WWF WrestleMania III (Version III)

 

Original Airdate: March 29, 1987

From Pontiac, Michigan; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Vince McMahon opens the show, welcoming the massive crowd, and introducing Aretha Franklin to sing America the Beautiful 

Opening Match: The Can-Am Connection v Don Muraco and Bob Orton: Rick Martel starts with Muraco, and even the announcers can’t stop talking about how massive Don is looking here. He practically has the steroid needle still hanging out of his ass out there. Rick sticks and moves early on, and a monkey flip gets him two. Muraco grabs a standing headlock, so Martel makes a blind tag to Tom Zenk, and the Connection hit Muraco with a combo. That draws Orton in, but the Connection clean house!  The dust settles on Tom and Bob, and Zenk wins a criss cross with a bodyslam, then uses an armdrag into an armbar. Zenk with a turnbuckle smash to fight off an escape, and Tom goes back to the arm. Orton counters to a full nelson, but Tom reverses, so Muraco comes in - only to accidentally hit his own partner! That allows Tom to cover for two, and he passes to Martel for a 2nd rope axehandle. Martel works an armbar, before passing back to Zenk, but he fails to cut the ring in half, and Don catches a tag. Zenk manages a bodyslam, so Orton throws a cheap shot as they criss cross, and the heels gain control. Muraco with a swinging neckbreaker to set up a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop from Orton for two, but a criss cross ends in both men looking up at the lights. Both guys tag, and Roseanne Barr the door, we’ve got a kettle on! In the chaos, the Connection manage to dump Orton out, and they hit Muraco with a combo at 5:35. This was a fun, fast paced opener. Nothing ‘special’ about it, but it delivered exactly what it needed to. * ¾ (Three review average rating: 1.25)

Hercules/Billy Jack Haynes feud review video

Backstage, Gene Okerlund catches up with Hercules, who remembers when he ‘pulled down the pillars in Rome.’ As long as his pants stay not pulled down

Hercules v Billy Jack Haynes: They fight over the initial lockup, and Hercules gets control by taking a cheap shot during a rope break. Hercules misses a charge in the corner, however, and Billy throws some chops, ahead of a press-slam. Haynes tries for the full nelson, but Hercules dives into the ropes to avoid it. Billy responds with a series of right hands, but a cross corner whip backfires when Hercules rebounds with a clothesline. That puts Hercules in control, and he puts the boots to his opponent. Hercules adds a backdrop ahead of a pair of corner whips, and a vertical suplex gets him two - with Hercules letting off the cover. Haynes gets fired up with more punches, and he tries a suplex of his own, but Hercules blocks it. Hercules stays on him with a backbreaker, and a press-slam follows. That allows him to grab the full nelson, and though he can’t get the fingers locked, Billy fades. Billy fights through the arm drops, and they criss cross, resulting in both guys going down on a collision. Haynes is up first with an inverted atomic drop, and he adds a clothesline, as he takes it on the comeback trail. Billy with a legdrop, and a 2nd rope fistdrop finds the mark. Full nelson time, and he gets it locked. Hercules fights, and ends up falling out of the ring, but Billy keeps the hold applied! Billy cranks him down as the referee counts both men out at 7:53. This was okay, but could have used a proper finish. * (Three review average rating: 1.08)

Gene is with King Kong Bundy, who isn’t worried about good things that come in ‘small packages’

Earlier today, Gene caught up with Hillbilly Jim, who promises to take care of his diminutive partners, and protect them from Bundy’s threats to squash them

Six-Man Mixed Tag Team Match: King Kong Bundy, Lord Littlebrook, and Little Tokyo v Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver, and Haiti Kid: Bob Uecker sit in on commentary for this one, and he’s very excited about ‘all of the beaver’ in the building. The little guys do their usual comedy spots to start, until Bundy tags in. Beaver and Kid decide to antagonize him instead of switching off with Jim, but he shows mercy as they throw tiny dropkicks. Bundy manages to get Jim in a front-facelock, so Beaver comes in to bite him. Bundy lets it slide, but Beaver does it again, and Bundy has had it. He bodyslams Beaver, and hits him with an elbowdrop for the DQ at 4:09. Hey, they pushed him to that. Beaver had it coming. DUD (Three review average rating: 0.00)

