29th

WWF Wrestling Challenge March 29th, 1987

25th February 2015 by Scott Keith

March 29, 1987


From the Ohio Center in Columbus, OH


Your hosts are Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon

This show aired the same day as WrestleMania III

In action tonight will be Tito Santana, King Harley Race, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, and “Adorable” Adrian Adonis.

Mary Hart is backstage with Andre the Giant and Bobby Heenan. She asks him about tossing Hulk Hogan from the ring during the SNME battle royal as he tells her to take care of her business while he will take care of his business.

Greg Valentine w/ Johnny V. & Brutus Beefcake & Dino Bravo vs. Tito Santana w/ British Bulldogs


Tito wins a slugfest to start the match. Danny Davis is shown in an insert promo speaking about how he is not afraid of Tito or the British Bulldogs as Valentine takes control of the match. He puts Tito in a chinlock after getting two with a fist drop. Tito fights out then hits Valentine with a forearm smash. They slug it out again until Valentine counters a mounted punch attack with an inverted atomic drop. He then tries an atomic drop but Tito blocks that then puts Valentine in the Figure Four as the crowd goes nuts. Johnny V. jumps up on the apron as Bravo slides in and pulls Valentine over to the ropes then starts hammering away on Tito as Johnny V. joins in but Beefcake distances himself from the duo until the Bulldogs chase them away with Matilda as the ref signals for the bell as the match is ruled a double DQ (3:58).

Thoughts: Good action between longtime rivals. The end, with Beefcake distancing himself from his allies was the story here as they continue to play up his anger from Adonis accidentally cutting his hair.






Craig DeGeorge is backstage with King Kong Bundy, who warns the midgets that they will get hurt if they try to stand in his way. DeGeorge, the dumbass that he was, then asks Bundy if he is going to be kind towards the midgets as Bundy tells him he has never been kind to anyone in his life. Generic big man promo from Bundy.

Replay of Hacksaw Jim Duggan chasing off the Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, and Slick with his 2×4.

Rick Hunter vs. King Harley Race w/ Bobby Heenan


Johnny V. has replaced Heenan on commentary and says that Hunter looks like Robert Redford. Race ambushes a distracted Hunter from behind. He continues to beat the shit out of him then puts him away with the cradle suplex as JYD is shown in an insert promo talking about how he will be the king after WrestleMania III (0:38). After the match, Heenan makes Hunter bow then Race knees him in the face.

Thoughts: They actually got Race some heat at the end of this match but his feud with JYD was somewhat of a disappointment as Race was never over as a heel and JYD’s popularity was not what it was two years prior.






Gene Okerlund is backstage with Sheik, Volkoff, and Slick as they hype their WrestleMania III match against the Killer Bees. Not much of note other than Sheik referring to Okerlund as “Gene Mean” during his tangent.

Dino Bravo warns the Rougeau Brothers that at WrestleMania III the Dream Team will tear those “French Frogs” apart. Funny moment as when they cut back to the ring, Monsoon joked how Bravo “isnt exactly Irish” himself.

Rougeau Brothers vs. Dave Wagner & Rick Renslow


The Rougeaus use their speed to take control of the match. Johnny V. is shown in an insert promo denying the rumors about dissension within the Dream Team. Renslow slams Raymond but misses a splash off of the middle rope. Jacques tags and slingshots in with a sunset flip that gets broken up by Wagner. Raymond tags back in and hits a crescent kick but Wagner also breaks that up then the Rougeaus double-team both guys in a clunky sequence before putting away Renslow with the Rougeau Bomb (2:23).

Thoughts: Good action here from the Rougeaus who were just not good enough to be near the top of the tag team division due to the depth it was boasting at the time.






“Adorable” Adrian Adonis w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Corporal Kirchner

These two lockup as we get an insert promo from Piper cuts a promo on Adonis, who gets sent outside. Adonis re-enters the ring then beats on Kirchner in the corner until he gets the win with a splash from the top (1:42).

Thoughts: This was okay I suppose and really just another segment to hype the hair vs. hair match at WrestleMania.



Jimmy Jack Funk vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

Match is joined in progress as Funk suplexes Steamboat as Savage cuts a promo on Steamboat about how Steamboat is overmatched and that he will not lose the title. Steamboat fights back with his “martial arts” offense. He follows with a vertical suplex but ducks his head on a backdrop attempt and gets booted in the face. Steamboat skins-the-cat then backdrops Funk over the ropes as he goes out and roughs him up for a bit. Back inside, Steamboat catches Funk with a back elbow smash then climbs up and hits the flying chop for the win (2:10).

Thoughts: Really fun two-minute match. This was all action. Savage cut an awesome promo on Steamboat here too as they were really making Steamboat out as the underdog here.



Okerlund is with Hogan, who addresses all of the non-believers. He then says that there is no way, with all of the people behind him and all of the prayers and vitamins, that he will stay on top of the mountain. Really promo from Hogan, who sold this match even more here if that was possible.

Next week we will get part one of the “Ken Patera Story” as Heenan is shocked about this. Also in action will be Kamala, Honky Tonk Man, The Islanders, and Billy Jack Haynes.

Final Thoughts: This show was fine. WrestleMania III did not need anymore hyping at this point as I’m sure everyone watching was ready for the PPV. Very few shows have been built up as good as WrestleMania III.

