right hand. Tonga reverses an irish whip and sends Orton off the corner where Cowboy runs into a powerslam. The cover only gets a one count as Snuka tags in. Jimmy goes to work on the left arm and shoulder as 2 big right hands from Orton do nothing, Snuka no-sells. A third right hand also does nothing as Snuka counters with a headbutt. Another arm ringer is synched in and Piper tries to short arm the tag only for Orton to make it to the corner, reluctantly putting Piper in the match. Piper wants no part of Snuka at first but then they trade punches in the center of the ring. Snuka gets in a chop and a headbutt that decks Piper and a rushing Orton gets scoop slammed for his interference. Snuka one arm slams Piper then drops a fist on him. Piper begs off and tries to escape but Snuka brings him back in. Snuka gets in a right hand but Piper goes to the stooges eye poke to stop the momentum. Roddy staggers over and makes the tag to Orton. Bob gets a few elbows to the back of the head in his slow, methodical style. A bolo punch is followed by a scoop slam. Orton goes to the top rope to attempt a Vader bomb but Snuka gets the knees up in time. Orton makes the tag to Piper as Tonga gets the hot tag as well. Tonga rallies with right hands and a headbutt before finishing with a savate kick (finally something new). Piper begs off but shoulderblocks Tonga into his corner where he and Orton doubleteam the kid. Orton tags in and baits Snuka, allowing for Piper to choke Tonga in the corner with the tag rope.  Orton lands a right hand then tags in Piper where they execute a double clothesline. Piper taunts Snuka before faking a tag to allow Orton to come off the top with a forearm to the back. Orton measures him for an elbow to the face…wham!  Piper makes the tag and applies a hammerlock. The heels make frequent tags to unload on the left arm of Tonga. The crowd starts heaving garbage at the ring with Piper and Orton continuing to work over the left arm. Finally Tonga nearly breaks free but Orton cuts off his partner when he nails Snuka off the apron. Piper drops Tonga with a thrust to the throat and covers 1,,2,,,no, the arrogant cover gets 2. Piper goes to the rear chinlock as Okerlund and Monsoon overhype Tonga as totally improved since he first started a year earlier. Monsoon says he’s done it all in the last 10 months….even though he’s yet to win a single title belt. Compare that to Diesel who won the IC, Tag and World title within a 6 month period from May-November 1994. Tonga begins to power out of it as a marquee reads “Ice Capades”. Monsoon “Piper almost terminated the career of Snuka, I want to see him get his upcoming.” Okerlund “Comeuppance” Monsoon “Whatever.” Piper rams Tonga into Orton’s elbow then chops him in the throat again. Orton tags in, Piper holds Tonga and Bob comes off the top with a forearm to the face. Orton taunts Snuka but runs into a sunset flip for 1..2…NOOO. Orton quickly targets the forehead of Tonga with right hands, Orton rams the back of Tonga’s head into the mat and covers for a deuce when Snuka interferes and breaks up the count. Piper phantom tags himself in only for Tonga to counter a backdrop attempt by kicking Roddy in the face. Tonga stumbles into the wrong corner where Orton cuts him off. Tonga rallies with right hands, slips under the legs of Orton and gets the hot tag to Snuka. Jimmy cleans house with a double noggin knocker and big chops. Snuka fends off both Piper and Orton but shoves the referee as well. Snuka sends Orton upside down in the corner and makes the cover. Tonga intercepts Piper 1…..2..nope. For some reason the referee abandoned the count when Tonga interfered. All four men go at it as Piper shoves down the ref this time. Piper backdrops Tonga over the top and out as Orton goes for the superplex. Piper catches a breather on the second rope as Snuka headbutts Orton off. Snuka catches Bob with a crossbody for 1…2..nope, Piper breaks up the count. Orton and Piper throw Snuka over the top rope as Tonga takes his place. The referee is like a deer caught in the headlights, doesn’t know what to do. Orton goes upstairs but Snuka shoves him off into Piper. The faces run into each other outside the ring and Superfly goes into beast mode. Another brawl develops in the ring and Snuka tosses him down. He signals for the bell and this one’s over. Snuka cleans house of the heels and the tape ends right then and there. Kind of a crappy tag match but again, this was to showcase Piper’s crew and it served its purpose.

