Goody Bag 64: WWF 1984

 

The Invaders v David Schultz and Roddy Piper: From New York City on February 20 1984. Some guy in the crowd has a ‘Roddy’s Rowdies’ sign, predicting the Hot Rod’s Survivor Series team name by nearly six years. Piper in Kermit-green tights is a weird look. Roddy, of course, makes friends everywhere he goes, and he slaps Invader #1 before the bell, kick starting things. Roddy immediately bails and does an extended stall on the outside as Invader 1 fumes, then casually passes to David as he comes back in, just to stick it to him. Invader 1 continues to fume as David takes his time, so Piper draws him into a chase just to aggravate him further. David finally locks up, and he immediately muscles Invader 1 into the heel corner, but Invader fights off the double team, and he finally gets a shot in on Piper! Roddy is so upset that he actually willingly tags in so he can get his hands on Invader 1, and he dominates a test-of-strength. Wristlock, but Invader 1 reverses, and he unloads on Piper with rights. The Invaders pinball the Hot Rod in the corner, and they take turns working a wristlock. Roddy manages to railroad Invader #2 into the heel corner while in the hold to allow the tag to David, and they double up to take control. They cut the ring in half in Invader 2, and man, Gorilla Monsoon was on his game in those days. Like, despite the fact that he’s calling this one by himself, he somehow manages to make it conversational. Piper tries a splash, but hits the knees, and Invader 2 makes a comeback. Bodyslam allows the tag to Invader 1, and they hit a combo, but David dives in to break the pin. He puts Piper on top in the process, and the heels get the pin at 11:15. Fun storytelling, though only average work. * ¼ 

 

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Tito Santana v Don Muraco: From New York City on February 20 1984. Both guys look so young here, it’s amazing how much they’d aged by just a few years after this. And boy, those pre-Reggie Parks era belts looked like hell, didn’t they? Tito comes at him with a series of rights right away, so Muraco begs off. Bodyslam follows, so Don begs off again, as Gorilla goes on a rant about the officiating. I’ve always loved that about his commentary style. It made it feel more realistic, and made him seem like a true authority on everything that goes on between the ropes. Tito works an overhead wristlock, then a hammerlock, with Monsoon again doing a great job, this time by explaining the intricacies of each hold. Tito sinks his teeth into the wristholds for a long while, until Don finally gets a shot in to break. He tries capitalizing in the corner, but Tito fights him off, and takes him back down in an armbar to retain control. Muraco fires a knee to the mid-section to break free again, and this time he manages a vertical suplex - only to have Santana reverse the cradle for two! That was a nice little sequence. Tito goes back to the armbar, but Muraco escapes, and lands a Russian legsweep. This time he’s able to keep it going by dropping Tito throat-first across the top rope, and he chucks him to the outside to do some real damage. Muraco drops him across the guardrail out there, and he works Tito over as they head back into the ring. Bodyslam sets up a kneedrop for two, and a jumping forearm finds the mark. Criss cross allows Santana to nail him with one of his own, and Don ends up getting his head tied up in the ropes while selling it, and the referee counts him out at 16:08. Wait, counted out? He’s literally trapped in the ring! I enjoyed the psychology at play here, even if the action was pretty low key. * ½

 

Andre the Giant and Jimmy Snuka v David Schultz and Roddy Piper: From New York City on March 25 1984. David and Roddy unload every bit of verbal artillery they have before the bell, with Andre just standing there and smirking. And then when the Giant finally takes a step forward after the bell, both guys retreat into their corner. That’s just great heeling. Andre and David start, and you can guess who dominates that one. Andre gets him in a sleeper, but David doesn’t want to play ball, so Andre goes to a bow-and-arrow instead. David maneuvers into the ropes to force a break, and he tries unloading with rights at the break, but Andre just absorbs them, and looks at him like he’s crazy. Andre was an absolute master with his facial expressions, couldn’t be better. Andre toys with David, so Piper wants a tag in… and then promptly changes his mind about that idea. So, back to Dr. D, and he tries grabbing a standing side-headlock, which just does not seem like a good idea at all. Like, it doesn’t even look physically possible. And, indeed, Andre casually escapes, so David tries butt-fucking him at mid-ring, but that also backfires. Dramatically. Okay, when all else fails, it’s time to cheat - and cheat they do! They rake the eyes, they double up… and Andre gets sick of it after a minute, and swats Piper away like a fly. David tags back in to unload in the corner to try and keep control, and a knee downstairs manages to take Andre off his feet. It’s so weird watching ANDRE THE GIANT play the face-in-peril, but here we go! Piper uses a pair of brass knux to bloody the Giant, as the heels cut the ring in half. Snuka keeps trying to come in to help, but the referee cuts him off, and things get worse for Andre each time, as the heels use the distraction to cheat more. The beating gets so vicious that the doctor has to come in to check Andre out, like it’s 2010, or something. So the match stops dead as the doctor does an extended checkup, and it looks like Andre may be out of the match here. The EMTs actually stretcher him out, so for those keeping track, yes, ANDRE THE GIANT once did a stretcher job for Roddy Piper. There’s something you don’t see every day. So with Andre seemingly out of the match, Snuka decides to go it alone, and he nails Piper with a dropkick to win a criss cross. Jimmy unloads with mounted punches next, so David comes in without a tag, but Snuka fights off the double team. Piper is selling like Marty Jannetty tonight, and it’s great. The heels manage to overwhelm him after a while, however, and they work Snuka over. Meanwhile, Andre shows back up, and doesn’t bother waiting for a tag - marching in and wrecking anything that moves! And I mean WRECKING! Nothing scarier than a pissed off Andre. But he’s TOO pissed off, apparently, and the referee disqualifies him at 20:17. Really basic, but everybody knew their roles, and played them perfectly. * ½