Here is my schedule for the rest of the week:

Thursday: RF Video Shoot Interview with Koko B. Ware
Friday: WrestleMania III
Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 4/4/87
Tuesday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 4/5/87

Rants →

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event November 29th, 1986

5th November 2014 by Scott Keith

November 29, 1986

From the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA

Your hosts are Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Vince McMahon

Tonight, Randy Savage defends his Intercontinental Title against Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Also, Koko B. Ware takes on Nikolai Volkoff, Hart Foundation take on the Killer Bees,and Roddy Piper takes on Cowboy Bob Orton. And Hulk Hogan puts up the WWF Heavyweight Title against Hercules.

WWF Intercontinental Title Match
Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. Randy “Macho Man” Savage (Champion) w/ Elizabeth

Savage was great in his preshow promo, telling Elizabeth to shut up and polish his belt. Jake cut an impressive promo himself. The crowd is amped for Roberts, even starting a “DDT” chant. Roberts intimidates both Savage and Elizabeth with the snake before the match. They start off playing mindgames as Savage slips out of a DDT attempt and ducks outside and Roberts chases him around until they wind up back in the ring. Savage traps Roberts in the corner and hammers away, getting a nearfall in the process. He tries to put Roberts a few more times and fails. Roberts fights back but Savage grabs his hairs then ties him up in the ropes as they go to break. When they come back, Roberts breaks free then knees Savage through the ropes. He goes out and grabs the snake bag then comes back in and hits Savage with a short-armed clothesline that gets two as Savage got his foot on the ropes. The camera shows a worried Elizabeth as Roberts teases a DDT and hits a gordbuster instead and Savage once again breaks the count by getting his foot on the ropes. The fans are really into Roberts. Roberts knocks down Savage then tries for the DDT again but Savage is able to hook on to the ropes and duck outside. Roberts goes outside and Savage uses Elizabeth as a shield then attacks Jake from behind. He heads up top and hits Jake with a double axe handle. Back inside, Savage gets a nearfall with another double axe handle. He heads up top again but Roberts catches him with a shot to the face. Roberts yanks Savage to the floor and roughs him up before rolling him back inside. Savage knees Roberts and fires away then shoves referee Dave Hebner when he tries to intervene. Roberts takes the advantage and also shoves the ref as he tries to break things up as the ref rings the bell and rules the match a double DQ (9:30) ***1/2. After the match, Savage grabs a chair then Roberts gets his snake and chases him away.

Thoughts: Great stuff. These two had the crowd in the palm of their hands the entire time. It also showed just how popular Jake was, even as a heel, and his face turn would happen shortly.



WWF Heavyweight Championship Match
Hercules w/ Bobby Heenan vs. Hulk Hogan (Champion)

They battle over a test of strength until Hercules breaks that up by ramming Hogan’s chest. He slugs away in the corner but Hogan reverses an Irish whip and hits Hercules with a corner clothesline. Hercules ducks a clothesline but Hogan catches him with a high knee. Heenan runs up on the apron and Hogan chases him around for a bit. Back inside, Hogan boots down Hercules before hitting a slam but misses an elbow drop as Hercules takes control. He sends Hogan into the corner and targets the back then puts him in the backbreaker as Jesse on commentary is yelling how he heard Hogan say that he quit. Hercules drops Hogan down and acts as if he has won but referee Dave Hebner tells him that he did not as Jesse loses his mind on commentary. Hercules covers and gets two as Hogan hulks up immediately and unloads on Hercules. He rams his head off of the turnbuckle ten times then chops him down before hitting the big boot then getting the win with a leg drop (6:30) *1/4.

Thoughts: Fine for what it was as they got Hercules over more than he was before this and seeing Hogan defend the belt on TV was a must-see event among WWF fans so that was cool. The finish here (hulking up after kicking out of a pin then big boot/leg drop) made it’s debut on a National level in this match I believe.



Ventura is shown at a restaurant interviewing Bob Orton and Jimmy Hart. He asks Orton about being Piper’s best friend as Orton says that Piper stole all the glory and says that he does not have any friends now as this leads to Vince introducing us to a video package of the Orton/Piper friendship set to the Clearance Clemons & Jackson Browne tune “You’re a Friend of Mine.” It was a great video.

“Cowboy” Bob Orton w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Roddy Piper

Muraco comes out wearing a kilt to stand in Orton’s corner but the referee sends him to the back as you see agent Chief Jay Strongbow escort him back. In the ring, Piper wins a slugfest then takes him down with a bulldog. Orton backs away and begs for mercy but Piper bites his forehead then sends him into the corner. Piper gets two off of a kneelift but ducks his head and Orton takes him down with an uppercut. He hits a gutbuster and a fist drop that gets two. Orton misses an elbow drop then but Hart grabs Piper. Orton stops short after Piper escaped but gets knocked into Hart then Piper rolls him up for the win (3:48) *.

Thoughts: Basic match. With Adonis back, the WWF had little use for Orton and he began his sharp decline down the card until leaving in the middle of next year.

Mean Gene is backstage with Piper and asks him about being on his own and not out to win “popularity contest” as Piper brags about getting revenge on Orton and calls out Muraco and Adonis after that. They were slowly turning Piper into a traditional babyface role with this as the first step.