 

Time of match: 15:14

Winners: No one (Double DQ)

  The credits roll and we’re done with this one. Time for the previews: BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 4, THE AMAZING MANAGERS and WRESTLING’S COUNTRY BOYS. What a revolutionary tape. Sure the Fabulous Freebirds were the first cool heels but Piper had Ric Flair beat by a solid year as top heel in wrestling. His Piper’s Pits were legendary and he refused to job to anyone, making him just as big of an egomaniac as Hogan. Still, for a tape that’s titled GREATEST HITS, it delivered. Piper was entertaining in nearly everything he did and Vince McMahon was a few marketing ideas away from creating the first 4 Horsemen in Piper, Schultz, Orndorff and Orton. Still, I give this tape 4.5 stars out of 5 and the .5 comes from the fact the matches are rather low quality. Important matches yes but not the best in ring work I’ve seen from the time period. This is a must see for every wrestling fan to show how over heels could and should be without looking like clowns. The next tape after this is BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 3 so pick that one up next.

Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest (WF008)

WWF’S BIGGEST, SMALLEST, STRANGEST, STRONGEST (WF008)

 

 After BEST OF THE WWF #2 comes BIGGEST, SMALLEST, STRANGEST, STRONGEST which apparently is highlighting the big guys, the small guys, the weirdos and the Herculeans. This is just a guess but since this is 4 tapes after WRESTLEMANIA (March) and a few before THE WRESTLING CLASSIC (November), I’d say this tape came out in the summer of 1985. What was setting the WWF apart at this point in time were tapes like this. Classic promoters like Verne Gagne and Jim Crockett kept their business old school with attention on their main stars meanwhile down in Texas, World Class was scoring by filming vignettes and highlighting even the midcarders in an attempt to get them over. Even though Hulk Hogan was the champion and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine was the IC Champion, this tape is highlighting a lot of other guys who’d never dethrone Hogan (or Valentine for that matter) or draw money in main event slots. Vince was also aware that the exposure these guys would get would stir interest in the product and with that, away we go. Cue the 1985 awesome intro and then to our host Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Ventura says WWF is getting smart by having him host this tape after he hosted MOST UNUSUAL MATCHES. Ventura shows us a highlight package of what we’re going to see before sending us to our first match between Andre and Samu…highlighting the biggest and the strangest first apparently.

 

Our first match is apparently some time in 1983 which means Samu is either 20 years old or about to turn it. The Wild Samoans Afa and Sika were the current tag team champions but Sika got hurt and his replacement was Afa’s son Samu (using the Freebird rule). Now Samu may look young at 20 but he had been performing for 6 years prior under the guidance of his father and uncle so he’s no rookie. Samu is hesitant to lock up with Andre (who’s wearing the red tights today). Vince says Andre is the only undefeated wrestler today (which turned into the greatest moneymaking angle ever 4 years later) as they finally lock up. Andre heaves Samu in the corner before a scared looking Samu goes to lock up again. Andre applies an armbar until Samu makes it to the ropes. Okerlund finally joins in on commentary as Samu tries a go-behind. Andre uses his girth to power out of it as Samu flies backwards in slow motion. Then the segment ends right there….so this tape is like that huh, no full matches just highlights? Ventura sends us to our next one.

 

The next highlighted match is the September 21, 1964 match between 40 year old Bobo Brazil and 46 year old Freddie Blassie covered in Best of WWF Volume 2. Ventura makes a historical perspective saying back in the 50’s the billed 6 foot 8 (real life 6’6) Brazil was a giant of a man compared to other wrestlers of that era. Nowadays with Kevin Nash, Great Khali, Giant Gonzalez, Big Show and even Andre the 6’8 Brazil doesn’t sound too intimidating but back then he most certainly was. Brazil was also known as the Jackie Robinson of wrestling which paved the way for black wrestlers such as Bearcat Wright, Ernie Ladd and in modern times Booker T and Kofi Kingston. The segment just has a few eye gouges from Brazil and its nothing special, I’d have much rather seen Blassie bite him or Brazil’s manager James Dudley wave his towel around.

 

Ventura then sends us to our next big and strange wrestler, the legendary Haystacks Calhoun. Calhoun was one of the first successful Hillbilly gimmicks and he was one of the biggest men ever by tipping the scales at over 600 pounds. He was billed at 6’4 but was really 6’1 but he damn well looked 6’4. The first highlight is the 6 man tag match already covered in MOST UNUSUAL MATCHES. Calhoun chases Strong Kobayashi and Moose Monroe around the ring as Peter Maivia and Larry Zybysko, Butcher Vachon tries to interfere when Monroe locked in a full nelson but retreats quickly.

 

Cut to a highlight package of “The Big Cat” Ernie Ladd. The first NFL player (but not the last) to successfully cross-over into pro wrestling. Ladd was a monstrosity in the NFL at 6’9 and over 300 pounds in the 60’s and 70’s. He’d fit right in almost 50 years later NOW in the NFL. He’s shown here beating the crap of legendary jobber Frankie Williams and some other enhancement talent I don’t recognize. Oh and The Grand Wizard of wrestling is patrolling outside the ring for his protege Ladd. For those who don’t know….combine Pat Patterson with Jim Cornette’s outfits and Bobby Heenan’s wit and you have an idea what Wizard was like. Very flamboyant, very homosexual and one of the greatest managers to ever set foot in the business.

