WWE Vintage Collection Report: 15th February 2009
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
This week sees WrestleMania 1 & 2 come under the spotlight in the "Vintage Collection's WrestleMania Road Trip."
WrestleMania 1 took place on March 31st 1985 at Madison Square Garden. Okerlund says Vince McMahon gambled everything he owned on the success of WrestleMania.
One year later and for the first time in history, WrestleMania 2 was held on April 7th, running concurrently in three separate locations (New York, Chicago and Los Angeles). This could be repeated if Raw, Smackdown and ECW had their own WrestleManias on the same night. Hmm, on second thoughts that’s a bad idea.
Following an opening video montage of Vince McMahon's WrestleMania vision, we begin with the very first match in WrestleMania history.
Tito Santana vs The Executioner
Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura are on commentary. The Executioner is “Playboy” Buddy Rose under a mask. The final few minutes are shown. Executioner focuses on Santana's leg. Executioner counters a jumping kneelift with a backbodydrop. Executioner slams, but Santana catches him up top and throws him to the mat. Executioner gets his knees up to thwart a big splash. Santana prevents more leg work by pushing Executioner over the top rope with his feet. Santana slams Executioner back in from the apron. Santana lands a flying forearm then makes Executioner submit following a figure four. Execution’s unbeaten streak is over. The crowd pop for the finish, while Ventura alludes to Santana’s feud with Greg Valentine. Here is Your Winner: TITO SANTANA. Arriba!
In a “WrestleMania Road Trip Moment,” Andre the Giant picks up $15,000 for slamming Big John Studd at WrestleMania 1. As Andre dishes the money out to fans, Bobby Heenan sneaks up from behind to steal the bag of cash. That darn weasel.
The main attractions from WrestleMania 2 are quickly touched upon. To prepare for his Boxing match with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Mr T says he doesn’t like to talk before a big fight. He likes to let his fists do the talking in the ring. Piper promises to quit and retire from wrestling, tiddlywinks and dating if Mr T knocks him out. Piper ends up getting DQed for slamming Mr T. Elsewhere, Hulk Hogan retains the WWF Title against King Kong Bundy in the only Cage match in WrestleMania history. Our next two matches come from the Chicago portion of WrestleMania 2 held at the Rosemont Horizon, in Rosemont, Illinois. Joining Gorilla Monsoon on commentary are Ernie Ladd and Cathy Lee Crosby.
20 Man Battle Royal
Various NFL stars joined WWF superstars to simply see who was the toughest. NFL personalities
Dick Butkus and Ed "Too Tall" Jones are the special referees, stationed on the outside. The participating wrestlers are: Andre The Giant, Ted Arcidi, Tony Atlas, Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Bret Hart, Hillbilly Jim, Iron Sheik, King Tonga, Pedro Morales, Jim Neidhart, Bruno Sammartino, Danny Spivey, & Big John Studd. The NFL players are: Jimbo Covert (Chicago Bears), Bill Fralic (Atlanta Falcons), Russ Francis (San Francisco 49ers), Ernie Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers), Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboys), and William “Refrigerator” Perry (Chicago Bears). The combined weight in this match was 5,612Ibs. Jimbo Covert stops a mass elimination attempt on Bears teammate Perry. Tonga and Covert are the first two dumped out by Bill Fralic. Monsoon gives the Killer Bees and the Hart Foundation the edge because of their teamwork. Bruno Sammartino gets rid of Ernie Holmes. Jim Brunzell gets eliminated by a group of people, one of which is partner Brian Blair. That was dumb on the part of the Killer Bees. William Perry slams Tony Atlas out. The crowd heavily favour Perry. Harvey Martin and Pedro Morales eliminate each other. Ted Arcidi press slams Blair, who manages to hang in there. Hillbilly Jim, Blair and Danny Spivey combine to oust Arcidi. Spivey looks a lot like Steve Austin during his “Stunning” days in WCW. Spivey is next to go, courtesy of the Iron Sheik. Sheik quickly follows this up by pushing both Hillbilly and Blair out. A commercial break robs us of seeing Fralic get eliminated by Big John Studd and the Sheik. It also skips over Sammartino getting rid of the Sheik. We conveniently return to see Studd poke Sammartino in the eye then shove him out. I guess Sammartino and WWE are still on bad terms. Perry double clotheslines the Harts, then sizes up Studd. Perry sends Studd into the corner with a flying tackle. Studd stops a second Perry charge with an elbow to the face. Studd tosses Perry and goads him. Perry baits Studd with a handshake, pulling him out when he takes Perry up on his offer. We’re down to the final four: Andre, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart and Russ Francis. The Harts give Andre a double dropkick to tie him up in the ropes. Francis tries and fails to duck the Harts who start a double team. As Andre frees himself, the Harts throw Francis out. Bret uses Neidhart as a battering ram on Andre. When the Harts reverse the roles, Andre boots Bret in the mush. Andre hooks Neidhart by the goatee, before sending him into Bret. Following an Andre boot, Neidhart takes an unconvincing running dive over the top rope. Andre catches Bret on the top rope, press slamming him onto Neidhart on the floor, to win the match. Here is Your Winner: ANDRE THE GIANT.