Killer Bees vs. Hart Foundation

The Bees start the match working over Brett as we get an insert promo of the Bees being interviewed wearing their masks trying to confuse Okerlund. Neidhart tags and the Bees take him down with a double elbow smash. Brett knees Brunzell in the back from the apron as the Hart Foundation take control. Neidhart dropkicks Brunzell then applies a chinlock. Brett tags and hammers away as the Hart Foundation continues to cut off the ring. Back from break, Brunzell gets two with a sunset flip but Brett knocks him down then tags Neidhart. The Hart Foundation continue to work Brunzell until he dropkicks Brett. Brunzell makes the tag but the referee did not see it and orders Blair back to the apron as Neidhart knocks him down. The Bees go underneath the ring and get their masks as Blair is in the ring and cleans house. He puts Neidhart in a sleeper but Brett breaks it up with an attack from behind but Brunzell sneaks in and plays possum then is able to catch Brett in a small package for the win (9:00) **1/2.

Thoughts: Solid match. I have seen better from these two but still fun. The announcers all but called this a number one contender match too as it was seen as a huge win for the Bees.



Nikolai Volkoff w/ Slick vs. Koko B. Ware

Volkoff attacks Koko as Slick distracted the referee. Volkoff hammers away in the corner but Koko dodges a charge and punches away. He hits Volkoff with some odd-looking hurricarana then follows that with a pair of dropkicks for a nearfall. Volkoff takes control and hits a slam but misses a kneedrop. Koko hits him with a missile dropkick for two. Volkoff knees him in the face and hits him with his backbreaker but picks Koko back up after two and goes over to Slick for advice but that allows Koko to get up and knock him into Slick and roll up Volkoff for the win (2:30) 1/2*.

Thoughts: A cheap win that continues Koko’s midcard push and keeps Volkoff relatively strong. Really not much more to say other than that.



In the locker room, Okerlund is with Hogan. He asks him about Ventura pointing out weaknesses in his match tonight as Hogan talks about the power of Hulkamania.

“The Rebel” Dick Slater vs. Don Muraco w/ Mr. Fuji

Fuji sings “Dixieland” in a prematch promo that makes me laugh. Muraco knocks down Slater and sends him into the corner. Slater slips out of a fireman’s carry then knocks down Muraco. He hits a few elbow smashes then climbs up top for an elbow smash but Fuji puts Muraco’s foot on the ropes to break the count. Fuji then trips up Slater but Muraco misses an elbow drop. Muraco then hits a poor excuse of a clothesline to get the win (2:12) DUD.

Thoughts: These two were just going through the motions as Muraco had become increasingly lazy and bloated and Slater was a step above a TV jobber as he was failing in his role. Well, he was terribly miscast anyway. Slater would not be here much longer as he was gone just before WrestleMania III.

Final Thoughts: A really good show. The opener was great and the tag match was fun. The Heavyweight title bout was solid and for the Piper fans, you got to see him get revenge on Orton. Sure, the final two matches were nothing much but that was expected with these shows.

Here is the rest of my schedule

Thursday: YouShoot with Teddy Long
Friday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 11/30/86
Saturday: RoH Retribution: Round Robin Challenge Two 4/26/03
Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 12/6/86
Tuesday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 12/7/86



Rants →

WWF Superstars of Wrestling November 29th, 1986

17th October 2014 by Scott Keith

November 29, 1986

From the Joyce Athletic & Convocation Center in South Bend, IN

Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, and Vince McMahon

Tonight’s featured match will be the Hart Foundation vs. British Bulldogs in a non-title bout. Also, Danny Spivey returns from injury and will be in action with Mike Rotundo. Plus, Butch Reed is here and we will get an update on the condition of Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.

First, we get a special interview via satellite from London, England. Its conducted by some guy named Gary Davie who informs us that WWF President Jack Tunney as overturned the suspension of Andre the Giant. Andre himself comes out and says that he will be back and is happy to return. Andre said that he would not say what he has been doing during his suspension.

King Harley Race w/ Bobby Heenan vs. “Leaping” Lanny Poffo

Poffo gets two off of a crossbody then takes Race down with an armdrag. Race catches Poffo with a high knee smash then hits a belly-to-belly suplex as Jesse cannot believe that Andre is back. Race then hits Poffo with the cradle suplex for the win (1:32).

Thoughts: Despite the push, it was still sad to see the legendary Race flop in this role. Not even Heenan could get this gimmick over.



WWF Update with Gene Okerlund, who looks incredibly hungover. The guy appears to be in complete and utter agony here. He then talks about Ricky Steamboat’s injury and talks with his wife over the phone. She hints at her husband possibly having to retire due to the injuries and how he is not handling the fact that he is unable to speak. Okerlund promises that we will get an update from doctors about Steamboat’s condition later in the show.

Jesse is backstage with Mike Rotundo, who welcomes back Danny Spivey. They challenge Jesse, who thought that Spivey would never be able to return to action.

U.S. Express vs. Dave Wagner & Rick Renslow

Renslow catches Rotundo with a hiptoss but misses an elbow drop and Rotundo takes control. Spivey tags and gets a small reaction as he elbows Renslow in the face. He slams him down then follows with a slingshot splash for two. They hit Renslow with a double dropkick then Wagner tags and he gets double-teamed briefly until Spivey finishes him off with a bulldog (2:15). The crowd gave them a big ovation after the win.

Thoughts: The crowd was really into Spivey returning. They played it up a bit for the past several weeks too and it paid off.



Ken Resnick is with Hulk Hogan who is pumping up while talking about Kamala and how he is squashing little guys and an “Ugandan Creep” and a “Dark Giant.” He then says when they meet at the Boston Garden, they will be in his jungle.

