Freezasaurus
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So when are they actually going to give Rusev a match on RAW? I don't even think they dragged the Wyatt teasers out this long.
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March Wrasslin' |OT| The NXT Era Has ArRIVED
- Thread starter Kaladin
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Net_Wrecker
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Gif of the month. That's so good.
bean breath
Member
You've lost your ever loving mind. I'm convinced now.
I'm not really watching them. I look at reviews and just find where the gifs are. But I will basically need to rewatch the 2000 shows since I really didn't have gifs for those.
bean breath
Member
Are you a smoker?
BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!
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Deadly Joker
Member
After Mania from what I've heard.
Turns out Colt Cabana Big Head was courtesy of BarbershopWindow.com
https://www.facebook.com/bshopwindo...3064135/782415801786352/?type=1&stream_ref=10
https://www.facebook.com/bshopwindo...3064135/782415801786352/?type=1&stream_ref=10
Freezasaurus
Member
Seems like it's further away than it actually is. That dude legit scares me. I think it's mostly the theme music and the tree trunk arms and legs.
Welcome...to Wrestlemania III!
To repeat something that Hulk Hogan hasn't stopped talking about for almost thirty years, a sold out Pontiac Silverdome is god damned impressive. Every shot of this PPV features hundreds of people in the background and it really aids the spectacle here. Even simple closeups of basic moves feel more impressive with the population of a decent sized town watching on.
Mania opens with Vince on the mic, introducing Aretha Franklin which leads us into...
1st Match: The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) vs Magnificent Muraco and Cowboy Bob Orton managed by Mr. Fuji
I love how the Can-Am connection can't seem to stop hopping up and down. Pretty straightforward back-and- forth at the beginning, with the Can-Am hitting the double monkey flip spot early on. Cowboy Bob Orton takes control shortly afterward until a surprise takedown. Both teams hit the hot tag and suddenly it's pandemonium with all four men in the ring and the ref is gonna need to take control here! Orton's knocked out of the ring and the Can-Am Connection tries to capitalize but Muraco reverses the Irish whip. Martel hits a crossbody in response while Zenk trips Muraco, allowing his partner to nab the pin. One two three and we're done here. It's been a day since I watched this and I can't remember a thing not shown in the gifs, so yeah. Next.
2nd Match: Billy Jack Haynes vs Hercules with Bobby Heenan in The Full Nelson Challenge
Before the match, Hercules cuts a promo backstage where he seems confused on the origin of his name, mixing up Greek and Roman myth with the story of Samson from the Bible. The match is booked as two masters of the full nelson fighting for bragging rights.
Billy Jack arrives dressed like a pilgrim crossed with Liberace. I guess that was intimidating back in the 80's. The match starts with some grappling, with Hercules throwing knees when Hebner's back is turned. Haynes hits a power slam and goes for the full nelson but Herc grabs the ropes. Monsoon and Ventura play up the full nelson angle on commentary and Herc gives up a pin at a two count to go for the full nelson. He eventually gets the first attempt in, but can't lock the hold. Haynes gets the next attempt and locks it in. Herc gets to the ropes and before Haynes breaks the hold, Herc uses the leverage to throw both men outside the ring. Haynes wastes no time, applies the full nelson on the outside and match ends in a double countout. Heenan draws Haynes away from Hercules long enough for Herc to grab his chain and Haynes is busted wide open! Hercules hits the full nelson before he and Heenan leave the ring, having lost the battle, but won the war. Good stuff, just two large men thrashing each other for bragging rights. Actual wrestling was middling at best. Double count out was weird, but the story had a finish, so it works for me.
3rd Match: Little Tokyo, Lord Littlebrook and King Kong Bundy vs Little Beaver, the Haiti Kid and Hillbilly Jim
Oh, what the hell is this. "Midgets" with racial stereotype gimmicks in a comedy match with a hillbilly and a giant baby in a singlet. Hillbilly Jim promises to protect his little buddies at the outset and already I'm sick of this. Bob Uecker's on commentary and it's like a fever dream (though not the weirdest thing Uecker will end up doing that night). At one point, Bundy squares off against one of the little people, but it just leads to Bundy no-selling a dropkick before the inevitable tag in. Match ends when Bundy body slams Little Beaver, elbow drops him and the little people from both teams run in to drag Beaver out of harm's way. Hillbilly Jim confronts Bundy, who backs down. Winner by DQ (??) Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver and the Haiti Kid.
Whatever, it's over. Here, have some .gifs.
4th Match: The King Harley Race with Bobby Heenan and The Fabulous Moolah vs The Junkyard Dog
Backstage. Miss Elizabeth's interview gets interrupted by IC champ Macho Man Randy Savage who orders her to ringside. She offers the camera a long-suffering smile on her way out. OH YEAH, DIGGIT! After that, we're given a clip show of the rivalry between Harley Race and Junkyard Dog. In what must be a first, we have a 'Loser must bow' match. Ever since winning King of the Ring, Race had forced the wrestlers he bested to bow before him, usually by force. Dog objected to this, leading us here. Winner keeps his dignity and Race's KOTR crown. Moolah holds onto Race's crown for him and Bob Uecker flips his shit.