 

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Tito Santana v Paul Orndorff: From New York City on March 25 1984. Lots of stalling from Orndorff to start, as Gorilla Monsoon and Pat Patterson get into a funny conversation about other things the babyface can do to pass the time during stall fests besides standing there and shaking their fists. They then get into a less funny (but much more uncomfortable) conversation about Tito and Paul’s bodies - which is led by Gorilla, surprisingly enough. Tito dominates with wristlocks once they engage, and he wins a criss cross as well. Santana works a standing front-facelock for a while, and we’re seven minutes into this, with very little going on. Or, well, that’s not really accurate, because they’re telling a story and it’s psychologically sound… but let’s kick it into gear. And, as if on cue, Orndorff nails him with a cheap knee to escape a headlock, and he puts the boots to the champion. Paul works a front-facelock of his own, but Tito slugs free, so Orndorff drops him with a side suplex before the champion can come back. Paul adds an elbowdrop, then waits for Santana to get back to his feet… just so he can have the pleasure of knocking him back down. That’s some quality heeling. Tito dodges a dropkick to allow him some fists of fury, and Orndorff wisely bails. He does some stalling out there, but Tito gets sick of waiting, and drags him back in. Why? You’re the champion, he’s got to beat you, not the other way around. If he wants to waste the time limit, let him. Tito with a 2nd rope forearm to set up a somersault cradle for two, so Paul goes to the eyes to shake him off, and just like that, the tide has turned. Orndorff dumps him to the outside for a drop across the rail, but Tito beats the count. Orndorff was pretty laissez-faire about the count there. Santana manages to win a slugfest, and a bodyslam sets up a kneedrop from the champion. Paul tries bailing, but Tito keeps him inside, and gives him an earringer. Paul goes low to buy time, and he takes Tito’s head off with a clothesline, but it only gets two - right as time expires at 18:34. This took a long time to get out of first gear. *

 

Iron Sheik v Sgt. Slaughter: From New York City on April 23 1984. Sheik runs in before his intro for a sneak attack (with Howard Finkel taking a hilarious spill out of the ring as he tries to bail), but Slaughter sees him coming, and slugs Sheik down. Sarge with a windmill punch, and he is OVER here. Snapmare sets up a pair of kneedrops, and he dumps Sheik over the top so he can give the fans a close-up of the stomping he plans to do. Sarge with a flying elbowsmash on the way back inside, and he bootrakes Sheik. Sarge sinks his teeth into the forehead, and the crowd hasn’t calmed down yet - they’re all about this beating. Cross corner whip sets up a charge, but Sheik lifts his knee to block, and he hammers Sarge. Sheik delivers a backdrop, and a turnbuckle smash with such authority that Sarge sails right over the buckles, and into the post. Straddling ropechoke follows, Sheik feeling his oats now. The crowd responds by throwing trash at him (some idiot even throws their umbrella), but Sheik stays on him with a gutwrench suplex. Elbowdrop, but Slaughter rolls out of the way of that one, so Sheik tries a vertical suplex, but Sarge reverses. Slugfest turns into a real war of attrition, won by Slaughter. He unloads with rights ahead of a facebuster, and the Cannon connects. Instead of covering, Sarge takes off his boot so he can beat the hell out of Sheik, and he sure does, until the referee finally has enough, and disqualifies him at 8:37. This was fun, and the crowd loved it. **

 