Mary Hart catches up with Miss Elizabeth, but before she can get an interview in, Randy Savage storms in to take over

Junkyard Dog/Harley Race feud review video

Gene catches up with Harley Race, and Bobby Heenan welcomes Fabulous Moolah as the ‘Queen of Wrestling.’ I don’t think they had any association before or after this, so this was probably just a way to get her onto the show

Earlier, Gene caught up with JYD, who has been sitting on the toilet for a really long time, apparently. That’s not healthy 

Loser Must Bow Match: Harley Race v Junkyard Dog: JYD knocks him around early on, so Race goes to the eyes, and dumps Dog to the outside. Harley dives after him with a headbutt drop from the apron, but Dog dodges, and Race hits the floor! Dog drags him back in, and delivers an earringer - causing Race to take a bump right back to the outside. Race beats the count, so Dog bodyslams him, and slaps an abdominal stretch on. Race escapes, and delivers a headbutt drop, but Dog no sells. Dog with a corner whip to send Harley over the top, but Heenan helps him back in. Dog unloads with headbutts, so Heenan makes himself useful with a distraction, and Harley capitalizes with a belly-to-belly suplex at 3:20. Race was determined to pinball everywhere for Dog here. ½* (Three review average rating: 0.67)

Vince catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who is not ready for this to be his last ride. The look on McMahon’s face as Hulk cuts this classic promo is legendary. Anyway, Andre is going down because Hulk has the power of Hulkamania on his side - and it’s the ‘purest form of the truth.’ Which is a lie

Earlier, Gene caught up with the Dream Team, who try and justify the need to have Dino Bravo in their corner

The Dream Team v The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers: Gosh, those giant screens were useless. Brutus Beefcake starts with Raymond Rougeau, and a reversal sequence sees Ray hit an atomic drop. Tag to Jacques Rougeau for stereo dropkicks, so Beefcake passes to Greg Valentine. They slug it out, and Jacques gets the better of it. Did Greg slap him around backstage, too? The Brothers dominate Greg with some combos, but Jacques misses a 2nd rope bodypress, and Greg gives him a pair of elbowdrops, then a bodyslam. Tag to Beefcake, and the Dream Team cut the ring in half, as Heenan shows up to rant on commentary. Greg gets the figure four on, but Jacques gets the ropes. Greg responds by trying a piledriver, but Jacques backdrops him to block, and gets the tag off. Ray runs wild on the Hammer, and he gets a sleeper on, so Beefcake dives in - only to hit Greg! That allows the Brothers to hit a combo, but the referee gets distracted, and there’s no count. That allows Dino Bravo to sneak in to break up the cover, and he puts Greg on top for the pin at 4:04. Afterwards, the heels leave without Beefcake, who is upset about the cheating. * (Three review average rating: 1.17)

Roddy Piper/Adrian Adonis feud review video

Earlier, Gene caught up with Adrian, who is carrying around hedge clippers, in preparation for the Hair v Hair match with Piper

