WWF Championship Wrestling (February 9, 1985)

 

Original Airdate: February 9, 1985 (taped January 22)

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

Tito Santana and Blackjack Mulligan v Terry Gibbs and AJ Petruzzi: Man, how many tag team partners did Tito go through before finally lucking into Strike Force? No wonder he couldn’t let it go after it fell apart. Santana with the figure four at 3:30. And speaking of ‘not letting it go,’ he won’t let off the hold for an extended period after the bell. Geez, relax, it’s just a squash, ya jerk. DUD

Lord Alfred Hayes is in the studio with Update, giving us an update on Mr. T swearing vengeance on Roddy Piper for his treatment of Cyndi Lauper. I feel like I could not write a more ‘1985’ sentence if I tried

Greg Valentine v Jim Powers: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line for this. Much like Gorilla later on, the commentators spend a good deal of time to make a big deal about Valentine’s robe. Greg with a figure four at 2:30. DUD

Freddie Miller catches up with Bob Orton, who doesn’t fear Junkyard Dog, since he’s just a ‘reject from the projects’

We go back to Madison Square Garden, where WWF Champion Hulk Hogan and Cyndi Lauper were hanging out with Dick Clark, but then Roddy Piper shows up to beat up Captain Lou Albano, and all hell breaks loose

Miller catches up with Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, and holy shit, Shek’s mustache is so intense that I’m honestly shocked it isn’t fake

Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch v Salvatore Bellomo and Rick McGraw: Murdoch scores the pinfall here at 3:02. DUD

Piper’s Pit, with guest Captain Lou Albano. Roddy mocks Albano’s charity work, but talks too much trash, and WWF Tag Team Champions The US Express chase him off

Hillbilly Jim introduces the Hulkster to his training routine 

Ken Patera and Big John Studd v Jim Young and Joe Mirto: Vince thinks one of these jobbers might actually slam Studd, and collect the $15,000. Was he high? Also, speaking of that $15,000, adjusted for inflation it’s about $45,000 in 2025. Big money! Patera with the full nelson at 3:48. DUD

Miller catches up with Piper, who is being a sex panther

BUExperience: This era continues to be really fun, though I was thrown by how not-ready-for-prime-time looking some of the personalities (like Hayes or Miller) were. I mean, it’s not like Gene Okerlund was winning beauty pageants, but he at least looked presentable for a national audience.