 

We now cut to even older footage of “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff. Ventura explains being big doesn’t always mean really tall as the 5’10 Koloff proved. Koloff
gained exposure when he defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Championship on January 18, 1971 ending the near 8 year reign of Bruno. However, he was only a transitional champion as Vince McMahon Sr wanted to take the belt off the Italian Bruno and put it on another international superstar Pedro Morales of Puerto Rico. Koloff is shown here beating up a jobber with his massive arms.

 

Cut to a familiar face, Gorilla Monsoon. Monsoon was one of the top super heavyweights of his era, although he was primarily used to enhance the midcard heels to star status in order to meet the babyface champion (Morales or Sammartino). Modern day equivalents are Jake Roberts, John Morrison and anyone in WCW from 95-98 with the exception of Goldberg. He’s shown here headlocking The Wolfman during their 1971 match before chopping him down. A big splash gets a 3 as Ventura called it the Manchurian Landslide.

 

Now for a more familiar setting, Piper’s Pit with Piper being backed into a corner by SD Jones and Blackjack Mulligan. Ventura bills Mulligan at 6’9 (which is bullshit because he’s just a few inches taller than Roddy Piper who’s no more than 6’2) and we cut to Piper trash talking him. Piper “If you think you can intimidate me, you’re full of bologna like every other Texan I ever met!” Mulligan calls him horse manure before the segment cuts out. What gives? That looked to be fun. Oh well, on with the show.

 

Hulk Hogan finally makes his appearance in the next segment which highlights “Big” John Studd. Ventura bills Studd at 6’10 350 pounds (more BS as he’s 6’7 in reality) and tries to bail out the fact they’re the same height by saying that Hogan is shorter (he’s not) but is more defined (now that’s true) which apparently makes him bigger than Studd. Jesse can’t resist taking a shot at the champ and calls him “The Incredible Chump Hogan”. Monsoon is on commentary with Howard Finkel of all people. Studd pounds away at Hogan until they do the force meeting object routine. They try to slam each other to no avail before Hogan ducks under a big elbow with one of his own. Hogan rallies with punches before delivering THE BIG BOOT! Hogan goes for a slam but can’t lift him as the segment cuts.

 

On to Nikolai Volkoff who was one of the legitimate freakishly strong men of his era. We are shown a highlight of Volkoff executing a backbreaker on 280 pound Joe something (which is in 1985 Montage that I love so much) and getting the pin as an ecastic Iron Sheik looks on.

 

King Kong Bundy makes an appearance taking on future suit brigade member Tony Garea on June 21, 1985. Bundy beats the crap out of Garea as Monsoon says he weighed 440 at his heaviest and Bundy is close to 500. In a classic formula, they were building up Bundy as a monster only to have Hogan eventually beat him and then never gave a damn what happened to him after. Bundy floors Garea with a series of shoulderblocks as the segment ends.

 

On to the strange ones as Hillbilly Jim gets some screen time.  Ventura actually hypes up the upcoming WRESTLING’S COUNTRY BOYS tape in saying Jim will be highlighted more on that one. On here Jim is taking on another future suit brigade member Renee Goulet who was in the process of experimenting with a Michael Jackson type heel turn that didn’t get over and apparently bored the living crap out of Bret Hart. Jim brawls with Goulet as Monsoon and Okerlund hype him up on commentary. Hillbilly Jim lands a headbutt that sends Goulet flopping himself on the top rope. Jim delivers another headbutt that sends Goulet crashing to the mat. Goulet “Flair Flips” into the corner then runs upstairs only to get caught in a bearhug upon jumping. Goulet submits as Jim is announced the winner.

 

Back to Piper’s Pit as Jim rants and raves about Piper as “Cowboy” Bob Orton looks on. Jim says he’s got a surprise for Piper and introduces Uncle Elmer. The veteran Stan Frazier was hired to form a stable with Jim and “Cousin Luke” and Jim’s a big dude but Elmer towers over everyone. Piper pulls a classic heel move by back pedaling “Wellllll any friend of yours is a friend of mine” but Elmer sees right through him and says “Get yo hands off of me boy!” Elmer was a legitimate 6 foot 10 and weighed well over 400 pounds. Unfortunately by 1985 he was 47 years old and nearing the end of his career. Still, he had his moments by getting married on live TV and having an entertaining match with Adrian Adonis at Wrestlemania 2.