Hair v Hair Match: Roddy Piper v Adrian Adonis: Piper forgoes the ring cart, and jogs out. They slug it out right away, and Piper gets hold of a belt, and unloads. Piper gets distracted in going after Jimmy Hart, allowing Adonis to grab the belt, and return the favor. Adonis with a cross corner whip, but Roddy reverses, and Adonis takes a bump over the top. Piper drags him back in, so Jimmy follows, but Roddy bashes their heads together. Piper then throws Hart into Adonis with such force that both guys go flying out of the ring. Back in, Roddy sends Hart at Adonis like a rocket launcher, but a criss cross allows Jimmy to trip him up. That allows Adrian to unload, and Piper ends up down on the outside. Adonis follows to feed him the timekeeper’s table, and Hart throws a shot in for good measure. Piper beats the count, so Adonis keeps hammering him, but Piper does the Jake LaMotta routine. Hart responds by spraying perfume in his eyes, and Adonis gets the sleeper locked! Adonis lets off before the third arm drop, however, and Brutus Beefcake runs in to revive Roddy. That allows Piper to make a comeback, and he grabs his own sleeper for the win at 6:10. I really appreciated Adonis and Hart’s bumping here, and it was a great ‘feel good moment’ match, but thankfully it didn’t go on for any longer, as Adrian’s offense was atrocious. Afterwards, Beefcake comes in to do the hair cutting himself - as well as find himself a new gimmick. Having now watched all the shows that led to this card, I finally get why Beefcake had beef with Adonis, and why he wanted to cut his hair. This was a great payoff to multiple angles, and a nice send off for Piper. If he actually did go out here, it would have been a good way to go. ½* (Three review average rating: 0.25)

Earlier, Gene caught up with Danny Davis and WWF Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation, who are ready to prove that Davis can handle himself in the six-man tag

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Danny Davis v Tito Santana, Davey Boy Smith, and Dynamite Kid: Jesse Ventura demands to be introduced to the live crowd by Howard Finkel before the bell here, leaving Gorilla to do commentary with Bob and Mary. The babyfaces rush in to kick start things, and the Bulldogs end up pressing Davis onto the Foundation on the floor. The dust settles on Bret and Tito, and Santana unloads in the corner. Tags to Jim and Davey, and Smith grabs a standing side-headlock. Bret tries a cheap shot, but misses, and Smith bashes their heads together. Tag to Kid for stereo headbutts on Anvil, and it’s over to Tito for an armbar. Jim powers into the heel corner to force a break, and his partners attack. Jim tries a backdrop, but Santana leapfrogs him, and tags Davey. Smith shows him how to deliver a backdrop, but gets distracted by Bret, and Anvil attacks from behind. Jim with a bodyslam, but Bret misses a 2nd rope elbowdrop, and Kid tags in, hitting Bret with a matslam and a corner whip. Kid with a clothesline to set up a headbutt drop, but Bret manages to pound him into the corner. Anvil comes in with a shot to the back to really slow Kid down, and the heels go to work on him. Once Kid is pulp, Danny tags in, and gets his shots in. Bob and Mary are doing a good job of keeping up with things, as far as celebrity guest commentators go. Things go south when Davis tries one cute move too many, and Santana gets the hot tag. He runs wild on Danny, and blasts him with the jumping forearm, but doesn’t bother covering: he wants to wreck this dude. Santana with mounted punches, but Anvil nails him to prevent the figure four. Tag to Davey, and Danny can’t escape quickly enough, allowing Smith to get his shots in. A clothesline and a tombstone leave Danny dead, but Davey keeps going with a hanging vertical suplex. Davey with the running powerslam, and he finally covers, but Anvil saves at two, and Roseanne Barr the door! Smith gets clobbered with the megaphone in the chaos, and Davis gets on top for the pin at 9:01. This was fast paced and the crowd loved seeing Davis get his… even if the babyfaces ultimately didn’t get the win. It was a different business back then, and I guess they figured it made more sense to milk it on the house shows first, since how much mileage can you reasonably expect to get out of Danny beyond this feud? * (Three review average rating: 1.5)

Gene is with Andre and Bobby, and Andre just glares in menace as Heenan makes the case for why Hogan has no chance to retain the title tonight. As expected, a great promo

Koko B. Ware v Butch Reed: Posturing to start, with Koko dominating. A dropkick sends Butch to the outside, but Koko telegraphs a backdrop, and gets nailed. That allows Reed to take control, and he goes to work. Cross corner whip, but Koko reverses, and catches him with a hiptoss on the rebound. That allows Koko a series of jabs, and a dropkick gets him two. A small package gets him two, and a bodypress follows - only for Reed to roll through at 3:35. Not much to this one. Afterwards, Reed and Slick decide to continue the beating, but Tito Santana makes the save. DUD (Three review average rating: 0.08)