The Honkytonk Man talks about how he went to “fat” Jack Tunney’s office and counted the votes and even after kissing dirty babies and shaking sweaty hands the fans still did not appreciate him. He then tells the fans that he is no longer doing that and will slap babies, hit women, and do a tap dance on the heads of guys he drags into the mean then promises a special announcement for next week. And that is how the Honkytonk Man turned heel.

Bob Boyer vs. Kamala w/ Grand Wizard & Kimchee

Boyer was an old-timer who wrestled in Indianapolis for Dick The Bruiser’s WWA territory under the name “Bobby Bold Eagle.” You can actually see some of his stuff on YouTube filmed in black-and-white footage. Boyer bounces off of Kamala a few times then gets caught with a chop. Kamala slams him down then hits a splash before climbing up top for another splash and gets the win (0:55). After the match, Boyer is taken out on a stretcher as Kamala is stopped by his handler’s from hitting another splash.

Thoughts: Kamala’s opponents would all do stretcher jobs after the match to lead up to his house show run with Hogan, who was finishing up against Orndorff.



Resnick is with the Junkyard Dog, who will be facing Paul Orndorff in Boston. JYD talks about Kamala being the biggest man he has ever seen then runs down the card.

Slick is with the Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff. Slick goes off on the British Bulldogs and Matilda as he broke his arm. Vince says that is hilarious while Jesse asks him how he thinks breaking an arm is funny.

Hart Foundation w/ Jimmy Hart vs. British Bulldogs

This is a non-title match. Also, this is the debut of the all pink tights here for the Hart Foundation as the have a thin black stripe on the sides. Vince is way too excited to see Matilda. The fans go nuts as Matilda chases Jimmy Hart up the top rope then Vince points out how Danny Davis is the referee for this match. Davey catches Brett with a monkey flip after an Irish whip sequence. Anvil tags and they collide a few times until Davey takes him down with a drop toehold. Dynamite tags and takes both of the Hart’s down with a headlock/leg scissors combo as the fans are really into this match. Brett catches Davey with a knee from the apron. The Hart Foundation use quick tags and double-team moves to neutralize Davey until he comes back with a slam on Brett then makes the tag. Dynamite runs wild and nails Brett with a clothesline but Davis was yelling at Hart on the apron then the Anvil comes in and tosses Davey to the floor then the Hart Foundation hit Dynamite with the Hart Attack for the surprise win (4:32).

Thoughts: Fun match that propelled the Hart Foundation right to the #1 contender slot. The result was a mild upset at the time too and it cemented the Hart’s as a legitimate threat.



Piper’s Pit with Jimmy Hart, who comes out instead of George Steele. Hart says that he took care of Steele by giving him a poster of Elizabeth then rants and raves at Piper about demanding respect. Piper then mocks Hart by calling him a “Federette” then Hart keeps poking Piper then slaps him a few times as Piper no-sells it then puts him in a lifting chokehold until he is attacked by Adrian Adonis from behind with a crutch. Adonis puts him in the sleeper as Hart yells in Piper’s face then Adonis declares that he is back and dumps flowers into Piper’s mouth.

We get another video of Outback Jack and this time he speaks. He is shown taking a shower outdoors while singing what would be his theme song (Tie Me Kangaroo Down). It’s amazing that someone thought this would get over.

Now we get clips of Randy Savage injuring Ricky Steamboat last week. From that, we get Gene Okerlund with the WWF doctor. The doc talks about Steamboat receiving a crushed larynx and does not have his voice and might require speech therapy later on and says that his career is in jeopardy.

Blackjack Mulligan is shown at his ranch in Texas and says that he is tougher and meaner than ever and warns King Kong Bundy that he better watch out. This run would be very short lived.

“The Natural” Butch Reed vs. Max Blue

Reed beats on Blue then catches him with a kneelift. He then hits a swinging neckbreaker and catches him with a slam before hitting a flying clothesline for the win (0:55).

Thoughts: Total domination here as Reed’s debut push continues.



Resnick is with the Wizard. Kimchee and Kamala come out as the Wizard cuts one of his awful screaming promos on Hogan to hype their match at the Boston Garden.

Next week in action will be Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware, Adrian Adonis, and the featured match of The Dream Team & Dino Bravo vs. The Rougeau Brothers & Billy Jack Haynes.

Final Thoughts: Decent show. The tag match was fun and the Steamboat/Savage stuff continued. The Davis stuff continued too. In the Observer at this time, Dave Meltzer reported that he heard a rumor from someone in the company that they were planning on a Vince & Bruno vs. Jesse & Davis match that Meltzer himself completely dismissed it at the time but said they way the TV had been going it seemed like there was actually a chance it could happen.

I am taking a break and these reviews will continue the beginning of November with the 11/29/86 episode of “Saturday Night’s Main Event.”

Rants →

WWF Championship Wrestling March 29th, 1986

14th May 2014 by Scott Keith
March 29, 1986
Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahon
Tonight, Hulk Hogan will be wrestling on the show, still selling the effects of the attack he suffered from King Kong Bundy on “Saturday Night’s Main Event.” Plus, the Funk Brothers, British Bulldogs, Randy Savage and Paul Orndorff are all in action.

