|
|
Post by Rated R on Mar 17, 2015 11:35:19 GMT -5
 WWE: An ‘Unofficial’ HistoryWhether it be WWE, WWF or even WWWF, World Wrestling Entertainment has been the leading company in professional wrestling. During it’s time there has been many official histories of the company, but never has any of these histories been as definitive as the one you are about to read. With this history we look to not only show you all the big events that happened on the screen, but also delve backstage and examine the actions and decisions that made the WWE such a colossal powerhouse. We will begin from what can be considered the true start of a new era in professional wrestling – WrestleMania I. OOC Note
- This is a direct continuation of this diary but since the board's update completely messed up a lot of formatting I'm just choosing to start a new thread instead of cleaning that up.
- Also I'll be doing a shorter, timeline style write up for the non-big show segments to keep myself from feeling burnt out. |
|
|
|
Post by Rated R on Mar 17, 2015 11:35:29 GMT -5
Current Entry Roster(As of October 1985)Andre The Giant Barry Windham Big John Studd Bob Orton Bret Hart Brutus Beefcake Chris Adams Corporal Kirschner Davey Boy Smith Don Muraco Dynamite Kid Fabulous Moolah George Steele Greg Valentine Hillbilly Jim Hulk Hogan Iron Sheik Jim Neidhart Johnny Rodz Junkyard Dog King Kong Bundy Lanny Poffo Leilani Kai Matt Bourne Mike Rotunda Moondog Rex Moondog Spot Nikolai Volkoff Paul Orndorff Randy Savage Rene Goulet Ricky Steamboat Roddy Pipper Salvatore Bellomo S.D. Jones Tito Santana The Missing Link Tony Atlas Tony Garea Velvet McIntyre Wendi Richter Winona Littleheart Managers| Manager | Clients | | Bobby Heenan | Barry Windham, Big John Studd, Terry Funk
| Captain Lou Albano
| Mike Rotunda
| Freddie Blassie
| The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff | | Jimmy Hart | Greg Valentine, King Kong Bundy & The Hart Foundation | | Jesse Ventura | Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth | | Jimmy Valiant | Brutus Beefcake | Mr. Fuji
| Don Muraco & The Missing Link |
| Team Name | Members | | - | Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff | The British Bulldogs
| Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid
| | The Hart Foundation | Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart | | The Moondogs | Moondog Spot & Moondog Rex |
|
|
|
|
Post by Rated R on Mar 17, 2015 11:35:45 GMT -5
Championship History(Beginning March 1985)WWF ChampionshipHOLDER | # | DATE WON | DATE LOST | NOTES | Hulk Hogan | 1 | January 23rd 1984 | Current | Fifth Longest Title Reign |
HOLDER | # | DATE WON | DATE LOST | NOTES | Greg Valentine | 1 | September 24th 1984 | July 8th 1985 | Third Longest Title Reign | Ricky Steamboat | 1 | July 8th 1985 | Current | - |
HOLDER | # | DATE WON | DATE LOST | NOTES | The U.S. Express | 1 | January 21st 1985 | May 11th 1985 | - | Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff | 1 | May 11th 1985 | Current | - |
HOLDER | # | DATE WON | DATE LOST | NOTES | Leilani Kai | 1 | February 18th 1985 | March 31st 1985 | Fourth Longest Title Reign | Wendi Richter | 2 | March 31st 1985 | Current | Record Number of Title Reigns
Third Longest Title Reign |
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | | 1985 | Don Muraco | Davey Boy Smith |
|
|
|
|
Post by Rated R on Mar 17, 2015 11:35:58 GMT -5
Schedule
(As of April 1985)
TV Shows
WWF Prime Time Wrestling (Tuesdays)
WWF Tuesday Night Titans (Tuesdays)
WWF Championship Wrestling (Saturdays)
WWF All American Wrestling (Sundays)
1985 Event Schedule
WWF WreslteMania I (March 31st 1985)
WWF Saturday Night's Main Event I (May 11th 1985; TV Special)
WWF Saturday Night's Main Event II (October 5th 1985; TV Special)
WWF Saturday Night's Main Event III (November 2nd 1985; TV Special)
WWF The Wrestling Classic (November 7 1985) |
|
|
|
Post by Rated R on Mar 17, 2015 11:36:17 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by DTP. on Mar 17, 2015 12:30:14 GMT -5
ALRIGHT, OLD SCHOOL!
|
|
|
|
Post by chaz on Mar 17, 2015 13:29:30 GMT -5
I danced.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Mar 17, 2015 17:16:36 GMT -5
This is a ballsy idea and I love it. I will be reading for sure. Hope to see this stick around because it has potential to become a favorite of mine.
