The Old School questions thread

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

I'm not looking through 47 pages of stuff but here's my question

 

At Wrestlemania 7, a very good Mania often overlooked and criticized for two things the LARGE abundance of matches and the shitty main event angle(the match was ***)

 

However one thing puzzled me...

 

Why were Tenryu and Kitao, Japanese stars brought in for just that night to go over Demolition and then leave.

 

Also L.O.D the #1 new babyface team with Hart Foundation being phased out were used in a quickie squash over Power and Glory.

 

Why didn't since Demolition was already dying, LOD go over Demolition instead and add the "we ended demolition's reign"? aura to them? Was it because LOD aka Road Warriors were considered the original and Demolition were the "copy" of them and Vince didn't want the NWA stars to go over the WWF creation?

 

What was the point to these matches

 

Earthquake Vs Greg Valentine

Tito Santana Vs Mountie

Kitao/Tenryu Vs Demolition

Dino Bravo Vs Kerry Von Erich

Bulldog Vs Warlord

 

? All pointless. All short too. I would have scrapped all 5 of those, made Demolition Vs L.O.D; a dream match in 1987.

 

That would have shaved the card down to 11 matches and it would be a more fondly remembered show. The reason UT/Snuka isn't on that list here because Taker was clearly getting pushed or for Rockers/FOD, is because that match was ***3/4.

[JoeDirt 0]

This isn't really an old school question, but is there any particular reason why Greg Valentine was so crazy over with the fans at Wrestlemania 20?

 

Also, who are some guys who will NEVER make it to the WWE HOF because of personal issues with Vince or others? Savage, possibly?

[alfdogg 0]

Nailz.

[spman 0]

Wrestlemania 7 was pretty much just one big brainfart. Not that it was a bad show mind you, just a lot of pointlessness. The matches you mentioned mostly served to showcase new talent (Mountie, Von Eric, Bulldog) while burying talent that was on the way out, or in Tito's case, being retooled (Tito, Bravo, Warlord). Tenryu and Kiato may have been part of a talent exchange or something, as the rest of the dates they worked for Vince were mostly during the Asian tour in 1991

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I just started watching wrestling at this point so I can't confirm this, but I've been under the assumption that Warlord and Bulldog were having a very low key feud during the WM7 timeframe, mostly over strength. It seemed to extend to Survivor Series 91, but I don't think they ever did much to build anything around it, just wrestled on PPV.

 

As for Valentine, I believe he was a big player at MSG shows in the 80s. That is what I seem to recall hearing someone say when his HOF status was questioned.

[cawthon777 0]

I just started watching wrestling at this point so I can't confirm this, but I've been under the assumption that Warlord and Bulldog were having a very low key feud during the WM7 timeframe, mostly over strength. It seemed to extend to Survivor Series 91, but I don't think they ever did much to build anything around it, just wrestled on PPV.

This is true. On top of that, what move was Warlord using as a finisher before Davey showed up? The running powerslam. I seem to remember they had a series of arm wrestling bouts a few months before the show.

 

In terms of actual buildup ...

 

WWF @ Savannah, GA - January 29, 1991

Wrestling Challenge taping:

2/17/91:

Davey Boy Smith defeated the Warlord (w/ Slick) via disqualification in a Full Nelson challenge when Warlord attacked Smith from behind after Smith became distracted by Slick; after the contest, Smith cleared the ring and hit the running powerslam on Slick

[cawthon777 0]

Why were Tenryu and Kitao, Japanese stars brought in for just that night to go over Demolition and then leave.

 

Also L.O.D the #1 new babyface team with Hart Foundation being phased out were used in a quickie squash over Power and Glory.

 

What was the point to these matches

 

Earthquake Vs Greg Valentine

Tito Santana Vs Mountie

Kitao/Tenryu Vs Demolition

Dino Bravo Vs Kerry Von Erich

Bulldog Vs Warlord

 

? All pointless. All short too. I would have scrapped all 5 of those, made Demolition Vs L.O.D; a dream match in 1987.

 

That would have shaved the card down to 11 matches and it would be a more fondly remembered show. The reason UT/Snuka isn't on that list here because Taker was clearly getting pushed or for Rockers/FOD, is because that match was ***3/4.

1) Talent exchange with All Japan. The WWF had a number of big shows in Japan directly after Mania.

 

2) LOD were by no means phased out. Vince just didn't want them facing the Harts at Mania because he didn't want babyface vs. babyface. So instead LOD killed Power & Glory to pretty much cement the fact they were the top contenders.

