Old School Observations/Questions 2022

[King Kamala]

Celebrating twenty years since the sharp decline of North American wrestling.

Has it been long enough for @BruiserBrody to allow me to be nostalgic about '00s wrestling without getting grumpy? Highly unlikely

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1477483537179627520

New year...still want to see The Undertaker Vs Nailz Electric Chair match.

 

[strummer]

Looking back why did Bossman go over Nailz at Survivor Series 92 when Bossman was on his way out and Nailz was about to enter a program with Undertaker? I know the answer is because wwf was a babyface territory but looking back that made no sense

 

[JHawk]

Did they know Bossman was on his way out? He works the Rumble vs. Bigelow and then does house shows into March?

He even works as a special referee 12/3/93 in Anaheim before appearing in WCW ten days later.

 

[King Kamala]

I think they knew he was on his way out cause he also put over Doink. I don't think him leaving was a slow burning thing or he left and I don't think he left on bad terms so that's probably why he got to go over Nails. And also it'd be jarring and out of place for '92 WWF to have the violent ex con over the corrections officer.

 

[strummer]

Yeah I know he went over because the babyface was going to go over but it was certainly questionable from a traditional booking viewpoint

 

[Hawk 34]

Allegedly he left because he was convinced Vince was going to lose the trial and it would ruin his gimmick.

 

[SFH]

I definitely have a memory of Taker coming out to stare down Nailz and also remember Nailz damn near killing Sgt Slaughter. And then he goes and assaults Vince and left me with zero resolution on any of that.

 

[BruiserBrody]

 

[Valeyard]

They played that up so huge and I just didn't care. Nailz was such a step down and his existing past the Bossman feud didn't sit right.

Knowing how Bossman, the Nasties, and Sid were still under contract makes at least the first part of 1993 even more baffling. Like, Sid in the Crush spot with multiple Doinks seems so right with him killing and cutting promos on a clown army. Bossman and Bigelow just hoss fighting endlessly.

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1479444709865140224

I didn't know until a year or two ago that Backlund was still in WWF for the better part of Hogan's first year as World Champ. I had always thought that Backlund left right after he dropped the title to Sheiky Baby It's obvious that Backlund in the Hogan era wasn't going to work unless he turned heel (which he was adamantly against) but it's weird that it took them eight months to figure that out. I guess things moved slower in '84.

 

[BruiserBrody]

I think it's fair to say Backlund didn't realize he was used assets right away and Vince didn't mind having Bob eat up a spot instead of potentially going elsewhere and accidentally drawing some money.

 

[King Kamala]

My best guess is Vince saw him as a stopgap #2/#3 babyface until he figured out his rotation behind The Hulkster. Backlund even headlined a MSG show against our guy Greg Valentine in April '84. Once Sgt. Slaughter got over as a strong #2 that could connect with the audience that Hogan was too flashy for, it was probably over for Bobby Backlund.

 

[alkeiper]

Traditionally I think a wrestler in Backlund's position would see the writing on the wall and move on. I imagine Backlund does not really have a role after Hogan comes in but Vince does not want to outright fire Backlund.

 

[King Kamala]

I also think Backlund might've assumed that since had been champion for nearly six years that Vince would find something for him to do and maybe that he'd occupy the "Living Legend" role that Bruno had in the late '70s/early '80s.

On the other hand, Backlund had late '00s/early 2010s Cena levels of hate from the fans during last year or two of his title reign and he was probably to last as long as he did.

 

[alfdogg]

Dig the star power on this card!

WWF @ Sunbury, PA - Shikellamy Field House - June 12, 1986 (523)
The scheduled Ted Arcidi vs. Tiger Chung Lee and Tony Atlas vs. Hercules matches were canceled
Jim Powers defeated AJ Petruzzi
Cousin Luke defeated Moondog Rex
Susan Starr defeated Tracy Richards (sub. for Judy Martin)
George Wells defeated Moondog Spot via disqualification
Jim Powers defeated Rene Goulet
Jose Luis Rivera (sub. for SD Jones) defeated Terry Gibbs
Cousin Luke won a 9-man $5,000 battle royal; other participants included: Jim Powers, AJ Petruzzi, Rene Goulet, George Wells, the Moondogs, Terry Gibbs, & Jose Luis Rivera

 

[alkeiper]

It’s a bad sign when Jim Powers is working double duty. Larry Latham (Spot) is by far the best worker on that card.

 

[Valeyard]

Psycho Backlund turning on Hogan would've been money.

 

[strummer]

Jose Luis Rivera somehow lasted in the WWF until 1991(!) a nine year run starting in 1982. He was a Shadow and a Conquistador.

 

[JHawk]

It’s a bad sign when Jim Powers is working double duty. Larry Latham (Spot) is by far the best worker on that card.

Triple duty if you count the battle royal. And two wins with those two singles matches, no less

 

[BruiserBrody]

Psycho Backlund turning on Hogan would've been money.

If you haven't seen Bob's 1984 PWUSA promos, do so. He's a serial killer babyface by accident.

 

[alfdogg]

WWF @ Landover, MD - Capital Centre - March 1, 1987
Paul Roma defeated Tiger Chung Lee
The Honkytonk Man defeated Jerry Allen
Steve Lombardi defeated Sivi Afi
Dan Spivey defeated Demolition in a handicap match
WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart defeated B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell
WWF IC Champion Randy Savage & Paul Orndorff defeated Ricky Steamboat & George Steele

I know it's a house show but...huh?

 

[JHawk]

WWF @ Landover, MD - Capital Centre - March 1, 1987
Paul Roma defeated Tiger Chung Lee
The Honkytonk Man defeated Jerry Allen
Steve Lombardi defeated Sivi Afi
Dan Spivey defeated Demolition in a handicap match
WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart defeated B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell
WWF IC Champion Randy Savage & Paul Orndorff defeated Ricky Steamboat & George Steele

I know it's a house show but...huh?

It was probably scheduled to be Spivey and Rotundo as a team but with Rotundo leaving they just didn't sub him out.

Still a head scratching result though

 

[Dandy]

Spivey and Jerry Allen, actually. Demolition beat that team day in and day out during that stretch of house shows but Allen was not in that match and Spivey got the win. Looked it up on Cagematch. I would like to hear the story about it.

Demolition was still just five weeks into their team at this point not counting the couple of weeks of Randy Colley. It was a meaningless match and the team was far from a juggernaut at the time but it would be interesting to see why Spivey got to go over them.

 

[JHawk]

Allen was the primary sub for Rotundo as Rotundo's last day in WWF appears to be February 12 and he was advertised for shows up through 3/18

 

[strummer]

I wonder if Spivey going over Demolition was a test to see if Darsow would complain since he was new to the territory. Sort of like Rude losing to Jerry Allen later that same year. I mean I doubt it since Eadie was a veteran and had been in the territory but that crossed my mind.

 

[LaParkaYourCar]

Here's my review of WWF Over the Edge: In Your House.

https://classicwrestlingreview.com/2022/01/09/over-the-edge-in-your-house/

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1480632762868637701

 

[Hawk 34]

Imagine the MANSCAPE ads he could done

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1481277073318625283

WrestleMania IX: The Best is Yet to Come

Talk about hilariously inaccurate predictions.

 

[alkeiper]

I just watched the MSG show from April '83. My wife was in the room for the main event, Andre/Studd. Andre gabs the mic at the end, my wife asked me what he said. Hell if I know.