Lord Alfred Hayes gives us an update on all of the celebrities that will be appearing at WrestleMania 2. They include Lee Majors, Ray Charles, Robert Conrad, Dick Butkus, Ozzy Osborne, Joan Rivers, Herb from Burger King, Clare Peller, Susan St. James, Cab Calloway, Joe Frazier, Darryl Dawkins, Cathy Lee Crosby, Elvira, and G. Gordon Liddy, who cuts a promo about being the judge for the Piper vs. Mr. T match. It was incredibly wooden.
Andre Malo vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Elizabeth
The announcers hype the feud between Savage and George Steele as Savage backs Malo against the ropes. He snaps Malo’s neck off of the rope and follows that with a suplex as an insert promo by Elvira is shown, hyping her appearance at WrestleMania. Savage tosses Malo outside then follows him out with a top rope double axe handle. Back inside, he hits another axe handle but pulls Malo up then goes up top and finishes him off with the flying elbow drop then covers him with one foot for the win (1:58).
Thoughts: Another great squash from Savage. Man, he was the most entertaining guy in this promotion during 1986.
Mean Gene is with Hulk Hogan and Mr. T, who talks about how he has never been so mad in his life and promises to beat Piper at WrestleMania for what he did at “Saturday Night’s Main Event.” Hogan then talks about Clubber Lang is a wimp compared to the real Mr. T. Not that much of an interview but they really hyped the shit out of WrestleMania 2.
Bob Bradley vs. “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff
Orndorff works a hammerlock until Bradley reaches the ropes. Orndorff works the arm as Vince puts over his upcoming WrestleMania match against Don Muraco. We get another G. Gordon Liddy promo, which was awful, as Orndorff is still working the arm. Vince brings up how there will be celebrity commentators at WrestleMania as Bradley hammers away on Orndorff. They fuck up a hiptoss spot then Orndorff tosses Bradley to the floor. He suplexes Bradley in the ring from the apron then hits a clothesline before he finishes off Bradley with the piledriver (3:28).
Thoughts: Nothing more than a backdrop to hype up all the celebrities appearing at WrestleMania. Interesting to see how a year ago, Orndorff was involved in the hottest match at the show and this year, he is in a match against Muraco that was slapped together at the last minute. After milking his feud against Piper for all it was worth, he had done nothing until he eventually turned on Hogan. To be fair, he was never meant to be a face.
Mean Gene is with several of the WrestleMania Battle Royal participants including the Hart Foundation and football players Jimbo Covert and William “Refridgerator” Perry, who cut a promo that needed subtitles at the bottom of the screen. Christ.
Ivan MacDonald & S.D. Jones vs. Terry & Hoss Funk w/ Jimmy Hart
I’ll say it again: MacDonald looks like Jim Carrey’s character from “Dumb and Dumber” on steroids. Bruno calls Hoss “Dory” at first before correcting himself. Terry chops S.D. against the ropes but gets caught with a slam. Hart grabs S.D.’s leg then Hoss stomps him on the floor. S.D. is selling the leg then goes inside where Terry attacks it some more. Cathy Lee Crosby gives us an insert promo about working with Monsoon at WrestleMania as S.D. mounts a comeback. He tags MacDonald, who Hoss knees off of the apron. The Funks take turns beating the shit out of MacDonald until Hoss makes him submit to the Boston Crab (2:43). After the match, S.D. chases Hart out of the ring as he attempted to brand MacDonald.
Thoughts: A dominate showing by the Funks, who will be facing Tito Santana & Junkyard Dog at WrestleMania.
Mean Gene is with Bobby Heenan and King Kong Bundy. Heenan said the whole plan was to send Hogan to the hospital and they knew that he would be dumb enough to put up the title in a match against Bundy, who says that getting into a steel cage with him will be the biggest mistake of his life. Heenan predicts that Bundy will be the new World Champion.
Tiger Chung Lee & Mr. X vs. British Bulldogs w/ Capt. Lou Albano
Lee runs over Dynamite, who then sends him to the floor with a backdrop. Davey tags and connects with a dropkick for two. Cab Calloway is shown in an insert promo singing about WrestleMania 2 as Davey powerslams Mr. X. Dynamite hits a snap suplex and a backbreaker then tags Davey, who gets caught in a small package for two. Davey comes back with a couple of slams then places Mr. X on top and tags Dynamite, who hits a super back suplex for the win (2:38).
Thoughts: The crowd in Poughkeepsie loved the Bulldogs. They got a great reception and impressed in the ring too. No mention at all of their match for the Tag Team Titles against the Dream Team at WrestleMania.
A video montage of Roddy Piper training for his boxing match against Mr. T set to his song from the “Wrestling Album.” It ran a bit too long and was unmemorable.
Vince runs down the WrestleMania 2 card and most importantly, all of the celebrities. Shit, Vince was like the guy from the Micro Machines commercials here in how fast he spoke.
Mean Gene introduces a series of promos for the Battle Royal. The idea here is that the Battle Royal is the most dangerous match in wrestling. Danny Spivey got to cut a promo here and maybe he shouldn’t have. Same for King Tonga, who came off as someone who just finishes a round of electroshock therapy. A mix of promos from football players and wrestlers. It was fine for what it was and Neidhart was pretty funny too.
Moondog Spot vs. Hulk Hogan
The crowd went nuts for Hogan, who comes out to “Real American” on Championship Wrestling for the first time. Hogan shoves Spot away then hits a few punches then a clothesline. He drops an elbow but Spot targets the injured ribs of Hogan. He hammers away until Hogan hulks up then fires back. He hits a corner clothesline then hits a back suplex before putting him away with the leg drop (1:56). Hogan poses after the match
Thoughts: It was really cool to see Hogan appear on this show, as it was a rare occurrence. The purpose of this was to show the fans that Hogan has healed from his injuries that he suffered from King Kong Bundy and that he will be in fine shape for their cage match at WrestleMania.
Final Thoughts: This was basically and infomercial for WrestleMania 2. I don’t have a problem with that but the constant celebrity insert promos and the focus seemingly on the celebrities themselves and the battle royal is not going to get me to rush out and see this show. The rest of the card is underwhelming but they barely even mentioned the other matches, even when the guys wrestling in them were in the ring on the show. This was WWF star-fucking at its finest. Not a terrible show by any means but the constant gushing over the C-List celebs was grating by the end.
Rants →