 

From the biggest and strangest to the smallest as we head for the midget matches. We got Ivan the Terrible and Billy The Kid taking on Tiny Tom and Butch Cassidy on August 27, 1979……wouldn’t Cassidy and Billy have made a better team? Anyway Ventura says that just because they’re midgets doesn’t mean they’re not good wrestlers. He’s not kidding, Ivan The Terrible is built like Ivan Koloff on a smaller frame and Butch Cassidy is the spitting image of a fun sized Kevin Von Erich. Ventura says the midgets are the smallest and also the fastest as well as Ivan chases his own partner around the ring.

 

Onto a more familiar faces, Tiger Jackson (known more famously as Dink The Clown) teams up with The Haiti Kid to take on Pancho Boy and Dana Carpenter on February 14, 1984. I already mentioned Tiger was Dink the Clown and we all know the exploits of Haiti Kid in the WWF (managing Mr. T and getting his head shaved by the nefarious Piper and Orton). No idea who Pancho Boy is apart from the pornstache but Dana Carpenter was trained by Killer Kowalski and was later a police officer in Holbrook, MA until his death in 2009. Haiti Kid headlocks Pancho and shoulderblocks him down twice. Standard midget tactics with Tiger and Dana stealing the show. I’d have to say the midget matches have been entertaining segments.

 

Now for the most famous of the midgets, Sky Low Low teams up with the before-mentioned Cassidy to take on Little Beaver and Sonny Boy Hayes on November 22, 1982. Beaver and Low Low revolutionized midget wrestling in the 60’s and 70’s until Beaver’s real life brother Tiger Jackson and Little Louie came along. Little Beaver is sporting an Iron Sheik like gut as he demonstrates to the ref what his partner did NOT do and then punches the ref in the nose. Vince makes a lame joke as we get more standard midget action which confuses the crap out of McMahon on commentary. Cassidy continually bites Hayes on the leg so Hayes counters by biting Cassidy on the ass. Cassidy scrambles to the corner and tags in Low Low. Beaver tags in and we got both legends in the ring. Low Low executes a dropkick then runs into a very impressive gorilla press slam by Beaver. These midgets are no slouches in the power department. The cover by Beaver gets 3 as Monsoon speculates Low Low had the wind knocked out of him.

 

We go further back in time to February 18, 1971 to see Little Joey and Frenchie Lamont take on Little Brutus and Low Low. Brutus and Low Low actually trained Tiger Jackson and Lamont was rumored to have picked up Gorilla Monsoon in a fireman’s carry and walked around a hotel room with him on the little guy’s shoulders. The ring announcer says the match is 2 out of 3 falls with a 45 minute time limit….imagine sitting through THAT. A very young Vince McMahon on commentary narrates the standard midget action.  Low Low uses classic midget heel tactics. They trade pinfall combos with the ref refusing to count. Joey puts Sky in a fireman’s carry until the heels doubleteam Joey. Low Low tags in and Joey punches him down. Brutus tags in and prevents Joey from making the tag. Brutus punches and kicks until Joey sommersaults into his corner to tag in Lamont. Frenchie chases Brutus around the ring then delivers a chop. Frenchie heaves Brutus into his corner and he makes the tag to Low Low. Low Low’s hesitant to get in the ring so Frenchie brings him in the hard way. Frenchie chases Low Low around the ring and Brutus tags in. Brutus backdrops and slams Frenchie. Brutus victory rolls Frenchie and hooks the tights for 1…2…3 to win the match. If it sounds like a lousy ending, oh well…that’s how things went in the 70’s.

 

Now for the strangest. We begin with The Rugged Russians According to Ventura the Russian’s manager was the first to dance in the ring (got Slick beat by 15 years) and they’d have several pre-match rituals which has Yokozuna beat by 20 years. Ventura says they used to eat garlic before the match and tried to win their matches by breathing on the opponents. These 2 goofballs do a shadowboxing routine as the segment ends.

 

We go back to Monsoon’s opponent from earlier, The Wolfman. Ventura “Look at this guy. I mean I’M an expert on strange and lemme tell you this guy is a member of the club. This is strange and Jesse The Body knows strange.” We go back to the match he had with Monsoon only this time they show Wolfman getting the upperhand with illegal tactics.

 

Our next guest is Pampero Firpo the wildman from Argentina. Believe it or not, he was the first guy to use the catchphrase “OHHHH YEAHHHH” before Randy Savage popularized it. He won a couple NWA titles in the 60’s including some bloodbaths with The Sheik. Firpo took on the likes of Antonino Rocca, Randy Star and Bruno himself back in the day. Ventura breaks kayfabe by saying Firpo was actually a highly educated guy that spoke 6 languages….ironic given how Monsoon was portrayed as a gorilla when he himself is very articulate. Firpo is shown beating the crap out of someone before we cut.

