WWF Superstars of Wrestling (March 21, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: March 21, 1987 (taped March 10)

From Dayton, Ohio; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, and Jesse Ventura

Backstage, Craig DeGeorge catches up with Jim Duggan, who wants to stand up for freedom by preventing people from singing

Iron Sheik v Jim Duggan: As promised, Duggan stands up for freedom here, preventing the singing. And he chases Sheik out of the arena, so no match. 

Gene Okerlund is in the studio for Update, giving us a look at the battle of the full nelsons between Hercules and Billy Jack Haynes

WrestleMania III ad

Backstage, DeGeorge catches up with Sheik and Volkoff, who are losing their mind about Duggan

Don Muraco and Bob Orton v Corporal Kirchner and Mario Mancini: With Rotundo gone, they should have stuck Kirchner and Dan Spivey together. They could form a stable with Duggan, even. Meanwhile, the Can-Am Connection split screens in here, ready for Muraco and Orton at WrestleMania. And then Lanny Poffo joins the commentators, reading a poem about Hogan/Andre. Don and Bob with a combo at 1:48. DUD

Gene catches up with WWF Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation, who are ready to steamroll everyone. Like steamrollers

Fabulous Rougeau Brothers vignette 

Adrian Adonis v Jim Young: Brutus Beefcake split screens in here, hoping Roddy Piper cuts Adrian’s hair off at WrestleMania. Adonis with a sleeper at 1:44. DUD

Gene catches up with Mary Hart, and offers her a watch, ahead of her job as timekeeper at WrestleMania 

Gene catches up with WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage, who is ready to keep all the marbles against Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania

Jimmy Hart and Bob Uecker discuss how much of a threat Alice Cooper may be to Honky Tonk Man at WrestleMania

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Tito Santana, Davey Boy Smith, and Dynamite Kid v Steve Lombardi, Al Navarro, and Rick Renslow: I like when Jesse would put over things he liked, even with babyfaces, like when he compliments the British Bulldogs’ gear here. And rightly so! Tito finishes with a jumping forearm at 2:49. ¼*

Roddy Piper hosts Piper’s Pit, with guest President Jack Tunney. Jack is out to show off the new XL version of the WWF Title, made to fit Andre the Giant, if he wins at WrestleMania. That was a great misdirection. That all draws Andre and Bobby Heenan out to try it on, and you know, it looks great on him

WrestleMania III ad

Gene is in the control center for the WrestleMania III Report, and he announces that the Silverdome is now sold out. That must have been a good feeling

Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper cozy up

Honky Tonk Man v Lanny Poffo: Poffo gets a few moves in, but quickly falls prey to the swinging neckbreaker at a brisk 0:42. Afterwards, Honky gives us a dance exhibition, but the music suddenly stops, and Jake Roberts comes on over the PA, letting Honky know he’s got his eye on him. DUD

Gene catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, and demand is so big for WrestleMania, that they’ve now opened up the Felt Forum for closed circuit since Madison Square fucking Garden is not big enough to watch the show on TV in

BUExperience: This was WrestleMania hype in overdrive. And I loved it.