|
|
AKing1979
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Oct 9, 2012 22:13:26 GMT -5
Posts: 304
|
Post by AKing1979 on Mar 17, 2015 22:16:22 GMT -5
Cool threat. I'm hoping either Piper or Orndorff get the belt to build toward Hogan getting his revenge at WrestleMania 2.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rated R on Mar 19, 2015 12:01:37 GMT -5
WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event II
October 5th 1985; Meadowlands Arena (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
The second ever edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event kicked off with another exciting video package before we go to four short video packages with the semi-finalists in the inaugural King of the Ring tournament – Don Muraco, Intercontinental Champion Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage and Davey Both Smith. All four of them spoke about how winning the King of the Ring will boost their careers (Savage’s is a little more egomaniacal than the others). They all say that tonight is their night and that after the bell rings, they will be king.
We moved down to our announce team of Vince McMahon and Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura who ran through tonight’s packed card. Ventura was obviously showing off his bias here towards his client Randy Savage, getting in numerous not so subtle comments about how he is going to be ‘King’ Randy Savage after tonight, exclusively on Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC.
1. KING OF THE RING SEMI-FINAL MATCH) Don Muraco w/ Mr. Fuji Defeated Ricky Steamboat. The WWF Intercontinental Champion faced off with a man who has been dominating WWF Champion Hulk Hogan in recent weeks. Both of these men knew that if they won they’d have another match later in the night so they both looked to conserve energy by ending this one early but obviously that’s harder said than done when you have men as talented as this involved. Ricky Steamboat would have had this one won following the Diving Crossbody, but a Mr. Fuji distraction prevented that, and provided the distraction for Don Muraco to recover and hit the Muraco Hammer for the victory.
Following the match Gene Okerlund got a few words with Don Muraco and Mr. Fuji as they were leaving. Muraco said that Steamboat was just a warm up for whoever he is going to meet in the final. Fuji promised that by the end of the night Don Muraco will be the king, and that by the end of the year he’ll have vanquished Hulk Hogan and be the WWF Champion as well! From the dominant performances we had seen thus far from Muraco, it’d be difficult to argue.
We see Brandon Tartikoff and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the crowd. This was the peak of celebrity for this kind of show.
2. KING OF THE RING SEMI-FINAL MATCH) Davey Boy Smith Defeated Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth. With Jesse Ventura working commentary Savage was left with just Miss Elizabeth in his corner for this one, but most wouldn’t have thought it’d matter because he seemed the clear favourite going into the match. At this point in his career Davey Boy Smith was your typical tag team wrestler and with the state of the tag team division people weren’t expecting him to get a singles run of any nature and that’s exactly how WWF surprised everyone here. Smith actually held his own against Savage throughout the match and looked like a genuine star. When Savage went up high for the elbow drop Smith managed to roll out of the way, and then rolled Savage with a schoolboy to get the three count and to move onto the semi-finals. Smith made a quick exit while Savage raged in the ring and Ventura raged on commentary.
We moved to the back where Gene Okerlund was set to get a few words with the WWF Champion Hulk Hogan and his partner for the forthcoming contest, Paul Orndorff. Okerlund wants to know if the pair of them can work together considering their history. Orndorff takes lead, making it clear that he Piper and Orton turned their back on him and that isn’t something he can take lying down. Hogan helped him despite everything he did to him and that’s something he can respect. Hulk makes it clear that in this business there’s such a thing as a second chance and he’s giving Orndorff that because he respects what he can do in the ring. Tonight they run wild on Piper and Orton and show what happens when you turn your back on your friends.
3.) Hulk Hogan & Paul Orndorff Defeated Roddy Piper & Bob Orton Jr. This was the only non-King of the Ring match on this show and it was a big one as four of WWF’s top main event talents squared off in a blockbuster tag team match. It wasn’t as long as you’d hope to see because this was free television but it still had the energy of a pay per view bout. The big question was whether Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff could work together and indeed they did, the two of them never even coming close to tension. Piper and Orton used every dirty trick in the book, as they had become known for, but they just couldn’t seem to overcome the pure strength on display from Hogan and Orndorff. Piper ended up bailing on Orton as he fell victim to the Spike Piledriver from Orton, then the big Legdrop by Hogan for the victory much to Piper’s fury.
- Prior to the main event we got a short video package highlighting the King of the Ring tournament so far, focusing on the journeys of “Magnificant” Don Muraco and Davey Boy Smith as they reached the finals of this big tournament.
