Nevertheless, I did watch the Hogan-Sheik match just for posterity's sake (protip: watch one of the versions on youtube that have the original "Eye Of The Tiger" theme song, the '80s will thank you!
Hulkamania Is Here!
Hulk Hogan d. The Iron Sheik in 5:40.
We start out with Gene interviewing "Ayatollah" Blassie whose in a very lovely powder blue ensemble complete with matching head dress. Gene says this is the test of Sheik's career. "In other words they pulled a 96er on us (I'll have to look that up", Blassie implores, referring to Hogan replacing Sheik and calling him a "pencil neck geek" for added emphasis. Blassie says his size means no difference. Sheik drops some words in his native tongue then translates saying that he thinks people are prejudiced against him because they know he's a real champion. He says he's "never met the guy" referring to Hogan and that he should be wrestling "that chump again."
Cut to Sheiky baby in the ring with fans booing heavily. Cut to the iconic shot of Hogan in the entry hallway as "Eye Of The Tiger" fires up. Fans explode when he crosses the curtain. He tears of his "American Made" tshirt as the fans chant his name. "The Sheik Is A Freak" proclaims one witty sign. Hogan blindsides Sheik before he can take his robe off, tearing it off and clotheslining it with it, proving that the best babyfaces have a little heel in them. Hogan hits Sheik with fists then sends him out for a clotheline and drops a knee of his head. The fans are going nuts. Eyerake from Hogan and then lifts Sheik up for a choke. Hogan spits on the Sheik. he whips him into ropes for the big boot, Sheik kicks out at 2. Hogan whips Sheik again for an elbow to the head then one on the mat for another two. Hogan whips Sheik into the corner but Sheik dodges a charge then puts the boots to him. Sheik covers his ears to silence the boos. Sheik lifts Hogan for a backbreaker and pin attempt but a woozy Hogan kicks out. More kicks to the face and chest from Sheik. Sheik appears to load his boot but apparently Hogan missed this because he sells the next kick like nothing special. Sheik locks in a boston crab but Hogan powers out. Sheik downs Hogan with a gutwrench suplex. Sheik kicks Hogan in the back and locks on the camel clutch. Hogan sells it like it's over then starts to wave his fingers showing there's still life. He lifts Sheik to his feet and backs him into the corner, sending Sheik reeling. Hulk starts to Hulk Up and he drops the leg and thats all she wrote as the fans explode and the wrestling world changes forever. The word "deafening" is not hyperbole here. This match will be played ad nauseum for years to come on WWF TV and compilation tapes. This was before the days that they played entrance music following the match. The ref straps the belt on the new champ.
That was exactly what it needed to be. Hulk put over Sheik plenty but in the end came out looking like the definitive champ.
We're back and Sheik has to be pulled back to the locker room by the cops as he protests and a fired up Hogan doesn't pose but just celebrates in the ring.
We're back with Gene and new champion Hulk Hogan in the dressing room. Right now Verne Gagne should feel like an idiot but I'm sure he felt wrong. Hogan seemed so much more real before all of his interviews became cliched. He really liked to say "it turns me on" in 84-85 but he dropped. Andre comes in and pours and entire bottle onto Hogan's head congratulating him. I'm sure Andre insisted that Hogan get completely smashed with him later this night. Ivan Putski and Rocky Johnson also come in to celebrate.
We're back with Hogan and his parents, Ruth and Pete "Hogan". "Mrs. Hogan" says she knows her son is dedicated and has been wonderful to the sport and the sport has been wonderful to him. "Mr. Hogan" does not have his son's charisma to say the least. Hogan says "Pete and Ruth trained him from the beginning." Hogan seems genuinely overjoyed here.
Ok, onto the TV review proper:
WWF Championship Wrestling, January 28, 1984
Taped January 24, 1984 Allentown, Pennsylvania
Hogan hasn't made the intro but this was much before you could do these things overnight. Vince and Gene are in front of the blue curtain. Gene announces Hogan as the new champion. Vince promises the matchup in full, so I guess I jumped the gun on reviewing it moments ago. They announce that Greg Valentine will be appearing, so I guess he's recently been plucked from Mid-Atlantic.
They show a replay of the title match from MSG.
We're back in the arena and Joe McHugh announces himself so this is the first match of the taping.
Tito Santana d. Bill Dixon in 1:17.
Overdub ad from Finkel pushing a Long Island card featuring Jimmy Snuka in what sounds like a high school paid show and another with "The Mighty Midgets, Chief Jay Strongbow and The Wild Samoans". Dixon backs Santana into the corner but Tito fights out with fists, whipping Dixon out for a backdrop followed by a dropkick and flying forearm for the rapid fire win.
Oh, the days when being rammed into the ring post meant you were done for the night.
Afa & Sika d. Steve Lombardi & S.D. Jones by DQ in 4:06.
