Sage Cortez
This show was an absolutely immense undertaking for NBC and the WWF. On the back of the WWF’s MTV specials and the ratings that those garnered, it made sense for NBC to give the programming a shot. Saturday Night’s Main Event generally replaced Saturday Night Live, and in this case it replaced a rerun of Saturday Night Live. The competition to the WWF couldn’t compete with this, try as they did. As I think everyone knows, the main events generally went first, when people were still awake. That was a good idea.
– Taped to Air on April 11th, 1985 from Long Island, New York
Our announcers are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura. The video quality on this is atrocious, but I’m soldiering on. Cyndi Lauper and Wendi Richter cut a really bad promo. Hogan cuts his on Bob Orton, wherein he says that Mr. T will be in his corner, and the intro kicks in! After that, Vince McMahon proclaims that we’ll see two championship matches tonight, which is a really big deal for the time period.
Before the match, the Americans cut a promo. I didn’t get anything out of it.
The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, & George “The Animal Steele” (w/Freddie Blassie) vs. The US Express & Ricky Steamboat (w/Captain Lou Albano)
Pre-Match Thoughts: Albano was Steele’s former manager. Speaking of Steele, he was kept off television during the WrestleMania build, and only had one appearance on television in 1985 previous to this event. Surely he needs to be given something to do…
Match Review: Volkoff and Sheik’s shtick is so awesome, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it. Never fails to get big heat. Steele goes loopy once the opponents enter the ring, and of course that’s very good too. Quite a few empty seats in the upper levels which I wouldn’t have expected, but now we’re underway with Sheik and Windham. They lock up, Sheik eats some punches and a big shoulderblock. He then eats a hiptoss and heads to the wrong corner, where he gets clobbered. Windham bodyslams him and tags in Rotunda, who elbows Sheik. Then Steamboat tags in and chops Sheik after a leap from the top rope. Windham and Rotunda hit the Iranian with a double back elbow, and Rotunda hits a big bodyslam and elbowdrop for a 2 count. Vince claims this is the second time Steele has been in a tag team match. Is that true? I don’t know. Steamboat tags in, and the Sheik applies an abdominal stretch. He simply gets hiptossed, and so do the other two heel opponents as the Americans clear the ring leading into a commercial break
After the commercial, Steamboat has Sheik’s arm locked up, then shoots Sheik into the ropes for a big powerslam. Steamboat then lands a missile dropkick on Sheik, and another top rope move with a crossbody for a 2 count. Windham tags in, and Nikolai Volkoff eats a double dropkick for a 2 count. Another double elbow lands, this one on Volkoff, and Rotunda legdrops Volkoff twice. That also gets a 2 count. For the first time in the match, Volkoff gets some sort of control, but he’s cradled for a 2 count. Then given a backslide for a 2 count. Some nice false finishes there. Windham’s back in and now Steele’s in to some cheers, so they trade some punches. Steele runs away and neither of these guys want to tag him in. How sad. So Windham rolls Steele up from behind for the victory after about 7 minutes or so, not counting commercial. Big pop for that. Steele’s really upset and chews on some turnbuckles in response. While he’s doing that, Sheik and Volkoff go attack him. Oh no! Steele fights them off though! Now Albano’s in the ring, where he and Steele hug each other. Touching. Sheik, Volkoff, and Blassie are with Gene Okerlund for an interview, and Blassie calls Steele a fruitcake. That wouldn’t happen today. Steele then rushes over and attacks them all, as we clip out to the next segment.
My Thoughts: Decent short match with it being a change of pace from the tag formula that’s so prevalent in modern WWE and Steamboat came out of it looking like a star. **. The face turn was a pretty big deal, because Steele was a big deal. All I can say about Steele was that he was different. This probably wasn’t the catalyst for Steamboat’s push, but it certainly didn’t hurt!
