Thanks for joining me! A quick opening definitely highlights Andre the Giant as one of the main stars. Vince and Bruno Sammartino are both on commentary. Bruno looks uncomfortable. They both look hilarious in their canary yellow suits. I think I heard that Doctor Zahorian is in attendance too. Thanks for joining me!
Promotion: World Wrestling Federation Date: January 5th, 1980
Location: Hamburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Arena: Fieldhouse
Commentary by:
Bruno Sammartino & Vince McMahon
Facts: It was Saturday, under the sign of Capricorn. The US president was Jimmy Carter. In that special week of January people in the US were listening to Please Don’t Go by K.C and the Sunshine Band. In UK There’s No One Quite Like Grandma by St Winifred’s School Choir was in the top 5 hits. Just Tell Me What You Want, directed by Sidney Lumet, was one of the most viewed movies released in 1980 while Cruel Shoes by Steve Martin was one of the best selling books. If you liked video games you were probably playing Boxing or Space Panic.
Matches
The Great Hussein Arab (w/Classy Freddie Blassie) vs. Tito Santana – ★
The Great Hussein is an early name for The Iron Sheik. He works over Tito pretty early and the two don’t really put on that much of a match to begin with. Freddie Blassie is wearing an awful pink smart suit. He looks hilarious. Tito starts mounting a comeback, and the crowd doesn’t seem to care. It’s not long before the headlocks start to come into play. It’s made worse with the ending. A complete schmohz. My first match into this thing and it was a dud.
Ken Patera (w/The Grand Wizard) vs. Bill Berger – ★
I wonder about this one… Ken Patera is built like a brick shithouse with a giant blonde afro. He is taking on some jabroni Vince calls Bill Booger. It’s pretty one sided. Patera does the usual schtick. He runs around the ring. He does his calisthenics. It’s a routine. Berger just looks on slack jawed. Ken moves in for the attack, wearing Berger down with a long headlock before moving into various power moves. Rince, repeat. The best part of the match was Vince calling Patera a great example for young people to follow. So far… All Star Wrestling isn’t cutting it. This is going to be a long series.
Vince McMahon interviews The Grand Wizard & Ken Patera
I hadn’t actually heard The Grand Wizard before this interview. I actually liked it. He was just going through the usual manager banter, but he did it really well and with a certain panache. Ken Patera on the other hand was not that.
Hulk Hogan (w/Classy Freddie Blassie) vs. Angelo Gomez & Ben Ortiz – ★★
Now this is what I am talking about. Hulk Hogan looked like a freak of nature out there. He was making these large wrestlers look so small. Hogan didn’t have the best offence. But his offence looked good. He was still really green and he moved really slowly. But he was definitely getting there. Oddly enough, Hogan was wrestling in white trunks and he had a full head of hair. An oddity for me since this is the earliest Hogan match I’ve seen. Hogan wins and gets a very lukewarm reaction.
Bruno Sammartino interviews Hulk Hogan & Freddie Blassie
Sammartino is caught off guard for this interview. He talks with Freddie Blassie about the lack of Hogan’s wrestling skills. Then Hogan gets onto the mic and says that everyone is looking at the new King of Professional Wrestling. Bruno questions Hogan’s abilities again and Freddie Blassie and him argue as they fade out.
Larry Zbyszko vs. Johnny Rodz – ★★ ½
The Living Legend Larry Z mixes it up with Johnny Rodz in this surprisingly good match. It’s action packed. It’s not a squash match. It’s a battle between two guys that can go the distance. Both guys really lay it into each other. I am really digging it. Unfortunately, the whole thing ended suddenly when they both collided in midair. Zbyszko made the cover and that was that.
Bobby Duncum (w/Captain Lou Albano) vs. Ron Lee – ★
Bobby Duncum is a good wrestler. But this was not a showcase of that skill. Ron Lee looked like some random asshole they pulled in from the street. And he wrestled like one too. This ladies and gentlemen is your classic squash match.
Overview
This was a pretty weak entry point for my little series. It introduced me to the major players. But it wasn’t anything I would care to watch again. If I were a young kid in 1980, I would be looking for something else to watch. Yikes.
80's Wrestling Reviews 