Randy Savage/Ricky Steamboat feud review video

Backstage, Savage promises to end Steamboat’s career tonight, because ‘history beckons the Macho Man.’ Short and sweet promo from the champ here

Gene catches up with Steamboat, who is ready to burn Savage, and take the title from the ashes

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Randy Savage v Ricky Steamboat: They measure each other to start, and Dragon keeps his cool, frustrating Savage. Steamboat dumps him to the outside after a pair of armdrags, so Randy forces him to chase, and Macho nails him from the high ground on the way in. Macho with a ropechoke for two, and he pops Ricky with an elbowsmash. A corner charge misses, allowing Steamboat to go after the arm that Randy just ran into the buckles, but Macho escapes an armbar with a well placed backelbow. Randy tosses his challenger over the top from there, and he delivers a kneedrop for two on the way back in. Turnbuckle smash, but Ricky reverses, and gets Macho tied up in the ropes to unload on. Steamboat with a bodypress for two, and a shoulderblock gets two. Another shoulderblock for two, but Macho dodges a third one, and throws a high knee. That allows Randy to toss him over the top again, but Steamboat skins the cat this time - only to get clotheslined right back over by the champion. Randy follows with another high knee, this one sending Steamboat into the crowd. George Steele comes out to help him back to ringside so the challenger can beat the count - so Randy responds by launching him right back over the top! Savage adds a flying axehandle on the floor this time, and he rolls Ricky in to hit with another one. Savage with an elbowsmash for two, and a snap across the top rope gets another two. Macho with an atomic drop for two, and a vertical suplex is worth two. Elbowsmash, but Dragon throws punches, so Macho goes to the eyes. That allows him a gutwrench suplex for two, but Steamboat keeps swinging. Macho tries a side suplex, but Steamboat blocks. Steamboat tries a backdrop, but Savage blocks - only to get backdropped over the top while charging for a follow up. Monsoon and Ventura’s banter here is incredible, and adds so much. Steamboat hustles the champion back in to hit with a flying tomahawk chop for two, and a knife-edge chop is worth two. The crowd is hanging on their every move here. Steamboat with chops until Macho bails, and he tries suckering Steamboat into getting clobbered from the high ground, but Ricky is ready for it this time with a slingshot sunset flip for two. A schoolboy gets another two, and a somersault cradle is worth two. A small package gets two, and a bodyslam leads to a catapult into the corner! That allows Ricky a sunset cradle for two, and a rollup is worth two - reversed by Savage for two. Steamboat pounds him, so Savage grabs the tights, and sends him into the corner to buy time. Macho tries a cross corner whip, but it gets reversed back into the original corner, and the referee gets bumped. Savage puts Steamboat down as well, and goes up for the flying elbowdrop, but there’s no referee to count the pin! Savage decides to grab the ring bell to finish Steamboat off all the way, but Steele intervenes, shoving Macho off the top before he can use it. Meanwhile, Steamboat is recovering, so Macho tries to bodyslam him, but the champ is still dazed, and Ricky manages to roll through the slam into a cradle at 14:26. Hardly a hot take to say that this is still outstanding. It started off with the usual low key stuff, but once it got going, it really got going. The nearfall trading was something really special, and this absolutely holds up as a classic. **** ¾ (Three review average rating: 4.75)

Gene catches up with Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper, and Jake still has a headache from the guitar shot Honky Tonk Man gave him a while back. But, tonight, it’s payback time 

Earlier, Gene caught up with Honky, who isn’t really thinking about Jake, he’s focused on wanting to sing for the big crowd out in the Silverdome 