And that's all for Uecker I guess. Everytime Moolah's shown on screen after this, Monsoon warns her that Uecker's on the way down.
Heenan gets in some early distraction and Dog winds up on the outside of the ring. Race goes to drop a...I dunno, a torso on Dog who I assume dodges because the announcers say so. Guy in the video booth should have jumped to another camera here. Both men get back in the ring, Race more acrobatically than Dog...then Race takes a hit and leaves in the exact same way. Race spends more time outside the ring than in. At the end, Heenan distracts Dog, Race hits him with a belly to belly for the win. Dull match, another jerkoff finish. Now, the Junkyard Dog must kneel before The King Harley Race. Moolah and Heenan set up a folding chair as Race's throne for the ceremony. Dog gives a curtsy which annoys Race who leaves his throne giving Dog the opening he needs to bash Race in the back of the head with his own chair. Dog dons Race's royal cape to a decent pop and rides to the back. Speaking of which--
TO THE BACK:
Hulk Hogan tears his shirt while he screams about the golden sun hitting his eyes. YA GOTTA FACE THE TRUTH BROTHER. All he has to do is merely beat a 7'4" giant while Andre can't just take his vitamins and say his prayers--he's gotta get through every little Hulkamaniac on his way to Hogan's 24 inch pythons in front of 90 thousand people at the Pontiac Dome. WHATCHA GONNA DO?
5th Match: The Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond) vs The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) managed Luscious Johnny B with Dino Bravo
In the back, Gene Okerlund's interviewing the Dream Team and there's nothing special here, but check out Beefcake's suit.
This is what April O'Neill would wear if she were a male stripper.
...Alright then.
Standard match. At one point, Bobby Heenan makes his way up to the announcer's booth in the upper level and he must have run because he is gassed. That man's really earning his paycheck--two matches, a sprint through (and up) the stadium and all within the first hour. Explains why Jimmy Hart manages so many matches from here on in. Match ends with the Rougeau Brothers hitting their double team move on Valentine but Beefcake (who was panicking after just having accidentally hit his partner Valentine with an axe handle smash) distracted the ref with his histrionics long enough for Dino Bravo to reverse the pin. The ref turns around, 1-2-3, yet another win due to interference. And I thought the modern era was repetitive. Aside from the Rougeau's spot, match was meh. Finish reminded me of today's tag matches where the end is a clusterfuck of finishers leading to the pin.
Valentine, Johnny B and Dino Bravo leave Beefcake in the ring (though it's never clarified why) and the fans pelt the trio with garbage on the way by.
6th Match: The Adorable Adrian Adonis accompanied by Jimmy Hart vs Rowdy Roddy Piper in a Hair Versus Hair Match
This is billed as the last hurrah for Piper (as a wrestler), win lose or draw as he left the company to make movies after this. We get a video package of Roddy Piper feuding with Jimmy Hart and Adonis over dueling interview shows, Piper's Pit and The Flower Shop with Adrian Adonis. After getting ambushed by former friends now in line with Adonis, Piper wrecked the set of The Flower Shop with a baseball bat, leading us to the mother of all vanity matches, a Hair Versus Hair match. Adonis comes down to the ring and god damn is he out of shape. It doesn't help at all that the man is wearing panties made for an 80 year old woman. It's distracting, but I guess that's his gimmick? Horrible. Adonis brings pink hedge clippers to the ring for the haircut. Amusingly, the promotion's furnished official barber's shears for the match all on a velvet pillow. Wrestlemania III does not lack for decor. Piper doesn't use the cart like most everyone else to this point but runs to the ring like a man. He gets a standing ovation, 90+ thousand strong and it's an impressive thing to see.
Piper and Adonis start the match beating the shit out of each other with Piper's belt. Piper flings Adonis out of the ring, then drags him back in along with Hart. Here, we get the 'Double Noggin Knocker' courtesy of Monsoon. Piper cleans house and throws them both out again, before dragging Adonis back in and literally chucking Hart at him like a shot-put. Crowd's loving this.
Adonis starts mounting a comeback with Hart's interference. He's got Piper on the ropes but Piper just verbally spurs him on. Hart sprays Piper in the face with an old timey bug spray canister and Adonis applies the sleeper hold. Adonis gets cocky, releases the hold too soon and Brutus Beefcake arrives outta nowhere! No idea what the story is here, but Beefcake gets Piper on his feet. Rowdy Roddy locks in his own sleeper hold. Crowd's going nuts and so is Piper. Never seen so much energy poured into a sleeper before. Adonis goes down for the count.
Beefcake hands the pink shears to Piper, but administers the haircut himself? Piper holds down a struggling Hart in the background with one boot, which seems like the more satisfying activity. Piper finished up by showing Adonis himself in a mirror. Not a good match technically, but fun as hell. 90k man pop to see Piper out. Magnificent.