Piper’s Pit is very unfortunately shortened, but it’s an interview given to Paul Orndorff with Bob Orton in the ring. Orndorff teases a fight with Orton, Piper freaks out, and Orndorff calls Piper a lady. So he and Piper finally sit in the chairs, at which point Piper calls Orndorff a loser. I think the crowd senses what’s going to happen here. They’re arguing about Orndorff taking the pinfall at WrestleMania, Orndorff is wondering where Piper was after the loss, they’re both throwing out insults (Orndorff’s far more lame than Piper’s), and Piper tries to attack Orndorff. Orndorff blocks the punches, sets Piper up for a piledriver, but Orton nails Orndorff from behind with his cast, sending Orndorff out of the ring. Mr. T inexplicably runs down to the ring (while this happens, there are some pretty naughty things being said by the crowd) and keeps Orndorff from going into the ring to get his clock cleaned.
Quickly the show cuts over to Hulk Hogan, and he cuts a promo about Mother’s Day. “This is gonna be a special match for MY MOTHER BROTHER.” How does one pair those words together? He bigs up Paul Orndorff, and really, this is a very good interview.
“Cowboy” Bob Orton (w/Roddy Piper) vs. Hulk Hogan (w/Mr. T) for the WWF Championship
Pre-Match Thoughts: This is a direct continuation of WrestleMania. Looking forward to seeing this, as this is a combination from this feud I haven’t seen before.
Match Review: Piper is looking quite smug considering he nearly got his clock cleaned a few minutes ago. The shirt ripping segment with Mr. T was a little amusing, and something should happen in this match with both men’s respective managers, of course. Hogan turns his back like an idiot, but he was really waiting for Orton to rush in, which he did. So he punches Orton a couple times, which sends Orton to the outside. Orton runs back in and is given a big backdrop by Hogan, along with three bodyslams. Once again Orton heads to the outside, but this time Piper is around to keep him from being cornered. Orton sends Hogan into the turnbuckle, but his charge in fails and Hogan grabs onto that “broken” forearm. Hogan works the arm over and eventually swings it into the ringpost. Orton hits Hogan with a terrible dropkick, then lands some punches which Hogan sells very well. An Orton atomic drop gets a 2 count. After that, T and Piper wind up awfully close to each other outside of the ring, but it doesn’t lead anywhere. Shortly thereafter, Hogan HULKS UP. WATCHA GONNA DO BROTHER WHEN HULKAMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU? Apparently, Orton is going to get hit with a clothesline and a big elbowdrop for a 2 count. Then Orton is going to give Hogan an inverted atomic drop and try to set up a superplex. Orton gets knocked off the second turnbuckle, so he can’t do that. Afterward something happens in the crowd and people lose interest in the match, during which Hogan hits Orton with an elbow off the second rope and DROPS THE LEG. Hogan goes for the cover and Piper punches Hogan in the face, for a disqualification at 6:54. Mr. T runs in to save Hogan, but Orton nails him from behind with his cast and Hogan is cornered. T wakes up, PAUL ORNDORFF RUNS INTO THE RING (FACE TURN CONFIRMED), and they team up with Hogan to chase the heels straight out of the ring and to the back. The crowd loved it.
Back from the commercial Orndorff, Hogan and Mr. T are posing in the ring. The crowd liked it. So did Vince. What he says, is, “YOU TALK ABOUT BEEFCAKE. OH BABY!” er…no comment.
My Thoughts: Short match, not that good and seemingly for the purpose of setting up a run of house show tags. There weren’t very many of them, and the ones which did happen, happened a month later. As for the posedown, that wasn’t very surprising considering national TV and all that. Good try by Vince to hook the female crowd. That was hilarious. *.
Cyndi Lauper and Lou Albano are with Gene Okerlund and have some comments about the Women’s Championship match which will be coming up soon. Lauper is really annoying. Oh no this is a Cyndi Lauper music video. OH NO. But OH SHIT. PIPER AND SHEIK ARE IN IT. This song is so bad that I want to eliminate my ability to hear sound, and the video is nearly long enough for me to figure out a way to do so. However, it ended just in time. You all can watch it too.
