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Now this is pretty cool. We got Best of WWE Vol. 1 last month on the WWEGreatestMatches.com service and now we’re treated to Volume 2! This is also in addition to the Best of Bret Hart video from the mid-90’s and Survivor Series 1992. I always await what special monthly exclusives they have and it is almost worth the value of the service alone!
So this video is from 1985 and it is hosted by Gorilla Monsoon. Monsoon runs down some of the highlights of this video. I want to mention now that all the match dates and locations come from the fantastic website historyofthewwe.com – it’s an invaluable resource that I can’t do without when it comes to figuring out when certain matches or shows took place.
-Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson(c) vs. Dick Murdoch & Adrian Adonis for the WWE Tag Team Titles-
This took place at Hamburg, PA on April 17th, 1984. It’s interesting to think that about 15 years after this video was released Rocky Johnson would be best known as the Rock’s father and Adrian Adonis would be best known for his Adorable gimmick that he used about 2 years after this video was released. Gene says that Adonis and Murdoch must be considered the #1 contender’s for the Tag Titles and I would imagine that would be obvious since they are in fact challenging Rocky and Tony for the titles. Rocky and Adonis start with Rocky arm-dragging Adonis into an armbar. Adonis escapes but gets bodyslammed and Rocky goes back to the armbar. Adonis bodyslams out of that and tags in Murdoch who immediately gets armdragged down. Tony Atlas tags in, or should I say Saba Simba? Murdoch nips up out of an armbar which is impressive for a guy his size. Murdoch backs Atlas into the corner and slugs away and then sends Atlas into the knee of Adonis. Atlas must be part Samoan or something because he no-sold that. Adonis resorts to more conventional punching to keep Atlas down. Atlas fights back with a headbutt on Murdoch. Atlas ends up in the wrong corner and gets stun-gunned over the top rope. Atlas headbutts out of danger and tags in Rocky. He dropkicks Adonis and then deals with a charging Murdoch. Atlas gets in there and Murdoch and Adonis are whipped into each other. Rocky puts Adonis in a Boston Crab but Murdoch breaks that up. Atlas and Murdoch brawl on the outside and Rocky is distracted enough by that to get rolled up by Adonis at 4:58 to give Adonis and Murdoch the tag titles. This was an exciting match for what the time allowed. It was just the brisk tag match that you’d expect to see on Raw nowadays. **.
-Pedro Morales(c) vs. Don Muraco for the WWE Intercontinental Title-
We go to Madison Square Garden for this bout which took place on January 22nd, 1983. Muraco attacks before the bell, before Pedro can even get his ring coat off and before Muraco gets his shirt off. Pedro fights back at Muraco and quickly takes control. He slugs away and even manages a sunset flip out of the corner for two. Morales kicks Muraco to the outside where the challenger takes a breather. I should point out when I have a chance that this is two matches in a row featuring someone who was named either the Rock or Rocky. Morales stops Muraco at the apron and slams Muraco into the turnbuckle. Morales teases a leap off the top rope but Muraco hides underneath the ring to bring an end to that idea. Muraco gets into the ring and begs off to no avail. Muraco blocks a hammerlock with a low blow that the referee didn’t see. Muraco chokes Morales with his T-shirt and Morales gets even with a low-blow of his own. Why the referee didn’t disqualify him there I will never know. Morales misses a high-knee in the corner. A replay of that is actually shown and that would just be a precursor of things to come in the McMahon Jr. era of the World Wrestling Federation. Now you can’t go three minutes in a match without getting a replay of something. Muraco works the knee and unfortunately it is all clipped away to Morales kicking Muraco off into the ringpost to block a figure-four. Morales gets a back-breaker but he did it over his bad knee! Gorilla Monsoon notes how stupid that was. Morales tries a Boston Crab but he can’t apply it with his bad knee! I love that psychology there! Morales tries a bodyslam but his knee gives out and Muraco falls on top for the pinfall at 8:35. Wow, that was some storyline and psychology there. I wish it wasn’t clipped (I think three minutes of Muraco working the knee was cut) but we still got the bulk of the match so that’s good. This one looks ***, though it could be higher depending on how Muraco built his control segment.