 

What was the point?

 

Valentine / Quake - Valentine had been managed by Jimmy Hart for over 3 years and had recently dropped him. So Jimmy throws Quake at him for revenge.

 

Tito / Mountie - Establishes the Mountie. Same reason as Taker / Snuka.

 

Bravo / Von Erich - At the time, I could see this being an intriguing match on paper. Both guys were pretty much at the same level.

 

Bulldog / Warlord - Already explained.

[strummer 0]

any idea why MSG House Shows stopped airing live on the MSG network? I loved watching them as a kid.

[nl5xsk1 0]

2) LOD were by no means phased out. Vince just didn't want them facing the Harts at Mania because he didn't want babyface vs. babyface. So instead LOD killed Power & Glory to pretty much cement the fact they were the top contenders.

I might have mis-read his question, but I don't think he's implying that the LOD were being phased out but that the Harts were ...

[Guest Arnold_OldSchool]

2) LOD were by no means phased out.  Vince just didn't want them facing the Harts at Mania because he didn't want babyface vs. babyface.  So instead LOD killed Power & Glory to pretty much cement the fact they were the top contenders.

I might have mis-read his question, but I don't think he's implying that the LOD were being phased out but that the Harts were ...

Power and glory had cost the LOD a win in the No. 1 con battle toyal, hence the match.

[cawthon777 0]

any idea why MSG House Shows stopped airing live on the MSG network? I loved watching them as a kid.

I don't have the numbers to back this up but apparently attendance was dwindling so they figured if they pulled it from TV, more people would go to the show.

[JoeDirt 0]

Was Tatanka's winning streak a myth? Looking over Cawthon's site, it looks like he lost several house show matches to Rick Martel in the summer of 1992.

[MDH257 0]

I know he never got pinned on televison until the Ludvig Borga match. There's a match on a CV vs Ric Flair that ends in a double countout and the announcers say that since he didn't get pinned, the streak continues.

[Guest Shadow]

What i was saying was, why not just had done LOD Vs Demolition instead? they kind of built it up when they debuted and did the survivor series 1990 surivor match where they all were dqed...

 

THE LOD was the new #1 team since harts were phasing out to set up bret's solo run. Demolition was dying and instead of Demos/Japs... why didnt they add a special aspect to the #1 face tag team by having them end the demolition machine once and for all.

 

It could have been built as "the two most powerful teams in history collide". instead LOD squashes the lowest tiered tag team and demos get ended by a exhange team.

 

I think it would have used each teams better that way.

[Guest Arnold_OldSchool]

The demos and LOD had been fueding since SSlam and fought on both PPV and Sat Night's Main event IIRC, so maybe the WWF felt the match was played out.

 

Or it was a case of not wanting a WWF creation to be proven inferior to a NWA one once and for all.

[Some Guy 0]

I remember rading somewhere that the LOD/Demolition matches weren't drawing as well as they wanted at house shows so they kind of dropped the angle.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Kind of a useless question, but when did SuperStars/Challenge change their logos and themes in the early 1990s from the generic blue and yellow designs to the black/silver block design for SuperStars and the orange/yellow display for Challenge? Thanks.

[Some Guy 0]

I think Superstars changed it's logo when it went from syndication to USA network, which I think was sometime in 96. Wrestling Challenge was long gone by then, I think.

 

You've got me rememeringthe good old days of watching the Superstars, Challenge, and American Gladiators/Grudge Match (a stupid show hosted by Jesse Ventura that replaced Gladiators) block on Saturday afternoon on Fox.

[Guest Ransome]

A question out of curiousity:

 

When was the interview between JR and Triple H that apparently spawned his 'The Game' monicker? As in, was it televised? If I saw it at the time, I definitely thought nothing of it. Does anyone know the date it happened on?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

The Heat before Fully Loaded 99 had the interview though I do't know if that was it's original airing.

[slabinskia 0]

Many random questions here.sorry if they have been answered before.

 

It seemed like power and glory were getting a push in 1990 but were phased out.Couldn't they have been the transition champs instead of the nasty boys.

 

Did the sgt slaughter gimmick in 90/91 draw that much ?They could have just kept warriar as champ and return the job to hogan at wm7.

 

Why did the quebeckers get a tag title run in 93

 

Why did the headshrinkers get a tag title run in 94

 

Why did they have the conquistadors last until the end of the tag team survivors match in 88 ?I did think they were pretty good for jobbers.

 

Would the brainbusters have gotten a longer title rein if they weren't leaving.

 

Why was savage given the title at wm8 ?

