The Name on the Marquee: WWF Championship Wrestling (3.2.1985)

-Originally aired March 2, 1985.

-Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Bruno Sammartino.

TITO SANTANA vs. CARL FURY
-Straight wrestling to start, but Fury gets overwhelmed and goes to the floor in frustration. Once he’s back in, it’s Tito who actually gets aggressive. This is really good storytelling they’ve been doing, with the good-natured, friendly Tito being uncharacteristically pissed off ever since injuring his knee and wrestling like a guy with a lot on his mind.

-Tito works the arm. Fury gets to his feet and gets some token offense. Tito fires back with a backdrop, skipping the flying forearm this week and going straight to the figure four for the submission. And again, he clamps it on so tightly that the referee has to help him undo it after the bell.

UPDATE
-This week, Lord Alfred Hayes looks at the WWF’s most charismatic star, the Junkyard Dog, who is in peak physical condition and is chasing after the Inter…continental Championship held by Greg Valentine. Valentine has not officially accepted the Dog’s challenge yet.

JIM “The Anvil” NEIDHART (with Jimmy Hart) vs. JIM POWERS
-They’ve hit the reset button with Neidhart, making no acknowledgement of his previous appearances or his previous manager. Neidhart has also changed his tights to a plain black version of the Hart Foundation gear. Neidhart is also sporting a pretty apparent black eye this week.

-Neidhart pounds Powers and tosses him to the floor. He slams Powers on the concrete while Jimmy Hart laughs and points. Powers makes it back to his feet but Neidhart suplexes him back inside. Powers avoids a backdrop and connects with a dropkick, but can’t take the Anvil off his feet. Powerslam finishes for the Anvil moments later.

-Tonight is the night at the Boston Garden, and JYD steps in, promising that the whole joint will be juking. He offers Gene a soulful handshake, which Gene completely whites up.

BRUTUS BEEFCAKE (with Luscious Johnny Valiant) vs. PAUL ROMA
-Valiant distracts Roma at the bell and Beefcake takes advantage by seeking up and tossing Roma to the floor. Back in, Roma manages to get an underhook suplex, but Beefcake takes control back with a backbreaker, and he chokes away at Roma.

-Roma again gets a mini-comeback but goes off the ropes and runs face-first into a high knee, giving Brutus the three.

-Gene Okerlund has another word with Captain Lou Albano, who runs down his predictions for every match on the card tonight in Boston. Windham and Rotundo predict that they’re going to keep control and hang onto the belts tonight in Boston.

BARRY WINDHAM & MIKE ROTUNDO (Tag Team Champions, with Captain Lou Albano) vs. GINO CARABELLO & PAT POLAND
-Rotundo clamps onto a side headlock to ground Carabello, and Windham tags in for a double-dropkick that sends Gino to the floor. Poland tags in, takes a beating, and the bulldog finishes easily for Windham.

PIPER’S PIT
-Clearly not taped during an event, they’re in an empty arena. Piper’s guest is Paul Orndorff, and they make monkey sounds to taunt Mr. T, who probably stole all that gold that he wears. Orndorff says that Mr. T doesn’t look so tough, unless you’re a “porch monkey,” in which case he’s probably pretty bad by comparison. Piper says he and Orndorff are accepting the challenge from Hulk Hogan and the “sorta-black guy” but only on the condition that the match take place at MSG, the same arena where they left Hogan and T laying the first time around.

-We go to highlights from MSG, with Wendi Richter defending her Ladies’ Title against challenger Lelani Kai. Cyndi Lauper is in Wendi’s corner tonight. But to the surprise of many, the Fabulous Moolah showed up with Lelani. Wendi goes for a pinfall when Moolah dashes over and begins strangling Cyndi. Richter goes to do something about it and Moolah gives her a shot right in the throat, in plain sight of the referee. But fuck it, says the referee, and the ensuing pinfall stands, making Lelani Kai the new champion.

KEN PATERA & BIG JOHN STUDD vs. SPECIAL DELIVERY JONES & RICK MCGRAW
-Bobby Heenan grabs the mic before the bell and says that the $15,000 is up for grabs if anybody wants to try to slam big John. Andre the Giant shows up, and this crowd busts a fucking nut. Studd is actually game for it, but Heenan doesn’t want Andre in there. Danny Davis tells Andre to leave, while SD Jones eggs on the Giant and tells him to get in. Andre leaves, and the moment he walks away, Heenan begins taunting and talking shit. Just tremendous, and the crowd is so PISSED about Andre being denied the opportunity.

-The heels are so distracted and upset that the jobbers actually have a shockingly easy time with Ken Patera, until Patera goes to Jones’ eyes to even things up. McGraw simply tags in and continues dishing out the asskicking, as Heenan’s men are just having the worst week ever because of Andre. Referee gets distracted and the heels take advantage with some double-teaming behind his back, and Patera scores the winning pin right away.

-Gene Okerlund talks to Hulk Hogan & Mr. T. They accept the challenge from Piper and agree to the terms and conditions. They’ll meet Piper & Orndorff, and they’ll meet in MSG. Gee, that match sounds too big for an episode of “Championship Wrestling.” They begin discussing their training regimen and Mr. T promises to be ready for “Piper, Orndorff, and the broken arm guy.”

The 411: Well, that was a hell of a week, now wasn't it? Stories everywhere and it moved lightning fast. Very high thumbs up.
Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]