7th Match: Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation (Bret The Hitman Hart, Ned The Anvil Neidhart) and former WWF referee Danny Davis managed by Jimmy Hart vs The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith, Dynamite Kid) and Tito Santana in a six man tag match
TO THE ANNOUNCERS:
Uecker's back from stalking Moolah, but only long enough to note the conspicuous absence of Ventura. He claims Ventura's after Moolah and runs right back to her. Video package shows us that the Hart Foundation won their titles thanks to the now-discharged referee Danny Davis' favoritism. The former champions, the Bulldogs, are out for revenge.
Despite his claims, Uecker's on commentary. The ref has trouble keeping order in the match as both teams take every opportunity to break up pins, piledrivers and even a clothesline. The Harts keep Dynamite confined to their quarter of the ring and take him to task. Dynamite gets his knees up for a cross body and makes the hot tag. Tito Santana hits some nice looking punches on a prone Davis. Davis gets the same treatment from Davey Boy that the Harts gave Dynamite and winds up in both a piledriver and a stalling suplex before taking a power slam for the pin. The Anvil breaks up the pin and it's pandemonium again! All six men hit the ring. Davis nails Dynamite with Jimmy's megaphone and sneaks a quick three count amidst the bedlam, securing the victory. The Harts beat a quick retreat. Quick match with decent pacing until the end, not bad.
Santana wins at Wrestlemania: 1
Santana losses at Wrestlemania: 2
TO THE BACK:
Okerlund's interviewing Heenan and Andre. Heenan plays up Andre's undefeatability, his fifteen year streak and claims Hulkamania is over and dead. All very generic, but Andre sells it by staring at the camera and being his incredibly large self.
8th Match: The Natural Butch Reed with the Doctor of Style, Slick vs The Birdman Koko B Ware and a parrot
Considering how many modern day spots rely on this idiocy, Monsoon is a man wise beyond his years.
Nothing much to say about this match. Some back and forth, but painfully slow and predictable. Koko hits Reed with a crossbody, Reed rolls through and nabs the victory with a "fist full a'tights." Slickster started hitting Koko with his cane and Tito Santana comes out for the save. He rips Slick's cheap suit apart and drives him backstage. Santana and Koko proceed to get some revenge on Reed. Next match.
9th Match: Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat accompanied by George 'The Animal' Steele vs IC Champ Macho Man Randy Savage
Hello.
Night's finally fallen on the Pontiac Silverdome. We get a video package showing Macho Man hospitalizing Steamboat after a "Pearl Harbor" that drove Steamboat's larynx into a guardrail. That set off a bitter six month feud which included several bloody matches and Savage hitting a top rope elbow on Steamboat with a bell and Steamboat being complicit in Miss Elizabeth's kidnapping by George "The Animal" Steele. (George has a crush on Elizabeth, which is why he's in Ricky's corner tonight. Somehow, Steamboat's still a face here.) Cut to Macho Man cutting one of his classic promos. Steamboat can't deal with Macho Man because HISTORY BECKONS THE MACHO MAN YEAH!
Macho takes the cart to the ring to a strong reaction. Cut to the back with Okerlund and Steamboat. Steamboat's going to scorch Macho's back in this clash of titans and see new horizons. Steamboat arrives to a stadium full of cheers.
The match starts off and we get some quick action. These two play off of each other well. The moves feel fluid, purposeful and it's clear that these two men want to hurt each other. Steamboat chokes Macho Man to a four count and Macho returns the favor using the ropes. Dragon keeps focus on Randy's arms with a series of deep arm drags and wrist locks. Macho drives him out of the ring. When Ricky comes back in, Macho hits him in the throat with an elbow. Macho hits Steamboat with a flurry of hard strikes, but Dragon won't stay down. 'The tide's changing' and Macho gets tied in the ropes. Series of quick reversals and pins. Steamboat has some beautiful armdrags.
Outside the ring, Macho Man gives Steamboat a "Pearl Harbor job" and sends him into the crowd. Hebner admonishes Savage, allowing Steamboat a chance to get back in the ring with Steele's help. Steamboat can't seem to stay in the ring and gets smashed for his trouble.
Macho brings him back in the ring for another top rope axe handle and a running elbow to the forehead. No three count yet. "Macho Man throwing everything but the kitchen sink" but nothing's sticking. Suplex, gutwrench suplex, goes for a backdrop but Steamboat gets his second wind. Ricky hits a karate chop off the top rope--One! Two! Thr--foot on the rope! Steamboat doesn't miss a beat as he gets right back on the offense. Two count in the middle of the ring. From here, it's a clinic in every type of pin available-- standard, school boy, crucifix, small package and every reverse-into-a-pin--but nothing keeps Savage down. The ref takes a bump and Macho goes to the top rope.
Elbow drop and Steamboat's down for five but no one around to count! The ref won't stir, so Macho Man grabs the ring bell. Back up to the top rope! Steele interferes and knocks Macho Man off the turnbuckle. Small package! One, two, three! Steamboat wins the IC Championship! Fantastic match. Both guys brought their A game and it easy to see why this is held in such high regard.
10th Match: Jake "The Snake" Roberts with Damien and Alice Cooper vs Honky Tonk Man with Jimmy Hart
TO THE OKERLUND
Jake and Alice Cooper (?) are in the back, angry over Jake's guitar-induced headaches from Honky Tonk and Jimmy Hart. Roberts and Cooper ride out to a strong ovation. Hart and Tonk arrive to a gentle rain of whatever garbage is left after Macho Man's exit.