 

Who decided to put billy gun and road dog together for the new age outlaws ?

[alfdogg 0]

It seemed like power and glory were getting a push in 1990 but were phased out.Couldn't they have been the transition champs instead of the nasty boys.

How I heard it was the Rockers were supposed to drop them to P&G after winning them from the Harts in late '90. Neidhart was going to be fired, but they decided to keep him. So they basically just pretended the title change never happened and P&G was more or less forgotten about. Someone else could put this a lot better than I just did though, I'm sure.

[Guest drdrainoscott]

Did the sgt slaughter gimmick in 90/91 draw that much ?They could have just kept warriar as champ and return the job to hogan at wm7.

No, that's why they moved Mania from the 100,000 seat stadium to the much smaller arena. Warrior wasn't drawing either...

Why did the quebeckers get a tag title run in 93

Why not?

Why did the headshrinkers get a tag title run in 94

Why not?

Why was savage given the title at wm8 ?

Why not?

Who decided to put billy gun and road dog together for the new age outlaws ?

It was supposed to be punishment for something (I don't remember what) but they made it entertaining and got over.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I think Superstars changed it's logo when it went from syndication to USA network, which I think was sometime in 96. Wrestling Challenge was long gone by then, I think.

 

You've got me rememeringthe good old days of watching the Superstars, Challenge, and American Gladiators/Grudge Match (a stupid show hosted by Jesse Ventura that replaced Gladiators) block on Saturday afternoon on Fox.

Appreciate the response but this was before then. In the late 1980s, Challenge had the cursive logo. It was changed in 1989 (I think) to a blue background w/ yellow block letters w/ the opening of that bodybuilder flexing at the beginning of it. Then, sometime in 1990 (I think), it changed to to a colorful background (orange, yellow, ect) w/ yellow block letters.

[cawthon777 0]

It seemed like power and glory were getting a push in 1990 but were phased out. Couldn't they have been the transition champs instead of the nasty boys.

 

I think the only reason Power and Glory didn't get the belts - either from the Harts or the Rockers - was because of Roma's bad attitude.

 

Would the brainbusters have gotten a longer title rein if they weren't leaving.

 

No. They lost the belts before they gave their notice and Tully failed the drug test.

[Guest Shadow]

If Arn Anderson had not gone back to NWA in 1990, what would have he done with WWF? Or would have vince even wanted him as a singles worker? I cant honestly see him fitting in with the 1990 wwf singles scene.

[spman 0]

If Arn Anderson had not gone back to NWA in 1990, what would have he done with WWF? Or would have vince even wanted him as a singles worker? I cant honestly see him fitting in with the 1990 wwf singles scene.

He probobly would have been kept as a high mid-carder, and eventually been fed to Hogan or Warrior.

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

If Arn Anderson had not gone back to NWA in 1990, what would have he done with WWF? Or would have vince even wanted him as a singles worker? I cant honestly see him fitting in with the 1990 wwf singles scene.

He probobly would have been kept as a high mid-carder, and eventually been fed to Hogan or Warrior.

Was Anderson ever a High-Midcarder?

[Guest Shadow]

In WCW he was always either then U.S or TV or Tag Team champion from 1990-1995.

 

He was a main eventer numerous times in the NWA.

 

In WWF? No. He was the tag team champions with Tully but left WWF before doing singles work for Vince and I agree, that he likely would have been an upper-card name and perhaps even worked something with Von Erich or simply been Heenan's #1 guy after Perfect.

 

wouldn't surprised me if Vince did a Horseman style group with Heenan using Perfect(playing flair), Arn(as arn) and Power and Glory(playing the Andersons...yes I know Heenan never managed P&G but there look and style was the closest to the andersons in wwf in 1990, unless you turned the face harts)

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

In WCW he was always either then U.S or TV or Tag Team champion from 1990-1995.

 

He was a main eventer numerous times in the NWA.

 

In WWF? No. He was the tag team champions with Tully but left WWF before doing singles work for Vince and I agree, that he likely would have been an upper-card name and perhaps even worked something with Von Erich or simply been Heenan's #1 guy after Perfect.

 

wouldn't surprised me if Vince did a Horseman style group with Heenan using Perfect(playing flair), Arn(as arn) and Power and Glory(playing the Andersons...yes I know Heenan never managed P&G but there look and style was the closest to the andersons in wwf in 1990, unless you turned the face harts)

I don't remember him holding the U.S Title at all.

 

The only times I remember him headlining was when he was in a War Games match or Flair's partner. Never as a singles though.