WWF Championship Wrestling: June 29th, 1985

4th December 2013 by Scott Keith
June 29, 1985
Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahon
Tonight, Terry Funk will make his WWF in-ring debut. Also in action tonight are Don Muraco and Ricky Steamboat. Plus, Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham, Junkyard Dog & Tito Santana, and the new team of B. Brian Blair and “Jumping” Jim Brunzell.

Rick Hunter & A.J Petruzzi vs. Tito Santana & Junkyard Dog

JYD starts off the match by overpowering Petruzzi. Tito tags in and works the arm for a bit. Petruzzi gets hit with a double elbow smash then JYD follows that up with some crawling headbutts. Hunter tags and grabs a headlock but JYD counters that with an atomic drop. Tito tags and gets worked over for a second but makes the tag. JYD cleans house then finishes off Petruzzi with a powerslam (3:49).
Thoughts: Not much to say about this match. It is the same as every other that JYD & Tito had together. Also, the team of JYD and Tito is starting to get stale, as they only started due to their mutual hatred of Valentine and have not progressed into any feuds.  
WWF Update with Lord Alfred Hayes. This week’s subject is Bobby Heenan and the $25,000 bounty that he placed on Paul Orndorff.
Aldo Marino vs. Terry Funk
The announcers put over the toughness of Funk. Before the match, in one of the most memorable post-match moments in history, ring attendant Mel Phillips carries away Funk’s ring gear and in the process, puts on Funk’s hat. Well, Funk sees this then yanks Phillips into the ring and beats the shit out of him. Marino tries to make the save but immediately gets tossed to the outside. Funk continues to beat on Phillips until he tosses him outside. Funk beats the piss out of Marino in the corner as two ring attendants carry Phillips into the locker room. Funk tosses Marino then jaws with the fans. Back in the ring, Marino reverses an Irish whip then tosses Funk through the ropes. Funk comes back in and Marino sends him back outside with a dropkick, as the fans are going crazy. Funk comes back in and hits a back suplex then gets the win via submission with the spinning toe hold (3:02). After the match, Funk taunts the fans, who already hate his guts.
Thoughts: One of the greatest TV debuts in wrestling history. At the end of this match, Funk was loathed by the crowd. Hell, they went crazy for the jobber’s offense. You have to check this out.
Vince mentions that we will get more news about the “Manager of the Year” award later on in the show. We never did though.
Gene Okerlund plugs the first ever “King of the Ring” show at Sullivan Stadium (The old Foxboro Stadium) in Foxboro, MA. Hulk Hogan comes out and says that he was hanging with “Sly” and what he went through filming “First Blood.” He promises the same will happen when he defends his belt against Nikolai Volkoff.
Steve Lombardi & Dave Barbie vs. Killer Bees
The Bees are wearing black trunks and vests for this match. Blair grounds Lombardi to start the match. Brunzell tags and hits a monkey flip then a jumping knee smash. Blair tags and gets two off of a clothesline. Blair gets caught in the wrong corner and gets slammed by Barbie. Blair is able to elude an elbow drop then tags Brunzell, who hits a beautiful looking dropkick. The Bees use the double noggin knocker then Brunzell catches Barbie with a sleeper for the win (3:52).
Thoughts: The Bees worked at a fast pace but their opponents really couldn’t keep up with that. Still, its nice to have another solid tag team in the company.
Okerlund is with the King of the Ring trophy and JYD. They talk about the competitors in the tournament.
Rick McGraw vs. Don Muraco w/Mr. Fuji
The fans start a “beach bum” chant aimed at Muraco. Muraco hits a clothesline but McGraw fights back. He hits a backbreaker and a slam before sending him out of the ring with an atomic drop. The fans are into the action tonight. Muraco comes in but misses a dropkick. McGraw tries a Boston Crab but Muraco rolls out. They slug it out until McGraw gets a nearfall with a small package. McGraw then whiffs on a dropkick and Muraco puts him away with the tombstone piledriver (2:42).
Thoughts: The fans really bought into McGraw here. The match while sloppy at points, was wrestled at a brisk pace, making it fun to watch.
Piper’s Pit with a returning Roddy Piper. He says that he went on vacation then welcomes Hillbilly Jim. Piper mocks him with banjo noises then accuses him of faking his leg injury. Jim then tells Piper he has someone he wants him to meet and brings out his Uncle Elmer. Piper mocks him for a few seconds as the segment ends.
The Axe vs. Ricky Steamboat
Steamboat scares off the Axe with his array of chops and poses. He takes him down with a few arm drags before the Axe grabs a headlock. Steamboat escapes and hits a running knee smash before putting him away with a flying body press (3:08).
Thoughts: Good god was this boring. The crowd, which was hot all night long, was just about silent for this match. The martial arts gimmicked they saddled on Steamboat was really bad at the beginning, as his matches consisted of goofy chops and kicks, along with ridiculous posing.
Hillbilly Jim gives us a public service announcement about making sure your animals have plenty of fresh air and water during the hot Summer days.
Terry Gibbs & Rene Goulet vs. Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham w/Capt. Lou Albano
Windham catches Gibbs with an arm drag. Rotundo tags and works a side headlock. Goulet tags and Rotundo grounds him as Vince tells us that Mel Phillips was taken to the hospital. Lots of fast paced action in this match. Rotundo gets double-teamed until Windham breaks it up. Rotundo continues to play face-in-peril as this match is surprisingly fun. Rotundo reverses an Irish whip by Gibbs then makes the tag. Windham hits a dropkick and a slam. He tags Rotundo, who catches Gibbs with an airplane spin, and gets the win. The finish looked bad as Goulet was right next to the pin attempt and sat there until Windham came over to shove him away (4:36)
Thoughts: Fun stuff, despite the terrible looking finish. Gibbs was solid as far as jobbers are concerned. Windham looked really good in particular.
Okerlund interviews a bunch of heels about the King of the Ring. Nothing memorable happened here except for Okerlund reminding the Iron Sheik that the show was in Foxboro, not Boston.
The announcers talk about Terry Funk and how there should be action taken against him for what he did to Mel Phillips.
Next week, Ricky Steamboat will face Don Muraco. Also, the television debut of “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Uncle Elmer. Plus, King Kong Bundy will be in action.
Final Thoughts: I thought this was a really fun show. The debut of Funk was awesome. If you haven’t seen it before, go do it now. The Killer Bees looked solid in their TV debut too. We also saw Uncle Elmer for the first time, even though it was a very brief appearance. The last match of the show was really fun too. Plus, next week, you get the debut of Savage and a match between Muraco and Steamboat.
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QOTD – August 29th, 2013

