WWF Championship Wrestling (January 12, 1985)

 

Original Airdate: January 12, 1985 (taped December 17, 1984)

From Poughkeepsie, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Bruno Sammartino 

Tonga Kid v Mike Powers: It’s crazy how low rent and dark the look of this show is compared to when they flipped over to Superstars in 1986. Kid with a backbreaker to set up a flying headbutt drop at 3:39. He hit that one like a marksman. ¼*

Recently, at Studio 54, Captain Lou Albano and Cyndi Lauper interviewed WWF Champion Hulk Hogan. At Studio 54!

Greg Valentine v Joe Mirto: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line. Valentine with a figure four at 2:20. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with the US Express, complete with Mike Rotundo’s hat. The talk this week is Mike taking on Iron Sheik in Boston on February 2, while Barry Windham faces Nikolai Volkoff one-on-one 

Recently, Hulk Hogan visited Hillbilly Jim at home, and took him to the gym to put him on Hulk’s training routine - complete with Eye of the Tiger playing in the background

Gene catches up with Andre the Giant, who is excited to get his hands on Ken Patera

The US Express v RT Reynolds and Mr. X: Windham looks like a kid at this point. Which he basically was! Rotundo puts this one away with an airplane spin at 2:40. DUD

Roddy Piper hosts Piper’s Pit, with guests WWF Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch. Gosh, we’re two months away from WrestleMania, and they’re still hyping them defending against the Brisco brothers. Boy, they changed direction in a hurry

Tito Santana v Paul Kelly: Tito makes short work of him, going through the motions before polishing Kelly off with a figure four at 2:49. DUD

Don Muraco is in Japan, preparing to end Hulkamania

Big John Studd and Ken Patera v Jim Powers and Aldo Marino: A sign in the crowd declares him as ‘Small John DUD.’ I assume that’s a young Dave Meltzer holding it up. Patera puts this away with a full nelson at 4:22. Good luck getting that one on Andre, pip. DUD

Gene catches up with WWF Women’s Champion Wendi Richter, who is still beefing with Fabulous Moolah. Yeah, well, a lot of people still are. Iron Sheik interrupts because he wants to cut his own promo, and Wendi just kind of walks away. Gosh darned patriarchy 

BUExperience: An easy watch, though the bleak atmosphere of the pre-Superstars/Challenge productions are hard to accept if you’re coming from the future.