Jake pulls Honky into the ring before the bell rings. He's taking his time beating the tar out of HTM. The offense doesn't last long before Honky Tonk has the upper hand and drives Jake to the outside. After that, Jake can't make his way back into the ring without getting kicked right back out into the bike racks lining the ring. Honky doesn't let up until Jake's weak enough for the Shake, Rattle & Roll. He waits too long and Jake reverses. Inverted atomic drop into a series of strikes. Honky calls for mercy, Jake presses the advantage and Jimmy Hart does like Jimmy Hart does, which is to say he wraps himself around Jake's ankles and flops like a fish. Honky Tonk sneaks in during the distraction and picks up the pin using the ropes for leverage. Jake recovers, then grabs HTM's guitar and barely misses blasting HTM's head into the turnbuckle post with it. HTM beats a hasty retreat, leaving Hart alone in the ring.
The only surprising thing that happens after that is that Jimmy Hart makes some hilarious sounds as he struggles against the full nelson. He sounds like a six year old trying to escape a noogie. "Enh! Eeee!" Monsoon tells us Jimmy's got a phobia for snakes.
I like the components of the match and some of the story it tells, but in the end, it's another short match where Jimmy Hart ruins the ending. Yawn. Also, damn does Alice Cooper look like a pencil-armed goth dork next to Roberts.
11th Match: The Killer Bees vs Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff with Slick
Okerlund comes out with the official audience tally-- 93,173 people, going over the Rolling Stones previous record. Sheik and Volkoff come out accompanied by Slick. Slick's shirt is still torn from Santana earlier and he looks visibly embarrassed while trying to show some bravado. The match is hailed as a "tag team attraction", so I guess I shouldn't expect much wrestling. Volkoff leads the audience in the Russian national anthem, but Hacksaw Jim Duggan interrupts with a two by four with a mini American flag taped to the top, driving Volkoff to the outside. Duggan's promised that Volkoff will never sing that anthem in the WWF while he's around. He takes to the mic and boasts about this being the land of the free while physically threatening a man for expressing himself. During Volkoff's singing, fans started throwing garbage into the ring and even after Duggan enters, the garbage takes a while to taper off.
The match starts with all that garbage still in the ring. Duggan's waltzing around the outside, despite not being a part of the match in any way. All four men start the match and it takes a minute or two for the Bees to take control and isolate Sheiky. One of the Bees hits a dropkick and Monsoon sells it as the greatest dropkick of all time. Volkoff breaks up the pin and The Foreigners take control. Fans are still chucking garbage in. At one point, I think an apple bounces off the mat. Who brings apples to a sporting event? One of the Bees is in a tight spot but hits the hot tag--ref didn't see it! Volkoff and Sheik press the advantage while Slick cheers from the outside. Sheik sends the legal Bee to the outside then taunts the audience from the turnbuckle to distract the ref. Volkoff kicks the legal man. Duggan takes offense to this and chases Volkoff off the Bee, who gets back in the ring. For some reason, Duggan continues the chase around the outside and straight into the ring where Sheik's got the camel clutch locked in on the legal man. Duggan pauses, then smacks Sheik with the two by four in full view of the ref. Bees lose by DQ due to a boisterous redneck. Where the hell is security? Duggan takes to the mic and lays into the retreating victors.
He leads the audience in a USA! chant, then leaves with the Bees who decide to roll with it. Big pop on the way out.
To repeat something that Hulk Hogan hasn't stopped talking about for almost thirty years, a sold out Pontiac Silverdome is god damned impressive. Every shot of this PPV features hundreds of people in the background and it really aids the spectacle here. Even simple closeups of basic moves feel more impressive with the population of a decent sized town watching on.
Mania opens with Vince on the mic, introducing Aretha Franklin which leads us into...
1st Match: The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) vs Magnificent Muraco and Cowboy Bob Orton managed by Mr. Fuji
I love how the Can-Am connection can't seem to stop hopping up and down. Pretty straightforward back-and- forth at the beginning, with the Can-Am hitting the double monkey flip spot early on. Cowboy Bob Orton takes control shortly afterward until a surprise takedown. Both teams hit the hot tag and suddenly it's pandemonium with all four men in the ring and the ref is gonna need to take control here! Orton's knocked out of the ring and the Can-Am Connection tries to capitalize but Muraco reverses the Irish whip. Martel hits a crossbody in response while Zenk trips Muraco, allowing his partner to nab the pin. One two three and we're done here. It's been a day since I watched this and I can't remember a thing not shown in the gifs, so yeah. Next.
Ventura: "That was a little bit too much double teaming in there in my book."
2nd Match: Billy Jack Haynes vs Hercules with Bobby Heenan in The Full Nelson Challenge
Before the match, Hercules cuts a promo backstage where he seems confused on the origin of his name, mixing up Greek and Roman myth with the story of Samson from the Bible. The match is booked as two masters of the full nelson fighting for bragging rights.