29th August 2013 by Scott Keith

Greetings. “Ricky Springfield, he’s a buddy-ah mine!”

I’m interested in the blog’s thoughts on some entrance music
related items. We all have our favorites, but here’s what I want to
know:

1) What is your favorite “so bad it’s awesome” wrestling theme?

2) Which totally forgettable or underachieving wrestlers had awesome themes that were, well, too awesome for them?

For
me, the answer to number one is a tie between Billy and Chuck’s “You
Look So Good To Me” and Rick Rude’s “Simply Ravishing” Black Cat
ripoff. 

And for two, D’Lo Brown and Rob Conway. 

Thoughts?

Billy & Chuck’s song is an N’SYNC tune. I remember being at a
friend’s house back in the day and his little sister all of a sudden
started listening to B&C’s theme song. After further investigation, I
found out the details.

I don’t know about so bad it’s awesome,
but I can certainly go with bad. Sting’s theme from the mid-90’s is
absolutely God-awful. Probably the worst lyrics in wrestling theme
history. Someone was literally paid to come up with “he does this, he
does that”. Steiner Ride is really f’ning terrible too.

As for the second question, I always dug Drew McIntyre’s theme song before 3MB. It had a really hard, slowpaced edge to it.

How say you?

Just updated WCW In 2000 with a front-runner for the worst Nitro ever. We get ourselves a Something On A Pole Match, a swerve, a wedding, and an arrest! Find it here

Want to send in a QOTD? [email protected]. Also, I start out each QOTD with a movie quote now, so if there’s a quote you’d like to see, you know the email.

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QOTD – July 29th, 2013

29th July 2013 by Scott Keith

Greetings.

Alright, today’s QOTD comes from Phil, and he asks

“Hey Caliber,


I thought this might make a fun question
of the day. Which Superhero has the best “Rogues Gallery”. You can
include a team if you like, instead of a singular super hero.
Personally, I’m veering towards Darkwing Duck. Mostly because the nature
of the show allowed them to steal from literally every other
comic/story which existed ever. They even had a Kthulu monster in the
form Duckthulu. But I digress…what say you?”
 
Spider-Man has a pretty healthy selection. Probably the best of the Marvel Universe. 
 
But I think it’s a safe bet when I say Batman is the clear winner. He has countless bad guys you could build an entire film off of. I mean, King Tut, Egghead, The Mad Hatter, Purple Lilac. Then you have the B list villains like The Joker, Two-Face, The Riddler, Catwoman, and Bane. That’s movie Bane, not comic book Bane. And that’s Bane before it’s revealed he’s a crying punk stuck in the friendzone.
How say you?
Also, thanks to everyone who checked out my story, and I really appreciate those who offered up their advice. I’m working on some other fiction that I’d like to share sometime down the line. In due time. Till then, how about a Caliber classic? Top 4 Uses Of The Word Fuck In PG-13 Movies
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WWF Championship Wrestling September 29th, 1984

24th April 2013 by Scott Keith
September 29, 1984
Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahon
This week’s feature matchup is Roddy Piper vs. Jimmy Snuka from the 8/25/84 MSG show. Also, newcomers Brett Hart (Yes, it was spelled that way) and the Dynamite Kid will be in action. Kamala and Sgt. Slaughter will also be in action.