4. KING OF THE RING FINAL) Don Muraco (w/ Mr. Fuji) Defeated Davey Boy Smith. This isn’t what people were expecting from the final two of the King of the Ring when the tournament started, but it isn’t all that surprising. Smith was always a powerful guy and at this early age he had the speed behind him as well while Muraco was on something of a career resurgence in 1985 particularly with Fuji in his corner. A solid main event followed with both men hitting hard in a very physical contest as they tried to solidify themselves a spot in the main event. Muraco’s experience gave him a clear edge as he went to work on Smith, beating him about the ring for the early parts of the match before Smith came back and continued to impress everyone with his surprising display of strengths. Mr. Fuji’s presence at ringside proved the difference maker as a bit of sand in the face let Muraco nail the Hawaiian Hammer for the victory. As a result Muraco was crowned the first ever King of the Ring winner and, through a definitive promo by Mr. Fuji, laid down his challenge to Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Championship. |
|
|
|
Post by The Kevstaaa on Mar 19, 2015 20:21:42 GMT -5
I actually recently watched the early episodes of Saturday Night's Main Event so this should be fun. King of the Ring? Sweet. Intriguing choice to have Don Muraco advance over Ricky Steamboat. I prefer Steamboat but Muraco was much more suited to the era. Massive win for Davey Boy Smith over Randy Savage. Part of me feel like it would have ended via countout or disqualification but still cool. Powerful finals set. Very happy to see you avoided Hulk Hogan pinning Roddy Piper. If that's going to happen it should be saved for a big singles match. Lastly, fine main event, especially for the time period. While I feel that Bulldog has a higher ceiling, he isn't near his potential yet and Muraco would work well as a heel King. Overall, a solid episode and I hope to see this stick around.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rated R on Apr 4, 2015 7:21:27 GMT -5
WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event III Card November 2nd 1985; Hersheypark Arena (Hershey, Pennsylvania)
Hulk Hogan & Paul Orndorff (w/ Mr. T) vs. Don Muraco & Bob Orton Jr. (w/ Roddy Piper) Hulk Hogan would find himself faced with his next challenger for the WWF Championship – Don Muraco, otherwise dubbed “The Magnificent King”. Muraco proved himself Hogan’s equal in strength numerous times in the weeks leading up to The Wrestling Classic but also his superior in brains thanks to Bobby Heenan in their corner. However Hogan didn’t just have Muraco to contend with in this period, but also Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Jr. Following the events of the second Saturday Night’s Main Event Piper and Orton took it upon themselves to interrupt the special appearance of Mr. T on an edition of Prime Time Wrestling and attacked him, drawing out Hogan for the save. Hogan would bring in his recent enemy turned ally Paul Orndorff for a special tag team main event at Saturday Night’s Main Event, while Muraco would take Piper’s spot in the match when the rowdy one declared himself unable to wrestle on “religious Scottish reasons.” All this leading in to Hogan’s title defence against Don Muraco and a massive tag match pitting Orndorff and Mr. T against Piper and Orton at The Wrestling Classic.
Randy Savage & The Hart Foundation vs. Junkyard Dog & The British Bulldogs Coming out of the King of the Ring tournament Randy Savage was not happy with his elimination at the hands of Davey Boy Smith. He was so unhappy that he began targeting Davey Boy Smith in the weeks following, an act that of course also brought him into conflict with Smith’s partner Dynamite Kid. Savage and Jesse Ventura declared Smith’s victory a fluke and demanded a rematch at The Wrestling Classic, a rematch Smith was all too happy to grant in order to shut Savage up and get his hands on Jesse Ventura, whose big mouth had antagonised the British Bulldogs to no end. As a precursor to that singles bout Smith and Savage would gather some allies to compete in a six man team match at the third edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, including a highly anticipated clash between the British Bulldogs and The Hart Foundation.
Wendi Richter & Velvet McIntyre vs. The Fabulous Moolah & Leilani Kai The Fabulous Moolah had made it her mission to take the WWF Women’s Championship from around the waist of two time champion Wendi Richter. The continued assistance of Leilani Kai meant that Richter was fighting a losing battle, though she did beat Kai in a Women’s Championship defence thanks to a swift rollup. Richter found some help of her own though with Velvet McIntyre, the up and coming golden girl of the WWF coming to Richter’s aid and making it clear she was tired of the numbers game deployed by the deplorable Moolah. With Moolah set for one more title shot at The Wrestling Classic this tag team contest has big implications and neither champion nor challenger will want to lose.
