Matt’s report on Armageddon reminded me of something I watched a couple months back and pretty much forgot about. Before I got into the big 89 craze, I decided to go back and watch the Best of the WWF tapes I skipped over last year when I started working my way through the whole collection. I avoided the first five or six thinking they would be awfully boring. I know for a fact that I’d never even seen some of these very early ones. Instead I was quite surprised by how entertaining and unique this tape was. Unlike some of the later editions that were full of pure garbage, this at least had a number of historical and interesting matches. I’ll see what I can remember from watching it quite a while back.
1) WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan & Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd, WWF Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch in a handicap match at 22:21 when Andre pinned Murdoch with a boot to the face and a sit-down splash after Studd walked out on his team (7/15/84; Meadowlands)
Weird match to open the tape! Unfortunately this was shown in clipped form, so we didn’t get to see all of it, which is too bad. This 84 era, prior to Wrestlemania 1, is pretty interesting, especially as the company transitions from a territory into a national federation. Adonis and Murdoch were bad ass heels, with that classic 80s bad guy look of big guts and big tights. Adonis is bumping everywhere, and I love seeing him in the ring with Andre. Him and Murdoch really take it to Hogan and Andre, and we get a tremendous back and forth battle between champs. Studd being in the match added nothing for me, but I guess they needed to even the odds against Andre. Surprised that this one ended with a pin, not a DQ, and that Andre pinned one of the champions.
2) Wendi Richter (w/ Cyndi Lauper) pinned WWF Women’s Champion the Fabulous Moolah (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the title at 11:20 after lifting her right shoulder out of a bridged roll up; after the bout, Moolah & Albano attacked the referee after hearing the decision (7/23/84; Madison Square Garden)
This is the famous match from the Brawl To End It All, which helped kick start the rock n’ wrestling era. Like everything on this tape it’s clipped, but we still get to see a good chunk of these matches. Capt. Lou is still a heel here and makes for an ugly duo with Moolah. Richter winning brought the Garden to its feet, and is one of the defining moments of the 80s. Also helped that Cyndi Lauper was a legit A-list celebrity at this time.
We get a mini profile on Superfly Jimmy Snuka, showcasing his face turn and subsequent feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper, including the shockingly racist Piper’s Pit where he gets hit by the coconut. That coconut shot looks absolutely brutal, especially now in this concussion era, as Piper absolutely drills him in the side of the head and ear.
3) Superfly Jimmy Snuka pinned Bobby Bass
I think this is one of Snuka’s first matches as a good guy, and he just beats a guy on Championship Wrestling, the predecessor to Superstars.
4) Rowdy Roddy Piper defeated Jimmy Snuka via count-out at 7:05 when Snuka was dropped across the top rope while attempting a crossbody off the top, then falling to the floor and hitting his back against the apron; after the bout, Piper hit Snuka three times in the back of the neck with a folded steel chair (8/25/84; Madison Square Garden)
A hate-filled war between Piper and Snuka, right when this feud was at it’s peak. I love how the wrestlers used to be in multiple feuds that often would come together in tags during this era. Great battle, one of the most exciting on this tape.
5) Cobra pinned Black Tiger with a senton off the top rope to win the vacant WWF Jr. Heavyweight title (12/28/84; Madison Square Garden)
According to Gorilla Monsoon this is a match that the fans have been asking to see! Well it certainly is a huge rarity. The Jr. Heavyweight title didn’t last very long, but still might exist in Japan where it ended up shortly after this. This is definitely not a match you’d expect from the WWF at this time, as it’s two highly skilled, smaller wrestlers, wrestling a contemporary cruiserweight style match. It’s pretty over with the fans surprisingly, and Cobra and Tiger intensely battle back and forth before the Cobra eventually picks up the big win. Cool match!
Up next are those hilarious vignettes parodied on WrestleCrap years ago, featuring Hulk Hogan trying to train Mean Gene for his one and only match in the WWF. They were to battle Mr. Fuji and the then-evil George the Animal Steele in a tag team match in Minneapolis. Funny how the WWF was outright pissing on the AWA with this, having two of its most popular stars, Hogan and Mean Gene, film segments around the city and team up to wrestle there. These are the segments where Mean Gene is having a beer and cigar for breakfast when Hogan bursts into his house (?) and makes him drink raw eggs and start training. It has all those “eye of the Hulkster” moments. Totally ridiculous and campy 80s fun.
6) WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan & Gene Okerlund defeated George Steele & Mr. Fuji (w/ Jesse Ventura) at around the 6:30 mark when Okerlund pinned Fuji after Hogan slammed his parnter onto Fuji and then pushed down on top of him during the cover (8/26/84; Minneapolis, MN)
Aaargh! Another clipped match! Would have loved to have seen this whole debacle. I think Mean Gene might have only been in his mid 30s in this era, but he looks like a 50 year old man. This isn’t much of a match, just a goofy sideshow, but the fans are still going insane for Hogan and Okerlund. Mean Gene even gets the pin on Fuji thanks to assistance from the Hulkster. Talk about daffy.
The final portion of the tape featured the feud between Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbyzsko, one of the WWF’s marquee feuds of 1980. Weird that it’s included here since Zbyzsko long since left the company. Bruno also looks like he’s 70 years old at this time, with a hilarious afro and those giant blue diaper looking tights.
7) Bruno Sammartino defeated Larry Zbyzsko via disqualification when Zbyzsko attacked his opponent with a chair (1/22/80; Allentown, PA)
This was supposed to be a friendly match between teacher Bruno and student Zbyzsko. Of course Zbyzsko grows more and more frustrated as the match progresses, then goes full heel and turns on Bruno, destroying him with a chair. The fans were LIVID because Bruno was beloved and in the twilight of his career.
8) Bruno Sammartino defeated Larry Zbyszko in a steel cage match at 13:59 by escaping the cage through the door after twice throwing his opponent into the cage (8/9/80; Shea Stadium)
Fans were so pissed that they filled Shea Stadium to see Bruno kill Zbyzsko, one of the largest crowds in WWF history at that point. This match is a pretty good heated battle. The ring looks so weird sitting out in the middle of a baseball field with all the fans far away in the stands. Pretty good battle, but surprisingly short. Of course Bruno destroys Zbyzsko, who would be gone from the WWF soon after.
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