Jake Roberts v Honky Tonk Man: Jake kickstarts the match, and delivers a kneelift in short order. Honky bails, but Jake is on him with a series of punches out there, and he adds a bodyslam on the floor. The crowd is into these guys, but they're spent after the last match. Inside, Jake hits a knee while charging in the corner, and Honky goes to work. A big punch misses, allowing Jake a short-clothesline, but Honky blocks the DDT, and bails. Jake follows, but gets reversed into the post, and Honky delivers a bodyslam on the way back in. Honky adds a 2nd rope fistdrop, and a backelbow sets up an axehandle drop. He goes for the swinging neckbreaker, but takes too long setting it up, and Roberts backdrops him. Honky stays on him with a ten-punch, but wastes time again, and Jake delivers an inverted atomic drop. Jake goes on the comeback trail, but Jimmy Hart grabs his ankle to help block the DDT. That allows Honky to schoolboy Roberts for a leveraged pin at 7:17. DUD (Three review average rating: 0.25)

Okerlund is out to announce the official attendance (and new world indoor record) of 93,173. I know it’s been debated and disputed, and I’m not going to get into the whole thing, but I believe the number

The Killer Bees v Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff: Jim Duggan runs out to prevent Volkoff from singing the Soviet anthem. The heels attack before the bell, but get reversed out of the corner, and the Bees unload. The dust settles on B. Brian Blair with Sheik, and Blair dominates. Tag to Jim Brunzell, and the Bees dominate Sheik with combos and quick tags. Brunzell feeds him a dropkick, but Volkoff saves at two, and Roseanne Barr the door. The heels get control on Jim, and the referee restores order, with the heels in control. They work Brunzell over, until Sheik loses control, and he tags Blair. The referee doesn’t see it, however, and the heels double up on Jim some more. Sheik gets the camel clutch on, so Duggan just comes in and hits him with the 2x4 for the DQ at 5:42. The Bees looked like complete jobbers here. ¼* (Three review average rating: 0.5)

Gene catches up with Andre and Bobby again, and he wants Andre’s thoughts this time. Andre give it to him: he’ll be back soon, with the world title belt

Hogan/Andre feud review video

Gene catches up with Hogan, who worries that the building may collapse when he slams Andre

Main Event: WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan v Andre the Giant: Bob Uecker acts as the guest ring announcer, and Mary Hart as the guest timekeeper. The big, epic staredown to start, and Hogan throws right hands. He goes for the slam early, but Andre topples him for a two count. That slows Hulk way down, and Andre goes to work. He delivers a pair of bodyslams, then a pair of corner whips, as Hulk struggles. Andre misses a headbutt in the corner, allowing Hulk to throw a few rights, and a running forearm smash gets Andre wobbly. Hogan chops him in the corner, and a series of turnbuckle smashes rattle the challenger, but Hulk runs into a boot. That allows Andre a bearhug, and Hulk fades, before finally slugging free. Hulk with a pair of shoulderblocks to stagger the challenger, but a charge for a third gets blocked with a chop. That allows Andre a big boot to send Hogan to the outside, and Andre follows him for a big chop on the floor. Headbutt, but Hulk dodges, and Andre hits the post. That buys Hogan the time to pull up the floor mats, and he tries a piledriver on the floor, but Andre backdrops him to block. That whole spot looked stupid. Stupid because who could believe Hulk could do it, and then the execution of the backdrop with terrible. Inside, Andre misses another big boot, allowing Hogan to rebound with a clothesline so big that it takes Andre off of his feet for the first time! Hulk delivers a bodyslam as they get up, and the legdrop finishes at 11:54! What can you really say? It’s not a great match, but no one was honestly expecting it to be. It delivered, it drew - the nose plays. ¼* (Three review average rating: 0.5)

BUExperience: This still holds up as one of the greatest shows of all time. The matches were peppy, the card was well developed, and the three anchor matches all delivered. It’s also worth noting that the show was extremely well structured, and everything was elevated because everyone had it turned up - and not just the wrestlers. A classic.

*****