McHugh gets Lombardi's name right this time. These are both top flight jobbers so this will probably be the feature jobber match this week. Vince reminds us that the Samoans have been tag champs three times, a record not matched until 1990 by Demolition. Albano barks at the crowd as Afa blasts Lombardi with headbutts. Gene talks for the first time in the broadcast proper. Lombardi reels from a reverse knife edge. Afa drops Lombardi with a samoan drop then tosses him to the floor. Afa pulls the ref allowing Sika to sneak over and ram Lombardi into the post and Jones steps in. Jones helps Lombardi to his feet and carries an injured Lombardi back to the dressing room. Jones runs back to face the Samoans one on one, butting their heads together and Rocky Johnson appears to assist Jones. The Samoans beat Johnson down sending him out of the ring which draws Tony Atlas into the ring and it turns into a brawl between the two teams and the ref calls for the bell.
Gene brings in Atlas & Johnson. Johnson says the war has just started. Johnson says he's fed up with the Samoans. Atlas says all he's got to say is that the Samoans want to get "k-i-n-k-y" he can do that. Maybe the Samoans' bare feet got Atlas thinking about something else than wrestling.
Gene doing arena promos for the next Garden show on February 20. Piper and Orndorff come in. Orndorff says he's going to string barbed wire around NYC and charge admission to the world's biggest zoo. He brings up Hogan's balding which would be a big no-no later on. Orndorff is wrestling Hogan at the next MSG show. Piper says Hogan looks like one of the village people, is watching Boy George and drinking Dom Perignon and that he's "got the world by the short hairs". Tito comes in to push his rematch with Muraco for the Intercontinental title. Masked Superstar follows pushing his match with Andre. You can hear a hint of Ax here. It's pretty cool that he managed to get two different runs with two different gimmicks where he concealed his identity. Andre's big hand falls on Gene's shoulder. Andre says being undefeated is more important to him than taking off the mask.
The Funny Thing With Andre Promos...You Can't Understand A Word, But Somehow You Still Know What He's Saying...
In a historic segment, the host of Victory Corner Robert Debord announces that Victory Magazine is now called simply WWF Magazine, and hands the reigns of Victory Corner over to Roddy Piper, the host of the newly crowned Piper's Pit. He refers to the Pit as a "new article" in the magazine. Piper says in the past Debord was intimidated by the wrestlers when he would interview him which Piper will not. Piper says Debord is being "kind of stupid" acting the questions. He says watching Ivan Putski sing is like watching Lassie bark but Debord calls him great. He says Debord has no guts. Debord tries to protest but Piper eats him up. He says he'll ask the guts no one else does. "When RP talks brother, people listen." With that, he slams down the mike and walks out and history begins.
Greg Valentine d. Frankie Williams in 2:12.
Ironically the first man to be a victim of the Pit is in the next match. Valentine comes out with Albano who will be his manager until his face turn later this year when Jimmy Hart takes his place. Valentine takes Williams down with a snap mare then rocks him with elbows to the back of the head and forearms in the corner. Williams vainly tries to fight back but Valentine isn't looking to sell for a jobber in his first match in the promotion. Valentine works on Williams' knees then drops him with standing suplex, finally locking on the figure four for the submission. A couple of presumably longtime fans hold up signs lauding Albano.
Paul Orndorff d. Tony Garea in 2:40.
The fans loudly chant "Paula" at Orndorff and he and Piper tease walking out. Orndorff super over as a heel here. There are tons of "Paula" signs in the crowd, pretty impressive for not being in that long. Orndorff takes his rage out on Garea, viciously beating him until he misses a charge in the corner. Garea grabs Orndorff's arm beating it with fists and elbows which Orndorff sells well. Orndorff recovers but misses with an elbow and Garea returns to the elbows to the arm and locks on an armbar. Orndorff counters a headlock with a back suplex and stomps Garea on the mat. Gene reads a telegram from Bob Backlund congratulating Hogan on his win. Garea gets distracted by Orndorff which earns him a knee to the back then a knee to the back of the head from the second turnbuckle. Good high energy little match. Orndorff really seems like a mean bastard and I'm looking forward to seeing he and Piper together for the next year plus leading up to WrestleMania.
Arena promos from Gene pushing the MSG show. Hogans comes in wearing the awful green belt. Hogan said his blood turned to ice cold water in his veins when he heard the pop when he won the title. He asks Gene if he's ever arm wrestled a rhinoceros or made a polar bear spit up ice cubes. "I've done that Gene." he confesses. Gene warns about Piper in Orndorff's corner. He says that he'll squash Orndorff like grape and poses on the way out. This is why you have to let guys come up with their own lines. As irreverent and non-nonsensical that was, it was completely him.
Brian Blair d. Charlie Fulton in 3:07.
Well Blair's in in another example of Hogan looking out for his buddies. Blair takes Fulton down with a headlock. Blair sends Fulton off the ropes then takes him down with a drop toehold. A basic wrestling display from Blair, nothing too exciting but nothing you'd see today either this side of Zack Sabre, Jr. Back suplex from Blair and an elbow to the head. Whips him in for an abdominal stretch that he turns into a pin.
This was another fine show and historically very important. The promotion is in a state of constant flux at the moment with talent coming in from all over as well as various format changes being implemented.
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