Bobby Heenan: (to Okerlund) "And get it right, it's Billy Jerk Haynes."
Gene Okerlund: (to camera) "For the record, it is Billy Jack Haynes."
Gene Okerlund: (to camera) "For the record, it is Billy Jack Haynes."
Billy Jack arrives dressed like a pilgrim crossed with Liberace. I guess that was intimidating back in the 80's. The match starts with some grappling, with Hercules throwing knees when Hebner's back is turned. Haynes hits a power slam and goes for the full nelson but Herc grabs the ropes. Monsoon and Ventura play up the full nelson angle on commentary and Herc gives up a pin at a two count to go for the full nelson. He eventually gets the first attempt in, but can't lock the hold. Haynes gets the next attempt and locks it in. Herc gets to the ropes and before Haynes breaks the hold, Herc uses the leverage to throw both men outside the ring. Haynes wastes no time, applies the full nelson on the outside and match ends in a double countout. Heenan draws Haynes away from Hercules long enough for Herc to grab his chain and Haynes is busted wide open! Hercules hits the full nelson before he and Heenan leave the ring, having lost the battle, but won the war. Good stuff, just two large men thrashing each other for bragging rights. Actual wrestling was middling at best. Double count out was weird, but the story had a finish, so it works for me.
3rd Match: Little Tokyo, Lord Littlebrook and King Kong Bundy vs Little Beaver, the Haiti Kid and Hillbilly Jim
Oh, what the hell is this. "Midgets" with racial stereotype gimmicks in a comedy match with a hillbilly and a giant baby in a singlet. Hillbilly Jim promises to protect his little buddies at the outset and already I'm sick of this. Bob Uecker's on commentary and it's like a fever dream (though not the weirdest thing Uecker will end up doing that night). At one point, Bundy squares off against one of the little people, but it just leads to Bundy no-selling a dropkick before the inevitable tag in. Match ends when Bundy body slams Little Beaver, elbow drops him and the little people from both teams run in to drag Beaver out of harm's way. Hillbilly Jim confronts Bundy, who backs down. Winner by DQ (??) Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver and the Haiti Kid.
Whatever, it's over. Here, have some .gifs.
4th Match: The King Harley Race with Bobby Heenan and The Fabulous Moolah vs The Junkyard Dog
Backstage. Miss Elizabeth's interview gets interrupted by IC champ Macho Man Randy Savage who orders her to ringside. She offers the camera a long-suffering smile on her way out. OH YEAH, DIGGIT! After that, we're given a clip show of the rivalry between Harley Race and Junkyard Dog. In what must be a first, we have a 'Loser must bow' match. Ever since winning King of the Ring, Race had forced the wrestlers he bested to bow before him, usually by force. Dog objected to this, leading us here. Winner keeps his dignity and Race's KOTR crown. Moolah holds onto Race's crown for him and Bob Uecker flips his shit.
Bob Uecker: "No wonder you guys are here all the time! Moolah! It's Moolah! The moon is full and so am I, I'm leavin'! See you guys, I'm leavin'!"
Heenan gets in some early distraction and Dog winds up on the outside of the ring. Race goes to drop a...I dunno, a torso on Dog who I assume dodges because the announcers say so. Guy in the video booth should have jumped to another camera here. Both men get back in the ring, Race more acrobatically than Dog...then Race takes a hit and leaves in the exact same way. Race spends more time outside the ring than in. At the end, Heenan distracts Dog, Race hits him with a belly to belly for the win. Dull match, another jerkoff finish. Now, the Junkyard Dog must kneel before The King Harley Race. Moolah and Heenan set up a folding chair as Race's throne for the ceremony. Dog gives a curtsy which annoys Race who leaves his throne giving Dog the opening he needs to bash Race in the back of the head with his own chair. Dog dons Race's royal cape to a decent pop and rides to the back. Speaking of which--
TO THE BACK:
Hulk Hogan tears his shirt while he screams about the golden sun hitting his eyes. YA GOTTA FACE THE TRUTH BROTHER. All he has to do is merely beat a 7'4" giant while Andre can't just take his vitamins and say his prayers--he's gotta get through every little Hulkamaniac on his way to Hogan's 24 inch pythons in front of 90 thousand people at the Pontiac Dome. WHATCHA GONNA DO?
5th Match: The Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond) vs The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) managed Luscious Johnny B with Dino Bravo
In the back, Gene Okerlund's interviewing the Dream Team and there's nothing special here, but check out Beefcake's suit.
This is what April O'Neill would wear if she were a male stripper.
...Alright then.
Standard match. At one point, Bobby Heenan makes his way up to the announcer's booth in the upper level and he must have run because he is gassed. That man's really earning his paycheck--two matches, a sprint through (and up) the stadium and all within the first hour. Explains why Jimmy Hart manages so many matches from here on in. Match ends with the Rougeau Brothers hitting their double team move on Valentine but Beefcake (who was panicking after just having accidentally hit his partner Valentine with an axe handle smash) distracted the ref with his histrionics long enough for Dino Bravo to reverse the pin. The ref turns around, 1-2-3, yet another win due to interference. And I thought the modern era was repetitive. Aside from the Rougeau's spot, match was meh. Finish reminded me of today's tag matches where the end is a clusterfuck of finishers leading to the pin.