-Killer Kowalski vs. Pedro Morales-
This match took place at Madison Square Garden about 9 years before the previous match! This is from July 22nd, 1974. Kowalski was a good wrestler in his own right, but he may be better known today as the guy who trained Triple H. Gorilla Monsoon, in current days, talks about Kowalski’s wrestling school in Massachusetts. Jesse Ventura sounds like he’s doing a solo commentary for this, possibly for use on another WWE Coliseum Video. Kowalski works the knee of Morales amid a bunch of clipping. You can see how Morales’ knee was always banged up thanks to guys like Kowalski always working on it. I love in-ring psychology that references injuries over almost a decade. Of course I jest, but I need something to write about while Kowalski works the knee. Morales comes back with a couple of big lefts but Kowalski goes right back to the leg. Morales returns fire but it’s all punching and kicking right now. The MSG crowd is popping for it so give the fans what they want, no? Kowalski puts the Claw on Morales’ gut but the dreaded scissors make their return and we cut out some of the match. Morales escapes so Kowalski bites Morales. Pedro responds with biting of his own. Morales backdrops Kowalski and they go back and forth until they both tumble outside. They continue going back and forth out there until they are both counted out at 8:47. The time keeper announces the total time as around 11-minutes, so not much was cut out. Eh, this wasn’t my cup of tea – it was just punching and kicking and nothing more than that. *1/2.
-The Jamaica Kid & Billy The Kid vs. Sky Low Low & Little Brutus-
Well, it wouldn’t be an early 80’s Coliseum Video without a midget match! There’s no date I have for this but the footage is very grainy so it may be from the early 70’s. The midgets were just used for entertainment and laughs and never meant to be taken seriously. Sky Low Low is a legendary midget wrestler and Vince McMahon actually referenced him during a Raw interview he had with CM Punk that was featured as the Instant Classic during the January 2012 month on WWEGreatestMatches.com I won’t be reviewing this match so I hope you midget enthusiasts won’t be too upset. This whole thing ends after Sky Low Low and Little Brutus are whipped into each other and Sky is covered for the pinfall. The faces taunt the heels and then jump into the arms of the referee for protection. This looks like it is a 2/3 falls match. I feel back for whoever had to pay for this card. The completion of the match is never shown so that action from Sky Low Low and Little Brutus taking on Joey Russell and Sonny Boy Hayes can be shown. Sky and Brutus get the first fall after Sky hits a top rope move. I never enjoyed midget matches and I was just hoping this segment of the Coliseum Video would end quickly.
-Prof. Toru Tanaka vs. Chief Jay Strongbow-
I have no date for this one but it looks really old, too. The ring looks smaller than usual. There’s early criss-cross action and both men try to outsmart the other early on. Tanaka works the arm for quite a bit before clipping brings us to Tanaka using a nerve hold. Hayes, who has been calling the action, tells us this took place at the Old Madison Square Garden, meaning it must’ve been before 1968. Strongbow escapes the nerve hold, starts his war dance, and he chops away. Tanaka is disqualified at 8:36 (shown) when he tries using salt on Strongbow. Again, not my cup of tea here. *1/2.
-Tito Santana(c) vs. Paul Orndorff for the WWE Intercontinental Title-
We go to The Kiel Center in St. Louis for this match from September 1st, 1984. This one could be good. Monsoon tells us this was chosen by the WWE officiating crew for its excitement. Tito arm-drags Orndorff into oblivion, well, if oblivion was the outside of the ring. Seeing as this is 1984 this could be the main event. Even as a B-show main event this probably has better attendance than a WWE house show does now. Tito goes to an overhead wristlock, eventually getting Orndorff down to the canvas. Orndorff escapes but he’s shoulder-blocked down by Tito who goes back to the arm and it is effective until Orndorff catches Tito coming off the ropes with an atomic drop. This impressive maneuver is given the replay treatment, too. Orndorff dumps Tito and atomic drops him on the floor! Oh, the carnage! Orndorff stun guns Tito on Tito’s way in and then stomps at him on the apron, sending him back outside. Tito sunset flips his way back in but Orndorff blocks with a fist to the face. It is certainly effective. Orndorff puts a knee to the back as he wrenches back Tito’s head. Orndorffs hits Tito with a back suplex but the ref slow-counts him and Tito kicks out at two. Tito responds with a flying crossbody for two. Orndorff resumes control and slugs Tito down for two. Tito’s kick out actually sends Orndorff to the outside. Orndorff takes control once he’s back in the ring but his splash off the second rope finds Tito’s knees. The fans are just electric here. Tito slingshots Orndorff into the turnbuckles and covers for two. Tito goes off the ropes but Orndorff lays him out with a big clothesline for two. Tito tries a charge in the corner but Orndorff puts his foot up to block. He covers but the time expires at 14:30. Well, it was a good match that was helped by a great crowd. The back and forth at the end was pretty good for a 1984 WWE match. ***1/2.