Bob Backlund v Greg Valentine: From New York City on April 23 1984. It’s time for Luscious Bobby Backlund! The Hammer stalls for a while at the bell, but manages to get control once they engage, and he grounds Backlund in a chinlock. Getting right to the meat of things, I see. Bob powers to a vertical base to force a break in the corner, as Gorilla tries to spice things up by starting a debate about whether the figure four is derivative of the Indian deathlock. Even the Supreme Court wouldn’t touch that one. Valentine starts working the arm, but Bob escapes an armbar with a backslide for two. Valentine cuts him off and applies the hold again, but Bob escapes with another backslide for two. Greg responds by unloading some rights before going back to the armbar, so Bob tries an ill-conceived attempt at powering to a vertical base, but gets clobbered. That was just a dumb idea, with Backlund trying to deadlift the guy, as opposed to trying literally anything else. Valentine with a 2nd rope legdrop, but Bob rolls out of the way, and he makes a comeback. Bob works the leg for a while, so Greg hides out in the ropes, which is a decidedly better strategy than trying to deadlift a two hundred plus pound guy. Valentine bashes Bob’s leg into the post, and he blasts it with a chair for good measure, all while still selling the damage to his own leg, since he’s awesome. Greg stays on the leg, and he works a (sloppy) Boston crab, and Gorilla calls him on the poor execution. That’s one thing I love about Monsoon, he wasn’t shy about calling stuff like that out, and it made things seem a lot more realistic. Bob escapes, so Valentine uses an elbowdrop for two, and he tries the figure four, but Backlund counters with a cradle for two. Valentine immediately bashes the leg to keep control, but Bob blocks another figure four attempt, and Pat Patterson is very excited about the manner is which he chooses to do so. Backlund with a leg-feed enzuigiri, but Greg keeps coming, not giving the leg much breathing room. Backbreaker sets up another elbowdrop off the middle, but Backlund dodges again, and manages a side suplex. Greg recovers first anyway, and he manages to put the figure four on this time. Well, maybe is Backlund wasn’t trying to show off with his deadlifts earlier, he’d have enough in the tank to capitalize on the suplex. Greg lets off because he misunderstands and thinks Bob has given up, and Backlund hooks a bridging cradle when Valentine is celebrating - scoring the pin at 26:09. Well, that was sure a terrible finish. I like a lot about Backlund as a worker, but watching this, man, was it any wonder at all why they dumped him to get on the Hulkamania train? This was really long, but both guys are such competent workers that it was engaging, even with very little actually going on in terms of play-by-play. * ¾

 

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Tito Santana v Paul Orndorff: From New York City on May 21 1984. Lots of stalling from the challenger at the bell, like literally minutes and minutes of it. Gene Okerlund is on commentary with Gorilla instead of Patterson for this card, and that may be the only time his appearance in the booth was actually an improvement. And don’t get me wrong, he’s one of my all-time favorites as an interviewer, but he’s terrible as a commentator. The stalling goes on for so long that they don’t even make contact until six minutes in, and Tito is fired up, but can barely land a blow before Orndorff bails for more stalling. Back in, Tito tries a takedown via waistlock, but Orndorff holds the ropes to stay vertical, and force a break. Tito grabs a wristlock instead, and he manages to use that to take the challenger down, so Orndorff hides in the corner to stall the champ out again. Tito tries an overhead wristlock for another takedown attempt, but Orndorff grabs the hair to block, and an angry champion chases him out of the ring… for more stalling. In, Santana works an armbar, so Paul tries an escape, but Tito bodyslams him, so Orndorff bails again. Another armbar, so Paul forces a criss cross, and manages to clobber him with a clothesline this time. These two had serious clothesline chemistry. Now in control, Orndorff delivers a pointed elbowdrop, and he works the champ over. Chinlock wears Tito down, but he finds a second wind, so Orndorff knocks it out of him with a side suplex. Front-facelock looks to grind him down some more, but Tito manages a sunset flip - only to have Paul block him. Orndorff delivers a kneedrop for two, but Santana reverses a turnbuckle smash, and the champ makes a comeback. Earringer and a 2nd rope kneedrop get two, and a dropkick finds the mark. Jumping forearm looks to finish, but Orndorff is in the ropes to avoid a pin. Tito tries it again, but Orndorff hits the deck this time, and Santana takes a wild bump over the top, wiping out on the concrete. And you’d better believe that’s a countout at 22:27. Like, 90% of this was stalling. ¾*

 