 

On to “Crazy” Luke Graham of the Graham family. These guys were the original Dudley Boys in the sense they were all related in the storylines yet none of them actually were in reality. The most well known of the group was Dr. Jerry Graham (a mainstay of the WWWF) and of course “Superstar” Billy Graham. When Dr Jerry, Luke and Billy traveled down south, they appeared as relatives of Eddie and Mike in Championship Wrestling from Florida. In this bout, Crazy Luke is being assisted by his manager Grand Wizard in beating up enhancement talent. We then go to an interview with Graham and Wizard conducted by Vince Jr. Wizard says being a winner makes you fabulous and Graham promises to “get the belt back” that was “stolen from my brother” which is a reference to Bob Backlund dethroning Billy Graham in 1978. Wizard says Luke is number one contender (shows you how far WWWF had fallen in talent without Bruno, Pedro, Billy Graham and others who entertained fans in New York throughout the 70’s.. Actually not to go on a rant but you go back to 1979 and the number one promotion qualitywise wasn’t the NWA or WWWF, I’d give the nod to the AWA who had Hogan, Andre, Bockwinkel, Stevens, Okerlund, Heenan and others. Vince Jr interrogates Grand Wizard for his shady tactics and Wizard says Vince’s eyes need to be checked. Wizard says Vince Jr is Bob Backlund’s number 1 fan which is hilarious considering he was desperate to put the belt on Hogan as soon as he signed him. Graham then holds up a sign that says The Grand Wizard is the Manager of Champions with pictures of Stan Stasiak and Billy Graham on it. This was back when heels weren’t supposed to be cool to show you how special the Wizard was. Wizard then names his proteges including The Masked Destroyer and Jerry Blackwell (who was more known in the AWA). Vince “How do you explain the boos from the fans when you two enter?” Wizard “The booze in the fans cause them to boo.” The Wizard was something else, it was a shame he left us too early in 1982.

 

The next highlighted star is another oddity, Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon. Greg Gagne once called him a “frickin lunatic!” and he was right on the money. Despite being one of Canada’s greatest amateur wrester’s in the 40’s, he was one of the founding fathers of the hardcore style with Freddie Blassie and John Tolos. Eventually Vachon dethroned Verne Gagne to reign as AWA heavyweight champion. He then had one of those inexplicable face turns where the fans simply cheered him for no good reason so Verne ran with it. In the intro, Ventura even goes as far to say that for some reason fans in Minneapolis made him a cult figure. This clip is from June 17, 1984 and Mad Dog gets a big babyface reaction from the crowd. Buddy Colt cuts him off and stomps away at him. Gene Okerlund goes silent on commentary until Gorilla Monsoon takes over. Colt has a playboy bunny on his tights which doesn’t impress Mad Dog who begins to bite the poor guy.

 

We then go to Mr. Fuji and Moondog Spot, part of the famous Moondogs (think american version of Wild Samoans). This came from a segment on TNT where Lord Alfred Hays invited Vince McMahon Jr, Mr. Fuji and The British Bulldogs to a tea party…yes of course I’m serious. Fuji brings along Spot and smashes a dish over his head. Mr. Fuji “This is cheap china, this is not Japenese china!” He then instructs Spot to tear the place apart and smash everything with his bone as Davey Boy looks confused. Alfred “Vince, why did you bring such an oaf?” Vince “YOU brought him!”

 

Now here’s a strange highlight, none other than Mil Mascaras. The Hulk Hogan of Mexico is seen here in a tag team with Bobo Brazil hitting a flying bodypress on Dick Murdoch (with Adrian Adonis in the other corner). Mascaras really was the Hogan of Mexico as he put himself on top for years after his prime was over. In fact he was still headlining in the 90’s when his heydey was in the 70’s. Oh and his nephew happens to be current WWE Champion (9/9/11) Alberto Del Rio. Mascaras goes to town on Adonis causing Adrian to do his over the top rope/catching arms in the ropes spot. Mascaras would later compete in WCW and even take part in the 1997 Royal Rumble (though he was much more beefier by then).

 

Our next guest needs no introduction to strange, Captain Lou Albano. This guy wrote the book on strange but luckily we all know him so no need to explain his background. Albano actualy managed far more champions than Wizard ever did and he’s shown here with Mr Fuji and Mr Saito when they captured the titles. Monsoon “He is the greatest walking advertisement for birth control.” Next is his classic interview already covered in BLOOPERS, BLEEPS AND BODYSLAMS where he claims he doesn’t need deoderant. We then are shown Jimmy Snuka beating the crap out of him with chops and headbutts.

