JHawk
This is the point where I put in a cheap plug for some of my other projects.
This past weekend, Pro Wrestling Weekend interviewed Thea Trinidad, who wrestled as Rosita in TNA. It was an awesome interview, so check that out here. Also, September 1 marks our 300th episode, and we’ll cover the Impact tapings in Cleveland that I was in attendance for, announce the winner of our fantasy draft, and returning for one night only is longtime co-host Tony T. Check that out live at 6pm Eastern/3pm Pacific at smartmarkradio.com.
Now onto why you’re here.
Last week saw the WWF host shows at Madison Square Garden and the Spectrum on back to back nights with varying results. What’s the fallout? Let’s find out.
February 1983, Monday, Week 4
Nobody will say it publicly, but the WWF is in trouble. Attendance is dropping, TV ratings are dropping, and internally people in the company are in a panic.
It boggles my mind though. Yes, there were a couple of place holder shows, but for the most part the TV shows are good. The big shows are hit and miss but the best of the best outweighs the worst of the worst. Feedback is largely positive throughout. Yet they can’t hold their TV audience or add to their attendance numbers.
How do they recover? I don’t have the answer. The problem is, I’m not sure they do either.
Now onto some news.
In a breaking story that could have a huge effect on the entire wrestling landscape, Ole Anderson is turning the Georgia Championship Wrestling locker room against him with his biased bookings, pushing mostly his friends over people who many feel are more talented. We’ll have more if and when we get it.
February 1983, Tuesday, Week 4
Andre the Giant is going to be working for WWC in Puerto Rico for one shot, as NJPW and the NWA brokered the deal. Andre will work the WWF tapings tonight, although he’ll be in Japan most of the month.
Championship Wrestling taping (February 1983, Tuesday, Week 4)
In an extremely short match, Pedro Morales defeated Bob Bradley in 3:13 by submission.
Ray Stevens defeated Rocky Johnson in 4:25 by pinfall after Freddie Blassie interfered.
Salvatore Bellomo defeated Mac Rivera in 2:35 by pinfall with a Pizza Splash. The crowd hated this as despite his push, Bellomo is still seen as a jobber and Rivera is even less respected.
In Buddy Rogers’ Corner, Rogers has both Rocky Johnson and Don Muraco. After an argument, Johnson challenges Muraco to an Intercontinental Title match for next week and Muraco accepts. Great segment.
Johnny Rodz defeated Curt Hennig in 3:17 by pinfall with a Piledriver.
Eddie Gilbert pinned Jose Estrada in 2:14 when, after Estrada suplexed Gilbert into the ring, he attempted to float over but got caught by a cradle by Gilbert.
Mr. Fuji defeated David Sammartino in 1:52 by pinfall with a Kamikaze Clothesline. Sammartino was off his game tonight.
Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski in 3:25 by pinfall. This was surprisingly the best match of the entire show.
Big John Studd came to the ring for another bodyslam challenge, this time for $10,000. Chief Jay Strongbow emerged from the curtain, then shook his head no. A moment later, Andre the Giant made his way to the ring. After some stalling, Andre lifted Studd up, only for Freddie Blassie to grab him from behind. This distracted Andre, allowing Studd to attack from behind. Andre mounted a brief comeback before Studd ran to the locker room. Another great angle.
Pat Patterson interviewed Capt. Lou Albano and the Wild Samoans. Albano claimed that after Philadelphia, the Strongbows can’t hide behind their belts anymore and will have to put them up against his men within the next 30 days.
In the main event, Buddy Rose and Jimmy Snuka went to a 10-minute draw. This was actually quite disappointing given who was involved.
February 1983, Wednesday, Week 4
The taping in Allentown last night did the usual sell out of 1,300. Most felt the show was awesome, and backstage everybody was raving about the Rogers’ Corner and bodyslam challenge segments, which will air on both shows.
New Japan through the NWA has once again loaned out Andre the Giant, this time to World Class Championship Wrestling for one appearance. The WWF has always had a good relationship with WCCW so this is one time where they don’t mind Andre working another company’s show.