Valentine, Johnny B and Dino Bravo leave Beefcake in the ring (though it's never clarified why) and the fans pelt the trio with garbage on the way by.
6th Match: The Adorable Adrian Adonis accompanied by Jimmy Hart vs Rowdy Roddy Piper in a Hair Versus Hair Match
This is billed as the last hurrah for Piper (as a wrestler), win lose or draw as he left the company to make movies after this. We get a video package of Roddy Piper feuding with Jimmy Hart and Adonis over dueling interview shows, Piper's Pit and The Flower Shop with Adrian Adonis. After getting ambushed by former friends now in line with Adonis, Piper wrecked the set of The Flower Shop with a baseball bat, leading us to the mother of all vanity matches, a Hair Versus Hair match. Adonis comes down to the ring and god damn is he out of shape. It doesn't help at all that the man is wearing panties made for an 80 year old woman. It's distracting, but I guess that's his gimmick? Horrible. Adonis brings pink hedge clippers to the ring for the haircut. Amusingly, the promotion's furnished official barber's shears for the match all on a velvet pillow. Wrestlemania III does not lack for decor. Piper doesn't use the cart like most everyone else to this point but runs to the ring like a man. He gets a standing ovation, 90+ thousand strong and it's an impressive thing to see.
Piper and Adonis start the match beating the shit out of each other with Piper's belt. Piper flings Adonis out of the ring, then drags him back in along with Hart. Here, we get the 'Double Noggin Knocker' courtesy of Monsoon. Piper cleans house and throws them both out again, before dragging Adonis back in and literally chucking Hart at him like a shot-put. Crowd's loving this.
Adonis starts mounting a comeback with Hart's interference. He's got Piper on the ropes but Piper just verbally spurs him on. Hart sprays Piper in the face with an old timey bug spray canister and Adonis applies the sleeper hold. Adonis gets cocky, releases the hold too soon and Brutus Beefcake arrives outta nowhere! No idea what the story is here, but Beefcake gets Piper on his feet. Rowdy Roddy locks in his own sleeper hold. Crowd's going nuts and so is Piper. Never seen so much energy poured into a sleeper before. Adonis goes down for the count.
Beefcake hands the pink shears to Piper, but administers the haircut himself? Piper holds down a struggling Hart in the background with one boot, which seems like the more satisfying activity. Piper finished up by showing Adonis himself in a mirror. Not a good match technically, but fun as hell. 90k man pop to see Piper out. Magnificent.
7th Match: Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation (Bret The Hitman Hart, Ned The Anvil Neidhart) and former WWF referee Danny Davis managed by Jimmy Hart vs The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith, Dynamite Kid) and Tito Santana in a six man tag match
TO THE ANNOUNCERS:
Uecker's back from stalking Moolah, but only long enough to note the conspicuous absence of Ventura. He claims Ventura's after Moolah and runs right back to her. Video package shows us that the Hart Foundation won their titles thanks to the now-discharged referee Danny Davis' favoritism. The former champions, the Bulldogs, are out for revenge.
Despite his claims, Uecker's on commentary. The ref has trouble keeping order in the match as both teams take every opportunity to break up pins, piledrivers and even a clothesline. The Harts keep Dynamite confined to their quarter of the ring and take him to task. Dynamite gets his knees up for a cross body and makes the hot tag. Tito Santana hits some nice looking punches on a prone Davis. Davis gets the same treatment from Davey Boy that the Harts gave Dynamite and winds up in both a piledriver and a stalling suplex before taking a power slam for the pin. The Anvil breaks up the pin and it's pandemonium again! All six men hit the ring. Davis nails Dynamite with Jimmy's megaphone and sneaks a quick three count amidst the bedlam, securing the victory. The Harts beat a quick retreat. Quick match with decent pacing until the end, not bad.
Santana wins at Wrestlemania: 1
Santana losses at Wrestlemania: 2
TO THE BACK:
Okerlund's interviewing Heenan and Andre. Heenan plays up Andre's undefeatability, his fifteen year streak and claims Hulkamania is over and dead. All very generic, but Andre sells it by staring at the camera and being his incredibly large self.
8th Match: The Natural Butch Reed with the Doctor of Style, Slick vs The Birdman Koko B Ware and a parrot
Monsoon: "You can't drop your head and assume that he's coming, you gotta keep your eye on him."
Nothing much to say about this match. Some back and forth, but painfully slow and predictable. Koko hits Reed with a crossbody, Reed rolls through and nabs the victory with a "fist full a'tights." Slickster started hitting Koko with his cane and Tito Santana comes out for the save. He rips Slick's cheap suit apart and drives him backstage. Santana and Koko proceed to get some revenge on Reed. Next match.
9th Match: Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat accompanied by George 'The Animal' Steele vs IC Champ Macho Man Randy Savage
Hello.