 

On to Nikolai Volkoff singing the Soviet National anthem as the crowd pelts the ring with garbage. Ever wonder why Nikolai sings the anthem? This ritual started in another territory when he used to simply play a tape of the anthem over the sound system. Then one day he lost the tape and came up with a different idea, he’d just sing it himself! 30 years later it still is good for cheap heat.

 

On to the strange fashion portion where Adrian Adonis wears an S & M style leather jacket (with the NY Yankees logo) while Big John Studd walks behind him and is flanked by Dick Murdoch. Sadly, none of these guys would live beyond 1996. Iron Sheik and Ayatollah Blassie’s turbans are also highlighted. Next up is Brutus Beefcake and his strange attire (with Johnny V barking at a referee). Up next is JYD’s entrance at Wrestlemania 1 complete with the giant chain. Surprised they haven’t shown Jimmy Hart yet other than hiding behind Greg Valentine. Up next are the Indian headdresses of Jay and Jules Strongbow, the WWWF Tag Team Champions. Hulk Hogan’s t-shirt is highlighted for some reason…oh wait, there’s his infamous match with Okerlund as a partner…yikes. Ah there’s Roddy Piper’s t-shirt as he takes on Tonga Kid in the Philadelphia Spectrum. There’s Jimmy Hart, I knew it was a matter of time. Freddie Blassie in his red sequined Wrestlemania 1 jacket followed by Cyndi Lauper’s Wrestlemania entrance. Greg Valentine’s blue robe looks flashy in the Spectrum and of course Bobby Heenan’s squined jacket from Wrestlemania. Johnny V is back wearing ridiculous sunglasses on TNT with Vince McMahon Jr. Speaking of ridiculous sunglasses, there’s Fabulous Moolah. The Moondogs enter getting booed by the crowd. Finally the star of the show, Jesse “The Body” Ventura who pretty much stole everything “Superstar” Billy Graham ever did.

 

On to a segment on the January 15, 1985 editon of TNT where Ken Patera, Bobby Heenan and Big John Studd cut a midget’s hair. No its not The Haiti Kid, I don’t recognize the little guy. First Heenan sprays bug spray in the dude’s hair and says “Its like the roach motel, you check in but you don’t check out.” Then Patera raises the seat up then Studd suggests to put the seatbelt on. Vince is confused but then protests when Patera and Heenan tie the guy up. We then get a TAPE EDIT (really?) and now the guy is covered in goo, even Vince is protests. Patera then soaks the midget with a sink faucet while Studd sprays more goop on the back of the guys neck. Vince tries to be the babyface but Heenan and Patera keep making wisecracks and Vince bursts out laughing. Heenan “I don’t know what this stuff is but I’m sure it’ll help” He dumps a jar of blue gel on him. Studd then grabs baby powder and powders the guys head with Heenan telling him to do it harder. Patera then grabs the bottle, opens it up and dumps the whole thing on the guy.

 

We then look at newcomers and the first highlighted is Mad Maxine, better known as Lady Maxine from the Mid-South and Fuller territories. She was 6’2 with a mohawk and leather gear, think Luna Vachon only as tall as Lex Luger. Actually she, Luna and Peggy Lee Pringle all worked together in Florida. She had a brief run in the WWF working with Fabulous Moolah but she left to pursue journalism. Actually she would work some territories before retiring for good in 1987 where she became an actual journalist. It’s a shame for wrestling fans because she was truly unique. The next highlighted is The Missing Link aka Dewey Robertson. He was better known for competing in World Class but he had a vignette here, managed by Bobby Heenan. Vince is wearing a bright red suit and Alfred Hays is with him. The set they are on would be later used for Ultimate Warrior shit but for now it’s the “cave” that Link lives in. Vince asks Link why he looks so weird and Link freaks out at the sight of the microphone in his face. Missing Link was pretty much a variation of the Kamala and George Steele gimmicks. Speaking of Steele, he’s highlighted next. He eats a turnbuckle and attacks Steve Lombardi with the stuffings. Ventura’s voiceover reminds us that he was once number 1 contender to Bruno Sammartino in the 60’s and 70’s, one of the hottest feuds the Boston Garden ever saw. Steele pulls more stuffing out of the corner and rakes Lombardi’s face with it. He finds another turnbuckle, bites it open and chokes Lombardi with it in the corner. Referee Dick Woehrle’s expression says it all. Steele heaves Lombardi over the top rope to the floor then into the guardrail. Steele actually bites a piece of the top rope which is disgusting when you think about how many sweaty backs are thrown against or over the top of it.