In another “WrestleMania Road Trip Moment,” from WrestleMania 2, Macho Man Randy Savage retains the Intercontinental Title over George “The Animal” Steele. Savage plays off George’s infatuation with Miss Elizabeth to cheat and win with his feet on the ropes. At one point in the match, the two bashed each other with a bouquet of flowers. Talk about Macho madness. Oh Yeeeaaahhhh!
WWF Tag Team Titles
The Dream Team w/Johnny Valiant vs The British Bulldogs w/Lou Albano & Ozzy Osbourne
The Dream Team are Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. Brutus hasn’t always been a friendly barber. The match is clipped so that most of the Bulldogs’ offense in particular that of Davey Boy Smith is shown. Davey reverses a Valentine suplex, before turning a Beefcake wristlock into a press slam. Davey nearly wins it with a fisherman suplex on Beefcake. Valentine sustains a Davey running powerslam and suplex. Valentine turns the tide by sending Davey shoulder first into the ringpost. The Dream Team focus their attack on the shoulder, with Valentine delivering a shoulderbreaker. Valentine foolishly pulls Davey up on a cover when he has him beat. Seeing Dynamite perched on the apron, Davey runs towards his partner, crashing Valentine’s skull against that of Dynamite. Dynamite goes flying, Valentine falls back and Davey snatches the pin and the Tag Titles. Post match sees an irate Valiant deck the referee. As Bulldog goes outside to check on his partner, Albano and Ozzy celebrate with the Tag Titles. Albano tells Okerlund his prediction came true and he has now got his 16th champions. Ozzy claims the result was fantastic and that he’s British Bulldogs foreeeeevvvaaa! You’ve gotta love Ozzy. He looked like he was having a blast. Here Are Your Winners: THE BRITISH BULLDOGS.
Today's Main Event is Hulk Hogan and Mr T vs Rowdy Roddy Piper and “Mr Wonderful” Paul Orndorff from WrestleMania 1. Before the bout we relive the workouts of both teams. This is classic TV. First, Okerlund makes the mistake of interrupting Orndorff and Piper’s private workout in a rundown gym. “Cowboy” Bob Orton (with his arm in the infamous cast) overlooks as the two meditate. Piper (clad in a hoody) hisses at Okerlund, before the ripped Orndorff joins in with a few shoves. After Orndorff completes his weightlifting, the two chew Okerlund out, then tease whipping him with leather belts, before tossing him out onto the street. In comparison, Hulk Hogan and Mr T have a public workout, set to some cheesy music, running in a park, working out in a gym and getting mobbed at a station as they wait to board a train to MSG. The two continually spout “Gorilla Warfare” and the “Eye of the Tiger” to each other. The hype ends as Hogan and T stand by the ring as it’s getting set up, with Mr T promising Hogan he’s ready. I pity da fool!
Hulk Hogan & Mr T vs Rowdy Roddy Piper & “Mr Wonderful” Paul Orndorff
To neutralise “Cowboy” Bob Orton, Hogan and Mr T have “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka in their corner (the man who injured Orton’s arm in a prior match). Pat Patterson is the referee inside the ring, while Muhammad Ali is the outside enforcer. Hogan and Piper start, but Mr T wants in so badly, so Hogan obliges. The two go nose-to-nose and exchange slaps. Piper schools Mr T with a waistlock. Mr T comes back with a fireman carry, dumping Piper on the mat. When Mr T gets backed into the wrong corner, everyone gets involved in a mass brawl. The heels head to the back, but Hogan gets Patterson to stop the count and coaxes them back to the ring. After a commercial, Hogan gets choked and double teamed in the corner, much to the chagrin of Mr T, who gets stopped from entering by Patterson. Orndorff hits a suplex, while Piper delivers measured punches and a kneelift. Orndorff delivers a backbreaker before missing with a flying knee from the top rope. Mr T gets the hot tag, but Piper ambushes him as he works over Orndorff. Mr T gets grounded by Orndorff, then by Piper’s front facelock. Mr T manages to get up and scramble into a tag. Hogan dishes out punches and a double noggin knocker. Orndorff surprises Hogan with a back suplex. Orton tries to interfere, so Snuka headbutts him out of the ring. As Patterson clears the ring, Orton climbs to the top rope. Orndorff traps Hogan in a full nelson. As Piper charges at Hogan, Mr T rushes in to intercept him. Orndorff turns Hogan around to face Orton. Orton leaps off looking to finish Hogan with his cast, but Hogan moves and Orndorff takes the hit. Snuka hammers Orton and Hogan pins Orndorff. Here Are Your Winners: HULK HOGAN & MR T.
Okerlund ends the show by promising a "Giant Sized Main Event" for next week's show as WrestleMania 3 comes under the spotlight.
Not much in terms of match quality but I understand them trying to fit as much into the show for nostalgia purposes. On that scale it works as it was great to see so many memorable moments recapped. See you next week.
Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
