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NOVEMBER 2015 PHOTO THREAD


RIPPA

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I found a stash of old programs and ephemera. Here is Hogan's first MSG title defense.

My pals and I were very irate that Iron Sheik never got a true rematch. I mean, to me the definition of joy is how happy Blassie was during IS's post-match interview after winning the title, "Bali bali" indeed. Hogan's tired Hulking Up Routine was much better when Tony Atlas did it. Even the Apter mags were quite snarky about HH's sudden appearance and contendership. Maybe I was influenced by the old barflys at The Blarney Stone, where we'd go to watch MSG Network simulcast when MSG was sold out (I mean, f*ck a Felt Forum, c'mon): lil'12yearold RAF nursing a beer and absorbing knowledge - "Dat Hogan was a bum when Blassie managed him, but he shoulda had his hand raised at Shea in 1980". 

That being said, I have never heard a pop like Hogan's entrance that night. "Eye of the Tiger" is a shite song, but one of the greatest entrance musics ever. We were determined to remain stoic to show our displeasure with the new champ - really now, Hogan made us appreciate Backlund and we booed Howdy Doody unmercifully to the point of near fisticuffs with the MSG regulars (forgive me, BB, I was young and naive). The noise and reaction bowled us over, and you had to stand just to see over the leaping celebrating crowd. So much for our hopes of a rulebreaker champeen...

Other things I can dredge up about that night: Masked Superstar always gave it his all, such a good storyteller in the ring. Dr. D premiered and intimidated the crap out of our pasty Yankee selves. The start of Sgt. Slaughter's face turn began, another heartbreak for me. The IC match ended with Muraco (damn, he was so good) getting his neck spun in the ropes, one of my fave bumps/finishes, Tito was no slouch either and fun to heckle. Ah, memories...

call me Borneo Jimmy,

RAF

 

WWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - February 20, 1984 (26,092, which included 4,000 at Felt Forum)
Televised on the MSG Network and USA Network - featured Gorilla Monsoon & Pat Patterson on commentary; included Vince McMahon conducting a backstage interview with the Iron Sheik and WWF IC Champion Tito Santana prior to their matches:
Jose Luis Rivera pinned Charlie Fulton at 7:14 with a small package
Iron Mike Sharpe pinned B. Brian Blair at 9:35 by putting his foot on the ropes for leverage (Blair's MSG debut)
Afa (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) pinned Tony Garea at 11:37 with a chop to the throat and headbutt
The Iron Sheik (w/ Freddie Blassie) defeated Eddie Gilbert via submission with the Camel Clutch at 5:48
Roddy Piper & David Schultz defeated the Invaders at 11:17 when Piper pinned Invader #2 after Schultz hit an elbow drop from the middle turnbuckle behind the referee's back (Schultz' MSG debut)
WWF IC Champion Tito Santana defeated Don Muraco via count-out at 17:20 after Muraco had his head trapped in the ring ropes after Santana hit the champion with a flying forearm
Andre the Giant pinned the Masked Superstar with a boot to the face and splash at 7:46; after the bout, Andre attempted to unmask Superstar but he was able to escape the ring (Bill Eadie's last MSG appearance for 3 years) (Andre the Giant VHS, Andre the Giant DVD)
All American Wrestling - 3/11/84: WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Paul Orndorff via count-out at 12:24 after Hogan threw Orndorff over the top rope to the floor
TNT - 7/17/84: Jimmy Snuka pinned Samula at 9:32 with a crossbody off the top (Wrestling's Highest Flyers)
Ivan Putski, WWF Tag Team Champions Rocky Johnson, & Tony Atlas defeated Sgt. Slaughter, Mr. Fuji, & Tiger Chung Lee at 6:20 when Putski pinned Fuji with the Polish Hammer after Fuji began yelling at Slaughter; after the bout, Slaughter shook the hands of his opponents and waved an American flag handed to him by someone in the crowd

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I mean, Sheiky Baby was the definition of transitional champion.

 

Now thinking about it, I wish Sheiky Baby had "gone Hollywood" with a new gimmick. If he could've taken up Freddie Blassie's old gimmick and become "The Iranian Fashion Plate" it could've added years to his career

 

James

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I mean, Sheiky Baby was the definition of transitional champion.

 

Now thinking about it, I wish Sheiky Baby had "gone Hollywood" with a new gimmick. If he could've taken up Freddie Blassie's old gimmick and become "The Iranian Fashion Plate" it could've added years to his career

 

Even better: the Fabulous Mullah!

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Afa and Sika and Samoan #1 and Samoan #2 were inter-changeable.  I remember matches where Finkel would announce "Samoan #1" then Monsoon would just call him Afa the whole match.  But as far as I know, they were billed as Afa and Sika from the start, then became numbers later, then back to Afa and Sika when they turned face.

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Didn't know Eddie Gilbert was in the WWF as late as 1984. Would've guessed he'd be kicking around Memphis at that point.

 

Eddie had done a couple shows in Memphis in August '83 just before the angle with Masked Superstar, then went back to WWF in the winter of '83/'84 before going back to Memphis in March '84.  (he was on a Memphis Colliseum show March 12, lost to Orndorff in WWF at a house show in PA on March 16th, and was back teaming with Rich on March 18th at the Colliseum)

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Afa and Sika and Samoan #1 and Samoan #2 were inter-changeable.  I remember matches where Finkel would announce "Samoan #1" then Monsoon would just call him Afa the whole match.  But as far as I know, they were billed as Afa and Sika from the start, then became numbers later, then back to Afa and Sika when they turned face.

 

And don't forget Samu aka Samoan #3.

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Afa and Sika and Samoan #1 and Samoan #2 were inter-changeable. I remember matches where Finkel would announce "Samoan #1" then Monsoon would just call him Afa the whole match. But as far as I know, they were billed as Afa and Sika from the start, then became numbers later, then back to Afa and Sika when they turned face.

And don't forget Samu aka Samoan #3.

What does make the Usos, like Samoan #15 and #16?

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That depends on if you count The Rock as Samoan or if that one gangster Samoan who tried to recruit Fatu but never actually wrestled on TV counts.  If not, Usos would be Samoans #10 & #11.

 

Tonga Kid -Samoan #4

Fatu-Samoan #5

Yokozuna- Samoan #6

Rosey- Samoan #7

Umaga- Samoan #8

Manu- Samoan #9

 

Roman Reigns would be Samoan #12

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Do we count Tama, who was part of the SST as The Samoan Savage?

edit, It appears we do, as he was listed as Tonga Kid.

Do we count Sivi Afi, while not part of the A'noai family, he is from Samoa.

Do we count The Barbarian? Although, he's from Tonga, he was brought back under his real name to replace Samu in The Headshrinkers.

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We've got to add Joe in there right? He's not part of the Anoa'i family, but his family is Samoan, and plenty of the Anoa'is were born in America like Joe was.

I'd say yes.

Trying to figure out the Samoan family tree is a good cure for insomnia, although not as good as rattling off the dead wrestler list.

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The '83-'84 EGilbert/Masked Superstar/BBacklund angle was tremendous. It really got MS over big, not too much for Gilbert. Masked Superstar was a great promo, and had an aura of menace, bloodlust and technique that really impressed me. Very photogenic as well, his foto appeared on many punk and post-punk flyers, singles and albums...

- Chingada!

RAF

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