WWF Saturday Night's Main Event III (November 1985)

Original Airdate: November 2, 1985

From Hershey, Pennsylvania; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura.


Opening Match: The Junkyard Dog v Terry Funk: JYD jumps him during the entrances, and quickly crotches Funk on the ropes. Funk tries to takeover with a slam, but the Dog won't have it, and dumps him over the top. Inside, Dog unloads the headbutts, so Funk bails to regroup/threaten kids. Dog goes out to backdrop him on the unpadded floor, but Funk catches him with a series of jabs coming in. Sleeper, but JYD makes the ropes, and hooks his own. Funk manager Jimmy Hart gets involved to break it up, and the dog is done at 5:16, after a cheap shot from Funk. A couple of nice bumps from Funk, but barely a match. ¼*

Halloween Party: Mean Gene Okerlund hosts a Halloween party. All the superstars attend in costume (winner: Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff as Batman and Robin), and Capt. Lou Albano takes on King Kong Bundy in a pie eating contest. Albano wins, leading to the obligatory pie in the face.

Piper's Pit: Roddy Piper and Bob Orton have hillbilly guests this week. Specifically, Hillbilly Jim, Uncle Elmer, and Cousin Junior - who were basically an even shittier version of The Godwinns to plague 80s fans. The Hillbillies have an issue with Piper for interrupting Elmer's wedding the month before, and call out Jesse Ventura, too, for disrespecting Elmer's new bride on commentary. It's pro wrestling, so they settle it over a nice cup of tea, and porridge.

Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant v King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd: Hogan and Bundy start, getting into an immediate shovefest - with Hulk knocking him over rather quickly. He tries to slam him over the top, but can't quite make it, so settles for a cross corner clothesline. Tag to Andre, and he resumes his nervehold on Bundy from the month before. I guess people just couldn't get enough. Unfortunately for wrestling fans everywhere, a young (only still slightly chubby) Yokozuna was at home watching. Four-way brawl breaks out, with the faces cleaning house, and they settle back in with a nice bearhug from Andre on Studd. Another four-way sees Andre get tied up in the ropes, and when Hogan takes a Bundy splash, the heels double team until they get disqualified at 8:00. They kept a decent pace, but it was all punch-kick. DUD

Land of a Thousand Dances: To capitalize on the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection, the WWF debuts its new music video for Land of a Thousand Dances - featuring all of the Superstars standing together in a 'We Are the World' type of deal, and singing in front of a bunch of teenagers. Too much awesome to single anything out.

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Tito Santana v Randy Savage: Savage stalls to start, jawing with the crowd, and ducking into the ropes. Santana eventually gets him in a collar-and-elbow, but Savage throws a cheap shot, and goes to work. 2^nd rope flying axehandle gets two, and he hooks a chinlock. Santana tries to escape, so Savage tries a flying axehandle to teach him a lesson, but Tito decks him on the way down. Flying forearm, but Savage bails, so Tito heads out to bring him in, and in the process both get counted out at 4:08. Too short to go anywhere, but Savage would eventually get a rematch (and the Title) a few months later. DUD

Halloween with Rowdy Roddy Piper: Roddy Piper invites us into his home (which has an uncanny resemblance to a soundstage) to celebrate the holiday with bricks, and bowling balls. The highlight is when some trick-or-treaters show up, one dressed as Hulk Hogan ('I'm Hulk Hogan, Mr. Piper!'), so he steals their candy.

Kung Fu Challenge: Ricky Steamboat v Mr. Fuji: Only 'Kung Fu moves' are allowed. 'They both look Asian! Book it!' Steamboat easily controls, but Fuji blows him low, and lays in. He tries a suplex, but Steamboat reverses, and finishes with a flying dropkick at 3:16. Yeah. DUD

Halloween Party: Everyone offers final thoughts, and then play an apple passing game - which Miss Elizabeth fucks up, leading to Savage threatening to deck her - which, interestingly, even the other heels object to. More interestingly - none of the faces (all standing right there) even make a token effort to stop it.

BUExperience: Piper steals candy from kids, Miss Elizabeth in a slutty Halloween costume, a music video featuring Vince McMahon and Gene Okerlund harmonizing like Lennon and McCartney – what else could you want?