The Wrestling Classic

Greetings and welcome to another edition of the Vintage Wrestling Review. Today we  finish off the week with The Wrestling Classic, taking place in the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois on November 7. It consisted of a title match and a 16 man elimination tournament. Plus, “Back in Time” by Huey Lewis and the News as a theme. That song makes anything worthwhile.

The show begins with Vince McMahon and Lord Alfred Hayes playing the entire tournament up as well as introducing the pairings which were drawn from a hat.

Match: Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) vs. Cpl. Kirchner

Kirchner started off on a good offensive, getting Adonis in a side headlock. Eventually, Adonis countered with a suplex and kept the edge.

Winner: Adrian Adonis with the pin

It was a good match to start the show off with. Both men were able to have their respective offensives and paced it rather well. The ending was interesting and worked well for the match. 3/5

After the match, Okerlund interviewed Hart and Adonis, who said he would teach everyone and that he was going to rewrite wrestling.

Match: Dynamite Kid vs. Nikolai Volkoff

As Volkoff was singing the Russian national anthem and denouncing America, Kid went to the top rope and dropkicked Volkoff.

Winner: Dynamite Kid with a dropkick and pin

That was… fun. I guess even Englishmen get tired of the gimmick too. It wasn’t much of a match, but it was greatly executed. 4/5

Okerlund then interviewed Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth who said he was ready to face Putski and had so much to burn that no one could touch him.

Match: Macho Man Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) vs. Ivan Putski

Savage immediately bails, comes back and bails again after being hit by Putski. He comes back in and Putski gets the offensive. Despite attempts to turn it around, Putski kept his ground, until Savage cheated.

Match: Macho Man Randy Savage with the pin by cheating

This was an ok match. Putski had most of the offensive and Savage never really got anything going for him until the end, which seemed rushed and forced. 2/5

Nikolai Volkoff complained to Vince McMahon about how he was robbed of the match, called for American justice and said it wasn’t over yet. At least that’s what I think he said. Volkoff is very hard to discern at times.

Match: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. Davey Boy Smith

Both men started off having equal offensive, each having near wins. Smith was eventually able to get the match going in his favor, even with some comebacks by Steamboat. Ultimately, an encounter with the ring ropes injured Smith.

Winner: Ricky Steamboat with the referee conceding the match due to Smith’s injury.

This was a great match, highly energetic and really fun to watch. Neither man had an immediate advantage, making it interesting. It might have been an amazing match had it ended properly and not with Smith getting hurt. 4/5

Junkyard Dog was interviewed by Okerlund, saying you couldn’t take The Iron Sheik for granted and that he was giving thanks to the man above to be there.

Match: The Junkyard Dog vs. The Iron Sheik

Before Junkyard Dog could get ready, Sheik started attacking and gained an early advantage. Quickly though, Dog turned it around, making Sheik beg for mercy. At one point Sheik got The Camel Clutch in, but gave up, giving Dog what he needed.

Winner: Junkyard Dog with the pin

This was a pretty good match. I like how JYD was able to turn the advantage towards him quickly and how it looked like Sheik was going to win at one point. I do think that The Clutch shouldn’t have been given up so quickly though. 3/5

Okerlund interviewed Funk, who said he wanted the chance for the World Heavyweight Champion and that Roddy Piper was going to win the championship

Match: Terry Funk (with Jimmy Hart) vs. Moondog Spot

Funk immediately came out and said he didn’t want to wrestle Moondog and that he hoped Moondog didn’t want to wrestle him. He didn’t and both men walked away until the bell rang and Funk double-crossed Moondog. Before Funk could get back in the ring, Moondog dragged him away and got in himself.

After the “match” Funk and Hart started attacking Moondog and the referee.

Winner: Moondog Spot with Funk being counted out

Terrible. That is all. 1/5

Mr. Fuji and Don Muraco were with Okerlund, claiming Santana had met his match and that Muraco would beat the best.

Match: Tito Santana vs. Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji)

Muraco started heavy at Santana, having the early upper hand. Santana had a few spurts of advantage before getting the true offensive edge.  Muraco soon stole the match back until a mistake ended it.

Winner: Tito Santana with a surprise pin.

This match was good. Santana should have had more on offense though, but other than that, the two had good power. I like how it ended too, with Muraco thinking he won until Santana stole it from him 3/5

Okerlund had an interview with Bobby Heenan about how his men weren’t in the tournament. He claimed that Bob Orton was going to win the tournament.

Match: Paul Orndorff bs. Cowboy Bob Orton

Orndorff had control early on in the match, focusing mainly on Orton’s arm. Orton was able to gain some advantage, but eventually Orndorff came back only for to Orton to use his cast against him.

Winner: Paul Orndorff with a Disqualification.

Now this was a great match. Orton and Orndorff did very well in their moves, and it was very energetic. It was an interesting finish too, with Orton using his cast against Orndorff. I have no complaints, nor can I say what would have brought this match from great to amazing. 4/5

We then go to the leaderboard and Terry Funk throwing a tantrum about how the referee was arrogant, he should be having a title match and that he can beat anyone. Who’s arrogant?

QUARTERFINALS

Match: Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) vs. Dynamite Kid

Neither men had an early advantage, but Adonis picked up speed after leaving the ring for a quick second. While Jesse Ventura left the announce table to talk to Randy Savage, Adonis dominated Kid. Soon enough, Kid was able to get the offensive.

