WWF: Hulkamania era (1984-`1992)

[alkeiper]

Watching Jake Roberts in early ‘87, he’s getting cheered on the eve of his turn. His schedule is quite interesting. His opponents include Randy Savage, King Kong Bundy, Tito Santana, Pedro Morales, George Steele. There’s no clear delineation of when he goes from heel to face. He’s changing roles night to night. WWE rarely had a character like that.

 

[strummer]

IIRC he started making fun of the heels on the Snake Pit which I guess was his turn but yeah he never had an official one which was unheard at that time in the WWF

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I always thought HTM smashing the guitar over his head was his official face turn but before that, he was subtly turnt into a tweener.

 

[Valeyard]

That guitar shot is gross, too. No give.

Jake just was always Jake until he became the devil.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Jake overexaggerated the guitar shot for sure but HTM definitely under exaggerated how dangerous it was. There's a reason why Jeff Jarrett used the all of the cheap guitars he broke that never drew a dime.

 

[Valeyard]

Jarrett never managed one good guitar shot, though. HTM only did good ones. Ironically it's like Jake to the DDT.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Ep. #429: October 25-31, 1984 with Robert O'Connor - Between The Sheets

Every Monday, Kris Zellner and David Bixenspan go over how a given week in professional wrestling history was covered by the wrestling media, primarily in the "dirt sheet" newsletters. The deepest dive into wrestling history that you can find.

pca.st

7 hours of ‘84 wrestling talk…@BruiserBrody hearts Bix.


(At least until he listens to the episode)

 

[SuperMachine#1]

The dirt sheets reported around this time in October 1992 before Matt Borne started appearing in the crowd as a nameless clown Jimmy Garvin originally was going to be the clown with Gary Hart as his manager named "The Ring Master" in a circus act gimmick. The Ring Master name was trademark and copyrighted for this act\gimmick but Hart didn't want to travel out of Texas anymore and living quietly in retirement and the WWF really had nothing for Garvin except that one promo.

 

[strummer]

Hart turned down the WWF several times I guess. He was initially going to be
Earthquake's manager in 89/90 (in fact I even think he flew up to Connecticut for a meeting) and in 2006 they wanted him to manage Umaga

 

[Valeyard]

Gary is top three best manager ever but I'm very glad he never went to the WWF, for the most part. Some awesome potential but he's just someone that would've been too watered down.

Now if he came in instead of Cornette, I'd have dug it hard. Gary with Yokozuna and Fuji? Bulldog and Owen? Vader? Beatin'.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1719021340903055516

Doing a squash match after a 5 hour taping is one thing...but then they released it on VHS the following year. (I assume Savage was retired by then, but still...)

 

[Sex Machine Gun]

Gary Hart could well be the person I've heard about most via Cornette podcasts and whatever else but I've never seen anything the guy did.

 

[snuffbox]

Gary Hart could well be the person I've heard about most via Cornette podcasts and whatever else but I've never seen anything the guy did.

You should probably at least watch the Flair-Funk series from '89.

 

[alfdogg]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1719471874457866590

 

[alkeiper]

Gary managing the Great Muta was good stuff.

 

[Valeyard]

J-Tex is a GOAT stable. I love it more every time I rewatch that era. It was a perfect storm.

Hart with Kabuki, Adams, and Gino are all great. Honestly he made Adams feel like a huge star.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I’ll take unnecessary action figures for $1,000, Ken.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Valeyard]

Does it come with sigma Shawn and the British Cuckdog?

 

[alkeiper]

For as much as people complain about the economy there really is way too much disposable income floating around out there.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1720412977596190876

Hmmmm? I didn’t hear what you just said Al.

(I’d buy a Vladimir action figure before I bought majority of the action figures for ‘80s/‘90s wrestlers getting their first figure in past 5 years but still)

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100064798205732/posts/pfbid0YvMEiXc74BUgsPpDhRftZa7UwxPaQTZwfxiMN9Mun5RGZPuj7RFxYu9f3kagVHkl

I’m sure this card was subject to change but I wonder who the hell was supposed to play face in peril on that JYD & Superstar Billy Graham team.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Greeting from Allentown is covering WM 5. At the end as Hogan celebrates, Jessie rages that he's so done with this Hogan shit that he might make a comeback and challenge Hogan.
I picture Vince in Gorilla glad handing Bruce and Patterson while still on his the headset and going "WHAT THE FUCK, PAL!?!"

You know Vince had rules about promoting things that he couldn't deliver.

 

[Valeyard]

Was Jesse ever training for a comeback, ever? Like I can see him spite training as a negotiation tactic.

WM 5, had the finish just been Savage missing the elbow and eating a legdrop, creates my favorite match of all time. But noooo.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Was Jesse ever training for a comeback, ever? Like I can see him spite training as a negotiation tactic.

He did do the one off tag team match with Piper against the Orient Express for their ABC pilot.

 

[Valeyard]

I honestly can't remember if he was really training for something with Brock at one point or not in like 2001.

 

[BruiserBrody]

In Feb/March 86, Jesse works quite a few matches. That was around the time of the union talk that Hogan blew up. Perhaps Jesse said "Well, if these schmucks want to work for thousands while Vince makes millions, I'll get my SAG cred for insurance and take Vince's money for 2-3 days of TV tapings a month and hang out in Hollywood"

Then he said to himself "Geez, Jess that's a long rambling thought.

 

[Valeyard]

Right call. He didn't need to get hurt. He ain't got time to bleed.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Jesse is a legit really smart dude. His political books and talking points are relatable (I don't want to say "spot on" as Kamala will find some batshit thing he said to turn this on me).
Ventura sinks his own ship though when he turns into Alex Jones/Brody mid stream with stuff like "Dr. Judy Bloom's book "Where Did the Towers Go?" says 9/11 was done with a microwave ray and I, for one, believe her!"

 

[Valeyard]

Just good heelin'.

 

[snuffbox]

As a totally sane and normal person from the Upper Midwest, I take great joy in borrowing Ventura's dialect and syntax.