Night's finally fallen on the Pontiac Silverdome. We get a video package showing Macho Man hospitalizing Steamboat after a "Pearl Harbor" that drove Steamboat's larynx into a guardrail. That set off a bitter six month feud which included several bloody matches and Savage hitting a top rope elbow on Steamboat with a bell and Steamboat being complicit in Miss Elizabeth's kidnapping by George "The Animal" Steele. (George has a crush on Elizabeth, which is why he's in Ricky's corner tonight. Somehow, Steamboat's still a face here.) Cut to Macho Man cutting one of his classic promos. Steamboat can't deal with Macho Man because HISTORY BECKONS THE MACHO MAN YEAH!
Macho takes the cart to the ring to a strong reaction. Cut to the back with Okerlund and Steamboat. Steamboat's going to scorch Macho's back in this clash of titans and see new horizons. Steamboat arrives to a stadium full of cheers.
The match starts off and we get some quick action. These two play off of each other well. The moves feel fluid, purposeful and it's clear that these two men want to hurt each other. Steamboat chokes Macho Man to a four count and Macho returns the favor using the ropes. Dragon keeps focus on Randy's arms with a series of deep arm drags and wrist locks. Macho drives him out of the ring. When Ricky comes back in, Macho hits him in the throat with an elbow. Macho hits Steamboat with a flurry of hard strikes, but Dragon won't stay down. 'The tide's changing' and Macho gets tied in the ropes. Series of quick reversals and pins. Steamboat has some beautiful armdrags.
Outside the ring, Macho Man gives Steamboat a "Pearl Harbor job" and sends him into the crowd. Hebner admonishes Savage, allowing Steamboat a chance to get back in the ring with Steele's help. Steamboat can't seem to stay in the ring and gets smashed for his trouble.
Macho brings him back in the ring for another top rope axe handle and a running elbow to the forehead. No three count yet. "Macho Man throwing everything but the kitchen sink" but nothing's sticking. Suplex, gutwrench suplex, goes for a backdrop but Steamboat gets his second wind. Ricky hits a karate chop off the top rope--One! Two! Thr--foot on the rope! Steamboat doesn't miss a beat as he gets right back on the offense. Two count in the middle of the ring. From here, it's a clinic in every type of pin available-- standard, school boy, crucifix, small package and every reverse-into-a-pin--but nothing keeps Savage down. The ref takes a bump and Macho goes to the top rope.
Elbow drop and Steamboat's down for five but no one around to count! The ref won't stir, so Macho Man grabs the ring bell. Back up to the top rope! Steele interferes and knocks Macho Man off the turnbuckle. Small package! One, two, three! Steamboat wins the IC Championship! Fantastic match. Both guys brought their A game and it easy to see why this is held in such high regard.
10th Match: Jake "The Snake" Roberts with Damien and Alice Cooper vs Honky Tonk Man with Jimmy Hart
TO THE OKERLUND
Jake and Alice Cooper (?) are in the back, angry over Jake's guitar-induced headaches from Honky Tonk and Jimmy Hart. Roberts and Cooper ride out to a strong ovation. Hart and Tonk arrive to a gentle rain of whatever garbage is left after Macho Man's exit.
Jake pulls Honky into the ring before the bell rings. He's taking his time beating the tar out of HTM. The offense doesn't last long before Honky Tonk has the upper hand and drives Jake to the outside. After that, Jake can't make his way back into the ring without getting kicked right back out into the bike racks lining the ring. Honky doesn't let up until Jake's weak enough for the Shake, Rattle & Roll. He waits too long and Jake reverses. Inverted atomic drop into a series of strikes. Honky calls for mercy, Jake presses the advantage and Jimmy Hart does like Jimmy Hart does, which is to say he wraps himself around Jake's ankles and flops like a fish. Honky Tonk sneaks in during the distraction and picks up the pin using the ropes for leverage. Jake recovers, then grabs HTM's guitar and barely misses blasting HTM's head into the turnbuckle post with it. HTM beats a hasty retreat, leaving Hart alone in the ring.
The only surprising thing that happens after that is that Jimmy Hart makes some hilarious sounds as he struggles against the full nelson. He sounds like a six year old trying to escape a noogie. "Enh! Eeee!" Monsoon tells us Jimmy's got a phobia for snakes.
Monsoon: "He won't sleep for six months, Jess."
Ventura: "I don't think he has slept for six months."
Monsoon: "I love it."
Ventura: "I don't think he has slept for six months."
Monsoon: "I love it."
I like the components of the match and some of the story it tells, but in the end, it's another short match where Jimmy Hart ruins the ending. Yawn. Also, damn does Alice Cooper look like a pencil-armed goth dork next to Roberts.
11th Match: The Killer Bees vs Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff with Slick
Okerlund comes out with the official audience tally-- 93,173 people, going over the Rolling Stones previous record. Sheik and Volkoff come out accompanied by Slick. Slick's shirt is still torn from Santana earlier and he looks visibly embarrassed while trying to show some bravado. The match is hailed as a "tag team attraction", so I guess I shouldn't expect much wrestling. Volkoff leads the audience in the Russian national anthem, but Hacksaw Jim Duggan interrupts with a two by four with a mini American flag taped to the top, driving Volkoff to the outside. Duggan's promised that Volkoff will never sing that anthem in the WWF while he's around. He takes to the mic and boasts about this being the land of the free while physically threatening a man for expressing himself. During Volkoff's singing, fans started throwing garbage into the ring and even after Duggan enters, the garbage takes a while to taper off.