 

Jesse tells us before we get to the “feats of strength” not to try this at home. 20 years ahead of the “Don’t try this at home” campaign. We begin with Bepo Mongol putting the claw hold on Bruno Sammartino in their 1970 championship match. Who is this strange man that has little patches of hair as horns on his head? Why its none other than Nikolai Volkoff! Bepo was one of his first gimmicks after coming over from his native Croatia. He and Sammartino go at it and when they collide, Sammartino is sent flying out of the ring. Now we cut to a famous arm wrestling contest between Ivan Putski and Jesse “The Body” Ventura from July 20, 1984. Putski was the poster child for steroids in the 1980’s because he looked absolutely nothing like he did 5-6 years earlier when challenging “Superstar” Billy Graham for the WWWF Championship. Looks like we’re going to see this in its entirety. Ventura enters wearing the purple turban, purple tie dye shirt and black tights. Ventura checks the table and the two folding chairs set up in the ring. Jesse draws some heel heat by wiping his outlandish shades on the referee’s shirt. Jesse sheds his shirt, turban and shades then the two of them pose for the crowd. The roided up Putski is clearly superior but Ventura was no stranger to roids either. An irate Ventura shouts at Tony Garea doing commentary with Vince McMahon. Ventura stalls twice for heel heat and then Putski returns the favor. Ventura goes beserk, throwing down his chair while Ivan struts around the ring. Finally they both sit down and we’re ready to go. Ventura gets the early advantage but Putski storms back to nearly put Jesse down only for The Body to cheat, grabbing the other side of the table while the ref wasn’t looking to regain the advantage. Jesse almost puts Ivan down but once again Putski comes back, nearly putting Jesse down until Ventura cheats again. Putski screams and has Jesse almost down when Ventura pulls him across the table and delivers an elbow to the back of the head. He grabs the steel chair he was sitting in and clobbers Ivan several times in the head and back before putting the boots to him. Jesse throws the ref down and spits at the fallen Putski. He poses with one foot on his chest as the crowd tosses garbage in the ring. Jesse was on his way to being one of the top heels for the WWF but blood clots ended his career at the age of 33 in 1984. Then he became one of the most famous color commentators in wrestling history.

 

We go to the Iron Sheik’s harem for a Persian club demonstration. Vince is wearing a beige suit and he’s sitting cross-legged next to a woman in a red dress who almost looks like Miss Elizabeth. Sheik is wearing his blue trunks and boots as he speaks in Farci before picking up the clubs. He swings the clubs for about a minute before Vince forces him to stop. Vince asks how much each club weighs and Sheik answers 75 pounds. That’s how strong Sheik was, he could legitimately swing 75 pound clubs over his head for long periods of time. It should be noted there was only one wrestler that was able to do it with him, Bob Backlund.

 

Now we’re with Vince and Big John Studd and Studd’s going to bench press for us. Vince is wearing a normal suit while Studd has on a yellow, Gold’s gym wife-beater. Studd says the world’s record for bench press is 686 pounds and to start off he’s going to do 630. Studd says to send the tape of this to Hogan and Andre to show them how its done. Remember the jobber that Billy Graham famously broke his hip against? Well he’s a real life friend of Studd and he’s going to help Vince spot for Studd. They barely are able to get the weight bench off and Studd says “ahhh what a lousy liftoff, ok I got it.” Studd gives us a rep as Vince says that was impressive. Studd “You haven’t seen nothing yet!” Studd asks what Hogan’s doing now as he adds two 35 pound plates to the bench. This makes it 700 even as Studd says “some nobody” set the record. It was actually future WWF competitor Ted Arcidi that set the record and had the legitimate claim to be “World’s Strongest Man”. Vince asks what would happen if he can’t bench the weight and it falls on his chest. Vince tells the audience Studd will set the world record if he can get it up. Vince and the jobber lift off and Studd says “lousy liftoff but I got it” but can’t do it. Vince and the spotter put the bench back as Studd blames the jobber. Studd wants another try but Vince says nope. We cut to the TNT set with Bruno Sammartino being interviewed when Studd storms on the set and demands Bruno spot him. Vince asks Bruno if he’s ok with it and Bruno says he benched 585 once and felt 600 was impossible, let alone 700. Studd “Lousy equipment, lousy bench, lousy weights!” Vince asks Studd what goes through his mind as he attempts to set a record and Studd gets up and cuts a promo. A simple “nothing” would have been just fine. Bruno and Vince lift off and John says that liftoff was lousy as well. Studd actually benches it and Vince is impressed. Studd says Andre wouldn’t be able to do it. We cut here and its obvious he wasn’t benching 700 pounds because if he really did set the world record, people would have known about it. Ted Arcidi benched 700 pounds raw (raw means no gimmick shirts or wrist straps, just straight up muscle power) for real.