Winner: Dynamite Kid with a pin

This was a good match. Adonis wouldn’t let Kid get any true offense in until the end, which I believe should have gone on a little bit longer. But other than that, the two did very well. 3/5

Gene Okerlund spoke with Jesse Ventura after the match, who said Randy Savage was ready to face Ricky Steamboat. Ventura also said his commentary was never prejudiced and biased in his commentary.

Match: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth)

Before Steamboat could do anything, Savage pulled Miss Elizabeth in front of him as a shield. Quickly after, Savage had some good offense until Steamboat pulled him out of the ring and turned the match into his favor. At the end, Savage struck Steamboat with a foreign object.

Winner: Randy Savage with a foreign object and pin.

This match was good. Savage had some good heel steam in the very early match, but didn’t quite get any back and Steamboat did well once he brought it into his favor. Savage brought the object out too early though. He should have gotten a false lead only to have it taken away by Steamboat before he used it. 3/5

Gene interviewed Moondog Spot, who merely grunted and said nothing intelligible. I smell squash match.

Match: Junkyard Dog vs. Moondog Spot

Spot started for Dog before the bell rang, but Dog was able to turn everything around and… count the pin himself? Can he do that?

Winner: Junkyard Dog with a pin he counted by himself.

I smelled right. 33 seconds, I counted. As a squash match, this wasn’t that good. Why did I like the one at WrestlMania? Because it worked, plain and simple. This one didn’t. Plus, since when can the wrestler count his own pin? 1/5

Gene then interviewed Heenan again who said Hogan was drained and ready to be picked clean of his title. I side with Heenan for once.

Match: Tito Santana vs. Paul Orndorff

Santana started off with a side headlock and head scissors, which Orndorff reversed into a hammerlock to give him the offensive. It eventually resulted in a brawl outside the ring.

Double Countout and elimination from the tournament

This match wasn’t that good. While it had great tension, it was just slow and boring. The double countout and double elimination was interesting, but also seemed like a forced way to end the match. 2/5

We go back to McMahon and Hayes who played up the next Dynamite Kid/Randy Savage match and how Junkyard Dog had luck of the draw.  

We’re now at the Championship match. Will Hogan retain? Will Piper grab the title away? Do I even need to ask these questions?

Hogan told Okerlund that he was ready and that the whole country gets to witness Piper getting the full brunt of his wrath. Because watcha gonna do… when the Hulkster is getting shoved down your throat?

Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper for the WWF Heavyweight Championship

Piper ripped the belt away from Hogan and threw him out of the ring just as the bell rang. The two started fighting outside the ring for the beginning of the match. Once in, Piper was on the immediate offensive. Both men went back and forth quite equally. At one point, Hogan ran into the referee, Piper picked up a chair and Cowboy Bob Orton ran out and interfered.

Winner: Hulk Hogan to retain the championship by Disqualification.

This actually wasn’t that bad of a match. It went back and forth with no real edge to it at all. There were even times when Piper cut Hogan down a few notches and brought the match back from a runaway finish. But the ending… was terrible. Was interference by Orton really necessary? Was Piper getting disqualified again really necessary? This honestly should have been settled in a cage. At least then it would have ended in either Piper getting pinned or having Hogan being counted out. He would have still remained champion with a fine ending. 3/5

Would have been 4 if Orton didn’t show up.

Okerlund interviewed Junkyard Dog, who said he trained hard enough and he was ready to win the tournament. Jimmy Hart showed up and was completely manic about the embarrassment Junkyard Dog showed him in the last Saturday Night’s Main Event.

SEMIFINALS

Match: Macho Man Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) vs. Dynamite Kid

The early match saw no one have an immediate offense, but Savage finally found it. Kid tried to get an edge by dropkicking and superplexing Savage off the top rope, but it didn’t work.

Winner: Randy Savage with a countered pin

This was a good match. It was fast and furious in the beginning, with no one having a clear offensive edge. With Savage getting it and Kid trying to turn it around, only to have it stolen by Savage was a nice finish. 3/5

Some fan named Michael Hamley won a Rolls Royce. No one cared. Okerlund interviewed Hogan who said he wanted to face Piper and Orton again. Orndorff agreed. Yay.

Final Match: Macho Man Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) vs. The Junkyard Dog

Oh look. Savage started off by using Elizabeth as a shield and hightailing it out of the ring. Savage would get back in only to immediately leave again. Thrice. Once in, Junkyard Dog had an immediate offensive advantage. Savage was able to get an edge in, incapacitating Dog outside of the ring. Once back in, Dog was able to turn it around.

Winner: Junkyard Dog with a countout.

This was a good match. Savage’s heel persona was very much evident in the beginning with using Elizabeth and getting in and out of the ring numerous times. While they both had good offensives (Savage outside of the ring and Dog inside the ring), the finish to the match was nicely ironic: JYD throwing Savage out of the ring to be counted out. 3/5

The pay per view was pretty good, with some good and great matches. Unfortunately, because of some horrible matches (the worst ones involving Moondog Spot. Pattern?), the show only gets an all around 2.8/5

I think my favorite point of the night was when Dynamite Kid dropkicked Nikolai Volkoff to immediately end the match. It was hilarious and worked really well, unlike the Junkyard Dog/Moondog Spot squash match.

I’m honestly glad this show’s over. Coming up Next week, we have a Saturday Night’s Main Event from December 19^th on Monday, Starrcade ’85 on Wednesday, and Friday, we move on into 1986 with an edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event from February 15.