The match starts with all that garbage still in the ring. Duggan's waltzing around the outside, despite not being a part of the match in any way. All four men start the match and it takes a minute or two for the Bees to take control and isolate Sheiky. One of the Bees hits a dropkick and Monsoon sells it as the greatest dropkick of all time. Volkoff breaks up the pin and The Foreigners take control. Fans are still chucking garbage in. At one point, I think an apple bounces off the mat. Who brings apples to a sporting event? One of the Bees is in a tight spot but hits the hot tag--ref didn't see it! Volkoff and Sheik press the advantage while Slick cheers from the outside. Sheik sends the legal Bee to the outside then taunts the audience from the turnbuckle to distract the ref. Volkoff kicks the legal man. Duggan takes offense to this and chases Volkoff off the Bee, who gets back in the ring. For some reason, Duggan continues the chase around the outside and straight into the ring where Sheik's got the camel clutch locked in on the legal man. Duggan pauses, then smacks Sheik with the two by four in full view of the ref. Bees lose by DQ due to a boisterous redneck. Where the hell is security? Duggan takes to the mic and lays into the retreating victors.
Duggan: "If you don't want to play by the rules, 'noother' do we!"
He leads the audience in a USA! chant, then leaves with the Bees who decide to roll with it. Big pop on the way out.
lovely ladies
Member
who's Miz's Wrestlemania opponent?
lovely ladies
Member
I'm guessing you're watching the Steve Austin feature on the network? Yeah, that was a cool moment especially with Rock leaving afterwards so SCSA can have the stage to himself.
BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!
Member
Dude will get Khali'd faster than Khali. That's the BIONIC guarantee.
I don't know, but he has to keep that 3-0 streak alive!
Officerrob
Banned
Probably the Raw after Mania
I just want to be treated like everyone else. I just want my fair shot.
UberTag
Member
Hard to say. I'm sure he'll be on the "Experts" panel so probably Josh Mathews. Either him or Tensai.
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
Nidmineya nidimineya or whatever the fuck Alana is saying. Why she look like 90's Pink now?
BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!
Member
WM3 isn't as bad as I remembered, although Hogan/Andre is even worse than I remembered and even as a kid I knew that was a terrible match. WM4 sucks, WM5 is decent. I enjoy WM6 pretty much the whole way through. It's been a while since I watched 7. I'll try to get to it tomorrow maybe.
5 has HBK getting MURDERED with a lariatooooo.
5 has HBK getting MURDERED with a lariatooooo.
sf2fanatic
Member
Was Beefcake a heel in that WM?
lovely ladies
Member
all 3 of them will probably get fed to the animal Batista
bean breath
Member
The suspense is killing me.
BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!
Member
I'm excited for RAW next week!
Atmosphere carries the ME. It's the poster boy for "big match feel". Easy to let it carry you away. Aside from that, its biggest sin is sloppiness. Pacing's alright, story's backwards, but for the one they wanted to tell, they did an adequate job. One spot match where Hulk has to climb the hill to get to that spot. Pretty basic. Don't know why it has this "-4 star" reputation.
bean breath
Member
MEMEMYA
mechashiva
Member
Stupid network. Just stayed up watching the Steve Austin bio.
It looks like I missed some fun stuff with him as the sheriff because I didn't have cable that year.
It looks like I missed some fun stuff with him as the sheriff because I didn't have cable that year.
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
This fall after he is fed to Cena over the summer.
Eh. Some of it was funny. A lot of it was bad and that whole period had Austin booked stronger than the entire roster, which really sucked for them because he could stun them and do whatever, but they could never get heat on him since he wasn't going to be wrestling or doing bumps. I think the only guy to get any heat on him was Kane, and then Bork in the build up to Bork vs Goldberg. They did a way better job making people want to see Austin vs Brock than Goldberg. There is a segment on Smackdown where Austin confronts Brock after Brock stole his ATV. The whole roster is out there and they part like the Red Sea so Austin can go to the ring. It's amazing.
bean breath
Member
Let her entertainment you, Bionic.
Net_Wrecker
Member
That look she had on Raw...I messes with it.
Yeah, him leaving the stage for Austin was such a gracious gesture. I'm still bugging over him damn near dying the day before his last match, though. I wondered what was up when they kind of botched a couple of spots in it. Now I know it was because he was full IV fluids and nothing else. Man is workhorse. It makes that match so much better now.
And with that, I'm going to bed. Didn't realize that documentary was gonna be that long.
BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!
Member
mechashiva
Member
Lillian is oozing with desire for Austin on all those overrun moments they showed. Man I love Lillian.
I neeeeeed this shirt
I have that shirt, got it back in 2000 when WCW came to Australia... I wear it with pride!
For real though, this is some of the best restoration/digitizing I've ever seen. A+++ work from the WWE crew.
Worse than usual?
- Status