Iron Sheik v Sgt. Slaughter: From New York City on May 21 1984. Slaughter is in full GI Joe mode this week, and it’s kind of amazing how big the crowd is buying into this fat bald guy as a superhero type. Sheik spits in his face at the bell, so Sarge slugs him down, just taking his time, enjoying pounding on him. Bodyslam sets up a Greco-Roman stomp to the face, and the referee thinks he might have illegally loaded up his boot, but he can’t prove nuthin’. Sarge feeds him a few knuckle sandwiches, and he dumps Sheik over the top following a turnbuckle smash. I’m surprised it took them so long to put mats on the outside, considering how often guys were taking bumps out there, coupled with their insane touring schedule. It’s a wonder they weren’t all on the shelf half the time. But also less of a wonder why this era’s workers all dropped like flies at young ages. Sarge keeps pounding him with ease as they come back inside, but Sheik reverses a cross corner whip, and Slaughter takes a big bump over the top. Sheik follows to chuck Sarge into the announce table, and he whacks him with a chair out there for good measure. Sarge beats the count, so Sheik welcomes him via stomping, and he spits at him again to add insult to injury. Sheik rattles him with turnbuckle smashes, but Sarge blocks one into the pointed boot, and he barrels into Sheik with a shoulderblock. Criss cross allows Sheik a backelbow, however, and Sarge falls out of the ring. He beats the count, so Sheik dumps him right back to the outside, as Slaughter does a great job of selling. Slaughter beats the count again, so Sheik stomps him with the loaded boot, then gives him a turnbuckle smash with it to bust Slaughter open. And he’s tapped an artery here, bleeding all over the ring within seconds. Sheik shows no mercy by biting at the cut, which seems not only mean, but unhygienic as well. Gutwrench suplex sets up an elbowdrop, and Slaughter is selling like he’s bleeding to death out there.  Sheik keeps coming with a bodyslam to set up a flying stomp with the loaded boot, but Slaughter dodges, and here comes the comeback! Sheik tries cutting it off with a vertical suplex, but Slaughter reverses. He’s still battered, however, and Sheik recovers first. He unloads with rights, but Sarge absorbs them, and pops Sheik with a windmill punch! Cannon finds the mark, but instead of covering, Sarge decides to steal the loaded boot to get some payback! The referee protests, allowing Sheik to go to the eyes, and both guys end up shoving the official as they scuffle - giving us a double DQ at 14:20. This was a really fun brawl, with Slaughter selling like crazy, and bleeding all over the ring. I feel kind of sad that my generation only knew him for his lame early 90s run, and as the old man harshing DX’s mellow in the later part of the decade. ***

 

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Tito Santana v Greg Valentine: From New York City on June 16 1984. Valentine tries for the takedown early, but Tito shakes him off on the mat, and they’re back to a vertical base. Tito goes for a takedown, but Greg hides in the ropes to block, so Santana wrenches on a wristlock instead. Valentine corner whips him to escape, but a high knee in the corner misses, and Tito armdrags him into an armbar. Greg fights to a vertical base, and tries to get into the ropes, but they end up falling out of the ring because the ropes are so loose. And they’re such complete pros that they don’t even miss a beat, just slugging it out on the floor as if they meant to end up out there. Inside, Greg uses a bodyslam to set up an axehandle drop, but Santana dodges, and it’s back to the armbar. And yes, wow, those ropes are crazy loose. I’m not even sure if anyone could even climb them the way they are here. Valentine manages an inverted atomic drop, and he goes to work on the champ from there. Turnbuckle smash, but Tito reverses, and we get a slugfest - ending in Valentine flopping. Tito puts the boots to him, so Greg goes to the eyes to shake him off. Bodyslam, but Tito looks for a counter, so Greg drops down, and sends Santana crashing into the corner. Valentine looks to capitalize with the figure four, but Tito shoves him into the corner to block, and he covers for two. Valentine tries a piledriver, but Tito counters with a backdrop, and he actually manages to scale the ropes for a 2nd rope axehandle! Impressive! Somersault cradle gets the champion two, and a bodypress is worth two. Fireman’s carry allows him to ground the Hammer in another armbar, but Greg powers to a vertical base in the hold, and drops him across the top rope to force a break. That allows Valentine an armbar of his own, and he wears Tito down into a few pin attempts, but he can’t put him away. Tito blocks a splash, and he gets all fired up, using his fists to make a comeback. Valentine backdrops him over the top to buy time, and he puts the boots to the champion on the floor, then leaves him for dead with an atomic drop out there - Valentine picking up the countout victory at 14:07. Good match, with both guys working hard, and bumping around for each other. ***

 

