WWF Championship Wrestling March 9th, 1985

March 9^th, 1985

Your hosts are Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahon.

In action this week is the Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff, as well as Hillbilly Jim. Also, we will see a training session with Mr. T and Hulk Hogan.

 

A.J. Petruzzi vs. Junkyard Dog

The camera pans to the dancing fans in the audience. JYD shoves Petruzzi into the ropes before chopping him down. Petruzzi ducks out for a breather and JYD works the arm when he gets back inside. AJ falls down after head-butting JYD then gets caught with clothesline. Vince is cackling on commentary as JYD keeps talking to Petruzzi then JYD finishes things off with a powerslam (2:58). After the match, JYD teaches Howard Finkel how to dance, to the amusement of Vince. After that, he dances with a young child.

Thoughts: They continue to push JYD as a threat to Valentine’s Intercontinental Title. JYD is really over big with the crowds.

 

WWF Update with Lord Alfred Hayes. This week’s topic is Andre the Giant and how angry he is at Big John Studd and Bobby Heenan for cutting his hair. Hayes then brings up the $15,000 Bodyslam Challenge and how Andre swears that he will slam Studd at WrestleMania.

 

Peter Pompei vs. Don Muraco w/ Mr. Fuji

Muraco takes down Pompei and works a nerve hold. He bores the crowd by continuing the hold as Bruno puts over his martial arts skills. After a minute, he hits a poor excuse of an enziguiri before finishing of Pompei with a tombstone (3:00).

Thoughts: Bad showing for Muraco. They are now trying to put him over as someone who knows a lot of martial arts and it is laughable.

 

Freddie Miller is with Greg Valentine and Jimmy Hart. He asks them about Valentine’s lumberjack match against Tito Santana in Boston.

 

Charlie Fulton vs. Hillbilly Jim

The fans went absolutely nuts for Jim. Fulton bounces off of Jim a few times to start. Jim flexes and the crowd goes crazy. Jim breaks out of a full nelson by spinning Fulton around as Vince is in all his glory. Fulton lands a few forearms but Jim scoops him up for a slam then catches Fulton in a bearhug for the win (2:36).

Thoughts: Holy shit was Jim over. If he didn’t break his leg, who knows what would have happened with his push.

 

Miller is with Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik. They run down Windham & Rotundo and promise to beat them in the Boston Garden.

 

Iron Sheik & Mikolai Volkoff w/Freddy Blassie vs. Sean & Brian O’Grady

Sheik tosses around Sean for a bit. Brian tags in and Nikolai hits a backbreaker and they rough up Sean again then Sheik hits the camel clutch for the win (2:17).

Thoughts: Not much different than any other match involving these two. The Russian National Anthem bit still draws a lot of boos from the crowd.

 

Piper’s Pit with guest Paul Orndorff. They make fun of Mr. T and Hogan training together as Orndorff says he can easily match Hogan in the weight room. Orndorff then cuts a promo on Mr. T, calling him “Boy,” as Piper says that in three weeks at WrestleMania, they will destroy them.

 

Greg “The Hammer” Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Aldo Marino

Valentine take Marino to the mat then drops him throat-first across the top rope. He works the arm for a bit as Bruno puts over the aggressiveness of Valentine. The Hammer hits an inverted atomic drop then drops a few elbows before putting Marino in the figure four leglock for the win (2:48).

Thoughts: Nice showing for Valentine. They are playing up the idea that Jimmy Hart has made Valentine more aggressive than ever.

 

The first video advertisement for WrestleMania airs. Vince was doing the voiceover. It only lasted about 30 seconds and ended with Mr. T telling Piper that he was dead meat.

 

The video package of Mr. T and Hulk Hogan training airs. They are in Los Angeles as Hogan tells Mr. T he can only have one more taco as they have to start training. Gene Okerlund is with Mr. T and Hogan as they are now in Venice Beach. A lengthy package airs of them training that ends with them eating a picture of Roddy Piper. Wacky stuff.

 

Jack Reynolds runs down the WrestleMania card. He is joined by Bobby Heenan and John Studd, who is holding a stack of money and Andre’s hair.

 

Gene Okerlund is with Cyndi Lauper and Wendi Richter. Lauper doesn’t care if Moolah attacks her as Richter lets us know that it only takes eight pounds of pressure to break someone’s neck. Richter promises that Leilani Kai will be dancing like an “organ grinder’s monkey.” Cutting promos were not one of Richter’s strength.

 

Bruno and Vince run down next week’s show, including another training session with Mr. T & Hulk Hogan as well as Roddy Piper and Bob Orton in action.

 

Final Thoughts: They are really starting to promote WrestleMania strong. The last fifteen minutes were dedicated to the show. Besides that, nothing much happened but they have done a really good job building up the feuds for the show