WWF: Hulkamania era (1984-`1992)

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1774986555934777679

I need the Don Vito subtitles for Andre here.

 

[Valeyard]

I love Andre. That was wonderful. Most I've ever seen him sell after 1984.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I can’t believe WWF thought they could keep Bob Backlund as the #2 babyface after Hogan came in. This is like if Poison toured with Nirvana in 1993.

 

[BruiserBrody]

To be fair, Hogan legit flew right to Japan after beating the Sheik, He's wasn't full time quite yet. (And supposedly Vince wanted to run WWF Japan as well with Tiger Mask and whoever as the stars mixed w/ WWF talent)
Vince was still working out the kinks and needed bodies to fill out cards. They rectified the situation pretty quickly once they realized Backlund's status.

It is kind of fun to think that the solution to the giant midcard glut would be to ship guys off to WWF Japan for a bit to freshen them up. Not sure how Japan would accept such a promotion, much less the Yakuza.

 

[BruiserBrody]

The WONs of 1984 are a trip as they think/claim Vince is using Lord Al to set up a WWF office in London for WWF Europe as well. Probably more I'm forgetting off hand. I'm pretty sure there was a story about Jim Barnett starting WWF Australia or something like that as well.

Like a year earlier Ole couldn't even handle expanding West a few states and Vince is supposedly aiming for the whole world!

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Tony Atlas vs. The Shipwreck from Webster St. Conv. & Diner!

Food event in Auburn, ME by Bob Eccles Realtor and Webster St. Conv. & Diner on Wednesday, April 10 2024 with 116 people interested and 50 people going. 8 posts in the discussion.

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Darn, if I didn’t have a Dr’s appt, I could live blog Saba Simba attempting to eat 5+ pound of fried seafood, French fries, and cole slaw for Brody.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

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[alfdogg]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1778781662483988829

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I am surprised Hogan let another wrestler win this but it might have just been another power play from Vince to put the aging Hulkster in his place. “that’s what you get for asking for a week off to promote Suburban Commando, pal.

 

[Valeyard]

Hogan never saw Bret as a threat is my guess. That and maybe it was given to Bret strategically on a show Hogan wasn't obligated to (or paid enough to) appear on.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

That segment seems heavily edited. There is a version in the WWE Vaults that features Freddie Blassie rambling to Mean Gene for 10 minutes.

It is weird to see Freddie Blassie post Rock N Wrestling/retirement but pre Attitude Era elder statesman era. He also randomly showed up on an episode of Mania where he yelled at Todd after Todd accidentally barged into his office but this isn’t the New Generation thread.

 

[Valeyard]

Blassie was always a really welcome presence. Just one of those guys who embodied so much of what wrestling is.

 

[snuffbox]

He also showed up occasionally on color commentary into, at least, 1990 and appeared in the 1989 Classic card set.

 

[Fall of Epic]

He cameod on TV all through the 90s. His last appearance was in 2002 when he was promoting his book and helped the Dudleyz win a match. Let's not forget that inspirational speech he gave to the locker room during the invasion.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Remembering The Honky Tonk Man’s WWF Babyface Run

Brian Damage For many wrestling fans, Honky Tonk Man wasn’t just the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history but also one of the biggest heels of the 1980s. But there was an…

ringthedamnbell.wordpress.com

I never heard about Vince thinking Honky would be his “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant but it makes a lot of sense. Unless you believe the VINCE DIDN’T WATCH ANY WRESTLING BESIDES HIS OWN PRODUCT!

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100044038183631/posts/987831879361409

“Nice meeting you, kid. Hey. Does one of your parents have a cigarette I can borrow off of them?”

 

[BruiserBrody]

When I met Jake it was the price of the event ticket, then you had to pay more to go to his meet and greet, and when you got in the room he wanted another 20 bucks for a pic

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Did he grope your manboobs playfully or am I thinking of someone else’s Jake meeting?

 

[BruiserBrody]

Did he grope your manboobs playfully or am I thinking of someone else’s Jake meeting?

Nope, he playfully accused me of grabbing his ass

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

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The 1990 WWF Intercontinental Championship Tournament

Wrestling Blog about opinions, live reports, and posts on unique moments in wrestling and more

www.thewrestlinginsomniac.com

Interesting timing as I just stumbled upon that blog entry yesterday. Idk that it was basically the most BS WWF Title tournament that actually happened. Zero semi finals match and the finals was taped before the last first round match.

Why even bother doing a tournament? Really need to build Tito by giving him a lame count out win over Akeem?

 

[Valeyard]

What happens to Perfect's run if Kerry isn't hired? Does he do a quick trade with Tito instead?

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I am pretty sure Beefcake was supposed to win the IC Title at SummerSlam ‘90. Who knows if Perfect gets it back in December as he did IRL from Texas Tornado?

 

[Valeyard]

I'm thinking if Beefcake is out and Kerry isn't brought in.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Bossman is probably a more likely hot shot than Tito in that scenario.

Tito making that IC Title Tournament was his last moment of relevancy before the El Matador rebrand.


(Canonically speaking. Yes, I know he beat The Undertaker at that house show in Spain)

 

[alkeiper]

He also brought the power of Arribaderci to the Survivor Series.

 

[Valeyard]

Yeah see Tito getting a thank you run because no one else is available feels natural. Like drop it at the next taping natural, so a kayfabe couple months or whatever.

The WWF really needed another mid card singles belt. That's one of the things WCW always had over them.

 

[alfdogg]

I think getting to the Grand Finale match at Survivor Series was intended to be his "thank you" moment. Bret had said in his book that Tito was among of group of guys released around this time, and while some of his memories are a bit hazy, in this case Tito didn't work another show after Survivor Series until the week of the Rumble where he was a fill-in.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Tito even did some shots for IWCCW in '91, answering Tony Atlas' challenge for any WWF or WCW wrestler to face him for the IWCCW World Title. I can't find it on YouTube but I definitely saw it as part of the Savoldis gazillion reruns.

See! Cagematch will back me up.

 

[JHawk]

Tito's rematch with Perfect on the July 1990 SNME might be the best SNME match ever and I hate that he never really got a push after that

 

[BruiserBrody]

Really any plans for Tito ended in Feb 86 when he dropped the belt to Savage. A bit shocking given that Tito/Hammer headlined everywhere for like a year.
Tito wasn't a cartoon though, and was probably easy to overlook. And we can look back now and realize his promos peaked at mid.
He was "lucky" Zenk flaked out and Tito got another half a year of relevance, including a slew of main events. The moment Martel got hurt, Tito went back to doing nothing and was fucking around in the mid card. The Martel feud was a good boost, and they probably should have blew it off at WM 6. (Yes, they were booked for SSlam 90)
He had been in and out of the WWF since 1979(8?) and could be lumped in was the MANY guys who had their run during the expansion and were tossed back into the wild. The fact that Vince kept him around for so long shows they knew he was a good trooper and eventually wasn't afraid of laying down nightly.
It would be interesting to see if the Matador gimmick would have "saved" him had the switch happened a little sooner. Heck, even using Tito as Steamboat's partner in either 88 (after Martel's injury) or in 91 could have been a jolt for both men.
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I'm torn on the 3rd title for WWF. They had so much going on it doesn't scream out as a need to me. Dusty had a title fetish and JCP's 10 titles deluded more things than they helped get people over. The TV title was usually booked well, in very different ways. You had it for Dusty/Tully as another token in their blood feud (would the title have mattered either way?) and eventually it made it onto the workrate guys who were being set up for next level pushes.