Gorilla introduces us to a segment on Surprise endings.
-Don Muraco(c) vs. Rocky Johnson for the WWE Intercontinental Title-
The battle of the Rocks took place on March 19th, 1983 at Philadelphia’s Spectrum. This was joined in progress with Rocky controlling things. Muraco is busted open and Rocky keeps slugging away. He covers a couple of times but keeps picking Muraco’s head up! The referee is accidentally knocked out by Rocky who is then dumped by Muraco. The referee calls for the bell (I didn’t keep track of the time due to it being at the end) but the timekeeper tells me it is 13:42 and Rocky was DQ’ed for hitting the referee.
-Bobo Brazil(c) vs. Freddie Blassie for the WWE US Title-
This is from WAY back on October 10th, 1964 and it took place at the Philadelphia Arena. We see just the ending with Blassie falling to the apron and getting counted out when his foot gets hung up! Well that was a cheap ending! Even cheaper was the shot that Bobo gives Blassie after shaking his hand post-match. Don’t worry, Bobo was the face at the time so it was all good. Blassie knocks out the ref afterwards just because he can.
-Andre The Giant vs. Black Demon-
This is from the Hamburg TVs and was recorded on March 17th, 1981. This is AFTER the match and Andre was signing autographs for the fans at ringside. He ends up UNMASKING the Black Demon who grabs a towel to hide his face. Tony Garea & Rick Martel come out afterward for some reason.
-Tony Garea & Rick Martel(c) vs. The Moondogs for the WWE Tag Team Titles-
This Valentine’s Day match took place in the Philadelphia Spectrum on 1981. Gorilla Monsoon is your special guest referee here. This is a Texas Death Match and it is JIP with one of the Moondogs (I know one was Spot, I forgot who the other one was) holding Tony Garea in a headlock. Thankfully Monsoon tells us that is Moondog Rex in there. Garea is your French-Canadian in peril. Garea eventually escapes and makes the hot tag to Martel who cleans house. He drops a knee and covers but Rex distracts Gorilla from covering. So Martel gets an abdominal stretch and again Rex distracts Monsoon. Rex gets an axe-handle on Monsoon but Gorilla no-sells and dumps Rex. Meanwhile, Garea & Martel do a double back-drop to get the pinfall at 2:39 (shown). This was pretty good for what was shown but I can’t rate it due to not getting the full match or enough to warrant a rating.
-Tony Garea & Rick Martel(c) vs. Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito (w/Lou Albano) for the WWE Tag Team Titles-
We end with this match from October 13th, 1981 at Allentown PA. Martel explodes off the ropes early with a crossbody on Fuji for two. Garea tags in and quickly becomes the French-Canadian in peril and the evil Japanese just go to town on Garea. He’s chopped down for two and the referee is quick-counting here like crazy. The heels triple-team Garea, because that is what heels do. Japanese heels also do what Fuji is currently doing – using the dreaded nerve hold. Garea comes back with a bodyslam but misses a dropkick and Saito covers for two. Fuji & Saito are getting a lot of pinfall attempts here because it adds the to story of Garea getting worn down. It’s more effective than just rest-holds and it builds sympathy. Saito misses a chop in the corner and Saito makes the hot tag to Martel. Martel cleans house according to the McMahon and then he tags Garea back in. That is not the best idea in the world. Martel is tagged back in and he gets a dropkick. Garea is back in here and he backdrops Saito. Martel heads upstairs and tries a crossbody off the top but Fuji throws salt into his eyes on his way down and Saito rolls through to get the pinfall and the titles at 9:27. This was a well-executed tag match with the heels doing a nice job in dominating Garea and keeping it fresh with pinfall attempts and I really liked the ending of the salt in the eyes. ***1/4.
-The Bottom Line-
This is quite an eclectic bunch of matches. I find it very interesting that there is NO Hulk Hogan on here, even though he was in year one of his four-year WWE title reign. To be fair, most of the matches focused on the early 80’s before Hogan came. There were no blow-away matches that makes this a must-view, though the Santana/Orndorff match can almost make that claim. This is, however, almost 90-minutes featuring a wide array of the talent in the pre-Wrestlemania WWE talent. Here the WWE was still focused (somewhat) on the actual wrestling and not on the Rock N’ Wrestling, sports Entertainment stuff that would come. I think it was an improvement over the first volume and if the midget wrestling was replaced with a good 15-minute match then this would be worth a look. As it stands, this is for fans of EARLY WWE only, or those curious to what the WWE was like before Hogan.
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