Cyndi Lauper gave the WWF a lot of publicity and without her probably wouldn’t have become what it is or possibly even exist, so I’m not going to say one of her music videos shouldn’t be on a show, despite how bad it was. Piper interrupts the interview after the video, and argues with Lauper. I know whose side I’m on.
Moolah is a decent talker and I’m slightly less reticent to watch this match because of it, despite how bad the WrestleMania match was with Wendi Richter involved. My God, Lauper is being interviewed again. Little bit surprised the company didn’t put the title on her. You know they would if this was an angle now.
The Fabulous Moolah vs. Wendi Richter for the WWF Women’s Championship with Cyndi Lauper barred from ringside
Pre-Match Thoughts: Yes, this angle again. However, with the twist of Moolah trying to win the championship herself rather than putting up an opponent to win it on her behalf. Or something. I was bored with the women’s match at WrestleMania, so I’m not expecting much from this match.
Match Review: Lauper was allowed to escort Richter to ringside, but after that, Lauper was made to head backstage. We come back from the commercial and the match is already underway. Moolah cheats by raking Richter’s eyes and choker her with the ropes repeatedly, then tosses Richter to the outside. After that, Moolah poses in the ring. That’s funny. Richter dropkicks Moolah over the top rope while she’s doing that, then puts her back in the ring where the match belongs. Moolah gives Richter a backdrop for a 1 count. 20 seconds of nothing follows, but Moolah takes a couple bumps after being pulled away from the ropes. Richter only gets a 1 count and the crowd is rapidly dying. Moolah chokes Richter again, tries for a bodyslam, and Richter catches Moolah with a rollup victory after 3 minutes to retain her title. Okay. Lauper runs down the ring to celebrate with Richter and the crowd likes that. David Wolfe is really into the whole thing and his celebrations nearly save it for me.
My Thoughts: Bad match, very short. DUD. The Lauper angles don’t hold up well, despite helping launch the company into the mainstream. She’s been plastered all over this show which makes it a little difficult to watch as well. Also, the next good Richter match I watch will be the first. If there even are any.
Ha, Junkyard Dog is with his mom. He and his mom talk about how cool Mother’s Day is, and we’re ready for his match.
Junkyard Dog (w/his mom) vs. Pete Doherty
Match Review: Doherty is a very amusing jobber who got to do commentary at a few televised house shows and wasn’t so amusing. “Another One Bites the Dust” hits and the crowd enjoys JYD’s entrance very much. So do I. I like JYD. Doherty tries to insult JYD’s mother, and he ain’t having that shit. JYD headbutts Doherty, shoots him into the ropes, and hits him with a big clothesline. Doherty screams as JYD grabs his hair (this was hilarious), but JYD finally lets go and tosses Doherty into the ring to end it. JYD takes Doherty down, then delivers a few of those patented headbutts. Doherty tries to enter the ring, and JYD slams him off the top rope to a decent sized reaction. Three headbutts knock Doherty down, so does a big atomic drop by the Dog. JYD scoops Doherty up, hits him with a big powerslam, and gets the 1-2-3 at 3:15. After the win, JYD dances with his mom in the ring to a decent sized ovation.
My Thoughts: Funny squash match, crowd was somewhat confused and didn’t realize it was over. The referees the WWF had at this point really SUCK. No rating.
It seems like Cyndi Lauper threw a party, at which a bunch of these guys have comments about Mother’s Day to close out the show. JYD’s were particularly amusing. Sheik’s border on inaudible. Hogan and his mother say a few things, then Moolah crashes the party. Sounds fun. Lauper and her mother then shortly throw Moolah and by extension Mean Gene into a cake. HAHAHA. Best thing involving Lauper on the program. McMahon and Ventura say a few things to close, and that’s it for the show!
This card suffers quite a bit from the overexposure of Cyndi Lauper on this show. Great at the time, certainly not great now. It was to the point that it became a little difficult to watch, but fortunately this show timed out to around 1:10, so it wasn’t a long time spent suffering. For the most part the ring work is poor, so that has to be taken into account as well.
Best: Paul Orndorff turning.
Worst: Cyndi Lauper plastered everywhere.
Card Rating: 3/10