 

The final segments are about Ken Patera but before that we see Tony Atlas posing for the Madison Square Garden crowd. Patera was a legitimate olympic power-lifter, qualifying in the 1972 Olympics. He was the US National weightlifting champion 3 years in a row (69-71) prior to that. He finished 3^rd in the World’s Strongest Man competition in 1977 as well. Patera and Atlas pose for the crowd before Patera rushes only to be knocked backwards out of the ring. Ken hugs Bobby on the floor then gets back in…only to bail out again as we end there. We then cut to older footage with Vince McMahon wearing a ridiculous piss yellow suitcoat and green pants next to Ken in a green Olympic powerlifting singlet. Vince asks Ken what kind of feat of strength he’s going to do but Patera cuts him off to tell the crowd to shut up. “They’re getting to me, the louder they shout the more my opponent suffers.” There’s heel heat without being corny or silly. Ken then says he’s going to take a 6 inch spike and with his bare hands, try to ram it through the sturdiest wood in the world. He says a lot of guys can break wood with their fists or feet but they don’t drive spikes barehanded. Vince brings up how this particular stunt was banned from powerlifting events because of difficulty but the crowd starts chanting “We want Putski!” to piss Ken off. A TAPE EDIT now shows Ken getting ready to do it….*drumroll*….and he does it. Ken “You can pass that around to the geeks out there that I did it but don’t let them keep it because they’ll throw it back at me.” A TAPE EDIT now says he’s going to bend a 6 inch stainless steel bolt with his bare hands. He says that when he does the giant swing, the most important aspect is the hand strength, not the back or legs. This is apparently how he practices hand strength. He tells the crowd to shut up again. He wraps a hand towel around it so he doesn’t legitimately rip his hands and then bends the damn thing in half. “Let’s see Putski do that!” Another TAPE EDIT now shows Patera trying to blow up a hot water bottle until it pops. He says he does it to improve his lung strength and then shouts at the crowd “How are your lungs, they’re probably filled with cigarette smoke!” He blows…and blows…and blows…..POP! Patera staggers around and then shouts at the crowd again. We now cut to a different segment with Alfred wearing a light blue suit he probably stole from Vince. Vince is wearing a beige leisure suit (ugh) as Ken is in a red tanktop and white 80’s short workout shorts (yeesh). Ken is going to attempt to block a 5200 pound mini-van with just his legs. Vince is skeptical as Ken asks Vince to drive the truck and that he’s not liable if something goes wrong. Vince hands the mic to Alfred and Ken explains he’s going to put a pillow behind his back for support. Vince honks the horn as Ken tells him to hold his horses. Ken explains he’s going to put his feet on the bumper and stop the van. As the van pulls up Alfred asks if he can step back and Ken says “Yeah, get outta the way!” Vince keeps honking the horn and Patera tells him to have some patience. He gets in position and tells Vince to come close. Ken then gets up and tells the fans at home not to try this (good thinking) and gets back in position. He then puts both feet on the bumpers and tells Vince to punch it. Vince floors it for real and the van doesn’t budge. The back wheels spin and burn rubber and Ken still has it going nowhere. Then smoke fills the area and finally Vince cuts the engine. Patera gags legitimately (that must reek too) and Vince asks if he’s alright. Ken “Yeah, I told you to cut it off after 6 seconds” and Vince says “My foot was stuck on the accelerator what do you want me to do?” Ken “What are ya trying to do, kill me?” Vince “No I’m not trying to kill you!”  Good shit, and impressive too. Patera is half of Mark Henry’s size so if he’s pulling off these feats of strength, it shows just how truly powerful he is. Right around this time is when he went to jail too. Remember how I mentioned that he was arrested in 1984 for throwing a rock through a McDonald’s window, well it took over a year to convict him but they finally did in 1985. A shame because he was one of the founding members of the Heenan Family with Big John Studd and later King Kong Bundy.

 

Oh look, we’re done. The credits are rolling signaling the end of the tape. Now for the sneak previews of BEST OF THE WWF VOLUME 4, THE AMAZING MANAGERS and WRESTLING’S COUNTRY BOYS. I guess back then tapes came in 3 packs. As for this, what can you say? All it was, was a collection of highlights featuring a lot of guys that would never be highlighted under any circumstances in the other territories. It was yet another attempt to do something different and it worked. Demolition Ax used to say that if a guy who thinks he drew the house by himself would stand in the ring for 2 hours telling jokes, no one would come. EVERYONE on the roster was important from the first match all the way to the main event. How do I rate a tape that has everything? I can’t really. A highlight tape isn’t for everyone but its got a lot of good thing packed into 81 minutes. I recommend getting it if you can find it because a lot of people are highlighted. The next tape after this is another profile tape, the number 1 heel ROWDY RODDY PIPER’S GREATEST HITS.