All-Star Wrestling taping (February 1983, Wednesday, Week 4)
Another Wednesday night and another taping of All-Star Wrestling at the Fieldhouse in Hamburg, PA. It’s getting harder and harder not to notice the empty seats.
Curt Hennig defeated Ray Stevens in 5:07 when Ray Stevens was counted out after being distracted by Jimmy Snuka. After the match, an angry Stevens ran into the ring and attempted to piledrive Hennig, only to be chased off by Snuka. This was weird because the Snuka-Stevens feud ran around the horn months ago and appeared to be over.
In an extremely short match, Pedro Morales defeated George Steele in 3:30 by pinfall with a quick cradle.
Mr. Fuji defeated S.D. Jones in 4:42 by pinfall with a Kamikaze Clothesline.
Swede Hanson defeated Salvatore Bellomo in 6:04 by submission to a backbreaker. Hopefully this is a sign that the Bellomo experiment is over.
Ivan Koloff defeated David Sammartino in 5:28 by pinfall with a Russian Sickle. Fans were actively chanting “We want Swede” during the match, but he only seems to be over in Hamburg and nowhere else.
Superstar Billy Graham (w/The Grand Wizard) pinned Barry Hart with a karate thrust to the throat in 3:17. This was much better than it had any right to be, as Graham and Hart work well together. Fans were also chanting “We want Swede” here too. This was probably the best match of the show.
Howard Finkel announces that in addition to the Don Muraco-Rocky Johnson Intercontinental Title match, we’ll also see Ivan Koloff vs. Curt Hennig next week.
Pat Patterson and Vince McMahon put over the fact that we’ll be seeing Afa, Sika and Big John Studd take on Andre The Giant, Jimmy Snuka and Rocky Johnson in a three-on-three match at Madison Square Garden in three weeks. That’s a lot of star power there.
Pat Patterson conducts an interview with The Strongbows, who discuss an upcoming series of matches with The Wild Samoans. If they mentioned a date for it, I didn’t catch it.
The Invaders are in the ring, ready to make their debut, but they get attacked by The Wild Samoans before the bell. They recover for the match to start and pull off an upset win when Invader #2 pinned Sika with a heart punch in 4:17. This didn’t go over well in the arena, but should the Samoans win the titles as rumored then the Invaders should be in line for a future shot.
February 1983, Thursday, Week 4
Great news for the WWF as attendance went back up in Hamburg last night to 1,214. That’s still only about 60% full at the Fieldhouse but it’s a step in the right direction.
Invader #2 (Johnny Rivera) is said to be angry at how his match came across last night. The prematch attack was established to get the Invaders over as faces as they are in line for a push, but for some reason the crowd wasn’t into them at all and a few actually booed the finish.
CMLL have offered Mil Mascaras a contract extension.
Swede Hanson, despite being one of the most over guys on the show for almost no reason, will be used in the ring less as he is feeling fatigued. He is scheduled to do a Rogers Corner segment at next week’s Hamburg tapings.
The Rocky Johnson-Don Muraco Intercontinental Title match will be taped in Hamburg as a way of trying to increase attendance but will air on both shows next weekend.
February 1983, Friday, Week 4
Despite Buddy Rose being seen as disappointing since returning to the WWF, he has been one of the few things keeping the Portland territory together, as reports are he has looked like a star nearly every week. He teamed with Ed Wiskowski to defeat Dean Ho and Curt Hennig in the main event of a show there last night.
February 1983, Saturday, Week 4
The WWF has announced that Superstar Billy Graham will take on Salvatore Bellomo at the Spectrum in three weeks. That has train wreck written all over it but Graham has been incredibly motivated lately.
February 1983, Sunday, Week 4
Andre the Giant filled his commitment to World Class last night, teaming with Jimmy Garvin in a loss to David & Kerry Von Erich. Garvin obviously dropped the fall, as he ate a headbutt from Andre after slapping him in the face following an argument.
Next week: Signing week for the month of March, plus the long-awaited battle between Don Muraco and Rocky Johnson.