Boot Camp Match: Sgt. Slaughter v Iron Sheik: From All American Wrestling on July 1 1984 (taped June 16) in New York City. Sarge charges in and bashes him with his field helmet to kick start the match, and he unloads on Sheik with his riding crop. Sarge bashes him in the throat with the handle of the crop a few times, and another shot with the helmet has Sheik reeling, and Slaughter sends him into the buckles with a catapult! Slaughter hammers him in the corner, and a cross corner whip follows. Again, but Sheik reverses this time, and Sarge takes a bump over the top. Sheik follows to ram him into the apron out there, and he bashes him with a chair for two. Back in, Sheik whips him and chokes him with a belt until Sarge is on the verge of passing out, but Slaughter manages to send him to the outside with a desperation move. Sheik rolls back in to try and keep control, but Sarge has gotten hold of the belt, and he exacts some vengeance. Sheik bashes him into the loaded boot to shake him off, so Sarge punches him in the throat, and both guys are down after that. Sarge gets the better of it, and he sends Sheik careening over the top, and he follows with a backbreaker on the floor for two. Inside, Sheik manages to shake him off long enough to send Slaughter into the post, and he’s busted open again. Sheik goes right to work on the cut, and Slaughter is having trouble standing. Corner whip sees Sarge take another big bump, but he manages to throw a right to the ribs to block the gutwrench suplex. Sarge loads up his own boot to bash Sheik with via a dive off the middle, and now he’s busted open as well! Sarge keeps using the loaded boot, and he pounds the cut with rights - Sheik bleeding profusely from the top of his head now. Windmill punch grounds Sheik for two, and a bodyslam is worth two. It’s a testament to how good their psychology is that they’re able to make freaking BODYSLAMS into believable near falls here. Sheik fights him off with his own loaded boot, but a shot only gets two. Gutwrench suplex gets two, and this poor referee is getting his cardio in tonight - jumping back to the outside between each cover. Sheik with a vertical suplex for two, so he takes his boot off for a big knockout swing, but Slaughter uses the Cannon to block! I should note that the Network’s closed captioning seems to think he hit him with a camera. Slaughter gets the boot, and he blasts Sheik with it for the pin at 15:59. A violent classic! ***

 

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Greg Valentine v Tito Santana: From Georgia Championship Wrestling on December 9 1984 (taped November 26) in New York City. Now the champion, Valentine is in no hurry, and immediately bails to the outside. He makes Santana chase him, but then steals the high ground, and prevents TITO from getting back inside. Now that’s a heel! More stalling from the Hammer, until a frustrated Santana finally grabs him, but Greg is ready with forearms. He manages to unload a bit, but Tito comes back with a facebuster, and some turnbuckle smashes leave the champion begging off. Tito shows no mercy, and grounds him in a front-facelock after unloading some right hands. Greg waits it out until he’s able to blast Tito when they’re on the ropes, and he immediately capitalizes with forearm drops on the apron. To the outside for a smash into the seat of a chair, but it backfires, charging Santana up for a pair of his own! Inside, Tito uses a big right to flop the Hammer, and he hits him with a somersault necksnap on the mat. Tito goes for the leg, so Greg goes to the eyes, and you can guess which of those works better. Valentine with a shoulderbreaker, and he wears Tito down on the mat for a bit, then drops an elbow to the groin. Stomachbreaker gets two, so he goes for the figure four, but Tito blocks. He manages to come off the ropes with the jumping forearm, but Valentine hides in the ropes to avoid getting covered. A frustrated Santana decides to crotch him on the post instead, and THAT works in getting Greg off the ropes. Tito starts working the leg, but Valentine blocks the figure four, and a butterfly suplex sets up an elbowdrop for two. Greg grounds him in a chinlock, but Tito keeps showing fire, so Valentine drops bombs. Corner whip sets up a charge, but a second one is blocked with a monkeyflip that sends the Hammer over the top. Greg is busted open as he climbs back in, but Tito shows him no mercy - brutally stomping the cut. Another jumping forearm gets two, and the crowd is just on fire for them here. Valentine tries bailing, but Tito won’t let him get away, and delivers an atomic drop. Chop drops Valentine for a headbutt drop to the groin for two, so Greg starts slugging at him, but Tito cuts that off right away by biting at the cut for two. Tito dives on the leg, so Greg tries bailing again, but the challenger keeps him in with a vertical suplex. Backdrop, but Greg boots him to block, and he unloads on the leg to try and keep Tito down. Santana won’t quit, however, and just keeps slugging, even from a prone position. He bashes Greg’s bloody face into the mat a bunch of times, and a small package gets him two. Valentine tries bailing again, but Tito holds him by the hair, refusing to allow it. Piledriver, but before Santana can execute it, the bell sounds at 22:21 - the bout a draw due to curfew. These two had good chemistry, though the non-finish hurt this considerably. ***