Carl Fury vs. Sgt. Slaughter
Sarge goes around ringside and slaps hands with the fans. Vince lets us know that Fury is a newcomer to the WWF. He would job regularly for a few more years. He looked the part of your stereotypical 80’s jobber. The fans go crazy for Slaughter, as usual. Slaughter shoves Fury in the corner then catches him with a scoop slam. Fury backs Sarge in the corner and gets a knee. He then eats knee on a charge and Sarge hits a clothesline from the second rope. He then puts him in the Cobra Clutch for the win (1:54).
Thoughts: Slaughter is really over but since his feud with the Sheik is dying down, he has not found anyone else to feud with. He needs to find someone to start a program with. Based on last week, it might be with Volkoff or he could find a partner to go against both Sheik and Volkoff.
WWF Update with Lord Alfred Hayes. This week subjects are the tag-team champions, Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis. They show a clip of them at Murdoch’s ranch wrestling cattle. This was shown in its entirety on Tuesday Night Titans. I will be reviewing that episode next week.
WWF Magazine Plug
Jose Luis Rivera vs. Kamala w/Friday
No Blassie this week. Rivera eludes Kamala for a bit until Kamala corners him. He chops Rivera down as the fans are going nuts as Andre the Giant makes his way to the ring. Kamala chops Rivera several more times before hitting the splash for the win (2:08). After the match, Kamala stares down Andre, who is helping Rivera.
Thoughts: This is the start of a program between the two. It didn’t last long because Kamala would be leaving the WWF within the next two months. This match was pretty bad, actually.
Aldo Marino vs. Brett Hart
Yes, it is spelled “Brett” on the screen. Hart is wearing grey trunks with white and black stripes on the sides. Vince mentions that he has five other brothers that are wrestlers and that his dad is Stu Hart.  He takes Marino down with an armdrag and works the arm. Hart ducks a clothesline and gets another armdrag. The fans are silent as Hart continues to work on the arm. Marino gets in a few shots and a scoop slam but ducks his head and gets elbowed. Hart hits a European uppercut and a slam. He gets a legdrop then takes him down with a clothesline before finishing him off with a piledriver (2:38). Vince says we will see more of Hart in the coming weeks and might even see his brothers.
Thoughts: The crowd couldn’t have cared less about this match, which was on the dull side. Hart showed zero personality and despite playing the babyface, looked completely miserable. Hell, he made Tony Garea look like Ben Vereen by comparison. He really looked out of place.  
Sgt.Slaughter tells us to donate to the restoration of the Statue of Liberty
Steve Lombardi vs. Dynamite Kid
Dynamite gets an armdrag and a shoulderblock. Slam gets two. Gutwrench suplex gets two. Double underhook suplex gets two. Backbreaker gets two. Running legdrop gets two. Kid hits a backdrop then hits a missile dropkick, kipping right up afterwards, prompting Vince to channel J.J. Evans and yell “Dy-NO-Mite.” Dynamite hits a snap suplex then goes up top and hits the flying headbutt for the win (2:36).
Thoughts: Dynamite got the crowd into this by the end. He stood out above everyone else in this company with his speed and technical ability. His first stint didn’t last long as he was gone in several weeks but he would return the following year.
Piper’s Pit with Ken Patera and Capt. Lou Albano. Patera accuses guys like Santana, Slaughter and Hogan or cheating then claims that he was jumped and says he will find whoever did this. Meltzer reported at the time that Patera was rumored to win the IC title from Santana but that did not happen.
Joe Mirto & Joe Mascara vs. Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik
Blassie is not with Sheik & Volkoff so I assume that he missed this taping. Sheik takes down Mascara and stomps away. Mascara manages to get a sunset flip for two then both men tag out. Volkoff beats on Mirto as the crowd starts a “We Want Slaughter” chant. Sheik tags and hits a waistlock suplex then tags Volkoff, who hits the backbreaker for the win as Vince goes off about how impressive it was for Volkoff to lift Mirto, who was billed at 280 lbs, above his head. (2:23)
Thoughts: Match wasn’t much but the crowd still hates these foreign heels.
Lord Alfred Hayes introduces the Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka match from the MSG show and says that it has a controversial finish.
Roddy Piper vs. Jimmy Snuka
This match is joined in progress. Snuka is mounting a comeback and eventually knocks Piper to the floor. Back inside, Snuka catches Piper with a sleeper. The crowd is going crazy for this match by the way. Piper manages to make the ropes then slides out of the ring but Snuka maintains the hold. Piper rams Snuka against the apron but gets shoved into the post. Piper grabs a chair but Snuka nails him. Piper rolls in the ring and sees that he is busted open. Snuka is punching away as Piper is bleeding. Snuka comes off the top but Piper shoves him in midair and Snuka lands throat first on the rope and h flips outside. Piper wins by countout then grabs a chair and uses it to injure Snuka’s neck. Snuka is selling like he is unconscious as the crowd is booing like crazy. The announcers are acting like Snuka might have broken his neck as the paramedics come down and carry Snuka out on a stretcher.
Thoughts: The match was really good and the ending was awesome. Snuka sold the finish, which looked clunky, like a champ and the crowd was livid with Piper. This furthered along the Piper/Snuka feud and did a mighty fine job at that.
McMahon and Sammartino comment on the last match as they speculate whether or not Snuka’s career might be over. Next week, Andre the Giant, Brutus Beefcake, Fabulous Freebirds and David Sammartino will all be in action.
Final Thoughts: A good show. It featured the Championship Wrestling debuts of Brett Hart and Dynamite Kid but most importantly, showed the Snuka vs. Piper match at MSG. That feud would remain red-hot until the end of the year. They also set up a feud between Andre and Kamala. Dynamite Kid made a really impressive debut too.  
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