The Dream Team vs. Rene Goulet & S.D. Jones One of the big news stories leading into The Wrestling Classic, and the preceding Saturday Night’s Main Event, was Brutus Beefcake dropping Jimmy Valiant and aligning himself with Jimmy Hart. Beefcake would form a “Dream Team” with fellow Jimmy Hart client Greg Valentine, with the two posed to make their debut as a team at the third edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Other Notable Events in Wrestling History October 6th 1985 – November 1st 1985
WWF
- On the 28th of October the WWF Women’s Champion Wendi Richter reaches 211 days as champion, surpassing her own first reign, making her second reign the second longest reign in Women’s Championship history at this point.
- The Killer Bees, consisting of Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair, saw their debut during this period and they came in strong with victories over numerous local teams as they headed towards an announced tag team match against The Hart Foundation at The Wrestling Classic.
- Another new team was that of The Dream Team, consisting of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine under the tutelage of Jimmy Hart (after Beefcake dropped Jimmy Valiant who was on his way out of the WWF for the time being).
Elsewhere
- In a surprising move Vince McMahon (the ‘unrecognised’ owner of the WWF) sold Stampede Wrestling back to the Hart Family, allowing them to resume operations as a promotion. While the move came as a shock at the time it was revealed years later that the efforts of Bret Hart had a lot to do with things.
- In sad news former WWF wrestler “Quickdraw” Rick McGraw passed away on November 1st 1985. |
|
|
|
Post by DTP. on Apr 4, 2015 13:51:18 GMT -5
WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event: Saturday 5th October 1985…Alright, the second edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event – the World Wrestling Federation’s next boost to a national exposure level. I’m split on the need for the inaugural King of the Ring tournament to mesh with the WWF’s television special considering that it wasn’t a necessity for the programme to need it considering its high ratings at the time for just about, well, anything. Additionally King of the Ring being televised and on this level kind of weakens the house show circuit, where this tournament took place in 1985. Nonetheless, a very interesting choice for the four participants with Don Muraco and Randy Savage belonging in this position – but I am very surprised at seeing Ricky Steamboat and Davey Boy Smith in the other spots. I’m wondering also while we’re at it whether you’re going to be doing the Wrestling Classic in November…technically the first proper pay-per-view for the company that also featured a tournament bracket set-up. Don Muraco beating Ricky Steamboat in the first bracket made sense, because Ricky is such a great babyface persona that he can rebound from this fine. Muraco with interference from Mr Fuji as well is fine with me – and I could see Muraco winning the tournament. Although that would mean Randy Savage will surely lose his match…which isn’t a good thing considering that he’s still new in the company at this point. Muraco’s interview with Mean Gene Okerlund probably solidified his stance in the winnings for this one – and that’s fine, but It probably gave too much away. Davey Boy Smith probably got a huge rub from beating somebody of Randy Savage’s calibre, regardless of how new Savage is. The schoolboy did protect Randy – but I can’t see the British Bulldogs member winning this thing. I like that he qualified to the finals to tease a British wrestler becoming ‘King’, though. Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff had an awesome storyline, and with this being the early processes of this, I like this direction already. Hogan and Orndorff beating Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Jr made sense to keep another angle active whilst the King of the Ring tournament dominated the rest of the card. I have to wonder at this point where the Dynamite Kid is. It’s strange that he wasn’t featured at all in this show despite his alignment with Davey. Don Muraco winning doesn’t surprise me, as Davey’s confined to the tag team division role right now, and heel King characters are always great. Muraco with Fuji’s help again also adds heat –and unsurprisingly, Muraco gets to go and face Hogan down the line for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Overall, a solid show but it lacked the “variety show” style of format when it comes to this era of Saturday Night’s Main Events – no exterior on-location promos (George Steele at the zoo showcase), no off-topic features (Hulk Hogan’s entrance music video) or anything of the sort. It helps build up superstars not featured elsewhere on the show and would be vital to feature in future episodes. Overall though, pretty good work and the next big event in November is looking good right now – I’m hoping for Halloween themed gimmicks with Halloween coming three days before this!
|
|
AKing1979
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Oct 9, 2012 22:13:26 GMT -5
Posts: 304
|
Post by AKing1979 on Apr 6, 2015 19:18:20 GMT -5
Good stuff going there. I think Muraco actually did win the first KOTR tournament in real life so it's not too different. Muraco/Hogan should be a nice match, and I'm sure Orndroff/Mr. T vs. Piper/Orton should be nice too. I just hope it doesn't lead to that horrible boxing match, and that Piper will get a chance to win the belt from Hogan, as he should have.
|
|
